National Sports

VANCOUVER — Nicola Froese says she has always loved playing sports, but hockey was never on her radar because there are so many upfront costs to just trying it out.

VANCOUVER — Mikko Koskinen always knew he'd return to the NHL. The six-foot-seven Finnish goalie was taken 31st overall by the New York Islanders in the 2009 draft but logged just four games with the franchise before returning to Europe in 2011.

HEERENVEEN, Netherlands — Ottawa's Isabelle Weidemann won a silver medal in the women's 3,000 metres on Sunday at the long-track speedskating World Cup in Heerenveen, Netherlands.

Jose Mourinho chose his words carefully, and they proved to be as candid as they were concerning for Manchester United as its worst start to a Premier League season hit a new low. "Liverpool," Mourinho said, "is a better team than us.

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. — Canada's Kim McRae finished in seventh place at the luge World Cup in Lake Placid, N.Y. on Sunday morning.

TORONTO — Kicker Zach Medeiros, quarterback Noah Picton, and wide receiver Cole Watson all signed with the Toronto Argonauts on Sunday. Medeiros agreed to a deal through to 2020.

THAIWOO, China — Another day, another World Cup victory for Mikael Kingsbury. Kingsbury won his third gold medal in as many starts in the moguls World Cup season on Sunday, coming in first in the dual mogul event in China.

TORONTO — With 35 fights under his belt, NABA welterweight champion Samuel Vargas thought he had pretty much seen it all. Then came Gabriel Adrian Pereiro.

CLEVELAND — In a story Dec. 15 about Yonder Alonso's trade to the Chicago White Sox, The Associated Press reported erroneously that Alonso is married to the sister of star slugger Manny Machado. Machado is married to Alonso's sister.

VANCOUVER — Travis Green said his Vancouver Canucks got some lucky bounces en route to a victory over the slumping Philadelphia Flyers Saturday night. "It didn't feel like a 5-1 game by any means, but we'll take it for sure," said the head coach.