• The Canadian Press

    Brent Burns, Dmitry Orlov help Hurricanes hold on to beat Islanders 3-2 for 3-0 series lead

    NEW YORK (AP) — Defensemen Brent Burns and Dmitry Orlov got Carolina off to a fast start and the Hurricanes held on to beat the New York Islanders 3-2 on Thursday night for a 3-0 lead in the first-round series. Sebastian Aho also scored for the Hurricanes and Andrei Svechnikov had two assists. Frederik Andersen stopped 29 shots. Carolina won for eighth time in nine games at UBS Arena, which opened for the 2021-22 season. Brock Nelson and Pierre Engvall scored for the Islanders. They are a loss a

  • The Canadian Press

    Falcons provide first NFL draft surprise by taking Washington QB Michael Penix Jr. with No. 8 pick

    FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons provided the first major surprise of the NFL draft by selecting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. of Washington with the No. 8 overall pick on Thursday night. The Falcons extended their recent trend of selecting offensive skill players in the first round by drafting Penix one month after signing Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract with $100 million guaranteed. Using a draft slot normally targeted for players expected to make an immediate

  • The Canadian Press

    Colts take first defensive player of NFL draft, UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu at No. 15

    INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indianapolis Colts took the first defensive player in the NFL draft Thursday night, choosing edge rusher Laiatu Latu of UCLA with the 15th pick. Latu's selection ended a 14-player run on offense — a draft record. Last season's Pac-12 defensive player of the year is expected to beef up Indy's outside pass rush and should complement an interior defensive line led by two-time Pro Bowler DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart. The Colts recorded 51 sacks last season, the most si

  • The Canadian Press

    Seahawks target the defensive line by selecting Byron Murphy II from Texas with No. 16 pick in draft

    RENTON, Wash. (AP) — The Seattle Seahawks filled a need on the defensive front, selecting Texas defensive tackle Byron Murphy II with the No. 16 pick of the first round of the NFL draft on Thursday. The first draft under new coach Mike Macdonald went to the defensive side of the ball with the first selection of his tenure and bolstered a clear area Seattle needed improvement. The Seahawks had veteran Jarran Reed at the position, but otherwise lacked an impactful second option. Murphy could end u