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A survival guide for channel surfers for a busy Saturday in sports

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A survival guide for channel surfers for a busy Saturday in sports

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Overlapping games for the Canucks and Whitecaps, plus a Lions tilt, are all a part of a busy day on the rinks, pitches and fields

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Saturday looks ideal for grabbing a comfy spot on the couch and having easy access to your TV remote and favourite food delivery app.

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It’s overloaded with sporting delights of all sorts for your viewing pleasure.

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

12 p.m.: CHL Hockey, Ottawa 67’s at Barrie Colts, CBC

There’s a lot to take in today. We’re suggesting to not start too early. This game would have even more appeal in these parts if 20-year-old Canucks goalie prospect Arturs Silovs was still in Barrie and not with the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks, but there are plenty of prominent prospects on display, including Barrie defenceman Brandt Clarke, who was the No. 8 overall pick by the Los Angeles Kings in last summer’s draft.  

2 p.m.: 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 ongoing Achilles issues. Outfielder Ronald Acuna, Jr., could well be their top hitter. He hasn’t played since July 10 due to an anterior cruciate ligament tear in his right knee. Yet, here the Braves sit, holding a 3-2 series lead on a high-powered Dodgers team in the National League Championship Series. Righty Ian Anderson a 23-year-old who went 9-5 with a 3.58 earned run average in the regular season, is slated to start on the mound for the Braves, while the Dodgers will counter with righty Max Scherzer, a 37-year-old they picked up in trade with the Washington Nationals who was a combined 15-4 with a 2.48 ERA in league play. Game 7, if necessary, would be Sunday in Atlanta.

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4 p.m.: CFL, B.C. Lions at Winnipeg Blue Bombers, TSN1, TSN3

The Lions (4-5) have lost three straight and their offence struggled to such a degree in a 39-10 setback to the Calgary Stampeders at home last week that coach Rick Campbell was asked by the media afterwards if he should start rookie quarterback Nathan Rourke ahead of veteran pivot Michael Reilly this week. Campbell has balked at that. Conversely, Winnipeg (9-1) comes in winners of seven straight and has looked dominant in all phases throughout much of the year. Stalwart running back Andrew Harris did miss his third straight day of practice on Thursday, so he looks questionable for Saturday.

4:30 p.m.: NCAA, USC Trojans at Notre Dame Fighting Irish, NBC

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This one isn’t going to affect the national championship picture, what with the Trojans (3-3) nowhere near the rankings and the Fighting Irish (5-1) sitting at No. 13 in The Associated Press poll. It is still a showdown between university programs mainstream sports fans connect with and it’s a one of the longest-standing rivalries in the NCAA, with their first matchup dating back to 1926.

5 p.m.: MLB playoffs, Boston Red Sox at Houston Astros, Sportsnet Pacific, Sportsnet West, Fox

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

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4:30 p.m.: NBA, Dallas Mavericks at Toronto Raptors, TSN4

The Raptors lost their season opener at home to the Washington Wizards on Wednesday and they were visiting the Boston Celtics on Friday. The Mavericks will be waiting for Toronto, sitting idle since their season-opening loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday.

7 p.m.: MLS, Vancouver Whitecaps at San Jose Earthquakes, TSN1

Remember when the Whitecaps fired head coach Marc Dos Santos? That was this season, coming on Aug. 27. It feels a thousand years ago. The Whitecaps have flourished under interim bench boss Vanni Sartini, including going 4-1-2 in their last seven. Vancouver (11-9-10) holds the seventh and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. San Jose (9-12-9) is seven points back of Vancouver, sitting in 10th spot. Vancouver is coming off a 3-2 come-from-behind win in Portland on Wednesday. They host Minnesota next Wednesday.

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

What kind of pre-game production will the Kraken put forth for their first home game? Will it rival some of the spectacles we’ve seen from the Vegas Golden Knights? That’s the first question that comes to mind.  There are other obvious inquires, too. Vancouver’s wrapping up a six-game road trip here that started in Edmonton and moved to Philadelphia, Detroit, Buffalo and Chicago before coming back west. Will they be able to match the emotion of an undoubtedly hyped up Kraken team? And is this an instant rivalry? How invested are Canuck fans in this? We’ll get an idea of that by how much of talking point this game remains  ahead of the Canucks’ home opener on Tuesday against the Minnesota Wild. 

sewen@postmedia.com

Twitter: @SteveEwen

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