SPORTS NEWS

The Abbotsford Canucks and the Charlotte Checkers faced off in game 4 of the Calder Cup playoffs, Thursday, June 19, 2025 at the Abbotsford Centre.  Abbotsford came into the game off a 6-1 victory and the 2-1 series lead. Charlotte entered the game looking to tie the series. 

After a hard-fought split on the road to open the Calder Cup Finals, the series shifts back to Abbotsford with everything still up for grabs.  The Canucks took Game 1 in thrilling fashion with a 3–2 double overtime win, before falling 4–3 in Game 2.  We caught up with defenseman Victor Mancini ahead of Game 3 to reflect on the start of the series, the locker room mindset, and what’s ahead.

After splitting the first 2 games of the Calder Cup Finals on the road, including back-to-back overtime thrillers, the Abbotsford Canucks returned home to a sold-out crowd for Games 3 through 5.  Forward Sammy Blais reflected on the opening games, the relief of the overturned goal, and what it means to chase a championship in front of a passionate home base.

June 17, 2025 marked game 3 of the Calder Cup finals between the Abbotsford Canucks and the Charlotte Checkers. Both teams secured a win in Charlotte, and looked to take the series lead in Abbotsford. 

The Calder Cup Finals kicked off on June 13, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina, between the Abbotsford Canucks and the Charlotte Checkers. They will face off in a best of 7 series where one will claim the title of Calder Cup Championship.  Games 1 and 2 took place in Charlotte before moving to Abbotsford for games 3, 4 and 5, before potentially shifting back to Charlotte for games 6 and 7. 

On June 10, 2025 the Vancouver Canadians started their 6 game series against the Spokane Indians. The Canadians entered into this series on a 4 game win streak.  The series started off strong for the Canadians, managing to pull off back to back wins against the Indians. On June 14, 2025 the Canadians had their Blue Jays day, which was a sold out. Entering into the game the Canadians were 1 win away from tying a franchise record of 9 wins in a row. 

The Vancouver Bandits pulled off an exciting comeback victory against the Montreal Alliance on June 14, 2025. Both teams came into the match up at the top of their respective conferences. Though Montreal has played three fewer games so far, with a record of 4 wins and 1 loss, compared to the Bandits 7 wins and 1 loss.

The Vancouver Bandits hosted the Ottawa Blackjacks on June 6, 2025, after a tough loss to the Calgary Surge which ended their five game win streak. The Blackjacks entered the matchup with a mid-roadtrip win against the Winnipeg Sea Bears. Their record is 2-2 so far in the season.

The BC Lions kicked off their 2025 season in front of a roaring crowd of over 52,000 at BC Place on June 7, against the Edmonton Elks.   This  was a historic game for the CFL (Canadian Football League) as it was the first time two Canadian quarterbacks: Nathan Rourke  and Tre Ford, started in a head-to-head in week 1. 

With the finals just a day away, Girls at the Games chatted with Victor Mancini about how the group has grown, what they’re focusing on, and what this whole experience has meant to him. Mancini has played an important role in Abbotsford’s playoff run. Coming in mid-year after being traded from the New York Rangers Organization, he quickly found his place with the team on and off the ice. 

After the team’s final skate before heading to Charlotte, Jaslyne caught up with Chase Wouters to chat about the season, the road to the Finals, and what they’re focusing on heading into the next round.

Vancouver and Seattle, the two new teams in the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), are officially building their rosters for their entry into the PWHL this season.  The roster building process takes place in two parts; the exclusive signing window and the expansion draft. This will build the new franchise’s roster of 12. The exclusive signing window is now over. 

June 8, 2025 marked game 6 of the Abbotsford Canucks and Texas Stars series. The past 3 games were played down in Texas, where Abbotsford won 1 of the 3 games, forcing the series back to Abbotsford.  This was an important game for both teams, as Abbotsford looked to win and secure their place in the finals, and Texas looked to win and push the series to game 7. 

All streaks must come to an end, which was the case on June 1, 2025 at the Langley Events Center. The Vancouver Bandits couldn’t sustain the momentum needed to catch the Calgary Surge in a 95-80 loss. The Bandits sat first in the Western Conference and overall in the league with five wins. This was thanks to two solid wins on the road, consisting of their first face off against the Winnipeg Sea Bears this season and a rematch against the Edmonton Stingers.

WickFest, the annual hockey festival that celebrates young female athletes and their passion for the game, visited the North Surrey Sport & Ice Complex from January 31 to February  2, 2025. This is the thirteenth year that Surrey has hosted the festival. The weekend welcomed female athletes from across Canada and the United States, offering off-ice wellness workshops and on-ice sessions with Olympic gold medalist and event founder, Hayley Wickenheiser.

This September, female hockey players will rock on their skates at the blue line, waiting for the referee to drop the puck at Vancouver's first-ever PWHL game. In the stands, fans will cheer with excitement, ready to witness a new era of women's hockey on the West Coast.  Long-time PWHL fan Alexa Liptak heard about the expansion announcement and was overwhelmed with emotion. As a reporter for the local non-profit organization Girls at the Games, Liptak has followed the PWHL

On May 27, 2025 the Vancouver Canadians played the Hillsboro Hops for the second time this season. Last series both teams were equally matched with 3 wins each.  The Canadians looked to come out on top, after an 8 game losing streak, earlier this month. Before the series started they secured 2 wins on the road, and looked to continue the momentum back home. 

“We’ll see you in the Finals next year, Stu. You guys are too good.” said Florida Panthers, Matthew Tkachuk, to Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner after they defeated them in game 7 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals.  Now, in a full circle moment, fans are getting a rematch between the Panthers and Oilers in the 2025 Stanley Cup Finals. 

May 29, 2025 marked a historic game for the Abbotsford Canucks as they kicked off round 4 of the Calder Cup playoffs against the Texas Stars, in a best of 7 series, at Abbotsford Centre.   This was the first time these teams have met in franchise history. It was a game of learning each other's playing styles and the strength of the goalies. 

The Vancouver Whitecaps FC took on the Minnesota United FC on May 28, 2025. It was a match dominated by the Whitecaps, but Minnesota held strong keeping them off the board for a final draw of 0-0. This was the Whitecaps last Major League Soccer (MLS) game before they travel to Mexico to play in the CONCACAF Champions Club Final on June 1, 2025. They were looking to get a win, but more importantly, make sure no player got injured, which they managed to do.