Winkler Flyers ride OT victory to first MJHL title in 26 years

The Winkler Flyers scratched a 26-year itch Friday night.

Spurred on by a boisterous sellout crowd of 1,300 at Centennial Arena, the Flyers captured their first Turnbull Cup title since 1998 with a 5-4 overtime triumph over the Steinbach Pistons.

Zach Nicolas’ sixth goal of the MJHL post-season, coming during a 5-on-3 power play 4:59 into extra time, allowed Winkler to sweep the best-of-seven MJHL final from the defending league champs.

“It’s huge — not just for the team, not just for the coaching staff but the community here,” said Nicolas. “They’ve been waiting a long time and we brought it in this year.”

Jets defenseman Brenden Dillon heads to locker room with hand bleeding after fight following game

DENVER (AP) — Winnipeg Jets defenseman Brenden Dillon quickly made his way down the tunnel with his hand bleeding after a fight at the end of the game against the Colorado Avalanche on Friday night.

Dillon suffered what appeared to be a deep cut following a 6-2 loss in Game 3 of their first-round series. The Jets had no update on Dillon after the game or if the injury might have happened because of a skate blade.

“He’s still being examined,” Jets coach Rick Bowness said.

Asked if there was a lot of concern seeing a player get hurt like that, Bowness said, “Yeah, when you see the blood, yeah.”

Taking lacrosse to a new level

A game of online poker more than three years ago between Kelson Borisenko and his pals turned into a three-hour tirade about the underwhelming hand Manitoba lacrosse players were being dealt.

The group of 20-somethings, who all played at a high level, agreed that while the province’s talent pool was on par with the rest of the country, the opportunity here to get noticed was not.

“For us, it was really frustrating to see all those guys around us that had that talent, who wanted to compete at that next level, but were never given that opportunity,” said Borisenko, who was drafted by the Saskatchewan Rush of the National Lacrosse League in 2020 after spending four years at Manhattan College (New York), a Division 1 program in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).

Out of those discussions came a plan for a local training program.

Kane makes impact with Gordie Howe hat trick, Oilers rout Kings to take series lead

LOS ANGELES - Evander Kane’s teammates believe he’s tailor-made for the playoffs, and so does the man himself.

"The drama of it all," Kane said about the post-season. "It just brings the best out of me."

Kane had a goal, an assist and a fight — known as a “Gordie Howe hat trick” — and the Edmonton Oilers defeated the Los Angeles Kings 6-1 on Friday to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series.

The 32-year-old forward had an up-and-down regular season and is returning from a sports hernia injury, but earned a promotion to the Oilers’ second line on Friday and took full advantage.

MacKinnon, Nichushkin lead 5-goal outburst in 3rd period, Avs rally for 6-2 win over Jets in Game 3

DENVER (AP) — Nathan MacKinnon and Valeri Nichushkin scored on the power play during a five-goal, third-period outburst and the Colorado Avalanche rallied for a 6-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets in Game 3 on Friday night.

Alexandar Georgiev stopped 22 shots to give the Avalanche a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven first-round playoff series. Game 4 is Sunday in the Mile High City.

Trailing 2-1 in the final period, Colorado, the highest-scoring team in the league, began pouring it on. The Avalanche scored four times in a 10:24 span to energize the crowd and stun the Jets in a game that ended in a lot of pushing and shoving.

“We didn’t sit back on our heels and I think we kind of just took it to them,” Ross Colton explained. “When we play with that speed, we play with that energy, we’re a good team. ... Credit to the guys in the room for just sticking with the process and putting ourselves in a good situation.”

Flyers one win away from MJHL crown

Playoff excitement has reached a fever pitch in Winkler. The hometown Flyers, who haven’t won a Manitoba Junior Hockey League championship since 1998, can claim the Turnbull Trophy on Friday night with a victory on home ice over the defending-champion Steinbach Pistons. Winkler leads the best-of-seven series 3-0 after beating the Pistons 4-3 in overtime Tuesday in Niverville. Game time is 7 p.m. Winkler Flyers goaltender Malachi Klassen has allowed only five goals in three games of the MJHL final. (Ryan Sawatzky photo) Flyers general manager and head coach Justin Falk said Friday’s anticipated sellout crowd of 1,300 at Centennial […]

QB Penix hears from Cousins, Vick after landing with Falcons as NFL draft first-round surprise pick

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — Michael Penix Jr., the biggest surprise of the NFL draft's first round, received a congratulatory call from Kirk Cousins on Thursday night even as Cousins' agent was second-guessing the Atlanta Falcons adding depth to their quarterback spot.

Penix described the chat with Cousins as “a very good conversation,” but would not say what was discussed.

Penix may have been more excited by Friday's text message from another left-handed Falcons quarterback named Michael. In his first news conference in Atlanta after he was the No. 8 overall draft pick by the Falcons, Penix beamed when talking about his text from Michael Vick.

“I definitely watched him,” said Penix of Vick, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2001 draft who played with the Falcons through 2006 before his career was interrupted by dog-fighting charges and a prison term.

Klopp and Salah involved in touchline spat during Liverpool’s draw at West Ham in Premier League

LONDON (AP) — Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and star forward Mohamed Salah were involved in a touchline confrontation during the team’s 2-2 draw with West Ham in the Premier League on Saturday.

Salah was a substitute for the game and was preparing to come on shortly after Michail Antonio’s 77th-minute equalizer when Klopp went over to speak to the Egypt winger.

Salah answered back with his arms outstretched then started to point at Klopp, who was nodding while looking out onto the field. Darwin Nunez, who was also about to enter as a sub, got in between Salah and Klopp and pushed away his teammate.

Klopp refused to divulge the reason behind the spat.