LOS ANGELES — Marc Crawford was fired as coach of the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday after his team finished with the fewest points in the Western Conference this season.
“In the end it just comes down to fit,” Kings president and general manager Dean Lombardi said. “It’s just a gut call on fit.”
Crawford, 47, coached the Kings to a 59-84-21 record in his two seasons and had a year left on his contract. He is 470-361-100 in 13 seasons overall, including a Stanley Cup-winning stint with the Avalanche.
• Ron Wilson was introduced as coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, less than a month after he was fired by the San Jose Sharks. Wilson, 53, succeeds Paul Maurice, who was fired last month.
• Mike Babcock and the Stanley Cup-winning Detroit Red Wings agreed on a three-year contract.
• The Minnesota Wild acquired defenseman Marc-Andre Bergeron from the Anaheim Ducks for a third-round pick in this year’s draft.
Spain routs Russia
INNSBRUCK, Austria — David Villa scored three times to lead Spain to a 4-1 victory over Russia at the European soccer championship.
In Salzburg, Austria, Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored in the 67th minute and Petter Hansson scored five minutes later as Sweden defeated defending champion Greece 2-0.
• Defender Carlos Bocanegra and forward Brian Ching were added to the U.S. roster that will train ahead of Sunday’s World Cup qualifier against Barbados.
Footnotes.
Trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. blames Kent Desormeaux for Big Brown’s stunning last-place finish in the Belmont Stakes, but said he wouldn’t object to the jockey riding the horse in his next race.
“As long as the horse stays the way that I see him right now,” Dutrow said, “then things are just going to keep building up for me to know that it was the ride that did him in.”
• The U.S. basketball team has changed its plans and will select the 12 players headed to Beijing before they report to Las Vegas this month. Originally, the team was to have potentially 16 players in camp and cut down to 12 on June 30.
• Cleveland Cavaliers guard Daniel Gibson had arthroscopic surgery on his left ankle and is expected to be ready for training camp.
• UCLA guard Josh Shipp has withdrawn from the NBA draft and will return to the Bruins for his senior season.
• Convicted steroids dealer David Jacobs said before his death last week he supplied Tennessee Titans linebacker Ryan Fowler with performance-enhancing drugs before and after the 2006 season.
• Kansas defensive tackle Todd Haselhorst (personal) and cornerback Anthony Webb (team rules violation) will not return to the football team for the 2008 season.
• Missouri receiver Danario Alexander will be sidelined at least until the start of the Big 12 season after reinjuring his left knee.
• The Sporting News will be redesigned and published every other week instead of weekly, effective Sept. 1, with contributions from John Elway among others.
• High Road rider George Hincapie won the 114.3-mile second stage of the Dauphine Libere bicycle race in France, while Thor Hushovd retained the overall lead.
The Associated Press
