Last Week around the Leagues

This past week Portland Thorns FC won the NWSL Challenge Cup Championship, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats selected tight end Jake Burt with the first overall pick in the 2021 Canadian Football League Draft, and the Vancouver Canucks announced they would relocate their American Hockey League franchise to Abbotsford, B.C., next season. Highlights from this week are from the National Women's Soccer League, Major League Soccer, United Soccer League Championship, United Soccer League One, Canadian Football ... Full Story

Lethemon Records First Professional Shutout in 1-0 Win

GREENVILLE, S.C. - Rookie goaltender John Lethemon turned aside 26 shots to backstop the Greenville Swamp Rabbits to a 1-0 victory over the Orlando Solar Bears on Monday night at the Amway Center. Lethemon's clean sheet marked his first professional shutout in Greenville' 29th victory of the 2020-21 season. Patrick Bajkov scored the game's only goal only 7:53 into the contest. Ben Finkelstein and Matt Bradley recorded assists on a perfect give-and-go while transitioning through neutral ice. On the rebound of Finkelstein's shot, Bajkov potted his 15th goal of the season on a lively rebound. ... Full Story

Comets Shut Down Crunch, Win 3-0

Utica, NY - The Utica Comets defeated the Syracuse Crunch 3-0 to put an end to a 14-game rivalry with the Syracuse Crunch. Comets goaltender Joel Hoffer finishes a tremendous game racking up 26 saves and ultimately securing the shutout while Nolan Stevens scored two goals including the game winner. After a scoreless first period, we moved onto the next frame where it started with an early tripping call on Syracuse Antoine Morand leading to multiple close calls including a Sam Anas post. With four minutes left, Syracuse defender Devante Stephens took a slap shot from the point and hit the cr... Full Story

Weekly Sports League and Franchise Report

BASEBALL Triple-A East League: The new Triple-A East League started its 2021 season this weekend with 20 teams aligned in a six-team Northeast and two seven-team Midwest and Southeast divisions. The league includes the 14 teams from last year's Triple-A International League with the Pawtucket (RI) Red Sox relocating to become the Worcester (MA) Red Sox. Four teams were also added from last year's Pacific Coast League, one team (Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp) was promoted from the Double-A Southern League, and the former independent St. Paul Saints were added from the American Association. T... Full Story

• Lethemon Records First Professional Shutout in 1-0 Win - Greenville Swamp Rabbits (ECHL)
• Comets Shut Down Crunch, Win 3-0 - Utica Comets (AHL)
• Hiring New Head Coach at Top of GM Sutter's To-Do List - Red Deer Rebels (WHL)
• Anaheim Ducks Send Benoit and Mahura to Gulls - San Diego Gulls (AHL)
• Wolves Hold off IceHogs - Chicago Wolves (AHL)
• Peoples Natural Gas Field to Return to Near 100% Capacity on June 8 - Altoona Curve (AA Northeast)
• Angel McCoughtry Sustains Right ACL Injury - Las Vegas Aces (WNBA)
• Storm Waive Brittany Brown and Peyton Williams  - Seattle Storm (WNBA)
• NAHL Announces Stars of the Week - (NAHL)
• Seitz Named NAHL's East Division's Star of the Week; Suede Is Honorable Mention - New Jersey Titans (NAHL)
• All Today's Minor League News
  

• Red-hot RailRiders coming home - AAA East Wilkes-Barre Times Leader
• Watch: Columbus SC owner Dr. Pete Edwards discusses Crew's new name - MLS WCMH
• Prized duo Acosta and Brenner key to FC Cincinnati success - MLS WCPO
• After a long wait, Fredericksburg Nationals hope for home improvement - Low-A East Fredericksburg Free Lance Star
• Sparks willing to wait for Gabby Williams' contributions - WNBA Los Angeles Daily News
• Aces lose star wing for season to ACL injury - WNBA Las Vegas Review-Journal
• West Virginia Power sets 3 exhibition games at Power Park - AtL Charleston Gazette-Mail
• Calvary FC adds 'clever' forward Joe Mason to offence - CPL Calgary Sun
• Toronto Rock relocating to Hamilton: report - NLL Toronto Star
• RockHounds open home series against San Antonio - AA Central Midland Reporter Telegram
• All Today's Minor League Headlines

• Last Week around the Leagues by Fran Stuchbury
• Weekly Sports League and Franchise Report by Dan Krieger
• Last Week around the Leagues by Fran Stuchbury
• Courage Wrap Challenge Cup with Scoreless Draw vs. Orlando by Fran Stuchbury
• Baseball Mexico by Bruce Baskin
• Weekly Sports League and Franchise Report by Dan Krieger

Franck Tayou of the Ontario Fury

See All Today's Images The following minor league and alternative professional sports teams on OurSports Central have been viewed the most over the last seven days:

1. B.C. Lions - Canadian Football League (CFL)
2. Wyoming Mustangs - Champions Indoor Football (CIF)
3. Gastonia Honey Hunters - Atlantic League (AtL)
4. Sugar Land Skeeters - Triple-A West League (AAA West)
5. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders - Triple-A East League (AAA East)
6. Grand Rapids Griffins - American Hockey League (AHL)
7. Wheeling Nailers - ECHL (ECHL)
8. Trenton Thunder - Major League Baseball Draft League (MLBDL)
9. Henderson Silver Knights - American Hockey League (AHL)
10. Toledo Mud Hens - Triple-A East League (AAA East)

The most recent minor league and alternative professional sports teams added to OurSports Central:

• Abbotsford - American Hockey League (AHL)
• Billings - Champions Indoor Football (CIF)
• Team Quebec - Frontier League (FL)
• NJ/NY Gotham FC - National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
• Ottawa Aces - North American Rugby League (NARL)
• Toronto Wolfpack - North American Rugby League (NARL)
• San Francisco Rush - North American Rugby League (NARL)
• San Diego Swell - North American Rugby League (NARL)
• Portland Loggers - North American Rugby League (NARL)
• Phoenix Venom - North American Rugby League (NARL)

OurSports Central provides coverage of select alternative and minor league professional sports leagues in addition to the top junior hockey leagues and college wood bat baseball leagues:

BASEBALL
Affiliated Minor League Baseball
AA Central, AA Northeast, AA South, AAA East, AAA West, AzFL, AzL, GCL, High-A Central, High-A East, High-A West, Low-A East, Low-A Southeast, Low-A West, ML, MLBDL
College Wood Bat Baseball
ApL, Northwoods
Independent Minor League Baseball
AA, AtL, FL, Mavericks, PA, Pecos, PL

BASKETBALL
Men's Minor League Basketball
BIG3, CEBL, G League, NBL Canada
Women's Basketball
WNBA

FOOTBALL
Indoor/Arena Football
CIF, IFL, NAL
Outdoor Football
CFL, XFL

HOCKEY
Junior Hockey
NAHL, OHL, QMJHL, USHL, WHL
Minor League Hockey
AHL, ECHL, FPHL, SPHL
Women's Hockey
NWHL

LACROSSE
Indoor Lacrosse
NLL
Outdoor Lacrosse
PLL

OTHER
Other Sports
MLR, NARL
Other Women's
NPF, WTT

SOCCER
Indoor Soccer
MASL
Outdoor Soccer
CPL, MLS, USL, USL1
Women's Soccer
NWSL