National Sports

TORONTO — After a fifth consecutive loss and eighth in 10 outings, Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet lamented the team's slide is unacceptable.

CALGARY — Brayden Peters posted a 20-save shutout as the Calgary Hitmen defeated the Edmonton Oil Kings 5-0 for their straight victory on Sunday.

TORONTO (AP) — Right-hander Chris Bassitt and the Toronto Blue Jays finalized their $63 million, three-year contract on Friday.

VUOKATTI, Finland — Canada's Natalie Wilkie closed out a successful season-opening Para-Nordic World Cup with her fifth medal of the week. She was one of four Canadians to earn a medal on Sunday.

CALGARY — Ivanie Blondin returned to the podium in her signature race, while Connor Howe and Hayden Mayeur took advantage of chaos on the final day of a speedskating World Cup in Calgary. The Canadians produced three mass start medals Sunday.

LUSAIL, Qatar (AP) — Lionel Messi, wearing a black Qatari robe over his blue-and-white Argentina shirt, kissed the World Cup, shuffled toward his teammates and hoisted the golden trophy high in the air.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Kirill Kaprizov came to the rink dressed like an elf at the request of teammate Ryan Reaves, with a fuzzy green-and-red hat that stayed on his head for the Christmas-themed warmups .

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. (AP) — Kaillie Humphries learned to drive at Mount Van Hoevenberg. And she clearly hasn’t forgotten how. Humphries teamed with fellow U.S. Olympian Kaysha Love on Sunday to win a women’s World Cup bobsled race.

TORONTO — Canadian soccer fans stood in chilly pre-dawn lineups, painted their faces and ultimately wound up on a wild ride on Sunday as they packed bars to take in a particularly tense World Cup final.

ALMATY, Kazakhstan — The national men's relay team won gold for the third straight competition to lead Canada to a three-medal performance Sunday at a short-track speedskating World Cup. Jordan Pierre-Gilles of Sherbrooke, Que.