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MONTREAL -- Rachel Homan started defence of her Scotties Tournament of Hearts title in style. Homan and her Team Canada (1-0) rink from Ottawa scored four in the eighth end for an 8-3 victory over Manitobas Chelsea Carey (0-1) on Saturday night at the Maurice Richard Arena. "The team played really well in front of me," said Homan, the winner last year in Kingston, Ont. "It was a tough battle. It was 4-3 and then one big end kind of ended it. My team just really had it today." It was a nervy but successful start for Val Sweetings Alberta rink. The Sweeting team (2-0) with lead Rachel Pidherny, second Dana Ferguson and third Joanne Courtney scored three points in the ninth end for a comeback 7-5 victory over 20-year-old newcomer Sarah Koltun (0-1) of the Yukon and Northwest Territories in the opening draw. In the evening, Sweeting took the early lead, wasted it, and then scored two in an extra end for an 8-6 win over 22-year-old Kesa van Osch of British Columbia (1-1). Heather Strong (2-0) of Newfoundland used the shot of the day to edge the home team, Quebecs Allison Ross (0-2), 5-4 with a raised angle takeout on the final shot. Stefanie Lawton (1-0) of Saskatchewan downed Allison Flaxeys Ontario rink (0-1) 8-6. Koltun looked ready for an upset when she stole a point for a 4-1 lead in the fifth end to throw a scare into 26-year-old Sweeting, a youngster herself in only her second Scotties. "They were outplaying us for sure," said Sweeting. "We set up some good ends and she made some good draws to save them, but we stayed patient and had an opportunity in the ninth and took advantage. "Im happy to get out of that one with a win, but we definitely have to sharpen up. We knew we couldnt take them lightly. Its their first time here and they have nothing to lose." A miss by Koltun with her first stone in the ninth set up the decisive steal by Alberta. Sweetings rink kept the house clear in the 10th and left no chance for the Whitehorse skip to force an extra end. Koltun is the youngest skip ever to play in the Scotties and is the first to skip at the Canadian junior and Scotties championships in the same year. She went 5-4 at the juniors two weeks ago in Liverpool, N.S. with two of her three teammates at the Scotties. She skipped a record seven times at national junior championships and is considered among the rising talents in the sport. But she may have let one get away in her debut. "We were in control at the beginning and it was just that one bad end, but its our first game at our first Scotties so well take what we can from it," said Koltun. "We are happy to be here, but we want to contend and be competitive and I think we showed that in this first game by putting up a really strong fight." Quebecs Allison Ross had a disappointing start as she failed to score until she picked up one point in the eighth end. After scoring, Ross conceded a 6-1 victory to New Brunswicks Andrea Crawford. The Quebec side from Montreal curled only 64 per cent as a group, lowest of the day. She found her draw weight in her evening match against Strong, which had the crowd of 1,825 roaring, but fell short when the Newfoundland skip pulled off her winning takeout. "I was reading the ice better," said Ross. "Its a disappointing loss, but Heather made an amazing shot. You want to leave the other team a hard shot, and she made it." Strong had won the Hot Shots competition -- a pre-tournament skills exhibition -- on Saturday morning and it may have helped her against Quebec. "A lot of the (Hot Shots) are indicative of what you face in game, so I referred back to that a lot," she said. "I felt good when I threw it, but I was coming off missing the one right before it, so I was a little torn. "We were exhausted. It was late back home. There were the opening ceremonies, we were in the Hot Shots right through. It was a long day, so to pull off that second win was awesome." Strong had won her first match as she took a 6-2 lead after six ends, then had to hold off a charge from Nova Scotias Heather Smith (0-1) for an 8-5 victory. Van Osch needed an extra end to defeat Kim Dolans Prince Edward Island rink 7-4. The 22-year-old from Victoria admitted to feeling nervous in her debut match, but settled down as it went on against the veteran Dolan, who is in her 10th Scotties. Van Osch said she hasnt set any goals for the tournament. "Were a first-year team," she said. "It was a bonus just to make it to the Scotties this year. Were taking things as they come, game by game." There are three draws scheduled for Sunday, including Team Canada against both Ontario and Quebec. 23:04ET 01-02-14 . The club announced Friday that Mauro Biello will be kept on as an assistant to coach Jesse Marsch when the Impact join the MLS in 2012. . The team announced that it exercised the options on 15 players including goalkeepers Evan Bush, Maxime Crepeau and Troy Perkins, defenders Matteo Ferrari, Karl W. http://www.hockeywildauthority.com/gust ... rsey-c-30/. However, Therrien added that Galchenyuks status for next Wednesdays game against the Detroit Red Wings is questionable. Galchenyuk has been out since Jan. 6 with a broken right hand. . A broadcast source said the deal is for five years. The agreement calls for a minimum of 17 regular-season games as well as the East and West Division finals being broadcast annually on ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNEWS. . -- Howie Kendrick had a two-run single in his first game batting leadoff this season, Chris Iannetta hit a pair of RBI singles and the Los Angeles Angels beat Cleveland 6-4 Tuesday night, sending the Indians to their fifth straight defeat.HAMILTON, Ont. -- Dan LeFevour stole the spotlight from Henry Burris on Saturday night. LeFevour threw for 361 yards and a touchdown and rushed for a game-high 109 yards and a TD in his first CFL start, leading the Hamilton Tiger-Cats past the Ottawa Redblacks 33-23. Burris was making his first appearance in Hamilton since being released by the club in January after it signed Zach Collaros as a free agent. Burris served as the Ticats starter for two seasons and led the squad to a Grey Cup appearance last year while also tutoring LeFevour. Although LeFevour spoiled Burriss return, LeFevour downplayed any suggestion the game was about the quarterbacks. "It had nothing to do with him," LeFevour said. "It was just good to see him. "I talked to him during the week and after the game . . . he was encouraging me. Hes a great guy, he really is." LeFevour, 27, was an impressive dual threat for Hamilton (1-3). He completed 21-of-30 passes while also running 13 times, his one-yard TD at 9:44 of the fourth snapping a 23-23 tie. The big play was LeFevour hitting C.J. Gable on an 83-yard screen pass that, with a horse-tackle penalty, put the Ticats at the Ottawa one-yard line to the delight of the Ron Joyce Stadium sellout of 6,500. "You saw what a competitor he is," Hamilton coach/GM Kent Austin said. "Real strong will to win, threw the ball well. "Early on he pulled the ball down a little too soon but finally settled in and let the game come to him some more. He just really had a command of the offence." For the first time this season, Gable was a key figure in Hamiltons offence. The speedy running back ran six times for 62 yards and a TD while adding three catches for a team-high 105 yards as the Ticats rolled up 558 total offensive yards. Burris, 39, finished 27-of-44 passing for 290 yards and two TDs and an interception while throwing his first interception of the season. Ottawa (1-3) pulled into a 23-23 tie on Brett Mahers 23-yard field goal at 4:41 of the fourth. "He did a good job," Burris said of LeFevour. "He ran the offence, got the ball to his playmakers and made some plays. "Im proud of him. I just wish he wouldve saved that for another night but kudos to him." Ottawa head coach Rick Campbell said LeFevours legs were key to Hamiltons victory. "Hes a runner, if you give him escape lanes he makes you pay," Campbell said. "We were trying to get him to hold the ball, which he did a couple of times, but he made some plays with his feet . . . then we gave up some huge plays. "Him and Gable, theyre good athletes and youve got to be right on those guys because they make big plays.ddddddddddddquot; The Redblacks were coming off their first-ever win, an 18-17 home decision against Toronto last week, and Marcus Henry certainly did his part with 10 catches for 138 yards and a TD. But Burris said his club hurt itself against the Ticats. "We found ways to hurt ourselves," he said. "We had more opportunities to put more points on the board. "This was one of those matches where the last offence that had the ball was going to win the game. Hamilton did a good job of making big plays, we didnt make enough big plays. We cant be shooting ourselves in the foot in those key situations." The game was the Ticats home opener and their first in Hamilton in 21 months as last years home contests were played at the University of Guelph while Tim Hortons Field was being built. Saturdays contest was supposed to open Tim Hortons Field but construction delays will force the team to play at least its first two home games at McMaster. Hamilton hosts the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Thursday night. Brandon Banks had Hamiltons other touchdown. Medlock added the converts and four field goals. Matt Carter scored Ottawas other touchdown. Maher had the converts and three field goals. Medlocks 36-yard field goal capped an entertaining first half and earned Hamilton a 20-17 advantage. It was set up by Craig Butlers interception that put the Ticats at their own 45-yard line. The contest began at a fever pitch with TDs on the first three possessions. Banks took LeFevours shovel pass 53 yards for the score on the second play from scrimmage just 58 seconds in before Burris countered with a smart 13-play, 96-yard march he capped with a 10-yard TD toss to Carter at 7:35. But Gables 47-yard touchdown run on the Ticats fifth offensive play at 9:29 put them ahead 14-7 as they opened by gaining 158 yards on their first five plays. NOTES -- LeFevour became the Ticats third different starter this year after Collaros (head injury) and Jeremiah Masoli started the earlier contests . . . Saturdays game was the first between Hamilton and Ottawa since Oct. 21, 2005 when the Ticats downed the former Renegades 40-32 . . . Ottawa entered weekend action tied atop the East Division with Toronto and Montreal. The last time an Ottawa club was first in the East was Aug. 19, 2005 when the Renegades were 5-3 but they lost their next six games to fall from playoff contention . . . Ottawas scratches were defensive lineman Nigel Romick and tackle Nate Menkin while Hamilton`s were receiver Greg Ellingson and defensive lineman Arnaud Gascon-Nadon. ' ' '