Sunday Sports

NHL

Alex Ovechkin can move into sole possession of the NHL all-time goals record when the Washington Capitals visit the New York Islanders in the first of eight games on today’s schedule. The 39-year-old Ovechkin, who scored twice in Friday’s 5-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks, tied Wayne Gretzky’s record mark of 894 goals. The Capitals have six games left in the regular season.

WHL PLAYOFFS, ROUND 1

Shea Van Olm scored three goals, Berkly Catton had two goals and five assists, and the Spokane Chiefs eliminated the visiting Vancouver Giants from the Western Hockey League playoffs with an 9-4 victory on Saturday.

Andrew Cristall also had two goals and four assists for the Chiefs, who won the first-round, best-of-seven series in five games. Rasmus Ekstrom and Assanali Sarkenov also scored for the Chiefs, who outshot the visitors 35-28. Brayden Crampton and Van Olm added two assists.

Cameron Schmidt scored twice for the Giants, who trailed 4-2 after the first period and 7-2 heading into the third. Maxim Muranov and Jaden Lipinski also scored for the Giants. Ty Halaburda chipped in with three assists, while Marek Howellhad a pair of helpers.

The Chiefs went 2-for-3 on the power play, while the Giants were 0-for-3.

Elsewhere in the WHL playoffs on Saturday:

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SILVERTIPS 7 THUNDERBIRDS 4

(Silvertips lead best-of-seven series 3-2)

EVERETT, Wash. — Shea Busch and Austin Roest each scored twice, Kaden Hammell had a goal and three assists, and the Everett Silvertips defeated the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds 7-4.

Julius Miettinen and Zackary Shantz also scored for the Silvertips, who took a 3-2 lead in the first-round, best-of-seven series. Dominik Rymon chipped in with four assists, while Tarin Smith had three helpers.

Brayden Schuurman scored three goals for the Thunderbirds, who were outshot 43-38. Braeden Cootes added a single. Coster Dunn chipped in with two assists.

Game 6 in the series will be played Monday in Seattle, Wash.

SJHL PLAYOFFS, ROUND 2

Weyburn 4 Flin Flon 1 (Red Wings lead 2-0)
Melfort 3 Yorkton 0 (Mustangs lead 2-0)

MLB

Francisco Lindor’s walk-off sacrifice fly capped a late comeback keyed by Jesse Winker’s two-run triple in the eighth inning, leading the New York Mets to a 3-2 win over the visiting Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday. Jays’ starter Chris Bassitt tossed six-and-two-thirds scoreless innings before the Mets tied it in the eighth against reliever Brendon Little. Vladimir Guerrero Junior and Bo Bichette each had an RBI for the Blue Jays.

WORLD MENS CURLING

Brad Jacobs and his Calgary-based team, which won 11 of 12 round-robin games at the B-K-T World Men’s Curling Championship in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, picked a bad time to lose its second game. Jacobs dropped a 7-4 decision to Scotland in Saturday’s semifinals and will have to settle playing for bronze on Sunday. Canada faces China for third place, while Scotland and Switzerland battle for gold.

MARCH MADNESS (MENS)

• SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Houston’s suffocating defense wiped away a 14-point deficit over the final eight minutes and erased Cooper Flagg and Duke’s title hopes Saturday in a 70-67 stunner over the Blue Devils at the Final Four. Duke made a grand total of one field goal over the last 10:30 of this game. The second-to-last attempt was a step-back jumper in the lane by Flagg that J’Wan Roberts disrupted. The last was a desperation heave by Tyrese Proctor that caught nothing at the buzzer. The Cougars, who have never won a title, not even in the days of Phi Slama Jama, will play Florida on Monday night for the championship.
• SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Walter Clayton Jr. scored 34 points and Florida beat Southeastern Conference rival Auburn 79-73 in the Final Four on Saturday night, sending the Gators to the national championship game for the first time since their titles in 2006 and 2007. The All-America guard for the Gators (35-4) had a driving layup with 2:24 left, on the possession right after Australian big man Alex Condon drew a charge against Johni Broome The Gators will have the chance Monday night to win the SEC’s first title since Kentucky in 2012, the only one since they won in back-to-back seasons. Florida takes an 11-game winning streak into the title championship game against Houston. Auburn (32-6) was the top overall seed.