Devs rout Blackhawks
Rare laugher in tough season
Travis Zajac capped a dominant second period with a shorthanded goal, and the Devils pounded the Blackhawks, 7-1, on Monday night in Chicago.
P.K. Subban, Damon Severson and John Hayden also scored in the second as the Devils won for just the third time in 12 games. Jack Hughes picked up his fifth goal in the first, and Blake Coleman and Pavel Zacha scored in the third. Nikita Gusev assisted on three goals and Mackenzie Blackwood made 32 saves, helping the Devils bounce back from consecutive losses to Washington and Columbus by a combined score of 11-4.
ROENICK SUSPENDED
Former NHL forward Jeremy Roenick was suspended indefinitely by NBC Sports on Monday for inappropriate comments about coworkers.
Roenick made a series of questionable remarks about fellow hockey broadcasters Kathryn Tappen, Patrick Sharp and Anson Carter during a recent appearance on the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast. An NBC Sports spokesman said the suspension is without pay and the network would have no further comment at this time.
On the podcast, Roenick discussed a vacation to Portugal with his wife and Tappen and made repeated references to the NBC Sports anchor’s appearance and joked about the possibility of the three of them having sex together.
Roenick said they went on vacation together because his wife, Tracy, and Tappen are good friends. When another resort guest asked about the situation, he recalled, “I play it off like we’re going to bed together every night, the three of us. If it really came to fruition, that would really be good, but it’s never going to happen,” Roenick said.
CLIJSTERS SET TO RETURN
Kim Clijsters plans to make her delayed comeback to tennis at the Monterrey Open in March, more than seven years after her second retirement.
The former No. 1 and four-time major champion, who already is a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, announced her comeback attempt in September. Her plans were delayed in November when she tore a ligament in her right knee.
GONZAGA GRABS TOP SPOT
Gonzaga is the latest No. 1 in The Associated Press Top 25 men’s college basketball poll that has had no stability on the top line.
The Bulldogs moved up a spot to take over for Kansas, which lasted only a week at No. 1 before losing at now-No. 10 Villanova. At the time, that had marked the first time the AP poll has had five different No. 1s before New Year’s Day.
And now it’s six, with the Zags (13-1) earning 54 of 65 first-place votes to outdistance Ohio State in a year with no dominant team.
Gonzaga’s only loss was to No. 11 Michigan.