National Sports

Canada turned heads in topping the final round of World Cup qualifying in the CONCACAF region. Now comes a string of next-level tests at the World Cup, starting with No. 2 Belgium. The Canadian men are jumping into the deep end of world football.

The World Cup will sound different this year. Jacqui Oatley will become the first woman play-by-play commentator for U.S. World Cup telecasts, heading one of Fox’s five broadcast teams for the tournament in Qatar that opens Sunday.

EDMONTON — Trevor Moore owned the stat sheet on Wednesday night. Moore recorded his first career hat trick as the Los Angeles Kings defeated the struggling Edmonton Oilers 3-1.

MEDICINE HAT, Alta. — Brendan Lee recorded two goals and one assist as the Medicine Hat Tigers blew out the Brandon Wheat Kings 6-1 on Wednesday. Hunter St. Martin, Dru Krebs, Tomas Mrsic and Owen MacNeil also scored for the Tigers (6-9-3-1).

SAULT STE. MARIE, Ont. — Artem Guryev's first goal of the season proved to be the winner as the Flint Firebirds edged the Soo Greyhounds 2-1 on Wednesday. Braeden Kressler scored the other for Flint (10-7-1-1).

QUEBEC — Pier-Olivier Roy scored the eventual winner as the Quebec Remparts edged the Sherbrooke Phoenix 5-4 on Wednesday in a battle between the QMJHL's two best teams.

OTTAWA — It wasn’t the most impressive victory but it was enough to give the struggling Ottawa Senators a boost of confidence. The Senators (6-9-1) snapped a five-game home losing streak with a 4-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres Wednesday night.

TORONTO — Kyle Lowry said he both loves and hates playing against former Toronto Raptors teammate Fred VanVleet. Wednesday, it was more hate than love.

HOUSTON (AP) — Houston's Justin Verlander in the American League and Miami’s Sandy Alcantara in the National League were both unanimous selections for the Cy Young Award on Wednesday night.

Paul Stalteri first saw Alphonso Davies when he was 14 at a Canadian under-15 camp in Toronto. "You could see right away he had something different," said Stalteri, a former Canada captain who was a Canada Soccer youth coach at the time.