TORONTO – Nikita Kucherov had three assists in a four-goal first period and added another in the third to give him 100 points on the season as the Tampa Bay Lightning cruised past the listless Toronto Maple Leafs 5-2 on Saturday.

Jake Guentzel and Brandon Hagel, with a goal and an assist each, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Ryan McDonagh and the newly reacquired Corey Perry scored for Tampa (39-18-4), which snapped a four-game slide that came on the heels of a 20-1-1 streak.

Andrei Vasilevskiy made 27 saves. Brayden Point and Anthony Cirelli added two assists.

Matias Maccelli and Nick Robertson replied for Toronto (27-26-11). Anthony Stolarz stopped 28 shots.

The Maple Leafs, who are now 10 points back of the final Eastern Conference playoff spot and were booed off the ice, have dropped seven straight (0-5-2) since returning from the NHL’s Olympic break.

Tampa tops the East and the Atlantic Division with 82 points, which put them 17 clear of Saturday’s opponent.

Toronto captain Auston Matthews, who hit the post in the third period on a shot that glanced off Vasilevskiy, has now gone 11 games without scoring, and has just one goal in his last 15 contests.

TAKEAWAYS

Maple Leafs: The club said goodbye to three forwards ahead of Friday’s NHL trade deadline. Toronto shipped Nicolas Roy to the Colorado Avalanche, Bobby McMann to the Seattle Kraken, and Scott Laughton to the Los Angeles Kings for draft picks.

Lightning: Perry was reacquired from L.A. and arrived in Toronto at 4 a.m. Saturday. The 40-year-old played two seasons with the Lightning from 2021 through 2023, including a trip to the Stanley Cup final in 2022.

KEY MOMENT

With the scored tied 1-1 in the first period, Tampa buried three goals in a 2:36 span to pull away, with two coming on Kucherov setups.

KEY STAT

Toronto hasn’t won at home since a 5-0 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Jan. 10.

UP NEXT

Lightning: Visit the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday.

Maple Leafs: Visit the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 7, 2026.

© 2026 The Canadian Press

When families lose a loved one, making decisions is filled with emotion and now, increasing costs are making those choices all the more difficult.

With funeral arrangements running upwards of $20,000, people are finding it harder and harder to afford an end-of-life ceremony.

“A full-service funeral with a casket and buying a new cemetery plot and a luncheon, sometimes those funerals can be upwards of $15,000 to $20,000,” said Morgan Edwards, president of Saskatoon Funeral Home.

To cut costs, people are finding unique alternatives to celebrate their life, with DIY funerals becoming increasingly popular. Cindi McAuley-Michaud, a doula, works with families to make their end of life plans a reality through her business Love’s Final Journey.

McAuley-Michaud also helps people come up with lower cost to honour their loved ones — from planting them in a tree, to assisting those at the end of their life to write cards for future holidays they may miss.

“Maybe grandma has that special recipe that she’s never really shared with anybody, maybe she wants me to video her recipe, her making that special dish and give it to her to grandkids,” says McAuley-Michaud.

For those with no extra funds to spend, the Prairie Hospice Society provides people with supported quality of life in their final days by assisting around 130 people per month for free.

“Some of the things we can provide these individuals in the community is we can provide rides. So sometimes it is getting to that appointment, having that friendly voice to talk to when you get in the car or out of the car after an appointment,” explains Kristi Chisholm, executive director for the Prairie Hospice Society.

“Maybe it is getting into the library to pick up some more audio books because you are a bit isolated. Maybe it’s just having that friendly voice talking about what they want to do next. Maybe those bucket list items. Or maybe it’s to just focus on something and not about dying.”

When talking to experts on the subject, every person said planning ahead, if possible, is the best way to have your celebration of life to be exactly what you want it to be.

Watch the video above to find out more.

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Winnipeg police say three youths have been arrested after a pizza delivery worker was robbed at gunpoint Thursday evening.

Officers were called just before 7:30 p.m. on March 5, to an apartment complex in the 500 block of Victor Street following reports of a robbery.

Police found a 26-year-old male delivery worker who was not injured.

Investigators said the victim had arrived at the location to deliver a pizza when he was approached by a female suspect who told him to wait before leaving the area,

Two male suspects then approached the victim, brandished what appeared to be a handgun and demanded his pizza bag before fleeing, police said.

Officers later located and arrested one male suspect on a sidewalk in the 400 block of Broadway just before 10 p.m.

Police say the Major Crimes Unit took over the investigation.

Just after 11 p.m., officers with the Tactical Support Team and several patrol units located and arrested the remaining two suspects at a residence in the 500 block of Victor Street.

Investigators also seized a handgun that was later determined to be a CO2-propelled gun.

Police say two 16-year-old boys and a 16-year-old girl are facing a charge of armed robbery using a firearm. All three were released on undertakings.

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Rising tensions between the United States, Israel, and Iran continue to cause chaos for Canadians globally, affecting energy supplies, oil production and travellers trying to come home from the Middle East.

On Saturday, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened further military action against Iran in a message posted on Truth Social, saying the country could soon face additional strikes.

“Today Iran will be hit very hard!” Trump wrote, adding that some targets previously not considered could now face “complete destruction and certain death.”

Trump claimed Iran had “apologized and surrendered to its Middle East neighbors” following what he described as “relentless U.S. and Israeli attack,” while warning that further escalation remained possible.

In efforts to ease tensions, Iran’s president issued an apology to neighbouring Gulf states on Saturday for its attacks on regional countries, even as Iranian missiles and drones continued flying toward Gulf Arab states.

At the same time, he rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s repeated demands for Iran’s surrender.

Iran Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi walked back the president’s apology, sharply criticizing the Trump administration and warning the U.S. would bear responsibility for further conflict.

“If Mr. Trump seeks escalation, it is precisely what our Powerful Armed Forces have long been prepared for, and what he will get,” Araghchi said in a statement.

“Mr. Trump’s week-long misadventure has already cost the U.S. military $100 Billion, in addition to the lives of young soldiers,” the statement further read.

“When markets reopen, that cost will balloon and directly be transferred to ordinary Americans at pumping stations.”

Trump attended a repatriation ceremony Saturday afternoon for six U.S. service members killed in the fighting.

The rapidly deteriorating situation continues to affect Canadians abroad.

Air Canada announced it has extended suspensions of flights to several Middle Eastern destinations due to the military situation in the region.

Flights to Dubai remain cancelled until March 28, while flights to Tel Aviv are suspended until May 2.

The airline said passengers currently in affected regions should not head to the airport and encouraged travellers to monitor government advisories as the situation evolves.

Some Canadians have already been returning home through alternative arrangements made with the help of the federal government.

At Toronto Pearson International Airport, families reunited with loved ones arriving from Dubai aboard a chartered military flight.

“I have to say there were a few frightening moments for sure,” passenger Sharon De Sousa said after landing in Toronto.

“It’s not normal to have military aircraft like that, the boom going off, the alerts going out in the middle of the night. It was really scary, but I have to say that the government of Dubai made sure everyone was safe,” she told Global News.

“I am very grateful to be on the flight today.”

For many families waiting at the airport, the emotional toll of the crisis was evident.

“It’s been nothing less than anxiety and panic attacks,” said Adi Sribats, who had been tracking his father’s flight overnight. “I was tracking his flight till 3 or 4 a.m.”

Doug Ryan, who was picking up his daughter arriving from Dubai, said his family was relieved to have her safely home.

“Her husband has kept us quite informed. They seem to have a very good air defence program, but we’re relieved to have her home.”

Government data show thousands of Canadians in the Middle East have been seeking help getting back home as the conflict escalates.

According to Global Affairs Canada, about 109,300 Canadians are registered in the region through the Registration of Canadians Abroad system, with roughly 7.4 per cent seeking assistance to leave.

Figures compiled by Global News show the number of requests vary significantly by country.

The United Arab Emirates has the highest number of Canadians seeking help, with 14.7 per cent of people requesting to leave out of more than 30,000 registered Canadians.

That is followed by Iraq, where about 13.2 per cent of registered Canadians have asked for assistance, and Iran, where roughly 12.4 per cent have requested help.

Meanwhile, even as Israeli strikes intensify in southern Lebanon and residents in some areas have been told to evacuate, the number of Canadians seeking help to leave remains relatively low. Only about 3.1 per cent of registered Canadians in Lebanon have requested assistance.

As the conflict deepens, the conflict continues to ripple through global energy markets.

One of the biggest oil production companies in Kuwait announced Saturday that it has implemented a precautionary reduction in crude oil production and refining after attacks in the region and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Other Gulf countries have also limited or shut down oil production as the political tension remains high from the U.S-Israeli war on Iran.

According to Reuters, oil fields in Iraq have reduced output, Qatar has declared force majeure on large volumes of gas exports and the United Arab Emirates could be next to scale back production.

Earlier this week, Saudi Arabia, a key player in the global oil market, also announced that they shut down oil production temporarily.

Analysts warn the cascading shutdowns could have ripple effects on global energy markets and fuel prices in Canada, as tensions continue to escalate.

–with files from Reuters and The Associated Press

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Human remains were found following a house fire in eastern Quebec late Friday night.

Quebec provincial police say emergency crews were called shortly after 3:30 a.m. to a single-family home on 3e Rang Blais Nord in Saint-Tharcisius, in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region.

Quebec provincial police say two people may have been inside the home at the time of the fire.

Authorities say the remains could belong to the occupants, but formal identification will be carried out by the coroner.

Police say investigators were sent to the site.

The investigation into the cause and circumstances of the blaze is ongoing.

© 2026 The Canadian Press

TORONTO – Oliver Ekman-Larsson was happy to wake up Saturday still a member of the Maple Leafs.

The veteran, Stanley Cup-winning defenceman was held out of two games by the woefully underperforming club ahead of the NHL trade deadline for “roster management purposes” as Toronto fielded offers for a player with two seasons remaining on his contract.

When the bell sounded at 3 p.m. ET Friday and general managers could make no more moves, the 34-year-old was relieved to still be sporting blue and white.

It’s also clear the last stretch weighed heavily on his mind.

“It’s hard, especially for me,” Ekman-Larsson said Saturday morning before the struggling Maple Leafs fell 5-2 to the Tampa Bay Lightning at Scotiabank Arena. “I wanted to be here and we love it here … that makes it even harder.”

Asked if fences need to be mended with an organization that signed him to a four-year, US$14-million deal in July 2024 after a title-winning campaign for the Florida Panthers, he smiled, shifted his body, and then chose the next words out of his mouth carefully.

“I don’t know,” Ekman-Larsson replied. “I was just, like I said, happy to still be here … that’s what I wanted, and that’s what my family wanted, so super excited about that. I still have a lot of belief in this organization and love being here. I was trying not to think about it too much.

“But it was pretty tough.”

The Maple Leafs (27-26-11), who are 10 points out of the final Eastern Conference playoff spot and look poised to miss the annual Cup chase for the first time since 2016, have occupied a post-season spot for just 48 hours since Nov. 12.

They also own an ugly 4-11-4 record since topping the league-leading Colorado Avalanche in mid-January.

Ekman-Larsson was asked why he still believes in a roster that has painfully underperformed after making the second round of the playoffs — Toronto’s ninth consecutive appearance in hockey’s annual spring dance — just over nine months ago.

“Still think that we can do something special,” said the Swede, who also represented his country at the Milan Cortina Olympics. “Hasn’t gone the way we wanted this year, but still like the pieces that we have.”

Toronto did wave goodbye to three forwards ahead of the deadline, with Nicolas Roy (Colorado), Bobby McMann (Seattle Kraken) and Scott Laughton (Los Angeles Kings) all shown the door in return for draft capital.

“It’s always tough,” said Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews, who has made the playoffs each of his nine NHL seasons. “Every year you’re gonna lose guys. Obviously, this year’s a little bit different. But you lost some great people, great teammates, great players.

“You just gotta keep pushing forward.”

The list of issues for Toronto in a campaign circling the drain has included an inability to endure injuries to key personnel, a sub-par power play, difficulty sticking to head coach Craig Berube’s style, a lack of engagement for long stretches, and a defensive output that had allowed a league-worst 31.9 shots against per game entering Saturday.

“You lay in the bed you make,” Matthews said. “But we can only control what’s in front of us right now, and that’s our attitude and our compete level.”

The Maple Leafs entered the Olympic break with three straight victories and hopes of making a push before a stunningly uninspired, disjointed 0-5-2 run in their return to action that’s put what looks to be the final few nails into what’s become a dismal season.

“We’ve just had those swings too much,” Matthews said. “We’ll string together five, six, seven really good games and get on a good roll. And then vice versa, we’ll get on a bad swing of games … where it’s not going well or we’re disconnected. It’s always a roller-coaster throughout a season. No matter how good the team’s playing or no matter how good things are going, there’s always going to be ups and downs.

“Our swings have just been too high and then too low.”

Ekman-Larsson, who leads the defence corps with 35 points (eight goals, 27 assists) in 61 games, said it’s important Toronto sticks together.

“We all are accountable for the situation that we’re in,” he said. “We want to show that we can play better. We have a lot to play for — our fans, our teammates.”

A team and city Ekman-Larsson, despite a desperately disappointing season, remains happy to call home.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 7, 2026.

© 2026 The Canadian Press

ST. JOHN’S – Brad Gushue’s competitive curling career at the Brier has come to an end.

The six-time Canadian champion was eliminated from contention with a 7-5 playoff loss to Brad Jacobs.

Gushue attempted to win a record seventh Canadian title in his Brier swan song and in his hometown of St. John’s, N.L. He won the first of his six there in 2017.

The 45-year-old skip says this is his last season of competitive curling. Gushue led teams to Olympic gold in 2006 and bronze in 2022, as well as a world championship in 2017.

The Jacobs team trying to repeat as Canadian champions advanced to Sunday’s semifinal. They won an Olympic gold medal in Cortina, Italy, two weeks ago.

Alberta’s Kevin Koe and Manitoba’s Matt Dunstone were to meet in a later playoff between the top two seeds. The winner earns an express ticket to Sunday’s final and the loser drops to the semifinal to face Jacobs.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 7, 2026.

© 2026 The Canadian Press

SAINTE-ROSE-DE-WATFORD, QUÉBEC – A child has died and 19 others were injured after a school bus overturned in southeastern Quebec.

Provincial police say four people sustained serious injuries, but none of those are immediately life-threatening.

Another 15 sustained minor injuries, police say.

Frédéric Deshaies, a spokesperson for Quebec’s provincial police, says the bus was travelling south on a local road in Sainte-Rose-de-Watford when it slipped to the left before tipping over, possibly due to difficult road conditions.

Police are investigating the cause of the crash.

Sainte-Rose-de-Watford is a small community of 737, 35 kilometres from Saint-Georges and about 130km southeast of Quebec City, near the U.S. border.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 7, 2026.

© 2026 The Canadian Press

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) says it has temporarily halted deportations to Israel and Lebanon due to ongoing hostilities in the Middle East.

In a statement, the agency said the measure is being implemented because of the “volatile and unpredictable” conflict affecting the region.

Officials say the current situation in Israel and Lebanon is creating widespread risks to civilians, with both countries reporting fatalities and injuries.

The move, known as an Administrative Deferral of Removals, pauses deportations to countries deemed unsafe due to conditions such as violence or environmental disasters.

Under federal immigration regulations, the measure can be imposed when circumstances pose a generalized risk to the civilian population.

The CBSA said the deferral does not apply to individuals deemed inadmissible to Canada for reasons such as criminality, serious criminality, organized crime, security concerns or human or international rights violations.

The agency says removals will resume once conditions in Israel and Lebanon stabilize and no longer pose a broad risk to civilians.

At that point, individuals with enforceable removal orders who are inadmissible to Canada would again be subject to deportation.

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement warning of heavy rainfall, heavy fog and possible flooding in parts of Ontario.

The national weather agency says between 15 and 40 mm of rain could fall in some regions, with locally higher amounts possible due to thunderstorms.

The rainfall comes as southern Ontario experiences unseasonably mild temperatures.

Toronto set a new daily high temperature record of 17.4 C, the warmest for the date in more than a decade, breaking the previous record of 16.7 C set in 2012, according to Anthony Farnell, Global News chief meteorologist.

The rain, combined with spring-like temperatures, is expected to melt much of the existing snowpack from this season’s extreme winter weather, according to Environment Canada.

Environment Canada says the warm stretch is expected to continue into Wednesday, with sunshine forecast Monday and temperatures between 10-17 C.

Several rounds of showers and isolated thunderstorms are expected to continue through Saturday evening in southern Ontario.

Frozen ground will limit the amount of water that can be absorbed, increasing runoff and raising the risk of flooding in low-lying areas.

Motorists are urged not to drive through flooded roads and to watch for washouts near rivers and creeks.

The weather agency says residents looking for more information on flooding should consult their local conservation authority or the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources.

In some areas northwest of Toronto, near-zero visibility in fog is also expected.

Environment Canada says locally dense fog should dissipate later in the day as winds become southwesterly, but travel could be hazardous in some locations with visibility suddenly reduced at times.

Residents are encouraged to monitor alerts and forecasts issued by Environment Canada.

–with files from the Canadian Press

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.