HOCKEY

Former University of Maine player Steven Swavely scored two goals and set up another Tuesday to lead the Reading Royals (18-10-4-0) to a 5-3 win over the Maine Mariners (16-12-0-1) in an ECHL game in Reading, Pennsylvania.

Maine’s Taylor Cammarata opened the scoring with a power-play goal, but the Mariners trailed 2-1 after one period.

After Reading extended its lead in the second period, Ted Hart cut the deficit to 3-2. But the Royals added two more goals before newcomer Eddie Matsushima got his first goal for the Mariners with 15 minutes left.

BASEBALL

MAJOR LEAGUES: The Minnesota Twins signed starting pitchers Homer Bailey and Rich Hill to one-year contracts.

Bailey, 33, is a 13-year major league veteran who split last season between Kansas City and Oakland, going 13-9 with a 4.57 ERA in 31 starts. His contract will be worth $7 million with incentives if he reaches 180 innings, a major league source told Minnesota’s Star Tribune.

Hill, a left-hander, will be 40 on Opening Day. He has pitched for eight teams in 15 seasons, but had only 13 starts for the Dodgers last season because a portion of the ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow detached. He had surgery in October and will be out until at least June.

Hill was 4-1 with a 2.45 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 48 2/3 innings last season. His contract is for $3 million, with incentives worth close to $10 million, a source confirmed.

HOCKEY

WORLD JUNIORS: Canada routed host Czech Republic 7-2 to complete the preliminary round at the world junior hockey championship and clinch top spot in its group.

Joe Veleno, Nolan Foote, Barrett Hayton, Connor McMichael, Liam Foudy, Dylan Cozens and Jared McIsaac scored as Canada topped Group B with nine points.

Canada faces Slovakia, which finished fourth in Group A, in the quarterfinals.

The United States placed second in Group B – a point behind Canada – and next plays Finland, the third-place team in Group A.

Earlier Tuesday, Russia secured a quarterfinal spot with a 6-1 victory over Germany to finish third in Group B with six points.

The Russians will play Switzerland in the quarterfinals, which are all scheduled for Thursday.

Sweden won Group A by beating Slovakia 6-2. Alexander Holtz scored twice for the Swedes, who play the Czechs in the quarters.

MISCELLANY

ANTI-HARASSMENT BILL: Harassing sports officials in Wisconsin would be a crime punishable by up to a $10,000 fine and nine months in jail under a bipartisan proposal introduced this week in the Legislature.

The bill, which is supported by various sports organizations, is designed to protect referees and other officials from violent fans and remove a barrier to younger people signing up to officiate games, particularly at the high school level. There have been an increasing number of incidents in Wisconsin and across the country, particularly at youth sporting events, where parents and fans have attacked referees.

In February, former Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy was accused of confronting and berating referees after a loss by his stepson’s high school basketball team in Pulaski, Wisconsin. Also in February, parents at a youth wrestling tournament in Kimberly broke into a fight that was captured on cellphone video.

– Staff and news service report