Hockey
DETROIT – The NHL’s salary cap was established following the lockout in 2005 and designed to bring powerful teams like Detroit back to the pack. It took a while to slow the storied franchise, but it has happened.
For the first time since the 1989-90 season, the Red Wings can make tee times in mid-April instead of growing beards and chasing a Stanley Cup.
Detroit was officially eliminated from postseason contention late Tuesday night, signaling the end of a remarkable run that started when nine of the league’s current 30 teams didn’t exist.
The Red Wings rallied in the final days of recent seasons to grab spots and extend their playoff streak to 25 years, tying the third-longest run in league history. They simply didn’t have enough standouts this season, and injuries took away a small margin of error in their first season without Russian superstar Pavel Datsyuk in more than a decade.
The Red Wings, and their fans, will have a lot of great memories of a spectacular stretch of seasons that included four Stanley Cup championships.
Three days before hosting the world championships, USA Hockey and the women’s national team reached an agreement to end a wage dispute and avoid a boycott on home ice.
The four-year deal finalized Tuesday night pays players beyond the six-month Olympic period, up to $129,000 if they win Olympic gold, and improves development of the sport.
The deal means players will be on the ice Friday in Plymouth, Michigan, to begin their title defense against archrival Canada. The team is scheduled to practice Wednesday once everyone arrives for hurried preparations in advance of a tournament that now will be a celebration of USA Hockey instead of a stage for criticism after the dispute drew the attention of several sports unions and U.S. senators.
MLB
DENVER – The Colorado Rockies have struck a deal with the state to keep the team at Coors Field for 30 more years.
The Denver Post reports the team agreed Wednesday to a $200 million, 30-year lease with the Metropolitan Baseball Stadium District, the state division that owns Coors Field. As part of the deal, the Rockies will be allowed to lease and develop a valuable plot of land next to the ballpark, paying the stadium district $125 million for 99 years.
The Rockies will pay about $2.5 million a year in rent, plus the lease on the new land, totaling $200 million over the term. A 22-year lease was set to expire Thursday.
Coors Field is unique, in that The Rockies don’t own their own home. Coors has naming rights in perpetuity.
NBA
ORLANDO, Fla. – Russell Westbrook had 57 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 114-106 overtime win on Wednesday night.
Westbrook, a leading MVP candidate, led the Thunder from behind by as many as 21 points in the second half as he recorded his 38th triple-double of the season. And like the 13-point outburst in the final three minutes against Dallas on Monday night for the win, Westbrook was again the catalyst as he hit big shots in the fourth quarter, including the tying 3-pointer with 7.1 seconds remaining to force the extra period.
Enes Kanter added 17 points and 10 rebounds off the bench for the Thunder, and Victor Oladipo had 13 points while returning to Amway Center for the first time since being traded by the Magic last June.
Associated Press
