NHL-STANLEY CUP FINALS
Kings crowned champions again
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The hockey season is over, but the celebrating has just begun in Los Angeles.
The Kings are the Stanley Cup champions for the second time in three years following their third overtime victory of the finals. Alec Martinez scored on a rebound at 14:43 of double-OT to give the Kings a 3-2 win over the New York Rangers in Game 5.
Henrik Lundqvist stopped a shot by Tyler Toffoli, but the rebound went directly onto the stick of Martinez for his second straight series-clinching goal. Martinez also scored the game-winner in overtime to push Los Angeles past Chicago in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals.
Lundvist was brilliant for the second straight game, turning back 48 shots after stopping 40 in the Rangers’ Game-4 victory. He performed well while the Kings were outshooting the Blueshirts 12-3 in the third period, but Los Angeles managed to force overtime on Marian Gaborik’s power-play goal with 12:04 left in regulation.
Jonathan Quick stopped 28 shots for the Kings, 15 coming in overtime. Quick blanked the Rangers after Chris Kreider scored a power-play goal and Brian Boyle added a short-handed tally over the final 4:23 of the second period.
Kings right wing Justin Williams received the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of the playoffs. Williams had nine goals and 25 points in 26 games, including the Kings’ first goal early in the clincher.
NHL-FLYERS/TIMONEN
Flyers extend Timonen
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Flyers have signed defenseman Kimmo Timonen (TEE’-moh-nehn) to a one-year contract extension, locking up their top blueliner for one more season. Timonen has 38 goals and 270 points in seven seasons with the Flyers, including six goals and 32 points this season.
GOLF-U.S. OPEN
Kaymer charges on
PINEHURST, N.C. (AP) — Martin Kaymer (KY’-mur) is the overwhelming leader at the midway point of the U.S. Open, doing it in record-setting fashion.
The German fired his second straight 5-under 65 to move six shots ahead of Brendon Todd. Kaymer’s 10-under 130 total is the lowest score for the first two rounds in U.S. Open history, one shot better than the mark set by Rory McIlroy at Congressional three years ago.
Kaymer teed off early and owned an eight-shot bulge when he walked off the course. His six-shot edge ties him with McIlroy and Tiger Woods for the largest lead through 36 holes.
Todd is alone in second following a bogey-free 67. Kevin Na and Brandt Snedeker are seven strokes back and one ahead of five others.
Masters champion Bubba Watson is among several notable players who are done at Pinehurst. Watson shot an even-par 70 following Thursday’s disastrous 76 and missed the cut by one stroke.
Jason Dufner, Luke Donald, Charl Schwartzel and Hunter Mahan (MAY’-han) also dropped out after finishing at 6 over.
Phil Mickelson made the cut, although he’s 13 shots back.
NFL-STEELERS/NOLL OBIT
Chuck Noll dies
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Hall of Fame football coach Chuck Noll died Friday night at his home.
Noll won a record four Super Bowl titles with the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1974-79 and was 16-8 in postseason play. He retired in 1991 with a 209-156-1 record in 23 seasons, after inheriting a team that had never won a postseason game in club history.
The Allegheny County Medical Examiner said Noll died of natural causes. He was 82.
NFL-NEWS
Hernia surgery for Clowney
UNDATED (AP) — Houston Texans rookie linebacker Jadeveon (jah-DAY’-vee-ahn) Clowney is recovering from sports hernia surgery after struggling with a groin issue. Coach Bill O’Brien says he expects the first player taken in this year’s NFL draft to be ready for training camp.
In other NFL news:
— New York Giants linebacker Jon Beason is expected to miss most of training camp after breaking a bone in his right foot and tearing a ligament during Thursday’s OTA’s. His status for the season opener Sept. 8 against Detroit remains in question.
SOCCER-WORLD CUP
Defending champs beaten
UNDATED (AP) — The defending World Cup champions were soundly beaten in their opener for this year’s tournament.
Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben both scored twice as the Netherlands crushed Spain 5-1 in a rematch of the last World Cup final. The Spaniards took a 1-0 lead in the 27th minute, but the Dutch tied it later in the first half before erupting for four goals in the second.
It was the worst loss for Spain in World Cup play since a 6-1 defeat to Brazil in 1950.
Mexico and Chile also won their World Cup openers.
Oribe Peralta (OHR’-eyeb peh-RAHL’-tah) scored in the 61st minute to lead Mexico’s 1-0 triumph over Cameroon. The score would have been lopsided if Giovanni Dos Santos didn’t have a pair of goals disallowed by questionable calls by the officials. Mexico and Brazil share first place in Group A, although the Brazilians have a better goal differential.
Alexis Sanchez and Jorge Valdivia scored just over a minute apart early in the first half to give Chile a 2-0 lead in a 3-1 victory against Australia. Chile threatened to run away with the game when Sanchez poked home from close range in the 12th minute before setting up Valdivia moments later. The outcome leaves Chile and Holland tied for the lead in Group B with three points, with the Dutch holding the tiebreaker.
MLB-SCHEDULE
Tigers tamed again
UNDATED (AP) — The Detroit Tigers continued their recent swoon by suffering their third shutout loss in 17 games.
Kyle Gibson held the Tigers to five hits in seven shutout innings as Minnesota earned a 2-0 win at Detroit. Eduardo Escobar opened the scoring with a solo homer in the third inning and worked out a bases-loaded walk in the ninth.
The Tigers were held to six hits in losing for the 17th time in 24 games since a 27-12 start.
Elsewhere in the majors:
— Drew Hutchison pitched well in Toronto’s 4-0 shutout in Baltimore, allowing six hits in seven innings. Juan Francisco hit a two-run homer and Jose Bautista added an RBI single to help the Blue Jays win despite just four hits.
— David Phelps pitched two-hit ball over 6 1/3 innings as the New York Yankees won their fourth in a row, 7-0 at Oakland. Brett Gardner, Ichiro Suzuki and Brian Roberts each had two hits and an RBI in the rout.
— Dustin Pedroia (peh-DROY’-uh), Mike Napoli (NAP’-oh-lee) and A.J. Pierzynski (peer-ZIHN’-skee) each hit two-run doubles and Xavier Bogaerts (BOH’-gahrts) hit a solo homer in Boston’s 10-3 rout of Cleveland. John Lackey pitched into the seventh for his eighth win.
— Adrian Beltre hit an RBI grounder in the ninth and four pitchers combined on a two-hitter to lead Texas past Seattle 1-0. Felix Hernandez was the hard-luck loser, allowing just four hits over 8 1/3 innings.
— Eric Hosmer, Billy Butler and Lorenzo Cain each had two RBIs as Kansas City knocked off the White Sox 7-2 in Chicago. Cain’s two-run double put the Royals ahead 5-0 in the top of the first.
— Alex Cobb struck out 11 and gave up just a run and three hits over 6 1/3 innings of Tampa Bay’s 6-1 rout of Houston. Ben Zobrist had three hits and two RBIs as the Rays won their second straight since dropping 14 of 15.
— Lance Lynn struck out eight and limited Washington to two hits in eight innings of the Cardinals’ 1-0 shutout of the Nationals in St. Louis. Matt Adams homered in his first at-bat since coming off the disabled list.
— Evan Gattis and Chris Johnson hit back-to-back homers to give Atlanta a 4-0 lead in the first inning of a 4-3 win over the Angels. Aaron Harang held Los Angeles to a run and four hits in six innings for his fifth win.
— Colorado put together a five-run ninth and beat the Giants 7-4 in San Francisco. Ryan Wheeler tied it with a two-run single before D.J. LeMahieu’s (lah-MAY’-hyooz) RBI single gave the Rockies their first lead since the second inning.
— Matt Kemp hit a two-run homer and Clayton Kershaw worked seven innings of the Dodgers’ 4-3 win over the Diamondbacks in Los Angeles. Kershaw struck out seven and yielded one run and eight hits to improve to 6-2.
— Pittsburgh coughed up a 6-2 lead in the ninth inning before Gregory Polanco slammed a two-run homer in the top of the 13th to give the Pirates an 8-6 triumph in Miami. Polanco was 5-for-7 with three runs scored, while Starling Marte (mahr-TAY’) wsa 4-for-7 with a two-run homer and three runs scored.
— Cincinnati beat Milwaukee 6-5 on Billy Hamilton’s RBI single in the top of the ninth. Brandon Phillips had two RBIs for the Reds, who squandered a 5-1 lead in the seventh before earning their third straight win.
— The Chicago Cubs were 2-1 winners in Philadelphia as Jake Arrieta held the Phillies to two hits while striking out nine in seven scoreless innings. Starlin Castro’s two-run homer in the fourth put the Cubs ahead to stay.
— Bobby Abreu (ah-BRAY’-oo) went 4-for-4 with two RBIs as the Mets won for just the second time in 10 games, 6-2 against San Diego. Bartolo Colon (koh-LOHN’) gave up a two-run homer by Rene Rivera but just three other hits over 7 1/3 innings.
MLB-NEWS
Cards activate Adams, careful with Wainwright
UNDATED (AP) — The St. Louis Cardinals have optioned rookie outfielder Oscar Taveras to Triple-A Memphis after activating Matt Adams off the disabled list. Adams had been sidelined by a left calf strain after opening the season hitting .325 with 16 doubles.
The Cardinals also say ace Adam Wainwright could miss a start to give him time to heal from tendinitis in his pitching elbow. The team says the soreness isn’t serious and is unrelated to the Tommy John surgery he underwent three years ago.
Wainwright is 9-3 with a 2.15 ERA.
Also in the majors:
— Washington Nationals manager Matt Williams expects pitcher Gio Gonzalez to come off the disabled list early next week. Gonzalez has been on the DL due to shoulder soreness.
— The Los Angeles Dodgers have activated catcher A.J. Ellis from the 15-day disabled list and optioned catcher Tim Federowicz to Triple-A Albuquerque. Ellis sprained his right ankle when he stepped on teammate Drew Butera’s catcher’s mask while celebrating Josh Beckett’s no-hitter against Philadelphia on May 25.
— Brewers left-hander Tom Gorzelanny (gohr-zuh-LAH’-nee) will be activated from the 15-day disabled list on Saturday. The 31-year-old Gorzelanny began the season on the disabled list following offseason shoulder surgery.
— Miami Marlins second baseman Rafael Furcal was in the lineup for the first time since 2012. Furcal missed all of 2013 because of an elbow injury, and sat out the first 2 1/2 months of this season with hamstring and groin injuries.
— Cincinnati Reds right-hander Mat Latos (LAY’-tohs) will be activated Saturday and make his season debut that night against the Milwaukee Brewers. Latos is returning from elbow and knee surgeries after going 14-7 with a 3.16 ERA in 32 starts last season.
— The Cleveland Indians have recalled Kyle Crockett from Triple-A Columbus and optioned fellow left-handed reliever Nick Hagadone to their top farm club.
NASCAR-MICHIGAN QUALIFYING
Sprint Cup qualifying set
BROOKLYN, Mich. (AP) — Kevin Harvick has secured the pole for Sunday’s Sprint Cup race at Michigan International Speedway. His pole-winning speed of 204.557 miles per hour was the fastest since Bill Elliott set the previous record for fastest qualifying speed in NASCAR’s top series in 1987. Points leader Jeff Gordon was second, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. was third.
Gordon tops the standings with a 16-point lead over Matt Kenseth heading into the weekend.
NBA-HORNETS/FRONT OFFICE
Higgins steps down
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Rod Higgins has stepped down as the Charlotte Hornets’ president of basketball operations.
Higgins had been with the franchise for seven seasons and was one of owner Michael Jordan’s first hires.
General manager Rich Cho will handle all future personnel decisions for the Hornets, who have the ninth, 24th and 45th picks in the upcoming NBA draft.
OLYMPICS-US BID
Four US finalists for 2024 Games
UNDATED (AP) — An American bid for the 2024 Summer Olympics would come from Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco or Washington if the U.S. Olympic Committee decides to put a city in the running.
A USOC process that began 16 months ago with letters to leaders in 35 cities is now at four finalists after Dallas and San Diego were scratched from the list of possible bidders.
