Weekend recap: A Grey Cup stunner and golden skaters | CBC Sports

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Football: Nick Arbuckle and the Argos shocked Winnipeg in the Grey Cup

The unheralded backup quarterback threw for 252 yards and two touchdowns and the Argonauts defence picked off former CFL Most Outstanding Player Zach Collaros four times as Toronto shocked the heavily favoured Blue Bombers 41-24 last night in Vancouver. Arbuckle was named Grey Cup MVP — an improbable achievement for the 31-year-old journeyman who nearly quit playing last spring and was only on the field yesterday because starter Chad Kelly broke his ankle last week. Argos receiver Dejon Brissett (the older brother of NBA player Oshae Brissett) was voted the top Canadian after making five catches for 45 yards and a touchdown.

Winnipeg’s fifth consecutive Grey Cup appearance ended in another upset loss. Since snapping their 29-year championship drought with back-to-back victories, the Blue Bombers have dropped three in a row — all to sizable underdogs. They’re the first franchise to lose three straight Grey Cups since the 1954-56 Montreal Alouettes.

Saturday’s Canadian university football semifinals went more according to plan. Second-ranked Laurier defeated No. 6 Bishop’s 48-24 in the Uteck Bowl, while No. 3 Laval scored a touchdown with 79 seconds left to beat unranked Regina 17-14 and avoid a big upset in the Mitchell Bowl. Laval and Laurier will play for the Vanier Cup this Saturday in Kingston, Ont.

Tennis: Great Britain dethroned Canada in the Billie Jean King Cup

After winning this event (formerly known as the Fed Cup) for the first time ever last year, Canada did not even take a set at this year’s 12-team Finals in Spain. Coming off a first-round bye, Canada got swept 2-0 by Great Britain in the quarterfinals on Sunday as Rebecca Marino lost 6-0, 7-5 to Emma Raducanu and Leylah Fernandez fell 6-2, 6-4 to Katie Boulter.

Great Britain will face Slovakia in the semifinals on Tuesday at 6 a.m. ET. The winner meets Italy or Poland for the Cup on Wednesday at noon ET. Watch both matchups live on CBCSports.ca, the CBC Sports app and CBC Gem.

Soccer: Canada escaped with a win in Suriname

Substitute Junior Hoilett scored in the 82nd minute on Friday night to give the 35th-ranked Canadian men’s team a 1-0 win over No. 136 Suriname in the opening leg of their CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal. 

The return leg of the aggregate-score contest is Tuesday night in Toronto. Captain Alphonso Davies could return for Canada after missing Friday’s match due to “fatigue.”

The winners of each quarterfinal advance to the four-team CONCACAF Nations League Finals in Los Angeles in March and qualify for next summer’s Gold Cup. The United States and Panama won their opening legs 1-0 at Jamaica and Costa Rica, respectively, while Honduras upset Mexico 2-0.

In Canadian women’s national team news, veteran defender Kadeisha Buchanan is likely out for the rest of the club season after suffering a torn ACL while playing for Chelsea.

Boxing: Canada’s Lucas Bahdi won his fight on the Mike Tyson-Jake Paul undercard.

The less said about Friday’s pathetic main event the better. But the women’s match between Ireland’s Katie Taylor and Puerto Rico’s Amanda Serrano was bloody good. And, earlier in the night, Bahdi remained undefeated with a victory by majority decision over Italy’s Armando Casamonica.

Bahdi, the Niagara Falls, Ont., fighter who turned heads with his viral knockout of a higher-ranked opponent in July, is now 18-0 as a pro.

The other Canadian on the Tyson-Paul card, Melinda Watpool, lost her women’s super middleweight bout against American Shadasia Green by split decision.

Winter Olympic sports: Canadian skaters strike gold

Pairs figure skating world champions Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps captured their second gold of the Grand Prix season in Finland, while worlds silver medallists Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier took silver in the ice dance. Kelly Ann Laurin and Loucas Ethier just missed the podium, placing fourth in the pairs. 

Canadian long track speed skaters finished with 12 medals (including three gold) over the course of three days at the season-opening Four Continents championships in Japan. Ivanie Blondin led the way at the event for non-European skaters, capturing two gold medals and a pair of bronze. She won the individual women’s mass start and was part of Canada’s team sprint victory while finishing third in the solo 1,500m and 3,000m events. Graeme Fish won Canada’s only men’s gold, in the 5,000m, while Laurent Dubreuil picked up three medals: silver in the 500m, bronze in the 1,000m and bronze in the team sprint.

In alpine skiing, Laurence St-Germain was the top Canadian at the World Cup slalom openers in Finland, placing 10th in the women’s event. American star Mikaela Shiffrin won it for her 98th World Cup victory.

Women’s skeleton world champion Hallie Clarke had Canada’s best result in the World Cup season openers in South Korea, placing sixth on Saturday. Clarke fell to 14th in Sunday’s race while Jane Channell was 13th.