Sports SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2013 Uchimura wins record 4th world all-around title ANTWERP: Olympic champion Kohei Uchimura won a record fourth all-around world championship beating Japanese compatri- ot Ryohei Kato in a final that had a sense of inevitability from the start Thursday. Uchimura opened with the best floor exercise of the six top qualifiers, and was in command the rest of the way. He mixed strength, poise and elegance in every discipline, setting himself apart and reinforcing his reputation as the greatest in the history of the sport. “I always do my own things,” Uchimura said. “I don’t think about rivals.” Such is his mastery that he doesn’t have to. Even though Uchimura already held the men’s record for all- around world titles, he still shared it overall with retired women’s great Svetlana Khorkina of Russia, who also won three. And at 24, he can continue to dominate for years to come. “I want to continue until Tokyo 2020,” he said about the Olympic Games his nation will stage. German veteran Fabian Hambuechen, the bronze medalist, has competed against Uchimura for years and has no doubt he is the greatest. “Yeah, sure,” he said in awe. “He has no weak event.” Uchimura bore testimony to that, finishing in the top three of each of the six events. “He is just like in a tunnel. Doing his thing. Not being nervous at all, and just concentrating on his routines. That is very special,” Hambuechen said. Uchimura also qualified for the weekend floor exercise, high bar and parallel bar finals. In the contest for the other medals, Sam Mikulak of the US made a decisive error late in his high bar routine and instead of challenging for silver he ended up sixth. “That is PITTSBURGH: Sidney Crosby #87 and Pascal Dupuis #9 of the Pittsburgh Penguins get tangled up with Ryan Carter #20 and gymnastics. One second you’re on. One second you are off. It’s Peter Harrold #10 of the New Jersey Devils during the home opener at Consol Energy Center on October 3, 2013. — AFP fine,” he said. Hambuechen started with a weak pommel horse rou- tine, but his evening-long chase ended with a great floor exercise and the bronze. Uchimura finished with 91.990 points, almost a Penguins thrash Devils 3-0 massive two points ahead of Kato, who had 90.032. Hambuechen finished with 89.332. Britain’s Max Whitlock was fourth with 89.031. PITTSBURGH: Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 28 shots for his 250th scored on a rebound of a shot by Matt Frattin at 13:14 of the third A difference in style was immediately visible on the opening floor NHL victory and franchise-record 24th shutout, and Sidney period to tie it. exercise when it still looked like a US-Japanese fight for gold. Crosby scored in Pittsburgh’s two-goal first period to lead the Mikulak was smiling broadly, pumping his fists and acknowledging Penguins to a 3-0 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday BLUES 4, PREDATORS 2 the crowd; Uchimura left the floor seemingly subdued, giving a night in the season opener for both teams. Chuck Kobasew and David Backes had a goal and assist in the first period to lead St small nod and a handshake to his coach. It is this kind of serenity, Craig Adams added goals for the Penguins, who took control ear- Louis over Nashville. The Blues scored three times in the first 9:45 this inner resolve, that has set apart Uchimura.—AP ly. Kobasew and Crosby scored less than four minutes apart in to jump in front 3-0 and chase goalie Pekka Rinne. Jaroslav Halak the first, and Adams made it 3-0 midway through the third to cel- made 28 saves for the Blues and improved to 9-3-3 against the ebrate his 800th career game in style. Cory Schneider made 18 Predators. Vladimir Sobotka, TJ Oshie and Alex Steen also scored Cardinals crush saves for the Devils. Schneider’s start marked the first time in 19 for St Louis, which was 2 of 4 on the power play. The Blues have years Martin Brodeur didn’t play in the season opener for New won four of their past five home openers. Pirates with Jersey. Brodeur is expected to start Friday at home against the New York Islanders. Fleury was stellar from the opening faceoff PANTHERS 4, STARS 2 and even stopped a penalty shot by Adam Henrique late in the Marcel Goc scored two third-period goals, and Florida spoiled seven-run inning third period to preserve the shutout. Lindy Ruff’s debut as Dallas coach with a season-opening road victory. The Panthers erased a 2-1 deficit with goals about 41/2 SAINT LOUIS: The St Louis Cardinals crushed the Pittsburgh BRUINS 3, LIGHTNING 1 minutes apart. Goc’s goal followed the tying tally by 18-year-old Pirates 9-1 to launch their Major League Baseball playoff cam- Chris Kelly scored on a penalty shot, and Patrice Bergeron also Aleksander Barkov, the No 2 pick in this year’s draft. Goc’s second paign with an emphatic win on Thursday. St Louis starter Adam had a short handed goal as Boston opened defense of its Eastern goal was an empty-netter. Tim Thomas made 24 saves for Florida. Wainwright turned in seven brilliant innings as the Cardinals Conference championship with a victory over Tampa Bay. Kelly Dallas’ Ryan Garbutt and Florida’s Dmitry Kulikov were ejected in got their quest for a third-straight trip to the league semi-finals was hooked from behind about eight minutes in while Boston the first period when they started fighting a few moments after off to an excellent start. The 32-year-old Wainwright struck out was killing off a penalty, and he converted the one-on-one with another fight on the ice. Scott Gomez, a 14-year veteran in his first nine and allowed just three hits in the opening game of the goalie Anders Lindback. Boston also killed a 5-on-3 power play in season with the Panthers, opened the scoring with a backhand first round playoff series. the first period and another in the third. Tuukka Rask made 32 shot from the crease after a pass from behind the net by Scottie Wainwright said he embraces the extra pressure that comes saves for Boston, which reached the Stanley Cup finals last season Upshall. with playing in the post-season. “I love to be that guy,” for the second time in three years. Lindback stopped 22 shots for Wainwright said. “It is important to have somebody out there the Lightning. COYOTES 4, RANGERS 1 you can count on.” In the late game Thursday, Clayton Kershaw Radim Vrbata scored three goals and Mike Smith stopped 23 struck out 12 as the Los Angeles Dodgers cruised past the CAPITALS 5, FLAMES 4, SO shots as Phoenix opened its first season with an owner in four Atlanta Braves 6-1 to take a 1-0 series lead. Cardinals starter Alex Ovechkin had two goals and an assist and then scored in years by routing the New York Rangers. With NHL Commissioner Lance Lynn will face Pittsburgh rookie pitcher Gerrit Cole in the shootout for Washington, which rallied from an early three- Gary Bettman and the club’s new owners in attendance, the goal deficit to beat Calgary in the Flames’ season opener. Coyotes turned a tight game into a one-sided contest behind game two yesterday. National League Central Division champs Washington’s Michal Neuvirth, who replaced an ineffective Vrbata’s second straight hat trick - dating to last season - and fifth St Louis scored seven runs in the bottom of the third inning in Braden Holtby, made 27 saves and stopped Sven Baertschi and of his career. Kyle Chipchura also scored, Martin Hanzal had two which eight straight runners reached base in front of a crowd Jiri Hudler in the shootout. Marcus Johansson assisted on all three assists, and Smith made some tough saves on a pair of early of 45,693 at Busch Stadium. “To be able to get out on a good second-period goals for the Capitals, who earned their first win penalty kills, including one from his stomach on a shot by Benoit first step and play well today, I think is big for our guys confi- after dropping the opener to defending Stanley Cup champion Pouliot. Marc Staal scored a power-play goal for the short-hand- dence-wise,” said Cardinals manager Mike Matheny. Chicago on Tuesday. Connor Carrick and Nicklas Backstrom also ed Rangers in their first game under new coach Alain Vigneault. Wainwright set the tone in the first game of the best-of-five scored for Washington. David Jones, Lee Stempniak, Hudler and Henrik Lundqvist stopped 28 shots for New York. series by retiring the first 11 batters he faced. Lance Bouma had goals for Calgary. Karri Ramo made 35 saves. “He had his good stuff going right from the beginning,” said SHARKS 4, CANUCKS 1 Matheny. “Breaking ball was sharp. Controlled the counts. He KINGS 3, WILD 2, SO Justin Braun scored his first goal in more than 19 months to had everything really working from the top. When he does Anze Kopitar and Jeff Carter scored shootout goals for Los break a tie late in the second period and San Jose went on to beat that, he’s going to make for a long day for most people.” Angeles, which rallied to beat Minnesota in the season opener for Vancouver in the season opener for both teams.