Impressive start
Storm hangs with defending champs despite a couple of practices to prepare
Despite an abbreviated training camp of three days, Island Storm treated a Boxing Day crowd of about 1,500 at Eastlink Centre to a belated Christmas gift with a highly entertaining game.
The Storm lost 120-112 to visiting Moncton Magic, the defending National Basketball League of Canada champions. Talented guard and team leader Alex Campbell led the Storm with 25 points while Robbie Robinson continued where he left off last spring with another strong outing, bagging 24 points plus nine rebounds. Former Harlem Globetrotter Nathaniel Wright impressed with 21 points, as did sharpshooting guard Johnathan Loyd, who had four steals in his 2019 debut. Loyd has the quickness and great hands of a football receiver, which he was when he played for Oregon in the Rose Bowl and caught passes from current Tennessee Titan QB Marcus Mariota. Loyd and Alex Campbell were as strong as any backcourt in the league last season and looked like they’ve been playing together all fall.
Among the newcomers in the Storm line-up, there was lots to like from Antwon Lillard, Abrian Edwards, Jailan Haslem and Marcus Lewis. The difference in the season opener was Moncton veterans Corey Allmond and Billy White; Allmond hit nine of his 14 three-pointers while White poured in 22 points with 10 rebounds.
The Storm entertains the Halifax Hurricanes tonight at 7 p.m. at Eastlink Centre and it’s a great chance to see the team in action. There’s no harness racing tonight, so don’t worry about the parking.
HARNESS RACING
There is no live racing in Charlottetown today, but there is a New Year’s Eve card on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. The best pacers as well as the open mares are in action, so it should be a top card.
The deadline for registering foals born in 2019 is Dec. 31, so don’t let that date slip past.
The only race track in operation in Canada today is Flamboro and many ex-Islanders are in action. It includes Paul MacKenzie, Jason Ryan, Austin Sorrie, Robert Shepherd, Brett MacDonald, Danny O’Brien and trainers Terry Gallant, Rachel Andrew, Mitch Tierney and Walter Whelan.
A quick look at the Meadowlands
card shows P.E.I.-bred Pappy Go Go with a new 2019 record of 1:52 and nearly $100,000 in earnings this year. That’s good news for Charlottetown-based horsemen Doug MacGregor, who is training a well-bred Armbro Barrister yearling. Doug has had little to cheer about as his curling game has gone sour and he’s upset over last week’s New York Jets victory over his Seattle Seahawks. It could get worse as San Francisco should beat Seattle Sunday night.
HOCKEY
Rimouski Oceanic winger
Alexis Lafreniere and former Drummondville Voltigeur centre Joe Veleno played key roles in Canada’s 6-4 victory over USA to open the world juniors in the Czech Republic on Boxing Day.
The former in a scoring role with the latter starring with his checking ability.
In other key tournament games, the Czechs were badly outplayed and outshot but upset the Russians 4-3, which means today’s game is a huge one for both Canada and the Russians.
Ever since the 1960s and 1970s when the Soviet Union dominated international hockey, and after that epic 1972 series where Bobby Clarke’s slash of Valeri Kharlamov played a key role in Team Canada’s victory, the Canada-Russia matchups have intensified with each passing year. Today’s junior game brings back fond memories of that 1972 clash, the greatest series in hockey history, and I expect a huge TV audience will be watching today’s 2 p.m. game. After Canada’s sixth-place finish at last year’s tourney, a loss today to Russia would be painful.