In brief

NHL star hands U.S. first loss

By wire services
Published May 6, 2005

INNSBRUCK, Austria - Columbus' Rick Nash had two goals and an assist and Lightning defenseman Dan Boyle assisted on the go-ahead to lift Canada to a 3-1 victory over the United States in Thursday's battle of unbeatens at the world hockey championships.

Both teams had advanced to the second round of qualifying, which comprises two six-team divisions. Only games against teams still alive carry over, leaving Canada 2-0 and the United States 1-1. Three games remain for both, with the top four from each division advancing.

The United States tied it 5:16 into the second. The Bruins' Mike Knuble stole the puck from Canucks defenseman Ed Jovanovski during a power play, skated in from the blue line and whipped a shot between the pads of the Devils' Martin Brodeur.

Nash made it 2-1 during a four-on-four. Boyle broke up a rush and sent Nash in on a partial breakaway. Nash kept the puck away from Flames defenseman Jordan Leopold then put in a shot off the crossbar and past the Islanders' Rick DiPietro with 8:31 left in the second.

MORE HOCKEY: The NHL and its players' union met for the first time since April19. Neither side commented after the 31/2-hour meeting in Toronto. They are scheduled to meet again today in Toronto, after which statements are expected from both sides. More meetings are scheduled for Monday and Tuesday in New York and May18-19 in Toronto.

Parma goalkeeper Luca Bucci left his team's UEFA Cup semifinal against host CSKA Moscow after a firecracker exploded near his head. Celebrating fans threw it shortly after CSKA took a 1-0 lead in the 10th minute. Bucci was hospitalized and expected to stay in Moscow for treatment while the team returns home to Italy.

After a scoreless draw in the first game of the aggregate series, CSKA won 3-0 to advance to its first final, scheduled for May18 in Lisbon, Portugal. It faces Sporting Lisbon, which eliminated AZ Alkmaar on away goals despite losing 3-2 in injury time. Lisbon won the first game at home 2-1.

U.S. UNDER-20 WOMEN: Tim Schulz was hired as coach. He was an assistant for the U.S. under-18 men's team from 1998-2000.

Kim Clijsters slid awkwardly as she chased a ball in her third-round match at the German Open in Berlin, hurting her right knee. Her status for the French Open, which starts May23, is uncertain.

Clijsters later retired, allowing Patty Schnyderhad to advance. Clijsters won the first set 7-6 (7-4) and trailed 6-5 in the second.

Also, Maria Sharapova, who can become world No.1 by winning the title, reached the quarterfinals by beating Shuai Peng 6-2, 6-1. She faces Justine Henin-Hardenne, who beat Kveta Peschke 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.

ITALIA MASTERS: Andre Agassi beat Ivan Ljubicic 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 to reach the quarterfinals in Rome. Agassi lost to Ljubicic as Croatia beat the United States 3-2 in the first round of the Davis Cup in March. He blew an early break in the first set before recovering in the tiebreaker then broke once in the second. Agassi faces Dominik Hrbaty, who beat Tim Henman 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.

FRENCH OPEN: Alicia Molik, ranked eighth in the world, pulled out because of an inner-ear infection. Also, second-ranked Lleyton Hewitt pulled out of next week's Hamburg Masters because he hasn't healed from foot surgery. His only clay-court tuneup now is scheduled for the World Team Cup in Dusseldorf, Germany, which starts May15.

Thomas Brown, a former president of the Boston Athletic Association and the brother of Celtics founder Walter Brown, died. He was 90. Mr. Brown was president of the group that organized the Boston Marathon from 1982-85, ushering the world's oldest annual marathon from an amateur race in danger of losing its prestige to a prize-offering competition that continued to draw the world's top runners. He also was the official starter from 1982-89, continuing a family tradition that dates to 1905.

[Last modified May 6, 2005, 00:39:12]