National Sports

The National Hockey League and ESPN are together again: The two sides announced a seven-year agreement Wednesday beginning next season that includes four Stanley Cup Finals, the NHL All-Star game and comprehensive streaming rights.

Bobby Webster didn't feel comfortable sitting in the stands during the Toronto Raptors' five-game west coast road trip last March, the final few days before the sports world was turned upside down.

DOHA, Qatar — Denis Shapovalov beat Vasek Pospisil 7-5, 6-4 in an all-Canadian second-round match at the Qatar Open on Wednesday. The fourth-seeded Shapovalov, from Richmond Hill, Ont., never faced a break point against Pospisil.

CALGARY — Matt Dunstone's curling team continued to parlay the generosity of a Saskatchewan small town into its strong start at the Canadian men's championship. Dunstone's foursome downed Quebec 9-6 on Tuesday for a third straight win.

TORONTO — The Winnipeg Jets could have dissected every goal against and mistake made in the aftermath of a forgettable night in Montreal. The team's veteran roster instead did what it's done a lot this season — they flushed it and moved forward.

OTTAWA — Canada's horse-racing industry is calling for special protections as legislators weigh a private member's bill to allow one-game sports betting. Betting on single games or competitions is currently illegal for all sports except horse-racing.

MONTREAL — Five former elite artistic swimmers from Canada announced Tuesday they've filed a proposed class action against the country's governing body for the sport for allegedly failing to provide a safe environment for athletes.

For Canadian snowboarder Max Parrot, being recognized alongside the likes of LeBron James and Rafael Nadal has been part shock and part inspiration.

DUNEDIN, Fla. — Newcomer Steven Matz pitched three scoreless innings as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Philadelphia Phillies 4-1 in pre-season action on Tuesday.

TORONTO — The RBC Canadian Open has been pulled from the PGA Tour schedule for the second straight year, marking one of the first cancellations of a major annual Canadian sports event in the summer of 2021.