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United States daze to Canada in final to catch gold in World Junior Hockey Championship

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The United States upset intensely favored and undefeated Canada 2-0 in Edmonton, Alberta, on Tuesday to win the gold medal in the principal world junior ice hockey title played in an bubble.

In a defensive special, Boston College goaltender and Florida Panthers prospect Spencer Knight halted every one of the 34 shots he looked to make sure about Team USA’s first gold since 2017.

Knight recorded his third shutout of the occasion, the most for an American goaltender in the competition. Forward and Anaheim Ducks draft pick Trevor Zegras drove the competition in scoring with 18 focuses and was named most important player of the competition. The 18 focuses were the second most by an American part in competition history. Zegras additionally tied the record for most focuses by an American in his reality junior vocation with 27 in the course of the last two competitions.

The U.S. started to lead the pack in the primary time frame off a redirection at the front of the net from Los Angeles Kings prospect Alex Turcotte. That objective was the initial 5-on-5 objective Canada had permitted in the World Junior Championship and the first occasion when it had followed anytime in the competition.

“That was by far the biggest goal I’ve ever scored in my life,” said Turcotte, who was the No. 5 generally draft decision of Los Angeles in 2019 and was essential for a year ago’s U.S. crew that was dispensed with in the quarterfinals.

The U.S. overpowered Canada for stretches of the primary time frame and held a 13-9 shots-on-objective bit of leeway notwithstanding the 1-0 lead.

Zegras extended the Americans’ lead 32 seconds into the second time frame when he gathered the puck and slipped it past Canadian goalie Devon Levi, who was inclining the incorrect way.

That goal gave Zegras a bind with previous NHL player Jordan Schroeder for USA Hockey’s record-breaking scoring lead at the World Junior Championship with his 27th point gathered in the course of the last two competitions. He positions fifth among players who have showed up in numerous World Junior Championships with 2.25 focuses per game, a rundown that is driven by Hockey Hall of Famer Peter Forsberg.

Zegras additionally got second put on the Americans’ single-competition scoring list, assembling 18 focuses to lead all major parts in the 2021 competition. He moved past Jeremy Roenick and fell one short of Doug Weight’s record of 19, set in 1991. He was the lone U.S. player to be named to the competition top pick group, joining Canada’s Levi, Dylan Cozens and Bowen Byram, Finland’s Ville Heinola and Germany’s Tim Stuetzle.

Canada had outscored rivals 41-4 preceding Tuesday night’s last in its offer to rehash as world junior boss.

“This is the first team that really pushed back in the first period. We were not used to it and it took a little bit of time to get back at it. After we adjusted, we were really good, but we didn’t score,” Canada coach Andre Tourigny said.

The U.S. ended up shielding for a significant part of the second 50% of the game. Canada outshot Team USA 25-8 over the last two time frames, remembering a 15-1 shots-for objective favorable position in the last edge.

“We had our looks, but Knight played great. We didn’t get the bounces,” said Cozens, who led Canada and finished second among all players with 16 points in the tournament.

Knight, who was chosen thirteenth by and large by the Panthers in the 2019 NHL draft, made a few major recoveries in his third and last outing to the World Junior Championship. In the wake of gathering shutouts in games against the Czech Republic and Sweden in the fundamental round, he turned into the lone U.S. goalie to record three shutouts in a solitary competition and the simply American to gather three shutouts in his reality junior vocation. He was named U.S. player of the game.

Notwithstanding records set by U.S. players, Team USA video mentor Theresa Feaster turned into the principal lady to fill in as an associate mentor for a gold award winning group at the competition. Feaster has been on lead trainer Nate Leaman’s staff at Providence College for as far back as seven seasons, including the previous four as organizer of men’s hockey activities, separating video and measurements for the instructing staff.

“I told the guys after the game, I was going to be proud whether we won or lost this game,” said Leaman, who won the NCAA men’s hockey championship with Providence in 2015. “This was a group that cared about each other. They had good character. The team came together and they cared more about a team than anything individually.”

The success gave USA Hockey its fourth back to back triumph over Canada in a World Junior Championship last, having procured wins in 2004, 2010, 2017 and 2021. USA is 4-1 in gold-decoration games against Canada, which claims 18 golds in the competition’s set of experiences.

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49ers’ Playoff Chances Decline Despite Sunday’s Victory

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The 49ers’ resounding victory over the unfortunate Chicago Bears on Sunday gave them a chance to look like Super Bowl contenders for the first time. However, the Niners’ odds of making the playoffs worsened despite the win.

For San Francisco, especially in the NFC West, it was a difficult weekend for their hopes of qualifying for the NFC playoffs. Despite improving to 6-7, the Niners’ odds of winning the division were reduced by one percentage point from the previous week to 4% according to the Athletic’s playoff model. They still had a 6% chance of making the playoffs overall.

Using various statistical models or projections doesn’t seem to improve the situation significantly. San Francisco has an 8% probability of making the playoffs, according to NFL.com’s NextGenStats model. The Niners have a 2% chance of winning the division and a 4% chance of making the playoffs, according to the Washington Post’s most pessimistic prediction.

The Niners’ three blown leads in their divisional matchups and the prolonged consequences from them are the primary causes of the lower odds, despite their victory.

The division-leading Seattle Seahawks improved to 8-5 on Sunday by defeating the Arizona Cardinals 30-18 in the Valley of the Sun. That earned Seattle their third division victory of the season and kept San Francisco two games behind them.

If Seattle defeats the Rams on the road in Week 18 and records one additional victory (hosting the Packers and Vikings before traveling to play the Bears), the Niners will not be able to win the division, even if the 49ers finish 10-7, which would put their division record at 3-3. A victory over the Rams would give Seattle four NFC West victories, and since the teams have split their two games this season, division record will be the next tiebreaker.

In the meantime, the Rams advanced to 7-6 by defeating the Buffalo Bills 44-42 in a shootout in Inglewood. The Rams will end their schedule by playing the Jets away from home before hosting the Cardinals and Seahawks, but the 49ers can even the score in their Thursday night matchup. The Rams, who are now 2-1 in the division, could sweep their next three games and defeat the 49ers for a division title even if they lose; the final two victories would give them four NFC West victories.

Given that the Washington Commanders are 8-5, the 49ers still have a chance to earn a wild card berth. However, the 49ers will need to lose two of their next four games (at the Saints, hosting the Eagles and Falcons, and then at the Cowboys) in order to even have a chance of catching up to Washington. Although it seems unlikely, it is undoubtedly conceivable.

Regardless of your point of view, the 49ers will not be in charge of their own fate and will want assistance from some of their NFC opponents in order to maintain their prospects of making the playoffs.

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Caitlin Clark declined a larger offer and invested in the team ownership bid despite earning a five-figure WNBA salary

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The investment group for FC Cincinnati stated that Caitlin Clark is contributing to a bid for a Cincinnati-based National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) expansion team.

“The NWSL Cincinnati bid team is thrilled that Caitlin Clark has joined our ownership group in pursuit of bringing women’s professional soccer to our city,” the announcement read.

“Her passion for the sport, commitment to elevating women’s sports in and around the Greater Cincinnati region and influence as an athlete and a role model for women and girls around the world make her a vital part of our compelling bid to become the 16th team in the NWSL.”

Cincinnati joins Cleveland and Denver as the third finalist for an expansion bid.

The amount that Clark contributed to the proposal has not been made public.

According to 2024 Sportico data, the average NWSL team is worth $104 million. At $250 million, Los Angeles’ Angel City FC is the league’s most valuable team, while the Chicago Red Stars are the least valuable at $53 million.

Clark’s investment would certainly surpass her whole yearly WNBA pay if it were even close to 1% of the average franchise’s total worth.

The Impact Of Caitlin Clark On Men’s Basketball In Detail

In the first year of her rookie deal with the WNBA, Clark earned $76,535 in salary. She will earn $78,066 next year.

Joining the new Unrivaled 3-on-3 league, which will take place during the WNBA summer, gave Clark the opportunity to augment her basketball revenue. Clark was apparently being offered more than $1 million by Unrivaled. Clark, however, declined. Like other WNBA players, she declined chances to play professional basketball in Europe.

This offseason, Clark played a little amateur golf, but she has mostly been going to Taylor Swift concerts and other athletic events, such as Butler University college basketball games, which are coached by her boyfriend.

It will be April 2025 before she reports to training camp for her second WNBA season.

Clark is thought to have numerous more sources of income from endorsement deals, though.

Over the course of eight years, Clark’s endorsement contract with Nike is worth roughly $28 million. This contract covers Nike marketing initiatives, product endorsements, and promotional appearances.

She also has agreements with Goldman Sachs, Wilson Sporting Goods, Gatorade, Bose, State Farm, Buick, H&R Block, Topps, and Shoot-A-Way.

Hy-Vee even makes a cereal that she calls “Caitlin’s Crunch Time.”

Since Clark keeps her spending habits under wraps, not much else is known about her lifestyle. However, if the city wins the expansion franchise, everyone will know if she is responsible for her investment in the Cincinnati FC proposal. Clark’s involvement as an investor might influence the choice.

Swift and Clark were recently featured on the cover of Time magazine’s Inspiring Women special edition issue, which highlighted eight women in leadership roles, including several athletes.

Clark appeared in all 15 of the WNBA’s most watched games from the previous season.

The willingness of Cincinnati residents to support a professional women’s soccer club might therefore have a significant impact on her financial future if that secures her investment group the NWSL team.

In 2023, Cincinnati’s median household income was $54,314. In 2022, the median household income in the Cincinnati metro region was $75,062, which is somewhat higher than the median for the entire country. Women make up more than half of Cincinnati’s population.

The WNBA does not have a team in Cincinnati. It does, however, have FC Cincinnati, a men’s professional soccer team in Major League Soccer. The city’s only professional sports teams are the Reds of Major League Baseball and the Bengals of the NFL.

Since turning pro, Clark’s fiercest WNBA competitor has already acknowledged having financial difficulties.

In an October social media post, Chicago Sky star Angel Reese acknowledged that she is unable to use her WNBA earnings to cover her rent. Reese earned $73,439 as a rookie with the Sky, but her annual rent of $8,000 is $96,000.

Reese said to her audience, “I just hope y’all know,” that “the WNBA don’t pay my bills at all. I don’t even think that pays one of my bills. Literally. I’m trying to think of my rent for where I stay at. Let me do the math real quick.”

“I’m living beyond my means!” Reese said with a laugh after realizing her pay and what she was paying.

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Some ‘telekinesis’ helps the Utah Jazz defeat the Mavericks 115-113 for their first home victory

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To be honest, after the 3-pointer he had just made, that was the only suitable reaction. Clarkson almost double-dribbled, almost ran out of time, and then almost committed a backcourt violation. His shaky running 3-pointer from the wing instead went in.

At the end, he could have done the same.

To be honest, after the 3-pointer he had just made, that was the only suitable reaction. Clarkson almost double-dribbled, almost ran out of time, and then almost committed a backcourt violation. His shaky running 3-pointer from the wing instead went in.

After catching Dallas in a preswitch, Clarkson zipped a pass under the rim to a wide-open John Collins. With 6.4 seconds left, he made an uncontested two-handed slam that proved to be the game-winning basket as Utah defeated the Mavericks 115-113.

During that last possession, Luka Doncic was on Collins down low. Doncic had his sights set on the corner, and Quentin Grimes started to cheat up the wing to meet Collins, who seemed to be expecting him to run up to set a pick for Clarkson.

The issue? He was left alone in the most hazardous area of the court when Collins chose not to go up.

“I’m just happy me and John had some, like, telekinesis action going on,” Clarkson stated. “I mean, he just read my eyes and knew what I was looking for.”

“Me and JC were just like looking at each other: ‘You gonna be open?'” Collins grinned as he spoke. “You can see JC saying (with his eyes), ‘No stay, Here you go.’ And it was just like a great play that shows our chemistry. We always had a JC-to-JC connection. JC made a great read, finished the play, and we finally got a home win.”

Collins completed a 28-point evening with the final dunk, maintaining his impressive recent play.

After it appeared that the home team was losing the game, he scored Utah’s final two baskets. Utah led by 16 points early in the fourth quarter after a solid third quarter, which has been unusual for the Jazz this season. Doncic then guided Dallas to victory.

The Dallas star finished the game with nine assists and 37 points. With 1:33 left, he helped Derrick Lively, giving the Mavericks a two-point advantage.

At that moment, Utah appeared to have no answer for a Mavericks team on the rise and was without Lauri Markkanen, who was hurt in the eye and missed the end of the game.

Collins and Clarkson supplied one.

“JC and John were unbelievable down the stretch,” Hardy stated. “Their poise really stood out. JC, made big plays. John made big plays all night. His energy is infectious for us.”

Clarkson finished a 3-point play on the other end after he was knocked down by a bucket. Then, with 36.7 seconds left, Collins dunk after rebounding a rejected Clarkson jumper to put Utah ahead 3 points.

Klay Thompson’s wing three to tie the game only served to set up the last play by Clarkson and Collins.

“They got confused on whether they were switching or not—sort of two guys went back out towards the corner and JC threw him a dart,” Hardy recalled. “But that’s JC and John understanding the moment together.”

Collin Sexton ended with 16 points and five rebounds, while Clarkson finished with 20 points and four assists. Kyle Filipowski scored 11 of his 14 points in a dominant second quarter, and Lauri Markkanen added 14 points before he left.

Six of the Jazz’s players were in double figures.

“Tonight’s not about like the X’s and O’s piece, the tactical piece. It was about the mental and the physical toughness the team showed throughout and really stuck with it against a good team tonight. That’s what we’re looking for,” Hardy stated.

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