SURREY, B.C. —
Hockey leagues such as the NHL and teams including the Humboldt Broncos have offered their condolences to the families of three junior players who died when a vehicle crashed into a tree in British Columbia.
“The NHL sends its love and deepest condolences to the families of junior hockey players Caleb Reimer, Ronin Sharma and Parker Magnuson who tragically passed away in a car accident on Saturday,” said a tweet from the National Hockey League on Sunday.
Police have said that they and other emergency services personnel were dispatched to the Fraser Heights neighbourhood of Surrey, B.C., just before 3:00 a.m. on Saturday
Officials said all three of the vehicle’s occupants, who were teenagers, died at the scene.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation and the identities of the victims were not immediately released.
But the Edmonton Oil Kings of the Western Hockey League confirmed that Reimer, who was just 16, was one of the victims. A statement on the team’s website said he was one of several young breakout players on the Oil Kings roster during their 2020-21 Central Division Championship season.
“I will never forget the first phone call we had the day we drafted him to the organization and the excitement of Caleb on the other end of the line,” Kirt Hill, President of Hockey Operations and General Manager, said in a statement.
“We will truly miss having Caleb in our lives each and every day. He was part of our family and will be a tremendous loss in all of our hearts.”
The Langley Rivermen of the BCHL confirmed that Sharma, who was also 16, died in the crash, too.
“Today we lost a young man who made each and every one of our lives better as well as brighter every day he came to play the game we all love,” said a statement this weekend on the team’s website.
“We as an entire organization wish the Sharma family our deepest and sincerest condolences.”
The Delta Hockey Academy, which offers programs that combine hockey and school, said in a statement that three student-athletes with the academy, located in Delta, B.C., died on Saturday morning.
The statement, which did not name the athletes, noted the Delta School District was organizing support services and resources for its student-athletes starting Monday.
A junior team that also suffered a tragedy in 2018 when their team bus and a semi-trailer collided at a rural Saskatchewan intersection, killing 16 and injuring 13, tweeted its own message in response to the deaths.
“The Humboldt Broncos would like to send out condolences to the families and friends of Caleb Reimer, Ronin Sharma and Parker Magnuson,” the tweet stated.
“Our thoughts are with you.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 22, 2021.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
