(As of 12:01AM)
WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE:
For the second time in three years, the Prince George Cougars selected a goalie in the first round of the WHL Bantam Draft.
Tyler Brennan of Winnipeg was the first goalie taken, going 21st overall.
The Cougars top pick in Red Deer, ninth overall, was high-scoring forward Craig Armstrong of the Airdrie Extreme.
In total, the Cougars chose nine players; four forwards, four defenceman and a goalie.
Four of the nine are from Alberta, three from Manitoba and one each from BC and California.
Forward Fisher O’Brien was the only Prince George minor hockey player selected, going in the fifth round, 98th overall to the Lethbridge Hurricanes.
Fisher’s older brother, Brogan O’Brien, graduated from the PG Cougars this year.
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The WHL Ed Chynoweth Cup will begin tonight with the Everett Silvertips at the Swift Current Broncos.
The best-of-seven series, is a 2-3-2 format.
Everett is 7-0 on the road in the playoffs.
The winner advances to the Memorial Cup this month in Regina.
WHL CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE:
GAME ONE = Everett @ Swift Current, Friday, May 4th
GAME TWO = Everett @ Swift Current, Saturday, May 5th
GAME THREE = Swift Current @ Everett, Tuesday, May 8th
GAME FOUR = Swift Current @ Everett, Wednesday, May 9th
*GAME FIVE = Swift Current @ Everett, Friday, May 11th
*GAME SIX = Everett @ Swift Current, Sunday, May 13th
*GAME SEVEN = Everett @ Swift Current, Monday, May 14th
*IF NECESSARY
PRINCE GEORGE SPRUCE KINGS:
Defenceman Chays Ruddy, who has just graduated from the Prince George Spruce Kings, has committed to play in the 2018-19 season for the Windsor (Ontario) University Lancers.
Ruddy notched 14 assists in 57 games and scored his first BCHL goal in game three of this year’s playoffs against the Chilliwack Chiefs.
The 20-year-old from Ontario is the 11th player from the Spruce Kings team to commit to post-secondary education for hockey.
Six of those players will return in the fall of this year.
DOYLE CUP JUNIOR HOCKEY:
The BCHL champion Wenatchee Wild visit the AJHL champion Spruce Grove Saints tonight in game five of the Doyle Cup.
Wenatchee leads the best-of-seven series 3-1.
The Doyle Cup winner will advance to the RBC National Junior ‘A’ Championship May 12th to 20th in Chilliwack.
WENATCHEE-SPRUCE GROVE SCHEDULE AND RESULTS
GAME ONE – Friday, April 27th in Wenatchee (WILD WIN 3-2 in OT)
GAME TWO – Saturday, April 28th in Wenatchee (WILD WIN 3-0)
GAME THREE – Tuesday, May 1st in Spruce Grove (WILD WIN 4-3)
GAME FOUR – Wednesday, May 2nd in Spruce Grove (SAINTS WIN 5-2)
GAME FIVE – Friday, May 4th in Spruce Grove
*GAME SIX – Saturday, May 5th in Spruce Grove
*GAME SEVEN – Sunday, May 6th in Spruce Grove
*IF NECESSARY
STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS: (Two games)
Nashville Predators 2 Winnipeg Jets 1
(Best of seven Western Conference semi-final tied 2-2 with game five Saturday (6:30PM) in Nashville)
Pittsburgh Penguins 3 Washington Capitals 1
(Best of seven Eastern Conference semi-final tied 2-2 with game five Saturday (4PM) in Washington.
The two other NHL Conference semis resume tonight: Tampa Bay at Boston (4PM) and San Jose at Vegas (7pm). The Lightning lead the Bruins 2-1 while the Sharks and Golden Knights are tied 2-2.
PRINCE GEORGE SENIOR LACROSSE:
Quesnel Crossfire 8 Westwood Pub Devils 5
(Both teams are 1-1)
There are three PG Senior Lacrosse games this weekend at Kin 1.
The Mackenzie Lumberjacks face the Co-op Petroleum Stylers Saturday night at 6:30 and that will be followed by the Devils against the RPR Mechanical/J.R. Construction Bandits at 8:30PM.
On Sunday, Mackenzie takes on Quesnel at 11AM.
UNBC TIMBERWOLVES:
Guard Colburn Pearce of Prince George, a standout in both basketball and football, has commited to the UNBC Timberwolves for the 2018-19 Canada West men’s basketball season.
Pearce led Duchess Park to three city basketball championships and was recognized with three straight Zone MVP awards.
NBA: (A pair of games in the Eastern Conference semi-finals)
Cleveland Cavaliers 128 Toronto Raptors 110
(LeBron James became the first player to hoop 43 points and add 14 assists in a playoff game. The Cavs lead 2-0 with game three Saturday night at 5:30 in Cleveland)
Boston Celtics 108 Philadelphia 76’ers 103
(Celtics lead 2-0 with game three Saturday afternoon at 2 in Philadelphia)
The Western Conference semis resume tonight: Golden State at New Orleans (5pm) and Houston at Utah (7:30).
The Warriors lead the Pelicans 2-0 while the Rockets and Jazz are tied 1-1.
MLB:
Toronto Blue Jays 13 Cleveland Indians 11 (first game)
Cleveland Indians 13 Toronto Blue Jays 4 (second game)
The 18-14 Blue Jays are 3-2 on an eight-game road trip that continues tonight in Tampa Bay.
NFL:
The Atlanta Falcons and their quarterback Matt Ryan have agreed to a five-year contract extension worth $150 million, of which $100 million is guaranteed.
Ryan will become the first NFL player to earn $30 million annually.