Defenseman Havelid Re-Signs With Ducks

Defenseman Niclas Havelid, a vital player in the Mighty Ducks’ run to the Stanley Cup finals, avoided arbitration Wednesday by signing a three-year contract with the Ducks worth $4.55 million.

Havelid, 30, set career highs with 11 goals and 22 assists in 82 games last season. He had five game-winning goals, third among NHL defensemen, and in the playoffs became a defensive presence with his shot-blocking abilities.

A restricted free agent, Havelid made $830,000 last season and filed for arbitration last month. His hearing would have taken place today.

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Right wing John Tripp signed a one-year contract with the Kings. Tripp, 26, had one goal and two assists in nine games last season with the New York Rangers.... The Kings will play host to a four-team rookie tournament Sept. 3-8 at the HealthSouth Training Center in El Segundo. Prospects from the Kings, Mighty Ducks, Phoenix Coyotes and San Jose Sharks will take part in the tournament.

Mike Bresnahan

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Tennis

Former No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt was upset in the second round of the Canada Masters at Montreal, losing 7-5, 6-7 (4), 7-5 to Max Mirnyi. Those advancing included Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, Wimbledon champion Roger Federer and French Open winner Juan Carlos Ferrero.

Croatian teenager Karolina Sprem played another strong match, beating German veteran Barbara Rittner, 6-7 (5), 7-5, 6-4 to reach the quarterfinals of the clay-court Nordea Nordic Light Open at Espoo, Finland.

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Golf

Aree Song of Korea shot four-under-par 67 and was stroke-play medalist at the U.S. Women’s Amateur championship in Gladwyne, Penn., with a two-day total of four-under 138.

Song, 17, finished two shots ahead of 13-year-old Hawaiian Michelle Wie, who also shot 67 in the rain-delayed second round. Erica Blasberg of Corona, soon to be a sophomore at Arizona, tied for third with rounds of 70-72. The top 64 players advance to single-elimination match play beginning today.

Jane Park, 16, of Oak Valley, one of three first-round leaders after an opening 69, shot 74 in the second round and tied for fifth. USC sophomore Irene Cho, also a first-round leader, shot 77 and tied for 15th. Defending champion Becky Lucidi, a recent USC graduate, shot 74-73 and tied for 18th.

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Miscellany

Michael Phelps proved his versatility by winning two titles at the national swimming championships at College Park, Md., in events that aren’t among his best.

Phelps missed a world record by less than a second while winning the 200-meter backstroke in 1 minute 56.10 seconds, the fifth fastest time ever for that distance. Earlier, Phelps came from behind to win the 100 freestyle in 49.19, his best time for the event.

Kentucky Wesleyan must vacate its runner-up finish in this year’s NCAA Division II men’s basketball tournament, the NCAA announced. The NCAA found the school had committed two secondary rule infractions about the eligibility of two players, including Marlon Parmer, a New Mexico transfer who also played at Verbum Dei High.

Hall of Famer Alex English joined the Philadelphia 76er coaching staff as an assistant to Randy Ayers, who was promoted in June to replace Larry Brown.... As expected, the Milwaukee Bucks announced that Terry Porter is their new coach.

Former NFL quarterback Steve DeBerg was selected as coach of the Arena Football League’s Indiana Firebirds.