WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5, 2017 SPORTS

NHL places USA’s young stars’ Olympic aspirations on hold

BUFFALO: Whatever aspirations Buffalo Sabres sec- The NHLPA said in a statement that players are ond-year center Jack Eichel had of representing the “extraordinarily disappointed and adamantly dis- United States at the Winter Olympics have been put agree with the NHL’s shortsighted decision.” on indefinite hold. Same goes for the ’ rookie-of-the-year candidate Auston MORE CONCESSIONS Matthews. The NHL closed the door on USA The NHL had allowed its players to participate in Hockey’s next generation of stars - and the league’s the past five Olympics dating to 1998. players from every other nation, for that matter - The league said no meaningful dialogue had from playing on the international stage by abruptly emerged in talks with the NHLPA, International announcing it wouldn’t compete at the 2018 Winter Olympic Committee and International Games in South Korea. Federation. Even after the IIHF had agreed to pay for The stunning reality of the decision announced players’ travel and insurance costs when the IOC on Monday began hitting home for Eichel following refused, the NHL had been looking for more conces- Buffalo’s 4-2 loss to Toronto. “It’s a little bit disap- sions that were believed to include marketing pointing as a player who takes a lot of pride in repre- opportunities tied to the Games. senting his country and who’s done it before,” Eichel The IOC said yesterday it “feels very sorry for the said. “As a young kid just breaking into the league it’s athletes,” but could not give the NHL special favors. something I definitely watched growing up and “The IOC, which distributes 90 percent of its revenue looked forward to.” The news hurt even more for for the development of sport in the world, obviously Eichel when recalling how he and Matthews showed cannot treat a national commercial league better glimpses of their potential a mere six months earlier than not-for-profit international sports federations playing together on Team North America at the which are developing sport globally,” the Olympic World Cup of Hockey in Toronto. body said in a statement. “As a league, we’re trying to grow our game all The league wanted the matter resolved before SOCHI: In this Feb. 15, 2014, file photo, Russia Semyon Varlamov, front, and Russia for- over the world. I think the Olympics is a good way to the playoffs begin April 12. “The league’s efforts to ward Alexander Ovechkin, second, lead the Russian team onto the ice for warmups before playing do it,” the 20-year-old Eichel said. “To be able to play blame others for its decision is as unfortunate as the the USA in a men’s ice hockey game at the 2014 Winter Olympics, in Sochi, Russia. Ovechkin and the game on other continents, other places and decision itself,” the NHLPA said. “NHL players are other players are raising doubts about the finality of the NHL announcement that it won’t partici- allow them to see how exciting and what type of patriotic and they do not take this lightly. A decent pate in the 2018 Olympics. —AP game we play, it’s a good opportunity.” respect for the opinions of the players matters. This Matthews expressed disappointment while also is the NHL’s decision, and its alone.” players that can’t be part of the most special adven- Lichtner, was briefing Winter Games federations on acknowledging he’s more preoccupied with helping Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock, who led ture in sports.” Tuesday in a previously scheduled meeting at an Toronto clinch its second playoff berth in 12 seasons. Canada to consecutive Olympic gold medals in 2010 Former NHL forward Brandon Prust, who’s now Olympic sports conference in Aarhus, Denmark. “Yeah, of course, you’d want to go and represent and 2014, said, “I’m just going to tell you I’m disap- playing in Germany, tweeted: “Way to ruin the sport “It is a pity but it is not a surprise,” ski federation your country,” said the 19-year-old from Scottsdale, pointed.” Players blasted the decision. “It’s beyond of hockey even more Gary #Olympics.” Nancy Park, a president Gian Franco Kasper told The Associated Arizona. “I’ve been fortunate to do it in the past at disappointing,” said goalie spokeswoman for the Pyeongchang Winter Press. Kasper, who represents winter sports on the different tournaments. But, it’s not readily on my , who won a gold medal at the 2014 Olympics organizing committee, held out hope the IOC executive board, added: “There might be some mind right now.” Youngsters and veterans, from Alex Sochi Games. “It was one of the best experiences of NHL might change course by saying there’s still time players who don’t care what the NHL says.” Ovechkin and Jonathan Toews to Connor McDavid my life and catapulted my career to the next level for “meaningful discussions.” The NHL has not ruled The league has cited the 13-hour difference from and Henrik Lundqvist, the world’s best players called and things have been going pretty well since then.” out participating in the 2022 Olympics in Beijing, Pyeongchang to the Eastern time zone as one of its playing in the Olympics important. The league Lundqvist, the goalie, turned though the IIHF and IOC had indicated that could be concerns. There was a 13-hour difference to Nagano decided otherwise. to Twitter. “A huge opportunity to market the game conditional on the NHL going to South Korea. For in 1998, six to Turin in 2006 and nine to Sochi in 2014. Commissioner Gary Bettman and Deputy at the biggest stage is wasted,” tweeted Lundqvist, now, the league is making its 2017-18 schedule Team owners have long complained that stopping Commissioner Bill Daly informed the NHL Players’ who won the 2006 Olympic gold medal with without a break for the Olympics. the NHL season every four years wasn’t worth it and Association that the matter was “officially closed.” Sweden. “But most of all, disappointing for all the The world hockey body’s secretary general, Horst they have been wary of injuries to star players. — AP

BASKETBALL Timberwolves snap Blazers’ six-game streak, 110-109

MINNEAPOLIS: As Karl-Anthony Towns The sleek lineup put the Blazers in con- powered through Portland’s smaller front- trol with a 34-point second quarter, but court, the Trail Blazers found out just how the 7-foot Towns had his way in the fourth. much they’re going to miss big man Jusuf He scored 14 points in the period, includ- Nurkic down the stretch. Towns had 34 ing a big dunk for a 110-106 lead with 35 points and 12 rebounds and the Minnesota seconds to go. Timberwolves snapped Portland’s six-game “We just had a hard time,” Lillard said. winning streak with a 110-109 victory over “Guys competed hard on him. We made it the Trail Blazers on Monday night. as hard as we could on him, but he’s very It was the second game for Portland good and he’s going to score points. That’s without Nurkic, who galvanized the team what happened.” after coming over in a trade from Denver at the deadline. He will miss at least the rest TIP-INS of the regular season with a fractured right Trail Blazers: Terry Stotts was the leg, leaving the Blazers to battle big front- Western Conference coach of the month courts in San Antonio, Utah and one more and Lillard was the conference’s player of time against Minnesota without him and the month as Portland finished March at just a 11/2-game cushion on Denver for the 13-3. ... Lillard’s first 3 of the game in the eighth seed in the Western Conference. third quarter gave him 200 for the season, “There’s a lot of good bigs out there, and the third time he’s done that in his career. we’re thin right now. We’ve got Meyers Wes Matthews is the only other Blazers (Leonard) and (Al-Farouq Aminu), who’s not player to do it even one time. really a five,” C.J. McCollum said. “So we’re in Timberwolves: Brandon Rush scored 12 a tough position, but it’s not an excuse. points, giving him back-to-back double- We’ve got to go out there and play and digit efforts for the first time since Jan. 11- make the best of it.” 13. ... Rubio hit a technical free throw in the Damian Lillard scored 25 points but third quarter after the Blazers were whis- made just 7 of 21 shots, including 3 of 11 3- tled for defensive 3 seconds. It was his 49th pointers. His potential game-winning pull- straight technical free throw made, the up jumper at the buzzer glanced off the longest active streak in the league. rim. Andrew Wiggins scored 29 points and Ricky Rubio had 11 points, 16 assists and MCCOLLUM STRUGGLES SUNRISE: Steve Ott #92 of the Montreal Canadiens takes a shot on Reto Berra #20 of the Florida Panthers during a game at BB&T Center seven rebounds for the Timberwolves, who McCollum struggled as well, scoring 17 on Monday in Sunrise, Florida. — AFP bounced back from an ugly home loss to points on 5-for-14 shooting and 0 for 3 on Sacramento that eliminated them from 3s. He scored 43 and 32 points in his first NHL postseason contention on Saturday. two games against the Wolves. “They’re playing small, we have a big “I think I’ve got to be more aggressive at who can guard smalls and play like a big certain times,” he said. Montreal clinches Atlantic at the other end,” Rubio said of Towns. Both teams are set up for difficult back- “That’s big for us.” to-backs because this game had to be Aminu scored 20 points and Maurice shoe-horned into the schedule. It was origi- Harkless had 17 points, eight rebounds nally scheduled to be played on March 6, Division title with 4-1 win and a big block of a Rubio drive that gave but an ice sheet that was placed under the the Blazers the ball back with 4.9 seconds court so Target Center could host a college SUNRISE: Artturi Lehkonen scored twice in the third period and to play. hockey tournament started to melt due to had an assist to help the Montreal Canadiens clinch the Atlantic NHL RESULTS/STANDINGS Lillard got a clean look, but couldn’t unseasonably warm weather. That caused Division title with a 4-1 victory over the Florida Panthers on knock it down and Portland missed a condensation on the court that could not Monday night. Andrew Shaw and Alexander Radulov also scored Montreal 4, Florida 1; Toronto 4, Buffalo 2; Detroit 5, Ottawa 4 (SO). golden chance to pad its lead on Denver be corrected, so the league postponed the for the Canadiens while Charlie Lindgren stopped 31 shots in his in a tense race. game. Trail Blazers: Portland travels to Utah Western Conference The Blazers beat lowly Phoenix in their for a tough back-to-back. second NHL start. Jonathan Marchessault scored for Florida and Central Division Reto Berra finished with 27 saves. Lehkonen put Montreal ahead first game without Nurkic and went Timberwolves: Minnesota heads to the WLOTLGFGAPTS super-small on Monday against the Bay Area to play Golden State. The Wolves 2-1 at 1:27 of the third as he beat Berra with a rising shot from Chicago 50 22 7 239 202 107 between the circles high to the glove side. He made it a two- Wolves with Aminu and Harkless seeing are the last team to beat the Warriors, Minnesota 46 25 8 254 201 100 some time at center. doing so in Minnesota on March 10. — AP game when he followed Paul Byron’s breakaway attempt by St. Louis 43 28 7 219 204 93 knocking in the rebound for his 16th with 3:11 remaining. Nashville 40 28 11 231 217 91 Winnipeg 37 35 7 237 249 81 RED WINGS 5, SENATORS 4, SO Dallas 32 36 11 213 250 75 Evgeni Svechnikov scored the only goal of the shootout in Colorado 21 54 3 154 264 45 his NHL debut, lifting Detroit past Ottawa. In the seventh Pacific Division round of the tiebreaker, Svechnikov went to his backhand and Anaheim 43 23 13 212 196 99 slid the puck between the pads of Ottawa goalie Craig Edmonton 44 25 9 231 200 97 Anderson. Tomas Tatar had a goal and an assist while Frans San Jose 44 28 7 213 195 95 Nielsen, Gustav Nyquist and Dylan Larkin all scored in regula- Calgary 44 31 4 220 214 92 tion for Detroit. Nick Jensen had two assists and Petr Mrazek Los Angeles 37 34 7 188 191 81 stopped 41 shots. Kyle Turris and Fredrik Claesson scored 4:09 Vancouver 30 39 9 174 228 69 apart in the third period to level the score for the Senators, Arizona 29 41 9 190 251 67 who pulled into a tie with Boston for third place in the Atlantic Eastern Conference Atlantic Division Division. Ottawa is technically ahead at the moment with a Montreal 46 24 9 220 192 101 game in hand on the Bruins. Erik Karlsson had a goal and an Toronto 39 24 15 242 228 93 assist while Alexandre Burows also scored and Turris also had Ottawa 41 27 10 203 208 92 two assists for the Senators. Boston 43 30 6 228 207 92 Tampa Bay 39 29 10 222 218 88 MAPLE LEAFS 4, SABRES 2 Florida 33 35 11 202 231 77 Auston Matthews scored his 39th goal to set the record for Buffalo 32 35 12 197 229 76 most by an American-born rookie and Toronto moved closer to Detroit 32 35 12 201 238 76 clinching its second playoff berth in 12 seasons. Nazem Kadri Metropolitan Division had a goal and an assist while James van Rimedsyk and Leo Washington 52 18 8 254 178 112 Komarov also scored. Frederick Andersen made 18 saves for the Pittsburgh 48 19 11 266 221 107 Maple Leafs in their fourth straight win. The victory vaulted Columbus 49 21 8 239 180 106 Toronto (39-24-15) one point ahead of Ottawa and Boston for NY Rangers 47 26 6 252 213 100 second-place in the Atlantic Division. Jack Eichel and Ryan NY Islanders 37 29 12 228 237 86 O’Reilly scored for Buffalo. Robin Lehner was pulled after giving Carolina 35 29 14 204 220 84 up three goals on five shots in the first five minutes and Anders Philadelphia 38 33 8 212 229 84 New Jersey 27 37 14 175 229 68 Nillson stopped 32 of the 33 shots he faced. The Sabres have lost MINNEAPOLIS: Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) is fouled by Minnesota three in a row and the late-season collapse will extend Buffalo’s Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the standings and are not included in the loss column (L) Timberwolves center Gorgui Dieng (5) in the first half of an NBA basketball game on playoff drought to six consecutive seasons. — AP Monday, in Minneapolis. — AP