Weekly Sports League and Franchise Report

BASEBALL Carolina League: The new Fayetteville (NC) team in the high Class-A Carolina League announced it will be called the Fayetteville Woodpeckers when it starts play at a new downtown ballpark in 2019. The team has been playing as the Buies Creek Astros at nearby Campbell University for the past two seasons as it waited for completion of the new ballpark. Other nicknames under consideration were the Fatbacks, Fly Traps, Jumpers and Wood Dogs. International League: With the planned ... Full Story

NHLer Mashinter Joins Rush

(RAPID CITY, SD) - The Rapid City Rush announced today that former NHLer Brandon Mashinter has been signed by the team ahead of their stretch of six consecutive matchups, and three on the road this week, against the Idaho Steelheads. In a separate transaction, forward Alec Baer has been released. "I can't express how excited I am to have a player of Brandon's caliber on my team," Rush Head Coach Daniel Tetrault said of Mashinter's acquisition. "He'll bring a great deal of leadership to our young team. This stretch of games is very important for us. We don't want to be a .500 team. We'... Full Story

Capitals Re-Assign Defender Aaron Ness to Hershey

(Hershey, PA) - The Washington Capitals announced today that defender Aaron Ness has been re-assigned to the Hershey Bears. The announcement was made by Washington senior vice president and general manager Brian MacLellan, Ness, 28, has appeared in 12 games with Hershey this season, collecting four assists. The Hershey alternate captain scored the shootout winning goal in the win versus Hartford in his last game on Nov. 4. The native of Roseau, Minn. opened the 2017-18 season with the Capitals, recording one assist in eight games. He has played in 18 games with the Capitals over the past th... Full Story

Admirals Comeback to Earn 7-2 Win

victory over the Chicago Wolves on Sunday afternoon at the Allstate Arena. The victory snapped a five-game losing streak for the Admirals. Anthony Richard and Eeli Tolvanen each scored a pair of goals, while Tyler Gaudet (1g-1a) and Jarred Tinordi (2a) finished with multi-point games for the Admirals, who set a new season high for goals in a game. Chicago jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period, but just 12 seconds after their second goal Richard found the back of the net for Milwaukee, opening the proverbial floodgates. Tolvanen scored next to level the game at two after the first ... Full Story

• NHLer Mashinter Joins Rush - Rapid City Rush (ECHL)
• Ontario Reign Announce Roster Moves - Ontario Reign (AHL)
• Sharks Sign Wide Receiver Daryl Boggan - Jacksonville Sharks (NAL)
• Toronto Argonauts Mourn the Passing of Arnie Stocks - Toronto Argonauts (CFL)
• Five Philadelphia Union Players Receive International Call-Ups - Philadelphia Union (MLS)
• Memphis 901 FC Inks USL Veteran Heviel Cordoves - Memphis 901 FC (USL)
• Samuel Asselin Named Ultramar Player of the Week - (QMJHL)
• Comets Sign Tony Cameranesi to PTO - Utica Comets (AHL)
• Niec Suspension Reduced - Carolina Thunderbirds (FHL)
• Ottawa Reassigns Paul to Belleville - Belleville Senators (AHL)
• All Today's Minor League News
  

• FC Cincinnati's Forrest Lasso named USL Defender of the Year - USL Cincinnati Enquirer
• Winterhawks win fifth in a row - WHL Portland Tribune
• Silvertips complete perfect weekend with win over Kamloops - WHL Everett Herald
• Bulls take two of three from IceRays in Corpus Christi - NAHL Amarillo Globe-News
• Red Bulls moving on to Eastern Conference Final after dominant victory over Columbus - MLS New York Daily News
• Redblacks looking to be perfect in 2018 against Ticats, but fourth win could be toughest - CFL Ottawa Sun
• P-Bruins 5, Penguins 2: Donato leads the way with two scores - AHL Providence Journal
• Newfoundland Growlers keep roaring along - ECHL St. John's Telegram
• Martinez scores 2 goals, Atlanta United beats NYCFC 3-1 - MLS Access North Georgia
• Tri-City Storm shutout against Lincoln - USHL Kearney Daily Hub
• All Today's Minor League Headlines

Greenville Swamp Rabbits defenseman Jake Bolton (19) vs. the Wheeling Nailers

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. FC Dallas League One - United Soccer League One (USL1)
2. Columbia Fireflies - South Atlantic League (SAL)
3. Toronto Arrows - Major League Rugby (MLR)
4. Amarillo - Texas League (TL)
5. Birmingham - NBA G League (G League)
6. Canadian Wild of Southern Illinois - National Pro Fastpitch (NPF)
7. Traverse City - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
8. Newfoundland Growlers - ECHL (ECHL)
9. DC MLR - Major League Rugby (MLR)
10. Baton Rouge Rougarou - Texas Collegiate League (TCL)

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

• DC MLR - Major League Rugby (MLR)
• Toronto Arrows - Major League Rugby (MLR)
• FC Dallas League One - United Soccer League One (USL1)
• Canadian Wild of Southern Illinois - National Pro Fastpitch (NPF)
• Birmingham - NBA G League (G League)
• Amarillo - Texas League (TL)
• Colorado Springs - Pioneer League (PL)
• Traverse City - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
• Lansing Ignite - United Soccer League One (USL1)
• Baton Rouge Rougarou - Texas Collegiate League (TCL)

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
ApL, AzFL, AzL, CalL, CarL, EL, FSL, GCL, IL, ML, MWL, NWL, NYPL, PCL, PL, SAL, SL, TL
College Wood Bat Baseball
Alaska, Cape Cod, Coastal Plain, FCBL, GWL, NECBL, Northwoods, PGCBL, Prospect, TCL, WCL
Independent Minor League Baseball
AA, AtL, Can-Am, FL, PA, Pecos

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

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

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

LACROSSE
Indoor Lacrosse
NLL
Outdoor Lacrosse
MLL

OTHER
Other Sports
MLR
Other Women's
NPF, WTT

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