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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

In brief: Troy Brouwer’s late goal lifts Capitals to Winter Classic win

From Staff And Wire Reports

NHL: The Winter Classic began with perhaps a bit too much sun. By the end, seat cushions were falling from the sky.

The latest NHL outdoor game had a cliffhanger ending Thursday, with Troy Brouwer scoring with 12.9 seconds remaining to give the Washington Capitals a 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks in the league’s annual showcase.

Many of the 42,832 fans at Nationals Park in Washington celebrated by flinging their commemorative red cushions high into the air, an exclamation point to an event that helped validate the nation’s capital as an established hockey town.

The seventh Winter Classic featured a replica of the Capitol in center field, through which the players entered the ballpark. They stood on a sheet of blue ice meant to represent the Reflecting Pool during the nation anthem.

The sun’s glare on the white ice of the main rink made it difficult to see the puck, and Capitals defenseman Karl Alzner made good on his plan to play the game wearing sunglasses.

The teams switched sides at the 10-minute mark of the first period to even things out as the shadows from the stands began to cover the rink. It seemed totally unfair when Patrick Sharp launched a sun-to-shade slap shot that beat goalie Braden Holtby on a power play for Chicago’s first goal.

The NHL considered delaying the start, concerned that the sunny skies would compromise ice conditions and player safety, but the go-ahead was given after the pregame skate.

Kings score two in third, rally past Canucks: Justin Williams and Jarret Stoll scored 53 seconds apart late in the third period to rally the Los Angeles Kings past the host Vancouver Canucks 3-2.

Williams tied the game on a power-play goal with 2:07 left before Stoll scored the winner with 1:14 to go.

Dwight King had the other goal for Los Angeles, which got 14 saves from Jonathan Quick.

Radim Vrbata had a goal and an assist, and Alexandre Burrows also scored for Vancouver. Ryan Miller stopped 37 shots.

Rose’s 13-point fourth quarter leads Bulls

NBA: Derrick Rose scored 13 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter, and the Chicago Bulls beat the Denver Nuggets 106-101 in Chicago.

Jimmy Butler scored 26 for Chicago, and Pau Gasol added 17 points, nine rebounds and a career-high nine blocks.

The late surge by Rose lifted the Bulls to their 11th win in 13 games. The 2011 NBA MVP missed his first eight shots, including all seven in a scoreless first half, but the point guard dominated down the stretch, coming up with one big basket after another.

Wilson Chandler led Denver with 22 points. Ty Lawson scored 20, while Arron Afflalo had 19 points. Kenneth Faried added 18 points and 19 rebounds, but the Nuggets fell to 4-12 on the road.

Kings hand T-wolves 10th straight loss: Rudy Gay had 21 points, and the Sacramento Kings handed the Minnesota Timberwolves their 10th straight loss with a 110-107 victory in Minneapolis.

DeMarcus Cousins had 19 points and seven rebounds after being ejected one night earlier, and the Kings shot 54 percent while each of their starters scored in double figures. Andrew Wiggins had 27 points and nine rebounds, but the Timberwolves couldn’t take advantage when Cousins and Gay both fouled out in the fourth quarter.

Evansville comes back on Northern Iowa

COLLEGE BASKETBALL: D.J. Balentine scored 17 points and Evansville came all the way back from 16 down to beat No. 23 Northern Iowa 52-49 in Evansville, Indiana.

Egidju Mockevicius added 12 points and 13 rebounds for the Purple Aces (11-2, 1-0 Missouri Valley Conference). Jaylon Brown made four free throws in the last 7 seconds to seal it.

Seth Tuttle led UNI (11-2, 0-1) with 18 points, but fouled out in the final minute.

WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Freshman Kelsey Mitchell had 33 points and six assists and Ameryst Alston had 21 points and nine rebounds to lead host Ohio State to an 85-68 win over No. 16 Rutgers.

The Buckeyes (9-5, 1-1 Big Ten) raced to a 40-27 lead at halftime and never let the Scarlet Knights (10-3, 1-1) challenge. Asia Doss and Lisa Blair added 10 points apiece for Ohio State. Betnijah Laney had 23 points and 12 rebounds for Rutgers, her 10th double-double of the season.

Gerrard to leave Liverpool at end of the season

SOCCER: Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard is set to announce he will leave the club at the end of the season.

British newspaper reports said the announcement from the 35-year-old midfielder, who has spent his entire career at Liverpool, would come today.

There was no denial from Liverpool, and former teammate Jamie Carragher appeared to confirm the news.

Carragher wrote on Twitter: “Sad day for LFC & English football with the Gerrard news.”

With his contract expiring at the end of the season, Gerrard has been free to talk to foreign clubs since New Year’s Day.

Gerrard has won the Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup but never the Premier League.

West Bromwich hires Pulis: West Bromwich Albion has hired Tony Pulis as its fourth manager in just over a year to keep the club in the Premier League.

The central England team said on its website that “Pulis has agreed a two-and-a-half-year contract with the Baggies.”