National Sports

TORONTO — A big unknown ahead of the NHL's restart to its pandemic-hit season — the most unusual campaign in league history — was how playing inside empty, cavernous arenas in the middle of summer would impact the game.

Saturday's Games NHL At Toronto Carolina 3 N.Y. Rangers 2 (Hurricanes lead best-of-five series 1-0) N.Y.

TORONTO — Montreal head coach Claude Julien said back in the spring his young, largely inexperienced roster had a real opportunity to grow after being given a second life by the NHL's restart.

Here is the latest news on Day 1 of the National Hockey League's restart in Toronto and Edmonton. All times Eastern. --- 1:10 a.m.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Nearly five months after he'd played a meaningful game, and on a night that was bigger than basketball, Kyle Lowry had no plans to pace himself.

SIENA, Italy — Canadian cyclist Mike Woods made his return from injury Saturday at Strade Bianche, helping teammate Alberto Bettiol to a fourth-place finish as the World Tour resumed.

TORONTO — Semyon Varlamov stopped 27 shots and the New York Islanders opened their best-of-five playoff series with a 2-1 win over the Florida Panthers on Saturday in the NHL’s return following a 4 1/2-month break.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Hamilton's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 19 points, Chris Paul added 18 and the Oklahoma City Thunder rolled past the Utah Jazz 110-94 on Saturday in their first game of the restart.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Winning a World Golf Championship event easily would be the biggest victory of Brendon Todd's career. He has a recent reminder of how to best protect a lead in the final round — even if that memory is a bit painful.

EDMONTON — The Edmonton Oilers' high-powered offence has shone all season, but as NHL elimination play began on Saturday Dominik Kubalik stole the show.