Mount Allison University is set to receive $3 million from the provincial government to support construction of a new multi-sport complex, expected to open in 2030.
The fully accessible facility will feature a 26,000-square-foot playing surface, a walking track, multiple courts, and a multi-purpose space. It is designed to serve the university’s more than 2,000 students as well as nearly 15,000 residents of the Tantramar area.
University president Ian Sutherland says the project represents an investment in the health, well-being, and future of students.
Sutherland says the complex “will create a dynamic, accessible space that supports varsity and recreational athletics, strengthens community connections, and serves the region for generations to come.”
Rikki Doak learned to skate when she was just five years old.
At 27, the Fredericton, New Brunswick native is at the Winter Olympics in Milan, where she’ll compete as a short track speed skater in the 3000 metre women’s relay. It’s her first time qualifying for the Olympic Games.
“I remember when I was five, I was watching the Olympics in my basement on my TV. And I thought, that doesn’t even seem possible in my mind at that age. And then as I got older, I started to train harder. I think maybe like six years ago is kind of when it started to hit me that this was actually possible, and if I worked hard enough, it could become reality,” Doak told our newsroom.
Four-year training plan
She said her coach created a four-year plan, “You just kind of have to trust the process. Two years ago, I might not have been feeling my best, but it’s all a plan to be here at our strongest. So it really started four years ago, when I put all my trust into my coaches and did what they wanted me to do.”
She added that she has been training really hard, but the past four years have been specific to the Olympic Games.
“I like to go fast. I like going into the corner, super leaned and feeling like I’m into the ice with my blades and having the power in my legs to take all the speed I can. So I think going fast, as fast as I can. Of course, winning is always fun. I like winning as a team, like in the relay. I find that more exciting and fun than winning individually in a medal, that really keeps me motivated.” Rikki Doak
Doak will compete on February 14, as a member of the 3000 metre women’s short track relay team, but she says whether she wins a medal or not, just going to the Olympics, is a goal completed.
“Just experiencing this whole month here, that’s what I wanted when I was a kid. So I think just coming here is already a check off my bucket list. Winning obviously would just be a little cherry on top of everything,” Doak said.
An inspiration to other speed skaters
Doak isn’t the only speed skater from New Brunswick. Courtney Sarault, who is from Moncton, has already won two medals in Milan, a bronze and a silver. Doak says they each received a gift of a New Brunswick flag, with signatures from their fellow speed skaters.
Working her way to the Olympics, she is now looked up to by younger speed skaters who aspire to be just like Doak and Sarault. “It’s possible. You’re small, you’re young, and have fun, but also once you see that you’re able to do it, put in all the work, do everything you can, and hard work pays off,” Doak encouraged.
Canada added to its medal total Monday with a bronze medal in women’s slopestyle skiing.
Megan Oldham of Parry Sound, Ontario finished third in the event, which challenges athletes to navigate a course of jumps, rails and aerial tricks judged on difficulty, execution and style.
Canada’s first medal came earlier in the competition when speed skater Valérie Maltais of La Baie, Quebec earned bronze in the women’s 3,000-metre long track event — her first individual Olympic medal and Canada’s opening medal of Milano-Cortina.
It’s one of the fastest team sports in the world, played by athletes with 10 per cent vision or less.
It’s blind hockey.
The 2026 Eastern Regional tournament will be played for the first time in New Brunswick.
Moncton SeeCats President and Player Simon Richard says they have around 12 players, and there is also a club in Halifax that is called the SeeKings.
Richard added that there are also a few players from PEI and one from Newfoundland.
They come together three or four times a year to compete in big tournaments like the one being held in Moncton this weekend.
Richard said blind hockey is very similar to traditional hockey. Some of the differences include the puck, which is around three times bigger.
“It’s about five inches in diameter and a few inches taller as well. So it’s a bit bigger, so the players can see it. It’s made out of metal, and there are also some ball bearings inside it. So when the puck is moving, it’s kind of a rattling metal sound. So players can hear it on the ice, which is the biggest adaptation to the game,” Richard said.
Some players have 10 per cent vision, while others have none at all.
Goalies are totally blind or have just one per cent of their vision. If they do have any vision, they are blindfolded.
The colour of their helmets also identifies players. Players with between one and five per cent vision wear a white helmet. Those with zero to one per cent have a red helmet, and above that, they have a black helmet.
The nets are also a foot shorter and stand around three feet tall. All of the other equipment is the same, including the sticks and skates.
They’ve partnered with Hockey Day in Canada this weekend.
“We always wanted to host a tournament in Moncton, and obviously, with Hockey Day in Canada coming, we thought, what a great opportunity to highlight our sport,” Richard said.
Three games are being played in the tournament from 10 am to noon on Friday, January 16, Saturday, January 17 and Sunday, January 18 at the Moncton Coliseum.
If you are visually impaired and interested in playing or learning more about blind hockey, visit their website.
Richard says anyone with a visual impairment who loves the game or who wants to learn more about it is welcome.
Eastern Regional Blind Hockey Tournament – Event Poster (January 2026) (Image : submitted by Simon Richard)
This Saturday, January 17, Moncton, New Brunswick will take centre stage as Sportsnet presents the 26th annual Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada, live from the Avenir Centre on Sportsnet.
The day-long celebration highlights the connections hockey creates – families, hometowns, and fans united by a shared passion for the game.
Hosted by Ron MacLean, the broadcast will feature Sportsnet personalities David Amber, Elliotte Friedman, Kevin Bieksa, Jennifer Botterill, Kelly Hrudey, Ken Reid, and Evanka Osmak.
Special guests include NHL alumni Francois Beauchemin, three-time Olympic gold medalist Rebecca Johnston, and Moncton Wildcats coach Gardiner MacDougall.
The 12.5-hour marathon broadcast includes all seven Canadian NHL teams in action:
1 p.m. ET – Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada coverage begins
3 p.m. ET – Islanders vs. Flames
7 p.m. ET – Canadiens vs. Senators and Maple Leafs vs. Jets
10 p.m. ET – Oilers vs. Canucks
Plus, special features and Hockey Night in Canada: After Hours
Throughout the day, Sportsnet and Scotiabank will share inspiring stories, including Moncton’s hockey roots, Brad Marchand’s rise, and the Moncton See Cats blind hockey program.
Restructuring in the Saint John Sea Dogs operations.
The club has announced that President Trevor Georgie will assume the responsibilities of general manager, a title previously held by Travis Crickard.
Georgie previously served as GM from 2016 to 2023. He also helped to guide the Sea Dogs to championships in 2017 and 2022.
Travis Crickard will continue as the Head Coach for the Sea Dogs.
“Travis is an excellent coach. This adjustment allows him to focus fully on leading our group on the ice, which is where he makes the greatest impact. Our club has traditionally operated with separate GM and head coach roles, and returning to that model is the right step for our team at this time,” said Georgie.
The Toronto Blue Jays return to the mound tonight looking to build on their momentum and claim their first World Series in over 30 years.
After a standout performance in their last outing, the Jays are hoping to strike early and keep pressure on their opponents.
Toronto’s recent victory was powered by the arm of rookie pitcher Trey Yesavage, who struck out 12 batters and allowed just three hits over seven scoreless innings—the most strikeouts ever by a rookie in a World Series game.
The offence also came alive with back-to-back home runs by Davis Schneider and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. off Blake Snell, making history as the first time in World Series history a team opened with consecutive round-trippers.
As the Jays head into tonight’s action, attention turns to starter Kevin Gausman, who takes the mound looking to extend his strong postseason run.
They enter tonight’s game with a 3-2 lead in the series.
Set to face the opposition’s Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who delivered a complete game in Game 2, the pitching matchup has all the makings of a tactical duel that could tip the series balance.
Guerrero Jr. remains a focal point of the offence. With his postseason home-run tally now tied for second-most all-time, his bat will once again carry heavy weight. Meanwhile, the Blue Jays’ bullpen—fatigued after a marathon 18-inning contest on Monday—will need to be sharp, with veteran arms ready to respond when Gausman steps aside.
Manager John Schneider emphasized the importance of seizing the moment. “We’ve got great momentum, but we can’t get complacent,” he said. “This is the kind of game where execution matters—today’s opportunity won’t wait.” For Canadian fans, tonight offers another litmus test in a season where Toronto has not appeared this deep in the postseason since 1993.
With home-field advantage returning to the Rogers Centre and the series hanging in the balance, every pitch, every at-bat, and every defensive play will be amplified. The Jays know it, their fans know it—and tonight, they have the chance to make history.
The Toronto Blue Jays evened the World Series on Tuesday night, defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers 6–2 in Game 4.
The win ensures the series will return to Rogers Centre for Game 6 on Friday.
Toronto broke through against Dodgers ace Shohei Ohtani, scoring four runs, including a two-run homer from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the third inning — his first in the World Series. The blast also set a new franchise record for most postseason home runs.
The Blue Jays added four more runs in the seventh inning to put the game out of reach.
George Springer remained out of the starting lineup after leaving Game 3 with an injury.
Manager John Schneider praised his team’s resilience after the win. “It’s hard to play 18 innings and come back and kind of flip the narrative against a very talented team and a very talented individual in Shohei Ohtani on the mound,” he said. “I feel really good about just us.”
Looking ahead, Schneider confirmed that rookie Trey Yesavage will start Game 5 against Blake Snell, the same matchup Toronto won in Game 1. “Trey understands how we go about it,” Schneider said. “It’s going to take all 26 again tomorrow, but I feel really comfortable and confident with him on the mound.”
A golfer from Confederation College has captured the gold medal at the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) Provincial Golf Championships.
Nathan Lepore earned this year’s title on Wednesday at Watson Glen Golf Club in Pickering, where he posted even par scores in the opening two rounds before scoring a 71 on the final day.
Lepore would finish at one-under 215, securing a three-stroke victory and ensuring him a spot on the OCAA Men’s Golf All Ontario Team.
The win also makes Lepore the first-ever OCAA golf medalist in Confederation College history as well as the first-ever OCAA individual champion from the Thunder Bay school.
“This win means a lot to me,” said Lepore in a news release. “I worked hard over the offseason to be ready for this moment, and I’m proud to bring home gold for Confederation College and the Thunderhawks.”
Thunderhawks Athletics teammates Trevor Green, Hunter Hutchinson, Eric Pitkanen and Carson Stone also competed in the tournament.
Lepore will now head to the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) National Golf Championships, which take place October 12–17 at Desert Blume Golf Course in Alberta.
