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One of the wonderful aspects about playoff hockey are the underdogs and heroes who often come out of the woodwork — unexpected performances from grinders who somehow find scoring touches.

The Langford-based Canadian women’s rugby team had the Las Vegas Sevens handed to them on a trey Friday night. The 2016 Rio Olympic bronze medalists went 3-0 in their opening pool by beating Russia 34-7, Argentina 38-7 and France 21-7.

When we last checked this rivalry, Catharine Pendrel was outracing Emily Batty to the finish line last summer in Rio to take the bronze medal at the 2016 Olympic Games while shunting her fellow Canadian to an agonizing fourth place.

Triathlete Kirsten Sweetland of Victoria, a former teen prodigy who overcame career-threatening injuries to realize her dream last year in Rio of competing in the Olympics, has retired.

Victoria Grizzlies blue-liner Jake Stevens was named the sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ Hockey League’s top defenceman on Thursday, becoming just the third member of the Victoria franchise to capture the honour.

All good things, including streaks, must come to an end. It appears the jig is up on the Spokane Chiefs’ run of 10 consecutive Western Hockey League playoff appearances.

Call it, advantage Victoria Grizzlies. The seasonal statistics all favour the local sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ Hockey League club as it prepares for the opening best-of-seven series against divisional rivals, the Nanaimo Clippers, beginning tonight at 7 at The Q Centre.

Squash’s bid for Olympic inclusion has been consistently rebuffed. But the sport is contested in both the Commonwealth and Pan Am Games. It has had a notable pedigree on the Island. That continues with the sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½

Ten years separate John Moonlight from Caroline Crossley. That’s not much in life, but it’s a chasm the size of the Grand Canyon in sports age.

There have been two differing trajectories to the career of soccer player Adam Straith of Victoria. He has been among sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½â€™s most reliable internationals with 41 caps on the back line. But the defender’s pro club career has been spotty and nomadic.