Barry Melrose got his first win as Tampa Bay coach when Vincent Lecavalier scored a power-play goal with 3:19 left in overtime to lift the Lightning to a 3-2 victory over the Atlanta Thrashers on Tuesday night.
Lecavalier scored from near the low slot off a pass from Martin St. Louis.
Melrose’s first season with the Lightning started with five losses, including three in overtime or a shootout. It’s also his first NHL win since 1995 when he was coaching the Los Angeles Kings.
PHOTO: AP
FLAMES 2, CAPITALS 1
At Calgary, Alberta, Jarome Iginla scored and Matthew Lombardi put the Flames ahead for good in the second period to help Calgary to its first win over Washington since 1999.
Sergei Fedorov scored for Washington, which lost in regulation for the first time since the season opener. Fedorov’s goal was No. 473 of his career, tying him with Alexander Mogilny for most career NHL goals by a Russian-born player.
Miikka Kiprusoff made 30 saves for the Flames, who went 0-6-2 against the Caps since March 13, 1999.
BLUE JACKETS 4, CANUCKS 2
At Columbus, Ohio, Derek Dorsett got his first NHL goal and Rick Nash scored into an empty net.
Nash assisted on Kristian Huselius’ goal and Jason Chimera also scored for Columbus, which improved to 2-0 at home. Rookie Jake Voracek had two assists.
Pascal Leclaire made 24 saves — several during a penalty kill late in the third period — in his return after missing one game with a bruised hand.
Kyle Wellwood, called up to the injury-riddled Canucks before the game, had a goal and an assist and Kevin Bieksa also scored for Vancouver, which lost its third straight to finish a six-game road trip 2-4.
SABRES 3, BRUINS 2, SO
At Buffalo, New York, Thomas Vanek scored the decisive shootout goal and Ryan Miller stopped four of five chances to cap the Buffalo Sabres’ come-from-behind victory.
Drew Stafford and Clarke MacArthur scored in regulation in helping Buffalo improve to 5-0-1.
After Stafford and Boston’s David Krejci traded shootout goals, Vanek scored with a nifty move. Driving to the net, he faked a shot and let the puck float at his skates for a second, before beating Manny Fernandez on the glove side.
The game ended when Marc Savard failed on his attempt to force a sixth round of the shootout when the puck rolled off his stick while making a move in front of Miller.
DUCKS 3, MAPLE LEAFS 2, SO
At Toronto, Francois Beauchemin and George Parros scored for Anaheim and Toronto coach Ron Wilson’s gamble on Curtis Joseph in the shootout came up empty.
Nik Antropov scored both goals for the Maple Leafs, who have lost three shootouts already this season.
Wilson inserted Joseph for the shootout after Vesa Toskala played the entire game, but the move didn’t pay off. Anaheim’s Corey Perry and Teemu Selanne beat Joseph for the win.
With the Leafs down 2-1, Antropov scored with 52.8 seconds left in the third period to force overtime.
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Forget Real Madrid, Manchester City or Paris Saint-Germain, the world’s best soccer team — statistically speaking — might be a little-known outfit from the closed central Asian nation of Turkmenistan. Founded last year, Arkadag, named in honor of former Turkmen president Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, have been unstoppable, notching up 36 consecutive domestic victories in a run still ongoing. The side have not lost a single competitive match and swept to a league and cup double in their inaugural season — success unthinkable almost anywhere else. However, in Turkmenistan, it could hardly have gone any other way. The energy-rich country is one of the most closed
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