{allcanada} Maple Leafs TV series on Amazon Prime Video shows 'real emotions'

 

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TORONTO -- Jack Campbell was devastated. And he didn't care if the entire world saw it, which it soon will.

The Toronto Maple Leafs goalie openly wept in an otherwise silent dressing room minutes after his team was eliminated in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup First Round by the Montreal Canadiens last season, and it is arguably the most telling and emotional scene from Amazon Prime Video's original docuseries "All or Nothing: Toronto Maple Leafs."

The series will give viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the roller-coaster world of an NHL team throughout the 2020-21 season. Campbell said it successfully meets that objective, allowing the public to watch his tears flow with he and his teammates feeling they'd let the city down.

"I think people will appreciate the content because it's authentic and our real emotions come out," Campbell said. "Of course there is vulnerability in it. Everybody knows how last season ended. It's never easy to deal with when you fall short of a goal. I think people will enjoy the show because there's a lot of great stuff about it, the passion we all have for winning."

The Canadian Amazon Original series, coproduced by NHL Original Productions, premieres Friday, with all five episodes available on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories. NHL chief content officer Steve Mayer, executive producer of the series, said viewers will get the type of inside access never seen before on this scale.

"There's been similar projects leading up to things like Winter Classics, but never for a full season," Mayer said. "The fact that it was in a COVID bubble and a 56-game season only adds to the intrigue. "In the end we're really proud of what we've put together. From our standpoint, I think this is really unique. Our plan is to show our fans a world they don't normally get from just watching broadcasts. It exposes our players to the rest of our fanbase. And whether you're a Leafs fan or not, it shows our players are likeable, they're passionate, and they have personality."

From Campbell's tears, to Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe's impassioned pleas for his players "to be great," to forward Nick Foligno on all fours in excruciating pain in a corridor outside the visitors' dressing room at Bell Centre in Montreal, the series delivers just that.

"For us, these types of shows make all the sense in the world to help promote our league and get us out there in a very different way," Mayer said. "We would love to do more with Amazon, we've loved working with them, they could not have been better partners for us. And you know, we're hoping that the future means another one of these shows, but we're not there yet."

Rob Worsoff, executive director and showrunner for Amazon, said the project was a special labor of love.

"It was absolutely incredible," Worsoff said. "First and foremost, I'm a huge hockey fan. And so for me personally, I mean, it was the greatest thing in the world. It took me till 45 years old to make the NHL. It was very hard for me because professionally I had a job to do, but the kid in me was like, 'Oh my god, incredible'."

Limited to a crew of one cameraperson and one audio person because of COVID-19 restrictions, Worsoff said he gained new respect for hockey players and believes viewers will feel the same.

"People will see the grind these guys go through," he said. "They basically have four days: practice days, travel days, game days and the odd off days. That's it. That's their world for months. Then add to it it's in a COVID world. And you learn that there are constant demands on these guys."

Maple Leafs forward Mitchell Marner said the series will highlight the passion for winning that goes beyond closed doors. It's one reason Mayer said he welcomes similar projects in the future.

"It shows the sacrifices a lot of guys made to not be with their family and be dedicated to this team and sacrifice that time," Marner said. "It's going to show how much we care for each other outside of this rink."

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{allcanada} Welsh to become first female linesperson in OHL history

 

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History is going to be made Thursday night in Mississauga, Ont.

The Ontario Hockey League announced that Kirsten Welsh will become the first female linesperson in OHL history when she takes to the ice tonight for a pre-season game between the Mississauga Steedheads and Guelph Storm.

The Blackstock, Ont., native will be a member of the OHL officiating team for the 2021-22 season and is also scheduled to work Friday's matchup between the Oshawa Generals and Windor Spitfires.

"This is an incredible opportunity and I can't really put into words what it feels like to be working in the Ontario Hockey League," said Welsh in a news release. "Just being one of the first women to do this, it really opens that door to women in hockey who want to have an alternate avenue that maybe isn't playing in the Premier Hockey Federation or playing on a national team.

"Being an advocate and having this opportunity, I just feel so lucky," she added in the same release. "It's an incredible process to be a part of. I'm so lucky I can be a part of something that is going to affect generations of little girls."

Welsh played in college at Robert Morris University, recording 91 points over 128 regular season games from 2015 to 2019.

"We first met Kirsten at the NHL Exposure Combine in 2019 and we were immediately impressed by her presence on the ice," said OHL Director of Officiating Conrad Haché in a news release. "She approaches and prepares for each game in a professional way, is a great skater and has a tremendous desire to continually improve. These traits will not only make her a great OHL official, but also a great ambassador for our League."

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{allcanada} Shapovalov saves six set points, beats Fritz at San Diego Open

 

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SAN DIEGO — Denis Shapovalov erased a big deficit and six set points in the opener en route to a 7-6 (7), 6-2 victory over Taylor Fritz at the San Diego Open on Thursday to reach his first quarterfinal since Wimbledon.

The fourth-seeded Shapovalov, a 22-year-old left-hander from Richmond Hill, Ont., fell behind 4-1, love-40 at the outset.

"It was happening quick out there," said Shapovalov, who had a first-round bye while Fritz played — and won — on Monday. "Super happy to kind of just, like, dig my way out of it."

He to hold serve there and eventually get to 4-all. Fritz earned his first two set points while leading 6-5 as Shapovalov served; one went away with a service winner, the other with a forehand winner.

Then, in the tiebreaker, Fritz went up 6-3 and wound up with a total of four more set points, the last of which came at 7-6 after Shapovalov netted a forehand and screamed at himself.

That's when everything changed. Shapovalov used a volley winner to save that one, sparking a run in which he collected 15 of 17 points to take that set and a 3-0 lead in the second.

"After I yelled ... I released myself and allowed myself to free up and just play really, really good tennis from there on. I felt like I was much more relaxed and free from that moment on," Shapovalov said. "And obviously, when you win a set like this, it's a confidence booster and I was trying to take advantage of that."

Later Thursday, three-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray was scheduled to play No. 2 seed Casper Ruud of Norway, and No. 9 seed Lorenzo Sonego of Italy faced 21-year-old American Sebastian Korda.

Shapovalov, who made his Grand Slam semifinal debut at the All England Club in July before losing to eventual champion Novak Djokovic, will try to move closer to his first tour title of 2021 when he goes up against unseeded Cam Norrie on Friday.

Norrie got to his career-best ninth quarterfinal of the season by eliminating No. 8 seed Dan Evans 7-6 (3), 6-3 in an all-British matchup.

Another seeded player bowed out when No. 5 Hubert Hurkacz, a Wimbledon semifinalist, lost 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 to Aslan Karatsev, an Australian Open semifinalist in February.

Karatsev next meets Grigor Dimitrov or August Holmgren, who plays tennis at the University of San Diego and lost in qualifying for the hard-court tournament that was added to the ATP schedule when Asian events were called off because of the pandemic.

Holmgren moved into the draw after No. 3 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime of Montreal pulled out of Thursday's match because of an upper leg injury.

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{allcanada} NHL, Canadian teams recognize National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

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The NHL and its Canadian teams recognized National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Thursday.

The day, which is a federal statutory holiday in Canada that was created June 23, honors the children who were lost to and the survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities. The residential school system was a network of boarding schools for Indigenous peoples that were in operation with mandatory attendance from 1894 to 1947. Funded by the Canadian government and run by Christian churches, the schools were intended to isolate Indigenous children from their culture and assimilate them. The last federally-funded residential school closed in 1997. The number of Indigenous children that are estimated to have died at these schools is upwards of 30,000, mainly from tuberculosis.

The NHL released a statement recognizing the day. The National Hockey League Foundation is partnering with the National Center for Truth and Reconciliation and making a $15,000 donation to support small, community-based projects targeting Indigenous communities, survivor organizations, and memorial funds across Canada.

The Vancouver Canucks honored the victims and survivors Monday before their first home preseason game against the Calgary Flames in Abbotsford, British Columbia.

"Tonight, we honour and remember all of the children who went to school and didn't come home, as well as all of the other children and families who survived the atrocities of the residential school system as we begin recognizing National Truth & Reconcillation week at our first home preseason game," Canucks owner Francesco Aquilini said. "We acknowledge the genocide of the Indigenous community and are committed to do more toward real truth and reconciliation."

The Canucks players wore orange "Every Child Matters" shirts and used orange tape on their sticks for the game. During the pregame, there was a traditional land acknowledgement by Councillor Brenda Morgan from Matsqui First Nation and Sumas Chief Dalton Silver and moment of silence followed by a performance by Sto:lo Nation drummer Johnny Williams (Xotxwes).

At Canucks media availability Wednesday, coach Travis Green addressed the day being recognized nationally and by the team.

"It's terrible and sad what happened," Green said. "I think it's important. I'm happy that the Canucks are acknowledging it and what has happened. I think it's also important that we don't hide from it and people are aware of it and learn from it, and somehow maybe it helps people as well."

When asked about Canucks players efforts to learn about residential schools and their impact, Green said it was encouraging to see people become more aware of the tragedies.

"I think there's probably a lot of people that don't know, and I don't think anyone can really know, what happened," he said. "And just the thought of it is hard to think about what did happen. But it's also important that we learn from it and grow from it but still understand how terrible it is."

Players for the Edmonton Oilers and Winnipeg Jets wore helmet decals with orange circles around them before their game Wednesday, and the Oilers announced they will have land acknowledgements before every home game this season, in addition to starting Indigenous First Shift programs in October and January. The teams from the Oilers' Indigenous Hockey Academy in partnership with Enoch Cree Nation and other Indigenous communities will begin play in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League during the 2022-23 season.

"It is very important for members of the community to take time on Sept. 30 to pause for serious reflection on our country's history as it relates to the legacy and impact of residential schools," said Chief Willie Littlechild, Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation board member. "Take the time to educate yourself and listen to the stories about the lived experiences of the survivors; commit to a call to action to advance reconciliation, as it is about having good relations and working together."

The Flames wore special orange jerseys during their morning skate Wednesday and held up an "Every Child Matters" flag during their team photo.

The team also released a statement that said: "Today, we reflect and recognize the intergenerational harm and injustice Indigenous communities have suffered from residential schools across Canada and honour those who were harmed and those we have lost. We are committed to addressing racism in our communities and assisting in providing platforms for cultural education through our partnerships with Siksika Nation and Tsuut'ina Nation."

The Jets posted a photo of their staff wearing custom orange shirts designed with the First Nations Family Advocate Office in Manitoba.

"Today, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada, we reflect on the tragic history of residential schools and their continued impact on our country. We wear orange shirts to honour the survivors and their families, but also the thousands who did not return home," the Jets' social media post said.

The Montreal Canadiens released a statement, along with links to resources to learn more about the day and First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.

The Canadiens' statement said: "Today we recognize and honor all Indigenous children who were taken from their homes and never returned, as well as the survivors, their families and communities still affected by the tragic legacy of the residential school system. As we observe the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, let's use this opportunity to reflect and educate ourselves on the history and intergenerational trauma caused by Indian residential schools to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples, and the challenges they continue to face to this day. Let's all work together on a journey of healing and reconciliation."

The Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs stood side-by-side before their game Wednesday to recognize the day, and the Senators released this statement Thursday: "Today, on National Truth and Reconciliation Day, we continue to reflect upon the immeasurable contributions, values and traditions of Canada's Indigenous community. We remember all the children who went to school and never came home, and stand with the survivors, their families, communities and others affected by the Residential School system."

The Maple Leafs wore special orange shirts and helmet decals that read, "Every Child Matters" on Wednesday and shared a message on social media that said, "Ahead of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation tomorrow, our players are wearing orange to remember the legacy of residential schools, and those who survived them, and to declare that today and every day, Every Child Matters."

The Indian Residential School Crisis Line (1-866-925-4419) is available to residential school survivors 24 hours a day, seven days a week for emotional crisis referral services and information on health and support programs available in Canada.

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{allcanada} Whitecaps, Dynamo play to a scoreless draw

 

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HOUSTON (AP) — Maxime Crepeau made four saves for Vancouver in the Whitecaps' 0-0 tie with the Houston Dynamo on Wednesday night.

Crepeau had the save of the match in the 84th minute, just deflecting a tight shot over the cross bar.

Vancouver (8-8-10) picked up a critical point after starting the night in a three-way tie for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

The Whitecaps didn't have a shot on goal. Michael Nelson had his second shutout for Houston (5-11-12), making one save on a deflected ball.

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{allcanada} CF Montreal falls to Revolution in second-straight loss

 

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MONTREAL — A nightmare 20 minutes was too much for CF Montreal to overcome as they fell 4-1 to the league-leading New England Revolution on Wednesday.

DeJuan Jones, Adam Buksa, Gustavo Bou had goals for New England (20-4-5), which also got an own goal from Rudy Camacho.

Joaquin Torres scored for Montreal (10-10-7) as the home side lost its second straight game.

Montreal did not shy away from pressing high early, despite going up against the team with the best record in Major League Soccer.

"We came into the game with the right intentions and mindset, and it only took a turn when we conceded that first goal," said head coach Wilfried Nancy. "We lacked a bit of personality but we didn't come into he game today feverish or off our game."

At the seven-minute mark, a cross from Montreal's Mathieu Choinière gave Romell Quioto a free shot in the box but he put it wide.

Montreal would live to regret the miss as only three minutes later, Jones opened the scoring by putting away the rebound from a Carles Gil shot.

Sensing a change in momentum, New England continued to press and look for a second.

That second would come 17 minutes in as Bou played a ball into the towering Buksa who made no mistake.

Things would go from bad to worse for the home side as another cross from Bou was deflected by Rudy Camacho into his own net right before the half-hour mark.

"We know that New England have a very dangerous offensive trio and they made us pay for not being focused the entire time. We still have some work to do on the defensive end," said Montreal defender Zorhan Bassong. "Both teams managed to create quality chances, it's just that they ended up converting theirs."

The own goal appeared to wake Montreal up as Torres replied immediately with a shot from outside the box, giving the team its first signs of life since the 10-minute mark.

In the second half, Montreal looked to continue the progressive play seen at the end of the first, bringing on Zachary Brault-Guillard for Bassong. The latter struggled and all three New England goals came from his left wing.

The substitution bore fruit almost immediately with Brault-Guillard's pace causing problems for the Revolution defence. In the 65th minute his low cross was missed by both Quioto and Djordje Mihailovic who could have had easy tap-ins.

"Not being able to take advantage of the chances we had in the second half is definitely frustrating," said captain Samuel Piette. "If you look at the game as a whole I don't think the game was as much a catastrophe as the score line may show."

New England made two defensive substitutions late to shut the door.

The game was the put to bed when Bou carefully slotted the ball into the bottom right corner in the 86th minute.

"If we didn't finish, it's because we didn't do the right move. There were a lot of balls that came across the net but we didn't occupy the right spaces," said Nancy. "There were positive aspects. Even if we didn't get the result we wanted, what I like is that the guys didn't let us and we played our style."

Montreal will stay home and host Atlanta United Saturday in a must-win playoff race showdown while New England receives the Chicago Fire after the international break on Oct. 16.

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{allcanada} Senators season preview: Murray must bounce back

 

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Coach: D.J. Smith (third season)

Last season: 23-28-5; sixth in Scotia North Division, did not qualify for Stanley Cup Playoffs

3 KEYS

1. Murray back on track

The Senators need more of the Matt Murray that ended last season. The goalie had a .954 save percentage and two shutouts in five games after returning April 14 from an upper-body injury that had kept him out for a month. It provides hope that he can bounce back from a season that saw him finish with the highest goals-against average (3.38) and lowest save percentage (.893) of his six NHL seasons.

A healthy Murray gives the Senators an experienced last line of defense as they try to reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2017.

2. Youth continuing to develop

Ottawa's young core took a step forward last season, and it will need to push further for the Senators to climb in the standings.

Brady Tkachuk, 21, led Ottawa in scoring for the second straight season with 36 points (17 goals, 19 assists) in 56 games but is an unsigned restricted free agent. Drake Batherson, 23, who signed a six-year contract Sept. 3, scored 17 goals last season after scoring six in his first two NHL seasons. Tim Stutzle, 19, was fifth among all rookies with 29 points (12 goals, 17 assists) in 53 games. Defenseman Thomas Chabot, 24, averaged more than 26:00 of ice time per game for the second straight season, and defenseman Erik Brannstrom, 22, averaged 1.35 points per 60 minutes at 5-on-5, 11th among NHL defensemen.

3. Better starts

The Senators allowed 62 goals in the first period, tied for the second-most in the NHL last season (Philadelphia Flyers, 63) and their minus-16 first-period goal differential was the fifth-lowest in the League. They also allowed the first goal of a game 32 times, sixth-most in the NHL. When the Senators scored first, they were 16-5-3, and 7-23-2 when allowing the first goal.

ROSTER RUNDOWN

Position battles

The competition to back up Murray likely will be between Anton Forsberg and Filip Gustavsson. Forsberg, who was 3-4-1 with a 3.21 goals-against average and .909 save percentage in eight games last seasons, has the experience, with 56 NHL games in six seasons with the Senators, Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks and Columbus Blue Jackets. But Gustavsson, 23, made his NHL debut March 17 and was 5-1-2 with a 2.16 GAA and .933 save percentage in nine games (seven starts).

Most intriguing addition

Defenseman Nick Holden was acquired in a trade with the Vegas Golden Knights to bring veteran experience and physical play to support a young group that is counted on to support the offense. Holden has averaged 6.33 hits per 60 minutes of ice time and has a plus-10 rating in his 10 NHL seasons. He had two assists in 17 regular-season games and seven points (two goals, five assists) in 15 Stanley Cup Playoff games with Vegas last season.

Biggest potential surprise

Shane Pinto could be the next young player to take a big role with the Senators, possibly starting the season as the second-line center. The 20-year-old scored seven points (one goal, six assists) in 12 NHL games after signing a three-year, entry-level contract April 1. He scored 32 points (15 goals, 17 assists) in 28 games with the University of North Dakota last season and was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award as the best men's NCAA Division I hockey player.

Ready to break through

Defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker could join Pinto, his North Dakota teammate, in Ottawa this season. The 21-year-old signed a three-year, entry-level contract April 1 after he scored 18 points (three goals, 15 assists) and was a plus-17 in 27 NCAA games. He did not score a point while averaging 13:40 of ice time in five games with the Senators last season. He has a chance to win a third-pair spot or will begin the season in a prominent role with Belleville of the American Hockey League.

Fantasy sleeper

Batherson (fantasy average draft position: 175.0) scored 17 goals last season, tied with Tkachuk and center Josh Norris for second on the Senators behind forward Connor Brown's 21. Batherson proved he'll be one of the building blocks for the Senators, and his ceiling is even higher with likely top line and first power-play unit exposure to Tkachuk and Norris over a full season. Batherson is worth reaching for around the 150 mark in standard 12-team fantasy leagues because of his strong hits coverage (102 in 56 games last season). -- Pete Jensen

Projected lineup

Brady Tkachuk -- Josh Norris -- Drake Batherson

Tim Stutzle -- Shane Pinto -- Connor Brown

Zach Sanford -- Chris Tierney -- Colin White

Alex Formenton -- Nick Paul -- Austin Watson

Thomas Chabot -- Nikita Zaitsev

Michael Del Zotto -- Artem Zub

Nick Holden -- Erik Brannstrom

Matt Murray

Anton Forsberg

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{allcanada} Sept. 29: NHL Preseason Roundup

 

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Nico Hischier scored a power-play goal with 1:12 remaining to give the New Jersey Devils a 5-4 preseason win against the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena in Washington on Wednesday.

Alex Ovechkin played 21:22 with one shot on goal in his preseason debut for Washington. John Carlson scored twice, T.J. Oshie and Mike Vecchione scored, Zach Fucale made 12 saves on 15 shots, and Ilya Samsonov made six on eight shots.

Alexander Holtz, the No. 6 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, and Dawson Mercer, the No. 18 pick, scored for the Devils. Jack Hughes and Yegor Sharangovich scored, Jonathan Bernier allowed four goals on 17 shots, and Nico Daws made 10 saves.

Blue Jackets 5, Blues 2: Boone Jenner scored two goals and had an assist for the Columbus Blue Jackets in a 5-2 preseason win against the St. Louis Blues at Nationwide Arena in Columbus on Wednesday.

Jenner gave the Blue Jackets a 1-0 lead 4:29 into the first period and made it 4-1 with a power-play goal 2:20 into the third.

Dean Kukan, Liam Foudy and Gregory Hofmann (empty net) scored, and Daniil Tarasov made 25 saves on 26 shots in two periods for Columbus. J-F Berube made 11 saves on 12 shots in the third period.

Hugh McGing and Jake Walman (power play) scored for St. Louis, and Joel Hofer made 16 saves on 19 shots playing half the game. Charlie Lindgren made 13 saves on 14 shots in relief.

Maple Leafs 4, Senators 0: Michael Bunting scored a hat trick for the Toronto Maple Leafs in a 4-0 preseason win against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa on Wednesday.

Petr Mrazek made 19 saves for the shutout, and Joshua Ho-Sang, in Maple Leafs training camp on a professional tryout contract, had three assists.

Filip Gustavsson allowed three goals on 25 shots through the second period. Mads Sogaard made six saves on seven shots in relief in the third period.

David Kampf gave Toronto a 1-0 lead at 13:25 of the first period. Bunting scored three straight power-play goals, at 15:41 and 17:52 of the second period and at 18:43 of the third period. He leads the NHL with four goals in the preseason.

Jets 5, Oilers 1: Jansen Harkins scored twice for the Winnipeg Jets in a 5-1 preseason win against the Edmonton Oilers at Canada Life Center in Winnipeg on Wednesday.

Connor Hellebuyck made 17 saves for Winnipeg, and Evgeny Svechnikov had a goal and two assists.

Brad Malone scored in the second period for Edmonton, which had not allowed a goal in its first two preseason games. Ilya Konovalov allowed three goals facing 19 shots, and Stuart Skinner saved seven of nine shots in relief.

Oilers forwards Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl did not play after playing in a 6-0 win against the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday.

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{allcanada} Elks GM Sunderland issued vaccine medical exemption

 

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EDMONTON — The Edmonton Elks say general manager Brock Sunderland is medically exempt from a team policy requiring staff to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

The club issued a statement Wednesday saying the exemption was granted following consultations with multiple physicians.

It did not offer any details on Sunderland's health.

The statement says every member of the Elks "remains committed to following public health best practices and adhering to the CFL's strict protocols" for players, coaches and support staff.

Thirteen Edmonton players tested positive for COVID-19 in August, forcing the team into isolation and leading the league to postpone a game against the Argonauts in Toronto.

The Elks (2-5) fell 34-24 to the Ottawa Redblacks on Tuesday and aren't scheduled to play again until Oct. 8, when they visit Winnipeg to take on the Blue Bombers.

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{allcanada} Lions Whitehead leads CFL top performers for September

 

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TORONTO — B.C Lions receiver Lucky Whitehead, Hamilton Tiger-Cats linebacker Simoni Lawrence and Lions quarterback Michael Reilly have been named the CFL's top performers for September.

Whitehead recorded 15 receptions for 326 yards (21.7 yards per reception) and three offensive touchdowns over three games this month top take top honours.

His 119-yard missed field goal return in Week 6 powered BC to a 45-13 victory over Ottawa.

In Week 7, he recorded 133 receiving yards and scored a 75-yard touchdown in a win over the Alouettes.

He had two more touchdowns while hauling in 111 receiving yards in a Week 8 loss to Saskatchewan.

Whitehead leads the league in receiving yards (665) and number of 100-plus receiving yard games (four), and sits third in receptions (36) this season.

Lawrence recorded 24 tackles, one sack, two knockdowns, two interceptions and two touchdowns as the Tiger-Cats went 3-1 in September.

In the Labour Day Classic against the Argonauts, a pass from Nick Arbuckle was batted up in the air and secured by Lawrence, who easily scored from five yards out.

He intercepted a deflected ball from Bo Levi Mitchell and returned it 15 yards for the touchdown as Hamilton secured a 23-17 victory over Calgary in Week 7.

Reilly completed 77.6 per cent of his passes for 868 yards and threw eight touchdowns for the Lions in September.

Reilly also averaged seven yards per rush on 11 attempts during the three-game stretch.

Reilly leads the league in passing with 1,870 yards. He sits second in touchdown passes (10) and rushing touchdowns among quarterbacks (three).

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{allcanada} Senators sign Zack Ostapchuk to three-year, entry-level contract

 

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The Ottawa Senators have signed forward Zack Ostapchuk to a three-year, entry-level contract.

Ottawa selected Ostapchuk in the second round (39th overall) at the 2021 NHL Draft and is the first Senators player from the 2021 draft class to sign with the team.

The St. Albert, Alta., will play in his first NHL pre-season game for the Senators against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday.

"Zack has had an exceptional camp and we are excited about watching his development this season," said Senators general manager Pierre Dorion in a statement. "He possesses the necessary tools in terms of size, skill and skating ability that we feel are key attributes in today's NHL. Zack's strong hockey sense and work ethic will serve him well as he trends towards becoming a full-time pro. Credit to Trent Mann and his amateur scouting staff who identified a prospect we feel is well on his way to helping the future of the organization."

The 18-year-old played in the WHL with the Vancouver Giants where he posted seven goals and 16 points and penalty minutes during the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season. He made a strong impression during rookie camp, earning a chance to play on a line with fellow top prospects Shane Pinto and Egor Sokolov.

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{allcanada} Giordano returns to Calgary for first time with Kraken in preseason game

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CALGARY -- Mark Giordano will return to Calgary with the Seattle Kraken for the first time when they visit the Calgary Flames in a preseason game at Scotiabank Saddledome on Wednesday (9 p.m. ET; KONG).

Giordano, who had played his entire 15-year career with the Flames after signing as an undrafted free agent in 2004, was claimed by the Kraken in the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft on July 21.

"It's different, for sure, coming in the other side," the 37-year-old defenseman said Wednesday. "I mean, just getting out on the ice ... obviously a lot of familiar faces around here. It'll be different, but looking forward to playing the boys over there."

Giordano, who had been Calgary's captain since the start of the 2013-14 season, scored 509 points (143 goals, 366 assists) in 949 regular-season games with the Flames, including 26 points (nine goals, 17 assists) in 56 games last season, and has scored seven points (one goal, six assists) in 23 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

He led Calgary in average ice time in seven of the past eight seasons, including last season, when he played 22:57 per game.

"I've developed so many relationships. I grew up as an adult here," Giordano said. "The thing that I would want them to remember me as, playing well or playing poorly, I gave it my all every shift and every night and I'll continue to do that. That's one thing I hope they remember me as.

"I have so many different memories of this city and good times on and off the ice. It's a special place, obviously, for my family and I. A lot of great people. I've developed relationships in this city, for sure."

Giordano won the Norris Trophy voted as the best defenseman in the NHL in 2018-19, when he scored an NHL career-high 74 points (17 goals, 57 assists).

He also won the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award, presented to the player who exemplifies great leadership qualities on and off the ice and who plays a leading role in his community growing the game of hockey, in 2019-20.

"It's going to be weird, of course," said Flames forward Mikael Backlund, the longest tenured Calgary player at 744 games over 13 seasons. "It was weird coming back and Gio wasn't here. He's been here the whole time I've been here, been a big part of the group since my Day One. We definitely miss him in the group -- such a great guy and a leader.

"It's going to be weird to play against him. Never done it. But it will also be fun to see him out there and finally play against him, I guess, after all these years. He always said, 'Oh, imagine if we played against each other, I would beat you' and all that stuff. Just a little bit of fun."

Seattle will visit Calgary for the first time in the regular season Dec. 23.

"Tonight's going to be pretty cool, but the regular season one ... I'm sure it'll be a full building, just a lot of memories," Giordano said. "I think it's going to be weird for sure tonight coming in here. I'm actually glad to get one under my belt here early in my time in Seattle here, and then the one in December will be special.

"I think that night is going to be pretty special regardless, but it's nice to get out here, see some of the guys, see some of the coaches over there and say hello."

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{allcanada} Critical dates for 2021-22 NHL season

 

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Critical Dates for 2021-22 Season

Monday, March 21 Trade Deadline (3 p.m. ET)

Friday, April 29 Last Day of Regular Season

Monday, May 2 Stanley Cup Playoffs Begin

Thursday, June 30 Last Possible Day of Stanley Cup Final

Thursday, July 7 Round 1 of 2022 NHL Draft

Friday, July 8 Rounds 2-7 of 2022 NHL Draft

Wednesday, July 13 RFA/UFA Signing Period Begins (12 p.m. ET)

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{allcanada} Shelby Rogers beats 2019 US Open champ Andreescu in Chicago

 

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CHICAGO (AP) — Unseeded Shelby Rogers saved 7 of 8 break points and put together a 6-4, 7-5 victory over 2019 U.S. Open champion Bianca Andreescu on Wednesday to reach the third round of the Chicago Fall Classic.

The 43rd-ranked Rogers, a 28-year-old from South Carolina, picked up her sixth victory of the season against a member of the Top 20, including an upset of No. 1 Ash Barty at Flushing Meadows last month.

Rogers reached the fourth round at the U.S. Open before losing to eventual champion Emma Raducanu.

Beating the eighth-seeded Andreescu made Rogers 24-19 in 2021, giving her a career high for wins in a season.

Rogers served for the match at 5-4 before getting broken for the only time when Andreescu delivered a cross-court forehand winner. But Rogers broke right back, then served it out on her second chance, and next will face qualifier Mai Hontama, who advanced when No. 11 seed Anett Kontaveit withdrew because of an injured left thigh.

Earlier Wednesday at a hard-court tournament added to the WTA schedule after the tour swing in Asia was called off because of the coronavirus pandemic, Olympic gold medalist Belinda Bencic overcame 10 double-faults and some first-set frustration to beat qualifier Maddison Inglis 5-7, 6-1, 6-0.

Bencic now faces Tereza Martincova, who eliminated No. 13 seed and French Open semifinalist Tamara Zidansek 6-2, 7-5.

Seeded winners included No. 1 Elina Svitolina, No. 5 Elena Rybakina, No. 9 Jessica Pegula, No. 12 Veronika Kudermetova and No. 16 Jil Teichmann. But No. 4 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, a finalist at Roland Garros in June, lost 6-3, 6-2 to Marketa Vondrousova, the French Open runner-up two years ago.

Bencic was a semifinalist at the 2019 U.S. Open and a quarterfinalist there this month, when she lost to Raducanu.

At 5-all on Wednesday, after Bencic argued briefly with the chair umpire about overruling line calls, Ingils took the next point with a net-cord winner. Bencic spun around and threw her racket to the wall behind the baseline.

In the next game, Ingils broke to take the set with the help of a pair of Bencic's double-faults, including on the last point.

But after making 21 unforced errors in that set, Bencic cleaned up her strokes the rest of the way and took advantage of some shaky serving by Ingils.

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{allcanada} Evans leads Redblacks to win over Elks in first CFL start

 

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OTTAWA — Caleb Evans threw three touchdown passes in his CFL and professional debut Tuesday to help the Ottawa Redblacks defeat the Edmonton Elks 34-24.

Evans completed 15-of-22 passes for 191 yards and also rushed for 59 yards. The 21 year old hadn't started a game since 2019 when he was playing college football at Louisiana-Monroe.

His seven-yard touchdown pass to Kenny Stafford gave the Redblacks a 34-14 lead five minutes into the fourth quarter.

The win snapped an 11-game home losing streak for the Redblacks (2-5).

Taylor Cornelius made just his second CFL start Tuesday and went 22-for-31 for 334 yards — although 129 of those came on two completions — in a losing effort for the Elks. He had three touchdown passes including an eight-yard shovel pass to Shai Ross with under three minutes to play.

Cornelius also threw two interceptions, one in the end zone and the other with the Elks driving in the final two minutes. The Elks (2-5) have lost three straight games.

Both teams scored 10 third-quarter points as the Redblacks took a 10-point lead into the fourth quarter.

After the Ottawa defence forced a two-and-out on the opening series of the second half, DeVonte Dedmon returned the ensuing punt 73-yards for the fourth kick return touchdown of his 11-game career.

An 18-yard touchdown pass from Cornelius to Greg Ellingson and a 49-yard Sean Whyte field gave the Elks life as they pulled to within seven points, but Ottawa's Lewis Ward kicked a 32-yard field goal in the final minute of the quarter to restore the 10-point cushion.

Evans connected with Ryan Davis on the fourth play of the game for a 20-yard catch-and-run play to give the Redblacks the lead just 1:53 into the first quarter.

Ellingson then fumbled after catching a four-yard pass from Cornelius and the Redblacks took advantage of great field position.

Three plays and 31-yards later, the ball was again in the Elks' end zone as Evans hit Timothy Flanders for a 15-yard touchdown pass, giving the Redblacks a 14-0 lead less than five minutes into the game.

That was all the scoring either team would get until Ward kicked a 15-yard field goal at 7:23 of the second quarter, for a 17-0 Ottawa lead.

It looked as though the Redblacks might head into the break working on a shutout, but Ross got himself free in the Ottawa backfield and Cornelius found him for a 77-yard score, with 25 of those yards coming after the catch, at 13:14 of the second quarter.

The conversion by Whyte sent the Elks into the half trailing 17-7.

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{allcanada} Oilers unveil Joey Moss sculpture honoring late locker room attendant

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The Edmonton Oilers will have a touching reminder of an old friend in their locker room this season.

The team's longtime locker room attendant who died on Oct. 26 at age 57 is now enshrined as a sculpture in his familiar high-five pose.

Moss started with the Oilers as a part-time attendant in 1982-83 season thanks to a recommendation from Wayne Gretzky and became a full-time employee in 1984-85.

Oilers forward Connor McDavid shared his thoughts on the new addition to the locker room after the unveiling and a special memory from his rookie season when he broke his collarbone.

"Joe was a special person," McDavid said. "He meant a lot to the organization, the players. I think probably my favorite Mosser story would be, I remember my first year I broke my collarbone, I was just a young kid, and being in the locker room and being really upset and him just coming up and he obviously had no idea the circumstances, he just knows something's wrong and he just gave me a little pat on the back, and that was it.

"We certainly miss him a lot and to have a little statue there is a great reminder for us as players and everyone on the staff. The whole city misses him. We miss him as players and today's a special day to unveil that statue."

Moss was also inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in 2015. The Oilers previously honored him by wearing Moss jerseys during warmups and with a pre-game video on Jan. 13 to open the season.

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{allcanada} Ticats add WR Addison to active roster

 

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HAMILTON — The Hamilton Tiger-Cats added receiver Bralon Addison to the active roster Monday.

Addison, 27, has missed the first half of the season due to a knee injury. He was a CFL all-star in 2019 when he registered 95 catches for 1,236 yards and seven TDs.

Addison is entering his third season with Hamilton, having registered 103 catches for 1,349 yards and eight touchdowns. The five-foot-nine, 197-pound American has also rushed for 218 yards and a TD on 36 carries.

The Ticats also placed Canadian rookie tight end Jake Burt on the six-game injured list. Hamilton selected Burt first overall in the 2021 CFL draft but the former Boston College star has yet to play for the team.

Hamilton also put Canadian kicker Michael Domagala and American linebacker Corey Thompson on the practice roster. Domagala had been on the active roster while Thompson moves from the suspended list.

American defensive tackle Jhaustin Thomas was released from the practice roster.

Hamilton (4-3) hosts the Montreal Alouettes (2-4) on Saturday afternoon.

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