Toronto

Wendel Clark's return to Toronto could hardly have been scripted better. In his first game since being reacquired by the Maple Leafs, Clark scored the first goal and added an assist last night in Toronto's 3-0 victory over the visiting Dallas Stars. The capacity crowd of 15,700 was chanting his name before and after the game, and Clark took a curtain call to a thunderous ovation as the game's No. 1 star. "This is a great bunch of fans here and I'm as happy or happier to see them I think than they are to see me," Clark said.

Canada's Jessica DiMauro and Andrew Slater reached the quarterfinals of the World's Open Mixed Doubles Squash Championship after a closely contested four-game match last night at the Cynwyd Club. The Toronto pair prevailed, 15-9, 7-15, 18-15, 15-14, over Liz Irving of Australia and Rob Hill, a former Princeton player. DiMauro, No. 1 on the Penn varsity, and Slater, a Cynwyd Club pro, rallied from 11-13 to gain a lead of two games to one in overtime. Their lead of 14-12 in the fourth game failed to stand up, and they were tied at 14. Slater gambled and declared "no set" for his team - he could have chosen a three-point playoff.

Alex Rodriguez will be easy to find between the Texas Rangers' three-game series in Toronto that begins tonight. "If you need me, I'll be in my room," Rodriguez said. The All-Star shortstop won't be alone at the team's hotel. "There won't be any going out to dinner or going to the mall this time," catcher Einar Diaz said. Texas players plan to take all necessary precautions during their trip to Toronto because of the dangers of SARS. The Canadian city is dealing with more than 250 cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome and 21 deaths.

Dwight Howard had 36 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Orlando Magic past the Raptors, 92-88, Monday night in Toronto. Ryan Anderson also had a double-double for the Magic - who have won five of seven and nine of 12 - tallying 19 points and 13 boards. DeMar DeRozan scored 23 for the Raptors, who have not won back-to-back games since road wins over Phoenix and Utah on Jan. 24 and 25. Toronto has gone 6-13 since. Warriors beat up Wizards Monta Ellis scored 25 points and Klay Thompson added 18 to lead the Golden State Warriors in a 120-100 rout of the Wizards in Washington.

Toronto picked the right time for its first victory of the season over the San Jose Sharks. Mark Osborne scored a key shorthanded goal in the second period and the host Maple Leafs routed the Sharks last night, 5-1, to tie their Western Conference semifinal series at a game apiece. "We hadn't even had a lead in a game against them very often," Osborne said. "This was a confidence-booster for us. " Toronto beat San Jose for the first time in six games. The Maple Leafs were 0-2-2 against the Sharks during the regular season.

You've got tickets. Lucky you. Or you're going to Toronto on a wing, a prayer, and standby. Either way, you'll need help getting around. Here's a guide to all you'll need to enjoy your stay, other than a Phillies World Series sweep. GETTING THERE Flight time: 1 hour, 18 minutes. If a travel agent owes you a favor, this is the time to cash in. Flights from Philadelphia to Toronto that don't connect through Tokyo are very, very hard to come by. Driving distance: 495 miles.

The 76ers won 54 games last season and came within a jump shot of reaching the playoff semifinals. They examined their personnel, then traded away three players and four draft choices, let three fringe guys drift overseas and let a veteran amble off into retirement. "I hated that," Wilt Chamberlain said yesterday. "When I was with the Lakers, we'd win, we'd change two guys and it could change the harmony, the cohesiveness. We weren't the same. "I think the Celtics proved it - you keep guys, teams together for as long as you can. " Maybe, at 50, Chamberlain can't make the moves he once could, but he still can make news.

Jose Calderon collected 18 points, 14 assists, and 10 rebounds to lead shorthanded Toronto over the visiting Houston Rockets, 103-96, on Sunday. Calderon started for the third consecutive game in place of Kyle Lowry, who has a tear in his right triceps. Andrea Bargnani also is out with a torn ligament in his right elbow. Calderon held Rockets guard Jeremy Lin to just seven points and two assists the day before Lin faces his former team, the New York Knicks, at Madison Square Garden.

There are few more predictable events than the day-before-the-series media gathering. Canned questions. Trite answers. Hear no evil, speak no evil - especially about your opponent. The Toronto Blue Jays were predictably boring on the eve of tonight's first game of the best-of-seven American League Championship Series (Channel 3, 8 o'clock), and spent the time dealing out the usual platitudes. The Oakland A's, however, were sort of like, well, the old Oakland Raiders. "It's been a team effort," Toronto manager Cito Gaston said when asked to describe how the Blue Jays came from behind to catch and pass the Baltimore Orioles in the stretch to win the Eastern Division.

The Toronto Rock rallied in the second half last night to defeat the Wings, 15-13, in a National Lacrosse League game and move into first place. Tom Marecheck scored four goals and added four assists for the Wings (5-3), who played in front of 16,544 fans at the First Union Center. Toronto (6-3) fell behind by 8-4 midway through the second quarter but scored the next five goals.

Dan Girardi and Derek Stepan scored third-period goals for the New York Rangers, who squandered a two-goal lead and then held on to get even in the best-of-seven playoff series at two games apiece with a 4-3 victory over the Washington Capitals on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden. Girardi ripped a shot from above the left circle, off a feed from Derick Brassard, to give the Rangers the lead again with a power-play goal 59 seconds into the third. The advantage was created by Jason Chimera's interference penalty at the end of the second.

Toronto pitcher J.A. Happ was released from a St. Petersburg, Fla., hospital in good condition Wednesday, one day after being hit on the head by a blazing line drive, and placed on the 15-day DL. The Blue Jays said the 6-foot-6 lefty was responsive and feeling better. "I feel really fortunate," Happ said after he limped to a news conference following his release from Bayfront Medical Center. "It looks like I moved just a little bit. I've got some stitches and there's a fracture in the skull, I suppose, behind my ear, but it's not serious or threatening.

THE BOSTON BRUINS spoiled the return of playoff hockey to Toronto, scoring two quick goals in the second period in a 5-2 victory over the Maple Leafs on Monday night. Adam McQuaid, Rich Peverley, Nathan Horton, Daniel Paille and David Krejci, with an empty-net goal with 1:17 remaining, scored for Boston The win came in front of 19,746 fans inside the Air Canada Centre. Outside, a blue-and-white throng watched on a big screen in Maple Leaf Square as playoff hockey returned to Toronto for the first time since 2004.

business,tourism_casinos Zipcar Inc., the national car-sharing network based in Cambridge, Mass., announced Thursday that it is expanding to eight airports, including Philadelphia International. The cars, which can be reserved by members online at Zipcar.com, will be available to rent by the hour or the day here, starting Wednesday. Zipcars will be parked in the Avis Car Rental pick-up facility at Philadelphia airport. The company, a subsidiary of Avis Budget Group Inc., said travelers with long flight delays and layovers can, rather than sit in the airport for hours, reserve Zipcars to get out and explore the local area.

Here is a look at the NHL playoffs that begin on Tuesday. Eastern Conference No. 8 seed N.Y. Islanders vs. No. 1 Pittsburgh Pity the Islanders. They get into the playoffs for the first time since the Kennedy administration - OK, it's only been six years - and they have to face an explosive Penguins team that outscored them, 16-5, in their last four meetings. The Penguins will use last year's first-round embarrassment to the Flyers as incentive. Pick: Penguins in five.

Canada charges two in rail plot TORONTO - Two men were arrested and charged with plotting a terrorist attack against a Canadian passenger train with support from al-Qaeda "elements" in Iran, police said Monday. Chiheb Esseghaier, 30, and Raed Jaser, 35, who live in Montreal and Toronto, were planning to derail a Via Rail passenger train in Toronto but posed no immediate threat, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said. "This is the first known al-Qaeda planned attack that we've experienced in Canada," Superintendent Doug Best told a news conference.

THE UNION scored during stoppage time to earn a 1-1 draw with Toronto FC at PPL Park on Saturday. Jack McInerney scored in the 93rd minute for the Union (2-2-2). The game was hard-fought, with more than 20 fouls called, eight of which were yellow cards. "I think we do a good job of getting a point and working real hard," Union midfielder Danny Cruz said. "Keep in mind we had a goal called back [a disallowed McInerney attempt in the 88th minute] that could have made it two, but credit to our guys [for]

When/Where: Saturday, 4 p.m. at PPL Park, Chester. TV: 6ABC. Records: Toronto FC (1-2-2, 5 points); Union (2-2-1, 7 points). Union at home: 1-1; Toronto on the road: 0-2. Goals for: Toronto, 7; Union 6. Goals against: Toronto, 8; Union 7. Last MLS outing: The Union scored a 1-1 tie at Columbus last Saturday. On that same day, Toronto played visiting FC Dallas to a 2-2 draw. About Toronto: Welsh international Robert Earnshaw leads Toronto with four goals.

The Union continued to pepper shots on goal and finally cashed in on their relentless pressure after 93 minutes. Jack McInerney tapped in a shot from Conor Casey in injury time, giving the Union (2-2-2) a 1-1 tie in Saturday's physical Major League Soccer game with FC Toronto before 17,182 at PPL Park in Chester. "It's a good feeling and the crowd is going crazy and I am sure they loved it _ but this is a game you have to win and looking back later in the season it will be disappointing," McInerney said.