Couture’s status remains unclear after ‘ugly injury’
Sharks star was struck in the face by a deflected puck on Saturday
Sharks center Logan Couture returned to San Jose with the team Sunday, but there was no update on his condition.
Couture was struck in the face with a deflected puck in Saturday night’s loss at Nashville and was taken to a local hospital.
“It is an ugly injury sadly,” Couture’s father, Chet, wrote on Twitter.
Another source close to the situation described the injury as “brutal,” CSN reported,
The injury occurred in the third period when a shot from teammate Brent Burns hit a stick and then struck Couture squarely in the mouth. Couture quickly skated off the ice.
The Sharks, who have lost six straight and fallen into a tie for second in the Pacific Division, host the New York Rangers on Tuesday.
n The U.S. women’s hockey team remains hopeful it can resolve its ongoing dispute with USA Hockey in time to participate in the world championships. The women also might be getting support in their quest for equitable pay from the men who wear the same jersey.
Athletes’ unions across the continent have voiced their support of the women’s team, urging other players to turn down USA Hockey’s overtures to act as replacement players.
Allan Walsh, a wellconnected hockey agent, disclosed Sunday on Twitter that American NHL players are thinking about refusing to play in their own world championships in solidarity if the women’s dispute isn’t resolved.
The women’s tournament begins March 31, but the men’s tournament starts in May.
The women are seeking a four-year contract that would include money outside the six-month Olympic period, allowing them to train and compete in a manner closer to their Canadian rivals.
Motor sports
Kyle Larson was second to nobody in his home state.
Larson persevered through four late restarts to win at Fontana, adding his second career victory to his overall Monster Energy NASCAR Cup series points lead.
“Lots of fun to be Kyle Larson right now,” the Elk Grove native said with a grin. “Our race cars are really fast in Xfinity and Cup, so it’s a blast to show up to the race track every week.”
Larson finished second in each of the last three races, but the Sacramento-area native’s Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet was the class of the field at Auto Club Speedway all weekend long.
He claimed the second pole of his career Friday, and he also won the Xfinity race Saturday in a result that surprised him much more than his Cup triumph. The 24-year-old prodigy became just the fourth driver to sweep a race weekend at Fontana.
Brad Keselowski was second, and Clint Bowyer came in third for his best finish since June 2015 and his first top-five finish in 52 races. Martin Truex Jr. was fourth after challenging Larson aggressively, and Joey Logano roared up to fifth.
Larson added to his other career victory, which came on NASCAR’s other 2-mile oval at Michigan.
Jimmie Johnson, Keselowski and Phoenix winner Ryan Newman all sustained minor damage early on, but Larson was fast from the start.
n Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished 16th in his landmark 600th NASCAR start, becoming just the 25th driver to hit the mark.
n Sprint car veteran David Steele died in a wreck during a race Saturday at Desoto Speedway in Florida. Steele, who was 42, was trying to win his 100th race in Florida.
Soccer
Club America defeated Monarcas de Morelia 2-0 in a friendly match between Liga MX squads before a sold out crowd at Avaya Stadium on Sunday.
Despite a pre-game incident in which fans from opposing teams began throwing rocks and bottles at each other, it was a festive mood from supporters of both sides once the match began. The sea of yellow was sent into a frenzy in the 30th minute when America’s Silvio Romero blasted a left-footed shot that found the back of the net. It turned into a party as fans set off flares and smoke bombs. A 79th minute free kick by Manuel Perez for a header by Ricardo Marin made it 2-0.
n Germany, England and Poland all took another step toward World Cup qualification but the Netherlands’ failure to do the same cost national coach Danny Blind his job.
The Dutch football association fired Blind one day after his team’s humiliating 2-0 defeat to Bulgaria in Sofia — a result that leaves the 2014 World Cup semifinalist in danger of missing out on a second successive major tournament after watching Euro 2016 at home. The Netherlands is fourth in Group A behind France, Sweden and Bulgaria. Only the top team in each group qualifies automatically for next year’s tournament.
Tennis
Venus Williams earned her latest win in this season of resurgence, beating qualifier Patricia Maria Tig 6-3, 6-0 to reach the fourth round of the Miami Open. She’s 12-3 in 2017, including a runnerup finish to sister Serena at the Australian Open.
Rafael Nadal followed Williams onto the stadium court and was promptly blanked in a set for the first time in more than two years. But he recovered to beat Philipp Kohlschreiber 0-6, 6-2, 6-3. No. 3 Milos Raonic pulled out after aggravating a right hamstring injury that sidelined him for nearly a month.
On the women’s side, top-ranked Angelique Kerber lost the first three games and then rallied to beat Shelby Rogers 6-4, 7-5.