National Sports

Elevated to Toronto FC's first team, young striker Jordan Perruzza is still a little star-struck. Especially when it comes to captain Michael Bradley. The admiration is sparked by more than Bradley's distinguished playing record.

MONTREAL — Veteran centre Eric Staal admitted to some "good nervous energy "ahead of his Montreal Canadiens debut.

CALGARY — Auston Matthews and John Tavares rode to the rescue scoring third-period goals for the Toronto Maple Leafs in a 4-2 win Sunday over the host Calgary Flames.

CALGARY — An unexpected steal and a force put Canada's Brendan Bottcher in the situation he wanted against Switzerland on Sunday at the BKT Tires & OK Tire World Men's Curling Championship.

KAMLOOPS, B.C. — Tristen Nielsen buried the lone goal in the shootout, leading the Vancouver Giants to a 1-0 victory over the Prince George Cougars in Western Hockey League action Sunday.

SAN ANTONIO — Tara VanDerveer hugged each of her Stanford players as they climbed the ladder to cut down a piece of the net. It took 29 years, but VanDerveer and the Cardinal are NCAA women's basketball champions again.

MONTREAL — Rafael Harvey-Pinard had two goals and an assist and the Laval Rocket dumped the Stockton Heat 4-2 in American Hockey League play on Sunday.

CHARLOTTETOWN — Lukas Cormier buried the shootout winner and the Charlottetown Islanders downed the Halifax Mooseheads 3-2 in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League play Sunday.

The Vancouver Canucks being brought to a standstill by the COVID-19 virus makes players and coaches elsewhere in the all-Canadian North Division uneasy for that team and their own.

NEW YORK — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. dropped 42 pounds after an underwhelming 2020. He's hoping less can be more — and the 22-year-old sure still looks like a heavy hitter.