Atlanta ? First, the Flames. Now, the Thrashers.

The struggling NHL franchise was sold Tuesday to a group that will move it to Winnipeg next season, making Atlanta the first city in the league’s modern era to lose two teams.

The Flames left for Calgary in 1980. The Thrashers are following them to Canada three decades later.

“I want to thank all the Thrashers fans that supported us in Atlanta for my two years there. Very unfortunate there will be no NHL hockey,” tweeted Evander Kane, one of the team’s most promising young players. “I will miss the great people and city of Atlanta.”

True North Sports and Entertainment announced the deal during a news conference at Winnipeg’s MTS Centre, the 15,015-seat arena where the team will play. The news sparked a raucous celebration in Manitoba’s largest city, which is rejoining the league after losing the Jets to Phoenix in 1996.

The new team could also be known as the Jets, though a decision on the name has not been reached. The Thrashers name — which was coined by former owner Ted Turner and referred to the state bird of Georgia — will surely not be going north of the border.

Thousands of fans in red, white and blue Jets jerseys cheered, waved flags and played impromptu games of street hockey. While the deal is subject to approval of the league owners, that’s expected to be a mere formality when the board of governors meets June 21 in New York.

In Atlanta, there was little reaction other than a tearful news conference held by co-owner Michael Gearon. He said the group that controls the Thrashers, the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks and operating rights to Philips Arena did all it could to find someone who would help keep the financially ailing team in the city.

No one made a serious offer.

Tennis

Federer to face unbeaten Djokovic

Paris — Quickly and rather quietly, Roger Federer is back in the French Open semifinals.

There will be absolutely nothing low-key — or, it seems safe to say, easy — about what comes next for the 16-time Grand Slam champion: a showdown against Novak Djokovic, who is 41-0 this year and unbeaten in his last 43 matches overall.

With attention focused elsewhere, perhaps in part because some assume his best days are behind him, the no-fuss, no-muss Federer simply has won all 15 sets he’s played so far, capped Tuesday by a 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (3) quarterfinal victory over No. 9-seeded Gael Monfils of France.

For Djokovic — who didn’t need to exert himself Tuesday, because his quarterfinal opponent, Fabio Fognini, withdrew Monday due to an injured left leg — a victory over Federer would guarantee a rise to No. 1 in the rankings for the first time. It also would make the second-seeded Serb 42-0 in 2011, tying John McEnroe in 1984 for the best start to a season in the Open era, which began in 1968.

Austrian player banned for life

London — Austria’s Daniel Koellerer became the first tennis player Tuesday to be banned for life for attempting to fix matches.

Koellerer, a former Davis Cup player who once reached No. 55 in the world rankings, was found guilty of three violations of the sport’s anti-corruption rules, including “contriving or attempting to contrive the outcome of an event.”

College football

Pelini confirms QB’s transfer

Omaha, Neb. — Nebraska backup quarterback Cody Green has decided to transfer after getting beaten out by Taylor Martinez for the starter’s job last fall and having failed to make headway in the spring against new challengers.

Green and coach Bo Pelini confirmed the transfer in a statement Tuesday.

“The decision to leave was very difficult for me and my family,” Green said. “It was by far one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. I talked to coach Pelini and he has offered to assist me in finding another school to continue my playing career. I wish coach Pelini and Nebraska nothing but the best this year and in the future.”

NBA

McHale agrees to coach Rockets

Miami — Hall of Famer Kevin McHale says he has agreed to become the Houston Rockets’ next coach.

McHale made the announcement before Game 1 of the NBA finals on Tuesday night. He tells NBA.com he really missed coaching and he likes the Rockets’ nucleus.

NBA nixes camp plans

Charlotte, N.C. — With the NBA looking at a potential lockout that would wipe out July’s summer leagues, the Charlotte Bobcats thought they found a way to still get a look at young players and free agents.

The league had other ideas.

Coach Paul Silas said Tuesday night the NBA turned down Charlotte’s plans to host a multi-team, free-agent camp after this month’s draft and before the collective bargaining agreement expires July 1.

Baseball

Source: McCourt makes L.A. payroll

Los Angeles — Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt has paid his major-league bills — for now.

Despite baseball officials who believed he didn’t have enough money to cover the team’s end-of-the-month payroll, the embattled McCourt was able to cover Dodgers-related expenses Tuesday, said a person familiar with the situation who requested anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak publicly.

Chemo looms for Carter

Durham, N.C. — Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter was diagnosed Tuesday with a malignant brain tumor called a glioblastoma and will treat it with chemotherapy and radiation.

Doctors at The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke University say the location of the tumor makes it difficult to remove through an operation.

Football

Ex-QB Leaf has tumor removed

Lubbock, Texas — Former NFL quarterback Ryan Leaf was recovering in California on Tuesday after doctors removed a benign tumor from his brain stem.

The 35-year-old Leaf had been experiencing headaches, dizziness and blurred vision before seeing a doctor May 18, his publicist, Margo Myers, told The Associated Press.