(As of 12:01AM)
UNBC TIMBERWOLVES:
Canada West Men’s Basketball
UNBC Timberwolves 71 Winnipeg Wesmen 68
This is the first playoff win in UNBC history since joining Canada West in 2012.
The Timberwolves advance to the best of three quarter-finals against the 19-1 Alberta Golden Bears.
Games will be played in Edmonton on February 16th (2PM Pacific), 17th (1PM Pacific), and, if necessary, on the 18th (1PM Pacific).
Canada West Women’s Basketball
Winnipeg Wesmen 82 UNBC Timberwolves 65
The season ends for the Lady Timberwolves.
Winnipeg advances to the quarter-finals.
PRINCE GEORGE COUGARS:
The Prince George Cougars are home three times on the long weekend.
The Cougars entertain the Kamloops Blazers tonight and Saturday at 7PM and the Red Deer Rebels Monday afternoon at 2PM.
Kamloops leads the season series against Prince George 3-2.
They meet a total of 10 times, including February 17th in Kamloops.
The (19-27-4-4) Cougars are 15 points out of a playoff spot and they trail the Blazers by six.
WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE:
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:
First will host worst in the BCHL Mainland Division as the Prince George Spruce Kings entertain the last place (14-33-1-3) Coquitlam Express tonight and Saturday.
The Spruce Kings are 5-0 this season against the Express.
The two teams also meet February 17th in Coquitlam.
The (27-15-4-4) Spruce Kings are on the verge of winning their division for the first time in the BCHL; they enjoy a seven point lead over Surrey and eight over Langley with just eight to play.
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 have their final home games of the regular season when they battle the (8-18-0-4) Kootenay Ice Saturday at 4PM and Sunday at 10AM at Kin 1.
The (24-5-3-0) Cougars are tied with the (24-4-2-1) Valley West Hawks for first place after Valley West whipped Fraser Valley 7-2 Thursday night. (The Hawks have a game in hand)
Cariboo will close with six on the road.
Kootenay is three points out of a playoff spot.
NHL:
Tampa Bay 5 Vancouver 2
The (21-27-6) Canucks are 0-and-2 on a four game road trip that continues tonight in Carolina and wraps up Sunday in Dallas.
Calgary 3 New Jersey 2
Philadelphia 5 Montreal 3
Ottawa 4 Nashville 3 (OT)
OLYMPICS:
The PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games in South Korea are underway.
According to viaSport, 28% of the Canadian athletes have some connection to BC.
In total, 63 out of 225 athletes on Team Canada either lived or trained in BC at some point.
Only 13 per cent of Canadians live in BC.
Two of the competing athletes are from Prince George; Meryeta O’Dine in Snowboardcross and Megan Tandy in Biathlon.
Tandy has her first event on Saturday in the women’s 7.5km Sprint.
O’Dine begins her competition next week.
NBA:
Toronto Raptors 113 New York Knicks 88
The (38-16) Raptors are just a game behind the first place (40-16) Celtics in the Eastern Conference.
###
Major changes for the Cleveland Cavaliers on the NBA trade deadline day.
The Cavaliers sent Isaiah Thomas to the Los Angeles Lakers, Derrick Rose and Jae Crowder to Utah, and Dwyane Wade to Miami.
In return, Cleveland got Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. from the Lakers, Rodney Hood from Utah and George Hill from Sacramento.
NFL:
Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and the San Francisco 49ers have agreed to a five-year, $137.5 million contract.
It’s the biggest deal in NFL history on a average-per-year basis.