Capitals’ Ovechkin takes leave
ARLINGTON, Va. — Alex Ovechkin will be away from the Washington Capitals to attend to a family matter and the health of a loved one, the team said Tuesday.
General manager Brian Maclellan announced Ovechkin’s absence before the team’s morning skate. It’s unclear how long Ovechkin will be gone.
It could be several days if he needs to fly to Russia, where his parents and other family members live.
Travel restrictions in place amid Russia’s war in Ukraine have stopped all direct flights between North America and Moscow.
The Capitals play two home games this week before facing the Carolina Hurricanes in the NHL’S Stadium Series outdoors in Raleigh on Saturday night.
Ovechkin, 37, leads Washington with 32 goals and 54 assists.
With Ovechkin out, the team recalled winger Joe Snively from Hershey of the American Hockey League.
Georgia offense in familiar hands
Mike Bobo reclaimed the offensive coordinator job at Georgia on Tuesday, with Todd Monken leaving the two-time defending national champions for the NFL’S Baltimore Ravens.
Bobo, a former Bulldogs quarterback and longtime assistant coach at his alma mater, also served as offensive coordinator under former coach Mark Richt.
Austin FC star gets new contract
AUSTIN, Texas — Austin FC signed forward Sebastian Driussi, one of the top goal scorers in Major League Soccer, to a new contract that keeps him with the club through the 2025 season with an option for 2026, the team announced Tuesday. The 27year-old Argentinian ranked second in MLS with 22 goals in 2022.
Soccer president’s ban tossed
LAUSANNE, Switzerland — A lifetime ban against former Haitian soccer federation president Yves Jeanbart over allegations he sexually abused female players was overturned Tuesday by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The court upheld Jeanbart’s appeal after noting “inconsistencies and inaccuracies in the statements of the victims and witnesses presented by FIFA.”
U.S. captures team ski event
MERIBEL, France — The United States edged defending champion Norway 3-2 in the final to win the team event at the Alpine skiing world championships on Tuesday. Mikaela Shiffrin did not compete in the event. Canada beat Austria for the bronze medal. The event featured teams of two men and two women with four runs of parallel racing in each round.
Stewart to run full NHRA season
NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart will return to fulltime competition this season — as an NHRA drag racer. Stewart, a three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, will run a Top Alcohol Dragster for Mcphillips Racing for the full 2023 NHRA season.