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Like any parent, she was full of emotions: pride, excitement – just a bundle of nerves.

But Rivers had somewhat of a parental advantage Sean Newcomb Jersey , she works for an NBA team, the Philadelphia 76ers. So when her son – who starred at Villanova – was taken by the 76ers with the 10th overall pick, she couldn’t believe it.

”It’s amazing” Rivers Cheap Marcus Davenport Jersey , vice president of human relations for the 76ers, said in an ESPN interview with her son sitting in front of her wearing a 76ers baseball cap after he was drafted. ”It’s an experience I’ll never forget. I’m so excited he’s coming home to be part of our Sixers family. It’s amazing.

”Go Sixers!”

Unfortunately, it was a fleeting moment Authentic Nick Nelson Jersey , thanks to the sometimes cruel business side of basketball.

The 76ers put a quick end to the fairy tale – hometown hero who led the local school to national championships and now about to join the surging hometown NBA team – by promptly trading Bridges, who they took with the 10th overall pick, to the Suns in a deal they felt was too good to pass up. Philadelphia got Zhaire Smith (the 16th overall pick) and a 2021 first-round pick for the rights to Bridges.

And though the storybook ending lasted only a few minutes for Rivers Lonnie Chisenhall Jersey , she and her son didn’t walk away empty handed.

After all, being a top-10 pick in the NBA draft is something to celebrate – in Philadelphia or Phoenix.

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Antti Raanta handled injuries Cheap Will Dissly Jersey , a scorpion infestation and a minor car wreck in his first year as a starting NHL goaltender.

Battling through all that earned him a three-year contract that makes him the Arizona Coyotes‘ franchise goalie for the foreseeable future. Raanta is scheduled to earn $12.75 million over the life of the deal that keeps him under contract through the 2020-21 season.

The 28-year-old Raanta is 21-16-6 with a 2.24 goals-against average and .930 save percentage in 46 games after three separate injuries threatened to derail his season. In 140 career games that included backing up with the Chicago Blackhawks and New York Rangers, the Finn has a 2.30 GAA and .922 save percentage.

”He stops the puck,” general manager John Chayka said on a conference call Friday. ”He just seems to, when he’s on, he’s locked in and he’s reading everything and making the game look easy. You put up his numbers both this season and over his career Randy Johnson Jersey , he’s a high, high-end goaltender in terms of stopping the puck.”

Raanta would have been an unrestricted free agent this summer. Instead, he’s glad to be in Arizona long term and hopes to earn another big contract when this one expires at age 32.

”I want to be playing a lot, I want to be playing at a really good level all the time and I want to get us in the playoff picture and I want to be successful in there, also Cheap Mike Remmers Jersey ,” Raanta said. ”I think getting the three-year deal, it’s perfect for everybody right now.”

With Raanta playing well and improvements under first-year coach Rick Tocchet, Arizona is 16-8-2 since Feb. 12 after losing 42 of its first 55 games. Raanta is 9-1-0 with a 1.30 GAA and .959 save percentage and two shutouts in his past 10 appearances.

That’s the play Chayka expected when the Coyotes acquired Raanta and center Derek Stepan from the New York Rangers last offseason in a trade that meant giving up the seventh overall pick and defensive prospect Anthony DeAngelo.

Tocchet said last month that he wished Raanta came into training camp in better shape, something Chayka alluded to.

”I have lots of confidence that he’s going to commit himself to being an NHL starter: taking care of your body and doing the right things to play 60-plus games,” Chayka said. ”I think this year was a great learning experience for him. I think he’s a dedicated guy. I think he’s understood what it takes now on a personal level for himself Authentic Mike White Jersey , what it’s like to be a starter.”

Raanta believes he can adjust his offseason preparations to be more prepared to go next season and beyond.

”I think it was kind of a growing process for me also – the first year playing a lot, being the No. 1 guy and it’s a big mental adjustment from being a backup to start playing more,” Raanta said. ”It’s going to be good for me to know what it takes to play lots of games and it’s going to be good for me to kind of see what I need to do more in the summertime, what I want to improve, and come back stronger next year.”

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No need to tell it to the Washington Capitals. They’ve spent 43 seasons chasing the elusive Cup, only to find an expansion team – of all things – in the way of finally ending the drought.

The battle for hockey supremacy heads to the nation’s capital all tied up 1-1 after a pair of games as entertaining as anything on the Las Vegas Strip. The goals keep coming and so do the hits, including one Wednesday night on Evgeny Kuznetsov that both knocked him out of the game and seemed to wake Washington out of its daze.

Their top playoff scorer out, the Caps rallied for three straight goals that stopped – at least for a moment – a team that has been virtually unstoppable throughout the playoffs.

”It galvanized us as a group,” Caps coach Barry Trotz said. ”I think it might be a turning point for us.”

On a night when Alex Ovechkin scored the first Stanley Cup Final goal of his 13-year NHL career to give the Caps a lead they somehow managed to hold onto even while being outplayed and outshot by the Knights in the third period, Washington won a final-round game for the first time ever to make the flight back home a lot sweeter.

For the Capitals it means service held, with the next two games in far friendlier confines at home.

For the Knights, it was a golden opportunity gone awry.

They were 7-1 in the playoffs at home Yovani Gallardo Jersey , 11-1 overall when scoring the first goal. So when James Neal scored barely eight minutes into the game, the party was on.

And then, suddenly, it was off. At least for now.

Credit some of that to the resilience of the Caps, who were down a goal when Kuznetsov was knocked out of the game. Give a tip of the hat to Ovechkin, too, who scored the go-ahead goal in the second period.

But when the story of this Cup Final is finally written it may hinge on a hit by Brayden McNabb on Kuznetsov as he had the puck along the boards late in the first period. McNabb slammed into Kuznetsov with a high check and Kuznetsov immediately bent over holding his arm with what appeared to be a wrist injury.

Another team might have folded in front of the raucous crowd of 18,702. But the Caps have been resilient all the way through the playoffs Francisco Liriano Jersey , and this game was no exception.

”It was all about commitment. We blocked shots and played for each other,” forward Nicklas Backstrom said. ”It’s good to win and go back to Washington.”

On a 98-degree day in Las Vegas, the action on the ice was as hot as the weather outside. The Knights dominated play at times and outshot the Caps 39-26, but could not deliver on a 5-on-3 power play in the scoreless third period.

When Alex Tuch was denied on a spectacular stick save with 1:59 to play by Braden Holtby, the Knights would not be lucky on this night in the biggest game of chance on the Strip. Their Game 1 win, after all, included the Caps’ Lars Eller missing a wide-open net from point-blank range in the final minutes.

”To me it was the hockey gods evening it up from the last game,” Trotz said. ”Once he made that save I knew we were going to win the game.”

Las Vegas pulled out all the stops to make the first two games as memorable off the ice as they have been on the ice. The Imagine Dragons – a Vegas Born group – sang just before the puck dropped and a flyover by the Air Force’s latest F-35 jets shook the building Authentic Kerryon Johnson Jersey , as did the applause later between periods when the pilots appeared in front of the Knight’s faux castle to cheer the team on.

But just as Game 1 seemed to shift in the Knights’ favor after Jonathan Marchessault was knocked to the ice on what appeared to be a late hit by Washington’s Tom Wilson, this game seemed to turn on that hit by McNabb with the Knights up 1-0.

Not only did Washington score three straight goals, one of them came from the player who must be spectacular if the Capitals are forced to play without Kuznetsov for any length of time in the finals.

Ovechkin has toiled for the Capitals since being picked first in the 2004 draft, but had never played in a Stanley Cup Final until Game 1 – and never scored in one until Wednesday.

”He’s the heart and soul of this team,” Washington defenseman John Carlson said. ”He does so much and doesn’t get credit. We love him to death. He’s our leader and it’s nice to see him get that big goal for us.”

For the Knights it was a rare whiff in a season like no other. They’ve been one of the great stories in sports, an expansion team in its first season playing for the championship of the NHL.

But every great story needs a great ending, and for the Knights to write one they’re now going to have to win at least one game on the road.

”It’s the Stanley Cup final, it’s little things Andrew Benintendi Jersey ,” said Knights forward Erik Haula. ”Nobody said it’s gonna be a 4-0 series. It’s gonna be ups and downs. We’ve been here before, we’ve been good on the road. Just put this behind us, just learn from your mistake.”

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Tim Dahlberg is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at tdahlberg(at)ap.org or . Adidas Corey Perry Jersey , Cheap Stephen Curry Jersey , Authentic Womens Tremaine Edmunds Jersey , Washington Redskins Elite Jerseys ,

Following the NBA draft on Thursday night, Cavs general manager Koby Altman said he has had positive discussions with the three-time champion’s group. James has until June 29 to tell the team if he will pick up his $35.6 million option for next season or become a free agent.

”We continue to have good dialogue with his management team,” Altman said. ”I think LeBron has more than earned the right to approach his contracts the way he does. He’s done that before, so this is nothing new for us. We want to respect his space during this process and I continue to have really good dialogue with his management team as he goes through that process.

”That’s probably all I can say at this point regarding him, but we don’t take him for granted. We love him [url=http://www.tampabaybuccaneersteamonline.com/m.j.-stewart-jersey]Authentic M.J. Stewart Jersey[/url] , this city loves him. He means the world to us and this franchise.”

James led the Cavs to their fourth straight NBA Finals this season, carrying a team that endured injuries and a roster overhaul at the trading deadline. Cleveland was swept by the Golden State Warriors, and following Game 4 the 33-year-old said he would weight family concerns and his desire to win more titles into his decision.

James has signed several short-term contracts since returning to the Cavs in 2014 after spending four seasons with Miami. After the Cavs won the championship in 2016, James signed a two-year contract with an option for this season.

The Cavs can offer him a five-year, $209 million deal this time. It’s possible James could choose to sign a one-year deal again with a player option and go through the free-agency dance again next summer.

To look more appealing to James [url=http://www.clevelandindiansteamshops.com/authentic-francisco-lindor-jersey]Francisco Lindor Jersey[/url] , the Cavs need to upgrade their roster and they took a significant step by selecting Alabama point guard Collin Sexton with the No. 8 overall pick. Sexton averaged 19.2 points as a freshman and he addresses the club’s biggest need – a playmaker to fill the void left when the Cavs traded All-Star Kyrie Irving last summer.

Altman hopes Sexton’s arrival will make the Cavs more attractive to James.

The 19-year-old lacks professional experience, but Altman pointed out that James dealt with that issue this season.

”He went through it this year a little bit with some of our young guys, especially in the playoffs,” Altman said. ”What’s amazing, he talks about this all the time – the best teacher is experience. And our young guys got some really good experience this year. And while it wasn’t consistent throughout the playoffs [url=http://www.clevelandindiansteamshops.com/authentic-andrew-miller-jersey]Andrew Miller Jersey[/url] , each guy had their moments. And we went through two Game 7s and got to a Finals, and that experience is a huge teacher for those guys.

”So that experience is amazing for them and their confidence level as they approach next year. And then Collin, we got to get there with experience as well. But like he (James) says, experience is the best teacher, and we gave those guys a great experience over 30 games and into the playoffs and into the Finals [url=http://www.chicagocubsteamshops.com/authentic-mark-grace-jersey]Mark Grace Jersey[/url] , and what does that mean for us moving forward, I think it’s all really positive.”[img]http://www.sndpic.com//nike_nfl_jerseys/nike_tampa_bay_buccaneers/nike_buccaneers_2691.jpg[/img]

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It’s been a week full of injuries Authentic Albert Wilson Jersey , as more and more pitchers hit the disabled list, making arms a premium once again for Fantasy owners.

He’s not a pitcher, but Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez headlines the list of injured players, as the catcher will miss 3-4 weeks for the second straight season.

There are names like John Hicks, Austin Romine, Tucker Barnhart and Tom Murphy who deserve to be owned in Sanchez’ absence. Now, let’s look at some pitchers to help hold down your rotation.

PLAYERS TO PICK UP

ZACH EFLIN, SP, Philadelphia Phillies (42 percent owned in Yahoo) – First it was Nick Pivetta, now it’s Zach Eflin. The Phillies are having pitchers who were no more than a healthy arm last season turn into legit standouts. Eflin increased his velocity this year, and he’s adding more swings and misses than a season ago. Like Pivetta Authentic Ronnie Harrison Jersey , it’s smart to grab him before everyone else in your league takes notice.

ZACK WHEELER, SP, New York Mets (12 percent) – Like Jacob deGrom earlier this season, the Mets struggle to win games for Wheeler. That’s OK, though, as he is holding his own as of late with a reasonable ERA and a good strikeout rate. He won’t live up to the prospect hype that he had when he was moving through the system, but he can be a useful pitcher for your Fantasy roster.

SHANE BIEBER, SP, Cleveland Indians (57 percent) – Bieber was thought to be a guy who wouldn’t register big strikeout numbers, but would help Fantasy owners out in ERA, WHIP and Wins. Well Authentic Cassius Marsh Jersey , in a small sample, he’s averaging more than a strikeout per inning. Add him wherever he’s available.

ADALBERTO MONDESI, OF, Kansas City Royals (1 percent) – Speed is hard to find. Kevin Kiermaier was a suggested pickup last week as a multi-category contributor, but Mondesi is a deep-league add if you’re desperate for speed.

TWO-START PITCHERS TO STREAM

BRENT SUTER, SP, Milwaukee Brewers (39 percent) – It’s not a great week for two-start pitchers, and Suter underachieved in a juicy matchup against the Royals on Wednesday. He’s worth running out again, though, as he gets the Twins and the Braves in a two-start matchup.

KYLE GIBSON, SP Matt Holliday Jersey , Minnesota Twins (34 percent) – Speaking of failing to capitalize, Gibson struggled against the White Sox on Wednesday. Forget that start, though, as he’s been a quality start machine this year. He’ll face a less-than-favorable team in the Brewers in his first start, but he’ll wrap the week up against Baltimore, who struggled mightily against right-handed pitching.

NATHAN EOVALDI, SP, Tampa Bay Rays (7 percent) – Eovaldi impressed this week against the Nationals, allowing just one hit over six innings. He has a date with the Marlins and Mets next week; both of which are terrific matchups.

HITTERS TO STREAM

SCOTT SCHEBLER, OF, Cincinnati Reds (22 percent) – Jesse Winker is starting to come around for the Reds Authentic Tyquan Lewis Jersey , but Schebler has been the 22nd-best outfielder in Yahoo leagues over the past 30 games as the leadoff hitter for the Reds.

LOGAN MORRISON, 1B, Minnesota Twins (13 percent) – The Twins have seven games next week in Milwaukee and against the Orioles‘ bad pitching staff. There’s only one lefty on the slate, which means Morrison is a sneaky streamer to get in your lineup.

ALEN HANSON, 2B/OF, San Francisco Giants (5 percent) – Hanson has been playing regularly for the Giants, and he’s a contributor across multiple categories, with his standout category being batting average. With three games in Colorado and four more against the all-of-the-sudden questionable St. Louis rotation, Hanson could fill the stat sheets for Fantasy owners.

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It won’t be cause for celebration.

Goodwin is a veteran of 165 NBA games Ivan Nova Jersey , has scored 20 points on 10 occasions, and had a monthlong stretch with Phoenix two years ago when he started and averaged 16 points per game while playing against a slew of All-Stars in that span.

He thinks he’s proven.

The rest of the league doesn’t see it the same way. So he’s back in the NBA Summer League – where, after scoring six points for Portland on Saturday in the Trail Blazers’ 93-78 win over the Utah Jazz, he moved within 13 points of matching Coby Karl’s record for the Las Vegas event. Karl scored 337 points. Goodwin is up to 324, according to data compiled by RealGM.

”It comes with the job,” Goodwin said. ”My world is just different. I’m just trying to stay positive and continue to fight, looking for a chance to show how I can help a team.”

Saturday was Day 2 of the Summer League in Las Vegas, with a matchup between No. 1 pick Deandre Ayton and No. 2 Marvin Bagley III headlining a 10-game schedule. More 10-game slates await on Sunday and Monday, and the tournament runs through July 17.

Most guys in Vegas are playing for the first or second time. Goodwin is playing in the event for the fifth time.

Drafted No. 29 overall by Oklahoma City in 2013, Goodwin has gotten NBA time with Phoenix, Brooklyn and New Orleans. He appeared in five preseason games with Portland last season as well, but doesn’t even have as much as a training camp deal for this fall.

”I’m a resilient person,” Goodwin said. ”That speaks to how I was raised that way, to never give up on my dreams. Hopefully the right situation pops up.”

Goodwin was one of the best guards in the G League last season, averaging 19 points on 53 percent shooting.

”I feel like I’m not getting a fair shake Saints Cheap Jerseys ,” Goodwin said. ”But that’s how it is. That’s my motivation. I’m going to keep knocking at the door and hopefully someone realizes that this kid – I’m only 23 years old – can help a team and bring a lot of value to a team.”

Charlotte’s Malik Monk (fractured thumb) and Philadelphia rookie Landry Shamet (sprained right ankle) were both hurt Friday and will miss the remainder of Summer League, their teams announced. The Hornets said Monk, a second-year guard, would be re-evaluated in six to eight weeks.

Saturday’s summaries:

SUNS 71, KINGS 63

Top pick Deandre Ayton scored 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting and grabbed 12 rebounds for Phoenix (2-0). Davon Reed added 12 points and Josh Jackson scored 10. Dragan Bender, the fourth overall selection in the 2016 draft, was scoreless on 0-for-5 shooting. Harry Giles had 17 points, six rebounds and five steals for Sacramento (0-1). Marvin Bagley III, the No. 2 pick, had 15 points and seven rebounds.

LAKERS 96, 76ERS 79

Josh Hart made 9 of 15 from the field, including 4 of 8 from 3-point range, and finished with 24 points for Los Angeles (1-0). Moritz Wagner, a first-round pick in last month’s draft, had 16 points Luis Gonzalez Jersey , eight rebounds, three steals and two blocks. Second-round selection Svi Mykhailiuk added 17 points and nine boards. First-round pick Zhaire Smith had 16 points and three steals for Philadelphia (0-2). Cameron Oliver added 12 points, eight rebounds, three steals and two blocks.

KNICKS 91, HAWKS 89

Kevin Knox, the ninth overall selection in last month’s draft, led New York (1-0) with 22 points and eight rebounds. Troy Williams added 17 points and Allonzo Trier, who went undrafted out of Arizona, had 15 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals. John Collins scored 30 points, hitting 4 of 7 from 3-point range, and Tyler Dorsey added 15 points and 14 rebounds for Atlanta (0-1). No. 5 pick Trae Young had 21 points and 11 assists.

TRAIL BLAZERS 93, JAZZ 78

Wade Baldwin IV scored 20 points for Portland (1-0), which got 16 points from Gary Trent Jr. and 13 rebounds from Caleb Swanigan. Grayson Allen Justin Bour Jersey , Georges Niang and Tony Bradley all scored 16 for Utah (0-1). Allen struggled again from the field just as he did in two summer games at Salt Lake City earlier in the week, shooting 6 for 17, but added six rebounds and five assists.

PACERS 86, SPURS 76

TJ Leaf scored 17 for Indiana, which took control by outscoring San Antonio 22-8 in the third quarter. CJ Wilcox added 13 for the Pacers (1-1). Derrick White scored 19 for the Spurs (0-1), who got 15 points from Lonnie Walker IV.

PELICANS 110, HEAT 84

Trevon Bluiett was 10-of-16 shooting, including 6 of 10 from 3-point range, and had 26 points to lead New Orleans (2-0). The guard out of Xavier, who went undrafted last month, has scored 50 points, including 12 3s, in two Las Vegas Summer League games. Walter Lemon Jr. had 19 points, eight rebounds and nine assists, Cliff Alexander added 15 points and Cheick Diallo scored 14 for the Pelicans. Duncan Robinson scored 18 points Cheap Brian Allen Jersey , hitting 4-of-6 3-pointers, and Jarrod Jones had 15 points and 12 rebounds for Miami (0-1).

THUNDER 90, NETS 76

Deonte Burton scored 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting and Daniel Hamilton had 12 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for Oklahoma City (1-1), which won for the first time in Las Vegas after 11 consecutive losses. Theo Pinson, who went undrafted last month out of North Carolina, led Brooklyn (0-2) with 16 points, Yuta Watanabe scored 13 and James Webb III added 12.

GRIZZLIES 73, PISTONS 70

Wayne Selden scored 20 points and first-round pick Jaren Jackson Jr. had 12 points, eight rebounds and four blocks for Memphis (1-0). Kobi Simmons added 12 points and Deyonta Davis scored 1. Christian Yelich Jersey Womens , Le'Veon Bell Jersey , Adidas Shayne Gostisbehere Jersey , Authentic Womens Russell Bodine Jersey ,

Editors:

To help you with planning for the NHL Draft in Dallas on June 22-23 and NHL free agency on July 1 Cheap Phillip Gaines Jersey , here are some of our coverage plans. Please direct questions to Dave Zelio (dzelio(at)ap.org). Plans subject to change. This digest will be updated. All times Eastern.

TUESDAY, JUNE 19

HKN–OFFSEASON PRIMER

A jump in the salary cap from Vegas’ success sets the bar for what could be an eventful offseason with John Tavares, Erik Karlsson and others potentially on the move and another goaltending carousel getting ready to turn. By Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno. SENT: 650 words, photos.

– HKN–HOFFMAN TRADED. Winger Mike Hoffman ends up in Florida as Senators try to resolve an ugly off-ice issue involving star defenseman Erik Karlsson. By Stephen Whyno. SENT: 640 words, photos.

HKN–NHL DRAFT-STAGNANT SABRES

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Holding the No. 1 pick in the NHL draft, the Buffalo Sabres are once again in position to put a stop to a decade-long freefall. The troubles began with losing co-captains Chris Drury and Daniel Briere in free agency in 2007, the woes were compounded by poor drafts, numerous questionable high-priced signings and multiple management shuffles. By Hockey Writer John Wawrow. UPCOMING: 700 words Authentic Byron Maxwell Jersey , photos by 6 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20

HKN–NHL DRAFT-DAHLIN

Sweden’s Rasmus Dahlin is expected to become just the third defenseman to be picked No. 1 overall in the NHL draft, a smooth-skating, play-making blue liner with all sorts of promise to live up with the unusual hype. By Hockey Writer Larry Lage. UPCOMING: 660 words, photos by 6 p.m.

THURSDAY, JUNE 21

HKN–SUMMER OF OVI

The past 10 years, Alex Ovechkin went into the offseason facing questions about not being able to win and criticism of not being able to get it done. He is now a playoff MVP and Stanley Cup winner and his epic Stanley Cup celebration will stretch well into the summer. There’s work ahead, too: With three years left on his contract, it’s another important offseason in which he can’t slack off. He will have a new head coach Sammy Sosa Jersey , too. By Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno. UPCOMING: 750 words, photos by 4 p.m.

HKN–NHL DRAFT

DALLAS – The action at the NHL draft is expected to start at the third pick if Buffalo takes Swedish defenseman Rasmus Dahlin first and Carolina goes with Russian forward Andrei Svechnikov as many expect. Brady Tkachuk and Quinn Hughes are among the Americans expected to go in the top 10. By Stephen Hawkins. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos by 6 p.m.

– Other spot coverage for pre-draft activities in Dallas on merit.

FRIDAY, JUNE 22

HKN–NHL DRAFT

DALLAS – Defenseman Rasmus Dahlin is expected by many to be the No. 1 pick in a deep NHL draft that includes Andrei Svechnikov, Filip Zadina, Adam Boqvist, Brady Tkachuk and Vitali Kravtsov among the top prospects. By Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno. UPCOMING: 750 words, photos. Draft begins at 7:30 p.m.

– Other separates on merit.

SATURDAY, JUNE 23

HKN–NHL DRAFT

DALLAS – The NHL draft wraps up in Dallas with rounds two through seven. By Stephen Whyno. UPCOMING: 650 words Mike Piazza Jersey , photos. Draft resumes at 11 a.m.

– Other separates on merit.

SUNDAY, JUNE 24

HKN–DRAFT-WINNERS & LOSERS

DALLAS – Analyzing the teams that made out the best and worst from trades and picks at the NHL draft. By Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno. UPCOMING: 600 words photos by 5 a.m.

MONDAY, JUNE 25

HKN–FREE AGENCY-LOOKAHEAD

DALLAS – Movement at the NHL draft sets the stage for one of the most active free agency periods in recent history with John Tavares, John Carlson and others available. They can start speaking with other teams Monday ahead of the market opening July 1. By Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos by 5 a.m.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27

HKN–FREE AGENCY-THINGS TO KNOW

The New York Rangers are expected to be among the most active teams in free agency with a boatload of salary-cap space and aging goaltender Henrik Lundqvist. But they won’t be the only team looking to find top-end talent in a rare free agent pool full of it. By Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno. UPCOMING: 600 words, file photos by 5 a.m.

FRIDAY, JUNE 29

HKN–FREE AGENCY-NAMES TO WATCH

NHL free agency is top heavy, and the price will be high for forward John Tavares and defenseman John Carlson if the New York Islanders and Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals can’t keep them off the market. By Hockey Writer Larry Lage. UPCOMING: 600 words Authentic Chukwuma Okorafor Jersey , photos by 6 p.m.

SATURDAY, JUNE 30

HKN–FREE AGENCY-GOLDEN KNIGHTS

The Vegas Golden Knights are among the NHL teams with the most salary cap space, giving the Western Conference champions some chips to put on the table in a bid to get back to the Stanley Cup Final. By Hockey Writer Larry Lage. UPCOMING: 600 words, photos by noon.

SUNDAY, JULY 1

HKN–FREE AGENCY RDP

John Tavares, John Carlson and a host of other players could be in play as free agency opens in the NHL. By Hockey Writer John Wawrow. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos by 7 p.m. Developing from free agency opening at noon.

With:

– HKN–FREE AGENCY-THE LATEST, real time updates throughout the day.

– Team separates on merit.

AP Sports

Russell Westbrook is averaging a triple-double Clay Buchholz Jersey , so he gets plenty of attention. Ricky Rubio just had a triple-double , earning him some time in the headlines. Donovan Mitchell has been great in his first three playoff games, so the fascination with the rookie star is only growing.

It’s easy to notice those guys.

Rudy Gobert should be getting noticed as well.

Utah is taking a 2-1 lead into their Western Conference first-round series against Oklahoma City on Monday night, and Gobert is probably as responsible for the Jazz being in that position than anyone. He’s controlling the backboards, he’s changing shots, he’s thwarting Westbrook and he’s showing why he’s the likely Defensive Player of the Year.

”It makes the guards’ jobs a lot easier,” Mitchell said of the French safety net with the 7-foot-9 wingspan who protects the rim for the Jazz. ”You feel more secure on the wing. … The whole season, I’ve been saying if somebody gets by me, it’s like, `All right Christian Arroyo Jersey , go ahead, try it. Because I’ve tried it. And it doesn’t work.”

Westbrook probably would agree: He’s 1 for 7 in this series with Gobert waiting at the rim for him.

There’s two Game 4s on the schedule Monday, with Houston at Minnesota leading off before the Oklahoma City-Utah game. The Rockets fell in Game 3 to the Timberwolves on Saturday, but still lead that series 2-1.

Westbrook is not happy, and the reigning NBA MVP wasted little time in vowing that things will be different in Game 4. He was talking about slowing down Rubio, but he might be better served getting himself going again. Going back to the regular season, Westbrook hasn’t shot better than 40 percent in any of his last six games – the worst such streak of his career.

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Here’s a look at Monday’s games:

ROCKETS AT TIMBERWOLVES

Rockets lead 2-1. Game 4, 8 p.m. EDT, TNT.

NEED TO KNOW: The Timberwolves bounced back from a 20-point loss in Game 2 with a sellout-crowd-inspired 16-point victory over the Rockets in Game 3 that was the franchise’s first win in the playoffs since 2004. Jimmy Butler had 28 points and Karl-Anthony Towns had 18 points and 16 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who were more aggressive than they were in Games 1 and 2. ”I felt like they outworked us Authentic Derwin James Jersey , and that should never happen,” Rockets guard Gerald Green said.

KEEP AN EYE ON: The Rockets shooting 3-pointers. They needed 41 attempts to make 15 behind the arc in Game 3, as many as the Wolves swished in 27 tries. Harden was just 3 for 8, his rainbows often drifting to the left, as the Wolves kept up what has been a better-than-usual defensive performance in this series. ”We’re just making it harder on them, making them take tough shots and just trying to find ways to stop a high-powered offense,” Towns said.

PRESSURE IS ON: Rockets center Clint Capela. After a 24-poin/t, 12-rebound production in Game 1, Capela had only seven points on six shots in Game 3. On the other end of the court, Towns finally got going after two bad games thanks in part to Capela’s defense. The Rockets could use a strong response from the Swiss standout in the attempt to keep the Wolves from tying the series.

INJURY UPDATE: Butler Authentic Mike Gesicki Jersey , who missed a total of 21 games this season due to trouble with his right knee, clutched his left ankle in pain after twisting it late in the first half of Game 3. He didn’t miss any time, though, and didn’t even acknowledge the injury when asked about it in his postgame interview. ”At the end of the day if you tell your mind it doesn’t hurt, it doesn’t,” Butler said.

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THUNDER AT JAZZ

Jazz leas 2-1. Game 4, 10:30 p.m. EDT, TNT.

NEED TO KNOW: Utah has won each of its last five first-round series as the No. 5 seed, and the Jazz are halfway to extending that streak. The crowd in Salt Lake City was extremely loud on Saturday and will likely be again on Monday. The Thunder are 5-6 in their last 11 games, and no one needs to remind them of how low the success rate is for teams that go down 3-1 in a series.

KEEP AN EYE ON: Carmelo Anthony and Russell Westbrook from deep. Paul George has been great from 3-point range (15 for 31) in the three games Authentic Albert Wilson Jersey , but Westbrook and Anthony are a combined 9 for 31. The Thunder need to get something going consistently from the perimeter to soften up Utah’s stout interior defense.

PRESSURE IS ON: Utah. Most would think it’s the team trailing that would feel the most pressure, but Utah has a chance to take total command of the series. A loss would be doubly deflating; not only would the Jazz lose home-court, but they would go back to Oklahoma City for Game 5 with the Thunder thinking they have control of the matchup.

INJURY UPDATE: Westbrook was getting treatment on some sort of upper-body issue in Game 3 and was coy about it afterward, pointing out that most players are ailing at this time of year. But if he’s limited in any way, that’s obviously a huge problem for the Thunder.

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AP Sports Writer Dave Campbell in Minneapolis contributed to this report

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Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel banked in goals off Craig Anderson minutes apart in the second period Cheap Danny Shelton Jersey , 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 got 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.

Anderson finished with 19 saves but was beaten twice from behind the goal line in the second period as the Senators lost for the ninth time in 11 games.

Ottawa and Pittsburgh met in the Eastern Conference finals 10 months ago, with the Penguins winning on an overtime goal in Game 7 before going on to beat Nashville for their second straight Cup. The Senators hoped it would be a springboard to becoming perennial contenders. Instead they will miss the postseason for the third time in five years.

DUCKS 5, STARS 3

ANAHEIM Fernando Valenzuela Jersey , Calif. (AP) – Jakob Silfverberg had a goal and two assists to help Anaheim keep up its surge toward the postseason with its ninth win in 11 games.

Josh Manson and Andrew Cogliano each had a goal and an assist for the Ducks, who leapfrogged the Los Angeles Kings by one point for third place in the Pacific Division. The playoff-bound rivals have been trading the spot down the stretch, and the race will go down to the last day of the regular season.

Rickard Rakell and Derek Grant also scored for Anaheim before Cogliano got a key breakaway goal with 5:25 to play. Ryan Miller made 23 saves to win his second straight start in place of John Gibson. Miller also earned the 369th victory of his NHL career, tying Tom Barrasso for second among U.S.-born goaltenders.

Jamie Benn had a goal and an assist, and Marc Methot and Radek Faksa also scored for Dallas. Mike McKenna stopped 28 shots in his second appearance of the season.

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TAMPA, Fla. (AP) – Nikita Kucherov became the second player in the NHL to reach 100 points this season, and Tampa Bay took a two-point lead for the Eastern Conference and Atlantic Divisiion lead.

Kucherov scored in the first period and got his 100th point assisting on Dan Girardi’s goal 1:04 into the second that put the Lightning up 4-2. Edmonton’s Connor McDavid tops the league with 106 points. According to the NHL, this is the first season since 2009-10 with multiple 100-point players.

The Lightning got two goals from Anthony Cirelli, while Yanni Gourde Cheap M.J. Stewart Jersey , Brayden Point and Victor Hedman also scored. Alex Killorn had three assists and Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 27 shots.

Casey Mittelstadt and Alexander Nylander each got his first NHL goal for the last-place Sabres. Jason Pominville, Jordan Nolan and Kyle Okposo also scored for Buffalo, and Chad Johnson had 27 saves.

BLUES 4, BLACKHAWKS 1

CHICAGO (AP) – Patrik Berglund scored three times, including a tiebreaking rebound goal in the third period Cheap D.J. Fluker Jersey , and St. Louis moved into position for the last Western Conference wild card.

Carter Hutton made 19 saves as St. Louis stopped a three-game slide. Jaden Schwartz also scored in the third after an ugly turnover by the Blackhawks.

The Blues (44-31-6) moved one point ahead of the idle Avalanche (42-30-9) heading into their finale in Colorado on Saturday night. St. Louis has won three of four against Colorado this season.

Erik Gustafsson scored for Chicago, and Jean-Francois Berube made 31 saves. The last-place Blackhawks (33-38-10) finished with an 18-18-5 record at home.

The stakes are high since a 30-second spot costs more than $5 million for airtime alone. The goal is to capture the attention of the more than 110 million viewers expected to tune in to the big game on Feb. 4 – ideally by striking an emotional chord with the game audience that will rub off on brands.

Next best: Simply drawing attention, even if an ad offends some people. Worst of all? Being forgotten immediately.

”More people will see me in this than they have in the last three movies I’ve made,” actor and comedian Bill Hader (“Trainwreck”) muses in a teaser for Pringles’ first Super Bowl spot.

MEASURING THE MOOD

Each year, Super Bowl ads offer a snapshot of the national psyche. Last year, just after President Donald Trump took office, ads offered themes of inclusion. Airbnb showed faces of different ethnicities with the copy ”We all belong,” and Coke re-ran an ad featuring ”America the Beautiful” sung in different languages.

This year, following a year of heated debate over immigration Blake Treinen Jersey , NFL players taking a knee during the national anthem and the #MeToo movement highlighting sexual misconduct, many Super Bowl advertisers are playing it safer by showcasing famous faces, focusing on inoffensive causes and trying to stand out with silly humor and stunts. Of course, a few are going straight for whatever will grab attention.

GOING LOW

Most people remember the 2004 Super Bowl for the infamous ”wardrobe malfunction” when Justin Timberlake ripped off part of Janet Jackson’s shirt during the halftime performance. But it also featured an unusually large number of tasteless ads, including crotch and fart jokes by Sierra Mist, Budweiser and Bud Light and the now-famous Cialis ad that warned about erections lasting longer than four hours.

Advertisers largely dialed it back afterward, excepting a 2009 Doritos ad that included a snowglobe-in-the-crotch joke. But this year, Justin Timberlake returns to the Super Bowl … and so does sock-it-to-the-lower-body humor.

Groupon’s ad Cheap Marshall Newhouse Jersey , for instance, stars Tiffany Haddish asking people to support local businesses – then cuts to a wealthy man who plots to crush small businesses, only to double over after players nail him with a kicked football.

Groupon insists the man isn’t hit in the groin, although the ad video is ambiguous. ”The crotch hit is the lowest thing in the book,” Advertising Age columnist Barbara Lippert said in a phone interview. ”I was hoping it was retired forever.”

The Groupon ad is also notable for its distinctly anti-1 percenter tone. ”We think the vast majority of consumers will appreciate the over-the-top comeuppance our `villain’ receives,” said Jon Wild, Groupon’s head of marketing for North America.

An ad for Febreze air freshener goes all in for toilet humor. It presents a pseudo-documentary about a boy whose ”bleep doesn’t stink,” alluding to a profane phrase that commonly refers to people who are full of … themselves.

THE RICH AND FAMOUS

It wouldn’t be a Super Bowl without celebrities chugging sugary drinks and hawking junk food. Cindy Crawford will reprise an iconic 1992 Super Bowl spot for Pepsi. The beverage maker will also feature Peter Dinklage and Morgan Freeman in linked ads for new versions of Doritos and Mountain Dew.

In a Pringles ad Authentic Saquon Barkley Jersey , Bill Hader has a snack on set and introduces a made-up practice dubbed ”flavor stacking,” in which the actor stacks together different Pringles varieties. M&Ms has released a teaser showing Danny DeVito dressed as an M&M being dunked in chocolate.

For a non-snacking celebrity appearance, Squarespace hired a bearded Keanu Reeves and sat him by a campfire to tout its web hosting services.

AIMING FOR THE HEART

Other advertisers are aiming straight for warm and fuzzy, figuring it’s best to bet on ”things that are universally liked,” said Kelly O’Keefe, managing director of Virginia Commonwealth University’s Brandcenter.

NBC created five cinematic 60-second ads showcasing Olympic athletes to drum up excitement for the Winter Olympics, which start airing starting four days after the Super Bowl. The ads showcase Americans athletes such as skier Lindsey Vonn and figure skater Nathan Chen.

An Anheuser-Busch ad shows a Budweiser brewery producing cans of water instead of beer, highlighting the brewer’s donation of drinking water to places in need. Its Stella Artois brand also teamed with Matt Damon to sell a limited edition beer glass Authentic Kyzir White Jersey , with proceeds also targeted at providing access to water.

Lexus is promoting its new LS 500 luxury sedan, which it is aiming at a 45-to-55-year-old demographic, with an action spot starring the Black Panther, a Marvel superhero.

STUNT MARKETING

Recent Super Bowl ad stunts have yielded mixed results. Snickers isn’t returning to the game this year after a live spot last year fell flat. But marketers aren’t giving up.

Tide, which last year did a fake-out ad with Terry Bradshaw that appeared to be commentary during the game, will be back with Bradshaw this year.