Earthquakes ousted from playoffs after loss in shootout
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Dániel Sallói converted the winning penalty kick as Sporting Kansas City advanced in the MLS playoffs after a scoreless draw with the San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday night.
Sporting KC (13-14-8) won 4-2 on penalty kicks. Next up is a best-of-three series with rival St. Louis beginning Sunday.
San Jose (10-11-14) did not advance for the sixth time in seven playoff appearances since winning the MLS Cup in 2003, including eliminations by Kansas City in 2004 and '20.
Sporting KC captain Johnny Russell converted the first penalty kick, and goalkeeper Tim Melia denied San Jose midfielder Cristian Espinoza.
San Jose reached the playoffs with six draws in its last eight games. Sporting reached the postseason despite collecting fewer than five points from its first 10 matches of the season.
ELSEWHERE Pinto suspended 41 games for gambling
The NHL suspended Ottawa Senators forward Shane Pinto for 41 games on Thursday, making the 22-year-old American the first modern-day hockey player banned for sports gambling.
The league said the half-season ban was for “activities relating to sports wagering” and that its investigation found no evidence Pinto bet on NHL games. It did not release other details.
Barabanov on injured reserve: The San Jose Sharks placed wing Alexander Barabanov, who was fifth on the team in scoring last season, on injured reserve. Barabanov reportedly suffered a broken finger in Tuesday's loss to to Florida. In a related move, the Sharks brought up Ryan Carpenter from the minors.
Basketball: Five-time Olympic gold medalist Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner head up the USA Basketball Women's National Team roster announced Thursday for a pair of November exhibition games and training camp in Atlanta.
The national team will play the Tennessee Lady Vols on Nov. 5 in Knoxville and Duke on Nov. 12. The team will hold a training camp Nov. 7-9 in Atlanta as the U.S. women chase an eighth straight Olympic gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
A'ja Wilson, who led the Las Vegas Aces to the WNBA title, currently has her left wrist in a cast. Chelsea Gray is recovering from an injured foot.
Taurasi is one of seven players who will play in both exhibitions along with Griner, Kahleah Copper, Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, Sabrina Ionescu and Azurá Stevens. This roster features seven Olympians including twotime gold medalist Griner (2016 and 2021), Angel McCoughtry (2012 and 2016), Ariel Atkins (2021), Gray (2021 in 3-on-3), Kelsey Plum (2021 in 3-on-3) and Jackie Young (2021 in 3-on-3).
College football: NCAA investigators interviewed members of Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh's staff Thursday about a sign-stealing scheme, a person familiar with the governing body's visit told the Associated Press.
The NCAA inquiry was triggered by an outside firm's investigation, which turned up videos of and documented plans and budgets for impermissible scouting of opponents.