HOCKEY
Red Wings extend home winning streak to 23 games
DETROIT | The Detroit Red Wings won their 23rd straight home game, setting an NHL multiple-season mark and holding on to beat the San Jose Sharks 3-2 Sunday.
Detroit, which broke the league’s single-season record of 20 on Tuesday, surpassed the 22 wins in a row the Boston Bruins had over two seasons more than eight decades ago.
The Red Wings won their sixth straight game, all in a homestand at Joe Louis Arena, and have an NHL-high 84 points.
Henrik Zetterberg and Drew Miller gave Detroit a two-goal lead midway through the second period, and Darren Helm restored the two-goal edge 7:01 into the third.
Logan Couture scored late in the second period for the Sharks, and Patrick Marleau cut their deficit to a goal with 4:44 left.
c Pittsburgh Penguins forward James Neal, 24, signed a six-year, $30 million contract extension. Neal’s career-best 30 goals are second on the team - behind Malkin’s 32 - and tied for fourth in the NHL. He also has a career-best 56 points and 13 power-play goals, tied for the league lead.
PRO BASKETBALL
Celtics’ Garnett sits out; status for Monday unknown
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. | Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett will miss Sunday’s game against the Detroit Pistons due to personal reasons.
Boston coach Doc Rivers said that he has known since Thursday that Garnett would be unavailable against Detroit. He said that he is not sure if Garnett will return to the team in time for Monday’s game in Dallas.
Garnett is averaging 14.1 points and 7.8 rebounds this season. With Brandon Bass still sidelined with a sore knee, former Piston Chris Wilcox will start against Detroit.
TENNIS
Federer sweeps del Potro to claim Rotterdam title
ROTTERDAM, Netherlands | Top-seeded Roger Federer defeated Juan Martin del Potro 6-1, 6-4 Sunday to win the ABN Amro World Tennis for his first title of the year. The Swiss star was making his first appearance in Rotterdam since winning the 2005 title. Del Potro, seeded third, was playing in the tournament for the first time.
c Top-ranked Victoria Azarenka shook off a lingering ankle injury to win the Qatar Open, routing Sam Stosur of Australia 6-1, 6-2. Azarenka earned her 17th straight victory and first title since replacing Caroline Wozniacki atop the rankings after winning the Australian Open. It was her third title overall in 2012.
c From wire dispatches and staff reports
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