WEDNESDAY EYE-OPENER
NHL: Rick Nash scored a deflected goal to break a tie 2:50 into the third period, and the New York Rangers beat the New York Islanders in their last regular-season visit to Nassau Coliseum 2-1. The Islanders are moving to Brooklyn next season.
After dropping the first three matchups to the Islanders _ including two at home _ the Rangers have won two straight on Long Island.
In other hockey:
-_ Tyler Johnson scored at 1:03 of OT to give the Tampa Bay Lightning a 1-0 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. The Lightning have won four straight to move within one point of Eastern Conference-leading Montreal.
– Thomas Vanek scored twice, Devan Dubnyk stopped 30 shots and the Minnesota Wild beat the new Jersey Devils 6-2.
– Barret Jackman scored his first goal in 36 games with 1:03 left, launching a shot from centre ice to give the St. Louis Blues a 5-4 win over the Winnipeg Jets.
– Brayden McNabb had a goal and two assists, Jonathan Quick stopped 21 shots and the Los Angeles Kings beat Colorado 5-2.
– The Boston Bruins scored all three of their goals in the second period in beating Ottawa 3-1. Ryan Spooner scored his second and third goals of the season.
– Vernon Fiddler scored the winning goal late in the third period to lift the Dallas Stars to a 2-1 victory over Philadelphia.
– Ryan Johansen had the only goal in the shootout, giving the Columbus Blue Jackets a 4-3 win over the Carolina Hurricanes.
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NFL FREE AGENCY: Trades overshadowed the opening day of free agency in the NFL.
Seattle has acquired tight end Jimmy Graham from New Orleans in exchange for centre Max Unger. Graham is considered one of the top pass catching tight ends in the league. He has caught at least 85 passes in each of the past four seasons. Two seasons ago, he had 1,215 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns. Unger has been Seattle’s starting centre since his rookie year, but was limited to six games last season due to injuries.
The Philadelphia Eagles and St. Louis Rams have agreed to swap quarterbacks Nick Foles and Sam Bradford. Bradford hasn’t played since his 2013 season ended after he twice tore his left ACL. Foles had a breakout season for the Eagles in 2013 and was offensive MVP of the Pro Bowl. He missed the last eight games in 2014 after breaking his collarbone.
The Eagles have also agreed on a one-year contract with free-agent cornerback Walter Thurmond III and re-signed quarterback Mark Sanchez to a two-year deal.
The Ravens have traded nine-year defensive tackle Haloti Ngata (hah-LOH’-tee NAH’-dah) to the Detroit Lions. The Ravens will receive a fourth- and fifth-round pick for Ngata and a seventh-round selection, according to a report on the Lions’ website. Ngata is due $8.5 million next season and has a $16 million salary cap figure. The 31-year-old Ngata is a five-time Pro Bowler. He started in 12 games last season before serving a four-game suspension for using Adderall.
In other moves:
– The Jets dug into their past to bring back All-Pro cornerback Darrelle Revis, according to his agents. Revis goes from the Jets’ archrival Patriots, whom he helped win the Super Bowl last month, to his NFL roots. The deal is for five years and $70 million, with $39 million guaranteed.
– A person with knowledge of the agreement says free agent wide receiver Torrey Smith, formerly of Baltimore, has reached a five-year contract with the San Francisco 49ers, pending a physical. The 26-year-old Smith had 49 receptions for 767 yards and 11 touchdowns last season with the Ravens.
– Running back LeSean McCoy says he’s happy to be somewhere he’s appreciated after being traded to Buffalo from Philadelphia for linebacker Kiko Alonso. The teams agreed to the deal last week and it became official.
– Five-time Pro Bowl running back Frank Gore has agreed to terms with the Indianapolis Colts. The 31-year old running back had eight 1,000 seasons with San Francisco. It was thought he would sign with Philadelphia.
– The Seahawks finalized a three-year contract with cornerback Cary Williams on the first day players could sign with new teams. Williams’ deal is worth up to $18 million.
– The San Diego Chargers have agreed to terms of a five-year contract with guard Orlando Franklin, an unrestricted free agent from AFC West rival Denver.
– The Bengals solidified their linebacker position by reaching agreement on a deal with A.J. Hawk who was released by Green Bay last week. Hawk worked out with the Bengals as free agency opened on Tuesday. Agent Mike McCartney tweeted that they had agreed to a two-year deal. The team didn’t confirm it.
– Receiver Brandon Marshall has passed his physical and his trade to the New York Jets from the Chicago Bears is a done deal. The teams agreed on the deal last Friday, but it became official at the start of the unrestricted free agency signing period. The Jets sent a fifth-round draft pick to the Bears for Marshall and a seventh-rounder.
– A person familiar with the negotiations says Arizona and free agent guard Mike Iupati have agreed on a five-year, $40 million contract with $22.5 million guaranteed. The 6-foot-5, 331-pound lineman has played all five of his NFL seasons with the San Francisco 49ers. He is a three-time Pro Bowl player and made the All-Pro team in 2012.
– Houston has re-signed free agent quarterback Ryan Mallett, who is in line to be the starter next season. His two-year extension is worth $7 million, with $1.75 guaranteed.
– The Browns have signed wide receiver Brian Hartline who gets a two-year, $6 million contract. The 28-year-old had consecutive 1,000-yard seasons in 2012 and 2013 for Miami before dropping to 474 yards last season.
– The Oakland Raiders opened free agency by agreeing to contracts with former Super Bowl MVP Malcolm Smith and blocking tight end Lee Smith.
– A person with knowledge of the situation tells The Associated Press that Shaun Hill has agreed to a two-year, $6.5 million dollar deal to be Minnesota’s back-up quarterback. Hill started eight games for St. Louis last season. The Vikings signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2002.
– A person familiar with the negotiations has told The Associated Press the Buffalo Bills have agreed to sign free-agent fullback Jerome Felton, who spent the past three seasons in Minnesota.
– The New York Giants dipped into the free agency market, coming up with two former Patriots: running back Shane Vereen and linebacker Jonathan Casillas. A person with knowledge of the moves who requested anonymity, because the Giants had not confirmed the agreements, said the team also signed former Green Bay and Cincinnati offensive tackle Marshall Newhouse, Cowboys return specialist/receiver Dwayne Harris and Jacksonville linebacker J.T. Thomas.
– Agent Marc Lillibridge said tight end Ed Dickson has agreed to terms on a three-year contract with Carolina. Dickson is expected to sign the contract on Wednesday upon passing his physical. The team also re-signed defensive tackle Dwan Edwards to a two-year deal. Carolina has released all-time leading rusher DeAngelo Williams.
– Seven-time Pro Bowl linebacker Patrick Willis is retiring after a 2014 season that was cut short by a toe injury that required surgery.
– Quarterback Jake Locker is retiring from football rather than hit free agency after four NFL seasons with the Tennessee Titans. He says in a statement that he no longer has the “burning desire” needed to keep playing for a living.
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MLB SPRING TRAINING: Cliff Lee will try to pitch through an elbow injury instead of having season-ending surgery. The former Cy Young Award winner made the decision after a second opinion from Dr. James Andrews. Head athletic trainer Scott Sheridan says the tear in Lee’s common flexor tendon looks the same on an MRI as it did last year, when the ace was limited to 13 starts.
General manager Ruben Amaro Jr. says he’s “not terribly optimistic” that Lee can return to pitching without pain but there’s a possibility he can.
In other news:
– Cleveland right-hander Gavin Floyd has reinjured his pitching right elbow and may need surgery. The 32-year-old was 2-2 with a 2.65 ERA for Atlanta last season and didn’t pitch after June 19. He had surgery six days later to repair a stress fracture of the olecranon, a bone behind the elbow.
– Braves left-hander Mike Minor will start the season on the disabled list because of inflammation in his pitching shoulder’s rotator cuff. Minor has had an injection in the shoulder and won’t throw for two weeks. Minor was bothered by shoulder soreness last spring and didn’t make his first big league start until May 2. He finished 6-12 with a 4.77 ERA in 25 starts.
– Blue Jays pitcher Marcus Stroman will miss the entire season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during fielding drills. The Jays’ general manager says Stroman was participating in bunting practice when he was called off by third baseman Josh Donaldson. Stroman planted his feet to stop, then felt a pop in his knee.
(Associated Press)
