MONDAY EYE-OPENER

Manitoba’s Jennifer Jones downed Alberta’s Val Sweeting 6-5 to win the Scotties Tournament of Hearts. It’s the fifth time in her career that Jones has won the Canadian women’s curling championship. Earlier, Canada’s Rachel Homan defeated Saskatchewan’s Stefanie Lawton 7-5 to win the bronze medal.

Eddie Lack stopped 27 shots in relief as the Canucks blanked the host New York Islanders 4-0. Lack replaced starter Ryan Miller just 1:11 into the second period after the 34-year-old left with an apparent leg injury. Vancouver got goals from Radim Vrbata, Zack Kassian, Bo Horvat and Yannick Weber.

Also, Minnesota downed Dallas 6-2, the Rangers edged Columbus in a shootout 4-3, Boston hammered Chicago 6-2, Colorado got by Tampa Bay 5-4, Pittsburgh toppled Florida 5-1, Nashville beat Buffalo in a shootout 2-1 and Philly slipped past Washington 3-2.

Paul Milsap had 23 points and 16 rebounds as Atlanta extended its lead on Toronto in the East standings with a 97-86 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. The conference-leading Hawks now lead the second-place Raptors by 6-and-a-half games. Toronto is on the road Monday against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Elsewhere, LeBron James had 18 points as Cleveland handed New York its seventh loss in a row, 101-83, Rodney Stuckey dropped 30 points as Indiana knocked off the league-best Warriors 104-98 and the L-A Lakers needed overtime to snap a seven-game losing streak with a 118-111 win over Boston.

James Hahn finished 6-under and won the Northern Trust Open for his first PGA Tour title by edging out Dustin Johnson and Paul Casey on the third playoff hole at Riviera. Graham DeLaet was the top Canadian at 4-under. The Weyburn, Sask. native entered the final round in second place but a 2-over 73 dropped him into a tie for eighth spot.

(CP)