SUNDAY SPORTS: Claypool Headed To CFL?

CLAYPOOL TO CFL?

Who says you can’t go home?

The NFL Free Agency period opened over two weeks ago and with Wide Receiver Chase Claypool still unsigned, it’s led to speculation that he could be returning to his home and native land.

The Twitter account ‘NFL Notifications’ reported Saturday night “Interest is reportedly ‘heating up’ with both the BC Lions and Saskatchewan Roughriders making ‘competitive’ offers” to the 25-year old.  The Abbotsford, BC product spent the past four seasons in the NFL with Pittsburgh, Chicago and Miami. In nine games with the Dolphins last season, he caught four passes.

While you’d think Claypool’s hometown BC Lions would have the inside track in CFL free agent talks (and it’s hard to believe Lions owner Amar Doman would lose a bidding war), Claypool’s mother is from Saskatchewan – Hudson Bay, I believe – and there could be a strong pull for him to return to his family’s prairie roots.

Claypool could also stay in the NFL on a bargain deal. His stints in the NFL have been mercurial with off-field issues in Pittsburgh and a reported clash with the coaching staff in Chicago.

Stay tuned. — RP

WHL

WARRIORS 5 WHEAT KINGS 4 (OT)

(Warriors lead best-of-seven series 2-0)

MOOSE JAW, Sask. — Lynden Lakovic scored at 2:15 of overtime as the Moose Jaw Warriors edged the visiting Brandon Wheat Kings 5-4.

Atley Calvert, Pavel McKenzie, Matthew Savoie and Brayden Yager also scored for the Warriors, who grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first round, best-of-seven series.

Roger McQueen scored twice for the Wheat Kings, while Rylen Roersma and Dominik Petr netted singles.

Elsewhere in the WHL Playoffs on Saturday:

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BRONCOS 4 HURRICANES 3

(Broncos lead best-of-seven series 2-0)

SWIFT CURRENT, Sask. — Conor Geekie scored the winning goal at 17:46 of the third period as the Swift Current Broncos edged the visiting Lethbridge Hurricanes 4-3.

Josh Filmon, Connor Hvidston and Ryan McCleary also scored for the Broncos, who grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first round, best-of-seven series.

Sean Tschigerl, Hayden Pakkala and Leo Braillard scored for the Hurricanes.

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TIGERS 3 REBELS 1

(Best-of-seven series tied 1-1)

MEDICINE HAT, Alta. — Gavin McKenna scored a goal and added two assists as the Medicine Hat Tigers edged the visiting Red Deer Rebels 3-1.

Reid Andresen and Cayden Lindstrom also scored for the Tigers, who tied the best-of-seven series 1-1 after losing Game 1 5-4 in double overtime on Friday.

Ollie Josephson scored for the Rebels.

—

SILVERTIPS 2 GIANTS 1

(Series tied 1-1)

The Everett Silvertips outshot the visiting Vancouver Giants 52-21 but had to battle to earn a 2-1 Western Hockey League playoff victory on Saturday at Angel of the Winds Arena.

Austin Roest scored both goals for the Silvertips, while Cade Zaplitny chipped in with two assists.

London Hoilett scored for the Giants, who won Friday’s opener in the first round, best-of-seven series by a 6-4 decision.

Netminder Brett Mirwald stopped 53 of 55 shots for the Giants, while Tyler Palmer stopped 20 of 21 shots for the Silvertips.

The Silvertips, who led 1-0 after the first period and 2-1 heading into the third, went 0-for-2 on the power play. The Giants were 0-for-3.

Game 3 in the series is set for Wednesday at Langley Events Centre, the home of the Giants.

Elsewhere in the WHL on Saturday:

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ROCKETS 3 WILD 1

(Best-of-seven series tied 1-1)

WENATCHEE, Wash. — The visiting Kelowna Rockets scored the first two goals of the game and hung on to beat the Wenatchee Wild 3-1.

Luke Schelter, Trae Johnson and Andrew Cristall scored for the Rockets, while Caden Price chipped in with three assists.

Sam Ward scored for the Wild, who won the opening game of the first round, best-o-f-seven series 8-6 on Friday.

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WINTERHAWKS 5 ROYALS 1

(Winterhawks lead best-of-seven series 2-0)

PORTLAND, Ore. — James Stefan scored twice as the Portland Winterhawks defeated the visiting Victoria Royals 5-1.

Nate Danielson, Luca Cagnoni and Josh Davies also scored for the powerful Winterhawks, who grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first round, best-of-seven series.

Dawson Pasternak scored for the Royals.

—

COUGARS 7 CHIEFS 4

(Cougars lead best-of-seven series 2-0)

PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. — Carlin Dezainde scored once and added an assist as the Prince George Cougars beat the visiting Spokane Chiefs 7-4.

Oren Shtrom, Aiden Foster, Terik Parascak, Viliam Kmec, Ondrej Becher and Keaton Dowhaniuk also scored for the Cougars, who grabbed a 2-0 lead in their first round, best-of-seven series.

Layton Feist scored twice for the Chiefs, while Owen Martin and Hayden Paupanekis added singles.

SJHL PLAYOFFS

SUNDAY: Humboldt at Weyburn (Broncos lead series 3-2)

NHL

PANTHERS 3 RED WINGS 2 SO

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Sam Reinhart scored the lone shootout goal and Aleksander Barkov scored twice in regulation to lead Florida over Detroit 3-2 on Saturday.

Elsewhere in the NHL:

GOLDEN KNIGHTS 2, WILD 1, OT

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Jonathan Marchessault scored into an empty net 3:30 into overtime to give Vegas a victory over Minnesota.

OILERS 6, DUCKS 1

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Connor McDavid scored two goals and added an assist to take the lead in points this season as Edmonton dumped Anaheim.

RANGERS 8, COYOTES 5

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Alexis Lafreniere had three goals and two assists, Jonathan Quick broke the victory record for U.S.-born goalies and the NHL-leading New York Rangers reached 50th wins, beating Arizona.

AVALANCHE 7, PREDATORS 4

DENVER (AP) — Nathan MacKinnon had two goals and two assists, Yakov Trenin got the go-ahead goal against his former team, and Colorado Avalanche rallied to beat penalty-prone Nashville to clinch a playoff spot.

MAPLE LEAFS 3, SABRES 0

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Toronto center Auston Matthews became the NHL’s first two-time 60-goal scorer in 30 years, scoring with 5:37 left in the Maple Leafs’ victory over Buffalo.

BLUE JACKETS 4, PENGUINS 3, SO

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Alexandre Texier and Damon Severson scored in the shootout and Columbus broke a six-game losing streak with a victory over Pittsburgh.

HURRICANES 3, CANADIENS 0

MONTREAL (AP) — Pyotr Kochetkov made 26 saves for his fourth shutout of the season to help Carolina beat Montreal.

BLACKHAWKS 5, FLYERS 1

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Connor Bedard had an assist to increase his rookie-leading points total, Philipp Kurashev, Joey Anderson and Lukas Reichel each added a goal and an assist and Chicago Blackhawks defeated Philadelphia.

LIGHTNING 4, ISLANDERS 1

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Steven Stamkos reached the 30-goal mark for the ninth time in his career and Tampa Bay beat the New York Islanders to extend their point streak to nine games.

SENATORS 3, JETS 2

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Brady Tkachuk scored the winning goal on the power play with 1:45 left in the game to give Ottawa a victory over Winnipeg.

Ridly Greig and Boris Katchouk also scored for the Senators. Joonas Korpisalo made 28 saves for Ottawa, which extended its winning streak to five games.

Mark Scheifele and Nikolaj Ehlers replied for Winnipeg. Connor Hellebuyck stopped 24 shots for Winnipeg in front of their fourth straight sellout crowd of 15,225 fans. It was Winnipeg’s sixth consecutive loss.

It was the third game of a five-game homestand for Winnipeg.

BRUINS 3, CAPITALS 2, SO

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hampus Lindholm scored a goal at one end, prevented one at the other and Boston beat Washington in a shootout in a potential first-round playoff preview.

SHARKS 4, BLUES 0

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Filip Zadina and Mikael Granlund scored goals just 27 seconds apart and San Jose dealt a damaging blow to St. Louis’ slim playoff chances with a win.

FLAMES 4, KINGS 2

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Nazem Kadri had a goal and an assist, Jacob Markstrom made 16 saves and Calgary beat Los Angeles to end a five-game losing streak.

STARS 3, KRAKEN 0

SEATTLE (AP) – Wyatt Johnson had a goal and an assist, Jake Oettinger stopped 18 shots for his second shutout of the season and Dallas beat Seattle for their seventh straight win.