Update on the latest sports
NHL-PLAYOFFS
Oldest meets newest in NHL playoffs
LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Montreal Canadiens and their rich history prepare to face the NHL upstart Vegas Golden Knights tonight in the start of a Stanley Cup semifinal series between the league’s oldest and newest teams.
Montreal had the worst record of the 16 playoff qualifiers before upsetting Toronto and Winnipeg to be Canada’s last team standing. Vegas makes its third semifinals appearance in four years of existence.
NBA-PLAYOFFS
Hawks try to bounce back
ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Hawks are behind in a playoff series for the first time in this post-season, heading into tonight’s game at home against the 76ers. Philadelphia leads 2-games-to-1.
In tonight’s other playoff matchup, top-seeded Utah hopes to go up three-games-to-one over the Clippers in Los Angeles. The Clippers got more than 30 points apiece from Paul George and Kawhi Leonard in Game 3 on Saturday night to get back into the series.
TENNIS-WIMBLEDON
Full crowd will attend Wimbledon finals
LONDON (AP) — The British government says Wimbledon will be allowed to have a full crowd at Centre Court for the men’s and women’s finals next month.
The announcement comes as the government eases restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic. Wimbledon begins on June 28. The tournament will allow 50% capacity at the start but increase to 100% on Centre Court for the finals.
The decision to ease restrictions on crowds will also increase attendances at soccer’s European Championship and other sporting events. The capacity at Wembley Stadium will increase to about 40,000 as the European Championship progresses.
TENNIS-BIRMINGHAM
Coco Vandeweghe is back
BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) — Former top 10 player CoCo Vandeweghe has earned her first tour-level main-draw victory in nearly two years. Vandeweghe beat Kristyna Pliskova 6-4, 7-6 (1) with the help of 13 aces at the Birmingham grass-court tournament.
Vandeweghe is a 29-year-old American who reached two Grand Slam semifinals in 2017 and twice has been a quarterfinalist at Wimbledon. She also won the 2018 U.S. Open doubles title with Ash Barty. But injuries slowed her progress and forced her off tour.
NFL NEWS
AP source: WR Crowder agrees to renegotiated deal with Jets
UNDATED (AP) — A person with direct knowledge of the decision says New York Jets wide receiver Jamison Crowder agreed to a renegotiated deal that will keep him with the team through this season.
Crowder was due to make $10 million this year. Financial details of the renegotiated deal were not immediately available but the Jets had been trying to get the 28-year-old receiver to take a pay cut.
Elsewhere in the NFL:
— The Philadelphia Eagles have agreed to terms with quarterback Nick Mullens. The 26-year-old Mullens spent his first four seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, going 5-11 in 16 starts. Mullens joins Jalen Hurts and Joe Flacco on Philadelphia’s roster. Mullens signed with the 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2017 after breaking Brett Favre’s single-season record for yards passing and TDs as a junior at Southern Mississippi in 2015.
OLYMPICS-US SWIM TRIALS
Lochte fails to advance in first event
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Olympic champion Ryan Lochte has failed to advance from the preliminaries of the 200-meter freestyle in his first event of the U.S. Olympic swimming trials.
The 36-year-old Lochte is attempting to make his fifth Olympic team. He posted a time of 1 minute, 49.23 seconds. That was only good enough for 25th place overall.
The top 16 advanced to the evening semifinals and are led by Kieran Smith and Caeleb Dressel. Smith won the 400 free on Sunday to earn his first trip to the Olympics.
Lochte was also entered Monday in the 100 backstroke, but he scratched that event.
OLYMPICS-BOXING CORRUPTION
Investigation to probe corruption in 2016 Olympic boxing
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — The International Boxing Association has commissioned an investigation into possible corruption and match-fixing at the 2016 Olympic tournament. The announcement comes just over a month before the next Olympics in Tokyo.
The investigation will be led by Richard McLaren. The Canadian law professor detailed Russian doping and cover-ups before the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
The IOC has previously barred the AIBA from organizing the Tokyo tournament and has ruled that none of the referees or judges from 2016 will be eligible to have any role.
