National Sports

After a somewhat laboured start to the Pacific Four Series in a 26-14 win over the U.S., Canada laid down a marker ahead of the Rugby World Cup with a pulsating 27-27 draw Saturday with reigning World Cup champion New Zealand.

SUNRISE — Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner flung pucks back and forth as warm-ups concluded. The Maple Leafs star forwards were in their own world as fans banged on the glass in hopes of grabbing a souvenir.

DUBLIN — Adia Pye and Rachel Cullum scored tries in a losing cause Saturday as the Canadian women's under-20 rugby team was beaten 32-14 by their Ireland counterparts. The teams split the two-game series with Canada prevailing 26-15 last Saturday.

CHRISTCHURCH — Sylvia Brunt scored with the clock in the red as reigning World Cup champion New Zealand rallied for a 27-27 tie with Canada in Pacific Four Series women's rugby play Saturday.

SPOKANE — Hunter St. Martin scored a goal and an assist as the Medicine Hat Tigers doubled the Spokane Chiefs 4-2 on Friday to win the Western Hockey League championship.

OTTAWA — The Ottawa Charge are going to the Walter Cup final to play for the Professional Women's Hockey League championship. Emily Clark’s third-period goal proved to be the winner as Ottawa edged the Montreal Victoire 2-1 on Friday.

TORONTO — Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider resisted the temptation to employ Anthony Santander as a ninth-inning pinch-hitter on Friday.

SUNRISE, Fla.

TORONTO — Riley Greene homered and added a two-run double to spark the Detroit Tigers to a 5-4 series-opening win against the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday. Greene homered in the second inning and knocked in two more runs in the fifth.

Jhonattan Vegas was in front for first time in a major and didn't back down Friday in a PGA Championship filled with drama everywhere but the top of the leaderboard.