Jun 18, 2021 4 min read

In the NHL

Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov has won the Selke Trophy as the NHL’s best defensive forward for the first time in his eight-year career.

Barkov was announced as the winner of the award Friday night before Vegas faced Montreal in Game 3 of one semifinal series. He was a finalist for the first time.

The 25-year-old Finn became just the fifth player in league history to win both the Selke and the Lady Byng for gentlemanly conduct. He won the Lady Byng in 2019.

Barkov ranked ninth among forwards averaging just under 21 minutes a game and was 10th in the league with a winning percentage of 54.9 on faceoffs.

Boston center Patrice Bergeron and Vegas winger Mark Stone were the other finalists for the Selke, which is voted on by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association. Golden Knights defenseman Alec Martinez offered his endorsement of Stone after the team’s morning skate Friday.

Beasley won’t follow NFL’s COVID rules

Buffalo Bills receiver Cole Beasley does not plan to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and insists he will not follow rules jointly adopted by the NFL and NFLPA requiring unvaccinated players to stay clear of people.

Tweeting in response to criticism over the last 24 hours of his stance on social media, Beasley confirmed Friday he is not vaccinated and will “live my one life like I want to regardless.”

“I will be outside doing what I do,” he tweeted. “I’ll be out in public. If your (sic) scared of me then steer clear, or get vaccinated … I may die of covid, but I’d rather die actually living.

“I’m not going to take meds for a leg that isn’t broken. I’d rather take my chances with Covid and build up my immunity that way …I’ll play for free this year to live life how I’ve lived it from day one. If I’m forced into retirement, so be it.”

Beasley said a lot of players agree with him.

In golf

Leona Maguire shot a 8-under 64 Friday to take a three-stroke lead in the Meijer LPGA Classic, the second straight week the Irish rookie has topped a leaderboard.

The 26-year-old former Duke player is trying to become the first Irish winner in LPGA Tour history. Last week in California, she tied for ninth in the LPGA Mediheal Championship after leading after the first round.

Maguire had a 15-under 129 total at Blythefield (Mich.) Country Club. Starting her morning round on No. 10, she had five birdies in a back-nine 31, bogeyed Nos. 1 and 2, then birdied Nos. 4 and 6, eagled the par-5 eighth and birdied the par-4 ninth.

Su Oh of Australia was second after a bogey-free 65. Linda Duncan was 11 under after a 65.

Emmert urges action on NIL

NCAA President Mark Emmert told the association’s more than 1,100 member schools Friday that he will seek temporary rules as early as July to ensure all athletes can be compensated for their celebrity with a host of state laws looming and congressional efforts seemingly stalled.

In a memo obtained by the Associated Press, Emmert urged members to pass legislation by the end of June that would for the first time make it permissible for college athletes to earn money off their names, images and likenesses.

All three divisions of NCAA athletics have been working toward reforming NIL rules and lifting restrictions on athletes since 2019.

“Since that time, many states have enacted NIL legislation and 10 state laws can take effect this July. It is therefore essential we now enact rules before the end of the month,” Emmert wrote in an email sent to presidents and chancellors and athletic directors.