SPORTS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2014 Rookie Loupe sets early pace at rain-hit Pebble PEBBLE BEACH: PGA Tour rookie Andrew Loupe Walker returned a 66 on the hosting Pebble Beach Fan favorite Mickelson three birdies and he had just eagled the par-five stole the limelight from some of golf’s biggest Golf Links while Renner and Lee both shot 65s on Tournament favorite and four-times winner sixth at Monterey Peninsula, his 15th hole of the names by charging into an early two-shot lead in the Shore Course. Phil Mickelson was at five-under, having made day, when play ended for the day. Mickelson and the rain-delayed opening round of the Pebble 39 other players resumed their rounds at 7:45 am Beach National Pro-Am on Thursday. The 25-year- Pacific Time yesterday before the second round is old American, who has missed the cut in all six of scheduled to start just over an hour later. Among his previous starts on the US circuit, fired an eight- the other big names playing this week, three-times under-par 63 at Monterey Peninsula Country Club, major winner Padraig Harrington of Ireland one of three venues being used for this week’s opened at Pebble Beach with a level 72, a score event. matched by defending champion Brandt Snedeker Loupe, who tied for sixth at the Web.com at Spyglass Hill. Northern Ireland’s Graeme Tour’s season-ending Tour Championship to earn McDowell, who clinched the 2010 US Open staged his card for the 2013-14 PGA Tour, birdied five of at Pebble Beach, carded a 71 while Fiji’s former his last nine holes on the easiest of three courses to world number one Vijay Singh struggled to a 78 at soar to the top of the leaderboard. “I just keep Pebble Beach. Thursday’s opening round was cer- telling myself, you’re supposed to be here, you’re tain to spill over after heavy rain on the pictur- going to play good, just keep playing,” Loupe told esque Monterey Peninsula forced play to be sus- reporters after his flawless eight-birdie display. pended for just under three hours earlier in the “And this is just one round, guys, you know, but I day. With puddles of water forming on many of feel good.” the greens and bunkers at Spyglass Hill, the action Australian Stuart Appleby, who carded a six- was halted after just 39 minutes of play before birdie 65 on the Shore Course at Monterey resuming at 11:30 am PT (1930 GMT). Because of Peninsula, was one of five players knotted at six- the forecast for poor weather, officials had already under before play was suspended for the day in implemented ‘lift, clean and place’ for the players fading light. Level with Appleby were compatriot during the first round. Conditions today are Scott Gardiner, who also started out at Monterey PEBBLE BEACH: Andrew Loupe makes a birdie putt on the 14th green of the Monterey expected to be better with just a 20 percent Peninsula, and Americans Jimmy Walker, Jim Peninsula Country Club Shore Course during the first round of the AT&T Pebble Beach chance of showers but more rain has been forecast Renner and Richard H Lee. FedExCup points leader Pro-Am golf tournament on Thursday, Feb 6, 2014. — AP for both today and Sunday. — Reuters Ovechkin scores NHL-leading 40th goal WASHINGTON: After getting an Olympic over the Panthers. Brian Lashoff and Daniel and third in five games, when Nathan the game with 23 seconds left as the send-off from Secretary of State John Kerry, Alfredsson also scored and Jimmy Howard MacKinnon beat him for his 21st goal of the Senators defeated the Sabres. The Sabres had Alex Ovechkin scored his NHL-leading 40th made 23 saves as the Red Wings ended a four- season. Mason stopped his first 33 shots. fought back to tie the game with two third- goal with 12:14 remaining Thursday night as game road losing streak. Scottie Upshall Claude Giroux scored an empty-netter in the period goals, but Senators captain Jason the Washington Capitals rallied from a third- scored and Tim Thomas stopped 30 shots for final minute for the Flyers. Spezza found Michalek in the slot and he period deficit for a 4-2 win over the Winnipeg Florida, which has lost four of its last five. beat Jhonas Enroth over the shoulder for the Jets. Troy Brouwer scored twice, Tom Wilson FLAMES 4, ISLANDERS 2 winner. Erik Karlsson also scored for the had a goal, and Braden Holtby made 34 saves OILERS 2, RANGERS 1 David Jones scored the tiebreaking goal Senators and Craig Anderson made 30 saves. for the Capitals, who are trying to generate at Nail Yakupov scored with 1:38 left in regu- late in the third period and rookie Reto Berra Tyler Ennis and Drew Stafford scored for the least a modicum of momentum headed into lation to give the Oilers a win over the made 28 saves as the Flames beat the Sabres, who lost for the fourth straight time. the Olympic break. Washington had dropped Rangers. Ryan Smyth also scored for Islanders. Jones banked the puck off the Enroth made 33 10 of its previous 13, including a 1-0 shutout Edmonton, which is 5-5 in its last 10. Ben Islanders goalie Evgeni Nabokov from a sharp loss to the New York Islanders on Tuesday. Scrivens made 35 saves. New York’s season- angle at 14:28 to lift the Flames to their sixth MAPLE LEAFS 4, LIGHTNING 1 Bryan Little and Dustin Byfuglien scored, and high four-game winning streak came to an victory in seven games and their first at Jonathan Bernier made 33 saves and the Ondrej Pavelec stopped 26 shots for the Jets, end. Derick Brassard scored and Cam Talbot Nassau Coliseum since 2004. Mikael Backlund Maple Leafs beat the Lightning. Mason who had a three-game winning streak made 29 saves. added an empty-net goal for the Flames. Sean Raymond, Jay McClement, James van snapped. Monahan and Dennis Wideman scored in the Riemsdyk and Tyler Bozak scored for FLYERS 3, AVALANCHE 1 second period to put Calgary ahead 2-0. But Toronto, which was coming of a 4-1 loss CANADIENS 5, CANUCKS 2 Steve Mason stopped 38 shots, and Mark the Islanders rallied to tie it on goals by Tuesday night at Florida. Ondrej Palat Max Pacioretty scored three goals for his Streit and Michael Raffl scored goals, leading defensemen Thomas Hickey and Calvin de scored for Tampa Bay. Lightning goalie Ben third career hat trick - despite missing two the Flyers past Colorado. Mason blanked Haan. Bishop left after two periods with an upper- penalty shots - to help the Canadiens to a vic- Detroit 5-0 on Jan 28 and stopped the Los body injury and was replaced by Cedrick tory over the Canucks that extended Angeles Kings 2-0 on Feb 1. He was only 2:50 SENATORS 3, SABRES 2 Desjardins. Center Valtteri Filppula left due away from his fourth shutout of the season, Milan Michalek scored his second goal of Vancouver’s losing streak to six games. Ryan to a lower-body injury. White and Tomas Plekanec also scored for Montreal, while Carey Price made 42 saves. NHL results/standings WILD 3, PREDATORS 2, OT Pacioretty was awarded two penalty shots in Nino Niederreiter’s goal with 2:44 left in overtime lifted Minnesota to a victory over a two-minute span in the second period, but Calgary 4, NY Islanders 2; Edmonton 2, NY Rangers 1; Philadelphia 3, Colorado 1; Nashville, the fifth straight home win for the failed to convert, losing control of the puck Washington 4, Winnipeg 2; Montreal 5, Vancouver 2; Ottawa 3, Buffalo 2; Toronto 4, Tampa Wild. Jonas Brodin and Zach Parise scored both times. Despite missing both, Montreal’s Bay 1; Detroit 3, Florida 1; St. Louis 3, Boston 2 (OT); Minnesota 3, Nashville 2 (OT); Los early to offset two goals for the Predators by leading scorer became the first Canadiens Angeles 2, Columbus 1 (OT). player to take two penalty shots in the same Craig Smith, who raised his team-leading Western Conference Eastern Conference total to 18. Carter Hutton made 33 saves. game - let alone the same period. Chris Pacific Division Atlantic Division Higgins and Alexander Edler scored for Kuemper made 16 saves, and the Wild W L OTL GF GA PTS Boston 36 16 4 169 123 76 Vancouver and Roberto Luongo stopped 25 Tampa Bay 32 20 5 164 143 69 improved to 21-7-2 at home this season. Anaheim 40 14 5 191 145 85 shots. Montreal 31 21 6 144 141 68 San Jose 36 16 6 172 140 78 Toronto 31 22 6 175 181 68 KINGS 2, BLUE JACKETS 1, OT BLUES 3, BRUINS 2, OT Los Angeles 31 22 6 139 128 68 Detroit 26 19 12 149 159 64 Jonathan Quick beat fellow Olympic goal- Ottawa 26 21 11 167 184 63 TJ Oshie scored 3:29 into overtime, leading Vancouver 27 23 9 145 157 63 tender Sergei Bobrovsky with 24 saves, Jake Phoenix 26 20 10 160 167 62 Florida 22 28 7 138 178 51 Muzzin scored the tying goal early in the the Blues to a victory over the Bruins. Oshie Buffalo 15 34 8 110 172 38 jammed the puck in from the side of the net Calgary 22 28 7 136 177 51 Metropolitan Division third period and Robyn Regehr got the win- as the Blues, who had a 3-2 shootout win Nov Edmonton 20 33 6 152 197 46 Pittsburgh 40 15 2 183 134 82 ner 2:33 into overtime to help the Los 21 in Boston, swept the season series.