SPORTS MONDAY, DECEMBER 2 , 2013 Photo of the day Sharks edge Ducks to top Pacific Division

SAN JOSE: San Jose leapfrogged Anaheim to the top of before Ovechkin scored to give the Capitals (14-11-2) their the NHL Pacific Division by beating the Ducks 4-3 after a second successive win. shootout on Saturday, with Joe Pavelski netting the Sharks’ winner and Antti Niemi stopping all three attempts in the Penguins 5, Panthers 1 tiebreaker. Despite being badly out-gunned, the Pittsburgh Also Saturday, league leader and defending champion Penguins made the most of their opportunities to beat the Chicago completed an impressive road trip with a win at . Florida, who out-shot Pittsburgh 40-22, Phoenix, Colorado beat Minnesota in a shootout, and Max have lost four of their past five games. Pacioretty led Montreal over Toronto. San Jose’s Logan Couture scored his first in eight Bruins 3, Blue Jackets 1 games while Patrick Marleau and Marty Havlat also scored The Boston Bruins closed out November with their for the Sharks, who finished a season-long five-game fourth win in their last five games as left winger Milan homestand unbeaten and won their eighth in nine overall. Lucic scored twice and backup goalie Chad Johnson faced Corey Perry, Alex Grant and Ben Lovejoy scored for the just 14 shots, 13 of which he saved, as the Bruins finished Ducks, who have lost six of their past seven road games. the month 9-4-0 and atop the Eastern Conference. Chicago’s Patrick Kane had a goal and an assist in a domi- nant first period which set up a 5-2 win over Phoenix. Flyers 3, Predators 2 (shootout) Blackhawks goaltender Antti Raanta made 32 saves for The Philadelphia Flyers started a six-game road trip with his second NHL win. After watching a 3-0 lead become 3-2 a victory over the . Vincent Lecavalier after a sloppy second period, Brandon Bollig’s goal with scored the shootout’s only goal as the Flyers posted their 9:11 left put it away for Chicago. Andrew Shaw and Niklas eighth win in 11 games. Hjalmarsson also scored for the Blackhawks, and Marian Aaron Colton performs on the rooftop of the W Hotel, in downtown Dallas, Hossa added an empty-net goal in Chicago’s sixth straight Blackhawks 5, Coyotes 2 TX, USA on 6 April 2013. — www.redbullcontentpool.com win to wrap up a seven-game trip. The completed their long road trip Rob Klinkhammer and Martin Hanzal scored for the in style, scoring three first-period goals to beat the Phoenix Coyotes. Colorado’s Ryan O’Reilly scored the only goal in Coyotes. The win gave the Blackhawks a 6-1 mark on their the shootout which secured a 3-2 win over Minnesota. road trip and kept them atop the NHL’s overall standings Geisenberger wins season’s Semyon Varlamov stopped 35 shots while Gabriel with 44 points. Landeskog and Nathan MacKinnon had a goal apiece for the Avalanche, which edged a rare -free game. Avalanche 3, Wild 2 (shootout) 3rd World Cup race Mikko Koivu and Matt Cooke scored for the Wild, which Center Ryan O’Reilly scored the only shootout goal as had won six of its previous seven visits to Colorado. the Colorado Avalanche recovered from blowing a late WINTERBERG: World champion led However, a mistake from Geisenberger at the start of Montreal’s Max Pacioretty scored twice and added an assist two-goal lead to beat the Minnesota Wild. The Wild trailed a German sweep of the top three spots in the third World the team relay later Sunday cost Germany the chance of to power the Canadiens to a 4-2 win over Toronto. with time running out but scored twice late, with Mikko Cup luge race to maintain her perfect start to the season making it a perfect 4-for-4 in gold medals from the week- P.K. Subban and Tomas Plekanec also scored for the Koivu burying a slap shot with 4.3 seconds left to send it to yesterday. The 25-year-old Geisenberger was fastest in end. Canadiens, who went ahead via Pacioretty inside a minute. overtime. both runs down the Hochsauerland course to finish in a Italy’s Sandra Gasparini, and James van Riemsdyk and scored for the combined time of 1 minute, 53.457 seconds for her 19th Christian Oberstolz with took advantage Maple Leafs. Boston’s Milan Lucic scored a pair of goals and Flames 2, Kings 1 career victory. and won in a track record combined time of 2:25.874. Patrice Bergeron added the other as the Bruins downed Winger Mike Cammalleri scored in the final minute of Olympic champion Tatjana Huefner overcame earlier Hansen and American team mates Greg West, Christian Columbus 3-1. the third period as the Flames edged the Los back problems to finish second in 1:53.897, while Anke Niccum and Jayson Terdiman were second, ahead of The Bruins haven’t lost at home in regulation in 11 Angeles Kings. Cammalleri’s winner came with 23 seconds Wischnewski clocked 1:54.101 to complete the German Austria’s Nina Reithmayer, Daniel Pfister and games and have won all three meetings between the left in regulation when he backhanded a rebound home to success. with . teams this season. Ryan Johansen scored a power-play give Calgary (9-13-4) its second win in two attempts on the Canada’s Alex Gough was fourth, 0.925 seconds behind The Germans had to make do with ninth. On Saturday, goal for the Blue Jackets, who were outshot 36-14. New Kings’ home ice this season. — Agencies Geisenberger, followed by Russia’s Tatiana Ivanova. United Germany’s Chris Eissler was the surprise winner of the York’s Chris Kreider had a hat trick - doubling his season States pair and Kat Hansen were sixth and sev- men’s singles race on his World Cup debut, and world goals total - as the Rangers spoiled the return of former enth. Geisenberger leads the standings with 300 points, champions and claimed their sec- coach John Tortorella by beating his team 5-2. ahead of Huefner (200) and Wischnewski (186). ond doubles victory of the season.— AP Rick Nash added a goal and two assists and Michael Del NHL results/standings Zotto also scored for the Rangers. David Booth and Daniel NY Rangers 5, Vancouver 2; Boston 3, Columbus 1; Sedin scored for the Canucks. Calgary’s Michael Montreal 4, Toronto 2; Pittsburgh 5, Florida 1; New Jersey Cammalleri scored with 23 seconds remaining to give the 1, Buffalo 0 (OT); Washington 3, NY Islanders 2 (OT); Flames a 2-1 win over Los Angeles. Philadelphia 3, Nashville 2 (SO); Chicago 5, Phoenix 2; Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin scored a goal and had three Colorado 3, Minnesota 2 (SO); Calgary 2, Los Angeles 1; assists to lift the Penguins to a 5-1 win over Florida. San Jose 4, Anaheim 3 (SO). Philadelphia’s Vincent Lecavalier scored the only goal in the shootout as the Flyers beat Nashville 3-2 to start a six- Western Conference game road trip on a winning note. Pacific Division Washington’s Alexander Ovechkin scored in overtime to WLOTLGFGAPTS lift the Capitals to a 3-2 victory over the . San Jose 18 3 5 92 60 41 New Jersey also had an overtime win, with Steve Bernier Anaheim 18 7 4 91 77 40 scoring the sole goal to give the Devils a 1-0 win over Los Angeles 16 7 4 70 58 36 struggling Buffalo. Phoenix 15 7 4 85 84 34 Vancouver 13 10 5 74 75 31 Rangers 5, Canucks 2 Calgary 9 13 4 70 93 22 Left winger Chris Kreider scored his first NHL hat-trick Edmonton 8 17 2 70 93 18 Central Division and goaltender Cam Talbot stopped 35 shots to help the Chicago 20 4 4 102 76 44 New York Rangers beat the at Madison St. Louis 18 4 3 89 57 39 Square Garden. The Rangers (14-13-0) are 12-8 since Colorado 19 6 0 76 52 38 Kreider and Talbot were called up on the same day from Minnesota 15 8 5 68 67 35 the minors on Oct. 20. New York’s victory spoiled the Nashville 13 11 3 62 75 29 return of Vancouver coach John Tortorella, who was fired Winnipeg 12 12 4 73 80 28 by the Rangers in May. Dallas 12 9 3 68 70 27

Canadiens 4, Maple Leafs 2 Eastern Conference Left winger Max Pacioretty scored two goals and added Atlantic Division an assist to help lead the Montreal Canadiens to a win over Boston 18 7 2 75 55 38 the Toronto Maple Leafs. Canadiens goaltender Carey Price Tampa Bay 16 9 1 76 66 33 made 34 saves for Montreal (15-9-3), who have gone 5-0-1 Montreal 15 9 3 73 57 33 in their last six games. Detroit 13 7 7 74 71 33 Toronto 14 10 3 75 73 31 CARDIFF: Australia’s fly-half Quade Cooper (C) evades Wales’ No8 Toby Faletau (L) during the International rugby Ottawa 10 12 4 76 86 24 union test match between Wales and Australia at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, on Saturday. — AFP Devils 1, Sabres 0 (overtime) Steve Bernier scored with 40.2 seconds remaining in Florida 7 15 5 59 91 19 overtime to lift the to victory against the Buffalo 6 20 2 48 85 14 Barry John laments Wales . Bernier carried the puck in a 2-on-2 rush Metropolitan Division with defenseman Andy Greene, pulled up at the top of the Pittsburgh 18 9 1 86 64 37 Washington 14 11 2 82 78 30 circle and beat Sabres goaltender Jhonas Enroth with a NY Rangers 14 13 0 60 66 28 loss, hails classy Cooper wrist shot high to the glove side. New Jersey 11 11 5 59 64 27 Philadelphia 12 12 2 57 63 26 Capitals 3, Islanders 2 (overtime) Carolina 10 11 5 55 75 25 CARDIFF: Barry John said Wales’s latest defeat by Australia be tired but their pace of the game is too much and when Left winger Alex Ovechkin’s goal with 2:53 left in over- had left them with a “World Cup-sized headache” ahead of they break the line they can score tries. Columbus 10 14 3 67 80 23 time capped a stunning comeback by the Washington NY Islanders 8 15 4 72 93 20 the England 2015 edition of rugby union’s global show- “But this was our big chance to beat one of the big boys- Capitals to lift them past the New York Islanders. The piece. The Wallabies 30-26 win at Cardiff’s Millennium and the fact we couldn’t do it leaves us with a World Cup- Capitals appeared headed for defeat when Islanders Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the Stadium on Saturday was their ninth straight victory over sized headache,” lamented John. — AFP winger scored with 1:51 left but standings and are not included in the loss column (L). Wales, who’ve now won just one of their last 23 Tests against Washington tied it on center Nicklas Backstrom’s goal southern hemisphere giants New Zealand, South Africa and Australia. This reverse was all the more significant given Wales and Life’s a holiday for the Wallabies are in the same World Cup ‘group of death’ as England. “This was a game Wales simply had to win, not just birthday-boy Ullrich to take that southern hemisphere scalp we so badly needed but to lay down a marker with the 2015 World Cup meeting BERLIN: Germany’s only Tour de France winner Jan with the Wallabies in mind,” wrote John in his Wales on Ullrich turns 40 today with the controversial cyclist Sunday column. insisting he has come to terms with his doping past. “I know it’s nearly two years out from that Twickenham Ullrich, who retired in 2007 having won the 1997 game but the fact the two countries don’t play each other Tour, admitted for the first time last June to doping until then raised the stakes here.” Wales great John, widely during his career with transfusions, using his own blood, by Spanish doctor Eufemiano Fuentes. regarded as one of rugby union’s best all-time outside or fly- The German, who also won road-race gold and halves, said the performance of Australia No 10 Quade time-trial silver medals at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Cooper had been decisive on Saturday. Games, said he was motivated by the desire to com- “What a player Quade Cooper is. The outside-half pete against his rivals on a level-playing field. showed up where Wales are lacking, you often hear the In February 2012, Ullrich was found guilty of a dop- term playmaker but this is what playmaking is all about. ing offence by the Court of Arbitration in Sport (CAS) “He’s the player who can get you off your seat in a heart- and retrospectively banned from August 2011 and all beat,” added John, who thrilled spectators during both his his results since May 2005 were removed. career with Wales and as a key member of the victorious Now Ullrich lives with his wife Sara and three sons British and Irish Lions side in New Zealand in 1971. on the shores of Lake Constance in Switzerland. “The way he shows the ball is so tantalising for defences He spends his days looking after his growing family who tend to ball-watch because that’s the natural thing to and makes a living from professional engagements, do. “When players run off him, and these are big guys com- such as taking part in cycle rides with fee-paying fans. ing off his shoulder, it’s amazing to watch and he bamboo- “Overall, I feel totally happy,” says Ullrich, who looks fit zled Wales at times.” And John said Cooper’s play has shone enough to race still. a spotlight on one of the underlying issues confronting all “The life I now lead would be a holiday for many of British rugby union. “The deftness of his passing is what people.” But nearly seven years after retiring, Ullrich’s we lack not only in Wales but in the UK as a whole.” doping offences have never been fully explained. “I Next year will see Wales bidding for a third successive Six have finished with the subject,” Ullrich told German Nations title but John said Saturday’s loss put the annual radio broadcaster NDR. battle between Europe’s leading nations into perspective. “I have taken my punishment, I regret what I did “We’ve dominated it in recent years but it doesn’t mean and I stand behind my mistakes.” Legal troubles still we are good enough to beat the likes of Australia after hang over Ullrich, who has been taken to court in the they’ve had such a long season. “They look comfortable wake of his June confession by a former team sponsor SUNRISE: Pittsburgh Penguins center Joe Vitale (46) scores a goal against Florida Panthers goalie Tim Thomas (34) when they come to the northern hemisphere, they should who wants three month’s of salary back.—AFP during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, in Sunrise, Florida. — AP