MONTREAL - The Vanier Cup game will be a special day for former CFL fullback Michael Soles.The former Edmonton Eskimo and Montreal Alouette will act as co-honorary president with ex-Governor General Adrienne Clarkson of the game on Saturday between the University of Montreal Carabins and the McMaster Marauders.He can expect a warm ovation from the crowd of more than 20,000 at Percival Molson Stadium at McGill University, as much for his stellar football career as for the nine-year battle he is still waging with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrigs disease.Before his CFL career, Soles starred for the McGill Redmen when they won their last Vanier Cup in 1987, an upset 47-11 victory over the University of British Columbia. The Pointe-Claire, Que., native rushed for 203 yards and a two touchdowns that day and was named the games MVP.On Thursday, a large group of family and former McGill teammates and coaches got together to announce a endowment in Soles name to provide scholarships to Redmen recruits.Soles, 48, watched from the front row. He was able to get up from his wheelchair to pose for pictures and can still speak in a whisper, but he let others to the talking.Hes had symptoms for nine years and it became more evident in the last couple of years, so we felt it would be good timing to have something at the same time as the Vanier Cup, said Wayne McRae, a co-captain of the 1987 Redmen who was Soles partner in a financial management company.It gave it more of a sense of urgency. Its still at a point where Mike can participate and be here for it, which is fortunate.McRae and four other members of the 1987 team started the fund-raising campaign. Their goal was $80,000, but they hauled out a oversized ceremonial cheque for $209,323.85, nearly triple their target. The sum was gathered from 249 donors.The endowment, called the Michael Soles Football Award, is expected to earn enough to fund up to three recruits per year.Soles was released from a five-month stint in hospital in September and now lives with his mother, getting regular visits from nurses. His wife Catherine and his three children live nearby.His old teammates are impressed with how he has kept smiling while he fights the disease.Even his doctors say one of the main reasons hes been such a poster boy for this thing is because of his attitude, said McRae. He remains positive.I worked with Mike every day and I never heard this guy complain about anything. Never once.Soles wife said that since he got out of the hospital he has his appetite back and still has his sense of humour.He doesnt want pity, she said. Hes living it with the most grace and determination Ive ever seen. We joked that its like an eternal football game and he wont give up. Its great.It was much the same with former Alouettes defensive back Tony Proudfoot, who was diagnosed with ALS in 2007 and died in 2010. Proudfoot launched a foundation to raise funds to fight ALS. Another Alouette from the 1970s, defensive back Larry Uteck, also died from the disease.Soles was a solid fullback for 11 CFL seasons. He played from 1989 to 1995 in Edmonton, winning a Grey Cup in 1993, then moved to Montreal for his final four seasons when the Alouettes returned from a 10-year hiatus in 1996.After football, he went into wealth management. When Larry Smith left as president of the Alouettes in 2011, many thought business savvy, bilingual and popular Soles would be the perfect replacement and were surprised to find he wasnt interested.It was only in the past two years that it became known that he was suffering from ALS.I didnt believe it at first because he kept it pretty private for a long time, said Charlie Baillie, the coach of the 1987 Redmen. Even when he was having some problems, he would never talk about it.Hes still got that smile. Still got the good looks. Its just his bodys not responding, unfortunately. Its very sad.In his CFL career, Soles rushed 579 times for 3,007 yards and 20 touchdowns, adding 326 catches for 3,500 yards and another 25 TDs. William Perry Youth Jersey . Even if he is shooting 38 per cent from the field overall this season, the Utah Jazz rookie always feels like his final shot is going in. David Montgomery Jersey . He will be practicing with the Norfolk Admirals (AHL) on a conditioning assignment. - @AnaheimDucks Corey Perry has a knee sprain and will miss the next three to four weeks. http://www.bearsfootballpro.com/Authenti...s_Bears_Jersey/. Fifth-seeded Cilic gained his fourth title in Zagreb and became the third Croat overall to win at least 10 career titles. Cilic also lifted his career record in Zagreb to 22-4, winning 20 of his last 21 matches at the event. Khalil Mack Youth Jersey . This week, topics cover the World Series champion Red Sox, John Farrell and what to look forward to this off-season. Walter Payton Youth Jersey . - Rookie Kyle Larson will start from the pole position Saturday night in the NASCAR race at Richmond International Raceway after a thunderstorm arrived just in time to wash out qualifying. CHICAGO -- This time, it was hard work for the Chicago Blackhawks. No pretty goals on this night, just get to the front of the net and fight for a chance. Pushed, poked and prodded by the Minnesota Wild, Jonathan Toews and Co. found a way. Toews had a tough rebound goal early in the third period, and the Blackhawks beat the Wild 2-1 on Sunday to take a 3-2 series lead in the Western Conference semifinals. "The whole game, the whole series has been very tight," Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said. "Still not a lot of room and space, but thats what weve got to fight through. I thought we showed more determination in the puck area tonight." Bryan Bickell also scored and Corey Crawford made 27 saves as Chicago bounced back from consecutive losses in Minnesota that handed the momentum to the Wild heading into Game 5. But the Blackhawks were back at the United Center, where they improved to 6-0 in this post-season and 17-2 over the past two playoffs. "As the game went on, we found ways to play better as a five-man unit," Toews said. "Once one line would generate a good shift and get us some energy, the next line would follow it right up. I think thats when were an effective team, when we have four lines going like that and contributing." Erik Haula scored in the first period for the Wild, and Ilya Bryzgalov had 26 stops. Minnesota became the first team to score first in the second round of the NHL playoffs and lose, dropping that record to 19-1, according to STATS. "We tried to hang on to something we wanted to have happen and we fell victim to it," Wild coach Mike Yeo said. Game 6 is Tuesday night in Minnesota, where the Wild are undefeated in this post-season. Minnesota had a chance to grab the lead in the third but Crawford made a nice kick save on Cody McCormick about 2 1/2 minutes into the period. He also had a solid glove stop on Ryan Suter with the Blackhawks clinging to a 2-1 lead with 4:38 to go. "We just need a better effort," Wild star Zach Parise said. "Not that it was terrible. I mean, we had our chance to win at the end of the game. We did some things really well. But I think we can be better, and we know we can be better." Toews, Marian Hossa and Patrick Sharp combined to put Chicago in front 4 1/2 minutes into the third. Hossa sent tthe puck in front to Toews at the right post.dddddddddddd The captain was stopped by Bryzgalov, but he managed to slam home a backhand for his fifth goal of the playoffs. "It was an ugly goal," said Toews, who also had a big hit on Wild forward Mikael Granlund right before he scored. "As a line we were playing well and looking to find a way to score. I happened to get an ugly one on the side." The first period looked similar to much of the past two games in Minnesota, with the Wild using their speed and checking ability to shut down Chicagos high-powered attack. The Wild also outworked the defending Stanley Cup champions early on as Quenneville tried several line combinations looking for a spark. Blackhawks defenceman Brent Seabrook was whistled for tripping just 29 seconds into the game, and Granlund sent an open look off the outside of the right post on the ensuing power play. A terrific individual effort by Haula put Minnesota in front at 16:33 of the first. He drove through the Chicago zone and kept moving after his first try was stopped by Crawford, flipping a backhand into the net for his third goal of the post-season. Chicago started to generate more chances in the second, but most of its early shots came from outside and Bryzgalov gobbled them up easily. Marcus Kruger sent a pass through the Minnesota crease, but no one was there for the Blackhawks. It took a well-timed dash by a seldom-used role player to set up Chicagos third goal in the past three games. Playing for the first time since April 12, Peter Regin drove to the net to draw a hooking penalty on Jonas Brodin. Regin was active for the first time in the playoffs after the Blackhawks scratched Andrew Shaw with a lower-body injury, and Brandon Bollig sat out with a two-game suspension for boarding Wild defenceman Keith Ballard in Game 4. On the ensuing power play, Patrick Kanes slap shot went off Bickells left leg and past Bryzgalov to make it 1-1 at 9:18 of the second. It was Bickells sixth goal of the playoffs. NOTES: Game 7 would be Thursday in Chicago. ... The Wild played without Ballard (upper-body injury) and forward Matt Moulson (lower-body injury). ... Blackhawks D Michal Rozsival was scratched after he struggled in Game 4. D Sheldon Brookbank and F Kris Versteeg returned to Chicagos lineup. ' ' '