SPORTS SHORTS
NHL: Devs stay perfect since pause
Kyle Palmieri scored two goals, one of them short-handed, to lead the Devils to a 3-2 victory over the Bruins in Boston — their second straight victory since returning from a two-week COVID-19 pause.
Pavel Zacha scored for the second consecutive game for the Devils, who had their first seven games in February postponed, with a total of 19 players added to the NHL’s COVID-19 list. Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 25 shots for the Devils.
The NHL game between Tampa Bay and Dallas, a rematch of last season’s Stanley Cup Final scheduled for Saturday, has been postponed, marking the fourth straight Stars home game to be called off because of frigid conditions and power outages in Texas.
The NHL’s COVID-19 list is now down to 13 players, marking the second-lowest total since the league first began publishing it on Jan. 13.
AUSSIE OPEN: Djoker on to final
Top seed Novak Djokovic ended the dream run of Aslan Karatsev, ranked 114th in the world, in the Australian Open semifinals Thursday with a 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 win to maintain his bid for a record-extending ninth title.
Djokovic, showing no ill effects from an abdomen injury sustained in the third round, overwhelmed Karatsev to reach his 28th Grand Slam final.
In his way will be either fourth seed Daniil Medvedev or fifth seed Stefanos Tsitispas.
NBA: Raptors cruise past Bucks
Norman Powell scored 29 points, Pascal Siakam had 27 and the Raptors won in Milwaukee, 110-96, handing the Bucks their fifth consecutive loss.
The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association have completed details for the March 7 All-Star Game in Atlanta, saying it will generate more than $2.5 million for historically black colleges and COVID-19 relief efforts.
NCAA: Shockers top No. 6 Houston Tyson Etienne and Alterique Gilbert each scored 16 points, leading Wichita State (13-4, 9-2 AAC) to a 68-63 victory over No. 6 Houston (17-3, 11-3) in Wichita, Kan.
In Madison, Wis., Luka Garza scored 30 points, and No. 11 Iowa (16-6, 10-5 Big Ten) pulled away to beat No. 21 Wisconsin (15-8, 9-7), 77-62.
The Ivy League has decided not to hold a spring sports conference season for the second straight year because of COVID-19.
ETC.: USWNT edge Canada
In Orlando, Fla., Rose Lavelle scored in the 79th minute to give the United States women a 1-0 victory over Canada in the SheBelieves Cup.
Cleveland president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said that ace Shane Bieber had contracted COVID-19 and would be delayed in reporting to the club’s facility in Goodyear, Ariz.