National Sports

ORLANDO, Fla. — One down, 19 more to go. Canada opened its oft-delayed World Cup qualifying campaign Thursday with a comfortable 5-1 win over Bermuda. It's the start of a long road, with at least 19 more matches needed to get to Qatar in 2022.

OTTAWA — Auston Matthews hasn't had much luck finding the back of the net in recent weeks. Still tied for the NHL goal lead, Toronto's star centre had just three on 43 shots over his last 11 games coming into Thursday.

WINNIPEG — Nathan Todd scored the winner as the Manitoba Moose came from behind to edge the Laval Rocket 4-3 in a shootout on Thursday in American Hockey League play.

DUNEDIN, Fla. — Steven Matz made his fourth Grapefruit League start for the Toronto Blue Jays, pitching 5 1/3 innings in a 3-3, 10-inning tie against the Detroit Tigers on Thursday.

TORONTO — After an emotional game against Denver that felt like Kyle Lowry's curtain call, then trade talk that sounded like he was on the cusp of leaving, Toronto Raptors fans breathed a collective sigh of relief.

STOCKHOLM — The faceoff between Yuzuru Hanyu and Nathan Chen was no contest.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Arkansas Gov.

Canadian rider Michael Woods finished second behind Colombian Esteban Chaves on Thursday in Stage 4 of the Volta a Catalunya in Spain. The 34-year-old from Ottawa who rides for the Israel Start-Up Nation team, stands 13th overall.

Patrice Rene's NCAA football career has come full circle. Five years ago, the Ottawa cornerback seriously considered attending Rutgers before ultimately enrolling at North Carolina.

Veteran midfielder Nick DeLeon admits to some dark days during Toronto FC's recent quarantine due to an outbreak of COVID-19 among players and staff.