Support for 2SLBGTQ+ community
You deserve a world filled with love instead of bias – and when it’s hard, you’re not alone. Resources, education and support for gender and sexual identity challenges can be found through PFLAG Canada. If you or someone you know is in need of immediate help, and you don’t feel comfortable contacting emergency services, crisis hotline numbers can be found here.

Luke Prokop has made it a point to be a leader on and off the ice with a personal goal of making hockey a more welcoming and inclusive sport.

As the first player under NHL contract to come out as gay, Prokop has been an important role model in trying to make “hockey for everyone.” But in a statement released Monday night, the 20-year-old Nashville Predators prospect expressed his “disappointment” for what he called “a step back for inclusion in the NHL.”

The statement comes days after San Jose Sharks goalie James Reimer did not take part in pregame warmups last Saturday, saying the team’s decision to wear Pride-themed jerseys in support of the LGBTQIA+ community runs counter to his religious beliefs. Reimer’s decision followed a similar move by Philadelphia Flyers defenceman Ivan Provorov and recent decisions by the New York Rangers, New York Islanders and Minnesota Wild to not have players wear Pride jerseys during warm-ups on Pride Nights. Writing about these decisions, Prokop said it was disheartening to see some teams and players not embrace the significance of wearing the jersey but added that he was more disappointed that the negative attention was taking away from what should be important celebrations of inclusion.

“Pride nights and pride jerseys play an important role in promoting and respecting inclusion for the LGBTQIA+ community and it’s disheartening to see some teams no longer wearing them or embracing their significance, while the focus of others has become about the players who aren’t participating rather than the meaning of the night itself,” Prokop wrote.

When Prokop came out as gay back in July of 2021, he was a trailblazer in the hockey community. His announcement received an outpouring of support on social media from fans, fellow players, teams and organizations. It also prompted a $100,000 donation from the NHL to a number of LGBTQIA+ advocacy organizations.

In a statement released after Provorov declined to wear a Pride jersey ahead of a Flyers game in January, the NHL said “players are free to decide which initiatives to support.”

“Everyone is entitled to their own set of beliefs and I think it’s important to recognize the difference between endorsing a community and respecting individuals within it,” Prokop wrote Monday. “Pride nights are an essential step towards fostering greater acceptance and understanding in hockey, and I strongly believe that by prioritizing diversity and inclusion, we can create an environment where every player feels comfortable bringing their authentic selves to the game. As someone who aspires to play on an NHL team one day, I would want to enter the locker room knowing I can share all parts of my identity with my teammates.”

In a feature published on Sportsnet.ca, Prokop’s family shared their concern about the opportunities to pursue his dream in a sport that isn’t always welcoming.

“One of my fears, to be brutally honest, was: You’re a drafted player, you’re on the right track, is something like this going to impact you negatively as you try to pursue your dream?” Prokop’s father Al said at the time. “Are you going to get the chance to pursue your dream as fairly as somebody else?”

This season, Prokop — a defenceman who was a third-round pick by the Predators in 2020 — has split time between the WHL and ECHL registering 19 points in 40 games with the Seattle Thunderbirds and a point in eight games with the Norfolk Admirals.

“While there’s still progress to be made before hockey is for everyone, I’m optimistic about the change we can achieve and am committed to being a part of it,” he wrote.

More from Sportsnet

Amidst progress, Provorov a reminder of the work to be done on inclusion

Advertisement

Sharks’ James Reimer chooses not to wear Pride hockey jersey

.acf-block-preview .br-related-links-wrapper {
display: grid;
grid-template-columns: repeat(2, 1fr);
gap: 20px;
}

.acf-block-preview .br-related-links-wrapper a {
pointer-events: none;
cursor: default;
text-decoration: none;
color: black;
}




Source link

Indiana joined fellow 1-seed Stanford on the sidelines on Monday as NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament proves unusually unpredictable.



Source link

Darnell Nurse scored the overtime winner on his team’s 52nd shot as the Edmonton Oilers won their fourth game in a row, defeating the San Jose Sharks 5-4 on Monday night, a game that featured four goals called back on video review.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was able to spring Nurse on a breakaway and he scored with just 15 seconds left in overtime.

.acf-block-preview .br-video-thumbnail::before {
content: “”;
position: absolute;
top: 45%;
left: 50%;
transform: translate3d(-50%, -50%, 0);
-moz-transform: translate3d(-50%, -50%, 0);
-ms-transform: translate3d(-50%, -50%, 0);
-o-transform: translate3d(-50%, -50%, 0);
-webkit-transform: translate3d(-50%, -50%, 0);
width: 20px;
height: 0px;
border-top: 14px solid transparent;
border-left: 22px solid #fff;
border-bottom: 14px solid transparent;
margin-left: 3px;
}

Mattias Ekholm had a pair of goals and Nick Bjugstad and Kailer Yamamoto also scored for the Oilers (40-23-8) who have won eight of their last 10.

Erik Karlsson had two goals and Alexander Barabanov and Steven Lorentz also replied for the Sharks (19-37-15) who saw their losing streak extended to seven games. The Sharks have one win in their last 13 games.

The Sharks looked like they had an early lead just 1:14 in when Tomas Hertl cleanly beat Oilers goalie Jack Campbell with a blast to the top corner, only to have the goal called back via video review on an offside call.

San Jose would get the game’s first goal, however, just 5:48 into the first, as a big rebound off of a Hertl shot came out to Barabanov, who wired home his 15th.

Edmonton pulled even at 7:08 of the opening frame as Warren Foegele found a wide-open Bjugstad at the side of the net and he had an easy time scoring his third as an Oiler before Sharks starter James Reimer could get across the crease.

The Oilers looked to have surged ahead midway through the first on the power play on a deflection in front by Zach Hyman, but the goal was disallowed upon review for goaltender interference.

Edmonton officially made it 2-1 just 30 seconds into the second period as a pass ticked off a pair of defenders before hitting the stick of Yamamoto, who scored his 10th.

The Sharks looked to have tied the game six minutes into the middle frame on a goal by Andreas Johnsson, but once again the goal was called back on goalie interference after a challenge.

San Jose tied the game at 8:32 of the second as Lorentz was stopped by Campbell on his original breakaway shot, but was able to bat his own rebound out of the air and in for his eighth.

The Sharks made it 3-2 less than two minutes later when blown coverage allowed Fabian Zetterlund to make a soft pass to Karlsson in alone, and he beat Campbell with a nifty deke.

Edmonton tied it again 11:48 into the second period, as Ekholm changed gears and cut in on net before beating Reimer with a backhand shot.

Karlsson gave the Sharks yet another lead a couple minutes later, taking a feed in the shot and blasting a one-timer in for his second of the game and 22nd of the season.

An unbelievable fourth goal was called back four minutes into the third as a goal off an odd-man rush by Noah Gregor was deemed to have been offside, the third goal taken away from the Sharks.

.acf-block-preview .br-video-thumbnail::before {
content: “”;
position: absolute;
top: 45%;
left: 50%;
transform: translate3d(-50%, -50%, 0);
-moz-transform: translate3d(-50%, -50%, 0);
-ms-transform: translate3d(-50%, -50%, 0);
-o-transform: translate3d(-50%, -50%, 0);
-webkit-transform: translate3d(-50%, -50%, 0);
width: 20px;
height: 0px;
border-top: 14px solid transparent;
border-left: 22px solid #fff;
border-bottom: 14px solid transparent;
margin-left: 3px;
}

Cody Ceci fished a sure goal to safety as it was on its way into the Edmonton net, allowing Ekholm to score his second of the game a couple minutes later with 3:47 remaining in the third, walking in and powering a slapshot past Reimer to make it 4-4.

Reimer would make a huge save with 47 seconds remaining on Leon Draisaitl on the power play to send the game to extra time.

NOTES

It was Campbell’s first start in the Edmonton net since a 6-5 loss at the Winnipeg Jets on March 4, as he served as a backup to Stuart Skinner for the last six games. … Out with injuries for the Sharks were Luke Kunin (knee), Markus Nutivaara (lower body), Jacob MacDonald (undisclosed) and Evgeny Svechnikov (lower body). … The Sharks assigned forward William Eklund to their AHL squad on Sunday and called up Andrew Agozzino, who made his season debut. … Missing for the Oilers were Ryan Murray (back) and Ryan McLeod, who missed his third game with an upper body injury. … The Oilers came into the contest leading the league with 3.91 goals per game, and have scored 138 goals and had averaged 4.31 goals/game since Jan. 1. Edmonton had scored four or more goals in 13 of their last 16 games. … The Sharks entered the contest having allowed four-plus goals per game 39 times this year, the second-most in the NHL.

UP NEXT

Oilers: Remain at home to face the Arizona Coyotes on Wednesday.

Sharks: Play the second game of a three-game road trip in Vancouver on Thursday.

More from Sportsnet

Oilers and Sharks combine to have four total goals overturned by video review

Advertisement

Oilers’ Campbell set for first start since March 4 in game against Sharks

.acf-block-preview .br-related-links-wrapper {
display: grid;
grid-template-columns: repeat(2, 1fr);
gap: 20px;
}

.acf-block-preview .br-related-links-wrapper a {
pointer-events: none;
cursor: default;
text-decoration: none;
color: black;
}

Source link