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SPORTS Saturday 12 January 2019

NHL tests puck and player tracking in regular-season games

By STEPHEN WHYNO negatives,” said Mathieu
AP Hockey Writer Schneider, a retired defen-
LAS VEGAS (AP) — The NHL seman and special assis-
for the first time has tested tant to the NHLPA execu-
real-time puck and player tive director.
tracking in regular-season Once the technology is
games and intends to implemented, the NHL will
have it in place across the join the NFL as the two ma-
league next season. jor North American profes-
Microchips were added sional sports leagues with
to players’ shoulder pads players wearing tracking
and fitted inside specially technology.
designed pucks for two Ve- The NBA and Major League
gas Golden Knights home Baseball track players and
games this week, against game action using sophisti-
the New York Rangers and cated systems that can in-
the San Jose Sharks. clude radar and cameras.
Antennas around the are- The Jogmo World Corp.
na tracked the players and and the Fraunhofer Institute
the puck through radio in Germany developed this
frequencies and relayed particular system in con-
the data to a suite where junction with the NHL over
league and Players’ Asso- People watch real-time puck and player tracking technology on display during an NHL hockey the past three years.
ciation executives and rep- game between the Vegas Golden Knights and the San Jose Sharks in Las Vegas, Thursday, Jan. It has taken that long just to
resentatives from 20 teams 9, 2010. get it right; the rubber used
and various technology Associated Press to make pucks originally
firms, sports betting com- simulations. “Technology at a record pace.” player tracking for several didn’t work with the sen-
panies and TV rights holders gives us a chance to bring Fans will get their first real years. sors.
were watching. our fans closer to the game, taste of this puck and play- Player concerns over The system tracks a puck
Previous versions of puck gives them a chance to er tracking system at the tracking data being used 2,000 times per second and
and player tracking were look at the game from dif- upcoming All-Star Week- against them have been players 200 times per sec-
tested at All-Star games ferent perspectives, to end Jan 25-26 in San Jose quelled enough that they ond.
and the 2016 World Cup actually see from a data when NBC in the U.S. and agreed to an understand- “Overall, hockey’s the most
of Hockey. The latest tests standpoint, from a visual Rogers in Canada will have ing with the league about challenging sport that you
were intended to refine standpoint more of what’s access to the data to use wearing the microchips. All can think of because the
the logistics of using the going on in the game,” on their broadcasts. If all three teams this week had highest mechanics, the
technology in meaningful Commissioner Gary Bett- goes according to plan, the chips in their uniforms highest speed, the highest
games and to show how man told The Associated the full range of puck and and every puck had the impact,” Jogmo founder
the real-time statistics can Press on Thursday night as player tracking will be in technology. and CEO Martin Bachmay-
be used on broadcasts, in Vegas played the Sharks. place to begin next sea- The NHL owns the data but er said. “We had to change
betting applications and “And the opportunity is son. must share it with the union. the puck recipe, the puck
even to create virtual real- unlimited in an era where The NHL and NHLPA have “I do think the potential mixture to make that work.
ity and augmented reality technology is developing been discussing puck and positives far outweigh any That was super difficult.” q

South Africa collapses to 262, Pakistan 17-2 in 3rd test

Associated Press Mohammad Abbas, Mo- Markram made 90 — 78
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — hammad Amir and Hasan of those runs in the first ses-
South Africa lost seven Ali, another bowler brought sion — and was part of a
wickets for 33 runs in a col- in, had two wickets each as 126-run partnership for the
lapse and Pakistan’s bats- the Pakistan attack worked second wicket with Hashim
men also struggled as the together to give the touring Amla (41).
ball swung and seamed team its best day of the se- Theunis de Bruyn (49) and
late on the first day of the ries. Zubayr Hamza (41), who
final test at the Wanderers Pakistan’s reply at stumps was on his test debut, had
on Friday. tempered that slightly, with a 75-run stand for the fourth
South Africa was 154-2 and Shan Masood and Azhar wicket to keep South Africa
229-3 before Pakistan’s Ali falling off consecutive in apparent control.
quick bowlers carved deliveries from Vernon Phi- It seemed that Pakistan
through the middle and lander. Pakistan used Ab- was going to rue not capi-
lower order in the final bas as a nightwatchman to talizing on an early break-
session to bowl the home fend off any more damage through, when stand-in
team out for 262 and give South Africa’s batsman Zubayr Hamza hits a six on day one of and was 17-2 at stumps, captain Dean Elgar was
the tourists hope of avoid- the third cricket test match between South Africa and Pakistan 245 behind. out for 5 in the second over
ing a 3-0 series whitewash. at Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, Friday, Twelve wickets fell on the and South Africa was 6-1.
Pakistan is 2-0 down and Jan. 11, 2019. first day, nine of them in the Elgar is captaining South
has already lost the three- Associated Press eventful last session. Africa after Faf du Ples-
match series but team its bowling lineup. of three players called Pakistan’s fightback was sis’ one-test ban for over
changes and a helpful Allrounder Faheem Ashraf into the side for the series- extraordinary after South rate offenses in the first two
pitch seemed to invigorate took 3-57 after being one ender. Africa opener Aiden matches. q