Sports by Darin, as of 6:00 a.m., Sunday, March 19th:
WHL:
Victoria Royals 7 Prince George Cougars 6 (SO)
A costly high-sticking double-minor allowed the Royals to score a pair of goals in the final minute.
Brayden Schuurman scored the lone goal in the shootout to give the Royals the win.
LOSING OUR MINDS, HEIDT ARE YOU JOKING???#NHLDraft https://t.co/O1pj3jYmT6 pic.twitter.com/oosjpEbKLU
— x – Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) March 19, 2023
The full box score can be found here.
The Cougars (35-24-6-1) are locked into fourth in the WHL’s Western Conference, and they’re still waiting to find out who they’ll play in the first round of the WHL playoffs.
It will be either the Tri-City Americans (31-26-5-3) or the Everett Silvertips (32-30-2-1).
Both teams have three games left to go in their regular season, with the Americans leading the Silvertips by three points.
Would the @TCAmericans and/or @WHLsilvertips rather play the @PGCougars or @PWinterhawks in the first round of the #WHL playoffs? Here’s a look at the options in this week’s Hart Attack #column https://t.co/MRdx7yz5Gn
— Hartley Miller (@Hartley_Miller) March 17, 2023
The full WHL standings can be found here.
The Cougars will finish off their regular season with a home-and-home against the Kamloops Blazers (47-11-4-2).
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19+. Know your limit, play within it. pic.twitter.com/tAzvpIrgNe— x – Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) March 13, 2023
The full Cougars schedule can be found here.
The Cougars first two playoff games will be at the CN Centre on March 31st and April 1st.
22 clubs, 11 winners. #WHLScores pic.twitter.com/G1G9dBMbWq
— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 19, 2023
Prince George Cougars News:
.@PGCougars Chase Wheatcroft signs entry contract with @DallasStars https://t.co/qjWnQSaseJ | #CityOfPG #PrinceGeorge pic.twitter.com/H6xbGs2Jw6
— My Prince George Now (@mypgnow) March 18, 2023
Wheatcroft is the third PG Cougar to sign an entry-level contract with an NHL club this season.
Ethan Samson signed on the dotted line with the Philadelphia Flyers, and Jaxsen Wiebe signed with the Anaheim Ducks.
BCHL:
Prince George Spruce Kings 4 Salmon Arm Silverbacks 0
Aiden Feddema earned his first BCHL shutout, stopping 27 shots in the win.
Kilian McGregor-Bennett, Austin Fraser, Ty Gagno, and Jake Schnieder scored in the win.
The full box score can be found here.
The Spruce Kings (26-20-5-1) sit fifth in a tight Interior Division.
The Spruce Kings, fourth-place West Kelowna Warriors (26-20-6-0) and sixth-place Vernon Vipers (26-20-2-4) each have 58 points and two games to go.
Of those three teams, the Spruce Kings arguably have the toughest schedule to cap off the season.
The Spruce Kings will play their final two games on the road with two games against the Cranbrook Bucks. (35-13-1-3)
West Kelowna will play the Merritt Centennials (12-35-3-2) and Salmon Arm (27-18-4-2) in their final two games.
Vernon will play the regular season champion Penticton Vees and Merritt to finish their regular season.
The Silverbacks have 60 points with three games remaining, two against the Vees and one against West Kelowna.
The Wenatchee Wild (27-22-1-2) sit in seventh with 57 points and have two games left.
The full BCHL standings can be found here.
The full Spruce Kings schedule can be found here.
NHL:
Two Canadian teams are in action today:
Winnipeg Jets @ St. Louis Blues (4:00 p.m.)
Vancouver Canucks @ Anaheim Ducks (5:00 p.m.)
Evander Kane, Sebastian Aho and Brandon Hagel each recorded a hat trick in a winning effort during a 13-game Saturday.#NHLStats: https://t.co/xTa21eAgkQ pic.twitter.com/aPLYJ06nRJ
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) March 19, 2023
NBA
Toronto Raptors 122 Minnesota Timberwolves 107
Pascal Siakam notched 27 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in the win, while Fred VanVleet scored 28 points and seven assists.
Curling: World Women’s Curling Championship:
Canada 9 Sweden 4
USA 8 Canada 7
Kerri Einarson and Team Canada will play Norway today.
PGA Tour: Valspar Championship:
Adam Schenk (-8) has a one stroke lead heading into the final day.
Nick Taylor (-2) is the lone Canadian left in the tournament.
Fellow Canadians Michael Gligic (+3) and Adam Hadwin (+3) each missed the cut.