NHL: Teams set All-Star record for total goals; Blue Jackets’ Johansen MVP

Barbara J. Perenic | DISPATCH

Ryan Johansen had two goals, two assists and a game-high seven shots.

The NHL’s All-Star Weekend was all Columbus dreamed it would be, a glowing, festive celebration of the sport and the city. The capper, last night’s All-Star Game at Nationwide Arena, came exactly as advertised, too.

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Blue Jackets: Foligno, Johansen excel as All-Star hosts

Adam Cairns | Dispatch

Ryan Johansen, right, is congratulated by Blue Jackets teammate Nick Foligno, left, and Alex Ovechkin (8) after getting his second goal of the first period.

Blue Jackets forwards Nick Foligno and Ryan Johansen had never been on a stage this big, much less for three straight days. As the unofficial player hosts of the NHL’s All-Star Weekend, Foligno and Johansen handled these new responsibilities with poise and character.

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NFL: Browns’ Josh Gordon faces another ban

Josh Gordon might have finally run out of chances with the Cleveland Browns. The 2013 All-Pro receiver faces a one-year suspension from the NFL for the second time in less than a year, according to multiple reports that surfaced yesterday afternoon.

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Ohio State men's basketball: Russell, Tate spark victory over Indiana

Brooke LaValley | Dispatch

Indiana guard Yogi Ferrell draws a crowd as he runs into Shannon Scott, but he still managed to score 26 points.

Ohio State has gotten big results before from a small lineup. Two years ago, in a seesaw game at Northwestern in which the Buckeyes struggled to defend three-point shooters at every position, coach Thad Matta replaced 6-foot-11 Amir Williams with 6-7 Sam Thompson midway through the second half.

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Bob Hunter commentary: Ohio State's Matta still doesn’t know what he has

When coach Thad Matta was asked if his Ohio State men’s basketball team is evolving into something he didn’t initially envision, he bared his soul: “I don’t know,” he said.

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Around the NBA: James leads Cavs to tense victory

Mark Duncan | ASSOCIATED PRESS

Dion Waiters of the Thunder tries to get past former teammate Kyrie Irving of the Cavaliers.

Cavaliers 108, Thunder 98: The sold-out arena buzzed with 20,000 fans decked out in matching gold T-shirts. There was a national TV audience, two high-profile teams and All-Stars all over the floor. It felt like the playoffs in January. LeBron James played as if it was June.

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Michael Arace commentary: Columbus has reason to be proud

There will be no supplemental-discipline cases after the latest NHL All-Star Game. Team Toews defeated Team Foligno 17-12 in front of a sellout crowd of 18,901 at Nationwide Arena yesterday and, when scouring one’s mind to find the most exciting moment, it might have been the fake scrum at the end of the second period.

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Ohio State women's basketball: Kelsey Mitchell scores 37 to lead rally past Purdue

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Freshman Kelsey Mitchell etched her name into the lore of Mackey Arena yesterday in the same manner that she has in other arenas all season: She just kept playing basketball. The point guard shook off a sluggish first half to score a Mackey-record 37 points while willing Ohio State to a 79-71 overtime victory over Purdue.

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Around college basketball: Krzyzewski gets 1,000th victory

Kathy Willens | ASSOCIATED PRESS

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, left, is hugged by associate head coach Jeff Capel after the game.

No. 5 Duke 77, St. John’s 68: Mike Krzyzewski earned his 1,000th career win, making him the first NCAA Division I men’s coach to reach the milestone, and Duke surged past host St. John’s yesterday in a nonconference game.

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Blue Jackets: Foligno taps into potential

Lynne Sladky | Associated Press

The encouragement of coach Todd Richards helped Nick Foligno realize he can be a star player in the NHL.

Above the main entrance of Nationwide Arena hangs the supersize images of four NHL All-Stars: Tampa Bay’s Steven Stamkos, Chicago’s Patrick Kane, Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby and the Blue Jackets’ Nick Foligno. That Foligno would ever be clustered with players of that ilk — much less part of an NHL marketing scheme — was unthinkable even three months ago.

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NHL All-Star Game players

Note: Players will be drafted by team captains at 8 tonight in the Greater Columbus Convention Center. TV: NBC Sports Network

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NHL All-Star Game: Format changes with times

Steven Senne | ASSOCIATED PRESS

Hockey greats Gordie Howe, left, and Wayne Gretzky enjoying a moment during All-Star Weekend in 1999 in Tampa, Fla.

The NHL All-Star Game in Nationwide Arena on Sunday won’t look anything like a regular league game. There will be no hits, very few penalties, only a sprinkling of blocked shots — most of them by accident — and absolutely, positively no fights.

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