WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2016 SPORTS Broncos heap praise on Panthers leading up to Super Bowl 50

ENGLEWOOD: Nothing but compliments for 50 against Carolina (17-1). Now, the Broncos a wild rusher.” The Broncos certainly went here and there a little bit, but for the most wide out. He probably could play any posi- Cam Newton after completely bashing Tom (14-4) are pulling out the respect card, espe- wild against Brady, hitting him 23 times, all part, we’re going to get pressure on the tion in the NFL that you wanted to. He’s defi- Brady. And no, this nasty Denver Broncos cially when it comes to Newton. “He’s proba- the more amazing given how quickly Brady quarterback and cover.” nitely a unique player.” Kubiak saw Newton defense hasn’t suddenly turned soft. They’re bly the most dangerous quarterback in the usually gets rid of the ball. And no one was in last season when he was offensive coordina- simply playing nice with the Super Bowl still NFL right now,” Pro Bowl cornerback Aqib his face more often than Von Miller, who had ‘SUPER UNIQUE’ tor in Baltimore. Newton completed 14 of 25 two weeks away. Talib said. Outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware 2 1/2 sacks and an interception on a pass The Broncos are facing a different kind of passes for 197 yards that day but was under The pleasantries seem tame after all the heaped plenty of praise on Newton, too. “You intended for Gronkowski. QB in Newton. He’s not like Brady, who will duress for much of the game. Newton was trash talking Denver did before the New can’t rush timid because if you do that, he’s “We go out there and the scoreboard find seam after seam for big play after big sacked twice as the Ravens won 38-10. England game. The Broncos called Brady a one of those pocket quarterbacks that can talks for itself,” Miller said. So good was play. Instead, Newton will take off if the pres- The Broncos first-year head coach would- crybaby for complaining to the officials over get the ball deep down the field,” said Ware, defensive coordinator Wade Phillips’ scheme sure is too intense. In a 49-15 win over n’t mind a repeat performance. “Having to calls. They also accused tight end Rob whose team will wear their white road uni- that after the game, coach Gary Kubiak felt Arizona during the NFC title game, Newton tackle him out in the open field, having to Gronkowski of constantly pushing off to get forms on Feb 7 in their record-tying eighth he had to give out several game balls. rushed for two TDs and threw for two more. defend the quarterback runs and those types open.On Sunday, they backed up their words Super Bowl appearance. “You have to be able “We’ve got to come up with a great game “Super unique,” Talib said. “I’ve never seen of things will be something different for us,” by constantly harassing Brady in a 20-18 win to get pressure on him, but you have to be plan against them like we did against New anybody who is that size. He can sit in the Kubiak said. “It’s nice to have a couple of over the Patriots to earn a spot in Super Bowl decisive on how you’re rushing. You can’t be England,” Talib said. “We may switch it up pocket and throw it, and then he can run, run weeks.” — AP France’s Mermoz gets Six Nations call

PARIS: Toulon centre was Squad yesterday called up to replace injured Forwards (16): (Racing in France’s training 92), (Bordeaux-Begles), Uini squad for the Six Nations. Atonio (La Rochelle), (Stade Dumoulin, 26, who has eight caps, suf- Francais), (Toulon, cap.), fered a left knee knock in ’s (Racing 92), European Champions Cup loss at Glasgow (Toulon), (Stade on Saturday. “Medical tests this morning Francais), (Racing 92), Paul (Tuesday) revealed nothing serious but a Jedrasiak (Clermont), period of rest is necessary,” a statement (Toulouse), (Clermont), issued by the France team said. “Alexandre (Racing 92), Louis rejoins his club to continue his treatment.” Picamoles (Toulouse), Antoine Burban (Stade Mermoz has 30 caps with his last call-up Francais), Kevin Gourdon (La Rochelle). against England during last year’s Six Backs (15): Sebastien Bezy (Toulouse), Nations tournament. (Bordeaux-Begles), Maxime The 29-year-old was called up to take Machenaud (Racing 92), Jules Plisson part in the final day of a training camp (Stade Francais), Jean-Marc Doussain ahead of the Six Nations. (Toulouse), Jonathan Danty (Stade The final list of players will be revealed Francais), Maxime Mermoz (Toulon), Wesley next week with the first match against Italy Fofana (Clermont), Ga’l Fickou (Toulouse), in on February 6. Remi Lamerat (Castres), Also sidelined injured for the three-day Marvin O’Connor (Montpellier), Virimi training camp this week were wing Vakatawa (FFR), Maxime Medard (Toulouse), , scrum-half and Hugo Bonneval (Stade Franaais), Scott lock Sebastien Vahaamahina. Spedding (Clermont). — AFP Fernandez bids for fourth straight men’s European title

BRATISLAVA: Spain’s Javier Fernandez month. Two 17-year-olds-Elena will open his bid for a fourth straight Radionova and Anna Pogorilaya-the sil- men’s title at the European figure skating ver and bronze medallists respectively championships starting today, as a trio of last year, are also among the challengers. Russian teenagers target the women’s “At the beginning of this season I could crown. only dream about the kind of success Reigning world champion Fernandez that I’ve achieved,” said Medvedeva. took silver at the ISU Grand Prix final last “After winning the GP final and the month behind Olympic gold medallist national championship I was absolutely Yuzuru Hanyu and comes to Bratislava happy. Those victories were extremely with a personal best total of 292.95 important for me. Now I will represent points this season, having become just my country at the European champi- the second man to break the 200-mark in onships. It’s terrific!” In pairs, Olympic the free skating. The 24-year-old will bid champions Tatiana Volosozhar and to become the first man to win four Maxim Trankov bid to reclaim the straight men’s titles since Slovak skater European title they won three straight Ondrej Nepela who won five for times before sitting out last season Czechoslovakia between 1969 and 1973, because of injuries. in an arena named after Bratislava-born Grand Prix final champions Ksenia Nepela. Among his challengers will be Stolbova and Fedor Klimov will not com- NEW YORK: Zemgus Girgensons #28 of the Buffalo Sabres gets the puck past Henrik Lundqvist #30 of the New York Rangers to score ni the third Russians Maxim Kovtun and Mikhail pete because of injury along with fellow period at Madison Square Garden on Monday in New York City. — AFP Kolyada. Kovtun, 20, won silver last year, Russians Yuko Kavaguti and Alexander and has a personal season’s best of Smirnov, the European titleholders. 236.38 points, as promising newcomer “The victory at the Olympics in Sochi Goals by Miller, Zuccarello Kolyada, 20, makes his European debut is already in the past, it’s history,” said in Bratislava. Trankov, after winning the Russian “Fernandez is a red-hot favourite but national title for a third time. help Rangers beat Sabres this only spurs me on and makes me “This season was a bit muddled for us work even harder,” said reigning Russian because the GP stage in France was can- national champion Kovtun. Czech celled. After that we missed the GP stage NEW YORK: Red-hot J.T. Miller scored from in Montreal, which hasn’t won consecutive in five games (2-2-1). Luke Glendenning Michal Brezina, 25, looks to return to the in Japan because of the injury. “But I close after the Rangers squandered a two- games since late November. Columbus played added an empty-netter in the final minute to podium after his bronze in 2013, with believe we still have time to prepare for goal third-period lead and New York came a second straight game without coach John seal Detroit’s third win in the last 11 meetings France’s 2011 champion Florent Amodio the European championships in an back to beat Buffalo 6-3 Monday night for its Tortorella after he broke two ribs falling after (3-6-2) against the Islanders. Brock Nelson and targetting a fourth medal before retiring. appropriate manner.” Five-time world eighth straight win over the Sabres. Derick a collision with a player at practice Friday. Mikhail Grabovski scored for New York, and champion Aliona Savchenko of Germany Brassard scored twice and Mats Zuccarello Jaroslav Halak had 22 saves while the RUSSIAN SWEEP is back with a new partner, Bruno added a power-play goal after Miller snapped BRUINS 3, FLYERS 2 Islanders lost in regulation for the first time in Russia’s women have been starring in Massot, and the German champions look a 3-all tie for the Rangers, who headed into Brett Connolly redirected Zdeno Chara’s five games (3-1-1).Both teams were playing recent international competitions, and ready to challenge for a medal in the NHL All-Star break with three wins in four shot from the point with 1:54 left, lifting Boston for the last time before the All-Star Game this will be looking to repeat last year’s podi- Bratislava. The ice dance competition games. Rookie defenseman Dylan McIlrath over Philadelphia. Connolly tipped the wobbly weekend in Nashville, Tennessee. um sweep. Defending champion promises to be a close battle between and Viktor Stalberg also scored for the shot and one-hopped the puck past Michel Elizaveta Tuktamysheva did not qualify France’s European and world champions Rangers. Zemgus Girgensons scored twice in Neuvirth for his seventh goal of the season. COYOTES 2, WILD 1, SO for the Russian team, but three of her Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume a 1:13 span early in the third period to rally Brad Marchand scored a goal for the fifth Anthony Duclair had the only goal in the countrywomen are among the chal- Cizeron, who did not compete in the Buffalo from a 3-1 deficit. It was his first game straight game and Patrice Bergeron also scored shootout, rookie Louis Domingue made 34 lengers. Evgenia Medvedeva, 16, looks Grand Prix season after Papadakis suffered after missing four with an upper-body injury. for the Bruins. Boston’s Tuukka Rask stopped 34 saves and Arizona came back to beat to succeed Tuktamysheva, after winning concussion in training, and Grand Prix Brian Gionta also scored for Buffalo, which lost shots in his return from a late scratch Saturday Minnesota. Domingue stopped all three shoot- her first major title in stunning style at Final silver medalists Anna Cappellini and its third straight game overall. Rookie Jack night with an undisclosed injury. ers he faced in the shootout to help Arizona the ISU Grand Prix Final in Barcelona last Luca Lanotte of Italy. — AFP Eichel assisted on both Girgensons’ goals. win its second straight. Antoine Vermette tied RED WINGS 4, ISLANDERS 2 it with 1:13 left in regulation on a short-handed STARS 2, FLAMES 1 Justin Abdelkader and Danny DeKeyser goal. Devan Dubnyk made 23 saves in his final Jamie Benn and Jason Spezza scored 80 scored 1:11 apart in the second period to lead start before heading to his first All-Star Game. seconds apart early in the second period and Detroit over New York. Brad Richards scored in Charlie Coyle got his third goal in three games Dallas beat Calgary. It was only the third win the first period and Petr Mrazek stopped 27 with 9:40 left but was stopped to end the in 11 games this month for the Stars, who shots to give the Red Wings their second win game in the shootout. — AP closed out a 3-6-2 stretch heading into the All-Star break after leading the Western Conference for much of the season. The Stars NHL results/standings have 67 points, three behind conference and Central Division-leading Chicago. Benn’s 28th goal of the season came 2:43 in the second, Dallas 2, Calgary 1; Minnesota 1, Arizona 2 (SO); NY Rangers 6, Buffalo 3; NY Islanders 2, Detroit 4; with a little backhanded flip just off the right Philadelphia 2, Boston 3; Columbus 5, Montreal 2. post. Then Spezza had an open shot off the Eastern Conference Western Conference left post behind Karri Ramo after the goalie Atlantic Division Pacific Division had skated up for another shot that was wide. W L OT GF GA PTS Chicago 33 15 4 147 117 70 Ramo stopped 28 shots. Antti Niemi, making Florida 28 15 5 130 107 61 Dallas 31 14 5 162 133 67 his third straight start for Dallas, had 23 saves. Detroit 25 16 8 122 124 58 St. Louis 28 16 8 129 128 64 Boston 26 17 5 145 125 57 Minnesota 23 17 9 121 115 55 BLUE JACKETS 5, CANADIENS 2 Tampa Bay 26 18 4 129 117 56 Colorado 26 21 3 138 133 55 Cam Atkinson had his third-career hat trick MontrÈal 24 21 4 134 129 52 Nashville 22 18 8 125 129 52 and Brandon Saad scored twice to help Ottawa 23 20 6 137 152 52 Winnipeg 21 24 3 121 138 45 Toronto 17 20 9 113 128 43 Columbus beat struggling Montreal to end a Central Division Buffalo 19 26 4 111 134 42 Los Angeles 30 15 3 126 109 63 three-game losing streak. Atkinson’s line- Metropolitan Division mates Brandon Dubinsky and Boone Jenner Washington 35 8 3 155 10073 San Jose 25 18 4 136 128 54 each had three assists and rookie Joonas NY Rangers 27 17 5 142 129 59 Arizona 24 19 5 129 141 53 Korpisalo turned aside 32 shots. Montreal’s NY Islanders 25 16 6 130 118 56 Vancouver 20 18 11 121 137 51 P.K. Subban tied it 2-2 midway through the New Jersey 25 19 5 114 116 55 Anaheim 21 18 7 95 109 49 SEOUL: The emblem of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, with a capital “C”, is second, but Columbus scored three goals in Pittsburgh 23 17 7 119 120 53 Calgary 21 23 3 125 144 45 seen on an advertisement board outside the city hall in Seoul yesterday. With a one the third, including a go-ahead score from Carolina 22 20 8 118 13552 Edmonton 19 26 5 122 149 43 letter shift from lower to upper case, the South Korean venue for the 2018 Winter Saad 9:06 into the period. Subban and Philadelphia 20 18 8 105 124 48 Note: Overtime losses (OT) worth 1 pt and not Olympics, Pyeongchang, hopes to ensure visitors don’t end up flying to the capital of Brendan Gallagher each had a goal and an Columbus 18 27 5 128 161 41 included in loss column (L). North Korea by mistake. — AFP assist and Mike Condon made 20 saves for