Retour
Between hockey and soccer, there was plenty to entertain the fans over this Thanksgiving weekend. Oh, and there was a bit of basketball and tennis mixed in, too.
On the ice, the Ottawa Senators and Edmonton Oilers maintained their hot start while the Toronto Maple Leafs will hope they found a momentum building win.
On the pitch, Toronto FC produced its most dramatic win of the season in the 401 Derby against CF Montreal while the Canada women's soccer team played a couple of matches against Denmark to gear up for a crucial World Cup qualifier later in the year.
The Toronto Raptors made their way to Vancouver to take on the Los Angeles Clippers and, not to be forgotten, Gabriela Dabrowski once again did Canada proud on the tennis court.
Here's everything you need to know from the week that was.
Ottawa and Edmonton are flying the flag high for Canada with the Senators losing just once through six games and the Oilers yet to lose in regulation.
The Senators defeated the New Jersey Devils 4-1 for their latest victory and currently sit pretty atop the Atlantic Division. Tim Stutzle has been their main man, scoring five goals to go along with five assists.
In one of the early mouthwatering clashes of the season, Connor McDavid and Macklin Celebrini went toe-to-toe as the Oilers matched up against the San Jose Sharks. Celebrini, now Sharks captain and fresh off a lucrative extension, did score but it was the Oilers that came away with a 3-1 win.
McDavid collected his 10th assist, staying atop the NHL points board with 13.
After a demoralizing 4-3 shootout loss on Thursday to the Vegas Golden Knights after leading 3-0, the Toronto Maple Leafs found a reason to smile with a 6-3 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday.
William Nylander had himself a night to remember, racking up a career-high five points courtesy two goals and three assists. After a quiet start, No. 1 overall selection Gavin McKenna has come along with a goal and three assists. The Leafs wrap up a three-game road trip Tuesday night in Utah.
The Canada women's soccer team played a pair of friendlies against Denmark over the past week, drawing 1-1 in Montreal before dropping a thrilling 4-3 encounter in Toronto on Thanksgiving Monday.
It was the nature of the defeat at BMO Field that raises a level of concern as Canada will get set to play a crucial World Cup qualifier against Panama in about six weeks. Canada took an early lead before being rocked by three Danish goals in the span of nine minutes.
All the more worrying was the manner in which the three goals were conceded, with all three off giveaways from the backline and the first catching goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan out of goal with a shot from near the halfway line.
"I think we have to be disappointed we lost the game," head coach Casey Stoney said after. "We've conceded four goals with a lack of attention, I need to look at it and take responsibility in terms of making sure, yes, we're creating more chances but we can't be surrendering so many transition moments."
There was a moment to remember near the very end, as veteran Alysha Chapman came on as a substitute to represent Canada one final time. Chapman made the decision to retire entering this international window and made a fantastic effort as the last woman back to prevent a fifth goal for the Danes.
Trailing 1-0 to Montreal FC at BMO Field in the 401 Derby with only four minutes of injury time remaining, a season that was hanging by a thread and a team that looked set to be put out of its misery, Toronto FC looked down and out. Despite that, the team refused to accept its fate.
Not for the first time this season, Robin Fraser's side showed its tremendous character and resilience to score in the 93 rd and 95 th minute to steal victory from the jaws of defeat. The first featured two recent signings as Niklas Dorsch received a throw-in from Richie Laryea on the right side and sent an inch-perfect cross to the far post where Lewis Morgan volleyed home with his left foot.
For the winner, CF Montreal looked to attack but lost possession and the ball made its way to Djordje Mihailovic on the left side. He quickly found an oncoming Laryea, who found recent Canada call-up Theo Corbeanu marauding down the right. Allowing the ball to come across his body, Corbeanu squared a low cross inside the box and Mihailovic ran onto it at the perfect time to smash home the winner and spark scenes of jubilation in Toronto.
"We've proven all year along, especially here at BMO Field, that we don't give up," Mihailovic said. "I don't know how many points we've won from losing positions now, most of them were draws, but today we finally came back and took all three points.
"There's never a loss of hope when we play here."
With six matches remaining in the season, Toronto FC is now just one point out of a Wildcard spot currently held by Red Bull New York and New York City FC. TFC is also two points behind Orlando for an automatic playoff spot, who they face next on Wednesday.
While Canada did see several things that need improving over the course of their two matches against Denmark, head coach Casey Stoney and the entire team will be thrilled with what they saw out of rising star Olivia Smith.
Smith scored in both matches and was a constant threat to the Danish defenders. She is strong on the ball, quick, tricky, and only growing in confidence. Playing for Liverpool the year before and Arsenal now, Smith has won the PFA Young Women's Player of the Year award two years in a row now. This assist below exemplifies everything she's about.
At just 22, Smith already looks every bit the part that can become the face of the women's soccer program for years to come.
"That's the best version of 'Liv we've seen since I've been in this role," Stoney said. "Her ceiling is extremely high if she feels valued, she feels believed in, and feels confident, that's what she's capable of."
The Toronto Raptors picked up their first win of the preseason on Saturday night, defeating the Los Angeles Clippers 114-106 in front of a packed house in Vancouver.
R.J. Barrett led all scorers with 20 points and had five rebounds plus five assists to go along with it. Immanuel Quickley was right behind him, putting on an excellent shooting display with 18 points that including 5-of-6 shooting from three-point range.
Scottie Barnes played well but got the most attention for spending some of his downtime biking around Stanley Park.
The Raptors have three preseason games remaining, the next on Tuesday night against defending champ New York Knicks in Toronto. Darko Rajakovic confirmed that Kawhi Leonard will be available to play after missing the first two games.
Gabriela Dabrowski won the 25 th tour-level doubles title of her career at the China Open, teaming up with Brazilian Luisa Stefani to defeat top-seeded Katerina Siniakova and Zhang Shuai 6-1, 6-2 on Sunday.
It's Dabrowski's fifth title of the season.
"Obviously today's performance was a really great culmination of the entire week, which was awesome for us," Dabrowski said. "We brought a really high level. Our opponents forced us to do that with their reputation, the number of times we've played them."
There was more good news from China, where Felix Auger-Aliassime advanced to the Round of 16 at the Shanghai Masters. He defeated Spain's Pablo Carreno Busta 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 and will now face Norway's Casper Ruud in the quarterfinal.
Shanghai's tournament is looking wide open as well now after Carlos Alcaraz was shocked by Zizou Bergs 7-5, 7-6(4).
American president Donald Trump showed support for controversial pitcher Roger Clemens by revealing his plans to award the seven-time Cy Young award winner the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Clemens has not been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame due to high suspicions of using steroids over the course of his 24-year career.
"We're giving him the Presidential Medal of Freedom," Trump said. "And, along with the Congressional Medal of Honor, it's the highest award bestowed upon anyone."
The president continued: "He'll be in the Hall of Fame someday, but he deserves it. One of the greatest athletes, and maybe the greatest pitcher, of all time."
Known as "The Rocket," Clemens pitched for the Toronto Blue Jays in 1997 and 1998, winning at least 20 games in both seasons with a 2.05 ERA in '97 and a 2.65 ERA in '98. He won the prestigious Cy Young award in both seasons.