National Sports

DENVER (AP) — To win the Stanley Cup each of the past two years, the Tampa Bay Lightning had to go through the stingy New York Islanders, defending Dallas Stars and Montreal Canadiens backstopped by goaltender Carey Price.

Challenging rough, large crowds, and constant media attention made the RBC Canadian Open a perfect test run for this week's U.S. Open.

NHL general managers get the opportunity to open their chequebooks four weeks from Wednesday.

MONTREAL — Charles Hamelin was a couple of days removed from becoming Canada's most decorated winter Olympian and was on his flight home from Beijing.

CALGARY — Hockey Canada has announced Stephane Julien will lead its men's under-18 team at the upcoming Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

Shawn Oakman isn't breathing a huge sigh of releif because the Toronto Argonauts defence won't have to contend with William Stanback on Thursday night.

HALLE, NORTH RHINE-WESTPHALIA, GERMANY — Canadian tennis star Felix Auger-Aliassime rode a dominant second set to a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over American Mackenzie McDonald on Wednesday at the Halle Open.

BERLIN — Canada's Bianca Andreescu was eliminated form the German Open grass-court tennis tournament with a 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (7) loss to fourth seed Karolina Pliskova in second-round action Wednesday.

LONDON — Canadian tennis player Denis Shapovalov had his losing streak extended to five matches Wednesday with a 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 loss to Tommy Paul at the Queen's Club grass-court event.

BUDAPEST, Hungary — Decorated Olympian Penny Oleksiak has withdrawn from Canada's swim team for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.