SPORTS SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2013 ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Hertl’ takes NHL by storm PRAGUE: A month ago, teenage Czech center Tomas laughed,” said Hertl, who will turn 20 on November 12. Vancouver Canucks defender Alex Edler hit him hard on Hertl hoped he would make it to the San Jose Sharks The 17th pick in the 2012 draft, Hertl now sits third in the head in game four, earning a three-game ban. Two roster, barely dreaming he would soon become one of the NHL points rankings among the likes of Sidney days later, Hertl limped off the ice with a sore shoulder the NHL’s brightest stars. In six NHL games so far, the Crosby, Martin St Louis or Alex Ovechkin, benefiting following a hit from the Ottawa Senators’ Clarke 19-year-old has collected seven goals and two assists, from co-operation with forwards Joe Thornton and MacArthur. “But I don’t need a bodyguard,” Hertl insists. due largely to a four-goal night against the New York Brent Burns. “Thornton is one of the best NHL players. “We’re all big, and I’ll try to take care of myself. I’m also Rangers on October 8 that virtually changed his life. In He has lots of assists, he can pass the puck and it’s great big enough to stand up and hit people myself.” the post-game interview, Hertl managed “This is dream, to play with him,” Hertl said. Jagr spent his first NHL years in the company of his no reality. I’m happy, crazy,” in his broken English, “We are all big and strong on the puck, so I think mum, who worked as a full-time cook, cleaner and speaking to a frantic home crowd comprising his moth- things will get even better,” said Hertl as the Sharks nurse for him, earning the nickname of “Momma Jagr.” er and girlfriend. A week later, the story seems to have boasted six wins from as many games. Dubbed the When Hertl’s girlfriend and mother burst into tears after dawned on him. “I’m definitely aware now of what I “Teenage Mutant Ninja Hertl” by the US press, the for- his third goal against the Rangers, they were immedi- have achieved,” Hertl said in a telephone interview. mer Slavia Prague center who made it to the Czech ately taken for a talisman, with Sharks managers saying “In that game, everything went great, I scored four Republic team for the 2013 World Championships they should stay indefinitely. But Hertl, staying with a goals, I scored from all my attempts,” said Hertl, the scored his first two NHL goals in his second game for local family, refused the idea of a “Momma Hertl” as his fourth youngest player ever to score four goals in an the Sharks. This immediately led to comparisons with mother is busy in her Prague shop. “I’m glad they could NHL game. Of the four goals, the last one sparked con- another Czech, the 41-year-old Jaromir Jagr, Hertl’s role come and that I could show them some goals. We had a troversy as a breakaway Hertl dropped the puck back model now playing for the New Jersey Devils, who also great time, all three of us,” he said a day after both between his legs and beat Rangers goalie Martin Biron scored in his second NHL game in 1990. “It’s definitely women returned home. The NHL rookie scoring record with a forehand shot that has gone viral on the internet. nice to be likened to the greatest hockey legend of our of 76 goals was set by Teemu Selanne in the 1992-93 And while the crowd ran wild, some commentators country, but I don’t think I could compare to him, there’s season. “I’m happy we keep winning. Every goal I score including former NHL stars Jamie McLennan and Adam only one Jagr,” said Hertl who, like Jagr, gained some of and every assist is definitely a bonus, a hat-trick is some- Oates slammed the youngster for showing Biron up. his muscles on a family farm in his homeland. thing I didn’t expect at all,” Hertl said. “But I’m just hav- “I don’t see it that way. I would have shown him up if Hertl’s quick rise to stardom brought some trouble ing fun, without setting any goals. After all, I still have to I went to their bench and made faces at them or too-after his six goals in the first three games, try hard to stay on the team.”— AFP Racing - Globe-trotting Cirrus Des Aigles headlines at Ascot ASCOT: Globe-trotting Cirrus Des Aigles is the headline act on British Champions Day at Ascot today. The seven-year-old bids to follow up his victory in the £1.3 million QIPCO Champion Stakes two years ago, having finished runner-up to Frankel in last year’s renewal. Victory would take Cirrus Des Aigles’ prize-money earn- ings beyond £5 million, in the process supplanting Goldikova as the top-earning racehorse from France, where he is trained by Corine Barande-Barbe. He will be ridden by Christophe Soumillon. Cirrus Des Aigles failed to show his mettle over the summer after he picked up an injury in Hong Kong in December. But he resumed winning ways in September, after which he handsomely won the Prix Dollar at Longchamp on October 5. “I trust this horse,” Barande-Barbe said of Cirrus Des Aigles. “He is coming back to his best now.” A field of 10 runners has been declared for the 2,000-metre contest, among them two more from France and two from Ireland. But British bookmakers rate Farhh, trained by Saeed Bin Suroor in Newmarket, England, as the biggest threat to Cirrus Des Aigles. Owned by Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin operation, PHILLIP ISLAND: Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jorge Lorenzo of Spain acknowledges applauding from spectators at the end of sec- Farhh has not run for five months but has winning form on rain- ond practice session of the Australian MotoGP Grand Prix at Phillip Island yesterday. —AFP softened ground that horses will encounter at Ascot. Of the other runners, Ryan Moore rides the Epsom Derby winner, Ruler Of The Lorenzo quickest; Marquez tumbles World, for Aidan O’Brien’s stable. Richard Hughes substitutes aboard Hillstar, which is usually ridden by Moore. PHILLIP ISLAND: Spain’s defending world champion Jorge Lorenzo push with more confidence and there are less bumps.” Stoner retired Steady rain in the build-up raised fears that the six-race card, topped both practice sessions yesterday as title challenger Marc from MotoGP at the end of last season in a career where he won six carrying total prize-money of £3.4 million, would be hit by a spate Marquez struck trouble ahead of this weekend’s Australian MotoGP at consecutive Australian MotoGPs around Phillip Island. of withdrawals. But those fears proved groundless when all but Phillip Island. Yamaha’s Lorenzo clocked one minute 28.961 seconds Spain’s Alvaro Bautista had the third-fastest lap Friday, 0.477secs one race attracted fields of 10 runners or more. Another horse for the fastest lap in second practice to hold a gap of 0.294secs over down on Lorenzo with Marquez’s Spanish teammate Dani Pedrosa bidding to repeat a previous victory on Champions Day is compatriot Marquez on a Honda. fourth at 0.517secs. “Today was very positive, the new asphalt felt Maarek, trained in Ireland by Barry Lalor and winner of the presti- But Marquez, who can claim the world title in his debut premier good and the tyres worked well for us,” Pedrosa said. “The only set- gious Prix de l’Abbaye at Longchamp on October 6. class season if he beats Lorenzo by sufficient points in Sunday’s third- back was that we were unable to make the most of all the time avail- Maarek won last year’s QIPCO British Champions Sprint Stakes last race of the season, came heavily off his bike during the afternoon able, due to a problem with the bike at the end of the afternoon ses- and is expected to start favorite for today’s renewal. Like Cirrus run. The 20-year-old Spanish rookie high-sided his Repsol Honda and sion.” Seven-time premier class world champion Valentino Rossi was Des Aigles, he went off the boil in summer before rebounding to landed heavily on the newly-laid asphalt surface before getting to his fifth quickest and trailing Yamaha teammate Lorenzo’s best time by win his last two starts. Hawkeyethenoo and Sirius Prospect, the feet. Appearing to have escaped injury, Marquez was back out on the 0.576secs. The Italian great has only been off the podium at Phillip second and third horses home 12 months ago, are in the line-up track less than 20 minutes later. Island on three occasions since he debuted in the World once more. Ireland is again strongly represented after horses “It’s a pity about the crash right at the start of the afternoon run Championship in 1996. “I’m happy about today, especially this after- trained in that country won four of the five headline races last but we went back out with the second bike, which had a totally differ- noon as we were able to improve the settings of the bike a lot. I’m year. ent geometry and we had no time in which to change things,” happy about my pace, I’m constant and also quite fast,” Rossi said.