National Sports

WINNIPEG — Ryan Nugent-Hopkins says the Edmonton Oilers are peaking at the perfect time this season.

Erick Fedde went six strong innings, Josh Harrison hit a three-run homer and the Washington Nationals beat Toronto 8-2 in George Springer’s Blue Jays debut Wednesday night.

Toronto Six forward Mikyla Grant-Mentis took home two major awards on Wednesday including the 2020-21 National Women's Hockey League MVP honours. The 22-year-old Brampton, Ont.

OTTAWA — The Ottawa Senators moved out of the North Division basement in style Wednesday, with Brady Tkachuk recording a Gordie Howe hat trick in a convincing 6-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks.

TORONTO — Canada's Olympic swim trials have been delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic situation in Ontario.

DUNEDIN, Fla. — George Springer was set to make his anticipated Toronto Blue Jays debut Wednesday in the finale of a two-game series with the Washington Nationals.

CALGARY — The women's world curling championship in Calgary got the go-ahead from public health officials, but the status of Germany's team is unclear. Two Germans tested positive for COVID-19 in pre-tournament screening after arriving in Calgary.

Testing, testing and more testing. Less than three months before the Tokyo Olympics are set to open amid the global COVID-19 pandemic, increased testing was the biggest takeaway of the "Playbook" for athletes released by organizers on Wednesday.

The Canadian women's rugby sevens team, which made a formal complaint in January to its governing body, says it was let down by Rugby Canada's harassment and bullying policy.

Canadian welterweight Rory (Red King) MacDonald, a former Bellator champion and UFC title contender, opens a new chapter in his MMA career Thursday when he makes his Professional Fighters League debut against (Curtious) Curtis Millender.