WINNIPEG - It's not only a four-game winning streak that's boosting the confidence of Jeff Skinner and the Buffalo Sabres. It's also about the teams they're beating.

BOSTON - Kyrie Irving had 11 straight Boston points down the stretch and scored 17 in all in the last 8:06 of the fourth quarter.

VANCOUVER - Tomas Tatar wasn't the centrepiece of the blockbuster deal that sent him to the Montreal Canadiens, but he's carved out a vital role with his new squad.

While hardly a household name in Canada, Hamilton-raised Milan Borjan turns heads in Serbia, where he is the last line of defence for storied Red Star Belgrade.

While St. Kitts and Nevis is ranked 133rd in the World, the Sugar Boys present a step up in class for Canada after blowout wins over the U.S. Virgin Islands and Dominica in CONCACAF Nations League qualifying play.

CARONPORT, Sask. - A southern Saskatchewan Bible college is honouring the memory of the Humboldt Broncos coach who died when the team's bus crashed last spring.

Canada coach Kingsley Jones isn't about to let his team rest on its laurels in the wake of a lopsided 65-19 win over Kenya to open the Rugby World Cup repechage tournament.

Every opposing coach in the Canada West football pre-season coaches poll had the Saskatchewan Huskies ranked last among conference teams. Each one of those coaches is now out of the post-season mix altogether.

WINNIPEG - Justin Medlock is glad he's not watching the CFL playoffs from his couch.

HAMILTON - Bralon Addison won't have the element of surprise working for him Sunday when the Hamilton Tiger-Cats face the Ottawa Redblacks in the CFL's East Division final.

SAN JOSE, Calif. - The San Jose Sharks seemed intent to go after Nazem Kadri right from the start. That didn't bother the Toronto Maple Leafs a bit and they ended up with the win.

CALGARY - In a duel of struggling goaltenders, one returned to vintage form, while the misery continued for the other.

ST. PAUL, Minn. - A date with road-weary Vancouver came at the right time for the Minnesota Wild.

OTTAWA - Drake Batherson's NHL debut couldn't have gone any better.

HOUSTON - Carmelo Anthony is done in Houston.

PETERBOROUGH, Ont. - The Government of Ontario is excluding Ontario Hockey League players from provincial employment standards legislation in order to keep a "level playing field" with other major junior hockey leagues across the country, the province said in a release Thursday.

TORONTO - The Canadian Football League will add an extra official to the field for the rest of the playoffs to watch for any blows delivered to the head or neck of a quarterback.

HAMILTON - More than 50 years after taking his first football coaching gig, Jerry Glanville sees the light at the end of the tunnel like only he can.

TORONTO - Two-time Olympian and former International Olympic Committee member Paul Henderson would like to see the IOC follow its own lead when it comes to the selection of host cities for the Games.

Having battled back from knee surgery, veteran defender David Edgar is savouring his time with the Canadian national team.

Gavin McHale joined one of the most unique groups in sports on Wednesday night.

Time is working against the top three scorers in the Ontario Hockey League.

VANCOUVER - Louise Forsyth can't wait to play basketball in front of a hometown crowd again.

TORONTO - The Pistons delivered for coach Dwane Casey in his return to Toronto.

WINNIPEG - Ian and Val McHale got a call from their son Gavin just hours before the Winnipeg Jets hosted the Washington Capitals on Wednesday night.

TORONTO - Raptors coach Nick Nurse might not have had a good look at Reggie Bullock's buzzer-beater.

TORONTO - Dwane Casey might be gone, but he certainly is not forgotten.