ICE HOCKEY
Struggling Stars beat Caps
Kari Lehtonen made 42 saves, while Devin Shore, Radek Faksa and Jason Spezza scored as the Dallas Stars continued their puzzling domination of the Washington Capitals with a 4-2 victory on Monday night. Despite struggling this season, Dallas extended their point streak in the series to 12 games and won for the sixth consecutive time in Washington. The NHL-leading Capitals’ home winning streak snapped at 15 and their point streak at 17. Despite Nicklas Backstrom’s 21st goal and T.J. Oshie’s 25th, they lost in regulation at home for the first time since Dec. 17 and in any fashion at home since Dec. 29. The Stars chased reigning Vezina Trophy-winning goaltender Braden Holtby with three goals on 11 shots and have not lost in regulation to the Capitals since 2006. In Florida, Mika Zibanejad scored in overtime and Antti Raanta made 38 saves for the New York Rangers as they beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 1-0. In Winnipeg, Manitoba, Joe Pavelski scored twice as the San Jose Sharks defeated the Winnipeg Jets 3-2 and in Ottawa, Mike Hoffman had a power-play goal early in the third period as the Ottawa Senators defeated the Boston Bruins 4-2.
RUGBY UNION
Cheika woos Kurtley Beale
Australia coach Michael Cheika has dangled the carrot of a more senior role for Kurtley Beale in the Wallabies setup if the playmaker comes home early from England. The 28-year-old Beale started a lucrative two-year deal with Premiership club Wasps last year, but has the option to return to Australia and is yet to decide on his playing future. A serious knee injury wiped out Beale’s international season last year and he played the last of his 60 Tests in the 2015 World Cup final defeat to New Zealand. Cheika had Beale playing off the bench during the tournament behind starting inside center Matt Giteau. It proved an effective gambit, but Beale complained about his back-up role before his departure overseas. “Beale before wasn’t starting, he was hole-fixing, but I think it will be different for him this time, because I’ve got a clear vision of what I want him to do in the team,” Cheika told local media. “I know it’s only been a year, but in that year there’s been a big change in the Wallabies squad as well. He’ll come back with a slightly different stature I’d say and I want him to play according to that.”
SOCCER
Player breaks age record
Japanese player Kazuyoshi Miura has reached another milestone in his professional career. The veteran striker, who plays for J-League second-division club Yokohama, appeared in a professional match at the age of 50 years and seven days to beat former England international Stanley Matthews’ longevity record. Miura told FIFA.com in comments published yesterday: “I don’t actually feel like I’ve gone past a legend. I may have surpassed him in longevity, but I won’t ever be able to match his statistics and the career he had.” Miura played 54 minutes in Sunday’s 1-1 draw with V-Varen Nagasaki, enough to move past the record Matthews set when he played for Stoke City against Fulham at the age of 50 years and five days in 1965. Miura played for Brazilian club Santos and in Italy with Genoa earlier in his career. He represented Japan’s national team 89 times, scoring 55 goals, but never played at a World Cup.
Kawhi Leonard on Sunday scored 41 points, grabbed eight rebounds and made four steals to lead the Los Angeles Clippers in a lopsided 115-96 victory at Minnesota. The 34-year-old forward, a two-time NBA champion, matched the second-best road scoring effort of his career as the Clippers improved to 25-27. “Just being aggressive. My teammates trust me,” Leonard said. “Every moment when I touch the ball — assist, shooting the basketball or getting a rebound — I’m just trying to help the team win.” Leonard made three steals in a row at the start of the contest. “Just wanted to come out early in the
FLOP TO CONQUEROR: It was sweet vindication for Sam Darnold, who played for four NFL teams before his debut season in Seattle ended in the ultimate win The Seattle Seahawks on Sunday coasted to Super Bowl glory, routing the New England Patriots 29-13 as Sam Darnold sealed his journey from flop quarterback to conqueror of the NFL’s biggest prize. Brushing off a reputation for wilting in big games, journeyman quarterback Darnold threw for a touchdown and 200 yards on the grandest stage of all to give the Seahawks their second-ever Lombardi Trophy. “It’s unbelievable. Everything that has happened in my career, but to do it with this team, I wouldn’t want it any other way,” Darnold said. The victory was buoyed by a dominant defensive display and kicker Jason Myers’
Donyell Malen on Monday scored in each half as AS Roma beat Cagliari 2-0 to stay in touch with the chasing pack at the top of Serie A. Leaders Inter are eight points clear of city rivals AC Milan and nine ahead of reigning champions SSC Napoli. Roma are three points further back along with Juventus. Dutch centerforward Malen had scored only once in four appearances since joining on loan from Aston Villa last month, but he proved his worth on Monday with two excellent finishes. He ran on to a clever through-ball from Gianluca Mancini and his deft chip over the goalkeeper
FIRST MEDALS: Franjo von Allmen of Switzerland secured the first gold medal of the Milan Games yesterday, winning the men’s downhill ski race The Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics opened on Friday with a glittering ceremony at the San Siro stadium echoed by festivities at Games venues across the snow-capped Italian Alps. The extravaganza reflected the most geographically widespread Olympics in history. It culminated in the lighting of two cauldrons, one at Milan’s Arch of Peace and one in Cortina d’Ampezzo, the chic resort 400km from Milan that is hosting the women’s alpine skiing. Alberto Tomba and Deborah Compagnoni, two Italian skiing Olympic champions of the past, lit an intricate cauldron inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s knot patterns at Milan’s Arch of Peace. In the freezing mountain air of
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