Two bowl games canceled because of COVID issues
The Fenway Bowl and the Military Bowl were both canceled Sunday because of the COVID-19 pandemic as coronavirus outbreaks at Virginia and Boston College forced them to call off their postseason plans.
The game scheduled for Wednesday at Fenway Park was to pit the Cavaliers against Southern Methodist. The Military Bowl scheduled for Monday at NavyMarine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Md., between Boston College and East Carolina was canceled because of positive COVID-19 tests at BC.
Also Sunday, Miami said it would not play in the Sun Bowl, which was scheduled for Friday in El Paso, Texas, against Washington State. The Hurricanes have been dealing with a virus outbreak for several days.
Also Sunday, the Connecticut women’s basketball game against Marquette on Wednesday was canceled because of the Golden Eagles’ coronavirus issues. The Maryland men’s basketball team announced that it will face Lehigh on Tuesday night after a previously scheduled game against Loyola (Md.) was called off because of COVID-19 protocols in the Greyhounds program.
Top-ranked Alabama arrived in Texas without offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien or offensive line coach Doug Marrone, but coach Nick Saban expected both assistants to make it for the Crimson Tide’s playoff semifinal game Friday against No. 4 Cincinnati in the Cotton Bowl at Arlington. He said there were no known COVID-19 issues among players.
Alabama said Wednesday that O’Brien and Marrone had tested positive for the coronavirus and were isolating with mild symptoms.
ETC. Kings players enter protocols
The Kings put forward Dustin Brown and defenseman Olli Maatta into the NHL’s protocols and activated defenseman Drew Doughty from the nonroster/COVID-19 list on the first day teams were allowed to practice since the league moved up the start of its holiday break to last Wednesday. Additionally, Kings assistant coach Marco Sturm and several members of the team’s training staff have been sidelined. The NHL is scheduled to resume play Tuesday.
Also, the Ducks placed left wing Max Comtois, center Sam Steel and a staff member in the league’s protocols. As of Sunday night, the NHL had postponed 67 games. It also pulled players out of the Beijing Olympics and will reschedule some of the postponed games between Feb. 6 and Feb. 22, when play was to have been paused for the Games.
On Sunday night, the NHL announced that it is postponing three additional games — Columbus at Chicago on Tuesday night as well as Pittsburgh at Toronto and Boston at Ottawa on Wednesday night.
In deference to teams being left shorthanded by COVID, the NHL will allow teams to have a taxi squad of up to six players and will allow them to make emergency recalls from the minor leagues if they otherwise couldn’t ice a full lineup of 18 skaters. Emergency recalls can be made of players whose salary cap hit is up to $1 million.
— Helene Elliott
Boston University goalie Drew Commesso made 23 saves, and the defending champion United States opened the world junior hockey championship with a 3-2 victory over Slovakia in Red Deer, Canada.
The Americans will continue Group B play Tuesday against Switzerland.
In Edmonton in Group A, No. 1 overall draft pick Owen Power had a hat trick to help Canada beat the Czech Republic 6-3. In the afternoon, Sweden defeated Russia 6-3 in Group B and Finland topped Germany 3-1 in Group A.
By Sunday night, the number of players known to be in the NBA’s health and safety protocols was 116. The league’s numbers keep getting higher and might continue to do so. Expanded testing went into place Sunday for players who have yet to receive their booster shots.
Golden State’s Draymond Green was the latest big name added to the protocols list.
Joel Embiid scored 36 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and had a spat with Montrezl Harrell as visiting Philadelphia beat Washington 117-96. Harrell received two technical fouls and was ejected.
Oral arguments in the appeal by players on the U.S. women’s national soccer team who are seeking equal pay have been scheduled for March. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the hearing will take place March 7 in Pasadena . ... Manchester City won 6-3 at home over Leicester, leaving the defending English Premier League champions six points in front.
Martha Earnhardt,
the matriarch of one of NASCAR’s best-known families, died at 91. Grandchildren Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kelley Earnhardt Miller said in a statement that she died Saturday night . ... Two-time Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu nearly became the first figure skater to land a quadruple axel and easily won the Japanese national title.