National Sports

VANCOUVER — A punchless power-play was one of the main reasons the Vancouver Canucks struggled the last two seasons. It's still early, but not much has changed in 2017-18.

MARKHAM, Ont. — If the bright red balls whizzing around the gym at 120 kilometres per hour don't get your attention, the jarring sounds of them thumping competitors will. Forget about the playground game that children play at recess.

OTTAWA — Fresh off a romp through Western Canada, the Ottawa Senators are getting a huge momentum boost with the return of superstar defenceman Erik Karlsson.

The CFL's muddled playoff picture is finally starting to clear up. The Ottawa Redblacks (7-9-1) and Toronto Argonauts (7-9) have both cemented East Division home playoff games.

EDMONTON — The Edmonton Oilers hit the practice ice Monday looking to regroup from a rocky start aggravated by the weight of great expectations.

Tevaughn Campbell won't have long to dwell upon the Montreal Alouettes' disappointing 2017 season. Montreal (3-12) will miss the CFL playoffs for a third straight year. But not long after the Alouettes' final regular-season game Nov.

CALGARY — Defenceman Tara Watchorn, who won an Olympic gold medal with Canada's women's hockey team at the Sochi Olympics, announced her retirement from international competition on Monday.

TORONTO — The Toronto Raptors have picked up the third-year team options on the contracts of centre Jakob Poeltl and forward Pascal Siakam and the fourth-year team option on the contract of guard Delon Wright.

NEW YORK — Winnipeg Jets left-wing Nikolaj Ehlers, Toronto Maple Leafs centre Auston Matthews and Washington Capitals centre Nicklas Backstrom have been named the NHL's three stars of the week. Ehlers earned first-star honours.

Nicolas Macrozonaris's first car was a fluorescent green 1993 Ford Tempo that he bought for $800 and four pairs of Oakley sunglasses.