AP Sports SummaryBrief at 6:29 a.m. EST

Alex Ovechkin gets 885th career goal to move nine away from tying Wayne Gretzky's NHL record NEW YORK (AP) Alex Ovechkin scored his 885th career goal midway through the third period of the Washington Capitals game against New York Rangers on Wednesday night, moving nine away from tying Wayne Gretzkys NHL record.

The Capitals captain scored as he knocked in a loose puck from the left side with 9:32 left in the third period to tie the score 2-2.

Ovechkin now has 46 goals in 76 career games against the Rangers.

Ovechkin has 32 goals in 46 games this season.

He had 15 goals in his first 18 games, then missed 16 games with a fractured left fibula.

He returned Dec.

28 and has scored 17 in 28 games since.

Chargers release linebacker Joey Bosa after 9 seasons with the franchise The Los Angeles Chargers released Joey Bosa.

The move Wednesday night ended the linebackers nine-season tenure with the franchise.

It was expected due to Bosas large salary cap number and injury history.

Bosa had a cap number of $36.47 million for the 2025 season, but the move will save the Chargers $25.36 million in cap space.

Bosa was the third overall pick by the Chargers in the 2016 draft and was the last player on the roster from when the team played in San Diego.

Bosa's five sacks were his fewest in the six seasons he has played at least 12 games as he battled hip and back injuries.

NFL legend Bill Belichick is coaching practices again.

Only now he's a college rookie at UNC CHAPEL HILL, N.C.

(AP) Bill Belichick is back on the practice sidelines again, though now in college at North Carolina.

The 72-year-old coach who won six Super Bowls with the NFL's New England Patriots opened spring practices at UNC this week.

He also held his first news conference on campus since his introductory one after his hiring in December.

Belichick told reporters that players have responded well to the new staff.

That comes as Belichick and general manager Michael Lombardi have talked about building what amounts to a mini-NFL model in a college program.

UNC's spring practices run through April 12.

Harden has 24th 50-point game, 1 shy of Kobe Bryant for 3rd all-time, as Obama watches INGLEWOOD, Calif.

(AP) James Harden delivered another 50-point game, putting on a throwback performance in the Clippers new arena.

The All-Star guard reached that total for the first time with Los Angeles and the 24th time in his career, pulling within one of Kobe Bryant for third-most in NBA history.

Hardens big night with former President Barack Obama sitting next to Clippers owner Steve Ballmer behind the baseline carried Los Angeles to a 123-115 victory over the Detroit Pistons.

Wilt Chamberlain has the NBA record with 118 games of 50 or more points, followed by Michael Jordan with 31 and Bryant with 25.

No murder please! Royal Shrovetide is a wild ancient version of soccer still played today ASHBOURNE, England (AP) It's described as one of the earliest forms of soccer with one ancient rule telling players not to murder each other.

Every year thousands of people descend on a small town in the English countryside to watch a two-day game of mass street football that, to the casual observer, could be mistaken for a riot.

This is Royal Shrovetide, a centuries-old ball game played in Ashbourne, Derbyshire.

It looks nothing like the worlds most popular sport.

Played between two teams of hundreds of players, the aim is to goal at either end of a three-mile sector that could take the match through rivers, hedgerows, high streets and just about anything except churchyards, cemeteries and places of worship.

Pritchard, White become 1st Boston duo to score 40+ in same game, 1st duo in NBA history with 9+ 3s BOSTON (AP) Payton Pritchard and Derrick White have made NBA history.

They have been mostly glue guys during their time with the Boston Celtics, filling in gaps and providing sparks when necessary.

But with starters Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis all sitting out against the Portland Trail Blazers, the duo raised their games.

Pritchard scored a career-high 43 points and had a career-best 10 3-pointers to lead the short-handed Celtics past the Blazers.

White added career highs with 41 points and nine 3s, making Pritchard and White the first Celtics duo to score 40 or more points in the same game and the first duo in league history with nine or more 3-pointers each in a game.

Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo says consistency of his work ethic helped him join 20,000-point club MILWAUKEE (AP) Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo believes his latest milestone should serve as a testament to his consistent work ethic.

Antetokounmpo scored 32 points in a 137-107 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday to increase his career total to 20,010 and become the 52nd player to reach that mark.

The only players to score 20,000 career points at a younger age than the 30-year-old Antetokounmpo were LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, Wilt Chamberlain and Michael Jordan.

Liverpool stuns PSG with late winner in Champions League and 10-man Barcelona beats Benfica MANCHESTER, England (AP) Harvey Elliott scored less than a minute after coming on as a late substitute to fire Liverpool to a stunning 1-0 win against Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16.

Runaway Premier League leader Liverpool survived a barrage of attacks in Paris to keep the score at 0-0 going into the final stages.

Elliott was sent on to replace Mohamed Salah in the 86th minute and became an unlikely hero when sweeping home a low shot with his first touch of the match.

Bayern Munich took a big step toward the last eight with a 3-0 win against German rival Bayer Leverkusen.

Ten-man Barcelona beat Benfica 1-0 and Inter Milan won 2-0 at Feyenoord.

Cavaliers hold off Heat 112-107 to extend winning streak to 12 and clinch playoff spot CLEVELAND (AP) Donovan Mitchell scored 26 points, Darius Garland had 10 assists and the Cleveland Cavaliers survived some sloppiness in the final two minutes to win their 12th straight game, 112-107 over the banged-up Miami Heat.

With the win, the Cavs became the first team to clinch a playoff berth.

It wasnt easy as the Heat, who were missing several rotational players, led 107-106 with 2:55 left.

But Miami didnt score again and Duncan Robinsons apparent tying 3-pointer with 17.4 seconds left was waved off because he stepped out of bounds.

Bam Adebayo scored a season-high 34 for Miami, which was without leading scorer Tyler Herro due to a cold.

Mavericks' Kidd blasts speculation that a heavy workload contributed to Irving's knee injury MILWAUKEE (AP) Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd took issue with media speculation that Kyrie Irvings heavy workload over the last month led to the nine-time All-Stars season-ending knee injury.

Kidd noted Wednesday that the injury came on a freak accident.

Irving tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee Monday in the first quarter of a 122-98 loss to the Sacramento Kings.

Irving was fouled by DeMar DeRozan on a drive to the basket and his right foot landed on the foot of the Kings Jonas Valanciunas..

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