National Sports

TORONTO — Having endured 17 surgeries during a distinguished career, veteran Toronto Wolfpack forward Jon Wilkin knows all about the physical toll of playing rugby league for a living.

After enduring a 63-0 beating at the hands of three-time champion New Zealand, things don't get any easier for Canada at the Rugby World Cup in Japan with two-time winner South Africa up next.

ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Blues have signed Brayden Schenn to an eight-year contract extension worth $52 million, locking up one of their top centres after their run to the Stanley Cup championship last season.

Canadian Chase Claypool is living up to the lofty billing of No. 1 receiver for the University of Notre Dame. The six-foot-four, 229-pound native of Abbotsford, B.C.

LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers overpowered the Nationals on the mound and at the plate, extending the dominance that led to a franchise-record 106 victories in the regular season right on into the playoffs.

DENVER — Mikko Rantanen missed training camp and the preseason, yet showed he hasn't missed a beat after a summer of uncertainty.

Thursday's Games NHL Carolina 4 Montreal 3 (SO) Buffalo 3 Pittsburgh 1 Tampa Bay 5 Florida 2 N.Y.

NEW YORK — Artemi Panarin and Jacob Trouba came through in their New York debuts, and Mika Zibanejad had a big game to help the Rangers get the new season off on a winning note.

LAS VEGAS — Canada's Nick Taylor had to scramble for par on his opening two holes Thursday, and then he couldn’t miss in the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. Taylor, from Abbotsford, B.C.

RALEIGH, N.C. — The Carolina Hurricanes rode a second-half surge all the way to the Eastern Conference final last season. They started their follow-up season with a strong finish to their first game.