Capitals lay claim to East

Alex Ovechkin scored early and Andre Burakovsky added two second-period goals to help the Washington Capitals put a decade of playoff frustration behind them with a 4-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference final Wednesday in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Braden Holtby stopped 29 shots for his second straight shutout and the Lightning, who led the NHL in goals during the regular season, failed to score in the last 159 minutes, 27 seconds – a stretch of nearly eight periods.

Ovechkin, who had never played on a team that advanced beyond the second round, scored 1:02 into the winner-take-all showdown he had described as probably the “biggest game in my life.”

Nicklas Backstrom had an empty-netter to complete the rout.

NBA

The NBA announced its all defensive teams Wednesday and Milwaukee Bucks all-star Giannis Antetokounmpo did not receive enough votes to earn a spot on the first or second team.

Anthony Davis of the New Orleans Pelicans and Robert Covington of the Philadelphia 76ers earned the forward spots on the first team. Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors and Al Horford of the Boston Celtics took the second-team spots.

Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz, Jrue Holiday of the Pelicans and Victor Oladipo of the Indiana Pacers also made first team.

Former Marquette standout Jimmy Butler of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Joel Embiid of the 76ers and Dejounte Murray of the San Antonio Spurs rounded out the second team.

Clippers extend Rivers: The Los Angeles Clippers and coach Doc Rivers have agreed to a contract extension, the team announced Wednesday without disclosing terms of the deal.

The 56-year-old coach has a 259-151 record in five years with the Clippers. They missed the playoffs this season for the first time in his tenure as the team battled injuries.

During his 19-year coaching career, he led the Boston Celtics to the 2008 NBA championship.

BASEBALL

The Minnesota Twins acquired first baseman Chris Carter from the Los Angeles Angels for cash considerations in a minor-league trade Tuesday.

The 31-year-old, who lad the National League with 41 homers in 2016 while playing for the Milwaukee Brewers, will join Minnesota’s Class AAA affiliate, the Rochester Red Wings.

A’s Davis injures groin: Oakland Athletics slugger Khris Davis has landed on the 10-day disabled list with a strained right groin.

The move is retroactive to Monday. He underwent an MRI exam that revealed a Grade 1 strain, said manager Bob Melvin.

Davis has 13 home runs and 38 RBI in 47 games.

NHL

The New York Rangers hired Boston University’s David Quinn as their new head coach Wednesday, the second college coach hired by an NHL team this month and third in the past four years.

Quinn replaces Alain Vigneault, who was fired hours after the Rangers missed the playoffs for the first time since 2010.