JAZZ BEAT KNICKS; MOVE CLOSER TO FIRST IN NORTHWEST DIVISION

Deron Williams scored a team-high 24 points with 13 assists, and Carlos Boozer added 21 points and 11 rebounds, as Utah built a massive lead, saw it all go away then responded to down New York, 112-104, for its 15th straight home victory.

The Jazz still sit four games off the most consecutive home victories in franchise history, yet improved to 32-6 at EnergySolutions Arena. Ronnie Brewer donated 17 points, Kyle Korver shot his way to 16 points on 4-of-6 shooting and 7-of-8 marksmanship from the charity stripe, and Paul Millsap added 12 points and seven boards.

"It seems like the last couple of games have been pretty similar. You get into the situation where you have a big first half, and it's always scary. Because when we played them over there, we had a big first half," said Jazz head coach Jerry Sloan. "I told them at halftime, you've got to come out, execute your offense and try to make some stops on the defensive end, which none of that really happened."

Utah, winners in five of its last six overall, moved into a tie with Portland, 1 1/2 games behind Denver for first place in the Northwest Division. The next two games for the Jazz are on the road - at Portland on Tuesday and in Denver Thursday.

Al Harrington scored 24 points before being ejected in the final minute of the game, while David Lee notched a double-double with 21 points and 10 boards. Wilson Chandler recorded 14 points and seven rebounds for the Knicks, who lost for the eighth time in nine tries.

"I think we played extremely hard tonight under the circumstances. We had a terrific half, showed a lot of character and played extremely well in the second half. We played as hard as we could, and when you play that hard you usually make good plays and that got us back in the game," said Harrington.

The Jazz offense clicked on all cylinders in the first 12 minutes of game action. They jumped to an early 10-4 advantage on Williams' three-point play, and the margin grew to 25-14 later in the period on a Williams' fadeaway jumper. Utah led 36-24 after one period.

The Knicks cut the deficit to 42-34 on a Nate Robinson pull-up jumper a few minutes into the period, but Utah closed the half on a 13-4 stretch to take a commanding lead. Lee's slam brought the Knicks within 56-44, but the Jazz tallied the next eight capped by Brewer's slam. Moments after another Lee dunk, Knicks head coach Mike D'Antoni was whistled for a technical foul. Williams converted three free throws to end the half with the score 67-46.

Utah made 60.5 percent of its shots, all four attempted three-pointers and 11-of-12 from the charity stripe.

Then, everything that went right in the first half quickly turned around. After a C.J. Miles three kept the Jazz edge at 81-64, the Knicks scored the next 10, capped by Robinson's three-point play. The Jazz held on to an 86-78 edge after three periods, but the momentum had begun its drastic swing.

What was once a 24-point deficit was wiped away and then some after Harrington and Robinson each made a pair of free throws with the diminutive guard's two foul shots handing the Knicks a stunning 93-92 lead.

The long road back took too much out of the Knicks in the end. Brewer's layup capped seven points in succession for a 99-93 edge, and the margin out to seven, 107-100, on a Brewer slam with 1:48 to play.

The Knicks drew within 108-104 on a pair of Chandler free throws with 30.2 ticks left, but Korver calmly sank the equalizing free throws with 22.3 seconds remaining to put the game away.

Game Notes

Utah shot 54.5 percent from the floor and made 23-of-30 free throws...The Knicks converted on 50.7 percent of their shots, but made only 7-of-23 three- pointers...New York has still won seven of the last 10 meetings with the Jazz. Utah blew a 20 point lead in the second half for the second consecutive game, but held on to win both games.

PETTITTE, YANKEES DOWN BLUE JAYS IN GRAPEFRUIT LEAGUE ACTION

Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston expressed concern about closer B.J. Ryan after he pitched a shaky eighth inning in Toronto's 3-1 loss to the New York Yankees on Monday.

Ryan gave up one run and two hits, including Angel Berroa's RBI double to left-centre. The left-hander, who skipped the World Baseball Classic to work on his mechanics, has a 9.00 ERA this spring.

Gaston said he might consider making Scott Downs the closer and putting Ryan "somewhere else for a while and go from there." He said he wants to see how Ryan does in his final two spring appearances.

"I haven't checked the velocity yet," Gaston said, "but it looked like it might have been down today. So there are still some concerns about him."

Ryan said he's moving in the right direction.

"The runs are just (from) pitching behind," he said. "Pitch behind in counts and you get in predictable counts. Aside from that there were some good things that came out of today."

Andy Pettitte worked 6 2-3 innings for the Yankees, allowing one run and five hits. The left-hander struck out seven and walked none.

"He was exceptional today, threw all his pitches," manager Joe Girardi said. "His curveball was good, changeup was good, he located his fastball well. That's about as good as it gets."

Rookie left-hander David Purcey went six innings for Toronto, yielding a run and two hits. He walked five and struck out two.

"He started the game off a little rough," Gaston said, "but I thought he threw the ball real well. His whole thing is control. If he goes out there and throws strikes he usually pitches a good ball game."

Mark Teixeira went 2-for-3 with two RBIs for New York.

Notes: Blue Jays CF Vernon Wells, who missed his second straight game with a sore left wrist, will play Tuesday night against Philadelphia, Gaston said. It's the same wrist Wells fractured last May. ... LHP Ricky Romero earned a spot in Toronto's rotation. LHP Brad Mills, competing with right-hander and fellow rookie Scott Richmond for the final spot, will start Tuesday night. ... Blue Jays acting interim president Paul Beeston attended the game.

CHEECHOO NETS GO-AHEAD GOAL AS SHARKS EDGE FLAMES

Despite a depleted lineup with nine players missing due to injury, the San Jose Sharks continue to get it done.

In San Jose's 2-1 victory Monday night over the Calgary Flames, Jonathan Cheechoo -- just back from injury himself, scored the go-ahead goal and goaltender Evgeni Nabokov made 28 saves as the Sharks reached the 50 win mark for the second time in franchise history.

Dan Boyle also scored for San Jose (50-15-11), which moves four points up on the Detroit Red Wings in the race for first overall and the Presidents' Trophy. Joe Thornton assisted on both goals.

Jarome Iginla scored for Calgary (43-27-6).

"We have a lot of new faces in here but what can you say, the depth of this organization is pretty strong," said Boyle.

Four of San Jose's 12 forwards on Monday night were playing with Worcester in the AHL less than four weeks ago. Captain Patrick Marleau is the latest to land in the infirmary with a lower body injury suffered Saturday night against Phoenix. Marleau is not expected to play Thursday night in Edmonton either.

"Anytime you don't have nine players, you want the other guys to step up and play well," Nabokov said. "Our system has changed a little bit, we're not as aggressive and we have to be a little bit smarter, and in a way, I think it's helped us."

Thanks to a skid over the past month in which they have lost eight of their last 12, the Flames' lead atop the Northwest Division is now just one point over the Vancouver Canucks, who hold one game in hand.

"I've always told our club and any club that I've ever coached, if you're playing against a team with a lot of injuries, often it's a very dangerous team because you have a lot of people, particularly this time of year, that are receiving more ice time than they ever expected," said Flames coach Mike Keenan.

Vancouver will attempt to take over top spot Tuesday night when they play in Minnesota against the Wild.

"It's definitely a game we would have liked to have had a better outcome on," said Flames winger Curtis Glencross. "We've got to get right back to work and keep our heads up."

San Jose took its second lead of the night on the only goal of the second period when at 12:24, Brad Lukowich's slapshot from the blue-line was deflected past Miikka Kiprusoff by Cheechoo, who was positioned in the high slot.

That would be all the offence Nabokov would need as he made several clutch saves in the third period, turning aside 12 shots.

Nabokov's best save came on a power play midway through the period when, while sprawled on the ice, he reached back and was able to smother a shot from Mike Cammalleri as the Flames leading goal scorer tried to tuck in his 37th.

"I tried to wait him out. I tried to get it back. He made a good play to get his glove back there," said Cammalleri. "Hindsight's 20-20. Instead of jamming it, I should have just flicked it quicker."

Despite all the injuries, San Jose is 5-1-1 in its last seven games.

"We could have played a little bit better offensively, obviously, but at the end of the day, a win is a win and it's a big win at this time of year for us," said Boyle.

Calgary is now forced to regroup quickly knowing that when they return to action on Thursday night in Dallas, the possibility exists that they could be as low as fifth place in the Western Conference.

"It wasn't for lack of effort tonight or for playing poorly," said Iginla. "Unfortunately, we just didn't get the win tonight. We'd like to get a few more shots. I thought we had a pretty fair amount of good scoring chances, even in the third. Unfortunately they didn't go in to night."

Trailing 1-0, Calgary tied the game at 15:09 when Iginla's snapshot from the face-off dot, with Lukowich providing a partial screen, squeezed past Nabokov's glove.

San Jose struck first taking advantage of an early two-man advantage when three seconds into Craig Conroy's penalty, Adrian Aucoin's clearing attempt errantly went over the glass for an automatic delay of game penalty. It took just 35 seconds for Thornton to spot Boyle creeping in from the blue-line, and from 20 feet out Boyle wired a slapshot into the top corner.

Calgary lost defenceman Cory Sarich late in the third period when he took a slapshot from Thornton off his skate. He was noticeably favouring his right foot as he was helped off the ice.

Notes: Cheechoo has missed the previous two games (lower body injury)... The season series ends tied 2-2... San Jose improves to 35-5-4 when scoring first... Calgary's final six games consist of three sets of back-to-back games. Vancouver plays on back-to-back nights just once... Both teams have demonstrated the ability to break open close games in the third period. The Flames are 14-0-3 when tied after two periods while San Jose is 13-1-3 in the same scenario... San Jose LW Milan Michalek had his six-game points streak (three goals, four assists) come to an end... San Jose has killed off 17-of-18 on the penalty kill over the past seven games.

RANGERS PICK UP ENORMOUS VICTORY WITH BLANKING OF DEVILS

While Martin Brodeur kept a close watch on Sean Avery, Henrik Lundqvist focused on a shutout.

Avery took everything the New Jersey Devils threw at him in a physical sense, and Lundqvist turned aside all 38 shots the slumping Atlantic Division leaders fired his way in sending the New York Rangers to a 3-0 victory on Monday night.

"I haven't had as many as last year," Lundqvist said of his third shutout of the season. "I'm happy for this one. Guys worked really hard for me. I made up my mind before the third period I wanted this one."

Lundqvist earned his 20th NHL shutout, 10 of which came last season. Brodeur is two behind Terry Sawchuk's career league record of 103.

"It gives you an extra good feeling to play against the best players in the league," Lundqvist said.

So much was made of the Avery-Brodeur matchup, the first since Brodeur returned from a 50-game injury absence, and Avery came back to the Rangers after a failed stint in Dallas. Not much drama materialized there, but Avery was certainly a target.

Avery annoyed David Clarkson enough in the third period to get the New Jersey enforcer off the ice.

The two were locked up in the Rangers zone, with Clarkson tugging on Avery, who chose not to drop the gloves. Clarkson kept pulling until Avery fell to the ice face first. Clarkson got a double penalty for roughing plus a misconduct. Avery earned only two minutes for roughing.

"It's a 3-0 game at that point, I don't think that there's anything to gain by doing anything," Avery said. "It certainly takes discipline for sure. You fight for your team and for your teammates. At that point I didn't need to fight for either of them."

Clarkson was trying to spark his team that has scored only six goals during a season-high, five-game skid (0-4-1).

"I don't know if it's irritating," Clarkson said of Avery's style. "They won the game. He didn't want to fight. I'm not going to say anything bad about the guy. He obviously did his job."

Brandon Dubinsky and defenceman Dan Girardi scored 2:04 apart during New York's three-goal second period. Ryan Callahan added his 21st goal for the Rangers, who bounced back from a disappointing 0-1-1 road trip and moved within a point of sixth-place Pittsburgh in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

New York (40-28-9) also stretched its lead to four points over Florida, which is below the post-season cutoff.

"We're still fighting for our lives," coach John Tortorella said. "We are just trying to find a way to get points."

Soon after staying restrained against Clarkson, Avery flattened Johnny Oduya against the boards, drawing chants of his name from the crowd.

"I just went into it the same I have for a lot of games, just trying to get focused and knowing what I have to do," Avery said.

New Jersey received only two power plays, both in the third period.

The Devils have already clinched a playoff berth and lead the Atlantic by six points over Philadelphia, but have dropped six of seven (1-5-1) since Brodeur broke Patrick Roy's NHL career record for wins by a goalie.

"It's not fun," Brodeur said. "It's the time of the year you need to play well, to win games, to advance and to feel good about yourself. Right now, it's not the case for us. We're doubting how we do stuff out there. We have six games left and we have to find a way to get through this."

New Jersey, which held a 38-37 shots advantage, is one point behind second-place Washington in the East.

"I expect more from this group," angry Devils coach Brent Sutter said. "There are periods of time when everything is great and then they get into a comfort zone.

"Don't you want to finish second in your conference? Don't you want home-ice advantage if you advance past the first round? Don't you want to play with pride and have your game at the top of your level? You can't turn a switch on. This group tried to turn a switch on last year. It didn't work."

Brodeur was sharp in the first period when the Rangers tied a season high with 20 shots. New York managed only 12 in the second, but broke open the scoreless game.

Lundqvist, who made 19 saves in the second, earned his 35th win. His best stops came in the second when he made a quick save with his left pad on Brian Rolston and then kicked out Bobby Holik's hard drive on the rebound.

Dubinsky started the scoring 4:35 into the second with his 11th goal and third in five games after going 23 without one. That started the taunting of Brodeur, who heard derisive chants as the Rangers built and nursed their lead.

Girardi doubled the advantage at 6:39, and Callahan made it 3-0 with 4:54 left in the second. It was his fifth goal in seven games.

Notes: The Rangers have had 20 shots in a period three times this season, including the second frame at New Jersey on Nov. 12 during a 5-2 win. ... New York is 10-2-3, including the playoffs, against the Devils with Avery in the lineup since he arrived in February 2007. ... The teams split the six-game season series.

HOWARD LEADS MAGIC PAST HEAT, SPOILING ZO'S NIGHT

Dwight Howard finished with 22 points and 18 rebounds, as the Orlando Magic held on for a 101-95 win over the Miami Heat, strengthening their position in the Eastern Conference.

Rashard Lewis added 21 points for Orlando, which has won six in a row and nine of 10 overall. The Magic moved into a tie with idle Boston for the second spot in the East, with nine games remaining -- two more than the Celtics.

Howard became the youngest player to reach 5,000 career rebounds at 23 years and 112 days, as he entered the contest with 4,989. The big man broke the record held by Wilt Chamberlain, and his performance was perhaps appropriate on the night Miami retired Alonzo Mourning's No.33.

However, the Heat came up short on Mourning's night, despite Dwyane Wade's 42 points. Only two other Heat players reached double figures -- Mario Chalmers with 13 points and Jermaine O'Neal with 10.

Miami has lost three of four and remained in the East's fifth spot, but fell to four games behind fourth-place Atlanta and is only a game in front of Philadelphia.

"Of course you want to win on a night like this, with Zo's celebration," said Wade. "We could have pulled this one out. We were right there. We had shots at it and cracks at it. It just didn't go our way."

Orlando held a slight lead for the early portions of the fourth quarter, but near the midway point, Wade scored six consecutive points to put the Heat on top, 85-83.

The teams traded baskets down the stretch, and with under three minutes to play, Wade drove the lane, switching to his left hand for the lay-in that gave Miami a 92-91 edge.

However, Orlando scored the next six points to gain control. Howard tied the game with a free throw before Lewis drilled a three from the left corner, with Michael Beasley's hand in his face, for a three-point Magic edge. Howard followed with a layup with 50.5 seconds remaining for a 97-92 lead.

The Heat got back within two points, 97-95, after Wade sank two free throws with 17 ticks on the clock. But JJ Redick sank two free throws moments later to again make it a two-possession game, and Orlando held on for the win.

"We didn't want to lose this game," said Howard. "It came down to whoever wanted it the most. I just kept telling my team this is our game and they can't stop us."

Orlando ended the first quarter with an eight-point burst to take a 26-21 edge, then scored the first six points of the second.

Marcin Gortat had two baskets in the stretch to begin the frame, including a dunk to put the Magic ahead 32-21.

However, the Heat responded with eight consecutive points -- four from Wade -- and Udonis Haslem's jumper got Miami within 32-29.

It was back-and-forth the rest of the half, and Hedo Turkoglu's pair of free throws capped the scoring to give Orlando a 46-43 edge at the break.

Then a lengthy halftime ensued for Mourning's ceremony.

"It was a little long, especially when we've been told 24 minutes," said Magic coach Stan Van Gundy. "Competitively, they sat for 42 minutes also, so there is no competitive advantage."

The Magic stretched their lead to 70-63 with two minutes left in the third quarter, but Miami closed within a point by ending the stanza with three consecutive buckets.

Game Notes

Chamberlain was 25 years and 128 days old when he reached 5,000 career rebounds...Chalmers broke Sherman Douglas' Miami franchise record for most steals in a rookie season. Chalmers notched five steals to get to 146, one more than the 145 swipes Douglas had in 1989-90...Wade notched his 12th 40- plus point game this season...Haslem got hit in the head under the basket in the fourth quarter, and took 12 stitches...Turkoglu added 16 points for the Magic, while Rafer Alston scored 13...O'Neal added seven boards for the Heat, while Chalmers also had seven assists.