John Tavares has been named captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Toronto unveiled Tavares' new "C" as part of the pregame introduction for the team's season opener Wednesday against the Ottawa Senators. Forwards Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and defenseman Morgan Rielly were named alternate captains.

Tavares served as the New York Islanders' captain from 2013-2018 before signing with his hometown Maple Leafs in free agency last summer.

Tavares is the 25th captain in Maple Leafs history. The Leafs did not have a captain since Dion Phaneuf was traded to the Senators in February 2016. Before Phaneuf, Mats Sundin had the title for a decade (1997-98 to 2007-08).

Tavares, 29, scored 47 goals and 88 points -- both career-highs -- during his first season with the Leafs. Toronto has lost in the first round of the playoffs in each of the past three seasons, including the past two at the hands of the Boston Bruins.

"It's hard to say if [being named a captain] will have an effect on the ice, but there's obviously a special significance with the Maple Leafs, the city, the franchise with the captain," Tavares told reporters last week. "It's obviously been an important role in hockey history and with many franchises. Many great captains, great leaders."

Toronto has not won a Stanley Cup since 1967, and fans are getting antsy. There are tremendous expectations for this year's team -- especially with more than $33 million in cap space dedicated to Tavares, Matthews and Marner, three of the NHL's most elite forwards.

The Canucks, Senators, Red Wings and Golden Knights are now the only NHL teams who do not currently have a captain.

ST. LOUIS -- After a 51-season wait, the Blues raised the banner for their first Stanley Cup in franchise history Wednesday. And then they played "Gloria" one more time.

The ceremony preceded St. Louis' season opener against the Washington Capitals, who won their first Stanley Cup one year earlier.

Captain Alex Pietrangelo, the first Blues player to hoist the Cup after they won, again held it, leading the team in a lap around the rink after player introductions.

The arena then blasted "Gloria" by Laura Branigan as the banner was lifted to the rafters, an ode to the team's post-win anthem throughout last season's playoffs. Blues players have said they will retire "Gloria" as their theme song this season.

The Blues were unlikely winners after falling to last place in the NHL standings on Jan. 2 with a 15-18-4 record. St. Louis became the first team from the NHL, NBA, NFL or MLB to win a title after occupying last place in the standings after one quarter or more of the season.

The Blues' wait for their first Cup -- 51 seasons, 4,046 regular-season games, 4,437 total games -- was the longest in NHL history for a team to win its first championship. The Blues also accumulated the most postseason appearances (42), series (72) and games (391) for an NHL team before it won its first Cup.

St. Louis fired coach Mike Yeo on Nov. 20 and named Craig Berube the interim coach; after winning the Cup and being named a finalist for the Jack Adams Award, Berube received a three-year contract extension from the Blues this summer.

Before Wednesday's game, Berube was asked what he would be thinking about during the banner raising ceremony. "Just the game," the matter-of-fact Berube said. "That's it."

"We talked to our players that you just got to keep everything in check and narrow your focus," Berube added. "It's a great thing, obviously, the banner raising, but when that's done you gotta turn the switch on and play. And not try to do too much too early. I think it's important to do your job and play a simple game."

The Blues rallied last season behind a supportive city, but also found inspiration from an 11-year-old fan, Laila Anderson, who has a life-threatening autoimmune disease.

On Tuesday, Blues players Alexander Steen and Colton Parayko surprised Anderson with a championship ring. In a video captured by the Blues that has since gone viral, Steen and Parayko arrived at Anderson's house with the gift. Anderson was nearly speechless when she received the ring, repeatedly saying: "Oh my god. Oh my god."

"She's been a big part of our group for a long time now," Steen said Wednesday. "She truly does inspire us and continues to inspire us. It was special to be able to be the guys to go to her house and give her the ring."

"Laila" is inscribed in each of the rings, as are the words "Play Gloria" and a depiction of the championship parade at the Gateway Arch.

"They nailed it, they really nailed it," Steen said. "Just little details -- just the story behind every little detail on the ring, makes them so much more special. The whole ring signified the whole run that we had -- how everyone was connected and involved."

Wednesday marked the first time since 1962 that the previous two winners of the Stanley Cup met in the season-opening game for both teams.

LAS VEGAS – If anyone would have had an inkling that Tiger Woods was going to win the 2000 U.S. Open by 15 shots, it was probably Adam Scott.

Speaking Wednesday at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, Scott spent time reflecting on his brief college career at UNLV and how that worked to shape him as a young man.

Since he was reminiscing, Scott was asked about a match he played as a 19-year-old against Woods, who was about to win the next four majors in a row and rattle off the greatest year of golf anyone has ever produced.

Scott was working with swing coach Butch Harmon shortly after turning pro, and Woods was stopping by Rio Secco on his way to Pebble Beach.

“It was the Sunday before the week of the U.S. Open,” Scott said.

“He closed me out on the 14th, but he double bogeyed the 9th for 63, and I was a bit blown away by what I saw. It was quite windy, and I thought I played quite well. Probably shot about even par and I was nine off the pace. I made probably a throwaway comment to Butch, something like, ‘Maybe I should reconsider turning pro?’

“The only thing that made me feel good was he won the U.S. Open by 15 the next week, so I was quite happy to see that no one else really played like that.”

Undeterred, Scott would go to win four times on the European Tour over the next three years before becoming a force on the PGA Tour with wins at the 2003 Deutsche Bank Championship and 2004 Players Championship.

Add another distinction to South Korea’s dominance in the women’s game.

With reigning U.S. Women’s Open champion Jeongeun Lee6 moving up a spot in this week’s Rolex Women’s World Rankings, South Korea becomes the first nation to concurrently hold the top three spots in the world rankings, according to the LPGA.

Jin Young Ko is ranked No. 1 for the 10^th week in a row (22 weeks overall), with Sung Hyun Park at No. 2 and Lee6 now at No. 3.

The Rolex Rankings were introduced in 2006.

Ko isn’t in the field at this week’s Volunteers of America Classic outside Dallas, but Park is back as the defending champion. Lee6 is also in the field.

Park has won 17 times around the world, seven times on the LPGA, but she has never successfully defended a title.

“It’s definitely a little goal of mine,” Park said.

Park is looking to win her third LPGA title this year. Ko leads the tour with four victories this season.

This week marks the final full-field event of the year on the American-based LPGA’s domestic schedule. It will be the last chance for a lot of players to tee it up before the tour moves to the fall Asian swing and its limited field events. Players looking to lock down tour cards among the top 100 on the LPGA money list and to make a run at cracking the top 60 in Race to the CME Globe points will be under pressure to make the most of what may be their final chance to reach those goals. The top 60 in the final points tabulation at the conclusion of the Toto Japan Classic (Nov. 8-10) will earn a chance to win the biggest paycheck in women’s golf, the $1.5 million first-place prize at the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship in Naples, Fla. (Nov. 21-24).

LAS VEGAS – Kevin Na didn’t need much prompting to get going on Bio Kim’s three-year suspension from the Korean Tour for flashing a middle finger.

Asked about the incident on Wednesday at the Shriners, Na, who had been mostly cracking jokes while seated in the interview room, turned serious.

“First of all, I don't know where to start,” Na said, his head down.

After detailing his relationship with Kim, to whom Na says he’d tried to be something of a “big brother” since Kim played the PGA Tour in 2011, Na called the three-year ban both “ridiculous” and “extreme.”

“Yes, what he did was wrong. Should he be fined? Yes. Three years is ridiculous,” he said.

“You're taking a man's job for three years. Yes, he was unprofessional and there should be consequences for it, but don’t take a man's job away for three years.”

On his way to victory over the weekend at the DGB Financial Group Volvik Daegu Gyeongbuk Open, Kim directed a middle finger at the gallery after a camera shutter from a cell phone went off during his backswing on the 16^th hole. Per Na’s conversation with Kim, this was not the first time Kim had heard cameras going off, and he finally lost his temper.

Prior to his suspension, Kim was leading the Korean Tour Order of Merit. As a result, he was set to qualify for the PGA Tour’s CJ Cup and was making a run at earning European Tour status.

Now Kim is banned from the KPGA, while his wife is pregnant, expecting the couple’s first child.

“He's depressed. I mean, I can hear it in his voice,” Na said. “I said, you know what? I know you're going through a rough time. Be good to your wife. I am sure it's hard for her.”

In an effort to help, Na has called “some people high up in the Korean society” and also put Kim in touch with the PGA Tour in hopes of finding him playing opportunities or status on one of the Tour’s developmental circuits. 

“You can't take a man's job away for three years for one incident. Everybody makes mistakes,” Na continued. “Like I said, if this was fifth or sixth offense, I get it. But when you have no offenses and have had good behavior, you're a good guy, people like him – you can't do that to a person.

“I guess I can keep going on. I'll just leave it at that.”

Set your alarms because "Hammer Time" is coming to the Houston Open next week.

The tournament extended a sponsor exemption to Texas sophomore Cole Hammer, a Houston native. It will be Hammer's first non-major PGA Tour start. He qualified for the 2015 U.S. Open at Chambers Bay as a 15-year-old.

"It's always been a dream of mine to play in my hometown PGA Tour event," Hammer tweeted Wednesday.

The Houston Open will be played Oct. 10-13 at the Golf Club of Houston.

Hammer is ranked second in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, though he earned the McCormack Medal in August after finishing the U.S. Amateur ranked No. 1 in the world. He also recently helped the U.S. win the Walker Cup at Royal Liverpool, and won the Phil Mickelson Award as last season's NCAA freshman of the year.

This fall, Hammer has played twice, tying for ninth at Olympia Fields and sharing 42nd at the Nike Collegiate, which ended Tuesday.

BARCELONA -- Marc-Andre ter Stegen said Barcelona striker Luis Suarez "shut a lot of mouths" with his match-winning performance against Inter Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Suarez, 32, scored twice in the second half as Barca came from behind to beat the Serie A leaders 2-1 at Camp Nou en route to their first win in Europe this season following a goalless draw with Borussia Dortmund last time out.

The Uruguayan's brace came just a week after he was jeered by his own supporters when he was substituted in the win over Villarreal. That match was his third without a goal but he responded with a strike in Saturday's victory at Getafe and spared Barca's blushes against Inter following Lautaro Martinez's early opener.

- Barcelona ratings: Suarez soars in gritty comeback win

"Suarez shut a lot of mouths with that performance," Barca goalkeeper Ter Stegen told reporters. "He is always focused, giving his best and fighting hard. We know who we have up there. He's always there to score goals for us when it matters."

Barca are now unbeaten in 33 Champions League games at home and have won their last three matches in all competitions following a shock defeat at Granada last month.

Tuesday's win was also notable for the return of Lionel Messi. He set up Suarez's second goal as he started for just the second time this season following calf and thigh problems.

Messi hopes that Barca have now turned a corner and can put their worst league start in 25 years behind them, although he conceded the team's preseason tours of Japan and the United States have proved counter-productive.

"We've struggled to get going, but we're getting there in the end," the Argentina international told reporters. "We knew we were in a tough moment but, if we look at it, it's been difficult for all the big teams in Europe because of preseason.

"I don't mean that as a criticism. We're a little out of shape, [on the tours] you don't train as well with the travelling, that's the reality. But it's necessary for the club to organise those type of games. All the big teams do tours and little by little we're re-adapting to the competition.

"We still have Sevilla to come before the international break, so we need to end the week well because [otherwise] a lot of noise is generated when there's no [club] football."

On his own fitness, having missed five of Barca's nine games through injury this season, he added: "I am trying to get started. This was the first 90 minutes I have been able to complete and I'm happy with how I ended the game.

"That said, I was tired and lacking a little bit of rhythm. That will come with games. I'm used to playing and staying in shape with games twice a week. That's when I'm at my best."

Inter coach Antonio Conte, meanwhile, left Spain with mixed feelings. He was proud of his side's first-half performance but was disappointed to come away with nothing having created enough chances to earn at least a point.

"On one hand I am satisfied to come here and play how we did," he said in a news conference. "But we have to understand to what point [the loss] is to do with Barca's strengths and to what point it is to do with us.

"The defeat leaves a bad taste given how we played and what we created. We deserved a lot more than Barca. It's a shame."

Conte also criticised the referee, Damir Skomina, saying he didn't have a "good feeling" about him from the start and bemoaning the fact he didn't give a penalty for a foul by Arthur on Lautaro before Suarez's equaliser.

Liverpool survived a major scare to record their first Champions League points of the season with a 4-3 win over Red Bull Salzburg in a breathtaking encounter at Anfield.

The Reds raced to an early lead after a delightful exchange between Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino before Andy Robertson turned home Trent Alexander-Arnold's cross and Mohamed Salah made it 3-0 from close range. But Hwang Hee-Chan's powerful strike hauled Salzburg back into the game, and the visitors were level within just 15 minutes of the restart as Liverpool were left shell-shocked.

And the thankful hosts were rescued by talisman Mo Salah yet again as the Egyptian netted his second of the game to secure all three points.

Positives

Liverpool could have been forgiven for being a bit nervy prior to kickoff, but the Reds' attacking brilliance saw them race in a 3-0 lead. Despite a near-colossal slip-up, Jurgen Klopp's side showed huge character to hold their nerve and carve out a winner with the score level at 3-3.

Negatives

The hosts were without Joel Matip due to injury, with Joe Gomez replacing him at centre-back. The Reds fell apart after the break and were almost severely punished for their complacency as the visitors looked to snatch a point. On another night this one could have had a very different feel to it at full time.

Manager rating (out of 10)

Jurgen Klopp, 6 -- Nobody could have expected Liverpool to throw away a 3-0 lead, but when the unimaginable did happen Klopp reacted quickly with the near-immediate introductions of James Milner and Divock Origi. That blend of experience and energy proved vital and helped Liverpool to regain a foothold in the game when they were really up against it.

Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best, players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)

GK Adrian, 5 -- Given absolutely no chance by a thumping Hee-Chan strike but will count his lucky stars that a tame clearance didn't end up in the back of the net after failing to clear the Salzburg striker. Let down by his centre-backs.

DF Trent Alexander-Arnold, 6 -- Another energetic display going forward but left Joe Gomez a little exposed at the back as the visitors threatened much more after the break. Produced a faultless low cross into the box for Robertson to make it 2-0.

DF Joe Gomez, 4 -- Gifted Salzburg an early chance as he looked to twist out of trouble, but the visitors couldn't capitalise. Kept on his toes by the industrious Hee-Chan throughout and was guilty of some major lapses in concentration as Salzburg struck twice in quick succession.

DF Virgil van Dijk, 4 -- This will probably be his weakest display of the season. Turned inside out by Hee-Chan as the striker unleashed a ruthless strike past a helpless Adrian. After going a full year without being beaten on the dribble, it'll be a long time before Anfield sees that happen to van Dijk again.

DF Andrew Robertson, 7 -- Covered so many yards that you'd have been forgiven for thinking there were two of him. Charged forward before turning home fellow full-back Alexander-Arnold's cross with a centre-forward's finish that Robbie Fowler would have been proud of.

MF Fabinho, 5 -- Looked nervous in the second half and was guilty of a few sloppy errors after the break, one of which was punished.

MF Georginio Wijnaldum, 5 -- Not at his best. Should have put the game to bed after another wonderful piece of play from Mane but fired off-target. Replaced by Divock Origi in the 64th minute.

MF Jordan Henderson, 5 -- Looked energetic in the first half but dipped in the second and was replaced in the 62nd minute.

FW Sadio Mane, 9 -- Ran the show. Opened the scoring against his former club with an exquisite finish following a gorgeous one-two with Firmino and looked dangerous every time he got the ball. Not entirely sure how he managed to completely miss the ball with a headed attempt from two yards that could have finished Salzburg's comeback before Salah eventually did.

FW Mohamed Salah, 8 -- Produced a big performance when his team needed him most. Squeezed home to make it 3-0 after the keeper generously palmed the ball straight at his magic left foot and showed excellent composure to steer Liverpool back in front when the Reds were feeling the pressure. Replaced by Naby Keita in the 91st minute.

FW Roberto Firmino, 6 -- Let a golden opportunity to open the scoring go begging but played a lovely one-two for Mane to slot home the opener. Gave the ball away cheaply as the visitors threatened.

Substitutes:

MF James Milner, 6 -- Replaced Jordan Henderson in the 62nd minute. Showed his experience to calm things down and his side improved following his introduction.

FW Divock Origi, 5 -- Replaced Georginio Wijnaldum in the 64th minute. Provided Liverpool with some much-needed energy down the left on an exhausting night at Anfield.

MF Naby Keita, NR -- Replaced Mo Salah in the 91st minute. No time to make an impact.

BARCELONA -- Luis Suarez scored twice as Barcelona fought back from a goal down to beat Inter Milan 2-1 in the Champions League on Wednesday at Camp Nou.

Antonio Conte's side took a surprise lead when Lautaro Martinez held off Clement Lenglet's challenge to open the scoring after just 121 seconds. However, the Serie A leaders were made to pay for failing to add to their advantage in a brilliant first-half display. Suarez leveled the score in the 58th minute with a fine volley from the edge of the box, and he completed the turnaround with five minutes to play, slotting home after a brilliant run from the returning Lionel Messi.

Barca join Borussia Dortmund at the top of the group with four points from two games, while Inter sit at the bottom with Slavia Prague with just a single point.

Positives

Barcelona fans jeered Suarez off the pitch when he was substituted against Villarreal last week. Here, though, he showed why coach Ernesto Valverde is loathe to take him off even when he's not firing. When he's on song there are few better finishers in the game, and both of his efforts against Inter were top notch.

Meanwhile, the big positive came in the form of Messi. He took a while to get out of first, but he finished the game in fifth gear. His assist for Suarez's winner was fantastic. This was just his second start of the season and the first time he has completed 90 minutes following calf and thigh problems. Barca and Valverde need to keep him fit.

Negatives

The old cliche has rarely been truer: Football is a game of two halves. Barcelona were awful in the first half, although Conte and Inter deserve some credit for that. They've failed to score the first goal in six of their nine outings this season and were lucky to be trailing by only one goal when they trudged back to the tunnel at half-time.

They were torn apart on the break by an Inter side happy to swap possession for counters. Sergio Busquets looked off the pace and all of the back four had moments to forget. The win should not cloud the fact that this is still a Barca side with cracks in it.

Manager rating out of 10

7 -- Valverde was outcoached by Conte in the first half, but his changes swung the game in his side's favour. Swapping Busquets for Arturo Vidal, who was good, and changing to a 4-2-3-1 formation worked wonders.

Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best. Players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)

GK Marc-Andre ter Stegen, 7 -- The German international's high standards mean he'll probably feel he should have kept the Inter goal out, but he was responsible for keeping the score down in the first 45 minutes. Made one incredible save from a Lautaro header in particular.

DF Sergi Roberto, 6 -- Misplaced a number of passes and failed to contain the threat posed by Antonio Candreva.

DF Gerard Pique, 6 -- Booked again. That's six bookings in nine games this season, leaving him a yellow card away from a ban in both La Liga and the Champions League.

DF Clement Lenglet, 6 -- Held off by Lautaro for Inter's goal but improved in the second half to nullify the threat that the Italians had posed in the first 45 minutes.

DF Nelson Semedo, 6 -- The right-back often looked uncomfortable on the unfamiliar left flank but recovered well to stop Lautaro making it 2-0 in the first half and he even improved in attack once Dembele came on.

MF Sergio Busquets, 5 -- Sloppy in possession and looked like he was running in slow motion when Inter countered. Didn't even make the hour mark.

MF Frenkie de Jong, 7 -- One of Barca's better performers, and looked even more impressive once moved into a midfield two. That said, much more is still expected from the ex-Ajax man.

MF Arthur Melo, 7 -- The Brazilian's splendid season continued. He's much braver on the ball. Almost scored in the first half, latching on to a Messi pass but firing over.

FW Lionel Messi, 8 -- Took a while to warm up on what was his second start of the season but was piping hot by the end of the game. His fingerprints had already been found on most of Barca's best moments when he set up Suarez's winner with a great run. He almost added a third goal himself.

FW Luis Suarez, 8 -- An under-par performance was transformed into a match-winning display thanks to some brilliant finishing. Will have enjoyed silencing a few doubters.

FW Antoine Griezmann, 6 -- Struggled to make an impact on the left despite working hard. Improved when Barca switched to a 4-2-3-1 formation but wasted his best chance, finding the side netting after being fed by Messi.

Substitutes

MF Arturo Vidal, 7 -- The Chilean added energy and fight, helping Barca to take the game to Inter. Hasn't started a match this season, but on this showing, the Blaugrana are better with him in the side.

FW Ousmane Dembele, 6 -- Returned from a thigh problem to frighten Inter's defence with his pace. Was lacking an end product.

Ben Stokes has capped off a dream season by being named the Professional Cricketers' Association (PCA) Players' Player of the Year in recognition of his World Cup and Ashes heroics.

Nominated alongside Ryan Higgins, Dominic Sibley and Cricket Writers' Club Player of the Year Simon Harmer, Stokes received the most votes from his peers to become the sixth player to have achieved the Young Player/Player's Player double in their career, and the first man to win the trophy for their international performances since Andrew Flintoff in 2005.

There were also awards for Tom Banton, who was named Young Player of the Year, and Sophie Ecclestone, who retained her prize as Women's Player of the Summer.

Stokes produced the two innings of the summer, hitting a crucial, unbeaten 84 to take the World Cup final to a super over and smiting 135 not out at Headingley to almost single-handedly drag England over the line in a one-wicket win in the third Ashes Test against Australia to level the series 1-1.

ALSO READ: Stokes takes top two spots in poll of cricket's greatest performances

"It's hard to put it into words," said Stokes. "I am over the moon that players think I am worthy of winning the NatWest PCA Players' Player of the Year through performances this summer.

"You can take a lot of personal pride when you receive this award because it's your peers that vote for you. Earning this award is a huge moment and something I am very gracious of and I am sure the previous 49 winners are gracious of too.

"While this is an individual award, it is within a team sport so I am only in this position because of what other guys in our squad have achieved as well. What we have done as a team in 2019 is phenomenal, to win the World Cup and draw the Ashes has been a fantastic summer and something I am proud of personally and as a team."

Banton, who turns 21 in November, enjoyed a remarkable breakout summer for Somerset, hitting 454 runs in their victorious One-Day Cup campaign before scoring 549 more in the Vitality Blast, a total bettered only by his opening partner Babar Azam.

ALSO READ: Banton lights up the Blast to attract T20 franchise interest

He beat Sibley, James Bracey, and Zak Crawley to the award - his second in two days after scooping the Cricket Writers' Club prize on Tuesday - and is set to complete a fine week on Thursday when he will be unveiled as a 'local icon' player for the Cardiff-based Hundred team, before travelling to New Zealand as part of England's T20 squad towards the end of the month.

"I am very grateful and thankful to those guys who voted for me," Banton said. "I never expected it to be honest looking at the other nominees.

"If someone had told me the year I would've had at the start of the season I wouldn't have believed them. I have altered some technical faults I had at the beginning of the year with Marcus Trescothick and he has helped me a lot this year and has made me believe I can go all the way.

"To have my name on the John Arlott Cup is a special feeling. As a youngster I've looked up to so many of the previous winners and tried to be like them. Some of these players are my idols so it's nice to know they have won it before me. Also, these players are some of the very best so you never know what can happen, but if I keep working hard I could follow them."

Ecclestone becomes the first player to retain the Women's Player of the Summer award, having topped England's wicket-taking charts in both the white-ball series against West Indies, and in the Ashes.

"I wish we'd played a bit better during the summer but it's a really special feeling to be the first player to win it twice," said Ecclestone.

"I feel like I'm a bit more of a presence in the team now than I was last year, and I've enjoyed getting my point of view across.

"The highlight was definitely when we came back and won the last T20I. It was really nice to end on a high and show that we're a team to be reckoned with at the T20 World Cup next year. The big goal is to get ready for that World Cup and show everyone what we're all about."

The awards ceremony at the Roundhouse in Camden also saw Chris Woakes and Stuart Broad named ODI and Test player of the summer respectively.

Simon Harmer, Saqib Mahmood, and D'Arcy Short won the player of the tournament awards for the County Championship, One-Day Cup and Vitality Blast respectively, while England's white-ball captain Eoin Morgan won a 'special award'.