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Site C dam opponents, who have been on the losing side of four recent federal and B.C. Supreme Court decisions, received some welcome support for their cause at the just concluded UBCM convention in Vancouver. Delegates passed a package of resolutions, including those from the District of Hudson’s Hope and the Peace River Regional District, […]
DULUTH, Minn. — Former Canadian women's hockey team coach Shannon Miller and two other former University of Minnesota Duluth female coaches are planning a news conference to talk about possible legal action relating to discrimination.
Miller has alleged discrimination based on her gender and sexual orientation. After leading the Bulldogs to five NCAA national championships, the university cited a budget deficit when it informed her in December that her contract would not be renewed.
Jen Banford was also released as the team's director of hockey operations. She was offered a one-year contract to remain women's softball coach, but declined. Head women's basketball coach Annette Wiles resigned in June after seven seasons, citing an unhealthy work environment.
The university released a statement from Chancellor Lendley Black which says it has done an internal review of complaints raised and it disputes broad claims of discrimination.
Miller coached Canada to a gold medal at the 1997 IIHF World Women's Championship and silver at the 1998 Nagano Olympics.
The Associated Press
TORONTO — With individual accolades all around him at the NHL Awards in Las Vegas, Carey Price's mind was still on the Stanley Cup that had eluded him and his teammates.
"I'd trade all four of these in for that one," the star Montreal Canadiens goaltender said. "We have a lot of very good parts in Montreal and a very good hockey team. We're gaining experience and I'm very, very happy and very excited about our future."
Price is the biggest reason to be excited about the Canadiens' present and future. The reigning Hart and Vezina Trophy-winner is only one player, but his presence makes Montreal the most likely team to end Canada's Cup drought that currently sits at 21 seasons.
Oddsmakers give eight NHL teams better odds than the Habs (18-1), but they have the most realistic shot of any Canadian-based team. The Calgary Flames and Winnipeg Jets are 28-1, the Edmonton Oilers 33-1, Ottawa Senators 40-1, Vancouver Canucks 66-1 and Toronto Maple Leafs 100-1, according to the online sportsbook Bodog.ca.
If the Habs are going to lift the Cup for the first time since 1993, they'll need to do more to support a goaltender who is playing at the level of two-time Conn Smythe Trophy-winner Patrick Roy. Price led the league with 44 wins, a 1.96 goals-against average and .933 save percentage, but skaters have to score more and be better, too.
"We're fortunate to have him, and obviously as players we want to help him out a little bit more than we did last year," centre Tomas Plekanec said. "A big part was Pricey, which is one thing that obviously we want to get better at and play better in front of him."
The Habs will have defenceman Jeff Petry for an entire season and should be better by having him on the second pairing behind one of hockey's most dynamic players in P.K. Subban. They also have a captain for the first time since Brian Gionta left in the summer of 2014, giving left-winger Max Pacioretty the honour. Talented forward Alex Galchenyuk moves to centre in the hopes of sparking his career.
For all the minor changes in Montreal, Price is the constant. And what a constant to have.
"My expectations for him are no different from what they've been since I started playing on this team and that's to remain and be one of the best goaltenders in the world," Subban said. "He proved that he could be that last year. He'll have to continue to prove that for our team to win a Stanley Cup."
Immediate Stanley Cup aspirations are hard to find elsewhere across Canada, though the Flames have real expectations on them this season after a surprise run to the playoffs ahead of schedule. With the addition of defenceman Dougie Hamilton, the return of captain Mark Giordano and the maturation of Sean Monahan, Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Bennett, there's reason to believe the Flames are a legitimate playoff contender.
"On paper today, if you look at our roster, we do look like a deeper, better team than last year, but we have to, as players, bring that now and prove it on the ice," Giordano said.
On paper, the Jets aren't quite as formidable as they were in making their first playoff appearance since returning to Winnipeg. Gone are forwards Michael Frolik and Jim Slater and deadline pickups Lee Stempniak and Jiri Tlusty, and there will be an infusion of youth into the Jets' lineup.
The Jets were banged up beyond recognition when they were swept in the first round by the Anaheim Ducks. A healthy under coach Paul Maurice could provide better results this season, much like how the Tampa Bay Lightning rebounded following their 2014 first-round sweep.
"I guess I do feel more encouraged by it that you realize we're not that far off," said defenceman Jacob Trouba, who played with a broken bone in his left hand.
Adding phenom Connor McDavid, coach Todd McLellan, goaltender Cam Talbot and defenceman Andrej Sekera should make the Oilers substantially better. Centre Ryan Nugent-Hopkins said the Oilers are still young but trending away from that label, and new general manager Peter Chiarelli has certain expectations for improvement, even if he's not willing to share.
"What I can tell you is I believe the margins are very, very thin on making the playoffs," Chiarelli said. "There's a lot of new faces. I've got to see it."
There may not be much to see in Vancouver and Toronto come April, even after the Canucks made the playoffs in their first season under coach Willie Desjardins. Vancouver is a team in "transition," according to GM Jim Benning, while the Leafs hope they're on the way back up — eventually — with Mike Babcock behind the bench.
In Ottawa, the expectation is still the playoffs. But the Senators know they can't wait until mid-season to make a miraculous run like they did a year ago, thanks in large part to goaltender Andrew Hammond.
"What we did is one in a million," captain Erik Karlsson said. "I don't know if we could do it again."
With files from Lauren La Rose in Toronto and Donna Spencer in Calgary.
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Stephen Whyno, The Canadian Press
TOKYO — Baseball and softball were joined by youth-oriented sports such as surfing and skateboarding as Japanese organizers on Monday recommended five additional sports with 18 events for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Karate and sports climbing were also on the list proposed by the Tokyo organizing committee. Bowling, squash and wushu failed to make the cut from among eight finalists.
The recommendation will be submitted to the International Olympic Committee, which will make a final decision in Rio de Janeiro in August 2016.
Under the "Olympic Agenda 2020" program adopted by the IOC last December, host cities are allowed to propose one or more additional sports for their games. That's on top of the 28 sports already on the program.
Tokyo had been generally expected to nominate one or two. By choosing five sports, organizers made sure to include those important to Japan — baseball and karate — as well as meet the IOC's call that additional sports have a strong youth appeal.
"It was quite a difficult task," said Toshiyuki Akiyama, vice governor of Tokyo and a member of the additional event program panel. "Baseball, softball and karate were proposed and supported by the Tokyo metropolitan assembly. As for skateboarding, sports climbing, surfing, the key word is youth."
The proposed events would add 474 athletes to the games, a total that fits within the cap of 500 additional athletes set by the IOC.
To stay within the limits, the Tokyo committee cut baseball to six teams from eight, and limited sports such as surfing to two events, shortboard for men and women.
"We know younger people tend to stay indoors nowadays, and we believe we included events that will drive people outside," said Tomiaki Fukuda, the president of the Japan Wrestling Federation. "It will create a new image for the Olympic Games."
Fujio Mitarai, the honorary president of the organizing committee, noted that skateboarding is an urban sport, fitting for a metropolis like Tokyo.
The recommendations were welcomed by the IOC, which has not said how many sports it would add, if any.
"This is another concrete step forward in the implementation of Olympic Agenda 2020, showing a new, fresh and very exciting approach to the Olympic program," IOC spokesman Mark Adams said. "The proposal ... reflects ... a particular appeal to youth."
Twenty-six sports had originally applied for consideration. The eight sports made a short list that was announced in June.
Baseball and softball have been out of the Olympics since the 2008 Beijing Games, and their proposed inclusion as a joint bid had been considered a virtual certainty because of the high popularity of those sports in Japan.
"We've reached second base," World Baseball Softball Confederation president Riccardo Fraccari told The Associated Press in Italy. "Now we've got to wait until Rio to get home."
Under Tokyo's recommendations, the men's baseball tournament would consist of six teams and 144 total players, while the women's softball competition would have six teams and 90 players.
Fraccari had proposed an eight-team baseball tournament with two groups of four teams each playing over five days.
"With six teams we need to analyze what type of format we can arrange," Fraccari said. "We have to rearrange everything and see what we can propose."
There are still no assurances that U.S. major league players would take part.
"We're in discussions and we have a great relationship with MLB," Fraccari said. "We have plenty of time to discuss before 2020."
Karate would have eight men's and women's Kumite and Kata events and a total of 80 athletes; skateboarding proposes two street and two park events for 80 athletes; sports climbing has two events in bouldering, lead and speed combined for 40 athletes; and surfing would have two shortboard events for 40 competitors.
International Surfing Association president Fernando Aguerre called the announcement "an extraordinary moment for our sport."
"Surfing embodies a cool, playful lifestyle that would add a completely new element to the program," he said.
For squash, meanwhile, it marked the sport's latest in a series of rejections for Olympic inclusion over the past 12 years.
"I am utterly devastated ... that our dream of taking part in the Tokyo Games cannot now be realized," World Squash Federation president N. Ramachandran, adding that he would continue to push for inclusion in future Olympics.
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AP Sports Writer Andrew Dampf in Rome contributed to this report.
Ken Moritsugu, The Associated Press
ZURICH — Sepp Blatter is back at work at FIFA headquarters, three days after being interrogated there by Swiss investigators, and is due to address staff at the scandal-battered governing body later on Monday.
The FIFA president is scheduled to speak at a staff meeting, which is being characterized as a regular gathering that takes place at least once a month rather than the stage for a sudden announcement.
Blatter is awaiting a possible announcement from the FIFA ethics committee on whether he will be suspended as a result of the Swiss investigation into possible criminal mismanagement and misappropriation of FIFA money.
Blatter adviser Klaus Stoehlker told The Associated Press about the staff meeting, which is planned for 4 p.m. local time. Blatter is due to hand over power after February's election.
Rob Harris, The Associated Press
TORONTO — The Toronto Raptors have officially announced the signing of Canadian forward Anthony Bennett.
Bennett had said on Twitter that he signed with the team, but the deal wasn't made official until Monday.
The Brampton, Ont., forward reportedly signed a one-year, league-minimum deal.
Bennett had a rough two seasons in the NBA since he was the surprise No. 1 overall pick drafted by Cleveland in 2013.
He battled injuries in both his rookie season with the Cavaliers, and second season with the Minnesota Timberwolves, where he landed along with fellow Canadian Andrew Wiggins in the Kevin Love deal.
Bennett averaged 5.2 points and 3.8 rebounds in 57 games for the Timberwolves last season.
He fellow Canadian Cory Joseph on the Raptors.
The Canadian Press
VANCOUVER — Stargazers in Canada were looking to catch sight of a two-for-one treat Sunday night, with the rare confluence of a total lunar eclipse with a so-called supermoon. Clouds got in the way for some.
A supermoon occurs when a full or new moon makes its closest approach to the Earth and appears slightly larger and brighter than normal.
Luke Yates was able to enjoy the unique event from the comfort and vantage of his apartment on Canada's East Coast, which also happened to be located in the tallest building in Halifax.
"I'm pretty excited. I love this sort of thing," said the British native, who was living in Nova Scotia for school. "The reflection on the harbour in Halifax is gorgeous."
He watched the Earth's shadow begin to creep across the moon's surface, describing the experience as awe-inspiring.
His earlier attempts to photograph the lunar phenomenon were unsuccessful, he said: "It's too bright. Unless you've got a really top-end camera it comes out like the sun."
Meanwhile, Jeff Smith chose to take his family to the top of the Centennial Park ski hill in Toronto to absorb the view, albeit under slightly cloudier circumstances.
While the weather made for less-than-perfect picture-taking opportunities, Smith was more philosophical when reflecting on the degree of excitement that had built up through social media for the relatively rare celestial occurrence.
"It's one of those things that sort of brings people down to Earth, " he mused. "It's a little humbling if you get out and appreciate it for what it is."
The weather was even less co-operative in Calgary, where cloud cover prevented many from taking in the sight.
The city's social media-savvy mayor, Naheed Nenshi, took to Twitter to comment dryly on the overcast skies, prompting invitations to join other moongazers elsewhere in the country.
No such viewing troubles were to be had in Manitoba, where Todd Scott watched the show from Grand Marais, about 100 kilometres north of Winnipeg.
"It's perfectly clear. The light has just been fantastic. There are waves coming off the lake you can hear on the marsh. The birds are chirping away," he said.
"You can see the shadow slowly coming over the moon, almost like the edge of a finger on a photograph."
As the moon was eclipsed by the Earth's shadow on Sunday it also turned a reddish colour, an eerie wonder known as a Blood Moon.
The timing of the eclipse was good for most parts of Canada, but those on the West Coast missed the initial stages because the moon was lower in the sky.
The next total eclipse won't happen until 2018, and the next total eclipse of a supermoon won't happen until 2033.
— Follow @gwomand on Twitter
Geordon Omand, The Canadian Press
Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version misnamed the Halifax resident in the 3rd para
A Canadian entrepreneur is stepping into a fierce global patent war as he begins to sell a hands-free "hoverboard" he believes will revolutionalize urban transportation.
Darren Pereira's Huuver company has begun to sell online its brand of self-balancing electric boards called Uuboard (the first two letters of both names have umlauts). A Toronto dealership is in the works.
The colourful units that travel up to about 10 km/h have motors that are propelled by movements detected from sensors near the feet.
"I think it's going to change the way we move," Pereira said in an interview from Toronto.
Two gyroscopes are so sensitive they detect small shifts in balance. Lean forward and the device moves forward. Lean back and it reverses. Move to the right and it turns that way.
The technology — described by some as mini-Segways without the poles — has drawn the ire of the New Hampshire-based company that first introduced its self-balancing personal vehicle in 2001.
The subsidiary of China's Ninebot technology last week filed suit in Delaware for patent infringement against Inventist Inc., a Washington state company that sells transportation devices, including Hovertrax and Solowheel.
Ninebot said its second-generation units, launched in 2006, included patented LeanStar technology.
Inventist, however, said it has its own patents for "a two-wheel, self-balancing vehicle with independently movable foot placement sections."
It filed suit against Ninebot in China, and last June against Soibatian Corporation for their product, the IO Hawk. Billionaire Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban then partnered with Inventist's founder, adding firepower to the effort to go after alleged copycats.
Pereira, however, says the legal battles won't deter him from pursuing this business opportunity.
"They could go after me but I'm about pushing public transportation," he said.
Several Chinese factories pump out thousands of units a day under various names including Oxboard, Cyboard, Future Foot, Monorover, Airboard, Freego, Esway and Overoad.
The Uuboard sells for $949 and comes with a one-year warranty, but rival products are available for between about $600 and US$1,800. Huuver's Chinese supplier, Cube Electronics Tech, said on its website they can be purchased directly for up to US$200.
While the various models look alike and carry similar features, Pereira said they're not identical. Some are a little slower, sluggish and less durable, he said.
Pereira said the Uuboard can work up to nine hours on a 135-minute charge. Weighing 22 pounds, it can carry people between 50 and 350 pounds.
The hoverboards can be used on urban bike lanes and sidewalks, but Pereira said he's been asked to put it away at a Blue Jays game and in some shopping malls.
Despite its US$1,800 price tag, the IO Hawk has had trouble keeping up with demand since it entered the U.S. market in February and attracted the attention of celebrities and athletes.
Justin Bieber, NBA all-star Stephen Curry, actor Jamie Foxx and Kendall Jenner have all been seen using the device or a slightly cheaper brand, PhunkeeDuck.
Rapper Wiz Khalifa was in the news recently when he claimed to be arrested at the Los Angeles airport for riding the device he called a "hoverboard" even though it has wheels that firmly touched the ground.
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Ross Marowits, The Canadian Press
TORONTO — Time is running out for Mark Buehrle.
The 36-year-old Blue Jays left-hander stands 8 2/3 innings shy of reaching the 200-inning plateau for the 15th straight season. With one start likely left in Toronto's remaining seven games, he needs to dig deep to have a chance of extending his streak.
"Mathematically it's still there, but the chances and the reality, I think, are pretty slim," Buehrle said Sunday after pitching six innings in a 5-4 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.
"I've had plenty of opportunities this year to go deeper into games .... I've had opportunities, it just wasn't there. And if it comes to an end, it come to an end. And the world's not going to end."
The only others to pitch 200 innings for 15 straight seasons are Hall of Famers Don Sutton and Gaylord Perry.
Buehrle knows 3 1/3 innings in Boston earlier this month and 4.0 in Philadelphia in August were some of those missed opportunities to add to his innings total.
Asked if he might consider rejigging things to give Buehrle more of chance to reach the plateau, Toronto manager John Gibbons seemed of two minds.
"The bottom line is you're trying to win the game," said Gibbons. "As much as you'd like to, you can't let your heart get in the way of your head."
Buehrle's next start is slated for Friday in Tampa.
"Then there's two games after that," Gibbons mused. "If we're sitting in a good spot, he might be able to come back and throw a few innings Sunday in a starting role. Who knows. I mean that may be a bit far-fetched but it's possible. If it doesn't affect what we want to do either, it could happen."
After Sunday's no decision, Buehrle was asked whether it mattered if he threw 198 or 200 innings, given both number speak to his durability.
"Yeah but it's still not 200," he replied, "You like that round number starting with a two. Again if I do end up on 198, that could be it. I'm not saying I'm going to start on Sunday but I may go in and argue with them and beg with them and try to get that one extra start and just go for a couple innings."
Sunday represented Buehrle's 491st consecutive start without a stint on the disabled list, the longest active streak.
Buehrle (14-7) has not felt his best in the second half of the season, however, and has had several starts pushed back due to general fatigue.
"He's gutting it out, like he always does," said Gibbons.
Buehrle, who becomes a free agent at the end of the season, says he has yet to decide his future. He made US$20 million this season.
Speed is not his forte. While he threw his fastball in the low 80s, several deliveries against the Rays on Sunday only clocked 67 or 68 miles per hour. Instead he uses control to frustrate hitters.
"I still feel like I'm capable of going out there and putting up good numbers," he said. "I mean I don't feel I'm at that point in my career that I can't get guys out."
Buehrle's career record is 213-159 with a 3.81 earned-run average over 3,276 innings.
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Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
HALIFAX — Bill Freedman, a respected educator and author who championed Canadian conservation, has died.
He was 65.
The Nature Conservancy of Canada says Freedman, a 25-year volunteer with the organization, died Saturday at home in Halifax following a battle with cancer.
An ecologist and former chairman of the biology department at Dalhousie University, Freedman authored more than 100 scientific papers, publications and science textbooks.
The conservancy says Freedman served as its regional and national board chairman and wrote a book on the organization's 50-year history in 2013.
Just last week, the conservancy announced it would dedicate its 150-hectare Prospect High Head site near Halifax as the Bill Freedman Nature Reserve.
"He taught us all to cherish our natural world," John Lounds, conservancy president and CEO, said in a statement. "We remember a generous, thoughtful man who leaves a conservation legacy right across this country that will be appreciated by generations to come."
The Canadian Press
Note to readers: This is a corrected story. An earlier version said Freedman was 55 based on information from the Nature Conservancy of Canada.
HALIFAX — Bill Freedman, a respected educator and author who championed Canadian conservation, has died.
He was 55.
The Nature Conservancy of Canada says Freedman, a 25-year volunteer with the organization, died Saturday at home in Halifax following a battle with cancer.
An ecologist and former chairman of the biology department at Dalhousie University, Freedman authored more than 100 scientific papers, publications and science textbooks.
The conservancy says Freedman served as its regional and national board chairman and wrote a book on the organization's 50-year history in 2013.
Just last week, the conservancy announced it would dedicate its 150-hectare Prospect High Head site near Halifax as the Bill Freedman Nature Reserve.
"He taught us all to cherish our natural world," John Lounds, conservancy president and CEO, said in a statement. "We remember a generous, thoughtful man who leaves a conservation legacy right across this country that will be appreciated by generations to come."
The Canadian Press
Three stories in the news today, Sept. 28 from The Canadian Press:
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FOREIGN POLICY THE FOCUS OF TONIGHT'S ELECTION DEBATE
The three main federal party leaders will hash out what Canada's foreign policy should be. They're in Toronto tonight for the fourth face-to-face debate of the campaign and the first one devoted to foreign policy issues. Organizers hope the leaders will talk about the future and avoid carefully scripted performances.
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ENCANA FINALLY PUTS A LID ON BLOWN OUT WELL
It spewed natural gas and a toxic chemical for about a week, but Encana says a wellhead in Northern Alberta that blew out on Sept. 21 has now been capped. The company says it's still trying to determine what went wrong, adding it will fix any damage that may have been done to the environment.
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STARGAZERS OVER THE MOON ABOUT ECLIPSE
Sunday night's lunar eclipse had astronomy buffs from coast to coast peering into telescopes or gazing at the night skies. Wherever the clouds parted, the so-called supermoon treated stargazers to a redish coloured lunar surface — known as a Blood Moon. The next total eclipse of a supermoon won't happen until 2033.
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The Canadian Press
OTTAWA — Foreign policy takes the spotlight today in the federal election campaign as the party leaders debate international issues in Toronto.
The Munk Debates, a charitable organization, is hosting the discussion, the fourth time the leaders have squared off in the campaign.
It's the first debate that focuses entirely on foreign issues, which have cropped up on the campaign trail since the race formally began Aug. 2, primarily as a result of the unfolding refugee and migrant crisis in Syria.
Stephen Harper has made his foreign policy credentials one of his staple messages, saying his track record will keep Canada secure.
Justin Trudeau has talked about Canada working more closely with the United Nations while Tom Mulcair has vowed to end Canada's military involvement in the fight against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria.
One of the organizers of the debate says he hopes the leaders will engage in a free-flowing discussion and leave their scripted talking points at home.
Rudyard Griffiths says because the world is at a pivotal moment — he points to new challenges posed by a more assertive China and Russia, the refugee crisis and the troubles in the Middle East — the three leaders should explain their rationale for how Canada can navigate all of that turmoil and make a concrete contribution.
He is offering few clues about what he'll likely end up asking, but says the Tories, Liberals and New Democrats were recently given a wide range of topics that could come up.
"These debates are also a pressure test for who will be our next prime minister," he said.
The Canadian Press
PARIS — Renault's return to Formula One looks imminent after the French manufacturer announced plans on Monday to buy a controlling stake in the debt-laden Lotus team.
Renault said in a statement that it signed a letter of intent with the owners of the Lotus team "regarding the potential acquisition by Renault of a controlling stake in Lotus F1 Team Ltd."
Renault, which has been in talks to buy Lotus for several months, added it hopes a permanent deal will be finalized "in the coming weeks."
Renault's announcement came as Lotus officials were due in court on Monday over unpaid taxes, a case that could trigger the appointment of financial administrators.
Renault withdrew from team ownership after the 2008 season and has since served as a successful engine supplier, helping Red Bull win four successive championships.
"The signature of this Letter of Intent marks Renault's first step towards the project of a Renault Formula 1 team from the 2016 racing season thereby extending 38 years of commitment of the brand to world's premier motorsport championship series," Renault and Lotus said.
Renault's return to F1 would represent a major boost to the sport amid a difficult season that has been dominated by Mercedes, with traditional powerhouse team McLaren struggling and concerns that Red Bull could quit after falling behind its big rivals.
With Renault, F1 would return to a grid with at least three teams fielded by engine manufacturers. Ferrari and Mercedes are the others.
Returning to the hugely expensive sport also represents something of a gamble by Renault at a difficult time for the car manufacturing industry, which has been under the spotlight following revelations about Volkswagen's rigging of emissions data in the United States.
The Associated Press
DETROIT — Peyton Manning was cool and confident, lofting passes to teammates as if they were buddies in his backyard.
Whether it was third or fourth down, in the second or fourth quarter, the 39-year-old Manning showed he still has it.
Manning converted a fourth down with a 45-yard touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas with 5 seconds left in the first half. Then he threw an 11-yard scoring pass to Owen Daniels on a third down with 2:28 remaining, lifting the Denver Broncos to a 24-12 victory over the Detroit Lions on Sunday night.
Manning was 31 of 42 for 324 yards with two TDs and an interception. The five-time MVP joined Brett Favre as the only players in NFL history with at least 6,000 completions.
The last time the Broncos (3-0) won their first three games was in 2013, when they reached the Super Bowl.
Manning was sacked only once after he was sacked seven times in the first two games.
"We protected him better than we have," Denver coach Gary Kubiak said.
The Lions (0-3) are off to their worst start since 2010, when they finished 6-10.
"We do have 13 games left," Lions coach Jim Caldwell said. "They're not handing out trophies after three games and you can't be eliminated after three games."
Aqib Talib blocked an extra-point kick by former Bronco Matt Prater early in the second quarter to keep Denver's one-point lead. The Broncos also stopped a 2-point conversion run, keeping them ahead 14-12 early in the third quarter.
Stafford had three turnovers, including a fumble and interception at midfield in the fourth quarter. He might've had a good reason to be rattled because DeMarcus Ware sacked him twice and he was hit and hurried all night in Detroit's home opener.
"Anytime you have that many turnovers, that's going to give you some problems," Caldwell said.
Broncos running back C.J. Anderson left in the first half to be evaluated for a concussion, but was cleared and returned in the second half.
Both teams struggled to run the ball. The Broncos had more success through the air.
And, they took better care of the football.
Thomas had nine receptions for 92 yards and a lead-padding score in which he outleaped Darius Slay to snatch the football out of the air. He celebrated by backpedaling into the end zone, drawing an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
Stafford was 31 of 45 for 282 yards with a 16-yard TD pass to Ameer Abdullah in the third quarter, two interceptions and a fumble on a play in which he had at least once chance to throw the ball away. Calvin Johnson had eight receptions for 77 yards and drew a pass-interference penalty against Talib in the end zone to set up Joique Bell's 1-yard leap over a pile of lineman.
It looked as if Detroit's
The Lions had a chance to come back, but Stafford blew it. Stafford tried to force a pass to Johnson and safety David Burton Jr. dropped into a zone to pick off the pass that he tipped to himself with his right hand, then returned 12 yards.
"Our responsibility is get to the ball on
Moments later, Manning lofted a 34-yard pass to Emmanuel Sanders, who outjumped Slay, to set up his throw that only the 6-foot-3 Daniels could catch in the end zone.
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AP NFL
Larry Lage, The Associated Press
Toronto FC star Sebastian Giovinco has made Major League Soccer history.
He just had to wait a day before realizing it.
MLS said Sunday that it was awarding Giovinco a goal from Saturday's 3-2 win over the Chicago Fire that he was originally credited with an assist on.
The official scoring change gives Giovinco 20 goals on the season. That, along with his 15 assists, makes him the first player in MLS history to reach 20 goals and 10 assists in a single campaign.
Jonathan Osorio was initially awarded the goal — which tied the game 1-1 in the 29th minute — but he refused to take any ownership of it afterwards.
"I hope that MLS goes back and reviews it and gives it to Seba," Osorio said on Saturday.
Giovinco corralled the rebound on his own corner kick, then chipped the curling ball seemingly into the far corner of the net.
Toronto FC is fifth in the Eastern Conference with 43 points through 30 games.
The Canadian Press
VANCOUVER — Stargazers across Canada were in for a two-for-one treat Sunday night with the rare confluence of a total lunar eclipse with a so-called supermoon.
A supermoon occurs when a full or new moon makes its closest approach to the Earth and appears slightly larger and brighter than normal.
Jeff Smith was able to enjoy the unique event from the comfort and vantage of his apartment on Canada's East Coast, which also happened to be located in the tallest building in Halifax.
"I'm pretty excited. I love this sort of thing," said the British native, who was living in Nova Scotia for school. "The reflection on the harbour in Halifax is gorgeous."
He watched the Earth's shadow begin to creep across the moon's surface, describing the experience as awe-inspiring.
His earlier attempts to photograph the lunar phenomenon were unsuccessful, he said: "It's too bright. Unless you've got a really top-end camera it comes out like the sun."
Meanwhile, Jeff Smith chose to take his family to the top of the Centennial Park ski hill in Etobicoke, Ont., to absorb the view, albeit under slightly cloudier circumstances.
While the weather made for less-than-perfect picture-taking opportunities, Smith was more philosophical when reflecting on the degree of excitement that had built up through social media for the relatively rare celestial occurrence.
"It's one of those things that sort of brings people down to Earth, " he mused. "It's a little humbling if you get out and appreciate it for what it is."
The weather was even less co-operative in Calgary, where cloud cover prevented many from taking in the sight.
The city's social media-savvy mayor, Naheed Nenshi, took to Twitter to comment dryly on the overcast skies, prompting invitations to join other moongazers elsewhere in the country.
No such viewing troubles were to be had in Manitoba, where Todd Scott watched the show from Grand Marais, about 100 kilometres north of Winnipeg.
"It's perfectly clear. The light has just been fantastic. There are waves coming off the lake you can hear on the marsh. The birds are chirping away," he said.
"You can see the shadow slowly coming over the moon, almost like the edge of a finger on a photograph."
As the moon was eclipsed by the Earth's shadow on Sunday it also turned a reddish colour, an eerie wonder known as a Blood Moon.
The timing of the eclipse was good for most parts of Canada, but those on the West Coast missed the initial stages because the moon was lower in the sky.
The next total eclipse won't happen until 2018, and the next total eclipse of a supermoon won't happen until 2033.
— Follow @gwomand on Twitter
Geordon Omand, The Canadian Press
SAINT PAUL, Minn. — Defenceman Matt Dumba scored two goals and added two assists as the Minnesota Wild hammered the Winnipeg Jets 8-1 in NHL pre-season action on Sunday.
Zach Parise and Nino Niederreiter had a goal and two assists apiece for the Wild, who scored four times in the first period.
Charlie Coyle, Mikko Koivu, Jonas Brodin and Mikael Granlund also scored and Devan Dubnyk stopped 18-of-19 shots for the win.
Mathieu Perreault had the lone goal for the Jets, at 12:30 of the third period.
Michael Hutchinson allowed six goals on 18 shots through 30:16. Connor Hellebuyck stopped 10-of-12 shots the rest of the way.
The Canadian Press
