National Sports

IRVINE, Calif. — Jozy Altidore and three others scored as Toronto FC defeated the Colorado Rapids 4-0 in its first game of the MLS pre-season Saturday.

CALGARY — Striving for the perfect speedskating stride motivates Ted-Jan Bloemen after achieving the pinnacle of his sport.

WINNIPEG — Patrik Laine was proud he wasn't predictable when he scored a hat trick in the Winnipeg Jets' 5-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday afternoon.

DRESDEN, Germany — Canadian Courtney Sarault won a silver medal in the women's 1,000-metre event at the ISU short track World Cup on Saturday. Sarault, from Moncton, N.B., took second place with a time of 1:55.

CARSON, Calif. — Fresh from celebrating Olympic qualification with semifinal wins Friday, Canada and the U.S., clash Sunday with bragging rights on the line at the CONCACAF Women's Olympic Qualifying Championship.

BARNSLEY, England — Canadian Jeff Smith, who won his way back to the pro darts tour last month, made it to the final in his first event. The 44-year-old from Saint John, N.B.

MONTPELLIER, France — Vancouver's Vasek Pospisil upset Belgium's David Goffin 6-3, 1-6, 7-5 to advance to the final of the Open Sud de France on Saturday. Pospisil entered the match ranked 132nd on the ATP Tour, while Goffin was No. 10.

Carlo Ancelotti’s priority upon taking over at Everton just before Christmas was to get the team out of relegation danger in the English Premier League. Job done.

SALFORD, England — Dan Sarginson and Niall Evalds scored late tries as Salford Red Devils survived a Toronto rally Saturday to down the Wolfpack 24-16 in Betfred Super League play.

TORONTO — It appears Toronto FC put Pablo Piatti through a medical ringer, turning to the Maple Leafs and Raptors to help check out the Argentine's surgically repaired right knee.