SUNDAY SPORTS PAGE: JAYS ARE IN THE PLAYOFFS

MLB

The Toronto Blue Jays finish their 162-game regular season Sunday not having to worry about the final outcome of the game. Thanks to the Texas Rangers 6-1 win over the Seattle Mariners on Saturday, the Jays have clinched an AL wild-card berth. The only thing they don’t know heading into Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays is whether they’ll play the Rays or Minnesota Twins in Tuesday’s playoff opener.

CFL

Grammy Award-winning band Green Day will headline the halftime show for the 2023 Grey Cup game. The CFL made the announcement on Saturday during halftime of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats-Calgary Stampeders game at Tim Hortons Field. The Grey Cup game will be held November 19th in Hamilton. Green Day, a punk-rock band that’s captured five Grammy Awards, has sold more than 75 million records.

HAMILTON – Matt Shiltz came off the bench to throw two touchdown passes as the Hamilton Tiger-Cats cemented a CFL playoff spot with a 22-15 home win over the Calgary Stampeders on Saturday night.

Hamilton (7-8) punched its post-season ticket with the win and the Montreal Alouettes’ 32-17 road victory over the Ottawa Redblacks earlier Saturday. The Ticats have won four of their last six games and improved to 4-2 versus West Division competition.

Shiltz replaced rookie Taylor Powell early in the second quarter and threw two first-half TD passes to put Hamilton ahead 16-6 at halftime. Shiltz, in his first game since the Ticats’ 37-29 win over Edmonton on July 13, finished 11-of-19 passing for 225 yards with two TDs and an interception before a Tim Hortons Field gathering of 22,809.

Powell was two-of-six passing for 14 yards. James Butler ran for 92 yards on 14 carries.

Marc Liegghio’s 31-yard field goal at 5:59 of the fourth put Hamilton ahead 19-9. But Rene Paredes’ 44-yard kick at 9:11 made it a seven-point game before Liegghio’s 21-yard field goal at 13:41 restored the Ticats’ 10-point lead.

Paredes made a 44-yard field goal at 14:31 to pull Calgary to within 22-15. But Hamilton’s Kai Locksley recovered the Stampeders’ onside kick, giving the Ticats the ball at the visitors’ 45-yard line with 27 seconds left on the clock.

OTTAWA – The Ottawa Redblacks turned the ball over six times on Saturday and the Montreal Alouettes made them pay with a 32-15 win.

The Alouettes (8-7) clinched a CFL playoff berth with the victory. The Redblacks (4-11) saw their playoff hopes take a hit with the setback, but not all hope is lost. They must win their final three games and get some help.

Cody Fajardo threw for 178 yards and a touchdown for the Alouettes, while William Stanback ran for 85 yards and a touchdown.

Redblacks quarterback Dustin Crum threw for 247 yards but had two interceptions and a fumble. Nick Arbuckle took over for the final series of the game and completed seven passes for 85 yards.

Trailing 22-0 heading into the fourth quarter, the Redblacks finally got on the board 27 seconds into the quarter with a one-run quarterback sneak by Tyrrell Pigrome, who took over from Crum for the short yardage play. Matt Domagala converted the major and the Redblacks trailed 22-7.

The Alouettes responded with a 48-yard field goal from David Cote just over two minutes later for a 25-7 lead. With just over seven minutes to play Shawn Lemon returned a Crum fumble 30 yards for a touchdown and a 32-7 lead.

NHL

The Vancouver Canucks and Toronto Maple Leafs were winners of NHL pre-season games on Saturday. The Canucks, with captain Quinn Hughes scoring twice, defeated the visiting Edmonton Oilers 5-2, while the Maple Leafs dumped the Canadiens 3-1 in Montreal for their second win in as many nights against the Habs.

Calgary Flames vice-president of data and analytics and assistant general manager Chris Snow has died of complications from ALS. Snow, 42, was diagnosed in 2019 with ALS, which is a progressive nervous system disease affecting brain cells and the spinal cord, and causes a loss of muscle control. Chris’s wife Kelsie confirmed her husband’s death on Saturday.

WHL

REGINA – Brayden Yager’s goal at 2:22 of overtime lifted the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors to a 4-3 win over the Regina Pats.

Jagger Firkus, Connor Schmidt and Lynden Lakovic also scored for the Warriors.

Matteo Michels scored twice for the Pats, while Corbin Vaughan added a single.

ELSEWHERE: 

VICTORIA – Carlin Dezainde and Riley Heidt each scored twice as the visiting Prince George Cougars defeated the Victoria Royals 5-3 in Western Hockey League action on Saturday night.

Terik Parascak also scored for the Cougars, who outshot the Royals 32-28.

Tanner Scott, Cole Reschny and Austin Zemlak scored for the Royals.

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WHEAT KINGS 6 BRONCOS 3

BRANDON, Man. – Rylen Roersma scored a goal and added an assist as the Brandon Wheat Kings defeated the visiting Swift Current Broncos 6-3.

Brett Hyland, Charlie Elick, Kayden Sadhra-Kang, Dominik Petr and Jayden Wiens also scored for the Wheat Kings.

Mathew Ward scored twice while Caleb Wyrostok scored once for the Broncos.

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SILVERTIPS 5 BLAZERS 0

EVERETT, Wash. – Teague Patton had a goal and two assists, and Ethan Chadwick made 24 saves for the shutout as the Everett Silvertips crushed the visiting Kamloops Blazers 5-0.

Beau Courtney, Kaden Hammell, Dominik Rymon and Ty Gibson also scored for the Silvertips, who outshot the visitors 36-24.

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BLADES 3 TIGERS 2 (OT)

MEDICINE HAT, Alta. – Egor Sidorov’s goal at 4:06 of overtime lifted the visiting Saskatoon Blades to a 3-2 victory over the Medicine Hat Tigers.

Brandon Lisowsky and Tanner Molendyk also scored for the Blades.

Tomas Mrsic and Shane Smith scored for the Tigers.

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AMERICANS 3 CHIEFS 1

SPOKANE, Wash. – Deagan McMillan scored twice as the visiting Tri-City Americans edged the Spokane Chiefs 3-1.

Andrew Fan also scored for the Americans.

Brayden Crampton scored for the Chiefs.

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WINTERHAWKS 6 THUNDERBIRDS 1

SEATTLE, Wash. – Kyle Chyzowski scored twice as the visiting Portland Winterhawks crushed the Seattle Thunderbirds 6-1.

Luke Schelter, Gabe Klassen, Diego Buttazzoni and Marcus Nguyen also scored for the Winterhawks.

Sam Popowich scored for the T-Birds.

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ROCKETS 5 WILD 3

KELOWNA, B.C. – Andrew Cristall had a goal and two assists as the Kelowna Rockets edged the visiting Wenatchee Wild 5-3.

Tij Iginla, Hiroki Gojsic, Michael Cicek and Jackson DeSouza also scored for the Rockets.

Easton Armstrong, Rodzers Bukarts and Evan Friesen scored for the Wild, who were outshot 42-29.

(Canadian Press)