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NHL unveils new 84-game schedule

NEW YORK — The most expansive season in NHL history will begin in September, not October, and limit most teams to four preseason games. The league’s first 84-game season since 1993-94 opens Sept. 29 as 32 teams will combine to play a total of 1,344 games. The season runs through Saturday, April 10, before the playoffs begin the following week. The increase from an 82-game slate, which had been the standard since the mid-’90s, was agreed upon by team owners and players in the last round of talks on a collective bargaining agreement. The intent is to provide more space between the ...

Argentina returning to World Cup final

ATLANTA — No “Hand of God” this time. Argentina didn’t need it. Instead it was the hallowed feet of Lionel Messi and the unbreakable spirit of a team that has repeatedly fought back at this year’s World Cup that is now one step away from back-to-back titles. Trailing 1-0 going into ...

Sports at a glance: Devils sign ex-Penguin

NEWARK, N.J. — The New Jersey Devils signed winger Anthony Mantha to a two-year, $9.5 million contract, the team announced Wednesday. He will count $4.75 million against the salary cap through 2027-28. The Quebec native is coming off a breakout season with Pittsburgh in which he set career highs with 33 goals, 31 assists and 64 points. Mantha, who turns 32, in September is nearly two years removed from tearing the ACL in his right knee and beginning a lengthy rehab process. Wimbledon ratings up LONDON — Helped by some mid-match drama, the Wimbledon final between Linda Noskova and ...

ACC revamps football title game tiebreakers

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Atlantic Coast Conference is revamping the tiebreaker format for its football championship game following a controversial finish last season that allowed a five-loss Duke team to get in over then-No. 10-ranked Miami — a situation that put the Hurricanes at risk of missing the expanded College Football Playoff. Miami, which had been the ACC’s most dominant team during the regular season, wound up being selected for the playoff and went on to reach the national title game, where it fell short to No. 1 Indiana, 27-21. Duke beat No. 20 Virginia in the ACC ...

Jaxon Smith-Njigba voted top wide receiver

Jaxon Smith-Njigba won the AP Offensive Player of the Year award and the Super Bowl last season before the Seattle Seahawks gave him the biggest contract for a wide receiver in NFL history. No surprise he was voted the NFL’s top wideout by The Associated Press in a preseason ...

AL pitchers shut down NL

PHILADELPHIA — Dylan Cease struck out the side in the first inning, combining with 10 relievers on a three-hitter in a show of pitching dominance that led the American League to a 4-0 win over the National League in Tuesday night’s All-Star Game. All-Star MVP Cody Bellinger hit a two-run ...