– Tristan Jarry stopped 26 shots as the Edmonton Oil Kings blanked the Portland Winterhawks 2-0 in Game Four of the Western Hockey League final Wednesday night. Mitch Moroz and Curtis Lazar scored the goals for the Oil Kings as they tied the series at two games apiece. It’s the first time Portland has been shut out since December 11, 2011 – a span of 237 regular season, playoff and Memorial Cup games. Game Five of the WHL Final goes Friday night in Portland.
– On the rest of the Road to the Memorial Cup, the Guelph Storm downed the North Bay Battalion 10-1 Wednesday night to take a 3-1 lead in the Ontario Hockey League final while Bai-Comeau edged Val d’Or 4-3 in overtime to tie the QMJHL Final at two games apiece. The 2014 Memorial Cup begins May 16 in London, Ontario.
– The New York Rangers will be skating uphill for the rest of their series with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Brandon Sutter scored a short-handed goal to break a second-period tie, and Pittsburgh downed the New York Rangers 4-2 Wednesday. The Penguins now have a 3-1 series lead heading into Game 5 at Pittsburgh on Friday night.
– Former Brandon Wheat King Ron Hextall has been named general manager of the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers. To make room for Hextall, Paul Holmgren was elevated to president. The 50-year old Hextall returned to the Flyers’ organiation last summer, being named assistant GM and director of hockey operations. He had spent the previous seven years as assistant GM of the Los Angeles Kings, helping them to a Stanley Cup title in 2012.
– Former Brandon Wheat King Jason Chimera was named an alternate captain for the Canadian team for the World Hockey Championship. The Washington Capitals’ forward is representing Canada at the Worlds for the third time in his career. Kevin Bieksa of the Vancouver Canucks will be Canada’s captain, while Kyle Turris of the Ottawa Senators will be the other alternate captain.
– The Saskatchewan Roughriders say last year’s Grey Cup festival in Regina scored big, generating more than 93-million dollars in spending. A financial impact statement released by the football club says the event drew more than 241-thousand people to the four-day festival alone, with another 45-thousand attending the Grey Cup game. The Festival and Grey Cup game generated the equivalent of 400 full-year jobs and 21-million dollars in wages and salaries, and over 14-million dollars in new tax revenues.
– Police have confirmed that former Saskatchewan Roughrider Kory Sheets was busted for pot possession several weeks ago and received an absolute discharge. Sheets pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana at a court appearance and has made a $300 charitable donation to Students Against Drunk Driving as part of the discharge.
– The annual NFL draft of players starts Thursday night with the first round at New York’s Radio City Music Hall. T he Houston Texas, by virtue of their 2-14 record last season, will have the first pick with St. Louis, Jacksonville, Cleveland and Oakland following. History will be made at some point during the draft. Former Missouri defensive end Michael Sam made headlines in February when he came out publicly as being gay and is expected to be selected at some point during the NFL Draft. He’ll become the first openly gay professional football player.
– The NBA owners have held their second discussions about ending Donald Sterling’s ownership of the Los Angeles Clippers. The advisory/finance committee held a conference call as owners work to force Sterling to sell the franchise following his lifetime ban for making racist comments. The owners plan to meet again next week.
