National Sports

The Vancouver Whitecaps are getting noticed. The attention is warranted with the way the ‘Caps have started the season — three straight wins in Major League Soccer play and a big result over a LIGA MX giant.

CF Montreal goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois insists his team still has belief despite stumbling to start the Major League Soccer season.

CALGARY — Calgary Flames captain Mikael Backlund will be out on a week-to-week basis with an upper-body injury, the NHL team said Friday. Backlund was hurt in the first period of a 4-3 shootout loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday night.

VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Whitecaps have loaned up-and-coming goalkeeper Max Anchor to Canadian Premier League side Pacific FC through the 2025 season.

University of Michigan regent Denise Ilitch told The Associated Press she believes there’s enough support for the Big Ten school to launch a Division I women’s hockey program that it’s only a matter of when, not if, it will happen.

ORCHARD PARK — It might not be Toronto but it definitely feels like home for Joshua Palmer.

Wayne Gretzky will be in the house when history is made.

LA THUILE, Italy (AP) — Federica Brignone all but locked up the women’s overall World Cup title by winning a super-G on Friday, giving the Italian a near-insurmountable lead in the season standings.

NOME, Alaska (AP) — Jessie Holmes, a former reality television star, won the longest-ever Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on Friday. Holmes was first to the finish line in the Gold Rush town of Nome, on the Bering Sea coast.

TORONTO (AP) — Sam Bennett scored power-play goals late in each of the first two periods, Sergei Bobrovsky made 23 saves and the short-handed Florida Panthers beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 on Thursday night for their seventh victory in eight games