Sports

Rod Masters, who played the organist in the 1977 hockey movie “Slap Shot,” is shown on a video scoreboard as he plays during the second period of an NHL hockey game between the Seattle Kraken and the Vancouver Canucks, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022, in Seattle. The Kraken announced recently that Masters will be the team’s new in-house organist. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

’Slap Shot’ organist finds new career with NHL’s expansion Seattle Kraken

40 years after cult hockey comedy film, Rod Masters still winces at “Lady of Spain”

Rod Masters, who played the organist in the 1977 hockey movie “Slap Shot,” is shown on a video scoreboard as he plays during the second period of an NHL hockey game between the Seattle Kraken and the Vancouver Canucks, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022, in Seattle. The Kraken announced recently that Masters will be the team’s new in-house organist. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
FILE — Canada’s Charity Williams (left) is tackled by Ireland’s Amee Leigh Murphy Crowe during the World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series in Langford, B.C., Saturday, May, 12, 2018. Canada’s bid for a women’s rugby sevens berth in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics came closer to reality Saturday with wins over Brazil and Ireland on home soil at Westhills Stadium. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

Mexico to replace Russia at Langford rugby sevens

Russia barred from all international rugby and cross-border club activities until further notice

FILE — Canada’s Charity Williams (left) is tackled by Ireland’s Amee Leigh Murphy Crowe during the World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series in Langford, B.C., Saturday, May, 12, 2018. Canada’s bid for a women’s rugby sevens berth in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics came closer to reality Saturday with wins over Brazil and Ireland on home soil at Westhills Stadium. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
Canadian Paralympic athlete Ina Forrest poses for a photo at the Paralympic Summit in Calgary, Alta., Monday, June 5, 2017.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

B.C. wheelchair curler 1 of 2 to carry Canada’s Paralympic flag

Paralympic flag-bearer duties will be shared by two Canadian athletes for the first time

Canadian Paralympic athlete Ina Forrest poses for a photo at the Paralympic Summit in Calgary, Alta., Monday, June 5, 2017.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred outside Roger Dean Stadium on Monday, Feb. 28, 2022, in Jupiter, Fla., after a labor negotiating session with baseball players. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

MLB cancels opening day after sides fail to end lockout

Commissioner Rob Manfred is canceling first two series of a season that was set to begin March 31

Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred outside Roger Dean Stadium on Monday, Feb. 28, 2022, in Jupiter, Fla., after a labor negotiating session with baseball players. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Hockey great Hayley Wickenheiser poses with a young fan, Crofton B.C.’s Savanah Sanchez. (Photo submitted, Chemainus Valley Courier)

Hockey great Wickenheiser wants IOC to boot out Russia, Belarus

IOC recommended Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials be excluded from competition

Hockey great Hayley Wickenheiser poses with a young fan, Crofton B.C.’s Savanah Sanchez. (Photo submitted, Chemainus Valley Courier)
A huge electronic billboard shows a photo of Kamila Valieva with words “Kamila, we are with you” on the building of the Cosmos hotel in Moscow, Russia, Monday, Feb. 14, 2022. Russian teenager Kamila Valieva was cleared to compete in the women’s figure skating competition at the Winter Olympics despite failing a pre-Games drug test. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr)

IOC urges sports bodies to cancel events in Russia, Belarus

Volleyball, shooting and hockey all have world championships scheduled to be held in Russia

A huge electronic billboard shows a photo of Kamila Valieva with words “Kamila, we are with you” on the building of the Cosmos hotel in Moscow, Russia, Monday, Feb. 14, 2022. Russian teenager Kamila Valieva was cleared to compete in the women’s figure skating competition at the Winter Olympics despite failing a pre-Games drug test. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr)
Fireworks light up the sky over Olympic Stadium during the closing ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics, Sunday, Feb. 20, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Olympics say goodbye to Asia after a star-crossed run

Earliest the Summer Games could return is 2036, and India might be the favorite

Fireworks light up the sky over Olympic Stadium during the closing ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics, Sunday, Feb. 20, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
FILE - United States' Alex Morgan jumps over Netherlands' goalkeeper Sari van Veenendaal as she attempts to score during a women's quarterfinal soccer match at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 30, 2021, in Yokohama, Japan. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has asked for permission to participate in the appeal by American women soccer players trying to reinstate their pay claim against the U.S. Soccer Federation. The EEOC asked the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday, Feb. 3, 2022, to be allowed to address the court during oral arguments scheduled for March 7 in Pasadena, California.(AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato, File)

American women players settle suit vs US Soccer for $24M

Agreement ends 6-year legal battle over equal pay to men

FILE - United States' Alex Morgan jumps over Netherlands' goalkeeper Sari van Veenendaal as she attempts to score during a women's quarterfinal soccer match at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 30, 2021, in Yokohama, Japan. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has asked for permission to participate in the appeal by American women soccer players trying to reinstate their pay claim against the U.S. Soccer Federation. The EEOC asked the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday, Feb. 3, 2022, to be allowed to address the court during oral arguments scheduled for March 7 in Pasadena, California.(AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato, File)
Canada’s Isabelle Weidemann rounds the oval to win the silver medal in the women’s 5,000-metre speed skating competition at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022. Weidemann has been named Canada’s flag-bearer for the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympics. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

Canada’s flag-bearer Isabelle Weidemann found balance in Calgary emergency room

The 26-year-old from Ottawa hopes to work in the health-care field and is contemplating medical school

Canada’s Isabelle Weidemann rounds the oval to win the silver medal in the women’s 5,000-metre speed skating competition at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022. Weidemann has been named Canada’s flag-bearer for the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympics. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson
Canada, left, and France arrive at the closing ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics, Sunday, Feb. 20, 2022, in Beijing. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Brynn Anderson

Games over: Kripps leads bobsled crew onto Olympic podium for Canada’s 26th medal

Kripps held onto third place by six-hundreths of a second.

Canada, left, and France arrive at the closing ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics, Sunday, Feb. 20, 2022, in Beijing. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Brynn Anderson
Canada’s Ivanie Blondin celebrates her silver medal in the women’s mass start speedskating final at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing on Saturday, February 19, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

By a toe: Canadian speedskater Blondin captures silver in dramatic mass start finish

Difference between gold and silver for Canadian speedskater Ivanie Blondin came down to the final straightaway sprint

Canada’s Ivanie Blondin celebrates her silver medal in the women’s mass start speedskating final at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing on Saturday, February 19, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson
The Red Deer Sutter Fund U18 AA Chiefs. (Photo submitted)

Central Alberta team to host U18AA female hockey provincials in Ponoka

Players are from Red Deer, Ponoka, Rimbey and other central Alberta communities

  • Feb 19, 2022
The Red Deer Sutter Fund U18 AA Chiefs. (Photo submitted)
Maddison Pearman skates in the 1500m during the ISU speed skating World Cup at the Olympic Oval in Calgary, AB on December 12, 2021. (Photo by Dave Holland/Speed Skating Canada)

Ponoka’s Maddison Pearman finishes 26th in Women’s 1,000 metres final at Olympics

Central Alberta speedskater Maddison Pearman finished 26th in the women’s 1,000-metre race…

Maddison Pearman skates in the 1500m during the ISU speed skating World Cup at the Olympic Oval in Calgary, AB on December 12, 2021. (Photo by Dave Holland/Speed Skating Canada)
A UFC belt is displayed during a news conference in Las Vegas, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, John Locher

Alberta bantamweight Chad (The Monster) Anheliger ready for long-awaited UFC debut

Anheliger (11-5-0) says head coach Brian Bird put him ‘through the ringer’

A UFC belt is displayed during a news conference in Las Vegas, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, John Locher
Kamila Valieva, of the Russian Olympic Committee, trains at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Monday, Feb. 14, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Valieva tumbles out of the medals in Olympic figure skating

Valieva was permitted to skate despite failing a doping test weeks before the Beijing Games

Kamila Valieva, of the Russian Olympic Committee, trains at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Monday, Feb. 14, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Canada’s Marielle Thompson celebartes winning a silver medal in women’s ski cross during the Beijing Winter Olympic Games, in Zhangjiakou, China, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Canada’s Thompson wins silver in women’s ski cross at Beijing Olympics

Canada’s women drop out of curling contention, men to play for bronze

Canada’s Marielle Thompson celebartes winning a silver medal in women’s ski cross during the Beijing Winter Olympic Games, in Zhangjiakou, China, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
Team Canada forward Marie-Philip Poulin (29) celebrates her goal against the United States with teammates Micah Zandee-Hart, left to right, Ashton Bell, Brianne Jenner and Sarah Nurse during second period women’s hockey gold medal game action at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing on Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

Golden moment: Canada beats U.S. 3-2 to capture women’s hockey Olympic crown

Captain Poulin scores a pair for the champions

Team Canada forward Marie-Philip Poulin (29) celebrates her goal against the United States with teammates Micah Zandee-Hart, left to right, Ashton Bell, Brianne Jenner and Sarah Nurse during second period women’s hockey gold medal game action at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing on Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Kamila Valieva, of the Russian Olympic Committee,competes in the women’s short program during the figure skating at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

Russian skater Valieva listed two legal oxygen boosters on Olympic forms

Valieva is considered a “protected person” under anti-doping rules and could escape major sanctions

Kamila Valieva, of the Russian Olympic Committee,competes in the women’s short program during the figure skating at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Team Sweden forward Lucas Wallmark (23) celebrates after scoring as Team Canada forward Mason McTavish (32) looks on during third period men’s quarter-final hockey action at the Beijing Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, on Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

Sweden knocks Canadian men’s hockey team out of Olympic medal contention

Canada will go home without a medal in the sport for the first time in 16 years

Team Sweden forward Lucas Wallmark (23) celebrates after scoring as Team Canada forward Mason McTavish (32) looks on during third period men’s quarter-final hockey action at the Beijing Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, on Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Charles Hamelin (6) of Canada after winning gold in the men’s 5,000-metre short-track speedskating relay final at the Beijing Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, on Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

Hamelin becomes Canada’s most decorated male Winter Olympian with 5,000m relay gold

Hamelin now tied with sprinter Andre De Grasse for most Olympic medals won by any Canadian man

Charles Hamelin (6) of Canada after winning gold in the men’s 5,000-metre short-track speedskating relay final at the Beijing Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, on Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson