National Sports

VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Whitecaps are hoping that young legs will lead to improved results as their 10th season in Major League Soccer kicks off on Saturday night.

Thursday's Games NHL Toronto 5 Florida 3 N.Y. Rangers 5 Montreal 2 Chicago 5 Tampa Bay 2 Minnesota 7 Detroit 1 Ottawa 5 Vancouver 2 Boston 4 Dallas 3 Winnipeg 3 Washington 0 St. Louis 3 N.Y.

WINNIPEG — Connor Hellebuyck faced some of the best snipers in the league and stopped them all. Hellebuyck stopped 34 shots to record his fifth shutout of the season as the Winnipeg Jets blanked the Washington Capitals 3-0 on Thursday night.

NASHVILLE — The Nashville Predators gambled that keeping Mikael Granlund instead of trading the pending free agent at the deadline could help them play their way into the post-season . Granlund certainly delivered Thursday night.

OTTAWA — Bobby Ryan could have never imagined a night like this. The Ottawa Senators forward played his first home game in over three months and had a hat trick to lead the Senators to a 5-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday.

MONTREAL — The New York Rangers showed why they are one of the hottest teams in the NHL right now.

William Nylander scored the go-ahead goal midway in the third period to lift the Toronto Maple Leafs over the Florida Panthers 5-3 on Thursday night.

TORONTO — Canada's women's water polo team was scheduled to be on a flight to Hungary on Wednesday evening.

TORONTO — Norm Powell has been sidelined for 20 Toronto Raptors games this season with two different injuries. But the toughest to watch was Tuesday's 108-97 to the league-leading Milwaukee Bucks.

Mark Casse admits he's in somewhat uncharted waters.