(As of 12:01 a.m.)
BCHL:
The Prince George Spruce Kings will host either the Victoria Grizzlies or the Powell River Kings in the first two games of the best-of-seven BCHL Coastal Conference Championship on March 29th and 30th.
Tickets go on sale Friday.
The Grizzlies and Powell River are tied 2-2 in the Island Division Final, with game five of the best-of-seven series Friday in Victoria.
The Spruce Kings won the Mainland Division Final in four straight over Chilliwack, outscoring the Chiefs 21-3,
Prince George beat Chilliwack 3-1 on Tuesday in game four, in front of 1,847 fans at the RMCA.
The game summary is right here.
Lucas Vanroboys of the @SpruceKings speaks with @mypgnow following 3-1 win over @Chiefs_Hockey to advance to round 3 of @GoBCHL playoffs #cityofpg #sports pic.twitter.com/EBSCGqTqyk
— My Prince George Now (@mypgnow) March 20, 2019
There will be a new national champion crowned in Brooks!@Chiefs_Hockey are out in the @GoBCHL, swept by the @SpruceKings in the Mainland Division final.#NJAC pic.twitter.com/nYBCaSoDgh
— National Junior A Championship (@HC_NJAC) March 20, 2019
The Spruce Kings have won their last 13 games on home ice and 20 of their last 22 games overall.
The BCHL playoff brackets are right here.
Prince George-Chilliwack results: (Spruce Kings home games in bold)
Game 1 – Friday, March 15th – Prince George @ Chilliwack – SK WON 7-0
Game 2 – Saturday, March 16th – Prince George @ Chilliwack – SK WON 3-2
Game 3 – Monday, March 18th – Chilliwack @ Prince George – SK WON 8-0
Game 4 – Tuesday, March 19th – Chilliwack @ Prince George – SK WON 3-1
Coquitlam-Prince George results: (Spruce Kings home games in bold)
Game 1 – Friday, March 1st – Coquitlam @ Prince George – SK WON 3-1
Game 2 – Saturday, March 2nd –Coquitlam @ Prince George- SK WON 3-2 (OT)
Game 3 – Monday, March 4th – Prince George @ Coquitlam – SK WON 5-2
Game 4 – Tuesday, March 5th – Prince George @ Coquitlam – EXPRESS WON 3-0
Game 5 – Thursday, March 7th – Coquitlam @ Prince George – SK WON 4-2
Big wins tonight from the @WenatcheeWild1 and the @VernonVipers mean things are all even heading into Game 5. Get caught up on all of tonight’s action in the Chevrolet #BCHLPlayoffs!https://t.co/5suuJuWGPS pic.twitter.com/2IYdxVKeRR
— BC Hockey League (@GoBCHL) March 21, 2019
HARKINS:
UPDATE FRIDAY at 1:00 p.m.
Former Prince George Cougars general manager Todd Harkins has been hired by St. George’s School Athletic Department as the Head of Hockey effective April 1.
The new release is right here.
There had been a report that Harkins was in line to become coach/GM of the Surrey Eagles.
WHL:
The Prince George Cougars will pick 2nd and 4th in the WHL Bantam Draft after the Winnipeg (Kootenay) Ice won the Bantam Draft lottery Wednesday.
The Ice will get the first overall pick in the Draft, which will be held on Thursday, May 2nd in Red Deer.
Winnipeg had the second-best chance of winning the lottery (at 23.8 %).
The Cougars will select second thanks to the Josh Anderson trade with the Swift Current Broncos in January of 2018.
Prince George finished 19th out of 22 teams in the 2018-19 overall standings with a record of
19-41-5-3.
The standings are right here.
NEWS: Cougars sign prospect Ethan Samson (@EthanSamson77) to WHL Standard Player Agreement. | #NorthernUprising #WHL
? https://t.co/BRWZDhU6MR pic.twitter.com/OHfsCJiUB9
— PG Cougars (@PGCougars) March 19, 2019
(All of the PG Cougars Cat Scan Podcasts can be found right here)
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The WHL has announced its Conference All-Star teams. and award winners.
None of the Prince George Cougars was selected.
Former Cougar Justin Almeida of the Moose Jaw Warriors, who finished third in WHL scoring and first in assists, was NOT picked to either of the Eastern Conference All-Star teams but was selected the East’s Most Sportsmanlike Player.
Congratulations to @penguins prospect @justinalmeida27 of the @MJWARRIORS, 2018-19 Eastern Conference Most Sportsmanlike Player! ? #WHLAwards pic.twitter.com/8ZbNd5Cqc7
— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 20, 2019
BC MAJOR MIDGET LEAGUE:(Playoff action)
The Cariboo Cougars host the Vancouver NE Chiefs in the best-of-three BCMML semifinals at Kin 1.
Games are scheduled for Friday night at 7:00, Saturday at 4:15 p.m. and if needed, Sunday morning at 10:00.
The Major Midget Cougars are riding an 8-game win streak.
The playoff schedule and results are right here.
The regular season results and final standings are right here.
Congrats to alumni @jandric9 on being named 3rd Team All Star playing for the @uafairbanks! #defend the North pic.twitter.com/LoJbi5uEVq
— Cariboo Cougars (@cariboocougars) March 20, 2019
BC MINOR HOCKEY PROVINCIALS:
The host Prince George North Central Bobcats have clinched a berth in the gold medal game tonight at 7:30 at the Bantam Tier 1 provincial hockey championship at Kin 1.
North Central is in first place in the six-team tournament with a 3-0-1 record after a convincing 10-1 victory over Cloverdale Wednesday night.
The Bobcats complete the round robin against (1-3) North East this afternoon at 1:30, but regardless of the result they will compete in the final.
The schedule/results right here.
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In other B.C. minor hockey provincials:
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Update at noon:
North East (Fort St. John) will face Okanagan-Central in the gold medal game tonight at 5:00 at the seven-team Midget Tier 1 in Kelowna (March 17-21).
North East finished the round robin with a 5-1 record after a 2-0 win over Burnaby today (Thrusday) and a 4-1 triumph over Richmond Wednesday.
The schedule/results right here.
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Prince George finished 0-5 at the six-team Peewee Tier 1 in Semiahmoo (March 17-20).
P.G. fell to 9-1 to Semiahmoo in its final game on Wednesday.
The schedule/results right here.
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Prince George is 2-3 at the seven-team Bantam Tier 2 in Nanaimo (March 18-22).
Prince George beat Port Moody 5-3 today (Thursday) after splitting a pair Wednesday: a 7-6 win over Coquitlam
was followed by a 2-1 loss to Kamloops.
P.G. plays its final game Friday afternoon at 12:15 against Nanaimo.
The schedule/results right here.
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Prince George finished 4th with an overall 1-4 record at the five-team Bantam Tier 4 in Prince Rupert (March 17-20).
On Wednesday, P.G. lost 6-2 to Fort St. John in the bronze medal game.
The schedule/results right here.
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Prince George is 1-1 at the six-team Bantam Female on the Lower Mainland (March 20-23).
On Wednesday, P.G. beat Kelowna 5-2 and lost to Surrey 4-2.
Prince George plays Tri Cities (10:45 a.m.) and South Island (7:00 p.m.) today.
The schedule/results right here.
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Prince George battles Surrey in its opener today (4:00 p.m.) at the six-team Peewee Female in Greater Trail (March 21-24)
The schedule/results right here.
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The links to all the minor hockey provincials can be found right here.
NHL: (4 Wednesday games)
Vancouver 7 Ottawa 4
Third straight win for the Canucks who built up a 5-0 lead in the 3rd period.
The 32-32-10 Canucks are 12th in the Western Conference, 4 points behind the Arizona Coyotes for the final wild-card playoff spot with just 8 games remaining (6 home and 2 away).
Vancouver is tied in points with Chicago but the Blackhawks have two games in hand.
The Canucks are also two points behind Colorado and three back of Minnesota.
Vancouver will continue a seven-game homestand Saturday vs. Calgary and Sunday against Columbus.
Winnipeg 3 Anaheim 0
Toronto 4 Buffalo 2
Tampa Bay 5 Washington 4 (OT)
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The Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals will visit the White House on Monday, but Brett Connolly of Prince George will not be joining his teammates for the ceremony.
“I said what I needed to say,” Connolly told the Washington Post. “Respectfully, decline. That’s all I will say about it. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. It’s obviously a big deal and gains a lot of attention, but I have been in full support of an old teammate that I am really good friends with and I agreed with.”
The 26-year-old Connolly has a career-high 42 points (20 goals) in 74 games with the Capitals this season.
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There a dozen NHL games tonight with Vancouver and Toronto the only Canadian teams idle.
Montreal, one point behind Columbus for the last Eastern Conference wild-card playoff spot, entertains the NY Islanders.
The Blue Jackets face off in Edmonton.
Elsewhere, Western Conference leading Calgary hosts Ottawa and Winnipeg is at Vegas.
WORLD WOMEN’S CURLING CHAMPIONSHIP: (in Silkeborg, Denmark)
Canada 8 China 7 (Wednesday)
Switzerland 9 Canada 3 (Draw 15 today-Thursday)
Canada 9 Russia 6 (Draw 16: Today-Thursday)
Canada remains in playoff contention after Thursday’s action with a 5-5 record.
On Friday, Canada meets Sweden (1:00 a.m. PT) and Denmark (11:00 a.m).
The top six teams advance to the playoffs, with the top two earning byes to the semifinals.
Rachel Brown of Smithers (who moved to Edmonton in 2006) is the lead on the Canadian team that is skipped by Chelsea Carey of Calgary.
The draw/results right here.
The standings are right here.
The 2020 women’s world curling championship will be held in Prince George.
NBA:
Toronto Raptors 123 Oklahoma City Thunder 114 (OT)
The same two teams meet again Friday in Toronto.
The (51-21) Raptors are second in the NBA Eastern Conference, 2 games behind the (53-19) Milwaukee Bucks with 10 games left for each team.