Friday Sports: La Bamba!

STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS (Round 3)

• DALLAS (AP) — Connor McDavid scored 32 seconds into the second overtime and the Edmonton Oilers overcame their captain’s double-minor penalty in the first extra period and beat the Dallas Stars 3-2 in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final. The Stars were 0 for 3 on power plays in regulation, then couldn’t capitalize on four minutes with a man advantage after the high-stick penalty against McDavid in the opening seconds of the first overtime. Leon Draisaitl extended his playoff-opening points streak to 13 games with a goal, while Zach Hyman had a goal and an assist for the Oilers. Stuart Skinner stopped 31 shots. Tyler Seguin scored both goals for the Stars. Game 2 is Saturday night.
• The New York Rangers look to avoid leaving home without a win when they host the Florida Panthers tonight in the Eastern Conference finals. New York lost 3-0 in the series opener on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Connor McDavid’s winner in double overtime gave the Edmonton Oilers a 3-2 victory and a 1-0 edge on the Dallas Stars last night in the Western Conference finals.

MEMORIAL CUP

The National Major Junior Hockey Championship opens Friday night in Saginaw, MI as the host Spirit take on the WHL-champion Moose Jaw Warriors. The game can be seen at 7:30 pm ET on TSN. On Saturday the OHL-champion London Knights face the Drumnondville Voltigeurs, champions of the QMJHL.

CEBL

Koby McEwen matched his CEBL career-high with five made threes to lead the Vancouver Bandits (1-0) in a season-opening 95-75 win against the Montréal Alliance (0-1) on Friday Night. The Toronto native shot 62 per cent from beyond the arc in his first game with the Vancouver Bandits, finishing with a game-high 22 points to go with six rebounds and four assists.

On Saturday evening the Montreal Alliance visits the Saskatchewan Rattlers, who are looking to go to 2-0 after a 94-86 season-opening home win over Winnipeg on Wednesday.

WNBA

The WNBA is officially coming to Toronto. Kilmer Sports Ventures has been awarded a women’s professional basketball team. The official announcement was made Thursday morning at a press conference at a downtown Toronto hotel attended by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, rapper Drake and Toronto Raptors star Scottie Barnes. The as-yet-unnamed team will play out of the 8,700 seat Coca-Cola Coliseum — an arena in downtown Toronto at Exhibition Place. They will also have the ability to move up to the Scotiabank Arena on occasion.

MLB

The Toronto Blue Jays are in Detroit for the second of their four-game series against the Tigers in Major League Baseball action. Toronto won 9-1 Thursday night in the series opener. Alek Manoah will start on the mound for the Jays, while the Tigers counter with Matt Manning.

(Canadian Press, CEBL Communications)