National Sports

VANCOUVER — Nearly four months after they were ousted from the NHL playoffs, the Vancouver Canucks are back — and with big expectations.

VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Canucks have been given the go ahead to play in British Columbia this season. B.C.

EDMONTON — Quarterfinals in international hockey tournaments are tense affairs. A win means playing for a medal and a loss means not.

EDMONTON — Roni Hirvonen scored with 25 seconds remaining and Finland edged Sweden 3-2 in quarterfinal action Saturday at the world junior hockey championship.

NEW ORLEANS — Eric Bledsoe capped a 19-point, 10-assist performance with a go-ahead 3-pointer in the final minute, and the New Orleans Pelicans held on for a 120-116 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Saturday night.

AUSTIN, Texas — Texas was tired of waiting for Tom Herman to deliver a Big 12 title and turn the Longhorns back into national championship contenders.

Paul Westphal, a Hall of Fame player who won a championship with the Boston Celtics in 1974 and later coached in the league and in college, has died. He was 70. The Phoenix Suns confirmed Westphal’s death in a statement Saturday.

HAMILTON — The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have re-signed American wide receivers Jaelon Acklin, Marcus Tucker and Jalin Marshall.

ARLINGTON, Texas — Alabama rolled into another College Football Playoff championship game.

EDMONTON — The International Ice Hockey Federation says there are no new cases of COVID-19 at the world junior hockey championship in Edmonton.