Capitals beat Rangers 2-1, force Game 7

NHL: Alex Ovechkin rebounded from a rare zero-shot performance by scoring after 88 seconds Wednesday night, Braden Holtby made 30 saves, and the host Washington Capitals recovered from a potentially devastating loss by beating the top-seeded New York Rangers 2-1 to force a Game 7 in the Eastern Conference semifinal.

Two nights after blowing a lead in the last 10 seconds of regulation and losing in overtime, the No. 7-seeded Capitals showed immediately they were over it. Ovechkin’s early power-play goal and Jason Chimera’s second-period score were just enough for the unflappable playoff rookie Holtby.

The teams meet in New York on Saturday night to determine who will face the New Jersey Devils in the conference finals.

• Ducks bring back Koivu: Center Saku Koivu has re-signed with the Anaheim Ducks, agreeing to a one-year deal worth $3 million to return for his 17th NHL season.

The 37-year-old Koivu scored 38 points in 74 games for the Ducks last season.

• NHL approves St. Louis sale: The NHL Board of Governors has approved the sale of the St. Louis Blues to a group headed by St. Louis beer distributor Tom Stillman. The sale price was not disclosed, but is believed to be about $130 million.

Heat oust Knicks as James hits 29

NBA: LeBron James had 29 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade both scored 19 points and Miami beat visiting New York 106-94 to win the Eastern Conference first-round series in five games.

The Heat will meet Indiana in the East semifinals starting Sunday in Miami.

• Gasol leads Memphis: Marc Gasol scored 23 points and Zach Randolph added 19 as the host Memphis Grizzlies avoided elimination by beating the Los Angeles Clippers 92-80, forcing a Game 6 in the Western Conference first-round series.

Game 6 is Friday night in Los Angeles. If the Grizzlies can win, Game 7 would be Sunday back in Memphis.

• Allen says Blazers not for sale: Paul Allen insists he’s not going to sell the Portland Trail Blazers, but says this season is the most disappointing he’s had in 24 years as the team’s owner.

The billionaire co-founder of Microsoft has posted an open letter to fans on the Blazers’ team website. He reiterates what he’s said all season long, that the team is not for sale. He says he has not received any offers, and that none have been solicited.

The Blazers wrapped up the lockout-shortened season 28-38 and out of the playoffs.

World champ Blake blazes 9.84 in 100

TRACK: World 100-meter champion Yohan Blake ran the year’s second-fastest time, winning the Cayman Invitational in 9.84 seconds at Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands.

Only Usain Bolt – Blake’s training partner in their home country of Jamaica – has run faster this year. Bolt won a meet in Kingston in 9.82 seconds on Saturday night.

Blake won last year’s 100 at the world championships after Bolt was disqualified for a false start. The two aren’t expected to square off in the 100 until Jamaica’s Olympic trials at the end of June.

In the women’s 100, American world champion Carmelita Jeter won in 11.04 seconds, beating Jeneba Tarmoh by 0.09 seconds.

Oklahoma suspends four football players

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops announced that four players have been suspended from the team indefinitely for violating team rules.

Stoops said that defensive back Quentin Hayes and wide receivers Trey Franks, Kameel Jackson and Jaz Reynolds were suspended. He did not say why.

Canada downs Swiss in world hockey

MISCELLANY: Anaheim star Ryan Getzlaf broke a tie midway through the third period to help Canada beat Switzerland 3-2 in the world hockey championships at Helsinki.

Edmonton’s Jordan Eberle and the New York’s Islanders’ John Tavares also scored for Canada, which is 3-0 in Group A play.

Damien Brunner and Goran Bezina scored for Switzerland (2-2-0).

• Federer avoids upset: Roger Federer rallied to beat Milos Raonic 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (4) at the Madrid Open to narrowly avoid his earliest tournament exit in two years.

Federer hasn’t been eliminated in the second round of a tennis tournament since the 2010 Rome Masters.

• Navardauskas takes lead: Ramunas Navardauskas of Lithuania took the lead in the Giro d’Italia after his Garmin-Barracuda squad won the team time trial in the fourth stage at Verona, Italy

Previous leader Taylor Phinney struggled with a swollen right ankle following a crash on Monday. The American dropped to fifth.

Garmin cyclists are 1-2-3-4 in the overall standings, with Navardauskas 10 seconds ahead of sprinter Tyler Farrar of Wenatchee.