Stanley Cup Playoffs: Canes, Flyers, Wild Take Conference Quarterfinal Openers As Playoffs Start

 The National Hockey League's Stanley Cup playoffs opened on Saturday with three games, with all series up to the final at best-of-seven.

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

At Lenovo Center, Raleigh, North Carolina:

Logan Stankoven and Taylor Hall each scored once while Frederik Andersen saved all 22 shots for the shutout as the Carolina Hurricanes blanked the visiting Ottawa Senators 2-0 in the opening game of their conference quarterfinal series.

At PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh:

In the battle of The Keystone State, Jimmy Drysdale, Travis Sanheim, and Brian Rust each scored once with Mr. Rust scoring with 1:01 remaining in regulation as the Philadelphia Flyers seized home-ice advantage in their 3-2 game-one opening-round road win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

WESTERN CONFERENCE:

At American Airlines Center, Dallas:

Joel Eriksson scored twice (both on the power play) while Matt Boldy also scored twice (once on an empty-netter) as the Minnesota Wild ambushed the home-standing Dallas Stars 6-1 in their conference quarterfinal series opener.

NBA Playoffs: Magic, Clippers Advance To Face Conference Top Seeds

 The NBA Playoffs concluded their "Play-In Tournament" with two games on Friday.

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

At the Kia Center, Orlando, Florida:

Paolo Banchero scored 25 points as the Orlando Magic, with all five starters scoring in double-digits, smothered the visiting Charlotte Hornets 121-90 to advance to the Eastern Conference quarterfinals, where they will take on the top-seeded Detroit Pistons beginning in The Motor City on Sunday.

LaMelo Ball paced the now-eliminated Hornets with 23 points.

WESTERN CONFERENCE:

At Mortgage Matchup Center, Phoenix, Arizona:

Jalen Green scored 36 points while Devin Booker added 20 points before he was ejected as the Phoenix Suns topped the visiting Golden State Warriors 111-96 to advance to the Western Conference quarterfinals where they will face the top-seeded and defending NBA titlists Oklahoma City Thunder, starting in the Sooner State's Capital city on Sunday.

Brandin Podziemski paced the low-eliminated Warriors with 23 points while grabbing 10 rebounds.

NBA Playoffs: 76ers Advance To Battle Celtics, Warriors End Clips' Season

 The NBA Playoffs continued on Wednesday with two "Play-in" games.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

At Xfinity Mobile Center, Philadelphia:

Tyrese Maxey scored 31 points as the Philadelphia 76ers defeated the visiting Orlando Magic 109-97 to advance to the Eastern Conference quarterfinal round and a best-of-seven encounter with the Boston Celtics beginning this coming Sunday.

Desmond Bane paced the Magic with 34 points.

The Magic will take on the Charlotte Hornet at home on Friday for the right to battle the top-seeded Detroit Pistons.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

At the Intuit Dome, Inglewood, California:

Stephen Curry scored 35 points while Gui Santos and Kristaps Porzingas each added 20 as the Golden State Warriors came from behind to knock off the host Los Angeles Clippers 126-121.

Bennedict Mathurin came off the bench to pace the Clippers with 23 points while Kahli Leonard and Darius Garland each contributed 21 as the Clips' season ended.

The Warriors will visit the Phoenix Suns on Friday for the right to take on the top Western Conference seed----the defending NBA Champion Oklahoma City Thunder.

NBA Playoffs: Blazers Advance To Face Spurs; Hornets End Heat's Season

 I don't care what the NBA thinks----those play-in games are still playoff games.

With that said, the National Basketball Association Playoffs opened with two games on Tuesday.

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

At the Spectrum Center, Charlotte, North Carolina:

LaMelo Ball (30 points, 10 assists), Miles Bridges (28 points), and Brandon Miller (23 points) led the Charlotte Hornets to a 127-126 overtime victory over the visiting Miami Heat.

Davion Mitchell (28 points), Andrew Wiggins (27), and Tyler Hero (23 points) for Miami as the Heat's season ended with the defeat.

The Hornets will next play the loser of Wednesday' s Orlando-Philadelphia game for the right to face the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.

WESTERN CONFERENCE:

At Mortgage Matchup Center, Phoenix, Arizona:

Deni Avdija scored 41 points and dished out 12 assists as the Portland Trail Blazers upended the host Phoenix Suns 114-110.  Jrue Holiday added 23 points for the Blazers.

Jalen Green topped the Suns with 35 points while Devin Booker added 22 and Dillon Brooks with 20.

The Blazers will open their Western Conference quarterfinal best-of-seven series with the San Antonio Spurs on the road this coming Saturday.

The Suns will play the winner of the Golden State Warriors-Los Angeles Clippers game for the right to face the Oklahoma City Thunder.

UCLA, MICHIGAN WIN NCAA BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS

At Mortgage Matchup Center, Phoenix, Arizona:

Gabriela Jaquez scored 21 points on Sunday as the UCLA Bruins won their first women's national championship by winning the NCAA Division I Women's Tournament title game by defeating the South Carolina Gamecocks 79-51.

The Bruins' Lauren Betts, who scored 14 points, was named the tournament' s Most Outstanding Player.

Tessa Johnson led the Gamecocks with 14 points.

At Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis:

Elliot Candeau, named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, scored 19 points on Monday as the Michigan Wolverines outdistanced the Connecticut Huskies 69-63 to win  their first NCAA Division I Men's Tournament championship since 1989.

Alex Karaban paced the Huskies with 17 points.

 

WOW! HOW ABOUT THAT?

 At Milan-Cortina, Italy:

Jack Hughes scored the game-winning goal at 1:41 of sudden-death overtime on Sunday as the United States defeated Canada 2-1 to win their first men's hockey Gold Medal since 1980 (their third overall; the Yanks also won the Gold Medal at Squaw Valley, California in 1960)

The American women also took home the Gold Medal by defeating Canada 2-1 in OT.

SEAHAWKS OVERPOWER PATRIOTS FOR SECOND SUPER BOWL CHAMPIONSHIP; KENNETH WALKER III NAMED GAME MVP

At Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California: 

Quarterback Sam Darnold threw a touchdown pass to A.J. Barner while running back Kenneth Walker III, named Super Bowl LX Most Valuable Player, ran for 135 yards, while linebacker Uchenna Nwosu ran back an interception 45 yards for a defensive touchdown as the Seattle Seahawks dominated the New England Patriots 29-13 on Sunday for their second Super Bowl Championship.  

The Seahawks' Jason Myers kicked a Super Bowl-record five field goals.  

The NFC has now (including the pre-merger NFL) won 31 Super Bowls while the AFC (including the pre-merger AFL) has won 29.

Next year's Super Bowl will be played at Inglewood, California's SoFi Stadium on Valentine's Day and will be telecast on ABC and ESPN.

Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald Among Quintet Elected To Pro Football Hall Of Fame

San Diego Chargers and New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees and Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald were elected on Thursday to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on their first years of eligibility.

Mr. Brees was a key reason the New Orleans Saints won Super Bowl XLIV while Mr. Fitzgerald played a rule in the Cardinals' lone Super Bowl (Super Bowl XLIII).

The other electees included San Francisco 49ers running back Roger Craig (he played on two of the 49ers' Super Bowl Championship teams), New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri (who kicked the game-winning field goal in a couple of the Patriots' Super Bowl title teams), and Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly, who played for the Panthers in Super Bowl 50.