Canada beats Czechs in OT at hockey worlds
Erik Staal scored 23 seconds into overtime Sunday to give Canada a 4-3 victory over the Czech Republic, but the point earned by reaching overtime still was enough to advance the Czechs to the quarterfinals at the world championships at Mytischi, Russia.
Also Sunday, Pavol Demitra scored the winning goal and Slovakia reached the quarterfinals with a 4-3 victory over Belarus. Already through to the final eight teams were the United States and Canada, who meet today.
In Moscow, Johan Akerman scored and Johan Backlund made 38 saves in Sweden’s 1-0 win over Finland. Ilya Kovalchuk scored a goal and set up another to lead Russia over Switzerland 6-3. Russia’s Alexander Ovechkin was suspended a game and will miss today’s game against Sweden.
Sailing
New Zealand in semis
Emirates Team New Zealand clinched a place in the semifinals of the Louis Vuitton Cup with a victory over China Team at Valencia, Spain.
A split tack start had the Kiwis sailing on the left on the northern “Romeo” course where it built up a lead that would never be threatened by the last-place Chinese. The Kiwis won by 3 minutes, 2 seconds.
Emirates Team New Zealand joins American entry BMW Oracle Racing and Italian syndicate Luna Rossa in the last four.
Miscellany
New strikeout queen
Tennessee’s Monica Abbott became the NCAA’s career strikeouts leader, overtaking Olympian and former Texas star Cat Osterman.
Abbott struck out 11 in a doubleheader against Alabama, giving her the all-division NCAA record of 2,276.
•Asafa Powell, who shares the world record in the 100 meters, is training at full speed again and could return to competition in June after weeks on the sideline because of knee tendinitis.
•At Athens, Greece, Panathinaikos won its fourth Euroleague basketball title by beating defending champion CSKA Moscow 93-91.
•At Oeiras, Portugal, Novak Djokovic of Serbia won his third ATP title of 2007, beating Richard Gasquet of France 7-6 (7), 0-6, 6-1 in the Estoril Open final.
Greta Arn of Germany captured the women’s title, rallying past Victoria Azarenka of Belarus 2-6, 6-1, 7-6 (3).
•At Munich, Germany, Philipp Kohlschreiber won his first title by beating doubles partner Mikhail Youzhny 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 at the BMW Open.
•At Warsaw, Poland, rain delayed the final of the J&S Cup between top-ranked Justine Henin and Alona Bondarenko until today.
•Emma Culpepper, the adoptive mother of Miami Dolphins quarterback Daunte Culpepper, has died, at Ocala, Fla. She was 92.
•At Philadelphia, Kenya’s Patrick Cheruiyot won the 28th Broad Street 10-Mile Run in record fashion. Aided by a friendly tail wind, Cheruiyot reached the finish line in 45 minutes, 14 seconds, two seconds faster than the course record, set by fellow countryman Simon Wangai in 2002.
In the women’s race, Kenya’s Naomi Wangui passed Russia’s Olga Romanova at the 2-mile mark and went on to victory in 53:43.