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)