The San Jose Sharks’ defense corps set a franchise record with nine assists in a 6-1 rout of the Calgary Flames that highlighted NHL action on Thursday.
Milan Michalek and Joe Pavelski scored two goals apiece for San Jose.
Four goals in the first period set up the Sharks’ 10th win in 11 home games this season. They lead the NHL in goals and shots per game.
BRUINS 6, CANADIENS 1
In Boston, the home team ended a run of 12 successive defeats at the hands of Montreal. Marco Sturm and Stephane Yelle each scored two goals for the Bruins, who have won five in a row.
PENGUINS 5, FLYERS 4, SO
In Pittsburgh, the home team blew a three-goal lead, then recovered to beat Philadelphia in a shootout.
Penguins rookie Alex Goligoski scored on his first shootout attempt after Sidney Crosby had tied the game late in the third period with his second goal.
Pittsburgh led 3-0 before a four-goal second period put the Flyers ahead, only for Crosby to tie it up. The Penguins went into overtime for the eighth time in 16 games. They are 6-2 in extra time, including 3-1 in shootouts.
WILD 4, COYOTES 0
In St Paul, Minnesota, Niklas Backstrom stopped 24 shots for his second shutout of the season as Minnesota recorded its ninth straight win over Phoenix. The Wild got four power-play goals while the Coyotes were shut out for the second time in five games.
MAPLE LEAFS 5, OILERS 2
In Edmonton, Alberta, Tomas Kaberle had a goal and two assists and Matt Stajan added three assists as Toronto downed Edmonton.
The victory moved Toronto move over .500 at 7-6-4.
RED WINGS 4, LIGHTNING 3
In Tampa, Florida, reigning champion Detroit inflicted Tampa Bay’s third straight defeat.
KINGS 3, STARS 2
In Dallas, Los Angeles extended its winning streak to five games by edging San Jose. Michal Handzus and Kyle Quincey scored power-play goals and Erik Ersberg made 24 saves for the Kings.
The slumping Stars lost for the fifth time in six games.
ISLANDERS 3, SENATORS 1
In Ottawa, New York snapped a three-game losing trot with a win over Ottawa.
Kyle Okposo and Trent Hunter scored power-play goals, and Joey MacDonald made 29 saves for the Islanders.
The Senators lost their third in a row after a five-game unbeaten spurt.
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Revelations of positive doping tests for nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers that went unpunished sparked an intense flurry of accusations and legal threats between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the head of the US drug-fighting organization, who has long been one of WADA’s fiercest critics. WADA on Saturday said it was turning to legal counsel to address a statement released by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart, who said WADA and anti-doping authorities in China swept positive tests “under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world.” The
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