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Here are our top stories:
OLYMPICS
De Bruin wins Canada's first sliding medal
OLY-Canada-Roundup
BEIJING -- Christine de Bruin wore an Olympic medal around her neck for the first time in her career, and the Canadian bobsledder liked the feeling. "It feels awesome," she said of the bronze medal she claimed in the Olympic debut of the monobob. "It feels heavy. It's nice." No doubt, the feeling of two medals would be even nicer. The native of Stony Plain, Alta., picked up Canada's first sliding medal of the Beijing Olympics on Monday when she raced to third place in the monobob in a time of four minutes 21.03 seconds. 900 words. MOVED. PHOTO
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HOCKEY
Flames acquire forward Toffoli from Canadiens
HKN-Canadiens-Flames-Trade
CALGARY -- The Calgary Flames acquired forward Tyler Toffoli from the Montreal Canadiens for forward Tyler Pitlick, prospect Emil Heineman, a 2022 first-round pick (top-10 protected) and 2023 fifth-round selection. 149 words. MOVED. WILL be updated.
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COVID
Ontario-COVID-Attendance
TORONTO - Ontario government has loosened COVID-19 restrictions and will allow 50 percent of the usual seating capacity at sports arenas, as of Feb. 17. 662 words. PHOTO. MOVED.
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SOCCER
Altidore move to New England finally confirmed
SOC-MLS-Toronto-Altidore
TORONTO — After months in limbo with Toronto FC, star striker Jozy Altidore's move to the New England Revolution was finally confirmed Monday. The news came in rapid-fire fashion. One minute after TFC issued a statement saying it had bought out Altidore's contract, the Revolution announced it had signed the 32-year-old as a free agent. 800 words. By Neil Davidson. PHOTO. MOVED.
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CF Montreal readies for Champions League
SOC-CHAMPIONS-LEAGUE-MONTREAL
MONTREAL - Following last year’s Canadian Championship victory, Wilfried Nancy and CF Montreal kick off their 2022 season with the CONCACAF Champion’s League Round of 16. With only a few personnel changes, the team is betting on themselves this year. 800 words. By Elias Grigoriadis. ETA 3:30 p.m. PHOTOS.
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FOOTBALL
Blue Bombers sign Nichols to a one-year extension
FBO-CFL-Bombers-Moves
WINNIPEG- The Winnipeg Blue Bombers signed American defensive back Deatrick Nichols to a one-year contract extension Monday. Nichols is now under contract with Winnipeg through the 2023 season. 100 words. MOVED
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B.C. Lions sign American defensive linemen Baron, McLennan
FBO-CFL-Lions-Moves
VANCOUVER -- The B.C. Lions shored up their defensive line Monday, signing Americans Woody Baron and Ivan McLennan. 100 words. MOVED.
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Edmonton Elks sign veteran receiver Carter to play defensive back
FBO-CFL-Edm-Moves
EDMONTON -- The Edmonton Elks signed veteran receiver Duron Carter on Monday but say he'll play defensive back with the CFL club. 149 words. MOVED.
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COMING LATER:
NHL: Toronto at Seattle, 9 pm (AP); Chicago at Winnipeg, 9 p.m. (CP); Edmonton at San Jose 10:30 p.m. (AP)
NBA: Toronto at New Orleans, 8 pm (AP)
AP Sports
TOP STORIES
FBN—SUPER BOWL-CHAMPION RAMS
LOS ANGELES — Sean McVay wonders whether winning the Super Bowl will finally help him to relax. The Los Angeles Rams earned a celebration and validation with their victory over Cincinnati, and McVay’s team full of ring-seeking stars came away with the crowning moment of their careers to date. By Greg Beacham. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos by 6 p.m.
OLY-FIG-RUSSIAN-DOPING-HEARING-RULING
BEIJING — Russian teenager Kamila Valieva has been cleared to compete in the women’s figure skating competition at the Winter Olympics despite failing a pre-Games drug test, setting her up for an attempt at a second gold medal. Whatever happens on the ice, Valieva will not get a medal ceremony moment in Beijing. Nor will any skater who finishes in the top three with her. By James Ellingworth and Graham Dunbar. SENT: 900 words, photos, video.
FBN--ON FOOTBALL-WHAT'S AHEAD
The NFL never stops making news. Even after the Super Bowl, pro football doesn’t fade from view. Next up is the scouting combine in two weeks, followed by free agency in mid-March and key owners’ meetings at the end of that month. Then the draft in late April, this year in Las Vegas, where even the fountains at Bellagio will play a role. Follow that with OTAs and minicamps, and before Rams fans have exhausted their celebrations of winning the Lombardi Trophy, training camps are opening. All of that drawing the kind of attention every other sport envies. By Pro Football Writer Barry Wilner. SENT: 700 words, photos.
BKC—COLLEGE BKB POLL
Gonzaga has reclaimed the No. 1 ranking in The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll, while Providence climbed into the top 10 and Wyoming earned its first ranking in more than seven years. Mark Few’s Bulldogs earned 56 of 60 first-place votes in Monday’s poll to swap positions with Auburn, which had spent the past three weeks at No. 1 but fell from the top spot after suffering its first loss since November. By Basketball Writer Aaron Beard. SENT: 650 words, photos.
BKW—T25-WOMEN'S BKB POLL
Iowa State has reached its best ranking in 20 years in The Associated Press women’s basketball poll while South Carolina remained the unanimous choice at No. 1. Iowa State (21-3) moved up three spots to sixth on Monday — its highest mark since the 2002 season — and has a huge week ahead with games against No. 14 Texas and No. 15 Oklahoma. By Basketball Writer Doug Feinberg. SENT: 330 words, photos.
CAR--NASCAR-SEASON PREVIEW
DAYTONA BEACH. Fla. — Kyle Larson returns as champion to open NASCAR’s new season, which opens Sunday with the Daytona 500. The season marks the overdue launch of Next Gen car, which previewed earlier this month at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The exhibition was a success and NASCAR has 37 weeks of racing to try to sustain some of that energy. By AP Auto Racing Writer Jenna Fryer. UPCOMING: 1,000 words, photos by 3 p.m.
COMMENTARY
OLY--FIG-PAUL NEWBERRY-RUSSIAN DOPING
BEIJING — The decision came down in the midst of a brisk, sunny day in Beijing, after a late-night hearing that stretched into morning. There was never much doubt about the outcome. This is the way it goes for the Russians. They dope. They’re caught. They slink away to the next competition with no ramifications. Why would they change their chemically enhanced ways? By Sports Columnist Paul Newberry. SENT: 1,000 words, photos.
NOTABLE
FBN—ON FOOTBALL-RAMS DELIVER
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Built to win now, the Los Angeles Rams delivered a shiny, new trophy for Tinseltown. Pressure? What pressure? By Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi. SENT: 770 words, photos.
FBN--MADDEN MEMORIAL
OAKLAND, Calif. — Raiders fans get a final chance to say goodbye to coach John Madden with a memorial for the Hall of Fame coach and iconic broadcaster at the Oakland Coliseum. UPCOMING: 400 words, photos. Developing from 8:30 p.m. event.
OLY--FIG-RUSSIAN WOMEN
BEIJING — The biggest barrier between Russian figure skating star Kamila Valieva and another Olympic gold medal is no longer a panel of judges holed up in a Beijing hotel room but the teammates she practices with every day: Alexandra Trusova and world champion Anna Shcherbakova. Together, the trio coached by the embattled Eteri Tutberidze make the up “quad squad,” a group of teenaged dynamos that are among the few women in the world capable of landing four-revolution jumps. And it’s precisely those high-flying, jaw-dropping jumps that could make them the first women to sweep the Olympic podium for their country this week. The trio swept the podium at the European championships last month with Valieva on top. By Dave Skretta and Sally Ho. Sent: 800 words, photos.
OLY--HKO-STANDOUT STARS
The best player so far in the men's hockey tournament at the Beijing Olympics is also the youngest. Slovakia forward Juraj Slafkovsky, 17, is tied with Sweden winger Lucas Wallmark for the tournament lead with four goals in four games. Only three players have more points than Slafkovsky. The 6-foot-4, 218-pound forward is projected to be a top-10 pick in the NHL draft this summer. Slovakia coach Craig Ramsay says Slafkovsky reminds him of late Hall of Famer Clark Gillies. U.S. forward Sean Farrell leads the Olympics with six points. By Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno. SENT: 600 words, photos.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 14, 2022.
The Canadian Press
