Oilers have a grand time

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Leon Draisaitl had four assists and became the fourth-fastest active player in NHL history to reach 1,000 career points as the Edmonton Oilers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-4 on Tuesday night.

Draisaitl, who hit the milestone in the first period on a secondary assist, became the 103rd player in NHL history, first German-born player and fifth in franchise history to reach 1,000 points. He has 416 goals and 587 assists in 824 games for 1,003 points.

Connor McDavid scored twice, including a spectacular power-play goal and added two assists, as he and Draisaitl improved to 23-0-0 when both have at least three points in a regular-season game.

Evan Bouchard and Zach Hyman each added a power-play goal and an assist, while Matt Savoie and Vasily Podkolzin also scored for the Oilers, who have won six of their last nine.

Sidney Crosby had an assist for Pittsburgh and moved within one point of tying Mario Lemieux’s franchise record of 1,723 points.

Tommy Novak, Erik Karlsson, Bryan Rust and Danton Heinen scored for the Penguins, who dropped their sixth straight and failed to win at least once in a five-game homestand for the first time in team history.

For the first time in NHL history, goalies that were involved in the same trade faced one another within seven days of the deal. Tristan Jarry stopped 26 shots for his second win with Edmonton, and Stuart Skinner made 17 saves in his debut for Pittsburgh.

Justin Brazeau appeared to open the scoring for Pittsburgh at 7:55 of the first period, but the goal was overturned because of a coach’s challenge for offside.

Edmonton scored two power-play goals after three straight Pittsburgh penalties later in the period. The Oilers’ bench emptied to congratulate Draisaitl on his 1,000th NHL point after Hyman’s goal, and McDavid split Karlsson and Parker Wotherspoon with a spectacular power-play goal 14 seconds later.

Flores leads Boardman

BOARDMAN — Boardman captured its first win of the season by downing West Branch, 54-49, Tuesday.

The Spartans improve to 1-4 under second-year head coach Steve Flores, a 1997 graduate of East Liverpool High School.

Jayse Varley led the Spartans with 16 points, followed by Jerry Smith with 14 points.

West Branch was led by Jeremiah Thomas, who had a game-high 18 points and three steals. Grady Hirst contributed 11 points and eight rebounds and Gavin Gregory 10 points and nine rebounds.

WB moves to 2-3 on the season.

Southern falls

SALINEVILLE –Leetonia snapped a 23-game losing streak in Eastern Ohio Athletic Conference play Tuesday with a 73-69 win againstSouthern.

The Bears improve to 2-4 overall and 1-2 in the EOAC. Their last league win was a 52-47 decision over Southern on Jan. 9, 2024.

Ethan Mathia led the Bears with a game-high 26 points and Dylan Johns hit six of Leetonia’s 12 three-pointers for 23 points. Dylan Brown added 13 points and Dylan Johns eight.

The Bears outscored the Indians 17-11 in the fourth quarter to rally.

Leetonia improves to 2-4 overall and 1-2 in the EOAC. Southern drops to 0-4 and 0-3.

For the Indians, Jacob McCurdy had a team-high 19 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two blocks.

Mason Pitts had 18 points, six rebounds and four steals. Landen Heffner contributed 16 points, seven assists and two steals. Aiden Davis added nine points and eight rebounds.

Southern won the two-quarter junior varsity game, 18-15, as Ben Paxson scored five points.

Both teams play Friday with Leetonia at Wellsville and Southern at Columbiana.

L: 12-21-23-17–73

S: 19-18-21-11–69

LEETONIA SCORING: Chase Bondi 0-1-1, Ethan Mathia 11-1-26, Dylan Brown 3-5-13, Jason King 3-1-8, Dylan Johns 7-3-23, Aiden Hunter 0-0-0, Kyle Brown 1-0-2. TEAM TOTALS: 25, 11-24: 73.

SOUTHERN SCORING: Jack Pitts 2-0-6, Landen Heffner 5-6-16, Jacob McCurdy 7-3-19, Ben Paxson 1-0-2, Zac Mayfield 0-0-0, Aiden Davis 4-1-9, Mason Pitts 6-3-17. TEAM TOTALS: 25, 13-20: 69.

Three-point goals: Leetonia 12 (Johns 6, Mathia 3, D. Brown 2, King), Southern 6 (J. Pitts 2, McCurdy 2, M. Pitts 2).

Love to enter draft

Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love is bypassing his senior season to enter the NFL draft.

Love announced his decision on Tuesday, three days after finishing third in voting for the Heisman Trophy that went to Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.

“Making the decision to attend Notre Dame was easy because of the people,” Love said in an Instagram Story post. “From the amazing football support staff to my fellow students — I could not have picked a better place for me to grow into the man I am today.

“It is with a wealth of gratitude I will take the many experiences Notre Dame has given me and apply those lessons learned as I move onto the next level. I look forward to representing my family and Notre Dame in the NFL.”

Love rushed for 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns while also catching 27 passes for 280 yards and three more scores this season. He became Notre Dame’s first winner of the Doak Walker Award, which is given annually to college football’s top running back.

His junior season already has ended because Notre Dame (10-2) didn’t make the College Football Playoff and then opted against playing in a bowl.

His outstanding junior season followed a sophomore year in which he rushed for 1,125 yards and 17 touchdowns on 163 carries while helping Notre Dame reach the CFP championship game, which it lost 34-23 to Ohio State. Love had 28 catches for 237 yards and two touchdowns that season.

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