Sports News Roundup: Knights win 8th straight, clinch playoff bid; Celtics face questions with Suns coming to town and more

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs. NHL roundup: Knights win 8th straight, clinch playoff bid Jonathan Marchessault had two goals and two assists as the Vegas Golden Knights won their eighth consecutive game, defeating the San Jose Sharks 5-2 on Wednesday in Las Vegas to become the first NHL team to clinch a playoff berth this season.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

NHL roundup: Knights win 8th straight, clinch playoff bid

Jonathan Marchessault had two goals and two assists as the Vegas Golden Knights won their eighth consecutive game, defeating the San Jose Sharks 5-2 on Wednesday in Las Vegas to become the first NHL team to clinch a playoff berth this season. The Golden Knights improved to 7-0-0 against the Sharks with only the teams' regular-season finale, May 12 in San Jose, remaining in the season series.

Celtics face questions with Suns coming to town

Despite a two-day break, the Boston Celtics have plenty of question marks in play as they get set to host the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night. Five players were listed on the Celtics' injury report Wednesday, the most notable being swingman Jaylen Brown as doubtful with left shoulder bursitis. Fellow All-Star Jayson Tatum is questionable with left ankle impingement but said he believes he'll play.

Australia's Scott opts out of Tokyo Olympics

Former world number one Adam Scott has decided to skip the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics this year to spend time with his family, the Australian's manager told Golf Channel on Thursday. Scott, who won the Masters in 2013 and gained the number one ranking a year later, also withdrew from the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games because he was worried about the possible transmission of the mosquito-borne Zika virus.

Soccer-Premier League tells Big Six execs to leave committees: Sky Sports

The Premier League has told executives from the clubs involved in the breakaway European Super League to step down from key committees or risk being "forcibly removed", British media reported. Premier League Chief Excutive Richard Masters had approached executives from Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City on Wednesday asking them to relinquish their positions on working groups, Sky Sports said.

NBA roundup: Wizards slow Warriors' Stephen Curry

The streaking Washington Wizards harassed Stephen Curry into 7-for-25 shooting while getting 29 points from Bradley Beal and a triple-double from Russell Westbrook in a 118-114 victory over the visiting Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night. Westbrook finished with 14 points, a game-high 20 rebounds and 10 assists, though he turned the ball over nine times. The Wizards earned their season-high sixth consecutive win while handing the Warriors just their second loss in the past seven games.

Tokyo Olympic torch staffer becomes event's 1st COVID-19 infection

A police officer helping with Japan's Olympic Torch relay has become the first participant in the event to be diagnosed with COVID-19, organisers said on Thursday. A man in his 30s tested positive for the virus after working on the relay in Kagawa prefecture on Japan's southern island of Shikoku, Tokyo 2020 said in a statement.

MLB roundup: Wild throw ends wild game as A's win 11th straight

Third baseman Luis Arraez threw wildly to first on a potential game-ending ground out with two outs in the 10th inning Wednesday afternoon, allowing the tying and winning runs to score as the Oakland Athletics rallied for their 11th straight win, 13-12 over the visiting Minnesota Twins. After Byron Buxton launched a two-run home run off Oakland closer Lou Trivino with one out in the top of the 10th, Twins closer Alex Colome (1-2) got two outs in the last of the inning before walking Seth Brown and Elvis Andrus to load the bases.

German athletes body challenges IOC ban on protests at Tokyo Games

Germany's athletes' association said competitors should not be sanctioned for gestures such as taking a knee or lifting a fist in support of racial equality during the Tokyo Olympics. The International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Rule 50 forbids any kind of "demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda" in venues and any other Olympic area and the Games body concluded on Wednesday the rule should be maintained following an athlete consultation.

Elite clubs will scheme again, but opponents ready to fight another day

The spectacular collapse of the proposed European Super League may feel like a victory for supporters who protested against the plans across the continent and outside English Premier League grounds but the top clubs are already plotting their next move. Back in 2019 a much-maligned proposal to overhaul the Champions League club competition into a 32-team division nearly saw the light of day and then came plans for big changes to the structure and finances of English football last year.

No.1 Barty among players to get COVID-19 vaccine in US

World number one Ash Barty said she was one of several players given access to a COVID-19 vaccine through a WTA Tour initiative at a tournament in South Carolina earlier this month.

Barty, who turns 25 on Saturday, and her Australian coach Craig Tyzzer were among those who took advantage of the WTA's offer but said she made sure they were not "jumping the queue".

(With inputs from agencies.)