HOCKEY
FLYERS' BRIERE, SON IN TRAFFIC ACCIDENT: Philadelphia Flyers star center Danny Briere and his 9-year-old son escaped serious injury in a collision with a tractor-trailer near the New York-Pennsylvania state line early Thursday, authorities said.

The accident happened around 12:30 a.m. on Interstate 81 just north of the Pennsylvania line. New York State Police Sgt. Steven Barlow said Briere was "a little drowsy" and trying to pass the truck when his SUV drifted to the right in the passing lane and clipped the side of the tractor-trailer, causing the driver of the rig to lose control.

Briere's black 2010 Range Rover then swerved and hit a guardrail as the tractor-trailer jackknifed and flipped onto its side. Briere's SUV sustained substantial damage to the front end, and the rear was crushed by the impact. The accident blocked northbound traffic for about five hours.

Briere and his son, Cameron, were taken to a Binghamton hospital, treated for minor injuries, and released. The driver of the truck, Kenneth R. Azzarella, 52, of Nineveh, N.Y., also was treated for minor injuries at the hospital and released.

CANADIENS TRADE HALAK TO BLUES: The St. Louis Blues have acquired goaltender Jaroslav Halak, whose stellar play helped the Montreal Canadiens reach the Eastern Conference finals, for former first-round pick Lars Eller and another prospect.

The 25-year-old Halak won a pair of Game 7s and helped Montreal bounce heavily favored Washington and Pittsburgh out of the playoffs. He won three straight games and eliminated the Capitals by stopping 131 of 134 shots.

Both Canadiens goalies, Halak and Carey Price, are due to become restricted free agents on July 1. Chris Mason, the Blues' starting goalie the last two seasons, is due for unrestricted free agency.

The 21-year-old Eller, a center, was among of the Blues' top prospects. St. Louis also sent forward Ian Schultz, who was a third-round pick in 2008, to Montreal on Thursday.

DEVILS HIRE MacLEAN AS COACH: The fourth time apparently was the charm for John MacLean.

A perennial candidate to lead the team he played for and coached as an assistant, MacLean was named the head coach of the New Jersey Devils on Thursday, replacing the retired Jacques Lemaire.

MacLean was considered for the head coaching position with the Devils on three other occasions, but lost out to, in order, Claude Julien (2006), Brent Sutter (2007) and Lemaire (2009).

MacLean spent last season coaching the Devils' AHL affiliate in Lowell, Mass., and led the team to its only playoff appearance in four seasons. That followed seven years as a Devils assistant.
GOLF
DALY IN CONTENTION IN ARKANSAS NATIONWIDE TOUR EVENT: John Daly shot a 4-under 66 Thursday in the first round of the Fort Smith Classic, his first Nationwide Tour event since 1991.

Daly is from Dardanelle, about 75 miles from Hardscrabble Country Club, where the tournament is being played. He's hoping to help the event find a title sponsor to ensure its viability.

Daly had one bogey and five birdies and was tied for sixth after the first round. Nathan Smith was the first-round leader after a 9-under 61.

LIMBAUGH IS LATEST HANEY PROJECT: Newlywed Rush Limbaugh will be brushing up on his golf game.

The Golf Channel said Thursday the radio commentator will be the third celebrity featured in "The Haney Project." In the series, Tiger Woods' former coach Hank Haney gives celebrities tips on improving their golf game. The third edition of the series will be taped later this year. It will air next spring.

Charles Barkley and Ray Romano were the first two celebrities to get tips from Haney on the show.

WHITNEY MYERS SHOOTS 70 IN FUTURES EVENT: Former Spring Grove High School standout Whitney Myers fired a even-par 70 on Thursday during the first round of Tate & Lyle Players Championship on the Duramed Futures Tour.

The event is being held at Hickory Point Golf Course in Decatur, Ill. Myers is tied for 39th. England's Rachel Connor has a four-stroke lead after a first-round 9-under-par 61.
TENNIS
CLIJSTERS LOSES AT EASTBOURNE: Kim Clijsters lost 7-6 (6), 6-4 to Victoria Azarenka of Belarus in the quarterfinals of the Eastbourne grass-court tournament Thursday.

Third-seeded Samantha Stosur beat Britain's Elena Baltacha 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-0 to reach her fifth semifinal of the year, and eighth-seeded Marion Bartoli of France edged Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez of Spain 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (5). Svetlana Kuznetsova's poor results this season continued with a 6-4, 7-5 loss to qualifier Ekaterina Makarova in an all-Russian match.
CYCLING
GESINK CLAIMS SIXTH STAGE AND LEAD, ARMSTRONG SEVENTH: Robert Gesink of the Netherlands won the grueling sixth stage of the Tour of Switzerland and claimed the race leader's jersey on Thursday, while Lance Armstrong showed he was returning to top form by finishing fifth in the grueling stage.

Gesink trailed race leader Tony Martin of Germany by 27 seconds before Thursday's stage. Armstrong, a seven-time Tour de France winner, crossed the line 42 seconds back. He moved up to seventh overall.