Area Hockey news

AREA

Tibbett named
by NAHL

BOARDMAN — Mahoning Valley Phantoms goaltender Jordan Tibbett was named honorable mention for player of the week in the NAHL North Division.

In his first action since Jan. 20, the Indianapolis native stopped 31 shots Saturday, leading the Phantoms to a 4-1 win over the Marquette Rangers.

The Phantoms play host to the Traverse City North Stars Friday and Saturday. Game time is slated for 7:15 p.m. both nights at the Ice Zone.

Pozzuto selected

KENT — Kent State freshman Markie Pozzuto (Maplewood) has been selected as the Mid-American Conf. East Division softball pitcher of the week.

Pozzuto pitched a five-inning no-hitter without a walk in a 9-0 win over North Carolina Central last weekend.

She struckout 10 of the 15 hitters she faced in the game.

STEELHOUNDS

Promotions added

YOUNGSTOWN — The Youngstown SteelHounds have added giveaways for fans who visit the Chevrolet Centre this weekend. 

Saturday night, the first 1,500 fans will receive SteelHounds “Rally Towels” when the SteelHounds take on the Oklahoma City Blazers at 7:05 p.m.

Sunday afternoon, all fans will receive Rick Nash wristbands when the SteelHounds and Blazers face-off at 4:05 p.m.

Friday’s game is $1 beer night for fans 21 years and older. The SteelHounds’ annual “My Big Fat Youngstown Wedding On Ice” is scheduled for Saturday as couples will be married and renew their vows on the Chevrolet Centre ice. 

Both nights the Hounds will wear special pink jerseys for cancer awareness with the specialty jerseys being auctioned off after Saturday’s contest. 

Following Sunday’s game, fans can skate.

NATION

Safin withdraws

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Marat Safin withdrew from the upcoming SAP Open because of a stress fracture in his right leg and stomach flu.

Safin missed last weekend’s Davis Cup tie for Russia against Serbia. He had been scheduled to play an exhibition next Monday against Pete Sampras to start the tournament. Tommy Haas will replace Safin in that match.

Wilson earns spot

INDIANAPOLIS — Five-time national champion Blaine Wilson earned a spot on the U.S. men’s gymnastics team Tuesday, and will receive funding for three months as he trains in an attempt to make his fourth Olympics.

Yewki Tomita, David Sender and Justin Spring also were awarded three of the final 15 spots on the team, which were filled out over the weekend at the Winter Cup Challenge.

Defending Olympic champion Paul Hamm, Raj Bhavsar, Joseph Hagerty and Sean Townsend earned spots based on their scores in the all-around at Winter Cup, while Tomita, Sender and Wilson got theirs based on a more complex formula that factored in their scores on individual events.

Wilson, trying to make a comeback at 33, finished in the top 10 in all four events he competed in at Winter Cup.

Spring, who withdrew from the competition while he continues to rehabilitate his injured knee, made it on a special petition for injured athletes.

EA extends contract

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. — Electronic Arts will continue to produce exclusive NFL video games through the 2012 season after it extended its contracts with the league and the Players Association.

EA will retain its rights to use NFL teams, stadiums and players in its games, the company said Tuesday. The agreements provide EA access to NFL Films and the NFL Network to use in games.

Many watch Pro Bowl

NEW YORK — The NFL’s Pro Bowl drew its best ratings in eight years. Sunday’s game on Fox earned a 6.3 rating and a 12 share. That’s up 37 percent from last year’s 4.6. It’s the highest Pro Bowl rating since the game attracted an 8.6 in 2000.

The rating is the percentage of homes with televisions watching a broadcast, and the share is the percentage watching among those with the TV on at the time.

WORLD

Pair advance at games

ANTWERP, Belgium — Julie Ditty of the United States upset eighth-seeded Alona Bondarenko 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 Tuesday in the first round of the Diamond Games.

Karin Knapp rallied to beat Yaroslava Shvedova 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 and reached the quarterfinals.

Alisa Kleybanova upset sixth-seeded Agnes Szavay 6-2, 6-3. Szavay, ranked 18th, had reached the final of the Gaz de France Open in Paris last week.

In another first-round match, Dominika Cibulkova edged Tzipora Obziler 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Sofia Arvidsson routed American Meilen Tu 6-1, 6-2 to set up a match against second-seeded Anna Chakvetadze.

Top-ranked Justine Henin plays Thursday in her home country, and will attempt to win her second title of the year. She’ll play Tsvetana Pironkova, who routed Anne Kremer 6-1, 6-1.

Vindicator staff/wire reports