(As of 12:01AM)
WHL (PRINCE GEORGE COUGARS):
The Prince George Cougars get their one and chance this season to play the CHL top-ranked Prince Albert Raiders.
The top two teams face off tonight at CN Centre.
The Cougars are 2-0 on a six-game homestand while the 37-5-0-1 Raiders are starting a six-game road trip.
The 16-22-1-2 Cougars are sitting in the second and final wild-card playoff spot, a point ahead of the (15-21-4) Seattle Thunderbirds and two in front of the (15-23-2-1) Kamloops Blazers.
Prince George is also just three points behind the (17-21-3-1) Kelowna Rockets, who are third in the B.C. Division.
(TUESDAY)
Moose Jaw Warriors 5 Kamloops Blazers 2
(Ex PG Cougar Justin Almeida scored twice and added two assists to lead the Warriors who play tonight in Kelowna)
? WHL Highlight of the Night ?
January 15, 2019@penguins prospect @justinalmeida27 of the @MJWARRIORS#WHLHoN pic.twitter.com/P6jVjlyezU— The WHL (@TheWHL) January 16, 2019
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A pair of shutouts and a .951 save percentage in four games has earned Taylor Gauthier of the Prince George Cougars WHL Goaltender of the Week honors.
The 17-year-old Gauthier led the team to three wins and a loss, stopping 97 of 102 shots for a 1.26 goals-against-average.
On the season, the 6-foot-2, 180-pound Gauthier is 12-15-1-1 alongside a 2.94 GAA, .905 SV%, and three shutouts.
LISTEN: @Hartley_Miller‘s Cat Scan – January 10th, 2019 … @PGCougars GM Mark Lamb discusses why no moves were made before today’s #WHL Trade Deadline | https://t.co/QqXMN97twe #CityOfPG #Sports pic.twitter.com/U4X9KbFIiV
— My Prince George Now (@mypgnow) January 11, 2019
BCHL (PG SPRUCE KINGS):
The Prince George Spruce Kings head to the Okanagan this week.
They visit the (27-12-2-1) Penticton Vees Friday, the (17-16-7-3) Vernon Vipers Saturday and the (24-19-0-1) West Kelowna Warriors Sunday afternoon.
The 26-11-2-3 Spruce Kings (with just 16 games left) are second in the Mainland Division, two points behind the (29-11-1) Chilliwack Chiefs.
The Spruce Kings next home games will be against the Coquitlam Express on Jan. 25th and 26th.
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Spruce Kings defenceman Nick Bochen has committed to the University of Michigan Wolverines (NCAA Div. 1) for the 2020/21 season.
The 17-year-old Bochen, from North Vancouver, has 25 points (5 goals) in 41 games in his first full season with the Spruce Kings.
NHL: (Canadian teams 2-0 on Tuesday)
Winnipeg 4 Vegas 1
Montreal 5 Florida 1
Elias Pettersson will miss his fourth straight game when the Vancouver Canucks host the Edmonton Oilers tonight.
Coach Travis Green says Pettersson is “day-to-day” and there is a good chance he will play Friday.
The 20-year-old Pettersson, with 42 points, including 22 goals in 38 games, has been sidelined by a knee injury (minor MCL sprain).
The Canucks are 1-0-1 on a six-game homestand.
They also entertain Buffalo Friday, Detroit Sunday and Carolina Wednesday (23rd) before having a 10-day break.
The 21-21-5 Canucks and the 22-21-3 Oilers are both two points back of Minnesota for the second and final wild-card playoff spot.
Markstrom’s impressive play has the Canucks sitting at 47 points through 47 games this season and contending for playoff position in the Western Conference. https://t.co/fG4LSOnSdQ
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) January 16, 2019
There are five NHL games tonight in total.
Other match-ups have Buffalo at Calgary, Colorado at Ottawa, Boston at Philadelphia and San Jose at Arizona.
BCMML (CARIBOO COUGARS):
The Cariboo Cougars head to Fort St. James this weekend for a pair of games, including the BC Winter Classic (first midget outdoor game in Canada).
It’s coming along #workingprocess @NakazdliWhuten @smokeduke1 @JayJanower #MMLWinterClassic pic.twitter.com/oeQvI4NVcI
— Cariboo Cougars (@cariboocougars) January 15, 2019
The Cougars play the Vancouver NE Chiefs Saturday night at 5 indoors at the Fort Forum and Sunday afternoon at 2 outdoors at the Ernie Sam Memorial Arena.
The 16-5-3 Major Midget Cougars are in third place in the 11-team league, just a point behind the (16-5-2-2) Chiefs.
BCMML (CARIBOO COUGARS MINOR MIDGET):
The Cariboo Cougars Minor Midget team will host the Greater Vancouver Canadians in a three-game set.
The two teams face off Friday and Saturday night at 7:30 and Sunday morning at 11:15 at Kin 1.
The Cariboo 15-year-olds are 11-5-1-1 and in second place, a point ahead of the (11-3-1) Okanagan Rockets and three points back of the first place (13-4-1) Thunderbirds.
The (5-8-3-2) Canadians are in 8th place.
FIGURE SKATING:
Justin Hampole of Prince George is in 10th place after the short program at the Canadian Tire National Figure Skating Championships in Saint John, N.B.
The 17-year-old Hampole is one of 18 skaters in Jr. Men.
The free program will be held today (just after 2 p.m. PT).
Hampole is third of five among participants from the B.C./Yukon region.
CANADA WEST BASKETBALL: (UNBC TIMBERWOLVES)
The UNBC Timberwolves have just six regular season games remaining in Canada West men’s and women’s basketball.
The Timberwolves visit the Alberta Golden Bears and Pandas Friday and Saturday.
UNBC is 9-5 in the women’s standings (7th place out of 17 teams) and 7-7 in the men’s division (7th place).
The top 12 teams advance to the playoffs.
The Alberta women have won 10 in a row and are third with a 12-2 record.
The Alberta men have won eight straight and are third with a record of 11-3.
(UNBC also plays at UBC the 25th and 26th before closing out its regular season with home games against Lethbridge Feb. 1st and 2nd)
TIMBERWOLF TOP TEN! @UNBCWomensBball and @BisonWBB split a weekend @CanadaWest series at @NorthernSport this weekend, and you’e invited to check out ten of @UNBC‘s best plays! Louka, Gibb, Shakirova, Landry, Carlson, Gallant, Mongomo, and more! #gotwolves pic.twitter.com/ZY5CEUA5d6
— UNBC Athletics (@UNBCATHLETICS) January 15, 2019
TIMBERWOLF TOP TEN! The @UNBCBasketball team hosted the @umbisons for a pair of intense, hard-fought @CanadaWest games at @NorthernSport this weekend, and here are ten of the best plays! Good stuff from @VovaPluzhnikov, @12_Agyeman, @Chandman32, and more! pic.twitter.com/TQpsbhfYn2
— UNBC Athletics (@UNBCATHLETICS) January 14, 2019
NBA:
The Golden State Warriors set an NBA record with 51 points in the first quarter, including 10 three-pointers, in
a 142-111 victory in Denver over the Nuggets.
The Toronto Raptors visit the (25-18) Boston Celtics tonight (before hosting Phoenix Thursday and Memphis Saturday).
The 33-12 Raptors lead the Eastern Conference by one game over the (31-12) Milwaukee Bucks.
CFL:
Chris Jones has stepped down as head coach/GM of the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Jones will join the Cleveland Browns as a senior defensive assistant.
He was 27-27 in his three seasons with Saskatchewan but the team improved each year under his leadership.
NFL:
The NFL Conference Championship Games will be played Sunday.
In the NFC, the LA Rams visit New Orleans (12:05 p.m. PT).
In the AFC, New England is at Kansas City (3:40 p.m. PT).
The Saints are favoured by 3.5 and the Chiefs are 3-point favourites.
The winners advance to Super Bowl 53 February 3rd in Atlanta.
TENNIS:
Eugenie Bouchard plays 23-time Grand Slam singles champion Serena Williams in round two at the Australian Open tennis championships.
Men’s #16 Milos Raonic will face Stan Wawrinka.
Bouchard and Raonic are among four Canadians that won their opening-round match.