The Toronto Maple Leafs are the latest road team to open the Stanley Cup playoffs with a victory. Mitch Marner scored twice and Frederik Andersen made 37 saves as the Leafs downed the Bruins, 4-1 in Boston.
Marner provided the tiebreaking goal on a short-handed penalty shot 2:47 into the second period. He also had the tying goal in the opening stanza before netting Toronto's first playoff penalty shot in 20 years. Andersen was perfect after Patrice Bergeron's power-play goal midway through the first period. He stopped 21 shots in the second period alone, allowing the Maple Leafs to build a 3-1 lead. William Nylander and John Tavares also scored for the Leafs, who stay in Boston for Game 2 on Saturday.
Nicklas Backstrom scored twice and Alex Ovechkin tallied on the power play while the Capitals were building a 3-0 lead on their first eight shots of a 4-2 victory against the Hurricanes. Braden Holtby made 27 saves and blanked Carolina until Andrei Svechnikov scored twice during a 2:19 span of the third period in his playoff debut. John Carlson had three assists for the Caps, who host Game 2 on Saturday.
Calgary took its opener as Matthew Tkachuk scored twice in a 4-0 shutout of the Avalanche. Mike Smith stopped all 26 shots he faced to post his fourth career playoff shutout. Andrew Mangiapane and Mikael Backlund also scored for the Flames.
COLLEGE HOCKEY
In the NCAA Men’s Hockey Tournament last night, UMass took down Denver in overtime, 4-3. UMass advances to its first ever Frozen Four final, facing defending champion Minnesota Duluth for the title on Saturday at 8 p.m.
MLB
The Red Sox pulled out a 7-6 win over the Blue Jays on Rafael Devers' walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth. Mitch Moreland smacked a solo homer and tied the game with a ninth-inning double before Devers completed Boston's comeback from a 5-0 deficit. Rowdy Tellez crushed a homer that Statcast initially measured at 505 feet before determining the flight length was inconclusive.
Mets rookie Pete Alonso already has six homers this season after slamming a two-run shot in the seventh inning of a 6-3 victory in Atlanta. Amed Rosario belted a three-run homer and had four RBIs to support Steven Matz, who limited the Braves to two runs and four hits while fanning eight over six innings. Ronald Acuna Jr,. and Johan Camargo homered for the Braves, who ended a three-game winning streak.
In other major league games Thursday, Oakland's Khris Davis leads the majors with nine home runs after belting two for the second straight day, leading an 8-5 win at Baltimore. Davis also drove in three runs, giving him 17 RBIs on the season. Meanwhile, Orioles first baseman Chris Davis went 0-for-3 with a walk, a strikeout and a run scored, running his major league-record hitless skid to 53 at-bats since last September 14. The two-time American League home run champ is 0-for-29 with four walks and 16 strikeouts this year. Josh Phegley, Kendrys Morales and Marcus Semien also homered for the A's, who won three straight after losing the series opener.
The Mariners became the first major league team to homer in each of its first 15 games when Dee Gordon connected in the sixth inning of a 7-6 triumph over the Royals. But Seattle needed Daniel Vogelbach's leadoff homer in the 10th inning to improve to a major league-best 13-2. Royals outfielder Whit Merrifield went 0 for 5, ending his hitting streak at 31 games.
Shane Bieber improved his career road record to 8-0 by tossing three-hit ball over seven innings of the Indians' sixth victory in seven games, a 4-0 shutout at Detroit. Leonys Martin was 3-for-4 with a solo homer and two RBIs and two runs scored to help Cleveland move to 8-4. Carlos Santana also had three hits and two RBIs for the Indians.
The Cardinals have completed a four-game sweep of the two-time defending NL champs as Matt Wieters provided three RBIs and his third stolen base in six years to lead an 11-7 win over the Dodgers. Wieters put St. Louis ahead 8-7 with a two-run double in the fifth. Jose Martinez had four hits and Redbirds teammate Harrison Bader became the first player in 14 years to be hit by pitches with the bases loaded twice in a game.
Jose Quintana struck out 11 in seven innings of four-hit ball in the Cubs' 2-0 shutout of the Pirates. Daniel Descalso and Victor Caratini each had two hits and an RBI to help Chicago win its first home series since a 2-7, season-opening road trip. Pittsburgh starter Joe Musgrove carried a two-hit shutout into the seventh before allowing a pair of unearned runs.
Yasiel Puig returned from a two-game suspension and doubled home a pair of runs while the Reds were completing a three-game sweep of the Marlins, 5-0. Eugenio Suarez had three hits, including a solo homer for Cincinnati. The Reds came into the series with eight straight losses and the worst record in the NL before outscoring Miami, 21-1.
The Padres coughed up a 6-1 lead before Manuel Margot belted an eighth-inning homer to give San Diego a 7-6 win over the Diamondbacks. Austin Hedges hit a three-run homer and Franmil Reyes furnished a solo shot as the Padres improved to a surprising 9-5. Pedro Avila had to settle for a no-decision despite holding Arizona to a run and four hits over 5 1.3 innings.
Jeff Samardzija and two relievers combined on a three-hitter, with Samardzija going seven innings in the Giants' 1-0 verdict over the Rockies. Samardzija allowed only one runner past first base and retired 10 of the final 11 batters he faced in earning his first win in nearly a year. Kevin Pillar homered and San Francisco dealt Colorado its sixth consecutive loss.
The Twins already have postponed Friday's series opener against the Tigers because of wintry weather, opting for a doubleheader next month.
In MLB news, the All-Star Game is coming to Philadelphia. A person familiar with the planning told The Associated Press that MLB will announce Tuesday that the 2026 midsummer classic will take place in the City of Brotherly Love to mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
All-Star second baseman Ozzie Albies and the Atlanta Braves have agreed to a seven-year, $35 million contract that includes team options for 2026 and '27. The agreement supersedes a one-year contract signed last month that called for a $575,000 salary in the major leagues, $20,000 above the minimum. The 22-year-old is hitting .364 with one homer and two RBIs in 11 games this season after batting .261 with. 40 doubles, 24 homers, 72 RBIs, 14 steals and 105 runs last year. He would have been eligible for arbitration after the 2020 season and for free agency after the 2023 season.
Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw is scheduled to make his season debut on Monday at home against the Reds. The 31-year-old left-hander made his second rehab start on Tuesday as he comeback from left shoulder inflammation that began to bother him early in spring training.
Former Expos and Cubs pitcher Scott Sanderson has died at 62. The right-hander helped the Chicago Cubs make two playoff appearances and was a member of four postseason teams during a 19-year career, going 163-143 with a 3.84 ERA.
GOLF
There's a two-way tie for the lead through one round of the Masters, and a popular player is lurking right behind. Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau each shot a 6-under 66 to move atop the leaderboard at Augusta National, one shot ahead of Phil Mickelson. The co-leaders made the turn at 1-under before scorching the back nine. Koepka had five birdies on his final nine holes, including four straight from 12-15. DeChambeau ended his round with six birdies on the final seven holes with a bogey on 14 his lone blemish. Phil Mickelson shot a 67 to get within one stroke of the lead. Ian Poulter and Dustin Johnson are two shots back, while Tiger Woods is at minus-2.
NBA
The Sacramento Kings are going in yet another direction after going south for more than a decade. The Kings will have a new coach next season after firing Dave Joerger, who was fired after going 98-148 in three seasons. Joerger failed to get the team into the playoffs as Sacramento extended its postseason drought to 13 seasons, the NBA's longest active streak. General manager Vlade Divac said in a statement the organization needs to "move in a different direction" to reach the playoffs. The Kings have gone through nine coaches during their playoff drought since Rick Adelman led them to the 2006 postseason with a 44-38 record. That's also the last time Sacramento has posted a 40-win season.
The Cavaliers have parted ways with interim coach Larry Drew, who took over in October and led the club to 19 wins amid a swarm of injuries. The Cavs tied for the NBA's second-worst record, but Drew earned praise for keeping his team competitive despite a young roster following the departure of LeBron James.
The Grizzlies have fired coach J.B. Bickerstaff as part of a front-office shake-up in which general manager Chris Wallace was demoted to a scout. After a 12-5 start, Memphis plummeted and finished 33-49, tied with New Orleans and Dallas.
The Suns have removed the interim tag from general manager James Jones, who will also oversee all basketball operations. Phoenix also hired Jeff Bower as senior vice president of basketball operations and announced that Trevor Bukstein will stay as assistant general manager. The Suns finished with the worst record in the Western Conference at 19-63.
Bulls forward Lauri Markkanen can resume full basketball activities after missing the final two weeks of the season because of a heart problem. The Bulls announced Thursday that he was cleared after examinations by cardiologists at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago and Johns Hopkins.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Arizona State and head coach Bobby Hurley are working on a contract extension to keep him in the desert. The former Duke star from New Jersey had been rumored to top St. John's wish list after coach Chris Mullin stepped down. However, as St. John's continues to look for a new head coach, the New York Post says two sources can confirm the school began talking to Iona Coach Tim Cluess Wendesday night and Thursday. Cluess may be a new frontrunner for the position.
Cam Reddish is the latest Duke freshman to leave school for the NBA draft. Reddish announced his decision on his verified Instagram page Thursday, one day after teammate RJ Barrett said he was entering the draft. Reddish is widely projected as a lottery pick after averaging 13.5 points and hitting 33 percent of his 3-pointers. His decision leaves AP player of the year Zion Williamson as the last Duke freshman starter yet to announce his plans for next season. Point guard Tre Jones said earlier this week he would return for his sophomore year.
LSU freshman guard JaVonte Smart says he is planning to leave the Tigers and enter this summer's NBA draft. Smart was the player mentioned by now-suspended coach Will Wade in published transcripts of a leaked FBI wiretap in which Wade discussed an "offer" to a person affiliated with the player.
Stanford sophomore forward KZ Okpala has declared for the NBA draft. The 6-foot-9 Okpala is projected to be a first-round draft pick and has until May 29 to decide whether to stay in the draft or retain his remaining collegiate eligibility.
Texas says freshman forward Jaxson Hayes will hire an agent and enter the NBA draft. Hayes averaged 10 points, five rebounds and more than two blocks per game for Texas last season.
Iowa freshman guard Joe Wieskamp plans to be available in the NBA draft. Wieskamp shot 42.4 percent from 3-point range while averaging 11.1 points and 4.9 rebounds for the Hawkeyes last season.
Nevada has hired former UCLA coach Steve Alford, four days after Eric Musselman left for Arkansas. Alford had some early success at UCLA, leading the Bruins to the Sweet 16 three times his first four seasons. UCLA lost in the First Four in 2018 and struggled last season before Alford was fired on New Year's Eve and replaced by interim coach Murray Bartow.
A Michigan State University student is speaking out a year after suing the school, alleging that three former men's basketball players raped her in 2015 and that she was discouraged from reporting what happened. Twenty-two-year-old Bailey Kowalski told reporters Thursday that she hopes to encourage other "silent survivors" to tell their stories and wants changes at the university.
NFL
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette was arrested in Florida on Thursday for driving with a suspended license. Fournette paid a $1,508 bond and was freed after spending less than 30 minutes in the Duval County Jail, according to jail records. Court records show his license was suspended last month after he failed to pay or protest a speeding ticket.
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