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SPORTS Wednesday 18 OctOber 2017
Nikita Kucherov scores twice,

Lightning beat Red Wings 3-2

By NOAH TRISTER of Tampa Bay’s first five
AP Sports Writer games this season, and
DETROIT (AP) — Nikita he added two more Mon-
Kucherov scored his sec- day. He’s now second in
ond goal of the game with the league in goals, two
18:13 remaining in the third behind Washington’s Alex
period, lifting the Tampa Ovechkin.
Bay Lightning to a 3-2 vic- Johnson opened the scor-
tory over the Detroit Red ing with a short-handed
Wings on Monday night. goal in the first period, col-
Tyler Johnson also scored lecting the puck near his
for the Lightning, who now own blue line and outskat-
have the NHL’s top record ing Trevor Daley the other
after winning their fourth way before beating How-
game in a row. Justin Ab- ard. Kucherov scored on
delkader and Mike Green a power play 101 seconds
scored in the second pe- later with a wrist shot from
riod to help Detroit erase the right circle.
a 2-0 deficit, but Kucherov Abdelkader’s goal came
broke the tie early in the after some extensive de-
third with his seventh goal liberation by the officials. Tampa Bay Lightning center Yanni Gourde (37) sends the puck toward the Detroit Red Wings goal
of the season. He was hooked from be- as he is pursued by Detroit Red Wings defenseman Trevor Daley (83) during the third period of an
Kucherov reached out hind by Victor Hedman NHL hockey game Monday, Oct. 16, 2017, in Detroit.
with one hand on his stick on a breakaway, but he Associated Press
and barely got a piece was able to get a shot off. the rebound into the net. penalty. After additional rush with some impressive
of a loose puck in front of Andrei Vasilevskiy made After a review, officials took discussion, Abdelkader was stickhandling in his own
the net, deflecting it under the save, and Abdelkader the goal away, ruling that given a penalty shot, which zone, and then eventu-
Jimmy Howard and slowly went sliding into him. De- Abdelkader had interfered he converted. Green’s ty- ally passed to Green, who
into the net. Kucherov had troit’s Darren Helm, who with the goalie and Hed- ing goal was set up by To- followed his own shot and
exactly one goal in each was trailing the play, put man was guilty of a hooking mas Tatar, who started a scored on the rebound.q

NBA Season

Continued from Page 18 5. SPURS CHASE HISTORY current pace will pass Ray
If the Spurs win 41 games Allen for the top spot some-
this season — a safe bet — time in the 2019-2020 sea-
This will finally be the year it’ll be the 21st consecutive son.
that changes. The Timber- season where San Antonio 2. NEW DEADLINE
wolves, who last reached finishes the regular sea- No longer will the All-Star
the postseason in 2004, son at .500 or better. That Game be overshadowed
should return this spring would tie the NBA mark in by talk of who’s getting
even in a loaded Western that department, match- moved where (like last year,
Conference with Karl-An- ing the feat set by the Utah when DeMarcus Cousins
thony Towns, Andrew Wig- Jazz from 1983-84 to 2003- was traded to the Pelicans
gins and new addition Jim- 04. The Spurs set a record while players were still in
my Butler leading the way. for consecutive winning locker rooms in New Or-
seasons last year with their leans immediately after the San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich talks with San
20th. (Utah was 41-41 in game). The trade deadline Antonio Spurs forward Joffrey Lauvergne (77) in the second half
of an NBA preseason basketball game against the Houston
1984-85.) will now be 10 days before Rockets Friday, Oct. 13, 2017, in Houston.
4. DIRK’S LONGEVITY the All-Star break, so this Associated Press
Dallas’ Dirk Nowitzki enters season that means Feb. 8.
this season 31 games away 1. AND THE WINNER IS ...
from passing Kevin Willis How can anyone pick
for No. 6 on the NBA’s all- against Golden State right
time list. At 48,673 minutes, now? The Warriors will get
he’s also within striking dis- their third title in four years,
tance of No. 5 Elvin Hayes which is the easiest predic-
(50,000), No. 4 Jason Kidd tion possible. So we’ll finish
(50,111) and No. 3 Kevin this with some probably
Garnett (50,418). less-than-chalk picks: LeB-
3. STEPH WATCH ron James is going to re-
Stephen Curry will have just claim the MVP award, the
turned 30 when this regular Rockets will have a game
season ends. And by then, where they connect 30
he legitimately could be times from 3-point range
No. 3 on the NBA’s all-time and Charlotte’s Steve Clif-
3-point list. Curry starts this ford will be coach of the
season No. 10, and at his year.q