Sports

Sharks win 4th straight to improve playoff hopes, beating the Maple Leafs 4-1

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Zack Ostapchuk scored his first goal in nearly three months and the San Jose Sharks beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1 on Thursday night for their fourth straight victory.

Collin Graf, William Eklund and Adam Gaudette also scored and Alex Nedeljkovic made 18 saves.

San Jose, which had the worst record in the NHL last season, is fighting for a wild-card spot in the crowded Western Conference. The Sharks haven’t made the playoffs since 2018-19.

Sharks star Macklin Celebrini, who had nine points in his previous three games, was scoreless on three shots.

John Tavares scored a power-play goal for Toronto. The Maple Leafs have lost two of three on a four-game trip.

Up next

Maple Leafs: At Los Angeles on Saturday.

Sharks: Host Nashville on Saturday night.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Braves ride an 8-run fifth inning and cruise past the Diamondbacks, 17-2

Matt Olson, Dominic Smith and Mauricio Dubón hit solo homers, Reynaldo López gave up one run over five innings and the Atlanta Braves coasted to a 17-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series. The Braves broke it open with an eight-run fifth, sending 12 batters to plate to take a 10-1 lead. Austin Riley and Michael Harris II had two-run doubles and Ozzie Albies brought home two more with a single.

Lakers player grades: L.A. gets flattened by the Thunder

Almost nothing went right for the Lakers against the defending NBA champion Thunder on Thursday.

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