In the NHL, Artturi Lehkonen scored twice in the third period and had an assist to help the Canadiens secure the Atlantic Division title with a 4-1 victory over Florida……Toronto is closing in on a playoff berth after a 4-2 win over Buffalo with Auston Matthews scoring his 39th goal of the season and Detroit got by Ottawa in a shootout 5-4.
The NHL has decided not to take part in next year’s Winter Olympics.
In the Majors, rookie Andrew Benintendi hit a three run homer in a five run fifth inning as the Boston Red Sox began the post-David Ortiz era by beating the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-3…..Mark Trumbo hit a home run in the bottom of the 11th to give Baltimore a 3-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays…..Former Blue Jay Edwin Encarnacion hit a tying homer in the eighth inning of his first game with Cleveland in an 8-5 win over the Texas. Elsewhere, it was Washington 4 Miami 2…..NY Mets 6 Atlanta 0….Colorado 7 Milwaukee 5….Los Angeles Dodgers 14 San Diego 3…..Philadelphia 4 Cincinnati 3……Minnesota 7 Kansas City 1…..Houston 3 Seattle 0 and Oakland 4 Los Angeles Angels 2.
March Madness came to an end with North Carolina winning the men’s college basketball title 71-65 over Gonzaga.
In the NBA, it was Minnesota 110 Portland 109.
