National Sports

LAVAL, Que. — The Montreal Canadiens' franchise player is ready to win now, even if many fans are looking toward the future. "A lot of guys you see go through their whole careers and not get an opportunity. I don't want to be one of those guys.

Canada has dropped one spot to No. 22 in the world rugby rankings in the wake of its 20-15 weekend loss to the United States.

SHANGHAI — It wasn't the World Cup finish that Canada's men's basketball team had envisioned only several weeks ago. Canadian basketball seemed poised for a breakout summer, the season the team was stocked — finally — with NBA talent.

The Canadian men's and women's field hockey teams will have to get past Ireland to qualify for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. The Canadian men, ranked 10th in the world, will host the 13th-ranked Irish in West Vancouver in a two-match series Oct.

PHILADELPHIA — The National Lacrosse League will form a third division next season after adding two teams and relocating another franchise.

MONTREAL — The Montreal Impact have named Uruguay's Esteban Gesto an assistant coach.

Forward Junior Hoilett, who captained Canada and recorded a hat trick in Saturday's 6-0 win over Cuba, will miss Tuesday's rematch due to family reasons, according to the Canadian Soccer Association.

SHANGHAI — The day after the Toronto Raptors captured their first NBA championship in June, Nick Nurse received a video via text from the Chicago Cubs. The message was from Gary Pressy, the Cubs' organist for more than three decades.

Sunday's Games NFL Baltimore 59 Miami 10 Kansas City 40 Jacksonville 26 Minnesota 28 Atlanta 12 Tennessee 43 Cleveland 13 Buffalo 17 N.Y. Jets 16 L.A. Rams 30 Carolina 27 Philadelphia 32 Washington 27 L.A.

NEW YORK — Rafael Nadal's 19th Grand Slam trophy went from inevitable to suddenly in doubt in a thrill-a-minute U.S. Open final.