Tyler Johnson signs three-year contract with Tampa Bay Lightning

NHL: The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed center Tyler Johnson to a three-year contract.

The team announced the news Friday in Tampa, Florida.

Johnson, a Central Valley High graduate who played for the Spokane Chiefs, had a Lightning rookie- record 24 goals and tied for the NHL lead among rookies. He also had 26 assists and finished plus-23 for the season.

Johnson, teammate Ondrej Palat and Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon are the finalists for the NHL’s top rookie award, the Calder Trophy.

USA Today is reporting the deal to be for $10 million.

Associated Press

Lacy to play for Pac-12 in China

BASKETBALL: Washington State senior guard DaVonte Lacy has been chosen to participate as one of 13 Pac-12 men’s players who will play in a four-game All-Star tour of China this summer. The tour is part of the conference’s Globalization Initiative, which aims to market the conference to international fans.

Utah’s Larry Krystkowiak will coach the team, which includes players from every member school except Oregon and UCLA. 

Their competition will include one game against a Chinese university All-Star team and three against teams from the Chinese Basketball Association.

Jacob Thorpe

Chiesa, Sicilia in UFC 173

UFC: Michael Chiesa and Sam Sicilia fight today in Las Vegas as part of UFC 173.

Spokane Valley’s Chiesa (10-1) headlines the seven-fight undercard with a bout against Brazil’s Francisco Trinaldo (14-3).

Spokane’s Sicilia (12-4) fights Aaron “The Model” Phillips (8-0) in the second fight on the undercard.

Chiesa’s fight will conclude Fox Sports 1’s coverage of the undercard that starts at 5 p.m. Sicilia’s fight can be purchased and viewed at UFC.tv, with the first fight at 3:30 p.m.

T.J. Dillashaw faces Renan Barao in the main event.