National Sports

DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Avalanche couldn't find their stride in the first period, skating with more caution than confidence. After intermission, they flipped a switch to swagger mode.

Thursday's Scoreboard NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Toronto 7 Tampa Bay 2 (Best-of-seven series tied 1-1) N.Y.

TORONTO — John Tavares doesn't tend to show much emotion. The Maple Leafs' stoic captain usually leads by example with a head-down, dogged determination he's demonstrated since his days as a teenage phenom.

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — The New York Rangers and Chris Kreider certainly picked the right time to get their power play in high gear.

PETERBOROUGH, Ont. — Michael Simpson made 19 saves and the Peterborough Petes pushed the OHL-best Ottawa 67's to the brink of elimination with a 3-1 win on Thursday.

SAN CRISTÓBAL, Dominican Republic — Captain Florianne Jourde and substitute Kayla Briggs each scored twice to lead Canada to a 4-0 win over Cuba on Thursday at the CONCACAF Women's Under-20 Championship Qualifying tournament.

THE WOODLANDS, Texas (AP) — Peiyun Chien shot a 5-under 67 on a rainy Thursday in the transplanted Chevron Championship to take the first-round lead in the LPGA Tour’s first major of the year.

MONCTON, N.B. — Mathis Rousseau delivered a 25-save shutout and the Halifax Mooseheads took a commanding 3-1 series lead with a 3-0 win over the Moncton Wildcats on Thursday.

TORONTO — Victor Hedman missed Game 2 of the Tampa Bay Lightning's first-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs with an undisclosed injury.

Count Dana White among those happy to see the UFC return to Canada, via UFC 289 in Vancouver. "I love Canada. I love that place. I love doing events there," White said in an interview Thursday. "I can't wait to get back to Toronto.