MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2015 SPORTS

World champion Marin wins Hong Kong women’s title

HONG KONG: Two-time world cham- second set. The Spaniard looked on tournament on home ground in tenth, later Sunday to fight for his third who has been a prominent fixture on pion Carolina Marin of Spain took her course for victory early on in the third September, beating compatriot Akane consecutive Super Series title. the circuit for nearly a sixth title of the year at the Hong Kong until her Japanese rival had a late Yamaguchi in an all Japanese final. Lee beat little-known Hong Konger decade-was past his peak, and he has Open yesterday, beating Japan’s surge. The twenty-year-old had previously Angus Ng in the semi-finals, who had his sights firmly set on next year’s Nozomi Okuhara in a tightly fought “I think it was a tough match. She beaten Marin, in last year’s semi-finals, thrilled the home crowd when he took Olympics and finally clinching a gold. marathon three sets. had a good comeback at the end of the but she then failed to take the title, down Chinese badminton legend Lin Lee has two silver medals-from The epic 84 minute final-the longest game but I tried to just keep myself falling to Taiwan’s Tai Tzu-ying. Dan in the second round. London and Beijing-where on both match in the women’s competition this down and think positive things that I “I could not win but I have confi- Lee is on a winning streak after tak- occasions he was beaten to the top tournament-saw the world number can beat her,” said Marin. dence because I still managed to catch ing back-to-back titles in and podium position by arch-rival Lin. one have six championship points Marin has had a strong year, defend- up (in the third set) with Marin, who is France as he has made a strong come- Tian, a former junior world champi- before finally taking the crown 21-17, ing her World Championship title in the world number one,” said Okuhara. back following an eight-month doping on, has never taken the title at a big 18-21, 22-20. August and shooting up the rankings On the men’s side, former world ban earlier this year. His recent per- event, but made it to the finals of the After steaming through the first set, from number eight to one. Okuhara number one will face formances have silenced critics who Asian Championship’s this year, loosing Marin was seven points down in the took her first title at a Super Series China’s Tian Houwei, currently ranked questioned whether the 33-year-old- to compatriot Lin. — AFP Lee scoops third title in Hong Kong

HONG KONG: Former world number time world champion Carolina Marin of one Lee Chong Wei cemented his Spain took her sixth title of the year, strong comeback to the badminton cir- beating Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara in a cuit, taking his third consecutive Super tightly fought marathon three sets. Series title at the Hong Kong Open yes- The epic 84-minute final-the longest terday. The Malaysian beat Chinese match in the women’s competition this world number ten Tian Houwei in tournament-saw the world number one straight sets 21-16, 21-15 to take the lose five match points before finally crown after a marathon final rally. taking the crown 21-17, 18-21, 22-20. “Today Tian played very well. He played After steaming through the first set, a good defence because I just attacked,” Marin was seven points down in the said Lee. second set. The Spaniard looked on Lee is on a winning streak after tak- course for victory early on in the third ing back-to-back titles in China and until her Japanese rival had a late surge. France in a strong return from an eight- “I think it was a tough match. She month doping ban earlier this year. His had a good comeback at the end of the recent performances have silenced crit- game but I tried to just keep myself ics who questioned whether the 33- down and think positive things that I year-old-a prominent fixture on the can beat her,” said Marin. badminton circuit for nearly a decade Marin has had a strong year, defend- — was past his peak. He has his sights ing her World Championship title in firmly set on next year’s Olympics and August and shooting up the rankings on finally clinching a gold. from number eight to one. Okuhara Lee has two silver medals-from took her first title at a Super Series tour- London and Beijing-where on both nament on home ground in September, occasions he was beaten to the top beating compatriot Akane Yamaguchi podium position by arch-rival . in an all-Japanese final. The 20-year-old “Now I (will) just concentrate on quali- had previously beaten Marin, in last fying for the Olympics, and I want to year’s semi-finals, but she then failed to get (to) the top four in the world,” said take the title and fell to Taiwan’s Tai Tzu- Lee, who finally returned to the top ten ying. at the end of October after dropping “I could not win but I have confidence out of the rankings during his ban. He is because I still managed to catch up (in now ranked sixth. the third set) with Marin, who is the In the women’s competition, two- world number one,” said Okuhara. —AFP MINNESOTA: Nashville Predators center Mike Fisher (12) hits Minnesota Wild left wing Thomas Vanek, right, of Austria, during the first period of an NHL hockey game in St. Paul, Minn, Saturday. — AP Dubnyk, Wild shut out Predators 4-0

ST PAUL: Devan Dubnyk made 23 saves for his Jimmy Howard made 30 saves for the Red Wings. Ducks completed a four-game road trip at 2-2. It third shutout of the season and Ryan Suter had a Detroit has won three of its last four, including a was Bishop’s first shutout this season. goal and two assists against his former team, 3-2 win at home over Los Angeles on Friday helping the Minnesota Wild beat the Nashville night. Kyle Brodziak, Jori Lehtera and Vladimir BRUINS 2, MAPLE LEAFS 0 Predators 4-0 on Saturday night. Mikael Tarasenko scored for St. Louis, and Jake Allen Zdeno Chara scored at 16:17 of the third Granlund, Jonas Brodin and Thomas Vanek also made 28 saves. The Blues have lost four of six. period and Tuukka Rask held on for his second scored for Minnesota, which had dropped three shutout of the season, powering Boston to the in a row. Suter notched his first career goal RANGERS 5, PANTHERS 4, OT victory. Boston outshot Toronto 37-22, but goal- against the team he played for his first seven Rick Nash scored 2:01 into overtime for his tender James Reimer kept the Maple Leafs in the NHL seasons. Pekka Rinne made 23 saves for third goal of the game, lifting the Rangers to the game. Brad Marchand added an empty-net goal Nashville, which has been outscored 8-0 the past road win. Mats Zuccarello and Viktor Stalberg in the final seconds, sending the Bruins to con- HONG KONG: Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia hits a return against Tian Houwei of China two games. The Predators lost at Columbus on scored in the third period to put the Rangers secutive home wins for the first time this season. in the men’s singles final match of the Hong Kong Open badminton final at the Friday night. A testy game between Central ahead 4-2. Henrik Lundqvist made 39 saves as Reimer had 35 saves, but he was unable to stop Coliseum Arena in the Hung Hom district of Hong Kong yesterday. — AFP Division foes featured three fights, and a 10- New York bounced back after a loss at Tampa Chara’s slap shot from the left circle. Zach minute misconduct against Nashville’s Mike Bay on Thursday night snapped its nine-game Trotman and Matt Beleskey assisted on Chara’s Ribeiro. winning streak. Jaromir Jagr, Aleksander Barkov, third goal of the season. It was Rask’s 28th career Jussi Jokinen and Nick Bjugstad scored for the shutout. STARS 3, SABRES 0 Panthers. Roberto Luongo stopped 26 shots. Bopanna misses out Antti Niemi got his second shutout this sea- SENATORS 4, FLYERS 0 son, Jamie Benn scored two third-period goals CAPITALS 7, AVALANCHE 3 Mike Hoffman had a goal and an assist for on Tour Finals title and Dallas beat Buffalo for its fifth straight win. Alex Ovechkin scored one of Washington’s Ottawa, and Craig Anderson made 36 saves for Niemi made 22 saves to shut down a Sabres four goals in the first, leading the Capitals to the his second consecutive shutout. Mika Zibanejad, team that has only scored four goals in its last win. Evgeny Kuznetsov had two assists before Milan Michalek and Kyle Turris also scored for LONDON: India’s and his finals, needed just one break to take the four games. Benn’s first goal was at 7:11 after the adding his seventh goal of the season in the the Senators. Anderson helped Ottawa beat Romanian doubles partner Florin Mergea first set and then swept to victory with two Stars failed to score on their first four power third period, providing Washington some insur- Columbus 3-0 on Thursday night. Steve Mason missed out on the ATP Tour Finals title after more breaks in a one-sided second set. It plays. He scored again at 9:04, and Tyler Seguin ance. Jason Chimera had three assists, Ovechkin made 27 saves for the Flyers, who lost 1-0 at suffering a 6-4, 6-3 defeat against Jean- was another frustrating Tour Finals experi- assisted on both goals. The Stars have won eight also added a late assist in a three-goal third peri- home to San Jose two nights ago. The Senators Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau in yesterday’s ence for Bopanna, who also finished as run- of their last nine games and lead the league with od, and Dmitry Orlov and Nate Schmidt got their had a 3-0 lead after two periods. final. Bopanna and Mergea had hoped to ner-up with compatriot 34 points. Buffalo’s Chad Johnson made 29 first goals of the season for the Caps. Colorado cap a memorable first season together by in 2012. Even so, Bopanna and Mergea’s saves, including 15 in the third period. goaltender Reto Berra gave up four goals for the JETS 3, COYOTES 2 winning the prestigious event at London’s run to the final promises better things in third straight game and was replaced after the Chris Thorburn scored a short-handed goal O2 Arena. But they were blown away in the future for the duo. SHARKS 3, PENGUINS 1 first period by Calvin Pickard. Nathan MacKinnon with 8:51 left, lifting Winnipeg to the victory. just 60 minutes as Rojer, from the Having only teamed up in April, this was Brent Burns scored twice for San Jose, and scored his ninth goal of the season for the Mark Scheifele and Dustin Byfuglien also scored Netherlands, and ’s Tecau showed their fifth final together. The pair won the Patrick Marleau got his 1,000th career point. Avalanche, who allowed seven goals for the first to help the Jets earn consecutive wins for the why they are set to finish the season as the Madrid and titles and qualified for Marleau became the 83rd NHL player to reach time this season. first time since Oct. 31. Winnipeg goaltender world’s top ranked doubles pair. the Tour Finals, which features the world’s 1,000 points with an assist on Burns’ first goal Ondrej Pavelec left after two periods due to a The second seeds, who had beaten top top eight doubles teams, on the last day of 7:54 into the game. Burns has seven goals this LIGHTNING 5, DUCKS 0 lower-body injury. He stopped 20 of the 22 shots ranked Bob and in the semi- the regular season. —AFP year, and the Sharks have won the first five Steven Stamkos had two goals and an assist before Michael Hutchinson earned the win in games of a season-high six-game trip that ends for Tampa Bay, and Ben Bishop made 30 saves. relief by stopping seven third-period shots. tonight against Columbus. Sharks defenseman Nikita Kucherov, Brian Boyle and Jonathan Shane Doan and Connor Murphy had power- Paul Martin scored his first goal of the season Marchessault also scored for the Lightning, who play goals in the first period for Arizona. Anders and had an assist against his old team. Phil had 21 goals over their previous 13 games. The Lindback made 20 saves. — AP Kessel scored his seventh of the season for Pittsburgh. Marc-Andre Fleury made 26 saves. NHL Results/Standings CANUCKS 6, BLACKHAWKS 3 Daniel Sedin had three goals and an assist Boston 2, Toronto 0; Ottawa 4, Philadelphia 0; Tampa Bay 5, Anaheim 0; NY Rangers 5, Florida 4 (OT); San Jose 3, and twin brother Henrik Sedin added a goal and Pittsburgh 1; Washington 7, Colorado 3; Winnipeg 3, Arizona 2; Detroit 4, St. Louis 3 (OT); Dallas 3, Buffalo 0; Minnesota 4, Nashville 0; Vancouver 6, Chicago 3. four assists, leading Vancouver to the win. Daniel Sedin’s ninth goal of the season snapped a 3-3 Western Conference Ottawa 10 5 5 61 57 25 tie at 14:35 of the third, and he scored again just Central Division Detroit 11 8 2 49 52 24 two minutes later. Alexandre Burrows added an WLOTLGFGAPTS Tampa Bay 10 9 3 53 50 23 Dallas 17 4 0 74 50 34 empty-netter with 38 seconds left as Vancouver Boston 10 8 1 62 56 21 stopped a four-game slide. It was Sedin’s first hat St. Louis 13 6 2 57 52 28 Minnesota 11 5 3 57 51 25 Florida 8 8 4 54 53 20 trick since Dec. 6, 2011, against Colorado. Henrik Nashville 11 5 3 53 48 25 Buffalo 8 10 2 43 55 18 set a career high for points and matched his Chicago 11 8 2 57 55 24 Toronto 7 10 4 48 58 18 career best for assists, accomplished three times Winnipeg 10 9 2 57 65 22 Metropolitan Division previously. Jonathan Toews had a goal and an Colorado 7 12 1 56 61 15 assist for the Blackhawks, and Ryan Garbutt and Pacific Division NY Rangers 15 3 2 63 38 32 Artem Anisimov also scored. Patrick Kane assist- Los Angeles 12 7 0 48 41 24 Washington 13 5 1 61 44 27 ed on Anisimov’s tying goal at 12:20 of the third, San Jose 12 8 0 54 48 24 Pittsburgh 12 8 0 45 46 24 running his career-best point streak to 16 Vancouver 8 7 6 62 57 22 NY Islanders 10 7 3 57 49 23 games. He has 10 goals and 16 assists in the Arizona 10 9 1 55 59 21 New Jersey 10 8 1 47 48 21 Anaheim 7 10 4 38 55 18 surge. Calgary 8 12 1 50 75 17 Philadelphia 6 9 5 35 58 17 Edmonton 7 12 1 55 63 15 Columbus 8 13 0 52 66 16 RED WINGS 4, BLUES 3, OT Eastern Conference Carolina 6 10 3 36 55 15 LONDON: Netherlands’ Jean-Julien Rojer, right, and Romania’s Horia Tecau lift the win- Teemu Pulkkinen scored 4:41 into overtime, Atlantic Division Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the ner’s trophy after beating India’s Rohan Bopanna and Florin Mergea in their ATP World lifting Detroit to the victory. Pavel Datsyuk, Luke 15 4 2 74 48 32 standings and are not included in the loss column (L) Tour Finals doubles match final at the O2 Arena in London, yesterday. —AP Glendening and Dylan Larkin also scored and