National Sports

TORONTO — FC Edmonton took UBC midfielder Thomas Gardner first overall in Friday's CPL-U Sports draft, one of four Thunderbirds selected in the two-round draft.

Eager to put an ugly 2020 season behind him, left-hander Steven Matz will look to return to form with the Toronto Blue Jays. What kind of opportunity the 29-year-old pitcher will get with his new team remains up in the air.

VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Whitecaps have acquired goalkeeper Evan Newton from United Soccer League club Indy Eleven and signed him to a two-year contract through 2022, with a club option for 2023.

HEERENVEEN, Netherlands — Canada's women's team pursuit speedskating squad has captured gold at a World Cup for the second week in a row, while the Canadian men's squad earned silver.

CALGARY — The Calgary Stampeders have signed veteran linebacker Cory Greenwood.

Veteran Quebec rider Hugo Houle, a member of the Astana-Premier Tech team, has long carried Canadian colours on the world cycling stage. But he has also fought for the sport back home. The 30-year-old from Sainte-Perpetue, Que.

MELBOURNE, Australia — A busy stretch for Canadian tennis starts this weekend with Australian Open players emerging from quarantine.

TORONTO — The Pattison Canadian International has been included on Woodbine's 2021 thoroughbred stakes schedule. The turf race was postponed last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic but is scheduled to be run Sept.

The physical gifts that helped boxer Lennox Lewis reach his sport's greatest heights are obvious when looking at his chiselled frame.

EDMONTON — The Maple Leafs didn't have much success in tight games last season. The script has been flipped — at least early — in this abbreviated, still-young campaign.