Marchand helps Bruins rout ’Canes

NHL: Brad Marchand scored two goals and Tuukka Rask stopped 40 shots, leading the host Boston Bruins to a 6-2 victory over the struggling Carolina Hurricanes on Monday night.

Rich Peverley, Andrew Ference, Jordan Caron and Nathan Horton each added a goal, and defenseman Dennis Seidenberg established a career high with three assists for Boston, which moved a point behind Montreal in the Northeast Division.

The Bruins won for the fourth time in five games by scoring a season high in goals.

Patrick Dwyer and former Spokane Chief Drayson Bowman scored for the Hurricanes, who lost for the 12th time in 13 games, 11 of them coming in regulation.

• Leafs edge Rangers: Phil Kessel scored twice to lead the Toronto Maple Leafs to a 4-3 win over the visiting New York Rangers.

Kessel scored his first goals in 10 games as Toronto remained fifth in the Eastern Conference standings with its fifth win in six games. The Maple Leafs are chasing their first playoff berth since 2004.

• Flames snap road skid: Mike Cammalleri broke a second-period tie and Joey MacDonald stopped 39 shots, helping the Calgary Flames snap a 13-game road winless streak with a 3-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche in Denver in a game featuring the two bottom teams in the NHL.

Billionaire Burkle out of bid to keep Kings

NBA: Billionaire Ron Burkle will not be part of Sacramento’s bid to keep the Kings after all.

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson said that a conflict of interest forced Burkle to back out. Instead, Johnson said the Southern California businessman and co-owner of the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins will focus on the development around a proposed new downtown arena – and not the arena itself.

Burkle is part-owner of Relativity Sports, which manages some NBA players’ careers.

• World Peace plans to return early: Metta World Peace plans to play for the Los Angeles Lakers tonight, less than two weeks after undergoing left knee surgery.

World Peace said he’s ready to return, nearly a month earlier than anticipated after surgery on a torn meniscus.

The Lakers thought World Peace would be out until early May after undergoing surgery March 28.

• Love’s season over: Kevin Love will have arthroscopic surgery to remove a buildup of scar tissue in his left knee, the Timberwolves announced. The team and Love were hoping the star forward could return from surgery on his broken right hand in time to play five or six games, but this development ended those hopes.

Seahawks sign wide receiver Swain

NFL: The Seattle Seahawks added depth at wide receiver by signing Brett Swain to a two-year contract.

Swain, 27, was drafted by Green Bay in 2008, taken in the seventh round out of San Diego State. He caught six passes with Green Bay in the 2010 season and another two for San Francisco in 2011, but was among the 49ers’ final cuts before the start of last season.

• Kolb officially a Bill: Quarterback Kevin Kolb has arrived in Buffalo to officially sign his two-year contract with the Bills. The team announced the signing a little over a week after the free agent agreed to a two-year contract potentially worth more than $12 million.

• Ball staying with Broncos: Restricted free agent running back Lance Ball signed his tender with the Denver Broncos. The diminutive but powerful tailback rushed for 158 yards on 42 carries last season.

• Judge approves settlement with retirees: The $50 million settlement between the NFL and a group of retired players seeking publicity rights has been given preliminary approval by a federal judge in Minneapolis.

Some of the plaintiffs opposed the agreement, arguing it didn’t benefit them enough. U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson said the complaint sounded like “children denied dessert.”

U.S. women advance to final at worlds

Hockey: Hillary Knight scored with just over six minutes to play and the United States advanced to the final of the women’s hockey world championships with a 3-0 win over Finland in Ottawa.

The U.S. will face Canada in today’s championship game. Canada defeated Russia 8-1.

• Red Deer clips Calgary: Mathew Dumba scored at 6:33 of overtime to give the Red Deer Rebels a 2-1 win over the visiting Calgary Hitmen in the Western Hockey League’s Eastern Conference semifinals. The Hitmen lead the best-of-seven series 2-1.

IOC considering ‘creative’ events

Olympics: The IOC is considering new medal events for the 2016 Rio Olympics – 3-on-3 basketball, BMX freestyle and eight more swimming races.

IOC sports director Christophe Dubi said Olympic sports federations were “extremely creative” with their requests to add extra events and athletes. The executive board will decide Aug. 9 which events to add.

Former Auburn player pleads guilty

Miscellany: Former Auburn defensive back Mike McNeil received a 15-year split sentence after pleading guilty to first-degree robbery.

Lee County (Ala.) Circuit Judge Christopher Hughes accepted McNeil’s plea deal as his trial was set to begin. Under the deal, McNeil is required to serve at least three years in prison, plus three years of probation, and pay $2,000 in restitution.

McNeil, 24, and three teammates from the Tigers’ 2010 national championship team were charged with armed robbery and dismissed from the team in March 2011.

• Rutgers reviewing tapes: Rutgers University is reviewing practice videos of all sports to see if any coach engaged in behavior like the type that cost men’s basketball coach Mike Rice his job. University President Robert Barchi said he wants any instances of bullying or homophobic language to be immediately reported.

• Nevada considers expanding gambling: A bill before Nevada lawmakers would let private investment groups place sports wagers and allow the state to reap millions of dollars in untapped revenue.

The legislation received its first hearing in a Senate committee as a leading gambling executive projected that Nevada sports books could see action nearly triple in the next five years if it were to become law.

• Lobos’ Snell entering draft: New Mexico guard Tony Snell will forgo his senior season to enter the NBA draft. Snell averaged 12.5 points per game this past season and hit a team-high 64 3-pointers. He was the Mountain West tournament MVP.

• Revolution’s Alston has leukemia: Kevin Alston of the MLS’ New England Revolution has taken an indefinite leave of absence after being diagnosed with leukemia.

The five-year veteran defender will take the leave to undergo treatment for chronic myelogenous leukemia. The team said that the condition is rare and treatable and that Alston, 24, expects to return to the team.