42 Friday Sports Friday, November 24, 2017 Thanksgiving debut for Rivers also big for Chargers, Cowboys

ARLINGTON: Philip Rivers looks forward to his loss, 27-7 to Atlanta, and lost a in both Thanksgiving debut in his 14th season. The six- games. But the Cowboys still have to figure out time quarterback is also pretty fired how to stop the run without 2016 All-Pro line- up about how important Thursday’s visit to the backer Sean Lee, who will miss his second is for his Los Angeles Chargers. straight game and fourth overall with a ham- “Outside of playoff games, I don’t know that string injury. Dallas is allowing 181 yards rushing there’s any bigger stage and game than Thanks- per game without Lee. giving,” Rivers said. “It’s certainly a big-time game, more so because of what’s riding on it for Game breaker our team. Throw in the fact that it’s Thanksgiv- Things to consider going into the Chargers’ ing, even better.” second straight Thanksgiving game in Texas (the Los Angeles (4-6) started 0-4 while AFC most recent was a 21-17 AFL win at Houston in West rival Kansas City won its first five. Now the 1969, the year before the merger): Chargers are within two BIG MIKE: After an games of the division- injury-plagued begin- leading Chiefs after ning to his rookie sea- scoring their most points son, Chargers receiver since 1981 in a 54-24 win Mike Williams is starting over Buffalo.The Cow- It’s certainly a to become a bigger part boys (5-5) have lost both of the game plan. He games without sus- big-time game caught a season-high pended star running five passes against Buf- back Ezekiel Elliott, with falo, playing 41 snaps ARLINGTON: In this Sunday, Nov 19, 2017, file photo, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott still four games remain- and finally getting into a (4) is sacked by defensive end Derek Barnett (96) in the first half of an NFL ing on the six-game ban rhythm on the field. The football game. —AP over alleged domestic violence. The defending Clemson product could get an even larger role NFC East champs are already all but eliminated going forward as defenses focus on Keenan quarterbacks Nathan Peterman and Tyrod Tay- and Tony Gonzalez are the only tight ends with in the division race, facing a tough road to a Allen after his 12-catch performance against the lor. LA’s dynamic rushing duo of Joey Bosa and at least 1,000 catches and 10,000 yards. “They wild-card spot. Bills. Melvin Ingram is responsible for 19 of those are two of the all-time greats,” Cowboys coach “It’s going to show the character of our MORE REINFORCEMENTS: In addition to sacks. Bosa is on a particular roll lately, with his Jason Garrett said. team,” said quarterback Dak Prescott, who has the likely return of Smith, it appears kicker Dan pressure causing two of Peterman’s intercep- FUNNY MAN: Assuming Bosa faces Smith, struggled without the backfield mate from their Bailey will be back after injuring his right groin tions and Taylor’s fumble, which was returned for he’ll do so with a healthy amount of respect for remarkable rookie season. “We’ve got the against San Francisco and missing four games. a by Ingram. the 6-foot-5, 320-pound former Southern Cal choice to go 11-5 right now or 5-11 or anything Mike Nugent was signed to replace him and ap- TIGHT END ROYALTY: Once again, Charg- standout. “First of all, you just look at the man - in between. It’s about us coming in and coming parently will remain on the roster at least one ers-Cowboys will mean an Antonio Gates-Jason he’s like a cartoon character, a freakin’ test tube to work every day to show the character and more week. in- Witten showdown at tight end. They came in to- baby. It’s unbelievable the size of him.” Bosa fight we have to be 11-5.” jured his groin against the Eagles, but has said gether in 2003 and have played all 15 seasons won’t get to see Elliott, his old roommate at Ohio Tyron Smith appears set to return for Dallas he thinks he’ll play. Hitchens usually fills Lee’s with the same franchise. Between them, Gates State. Elliott was taken fourth in the 2016 draft, after the four-time Pro Bowl left tackle missed weakside spot when Lee is out. and Witten have 2,045 catches for 23,612 yards one spot after Bosa. “We were both terrible two games with back and groin issues. Prescott WHAT A RUSH: The Chargers are third in and 178 . Gates’ only TD this season roommates so it didn’t bother either of us. We was sacked a career-high eight times in the first the NFL with 30 sacks after harassing Buffalo set the NFL record for tight ends at 112. Witten were both sloppy,” Bosa said. —AP

goals and Kyle Turris had the only goal in a teams last season. Tampa Bay scored four third- Anton Khudobin made 40 saves as Boston im- shootout to lead Nashville over struggling Mon- period goals Jan 24 for a 5-2 win in Chicago, and proved to 9-7-4 with its third straight win - all OT goal guide treal. Pekka Rinne made 27 saves in regulation the Lightning battled back from a 4-1 deficit to with Khudobin in goal. Jake DeBrusk and Patrice and overtime, then denied all three Montreal win 5-4 in overtime at home Mar. 27. Kunitz tied Bergeron scored first-period goals for the Bru- Blue Jackets to shootout attempts as Nashville won for the it 2 just 31 seconds into the third. ins. New Jersey has dropped three of its last five eighth time in nine games. Jordie Benn and Joe in falling to 12-5-4. Jesper Bratt and Brian Gib- Morrow scored for the Canadiens, who have lost CAPITALS 5, SENATORS 2 bons scored for the Devils, and Cory Schneider 5th straight win their last five. Morrow’s goal evened the score Alex Ovechkin scored his first goal in seven made 27 saves. The shootout opened with Hall with less than a minute left in the third period. In games, Jakub Vrana had two goals for the first and David Pastrnak trading goals. And it stayed the tiebreaker, Turris beat Antti Niemi with a time in his career and the Washington beat Ot- that way until McAvoy’s game-winner. COLUMBUS: Josh Anderson scored two min- wrist shot between the pads. Benn scored the tawa. Ovechkin’s 14th goal came in his first game utes into overtime to give the Columbus Blue game’s first goal at 12:47 of the opening period. this season as linemates with Nicklas Backstrom, RANGERS 6, HURRICANES 1 Jackets their fifth straight win, 1-0 over the Cal- Skating through the slot, he took a pass from who led the team in assists last season. Back- Chris Kreider and Jesper Fast scored two gary Flames on Wednesday night. Sergei Bo- Charles Hudon and beat Rinne with a wrist shot strom assisted on the play. Evgeny Kuznetsov goals apiece, including Kreider’s first just 52 sec- brovsky had 22 saves for Columbus in his third to the stick side. Forsberg tied it at 1 with a sec- added a goal and two assists, and Alex Chiasson onds into the game, and New York rolled to vic- shutout this season and 22nd of his career. Mike Smith turned away 40 shots for Calgary. It was ond remaining in the first. had a goal and an assist for the Capitals, who tory over Carolina. Mika Zibanejad and Paul the first time this season that either team ended have earned at least a point against the Senators Carey followed Kreider with goals in the first 11 regulation scoreless. The Jackets outshot Calgary LIGHTNING 3, BLACKHAWKS 2, OT in nine consecutive meetings. Braden Holtby minutes as the Rangers jumped out to a com- 2-1 for much of the game. The Flames, however, Brayden Point scored a power-play goal 3:25 made 29 saves to help Washington avoid its first manding lead. Kreider got his second goal 20 dominated puck possession in the first 90 sec- into overtime, and Tampa Bay rallied again to beat set of back-to-back home losses this season. seconds into the third, and Fast scored twice in onds of overtime before the Jackets pushed into Chicago. Point took a pass from Steven Stamkos Ryan Dzingle scored on a second-period power the final period to turn it into a rout. Henrik the offensive zone. Calgary’s TJ Brodie sought to while positioned near the post and put the winner play for Ottawa before the Senators failed to Lundqvist made 30 saves as the Rangers won for set up play from behind his own net, but the puck past Corey Crawford. Tampa Bay got also goals capitalize later in the period on a 5-on-3 advan- the eighth time in their last 10 games. Sebastian rolled off onto the stick of Nick Foligno, who sent from Ondrej Palat and Chris Kunitz, and Andrei tage that lasted 76 seconds. Aho scored for the fifth game in a row and Teuvo it to Anderson for the game-winner. Vasilevskiy made 29 saves. Ryan Callahan had Teravainen had an assist in his fifth straight to lead two assists. Patrick Kane scored twice and Craw- BRUINS 3, DEVILS 2, SO the Hurricanes. Scott Darling stopped just 21 of PREDATORS 3, CANADIENS 2, SO ford stopped 35 shots for the Blackhawks, who Charlie McAvoy scored in the 11th round of 27 shots. Kreider and the Rangers grabbed the Filip Forsberg scored a pair of power-play blew leads in losing both games between the the shootout to lift Boston over New Jersey. momentum early and never let it go. —AP