Brenden Morrow knows the Dallas Stars need to take advantage of their experienced players. The captain knows they can’t play together forever. Maybe the home opener was a good sign for a team that made few offseason changes even after being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for the third straight season.
Washington’s offseason New York shopping spree already is paying off. Free-agent signees Michael Nylander and Viktor Kozlov scored goals and rookie Nicklas Backstrom added an assist in his NHL debut as the Capitals beat the Atlanta Thrashers 3-1 on Friday night in the season-opener for both teams. “It’s like a dream come true,” Backstrom said.
After all the changes the New York Islanders went through this summer, coach Ted Nolan’s decision to put together an all-newcomer top line quickly paid off. Mike Comrie, Bill Guerin and Ruslan Fedotenko, inseparable since the free-agent threesome was put together on the first day of training camp, found instant chemistry in a 6-4 win over the Buffalo Sabres in the teams’ season opener Friday…
Country Star surged past four horses down the stretch Friday to win the Darley Alcibiades at Keeneland. With Rafael Bejarano aboard, the 2-year-old was running eighth in the field of 10 fillies at the three-quarter pole but took charge from there. “She just exploded,” Bejarano said. “I know the horse can do that because I’ve ridden her before.
Emma Carly edged Stilled by a neck Friday in the $55,000 allowance feature for fillies and mares at Belmont Park. Ridden by Channing Hill, Emma Carly ran seven furlongs on the firm turf course in 1:21.42. The 4-year-old improved her record to 2-for-5 for trainer Bill Mott. Emma Carly paid $8.40, $4.40 and $3.10.
The oldest stakes race for 2-year-olds could go a long way in determining racing’s newest sensation. Majestic Warrior and Ready’s Image, the 1-2 finishers in the Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga, meet again in Saturday’s 136th running of the Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park, with the winner gaining automatic entry into the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Monmouth Park on Oct.
Golden State Warriors guard Monta Ellis was hospitalzed Friday night after injuring his head in practice, according to published reports. He lay face down for 20 minutes, showing only slight movement before he was carried off the court on a stretcher. Ellis hit his head on teammate Brandan Wright’s knee.
The Anaheim Ducks’ World Tour took a wrong turn Friday night. Rick Nash had two goals and a career-best four points and Pascal Leclaire stopped 28 shots to help the Columbus Blue Jackets beat the road-weary Ducks 4-0. Asked if his team was tired after playing four games on two continents and in three arenas in less than a week, Ducks coach Randy Carlyle refused to take the easy way out.
Pittsburgh’s opener featured all the trademarks of a typical Penguins game — young star forwards flying up and down the ice, an up-and-coming goalie making save after acrobatic save. Only this time, all the big plays were made by the Carolina Hurricanes’ youngsters. Eric Staal scored two first-period goals, Cam Ward stopped 33 shots in taking a shutout into the final minutes and the Hurricanes…
Peter Wirtz resigned as vice president of the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday and his older brother, Rocky, took over as the team’s chairman. The change comes after the death last month of their father and longtime Blackhawks chairman, William Wirtz. “My brother, Peter, informed me of his decision to leave his role as vice president of the Blackhawks,” Rocky Wirtz said.
