Uncategorized
Bennett raising game, wreaking havoc for Panthers
SUNRISE – Connor McDavid goes way back with Sam Bennett.
The youngsters played together on the same team in the Greater Toronto Area as kids, faced off in the Ontario Hockey League, and have been on opposite sides in the Battle of Alberta.
They also went toe-to-toe in last year’s Stanley Cup final, which Bennett’s Florida Panthers took in seven hard-fought games over McDavid’s Edmonton Oilers.
The clubs are going back at it again in June 2025.
McDavid is still topping the stats sheet. Bennett, meanwhile, has raised his game — and continues to wreak havoc around the opposition crease.
The 28-year-old Panthers centre had 13 goals in these playoffs as the Panthers headed into Monday’s Game 3 of the NHL’s title series, which sat tied 1-1.
But it’s not just the offence. It’s how Bennett is influencing the action.
A gritty, physical player known for his on-the-line approach, he took Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz out with an elbow to the head that resulted in a concussion in the second round of the playoffs before making life miserable in the blue paint for the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference final.
The six-foot-one, 193-pound Bennett, who had three goals in this year’s final entering Monday, has kept it going in a matchup with Edmonton that has seen him contact Oilers netminder Stuart Skinner a couple of times. Once it led to a goal, while the other sequence resulted in a goaltender interference penalty.
Related Videos
“It certainly can be difficult at times,” Bennett, who played 5 1/2 seasons with the Calgary Flames before getting traded to Florida, said of figuring out where the line is with referees. “I’ve definitely been in situations where I’ve crossed that line. I never try to, but I try to play as close to that line as I can. It takes time and experience to figure out how to be as close to that line as possible without crossing it.
“It’s not going to be perfect. Sometimes you’re going to go over, but sometimes it’s necessary to play as close to that line to help your team win.”
Get daily National news
Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.
Panthers defenceman Aaron Ekblad said there are certain players in the league that simply find ways to get in the way at the net.
“Just like (Oilers winger) Corey Perry, he’s extremely good at getting there and being between the defenceman and a goalie,” said the blueliner. “Those guys have a knack for it.”
Bennett, who has already set a playoff record this spring with 12 road goals and is poised to become an unrestricted free agent July 1, might be the best of the bunch.
Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said it’s “almost impossible” to keep opponents away from the crease.
“You just hopefully trust the referees, that they can uphold the standard on what’s goaltender interference,” he said. “What should be allowed and what shouldn’t.”
And when it comes to Bennett, McDavid has seen it before — from youth hockey to the NHL.
“He’s always played with an edge, ever since he was a little guy,” said the Oilers superstar captain. “He’s playing well, scoring goals. Nothing we haven’t seen before, so we’ve got to figure him out.
“He’s not going anywhere. We’re not going anywhere.”
HELPING HAND
McDavid wasn’t quite sure how to answer the question.
Asked to explain the work and process to be able to produce his highlight-reel assist in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup final — an otherworldly toe-drag sequence that ended with a feed to Leon Draisaitl — the humble, soft-spoken centre struggled to find the right words for a difficult query.
“A lot goes into that,” McDavid said. “I don’t know how to answer that.”
Draisaitl, usually on the receiving end of No. 97’s setups, finished off his teammate’s reply.
“You can’t learn that,” the big German interjected, receiving laughter from reporters. “I’ll answer it for him.”
RAT PACK
The Panthers’ rally towels for Game 3 have a cheeky twist.
The red-and-white laundry features a hockey-stick-carrying rat sporting a hockey helmet in honour of the plastic versions of the rodent thrown on the ice by fans after victories.
There’s are also subtle nods to Florida’s three playoff conquests this spring — the Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs and Carolina Hurricanes — blended into the design.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
TORONTO – Blue Jays slugger George Springer has been cleared to return to game action after suffering a concussion over two weeks ago, Toronto manager John Schneider said Wednesday.
The 35-year-old outfielder/designated hitter hasn’t played since July 28 when he was hit in the helmet by a fastball thrown by Baltimore Orioles pitcher Kade Strowd.
Springer, who was on hand for batting practice before Toronto’s game against the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night, was expected to play for the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons on Thursday.
Related Videos
“Play DH tomorrow and then see if he needs a game in the outfield to see how he feels,” Schneider said in his pre-game availability. “But he’ll be doing that tomorrow.”
Get breaking National news
For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.
Springer has been one of the top offensive performers this season for the Blue Jays (70-50), who had a 4 1/2-game lead on the Boston Red Sox in the American League East standings entering play Wednesday.
Over 101 games, Springer has a .291 average, 18 homers, 57 RBIs and an on-base and slugging percentage of .889.
Strowd’s 96-m.p.h. pitch appeared to hit Springer’s shoulder before making contact with his helmet near the ear flap. After laying prone for a moment or two, Springer got up slowly and left the field with some assistance.
He was placed on the seven-day concussion injured list on July 29.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 13, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
Two delightfully shaggy new faces will be on display at the Toronto Zoo starting on Friday.
The nine-month-old brothers are Scottish Highland cattle, with long, woolly, reddish coats and fringe over their eyes.
The zoo’s manager of wildlife care, Marc Brandson, says the two were born and raised at a local Ontario farm before moving to the zoo about a month ago.
He says they completed a quarantine period and now live just outside the Eurasia Wilds area of the zoo.
Get daily National news
Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.
Membership holders can visit the brothers at a pre-screening on Thursday, while other visitors can see them starting Friday.
Brandson says there is “a lot of excitement” around the pair because of how popular the Highland breed already is.
He says the zoo is hoping to have the brothers walk through the public area of the zoo as part of its animal ambassador program, which can give visitors a closer look at certain animals.
“Each and every day, our outreach and discovery staff are working to get them to that level,” he said.
“Having a bonded pair is a really great social situation for Highland cows. These brothers are very calm and they are gaining confidence each and every day that they interact with their caregivers.”
The brothers don’t have names yet, and Brandson says the public should stay tuned on ways to contribute naming ideas.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner says the federal government needs to do more to fight Canada’s devastating forest fires.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday in Ottawa, the Alberta MP accused Ottawa of “inaction” on wildfires. She also blamed that lack of action for new measures restricting activities in the forests of two provinces — even though those bans were imposed by the provinces themselves.
Nova Scotia and New Brunswick last week banned hiking, fishing, camping and the use of vehicles in its forests in response to the heightened wildfire risk.
Rempel Garner said that while she understands the fear Maritimers feel, restricting individuals’ movements is “not right.”
“Whenever there’s a major crisis, what the Liberal government has done by their inaction has conditioned Canadians to expect that the only response they can see out of their federal government is to restrict their movement,” Rempel Garner told reporters.
“We’re calling on the federal government to actually get serious about this issue.”
Get daily National news
Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.
Conservative MP Marc Dalton presented a bill last year to stiffen penalties for wildfires caused by arson. It never made it past first reading and died when Parliament was dissolved ahead of this year’s election.
Rempel Garner said that’s one area where the Liberals could have taken action on wildfires. She also called on the federal government to dedicate more resources to wildfire control.
In its 2021 election platform, the Liberals promised to train 1,000 community-based firefighters to fight wildfires and to work with provinces and territories to get them more firefighting planes.
Last month, Ontario Premier Doug Ford told reporters that Alberta-based water bomber manufacturer De Havilland was facing a four-year backlog of orders.
“Four full wildfire seasons ago, the Liberals promised more water bombers, more firefighters,” Rempel Garner said. “Where are they?”
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston brushed off the criticisms of the forest entry ban at a press conference later Wednesday.
“I find it remarkable, the interest in travelling in Nova Scotia woods by people who aren’t in Nova Scotia and probably haven’t been here much in their life,” Houston told reporters.
“We’re only concerned with keeping people safe. We’ll do what’s necessary to protect lives, and that’s what we’re doing in this case.”
So far this season, the total area of the country burned by wildfires is nearly the size of the entire province of New Brunswick.
— With files from Sarah Ritchie.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
-
Uncategorized2 months agoAccording to Dior Couture, this taboo fashion accessory is back
-
Uncategorized2 months ago
These ’90s fashion trends are making a comeback in 2017
-
Uncategorized2 months ago
The old and New Edition cast comes together to perform
-
Uncategorized2 months ago
Uber and Lyft are finally available in all of New York State
-
Uncategorized2 months ago
New Season 8 Walking Dead trailer flashes forward in time
-
Uncategorized2 months ago
Meet Superman’s grandfather in new trailer for Krypton
-
Uncategorized2 months ago
6 Stunning new co-working spaces around the globe
-
Uncategorized2 months ago
The final 6 ‘Game of Thrones’ episodes might feel like a full season