Sporting KC, Toronto FC play to 0-0 tie (The Associated Press)

TORONTO (AP) -- Toronto FC played to a 0-0 tie with Sporting Kansas City in their home opener Friday night in a matchup of unbeaten MLS teams.

Coyotes win 6-3, end Capitals' winning streak at 6 (Yahoo Sports)

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) -- Christian Dvorak scored a pair of unassisted goals and the Arizona Coyotes chased Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby early in a 6-3 victory on Friday night that ended Washington's six-game winning streak.

Iginla's 625th goal, Quick's 35 saves get Kings past Canucks (Yahoo Sports)

Jarome Iginla scored his 625th career goal and Jonathan Quick made 35 saves for his second shutout of the season as the Los Angeles Kings beat the Vancouver Canucks 2-0 on Friday night. Tyler Toffoli also scored for Los Angeles, which is clinging to slim playoff hopes and now sits eight points behind Nashville for the second wild card in the Western Conference with five games remaining for each team. Ryan Miller made 24 stops for Vancouver, which was eliminated from postseason contention last week and was shut out for the 10th time this season.

Flames beat Sharks 5-2 to clinch playoff berth (Yahoo Sports)

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) -- Matt Stajan got his first goal in 24 games during Calgary's three-goal second period, and the Flames beat the San Jose Sharks 5-2 Friday night to clinch a playoff berth.

MacKinnon, Duchene lead Avs shootout win over Blues, 2-1 (Yahoo Sports)

Nathan MacKinnon and Matt Duchene scored shootout goals, Calvin Pickard had 27 saves through overtime and two more in the shootout and the Colorado Avalanche beat the St. Louis Blues 2-1 on Friday night. Jake Allen had 31 saves and Ryan Reaves scored for the Blues, who clinched a playoff spot by earning a point. The Blues are in the postseason for the sixth straight season and are in the hunt for a top-three finish in the Central Division, which would mean avoiding a first-round matchup against a division winner.

Sounders play high-scoring Atlanta to 0-0 tie (The Associated Press)

Playing with two defenders who hadn't seen a minute of action this season, the Seattle Sounders dealt high-scoring Atlanta United its first shutout of the year on Friday night, battling to a 0-0 tie. The Sounders (1-1-2, 5 points) already had Jordy Delem on the lineup card for his first-ever MLS game when they scratched central defensive stalwart Chad Marshall just a few minutes before kickoff because of an illness. Atlanta (2-1-1, 7 points) came in with 11 goals over its first three games, just one behind league-leading Portland.

Panarin, Crawford lead Blackhawks past Blue Jackets 3-1 (Yahoo Sports)

Artemi Panarin had two goals, Corey Crawford made 32 saves and the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-1 on Friday night to reach the cusp of clinching the Central Division. Panarin scored in the opening minute, then added an empty-netter with 44 seconds left for his 28th goal of the season. Marian Hossa also scored in the first period for Chicago, and Patrick Kane assisted on all three goals as Chicago extended its division lead to nine points over idle Minnesota.

Lee, Beauvillier lead Islanders to 2-1 win over Devils (Yahoo Sports)

Anders Lee and Anthony Beauvillier scored to help the New York Islanders preserve their slim playoff chances with a 2-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Friday night. Jaroslav Halak stopped 26 shots as the Islanders pulled four points behind Boston for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference. New York won at home for the first time since beating the Devils here on Feb. 19, going 0-4-1 at Barclays Center in between.

Crosby leads Penguins to 4-3 win over Rangers in shootout (Yahoo Sports)

Sidney Crosby had a goal and an assist in regulation and then got the clinching coal in the shootout to lift Pittsburgh to a 4-3 win over the New York Rangers on Friday night, snapping the Penguins' four-game skid. Jake Guentzel and Bryan Rust also scored for Pittsburgh, and Matt Murray stopped 30 shots for his 29th win of the season. With the win, the Penguins topped their point total last season en route to winning the Stanley Cup.

US women's national team calls up 16-year-old forward Smith (The Associated Press)

CHICAGO (AP) -- The U.S. women's national team has called up 16-year-old Sophia Smith as an injury replacement on Jill Ellis' roster.

Privat scores winner as Guingamp beats Nancy 1-0 in Ligue 1 (The Associated Press)

PARIS (AP) -- Sloan Privat's third goal this season helped Guingamp beat 10-man Nancy 1-0 in the French league on Friday.

Espanyol scores 2 late goals to beat Betis in Spanish league (The Associated Press)

Espanyol scored two late goals to earn a 2-1 come-from-behind win over Real Betis in the Spanish league on Friday. Ruben Castro gave the visitors the lead by converting a 78th-minute penalty kick, but Javi Fuego equalized in the 87th and Jose Antonio Reyes netted a 90th-minute winner with a superb shot into the upper corner. ''I hit that shot with my soul,'' Reyes said.

Once in last place, Hurricanes pushing hard for playoff spot (Yahoo Sports)

In less than a month, the Carolina Hurricanes have gone from last place in the Eastern Conference to the edge of the playoff picture. The Hurricanes enter the weekend four points behind Boston for the East's eighth and final playoff spot with seven games remaining. It's been a remarkable turnaround for a team that earlier this week inherited the dubious distinction of owning the NHL's longest active playoff drought - and all it took was earning at least one point in a franchise-record 13 straight games.

Hoffenheim beats Hertha to stake claim for Champions League (The Associated Press)

Hoffenheim came from behind to deal 10-man Hertha Berlin an uncommon Bundesliga defeat at home, 2-1, to consolidate fourth place and the last Champions League qualification spot on Friday. Late goals from Niklas Suele and Andrej Kramaric after Hertha defender Maximilian Mittelstaedt was sent off extended Hoffenheim's unbeaten run to six games, and gave fifth-place Hertha just its second defeat at home. ''I can't accuse the lads of anything because they gave everything,'' Hertha coach Pal Dardai said.

Flyers sign college free agent center Mike Vecchione (Yahoo Sports)

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- The Flyers have signed sought-after college center Mike Vecchione to an entry-level contract.

Devils' all-time leading scorer Patrik Elias retires (Yahoo Sports)

Patrik Elias, the New Jersey Devils' all-time leading scorer, is retiring after a career that spanned almost two decades and included two Stanley Cup titles. The 40-year-old native of the Czech Republic announced his retirement in a statement Friday. Elias played all of his 18 NHL seasons with the Devils, becoming the team's franchise leader in goals (408), assists (617) and points (1,025).

UEFA president Ceferin warns Serbia over hooligans (The Associated Press)

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) -- UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has warned Serbia that its teams could be kicked out of European competitions because of fan riots and racist chants.

Mourinho has regrets about how he treated Schweinsteiger (The Associated Press)

MANCHESTER, England (AP) -- Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho mistreated Bastian Schweinsteiger, and said Friday he regrets it.

FIFA hands 1,300-page corruption report to Swiss authorities (Reuters)

By Brian Homewood ZURICH (Reuters) - FIFA said on Friday it had completed a 22-month internal inquiry into allegations of high-level corruption and criminal misconduct that buffeted world football and handed its report to Swiss authorities. "FIFA will now return its focus to the game, for fans and players throughout the world," said FIFA President Gianni Infantino, elected last year to replace Sepp Blatter, who is under criminal investigation in Switzerland. In a statement, FIFA said that more than 2.5 million documents were reviewed during the investigation and that the report it shared with Swiss authorities ran to 1,300 pages and included more than 20,000 pages of "exhibits", or documentation.

Leagues warn UEFA of Champions League schedule clashes (The Associated Press)

The group of top European soccer leagues has again threatened UEFA with direct schedule clashes on Champions League nights. The European Professional Football Leagues says its members have ''total freedom to schedule their matches as they see fit'' after a working agreement with UEFA expired in March. Relations with UEFA soured over a lack of consultation before changes to the 2018-21 Champions League seasons, and UEFA giving club representatives seats on its executive committee but not leagues.

Sports director behind Sevilla's success leaves the club (The Associated Press)

One of the men behind Sevilla's recent success is leaving the club. Sports director Ramon Rodriguez Verdejo, known as Monchi, is ending his 17-year stint with Sevilla. ''The decision to leave came mostly because of exhaustion,'' Monchi said.

Sports director behind Sevilla's success leaves the club (The Associated Press)

One of the men behind Sevilla's recent success is leaving the club. Sports director Ramon Rodriguez Verdejo, known as Monchi, is ending his 17-year stint with Sevilla. Monchi departs after revolutionizing the Spanish club and helping it reach 16 finals and win nine titles in Spain and Europe.

FIFA hands 1,300-page corruption report to Swiss authorities (Reuters)

By Brian Homewood ZURICH (Reuters) - FIFA said on Friday it had completed a 22-month internal inquiry into allegations of high-level corruption and criminal misconduct that buffeted world football and handed its report to Swiss authorities. "FIFA will now return its focus to the game, for fans and players throughout the world," said FIFA President Gianni Infantino, elected last year to replace Sepp Blatter, who is under criminal investigation in Switzerland. In a statement, FIFA said that more than 2.5 million documents were reviewed during the investigation and that the report it shared with Swiss authorities ran to 1,300 pages and included more than 20,000 pages of "exhibits", or documentation.

FIFA sends 1,300-page corruption probe to Swiss prosecutors (The Associated Press)

FIFA has sent 1,300 pages of internal investigation reports into suspected bribery and corruption to Switzerland's attorney general. The documents complete a 22-month probe by legal firm Quinn Emanuel, which FIFA retained in the fallout from United States and Swiss federal prosecutors revealing their sprawling investigations of soccer corruption in May 2015. FIFA has said the U.S.-based law firm, whose hiring helped add $30 million to its published legal costs in 2015, is key to helping retain its institutional status as a victim of corruption and not an accomplice.

Former administrator Chung to appeal FIFA ban: report (Reuters)

(Reuters) - Former FIFA vice-president Chung Mong-joon will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against the South Korean's five-year ban from all football-related activities, according to Yonhap News Agency. Chung, who served as FIFA vice-president between 1994 and 2011, was found guilty in 2015 of breaching the governing body's code of conduct during South Korea's bid for the 2022 World Cup seven years ago, which was eventually awarded to Qatar. FIFA's appeals committee had earlier reduced Chung's initial six-year ban to five, saying there was not enough evidence to prove he had infringed an article of FIFA's ethics code covering confidentiality.

South Korea expects no issues with Pyongyang games (Reuters)

The South Korean Unification Ministry said on Friday it expects the national women's soccer team's trip to North Korea for an international competition to proceed in a "calm and orderly manner". The South Korean government approved the team's trip to Pyongyang for next month's 2018 AFC Women's Asian Cup qualifiers in North Korea on Thursday. South Korean athletes need approval from Seoul to enter the North as the 1950-53 Korean War ended with a truce, not a peace treaty, leaving the two Koreas technically in a state of war.

Soccer: Former UEFA chief Platini lashes out at Blatter (Reuters)

Ex-UEFA president Michel Platini has criticized former FIFA chief Sepp Blatter, saying the Swiss who led soccer's world body for 17 years was determined to make him "his last scalp". Platini and Blatter were banned from all football-related activities, initially for eight years, over a 2 million Swiss francs ($2.00 million) payment FIFA made to Platini in 2011, with Blatter’s approval, for work done a decade earlier. The Frenchman said the 81-year-old Blatter was the most selfish person he had ever known.

Soccer-Former UEFA chief Platini lashes out at Blatter (Reuters)

Ex-UEFA president Michel Platini has criticized former FIFA chief Sepp Blatter, saying the Swiss who led soccer's world body for 17 years was determined to make him "his last scalp". Platini and Blatter were banned from all football-related activities, initially for eight years, over a 2 million Swiss francs ($2.00 million) payment FIFA made to Platini in 2011, with Blatter’s approval, for work done a decade earlier. The Frenchman said the 81-year-old Blatter was the most selfish person he had ever known.

FC Dallas agrees to long-term deal with coach Oscar Pareja (The Associated Press)

FRISCO, Texas (AP) -- FC Dallas has agreed to a long-term contract extension with coach Oscar Pareja after the club won the U.S. Open Cup and had the best record in Major League Soccer last season.

Blackhawks recall F Hinostroza from minors (Yahoo Sports)

CHICAGO (AP) -- The Chicago Blackhawks have recalled forward Vinnie Hinostroza from Rockford of the American Hockey League.

Manchester City-Arsenal Preview (The Associated Press)

The man who once fostered in a revolutionary era in London is now threatened in being swept up in one as Arsene Wenger and Arsenal list seemingly rudderless and try to right themselves. Meanwhile in the sky blue part of Manchester, the transition to Pep Guardiola has not gone completely according to plan - revolution in the Premier League will have to come another day. Sunday's mouth-watering clash at The Emirates between Arsenal and Manchester City has more than top-four positioning at stake.

Middlesbrough-Swansea City Preview (The Associated Press)

Middlesbrough caretaker manager Steve Agnew has a tall task on his hands if he is going to keep the Teeside club in the Premier League next season. Middlesbrough's last Premier League win came Dec. 17, 3-0 over Swansea in the reverse of this fixture at the Riverside Stadium. What's followed is an 0-4-7 top-flight stretch that included Aitor Karanka losing his manager's job.

NHL looks at China as a 'very long-term relationship' (Yahoo Sports)

China wants to get its hockey program up to par before hosting the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. The NHL is using that as a starting point for a long-term vision to turn the country into a hockey nation. The Los Angeles Kings and Vancouver Canucks will play exhibition games in Shanghai and Beijing in September, and the games and the Olympics are only the beginning of what the NHL hopes is a bigger investment.

Stoke City-Leicester City Preview (The Associated Press)

There are still some words unspoken from Claudio Ranieri's sacking at Leicester City last month, in large part due to the manager's silence on the subject. The Foxes, though, have climbed to 15th in the table and are six points clear of the bottom three on the strength of a three-match win streak in league play. Additionally, they are still in the Champions League picture, though a daunting two-leg quarterfinal starting April 12 against Spanish side Atletico Madrid looms in the distance.

Sabres' Reinhart benched for arriving late to team stretch (Yahoo Sports)

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) -- Buffalo Sabres center Sam Reinhart says he was late for a team stretching period because he misread a text, which led to him being benched against Columbus this week.

West Ham United-Hull City Preview (The Associated Press)

It's arguably the most crucial two-match stretch of the season for Hull City, who can go a long ways to avoiding the drop if they can emerge with six points from their efforts, starting with Saturday's clash against West Ham United at KCOM Stadium. The Tigers (6-6-17) enter this match day at the top of the drop, three points behind Swansea City for 17th. "When you look at the fixtures elsewhere, you see that Middlesbrough are playing Swansea on Sunday so there will be points dropped there, and if we can get a win against West Ham that can be a big three points, especially with us playing against Middlesbrough next week," defender Curtis Davies said.

Crystal Palace-Chelsea Preview (The Associated Press)

With Chelsea already at a canter as champions-elect, the talk has begun about defending the title next season. The intrigue for Crystal Palace, however, lies in the here and now as they visit Stamford Bridge on Saturday desperate for points to avoid relegation. Antonio Conte's Blues have a seemingly unassailable 10-point lead atop the table with 10 matches remaining, and much of the talk in England has gone from who will win the Premier League to who will join Chelsea (22-3-3) in the Champions League next season as the six teams below them are separated by nine points.

Bournemouth-Southampton Preview (The Associated Press)

Southampton's goal at the outset of the season was to challenge for a Europa League place, and while that isn't likely to come to fruition, they can ensure their place in the top half of the table over the final 10 matches. It's been an inconsistent season for Southampton (9-6-12), and they'll need to rebound from a 2-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur prior to the international break. The Saints, who sit 10th in the table on 33 points, are 2-0-3 in their last five league matches.

Sunderland-Watford Preview (The Associated Press)

It's now or never for Sunderland as they face Watford at Vicarage Road on Saturday. Rock bottom and seven points from safety, David Moyes' men have to start putting together a run of wins if they are to have any chance of avoiding relegation. "Jordan Pickford, Lynden Gooch, Duncan Watmore, Paddy McNair - we have had a group of younger players who have had a go this time.

Everton-Liverpool Preview (The Associated Press)

The Premier League returns from the international break with a bang as Liverpool and Everton are set to battle in the Merseyside derby Saturday at Anfield. Inconsistency has haunted Liverpool (15-5-7) over the past few seasons and it reared its ugly head again this time around as a poor start to the 2017 calendar year - the Reds went winless in their first five matches - essentially ended their title challenge. James Milner's 51st-minute penalty put the visitors ahead, but Sergio Aguero pulled City level on 69 minutes.

New Argentine football boss: Messi ban unfair, irregular (The Associated Press)

Lionel Messi's four-match ban in World Cup qualifying was unfair and irregular, the new president of the Argentine Football Association claimed. Claudio Tapia, elected on Wednesday, also said Messi was banned from four of Argentina's last five qualifiers because AFA had lost its influence at FIFA.

West Brom-Manchester United Preview (The Associated Press)

West Bromwich Albion will arrive at Old Trafford on Saturday with another scalp in their sights. The Baggies (12-7-10) had won two straight trips to Manchester United in the Premier League before losing there last season, but arrive into the weekend in good health for this contest. Manager Tony Pulis has steered West Brom to a comfortable mid-table position this season, with the Midlands club currently on an island of their own in eighth, seven points behind seventh-place Everton and seven points clear of Stoke City in ninth.

Higuain prepares for fiery reception on return to Napoli (The Associated Press)

Gonzalo Higuain will face the wrath of a scorned lover when he returns to Napoli for the first time since his move to bitter rival Juventus. The love Napoli fans had for Higuain swiftly turned to hatred following his transfer for an Italian-record 90 million euros ($100 million) after scoring 36 goals last season to break a 66-year-old Serie A record. Higuain's reception is expected to include a barrage of whistles and insults.

FIFA reveals proposed slots for 48-team 2026 World Cup (Reuters)

By Brian Homewood ZURICH (Reuters) - FIFA announced its proposed slot allocation for the expanded 48-team World Cup on Thursday, including an automatic place for Oceania, 16 places for Europe - up from 13 - and a six-team inter-zonal playoff tournament for two more spots. The proposals will be submitted to the FIFA Council at its next full meeting in Bahrain in May for a final decision, FIFA said. Under the proposal, made by the FIFA Bureau, for the enlarged tournament beginning in 2026, Europe would get 16 direct places, Africa nine, Asia eight, South America six, CONCACAF six and Oceania one, totaling 46 teams.

Tottenham Hotspur-Burnley Preview (The Associated Press)

Burnley's Premier League future is intrinsically linked with Turf Moor. Sean Dyche's Clarets (9-5-15) have the third best home form in the division at 9-2-3, a remarkable achievement for a side tipped by many pundits for relegation. Since a loss to Swansea City on opening weekend, Burnley have been beaten just twice at their own ground - by Manchester City and Arsenal.

Sabres sign UMass-Lowell forward C.J. Smith to 2-year deal (Yahoo Sports)

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) -- The Buffalo Sabres have signed forward C.J. Smith to a two-year, $1.85 million contract after he completed his junior season at UMass-Lowell.

FIFA reveals proposed slots for 48-team 2026 World Cup (Reuters)

FIFA announced its proposed slot allocation for the expanded 48-team World Cup on Thursday, including an automatic place for Oceania, 16 places for Europe - up from 13 - and a six-team inter-zonal playoff tournament for two more spots. The proposals will be submitted to the FIFA Council at its next full meeting in Bahrain in May for a final decision, FIFA said Under the proposal made by the FIFA Bureau for the enlarged tournament beginning in 2026, Europe would get 16 places, Africa nine, Asia eight, South America six, CONCACAF six and Oceania one, totaling 46 teams. The two remaining places would be decided by a six-team playoff tournament which would take place in the World Cup host nation, possibly in the November before the finals, FIFA said.

FIFA proposes new 6-team playoff ahead of 2026 World Cup (The Associated Press)

FIFA wants to stage a new six-team playoff round in the World Cup host country for two places ahead of a 48-team tournament. The final slots would be decided in a mini-tournament staged as a test event in the November before the World Cup. The idea comes as part of FIFA's proposal to award each continent extra places for an expanded World Cup, starting in 2026.

Schweinsteiger flummoxed by U.S. World Cup howler (Reuters)

For all the talk of how the United States has embraced soccer, it became clear there is still some way to go to complete the conversion after newly arrived Bastian Schweinsteiger was asked if he thought his club, Chicago Fire, could win the World Cup. Chicago is a huge sports city, boasting fanatical followers of ice hockey, American football, basketball and baseball. Schweinsteiger, who helped Germany win the sport's ultimate trophy in 2014, was facing the media on Wednesday after his move from Manchester United and though he has excellent English, the midfielder was understandably bemused when asked if he felt his arrival might help Fire win the World Cup.

Ruhr derby provides chance for Schalke to vent frustrations (The Associated Press)

Schalke fans have become used to not getting their hopes up. For four glorious minutes in May 2001, it seemed as if their side was going to win its first Bundesliga title. Schalke had already won its game 5-3 and was waiting for Bayern Munich to lose at Hamburger SV - celebrations were already underway in Gelsenkirchen - before Patrik Andersson hammered in Bayern's equalizer with the last kick of the season to snatch the title by a point.

Schweinsteiger flummoxed by U.S. World Cup howler (Reuters)

For all the talk of how the United States has embraced soccer, it became clear there is still some way to go to complete the conversion after newly arrived Bastian Schweinsteiger was asked if he thought his club, Chicago Fire, could win the World Cup. Chicago is a huge sports city, boasting fanatical followers of ice hockey, American football, basketball and baseball. Schweinsteiger, who helped Germany win the sport's ultimate trophy in 2014, was facing the media on Wednesday after his move from Manchester United and though he has excellent English, the midfielder was understandably bemused when asked if he felt his arrival might help Fire win the World Cup.

Neymar to lead Barcelona in Spanish league title race (The Associated Press)

Lionel Messi is reeling after getting a four-match suspension from international play. Luis Suarez is lamenting a pair of losses with Uruguay. With the Spanish league returning this weekend, it will likely be the Brazilian leading the way for Barcelona in its pursuit of Real Madrid.

Bayern goalkeeper Neuer to miss 2 games with foot injury (The Associated Press)

MUNICH (AP) -- Bayern Munich will have to do without goalkeeper Manuel Neuer for two games because of a foot injury.

New AFA president vows to get Messi ban reduced (Reuters)

By Rex Gowar BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - The Argentine FA, lacking proper leadership since 2015 and fearful its national team might not reach the World Cup finals without banned captain Lionel Messi, elected a third-tier club chairman and former roadsweeper as its president on Wednesday. Claudio Tapia of Barracas Central, who play in the Primera B Metropolitana division, was the sole candidate in the election but still needed the support of a majority of delegates, which he achieved by scooping 40 of 43 votes cast. Tapia, who is also known as “Chiqui” (little one), said one of his first tasks would be to get Messi's four-match suspension reduced and said it was imperative everyone got behind beleaguered coach Edgardo Bauza.

Blackhawks overwhelm short-handed Penguins 5-1 (Yahoo Sports)

Patrick Kane darted behind the Pittsburgh Penguins net, seemingly intent on trying to bend a wraparound past Marc-Andre Fleury. Halfway there, the Chicago Blackhawks star changed his mind, instead flipping a backhand pass to Artemi Panarin at the left post. Panarin flicked the puck off an unsuspecting Fleury - caught looking the other way - and into the net.

Capitals hold on to beat Avalanche for 6th straight win (Yahoo Sports)

Marcus Johansson and Evgeny Kuznetsov each had a goal and an assist, Jay Beagle and John Carlson also scored and Washington kept rolling with a 5-3 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday night. The Capitals have 110 points, five ahead of idle Columbus, and are on track to clinch the President's Trophy for most points in the league for the second straight season. ''Two points matter,'' goalie Philipp Grubauer said.

Tarasenko, Blues stay red-hot with win over Coyotes (Yahoo Sports)

Vladimir Tarasenko and the St. Louis Blues are knocking on the door for a postseason berth. Tarasenko, Patrik Berglund and David Perron scored, Berglund added an assist and the Blues beat the Arizona Coyotes 3-1 on Wednesday night. Berglund tied his career high with his 22nd goal, and the Blues have won 11 of 13 games and have points in 12 of those.

Iginla fights and scores, Kings beat Flames in chippy game (Yahoo Sports)

Jarome Iginla wheeled around center ice, fist bumped Flames mascot Harvey the Hound and grinned through what may be his final ovation as a player at the Saddledome. If this season is it for Iginla, the longtime Calgary star said a fitting goodbye in a bruising game. Iginla scored his 100th game-winning goal, got an assist and drew blood in a fight, helping the Los Angeles Kings beat Calgary 4-1 Wednesday night.

NHL staging preseason games in China between Kings, Canucks (Yahoo Sports)

The NHL will play its first games in China this fall when the Los Angeles Kings and Vancouver Canucks meet in Beijing and Shanghai. The preseason games will take place Sept. 21 in Shanghai and Sept. 23 in Beijing. Commissioner Gary Bettman announced the launch of the NHL China Games at a news conference Thursday morning at Le Sports Center.

New AFA president vows to get Messi ban reduced (Reuters)

By Rex Gowar BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - The Argentine FA, lacking proper leadership since 2015 and fearful its national team might not reach the World Cup finals without banned captain Lionel Messi, elected a third-tier club chairman and former roadsweeper as its president on Wednesday. Claudio Tapia of Barracas Central, who play in the Primera B Metropolitana division, was the sole candidate in the election but still needed the support of a majority of delegates, which he achieved by scooping 40 of 43 votes cast. Tapia, who is also known as “Chiqui” (little one), said one of his first tasks would be to get Messi's four-match suspension reduced and said it was imperative everyone got behind beleaguered coach Edgardo Bauza.

Group seeking San Diego MLS team gathers signatures (The Associated Press)

A group hoping to attract an MLS team to San Diego says it has gathered more than 100,000 signatures on a petition in just two weeks. If 71,646 signatures are verified by the Registrar of Voters, the proposal will be brought before the City Council to either approve the project or submit it to voters. The bid is part of a $1 billion development project at the Qualcomm Stadium site.

Red Wings' run ends at 25 years with salary cap, injuries (Yahoo Sports)

Ken Holland swiveled away from a visitor in his office at Joe Louis Arena, picked up a thick book and plopped it onto his desk. ''This collective bargaining agreement was put in place for parity and competitive balance,'' the Detroit Red Wings general manager said. The NHL's salary cap was established following the lockout in 2005 and designed to bring powerful teams like Detroit back to the pack.

NHL will release teams' Vegas expansion draft lists (Yahoo Sports)

After further consideration, the NHL will release teams' protected and available lists to the public before the Vegas Golden Knights' expansion draft in June. The league announced the decision on Twitter on Wednesday despite NHL general managers expressing a desire to keep the lists private. Deputy commissioner Bill Daly said there was more internal discussion at the league office and that none of the GMs expressed strong views on the subject.

Red Bulls sign Wright-Phillips to multiyear contract (The Associated Press)

HARRISON, N.J. (AP) -- The New York Red Bulls have signed two-time MLS Golden Boot winner Bradley Wright-Phillips to a new contract.

Mike Petke named new Real Salt Lake coach (The Associated Press)

Mike Petke will get another chance to lead a Major League Soccer franchise. Real Salt Lake introduced Petke as its new head coach Wednesday. The former New York Red Bulls coach replaced Jeff Cassar, who was fired three games into the season.

Wild's Parise could return next week after scary collision (Yahoo Sports)

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- Minnesota Wild forward Zach Parise will likely miss the next three games, with bruising and swelling around his eye from a high stick to the face that led to blows to the head as he fell.

'Hideous' Cristiano Ronaldo statue sparks social media laughs (Reuters)

When the island of Madeira on Wednesday renamed its airport in honor of its hometown hero Cristiano Ronaldo, all eyes were expected to be on the four-time world player of the year who is adored not only for his soccer skills but also his model looks. "I defy you not to feel better after viewing this picture of Cristiano Ronaldo alongside his portrait bust," wrote one Twitter user, Tom Sutcliffe (@tds153). "That hideous Ronaldo statue is going to be a meme in 5,4,3...," posted @Agave310.

US national team midfielder Horan sidelined with hip injury (The Associated Press)

CHICAGO (AP) -- Midfielder Lindsey Horan will miss the U.S. women's national team's upcoming training camp and matches against Russia because of a strained hip flexor.

Dempsey leads way for MLS players during Cup qualifying (The Associated Press)

The latest round of World Cup qualifying saw a major increase in the number of players from MLS called in for their national teams. A number of those decisions paid off for their countries, perhaps no one more than Clint Dempsey. Dempsey was part of an influx of MLS players contributing during the latest round of qualifying for next year's World Cup in Russia.

World Cup qualifying woes for Argentina after ban for Messi (The Associated Press)

World Cup qualifying started badly for Argentina, and now it's getting a whole lot worse. Argentina sits fifth in South American qualifying, the same position it occupied two matches ago. Tuesday's 2-0 defeat in Bolivia, combined with other results from the 14th round of matches, has left the 2014 finalists in a continental playoff position - against a team from Oceania.

Odd-looking Ronaldo bust steals the show at airport ceremony (The Associated Press)

Cristiano Ronaldo has an airport named after him, but it was his odd-looking statue that attracted attention in Wednesday's ceremony honoring the Portugal star in his hometown. The player's bronze bust, which was unveiled to much fanfare by Portugal's president and prime minister on the island of Madeira, hardly does the handsome footballer justice. The face is also unusually chubby, in contrast to Ronaldo's chiseled looks.

US soccer rebounds with 4 points in 2 qualifiers under Arena (The Associated Press)

Omar Gonzalez looked relieved as he spoke in the tunnel underneath Estadio Rommel Fernandez. Last in the standings with a 0-2 record last week, the United States jumped to fourth with a 6-0 rout of Honduras at home followed by a difficult point earned in a physical 1-1 draw at Panama on Tuesday night. Mexico leads the final round of North and Central America and the Caribbean with 10 points, followed by Costa Rica with seven, Panama with five, the U.S. and Honduras with four each, and Trinidad and Tobago with three.

Referee leaders want on-field official to see video replays (The Associated Press)

Antoine Griezmann headed the ball into the net and was in full celebration mode with his France teammates when referee Felix Swayer pinned a finger into his left ear to block out the stadium noise. An assistant in front of a bank of monitors was assessing replays and had some bad news for Griezmann. ''The subjective decisions should be made by the on-field referee because they have got the feel for the game,'' Mike Riley, general manager of English refereeing organization, told The Associated Press.

Celtic's dominance reaching new levels in Scottish soccer (The Associated Press)

Celtic's players have taken their supremacy of Scottish soccer to a new level this season, putting the storied club from Glasgow in the conversation when discussing the most dominant sides in Europe's domestic leagues in the 21st century. Celtic will be the Scottish champion again as early as Friday if its closest rival, Aberdeen, loses to Dundee. If Aberdeen wins, Celtic will take an unassailable lead in the Scottish Premiership by beating Hearts on Sunday.

De Rossi injury not as bad as first thought (The Associated Press)

Roma says midfielder Daniele De Rossi's injury is not as bad as first thought. De Rossi limped off in the 37th minute of Italy's 2-1 win over the Netherlands on Tuesday in a friendly, sparking fears he could miss the rest of the season. De Rossi will likely miss Saturday's Serie A match at Empoli but could be back for the second leg of the Italian Cup semifinals against city rival Lazio, where Roma trails 2-0.

Soccer: Ronaldo Airport overshadowed by dodgy statue (Reuters)

Madeira renamed its airport in honor of Cristiano Ronaldo on Wednesday - although it is a new statue of the four-times world player of the year that is likely to grab the headlines. The Atlantic island is where Ronaldo grew up, and the airport in its capital Funchal will now be known as "Aeroporto Cristiano Ronaldo". The ceremony followed Portugal playing their first match on the island for 16 years, the hosts losing 3-2 to Sweden despite an early Ronaldo goal in the friendly on Tuesday.

Juventus winger Pjaca out for rest of season with injury (The Associated Press)

TURIN, Italy (AP) -- Juventus winger Marko Pjaca will miss the rest of the season because of a knee injury.

Down and nearly out: Dutch soccer in decline (The Associated Press)

Halfway through its qualifying campaign for the 2018 tournament, the Netherlands -- a finalist and semifinalist at the last two World Cups -- is hunting for a new coach and facing an uphill battle to qualify for Russia. The previous coach, Danny Blind, was fired Sunday, the day after his team lost to Bulgaria 2-0 in Sofia. With five matches to play in Group A, the Netherlands is in fourth place, six points behind leader France and three points adrift of second-place Sweden.