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Despite the rain, women and allies came out to march last night for Take Back the Night. This annual event, by the Fort St. John Women’s Resource Society, is part of an international effort to reclaim walking at night safely – not just for women, but for men as well. This is not the only […]
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Ben Zobrist hit a go-ahead single in the seventh inning, reliever Wade Davis got replay help for a key pickoff in the ninth and the Kansas City Royals rallied from a three-run hole to beat the Houston Astros 5-4 on Friday, evening their AL Division Series at a game apiece.
The Royals knotted the game at 4 off Scott Kazmir and relievers Oliver Perez and Josh Fields in the sixth. Kansas City took the lead in the seventh when Alcides Escobar led off with a triple against Will Harris (0-1) and Zobrist followed with his single through the left side.
Kelvin Herrera (1-0) and Ryan Madson each tossed a scoreless inning of relief for the Royals, and Davis came on to close it.
Davis walked Preston Tucker with one out, and speedy Carlos Gomez came in as a pinch-runner. Davis snapped a throw that first baseman Eric Hosmer neatly snagged on one hop as Gomez made a dive back to the bag — Gomez was initially ruled safe, but the call was overturned upon review. Jose Altuve then grounded out to end it, giving Davis a save.
It was a crucial victory considering what awaits Kansas City in Game 3 on Sunday: Astros ace Dallas Keuchel, who was 15-0 at home this season. Edinson Volquez will start for Kansas City.
Two starters acquired with October in mind, Johnny Cueto of the Royals and Kazmir of the Astros, pitched largely to a stalemate Friday, which meant the outcome hinged on the bullpens.
Kansas City's relief corps was simply better, allowing the reigning AL champions to become the first home team to win in six games this
Colby Rasmus homered, doubled and drove in two runs for the Astros, becoming the first player in major league history with an extra-base hit in his first six playoff games. George Springer also drove in a pair of runs after hitting a solo shot in the series opener.
Salvador Perez homered for Kansas City. Hosmer also drove in a run.
The Astros jumped on Cueto right from the start, just as they did Yordano Ventura in the series opener. Rasmus doubled in a run in the first inning, and Springer added a two-run single in the second as restless Royals fans began to shower their ace with boos.
Perez got one back for Kansas City with a homer to left in the bottom half, but Rasmus matched him with his third home run in three games this
Cueto finally settled in, but it looked as if it would be too late. Kazmir allowed a run in the third, but otherwise had Kansas City off balance until the sixth inning.
Still trailing 4-2, Lorenzo Cain got the Royals' tying rally started with a double, and Astros manager A.J. Hinch called for Oliver Perez. He allowed back-to-back singles and a walk to leave the bases loaded for Fields, who walked Salvador Perez on four pitches to tie the game.
When the Royals took the lead the following inning, their shutdown bullpen made it stick.
CORREA HOBBLED
Astros rookie Carlos Correa fouled a pitched off the inside of his back knee in the fifth inning, and for a while appeared as if he might leave the game. He eventually remained in the game but struck out, though he did single off Herrera in the seventh.
UP NEXT
Keuchel threw six shutout innings in the Astros' wild-card win over the Yankees, and tossed eight shutout frames against the Royals in June. Volquez tossed two scoreless innings of relief in Kansas City's regular-season finale in Minnesota to tune up for the playoffs.
Dave Skretta, The Associated Press
VANCOUVER — Luca Sbisa had never heard of Ben Hutton before the pair met on the first day of Vancouver Canucks' training camp.
"I didn't personally know who he was," said Sbisa. "Nobody really knew who he was."
They do now.
The rookie defenceman was one of the surprises of the pre-season with Vancouver, making the team in his first pro camp before adding an assist in his first NHL game in the Canucks' 5-1 win over the Calgary Flames on opening night.
"(Hutton's) like a little sponge. He's pretty quiet, he's just there listening," Sbisa said after Friday's practice. "He's done a great job coming in and working hard."
A 22-year-old from Prescott, Ont., Hutton was drafted by Vancouver in the fifth round back in 2012, but played three seasons of college hockey at the University of Maine before signing with the Canucks in March.
Paired with Sbisa on the blue line while also getting minutes on the second power-play unit, Hutton readily admits he didn't think he would be playing in Vancouver this quickly.
"I don't exactly know what I expected coming in," said Hutton, who is poised with the puck on the ice and always sporting a smile off it. "I just wanted to play my game, which is move my feet, jump up in the rush and try and make a few plays out there.
"I'm starting to feel a little bit more comfortable and feel like I belong here."
The Canucks believed in Hutton so much that they put fellow defenceman Frank Corrado on waivers before he was eventually claimed by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Hutton, meanwhile, could have been sent to the AHL without having to clear waivers.
"Last year when we were trying to sign him I was asking 'How good can this guy be?' (Scouts) thought he could be a top-4 defenceman down the road," said Vancouver head coach Willie Desjardins. "But at the same time we didn't expect him to come in this year. We thought a year in the AHL would probably help him. We'll keep judging as we go, but so far he's been good."
Hutton has patience with the puck, using subtle delays to create space, and has added some much-needed speed and finesse to Vancouver's attack from the back end. He can also deliver pin-point passes out of the defensive zone, as witnessed by the feed to Jannik Hansen for Vancouver's first goal against Calgary on Wednesday.
"That's definitely something I pride myself in," said Hutton, who will suit up for his second NHL game Saturday when the Canucks host the Flames. "I like to have good outlet passes and quick breakout passes. It makes life easier as a defenceman and for the whole team."
Hutton had a goal in four outings with the AHL's Utica Comets last season after scoring nine times and adding 12 assists in 39 games for Maine. He said he felt some nerves in his debut with the Canucks, but calmed himself down after a couple of rough sequences early.
"I remember one of my first shifts I got the puck and I was fumbling it behind the net," he said. "I was like 'Wow, just put the nerves behind, don't think about it, just play hockey.' After a few shifts it worked out."
While they had to be introduced on Day 1, Hutton's new teammates are now keenly aware of who he is and what he brings.
"We're all cheering for him," said Sbisa. "We all wanted him to make the team, and now that he's made it we all want him to do well and carry this thing as far as he can."
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Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press
CARY, N.C. — Authorities have arrested former Carolina Hurricanes player and TV analyst Aaron Ward following a domestic incident.
Capt. Don Hamilton with the Cary Police Department said police arrested Ward after responding to a house Friday. Hamilton says Ward was charged with assault on a female and interfering with emergency communications, both
Hamilton said authorities initially cited Ward's wife, Kelly, for
Cary is near Raleigh, where Ward helped the Hurricanes win the 2006 Stanley Cup.
In a statement, TSN communications director Greg McIsaac said the TV network was "aware of the situation" and Ward wouldn't appear on-air "until further notice."
The Associated Press
TORONTO — From a game that had everything, the Toronto Blue Jays left with nothing.
After yielding two runs to the Rangers with two outs in the 14th inning in a crushing 6-4 loss Friday, the Jays headed to Texas knowing that one more slip-up will be their last in the best-of-five American League Division Series.
Texas won the opener Thursday 5-3, beating Jays ace David Price.
It wasn't supposed to be this way. Toronto strutted its way to the AL East title, hammering balls over fences wherever it went.
But the AL West champion Rangers have proven to be a formidable foe, with depth, character and good pitching.
"The task at hand is pretty simple — we have to win or we go home," said Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson, who stirred the pot several times Friday. "That being said I like our chances just for the fact of the team we have in here."
The action switches to Arlington for games Sunday and, if necessary, Monday. It's up to Marco Estrada to keep the series alive in a matchup with Martin Perez at Globe Life Park.
"It won't be easy, they got a great team over there," said Toronto manager John Gibbons. "They outplayed us both games.
"Today was a great ball game ... they outlasted us," he added. "It doesn't surprise me because they got that good a team. They can keep coming. Very balanced.
"They've got some real good arms they can keep in the bullpen."
Toronto appears to have lost one of its top arms in reliever Brett Cecil, who pulled up lame after taking part in a rundown and was later seen wearing a walking boot. Gibbons said the left-hander had a "pretty significant tear in his calf, so that's not very good."
Neither bullpen blinked until the 14th inning of a game that came in three minutes shy of five hours.
Jays nemesis Rougned Odor beat out an outfield single off LaTroy Hawkins, the Jays' seventh pitcher, to start the two-out rally. Chris Gimenez then singled with Odor escaping a tag at second on the play after a video review.
Hanser Alberto's single up the middle scored Odor, with Gimenez moving to third and Alberto to second. Delino DeShields then beat out an infield single off Liam Hendriks to drive in Gimenez.
Alberto, who was in for the injured Adrian Beltre, used one of DeShields' bats for the key hit after taking a liking to it in batting practice.
"You look up and down the lineup and you track us throughout the year, it's not surprising that somebody at the end of that bench or end of that lineup contributes to what we've got going on because that's how we play the game," said Texas manager Jeff Banister.
Russ Ohlendorf took care of the Jays in the bottom of the 14th, hitting Russell Martin with a pitch with two outs before striking out Kevin Pillar.
Five Rangers relievers combined to limit the Jays to two hits in seven innings.
Friday's game ranks as Toronto's longest post-season game by innings. The Jays, now 3-2 in playoff extra innings, have gone to 11 innings on three previous occasions.
The game was a baseball smorgasbord, with something for all tastes. Good pitching, great fielding, managerial moves and tactical hitting.
Not to mention drama.
The bench emptied with one out in the 13th after Donaldson hit a blast just foul to left-field with one out. Keone Kela, the fifth Rangers pitcher, took umbrage at Donaldson's salty post-pitch comments and had to be held back. Nothing came of the incident, however.
"We made eye contact and exchanged a few words," said Donaldson. "He didn't back down and I didn't back down."
After Donaldson struck out and Jose Bautista walked, Edwin Encarnacion flied out to the warning track in centre field.
Donaldson, the Jays MVP candidate, had homered in the first inning just hours after going through a concussion check necessitated by a collision in Thursday's game.
Both bullpens did their job as the innings kept coming.
Jays closer Roberto Osuna pitched a 1-2-3 ninth and 10th. Rangers left-hander Jake Diekman, hitting 99 m.p.h. at times, matched him both innings.
Texas had the winning run on third with two outs in the 11th after a pair of Mark Lowe walks but left-hander Aaron Loup rescued the former Ranger by inducing Josh Hamilton to fly out.
Pinch-runner Dalton Pompey made it to third with two outs in the 12th after Chris Colabello opened the inning with a single, but Shawn Tolleson shut down the Jays' rally.
Texas' Will Venable got on with a broken bat single off Aaron Sanchez with two outs in the 13th but nothing more came of it.
Neither team seemed too happy with umpire Vic Carapazza's strike zone.
"There was complaining on both sides, but it's behind us," said Gibbons.
The game was a duel between Marcus Stroman and Rangers ace Cole Hamels for seven innings.
Stroman left with a 4-3 lead after yielding a leadoff single to DeShields in the eighth. But Cecil could not hold down the fort.
After a sacrifice bunt moved DeShields to second, Cecil struck out Prince Fielder. Pinch-hitter Mike Napoli singled to bring DeShields home and tie the game 4-4. Napoli was caught in a rundown after being picked off to end the threat.
A raucous crowd of 49,716 watched under the Rogers Centre dome, with fans elsewhere doing their best to balance work and play with a lunchtime start that stretched into Happy Hour.
There were gutsy performances all-round in an entertaining game that started with a bit of everything before settling back to the expected showdown between Stroman and Hamels. Colabello also had a starring role, putting on a show at first base for the Jays.
The wild start saw the two team tied 3-3 after two innings that featured six runs, six hits and two errors.
Donaldson, who took a knee to the head Thursday in breaking up a double play, was cleared to play after passing concussion protocols. He wasted little time proving his fitness by slamming a solo homer to centre field in the bottom of the first on a 3-2 delivery from Hamels.
For Stroman, it was another remarkable chapter in his comeback story from spring training knee surgery. He has yet to lose in five starts since returning in early September, posting four wins and Friday's no-decision.
The right-hander scattered five hits over seven innings, giving up three runs — two earned — with five strikeouts and two walks. He had retired 18 of his last 21 before giving way.
Hamels went seven innings, giving up four runs — two earned — on six hits with six strikeouts.
Stroman retired 14 straight before walking Mitch Moreland with two out in the sixth. He followed that by striking out Elvis Andrus, pounding his chest as he left the mound.
As Stroman found his groove, the Jays defence began to batten down the hatches with shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and Bautista — recovered from Thursday's hamstring cramp — making dazzling fielding plays in the fifth and seventh innings, respectively.
Colabello, playing first base like Dominik Hasek, was a one-man wrecking crew for Toronto. He had an unassisted double play in the first inning, drove in a run in the second and hoovered up ground balls all day long.
It was only the fifth unassisted ground ball double play by a first baseman in post-season history, according to Baseball Reference.
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Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
EDMONTON — The CEO of a group that runs several venues, including the NHL arena where the Edmonton Oilers play, is defending his decision to fire all its parking lot cashiers amid allegations of rampant theft.
Tim Reid of non-profit Northlands said Friday that some of the 38 people let go were upright and exceptional employees, but had to go anyway.
"It was a very holistic change," Reid said. "Not everybody was at fault in this. This was a reaction for the betterment of the company."
The mass firing was necessary because tracking down and firing just those responsible would have taken four months at a cost of $400,000 in lost revenue, he said.
"What we know is that money has gone missing. We know that for a fact."
Reid wouldn't say if any managers overseeing parking would also be held responsible, but admitted there was fault in the front office.
"We had breach of process that we had not been managing to the fullest of our abilities."
He said Northlands will be outsourcing the parking to a third-party contractor.
"This may not seem like the most fair decision, but it was the most financially viable for the company."
The Oilers are the primary tenants at Rexall Place and are not commercially linked to it in any way. The team is to move to a new downtown arena starting in the 2016-17 NHL season
Northlands charges $20 for parking at major events. Many of the fired cashiers worked part-time making minimum wage.
Reid said two audits in the summer, which involved car counts and cameras in parking-lot booths, showed that about one dollar in five was either being pocketed or not collected by cashiers.
About half of employees checked weren't following procedures, he added.
Northlands makes about $6 million a year in parking, so Reid estimated the annual lost revenue between $700,000 and $1.2 million.
Reid said if the Northlands board feels evidence of theft is compelling enough, it may turn the information over to police for possible criminal investigation.
Some of the fired cashiers said they are considering lawsuits for defamation.
"It is very serious because there were people that relied on this job, there were people that needed this job," one of the cashiers, Sarah Pollard, told radio station CHED. "There was somebody that was here for almost 33 years who no longer works here and was treated the exact same way."
Reid said he feels Northlands can successfully defend against any lawsuits.
— with files from CHED
Dean Bennett, The Canadian Press
EDMONTON — The CEO of the group that runs several venues, including the NHL arena in Edmonton, is defending his decision to fire all the parking lot cashiers amid allegations of rampant theft.
Tim Reid of Northlands says some of the 38 people let go were upright and exceptional employees but had to go anyway.
Reid says tracking down just those responsible would take four months and cost $400,000 in lost revenue.
He says Northlands management shares some of the blame, but he won't say if anyone in the front office will be penalized.
Some of those let go say they feel as if they've been publicly branded as criminals and are considering defamation lawsuits.
Reid says two recent audits showed that one dollar in five was either being pocketed or not collected by the cashiers — averaging out to more than $1 million over the course of a year.
The Canadian Press
LAC-MEGANTIC, Que. — Lac-Megantic resident Robert Bellefleur has welcomed a U.S. bankruptcy judge's approval of a $446-million settlement fund for victims of the deadly oil-train derailment in 2013.
"It's good news for people who were hit hard, who lost loved ones, homes, businesses," says Bellefleur, who knew about 25 of the 47 victims, including his cousin's son, his daughter's two babysitters and his contractor.
"It's very good news. It doesn't replace lives. It will provide comfort and maybe enable people to get back on their feet and live a more normal life, but without ever forgetting what happened."
But Bellefleur, a member of a Lac-Megantic-based coalition that promotes rail safety, said the state of the rail track in the town, which he called a determining factor in the tragedy, still has not been addressed.
Judge Peter Cary announced his decision in Portland, Maine, on Friday after Canadian Pacific (TSX:CP) dropped its objection to the settlement plan and after a Canadian judge gave conditional approval Thursday.
The settlement was the result of negotiations with about two dozen companies.
Barring any surprises, payments could be made to victims of the disaster by year's end, said Robert Keach, the bankruptcy trustee. About $110 million Cdn is being set aside to settle wrongful death claims.
"We don't pretend to suggest that we made up for everything that happened," said Keach. "But within the limits of the civil system, this is substantial compensation for the victims and they deserve it."
A runaway train with 72 oil tankers derailed in Lac-Megantic on July 6, 2013, setting off powerful explosions and causing fires that wiped out much of the downtown.
Raymond Lafontaine, who lost his son, two daughters-in-law and one of his employees in the tragedy, said in an interview Friday it is "inconceivable" it has taken this long for the fund to be accepted.
"I am a victim and I am heading to spend the winter down south because I can't stand to live here right now," he said. "We know that the victims were ignored 200 per cent, we had rights to nothing.
"Talking to the lawyers, it seems I could get about $5,000 to have lost my three kids.
"The judge said OK today? Well that's welcome. But the victims will get very little. Because the city will get its cut. The governments will get their cut. And the lawyers will get theirs. Millions. They will all fill their pockets. And the victims will get very little."
On Friday, the judge described the devastation from the fires as "vast and complete."
"My thoughts and good wishes go to the good town of Lac-Megantic and the victims' families," Cary said after announcing he would sign the settlement.
After the fires were doused, the train's operator, Maine-based Montreal, Maine and Atlantic, filed for bankruptcy. The settlement fund is tied to those bankruptcy proceedings in the United States and Canada.
The fund was the product of negotiations with about two dozen companies with potential liability. In addition to settling wrongful death claims, money will be used to compensate government entities and others for destruction and environmental damage.
Canadian Pacific owned the track where the crude oil shipment originated and contended it bore no responsibility, since the train that derailed had a Montreal, Maine and Atlantic locomotive and crew and was operating on MMA rail.
But Keach argued Canadian Pacific bears some responsibility for failing to properly classify the Bakken region crude oil, which was as volatile as gasoline.
Canadian Pacific isn't contributing to the settlement fund, and the railroad had contended the plan would have hampered its ability to defend itself from lawsuits, because the agreement provided legal immunity only to companies that do contribute.
But the altered amendment calls for a "judgment reduction provision" that would take into account the full settlement paid by others if Canadian Pacific is ordered to pay damages in the future.
"Although CP was not at fault in the derailment, we have been working with the trustee for a solution that protects CP interests and allows payments to be made to victims as soon as possible," said Canadian Pacific spokesman Martin Cej.
The Canadian Press
VANCOUVER — The case of an NHL player charged in the death of a grizzly bear has become a rallying cry for a British Columbia group against trophy hunting.
About a dozen members of Bears Matter gathered outside provincial court in Vancouver on Friday before a court date for Anaheim Ducks defenceman Clayton Stoner.
Stoner is charged with five counts under the provincial Wildlife Act, including two counts of knowingly making a false statement to obtain a hunting licence, hunting out of season, hunting without a licence and unlawfully possessing dead wildlife.
The bear, which local residents had named Cheeky, was killed in the Great Bear Rainforest on B.C.'s central coast in 2013.
Bear Matters member Barb Murray said a growing number of people are against trophy hunting and that Stoner's case should draw attention to the practice.
"We really need to make this case stand out above the others so that Premier (Christy) Clark cannot ignore our petitions, cannot ignore our letters and cannot ignore our voices," she said.
Records from the Environment Ministry show dozens of charges in 2014 related to hunting without a licence and unlawfully possessing dead wildlife.
However, few other cases have been in the spotlight.
"Clayton Stoner, he's recognized internationally, he's an NHL hockey player, he makes millions of dollars," Murray said. "He's supposed to be an example of what a sportsman (embodies). And he's not."
Stoner has never denied the hunt, which sparked debate two years ago when pictures published in a Vancouver newspaper showed him holding a grizzly's severed head.
Stoner, who is from Port McNeill on Vancouver Island, defended his hunting trip with his father, an uncle and a friend after the photos were publicized.
"I grew up hunting and fishing in British Columbia and continue to enjoy spending time with my family outdoors," he said in a September 2013 written statement, adding he would continue those activities in the province.
Stoner should apologize for hunting bears, said Murray, her voice choked with emotion.
"I'm hoping they slap a very big fine, and he could also contribute to conservation in this province, big time."
Stoner was not in court Friday. Ricky Bal, a lawyer who appeared on his behalf, said he does not know how the hockey player intends to plead.
The case was put over until Nov. 13.
The Anaheim Ducks begin their regular season Saturday in San Jose against the Sharks.
Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press
LONDON — Still defiant, UEFA is standing by its man.
Although Michel Platini was handed a 90-day suspension by FIFA, banning him from all soccer-related activity, the home page of UEFA's corporate
"This is because the UEFA executive committee is aware that the UEFA president will immediately take all necessary steps to appeal the decision of the FIFA ethics committee to clear his name," European soccer's governing body said in a statement posted on its
UEFA does clearly state that Platini will not carry out any official duties during the suspension, but keeping the former France captain as the visible leader in name could end up earning a rebuke, or worse, from FIFA for failing to adhere to the ethics committee's decision.
On the other side of Switzerland at FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Sepp Blatter was stripped of his presidential duties on Thursday after also getting a 90-day ban. The governing body soon issued an official communique to announce that the 79-year-old Blatter had been "relieved of all his duties."
Blatter's job title was even wiped from his Twitter profile and the presidential page expunged, with a site for acting president Issa Hayatou uploaded in its place.
Both Platini and Blatter were suspended after becoming embroiled in a Swiss criminal investigation into financial wrongdoing at FIFA. If Platini does appeal and it is denied, it would effectively rule him out of the running to succeed Blatter as FIFA president in the election on Feb. 26.
Since a criminal case was opened against Blatter two weeks ago, he has been communicating in public through his lawyers, rather than through official FIFA channels. But Platini's statement attacking allegations that are "astonishingly vague" is the lead item on UEFA's corporate
And despite the actions of FIFA in Zurich, UEFA has not elevated Angel Maria Villar — the body's most senior
Villar, the head of the Spanish soccer federation, is also at risk of sanctions from a separate investigation into soccer corruption.
"It seems to me that UEFA is trying to fudge it by saying they are not appointing someone in (Platini's) place," British lawyer Nick De Marco, a specialist in sports law, told The Associated Press. "Under the rules, they have to have someone in his place chairing meetings."
It is likely that Villar will chair Thursday's hastily-organized meeting of both UEFA's 54 members and the executive committee — despite not being appointed acting president as statutes dictate.
Last month, Platini was questioned by Swiss investigators about a payment of 2 million Swiss francs (about $2 million) he received from FIFA in 2011 for work carried out up to 2002. Blatter is being investigated as a suspect in the case, while Platini is being treated "between a witness and an accused person," according to Swiss attorney general Michael Lauber.
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Rob Harris can be followed at www.twitter.com/RobHarris and www.facebook.com/RobHarrisReports
Rob Harris, The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — Center Mike Richards and the Los Angeles Kings have settled their dispute over the termination of Richards' contract after his arrest in June.
The NHL Players' Association announced the settlement Friday, making Richards an unrestricted free agent.
Richards was charged with possession of a controlled substance in Manitoba after he was stopped by Canadian border authorities. The Kings terminated his contract later in the summer, and the NHLPA filed a grievance on his behalf.
Richards had five years and $22 million remaining on a lavish 12-year, $69 million deal signed with Philadelphia. The two-time Stanley Cup champion's offensive production declined sharply the past few years.
Terms of the settlement weren't disclosed by the union or the team. The Kings issued a brief statement declaring the settlement "agreeable to all parties."
Greg Beacham, The Associated Press
MONCTON, N.B. — A New Brunswick judge who sentenced a woman to one year in jail after the remains of her newborn baby were found on a remote logging road says she showed a high degree of callousness in her actions.
Christine Margaret Wood of Riverview was facing several charges in the death of the boy, who was found in a snowbank in 2009.
She pleaded guilty in August to neglecting to obtain assistance in childbirth, concealing the body of a child and offering an indignity to human remains. A charge of attempted murder was dropped.
The boy's body was discovered by a group of people riding dirt bikes on a logging road near Monteagle, N.B.
The baby is legally Baby Boy Doe, but became known as Baby Taylor in the weeks after his body was discovered based on the name of the road where he was found.
In court on Friday, Crown attorney Stephen Holt said Wood tried to conceal her pregnancy from friends and family, and denied her condition when asked by a neighbour.
Wood was unco-operative with police when they acted on a tip so they put her under surveillance, he said, eventually collecting DNA from two cigarette butts that proved she was the mother.
Holt said Wood became pregnant in 2008.
"This was not a happy realization. She did not want the baby," he said.
On Dec. 13 or 14, 2008, Wood went into labour. She ran a full bath and gave birth underwater, saying she may have passed out during delivery, Holt said.
Wood said the baby was floating in the water and was dead, Holt told the court.
He said Wood told police she put the baby's remains in a garbage bag in her room and then the trunk of her car for a few days, before putting them in a garbage can. She later went to Taylor Road, soaked the garbage can with gas, lit it and left, he said.
Holt said at one point before it was found a snowplow hit the garbage can.
He recommended a sentence of two years in prison and lengthy probation. "This is a woman who showed no remorse until she was arrested," he said.
But defence lawyer Scott Fowler asked the court for a conditional sentence, stressing it was not a case of infanticide or murder.
"There was no evidence the child was born alive," he said.
"This is a young woman who was alone and made horrible decisions."
Wood sat alone in the back of the court during the sentencing hearing and made a brief statement when offered a chance to speak.
"I would just like to say, your honour, that I am sorry and I would like to thank those who showed me compassion," she told the court.
In delivering his sentence, provincial court Judge Denis Lordon agreed that the pathologist was unable to determine if the baby was born alive but it was a full-term pregnancy.
"The degree of culpability in my estimation is very high. There is a complete concealment of the fact of pregnancy," said Lordon, who also sentenced Wood to two years' probation.
"There was absolutely no attempt to get any kind of medical intervention. There is no preparation for the birth of a baby who was going to leave that bathroom alive. And the callousness with which the matter was handled after the birth of that child is most alarming and worthy of condemnation."
Kevin Bissett, The Canadian Press
HIGH LEVEL, Alta. — An Alberta judge has found a boy not guilty of second-degree murder after he fatally shot his abusive father to prevent the death of his mother.
The boy, known as H, was only 13 when he shot his father twice with a rifle on August 2013 near a remote community in northern Alberta.
Court heard the boy's home life was horrific and that his father was a drunk who ridiculed, demeaned and abused his wife and children.
The Crown argued that the amount of force the boy used was disproportionate to the danger his father presented.
Tests on the man's body determined he had a blood-alcohol level more than three times over the legal limit.
In written reasons for a decision delivered last month, Justice Paul Jeffrey of Court of Queen's Bench says the boy acted to protect his mother and did not intend to kill his father.
The Canadian Press
MONTREAL — Five Hells Angels on trial on murder and conspiracy charges have seen the case dismissed because of lengthy delays in the disclosure of evidence by the Crown.
The five men — all members of the biker gang's Sherbrooke chapter — were ordered released today in mid-trial by Quebec Superior Court Justice James Brunton.
Claude Berger, Yvon Tanguay, Francois Vachon, Sylvain Vachon and Michel Vallieres were arrested in 2009 under a widespread police sweep against the biker gang dubbed Operation SharQc.
Brunton was severe in his ruling, granting a defence motion for a stay of proceedings because the Crown only disclosed key information in September, while the defence had been seeking the evidence since 2011.
The Crown says it will consider appealing the decision.
Brunton is the same judge who ordered a stay of proceedings in 2011 for 31 Hells Angels members and sympathizers because of huge delays in brining them to trial.
They were facing various drug-related offences and were arrested during the same 2009 sweep.
The Crown attempted to appeal that decision to the Supreme Court of Canada, which ruled that Brunton did not err in exercising his discretion to order a stay in the case.
The Canadian Press
BROSSARD, Que. — Paul Byron is not a colossus, but the Montreal Canadiens forward is not as tiny as the NHL records would have you believe.
Listed at five-foot-seven 153 pounds, Byron is in fact at least five-foot-nine and says he is about 170 pounds, which looked about right as he met with the media in the Canadiens locker room after his first practice with his new team.
"I think that came from when I was 17," said the 26-year-old who was claimed off waivers from the Calgary Flames this week after right winger Zack Kassian was put into a substance abuse program by the league.
Byron and new backup goalie Michael Condon are expected to see their first action as the Canadiens play back-to-back in Boston on Saturday and Ottawa on Sunday, followed by a game Tuesday in Pittsburgh.
Coach Michel Therrien said Condon will start in Ottawa, even though he is from the Boston area. He had yet to decide which game Ottawa native Byron would play.
What he lacks in size, Byron makes up in speed and grit, drawing comparisons to Brendan Gallagher, another smaller-than-average Montreal winger.
Defenceman Jeff Petry saw plenty of Byron when he played for the Edmonton Oilers before joining the Canadiens in a trade late last season.
"He plays much bigger than he is and he has skill and speed," said Petry. "He's a guy like Gallagher.
"He's not the biggest guy but he's got a lot of heart. He goes into the tough areas."
The Flames, who are trying to get bigger, put Byron on waivers after he missed the start of camp with a wrist injury. He was also coming off groin surgery in May.
Byron saw mostly fourth line duty in Calgary, but also got time on the second and third units. He had seven goals and 21 points in 47 games in 2013-14 and had six goals and 19 points in 57 outings last season.
A benefit of the move is that he is closer to home.
"Growing up in Ottawa and playing for Gatineau in the Quebec (junior) league, I know what to expect," he said. "I know I have to bring some jam and effort every night."
Condon, 25, beat out Dustin Tokarski for the job as back-up to Carey Price with a solid training camp and a strong 2014-15 campaign in the AHL, where he split duties with veteran Joey MacDonald.
The Canadiens signed him an undrafted free agent out of Princeton University in 2013 and extended his contract by two years in February.
After not allowing a goal in two pre-season games, he's ready for his first real taste of NHL hockey.
"Not to put too much pressure on myself, just play: That's been the mantra all training camp," said Condon. "All the work's been put in, so all I can do is have fun and not think too much.
"There's no thinking for me, just reacting. Shutting the brain off."
And even though he doesn't get to start in Boston, he will at least get to see one the NHL's fiercest rivalries at ice level.
"It's going to be awesome," he said. "I'm looking forward to the energy in that building.
"I've got a lot of friends and family from the area giving me heat, but this is the team that gave me my opportunity, so I love this place."
He and Price are still getting to know one another. Earlier this week, Price quipped of Condon that "at least we have one thing in common (being goalies), so we should find something to talk about."
Bill Beacon, The Canadian Press
TORONTO — The loyalties of craft beer aficionados were put to the test Friday when the owners of Mill Street Brewery, one of Canada's leading makers of craft beers, announced plans to be swallowed by Labatt Breweries in a takeover.
Under the agreement, the privately held Toronto company will belong to the world's largest brewing group, owned by Belgian company Anheuser-Busch InBev. Those prospects didn't sit well with some of the company's longtime customers.
This is Labatt's sixth acquisition of a North American craft brewer since 2011, and the deal immediately raised questions about how to define small craft breweries in a multinational industry that's purposely making the boundaries murkier than ever.
Mill Street will continue to operate as a stand-alone company as it looks for ways to expand production and capacity, said Mill Street co-founder Steve Abrams.
Over the past few years, the craft brewer has seen average sales growth of more than 15 per cent annually.
"Many craft brewers in Ontario are experiencing this huge surge just to keep up with demand," Abrams said in an interview.
"This immediate infusion of capital will assist us in getting tanks and more equipment."
However, those aspirations may not sit well with craft beer drinkers, who pride themselves in supporting local products made in small batches.
Some of them quickly took to Twitter to express dismay over the future of the Mill Street brand.
"Goodbye to craft. Hello average," posted @Simmsation on Twitter shortly after the announcement was made.
"Oh no! What a shame, I liked Tankhouse. I need to find a new beer," added @nfitz1, referring to one of the company's trademark brews.
Others decided to take a more creative approach, considering ways that Labatt could mesh its Labatt Blue line with the Mill Street reputation.
"Might I suggest 'Mill Street Blues' as their first hybrid ale?" said @jeremysale.
Beer drinkers were also cautious about assurances that Mill Street won't change under the rule of a global brewer with a reputation for sweeping cost reductions to stay competitive.
Labatt bought discount beermaker Lakeport Brewery in 2007 when "buck a beer" was all the rage, and then shut down its Hamilton facility three years later after deciding it was cheaper to fold production into Labatt's operations in London, Ont.
While Labatt didn't announce how much it will pay for Mill Street, it plans to invest $10 million into the company's existing brewery operations, which it says will remain open.
"We think that this partnership will really help expand awareness of craft across the country," said Charlie Angelakos, Labatt's vice-president of corporate affairs.
The popularity of craft breweries has been on the rise across Canada for years. While overall beer consumption declined by six per cent in 2014, craft beer servings grew by seven per cent, according to recent findings from data research company NPD Group.
Stephen Beaumont, an industry watcher and author on beer trends, said the takeover didn't come as a surprise because of the international buying spree for craft brewers at Anheuser-Busch InBev.
Labatt has also played in the craft brew market itself, under a relatively low profile, positioning its Shock Top line of beers in the microbrew department at liquor stores.
Despite its reputation, Mill Street isn't a stranger to corporate partnerships either.
The brewery opened a branded pub at Pearson Airport in Toronto three years ago, and paired with hotel chain Fairmont for a honey ale named after the company's Royal York Hotel, because it harvested from beehives on the building's rooftop.
"They will likely face a good deal of blow-back from the craft community, for all that relatively small percentage of the market means," Beaumont said.
"I don't think (Mill Street) will change their beers, but for a lot of people the cachet of buying craft beer will be lost."
Mill Street was started in 2002 with modest aspirations by its three founders, but its success pushed them to move its facilities to a larger space four years later that could handle rising demand.
Since then, it has amassed an variety of accolades, including Canadian brewery of the year at Canadian Brewing Awards for three consecutive years starting in 2007.
Labatt — once an independent giant in Canada's beer industry — was bought in 1995 by a Belgian group that has continued to grow by buying and merging with other companies around the world. The group, now called Anheuser-Busch InBev, is currently attempting to buy the world's second-biggest beermaker SABMiller.
The founders of Mill Street are hopeful that despite early criticism, their beers will reach new markets, starting with Quebec — the only province that currently doesn't have any distribution of the brand.
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David Friend, The Canadian Press
