LOCAL SPORTS
The X-Men football team’s postseason run has come to an end, as the team was dominated by the OUA champion Western Mustangs in a 61-6 rout at the U SPORTS Mitchell Bowl national semifinal. The game was the fourth appearance for St. FX in a national semifinal in the past six seasons. X-Men head coach Gary Waterman noted the team has had a very good year, as they were predicted to finish near the bottom of the AUS conference but finished the season as undefeated conference champs. The AUS conference hasn’t won a national semifinal since the Saint Mary’s Huskies in 2007.
In Hockey, the Eighth-ranked X-Women closed out the first half of their season with a commanding 8-3 win over the St. Thomas Tommies at the Charles V Keating Centre. The X-Women go into the Christmas break with a record of 10 wins and 5 losses.
St. FX had a win and a loss on Saturday, as both UPEI teams visited the Saputo Centre. The X-Women were edged out 54-47 by the Panthers, while the X-Men outscored UPEI 86-78. These were the last games for St. FX before the Christmas break.
Maritime League: The Pictou County Weeks Crushers got another win on the road, defeating the Yarmouth Mariners 4-1.
NS Under 18: The CB West Islanders were shut out 2-0 by Steele Subaru in Port Hood. The rematch is at 1 this afternoon. In Halifax, the Weeks Majors were trounced 9-3 by the Macs: the teams play again at Noon.
NS Under 16: The Cabot Highlanders were blanked by the Kings 5-0 in East Hants. Today, they face the Voyagers at Noon, also in East Hants.
NS Under 15: At the Antigonish Arena, the Novas lost 2-0 to the Rangers. Today, the Novas host the Storm at 12:30 at the Keating Centre. The Wear Well Bombers fell 2-1 to the Gulls at home – today they host the Western Hurricanes at 11 am at the Wellness Centre.
NS Female AAA: At the Hector Arena in Pictou, the Northern Subway Selects defeated the Western Capitals 4-1. Scoring for the Selects were Ava Gennoe, Megan Smith, Mairead Macpherson and Sarah Fraser. The teams face off at 3:15 today in Halifax.
NS Junior: The Scotians host the Membertou Junior Miners in Trenton at 6.
Northern High School Hockey: the Dr. J.H. Gillis Royals boys play for the championship versus North Nova in Trenton at 12:30 today.
Rural League: Pleasantdale 3 Outlaws 1, St. Croix 5 Heatherton 1
NATIONAL SPORTS
Kyle Connor scored twice, including the game-winner late in the third period, and the Winnipeg Jets came from behind to defeat the Calgary Flames 4-2. The Jets snapped a five-game winless skid while ending Calgary’s four-game winning streak. Connor Hellebuyck made 34 saves for Winnipeg, which overcame an early 2-0 hole.
Mikko Rantanen had a hat trick and an assist, and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Nashville Predators 6-2. It was Rantanen’s first hat trick of the season and the third of his N-H-L career. Colorado’s Cale Makar finished with three assists, but had his goal-scoring streak end at five games.
The Canadian women’s hockey team remains winless at the Capital City Challenge. The national women’s team was blanked 7-0 by Team Canada Red _ one of three men’s under-17 teams at the tournament. The Canadian women are 0-and-2 so far. The Capital City Challenge replaced this year’s world under-17 hockey challenge, which was postponed due to COVID-19.
Brad Jacobs defeated Kevin Koe 8-3 in the men’s semifinal at Canada’s Olympic curling trials on Saturday afternoon to move one win away from returning to the Winter Games. Jacobs advances to the men’s final against Brad Gushue tonight. The winning team will represent Canada at the Beijing Olympics in February. Gushue earned a bye to the final after taking the first seed in round-robin play. In women’s play, Jennifer Jones advanced to the final with an 8-3 victory over Krista McCarville. Jones, who won Olympic gold in 2014, will play unbeaten Tracy Fleury in the morning final.
The head of the W-T-A says he remains “deeply concerned” about the whereabouts of Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai. W-T-A chairman Steve Simon is questioning Peng’s ability to “communicate freely, openly and directly.” The three-time Olympian dropped out of public view after accusing former vice-premier Zhang Gaoli of sexual abuse on November 2nd.
Donovan Mitchell had 21 points, seven rebounds and seven assists to help the Utah Jazz beat the New Orleans Pelicans 127-105. Mike Conley and Jordan Clarkson had 20 points apiece for the Jazz. Utah never trailed after the opening minute and made a season-high 20 3-pointers.
The Baltimore Ravens have activated linebacker Malik Harrison from injured reserve. This comes less than four weeks after he was struck on the leg by a stray bullet on October 31st. Police said the incident occurred outside a Cleveland nightclub. The Ravens host the Cleveland Browns on Sunday night.
Saturday’s Games
NHL
Seattle 4 Florida 1
Detroit 3 Buffalo 2 (OT)
Edmonton 3 Vegas 2
Los Angeles 4 Ottawa 2
Montreal 6 Pittsburgh 3
St. Louis 6 Columbus 3
Dallas 3 Arizona 2
Colorado 6 Nashville 2
Winnipeg 4 Calgary 2
NBA
Minnesota 121 Philadelphia 120 (2OT)
New York 99 Atlanta 90
Phoenix 113 Brooklyn 107
Cleveland 105 Orlando 92
Miami 107 Chicago 104
Washington 120 Dallas 114
Houston 146 Charlotte 143 (OT)
Utah 127 New Orleans 105
Sunday’s Schedule (All Times Eastern)
CFL Playoffs
East Semifinal
Montreal at Hamilton, 1 p.m.
West Semifinal
Calgary at Saskatchewan, 4:30 p.m.
NHL
Washington at Carolina, 1 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Minnesota, 2 p.m.
N.Y. Islanders at N.Y. Rangers, 6 p.m.
Philadelphia at New Jersey, 7 p.m.
San Jose at Chicago, 7 p.m.
Vancouver at Boston, 7 p.m.
Toronto at Anaheim, 8 p.m.
NBA
Golden State at L.A. Clippers, 3:30 p.m.
Milwaukee at Indiana, 5 p.m.
Boston at Toronto, 6 p.m.
Sacramento at Memphis, 6 p.m.
Detroit at L.A. Lakers, 9:30 p.m.
NFL
Atlanta at Jacksonville, 1 p.m.
Carolina at Miami, 1 p.m.
N.Y. Jets at Houston, 1 p.m.
Philadelphia at N.Y. Giants, 1 p.m.
Pittsburgh at Cincinnati, 1 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Indianapolis, 1 p.m.
Tennessee at New England, 1 p.m.
L.A. Chargers at Denver, 4:05 p.m.
L.A. Rams at Green Bay, 4:25 p.m.
Minnesota at San Francisco, 4:25 p.m.
Cleveland at Baltimore, 8:20 p.m.
MLS Playoffs
Eastern Conference semifinal
Philadelphia vs. Nashville, 5:30 p.m.
Western Conference semifinal
Sporting Kansas City vs. Real Salt Lake, 3 p.m.