The Calgary Flames & other sports related stuff

[JustKelli]

Avalanche embarrassed the Preds 9-4 last night, my Flames beat the Devils 5-2. Devils are here in Edmonton tonight after we soften teams up in Calgary first lol. Below are all the scores from last night

[JustKelli]

Team OHL win over Russia in Kitchener

Team OHL impressed in Game 3 of the CIBC Canada-Russia series at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium

about 7 hours ago*
By:*Mark Pare

1*/*15*Team OHL's Cole Perfetti (Saginaw Spirit) scores on Team Russia during the first period of a 2019 CIBC Canada-Russia series game in Kitchener. Mark Pare/KitchenerToday

On a team full of veterans, four of the youngest players on the ice got their chance in the spotlight.

Quinton Byfield (Sudbury Wolves) and Cole Perfetti (Saginaw Spirit) --- both expected to go in the top five of the 2020 NHL Draft --- contributed in a big way to Team OHL's 4-1 win over Team Russia in Game 3 of the CIBC Canada-Russia series Thursday night in Kitchener.

Perfetti scored the game winner in the first period, while Byfield added a pair of assists.

Jamie Drysdale (Erie Otters) had an assist, and Ryan O'Rourke (Soo Greyhounds) was part of a solid defensive effort.

Each weren't invited to Team Canada's World Junior summer showcase. *But it seems the quartet are in it together to make an impression and make the national roster for next month's tournament.

"We're always hanging out at the hotel, we're good friends off the ice," Byfield says, "We always support each other on the ice as well, and all three of them are exceptional players. *I think we just drive off each other, and the energy between all of us really is strong."

Team OHL head coach Dale Hunter liked what he saw by the young guns, especially against a "big, heavy team" from Russia.

"They held their own against big, strong guys that are a lot older than them, so that's a credit to them," he said.

Hunter went on to talk about the defense that held up until Russia broke the shutout bid with 42 seconds left in regulation, a goal by Vladislav Mikhailov.

"(Nico) Daws (Guelph Storm) had to make some big saves early," Hunter said, "And then late in the game, we gave up like three or four right in a row. *Both goalies played really solid."

Daws stopped 13 shots before Cedrick Andree (Ottawa 67's)*took over halfway through the second, something Hunter says was pre-planned. *Andree stopped 13 of the 14 shots he faced.

The toughest decision for Team Canada brass could very well be who gets the nod as the starter in the Czech Republic. *Hunter says the race is wide open.

"We have some good goalies. *You saw tonight, out in the (QMJHL) and we'll see them out west (with Team WHL)," he said, "You go from summer camp, and then you go to the season, then you go to this tournament, and then you go to the season again, then you go back to training camp again. *So they got five times they can show their stuff."

"The cream always rises, and we'll pick the best kids."

Down the bench was Kitchener Rangers bench boss Jay McKee, serving as an Assistant Coach. *He says it wasn't weird at all to share the bench with Hunter, head coach of the rival London Knights.

"He's a great guy off the ice, away from the bench, real easy to talk to," he said, "It was a privilege. *He's a guy I looked up to when he was a player. *And as a coach, his track record of developing and winning is second to none."

Akil Thomas (Niagara IceDogs), Ty Dellandrea (Flint Firebirds) and Connor McMichael (London Knights) scored the other three Team OHL goals.

Team OHL remains undefeated at The Aud, also winning in 2005 and 2007.

The fourth game of the series goes Monday night in London.

Russia split the first two games of the series against the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League on Monday and Tuesday.

The Russian team will wrap up the series with two games against a Western Hockey League team.

(With files from The Canadian Press)

[JustKelli]

It's put up or shut up time in the CFL this Sunday as Edmonton is in Montreal and Winnipeg is in Calgary for the semifinals...

Saskatchewan awaits the west winner and Hamilton awaits the east winner next weekend.

The Grey Cup is in Calgary on November 24th.

Rememberbrance Day is November 11th

#LestWeForget

[JustKelli]

You can add the NJ Devils to the list of teams that hate Alberta after the 4-0 loss to.the Oilers tonight to go with the 5-1 loss to Calgary yesterday.

The Jets beat the Canucks 4-1, Detroit beat Boston 4-2 and the Lightning beat the Sabres 3-2.

11games tomorrow including the Blues putting their 6 game win streak on the line in Calgary.

The Capitals are currently 1st overall followed by the Blues, Bruins, Islanders, Oilers and then the Flames.

[JustKelli]

Edmonton Grads

The*Edmonton Grads*were a Canadian women's*basketball*team. While long disbanded, the team continues to hold the North American record for the sports team with the best winning percentage. The Grads won the first women's world title in basketball in 1924.[1][2]

Origins

In 1912, 25-year-old teacher John Percy Page[3]*had moved from*Ontario*to*Edmonton,*Alberta, where he was employed by local high schools to organize commercial classes. Page soon taught commercial classes at the newly-established McDougall High School. When Page decided to organize basketball teams for the school, his teaching assistant chose to coach the boys team, while Page coached the girls.[4]*Despite having only a basic knowledge of basketball, Page improved his understanding of the sport through study. He held practices twice-weekly. The high school had no gym, so students practised basketball on an outdoor court throughout the year, even during frigid winter weather.[5]*Beginning their first year of competitive play in 1914, the McDougall High School girls team won a local high school tournament.[4][6]

Upon graduation from McDougall High School in mid-1915, the team members decided they wanted to continue playing basketball, establishing what eventually became the Commercial Graduates Basketball Club.[7]Their new basketball team was called the Commercial Graduates (known informally as "the Grads").[8]*Page remained coach for the team. Members were recruited primarily from McDougall High School students and graduates, but also from other business and technical schools.[7]*Page also established a feeder system to train and recruit his new players: promising high school students were invited to join a secondary team called the Gradettes, and the best Gradettes were promoted to the Grads whenever a space opened up.[9]

Early years

In 1915, the Grads defeated women's basketball teams across Alberta to become provincial champions.[9]*Teams were allowed to challenge the title holders to a match at any time during the year—with a three-month wait between rematches, if defeated—and the Grads successfully held on to their trophy for the next several years.[10]. In 1917, with a growing reputation for beating all challengers, the Grads retained their provincial champion status without needing to defend it once.[9]

In April 1919, the University of Alberta Varsity team challenged the Grads, winning the match by two points and taking the trophy. In November of that year, the Grads had a rematch and successfully regained their title as provincial champions.[10]*The University of Alberta challenged the Grads again in April 1920 and lost the match, but immediately demanded another game, complaining that the Grads had improperly allowed a younger high-school-aged player on their team. After another game, the Grads lost the title to their rivals once more.[11]

National championship

In May 1922, the Grads played the London (Ontario) Shamrocks to determine the inaugural Dominion of Canada’s women’s basketball championships. The first game was played with Canadian girls rules (six players on the court), while the second game was played with Canadian boys rules (five players on the court). The Grads won the first game by a score of 41-8, while the Grads lost the second game by a score of 21-8. By a cumulative score, the Grads won 49-29, and were awarded the championship. The roster of this team included: Dorothy and Daisy Johnson, Noel Robertson, Winnie Martin, Eleanor Mountifield, Nellie Perry and Connie Smith.[12]

North American Underwood Trophy

In 1923, Canadian and American women's basketball champion teams competed for the first international Underwood Trophy. The Edmonton Grads faced off against the Cleveland Favorite-Knits and defeated them with a two-game score of 53–33, becoming the inaugural Underwood Trophy winners.[7]

Olympic games

The Grads retained their amateur status to make sure they would be eligible for the Olympics if basketball was made an official Olympic sport.[13]*In 1924, the Grads were invited to play at the*summer Olympic games in Paris.[14]*They won every game, defeating women's teams from Paris, Roubaix, Strasbourg and Lille with an average score of 60-10.[15]*After their final match, the team travelled through Europe on holiday. Page and two of his players — Winnie Martin and Daisy Johnson — returned to Paris for the third congress of the*Fédération Sportive Féminine Internationale*(International Women's Sports Federation). The federation formally admitted Canada as a member and declared the Grads world basketball champions, permitting the team to hold the title until the next world games.[16]

Returning home as world champions, the Grads gained new sponsors and financial support in Canada. Page secured the Edmonton Arena as a permanent home venue for the team.[15]*Although the Grads were hopeful of returning to Europe for the*Women's World Games*of 1926, basketball was not included at that year's event, and the Grads remained in North America to compete against Canadian and American teams.[17]

Over the next two years, the Grads advocated for the inclusion of basketball — both men's and women's — as a sport at the*1928 Summer Olympics. Despite support from the*Canadian Olympic Committee, this request was denied by the*International Olympic Committee, and basketball did not receive a place on the program. However, the Fédération Sportive Féminine Internationale had organized a European women's basketball tour in cooperation with the Olympics, and the federation invited the Grads to travel to*Amsterdam, Netherlands, to defend their world title.[18]*After winning the Canadian women's championship of 1928, the Grads arrived in Europe and played nine matches. They won every match, beating most teams by 60 or 70 points, and the Grads finished their tour by defeating the French champions by 46-14.[19]

In addition to dominating their sport in North America, the Grads also took on the best teams in Europe, ultimately defeating challengers in Paris, London, Amsterdam, and Berlin.[20]*The Grads swept four consecutive*Olympic Games*from 1924 to 1936, winning all 24 Olympic matches they played. This achievement was unrecognized on the medal podium, however, as women's basketball did not become an official Olympic sport until the*1976 summer games*in*Montreal.[7]

Disbandment

In 1940, the*Royal Canadian Air Force*took over the Edmonton Arena for wartime use,[21]depriving the Grads of a local space in which to play against international teams. The commencement of World War II disrupted regular basketball competition throughout Europe and beyond, causing the cancellation of tournaments and championships and making it increasingly difficult for sports teams to travel.*[22]*Additionally, despite Page's continuous efforts to find suitable competition over the years,[23]*no team had ever proven themselves consistently good enough to be a clear rival for the Grads. The Grads' dominance in basketball no longer attracted the same attention it had before, and regular game attendance had been shrinking.[24]

In May 1940, the Grads won their last Canadian championship before disbanding.[25]*Dr. James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, called the Grads the "finest basketball team that ever stepped out on a floor."[26]

Some Grads players went on to join other Canadian basketball teams, such as the Comets and the Hedlunds.[7]*The Grads continued to stay in touch with each other after disbandment, meeting for reunions every four years.[14]*In 1961, the Grads decided to form an official organization to help them stay connected and answer public inquiries about the team. They established the Edmonton Grads Club, beginning to collect and preserve archive material and memorabilia, and the group continued to hold official reunions until 1987.[27]

On January 20, 2018, the last surviving member of the Grads, Kay MacBeth, died at the age of 96.[28]

[JustKelli]

Big championship soccer game in Toronto tomorrow...

[JustKelli]

You don't need to like the Leafs to love this story.



Young Leafs fan devastated after no one came to his birthday party gets present of a lifetime


Published Nov. 9, 2019 12:49 p.m. ET

Updated 30 minutes ago

TORONTO -- A young Toronto Maple Leafs fan, who was devastated after no one showed up to his birthday party, was given the present of a lifetime.

Newfoundland boy Kade Foster received high-profile birthday wishes earlier this week after members of the*Maple Leafs*learned he spent his birthday alone.*

The 11-year-old's father tagged Leafs forwards Mitch Marner and John Tavares in a tweet following the disappointing birthday party.*

"My son Kade had his 11th birthday party last night. None of his invited friends came," Jason Foster said in the tweet.*

"I'm hurt. I’m asking my Twitter friends to show him some love today. If you have a minute, please send him a birthday wish."

A photo linked to the tweet showed Kade in a Maple Leafs t-shirt, with a Leafs birthday cake in front of him.

"Wanted to wish my friend Kade a Happy 11th Birthday! Your friends from the Maple Leafs have a surprise gift coming your way!" Marner tweeted in response.

On Saturday, the Leafs posted a photo to their Twitter account showing Kade with multiple members of the team.*

"Meeting the guys," the tweet said.*

Air Canada paid for the Foster family to fly from Newfoundland to Toronto. He watched the Leafs practice on Saturday morning and was given tickets for the game against the Philadelphia Flyers tonight.

This morning, Kade, along with his family, fist bumped the Leaf players as they headed onto the ice for practice.*

“You never want to see a kid go through that, especially on his birthday," Leafs defencemen*Tyson Barrie told reporters on Satuday.*

"I think he enjoyed it and it's important for the game."

Meanwhile, Maple Leafs captain*John Tavares said he wanted to make sure Kade had an "incredible" birthday experience.

"Every birthday experience - especially at that age - is special, so when that came across we wanted to give him something to celebrate and be happy about," Tavares said.**

Earlier this week, Leafs head coach Mike Babcock said NHL stars should give back to supporters when given the chance.

"Well, why wouldn't they? Part of your job with the notoriety you're given, the opportunity you're given, is to be a good person," Babcock said Monday. "And not just when cameras are watching, but be a good person all the time.

"When you have a chance to make someone's life better, you should. I don't know what we're doing for him here, but I imagine it'll be fun. When you reach out and you help anybody, it's just not just good for them. It's good for your soul, too. Makes you feel good about yourself. I think it's important our guys do that."

With files from The Canadian Press.*

[JustKelli]

Edmonton leads Montreal 25-19 at the half. +6C and dry in Montreal.

-22C and snowing in Calgary with the game 2 hours away.

Congrats to the U-18 ladies national champions



ONTARIO RED 3, SASKATCHEWAN 1

Sarah Campbell recorded a goal and an assist, and Grace Nelles and Olivia Wallin scored key goals in the second period to propel Ontario Red to its fifth-straight gold.

[wildwest08]

Originally Posted by JustKelli

Edmonton Grads

On January 20, 2018, the last surviving member of the Grads, Kay MacBeth, died at the age of 96.[28]

Kay MacBeth

R.I.P.

.

[JustKelli]

Blue Bombers reach West Division final with win over Stampeders

Canadian Press
November 10, 2019, 7:32 PM

CALGARY — Zach Collaros is going back to where he started his CFL season, but wearing enemy colours.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers employed a one-two quarterback punch of Collaros and Chris Streveler to beat the Calgary Stampeders 35-14 in Sunday’s West Division semifinal.

The Bombers head to Regina for next Sunday’s West final against the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

The victor there represents the West in the Grey Cup in Calgary on Nov. 24.

A Roughrider to start the season, Collaros was traded twice and arrived in Winnipeg on Oct. 9 via the Toronto Argonauts.

"Odd? I don’t know if it’s odd," the 31-year-old pivot said. "It just so happens we’re going back to the place I started the year at.

"It is what it is. Things happen. I was fortunate enough a month ago that I was traded there at the deadline to this great organization with these great teammates."

The Blue Bombers (11-7) finished third in the West Division behind the Roughriders (13-5) and Stampeders (12-6).

The Edmonton Eskimos (8-10) crossed over from the West to beat the Montreal Alouettes 37-29 earlier Sunday in the East Division semifinal.

The Esks take on the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in next Sunday’s East final.

Trailing 14-8 at halftime, the Bombers scored 27 unanswered points, including 20 in the fourth quarter, in front of an announced 24,278 at chilly McMahon Stadium.

Morning snowfall halted and gave way to partly cloudy skies at kickoff with a temperature of minus-14.

Collaros completed 11 of 21 pass attempts for 193 yards and one touchdown pass in his second straight start as a Bomber.

Streveler had taken over as Bombers’ starter when Matt Nichols went down with a shoulder injury in August.

Streveler was sidelined in Winnipeg’s regular-season finale with an ankle injury, but he returned Sunday to lead the Bombers in rushing with 82 yards including a 24-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.

"This guy’s a warrior. Toughest guy in the league," Collaros said. "For sure in a game like tonight, it definitely helps. I’m sure it will help moving forward. Just the threat of that.

"Just the (opposing) team having to spend extra time for his abilities and for some of the things we do offensively, it definitely helps."

Nic Demski and Darvin Adams scored touchdowns and Justin Medlock kicked four field goals for Winnipeg.

Reggie Begelton scored two touchdowns for the host Stampeders, who had appeared in three straight Grey Cup games and won last year in Edmonton.

But Calgary will not defend its title on home turf.

"Sometimes in football it’s, ‘are you better than the man across from you?" Calgary head coach Dave Dickenson said. "Tonight we definitely were not.

"The reality is when you don’t play well in the playoffs, you’re one and done. You’re out. Just so happened to be a little earlier this year."

Stampeder quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell was without his favourite target — injured receiver Eric Rogers — and struggled completing just 12 of 28 pass attempts for 116 yards.

Two of his three interceptions were in the fourth quarter.

"Didn’t execute when we had to," Mitchell said. "Me and the receivers being a little bit off some things route-wise, yardage-wise, distance-wise. Didn’t have my stuff today."

The Bombers had the advantage of playing Calgary three straight games — twice to end their regular season — and also ended the season on a bye week for extra semifinal prep.

"It was important," acknowledged Blue Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea.

Added Mitchell: "They did a good job switching up some of their coverages. Stuff they’ve been running all year, they did a great job lining up that way and then dropping into a different zone."

Streveler ranked second in Bomber rushing with 726 yards behind CFL rushing leader Andrew Harris (1,380), who totalled 57 yards on the ground Sunday.

"They put out the story that Shreve had a broken foot and whether or not that’s actually true, it doesn’t really matter," Mitchell said. "He came out and balled out.

"You could see they had plan to, as far as the weather, just trying to run the ball in different ways and they did a good job of that."