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SPORTSThursday 17 March 2016
NHL Capsules
Ovechkin scores as Capitals clinch playoff berth
The Associated Press A shot by Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8), from Justin Williams also scored MAPLE LEAFS 4, LIGHTNING
WASHINGTON (AP) — Russia, bounces off the shoulder of Carolina Hurricanes goalie for Washington, which got 1
WASHINGTON (AP) — Alex Eddie Lack (31), from Sweden, in the overtime period of an NHL 25 saves from Braden Holt- TORONTO (AP) — Ben Smith
Ovechkin scored in over- hockey game, Tuesday, March 15, 2016, in Washington. The by. and Connor Carrick scored
time as the Washington Capitals won 2-1 in overtime. Hurricanes goaltender Ed- their first goals of the sea-
Capitals picked up their die Lack stopped 29 of the son to help Toronto beat
50th win of the season and Associated Press 31 shots he faced. Jordan Tampa Bay.
became the first NHL team Staal scored for Carolina, With the win, the Leafs have
to clinch a playoff spot, which had its dim playoff won back-to-back games
beating the Carolina Hur- hopes take another hit. and picked up points in
ricanes 2-1 Tuesday night. PENGUINS 2, ISLANDERS 1, four of their past five.
Ovechkin scored his sev- SO Zach Hyman and P.A. Par-
enth game-winner of the PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pitts- enteau added empty-net
season 1:38 into overtime burgh’s Kris Letang scored goals while Jonathan Ber-
after the Capitals clinched the only goal of the shoot- nier made 26 saves for his
a playoff spot by picking out with a pretty backhand ninth win of the season.
up a point. past New York Islanders Brian Boyle scored for Tam-
It’s their eighth playoff ap- rookie goalie Jean-Francois pa Bay. Andrei Vasilevskiy
pearance in nine seasons Berube to lift the Penguins. stopped 20 shots in the loss.
and one that has been in- Marc-Andre Fleury stopped FLYERS 4, RED WINGS 3
evitable for a long time as Frans Nielsen, Kyle Okposo PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Mi-
they’ve skated away from and John Tavares in the chael Raffl scored two
the rest of the field. shootout as Pittsburgh goals to lift Philadelphia to
strengthened its hold on a key win in its playoff push.
the first wild-card spot in The Flyers have 78 points
the Eastern Conference. and pulled within one point
Fleury finished with 25 saves of the Red Wings for the
for the Penguins. Chris final Eastern Conference
Kunitz scored his 14th goal wild-card playoff berth.
of the season in the 800th The Flyers dominated the
game of his career. Sidney Red Wings early and out-
Crosby picked up the sec- shot Detroit 23-3 in the first
ondary assist to extend his period. They held on af-
points streak to nine games. ter Detroit’s Tomas Tatar
Berube made 33 stops in scored with 3:46 left in the
his third NHL start, including game to make it 4-3.
several in the extra period. Raffle and Wayne Sim-
Okposo’s score at 14:35 of monds both scored in the
the third sent the game to first to give the Flyers a lead
overtime, but the Islanders they would never relinquish.
couldn’t pick up the ad- With 14 games left this sea-
ditional point when they son, the Flyers need every
failed to solve Fleury in the point possible to reach the
shootout. playoffs.
SHARKS 3, BRUINS 2 It’s crunch time: Philadel-
SAN JOSE, California (AP) phia also plays Pittsburgh
— Joonas Donskoi scored three times and is at Detroit
a tiebreaking power-play on April 6. The Flyers are
goal with 13:23 remain- only four points behind the
ing after an offensive zone Penguins.
penalty by Boston’s Jimmy PANTHERS 4, CANADIENS 1
Hayes and the San Jose MONTREAL (AP) — Vincent
Sharks beat the Bruins. Trochek scored a goal and
Brent Burns helped set up set up one by Jiri Hudler as
Donskoi’s goal and scored Florida beat injury-riddled
one of his own, tying Sandis Montreal.
Ozolinsh’s franchise records Nick Bjugstad and Alek-
for goals and points in a sander Barkov also scored
season by a defensemen. for Florida, which has won
Melker Karlsson also scored three of its past four games
as San Jose won consecu- to stay in the tight battle for
tive home games for the first place in the Atlantic Di-
first time in two months to vision with Tampa Bay and
move within one point of Boston.
Anaheim for second place Alex Galchenyuk, with his
in the Pacific Division. 12th goal in 10 games,
James Reimer made 21 scored for Montreal, which
saves on his 28th birthday lost a second in a row at
for his first home win with home.
San Jose.
