National Sports

Tokyo Olympics organizers have unveiled their torch for next year's games, playing off the image of Japan's famous cherry blossoms. The cherry blossom is Japan's most-loved flower.

DURHAM, N.C. — Canadian basketball star R.J. Barrett has been named the National Player of the Year by USA Today. The 18-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., leads the ACC in scoring with an average of 22.

SAITAMA, Japan — Canada’s Kirsten Moore-Towers and Michael Marinaro are fifth after the pairs short program on Wednesday at the world figure skating championships. Moore-Towers, of St. Catharines, Ont., and Marinaro, of Sarnia, Ont., notched 73.

Tuesday's Games NHL Montreal 3 Philadelphia 1 Nashville 3 Toronto 0 St. Louis 7 Edmonton 2 Calgary 4 Columbus 2 Carolina 3 Pittsburgh 2 (SO) Detroit 3 N.Y. Rangers 2 Boston 5 N.Y.

Tuesday's Games NHL Montreal 3 Philadelphia 1 Nashville 3 Toronto 0 St. Louis 7 Edmonton 2 Calgary 4 Columbus 2 Carolina 3 Pittsburgh 2 (SO) Detroit 3 N.Y. Rangers 2 Boston 5 N.Y.

CALGARY — Every remaining game both a dress rehearsal for the playoffs and an opportunity to strengthen their post-season position, the Calgary Flames weathered a desperate Columbus Blue Jackets for a 4-2 win Tuesday.

ST. LOUIS — Goals have been hard to come by this season for St. Louis Blues left wing Jaden Schwartz. That all changed Tuesday night against Edmonton.

NASHVILLE — Pekka Rinne is starting to regain some of his Vezina Trophy form he showed last season. And the Predators, last season's Presidents' Trophy winner, are finally developing some consistency.

PHILADELPHIA — Montreal didn't need all 240 characters to express on Twitter the importance of beating the Flyers: "Les Canadiens remportent une grosse victoire !" In any language, this much was clear for a team making a desperate playoff push, the C

LOS ANGELES — Linebacker Clay Matthews agreed to a two-year contract with the Los Angeles Rams on Tuesday, returning to his native Southern California after a decade with the Green Bay Packers.