Eddies open NASL season with a draw

FC Edmonton opened its North American Soccer League season with a 1-1 draw against the Fort Lauderdale Strikers on Saturday.

The clubs squared off in front of 5,000 fans at Fort Lauderdale’s Lockhart Stadium.

The Eddies took a 1-0 firsthalf lead on a goal by Wes Knight, who converted a cross by midfielder Shaun Saiko in the 15th minute to beat Strikers goalkeeper Matt Glaeser.

It was the culmination of early pressure by Edmonton.

The Strikers came out strong in the second half and finally evened the score as David Foley connected with a top-corner shot.

The Eddies’s next game is Saturday at Cary, N.C., against the Carolina Rail Hawks.

Southgate Lions win Western Canada title

Tyler Benson scored three goals, including the last one with 57 seconds remaining, as the South Side Athletic Club’s Southgate Lions defeated B.C.’s North Shore Winter Club Winter hawks 5-3 in the Western Canadian bantam AAA hockey championship final Sunday at Kindersley, Sask.

Defenceman David Quenneville and James Hamblin scored the other goals for the Lions, who scored four times in the second period to take a commanding 4-1 lead after a scoreless first period.

Quenneville also assisted on each of the first two goals while Nolan Yaremko had a pair of assists. Lions goalie Stuart Skinner made 38 saves as Southgate was outshot 42-33.

Benson, who is expected to be the No. 1 draft pick in the upcoming Western Hockey League bantam draft, scored nine goals and four assists in five games in the championship while Quenneville had four goals and nine assists to share the points lead.

Bandits steal a win

Cam Maclise scored at 2:49 of overtime to give the Brooks Bandits a 3-2 win Sunday and even their Alberta Junior Hockey League playoff series at 3-3.

The deciding game in the South Division final will be played 7 p.m. Tuesday at Brooks, with the winner advancing to the league final against the Spruce Grove Saints.