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Calgary Stampeders in danger of missing CFL playoffs for first time since 2004

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The Calgary Stampeders’ streak of consecutive playoff appearances is in jeopardy.

Calgary has made 18 straight trips to the playoffs, which is the longest active streak in the CFL and fourth-longest in league history. But the Stampeders (4-9-1) visit B.C. (7-8) on Friday night sitting fifth in the West Division, five points behind the third-place Lions with a game in hand.

The last time Calgary missed the CFL playoffs was 2004 when it finished fifth in the West with a 4-14 record. The league didn’t play in 2020 due to the global pandemic.

The Stampeders are 2-5 within the West Division but 0-6 on the road. They’re the only CFL team that’s winless away from its home stadium.

The Stampeders come off the bye week and should be fresher. Then again, they were swept by Edmonton in their annual Labour Day series the last time they resumed play following the break.

Calgary’s Jake Maier has thrown 18 TD passes — third-most in the CFL — but also has 12 interceptions, just behind Hamilton’s Bo Levi Mitchell and Winnipeg’s Zach Collaros (co-leaders with 14 apiece).

Calgary is also 4-8-1 in games Maier has started and 1-6-1 in its last eight overall. The Stampeders are also last overall in offensive points (22.5 per game) and second-last in net yards (352 per game) and offensive TDs (29).

Calgary quarterbacks have also thrown a CFL-leading 17 interceptions and the club is last overall in turnover ratio (minus-16).

Defensively, Calgary is ranked second-last in offensive points allowed (28.1 per game) and net yards (386.4). The Stampeders are third against the pass (272.7 yards per game) but last in rushing yards allowed (125.9 per game).

Calgary is coming off a 37-29 loss to Saskatchewan on Sept. 20 as Ryquell Armstead ran for 207 yards in his Riders’ debut. B.C. running back William Stanback stands second among CFL rushers with 1,062 yards and is averaging 5.2 yards per carry.

But B.C. has dropped two straight and has just two wins over its last nine games. Starter Nathan Rourke is just 2-4 since returning to the CFL and has more interceptions (seven) than TD passes (four).

B.C. is coming off a 32-29 overtime home loss to Hamilton, which overcame a 16-0 halftime deficit. The Lions and Stampeders have split their season series 1-1, with the home team winning each time.

Maier has thrown for over 300 yards in both contests with five TDs. However, the Lions are 4-3 at B.C. Place Stadium this season.

Pick: B.C.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers versus Hamilton Tiger-Cats (Friday night)

At Hamilton, Winnipeg (9-6) has won seven straight, including a 55-27 home decision over Edmonton last week that saw Collaros pass for 432 yards and a career-best six TDs. CFL rushing leader Brady Oliveira (1,107 yards) ran for 86 yards but also had a 33-yard touchdown catch. The Ticats (5-9) are on a four-game win streak as Mitchell leads the league in passing yards (4,359) and touchdowns (26). A Steeltown loss would give idle Ottawa (8-6-1) its first post-season berth since the franchise’s ’18 Grey Cup loss to Calgary.

Pick: Winnipeg.

Saskatchewan Roughriders versus Edmonton Elks (Saturday night)

At Edmonton, Saskatchewan (7-7-1) chases a third consecutive victory. Its defence had three interceptions in last week’s 29-16 win over Ottawa while the offence held the ball for almost 38 minutes. However, the unit was forced to settle for seven Brett Lauther field goals. McLeod Bethel-Thompson threw three TD passes in last week’s loss to Winnipeg and is expected to start for the Elks (5-10), who’ve lost two straight. The season series is tied 1-1.

Pick: Saskatchewan.

Last week: 2-2.

CP’s overall record: 38-29.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 2, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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Canada coach Jesse Marsch continues to give youth its due ahead of Panama game

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Canada coach Jesse Marsch continues to give youth its due, handing Jamie Knight-Lebel, Santiago Lopez and Kwasi Poku their first senior call-ups for the October international window.

The Canadian men, currently ranked 38th in the world by FIFA, face No. 37 Panama on Oct. 15 at Toronto’s BMO Field in their first home outing since their fourth-place finish at Copa America in July.

The Panama game serves as prep for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal second leg, scheduled for Nov. 19 at BMO Field. And while a friendly, it has implications for the CONCACAF rankings, which play a role in the quarterfinal draw.

The Canadians have leapfrogged the United States into second spot behind Mexico in the CONCACAF ratings, which are different from the FIFA rankings. Panama sits fourth.

The Canadian team is holding a camp in Montreal ahead of the Toronto friendly with an open training session planned for Oct. 9 at Saputo Stadium. Players will also be visiting local youth soccer clubs.

“This is the people’s team,” Marsch said in a virtual availability from Austria. “And we want people to feel like that. We want the public and the community to feel like that. We want them to be able to touch and see and feel their players. And then we hope that this will generate more and more energy for what we want to become in 2026 (at the World Cup).”

Marsch is planning expanded training time in camp, given his team has just the Panama game during the October window. Canada Soccer said it was unable to find another opponent, citing “the global competition schedule.”

Seventeen of the 26 players called into the Canada camp are 25 or younger with goalkeeper Max Crepeau (30) and midfielder Jonathan Osorio (32) the elder statesmen of the group.

Knight-Lebel and Lopez are both 19, while Poku is 21. All three are Canadian youth internationals.

There is also a recall for Zorhan Bassong. The 25-year-old defender, who has made 19 MLS appearances for Sporting Kansas City this season, won his two senior Canada caps under John Herdman in January 2020.

Marsch noted there had been interest from Wales in Knight-Lebel, who has a Canadian father and Welsh mother. Born in Montreal, Knight-Lebel was five when family moved to England.

“We felt like this was a good chance to get him into camp and expose him to what we’re doing,” said Marsch. “And then see how he responds.”

The roster also features 18-year-old Fulham defender Luc de Fougerolles, 20-year-old Nathan Saliba and 21-year-old Niko Sigur.

Knight-Lebel, currently on loan from Bristol City to Crew Alexandra in the English fourth tier, and Poku, who joined Belgium’s Molenbeek from Forge FC in a Canadian Premier League record transfer in August, have both made four appearances for the national under-20 team, helping Canada reach the knockout stage at the 2022 CONCACAF U-20 Championship.

Lopez scored six goals in seven appearances at the U-20 level internationally, finishing the 2024 CONCACAF U-20 Championship as joint-leading scorer.

Marsch debuted uncapped midfielders Niko Sigur (Hadjuk Split, Croatia) and Saliba (CF Montreal) and forward Stephen Afrifa (Sporting Kansas City) in the September window when Canada drew No. 17 Mexico 0-0 and beat the 18th-ranked U.S. 2-1 in Arlington, Texas, and Kansas City respectively.

Marsch’s camp roster this time features 12 MLS players including Saliba, Jonathan Sirois and Joel Waterman from CF Montreal, Sam Adekugbe and Ali Ahmed from the Vancouver Whitecaps and Osorio and Richie Laryea from Toronto FC.

Marsch expects to trim his roster ahead of the Panama game.

The Canadians are 5-2-6 against Panama, with the most recent result a 2-0 win for Canada in 2023 CONCACAF Nations League semifinal play.

Marsch said fullback Alistair Johnston (back) and midfielder Ismael Koné (ankle) are rehabbing injuries. Veteran defender Kamal Miller and midfielder Samuel Piette were not called up this time so as to allow room for young talent.

Canada Roster

Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau, Portland Timbers (MLS); Jonathan Sirois, CF Montreal (MLS); Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United (MLS).

Defenders: Sam Adekugbe, Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); Zorhan Bassong, Sporting Kansas City (MLS); Moise Bombito, OGC Nice (France); Derek Cornelius, Olympique Marseille (France); Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich (Germany); Luc de Fougerolles, Fulham (England); Jamie Knight-Lebel, Crewe Alexandra, on loan from Bristol City (England); Richie Laryea, Toronto FC (MLS); Joel Waterman CF Montreal (MLS).

Midfielders: Ali Ahmed, Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); Mathieu Choiniere, Grasshopper Zurich (Switzerland); Stephen Eustaquio, FC Porto (Portugal); Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS); Nathan Saliba, CF Montreal (MLS); Niko Sigur, Hadjuk Split (Croatia).

Forwards: Theo Bair, AJ Auxerre (France); Jonathan David, Lille (France); Cyle Larin, RCD Mallorca (Spain); Santiago Lopez, UNAM Pumas (Mexico); Liam Millar, Hull City FC (England); Tani Oluwaseyi, Minnesota United (MLS); Kwasi Poku, RWD Molenbeek (Belgium); Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC (MLS).

Follow @NeilMDavidson on X platform, formerly known as Twitter

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 2, 2024.



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Constantini picks up second upset at Grand Slam opener with win over Homan

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CHARLOTTETOWN – Italian skip Stefania Constantini scored her second big upset of the HearingLife Tour Challenge with a 6-4 win over defending Canadian and world women’s champion Rachel Homan in Wednesday’s second draw.

Constantini pulled ahead 3-2 with two points in the fifth end, then followed with a steal of one in the sixth end and two in the seventh.

That left Homan needing four points in the eighth and final end to draw level, and she fell short with a deuce.

Constantini’s win at the triple-elimination debut event of the Grand Slam of Curling season followed a 6-4 victory over four-time Canadian champion Kerri Einarson of Gimli, Man., on Tuesday.

It was a rare loss for Homan, whose Ottawa-based foursome was coming off a title at last week’s PointsBet Invitational in Calgary.

Einarson rebounded with a 7-4 win over Delaney Strouse in Wednesday’s second draw. It was the second loss for the American skip, who was defeated 9-3 by Homan on Tuesday.

In other results from Wednesday’s second draw, Sweden’s Isabella Wrana edged Edmonton’s Selena Sturmay 8-7 and South Korea’s Gim Eun-Ji beat Switzerland’s Xenia Schwaller 7-4.

In men’s action from Wednesday’s morning draw, Switzerland’s Yannick Schwaller downed Scotland’s Cameron Bryce 10-3, Switzerland’s Michael Brunner defeated Winnipeg’s Reid Carruthers 6-5, James Craik of Scotland beat American John Shuster 7-5 and Brad Jacobs’s Calgary-based team beat Scotland’s Ross Whyte 7-3.

Two more draws were scheduled for later on Wednesday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 2, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



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Los Angeles Kings begin taxpayer-subsidized NHL pre-season road trip in Quebec City

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QUEBEC – The Los Angeles Kings have arrived in Quebec City to kick off the final stretch of their NHL training camp, in a trip that’s buoyed by millions of dollars in public money.

The team practised today at the Vidéotron Centre, where they’ll face off in exhibition play against the Boston Bruins on Thursday and the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers on Saturday.

The Quebec government has drawn criticism for agreeing to spend an estimated $5 to $7 million subsidizing the event.

Kings president Luc Robitaille declined to say how much money the team is getting, but told a news conference today that being paid for trips is part of the team’s business model and helps cover travel, hotels, and player salaries.

He says the team will also give back while it’s in Quebec City by visiting a hospital, hosting hockey clinics with children and donating 400 sets of hockey equipment to local organizations.

The office of Finance Minister Eric Girard said this week that the public money will help absorb the expected deficit of the management company hosting the event, and is also intended to help showcase Quebec City as capable of hosting a major league sports franchise.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 2, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



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