National Sports

DUNEDIN, Fla. — There was a time in J.A. Happ's career when he wouldn't have been considered to start an opening day game. And even if he was, he wouldn't have remembered.

MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his country's diplomats on Tuesday to seek changes to international doping rules in the wake of the nation's drug scandals.

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Oliver Ekman-Larsson and the Arizona Coyotes aren't going to the NHL playoffs this season. However, that doesn't mean they're taking it easy against contending teams.

Monday's Games NHL Florida at Montreal Arizona 5 Calgary 2 Columbus 5 Boston 4 (OT) Nashville 4 Buffalo 0 Los Angeles 4 Minnesota 3 (OT) --- AHL Rockford 5 Iowa 2 --- NBA Cleveland 124, Milwaukee 117 Indiana 110, L.A.

MONTREAL — The Florida Panthers are inching closer to a playoff spot. Roberto Luongo's 28-save shutout lifted the Panthers to a 2-0 victory over the injury-riddled Montreal Canadiens on Monday night.

STORRS, Conn. — UConn's opponents in this NCAA Tournament have tried to speed up the Huskies and they've tried to slow them down. Neither approach has worked.

NORTH BAY, Ont. — Skip Jennifer Jones and her Canadian team fought through a few uncharacteristic mistakes Monday before pulling out a 9-5 win over China at the world women's curling championship.

NORTH BAY, Ont. — Brent Laing joined Kevin Koe's rink four years ago to form a superteam that achieved its goal of reaching the Winter Games. Less than a month after missing the podium in Pyeongchang, only half of that Olympic lineup remains intact.

BOCA RATON, Fla. — Much like the varying opinions that bubble to the surface after controversial goalie interference rulings, there's a divide among NHL general managers about how to move forward on the contentious issue.

TORONTO — The CFL will use a slightly different football this season. The new ball will be made of slightly harder leather and upon inflation could be up to an eighth of an inch larger. But it will sport the same laces and stripes as usual.