Good afternoon from Canadian Press Sports!
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HOCKEY
Miller, Martin return to Canucks' lineup
HKN-Canucks-COVID
The Vancouver Canucks got two players back from the NHL's COVID-19 protocol ahead of a crucial matchup with the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday.J.T. Miller missed two games and goalie Spencer Martin missed Sunday's outing after testing positive for the virus. 160 words. MOVED. PHOTO.
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SOCCER
Whitecaps loan 'keeper Evan Newton to USL
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The Vancouver Whitecaps are down another goalkeeper after sending veteran Evan Newton out on loan. The club announced Tuesday that it has loaned Newton, 33, to El Paso Locomotive FC of the USL Championship through the end of the 2022 season. 178 words. MOVED
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Crepeau still on the move
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UNDATED — Recently traded from the Vancouver Whitecaps to Los Angeles FC, Maxime Crepeau is still on the move. Currently in camp in Florida with Canada, the goalkeeper is headed to Honduras and El Salvador with a game in Hamilton in between as the Canadian men play three crucial World Cup qualifiers in a week. 900 words. By Neil Davidson. PHOTO. MOVED
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Toronto FC acquires MacNaughton from Pacific FC
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Toronto FC continued to rebuild its roster Tuesday, acquiring defender Lukas MacNaughton from Canadian Premier League champion Pacific FC for an undisclosed transfer fee. MacNaughton, who joined TFC at its California training camp last week, is signed through 2023 with options for 2024 and 2025. 350 words. By Neil Davidson. MOVED. PHOTO.
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League1 Ontario to add promotion/relegation
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League1 Ontario, a pro-am soccer circuit that continues to grow, is revamping its competition structure to three tiers with promotion and relegation. 530 words. By Neil Davidson. MOVED.
FOOTBALL
Victor Cui named Elks president and CEO
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The Edmonton Elks have named Victor Cui as the CFL club's new president and chief executive officer. Cui, who was born and raised in Edmonton, co-founded the Singapore-based One Championship mixed martial arts promotion, which made its debut in 2011 and now broadcasts to over 150 countries and is currently valued at over US$1 billion. 670 words. By Steven Sandor. MOVED. PHOTO
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Calgary Stampeders re-sign five-time all-star kicker Rene Paredes
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The Calgary Stampeders have re-signed five-time CFL all-star kicker Rene Paredes. Paredes was set to become a free agent next month, but instead is returning to the team he has spent 10 seasons and won two Grey Cups with. 191 words. MOVED. PHOTO
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Argonauts sign linebacker Muamba to extension
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The Toronto Argonauts have signed Canadian linebacker Henoc Muamba to a contract extension. The 32-year-old had 49 defensive tackles, two special teams tackles and one interception in 10 games with the Argonauts last season, his first with Toronto. 200 words. MOVED. PHOTO.
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OLYMPICS
Canada mixes youth and experience in quest for Olympic men's hockey gold
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Canada is turning to a mix of youthful exuberance and battle-scarred experience in its quest for Olympic men's hockey gold minus the country's NHL stars. Eric Staal, 37, and Mason McTavish, 18, are two centres bookending the 25-man roster announced Tuesday for the upcoming Beijing Games. 900 words. By Josh Clipperton. MOVED. PHOTO
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OLYMPIC PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION CONTENT
Grenier ready for Olympic return
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UNDATED — It’s been a long journey back to the Olympics, but Valerie Grenier has done it. Along with Marie-Michele Gagnon she is a veteran on an increasingly young Canadian women’s alpine ski team. 600 words. By John Chidley-Hill. MOVED. PHOTO
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Canadian athletes quiet on China front, journalists won't be
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UNDATED - Canadian athletes have essentially stuck to sports in the lead up to the 2022 Olympics. Don't expect the same from the columnists and reporters who are set to descend on Beijing. They're preparing to dive in to a bounty of storylines - on and off the field of play - at a Winter Games unlike any other. 900 words. By Gregory Strong. MOVED. PHOTO.
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CRICKET
Canada's batting attack fizzles at U19 World Cup
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Canada's batting attack fizzled Tuesday in an 94-run loss to Ireland in consolation Plate play at the ICC Under-19 Men's Cricket World Cup. 260 words. MOVED.
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TENNIS
Nadal defeats Shapovalov at Australian Open
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MELBOURNE - Denis Shapovalov is out of the Australian Open in the quarterfinals after a 6-3, 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3 loss to Rafael Nadal Tuesday. 877 words. By Stephanie Myles. MOVED. PHOTO
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COMING LATER
NHL: Buffalo Sabres at Ottawa Senators, 7pm start (CP); Florida Panthers at Winnipeg Jets, 8 pm start (CP); Edmonton Oilers at Vancouver Canucks, 10 pm start (CP - GKS)
TENNIS: Montreal's Felix Auger Aliassime faces Daniil Medvedev in quarterfinal match at Australian Open. Scheduled for 3:30 a.m
NBA: The Charlotte Hornets at Toronto Raptors, 7 pm start (CP)
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AP TOP STORIES
FBN--SAINTS-PAYTON RESIGNS
NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton, whose 15-year tenure with the club included its only Super Bowl championship and also a one-season suspension stemming from the NFL’s bounty investigation, intends to retire from coaching. A person familiar with the situation tells the AP that the 58-year-old Payton was stepping down. By Brett Martel. SENT: 400 words. Will be updated from media availability beginning shortly.
BBO--HALL OF FAME
Baseball’s Hall of Fame is set to reveal its class of 2022. David Ortiz, Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens appear to be the only players with a chance at enshrinement, with Ortiz the most likely in his first year of eligibility. By Baseball Writer Jake Seiner. UPCOMING: 750 words, photos. Announcement at 6:15 p.m.
BBO--LOCKOUT
Negotiators for Major League Baseball players and owners are to meet for the second straight day following the union's decision a day earlier to eliminate its proposal for more liberalized free agency. By Baseball Writer Ronald Blum. UPCIMING: 700 words by 8 p.m.
TEN--AUSTRALIAN OPEN
MELBOURNE, Australia — It’s the second day of quarterfinals at Melbourne Park and second-seeded Daniil Medvedev is expecting one of the toughest challenges to him collecting a second consecutive Grand Slam singles title when he plays 21-year-old Felix Auger-Aliassime. They’ve played twice recently — in the U.S. Open semifinals last year and in the ATP Cup semis this year, and the Russian player has won both matches. By John Pye. UPCOMING: 850 words, photos. Medvedev/Auger-Aliassime match begins around 3:30 a.m.
AF--CAMEROON-STADIUM STAMPEDE
YAOUNDE, Cameroon — The death toll in a stampede outside a game at the African Cup of Nations soccer tournament in Cameroon rises to eight, as witnesses blame security officials for making fatal errors and competition organizers decide to suspend all further games at the stadium pending an investigation. By Edwin Kindzeka Moki and Isifu Wirfengla. SENT: 780 words, photos.
OLY--BEIJING-2008 VS 2022
The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics open in just over a week. When Beijing held the Summer Olympics in 2008, the International Olympic Committee predicted the Games could improve human rights, and Chinese politicians hinted at the same. There are no soaring promises this time. The Games are again a reminder of China’s rise, but also its disregard for civil liberties. By Sports Writer Stephen Wade. SENT: 1,070 words, photos.
COMMENTARY
FBN--BEHIND THE CALL
A popular sentiment is that the divisional round of NFL football playoffs marked the best weekend in the NFL's 102-year history, and all four games came down to the greatest toes on turf nailing field goals that either produced road upsets or sent the game into overtime. By Pro Football Writer Arnie Stapleton. SENT: 1,200 words, photos. With FBN--Chiefs-Butker (sent) and FBN--Bengals-Marvelous McPherson (upcoming).
GLF--ON THE FRINGE-LATIN AMERICA
The idea behind the Latin America Amateur was to create heroes, and that’s what the latest winner hopes to do. That’s a tall order for Aaron Jarvis. He will be the first player from the Cayman Islands to play in the Masters, amazing considering he grew up on an island with one 18-hole golf course. By Golf Writer Doug Ferguson. SENT: 950 words, photos. With GLF--Golf Notes and GLF--Golf Glance (both sent).
NOTABLE
BKN--LAKERS-NETS
NEW YORK — Anthony Davis is expected to return from a knee injury when the Los Angeles Lakers visit the Brooklyn Nets. By Basketball Writer Brian Mahoney. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos. Game starts 7:30 p.m.
HKN--FLYERS-ISLANDERS
NEW YORK — Philadelphia defenseman Keith Yandle tries to become the NHL Iron Man when the Flyers visit the New York Islanders a day after he tied the record of 964 consecutive games played. UPCOMING: 600 words, photos. Game starts 7:30 p.m.
BKC--T25-ARIZONA-UCLA
LOS ANGELES — No. 3 Arizona, atop the Pac-12 with a 6-0 mark, visits ninth-ranked UCLA. The Bruins are 7-1 at home. By Beth Harris. UPCOMING: 650 words, photos. Game starts 11 p.m.
BKC--T25-TOP 25 THIS WEEK
The Big 12 and Southeastern Conference have a big weekend ahead on the hardwood in the latest incarnation of their cross-conference challenge. Auburn puts its new No. 1 ranking on the line against Oklahoma, fourth-ranked Baylor faces Alabama, No. 13 Texas Tech plays Mississippi State, No. 18 Tennessee heads to Texas and Missouri visits No. 13 Iowa State. Oh, and there's a little matchup at Allen Fieldhouse on Saturday night between No. 12 Kentucky and fifth-ranked Kansas, the two winningest programs in the history of college basketball. By Dave Skretta. SENT: 750 words, photos.
GLF--FARMERS INSURANCE PREVIEW OPEN
SAN DIEGO — Jon Rahm wants a challenge, and he's back at a course where he has met every challenge splendidly. The world No. 1 returns to the site of his U.S. Open victory this week for the Farmers Insurance Open, a tournament he has also won before. By Greg Beacham. UPCOMING: 600 words, photos by 8 p.m.
CAR--IMSA-DAYTONA-ROLEX 24
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Kamui Kobayashi is seeking a third victory this weekend in the Rolex 24 at Daytona in what he worries might be his final tour of the United States. The Japanese driver is again slated to drive four IMSA endurance races this year with Jimmie Johnson, but a manufacturer conflict in 2023 could prohibit him from competing in North America’s sports car series.. By Auto Racing Writer Jenna Fryer. UPCOMING: 850 words, photos by 5 p.m.
OLY--FIG-SKATING'S RIVALRIES
In the pantheon of figure skating rivalries, Nancy and Tonya stand above the rest. But there have been plenty of head-to-head battles over the years, including Katarina Witt vs. Debi Thomas and the showdowns between American ice dancers Meryl Davis and Charlie White and Canadians Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir. But here’s another, and one that will come to a climax in Beijing: three-time and reigning world champion Nathan Chen against two-time and reigning Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu. By Dave Skretta. SENT: 950 words, photos.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 25, 2022.
The Canadian Press
