National Sports

BARCELONA, Spain — Barcelona on Monday denied accusations it hired a company to make negative comments about its own players and opponents on social media in order to boost the image of senior club officials.

NEW YORK — Edmonton Oilers centre Leon Draisaitl was named NHL first star of the week on Monday. He led all players with 10 points (3-7) over four games last week.

KRASNOYARSK, Russia — Winnipeg's Jacques Gauthier posted two victories at the world junior curling championship on Monday while Mackenzie Zacharias of Altona, Man., won her lone game at the Crystal Ice Arena.

LISBON, Portugal — The president and the prime minister of Portugal added their voices to a national outcry Monday over racist abuse aimed at a black FC Porto soccer player who walked off the field after hearing monkey chants.

Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime returned to the top 20 in the world rankings Monday after reaching the final of the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament.

Tokyo Marathon organizers drastically reduced the number of participants for this year's race on Monday out of fear of the spread of the virus coming from China. The general public is being barred from the race on March 1.

PICKERING, Ont. — Andre De Grasse had just wrapped up a morning of shooting a Team Visa commercial at the Pickering Soccer Centre. A talent wrangler was pressing De Grasse about a wardrobe change.

WINNIPEG — After Winnipeg Jets defenceman Nathan Beaulieu scored his first goal of the season Sunday, he made the gesture of throwing a monkey off his back.

Sunday's Games NHL Pittsburgh 5 Detroit 1 Boston 3 N.Y. Rangers 1 Edmonton 4 Carolina 3 (OT) Anaheim 5 Vancouver 1 Nashville 2 St.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Sabres captain Jack Eichel has become familiar with “Go, Leafs Go”-chanting Maple Leafs fans taking over Buffalo's home rink. Sending them back across the border unhappy? “I enjoy it,” Eichel said.