Sports

  Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly is retiring from the NFL after eight seasons.

The Carolina Hurricanes once again are looking for leadership — and maybe another captain.

Veteran forward Justin Williams' decision to step away from the sport leaves them with questions about their captaincy heading into a season in which they will try to build upon their run to the Eastern Conference final.

Millions of sports fans might not be able to get the ACC Network when it launches next month.

The Atlantic Coast Conference and ESPN have partnered to create the TV network to broadcast and promote conference sporting events. But only a few carriers have signed on.

The Atlantic Coast Conference is roughly a month away from launching its new ESPN-partnered TV channel and still awaiting key deals with several cable providers to carry it.

The Boston Bruins have earned a break before their biggest series in a few years.

Their sweep of the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference final has afforded them a few extra days to rest up before their third Stanley Cup Final appearance in nine years.

So they can sit back, let their bumps and bruises heal — especially the ones that kept 42-year-old captain Zdeno Chara out of the series-clincher — and watch the San Jose Sharks and St. Louis Blues beat each other up a few more times.

The door to the visiting team's penalty box had scarcely slammed shut before the official was opening it again for another Carolina Hurricanes player to serve his punishment.

The Carolina Hurricanes haven't made the playoffs often. When they do, they stick around for a while.

Updated at 3:05 p.m.

Courtney Banghart built the Princeton women's basketball program to the point that winning conference championships and going to the NCAA Tournament seemingly became routine. Now she'll try to do the same at North Carolina.

Carolina Hurricanes goalie Petr Mrazek is day to day with a lower body injury while defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk is out with an upper body injury.

Coach Rod Brind'Amour also said Monday forward Saku Maenalanen is expected to miss the rest of the second-round series with the New York Islanders with an upper body injury.

Brind'Amour spoke a day after the Hurricanes' list of injuries grew considerably during a 2-1 victory in New York that gave Carolina a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. Game 3 is Wednesday night.

Jordan Staal tied it in the third period, Brock McGinn scored in the second overtime and the Carolina Hurricanes stormed back to stun the Washington Capitals 4-3 in Game 7 on Wednesday night to eliminate the defending Stanley Cup champions.

Justin Williams earned another chance to live up to his nickname.

The rest of the Carolina Hurricanes aren't yet ready to end their first playoff appearance in a decade.

North Carolina women's basketball coach Sylvia Hatchell had built a Hall of Fame career over more than three decades with the Tar Heels, including a national championship and becoming the Atlantic Coast Conference's all-time winningest coach.

Zion Williamson is leaving Duke after one high-flying season to enter the NBA draft.

Widely projected as the top overall pick in the June draft, the AP national player of the year announced his decision Monday.

They traded punches with Evander Holyfield. They dunked a basketball on ice. They flopped around like beached whales.

The Carolina Hurricanes have done plenty of unusual things this season, and here is one more: They are preparing for their first playoff series in a decade.

Updated at 5:55 p.m.

The University of North Carolina has placed its women's basketball coaching staff on administrative leave following the launch of an investigation into the program's culture, according to a news release issued Monday by the UNC-Chapel Hill Athletic Department.

The Atlantic Coast Conference saw five member institutions advance to the Sweet 16 of the 2019 NCAA men's basketball tournament. That's good for fans of those teams, of course, but it's also good financially for ACC universities that didn't advance, or didn't even make the tournament at all.

North Carolina State has signed coach Dave Doeren to a five-year contract through the 2023 season.

The Supreme Court said Monday it won't step in to referee a copyright dispute between Nike and a photographer who took a well-known image of basketball great Michael Jordan. That means lower court rulings for the athletic apparel maker will stand.

The spotlight of the NCAA Tournament shifts to Zion Williamson and No. 1 overall seed Duke.

Along with the other 31 teams playing in first-round games Friday.