Sports briefs 11/15
NHL
The NHL will consider Finland’s plans to prevent Russian athletes entering the country when deciding whether to stage more regular-season games there in future, the league told the Associated Press.
Finland and Norway both announced plans to refuse entry to Russian athletes Thursday, the same day as the Carolina Hurricanes and Seattle Kraken played the first of two NHL regular-season games in the Finnish capital, Helsinki.
The Finnish restrictions take effect from Monday, after the NHL games, and follow a backlash to Russia being reinstated in the hockey world championships, which is not an NHL event.
Soccer
Tears filled Mauricio Pochettino’s eyes as he discussed quitting as coach of the U.S. national team for his dream job with Manchester United.
“A decision that in some parts, it’s a very sad decision, in other parts, we are professional and we need also to try to find the next step, to try and make your dreams come true,” he said Friday.
Just three months after the U.S. Soccer Federation announced his contract to lead the Americans through the 2030 World Cup, Pochettino said he will depart next week for Old Trafford. He will try to revive the 20-time English champions, in the relegation zone after 10 games of the Premier League season.
College football
Tennessee running back Daune Morris sustained a broken leg in an early morning car crash, the school said.
The crash comes ahead of No. 9 Tennessee’s game at Texas A&M on Saturday.
Morris was ticketed for reckless driving following the crash, according to a police report. The report says the 19-year-old was driving a Dodge Charger with two passengers when he lost control and hit a fire hydrant and four parked cars in a parking lot before the Charger flipped and came to rest on its roof.
Morris was wearing a seat belt and no alcohol or drugs were involved, according to the police report.
Golf
Hye-Jin Choi opened with two bogeys, made up ground with a 15-foot eagle putt late and finished with a 3-under 67 Friday that gave her a three-way share of the lead at The Annika and another chance to win for the first time in 127 tries on the LPGA Tour.
It was far more effective than the bogey-free round of Nelly Korda, the No. 1 player who could only laugh at her clean card because it was cleaner than she would have preferred – 15 straight pars, one birdie, two closing pars for a 69.
That left Korda four shots behind going into the week at Pelican Golf Club, where a victory would make the 28-year-old American eligible for the LPGA Hall of Fame.
NBA
The New Orleans Pelicans said they will try to trade disgruntled guard Dejounte Murray after his representatives with Klutch Sports requested a move.
The 30-year-old Murray was ruled out Friday night against the Memphis Grizzlies because of a left ankle sprain, and Pelicans coach Jamahl Mosley said Murray was not at the Smoothie King Center.
The Pelicans acquired Murray in a June 2024 trade with the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for two first-round picks, Dyson Daniels, Larry Nance Jr. and E.J. Liddell.
Murray’s tenure with the Pelicans was dogged by injuries. Over the last three seasons, Murray has played just 54 games with New Orleans, averaging 16.6 points, 6.6 assists and 5.9 rebounds.