Brendan’s Sports Shorts; Tuesday, December 31st

WHL:

The Prince George Cougars finish off 2024 with a game against the Seattle Thunderbirds (11-21-2-1) tonight in Kent, Washington.

Puck drop is at 6:05 PM.

PG (20-9-3-2) is five points up on the Victoria Royals (17-10-3-2) for the BC Division lead.

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Circle K Classic Elimination Round

Shattuck-St Mary’s Sabres (Minnesota) 7  Cariboo Cougars 1

The U18 Cougars finish the Calgary-based tournament with a 2-2 record.

BCHL:

The next action for the Prince George Spruce Kings (10-15-3-1) is a road double-header Friday and Saturday against the Chilliwack Chiefs (19-7-3-0) and Surrey Eagles (16-11-3-0).

PG is tied with the Nanaimo Clippers for the final playoff spot in the BCHL’s Coastal Conference.

World Juniors:

Round Robin

Canada will take on the Americans in a battle for top spot in Pool A at 4:30 Pacific Time.

Both teams have identical 2-0-0-1 records heading into the first-place showdown.

McBride’s Tanner Molendyk of the Saskatoon Blades is on Team Canada.

NHL:

Winnipeg Jets 3  Nashville Predators 0

There are 13 NHL games on the docket for today (Tuesday) including the Toronto Maple Leafs welcoming the New York Islanders.

Elsewhere, Montreal heads to Sin City to play the Vegas Golden Knights.

Winnipeg travels to Colorado while Edmonton hosts Utah and the Calgary Flames lock horns with the Vancouver Canucks.

NFL:

Monday

Detroit Lions 40 San Francisco 49ers 34

The Lions and Minnesota Vikings are tied for top spot in the NFC North with identical 14-2 records.

Both teams face off next Sunday in the Motor City to determine who claims the number one seed in the conference and the division crown.

College Football

Music City Bowl

Missouri Tigers 27 Iowa Hawkeyes 24

ReliaQuest Bowl 

Alabama Crimson Tide vs Michigan Wolverines (9am Pacific)

Sun Bowl

Louisville Cardinals vs Washington Huskies (11am Pacific)

Citrus Bowl

Illinois vs South Carolina (Noon Pacific)

Texas Bowl

Baylor Bears vs LSU Tigers (12:30 PM)

College Football Quarterfinal (Fiesta Bowl)

#5 Penn State Nittany Lions vs #8 Boise State Broncos (4:30 Pacific Time)

NBA:

A trip to Beantown wraps up 2024 for the Toronto Raptors (7-25).

They will tip-off against the Boston Celtics (23-9) at Noon Pacific from the TD North Garden.

The Raptors sit 14th in the Eastern Conference.