(As of 12:01 AM)
WHL (PRINCE GEORGE COUGARS):
Prince Albert Raiders 6 Prince George Cougars 2
The Raiders exploded with three unanswered goals in the third period.
The game was tied 2-2 until Prince Albert scored the winner on the power play midway thru the second.
It was the only PP goal of the game as PA went 1/6 while PG was 0/3 with the man advantage.
Jackson Leppard (late in the first) and Mike MacLean (early in the second) tallied for the Cougars, who are 2-1 on a six-game homestand.
Taylor Gauthier, the WHL Goalie of the Week, made 43 saves as the Raiders outshot the Cats 49-25 before 2,405 fans at CN Centre.
14 of the 18 Prince Albert skaters picked up at least a point and no player had more than two.
Watch the highlights here.
The 16-23-1-2 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 (17-22-3-1) Kelowna Rockets, who are third in the B.C. Division.
The Rockets lost 5-1 to the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors Wednesday.
The Cougars host Kamloops Saturday night and Sunday afternoon after the Blazers entertain the (38-5-0-1) Raiders on Friday.
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 are headed to the Okanagan for three games in as many days.
They visit the (28-12-1-2) 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.
#
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.
The Spruce Kings are pleased to announce that Nick Bochen has committed to the University of Michigan Wolverines
Full Story: https://t.co/zpn9wU82Gn pic.twitter.com/KyvZD3spMF
— Spruce Kings (@SpruceKings) January 16, 2019
NHL: (5 Wednesday games)
Edmonton 3 Vancouver 2 (SO)
(The 22-21-6 Canucks are just a point back of Edmonton and Minnesota for the final wild-card spot. Elias Pettersson missed his fourth straight game with a knee injury (minor MCL sprain) but he is expected back in the lineup Friday when Vancouver hosts Buffalo. The 20-year-old Pettersson has 42 points, including 22 goals in 38 games. The Canucks are 1-0-2 on a six-game homestand. They also entertain Detroit Sunday and Carolina Wednesday before having a 10-day break)
The Canucks have dealt defenceman Michael Del Zotto to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for defenceman Luke Schenn and a 2020 seventh-round draft pick. Schenn will report to the AHL Utica Comets.
Buffalo 4 Calgary 3 (OT)
Ottawa 6 Colorado 2
Philadelphia 4 Boston 3
Arizona 6 San Jose 3
There are seven Thursday games in the NHL but just two Canadian teams in action: Winnipeg at Nashville and Toronto at Tampa
BCMML (CARIBOO COUGARS):
The Cariboo Cougars head to Fort St. James this weekend for a pair of games, including the BCMML Winter Classic (first midget outdoor game in Canada).
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.
Ice=Painted?#MMLWinterClassic pic.twitter.com/t064GjEVlv
— Cariboo Cougars (@cariboocougars) January 17, 2019
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 finished 13th at the Canadian Tire National Figure Skating Championships in Saint John, N.B.
There were 18 skaters in Hampole’s Jr. Men’s division.
The 17-year-old Hampole was 10th following the short program.
He dropped to 13th after the free program.
Hampole was fourth out of five among participants from the B.C./Yukon region.
CANADA WEST BASKETBALL: (UNBC TIMBERWOLVES)
The UNBC Timberwolves visit the Alberta Golden Bears and Pandas Friday and Saturday in Canada West basketball.
The Timberwolves have just six regular-season games remaining.
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)
NBA:
Boston Celtics 117 Toronto Raptors 108
The 33-13 Raptors are in a virtual tie for the Eastern Conference with the (32-12) Milwaukee Bucks.
The Raptors host the (11-34) Phoenix Suns tonight and the (19-25) Memphis Grizzlies Saturday.
TENNIS:
Canadian Milos Raonic has advanced to the third round at the Australian Open tennis championships.
The 16th seeded Raonic beat Stan Wawrinka 3-1 with all four sets ending up 7-6.
The only other Canadian to win in round two was Denis Shapovalov, will now face top-seeded Novak Djkovic in
his next match.
Eugenie Bouchard lost to Seven-time Australian champion Serena Williams 6-2, 6-2.
Williams is aiming for a 24th Grand Slam singles title.
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.