P15 Layout 1 12/10/14 10:21 PM Page 1

p15_Layout 1 12/10/14 10:21 PM Page 1 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2014 SPORTS McLaren to announce drivers Malaysia laments absence Feng leads in Dubai LONDON: McLaren could put a spring in Jenson Button’s step, or bring KUALA LUMPUR: Badminton ‘powerhouse’ Malaysia lamented their DUBAI: China’s Feng Shanshan, the highest ranked player in the field at down the curtain on the 2009 world champion’s Formula One career, today absence from next week’s $1 million Super Series Masters Finals in Dubai world number 5, overcame a mystery illness to master the tough afternoon when they are expected to announce their 2015 driver lineup. The team, and warned the current crop of shuttlers to buck up their ideas or risk conditions and join Sweden’s Carin Koch on top of the leaderboard at the who are starting a new partnership with Honda and have yet to announce a being axed. With world number one Lee Chong Wei suspended for a dop- end of the opening day’s play yesterday of the 500,000 euros Dubai Ladies title sponsor, called a news conference at their Woking headquarters for “an ing violation, Malaysia will have no representatives at the prestigious Dec. Masters. In the season-ending championship of the Ladies European Tour important and exclusive media event”. No details were given, 17-21 end-of-season event for the top eight men, women and doubles (LET), Feng closed with a 12-footer birdie on the final hole of the Majlis and McLaren gave no further indications when contacted, teams. “We are one of the badminton powerhouses but it is sad that we will course for a six-under par round of 66, a mark that had been but the move was interpreted by an expectant media as not have any Malaysian in this major BWF tournament for the first time. set in the morning group by the 43-year-old Koch. evidence a driver decision had been reached at last This should not happen again,” Badminton Association of Malaysia deputy Unlike Feng, Koch had started her round from the after a board meeting last week ended without news. president Norza Zakaria was quoted as saying in local newspapers yester- 10th hole, and could have finished as sole leader after Button’s future has been the big question in the day. Lee won the men’s singles title at four of the six editions, with other the eight-birdie round but for a dropped shot on her clos- sport for months, with the 34-year-old Briton out of Malaysian successes coming only in the early years. ing hole. contract and McLaren the only team yet to name their Wong Pei Tty and Chin Eei Hui took the first two women’s doubles In the race to become the new European number one, drivers. crowns, Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong the inaugural men’s champi- England’s Charley Hull started her campaign in excellent One is sure to be Spain’s double world champion onship in 2008 and Wong Mew Choo the women’s singles in 2009. Norza fashion with a five-under par 67. That round gave her a two- Fernando Alonso, already replaced at Ferrari by said Malaysia had become too dependent on Lee, who was provisionally shot advantage over her nearest rival for the Order of Merit four times titleholder Sebastian Vettel but suspended by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) last month for an crown, Gwladys Nocera of France. Winner of last week’s whose return has yet to be confirmed offi- “apparent” anti-doping violation. The 32-year-old, twice Commonwealth Women’s Indian Open, Nocera needs to make 22,716 cially by McLaren despite being an open Games champion and double Olympic silver medallist, appealed the ver- euros more than Hull this week and she opened with a secret.—Reuters dict and is awaiting the decision.—Reuters steady three-under par 69.—AFP Devils fall to Blackhawks, Wild win NEWARK: Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane scored in a shootout, and the Chicago Blackhawks rallied late to earn their seventh straight victory with a 3-2 win over the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night. Bryan Bickell and Duncan Keith had goals in regulation for Chicago, whose winning streak matches the NHL high for this season. Scott Darling made 22 saves, including two stops in the shootout. The loss spoiled the first NHL start for Devils goalie Keith Kincaid, who made 37 saves. Jordin Tootoo and Stephen Gionta scored for New Jersey. and Steve Bernier added two assists for the Devils, who were trying for back to back wins. BLUE JACKETS 3, FLYERS 2 Kevin Connauton scored his first goal of the season at 1:58 of overtime to lift Columbus past Philadelphia for its fourth straight win. Boone Jenner scored in his career-best fourth straight game, and Scott Hartnell also had a goal. Sergei Bobrovsky made 19 saves. Brayden Schenn had both goals for the Flyers, including one after a video review with 55.3 seconds left in the third period. Mason stopped 21 shots. Columbus’ longest winning streak of the season follows a six-game skid that was part of a 2-13-2 stretch. Connauton played his seventh game since being picked up off waivers from Dallas on Nov. 18. The Flyers, playing the last of a five-game, 11-day trip, had lost 10 of 11 before beating Los Angeles on Saturday. WILD 5, ISLANDERS 4 Nino Niederreiter tapped in the go-ahead goal with 4:33 left and capped a furious come- back by Minnesota in a win over the New York Islanders. The Wild trailed 3-0 after the first period and 4-1 at the second intermission, but they were fired up midway through the game. Defenseman Keith Ballard was sent to a hospital after his head bounced hard on the ice, following a hit from Matt Martin. Jason Pominville, Mikko Koivu, Erik Haula and Thomas Vanek scored for the Wild, and Niederreiter followed with the most dramatic goal against the team that chose him No. 5 in the 2010 draft. Chad Johnson made 25 saves for the Islanders, who lost their second straight after leading 3-0 in the first. Michael Grabner, Brock Nelson and Martin scored early for the Islanders, and Josh Bailey gave them a 4-1 lead on their lone shot of the second period. Niklas Backstrom made 15 saves for the Wild, who outshot the Islanders 27-8 over the final two periods. NEWARK: The puck enters the net of New Jersey Devils goalkeeper Keith Kinkaid (1) on a shot by Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith (2) as Devils’ Mike Sislo (32) tries to defend during the third period of an NHL hockey game. —AP SABRES 1, KINGS 0 Tyler Ennis’ third-period, power-play goal lift- Washington also got goals from Matt Niskanen, his NHL-leading 22nd goal, and Antoine Roussel the first period, and Phil Kessel and Mike Gabriel Bourque and James Neal scored empty- ed Buffalo to a win over Los Angeles Kings on Brooks Laich and Troy Brouwer. Ovechkin has 37 also scored for Dallas. Santorelli had empty-net goals in the final net goals in the closing minutes for the Tuesday night. Jhonas Enroth made 34 saves for goals and 74 points in 56 games against Tampa Lowry’s first goal broke a 2-2 tie as his low minute. Markus Granlund got the Flames on the Predators, who avoided their first two-game los- his first shutout since April 13, 2013, and the Bay. Ovechkin opened the scoring 40 seconds in shot got past Trevor Daley’s sliding block board with a power-play goal early in the third to ing streak of the season. Sabres kept up their home mastery of the Kings. when he beat Ben Bishop from in-close. He attempt and between goalie Kari Lehtonen’s legs make it 2-1. Jonas Hiller had 25 saves as Calgary Forsberg scored the 12th goal of his rookie Los Angeles is 1-11-1-1 in its last 14 games in added his 436th goal, one shy of tying Pavel Bure at 7:22 of the second. lost consecutive games in regulation for the first season, and Rinne did the rest in stopping 26 Buffalo. Jonathan Quick had a shutout streak of for 66th place the NHL career list, with an empty- The Stars then pulled Lehtonen, and Lowry time this season. Calgary had a 33-29 shots shots. He has won eight of his past 10 starts, lim- 119 minutes, 54 seconds against Buffalo netter. Steven Stamkos scored his 250th goal for scored on a rebound against backup Jussi advantage. Toronto, coming off a 3-2 loss to San iting opponents to two goals or fewer in those snapped by Ennis. Quick blanked the Sabres on the Lightning, who have lost three of four. The Rynnas at 9:41. Frolik’s short-handed goal with Jose that snapped a four-game winning streak, games. Calvin Pickard made 33 saves in place of Oct. 23 in Los Angeles. Tampa Bay captain became the 10th youngest 40 seconds remaining in the period capped the finished its homestand 4-1 and improved to 6-1- Semyon Varlamov, who missed his 10th game of The Sabres snapped a two-game losing streak NHL player to reach the milestone at 24 years, scoring. Lehtonen stopped 14 of the 17 shots he 1 following consecutive lopsided losses to the season after aggravating a groin injury dur- and won their third straight at home.

Load more