HOCKEY
Akil Thomas scored the winning goal in the final period and Canada rallied from two goals down to beat Russia 4-3 in the final of the world junior hockey championship on Sunday at Ostrava, Czech Republic.
It was the 18th title for Canada, the most successful team in the tournament.
Thomas backhanded the puck past goaltender Amir Miftakhov with 3:58 left to avenge a 6-0 loss to Russia at their group stage game, the worst loss for Canada in the history of the tournament.
Dylan Cozens, Connor McMichael and captain Barrett Hayton also scored for Canada. Goaltender Joel Hofer made 35 saves.
Nikita Alexandrov, Grigori Denisenko and Maxim Sorkin scored Russia’s goals.
The Canadians were 3-1 down after Sorkin’s goal 8:46 into the final period. McMichael deflected a shot into the net with his leg and Hayton tied it at 3-3 on a power play with a wrist shot from the right circle, with the two goals coming in a span of 2:01.
McMichael added an assist and Calen Addison had three assists. Alexis Lafreniere, who is projected to be the No. 1 pick at the 2020 NHL draft, contributed two assists to finish the tournament with four goals and six assists from the five games he played.
SOCCER
FA CUP: A wonder goal from a locally born teenager swept Liverpool into the fourth round and extended Everton’s 20-year barren run at Anfield.
Liverpool still hasn’t lost at home to Everton in any competition since 1999 – but got an unfamiliar scorer in the 1-0 win.
The highly rated Curtis Jones, a technically gifted 18-year-old winger who joined the club at the age of 6, was one of a number of youth players selected by Liverpool as Jurgen Klopp rested his superstars. And Jones marked a rare start in the senior team by curling a 20-meter shot in off the underside of the crossbar in the 71st minute.
Wayne Rooney, 34 and now playing in a deep-lying midfield role in the twilight of his career, helped second-tier Derby eliminate Crystal Palace with a 1-0 away win.
Tottenham had to come back a goal down to draw 1-1 at second-tier Middlesbrough.
Chelsea advanced to the fourth round by beating Nottingham Forest 2-0, and Sheffield United ended up only scraping to a 2-1 win over AFC Fylde, which was the last non-league team remaining in the competition.
HORSE RACING
PEGASUS WORLD CUP INVITATIONAL: Horse of the Year finalist Maximum Security was one of 17 horses formally invited to compete later this month at Gulfstream Park.
Breeders’ Cup Classic runner-up and McKinzie also earned an invite, as did Eclipse Award finalist Omaha Beach. Maximum Security is an Eclipse finalist in two categories and was first across the line at last year’s Kentucky Derby before being disqualified for interference.
Past Pegasus runners Seeking The Soul, War Story and True Timber were also invited, as was 2018 Preakness runner-up Bravazo.
The other invitees for the $3 million race on Jan. 25 include Gift Box, Higher Power, Magic Wand, Math Wizard, Mr. Freeze, Roadster, Spun To Run, Tax, Mucho Gusto and Diamond Oops.
The field is expected to be cut to 12 by the end of the week.
SKIING
MEN’S WORLD CUP: Clement Noel came from behind to win the first men’s slalom of 2020, sending him to the top of the discipline standings at Zagreb, Croatia.
The French skier was fourth after the opening leg but, watched by 8,000 spectators on the Sljeme hill, he edged first-run leader Ramon Zenhaeusern of Switzerland by 0.07 seconds for his first win of the season and fourth overall.
Alex Vinatzer of Italy was 0.29 back in third for his first career podium result.
SKELETON
WORLD CUP: Germany’s Tina Hermann got her first World Cup skeleton win of the season, holding off a big challenge from Canada’s Mirela Rahneva at Winterberg, Germany.
Hermann finished two runs in 1 minute, 56.21 seconds. Rahneva had the fastest run of the second heat and was in the lead with just one sled remaining – but Hermann found just enough speed at the end to get the win.
Rahneva finished in 1:56.24. Austria’s Janine Flock was third in 1:56.37 and Megan Henry of the U.S. got her best World Cup finish ever – seventh, in 1:57.46.
In the men’s race, Olympic champion Yun Sungbin of South Korea got his first win of the season by holding off Germany’s Alexander Gassner.
Yun finished in 1:52.95, while Gassner posted the fastest time in the second heat and crossed the line in 1:53.00. Germany’s Axel Jungk was third in 1:50.03.
The top U.S. sled in the men’s field belonged to Austin Florian, who was 18th in 1:54.87.
TENNIS
ATP CUP: Daniil Medvedev beat John Isner 6-3, 6-1 to give Russia two wins from two starts, leaving the U.S. as the only winless team so far in Group D at Brisbane, Australia.
Russia followed its 3-0 opening win over Italy with another comfortable victory, clinching the match against the Americans before the U.S. pairing of Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram salvaged some pride with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Karen Khachanov and Medvedev. Khachanov gave the Russians a winning start with his 3-6, 7-5, 6-1 comeback victory over Taylor Fritz in the first singles.
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