The Sportsletter - Winter Wonderland ❄️

BY JEFF YODER & MATTHEW CAHILL

FEB. 7, 2022  |  SUBSCRIBE  |  BROWSER VIEW

Good Morning,

A pair of all-star showcases and the Winter Olympics kick off the week for our Monday edition. Coach K made his last trip to Chapel Hill. NASCAR’s season is underway. And we’re officially entering Super Bowl week with big plans ahead.

Letter Rip!

OLYMPICS

Winter Wonderland ❄️

Photo: Francois-Xavier Marit / Getty Images

Russia Leads Medal Count After Opening Weekend; Shiffrin Bottoms Out in Giant Slalom Disappointment

The 2022 Winter Olympics lit the flame in Beijing on Friday, and a full weekend of events are in the books. The United States won three medals, all silver. The hardware was claimed by Jaelin Kauf (women’s moguls), Julia Marino (women’s snowboard slopestyle) and the team figure skating event. Meanwhile, defending giant slalom champion Mikaela Shiffrin took a spill just seconds into her run.

Women’s Ice Hockey: Team USA thrashed Switzerland on Sunday (8-0). The Americans are 3-0 in Group A before Tuesday’s final group stage game against rival Canada.

The action is just getting started. The Winter Games run until Feb. 20 with plenty more from the slopes and the ice rinks. Here’s a look at the latest medal count heading into Monday.

Medal Count

ROC (6)

United States (3)

Japan (3)

Norway (3)

Austria (3)

Italy (3)

Sweden (2)

Germany (2)

Netherlands (2)

Australia (2)

Slovenia (2)

Canada (2)

Daily Olympics Schedule

Additional Storylines

Yahoo! Sports: Olympics Opening Ceremony Draws Record-Low Ratings

Olympics.com: Defending Champ Shiffrin Out of Giant Slalom: “A Huge Disappointment”

NFL

AFC Captures the Pro Bowl

Photo: Ethan Miller / Getty Images

QB Justin Herbert & DE Maxx Crosby Win MVPs in AFC’s Pro Bowl Victory (41-35)

A shootout in Las Vegas brought the NFL’s biggest stars to the desert for a high-scoring NFL Pro Bowl on Sunday. The air assault from both sides saw the AFC grab a 41-21 lead after three quarters before the NFC made a late comeback attempt. Both teams combined to throw seven touchdowns and seven interceptions in a game that featured 92 pass attempts to just 29 rushes. The NFC ran the ball just eight times for a combined 1 yard. Chargers QB Justin Herbert (7/11, 98 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT) and Raiders DE Maxx Crosby (5 tackles, 2 sacks) won the MVP awards for the winning side. The AFC has now won each of the last five Pro Bowls.

Other Top Performers

QB K. Murray (ARI): 18/27, 160 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT

QB M. Jones (NE): 12/16, 112 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT

TE M. Andrews (BAL): 5 receptions, 82 yards, 2 TDs

LB D. Leonard (IND): 4 tackles, 1 INT, 1 TD

Watch: AFC Holds Off NFC in NFL Pro Bowl (41-35)

Additional Storylines

NFL: 2022 Pro Bowl: What We Learned From AFC’s Win Over NFC

ESPN: Not Much Tackling, But Plenty of Fun as AFC Hangs on to Win 2022 Pro Bowl

NHL

NHL All-Star Weekend Winners

Photo: Jeff Bottari / Getty Images

Metropolitan Division Caps off All-Star Weekend by Taking Home the Championship

After an entertaining Friday night featuring the Skills Competition, Sin City hosted last night’s All-Star game, where the 3-on-3 tournament saw the Metropolitan Division come out on top to take home the $1 million prize. They took down the Pacific Division (6-4) in the semifinals, and then defeated the Central Division (5-3) in the championship game. 

Watch: Metro vs. Central Championship Highlights

20-year old Devils center Jack Hughes made a splash in his first All-Star appearance, tallying three goals and an assist over the course of the two games. But it was seven-time All-Star Claude Giroux who was named All-Star MVP, as he registered three goals and an assist himself, including two goals in the championship game. 

The NHL season picks up again tomorrow, as there will be no Olympic break this year due to the league having to make up 104 total games that have been postponed this year due to COVID. 

Additional Storylines

Bleacher Report: NHL All-Star Skills Competition Recap, Highlights

CBS Sports: 2022 NHL All-Star Game Results, Recap

NCAA

Coach K's Carolina Farewell

Photo: Grant Halverson / Getty Images

#9 Duke Throttles UNC (87-67) in Coach K’s Last Game at Chapel Hill

The farewell tour for Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski rolled into Chapel Hill for the final time on Saturday, and the Blue Devils delivered a 20-point victory for their fearless leader. It was Coach K’s 95th clash in the Tobacco Road rivalry where he holds a 49-46 record. Duke freshman A.J. Griffin had a game-high 27 points to lead Duke to its fifth straight win and first place atop the ACC. Duke will face Carolina to end the regular season in Durham for Krzyzewski’s final home game.

Watch: #9 Duke def. North Carolina (87-67)

Other NCAA Men’s Basketball Highlights

#1 Auburn def. Georgia (74-72)

#2 Gonzaga def. BYU (90-57)

Arizona State def. #3 UCLA (87-84, 3OT)

#4 Purdue def. Michigan (82-76)

#5 Kentucky def. Alabama (66-55)

#7 Arizona def. #19 USC (72-63)

#10 Kansas def. #8 Baylor (83-59)

NCAA Women’s Basketball Highlights

#2 Stanford def. USC (83-57)

#5 Indiana def. Purdue (64-57)

#6 Michigan def. #21 Iowa (98-90)

#10 UConn def. #7 Tennessee (75-56)

#9 Baylor def. #13 Texas (63-55)

🎥THE HIGHLIGHTS

🏀  NBA: Sixers-Bulls Put on a Show

The 76ers beat the Bulls on Sunday (119-108) in a shootout between MVP candidates Joel Embiid and DeMar DeRozan. Embiid (40 points, 10 rebounds) got his team the win, but DeRozan (45 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists) was the high point man.

🏎️  NASCAR: Logano Conquers the Coliseum

The NASCAR Cup Series made its return on Sunday with a new featured dubbed the ‘Clash at the Coliseum.’ Joey Logano was the winner of the inaugural race, defeating Kyle Busch (2nd) and Austin Dillon (3rd) on the quarter-mile track.

⛳️  PGA: Hoge Hangs On at Pebble Beach

Tom Hoge (-19) survived Jordan Spieth (-17) on Sunday at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am for his first PGA Tour victory at 32 years old. Hoge led for most of the tournament before Spieth took the lead on Sunday, but he birdied three of his final five holes for the win.

📰 THE HEADLINES

Cavaliers Acquire Caris LeVert in Trade With Indiana Pacers for Ricky Rubio & Picks

(Bleacher Report)

Dolphins Hire 49ers OC Mike McDaniel as Next Head Coach

(NBC Sports)

Four-Time WNBA All-Star Liz Cambage Joins Los Angeles Sparks

(SI)

Ex-Browns DB Jason McCourty Stands With Hue Jackson Amid Tanking Allegations

(Yahoo! Sports)

MLBPA Rejects MLB's Offer for Federal Mediator to Enter Labor Negotiations

(ESPN)

Russell Westbrook Benched Again in Overtime Win Against the Knicks

(CBS Sports)

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