NEW YORK — New York Rangers coach John Tortorella has been suspended by the NHL for one game because he squirted a fan with water and threw a water bottle into the stands, striking a spectator in Washington.
Tortorella will miss Game 6 today when New York hosts the Capitals with a chance to advance to the second round of the playoffs.
The NHL ruled Saturday night that Tortorella’s actions Friday during the Rangers’ 4-0 loss warranted a serious punishment.
“While it is a difficult decision to suspend a coach at this point in a playoff series, it has been made clear to all of our players, coaches and other bench personnel that the National Hockey League cannot — and will not — tolerate any physical contact with fans,” league disciplinarian Colin Campbell said.
Nadal-Ferrer meet in final
BARCELONA, Spain — Rafael Nadal will attempt to win his fifth straight Barcelona Open title today when he meets David Ferrer in a repeat of last year’s final.
Nadal beat Nikolay Davydenko 6-3, 6-2, and Ferrer rallied to defeat Fernando Gonzalez 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (5) in Saturday’s semifinals.
• Rookie Alexa Glatch upset Iveta Benesova 6-1, 6-2 to give the U.S. a 1-1 tie with the Czech Republic in Brno after the opening singles of the Fed Cup semifinals.
Petra Kvitova defeated American Bethanie Mattek-Sands 6-3, 7-6 (2) in the first match.
U.S. hockey team opens with win
BERN, Switzerland — The U.S. got a surprisingly tough test before emerging with a 4-2 victory over Latvia in its opening game of the world hockey championships.
The U.S. got two goals from Jack Johnson and one each from Drew Stafford and Patrick O’Sullivan.
Keller has another shutout
SEATTLE — Kasey Keller returned from a one-game red-card suspension to post his fourth straight MLS shutout as the Seattle Sounders FC beat the San Jose Earthquakes 2-0.
• Clint Mathis had a goal and an assist as Real Salt Lake beat the New England Revolution 6-0, setting a team record for goals in a game.
• Atiba Harris scored in the 68th minute and Alecko Eskandarian scored in second-half stoppage as CD Chivas USA beat FC Dallas 2-0.
• Brian McBride and Gonzalo Segares scored in the final four minutes as the Chicago Fire tied the Columbus Crew 2-2.
• Toronto FC coach John Carver resigned for personal reasons from a team with a 2-2-2 record.
Footnotes.
Super middleweight champion Carl Froch delivered a stunning knockout of Jermain Taylor in the final round of their bout in Mashantucket, Conn.
• Hull took control at the top of the stretch, then easily held off a late charge from Kensei to win the $100,000 Derby Trial by four lengths in Louisville, Ky.
• Duke swingman Gerald Henderson is entering the NBA draft, but has not hired an agent.
• Tex Winter, 87, a longtime Los Angeles Lakers consultant and mentor to coach Phil Jackson, has been hospitalized in Kansas.
The Associated Press
