National Sports

Canada's Simon d'Artois notched his first World Cup ski halfpipe win of his career on Thursday in Secret Garden, China. The 26-year-old from Whistler, B.C., scored 93.60 points in his final run to beat out New Zealand's Nico Porteous (89.

TORONTO — The summer of 2015 was jam-packed with thrilling Canadian sports performances. Sprinter Andre De Grasse was becoming a household name, racing to two victories at the Pan American Games in Toronto.

ZURICH — Belgium ends 2018 atop FIFA's rankings with World Cup winner France at No. 2. FIFA says Belgium is a single ranking point — 1,727 to 1,726 — ahead of a French team which won their World Cup semifinal in Russia. Brazil is No.

Jim Long is living the dream. The darts dream. The 50-year-old GM worker from London, Ont., already has one win under his belt at the William Hill World Darts Championship.

EDMONTON — For the first couple of minutes after the crash, no one on the University of Alberta Pandas hockey team bus knew what had happened. Captain Cayle Dillon heard a big boom and felt the cold.

LANGLEY, B.C. — Filip Lindberg and Lassi Lehtinen combined for a nine-save shutout as Finland crushed Denmark 7-0 on Wednesday in pre-competition action ahead of the world junior hockey championship.

Wednesday's Games NHL Colorado 2 Montreal 1 Pittsburgh 2 Washington 1 --- AHL Cleveland 3 Grand Rapids 1 Hartford 3 Providence 0 Toronto 3 Binghamton 1 Belleville 5 Rochester 4 Lehigh Valley 5 Hershey 0 Springfield 3 Syracuse 2 WB/Scranton 4 Bridgepo

Wednesday's Games NHL Colorado 2 Montreal 1 Pittsburgh 2 Washington 1 --- AHL Cleveland 3 Grand Rapids 1 Hartford 3 Providence 0 Toronto 3 Binghamton 1 Belleville 5 Rochester 4 Lehigh Valley 5 Hershey 0 Springfield 3 Syracuse 2 WB/Scranton 4 Bridgepo

DENVER — Gabriel Landeskog got the chance to celebrate his goal a second time — after a big sigh of relief. He thought his score would count despite a challenge for goaltender interference. But really he wasn't sure. It's hard to be completely sure.

VICTORIA — Maxime Comtois, the lone veteran on Canada's world junior hockey team, hopes his teammates learn from Wednesday's victory.