center Paschal Chukwu, a transfer from Providence,

TALLADEGA, Ala. -- If a restrictor-plate race win can be called easy, Joey Logano showed the way to do it Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway.The Team Penske driver bided his time through the first three-quarters of the Hellmanns 500, watching as the pole-winning Toyota of Martin Truex Jr. and the Penske Ford of teammate Brad Keselowski both had their engines fail.Logano assumed the lead on Lap 147 when rising temperatures finally did in Keselowskis engine after Brad led a race-high 90 laps. From there, the No. 22 Ford controlled the pace to the finish, surviving an overtime restart to lead rookie Brian Scott across the line and clinch a spot among the final eight in NASCARs Chase for the Sprint Cup playoffs with four races to go.Logano arrived at Talladega on the cut line, tied for eighth in the points race with Austin Dillon but holding the advantage of a tiebreaker. But while Dillon departed in the same position -- tied for eighth (with Denny Hamlin) and losing out on a tiebreaker, Logano didnt have to worry about points thanks to his second consecutive victory in the fall Talladega race.The 26-year-old and his Penske team, led by crew chief Todd Gordon, could not have executed any better.Man, it just feels good to win at a clutch moment like that, Logano said from Victory Lane. We come in here with the pressure on, and this team excels when that happens.It feels so good to win here because you never know you have it til the end, he added. Were going to the next round.For most of the day, it looked like Keselowski would be the Penske driver celebrating a crucial victory. He started the day below the cut line, but was determined to take his fate in his own hands by trying to dominate from the front.But his fate may have been determined by random trash that landed on the grille of the No. 2 Ford. With his oil and water temperatures rising, Keselowski worked with other drivers to shake off the debris, but it was too late as the engine expired in a plume of smoke and fire.Logano picked up debris on the grille late in the race, but it was a smaller piece that did not have the same catastrophic effect.He had already overcome a problem of his own, serving a penalty for leaving the pits with a jack stuck under his car after the first pit stop.I felt bad for Brad because I think he had the fastest car by a long shot, Logano said. But unfortunately it happens. Theres a lot of garbage flying around and as the leader, youre the first one by it so you end up picking some of it up. We did as well, just not as much.I got nervous, he added. Obviously I cant see the nose, but it wasnt that bad. We had a good enough cushion to be able to pick up a little garbage at the end and everything worked out as planned, I guess.Logano and the No. 22 team have been somewhat overshadowed this year by Keselowski and the No. 2 side, with the 2 taking four wins to Loganos two.A year ago, Logano was flying high, winning all three races in the Chase round that cut the field from 12 to eight drivers. But he ruffled some feathers along the way, and he was knocked out of the Chase when Matt Kenseth intentionally wrecked him.Hes a year older, a little wiser, and back in the Round of 8. This time hopefully without a handful of rival drivers carrying a grudge against him.I learned some valuable lessons last year, he said. I learned a whole new level I didnt know I had, which was really cool. Now I know how to reach that level mentally inside a race car to make things happen and be a great leader for my team.I think were a little more under the radar than we were last year, Logano added. We didnt win three races in a row. Weve got momentum, we have speed, and we have a lot of confidence for that reason. We know we can do it. The next three racetracks are good for us so we just need to go out there and fight and do what we know how to do.Its not that Logano has lost the swagger that got him off-sides with Kenseth and a few others. But he has learned how to channel it, and find better ways of expressing it.On Sunday, he raced his rivals cleanly, and he got the boost he needed from former nemesis Kevin Harvick on the final restart when he needed it.Its all about attitude, and this teams got a lot of it, believe me, Logano said. We showed it last year and were on pace to do it again. Im ready for the challenge ahead of us and this team is definitely ready.How do you not have confidence when you get to drive for Roger Penske and this awesome team here? We better feel like we can win any time we show up at the race track.While Joe Gibbs Racing chose to run around at the back and race for points Sunday, Team Penske raced for the win. And while one car blew up and failed to advance, the other got in.So now its on to the Round of 8, with the goal of returning the No. 22 car to the Final Four for the second time since the elimination format was introduced in 2014.We need to keep the intensity up, Logano said. We like the pressure. Thats kind of our motto this year, knowing that we can fight in those situations.Winning today was a great feeling for about 20 minutes, he added. But now were thinking about Martinsville already [next Sunday], and thinking about how were going to get to Homestead and win a championship.NMD Canada Online . -- Quarterback Will Finch threw for 252 yards and three touchdowns, and Yannick Harou rushed in two scores as the No. y-3 Sale Canada . PETERSBURG, Fla. http://www.nmdshoescanada.com/ .875,000, avoiding arbitration. Clippards deal Monday means all eight Nationals players who filed for arbitration wound up settling before a hearing. Ultra Boost Canada Restock . -- Charline Labonte couldnt have asked for a better homecoming. Ultra Boost 19 Canada . Andreas Johnson had a goal and two assists while Jacob de la Rose also scored for Sweden (2-0-0). Esa Lindell and Rasmus Ristolainen replied for Finland (1-1-0) Lindell opened the scoring for Finland just 41 seconds into the game, but the hosts quickly regained their composure and tied the score less than four minutes later on Wennbergs first of the game.SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- If only Syracuse had the Pearl -- on the court instead of in their hearts.On a day the Orange paid tribute to the late Dwayne Pearl Washington, L.J. Peak and Rodney Pryor put a damper on the day, combining for 43 points as Georgetown held off Syracuse 78-71 on Saturday.Peak had 23 points and 11 rebounds and Pryor added 20 points to key the victory in the renewal of a once-fierce Big East rivalry, which Washington was a big part of.Whenever Georgetown wins in the Carrier Dome, its a big win for the program, Hoyas coach John Thompson III said. This rivalry, these two institutions, when you think about the Big East you think about Pearl, Patrick (Ewing) and Chris Mullin. When you come up here and its Pearl weekend, its like they need some extra incentive? Without a doubt, hes one of the pillars of the Big East.Syracuse (6-4), which has struggled to form any kind of consistency so far this season, didnt find much again. Tyler Lydon was the bright spot with a career-high 29 points, missing only 1 of 13 shots, but where Washington once worked his magic, the Orange guards continued to struggle.John Gillon had 13 points on 4-of-14 shooting in his first start of the season and Frank Howard had four points, four assists and a game-high six turnovers. Andrew White, who has started in the backcourt six times this season, had 12 points on 3-of-11 shooting in 40 minutes.Were just not playing well at the guard spot I dont think at all, Orange coach Jim Boeheim said. Were making too many mistakes. Were not getting the ball in the basket from the guard spot. We havent in any of our four losses and weve got to play better there.Georgetown (7-4) has won five straight, the first four coming against teams from the lower echelons of Division I.The Hoyas matched the largest lead of the game when Jonathan Mullmore drained a 3 to give Georgetown a 67-60 lead with 2:36 left. The Hoyas hung on at the end after Lydons follow slam and baseline hook moved the Orange within 69-66 with 64 seconds left.Georgetown has lived at the free-throw line this year and that helped the Hoyas survive this one. They were 22 of 25 from the line, nine coming in the final 38 seconds, while the Orange was 14 of 25.It was Pearl Washington Day inside the Carrier Dome and the former Syracuse star, who died in April of cancer at age 52, was celebrated on a snowy, wintry day. Syracuse University is establishing the Pearl Washington Endowed Fund for Continuing Education and set a $1 million endowment goal. The fund wiill support student-athletes who leave the university and later return to pursue their degrees.ddddddddddddA framed photo of Washington and a piece of the basketball court were presented to Washingtons family at center court during a halftime celebration. A No. 31, Washingtons number at Syracuse, also was unveiled and adhered to the wooden surface at center court.This is a very special weekend. Very special, especially since its the Georgetown game, said Rafael Addison, a teammate of Washington in the 1980s. Its hard to talk about him. Pearl would be very pleased with the outpouring of love. (When the 31 peeled off) it felt like he was in the building. He loved this building. He loved this community. He had so much life, so much charisma.White hit his first two 3-pointers as Syracuse rushed to an 11-4 lead in the first 5:08, giving the Orange the biggest lead of the first half, 11-4. The Hoyas clawed back behind Peaks 12 points in the opening period, and when Peak hit a follow shot to tie the game at 31-all in the final two minutes, it almost seemed like an Orange omen.It wasnt.We need to improve, take care of business, White said. That kind of puts a sour taste in the whole theme of the night. It happens sometimes.BIG PICTUREGeorgetown: Hoyas entered the game averaging 28.5 trips to the free-throw line and thats been a huge factor. They were shooting 77.5 percent on free throws before the game. ... Hoyas have won six of their last eight meetings with Syracuse.Syracuse: A video montage of Washington highlights was shown before the game. .. The Orange leads the series with Georgetown 49-43 but is 7-11 against John Thompson III. Hoyas are 13-30 on the road against Syracuse. ... Seven-foot-2 center Paschal Chukwu, a transfer from Providence, had retina surgery on Saturday and is out indefinitely. Hes played 108 minutes in seven games and had not played in two of the previous three games but still led the team with 14 blocks.ONE FOR PEARL: We just wanted to make sure that Pearl was honored. He was, Boeheim said. Were just happy we could do that. We had a lot of support from a lot of people.UP NEXTGeorgetown: Hosts UNC Greensboro at the Verizon Center next Thursday.Syracuse: Hosts Eastern Michigan on Monday.---More AP college basketball at http://collegebasketball.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-Top25---Follow Kekis on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Greek1947 ' ' '