Kyle Larson Kerber reaches hangs on to Miami fourth win at Fontana round, Keys falls TUESDAY, MARCH 1528, 2017 17 To Russia with Love? Buoyant Brazil on brink of World Cup Page 19 PITTSBURGH: Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Matt Murray (30) blocks a shot as Justin Schultz (4) defends Philadelphia Flyers’ Valtteri Filppula (51) in the first period of an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh, Sunday. — AP NHL Flyers boost wild card hope, beat Penguins PITTSBURGH: Jakub Voracek and Dale Weise move before flipping the puck into the net. The 8:13 to go, keeping the Jets mathematically alive sparked Philadelphia’s four-goal third period as Wild have lost eight of nine and are 3-10-1 in in the playoff picture - although one loss or one NHL results/standings the Flyers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-2 in March. They still clinched a playoff spot late win by St. Louis the rest of the season would the NHL on Sunday night. Jordan Weal scored his Saturday night when the Los Angeles Kings lost knock Winnipeg out of contention. Mathieu fifth goal in the first period and Valtteri Filppula to the New York Rangers. The Wild extended Perreault also scored for Winnipeg. Alexander Anaheim 6, NY Rangers 3; Winnipeg 2, Vancouver 1; Philadelphia 6, Pittsburgh 2; Dallas 2, New Jersey 1 (OT); Detroit 3, Minnesota 2 (OT). his ninth in the second, then the Flyers broke it their postseason streak to five under first-year Edler had the only goal for Vancouver, while open in the third. Weise got his fifth of the sea- coach Bruce Boudreau. Mike Green and Tomas Ryan Miller made 30 saves. Western Conference Ottawa 41 25 8 194 191 90 son and Voracek his 19th before Radko Gudas Tatar also scored for Detroit. Dubnyk finished Central Division Toronto 35 24 15 227 219 85 and Shayne Gostisbehere capped the scoring. with 16 saves and Eric Staal and Nate Prosser DUCKS 6, RANGERS 3 WLOTLGFGAPTS Boston 39 30 6 214 202 84 Steve Mason stopped 25 shots for the Flyers, scored for Minnesota. Andrew Cogliano scored the go-ahead goal Chicago 48 21 6 225 192 102 Tampa Bay 36 29 9 205 206 81 who won for the fourth time in seven games. early in the third period and Jonathan Bernier Minnesota 44 24 7 240 190 95 Philadelphia is six points behind Boston for the STARS 2, DEVILS 1, OT made 25 saves as the Anaheim Ducks won their Nashville 38 25 11 222 205 87 Florida 33 30 11 193 209 77 second Eastern Conference wild card, with three Tyler Seguin scored on a power play 20 sec- fourth straight game by beating Henrik Lundqvist St. Louis 40 28 6 207 199 86 Buffalo 31 32 12 188 216 74 teams ahead of them and seven games left. The onds into overtime as the Dallas Stars rallied to and the New York Rangers. Patrick Eaves scored Winnipeg 34 35 7 225 241 75 Detroit 30 32 12 184 217 72 Flyers had won three of their previous nine beat the New Jersey Devils. Ales Hemsky also two goals and Ryan Getzlaf had four assists as Dallas 31 33 11 206 238 73 games, including a home shutout against scored a power-play goal with 6:36 left in regula- Anaheim moved two points ahead of idle San Jose Colorado 20 51 3 145 249 43 Pittsburgh. Matt Murray made 27 saves for the tion as the Stars came back to avoid being elimi- and Edmonton for first place in the Pacific Division Metropolitan Division Penguins, who missed out on an opportunity to nated from playoff contention. Kari Lehtonen with seven games remaining. Josh Manson had a Pacific Division Washington 49 17 8 238 163 106 move a point behind the Washington Capitals for made 20 saves for Dallas, including a stop on a short-handed goal and Ryan Kesler scored on the Anaheim 41 23 11 199 185 93 the top spot in the Metropolitan Division. Matt short-handed breakaway attempt by Blake power play for the Ducks, who improved to 8-1-1 Columbus 48 19 7 232 171 103 Cullen and Patric Hornqvist scored. Pietila about a minute before Hemsky tied the in their last 10 games. Lundqvist made 28 saves in San Jose 42 26 7 201 182 91 Pittsburgh 46 18 11 258 211 103 Edmonton 41 25 9 223 195 91 game. Blake Coleman, who was born in Plano, his first start since suffering a hip injury on March NY Rangers 46 26 4 241 201 96 Calgary 42 29 4 207 202 88 RED WINGS 3, WILD 2, OT Texas, scored his first NHL goal for New Jersey. 7, and Brady Skjei, Derek Stepan and Rick Nash NY Islanders 35 27 12 218 225 82 Andreas Athanasiou scored 1:52 into over- Keith Kinkaid made 30 saves. each scored for the Rangers. New York could have Los Angeles 35 32 7 180 186 77 time and lifted the Detroit Red Wings over the clinched a playoff spot with a win. Cogliano alertly Vancouver 30 36 9 172 219 69 Carolina 33 27 13 193 208 79 reeling Minnesota Wild. Jimmy Howard made the JETS 2, CANUCKS 1 raced in to score on a rebound after a faceoff Arizona 27 39 9 180 240 63 Philadelphia 35 32 8 197 220 78 game-winning goal possible by making one of Michael Hutchinson made 28 saves and Adam between Kesler and Stepan sent the puck off New Jersey 27 35 13 171 220 67 his 24 saves. Red Wings forward Gustav Nyquist Lowry scored a power-play goal in the third peri- Lundqvist, and Eaves doubled the Ducks’ lead 2:04 Eastern Conference Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the got the rebound and made a long pass to set up od to lift the Winnipeg Jets past the Vancouver later. Nick Ritchie added an empty-net goal with Atlantic Division Athanasiou, who faked out Devan Dubnyk with a Canucks. Lowry scored the go-ahead goal with 1:38 remaining. — AP Montreal 42 24 9 204 187 93 standings and are not included in the loss column (L) Win or lose, Chinese fans expected to flock to Russia HONG KONG: Chinese fans are expected to travel to “Historically, there’s a good relationship between “The fans who went to Brazil were spending the 2018 World Cup finals in record numbers with China and Russia and now football has become part more money,” says John Parker, managing director the growing interest in soccer and a cordial relation- of the mentality of the Chinese people. Businessmen, of BH Hospitality. “But what we are seeing in China ship with hosts Russia seen as key factors, despite the the media and fans are showing strong interest in is that they are waking up to the passion of sport national side’s failings on the pitch. the World Cup. “Until now, the majority have only and, because of the internet especially, they are China have only played at one World Cup and the been able to follow the World Cup on television but now able to access everything they require and current team face an uphill battle to book a berth at now there’s going to be the opportunity for them to they are comfortable doing that. “Tourism between the next one, but Feng Tao, chief executive officer of travel to watch and for them to see a World Cup.” Russia and China is very strong and the Chinese marketing and events firm Shankai, believes fans will While the figures are unlikely to eclipse the num- population is falling in love with soccer. “The World flock to Russia regardless. bers who travelled to South Korea to watch China Cup is the highest point of the game and Chinese “We are confident we can bring more fans to play in 2002 — as many as 100,000 were believed to fans will be able to go to Russia without any prob- Russia because of the relationship between Russia have seen the side’s World Cup debut-Shankai are lems because the relationship between the two and China,” said Feng, whose company has signed an expecting 50,000 packages to be sold to Chinese countries is so strong and healthy. “China is going exclusive deal with BH Hospitality to sell travel pack- fans as part of the expected $25 million deal. to be a growth market. It’s already developing from ages for the tournament to the Chinese market. The projected figure represents the most for a where it was historically.” “The countries are very close, it’s much easier to World Cup that does not feature the Chinese team, a China are currently fifth in the six-team Group A go to Russia than it was to go to Brazil, which took 24 significant upswing on the numbers sold for the of Asian World Cup qualifying on five points from six or 25 hours, or to South Africa, which took 14 or 15 2014 World Cup finals, when 3,000 packages-mainly matches and travel to Tehran to face leaders Iran QUITO: Ecuador’ national soccer team trains in Quito, Ecuador, Sunday. Ecuador will face hours. To go to Russia takes only seven hours from at the highest end-were sold. today, where a defeat will likely end their chances of Colombia for a 2018 World Cup Russia qualifier soccer match in Quito today. — AP China, so it’s easier. advancing to the finals.— Reuters.