National Sports

Vancouver Canucks forward Andrei Kuzmenko got an early gift for the holidays after being restored to his team's top line. He thanked his coaches by scoring two goals in a choppy 7-4 win over the San Jose Sharks.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Craig Smith and Jani Hakanpaa scored in the final 15 seconds, rallying the Dallas Stars to a 3-2 National Hockey League victory over the Nashville Predators on Saturday.

Saturday's Scoreboard NHL Vancouver 7 San Jose 4 Toronto 4 Columbus 1 Ottawa 5 Pittsburgh 4 (OT) Los Angeles 5 Calgary 3 Colorado 4 Arizona 1 Dallas 3 Nashville 2 Florida 4 Vegas 2 Minnesota 3 Boston 2 New Jersey 3 Detroit 2 Tampa Bay 2 Washington 1

OTTAWA — Christmas came a couple days early for the Ottawa Senators, thanks to Tim Stutzle’s overtime winner on Saturday in a 5-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

TORONTO — The Toronto Raptors will have thoughts of Jordan Clarkson and Lauri Markkanen dancing in their heads over the NBA's holiday break.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Auston Matthews added to his torrid stretch with two goals and an assist, and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-1 on Saturday night. Matthews scored for the seventh consecutive game.

TORONTO — Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy swallowed his national pride and publicly settled a bet with assistant coach Scott Morrison on Saturday.

KUNGSBACKA, Sweden — Montreal Canadiens prospect Lane Hutson scored the overtime winner as the United States defeated Canada 6-5 in a world junior hockey championship tune-up game Saturday.

The under-20 men's national team will be without a handful of mouth-watering eligible NHLers when it opens the world junior hockey championship Tuesday against Finland. 

KUNGSBACKA, Sweden — Canada added defencemen Jorian Donovan and Ty Nelson to its roster for the world junior hockey championship Saturday after losing a couple of important members of the blue line.