AP - The Detroit Red Wings are Stanley Cup champions because they excel at both ends of the rink. None of them does it better than Henrik Zetterberg, whose two-way play earned him the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

AP - Oil up the Winged Wheel, it's time for another victory parade. Hockeytown is home to the Stanley Cup — again.

AFP - Roger Federer will have an unexpected foe in the French Open semi-finals on Friday in the shape of unseeded Frenchman Gael Monfils.

AP - The Detroit Red Wings are playing a game they didn't want to play, in a city where they don't want to be, against a growing-confident Pittsburgh Penguins team they were certain would be long gone by now.

AFP - Injury-prone Dutch attacking midfielder Robin van Persie said on Wednesday he was ready to take his place against world champions Italy in their Euro 2008 opener on June 9 - should coach Marco van Basten feel he was match fit.

AP - Joba Chamberlain struggled with his control, walked off the mound in the third inning and threw his glove in the dugout. His first major league start was a memorable one, all right. Just not for the reasons he'd hoped. Chamberlain lasted 2 1-3 innings and Roy Halladay held the New York Yankees in check despite some control problems of his own, leading the Toronto Blue Jays to a 9-3 victory on Tuesday night.

AP - Chicago was among four cities picked as finalists Wednesday for the 2016 Summer Olympics, setting the stage for a high-profile bidding contest between candidates from the United States, Europe and Asia.

AP - Roger Federer lost three of his first four service games Wednesday, causing a stir among French Open fans but only briefly delaying his progress to the semifinals.

AP - Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz will have season-ending shoulder surgery, but he hopes to return in 2009.

AFP - It's Serb against Serb in the women's semi-finals at the French Open on Thursday, the first time that has happened, for either of the sexes, in Grand Slam history.

AP - Katie Burkhart thought about giving up on her dream, stopping her chase for the glory of the national championship. Oh, what she would have missed if she'd let herself quit.

AP - John Tortorella was fired Tuesday as coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning, four years after leading the team to its only Stanley Cup title. He had one season remaining on his contract.

AFP - A first-half penalty by Franck Ribery managed not to ruin Thierry Henry's 100th international appearance and give France a 1-0 win over Colombia in their final warm-up match before Euro 2008.