Bower, who led Leafs to Cup, dies
Johnny Bower didn’t want to go to Toronto. Yet the pint-size goalie with the big heart became a part of Maple Leafs lore.
Bower, a two-time Vezina Trophy winner who led the Leafs to their last Stanley Cup in 1967, died Tuesday. He was 93.
His family said the beloved Hall of Famer died after a short battle with pneumonia.
Bower became known as the “China Wall.” His career took off after the Leafs claimed him in an intraleague draft in 1958, and he played 475 regular-season games and won four Stanley Cups with the Leafs before playing his final game at age 45 in 1969.
“He was an inspiration to us,” said George Armstrong, who captained the Leafs’ last championship team. “He shamed others into hard work. John gave everything he could during workouts and we weren’t going to let that old guy show us up.” Premier League: Spending is the reason Manchester City is speeding clear of Manchester United in the English Premier League race, according to Jose Mourinho.
After salvaging a 2-2 draw against Burnley on Tuesday, second-place United trails City by 12 points.
“Manchester City buys the full backs for the price of the strikers,” United manager Mourinho said, referring to the summer purchases of Kyle Walker and Benjamin Mendy for more than $133 million combined.
United was just one point ahead of thirdplace Chelsea, which continued its strong home form by beating Brighton 2-0.
Harry Kane scored successive hat tricks to break the record for the most league goals in a calendar year as Tottenham thrashed Southampton 5-2. Liverpool was similarly ruthless in thrashing bottom side Swansea 5-0. Horse racing: Unique Bella atoned for her seventh-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf with a victory by three-quarters of a length over Paradise Woods in the Grade 1, $301,035 La Brea Stakes at Santa Anita. Unique Bella collected her sixth win in eight starts and her first in a Grade 1 event, and it gave trainer Jerry Hollendorfer his third victory in the past four runnings of the La Brea.