THURSDAY SPORTS PAGE: RATTLERS BITE MONTREAL

Justin Wright-Foreman’s 33 points led the Saskatchewan Rattlers (4-6) to an 88-79 win over the Montréal Alliance (5-7), giving his team back-to-back wins for the first time this season. The league’s top scorer (29.5 PPG) has now passed the 30-point mark in five of the eight games he’s played in.

The Scarborough Shooting Stars (6-5) scored 56 points in the paint to defeat the Calgary Surge (7-6) 79-65 and jump into a tie for first place in the eastern conference.

Cat Barber scored a game-high 27 points, however, the Shooting Stars flexed their muscles inside to rebound from a disappointing loss in Saskatchewan on Sunday. 

The speculation has ended after the Chicago Blackhawks selected Canadian Connor Bedard first overall in the NHL draft. Bedard — who is only 17 — has been seen as a generational talent. The pick comes as the Blackhawks look to rebuild an aging team.

Anaheim selected Swedish forward Leo Carlsson second in the NHL Entry draft, followed by Columbus picking Michigan freshman Adam Fantilli. Speaking after the draft, Fantilli says he has no hard feelings about being the third pick despite being rumoured as a potential second overall pick.

Canadian teams are back on the clock today at the NHL draft. Yesterday, the Montreal Canadiens selected David Reinbacher with the fifth-overall pick while the Vancouver Canucks chose defenceman Tom Willander, the Flames went with Samuel Honzek, the Winnipeg Jets with Colby Barlow and the Toronto Maple Leafs with Easton Cowan.

Recent Stanley Cup champions Alex Killorn, J-T Compher and Patrick Kane are among the top players to watch when NHL free agency begins Saturday. The crop of available forwards also includes longtime Chicago captain Jonathan Toews.

The Toronto Blue Jays beat the San Francisco Giants 6-1 yesterday night, splitting the three game series so far. The Jays are next in action this afternoon. Trevor Richards threw three shutout innings and Bowden Francis earned his first big-league win last night.

It was perfect. Domingo German of the New York Yankees pitched the 24th perfect game in major league history, retiring every Oakland batter in an 11-0 victory over the Athletics. It was the first perfect game since Seattle Mariners ace Felix Hernandez threw one against the Tampa Bay Rays on August 15th 2022.

(CEBL Comms, CP)