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Friday, January 31, 2020

{allcanada} Bruins ride power-play goals to 2-1 win over Jets

 

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) -- Patrice Bergeron and Jake DeBrusk scored power-play goals and the Boston Bruins beat Winnipeg 2-1 on Friday night, extending the Jets' losing streak to five games.

David Pastrnak had two assists for Boston. Tuukka Rask, returning for the first time since suffering a concussion on Jan. 14, made 37 saves.

''Rask was terrific,'' Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. ''He'd missed some time. Got hit in the head with one (puck tonight), so clearly that you're always worried because he's come off a concussion. Played well, tracked pucks well.''

DeBrusk was left open on his winner after Jets defenseman Anthony Bitetto and forward Andrew Copp literally got tangled up and fell.

''I've never seen that, a skate loop,'' Jets coach Paul Maurice said. ''It's Andrew's skate lace that catches the back of the guard on Bitetto's skate and pulls him down as they lock skates.

''I've never seen that. That's what's going on right now. Tough one.''

''I had no idea what (his skate lace) caught on, then I looked down and saw it was that,'' Copp said. ''Less than one-in-a-million play.''

Patrik Laine scored for the Jets, who failed to capitalize on five power plays in the second period. Winnipeg has lost seven of its last eight. Laurent Brossoit stopped 23 shots.

The defeat extended Winnipeg's longest losing streak of the season. The Jets are 1-7-1 in their last nine homes games.

The game was tied 1-1 after the first and second periods.

Winnipeg opened the scoring when Nikolaj Ehlers sped around the back of the net and fed the puck across the front to Laine, who scored his 18th of the season past Rask at 6:06.

Bergeron scored his 22nd with three seconds remaining in a two-man advantage at 19:07.

The Jets' first of five power plays in the second period began early.

The first advantage started at 2:11 when Boston defenseman Matt Grzelcyk was called for hooking Blake Wheeler.

That became a two-man advantage after Ehlers and Brad Marchand collided and started fighting. Marchand got an extra roughing penalty for the clash at 3:28.

The two-man edge continued when Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo got called for delay of game at 4:17. Charlie Coyle was then sent to the box for tripping at 7:07.

By the time those penalties expired, Winnipeg had nine shots on goal and Boston none.

The Bruins got their first shot on Brossoit a few seconds later, but then Carlo was whistled for instigating at 10:10.

The period ended with Boston's Torey Krug called for holding as time expired.

Winnipeg outshot the Bruins 11-4 in the middle frame.

Laine hit the crossbar during the early power play in the third, and Boston went on the power play when Sami Niku was sent off for slashing at 2:35.

DeBrusk scored his goal 32 seconds later, after Pastrnak went around the back of the net and sent a pass just outside the crease at 3:07.

Rask stopped a blast by Ehlers in the final minute.

''I think then first period my rebound control wasn't where it could have been, but after that I kind of found the pucks and hung onto them,'' Rask said. ''I wasn't worried.''

NOTES: Winnipeg finished 0 for 6 and Boston was 2 for 4 on the power play.

UP NEXT

Bruins: At Minnesota on Saturday.

Jets: Host St. Louis on Saturday.

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{allcanada} Draisaitl’s scores 2, Oilers beat Blues 4-2

 

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) -- Leon Draisaitl scored twice and the Edmonton Oilers beat the defending champion St. Louis Blues 4-2 Friday night.

Caleb Jones and Josh Archibald also scored to help the Oilers improve to 7-1-2 in their last 10 games. Mikko Koskinen stopped 30 shots.

The Oilers led 2-0 before St. Louis tied the score early in the third. Draisaitl then gave the Oilers a 3-2 lead at 4:13 of the final period as Kailer Yamamoto feathered a pass through to him. Draisaitl beat goalie Jake Allen glove side for his second of the game and 29th of the season.

''That was huge,'' Draisaitl said of getting the win. ''That team over there, they know how to win hockey games. For them to tie it up, and for us to come back and win the game, it's a big confidence boost for us.

''The standings are tight, points are tight ... we just have to keep grinding away, keep getting points. Hopefully at the end it will be enough.''

St. Louis had a great opportunity with a late third period power play and pulled Allen for the extra attacker, but Archibald picked off the puck and danced his way to open ice to score a short-handed empty-netter with 1:41 left to seal the win.

David Perron and Robert Thomas had goals for the Blues, who have lost four of their last five. Allen finished with 31 saves.

''Our puck execution wasn't very good for sure, we watched, we didn't skate and didn't win many battles and they had jump early and had good energy,'' Blues head coach Craig Berube said. ''They got on us and forced us to turn pucks over and we didn't make very good plays with the puck.''

Edmonton grabbed the early lead as Draisaitl opened the scoring 5:31 into the first on a slap shot past Allen. It extended his point streak to 10 games.

''Both of his goals were good goals, well-earned goals,'' Oilers coach Dave Tippett said. ''That line has played well for us. It is good to see that Leon, he has his game turned back the other way and is playing very well.''

Jones made it 2-0 just 17 seconds later as his long shot trickled through Allen, giving the young defenseman his second career NHL goal

St. Louis only had three shots on Koskinen in a first period that also saw Edmonton hit two posts.

Perron scored from his knees on a backhand rebound just under 11 minutes into the second for his 23rd goal of the season to pull the Blues to 2-1.

St. Louis tied it early in the third as Tyler Bozak pounced on a bouncing puck during a scramble in front of the Edmonton net and fed it across to Thomas for his ninth at 2:12.

Draisaitl put the Oilers ahead for good just over two minutes later.

NOTES: It was the third and final meeting between the two teams this season, with the Blues winning both previous encounters by 5-2 and 2-1 scores. ... Blues F Alexander Steen played in his 999th NHL game. ... Edmonton F James Neal was a late scratch with a foot injury, with Archibald taking his place on McDavid's line.

UP NEXT

Blues: At Winnipeg on Saturday night.

Oilers: At Calgary on Saturday night.

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{allcanada} Toronto FC signs GK Quentin Westberg to new contract

 

Toronto FC rewarded goalkeeper Quentin Westberg with a new contract Friday, seemingly consolidating his role as the MLS club's No. 1.

Westberg, 33, originally signed with Toronto last February after arriving from French club AJ Auxerre.

He started last season behind Alex Bono but took over the starting job early in the season. Reliable in goal, a good communicator and an excellent distributor of the ball, he has worn the captain's armband at times when Michael Bradley was not available.

Born in France to an American father and French mother, Westberg made 32 starts in the regular season and playoff last year — compiling a record of 12-10-9 with four shutouts.

"Q had a great first season with us and was integral in helping us win the Eastern Conference and advance to MLS Cup," Toronto GM Ali Curtis said in a statement.

Westberg made US$115,250 last season, according to the MLS Players Association. Bono, given a new contract in July 2018, earned $382,000.

The 25-year-old Bono played six of the first nine games of the 2019 MLS campaign. Westberg started the last 25 and all four playoff outings. Bono, 4-1-2 in MLS action, did play throughout the Canadian Championship, however.

Toronto was 3-0-1 to start the season with Bono in goal. But after a 2-2 tie with visiting Chicago that saw Bono stranded in no-man's land on a C.J. Sapong goal (after a Toronto giveaway farther up the field), Westberg was given the start in Seattle.

Bono started the next game against Minnesota, giving way to Westberg for games against Portland and Orlando. Coach Greg Vanney went back to Bono for a 2-0 loss in Atlanta then handed the reins to Westberg.

TFC's history in handling goalkeepers has been uneven. Bono joins a list that includes Milos Kocic, Stefan Frei, Joe Bendik, Chris Konopka and Clint Irwin as 'keepers who could make a case for being hard done by here.

Vanney, however, has managed to avoid controversy, at least publicly, in handling his goalkeepers. He engineered a smooth change in 2017 from Irwin to Bono. And the transition from Bono to Westberg was equally slick, although Bono clearly had his own thoughts on the matter.

Bono appeared in 72 regular-season games for Toronto from 2015 to 2018. He had 10 shutouts during Toronto's 2017 championship year but that slipped to three in 2018 when TFC's goals against ballooned to 64, compared to 37 in 2017.

Bono, speaking at the start of this training camp, said the past has no bearing on how he feels now.

"I've put all the speculation and that sort of thing behind me," he said. "That inevitably happens in the off-season. People tend to talk. People tend to create rumours or spread rumours. You never know what your future's going to be like. It's possible that I could have been moved.

"I'm here. I'm happy to be here. And until this team has no more use for me, I'll continue to come in every day, put the work in, be a team player and do what's best for myself and for the team. For me that's base level of how every professional should be."

Bono spent part of the recent off-season training with Barnsley, an English second-tier side.

In other TFC news, midfielder Marky Delgado turned some heads with a tweet saying "Final year let's enjoy it," above a photo of him at training camp. He did not elaborate.

The 24-year-old Californian, entering his sixth season with Toronto, is on the last year of his current contract.

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{allcanada} Canada's Kingsbury, Japan's Horishima continue moguls duel in Calgary World Cup

 

CALGARY — Canada's Mikael Kingsbury finished second behind Japan's Ikuma Horishima in Friday's qualifying for World Cup moguls in Calgary.

Kingsbury edged Horishima by just two tenths of a point to win last week in Mont-Tremblant, Que. and remain atop the World Cup standings.

The top 16 in qualifying advanced to Saturday's finals. Dmitriy Reikherd of Kazakhstan was third.

Laurent Dumais of Quebec City made the cut, placing 10th.

Calgary's course at WinSport's Canada Olympic Park has been a wildly successful venue for two-time Olympic champion Kingsbury.

The 27-year-old from Deux-Montagnes, Que., has won the men's event eight of the last nine years.

Women's qualifying and finals will all be held Saturday.

Montreal sisters Justine and Chloe Dufour-Lapointe lead the Canadian women's team into Calgary.

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{allcanada} Stroll acquires stake in Aston Martin

 

A consortium that includes Quebec billionaires Lawrence Stroll and Andre Desmarais is taking a significant stake in British car manufacturer Aston Martin — a move expected to have repercussions in the Formula One world.

Under an agreement announced Friday, the group led by Stroll will inject $316 million to acquire a 16.7 per cent stake — which could climb to 20 per cent — in the struggling company as part of its plan to raise up to $874 million.

The remaining funds are expected to be raised from current shareholders of the company headquartered in Gaydon, U.K.

Stroll, who built his fortune through investments in such brands as Pierre Cardin, Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger, will become executive chairman of Aston Martin, founded in 1913 and famous for its luxury cars that figure prominently in the James Bond films.

With the investment, the Racing Point F1 team acquired by Stroll's group in the summer of 2018 will adopt the name Aston Martin beginning in the 2021 season.

Stroll's 21-year-old son Lance is one of the two drivers on the team.

Aston Martin, traded on the London Stock Exchange since the end of 2018, is trying to regain momentum after posting disappointing results, and news of Stroll's arrival was met with a 19 per cent jump in the share price.

"I believe that this combination of capital and my experience of both the motor industry and building highly successful global brands will mean that, over time, we fulfil Aston Martin Lagonda's potential," Stroll, 60 said in a statement.

Stroll's fortune is estimated at US$2.6 billion, according to Forbes magazine. A longtime car lover, he owns the Mont-Tremblant circuit and has a large collection of Ferrari racing cars.

Aston Martin, now 106 years old, has seen better days.

"The past year has been a regrettably disappointing and challenging time for the company," said chief executive Andy Palmer.

"The difficult trading performance in 2019 resulted in severe pressure on liquidity which has left the company with no alternative but to seek substantial additional equity financing," said chairwoman Penny Hughes. "Without this the balance sheet is not robust enough to support the operations of the group."

On Jan. 7, the company warned that its 2019 profits would plunge more than 45 per cent from the previous year due to weak demand in Europe.

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{allcanada} NHL players split on Chiefs, 49ers winning Super Bowl

 

Ryan O'Reilly and Jordan Binnington have made it clear who they think will win Super Bowl LIV between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

O'Reilly, a center for the St. Louis Blues, wore a Chiefs helmet during warmups for the 2020 NHL All-Star Skills in St. Louis on Jan. 25. Blues goalie Binnington arrived at the event wearing the jersey of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

"Figured I'd throw it on and give some support," O'Reilly said. "That's who I'd take."

O'Reilly and Binnington are certainly biased when it comes to the Chiefs, who play on the other side of Missouri, but other NHL players interviewed by NHL.com were split on the winner of the big game in Miami.

"I think Kansas City is going to win," Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi said. "I like Mahomes. I like the way he plays. He's unbelievable and fun to watch."

Washington Capitals forward T.J. Oshie said he also thought Mahomes, the NFL MVP last season, will be the difference in the game, but he's hoping to see more scoring than in the Super Bowl last year, when the New England Patriots defeated the Los Angeles Rams 13-3.

"I think it's hard to go against Mahomes," Oshie said. "He just seems like a guy that doesn't really shy away from pressure. So many weapons, but I don't know. You've got a good defense on the other side.

"I just hope it's not a 10-3 game. I hope we get a decent scoring game with it coming down to the final possession."

Calgary Flames defenseman Noah Hanifin is from Boston, so he is rooting for 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who once played for his favorite team, the Patriots. But he expects a tight battle.

"It's a good matchup," Hanifin said. "I want [San Francisco] just because Garoppolo used to be on the Patriots, so I'm hoping he can get a Super Bowl, which would be good to see. I think it's going to be a coin toss, you know? Kansas City has a really good offense and [San Francisco] has a really good defense, so it's going to be a good matchup.

"[The Chiefs] just have a crazy offense. Mahomes is such an unbelievable athlete and a great talent. Last year, I saw them play against the Patriots in the AFC [Championship Game]. He's a great player. They're dangerous. If you're up on them, they can still score touchdowns like nobody else in the league. It'll be a good challenge for [San Francisco's] defense."

Minnesota Wild center Eric Staal said he also believes the 49ers will win, but he is a Mahomes fan.

"Something about the 49ers, I like the way they played all year," Staal said. "I had Mahomes as my fantasy quarterback, so I've loved his game pretty much all year too. It's a bit of a tossup but I'll lead with the 49ers."

Like O'Reilly and Binnington, San Jose Sharks defenseman Brenden Dillon has a local interest in the game with the 49ers playing their home games at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, 7 miles from San Jose. 

"I have to go with the home-area 49ers," Dillon said. "I think it's going to be a really good game, which for any sporting event is what I think you want. Both teams have been outstanding.

"Watching the 49ers team defense all year -- [defensive end Nick] Bosa has been unbelievable -- and in big games your all-stars have to be your best players. So [tight end George] Kittle and Garoppolo, those kind of guys are going to have to lead the way.

New Jersey Devils defenseman Andy Greene and Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck expect a close game.

"San Francisco has a good [defense], and Mahomes and K.C. are pretty lethal, but I'll go K.C," Greene said. "Give it to Mahomes, just a hunch."

Hellebuyck said, "Oh, man. It's going to be a great matchup. It could be Mahomes' year, but I think [San Francisco's] got a full team and will be one force to reckon with. So I'm going to go 49ers."

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{allcanada} Bombers sign DT Thomas, longest-serving player, to one-year extension

 

WINNIPEG — The longest-serving current Blue Bomber is staying in Winnipeg.

The Bombers have given Canadian defensive tackle Jake Thomas a one-year extension. The 2020 season will be Thomas' ninth in Winnipeg.

The native of Douglas, N.B., had a career-best five sacks last year. He also had 22 defensive tackles as the Blue Bombers won the Grey Cup.

The Acadia University product was drafted 29th overall by the Bombers in 2012.

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{allcanada} Lions sign national OL Godber to extension

 

VANCOUVER — The B.C. Lions have signed offensive lineman Peter Godber, defensive end Nordly Capi, linebacker Adrian Clarke and defensive back Ben Minaker.

Godber is now signed through the 2021 season.

The Lions drafted Godber third overall in 2018 and played nine games at centre that season.

He began the 2019 season on the injured list while he was healing from a broken foot suffered late in his rookie campaign. The Toronto native was activated for the Lions' regular-season finale on Nov. 2.

Capi most recently attended 2018 training camp with the Arizona Cardinals and led the team with four sacks in pre-season play before being waived as part of the final roster cuts.

Clarke, from Mississauga, Ont., was originally drafted by the Lions in round four (32nd overall) of the 2015 CFL draft out of Bishop's and he suited up for 40 games over three seasons with the Lions. He contributed with 25 special teams tackles to go with one defensive stop.

Clarke appeared in four games with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2018.

Minaker, from Kelowna, B.C., played four seasons (2015-18) at Simon Fraser University. He spent the 2019 season on SFU's coaching staff as defensive assistant.

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{allcanada} Roughriders sign FB Awachie to two-year extension

 

REGINA — The Saskatchewan Roughriders have signed Canadian fullback Albert Awachie to a two-year extension.

The six-foot-three, 225-pound Toronto native is entering his fourth season with the Roughriders.

Awachie played 12 games for Saskatchewan last year.

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{allcanada} Redblacks sign team MOP nominee Williams to one-year extension

 

OTTAWA — The Redblacks have signed linebacker Avery Williams to a one-year contract extension.

Williams was limited to 11 games last season due to injuries, but still managed to record 69 defensive tackles.

In 28 games with the Redblacks over the last two seasons, Williams has 112 defensive tackles, seven tackles on the special teams and two sacks.

"Avery is the type of player you want to build a fast, physical and dominant defence around," defensive co-ordinator Mike Benevides said in a statement. "He's a guy who has barely scratched the surface of his potential and I'm excited to start working with him."

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{allcanada} Montreal Alouettes extend WR Eugene Lewis among several roster moves

 

The Montreal Alouettes and leading receiver Eugene Lewis have agreed to a one-year contract extension, according to TSN's Farhan Lalji.

Hearing that Eugene Lewis has agreed to a one year extension with #AlsMtl. Was the team's leading receiver last season with 1133 yds and 72 rec. @GENOALLDAY7 @CFLonTSN @TSN_Sports @TSN690 pic.twitter.com/dwujsJ1cb9

— Farhan Lalji (@FarhanLaljiTSN) January 31, 2020

The move was one of many the Alouettes made on Friday.

Lewis has spent his entire three-year CFL career with the Alouettes, and finished last year with 72 receptions for 1,133 yards and five touchdowns. Lewis was named an East Division All-Star last season.

In another move, the Als dealt Canadian linebacker/safety Bo Lokombo to the Toronto Argonauts for a conditional 2020 eighth-round draft pick.

The six-foot-two, 225-pound Lokombo appeared in 15 games last season with Montreal, registering 51 tackles, eight special-teams tackles, two interceptions and a forced fumble.

Lokombo, raised in Abbotsford, B.C., after being born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, was drafted in the third round, No. 21 overall, by the B.C. Lions in the 2013 CFL draft.

Later in the day, the Alouettes signed Canadian receiver Felix Faubert-Lussier to a one-year extension and inked Canadian kicker Felix Briere and American defensive back Najee Murray to two-year extensions.

Faubert-Lussier, a Montreal native, joined the Alouettes last season after two years with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He caught nine passes for 102 yards with the Als.

Briere, from Sainte-Agathe-Des-Monts, Que., spent time with the Als and Saskatchewan Roughriders last year.

Murray played four games with Montreal in 2019.

The Alouettes also released receiver DeVier Posey and defensive back Tommie Campbell.

Campbell a casualty of the Vernon Adams deal, and there will be others. #AlsMtl overpaid to get some players which they could afford since their QB salaries were so low.
With Lokombo now at safety along with Loffler, the team didnt need to pay 2 starting level salaries there
https://t.co/6FwpJh14Su

— Farhan Lalji (@FarhanLaljiTSN) January 31, 2020

Lalji reported the Als were willing to trade Lokombo because he now plays safety, where they have Taylor Loffler. Lalji also added Campbell was a casualty of the Als signing QB Vernon Adams while adding there will be more coming. The Alouettes overpaid to get some players last off-season because their quarterbacks' combined salaries were low.

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{allcanada} Montreal Alouettes deal safety Bo Lokombo to Toronto Argonauts for conditional pick

 

MONTREAL — The Montreal Alouettes dealt Canadian linebacker/safety Bo Lokombo to the Toronto Argonauts on Friday for a conditional 2020 eighth-round draft pick.

The six-foot-two, 225-pound Lokombo appeared in 15 games last season with Montreal, registering 51 tackles, eight special-teams tackles, two interceptions and a forced fumble.

Lokombo, raised in Abbotsford, B.C., after being born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, was drafted in the third round, No. 21 overall, by the B.C. Lions in the 2013 CFL draft.

Later in the day, the Alouettes signed Canadian receiver Felix Faubert-Lussier to a one-year extension and inked Canadian kicker Felix Briere and American defensive back Najee Murray to two-year extensions.

Faubert-Lussier, a Montreal native, joined the Alouettes last season after two years with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He caught nine passes for 102 yards with the Als.

Briere, from Sainte-Agathe-Des-Monts, Que., spent time with the Als and Saskatchewan Roughriders last year.

Murray played four games with Montreal in 2019.

The Alouettes also released receiver DeVier Posey and defensive back Tommie Campbell.

Eskimos extend West all-star Mike Moore

EDMONTON — The Eskimos have extended American defensive lineman Mike Moore through the 2021 season.

Moore was set to become a free agent in February.

Moore was named a division all-star for the first time last season after recording 23 defensive tackles, nine quarterback sacks and two fumble recoveries in 17 games.

Moore entered the league in 2016 with the Ottawa Redblacks and signed with the Edmonton Eskimos the following season as a free agent.

"Mike Moore is a versatile all-star who can play multiple positions across the defensive line and we're excited to have him stay in Edmonton for two more years," Eskimos general manager and vice president of football operations Brock Sunderland said in a statement. "As great as he played last season, we feel he still has room to grow and the sky is the limit with him."

Bombers re-sign Thomas

WINNIPEG — The longest-serving current Blue Bomber is staying in Winnipeg.

The Bombers have given Canadian defensive tackle Jake Thomas a one-year extension. The 2020 season will be Thomas' ninth in Winnipeg.

The native of Douglas, N.B., had a career-best five sacks last year. He also had 22 defensive tackles as the Blue Bombers won the Grey Cup.

The Acadia University product was drafted 29th overall by the Bombers in 2012.

Williams back with the Redblacks

OTTAWA — The Redblacks have signed linebacker Avery Williams to a one-year contract extension.

Williams was limited to 11 games last season due to injuries, but still managed to record 69 defensive tackles.

In 28 games with the Redblacks over the last two seasons, Williams has 112 defensive tackles, seven tackles on the special teams and two sacks.

"Avery is the type of player you want to build a fast, physical and dominant defence around," defensive co-ordinator Mike Benevides said in a statement. "He's a guy who has barely scratched the surface of his potential and I'm excited to start working with him."

Ticats bring back Filer, Rolle

HAMILTON — The Tiger-Cats have re-signed Canadian offensive lineman Mike Filer for 2020 and American defensive back Jumal Rolle to a two-year contract.

Filer, the current longest-serving member of the Tiger-Cats will return for his ninth CFL season in Hamilton.

The 29-year-old native of Brantford, Ont., made 18 appearances with 16 starts at centre for the Tiger-Cats last season. Filer, six-foot-two and 290-pounds, anchored an offensive line that helped Hamilton post league-leading rankings in offensive points for (508), offensive points per game (28.2), offensive touchdowns (50) and net offence (7,125 yards),.

Over his eight-year CFL career with the Tiger-Cats (2012-19), Filer has appeared in 112 regular season games with 95 starts at centre. The Mount Allison University graduate has also started nine playoff games at centre for Hamilton, including the 102nd and 107th Grey Cup games.

Rolle, 29, appeared in all 18 regular season games with 11 starts at cornerback for the Tiger-Cats in 2019, registering 32 defensive tackles, five special teams tackles and seven pass knockdowns.

The six-foot, 190-pound native of Wilson, North Carolina also suited up in both of Hamilton's playoff games, including the 107th Grey Cup in Calgary.

Roughriders ink fullback

REGINA — The Saskatchewan Roughriders have signed Canadian fullback Albert Awachie to a two-year extension.

The six-foot-three, 225-pound Toronto native is entering his fourth season with the Roughriders.

Awachie played 12 games for Saskatchewan last year.

Lions sign four

VANCOUVER — The B.C. Lions have signed offensive lineman Peter Godber, defensive end Nordly Capi, linebacker Adrian Clarke and defensive back Ben Minaker.

Godber is now signed through the 2021 season.

The Lions drafted Godber third overall in 2018 and played nine games at centre that season.

He began the 2019 season on the injured list while he was healing from a broken foot suffered late in his rookie campaign. The Toronto native was activated for the Lions' regular-season finale on Nov. 2.

Capi most recently attended 2018 training camp with the Arizona Cardinals and led the team with four sacks in pre-season play before being waived as part of the final roster cuts.

Clarke, from Mississauga, Ont., was originally drafted by the Lions in round four (32nd overall) of the 2015 CFL draft out of Bishop's and he suited up for 40 games over three seasons with the Lions. He contributed with 25 special teams tackles to go with one defensive stop.

Clarke appeared in four games with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2018.

Minaker, from Kelowna, B.C., played four seasons (2015-18) at Simon Fraser University. He spent the 2019 season on SFU's coaching staff as defensive assistant.

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{allcanada} Eskimos extend QB Harris through 2022

 

The Edmonton Eskimos signed quarterback Trevor Harris to a contract extension on Friday, which will keep him with the team through 2022.

Harris joined the Eskimos as a free agent last February and started 13 games this past season, throwing for 4,027 yards with 16 touchdowns with six interceptions. He added 139 yards rushing with six touchdowns on the ground.

"Trevor gives us a chance to win every game that he steps on the field and his leadership and dedication off the field are second to none. We're thrilled to keep him in the Green and Gold for the next three years and now we can start building around him," Eskimos general manager and vice-president of football operations Brock Sunderland said.

The 33-year-old set two playoff records in the East Semifinal against the Montreal Alouettes, throwing 22 consecutive completions and finishing with a 92.3 per cent completion rate. The Eskimos were eliminated from the playoffs in the Eastern Final by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

"I'm grateful to be in Edmonton for the long haul. I have a deep conviction that we have something special building here and I wanted to show it through this contract, and I am thrilled to be part of it," says Harris. "I can promise there will never be a day taken for granted that I get to be in the Green and Gold and the quarterback here. I'm viciously motivated to deliver daily for our fans and this city. I'm thankful for my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. My family and I are thrilled to be with the Eskimos for the foreseeable future!"

Harris, an East All-Star with the Ottawa Redblacks in 2016, is a two-time Grey Cup champion as a backup, having won with the Redblacks in 2016 and the Toronto Argonauts in 2012.

In 133 career games, Harris has thrown for 22,182 yards with 120 touchdowns and 52 interceptions.

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{allcanada} Redblacks sign QB Arbuckle to two-year deal

 

The Ottawa Redblacks announced they have signed quarterback Nick Arbuckle to a two-year deal. TSN's Farhan Lalji reported Arbuckle will earn $420K in guaranteed money in 2020 and $430K in 2021, and with incentives can earn $470K and $490K respectively.

The team acquired Arbuckle, who was a pending free agent, from the Calgary Stampeders earlier this off-season in exchange for a 2020 third round draft pick. And with Arbuckle's signing, the teams will now also swap first round draft picks. The Stampeders now hold the first overall pick in the 2020 CFL Draft.

"I am very excited to become an Ottawa Redblack and I can't wait to get there and get to work as soon as possible," Arbuckle said. "It's an incredible feeling knowing that my wife and I will have the opportunity to start our family in such an amazing city."

In 18 games with seven starts for the Stampeders last season, Arbuckle finished with 2,103 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, and five interceptions.

"We were really impressed with Nick when we met with him and felt that, with what we've seen on tape, he's someone who could put us in a position to be successful," head coach Paul LaPolice said. "Nick brings the ability to lead a team to wins, with his intelligence, with his leadership, his ability to throw the ball and how he can process information on the football field. We're excited to have him."

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Thursday, January 30, 2020

{allcanada} Raptors beat Cavaliers to win ninth straight

 

CLEVELAND — Toronto's ninth straight win didn't come easily.

The Raptors nearly let a big lead slip away in the fourth quarter before holding on to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-109 on Thursday night.

Serge Ibaka scored 26 points, Kyle Lowry had 23 and Norman Powell made big plays down the stretch after Cleveland cut a 14-point deficit to 105-104.

Powell came through with eight consecutive points in the final minute, hitting a 3-pointer, scoring on a layup after making a steal and sinking three foul shots to seal the win.

"That was anybody's game from start to finish, to be honest," Raptors coach Nick Nurse said. "You've just got to grind it out and find a way."

Powell's late-game flurry helped the Raptors stifle a comeback bid by the Cavaliers, who trailed 90-76 early in the fourth quarter.

Cleveland trimmed its deficit to one on three occasions and had a chance to tie the game, but Darius Garland missed the second of two free throws with 1:18 to play, leaving Toronto's lead at 105-104.

Lowry was selected as a reserve on the Eastern Conference All-Star team Thursday, the sixth time he'll appear in the game. Pascal Siakam, named an All-Star starter last week, scored 19 points and Powell had 16.

The Raptors held a postgame celebration to honour Lowry's selection.

"It was cool, man, because I wouldn't be here without my teammates," he said. "Those guys literally let me lead them and I love them for it. Being there with P (Siakam), it's going to be awesome."

Lowry said he was pushed by fan when he dove into the stands for a loose ball in the fourth quarter. Video showed Lowry landed on two fans and one appeared to press his hand on the guard's back as he returned to the floor.

Lowry, who turned and looked at the fan as play continued, was pushed by a minority owner of the Goldden State Warriors in last season's NBA Finals when he dove into the stands under similar circumstances.

"I got pushed, and that's the second time it's happened to me," Lowry said. "The next time it happens, I don't know if I'll be able to control myself. Fans like that shouldn't be able to lay any hands on you and shouldn't be a part of our game."

The Raptors are 34-14 despite losing Kawhi Leonard from last season's NBA championship team. Toronto trails only Milwuakee in the Eastern Conference.

"It wasn't just a tremendous player like Kawhi," Cavaliers coach John Beilein said. "They have a lot of the pieces that you need to win at the level they've been winning at."

Ibaka started in place of Marc Gasol, who is out indefinitely after re-injuring his left hamstring Tuesday against Atlanta.

Kevin Love and Collin Sexton each scored 23 points for Cleveland, which has lost nine of 10 overall and nine in a row at home.

Toronto scored 11 straight points late in the third quarter to go ahead 88-75. Lowry converted a three-point play, and Ibaka and Powell hit 3-pointers.

Toronto pushed the lead to 100-90 before Cleveland rallied again. The Cavaliers haven't won at home since Dec. 23 when they defeated Atlanta.

Cleveland committed 23 turnovers, with the most crucial coming on Powell's steal of a bad pass by Kevin Porter Jr. and fast-break basket, which pushed the lead to 110-104.

The teams played twice in Toronto, with the Raptors winning both games by 20 points.

TIP-INS

Raptors: Gasol missed 12 games with the hamstring injury from Dec. 20 to Jan. 12. ... Ibaka made his 15th start of the season. … Toronto will end January with a winning record, marking the 21st straight month it has done so. The Raptors' last losing month was January 2017.

Cavaliers: Garland scored 16 points after sitting out for rest purposes Tuesday. Beilein said Garland informed the staff that his legs had been feeling tired after starting the first 47 games. Garland played in just five games in his only season at Vanderbilt because of a knee injury.

MAJOR PROGRESS

Siakam averages a team-high 23.7 points per game and has made 37% of his 3-point attempts. The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 6.0 points a game over his first two seasons before scoring 16.9 last season.

"He shows shades of Durant-like stuff out there at that size," Beilein said. "I watched the San Antonio game and he started out with five 3s. That's something he didn't even do until last year. He can pass the ball. He defends. He's doing a lot of everything."

UP NEXT

Raptors: Visit Detroit on Friday. Toronto is 2-0 against the Pistons this season.

Cavaliers: Host the Golden State Warriors on Saturday. The teams met in the NBA Finals every year from 2015-18, but have two of the worst records in the league this season.

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{allcanada} OHL Roundup: Byfield leads Wolves to overtime win against Colts

 

BARRIE, Ont. — Quinton Byfield scored his second goal of the night in overtime as the Sudbury Wolves edged the Barrie Colts 3-2 on Thursday in Ontario Hockey League action.

Jack Thompson had a goal in regulation time for the Wolves (25-21-1), while Mitchell Weeks made 28 saves for the win.

Tyson Foerster and Victor Hadfield supplied the offence for Barrie (19-21-5). Arturs Silovs stopped 38 shots in net.

Sudbury was 1 for 3 on the power play and the Colts went 1 for 5 with the man advantage.

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STORM 4 BATTALION 3

NORTH BAY, Ont. — Keegan Stevenson's goal with 4:02 left to play lifted Guelph over the Battalion.

Matthew Papais, Eric Uba and Fedor Gordeev also scored for the Storm (23-18-5).

Luke Moncada had a pair of goals for North Bay (11-33-2), while Mitchell Russell added a goal.

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67'S 3 ICEDOGS 2

ST. CATHARINES, Ont. — Noel Hoefenmayer put away the winner 7:52 into the third period as Ottawa eked out a win over Niagara.

Daylon Groulx and Jack Quinn also scored in the 67's (37-7-0) seventh straight win.

Jackson Doherty and Cameron Butler replied for the IceDogs (17-24-5).

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GREYHOUNDS 2 PETES 1

PETERBOROUGH, Ont. — Zack Trott's power-play goal early in the first period stood as the winner as Sault Ste. Marie fended off the Petes.

Tye Kartye also scored for the Greyhounds (22-23-2).

Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Nick Robertson scored as Peterborough (28-17-3) dropped its fourth straight game.

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FIREBIRDS 8 SPITFIRES 3

WINDSOR, Ont. — Jack Wismer and Ty Dellandrea had two goals apiece as Flint downed the Spitfires.

Connor Roberts, Quinn Yule, Cody Morgan, and Braeden Kressler also scored for the Firebirds (27-17-2).

Wyatt Johnston, Tyler Angle and Curtis Douglas replied for Windsor (28-11-5).

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{allcanada} QMJHL Roundup: Lapenna perfect as Voltigeurs blank Huskies

 
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DRUMMONDVILLE, Que. — Francesco Lapenna stopped all 19 shots he faced as the Drummondville Voltigeurs shut out the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 4-0 on Thursday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action.

Edouard Charron struck twice, including the eventual winner, for Drummondville (27-20-1). Jacob Dion and Nicholas Girouard also scored.

Zachary Emond stopped 28 shots for Rouyn-Noranda (23-21-4).

The Voltigeurs were 2 for 3 on the power play and the Huskies could not score on their two man advantages.

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ISLANDERS 6 CATARACTES 5

CHARLOTTETOWN — Liam Peyton scored twice as the Islanders edged Shawinigan.

Ethan Crossman put away the winner at the 11:56 mark of the third period for Charlottetown (25-20-5), while Gaetan Jobin, Nikita Alexandrov and Drew Elliott also scored.

Gabriel Denis, Xavier Bourgault, Xavier Cormier, Marc-Antoine Pepin and Mavrik Bourque replied for the Cataractes (21-24-0).

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{allcanada} Jan. 31: Pacific Division wins new-look All-Star Game

THIS DATE IN HISTORY: Jan. 31

2016: The NHL All-Star Game begins a new era when teams comprised of players from each of the four divisions play a 3-on-3 tournament at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.

The Atlantic Division rallies to defeat the Metropolitan Division 4-3 in the first of two 20-minute semifinal games and the Pacific Division outscores the Central Division 9-6 in the second. In the championship game, Anaheim Ducks forward Corey Perry scores the only goal in a 1-0 victory for the Pacific Division.

The most valuable player award goes to forward John Scott, who's voted by fans as captain of the Pacific Division and scores two goals in the semifinal win against the Central Division.

 

 

MORE MOMENTS

1920: Joe Malone of the Quebec Bulldogs sets an NHL record by scoring seven goals in a 10-6 victory against the Toronto St. Patricks. No one else in NHL history has scored more than six.

 

1928: Alec Connell of the Ottawa Senators starts his League-record run of six consecutive shutouts with a 4-0 victory against the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs. It's the 42nd NHL shutout for Connell.

 

1987: Dave Newell becomes the fourth referee in NHL history to officiate 1,000 games. The milestone game comes in Toronto, where the Detroit Red Wings defeat the Maple Leafs 4-2.

 

2000: Tom Barrasso became the 11th goaltender in NHL victory with 350 victories when the Pittsburgh Penguins defeat the Atlanta Thrashers 2-1 in overtime at Phillips Arena. The milestone comes exactly two years after he makes 51 saves in a 4-2 victory against the Detroit Red Wings, setting a Penguins record for most saves in a home game.

14 Oct 1998: Goaltender Tom Barrasso #35 of the Pittsburgh Penguins in action during the game against the New Jersey Devils at the Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Penguins defeated the Devils 3-1. Mandatory Credit: Al Bello /Allsport

 

2004: Pat Quinn earns his 600th win as an NHL coach when the Maple Leafs defeat the Senators 5-1 at Air Canada Centre. He's the fourth coach in NHL history to reach the milestone. Quinn finishes his career with 684 wins, 300 of them with the Maple Leafs.

 

2006: The Carolina Hurricanes become the first team in NHL history to win 13 games in January when they defeat the Canadiens 8-2 at Bell Centre. Erik Cole scores three goals and has an assist for Carolina, which scores eight times on 26 shots. The Hurricanes are the sixth NHL team to win 13 games in any single month.

BOSTON - NOVEMBER 24: Erik Cole #26 of the Carolina Hurricanes skates into the zone against the Boston Bruins at the TD Banknorth Garden on November 24, 2006 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Brian Babineau/SA/Getty Images)

 

2019: Mika Zibanejad scores three goals for his second NHL hat trick, helping the New York Rangers defeat the New Jersey Devils 4-3 at Prudential Center. The last of Zibanejad's goals is his fourth game-winner in a stretch of five games. He's the second member of the Rangers to score four winners in a five-game stretch, and the first since Hall of Famer Rod Gilbert, who has four in five games from Dec. 7-17, 1966.

 

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