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Here are our top stories:
OLYMPICS
Golden again: Canadian women back on top of Olympic hockey world with win over U.S.
OLY-Canada-Roundup
BEIJING - Who else but Marie-Philip Poulin? The big-time performer who has made a career of thriving on hockey's biggest stages did it again Thursday in Beijing, helping Canada reclaim Olympic women's hockey gold against its arch rival. MOVED. PHOTO.
HOCKEY
McDavid still disappointed to miss Olympics
HKN-McDavid-Olympics
UNDATED -- Connor McDavid is still disappointed to not be on the ice at the Beijing Olympics, but the superstar is still finding ways to watch and cheer on his fellow Canadians. He's also looking forward to the day he finally gets to compete wearing the Maple Leaf. By Gemma Karstens-Smith. 660 words. PHOTO. MOVED.
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IIHF reschedules world junior event to August 2022
HKO-World-Junior
BEIJING -- President Luc Tardif of the International Ice Hockey Federation says the 2022 world junior men's tournament will be played this summer in Canada. The tournament began in December in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alta., but was postponed after just four days due to COVID-19 concerns. 328 words. MOVED.
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Western Hockey League playoffs scheduled to begin April 22
HKO-WHL-Schedule
CALGARY -- The Western Hockey League playoffs will begin April 22, the league announced Thursday. 107 words. MOVED.
SOCCER
Canadian women renew rivalry with England
SOC-Canada-England
MIDDLESBROUGH, England -- Janine Beckie's elegant second-half strike lifted Canada into a 1-1 draw with England at the Arnold Clark Cup on Thursday. The first outing of the year for Olympic-champion Canada came with a shaky first half that saw eighth-ranked England dominate. But No. 6 Canada responded in the second half. 780 words. MOVED. Will be updated. PHOTO.
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FOOTBALL
Lions sign defensive backs Rugamba, Claybourne
FBO-CFL-Lions-Moves
VANCOUVER -- The B.C. Lions signed American defensive backs Manny Rugamba and Mallory Claybourne on Thursday. 100 words. MOVED.
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Alouettes sign American defensive back Darius Williams to one-year contract
FBO-CFL-Alouettes-Moves
MONTREAL -- The Montreal Alouettes signed American defensive back Darius Williams to a one-year contract Thursday. 70 words. MOVED.
COMING LATER:
NHL: Pittsburgh at Toronto, 7 pm (CP); St. Louis at Montreal, 7 pm (CP); Ottawa at Buffalo, 7 pm (AP); Seattle at Winnipeg, 8 pm (CP); Anaheim at Edmonton, 9 pm (CP); Vancouver at Los Angeles, 10:30 pm (AP)
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AP SPORTS DIGEST
TOP STORIES
BBO--LOCKOUT
NEW YORK — On what was supposed to be the second day of spring training, negotiations aimed at ending Major League Baseball’s lockout resumed at the office of the players’ association. The meeting lasted about 15 minutes. Baseball’s first stoppage since 1995 was in its 78th day. There is little chance exhibition games will start as scheduled on Feb. 26, and opening day on March 31 will soon be threatened. By Baseball Writer Ronald Blum. SENT: 300 words, photos. Will be updated.
OLY--FIG-WOMEN'S FREE
BEIJING — Anna Shcherbakova won a gold medal in women’s figure skating at the Beijing Games, while Russian teammate Kamila Valieva tumbled all the way out of the medals after a mistake-filled end to her controversial Olympics. By Dave Skretta. SENT: 1,000 words, photos. With OLY--FIG-Russia-What’s Next? (Sent).
CAR--NASCAR-DAYTONA-DUELS
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The field is set for the Daytona 500 in a pair of qualifying races, with six divers vying for four open spots. The front row was set in Wednesday night time trials. By Auto Racing Writer Jenna Fryer. UPCOMING: 800 words, photos. First race begins at 7:10 pm. With CAR--NASCAR-Daytona-23XI Racing (Sent), CAR--NASCAR-Daytona-Diversity (Sent) and CAR--NASCAR-Daytona-Trucks (Upcoming).
SWM--IVY LEAGUE-TRANSGENDER-ATHLETES
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — When Iszac Henig reached out to fellow Ivy League swimmer Lia Thomas last year, it was simply to offer support for another transgender athlete who was going through a similar experience. Four months later their stories are at the center of an ongoing debate about the rules governing the participation of transgender athletes. By Kyle Hightower. UPCOMING: 650 words, photos by 8 p.m.
NOTABLE
BKN--ALL-STAR WEEKEND PREVIEW
The NBA All-Star weekend is about celebrating the very best in the game today. This year, it's also about the stars of yesterday, as the league honors its 75th anniversary team during the festivities in Cleveland. By Basketball Writer Brian Mahoney. SENT: 675 words, photos.
BKN--76ERS-BUCKS
MILWAUKEE — Two nights after scoring 50 points in a victory over Indiana, Giannis Antetokounmpo leads the Milwaukee Bucks against Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers. By Steve Megargee. UPCOMING: 600 words, photos. Game starts 8:30 p.m.
FBN--VIKINGS-O'CONNELL ARRIVES
EAGAN, Minn. — The Minnesota Vikings finally introduce Kevin O'Connell as the 10th head coach in franchise history, 38 days after firing Mike Zimmer and deciding to take the team in a more modern direction. By Pro Football Writer Dave Campbell. UPCOMING: 750 words, photos by 8 p.m.
BBA--SKAGGS TRIAL-DEATH
FORT WORTH, Texas — Federal prosecutors said they proved a former Los Angeles Angels employee was the only person who could have given Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs the drugs that led to his death, while a defense attorney suggested in closing arguments that the government’s case against Eric Kay was built on assumptions. By Schuyler Dixon. SENT: 600 words, photos.
GLF--GENESIS INVITATIONAL
LOS ANGELES — Jon Rahm and Rory McIlroy and the rest of the top 10 in the world are all at Riviera, a gathering of stars in LA, as the Genesis Invitational begins. By Golf Writer Doug Ferguson. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos by 5 p.m.
OLY--HKW-GOLD MEDAL-US-CANADA
BEIJING — Marie-Philip Poulin scored twice and Canada reclaimed its place atop the women’s hockey world with a 3-2 win over the defending champion United States at the Beijing Olympics. By Hockey Writer John Wawrow. SENT: 990 words, photos. With OLY--HKW-US-Missing Decker (Sent).
OLY--USOPC-DOPING
ZHANGJIAKOU, China — The leader of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee calls the decision not to award American figure skaters the silver medal they won in the team competition an outcome that is “frankly, unfair to the athletes.” By National Writer Eddie Pells. SENT: 575 words photos.
OLY--BEIJING-INVISIBLE OLYMPICS
The Olympics are back in Beijing this year but the atmosphere is much more subdued. Only a select few can watch in person because of the pandemic. Technology has also changed the way people experience major sporting events in the 14 years since the 2008 Games Olympics — and helped those in the host city and globally engage in an Olympics they cannot attend. By Technology Writer Zen Soo. SENT: 850 words, photos.
OLY--FRE-EILEEN'S GOALS
ZHANGJIAKOU, China — Another Olympic gold medal is hers for the taking. Eileen Gu has bigger goals than that. The 18-year-old freeskiing star spelled it all out during a candid, sometimes raw, Q&A after she breezed through her qualifying round on the halfpipe Thursday. By National Writer Eddie Pells. SENT: 980 words, photos.
OLY--FRE-HALFPIPE CRASHES
ZHANGJIAKOU, China — Freestyle skier Jon Sallinen’s first run in Olympic halfpipe qualifying wasn’t picture perfect. He drifted out of the halfpipe and collided with a photographer. He fell again on his second run. It's all just a snapshot of a dangerous sport that leaves most of these athletes with scars both inside and out. By Pat Graham. SENT: 700 words, photos.
OLY--SPD-SPEEDSKATING
BEIJING — Miho Takagi of Japan has won her fourth speedskating medal of the Beijing Games and the first individual gold of her career with an Olympic-record victory in the women’s 1,000 meters. The silver went to Jutta Leerdam of the Netherlands. Brittany Bowe of the United States claimed the first individual medal of her career with a bronze. By National Writer Paul Newberry. SENT: 880 words, photos.
OLY--2026 WINTER OLYMPICS-CONCERNS
BEIJING — Several skiers have expressed reservations about how the next Winter Olympics are being organized. The men will be competing in Bormio and the women in Cortina d'Ampezzo for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Games. The Italian games mark a return to Europe after three Olympics in Asia and the 2010 edition in Vancouver. By Andrew Dampf. SENT: 650 words, photos.
BKW--T25-LOUISVILLE-NORTH CAROLINA
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — No. 3 Louisville visits No. 24 North Carolina in the Cardinals' effort to stay close to league-leading North Carolina State in the Atlantic Coast Conference standings. By Aaron Beard. UPCOMING: 650 words photos. Game starts 6 p.m.
SOC--US SOCCER-PRESIDENT'S RACE
NEW YORK — While the U.S. men’s national team is fighting to get back to the World Cup, a behind-the-scenes scuffle is taking place for American soccer's leadership. Carlos Corderio is trying to oust Cindy Parlow Cone, who took over as U.S. Soccer Federation president in March 2020 when Cordeiro quit following legal filings that denigrated women players. By Ronald Blum. SENT: 1,000 words, photos.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published February 17, 2022.
The Canadian Press
