Sports

TORONTO - The longest hiatus Steven Stamkos has ever taken from high-level hockey is not without its occasional good moments.

OAKLAND, Calif. - Two people with knowledge of the negotiations say the Oakland Athletics have agreed to sign shortstop Hiroyuki Nakajima of Japan's Seibu Lions.

DETROIT - Anibal Sanchez hadn't gone anywhere, really, and yet here he was getting a big "welcome back" from Detroit Tigers president and general manager Dave Dombrowski.

A pair of back-to-back wins have brightened the outlook for the injury-plagued St. John's IceCaps. "At the end of the day, regardless of who's out . . .

MONTREAL - The new year will begin without a Canadian boxer holding a world title. And 2013 will also start with its former champions, Jean Pascal and Lucian Bute, either injured or looking to restore a battered reputation.

VATICAN CITY - Pope Benedict XVI told Italy's Olympic team on Monday not to be tempted by performance-enhancing drugs, saying doping was a "blind alley" that isn't worthy of such models of perseverance, sacrifice and human ability.

TORONTO - After more than a month on the sidelines, Jussi Rynnas picked up where he left off. Rynnas, who hadn’t played since Nov.

The Victoria Grizzlies go into the Christmas break as the hottest team in the entire B.C. Hockey League.

NEW YORK, N.Y. - The NHL's lawsuit against its players was assigned to a relatively new federal judge who is a longtime New York Yankees fan and a former federal prosecutor.

TORONTO - Jose Calderon was holding court with a couple dozen reporters in the post-game locker-room when Kyle Lowry walked by and said "Good game Amigo.