LOCAL SPORTS
AUS: The first place Acadia Axemen relied on timely scoring and a strong goaltending performance to earn a 4–2 victory over the X-Men at the Keating Centre last night in a game where special teams were prominent. Scoring for the X-Men were Logan O’Neil and Ryan McGuire. In the afternoon, forward Samantha Morrison scored a goal and the shootout winner, lifting the X-Women to a 3-2 win over the Saint Mary’s Huskies at the Dauphinee Centre. Tea Pearce scored the other regulation goal for the X-Women.
On Coach K Court, the UPEI Panthers survived a late surge by the X-Women to get the win, 66-62 win. Shannon Neita had 17 points for the X-Women, with 14 points each from Reegan Bell and Kristine Cooper.
The X-Men used strong shooting and hard defense in a convincing 92-74 win over the visiting Panthers. AUS leading scorer DJ Jackson had another big night for STFX picking up Gabriel Pizza Player of the Game honors with 29 points. Nicholas Niare added 15 points and 13 rebounds for the X-Men, who improved their record to 6-3 on the season.
Junior B: In Membertou, the Antigonish Bulldogs gave up 4 goals in the first period and couldn’t catch up, losing 6-3 to the Junior Miners. The Miners travel to Trenton to take on the Scotians tonight at 6, while the Strait Pirates travel to Eskasoni to face the Eagles at 7:30.
Seniors League: The Pictou County Pipers lost a close-fought game, falling 5-4 in overtime to the East Hants Penguins. The Bulldogs also lost on the road, 3-2 to the Truro Bearcats.
U15: The Wearwell Bombers doubled the Bearcats 6-3, while the host Novas also won 6-3, defeating the Dartmouth Whalers. The Novas and Bombers face off this morning at 11 at the PC Wellness Centre.
U16 AAA: The Cabot Highlanders host the Valley Wildcats at the Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre – opening faceoff is at 2 pm.
U18 Major: In Port Hood, the CB West Islanders defeated the Weeks Majors 5-2. The rematch is set for 1 pm this afternoon at the Al MacInnis Sports Centre.
Rural League: Only one game was played last night at the Arena, as the Outlaws outscored Heatherton 5-4.
Maritime Major Girls U18 League: The Northern Subway Selects & CB Lynx are part of a tournament at Credit Union Place in Summerside, PEI. In Saturday’s action, the Selects lost a close 3-2 match to the Moncton Rockets, while the Lynx beat the Greenfoot Capitals 3-2. In action today, it’s the Lynx vs the Moncton Rockets at 10 am, the Selects vs the Down East Stars at 2 pm.
NATIONAL SPORTS
Nazem Kadri scored the shootout winner as the Calgary Flames defeated the Dallas Stars 3-2 in N-H-L action. Matt Coronato and Joel Farabee put the Flames ahead 2-0 in regulation but the Stars rallied in the third period to send the game to extra time.
MacKenzie Blackwood made 35 saves to lead the Colorado Avalanche to a 3-0 victory over the Nashville Predators. Brent Burns scored early, and Nathan MacKinnon and Jack Drury added empty-net goals for the Avalanche. Colorado has won eight straight, their longest winning streak since taking nine in a row March 4th-24th, 2024.
Tournament favourites Rachel Homan and Kerri Einarson opened with lopsided wins in the first draw of the 2025 Montana’s Canadian Curling Trials in Halifax. Ottawa’s Homan had a draw for three in the third end and stole four more in the fourth to secure a 16-5 win over Kate Cameron of St. Adolphe, Manitoba. Meanwhile, Brad Gushue of St. John’s got out of the gates with an 11-5 victory against Saskatoon’s Rylan Kleiter. The winner of the men’s and women’s competitions will represent Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina, Italy.
The Vancouver Whitecaps have earned their first-ever spot in Major League Soccer’s Western Conference final. The ‘Caps and Los Angeles F-C battled to a 2-2 draw before Vancouver won the Western Conference semifinal 4-3 on penalties. Emmanuel Sabbi opened the scoring in the 39th minute and defender Mathias Laborda doubled the lead in first-half injury time.
Cade Cunningham had 29 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds as the Detroit Pistons capitalized on sizzling shooting to beat the Milwaukee Bucks 129-116 for their 12th straight victory. Detroit’s Jaden Ivey played 15 minutes and scored 10 points in his first game since breaking his left fibula on January 1st.
Russell Westbrook scored 15 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter against his former team, and the Sacramento Kings withstood 44 points from Nikola Jokic to beat the Denver Nuggets 128-123, ending an eight-game slide. Sacramento lost every game during the streak by double digits — the last by 41 points at Memphis on Thursday night.
Saturday’s Scoreboard
NHL
Edmonton 4 Florida 3
Ottawa 3 San Jose 2
Montreal 5 Toronto 2
Calgary 3 Dallas 2 (SO)
Detroit 4 Columbus 3 (OT)
St. Louis 2 N.Y. Islanders 1
Philadelphia 6 New Jersey 3
Seattle 3 Pittsburgh 2 (OT)
Tampa Bay 5 Washington 3
Colorado 3 Nashville 0
Utah 3 N.Y. Rangers 2
Anaheim 4 Vegas 3 (OT)
PWHL
New York 4 Ottawa 0
Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League
Blainville-Boisbriand 3 Val-d’Or 1
Chicoutimi 9 Halifax 3
Rouyn-Noranda 4 Gatineau 1
Newfoundland 6 Quebec 2
Shawinigan 2 Victoriaville 1
Cape Breton 4 Sherbrooke 1
Vanier Cup
Montreal 30 Saskatchewan 16
MLS Conference semifinals
Vancouver 2 Los Angeles FC 2 (Vancouver wins 4-3 on penalty kicks)
NBA
L.A. Clippers 131 Charlotte 116
Orlando 133 New York 121
Atlanta 115 New Orleans 98
Detroit 129 Milwaukee 116
Chicago 121 Washington 120
Memphis 102 Dallas 96
Sacramento 128 Denver 123
Saturday’s Games (All times Eastern)
NHL
Carolina at Buffalo, 1 p.m.
Minnesota at Winnipeg, 4 p.m.
Seattle at N.Y. Islanders, 5 p.m.
Colorado at Chicago, 7 p.m.
Boston at San Jose, 8 p.m.
Calgary at Vancouver, 9 p.m.
PWHL
Montreal at Boston, 1 p.m.
Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League
Charlottetown at Moncton, 2 p.m.
MLS Conference semifinals
Miami at Cincinnati, 5 p.m.
New York City F.C. at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m.
NBA
Miami at Philadelphia, 1 p.m.
Brooklyn at Toronto, 6 p.m.
Charlotte at Atlanta, 6 p.m.
L.A. Clippers at Cleveland, 6 p.m.
Orlando at Boston, 6 p.m.
Portland at Oklahoma City, 7 p.m.
L.A. Lakers at Utah, 8 p.m.
San Antonio at Phoenix, 8 p.m.
NFL
Indianapolis at Kansas City, 1 p.m.
Minnesota at Green Bay, 1 p.m.
N.Y. Giants at Detroit, 1 p.m.
N.Y. Jets at Baltimore, 1 p.m.
New England at Cincinnati, 1 p.m.
Pittsburgh at Chicago, 1 p.m.
Seattle at Tennessee, 1 p.m.
Cleveland at Las Vegas, 4:05 p.m.
Jacksonville at Arizona, 4:05 p.m.
Atlanta at New Orleans, 4:25 p.m.
Philadelphia at Dallas, 4:25 p.m.
Tampa Bay at L.A. Rams, 8:20 p.m.