AP Sports SummaryBrief at 12:54 a.m. EST

Alex Ovechkin reaches 800 career goals with hat trick

CHICAGO (AP) — Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin has become the third NHL player to score 800 career goals. He scored three times at Chicago on Tuesday night. Ovechkin scored on his first two shots, beating Blackhawks goaltender Petr Mrazek 24 seconds into the game before stuffing one home on a power play with 11:46 left in the first period. The 37-year-old winger then completed his 29th career hat trick when he sent a rebound over a sprawled Mrazek 6:34 into the third. The rest of the Capitals poured onto the ice to celebrate after the historic goal, and the United Center crowd responded by throwing their hats down and chanting of “Ovi! Ovi!” Washington beat Chicago 7-3.

AP source: Carlos Correa, Giants reach $350M, 13-year deal

Star shortstop Carlos Correa and the San Francisco Giants have agreed to a $350 million, 13-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations has told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity Tuesday night because the agreement was subject to a successful physical. The 28-year-old Correa also was a free agent one year ago after leaving the Houston Astros, and he reached a $105.3 million deal with the Minnesota Twins. That agreement gave him the right to opt out after one year and $35.1 million to hit the market again. Correa batted .291 with 22 home runs and 64 RBIs in his one season with Minnesota.

Messi, Argentina beat Croatia 3-0 to reach World Cup final

LUSAIL, Qatar (AP) — Lionel Messi is back in the World Cup final with Argentina on his mission to win soccer’s biggest prize for the first time. He could hardly be playing any better. Messi converted a penalty and had a hand in the other two goals by Julián Álvarez to lead Argentina to a 3-0 win over Croatia. It set up a meeting with either France or Morocco in Sunday’s title match. It will be the 35-year-old Messi’s second World Cup final in what might be his last ever appearance at the tournament. Croatia failed in its bid to reach a second straight World Cup final.

Álvarez surges, scores, carries Argentina to World Cup final

LUSAIL, Qatar (AP) — Julián Álvarez carried Argentina into another World Cup final with his surging runs and a striker’s instinct. Lionel Messi and the 22-year-old Álvarez were a pair of predators at Lusail Stadium. Their partnership put to rest any hopes Croatia had of reaching back-to-back finals. The younger of the pair earned the penalty kick converted by the 35-year-old Messi before scoring twice in a 3-0 victory. Álvarez is the youngest player to score twice in a World Cup semifinal since a 17-year-old Pele scored a hat trick for Brazil in 1958. No wonder Messi held Álvarez in a playful headlock and hugged him hard after his goals.

Mississippi State football coach Mike Leach dies at 61

Mississippi State football coach Mike Leach has died following complications from a heart condition. The pioneering coach helped revolutionize the college football passing game with the Air Raid offense. Leach had been hospitalized over the weekend and had a bout of pneumonia late this season. He died Monday night. In 21 seasons as a head coach at Texas Tech, Washington State and Mississippi State, Leach went 158-107. Six of the 20 best passing seasons in major college football history were by quarterbacks who played for Leach, including four of the top six. Mike Leach was 61.

Celtics blow big lead, rally back, beat Lakers 122-118 in OT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jayson Tatum scored 44 points, Jaylen Brown added 25 ,and the Boston Celtics blew a 20-point lead in the second half before rallying from a late 13-point deficit for a thrilling 122-118 overtime victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. Marcus Smart hit four 3-pointers and scored 18 points for the NBA-leading Celtics, who wrapped up their six-game road trip by avoiding their first three-game losing streak of the season. Anthony Davis had 37 points and 12 rebounds, but he also missed two free throws with 28 seconds left in regulation to allow the Celtics back into it. LeBron James scored 33 points.

The Jordan Trophy: NBA rebrands, redesigns its MVP award

The NBA Most Valuable Player award has been renamed The Michael Jordan Trophy. The league made that announcement Tuesday and unveiled the redesigned award. The trophy has been named for Maurice Podoloff for about six decades. Jordan won the trophy that was named for Podoloff five times. But now the league’s best player each year will receive a trophy named for the six-time champion.

Morocco faces France in politically charged WCup semifinal

RABAT, Morocco (AP) — As Morocco faces France in the World Cup semifinal, many players and fans of both diverse teams grapple with family tales of colonial history, challenges of immigration, questions of national loyalty. The match has political and emotional resonance for both nations. It dredges up everything that’s complicated about the relationship in which France still wields considerable influence. For many in the former protectorate, the match against the defending champion is an opportunity to show that Morocco is a formidable foe — on the soccer pitch at least — even though immigration between the two countries has blurred the lines for many in France and in Morocco about who to support Wednesday in Qatar.

Moroccan World Cup ‘dream’ faces biggest test against France

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Morocco’s improbable, history-making run at the World Cup is about to get its ultimate test. Africa’s first semifinalist is playing defending champion France and striker Kylian Mbappé. It is a match that has cultural and political connotations because Morocco was under French rule from 1912-56. It is far from the foregone conclusion many would presume by looking at the names of the players and the rankings of the teams. Morocco has shocked the soccer world in Qatar by topping a group containing Belgium and then eliminated Spain and Portugal. It’s one of the biggest stories in the World Cup’s 92-year history and Morocco isn’t done yet.