SPORTS SHORTS

NHL: Devils shut out Hurricanes

Jack Hughes stole a puck and scored early and set up two goals by Jesper Bratt to lead the Devils past Carolina, 3-0, Sunday night in Newark to tie the Hurricanes for first place in the Metropolitan Division.

Vitek Vanecek had 32 saves for his third shutout of the season.

NFL: Fins deal for All-Pro Ramsey

The Dolphins are acquiring All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey in a trade with the Rams, according to reports Sunday.

Los Angeles will get Miami’s third-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and tight end Hunter Long, per reports.

“I prayed for this specifically for about a month & now it’s happening! @MiamiDolphins LETSGO!” Ramsey tweeted shortly after news of the trade broke.

● The Commanders have agreed to terms on a four-year contract with defensive tackle Daron Payne worth $90 million, with $60 million guaranteed, according to reports. The deal is the second-biggest contract for a defensive tackle.

● The Bills agreed to sign starting linebacker Matt Milano to a two-year contract extension, a move that frees up $6 million in salary cap space.

NCAA: Tar Heels skipping NIT

North Carolina, which became the first top-ranked team in The Associated Press preseason poll to miss March Madness since the field’s expansion to 64 teams in 1985, announced it had “chosen not to participate” in the NIT to end its season.

● A college baseball umpire was suspended indefinitely by the Southland Conference in connection with a pair of late called strikes to end a game between Mississippi Valley State and New Orleans.

The sequence of disputed calls began when home plate umpire Reggie Drummer called a second strike on a breaking ball that appeared to cross the plate below batter Devon Mims’ knees — low enough that UNO catcher Jorge Tejeda caught it just above the dirt. Mims hopped out of the batter’s box in protest and was subsequently called out on strikes on the next pitch, which broke low and away, well off the plate.

● Will Wade, who was fired by LSU one year ago amid an NCAA investigation into violations, has been hired to take over the McNeese State men’s basketball program.

WBC: Ohtani, Japan move to 4-0

Shohei Ohtani hit a three-run homer that landed just below his image on a video advertising board, an estimated 448 feet away, sending Japan to a 7-1 victory over Australia in the World Baseball Classic on Sunday night in Tokyo to secure a 4-0 mark as the Group B winner and reach the next stage of the competition.

● In Taichung, Taiwan, Matt Harvey pitch four innings to get the win as Italy defeated the Netherlands, 7-1, to advance to the quarterfinals on tiebreakers.

● Also in Taichung, Yoan Moncada and Erisbel Arruebarrena homered, leading Cuba to a 7-1 win as they joined Italy as Pool A representatives in the quarterfinals.

● In Phoenix, Tyler O’Neill had four hits and four RBIs, Freddie Freeman added two hits and Canada beat Great Britain, 18-8 in seven innings.

NBA: Embiid, Harden fuel 76ers

Joel Embiid scored 34 points, James Harden had 18 points and 14 assists and the 76ers cruised to a wire-to-wire 112-93 win over the fading Wizards, who dropped their fifth game in the last six, Sunday night in Philadelphia.

● Felton Spencer, who played the final two of his 12 seasons with the Knicks from 2000-02, has died, his alma mater Louisville announced. He was 55.