NBA:
In the NBA, New York won against Atlanta 107-101, Dallas squeaked by Sacramento in double overtime 117-116, Golden State crushed the Lakers 109-88, and it was Chicago over Milwaukee 117-106.
NHL:
In the NHL, the Rangers tripled up Dallas 6-2, Florida topped Buffalo 5-1, Washington slid past Boston 3-2, Minnesota doubled up Columbus 4-2, Philadelphia edged Montreal 4-3, Chicago skated by Pittsburgh in overtime 3-2, Winnipeg beat Nashville 4-1, and it was Calgary over Tampa Bay 3-1.
The January 16th game between the New Jersey Devils and Arizona Coyotes has been pushed up to noon to accommodate the Arizona Cardinals playoff game later that night. The Devils and Coyotes were originally scheduled to play at 7 p.m., but the game was moved because the Cardinals are playing their NFC divisional playoff game at 6:15 p.m.
Bruins defenseman Adam McQuaid was injured in the second period when he was checked headfirst into the glass last night against the Capitals. McQuaid was skating after a loose puck in the Boston zone when he took a hit from Washington's Zach Sill about 5 minutes into the second period. McQuaid was facing the boards when Sill arrived and the hit drove his forehead into the glass.
NFL:
Tom Coughlin has said goodbye to the New York Giants in an emotional farewell. He thanked his players and the organization, and said he might not be done coaching. Speaking a day after stepping down following four straight years out of the playoffs, Coughlin yesterday called the Giants job a dream come true. The 69-year-old coach thanked his wife, Judy, for being his quarterback through the ride.
The New York Jets have signed nine players to reserve/future contracts, including guard Jarvis Harrison and defensive tackle Deon Simon. They are both draft picks from last year. Wide receiver Joe Anderson was also among those signed yesterday. Anderson made headlines by standing outside Houston's stadium with a sign looking for an NFL job.
The Cleveland Browns have made an out-of-the-batter's box hire. Owner Jimmy Haslam has brought in Paul DePodesta to be the NFL team's new chief strategy officer. DePodesta is a baseball executive and analytics expert with 20 years of major league experience. Haslam pulled DePodesta away from the New York Mets to help his organization with decision making.
NCAA:
In college men's basketball, Temple upset Number 23 UConn 55-53 last night. Josh Brown hit a spinning jumper in the lane with 2.5 seconds left for the Owls. Shonn Miller scored 18 points to lead the Huskies, who had won five straight.
In college women's basketball, UConn point guard Moriah Jefferson will miss her first game after 90 consecutive starts today with a hamstring injury. Coach Geno Auriemma says Jefferson pulled her right hamstring in practice on Friday and will sit out the Huskies home game against Tulsa. The senior is averaging 13.2 points and 6.1 assists for the top-ranked Huskies, who have won 48 straight.
Larry Coker has stepped down after five seasons and a 26-32 record as head football coach at Texas-San Antonio. The national championship-winning head coach at Miami built the UTSA program from scratch in 2009, two years before the Roadrunners played their first game. He went 8-4 in 2012, but he was just 3-9 this past season.
Heisman Trophy winner and former BYU quarterback Ty Detmer will coach on the collegiate level for the first time as Cougars' offensive coordinator under rookie head coach Kalani Sitake (kah-LAH'-nee sih-TAH'-kee). Detmer has no coaching experience beyond leading St. Andrew's Episcopal high school in Utah the last six seasons. He played 14 NFL seasons and worked with quarterbacks such as Brett Favre, Tim Couch, Michael Vick and Matt Schaub.
MLB:
Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman and Phillies first sacker Ryan Howard have filed defamation lawsuits in Washington against Al-Jazeera America over statements made in a documentary about performance-enhancing drugs in sports.
The suit alleges that Charles Sly, a pharmacist who appeared in the documentary, made false statements when he said Zimmerman and Howard both took a human growth hormone. The documentary also suggested that Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning took HGH while recovering from neck surgery.
Mike Napoli has finalized his $7 million, one-year pact with the Indians after passing a physical and working out contract language. The 34-year old is expected to become the Indians everyday first baseman, with Carlos Santana serving as the designated hitter. Napoli has 204 career homers. Napoli hit .224 with 18 home runs and 50 RBIs with Boston and Texas last year.
The Texas Rangers have signed left-hander Cesar Ramos to a minor league contract with plans to convert the 31-year-old reliever back into a starter. Ramos had a career-high 65 relief appearances with the Los Angeles Angels last season, going 2-1 with a 2.75 ERA.
Tennis:
Two weeks ahead of the Australian Open, Serena Williams is battling an injury problem that has forced her out of her first match of the season. The top-ranked Williams had to retire in her Hopman Cup match due to inflammation in her left knee.
Hockey Junior Championship:
Anders Bjork, Matthew Tkachuk and Ryan Donato each scored twice as the U.S. hammered Sweden 8-3 in the bronze medal game at the world junior hockey championship in Helsinki. The Americans pulled away with a four-goal second period as Brock Boeser, Donato, Brandon Carlo and Bjork scored to make it 6-2.
Finland captured the gold medal by beating Russia 4-3 on Kasperi Kapanen's (kahs-PEHR'-ee KAP'-uh-nehnz) wraparound goal 1:33 into overtime. Finland erased a 2-1 deficit in the third period and went ahead 3-2 before the Russians forced OT on a goal with six seconds left in regulation.
FIFA:
The FIFA ethics committee has extended the ban on Jerome Valcke for another 45 days.
Valcke, who served as secretary general under Sepp Blatter for nearly a decade, was suspended for 90 days in October. That suspension expired on Tuesday, the same day ethics investigators recommended a nine-year ban for the Frenchman.
In his final report, lead investigator Cornel Borbely also asked that Valcke be fined 100,000 Swiss francs ($99,000).
Valcke has been accused of violating six articles of the FIFA code of ethics, including confidentiality and conflict of interest.