MONDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2013 SPORTS Brazil hit by fourth fatal World Cup stadium accident MANAUS: Brazil was rocked Saturday by The accident brought to five the num- cient safety equipment. FIFA, which has relic. Further controversy came following head covering. Local construction a fourth fatal World Cup stadium acci- ber of deaths at event sites, and comes played down concerns over stadium last week’s World Cup draw when the union leader Cicero Custodio told the dent as a young construction worker fell two weeks after two people died at the delays, expressed its sadness at the latest mayor of Manaus criticized England G1 news portal that workers were to his death, heightening safety worries Sao Paulo stadium scheduled to host the construction death. “We would like to coach Roy Hodgson for saying he want- ready to strike if conditions did not barely six months from kick-off. The lat- June 12 opening match between Brazil send our most sincere condolences to ed to “avoid” the venue. improve. est fatality, at the Manaus Arena in the and Croatia. In an unrelated incident, a his family, relatives, colleagues and Hodgson indicated he in fact wanted “Workers at the Amazonia Arena are northern Amazonia region, will add construction worker died of a heart friends,” football’s governing body said in his team to be spared the strength-sap- being ill-treated,” said Custodio. “We are scrutiny to the host nation’s prepara- attack while working on a new conven- a statement. In addition to the two ping humidity of the region, particularly being ignored by the authorities. I have tions, with some stadiums behind sched- tion centre near to the stadium amid Manaus accidents and the double fatali- given the game has been brought forward been talking about conditions at the ule and extra shifts being worked in a allegations from his family that he was ty in Sao Paulo-a venue that organizers from an evening start to late afternoon to arena and the risks of night work for push to be ready for the football extrava- overworked. say will only be completed in mid-April-a suit European television schedules. some time. “Ideally, there would be a ganza. Saturday’s stadium death was the sec- further death occurred at a new stadium Construction firm Andrade Gutierrez general strike to show how things really Marcleudo de Melo Ferreira plunged ond fatality at the Manaus Arena, which in Brasilia last year. promised to immediately open an inves- are,” said Custodio. Manaus coordinator 35 meters (115 feet) in the early hours will host England’s opening match on tigation into the latest accident. “We reit- Miguel Capobiango Neto has promised while working on the roof of the $200 mil- June 15 against Italy, plus three other Stadium of many controversies erate our commitment to (ensuring the) that the venue would be ready by lion, 42,000-seat capacity arena. He was World Cup matches. After the first death Manaus was a controversial choice for security of everyone working at the site,” December 20 in time for an inaugura- taken to hospital but died before dawn. in the tropical city’s stadium, the state a new multimillion-dollar stadium, not the company said in a statement, noting tion on January 15. In addition to host- Brazilian media reported that the 22-year- public prosecutor demanded dozens of least because there is no top club in the that work had been halted as a mark of ing England’s game with Italy, Manaus old fell after a cable broke as he prepared upgraded security measures, but there area to attract fans after the 2014 event. respect to the dead man. will welcome Cameroon’s pool match to finish a night shift. The venue is current- has been no word on any progress. In September, one local official suggest- “We deeply regret the accident.” A with Croatia on June 18, Germany ver- ly 93 percent complete and has around A January report found working con- ed the venue might even be turned into spokesman added that the dead man sus the United States on June 22 and 1,900 people working around the clock to ditions were unsatisfactory amid claims a processing center for prisoners for fear had been working for a company sub- Honduras’s match against Switzerland finish its construction. workers had not been issued with suffi- it could otherwise become an expensive contracted to build the venue’s over- on June 25. —AFP Canucks’ win streak at 7 after 6-2 rout of Bruins

VANCOUVER: Henrik Sedin had a goal and an assists before hurting his left leg early in the Canadiens 1, Islanders 0, OT assist and Roberto Luongo made 39 saves and third period of Pittsburgh’s win over Detroit. UNIONDALE: Max Pacioretty scored 1:51 into the Vancouver Canucks routed the Boston NHL scoring leader Sidney Crosby also overtime and Carey Price made 21 saves for Bruins 6-2 on Saturday for their seventh straight scored two goals to help the Penguins win. his 21st NHL shutout and Montreal beat New victory. Malkin got tangled up with Detroit’s Luke York. Jannik Hansen, David Booth, Chris Higgins, Glendening, lost his balance and his left skate Pacioretty took a short feed in front from Yannik Weber and Christopher Tanev also took the brunt of collision with the boards David Desharnais and shoved a shot past scored for Vancouver, which finished its five- behind Pittsburgh’s net. The Russian forward Evgeni Nabokov for his 12th goal. Nabokov game homestand with a perfect record and is slowly got up and kept his left skate in the air stopped 24 shots in his return from injury. 8-1-1 in its past 10. Daniel Sedin, Mike Santorelli as he was helped off the ice. It was Price’s second shutout this season and Brad Richardson each added two assists. Malkin moved past the 600-point mark for for the Canadiens, who ended a two-game The game marked the Bruins’ first visit to his career and ranks among NHL leaders with skid and improved to 10-2-1 in their last 13. Rogers Arena since their victory over the 41 points this season. They have scored only two goals in the past Canucks in Game 7 of the 2011 Stanley Cup Penguins defenseman Deryk Engelland three games. final. Reilly Smith had both goals for Boston, put himself in danger of being suspended by Montreal spoiled the NHL debut of prized BANGKOK: This handout photo taken and released by the Asian Tour yester- which had its four-game winning streak the NHL for an illegal hit to the head. Islanders prospect Ryan Strome, the No. 5 day shows Sergio Garcia of Spain posing with the winner’s trophy after the snapped. Engelland landed his right shoulder high on pick in the 2011 draft. final round of the Thai Golf Championship at the Amata Spring Country Club Tuukka Rask allowed four goals on 23 shots Detroit forward Justin Abdelkader late in the in Chon Buri, outside Bangkok. —AFP for the Bruins, who have been hit hard by first period and was ejected with a match Devils 3, Lightning 0 NEWARK: Dainius Zubrus scored two goals in the third period and Martin Brodeur made 33 Peerless Garcia takes saves, leading New Jersey past Tampa Bay. Brodeur earned his third shutout of the season and 124th of his career. Thai championship Jaromir Jagr assisted on both goals to raise his assist total to 1,024. BANGKOK: Spain’s Sergio Garcia cruised to into a top-10 world ranking. With the in- Damien Brunner’s seventh goal had bro- his first title of the year with a four-shot win form Stenson his main challenger on the ken the scoreless tie in the second period. at the Thailand Golf Championship yester- final day, Garcia said he knew he could not day. Looking relaxed, the Spaniard fired a afford too many slip-ups. Stars 6, Jets 4 four-under 68 on the final day of the $1 mil- “Henrik has been playing so well lately, I WINNIPEG: Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn lion Asian Tour event, giving him a dazzling could not afford to slip up,” Garcia said, each scored two goals and Sergei Gonchar 22-under par finish of 266 for the tourna- admitting he stuttered briefly on the last had four assists and Dallas beat Winnipeg. ment. It was his 21st career victory and his three holes of the front nine before recover- The victory halted a two-game losing skid fourth Asian Tour title. ing with a hat-trick of quick birdies on the for the Stars, who only have four wins in their Starting the day four shots behind, run- back leg. With just two holes to go he knew past 10 games. ner-up Henrik Stenson came within all he had to do was keep the ball out of the Dallas rookie Valeri Nichushkin also scored two shots of Garcia mid-way through the water to ensure victory. a goal and center Colton Sceviour scored his round. But that was as close as it got for the “I hope I can carry this form into next sea- first NHL goal. Kari Lehtonen, playing his Swedish star, who matched Garcia’s 68 for son,” he said. The Spaniard said his girlfriend, the round to end on an overall 270. who was his caddie for the event, played a 200th game for the Stars and 404th career France’s Alexander Levy clinched third big part in his success, but he confirmed he NHL game, stopped 34 of the 38 shots he place with a final-round 69, to end four would return to his regular caddie next sea- faced. strokes behind Stenson at the Amata Spring son. Runner-up Stenson praised Garcia’s Country Club. Defending champion Charl performance. Wild 2, Avalanche 1, SO Schwartzel was among a quartet of players “Sergio just played so well,” he said. VANCOUVER: Mike Santorelli No 25 of the Vancouver Canucks makes an attempt on DENVER: Mikko Koivu scored the winner in who shared fourth place. He hit his second “Being four shots back I needed something Tuukka Rask No 40 of the Boston Bruins during an NHL game at Rogers Arena on the shootout and Josh Harding made two consecutive 67, but was unable to recreate really good to happen, but I missed a couple Saturday in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The Canucks defeated the Bruins glove saves, helping Minnesota rally for a win his 2012 masterclass. of good birdie opportunities.” The Swede 6-2. —AFP over Colorado. Joining the South African on a tourna- said that when Garcia notched three straight Koivu beat Semyon Varlamov with a shot ment 275 were England’s Justin Rose who birdies on the back nine he knew it was injuries and had a flu bug go through their lock- penalty. Abdelkader struggled to get up, had just under the crossbar. Zach Parise also also could not dent Garcia’s lead, Yuki Kono “done and dusted”. er room this week. Chad Johnson replaced Rask to be helped off the ice and didn’t return. scored for the Wild in the shootout. of Japan and India’s Anirban Lahiri. Chapchai US Open Champion Justin Rose said he after the Canucks’ fourth goal. Matt Duchene had a shootout goal for the Nirat was Thailand’s best finisher in joint struggled to recover from a bad start. While Maple Leafs 7, Blackhawks 3 Avs, but Harding then stopped P.A. Parenteau eighth place with America’s Rickie Fowler. he failed to win in Thailand, Rose said he had Kings 5, Senators 2 TORONTO: Joffrey Lupul and Peter Holland and Ryan O’Reilly to preserve the win. “It was great to win in my last tourna- enjoyed the “fun tournament” in the Thai OTTAWA: Anze Kopitar scored twice to lead Los each scored twice to help Toronto end a Harding finished with 26 saves. He entered ment of the year,” said Garcia, who sank six sun. “But I will be happy to put down my Angeles to its sixth straight victory. Jeff Carter, three-game losing streak with a win over the game with a league-best 1.52 goals birdies and dropped two shots in his final clubs for a few weeks. I’ve had an amazing Dwight King and Jarret Stoll also scored to help Chicago. against average. round. The win is expected to move him up year.” —AFP the Kings improve to 22-7-4. Mason Raymond added four assists for Rookie Martin Jones extended his winning the Leafs. Tied 1-1 after the first period, Hurricanes 3, Coyotes 1 streak to five games, stopping 37 shots. Joe Toronto outscored Chicago 4-1 in the sec- GLENDALE: Eric Staal had a goal and two Corvo and Erik Karlsson scored for the Senators. ond to pull ahead for its first win in regula- assists and Justin Peters stopped 37 shots as Craig Anderson was pulled after allowing tion time since Nov. 19, a 5-2 victory over Carolina ended a four-game road trip with a two goals on four shots in 4:18. Robin Lehner the New York Islanders. win over Phoenix. finished the game, allowing three goals on 22 The victory also ended an eight-game Nathan Gerbe tied the game for Carolina shots. losing streak to Chicago going back to midway through the second and Jeff Skinner February 2003. Jerry D’Amigo, Nikolai put the Hurricanes ahead early in the second Penguins 4, Red Wings 1 Kulemin and Phil Kessel also scored for with his eighth goal in six games.Paul DETROIT: Evgeni Malkin had a goal and two Toronto. Bissonette scored his first goal in two years and Mike Smith stopped 30 shots for Phoenix.

NHL results/standings Predators 3, Sharks 2 NASHVILLE: Carter Hutton made 36 saves to Calgary 2, Buffalo 1 (OT); Los Angeles 5, Ottawa 2; Dallas 6, Winnipeg 4; Toronto 7, Chicago 3; lead Nashville over San Jose. Pittsburgh 4, Detroit 1; New Jersey 3, Tampa Bay 0; Montreal 1, NY Islanders 0 (OT); St. Louis 4, Eric Nystrom, Roman Josi, and Viktor Columbus 3 (OT); Nashville 3, San Jose 2; Carolina 3, Phoenix 1; Minnesota 2, Colorado 1 (SO); Stalberg scored for Nashville, which has won Vancouver 6, Boston 2. three straight. Western Conference Eastern Conference Dan Boyle and Patrick Marleau scored for VAL THORENS: (L-R) Norway’s Marie Hoeie Gjefsen, Keisey Serwa, Katrin Mueller Atlantic Division San Jose, losers of five of their past six. Pacific Division and France’s Marie Berger Sabbatel compete during the FIS World Cup Women’s Boston 22 9 2 92 70 46 WL OTLGFGAPTS Ski Cross event yesteray at the Val Thorens ski resort, French Alps. —AFP Montreal 20 11 3 87 73 43 Flames 2, Sabres 1, OT Anaheim 22 7 5 108 87 49 Tampa Bay 18 11 3 87 80 39 BUFFALO: Paul Byron and Matt Stajan scored Los Angeles 22 7 4 93 65 48 Detroit 15 10 9 89 91 39 and Calgary started a five-game road trip Veteran Mario Matt wins San Jose 20 7 6 108 82 46 Toronto 17 14 3 97 99 37 with an overtime win over Buffalo. Karri Ramo made 26 saves for the Flames, Vancouver 20 10 5 98 83 45 Ottawa 13 15 6 96 111 32 World Cup slalom race Florida 11 17 5 76 108 27 who have won their past three road games. Phoenix 18 9 5 104 100 41 Stajan’s overtime winner came just 42 sec- Buffalo 7 23 3 55 96 17 VAL D’ISERE: Veteran Mario Matt of Austria safe- disappointing day for the United States. Neither Calgary 13 15 4 83 102 30 onds into the period, as his wrist shot beat ly protected his first-run lead to win a World Cup Ted Ligety, who finished the first run in 39th, nor Enroth to the goalie’s left. Edmonton 11 20 3 91 117 25 Metropolitan Division slalom race yesterday on a day when other con- Bode Miller, who went off course, qualified for the tenders struggled on the notoriously tough second run. Pittsburgh 23 10 1 105 74 47 Blues 4, Blue Jackets 3, OT Central Division Washington 17 12 3 100 93 37 Stade Olympique de Bellevarde course. Austrian Marcel Hirscher also failed to qualify. COLUMBUS: David Backes scored 22 seconds A two-time former slalom world champion, He won Saturday’s GS but struggled on the tricky Carolina 14 13 7 79 94 35 Chicago 23 7 5 132 100 51 into overtime on a breakaway and St. Louis the 34-year-old Matt beat Sweden’s Mattias top section and finished way down in 41st as St. Louis 22 6 3 110 73 47 Columbus 14 15 4 85 92 32 rallied from a two-goal deficit to beat Hargin by 0.53 seconds and Italian veteran Patrick those who started their runs later profited from New Jersey 13 15 6 78 85 32 Colorado 21 9 1 88 73 43 Columbus. Thaler - second after the first run - by 0.78. Matt, better conditions. Philadelphia 14 15 3 72 86 31 Vladimir Tarasenko scored twice and who was second last month in the slalom at Levi, Matt, the slalom world champion in 2001 and Minnesota 19 11 5 81 81 43 NY Rangers 15 17 1 72 88 31 Chris Stewart tied it with 6:27 remaining in Finland, has 15 World Cup wins - 14 in slalom and ‘07, is coming into form at just the right time for Dallas 15 11 5 90 93 35 NY Islanders 9 19 6 83 118 24 regulation for St. Louis, which entered tied one in supercombined. February’s Winter Olympics in Sochi. Hargin was Nashville 16 14 3 77 92 35 Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the for the fewest regulation losses in the His most recent win was at Kranjska Gora, fifth at Levi and it was his first podium since fin- Slovenia, in March 2011, while his first was nearly ishing third at Schladming, Austria, in January Winnipeg 14 15 5 90 100 33 standings and are not included in the loss column (L). league with six. Jaroslav Halak made 30 saves for the Blues. —AP 14 years ago at Kitzbuehel, Austria. It was another 2011. —AP