National Sports Briefs: Bruins get win
Published 12:00 am Monday, February 2, 2009
Associated Press
MONTREAL ó Denis Wideman, Shawn Thornton and Marc Savard scored, and Tim Thomas made 27 saves to lead the Boston Bruins to a 3-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday.
Boston beat its Northeast Division rival for the fourth time in a row, improving to 4-1 this season against Montreal. The Bruins, who beat the New York Rangers 1-0 on Saturday, have recorded points in six straight games and are 8-1-2 in their last 11.
Savard scored into an empty net with 56.5 seconds remaining to extend his points streak to eight games.
Robert Lang had a power-play goal for the Canadiens, who have lost five of six. Montreal, which was on an 11-1-2 run prior to the skid, is second in the Northeast with 62 points, 18 behind the Bruins, who lead the Eastern Conference.
Capitals 7, Senators 4
WASHINGTON ó Alex Ovechkin scored three goals for his seventh career hat trick and second of the season to lead Washington over Ottawa.
Ovechkin scored his goals in the first two periods with Sergei Fedorov getting assists on each. Mike Green added a goal and three assists, and Eric Fehr, Alexander Semin and Nicklas Backstrom also scored for Washington.
Predators 2, Oilers 1
EDMONTON, Alberta ó Pekka Rinne made 32 saves to help Nashville beat Edmonton.
COLLEGE HOOPS
EAST LANSING, Mich. ó Talor Battle scored a career-high 29 points and Jamelle Cornley had 16 to lead Penn State to a 72-68 upset of No. 9 Michigan State on Sunday.
It was the first win in 17 trips to East Lansing for the Nittany Lions (17-5, 6-3 Big Ten).
Kalin Lucas had 23 points but missed a tying free throw and jump shot for the Spartans (17-4, 7-2).
No. 19 Illinois 62, Iowa 54
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. ó Mike Tisdale scored 18 points and Illinois (18-4, 6-3 Big Ten) rebounded from its worst offensive showing in more than two decades by hanging on to beat Iowa.
A 3-pointer by Jeff Peterson with 18 seconds left sent the Hawkeyes (12-10, 2-7) to their sixth loss in seven games.
No. 21 Villanova 71, Cincinnati 50
PHILADELPHIA ó Dante Cunningham scored 21 points, Scottie Reynolds added 11 and Villanova rallied from an early deficit for a victory over Cincinnati.
Corey Fisher also had 11 for the Wildcats (17-4, 5-3 Big East), who won their third straight.
GOLF
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. ó Kenny Perry finally finished off Charley Hoffman in a playoff, making a 22-foot birdie putt on the third extra hole Sunday in the FBR Open.
After Perry bogeyed the final hole of regulation to set up the playoff, the two bogeyed and parred the first two extra holes. Perry then rolled in the long putt on the 332-yard, par-4 17th to end the second straight playoff in the event.
It was the 13th PGA Tour victory for Perry, the 48-year-old Kentucky player who won three times last year and played on the winning U.S. Ryder Cup team.
POSTING BOND
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. ó Florida State receiver Preston Parker has been released from jail after posting a $500 bond.
Parker was arrested early Saturday and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Tallahassee police arrested the 21-year-old after officers found him passed out in his car in a McDonald’s drive-thru lane.
It’s the third arrest for Parker since 2006 and the second in less than a year.