NHL SEARCHING FOR REASON TO PLAY AT 2018 WINTER GAMES
toronto» If the NHL needs a compelling reason to compete in the next Winter Olympics, Bill Daly said the league hasn’t found one yet.
And the NHL deputy commissioner added Friday that he’s not going speculate on what it might take to convince a majority of the NHL’s board of governors that the world’s best players should take the ice in South Korea in little more than a year.
“From our board’s perspective, there has to be a compelling reason for us to go the Olympics,” Daly said. “And at this point, as I stand here now, we’re searching for that reason.”
Asked who or what might sway the league, Daly called it a “fair question.”
Pioneers tie with Friars in hockey.
Jarid Lukosevicius’ third-period goal brought Denver back even with Providence and the Pioneers skated to a 2-2 tie with the Friars in overtime.
Jake Walman gave Providence a 1-0 first-period lead, but Denver’s Matt Marcinew knotted the score with 1:33 remaining off a pass from Evan Janssen. The Friars took a 2-1 lead with seven seconds left in the second.
Ten Gophers won’t face charges
B minneapolis» Ten suspended Minnesota football players will not face charges in connection with an alleged sexual assault near campus, prosecutors announced after taking a second look at the case.
It’s the second time the Hennepin County attorney’s office has weighed in on the September incident that triggered suspensions, possible expulsions, talk of a bowl game boycott and questions of whether coach Tracy Claeys should continue with the Gopher football program. County Attorney Mike Freeman declined to press charges in October, citing a lack of evidence.
After reviewing the troubling details of the school’s own investigation, Freeman said it didn’t add enough information to warrant criminal charges.
Coach confirms two players shot
B orlando, fla.» Louisville coach Bobby Petrino confirmed that it was two Cardinals football players who were shot earlier this month during an off-campus incident and that the team is “fortunate that we are not at a funeral right now.”
Petrino did not identify the players during a news conference previewing the No. 15 Cardinals’ Citrus Bowl game against No. 19 LSU. The school has previously confirmed that two male students were shot on Dec. 11 at an off-campus apartment complex but has offered no other details. A female non-student was also injured in the incident.
Utah football fires play caller
B salt lake city» Utah co-offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick has been fired and running backs coach Dennis Erickson is retiring.
Utah finished 9-4 after defeating Indiana 26-24 in the Foster Farms Bowl on Wednesday.
Roderick has been on coach Kyle Whittingham’s staff for 12 years and has been co-offensive coordinator and chief play caller the last two seasons.
Federer hopes for more years
B perth, australia» Roger Federer said he hopes to play for at least another two to three years and that his “mind-set is for the long term” in assessing his tennis future.
Federer, who has not played since reinjuring his surgically repaired left knee at Wimbledon in July, will make his tournament return in the Jan. 1-7 Hopman Cup team event at Perth, representing Switzerland.
Tour de France champ dies at 97
B london» Ferdy Kuebler, who came back from injury and the interruption of World War II to win the 1950 Tour de France, has died. He was 97.
The Swiss man won an epic battle with French rider Louison Bobet in the 1950 race and became world champion the following year.