Sports News Roundup: David Pastrnak's hat trick boosts Bruins; French mechanic dies in Dakar rally accident and more

Guardiola, who missed Friday's 4-1 FA Cup third round victory over Swindon Town after returning a positive test, did not specify whether the new cases were among players or members of staff while the number of cases was also not mentioned. Beijing takes steps to reduce traffic, pollution during Winter Olympics Aiming to reduce road traffic and pollution during the Winter Olympics, host city Beijing announced a series of measures on Friday, including a ban on heavy vehicles transporting construction waste, dirt, sand and gravel for nearly two months.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

NHL roundup: David Pastrnak's hat trick boosts Bruins

David Pastrnak recorded his 11th career hat trick to punctuate the highly anticipated return of goaltender Tuukka Rask as the Boston Bruins held off the visiting Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 on Thursday night. Rask made 25 saves in his first game since Game 6 of the Bruins' second-round playoff series against the New York Islanders on June 9, 2021. The 34-year-old goaltender underwent offseason hip surgery and signed a one-year, $1 million deal to rejoin the Bruins on Tuesday.

Cricket-Head hundred revives Australia after top-order meltdown

Travis Head returned from COVID-19 to smash a belligerent 101 and Cameron Green made 74 to revive Australia after a top-order collapse on the opening day of the day-night final Ashes test against England on Friday. England's all-seam attack had reduced Australia to 12-3 in a strong start for the tourists, who have already lost the five-test series following heavy defeats in Brisbane, Adelaide and Melbourne.

French mechanic dies in Dakar rally accident

A French mechanic in the Dakar rally has died in an accident involving an assistance vehicle and a local truck in Saudi Arabia, the Dakar rally organisers said on Friday. Rally organisers said the driver was French national Quentin Lavalee, who was driving a car belonging to the team PH Sport. His passenger, Belgian national Maxime Frere, was injured and was transported to hospital in Jeddah.

Rallying-Qatar's Al Attiyah wins Dakar for the fourth time

Qatar's Nasser Al Attiyah won the Dakar Rally for the fourth time in the car category on Friday while British motorcycle rider Sam Sunderland took his second title. Toyota factory driver Al Attiyah had led from the Jan. 1 start in Saudi Arabia and finished in Jeddah 27 minutes and 46 seconds ahead of France's nine times world rally champion Sebastien Loeb.

Alpine skiing-Kilde hits back at Odermatt to win Wengen downhill

Norway's Aleksander Aamodt Kilde denied Marco Odermatt a second successive World Cup victory on home snow as he beat the Swiss by a narrow margin to win the Wengen downhill on Friday. One day after finishing second in the super-G to the 24-year-old Odermatt, who was making his maiden World Cup start on the Lauberhorn, Kilde charged down the course in one minute and42.42 seconds.

NBA roundup: Grizzlies get by Wolves for 11th straight win

Desmond Bane scored 21 points and Jaren Jackson Jr. added 20 points and five blocks to lift the surging Memphis Grizzlies to a 116-108 victory over the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday. John Konchar collected 15 points and 17 rebounds and Brandon Clarke added 14 and eight as the Grizzlies extended their franchise-best winning streak to 11 games. Memphis, which has won 21 of its last 25 games, also avenged a 138-95 shellacking at the hands of Minnesota on Nov. 20.

Djokovic appeal to be heard Saturday after Australia cancels visa again

Unvaccinated tennis star Novak Djokovic won the right to take his fight against deportation from Australia to a Federal Court on Saturday after the government cancelled his visa for the second time over COVID-19 entry regulations. The government undertook not to deport him until the case was over, although the world's number one player was nevertheless ordered to return to pre-deportation detention at 8 a.m. (2100 GMT Friday).

Djokovic to fight Australia visa cancellation on ground decision was "irrational"

Australia cancelled Novak Djokovic's visa on the grounds his presence in the country might excite anti-vaccination sentiment, and not because he posed a health threat being unvaccinated against COVID-19, his lawyers told a court on Friday night. Immigration Minister Alex Hawke's decision was "patently irrational", Djokovic's lawyer Nicholas Wood told the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, explaining that would be the main reason for asking the court to quash the second cancellation of his visa.

Soccer-Guardiola confirms new COVID-19 cases at City ahead of Chelsea clash

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said there are additional COVID-19 cases at the club following last week's outbreak as they prepare to take on second-placed Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday. Guardiola, who missed Friday's 4-1 FA Cup third round victory over Swindon Town after returning a positive test, did not specify whether the new cases were among players or members of staff while the number of cases was also not mentioned.

Beijing takes steps to reduce traffic, pollution during Winter Olympics

Aiming to reduce road traffic and pollution during the Winter Olympics, host city Beijing announced a series of measures on Friday, including a ban on heavy vehicles transporting construction waste, dirt, sand and gravel for nearly two months. In response to any forecast increase in air pollution levels, which often happens during the winter months, authorities will ban all medium- and heavy-duty fuel trucks from the road and use of government vehicles will be cut by 80 percent.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)