MONDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2014 SPORTS

Murray’s marriage plans Clampdown on bouncers Gerrard shuns ‘nonsense talk’ MANILA: British number one Andy Murray hopes to marry Kim Sears next year after LONDON: A clampdown down on bouncers is unlikely despite the LONDON: Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has dismissed as “nonsense” talk of a the former Wimbledon champion announced their engagement last week after nine death of Australian Phillip Hughes this week, International Cricket falling out with manager Brendan Rodgers after he was dropped from the start- years together. Council (ICC) chief executive David Richardson said yesterday. ing lineup for Saturday’s victory over Stoke City. Gerrard was left out of the first “We have a plan to get married next year, that’s the plan but no dates were set The cricket world was in shock this week after Hughes died on 11 for the match at Anfield as Liverpool arrested a run of three consecutive yet,” Murray told reporters in Manila yesterday, where he is taking part in the new Thursday, two days after being struck on the neck by a short- Premier League defeats with a nervy and hard-fought 1-0 victory that arrived International Premier Tennis League (IPTL) team tournament. Murray has yet to win pitched ball in a domestic fixture. courtesy of a late goal from Glen Johnson. a match in the Philippines after his team, the Manila Mavericks, went down against “We need to try and keep our perspective,” Richardson, speaking It was the 16th anniversary of the 34-year-old midfielder’s debut for the an Indian Aces side led by Roger Federer and Ana Ivanonic on Saturday. The world to BBC Radio, said when asked if the ICC would move to further Merseyside club and he was keen to play down a reported rift. number six lost his singles match to Gael Monfils 6-4 before teaming up with Maria restrict the use of the bouncer. “It’s a bit early to determine, but “Just to set the record straight media talk of a fall out between us 2 is NON- Sharapova for the mixed doubles, in which they stumbled to a 6-1 defeat my initial reaction is that that’s unlikely. “People have died by SENSE ..have a nice Sunday,” he wrote on Instagram, accompanying a against doubles specialists Rohan Bopanna and Sania Mirza. Murray, being struck on the heart before. I don’t think cricket needs to picture of him and Rodgers in training. Gerrard came on as a late who also lost twice on Friday against the UAE Royals, said his team had over-react, but do what we can.” substitute in a more attacking role as Liverpool went in search of the opening goal, having largely dominated the match with- struggled in their first matches in the tournament because “we’re not Current regulations permit two bouncers per over in test match- out finding a breakthrough. used to playing this format”. “We’re not used to being part of a team,” es and one-day internationals and one per over in Twenty20 crick- he added. “It’s been a good experience. We’ve had good fun and its Liverpool manager Rodgers had preferred Lucas Leiva in et. Hughes was wearing a helmet when he was struck, but the ball been something completely different for the players.” Murray the anchor midfield position that Gerrard has recently occu- will return to court later on Sunday against women’s world delivered by Sean Abbott hit him on back of the neck, just under- pied as he sought to help plug holes in a leaky defence, as well number one Serena Williams’ Singapore Slammers team. The neath the headguard. as handing a well-earned rest to his captain who had been a vir- 27-year-old Scot said the event in Manila hoped to draw Former Australia wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist said that bouncers tual ever-present. Gerrard’s role had come under scrutiny from more fans to professional tennis as some of the world’s best were all part of the game but that modifications could be made to fans and pundits this season as teams sought to nullify his influ- players visited an Asian city where no ATP and WTA tourna- helmets. “I guess we could extend the helmet a little bit further ence and curb his ability to pull strings from a deep midfield ments were currently held. —Reuters down the back of the neck,” he told the BCC. —Reuters position. —Reuters Rangers sweep Flyers

NEW YORK: Derick Brassard scored twice to lead the New York Rangers to a 5-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday. Jesper Fast, JT Miller and Lee Stempniak also scored for New York, which swept the Flyers in a home-and home matchup on consecutive days. Fast’s goal was the first of his NHL career. The Rangers have also won the first three matchups of the season against Philadelphia. Henrik Lundqvist made 21 saves for New York. Nicklas Grossmann and Jakub Voracek scored for Philadelphia, which has lost four in a row. Ray Emery made 30 saves.

PENGUINS 3, HURRICANES 2 Christian Ehrhoff scored his first goal of the season with 4:33 remaining, helping Pittsburgh top Carolina. Robert Bortuzzo’s first-period goal gave Pittsburgh a 2-1 lead, and the Penguins held on to avenge a home loss to Carolina on Friday. Justin Faulk put the Hurricanes ahead 1-0 with a power-play goal in the first - just 17 seconds before Chris Kunitz tied it for Pittsburgh - and Elias Ahmad Daham, first, Ali Al Bloushi, second and Hytham Samir, third, pose with Lindholm cut Carolina’s deficit to 3-2 with 11.7 their trophies. seconds left in the game. Thomas Greiss made 32 saves for Pittsburgh (16-5-2), which avoid- ed its first losing streak in regulation games NEW YORK: Claude Giroux No. 28 of the Philadelphia Flyers skates with the puck as Carl Hagelin Daham clinches this season. Anton Khudobin had 30 saves for No. 62 of the New York Rangers defends during their game at Madison Square Garden. — AFP the Hurricanes, 1-11-2 when trailing after two the game tied late in the third, Craig Smith Jose snapped a four-game losing streak by periods. got the rebound of his own shot and slid it to holding off Anaheim. Tommy Wingels added a ‘King of Drift’ title Wilson in front, where his spinning backhand goal and three assists, and Joe Pavelski, Tomas ISLANDERS 3, DEVILS 1 found the net. Hertl and Matt Nieto also scored for the Jaroslav Halak made 34 saves for his ninth Sharks, who have won six straight home Red Bull Car Park Drift Grand Final straight win, and Cal Clutterbuck scored his BLUES 3, WILD 2 games against the Ducks. Antti Niemi made third goal of the season as the New York Vladimir Tarasenko scored the lone 30 saves. Corey Perry scored twice, Ryan KUWAIT: Jordanian drifter Ahmad Daham The Grand Final was the culmination of Islanders got back to their winning ways with shootout goal, and St. Louis rallied to beat Getzlaf had a goal and two assists, and Matt put in a stellar performance in front of a a series of national qualifiers held across a victory over New Jersey. Minnesota. It was Tarasenko’s second post- Beleskey also scored for the Ducks, who seven thousand strong crowd at the Red the region, and featured drifters from New York (17-7), which had a five-game regulation winner in two nights. He scored in fought back from a 5-1 deficit to make it a Bull Car Park Drift Grand Final 2014, which Egypt, Mauritius, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, winning streak snapped Friday at Washington, overtime on Friday to give St. Louis a victory one-goal game early in the third period. was held under the umbrella of the Dubai Kuwait, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and has won 12 of 14. This is the fastest the over Edmonton. Frederik Andersen allowed five goals on 19 Motor Festival. The new champ scored 257 the United Arab Emirates. Islanders have gotten to 17 victories. Tarasenko and David Backes scored regula- shots before being pulled with 13:51 left in points aboard his Nissan Silvia, one point The Grand Final was presided over by Nikolay Kulemin scored in the first period tion goals for the Blues. Jake Allen. In his sec- the second period. Jason LaBarbera stopped ahead of Ali Al Bloushi who was flying the international drifting stars Ken Gushi, Dai for the Islanders, and Casey Cizikas made it 3- ond straight night of action, made 36 saves. all 15 shots he faced in relief. Omani flag in another Silvia. Yoshihara and Aleksandr Grinchuk who 1 with an empty-net goal in the closing sec- Mikko Koivu and Zach Parise scored for Perry scored twice in a span of less than 2 Egypt’s Haytham Samir grabbed his spot judged the participants according to a set of onds as New York killed New Jersey’s 5-on-3 on the podium with 236 points, after his six criteria. Forty percent of the mark was Minnesota, which lost for the third time in minutes bridging the second intermission off power play. BMW E46 lost power in the ‘Box’. Lebanese allocated to drifting skills, while proximity to nine games. assists from Getzlaf to get the Ducks back into drifter Bassam Zahlan, crashed out his the clipping point, and car look and design The Devils (9-11-4), beaten by Detroit in a The Blues have won 10 of the past 11 the game. BMW M3 on the final run, and placed each gave the drivers 15 percent of the shootout on Friday, lost their fourth straight. meetings between the teams. Tarasenko, the fourth overall. mark. Tire smoke, car sound, and perform- Damien Brunner scored his first goal since third St. Louis shootout participant, started to FLAMES 3, COYOTES 0 After celebrating his win, Daham said: “I ance in the ‘Box’, a tight enclosure the Oct. 24, and Cory Schneider made 25 saves. his right, cut back to the middle and beat Karri Ramo stopped 26 shots, and Jiri did not expect the competition to be that drifters needed to do a ‘donut’ in, each con- Niklas Backstrom with a wrist shot. Allen Hudler had a goal and two assists to lead tough. My team and I have been working tributed 10 percent towards the total score. SABRES 4, CANADIENS 3 stopped Parise, Koivu and Jason Pominville. Calgary past slumping Arizona. TJ Brodie and hard over the past year to get to where we The Red Bull Middle East Car Park Drift Bryan Flynn scored in regulation and Johnny Gaudreau also scored for Calgary. are on this very day at the Red Bull Car Park Grand Final was part of “Dubai Motor added the shootout winner in Buffalo’s victory AVALANCHE 4, STARS 2 Ramo earned his fourth straight win and sec- Drift Grand Final. This is great honor for the Festival”, and was held in partnership with over Montreal. After losing five straight, Alex Tanguay had a goal and two assists, ond consecutive shutout. He is 3-0 in his team and I can’t wait to take the trophy Ford Middle East, Sony Action Cam, Meydan, Buffalo has won five of six games. Zemgus Matt Duchene and Gabriel Landeskog had a career against Arizona, allowing an average of back home!” Pirelli, MBC Action and Al Arabiya 99. Girgensons and Chris Stewart also scored, and goal and an assist each, and Colorado beat one goal per game in three starts. Jhonas Enroth stopped 41 shots to help Dallas. Hudler’s team-leading 11th goal came on a Buffalo sweep the home-and-home series. On Jarome Iginla and Daniel Briere also scored power play at 7:13 of the third. The Coyotes Friday, the Sabres beat the Canadiens 2-1. for the Avalanche, who won for the fifth time went with Dubnyk over No. 1 goalie Mike Brendan Gallagher, Lars Eller and Max in seven games. Defenseman Tyson Barrie tied Smith, who hasn’t won in three weeks and has Pacioretty scored for Montreal. Dustin a career-high with three assists. The game was only four wins this season. Dubnyk made 26 Tokarski made 23 saves. tied 2-2 before the Avalanche scored three saves, but the Coyotes lost their fifth straight times within 5:45, spanning the second and at home and fourth in five overall. Arizona has MAPLE LEAFS 6, CAPITALS 2 third periods. Tanguay gave Colorado the lead scored only 12 goals in its last seven games. Tyler Bozak scored twice and Jonathan when he got a pass from Duchene from Bernier made 35 saves to help Toronto beat behind the net and beat goalie Anders BLACKHAWKS 4, KINGS 1 Washington. Morgan Rielly and Cody Franson Lindback on the short side with 2:00 left in Brad Richards scored two goals to lift scored in the first period, sending Capitals the second period. Chicago over Los Angeles. In a matchup of starter Justin Peters to the bench for the sec- Duchene scored a power-play goal 46 sec- teams that both won two of the last five ond period. Braden Holtby didn’t fare much onds into the third, and Landeskog made it 5- Stanley Cup titles, Daniel Carcillo added a better, allowing Bozak’s goal on the first shot 2 during a two-man advantage at 3:45. Calvin goal, and Brandon Saad scored into an empty he faced. David Clarkson then scored to make Pickard made 22 saves in the win. net with 1:49 remaining. it 4-1. Bozak added his second of the night in Cody Eakin and Patrick Eaves had goals for Corey Crawford made 19 saves for the the period. Peters returned for the third, the Stars, who lost for the second straight Blackhawks, who went 5-1 on their road trip. allowing Joffrey Lupul’s goal. Troy Brouwer night following a three-game winning streak. Jordan Nolan scored, and Jonathan Quick and Tom Wilson scored for Washington. Lindback made 42 saves. stopped 21 shots for Los Angeles. It was the first meeting between the teams LIGHTNING 4, SENATORS 1 SHARKS 6, DUCKS 4 since the Western Conference finals, won in Alex Killorn and Ryan Callahan each had a Logan Couture scored twice after missing seven games by the eventual Cup champion Ford Mustang in action. goal and an assist as Tampa Bay topped the morning skate with an illness, and San Kings. — AP Ottawa. Tampa Bay also got goals from Brenden Morrow and Nikita Kucherov. Ben Bishop made 26 saves and improved to 14-3- NHL results/standings 2. David Legwand scored for the Senators, who have lost five of seven. NY Rangers 5, Philadelphia 2; Toronto 6, Washington 2; Tampa Bay 4, Ottawa 1; NY Islanders 3, Ottawa right wing Bobby Ryan didn’t play New Jersey 1; Pittsburgh 3, Carolina 2. due to a broken finger. He was hurt in a loss Western Conference Eastern Conference on Friday at Florida. Tampa Bay went ahead 2- Pacific Division Atlantic Division 1 on Killorn’s redirection in the low slot of WL OTLGFGAPTS Tampa Bay 16 6 2 85 64 34 Anton Stralman’s shot at 1:16 of the third. Montreal 16 7 2 65 63 34 Vancouver 16 6 1 72 61 33 Detroit 13 5 5 69 58 31 Killorn has five goals and eight points dur- Anaheim 14 6 5 68 66 33 Boston 14 9 1 61 58 29 ing a career-best, seven-game point streak. Calgary 15 8 2 78 64 32 Toronto 12 8 3 76 69 27 Callahan, who had an assist on Killorn’s goal, Los Angeles 12 7 5 65 57 29 Florida 9 6 6 45 53 24 has three goals and six points in the last three Ottawa 10 9 4 61 63 24 San Jose 11 10 4 68 70 26 Buffalo 8 14 2 43 76 18 games. Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman Arizona 9 12 3 57 74 21 Metropolitan Division returned to the lineup after missing 18 games Edmonton 6 14 4 54 82 16 Pittsburgh 16 5 2 81 55 34 because of a broken finger. Central Division NY Islanders 17 7 0 77 65 34 Nashville 16 5 2 64 46 34 NY Rangers 11 8 4 68 64 26 PREDATORS 2, BLUE JACKETS 1 Washington 10 9 4 65 65 24 St. Louis 16 6 2 66 51 34 New Jersey 9 11 4 58 71 22 Colin Wilson scored the tiebreaking goal Chicago 15 8 1 74 48 31 Philadelphia 8 12 3 61 74 19 with 2:12 to play, lifting Nashville over Winnipeg 12 9 4 52 56 28 Carolina 7 13 3 54 68 17 Columbus. Mike Ribeiro also scored for the Minnesota 13 9 1 65 55 27 Columbus 6 15 2 52 83 14 Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one Predators, winners of four straight and six of Dallas 9 10 5 70 84 23 seven. Curtis McElhinney made 40 saves for point in the standings and are not included in Colorado 9 10 5 64 75 23 the loss column (L). King of drift Ahmad Daham takes a spin during the final. Columbus, which lost its sixth in a row. With