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Page 2B SPORTS East Oregonian Tuesday, December 26, 2017 Steelers clinch first-round bye with blowout win over Texans By KRISTIE RIEKEN Associated Press NFL HOUSTON — Ben Roethlis- berger told his teammates they didn’t need to make up for Antonio Brown’s absence. He just wanted everyone to do what they could to help out, figuring that would be enough. It certainly was. “I know everyone was thinking about A.B. not being out there and trying to fill those shoes, but you can’t fill those shoes,” Roethlis- berger said. “I just tried to tell them: ‘Don’t try to fill them, just try to be the best you can be.’” Roethlisberger threw for 226 yards and two touchdowns in the first game since Brown injured his calf, and the Steelers clinched a first-round playoff bye with a 34-6 win over the Texans. Roethlisberger threw passes to six players as Pitts- burgh (12-3) romped over the lowly Texans (4-11) despite missing the NFL’s leading receiver. “It just kind of shows how many weapons we actually have in our offense ... everybody played well,” Le’Veon Bell said. “Ben made the plays when he needed to. I made some plays on third down when I needed to. It was literally a total team effort.” The Steelers led 20-0 at half- time after taking advantage of two turnovers by the Texans. Bell added a 10-yard TD run late in the third quarter and rookie JuJu Smith-Schuster made it 34-6 with an 18-yard touchdown grab in the fourth. Bell finished with 14 carries for 69 yards and Smith-Schuster had six receptions for 75 yards. “Significant day for us,” Pitts- AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith Houston Texans running back Alfred Blue (28) is wrapped up by Pittsburgh Steelers’ T.J. Watt (90), Cameron Heyward (97), Bud Dupree (48) and Stephon Tuitt (91) during the second half of Mon- days game in Houston. burgh coach Mike Tomlin said. “Our last regular-season road game, finishing 7-1, getting our 12th win, securing a ticket to the second round. All very positive things, but it’s kind of the culmination of being singularly focused on the next opportunity.” T.J. Yates was 7 of 16 for 83 yards and a touchdown for the Texans, who lost their fifth straight game and for the eighth time in nine games. “It’s brutal,” coach Bill O’Brien said of Houston’s skid. “It’s been a tough year.” Yates made his second straight start since Tom Savage sustained a concussion. Yates left the game briefly on Monday to be evaluated for a concussion, and his replace- ment, Taylor Heinicke, sustained a concussion on his only full posses- sion. Pittsburgh Houston 34 6 Roethlisberger was replaced by backup Landry Jones with about six minutes remaining and the game well in hand. The Steelers hurried and harassed Yates all day with Mike Hilton leading the way with three sacks and three quarterback hits, Cameron Heyward adding two and forcing a fumble. Hilton became the first cornerback with three sacks in a game since sacks became an official statistic in 1982. The Texans couldn’t do much right on a day their home stadium was overtaken by vocal Steelers fans waving their Terrible Towels. One of the few highlights came on an acrobatic 3-yard touchdown reception by DeAndre Hopkins in the fourth quarter. Hopkins deflected the ball with his right hand, reeled it in with his left and got both feet down before falling out of bounds for his NFL-best and franchise-record 13th touchdown reception. Hopkins may have been the only one who wasn’t impressed with the grab. “I’m mad I didn’t catch it the first time,” he said. “Like me, who I am, I was supposed to catch that one the first time with my right hand.” The Steelers took a 10-0 lead when Roethlisberger connected with Justin Hunter on a 5-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter. Alfred Blue had a 48-yard run on the first play of the second quarter to get the Texans to the Pittsburgh 18-yard line. The Texans got to the 1 on second down later in that drive, but couldn’t do anything on the next two plays before Yates was intercepted in the end zone. Pittsburgh added a touchdown on a 1-yard run by Roosevelt Nix on the ensuing possession. Heyward sacked Yates three plays later and caused a fumble recovered by Bud Dupree to give the Steelers the ball right back. Pittsburgh added a 36-yard field goal on the next drive to push the lead to 20-0. Yates was sacked again on Hous- ton’s next possession and injured on the play. He left the game to be evaluated for a concussion, forcing the Texans to play Heinicke. Heinicke finished that posses- sion and remained in the game for the first drive of the third quarter while Yates was being evaluated. But Heinicke took a hard hit on a sack on the last play of that drive and had to be evaluated for a concussion, too. FAMILY TIME J.J. Watt didn’t get to play on Monday as he recovers from a broken leg, but spent some time pregame with his brother, Pittsburgh rookie linebacker T.J. Watt. Hous- ton’s defensive end threw the ball around with T.J. and the brothers also posed for some pictures with their parents before the game. T.J. was disappointed that his brother didn’t get to play on Monday, but is looking forward to seeing him return next season. “I wish he was out there just to be a dominant force for them,” T.J. said. “But I know he’ll come back bigger, faster and stronger.” Hockey Parity catching up to powerhouse Canada at world juniors hockey By JOHN WAWROW Associated Press BUFFALO, N.Y. — Canada has more than one score to settle. The United States has a title to defend. And don’t discount Sweden. The 10-nation World Junior hockey championship tournament opens in Buffalo on Tuesday with numerous subplots. The most notable involves the question of whether parity is finally catching up to the Canadians. Bring it on, says Canada manager and two-time world junior gold medalist Joel Bouchard. “I played in ‘93 and ‘94, and it was not even close to what it is right now,” Bouchard said. “Every country is pushing it. And it’s our job to keep bringing the bar higher and higher,” he added. “We know everybody is looking at us. And that’s good. That’s what you want.” The landscape has dramatically shifted since 2009, when the Canadians set a world junior record by winning their fifth straight title. In the eight years since, Canada has won just one gold medal — in 2015 with a team featuring Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid. By contrast, the U.S. has won three times, including a 5-4 shootout win over Canada — and in Canada no less — in the championship game in January. Finland has won twice and the Swedes and Russians once each. No one is discounting Canada’s chances of winning its 17th gold medal this time, especially with a roster stocked with eight first-round NHL draft picks. And yet, as Russian defenseman and New Jersey Devils prospect Yegor Zaitsev said through an interpreter: “Canada is not more favored than Russia.” It’s a trend even Toronto Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock, who coached Canada to win the 1997 world junior title, couldn’t help but acknowledge. “On population base alone, the U.S. should take over one day eventually,” Babcock told The Associated Press. “But I’m going to get my passport and flag out and I’ll be cheering for Canada to get back on track.” One drawback is Canada’s inability to draw upon the nation’s entire pool of players 20 and younger because the top talent is already competing in the NHL. McDavid, for example, could have represented Canada for two Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP, File In this Jan. 5, 2017, file photo, United States players celebrate their victory over Canada in the final of the world junior championship in Montreal. The 10-nation tournament is being played at Buffalo, N.Y., and opens on Tuesday, Dec. 26. It will feature Canada and the U.S. playing an outdoor game at the NFL Buffalo Bills’ New Era Field on Friday, Dec. 29. more years, but was instead busy producing at more than a point-a-game pace while winning last season’s NHL MVP honor during his first two years in Edmonton. USA Hockey is enjoying a golden era by doubling its medal count from five to 10 (four gold, one silver and five bronze) since 2010. The surge reflects a rise of nationwide registration, and attributed to the NHL’s expansion into nontra- ditional markets such as Arizona, where 2016 No. 1 draft pick Auston Matthews grew up rooting for the Coyotes. The test for the Ameri- cans is becoming the first U.S. team to win consecu- tive titles, and first nation since Canada’s five-year run to repeat as champions. “Honestly, I would never say pressure,” U.S. coach Bob Motzko said. “I would be foolish to waste energy having those feelings. I love the process. I’m more nervous about what we’re going to do at practice tomorrow.” The Americans’ 23-player roster features seven returnees, and nine first-round picks. The U.S. is in the same pool as Canada, and the two will meet in international hockey’s first outdoor game, which will be played at the NFL Buffalo Bills’ New Era Field on Friday. Sweden might finally be in line to medal after finishing fourth in each of the past three years. The Swedes’ roster is particularly strong in the back end with three goalies already drafted by NHL teams. The defense features Rasmus Dahlin, a potential No. 1 pick in next year’s draft. “He’s good, but he’s going to have a tough tournament,” coach Tomas Monten said. “Everyone’s going to be on him. But I think that’s going to create more space for others.” Sweden got a boost last week when the Buffalo Sabres assigned prospect Alexander Nylander to represent his country for a third consecutive tourna- ment. Nylander finished tied for the world junior lead last year with 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in seven games. The Russians are considered somewhat of an unknown, despite having won medals for seven straight years. That included the 2011 title when the tournament was also held in Buffalo. Russia rallied from a 3-0 third-period deficit to beat Canada 5-3 in the final. “The comeback was crazy. And I just felt so proud,” said Russian defen- seman Nikolai Knyzhov, who watched the victory on TV. “And now we’re back here trying to do the same thing.” The loss marked the third time Canada has settled for silver since 2010, with its other two title-game defeats against the U.S. This past year’s shootout loss to the Americans still stings for Canada’s returning players. “There’s no point in trying to avoid it. It’s obvi- ously there,” defenseman Jake Bean said. “It kind of fills you every day to be on the ice, just make sure you do everything just that much more intensely, that much more focused and just try not to leave it down to a question or a chance.” ———— AP Hockey Writer Larry Lage, in Detroit, and AP Sports Writer Mitch Stacey, in Columbus, Ohio, contrib- uted to this report. SCOREBOARD Local slate PREP BOYS BASKETBALL Thursday Ione vs. Echo (at Helix), 1:30 p.m. Heppner vs. Liberty Christian (WA) (at Irrigon), 4:30 p.m. Trout Lake (WA) at Helix, 4:30 p.m. Riverside at Stevenson (WA), 5 p.m. Pendleton at Mountain View, 6 p.m. Silverton at Hermiston, 7 p.m. Mac-Hi vs. Pilot Rock (at Irrigon), 7 p.m. Waitsburg (WA) at Irrigon, 7:30 p.m. South Wasco vs. Nixyaawii (at Helix), 7:30 p.m. Umatilla vs. TBD (At Salem Acadmey), TBD Friday Pendleton vs. Grants Pass (at Summit HS), 12:30 p.m. Heppner vs. Waitsburg (WA) (at Irrigon), 1:30 p.m. Condon/Wheeler vs. Tri-City Prep (WA) (at Pendleton Convention), 1:30 p.m. Echo vs. Trout Lake (WA) (at Helix), 1:30 p.m. Mac-Hi vs. Liberty Christian (WA) (at Irrigon), 3 p.m. Burns vs. Weston-McEwen (at Pendleton Convention), 4:30 p.m. Ione vs. Nixyaawii (at Helix), 4:30 p.m. South Wasco at Helix, 7:30 p.m. Pilot Rock at Irrigon, 7:30 p.m. Hermiston at Crescent Valley, 7:30 p.m. Umatilla at Salem Academy Tournament, TBD PREP GIRLS BASKETBALL Wednesday Hermiston vs. Oregon City (at Lake Oswego), 7 p.m. Thursday Mac-Hi vs. Pilot Rock (at Irrigon), Noon Ione vs. Echo (at Helix), Noon Heppner vs. Liberty Christian (WA) (at Irrigon), 3 p.m. Trout Lake (WA) at Helix, 3 p.m. Riverside at Stevenson (WA), 3:30 p.m. Waitsburg (WA) at Irrigon, 6 p.m. Nixyaawii vs. South Wasco (at Helix), 6 p.m. Pendleton at Mountain View, 7:45 p.m. Umatilla vs. Western Mennonite (at Salem Academy), 8 p.m. Hermiston at Lake Oswego Nike Shootout, TBD Friday Heppner vs. Waitsburg (WA), Noon Trout Lake (WA) vs. Echo (at Helix), Noon Condon/Wheeler vs. Tri-City Prep (WA) (at Pendleton Convention), Noon Mac-Hi vs. Liberty Christian (WA) (at Irrigon), 3 p.m. Burns vs. Weston-McEwen (at Pendleton Convention), 3 p.m. Ione vs. Nixyaawii (at Helix), 3 p.m. Pendleton vs. Lake Washington (WA) (at Bend), 4 p.m. Pilot Rock at Irrigon, 6 p.m. South Wasco at Helix, 6 p.m. Hermiston at Lake Oswego Nike Shootout, TBD Umatilla at Salem Academy Tournament, TBD PREP WRESTLING Saturday Pendleton, Mac-Hi, Riverside, Irrigon, Echo, Heppner at Schimmel Memorial Tournament (Pendleton HS), 9 a.m. COLLEGE MEN’S BASKETBALL Thursday BMCC vs. Everett (at North Idaho), 2 p.m. Friday EOU at Walla Walla, 1:30 p.m. Saturday EOU at Walla Walla, 8 p.m. COLLEGE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Saturday BMCC at Pacific University JV, 4 p.m. Friday EOU at Walla Walla, 11:30 a.m. Saturday EOU at Walla Walla, 6 p.m. Basketball NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlantic Division W L Pct Boston 27 10 .730 Toronto 23 8 .742 New York 17 16 .515 Philadelphia 15 18 .455 Brooklyn 12 20 .375 Southeast Division W L Pct Washington 19 15 .559 Miami 17 16 .515 Charlotte 12 21 .364 Orlando 11 23 .324 Atlanta 8 25 .242 Central Division W L Pct Cleveland 24 10 .706 Indiana 19 14 .576 Detroit 18 14 .563 Milwaukee 17 14 .548 Chicago 10 22 .313 WESTERN CONFERENCE Southwest Division W L Pct Houston 25 7 .781 San Antonio 23 11 .676 GB — 7 9 11½ GB — 1½ 6½ 8 10½ GB — 4½ 5 5½ 13 GB — 3 New Orleans 17 16 .515 8½ Memphis 10 23 .303 15½ Dallas 9 25 .265 17 Northwest Division W L Pct GB Minnesota 20 13 .606 — Oklahoma City 19 15 .559 1½ Denver 18 15 .545 2 Portland 17 16 .515 3 Utah 15 19 .441 5½ Pacific Division W L Pct GB Golden State 27 7 .794 — L.A. Clippers 13 19 .406 13 L.A. Lakers 11 20 .355 14½ Sacramento 11 21 .344 15 Phoenix 12 23 .343 15½ ——— Monday’s Games Philadelphia 105, New York 98 Golden State 99, Cleveland 92 Washington 111, Boston 103 Oklahoma City 112, Houston 107 Minnesota at L.A. Lakers, late finish Tuesday’s Games Indiana at Detroit, 4 p.m. Toronto at Dallas, 4 p.m. Orlando at Miami, 4:30 p.m. Chicago at Milwaukee, 5 p.m. Brooklyn at San Antonio, 5:30 p.m. Memphis at Phoenix, 6 p.m. Utah at Denver, 6 p.m. Sacramento at L.A. Clippers, 7:30 p.m. NCAA Men’s Basketball Top 25 Schedule Monday’s Game No. 15 Miami 84, Middle Tennessee 81 Wednesday’s Games No. 1 Villanova at DePaul, 4:30 p.m. (CBSSN) No. 6 Xavier at Marquette, 5:30 p.m. (FS1) Thursday’s Games No. 25 Creighton at No. 23 Seton Hall, 3:30 p.m. (FS1) Pacific at No. 20 Gonzaga, 6 p.m. (ESPN2) Women’s Basketball Top 25 Schedule Monday-Wednesday No games schedule Thursday’s Games No. 19 Green Bay at Wright State, 1:30 p.m. Illinois at No. 15 Maryland, 3 p.m. Penn State at No. 21 Michigan, 3 p.m. Syracuse at No. 2 Notre Dame, 4 p.m. No. 3 Louisville at Georgia Tech, 4 p.m. Jacksonville at No. 13 Florida State, 4 p.m. No. 9 West Virginia at TCU, 4:30 p.m. No. 24 Oklahoma St. at Texas Tech, 4:30 p.m. Miss. Valley St. at No. 5 Mississippi St., 5 p.m. No. 6 Baylor at Kansas State, 5 p.m. No. 8 Texas at Oklahoma, 5 p.m. No. 12 Ohio State at Nebraska, 5 p.m. No. 18 Villanova at Creighton, 5 p.m. SMU at No. 22 Texas A&M, 5 p.m. No. 23 Iowa at Wisconsin, 5 p.m. Hockey NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlantic Division GP W L OT Pts GF GA Tampa Bay 35 26 7 2 54 133 87 Toronto 37 22 14 1 45 122 104 Boston 34 19 10 5 43 101 89 Montreal 36 16 16 4 36 98 114 Florida 36 15 16 5 35 103 119 Detroit 35 13 15 7 33 96 113 Ottawa 34 11 15 8 30 92 114 Buffalo 36 9 20 7 25 78 120 Metropolitan Division GP W L OT Pts GF GA New Jersey 35 21 9 5 47 113 103 Columbus 37 22 13 2 46 105 99 Washington 37 22 13 2 46 114 107 N.Y. Rangers 36 19 13 4 42 117 104 N.Y. Islanders 36 19 13 4 42 130 127 Carolina 35 16 12 7 39 99 109 Pittsburgh 37 18 16 3 39 104 118 Philadelphia 36 15 13 8 38 99 103 WESTERN CONFERENCE Central Division GP W L OT Pts GF GA St. Louis 38 23 13 2 48 113 94 Nashville 35 21 9 5 47 116 99 Winnipeg 37 20 11 6 46 121 105 Dallas 37 20 14 3 43 110 106 Chicago 35 17 13 5 39 103 94 Minnesota 36 18 15 3 39 102 106 Colorado 35 17 15 3 37 112 113 Pacific Division GP W L OT Pts GF GA Vegas 34 23 9 2 48 119 100 Los Angeles 37 22 11 4 48 109 85 San Jose 34 19 11 4 42 95 84 Anaheim 37 16 13 8 40 101 108 Calgary 36 18 15 3 39 101 106 Edmonton 36 17 17 2 36 108 113 Vancouver 37 15 17 5 35 98 121 Arizona 38 8 25 5 21 85 133 ———— Monday-Tuesday No games scheduled Wednesday’s Games Buffalo at N.Y. Islanders, 4 p.m. Montreal at Carolina, 4 p.m. Ottawa at Boston, 4 p.m. Columbus at Pittsburgh, 4 p.m. Detroit at New Jersey, 4 p.m. Nashville at St. Louis, 5 p.m. Washington at N.Y. Rangers, 5 p.m. Dallas at Minnesota, 5 p.m. Edmonton at Winnipeg, 5 p.m. Arizona at Colorado, 6 p.m. Vegas at Anaheim, 7 p.m. Football NFL AMERICAN CONFERENCE East W L T Pct PF y-New England 12 3 0 .800 432 Buffalo 8 7 0 .533 280 Miami 6 9 0 .400 265 N.Y. Jets 5 10 0 .333 292 South W L T Pct PF y-Jacksonville 10 5 0 .667 407 Tennessee 8 7 0 .533 319 Houston 4 11 0 .267 325 Indianapolis 3 12 0 .200 241 North W L T Pct PF y-Pittsburgh 12 3 0 .800 378 Baltimore 9 6 0 .600 368 Cincinnati 6 9 0 .400 259 Cleveland 0 15 0 .000 210 West W L T Pct PF y-Kansas City 9 6 0 .600 388 L.A. Chargers 8 7 0 .533 325 Oakland 6 8 0 .429 281 Denver 5 10 0 .333 265 NATIONAL CONFERENCE East W L T Pct PF y-Philadelphia 12 2 0 .857 438 Dallas 8 7 0 .533 348 Washington 7 8 0 .467 332 N.Y. Giants 2 13 0 .133 228 South W L T Pct PF x-New Orleans 11 4 0 .733 424 x-Carolina 11 4 0 .733 353 Atlanta 9 6 0 .600 331 Tampa Bay 4 11 0 .267 304 North W L T Pct PF y-Minnesota 12 3 0 .800 359 Detroit 8 7 0 .533 375 Green Bay 7 8 0 .467 309 Chicago 5 10 0 .333 254 West W L T Pct PF y-L.A. Rams 11 4 0 .733 465 Seattle 9 6 0 .600 342 Arizona 7 8 0 .467 269 San Francisco 5 10 0 .333 297 x-clinched playoff spot y-clinched division ——— Week 16 Results Baltimore 23, Indianapolis 16 Minnesota 16, Green Bay 0 Chicago 20, Cleveland 3 PA 290 343 371 356 PA 253 346 414 391 PA 284 272 322 382 PA 315 262 324 355 PA 279 332 370 378 PA 295 305 305 358 PA 242 365 349 297 PA 295 306 337 370 New England 37, Buffalo 16 L.A. Chargers 14, N.Y. Jets 7 Washington 27, Denver 11 Carolina 22, Tampa Bay 19 Cincinnati 26, Detroit 17 Kansas City 29, Miami 13 L.A. Rams 27, Tennessee 23 New Orleans 23, Atlanta 13 Seattle 21, Dallas 12 Arizona 23, N.Y. Giants 0 San Francisco 44, Jacksonville 33 Pittsburgh 34, Houston 6 Oakland at Philadelphia, late finish Week 17 Sunday’s Games N.Y. Jets at New England, 10 a.m. Washington at N.Y. Giants, 10 a.m. Chicago at Minnesota, 10 a.m. Dallas at Philadelphia, 10 a.m. Green Bay at Detroit, 10 a.m. Cleveland at Pittsburgh, 10 a.m. Houston at Indianapolis, 10 a.m. Cincinnati at Baltimore, 1:25 p.m. New Orleans at Tampa Bay, 1:25 p.m. Kansas City at Denver, 1:25 p.m. Jacksonville at Tennessee, 1:25 p.m. Buffalo at Miami, 1:25 p.m. Arizona at Seattle, 1:25 p.m. San Francisco at L.A. Rams, 1:25 p.m. Oakland at L.A. Chargers, 1:25 p.m. Carolina at Atlanta, 1:25 p.m. NCAA Bowl Schedule TUESDAY Heart of Dallas Bowl West Virginia (7-5) vs. Utah (6-6), 10:30 a.m. (ESPN) Quick Lane Bowl Detroit Northern Illinois (8-4) vs. Duke (6-6), 2:15 p.m. (ESPN) Cactus Bowl Phoenix Kansas St. (7-5) vs. UCLA (6-6), 6 p.m. (ESPN) WEDNESDAY Independence Bowl Shreveport, La. Southern Mississippi (8-4) vs. Florida State (6-6), 10:30 a.m. (ESPN) Pinstripe Bowl Bronx, N.Y. Boston College (7-5) vs. Iowa (7-5), 2:15 p.m. (ESPN) Foster Farms Bowl Santa Clara, Calif. Arizona (7-5) vs. Purdue (6-6), 5:30 p.m. (FOX) Texas Bowl Houston Texas (6-6) vs. Missouri (7-5), 6 p.m. (ESPN)