Gionta makes Olympic bid
Former Boston College star forward Brian Gionta is turning to the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League in his bid to land a spot on the U.S. men’s Olympic team.
The Buffalo Sabres’ AHL affiliate announced the 16-year NHL veteran accepted an invitation to practice with the team starting today. The 38-yearold Gionta is from Rochester, N.Y., and spent the previous three seasons as the Sabres captain.
After failing to land an NHL contract this offseason, Gionta elected to remain unsigned to pursue an opportunity to represent the U.S. at the Winter Games in South Korea in February. The league is forgoing sending players to the Olympics next year in a decision that bars all players — including minor leaguers — signed to an NHL contract from competing.
Americans general manager Randy Sexton said Gionta’s role will be limited to practice.
A majority of the U.S. team will be made up of players currently competing in Europe. The roster will start taking form after the team competes in a three-game Deutschland Cup tournament in Germany in mid-November . ...
Carlos Nuzman, who headed the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, will remain in prison under a judge’s order issued in Brazil. Nuzman was arrested last week as part of an investigation into a votebuying scheme to win the rights to host the 2016 Olympics in Rio.
Brazilian and French authorities say Nuzman was a key figure in channeling at least $2 million to Lamine Diack, a former International Olympic Committee member from Senegal who helped sway votes for Rio.
Names: Twins keep Molitor
The Minnesota Twins are bringing back Paul Molitor as manager of the MLB team after he led a historic turnaround. Molitor is getting a new three-year deal that keeps him under contract through 2020.
The Twins went 85-77 this season, becoming the first team to make the playoffs after losing at least 100 games the previous year. Minnesota, 59-103 in 2016, lost to the New York Yankees in the American League wild card game last week . ...
Australian Open officials are hopeful Serena Williams will make her competitive comeback to tennis in January to defend the title. At a news conference in Melbourne called to announce an increase in prize money for the year’s first major, tournament director Craig Tiley said Williams was planning on playing.
Williams was pregnant last January when she beat her sister Venus in the final. Serena gave birth to a daughter on Sept. 1.
Soccer: Iceland in first Cup
Iceland qualified for the World Cup for the first time after beating Kosovo, 2-0, at home in Reykjavik.
Keeping the momentum going from its inspiring run to the 2016 European Championship quarterfinals, Iceland topped Europe Group I and advanced to the World Cup in Russia next year at the expense of favorite Croatia, which beat Ukraine, 1-0, but finished two points back in second place. Iceland is the smallest nation by population (330,000) to make the World Cup . ...
Serbia qualified for the World Cup for the second time since becoming an independent nation in 2006 after beating Georgia, 1-0, in Belgrade to capture Group D while Ireland won at Wales, 1-0, to seal second place and a spot in the playoffs.
Misc.: Paquette paces Tufts
Lauren Paquette of Tennessee won road racing’s Tufts Health Plan 10K for Women, finishing in 33:29 on the streets of Boston. Paquette edged out runner-up Natosha Rogers of Coloroado (33:44), and Watertown’s Elaina Balouris (34:03), who finished third . ...
ESPN anchor Jemele Hill was suspended by the cable sports network for two weeks for making political statements on social media.
Death: Football’s Tittle
Y.A. Tittle, the Hall of Fame quarterback and 1963 NFL Most Valuable Player, died Sunday at 90 at Stanford Hospital near his Atherton, Calif., home.
Tittle played 17 seasons of pro football. His greatest success came in New York, leading the Giants to three division titles in a late-career surge.