SUNDAY SPORTS

Sean Monahan scored two goals, including the overtime winner, as the Calgary Flames snapped a two-game losing skid with a 2-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers Saturday night in the Battle of Alberta at Rexall Place. Paul Byron won a battle behind the net with 1:50 remaining in the overtime session and sent the puck in front to Monahan, who scored his 18th of the season.

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The Canadiens got a crucial win over the rival Toronto Maple Leafs with a 4-3 overtime victory in Montreal. Max Pacioretty scored his second goal of the game on a power play in extra time. Pacioretty took a feed from Andrei Markov, who had three assists, and beat Leafs goalie Jonathan Bernier with a high wrist shot. The win gives Montreal a two-point lead over Toronto in the standings.

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The swirling snow and frigid conditions made it even more fun for Jonathan Toews and the Chicago Blackhawks. Toews had two goals and an assist and the Blackhawks beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-1 at Chicago’s Soldier Field, home of the NFL’s Bears. Patrick Sharp scored in the first period and Patrick Kane set up Kris Versteeg’s 100th career goal in the second.

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Don Cherry says the NHL will “never again” participate in the Winter Olympics. The hockey commentator spoke out during his weekly Coach’s Corner segment on Hockey Night in Canada. He insists that the owners of NHL teams don’t want to risk the health of their valuable star players, even though the athletes enjoy participating in the international competition.

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John Morris’ BC rink and Manitoba’s Jeff Stoughton are both undefeated after two draws at the Canadian men’s curling championship. Morris beat Northern Ontario Brier rookie Jeff Currie 8-2 in eight ends in the evening draw. He struggled earlier to edge Alberta’s Kevin Koe 7-6. Stoughton beat PEI 7-5 in the early draw, and Newfoundland 6-5 in 11 ends in the evening tilt.  Saskatchewan’s Steve Laycock beat the Northwest Territories-Yukon’s Jamie Koe 8-5 in his first game, in Draw 2.  Saskatchewan faces Quebec in Draw 3 on Sunday.

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Paul George scored 10 of Indiana’s last 12 points and the Pacers beat the Boston Celtics 102-97, two days after beating another of the N-B-A’s worst teams. The team with the best record in the NBA had trouble with the Celtics, who have the fourth-worst record in the East. On Thursday night, the Pacers won 101-96 over the Milwaukee Bucks, who have the league’s worst record. George led the Pacers with 25 points.

(Canadian Press)