– After dropping the first three games of the series, the Kings have forced a Game 7 with the Sharks after beating them 4-1 Monday night. Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams each had a pair of goals for LA, which is looking to become just the fourth team in NHL history to come back from being down 3-0. San Jose hosts Game 7 on Wednesday.
– Elsewhere in the NHL, Zach Parise scored twice, including the winner, and added two assists as Minnesota beat the Avalanche 5-2 to even its series 3-3. The teams head to Denver for Game 7 on Wednesday. And, Evgeni Malkin scored three times as Pittsburgh toppled Columbus 4-3 to take their first-round series in six games.
– Plenty of NHL news Monday. Former Brandon Wheat King Brad Treliving has been named the new General Manager of the NHL’s Calgary Flames; Jim Rutherford has stepped after two decades as GM of the Carolina Hurricanes and is being replaced by Hall of Fame player Ron Francis; and Boston’s Zdeno Chara, Chicago’s Duncan Keith and Nashville’s Shea Weber are the finalists for the Norris Trophy as theNHL’s Top Defenceman.
– Day three of the Western Canada Cup in Dauphin featured a battle between the only two unbeaten teams. The B-C Champion Coquitlam Express defeated the MJHL Champion Winnipeg Blues 2-1 to improve to 2-and-0 and move into sole possession of first-place. The Blues fall into a tie with Yorkton and Dauphin for second-place at 1-and-1. Today’s games have Yorkton battling winless Spruce Grove at 2:00 p.m., with the all-Manitoba battle between the Blues and Dauphin at 7:00 p.m.. CKLQ’s Bruce Luebke has more on Day Three of the Western Canada Cup here.
– Former Brandon Wheat King Corbin Boes could be front and center when the Western Hockey League Final opens Saturday in Portland. Boes took over as the Winterhawks’ starting goaltender midway through the Western Conference Final against Kelowna, posting a 1.84 goals against average and .941 save percentage in four games. The 20-year old said on CKLQ’s Monday Sports Talk that he hasn’t been told he’ll start Game #1 against the Edmonton Oil Kings, but he’ll prepare through the week like he will be. To hear Boes’ complete conversation from Monday Sports Talk, click here.
– The Portland Winterhawks will be without high-scoring forward Brendan Leipsic when they open the Western Hockey League Final on Satuday. Leipsic has been suspended for one game by the WHL after being assessed a spearing major and game misconduct late in Portland’s series-clinching Game Five victory over Kelowna in the Western Conference Final.
– Some news surrounded the WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes. The team is being sued by former assistant coach Brad Lukowich for wrongful dismissal, and ‘Canes president Brian McNaughton and WHL Commissioner Ron Robison appeared in front of Lethbridge City Council last night. The WHL has, apparently, launched a review of the Hurricanes’ operation including both the hockey side and business side of the organization.
– The North Central Hockey League is expanded West. League president Gerry Nolan has confirmed that the Moosomin Rangers will be joining the loop for the 2014-2015 season. Moosomin will become the first Saskatchewan-based team in the NCHL since the 1970’s.
– The Brandon University women’s basketball team has gone south of the border to sign two recruits for next season. 5-foot-4 guard Mikaela Stanton and 5-foot-11 forward Alyssa Montgomery will join the Lady ‘Cats this fall. BU Coach Novell Thomas feels both players can step into the lineup immediately and ‘do some damage.’ Stanton and Montgomery jon Virden standouts Logan Biccum and Natalie Vachon and Hamiota’s Shayna Mathison as newcomers to the Lady ‘Cats basketball program.
– Basketball player Justine Colley of Saint Mary’s University won the BLG Award as Canadian Interuniversity Sport’s Female Athlete of the Year. Colley edged out three other nominees for the Jim Thompson Trophy including Brandon product Lisa Barclay of the UBC Thunderbirds’ volleyball team. Carleton basketball player Philip Scrubb took the men’s honour.
– The best in Manitoba was unveiled Monday night, with Sport Manitoba presented numerous awards during their Night of Champions. Volleyball player Taylor Pischke and triathlete Tyler Mislawchuk were named the Junior Female and Male Athletes of the Year. Brandon gymnast Isabela Onyshko and Wheat Kings’ forward Jayce Hawryluk were among the finalists for those awards. The Junior Team of the Year was the Matt Dunstone curling team that won the 2013 Canadian title.
– NBA commissioner Adam Silver will speak at a news conference Tuesday to discuss the ongoing investigation of LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling. An audio recording of the 80-year-old billionaire has surfaced that purportedly has him making racist remarks to his girlfriend. The Clippers host the Golden State Warriors Tuesday night in Game 5 of their series, which is tied 2-2.
