TUESDAY EYE-OPENER

The Montreal Canadiens may have reloaded for the playoff drive with three deals before the NHL’s trade deadline, but their on-ice product still hasn’t jelled. Alex Stalock made 20 saves for his fourth career shutout as the San Jose Sharks blanked the Habs 4-0. Montreal acquired defenceman Jeff Petry from the Edmonton Oilers and speedy forwards Brian Flynn and Torrey Mitchell in separate trades with the Buffalo Sabres.

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There were two other games on the ice. Mats Zuccarello and Derick Brassard had two assists each and the New York Rangers rebounded to send the NHL-leading Nashville Predators to their season-worst third straight defeat, 4-1. Also, Jonathan Toews had two goals and assisted on Marian Hossa’s score as the Chicago Blackhawks rolled to a 5-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes.

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Northern Ontario’s Brad Jacobs maintained his perfect 5-0 record at the Brier, but not without controversy. Jacobs beat Ontario’s Mark Kean 7-3, but Ontario’s coach Bryan Cochrane complained to officials following the game about a Northern Ontario player rapping the foot of Ontario third Mat Camm with a broom after he’d released a stone.  Saskatchewan’s Steve Laycock is 3-1 after an 8-4 win over Team Canada Monday evening in Calgary.  On Tuesday, Saskatchewan faces New Brunswick and Quebec.

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DeMar DeRozan did the heavy lifting to help the Toronto Raptors end a season-worst five-game losing streak. He scored a season-high 35 points, Lou Williams had 21 and the Raptors topped the Philadelphia 76ers 114-103. Toronto rested all-star point guard Kyle Lowry for the second straight game.

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Tyler Johnson scored a career-high 26 points and Goran Dragic added 21 against his former team to send Miami past Phoenix 115-98. Hassan Whiteside finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds before getting in a third quarter that featured five player technicals, three ejections and two flagrant fouls assessed.

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The Los Angeles Clippers won for the seventh time in nine games by holding the Timberwolves to one field goal in the fourth quarter of a 110-105 triumph at Minnesota. Chris Paul had 26 points and 14 assists for the Clippers, while DeAndre Jordan contributed 12 points and 18 rebounds.

(CP)