HOCKEY

Coach of Islanders dynasty Al Arbour dies at age 82

Al Arbour, the bespectacled gentleman of a coach who molded a young and talented New York Islanders franchise into an NHL dynasty that won four straight Stanley Cups in the early 1980s, has died. He was 82.

Arbour had been in declining health, battling Parkinson’s disease and dementia, and living in a long-term care facility in Florida.

Beginning in 1973-74, Arbour led the Isles to 15 playoff appearances and won 119 playoff games – an NHL record with one team – over 19 seasons. His 740 career regular-season wins with the Islanders are the most with one NHL team.

AUTO RACING

STEWART LAWSUIT: NASCAR star Tony Stewart said he didn’t see a driver walking on a dirt track in upstate New York last year before he struck and killed him, and noted the racer was impaired by marijuana and shouldn’t have been outside his car, according to court papers filed Friday.

Kevin Ward Jr.’s family filed a lawsuit this month that accused Stewart of gross negligence, saying he gunned his engine as the 20-year-old Ward walked on the track after a crash on Aug. 9, 2014.

Stewart’s attorney, Brian Gwitt, argued in an answer to the lawsuit that the racing star didn’t see the crash involving Ward and didn’t realize anyone was on the track.

INDYCAR: Sage Karam says he has sought counseling this week from a psychologist to deal with his emotions following the death of Justin Wilson.

Wilson died of a head injury Monday, a day after he was struck by a piece of debris from Karam’s car.

Karam says he’s struggled at night when he finds himself asking too many “what if” questions. He is not racing this weekend, but said it was important for him to attend the season finale to receive support from the community.

COLLEGES

FIELD HOCKEY: Marissa Shaw and Sydney Veljacic scored two goals apiece to lead Maine to a 5-1 victory over La Salle University in an opener played at Lowell, Massachusetts.

Casey Crowley also had a goal for the Black Bears, who scored five unanswered after falling behind in the 22nd minute.

Maine had 20 shots on goal, controlling most of the game. Emma Cochran made four saves for the Black Bears.

TENNIS

CONNECTICUT OPEN: Second-seeded Petra Kvitova beat third-seeded Caroline Wozniacki 7-5, 6-1 to reach the final at New Haven for the fourth consecutive year.

The defending champion will play fourth-seeded Lucie Safarova in an all-Czech Republic final. Safarova held off lucky-loser Lesia Tsurenko of the Ukraine 6-2, 7-6 (7-4).

WINSTON-SALEM OPEN: French qualifier Pierre-Hughes Herbert advanced to the final in North Carolina, beating 13th-seeded Steve Johnson of the U.S. 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2.

Herbert, ranked 140th, will play second-seeded Kevin Anderson of South Africa, who beat Tunisia’s Malek Jaziri 6-4, 6-3.

OLYMPICS

RIO WATER: A German sailor has fallen ill and is getting daily hospital treatment for several infections after competing in polluted water at a test event for next year’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

A post on the German sailing team’s blog says Erik Heil was told by the Berlin hospital treating him that he was the victim of multi-resistant germs. He’s getting daily treatment with antibiotics.

– From staff and news services

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