Saturday, May 31, 2014

NBA Playoffs: Spurs Outlast Thunder In OT, Win West Title, Get Rematch With Heat For All The Marbles

At Oklahoma City:

Boris Diaw scored 26 points while Tim Duncan added 19 to go with his 15 rebounds on Saturday night as the San Antonio Spurs outlasted the home-standing Oklahoma City Thunder 112-107 in overtime to win game six of the NBA Western Conference finals and clinched their second straight conference title four games to two, setting up a rematch with the defending two-time league champions Miami Heat with the NBA Finals set to start on Thursday night in San Antonio.  Russell Westbrook scored 34 points while Kevin Durant added 31 (to go with his 14 rebounds) to pace the Thunder.

Shock Knock Off Thunder In Spokane

At Spokane, Washington:

The Spokane Shock (6-5) snapped a three-game Arena Football League losing streak with a 58-48 home win over the Portland Thunder (3-8) on Friday.

Friday, May 30, 2014

Stnaley Cup Playoffs: Patrick Kane Scores Twice, Helps Blackhawks Force Game Seven Against Kings For Right To Face Rangers

At Los Angeles:

In Friday night Stanley Cup Playoff action, Patrick Kane scored a pair of goals, one on the power play in the second period, the other being the game winner at 16:15 of the third period as the Chicago Blackhawks came back to take the lead in the second period, coughed it up in the third, then came back to defeat the Los Angeles Kings 4-3 in game six of the Western Conference Final.  The series, now squared at three games apiece, will be decided Sunday night in Chicago, with the winner to host the opening game of the Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday against the New York Rangers.

NBA Playoffs: Heat Scorch Pacers, Win 4th Straight Eastern Conference Crown; Return To NBA Finals

At Miami:

LeBron James and Chris Bosh each scored 25 points as the Miami Heat dominated the visiting Indiana Pacers 117-92 on Friday night in game six of the NBA's Eastern Conference finals and locked up their fourth straight conference title (and NBA Finals appearance) four games to two. Paul George topped the Pacers with 29 points.  The Heat will open the NBA Finals on Wednesday night at either San Antonio or Oklahoma City, depending on who wins the Eastern Conference title (the Spurs lead the series three games to two).

Before Miami, only the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers advanced to four straight NBA Finals.

Thursday, May 29, 2014

NBA Playoffs: Spurs Smother Thunder; One Win Away From Finals

At San Antonio:

Tim Duncan scored 22 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as the San Antonio Spurs blasted the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder 117-89 on Thursday in game five of the NBA's Western Conference Finals, despite 25 points from the Thunder's Kevin Durant and 21 from Russell Westbrook.  The Spurs, who lead the series three games to two, can close out the series and lock up a second straight Western Conference title with a game-six win at Oklahoma City on Saturday.

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Rangers Blank And Finish Off Habs; Advance To First Stanley Cup Final Since 1994

At New York:

Dominic Moore scored the only goal of the contest in the second period while Henrik Lundqvist saved all 18 shots on Thursday as the New York Rangers blanked the visiting Montreal Canadiens 1-0 in game six of the Eastern Conference final and won the series four games to two.  The Rangers advanced to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since last winning the cup in 1994.  The Stanley Cup Final will open next Wednesday at Chicago or Los Angeles (the Kings currently lead the Western Conference final three games to two).

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

FanendoMania: Fanendo Adi Scores Twice As Timbers Blank Goats On Road

At Carson, California:

In the lone Wednesday Major League Soccer contest Fanendo Adi scored twice (65', 71') while Donovan Ricketts picked up his (and his team's) first shutout of the season as the Portland Timbers won their second consecutive game (and stretched their unbeaten run to six games) as they blanked Chivas USA 2-0 on the road.

The Timbers will host the Vancouver Whitecaps (whom they now trail by one point for the final Western Conference playoff berth) in a Cascadia Cup clash this coming Sunday at 6:00 PM Pacific Time (ROOT Sports Northwest).

NBA Playoffs: Paul George Keeps Pacers Alive, Force Game Six In Miami

At Indianapolis:

Paul George scored 21 of his 37 points on Wednesday as the Indiana Pacers held off the visiting Miami Heat 93-90 in game five of the NBA's Eastern Conference finals.  Chris Bosh scored 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Heat, who still lead the series three games to two and who can still lock up their fourth straight NBA Finals appearance with a game-six home win in Miami on Friday.

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Blackhawks Avert Elimination With Goal In Double Overtime

At Chicago:

In the lone Wednesday Stanley Cup Playoff contest, Michal Hundzus scored the winning goal at 2:04 of the second overtime period as the Chicago Blackhawks staved off elimination with a 5-4 game-five home victory over the Los Angeles Kings.  The Kings, who still lead the Western Conference final three games to two, can still lock up their second conference title in three years and a berth in the Stanley Cup Final with a game-six home win in Los Angeles on Friday.

Malcolm Glazer, Owner of Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Manchester United, R.I.P.

Malcolm Glazer, who since 1995 had owned the National Football League's Tampa Bay Buccaneers and who owned (since 2005) English Premier League soccer powerhouse Manchester United, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 85.

Under Mr. Glazer's ownership, the Buccaneers made seven playoff appearances and won a Super Bowl title following the 2002 season.  Meanwhile, the Red Devils won five English Premier League titles and a UEFA Champions League crown.

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Canadiens Blitz Rangers To Avoid Elimination

At Montreal:

Rene Bourque delivered a hat trick on Tuesday night as the Montreal Canadiens defeated the visiting New York Rangers 7-4 in game five of the Eastern Conference finals.  The Rangers, who still lead the series three games to two, can still win the series and advance to the Stanley Cup Final with a game-six victory back home in New York City on Thursday.

NBA Playoffs: Russell Westbrook Scores 40 Points As Thunder Square Series With Spurs At 2-2

At Oklahoma City:

Russell Westbrook scored 40 points and dished out 10 assists while Kevin Durant added 31 as the Oklahoma City Thunder squared the NBA's Western Conference finals at two games apiece following their 105-92 game-four home win over the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday.

Monday, May 26, 2014

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Kings One Win Away From Ousting Champs

At Los Angeles:

Jake Muzzin and Dustin Brown each scored a power-play goal while Marian Gaborik, Drew Doughty, and Tanner Pearson (Empty Net) each added a tally as the Los Angeles Kings dominated the visiting Chicago Blackhawks 5-2 on Monday in game four of the Western Conference final.  The Kings, who lead the series three games to one,  can close out the defending Stanley Cup champions on Wednesday with a game-five victory at Chicago.

NBA Playoffs: Heat One Win Away From Another Finals Appearance

At Miami:

LeBron James scored 32 points and grabbed ten rebounds while Chris Bosh added 25 as the Miami Heat took care of the visiting Indiana Pacers 102-90 in Monday's fourth game of the NBA's Eastern Conference finals.  The Heat, who lead the series three games to one, can lock up their fourth straight conference title (and NBA Finals appearance) with a game-five win at Indianapolis on Wednesday.  Paul George scored 23 points and David West added 20 (to go with his 12 rebounds) to lead the Pacers.

Herb Jeffries, The Screen's Bronze Buckaroo, Sang With Duke Ellington, Still Active In His 90s, R.I.P.

Herb Jeffries, a jazz vocalist who starred in a series of Western motion pictures as a singing cowboy with an all-black cast and who was still performing in his 90s, passed away on Sunday at West Hills, California.

Mr. Jeffries, who passed away from heart failure, was believed to be 100 years of age.

A former vocalist with Earl "Fatha" Hines and his orchestra, Herb starred in a series of low-budgeted Westerns, including "Harlem on the Prairie (1937)," earning the nickname "The Bronze Buckaroo" before joining Duke Ellington by 1940.  With Mr. Ellington's orchestra, Herb recorded "Flamingo," which turned out to be a major hit.  It was on the record that he was mis-identified as "Herb Jeffries" and therefore he changed his name from Herbert Jeffrey to match the typo on the record label.

In the first decade of this century, Herb was performing at Cafe Aroma in Idyllwild, California.

Sunday, May 25, 2014

NBA Playoffs: Serge Ibaka's Return Sparks OKC As Thunder Cut Spurs Series Lead To 2-1

At Oklahoma City:

Serge Ibaka returned from what had been thought to have been a season-ending left calf sprain to score 15 points on Sunday as the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the visiting San Antonio Spurs 106-97 in game five of the NBA's Western Conference finals, which the Spurs, with Manu Ginobili scoring 23 points, still lead two games to one. Russell Westbrook scored 26 points and Kevin Durant added 25 (to go with his ten rebounds) to pace the Thunder.

Stanley Cup Playoffs: OT Goal Places Rangers One Win Away From First Final Appearance Since '94

At New York:

Martin St. Louis scored the winning goal at 6:02 of overtime on Sunday as the New York Rangers defeated the visiting Montreal Canadiens 3-2 to extend their Eastern Conference final series lead to three games to one.  The Rangers can finish off the series and advance to their first Stanley Cup Final since 1994 (the year they last won the Stanley Cup) with a game-five victory at Montreal on Tuesday.

Saturday, May 24, 2014

Maxi's Double Carries Timbers Past Red Bulls For First Road Win Of Season

At Harrison, New Jersey:

Maximiliano Urruti scored twice (45', 74') as the Portland Timbers picked up their first road win of the season by coming from behind to knock off the New York Red Bulls 2-1 in Saturday Major League Soccer action.

The next game for the Timbers will be on the road against Chivas USA this coming Wednesday at 7:30 PM Pacific Time (Portland Timbers Television Network).

NBA Playoffs: Heat Overcome Slow Start, Overtake Pacers To Take Two-Games-To-One East Finals Series Lead

At Miami:

LeBron James scored 26 points while Dwyane Wade added 23 as the Miami Heat overcame a 15-point deficit and outlasted the visiting Indiana Pacers 99-87 in game three of their NBA Eastern Conference finals series on Saturday for a two-games-to-one series lead.

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Kings Battle Back, Top Blackhawks To Take 2-1 West Final Series Lead

At Los Angeles:

In the lone Saturday Stanley Cup Playoff contest, Slava Voynov (Power Play), Jeff Carter, Tyler Toffoli, and Drew Doughty each scored a goal as the Los Angeles Kings took a two-games-to-one Western Conference Final series lead following their 4-3 game-three home win over the Chicago Blackhawks.

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Thunder Top Talons At Home

At Portland, Oregon:

Jeffrey Solomon caught two touchdown passes as the Portland Thunder (3-7) knocked off the visiting San Antonio Talons (1-9) 55-40 in Thursday Arena Football League action.

Stanley Cup Playoffs: OT Goal Puts Habs Back In Series With Rangers

At New York:

In the lone Thursday Stanley Cup Playoff contest, Alex Galchenyuk scored the winning goal 72 seconds into overtime while Dustin Tokarski saved 35 of 37 shots as the Montreal Canadiens took game three of the Eastern Conference final 3-2 on the road over the New York Rangers, who still lead the series two games to one.

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Kings Overcome Two-Goal Deficit, Put On Five-Goal Third-Period Ambush, Square West Final With 'Hawks At 1-1

At Chicago:

In the lone Wednesday Stanley Cup Playoff contest, Jeff Carter delivered a third-period hat trick (one of the goals on a power play, another was an empty netter) during a stretch in which the Los Angeles Kings battled back from a 2-0 deficit with six unanswered goals (five in the third period) en route to a 6-2 road fist beating of the Chicago Blackhawks in the second game of the Western Conference final.

NBA Playoffs: Thunder No Match For Spurs As San Antonio Takes 2-0 West Finals Series Lead

At San Antonio:

In the lone Wednesday NBA Playoff contest, Tony Parker scored 22 points (and grabbed 12 rebounds) while Danny Green added 21---all from seven three-pointers---as the San Antonio Spurs stretched their advantage in the Western Conference finals to two games to none following their 112-77 game-two home demolition of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

NBA Playoffs: LeBron Sparks Fourth-Quarter Rally As Heat Square Series With Pacers At One Game Apiece

At Indianapolis:

LeBron James scored 12 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter, scoring six consecutive points to sparks the decisive 12-2 run, as the Miami Heat squared their NBA Eastern Conference finals series with the Indiana Pacers at one game apiece following their 87-83 game-two road win on Tuesday.  Dwyane Wade scored 23 points to pace the Heat while Lance Stephenson topped the Pacers with 25 points.

Monday, May 19, 2014

NBA Playoffs: Spurs Top Thunder In West Finals Opener

At San Antonio:

Tim Duncan scored 27 points as the San Antonio Spurs overcame 28 and 25-point performances from Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook respectively and defeated the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder 122-105 in the opening contest of the Western Conference Finals on Monday night.

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Rangers Top Habs In Montreal Again, Take Two-Games-To-None East Final Series Lead

At Montreal:

As the Stanley Cup Playoffs continued on Monday, Ryan McDonagh, Rick Nash, and Martin St. Louis (Power Play) each scored a goal while Henrik Lundqvist saved 40 of 41 shots as the New York Rangers bested the Montreal Canadiens 3-1 on the road in game two of the Eastern Conference Final, which the Rangers now lead two games to none.

Sunday, May 18, 2014

NBA Playoffs: Pacers Lead Wire-To-Wire Against Heat In East Final Opener

At Indianapolis:

Paul George scored 24 points while Roy Hibbert and David West each added 19 as the Indiana Pacers led wire-to-wire on Sunday, en route to a 107-96 victory over the visiting Miami Heat in the opening game of the Eastern Conference finals as the third round of the NBA Playoffs commenced. Dwyane Wade scored 27 points while LeBron James added 25 (to go with his 10 rebounds) to pace the Heat.

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Blackhawks Top Kings In West Final Opener

At Chicago:

In the lone Sunday Stanley Cup Playoff contest, Brandon Saad (Power Play), Duncan Keith, and Jonathan Toews each scored a goal while Corey Crawford saved 25 of 26 shots as the Chicago Blackhawks took the opening match of the Western Conference Final with a 3-1 home win over the Los Angeles Kings.

Saturday, May 17, 2014

Gaston's Late Heroics Gain Home Draw For Timbers

At Portland, Oregon:

Gaston Fernandez delivered the equalizer in the 85th minute on Saturday night as the Portland Timbers came from behind to gain a 3-3 Major League Soccer home deadlock with the Columbus Crew, despite ending the contest with ten men (Alvis Powell was shown a straight red card and was ejected in the 34th minute due to a clumsy and hard tackle).  Maximiliano Urruti (5') and Will Johnson (80') were the Timbers' other goal scorers.  Federico Higuain scored twice (14', PK-45'+5) and Ethan Finlay once (81') for the Crew.  The Timbers have now gone 22 straight games without losing a league game at home, now tied for third longest in MLS history.

The Timbers will take on the New York Red Bulls next Saturday evening at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey (4:00 PM Pacific Time, ROOT Sports Northwest).

SaberCats Devour Visiting Thunder

At San Jose, California:

In Saturday Arena Football League action, quarterback Russ Michna completed 13 of 18 passes for seven touchdowns as the San Jose SaberCats (6-3) blasted the visiting Portland Thunder (2-7) 64-27.

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Rangers Hammer Habs In East Final Opener At Montreal

At Montreal:

In the opening game of the Eastern Conference Final on Saturday (as the third round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs commenced), seven different goal scorers each scored once (three of them--Ryan McDonagh, Derek Stepan, and Rick Nash--on the power play in the third period) as the New York Rangers laid waste to the Montreal Canadiens 7-2 on the road.  Martin St. Louis, Mats Zuccarello, Chris Kreider, and Brad Richards also tallied for the Blueshirts.

139th Preakness Stakes: California Chrome Shines Again, This Time At Pimlico; Still With Shot At Triple Crown

At Baltimore:

In Saturday's 139th running of the Preakness Stakes, Kentucky Derby winner California Chrome, with jockey Victor Espinoza aboard, held off Ride on Curlin to keep alive the possibility of becoming the first horse to win the Triple Crown since 1978.  Social Inclusion finished third.

California Chrome will now head to the June 7 edition of the Belmont Stakes with a chance to win the Triple Crown, a feat last accomplished in 1978 by Affirmed.

Friday, May 16, 2014

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Kings Dominate Ducks, Win Freeway Series; Get Conference Final Rematch With Blackhawks

At Anaheim, California:

Justin Williams (Power Play), Jeff Carter, Mike Richards, Anze Kopitar, Marian Gaborik (PP), and Tanner Pearson each scored a goal on Friday night as the Los Angeles Kings blitzed the Anaheim Ducks 6-2 on the road in game six as the Kings won their Western Conference semifinal series four games to three, closing the door on the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.  The Kings will face the defending Stanley Cup champions Chicago Blackhawks in their third straight Western Conference Final (and a rematch of last year's conference final defeat) with the opening contest set for Sunday at Chicago.

Thursday, May 15, 2014

NBA Playoffs: Pacers, Thunder Reach Conference Finals

The second round of the NBA Playoffs concluded with two games on Thursday.

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

At Washington:

David West scored 29 points as the Indiana Pacers finished off the Washington Wizards with a 93-80 game-six road victory.  The Pacers, who won their conference semifinal series four games to two, will host the two-time defending NBA champions Miami Heat in the opening game of the Eastern Conference finals on Sunday at Indianapolis.  This will be a rematch of last year's conference finals, which the Heat won in seven games en route to their second straight (and third overall) NBA title.



WESTERN CONFERENCE:

At Los Angeles:

Kevin Durant scored 39 points and grabbed 16 rebounds while Russell Westbrook added 16 points to go with his 12 assists as the Oklahoma City Thunder came back from a 16-point deficit and overtook the Los Angeles Clippers 104-98 in game six on the road and won their conference semifinal series four games to two, despite 25 points and 11 assists from Chris Paul and 22 points from Blake Griffin.  In the 44 seasons of their three-city existence (Buffalo, San Diego, and Los Angeles), the Clippers have never reached a conference final.  The Thunder will open the Western Conference finals on the road against the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night.

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

NBA Playoffs: Heat, Spurs Close Out Respective Series

Two games were played on Wednesday as the NBA Playoffs continued.

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

At Miami:

LeBron James scored 29 points while Dwyane Wade added 28 as the Miami Heat came from behind to upend the visiting Brooklyn Nets 96-94 in game five of their conference semifinal series despite 34 points from the Nets' Joe Johnson.  The Heat won the series four games to one and will face the Indiana-Washington series winner in the Eastern Conference Final.



WESTERN CONFERENCE:

At San Antonio:

Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard each scored 22 points as the San Antonio Spurs overcame Tony Parker's hamstring injury and dominated the visiting Portland Trail Blazers 104-82 in game five of their conference semifinal series, which they won four games to one, despite 21 points and 10 rebounds from the Blazers' LaMarcus Aldridge.  The Spurs will have home-court advantage in the Western Conference Final against the Los Angeles Clippers or Oklahoma City Thunder.

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Habs Knock Off Bruins In Beantown, Will Face Rangers In East Final; Kings Hold Off Ducks, Force Seventh Game Of "Freeway Series" In Anaheim

The Stanley Cup Playoffs continued with two games on Wednesday.

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

At Boston:

Goals from Dale Weise, Max Pacioretty, and Daniel Briere (Power Play) carried the Montreal Canadiens to a 3-1 game-seven road victory in their conference semifinal series with the Boston Bruins.  Carey Price saved 29 of 30 shots for Les Habs as Montreal, who won the series four games to three, will host Saturday's opening game of the Eastern Conference Final against the New York Rangers.



WESTERN CONFERENCE:

At Los Angeles:

Jake Muzzin and Trevor Lewis each scored a goal while Jonathan Quick saved 21 of 22 shots as the Los Angeles Kings squared their conference semifinal series with the Anaheim Ducks at three games apiece following their 2-1 game-six victory at home.  The series will be decided in Anaheim on Friday, with the winner to face the Chicago Blackhawks in the Western Conference Final.

Timbers U23s Blow Two-Goal Lead, Drop US Open Cup Match At Home To Arizona United

At Portland, Oregon:

In the lone Tuesday contest from the second round of the US Open Cup, Kadeem Dacres (84'), London Woodberry (88'), and Daniel Altunez (90'+5) each scored a goal in the final ten or so minutes as the visiting Arizona United Soccer Club (United Soccer Leagues' Pro League, which is in the third level of American soccer) erased a two-goal deficit and knocked off the Portland Timbers U23s (USL PDL) 3-2.

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Rangers Finish Off Penguins In Pittsburgh, Get Shot At Montreal-Boston Winner; Blackhawks Use OT Goal To Eliminate Wild In St. Paul, Get Shot At Freeway Series Winner

Two games were played on Tuesday in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

At Pittsburgh:

Brian Boyle and Brad Richards (Power Play) each scored a goal while Henrik Lundqvist saved 35 of 36 shots as the New York Rangers completed their comeback from a three-games-to-one series deficit with a 2-1 game-seven road victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins to win their conference semifinal series four games to three.  The Rangers will next take on the Montreal-Boston winner in the Eastern Conference Final.



WESTERN CONFERENCE:

At St. Paul, Minnesota:

Patrick Kane scored the winning goal at 9:42 of overtime as the Chicago Blackhawks defeated the Minnesota Wild 2-1 on the road in game six and won their conference semifinal series four games to three.  Corey Crawford stopped 34 of 35 shots for the 'Hawks as Chicago awaits the winner of the Los Angeles-Anaheim "Freeway Series."

NBA Playoffs: Wizards Pop Pacers In Indy, Force Game Six Back Home; Late Run Carries Thunder Past Clippers

The NBA Playoffs continued on Tuesday with two games.

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

At Indianapolis:

Marcin Gortat scored 31 points and grabbed 16 rebounds as the Washington Wizards staved off elimination by dominating the Indiana Pacers 102-79 in game five of their conference semifinal series.  John Wall added 27 points to the Wizards' coffers.  The Pacers, who still lead the series three games to two, can still finish off Washington with a game-six road victory on Thursday night in the nation's capital.



WESTERN CONFERENCE:

At Oklahoma City:

Russell Westbrook scored 38 points---the last three on three successful free throws with 6.4 seconds remaining after having been fouled on a three-point shot attempt---as the Oklahoma City Thunder went on a 17-3 game-closing run, battling back from a seven-point deficit with 50 seconds remaining, to knock off the visiting Los Angeles Clippers 105-104 in game five of their conference semifinal series.  Kevin Durant scored 27 points and grabbed ten rebounds for the Thunder.  Blake Griffin paced the Clippers with 24 points and 17 rebounds.

The Thunder, who lead the series three games to two, can finish off the Clippers with a game-six win on Thursday back in Los Angeles.


Monday, May 12, 2014

NBA Playoffs: LeBron Goes Wild As Heat Stop Nets To Put Brooklyn On Brink Of Elimination; Blazers Stop Spurs To Stay Alive In Series

The NBA Playoffs continued on Monday with two contests.

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

At Brooklyn:

LeBron James scored a playoff career-high-equaling 49 points as the Miami Heat defeated the Brooklyn Nets 102-96 on the road to take a three-games-to-one conference-semifinal-series lead.  The Heat can finish off the Nets back home in Miami with a game-five win on Wednesday.



WESTERN CONFERENCE:

At Portland, Oregon:

Damian Lillard scored 25 points as the Portland Trail Blazers averted elimination with a 103-92 game-four home victory over the San Antonio Spurs.  The Spurs, who still lead their conference semifinal series three games to one, can finish off the Blazers back home in San Antonio with a game-five victory on Wednesday.

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Habs Bury Bruins, Force Game Seven; Ducks Hold Off Kings At Home, Take 3-2 "Freeway Series" Advantage

The Stanley Cup Playoffs continued on Monday with two games.


EASTERN CONFERENCE:

At Montreal:

Thomas Vanek scored twice---once on a power play---while Carey Price saved all 26 shots as the Montreal Canadiens dominated the visiting Boston Bruins 4-0 in game six of their conference semifinal series, now tied at three games apiece, which will decided on Wednesday in Boston.



WESTERN CONFERENCE:

At Anaheim, California:

Devante Smith-Pelly scored twice during an 83-second stretch in the second period---once on a power play----as the Anaheim Ducks held off the visiting Los Angeles Kings 4-3 in game five of their conference semifinal series.  After the first victory in this "Freeway Series" by the home team, the Ducks, who now lead three games to two, can close out the Kings with a game-six win in Los Angeles on Wednesday night.

Sunday, May 11, 2014

End Of Winning Streak: Rattlers Too Much For Thunder

At Portland, Oregon:
In a Sunday Arena Football League contest that was postponed from Saturday due to a Portland Trail Blazers NBA playoff game at the Moda Center, quarterback Nick Davila threw his 500th career touchdown pass as the Arizona Rattlers (8-0) won their 12th consecutive game dating back to last season by running roughshod over the home-standing Portland Thunder (2-6) 61-32. 

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Rangers Top Penguins Again To Force Game Seven; Blackhawks Top Wild At Home, Take 3-2 Series Lead

The Stanley Cup Playoffs continued on Sunday with two games.

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

At New York:

Martin St. Louis, Carl Hagelin, and Derick Brassard each scored a goal while Henrik Lundqvist stopped 36 of 37 shots as the New York Rangers evened their conference semifinal series with the Pittsburgh Penguins at three games apiece following their 3-1 home win in game six.  The series will be decided in Pittsburgh on Tuesday.



WESTERN CONFERENCE:

At Chicago:

Bryan Bickell (Power Play) and Jonathan Toews each scored a goal while Corey Crawford stopped 27 of 28 shots as the Chicago Blackhawks came from behind to defeat the visiting Minnesota Wild 2-1 in game five of their conference semifinal series in which the Blackhawks lead three games to two and can win it with a game-six victory at St. Paul on Tuesday.  The home team has won all five games in this series, thus far.

NBA Playoffs: Clippers Square Series With Thunder At 2-2; Pacers Overcome Wizards On Road, Take 3-1 Series Lead

The NBA Playoffs continued on Sunday with two games.

WESTERN CONFERENCE:

At Los Angeles:

Blake Griffin scored 25 points while Chris Paul added 23 (to go with his 10 assists) as the Los Angeles Clippers leveled their conference semifinal series with the Oklahoma City Thunder at two games apiece following their 101-99 home victory in game four.  Darren Collison scored eight of his 18 points in the final 2:58 of the contest as the Clippers came from behind.  Kevin Durant scored 40 points and Russell Westbrook added 27 for the Thunder.  However, the latter's three-point attempt at the buzzer failed and Serge Ibaka's tip-in attempt came too late.



EASTERN CONFERENCE:

At Washington:

Paul George scored a playoff career-high 39 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as the Indiana Pacers came back from a 19-point third-period deficit and overcame the Washington Wizards 95-92 on the road in game four of their conference semifinal series.  Bradley Beal scored 20 points to pace the Wizards.  The Pacers, who now lead the series three games to one, can wrap up the series and a berth in the conference final (in which they would get home-court advantage) with a home win in game five on Tuesday back home at Indianapolis.

Diego Valeri's Game-Ending Heroics Enable Timbers To Gain Mother's Day Home Draw With Galaxy

At Portland, Oregon:

Diego Valeri's stoppage-time equalizer (90'+5) enabled the Portland Timbers to salvage a 1-1 Sunday Major League Soccer home draw with the Los Angeles Galaxy.  The game-tying goal came three minutes after Robbie Keane's tally had given the visiting Galaxy the lead.

The Timbers will host the Columbus Crew this coming Saturday.

Saturday, May 10, 2014

NBA Playoffs: Nets Grab First Win Against Heat, Cut Miami Series Lead To 2-1; Spurs One Win Away From Ousting Blazers

The NBA Playoffs continued on Saturday with two games.

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

At Brooklyn:

Joe Johnson scored 19 points as the Brooklyn Nets converted a franchise NBA-era single-game playoff-record 15 three-point shots en route to a 104-90 game-three home win over the Miami Heat.  LeBron James scored 28 points and Dwyane Wade added 20 for the Heat, who still lead their conference semifinal series two games to one.



WESTERN CONFERENCE:

At Portland, Oregon:

Tony Parker scored 29 points as the San Antonio Spurs ran past the Portland Trail Blazers 118-103 in game three of their conference semifinal series to take a three-games-to-none series lead.  Wesley Matthews scored 22 points and Nicolas Banum added 20 to lead the Blazers, who have led but twice in the series to date.  No team in NBA Playoff history has come back from a three-games-to-none deficit to win a best-of-seven series.  The Spurs will try and finish off the Blazers in Portland in game four on Monday night.

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Bruins Take 3-2 Series Lead Over Habs; Ducks Square Series With Kings At 2-2, Reclaim Home-Ice Advantage

The Stanley Cup Playoffs continued with two Saturday contests.

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

At Boston:

Reilly Smith and Jerome Iginla each scored a second-period power-play goal 32 seconds apart as the Boston Bruins defeated the visiting Montreal Canadiens 4-2 in game five of their conference semifinal series.  The Bruins, who lead the series three games to two, can finish off the Habs with a game-six victory in Montreal on Monday.



WESTERN CONFERENCE:

At Los Angeles:

John Gibson, in his first Stanley Cup Playoff start, saved all 28 shots while Devante Smith-Pelly and Ryan Getzlaf (Power Play) each scored a first-period goal as the Anaheim Ducks reclaimed home-ice advantage in their conference semifinal series with the Los Angeles Kings as they squared the "Freeway Series" at two games apiece following their 2-0 game-four road triumph.

Friday, May 09, 2014

NBA Playoffs: Pacers, Thunder Win On Road To Grab 2-1 Series Leads

The NBA Playoffs continued on Friday with two games.

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

At Washington:

Paul George scored 23 points and grabbed eight rebounds as the Indiana Pacers took a two-games-to-one conference semifinal series lead over Washington by holding the host Wizards to a franchise-record low for points scored in a playoff game, 85-63 in game three.



WESTERN CONFERENCE:

At Los Angeles:

Kevin Durant scored 36 points and Russell Westbrook added 23 (while dishing out 13 assists) and Serge Ibaka 20 as the Oklahoma City Thunder outlasted the Los Angeles Clippers 118-112 on the road in game three to take a two-games-to-one conference semifinal series lead and reclaim home-court advantage.  Blake Griffin scored 34 points while Chris Paul added 21 and Jesse Crawford 20 for the Clippers.

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Rangers Top Penguins In Pittsburgh To Stay Alive; Wild Top Blackhawks At Home To Square Series At 2-2

The Stanley Cup Playoffs continued on Friday with two games.

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

At Pittsburgh:

Derick Brassard scored twice as the New York Rangers avoided elimination by defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-1 in game five of their conference semifinal series.  The Penguins, who still lead the series three games to two, can still finish off the Rangers with a game-six victory in New York on Sunday.



WESTERN CONFERENCE:

At St. Paul, Minnesota:

Justin Fontaine, Jason Pominville, Nino Niederreiter, and Jared Spurgeon (Power Play) each scored a goal as the Minnesota Wild squared their conference semifinal series with the Chicago Blackhawks at two games apiece following their 4-2 game-four home victory.

Thursday, May 08, 2014

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Bruins Square Series With Habs At 2-2; Ducks Knock Off Kings In LA To Climb Back Into Freeway Series

Two games were played on Thursday as the Stanley Cup Playoffs continued.

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

At Montreal:

Matt Fraser scored the only goal of the game 79 seconds into overtime as the Boston Bruins squared their conference semifinal series with the Montreal Canadiens at two games apiece following their 1-0 road triumph in game four.  Tuukka Rask stopped all 33 shots for the Bruins while his Canadiens counterpart Carey Price stopped 34 of 35 Boston shots.



WESTERN CONFERENCE:

At Los Angeles:

Corey Perry (Power Play), Teemu Selanne (PP), and Ben Lovejoy each scored a goal as the Anaheim Ducks held off the Los Angeles Kings 3-2 on the road in game three of their conference semifinal series and cut the Kings' advantage in hockey's first "Freeway Playoff Series" to two games to one.

NBA Playoffs: Heat, Spurs Open Up 2-0 Series Leads

The NBA Playoffs continued on Thursday with two games.

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

At Miami:

LeBron James scored 22 points and Chris Bosh added 18 as the Miami Heat stretched their conference semifinal-series lead over the Brooklyn Nets to two games to none following their 94-82 game-two home victory.  Mirza Teletovic scored 20 points to pace the Nets.



WESTERN CONFERENCE:

At San Antonio:

Kawhi Leonard scored 20 points while Tony Parker added 16 (to go with his ten assists) as the San Antonio Spurs downed the visiting Portland Trail Blazers 114-97 in game two to stretch their conference semifinal-series advantage to two games to none. Nicolas Batum paced the Blazers with 21 points.

Wednesday, May 07, 2014

NBA Playoffs: Roy Hibbard Breathes Life Into Pacers, Helps Indiana Square Series With Washington At 1-1

The NBA Playoffs continued on Wednesday with two games.

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

At Indianapolis:

Roy Hibbard scored 28 points as the Indiana Pacers squared their conference semifinal series with the Washington Wizards at a game apiece following their 86-82 home win in game two, marking the Wizards' first road defeat in the playoffs. Marcin Gortat scored 21 points (to go with his eleven rebounds) to pace Washington.



WESTERN CONFERENCE:

At Oklahoma City:

Kevin Durant scored 32 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, and dished out nine assists while Russell Westbrook delivered a triple-double (31, 10, and 10 respectively) as the Oklahoma City Thunder squared their conference semifinal series with the Los Angeles Clippers at one game apiece following their 112-101 game-two home triumph.

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Penguins One Victory Away From Ousting Rangers

At New York:

In the lone Wednesday Stanley Cup Playoff contest, Evgeni Malkin, Brandon Sutter (Shorthanded), Jussi Jokinen, and Chris Kunitz each scored a goal as the Pittsburgh Penguins took a three-games-to-one lead in their Eastern Conference semifinal series following their 4-2 game-four road win over the New York Rangers.

The Penguins can close out the series with a game-five win back home in Pittsburgh on Friday.

Tuesday, May 06, 2014

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Habs Top Bruins At Home To Take 2-1 Series Lead; Wild Maul Blackhawks In St. Paul, Cut Chicago Series Advantage To 2-1

The Stanley Cup Playoff continued on Tuesday with two games.

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

At Montreal:

Tomas Plekanec, P.K. Subban, Dale Weise, and Lars Eller (Empty Net) each scored a goal as the Montreal Canadiens to a two-games-to-one lead in their conference semifinal series with the Boston Bruins following their 4-2 game-three home victory.



WESTERN CONFERENCE:

At St. Paul, Minnesota:

After 40 scoreless minutes, Mikael Granlund scored twice while Erik Haula and Zach Parise (Power Play) each added a goal as the Minnesota Wild---with Ilya Bryzgalov stopping all 19 shots---smothered the visiting Chicago Blackhawks 4-0 in game three of their conference semifinal series, which the 'Hawks still lead two games to one.

NBA Playoffs: Dominating Series-Opening Wins For Heat, Spurs

Two games were played in the NBA Playoffs on Tuesday.

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

At Miami:

LeBron James scored 22 points and Ray Allen added 19 as the Miami Heat used a balanced offense to break open the opening game of their conference semifinal series in the second half en route to a 107-86 home victory over the Brooklyn Nets, who had won all four regular-season encounters with the two-time defending NBA champions.



WESTERN CONFERENCE:

At San Antonio:

Tony Parker scored 33 points and dished out nine assists as the San Antonio Spurs dominated the visiting Portland Trail Blazers 116-92 in the opening contest of their conference semifinal series.  LaMarcus Aldridge, with 32 points and 14 rebounds was one of the very few bright spots for the Blazers.

Monday, May 05, 2014

Stanley Cup Playoffs; Penguins Take 2-1 Series Lead As Sid The Kid Scores; Kings Take 2-0 Freeway Series Lead Back To LA

The Stanley Cup Playoffs continued on Monday with two games.

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

At New York:

Sidney Crosby (his first of this postseason) and Jussi Jokinen each scored a second-period goal while Marc-Andre Fleury saved all 35 shots as the Pittsburgh Penguins grabbed a two-games-to-one conference semifinal series advantage after their game-three 2-0 blanking of the New York Rangers on the road.



WESTERN CONFERENCE:

At Anaheim, California:

Marian Gaborik, Alec Martinez, and Dwight King each delivered a goal while Jonathan Quick stopped 36 of 37 shots as the Los Angeles Kings took a conference-series two-games-to-none lead after their 3-1 road victory over the Anaheim Ducks in game two.

NBA Playoffs: Wizards, Clippers Grab Series-Opening Wins On Road

The second round of the NBA Playoffs commenced on Monday with two games.

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

At Indianapolis:

Bradley Beal scored 24 points and Trevor Ariza added 22 as the Washington Wizards knocked off the Indiana Pacers 102-96 in the opening game of their conference semifinal series on the road.  It was the first victory in a second-round series game since 1982 for the Wizards, who are currently 4-0 on the road in the playoffs.



WESTERN CONFERENCE:

At Oklahoma City:

Chris Paul scored 32 points, 24 of them on a career-high three-point buckets (while dishing out ten assists) as the Los Angeles Clippers opened their conference semifinal series with a 122-105 road victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.  Blake Griffin added 23 points to the Clippers' coffers.  Russell Westbrook scored 29 points and newly-crowned NBA Most Valuable Player Kevin Durant added 25 to pace the Thunder.

What's Next For The Beavers?

Will Oregon State hire an in-law of  George W. Bush to be their new men's head basketball coach?

They have not reached the NCAA Tournament since 1990.

Sunday, May 04, 2014

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Blackhawks Run Away From Wild, Take 2-0 Series Lead; Penguins Blank Rangers, Square Series At A Game Apiece

The Stanley Cup Playoffs continued on Sunday with two games.

WESTERN CONFERENCE:

At Chicago:

Brandon Saad scored twice while Jonathan Toews and Bryan Bickell each added a goal as the Chicago Blackhawks defeated the visiting Minnesota Wild 4-1 and took a two-games-to-none lead in their conference semifinal series.



EASTERN CONFERENCE:

At Pittsburgh:

Kris Letang, Jussi Jokinen (Power Play), and Evgeni Malkin each scored once while Marc-Andre Fleury saved all 22 shots as the Pittsburgh Penguins squared their conference semifinal series with the New York Rangers at a game apiece following their 3-0 game-two home domination.

NBA Playoffs: Nets Knock Off Raptors In Toronto To Win Series, Get Heat Next; Spurs Dominate Mavericks In Game Seven, Get Home-Court Advantage Against Blazers

The opening round of the NBA Playoffs concluded on Sunday with two games.

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

At Toronto:

Paul Pierce blocked Kyle Lowry's shot from the lane on the game's final play as the Brooklyn Nets held off the Toronto Raptors 104-103 on the road in game seven and won their conference quarterfinal series four games to three.  Joe Johnson scored 26 points to pace the Nets, who will take on the Miami Heat in a conference semifinal series which opens on Tuesday night in Miami.  The aforementioned Kyle Lowry paced the Raptors with 28 points.



WESTERN CONFERENCE:

At San Antonio:

Tony Parker scored 32 points and Manu Ginobili added 20 coming off the bench as the San Antonio Spurs dominated the visiting Dallas Mavericks 119-96 in the seventh and deciding game of their conference quarterfinal series and took out their Texas rivals four games to three.  The Spurs will host the opening game of their conference semifinal series with the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday.  Dirk Nowitzki paced the Mavericks with 22 points and grabbed nine rebounds.

Saturday, May 03, 2014

Portland Timbers, Winless No More: Maxi's Late Heroics Sink DC United

At Portland, Oregon:

Maximiliano Urruti delivered the winning goal deep into second-half stoppage time (90'+4) as the Portland Timbers picked up their first Major League Soccer victory of the season on a rainy Saturday night by defeating visiting DC United 3-2.

The Timbers next will host the Los Angeles Galaxy next Sunday at 11:30 AM Pacific Time (NBC Sports Network).

NBA Playoffs: Pacers, Thunder, Clippers Advance

The NBA Playoffs continued on Saturday with three games.

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

At Indianapolis:

Paul George scored a career playoff-high 30 points while Lance Stephenson added 19 (to go with his 14 rebounds) as the Indiana Pacers defeated the visiting Atlanta Hawks 92-80 in game seven of their conference quarterfinal series and won the series four games to three, setting up a conference semifinal series against the Washington Wizards, which starts in Indianapolis on Monday.



WESTERN CONFERENCE:

At Oklahoma City:

Kevin Durant scored 33 points while Russell Westbrook delivered a triple-double (27 points, 10 rebounds, and 16 assists) as the Oklahoma City Thunder downed the visiting Memphis Grizzlies (who played minus the suspended Zach Randolph) 120-109 in game seven to win their conference quarterfinal series four games to three.

At Los Angeles:

Blake Griffin scored 24 points while Chris Paul added 22 as the Los Angeles Clippers outlasted the visiting Golden State Warriors 126-121 in the seventh and deciding game of their conference quarterfinal series (despite 33 points from the Warriors' Stephen Curry) and gained a shot at the Oklahoma City Thunder in a conference semifinal series, which is set to open on Monday in the Sooner State's capital city.