National Sports

OTTAWA — Canada will host five major international women's hockey tournaments between 2026 and 2030, Hockey Canada and the International Ice Hockey Federation announced Friday.

OTTAWA — Hockey Canada executive Scott Salmond says "the buck stops" with him. The country's men's under-20 team was eliminated from the world junior hockey championship in the quarterfinals for a second straight year Thursday.

Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals is closing in on the NHL career goals record of 894 held by Wayne Gretzky. Ovechkin has 871 goals and needs 24 to set a new record.

TORONTO — The Professional Women's Hockey League has suspended Montreal Victoire forward Catherine Dubois one game for an illegal hit to the head.

LIVERPOOL, N.S. — Rachel Homan and Brendan Bottcher were set to face Brittany Tran and Rylan Kleiter in the Page 3 versus 4 playoff game at the Canadian mixed doubles curling trials after the two teams picked up wins in Friday's early draw.

CALGARY — Some people say it with flowers. Some with an engagement ring. For Keith Beggs, it was a brick surrounded by mortar and placed at Calgary's Olympic Plaza that showed his true intent for the woman who would become his wife.

CALGARY — The Calgary Wild women's pro soccer team has named Lydia Bedford the team's first head coach. The Wild are part of the six-team Northern Super League starting its inaugural season in April.

Team Kerri Einarson has added three-time world junior champion Karlee Burgess to its lineup as a replacement for Shannon Birchard, who will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury.

MONTREAL — CF Montreal has signed German midfielder Fabian Herbers to a contract for the next two seasons. The Major League Soccer club announced the deal Friday after Herbers spent the last six seasons with Eastern Conference rival Chicago Fire.

TORONTO — The Toronto Raptors have yet to play their projected starting lineup this season, and it appears that trend will continue in tonight's game against the visiting Orlando Magic.