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The United States scored two quick power-play goals for a lead they wouldn't relinquish in a 3-1 victory over Canada on Saturday afternoon at the world junior hockey championship.
The Americans (4-0-0) locked up the first seed in Group B by winning the preliminary round finale for both teams. Canada fell to 3-1-0 and will finish second in the group.
Canada appeared sluggish from the start in front of a sellout crowd at Air Canada Centre. Netminder Connor Ingram also looked shaky in the early going as the Americans scored on two of their first three shots.
With Tyson Jost off on a goaltender interference call, Colin White opened the scoring at 4:31 by one-timing a pass from Jordan Greenway.
Canadian defenceman Philippe Myers was called for kneeing less than a minute later and the Americans again took advantage. Greenway gathered the puck down low and breezed through the top of the crease area virtually untouched to tuck the puck past Ingram at 6:04.
Canada had a 5-on-3 advantage midway through the first period but couldn't generate a decent scoring chance. The Americans outshot Canada 6-4 in the frame.
U.S. captain Luke Kunin was tossed from the game early in the second period. He flattened Myers behind the net and was given a five-minute interference major and game misconduct.
Myers was slow to get up and did not return.
Canadian forwards Matt Barzal and captain Dylan Strome showed flashes of their offensive prowess on the ensuing power play but found it tough to penetrate the stifling American defence.
A tripping penalty by American defenceman Charlie McAvoy gave Canada another 5-on-3 advantage. This time the host team applied solid pressure and Thomas Chabot crept in from the point to beat goalie Joseph Woll at 8:12.
The goal gave the Canadian team some zip and sparked the crowd. However, Jeremy Bracco restored the Americans' two-goal cushion when he buried a loose puck at 13:08.
U.S. forward Joey Anderson was sent in on a breakaway in the final minute of the period but Ingram stoned him with a glove save. Canadian defenceman Jake Bean took a needless cross-checking penalty seconds later to snuff out any momentum.
Overall, the Americans matched the Canadians' speed and seemed to want the puck more. The U.S. played a more physical game, kept the mistakes to a minimum and appeared more disciplined.
With four minutes left in the third period, Canada forward Pierre-Luc Dubois slid the puck into the American net well after the whistle sounded. He was given an unsportsmanlike penalty, essentially ending Canada's chances for a comeback.
Canada outshot the United States 26-20.
The Canadians will head to Montreal for Monday's quarter-final against the third-seeded team from Group A. The semifinals will be played Wednesday at the Bell Centre and the medal games are scheduled for Thursday.
Canada, which last won world junior gold in 2015, finished sixth at the 2016 tournament in Helsinki.
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With the new year quickly approaching, athletes across the country are taking the time to reflect on the old year and look forward to the new.
Olympic diving partners Roseline Filion and Meaghan Benfeito look back on an emotional year in which Filion retired from the sport with a bronze medal-winning plunge.
Saying goodbye to 2016 with pride!I learned so many things this year that will definitely serve me for 2017!Thanks for the support! #HNY2017http://pic.twitter.com/oy8TN9cDZF
On the topic of diving, Olympian Jennifer Abel is looking ahead to reaching her goals in 2017.
Olympic hurdler Phylicia George looks back on her journey to the Rio Olympics and is already referring to 2017 as the "year with no limits."
Olympic synchronized swimmer Jacqueline Simoneau had a creative way of displaying her 2016 Olympic journey by taking a one second video for each of the 150 days ahead of Rio. Talk about dedication!
No better way to describe how truly amazing 2016 was without my 1s videos 150 days before the start of the Olympics! http://pic.twitter.com/JNNzCkolr4
Meanwhile, Olympic beach volleyballers Chaim Shalk and Ben Saxton are focused on what's really important for 2017: a more well-rehearsed celebration.
Whether 2016 was full of medals and success or disappointments and let-downs, it's time to party. And what better way to celebrate a new year than spending time with some new friends you met at the Olympics?
Trampoline double-gold medallist and flag-bearer Rosie MacLennan, bronze medal-winning goalkeeper Stephanie Labbé and rugby sevens bronze medallist Jen Kish found time in their busy schedules to try each other's sports.
For hockey fans, New Year's Day has become synonymous with recovering from the previous night's festivities by watching some outdoor hockey.
To ring in 2017, there's twice as much action as the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Detroit Red Wings take their Original Six rivalry outdoors in the Centennial Classic at BMO Field on January 1, while the Chicago Blackhawks head to Busch Stadium in St. Louis to play the Blues in the Winter Classic game the following day.
Before the puck drops on the new year, here are some memorable moments from the NHL's outdoor games.
Crosby decked by Steckel
Sidney Crosby's tumultuous history with concussions began at Heinz Field in 2011.
During that year's Winter Classic in Pittsburgh, the Penguins captain took a hard hit to the head from Washington Capitals forward David Steckel. Although Crosby returned to finish the game, it is widely thought that he sustained his subsequent concussion from the hit.
Crosby suited up two days later against the Tampa Bay Lightning but was knocked out of the game by six-foot-six defender Victor Hedman.
Crosby missed the remaining 41 games of the season as well as 20 games the following year with a concussion.
Steckel: "I just don't like seeing the replay all the time because it is violent and I'm not a violent player." - The National Post.
Crosby ends 1st-ever Winter Classic
Three years earlier at the inaugural Winter Classic in 2008, Crosby was remembered for all the right reasons.
In front of a then-record crowd of 71,217 in snowy Buffalo, N.Y., the Penguins and Sabres were still even 1-1 after regulation and overtime.
In the ensuing shootout, Crosby had the game on his stick and slipped the winning goal past Pittsburgh netminder Ty Conklin.
Crosby: "The game on the line and to see this many people, I mean, it's mind-boggling. The best way to describe it is the Gladiator movie." - CBC Sports.
NHL record at The Big House
The Red Wings hosted the Maple Leafs in 2014 at "The Big House," the football stadium at the University of Michigan, in front of a current NHL-record 105,491 fans.
The Original Six showdown ended in a shootout with the Maple Leafs' Tyler Bozak netting the winner for a 3-2 victory in the snow-filled affair in Ann Arbor.
Bozak: "Flurries were coming down too, so their goalie [Red Wings' Jimmy Howard] couldn't see the puck. Maybe I got lucky with that." - The Toronto Sun.
Lundqvist comes up clutch in controversial finish
New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist had to be at his best when it mattered most.
In the 2012 Classic in Philadelphia, the Rangers held a 3-2 lead over the Flyers in the final minute when New York defenceman Ryan McDonaugh appeared to cover the puck with his hand in the crease, resulting in a penalty shot.
Although Lundqvist made the save to preserve the win at Citizens Bank Park, Rangers' coach John Tortorella was enraged with the call and was fined $30,000 US for his post-game comments.
Tortorella: "I'm not sure if NBC got together with the refs or what to turn this into an overtime game ... I just thought [the officiating,] in that third period, was disgusting." - The Associated Press.
The win is Canada's 14th in the 90-year history of the tournament, second only to HC Davos' 15 wins.
Cory Emmerton scored the game-winning goal and added an assist, with Chay Genoway, Marc-Antoine Pouliot, Andrew Ebbett and Nick Spaling rounding out the scoring for the Canadians.
Zach Fucale made 40 saves in picking up his fourth straight win at the tournament.
Dario Burgler had both goals for Lugano, while goalie Elvis Merzlikins allowed four goals on 36 shots before being replaced by Stefan Muller, who stopped all 10 shots he faced.
You know things are going well for Canada when the starting goaltender debate becomes a hot topic at the world junior hockey championship.
Head coach Dominique Ducharme wouldn't tip his hand Friday on who will get the start for Saturday's showdown against the United States. Netminder Carter Hart played well enough to win in both of his games earlier this week while Connor Ingram posted a six-save shutout victory in his lone appearance.
"The one thing that's for sure is that we want our two guys to be involved and ready to play," Ducharme said Friday. "We'll see how we do it."
Hart, who was initially expected to see most of the action in the tournament, opened with a so-so performance in a 5-3 win over Russia on Boxing Day. Ingram helped Canada to a 5-0 win over Slovakia a day later.
Hart surrendered 2 to Latvia
Hart returned to the crease Thursday night but let in a pair of goals in a 10-2 rout of Latvia.
The Americans will provide a stiff challenge regardless of who's in the Canadian net. Clayton Keller and Colin White have anchored a solid offensive attack that boasts four strong lines.
Both Canada and the U.S. have opened the tournament with three wins apiece.
"The main focus is on us," Ducharme said. "I say it pretty much every day. But we want to be at our best using our tools. Obviously there are little details. We know they're fast, they're skilled.
"We have little things to make sure that we do right, but the main thing is being at our best."
Captain Dylan Strome has been a rock for the Canadian side, which has had offensive contributions from up and down the lineup. Taylor Raddysh broke out with a four-goal performance on Thursday.
The first seed in Group B will be on the line Saturday afternoon.
'Should be fun'
"It's a rivalry that has gone back a long time," Strome said. "With world junior games, you think of Canada and U.S., you think of New Year's Eve. So the story is there, we've got to write it.
"It should be fun and we're looking to make another chapter in that storied rivalry."
The playoff crossover format means the winner will play the fourth seed from Group A in the quarter-finals Monday. The loser will finish second in Group B and next meet Group A's third seed.
"It's going to be a really intense game," Ducharme said. "It's going to be good preparation for getting to the playoffs. Those are going to be the kind of games that are played in the quarters, semis and finals.
"I think we're ready for that and I think mentally our guys are ready for that."
Ducharme did notice some composure issues crop up early in the Latvia game but felt his team did a nice job settling into a rhythm. There will be little room for mistakes against the deep American side, which has outscored the opposition 14-5 in the tournament.
Canada, meanwhile, has scored 20 goals so far and allowed just five. The power play is far and away the best in the 10-team field with Canada converting eight of its 14 opportunities (57.1 per cent).
Stephens returns to practice
Forward Mitchell Stephens sat out the Latvia game with an ankle injury but he returned for Friday's one-hour practice session at MasterCard Centre. Ducharme said he'll be a game-time decision.
A sellout crowd is expected at Air Canada Centre for the preliminary round finale for both teams.
"We know that defensively we're going to have to be at our best," said Canadian forward Matt Barzal. "They're a pretty sound team. Defensively, goaltending, everything, they have a really strong team and so do we.
"It's going to be a great game. Two great teams and I'm looking forward to it."
Canada, which settled for a sixth-place finish at the 2016 tournament in Helsinki, will play its playoff round games in Montreal.
The semifinals will be played Wednesday and the medal games are scheduled for Thursday at Bell Centre.
Scott Niedermayer returned to New Jersey last Feb. 9 to honour former teammate Martin Brodeur, the NHL's all-time winningest goalie, with whom he won three Stanley Cups.
After Brodeur's No. 30 jersey was raised to the rafters at the Prudential Center, Niedermayer got his first in-person look at Connor McDavid, the 19-year-old Edmonton Oilers centre who is talked about in the same breath as Sidney Crosby and one day, many believe, will join NHL greats Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux and Niedermayer in the Hall of Fame.
"The thing that has stood out for me is his speed," Niedermayer, a former Anaheim Ducks player and assistant coach who now mentors young players in the organization, told CBC Sports over the phone recently.
"If there weren't other players around him, you may not realize how fast he's going because the way he skates and his stride doesn't make him look like he's the fastest guy on the ice."
In his fifth game back after breaking his left collarbone, McDavid recorded an assist and two shots in a 2-1 Devils win on that February night.
"He's a great player and it's hard to say if he's going to be like [Gretzky and Lemieux] but right now he's on the right path," said Dylan Strome, McDavid's former junior linemate with the Ontario Hockey League's Erie Otters.
McDavid played his 82nd NHL game on Thursday but didn't record a point in a 3-1 Oilers win over the Los Angeles Kings. The 2015 first overall draft pick has 29 goals and 90 points over parts of two seasons for a 1.10 points-per-game average.
Here's how he compares to some of the all-time great players:
First 82 games
Wayne Gretzky: 142 points, 1.73 PPG
Mario Lemieux: 115 points, 1.40 PPG
Sidney Crosby: 104 points, 1.27 PPG
Eric Lindros: 103 points, 1.26 PPG
Ron Francis: 98 points, 1.20 PPG
Steve Yzerman: 91 points, 1.11
Connor McDavid: 90 points, 1.10
Joe Sakic: 76 points, 0.93 PPG
Jaromir Jagr: 60 points, 0.73 PPG
How good has McDavid been in his brief NHL career?
Gretzky, the all-time NHL points leader with 2,857, says McDavid is "the best 19-year-old he's seen … I'm truly amazed at how good he is."
McDavid has 13 multi-point games this season, tied with Crosby for first in the NHL.
He is the first teenager to be the first player to reach 30 points in a season in league history, achieving the feat in his 24th game on Nov. 29 against Toronto.
In parts of two seasons, he hasn't gone more than two games without a point.
After returning from injury last season, McDavid put up 48 points in 45 games for a fourth-place finish in the NHL rookie scoring race.
Connor McDavid: 5th player since 1987-88 to record 10 or more 3-point games as a teenager. His 10 tie Patrick Kane (Most: 26- Sidney Crosby)
In Niedermayer's 1992-93 rookie campaign, he played 12 regular-season and playoff games against the Pittsburgh Penguins, who were led by league scoring champion Lemieux.
Trying to contain the six-foot-four, 230-pound centre with a long reach was a daunting task for the then 19-year-old Niedermayer, who went on to play 1,263 regular-season games and won the Norris Trophy in 2004 as the NHL's best defenceman.
"I just remember being amazed what a guy like Lemieux could do with the puck. I had never seen anything like it before," Niedermayer said.
In a first-round playoff series, Niedermayer remembered New Jersey head coach Herb Brooks assigning a player to shadow Lemieux with Pittsburgh on a 5-on-4 power play.
"I can't remember if they scored or not," said Niedermayer. "I think teams went to all sorts of lengths to try to slow him down."
The same could be said for McDavid, who entered the Christmas break atop the NHL scoring race and now shares the lead with Crosby with 42 points on 13 goals and 29 assists.
Niedermayer said McDavid reminds him of Crosby when it comes to commitment to the defensive part of the game and work ethic, noting both are strong skaters with the ability to score goals and make plays at high speed.
"You listen to him talk, how he carries himself, talking about his teammates, I really respect that, especially from a young player," said Niedermayer of McDavid, who ranked second only to Gretzky (15) in three-point games through his first 70 NHL games with 10.
"He comes to work and that's probably why he's having this success at a young age. His maturity and talent is beyond his years."
Top Oilers through 70 games
Wayne Gretzky: 41 goals, 115 points, five game-winning goals
Connor McDavid: 27 goals, 82 points, eight game winners
Jari Kurri: 28 goals, 65 points, two game winners
Mark Messier: 12 goals, 31 points, one game winner
Buffalo Sabres defenceman Cody Franson found himself sharing the ice against the six-foot-one, 195-pound McDavid in the team's second game this season, a 6-2 victory at Edmonton on Oct. 16, even though it wasn't his assignment for the night.
"If you get caught slow-footed or you're not keeping pace as he gets close to you, he'll be able to roast you," Franson said. "He definitely makes you play an honest game. You can't cheat with him.
"You have to give him the same respect as you do Crosby because he can do the same types of things. Crosby is a little older, a little stronger but McDavid will grow into that. He's got every tool in the toolbox."
Jamie Oleksiak, a six-foot-seven, 250-pound stay-at-home defenceman with the Dallas Stars, recalled making eye contact with McDavid in a November game as the latter picked up the puck along the boards and skated up ice.
"He was probably thinking, 'Here's a big, slow defenceman I can just dance around' but luckily I was able to get my stick on him," said Oleksiak. "My eyes kind of went like a deer in headlights but I was able to make sure … I wasn't on one of the highlight shows.
"You just see how relentless [McDavid] is on pucks. … He works hard and he's confident in making plays. He's a special player."
Canada coach Luke Richardson had his players concentrate on special teams in their lone practice before the 2016 Spengler Cup, and that focus has paid off with a spot in the tournament final.
Chris DiDomenico scored Canada's ninth power-play goal in four games as the Canadians held off HC Dinamo Minsk 3-2 in the Friday's semifinal round.
Chay Genoway scored the winning goal and Marc-Antoine Pouliot had a goal and an assist as Canada avenged a 7-4 defeat to Minsk in its tournament opener.
Andrei Stepanov and Matt Ellison scored power-play goals for Minsk.
Power-play opportunities aplenty
While Canada failed to score multiple power-play goals in a game for the first time in Davos, the Canadians generated eight chances with the man advantage which allowed them to control the game.
"Our power play has been really hot through the whole tournament so we wanted to make sure that we had puck possession so that we're drawing penalties instead of taking them. I think for the most part of the game we did that," Richardson said.
"We got in a little trouble in the end and they scored 5-on-3 to make it close, but I think for the most part our discipline was really good."
Canada will try for its 14th Spengler Cup title when it plays either HC Davos or HC Lugano on Saturday's final. Only Davos, the tournament host with 15 titles to its name, has had more success than Canada.
Adapting on the fly
Canada is often at a readiness disadvantage at the annual tournament, putting together a team on short notice that has to play against well-established clubs from Europe.
Richardson said Canada's players have responded to the challenge by showing a capacity to adapt and improve as the tournament progresses.
"You come together as a team in a very short time, and I think every game we see the team getting better," Richardson said. "That's just a compliment to these players doing it in a fast period of time."
"They're all really intelligent, skilled players," he added. "We spent some time with them, showed them some videos and gave them a plan, but let them talk amongst themselves. And you know what? It's been unbelievable to watch them play and jell together."
Fucale seizes the opportunity
Zach Fucale made 21 saves to earn his third straight win in goal for Canada, while former NHL goalie Ben Scrivens made 34 stops in the loss for Minsk.
Fucale, who plays for the ECHL's Brampton Beast, took over Canada's starting job from Drew MacIntyre after the opening loss to Minsk, and Richardson has been impressed with the 21-year-old Montreal Canadiens prospect.
"He doesn't have a lot of pro NHL and AHL experience, but he does have a lot of international experience," Richardson said of Fucale, who won gold with Canada at the 2015 world junior hockey championship and the 2012 Ivan Hlinka under-18 tournament. "The guy finds a way to win. He's been battling, he's a young guy and everybody likes him and is pulling for him. This is a big step in the right direction for this guy's career."
While Canada-Russia may be the most storied international hockey rivalry, nothing can match Canada-U.S., in intensity.
The emergence of the Americans as a hockey power has provided fans on both sides of the border with some of the most memorable games at the world junior hockey championships.
With bragging rights on the line, there'll be no love lost when these two meet once again on Saturday's New Year's Eve clash (3:30 p.m. ET), adding another chapter to this great rivalry.
Here's a look back at some of the best games between Canada and the U.S., at the IIHF world junior championships:
Marc-Andre Fleury's blunder
The teams met in the gold-medal game in 2004.
The Americans hadn't reached this stage since 1997, where they fell to Canada. That year also marked the last time Canada won the tournament, the last in a string of five straight championships.
Up 3-1 heading into the final period, Canada looked poised to reclaim the throne.
But Patrick O'Sullivan led the American comeback with two goals in the third period to rally the U.S., to a 4-3 win handing the nation its first-ever world junior hockey championship.
O'Sullivan's second goal, which ultimately proved to be the difference, came virtue of a blunder by Canadian goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury when his clearing attempt hit his own defenceman and deflected back into his own goal.
Toews' shootout heroics
While it wasn't the championship game, the 2007 world junior semifinals had all the makings of one.
The two teams headed to a shootout after a 1-1 tie at the end of overtime.
Jonathan Toews was the last of three players selected in the initial round of shooters and put Canada ahead 2-1 before Jack Johnson replied for the Americans to send the shootout to sudden death.
International rules allow coaches to select any player for sudden death, including those previously used.
Toews was called upon twice more, scoring both times.
This time the U.S., was unable to respond as Canadians goaltender Carey Price shut the door on Peter Mueller to advance Canada to the final, which it won against Russia.
John Tavares' hat trick
The Americans delivered an early statement, pouncing out to a 3-0 lead just 12 minutes into the opening period, silencing the sellout crowd in Ottawa on New Year's Eve.
But Canada weathered the early storm and tied the game 3-3 by the end of the first period thanks to a pair of goals from John Tavares.
The match was tightly contested the rest of the way with Canada nursing a 5-4 lead for the majority of the third period.
With 47 seconds remaining and the American goalie pulled for the extra attacker, Tavares stoled the puck from his opponent and buries the puck into the empty cage to complete the hat trick, booking Canada's spot in the 2009 semifinals.
New Year's Eve comeback
With first place in the group and a bye in 2010 semifinals on the line, the stakes were high for both countries.
Canada, which was playing in front of a rowdy Saskatoon crowd, erased a 4-2 third period deficit when Alex Pietrangelo scored a short-handed goal to tie it up with just 15 seconds remaining in regulation.
Overtime solved nothing, leading to another shootout between the two nations. This one didn't need sudden death.
The third round of shooters saw Canada's Brandon Kozun find the back of the next, while American Justin Schroeder's attempt to go five hole was snuffed out by goaltender Jake Allen.
Carlson's OT dagger
The U.S., didn't have to wait long to avenge its shootout loss to Canada — five days to be exact.
Once again, the Americans were up two goals in the third period, only to have Canada mount another third-period comeback.
Two goals from Canada's Jordan Eberle within the final three minutes of the third period sent the gold-medal game into an extra frame.
This time, history wouldn't repeat itself.
Just four minutes into overtime, John Carlson tooks advantage of a 2-on-1 rush and slid a no-look shot past Martin Jones to give the Americans the gold medal on Canadian soil. It also ended Canada's five-year reign atop the junior hockey world.
Gaudreau's 3-point performance
After a 2-1 win over the U.S., in the preliminary round, Canada faced off with its counterparts from in 2013.
While Canada entered the match undefeated, they resembled anything but the team that earned a bye into the semis.
The Americans led from start to finish in a 5-1 demolition of the Canadian squad.
Johnny Gaudreau had a pair of goals and an assist to lead the Americans to the gold-medal game, where they would defeat Sweden.
Meanwhile, Canada was defeated by Russia in the bronze-medal game, ending its 14-year medal run at the event.
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Canada always will have Russia as its most storied hockey rival because of the 1972 Summit Series and all the Canada Cup clashes, particularly 1987. But there is little doubt the United States has skated into the role of Canada's most intense equal these days.
There was the U.S.'s win in the 1996 World Cup of Hockey and Canada's gold-medal wins over the Americans in the 2002 and 2010 Olympic Games.
At the world junior level, Canada defeated the U.S. in the gold-medal final 20 years ago in a wonderful goaltending dual between Canadian Marc Denis and his American counterpart Brian Boucher.
There were American wins in the 2004 and 2010 finals, the latter a stinging loss in Saskatoon for Canada. There was the memorable Canadian semifinal win in 2007 with Jonathan Toews and goalie Carey Price shining in the shootout, and the 7-4 New Year's Eve victory in 2009 when Canada scored twice into the empty net in the final minute.
The latest installment between Canada and the U.S. will occur at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto on Saturday afternoon (3:30 p.m. ET) at the world junior tournament.
The game will be a seamless way to end the New Year and a perfect prelude for hockey fans to check in on the Columbus Blue Jackets-Minnesota Wild game in St. Paul, Minn. The Blue Jackets have been the hottest team in the land with a 14-game win streak, two better than the Wild's current 12-match victory string.
U.S. junior defenceman Caleb Jones will not doubt be watching the Columbus-Minnesota game afterward. His older brother Seth Jones is a Blue Jackets defenceman.
Caleb Jones is not the only familiar surname on the U.S., roster. Casey Fitzgerald is the son of former NHLer and current New Jersey Devils assistant general manager, Tom Fitzgerald.
Bellows follows in father's footsteps
Kieffer Bellows is the son of former NHLer Brian Bellows. The older Bellows is from St. Catharines, Ont. He won a Memorial Cup with the Kitchener Rangers, a Stanley Cup with the Montreal Canadiens and represented Canada at the 1984 Canada Cup, as well as three world championships. The younger Bellows, however, calls Edina, Minn., home.
Not much has separated Canada and the United States in group play in Toronto. Both teams have gone 3-0 with wins over Russia, Slovakia and Latvia, respectively. Canada has outscored its opponents 20-5, compared to the United States' 14-5 advantage.
As always, there will be a few sidebars to follow. Canadian defenceman Dante Fabbro of Coquitlam, B.C., will go up against six of his Boston College teammates on the American side.
Canadian captain Dylan Strome and his linemate Taylor Raddysh, who matched a team record with four goals in a 10-2 win against Latvia on Thursday, were hoping to go up against their Erie Otters teammate Alex DeBrincat. But DeBrincat was cut after the U.S., training camp earlier this month, even though he has scored a whopping 30 goals in 28 games with Erie this season.
Strome reacted to the surprise decision as "strange" and added, "I think it's good for us that he's not there."
Ottawa Senators fan will keep a close eye on their prospect, American forward Colin White. He comes from quite an athletic family. His father Mark played football and was on the track team at Georgia Tech. His mother Christine was on the Florida State tennis team.
Winnipeg Jets faithful will be interested in the performance of U.S., forward Jack Roslovic, who has played for the AHL Manitoba Moose this season.
The goaltending situation with Canada will remain a matter that has to sort itself out. No. 1 Carter Hart of Sherwood Park, Alta., has yet to distinguish himself in two wins because of a disappointing .881 save percentage.
Does that mean Connor Ingram of Imperial, Sask., will get the call against the U.S.? He was in goal for Canada's 5-0 shutout win against Slovakia on Tuesday, but Ingram faced only six shots.
It's not a must-win game for either team on Saturday, but first place is at stake in the group and an easier quarter-final matchup in Montreal on Monday. But whenever Canada and the United States meet on the ice these days, there is plenty of intrigue.
Alexander Wennberg scored twice as the Columbus Blue Jackets extended their franchise-record win streak to 14 games with a 5-3 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday.
Brandon Saad, Nick Foligno and Lukas Sedlak also scored for Columbus (25-5-4). Foligno and Zach Werenski each had a pair of assists.
Sergei Bobrovsky made 31 saves for his 23rd win of the season.
The NHL record for the longest win streak is 17 games, set by Pittsburgh in 1992-93.
The victory also boosted the Blue Jackets' point streak to 16 games (15-0-1).
Shawn Matthias, Bryan Little and Mathieu Perreault scored for Winnipeg (17-18-3). Michael Hutchinson turned aside 30 shots in net.
Taylor Raddysh scored four goals and Matt Barzal chipped in with a pair as Canada dumped Latvia 10-2 on Thursday night to remain unbeaten at the world junior hockey championship.
Captain Dylan Strome had four assists as Canada improved its preliminary round record to 3-0-0. Latvia, which has been outscored 25-4 in the tournament, fell to 0-3-0.
The victory moved Canada into a first-place tie with the United States in Group B. The Americans, who edged Russia 3-2 earlier in the day, will meet the host team in a New Year's Eve showdown at Air Canada Centre.
Latvia played at a good pace in the early going and actually outshot Canada 10-9 in the opening period.
Barzal woke up the quiet Toronto crowd at 10:38 with a short-handed goal. He sped past two Latvian players at the blue line and flipped the puck over the outstretched pad of Latvian netminder Mareks Mitens.
Canada made it 2-0 just over a minute later as Nicolas Roy tipped in a blast from Philippe Myers at the point.
Raddysh added a power-play goal with 20 seconds left in the period. He took a slick feed from Thomas Chabot and fired the puck under the crossbar.
Goaltender Carter Hart, who helped Canada to a 5-3 win over Russia on Boxing Day, returned to the net after Connor Ingram posted a six-save shutout in a 5-0 win over Slovakia on Tuesday.
Hart was steady when called upon but the shots were infrequent and usually of middling quality. He wasn't really tested until early in the second period when he made a nice glove save on a Martins Dzierkals snapshot from in close.
Raddysh scored again with the man advantage at 9:11 of the second period. Mitens was pulled moments later and his replacement, Gustavs Grigals, seemed overwhelmed by the stiff Canadian attack.
Raddysh deflected a shot for the hat trick at 12:13 before Canada tacked on three more goals in a span of two minutes 43 seconds.
Barzal, Anthony Cirelli and Michael McLeod all scored at even strength to turn the game into a laugher. Renars Krastenbergs put Latvia on the board at 17:58 to end Hart's shutout bid.
Raddysh deflected a point shot at 2:07 of the third period for his fourth goal of the night. Dzierkals scored Latvia's other goal on a nice deke at 7:59.
Julien Gauthier closed out the Canadian scoring at 18:05. Canada outshot Latvia 35-25 overall.
Phillip Danault scored 39 seconds into overtime after Brendan Gallagher tied it late in the third period, leading the Montreal Canadiens over the Florida Panthers 3-2 on Thursday night.
Gallagher ended a 13-game goal drought with 2:37 remaining when his shot from the right circle went over James Reimer's glove, and then Danault came in on a breakaway and beat Reimer for his seventh goal of the season.
Max Pacioretty also scored for Montreal, and Al Montoya made 31 saves.
Vincent Trocheck and Jason Demers scored for the Panthers. Reimer stopped 38 shots.
Montreal snapped a three-game losing streak.
The Panthers have lost four in a row and 11 of their past 13 games.
Williams announced her engagement to Alexis Ohanian on Thursday, posting a poem on Reddit that she accepted the proposal of the social news website's co-founder.
Williams' agent, Jill Smoller, confirmed the engagement in an email to The Associated Press.
Williams, 35, has been dating Ohanian, 33, for over a year.
Her poem:
"I came home
A little late
Someone had a bag packed for me
And a carriage awaited
Destination: Rome
To escort me to my very own "charming"
Back to where our stars first collided
And now it was full circle
At the same table we first met by chance
This time he made it not by chance
But by choice
Down on one knee
He said 4 words
And I said yes."
Williams in July won Wimbledon for the seventh time to tie Steffi Graf's record of 22 Grand Slam titles. In September she passed Roger Federer for most all-time Grand Slam match victories, winning her 308th in the U.S. Open.
Daniel Alfredsson received a standing ovation and fans cheered and sobbed as the Ottawa Senators retired his No. 11 Thursday night — making him the first player in the team's modern era to receive the honour.
The 44-year-old spent 17 seasons with the Senators — including 13 as captain — and was instrumental in bringing the franchise from a struggling expansion team to a respectable, competitive force that went all the way to the Stanley Cup final in 2007.
"It's been a long time since I showed up to my first rookie camp in '95, forgetting my skates in Sweden — that's a true story," Alfredsson told the Canadian Tire Centre crowd.
"My first week as a Senator was spent playing in two sizes too big, and used. Luckily, though, I think it all worked out okay in the end."
Over the course of 18 NHL seasons, Alfredsson played 1,246 games, had 444 goals and 713 assists. He remains the Senators' career leader in goals (426), assists (682) and points (1,108).
Not even a contract dispute in 2013 that ultimately led to Alfredsson signing with the Detroit Red Wings for one season was able to tarnish his impeccable image in the nation's capital.
Needless to say, seeing Alfredsson's No. 11 raised to the rafters of the Canadian Tire Centre brought out strong emotions.
I promised myself I wouldn't cry watching from my living room...but I'm already bawling 😭 #celebrate11
Before Alfredsson addressed the crowd, his brother Henrik said a few words, initially suggesting — to kind-hearted jeers — that Alfredsson was "probably not the most talented player to come into the NHL,"
"But he has an incredible determination and will to win," he continued, to cheers. "A will to try to do the best at everything he does, every single day."
'[We] became men together'
Since his retirement, Alfredsson has worked in the Senators' front office, signing a one-year contract extension in June to serve as an advisor to the hockey operations department.
Former teammate Wade Redden, who played 11 seasons with Alfredsson, told the crowd it would be "fitting" that Alfredsson would become the first modern-day Ottawa player — after Frank Finnigan, who played 10 seasons with the club and helped them win the Stanley Cup in 1927 — to have his number retired.
"We were a group of selfless hard-working kids who grew up together, became men together, and won lots of hockey games together," said Redden, reflecting back on his time playing with Alfredsson.
"From day one, back in '96, I could see the special player Alfie was."
The Jose Bautista Era in Toronto might not be over just yet.
MLB Network's Jon Paul Morosi reports the Blue Jays and Bautista's representatives are in "active contract discussions."
The 36-year-old right fielder turned down the Jays' one-year qualifying offer of $17.2 million US in November to explore free agency. Yahoo Sports' Jeff Passan reported on last Friday that Bautista is now considering a one-year deal with the Jays, as long as it is worth more than the qualifying offer.
Bautista earned $14 million this past season, the last of a five-year, $60-million contract. He batted .234 with 22 home runs and 69 RBIs in 2016, playing just 116 games because of various injuries.
Late last week, Bautista saw former teammate Edwin Encarnacion sign a three-year, $65-million deal with the Cleveland Indians, less than the four-year, $80 million the Jays offered before the free agency period began.
The long-lost technique hasn't been seen on an NBA basketball court for more than 30 years. But that didn't stop rookie Houston Rockets power forward Chinanu Onuaku from unleashing his secret weapon on Monday night: the underhand free throw. Or, as a ridiculing fan might call it — the "Granny-style" throw.
Rick Barry knows all about the unorthodox shot. The NBA Hall of Famer was a master of the technique before he retired from the sport in 1980. He spoke with As It Happens guest host Helen Mann about why he thinks more players should adopt the unique shot. Here is part of their conversation.
NBA Hall of Famer Rick Barry was a master of the underhanded free throw technique. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Helen Mann: Mr. Barry, did you feel a surge of pride on Monday night when you saw someone resurrecting that underhand free throw?
Rick Barry: Well, actually, [Onuaku] did it when he was in college. His form is not what I would recommend. I think he's doing a lot of things that will prohibit him from ever really being super proficient at it. I admire and respect what he's doing — that he's willing to try something to get better. He has gotten better. But the fact that you're a 60 something per cent free throw shooter doesn't make it. That's not good free throw shooting.
"I just hope that players will realize that there's no stigma to shooting it that way. It's whether the ball goes in the basket or not — that's all that really matters at the end of the day." - Rick Barry
HM: What's wrong with Chinanu Onuaku's technique?
RB: There's a lot of things wrong with it: his feet are too wide, he's got too much wrist involved, he takes his hand off the ball. Again, I'm not saying this to disparage him. I respect and admire that he's done this on his own and gotten himself 20 per cent better at the free throw line, which is a complement to him.
HM: Explain to us the advantages of this underhand throw because most players aren't using it.
RB: I don't know why people have an aversion to doing it because in the old days men used to shoot that way and nobody made fun of them. Now, all of sudden, it's like, "Wow! You can't shoot that way. That's not masculine." I mean, it's ridiculous.
HM: So what makes it so accurate?
RB: It's a very soft touch shot. Physicists have done studies on it and you can Google it and find the reports that they did. They all came out and said it's the most efficient way to do it. There's less moving parts. I mean there's so many positives to it. Why in the world wouldn't someone want to go and do something that experts in the field of physics have said is the most efficient way to do it and then learn the technique and go practice it? Everybody has been copycatting everything else in the world to try to do things that other people do exceptionally well, other than the underhanded free throw, and the way I did it.
Chinanu Onuaku of the Houston Rockets surprised the basketball world when he brought back the underhanded style of free throw shot. (Nick Laham/Getty Images)
HM: Do you think it's just more important to these guys to look cool than to be accurate?
RB: Obviously it is. Shaquille O'Neal told me that. He said, "I'm a hip hop kind of guy and it would ruin my image." He didn't want to do it. The bottom line of it is that you have to have enough personal pride to want to be the best you can be in whatever it is that you do in life. That means you should try anything that's not against the rules in order to go and get more proficient at it. How do you live with yourself if the most simple thing, the only thing that's a constant, same size ball, same size basket, same distance every single time you get to the line, with no one trying to prevent you from doing it, and you can't make four out of every five? You should be ashamed of yourself.
HM: How did people react when you first unleashed this move in a game?
RB: The first time I remember was in Scotch Plains, New Jersey on the road when I was a junior or senior in high school. I shot the ball and I was making my free throws. I heard a guy call out, "Hey Barry, you big sissy, shooting like that." I heard, as clear as a bell, the guy sitting next to him said this: "What are you making fun of him for — he doesn't miss!" I just hope that players will realize that there's no stigma to shooting it that way. It's whether the ball goes in the basket or not — that's all that really matters at the end of the day.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity. For more on this story, listen to our full interview with Rick Barry.
Renney joined the organization as president and CEO in 2014.
He will continue to lead and set the direction for Hockey Canada in his role as chief executive officer.
"I see an opportunity for Hockey Canada to be more effective in delivering on our growing mandate here in Canada and internationally by separating the roles of president and chief executive officer, and our board of directors has endorsed my view," said Renney.
"Scott and I have very complementary skillsets and approaches, but just as importantly, this also allows us to recognize Scott's demonstrated abilities as a leader and high-performer with a commitment to, and passion for, the game."
Smith joined Hockey Canada in 1995 and was named COO in 2007.
He'll continue to oversee all day-to-day operations of the organization, but will take on a more public role for the organization as part of his duties as president.
"Hockey Canada is a world-leading organization," said Smith. "Our role nationally and internationally continues to evolve, and I look forward to continuing to work alongside Tom, Paul, Mike, and the board of directors."
In attendance for the announcement was Joe Drago, chair of Hockey Canada's board of directors, which endorsed Renney's appointment of Smith to the role of president.
"The board fully supports Tom's decision to appoint Scott as president, and we are 100 per cent confident in the abilities of Tom, Scott, and the leadership team," said Drago.
"This is also about recognizing our people, and ensuring that we have a strong development and retention strategy at all levels of the organization. One of the things that makes Hockey Canada great is its people. Congratulations Scott, we look forward to working with you, Tom, Mike, Paul, and the rest of the Hockey Canada staff for many years to come."
The Montreal crowd is chanting: "P.K.! P.K.! P.K.!"
Only P.K. Subban is not on the ice wearing a Montreal Canadiens sweater, nor even part of the original-six franchise any longer. It's the first day of August and Subban is back in Montreal, about a month after the shocking trade which sent him to Nashville for fellow all-star defenceman Shea Weber.
He's in front of a sea of loyal fans on this day, not as a star hockey player, but a first-time stand-up comedian. The crowd stands and applauds to open the "P.K. Subban: Shots Fired" special (which airs Jan. 2 on CBC) before Subban finally gets around to "the elephant in the room."
JUST ANNOUNCED!!
Shot last summer in Montreal, P.K. Subban: Shots Fired will air on @cbc on January 2, 2017 at 9pm! Mark your calendars! http://pic.twitter.com/hEqQeIv1sR
He pauses and then delivers the punch line: "I went to Europe this summer."
Light-hearted digs at the Canadiens, specifically head coach Michel Therrien, general manager Marc Bergevin, and even the Molson family, do indeed follow over the hour-long special. Subban said he simply wanted to "poke fun" at the rumours and endless chatter regarding his sometimes polarizing and yet largely successful run in Montreal.
"I think that there's been so much made of the whole trade, I just wanted to make light of the situation because the reality is it's just business," Subban told the Canadian Press in a recent interview. "But we can still laugh and giggle and have fun with some of the stories and rumours that have gone on, poke fun at it and then get people to pay some money and donate it to my charity."
Nothing was off-limits
Subban got help writing the jokes from Pat Dussault of "Just For Laughs," but nothing evidently was off-limits. In good humour, the former Norris trophy winning defenceman takes aim at Therrien's system, the Habs' consternation over his flashy ways, and even the Molson-family beer.
During one sketch Subban is confronted by images of Therrien and Bergevin while a voice chuckles and says "Respect the system, no celebration, no fun P.K."
P.K. Subban knocks 'em dead at Just for Laughs1:03
Subban, who may face the Canadiens for the first time next Tuesday in Nashville (he's currently sidelined by injury), said "we wanted to make sure that everybody knew how much I loved the Montreal Canadiens organization, the city, and my coaches and GMs, and everybody that has been my boss or helped me along the way, just showing them the utmost respect."
"I think that anybody watching that would get a kick out of it. I think it's pretty funny."
Subban just being himself
It's perhaps fitting that Subban opted to take the stage so soon after the trade while Weber, a quieter sort, waited weeks before finally arriving in Montreal for the first time. Others might have considered rescheduling the show or putting it off altogether in light of the intense debate the trade caused. But for the outgoing Subban that was never the case.
Experiencing culture in Canada | P.K. Subban0:32
In his mind the (perhaps) one-time chance to jump on a stage and toss out some jokes was too good to pass up and where better to do it than Montreal where he was a beloved figure for six seasons. He knew he'd have support from the crowd, some of whom were decked out in Canadiens jerseys, including a fan in the front row.
Subban, who wore a mauve three-piece suit himself, got a little teary-eyed off the top when the audience offered a long standing ovation, but he settled down once he got into the comic routine.
His timing in that sense was surprisingly on point.
Subban didn't rehearse his routine — which is interspersed with bits from other comedians — until the day of the show. He sought general advice from other comics, but mostly tried to be himself. Those who know him well, Subban says, would describe him as a natural jokester.
A different spotlight
He could see how difficult it was, however, to try to make people laugh under the bright lights.
"Remember, I did it in a city where everybody knows me, where I played hockey and everybody there was a hockey fan," Subban said. "They go to cities where maybe some people aren't as familiar with them where they have to kind of earn the respect of the room and that's really tough."
"I just wanted to have fun with it," Subban added. "I wanted to be myself within the structure that they gave me. But I also didn't want to embarrass myself."
He was especially pleased to raise more money for charity. The event generated $150,000 for the Montreal Children's Hospital Foundation, according to a representative from the CBC. Subban notably donated $10 million to the hospital more than a year ago.
P.K. Subban one-on-one0:46
"How many guys can say they've hosted a comedy gala or comedy show?" Subban concluded. "That's not an easy thing to do and I'm pretty excited about it, pretty happy about it."
Two solid victories for Canada at the world junior hockey championship have helped restore confidence to a team that made an early exit at the 2016 tournament last January.
A New Year's Eve game with the archrival Americans is circled on the calendar, but Canada's next goal is to defeat Latvia on Thursday night at Air Canada Centre.
The host team will not be taking the underdog Latvians lightly. Denmark's stunning 3-2 upset win over defending champion Finland on Tuesday at Bell Centre got everyone's attention.
"It's part of the tournament and we have to respect every team. We saw what happened yesterday in Montreal," Canadian head coach Dominique Ducharme said Wednesday. "We're focusing on ourselves. We're a confident team and we just want to challenge ourselves to be better every time that we step on the ice."
"There's little things that we can do better and that's the way that we look at it every day."
Balanced scoring attack
Canada opened the preliminary round on Boxing Day with a solid 5-3 win over Russia. A comfortable 5-0 victory over Slovakia followed a day later.
Canada has used a balanced scoring attack with nine different players finding the back of the net. Captain Dylan Strome is the lone Canadian with two goals in the tournament.
"It's great to see everyone involved and getting rewarded," Ducharme said. "I think our guys are working hard. To see scoring spread around like that is a good sign of the way that we're playing as a team."
"We're going to be having success as a team and that's the way that we're doing it. Right now it's paying off and guys are getting rewarded individually, scoring is across all four lines and it's great to see."
Confidence in both goalies
Canada backchecked well against Slovakia and held the opposition to just six shots on net. Connor Ingram earned the shutout after Carter Hart's 17-save performance in the tournament opener.
Ducharme said the regular starter job could go to either goalie, adding he has yet to make a decision on who will be in net on Thursday night.
"We have two goalies, two solid goalies," he said. "We like them both and we're confident with those guys in net. We'll see how things go."
Latvia, which was promoted to the 10-team event this year, has only three players who are NHL draft picks. The start of the tournament has not been kind as Latvia has been outscored 15-2 over two losses.
"Denmark beat Finland [so] anyone can beat anyone on any given day," Strome said. "You've got to be ready to play every game. We're gaining momentum for sure."
Canada's Mitchell Stephens is questionable for Thursday night, Ducharme said. The forward is nursing a lower-body injury and is day-to-day.
Playing, growing as a team
Canada is coming off a sixth-place showing at the 2016 tournament in Helsinki, its worst result since an eighth-place finish in 1998. This year's team has been tenacious on the forecheck and is using its overall speed to its advantage.
"We're playing to our strengths and I think we're doing a really good job," Strome said. "From the goaltending to the defence to the forwards, I think everyone is doing their part. It's nice to see where we're at."
Ducharme gave his players a day off Wednesday. He seemed impressed with the team's effort so far and has liked the work ethic.
"They're really unselfish," he said. "They're playing as a team and we're growing as a team. That's what we want to do."
Canada's last gold medal came in 2015, its first title in six years. Canada has won gold 16 times since the tournament's inception in 1977.
The top four teams in each group advance to the quarter-finals, which will be split between Toronto and Montreal. The semifinals and medal games will be played at Bell Centre.
Somehow another year has passed in what feels like the blink of an eye. Predictably, the countdown to the New Year is reliably cueing the highlights from the past year's top athletes, stories and plays.
As we collectively settle in to nostalgically relive our favourite moments of 2016, I can't help but reflect on sport news topics from 2016 that never really amounted to the height of what was expected.
Alas, here are my "were these even stories?" stories of 2016:
1. Rule 40 of the Olympic Charter
Didn't notice that the IOC allowed athletes and their personal sponsors to mention their association during the Olympic Games? Welcome to the club. After years of resisting, the IOC finally gave athletes more wiggle room on mentioning non-Olympic rights-holders during the Games. Pretty certain nobody confused BioSteel as being equal to Olympic rights holder Coca-Cola when they made social posts congratulating Rosie McLennan on winning her second Olympic Games. Talk about much ado about nothing.
2. Hockey
2016 marked the moment Canadians tuned out of hockey and into North America's other pro sports leagues. The success of the Toronto Blue Jays revived baseball's relevance from coast to coast, the Toronto Raptors captured our attention as they challenged LeBron's Cleveland Cavaliers and the MLS finally broke through into the mainstream as Montreal and Toronto battled it out for a spot in the championship game. Sure, Canadians still love hockey, but with only American teams in the Stanley Cup playoffs, 2016 proved to be the year hockey ratings in Canada showed some vulnerability.
3. Zika in Brazil
If any proof is needed that the Olympics have the power to shine a bright light on any given issue, take a look back at this past year's news coverage of the Zika virus. Zika dominated the pre-Games mainstream media, causing athletes to question their Olympic participation and keeping spectators away. Post-Games media was a different story — the news cycle seemed to forget about it, happily moving on from reporting on mosquitoes and Zika and instead focusing on medals and inspirational performances.
And the 'will these be stories in 2017?' stories
As satisfying as hindsight may be, nothing is more humbling than foresight. As I contemplate the upcoming year, I can't help but think these sport business topics will soon be headlines in your respective news feeds:
1. Worries over a low Canadian dollar
With financial experts forecasting the loonie to drop once again in 2017, look for both professional and Olympic sports to be negatively affected.
Take hockey for example. Simply put, a sustained low loonie drives down the amount of money made by Canadian NHL franchises. This could lead to less league revenue, a decreased salary cap and increased player escrow payments. But a low loonie doesn't just hurt the NHL, it also puts additional stress on other professional leagues operating teams in Canada. Remember, teams pay athletes in U.S. funds. The less value in the loonie means higher payrolls for teams like the Toronto Blue Jays and Toronto Raptors.
Our Olympic athletes are also affected, as they are funded by Own The Podium and their national sport federations are often training and competing outside of Canada. A sustained low loonie will only continue to cost the system more. Fingers crossed everyone's budgets included some currency hedging and planning.
2. Doping
As much as I wish 2016 was the peak of the cheating scandal plaguing the Olympics, expect 2017 to bring much of the same. As the fallout from the McLaren report continues, expect headlines to expose more names and more positive results from additional retests.
3. Negative news stories on the Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang 2018
Inevitably, every lead-up to an Olympics seems to be incomplete without some kind of negative storyline. Human rights, environmental conditions and a public health outbreak are only a small sampling of storylines plaguing the past few Olympic Games. With the Winter Olympics just over a year away and South Korea in the midst of a political scandal, expect the news media to jump on the "negative nelly" news train throughout 2017 before the athletes are able to take centre stage in 2018 and remind the public the power of sport.
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Note: The CBC does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comments, you acknowledge that CBC has the right to reproduce, broadcast and publicize those comments or any part thereof in any manner whatsoever. Please note that comments are moderated and published according to our submission guidelines.
To encourage thoughtful and respectful conversations, first and last names will appear with each submission to CBC/Radio-Canada's online communities (except in children and youth-oriented communities). Pseudonyms will no longer be permitted.
By submitting a comment, you accept that CBC has the right to reproduce and publish that comment in whole or in part, in any manner CBC chooses. Please note that CBC does not endorse the opinions expressed in comments. Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. Comments are welcome while open. We reserve the right to close comments at any time.
Note: The CBC does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comments, you acknowledge that CBC has the right to reproduce, broadcast and publicize those comments or any part thereof in any manner whatsoever. Please note that comments are moderated and published according to our submission guidelines.
Ellen Watters, a Canadian competitive cyclist critically injured in a collision with a car while on a training ride in Sussex, N.B., Dec. 23, died Wednesday.
The New Brunswick-born Watters, who was widely hailed as a rising star in Canadian cycling, was 28.
Her roommate and fellow cyclist Emily Flynn said Watters was a happy, enthusiastic person with an unflagging passion for the sport. She was a member of the Ottawa racing program called the Cyclery.
Many in the Canadian cycling community have expressed their condolences on social media.
It is with great sadness that we share the news that Ellen Watters has passed away. Our thoughts are with her family and friends.
"Most recently, there was a video that I posted of her on the side of the road after a ride," said Flynn.
"She threw some snow up in the air with her enthusiastic laugh and smile. She was so excited we had some snow. Her lust for life is something that I will always remember and hold onto.
"She was always very modest. She was always doing something and planning for the next thing."
Ellen Watters is remembered by family and fellow cyclists as a happy, enthusiastic person with an unflagging passion for the sport. (Submitted by Emily Flynn)
Watters was also an advocate for better laws to protect cyclists on the roads, according to Flynn.
In a March 2016 blog post, Watters described the exhilaration of riding in Tucson, Ariz.
"Cars respect cyclists for the most part, but I had little need to be worried," Watters wrote, "because I usually had at least a metre of road space just for me!"
In a July 2016 interview with CBC Radio's Shift New Brunswick, Watters acknowledged the dangers associated with the sport.
"There are crashes," Watters said. "Sometimes, there are major crashes," she said. "I have definitely hit the deck a few times, but I have been lucky enough to get back up."
According to Watters's mother, the cyclist once said that if she "had to die for the roads to be safer for other cyclists, then [she] would be OK with that."
'Her lust for life is something that I will always remember and hold onto,' says Ellen Watters's friend and roommate Emily Flynn. (Submitted by Emily Flynn)
In the wake of Watters's death, her family and friends are orchestrating a campaign to make the one-metre rule a law for motorists in New Brunswick.
"We are going to fight to get a law in place called Ellen's law," said Flynn. "We want the one-metre rule that's already in effect in some provinces to come into effect in New Brunswick."
Under Ontario's one-metre law, passed in September 2015, motorists are required to keep a distance of one metre between the vehicle and the cyclists they pass, or receive a $110 fine and two demerit points off their licence.
"She inspired so many people, and particularly young girls," said Watters's roommate, Emily Flynn. (Submitted by Emily Flynn)
"A lot of cars and drivers think they've given enough space," said Flynn, "but it's not nearly enough. It's a big hunk of metal that you're driving. People don't realize the damage that they can do."
More information on the campaign for Ellen's law will be made available on a Facebook page in the coming weeks, Flynn said.
RCMP investigating
Watters, who was originally from Apohaqui, N.B., was struck by a Volkswagen Golf travelling in the same direction on Riverview Drive East in Lower Cove, according to RCMP Sgt. André Pepin.
Conditions were sunny and clear when the collision occurred around 2:30 p.m. Dec. 23.
"We are still investigating," said Sgt. Jim MacPherson of Sussex RCMP.
As for whether charges could be laid, "we are going to determine that at the end of the investigation," said MacPherson.
While "there were many factors at play" in the crash, Flynn said, tighter laws could prevent this kind of tragedy from happening again.
Flynn hopes Watters's death will be a catalyst for drivers to use extra caution and yield to cyclists.
"We are going to honour her by making sure the roads are safer," she said.
This won't be the last time you hear the name LaMelo Ball.
At 15, he is only a junior in high school, but he already committed to attending UCLA when he was just 13-years-old.
And this is why.
He's good. Like really good.
In a Boxing Day game during the MaxPreps Holiday Classic he dribbled up to half court, pointed at the line to call his shot, and then easily sunk the basket for three points as the crowd and internet went wild!
In Chino Hill's, Calif., they are used to this type of skill from the Ball Brothers. La'Melo and his two older brothers Lonzo and LiAngelo, have been hogging the highlight reel for some time now.
Some would call this cocky. Others would say confident. Either way it only cements his status as "one to watch."
What do you think? Is LaMelo Ball the next Steph Curry? Let us know in the comments.
The Auston Matthews-Patrik Laine debate may rage on for years.
But while Laine may hold a slight edge now in the who's better, who's best debate, the Toronto Maple Leafs are thrilled with their prized centre.
Matthews, who made his NHL debut scoring four goals in a stunning 5-4 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators on Oct. 12, has been everything the Maple Leafs hoped for when they made him the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NHL draft.
Asked to describe Matthews, Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock said: "Elite hockey sense, elite drive, smart guy, comes from a good hockey family. He's a special player."
Babcock has entrusted the team's No. 1 centre spot to the 19-year-old Matthews, who has responded with 16 goals and 26 points in 33 games. His average of 17:42 in ice time per game leads all Toronto forwards.
While that has not translated into a sharp rise up the standings for the Maple Leafs – who sit 23rd overall with a 14-12-7 record for 35 points – Matthews play, along with the solid performances of fellow freshmen Mitch Marner and William Nylander, has long suffering fans of the organization licking their chops at the thought of the future.
Marner, a shrimp at 5-foot-11 and 162 pounds, is also 19-years-old and is tied with Matthews for the team lead in points with 26 (eight goals), and has arguably been Toronto's best player. He is creative and courageous and possesses a big-time NHL shot. Some thought that because of his size, the Maple Leafs would play him in nine games, send him to Team Canada for the world junior championship, and then return him to the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League. But Marner has proven to be much too valuable for that scenario to play out.
Nylander, 20, had a brief stint with the Maple Leafs last season, scoring six goals and 13 points in 22 games. This season he is fourth in team scoring with seven goals and 22 points in 32 games.
Matthews grabs the headlines
All three youngsters have quietly gone about their business, but it is the Arizona-born Matthews who has garnered most of the headlines. From kicking off his career with a four-goal effort, to scoring against his beloved Coyotes the first time he faced them, to setting up a goal in Arizona, Matthews has been superb.
Look at how Auston Matthews barely keeps this takeaway on-side. What a player. 26 points in 33 games now for the 19-year-old. http://pic.twitter.com/LfdPnSI91M
In fact his transition from playing pro hockey in Switzerland last season at 18 to being an impact player in the NHL has been so smooth, so steady, there is now speculation Matthews might be the logical choice to be the team's next captain, replacing Dion Phaneuf, who was traded to the Senators last season.
Matthews was right at home playing with Team North America at the World Cup of Hockey, and has the kind of unflappable personality that suggests he would not be fazed by the day-to-day responsibility of facing the hordes of Toronto media that comes with being captain of the Maple Leafs. In that regard Matthews is very much like Connor McDavid, who became the NHL's youngest captain ever this season with the Edmonton Oilers.
Matthews' quick transition to the NHL did not surprise Senators assistant coach Marc Crawford, who coached the Leafs rookie in Switzerland last season.
"He is the real deal," Crawford said. "He reminds me a lot of [Kings centre] Anze Kopitar with how he carries his speed and drives to the net and the overall game that he has. He has an NHL shot and the quickness and agility in the offensive zone of a [Flames winger] Johnny Gaudreau.
Honestly, he stops and turns and comes out of the corner with 1-on-1 moves where he protects the puck by pivoting so well. He is really explosive and is a really dynamic offensive player. The thing that separates great players from the pack is their vision and he's got that. He sees the ice so well."
