(As of 12:01AM)
HOCKEY CANADA:
Taylor Gauthier of the Prince George Cougars is one of two goalies and 22 players named to Canada’s Under-18 team that will compete at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in Edmonton and Red Deer Aug. 6-11.
Seven defencemen and 13 forwards were also selected with half of the players coming from the WHL.
Mitch Love of Quesnel (Saskatoon Blades head coach) is an assistant coach.
Canada will play an exhibition game Saturday against the Czech Republic before starting the tournament Monday night against Switzerland.
PRINCE GEORGE COUGARS:
The PG Cougars have released 20-year-old Tavin Grant, who was the team’s starting goaltender last season.
In 37 games, Grant had a 13-17-1 record along with a 3.74 GAA and a .892 save percentage.
The Cougars plan to go with 17-year-old Taylor Gauthier as their number-one goalie in the 2018-19 season.
NHL:
The Arizona Coyotes will retire Shane Doan’s No. 19 on Feb. 24th when they host the Winnipeg Jets.
Doan played 21 years with the franchise and served as captain for his final 13 seasons.
He retired as the team’s all-time leader in games played (1,540), goals (402), assists (570), and points (972).
MLB:
Oakland A’s 8 Toronto Blue Jays 3
The (64-46) A’s swept the three-game series this week and the seven-game season series this season.
The (48-59) Blue Jays are 2-4 on a 10-game road trip that continues tonight in Seattle.
The (63-45) Mariners, who lost 8-3 Wednesday to the Houston Astros, are in a virtual tie with Oakland for the last AL wild-card spot.
Seattle and Oakland are five games behind Houston in the American League West.
NATIVE FASTBALL:
The Big Guy Lake Blazers, which includes several Prince George players, are in Regina for the Canadian Native Fastball Championships this long weekend.
The Blazers start play in the senior men’s division on Friday.
Top prize in the division is $12,000.
SPRUCE CITY MEN’S FASTBALL LEAGUE:
(CHAMPIONSHIP GAME)
Falcon Contracting 22 Nak’azdli Indians 15
(Falcons won their fourth consecutive league title)
CFL:
A pair of Thursday games to start week eight of the CFL season.
Ottawa plays at Toronto (4PM) in the east followed by Saskatchewan at Edmonton in the west (7PM).
Zach Collaros will start at quarterback for the Roughriders.
He has been out since Week 2 with a concussion.
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The Montreal Alouettes will have Johnny Manziel at quarterback for the first time when they host the Hamilton Tiger-Cats Friday.
The 1-5 Alouettes have scored the fewest points in the league while giving up the most.
The 2-3 BC Lions play Saturday at Calgary against the 6-0 Stampeders.
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WEEK EIGHT: (Winnipeg with the bye)
Ottawa at Toronto (Today 4PM PT)
Saskatchewan at Edmonton (Tonight at 7)
Hamilton at Montreal (Friday 4:30PM)
BC at Calgary (Saturday 6PM)
WEST:
Calgary 6-0, Edmonton 4-2, Winnipeg 4-3, Saskatchewan 3-3, B.C. 2-3
EAST:
Ottawa 4-2, Hamilton 2-4, Toronto 1-5, Montreal 1-5
VEENSTRA GOLF:
Joel Veenstra of Smithers is tied for 60th entering today’s fourth and final round of the Canadian Junior Boys Golf Championship in Medicine Hat.
Veenstra fired a third round 76, to give him a 54 hole score of 13-over 226, which is 14 shots back of the co-leaders.