Stamkos goes No. 1 in NHL Draft
OTTAWA, June 20 (UPI) -- The Tampa Bay Lightning made 18-year-old Steven Stamkos the top pick in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft Friday.
Stamkos was rated the top skater in North America by the NHL's chief scouting service. He led his minor league team with 105 points this year and he was also a member of the 2008 Canadian team that captured the World Junior Championships.
The centerman also fits a major need for Tampa Bay, which traded away Brad Richards to Dallas last season.
With the second choice in the draft, the Los Angeles Kings picked up defenseman Drew Doughty. He also played for Canada at the World Junior Championships.
Doughty was the first of four straight defenseman chosen in the first round. Zach Bogosian went to Atlanta, St. Louis chose Alex Pietrangelo and Toronto, which moved up to fifth from seventh in a trade with the New York Islanders, picked Luke Schenn.
Among the many draft-day trades, Florida sent team captain and centerman Olli Jokinen to Phoenix for defensemen Nick Boynton and Keith Ballard along with a second-round pick.
Cink shoots 64, leads by one
CROMWELL, Conn., June 20 (UPI) -- Stewart Cink, winless for the past four years, recorded two eagles Friday and took a one-shot lead after two rounds of the Travelers Championship.
Despite his inability to capture a tournament, Cink ranks seventh on this year's FedEx Cup points list and is in line to earn a spot on the American Ryder Cup team.
He shot a 6-under 64 over the TPC-River Highlands course for a two-day total of 10-under 130.
That put him a shot in front of Hunter Mahan, Ken Duke and Lucas Glover.
Cink was 1-over for the day through five holes when he looked at a leader board and realized he was not among the top 50 players on the course.
"That got my attention," Cink said. "I made an eagle there (at the sixth) and it was off to the races. He also eagled the 13th hole on the course where he captured his first tournament victory in 1997.
Michael Thompson, who turned professional after being the low amateur at last week's U.S. Open, was tied for fifth at 132 with Kevin Sutherland and Brad Adamonis. There were 36 players within five shots of the lead, including Kenny Perry.
Beijing announces Olympic traffic plan
BEIJING, June 20 (UPI) -- Beijing officials Friday announced a temporary plan to unsnarl the city's traffic and reduce air pollution ahead of the Summer Games.
The plan calls for motorists to drive only on alternate days, depending on whether the last number of their license plate is even or odd, officials said.
The policy will be enforced from July 20 through Sept. 20, a period that includes both the Olympic and Paralympic Games, The New York Times reported.
Additionally, operating hours for public transportation will be extended during the two-month period.
"We hope to see a bluer sky," said Zhou Zhengyu, a spokesman for the city's traffic committee.
He added that 70 percent of the estimated 300,000 cars registered to the government will be taken off the roads starting later this month.
Du Shaozhong, a spokesman for the city's environmental protection agency, said with 45 percent fewer vehicles on the road, the highly polluting vehicles banned, and other measures reducing pollution from gas stations and chemical plants, air pollution will be reduced by an estimated 63 percent.
"We are confident we have the ability to ensure good air quality for the Olympic Games," he said.
Turkey stuns Croatia on penalty kicks
VIENNA, June 20 (UPI) -- Semih Senturk tied the game late in regulation Friday and Turkey went on to stun Croatia on penalty kicks in the European Championship quarterfinals.
Turkey captured the shootout 3-1 after the teams battled to a 1-1 tie through regulation and two overtime periods.
Goalkeeper Rustu Recber was sensational in the shootout, stopping two shots to send his upstart team into the semifinals against Germany. They will meet in Basel, Switzerland, next Wednesday.
Arda Turan, Senturk and Hamit Altintop scored during the shootout after a dramatic ending to the first 90 minutes.
Substitute Ivan Klasnic scored for Croatia in the final minute of extra time, seemingly giving his team the victory. But Senturk produced the tying goal four seconds after the allotted minute of extra time had expired.
It was the second straight amazing victory for Turkey, which scored three late goals to defeat the Czech Republic in the final game of group play to earn a quarterfinal berth.
The other quarterfinals will be played Saturday and Sunday -- the Netherlands facing Russia and Spain taking on Italy.
Kahne captures pole on road course
SONOMA, Calif., June 20 (UPI) -- Kasey Kahne won his second Sprint Cup pole of the year Friday and will start out front in Sunday's running of the Toyota/Save Mart 350.
Kahne produced a lap around the 12-turn road course at Infineon Raceway in one minute, 17.740 seconds.
He has won three of the last five races on the circuit and finished second to Dale Earnhardt, Jr. last week in Michigan.
Two-time defending series champion Jimmie Johnson had the second fastest time, followed by Kurt Busch and Bobby Labonte.
Points leader Kyle Bush will start 30th.
