Sports

Troy Fasquel, Vice President of the Board for the Express, with the team's official truck. (Submitted: Leo Czank) Hockey in New...

<p>As winter comes to an end, snow slowly melts away and the grass begins to grow. The conditions for a perfect soccer pick-up or summer league start to flourish. But what happens to the soccer fan base and athletes who wish to play the sport year-round? That’s where futsal emerges as an opportunity to enjoy [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Major hockey scandals were some of Canada&#8217;s biggest stories a few years ago, but today, we are seeing the same issues being pushed aside. This is according to Kristi Allain, a sociology professor at St. Thomas University, whose study specializes in men&#8217;s hockey culture. “Hockey is pivotal to Canadian national identity, what happens in hockey [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Buckle up, hockey fans. Welcome to the roller coaster known as the push to the playoffs. Please keep your hands and feet inside the ride at all times.  The NHL season will conclude on April 17, with the playoffs beginning a few days later. As of right now, three teams have officially booked their tickets. [&hellip;]</p>

<p>On March 7, the St. Thomas University Tommies concluded the winter sports season. Despite not achieving each team&#8217;s expectations of winning a banner, their hard work and dedication were demonstrated throughout the season. Each team showcased a deep commitment to their teammates and coaches. Whether facing early setbacks or pushing through playoff pressure. Women’s hockey, [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Chidubem Nkoloagu is a fifth-year fullback for the St. Thomas University men’s soccer team. A natural athlete, he began playing in his hometown of Vancouver at the age of five but didn’t start taking it seriously until he was older. “I did it more as a hobby growing up, just as something so I could [&hellip;]</p>

<p>On March 9, India defeated New Zealand to win the 2025 International Cricket Council (ICC) Champions Trophy. The Indian cricket fanbase went crazy.    If your soul didn&#8217;t leave your body at least once during the game, did you watch it? The final was the match that had you pacing in your house and biting your [&hellip;]</p>

<p>The 2024-25 season has ended for the St. Thomas University teams and with that, the STU Athletics Department is wrapping up a year to remember.  After hosting two Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) national championships, one Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) championship and all of the winter teams going to the playoffs, how can STU [&hellip;]</p>

<p>On March 19, Stockholm was announced as the host city for the upcoming National Hockey League (NHL) Global Series. Stockholm is Sweden’s capital city, with over 900,000 people calling the area home. The Global Series has been an annual event for the past 15 years. Having teams play games in places like Sweden, Czechia and [&hellip;]</p>

<p>The first Canadian women’s professional soccer league will kick off on April 16, with the Vancouver Rise FC facing the Calgary Wild FC.  The Northern Super League (NSL) will feature six teams from Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver. Its regular season is 25 games followed by playoffs and a national championship in the [&hellip;]</p>

<p>For the past 22 years, Fred Connors has been behind the bench for the St. Thomas University women’s basketball team. His journey at STU began as a player. He played for the men’s basketball team in 1996. Connors excelled on the court, taking home several individual awards. He was named STU’s Rookie of the Year [&hellip;]</p>

<p>The Fredericton Red Wings won their final game against the West Kent Steamers 4-2 before their move to Bathurst for the next Maritime Hockey League season. The team will then be known as the Chaleur Lightning. After being rumoured, the announcement of the team’s move was made on March 7 at the K.C. Irving Regional [&hellip;]</p>

<p>St. Thomas University has taken center stage as the host of this year&#8217;s Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Women’s Basketball National Championship — an opportunity to highlight the school&#8217;s competition. “It’s an opportunity for us to showcase St. Thomas University, showcase Fredericton and get people excited,” said STU President Nauman Farooqi. “One thing is for [&hellip;]</p>

<p>No matter how you slice it, the trade deadline has become a hallmark of the hockey season.  It is a marquee date on the National Hockey League (NHL) calendar. Hockey fans love it and young kids constantly berate their parents to let them stay home from school to watch the proceedings; at least, I did.   [&hellip;]</p>

<p>On March 18, the MLB season is set to start with the World Series champion Dodgers facing off against the Chicago Cubs. This two-game series is set to be played in Tokyo.  This offseason was busy, with many all-star caliber players moving teams and creating new narratives. Along with this, the Tampa Bay Rays will [&hellip;]</p>

<p>This Atlantic University Sport (AUS) season was successful for the St. Thomas University (STU) women’s hockey team.   Going into the season, the team had goals and designs of bringing home another championship back to campus. STU had finished fourth the previous season but were aiming for a higher seeding and a better matchup come playoff [&hellip;]</p>

<p>A Mexican soccer team featuring World Cup champion, five-time Champions League winner and former Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos is no problem for the Vancouver Whitecaps.  On March 12, the Whitecaps surprised North American soccer by eliminating that Mexican team, Monterrey on away goals. This is one of the few examples of how soccer in [&hellip;]</p>

<p>The Atlantic University Sport (AUS) playoffs are finally here.   STU finished third in the AUS for a second season straight, sitting three points out of second and five points out of first. The girls in green and gold began their long playoff journey on Feb. 20 against the Saint Mary’s University (SMU) Huskies. During the [&hellip;]</p>

<p>Elias Pettersson is regarded as one of the brightest and highly skilled young Swedish National Hockey League (NHL) players.  He was drafted fifth overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. After his junior hockey stint, his skills seamlessly transitioned to North America. In his rookie season with Vancouver, Pettersson scored 66 [&hellip;]</p>

<p>From Feb. 21 to 23, the St. Thomas University men’s and women’s volleyball teams competed in the Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) playoffs in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.  The men’s Tommies made it to the finals, losing three sets to one against Université Sainte-Anne. Meanwhile, the women’s team lost the semi-final in three sets against [&hellip;]</p>