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Tokarski plays well but loses in 1st NHL start

Tampa Bay goalie Dustin Tokarski stops a puck against Washington in the former Spokane Chief’s first NHL start. (Associated Press)

NHL: Alex Ovechkin scored on a wrist shot at 4:09 of overtime, and the host Washington Capitals came back to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 Thursday night, snapping a three-game losing streak and handing former Spokane Chiefs goaltender Dustin Tokarski a loss in his first NHL start.

Tokarski played well most of the evening and finished with 29 saves. The 22-year-old Canadian was recalled from Norfolk of the AHL on Wednesday, a day after Mathieu Garon was injured in a game.

Tokarski, who is 20 years younger than Lightning goalie Dwayne Roloson, was brought up from the minors because Garon left Tampa Bay’s 7-3 loss to Ottawa on Tuesday after only 4 minutes with an undisclosed lower body injury. Tokarski played a total of 44 minutes as a replacement in two games in October 2010, but he had never been in net to begin an NHL game.

In his last eight games in the minors, Tokarski was 8-0 with a 1.75 goals-against average.

• Bruins win again: David Krejci scored for the fifth time in five games and host Boston won consecutive games for the first time in almost two months by beating Buffalo 3-1.

The loss was the second in three games for the Sabres, who are battling for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

• Bryzgalov continues great play: Ilya Bryzgalov made 28 saves to record his second shutout in three games and host Philadelphia beat Florida 5-0 for its fourth straight win.

Bryzgalov has finally played like the goalie the Flyers expected when they gave him a $51 million, nine-year contract. After struggling much of the season, he’s 7-2 with a 2.10 goals-against average while making 10 straight starts.

• Senators down Eastern-leading Rangers: Ben Bishop made 25 saves in his home debut with the Senators, and host Ottawa beat the Eastern Conference-leading New York Rangers 4-1.

• Blue Jackets increase streak, end Kings’: Mark Letestu scored twice and Jack Johnson had a goal against his former teammates to lead host Columbus to its fourth straight win, a 3-1 victory that ended Los Angeles’ three-game winning streak.

• Berglund wins seventh straight: Patrik Berglund scored the go-ahead goal in the third period and Jaroslav Halak made 24 saves for his career-high seventh straight win to lead host St. Louis over Anaheim 3-1. St. Louis improved to an NHL-best 28-4-4 at home with its seventh win in eight games.

• Stars continue surge: Tomas Vincour scored in the final minute of regulation, and then added the lone goal of the shootout in the fifth round to give the surging Dallas Stars a 4-3 victory over the visiting San Jose Sharks. Pacific Division-leading Dallas won its fourth straight and improved to 79 points, four ahead of San Jose.

• Pahlsson’s goal lifts Canucks: Sammy Pahlsson scored his first goal with the Canucks to give host Vancouver a 3-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. Pahlsson was acquired at the trade deadline for draft picks from Columbus.

Magic end Bulls’ 8-game win streak

NBA: Dwight Howard had 29 points and 18 rebounds to lead the Orlando Magic to a 99-94 win over the Bulls, snapping host Chicago’s eight-game winning streak.

Chicago twice overcame double-digit deficits and led 91-89 with 2:56 to play after Derrick Rose passed to Carlos Boozer for a jumper.

Orlando responded with an 8-1 run started by Jameer Nelson’s lob to Howard for a dunk. Ryan Anderson hit a 3 and a pair of free throws in the game-deciding rally.

Syracuse ends UConn postseason streak

College basketball: Dion Waiters had 18 points and James Southerland scored all 10 of his points in the final 8 minutes to lead No. 2-ranked and top-seeded Syracuse to a 58-55 victory over Connecticut in the quarterfinals of the Big East tournament at New York’s Madison Square Garden, snapping the Huskies’ 13-game postseason winning streak. UConn is 20-13.

The top-seeded Orange (31-1) won their 11th straight game overall and advanced to face Cincinnati in the semifinals.

• Cincinnati upsets Georgetown in two overtimes: Cashmere Wright banked in a runner with 7.6 seconds left, and Cincinnati (23-9) beat 13th-ranked Georgetown (23-8) in two overtimes at the Big East tournament.

• Louisville beats No. 9 Marquette: Kyle Kuric scored 20 points, Peyton Siva added 18 and Louisville (24-9) forced No. 9 Marquette (25-7) into a season-high 26 turnovers, advancing to the Big East tournament semifinals with an 84-71 victory.

• Fighting Irish survive: Eric Atkins scored all six of his points in overtime and No. 23 Notre Dame (22-10) beat South Florida (20-13) 57-53 in the quarterfinals of the Big East tournament and will play Louisville next.

• San Diego State beats Boise State on buzzer-beater: Jamaal Franklin made an off-balance 3-pointer at the buzzer to push top-seeded and 18th-ranked San Diego State (25-6) past eighth-seeded Boise State (13-17) in the Mountain West Conference tournament opener at Las Vegas. The Aztecs squandered an eight-point lead in the final 3 minutes.

• Texas upsets No. 25 Iowa State: J’Covan Brown, the Big 12’s leading scorer converted a go-ahead three-point play with 36.3 seconds left, and the Longhorns (20-12) held on to beat No. 25 Iowa State (22-10) 71-65 in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Conference tournament in Kansas City, Mo.

Scott, Dufner tied for Doral lead

Golf: Playing only his sixth round of the year, Adam Scott faced a strong test at Doral (Fla.) and never looked better.

In fierce and relentless wind on the TPC Blue Monster at Doral, Scott kept the ball in play and then hung on for a 6-under 66 that gave him a share of the lead with Jason Dufner in the Cadillac Championship.

Tiger Woods closed with a bogey for a 72.

Only a dozen players managed to break 70.

• Two share Puerto Rico Open lead: Matt Jones and George McNeill topped the leaderboard at 6-under 66 in strong wind in the PGA Tour’s Puerto Rico Open.

The Australian eagled the par-5 second hole and had five birdies and a bogey on the Trump International course in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico.

Profs may back antitrust exemption

Colleges: A group of professors seeking reform in college sports wants to explore the possibility of an antitrust exemption, which could allow the NCAA to better regulate spending on coaches’ salaries and other costs. The Coalition On Intercollegiate Athletics met in January, and this week released policy recommendations.

All the proposals dealt with finding ways to rein in what many on the committee view as the runaway costs of college sports and the outsized influence sports have on campuses.