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A22 sports
Wednesday 11 december 2019
Varlamov shuts down Lightning in Islanders' 5-1 win

By The Associated Press were playing the first of four
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Semyon road games. Tuukka Rask
Varlamov stopped 31 shots, made 23 saves in his first
Brock Nelson scored twice loss in regulation since Nov.
in the third period, and the 8.
New York Islanders beat the FLAMES 5, AVALANCHE 4,
Tampa Bay Lightning 5-1 on OT
Monday night. DENVER (AP) — Sean Mo-
Ross Johnston, Josh Bailey nahan scored 2:09 into
and Anders Lee also scored overtime to lift Calgary past
for the Islanders, who are Colorado.
18-0-1 when scoring three Matthew Tkachuk had a
or more goals. goal and an assist, Derek
Tampa Bay got a goal Ryan also scored and Da-
from Steven Stamkos. Cur- vid Rittich made 28 saves
tis McElhinney stopped 19 for the Flames, who have
shots. won five in a row under in-
Varlamlov made an in- terim coach Geoff Ward
close rebound save on and finally broke through
Stamkos and a diving glove against Colorado this sea-
grab on Pat Maroon early son. Andrew Mangiapane
in the third. and Michael Frolik scored
In addition to Nelson's goals New York Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov (40) makes a save on a shot by the Tampa Bay 1:27 apart to start the third
at 7:31 and 14:41, Lee add- Lightning during the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Dec. 9, 2019, in Tampa, Fla. period for Calgary.
ed a power-play goal with Associated Press The Flames have struggled
3:55 remaining. against the Avalanche of
BLUE JACKETS 5, CAPITALS 2 game skid. Columbus won Washington snapped a six- Chris Tierney, Artem Ani- late, starting with the first
WASHINGTON (AP) — Cam for just the third time in nine game winning streak with simov and Jean-Gabriel round of the 2019 playoffs
Atkinson scored twice, in- games. their first regulation loss Pageau also scored for the when eighth-seeded Colo-
cluding a late empty-net- Goaltender Braden Holtby since Nov. 20. The Capi- Senators, who were playing rado won in five games. The
ter, and Joonas Korpisalo made 19 first-period saves tals had their seven-game their first home game fol- Avs won the first two meet-
stopped 37 shots to help but allowed four goals on point streak end two days lowing a five-game trip (1- ings this season as well.
Columbus beat Washing- 37 shots. Alex Ovechkin before facing the Boston 4-0). Anders Nilsson made Nathan MacKinnon, Valeri
ton. scored his 21st of the sea- Bruins in a showdown of the 38 saves in Ottawa's first Nichushkin, Ryan Graves
Ryan Murray, Riley Nash son early in the third pe- league's top two teams. win over the Bruins (20-5-6) and Joonas Donskoi scored
and Oliver Bjorkstrand also riod, and Nicklas Backstrom B Anthony Duclair had two since April 6, 2017.Patrice for the Avalanche. Pavel
scored for the Blue Jackets, added a 6-on-5 goal in the goals and an assist and Ot- Bergeron and Jake DeBrusk Francouz finished with 28
who snapped their four- waning minutes. tawa beat Boston. scored for the Bruins, who saves.q

Dallas Stars fire Jim Montgomery for unprofessional conduct

By SCHUYLER DIXON the Board of Governors, 7 of its second-round se-
AP Sports Writer said the league will work ries on the road against
DALLAS (AP) — The Dal- swiftly to make changes the eventual Stanley Cup
las Stars fired second-year to better deal with person- champion St. Louis Blues.
coach Jim Montgomery al conduct issues raised by After the Stars got off to a
on Tuesday for what the players and former players horrendous 1-7-1 start this
team called unprofession- in recent weeks, including season, they won seven
al conduct. allegations of racism and of eight and have also re-
General manager Jim Nill physical abuse by coach- cently had a seven-game
said Montgomery had es. winning streak. They are
acted inconsistently with Montgomery's firing is now 17-11-3, and in one of
"core values and beliefs not related to that kind the Western Conference's
of the Dallas Stars and the of misbehavior, a person top wildcard spot.
National Hockey League." familiar with the situation The league has been
He did not elaborate. The Dallas Stars interim coach Rick Bowness speaks during a told The Associated Press rocked by allegations over
Nill said he became aware news conference after the team fired second-year coach Jim on condition of anonym- the past month, some of
Sunday of an act by Mont- Montgomery on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2019, for what the team ity because the team has them dating back years.
gomery and that the deci- called unprofessional conduct. Associated Press not elaborated on the Calgary coach Bill Peters
sion to relieve the coach reason for Montgomery's resigned last month fol-
of his duties came after ery, called the incident a Devils. dismissal. lowing accusations by for-
an internal investigation "total surprise." In all, four NHL coaches Montgomery was 60-43-10 mer NHL player Akim Aliu
that included discussions Rick Bowness, who came have lost their jobs al- as the Stars coach after that Peters previously di-
with the team's general on an assistant coach with ready this season — three being hired in the summer rected racist slurs toward
counsel. While again not Montgomery, was named of them amid allegations of 2018 from the University him while the two were in
going into detail, Nill said interim head coach for of misbehavior. of Denver for his first head the minors a decade ago.
it was not a criminal act, the remainder of the sea- The move by the Stars coaching job in the NHL. Peters was also accused
and had no connection son, starting with Tues- came only a day after Dallas made the playoffs of physical abuse while
to present or past players. day night's home game NHL Commissioner Gary last season before losing in coaching the Carolina
Nill, who hired Montgom- against the New Jersey Bettman, at a meeting of double-overtime in Game Hurricanes. q