Professional Sports

Tomas Pospisil

Pascal Leclaire made 21 saves for his league-leading seventh shutout and the Columbus Blue Jackets beat the Atlanta Thrashers 2-0 on Wednesday night.

Johnson leads Hawks past Pacers, 107-95, for fifth straight win

A loss is surely not the way the Atlanta Falcons want to end their disappointing season. But if Seattle beats them at the Georgia Dome on Sunday, the Falcons could get a consolation prize: a higher position in the next NFL draft.

Patrick Kerney has a chance to finish as the NFL's leader in sacks - and to do it against his former team. Kerney is on the cusp of doing that for the first time entering next week's game between NFC West champion Seattle and the struggling Falcons.

Willie Parker, the NFL's leading rusher when he broke his right leg Thursday night in St. Louis, was officially lost for the season when the Pittsburgh Steelers placed him on the injured reserve list Monday. To replace Parker on their roster, the Steelers re-signed former Georgia Bulldog Verron Haynes, primarily a third down back for the Steelers from 2002-06.

The Chicago Bulls were sure this was their season to challenge for the Eastern Conference championship. If they do, it'll be with a new coach. The Bulls fired Scott Skiles on Monday, hoping to shake up a team with one of the worst records in the Eastern Conference.

Whether it's a close game or blowout, the Atlanta Falcons can't find a way to win. The latest setback, losing in overtime at Arizona, was the Falcons' sixth straight defeat. Players are so beaten down emotionally and physically that interim coach Emmitt Thomas gave them Monday off.

Roger Clemens posted a video Sunday repeating his denials of the steroids use alleged against him in the Mitchell Report and plans to be interviewed for a future episode of "60 Minutes." The seven-time Cy Young Award winner was accused in the report of using steroids, an allegation made by his former trainer.

Marian Hossa scored on a break-in at 19 seconds of overtime after a defensive mistake, and Ilya Kovalchuk scored his NHL-leading 29th goal in the Atlanta Thrashers' 3-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Sunday night.