Dennehy to lead AHL Binghamton
The New Jersey Devils have chosen former Merrimack College coach Mark Dennehy as the head coach of their top minor league affiliate, the AHL Binghamton Devils.
Dennehy had accepted a position this summer at ECHLWheeling as its head coach and director of hockey operations. The Pittsburgh Penguins and Wheeling officials gave the Devils permission to speak with the 50-year-old Dennehy.
He will be leaving for Slovakia this week to coach Team USA’s Under-17 team for the Five Nations Tournament . . . .
Boston College men’s hockey coach Jerry York has named former Eagles player Brendan Buckley as a new assistant coach. The BC Class of ’99 alum had been serving on the staff at UConn.
He takes the place of Greg Wood, who joined the New York Rangers as an assistant for new coach David Quinn . .. .
Late Tuesday night, the New York Rangers agreed to a twoyear, $8 million contract with restricted free agent Ryan Spooner.
Spooner, acquired from the Bruins in the Rick Nash deal at the trade deadline last season, was scheduled for an arbitration hearing this Saturday. He had four goals and 12 assists in 20 games with the Rangers, and finished the season with a career high-tying 13 goals and 28 assists in 59 games overall . . . .
The Arizona Coyotes will retire former captain Shane Doan’s number during a pregame ceremony on Feb. 24 before they play the Winnipeg Jets.
Stephens upset at Citi
U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens continued her tendency for all-or-nothing showings at tournaments, losing 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 in the second round of the Citi Open in Washington to 91stranked Andrea Petkovic.
Stephens’ loss leaves the Citi Open women’s draw without either of its top two seeds, as No.1 Caroline Wozniacki withdrew Tuesday because of a leg injury.
In men’s action, Andy Murray moved into the third round by beating No.4 seed Kyle Edmund 7-6 (4), 1-6, 6-4 for just his third victory since having hip surgery. Also, 13th-seeded Frances Tiafoe picked up his first victory at his hometown ATP tournament, beating 120th-ranked Hubert Hurkacz of Poland 6-2, 6-4 with the help of 10 aces.
Also moving into the third round was No.1 seed and defending champion Alexander Zverev, and his next matchup is against his older brother, No.15 seed Mischa. It’s their first meeting in an ATP main-draw match.
Misc.: MLS stars shine
Josef Martinez thrilled another record crowd in Atlanta by scoring in the Major League Soccer All-Star Game, but Italian powerhouse Juventus prevailed on penalty kicks after the match ended in a 1-1 draw.
Juventus scored on all five of its penalties before 72,317, winning when Mattia De Sciglio drilled one into the upper left corner past Columbus keeper Zack Steffen.
It was the second straight year that the All-Star Game ended in a 1-1 draw and was decided by pens.
Juventus jumped ahead in the 21st minute through Andrea Favilli. Five minutes later, Martinez tied it up. Revolution midfielder Wilfried Zahibo played the last 28 minutes . ...
Italy will launch a three-city bid to host the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Turin and Cortina.
Other possible candidates for the 2026 Olympics are: Stockholm; Erzurum, Turkey; Calgary, Canada; and Sapporo, Japan.