Off the wire

— HOCKEY

Crosby gets 12-year deal

The Pittsburgh Penguins and center Sidney Crosby agreed to a 12-year, $104.4 million contract extension Thursday, despite concussion like symptoms that sidelined him for most of the past two seasons. The deal keeps Crosby, 24, tied to Pittsburgh through 2025 and gives the team some room to shop in the free-agent market. Crosby, whose previous deal was set to expire next summer, will be paid around $8.7 million a season. Crosby will officially sign the extension Sunday. “We are grateful for all that Sidney Crosby has done for our franchise since coming to Pittsburgh in 2005, both on and off the ice, and we look forward to having him in a Penguins uniform for the rest of his career,” owner Mario Lemieux said in a statement. The 2009 MVP has been limited to just 28 games in the last 18 months after sustaining a concussion in the Winter Classic against the Washington Capitals in January 2011. Crosby finished with eight goals and 29 assists last season and added three goals in a first-round playoff loss to Philadelphia. He become the youngest captain in NHL history to hoist the Stanley Cup when he led the Penguins to the title in 2009.Crosby opted not to take a raise over his current contract despite the prospect of the salary cap rising over the course of the next decade. The deal gives the Penguins leeway when free agency begins July 1. Crosby has 223 goals and 386 assists in his seven seasons, leading the NHL with 120 points in 2006-2007 and 51 goals in 2009-2010.

Jonathan Quick agreed to a 10-year contract extension Thursday with the Los Angeles Kings. Quick won the Conn Smythe Trophy, given to the MVP of the Stanley Cup playoffs, while leading Los Angeles to its first Stanley Cup championship earlier this month, and the Kings rewarded him with a new deal one year before he reached unrestricted free agency. He can’t sign the contract until Sunday. Quick just finished a breakthrough season in which he was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy, given to the league’s top goalie. The 26-year-old was among the NHL leaders in most goal tending categories, making his first All-Star team while setting the Kings’ regular-season records for shutouts (10), save percentage (.929) and goals-against average (1.95). He played in a team record 72 games, winning 39. Quick was even better in the postseason, giving up just 29 goals in the Kings’ 20 playoff games to finish with a 1.41 goals-against average, a .946 save percentage and 3 shutouts.

Veteran defenseman Hal Gill has signed a two-year, $4 million contract with the Nashville Predators. Gill, 37, was acquired by the Predators from Montreal in February and played in 23 regular-season games and five in the playoffs. Gill has played in 1,070 regular-season games since 1997-1998 and had 36 goals and 148 assists.

SOCCER

Italy makes Euro final

Mario Balotelli scored twice to give Italy a 2-1 victory over Germany on Thursday in Warsaw, Poland, and an unexpected spot in the European Championship final. Extending its winless streak against Italy in major tournaments to eight matches, Germany had no answer for Balotelli nor Antonio Cassano’s passing. In the 20th minute, Balotelli got past German defender Holger Badstuber to head in a cross from Cassano. Then in the36th minute, the 21-year-old striker received the ball behind the defense and blasted a long shot into the top right corner. Mesut Oezil scored from the penalty kick in injury time for Germany. Italy will face defending champion Spain in Sunday’s final.

Former England captain David Beckham will not play in the London Olympics. The Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder wasn’t selected for the final 18-man squad as one of three players over the age of 23 allowed to compete in the Games. Beckham, 37, had been widely expected to be selected for the Olympic squad after playing an instrumental role in helping his team win the bid in 2005 to host the Games. Beckham made the last of his 115 appearances for England in 2009.

BASKETBALL

Odom heads to Clippers

A person with knowledge of the deal says Lamar Odom is headed back to Los Angeles for a second chance with the Clippers and Mo Williams will be reunited with Utah. The person spoke on condition of anonymity Thursday night because a three-team deal between the Dallas Mavericks, Clippers and Jazz is contingent on Williams invoking his $8.5 million player option for next season. That person told The Associated Press that would happen by today. The Jazz drafted Williams in 2003, and are using a trade exception created by dealing Mehmet Okur to New Jersey last year. Dallas gets an $8.2 million trade exception instead of having to buy out Odom’s deal for $2.4 million. The Dallas Morning News first reported the deal.

Dwyane Wade needs surgery on his ailing left knee and will not play in next month’s London Olympics. The Miami Heat guard called USA Basketball Chairman Jerry Colangelo and Olympic Coach Mike Krzyzewski on Thursday to break the news, which was not unexpected after Wade played through pain in the postseason. He appeared in all 23 Heat playoff games despite the knee problems, averaging 22.6 points during Miami’s five-game victory over Oklahoma City in the NBA Finals. Wade has been told the surgery will be basically a “cleanup” procedure and should have him on crutches for only about a day afterward.

GOLF

Van Pelt leads PGA event

Bo Van Pelt kept bogeys off his card and picked up an extra stroke on No. 1 when his wedge shot spun back into the hole for an eagle Thursday at the AT&T National in Bethesda, Md. Van Pelt opened with a 4-under-par 67 to grab a one shot lead over Vijay Singh, Brendon De Jonge and Jimmy Walker, who bogeyed his final hole. Tiger Woods was never under par in the afternoon and opened with a 1-over 72. Bryce Molder (Conway) shot 78 and was tied for 108th.

Bruce Vaughan shot a 6-under-par 64 Thursday to take a one stroke lead over Fred Funk at the Senior Players Championship in Pittsburgh, the third of five Champions Tour majors. Fred Couples was two strokes back along with Tom Lehman, Michael Allen and Joe Daley. Greg Norman opened with a 67 in his first Champions Tour event since 2009.

Gregory Bourdy and Jeev Milkha Singh each shot 7-underpar 65 to share the first-round lead in the Irish Open in Portrush, Northern Ireland, on Thursday. John Daly (Dardanelle, Arkansas Razorbacks) opened with a 70.

MOTOR SPORTS

Buescher wins truck race

James Buescher held the lead for most of the way in temperatures approaching 100 degrees, fending off challengers to win the NASCAR truck series race Thursday at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, Ky. Buescher led for 119 laps. It was his second career truck series victory, following a victory at Kansas to open the season. Sprint Cup driver Brad Keselowski started 17th but climbed back to finish second. Ty Dillon was third.

Sports, Pages 22 on 06/29/2012

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