SUNDAY SPORTS PAGE: DUB, SJ ROUND-UP
Photo: Allen Douglas
WHL
KAMLOOPS, B.C. – Logan Stankoven scored twice and added three assists as the Kamloops Blazers defeated the visiting Portland Winterhawks 5-0 on Saturday night in Western Hockey League playoff action at the Sandman Centre.
With the win, the Blazers grab a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series.
Caedan Bankier, Olen Zellweger and Daylan Kuefler also scored for the Blazers, who won Game 1 on Friday by a 6-4 decision.
The Blazers, who will host and play in the 2023 Memorial Cup championship May 26 to June 4, outshot the Winterhawks 42-28 and received flawless netminding from Dylan Ernst.
The Blazers led 1-0 after the first period and 3-0 heading into the third.
The Blazers went 3-for-4 on the power play, while the Winterhawks were 0-for-2.
Game 3 in the series is scheduled for Wednesday in Portland, Ore.
WARRIORS 5 ICE 3
Best-of-seven series tied 1-1
WINNIPEG, Man. – The Winnipeg ICE haven’t had much adversity this season in compiling a franchise-best record of 57 wins, 10 losses and one overtime loss.
They found some on Saturday, giving up four goals _ three on the power play _ in the first period to the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors, who then hung on for a 5-3 victory in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series.
The series is now tied 1-1 as the ICE won Friday’s opener 5-3.
Brayden Yager scored twice for the Warriors, with Ryder Korczak, Martin Rysavy and Josh Hoekstra netting singles. Atley Calvert chipped in with two assists.
Zack Ostapchuk, Connor McClennon and Carson Latimer scored for the ICE, who outshot the visitors 36-20. Matthew Savoie added two assists. The ICE trimmed the early deficit to 4-3 with under four minutes left but could not score the equalizer.
The Warriors were 3-for-5 on the power play, while the ICE went 1-for-9.
Game 3 in the series is scheduled for Tuesday in Moose Jaw, Sask.
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THUNDERBIRDS 5 COUGARS 1
Seattle leads best-of-seven series 2-0
SEATTLE, Wash. – Jared Davidson scored twice and Brad Lambert scored once and added two assists as the Seattle Thunderbirds knocked off the visiting Prince George Cougars 5-1 to grab a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series.
Dylan Guenther and Kyle Crnkovic also scored for the Thunderbirds, who led 1-0 after the first period and 3-0 heading into the third.
Ondrej Becher scored for the Cougars, who were outshot 34-27. The Cougars lost Game 1 on Friday by a 4-1 decision.
Game 3 in the series is scheduled for Tuesday in Prince George, B.C.
POKE CHECKS: The Red Deer Rebels, who edged the Saskatoon Blades 3-1 on Friday, will play Game 2 of their best-of-seven series on Sunday in Saskatoon, Sask.
SJHL FINAL
The Battlefords North Stars used home ice to their advantage Saturday night as they earned a 3-0 win over the Flin Flon Bombers in Game 2 of the SJHL Final. They now own a 2-0 series lead with the Final now shifting to the Whitney Forum for Games Three and Four next weekend. Highlights and a recap of the Saturday night’s Game Two can be found below.
THE REST
Sarah Fillier had a hat trick to lead Canada in punching its ticket to the women’s world hockey championship gold-medal game with a 5-1 win over Switzerland today. Canada will meet archrival United States in the final tomorrow. The Americans routed Czechia 9-1 in the other semifinal earlier today in Brampton, Ontario.
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Yusei Kikuchi had nine strikeouts over six strong innings to lead the Toronto Blue Jays to a 5-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays today. The left-hander allowed four hits and one earned run on a sunny afternoon with the roof open at Rogers Centre. Danny Jansen and Alejandro Kirk had two hits apiece for the Blue Jays, who have won nine of their last 11 games and go for the series sweep on Sunday.
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Jaylen Brown had 29 points and 12 rebounds, and the Boston Celtics capitalized on a woeful shooting performance by the Atlanta Hawks to hold on for 112-99 victory in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first-round matchup. In other NBA Game 1s:
Philadelphia 121 Brooklyn 101
New York 101 Cleveland 97
Sacramento 126 Golden State 123
(Canadian Press/SJHL.ca)
Man, the MJ Warriors stormed out of the gate like a rodeo bull last night. They are for real. The ICE are going to have to find a way to get to the net early, because they were boxed out pretty badly for the first two periods last night.