– Winnipeg Jets’ draft pick Nic Petan scored three power-play goals to help the Portland Winterhawks to a 5-1 victory over the Kelowna Rockets in WHL playoff action Wednesday night. Former Wheat King Corbin Boes made 31 saves for Portland as they took a three games to one lead in the Western Conference Final. Meanwhile, Brett Pollock had two goals and an assist to pace Edmonton past Medicine Hat 4-1 Wednesday. The Oil Kings lead the Eastern Conference Final three games to one.
– The Western Hockey League will vote next week on the sale of two franchises. The Prince George Cougars and Regina Pats have both entered into agreements to transfer ownership to local business groups in their communities. Both sales are subject to approval by the WHL’s Board of Governors, with their meeting to approve the sales slated for next Wednesday.
– The quest for gold continues Thursday for Canada at the World Under-18 Hockey Championship. Canada faces Switzerland in one of the four quarter-finals, with the contest beginning at 11:00 a.m. (CDT). You can catch Wheat Kings’ John Quenneville, Jayce Hawryluk and Ryan Pilon and the rest of the Canadian team on TSN, as Thursday’s game will be shown ‘live’.
– The Chicago Blackhawks recovered from blowing a 2-0 lead to beat the St. Louis Blues 4-3 in overtime in Stanley Cup playoff action Wednesday. Patrick Kane scored twice including once in OT for Chicago, giving him 32 career post-season goals. Corey Crawford made 30 saves to help Chicago tie the series at two games apiece. Elsewhere, the Columbus Blue Jackets rallied from a 3-0 deficit to shock Pittsburgh 4-3 in overtime. Nick Foligno scored in OT for Columbus to tie the series at 2-2. In Dallas, the Stars scored four unanswered goals to blow past the Anaheim Ducks 4-2. That series is also tied at two.
– An extensive audit process has confirmed seven of eight teams were under the Canadian Football League’s salary cap for the 2013 season. The Saskatchewan Roughriders were the only team to exceed the cap — by just under 18-thousand dollars. The Riders will be fined one dollar for each dollar they were over the cap, but will have no other penalties.
– The NFL has announced it’s 2014 schedule, and it opens with the Super Bowl-champion Seattle Seahawks hosting the Green Bay Packers on Thursday, September 4. The complete NFL schedule is available at http://www.nfl.com/schedules
– Golfers will be able to get their fix beginning Thursday. The Shilo Golf Course is open for the season, the first of the local golf courses to open. The Glen Lea and Northern Pines courses will likely open early next week; the Wheat City is targetting the second week of May and the Deer Ridge Golf Course has yet to set an opening date.
– The draw for the 2014 Tamarack Tournament was made earlier this week. The annual match-play tournament takes place at the Clear Lake Golf Course from August 16-23. The draw is posted oneline at www.tamarackgolftournament.ca.
– Controversy in Major League Baseball. Yankees pitcher Michael Pineda was ejected from New York’s 5-1 loss to Boston when umpires found pine tar on his neck. Pitchers aren’t allowed to use foreign substances to help grip the ball. The Blue Jays dropped a 10-8 decision to Baltimore Wednesday night. Nelson Cruz homered twice for the Orioles including a grand slam.
– Brandon’s Alexandra Murray looks to clinch a Canadian Junior Racquetball title Thursday. Murray plays Quebec’s Jewel Sauve in her final round-robin game this afternoon, and will claim the Girls’ 16-and-Under singles crown with a victory. In action Wednesday, Brandon’s Milana Paddock fell to 0-and-2 in the Girls’ 18-and-Under singles while Paddock and Murray lost to a Quebec duo in 18-and-Under doubles to fall to 1-and-2. Brandon’s Reid Sorotsky won his final round-robin match to finish 1-and-2 in Boys’ 12-and-Under singles. He’ll play in the consolation round moving forward.
– Assiniboine Community College (ACC) hosted its first Student Achievement Celebration dinner Wednesday night, handing out 49 awards to current students and two awards to instructors. 24 students were recognized with athletic awards, including Jorry Holder being named Male Athlete of the Year and Erin Hoffman earning Female Athlete of the Year honours.
– The Brandon High School Badminton Championships concluded Wednesday. Neelin’s Yugo Ogata won her second gold, teamming with Lane Tufts to win the Junior Varsity title after winning the JV Girls’ singles crown earlier in the week. Vincent Massey’s Cole Muchumanski was also a double winner, taking the JV Boys’ singles title and teaming with Kevin Myu for the JV Boys; doubles crown. The Vikings dominated the Varsity competition, with Duncan Campbell and Taylor Curtis winning the singles competition and doubles winners being Luke Giesbrecht and Clark Whelpton and Olivia Pieroni and Katherine Lee.
– The late Sarah Burke is one of eight new inductees into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame. The freestyle skiing pioneer helped get women’s halfpipe into the Sochi Olympics. She died after a training accident in 2002. Other members of the Hall’s class of 2014 include ski jumper Horst Bulau, cross-country skier Pierre Harvey, hockey player Geraldine Heaney, figure skater Elizabeth Manley and rugby player Gareth Rees. Wheelchair basketball pioneer Tim Frick and basketball coach Kathy Shields will be inducted in the builder category.
