SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Matt Duchene scored twice and the Dallas Stars routed San Jose 8-3 on Saturday night after falling behind when the Sharks scored on their first two shots.
Jason Robertson, Mason Marchment, Mavrik Borque, Wyatt Johnston, Thomas Harley and Jamie Benn also scored to help the Stars rebound from a 5-4 shootout loss in Los Angeles the night before. Casey DeSmith made 23 saves.
William Eklund and Fabian Zetterlund gave the Sharks a 2-0 lead 2:46 into the game, but Duchene, Robertson and Marchment in the period to give the Stars a 3-2 lead. In the second, Duchene scored on a power play and Bourque added a goal.
Mikael Granlund and Cody Ceci returned to San Jose just a week after the Sharks traded them to the Stars. Granlund, had two assists.
Stars: The 4 Nations break comes at a good time for the injury-riddled Stars, with Ilya Lyubushkin expected to heal during the break and Miro Heiskanen listed as month-to-month after undergoing knee surgery.
Sharks: San Jose has lost 10 of 11, unable to maintain the momentum from an early 2-0 lead against a Stanley Cup-contending team.
The Stars were down two goals less than three minutes into the game to the NHL-worst Sharks. But Dallas ended up outshooting San Jose 16-5 in the first period, and took a firm grasp of the game after 20 minutes.
Macklin Celebrini reached 40 points with an assist on the Sharks’ first goal, becoming the fifth rookie in team history and first rookie since Logan Couture in 2010-11 to reach that mark.
With the NHL off for the 4 Nations Face-off, the Stars resume play Feb. 22 at New Jersey, and the Sharks are at Calgary on Feb. 23.
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Dallas Stars center Mavrik Bourque celebrates after scoring during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings, Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Madison Booker had 20 points and 14 rebounds, and Taylor Jones scored 19 points as No. 1 seed Texas opened the women's NCAA Tournament with a 105-61 victory over No. 16 William & Mary on Saturday night.
Booker had her double-double by the end of the third quarter for the Longhorns (32-3), who advanced to a second-round matchup with No. 8 Illinois (22-9), which beat No. 9 Creighton earlier Saturday.
Texas is a No. 1 seed for the second consecutive year after reaching No. 1 during the regular season for the first time since 2004 and winning a share of the Southeastern Conference championship. The All-American Booker was the league's player of the year.
Yet the early moments of their tournament were anything but smooth against a quick and spunky opponent making the most of its chance in the spotlight. William & Mary (16-19), which had never made the tournament until this year, quickly tested Texas with an up-tempo attack that had the Longhorns off balance early.
“We looked like we hadn't played in two weeks,” Texas coach Vic Schaefer said. “We’ve had a long layoff. But I have to give them credit. That team was fearless. That’s what I want my team to be.”
The Tribe were within 23-18 at the end of the first quarter before Texas slowly and steadily enforced its will to take control.
The Longhorns' considerable size advantage with Jones and Kyla Oldacre in the post, and the 6-1 Booker on the wing, had Texas dominating rebounding and scoring in the paint. Oldacre finished with 15 points and 15 rebounds.
“When Taylor and Kyla are at their best, they are hard to stop. One subs out and another one comes in,” Booker said.
Bryanna Preston finished a fast break with a layup, Oldacre muscled her way over two defenders for a basket and Booker scored twice as Texas opened an 18-point lead and took control from there.
Bella Nascimento led William & Mary with 19 points.
“We came out swinging, come out fighting. We did everything we could to stay in the game,” Nascimento said.
William & Mary: The Tribe's first NCAA Tournament was short but sweet: They got a chance to taste victory with their First Four win over High Point. The Tribe was the only team in this year's tournament with a losing record, and coach Erin Dickerson Davis and her program had success to build on. After the game, the players gathered in a group hug on the court and cheered.
“We're so happy to have had this season and I'm proud of these girls,” Dickerson Davis said. “They have laid the foundation. Now we have a standard. We were fighting to get there. We have a taste of it.”
Texas: The Longhorns were uneven on both ends of the floor for long stretches, with sloppy passes early and leaving open shooters on the perimeter. Texas was never in danger of losing, but Schaefer has plenty to clean up going forward as the competition only gets better.
“We’ll need to play better,” Schaefer said. "I don't think anyone in my locker room thought we played very well, and yet we win by 40.”
Texas made just three 3-pointers but dominated scoring in the paint 56-22.
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Texas guard Rori Harmon, left, pressures William & Mary guard Bella Nascimento (5) during the first half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament in Austin, Texas, Saturday, March 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
