THURSDAY SPORTS PAGE – A BIG SURGE!
CEBL
A massive fourth-quarter run fuelled an 85-67 comeback win for the Calgary Surge over the Edmonton Stingers on Wednesday night and secured them a home game in the CEBL Playoffs. Calgary trailed by nine points entering the fourth quarter at WinSport Event Centre in their last home game of the regular season. However, a 25-3 run in which Edmonton failed to connect on a field goal changed the complexion of the game.
Shamiel Stevenson’s 28-point performance led the Brampton Honey Badgers (8-10) as they secured a 2023 post-season spot with a dominant 103-86 victory over the Scarborough Shooting Stars (10-8) on Wednesday.
MLB
After losing 8-7 in 10 innings Tuesday night following a comeback from the LA Dodgers, the Toronto Blue Jays refocused and forgot about the sting of that loss. Whit Merrifield hit a three-run homer as Toronto won 8-1 to win the series at LA on Wednesday. Merrifield was 2-for-4 with a season-high-tying four RBIs. The Blue Jays host Shohei Ohtani and the LA Angels on Friday evening.
NFL
LA Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford says he fielded trade proposals from other NFL teams but he only sees himself playing for LA next season. The 35-year-old Stafford fully participated in the opening practice of training camp with the Rams at U-C Irvine on Wednesday to begin his 15th NFL season. Stafford would not clarify if he had restructured his contract — or refused to — ahead of the season.
Meanwhile Aaron Rodgers has a new deal with the New York Jets – and he’s taking a pay cut to try to help deliver a Super Bowl to the winning-starved franchise. Rodgers agreed to a reworked two-year, $75 million guaranteed contract with the Jets on Wednesday, according to a source.
The four-time NFL MVP had nearly $110 million in guaranteed money remaining on his previous deal signed with Green Bay. But Rodgers is taking less money with New York in a move that appears to also reiterate his stay with the Jets is likely to last beyond just this season.
NLL
The Saskatchewan Rush have acquired goaltender Frank Scigliano from the San Diego Seals in exchange for a 2023 first-round pick, a 2023 second-round pick and the rights to UFA Kyle Rubisch.
“When objectively evaluating our goaltending since the tenure of Evan Kirk ended in 2020, I think the most important and prevalent word that comes to mind is inconsistency. There have been good games, parts of good games but not the consistent goaltending needed to win with regularity and compete for championships,” said GM Derek Keenan.
“We believe Frank Scigliano gives us the consistency needed to get back to the place our fans are accustomed to – in the playoffs and competing for championships. We believe he is a top NLL goalie, and we were willing to pay the price to bring in a guy of his quality.”
Saskatchewan’s first round draft pick being sent to San Diego will be 18th overall and the second rounder is 26th overall.
NHL
The Carolina Hurricanes signed forward Sebastian Aho to an eight-year deal worth $78 million on Wednesday, the richest contract handed out in the history of the franchise that used to be the Hartford Whalers. Aho is now under contract through 2032 at an annual salary cap hit of $9.75 million, once the deal kicks in for the 2024-25 NHL season.
The Hurricanes are building around Aho, their top center who’s in his prime and one of the reasons they’ve made the playoffs each of the past five seasons. He has 468 points in 520 career regular-season games, all with Carolina, and is also nearly a point-a-game player in the playoffs with 58 in 63.
CFL
New Montreal Alouettes signing Shawn Lemon is one team away from being a member of every CFL franchise, and he says he’s fine with it staying that way for a while.
The 34-year-old defensive lineman, who signed with Montreal on Monday, has played 135 career games with Saskatchewan, Edmonton, Calgary, Ottawa, Toronto and B.C., and got his first taste of the CFL on Winnipeg’s practice squad in 2011.
But Lemon says he’s not worrying about matching longtime quarterback Kevin Glenn and signing with Hamilton next to be part of all nine teams – he’s focused on making it a long-term stay in Montreal.
“I just had a chance to (sign with Hamilton) and I decided to come here,” he said Wednesday at the Olympic Park. “I’m happy to be here, and hopefully I’ll be here for a while. That’s the plan.”
(Canadian Press, Rush PR)
