National sports briefs
Published 12:00 am Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Associated Press
TORONTO — During a trip to the Hockey Hall of Fame on Monday, the Carolina Hurricanes watched a video of their Stanley Cup win and wished they could’ve played that night.
One night later, they were back in championship form.
Eric Staal, Scott Walker, Eric Belanger and Justin Williams scored to lead the inspired Hurricanes to a 4-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday night.
Islanders 5, Rangers 3
NEW YORK — Mike Sillinger scored his second goal of the game 27 seconds after Viktor Kozlov snapped a third-period tie, and the New York Islanders broke a six-game losing streak with a 5-3 victory.
Capitals 6, Flyers 2
WASHINGTON — Alex Ovechkin scored his 27th and 28th goals, and Washington won its third straight for the franchise’s first season sweep of slumping Philadelphia.
Senators 5, Bruins 2
OTTAWA — Daniel Alfredsson scored 12:25 into the third and Ottawa spoiled Boston rookie Phil Kessel’s return from cancer with five third-period goals for the comeback victory.
Lightning 3, Penguins 2
TAMPA, Fla. — Martin St. Louis had a goal and two assists to help Tampa Bay defeat Pittsburgh.
Canadiens 4, Thrashers 2
MONTREAL– Michael Ryder had two goals and an assist and Montreal ended a three-game losing streak.
Red Wings 4, Avalanche 3, SO
DENVER — Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk scored in the shootout and had a goal each in regulation, and Detroit ended a three-game losing streak.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The University of Louisville introduced Steve Kragthorpe as its new football coach Tuesday, less than 48 hours after Bobby Petrino left for the NFL.
Tulsa’s Kragthorpe and Louisville athletic director Tom Jurich agreed to a five-year, $1.1-million deal.
Kragthorpe went 29-22 in four seasons at Tulsa, winning the Conference USA title in 2005. The Cardinals went 12-1 in 2006, won the Big East and the Orange Bowl and finished sixth in the final AP poll. Petrino resigned on Sunday night to coach the Atlanta Falcons.
* SAN DIEGO — Ron Caragher was hired as the University of San Diego’s football coach, three weeks after Jim Harbaugh left to take the Stanford job.
NFL
NEW YORK — San Diego charged through the NFL season, putting up the league’s best record at 14-2. No wonder five Chargers made The Associated Press All-Pro team.
Running back LaDainian Tomlinson was a unanimous choice, and was joined by tight end Antonio Gates, fullback Lorenzo Neal, defensive tackle Jamal Williams and linebacker Shawne Merriman on the elite squad.
Merriman made it despite serving a four-game suspension for violating the league’s steroids policy. Merriman still wound up with a league-best 17 sacks.
* PITTSBURGH — Ken Whisenhunt has met with four NFL teams since last week. He doesn’t hide which job he wants.
The Steelers’ offensive coordinator was interviewed by team officials for three hours Tuesday, and it was evident he doesn’t want to leave Pittsburgh to be an NFL head coach unless there’s no other option.
“This is the place I want to be,” Whisenhunt said.
* WAUKEGAN, Ill. — Chicago Bears defensive tackle Tank Johnson pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor weapons charges Tuesday after a police raid on his home last month.
SOCCER
WASHINGTON — Former Duke co-captains Brian Davis and Christian Laettner wore black and red soccer scarves instead of basketball jerseys as MLS unveiled a new, minority-led ownership group that is paying a league-record $33 million for the operating rights to D.C. United.
The new owners will now focus on building a stadium on the south bank of the Anacostia River.
The soccer stadium will cost $150 million to $200 million, and the goal is to complete it by the 2009 season.