National Sports

Powerhouses Laval and Western have been mainstays in the U Sports football final four in recent years. Both teams are now watching this post-season from the outside.

CALGARY — There was a sense of relief at Scotiabank Saddledome on Friday, a day after veteran Calgary Flames defenceman TJ Brodie passed out during practice and had to be taken by ambulance to hospital.

TORONTO — A Toronto Raptors fan who made a vulgar comment on live television about Ayesha Curry, wife of NBA star Stephen Curry, has been ordered to stay away from both her and the reporter to whom he made the comment.

MINSK, Belarus — Isabelle Weidemann kicked off the World Cup speedskating season with a victory, highlighting a three-medal day for Canada on Friday. Weidemann, from Ottawa, won the women's 3,000 metres.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Victoria's Nathan Riech won a gold medal the men's 1500-metre T38 finals Friday as the 2019 world para athletics championships drew to a close. Riech won the event in a championship-record time of four minutes 2.

MOSCOW — Canada's Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier are second after the rhythm dance at the Rostelecom Cup on Friday. Russian pair Victoria Snitsina and Nikita Katsalapov are in first with 86.09 points, 3.5 points ahead of the Canadians.

Rising tennis stars Denis Shapovalov and Felix Auger-Aliassime have shown they're ready for the big stage. Their next big challenge will be to lead the Canadian entry at the Davis Cup Finals.

TORONTO — Auston Matthews issued an apology after a charge of disorderly conduct and disruptive behaviour against the Toronto Maple Leafs centre was dismissed in his hometown of Scottsdale, Ariz.

TORONTO — Kyle Dubas wants to see more diversity in hockey and he's starting with the front office of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Dubas spoke about needing a wider range of voices in hockey on Thursday night at the MLSE Foundation's speaker series.

TORONTO — Former CFL assistant coach Greg Quick was named the league's first director of global scouting on Friday.