SUNDAY SPORTS PAGE
Photo: Winnipeg ICE
WHL
WINNIPEG – Connor McClennon scored three goals and added an assist as the Winnipeg ICE defeated the visiting Saskatoon Blades 6-2 on Saturday to grab a 2-0 lead in their Western Hockey League Eastern Conference final series.
Zach Benson, Owen Pederson and Matthew Savoie (empty-netter) also scored for the ICE, who won Friday’s opener 3-0. Savoie also chipped in with two assists.
Justin Lies and Jayden Wiens scored for the Blades, who trailed 2-0 after the first period and 4-0 heading into the third period. The ICE were 1-for-3 on the power play, while the Blades went 1-for-5.
The ICE outshot the Blades 33-29.
Game 3 is Tuesday in Saskatoon, Sask.
THUNDERBIRDS 5 BLAZERS 1
SEATTLE, Wash. – Jared Davidson scored twice and added an assist as the Seattle Thunderbirds opened the Western Conference final with a 5-1 win over the visiting Kamloops Blazers.
Nico Myatovic, Dylan Guenther and Gracyn Sawchyn also scored for the T-Birds, who outshot the Blazers 35-25.
Olen Zellweger scored for the Blazers, who trailed 1-0 after the first period and 2-1 heading into the third.
The Thunderbirds went 1-for-3 on the power play, while the Blazers were 0-for-2.
Game 2 is Sunday at accesso ShoWare Center in Seattle.
STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS
Kailer Yamamoto’s goal at 16:57 of the third period snapped a 4-4 tie and lifted the Edmonton Oilers past the Los Angeles 5-4, clinching the first-round, best-of-seven NHL playoff series 4-2. The Oilers will play the Vegas Golden Knights in the second round.
The Curse of 2004 has been exorcised. John Tavares scored at 4:36 of overtime Saturday night to lift the Toronto Maple Leafs past the Tampa Bay Lightning, and into the second round of the NHL playoffs for the first time in nearly two decades. Auston Matthews also scored for the Leafs, who won the best-of-seven series 4-2. Steven Stamkos scored for the Lightning, who lost three of the games in overtime.
The New York Rangers spotted the visiting New Jersey Devils a 1-0 lead, then stormed back with five of their own to eventually post a 5-2 victory and even their best-of-seven NHL first-round series at 3-3. Chris Kreider paced the Rangers’ attack with a goal and two assists. Game 7 will be played Monday at the Prudential Center.
MLB
The Toronto Blue Jays only had three hits, but they still managed to defeat the Seattle Mariners 1-0 Saturday afternoon. Behind Kevin Gausman’s career-high 13 strikeouts, the Blue Jays won their sixth straight game after Daulton Varsho hit a drive to right centre field with none out and the bases loaded in the 10th inning. The Mariners, who have lost 4 in a row, wrap up their series with the Jays on Sunday.
NFL
Running back Chase Brown made the ’23 NFL draft one to remember for Canadian football.
Brown, of London, Ont., was selected in the fifth round, No. 163 overall, by the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday. That made the former Illinois star the record fifth Canadian taken in the draft.
At least one Canadian has been drafted since 2011 but 14 have gone off the board since 2020. Overall, 75 Canucks have been selected since 1966, which is the start of the Super Bowl era.
Earlier, Eastern Michigan offensive lineman Sidy Sow, of Bromont, Que., and Ole Miss defensive end Tavius Robinson, of Guelph, Ont., were selected in the fourth round by the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens, respectively.
That came after Syracuse offensive tackle Matthew Bergeron, of Victoriaville, Que., and Brown’s twin brother, Sydney, a safety at Illinois, heard their names called Friday night. The Atlanta Falcons took Bergeron in the second round before the Philadelphia Eagles selected Brown in the third.
NBA
Jamal Murray of Kitchener, Ontario scored 34 points, hitting six of Denver’s 16 three-pointers, and the Nuggets sprinted past the Phoenix Suns 125-107 in Game 1 of their second-round NBA playoff series on Saturday night. Reigning back-to-back MVP Nikola Jokic had 24 points. Kevin Durant scored 29 points for the Suns.
(Canadian Press)
