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SPORTS Friday 14 december 2018

Paul Stewart

Continued from Page 17 Walkom, the NHL’s director
of officiating, told The Asso-
Stewart joined David Poile, ciated Press in September
general manager of the that the league is open to
NHL’s Nashville Predators, anyone testing themselves
three-time Olympic medal- at the combine and the
ist and U.S. national team pool is growing with more
captain Natalie Darwitz, women playing hockey.
former Michigan coach What the NHL is looking for
Red Berenson and the late in officials applies to men
Leland “Hago” Harrington and women. Walkom said
being inducted. NHL Com- qualities need include be-
missioner Gary Bettman ing an exceptional skater
also presented the 2018 to keep up with the pace
Lester Patrick Award to the of play, and Bettman told
late Jim Johansson. the AP that being as quali-
Darwitz, who currently fied as other candidates is
coaches Division III Hamline the key.
in St. Paul, Minnesota, said “I don’t view any limitations From left, former Michigan coach Red Berenson, three-time Olympic medalist Natalie Darwitz,
Nashville Predators general manager David Poile and retired NHL hockey referee Paul Stewart
women being officials in in our ability to continue pose with their plaques before being inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, Wednesday,
the NHL is possible. She said to attract knowledgeable, Dec. 12, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn.
she couldn’t shoot a puck smart, hard-working pro- Associated Press
like a man or skate as fast fessionals, whether they’re tel a couple blocks from won silver in Vancouver. won Olympic silver in 2002
but believe women could male or female,” Bettman the Predators’ arena thanks “I’m a lucky guy,” Poile and 2010 and bronze in
be referees. She men- said. Talking about be- to Poile, the man who built said. “I was born into a 2006. “Hopefully in 10 years
tioned Guay and Kristine ing inducted, Stewart got Nashville’s NHL franchise hockey family, so I have no or less than that another
Langley, who’s currently a emotional and teared up. from the ground up as an regrets and I have no com- female’s getting induct-
referee for men’s game at The man who had 288 pen- expansion franchise. Poile, plaints.” ed, and they’re like ‘Oh, I
the D-III level. alty minutes in 65 games already the NHL’s longest- Being inducted in the same know that name,’ and it’s
“If you know the game well played in the WHA and tenured and winningest year that the U.S. women a household name versus a
enough, that’s certainly a NHL joked he felt like he’d general manager , current- won Olympic gold for the lot of Minnesotans know my
huge possibility that could had an onion in his face all ly is in his 37th straight sea- first time in 20 years made name,” Darwitz said. “They
happen in the future,” Dar- day. “You’ve seen a side of son after spending his first this even more special for might not know my name
witz said. “And I would love me not a lot of players ever 15 with Washington. Darwitz. The youngest ever in Nashville or Michigan,
to see that.” saw,” Stewart said. “I used Poile also was general player named to the U.S. but if they follow women’s
Five women took part in the to make them cry.” manager of the 2014 U.S. women’s national team at hockey they certainly know
NHL’s officiating combine The induction ceremo- Olympic men’s team and 15, she wound up captain my name. Hopefully that
in Buffalo in August, one ny was a sellout event associate general man- of the U.S. women’s nation- trend continues in women’s
more than 2017. Stephen Wednesday night at a ho- ager for the 2010 team that al team from 2007-10 and hockey.” q

Stars & Stripes Team USA launches all-American cup challenge

By BERNIE WILSON Cup four times in the last he began doing research America’s Cup in 2010 and ican, although one sailor
AP Sports Writer five years. on former American chal- 2013, there were few Amer- who was living in the United
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Stars & Stars & Stripes Team USA is lengers, he found that Con- icans on the crew. States at the time was Ca-
Stripes Team USA has been the fifth challenger to be ner had appeared on the While the New York Yacht nadian.
accepted as a challeng- accepted by the Royal cover of Time and Sports Club’s American Magic is “I really enjoyed having
er for the 2021 America’s New Zealand Yacht Club Illustrated in the 1980s. led by skipper Terry Hutchin- what I thought was an all-
Cup, promising to have an for the 36th America’s Cup “I was absolutely stunned son of Annapolis, Maryland, American crew,” Koch
all-American squad in a in Auckland. It joins Chal- and I realized that what was the helmsman is New Zea- said. “We bragged about
competition where nation- lenger of Record Luna missing was this authentic lander Dean Barker and it, as well. I think it gives a
ality has mattered little in Rossa of Italy, the New York story,” Buckley said. “Why there are other internation- little more spirit to the na-
recent decades. Yacht Club’s American hasn’t that happened re- al sailors on the crew. tionality of it. If you have
The name is a nod to Den- Magic, INEOS Team UK and cently? Dennis used to Canfield said he and all Kiwis on an American
nis Conner, who won the Malta Altus Challenge in have an all-American chal- Buckley first started talk- team, you’re not so excited
America’s Cup four times, the group that will contend lenge. ... When we decided ing about doing a cam- about it.”
the final two with boats for the Prada Cup and the to do this, that was one of paign after Emirates Team Stars & Stripes Team USA
named Stars & Stripes. right to face Emirates Team the driving factors. It’s not New Zealand upset Oracle gained traction in April af-
Stars & Stripes Team USA New Zealand in the Ameri- about Mike or Taylor. Let’s Team USA in Bermuda in ter Canfield skippered US
was co-founded by pro- ca’s Cup match. do this for American sailing June 2017, ending tech bil- One Sailing Team to victory
fessional sailors Taylor Can- Canfield, 29, said the goal is and America in general, so lionaire Larry Ellison’s grip over Barker’s Team Ameri-
field, one of the world’s top to have an all-American ef- that people get inspired.” on the Auld Mug. can Magic in the Congres-
match-racing skippers, and fort, from the design team The 167-year-old America’s Conner, whose last Amer- sional Cup.
Mike Buckley. to the builders to the sailors. Cup originally was viewed ica’s Cup victory came in The Long Beach Yacht
The team is backed by the “There are a lot of great as “friendly competition 1988 with an all-American Club’s first America’s Cup
Long Beach Yacht Club, sailors in this country, so between foreign coun- crew, declined to com- challenge sprang from
which hosts the prestigious there’s no doubt we can tries,” but nationality rules ment. Bill Koch won the old- Canfield’s recent domi-
Congressional Cup match- put a great team togeth- have been obliterated in est trophy in international nance in the Congressional
racing regatta. Canfield er,” Canfield said. recent decades. Although sports in 1992 with a crew Cup, commodore Bill Du-
has won the Congressional Buckley, 36, said that when Oracle Team USA won the he believed to be all-Amer- rant said.q