DAILY TOWNSMAN
SPORTS
FRIDAY, JULY 12, 2013
Kovalchuk retires from NHL to go back home to Russia STEPHEN WHYNO Canadian Press
Ilya Kovalchuk considered staying in Russia when the NHL lockout ended in January. Ultimately he returned to play the 2013 season with the New Jersey Devils. But on Thursday, Kovalchuk made official what the Devils knew was a possibility since then. The Devils announced that Kovalchuk was returning home and retiring from the NHL. The final 12 years and US$77 million of his contract were voided, and Kov-
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Local swimmer Rhyse Marlatt captures bronze medals at a provincial meet and punches ticket to national championship.
Marlatt qualifies for national championship TRE VOR CR AWLEY Sports Editor
Cranbrook swimmer Rhys Marlatt brought a bronze haul back with him following a competition at the B.C. AAA provincial swimming championships in Vancouver last weekend. Marlatt, a member of the Cranbrook Triton Swim Club, achieved
personal best times in five of six swims and gained valuable experience, as his times qualified him for the Canadian Age Group championships at the end of July in Montreal. Marlatt compete against the top 13-yearold boys in B.C. and raced to a bronze medal in the 200-metre back-
stroke with a time of 2:25.79 and followed up with the shorter 100metre backstroke for his other bronze medal with a time of 1:09.64. He also posted personal best times in three separate events, placing 5th in the 100-metre butterfly with a time of 1:08.29, 7th in the 50metre freestyle with a
time of 28.22 seconds and 16th in 100-metre freestyle with a time of 1:05.66. Marlatt also competed in a 50-metre butterfly time trial race, finishing with a best time of 29.79 seconds, which gave him his third qualifying time required to attend the Canadian Championships.
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alchuk is free to play in Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League. “Though I decided to return this past season, (general manager Lou Lamoriello) was aware of my desire to go back home and have my family there with me,” the 30-year-old said in a statement. “The most difficult thing for me is to leave the New Jersey Devils, a great organization that I have a lot of respect for, and our fans that have been great to me.” It was a move that stunned the hockey world, but not Lamori-
ello, who insisted nothing in the game surprises him, including Kovalchuk’s abrupt departure. “This wasn’t a decision by the New Jersey Devils,” Lamoriello said on a conference call with reporters. “He will not be playing here at his desire.” Kovalchuk played for SKA St. Petersburg during the lockout and made it clear several months ago that he would stay there if he could. Reports from Russian news agencies indicated he will officially sign with SKA on Friday.
Blue Bombers looking for offence to gel as season gets underway SCOT T EDMONDS Canadian Press
WINNIPEG - Winnipeg Blue Bombers coach Tim Burke is looking for his offence to click this weekend after a couple of uninspiring starts where the defence managed to shine brighter. “I wasn’t happy with their performance on the first days of practice but the last two days have been much better,”
Burke said Thursday. “This is hopefully a game where we break out of our slump.” The Bombers (1-1) will meet the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (0-2) in Guelph, Ont., Saturday. The defence was the cog that kept the wheels spinning in their first win of the season in Montreal last week. Turnovers and sacks sapped the momentum of quarterback Buck
Pierce. The official count was five sacks but offensive co-ordinator Gary Crowton says it was really only three. “Two of those sacks were the run plays where the back went the wrong way or the quarterback on the exchange fumbled, so they count those as sacks,” he said. “Anytime the quarterback gets a loss they count it as a sack.”
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