– The Brandon Wheat Kings will try to get back into their second round playoff series with Edmonton Tuesday night when they host the Oil Kings (7:00 p.m., Westman Communications Group Place). Brandon dropped the opening two games of the Best-of-Seven in Edmonton on Thursday and Saturday of last week, failing to score a goal in the two contests. Part of the issue was an 0-for-6 showing on the power-play, dropping the Wheat Kings to 4-for-29 (13.8%) so far in the post-season. In addition to improving their special teams, a couple of other keys for the Wheat Kings will be to get off to a better start, and find a way to reduce their shots against. In both games in Edmonton, the Oil Kings jumped out to a 2-0 leads in the first period while also peppering Brandon netminder Jordan Papirny with 102 shots. CKLQ’s Bruce Luebke has more on the Wheat Kings on his blog at http://luberslounge.blogspot.ca/
– Patrik Polivka stopped 38 shots to help the Victoria Royals down the Portland Winterhawks 2-1 in the lone WHL playoff game Monday night. Austin Carroll and Brandon Magee scored first period power-play goals for the Royals, who won on home-ice after losing the opening two games of the Western Conference semifinal series in Portland. The Winterhawks still have a 2-1 lead heading into Game Four Tuesday night.
– Charlie Coyle scored the game’s only goal and Ilya Bryzgalov made 24 saves as the Minnesota Wild defeated the Winnipeg Jets 1-0 on Monday. Coyle’s one-timer off a pass from Zach Parise at 1:05 of the second period came just after a penalty to Winnipeg defenceman Mark Stuart had expired. The Jets iced an injury-depleted lineup with Dustin Byfuglien and Andrew Ladd both sidelined. Michael Hutchinson stopped 16 shots in his first career NHL start with regular backup Al Montoya still suffering from a lower-body injury.
– Boissevain’s Lee Chandler and the Nexxice synchronized skating team collected their third straight silver medal at the World Championship in Italy over the weekend. The Ontario-based team moved up from third after the short program to second following Saturday’s free skate with a score of 220.88 points to finish just behind gold-medal winning Marigold Ice United from Finland.
– The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have hired Cory McDiarmid as the club’s linebackers coach. McDiarmid has 10 years of experience in the CFL and won a Grey Cup with the B-C Lions in 2000. He has coached in various capacities with the Bombers, Montreal Alouettes, Calgary Stampeders, Toronto Argonauts, and Lions.
– It was a day off Monday for the Toronto Blue Jays. The Jays are 3-and-4 to start the Major League Baseball regular season. They begin a three-game series at home against the Houston Astros Tuesday.
– Golfers will be trying to get in a full practice round at the Masters a day after play was rained out. Augusta National was open for only two hours because of storms, still enough time for a few players to see some of the changes to the golf course. The ice storm in February that led to the demise of the famous Eisenhower Tree cost the club countless other trees, giving Augusta a slightly different look.
– Last year the Huskies were barred from March Madness because of grade problems. This year they are the champions. Shabazz Napier scored 22 points as U-Conn defeated Kentucky 60-54 for their fourth title in school history. Napier was named most outstanding player of Final Four for his efforts.
– Joey Logano took the checkered flag in the rain-delayed Duck Commander 500 Sprint Cup in Fort Worth, Texas. He passed Jeff Gordon on the final lap to get the win in the seventh race of the season. He is the seventh different driver to win this year.
