VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin beat out fellow freshmen scoring sensation Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguin and hard-hitting Calgary Flames defenseman Dion Phaneuf for the Calder Memorial Trophy as top NHL rookie Thursday.

The 20-year-old Ovechkin led all rookies with 106 points — many of the spectacular variety — while becoming just the second rookie in NHL history to score 50 goals and 100 points after Teemu Selanne did it in 1992-93. He was third in the league overall in goals and points.

Crosby, 18, wasn't far behind with 39 goals and 102 points, becoming the youngest player to record 100 points in a season. The first overall pick in the 2005 draft, Crosby recorded 22 points in his final 10 games to finish sixth overall in league scoring.

MEADVILLE — George Bilowick of Butler finished fourth in the 65-and-Older Division at the 75th West Penn Senior Amateur golf tournament Wednesday at The Country Club at Meadville.Bilowick carded rounds of 80 and 77 for total of 157, 13 strokes over par and six strokes behind the winner, Don Lamb of Pittsburgh.

ERIE — Sheila Ogden, a 2006 graduate of Grove City High School, will play for the Penn State-Behrend women's volleyball team this season.Ogden, a 5-foot-11 middle hitter, was named to the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association All-State team and was a District 10 first-team All-Star.

NEW YORK (— The New York Knicks put Larry Brown out of his coaching misery Thursday, ending weeks of uncertainty by firing the Hall of Fame coach with four years and a reported $40 million left on his contract. President and general manager Isiah Thomas will replace Brown as coach.In Brown's one season in New York, the Knicks stumbled to a 23-59 record — second worst in the NBA and matching the most losses in club history.