SUNDAY SPORTS
Peter Quenneville scored three times and Jordan Papirny made 35 saves as the Wheat Kings doubled up Regina 6-3 Saturday night at Westman Place to clinch the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference. That means the Pats and Wheat Kings will meet in a WHL first round conference quarterfinal beginning Saturday night in Regina (7:00 620 CKRM, Press Box Sports Bar Pregame Show at 6:35 pm).
Ryan Pulock, Nolan Patrick and Jens Meilleur also scored for Brandon (34-29-9) while Tim McGauley tacked on three assists. Dmitry Sinitsyn, Boston Leier and Connor Gay supplied the scoring for the Pats (39-26-7). Regina’s Dawson MacAuley and Tyler Fuhr combined to stop 26-of-31 shots in a losing cause.
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In SJHL playoff action on Saturday, Melville went up 2-0 in its quarterfinal series with Kindersley with a 2-1 victory over the Klippers. The Humboldt-Melfort series is tied 1-1 after the Broncos’ 5-3 win over the Mustangs. Yorkton dumped Notre Dame 1-0 while Estevan downed the Battlefords 4-1. The Terriers and Bruins hold 1-0 series leads.
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Ryan Miller continues to play well since the St. Louis Blues acquired him from Buffalo.
Miller is 6-0-1 following the trade after turning back 30 shots in a 4-1 triumph at Nashville on Saturday. He blanked the Predators until Eric Nystrom scored with 3:10 remaining.
Patrik Berglund scored twice for the Blues, who’ve won seven of eight and improved to 19-0-2 against the Central Division.
The Boston Bruins were able to stretch both their winning streak and their lead in the NHL’s Eastern Conference.
The B’s picked up their eighth straight win as Jarome Iginla scored twice and backup goalie Chad Johnson made 29 saves in a 5-1 triumph over Carolina. Milan Lucic had a goal and two assists for the Bruins, whose longest winning streak in 2 1/2 years has them three points ahead of second-place Pittsburgh in the East.
The Penguins were blanked 4-0 in Philadelphia as Steve Mason made 25 saves for his fourth shutout of the season and 23rd of his career. Matt Read furnished a pair of goals for the Flyers, who remain in a five-way battle for second place in the Metropolitan Division.
Also on NHL ice on Saturday:
– Francis Bouillon scored 86 seconds into overtime to complete Montreal’s remarkable comeback in a 5-4 win over Ottawa. The Senators led 4-1 until Lars Eller, Brian Gionta and David Desharnais scored in the final 3:22 of regulation, the last coming with one second left.
– Ben Bishop earned his fifth shutout of the year and set a Tampa Bay single-season record by picking up his 31st victory in a 3-0 victory against New Jersey. Michael Kostka had a goal and an assist as the Lightning posted their second straight win since a five-game skid.
– Ryan Johansen scored a disputed goal in the fourth shootout round to lift Columbus to a 2-1 victory over Minnesota. Johansen’s shot initially was ruled a rebound, but a video review showed that Wild goalie Darcy Kuemper did not touch the puck.
– Kyle Okposo had a goal and an assist to back Anders Nilsson’s 33 saves in the New York Islanders’ 4-1 triumph over Buffalo.
– Shane Doan scored his 350th career goal on one of Phoenix’s six third-period power plays and the Coyotes went on to beat the Calgary Flames 3-2.
– Patrick Maroon scored the go-ahead goal, Frederik Andersen made 37 saves, and the Anaheim Ducks beat the Los Angeles Kings 2-1 for their third straight win in the Freeway Faceoff rivalry.
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NFL teams continue to shape their rosters through free agency with the draft still weeks away.
The Washington Redskins have announced the signing of free agent cornerback Tracy Porter, who has 10 career interceptions in six NFL seasons with New Orleans, Denver and Oakland.
A person familiar with the situation says the Carolina Panthers have agreed to terms on a two-year contract with Saints free agent safety and two-time Pro Bowl selection Roman Harper.
The Seattle Seahawks and tight end Zach Miller have agreed to a restructured contract that should save the Super Bowl champs additional salary cap space.
The Browns have signed free agent running back Ben Tate, who rushed for 771 yards with Houston last season.
The Patriots have continued the revamping of their defensive backfield with the acquisition of cornerback Brandon Browner.
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Robert Garrigus remains the leader at the PGA’s Valspar Championship, but his three-stroke advantage has been trimmed to one shot over Kevin Na through three rounds.
Garrigus missed two short putts on the back nine and had to settle for a 1-under 70, leaving him 8-under through 54 holes. John Senden is two back following a 7-under 64.
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Johny Hendricks won the vacant welterweight championship Saturday night, unanimously outpointing Robbie Lawler in five rounds at UFC 171 in Dallas.
Tyron Woodley won the co-feature, stopping Carlos Condit to set up a likely title bout against Hendricks in the 170-pound division.
Fighting in Hendricks’ adopted hometown, Lawler opened a cut beside Hendricks’ right eye in the fourth round. All three judges scored the fight 28-27 for Hendricks.
The title was vacated by Georges St. Pierre, who had held it since 2007. In his final defence, St. Pierre took a disputed split decision over Hendricks in November.
Hendricks improved to 16-2, and Lawler fell to 22-10 with one no contest.
The winner’s background as a two-time NCAA wrestling champion at Oklahoma State helped him take down Lawler twice.
Hendricks and Lawler fought cautiously in the first round. Midway through the second, Hendricks landed a succession of punches and kicks. Lawler rallied in the closing minute.
Woodley’s bout ended two minutes into the second round after his leg kick behind Condit’s left knee caused his right knee to buckle. Condit fell to the octagon floor in pain, and hobbled out of the arena. Woodley is 13-2.
All but the title bout were scheduled for three five-minute rounds.
Also on the main card, welterweight Hector Lombard dominated the bloody Jake Shields, winning by unanimous decision. Shields lost a title bout to St. Pierre in 2011.
It took light heavyweight Ovince Saint Preux just 1:29 to win by submission with a Von Flue choke against Nikita Krylov.
Lightweight Myles Jury, who has won all 14 of his professional bouts, took a unanimous decision over Diego Sanchez.
Among the prelims, Alex Garcia of Montreal took a fiercely contested welterweight split decision over Dallas’ Sean Spencer.
Kelvin Gastelum opened a cut on Rick Story’s left cheek in each round on the way to a split decision in a welterweight fight.
In the only women’s bout, bantamweight Jessica Andrade of Niteroi, Brazil, won a split decision against Raquel Pennington.
Canadian Press
Pats better have all their key players back that have been injured the last couple of games. Otherwise, I see the the WheatKings making Cream of Wheat on the Pats instead of the Pats " harvesting" the WheatKings. John S
The old nemesis of one Andrew Fantuz has made quite a pile of money with his deal with the Patriots!
Tyler Fuhr, any relation to Grant?
Roddy, perhaps someone in the media should ask a couple of the prominent board members of the Rams – who happen to have a bit more at stake than the average board member – if they support Frank or not. Then see what happens when their words are out in the open and not in the darkness of back rooms and alley ways. Or they should shut the F up.
Tyler is from the same city, Grande Prairie Alberta, but is not a relation of Grant – although he is asked all the time.
Go on the Rams website. In the past three months superbowl champion, two major cfl winners, nfl players, 5 guys in the draft combine, former qb coaching in cfl, attracting players from the US and all over Canada, nominee for russ jackson award, incredible loyalty to the local product. And players who leave here saying it is the best coaching they have ever had – including the cfl and nfl.
And two jackass dads running around behind Frank's back. Shame, shame, shame.
Everyone knows Frank has the board by the short hairs. He will decide when he goes, who the replacement will be, and how the replacement will do things.
for all the talent that has been sent to the CFL/NFL it’s pretty amazing that they only have 1 Canwest title though.
Frank is polarizing, Sask (especially the regina kids) kids either want to play for the Rams because of Frank, or they want nothing to do with the Rams because of Frank.
The point is that someone needs to ask the two jackass board members to make a public statement and see how the squirm. As for titles, this province has 1 million people and the football pie is split 4 ways. As well, national recruiting and US ball is also picking Sask clean as well. Generally, if Frank wants a kid, he gets him. The kids that leave already seem to have a finger on the pulse of where they fit. Regina is still competing with programs with 60 years history. In ten years, they will have two or three titles.… Read more »