National Sports

OTTAWA — The Ottawa Senators haven't had much to celebrate so far this season, but coach D.J. Smith was pleased with his team's effort on the penalty kill Wednesday night.

NORTH BAY, Ont. — Reigning Canadian men's champion Kevin Koe is off to a winning start in the 2019-20 Grand Slam of Curling. Koe's Alberta rink beat Team Glenn Howard of Penetanguishene, Ont.

HOUSTON — Major League Baseball and its players' union are optimistic talks are progressing on testing for opioids following the death of Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs.

The World Series opener between the Washington Nationals and Houston Astros narrowly averted setting a record low. Washington's 5-4 victory Tuesday night averaged 12,194,000 viewers, according to national numbers from Nielsen.

NEW YORK — Toronto FC midfielder Liam Fraser is biding his time. It's been three months since the 21-year-old last started in MLS play.

TORONTO — When Martin Brodeur was a youngster growing up in Montreal, he played goaltender on one team and forward on another.

VANCOUVER — When three-time Olympian Brent Hayden left competitive swimming seven years ago, he was headed down a dark path.

SASKATOON — There's been an outpouring of love and support for a promising Saskatchewan curler who died this week from complications during the birth of her third child. Aly Jenkins, a member of Sherry Anderson's rink, died Sunday at the age of 30.

George Brancato may have cemented his legacy as a giant in Ottawa sports when he coached the Rough Riders to their last ever Grey Cup title, but another football legend remembers Brancato's aptitude for teaching the game from way back in his playing

When softball player and Olympic 2022 hopeful Natalie Wideman was handed a cheque and told the money came from women she did not know, she was speechless. "I instantly broke down crying," said the 27-year-old from Mississauga, Ont.