National Sports

CALGARY — Take advantage of the opportunity. That was the message from veterans Mark Giordano and Mike Smith as the Calgary Flames began preparations on Monday to meet the Colorado Avalanche in Game 1 of their first-round Stanley Cup playoff series.

TORONTO — Sports fans in Ontario will soon be able to have a drink and tailgate before a game.

Corey Conners was battling through qualifiers last Monday, winning a 6-for-1 playoff just to make the Valero Texas Open.

Vancouver Canucks general manager Jim Benning has a busy summer ahead of him. Deals are needed for a number of pending free agents, trades could be necessary to add to the squad's depth and Vancouver will host the draft in June.

TORONTO — Leaning on his stick at the conclusion of practice, Auston Matthews did all the listening in a one-way, one-on-one exchange with Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock.

VANCOUVER — It's been a season of growth for the Vancouver Canucks, but after finishing outside of the playoffs for the fourth year in a row, players and coaches feel there's still work to be done.

DENVER — The Colorado Avalanche may have All-Star forward Mikko Rantanen back for the start of their first-round playoff series against Calgary. Rantanen has been sidelined since suffering a lower-body injury at Dallas on March 21.

ESPOO, Finland — Natalie Spooner's hat trick helped Canada rumble Russia 5-1 at the women's world hockey championship Monday, but the victory was costly. Captain Marie-Philip Poulin reinjured her left knee late in the first period.

TORONTO — Jack Hughes will have a pretty good idea of where he'll be headed after Tuesday night. Expected to be the top pick at June's NHL draft, the 17-year-old centre with the U.S.

Ottawa Senators defenceman Mark Borowiecki is looking at the bright side.