National Sports

REGINA — Quarterback Shea Patterson is confident that he’s up to the challenge of making his first CFL start Thursday when the Saskatchewan Roughriders host the Toronto Argonauts.

Saturday's rugby test match between Canada and Scotland could see as many as 16 players make their international debut.

Canada will face 12th-ranked Australia in an International friendly on July 13 in Marbella, Spain, as part of its final preparations for defence of its Olympic women's soccer title.

TORONTO — B.C. Lions quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. was named the CFL's offensive player for the month of June on Wednesday. Adams received a grade of 93.9 in helping B.C. (3-1) enjoy a solid start to the season. Adams completed 90-of-133 passes (67.

HAMILTON — The Hamilton Tiger-Cats hired Dennis McKnight as their special-teams co-ordinator Wednesday. The move comes a day after the CFL club and former special-teams co-ordinator Paul Boudreau parted ways.

OTTAWA — The Ottawa Senators have acquired forward Jan Jenik from the Utah Hockey Club for forward Egor Sokolov, the NHL club announced Wednesday.

SEATTLE (AP) — Jessica Campbell will become the first woman to work on the bench of an NHL franchise after the Seattle Kraken hired her as an assistant coach Wednesday.

VANCOUVER — Before he put pen to paper on a contract with a new NHL team on Monday, Vincent Desharnais received a phone call. On the line were Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet and assistant bench boss Adam Foote.

It will now be up to Shea Patterson to keep the Saskatchewan Roughriders on their winning path. Patterson makes his first career CFL start Thursday night when Saskatchewan (3-0) hosts the Toronto Argonauts (2-1).

TORONTO — Philip Kim, who competes as "B-Boy Phil Wizard," is set to make Canadian sports history this summer as the country's first-ever Olympic breaking athlete.