Rangers win, clinch playoff spot in East

NHL: Brandon Dubinsky scored shortly after a fight-filled opening faceoff, and the Rangers became the first Eastern Conference team to earn a playoff spot by beating the New Jersey Devils 4-2 on Monday night in New York.

Three fights broke out at the outset and that seemed to jump-start the Rangers, who had lost two straight and five of seven as their once commanding lead in the East dwindled to almost nothing.

Defenseman Dan Girardi scored in the first minute of the second period, and Mats Zuccarello and Derek Stepan added goals for the Rangers, who lead the Pittsburgh Penguins by three points.

The Rangers have often struggled until the final days to get into the playoffs, but now they have joined Western Conference-leading St. Louis as the only teams to qualify this season.

• Canucks fall again: Erik Christensen’s power-play goal late in the second period gave Josh Harding and the Minnesota Wild a long-sought win, 2-0 over the suddenly sputtering Vancouver Canucks in St. Paul, Minn.

Kyle Brodziak’s empty-netter gave the Wild even more to smile about, hearing a rare end-of-the-game roar from their fans after this win over the Northwest Division leader and competitor for the NHL’s best record.

The Canucks are3-5-2 in their last 10 games.

• Bruins, Thornton come to terms: Forward Shawn Thornton has agreed to a two-year contract extension through 2013-14 with the Bruins. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Allen comes through as Celtics edge Hawks

NBA: Ray Allen hit two 3-pointers in Boston’s 13-0 run in the fourth quarter and protected the lead with two free throws in the final seconds as the Celtics held on to beat the Hawks 79-76 in Atlanta.

The Celtics led 73-58 at the end of the run. Joe Johnson, who had 25 points, had three late 3-pointers as the Hawks rallied. Johnson’s 3 with 11.8 seconds remaining cut the lead to 77-76.

Allen, who had 19 points, made two free throws with 10.9 seconds remaining.

• Rockets waive Fisher: The Houston Rockets have waived point guard Derek Fisher, less than a week after acquiring him in a trade with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Houston picked up a 2012 first-round pick from the Lakers and sent Jordan Hill to L.A. in the deal. Jamie Wior, Fisher’s representative, said in an email that Fisher and the Rockets have negotiated a buyout of his contract, due to expire this season.

Wior said Fisher’s “desire to win a sixth championship is what drives him and will continue to drive him as he moves forward.”

• Hawks’ Pargo out: Hawks guard Jannero Pargo is expected to miss two to four weeks following an appendectomy in Cleveland on Sunday night.

Missouri’s Haith gets Coach of Year honor

• NCAA Men: Missouri’s Frank Haith has received a bittersweet honor. Three days after the Tigers flopped in the NCAA tournament, he was chosen National Coach of the Year by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.

The first-year coach said it has been tough moving past the upset loss to No. 15 seed Norfolk State. Missouri won 30 games, won the Big 12 tournament and was a No. 2 seed in the West.

• Cremins retires: Bobby Cremins said this time he is stepping down for good.

Nearly two months after taking a medical leave of absence from the College of Charleston men’s basketball team, an emotional Cremins announced he was retiring from the game.

Cremins said his condition was not life-threatening.

Tigers’ Cabrera hit in the face with grounder

Miscellany: Miguel Cabrera left Monday’s 4-3 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies with a bloody face after a hard grounder from Hunter Pence hit Detroit’s six-time All-Star near the right eye at Clearwater, Fla.

Cabrera was taken to a hospital to receive stitches and get precautionary X-rays.

• Texas women’s coach steps down: Texas women’s basketball coach Gail Goestenkors has resigned, saying she is “tired” and needs to step away from basketball.

Goestenkors was in the fifth year of a seven-year contract. Texas women’s athletic director Chris Plonsky, who gave Goestenkors a public vote of confidence two weeks ago, said she wanted Goestenkors to stay and insisted the coach was not forced out after a disappointing 18-14 season.

• Soccer player who collapsed now speaking: Bolton says player Fabrice Muamba is able to recognize his family and respond to questions two days after collapsing during a match from cardiac arrest in London.

The Premier League club said in a statement that the 23-year-old midfielder remained in intensive care but was “now able to breathe independently without the aid of a ventilator.”