Devils’ Hall deals Canucks crushing blow
EVERYONE knows Taylor Hall can score and set up teammates. He also showed he can deliver a devastating hit on Tuesday night. Hall had a goal, assisted on a goahead tally by Kyle Palmieri and delivered a crushing check that knocked Vancouver defenseman Philip Larsen out of the game to lift the Devils over the Canucks, 3-2. Hall’s second-period hit caused Larsen to be taken off the ice on a stretcher and driven to a hospital for observation. The Canucks said he was alert and had a full range of motion leaving the ice.
“I’m looking to make contact there, but I never want to see a guy laying on the ice like that,” Hall said. “I only know how to play the game one way and you’ve got to play it hard. I feel terri- ble. He’s a former teammate of mine. I would have loved to make a hit there and continue the play. I hope he’s all right.”
No penalty was called on the play. Vancouver coach Willie Desjardins did not know if the 27-year-old would remain in the hospital overnight. “You always have a problem with a hit when one of your guys gets hit hard,” Desjardins said. “It doesn’t even matter if it’s a clean hit. You still have a problem when a guy gets hit that hard.”
4-GAME BAN FOR COLT LB
Colts linebacker D’Qwell Jackson has been suspended for four games for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.
Jackson will be eligible to return to the Colts’ active roster on Jan. 2, a day after the team’s regular-season finale against Jacksonville.
The Colts (6-6) are tied for first place in the AFC South with Houston and Tennessee. Jackson also will miss games against Tennessee, Minnesota and Oakland. He has 78 tackles and a sack this season.
NOVAK, BORIS SPLIT
Novak Djokovic says he and coach Boris Becker are splitting up after three seasons together.
Djokovic posted a statement on Facebook on Tuesday, saying the duo “jointly decided to end our cooperation.”
Of Djokovic’s 12 career Grand Slam singles titles — trailing only Roger Federer with 17, and Pete Sampras and Rafael Nadal with 14 apiece — six came while working with Becker. The Serb made it to the finals at nine of 12 majors during their partnership, but after completing a career Grand Slam with his first French Open title in June, Djokovic’s season went off course. He was upset in the third round at Wimbledon and in the first round at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics and lost his No.1 ranking to Andy Murray last month.
JIMMY V CLASSIC
Amile Jefferson notched career highs of 24 points and 15 rebounds to lead No. 5 Duke to an 84-74 victory over No. 21 Florida in the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden. Luke Kennard scored 29 points and freshman Jayson Tatum added 22 for the Blue Devils (9-1), whose only loss was to Kansas on this same court in the Champions Classic in November.
In the opener, Isaac Haas and Vincent Edwards were both 6 of 9 from the field and scored 16 points as No.18 Purdue dominated Arizona State in every phase of the game for a 97-64 victory.
VILLA MLS MVP
David Villa earned Major League Soccer’s Most Valuable Player award after scoring 23 goals for NYCFC in his second season with the team.