Four-Goal Second Period Sparks Bounce-Back Victory

A dominant four-goal second period propelled the Vancouver Canucks to a 5-2 victory against the Seattle Kraken at Abbotsford’s Rogers Forum on Sept. 13.

The win at game two of the Prospects Showcase marked a sharp turnaround after Vancouver suffered a 7-3 loss to Seattle the previous evening. Canucks head coach Ryan Papaioannou credited video study for the improved performance, noting that coaching staff condensed 71 footage clips down to 30 for a concise morning review session focused on structure and awareness.

Top Line Delivers Early and Often

Vancouver’s newly assembled top line of Braden Cootes, Adam Novotny, and Brooks Rogowski accounted for three of the team’s five tallies. Novotny, a 2026 first-round draft selection, led the offense with a three-point performance.

Novotny opened the scoring at 15:54 in the first period by converting a pass in the slot from Rogowski. Starting goaltender Ty Young preserved the 1-0 advantage through 20 minutes, stopping key shots as both teams recorded 12 attempts on goal.

Vancouver Pulls Away in Second Frame

Seattle temporarily leveled the score 5:23 into the second period on a power-play strike from Tyson Jugnauth. Vancouver quickly answered approximately two minutes later with an unassisted effort from Bennett Schimek to regain the lead.

Gabe Chiarot extended the cushion to 3-1 shortly after, before Cootes finished a setup from Rogowski to build a three-goal advantage. After Seattle’s Jagger Firkus scored against Canucks goaltender Aku Koskenvuo at 11:33 to cut the deficit, Novotny set up Alonso Gosselin at 16:24 to establish the final 5-2 margin.

Neither side found the net during a scoreless third period, despite Seattle outshooting Vancouver 13-7 in the final frame.

Post-Game Reflection and Upcoming Schedule

Reflecting on the top unit, Papaioannou praised Novotny’s aggressive play style. “I think in a good way he’s like a bull in a China shop,” he said. “Everything is going north for him, chipping pucks to areas, winning races and he’s really tough to knock off pucks.”

Rogowski highlighted the benefits of the tactical tweaks made prior to puck drop. “It was a good compete all-around and more structure – that benefited us,” he said, adding that Novotny’s speed and release help open the ice.

The Canucks next head to Penticton for training camp at the South Okanagan Events Centre from Sept. 17 to 20. Preseason play opens Sept. 19 in Seattle, followed by games against Calgary and Edmonton before the regular season begins Sept. 29 in Edmonton.

Escalating Trade Conflict Hits Athletic Goods

Cross-border tariffs between Canada and the United States are placing new financial burdens on businesses and athletic programs, prompting sports organizations and companies on both sides of the border to call for an immediate end to trade duties on athletic gear.

The current trade friction intensified following the collapse of trade negotiations in mid-August. The following day, U.S. President Donald Trump placed 50 per cent duties on $28 billion worth of Canadian imports, encompassing items such as hockey gear, golf products, gym equipment, and fishing rods and parts. In response, Canada enacted retaliatory tariffs on Sept. 8 that hit several athletic lines, including golf gear, fishing equipment, track suits, ski suits, and swimwear.

Local Retailers Face Cost Spikes Passed to Consumers

Retailers are already feeling the direct pinch of these policies. Mark Macaulay, head of procurement at Home Run Sports in Winnipeg, explained that Canadian retaliatory tariffs directly impact his inventory from American suppliers in Louisiana and Pennsylvania, hiking import costs by 50 per cent compared to pre-Sept. 8 pricing.

Macaulay warned that if these tariffs persist into late fall or winter, his business may be forced to delay or cancel product shipments. He noted that higher wholesale expenses cannot be absorbed by the retailer and will inevitably be passed on to customers through elevated retail price tags, potentially pushing consumers toward alternative brands that fall outside the scope of the tariffs.

Concerns Over Rising Costs and Participation Rates

Industry advocates caution that elevated costs could stifle public activity. Aneysha Bhat, spokesperson for the Washington-based Sports and Fitness Industry Association—which represents over 700 brands, manufacturers, retailers, and athletic leagues—emphasized that affordable access is essential for growing participation in active, healthy communities. The association is urging both federal governments to return to the bargaining table to reopen negotiations.

South of the border, concerns are growing that levies placed on Canadian imports will further elevate already high hockey equipment prices. In response, Adam van Koeverden, Canada’s secretary of state for sport, stated that the federal government aims to protect families needing gear for youth sports involvement. While not identifying specific hard-hit sports or regions, van Koeverden indicated the government is evaluating overall impacts across sectors, consulting with national sport organizations to encourage Canadian procurement, and exploring domestic manufacturing solutions.

Riyadh Nazerally, a spokesperson for Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, acknowledged via email that U.S. duties generate uncertainty for Canadian manufacturers, particularly affecting small and medium-sized enterprises. He noted that federal efforts remain focused on helping businesses manage liquidity challenges, protect jobs, and maintain operations. Meanwhile, Hockey Canada issued a media statement expressing full support for federal efforts to address the tariff dispute while monitoring the situation’s potential impacts on the national hockey community.

Canadian Runners Compete for Prize Pool in Budapest

Athletes at the world athletics ultimate championship in Budapest fought for financial rewards rather than traditional medals on Sunday, competing for a share of a US$10-million purse that awarded $150,000 to each event winner.

Edmonton native Marco Arop earned a second-place finish in the men’s 800 metres with a time of one minute 42.28 seconds. The 27-year-old, who previously captured three world championship medals including one gold and two bronze alongside an Olympic silver, finished behind Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati, who took first place in 1:41.91. Reigning world and Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi finished third, matching Arop’s time of 1:42.28.

De Grasse and Brown Race in Men’s 200m

In the men’s 200-metre final, seven-time Olympic medallist Andre De Grasse of Markham, Ont., posted a fifth-place time of 19.92 seconds. Toronto’s Aaron Brown finished seventh, clocking in at 20.23 seconds.

American Kenny Bednarek secured the event victory with a world-leading time of 19.52 seconds, completing a double after winning the 100 metres on Saturday. Reigning Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo of Botswana placed second in 19.76 seconds, followed by American Courtney Lindsey in third at 19.79 seconds, with both men setting season-best times.

Earlier on Sunday, De Grasse eased his pace toward the finish line to place second in his semifinal heat with a time of 19.87 seconds, while Brown finished fourth in the same heat in 20.08 seconds.