The Boston Bruins have taken a two-games-to-one lead in the Stanley Cup second-round series, while the Carolina Hurricanes have climbed within 2-1 in their series. Brad Marchand scored 3:36 into overtime to give the Bruins a 2-1 win over the New York Islanders. The Bruins went ahead, 1-0 on Craig Smith's goal 5:52 into the contest. Boston maintained the lead until Mat Barzal notched his first goal of the postseason, beating Tuukka Rask with 5:26 left in regulation. Rask stopped Barzal on a point-blank shot early in OT and finished with 28 saves. Semyon Varlamov handled 39 shots for the Islanders, who will host Game 4 on Saturday.
In Tampa, Carolina blew a 2-0 lead before Jordan Staal netted a power-play goal 5:57 into the extra session to give the Hurricanes a 3-2 victory. It was Staal's fifth goal of the playoffs and left the home team 0-3 in the series. Brett Pesce and Sebastian Aho scored 2:25 apart early in the second period, but Brayden Point tallied 77 seconds later before setting up Alex Killorn's goal late in the second. Petr Mrazek stopped 35 shots in his first appearance of the postseason. Game 4 is Saturday.
In NHL news, the league has handed down a four-game suspension to Winnipeg Jets forward Mark Scheifele for charging Montreal Canadiens forward Jake Evans during Game 1 of the Stanley Cup second round series on Wednesday. The incident occurred as Evans scored an empty-net goal in the final minute of the Canadiens' 5-3 victory. Scheifele was assessed a major penalty for charging and game misconduct. If the term of the suspension is not fully served during the playoffs, the remaining game will be served at the beginning of next season.
NBA
It will be the Phoenix Suns taking on the Denver Nuggets in the second round of the NBA playoffs after both teams won last night. The Suns closed out a six-game series by dominating the first 12 minutes of a 113-100 win over the Lakers. Devin Booker poured in 22 of his 47 points while Phoenix outscored the defending champs, 36-14 in the first quarter. Booker was 6-for-6 from 3-point range and 8-for-9 overall in the period. Jae Crowder scored 18 points for the second-seeded Suns, who won three consecutive games to send LeBron James to a first-round series loss for the first time in his 18-year NBA career. Lakers forward Anthony Davis gave it a go despite a groin injury, but he left after going scoreless over five minutes. James had 29 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in a losing effort.
Nikola Jokic poured in 36 points and the Nuggets stormed back from a 14-point deficit in the third quarter to beat the Blazers, 126-115 in Game 6. Jokic hit a 3-pointer to put Denver ahead 108-106 and Denver stretched it to 117-108 on Austin Rivers' 3 with 3:52 left. Michael Porter Jr. had six 3-pointers in the first quarter alone, tying an NBA playoff record for most 3s a period. Porter scored 22 of his 26 points in the opening quarter to help the Nuggets reach the second round for the third straight season. Damian Lillard finished with 28 points and 13 assists for the sixth-seeded Blazers.
MLB
The Tampa Bay Rays have left the Bronx with a four-game split of the New York Yankees. Ryan Yarbrough tossed the Rays' first complete game in more than five years, leading a 9-2 rout of the Yankees. Yarbrough hadn't won a start since August 29, serving as an opener much of that time. He scattered six hits while fanning six with no walks, helping the AL East leaders move 4 ½ games ahead of New York. Austin Meadows homered and drove in five as Tampa Bay improved to 10-3 in the Bronx since the start of last season. Meadows homered three times in the series. Gerrit Cole was tagged for five runs over five innings, matching his worst start of the season. The Yankees have lost seven of their last 10.
In other baseball finals:
Fernando Tatis Jr. smashed a two-run home run off Taijuan Walker to power the Padres to their first win in five games, 4-3 over the Mets. Yu Darvish is 6-1 after giving up two runs on four hits with five strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings.
Martín Pérez pitched 7 2/3 scoreless innings and the Red Sox avoided a four-game sweep with a 5-1 victory over the Astros. Christian Arroyo slammed a three-run homer to support Pérez, who scattered six hits while fanning four.
Dansby Swanson belted a two-run homer in a four-run sixth that secured the Braves' win over the Nationals, 5-1. Tucker Davidson was a winner following his recall from Triple-A, allowing just five hits with five walks and five strikeouts over 5 2/3s.
Jake Fraley hit his first major league homer and the Mariners opened a 10-game road trip by winning for the eighth time in 11 games, 6-2 against the Angels. Winning pitcher Justus Sheffield struck out seven in 5 2/3 innings, yielding two runs and six hits in his third victory in his last four starts.
Yoán Moncada and Jake Lamb hit two of the White Sox's four home runs to back Lance Lynn in a 4-1 downing of the Tigers. Lynn went six innings, allowing one run and four hits to improve to 6-0 in his last seven starts.
Jarrod Dyson scored the tiebreaking run in the seventh inning when centerfielder Gilberto Celestino made a pair of errors on a simple fly ball, helping the Royals beat the Twins, 6-5. Salvador Pérez became only the fourth Kansas City player with consecutive multi-homer games.
Brandon Crawford belted a tiebreaking, three-run homer and the Giants opened a four-game homestand between two of the NL's hottest teams by whipping the Cubs, 7-2. Anthony DeSclafani pitched six solid innings and hit an RBI double to help the NL West leaders win for the seventh time in nine games.
The Reds doubled up the Cardinals, 4-2 as Jesse Winker cracked a two-run homer and Vladimir Gutiérrez earned his first career win. Gutiérrez pitched five innings of two-run ball, giving up three hits and settling down nicely after a shaky start.
Christian Yelich smacked his second home run of the season, a three-run shot in the third inning of the Brewers' 7-4 verdict over the Diamondbacks. Jackie Bradley Jr., Luis Urías and Avisaíl García also homered for Milwaukee.
Jacob Stallings laced a three-run double in the eighth inning to lift the Pirates past the Marlins, 5-3. Bryan Reynolds also homered as he and rookie Ke'Bryan Hayes had two hits each to help Pittsburgh end a three-game losing streak.
The Rangers have ended a franchise-worst 0-9 road trip with an 11-6 loss to the Rockies. Austin Gomber pitched six shutout innings and Charlie Blackmon homered as Colorado dealt Texas its 15th consecutive road loss.
In baseball news:
The Chicago White Sox have placed outfielder Andrew Vaughn on the COVID-19 injured list, with general manager Rick Hahn saying the prized rookie was asymptomatic. Manager Tony La Russa said Vaughn was held out of Monday's doubleheader at Cleveland because of allergies. The 23-year-old Vaughn is batting .226 with four homers and 12 RBIs.
Diamondbacks broadcaster Bob Brenly is stepping away from the booth over the next week following backlash for an on-air comment about Mets pitcher Marcus Stroman's headwear. Commenting on Stroman's head covering underneath his cap, Brenly said "Pretty sure that's the same du-rag that Tom Seaver used to wear when he pitched for the Mets." He says he voluntarily decided to take some time off to listen, reflect and devote his attention to awareness training related to diversity and inclusion to enhance his understanding and appreciation of others.
TENNIS
Rafael Nadal celebrated his 35th birthday at the French Open with another victory against Richard Gasquet. Nadal won 6-0, 7-5, 6-2 to improve to 17-0 for his career against the Frenchman since they first met in 2004. Gasquet hasn't even won a set in the past 12 losses to Nadal and not since 2008. The defending champion improved to 102-2 at Roland Garros as he bids to win a record 21st Grand Slam title.
Top-ranked Novak Djokovic reached the third round for the 16th straight year with a straight-set win over Pablo Cuevas.
Top-ranked Ash Barty retired from her second-round match because of an injury. The 2019 champion trailed 6-1, 2-2 when she returned to her chair and signaled she was not able to continue against Polish rival Magda Linette. Winners on the women's side include 2020 runner-up Sofia Kenin, Coco Gauff, fifth seed Elina Svitolina and former U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens, who beat a top-10 players for the first time in 2 1/2 years. Stephens downed 10th-ranked Karolina Pliskova.
PGA
Collin Morikawa was the leader when the first round of the The Memorial was suspended. Morikawa opened with a 6-under 66 that put him one shot ahead of Adam Long. Xander Schauffele is in a four-way tie for third with Bo Hoag, Nick Taylor and Rafa Cabrera Bello. The weather was bad enough that the first round was suspended twice, with only half the field finishing the round.
NFL
The federal judge presiding over the NFL's $1 billion settlement of brain injury claims has invited lawyers for Black players who call the settlement racially biased to join mediation over the issue. The lawyers have challenged the settlement's use of "race-norming" in dementia testing since 2018. The practice assumes Black players start with lower cognitive skills and makes it harder for them to show injury and get an award. The judge's order comes a day after the NFL pledged to end the practice and review the scores of retired players who believe the race-based scoring adjustments deprived them of settlements that average $500,000 or more.
In other NFL news:
The Bills have agreed to sign their top draft pick, edge-rusher Greg Rousseau, to a four-year contract. Buffalo selected Rousseau with the 30th pick in the draft in April as part of a bid to upgrade its pass rush.
The Vikings have signed former Titans cornerback Tye Smith. The move adds a little depth and experience to a group that was lacking both last season. Smith spent the last four years with the Titans.
Lions defensive tackle Jashon Cornell has been suspended by the NFL for the first three games of the season for violating the league's policy and program on substances of abuse. The NFL said Thursday that Cornell can play in preseason games and participate in practices before the season begins.
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