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Bobby Wilson went 2-for-3 with three RBIs for the Twins, who won their third in a row.
Gibson (3-6) allowed three runs in the first inning – including a two-run homer by Chris Davis – but only gave up two hits after that while striking out nine. It was Gibson’s highest strikeout total since fanning 10 batters on April 26 against the New York Yankees.
Kepler’s solo shot off Kevin Gausman sparked a three-run fifth that tied it. Wilson’s two-run double off Miguel Castro (2-5) in the sixth gave Minnesota the lead for good.
The team with baseball’s worst record, meanwhile, lost its fifth in the row.
Trevor Hildenberger worked a scoreless eighth for the Twins. Jace Peterson’s RBI double off Fernando Rodney pulled the Orioles to 5-4, but Rodney got Tim Beckham on a grounder to short to convert his 19th save in 24 chances.
CUBS 8, REDS 7
CHICAGO – Javier Baez homered and had four hits – including a game-tying infield single in the eighth – and Chicago rallied from a five-run deficit and over Cincinnati.
Anthony Rizzo’s RBI groundout capped a four-run eighth inning for Chicago, which has come from behind in each of its last eight wins.
Eugenio Suarez homered and Billy Hamilton added three hits and three stolen bases for Cincinnati, which had its five-game winning streak against the Cubs snapped.
Randy Rosario (4-0) allowed two hits in 2 1/3 innings to get the win. Brandon Marrow worked the ninth for his 20th save.
Jared Hughes (2-3) took the loss, part of three Reds relievers who allowed five runs in 2 1/3 innings.
PHILLIES 3, PIRATES 2
PITTSBURGH – Nick Williams, Scott Kingery and Jorge Alfaro drove in runs on consecutive at-bats in the seventh inning to help Philadelphia beat Pittsburgh and extend the first-place Phillies‘ winning streak to six games.
Jake Arrieta (6-6) worked around six hits with the help of eight strikeouts to hold the Pirates to two runs over seven innings.
Pirates starter Jameson Taillon (5-7) was charged with all three runs. He had allowed just two singles coming into the seventh. He struck out eight and walked none.
Starling Marte singled and scored in the first and homered in the second as part of a three-hit afternoon to stake the Pirates to an early lead.
Victor Arano worked around a leadoff double in the ninth for his second save.
CARDINALS 3, GIANTS 2
SAN FRANCISCO – Carlos Martinez pitched seven effective innings for his third consecutive win and St. Louis beat San Francisco.
Martinez (6-4) allowed one run on six hits with three strikeouts and did not walk a batter for the third time this season. The right-hander also drove in the Cardinals’ first run with an RBI double in the third.
Jordan Hicks allowed a run in the eighth and Bud Norris retired three batters for his 17th save.
Brandon Belt had three hits and drove in both runs for the Giants. San Francisco has been held to two runs or fewer in five of its last six games.
Jeff Samardzija had an uneven outing in his first start since May 29. Activated off the disabled list before the game, Samardzija (1-5) gave up three runs in five innings and repeatedly pitched with runners on base.
BRAVES 5, BREWERS 1
MILWAUKEE – Anibal Sanchez pitched effectively into the seventh and Freddie Freeman added three hits, lifting slumping Atlanta over Milwaukee.
Sanchez (4-2) retired 19 in a row at one point to help snap Atlanta’s season high four-game skid. He exited with two outs in the seventh after being hit by a liner on his right hip.
Atlanta got to Brewers spot starter Aaron Wilkerson (0-1) early to end Milwaukee’s five-game winning streak. Wilkerson had taken the rotation turn of Brent Suter, who went on the 10-day disabled list with left forearm tightness on Friday.
Sanchez struck out six in a row at one point. But after two easy outs in the seventh Brandon LaFell Jersey , his day ended quickly following a walk to Hernan Perez.
TIGERS 7, RANGERS 2
DETROIT – Nicholas Castellanos homered as part of a seven-run first inning for Detroit, and the Tigers cruised past Texas.
Cole Hamels (4-8) retired only two batters for the Rangers in his shortest start since 2010, and Adrian Beltre had a home run taken away when Detroit’s JaCoby Jones made a spectacular catch in left-center field.
Mike Fiers (6-5) allowed a run and five hits in six innings. He struck out six with one walk.
Rougned Odor hit a solo homer for Texas immediately after Beltre was robbed by Jones. Shin-Soo Choo doubled twice for the Rangers to extend his on-base streak to 46 games, tying Julio Franco’s club record set in 1993.
Niko Goodrum had four hits for the Tigers.
YANKEES 8, BLUE JAYS 5
TORONTO – Luis Severino pitched five innings to earn his major league-leading 14th win, Brett Gardner and Aaron Judge each hit solo home runs, and New York beat Toronto.
Severino (14-2) won his fifth straight start, allowing three runs and five hits. Two of the hits were home runs, marking the first time this season that Severino has allowed more than one homer in a game. He has allowed three earned runs or less in 16 consecutive starts.
Jonathan Holder, David Robertson, Dellin Betances each worked one inning and Aroldis Chapman got the first out of the ninth before leaving with an apparent injury. Chasen Shreve finished for New York, giving up a solo homer to Aledmys Diaz.
J.A. Happ (10-5), a potential trade target for the Yankees, had a dreadful audi LeBron James sprung to his feet and screamed along with thousands of delirious Cleveland fans.
When Indians outfielder Rajai Davis connected off Chicago Cubs reliever Aroldis Chapman for a tying home run in the eighth inning of Game 7 of the 2016 World Series, James came unglued and reacted the way he might after a monstrous dunk or back-breaking 3-pointer in the NBA Finals.
And while his fanatical response said a lot about James and his allegiance to the Indians Kerry Hyder Jersey , so did the tight, black T-shirt he wore on that unseasonably warm November night.
It said: ”Cleveland Or Nowhere.”
As the sports world waits to see where the three-time champion intends to play next season and beyond, there remains the real possibility that James could choose to stay in Cleveland, his hoops home for 11 of the past 15 years and where this Northeast Ohio son shares a unique and profound connection with fans who have followed him since his teens.
James has other options: Los Angeles (salary-cap space for another star, Magic Johnson in charge), Houston (a chance to play on a super team with MVP James Harden), Philadelphia (young stars Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid), and maybe more.
But, as has always been the case for James, home will pull at his heart.
For the longest time, the perception was that once James ended Cleveland’s 52-year title drought in 2016, he would leave again as soon as he could. That doesn’t seem to be a slam dunk any longer.
By Friday, James is expected to make his first move and likely decline a $35.6 million contract option for next season with the Cavs, who are hoping their past loyalties to the 33-year-old and his own sentimental attachments – family, legacy – will keep him in Cleveland.
Unlike his free-agency forays in 2010 and 2014, James will not meet with prospective teams. He’s letting agent Rich Paul and his other representatives handle the business side of things as he vacations with family and makes up his mind.
Months ago Eddie Jackson Jersey , James’ connection with the Cavs seemed broken, hopeless. Last summer’s shocking trade of All-Star Kyrie Irving, the team’s failed attempt to integrate guard Isaiah Thomas, a lack of playmakers, assorted injuries and coach Tyronn Lue’s medical issues contributed to James appearing ready to pull up stakes again and pursue championships elsewhere.
But a funny thing happened on the way to the NBA Finals.
James was boosted by general manager Koby Altman’s drastic-and-dramatic roster overhaul at the trading deadline, and despite a lack of cohesion and Vegas odds makers labeling the Cavs as underdogs, Cleveland advanced to a fourth straight summer showdown with Golden State, surviving two Game 7s and sweeping the top-seeded Toronto Raptors along the way.
Of course, James did all the heavy lifting. He played in all 82 regular-season games and had perhaps his best postseason, averaging 34 points, 9.1 rebounds and 9.0 assists while making a pair of buzzer-beating shots and doing all he could in a Finals sweep that could have been much different if Cleveland had not lost Game 1 in overtime.
”He gave his heart and soul, die-hard energy, commitment to this team, to this franchise, to the city, to Northeast Ohio Byron Jones Jersey ,” Altman said last week after the Cavs drafted Alabama guard Collin Sexton, who quickly raised some eyebrows by choosing to wear No. 2, Irving’s number for six seasons with Cleveland. ”It was an historical year and probably one of the best postseason runs of all time. We’re very, very fortunate to have him here and what he gave to this franchise this year was nothing short of remarkable.
”We don’t take that for granted at all.”
And it’s why the Cavs haven’t surrendered from the fight to keep him.
Owner Dan Gilbert, whose relationship with James remains tricky if not rocky, has displayed a willingness to spend whatever’s necessary to keep his team championship competitive. That’s unlikely to change whether James extends his second stint with Cleveland.
In a recent Business Insider podcast, Gilbert referred to James as a ”partner,” an acknowledgment by the billionaire to what the superstar he once criticized means to his franchise.
The appeal for James to stay home is different now than it was eight years ago when he bolted for Miami. He’s more mature, with three children and a burgeoning business empire. His priorities, responsibilities and goals are different.
After the Warriors finished their Finals sweep of the Cavs, James revealed an injured right hand but an unchanged view of the next phase of his career.
”I will still continue to be in championship mode,” he said. ”When I decide what I’m going to do with my future, my family and the folks that have been with me for the last 20 years will have a say-so. Then it ultimately will come down to me.”
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The goalie nicknamed the ”Hamburglar” came through.
Andrew Hammond made a career-high 44 saves for his first postseason victory Eddie Jackson Jersey , and Colorado rallied to beat the Nashville Predators 2-1 on Friday night and sent the first-round series back to Denver for Game 6.
”Obviously, it was a lot of fun,” said Hammond, who was mobbed in the locker room. ”We’re excited to have another game. We didn’t want this to be the last one of the season, and I think to a man, we all did whatever we could to make sure that wasn’t the case.”
This is the third time the Avalanche had trailed 3-1 in a series since moving to Colorado. They lost the first two but have a chance Sunday to push the defending Western Conference champs to a seventh game after rallying with two goals in the final 4:11.
They also became the first to win a playoff game in regulation when trailing in the final 5:00 of the third since Chicago won at Boston in Game 6 of the 2013 Stanley Cup Final.
Gabriel Landeskog started the rally with his goal into an empty net with Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne caught outside the crease with his own teammate Ryan Ellis in his lap. Then Sven Andrighetto gave the Avs the lead off a rebound of a shot by J.T. Compher with 1:28 left that stunned a sold-out Nashville crowd that had expected to celebrate advancing to the second round.
”We’ve got a series again going home, and it’s going to be exciting,” Landeskog said. ”As we talked about before tonight, just to win one. We don’t have to win three in one night.”
This was not only Hammond’s first playoff victory, it was his first postseason start since April 17, 2015 Robert Woods Jersey , with Ottawa and just the third of his career. He started only one game during the regular season after being traded to Colorado in November.
”You never know when you’re going to get a second chance,” Hammond said. ”I’ve played two games basically since the start of January – at times it felt as though that day would never come again when you’re going to play again. You keep battling in practice, you stick to the process, when you get your chance, you’re ready.”
Colorado coach Jared Bednar said he loved Hammond’s demeanor since learning he would be starting.
”He’s waited a long time this year for this opportunity, and he’s making the most of it,” Bednar said.
The series winner will face Winnipeg in the second round.
Nick Bonino scored for Nashville.
This game was scoreless until Bonino’s goal with 9:42 left, a big change for a series that had been the highest-scoring of the first round averaging 7.25 goals per game coming into Game 5.
The Predators peppered Hammond, and the only time Nashville beat him was when Mattias Ekholm’s shot bounced off his left pad and went in off Bonino’s right skate. The official on the spot immediately waved it off. Officials huddled, then reviewed the play.
During the review, fans sang ”Let It Be” while holding up their cellphones with the flash on. Referee Kevin Pollock announced the call on the ice had been overturned Jadeveon Clowney Jersey , starting a long-awaited celebration.
The lead didn’t last long as the Avs rallied.
”It’s not like we didn’t have opportunities,” Nashville coach Peter Laviolette said. ”They did a pretty good job in front of him. We had lots of looks, lots of opportunities. We couldn’t get in.”
The Avalanche came into the postseason with goalie Semyon Varlamov and defenseman Erik Johnson sidelined by knee injuries, then defenseman Samuel Girard missed three games with his own upper-body injury before Jonathan Bernier, Varlamov’s backup, suffered his own lower-body injury. That pushed the Hamburglar into the net.
The Predators started and ended the second period on the power play but couldn’t beat Hammond. Their best scoring chance came with a 4-on-2, but Hammond stopped Roman Josi’s shot and then handled Calle Jarnkrok’s attempt off the rebound at 12:36. Hammond also made a big pad save on Ellis’ slap shot and then stopped another Josi shot late in the period.
NOTES: The Avalanche snapped a seven-game skid in Nashville with the win. They ended a 12-game skid to the Preds overall in Game 3. … Nashville had been perfect last postseason with a chance to clinch a series on its own ice, winning all three series to reach the Stanley Cup Final. … Predators forward Ryan Hartman sat out his suspension for a hit on Carl Soderberg in Game 4.
UP NEXT
Game 6 in Denver on Sunday night.
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The Philadelphia Eagles went from playoff spectators to hoisting the Lombardi Trophy, an impressive one-season turnaround that was far from unprecedented in the modern NFL.
The Eagles were the seventh team in the past 19 seasons to pull off that trick in a sport that always goes through some significant playoff turnover each season.
There have been at least four new playoff teams each year since the NFL went to the 12-team format in 1990, including eight new postseason participants last season when the Eagles won it all.
With new blood coming into the playoffs each year, there are just as many teams heading another way George Iloka Jersey , doomed by injuries, age, bad luck, poor coaching or other reasons.
Here's a look at three teams that could go from playoff spectators to participants, and three others that could go the opposite direction:
TRENDING UP
Houston Texans: Deshaun Watson showed flashes of becoming a star quarterback in six starts as a rookie before getting hurt. With the dynamic Watson on offense and a healthy J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus back on defense, the Texans could be in position to get back into the playoffs after a one-year hiatus. The Texans scored at least 33 points in Watson's final five starts and then went 1-8 after he had a season-ending injury in practice. Keeping Watson healthy will be necessary it the Texans are going to rebound.
Green Bay Packers: Green Bay's run of eight straight playoff appearances ended last season thanks mostly to a collarbone injury that limited star quarterback Aaron Rodgers to seven games. With Rodgers again healthy, the Packers should be among the contenders in the NFC, as they usually are. Green Bay was much more active this offseason under new GM Brian Gutekunst, adding prominent free agents like Jimmy Graham and Muhammad Wilkerson. New defensive coordinator Mike Pettine should bring a more aggressive approach that could help support Rodgers and the offense.
San Francisco 49ers: San Francisco won its final five games last year after making the switch to Jimmy Garoppolo at quarterback. With Garoppolo signed long term and poised to take his 7-0 career record into his first full season as an NFL starter and coach Kyle Shanahan having much more talent in Year 2 at the helm, the Niners could have the pieces to get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2013. Free-agent running back Jerick McKinnon should spark the offense, and the defense has some key building blocks in DT DeForest Buckner and LB Reuben Foster. Richard Sherman could provide a defensive boost at cornerback if his Achilles tendon injury is healed.
TRENDING DOWN
Buffalo Bills: The Bills ended the longest playoff drought in North America's four major sports leagues when they made the postseason for the first time since 1999. Repeating that in coach Sean McDermott's second season will be a more difficult trick Todd Davis Jersey , especially with the change made at quarterback this offseason. Tyrod Taylor was traded to Cleveland, leaving either career backup A.J. McCarron or raw rookie Josh Allen as the top two options. Making the playoffs with one of those two at the helm would be a long shot, even in the weaker AFC.
Tennessee Titans: The Titans also ended a playoff drought last season, making the postseason for the first time since 2008 under third-year quarterback Marcus Mariota and coach Mike Mularkey. Even winning a postseason game wasn't enough for Mularkey to keep his job and Tennessee is now retooling under new coach Mike Vrabel. The Titans are in a tough division with Houston and Indianapolis likely taking big steps forward if Watson and Andrew Luck are healthy, and Jacksonville having one of the league's most talented rosters. That makes a return to the postseason a difficult proposition in Tennessee.
Atlanta Falcons: The Falcons took a step back last year after their Super Bowl collapse the previous season but still made the playoffs as a wild-card team. The offense regressed a bit after losing Shanahan as coordinator. There still is plenty of talent in Atlanta led by quarterback Matt Ryan and receiver Julio Jones, but the NFC is stacked, leaving little margin for error.
Authentic Womens Mark Walton JerseyIn Detroit Clark Harris Jersey , it would be an accomplishment if Casey can simply get the Pistons into the playoffs.
The Pistons hired the NBA coach of the year finalist Monday, hoping he can help the three-time NBA championship franchise regularly reach the postseason and eventually compete again for titles.
”Dwane is one of the most successful and highly respected coaches in our league,” Pistons owner Tom Gores said. ”He’s a great communicator and a leader who will connect with our players and accelerate their growth. Having spent many hours with Dwane over the last few weeks, I’m confident he is the right person to get us to the next level.”
A month after being fired by the Raptors , Casey agreed to a five-year deal to become head coach of the Pistons, two people familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Monday. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because the team had not announced the move, which was first reported by ESPN.
Casey led Toronto to a team-record 59 wins this year and helped the franchise earn the top seed in the Eastern Conference for the first time, a performance that won him coach of the year honors from his peers at the National Basketball Coaches Association. He had one year remaining on a three-year, $18 million dollar extension when he was fired shortly after Toronto was swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers. He was 320-238 in seven seasons and is Toronto’s winningest coach.
The Pistons said Casey has already started work, including meetings with players, and will be introduced at a news conference next week.
Detroit had been looking for a coach for more than month since firing Stan Van Gundy , who was also its president of basketball operations. Michigan coach John Beilein was a finalist for the job before withdrawing his name from consideration last week and San Antonio Spurs assistant Ime Udoka also was a candidate.
”I’m confident that this team has the pieces in place to compete at a very high level,” Casey said. ”There is a lot of talent, a solid core and some exciting young players eager to get better. We’re getting to work right away on the things that will make us all successful.”
Casey certainly has work to do.
The Pistons have made the playoffs only once in nine years after advancing at least to the Eastern Conference finals six straight years, winning the 2004 NBA title and falling a victory short of repeating as champions in 2005. They do not appear to have much flexibility to make significant changes this offseason.
Detroit acquired Blake Griffin in a blockbuster trade this past season and that wasn’t enough to push Detroit into the playoffs. An injury to point guard Reggie Jackson derailed what looked like a promising season. If healthy, the Pistons do potentially have an intriguing nucleus with Griffin Gary Zimmerman Jersey , Jackson and Andre Drummond.
”In our meetings he displayed great insight into what this roster can accomplish, and great passion about our city and the team’s role in bringing people together,” Gores said. ”He’s an outstanding man with impressive character. He embodies our culture and will be a great representative for our franchise.”
The 61-year-old Casey is getting his third shot to lead an NBA team.
He coached the Minnesota Timberwolves for a little more than one season, going 53-69. He also has experience in the league as an assistant with Dallas and Seattle.
Casey, who is from Morganfield, Kentucky, played for the Wildcats and helped them win the 1978 NCAA title and began his coaching career the next year as a graduate assistant under Joe B. Hall. He later back to campus to work as an assistant for Eddie Sutton. He has five years of coaching experience in Japan and has spent time around the game in Europe.
Under Casey, the Raptors won four Atlantic Division titles and advanced to the playoffs in five consecutive seasons. But Toronto couldn’t get past Cleveland, losing to LeBron James and the Cavs in each of the past three playoffs, getting swept this year and last year.
Detroit moved into a new downtown arena last season, but with the exception of some brief success after trading for Griffin, the team didn’t create much buzz. The Pistons are still looking to hire someone to head basketball operation. They did bring in Ed Stefanski as a senior executive.
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AP Sports Writer Noah Trister contributed to this report.
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Patrick Reed is leading a major championship for the first time, and his confidence is so high that he can only see what’s ahead of him.
Reed started and finished the front nine with three straight birdies. He answered Marc Leishman’s bold shot for an eagle by polishing off another run of three straight birdies. It added to a 6-under 66 and a two-shot lead over Leishman going into the weekend at Augusta National.
Right behind them are five major champions – Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy and Henrik Stenson.
Nowhere near him are Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson Jake Butt Jersey , the two names that generated so much of the buzz for a Masters that otherwise is living up to expectations.
BASEBALL
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) – Rookie sensation Shohei Ohtani is making himself at home in the Big A.
Ohtani hit a home run for the third straight game, Justin Upton hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in the seventh inning and the Los Angeles Angels rallied from an early six-run defic it to beat the Oakland Athletics 13-9.
Ohtani, the two-way star from Japan, connected for a long, solo drive in the second inning against Daniel Gossett. The ball landed in the rocks beyond the center field wall after traveling 449 feet and was measured with a 112.3 mph exit velocity according to Statcast, the hardest-hit and longest of Ohtani’s three major league homers.
NEW YORK (AP) – Pedro Alvarez hit a grand slam in the 14th inning, Manny Machado homered twice and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Yankees 7-3 after New York saw four players forced to make early exits.
Yankees starter CC Sabathia left with hip soreness, star catcher Gary Sanchez limped off with a leg cramp right before Alvarez struck, third baseman Brandon Drury was lifted for migraines and second baseman Tyler Wade was removed because of flu-like symptoms. New York had to use 20 players in all – reliever Adam Warren was the only non-starting pitcher left.
Alvarez connected after midnight, deciding a game that took 5 hours, 20 minutes and included 14 pitchers, a couple of wild misadventures on the basepaths and an admitted missed call by umpires.
MMA
NEW YORK (AP) – Conor McGregor was arraigned on charges of felony criminal mischief charges and misdemeanor assault, menacing and reckless endangerment charges following a backstage melee he sparked at a UFC event in New York City the previous day.
He spoke only to acknowledge that he understood the conditions of his release, saying, ”Yes Cole Beasley Jersey , your honor.”
McGregor was released on $50,000 bond – pocket change for a fighter who was guaranteed $30 million last year in his ballyhooed boxing match against Floyd Mayweather Jr. McGregor is due back in court June 14.
In the underbelly of Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on Thursday, McGregor went wild, using a dolly, chairs and guard rails as weapons, not his fists. Fueled by revenge and running with a pack of his ”hoodlums,” McGregor’s antics landed him in jail – and injured two fighters on Saturday’s UFC 223 card.
NBA
PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Ben Simmons topped LeBron James in a triple-double battle to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to their 13th straight win in their biggest game in six years, 132-130 over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
With a buzz in the city over the Sixers that hasn’t been felt since the pre-Process days, they romped toward a 30-point lead over the Cavs in the first half and scored 78 points at the break.
Simmons had 27 points, 15 rebounds and 13 assists. James had 44 points (17-of-29 shooting), 11 assists and 11 rebounds, bringing the Cavaliers to the brink of an epic comeback.
The Sixers (49-30) moved into third place in the Eastern Conference over the Cavaliers (49-31).
LOS ANGELES (AP) – The Lakers unveiled a statue of Elgin Baylor before their game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Baylor’s statue became the sixth that decorates the front of Staples Center, joining Shaquille O’Neal, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Jerry West and Chick Hearn. The Lakers selected Baylor first overall in the 1958 NBA draft. He averaged 27.4 points and 13.5 rebounds in 14 seasons for the franchise Ronnie Harrison Jersey , including the first two when it played in Minneapolis.
Various Lakers alumni spoke during Baylor’s ceremony, including O’Neal, Johnson, West and Abdul-Jabbar. Johnson said Baylor put entertainment into the NBA, and will always remember that Baylor set the Finals record for single-game points against the Boston Celtics on the road.
NHL
PITTSBURGH (AP) – The Pittsburgh Penguins will start their bid for a Stanley Cup three-peat home.
Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel banked in goals off Craig Anderson minutes apart in the second period, Casey DeSmith stopped 34 shots and the Penguins beat the Ottawa Senators 4-0 to clinch second place in the Metropolitan Division and home-ice advantage in the opening round of the playoffs.
Phil Kessel collected his 34th goal of the season and Patric Hornqvist pushed his career-high to 29 when he beat Anderson late in the third period for the Penguins, who will host Columbus, New Jersey or Philadelphia next week.
AUTO RACING
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) – Kurt Busch got a little more aggressive in the first round of qualifying, and it paid off with a pole at Texas Motor Speedway.
Busch and his Stewart-Haas Racing teammates Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer will start in the top three spots in Texas after a weather-shortened qualifying session.
With his top lap of 197.368 mph, Busch earned his first pole this season and the 32nd in his career.
There was initially a delay because of lightning in the area Womens Weston Richburg Jersey
For those seeking the trend in NBA free agency this year Britton Colquitt Jersey , it’s this: Most players are either staying put, or taking short-term deals that allow them to hit the market again next summer.
Such was largely the case Tuesday.
Utah kept two of its free agents, agreeing to extensions with Dante Exum (three years, $33 million) and Raul Neto (two years, $4.4 million). Avery Bradley, in a deal that was struck late Monday night, is also staying put – coming to terms with the Los Angeles Clippers on a two-year contract worth $25 million.
Most of the other known deals that were made on Day 3 of free agency were all of the short-term variety.
Tyreke Evans got $12 million to spend next season with the Indiana Pacers. Jeff Green agreed to terms on a $2.4 million, one-year deal with Washington – which is expected to seek another one-year pact with Dwight Howard later this month when he finalizes his Brooklyn buyout – and Michael Carter-Williams got a veteran’s minimum deal to play in Houston next season.
All the deals were confirmed to The Associated Press by people familiar with the negotiations, all of whom spoke on condition of anonymity because the NBA offseason moratorium on signings does not end until Friday.
The Jazz have quietly crossed off many items on their summertime wish list, with general manager Dennis Lindsey going into free agency saying he wanted to keep all three of his team’s internal free agents.
Check. Check. And check. The deals with Exum and Neto came one day after Utah agreed to keep Derrick Favors on a two-year, $36 million deal.
Evans will give Indiana’s offense a lift. He’s a proven scorer Tyrod Taylor Jersey , someone who expanded his 3-point ability last season when he averaged 19.4 points per game with Memphis.
Green fills a big-man void, after the Wizards traded away starting center Marcin Gortat – the hole that Howard conceivably will fill – and losing backup power forward Mike Scott to free agency. Green, who turns 32 in August, spent last season with the Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers.
Carter-Williams gives Houston some guard depth behind MVP James Harden and Chris Paul, and Houston gives Carter-Williams yet another chance to restart what was a very promising career. He was the NBA’s rookie of the year for Philadelphia in 2013-14 when he averaged 16.7 points per game. But his scoring average has dropped each year since, and the Rockets will be his fifth team in six seasons.
With LeBron James being a very obvious exception – getting four years to leave Cleveland for the Los Angeles Lakers – most of the biggest signings so far have been players staying home. Those include Paul staying with Houston, Nikola Jokic with Denver, Paul George with Oklahoma City, Aaron Gordon with Orlando, Golden State’s Kevin Durant and Denver’s Will Barton.
Outside of James, the biggest-money deal that involves someone filing a change-of-address card is Dallas’ $24.1 million agreement with DeAndre Jordan. But even that one falls into the short-term trend Brandon McManus Jersey , since that’s just for next season.
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AP Sports Writer Howard Fendrich in London contributed.
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Drop back. Throw long. Repeat.
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco was flinging the ball far downfield Thursday during a voluntary offseason training practice, targeting an array of receivers that includes newcomers Michael Crabtree, John Brown and Willie Snead.
”Someone kind of joked that we completed more deep balls in practice today when we did the whole offseason last year,” coach John Harbaugh said.
The Ravens’ top priority this season was to vastly improve a passing attack that last season ranked 29th in total yardage and was dead last with 5.7 yards per attempt.
General manager Ozzie Newsome dumped Mike Wallace, Jeremy Maclin and Michael Campanaro, signed the aforementioned trio of free agents and drafted two wide receivers.
Chris Moore and Breshad Perriman are the only two of 13 receivers on the roster who caught a pass for Baltimore last season. Whether it’s a change for the better remains to be seen.
”Obviously, we’ve got to do our job – catch the ball, catch touchdowns, first downs and all that,” Crabtree said. ”I’m confident in the guys we have. We’ve got some football players here.”
Crabtree has five career TD catches of at least 40 yards; Snead will fit nicely in the slot; and Brown in 2015 had a 1,003-yard Julien Davenport Jersey , seven-touchdown season with Arizona.
Forget the check-down pass, because the Ravens are looking to go long in 2018.
”Joe’s known for throwing the deep ball, and I think we’ll hit a lot of those,” Brown said.
Flacco is the starter, but backups Robert Griffin III, Lamar Jackson and Josh Woodrum will keep the receivers busy downfield this summer.
”Every one of our quarterbacks has a reputation for throwing the ball deep,” Harbaugh said. ”I feel like that’s got to be a big part of who we are. We want to throw it out there, and go get it.”
That was the Ravens were looking for from Perriman when they drafted him in the first round of 2015. Perriman has thus far been a huge disappointment, but the hope is that this is the year he finally fulfills his potential.
”He’s in great shape. He’s playing very fast,” Harbaugh said. ”Not just that – he’s catching the ball really well. He looks much smoother, and he’s getting in and out of routes quicker. He’s taken a step in the right direction. I know he’s determined to carry that right through training camp.”
Crabtree Dalton Schultz Jersey , 30, has become the leader of the pack simply because of his age and experience.
”I don’t have a choice. I’m going on 10 (years) in the game,” he said. ”That’s just my role. At the same time, I’m out there competing like I’m 21. I’m going to have fun with it.”
Crabtree had 58 catches with Oakland last season, down from 89 in 2016. Snead started the 2017 season in New Orleans with a three-game DUI suspension and fought through a hamstring injury. Brown is looking to regain the form he showed in 2015.
All three hope the move to Baltimore will bring about a return to stardom.
”We’ve all had our ups and downs,” Brown said. ”It just feels good to have a new start and keep things rolling.”
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The first racer on the course Josey Jewell Jersey , Cochran-Siegle finished in a time of 1 minute, 6.61 seconds on Friday. He beat Jack Gower of Britain by 0.34 seconds.
Cochran-Siegle won the national event a year ago when it was held at Sugarloaf Mountain in Maine.
It’s already been quite a week at Sun Valley for Cochran-Siegle Jabrill Peppers Jersey , who also won the Alpine combined on Wednesday.
In the women’s super-G race, Nina O’Brien held off teenager AJ Hurt by .11 seconds. O’Brien is coming off a season in which she finished second in the super-G standings on the NorAm circuit. Hurt captured the women’s Alpine combined title two days ago.
Next up is a slalom race on Saturday.
The Carolina Hurricanes have signed free-agent defenseman Calvin de Haan to a four-year contract.General manager Don Waddell said Tuesday night that the deal is worth a total of $18.2 million.
De Haan had a goal and 11 assists in 33 games with the New York Islanders last season but missed the final 49 games with a shoulder injury. A year earlier Carson Tinker Jersey , he set career highs with 25 points, five goals and 20 assists while playing all 82 games.
The 27-year-old was a first-round draft pick in 2009 and is the second notable defensive acquisition this offseason for Carolina DeShawn Shead Jersey , which picked up defenseman Dougie Hamilton in a five-player trade with Calgary.
Waddell calls de Haan ”a strong two-day player” who ”will help solidify the left side and upgrade our defense.”
Kevin Hervey JerseyThe jury found the Rams 100 percent liable for Bush's injury and ordered the team to pay $4.95 million in compensatory damages and $7.5 million in punitive damages, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.
Attorneys for the Rams said they plan to file a motion for a new trial.
Bush was playing for the San Francisco 49ers when he was pushed out of bounds during a game on Nov. 1, 2015, at what was then the Edward Jones Dome, now known as the Dome at America's Center. He slipped on a surface that the lawsuit dubbed the "concrete ring of death," about 35 feet (11 meters) behind the 49ers' bench.
Bush suffered a season-ending left knee injury. The lawsuit contended the injury undermined his earnings as a player for the rest of his career. He signed with Buffalo in 2016 and retired in 2017. Now 33 Tre'Davious White Jersey , he works as an analyst for the NFL Network.
"Reggie lost his ability to do what he loved, and to bargain for a contract that he worked his entire life for," Bush's lawyer Tim Cronin said during closing statements. "These players get chewed up. They only have so many chances."
Bush also sued public agencies that own and operate the dome, but a judge dismissed them from the suit last week after ruling that the team had control of game-day operations.
Just a week before Bush's injury, Cleveland Browns quarterback Josh McCown slid across the same concrete stretch and injured his shoulder.
The concrete surface in the dome was covered with rubber padding two weeks after Bush was injured.
Rams attorney Dan Allmayer said the team should not be held responsible for Bush's injury because it could not have foreseen a dangerous condition. He noted that no one besides McCown and Bush had been injured there over 20 seasons played at the dome.
Allmayer said Bush's injury was caused by "pre-existing issues," not the fall on the concrete.
NFL owners approved the request from Rams owner Stan Kroenke to move the team to Los Angeles in 2016.
The debate over whether the NFL should let players kneel during the national anthem flared up in state government this week as some legislators and a governor disparaged the league.Georgia senators unanimously passed a resolution Thursday denouncing the NFL for allowing players to kneel but not letting a veterans group advertise in the printed game program for the Super Bowl. South Carolina Republican Gov. Henry McMaster issued a proclamation designating the day of the big game as ”Stand for the Flag Super Bowl Sunday.” In Tennessee Abry Jones Jersey , a Republican legislator running for governor said she would run an ad during the pregame show saying: ”It’s too bad that the league doesn’t respect the patriotism of our national anthem.”
The on-the-field protests started by former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick have waned this season but the controversy hasn’t. President Donald Trump alluded to his public spat with the NFL in his State of the Union speech Tuesday, saying that paying tribute to the flag is a ”civic duty.”
The resolution in Georgia, introduced by Republican Sen. David Shafer, who is running for lieutenant governor, called the league hypocritical for allowing players to kneel but not allowing an ad from the veterans group AMVETS.
”The National Football League has abandoned even the pretense of supporting free speech and dissent, silencing a major veterans’ organization while condoning organized disrespect and contempt for the Flag of the United States and the National Anthem Jon Weeks Jersey ,” the resolution says.
NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said the game program has never been a place for advertising what some might consider to be a political statement.
”The NFL has long supported the military and veterans and will again salute our service members in the Super Bowl with memorable on-field moments that will be televised as part of the game,” McCarthy said.
The words ”Please Stand” figured prominently in the ad, and McCarthy said AMVETS declined to consider alternatives, such as ”Please Stand for our Veterans.” He said the NFL did approve a Veterans of Foreign Wars ad saying ”We Stand for Veterans.”
Georgia’s Senate minority leader, Democrat Steve Henson, accused his Republican colleagues of slipping the resolution through in a deceptive manner. ”Many members of the body had concerns about this issue and how it was rushed to a vote without notice Kenny Golladay Jersey ,” Henson said.
In Tennessee, Republican Rep. Diane Black will run an ad during the Super Bowl pregame show in response to the NFL’s rejection for AMVETS’ ad.
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Associated Press writer Jonathan Mattise in Nashville, Tennessee, contributed to this report.
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Information from: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Adidas Erik Karlsson Jersey
ATLANTA (11-6) vs. PHILADELPHIA (13-3)
Saturday Antonio Morrison Jersey , 4:35 p.m. ET, NBC
OPENING LINE – Falcons by 2 1/2
RECORD VS. SPREAD – Atlanta 8-9, Philadelphia 10-5-1
SERIES RECORD – Eagles lead 18-14-1
LAST MEETING – Eagles beat Falcons 24-15, Nov. 13, 2016
LAST WEEK – Falcons beat Rams 26-13 in wild-card game; Eagles had bye
AP PRO32 RANKING – Falcons No. 9, Eagles No. 5
FALCONS OFFENSE – OVERALL (8), RUSH (13), PASS (8).
FALCONS DEFENSE – OVERALL (9), RUSH (9), PASS (12).
EAGLES OFFENSE – OVERALL (7), RUSH (3) Sammie Coates Jersey , PASS (13).
EAGLES DEFENSE – OVERALL (4), RUSH (17), PASS (1).
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES – Eagles are 2-1 vs. Falcons in playoffs, including 27-10 win in 2004 NFC championship game. … Falcons were NFL’s highest-scoring team last year, but their fewest points came in loss at Philly. … Falcons were 5-1 vs. common opponents while Eagles were 4-2. … Falcons averaged 22.1 points per game and allowed 19.7. … Atlanta averaged 364.8 yards per game and allowed 318.4. … Falcons QB Matt Ryan completed 64.6 percent of passes for 4,095 yards, 20 TDs, 12 picks and 91.4 passer rating. …Ryan has passer rating of at least 100 in five straight postseason games, tied for second-longest streak in league history. Only Joe Montana had longer streak with eight. … RB Devonta Freeman had 865 yards rushing and seven TDs. … WR Julio Jones caught 88 passes for 1,444 yards and three TDs. … DE Adrian Clayborn had 9 1/2 sacks. … LB Deion Jones had three picks. … K Matt Bryant made 34 of 39 field goals (87.2 percent) and all 35 extra-point tries. … Philadelphia’s Doug Pederson makes playoff debut as head coach. … Eagles tied franchise record with 13 wins. … Eagles finished with second-most points (463) in team history. … Eagles tied for first in NFL in point differential (plus 162) Shaq Lawson Jersey , led league in rush defense (79.2 yards per game) and ranked first in NFC in turnover differential (plus 11). … Philadelphia averaged 28.6 points per game and allowed 18.4. … Eagles averaged 365.8 yards per game and allowed 306.5. … QB Nick Foles was 2-1 filling in for Carson Wentz. Foles completed 56.4 percent of passes for 537 yards, five TDs, two picks and 79.5 passer rating. … RB LeGarrette Blount had 766 yards rushing and two TDs. … RB Jay Ajayi had 873 yards rushing and one TD combined with Dolphins and Eagles. … TE Zach Ertz had 74 catches for 824 yards and eight TDs. … WR Alshon Jeffery had 57 catches for 789 yards and nine TDs. … DE Brandon Graham had 9 1/2 sacks. … CB Patrick Robinson had four picks. … K Jake Elliott made 26 of 31 field goals (83.8 percent) and 39 of 42 extra points.
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DETROIT — Saturday night’s game could be center John Tavares‘ last with the New York Islanders.
The Islanders visit the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena in the final game of the regular season for both teams, who find themselves out of the NHL Playoffs.
Tavares, the 27-year-old Islanders captain, has 36 goals and 47 assists for 83 points this season. He will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 and has been the focal point of the organization since he was the first overall pick in the 2009 draft.
“I’m not trying to look at it as the end because, obviously, that hasn’t been determined,” Tavares said after Thursday night’s 2-1 win over the New York Rangers at the Barclays Center. “I’ve always wanted it to work out and stay, so that’s still what I hope transpires. But, obviously Andy Dalton Jersey , that will come in the time ahead.”
But New York coach Doug Weight, a native of Detroit, says the decision will be Tavares’ alone.
“People say it’s like a marriage. But that’s BS. I know my wife controls pretty much everything I do and we don’t control anything with John,” Weight said. “But no, I don’t have nervousness. Anxiety is probably a closer word.
“But you have to do what you have to do as an organization, no matter what. With or without him, we’re going to move forward and try to win. We’d like him here.”
Detroit is focusing on the young players who could be part of the future. One of those is forward Tyler Bertuzzi, who has been impressive since being called up from Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League during the season.
Bertuzzi, 23, has seven goals and 24 points in 47 games this season, mostly in a top-six role. He has played a lot on the left wing with center and captain Henrik Zetterberg and right winger Gustav Nyquist.
That’s where Bertuzzi — the nephew of former NHL player and Red Wing Todd Bertuzzi — was in Thursday’s 4-3 loss to the Montreal Canadiens at Little Caesars Arena Reggie Wayne Jersey , in which Bertuzzi scored a goal and had a few other quality scoring chances.
“Bert’s game was totally excellent,” Detroit coach Jeff Blashill said. “He’s a real hockey player. He’s a guy I would say is a great complementary guy for a guy like Z (Zetterberg) that can control the puck and hold onto the puck. He goes to the net, he’s great defensively, he plays through bodies.
“He’s a heckuva hockey player. That’s a great, great draft pick by our scouts (58th overall in 2013), and he’s going to be a heck of a Red Wing.”
Five of Bertuzzi’s goals have come in the last seven games, all of that time playing with Zetterberg and Nyquist.
“You dream to play with a guy like that (Zetterberg),” Bertuzzi said. “I’ve been lucky enough to get the opportunity to stick on that line and just be able to play with him and learn a lot. He’s obviously helping me produce offensively.”
Authentic Womens Dorance Armstrong Jr. JerseyMarShon Brooks scored 25 points, Dillon Brooks added 22 and the Grizzlies snapped a four-game losing streak with a 130-117 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday.
Of the Grizzlies’ 22 wins this season, 16 were at home, a far cry from the last seven years when the final home game was just a stopping point before the playoffs.
”I understand how tough it’s been for everyone,” said center Marc Gasol, who applauded fans as he left the floor in the closing minutes, finishing with 20 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. ”For them to still show support through the bad and the worse and how bad it really got, to me it means a lot.”
Kobi Simmons matched Gasol with a career-high 20 points, converting 7 of 10 shots.
Anthony Tolliver led the Pistons with 19 points Keelan Cole Jersey , and Luke Kennard added 18, including making all four of his shots from outside the arc. Henry Ellenson had a career-high 17 points.
The game featured 3-point sprees from the two teams – both reaching season highs on made shots from beyond the arc. Memphis made 16 from outside the arc; the Pistons made a franchise-record 23, the highest number of 3-pointers for a Grizzlies opponent this season.
But throughout his postgame comments, Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy harped on the defensive effort.
”Our defense was horrendous,” he said. ”I mean (the Grizzlies) are the next to the worst offensive team in the league, and they scored over 30 (points) in every quarter. … Our effort was bad, our concentration was bad. We were terrible defensively.”
Memphis led by 20 in the first half, but a late rally in the second period left the Grizzlies with a 62-56 lead at the break. While Detroit got close a couple of times in the third quarter, it could never overtake Memphis. The Grizzlies led by double digits the bulk of the fourth quarter. Detroit got closer than nine points only once in the final 7 minutes.
”We weren’t very locked in defensively,” Kennard said Steve Atwater Jersey , adding: ”We weren’t engaged defensively from the start.”
Interim Grizzlies coach J.B. Bickerstaff said the victory was a reward for everyone involved as a season – among the worst since the franchise moved to Memphis in 2001.
”The guys are deserving, but our fans are deserving too,” Bickerstaff said. ”I think our guys understood that from the beginning of the game. Through the ups and downs, the fans have stuck with us, and they deserve the performance our guys put on (Sunday).”
TIP-INS
Pistons: F Blake Griffin missed his sixth straight game with a right ankle bone bruise. … Andre Drummond posted his 10th straight double-double with 12 points and 18 rebounds. … Ellenson’s previous career high was 15 points on April 7, 2017, at Houston.
Grizzlies: Ben McLemore started the game 4-4, including a trio of 3-pointers, and finished with 13 points. … While Gasol was one rebound and an assists shy of a triple-double, Dillon Brooks also flirted with the standard. In addition to his 22 points Eric Dickerson Jersey , he had eight rebounds and eight assists.
OH, HENRY
Ellenson, a 6-foot-11 forward in his second season out of Marquette, collected his career-high by converting 6 of 10 shots, including 4 of 6 from outside the arc. He entered the game averaging 3.1 points. ”He’s really a good player. It’s not a secret,” Tolliver said about Ellenson, the 18th overall pick in the 2016 draft. ”There’s a reason why was such a high draft pick. He has a lot of potential. He’s just a young guy trying to find his way.”
SEASON-BEST NIGHT
The Grizzlies recorded season-highs in several categories, including points (130), field goal percentage (57.8 percent) and 3-pointers made (16). They also had a season-best 36 assists.
UP NEXT
Pistons: Host Toronto on Monday night.
Grizzlies: Hit the road for their final two games starting in Minnesota on Monday night.
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A Philadelphia Eagles fan accused of punching a police horse and a mounted officer before the Eagles’ NFC championship victory is suing the team and police, claiming he didn’t strike the horse and he was beaten for no reason.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reports the lawsuit Andrew Tornetta filed Wednesday alleges assault and battery by the police and seeks damages in excess of $50 Dak Prescott Jersey ,000.
The 20-year-old Tornetta says as a result of the beating, his ”false” arrest and demonization in the media he has suffered ”physical pain, discomfort, trauma, humiliation, embarrassment, emotional distress” and sleeplessness.
The Eagles and city and state police say they won’t comment on pending legal action.
The Eagles’ 38-7 win over the Minnesota Vikings in January sent them to the Super Bowl, in which they beat the New England Patriots 41-33.
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Information from: The Philadelphia Inquirer, Womens Josh Rosen Jersey
Turns out, nothing to fear. The Colorado Avalanche just wanted to give their top scorer and Hart Trophy candidate a little rest Monday before embarking on the postseason.
Not many gave this team much of a chance to make the playoffs at the beginning of the year. Understandably so considering they were coming off a 48-point season. But here the Avalanche are, about to face the top-seeded Predators in the first round beginning Thursday in Nashville.
Colorado is rested, rejuvenated and carries a surge of momentum after needing to win its final game to secure its first postseason spot since 2013-14.
”We expect a lot from our group and know we can surprise a lot of people,” said captain Gabriel Landeskog, whose team finished the regular season with 95 points and matched the franchise record for wins at home with 28. ”This is when the fun begins.”
The type of turnaround the team has made doesn’t happen that often in the NHL world. The last time it occurred over an 82-game season was when Pittsburgh also improved by 47 points from 2005-06 (58) to `06-07 (105).
”We didn’t expect this in October, but as the season progressed our confidence grew and grew,” MacKinnon said recently after finishing with 39 goals and 58 assists to wind up fifth in scoring. ”For the last month we expected to make the playoffs. For it to actually happen is very satisfying.”
The turning point for coach Jared Bednar was in early December Stephen Hauschka Jersey , when his squad wrapped up a 1-4 homestand. A similar thing happened a year earlier and it sent the team into an unrecoverable downward spiral.
This time, it was different. The Avs found some traction and at the end of the month began a streak of 10 straight wins.
”The way (the players) handled that and responded there … starts making you a believer,” Bednar said. ”At that point, it became pretty clear we weren’t the same group and we’d push to the end of this thing.”
Still, they needed a 5-2 win over St. Louis in game No. 82, a winner-take-all affair, to secure their spot. For Bednar, it was one of his team’s best performances of the season.
”I want our guys to have fun Russell Shepard Jersey , embrace it and enjoy it,” Bednar said. ”But I want us to dig in and be highly competitive.”
Colorado will be without two key players for this series – defenseman Erik Johnson and goaltender Semyon Varlamov, who are both sidelined by knee injuries. Not only that, but the team has struggled this season against the Predators, going 0-3-1 and being outscored by a 17-8 margin.
”It’s not going to be an easy series. But if you want to get farther, you have to beat the best team and we start with the best team,” goaltender Jonathan Bernier said.
Avalanche players Colin Wilson, Gabriel Bourque and Samuel Girard all stepped up at a recent meeting and chatted about their ties with Nashville. They offered a little insight into the team they’re about to face.
”They all had some good things to say about their personnel Justin Reid Jersey ,” Bednar said. ”We have a lot of input from those guys.”
The Avalanche relish in the fact that just a year ago Nashville was the second wild-card team in the Western Conference and advanced all the way to the Stanley Cup final. They wouldn’t mind following that sort of path.
”It’s possible. It’s the playoffs. Anything can happen,” Landeskog said. ”It’s just a matter of taking it one day at a time, enjoying the journey and making sure you bring your best game at the best time.”
Bednar was asked if he thought there might be concerns over his team being content to merely be in the playoffs.
”They’re a hungry group. They want more,” Bednar said. ”I don’t mind being the underdog. It’s a good spot for our team. We’ve been feeling that way all year long, that we were an underdog to get into the playoffs. We’re here.”
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The New York Jets have signed their last two sixth-round draft picks in cornerback Parry Nickerson and defensive lineman Folorunso Fatukasi.
The signings Sunday leave just three of the Jets' six selections without contracts: quarterback Sam Darnold, the No. 3 overall pick; third-rounder Nathan Shepherd, a defensive lineman from Fort Hays State; and fourth-rounder Chris Herndon, a tight end from Miami.
Running back Trenton Cannon Dontari Poe Jersey , a sixth-rounder from Virginia State, was signed Friday.
Nickerson had 18 interceptions in 48 games at Tulane and is expected to contribute in the secondary and on special teams. Fatukasi had 14 sacks in 48 games at UConn and will add depth to the Jets' defensive line.
New York also announced it signed undrafted rookie linebackers Frankie Luvu and Anthony Wint, and waived cornerback Reggie Hall and defensive tackle Lord Hyeamang.
Jacob Evans JerseyOAKLAND RAIDERS (6-10)
OPEN CAMP: July 26 Lamar Miller Jersey , Napa, California
LAST YEAR: Raiders plummeted from 12 wins in 2016 to six last year as QB Derek Carr and offense regressed, defense struggled, and coach Jack Del Rio was fired. Oakland's offensive output dropped by more than seven points per game, takeaways fell from 30 to 14, and Raiders got almost no production from past three draft classes in becoming one of league's biggest disappointments. That led to move to bring coach Jon Gruden back for second stint with Raiders after spending past nine seasons in broadcast booth.
IMPORTANT ADDITIONS: Gruden, WR Jordy Nelson, WR Martavis Bryant, RB Doug Martin, LB Derrick Johnson Tom Waddle Jersey , CB Rashaan Melvin, S Marcus Gilchrist, LB Emmanuel Lamur, LB Tahir Whitehead, WR Ryan Switzer, OL Kolton Miller, DT Maurice Hurst, DE Arden Key.
IMPORTANT LOSSES: Del Rio, WR Michael Crabtree, RT Marshall Newhouse Kyle Long Jersey , LB NaVorro Bowman, CB TJ Carrie, CB Sean Smith, CB David Amerson, P Marquette King.
CAMP NEEDS: Biggest priority is getting 2016 Defensive Player of Year Khalil Mack into camp after he held out entire offseason while seeking long-term contract. Mack is entering final year of rookie deal and Gruden and new DC Paul Guenther are eager to get most important defensive piece on practice field. Other main issues are learning Gruden's system and figuring out offensive tackle situation with LT Donald Penn coming back from foot injury and rookies Miller and Brandon Parker battling Breno Giacomini for time.
EXPECTATIONS: Owner Mark Davis has wanted to bring back Gruden ever since taking over team seven years ago. He's hoping move pays off in team's final two seasons in Oakland before move to Las Vegas in 2020. Gruden is being counted on to bring out best from Carr, who went from MVP candidate in 2016 to mediocre last season as he dealt with injuries. His protection got worse and his receivers were inconsistent. Even if Gruden does manage to spark offense, defense will need to take big step forward for Raiders to get back into playoff contention.
Together again? Not so much.Janet Jackson has shut down any rumors that she will be joining Justin Timberlake during this year’s Super Bowl halftime show.
”To put to rest any speculation or rumors as to whether I will be performing at the Super Bowl tomorrow; I will not,” Jackson said in a statement released Saturday. ”Thank you for your support and I do look forward to seeing you all very soon.”
Timberlake is returning to the halftime show 14 years after a wardrobe malfunction with Jackson caused a national controversy. Timberlake was Jackson’s special guest during her performance at that year’s game and ripped off a piece of her clothing, revealing her nipple. Timberlake later described it as an unintended ”wardrobe malfunction.”
CBS, which aired that Super Bowl A'Shawn Robinson Jersey , was fined $550,000 by the Federal Communications Commission, but the fine later was overturned.
The hashtags (hash)JusticeforJanet and (hash)JanetJacksonAppreciationDay became trending topics on Twitter days before Timberlake’s record third trip to the stage at the Super Bowl, at which the Philadelphia Eagles will face the New England Patriots at the U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday.
At a press conference on Thursday, Timberlake mentioned Jackson’s name, along with Jay-Z and ‘NSync, when talking about rumored guests to join him onstage. He was not asked any direct questions about Jackson or the infamous wardrobe malfunction.
When the NFL announced late last year that Timberlake would be returning to the Super Bowl, the decision triggered a backlash from women, minorities and others who felt Jackson was unfairly forced to pay a far higher price than Timberlake faced. Some argued that Jackson, as a black woman Kurt Warner Jersey , fell victim to a racist and sexist double standard and received harsher treatment than Timberlake, as a white man, did, and they said he benefited from ”white male privilege.”
When asked during an interview last month if he and Jackson have since made peace, Timberlake said, ”Absolutely.”
He said he and Jackson have talked privately about what happened.
”I don’t know that a lot of people know that,” Timberlake said. ”I mean, I don’t think it’s my job to do that, because you value the relationships that you do have with people.”
George King Jersey