Pages

Thursday, December 31, 2020

{allcanada} Fred VanVleet, Kyle Lowry combine for 45 points to earn Toronto Raptors first win of season

 

TAMPA, Fla. — The Toronto Raptors finally have their first victory of the season, putting an end to their worst start in 15 years.

Fred VanVleet had 25 points, while Kyle Lowry had 20 and the Raptors pulled away to beat the New York Knicks 100-83 on Thursday.

On a night coach Nick Nurse benched all-star Pascal Siakam reportedly for disciplinary reasons, Norman Powell started in his place to finish with 17 points and Alex Len had 11 off the bench.

Julius Randle and Kevin Knox had 16 points apiece to top the Knicks. RJ Barrett, one of 18 Canadians on NBA opening-night rosters, had a tough night. The sophomore from Mississauga, Ont., who's averaging 16.3 points a night, had 12 and eight rebounds.

The Raptors went winless in their first three games — collapsing down the stretch in each loss to the angst of Raptors fans — going 0-3 for just the second time in franchise history. They pointed to the new look roster and the shortened pre-season as causes.

But on Thursday, the Raptors --finally — played with the confidence and late-game toughness that they've made their cornerstone the past few seasons, to pull away and win, ending 2020 on a high note.

Toronto saw an early 11-point lead disappear at Amalie Arena, but battled back in the third and when VanVleet connected on a pair of free throws late in the frame, the Raptors went back up by eight. A three-pointer by Len sent the Raptors into the fourth up 71-64.

Lowry found Chris Boucher under the net for a dunk, then VanVleet nailed a three-pointer to cap an 11-0 run and the Raptors were up by 11 with 5:27 to play. A Raptors steal led to a VanVleet bucket with 2:58 to go, and Nurse subbed in five bench players to close out the win.

Siakam, who watched the game in street clothes, was reportedly benched for his unsportsmanlike behaviour at the end of the Tuesday's loss at Philadelphia. Siakam fouled out in the dying seconds, and angrily made a beeline for the locker-room. After a solid start to the game, he fizzled in the second half — an issue in all three of his games this season.

Siakam wasn't the only Raptor that had been feeling frustration.

"It's definitely tension in the locker-room," Len said after the morning shootaround. "Nobody likes losing. Right now, we're trying to figure it out, get in the right direction, trying to swing the momentum."

Powell got the start in Siakam's place and set an energetic tone early. He scored on a driving layup a minute into the game and had seven points in the first quarter. The Raptors led by as many as 11 points and took a 22-18 lead into the second quarter.

Barrett dribbled around Aron Baynes and Terence Davis to slice the Raptors' lead to a point midway through the second. A fadeaway jumper from Julius Randle gave the Knicks the lead, but OG Anunoby's put back dunk tied the 42-42 at the halftime break.

The Raptors are at New Orleans on Saturday.

Entertainment Plaza - TV, Movies, Sports, Music, Soaps
http://almosthuman99.com

Babe Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://almosthuman99.com/polls/babes/babeofthemonth.html

Hunk Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://almosthuman99.com/polls/hunks/hunkofthemonth.html

Posted by Cidinha at 8:35 PM 0 comments

{allcanada} Flames sign 2020 first-rounder Connor Zary to entry-level deal

 

CALGARY -- The Calgary Flames have signed forward Connor Zary to a three-year entry level contract.

Zary, who is currently playing for Canada at the world junior hockey championship in Edmonton, was Calgary's first-round pick (24th overall) in October's NHL entry draft.

According to the NHL's collective bargaining agreement, Zary's maximum compensation would be US$925,000 annually.

The six-foot, 185-pound centre from Saskatoon had 38 goals and 48 assists in 57 games for the Western Hockey League's Kamloops Blazers in 2019-20.

Zary had one assist in his first three games of the world junior tournament.

Entertainment Plaza - TV, Movies, Sports, Music, Soaps
http://almosthuman99.com

Babe Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://almosthuman99.com/polls/babes/babeofthemonth.html

Hunk Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://almosthuman99.com/polls/hunks/hunkofthemonth.html

Posted by Cidinha at 5:12 PM 0 comments

{allcanada} Stuetzle will benefit starting out with Senators on wing, GM says

 

Tim Stuetzle will benefit from starting his NHL career on the wing despite the success he's having at center at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship, Ottawa Senators general manager Pierre Dorion said Thursday.

"It's been unbelievable hockey," Dorion said. "But I think the World Junior is one thing, the NHL is another thing."

Stuetzle, selected No. 3 by the Senators in the 2020 NHL Draft, has scored 10 points (five goals, five assists) in four games at the WJC entering play Thursday, tied with Germany teammate John-Jason Peterka (10 points; four goals, six assists) and United States forward Trevor Zegras (10 points; five goals, five assists) for the tournament scoring lead. The 18-year-old, who is Germany's captain, has scored points on 10 of Germany's 14 goals and has helped lead them to the quarterfinals for the first time at the World Juniors.

Earlier this week, Stuetzle told NHL.com that his New Year's Resolution is to step right into Ottawa's lineup this season.

"My goal is to play in the NHL so for sure it would be disappointing [not to]," he said. "I will work very hard."

Dorion said Stuetzle will have every opportunity to make the team but likely will have to shift positions in order to learn the nuances of playing center at the NHL level. He said coach D.J. Smith agrees with the move because it's "for his development for him to be the best player that we think he's going to be.

"For his first year, especially in this shortened season, he'll probably play more left wing than center. But he's got a lot of traits of a center as far as his ability to generate plays off the fly, how he carries the puck a lot and how he gains the zone. If you look at his analytic numbers they've been off the charts as far as puck possession.

"He's got a lot of the great qualities as a center but what comes with that is the play away from the puck and defensive responsibilities. As much as he's got high NHL talent, away from the puck he still has a lot of work."

The Senators recently traded for Derek Stepan and Cedric Paquette, centers who can mentor Stuetzle and hold down the position. Stepan, who was acquired from the Arizona Coyotes on Dec. 26, has played 739 regular-season games in the NHL and 106 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Paquette, who helped the Tampa Bay Lightning win the Cup last season, was acquired Dec. 27. He has played in 377 regular-season NHL games and 91 postseason games.

Neither player was on hand when the Senators practiced for the first time at training camp Thursday. Stepan is in Arizona waiting for his wife to give birth in early January; Paquette is in quarantine after arriving from the United States.

Dorion said it was important to bolster the position with veterans.

"We wanted to protect and isolate some of the younger players and some of our other younger centers, whether it's Colin White, Logan Brown, Josh Norris," he said. "We want to make sure they grow because they're going to be facing some very good centers in the [North] Division. Any night they could be facing either [Auston] Matthews or [John] Tavares, [Elias] Pettersson or[Bo] Horvat, [Mark] Scheifele or [Paul] Stastny, [Connor] McDavid or [Leon] Draisaitl, so we wanted to make sure that we had someone who could play the tough hard minutes.

"We're going to give our young players a chance to play, because a lot of people question that. But at the same time, we want them to be successful in their development and have as much internal competition as we can."

Entertainment Plaza - TV, Movies, Sports, Music, Soaps
http://almosthuman99.com

Babe Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://almosthuman99.com/polls/babes/babeofthemonth.html

Hunk Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://almosthuman99.com/polls/hunks/hunkofthemonth.html

Posted by Cidinha at 12:46 PM 0 comments

{allcanada} Stepan, Paquette, Coburn absent for Senators

 

Centers Derek Stepan and Cedric Paquette, and defenseman Braydon Coburn were not at camp.

Stepan, who was acquired in a trade with the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday, is in Arizona with his wife, who is expected to give birth in early January. Paquette and Coburn, who were each acquired in a trade with the Tampa bay Lightning on Sunday, are in quarantine after arriving from the United States.

Stepan and Paquette will provide the Senators with veteran depth at center.

"Whether it's Colin White, Logan Brown, Josh Norris… We want to make sure they grow because they're going to be facing some very good centers in the Canadian Division," Senators general manager Pierre Dorion said. "Any night they could be facing either [Auston] Matthews or [John] Tavares (Toronto Maple Leafs), [Elias] Pettersson or[Bo] Horvat (Vancouver Canucks), [Mark] Scheifele or [Paul] Stastny (Winnipeg Jets), [Connor] McDavid or [Leon] Draisaitl (Edmonton Oilers), so we wanted to make sure that we had someone who could play the tough hard minutes."

Dorion also said that Tim Stuetzle, the No. 3 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, likely will be used at forward instead of center. Stuetzle, who is playing for Germany at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship, was tied for the scoring lead with 10 points entering play Thursday.

"He's got a lot of the great qualities as a center but what comes with that is the play away from the puck and defensive responsibilities," Dorion said. "As much as he's got high NHL talent, away from the puck he still has a lot of work."

Entertainment Plaza - TV, Movies, Sports, Music, Soaps
http://almosthuman99.com

Babe Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://almosthuman99.com/polls/babes/babeofthemonth.html

Hunk Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://almosthuman99.com/polls/hunks/hunkofthemonth.html

Posted by Cidinha at 12:44 PM 0 comments

{allcanada} Canada approves NHL camps, but provinces must rule on games

 

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — The Canadian government, citing "national interest grounds," gave its approval Thursday for the start of NHL training camps. It issued an exemption to the mandatory 14-day quarantine period for NHL players and team staff to return to the country.

The five provinces with NHL franchises, however, must give their approval for games between Canadian teams during the regular season, which is scheduled to start Jan. 13. The seven Canadian teams will play in a new North Division.

Alberta became the first province to say the NHL can play games in its arenas. The provincial government told The Canadian Press on Thursday it approved Edmonton and Calgary for competition following a review of protocols outlined in the league's return-to-play plan, along with additional enhancements.

The Public Health Agency of Canada said the league's plan for the preseason offers "robust measures to mitigate the risk of importation and spread of COVID-19 in Canada." All provinces with NHL clubs have provided written support for the plan.

The statement added that all teams must operate within provincial rules for regular-season play.

A week ago, NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said the league believes it can play in all seven Canadian markets -- Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver

The Canadian teams will play each other only during the regular season and the first two rounds of the playoffs. They also won't cross the U.S.-Canada border, which remains closed to nonessential travel.

The Ottawa Senators were one of seven clubs across the 31-team league to start training camp Thursday after not qualifying for the playoffs as part of the restart to the pandemic-halted 2019-20 season. The other six Canadian teams are to open training camp Sunday or Monday.

This past summer, the federal government cleared the Toronto Blue Jays to train at Rogers Centre, also under "national interest grounds." But it rejected a proposal for home games against teams from the U.S. The Blue Jays eventually settled on Buffalo, New York, as their 2020 base.

The only Canadian professional sports teams to play on home soil during the pandemic have been the six NHL clubs to qualify for the 2019-20 post-season in Toronto and Edmonton, along with Toronto FC, the Montreal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps of MLS.

The soccer teams were cleared to take part a series of games against each other in August and September before relocating to the U.S. to face American opponents.

Entertainment Plaza - TV, Movies, Sports, Music, Soaps
http://almosthuman99.com

Babe Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://almosthuman99.com/polls/babes/babeofthemonth.html

Hunk Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://almosthuman99.com/polls/hunks/hunkofthemonth.html

Posted by Cidinha at 12:40 PM 0 comments

{allcanada} Argonauts re-sign K/P Bede

 

The Toronto Argonauts announced they have re-signed kicker/punter Boris Bede Thursday.

The Argos acquired Bede from the Montreal Alouettes in exchange for kicker Tyler Crapinga in February.

Bede, 30, spent the past five seasons with the Als.

A native of Toulon, France, Bede converted on 31 of 35 field-goal attempts in 2019 and led the league in kickoff yards with 5,772. Bede also finished third in punt average among punters with at least 100 attempts.

The Argos also announced they have extended the contract of American WR Keyarris Garrett.

Entertainment Plaza - TV, Movies, Sports, Music, Soaps
http://almosthuman99.com

Babe Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://almosthuman99.com/polls/babes/babeofthemonth.html

Hunk Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://almosthuman99.com/polls/hunks/hunkofthemonth.html

Posted by Cidinha at 12:39 PM 0 comments

{allcanada} Banks re-signs with Ticats for 2021

 

Brandon Banks is headed back to Steeltown.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats announced on Thursday that the 2019 CFL Most Outstanding Player will be returning to the team for 2021.

"Brandon's body of work speaks for itself. He brings consistent production and excitement to the CFL, and has proven over the past three seasons that he is much more than the most dynamic returner," said Ticats head coach Orlondo Steinauer said in a statement. "He has grown tremendously as a person and honed his craft immensely as a wide receiver. Because of his competitive nature and desire to work daily in practice, we believe he will continue to be a premier weapon that demands great respect week in and week out. Welcome back, Speedy!"

Banks was named the CFL's Most Outstanding Player last season after leading the league in receiving with 112 receptions for 1,550 yards and 13 touchdowns, while adding another 283 yards and two touchdowns on missed field goal returns.

The Kansas State product has spent his entire CFL career with the Ticats, starring as both a receiver and kick returner.

Banks was also named the 2015 Most Outstanding Special Teams Player and has been named a CFL All-Star four times (two on offence, two on special teams).

It will be the 33-year-old Banks' eighth season with the team.

"Hamilton is my second home and there is no team I'd rather play for than the Tiger-Cats," Banks said in a statement. "I love the entire organization, from Caretaker Bob Young, to my coaches and teammates, and of course, the fans! We have unfinished business and I'm very happy to back."

Entertainment Plaza - TV, Movies, Sports, Music, Soaps
http://almosthuman99.com

Babe Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://almosthuman99.com/polls/babes/babeofthemonth.html

Hunk Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://almosthuman99.com/polls/hunks/hunkofthemonth.html

Posted by Cidinha at 12:38 PM 0 comments

Wednesday, December 30, 2020

{allcanada} Edmonton Football Team sign five to extensions

 

The Edmonton Football Team announced Wednesday the team has extended five players: American offensive linemen Tommie Draheim and Eric Lofton, National offensive lineman Jean-Simon Roy, American defensive back Trumaine Washington, and American running back Terry Williams.

The team also signed American running back Walter Fletcher, American defensive back Robert Priester, and American defensive end Tevaughn Grant.

Draheim has spent four seasons in the CFL, the last two with Edmonton. Lofton has spent three seasons in the CFL and 2019 with Edmonton.

Roy spent his first two seasons in the CFL with Edmonton before playing with the BC Lions in 2019.

Washington spent the past two seasons with the Toronto Argonauts, finishing 2019 with 23 tackles and three interceptions in 12 games.

And Williams spent the past three seasons with the Calgary Stampeders, finishing 2019 with 53 carries for 275 yards and a touchdown.

Entertainment Plaza - TV, Movies, Sports, Music, Soaps
http://almosthuman99.com

Babe Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://almosthuman99.com/polls/babes/babeofthemonth.html

Hunk Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://almosthuman99.com/polls/hunks/hunkofthemonth.html

Posted by Cidinha at 8:05 PM 0 comments

{allcanada} Dec. 31: Lemieux scores goals in five different ways

 

THIS DATE IN HISTORY: Dec. 31

1988: Mario Lemieux puts on a show the likes of which no one has seen in an NHL game.

Lemieux becomes the first player to score goals in five ways during the same game. Before a crowd of 16,025 at Civic Arena, Lemieux scores at even strength, on the power play, shorthanded, on a penalty shot and into an empty net. The five goals carry the Pittsburgh Penguins to an 8-6 victory against the New Jersey Devils.

The even-strength, power-play and shorthanded goals come in the first period. Lemieux scores on a penalty shot midway through the second and beats the clock by hitting the empty net with one second remaining in the third.

Lemieux assists on Pittsburgh's other three goals, giving him an eight-point game. His historic game comes three years to the day after he scores four goals for his first NHL hat trick in an 8-4 win against the St. Louis Blues.

 

MORE MOMENTS

1975: In what many consider the greatest game ever played, the Montreal Canadiens and Soviet Central Red Army play to a 3-3 tie at the Forum. Goals by Steve Shutt and Yvon Lambert give the Canadiens a 2-0 lead after one period. After Boris Mikhailov scores on the Soviets' first shot of the second period, Montreal's Yvan Cournoyer makes it 3-1 near the midway point of the period, but goals by Valeri Kharlamov late in the second period and Boris Alexandrov (the youngest player on the roster) early in the third get the Soviets even at 3-3. Goalie Vladislav Tretiak survives a 16-shot barrage by the Canadiens in the third to earn the tie. Montreal finishes the game with a 38-13 advantage in shots on goal.

 

1997: Dominik Hasek makes 36 saves in the Buffalo Sabres' 3-0 victory against the Ottawa Senators at Marine Midland Arena. It's the 27th shutout of Hasek's NHL career and his sixth in the month of December, making him the first goalie since George Hainsworth in 1928-29 to have six shutouts in a single month.

 

2003: Maxim Afinogenov has his first NHL hat trick and Miroslav Satan gets his fifth in the Sabres' 7-1 win against the visiting Washington Capitals. It's the first time in 11 years that two Sabres score three goals in the same game.

 

2017: William Karlsson scores three goals for the first hat trick in the history of the Vegas Golden Knights. He also has an assist for a four-point night in a 6-3 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs at T-Mobile Arena. The victory is the seventh in a row for the Golden Knights, who finish December 11-1-1, the most wins in a calendar month by a team in its first NHL season.

On the same night, Jaromir Jagr skates in his final game of the season for the Calgary Flames. He plays 11:49 and is scoreless in Calgary's 4-3 overtime win against the Chicago Blackhawks at Scotiabank Saddledome. It's his 1,733rd NHL game, third on the all-time list.

 

2018: The Nashville Predators score five unanswered goals to defeat the Washington Capitals 6-3 at Capital One Arena to end a 10-game road winless streak. The Predators trailed 3-1 before rallying for their first victory away from Bridgestone Arena in more than seven weeks -- and their fifth in a row against Washington.

 

2019: Marc-Andre Fleury moves past Curtis Joseph into sixth place on the NHL's all-time wins list when he makes 26 saves for the Vegas Golden Knights in their 5-2 win against the Anaheim Ducks at T-Mobile Arena. It's also the 322nd victory for Fleury in the 2010s, the most of any goalie in the decade.

On the same night, Montreal's Max Domi scores a goal in his sixth consecutive game during the Canadiens' 3-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena. All six games during the streak are on the road; he's the sixth player in NHL history to have a goal streak of at least six games with all games away from home.

Entertainment Plaza - TV, Movies, Sports, Music, Soaps
http://almosthuman99.com

Babe Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://almosthuman99.com/polls/babes/babeofthemonth.html

Hunk Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://almosthuman99.com/polls/hunks/hunkofthemonth.html

Posted by Cidinha at 8:05 PM 0 comments

{allcanada} AHL remains on target to start season Feb. 5

 

The American Hockey League remains on target to begin its 2020-21 season Feb. 5, AHL president Scott Howson said Wednesday.

"Details are still being worked out, but this step allows our teams and their National Hockey League partners to better determine their plans for the coming season," Howson said. "We look forward to dropping the puck on Feb. 5."
 
The AHL board of governors announced Oct. 28 that the league had targeted Feb. 5 for the start of its season. Howson said the board has approved the framework for a season that will begin on that date.

The league had announced July 30 it was targeting Dec. 4, 2020, for a start date.

The AHL canceled the remainder of the 2019-20 season and the Calder Cup Playoffs on May 11 due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus. It had suspended its season March 12, the same day the NHL paused its season. There were 209 AHL regular-season games remaining.

The cancelation marked the first time since the AHL was formed in 1936-37 that the Calder Cup was not awarded. Charlotte, then the top affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes, won the AHL championship in 2019, defeating Chicago (Vegas Golden Knights) in five games in the best-of-7 series.

Entertainment Plaza - TV, Movies, Sports, Music, Soaps
http://almosthuman99.com

Babe Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://almosthuman99.com/polls/babes/babeofthemonth.html

Hunk Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://almosthuman99.com/polls/hunks/hunkofthemonth.html

Posted by Cidinha at 5:24 PM 0 comments

{allcanada} Reinebold returns to Ticats at ST coordinator

 

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats announced Wednesday Jeff Reinebold is returning to the team as special teams coordinator.

Reinebold will be back in Hamilton for his seventh season with the club in 2021.

"It is exciting that Jeff has agreed to remain our special teams coordinator in 2021," Ticats head coach Orlondo Steinauer said. "He is an outstanding person that contributes to our organization and undeniably to our all-important special teams units. Like Tommy (Condell) and Mark (Washington), Jeff is an expert in his field who thoroughly prepares and is an incredible teacher. It is awesome to have our three coordinators back in place and we want to thank Jeff and his family for committing to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats."

Reinebold's special teams unit ranked first in kick return touchdowns (five), and second in kick return average (23.4 yards), opponent kick return average (20.1 yards), and opponent punt return average (9.1 yards).

Entertainment Plaza - TV, Movies, Sports, Music, Soaps
http://almosthuman99.com

Babe Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://almosthuman99.com/polls/babes/babeofthemonth.html

Hunk Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://almosthuman99.com/polls/hunks/hunkofthemonth.html

Posted by Cidinha at 12:18 PM 0 comments

Tuesday, December 29, 2020

{allcanada} Toronto Raptors fade late against Philadelphia 76ers, remain winless

 

PHILADELPHIA — Joel Embiid had 29 points, 16 rebounds and one scare when he briefly left the game with an injury, leading the Philadelphia 76ers past the winless Toronto Raptors 100-93 on Tuesday night.

Embiid had all of Philadelphia holding its breath when the big man left with some sort of leg injury. He went down early in the third quarter and grabbed the back of his lower right leg as he stood up. Embiid, who missed Sunday's loss against Cleveland with back stiffness, walked gingerly to the locker room. Team President Daryl Morey and general manager Elton Brand hopped up from their courtside seats and immediately hit the locker room to check on their All-Star centre.

Embiid returned a few minutes later and checked back in the game with the Sixers down 11. He sank 14 of 16 free throws — as many makes as Toronto shot (12 of 14) to keep the Sixers in this one.

Tobias Harris had 26 points and 11 rebounds to help Embiid on a night the Sixers shot only 38% from the floor.

Kyle Lowry scored 24 points for the Raptors. Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby each had 20.

Lowry, the Philly native and former Villanova standout, had said the Raptors "gotta figure this out" after an 0-2 start, and a 14-point lead in the second half should have been enough to solve their early woes.

Instead, they lost the lead in one of the weirdest ways possible. Aron Baynes appeared to hit a pump-fake 3 with the shot clock about to expire for a 90-87 lead. Embiid missed a free throw when officials stopped the game and ruled the shot clock had, in fact, expired and Baynes' points were wiped off the board. Embiid made a second free throw and the Sixers suddenly led by one.

Seth Curry swished a 3 from the top of the arc that pushed the 76ers' lead to 96-91 and helped them move to 3-1.

Ben Simmons, who had 11 points and 13 rebounds, joked before the restart last season that he hoped boos would get piped into the bubble if the Sixers played poorly to truly reflect the Philly atmosphere.

Simmons and the Sixers would have been booed off the court had fans been allowed to watch a disaster of the first half. Simmons and Embiid were awful from the floor, a combined 2 of 11 start that let Toronto grab an 11-point lead. Embiid had made all nine free throws to at least keep Philly competitive.

The Sixers are loaded with one-dimensional players who struggle to get their own bucket. In year three, Simmons continues to infuriate the faithful with his massive talent overshadowed by his desire to shoot beyond 15 feet. Simmons has been floated in trade rumours — Morey has said Simmons is off the table — but another dominant shooter would surely help the 76ers.

TIP-INS

Raptors: Coach Nick Nurse said the hardest part of adjusting to life in Tampa, Florida, is finding "where the snacks are" inside the arena. But so far, so good for the Toronto-turned-Tampa Raptors. "There's a lot of bright side," Nurse said. "Everybody loves the weather. That seems to put a smile on everyone's faces around the organization." ... C Chris Boucher scored 22 points, had 10 rebounds and seven blocked shots Saturday against San Antonio. He played 5 minutes against the Sixers.

76ers: Embiid has had at least 20 points and 10 rebounds in each of the first three games. He also did it in 2018 and before him no 76er had accomplished that mild milestone since Charles Barkley in 1986.

UP NEXT

Raptors: Host the Knicks on Thursday.

76ers: Play Thursday at Orlando.

Entertainment Plaza - TV, Movies, Sports, Music, Soaps
http://almosthuman99.com

Babe Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://almosthuman99.com/polls/babes/babeofthemonth.html

Hunk Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://almosthuman99.com/polls/hunks/hunkofthemonth.html

Posted by Cidinha at 8:23 PM 0 comments

{allcanada} Dec. 30: Gretzky reaches 50-goal mark goal in 39th game

THIS DATE IN HISTORY: Dec. 30

1981: Wayne Gretzky doesn't just break the record for the fastest 50 goals. He shatters it.

Three nights after scoring four goals against the Los Angeles Kings, Gretzky takes the ice for the Edmonton Oilers at Northlands Coliseum against the Philadelphia Flyers with 45 goals in 38 games, putting him on track to better the mark of 50 goals in 50 games held by Maurice Richard and Mike Bossy.

Gretzky has a game for the ages and reaches 50 goals by scoring five times in the Oilers' 7-5 victory.

He scores twice in the first period, once in the second and gets his fourth goal of the game early in the third period to give the Oilers a 6-3 lead. The Flyers score twice midway through the period to cut the Oilers' lead to 6-5; with time running out, they pull goalie Pete Peeters for an extra skater. The move backfires when Gretzky scores into an empty net to get No. 50.

He goes on to finish the season with 92 goals, still the NHL single-season record

 

MORE MOMENTS

1934: Tiny Thompson of the Boston Bruins and Dave Kerr of the New York Rangers are flawless in a 0-0 tie at Madison Square Garden. It's the first of Boston's 37-game undefeated streak in overtime, the longest such streak in NHL history. Boston goes 10-0 with 27 ties in OT during a four-year stretch.

 

1967: The Los Angeles Kings open their new home, the Forum, in Inglewood, California. The opening game comes after they spend the first 2 1/2 months playing their home games at Los Angeles Sports Arena and Long Beach Arena. A crowd of 14,366 turns out to see the Kings lose 2-0 to the Philadelphia Flyers. Doug Favell makes 25 saves for the shutout.

 

1978: Frank Udvari becomes the oldest man to referee an NHL game when he comes out of retirement to officiate the game between the New York Islanders and Atlanta Flames at Nassau Coliseum. Udvari is a few days short of his 55th birthday and 12 years removed from his last game; he's serving as a supervisor of officials when Dave Newell has to leave with a bad cut. Udvari puts on Newell's striped shirt, borrows a pair of skates from Islanders center Bryan Trottier and takes the ice to complete the game. The Islanders win 4-2, even though Udvari disallows a goal by Trottier.

 

1989: The Toronto Maple Leafs trail 6-1 with 1:05 remaining in the second period, but score six goals in a row to defeat the Boston Bruins 7-6 in overtime at Maple Leaf Gardens, ending a seven-game losing streak. Wendel Clark gets the winning goal at 3:19 of overtime.

 

1999: Jaromir Jagr scores three goals for his sixth NHL hat trick and sets up four others in the Pittsburgh Penguins' 9-2 win against the visiting Islanders. The seven points are a career high.

 

2006: Martin Brodeur sets an NHL record for most career shutouts with one team when he helps the New Jersey Devils defeat the Islanders 2-0 at Nassau Coliseum. It's the 86th shutout of his NHL career, all with the Devils. That's one more than Terry Sawchuk's 85 shutouts with the Detroit Red Wings.

 

2017: Barry Trotz passes Lindy Ruff for fifth place on the all-time list with his 737th NHL coaching victory when the Washington Capitals defeat the New Jersey Devils 5-2 at Capital One Arena.

 

Entertainment Plaza - TV, Movies, Sports, Music, Soaps
http://almosthuman99.com

Babe Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://almosthuman99.com/polls/babes/babeofthemonth.html

Hunk Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://almosthuman99.com/polls/hunks/hunkofthemonth.html

Posted by Cidinha at 8:12 PM 0 comments

{allcanada} MLS to invoke 'force majeure' clause in CBA

 

Less than a year after agreeing to a new five-year collective bargaining agreement, Major League Soccer and its players union are heading back to the bargaining table.

The league has told the MLS Players Association that it will trigger a "force majeure" clause in the agreement signed in January because the COVID-19 pandemic has had drastic impacts on its business.

A source with knowledge of the situation says the lack of fans has led to a significant lack of revenue and the intention of triggering the clause is to discuss modifications to the agreement over a 30-day period.

The MLS regular season was put on hold in mid-March after the virus began to spread across North America. Games began again in July with the MLS is Back tournament held in a "bubble" in Orlando.

American teams finished out the campaign in mostly empty home stadiums, but border restrictions forced the three Canadian clubs — Toronto FC, the Montreal Impact and the Vancouver Whitecaps — to temporarily move south to finish out their seasons.

MLS president and deputy commissioner Mark Abbott says in a statement that players received 95 per cent of their salaries in 2020 and the league lost nearly US$1 billion.

The players union says triggering the force majeure clause could result in the league and club owners abandoning the new collective bargaining agreement and commitments that have been made to players.

"After a 2020 season of extreme sacrifice, immeasurable risk to personal health, and a remarkable league-wide effort to successfully return to play, this tone-deaf action by the league discredits the previous sacrifices made by players and the enormous challenges they overcame in 2020," the MLS Players Association said in a statement.

Information from health officials shows that there will continue to be restrictions on fans attending sporting events through the 2021 MLS season, so changes need to be made, Abbott said.

"We recognize the impact that the pandemic has had on our players and appreciate their efforts to restart and complete the 2020 season," he said in a statement. "But, like the other leagues in the United States and Canada, MLS needs to address the ongoing challenges caused by the pandemic and will engage in good faith discussions with our players about ways to manage the significant economic issues we are facing."

Entertainment Plaza - TV, Movies, Sports, Music, Soaps
http://almosthuman99.com

Babe Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://almosthuman99.com/polls/babes/babeofthemonth.html

Hunk Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://almosthuman99.com/polls/hunks/hunkofthemonth.html

Posted by Cidinha at 5:22 PM 0 comments

{allcanada} Senators sign first-round pick Ridly Greig to entry-level deal

 

Ottawa Senators first-round pick Ridly Greig has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the club.

The native of Lethbridge, Alta., was one of five players released from the Canadian junior camp earlier this month because they were deemed unfit to continue, based on return-to-play protocols.

The Senators used their third first-round pick this year (28th overall) to select the Brandon Wheat Kings forward.

Greig had 26 goals and 34 assists in 56 games for Brandon last season.

"Ridly plays with an edge in all facets of the game," Ottawa Senators general manager Pierre Dorion said in a statement. "He's a highly competitive centre with strong character who is difficult to play against, driven and especially motivated."

Entertainment Plaza - TV, Movies, Sports, Music, Soaps
http://almosthuman99.com

Babe Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://almosthuman99.com/polls/babes/babeofthemonth.html

Hunk Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://almosthuman99.com/polls/hunks/hunkofthemonth.html

Posted by Cidinha at 5:15 PM 0 comments

{allcanada} Ticats re-sign national DBs Daly, Stephen

 

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats signed four national players Tuesday, including defensive backs Mike Daly and Courtney Stephen, running back Jackson Bennett, and linebacker Curtis Newton.

Daly has spent his entire six-year CFL career with the Tiger-Cats, and finished 2016 with 16 tackles and an interception in 18 games.

Stephen also spent the first six seasons of his CFL career in Hamilton before spending 2019 with the Calgary Stampeders. The 31-year-old finished with five tackles in 17 games with the Stamps in 2019.

Bennett has spent two seasons with the Ticats, finishing the 2019 season with 29 carries for 147 yards and a touchdown out of the backfield.

Newton spent the past three seasons with the Ticats after starting his CFL career with the Toronto Argonauts. He had seven special teams tackles in 2019.

Entertainment Plaza - TV, Movies, Sports, Music, Soaps
http://almosthuman99.com

Babe Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://almosthuman99.com/polls/babes/babeofthemonth.html

Hunk Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://almosthuman99.com/polls/hunks/hunkofthemonth.html

Posted by Cidinha at 12:40 PM 0 comments

{allcanada} Roughriders sign veteran DL Bishop

 

The Saskatchewan Roughriders have signed veteran defensive lineman Freddie Bishop and American defensive lineman Keion Adams.

Bishop returned to the CFL in 2019 after stints in the NFL and Alliance of American Football. The 30-year-old had 40 tackles and six sacks with the Toronto Argonauts in 2019.

Bishop played in nine regular season games with the New York Jets from 2016-17, recording 17 tackles.

He started his career with the Calgary Stampeders, playing three seasons from 2013-15 and finished with 40 tackles and 11 sacks in his last season in Calgary, before signing south of the boarder.

Adams spent time in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants.

Entertainment Plaza - TV, Movies, Sports, Music, Soaps
http://almosthuman99.com

Babe Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://almosthuman99.com/polls/babes/babeofthemonth.html

Hunk Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://almosthuman99.com/polls/hunks/hunkofthemonth.html

Posted by Cidinha at 12:39 PM 0 comments

{allcanada} Garret Sparks loaned to Calgary Flames by ECHL Orlando Solar Bears

 

Goaltender Garret Sparks will attend training camp with the Calgary Flames on a professional tryout after being loaned from the Orlando Solar Bears.

Sparks made his ECHL season debut earlier this month, turning aside 26 shots in a 3-2 overtime win for the Solar Bears.

The 27-year-old appeared in one NHL game last season, allowing two goals on 14 shots in a relief appearance for the Vegas Golden Knights. In 26 AHL games, he had an 8-14-4 record with a .908 save percentage and a 2.75 goals-against average with the Chicago Wolves.

Prior to his time with the Golden Knights franchise, Sparks played several seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs organization and appeared in 37 games total with the Leafs. Sparks has career record of 14-18-2 with a 3.10 GAA and .897 save percentage over parts of three NHL seasons.

He also spent time with the Solar Bears for three years from 2013 to 2016.

A native of Elmhurst, Ill., Sparks was selected in the seventh round (No. 190 overall) by Toronto in the 2011 NHL Draft.

Entertainment Plaza - TV, Movies, Sports, Music, Soaps
http://almosthuman99.com

Babe Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://almosthuman99.com/polls/babes/babeofthemonth.html

Hunk Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://almosthuman99.com/polls/hunks/hunkofthemonth.html

Posted by Cidinha at 12:39 PM 0 comments

{allcanada} Report: Jets' Roslovic will miss beginning of training camp

 

Winnipeg Jets forward Jack Roslovic will miss the beginning of the team's training camp when it opens on Jan. 3, according to Mike McIntyre of the Winnipeg Free Press.

McIntyre reports that the 23-year-old restricted free agent is currently in Columbus, Oh., and is awaiting either a trade or a new contract. If a deal is worked out, Roslovic still faces a modified seven-day quarantine when he returns to Manitoba from Ohio and needs to test negative on four COVID tests.

The Jets are battling a salary cap crunch right now, and currently have a projected zero dollars with which to sign their final restricted free agent. However, moving veteran Bryan Little to the LTIR could provide some relief to the club.

As Sportsnet's Luke Fox explains, the Jets have reportedly shopped Roslovic this off-season, targeting a top-four, left-shot defenceman in return.

Last season, Roslovic posted career bests in goals (12), assists (17) and points (29) despite being used primarily in the Jets' bottom-six.

Entertainment Plaza - TV, Movies, Sports, Music, Soaps
http://almosthuman99.com

Babe Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://almosthuman99.com/polls/babes/babeofthemonth.html

Hunk Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://almosthuman99.com/polls/hunks/hunkofthemonth.html

Posted by Cidinha at 12:39 PM 0 comments
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)