In Brief

Report: NHL All-Star Game
will have captains pick teams

The NHL All-Star Game will have a brand new look next year.

The Canadian Press, citing an unidentified source, reported two captains will choose players from either conference to make up the teams for the 2011 game in Raleigh, N.C. The expectation is the sides will be determined during a live TV event at the start of All-Star weekend.

NHL vice president Brendan Shanahan developed the idea and discussed the change during the general managers meetings Tuesday in Toronto, but he was reluctant to talk about it with the media afterward.

“We’ve worked for a little while now on this idea, this concept, closely with the NHLPA,” said Shanahan, who made eight appearances in the All-Star Game during his playing career. “They like the idea. Some of the players that they’ve talked to — potential All-Stars — they seem sort of excited and energized by it.”

An NHLPA spokesman said the organization has been working closely with the league to “revamp” All-Star weekend and is looking forward to announcing the details soon.

The Eastern Conference and Western Conference have faced off in the All-Star Game since 2003.

Under the new format, players will earn a trip to the game the same way as in the past — with fans voting for the starters and the NHL’s hockey operations staff rounding out the rest of the pool.

Also: NHL general managers shelved a proposal to allow coaches to challenge goal calls.

Florida Panthers GM Dale Tallon put the item on the agenda but didn’t receive much support from his colleagues. Florida lost a game in Toronto this season when the referees missed a blatant goaltender interference call.

Tallon wanted to give coaches the ability to challenge similar plays. He said there was a “lot of conversation” about the proposal but that it’s a “dead issue.”

PRO BASKETBALL

NBA players disagree with
Stern’s call for salary reduction

Atlanta Hawks veteran Maurice Evans said NBA players aren’t buying commissioner David Stern’s recent call for a one-third reduction in players’ salaries.

Stern said last month the league wants player costs to drop $750 million.

“We definitely don’t agree with those numbers,” Evans said. “We feel like the game is really at a great place.”

Evans, a vice president on the NBA Players Association executive committee, said the two sides might not be able make any substantial progress in the NBA labor talks until the February All-Star break, when all players are available to return to the negotiations.

Also: NBA leading scorer Monta Ellis rejoined the Golden State Warriors in New York after spending Monday night in Toronto to have his injured back examined.

Ellis was diagnosed with a strained lower back. He underwent X-rays and a CT scan after falling awkwardly to the floor with 1:22 remaining in the Warriors’ 109-102 win over the Raptors, in which Ellis scored 28 points.

Ellis is averaging 27.9 points for Golden State (5-2), which plays at the Knicks today. He is listed as day to day

MISCELLANEOUS

PGA squad rallies for victory
in Wendy’s 3-Tour Challenge

Bubba Watson made an 18-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to cap a comeback victory for the PGA Tour team in the Wendy’s 3-Tour Challenge at Rio Secco Golf Club.

Watson, Dustin Johnson and Boo Weekley finished a combined 14 under par in the two-player, best-ball format that allowed each team to discard one score per hole. The group shot 11 under over the final eight holes to overtake the Champions Tour team of Nick Price, Bernhard Langer and Kenny Perry, which finished at 13 under.

The LPGA team of Cristie Kerr, Suzann Pettersen and Henderson resident Natalie Gulbis finished third at 11 under after winning the event last year.

Also: Chelsea’s Didier Drogba was treated for malaria and will be fit when the English Premier League leaders face Fulham today.

The Ivory Coast soccer star complained of a fever on the eve of Sunday’s match against Liverpool and only came on as a second-half substitute in a 2-0 loss.

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti said he does not know where Drogba contracted malaria.

“I gave him a few days off and he went on holiday, and then he has malaria,” Ancelotti said. “But it’s over now.”

Top-ranked Brazil defeated Germany, and defending champion Russia topped Serbia as both teams reached the semifinals of the women’s volleyball world championship in Nagoya, Japan.

The United States, which has only one loss, beat the Netherlands to improve its chances of qualifying for the semifinals.