National Sports

TORONTO — The Universe Boss is embracing his role as an ambassador for the sport of cricket. Chris Gayle will be throwing out the opening pitch at Rogers Centre on Saturday as the Toronto Blue Jays host the Oakland Athletics.

Cris Collinsworth was ahead of the game on analytics, buying Pro Football Focus in 2014. The Emmy Award-winning football analyst says it wasn't until 2018, however, that he really started believing in the numbers.

After losing 3-0 midweek at league-leading FC Cincinnati, Toronto FC finds itself in equally hostile territory Saturday when it visits New England.

MONTREAL — Peter Smith will return as head coach of the Premier Hockey League's Montreal Force next season and the club has signed free-agent goaltender Lauren Bench.

It took 42 years, but Cris Collinsworth is finally part of the CFL. Earlier this month, the CFL announced a partnership with Pro Football Focus.

CALGARY — The Calgary Flames have hired Dan Lambert and Marc Savard to be assistants to new head coach Ryan Huska. Lambert spent the last four seasons as an assistant coach with the Nashville Predators.

Connor Bedard was about to jet off to a sunny destination. He wasn't happy about it. With minor hockey tryouts just around the corner, Bedard — the projected No.

The world's largest hockey stick survived Expo '86, a move to Vancouver Island, the wrath of Canadian winters and even woodpeckers, but time is catching up with the monument to Canada's game attached to an ice arena in Duncan, B.C.

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia — Christa Deguchi clamied the women's under-57 kilogram gold medal at the Ulaanbaatar Grand Slam judo tournament Friday with a win over fellow Canadian Jessica Klimkait.

BANGKOK — Unbeaten Russian Anatoly (Sladkiy) Malykhin stopped Canadian Arjan Bhullar in the third round Friday to win the One Championship heavyweight title.