National Sports

TORONTO — Brian Glennie, a hard-hitting defenceman who spent most of his 10-year career with the Toronto Maple Leafs, has died. He was 73.

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Nick Taylor of Canada birdied four of his last five holes on Friday at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am to take his first 36-hole lead on the PGA Tour. Taylor, of Abbotsford, B.C., shot a 66 and was at 14-under 129.

CALGARY — Russia won the majority of medals while host Canada was shut out Friday in World Cup speedskating. The Russians claimed seven of a dozen medals, including two gold and a podium sweep, at Calgary's Olympic Oval.

LOS ANGELES — A witness to the deadly crash of a helicopter carrying Kobe Bryant and eight others said it sounded normal just before slamming into a hillside and wreckage examined by experts at the scene showed no sign of engine failure, federal inve

TORONTO — S.J. Green is getting a head start on CFL free agency. The Toronto Argonauts granted the veteran American receiver's request to be released Friday. He was scheduled to become a free agent Tuesday.

Toronto FC has signed Argentine winger Pablo Piatti as its new designated player. The 30-year-old Piatti leaves Barcelona-based Espanyol for Major League Soccer on a free transfer.

WAYCOBAH, N.S. — An investigation into allegations an Indigenous hockey player faced racist taunts during a recent game in Cape Breton concluded the verbal abuse did occur but that it was not based on race.

MONTPELLIER, France — Canada's Vasek Pospisil defeated Richard Gasquet of France 6-1, 1-0 on Friday to reach the semifinals at the Open Sud de France. Pospisil, from Vancouver, advanced when Gasquet retired due to injury.

BIEL, Switzerland — Switzerland won the first two rubbers Friday in its best-of-five Fed Cup qualifier against Canada at the Swiss Tennis Arena. Jil Teichmann opened with a 7-6 (4), 6-4 win over Leylah Annie Fernandez of Laval, Que.

Marc Trestman heads into the start of the XFL season looking for answers. The eight-team XFL begins its reincarnation Saturday with two games (D.C. Defenders vs. Seattle Dragons, LA Wildcats vs. Houston Roughnecks).