SATURDAY SPORTS: GIANTS QUASH PATS, RUSH GAME POSTPONED

WHL

GIANTS 4 PATS 2

Regina, Sask. – The Regina Pats suffered a 4-2 loss to the Vancouver Giants on Friday inside the Brandt Centre.

Despite getting off to a good start with good energy, the Pats fell behind 2-0 after 20 minutes of action. After the Pats made it 2-1 after two, Braxton Whitehead’s second of the night brought the Pats within one at 3-2 midway through the third frame. London Hoilett’s power play marker late in the third made it 4-2.

The line of Whitehead, Zach Moore and Tanner Howe combined for six points this evening, with Whitehead gathering two goals to hit the 10 goal mark. Howe and Moore each had two helpers.

The Giants secured their 17th win of the season, and fourth win in five games. Tyler Thorpe, Connor Levis, Tomis Marinkovic and Hoilett scored for the Giants while Brett Mirwald made 28 saves on 30 shots.

THEY SAID IT

‘It didn’t feel like a 2-0 deficit [in the first period] to be honest, but that’s how it was. I know we’re familiar with playing from behind. Eventually it will catch up to you and tonight it did. I thought we started on time. They got that first goal and then they got one off a skate, and it’s one of those things where you throw the puck at the net and sometimes good things will happen.” – Regina Pats Asst. Coach Ken Schneider

(ReginaPats.com, Dante DeCaria)

Elsewhere in the WHL on Friday

THUNDERBIRDS 5 WINTERHAWKS 4

KENT, Wash. – Coster Dunn scored his second goal of the night in overtime as the Seattle Thunderbirds upset the Portland Winterhawks 5-4 on Friday in Western Hockey League action.

Simon Lovsin also had two goals and added an assist for Seattle (13-21-2), while Bryce Pickford added a power-play goal.

Scott Ratzlaff made 38 saves for the win in net.

Josh Davies had two goals and an assist for Portland (25-10-3), as Luca Cagnoni and Diego Buttazzoni also scored.

Nick Avakyan stopped 21 shots for the Thunderbirds.

—

RAIDERS 4 ROYALS 3 (SO)

PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. — Aiden Oiring and Sloan Stanick both scored in the shootout as the Raiders slipped past Victoria.

Stanick also scored in regulation time for Prince Albert (19-18-3), as did Justice Christensen and Oli Chenier.

Tyson Laventure, Reggie Newman and Cole Reschny did the scoring for the Royals (23-14-5).

—

COUGARS 5 ROCKETS 2

PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. — Carlin Dezainde had a hat trick, including the eventual winner, as the Cougars downed Kelowna.

Oren Shtrom and Hudson Thornton also scored as Prince George (29-12-0) reeled off four unanswered goals.

Andrew Cristall and Hiroki Gojsic replied for the Rockets (19-18-2).

—

SILVERTIPS 8 BLAZERS 2

KAMLOOPS, B.C. — Eric Jamieson had a hat trick as Everett routed the Blazers.

Dominik Rymon scored twice for the Silvertips (25-14-3), while Ben Hemmerling, Caden Brown and Carter Bear added goals.

Ashton Tait and Ashton Ferster replied a sKamloops (9-25-5) lost its fifth straight.

—

REBELS 3 AMERICANS 1

RED DEER, Alta. — Carson Birnie scored 29 seconds into the game as the Rebels defeated Tri-City.

Talon Brigley had the eventual winner for Red Deer (21-13-5) and Mats Lindgren added some insurance.

Deagan McMillan scored for the Americans (16-20-3).

—

HURRICANES 5 TIGERS 2

LETHBRIDGE, Alta. — Logan McCutcheon scored and added an assist as the Hurricanes bested Medicine Hat.

Trae Wilke, Dylan Sydor, Logan Wormald and Leo Braillard rounded out the attack for Lethbridge (20-16-3).

Shane Smith and Vasyl Spilka supplied the offence for the Tigers (25-13-2).

—

BRONCOS 7 WHEAT KINGS 3

BRANDON, Man. — Connor Hvidston scored twice to lead Swift Current past the Wheat Kings.

Ty Coupland, Conor Geekie, Luke Mistelbacher, Zach Turner and Brady Birnie chipped in for the Broncos (22-15-4).

Brett Hyland, Hayden Wheddon and Roger McQueen answered for Brandon (20-15-5).

—

HITMEN 7 CHIEFS 4

CALGARY — Ethan Moore scored twice as the Hitmen downed Spokane in a matinee.

Carson Wetsch, Carter Yakemchuk, Oliver Tulk, Maxim Muranov and Tyson Greenway rounded out the attack for Calgary (16-17-6).

Conner Roulette, Saige Weinstein, Chase Bertholet and Hayden Paupanekis all scored once for the Chiefs (14-20-4).

NLL

PHILADELPHIA, PA – Due to extreme weather conditions in Canada that have impacted the air travel, the National Lacrosse League has postponed tonight’s Saskatchewan Rush game that was originally scheduled for 6PM CT against the Philadelphia Wings. A make-up date has yet to be determined. All previously purchased tickets will be valid for the new date at Wells Fargo Center.

Please be sure to revisit SaskRush.com for updates.  

(Sask Rush PR)

NHL

OTTAWA – Friday was a day of firsts for Shane Pinto.

The Ottawa Senators centre practised with the team and addressed media for the first time since receiving a 41-game suspension from the NHL for “activities relating to sports wagering” on Oct. 26. The 23-year-old will be eligible to return Jan. 21 when the Senators face Philadelphia.

“It’s awesome, it’s special,” he told reporters in Ottawa. “You kind of take it for granted, being around the team and how much the boys mean to you.

“It’s just good to be back, I don’t want to get too emotional but it’s awesome. It’s been a long road for me and I’m just happy to be back around the fellas.”

Pinto had already been dealing with a drawn out contract situation before the suspension.

He’s still a restricted free agent and was unable to work out an extension with the Senators in the off-season. Pinto was coming off a 20-goal, 15-assist campaign in his first full season — his third overall — in 2022-23.

According to TSN, he is expected to sign a contract before he plays later this month.

Pinto refused to get into detail on what caused the suspension, but he said it caught him by surprise.

“A little bit,” he said. “I don’t want to get too much into detail about it but definitely was caught off guard a bit. It just kind of came out of nowhere and went from there.”

“It broke my heart, honestly,” he added. “I care about this game so much, I put so much time and effort into it and to get it taken away from you for that long — it’s just tough to hear. You’re kind of at shock at first and you just lean on the people to get you through it.”

CFL

EDMONTON – Kyran Moore won’t be hitting CFL free agency this year.

The American receiver signed a one-year contract extension Friday with the Edmonton Elks.

The five-foot-10, 165-pound Moore signed with Edmonton last year as a free agent after four seasons with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He was slated to hit free agency at noon ET on Feb. 13.

MLB

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Braves have agreed to a contract extension with general manager Alex Anthopoulos that will keep him with the six-time reigning NL East champions through the 2031 season.

The team announced the deal Friday, locking up the GM who oversaw a World Series championship in 2021 and has been responsible for securing long-term contracts with many of top players.

Anthopoulos was hired by the Braves after the 2017 season, when the organization had endured four straight losing seasons and was mired in a scandal over international signings. His predecessor, John Coppolella, was initially banned for life by Major League Baseball, though the penalty was lifted a year ago.

(Canadian Press)