FRIDAY SPORTS: FLAMES WIN AGAIN

New acquisition Andrei Kuzmenko scored the game-winner as the Calgary Flames beat the New Jersey Devils 5-3 for their third win in a row. The Flames were the lone Canadian NHL team to get in the win column. The Vancouver Canucks fell 4-0 to the Boston Bruins in a battle between the league’s top two teams, while the Winnipeg Jets lost 4-1 to the Philadelphia Flyers for their fifth straight defeat.

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Martin Necas posted a natural hat trick in the first 17 minutes for the first three-goal game of his career, and the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Colorado Avalanche 5-2. Carolina led 3-0 with three minutes remaining in the first period thanks to Necas, whose hat trick was the fastest to begin a game in franchise history.

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Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat each had a goal and an assist as the New York Islanders surged past the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-2. Noah Dobson, Kyle Palmieri, Ryan Pulock and Casey Cizikas also scored for the Islanders, who won their second in a row since coming out of the NHL All-Star break. 

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Lamar Jackson was a near-unanimous choice for his second AP NFL Most Valuable Player Award. Baltimore’s All-Pro quarterback received 49 of 50 first-place votes from a U-S-wide panel of voters that includes media members who regularly cover the NFL, former players and coaches. Jackson led the 14-and-5 Ravens to the NFL’s best record in the regular season, but they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game. The 27-year-old Jackson is the fourth player to win his second MVP before turning 28.

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Steph Curry hit a season-high 11 three-pointers en route to 42 points in the Golden State Warriors’ 131-109 victory over the Indiana Pacers. It was Curry’s fifth 40-point game of the season as the Warriors won their third straight. Former Toronto Raptor Pascal Siakam had 16 points and eight rebounds for Indiana.

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Anthony Edwards had 26 points and nine assists as the Minnesota Timberwolves trounced the slumping Milwaukee Bucks 129-105. Karl-Anthony Towns scored 19 points and Mike Conley added 18 as the Timberwolves spoiled new Bucks coach Doc Rivers’ home debut.