Sports in Brief: Czechs thump U.S., 5-2, at hockey juniors

Petr Holik tapped in a goalmouth rebound with less than eight minutes to go in the third period to break a 2-2 tie and Petr Mrazek made 52 saves to lead the Czech Republic to a 5-2 group-play win over the United States at the world junior hockey championship in Edmonton, Alberta, on Friday.

Thomas Filippi scored two goals and Tomas Hertl added another for the Czechs, while T.J. Tynan and Bill Arnold scored for the U.S.

BASEBALL: The Seattle Mariners signed lefthanded reliever George Sherrill to a one-year contract. Sherrill appeared in 51 games with the Atlanta Braves last season and was 3-1 with a 3.00 ERA.

In Valencia, Venezuela, two-time major-league all-star Melvin Mora, 39, said he is retiring.

It was announced that Don Mueller, the two-time all-star whose hit helped set up Bobby Thomson's famed home run that won the 1951 NL pennant playoff for the New York Giants, died Wednesday at age 84 in Maryland Heights, Mo.

SOCCER: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said that Thierry Henry will sign for the English Premier League team in a two-month loan deal once an insurance agreement is reached with the New York Red Bulls, Henry's club in Major League Soccer. Red Bulls GM Erik Solér later confirmed the deal in a statement to to the New York Post.

Craig Bellamy scored twice for host Liverpool and substitute Steven Gerrard netted another to cap a 3-1 comeback over Newcastle.

Switzerland's FC Sion was docked 36 points for using ineligible players. The move was made by the Swiss league in response to FIFA's threat to suspend the nation's teams from international play, risking the expulsion of FC Basel from the Champions League.

Paris Saint-Germain announced Carlo Ancelotti as its new coach to replace Antoine Kombouare, who left his job earlier in the day even though PSG tops the French standings halfway through the season.

WINTER SPORTS: On a windy day in Oberstdorf, Germany, Gregor Schlierenzauer led an Austrian sweep in the Four Hills Tour ski-jumping opener. Andreas Kofler finished second. Thomas Morgenstern was third.

At the Tour de Ski cross-country skiing series in Oberhof, Germany, Axel Teichmann covered the 15-kilometer distance in 46 minutes and 3.3 seconds to win. Poland's Justyna Kowalczyk won the women's 10K in 32:4.4.

TENNIS: In Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Novak Djokovic beat Roger Federer, 6-2, 6-1, to advance to face David Ferrer in the World Tennis Championship exhibition final. Ferrer defeated Rafael Nadal, 6-3, 6-2.

AUTO RACING: Dover International Speedway said it is widening seats in the track's outdoor grandstands from 18 to 22 inches to make fans more comfortable. The change, to be completed by 2014, will reduce the speedway's capacity from 140,000 to 113,000. - Staff and wire reports