National Sports

TORONTO — Auston Matthews was back on the Scotiabank Arena ice Thursday morning. That wasn't the case when his Maple Leafs once again faced elimination roughly 10 hours later. Head coach Sheldon Keefe announced following Toronto's 11 a.m.

WINNIPEG — Disbelief seemed to be the overriding emotion among the Winnipeg Jets after their early exit from the NHL playoffs.

VANTAA, Finland — Carter George made 23 saves for his second shutout of the tournament as Canada defeated Latvia 4-0 in quarterfinal action Thursday at the world men's under-18 hockey championship.

TORONTO — Montreal defender Erin Ambrose, who led all players in scoring last month, has been named one of the The Professional Women’s Hockey League's top stars of April.

NEW YORK (AP) — The average time of a nine-inning game is 2 hours, 36 minutes through the first full month of the major league season, down 1 minute from 2023 in the second year of the pitch clock.

EDMONTON — During what they hope is a deep run through the gruelling Stanley Cup playoffs this spring, the Edmonton Oilers will take all the time off they can get. “Rest is always a good thing,” captain Connor McDavid said.

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said Thursday he feels “really good” that he will reach a new contract with the team, mirroring optimism from president and general manager Don Waddell a day earlier.

TORONTO — Daulton Varsho loves to go all out when tracking down a fly ball but the new smaller foul areas at Rogers Centre have him being a little more cautious.

Nigara Shaheen finally feels the freedom to fully prepare for an Olympic Games.

Off the goaltender's mask, off a defenseman's back, nothing but net. Well, at least in the net. That is how Colorado's Casey Mittelstadt got his first goal of the NHL playoffs this year, and it is not the only one.