National Sports

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Real Madrid has won its record-extending 36th Spanish league title after securing an insurmountable 13-point lead over second-place Girona with four games remaining.

Financially challenged Canada Soccer took a step toward improving its bottom line Saturday, voting to increase its annual membership fee for players by $4 starting in 2025.

SINGAPORE — Canada's rugby sevens women were blanked 24-0 by France in Saturday's Cup quarterfinal at the Singapore Sevens.

NEW YORK — Centres Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Elias Pettersson of the Vancouver Canucks were named finalists for the NHL's Lady Byng Memorial Trophy on Saturday. The other finalist was Carolina Hurricanes defenceman Jaccob Slavin.

The Vancouver Canucks made it out of the first round Friday night, while the Toronto Maple Leafs look to accomplish something they haven't done in decades on Saturday.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.

SASKATOON — Fraser Minten capped a two-goal effort with the game-winning goal 18:15 into overtime as the Saskatoon Blades topped the Moose Jaw Warriors 5-4 on Friday in Western Hockey League playoff action.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Luis Garcia Jr. hit a three-run shot deep to center field in the seventh inning for his first career pinch-hit home run, helping the Washington Nationals rally for a 9-3 victory over the reeling Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Noah Hanifin broke a scoreless tie at 9:54 of the third period, Adin Hill stopped 23 shots and the defending champion Vegas Golden Knights kept alive their season by beating the Dallas Stars 2-0 on Friday night to force Game 7.

An all-Canadian clash awaits the Vancouver Canucks in the second round of the NHL playoffs. And Vancouver isn't expecting an easy matchup. "We're in for a tough series," said Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet.