A survival guide for canal boaters for a busy Saturday in sports

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Saturday seems like a great place to take a comfortable spot on the couch and have easy access to your TV remote and your favorite food delivery app.

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It’s overloaded with sports treats of all kinds for your viewing pleasure.

Here’s our attempt to help you navigate it all.

12 pm: CHL Hockey, Ottawa 67’s at Barrie Colts, CBC

Today there is much to assimilate. We suggest that you do not start too early. This game would have even more appeal in these parts if Arturs Silovs, the Canucks’ 20-year-old prospect, were still in Barrie and not with the AHL Abbotsford Canucks, but there are many prominent prospects on display, including Barrie’s defender, Brandt Clarke, who was the Los Angeles Kings’ eighth overall pick in last summer’s draft.

2 pm: MLB playoffs, Los Angeles Dodgers at Atlanta Braves, Sportsnet Pacific, Sportsnet West

Mike Soroka is arguably the Braves’ best pitcher. The 24-year-old from Calgary hasn’t recorded a single out this season, sidelined with Achilles tendon problems. Outfielder Ronald Acuña, Jr., could well be your best hitter. He hasn’t played since July 10 due to a torn ACL in his right knee. Here’s where the Braves sit, however, with a 3-2 series lead over a mighty Dodgers team in the NL Championship Series. Right-hander Ian Anderson, a 23-year-old who went 9-5 with a 3.58 ERA in the regular season, is scheduled to start on the mound for the Braves, while the Dodgers will counter with right-hander Max. Scherzer, a 37-year-old player. -Old man they picked up in a trade with the Washington Nationals, who had a combined 15-4 with a 2.48 ERA in league games. Game 7, if necessary, would be Sunday in Atlanta.

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4 pm: CFL, BC Lions at Winnipeg Blue Bombers, TSN1, TSN3

The Lions (4-5) have lost three straight games and their offense struggled to such an extent in a 39-10 setback against the Calgary Stampeders at home last week that the media asked coach Rick Campbell if he should start as rookie quarterback Nathan. Rourke ahead of veteran center Michael Reilly this week. Campbell has resisted that. By contrast, Winnipeg (9-1) comes in with seven straight wins and has been dominant in all phases for much of the year. Hardcore running back Andrew Harris missed his third straight day of practice on Thursday, making Saturday look questionable.

4:30 pm: NCAA, USC Trojans at Notre Dame Fighting Irish, NBC

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This will not affect the image of the national championship, as the Trojans (3-3) do not come close to the classification and the Fighting Irish (5-1) are in position 13 in the poll by The Associated Press. It remains a showdown between college programs that mainstream sports fans connect with and is one of the oldest rivalries in the NCAA, with its first showdown dating back to 1926.

5 pm: MLB playoffs, Boston Red Sox at Houston Astros, Sportsnet Pacific, Sportsnet West, Fox

The Astros led a 3-2 lead over the Red Sox in the American League Championship Series in a game Friday night in Houston. If the Red Sox did win, they’d have this Game 7. Suffice to say, it would be a hands-on night for both pitching staffs if that happened.

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4:30 pm: NBA, Dallas Mavericks at Toronto Raptors, TSN4

The Raptors lost their first home game of the season to the Washington Wizards on Wednesday and were visiting the Boston Celtics on Friday. The Mavericks will be waiting for Toronto, inactive since their season-opening loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday.

7 pm: MLS, Vancouver Whitecaps at San Jose Earthquakes, TSN1

Remember when the Whitecaps fired head coach Marc Dos Santos? That was this season, which will arrive on August 27. It feels like a thousand years ago. The Whitecaps have thrived on interim bench chief Vanni Sartini, including a 4-1-2 record in his last seven. Vancouver (11/9/10) ranks seventh and last in the Western Conference playoffs. San José (9-12-9) is seven points behind Vancouver, in 10th place. Vancouver is coming off a 3-2 win at Portland on Wednesday. They host Minnesota next Wednesday.

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7 pm: NHL, Vancouver Canucks at Seattle Kraken, CBC, Omni, CityTV, Sportsnet 360.

What kind of pregame production will the Kraken offer for its first home game? Will it compete with some of the shows we’ve seen at Vegas Golden Knights? That is the first question that comes to mind. There are other obvious questions as well. Vancouver is wrapping up a six-game road trip here that started in Edmonton and moved to Philadelphia, Detroit, Buffalo and Chicago before heading west. Can they match the excitement of an undoubtedly hotheaded Kraken team? And is this an instant rivalry? How committed are Canuck fans to this? We’ll get an idea of ​​how much talking point is left in this game. before the Canucks’ home opener Tuesday against the Minnesota Wild.

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Twitter: @SteveEwen