Sports

Golf

Flop wedge needed at Phantom Lake Golf Club

Ryan Desjarlais 4 minute read Friday, Sep. 25, 2026

In a remote land of spruce, ptarmigan and rock, Flintabbatey Flonatin — an adventurer exploring the depths of Phantom Lake with his little submarine — discovered an underwater treasure trove of minerals. Once word spread among the prospecting community, the miners came, and the head frame of Flin Flon was born.

Now, that’s not exactly how The Sunless City novel reads, and Phantom Lake is actually in Saskatchewan, but my re-interpretation connects the dots enough to introducing Flin Flon’s links.

Phantom Lake Golf Club does not technically reside in Flin Flon, but rather in its twin community, Creighton, Sask. Indeed, as soon as you cross the border, you immediately turn south for a couple of clicks to the shores of Phantom Lake.

The very old river-stone clubhouse is up the hill from the parking lot. Folks with movement challenges might want to send the young bucks ahead to get the rental cart and bring it back to the parking lot to collect you and your sticks.

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Soccer

Mark J. Terrill / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES
Canada’s head coach Jesse Marsch will have to rely on a number of prospects during the team’s friendlies, a move that’s necessary due to injuries and absences rather than a generational shift.

Friendlies more of a juggle for Team Canada bench boss than homecoming

Jerrad Peters 4 minute read Preview

Friendlies more of a juggle for Team Canada bench boss than homecoming

Jerrad Peters 4 minute read Friday, Sep. 25, 2026

Ahead of the roster announcement for Canada’s upcoming friendlies, it might have been tempting to want a glimpse of the younger and fringier players who might just be the future of the national men’s program. An experimental squad, in other words.

Well, that is not what head coach Jesse Marsch has assembled in the run-up to matches against Chile, Peru and the United States. Yes, a number of prospects will see action, but their minutes have been necessitated more by injuries and absences than a generational shift.

After all, the purpose of this international window isn’t to anticipate coming accomplishments, but rather to honour past ones.

It’s right there in the branding for Saturday’s tussle with Chile in Toronto (6 p.m., TSN 4) and next weekend’s appointment with Peru in Montreal (Oct. 3, 1 p.m., TSN 4 & 5).

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Friday, Sep. 25, 2026

Soccer

NSL Photo
AFC Toronto celebrates Victoria Pickett’s bending corner in the opening minute of play last Saturday. The marker for the visiting side was credited to Halifax Tides goalkeeper Anika Tóth.

Around the NSL: A corner to remember; De Filippo’s boot; a highlight-reel brace

Grace Anne Paizen 4 minute read Preview

Around the NSL: A corner to remember; De Filippo’s boot; a highlight-reel brace

Grace Anne Paizen 4 minute read Friday, Sep. 25, 2026

You better believe the race to the finish line is on and this weekend’s action proved just that.

The standings picture didn’t get any clearer — aside from the Roses securing their playoff ticket in a 2-2 road draw against the Rise last Saturday — with five of the league’s six club’s still very much in the post-season race.

Words of advice? Embrace the chaos of the final four weeks. But first, here’s the highlights and storylines out of an eventful Week 22.

Highlight of the week

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Friday, Sep. 25, 2026

Soccer

Decorated business vet Spiring announced as NSL Winnipeg president

Grace Anne Paizen 5 minute read Preview

Decorated business vet Spiring announced as NSL Winnipeg president

Grace Anne Paizen 5 minute read Tuesday, Sep. 22, 2026

Manitoba’s own Dayna Spiring is no stranger to the sports world, but her latest venture into the world of football — this time of the kick-about variety — is a whole new ball game.

“I’m getting up to speed on that as quickly as I can,” Spiring told the Free Press Tuesday, shortly after the accomplished business leader was announced as Northern Super League Winnipeg’s president.

Spiring joins an already stacked roster on the first women’s professional sports team in the Keystone province alongside the likes of NSL Winnipeg’s decorated co-founders Desiree Scott and Rob Gale.

And her own stats sheet is just as historic. Spiring was one of the first women to serve on the CFL’s Board of Governors and was the first woman to serve as chair of the Winnipeg Football Club’s board of directors. She is also the first woman to have her name engraved on the Grey Cup when the Winnipeg Blue Bombers captured back-to-back titles in 2019 and 2021.

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Tuesday, Sep. 22, 2026

Soccer

Leah Hennel / NSL
Calgary Wild goalkeeper Sarah Keilty-Dilling dying minutes heroics prevented the Halifax Tides from capitalizing on a late rally and two late corners.

Around the NSL: Keilty-Dilling’s hot hands; Rise rumble standings; Tides in must-win territory

Grace Anne Paizen 4 minute read Preview

Around the NSL: Keilty-Dilling’s hot hands; Rise rumble standings; Tides in must-win territory

Grace Anne Paizen 4 minute read Friday, Sep. 18, 2026

Let’s start off this week’s edition with the Week 21 matchup between the Montreal Roses and AFC Toronto that had already taken place before last week’s column was written.

It was, arguably, the heavyweight matchup of that week, with the Roses attempting to place a three-game buffer between itself and the surging Mighty Maroons while Toronto was trying to gain some breathing room between itself and the Ottawa Rapid.

Instead? A 2-2 draw thwarted any progress from either team.

Making way for the Rapid to leapfrog back into second place over Toronto… right? Well, buckle up for the riveting answer to that question and the jostling for fourth place in this column’s latest edition.

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Friday, Sep. 18, 2026

Opinion

ANDREW MEDICHINI / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Defender Leonardo Balerdi (right) has been superb in his just 129 minutes in a Roma shirt, drawing applause from teammates and being compared by his manager to AC Milan legend Franco Baresi.

AS Roma’s perfect start unexpected storyline of Serie A

Jerrad Peters 4 minute read Preview

AS Roma’s perfect start unexpected storyline of Serie A

Jerrad Peters 4 minute read Friday, Sep. 18, 2026

Be honest — who had AS Roma first place in Serie A, and with a 100 per cent record through four rounds, on their calcio bingo card?

Or how about Donyell Malen? Anyone have the Dutchman scoring six goals in three weeks, including a trio of game-winners?

Leonardo Balerdi, maybe? Any chips on the defender, on loan from Marseille, being compared to the late, great Franco Baresi by his Giallorossi manager?

There’s a Jennifer Lawrence GIF for all those with their hands raised.

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Friday, Sep. 18, 2026

Golf

Pars a plenty in The Pas

Ryan Desjarlais 3 minute read Preview

Pars a plenty in The Pas

Ryan Desjarlais 3 minute read Friday, Sep. 18, 2026

North of Lake Winnipegosis, just on the Manitoba side of the Saskatchewan border, lies The Pas.

The town is one of the oldest of Manitoba’s northern communities and was once a thriving pulp and paper town. Most of the community is still in good shape, although showing its age.

Across the river is the impressive Opaskwayak Cree Nation, with its new mall and impressive hotel and casino. VIA Rail services these communities which makes for a nice mid-week or long-weekend getaway without the stress of driving.

If you do take the train, throw your sticks onto the platform. There are many activities to take in while you are there, and one of those activities is golf.

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Friday, Sep. 18, 2026

Cassidy Dankochik / THE CARILLON
Steinbach Pistons captain Cole Cairns is one of just eight returning players for the club this season.

Big off-season trade bolsters Pistons

Cassidy Dankochik 7 minute read Preview

Big off-season trade bolsters Pistons

Cassidy Dankochik 7 minute read Thursday, Sep. 17, 2026

In what’s becoming a regular occurrence, the Steinbach Pistons have nearly a whole new crop of players set to take the ice for them this season.

Just eight players are returning from last year’s squad that finished with the second-highest record in the league.

With such a fresh roster, head coach and general manager Paul Dyck said the Pistons are a “work in progress,” noting this was the first time he’s only had a single-digit number of returnees.

“It takes time,” he said after a team event Sept. 15.

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Thursday, Sep. 17, 2026