NHL: Alex, Caps stun Pens

In Washington, neither snow nor ice nor a three-goal deficit could keep Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals from stunning their arch-rivals and winning a 14th straight game. Ovechkin scored an arena-rocking hat trick and got the assist on the winning goal in overtime, while the Capitals kept up their pursuit of NHL history with a 5-4 win over the Penguins.

“It was what people pay to see, when the superstars shine,” Washington coach Bruce Boudreau said.

Mike Knuble scored the game-winner, which left the Caps three wins shy of tying the 1993 Penguins’ record of 17 consecutive wins.

* In Montreal, Tuukka Rask made 36 saves for his third shutout, Marco Sturm scored twice and the Bruins ended a 10-game losing streak with a 3-0 win over the Canadiens.

* The Sharks bolstered their defense by acquiring Niclas Wallin in a trade with the Hurricanes.

NBA: Magic rally past C’s

In Boston, Vince Carter led a 19-0 surge in the third quarter and finished with 20 points as the Magic beat the Celtics 96-89, moving ahead of Boston and into second place in the Eastern Conference.

Carter scored nine points during a rally that began after Rajon Rondo‘s 3-pointer gave the Celtics a 60-51 lead with 7:17 left in the third quarter. Rondo scored 17 points.

* In Toronto, Chris Bosh had 36 points and 11 rebounds and the Raptors beat the Kings 115-104, extending Sacramento’s losing streak to six games. The Raptors topped 100 points for the 16th consecutive game.

COLLEGE: FSU vacates wins

Florida State announced it will vacate 12 football victories and a 2007 men’s track national championship in an academic cheating scandal, along with dozens more victories and placings across 10 men’s and women’s sports.

The NCAA stripped the school of wins in which 61 athletes implicated in the scandal contributed. The college sports governing body upheld the decision last month after Florida State appealed the sanctions as “excessive.”

Bobby Bowden, who retired after this season as the second all-time winningest coach in major college football behind Penn State’s Joe Paterno, saw his victory total drop from 389 to 377.

ETC.: Danica weighs Nationwide

Danica Patrick is expected to announce today whether she will enter the Nationwide Series race on Saturday at Daytona International Speedway. Patrick rallied from a midrace spin in Saturday’s ARCA race at Daytona to finish sixth in her stock car debut.

* In Lievin, France, teenager Melanie Oudin beat Julie Coin 7-6 (3), 6-4 to lead the United States to a 4-1 victory over France and secure a spot in the Fed Cup semifinals versus Russia.

* Veteran outfielder Brian Giles signed a minor league contract with the Dodgers and will be invited to the team’s big league camp.