(As of 12:01AM)
UNBC TIMBERWOLVES:
The UNBC Timberwolves battle the Wesmen tonight in Winnipeg in Canada West basketball playoff action.
The women tip off at 4PM Pacific time, followed by the men at 6PM.
The winner advances to the quarter-finals; the loser is out.
It’s the first meeting of the season between the two teams.
During the regular season, the UNBC and Winnipeg men finished .500 at 10-10.
The Lady Timberwolves ended up 9-11 while the Winnipeg women went 14-6.
HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL:
The Duchess Park Condors have repeated as city champions in Prince George high school basketball.
The Duchess senior girls whipped the College Heights Cougars 78-29, and the Duchess senior boys came from behind to outscore the DP Todd Trojans 76-68.
PRINCE GEORGE COUGARS:
The Prince George Cougars host the Kamloops Blazers Friday and Saturday at 7PM and the Red Deer Rebels Monday afternoon at 2PM.
The (19-27-4-4) Cougars are six points behind the Blazers and they slipped 15 points out of a playoff spot after Spokane beat Kamloops 3-1 Wednesday night.
WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE:
Kelowna 4 Vancouver 1
(Giants have lost their last 26 road games in Kelowna, dating back nearly 7 years)
Spokane 3 Kamloops 1
Portland 8 Victoria 5
BC DIVISION STANDINGS:
Kelowna, 53 games = 33-16-3-1 (70 points)
Victoria, 55 games = 32-19-3-1 (68 points)
Vancouver, 53 games = 28-17-5-3 (64 points)
Kamloops, 53 games = 24-25-1-3 (52 points)
Prince George, 54 games = 19-27-4-4 (46 points)
WESTERN CONFERENCE WILD CARD:
Spokane, 52 games = 28-19-3-2 (61 points)
Seattle, 52 games = 27-18-5-2 (61 points)
Kamloops, 53 games = 24-25-1-3 (52 points)
Prince George, 54 games = 19-27-4-4 (46 points)
PRINCE GEORGE SPRUCE KINGS:
The Prince George Spruce Kings are closing in on their first division title since joining the BCHL 21 years ago.
With just eight games left, the Spruce Kings lead Mainland Division by seven points over the Surrey Eagles and by eight over the Langley Rivermen.
The (27-15-4-4) Spruce Kings host the last place (14-33-1-3) Coquitlam Express on Friday and Saturday.
BCHL:
MAINLAND DIVISION STANDINGS:
Prince George, 50 games = 27-15-4-4 (62 points)
Surrey, 50 games = 24-19-5-2 (55 points)
Langley, 50 games = 21-17-10-2 (54 points)
Chilliwack, 49 games = 22-21-3-3 (50 points)
Coquitlam, 51 games = 14-33-1-3 (32 points)
CARIBOO COUGARS:
The Cariboo Cougars host the (8-18-0-4) Kootenay Ice Saturday afternoon at 4 and Sunday morning at 10 at Kin 1 in their final home games of the regular season.
Kootenay is three points out of a playoff spot.
The (24-5-3-0) Cougars, who will close with six on the road, are in first place by two points over the (23-4-2-1) Valley West Hawks, although Valley West has two games in hand.
NHL:
Los Angeles 5 Edmonton 2
Toronto 3 Nashville 2 (SO)
Boston 6 NY Rangers 1
(Bruins are 18-1-4 in their last 23)
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The (21-26-6) Vancouver Canucks continue a four-game road trip tonight against the league-leading Lightning in Tampa.
Vancouver will also play Friday in Carolina and Sunday in Dallas.
The Canucks are without Sam Gagner due to a sprained ankle.
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The NHL has slapped Ottawa Senators forward Alexandre Burrows with a 10 game suspension for serving as an aggressor and kneeing Taylor Hall of the New Jersey Devils.
The 36-year-old Burrows had only been suspended once before in his career, for three games back in 2014.
NBA:
The Toronto Raptors have a home game tonight against the (23-32) New York Knicks.
The (37-16) Raptors are just a game behind the first place (39-16) Celtics in the Eastern Conference.
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The NBA trade deadline is noon (PT) today.
OLYMPICS:
The PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games opening ceremonies will be featured on Friday.
Megan Tandy of Prince George will compete on Saturday in the women’s Biathlon 7.5km Sprint.