Tuukka Rask signs eight-year deal with Boston Bruins

Tuukka Rask turned an outstanding first season as the Boston Bruins’ No. 1 goalie into a long-term commitment Wednesday by signing an eight-year contract to stay with the Eastern Conference champions.

There was little doubt that the restricted free agent would be back, especially after the Bruins cleared about $4.75 million in space under the salary cap when they sent Tyler Seguin to the Dallas Stars in a seven-player deal July 4.

The Bruins said the annual salary cap charge on Rask’s contract is $7 million.

Boston lost the Stanley Cup Final in six games to Chicago, dropping the finale 3-2 on June 24 when the Blackhawks came from behind and scored two goals in the last 1 minute 16 seconds.

Rask’s best playoff series came in Boston’s four-game sweep of the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference finals. He gave up only two goals and made 123 saves against the NHL’s highest-scoring regular-season team.

TENNIS

Isner makes quick work of opponent

Two-time defending champion John Isner advanced to the quarterfinal round of the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships by beating Adrian Mannarino of France, 6-0, 7-6 (7), at Newport, R.I.

The 6-foot-9 Isner served 13 aces in the match, which lasted only 59 minutes on Newport’s grass courts.

Michael Berrer of Germany advanced to the quarterfinals of the Mercedes Cup at Stuttgart, Germany, by beating third-seeded Jeremy Chardy of France, 6-2, 6-7 (1), 6-3.

The 153rd-ranked Berrer, who received a wild card into the tournament, saved all four break points he faced against Chardy, who won the title in 2009.

He will next face Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain, who rallied to beat eighth-seeded Martin Klizan of Slovakia, 6-7 (3), 6-1, 6-4.

Second-seeded Philipp Kohlschreiber beat qualifier Nils Langer, 7-5, 6-2. Another German, sixth-seeded Florian Mayer, was eliminated by Gael Monfils of France, 6-3, 6-0. Monfils will next play Kohlschreiber.

Top-seeded Sara Errani beat Barbora Zahlavova Strycova at the Italiacom Open again, this time to reach the quarterfinals at Palermo, Sicily.

Errani won 6-3, 6-2, a year after beating Zahlavova Strycova in the final for her second Palermo title.

Simona Halep of Romania eased into the Hungarian Grand Prix quarterfinals, defeating wild-card Agnes Bukta, 6-1, 6-1, at Budapest.

At No. 3, Halep is the highest seed left in the tournament and needed only 51 minutes to complete the second-round match.

She will face Hungary’s Timea Babos, who beat seventh-seeded Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor, 1-6, 6-4, 7-6 (4).

ETC.

Raiders’ Maiava charged in bar brawl

Linebacker Kaluka Maiava is charged with assaulting two men during a brawl at a Maui bar, days after signing with the Oakland Raiders.

Maiava, 27, and his brother Ilima Maiava, 30, are charged with third-degree assault, a misdemeanor, and fourth-degree criminal property damage, a petty misdemeanor, said Maui Prosecuting Attorney John Kim.

They’re accused of beating up two men, ages 27 and 28, at Life’s a Beach in Kihei on March 17. That would be four days after the Raiders signed Kaluka Maiava to a three-year, $6-million contract.

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NASCAR has declined to penalize the 31 cars that failed inspection in the Sprint Cup and Nationwide series at Daytona.

NASCAR confiscated the teams’ roof flaps, which are designed to keep cars on the ground during spins and wrecks at high speeds, for further inspection.