Sports News

LPHF Montreal Poulin takes care of Boston

LPHF Montreal: Poulin takes care of Boston

Sports News / By

The Montreal team of the Professional Women's Hockey League (LPHF) delighted its fans with a 3-1 victory against the Boston club on Saturday at the Verdun Auditorium.

Marie-Philip Poulin stood out from the first moments of the first engagement. She scored her seventh goal of the season with a quick turnaround shot in front of goalkeeper Aerin Frankel's goal.

• Also read: The LPHF will hold a draft in June

• Also read: Marie-Philip Poulin's team was able to choose its opponents in the semi-finals

The Montreal captain was also an accomplice in Mélodie Daoust's first success in the LPHF. In the second period, Poulin skillfully passed the puck to the woman, who was playing her first career game in the new circle. The winner of three Olympic medals, including two gold, only had to put her stick on the ice to direct the puck into the visitors' goal.

Erin Ambrose scored the crowd favorite's third goal in the final period. Poulin also received an assist on this goal. The Beauceville native has now collected 15 points in 14 games. She is second among LPHF scorers, one point behind New York forward Alex Carpenter.

Boston's only target was the work of Hilary Knight. She beat goalkeeper Elaine Chuli in the second period. The latter finished her match with a total of 30 saves.

Montreal will return to action next Wednesday night against the New York team as part of a visit to Total Mortgage Arena.

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Memphis basketball storms back to defeat UAB on Senior Day

Memphis basketball storms back to defeat UAB on Senior Day

Sports News / By

It might as well have been on Sunday.

Emphasis on power.

In the first half, UAB dominated Memphis basketball, leading by 22 points. But if the Tigers wanted a shot at the NCAA Tournament as a whole, they had to have this game. So they took it.

In front of an electric and insanely loud FedExForum crowd, the Tigers (22-8, 11-6 AAC) used a 46-9 run (highlighted by 20 straight points) to regain control and claim a 106-87 victory , her fourth straight. That keeps them in the running for a double-bye at the AAC tournament in Fort Worth, Texas, which begins March 13. They are in fourth place in the league standings with one regular season game remaining.

“For me, the movement, I thank God for the movement,” Hardaway said. “The movement is in motion right now. I can just feel the momentum of this team, even though we had a bad first half, I just feel like God has a plan for this team. For the things we went through. “To come out of it with a 19-point win, I never gave up.”

Many of the same fans who raved about the Tigers' atrocious play in the first half raved about their dominant play in the second half.

Memphis is just the second team in college basketball since 2010 to trail by more than 20 points and win the same game by more than 15 points.

“I’m not sure if I should be proud of that or not,” Hardaway said jokingly.

“They had us under control in the first half, that's not going to lie,” said Nae'Qwan Tomlin, who scored a career-high 28 points.

“Personally, I didn’t want to go out like that,” said David Jones after 32 points.

“The team is really coming together,” Jahvon Quinerly said. “Even with the 10-game winning streak that we had at the start of the season, I feel like the momentum we have now is a little bit more because we're shutting down opponents the way I think we should. The boys are smiling out there, having fun.”

The stunning win was revenge for January's disappointing loss to the Blazers (18-11, 10-6) in Birmingham.

Here are five observations from Sunday's win.

Points, points and more points

Memphis was powered by the three-headed monster of Jones, Tomlin and Jahvon Quinerly.

Jones was only held to eight points in the first half. But like other games where he got off to a slow start, he came alive in the second half. He scored 24 of his game-high 32 points in the final 20 minutes.

Tomlin, the midseason transfer who has become a force on both ends of the court, dropped 28 points, seven rebounds and two steals.

Quinerly finished with 25 points.

The sales battle

UAB handled the lack of defensive pressure Memphis applied relatively well in the first half. The Blazers committed just seven turnovers before halftime, compared to Memphis' eight turnovers.

The second half was a completely different story. UAB turned the ball over 11 times in its disastrous half, while the Tigers passed it just once.

Andy Kennedy's short day

The Tigers came out of the locker room like fireworks after halftime.

Trailing 61-46 at halftime, they made two field goals in the first minute and four in the first two minutes to cut the deficit to just seven points. UAB coach Andy Kennedy became restless, shook his head, looked down and sighed deeply.

Two minutes later, the Tigers had fought back to 61-59 and Kennedy burst. He was given a technical foul by referee Jeb Hartness, which Kennedy didn't like. When he continued to protest, he was sent off by Byron Jarrett. This excited Kennedy even more. Players and coaches alike had to hold him back.

Where is the defense?

Two weeks ago, the Tigers allowed SMU 58 points in the first half of a game they lost 106-79.

And whatever SMU had done, UAB did it better. The Blazers annihilated the Tigers in the first half, putting up 61 points without scoring in the first 1:19 or the final 1:35.

UAB shot 67.6% from the floor and hit eight 3-pointers. It took advantage of Memphis' interior defense and scored 30 points in the first 20 minutes.

Help at the free throw line

When things picked up for the Tigers in the first half, they buoyed themselves with consistent performance at the free throw line.

LOG IN: Memphis Tigers Basketball Insider Text Group with Jason Munz

They arrived early and often, making 16 shots on 18 attempts. Their 16 makes were twice as many as UAB even attempted in the first half.

All that time spent at the free throw line also helped lay the foundation for the foul trouble UAB faced as the game progressed. Six Blazers finished with three or more fouls.

Quinerly and Jones each made 10 free throws.

Reach sports writer Jason Munz at [email protected] or on Twitter @munzly.

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1709525001 The Oilers restarted the engine

The Oilers restarted the engine

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The Edmonton Oilers celebrated their third straight victory by defeating the Seattle Kraken 2-1 on Saturday at Climate Pledge Arena.

The Alberta club had experienced a series of three defeats before this new streak of success began. Remember that Connor McDavid and his gang won 16 games in a row between December 21st and January 27th.

In today's game, the Oilers' famous number 97 provided an assist on his team's first success, a goal by Leon Draisaitl. McDavid has been involved in at least one of his teammates' goals in his team's last 10 games. However, his streak of games with at least two assists ended at six.

The other goal for the Edmonton club was the work of Brett Kulak. Eeli Tolvanen scored a power play goal in the third period, but the Kraken failed to complete the comeback.

In net, Stuart Skinner stopped 24 pucks in the win, while Philipp Grubauer made the same number of saves in the loss.

The Oilers restarted the engine

Getty Images via AFP

A victory signed by Cody Glass in front of the CH

The Nashville Predators won 5-1 against the Colorado Avalanche at Bridgestone Arena.

The Tennessee club secured their eighth win in a row and will try to extend this series next Tuesday evening against the Montreal Canadians.

It was Cody Glass who led the charge against the Avs. The 24-year-old striker hit the goal three times. It was his first career NHL hat trick and the first time he scored more than one goal in a game.

The other goals for the Preds came from Ryan O'Reilly and Tommy Novak. Both men scored on the power play.

The visitors' only goal was scored by Nathan MacKinnon.

The Oilers restarted the engine Read More »

Chris Mortensen a longtime NFL reporter for ESPN has died.com2Ff12F3b2F35c021610e666b533b3587ad58af2Fa28778389ca8454e96f892c15709b4c1

Chris Mortensen, a longtime NFL reporter for ESPN, has died at age 72

Sports News / By

Chris Mortensen, the award-winning journalist who covered the NFL for nearly four decades, including 32 as a senior analyst at ESPN, died Sunday morning. He was 72.

ESPN confirmed Mortensen's death on Sunday. There was initially no information on the cause or place of death.

“Mort was widely respected as an industry pioneer and universally loved as a supportive, hard-working teammate,” ESPN President Jimmy Pitaro said in a statement. “He served the NFL with exceptional skill and passion and was at the top of his field for decades. Colleagues and fans will truly miss him and our hearts and thoughts go out to his loved ones.”

Mortensen announced in 2016 that he had been diagnosed with throat cancer. While he was still being treated, he was the first to confirm the retirement of Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning.

“We have lost a true legend,” Manning said in a social media post. “Mort was the best in the business and I valued our friendship. I confided in him my announcement of signing with the Broncos and the news of my retirement. I will miss him very much and my thoughts and prayers are with Micki and his family. Rest in peace, Mort.”

Mortensen announced his retirement after last year's NFL draft so he could “focus on my health, my family and my faith.”

NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah said at the end of coverage at Sunday's NFL Scouting Combine that Mortensen texted him to ask how he thought Spencer Rattler would do at quarterback practice in Indianapolis.

“He is just one of the sweetest souls you would ever meet and he loved his sport,” Jeremiah said. “So the last thing I wanted to do when we found out about this was come here. But man, he would punch me in the face if we didn’t do that and have fun and enjoy this great game that he loved so much.”

Mortensen joined ESPN in 1991 and helped shape the network's coverage for years as the NFL offered more year-round coverage. In addition to appearing on countless network shows, he also wrote for ESPN.com.

“Chris will forever be part of the NFL family. Loved by so many, he was a brilliant voice for the game and as passionate and talented as ever,” Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in a statement. “My appreciation and respect for Chris quickly developed as I often visited him in Austin in my early years. We got along very well there.”

He received the 2016 Dick McCann Award from the Professional Football Writers of America. Renamed the Bill Nunn Jr. Award in 2021, it is presented each year at the Pro Football Hall of Fame ceremonies to the reporter who has made a long and distinguished career contribution through their coverage of the game.

“I admired how hard Chris worked to become one of the most influential and respected reporters in sports. “He earned our respect and that of many others through his tireless pursuit of news, but also through the kindness he extended to everyone he met,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “He will be greatly missed by many of us around the league as we were fortunate to know him far beyond the stories he told every Sunday.”

Mortensen also worked for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution from 1983 to 1989. He covered the Atlanta Falcons from 1985 to 1986 and the league from 1985 to 1989. He joined The National in 1989 and worked there for almost two years.

He was an NFL columnist for The Sporting News and a writer for Sport magazine. He also served as a consultant for CBS's “The NFL Today” in 1990.

“I considered Chris my personal hero and it's really hard to imagine sports journalism without him. His ability to overcome life's obstacles with courage and determination was always truly inspiring, and his tremendous impact on so many, including myself, will live on through this work and unwavering friendships,” Falcons owner Arthur Blank said in a statement .

Mortensen is from Torrance, California and attended El Camino College. He served in the Army for two years before beginning his journalism career at the South Bay (Calif.) Daily Breeze in 1969.

“An absolutely devastating day. “Mort was one of the greatest reporters in sports history and an even better man,” said ESPN NFL reporter Adam Schefter on social media. “Mort was the very best. He will be missed and remembered forever.”

He leaves behind his wife Micki and his son Alex.

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1706664623 What does the Canadian think about this player with ordinary

CH: Florian Xhekaj is on fire

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Montreal Canadiens youngster Florian Xhekaj is currently simply dominant in the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OHL).

On Saturday, the Brantford Bulldogs forward scored a goal and had two assists in a 5-3 win over the Kingston Frontenacs.

The little brother of Habs defender Arber Xhekaj collected at least one point for the eleventh game in a row. During his winning streak, the 19-year-old ice hockey player hit the target twelve times and collected seven assists for 19 points.

CH drafted Florian

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Knicks star Jalen Brunson is out against the Cavaliers with

Knicks star Jalen Brunson is out against the Cavaliers with a left knee injury

Sports News / By

CLEVELAND – New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson suffered a left knee injury in the first minute of a 107-98 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday and did not return.

The Knicks referred to the injury as “left knee soreness” and originally said Brunson's return was “questionable” before ruling him out after halftime. The incident certainly didn't look good for the New York All-Star.

On the Knicks' first possession, Brunson dribbled toward the foul line from the left wing and took a jump shot, throwing both legs awkwardly to the side as he made his way up. Brunson clutched his knee before he even landed, and there was no obvious contact from Cavs defenseman Isaac Okoro to indicate an injury. He bounced a few times before falling to the court and was carried to the locker room with 11:13 left in the first quarter.

A possible cause of the injury occurred just seconds before Brunson went down when he shuffled around a screen from teammate Isaiah Hartenstein and accidentally hit his knees with the midfielder. But Brunson finished spinning around the screen, caught the ball and made his move before clutching his knee in mid-air.

Brunson, 27, an All-Star for the first time this season, is averaging 27.7 points and 6.7 assists, both career highs. Miles McBride took over for Brunson and scored 16 points and five assists in 47 minutes. The only minute he didn't play in that game belonged to Brunson. Donte DiVincenzo led the depleted Knicks with 28 points and six 3-pointers, while Josh Hart had a triple double with 13 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists. The Knicks are alone in fourth place in the East.

This rematch of last year's first-round playoff series between the Cavs and Knicks had already lost some of its luster, as the Knicks were without Julius Randle, OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson – who are rehabilitating serious injuries – while Cleveland was without Donovan Mitchell and Caris LeVert had to miss the game due to minor injuries.

The Cavs, who fell to 3-4 after the All-Star break and slipped out of second place with the loss, got 21 points from Sam Merrill off the bench. Darius Garland finished with 19 points and Jarrett Allen contributed 18 points.

The injury bug has hit the Knicks, especially lately. Hartenstein appeared in and out of the lineup with Achilles tendinopathy. Brunson also narrowly missed a game on Tuesday due to neck spasms.

Randle, an All-Star, has been out since Jan. 29 with a dislocated right shoulder. He and Robinson (out since Dec. 11 – ankle surgery) both traveled to Cleveland with the Knicks, and Randle practiced on the field Sunday morning and again before the game.

“He's progressing really well, so we're hoping it will happen soon,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said of Randle. “You want to make sure the doctors feel comfortable medically. he feels good about it. And then when that happens – and he does pretty much everything. He's had light contact, but nothing yet with a player. So that will be the next step.”

This story will be updated.

Required reading

(Photo: Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

Knicks star Jalen Brunson is out against the Cavaliers with a left knee injury Read More »

Sports presenter and commentator Paul Houde has died aged 69

Sports presenter and commentator Paul Houde has died aged 69

Sports News / By

Sports presenter and commentator Paul Houde has died following complications from surgery earlier this week. He was 69 years old.

• Also read: The sports world reacts to the death of Paul Houde

• Also read: “Paul left his mark on Quebec radio, sports and culture.”

His sister Johanne and brother Pierre confirmed the news on Saturday via publications on social networks.

“It is with a broken heart that I have to announce the death of my beloved brother Paul,” wrote his brother Pierre Houde in a message posted on Saturday morning, March 2nd, around 5:00 p.m.

He died as a result of serious surgery he underwent this week to remove a mass from his brain.

“Unfortunately, his heart suddenly stopped due to complications,” his sister Johanne wrote on Facebook.

At the end of October he had to leave the show Club du Matin, which he hosted on BPM Sports, but continued to appear on radio until recently.

The famous sports commentator is survived by his wife, his two children and his grandson.

A busy career

Paul Houde was born in Montreal in 1954 and had a long and successful career in Quebec media, particularly as a sports commentator.

He began his career in radio at CKAC 730 in 1975 and has since made numerous on-air appearances in various media.

1709517441 999 Sports presenter and commentator Paul Houde has died aged 69

Archive photo

Over the years, he has covered numerous major sporting events on television, including the Superbowl, the Olympics and the Pan American Games on TVA, TQS and Radio-Canada, among others.

1709517443 753 Sports presenter and commentator Paul Houde has died aged 69

JOEL LEMAY/AGENCE QMI

Paul Houde was also an analyst for Canadiens hockey games on TVA Sports.

He has also hosted and co-hosted several television plays such as “Lingo” and “Le Cercle” and also portrayed the role of goalkeeper Fernand on the big screen in the legendary film series “Les Boys”.

1709517445 437 Sports presenter and commentator Paul Houde has died aged 69

Archive photo

He was known for his exceptional memory for sports statistics and his excellent general knowledge.

Lots of reactions

After his death was announced, numerous people paid tribute to him on social networks, including numerous personalities from politics, sports and the media.

Quebec Premier François Legault paid tribute to him in a publication on X.

“What a nice man in public and in private,” he wrote.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also expressed his condolences to his loved ones in a post on social media.

“With his great wisdom, his inexhaustible talents and his authentic kindness, Paul Houde was revered by many,” he claims. His death is a great loss.”

The Montreal Canadiens also responded to the news.

“Paul was, above all, a man of exceptional quality and a monument to the Quebec media world,” the organization writes on X.

Sports presenter and commentator Paul Houde has died aged 69 Read More »

USWNT vs Colombia Starting XI and Lineup Notes

USWNT vs. Colombia: Starting XI and Lineup Notes | 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup

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USWNT vs Colombia – Concacaf W Gold Cup 2024 – Quarterfinals
Date: March 3, 2024
Venue: BMO Stadium; Los Angeles, California.
Transmitted: Paramount+, ESPN Deportes, ESPN+
Official kick-off time: 8:15 p.m. ET / 5:15 p.m. PT

Starting XI against Colombia: 1-Alyssa Naher; 3-Jenna Nighswonger, 4-Naomi Girma, 7-Alex Morgan, 8-Jaedyn Shaw, 10-Lindsey Horan (Capt.), 12-Tierna Davidson, 15-Korbin Albert, 17-Sam Coffey, 22-Trinity Rodman, 23 -Emily Fox

Available subs: 2-Abby Dahlkemper, 5-Becky Sauerbrunn, 6-Lynn Williams, 9-Midge Purce, 11-Sophia Smith, 13-Olivia Moultrie, 14-Emily Sonnett, 16-Rose Lavelle, 18-Casey Murphy, 19-Crystal Dunn, 20-Casey Krueger, 21-Jane Campbell

GAME NOTES | FIVE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

  • USWNT Starting XI Cap Numbers (including this game): Morgan (219), Horan (142), Naeher (100), Davidson (53), Fox (43), Rodman (32), Girma (28), Coffey (11), Shaw (8), Nighswonger (5), Albert (5)
  • The starting lineup for the quarterfinal match against Colombia features six different players from the starting lineup for the group stage final against Mexico, with Naeher, Fox, Coffey, Horan and Rodman being the five remaining players.
  • The starting XI against Colombia has an average age of 25.9 years and has 58 caps per player.
  • Eight players from this starting eleven played during the October friendlies against Colombia, including goalscorers Horan and Shaw. Davidson – who missed the October games due to injury – and Nighswonger and Albert – who have yet to make their debut for the USA – are the only players who did not play in these two games.
  • Lindsey Horan is making her third consecutive appearance in the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup and captaining the USA for the 21st time in her career. Horan, who will be earning her 142nd cap, scored a brilliant volley in the U.S.'s win over Colombia on Oct. 29 and also scored against Colombia in January 2021.
  • Alyssa Naher will earn her 100th cap for the USWNT, joining Hope Solo and Briana Scurry as the only goalkeepers in USWNT history to reach the 100 cap milestone. This makes the USA the first country in history to have three female goalkeepers with more than 100 caps. Naeher will become the 42nd player ever in USWNT history to reach the 100 caps mark and the first to do so since Horan reached the century mark at the postponed 2021 Olympics.
  • A two-time FIFA Women's World Champion, Naeher debuted for the USWNT in December 2014 and emerged as a consistent starter after the 2016 Olympics. Naher is and has been the goaltender with the third-most appearances, wins (80) and shutouts (60) in U.S. history for some time.
  • Defense attorney and Huntington Beach native Jenna Nighswonger will make her second W Gold Cup start and third of her career as she secures her fifth cap for the USWNT. Nighswonger started and scored in the USA's opening game of the Gold Cup against the Dominican Republic. In the February 23 win over Argentina, he came on as a substitute and scored the penalty that led to the USA's fourth and final goal.
  • Reigning U.S. Soccer Player of the Year Naomi Girma starts for the second time – and for the second time overall – in the Concacaf W Gold Cup 2024 and thus reaches her 28th international match. Girma started in the USA's shutout win over Argentina on February 23 and started both games against Colombia in the October 2023 friendlies.
  • Alex Morgan She is making her second start and fourth time overall in the Concacaf W Gold Cup, earning her 219th cap for the USWNT. Morgan recorded an assist against Colombia at the 2012 Olympics and scored the winning goal in the round of 16 of the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup. In total, Morgan has scored 16 goals in 27 appearances for the United States in knockout round matches of competitive tournaments, tying him with Carli Lloyd for the second-most goals in USWNT history, behind Abby Wambach's 19 such goals.
  • Nineteen years old Jaedyn Shaw will be making her second Concacaf W Gold Cup start and third of her young career, as well as earning her eighth international cap. Shaw made her international debut on October 26, 2023 against Colombia and scored her first international goal three days later in the United States' win over Colombia on October 29 in San Diego.
  • Shaw has scored a goal in each of her last two starts for the USWNT – the Dec. 5, 2023, win over China VR in Frisco, Texas, and the Feb. 23 Gold Cup game against Argentina, in which she scored a brace. Shaw joins Michelle Akers, Shannon Boxx, Danielle Fotopoulos, Ashley Hatch, Christen Press and Christie Welsh as just the seventh player to score in each of her first two starts for the USWNT.
  • Tierna Davidson will make her 53rd international appearance as she makes her second start in 2024. Davidson did it in the USA's February 23 win over Argentina and previously made an appearance against Colombia, starting and playing the full 90 minutes on January 22, 2021 win. This is only the fourth time that Davidson and her Former college teammate Girma will start together as a center back pairing for the USA.
  • Twenty year old midfielder Korbin Albert will make her third career start – and third of this W Gold Cup – as she earns her fifth cap for the USWNT. Albert was the only player to start each of the USA's first two games in the tournament. He came on as a second-half substitute against Mexico and was one of nine players to appear in all three group games.
  • Sam Coffey will make her second consecutive start and third place in the W Gold Cup as she earns her 11th cap. Coffey will now have appeared in each of the last seven games for the USWNT, a streak that began with a victory over Colombia on October 29, 2023 in San Diego.
  • Trinity Rodman will make her third consecutive W Gold Cup appearance, earning her 32nd career cap. Rodman leads the United States in total minutes played in this Concacaf W Gold Cup (205) and will make his 22nd consecutive appearance for the USWNT, a streak that began in the opening game of 2023. It is the most consecutive appearances by a USWNT player since Carli Lloyd made 22 consecutive appearances, ending her international career in 2021.
  • Emily Fox earns her 43rd cap as she makes her second consecutive start and fourth overall appearance for the USWNT in the Concacaf W Gold Cup. Ranked second on the team in total playing time in 2023, Fox played every minute of the two October games against Colombia, scoring an assist on Lindsey Horan's goal on October 29.

USWNT vs. Colombia: Starting XI and Lineup Notes | 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup Read More »