On Dec. 30th the Toronto Raptors acquired guard Immanuel Quickley, guard/forward R.J. Barrett and a 2024 second-round pick from the New York Knicks, in exchange for forward O.G. Anunoby, centre/forward Precious Achiuwa and guard Malachi Flynn. 

The trade sees beloved Raptor Anunoby – who was a part of the 2019 championship winning team – leave Toronto, sparking a new era for the Raptors and one that should excite the fanbase. 

Immanuel Quickley, the 24-year-old sharp-shooter, is expected to provide the much-needed jolt to ignite the rather lacklustre offence. The former Kentucky Wildcat will slot into the starting lineup, a role he excelled at in 21 starts with New York in the 2022-23 season. 

As a starter, Quickley averaged 22.6 points per game, 5.4 rebounds per game and 5.1 assists per game while shooting greater than 40 per cent from three. 

In 30 games this season with the Knicks, Quickley shot 39.5 per cent from beyond the arc while shooting 45.4 per cent from the field and 87.2 per cent from the free throw line. 

Quickley’s shooting will be a lethal contributor to the Raptors’ hope for success this season and beyond given Toronto’s shooting woes so far this year. The Raptors are 26th out of 30 teams in three-point shooting, shooting under 35 per cent, while ranking second-last in free throw percentage at 73.9 per cent. 

Toronto is also in the bottom half of the league in points per game, scoring only 114 points, something R.J. Barrett can help improve the team in. Barrett, the third-overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, averaged 18.2 points per game in 26 starts in the Big Apple this season and has a career 18.1 points per game, having scored a career-high 20 points per game in the 2021-22 season. 

The former Duke Blue Devils’ star is expected to get more minutes with the Raptors after averaging a career-low 29.5 minutes per game with New York, after reaching highs near 35 minutes a game in past seasons. 

Paired with Quickley and Scottie Barnes, that trio – who fans have started to call “BBQ” given the first initial of their last names – is expected to be the core of the team for years to come. All three players are young and can develop together as a cohesive unit, given their unique skillsets complement each other nicely.

Quickley is a fantastic shooter who can space the floor and has the makings of developing into a great playmaker. Barrett is a scorer who can attack the basket and hit mid-range shots, whereas Barnes is a versatile big who can handle the ball, gather rebounds and make buckets from anywhere on the court. 

For the team as a whole, the acquisition of Quickley and Barrett slides Dennis Schröder – the Raptors’ former starting point guard – down to the bench, a role which should better the team as well as Schröder, who’s been struggling as of late. 

The Raptors bench has been troublesome to begin this season, averaging the third-fewest bench points per game this season with 30.4. However, with Schröder’s veteran leadership and playmaking abilities assisting the second unit, it should provide the necessary spark to role players like Gary Trent Jr., Chris Boucher, Otto Porter Jr. and others, who’ve been non-existent in the offence at times this season. 

On paper, this trade has the potential to be franchise-altering as it can set the Raptors back on the path to being a prominent and formidable team in the Eastern Conference and the NBA, something they have been trending away from in recent years. 

But the game isn’t played on paper, it’s played on the court. As such, it will be interesting to see how BBQ and the rest of the team blend together to get the Raptors on the right foot forward for the rest of this season and in the years to come.

For more information on the Toronto Raptors, head to raptors.com. 

Despite finishing 2023 with a 14-4 record, the Badgers also closed their final games before the winter break with three straight losses. As a result, with games on Jan. 4 and 6, the Badgers looked to start the new year on a high note and keep their fantastic season rolling. 

The Badgers’ first match was against the Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold on Jan. 4. Though the Badgers beat the Bold 6-3 in November, TMU has since won seven of their last ten, propelling them into third in the OUA West. 

Period one was very much a goaltending battle. Brock gave up two early powerplays but between strong penalty killing and collected goaltending from Connor Ungar, the Badgers kept the match even. 

The Badgers were awarded a powerplay of their own in the dwindling minutes of the first, but ran into the same luck as the Bold, leading 13 to eight in shots, but still tied 0-0.

Again, the second period was a penalty-filled affair, though the game’s first goal would come for TMU on the penalty kill when Kyle Bollers corralled a Badgers’ giveaway to score his 13th of the season, shorthanded. 

Luckily, the Badgers wouldn’t stay down for long as less than three minutes later a roller from Riley Gannon would slip through the TMU goaltender, tying the match with under a minute to go in the second. 

The Badgers found themselves behind again just over eight minutes into the third when Connor Bowie tipped an Elijah Roberts point shot past Ungar. Under two minutes later, the Bold stretched their lead to two when Daniil Grigorev was able to find the puck in the chaos around the Badgers’ net and put it home. 

Though Jared Marino would score a powerplay goal with three minutes left, the Badgers’ effort would come up short, losing 3-2. 

Given a day to stretch their legs in between, the Badgers suited up again on Jan. 6 against the Guelph Gryphons. 

The Gryphons entered the match on the exact opposite trajectory as the Bold. Guelph has lost seven of their past ten, dropping them to a middle-of-the-pack standing in the OUA West. 

This seemed evident in period one where the Badgers left the Gryphons floundering. Brock scored the game’s opening marker six-and-a-half minutes in from Justin Brack, assists courtesy of Jacob Roach and Zach Taylor. Brock finished the period leading 14-4 in shots. 

Period two was a very different story. While Brock again led by a healthy margin in shots, Ungar struggled with some of Guelph’s opportunities. 

Guelph scored on the power play less than a minute into the second period, but Roach was able to tie the game soon after. Not looking to be counted out, Guelph threw two more behind Ungar to take a 3-2 lead in a game they seemed destined to lose handily in the first period. 

Tyler Burnie started the third with a pair of goals five minutes apart as Roach picked up assists on both goals. 

This pretty much did it for Guelph. Though the Gryphons had most of their shots in the third, Ungar dialed in, Cole Tymkin scored an insurance marker, and Brock won 5-3, marking their 10th consecutive win on home ice. 

Thanks to his three-point performance, Roach now sits in second in the OUA in every major statistical category with 14 goals, 18 assists and 32 points in 20 games. The Badgers again play twice next week with a game on Jan. 10 at York University and then on Jan. 13 at home against Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières. For their full schedule and results, consult gobadgers.ca.

Ending 2023 7-1 and on a three-game winning streak, Brock’s women’s volleyball team was hoping to continue their phenomenal start to the season and, with the Royal Military College (RMC) Paladins as their first opponent, they’d have few better opportunities to do so. 

On Jan. 6th the Badgers played RMC, who sit third-last in the OUA with an 0-7 record, having only won one set all year. 

The Jan. 6th match was a head coach’s dream: a boring, one-sided affair. 

RMC was in over their heads from the get-go. 

Brock jumped out to a quick 8-2 lead and, for much of the set, maintained a lead of two-times the number of points the Paladins gained. It would take the Paladins scoring three straight while down 9-19 to buck this trend, but by then, it was far too late. The Badgers took set one 25-14. 

Set two was even worse for the Paladins. 

Brock secured an early 10-1 lead, a large margin they easily maintained and stretched as wide as 15 points. 

That 15-point difference would stand as the final margin of victory in set two as RMC was collapsed 24-9 off a Madison Tuck ace. 

In set three, the Paladins showed a little more life to open the set. Brock led with three points, but RMC held on for a time, behind only 4-3 and still in touch with the game. 

That did not last. 

After that, Brock’s offence exploded while the Paladins’ defence crumbled, scoring 21 points to RMC’s nine. Most of the Paladins’ points came after going down 17-5 when the Badgers’ victory was all but assured. 

Brock ultimately secured the straight-set victory, winning 25-12. 

The lone moral victory for RMC in the match was that they led in blocks, with four to Brock’s zero. In basically every other team category though, they got waxed. 

Brock led 59 to 21 in points, 51-15 kills, 46-14 in assists and 34-22 in digs. On the individual side, Brock led in most every category. Sadie Dick led both teams with eight kills, while Sara Rohr led in both aces (three) and assists (24). Libero Aleiah Torres rounded out Brock’s individual performances with a game-high 11 digs. 

The Paladins faced Brock again on Jan. 7th but found no recourse for their demoralizing defeat at the hands of the Badgers, losing in humiliating fashion again only a day later.

Set one of the Jan. 7th match was by far the best start for the Paladins of the weekend. Brock ran up the score 12-3 to open the match, but RMC clawed their way back to a respectable 16-12 deficit. It was all for naught though as the Badgers steamrolled the Paladins the rest of the way, scoring nine points to their two. 

Set two was much less redeeming for RMC. The Paladins were able to keep pace for a short while—losing only 5-4—which was quickly erased by a 15-2 scoring run by the Badgers. RMC was able to scrounge up four more points while Brock cruised to an easy 25-10 set victory. 

Like set three, RMC scored a few points to keep the set close in its early stages, including tying the game at four apiece. Brock, unperturbed, scored 13 straight points, effectively ending the game. In a futile effort, RMC outscored Brock 9-8 following the run but lost 25-13. 

Brock mostly played their bench in the convincing victory, many of whom had strong individual performances. 

Daryan Chadwick had six digs and two aces to go along with a game-high 10 kills. Mackenna Knox helped facilitate Brock’s offence with a game-high 29 assists in addition to four digs and a block. Madison Tuck rounded out the key individual performances with a game-high six aces along with seven kills. 

For the Badgers’ next two games, they travel to North Bay to play the Nipissing Lakers, who rank fifth-last in the OUA. For more information, check out gobadgers.ca.

On Tuesday, Jan. 2nd, the Canadians fell in the quarter-final of the 2024 World Junior Championships to Czechia off a goal in the dying seconds of the match.

“For us, that was revenge,” said Czechia captain and Buffalo Sabres prospect Jiri Kulich. Kulich was part of the Czech squad that lost to Canada in last year’s World Junior finals. 

After beating the Canadians, Czechia moved on to the semi-finals where they were bounced by the Swedes, the eventual silver-medalists. Despite the loss, Czechia still had the opportunity to play in the consolation final against Finland. In a crazy turn of events, Czechia pulled four goals out of their back pocket late in the third period to claim the bronze medal by a score of 8-5. 

Prior to last year, the Czechs hadn’t medalled since 2005, and medalled only four times since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Now, the Czechs have finished third, second and fourth in their previous three tournaments. In addition to highly-selected prospects over the past few drafts like Eduard Sale, David Jiricek and Jiri Kulich, they look like a hockey nation on the rise. 

It’s not just Czechia either. The Americans have won two of the past four tournaments, including this year where the States had a dominant roster despite leaving talented prospects like James Hagens (projected No. 1 pick in 2025), Cole Eiserman (projected top-five pick this year), Hunter Brzustewicz (leads all OHL defenceman in points) and Quentin Musty (second in the OHL in points-per-game) all at home. Even the second-place Swedes, who beat the Canadians 2-0 in round-robin play and were lacking star player Leo Carlsson, had a very deep and promising team. 

As the whole hockey world seems to be taking strides toward the future, the Canadians are treading water. 

The Canadians are the definition of a “go big or go home” team. Since 2005, the Canadians have won an undoubtedly impressive 10 times. They’ve also placed second four times and third twice. However, they’ve also missed medalling five times, almost the same number of times they reached second or third combined. These misses have also all come in the last 10 years. 

This year, Canada was surely impacted by having many of last year’s best players graduate to the NHL, including Connor Bedard, Adam Fantilli, Shane Wright, Zach Benson and Kevin Korchinski. 

Similarly, the 2019 Canadians failed to medal after losing Cale Makar, Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas. Same deal with the 2016 team that was missing Connor McDavid, Shea Theodore, Josh Morrissey and Darnell Nurse. Canada’s 2014 team missed Nathan MacKinnon, while in 2013 MacKinnon played very poorly, only registering one point in six games. 

More often than not, part of the problem seems to be what happened this year: not knowing what to do in the face of graduations. 

In an exit interview with Josh Clipperton for TSN, Canada’s general manager Peter Anholt suggested that for a team built around tenacity and depth, they needed to find more ways to get pucks on net and to score. 

Perhaps part of the problem was this being the focus. 

On teams with star power like Bedard, Makar, McDavid or MacKinnon, it makes sense to surround them with players who check hard and fill in gaps in other areas. 

However, if your major offensive catalysts graduate, perhaps you should be trying to find new ones instead of insisting on players who “play the right way”. 

For example, despite initially selecting eight WHL players for their roster, none of them were Andrew Cristall, Riley Heidt or Jagger Firkus, numbers one, two and three respectively in points-per-game in the WHL. Firkus was added to the roster after an injury, but never suited up. Brayden Yager, a defensively limited scoring forward who played all five games, is 15th. These offensive players could have made a difference. 

Another issue was simply deployment. Fraser Minten got a lot of powerplay minutes throughout the tournament, despite not being very effective. Minten doesn’t even play on the first powerplay on his junior team. Meanwhile, Carson Rehkopf, a goal-per-game in the OHL and one of the best powerplay merchants in the country, was often left out. Firkus, as previously mentioned, didn’t even play. Easton Cowan had a strong tournament, but was rarely used on the penalty kill where his speed and pressure could shine. Canada also only played one goalie the entire tournament, Mathis Rousseau, which is a heavy workload, especially for an undrafted goalie. Ty Nelson, who wasn’t originally selected either, stood out as one of the Canadians’ best defenceman. 

The defensive personnel was one of the more glaring problems. While injuries to Tanner Molendyk and Tristan Luneau obviously hurt, none of the Canadian defencemen played particularly well outside of that. In their initial selections, the Canadians expected to rely on two d-men for offence, Molendyk, who got hurt, and Denton Mateychuk. The rest of the group looked to be “safer” defensive-minded selections, who all failed to perform. The fact that Nelson (a late addition) and Jake Furlong (expected to be the extra defenceman) were two of the Canadians’ best defencemen raises a lot of questions. 

When Canada doesn’t medal at the World Juniors, it’s always treated like some sort of national emergency. While I’m not here pulling my hair out, there are certainly causes for concern. 

For the juniors, our attitude has to change. We need to bring our top scorers, especially in years when our talent is thinner. It seems counterintuitive to bring more tenacious, two-way players when your top scorers leave. 

Also, if you’re general manager Scott Salmond and you’re complaining about your players having to be “learning on the job,” maybe that’s indicative of roster construction. Cristall and Colby Barlow—last year’s captain—were both draft-eligible players on last year’s team that were left at home. 

This year, despite a significantly weaker team on both forward and defence, we left all our draft-eligibles at home. Could Zayne Parekh or Sam Dickinson have contributed to this D-corps? Could Berkly Catton or Cayden Lindstrom have added some offensive spark from lower in the lineup? At the very least, bringing in more draft-eligible players—even if they barely play—could help bridge the gap in weaker years. 

While Canada definitely suffered through some bad luck and a weaker crop of players, those are not the only issues that are responsible for Canada’s early World Juniors exit.

The Badgers’ men’s volleyball team is back in the win column after picking up back-to-back victories against the Trent Excalibur to close the first half of the schedule with a 6-2 record. 

In the first game of the weekend matchup, the Badgers got off to a hot start early, delighting the many kids in attendance during the annual School Day Game. 

Thanks to strong net play, the Badgers got a sizeable lead early and never looked back. Devin Cooney, a second-year outside hitter, had five of Brock’s 13 kills in the set to propel the Badgers to a dominant 25-16 opening set victory. 

However, the Excalibur responded in the second. 

With the set tied at four, Trent went on a 5-1 run to blow the set open, never giving up the lead. The Excalibur earned their lead in large part to 11 kills – their most in any set in the match – while registering a game-high attacking percentage of .429 per cent. 

The visitors took the second set 25-20, which set up a crucial third set. 

Both teams exchanged spurts of positive play in the third while not letting their opponent take control of the set.  

The Badgers were on the front foot early with a 5-2 lead, but the Excalibur quickly responded with three of their nine kills in the set plus a Brock error to go up 6-5, as there were nine lead changes in the set. 

With Brock down 20-17, Cooney smashed one of his game-high 17 kills to swing momentum in the Badgers’ favour. The Badgers closed the set on an 8-3 run to win the third 25-23 and go within one set of their fifth win of the season. 

Given the importance of the fourth set in determining the outcome of the match, both teams brought their A-game, resulting in a back-and-forth opening to the set. Neither team had a lead larger than a singular point until the Excalibur handed Brock the win at the tail end of the set. 

With the set levelled at 20, Trent committed four attack errors on the final five points of the game, gifting the Badgers the 25-20 victory to win the weekend opener 3-1. 

The Excalibur continued gift-giving at the beginning of the first set of Saturday’s game when Brock’s first three points were from Trent’s service and attacking errors. The Excalibur committed five attacking errors in the set – their most in any set – which paired with Sauli Lianga smashing down three of Brock’s nine kills in the set to give the Badgers the 25-17 first set win. 

The second set featured much of the same Badger dominance, especially midway through the set. 

With the Excalibur up 6-4, the Badgers went on an 11-1 run to go up 15-7. 

On that momentum-swinging run, the Badgers got contributions from everyone on the floor. Cooney had four of his game-high 13 kills during that run, while Kylar Code contributed with one of his 10 kills and Grant Reddon earned on a block. 

The Badgers won the second set 25-18 and were a set away from sweeping the Excalibur. 

In the third, the Badgers did not take their foot off the gas pedal, eagerly looking for their sixth win of the season. 

Brock registered 15 kills in the set – the most in any set in the match – as Adrian Gaspar, Lianga and Reddon all factored into the match defensively. Gaspar led all players with a game-high six digs, while Lianga and Reddon both had five apiece. 

The Badgers took the third set 25-20, winning their second consecutive game against the Trent Excalibur and head into the winter break on a two-game winning streak. 

Next up for the Badgers is an exhibition game in Amherst, NY on Jan. 4^th against Daemen University, before returning to OUA action with a pair of home games against the RMC Paladins on Jan. 6^th and 7^th. For more information about the Badgers’ men’s volleyball team, head to gobadgers.ca. 

In a closely contested battle on Friday, Dec. 1, the Brock Badgers men’s basketball team faced a heart-wrenching defeat at the hands of the Waterloo Warriors with a final score of 73-71. The game was a rollercoaster of emotions, showcasing the high effort level of both teams throughout each quarter. 

Junior forward Jordan Tchuente emerged as a standout performer for the Badgers, leading the team with an impressive stat line of 14 points, five rebounds, two assists and one steal. Tchuente’s versatility on the court was instrumental in keeping the Badgers in the game until the final moments. 

The Badgers encountered a slow start on the offensive end, struggling to find their rhythm and falling behind 14-12 at the end of the first quarter. Despite the early offensive challenges, the team showcased tenacious defence to stay within striking distance. 

The second quarter witnessed a turnaround for the Badgers as they found their offensive groove. Isaiah Bujdoso’s contributions both inside and outside the paint, coupled with a relentless full-court press, allowed Brock to gain momentum. Michael Matas capped off a resilient first half with a buzzer-beating three-pointer, giving the Badgers a slim 40-38 lead heading into halftime. 

The third quarter saw the Badgers extending their lead through high-paced transition play, with Tchuente and Nemanja Sarkanovic capitalizing on fouls and converting at the free-throw line. Heading into the final quarter with a 61-54 lead, the Badgers seemed poised for victory. 

However, the shooting struggles that haunted Brock in the first quarter resurfaced in the fourth. Waterloo took advantage of the Badgers’ cold spell, chipping away at the lead. In a dramatic turn of events, the Warriors seized control in the final minute, leaving the Badgers unable to mount a comeback. 

Despite the heartbreaking loss, there were notable individual performances for the Badgers. Michael Matas secured his first double-double of the season with 11 points and 14 rebounds, while Isaiah Bujdoso contributed 12 points and an impressive five steals. 

The next night the Badgers faced off against Laurier in yet another close matchup, once again losing by two points, 77-75. Brock is now below .500 for the first time this season with a 4-5 record.  

You can catch the Badgers next game on Jan. 5 at home against TMU. They will look to sweep the season series against the Bold and get back to .500. Tickets for the game can be found via the link here or catch the game on OUA.tv.  

For more information on the Brock men’s basketball team, please visit gobadgers.ca.  

While UEFA Euro 2024 is still six and a half months away, all participating nations learned of their group stage opponents during Saturday’s draw. With all six groups determined, here are five marquee matchups to look forward to in June. 

Germany vs. Scotland 

Euro 2024’s opening match features hosts Germany taking on Scotland in Munich. 

Germany will be looking to avenge their 2022 World Cup disappointment, which saw them lose 2-1 to Japan preventing them from advancing to the knockout round. 

The three-time Euro Champions haven’t lifted the trophy since 1996 but are hoping that their opening game against Scotland – who have never advanced past the group stage at the Euros – could set them on the right foot forward in the competition.  

However, Scotland will be no pushover for the Germans as they’ve recently shown that they can compete against the goliaths of soccer. 

The Scots defeated Spain 2-0 in Euro qualifying on the heels of a Scott McTominay brace, as his side finished second in their group, winning five of eight matches and only losing one. 

Scotland also famously drew England in the previous Euro Cup, as well as defeating Euro 2020 semi-finalists Denmark in a World Cup Qualifiers game in November of 2021. 

England vs. Denmark 

England and Denmark have recent history against one another in European tournaments, which should set up a fantastic matchup in June. 

At Euro 2020, the two teams met in the semi-finals at Wembley Stadium in London, when Harry Kane – England’s top goal scorer – buried the extra time winner to defeat the Danes 2-1.  

This time around, Denmark will be looking for revenge against the Three Lions and claim the top spot in their group, which includes Slovenia and Serbia. 

Both England and Denmark are currently in form, which should result in some high-quality soccer to be played next summer. The English side won six of eight games in qualifying, while Denmark won seven of 10, as both teams won their respective groups. 

France vs. Netherlands 

France and the Netherlands are no strangers to one another, having met twice in Euro 2024 qualifying. 

The French won both of those matchups by a combined score of 6-1 (4-0 and 2-1) as the magnificent Kylian Mbappe netted four of France’s six goals in those games. 

However, the Dutch were without defender Denzel Dumfries in the 4-0 shellacking, as the Netherlands relied on the Inter Milan right-back to protect the Dutch’ right sideline, which includes stopping French stars Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann.  

But even with Dumfries in the lineup, France is still a formidable opponent having won the 2018 World Cup and finishing as 2022 World Cup runners-up after a tough loss to Lionel Messi and Argentina. 

The game should be intense and a tactical battle on both sides of the pitch, as it is likely to decide the winner of Group D, which also includes Austria and playoff winner A. 

Spain vs. Italy 

This “Group of Death” matchup on matchday two will have significant implications on group positioning, as earning a win is vital to have a chance at advancing out of Group B (Spain, Italy, Croatia and Albania). 

These two monstrous soccer nations have met in the semi-finals of the last two European tournaments, with each team winning one of them. 

In the semi-final of Euro 2020, the Italians defeated Spain in penalties en route to lifting their second Euro Cup after beating England in the finals, also in penalties. 

Two years later, Spain got their revenge when they beat Italy 2-1 in the Nations League semi-final before they won their first-ever Nations League title shortly thereafter. 

All eyes in the soccer world will be tuning into this rivalry, as it very well can be the most entertaining game in the group stage given the recent history and star power of both teams. 

Spain vs. Croatia 

This matchup features two teams at opposite ends of the spectrum but with the same goal of becoming European Champions. 

Spain’s young midfielder core of Gavi and Pedri, who both play for Barcelona, are on the rise and are expected to have a monumental impact on Spain’s push for a fourth European title. 

For Croatia, midfielders Luka Modrić and Ivan Perišić are past their prime, as Croatia’s championship window is quickly closing despite being close to glory on numerous occasions. 

Croatia finished as a semi-finalist at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and lost to France in the 2018 World Cup final. This could be the last opportunity for the Croats to lift a major trophy with this core. 

They will be looking for their veteran experience to outmatch the youthful players that Luis de la Fluente selects in his starting 11 for Spain, as both teams will be looking for a win on matchday one to give them the front foot in the “Group of Death.” 

For more information on Euro 2024, head to uefa.com. 

The Badgers’ women’s basketball team could not withstand the Laurier Golden Hawks comeback as Brock fell 61-60 on the road, to head into the winter break with a 5-4 record. 

Madalyn Weinert led the Badgers in scoring with 23 points, as Oluwatitio Akinnusi registered a game-high 14 rebounds, seven of which were on the offensive glass. 

The first quarter began positively for the Badgers as they knocked down three three-pointers in the frame, two by Olivia Fiorucci and one by Angeline Campbell, accounting for nine of Brock’s 17 points in the quarter. 

Defensively, the Badgers limited the Golden Hawks to 25 per cent shooting, including only one made three-pointer, as the Badgers had the six-point lead through one. 

In the second, Weinert, the OUA’s second-leading point scoring coming into the contest, showed her all-star calibre skillset. The junior guard scored 10 of Brock’s 21 points in the frame as she drained both of her three-point attempts and only missed one field goal going four-for-five in the quarter. 

Akinnusi also showed her size and strength picking up six rebounds in the quarter, three of which were on the offensive end as rebounding was a huge strength for the Badgers. They outrebounded Laurier 25-12 in the half and 48-29 in the game, which led to Brock outscoring the Golden Hawks by 13 in second-chance points.  

The combination of rebounding and high shooting percentage gave Brock the 38-31 halftime lead when things quickly went downhill. 

The Golden Hawks came out of the break on fire, shooting nearly 40 per cent as Laurier shooters combined for four three-pointers in the quarter. Brittyn Graves buried a three to beat the buzzer and give the Golden Hawks the one-point advantage as the Badgers could not contain the lethal Laurier sharpshooters. 

Along with the inability to defend, the Badgers could not shoot the ball nor complete routine passes, committing seven turnovers in the frame compared to Laurier’s one. 

Those same miscues carried into the fourth as the quarter started off similarly to how the third ended. 

The Badgers shot an abysmal 22 per cent from the field – their lowest in any quarter in the game – as the Golden Hawk defenders clogged the paint, which resulted in Brock missing routine shots that they’d typically convert. 

Akinnusi was limited to only five points in the entire game since she was double teamed in the low block. She was a focal point for the Laurier defense, especially after her 37-point performance last weekend against McMaster. 

However, the Badgers got lucky in the fourth as the Golden Hawks’ shooters cooled down, only scoring one field goal in the entire ten minutes.  

The Achilles’ heel for the Badgers was that Laurier was able to get to the free throw line at will going seven-for-nine, which attributed to a 10-0 run midway through the quarter.  

That run by the Golden Hawks gave them their largest lead of the game, eight points, before Brock’s key players re-took control of the game, attempting to stage their own comeback. 

Noor Bazzi and Weinert hit back-to-back jumpers before Weinert added a layup to cut the deficit to just one, with a minute and a half remaining. 

The Golden Hawks went down the floor but failed to score, giving the Badgers the chance to re-take the lead and salvage the victory. 

However, the Badgers missed three opportunities to take the lead in the final minute, as the comeback fell short, resulting in a heartbreaking 61-60 loss to go into the winter break devastated. 

Next up for the Badgers is a home matchup against the TMU Bold on Jan. 5^th before heading to Toronto to take on the Varsity Blues the next day. For more information on the Badgers’ women’s basketball team, head to gobadgers.ca. 

Fresh off of Wilfrid Laurier University handing Badger’s men’s hockey only their second loss of the season, Brock headed North to Ottawa for two games this weekend, first against the Ottawa Gee Gee’s and the other against the Carleton Ravens. 

After a forgettable scoreless first period, Brock took charge less than a minute into the second period, courtesy leading goal-scorer Jacob Roach. 

After this point, both sides seemed to completely forget about the first period’s shutout affair, responding with a six-goal second period.  

The Gee Gee’s quickly got back in the game after Roach’s goal, tying the match 25 seconds later, and giving themselves their first lead three minutes after that. 

Brock responded in kind, delivering two consecutive goals off the sticks of Jordan Stock and Christophe Cote, restoring their one goal lead.  

Unfortunately, the second period was not a moment of strength for Badger goaltender Connor Ungar. Otherwise having an outstanding season and leading all OUA goalies in all statistical categories previous to Friday, Ungar struggled mightily in the second period against the Gee Gees, only making three saves on six shots in the period. Ungar allowed the Gee Gee’s third goal of the night 14 minutes into the second. 

The third would be almost equally difficult. Though the Badgers had led in shots the first and second, they mustered only six shots and no goal in the third. Though Ottawa only had seven shots of their own, they put one past Ungar early in the third and added two empty netters to secure a 6-3 victory over Brock. This is the first time the Badgers have lost back-to-back games since February.  

Looking to rebound from one of their poorest showings of the season, Brock faced Carleton the next day on Dec. 2^nd. Carleton entered the game with a 8-5-4 record and seventh in the OUA East, while Brock entered 14-3-0, first in the OUA West.  

Once again, the Badgers struck first with a Justin Brack goal 7:45 minutes in, with Jacob Roach’s assist on the goal good enough to elevate him to fifth in the OUA in that category with 15.  

Nevertheless, the Ravens responded with a goal of their own, almost exactly a minute later, knotting the score at one. 

In periods two and three, the Ravens put considerable pressure on the Badgers, putting up 15 shots in the second and 14 in the third compared to Brock’s eight and seven respectively.  

Carleton was eventually rewarded with their go-ahead goal eleven minutes into the second and added another over halfway through the third period.  

Again, the Badgers pulled Ungar to try to close the gap, while this time they didn’t surrender any empty netters, they couldn’t bring the score any closer, losing 3-1. 

This makes it three straight losses for the Badgers, a shocking revelation for a team that was undefeated a month ago and has had one loss or less for 64 of the 72 days the season has gone on.  

The Badgers won’t have a chance to redeem themselves before the New Year, when they’ll play twice in the first week, first against Toronto Metropolitan on Jan. 4^th 2024 and Guelph at home on Jan. 6^th. For more information, visit gobadgers.ca.  

On Nov. 22^nd, after practicing with his team—the Chicago Blackhawks—only a day earlier as if nothing was wrong, Corey Perry was scratched from the lineup in that night’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. 

While mystifying reporters, the situation also confused many of Perry’s teammates who had not been made privy to the decision.  

“We’ve got a lot of young guys, so it’s kind of a shock at first,” Blackhawks forward Nick Foligno.  

Connor Bedard, the Blackhawks franchise talent, added “Obviously it sucks he’s not here but we don’t really have too much information on it or anything yet.”  

Two days later, still without any additional information, Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson told reporters that the team had made the decision that Perry would be absent from the team for the foreseeable future. Three days after that, the Blackhawks placed Perry on waivers for the purpose of contract termination, and, just like that, without a shred of public information, Corey Perry was gone.  

Though he played well this season—on pace for 20 goals and 46 points—at age 38, this is probably the last we’ll see of Perry in an NHL uniform. It’s an unceremonious end to the career of one of the best players of the 2010’s. Perry won the 2005 Memorial Cup, the 2007 Stanley Cup, 2005 World Junior Gold, 2016 World Cup Gold, and Olympic Gold Medals in 2010 and 2014. Individually, Perry was a four-time all-star (twice all-NHL first-team), the 2011 “Rocket” Richard and the 2011 Hart Trophy to go along with 421 goals and 892 points in 1,273 games.  

With this situation occurring with such a high-profile player with so little clarity, rumours were bound to fly, and that’s exactly what occurred. 

In the course of all this mystery, a particularly disgusting rumour began floating around that Perry had engaged in a sexual relationship with Connor Bedard’s mother on the Blackhawk’s “Mother’s trip” where all the player’s mothers travelled with the team for a short period.  

Later on Bedard, Bedard was forced by a reporter to qualify these ridiculous claims, though Bedard called the rumours, “…just a bunch of internet BS.” 

When Davidson held a press conference later on the 28^th, he also had to confront this baseless rumour, opening his statement by saying, “This does not involve any players or their families, and anything that suggests otherwise, or anyone that suggests otherwise, is wildly inaccurate, and frankly, it’s disgusting.” Davidson continue that, “This has been a tough situation and I understand you wanted answers. It was important that we took all the necessary steps before sharing more.” 

Ultimately, Davidson’s press conference revealed little except that this was a “workplace matter” and nothing criminal was involved.  

On Nov. 30^th Perry released his own statement on the matter, though it added some more details, it was still lacking in clarity as to what occurred. Perry’s statement, once again, emphasized that this situation in no way involved any team members or their families, but that instead it had to do with struggles with alcohol abuse.  

It was later reported by Frank Seravalli that the incident was “alcohol-fueled” and had occurred at a Blackhawks corporate event with sponsors and team employees in attendance.  

The Blackhawks players still don’t seem to have a great idea of what’s going on, and its not apparent that we will ever get any more clarification on what happened. Then again, maybe we don’t need to.  

As tough as it is with such a public situation as this, its important to remember that professional athletes are people too, people who would prefer their struggles with mental health issues and substance abuse broadcast far and wide.  

The same goes for Connor Bedard, who only turned 18 this past July. The rumour that was concocted around Bedard was vile on its own, but it’s a particularly bad look when it’s directed at someone who’s too young to even buy a beer in the city he plays in.  

Maybe this past week can be a lesson to hockey fans everywhere: mind your own business.  

Brock’s women’s volleyball team didn’t leave much to chance this weekend, playing in their last two games before the holiday break, handily defeating Lakehead University in two straight-set victories.  

Entering the match as a bottom-five team in the OUA, Lakehead surprised the Badgers by going up 3-0 to start set one, but quickly gave up 15 of the next 17 points, falling behind 15-5. The Badgers then score 10 of the next 15 points, decimating Lakehead in a 25-10 set one victory. Brock finished with 10 kills (their lowest set total of the weekend) on only two errors. Lakehead committed 10 errors to only five kills.   

Lakehead had much more success in set two, recording their highest number of kills (16) and fewest errors (6). 

Lakehead were able to eek out a 5-2 lead early, and though the Badgers fought back to make it close, Lakehead held onto the lead for much of the second set. However, late in the set down 18-16, Brock turned the set on its head by scoring the next five points to take a 21-18 lead. Lakehead made things close in the end, but it still wasn’t enough as the Badgers took the set 25-22. 

Though set three ended in a close score, the Badgers were largely in the driver’s seat for the whole set. Brock took a commanding 15-9 lead early that Lakehead picked away at down the stretch. The closest things got was when Lakehead turned a 12-17 deficit into only a 16-17 one, though the score would not come within two again. After another strong set with 16 kills to 5 errors, the Badgers took another 25-22 set and a 3-0 match victory.  

The two squads lined up again on Dec. 2^nd, and luckily for Lakehead, the Badgers would struggle significantly more at their net, giving up six or more errors in all three sets. Unluckily for Lakehead, the Badgers were just as quick to capitalize on their opponents’ mistakes.  

Brock blew them out of the water to begin set one, opening with a 10-1 run. Lakehead inched their way closer throughout, but seemed out of the set when they went down 20-10. Though the Badgers got complacent and let Lakehead bring it back to 24-18, Brock still closed out the first set.  

In set two, Lakehead established a lead to open the set, but soon squandered it when Brock went on a six-point run to turn 10-7 into 13-10. Lakehead kept things competitive but were outscored 12-10 from there on out, leaving Brock winning set two. 

Unlike most other sets this weekend, set three of game two stayed interesting until the final point. Brock secured an early 4-1 lead that Lakehead was able to draw to a tie at 10-10. Both sides traded points from there, neither side able to pull ahead by more than two.  

Tied 23-23 with a legitimate chance to win, Lakehead committed a service error than gave up an ace, losing the set 25-23.  

Freshman Daryan Chadwick led both sides with 12 kills in game, while Emily Foest led with three aces, and Mackenna Knox led in assists (36) and digs (12).  

Brock’s next two games come post-break with a double-header at home against the Royal Military College on Jan. 6^th and 7^th. For more information, check out gobadgers.ca. 

On Friday, Dec. 1, the Brock Badgers women’s hockey team played against the Waterloo Warriors at Canada Games Park. The highly anticipated match resulted in a 3-1 victory for the visitors, highlighting the Badgers’ recent struggles. 

The game saw sophomore forward Jenna Duarte extending her recent hot streak by scoring for the second time in the last three games. Duarte’s fifth goal of the season stood as the lone goal for the Badgers in the contest, showcasing her offensive prowess and contribution to the team. 

Waterloo’s Tatum Jones opened the scoring early in the first period, netting her fifth goal of the season on the power play at the 5:01 mark. The Warriors continued to apply pressure in the second period, with Leah Herrfort and Faith Mitchell finding the back of the net, extending their lead. Despite Brock’s eight shots in the frame, they were unable to find the score sheet. 

Duarte’s goal near the midway point of the third period narrowed the Warriors’ lead to just two goals, giving the Badgers a sense of hope. Brock wasn’t able to capitalise on the late power-play opportunity, ultimately falling short in the face of Waterloo’s strong defensive performance. 

The outcome of the game was significantly influenced by the teams’ power play performances. Waterloo capitalized on two of their five chances, while Brock struggled to convert on their four power-play opportunities. The efficiency of the power play proved crucial in determining the final score. 

The Badgers now have a record of 5-7-0-2 and will resume play in the new year on Friday, Jan. 5, as they hit the road to face the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks (3-7-1-2) in Oshawa at 7 p.m. Badgers fans can catch the game on OUA.tv, and should anticipate another thrilling matchup in the ongoing season. 

For more information on the Brock women’s hockey team, please visit gobadgers.ca. 

In the first of two games of the weekend, the Brock men’s basketball team secured a hard-fought victory against the No. 4 ranked Queen’s Gaels, prevailing with a final score of 76-72. The Bob Davis Gymnasium witnessed an intense clash, marking the Badgers’ third consecutive matchup against a nationally ranked opponent. 

The Badgers’ offensive prowess was on full display, with four players finishing in double digits. Senior guard Jevon Brown led the charge with 16 points, showcasing his scoring ability while contributing four rebounds and four assists. Jordan Tchuente added 13 points, Kevaughn Ellis contributed 12 and Isaiah Bujdoso rounded out the quartet with 11 points. 

The opening quarter set the tone for the Badgers’ dominance, as Tchuente and Brown orchestrated impressive plays for interior baskets. The relentless team defence of Brock posed significant challenges for Queens, resulting in a first-quarter lead of 21-12. 

Maintaining the momentum in the second quarter, the Badgers displayed a fast-paced style of play. Freshman guard Anthony Heyes got the crowd on their feet with two three-pointers, helping Brock to a comfortable 44-33 lead at halftime. 

However, Queen’s was not to be underestimated, staging a comeback in the third quarter. The Gaels chipped away at the Badgers’ lead, closing the gap to 60-52 by the end of the third quarter. 

The fourth quarter witnessed a seesaw battle, with Queen’s intensifying their efforts to erase the Badgers’ lead. In a crucial moment, Jordan Nelson sank a three-pointer to shift the momentum back in favour of Brock. The Badgers demonstrated composure in the closing minutes, securing the win through clutch free-throw shooting by freshman forward Andrew Mckenna. 

The battle’s statistics reflected the closely contested nature of the game. Queens’ Luka Syllas led his team with 21 points, while Michael Kelvin and Isaac Krueger contributed 16 and 12 points respectively. Despite their efforts, the Gaels fell short as the Badgers showcased their resilience. 

The win against the No. 4 ranked Queen’s Gaels adds another feather to the cap of the Brock Badgers, solidifying their standing as a force to be reckoned with in the competitive landscape of Canadian university basketball. As they continue to navigate a challenging schedule, the Badgers aim to build on this momentum and further assert their dominance in the league. 

For more information on the Brock men’s basketball team, please visit gobadgers.ca. 

In a closely contested match on Thursday, Nov. 23, the Brock Badgers’ women’s hockey team played against the Western Mustangs in London. Despite a valiant effort, the Badgers fell short in a 2-1 loss. The game showcased an outstanding performance by fourth-year goaltender Kenzie Harmison, who made 27 saves out of 29 shots. 

The first period saw Western apply pressure on the power play, but the Badgers successfully defended, keeping the score level at zero. The second period brought a moment of triumph for Brock as sophomore forward Jenna Duarte, assisted by Allison Stevenson, skillfully maneuvred around a defender to score her fourth goal of the year. However, Western’s Haylie Kirkpatrick responded just over 40 seconds later, tying the game. 

The tide turned in the late third period when a loose puck in front of the net resulted in Western taking the lead. Despite a strong effort from the Badgers, they couldn’t secure an equaliser, and the Mustangs claimed victory. Brock’s ability to successfully kill off all seven penalties was noteworthy, highlighting their resilience in shorthanded situations. 

The challenges persisted for the Brock Badgers as they faced the No. 6 Guelph Gryphons on Saturday, Nov. 25 at Canada Games Park, resulting in a 5-0 defeat. 

Guelph took an early lead in the first period, with Maeve Sutherland-Case scoring on the power play at the 5:20 mark. The Gryphons extended their lead to 3-0 after 20 minutes of play with goals from Jessica Kouleas and Vanessa Bueti. Guelph added two more goals in the second and third periods, with Sutherland-Case earning her second of the night and Maya Graham getting on the board. 

Despite an effort from goaltender Kenzie Harmison to keep her team in the game, Guelph’s dominance prevailed. Harmison made an impressive 38 saves in the contest, despite allowing 5 goals. 

As the Badgers look to regroup, they will host the Waterloo Warriors on Friday, Dec. 1, with puck drop set for 6 p.m at Canada Games Park. 

For more information on the Brock women’s hockey team, visit gobadgers.ca.

The sporting landscape is intensifying heading into the holiday season. As December approaches, here are five marquee sporting events and storylines to follow over the next month. 

NBA crowns their inaugural In-Season Tournament Champion 

On Dec. 9^th, the new NBA Cup will be lifted for the first time in Las Vegas. 

Over the last few weeks, all 30 teams have competed in group stage action with the aspirations of ultimately advancing to the Sin City for the semifinals and finals. 

Although winning the In-Season Tournament title does not result in an automatic playoff or play-in berth, as many have argued it should, bragging rights among league rivals and $500,000 in prize money is a worthwhile incentive.  

It will be intriguing to watch some of the NBA’s brightest stars head to The Strip, looking to add another achievement to their resume. 

NFL playoff race heats up 

With the NFL playoffs just over a month away, the race for the final playoff spots is heating up. 

At the conclusion of Week 12, the Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles, Detroit Lions, Atlanta Falcons and San Francisco 49ers all lead their respective divisions. However, nothing is certain in the NFL as teams are likely to be jockeying for playoff spots down the stretch. 

The most intriguing playoff race is the AFC Wild Card, with three spots up for grabs. 

Currently, the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns and Indianapolis Colts hold those three spots. But the Houston Texans, Denver Broncos and Buffalo Bills among numerous others are in the running, eager to snatch one of those spots and contend for the illustrious Super Bowl title.  

UFC 296 takes over Las Vegas 

Headlining the UFC 296 card on Dec. 16^th is a welterweight title bout between the current champion Leon Edwards and challenger Colby Covington. Edwards will be looking to retain his title, as the southpaw has the height and reach advantage over Covington. 

The co-main event features the flyweight title fight between the champion Alexandre Pantoja and Brandon Royal. Pantoja, the Brazilian 33-year-old, will be looking to defeat Royal for the second time in his career after he defeated Royal via second-round submission in August 2021. 

The main card at T-Mobile Arena rounds out with a pair of welterweight fights and a lightweight tilt. 

UEFA Champions League group stage concludes 

The UEFA Champions League group stage concludes on Dec. 12^th and 13^th, as all 32 teams play their sixth and final group game with aspirations of finishing as one of the top two teams in their group to advance to the knockout round. 

Group F (Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint Germain, AC Milan and Newcastle United) is one of the more interesting groups. Through the first four games, the first-place team Dortmund; and the fourth-place team Newcastle; are only separated by three points as each team has a win to their name. 

For the two teams that advance from Group F and all the other groups, they will find out who their Round of 16 opponent is during the Champions League draw on Dec. 18^th. 

Canada looks to repeat as IIHF World Junior Hockey Champions 

The Canadian under-20 men’s hockey team has won 35 total medals at the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship dating back to the 1977 tournament and they’ll be looking to win their third consecutive gold – 21^st overall – at this year’s competition in Gothenburg, Sweden. 

Expected to lead the Canadian team is 19-year-old forward Matthew Savoie. The St. Albert, Alberta-native registered 95 points – 38 goals and 57 assists – in 62 games with the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) Winnipeg Ice last season. This season, Savoie already has 17 points in 13 games played, in split time with the Buffalo Sabres (NHL), Rochester Americans (AHL) and Wenatchee Wild (WHL).  

Savoie and Canada begin their tournament on Boxing Day against Finland, before playing Latvia, hosts Sweden and then Germany on New Year’s Eve to close the round robin schedule. 

The entire IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship schedule can be found at iihf.com. 

It was only a year ago that Alphonso Davies scored the Canadian men’s national team’s first goal in the FIFA World Cup. 12 months later, that iconic moment in Canadian sports history feels like a lifetime ago after Canada’s devasting home loss on Nov. 21^st to Jamaica in the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Nations League. 

Canada’s growth as a soccer nation began on June 13^th, 2017, when 16-year-old Davies made his international debut for the senior team, becoming the youngest player in history to represent Canada at the senior level. 

His promotion to the senior team sparked optimism within Canada Soccer and among Canadian soccer fans, as there were high expectations for the youngster to become the star of the Canadian national team. Those expectations have certainly been fulfilled since his debut in 2017. 

Given Davies’ skillset and profound knowledge of the game, it didn’t take long for the Edmonton-native to score his first goal with the senior team. On July 7^th, 2017, Davies buried his first two goals for Canada in a 4-2 CONCACAF Gold Cup win against French Guiana.  

Although the Canadian team was eventually eliminated by Jamaica in the quarterfinals of that tournament, the future was bright for Les Rouges. 

Just over a year after the 2017 Gold Cup, Jonathan David – another Canadian soccer superstar – made his debut with the senior national team. 

On Sept. 9^th, 2018, the 18-year-old striker scored a brace in five minutes, for his first two Canadian goals in an 8-0 trouncing of the U.S. Virgin Islands in a CONCACAF Nations League Qualifying game. 

Fast forward two and a half years later, Davies, David and new head coach John Herdman – who took over after leading the Canadian women’s national team to back-to-back Olympic bronze medals – were all entering their first FIFA World Cup Qualifying campaign together.  

The squad, centred around the two young superstars, cruised through the first round of qualifying, outscoring their opponents – Suriname, Bermuda, Aruba and the Cayman Islands – by a combined score of 27-1. 

Canada’s plus-26 goal differential after round one carried into the second round as they swept Haiti in both legs by an aggregate score of 4-0. 

With the win against Haiti, Canada qualified into the “real” qualifying window against CONCACAF’s top nations: Mexico, United States, Panama, Jamaica, Costa Rica, Honduras and El Salvador. 

On Sept. 2^nd, 2021, Canada opened the final round of qualifying at home with a 1-1 draw to Honduras, before earning another point in Nashville after holding the Americans to a draw. 

Three days later, Canada picked up their first win of the final round at Toronto’s BMO Field, beating El Salvador 3-0, and it all went up from there. 

In the following international window, Canada drew Mexico on the road at the hostile Estadio Azteca, a place where the Mexicans have been indisputable. Mexico has won 41 of the 51 games they’ve played there in World Cup Qualifying since 2018, and they’ve only lost twice. Toronto FC’s Jonathan Osorio scored Canada’s goal that game at the end of the first half to even the score at one and hold on for the monumental result.  

Canada’s biggest wins of qualifying came at home against both Mexico and the United States. 

In a cold and snowy Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton on Nov. 16^th, 2021, Cyle Larin scored a brace for Canada to withstand a Mexican comeback and hold onto a 2-1 victory. 

Two months later in Hamilton, Ontario, Larin’s seventh-minute goal not only gave Canada the lead but also made him the all-time leading goal scorer among Canadian men, surpassing Dwayne De Rosario for top spot. Sam Adekugbe scored in second half stoppage time to give the Canadians the 2-0 win against the rival Americans. 

Through the final round of qualifying, the Canadians won eight of 14 games, while drawing four and only losing two, to finish atop of the table with a plus-16 goal differential and 28 points. 

Canada’s dominance all throughout qualifying earned them their highest spot ever on the FIFA World Rankings, ranking 33^rd on Feb. 10^th, 2022. 

More importantly, their first-place finish qualified Canada for the FIFA World Cup for the first time since 1986, which was before all but one player – Atiba Hutchinson – was even born. 

At that point, the squad was booming with confidence heading into Qatar with legitimate aspirations of not only winning the country’s first ever game at the World Cup but making it out of their group and going on a deep run. 

In Canada’s group, Les Rouges were up against Belgium, the number two ranked team in the world heading into the World Cup; Croatia, the 2018 World Cup Runners-Up; and Morocco. 

Against Belgium, the Canadians were on the front foot early, resulting in a penalty kick being awarded to Canada which was ultimately missed. Right before half time, Michy Batshuayi put Belgium on the board with the goal that stood as the winner as Canada dropped their opener of the 2022 World Cup. 

However, it didn’t take Canada long to avenge their loss to Belgium and take the lead in their second match against Croatia. 

In the second minute of the match, Davies scored Canada’s first ever FIFA World Cup goal which was celebrated and cherished across the country. 

But this memorable moment may have been Canada’s peak as a soccer nation. 

Canada ended up losing that game 4-1 as poor play to close out the first half and a lackluster second half resulted in a calamitous loss and elimination from advancing in the tournament. 

To make matters worse, the Canadians were also brutal in their final match against Morocco – though Morocco did end up reaching the semifinals – losing 2-1 and going winless in the country’s first World Cup in 36 years. 

Since their loss to Morocco on Dec. 1^st, 2022, the Canadian men’s national team have continued to perform poorly after dropping some big matches in 2023. 

On June 18^th, 2023, Canada lost to the United States in the 2022-23 CONCACAF Nations League Final, before losing again to the Americans a few weeks later – albeit Canada lost in penalties – in the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinals. 

Most recently, the Canadians lost 3-2 to Jamaica – 4-4 on aggregate, losing on away goals – to be eliminated in the quarterfinals of the 2023-24 CONCACAF Nations League. 

More importantly, the loss also meant that Canada did not automatically qualify for the 2024 CONMEBOL Copa America.  

Competing in the Copa America would provide the Canadian team with intense matches against some of the best teams in South America – Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Colombia – whose talents far exceed that of CONCACAF, the North American region. 

Now, the Canadians need to win a do-or-die game against Trinidad and Tobago on March 23^rd, 2024 – who beat the United States 2-1 in their second leg – to qualify for the tournament as one of the six CONCACAF nations participating. 

Beating Trinidad and Tobago will be no easy task, especially for a team that is going through some shuffling off the field. 

John Herdman stepped down as head coach of the Canadian team on Aug. 28^th, 2023, to pursue an opportunity as coach of Toronto FC. 

Part of Herdman’s reasoning for leaving the Canadian team was because he did not feel that the team had sufficient resources and financial support from Canada Soccer to make a serious push at the 2026 World Cup as The Athletic’s Joshua Kloke reported. 

Canada Soccer’s financial struggles have been well documented and is a microcosm of money mismanagement and poor leadership as reported by TSN’s Rick Westhead. 

Now, the Canadian men’s national team is bound to suffer because of the inexcusable decision-making by Canada Soccer executives, which has left holes both on and off the pitch, leading to devasting losses on the field. 

With the loss to Jamaica, the loss of former head coach John Herdman and the lack of resources it appears that Canada Soccer has, the next few weeks and months will be interesting to see what changes are made. Those changes will dictate whether Canada features at the 2024 Copa America and if they can be a formidable team when they co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup in just over two and a half years’ time. 

For more information on the Canadian senior men’s national team, head to canadasoccer.com.