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The preseason, though, will be his chance to shine, beginning Saturday night when the Cardinals play at home against the Los Angeles Chargers.

"We want him to play quite a bit and really get into the flow of the game," coach Steve Wilks said.

Rosen said his two weeks of training camp have "gone really well."

"I think I've gotten better pretty much every day since I've gotten here," the former UCLA star said before Wednesday' practice.

Sam Bradford is Arizona's starter but the Cardinals view Rosen as their franchise quarterback of the future. Why else would they have moved up five spots in the draft to pluck him 10th overall?

Asked for specific areas of improvement since he became a pro, Rosen cites "a bunch of things."

"The most tangible is probably the playbook," he said. "I feel a lot more comfortable and fluid with it at the line of scrimmage. I'm focusing more and more with what the defense is trying to do to me rather than making sure I get the right snap count and in the right protection."

He said he's also picking up "the little things on how to use the double-cadence to try and buy yourself time and get someone offside Trent Murphy Jersey , just little tricks of the trade I didn't know when I was in college."

From the beginning Bradford and Rosen seem to have gotten along well.

"Sam's actually really good with all those little things," Rosen said. "He's a crafty vet and very successful for a lot of different reasons. He might not share every reason with me, but I'll take advantage of the ones that he does."

Bradford said Rosen "asks the right questions."

"He's hungry for information," Bradford said. "It seems like he's always trying to learn something. It doesn't stop in the meeting rooms. Even at the dinner table he'll ask me.

"It's fun to be around someone like that and to hopefully try to be able to help him. I share with him some of the experiences I've had, some of the things I've learned over the years. Hopefully it can relate to him and can help him in some way."

Wilks wouldn't say how much Rosen will play on Saturday night but it will be long enough to do some serious evaluation.

"The mechanics of really running the offense," Wilks said, "putting guys in the right position from a protection standpoint, going through his progression and reads and really just trying to detail the fundamentals."

Rosen is running second on the depth chart Braxton Miller Jersey , ahead of Mike Glennon, who also figures to play a lot Saturday.

Early in camp, Rosen said he was thinking too much.

"I think I've gotten a lot better since then and continue to each day," he said. "The less thinking you can do, the more you can allow yourself to physically do what I've been doing since Pop Warner, and play the game I know."

As a big-name rookie quarterback, Rosen knows his every move will be scrutinized by fans and critics.

"It's part of the game," he said. "I stay relatively offline for the most part. The most pressure I feel from anyone is myself. I'm very John Johnson Jersey , very highly self-critical, almost too much at times. There's no pressure that should be greater than my own."

There's no changing his throwing style either, which includes an occasional sidearm toss on a bubble screen.

"It's not just how hard or far you can throw it," Rosen said. "It's being able to change your arm slot and delivery. I think Aaron (Rodgers) is the best at it because sort of like mid-throw, your ability to throw sidearm to fit a quick screen in there or just kind of contort your body to get halfback screens and stuff in there."

No one has tried to alter that style, he said.

"They drafted me for what I can do and I'm here to deliver that," Rosen said.

He said he's made preparation for the NFL a day-by-day process.

"Right now I'm fully in work mode," he said. "I'm trying to be the best that I can be and over the course of my career I'm trying to win Super Bowls. And right now I'm trying to put my best foot forward in this preseason game."

Running backs coach Duce Staley, who also interviewed for the offensive coordinator position, will add assistant head coach to his title. Press Taylor will replace John DeFilippo as quarterbacks coach.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity Tuesday because the team hadn't officially announced the moves.

Groh replaces Frank Reich, who left the Super Bowl champions to become head coach for Indianapolis. DeFilippo left to become Minnesota's offensive coordinator.

Groh joined the Eagles last season and helped a receiver corps that included newcomers Alshon Jeffery, Torrey Smith and Mack Hollins. He also played a role in Nelson Agholor's improvement.

Taylor had been Philadelphia's offensive quality control and assistant quarterbacks coach.

There’s something magical about the ride the expansion Vegas Golden Knights have been on all season and now it’s going all the way to the Western Conference Final.

Fleury made 28 saves in his fourth shutout of the playoffs and the Golden Knights have made it to the NHL’s final four in their inaugural season after beating the San Jose Sharks 3-0 in Game 6 of their second-round series Sunday.

”It was maybe a little bit of a shock, but I’m proud of our team, our organization, the way they did things here,” Fleury said. ”I’m proud to be where we are right now.”

Fleury, who was part of three Stanley Cup-winning teams in Pittsburgh, is a main reason for the success. He allowed just three goals in a first-round sweep against Los Angeles, posted shutouts in Games 1 and 6 against the Sharks and was also spectacular in an overtime win in Game 3.

He had plenty of help from a crew of castoffs who have come together in Vegas to form a team that has a legitimate shot at a championship. Vegas next will play either Winnipeg or Nashville in the Western Conference Final. The Jets lead that series 3-2 heading into Game 6 on Monday night.

”We deserve to be here,” coach Gerard Gallant said. ”We’re a good team, we play hard and we played well all season long. The two teams we played were very good hockey teams and we were very evenly matched with those teams.”

Jonathan Marchessault opened the scoring, Nate Schmidt added an insurance goal that was only detectable by replay and Cody Eakin sealed it with an empty-netter to help Vegas become just the third team in NHL history to win multiple series in its first season.

The Toronto Arenas won the Stanley Cup in the first postseason in league history in 1918 and St. Louis won two rounds to win the all-expansion West Division in 1968.

The Sharks had numerous opportunities all night but were thwarted by a couple of shots that hit the iron, some acrobatic saves from Fleury and other chances that trickled just wide. This marked the fourth straight postseason for the Sharks that ended with a loss on home ice.

”It’s very disappointing Brian Urlacher Jersey , you get this far and lose, it’s disappointing,” Sharks forward Logan Couture said. ””It’s extra disappointing when you don’t play the way that you know that you’re capable of. … That’s something that’s very difficult to take.”

The Golden Knights took control of this game with some good fortune in the second period. It started when usually reliable Marc-Edouard Vlasic turned the puck over in his own zone. Reilly Smith took control near the blue line and found Marchessault alone in front for a goal that trickled between Martin Jones‘ pads.

The Golden Knights then added to the lead after an icing by Brent Burns led to an offensive zone faceoff. David Perron beat Tierney on the draw and Schmidt took a shot that appeared to deflect off the post and out.

Play went on for 25 more seconds before the buzzer rang, with the situation room in Toronto calling for a video review. That quickly showed that the puck bounced off the post, off a piece equipment inside the net and out.

Vegas then had a delayed celebration for the goal that made it 2-0.

”I had no idea,” Schmidt said. ”I’d never seen something like that happen where they blew the play dead, but when I was skating back to the bench and all the guys were yelling, `It’s in.”’

That was the type of bounce the Sharks didn’t get early in the game when they hit the post or crossbar three times in the opening period and then again in the third when they tried to cut into Vegas’ lead.

They also had several other chances that either Fleury turned aside with acrobatic saves, trickled just wide or they were unable to get a clean shot, like a rebound Couture whiffed on from the slot in the first period with an open net.

”It’s a fine line,” coach Peter DeBoer said. ”I think we had a couple of those that didn’t go in. That’s hockey. But Vegas deserves to be moving on. They played great. They finished the chances when they needed to and got saves when they needed to.”

NOTES: Jones made 30 saves. … Vegas F William Carrier was scratched with a lower-body injury and replaced by Ryan Reaves, who played his first game this postseason.

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VANCOUVER John Kelly Jersey , British Columbia — If any game ever fit the description of a trap game, this one does.

The Anaheim Ducks (39-24-13) will try to make their Pacific Division playoff hopes more secure Tuesday night as they visit the future-focused Vancouver Canucks (27-40-9). In other words, the Ducks will be trying to ensure that they do not become lackadaisical and allow the Canucks to play a part in spoiling their postseason aspirations.

In theory, the Ducks should not be overly worried. They have won five of their past six games.

“We’re sticking with it,” Ducks forward Adam Henrique told The Orange County Register in reference to the team’s work ethic. “It’s not always pretty but good teams find ways to get points and get wins. Right now, that’s all that really matters.”

He hopes the Ducks defense will continue its trend of providing offense. In their last game, defenseman Hampus Lindholm scored 1:21 into overtime to help the Ducks erase two third-period deficits to beat the Oilers 5-4 in Edmonton.

“As soon as our D start moving pucks, we help our forwards out a lot and I think that creates a lot of offense for us and that’s something we have to keep doing more,” Henrique told reporters.

The Ducks will also likely lean heavily on their strong goaltending. Starter John Gibson has posted five wins in his last six games and reached the 30-victory plateau Sunday. In case coach Randy Carlyle wants to give Gibson a rest, he will be comfortable with former Canuck Ryan Miller between the pipes.

The Ducks hope to end a strong road trip with a win over the woeful Canucks, who earned only their second win in the past 10 games when they beat the Stars by a convincing 4-1 count in Dallas on Sunday.

But the Canucks and their fans will likely be thinking more about the future and their fans after highly touted prospect Adam Gaudette signed a three-year National Hockey League entry contract with the club Monday following the completion of his college season with the Northeastern Huskies.

“Adam has had a remarkable season and college career playing at Northeastern,” said Canucks general manager Jim Benning in a release. “He’s a very talented player and has shown an ability to score Sammie Coates Jersey , make plays and contribute in all situations at the collegiate level. We’re excited to have him join our team and continue his development as a professional.”

It remains to be seen whether Gaudette, a 21-year-old Braintree, Mass., native will play Tuesday or later in the week. Gaudette was originally drafted by Vancouver in the fifth round, 149th overall in 2015.

Despite the late selection, he led the NCAA in scoring with 60 points (30-30-60) in 38 games with the Northeastern and is a finalist for the Hoby Baker award. He ranked first in the NCAA in goals (30), points per game (1.58) and power-play points (27). In addition, the 6-foot-1 and 184-pound center was named the 2018 Hockey East Player of the Year, the Beanpot tournament MVP and garnered several other monthly and weekly accolades.

In 116 career games for Northeastern from 2015 to 2018, Gaudette registered 142 points (68-74-142) — numbers that greatly appeal to the offensively challenged Canucks. The question now is whether he can produce at the NHL level. But former Northeastern linemate Dylan Sikura, a Chicago Blackhawks prospect, thinks he can.

“He’s a good team guy — every night you know what you’re getting from him Jamie Collins Jersey ,” Sikura told Postmedia. “It’s his passion for the game. He’s pretty uncanny, and I don’t think there are a lot of guys in the NCAA who like putting the puck in the back of the net like he does.

“Every night he brings the heat. He leads by example in the way he plays — a full 200-foot game, and he’ll block shots and do the little things to help the team out.”

Gaudette will be measured against injured Canucks rookie Brock Boeser, who exceled in nine games with Vancouver after signing out of college last spring and encroached 60 points this season before he was sidelined for the season with a back injury.

“(Gaudette) is an exciting young prospect for us,” Canucks coach Travis Green told Postmedia. “He plays with energy. He’s a guy we’re really excited to have.”

Green believes Boeser gained from playing with the Canucks late last season and thinks Gaudette can do likewise with the rebuilding squad late in this campaign.

“If you look at Brock, it’s an example of how any time you come to a new league, it’s an eye opener,” Green said. “Not only that, from our standpoint to get to see (Gaudette) would be a benefit.”

There was a Super Bowl trip the following season when Oakland lost to Gruden’s Buccaneers and another playoff appearance in 2016 under Jack Del Rio that garnered little optimism because quarterback Derek Carr was injured.

But there has been mostly a run of losing seasons under nine coaches as only the Cleveland Browns had lost more games during Gruden’s 16-year absence than the Raiders.

Owner Mark Davis hopes that will all change now that he has finally lured Gruden back for a second stint as the team’s coach.

A person with knowledge of the team’s plans said the Raiders are planning a news conference Tuesday to announce that Gruden is leaving the broadcast booth to come back to coaching. The person spoke on condition of anonymity Friday because the team has made no formal announcement.

The Raiders fired Del Rio following a disappointing six-win season and talk immediately turned to Gruden Jamie Meder Jersey , who has been out of coaching since being fired by Tampa Bay following the 2008 season. Gruden has spent the past nine years as the lead analyst for ESPN’s ”Monday Night Football” telecast. He is scheduled to work his final game Saturday in Kansas City when the Chiefs take on the Tennessee Titans in a playoff game.

Then after that he will head to Oakland with the task of resurrecting Carr after a down year and getting the Raiders back to the postseason.

Oakland won 12 games in 2016 to earn Del Rio a four-year extension but the team fell flat this season. The offense regressed after the decision to fire coordinator Bill Musgrave and replace him with untested Todd Downing. The defense struggled mightily before a late-season switch from fired coordinator Ken Norton Jr. to play-caller John Pagano.

That led to the decision to fire Del Rio following his third season and go hard after Gruden.

ESPN reported that Gruden will receive a 10-year deal that could be worth close to $100 million. Gruden has already started putting together a staff with Cincinnati defensive coordinator Paul Guenther among those expected to join.

Gruden told ESPN earlier this week that he had a good talk with Davis about returning to the organization and believed there was a ”good chance” it would happen.

Gruden spent four seasons as coach in Oakland from 1998-2001. After leading the Raiders to 8-8 records his first two years, Gruden helped the team reach the AFC title game following the 2000 season and got Oakland back into the playoffs the following season.

His tenure ended shortly after the ”Tuck Rule” loss to the New England Patriots when he was traded the following month to Tampa Bay for two first-round draft picks, two second-rounders and $8 million.

Gruden beat the Raiders in the Super Bowl in his first season with the Buccaneers but didn’t win another playoff game for Tampa Bay in his final six seasons. He has a 95-81 career record.

Gruden’s younger brother Bernie Kosar Jersey , Jay, is headed into his fifth season as coach in Washington. Jay was an assistant on Jon’s staffs in Tampa Bay and now the brothers will be competing against each other. Washington and Oakland are not scheduled to play again until 2021. This is not the first time two brothers have been head coaches in the NFL simultaneously. Jim and John Harbaugh were active for four seasons from 2011-14 in San Francisco and Baltimore, respectively. John’s Ravens beat Jim’s 49ers in the Super Bowl following the 2012 season

The Raiders have complied with the ”Rooney Rule” and interviewed minority candidates for the job Christian Covington Jersey , according to NFL spokesman Joe Lockhart. ”I can tell you we believe the Rooney Rule was complied with,” Lockhart said. ”Minority candidates were interviewed and we will wait and see the decision they make.”

A second person with knowledge of the team’s plans said one of the minority candidates who interviewed was tight ends coach Bobby Johnson. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Raiders were not releasing the names of candidates.

This would not mark the first time the Raiders brought back a coach for a second stint. Late owner Al Davis hired Art Shell in 2006, 11 years after firing him the first time. Shell went 2-14 that season and was fired after one year.

Other teams have also done it Quincy Wilson Jersey , with one of the most recent notable coaching hires being Joe Gibbs in Washington. Gibbs stepped away following the 1992 season with three Super Bowl titles in his career. He came back in 2004 and had a 30-34 record in four seasons, leading Washington to two playoff berths.

The timing of the news conference was first reported by the Raiders Snake Pit website.

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AP Pro Football Writer Schuyler Dixon contributed to this report

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Two people with direct knowledge the decision confirm to The Associated Press the Buffalo Bills have agreed to sign free agent defensive end Trent Murphy to a three-year contract.

The people spoke on the condition of anonymity on Wednesday because the deal was reached before the NFL's business year opened later in the day.

NFL first reported the agreement.

Murphy spent the past four seasons in Washington after being selected in the second round of the 2014 draft. Listed at 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds, he is best known for his pass-rushing ability. He had 15 sacks in 47 games Logan Cooke Jersey , including nine in 2016.

Murphy missed all of last season after tearing two ligaments in his left knee in a preseason game against Baltimore. Had he not been injured, Murphy would have missed the first four games of the season serving an NFL suspension for violating the NFL's performance enhancers policy.

The Bills finished tied for 30th in the NFL with just 27 sacks last season.

Free agent cornerback Bashaud Breeland has been a busy man this week as he’s spent time with four different teams and he may have more stops in the future.

Breeland spent time with the Raiders Clayton Geathers Jersey , Chiefs and Colts and told Josina Anderson of ESPN that he is in Cleveland to meet with the Browns on Friday. He also said that he has plans to move on to a visit with the Ravens, who Anderson reports are “getting more aggressive” in their pursuit of the former Washington corner.

Anderson also reports that the Jets have expressed interest in Breeland’s services, although no visit is currently scheduled.

Breeland agreed to a contract with the Panthers early in free agency Darius Slay Jersey , but it fell apart when he failed a physical due to an infected cut on his foot that required a skin graft. Breeland was out of the loop while he recovered, but he’s finding a busy market now that he’s healthy again.

Coach Pete Carroll said after practice that Baldwin had a sore knee coming into camp. He practiced the first two days with the team before being held out each of the last three practices.

"We're just going to take our time with it and be patient," Carroll said.

Carroll said the team is going to give Baldwin a couple of weeks off in order to give him the downtime he needs before gradually working him back to full speed. Carroll said the team knows exactly what the issue is John Simon Jersey , although the coach wouldn't go into detail.

"He's doing some special treatments to make sure we're taking care of him and then we want to bring him back into shape so we can really get him ready for the long haul," Carroll said.

Defensive end Dion Jordan is also going to miss an extended amount of time while he recovers from what Carroll called a "stress issue" in his "other leg." Jordan has been plagued by injuries to his left knee in past seasons, but it appears his right leg is currently the issue.

"He's got a little bit of healing to do so it's going to be a while John Miller Jersey ," Carroll said. "We've just got to wait it out."

Following the departures of Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett, the Seahawks have been counting on Jordan to be a presence at defensive end. The four sacks he racked up in five games last season left Seattle excited about what he could bring to the table. However, he continues to struggle to stay on the field.

"That was a position that we were really hoping he was going to be a factor in Ryan Griffin Jersey ," Carroll said.

NOTES: LB Marcus Smith (hamstring) and WR David Moore (hip flexor) were new absences from practice on Tuesday. Neither injury appears to be significant.

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Boston is 9-0 at TD Garden during these playoffs and has blistered opponents early in games Jarrad Davis Jersey , shooting 47 percent from the field and 39 percent from the 3-point line. It’s often led to cushions that have helped the Celtics sustain opponents’ runs in the second half.

But after boasting the third-best road record in the NBA during the regular season, the Celtics have looked like a totally different team since the postseason began. They are just 1-4 away from their building and seen their shooting numbers dip to 41 percent overall and 31 percent from beyond the arc.

That can’t persist if Boston is going to have success as the series shifts to Cleveland on Saturday.

Marcus Smart, who was all over the court in the Celtics’ Game 2 win , didn’t take any offense to Cavs coach Tyronn Lue’s comment that the Celtics have ”shown they haven’t played that well on the road.”

”We haven’t played well. We know that and understand that,” Smart said. ”We understand that other teams see that and try to exploit it. But that’s the beauty about this game. It just takes one game. You never know. Things change. Our confidence is high. Who knows?”

Coach Brad Stevens said he thought the entire team seemed a little ”shell-shocked” at Milwaukee in the first round, when after taking a 2-0 series lead, was promptly blown out 116-92 in Game 3. It lost all three road games in that series.

”We took a punch in the mouth right when guys came out and they surprised us a little bit,” Smart said. ”We can’t afford to be surprised this time around. … We’re just trying to make it as hard as we can on those guys for them to win a game and for us to execute whatever plan Brad has for us.”

That will be easier said than done against a Cavaliers team that got 42 points and near triple-double by LeBron James in Tuesday’s loss.

Pressure will certainly be on the Cavs, but they have history on their side. James has won at least one playoff road game in 31 of his last 32 playoff series. To have a chance to make it 32 out of 33, Cleveland would need to win one of the next two games at home to force a Game 5.

That’s not out of their reach by any means.

Stevens isn’t sure Cleveland has yet to play up to its full potential.

”I don’t know if that was their best Richard Dent Jersey ,” he said. ”We’ve all seen them play at an elite level for a long time. … At the end of the day they’ve got a lot of guys that have been there, done that. And we’re expecting that every game we’re going to have to play better to have a chance to win.”

One of the reasons that the Celtics have had success against the Cavs so far is their willingness to challenge James defensively.

Jaylen Brown has been one of several players tasked with guarding James. He also drew that duty at times in last year’s conference finals. He said he is no longer intimidated by the matchup .

”And why should I? Brown said. ”The stage is set for all of us to do something spectacular. LeBron has been to the finals (seven) straight times. He’s a great player. But we want to win and we want to beat a team that does win and get to the finals.

”We got a bunch of young guys trying to make names for themselves in this league. Why not come out and play hard? Everybody says we’re playing with house money anyway. So why not come out with the energy level that we need and try to do something special?”

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NEW YORK GIANTS (3-13)

OPEN CAMP: July 25, Quest Diagnostics Training Center, East Rutherford, New Jersey.

LAST YEAR: 2017 was fiasco one year after making playoffs. Opened season with five straight losses. Injuries to WR Odell Beckham Jr. and others, poor play, suspensions and disharmony lowlighted season. It was so bad second-year coach Ben McAdoo and general manager Jerry Reese were fired in early December after QB Eli Manning was benched. Team could not win close ones it won previous season in ending four-year playoff drought.

IMPORTANT ADDITIONS : GM Dave Gettleman, coach Pat Shurmur, defensive coordinator James Bettcher (and 3-4 defense), No. 2 overall draft pick RB Saquon Barkley Reggie Wayne Jersey , OT Nate Solder, LB Alex Ogletree, LB Kareem Martin, G Will Hernandez, and P Riley Dixon.

IMPORTANT LOSSES: DE Jason Pierre-Paul, WR Brandon Marshall, LB Jonathan Casillas, LB Devon Kennard, CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, G Justin Pugh Jeff Driskel Jersey , C Weston Richburg, RB Shane Vereen, P Brad Wing.

CAMP NEEDS: After winning three games, much needs to be fixed. All eyes will be on Barkley, who can be game breaker, and Beckham, who is coming off broken ankle. Giants believe 37-year-old Manning still has gas in tank and can run Shurmur’s offense, which was very successful in Minnesota. Will additions of Solder and Hernandez and switch of Ereck Flowers to RT fix bad O-line? Defense has talent with DE Olivier Vernon, S Landon Collins, DT Damon ”Snacks” Harrison Shane Ray Jersey , LBs Martin and Ogletree, and CB Janoris Jenkins. Will 3-4 bring out the best?

EXPECTATIONS: Teams generally improve with new coaching staff. That said, Giants have long way to go. Much depends on how quickly they pick up new systems. Staying healthy and happy this year will help. If Barkley lives up to expectations, Beckham bounces back, and defense clicks, Giants can make playoffs. It’s long shot, but don’t forget this franchise won 11 games in 2016.

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SUNRISE Dominique Easley Jersey , Fla. — The Boston Bruins clinched a playoff berth, and just how motivated they will be to beat the host Florida Panthers on Thursday night at the BB&T Center remains to be seen.

The Florida Panthers, on the other hand, are fighting for their hockey lives. They must win their three remaining games — home-and-home with the Bruins sandwiching a contest against the Buffalo Sabres — and hope that either the Columbus Blue Jackets, New Jersey Devils or Philadelphia Flyers stumble the rest of this week.

“We have to win out,” Panthers winger Jonathan Huberdeau said. “We have to win every game.”

Meanwhile, the Bruins (49-18-12) are locked in a fight with the Tampa Bay Lightning for first place in the Atlantic Division. Both teams have 110 points, but Boston has one game in hand.

On Tuesday night, the Bruins were embarrassed in a 4-0 loss at the Lightning. It was Boston’s second straight defeat — and that is not the way a team wants to head into the playoffs.

Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask has had a great season with a 2.32 goals-against average and a 34-12-5 record. But his performance on Tuesday against Tampa Bay was not his best.

“Two goals from distance — he’s been better (in other games), and I think he would be the first one to say that,” Boston coach Bruce Cassidy said. “The second goal might have been through traffic. But the first one simply can’t go in.

“We didn’t score … so it might not have mattered.”

So there you have it: A desperate Panthers team that needs to win and hope for help to make it as an Eastern Conference wild-card playoff team competing against a Bruins squad that is already in but wants to be sharper as it prepares for the postseason.

The Panthers are coming off their most dramatic game of the year, a 2-1 home win over Nashville Predators, a team with the best record in the NHL.

With the Panthers clinging to that 2-1 lead, Nashville pulled its goalie for an extra attacker during the final three minutes. Panthers center Aleksander Barkov had a chance at an empty-net goal to ice the game Antonio Callaway Jersey , but his shot hit the post.

Given a reprieve, Nashville turned up the pressure. Incredibly, the Predators scored with 0.3 seconds left as Filip Forsberg tapped in a loose puck. But after a dramatic video review, it was ruled that Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo had stopped the puck before Nashville’s Viktor Arvidsson spun him around with his stick.

Goalie interference was the call, and Luongo — naturally — agreed.

“At first, I wasn’t sure what happened,” Luongo said. “But once I saw the replay, the puck was between my legs. (Arvidsson) pitch-forked me. As he spun me around, the puck came loose.

“(The puck) was definitely under me. It was between my legs and covered. Once he spun me around, the puck came out. It’s pretty clear.”

Luongo, who turned 39 on Wednesday, gave a shout out to the replay crew after beating Nashville in career game No. 999

“I was happy they made the right call,” he said. “It would’ve been upsetting if it would’ve been ruled a goal. (During the review), I was trying not to snap if they allowed the goal. That’s what I kept telling myself.”

Boston still has a shot to overtake Nashville in the race for the Presidents’ Trophy Seth DeValve Jersey , trailing by three points with a game in hand.

For Thursday’s game, one player to watch is Florida’s Colton Sceviour, normally a bottom-six forward. In the Panthers’ past two games, however, he made a third-period, game-winning play in each. He got a hit and an assist that led to the winning goal against the Carolina Hurricanes and scored the winning goal against Nashville.

Florida is relatively healthy. Boston, meanwhile, will be without defenseman Brandon Carlo (ankle) and winger Anders Bjork (shoulder). In addition, two key players, winger Rick Nash (upper body) and center Riley Nash (ear), are questionable.

Everyone is accounted for in Minnesota, where good vibes from the top of the organization to the bottom of the roster can only help the Vikings in their attempt to better their NFC championship game appearance from last season.

"All these guys, they like to be around each other. So I think that's part of it A.J. Green Jersey ," coach Mike Zimmer said. "We've got a lot of really good guys on this football team who care about not just them, but they care about each other. It's kind of just the way we do things."

Savvy salary cap management steered by executive vice president of football operations Rob Brzezinski has allowed the Vikings to put the majority of their stars in mutually beneficial multi-year deals, but outside linebacker Anthony Barr, wide receiver Stefon Diggs and defensive end Danielle Hunter have all entered 2018 on expiring contracts that must be addressed soon unless the Vikings are willing to let them become free agents and potentially price the club out on the open market.

Still, all three of them have been practicing with the team this week, clearly confident enough in their future earnings to opt for full participation over mild protest. Barr, for his part, missed one week of organized team activities last month, an absence he said was to secure an insurance policy in case of a severe injury that would derail the value of his next deal. He said recently his hope was to have a new contract in place by the beginning of on-field workouts in May, but that's the closest anyone has come to even hinting about dissatisfaction.

Barr is among the 2014 first-round draft picks who've reached their first career crossroad, playing the fifth option year that the majority of teams have exercised for cost control. Then there are the post-first round 2015 picks such as Hunter and Diggs who've entered the fourth season of their rookie deals.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell, Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald, Arizona Cardinals running back David Johnson, Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones T.J. Jones Jersey , Tennessee Titans left tackle Taylor Lewan and Oakland Raiders defensive end Khalil Mack have created headlines around the league for staying home this week from minicamp.

"My job is to come in to work, just like you come in to work the same way," Hunter said. "My job is to come in and get on this field and play football."

Clearly, he's been listening to the head coach, as have many of his teammates.

"That's one thing Zim has taught us since he's been here: No one player is more important than the team," Hunter said. "So I guess that kind of grew into the program. The team is way bigger than one person. In order to help the team, you've got to do your job. And we want to be great. We want to be where we need to be. Last year, it wasn't close to that, so we've got to work for that again."

The deal confirmed Friday includes $55 million guaranteed and also makes Evans the highest-paid player with the Buccaneers with an average annual salary of $16.5 million. That’s second among NFL receivers behind Antonio Brown’s $17 million.

Evans acknowledged the extension, which runs through 2023, in an Instagram post, noting he will be ”spending the next several seasons in Tampa Bay” with a singular focus on helping the Bucs win a Super Bowl.

The 24-year-old entered the league as the seventh overall pick in the 2014 draft. He has topped 1 Dion Sims Jersey ,000 yards receiving in each of his four pro seasons, amassing 309 receptions for 4,579 yards and 32 touchdowns.

Evans had 71 catches for 1,001 yards and five TDs in 2017 Jordan Willis Jersey , when the Bucs finished 5-11 and missed the playoffs for the 10th straight season. Two years ago, he had 96 catches for 1,321 yards and 12 TDs.

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For once, the Atlanta Falcons passed up a chance to bolster their defense.

They figure there will be plenty of options on Day 2 of the NFL draft.

The Falcons selected Alabama receiver Calvin Ridley with the No. 26 overall pick Thursday night Nevin Lawson Jersey , giving the team another deep passing threat to pair with star Julio Jones.

After losing Dontari Poe in free agency to division rival Carolina, Atlanta also was looking to bulk up at defensive tackle. Florida's Taven Bryan was available when the Falcons' turn rolled around, but they decided to go with Ridley instead .

Bryan didn't last much longer, snatched up by Jacksonville three picks later.

It was the first time since 2014 that Atlanta selected an offensive player in the first round.

Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff says there are plenty of talented players still on the board Clayton Geathers Jersey , providing ample opportunities to fill the hole left by Poe's departure. Offensive guard is another point of emphasis, even though the Falcons did sign free agent Brandon Fusco.

On Friday, Atlanta is set to pick at No. 58 in the second round and No. 90 in the third round.

That doesn't mean he might not be their No. 1 choice.

Southern Cal's gun-slinging QB visited with Cleveland's coaching staff and executives on Wednesday as the team continues to evaluate players it may possibly take with the first overall pick in this month's NFL draft.

Darnold is the second top-flight QB this week to visit the team's facility in Berea Taylor Moton Jersey , Ohio. Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma's dynamic Heisman Trophy winner, met with coach Hue Jackson, general manager John Dorsey and others on Tuesday. The Browns will host UCLA's Josh Rosen, Wyoming's Josh Allen and Louisville's Lamar Jackson in the coming days.

Darnold is believed to be the favorite to land with the Browns, who are coming off a 0-16 season and have spent most of the past two decades futilely searching for a franchise quarterback.

The 20-year-old Darnold seems to check all the Browns' boxes: He's big (6-foot-3, 221 pounds) Billy Price Jersey , played against strong competition, and is accurate (65 percent). The major knock on Darnold, who started two seasons for the Trojans, is turnovers. He had 22 last season.

Jackson, Dorsey and owner Jimmy Haslam recently attended workouts for Darnold and Allen, considered the top two QBs on Cleveland's board. Dorsey, too James Burgess Jersey , has a high regard for Mayfield and attended several of his games last season before he was hired by Cleveland.

During the visits this week, Jackson and his staff will get to know each of the quarterbacks on a more personal level. They'll also get a chance to gauge how well they process information, and their football acumen.

"That's another piece of information for us," Jackson said last week. "That's probably the last piece of the process for us to bring them to campus and have an opportunity to sit down with them in a different environment and talk through the things."

Per league rules, the Browns, who also have the No. 4 overall pick and five in the first two rounds, can host 30 national prospects on pre-draft visits.

Coach Jon Gruden said Johnson adds a presence to the defense that was needed.

"He brings us status at a critical position T.J. Jones Jersey ," Gruden said. "He's got a great history in this league, been productive under a lot of different coaches, different schemes. He understands the AFC West and certainly understands this rivalry. I'm really excited to add him to our team."

The 35-year-old Johnson spent his first 13 NFL seasons with the rival Kansas City Chiefs and will likely fill the role at middle linebacker that NaVorro Bowman played the second half of last season.

Johnson has been one of the better linebackers in the league during his career but was allowed to leave Kansas City earlier this offseason as the team tried to get younger.

Johnson is a four-time Pro Bowler and the career tackles leader for the Chiefs.

He appeared in 182 games with 169 starts since being drafted in the first round in 2005. He piled up 1,262 tackles to easily shatter the franchise record, had 27陆 sacks and picked off 14 passes, returning four of them for touchdowns.

He had a career-best 179 tackles in 2011, when he was voted the Chiefs' team MVP.

Johnson piled up his impressive stats despite missing part of two seasons with ruptured Achilles tendons. He returned from the first one as good as ever Andrew Billings Jersey , earning his most recent Pro Bowl trip in 2015, but the second seemed to finally take a step out of his legs this past season.

He had 48 tackles in 15 games last season but slowly lost playing time to younger teammates in the middle of the Kansas City defense.

The Raiders need an anchor in the middle of their defense. Bowman fared well in that role after being signed last October following his release by San Francisco. There was interest in bringing him back for a second season but the two sides couldn't agree on a price.

Oakland didn't address that need at linebacker in the draft until the sixth round last week with the pick of Washington linebacker Azeem Victor.

The Raiders also waived linebacker Cory James with a failed physical designation and cut defensive lineman Armonty Bryant with a non-football illness.

The Angels put Jewell on the 10-day disabled list Thursday Nate Orchard Jersey , a day after he was injured in a game against Boston. He’s scheduled to have surgery Friday.

Jewell was carted off the field at Fenway Park on Wednesday night. Called up from Triple-A earlier in the day, he appeared to catch his cleat as he covered the plate on a run-scoring wild pitch and fractured his fibula. The 25-year-old was hurt in his third big league game.

The Angels recalled right-handed pitcher Eduardo Paredes from Triple-A Salt Lake and added right-hander Taylor Cole to the major league roster.

The club also optioned infielder Nolan Fontana to Salt Lake and transferred infielder Zack Cozart to the 60-day DL. Cozart is scheduled to have season-ending surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder on Friday.

HBO’s banking on it.

”It’s an underdog story,” said network executive Peter Nelson. ”And people love rooting for underdogs.”

Despite the Browns’ 0-16 record last season and dismal decades of futility for one of the league’s signature franchises, NFL Films insists the Browns are the team it wanted to feature most on ”Hard Knocks,” the award-winning documentary series that takes fans behind the scenes for an in-depth look at the grind – and the drama – of training camp.

”We got the team we wanted,” said Ken Rodgers, NFL Films VP senior coordinating producer, ”our No. 1 pick Todd Gurley II Jersey , the Browns, to be on our show. We think it’s the right time with the right team.”

Rodgers said the Browns were appealing on so many levels, but mostly because of their comeback story – the climb to being competitive again – is universal and strikes a chord with any sports fan.

”We tell our kids that it’s not about how you get knocked down, it’s about how you get back up and this is a unique situation, having such turnover on the roster, of starting anew, with some old pieces, with some valuable new pieces, that we just felt will speak to a lot of fans Jerrell Freeman Jersey ,” he said.

”What we generally think of when we select a team is, who would the national audience be interested in finding out what’s going on, what’s going on with the team? And nationally now, the Browns are a big story, rightfully so.”

Cleveland had one of the busiest offseasons of any team. The Browns traded for quarterback Tyrod Taylor and Pro Bowl wide receiver Jarvis Landry before selecting Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield with the first overall pick in the draft. Mayfield’s arrival has energized Cleveland’s fan base and created a national buzz about the Browns.

NFL Films is certain to train its cameras on the colorful Mayfield, whose on-field antics at Oklahoma earned him a bad-boy reputation.

During his opening remarks, Rodgers said he wanted to ”address the elephant in the room” and seemed to be implying Mayfield.

”I think a lot of people will be asking how much a certain someone will be featured,” he said, ”and this position on a football team demands a lot of attention T. J. Carrie Jersey , and it has always been that way for ”Hard Knocks.” So, yes, we definitely will be featuring head coach Hue Jackson.”

Cleveland’s third-year coach previously appeared on ”Hard Knocks” when he was on Cincinnati’s staff in 2013. Jackson enjoyed the experience and said he’s not worried about the added camera crews and attention around camp affecting the QB battle between Taylor and Mayfield.

”It’s a competition anyway,” he said. ”Tyrod’s our starting quarterback. Baker’s our No. 1 pick. He’s our quarterback of the future. I’ve said that since this happened. I don’t think that will change. I want those guys to be exposed for what they do, because I think our fans want to know them and what makes the tick. But at the same time, I don’t think it should put any more pressure on what we need to do as a football team about who’s playing quarterback for us.”

Jackson plans to speak to his team about appearing on the show. He doesn’t want anything to alter their focus in camp, and he’s confident the Browns’ leaders will make sure players don’t play up to the cameras.

Running back Duke Johnson fears some of his teammates may see the show as an opportunity for publicity.

”I hope it doesn’t really change much, but it’s easy to say that now – there’s no cameras here,” he said following practice. ”I hope we don’t have a lot of guys that turn into actors and try to be all Hollywood. If Hollywood is what you want to do after football Su'a Cravens Jersey , go for it.”

Jackson made it clear he doesn’t want HBO’s cameras around next week when he makes good on his promise and jumps into Lake Erie.

”No, please, no,” he said.

NOTES: Johnson said he’s ”very optimistic” that he’ll work out a contract extension with the team. He’s in the final year of his rookie deal. ”It’s going well,” he said. ”It’s not going bad. This is kind of my first contract negotiation. I’m not sure the timetable of when it’s supposed to be done, when it should be done, so we’re taking it one day at a time.” Johnson led the team in catches (74) and yards receiving (693) last season.

—

 Chandler Hutchison Jersey

The franchise with the most titles. The best player of this generation. The reigning champions. The probable MVP.

The NBA has its Final Four.

It certainly does not disappoint.

Boston’s win over Philadelphia on Wednesday night brought down the curtain on the postseason’s second round – one that wasn’t exactly loaded with drama Brandon Linder Jersey , since it was the first time since 2002 that none of the NBA’s four conference semifinal series went past five games. Cleveland swept Toronto, while Houston, Golden State and the Celtics all prevailed by 4-1 counts.

Everyone gets to catch their collective breaths for a few days, with the league going dark until the weekend. Cleveland and Boston don’t tip off the Eastern Conference finals until Sunday, and the Warriors and Rockets start their West title series on Monday. And yes, the Cavaliers and Warriors are four wins away from a fourth consecutive meeting in the NBA Finals.

A few things to know going into the conference finals:

LEBRON, OF COURSE

Any list of anything this time of year basically has to start with LeBron James, still generally considered the best player on the planet even at 33 years old and in his 15th NBA season.

Cleveland’s star is trying to reach the NBA Finals for the eighth consecutive season – something only four other players have done, and they were all Boston Celtics. Bill Russell went to 10 straight title series, Sam Jones and Tom Heinsohn went to nine, and Frank Ramsey went to eight.

James is already the NBA’s all-time playoff leader in points, steals and minutes played. He’s fifth in playoff wins with 152, behind only Derek Fisher (161), Tim Duncan (157), Robert Horry (155) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (154).

CAVS-CELTICS HISTORY

This is the eighth time Cleveland and Boston have met in the postseason. Boston has won four of the previous seven meetings Jim McMahon Jersey , but Cleveland has won the last two – including the East finals last season.

WARRIORS–ROCKETS HISTORY

This is only the third Golden State-Houston playoff meeting, and all have come in the last four seasons. The Warriors are 2-0 in the series, winning both times in five games – the 2015 West finals and a first-round matchup in 2016.

SEEKING 10

Golden State is trying to reach the NBA Finals for the 10th time, a mark that two other franchises have reached. The Los Angeles Lakers have made The Finals on 31 occasions (winning 16 titles), and the Celtics have gone 21 times (winning a league-high 17 titles).

If the Warriors successfully defend their NBA title and go back-to-back, it’ll be the franchise’s sixth time as the last team standing – and would tie Chicago for the third-most championships in league history, behind the Celtics and Lakers.

MVP WATCH

Houston’s James Harden seems like the probable winner of the NBA’s MVP award this season, with the only other realistic candidate for top honors probably LeBron James.

They won’t know who won until June 25 – after the season.

Regardless, they could wind up adding to a recent trend.

The league MVP has played in the NBA Finals in four of the last six seasons – James and the Miami Heat won titles in 2012 and 2013, Stephen Curry and the Warriors won in 2015 and lost to Cleveland in 2016.

MATTER OF TIME

Ray Allen is still the league’s all-time leader in playoff 3-pointers made, with 385.

LeBron James and Stephen Curry are coming his way.

James is No. 2 on the all-time list with 346 playoff 3-pointers. Curry is No. 3 with 329 – in only 79 playoff games. Allen played in 171, and James has played in 228.

WELL DONE, SCHEDULE MAKERS

Here’s how the NBA season began, back on Oct. 17: Boston at Cleveland, and Houston at Golden State.

Almost seven months later Tyrann Mathieu Jersey , the conference finals begin with Cleveland at Boston, Golden State at Houston.

WIN GAME 1

Winning Game 1 of any NBA playoff series is important; under this format that the league has been using since 1984, teams that take 1-0 series leads ultimately win those matchups about 80 percent of the time.

That’s even more pronounced in this round.

Of the 68 teams that have taken 1-0 series leads in the conference finals, 57 have gone on to make the NBA Finals. But four times in the last seven years, a team has dropped Game 1 in this round and made The Finals anyway.

MORE DAYS OFF?

The NBA Finals start May 31.

That means there could be a lot of days without basketball before then.

If both series end in sweeps – unlikely, of course, but possible – the Boston-Cleveland winner would have 10 days off before The Finals and the Houston-Golden State winner would have nine.

Starting Thursday, there will be no games five times in a nine-day span. There’s no games until Sunday, and there’s no games in either series on May 17 and 18. Those needing a basketball fix on those last two days, fret not – there will be NBA Combine activities going on in Chicago on those two days.

POOL UPDATE

The NBA’s playoff pool for this season is $20 million, and here’s a look at how much the four remaining teams have made so far in this postseason – along with a look at what they could get.

Rockets: $2,322,122. Would finish with $4,669,069 if they lose the NBA Finals Matt Prater Jersey , $5,864,018 if they win the title.

Celtics and Warriors: $1,646,226 each so far. They’d get $3,993,173 if they reach The Finals and lose, $5,188,122 if they win the championship.

Cavaliers: $1,478,543. Would finish with $3,825,490 if they lose the NBA Finals, $5 Tony Romo Jersey ,020,439 if they wi

Carl Lawson recorded 8.5 sacks for the Bengals while playing just under 42 percent of the team’s defensive snaps during his rookie season, but it doesn’t look like the team is going to see what he can produce with a sharp spike in playing time.

Lawson is now listed as a defensive end rather than at linebacker, but head coach Marvin Lewis said in a Tuesday press conference that won’t make a big difference in how he’s used during his second year with the team. Lewis said that his belief is that Lawson is most effective when playing a fixed amount of time.

“His role won’t change much,” Lawson said, via the team. “He still has to do both things. The biggest thing that was true for Carl from Auburn, and that is still true after his first season, is that by limiting his exposure we are going to get more production. He’s not that big of a person to go out and bang with the big guys all the time. It won’t be beneficial to him, and to what he’s going to get done at the end of the game when you need him to.”

With Carlos Dunlap, Michael Johnson, 2017 third-rounder Jordan Willis and 2018 third-rounder Sam Hubbard on hand, the Bengals have enough bodies on the edge to keep from overusing Lawson. Continued production at the same rate will likely lead some to wonder if the Bengals might change plans in the future, especially if Dunlap and Johnson move on as free agents after the 2018 season.