Sports Digest: Starr scores 1,000th point in Purdue Cal win

Pro hockey

SMITH STOPS 38 SHOTS AS COYOTES TOP HAWKS: Mike Smith stopped 38 shots for his third shutout this season, and the Phoenix Coyotes beat the Blackhawks 3-0 Saturday night.

Radim Vrbata, Boyd Gordon and Kyle Chipchura scored for the Coyotes, who won their fifth straight to pull within three points of Chicago in the Western Conference standings. Phoenix stands in eighth place in the West.

The Blackhawks lost their eighth straight overall -- their longest skid since the 2007-08 season -- and 10th in a row on the road. Chicago's last win came with a 3-1 victory over Florida on Jan. 20.

Pro basketball

NUGGETS DOWN PACERS: Ty Lawson scored 27 points to lead the Denver Nuggets to a 113-109 win over the Pacers on Saturday night.

The Nuggets snapped their five-game losing streak with the win.

Danny Granger scored 26 points for the Pacers, who have lost four of five.

Pro golf

WI MAINTAINS THE LEAD AS TIGER CHARGES: Charlie Wi played bogey-free at Spyglass Hill for a 3-under 69 to build a three-shot lead Saturday in the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. Now it's time for him to face his demons of self-doubt — along with a familiar force in golf.

Tiger Woods took another step toward showing his game is nearly back. He ran off five birdies in a six-hole stretch early in his round at Pebble Beach and had a 5-under 67 that put him four shots behind going into the final round, the closest he has been to the 54-hole lead in a regular PGA Tour event since the 2010 Masters.

Men's basketball

ANDERSON TIES CAREER HIGH IN PUC WIN: Anthony Anderson (Merrillville) matched his career high with 26 points as Purdue Calumet rallied past Trinity International 79-78 in Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference play.

Anderson helped erase a three-point deficit with 1:21 remaining in the game with a jumper and pair of free throws on consecutive possessions for the Peregrines (7-19, 4-8).

Drew Ridlen drained five 3-pointers and scored 19; Alex Richman added 16, and Ty Miller hauled down 12 rebounds.

Women's basketball

STARR SCORES 1,000TH POINT IN PURDUE CAL WIN: Alex Starr became the 15th member of the 1,000 point club in Purdue Calumet history, helping the Peregrines edge Trinity International 77-73 in CCAC play.

Starr scored 23 points, and her 3-pointer with 37 seconds remaining gave PUC (19-9, 8-2) the lead for good at 73-71.

Lindsey Whitcomb (Washington Township) added 14 points and 10 rebounds, Brooklyn Short had 17 points, seven rebounds and six assists and Stephaine Beck had 10 points.

College tennis

VU MEN, WOMEN EARN SHUTOUTS: The Valparaiso University men's and women's teams swept their opponents Saturday.

Eric Honert (No. 2 singles) and Egan Hart (No. 6) each won 6-0, 6-0- to lead the Crusaders (2-1) to a 7-0 win over Grace.

Lauren Kammerer (Valparaiso) won 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) at No. 6 singles, and the Crusaders (2-1) also won every other singles match in straight sets as part of a 7-0 win over Kalamazoo.

Around the horn

The Valparaiso University women's bowling team dropped to No. 3 in the latest National Tenpin Coaches Association poll. The Crusaders had been ranked No. 1. ... The Porter County Punishers will play the Michiana Monarchs in an American Basketball Association game at 2 p.m. today at the Portage Township YMCA. ... American teenager Jessica Korda moved into position for a two-sport, father-daughter Australian double, shooting an even-par 73 in windy conditions to take the Women's Australian Open lead at Royal Melbourne. Korda, the 18-year-old daughter of 1998 Australian Open tennis champion Petr Korda, had a 4-under 215 total in the LPGA Tour opener on the historic club's difficult Composite Course, the 2011 Presidents Cup venue that is hosting a women's professional event for the first time. ... Lee Westwood took advantage of some shaky play from Rory McIlroy and Thomas Bjorn, shooting a 5-under 67 to take a one-stroke lead in the Dubai Desert Classic. Westwood, the third-ranked English star, had a 15-under 201 total. ... Corey Pavin and Peter Senior — both winless on the Champions Tour — shared the lead after the second round of the Allianz Championship at Broken Sound Golf Club. Pavin followed his opening 8-under 64 with a 70 to match Senior at 10 under. Senior had a 68. ... Alex Morgan tied it in the 88th minute and added the winner in stoppage time to give the United States a dramatic 2-1 victory over New Zealand in a chilly women's friendly at FC Dallas Stadium on Saturday.