TUESDAY EYE-OPENER

The Winnipeg Jets are soaring. Lee Stempniak scored the eventual winner, and Winnipeg kept pace in the Western Conference playoff chase with a 4-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. Drew Stafford, Tyler Myers and Michael Frolik also scored for the Jets, who have won five in a row. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was the lone scorer for Edmonton.

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Lance Bouma and David Jones kept the Calgary Flames afloat in the competitive Pacific Division. Both had a goal and an assist to lead the Flames to a 3-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche. Calgary held onto third place in the Pacific, ahead of the Los Angeles Kings, who won at New Jersey earlier tonight.

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Earlier in the NHL, Mika Zibanejad scored twice as the Ottawa Senators defeated the San Jose Sharks 5-2. The win puts the Senators one point ahead of Boston for the final wild card spot in the East. Also, Jake Gardiner was the lone Toronto scorer as the struggling Maple Leafs fell to the Minnesota Wild 2-1. Toronto has lost six straight.

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Stephen Peat, a former player with the Washington Capitals, faces two arson charges in connection to a fire at his father’s home last week. The 35 year old turned himself into Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Langley, BC, on Thursday and was charged with arson with disregard for human life and arson causing property damage. A police spokesperson says the fire started after a domestic dispute between a father and son.

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Steph Curry had 24 points, and the Golden State Warriors used a smothering defensive effort in the third quarter to pound the Washington Wizards 107-76. Curry also had six assists and five rebounds as the NBA-leading Warriors moved closer to securing the league’s top playoff seed.

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Rookie guard Zach LaVine scored 27 points, including two three-pointers to force overtime, and the Minnesota Timberwolves rallied past the Utah Jazz 106-104. LaVine’s clutch shots in the fourth quarter set up a 6-1 Minnesota run to start overtime that the Jazz couldn’t overcome. Canadian Andrew Wiggins scored 22 points for Minnesota.

(CP)