Update on the latest sports
APNHL-PENGUINS-CROSBY
Crosby on COVID list as Penguins meet Flyers
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby will miss Tuesday night’s game against Philadelphia after being placed on the COVID-19 protocol list. Head coach Mike Sullivan made the announcement Tuesday morning. The Penguins did not hold a morning skate ahead of the game, in line with the league’s COVID-19 guidelines. The news comes a day after the NHL had a season-low four players in the COVID-19 protocol.
Crosby leads the Penguins with 18 points and is tied for the team lead with seven goals. Pittsburgh currently sits fifth in the highly competitive East Division, two points behind the Flyers.
Also on the Tuesday night schedule:
— After beating the Dallas Stars 5-0 Saturday night in the season’s first Stanley Cup rematch, the defending NHL champion Tampa Bay Lighting hosts Dallas again.
— The Nashville Predators — who’ve won four out of their last five after a slow start to the season — host the Carolina Hurricanes.
— The New York Islanders — coming off of a strong February in which they were 8-2-and-2 — open their March in New Jersey against the Devils.
— The Buffalo Sabres open a five-game road trip starting in New York against the Rangers.
— The Vancouver Canucks — who ended their own four-game losing streak while also ending the Jets’ four-game winning streak Monday night — play again at Winnipeg.
— The Columbus Blue Jackets host the Detroit Red Wings, and the Canadiens host Ottawa.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL-SCHEDULE
Michigan hosts Illinois
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Michigan gets a tough test for its new number-2 ranking in the AP college basketball poll when the Wolverines host fourth-ranked Illinois tonight. Michigan has won seven straight.
Third-ranked Baylor looks to rebound from its first loss of the season, a 71-58 defeat by Kansas, that dropped the Bears to the third spot in the rankings. Baylor plays tonight at sixth-ranked West Virginia.
In other action involving a top-ten team, number-eight Alabama hosts rival Auburn.
NBA-SCHEDULE
McMillan debuts as interim coach
MIAMI (AP) — The Atlanta Hawks will play their first game under interim coach Nate McMillan after yesterday’s firing of coach Lloyd Pierce. The Hawks are 14-and-20 so far this season. They again play the Miami Heat, winners of six in a row including Sunday night’s 109-99 win over Atlanta.
McMillan says he agreed to serve as the Hawks’ interim coach only after talking with Pierce following Pierce’s firing. Even then, McMillan didn’t rest easy. He immediately felt the burden of his increased responsibility and says he “didn’t get a wink of sleep” following the firing.
McMillan says at first he wasn’t interested when Hawks president Travis Schlenk extended the offer to replace Pierce. McMillan, who was fired last year following four seasons as the Indiana Pacers coach, says he wasn’t looking for another opportunity to lead a team. He says Pierce helped to convince him to accept the interim job.
In other NBA action:
— The Los Angeles Lakers host the Phoenix Suns in the first matchup between the two teams this year. Los Angeles won all three games between them last season. The Lakers dropped five out of six after Anthony Davis suffered a right calf strain last month, but they’ve won their last two. The Suns have won 14 of their last 17.
— After losing five straight, the Milwaukee Bucks have won five in a row heading into tonight’s matchup at home against the Denver Nuggets.
— The Boston Celtics, who’ve won consecutive games for the first time since late January, hope to build on that success when they host the Los Angeles Clippers. Boston beat the Clippers in Los Angeles last month.
— The New York Knicks, winners of seven of their last nine games, are in San Antonio to meet the Spurs — who swept two meetings with the Knicks last season.
— The Washington Wizards host the Memphis Grizzlies, opening a stretch that features seven of eight games at home.
NFL-CHIEFS-BRITT REID
Lawyer wants ‘most serious charges’ against ex-Chiefs coach
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — An attorney for the family of a 5-year-old girl critically injured in a crash involving former Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid says the girl suffered a devastating brain injury that has left her unable to speak or walk.
Attorney Tom Porto said Tuesday in an interview with ABC’s “Good Morning America” that the family of 5-year-old Ariel Young wants to see “the most serious charges and the most serious sentence that Britt could ever receive.”
The girl has been hospitalized since the Feb. 4 crash in which Reid’s truck slammed into two cars on the side of the road. Police have said Reid told investigators he had “two or three drinks” along with prescribed Adderall before the crash. No charges have been filed.
NFL-DOLPHINS-VAN NOY
AP sources: Dolphins tell LB Van Noy he will be released
MIAMI (AP) — Two people familiar with the discussion have confirmed to The Associated Press that the Miami Dolphins told linebacker Kyle Van Noy he will be released. The people confirmed the disclosure to the AP on condition of anonymity because the Dolphins have not commented.
Miami will clear nearly $10 million in cap space with the move. Van Noy signed a $51 million, four-year deal as a free agent a year ago.
Van Noy battled injuries last season but had six sacks and 69 tackles in 14 games for a defense that ranked sixth in points allowed.
MLB-INDIANS-CALLAWAY
Francona: No one covered up for Callaway
CLEVELAND (AP) — Indians manager Terry Francona said no one in the Cleveland organization “covered up” for former pitching coach Mickey Callaway, who is under investigation by Major League Baseball following allegations of sexual harassment.
In a story posted Tuesday, The Athletic reported that 12 current and former Indians employees have come forward to say the team was aware of Callaway’s inappropriate behavior while he was their pitching coach from 2013-17.
Callaway was Cleveland’s pitching coach from 2013-17 before he was hired to manage the New York Mets. He’s currently suspended as the Los Angeles Angels pitching coach, pending the MLB inquiry.
Francona said the Indians planned to release a statement later.
