Blackhawks D Keith waives right to in-person hearing (Yahoo Sports)

CHICAGO (AP) -- Blackhawks star defenseman Duncan Keith has waived his right to an in-person hearing for high-sticking Minnesota Wild forward Charlie Coyle.

Carter, Quick help Kings beat Flames to reclaim Pacific lead (Yahoo Sports)

Jeff Carter scored twice, Jonathan Quick made 21 saves in his fifth shutout of the season and the Los Angeles Kings reclaimed the Pacific Division lead with a 3-0 win over the Calgary Flames on Thursday night. The Kings moved one point ahead of the idle Anaheim Ducks with their 46th win this season, tying the franchise record most recently set in their Stanley Cup-winning 2013-14 campaign. Joni Ortio stopped 26 shots for the Flames, who have allowed 134 goals on the road, tied with Ottawa for worst in the league.

Hansen helps Canucks snap 9-game skid with 4-2 win vs Sharks (Yahoo Sports)

Jannik Hansen scored the tiebreaking goal with 5:03 remaining and the Vancouver Canucks snapped a nine-game losing streak by beating the San Jose Sharks 4-2 on Thursday night. Daniel Sedin and Bo Horvat scored in the first period and the Canucks rebounded after blowing another late lead to avoid matching the longest losing streak in franchise history. Markus Granlund added an empty-net goal and Ryan Miller made 32 saves to help Vancouver earn its second win in San Jose in March.

Swansea City-Stoke City Preview (The Associated Press)

When one thinks of Premier League clubs that perennially compete in European tournaments, Stoke City usually does not enter into that discussion, but with eight matches to go, Potters manager Mark Hughes has his team eying a potential fifth-place finish and a spot in next season's Europa League. A victory over Swansea City on Saturday at the Britannia Stadium will send Stoke to 49 points, one shy of fifth-place West Ham United with six matches to play. Long viewed as a club that plays "Route One" football lacking flair or style, midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri and forwards Bojan Krkic and Marko Arnautovic have transformed the usually stoic Potters (13-7-11) into one of the most interesting clubs in the top flight.

Newcastle United-Norwich City Preview (The Associated Press)

The international break couldn't have come at a better time for Rafael Benitez's relegation-threatened Newcastle United side. The Magpies find themselves in desperate need of three points Saturday when the club travels to Carrow Road to face Norwich City. Newcastle (6-7-17) enter Saturday's clash in 19th place with 25 points, three adrift of safety with eight matches remaining, so they have time to turn things around and maintain their Premier League status, but they'll have to put together at least one run of positive results - something the club has struggled to accomplish all season, especially away from home.

Ceci scores late in third to lift Senators over Wild 3-2 (Yahoo Sports)

A night after being eliminated from the playoffs themselves, the Ottawa Senators didn't let the Minnesota Wild get any closer to securing their own berth. Cody Ceci got a goal with 3:57 left that deflected off two Minnesota players to help the Ottawa Senators beat the Wild 3-2 on Thursday night. Ceci sent a puck forward from behind the Wild net, which bounced off Erik Haula's skates and then redirected off the skate of goaltender Devan Dubnyk and into the net for Ceci's ninth tally of the season.

Benn scores 40th goal, Stars beat Coyotes 4-1 (Yahoo Sports)

Jamie Benn scored his 40th goal, Antti Niemi made 31 saves and the Dallas Stars beat the Arizona Coyotes 4-1 on Thursday night to move two points ahead in the Western Conference race. Dallas (103 points) pulled away from second-place St. Louis (101). The Stars have four games remaining, and the Blues have five.

Huberdeau puts Panthers back in first with 2 goals vs Devils (Yahoo Sports)

Jonathan Huberdeau scored twice to move the Florida Panthers back into first place in the Atlantic Division with a 3-2 win over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday night. Jaromir Jagr had a pair of assists and Al Montoya made 23 saves for Florida, which broke a tie with Tampa Bay for the division lead. Mike Sislo and Blake Pietila scored for New Jersey, and Keith Kinkaid made 36 saves.

Condon gets 1st shutout, Canadiens beat Lightning 3-0 (Yahoo Sports)

Rookie Mike Condon made 26 saves for his first NHL shutout and the Montreal Canadiens beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-0 on Thursday night. Tampa Bay started play tied with Florida for first place in the Atlantic Division at 93 points each. The Panthers beat the New Jersey Devils 3-2 on Thursday night.

Kessel scores twice, Penguins topple Predators 5-2 (Yahoo Sports)

Phil Kessel scored twice and the surging Pittsburgh Penguins moved within striking distance of a 10th straight playoff berth with a 5-2 win over the Nashville Predators on Thursday night. Kris Letang, Patric Hornqvist and Nick Bonino also scored for Pittsburgh, which improved to 10-1 in its last 11 games. The Penguins will clinch a spot in the postseason if Detroit loses in regulation on Friday against Minnesota.

Lee scores in 3rd period to lift Islanders over Jackets 4-3 (Yahoo Sports)

John Tavares scored twice and Anders Lee got a power-play goal 5:23 into the third period to lift the New York Islanders over the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3 Thursday night. Thomas Hickey also scored for New York, which improved to 42-25-9. The Islanders have won three straight to get to 93 points and have solidified their grip on the first Eastern Conference wild-card berth.

'Canes rally past Rangers 4-3 in Staal's return to Raleigh (Yahoo Sports)

Victor Rask scored the go-ahead goal with 10:54 left, and the Carolina Hurricanes rallied to beat the New York Rangers 4-3 on Thursday night in former captain Eric Staal's return to his old home arena. Jeff Skinner, Patrick Brown and Justin Faulk also scored for the Hurricanes, who trailed 3-2 after two periods. Ryan Murphy had two assists and Cam Ward made 24 saves.

Cal O'Reilly, Larsson lead Sabres over Maple Leafs 4-1 (Yahoo Sports)

Cal O'Reilly and Johan Larsson each scored twice and the Buffalo Sabres extended their home dominance over the Toronto Maple Leafs with a 4-1 victory Thursday night. Buffalo built a 3-0 lead and Larsson capped Buffalo's seventh straight home win over Toronto by scoring into an empty net in a meeting of two Atlantic Division rivals who have already been eliminated from playoff contention. The Sabres also improved to 17-1-1 in their past 19 home games against Toronto in a run that dates to Feb. 4, 2009.

Tottenham Hotspur-Liverpool Preview (The Associated Press)

Tottenham Hotspur have a chance to move within two points of Leicester City as they travel to Anfield to face Liverpool on Saturday. Mauricio Pochettino's Tottenham (17-10-4) are five points behind the league leaders going into the latest round of matches, but a win against Liverpool (12-8-9) would put pressure on the Foxes ahead of their game against Southampton on Sunday.

LA Galaxy's Robbie Keane out 4-6 weeks after knee surgery (The Associated Press)

CARSON, Calif. (AP) -- LA Galaxy captain Robbie Keane will be sidelined four to six weeks after arthroscopic surgery on his right knee.

Manchester City-Bournemouth Preview (The Associated Press)

Trips to Bournemouth and Paris might sound like an ideal spring getaway to some, but Manchester City will be all business as they face critical matches across two competitions. Following Saturday's trip to the Vitality Stadium on Premier League business, City are bound for the Parc des Princes to face Paris-St. Germain in the Champions League. With the shadow of their first quarterfinal appearance in UEFA's premier competition in club history looming, the onus is on City not to overlook an opponent who provides help in most likely route to return to Champions League for next season.

Chimera fined $5,000 for stick work vs Flyers (Yahoo Sports)

NEW YORK (AP) -- Washington Capitals forward Jason Chimera has been fined $5,000 by the NHL for butt-ending Philadelphia rookie defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere in the Flyers' 2-1 win Wednesday night.

From NFL to women's soccer, lawyer is thorn in side of sports leagues (Reuters)

By Joseph Ax NEW YORK (Reuters) - Jeffrey Kessler may not be a household name. Kessler's latest clients are five stars of the World Cup champion U.S. women's soccer team, who have sued the national governing body because they make far less money than the men's national team despite generating more revenue. "I grew up in Brooklyn," Kessler, 62, said in a phone interview on Thursday.

Things to know about the US women's soccer team's complaint (The Associated Press)

Five stars with the World Cup-winning U.S. women's national team filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission accusing the U.S. Soccer Federation of wage discrimination. Alex Morgan, Hope Solo, Carli Lloyd, Megan Rapinoe and Becky Sauerbrunn allege that they are paid far less than their counterparts on the less-successful U.S. men's team. The team saw a surge in popularity following last year's 5-2 World Cup victory over Japan, and the group generated more revenue than the men's team.

Statement: Predators told of Vesey's free agency plans (Yahoo Sports)

Jimmy Vesey will become a free agent Aug. 15, and his representatives say the Nashville Predators were told not to factor the Harvard forward's future into any decisions at the trade deadline. Vesey's representatives at Global Hockey Consultants issued a statement responding to Nashville general manager David Poile's comments Monday night.

New delay for troubled World Cup stadium in St. Petersburg (The Associated Press)

Russia's Sports Minister says a stadium being built in the city of St. Petersburg for the 2018 World Cup has suffered further delays. Vitaly Mutko tells state news agencies that the 69,000-seat arena, which will host a World Cup semifinal, is now three months behind schedule. The end of construction had previously been set for May, with the stadium due to enter service by the end of the year.

Watford-Arsenal Preview (The Associated Press)

As the calendar turns to April, it seems like an annual refrain at The Emirates: It's now or never for Arsenal to make their title run. The Gunners begin that quest Saturday by hosting a Watford team seeking a second victory there that could all but secure their top-flight status for next season. Arsenal (16-7-7) went into the international break on a positive note, winning 2-0 at Everton as Danny Welbeck and Alex Iwobi scored first-half goals.

Leeds forward banned for 8 games for biting opponent (The Associated Press)

A French forward for English club Leeds has been banned for eight matches for biting an opponent during a game in the second-tier League Championship. The English Football Association said Thursday that Souleymane Doukara was given the long ban because of the ''seriousness and both unusual and violent nature of the misconduct.'' Doukara had denied a charge of violent conduct. Fulham defender Fernando Amorebieta was the victim of the bite and was booked for his reaction.

Nicklas Bendtner removed from Wolfsburg training (The Associated Press)

WOLFSBURG, Germany (AP) -- Champions League quarterfinalist Wolfsburg has removed Denmark striker Nicklas Bendtner from training, in another step that brings the player closer to being released.

Sabres Kane to miss final 9 days of season due to injury (Yahoo Sports)

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) -- Buffalo Sabres forward Evander Kane will miss the final nine days of the season because of an upper body injury.

Dnipro among 3 clubs banned from Europe by UEFA (The Associated Press)

Last year's Europa League finalist Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk of Ukraine has been named among three clubs banned from European competition by UEFA over financial issues. UEFA says that Dnipro, Azerbaijan's Inter Baku and Romania's Targu Mures would be excluded from the next European competition for which they qualify in the next three seasons.

Dnipro banned from European soccer for one season (Reuters)

Last season's Europa League runners-up Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk were among three teams banned from European competition for one season by UEFA on Thursday for breaching financial regulations. European soccer's governing body said in a statement that Azeri club Inter Baku and Romania's Targu Mures had been given one-season suspensions along with the Ukrainian side who were beaten by Sevilla in last season's Europa final. UEFA said the bans would apply to the next season in which the clubs qualify for European competition and would be in force for the next three campaigns.

Red Bulls-Revolution Preview (The Associated Press)

The New England Revolution are one of only five clubs to play their home matches on an artificial surface, and they've used their familiarity with the nuances of Gillette Stadium to post a strong mark there in recent years. New England hopes to jump on New York quickly and put the sting of going winless in its first four matches behind it. The Revolution are 0-1-3 after playing to a 1-all draw at New York City FC on Saturday, and their only home game was a scoreless tie against D.C. United on March 12.

Soccer: Germans on 300,000 euro a man for winning Euro 2016 (Reuters)

Germany's players will each receive a bonus of 300,000 euros if they win Euro 2016, national soccer association DFB said on Thursday, announcing the same scale of top-up payments on offer when the tournament was last played in 2012. World Cup winners in 2014, Germany are among the front-runners for the 24-team tournament in France starting on June 10. The DFB said that, despite this year's tournament having more teams and an extra knockout round, the bonus levels would be the same as for Euro 2012, where Germany lost in the last four.

Amnesty report alleges labor abuse at Qatar World Cup venue (The Associated Press)

Migrant laborers faced abuse that in some cases amounted to forced labor while working on a stadium that will host soccer matches for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, a new report released by Amnesty International alleged Thursday. Rights groups and news organizations have previously raised serious concerns about working conditions in Qatar, but the latest Amnesty report stands out because it links alleged mistreatment directly to work on a World Cup venue. The group's findings will intensify pressure on Qatar to accelerate labor reforms as the tiny and immensely rich Gulf country races to transform itself with sweeping infrastructure projects ahead of the games.

5 players accuse US soccer federation of wage discrimination (The Associated Press)

Five players from the World Cup-winning U.S. national team have accused the U.S. Soccer Federation of wage discrimination in an action filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Alex Morgan, Carli Lloyd, Megan Rapinoe, Becky Sauerbrunn and Hope Solo maintain in the EEOC filing they were paid nearly four times less than their male counterparts on the U.S. men's national team. The union representing the players is currently involved in a legal dispute with U.S. Soccer over the terms of their collective bargaining agreement.

Soccer: Barca seek 'Clasico' win as fitting tribute to Cruyff (Reuters)

By Richard Martin BARCELONA (Reuters) - - Memories and images of Johan Cruyff will provide an emotional backdrop to Saturday's Nou Camp ‘Clasico’ against Real Madrid when Barcelona pay tribute to the man who transformed the club from also-rans into one of the game's superpowers. In their first match since their much-loved former player and coach Cruyff died from cancer last week, fans will hold up a mosaic reading ‘Gracies Johan’ (thanks Johan, in Catalan) and the home side’s players will bear the same message on their shirts. Midfielder Andres Iniesta believes a win over Madrid is the best way to pay tribute to the Dutchman who as a player helped end a 14-year title drought in 1974 and as a coach led them to a hat-trick of domestic championships and their first European Cup success in 1992 and put in place the template for much of their subsequent success.

Germany bonus stays the same for Euro title (The Associated Press)

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) -- Each Germany player will be 300,000 euros richer if the team wins the European Championship.

'Clasico': Barcelona plays for Cruyff, Madrid for revenge (The Associated Press)

MADRID (AP) -- Barcelona looks to honor its idol. Real Madrid gets a shot at revenge.

Roma and Lazio fans to protest again at derby match (The Associated Press)

In a rare show of unity, fans from Roma and Lazio are planning to boycott the match in protest at the security measures which have split the Stadio Olimpico ''curve'' - the ends of the stadium where the hardcore supporters sit. On the field, Roma will be looking to maintain its revival under coach Luciano Spalletti and keep up its push for the final Champions League spot. Roma had won only one of Rudi Garcia's last seven matches in charge, but went on an eight-match winning run under Spalletti before that streak was broken by a 1-1 draw against Inter Milan in the final match before the international break.

Flames-Kings Preview (Yahoo Sports)

Darryl Sutter doesn't seem overly worried about the Los Angeles Kings' drop in the standings or his team's recent trend of giving up goals. The latter has been a season-long problem for the Calgary Flames. Slumping Los Angeles looks to get back on track in Thursday night's return to Staples Center, where the Flames enter off their worst defensive performance in three years.

Senators-Wild Preview (Yahoo Sports)

Both the Minnesota Wild and Ottawa Senators put together remarkable second-half runs to reach last season's playoffs. The Wild are on pace to extend another roller-coaster season by coming through during the stretch run, though it took an organizational shakeup to foster this midseason rally. Minnesota (38-28-11) is 15-6-1 since interim coach John Torchetti replaced Mike Yeo on Feb. 13 to move five points clear of Colorado for the West's final wild card with five games remaining.

Five female U.S. soccer players to file wage complaint: NYT (Reuters)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Five prominent members of the U.S. women's national soccer team plan to file a federal complaint on Thursday charging U.S. Soccer with wage discrimination, the New York Times reported, citing the players' lawyer. The players, including Carli Lloyd and Hope Solo, key players on the reigning World Cup and Olympic champion team, will charge that the women's team is the driving economic force for U.S. Soccer, though its players are paid less than their male counterparts, the team's lawyer said, according to the New York Times. ...

Fekir's return boosts Lyon's hopes in Champions League race (The Associated Press)

When Nabil Fekir badly damaged the cruciate ligament in his right knee last year, his chances of making the France squad for the European Championship took a hit. Without Fekir, Lyon went through an inconsistent season that took a turn for the best following the firing of coach Hubert Fournier during the winter break. Under the helm of replacement Bruno Genesio, Lyon climbed back to fourth place and can still qualify for Europe's top competition.

Leicester stars earn growing recognition during title charge (The Associated Press)

There have been considerable knock-on effects for Leicester following the team's giddy rise to the top of the English Premier League. On Tuesday, England started with two Leicester players - in this case, Jamie Vardy and debutant Danny Drinkwater - for the first time in 42 years in the 2-1 loss to the Netherlands. ''I wouldn't have said it was possible four or five years ago,'' said Vardy, a goal-scorer against the Dutch and a striker who once worked in a carbon-fiber factory.

FIFA bans Sunderland's Eboue for failing to pay former agent (The Associated Press)

FIFA says Sunderland defender Emmanuel Eboue has been handed a one-year ban from football for failing to pay his former agent. The world governing body said Thursday the ban will be lifted before it elapses if he pays the outstanding amount to the agent. Eboue, a right back from the Ivory Coast, has had a contractual dispute with agent Sebastien Boisseau since 2013, when the player was ordered by a judge on FIFA's players' status committee to pay the amount owed to Boisseau.

West Brom-Sunderland Preview (The Associated Press)

Picking up points and slowly moving towards safety have Sunderland feeling positive about remaining in the Premier League. The Black Cats get that chance Saturday when they try to beat West Bromwich Albion for just the second time in seven years. Sunderland (6-8-16) are 18th in the league, one point in front of Newcastle and two back of Norwich City and safety from the relegation zone.

Chelsea-Aston Villa Preview (The Associated Press)

Aston Villa are doomed. With relegation all but certain, the once proud club is undergoing an exodus in the hopes of having a short stay outside of the top flight. After manager Remi Garde's departure, Villa goes for their first victory in almost two months Saturday in the lunchtime kickoff against Chelsea.

Silfverberg, Kesler lead Ducks to 8-3 thumping of Flames (Yahoo Sports)

Jakob Silfverberg scored twice, Ryan Kesler had a goal and three assists, and the Anaheim Ducks tied an NHL record for consecutive regular-season home wins over one team with an 8-3 thumping of the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night. Corey Perry, Brandon Pirri, Jamie McGinn, Nate Thompson and rookie Shea Theodore also scored, helping the Ducks take over first place in the Pacific Division with their 23rd in a row over the Flames at Honda Center. The Philadelphia Flyers won 23 straight over the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Spectrum from 1980-87.

Cousins, Gagner lift Flyers to 2-1 SO win over Capitals (Yahoo Sports)

Nick Cousins and Sam Gagner scored in a shootout after Brayden Schenn tied the game in regulation late in the third period to lift the Philadelphia Flyers to a 2-1 victory over the Washington Capitals on Wednesday night. The win propelled the Flyers out of a tie with idle Detroit for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Alex Ovechkin scored in regulation for Washington (54-16-6), which was seeking a franchise record for victories after already clinching home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs with the league's best regular-season record.

Chiasson, Smith leads Senators past Jets 2-1 (Yahoo Sports)

Alex Chiasson and Zack Smith scored and the Ottawa Senators snapped a four-game road losing streak with a 2-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday night. Andrew Hammond stopped 20 shots for his sixth win of the season as Ottawa improved to 6-0-1 in its last seven against the Jets. Mark Scheifele scored the tying goal, his team-leading 26th, for Winnipeg at 6:55 of the third period, but Chiasson put Ottawa back in front less than two minutes later.

Crystal Palace-West Ham United Preview (The Associated Press)

It seemed leading into Christmas, plenty of the football gods were gathering behind Crystal Palace as their London upstart of choice, then suddenly swapped out their Eagles' shirts for West Ham United kits. Maybe they knew Dimitri Payet jerseys would soon be in high demand. If Leicester City are the unquestioned darlings of the Premier League season, the Hammers are at least competing for such honours in the second round of fixtures.

Amnesty says workers at Qatar World Cup stadium suffer abuse (Reuters)

By Tom Finn DOHA (Reuters) - Workers in Qatar renovating a 2022 World Cup stadium have suffered human rights abuses two years after the tournament's organizers drafted worker welfare standards in the wake of criticism, Amnesty International said. Dozens of construction workers from Nepal and India were charged recruitment fees by agents in their home countries, housed in squalid accommodation and barred from leaving the country by employers in Qatar who confiscated their passports, Amnesty said in a report released on Thursday. The head of Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, which is responsible for the delivery of all tournament-related infrastructure, said Amnesty had identified challenges in worker conditions and Doha was working to reduce these kinds of abuses which he said occur on construction sites all over the world.

Wild turn season around with interim coach Torchetti (Yahoo Sports)

The Minnesota Wild have turned yet another season around, just in time. This year, John Torchetti's takeover of the team was the stimulus. Perhaps the journeyman coach will be rewarded with an eventual removal of the interim tag.

Maple Leafs-Sabres Preview (Yahoo Sports)

With no playoff spots on tap after next week's season finale, the Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs are racing to stay out of the Atlantic Division basement. The Sabres can bury the last-place Maple Leafs further down that hole by extending a lengthy run of home dominance in this series Thursday night. Buffalo (31-35-11) was officially eliminated from postseason contention earlier this week but is 16-13-7 since Jan. 10 and can avoid a fourth consecutive last-place finish - the last two in the Atlantic after the NHL realigned into four divisions in 2013-14.

Blue Jackets-Islanders Preview (Yahoo Sports)

The New York Islanders are focusing on the fact they're four points out of home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs rather than sitting the same amount away from being left out of the postseason altogether. The Islanders finish the regular season with plenty of showdowns that have playoff implications, but the points are just as important Thursday night against the last-place Columbus Blue Jackets as they look to sweep the five-game season series. New York (41-25-9) is chasing the second-place Rangers in the Metropolitan and also is three points behind Pittsburgh for the division's final guaranteed playoff spot.

Rangers-Hurricanes Preview (Yahoo Sports)

The former Hurricanes captain and face of the franchise will play his first game as a visitor at PNC Arena looking to help the New York Rangers win a 10th straight meeting. ''You don't really know how you're going to feel ... until you really experience it,'' Staal said. Trades happen all the time in pro sports, but for Carolina, this deal was different.

Canucks-Sharks Preview (Yahoo Sports)

With every point crucial as they chase their first division title in five years, the San Jose Sharks are hoping to make the most of another golden opportunity against the Vancouver Canucks. Coming off his first career hat trick, Logan Couture will try to help the Sharks keep the pressure on in the Pacific Division race by dealing the visiting Canucks a franchise record-tying 10th consecutive defeat Thursday night in the back end of this home-and-home set. San Jose is in a tight chase behind the Ducks and the Kings - both of whom have a game in hand.

Sabres goalie Robin Lehner has season-ending ankle surgery (Yahoo Sports)

Buffalo Sabres starting goalie Robin Lehner will miss the remainder of the season after having surgery to repair his right ankle. The Sabres announced the news Wednesday, two days after Lehner was scheduled to meet with doctors. Lehner had missed five games since a 3-2 overtime loss to Montreal on March 16.

NHL suspends Canucks Virtanen 2 games for blindside check (Yahoo Sports)

NEW YORK (AP) -- The NHL has suspended Vancouver Canucks forward Jake Virtanen two games without pay for what the league called a ''vicious'' blindside check on San Jose Sharks defenseman Roman Polak.

Keith offered in-person hearing for high-sticking Coyle (Yahoo Sports)

Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith has been offered an in-person hearing for high-sticking Minnesota Wild forward Charlie Coyle during a game Tuesday. While down on the ice during the first period of Chicago's game at Minnesota, Keith lifted his stick into Coyle's face.

Iniesta says Barcelona will try to win 'clasico' for Cruyff (The Associated Press)

Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta says winning the ''clasico'' against Real Madrid this weekend would be the best way to honor the late Johan Cruyff. Barcelona says there will be a tribute to Cruyff before the game at the Camp Nou, where a mosaic of 90,000 cards held by fans will display the words ''Thanks, Johan,'' in Catalan.

Badgers turn to Red Wings assistant Granato to lead hockey (Yahoo Sports)

Tony Granato is the new head coach of the Wisconsin Badgers. Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez planned to formally welcome Granato at a Wednesday news conference in Madison. Granato was in his second season as an assistant with the Detroit Red Wings.

Rangers' Staal ready for 1st game at Carolina as a visitor (Yahoo Sports)

Eric Staal has made the mundane commute hundreds of times over the years from his home in Raleigh to the Carolina Hurricanes' rink. The former Hurricanes captain and face of the franchise will play his first game as a visitor at PNC Arena with his new teammates, the New York Rangers. ''You don't really know how you're going to feel ... until you really experience it,'' Staal said.

Newcastle goalkeeper Elliot injured "for a number of months" (The Associated Press)

Newcastle says goalkeeper Rob Elliot will be out for ''a number of months'' after injuring his anterior cruciate ligament in a warm-up match with Ireland ahead of the European Championship. Elliot was carried off on a stretcher in the 14th minute of Ireland's 2-2 friendly draw against Slovakia on Tuesday. The injury rules him out the European Championship in June and will dent Newcastle's attempt to retain its Premier League status.

Spanish club Valencia fires coach Gary Neville (The Associated Press)

Spanish club Valencia has fired coach Gary Neville less than four months after hiring the former England defender. Valencia said Pako Ayestaran, a former assistant coach, will take over the squad until the end of the season.

Greece heading for soccer 'Grexit' as FIFA deadline looms (Reuters)

By Graham Wood ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece moved a step closer to a ban by soccer's governing bodies FIFA and UEFA on Wednesday as talks between the two organizations and the government over state involvement in the sport ended with no agreement. The delegation was hoping to resolve differences with the government and avert a potential ban or ‘Grexit’, as it has been dubbed by local media, after Kontonis canceled this season's Greek Cup because of crowd violence. FIFA and UEFA have given Kontonis a deadline of April 1 to reinstate the competition.

12 Hungary players, coach, organizers guilty of match-fixing (The Associated Press)

A Hungarian court has handed out suspended prison sentences, bans and fines to 12 soccer players, a coach and the two organizers of match-fixing incidents which took place from 2007-2009 involving Budapest's REAC team. The Pest District Court said Wednesday that the players received up to 2,500 euros ($2,840) each per match to ensure results in seven matches in Hungary's top division and league cup. REAC director Robert Kutasi killed himself in 2012, shortly after several players were taken into police custody on allegations of match-fixing.

English FA charge Martin Demichelis for betting misconduct (The Associated Press)

LONDON (AP) -- The English Football Association says it has charged Manchester City defender Martin Demichelis for misconduct in relation to betting.

England's soft center in defense a concern for Euro 2016 (The Associated Press)

The debate about Wayne Rooney's place in the England team will rumble on for the next 10 weeks, right through to the start of the European Championship in France. Central defense used to be England's strong suit. Only 10 years ago, Sven-Goran Eriksson was in the enviable position of taking Rio Ferdinand, Jamie Carragher, John Terry and Sol Campbell - four greats of the Premier League - as his center-back options to the 2006 World Cup.

US back on track in qualifying with 4-0 win over Guatemala (The Associated Press)

The United States got back on track for a berth in the 2018 World Cup, ending four nervous days with a 4-0 win over Guatemala on Tuesday. Clint Dempsey scored 12 minutes in and Geoff Cameron, Graham Zusi and Jozy Altidore added goals for the Americans, who risked being eliminated from the qualifying competition with another loss. ''I thought we showed a lot of heart,'' Dempsey said.

Couture gets first hat trick, Sharks beat Canucks 4-1 (Yahoo Sports)

Logan Couture got his first NHL hat trick and James Reimer made 23 saves to help the San Jose Sharks beat the Vancouver Canucks 4-1 Tuesday night. Joe Pavelski had a goal and an assist for San Jose, which clinched a playoff spot Monday night with a 5-2 home victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Couture scored twice in the second period and added an empty-netter in this one.

Mexico beats Canada 2-0, qualifies for CONCACAF finals (The Associated Press)

MEXICO CITY (AP) -- Andres Guardado and Jesus Corona scored first-half goals and Mexico beat Canada 2-0 Tuesday night in a World Cup qualifier to become the first nation to clinch a berth in the six-nation final round of the North and Central American and Caribbean region.

US men's soccer misses 2nd straight Olympics (The Associated Press)

Roger Martinez scored twice, Americans Luis Gil and Matt Miazga were ejected and Colombia's under-23 team defeated the U.S. 2-1 Tuesday night to earn the last berth in the Rio de Janeiro Games with a 3-2 aggregate win. Martinez redirected Andres Roa's off-target shot past goalkeeper Ethan Horvath in the 30th minute. An own goal by Delver Machado tied the score in the 59th, with the defender heading the ball over his own keeper while trying to clear Jordan Morris' pass from Emerson Hyndman.

Blues beat Avalanche 3-1, keep pace with Stars atop Central (Yahoo Sports)

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Brian Elliott made 20 saves and Vladimir Tarasenko scored his 36th goal to lift the St. Louis Blues over the Colorado Avalanche 3-1 on Tuesday night for their fifth straight victory.

Stars beat Predators 5-2 to keep pace with Blues (Yahoo Sports)

DALLAS (AP) -- Radek Faksa and Jason Spezza scored 46 seconds apart in the second period, and the Dallas Stars beat the Nashville Predators 5-2 on Tuesday night.

Revenge porn charges against Blackhawks prospect dropped (Yahoo Sports)

Prosecutors in Illinois have dropped revenge porn charges against a minor league hockey player, saying they have no jurisdiction in the matter. DeKalb County prosecutors said the charges against 23-year-old Garret Ross were dropped Tuesday after investigators determined the incident happened while Ross was in Michigan. The Chicago Blackhawks suspended Ross over the accusations that he shared an image of a woman engaged in a sexual act without her consent.

Brazil rallies for 2-2 draw on late goals by Oliveira, Alves (The Associated Press)

Brazil rallied for a 2-2 draw at Paraguay with late goals from Ricardo Oliveira and Dani Alves in a World Cup qualifier on Tuesday. Oliveira scored in the 79th minute and Alves notched the equalizer 90 seconds into injury time to save Brazil from an embarrassing loss. Dario Lezcano gave Paraguay a deserved 1-0 lead in the 40th, driving a 10-meter (yard) shot over the head of Brazil keeper Alisson.

Wild surge past Blackhawks 4-1 for 6th straight win (Yahoo Sports)

Jared Spurgeon, Erik Haula and Nino Niederreiter scored in the third period to lift surging Minnesota to a 4-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday night, stretching the Wild's season-long winning streak to six straight games. Marian Hossa had the goal for Chicago, the 499th of his career.

Pacioretty, Canadiens play spoiler with win over Red Wings (Yahoo Sports)

Max Pacioretty's second goal of the night lifted the Montreal Canadiens to a 4-3 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday. Paul Byron and Sven Andrighetto also scored for Montreal, which blew a two-goal lead and trailed 3-2 heading into the final period. Mike Condon had 39 saves.

U.S. grab key win over Guatemala (Reuters)

(Reuters) - The United States earned a crucial 4-0 win over Guatemala on Tuesday that saved their 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign and took some pressure off coach Jurgen Klinsmann. After a dreadful 2-0 defeat to the same opponents on Friday, the United States would have been on the verge of elimination from qualifying with another defeat on Tuesday. Reflecting the growing unease among fans, a plane flew over the stadium in Columbus, Ohio prior to the match with a banner reading: “#FIREKLINSMANN HE'S A TINY LITTLE BIT BEHIND. ...

Penguins rally, top Sabres 5-4 in shootout (Yahoo Sports)

Sidney Crosby and Phil Kessel beat Chad Johnson in a shootout and the Pittsburgh Penguins inched closer to a 10th straight playoff berth with a 5-4 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday night. Ben Lovejoy, Conor Sheary, Tom Kuhnhackl and Nick Bonino scored during a furious second-period as the Penguins climbed out of an early three-goal deficit. Rookie Matt Murray overcame a shaky start to finish with 26 saves, including a breakaway stop on Sabres rookie Jake Eichel in overtime.

Kadri gets hat trick, Maple Leafs beat Panthers 5-2 (Yahoo Sports)

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) -- Nazem Kadri scored two of his three goals during second-period power plays and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Florida Panthers 5-2 on Tuesday night.

Boucher scores as Devils beat Bruins 2-1 (Yahoo Sports)

Reid Boucher scored a tiebreaking power-play goal early in the third period, Keith Kinkaid made 39 saves and the New Jersey Devils kept their faint playoff hopes alive with a 2-1 victory over the struggling Boston Bruins on Tuesday night. Boucher also set up a power-play goal by Travis Zajac, helping the Devils stop a two-game losing streak and hand the Bruins their sixth loss in seven games. Brad Marchand scored for the first time in nine games for the Bruins, who outshot New Jersey 40-15 but made the mistake of giving the Devils five power plays, two of which they converted.

Okposo gets shootout goal to lift Islanders over Hurricanes (Yahoo Sports)

Kyle Okposo scored the only goal of the shootout and the New York Islanders rallied for a 2-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night. Derek Ryan put the Hurricanes ahead 1-0 late in the second period but hit the post on his shootout attempt in Carolina's NHL-high 16th overtime loss. Thomas Greiss made 26 saves and Anders Lee scored his 13th goal of the season for New York, which won for the third time in four games.

US back on track in qualifying with 4-0 win over Guatemala (The Associated Press)

The United States got back on track for a berth in the 2018 World Cup, ending four nervous days with a 4-0 win over Guatemala on Tuesday night behind goals from Clint Dempsey, Geoff Cameron, Graham Zusi and Jozy Altidore. Following a dismal 2-0 loss at Guatemala City on Friday night in which Jurgen Klinsmann played several players out of their most comfortable positions, the U.S. coach made five lineup changes and shifted two others into their more usual spots. Dempsey scored 12 minutes in and Cameron doubled the lead in the 35th.