At Lenovo Center, Raleigh, North Carolina:
Juraj Slafkovsky scored twice in the third period on Thursday as the Montreal Canadiens took the opening game of the Eastern Conference Final 6-2 on the road over the Carolina Hurricanes.
After sweeping Ottawa and Philadelphia, this is the first Stanley Cup Playoff game this year that the 'Canes lost.
At Madison Square Garden, New York City:
Josh Hart scored 26 points while Mikal Bridges and Jalen Brunson (with 14 assists) each added 19 as the New York Knicks took a two-games-to-none lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA's Eastern Conference Final with their 109-93 home victory in game two.
All five starters for the Knicks scored in double digits.
Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 26 points.
At Ball Arena, Denver:
In Wednesday's opening game of the Western Conference Final as the Stanley Cup Playoffs continued, Dylan Coghlan, Pavel Dorofayev (power play), Brett Howland, and Nic Dowd (empty net) each scored once while Carter Hart saved 36 of 38 shots as the Vegas Golden Knights knocked off the homestanding Colorado Avalanche 4-2 to seize home-ice advantage.
At Paycom Centre, Oklahoma City:
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points and dished out nine assists on Wednesday as the Oklahoma City Thunder squared their NBA Western Conference Final at one game apiece with their 122-113 home victory over the San Antonio Spurs.
Seven OKC players scored in double-figures.
Stephon Castle scored 25 points in leading the Spurs (to go with his eight assists) while Devin Vassell added 22 and Victor Wembanyama 21 (with 17 rebounds).
At Madison Square Garden, New York City:
Jalen Brunson scored 38 points as the New York Knicks, with all five starters scoring in double-figures, came back from a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit to knock off the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers 115-104 in overtime of the opening game of the NBA's Eastern Conference Final.
Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 29 points.
At KeyBank Center, Buffalo, New York:
Alex Newhook, at 11:22 of overtime, scored the game-and-series-winning goal as the Montreal Canadiens defeated the homestanding Buffalo Sabres 3-2 in the seven and deciding game of their Eastern Conference Semifinal series as the Stanley Cup Playoffs continued.
Les Canadiens will face the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final, which will open at Raleigh's Lenovo Center on Thursday at 5:00 PM Pacific Time on TNT, TruTV, and HBO Max.
At Paycom Center, Oklahoma City:
Victor Wembanyama scored 41 points and grabbed 24 rebounds on Monday night as the San Antonio Spurs, in double overtime, took the opening game of their NBA Western Conference Final series with the Oklahoma City Thunder, 122-155 on the road.
Dylan Harper added 24 points (while grabbing 11 rebounds) helped the Spurs' cause.
Six San Antonio players (including all five starters) scored in double digits.
Jalen Williams led Oklahoma City with 26 points while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 24 (to go with his 12 assists).
At Little Caesars Arena, Detroit: In the lone Sunday NBA Playoff game, Donovan Mitchell scored 26 points and dished out eight assists, while Jarrett Allen and Sam Merrill (off the bench) added 23 each as the Cleveland Cavaliers manhandled the Detroit Pistons 125-94 on the road to win the seventh and deciding game of their Eastern Conference semifinal series.
Evan Mobley added 21 points and 12 rebounds to the Cleveland cause.
The Pistons were led by Daniss Jenkins' 17 points.
The Cavaliers will square off against the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Final on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden at 5:00 PM PDT (ESPN/Prime Video).
At Laurel Park, Laurel, Maryland:
In Saturday's 151st running of the Preakness Stakes (taking place at Laurel Park due to ongoing construction at Baltimore's Pimlico Race Course), Napoleon Solo, with jockey Paco Lopez aboard, and with Chad Summers (making his Triple Crown debut) as trainer, won the race, with Iron Honor second, and Chip Honcho third.
Golden Tempo, who won the Kentucky Derby, passed on this one.
The Belmont Stake will take place on Saturday, June 6 at Saratoga Race Trace (Belmont Park still undergoing construction).
Associated Press photo by Stephanie Scarbrough
At Bell Centre, Montreal:
In the lone Saturday Stanley Cup Playoff contest, after trailing 3-1, the Buffalo Sabres scored seven unanswered goals and smothered the homestanding Montreal Canadiens 8-3 to square their Eastern Conference semifinal series at three games apiece.
Jason Zucker, Jack Quinn (twice), and Zach Mesta scored power-play goals for the Sabres.
The series will decided at KeyBank Center in Buffalo on Monday at 5:00 PM Pacific Time on ESPN.
The NBA Playoffs continued on Friday with two games.
EASTERN CONFERENCE:
At Rocket Arena, Cleveland:
Cade Cunningham scored 21 points and dished out eight assists as the Detroit Pistons defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-94 on the road in game six of their conference semifinal series.
Seven Pistons scored in double-figures.
James Harden led Cleveland with 23 points.
The series, now deadlocked at three games apiece, will be decided on Sunday at 5:00 PM Pacific Time on Prime Video, with the New York Knicks awaiting the winner.
WESTERN CONFERENCE:
At Target Center, Minneapolis:
Stephon Castle scored 32 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as the San Antonio Spurs, with six players (including all five starters) scoring in double-figures, manhandled the homestanding Minnesota Timberwolves 139-109 to win their conference semifinal series in six games.
Anthony Edwards (with 24 points) and Terrance Shannon, Jr., off the bench (21) paced Minnesota.
The Spurs will take on the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Final, starting on Monday at Oklahoma City's Paycom Center at 5:00 PM Pacific Time on ESPN.
