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As Kazakhstan’s quirky but popular run through Pool B at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre in the 2019 IIHF world junior hockey tournament demonstrated, some of the best stories in international sport are found in the lower depths of the standings.

It was a less-than-festive end to the Christmas break for the University of Victoria Vikes basketball teams Friday night on Ken and Kathy Shields Court in the CARSA Performance Gym.

With a heavyweight tilt looming on Sunday with the league-leading Prince George Spruce Kings, the Victoria Grizzlies showed they’re more than ready for a shot at the title.

The Victoria Royals won a Western Hockey League game a day after a season-defining trade, defeating Edmonton 3-2 before 6,074 fans Friday at Rogers Place to snap the Oil Kings’ seven-game home winning streak.

The last puck had barely hit the twine Wednesday at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre in the IIHF world junior hockey championship before thoughts in the growing sport-hosting business turned to the next potential international events for the region.

Even those who received the roughest receptions in the Victoria portion of the 2019 IIHF world junior hockey championship — the U.S. team and Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps — deemed the event a rousing success.

For the first time in several years, the University of Victoria Vikes basketball teams did not travel to the Prairies, Ontario or California for Christmas break tournaments or tours. The Vikes men’s team did play the University of Northern sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½

The Victoria Grizzlies crease is little less crowded now and Kyle Dumba is the odd man out. As long as he clears sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ Hockey League waivers by 10 a.m.

Dante Hannoun may be going to the Memorial Cup this year. But it won’t be with the Victoria Royals.

Reigning world junior champion Team Tardi from Victoria and Langley won the 2019 sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ junior men’s curling title with a 9-2 win over Team Colwell from Vernon, Kelowna and Invermere at the Vernon Curling Club.