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Here are our top stories:
HOCKEY
Vancouver Canucks name former agent Emilie Castonguay assistant GM
HKN-Canucks-Castonguay
The Vancouver Canucks have hired former player agent Emilie Castonguay to be assistant general manager. She is the first female assistant GM in Canucks history. MOVED. By Gemma Karstens-Smith. Will be updated. PHOTO.
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RUGBY
Arrows defend signing of player with criminal past
RGU-MLR-Arrows-Vikilani
The Toronto Arrows say newly signed forward Taitusi Vikilani, who served time for manslaughter for his part in a fatal stabbing seven years ago outside a Burnaby, B.C., SkyTrain station, deserves a second chance. Vikilani, the older brother of Arrows and Canada forward Siaki Vikilani, was sentenced to six months minus a day plus three years' probation in November 2017. 500 words. By Neil Davidson. MOVED
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SOCCER
Herdman draws on players from clubs in 11 countries for upcoming World Cup qualifiers
SOC-WCup-Canada-Qualifying
Coach John Herdman has drawn on players from clubs in 11 different countries for three crucial World Cup qualifiers. While some players were still in transit after weekend club matches, the Canadian men held their first practice Monday afternoon at Inter Miami's training ground in Fort Lauderdale. They face a challenging schedule with three matches in three countries across seven days, starting Thursday in Honduras. 642 words. By Neil Davidson. MOVED. PHOTO
OLYMPICS
Kingsbury enjoys skiing with a target on back
OLY-Fre-Canada
Mikaël Kingsbury has already captured Olympic gold. He's climbed the World Cup podium more than a hundred times. But Canada's moguls superstar believes he'll be better than ever in Beijing. The 29-year-old from Deux-Montagnes, Que., headlines Canada's 24-member freestyle ski team for the Beijing Olympics, a team so mighty it's tough just to make it. 847 words. By Lori Ewing. MOVED. PHOTO
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FOR OLYMPIC PREMIUM SUBSCRIBERS
Hockey phenom Fillier poised for breakout Olympics
OLY-HKW-Canada-Fillier
The first time Sarah Fillier played for Canada's women's hockey team, she found herself looking across a hotel room at her heroine. A rapt, nine-year-old Fillier watched on television as Marie-Philip Poulin scored twice for Canada in Vancouver en route to Olympic women's hockey gold in 2010. 800 words. By Donna Spencer. MOVED. PHOTO.
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FOOTBALL
Lions quarterback Reilly announces retirement
FBO-CFL-LIONS
The BC Lions announced today that quarterback Michael Reilly is retiring after 11 CFL seasons. 300 words. ETA 5:15 pm. PHOTO
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Saskatchewan Roughriders sign receiver Darvin Kidsy, defensive back Will Sunderland
FBO-CFL-ROUGHRIDERS
The Saskatchewan Roughriders bolstered their roster on Monday with the signings of wide receiver Darvin Kidsy and defensive back Will Sunderland. Both players are U.S. imports with National Football League experience. 129 words. MOVED.
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Calgary Stampeders re-sign O-lineman Williams
FBO-CFL-STAMPS
The Calgary Stampeders have re-signed Canadian offensive lineman Zack Williams. Williams, who was set to become a free agent next month, played all 14 games with the Stamps last season, including 13 starts at left guard. 147 words. MOVED.
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RB Wilder inks extension with Edmonton Elks
FBO-CFL-ELKS
The Edmonton Elks signed running back James Wilder Jr. to a one-year contract extension on Monday. 70 words. MOVED
TENNIS
Auger-Aliassime into QF at Australian Open
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Some 24 hours after Denis Shapovalov reached his first Australian Open men’s singles quarterfinal, his friend and countryman Félix Auger-Aliassime joined him in the final eight. Auger-Aliassime overcame a fast and furious start by 2018 finalist Marin Cilic and held on tight until he could turn things around, in a 2-6, 7-6 (7), 6-2, 7-6 (4) victory on a steamy day in Melbourne that challenged even the fittest tennis players in the world. 720 words. By Stephanie Myles. MOVED. PHOTO
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FISHING
Cooper Gallant looking to become fourth Canadian on Elite Series circuit
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UNDATED -- He caught his first largemouth bass at age five. Nineteen years later, Cooper Gallant is aiming to join the world's top professional bass circuit. 950 words. By Dan Ralph. MOVED. PHOTO
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COMING LATER
TENNIS: Canadian Denis Shapovalov faces Rafael Nadal in quarterfinal match at Australian Open. Scheduled for 10 p.m. PHOTO
NHL: Montreal Canadians at Minnesota Wild, 8 p.m. start. (AP) PHOTO
NHL: Coverage of St. Louis Blues at Calgary Flames, 9 p.m. (CP - Darren Haynes) PHOTO
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AP TOP STORIES
BBO--LOCKOUT
NEW YORK — Negotiators for locked-out baseball players and management met in person for the first time since Dec. 1, the day before the start of the sport’s first work stoppage since 1995. Veteran reliever Andrew Miller was the only player to attend the bargaining session. Colorado Rockies owner Dick Monfort, the chairman of baseball’s labor policy committee, was accompanied by Deputy Commissioner Dan Halem and executives Morgan Sword and Patrick Houlihan. By Baseball Writer Ronald Blum. SENT: 450 words. UPCOMING: 750 words, photos by 5 p.m.
TEN--AUSTRALIAN OPEN
MELBOURNE, Australia — Alize Cornet has finally reached the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam tournament in her 63rd attempt. The 32-year-old Cornet beat two-time major champion Simona Halep 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 at the Australian Open. It’s her 17th trip to the Australian Open and her 60th consecutive major. By John Pye. SENT: 850 words, photos. With TEN--Australian Open-Glance (Sent) and TEN--Australian Open-Notebook (Sent).
COMMENTARY
FBN—TIM DAHLBERG-NFL QUARTERBACKS
Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers both ended up losers on a playoff weekend that might have been the most entertaining ever. They also both left their respective fields unsure of where they will be playing next year — or if they will be playing at all. Not that it matters all that much. On an epic weekend of playoff games, the young quarterbacks showed the NFL will be in good hands for years to come. By Tim Dahlberg. SENT: 830 words, photos.
CAR--NASCAR-IN THE PITS
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Jimmie Johnson does not care what you think about his career, his mid-life racing crisis or his performance. He has been promoted from rookie, shed his status as a part-time driver and added the Indianapolis 500 to his list of challenges. First up is this weekend's attempt to win the Rolex 24 at Daytona, one of the most prestigious endurance races in the world. By Auto Racing Writer Jenna Fryer. UPCOMING: 700 words by 3 p.m.
NOTABLE
BKC--T25-COLLEGE BKB POLL
Auburn has climbed past Gonzaga and into the No. 1 spot in the AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll for the first time ever. The Tigers beat Kentucky over the weekend for their 15th consecutive win. They are the nation’s top-ranked team for the first time since the poll began with the 1948-49 season. By Basketball Writer Dave Skretta. SENT: 700 words, photos.
BKW--T25-WOMEN'S BKB POLL
Unbeaten on the road, Mississippi entered The Associated Press women’s basketball poll for the first time in 15 years, coming in at No. 24. The Rebels have won their first seven games away from home, including a victory over then-No. 23 Kentucky on Sunday. By Basketball Writer Doug Feinberg. SENT: 550 words, photos.
HKN--BLACKHAWKS-AVALANCHE
DENVER — Gabriel Landeskog and the sizzling Colorado Avalanche look to push their franchise-record home winning streak to 16 straight against Chicago. There have been only seven teams in NHL history that have won 15 straight games on home ice, with the most recent being the 2016-17 Washington Capitals. By Dennis Georgatos. UPCOMING: 600 words, photos. Game starts 9 p.m.
FBN--CHIEFS ANALYSIS
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — You could spend a year trying to describe the 2 minutes that led to overtime between the Bills and Chiefs on Sunday night. Or you could use two words: Patrick Mahomes. As Tyreek Hill, whose touchdown catch with 62 seconds left kept the Chiefs alive, put it Sunday night: "This is definitely another step for him into the Hall of Fame." By Dave Skretta. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos by 3 p.m.
FBN--BILLS-WRAPUP
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Wide right. Music City Miracle. The Buffalo Bills head into the offseason with a new entry for their history of playoff heartbreak: "13 Seconds." That's how much time separated the Bills from taking the next step toward their Super Bowl aspirations and a 42-36 overtime loss at Kansas City in a divisional playoff game. By John Wawrow. UPCOMING: 800 words, photos by 5 p.m.
FBN--PACKERS-WRAPUP
After a second straight season in which they couldn’t parlay a No. 1 seed into a Super Bowl berth, the Green Bay Packers try to sort out what went wrong before entering a critical offseason with the future of star quarterback Aaron Rodgers and several other key players up in the air. By Steve Megargee. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos by 7 p.m.
BKN--WARRIORS-GOLDEN HOUR
SAN FRANCISCO — The Golden State Warriors' new-look coaching staff has helped Steve Kerr tweak his practice structure this season in a way that makes the sessions more efficient and productive for the young players and veterans alike. Stephen Curry and Draymond Green even had a say in the process. By Janie McCauley. SENT: 750 words, photos.
HKN--PENGUINS-NOT HALF BAD
PITTSBURGH — Sidney Crosby missed a month. Evgeni Malkin missed three. And yet the Pittsburgh Penguins are right in the thick of a Metropolitan Division race at the season's halfway point behind the steady play of goaltender Tristan Jarry and breakout seasons from unsung players like forward Evan Rodrigues. By Will Graves. SENT: 900 words, photos.
OLY--BIA-OLYMPIANS AND MENTAL HEALTH
MIDWAY, Utah — The U.S. biathlon team has a full-time embedded sports psychologist who travels with the team. Every member of the U.S. cross country ski team also works with a sports psychologist. Recent revelations about the stresses athletes face have helped the public see athletes as human beings who go through ups and downs, just like everyone else. It also helped athletes feel more comfortable about sharing their mental health challenges. By Martha Bellisle. SENT 1,000 words, photos.
OLY--HKO-US COACH QUINN
A rare blood disorder kept David Quinn from playing for the United States at the 1988 Olympics. More than three decades later, he's getting another chance as U.S. coach because the NHL decided not to send players to Beijing. It also could be an opportunity for the former Boston University coach to get back into the NHL after being fired by the New York Rangers last year. By Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno. UPCOMING: 700 words, file photos by 4 p.m.
OLY--SBD-JAPAN GRAB
ASPEN, Colo. — Long filled with potential, but no Olympic gold medals to show for it, Japan appears poised to take over the halfpipe in Beijing. Though the Japanese riders are rivals on the halfpipe, they’re partners during practice, sharing tips on tricks that give Japan four gold-medal contenders at the Olympics. By Pat Graham. SENT: 850 words, photos.
OLY--SKI-THE NEW GUY
Looking for the Next Big Thing in Alpine skiing? How about Marco Odermatt, a 24-year-old from Switzerland and potential superstar who won five gold medals at the junior world championships in 2018 and is currently leading the overall World Cup standings. By Andrew Dampf. SENT: 700 words, photos.
BOX--HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION-WHAT'S NEXT?
Heavyweight boxing’s landscape should become a lot clearer this week when the promoters of Tyson Fury and Dillian Whyte conclude drawn-out negotiations over a world title fight that could bring Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk into the conversation. By Steve Douglas. SENT: 400 words, photos.
HKC--THE TRAVELING NANOOKS
MINNEAPOLIS — Keeping up in college hockey was already an expensive, perpetual challenge for a program in Alaska, and this season the Nanooks are in a tougher spot without a conference affiliation. The happy-go-lucky team from Fairbanks is having a good time nonetheless, three-week road trips, COVID-19 restrictions, losing record and all. By Dave Campbell. UPCOMING: 750 words, photos by 2 p.m.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 24, 2022.
The Canadian Press
