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SPORTS Wednesday 20 March 2019
Lightning top Coyotes to clinch Presidents’ Trophy, home ice

By The Associated Press captain Vinny Lecavalier,
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Steven who set the record in 1,037
Stamkos scored his 36th games with Tampa Bay
goal of the season and from 1998-2013.
the Tampa Bay Lightning GOLDEN KNIGHTS 7, SHARKS
clinched the Presidents’ 3
Trophy with a 4-1 victory SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) —
over the Arizona Coyotes Reilly Smith and Jonathan
on Monday night. Marchessault each had
The Lightning, who have four points and Vegas
116 points, will have home- won for the ninth time in
ice advantage throughout 10 games by beating San
the Stanley Cup playoffs. Jose. In a possible playoff
Stamkos became the fran- preview, Vegas moved
chise leader in goals with within seven points of the
his 384th. Sharks with nine games to
Victor Hedman added his play in the race for home-
10th goal of the season and ice advantage in the first
Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped round of the playoffs. San
28 shots. Anthony Cirelli Jose remains one point
scored his fifth short-hand- behind Pacific Division-
ed goal of the season while leading Calgary, with the
Yanni Gourde notched his Flames holding a game in
20th goal of the season. hand.
Clayton Keller scored for The Sharks dropped their
Arizona, which remains one third straight home game Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov (86) congratulates center Steven Stamkos (91)
point ahead of Minnesota in regulation for the first on his first-period goal during an NHL hockey game against the Arizona Coyotes, Monday, March
for the final wild-card spot time in three years as they 18, 2019, in Tampa, Fla.
in the Western Conference. failed once again with an Associated Press
Darcy Kuemper finished opportunity to clinch a Kevin Hayes and Tyler My- from playoff contention. At Vancouver, which was
with 20 saves. playoff berth. Logan Cou- ers also scored for the Jets, 58 points, the Kings are last coming off a 3-2 shootout
Stamkos’ record-breaking ture scored twice and Joe who have a three-point in the Western Conference. victory in Dallas on Sunday.
goal was scored at 6:54 of Thornton had a goal for San lead on Nashville atop the CANUCKS 3, BLACKHAWKS Thatcher Demko made 29
the first period as Stamkos, Jose. Martin Jones allowed Central Division. Laurent 2, OT saves in his third career win.
battling in front of the Arizo- three goals on 11 shots be- Brossoit made 15 saves. CHICAGO (AP) — Bo Hor- The Canucks (31-32-10)
na net, got his stick on Ryan fore being replaced by Sean Walker and Dustin vat scored 16 seconds into pulled within six points of
McDonagh’s shot and de- Aaron Dell in the first period. Brown had the goals for overtime, and Vancouver Arizona for the second wild
flected the puck past Kue- JETS 3, KINGS 2 the Kings. Jack Campbell stopped Chicago’s five- card in the jumbled bottom
mper. LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kyle stopped 25 shots. game win streak with a vic- of the Western Conference.
The goal came in the 737th Connor had a goal and Los Angeles, which has tory over the Blackhawks. They begin a seven-game
game for Stamkos and an assist to lead Winnipeg dropped six of seven and Alexander Edler and Markus homestand on Wednesday
broke the tie with former over Los Angeles. 15 of 18, was eliminated Granlund also scored for night against Ottawa. q

Stanley Cup champion Capitals to visit Trump at White House

other leagues have cho- Ovechkin has been a vocal fellow countrymen Evgeny
sen not to. “I’m looking for- supporter of Russian Presi- Kuznetsov and Dmitry Orlov
ward (to it),” Ovechkin said dent Vladimir Putin, and are also on the team.q
in June after winning the
Cup. “I can’t wait. I never
been there. I want to take
pictures around it. It will be
fun.” A White House spokes-
man confirmed the visit to
The Associated Press on
Tuesday. The Capitals are
Washington’s first champi-
ons in the four major North
American sports leagues
In this June 12, 2018, file photo, Washington Capitals’ Alex
Ovechkin, of Russia, holds up the Stanley Cup trophy during since the NFL’s Redskins in
the NHL hockey team’s Stanley Cup victory celebration at the 1992, also the last home-
National Mall in Washington. town pro team to visit the
Associated Press White House.
By STEPHEN WHYNO Trump at the White House This visit has political under-
AP Hockey Writer on Monday. tones given that special
WASHINGTON (AP) — Alex The Russian-born captain counsel Robert Mueller is
Ovechkin and the Wash- and playoff MVP and his looking into whether the
ington Capitals will get a teammates are continuing Trump campaign coor-
chance to celebrate their the NHL tradition of visiting dinated with Russia and
Stanley Cup champion- the sitting president after whether the president ob-
ship with President Donald some recent champions in structed the investigation.