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OAKLAND http://www.ramsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-joseph-noteboom-jersey , Calif. — The Oakland Athletics will encounter one of their all-time nemeses Thursday afternoon when they face Houston Astros right-hander Justin Verlander in the finale of a three-game series.

The Astros have dominated the first two games of the series between American League West rivals, riding a total of 10 RBIs from Evan Gattis to 6-3 and 13-5 victories.

Houston has won seven of eight from Oakland this season.

The Astros have done it without any help from Verlander (8-2, 1.45 ERA), who has yet to face the A’s this season.

They have seen plenty of each other in the veteran’s 14-year career, including five times in the postseason, when Verlander has gone 4-0 against Oakland.

Included in the four wins were Game 5 clinchers for Detroit in 2012 Tarvarius Moore Color Rush Jersey , when Verlander pitched a 6-0 shutout, and 2013, when he threw eight innings of shutout ball in a 3-0 win.

A’s general manager Billy Beane got so fed up losing to Verlander, he attempted to stack the Oakland pitching staff in anticipation of a rematch in 2014, acquiring Jon Lester, Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel at midseason at the costly expense of Addison Russell and Yoenis Cespedes.

The A’s http://www.steelersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-chukwuma-okorafor-jersey , who already had Sonny Gray and Scott Kazmir anchoring their staff, never got a shot at Verlander in the playoffs that year, losing 9-8 to Kansas City in the American League wild-card game, which Lester started and Hammel finished.

With Lester, Samardzija and Hammel all leaving the team the following season either via trade or free agency, the A’s haven’t been back in the postseason since. In fact http://www.jaguarsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-taven-bryan-jersey , they’ve never finished higher than fourth place the last three seasons.

Verlander has a 10-6 record and 2.61 ERA in 17 starts against the A’s in his career during the regular season. He’s 5-4 with a 2.38 ERA in 10 starts in Oakland.

The A’s will counter with their modern-day version of Verlander, rookie right-hander Frankie Montas (3-0, 1.25), who has been brilliant in three starts this season.

Acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers in one of Oakland’s many veteran sell-offs since becoming a non-contender in 2015, Montas has allowed a total of three runs in 21 2/3 innings in wins over Arizona and Kansas City (twice).

Montas pitched twice in relief against Houston in 2017, getting shelled in one inning in each appearance.

He gave up three hits and two runs in the ninth inning of a 10-6 loss to the Astros in his 11th career appearance early in the 2017 season Da'Ron Payne Color Rush Jersey , then served up a three-run home run to Marwin Gonzalez in the ninth inning of a 7-2 loss two weeks later.

Gonzalez had one of Houston’s four home runs in Wednesday’s shellacking, but the story of the game for the second consecutive night was Gattis.

The designated hitter, who had recorded four RBIs nine separate times in his career before this series began, enjoyed his second consecutive five-RBI performance in Wednesday’s win, belting two home runs along the way.

Gattis had been just 3-for-12 with no homers and no RBIs in six games against the A’s this season before exploding for four hits, including three homers http://www.brownsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-chad-thomas-jersey , in seven at-bats the last two nights.

The Jazz put themselves in position to claim the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference after cruising to a 119-79 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night. Utah did not waste time taking control of the game and led by double digits over the final 3 1/2 quarters.

Donovan Mitchell scored 22 points and set an NBA rookie record for 3-pointers. Mitchell went 4 of 5 behind the arc and has made 186 3-pointers this season Joel Iyiegbuniwe Color Rush Jersey , breaking Damian Lillard’s record for a first-year player.

”I am actually thrilled for him that he did that,” Jazz coach Quin Snyder said. ”He has been our guy, offensively, all year who we have relied on. He’s unselfish Authentic Thomas Vanek Jersey , which makes the guys around him better.”

Derrick Favors added 16 points and nine rebounds. Jonas Jerebko scored 14 points, and Rudy Gobert and Ricky Rubio added 13 points apiece for the Jazz.

Utah (48-33) won its sixth straight game and went 3-1 in the season series with Golden State. Now the Jazz are tied with Portland in the standings and can claim the No. 3 seed with a win over the Blazers on Wednesday night.

”What makes it a story is no one expected it,” Mitchell said. ”But the thing I’ve said all year is we knew we were going to be good. I don’t think we knew we were going to be 3 seed good, but we knew we were going to be good.”

It is a surprising position for a Utah team that lost last season’s top scorers Gordon Hayward and George Hill to free agency over the summer and was nine games below .500 at one point in mid-January.

The Jazz believed all along they could climb back into the playoff picture and make serious noise in the Western Conference.

”Guys took it upon themselves to just get better in the offseason http://www.jaguarsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-tanner-lee-jersey ,” Favors said. ”We just stuck with the plan throughout the whole season and right now we’re fighting for the third spot. Gotta give credit to everybody on this team.”

Even with a loss to the Blazers, Utah is assured of falling no lower than the No. 5 seed.

Klay Thompson scored 23 points and Kevin Durant added 13 for the Warriors, who finished the season at 58-24. Golden State, the No. 2 seed in the West Justin Jones Color Rush Jersey , never led in the game and shot just 35 percent from the field.

The 40-point loss is the largest margin of defeat for the Warriors under coach Steve Kerr.

”We need the competitive spirit,” Kerr said. ”We need the juice. We need the joy, and we haven’t had much of that. So we got to get our minds right.”

Utah dominated on both ends of the court during the first quarter. The Jazz used an 18-3 run to stake out a 24-9 lead. Rubio took a steal in for a layup and Favors scored on a pair of dunks to ignite the run.

Mitchell scored on back-to-back possessions and then followed with a 3-pointer to help push the lead to 33-14. The rookie totaled 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting in the first quarter alone.

Golden State appeared it might rally after Durant scored back-to-back baskets to cut Utah’s lead to 35-22. That’s as close as the Warriors got. Jerebko and Royce O’ Neale combined to score three straight baskets to push the lead to 43-24.

”We got to be better,” Durant said. ”We couldn’t really get a rhythm or a groove out there with the way we go down so early. We started pressing a bit and trying to get it all back at once.”

Utah led by as many as 45 points in the second half. The Jazz took their largest lead at 103-58 when Jerebko buried a pair of 3-pointers and Dante Exum added a dunk to polish off a 10-2 run to open the fourth quarter.

TIP-INS

Warriors: Thompson and Durant combined to shoot just 14 of 39 from the field. … Golden State scored a season-low 33 first-half points. … The Warriors fell by an average margin of 29.6 points in three losses to the Jazz this season.

Jazz: Utah scored 25 points off 16 turnovers. … The Jazz had a 19-6 edge on fastbreak points and outscored Golden State 62-38 in the paint.

HOODIE STATEMENT

As the Rookie of the Year debate between Mitchell and Ben Simmons continues to heat up Albert Wilson Color Rush Jersey , the smack talk is following suit. Mitchell wore a black hoodie into Vivint Smart Home Arena before tipoff on Tuesday that contained the dictionary definition of a rookie on the front.

It offered a lighthearted jab at Simmons’ status as a ”redshirt rookie” after he spent what would have been his original rookie season sidelined with an injury. Adidas approached Mitchell about wearing the hoodie and he went along with the joke.

”We just wanted to all have fun with it,” Mitchell said. ”That’s all it is, having fun and just enjoying it.”

Mitchell reiterated he’s not worried about the award and would rather see Gobert and Snyder earn Defensive Player of the Year and Coach of the Year honors respectively.

QUOTEABLE

”We need to put things into perspective. When I was a rookie, we only won 23 games. And now some people say winning 58 is kind of a down year. That’s incredible.” -Thompson http://www.bearsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-joel-iyiegbuniwe-jersey , on Golden State finishing 58-24 in the regular season.

UP NEXT

Warriors: Will learn their first round opponent on Wednesday.

Jazz: They travel to Portland to face the Blazers on Wednesday.

This time, the Predators are the Presidents’ Trophy winners for their first-round series starting Thursday night at home against the Colorado Avalanche. Nashville forward Filip Forsberg sees the NHL’s best in the regular season as a better team than the group that made a thrilling run to the franchise’s first final as the lowest-seeded team in the playoffs.

”Same group of guys, same great mindset, great mentality in this group, but we’re a more skilled team,” Forsberg said.

”Everyone who was here last year is a year older http://www.vikingsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-jalyn-holmes-jersey , a year better, and all the guys that they brought in have been great additions and really created a big impact on this team.”

Winning the Presidents’ Trophy is no guarantee of success: Since 2004-05, more teams with the most regular-season points (four) have been eliminated in the first round than have reached the final (three). And Nashville’s own first-round sweep of Chicago, the Western Conference’s top seed last year, has given the Avalanche confidence after their own amazing turnaround for their first playoff berth since 2014, even if they have lost 10 straight to Nashville.

”We got in Vita Vea Color Rush Jersey ,” forward Nathan MacKinnon said. ”Anything can happen now. We’re excited for the challenge. It’s not going to be easy against the Presidents’ (Trophy) winning team.”

Nashville coach Peter Laviolette said the Predators won’t take anybody lightly.

”We’re disappointed obviously the way the thing ended last year,” Laviolette said. ”We put ourselves in position to finish it off, and we didn’t get it done. We wanted to give ourselves the best position that we can through the course of the regular season in order to be successful, and we made it. We’re here.”

Some things to know about the Predators and Avalanche for this series:

YOUTH MOVEMENT

The Avalanche have one of the youngest rosters with an average age of just 25.8. This season, they dressed 11 rookies. That youthful spirit has rejuvenated the veterans. ”You can feel the excitement and energy from all those guys,” said 28-year-old center Colin Wilson Alexander Alexeyev Capitals Jersey , who spent his first eight seasons with Nashville. ”It’s a fun energy to be a part of.”

PIT OF MISERY

Nobody spent more time in the penalty box than the undisciplined Predators, who led the NHL with 928 penalty minutes at an average of 11.3 minutes per game. They led the league with 320 minor penalties and 10 misconducts and tied San Jose with the most game misconducts (four). Laviolette said they have to be better. ”It’s playoff time, and we have to be in control of our actions on the ice,” Laviolette said.

TALENTED TRIOS

Colorado’s top line of captain Gabriel Landeskog, MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen had a combined 243 points, which accounted for 36 percent of the team’s scoring in the regular season. The speedy MacKinnon led the way with 39 goals and 58 assists to put himself in the Hart Trophy discussion as for the league’s MVP. They’ll likely be matched against Nashville’s top line of Forsberg Justus Annunen Blackhawks Jersey , who led Nashville with 64 points, center Ryan Johansen (54) and Viktor Arvidsson (61). ”We’re always OK with best-best,” Laviolette said.

WHO’S IN GOAL

The Predators have a big advantage in Pekka Rinne , a three-time Vezina Trophy finalist who could finally win the award after a career-high eight shutouts and 42 wins this season. Rinne played a huge role in Nashville’s playoff run last spring. Colorado will be without Semyon Varlamov this series because of a knee injury, putting Jonathan Bernier in net. Bernier went 19-13-0 for Colorado with two shutouts, but this will be just his second career playoff start. His first? A 6-3 loss to Nashville as the Predators clinched the Western Conference title against Anaheim last spring.

ON THE CALL

AJ Mleczko Marcus Davenport Color Rush Jersey , who won Olympic gold with the U.S. women’s hockey team in 1998 and silver in 2002, will be the color analyst for this game on NBCSN. The network believes this will be the first time a woman has been in the booth for an NHL playoff game in the U.S. Mleczko, who worked broadcasts for the 2018 Winter Olympics, started doing analysis on men’s hockey with NBC’s national broadcast March 6.

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AP Sports Writer Pat Graham contributed to this report.

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”I think it’s a silly argument,” the manager said. ”That does bother me, actually.”

Maybe, but it’s sure a quick way to light up the scoreboard.

Aaron Judge and Miguel Andujar hit two-run homers off James Paxton in the first inning that sent the Yankees over the Seattle Mariners 4-3 on Thursday for a three-game sweep.

Luis Severino and the Yankees boosted the best record in the majors to 50-22. They’ve won four in a row and 17 of 21.

”We’ve obviously played well, racked up a lot of wins,” Boone said. ”We’ve played well against some of the elite teams.”

Seattle, which was 20 games over .500 coming into the Bronx this week http://www.chiefsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-derrick-nnadi-jersey , has lost a season-high four straight.

New York launched eight homers in the sweep and tops baseball with 122 long balls. Andujar sliced a drive the other way, and it barely settled into the short right-field porch.

”Both teams play in the same park. I thought it was a flyball because most places we play, it’s probably a flyball,” Paxton said. ”But it got out of here and that’s just the ballpark and you’re going to have that sometimes. You just have to deal with it and move on.”

Giancarlo Stanton homered in the first two games of the series and almost added another, but Mariners center fielder Mitch Haniger jumped to reach above the wall to rob him in the opening inning.

Severino (11-2) wasn’t at his best. He gave up Kyle Seager’s two-run homer in the second and permitted eight hits overall, matching a season most. He was pulled with two outs in the sixth after Ben Gamel’s RBI single cut Seattle’s deficit to one run.

”Today, I wasn’t the best Vita Vea Color Rush Jersey ,” Severino said.

Severino improved to 7-0 at home this season. David Robertson and Dellin Betances protected the lead, and Aroldis Chapman struck out Dee Gordon on three pitches with a runner on second for his 22nd save in 23 chances,

Paxton (6-2) vigorously pawed at the dirt in front of the rubber for a full 15 seconds before throwing his first warmup pitch. Coming off his shortest start of the year against Boston, he never got settled in his first career start facing the Yankees.

Clint Frazier led off with a single and Judge followed with his 19th homer. Gleyber Torres singled with two outs and Andujar’s fly became the rookie’s 10th home run.

Paxton drifted a few steps onto the grass as the ball flew and gazed toward center field when it left the park. Andujar was among several New York hitters who successfully went the opposite way against the big lefty.

”Just kind of had trouble getting it going today,” he said. ”I didn’t really have much going, early especially, and just had to battle. I didn’t have much. Made some better pitches late Authentic Adam Boqvist Jersey , but just really, not much command. Just a tough day.”

Paxton had been 5-0 in 10 starts since April, including a no-hitter at Toronto. He went five innings and threw 107 pitches, the same total as Severino.

WARMED UP

The first day of summer brought a sellout crowd that included a bunch of camp kids who cheered most every flyball. Also in attendance was an older Boy of Summer – 90-year-old Tommy Lasorda watched from a box, along with Kentucky coach John Calipari and Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett.

NICE TO SEE YA

Seattle shortstop Andrew Romine started against his brother, Yankees catcher Austin, for the first time in the majors. They had a good laugh when the 32-year-old Andrew came up to lead off the second inning http://www.redskinsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-da_ron-payne-jersey , and he playfully popped his 29-year-old sibling in the chest protector.

”That’s big bro,” Austin said. ”He got me pretty good.”

CLINT’S CLIMB

Frazier has scored a run in all seven games he’s played this season. He’s also gotten a hit in all when he’s batted. The 23-year-old was in the leadoff spot for the first time in his big league career and played center field. He’s batting .368 after getting two hits.

Frazier sustained a concussion in spring training and had been in the minors until recently. The red-haired sparkplug knows he could be headed back to Triple-A when a sore Brett Gardner heals.

”Thought about it every day,” Frazier said.

Is there a way he could stay on the roster?

”I think there’s an avenue for that,” Boone said.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mariners: OF Guillermo Heredia again was out of the starting lineup. He’s in an 0-for-15 skid, part of a rough June. He pinch ran in the eighth and was caught stealing at second.

Yankees: Put RHP A.J. Cole on the 10-day disabled list because of a left neck strain, a move was retroactive to Wednesday. RHP Luis Cessa was reinstated from the 10-day DL (oblique); he hasn’t pitched for the Yankees since April 17.

UP NEXT

Mariners: LHP Wade LeBlanc (3-0, 2.63 ERA) starts at Fenway Park vs. Boston knuckleballer Steven Wright (2-1 Kyle Gibson Minnesota Twins Jersey , 1.23). LeBlanc pitched into the eighth inning against Boston in his last outing, a 1-0 win.

Yankees: LHP CC Sabathia (4-2, 3.30) starts at Tampa Bay. He lost to the Rays in his last start, striking out 10 and giving up 10 hits in 7 2/3 innings.

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Biega got his first goal in over three years M.J. Stewart Color Rush Jersey , Brandon Sutter had two goals and an assist and the Canucks beat the Anaheim Ducks 4-1 on Tuesday night.

”You don’t see that a lot with the Bulldog being interviewed after his game-winner, so I had to get a picture of it,” Green said about Biega with a smile.

Biega, who last scored on Feb. 16 http://www.eaglesauthorizedshops.com/authentic-richard-rodgers-jersey , 2015, blasted a slap shot from the corner of the blue-line that cleared traffic and found the net, giving Vancouver a 2-1 lead three minutes into the third.

”The other (goal) was around the same spot, so I think I’m going to have to shoot pucks after practice around that spot http://www.jetsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-thomas-rawls-jersey ,” Biega said.

Sam Gagner also scored for Vancouver, which has won three of four since losing seven straight. Jacob Markstrom stopped 23 shots.

Andrew Cogliano scored for the Ducks, who wrapped a four-game trip and are on a 5-1-1 stretch.

The loss dropped Anaheim into a tie with the Los Angeles Kings for third in the Pacific Division, though the Kings have a game in hand. The teams play Friday night.

”We’ve got probably two of the biggest games of the year coming up http://www.falconsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-isaiah-oliver-jersey , L.A. on Friday night and Colorado on Sunday,” coach Randy Carlyle said. ”That pretty much sums it up, it’s desperation time for everybody and we’re going to have to play to a higher level than we did tonight.”

Anaheim’s John Gibson made 26 saves. He has been dominant against Vancouver, coming into the game 6-1-1 with a 1.37 goals-against average and three shutouts against the Canucks.

Vancouver got to him at 9:53 in the opening period. Daniel Sedin’s shot from the faceoff circle bounced off Gibson and right to Gagner http://www.jetsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-terrelle-pryor-sr.-jersey , who batted in the rebound.

Markstrom made two big saves in the second period. The first off a 3-on-2 with Ryan Getzlaf setting up Andrew Cogliano and the second on Corey Perry shooting from inside the slot.

Markstrom later made a gaffe that lead to the Ducks’ tying goal. The puck took an odd bounce off the stanchion during a dump-in, and Markstrom was caught stranded as Cogliano whipped the errant puck in.

”If we win 4-1 and that is the goal that beat me I’ll take that any day,” Markstrom said. ”It’s frustrating when it happens, but if we win 4-1 Sean Newcomb Atlanta Braves Jersey , I’ll take that goal any day.”

Sutter made it a two-goal lead when he burst out to a breakaway, hit the side of the net, then collected the puck and flipped it in over an out-of-position Gibson.

Sutter added his second of the night into an empty net with 16 seconds left.

NOTES: U.S. Olympian Troy Terry made his NHL debut for the Ducks. He played on a line with Ondrej Kase and Adam Henrique. … Newly signed Canucks C Adam Gaudette did not dress and is expected to make his NHL debut Thursday against Edmonton.

UP NEXT

Ducks: Host Los Angeles on Friday night.

Canucks: Host Edmonton on Thursday night.

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His next challenge is to create more memorable moments as their coach.

The captain of the Hurricanes’ 2006 Cup-winning team has his first head coaching job in the NHL Logan Paulsen Color Rush Jersey , taking the next step in a career arc that during the past 18 years has brought him from team leader all the way up the coaching ladder – and all with Carolina.

”It’s a job, but it’s not,” Brind’Amour said Wednesday. ”It means more to me.”

The Hurricanes gave Brind’Amour a three-year contract, with team owner Tom Dundon declining to discuss the financial terms. But Dundon did praise Brind’Amour for his willingness to put his reputation on the line while trying to things around. Carolina hasn’t made the playoffs since 2009, a nine-year drought that ranks among the longest in NHL history.

”He didn’t need the job,” Dundon said. ”He’s got a good life here http://www.giantsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-lorenzo-carter-jersey , he’s well respected and the risk that he’s taking with his reputation and his legacy is real.”

The Hurricanes have changed coaches three times and general managers twice since their last postseason appearance. Another of the franchise’s greats – Hall of Fame player Ron Francis, like Brind’Amour a former team captain – was stripped of the GM’s job during the season and last week had his contract terminated.

Brind’Amour said Dundon and team president Don Waddell, who also added the title of general manager during the shake-up, have ”high expectations, which is huge.

”For whatever reason, our expectations have fallen a little bit here Mason Cole Color Rush Jersey , and we need to raise those,” he added.

He also wants to raise the effort level from the players, pledging to push them in much the same way he pushed his teammates during his time as team captain.

”We have a lot of guys in that room that need to give more,” he said. ”I think there’s more there. … They didn’t produce the way they could produce. … We’re going to demand more from our players, at the end of the day, and I think they want that.”

That’s an approach that helped turn the Hurricanes into winners before http://www.dolphinsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-durham-smythe-jersey , and now he wants to see if it will work again.

Brind’Amour came in Carolina in January 2000 in a trade with Philadelphia – and never left. He helped lead the Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup final in 2002, ascended to the captaincy before the 2005-06 season and ended that year by becoming the first Carolina player to hoist the Cup – in the process, creating the franchise’s signature image that remains on display throughout PNC Arena.

”There are guys that wear the C,” former teammate Aaron Ward said, ”and there are guys that ARE the C.”

The two-time Selke Award winner as the NHL’s best defensive forward retired in 2010 and ranks third in club history in assists (299), fourth in points (473) and fifth in games played (694). His post-playing career began in a front-office position – director of forwards development – but became an assistant coach in 2011 http://www.broncosauthorizedshops.com/authentic-su_a-cravens-jersey , first for Paul Maurice, then Kirk Muller and Bill Peters – who opted out of the final year of his contract, creating the opportunity for Brind’Amour.

”I actually remember asking (then-GM Jim Rutherford) at the time, `Hey, put me upstairs with you,’ and he kept pushing me down” toward a future in coaching Sean Newcomb Atlanta Braves Jersey , Brind’Amour said. ”It’s the closest thing to playing. … You’re in the fight with the guys. I felt like it’s something I have a passion for, and the more I got into it … I wanted to take a chance on taking charge. I stuck my neck out, and here we are.”

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More NHL coverage: .

8:05 p.m.

The Washington Capitals have won their first Stanley Cup championship http://www.broncosauthorizedshops.com/authentic-bradley-chubb-jersey , beating the Vegas Golden Knights in five games.

Lars Eller scored with 7:37 left, giving the Capitals a 4-3 lead and they hung on after Vegas pulled goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury for the extra skater.

It is the first championship for the Capitals, who began play in 1974.

The Golden Knights wrap up a storybook year, advancing all the way to the final in their first year of existence.

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7:50 p.m.

Washington has moved a big step toward its first Stanley Cup.

Lars Eller scored with 7:37 left, giving the Capitals a 4-3 lead against the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final.

Washington went into the third trailing 3-2 and went ahead after Devante Smith-Pelly and Eller scored 2:31 apart midway through the final period.

The Capitals are up 3-1 in the series Shaquem Griffin Color Rush Jersey , a win away from their first NHL championship in franchise history.

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7:45 p.m.

Devante Smith-Pelly has pulled Washington into a 3-3 tie with Vegas midway through the third period in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final.

Brooks Orpik sent the puck toward the net, it went off Smith-Pelly’s left skate to help him corral it and he sent a shot past Marc-Andre Fleury as he fell to the ice.

Smith-Pelly has seven goals this postseason, matching his total during the regular seasons. He was relegated to signing a two-way contract with the Capitals entering the season and earned a spot in the lineup 75 times during the regular season. He scored in Game 4, too, also collecting the puck off a skate before his shot.

Washington has a 3-1 series lead and is looking for its first Stanley Cup championship. If Vegas holds on http://www.giantsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-saquon-barkley-jersey , Game 6 in Washington will be Sunday night.

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7:25 p.m.

The Vegas Golden Knights are 10-0 this postseason when leading after two periods, as they do 3-2 against Washington in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final.

The Capitals have lost four of the six games they’ve played this postseason when trailing after the second period.

Washington has a 3-1 series lead and is looking for its first Stanley Cup championship. If Vegas holds on, Game 6 in Washington will be Sunday night.

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7:05 p.m.

The Vegas Golden Knights are 20 minutes away from forcing Game 6 in the Stanley Cup Final.

Vegas leads Washington 3-2 going into the third period after the two teams combined for five goals in a wild second period. There were lead changes, a coach’s challenge, fights and power plays as the teams picked up the pace following a goal-less opening period.

Reilly Smith gave Vegas the lead http://www.bengalsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-sam-hubbard-jersey , shooting into an open net off a fantastic pass from Alex Tuch with 28.2 seconds left in the second period.

The Golden Knights didn’t get to celebrate very long because there was a lot of pushing, shoving and face-washing behind the net right after the go-ahead goal.

Vegas goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 18 shots through two periods and Braden Holtby made 17 saves for the Capitals.

A win would give the Capitals the first Stanley Cup in franchise history. The expansion Golden Knights are hoping to extend their stunning, record-breaking season.

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6:50 p.m.

Washington and Vegas are tied 2-2 late in a wild second period of Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final.

After no goals in the opening period, the offenses got rolling and then some with four goals in a heart-pounding 6:32 stretch.

Washington’s Jakub Vrana opened the flurry with a goal 6:24 into the second, rifling a shot over the glove of Marc-Andre Fleury.

Alex Ovechkin put the Capitals ahead 2-1 on a power play just 34 seconds after Vegas’ Nate Schmidt was credited with a goal that went off Washington defenseman Matt Niskanen’s skate.

David Perron pulled Vegas into the second tie of the period. The goal stood after a coach’s challenge Royce Freeman Color Rush Jersey , a move Washington had to try because Braden Holtby was trying to make a save while two players were wrestling in the crease.

Washington has a 3-1 series lead, one win away from the franchise’s first Stanley Cup.

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6:25 p.m.

Washington has taken a 1-0 lead in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final against Vegas.

Jakub Vrana got behind the Golden Knights’ defense and took advantage of the time and space, scoring from the inside of the left circle 6:24 into the second period. He beat Marc-Andre Fleury on his glove side, sending the puck over his left elbow and into the net.

The Caps have a 3-1 series lead and are trying to clinch their first championship in 43 seasons.

The Golden Knights have scored only five goals in losing the last three games and are having trouble finding much space again against the Washington defense and goaltender Braden Holtby.

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6:05 p.m.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman is defending the expansion draft that loaded first-year franchise Vegas with talent.

The Golden Knights were the surprise of the NHL this season, winning the Pacific Division and rolling all the way to the Stanley Cup Final against Washington. Critics have suggested the expansion draft was too generous for the new franchise Chris Iannetta Colorado Rockies Jersey , which saw strong play from veterans including goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, James Neal and others.

Bettman was asked about it during an NBC interview during the first intermission of Game 5 and said the league’s ”competitive balance shows anything is possible.” He noted the turnaround seasons this year by Colorado and New Jerse.

The team said Jim Garrett died Friday night with his wife, Jane, and his eight children by his side.

The elder Garrett first joined the Cowboys as a scout in 1968 and spent 36 of the next 38 years coaching or scouting in the NFL, including the last 17 of his career with the Cowboys. He wrote the original scouting report on Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman, the No. 1 pick in the 1989 draft.

Jim Garrett was part of four Super Bowl teams in Dallas, including the championship teams from the 1992 http://www.49ersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-kentavius-street-jersey , 1993 and 1995 seasons. He was an assistant with the New York Giants, New Orleans and Cleveland.

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) – Tampa Bay Rays owner Stuart Sternberg wants to make a historic neighborhood in Tampa the next home of the perennially low-drawing team, which wants to shift across the bay from St. Petersburg.

Sternberg said at a news conference that the Rays will focus their new ballpark search on the east side of the bay at a 14-acre site in Ybor City, just north of Ybor Channel.

It’s the first time the team has publicly stated its preference for Tampa over St. Petersburg, its home since the franchise started play in 1998.

Sternberg and baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred say Tropicana Field, the last fixed dome stadium in the major leagues Adrian Clayborn Color Rush Jersey , is inadequate. Tampa Bay drew a major league-low 1.25 million fans last year, including the team’s smallest crowd ever at the ballpark on the west side of the bay, 6,509 against Minnesota on Sept. 5.

Also Friday, a local businessman announced the formation of the Tampa Bay Rays 2020 organization and campaign to help gain support for the project from the public and business community.

The timeline of such a project is unclear. A new ballpark likely will cost more than $700 million.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) – Missouri freshman Michael Porter Jr. is hopeful he will be cleared to return to practice from lower back surgery next week, providing a boost for a Tigers team aiming to reach the NCAA Tournament.

The 6-foot-10 Porter http://www.ravensauthorizedshops.com/authentic-lamar-jackson-jersey , the top prep prospect in the country last season, played in only two minutes of the Tigers’ season-opening win over Iowa State before having surgery in November.

Porter averaged 36.2 points and 13.6 rebounds per game as a senior in high school in Washington, and he was a McDonald’s All-American after signing with Missouri.

He was expected to miss the rest of this season after the procedure, called a microdisetomy, but he’s hoping to be cleared to return during a doctor’s visit next week.

”My rehab therapist things I’m good to go with practice except for the contact part,” Porter said. ”I’m hoping that the doctor clears me to do everything, contact included. That’s what I would love to hear http://www.vikingsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-brian-o_neill-jersey , but it’s not up to me. It’s up to me to work hard and to the doctor to tell me I’m ready to go.”

Porter said he has been watching closely how the Tigers play, and that he would need only a few practices to be ready to return.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

AMES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa State quarterback Kyle Kempt has been granted a sixth season of eligibility by the NCAA.

The Cyclones announced the NCAA’s decision on Friday, saying the governing body granted Kempt an extension of eligibility after considering the totality of the circumstances surrounding his transfer from Oregon State and Hutchinson Community College in Kansas.

Kempt became an unlikely starter for the Cyclones midway through last season after Jacob Park left the team. Kempt started off his career with a 38-31 win at then-No. 3 Oklahoma and finished with a 66.3 percent completion rate, the best in school history.

Kempt was 161-of-243 passing for 1,787 yards and 15 touchdowns in just nine games.

WINTER OLYMPICS

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) – Two-time U.S. figure skating champion Gracie Gold has decided to transition into coaching Justin Bethel Color Rush Jersey , and will join the coaching staff at the Ice Den in Scottsdale.

Gold was part of the American team that won the bronze medal at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

The 22-year-old Gold announced in September that she was stepping away from the sport to seek help for depression, anxiety and an eating disorder. She withdrew from her Grand Prix assignments and decided to skip nationals, ending any chance of her competing at the Pyeongchang Games.

Gold had struggled after finishing fourth at worlds in 2016. Her best finish was fifth at Skate America later that year, and she was sixth at the 2017 national championships.

The Hornets owner has finalized a deal to hire San Antonio Spurs assistant coach James Borrego as Charlotte’s next head coach P.J. Hall Color Rush Jersey , according to people familiar with the situation.

The people spoke to The Associated Press on Tuesday on condition of anonymity because the Hornets haven’t officially announced the hiring.

A news conference is expected in the next few days.

The 40-year Borrego has spent 15 years an NBA assistant coach, 10 of those with San Antonio under Gregg Popovich. He has been a part of two NBA championship teams – in 2005 and 2007. He also was an assistant with the New Orleans Hornets, well before the team moved back to Charlotte.

This will be his first head coaching job.

However Kyle Freeland Colorado Rockies Jersey , he did serve as an interim coach with the Orlando Magic late in 2015-16 season after Jacque Vaughn was fired.

The Hornets are in the midst of a major change in the organization.

Jordan fired general manager Rich Cho midway through last season and hired Mitch Kupchak to replace him in April. Kupchak fried Steve Clifford as head coach a few days later.

Under Clifford, the Hornets went to the playoffs just twice in five seasons and failed to win a playoff series.

Among the other NBA assistant coaches to interview for the position were Celtics assistant Jay Larranaga, Raptors assistant Nick Nurse http://www.49ersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-cassius-marsh-jersey , Spurs assistants Ettore Messina and Ime Udoka, and Blazers assistant David Vanterpol. Former Grizzlies coach David Fizdale also interviewed, but was later hired by the New York Knicks.

Borrego Lorenzo Carter Color Rush Jersey , Larranaga and Nurse were considered the three finalists for the job.

Now the big question becomes whether the Hornets will shake up their roster this offseason.

If the Hornets chose to rebuild, two-time All-Star guard Kemba Walker is easily the most tradable option because of his salary and production. The team also includes Dwight Howard, Nic Batum Da'Shawn Hand Color Rush Jersey , Marvin Williams and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.

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WASHINGTON — Conditioned by years of playoff failures Albert Wilson Color Rush Jersey , Washington Capitals fans are always prepared for the worst.

After Thursday’s Game 1 overtime loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets, some Capitals followers quickly progressed through the five stages of death and began planning for the offseason.

But the sun came up Friday, Beltway traffic was no worse than usual, and the Capitals can even the series Sunday night at Capital One Arena.

“I thought we were average,” Capitals coach Barry Trotz said of Thursday’s loss. “I know we have another level.

“Playoff hockey is about … a lot of times it’s 50-50. Nothing’s happening http://www.dolphinsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-daniel-kilgore-jersey , nothing’s happening and then something happens and it changes the course of maybe the game.”

The Capitals squandered leads of 2-0 and 3-2 before Artemi Panarin’s artistic overtime goal gave the Blue Jackets a 1-0 series lead. It is the first time Columbus has led a playoff series in four tries as they seek their first series win.

Panarin, who led Columbus with 82 points in the regular season, added two assists and became the first player in franchise history with three points in a playoff game.

“We traded away a really good player in (Brandon Saad) to get (Panarin),” Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella told NHL.com. “A different type of player, a guy that makes something out of nothing. Makes a great play on the tying goal and scores just a goal that a lot of people can’t score in this league. That’s sometimes the difference between winning and losing.”

Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 27 shots for Columbus and Washington’s Philipp Grubauer made 23 saves after getting the starting nod over Braden Holtby.

“There was nothing in that game that you’d say Uchenna Nwosu Color Rush Jersey , why you would make a change? Philipp’s been really good,” Trotz told reporters Saturday. “So we’ll go back with Grubi; I’ve got a lot of confidence in him, and we’ll be ready.”

Both teams could benefit from more discipline in Game 2. While referees generally try to let the players determine the outcome at even strength in the postseason, Columbus scored on two of its four power plays and Washington scored on two of its six.

Evgeny Kuznetsov scored two goals 29 seconds apart on a five-minute power play in the first period after Josh Anderson was ejected for a hit on Michael Kempny, who left the game.

Columbus tied the score 2-2 on a third-period power play after Alexander Wennberg took a blow to the head from Washington’s Tom Wilson.

Finally Josh Sitton Color Rush Jersey , the Blue Jackets forced overtime when Andre Burakovsky went off for tripping at 14:55 of the third period.

“That’s playoff hockey. That’s what it’s all about is momentum and not giving the other team life at crucial moments in the game,” Wilson told The Washington Post. “There’s some situations out there we can obviously manage better.”

Kempny should be back for Game 2, but Wennberg is doubtful, likely forcing Columbus make some changes to their lineup. Twenty-one-year-old forward Sonny Milano, a healthy scratch for Game 1 http://www.49ersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-cassius-marsh-jersey , will be in the Blue Jackets’ lineup. He had 14 goals and eight assists in the regular season.

“He still scares the hell out of me in a lot of situations,” Tortorella told The Washington Post. “But he’s a guy, another guy that can make something out of nothing and score a big goal for you.”

The Capitals could have their entire roster healthy Sunday if fourth-line center Jay Beagle returns after missing Game 1 with an upper-body injury. In addition to his faceoff prowess, Beagle plays significant time on the penalty kill. He practiced Saturday and said he hopes to play.

“It’s all about starting with the puck, and he gives us an advantage in that more than most guys in the league Danny Shelton Color Rush Jersey ,” Trotz told The Washington Post.

The Capitals were 23-8-1 in the regular season after a loss.