Sports Radio 1400 WSJM @wsjmsports wsjmsports.com Monday, February 16, 2015
NBA – National Basketball Association
Last Night – 2015 NBA All Star Game, Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Western Conference 163, Eastern Conference 158
West 163, East 158 – West takes All Star Game
Russell Westbrook poured in 41 points to take MVP honors and lead the Western Conference to a 163-158 win over the East in the NBA All-Star game at Madison Square Garden. The Oklahoma City Thunder guard fell one shy of the All-Star game record of 42 points set by Wilt Chamberlain in 1962. Westbrook broke records with 11 first-half field goals and 27 points by intermission, doing it in just 11 minutes.
NHL – National Hockey League
Last Night
Chicago Blackhawks 2, Pittsburgh Penguins 1 – Shootout
Blackhawks 2, Penguins 1 – SO – Sharp lifts Blackhawks to 2-1 shootout win over Penguins
Patrick Sharp scored the decisive goal in the shootout, and the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1 on Sunday. Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane also scored in the tiebreaker as the Blackhawks earned their second straight win. They have captured six of a possible eight points through the first half of a season-high eight-game homestand. Nick Spaling scored in the third period for Pittsburgh, which had won four of five. Marc-Andre Fleury made 31 saves through overtime, but was unable to stop any of Chicago’s shootout attempts. Thanks to David Perron and Sidney Crosby, the Penguins still had a chance for a big road win before Sharp skated in and beat Fleury into the right side for the victory. Fleury slammed his stick into the post in disgust after the final play.
Tonight
Montreal Canadiens at Detroit Red Wings, 7:30 p.m.
NHL – Former NHL veteran found dead
Former NHL defenseman Steve Montador has died at age 35. Peel Region Police say Montador was found unconscious in his home in Mississauga, Ontario, early Sunday morning and was later pronounced dead. No foul play was suspected. Montador made his NHL debut in 2001 with Calgary and played for six teams in parts of 10 seasons. The defenseman had 33 goals and 98 assists in 571 career games. Montador had five goals and nine assists in 52 games with Chicago in his last NHL season. He suffered a concussion in February 2012 and played in just one game the rest of the year.
NASCAR – Jeff Gordon wins pole for final Daytona 500 of his career
Jeff Gordon will start from the pole in his final Daytona 500 of his career. Gordon announced last month this will be his final full-time season, and he’s been adamant next Sunday’s season-opening Daytona 500 will be the last of his career. The four-time NASCAR champion is a three-time winner of “The Great American Race.” Gordon and Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson locked down the front row in Sunday’s qualifying session, which was done in knockout rounds for the first time in 57 years. The qualifying was blasted by most of the drivers. Clint Bowyer called it a “cute show” after he wrecked in the first round. Reigning champion Kevin Harvick grumbled Daytona’s tradition had been ruined, while three-time champion Tony Stewart called it “a complete embarrassment for our series.”
NASCAR – Earnhardt, Hamlin fail inspection after pole qualifying
The cars of NASCAR drivers Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Denny Hamlin have failed post-qualifying inspection for the Daytona 500 pole. Earnhardt and Hamlin will have to start at the rear of their respective qualifying races Thursday. Earnhardt’s No. 88 Chevrolet did not meet NASCAR’s minimum height requirement. Earnhardt responded to the penalties on Twitter, saying it was an eighth of an inch too low. “That’s a shame. The boys will figure out why. Makes the duels a lot more interesting,” Earnhardt tweeted. The track bar in Hamlin’s No. 11 Toyota did not meet specifications. He also took to Twitter to jokingly explain what went wrong. He wrote: “Crash damage… It was the wreck I say!!! Lol.” Earnhardt posted the 10th-fastest time in the final qualifying round. Hamlin was third fastest in the session.
NCAA Basketball – Women’s
Tonight
(5) Maryland at Michigan State, 7:00 p.m.
(11) Duke at (4) Notre Dame, 9:00 p.m.
MLB – Veteran reliever Nathan driven by shot at World Series win
Detroit Tigers relief pitcher Joe Nathan is getting ready for another season of big league baseball, with no talk of retirement at age 40. The Detroit Free Press says Nathan has been putting in some of his best conditioning work of recent years as he prepares for the 2015 season, using facilities at the University of Tennessee baseball weight room among others. Nathan has had a number of injuries over the years to his shoulder and elbow. But as far as he’s concerned, there’s still a lot of baseball ahead of him. He says he still has something to prove. That includes improving on last season’s 4.81 ERA and getting a shot at a World Series ring with the Tigers.
Golf – Snedeker breaks own record and wins Pebble Beach
Brandt Snedeker broke his own scoring record and won the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am for the second time in three years. Snedeker played bogey-free in the final round Sunday for a 5-under 67 and a three-shot victory over Nick Watney. Snedeker finished at 22-under 265, breaking his own 72-hole total from 2013 and setting the record for most under par. The timing was important for Snedeker. He fell out of the top 50 at the end of last year and was assured of playing only one major and no World Golf Championships unless he got his game back together. The victory sends him to the Masters and PGA Championship, and most likely all the WGCs. Watney closed with a 69, finishing with two straight birdies.
Golf – Champions – A playoff win for Janzen
Lee Janzen edged Bart Bryant in a playoff to win the Champions Tour Ace Group Classic. Each finished regulation tied at 16-under-par before Janzen parred the first playoff hole while Bryant bogeyed. Esteban Toledo finished third while second-round leader Colin Montgomerie finished four shots off the pace. Janzen forced the playoff with an 8-foot birdie putt on No. 18.
AHL – American Hockey League
Last Night
Grand Rapids Griffins 5, Chicago Wolves 1
NBADL – NBA D-League
Yesterday – NBA D-League All Star Game, Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
Eastern Conference 129, Western Conference 94
MHSAA – High School Sports
Tonight
Boys Basketball
Howardsville Christian at River Valley
Kalamazoo Phoenix at Covert
Girls Basketball
Constantine at Buchanan
Cassopolis at Decatur
Bangor at Bloomingdale
Martin at Gobles
Hartford at Lawton
Eau Claire at Watervliet Grace Christian
Comstock at Sturgis
Competitive Cheer
Cheer By The Pier III at St. Joseph, 6:00 p.m.
St. Joseph, Lakeshore, Lake Michigan Catholic, Coloma, Eau Claire, Buchanan, Berrien Springs, Hartford, Niles, Dowagiac, Kalamazoo Central, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix, DeWitt.
