Silva: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for NFC teams.
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
Ryan Callahan scored for the fifth time in four days and defenseman Ryan McDonagh snapped a second-period tie to lift the New York Rangers to a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Sunday.
Kobe Bryant hit a baseline jump shot with 4.2 seconds left and the Los Angeles Lakers wrapped up a six-game road trip by holding on to beat the Raptors 94-92 on Sunday, their eighth victory in nine meetings with Toronto
Arc's five up, five down: After No. 11 Michigan State's 58-48 upset of No. 3 Ohio State, you'd be a fool to discount the Spartans' national title chances now.
Miami coach Al Golden says the worst is behind him, but his headaches figure to continue now that former booster Nevin Shapiro, now in jail, says his involvement with the Hurricanes program will result in stiff penalties.
Golf's dream pairing - Woods and Mickelson - is on the course in the final round at Pebble Beach. Jason Sobel has hole-by-hole reports.
The United States completed a 5-0 rout of Switzerland in the Davis Cup on Sunday, with 19-year-old Ryan Harrison and John Isner winning closing singles matches.
Euro Roundup: First-place Manchester City won 1-0 at Aston Villa on Sunday on Joleon Lescott's goal in the 63rd minute, maintaining its two-point lead over Manchester United in the Premier League.
Tessa Worley of France fought off gusting winds to win a second consecutive World Cup giant slalom Sunday in the Andorran Pyrenees. Overall leader Lindsey Vonn was more than a second behind and finished eighth.
Robins: It’s the Year of the Dragon on the Lunar calendar, and this Chinese influence could extend to it also being the year of the Pekingese on the green carpet at the 136th Westminster Dog Show on Tuesday.
AP
RALEIGH, N.C. - One practice wasn’t enough for Rick Tocchet to correct all that was wrong with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Tocchet lost his debut as Tampa Bay coach when Tuomo Ruutu and Rod Brind’Amour scored in the shootout and Cam Ward stopped two shots to give the Carolina Hurricanes a 3-2 victory Sunday.
“It’s a step in the right direction,” Tocchet said. “I thought the guys played well, I think they’re really starting to get what we’re trying to do here.”
Tocchet became a head coach for the first time when Barry Melrose was fired Friday after Tampa Bay lost three straight games. A veteran of 18 NHL seasons, Tocchet perhaps is best known for his role in a sports betting ring that led to a league suspension.
He rejoined the Phoenix Coyotes as an assistant coach in February, then was hired by Melrose in the offseason.
“The last thing I need to do is show the guys that I’m too anxious or stuff like that,” said Tocchet, who got a visit from former Hurricanes player and Hall of Famer Ron Francis afterward. “I actually was very calm, so it was kind of surreal, kind of fun.”
Vincent Lecavalier and Jussi Jokinen both failed to score in the shootout, giving the Hurricanes only their second victory in six games. Brind’Amour also scored in regulation to move out of a tie for 50th on the career NHL scoring list.
The new coach made a few subtle changes, such as using shorter shifts for all the players in an attempt to keep them fresh down the stretch.
It appeared to work, too. The Lightning outshot Carolina 8-1 in the third period. Then they had a man-advantage that carried over from regulation to the first 1:45 of overtime, but they couldn’t capitalize.
“You get a 4-on-3, you need to score a goal, because then it can to a shootout, and then who knows,” St. Louis said. “I take full responsibility. I’m the guy that’s out there, and I’ve got to get the job done, and I didn’t.”
One of Tocchet’s first decisions, though was to reunite the line of Lecavalier, Martin St. Louis and Vinny Prospal, which had been separated for a game by Melrose, and it paid immediate dividends. Lecavalier and St. Louis scored in the same game for the first time this season to give the Lightning a 2-0 lead.
“This is our first crack at it,” St. Louis said. “I thought he did a good job. I wish we had a better outcome, but I thought we stuck together. We battled hard.”
Carolina rallied in the second period. Wade Brookbank gathered a rebound with his back to the net and whirled to put the puck in the net to cut the deficit to 2-1. About 90 seconds later, Brind’Amour gathered in a beautiful pass from Ray Whitney and sent a low shot past goalie Mike Smith.
“I hope this puts us in the right direction,” Brind’Amour said. “Our game is not where you want it to be. But a win is a win and we’ll take it any way we can get it.”
Both of those tallies came after the Lightning appeared to get a break. Lecavalier hopped over the boards to get on the ice, and the puck bounced off his skate before Prospal could get to the bench. Instead of a call for too many men on the ice, the officials allowed play to continue, and Lecavalier scored off an assist from Mark Recchi to make it 2-0.
The Hurricanes dominated the opening period, but Smith kept them out of the net with several nifty saves. He often kicked a shot aside on one side of the net and slid over to the other side of the crease to hold Carolina at bay.
And his solid play helped the Lightning take the lead midway through the first period. Radim Vrbata came out of the penalty box and led a rush into Carolina’s zone, with St. Louis racing alone ahead of the defense.
A cross-ice pass led St. Louis perfectly, and when Ward came out to meet him, he sent a high shot into the top of the goal.
Notes: Only three players in NHL history have 400 career goals and 2,500 career penalty minutes, and two are with the Lightning: Tocchet and left wing Gary Roberts each have done it, along with Pat Verbeek. ... Brookbank, who splits time between defense and forward, got his first points of the season.
Ryan Callahan scored for the fifth time in four days and defenseman Ryan McDonagh snapped a second-period tie to lift the New York Rangers to a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Sunday.
Check out highlights from the Rangers 3-2 win over the Capitals.
ProHockeyTalk headlines |
 | Video: NHL from NBC Sports |
 NHLI via Getty Images |
 | Slideshow |
 | NHL All-Stars Take a look at the players who competed in Team Chara's 12-9 victory over Team Alfredsson. more photos |
| Slideshow |
 | more photos |
| Slideshow |
 | more photos |
| Slideshow |
 |
| Slideshow |
 | more photos |
 | Slideshow |
 |
The Week in Sports Pictures The Giants on top of the football world, getting ready for the London Olympics and more. more photos |
Wesseling: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for AFC teams.
NBC Sports TV and livestream listings
Silva: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for NFC teams.