Rangers take Winter Classic
J.T. Miller was in the perfect spot in front of the goal to take advantage of a rebound in overtime and keep the New York Rangers perfect in four regular season outdoor games.
Miller scored a power-play goal 2 minutes, 43 seconds into the extra period to lift the Rangers to a 3-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Monday in the NHL’s 10th Winter Classic at Citi Field.
The Rangers went on the power play 2:15 into overtime when Jacob Josefson was whistled for tripping Jimmy Vesey. On the winner, Kevin Shattenkirk fired a shot that rebounded right to Miller, who put it in.
“Fortunate to get a good shot to the net,” Miller said. “Not too often they come right on the stick like that.”
NBA
Houston Rockets star James Harden will miss at least two weeks with a left hamstring strain.
The team announced Monday that the NBA’s leading scorer has a grade 2 strain and will be reevaluated in two weeks.
Harden was injured on a missed layup late in the fourth quarter of Houston’s 148-142 double-overtime win against the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night.
Harden leads the NBA with his scoring average of 32.3 points per game. He also is averaging 9.1 assists, ranking third in the league.
Thomas set to return: The agonizing wait to play
again is over for Isaiah Thomas. Vengeance on the
Celtics is still on hold.
Thomas, sidelined with a hip injury since last season’s Eastern Conference finals, will make his debut for the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night against the Portland Trail Blazers.
After months of rehab, the all-star point guard will take the floor for the first time with the Cavaliers, who acquired him last summer in the blockbuster trade that sent Kyrie Irving to the Celtics.
SKIING
Mikaela Shiffrin won a parallel slalom city event on Monday in Oslo, Norway, to match her childhood idol, Marlies Schild, with her 37th World Cup victory.
Shiffrin pumped her fist violently after edging Swiss rival Wendy Holdener in the final of a night race made complicated by fog and mist.
Shiffrin, the 22-year-old American standout, and Schild, the retired Austrian slalom specialist, are now joint sixth on the list of all-time winners that Lindsey Vonn tops with 78 victories.
In the men’s event, Andre Myhrer of Sweden defeated Michael Matt of Austria to claim his eighth career win.
SOCCER
Manchester City says Gabriel Jesus sustained ligament damage in his left leg in the Premier League game against Crystal Palace.
City said Monday that Jesus “suffered a medial collateral ligament injury” and will undergo further tests in the coming days to establish the extent of his absence.
SKI JUMPING
Defending champion Kamil Stoch won his second straight ski jumping World Cup to extend his lead in the Four Hills Tournament on Monday in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.
The Pole soared 135.5 meters with his first jump and 139.5 meters on his second for a total of 283.4 points on the Garmisch-Partenkirchen hill.
Germany’s Richard Freitag was second with jumps of 132.0 and 137.0 for 275.8 points.