Mike Green's NHL-record goals streak for defensemen ended at eight games, but Alex Ovechkin scored three times to give the Washington Capitals a 4-2 victory over the host Florida Panthers (28-20-8). Green fell one short of tying the overall franchise record for consecutive games with a goal. Ovechkin's second goal broke a tie with 2:31 left, and he completed the hat trick with an empty-netter to push his NHL-leading goals total to 41. Washington (36-16-5) is 9-2-2 in its past 13 games.
Penguins: : Pittsburgh fired coach Michel Therrien, less than a year after he led the team to the Stanley Cup Finals. Dan Bylsma, coach of the team's American Hockey League affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, was installed as interim coach with 25 games left. Even with Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby, who rank first and second in the league in scoring, the Penguins (27-25-5) are in 10th place in the Eastern Conference.
Et cetera: : David Clarkson scored his second goal on a power play with 3:32 left and the host Devils beat the Sharks, 6-5, to complete a sweep of the conference leaders and earn their 13th win in 15 games. The victory came two days after New Jersey's 1-0 victory over NHL-leading Boston. ... Ilya Kovalchuk scored three goals in 6:51 span of the second period and also had an assist in the visiting Thrashers' 8-4 victory over the Ducks. ... Mike Richards' short-handed tally sparked a four-goal second period in visiting Flyers' 5-2 rout of the Rangers. Richards, who leads the NHL with five short-handed goals this season, became the first NHL player to score three three-on-five goals in a career.
No. 7 Maryland women win lacrosse opener, 17-6
et cetera
Freshman Karri Ellen Johnson scored five goals to power the No. 7 Maryland women's lacrosse team to a 17-6 win over host Richmond. After trading goals in the opening three minutes, Maryland (1-0) went on 6-0 run. Allison Furstenburg led Richmond (0-1) with three goals.
More college lacrosse: : Kylor Berkman had a career-high nine points (four goals, five assists) as Salisbury (1-0) routed visiting Scranton (0-1), 24-6. Eleven players scored for the Sea Gulls, who have won 46 straight.
Cycling: : Lance Armstrong is still among the leaders of the Tour of California after an opening day featuring drenching rain, a flat tire, a minor crash and even the theft of his time-trial bike. Armstrong persevered through his profoundly gloomy day to finish near the front of the 107-mile stage. He led a chase group that never quite caught up to the race leaders, including surprise stage winner Francisco Mancebo of Spain.
Auto racing: : An American team, USF1, will be racing in Formula One next year, and IndyCar driver Danica Patrick is a candidate to fill one of the seats.
Soccer: : David Beckham hurt his hamstring in AC Milan's 2-1 loss to Inter Milan, days after his Major League Soccer team cut off talks of transferring him.
Field hockey: : The U.S. lost to Argentina in a penalty shootout, 7-6, in the Pan American Cup final in Hamilton, Bermuda, failing to qualify for the 2010 Women's World Cup. The U.S. appealed the result.
