WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2017 SPORTS Bruins fire coach Julien, name Cassidy interim coach BOSTON: The Boston Bruins fired Stanley Julien was the longest-tenured current Julien’s tenure they sat out the playoffs. general manager Peter Chiarelli instead, the team through a “bumpy transition.” Cup-winning coach Claude Julien yesterday, coach in the NHL, starting with the Bruins in Again last year, the Bruins had a chance to replacing him with Sweeney. Sweeney gave “We’ve got work to do; I’ve got work to with the team in danger of missing the the 2007-08 season. He went 419-246-94 in reach the playoffs heading into the final Julien another chance, saying “He’s the do,” Sweeney said after the team missed the playoffs for a third straight season. 10 seasons, including two trips to the NHL week, but they lost nine of their last 12 coach of the Boston Bruins as of today, for playoffs last year. “There’s no question that we General manager Don Sweeney finals and a Stanley Cup title in 2011. games to finish ninth in the Eastern sure.” Julien said at the time that he had little have areas we want to address and collective- announced the change on Tuesday, naming The Bruins lost in the finals two years lat- Conference. room for error. “It just means that I’m proba- ly we’ve already started to assess that.” Last assistant Bruce Cassidy the interim coach. er, and the year after that earned 117 points The Bruins hadn’t kept a coach who bly the next one to fall off the totem pole, season, Julien became the all-time Bruins The firing comes the same day the city cele- and the Presidents’ Trophy before losing in missed the playoffs two straight years since right?” the former Canadiens and Devils leader for wins by a coach. He is the fourth brated the New England Patriots’ Super the conference semifinals to archrival 1965, when Milt Schmidt was given a third coach said last summer. “I’m going to try to NHL coach to be fired this season. Julien’s fir- Bowl win with a parade. Boston has lost two Montreal. But in 2014-15, Boston was elimi- year before he was replaced by Harry make it last as long as I can.” Again last sum- ing leaves Chicago’s Joel Quenneville as the in a row and six of nine and fallen out of a nated from the playoff race on the final day Sinden. Julien was spared in 2015 when mer, the Bruins spared him, with Sweeney longest- tenured coach in the league. He playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. of the regular season - the first time in team president Cam Neely decided to fire saying Julien was the right coach to guide was hired in 2008. — AP TENNIS Shapovalov fined $7,000 over umpire strike LONDON: Canada’s Denis Shapovalov has and for letting my country down. “I apolo- been fined for hitting the umpire with the gise to all the tennis fans, to my supporters ball during his country’s Davis Cup tie and my sponsors. I feel ashamed of my against Great Britain, the International unprofessional behaviour and will accept Tennis Federation (ITF) announced on any consequences as a result of my action.” Monday. Shapovalov, 17, was disqualified Israel-born Shapovalov was trailing after striking chair umpire Arnaud Gabas in Edmund 6-3, 6-4, 2-1 in the decisive World the eye with the ball in Ottawa on Sunday, Group first-round tie when the incident gifting singles opponent Kyle Edmund a happened. French umpire Arnaud Gabas victory that gave Britain a 3-2 win. was taken to hospital in Ottawa as a pre- caution after being left with bruising and swelling around his left eye, but no serious damage was found. Britain will play France in the quarter-finals in April. Gabas says he was lucky to avoid serious injury after being hit in the face by a ball smashed by Canada’s Denis Shapovalov. Shapovalov, 17, handed Britain the Davis Cup tie when he was disqualified against Kyle Edmund on Sunday for bashing the ball in frustra- tion and inadvertently catching Gabas in the eye. Gabas was taken to hospital in Ottawa as a precaution after being left with bruising and swelling around his left eye. No serious damage was found, but Gabas insisted the incident could have been a lot worse. “I came off the court looking like Rocky Balboa,” Gabas was quoted as saying by Sky Sports. “The video is quite shocking OTTAWA: Umpire Arnaud Gabas, of France, to look at. We have to avoid some balls dur- declares the match forfeited after being ing the season but this one I had no hit in the eye by a ball fired by Canada’s chance. “I feel quite lucky it wasn’t worse. Denis Shapovalov during a Davis Cup NEWARK: The Buffalo Sabres warm up around Robin Lehner #40 prior to the game against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Centeron Players can be a bit crazy these days. “I Monday in Newark, New Jersey. The New Jersey Devils defeated the Buffalo Sabres 2-1. — AFP World Group tie tennis match between could see he was angry and that some- Shapovalov and Britain’s Kyle Edmund in thing was coming but I never thought he Ottawa, Ontario. — AP would hit me.” NHL The ITF fined Shapovalov $7,000 (6,520 The International Tennis Federation fined euros), rather than the maximum $10,000, Shapovalov $7,000 (6,500 euros), rather after accepting he had not intentionally than the maximum $10,000, after accepting Stastny, Agostino help struck Gabas after smacking a ball off the he had not intentionally struck Gabas after court in frustration at losing a point. smacking a ball off the court in anger at los- In a statement published on his Twitter ing a point. Gabas said Israel-born account before the fine was announced, Shapovalov, the junior Wimbledon champi- Shapovalov wrote: “There is no excuse for on, apologised for his actions. “He was Blues beat Flyers 2-0 this behaviour and I take full responsibility remorseful and shocked when he came to for my action. “I’m very sorry to Mr Gabas, apologise,” he said. “At the moment I’m OK, to whom I apologised in person. Very sorry I’m on painkillers but I have an appointment PHILADELPHIA: The St. Louis Blues kicked off a for letting my Davis Cup team-mates down to see a specialist when I get home.” — AFP big five-game trip with a solid performance in NHL results/standings Philadelphia. Carter Hutton led the way. Hutton had 26 saves, Kenny Agostino scored his first goal in almost three years and the Blues beat the New Jersey 2, Buffalo 1; NY Islanders 6, Toronto 5 (OT); St. Louis 2, Philadelphia 0. Flyers 2-0 on Monday night. Western Conference Eastern Conference “We battled, played tight defensive hockey, Central Division Atlantic Division and found a way,” Hutton said. Paul Stastny also WL OTLGFGAPTS Montreal 30 16 8 158 134 68 scored for St. Louis, which won for the second Ottawa 27 17 6 137 135 60 time in three games after coach Mike Yeo Minnesota 34 12 5 172 119 73 Toronto 24 17 10 160 155 58 replaced Ken Hitchcock on Feb. 1, following a 1- Chicago 32 17 5 152 141 69 Boston 26 23 6 143 149 58 5-0 stretch. Hutton, who allowed 13 goals in his Nashville 25 19 8 142 135 58 Florida 23 19 10 124 143 56 three previous appearances, posted his first St. Louis 26 22 5 149 162 57 Detroit 22 21 9 132 152 53 shutout since Jan. 24 and No. 3 on the season. Buffalo 21 21 10 126 145 52 Winnipeg 25 26 4 161 172 54 Tampa Bay 23 24 6 144 157 52 “He looked like a confident goalie tonight,” Yeo Dallas 21 22 10 147 169 52 Metropolitan Division said. “He was great right from the start. He Colorado 14 33 2 99 168 30 Washington 36 11 6 175 114 78 looked calm in the net but was still challenging Pacific Division Columbus 33 13 5 170 127 71 and getting aggressive.” Michal Neuvirth made Pittsburgh 33 13 5 184 147 71 14 stops for Philadelphia, which was coming off San Jose 33 17 3 144 121 69 NY Rangers 33 18 1 177 139 67 a 1-0 overtime loss to Los Angeles on Saturday. It Anaheim 28 16 10 141 135 66 Philadelphia 26 21 7 144 164 59 has dropped three of four overall. Edmonton 29 18 8 156 141 66 NY Islanders 23 18 10 153 153 56 It marks the first time the Flyers have been Los Angeles 27 22 4 132 128 58 New Jersey 23 21 10 127 153 56 Carolina 24 20 7 138 146 55 shut out in consecutive home games without a Calgary 27 25 3 146 157 57 road game in between since 1999. Philadelphia Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one Vancouver 23 23 6 123 150 52 point in the standings and are not included in also lost rookie forward Travis Konecny in the Arizona 17 28 6 116 161 40 the loss column (L) second period with an undisclosed injury. The Flyers’ three leading goal-scorers, Wayne Simmonds, Brayden Schenn and Jakub birthday, and his club won for the first time in a ISLANDERS 6, MAPLE LEAFS 5 (OT) Voracek, have not scored in their past four month on home ice as New Jersey skated to a Brock Nelson scored 2:42 into overtime to games.