26 Established 1961 Sports Monday, December 2, 2019 Avalanche score seven straight, rout Blackhawks in Rantanen’s return Driedger, Stralman lead Panthers past Predators

DENVER: Joonas Donskoi and Nazem Kadri had two over Montreal on Nov 7. The victory caps an outstand- goals apiece, Mikko Rantanen had a goal and three ing November for the Flyers, who led the NHL with 24 assists in his first game in more than a month, and the points in the month by earning points in 14 of 16 games Colorado Avalanche beat the Chicago Blackhawks 7-3 (10-2-4). The Flyers have won four straight games and in Denver on Saturday night. Nathan MacKinnon added are unbeaten (5-0-1) over their last six contests. a goal and two assists, Tyson Jost also scored and Philipp Grubauer stopped 26 shots for the Avalanche, ISLANDERS 2, BLUE JACKETS 0 who swept the back-to-back set against Chicago. Thomas Greiss and Semyon Varlamov combined for Colorado won 5-2 in Chicago on Friday night. Patrick 39 saves in a rare two-goalie shutout for host New Kane, Brandon Saad and Dominik Kubalik had goals, York, who snapped a three-game losing streak by beat- and Corey Crawford finished with 13 saves in relief of ing Columbus. Greiss made the first nine saves before Robin Lehner for the Blackhawks, who played without exiting for undisclosed reasons with 5:54 left in the defenseman Duncan Keith due to a groin injury. opening period. The combined shutout is the third in Rantanen missed 16 games with a lower-body injury Islanders history and the first since April 4, 1998. Greiss, sustained at St. Louis on Oct. 21. He sat out the third who exited with a 1-0 lead, is the first Islanders goalie period Saturday for what is believed to be precaution- to ever earn a win after playing less than one period. ary reasons. Anders Lee scored early in the first period, and Mathew Barzal scored late in the second for the Islanders, who PANTHERS 3, PREDATORS 0 went 0-2-1 on a three-game West Coast road trip. Chris Driedger earned a shutout in his first NHL Goalie Elvis Merzlikins made 25 saves for the Blue start, and defenseman Anton Stralman scored twice, Jackets, who have alternated wins with losses over the leading host Florida to a win over Nashville. Center last six games. Aleksander Barkov also scored for the Panthers, who snapped a three-game losing streak. The win marked SHARKS 4, COYOTES 2 LOS ANGELES: Mathieu Perreault #85 of the Jets attempts a shot in front of Jack Campbell #36 of the a successful start to Florida’s nine-game homestand. Logan Couture scored two goals and Martin Jones Los Angeles Kings during the third period in a 2-1 Kings win at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. — AFP Driedger made 27 saves in his fourth NHL appear- finished with 21 saves as San Jose rallied from an early ance and his first since Oct. 28, 2016. The 25-year- 2-0 deficit to defeat Arizona in Glendale, Ariz. Dylan old Driedger — the ’ third-round Gambrell and Timo Meier also scored goals and Tomas which has lost two in a row. Justin Faulk and Nathan and an assist and Carolina held off host Tampa Bay’s pick in 2012 — earned this opportunity because of Hertl had two assists for San Jose, which tied a franchise Walker also scored for St. Louis, which is 5-1-1 in its third-period rally to win for the first time in their past his stellar statistics in the record with 11 wins in the month of November. The past seven. Jordan Binnington stopped 29 of 31 10 trips to Tampa. Jordan Martinook also scored for this season — a 2.09 goals-against average and a Sharks also extended their NHL record of winning when Penguins shots. Sam Lafferty and Kris Letang scored Carolina, which snapped a two-game losing streak, .938 save percentage. allowing two goals or less to 45 games. Nick Schmaltz for Pittsburgh, which lost its second straight. Matt and Dougie Hamilton had two assists. and Derek Stepan scored goals for Arizona, which had a Murray made 22 saves. The Penguins played mostly with James Reimer made 36 saves. Braydon Point and Tyler KINGS 2, JETS 1 nine-game point streak against Pacific Division teams five defensemen. Brian Dumoulin was helped off the ice Johnson scored for the Lightning, whose winless Joakim Ryan and Nikolai Prokhorkin scored first- snapped. Antti Raanta finished with 26 saves. in the first minute after St. Louis’ Zach Sanford fell on streak reached three games (0-2-1). Curtis period goals as Los Angeles started fast and hung on his right leg as the two pursued the puck behind the McElhinney stopped 21 of 24 shots. The Lightning for a victory over Winnipeg to set a franchise record for CAPITALS 5, RED WINGS 2 Pittsburgh net. There was no information on his status. also had its 13-game point streak in the series against home victories in November. Jack Campbell made 33 A battle between the best and worst teams in the Carolina snapped (11-0-2). saves as the Kings won for the seventh time at home in NHL had the predictable outcome, as Alex Ovechkin RANGERS 4, DEVILS 0 the month, but the success was neutralized by an 0-4-1 notched a hat trick and added an assist to lead Mika Zibanejad and Jesper Fast scored short-handed FLAMES 3, SENATORS 1 record on the road. Campbell made a point-blank save Washington past host Detroit. The Capitals lead the goals in the third period and Alexandar Georgiev made Elias Lindholm’s late third-period goal, his first of on Mark Scheifele as time expired. Jack Roslovic scored NHL with 43 points and have won five of their last seven 33 saves as New York blanked New Jersey in Newark, two goals on the night, came just after his team saw a a third-period goal for the Jets, who were unable to games. Detroit has a league-worst 17 points and is win- NJ. The Rangers improved to 4-0-1 in their last five lead disappear and proved to be the game winner as complete the comeback. Winnipeg went 10-3-1 in less in its last nine, including seven straight regulation games and 10-4-2 in their last 16, with Zibanejad miss- host Calgary beat Ottawa in Calgary’s first game after November and had to settle for matching a franchise losses. T.J. Oshie and Tom Wilson also scored for the ing a significant amount of that stretch with an upper- coach Bill Peters resigned. Goaltender David Rittich record for victories in a single month. Capitals, and Ilya Samsonov made 25 saves. Robby body injury. New York overcame being penalized for 34 made 26 saves for the Flames, who recorded the Fabbri and Luke Glendening scored for the Red Wings, minutes. Zibanejad scored his second goal since return- 1,000th home victory in franchise history. Peters FLYERS 4, CANADIENS 3 (OT) and Jonathan Bernier stopped 29 shots. ing on Wednesday. Adam Fox and Brady Skjel also resigned after investigations began regarding claims Ivan Provorov’s near end-to-end rush in overtime scored in Georgiev’s third career shutout. Mackenzie that he directed a racial slur at a player while coaching gave visiting Philadelphia a win over Montreal. BLUES 5, PENGUINS 2 Blackwood finished with 19 saves for New Jersey. in the minors and also kicked one of his players while Provorov’s sixth goal of the season gave Philadelphia its St. Louis got third-period goals from Ivan Barbashev, coaching the Carolina Hurricanes a couple of seasons second overtime victory over the Canadiens this season, Mackenzie MacEachern and Jaden Schwartz to win its HURRICANES 3, LIGHTNING 2 ago. Saturday was Geoff Ward’s first official game as the as the Flyers also needed the extra frame in a 3-2 result third straight game, knocking off visiting Pittsburgh, Sebastian Aho and Jaccob Slavin each had a goal Flames’ interim coach. — Reuters

doctor he wasn’t interested in under- Leclerc faces Seahawks’ going surgery at this time. “I told him to hold that off,” Clowney said. “So I’m holding that off post-race probe Clowney to play and trying to finish this season. If it was a lot of games left, it’d be differ- against Vikings ent. But we ain’t got many ... I just told on Ferrari fuel him I think I can get through those and try to help this team.” irregularity SEATTLE: Seattle Seahawks defen- Clowney said Meyers explained to sive end Jadeveon Clowney is expect- him what he was dealing with and dis- ed to play in tonight’s contest against cussed his MRI results with him. ABU DHABI: Charles Leclerc was at risk of a post- the Minnesota Vikings after missing Clowney was acquired from the race penalty at yesterday’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after one game with a core-muscle injury. Houston Texans on the eve of the sea- a fuel irregularity was discovered in his Ferrari during The Seahawks listed Clowney as son and has been relatively quiet with pre-race checks. questionable on their Saturday injury 25 tackles, three sacks, three forced In a statement, FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer said: report. Clowney was a limited prac- fumbles and one interception in 10 “The fuel declaration of car number 16 was checked tice participant for the second games. He returned the interception before the car left the pit-lane. straight day, leading to optimism from for a touchdown. “There was a significant difference between the Seattle coach Pete Carroll. Clowney totaled 18.5 sacks in his declaration of the team and the amount of fuel inside “We just practiced him very lightly final two seasons with the Texans. In the car. “As this is not in compliance with Technical today but he did well yesterday and other injuries, fullback Nick Bellore Directive (TD)/12-19 I am referring this matter to the he’s fine,” Carroll told reporters. “He (quadriceps) and cornerback Neiko stewards for their consideration.” should be ready to go.” Clowney suf- Thorpe (groin) are listed as doubtful. The investigation is scheduled to take place after the fered the injury against the San Joining Clowney as questionable are season-ending race at the Yas Marina circuit. Francisco 49ers on Nov. 11. The defensive tackles Jarran Reed (ankle) Leclerc was set to start Sunday’s race from third on Seahawks had a bye the following and Al Woods (ankle), linebacker the grid for Ferrari. week before Clowney missed last Mychal Kendricks (hamstring) and He is bidding to overhaul Red Bull’s Max Verstappen week’s win over the Philadelphia tight end Luke Willson (hamstring). to take third place in the drivers’ championship and ABU DHABI: Ferrari’s Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc celebrates his third place fin- Eagles. Carroll said he expects Reed to play currently trails him by 11 points. Ferrari have faced cyn- Ahead of the game, Clowney trav- and that Woods has made progress. He icism from rival teams in recent months amidst claims ish on the podium at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, after the final race of the Formula One Grand Prix season, yesterday. — AFP eled to Philadelphia to meet with Dr. said the statuses of Kendricks and that the Italian team had ‘cheated’ by used a power- William Meyers, a core-muscle injury Willson will likely be determined boosting system. — AFP specialist. Clowney said he told the today. — Reuters

things got worse when Ribery limped off post, while Atalanta substitute Ruslan if I withdraw from next week’s Hero Lecce end the pitch just before halftime. Malinovskyi was also denied by the Johnson out World Challenge,” he wrote. La Mantia latched onto a cross to head woodwork. “I have informed captain Woods of the visitors in front five minutes into the Mario Balotelli was restored to the my decision, which he fully supports and winless run second half and goalkeeper Gabriel made Brescia team after being dropped by coach of World understands, and cannot wait to tee it some excellent saves before Fiorentina Fabio Grosso and he had their best chance up with him and my teammates next at struggling striker Dusan Vlahovic ballooned a finish of the game when he fired a second-half Challenge week in Australia.” The World Challenge over when unmarked inside the box. shot against the crossbar. is an exclusive 18-man event which does Lecce substitute Khouma Babacar wast- Yet it was a deserved victory for Gian not count as an official victory on the Fiorentina ed a glorious chance to wrap up the points Piero Gasperini’s side which ended BAHAMAS: American World number PGA Tour. The American Presidents with a tame finish, but they held on to Atalanta’s four-match winless league run, four Dustin Johnson has withdrawn from Cup team is already missing world num- record their third win of the season and end while condemning Brescia to a sixth con- next week’s Hero World Challenge in the ber one Brooks Koepka, who is rehabili- MILAN: Lecce recorded their first win in an eight-match winless run. secutive defeat. Bahamas but says he will be fit for the tating an injured knee. The Presidents more than two months to stun Fiorentina Earlier on Saturday, two goals from The win kept Atalanta sixth in the stand- Presidents Cup the following week. Cup will be played at Royal Melbourne with a 1-0 Serie A victory at the Stadio Mario Pasalic helped Atalanta to a convinc- ings on 25 points while Brescia remain Johnson, who has not played since from Dec. 12-15. Artemio Franchi as the hosts lost Franck ing 3-0 win at struggling regional rivals rooted to the bottom of the table with just having left knee surgery in early The Americans, who have lost the Ribery to injury. Brescia. seven points. September, announced the decision on event only once in 12 stagings, are Andrea La Mantia’s diving header early The Croatian midfielder headed in from Torino moved into the top half of the Twitter on Saturday. He said Tiger favored over an International team that in the second half earned the visitors a close range midway through the first half table with a 1-0 win away at Genoa thanks Woods, captain of the United States has also been hit by injury. Australian precious victory that moved them up to before adding his second after the break to a Bremer header, before they had substi- team to take on the Internationals at the former world number one Jason Day 14th place, four points clear of the relega- with a neat backheel flick. tute Simone Edera sent off after he picked Presidents Cup in Australia, approved of withdrew on Friday due to a back prob- tion zone. Josip Ilicic’s strike then wrapped up a up two late yellow cards within seven min- the plan. lem, replaced by South Korean An The pressure is increasing on Fiorentina comfortable victory in stoppage time at utes of coming on. Johnson said that while the cartilage Byeong-hun. coach Vincenzo Montella after three con- the Stadio Mario Rigamonti to leave Genoa were denied by the woodwork in his knee was fully healed, he felt he And South African Charl Schwartzel, secutive league defeats left his side in 11th Brescia in further trouble at the bottom of twice before going behind inside the final 15 would be better off spending the week a mainstay on the International team at place on 16 points. the standings. minutes, extending their winless run to five practising rather than playing. “After a the past four events, was unavailable for Fiorentina created the better chances in Pasalic could have had a hat-trick, as games and leaving them in the relegation lot of careful thought and consultation, I selection due to a wrist injury. He has the first half but failed to take them, and his first-half header came back off the zone with 10 points. — Reuters have decided that it is in my best interest not played since April. — Reuters