NHL
Alexander Ovechkin goes over the top for third Hart trophy
CHICAGO – Alexander Ovechkin has won his third Hart Trophy, given to the NHL’s most valuable player.
The Washington Capitals right wing beat out Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby and John Tavares of the New York Islanders for the award on Saturday night. Ovechkin also won the Hart in 2008 and 2009.
In other awards, announced before Game 2 of the Stanley Cup finals, Montreal’s P.K. Subban won his first Norris Trophy, given to the NHL’s top defenseman; Sergei Bobrovsky of the Columbus Blue Jackets won the Vezina Trophy, given to the NHL’s top goaltender; and Florida’s Jonathan Huberdeau won the Calder Trophy, given to the NHL’s top rookie.
Crosby won the Ted Lindsay Award, which recognizes the league’s most outstanding player as voted by fellow members of the NHL Players’ Association.
Auto Racing
Smith holds off Larson for Michigan Nationwide win
BROOKLYN, Mich. – Points leader Regan Smith won the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Michigan International Speedway on Saturday, holding off Kyle Larson in the final 10 laps.
It was Smith’s second win of the year and 11th top-10 finish in 13 starts. He took the lead with 13 laps remaining when Parker Kligerman had to pit, and although Larson closed the gap a bit toward the end, he wasn’t able to overtake Smith’s No. 7 Chevrolet.
The 125-lap, 250-mile race was run under threatening weather conditions, but drivers were able to finish with no delays. Paul Menard was third, followed by Kyle Busch and Trevor Bayne.
Smith’s final margin of victory was 0.331 seconds. He also won at Talladega in May.
Who else but Andretti Racing at the Milwaukee Mile?
WEST ALLIS, Wis. – Ryan Hunter-Reay continued Andretti Autosport’s domination at the Milwaukee Mile, winning the IndyCar event Saturday for the second year in a row.
Hunter-Reay became the first driver to win back-to-back races at the Mile since Tony Kanaan in 2006 and 2007 when he was driving for – you guessed it – Andretti.
Andretti drivers have won five of the last nine races at the mile oval.
It’s the second win of the season for the defending IndyCar Series champion, and it came at the site of the track he used to jumpstart last year’s title run. Hunter-Reay reeled off three consecutive wins starting with Milwaukee last season to climb into the championship race.
Penske Racing’s Helio Castroneves was second.
Cycling
Sagan wins stage 8, but Frank still sporting yellow
BAD RAGAZ, Switzerland – Slovakian rider Peter Sagan won Stage 8 of the Tour de Suisse and Mathias Frank retained the yellow jersey Saturday heading into the final day individual time trial.
Sagan, who rides for Cannondale, beat Daniele Bennati in a sprint finish at the end of a 111-mile stage from Zernoz to Bad Ragaz.
Frank, a Swiss rider for BMC Racing, finished in the main group and holds a 13-second lead on Rui Alberto Costa with one stage left.
Soccer
Abby Wambach closes in on Hamm against South Korea
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Abby Wambach scored her 156th career international goal to move within two of Mia Hamm’s U.S. women’s record in the Americans’ 4-1 victory over South Korea on Saturday night at Gillette Stadium.
Wambach scored on a penalty kick in stoppage time after Alex Morgan was fouled in the box.
Kristie Mewis opened the scoring in the third minute with her first international, and Lauren Cheney scored in the seventh minute. Cho Shoyun scored for South Korea in the 26th, and Carli Lloyd made it 3-1 with a 30-yard blast in the 57th minute.
The United States is unbeaten since March 2012, going 29-0-4, and is 8-0-2 on the year. South Korea is 3-4-1 this year.
Associated Press
