National Sports

MONTREAL — The Quebec government has stepped in to defend the phrase "Go Habs Go!" as the provincial language watchdog takes heat for objecting to the English word "go.

EDMONTON — The Edmonton Oilers gave goaltender Calvin Pickard the nod to start in Friday's Game 3 of their first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Kings.

OTTAWA — Simon Benoit wasn't sure how to react. The Maple Leafs defenceman had just flung a puck on goal through traffic in overtime. He found himself in the middle of a wild celebration seconds later.

LONDON — A new jury is set to be selected today in the sexual assault case of five former members of Canada’s world junior hockey team after an Ontario judge declared a mistrial days into the proceedings.

Curlers Brett Gallant and Jocelyn Peterman have already earned the right to wear the Maple Leaf should Canada qualify for mixed doubles at the Winter Olympics. Now the husband-and-wife duo just has to go out and secure the country's berth.

VANCOUVER — Lionel Messi was the headliner but the Vancouver Whitecaps used grit and desire to steal the show.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Pavel Buchnevich tried not to get too emotional as the hats rained onto the ice in his honor. Buchnevich scored three goals for his first career playoff hat trick and added an assist as the St.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Kirill Kaprizov missed half of the regular season with a lingering lower-body injury that kept him out until just before the NHL playoffs began as the Minnesota Wild barely got in. He's fully recovered now.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Nate Schmidt scored his third goal in two games, Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 19 shots and the Florida Panthers beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-0 on Thursday night to take a 2-0 lead in the first-round playoff series.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Pavel Buchnevich scored three goals for his first career playoff hat trick and added an assist as the St. Louis Blues beat the Winnipeg Jets 7-2 in Game 3 of their first-round series on Thursday night.