National Sports

Walter Gretzky, a blue-collar symbol of a devoted hockey parent in a country filled with them, has died. Tributes poured in shortly after his son, hockey great Wayne Gretzky, confirmed the 82-year-old's death Thursday night.

VANCOUVER — When Sheldon Keefe was cutting his teeth as a coach in the junior ranks in Pembroke, Ont., the world's most famous hockey dad paid a memorable visit.

VANCOUVER — After a series of games where the Maple Leafs appeared to be unstoppable, Toronto finally hit a stumbling block Thursday. The Vancouver Canucks beat the Leafs 3-1, snapping Toronto's four-game win streak.

CALGARY — Dillon Dube's first career NHL hat trick for Calgary in a 7-3 win over the Ottawa Senators on Thursday was eclipsed by the post-game firing of Flames head coach Geoff Ward and the hiring Darryl Sutter as his replacement.

CALGARY — The Calgary Flames have rehired the coach that brought the organization its greatest playoff success since winning the 1989 Stanley Cup.

Thursday's Games NHL N.Y. Islanders 5 Buffalo 2 Winnipeg 4 Montreal 3 (OT) Philadelphia 4 Pittsburgh 3 N.Y.

Walter Gretzky, the ultimate Canadian hockey dad who taught and nurtured the Great One, has died. He was 82. The father of Wayne Gretzky became a name himself, a constant in Wayne's world.

MONTREAL — Pierre-Luc Dubois proved to be a huge pain for his hometown Montreal Canadiens. The native of Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, Que., scored with 31 seconds remaining in overtime to give the Winnipeg Jets a 4-3 win over Montreal on Thursday night.

BOSTON — Jayson Tatum had 27 points and 12 rebounds and the Boston Celtics won their fourth straight game, outlasting the short-handed Toronto Raptors 132-125 on Thursday night.

NEW YORK — Major League Baseball will hold its first Lou Gehrig Day on June 2, adding Gehrig to Jackie Robinson and Roberto Clemente on the short list of players honoured throughout the big leagues.