Thompson to speak to Curbstone

Matt Thompson, the Mahoning Valley Scrappers assistant general manager, will be the guest speaker at Monday’s luncheon meeting of The Curbstone Coaches at the Avion Banquet Center on Western Reserve Road in Beaver Township.

The event begins at noon and the public is welcome to attend.

For those arriving early, the buffet lines will open at 11:45 a.m.

Correction

In Friday’s edition of the Tribune Chronicle, a Hubbard player was misidentified. A.J. Cheney was “Ben” in story on the Hubbard-Poland baseball game.

NCAA panel pitches hoops challenge

The NCAA Men’s Basketball Rules Committee, in an effort to enhance the flow of games, has recommended that video reviews of out-of-bounds calls can only be initiated by a coach’s challenge.

The NCAA announced Friday that the committee met this week in Indianapolis and addressed concerns about lengthy disruptions, particularly near the end of games.

In addition to recommending the use of coach’s challenges, points of emphasis to improve flow will include directives to address delay-of-game tactics, limit time spent at the monitor, improve game administration efficiency and reduce physicality.

The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel must approve proposals before they become official. The panel is scheduled to meet June 10.

Under the coach’s challenge proposal, teams must have a timeout to request a video review challenge. If the challenge is successful, teams would be allowed to have one additional challenge for the rest of the game, including overtime. If the first challenge is unsuccessful, the team loses the ability to challenge the rest of the game.

Other than in the last two minutes of a game and in overtime, a coach’s challenge also would be necessary to initiate a review of basket interference/goaltending and restricted arc plays. Recent data shows those reviews caused minimal game interruptions. Officials could not initiate video review on out-of-bounds calls at any point in a game.

Fans have complained about the disruption of game flow as the number of situations when video review can be used has increased over the last decade. Karl Hicks, committee chair and associate commissioner for basketball at the American Athletic Conference, said taking steps to improve flow was the priority of this year’s meeting.

“Coach’s challenges were deemed to be the most efficient way to accomplish this goal,” Hicks said. “Data from the NCAA tournament and membership conferences showed a substantial number of reviews were on out-of-bounds plays. The committee looked at other basketball leagues around the world to see what the best solution would be for the NCAA, and the committee agreed with the NBA coach’s challenge system and its one plus one process.”

Officials still can initiate video reviews to check for timing mistakes, scoring errors, shot-clock violations, 2-point versus 3-point field goal attempts and flagrant fouls.

The committee also recommended a modification to the continuous motion rule where an offensive player who ends his dribble going toward the basket and absorbs contact from the defense could pivot or complete the step he is on and finish his shot attempt.

The committee also asked Division I conferences to create a joint working group to provide feedback on the potential change from halves to quarters.

Bettman encouraged by CBA talks

SUNRISE, Fla. — The NHL is encouraged by the status of collective bargaining talks, Commissioner Gary Bettman said Friday, adding that he’s optimistic a deal will be done long before the September 2026 expiration of the current deal between the league and its players.

Talks began in earnest earlier this year and given the current state of the game — revenues soaring, the sport booming and some additional momentum that came out of the 4 Nations Face-Off event in February — there was no reason to think the sides would encounter major snags.

“Sooner rather than later?” Bettman said, responding to a question about when he’d like to see a deal done. “I mean, we have plenty of time. We have the rest of this season and all of next season. But I don’t envision it taking a year to get done.

“To the contrary, I think it’ll get done sooner rather later,” Bettman continued. “I don’t have a timetable to give you. But I do think things are progressing nicely.”

The current CBA does not expire until Sept. 15, 2026. There has been optimism that a new deal between the NHL and the NHL Players Association could be reached in the coming months, and Bettman’s comments Friday before watching the Florida-Toronto Eastern Conference semifinal game did nothing to suggest otherwise.

The fact that there’s a pleasant tone around talks of the negotiations is a major deviation from what has tripped the NHL up at times in the past, with some CBA talks ending with work stoppages — including one that cost the league an entire season.

The league and union have already agreed on and revealed salary cap figures for each of the next three seasons, with the ceiling going up by record amounts every year.

“We’re talking and we’re getting together on a pretty regular basis,” Bettman said. “I think the conversations are constructive. I think ultimately they’ll be productive. And I think in terms of the relationship that the NHL has with the NHLPA, my relationship with (NHLPA head) Marty Walsh is in a very good place. And so, I remain very positive and optimistic that we’re going to come together and get this done.”

Vegas’ Roy fined for cross-checking

NEW YORK — Vegas Golden Knights forward Nicolas Roy was fined but not suspended Friday for cross-checking the Edmonton Oilers’ Trent Frederic in the face in overtime of Game 2 of the second-round playoff series.

The NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced the fine of $7,813, the maximum allowed under the collective bargaining agreement, after a disciplinary hearing with him. Roy was ejected with a five-minute match penalty for his two-handed stick to Frederic after a board battle with him 5 1/2 minutes into OT on Thursday night.

Vegas trails the best-of-seven series 2-0 with Game 3 Saturday night at Edmonton.