National Sports

VANCOUVER — Vanni Sartini believes his Vancouver Whitecaps have a "moral imperative" to come out strong in their first Canadian clash of the season on Saturday.

Natalie Spooner will play for Canada in a ninth women's world hockey championship, but this one feels different to her.

OTTAWA — Jack Matier, Luca Pinelli and Frankie Marrelli each scored two goals to power the Ottawa 67's to a 7-0 drubbing of the Oshawa Generals on Thursday to open the OHL playoffs.

EDMONTON — Stuart Skinner has further cemented himself as the Edmonton Oilers’ playoff goalie.

PALOS VERDES ESTATES, Calif. (AP) — Mi Hyang Lee shot a 6-under 65 in her first LPGA Tour event of the year for a one-stroke lead in the opening round of the DIO Implant LA Open on Thursday.

OTTAWA — The Ottawa Senators will continue to have to battle the odds as they have all season.

TORONTO — Summer McIntosh almost broke another world record — and in the process set a new world junior and national record at the Canadian swimming trials. The 16-year-old Toronto native broke the records with a time of two minutes 6.

MONTREAL — Matthew Tkachuk etched his name into the history books in impressive fashion on Thursday. Tkachuk had a hat trick and one assist in leading the Florida Panthers to a 5-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — George Springer had five hits and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. drove in three runs as the Toronto Blue Jays beat St.

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Veterans Padraig Harrington and Matt Kuchar each shot a 4-under 68 on Thursday to share the early lead with MJ Daffue and Roberto Diaz in the weather-delayed first round of the Valero Texas Open.