ICE HOCKEY
Steen out with concussion
St Louis Blues center Alexander Steen, who ranks second in the NHL this season with 24 goals, has a concussion and was placed on injured reserve on Saturday. Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said that Steen, a strong candidate for Sweden’s Sochi Winter Olympic squad, is able to exercise with the club, but no timetable has been set for his return. Armstrong said the injury was likely a result of several hits the 29-year-old sharpshooter received in recent games. Steen, the Blues’ top scorer this season, has already matched his career-best total for goals in a season from the 2009 to 2010 campaign, his first full season in St Louis after moving there in a trade from Toronto.
RUGBY UNION
Ioane set for French debut
Australia winger Digby Ioane was set to make his much-anticipated Stade Francais debut against Perpignan yesterday, his club said on Saturday. The Wallaby, who has not played since injuring his shoulder during the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia in June was named in the starting line-up for the match at the Jean-Bouin stadium. He joined the Parisians last month, at the end of the southern hemisphere Rugby Championship and a previous debut on Dec. 20 against Grenoble had to be postponed due to persistent pain in his shoulder.
BASEBALL
Puig charged over driving
Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig was arrested on a reckless driving charge for the second time this year after officers clocked him going 177kph in a 110kph zone. A news release from the Florida Highway Patrol said a white Mercedes driven by the 23-year-old Cuban defector was pulled over at 9:30am on Saturday. Authorities said Puig was arrested and charged with reckless driving and taken to the Collier County Jail for processing. Puig lives in the Miami area during the off-season. Dodgers spokesman Joe Jareck declined to comment on Puig’s latest arrest. In April, when he was still in the minors, Puig was charged with reckless driving and speeding in Tennessee. The charges were dismissed last month after Puig completed community service in Los Angeles.
RUGBY UNION
Saracens win at Worcester
English Premiership leaders Saracens made it 10 wins from 11 games with a 26-8 success against bottom-of-the-table Worcester on Saturday that nudged their opponents closer to relegation. Wing David Strettle, hooker Schalk Brits, fullback Alex Goode and flyhalf Charlie Hodgson each claimed a try, with Hodgson adding three conversions at Sixways Stadium. Worcester scored first through an Ignacio Mieres penalty and saw Leonardo Senatore cross for a 37th-minute try, but they could make no inroads on the visitors’ lead in a scoreless second period. The defeat left Worcester nine points adrift at the foot of the table. Northampton remain Saracens’ closest rivals, three points back in second pace, after running in six tries in a 43-25 success at home to third-place Bath that reasserted their title credentials. George Pisi, Jamie Elliott, Samu Manoa and George North added to a brace of tries by lock Christian Day, with Stephen Myler adding 13 points from the boot. Bath had been chasing a 12th consecutive victory in all competitions, but they left Franklin’s Gardens without even the consolation of a losing bonus point and now trail Saints by nine points. Harlequinstightened their grip on fourth place with a 22-6 win at home to Exeter.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care