Men’s Curling News

Welcome to Weekend Watch, your weekly preview of all the best U SPORTS action that can’t be missed across Canada West, the OUA, RSEQ and AUS.

Men’s Hockey

Laurier @ No. 10 Guelph

Sleeman Centre
Thursday, 7:00 p.m. ET / 4:00 p.m. PT
OUA TV

The Laurier Golden Hawks visit the No.10-nationally ranked Guelph Gryphons in the 11th annual Frosty Mug on Thursday night. The Gryphons enter the OUA matchup with a 13-5-5 record and are seeking revenge for the 3-2 shootout loss to the Golden Hawks (9-10-3) in last year’s contest.

The Gryphons are currently in third place in the OUA west, while the Golden Hawks are trying to hold on to the eighth and final playoff spot. Fourth-year forward Marc Stevens – who won an OHL championship with the Guelph storm on the Sleeman centre ice – is no stranger to the venue or the Frosty Mug rivalry, scoring in the past two Guelph victories. Last year, the Frosty Mug saw an attendance of 4,850, marking the third all-time highest attendance for an OUA men’s hockey conference game.

Full Schedule

Women’s Hockey

No. 1 Concordia @ No. 5 Montreal

Friday, 7:00 p.m. ET / 4:00 p.m. PT

The top-ranked Concordia Stingers (11-1-2) visit the No. 5 Montreal Carabins (7-3-3) in the final matchup of the season between the RSEQ’s top two teams. The Stingers captured the season series last Sunday, thanks a narrow 2-1 shootut victory. Rosalie Begin-Cyr, who scored the lone regulation goal last time out, leads the conference and ranks fifth nationally with 22 points in 14 games.

But the Stingers’ only regulation loss of the season came just two weeks ago to the Carabins – a 4-3 defeat on Jan. 12 – who are led by forward Alexandra Labelle, with five goals and 11 points on the season.

The other key Top 10 matchup this weekend sees the No. 6 Alberta Pandas (16-6-0) and No. 10 Calgary Dinos (14-6-2) play a home-and-home series.

Full Schedule

Men’s Basketball

No. 7 Laurentian @ No. 6 Lakehead

Friday, 8:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. PT
OUA TV

Can you say star power?

When the No. 6 Lakehead Thunderwolves (11-3) host the No. 7 Laurentian Voyageurs (10-4) on Friday in OUA action and a Top 10 matchup, two of the most tantalizing guards will be going head to head.

For Laurentian, Kadre Gray is going for his third straight U SPORTS Player of the Year award and probably has the best team around him he's had since arriving in Sudbury. Gray is leading the OUA and ranks second nationally in both points (24.8) and assists (6.6) per game and remains one of the must watches in men's basketball this season.

The same can be said for Lakehead guard Isaiah Traylor who is nothing if not enigmatic. He is the heart and soul of the upstart Thunderwolves and not only isn't afraid to pull up from 30 feet but, will also let you know about it when it splashes through.

A matchup between guys this talented is something we don't get often.

Full Schedule

Women’s Basketball

No. 2 Calgary @ No.1 Saskatchewan

Friday, 7:00 p.m. ET / 4:00 p.m. PT
Saturday, 6:00 p.m. ET / 3:00 p.m. PT
Canada West TV Presented by Co-Op

This one speaks for itself.

The No. 1 Saskatchewan Huskies and No. 2 Calgary Dinos are the lone remaining undefeated programs in the nation and each will put their blemish-free 14-0 records on the line. The Dinos enter the weekend on a 31-game regular-season winning streak, with the Huskies delivering their western foe their last loss back on Nov. 9, 2018. Meanwhile, Saskatchewan, who has won three of the last four Canada West titles, are looking to continue their dominance in the conference this season, with 11 of their 14 wins coming via 30-plus points. With the pair of programs ranked in the top spots in the nation respectively, it should be a tremendous weekend of hoops in Saskatoon.

The women’s games will be followed by a Top 10 matchup on the men’s side, with No. 2 Calgary (14-0) undefeated heading into the weekend set against No. 8 Saskatchewan (10-4). Other women’s basketball Top 10 confrontations this weekend include No. 4 Ryerson hosting No. 3 Ottawa and No. 5 Carleton, while No. 6 Queen’s visits No. 7 Brock.

Several schools will also be hosting their Shoot for the Cure games this weekend, including Acadia, Lakehead, Memorial, Victoria, York, Dalhousie, UPEI and McGill.

Full Schedule

Men’s Volleyball

No. 1 Trinity Western @ No. 2 UBC

Friday, 10:30 p.m. ET/ 7:30 p.m. PT
Saturday, 9:30 p.m. ET / 6:30 p.m. PT
Canada West TV Presented by Co-Op

One double digit win streak will end this weekend, with the defending national champion and No. 1 ranked Trinity Western Spartans putting their 14-game win streak on the line in a showdown with the No. 2 UBC Thunderbirds in Canada West action.

UBC (13-3) comes into this contest winners of 12 straight, and trail Trinity Western by just four points for top spot in the CW standings. UBC knocked off Trinity Western 3-1 in the preseason back in October, however, the Spartans found their form when first serve flew on the regular season – dropping just one regular season game to the No. 6 Alberta Golden Bears (12-4) on Oct. 19 en route to a 15-1 record. The Spartans also flexed their might against non-U SPORTS schools this season, knocking off UCLA, Lewis University, and defending two-time NCAA national champion Long Beach State in December to sweep the Can Am Holiday showcase in Toronto. The Spartans have won three of the last four U SPORTS national titles, with UBC breaking up a potential Spartan four-peat by winning it all in 2017-18.

The only other Top 10 confrontation this weekend sees No. 7 Queen’s hosting No. 8 Toronto on Saturday.

Full Schedule

Individual Sports

Just a few meets highlight the individual sport schedule this weekend.

In track and field, the McGill Team Challenge takes place in Montreal– a national interlock event billed as the largest indoor meet in Canada. Last year, the competition attracted over 650 student-athletes from over 20 competing university from across the country.

On the wrestling mats, this week’s OUA competition heads to London, Ont., for the Ontario Jr. Championships and Western Invitational, hosted by the No. 10 Western men and No. 6 Mustang women.

Out West, CW teams are travelling to Abbotsford, B.C. for Fraser Valley’s Cascades Classic, where the UFV men are currently ranked No. 6 in the nation.

And finally in OUA curling action, the McMaster Invitational will be held in Dundas, Ont.

Watch all conference events on Canada West TV Presented by Co-op, OUA TV and AUStv. RSEQ teams stream their games independently – check your local listings.