August 19, 2020 4:04 am
TORONTO (AP) – Alex Ovechkin scored twice, including the go-ahead goal early in the third period, and the Washington Capitals rallied from two goals down to beat the New York Islanders 3-2 and avoid a sweep in their first-round series. Evgeny Kuznetsov also scored for Washington and Braden Holtby stopped 24 shots. Mathew Barzal and Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored in the first period to give New York a 2-0 lead. Semyon Varlamov finished with 26 saves. Ovechkin’s second of the night 3:40 into the third period gave the Capitals their first lead. It was their first goal of the series scored after the second period. Game 5 is Thursday.
August 19, 2020 3:57 am
UNDATED (AP) – Hockey Hall of Famer and Winnipeg Jets standout Dale Hawerchuk has died at 57 following a battle with cancer. Hawerchuk scored 45 goals and collected 103 points as a rookie after being selected first overall in the 1981 draft, helping the Jets make the playoffs after winning just 11 games the previous season. He held most club scoring records after nine seasons with the Jets, contributing with 379 goals and 929 points in 713 games. Hawerchuk later spent five seasons with the Sabres before stops in St. Louis and Philadelphia. He ended his career with 518 goals and 1,409 points in 1,188 games over 16 seasons.
August 18, 2020 3:57 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin has undergone surgery to repair a left elbow injury. The team did not provide specifics on the nature of Malkin’s injury or when it occurred. The 34-year-old Malkin led the Penguins with 74 points during the regular season but was ineffective during a four-game loss to Montreal in the qualifying round of the playoffs. Malkin recorded just one assist during the series and had a minus-3 rating. The expected recovery time for Malkin is about a month, meaning he should be available whenever training camp for the 2020-21 season opens.
August 18, 2020 3:56 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – The Pitt football program is breathing a sigh of relief after dealing with a COVID-19 scare. Several players reported symptoms consistent with the novel coronavirus after the first day of padded practice. Head coach Pat Narduzzi ordered the affected players to contact the team’s trainer and canceled practice. The symptoms turned out to be a false alarm. The issues were the result of practicing, not COVID-19, and the Panthers returned to practice the following day after everyone involved tested negative. Narduzzi says he’s concerned about what happens when the university begins holding in-person classes later this month.
August 18, 2020 3:59 am
UNDATED (AP) – Kansas State will allow 25% capacity at its football stadium for games this season after getting approval Monday from the county commission. That means a maximum crowd of just under 15,000 fans.
August 17, 2020 3:57 am
CINCINNATI (AP) – Reds players and staff were tested for COVID-19 again as Major League Baseball tried to determine if more than one Cincinnati player has been exposed to the coronavirus. The last two games of a series between the Reds and Pirates were postponed Saturday after the player tested positive. The Pirates worked out Sunday at Great American Ball Park and returned to Pittsburgh, where they will start a three-game series against the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday. The Reds expected to get results of their latest tests on Monday, when a decision will be made whether they can travel to Kansas City for a series that’s scheduled to begin Tuesday night.
August 17, 2020 4:01 am
GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) – Jim Herman rallied to win the Wyndham Championship and a spot in the FedEx Cup playoffs. Herman capped his third PGA victory by shooting a 7-under 63 for a one-stroke victory over Billy Horshel. Herman overcame a four-stroke deficit in the final round and overtook Horschel with a birdie on the 71st hole. The 42-year-old Herman finished at 21-under. Horschel closed with a 65. He had a final chance to tie on the 72nd hole, but his 8-foot birdie putt slid left of the cup.
August 17, 2020 4:00 am
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) – Chase Elliott won the Cup Series road course race at Daytona International Speedway by holding off hard-charging Denny Hamlin following a late restart and notching his third consecutive victory away from ovals. The 24-year-old Elliott also won on road courses at Charlotte and at Watkins Glen last year. He got a bigger challenge than many expected down the stretch in his latest roadie. Hamlin finished second, followed Martin Truex Jr. and Jimmie Johnson. Kyle Busch had the best shot at catching Elliott, but the defending series champion had rear brake issues with 17 laps to go and was forced to the garage for a lengthy repair.
August 16, 2020 4:47 am
CINCINNATI (AP) – According to the Pirates, following a positive test for COVID-19 by a Cincinnati Reds player, the Saturday and Sunday scheduled games between the Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park have been postponed to allow for additional testing and to complete the contact tracing process. Major League Baseball will continue to provide updates as they become available.
August 16, 2020 7:22 am
UNDATED (AP) – A group of Ohio State football players’ parents joined parents of players at Iowa in calling for the Big Ten to overturn its decision not to play this fall. Meanwhile, Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley said nine Sooners tested positive for COVID-19 after he gave his players a week break from team activities. The Football Parents at Ohio State posted a letter to Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren, calling for the reinstatement of the 10-game schedule the conference unveiled six days before it postponed football until spring. The letter also asked for the release of all medical data and information the Big Ten used to make its decision and a meeting with Warren for senior players and their parents.
