News

Blue Jays’ post-season run helps them close in on Maple Leafs’ online popularity

TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays' success on the field is helping them online.

Toronto's surge into Major League Baseball's post-season and performance in the American League Division Series has seen the Blue Jays' popularity explode, with the team's official Twitter account gaining over 350,000 followers in the past 10 weeks and putting them over one million total followers.

"We do see these kinds of spikes in sports around a team or athlete when they're winning," said Christopher Doyle, director of media partnerships for Twitter Canada. "We see it in the Stanley Cup playoffs. A couple of seasons ago the Montreal Canadiens saw a surge in Twitter followers and almost caught up to the Maple Leafs, at that point, because of their playoff run.

"A playoff run can really galvanize a fanbase."

The Toronto Maple Leafs remain the most popular Canadian sports franchise on Twitter, but may soon fall to the Blue Jays. The Maple Leafs had 1,034,103 followers and the Blue Jays had 1,030,844 as of Tuesday night — a difference of just 3,259 — ahead of Game 5 of the ALDS between the Blue Jays and Texas Rangers on Wednesday afternoon.

Live events often drive an account's popularity, with Wednesday's big game against Texas likely putting the Blue Jays ahead of their Toronto neighbours by the end of the day.

"We see huge peaks in conversation around key moments," said Doyle. "We pulled the top moments from (Toronto's 14-inning loss to Texas on Friday). There was 2,200 tweets per minute when the final pitch was thrown when the Rangers won. The second largest peak was when Josh Donaldson homered in the bottom of the first at 1,200 tweets per minute."

Doyle adds that the million-follower mark is a an excellent gauge of a team's popularity. Of Canada's seven NHL teams, only Toronto is in the seven-digit range. The Blue Jays are one of only four MLB teams over a million, joining the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies.

The Blue Jays have several advantages that have helped power them to new heights on social media. As the only MLB team in Canada, they can draw on baseball fans from across the country to engage with them on social media instead of just relying on fans in the Greater Toronto Area. Star players like pitchers David Price and Marcus Stroman and sluggers Josh Donaldson and Jose Bautista are also very active on Twitter, driving the Blue Jays' popularity.

Mike Naraine, a part-time faculty member and PhD candidate in sport management at the University of Ottawa who specializes in social media, believes that this reflects a change in how fans experience sports.

"We've moved as a sport society away from just one-on-one engagement. You know, I pay $100 for a ticket, I sit up in the stands, and I watch the product on the field or in the arena," said Naraine. "Now it's a society where I'm engaging and interacting on multiple levels, whether it's with the dual screen — my television and my tablet or my smartphone — or I'm able to interact even when I'm not watching the game and not physically in the brick-and-mortar building.

"I'm able to log on and interact with other fans while I'm still doing other things in my every day life."

Sporting events are the best example of how Twitter and other social networks have become forums for discussion, but other live events effect online behaviour as well.

"It's the same here in Canada during the federal leaders' debates," said Doyle. "We were tracking the data exactly the way we are now with the Blue Jays. You see these huge spikes around key moments in the debates. You see the leaders being talked about more on Twitter just as players in baseball are talked about more during the game."

The Blue Jays are closing in on several American teams in other sports. The Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks are the top NHL team with 1.12 million followers, with the Maple Leafs second. The Yankees are the most popular baseball team and the New England Patriots have more followers than any other NFL team, with both at 1.51 million.

The NBA's Los Angeles Lakers are the most popular professional sports team in North America at 4.49 million Twitter followers, while soccer club Real Madrid is the most popular team worldwide, with 17.3 million followers, nearly six times more than the population of the city of Madrid.

___

Follow @jchidleyhill on Twitter

John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press

Six stories in the news today, Oct. 14

Six stories in the news today, Oct. 14 from The Canadian Press:

———

TORIES, NDP TRY TO SHORE UP SUPPORT TODAY; LIBERALS EYE NEW SEATS

With the campaign finish line in sight, the leaders of the Conservative and New Democratic parties will spend the day shoring up support in ridings they won in 2011. Conservative Leader Stephen Harper will visit a pair of ridings in southwest Ontario while NDP Leader Tom Mulcair visits Dartmouth, N.S., and the Quebec riding of Repentigny. Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau will visit ridings in Ontario's Niagara region won by the NDP and Tories in 2011.

———

TWO GIRLS DIE, THIRD INJURED, IN ALBERTA FARM ACCIDENT

Two young girls have been killed and another injured in a farm accident near Withrow, Alta. Rocky Mountain House RCMP say the three girls were playing on a loaded truck of canola at a family farm on Tuesday evening when they became buried by the seed in the truck and started to suffocate. Despite the efforts of emergency workers, two of the girls — ages 11 and 13 — died. Another 11-year-old girl was flown to an Edmonton hospital. Media reports that all three girls were sisters.

———

MILITARY HOME EQUITY CASE HEADS TO COURT

The lawyer for a Canadian Forces veteran who lost $72,000 on the sale of his house will be in a Halifax court today to argue a proposed class action should not be struck down. Under the rules, a military member can receive 100 per cent compensation through a home-equity assistance program if they sell their home in a depressed market. The dispute centres on what constitutes a depressed market.

———

VIDEO SURFACES IN PHILIPPINES ABDUCTION

Two men who identify themselves as Canadians taken hostage last month in the Philippines have appeared at gunpoint in a video that is circulating online. One man introduces himself as Robert Hall who says he is OK, but in grave danger. Another says he is John Ridsdel and urges the Canadian government to help the hostages. They, along with a Norwegian man and a Filipina woman, were taken hostage by gunmen a resort on Samal Island last month. Authorities were trying to verify the authenticity of the video.

———

COMPANIES TURN TO CYBER INSURANCE AFTER HIGH-POFILE HACKS

In the wake of the Ashley Madison hack and other high-profile data breaches, Canadian companies are turning to so-called cyber insurance to protect themselves from the fallout of data leaks. In July, adultery website Ashley Madison made headlines after hackers broke in to the company's network and leaked customers' personal information. It was the latest in a series of incidents that experts say represent a wake-up call for executives about the real-world consequences of digital vulnerabilities.

———

TORONTO BLUE JAYS FACE DO OR DIE GAME

Millions of Canadians will be nervously glued to their TVs, radios and electronic devices this afternoon as the Toronto Blue Jays try to win the fifth and deciding game of their American League Division Series against Texas. Marcus Stroman will start for the Jays in front of a packed house at the Rogers Centre while Cole Hamels will start for the Rangers. First pitch is just after 4 p.m. ET.

———

ALSO IN THE NEWS ...

— A trial continues in Saint John, N.B., for Dennis Oland, accused of second-degree murder in the death of his father, Richard Oland.

 

The Canadian Press

Companies turn to cyber insurance after Ashley Madison and other high-profile hacks

TORONTO — In the wake of the Ashley Madison hack and other high-profile data breaches, Canadian companies are turning to so-called cyber insurance to protect themselves from the fallout of data leaks.

In July, adultery website Ashley Madison made headlines after hackers broke in to the company's network and leaked customers' personal information, including their messages to other members and sensitive financial data.

The ensuing class-action lawsuit — and founder and CEO Noel Biderman's decision to step down in late August — were the latest in a series of incidents that experts say represent a wake-up call for executives about the real-world consequences of digital vulnerabilities.

Duncan Stewart, director of technology research at Deloitte, said the past year has seen a surge in awareness about cyberattacks, and companies are turning to insurers to prepare for what seems an inevitability in an increasingly interconnected world.

"The number of attacks are rising, the severity is rising, and when they come, they're more difficult to deal with," he said.

There is no legal requirement for companies to report a hack in Canada, making the true number difficult to determine, but security company Websense said in August 2014 that 36 per cent of Canadian businesses had observed a breach in their IT security last 12 months.

In a KPMG survey of Canadian property insurance executives, data security even beat out unexpected catastrophic events as the third-biggest risk facing Canadian companies in 2015 after regulatory burdens and low interest rates.

Stewart compared significant breaches like the Ashley Madison hack to automobile collisions that result in a total write-off, yet he said companies also require coverage for the small attacks and fender-benders of cybersecurity that happen far more often.

Insurance against cyberattacks is now just a part of the cost of doing business, he said.

"You wouldn't have a factory and not have fire insurance, so why would you think about not having cyber insurance?"

Technology analyst Carmi Levy said in an email that insurance providers are stepping in to meet the needs of companies as they find themselves handling more and more data on behalf of their clients and suppliers.

"In the process, they are increasingly liable for what happens when hackers manage to break in and snag some of that data," he said.

Insurance expert Paul Kovacs, president and CEO of the industry-funded oversight body PACICC, said insurance companies are expanding their offerings to provide more than just compensation and protection from liability in the event of a cyberattack.

"When this happens, you are going to need professional help with communications, with forensic investigation, with restoring your systems and putting the protections back in," he said.

Kovacs pointed to the example of Sovereign General, part of the Co-Operators Group, which offers coverage for privacy breaches, business interruptions, extortion, and data recovery stemming from a cyberattack, as well as crisis management services.

He said companies and organizations used to dealing in sensitive information, such as hospitals and financial institutions, were among the first to become targets and have developed comprehensive cybersecurity policies.

Yet what used to be a concern just for the obvious targets is now a business risk for almost everyone, he said, and it's not just customer data that's at risk. 

In July, security company Symantec issued a report detailing the "Butterfly" hacking group that it said is responsible for at least 40 attacks since 2012 meant to steal trade secrets and industrial data in order to sell it to the highest bidder.

Kovacs said industrial espionage is spreading out from the large companies that have long been in the crosshairs as hackers become more sophisticated.

"Now, they're still going after the big companies but they're going after the mid-size companies and even some relatively small companies," he said. "The threat is spreading."

---

Follow @henderburn on Twitter

 

Peter Henderson, The Canadian Press

Lawyer to fight dismissal of proposed class action over military home equity

HALIFAX — The lawyer for a Canadian Forces veteran who lost $72,000 on the sale of his house will be in court today to argue a proposed class action should not be struck down.

Dan Wallace says the matter affecting military members who sell their houses at a loss when they are posted to other bases will be heard in Federal Court in Halifax.

Lawyers for the federal goverment filed a motion in April to strike down the proposed class action, saying the matter would be better suited to a judicial review.

The department says the case filed by master warrant officer Neil Dodsworth is bound to fail as it amounts to a criticism of government policy.

Dodsworth took a loss on the sale of his home near Edmonton when he was posted to Kingston, Ont., in 2009.

Under the rules, a military member can receive 100 per cent compensation through a home-equity assistance program if they sell their home in a depressed market.

However, the dispute centres on what constitutes a depressed market.

The Canadian Press

Texas rapper Bun B drops track called “Crush City” for Astros 1st playoff run in decade

HOUSTON — The Houston Astros have a soundtrack to their first playoff run in a decade.

Texas rapper Bun B dropped a track titled "Crush City" as a nod to the home run hitting prowess of the Astros, who were second in the majors with 230 homers in the regular season. Bun B, who was one half of the acclaimed Port Arthur, Texas rap group Underground Kingz, released the song last week, and the team played it at Minute Maid Park before Game 4 of the American League Division Series against the Royals.

"This team deserved it," Bun B told The Associated Press. "This city deserved it."

Game 5 is Wednesday night in Kansas City.

Done over the beat to Tyga's 2011 hit "Rack City," the track mentions many of Houston's players by name and even references the fact that ace Dallas Keuchel had a perfect 15-0 record at home this season.

Bun B is a longtime Astros fan who supported the team even during its worst seasons over the past few years. Before this season the Astros, who lost more than 100 games in three straight seasons from 2011-13, hadn't been to the playoffs since reaching the World Series in 2005.

"It's amazing," Bun B said of Houston's season. "We suffered through a lot of years in this city, with this organization. But we've got a great owner now. We've got great management. We've got a great front office and most importantly we've got great guys in the dugout."

Houston star rookie Carlos Correa said he thought the song was pretty good. It probably didn't hurt that it includes the line: "We got Carlos Correa he's the rookie of the year." All-Star second baseman Jose Altuve also got a shout out for piling up 200 hits for the second straight season.

The about 2 1/2 minute song also discusses Club Astros, a name given to the transformation Houston's clubhouse undergoes after each win. Players bought flashing lights and a fog machine and the clubhouse looks more like a disco than a dressing room following a victory by the Astros.

Many of the players were amused by a line in the song addressing the fact that left fielder Colby Rasmus always takes the field with his shoulder-length brown hair dripping wet.

"Hey Colby, don't dry your hair bro," Bun B bellows in the song.

Bun B was tickled to hear that the Astros liked that part.

"I didn't want it just to be fun for me and fun for the people," Bun B said. "I wanted the players to have a good time and know that we watch them, we see what they're doing and we know the hard work that they put in and we're happy to see it pay off now."

Kristie Rieken, The Associated Press

Edmonton Catholic School Board votes for first reading of LGBT policy

EDMONTON — The Edmonton Catholic School Board moved closer Tuesday to officially respecting the sexual orientation and gender identity of its students by passing first reading of a policy on the matter.

Although there were several amendments made to the policy, Marilyn Bergstra, the board's new chairwoman, called it "a great start."

The reading passed by a vote of 6-1; second reading will take place in late November after a public consultation period earlier in the month.

The issue came to the fore earlier this year when a seven-year-old transgender girl wanted to use the girl's washroom in her Catholic school.

She was no longer identifying as a boy and didn't want to stand out by having to use a new, gender-neutral washroom.

In May, the school in Edmonton had agreed she could use the female facilities but the girl wanted official assurances.

The family filed a human rights complaint and Edmonton Catholic Schools tried several times since then to craft a broader policy — dealing with more than just washrooms — that protects gay and transgender students while falling in line with the church.

The school board requires schools to have all-gender washrooms. But the girl's mother, who has asked not to be named to protect her child's identity, said the decision on which washroom her daughter uses is ultimately up to the principal.

The board's last meeting in September was fiery. One trustee cried and shouted over accusations she was homophobic. Another trustee, Larry Kowalczyk, told media that he considers being transgender a mental disorder.

He apologized Tuesday for that assertion, but still voted against the policy.

Marni Panas, a transgender woman, was one of the speakers at Tuesday's meeting and took aim at Kowalczyk's earlier remarks.

"I am not broken," she told the gathering. "I am not sick. I am transgender. Being transgender is not a mental health problem."

"It's a matter of welcoming, and about including and helping a person to feel that they are truly made in the image of God," said trustee Patricia Grell.

The little girl's mother, who attended Tuesday's meeting, said the result was "more than what we expected, for sure."

But she said she still hopes Education Minister David Eggen gets involved.

"I think it's time for the minister to step in and just do a provincewide policy for both systems — public and Catholic — and that way, children don't have to go through this."

Eggen has said he prefers to let democratically elected school officials build their own policies. He hopes Edmonton Catholic will set an example.

(The Canadian Press, CTV Edmonton)

 

The Canadian Press

Ryan Miller gets 1st shutout of season, Cracknell scores again as Canucks blank LA Kings 3-0

LOS ANGELES — Ryan Miller made 15 saves in his 36th career shutout, Adam Cracknell scored his second goal in two games, and the Vancouver Canucks completed a Southern California sweep with a 3-0 victory over the winless Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday night.

Alexander Edler scored and Derek Dorsett added an empty-net goal for the Canucks, who followed up a 2-1 shootout win over Anaheim on Monday by improving to 3-0-1.

Miller is off to a strong start after matching his career high with six shutouts last season, his first with the Canucks.

Jonathan Quick stopped 23 shots for struggling Los Angeles, which has been outscored 11-2 while losing three straight home games to open the season.

Since Nick Shore scored 1:49 into their season opener, the Kings have managed just one goal in 178 minutes, 11 seconds. Their power play is 0 for 13.

Quick made several big saves in his best effort of the season after giving up nine goals in Los Angeles' first two games, but the two-time Stanley Cup champion and 2012 Conn Smythe Trophy winner got no support from his teammates.

For the second straight night, the Canucks got another unlikely offensive contribution from Cracknell. The veteran forward who hadn't scored an NHL in 49 games since April 4, 2013, until he scored in back-to-back games in Southern California.

One night after banking a weird shot off Anaheim goalie Frederik Andersen for his seventh career NHL goal, Cracknell got his eighth with a one-timer that ricocheted off Quick, who didn't anticipate the shot being so far off-target.

Vancouver failed to score on a 5-on-3 advantage for 80 seconds later in the period, but Edler made it 2-0 with a long shot on a cross-ice pass from Henrik Sedin.

The Kings came up empty on three straight power plays early in the third period, and they rarely threatened to score before Dorsett wrapped it up.

NOTES: Jake Virtanen made his NHL debut for Vancouver, playing nearly 9 1-2 minutes and recording three hits. The 19-year-old forward was the sixth overall pick in 2014, and the British Columbia native made the Canucks' roster out of training camp after spending most of last season in juniors. ... Vancouver had lost six of eight to Los Angeles before winning the Pacific Division rivals' last three meetings.

Greg Beacham, The Associated Press

Two young girls killed, one injured, after suffocating in loaded canola truck

ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOUSE, Alta. — Two young girls have been killed and another injured in a farm accident near Withrow, Alta.

Rocky Mountain House RCMP say the three girls were playing on a loaded truck of canola at a family farm on Tuesday evening.

However, they became buried by the seed in the truck and started to suffocate.

EMS officials say the first arriving ambulance from Eckville determined the three girls had been inside the truck while it was being filled from a hopper but say it is unclear how they became submerged underneath the seed.

They were pulled out by adults on scene, who called for emergency personnel but despite the efforts of emergency workers, two of the girls — ages 11 and 13 — died.

Another 11-year-old girl was transported in critical condition to the Stollery Children's Hospital in Edmonton via air ambulance — there are media reports that all three girls were sisters.

RCMP say life-saving measures were attempted at length by personnel from Condor, Leslieville and Clearwater County Fire Departments, as well as the Eckville and Rocky Mountain Ambulance and members of the Rocky Mountain House RCMP.

The Rocky Mountain House Victims Service Unit is on scene and assisting the family.

-- with files from CTV Calgary

The Canadian Press

First half ejection ends Canada’s chances to qualify for Rio with loss to U.S.

SANDY, Utah — Playing a man down for the second half was too much to handle for Canada's under-23 soccer team on Tuesday night.

Canadian captain Sam Piette agreed the second yellow card of the game and a subsequent ejection to teammate Giuliano Frano was a turning point in their 2-0 loss to the United States in a CONCACAF Olympic qualifying tournament.

The loss eliminates Canada's chances of qualifying for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. The U.S. will face Colombia in a home-and-away series in March with the winner moving onto Rio.

"I won't talk about the referee and stuff like that but I don't think they were on our side but we can't use that as an excuse," Piette said.

"But it's tough to go into a game when we have a plan to be defensively pretty good and compact and wait for the end of the game to try and attack over there and then when you get a man down at halftime it's tough to follow the plan."

Frano received the second yellow in the 45th minute after a challenge on American forward Marc Pelosi.

Pelosi got the U.S. on the board in the 69th minute after a corner kick went off a pair of players in front of the net before reaching Pelosi at the top of the 18-yard box. His shot was deflected off Canada's Jeremy Gagnon-Lapare and into the net.

Jerome Kiesewetter gave the U.S. a two-goal lead in the 84th minute when he was awarded a penalty shot after being taken down in the box by Canadian goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau. Kiesewetter made no mistake — putting his shot into the right-hand corner of the net.

"We need these kind of tournaments for our players to grow and gain experience," Canada's head coach Benito Floro said. "Our players have grown both collectively and individually throughout the competition."

The United States pressured the Canadians for the majority of the match, forcing Canada to play some tough defence.

Crepeau made some big stops in the 61st minute with the Americans pressing, coming out to poke the ball loose from U.S. striker Jordan Morris. Crepeau followed that up in the 81st with another nice save — punching a Pelosi shot over the net.

One of Canada's better chances in the second half came in the 55th minute when forward Michael Petrasso took on four Americans on the right wing. 

Canada's Olympic drought continues with the loss. The Canadians haven't reached the Olympics since the 1984 Games in Los Angeles, despite being one win away from making it in 2012. In similar fashion to this year, Canada lost in the semifinals to Mexico. The Mexicans would go on to win gold at the London Games.

Mexico beat Honduras 2-0 in the tournament's final later Tuesday, although both teams had already guaranteed themselves a spot in next summer's Olympic Games as the tournament's top two teams. 

"We knew if we just played how we always play against Canada, we were going to come out with a win and we did that," Pelosi said. "They didn't have many chances. We dominated the game and we're happy we're still on the road to Rio."

Canada created just three total shots in 90 minutes. The U.S. fared out much better, getting nine shots on goal out of 15 total shots in the final 45 minutes. The Americans outshot Canada 13-2 in the first half with three of those shots reaching goal.

— With files from The Associated Press

The Canadian Press

Spezza gets hat trick to overshadow McDavid’s 1st NHL goal, Stars beat Oilers 4-2

DALLAS — Jason Spezza, 13 years into his NHL career, took the spotlight from the kid.

Spezza scored three goals, including the tiebreaker late in the third period, and the Dallas Stars spoiled Connor McDavid's first NHL goal with a 4-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night.

Spezza's go-ahead goal for a 3-2 lead with 4:30 remaining came moments after Kari Lehtonen stopped Nail Yakupov on a breakaway. Lehtonen made his season debut after backing up Antti Niemi in the first two games.

"The breakaway save was a game-saver for us," Spezza said. "He stops the breakaway, we go down the other way and score. That's the hockey game. That's a huge save. Big time."

The Stars had 52 shots, their most since getting 55 in a 3-3 tie with Los Angeles on Nov. 8, 1995. Spezza finished off the hat trick with an empty-net goal.

Anders Nilsson made 48 saves in his first appearance for Edmonton, but he couldn't stop Spezza when the Dallas forward took a dump-off pass from Antoine Roussel in the slot.

"Credit to all the zone time we had," Spezza said. "It felt like we had the puck a lot tonight. Sometimes it follows you a little more. The power play we moved around pretty good. We didn't score a power-play goal, but we got good looks."

McDavid, the 18-year-old who was selected No. 1 overall in the June draft, scored in the second period to pull the Oilers even at 2 after they had fallen behind 2-0.

McDavid almost scored Edmonton's first goal when he appeared to tip a shot by defenceman Oscar Klefbom, who got credit for the goal.

But McDavid didn't have to wait much longer, redirecting a long shot by Andrej Sekera past Lehtonen less than 2 minutes later midway through the second period.

"It's something that I'll remember for the rest of my life," McDavid said. "But like you said, obviously, not the way you want to end that game but pretty special to get it right away."

McDavid struggled in the faceoff circle again, winning just three of nine to put him at 8 of 33 for the season. He had three shots in 16 minutes.

"Connor getting his goal was a nice reward," coach Todd McLellan said. "I know that he's been squeezing the stick tight and I'm sure that he's felt some pressure to score."

The quick scoring burst for Edmonton ended a 90-minute home scoreless streak to start the season for the Stars, who got a shutout from Niemi in the season opener. Lehtonen, the starter for five seasons in Dallas, finished with 26 saves after struggling in the preseason.

"Like I've said, we've asked him to try a few different things," coach Lindy Ruff said. "I said I have to be patient. I thought tonight he looked real good. There was nothing he could do about the first two goals."

Spezza opened the scoring late in the first period by sneaking a shot between Nilsson's pad and the left post on a shot with almost no angle along the boards not far from the goal line.

Jamie Benn, last season's Art Ross Trophy winner as the NHL's top scorer, put Dallas up 2-0 by easily beating Nilsson on a wraparound goal early in the second.

"There were a lot of guys that wanted the puck tonight," Dallas defenceman Alex Goligoski said. "So that's always fun to see when you look up the ice and four guys are looking at you screaming for it. Everybody was really focused and really wanted it tonight."

NOTES: Stars F Patrick Eaves left in the first period with a lower-body injury and didn't return. Ruff said Eaves would "miss some time." ... The Oilers opened the season with three road games for the second time in franchise history, and lost them all. They went 1-2-0 in 1986-87. ... 20-year-old Russian F Valeri Nichushkin, a 2013 first-round pick, was a healthy scratch for the Stars after a slow start to the season.

___

An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the last time Dallas had as many as 52 shots. It was 55 shots in a 3-3 tie with Los Angeles on Nov. 8, 1995, not 52 in a 7-6 loss to Philadelphia on Feb. 3, 1990.

Schuyler Dixon, The Associated Press

Marcel de Jong scores as Canada draws Ghana 1-1 in international friendly

WASHINGTON — Marcel De Jong scored on a long-range strike in the first half as Canada drew 1-1 with Ghana on Tuesday night in an international friendly.

De Jong found the back of the net in the 29th minute, beating Ghana goalkeeper Razak Brimah.

Ghan's Albert Adomah would answer back before the end of the first half, getting a shot past Canadian 'keeper Kyriakos Stamatopoulos in the 44th minute.  

Junior Hoilett was one of six players making their debut for Canada at RFK Stadium.

"We're pleased that each and every one of the players that appeared tonight played with not just honour for the country but they played with a sense of pride and positive play," Canadian assistant coach Michael Findlay said. "In terms of performance we're very happy but we can't be satisfied as we didn't win the game."

Canada starts the first leg of a 2018 World Cup qualifier on Nov. 13 in Vancouver against Honduras. 

The Canadian Press

Kershaw ends post-season skid, pitches Dodgers past Mets 3-1 to send NLDS to Game 5 in LA

NEW YORK — Clayton Kershaw finally came through in October, just in time to save the Los Angeles Dodgers from another early exit.

Pitching on short rest with the season on the line, Kershaw shut down the New York Mets for seven innings and Justin Turner delivered a key hit against his former team that sent the Dodgers to a 3-1 victory Tuesday night and forced the NL Division Series to a deciding Game 5.

The series shifts back to Los Angeles on Thursday night, with fellow Dodgers ace Zack Greinke scheduled to start against Jacob deGrom. The winner hosts the wild-card Chicago Cubs in the NL Championship Series opener Saturday.

"Definitely happy to be going back home," Kershaw said. "They like us a little better there."

With Chase Utley on the bench again, the Dodgers handed hometown Mets rookie Steven Matz his first loss in the major leagues.

Kershaw's one-out single led to a three-run third. Adrian Gonzalez blooped an RBI single and Turner added a two-run double, providing enough support for the lefty ace.

The reigning NL MVP and three-time Cy Young Award winner snapped a five-start losing streak in the playoffs — the longest in Dodgers history.

"I'm actually really happy for him. I mean, this kid is tremendous. Everything that you're supposed to be, he is," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. "This guy's an animal, the way he works, represents us, the game of baseball, himself. I mean, he's really a credit to the game, and so you're really happy for him to be able to do that tonight."

After dropping the series opener 3-1 to deGrom, Kershaw was 1-6 with a 4.99 ERA in 12 career post-season games, including nine starts. He lost elimination games each of the past two years, once on three days' rest.

But this time, Kershaw was just as dominant as he normally is during the regular season.

"There's no curse or anything," he said. "Just got to get through the seventh."

He struck out eight, walked one and yielded only three hits, quieting another revved-up crowd at Citi Field as the night wore on. Daniel Murphy hit his second solo homer off Kershaw in the series, both coming in the fourth inning.

Kenley Jansen got four outs for his second save. With two runners on in the eighth and the count full, he retired Murphy on a fly to right. The right-hander then worked a 1-2-3 ninth as the Dodgers ended a seven-game losing streak in road playoff games.

"I feel confident with Zack going in Game 5 back home," Kershaw said. "I really wanted to win tonight, definitely. For a lot of reasons, but obviously most important was just to give Zack a chance."

Kershaw improved to 1-1 with a 1.89 ERA in a trio of playoff starts on three days' rest. He has 23 strikeouts in 19 innings during those games.

With a $290 million payroll that's $66 million higher than any other team, the Dodgers are seeking their first pennant since winning the 1988 World Series. They've captured three straight NL West titles but won only one playoff series during that span — in part because Kershaw got little run support in four consecutive post-season losses to St. Louis.

But after Los Angeles allowed 13 runs to the Mets in Game 3, a Dodgers post-season record, Kershaw restored order when his team absolutely needed it.

The 24-year-old Matz was pitching in a big league game for the first time in 19 days after a balky back sidelined him late in the season. Still, he looked sharp early and snapped off several effective curveballs.

That same pitch caused him trouble, too.

Kershaw singled to left-centre on a 2-2 curve for the first hit of the game. With two outs, Howie Kendrick grounded a single up the middle and Gonzalez dumped an RBI single into centre.

Turner then lined a 2-0 curve into the left-field corner to make it 3-0, tormenting his former team yet again. Let go by the Mets after the 2013 season — they declined to offer him arbitration — he is 7 for 15 (.467) in the series with four doubles and three RBIs.

"Honestly, I never thought he'd be this good of a hitter. He's one of the best hitters in the game," Kershaw said. "We thought he'd be a great utility player, and he's turned out to be our 3-, 4-hole hitter and our starting third baseman. So can't say enough about him."

His next time up, Turner was intentionally walked.

"He's changed his batting style a little bit, but he's a good baseball player. He always has been. He did a great job while he was here. We root for him. We all cheered for him. We like him," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "So we're happy for him. He's got an opportunity to play every day in L.A. and he's making the most of it."

Matz grew up a Mets fan on Long Island, about 50 miles from Citi Field, and his family attended the game. He went 4-0 with a 2.27 ERA in six major league starts this season, but the team saw enough to pitch him in the playoffs — in part because Matz threw gems to help clinch championships at Class A in 2013 and Double-A last year.

One of Matz's best outings came at Dodger Stadium, where he tossed six shutout innings of two-hit ball with eight strikeouts July 5 to win his second major league start.

This time, the left-hander was pulled for a pinch hitter in the fifth after giving up three runs and six hits.

"The one pitch I know he wants back is the pitch to Kershaw," Collins said. "We've got all the confidence in the world that if we get to the next round, he's going to be a part of that rotation."

PLAYOFF PERFORMER

Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis extended his post-season hitting streak to 12 games, setting a franchise record. He has hit safely in 15 of 16 career playoff games.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Dodgers: Slumping C Yasmani Grandal (left shoulder) was available off the bench after he "kind of pinched something" in his last at-bat Monday night, manager Don Mattingly said. Ellis was scheduled to catch Kershaw anyway, with a lefty on the mound for the Mets.

UP NEXT

Dodgers: Greinke allowed a pair of solo homers during a 5-2 victory in Game 2. He went seven innings and struck out eight without a walk. The right-hander is 3-2 with a 3.48 ERA in eight post-season starts. He was 19-3 with a 1.66 ERA this season, the lowest in the majors since Atlanta ace Greg Maddux posted a 1.63 mark in 1995. Los Angeles went 43-22 this season in starts by Kershaw and Greinke, and the duo combined to go 35-10 with a 1.90 ERA.

Mets: Making his post-season debut last Friday at Dodger Stadium, deGrom pitched seven scoreless innings. Last season's NL Rookie of the Year struck out 13, matching Tom Seaver's franchise record for a post-season game.

Mike Fitzpatrick, The Associated Press

Colton Parayko scores first two NHL goals to lead Blues past Flames

CALGARY — Colton Parayko scored his first two NHL goals to lead the St. Louis Blues to a 4-3 victory over the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night.

Playing his third-career game, the 22-year-old defenceman broke a 2-2 tie at 4:47 of the second period on a 55-foot wrist shot that eluded Flames goaltender Jonas Hiller.

The goal came on the first man advantage of the game for the Blues (2-1-0), who had been shorthanded four times in the first period.

The St. Alberta, Alta., native, who had family in attendance, then gave the Blues some insurance with 32 seconds left in the second on another long shot from the same distance, this one changing directions slightly on the way and slipping under Hiller's arm.

It was the third-straight goal for St. Louis, which entered the period down 2-1 but tied it at 2:49 when Troy Brouwer scored on a breakaway. Scottie Upshall also scored for the Blues.

Mason Raymond, Jiri Hudler and David Jones scored for Calgary (1-2-0). The Flames, who fell to 0-2 on home ice, are back in action Friday night in Winnipeg against the Jets.

Calgary was held to just 10 shots through 40 minutes, but got back to within one 1:42 into the third period on a bad turnover deep in his own end by Blues captain David Backes. Michael Frolik quickly fed Jones, who fired his first of the year behind Brian Elliott. Backes broke his stick over the net afterwards in frustration.

The Flames weren't able to find the equalizer despite a late push in the final couple minutes.

Elliott had 15 saves to improve to 2-0-0 on the season. Hiller turned aside 24 shot in falling to 1-1-0.

The Blues have dominated the Flames in recent years going 7-0-1 in their last eight games. During that span, St. Louis hadn't trailed in a game to the Flames until Raymond scored 1:14 into the first period on the first shot of the game.

Calgary got three consecutive power plays in the first period but were unable to take advantage and were held to one shot. Upshall was able to reverse the trend and tied it at one at 16:46.

The Flames retook the lead at 17:31, finally converting on a power play. Johnny Gaudreau collected his fifth point of the season by setting up Hudler.

The Blues continue their six-game road trip Thursday night in Edmonton against the Oilers.

Notes: St. Louis lost defenceman Kevin Shattenkirk (lower body) in the second period and Calgary left-winger Lance Bouma (lower body) also hobbled off the ice and never returned in the second. ... Referee Brad Meier worked his 1,000th NHL game. He was honoured in a pre-game ceremony. ... Scratches for the Flames were RW Josh Jooris and G Joni Ortio. ... Rookie Robby Fabbri (concussion) did not dress for St. Louis.

Darren Haynes, The Canadian Press

RCMP investigate death in Grande Prairie

Sheriff: Former NBA star Lamar Odom found unresponsive at Nevada brothel, hospitalized

PAHRUMP, Nev. — Authorities say former NBA and reality TV star Lamar Odom has been hospitalized after he was found unconscious at a Nevada brothel.

Nye County Sheriff Sharon A. Wehrly says the department got a call Tuesday afternoon requesting an ambulance for an unresponsive man at the Love Ranch in Crystal, Nevada about 70 miles outside of Las Vegas.

A sheriff's statement says Odom was stabilized and taken to Desert View Hospital in nearby Pahrump.

Officials then tried to have him flown to a Las Vegas hospital, but he was too tall for the helicopter that was available and he was driven by ambulance.

There was no further word on Odom's condition.

The 35-year-old retired from the NBA in 2013 and saw reality TV fame through his four-year marriage to Khloe Kardashian.

The Associated Press

Former NBA star Lamar Odom found unresponsive at Nevada brothel, hospitalized

PAHRUMP, Nev. — Sheriff says former NBA star Lamar Odom found unresponsive at Nevada brothel, hospitalized.

The Associated Press

City looks at introducing new water and sewage rates

CP NewsAlert: Oilers forward Connor McDavid scores first NHL goal

DALLAS — Connor McDavid has scored his first-career NHL goal.

The 18-year-old Oilers superstar, who was drafted first overall in the 2015 NHL draft, beat Dallas Stars goaltender Kari Lehtonen in the second period to tie the game 2-2 for Edmonton.

More coming.

The Canadian Press

Michael Hutchinson’s 40 saves propels Jets to 4-1 win over Rangers

NEW YORK — Brian Little scored twice and Michael Hutchinson made 40 saves to lead the Winnipeg Jets to a 4-1 win over the New York Rangers on Tuesday night.

Nikolaj Ehlers and Mark Stuart each added a goal for Winnipeg, which improved to 3-1-0. The victory ended a four-game road trip to begin the season for the Jets.

Despite being outshot 20-8 in the period, the Jets went into the second intermission with a 2-1 lead thanks to Little's short-handed goal at 18:49. Little, whose 52 points were third most on the Jets last season, one-timed a feed from Jacob Trouba.

His power play goal at 10:35 of the third period sealed the game for the Jets, who handed New York its first loss of the season.

Henrik Lundqvist made 24 saves.

Mats Zuccarello scored New York's lone goal.

The Rangers actually led 1-0 when Zuccarello's third goal of the season opened the scoring 6:45 into the game. The sequence began with Rick Nash harassing Blake Wheeler into an offensive zone turnover. Nash dumped it to Derick Brassard, who quickly found an uncovered Zuccarello.

The advantage lasted for all of 46 seconds.

Ehlers tied the game 1-1 with a power play strike from above the right faceoff circle.

Stuart's empty netter at 17:56 ended the scoring.

NOTES: Winnipeg scratched defencemen Paul Postma and Ben Chiarot, and right wing Anthony Peluso. New York scratched right wings Jesper Fast and Emerson Etem, and defenceman Dan Boyle. The only Ranger not to play in the first four games of the season is Etem, who was acquired in a draft day trade from Anaheim. "I would say we're going to look for an opportunity to put him in the lineup," New York coach Alain Vigneault said during his pregame press conference. "I'm not exactly sure when that's going to be." ... Vigneault noted defenceman Kevin Klein would get to play on New York's man advantage units. "(He's) got a good shot, a heavy shot," Vigneault said, before joking, "I'm not the smartest guy in the world."

Denis P. Gorman, The Associated Press