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Sports Report: NHL Conference Finals Set; Gronk Gets Madden Cover

Rob Gronkowski on Madden 17

NBA:

In the NBA playoffs, Oklahoma City beat San Antonio 113-99 to send the Thunder to the Western Conference finals. 

The Orlando Magic are in the market for a new head coach following the surprise announcement that Scott Skiles has stepped down after just one season. Skiles issued a statement saying he concluded that he wasn't the right coach for the team.

The Magic improved by 10 wins over last season, finishing 35-47 but missing the playoffs. They opened this season 19-13 before dropping 34 of their last 50 games.

The resignation seemed to catch front office personnel by surprise, although Magic CEO Alex Martins dismissed the notion that Skiles' decision was the result of clashes with GM Rob Hennigan. Skiles was not present while most of the front office staff was in Chicago on Wednesday interviewing potential prospects for next month's NBA draft. Hennigan said the two sometimes disagreed on basketball issues but it wasn't anything out of the normal.

NHL:

In the NHL playoffs, San Jose blanked Nashville 5-0 sending the Sharks to the Western Conference finals.

The New Jersey Devils say forward Patrik Elias and goalie Cory Schneider had surgeries earlier this week. The Devils say Elias had surgery on his right knee on Wednesday at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. Elias, a two-time Stanley Cup winner and the team's all-time leading scorer, missed most of last season with a knee injury. The 40-year-old will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1st.

A two-time Stanley Cup champion hockey player from Massachusetts has been charged in federal court with conspiring to sell oxycodone in the state. The Boston Globe reports 51-year-old Kevin Stevens and a co-defendant from Medford were charged Thursday with conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute oxycodone last fall.

MLB:

In baseball, in American League, the Yankees beat Kansas City 7-3, Boston topped Houston 11-1, The Red Sox now own a five-game winning streak in which they have outscored their opponents 56-16 and Baltimore defeated Detroit 7-5.

In the National League, the Dodgers bested the Mets 5-0, San Francisco doubled up Arizona 4-2, San Diego blanked Milwaukee 3-0, and it was Philadelphia over Atlanta 7-4 in 10 innings. In interleague play, St. Louis topped Detroit 7-5.

Kansas City Royals pitchers Chris Young and Kris Medlen have been put on the 15-day disabled list to arm ailments. An MRI determined Young has a strained right forearm, while Medlen has right rotator cuff inflammation. Young is 1-5 with a 6.68 ERA this season, and Medlen is 1-3 with a 7.77 ERA.

 Veteran lefty reliever Joe Beimel has agreed to terms with the Miami Marlins and will report to extended spring training, pending a physical. The 39-year-old has pitched in 676 games and spent the last two years with Seattle. Last year he had a 3.99 ERA in 47 1/3 innings. The Marlins designated reliever Craig Breslow for assignment Wednesday, leaving them with no lefty in the bullpen.

NFL:

The New York Jets have signed Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg, their second-round draft pick, and wide receiver Charone Peake, a seventh-rounder, to four-year contracts. The deal signed Thursday by Hackenberg is worth a total of $4.66 million and includes a $1.6 million signing bonus.

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz has signed a four-year contract on the eve of rookie camp. Wentz was the second player taken in the NFL draft last month after leading North Dakota State to consecutive FCS national championships in his only two seasons as a starter. He is expected to spend most of the season playing behind starter Sam Bradford and backup Chase Daniel.

Rob Gronkowski parties almost as well as he plays football, and now he's showing off both sides of his larger-than-life personality as a cover model. Gronkowski was selected for the cover of the Madden NFL 17 on Thursday. At the same time, he'll be appearing on the front of GQ magazine along with model Hailey Clauson.

A friend of former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez has been acquitted of murder in the shooting death of a man Hernandez was convicted of killing. But a jury found Ernest Wallace guilty of accessory after the fact to murder in a Fall River, Massachusetts, court Thursday. Wallace was sentenced to four and a half to seven years in prison.

NCAA:

Former Villanova athletic director Vince Nicastro has been named deputy commissioner and chief operating officer of the Big East Conference. Commissioner Val Ackerman announced the appointment to the newly created position on Thursday. Nicastro was the athletic director at Villanova from 2000-2015. He left the position last June to become associate director of the Jeffrey Moorad Center for the Study of Sports Law at the Villanova School of Law last. Nicastro will begin his duties on June 8th.

PGA:

World No. 1 Jason Day opened first-round play of The Players Championship by tying the course record with a 9-under-63. That's good enough for a two-stroke lead over Cameron Tringale, Shane Lowry, Justin Rose, Bill Haas and Brendan Steele. Day putted for birdie on every hole, making half of them. His longest par putt was 30 inches. Former World No. 1 Jordan Spieth opened with a 73 while playing with Day.

OLYMPICS:

The World Anti-Doping Agency's foundation board has suspended Kenya's anti-doping agency after determining a new law passed there to combat doping was "a complete mess." WADA (WAH'-dah) has also released new numbers out of Russia showing that testing by independent authorities has decreased by more than two-thirds in the past year.

Russia won 16 medals and Kenya came away with 11 at the 2012 London Olympics. The Kenyans also tied for the lead at the world championships last year with seven gold medals. The final call on whether either country's track team will be eligible for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics is left to the sport's governing body, the IAAF, which is set to decide about Russia at a meeting on June 17.

FIFA:

FIFA doping testers turned up unannounced Thursday to collect samples from Russian soccer team FC Rostov amid suspicions of meldonium use during its surprise pursuit of the league title. FIFA says the starting players were tested following the team's 3-1 win over leader Dynamo Moscow to move within two points of the Russian capital club with two games remaining, Rostov only remained in the Russian top flight after a relegation playoff last year and has stunned soccer by being involved in the title race this season.

LA SPORTS ARENA:

The Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, the building that Bruce Springsteen affectionately dubbed "the dump that jumps," is having a closing ceremony with city leaders today. In recent decades, it has lived in the shadow of the younger, sexier Forum and Staples Center.

But the Sports Arena was once home to the Lakers, Clippers and some Olympic events. It also rocked with Bob Dylan, James Brown and Michael Jackson; and saw the nomination of John F. Kennedy at the Democratic National Convention of 1960.

©2016 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

NBA:

In the NBA playoffs, Oklahoma City beat San Antonio 113-99 to send the Thunder to the Western Conference finals. 

The Orlando Magic are in the market for a new head coach following the surprise announcement that Scott Skiles has stepped down after just one season. Skiles issued a statement saying he concluded that he wasn't the right coach for the team.

The Magic improved by 10 wins over last season, finishing 35-47 but missing the playoffs. They opened this season 19-13 before dropping 34 of their last 50 games.

The resignation seemed to catch front office personnel by surprise, although Magic CEO Alex Martins dismissed the notion that Skiles' decision was the result of clashes with GM Rob Hennigan. Skiles was not present while most of the front office staff was in Chicago on Wednesday interviewing potential prospects for next month's NBA draft. Hennigan said the two sometimes disagreed on basketball issues but it wasn't anything out of the normal.

NHL:

In the NHL playoffs, San Jose blanked Nashville 5-0 sending the Sharks to the Western Conference finals.

The New Jersey Devils say forward Patrik Elias and goalie Cory Schneider had surgeries earlier this week. The Devils say Elias had surgery on his right knee on Wednesday at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. Elias, a two-time Stanley Cup winner and the team's all-time leading scorer, missed most of last season with a knee injury. The 40-year-old will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1st.

A two-time Stanley Cup champion hockey player from Massachusetts has been charged in federal court with conspiring to sell oxycodone in the state. The Boston Globe reports 51-year-old Kevin Stevens and a co-defendant from Medford were charged Thursday with conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute oxycodone last fall.

MLB:

In baseball, in American League, the Yankees beat Kansas City 7-3, Boston topped Houston 11-1, The Red Sox now own a five-game winning streak in which they have outscored their opponents 56-16 and Baltimore defeated Detroit 7-5.

In the National League, the Dodgers bested the Mets 5-0, San Francisco doubled up Arizona 4-2, San Diego blanked Milwaukee 3-0, and it was Philadelphia over Atlanta 7-4 in 10 innings. In interleague play, St. Louis topped Detroit 7-5.

Kansas City Royals pitchers Chris Young and Kris Medlen have been put on the 15-day disabled list to arm ailments. An MRI determined Young has a strained right forearm, while Medlen has right rotator cuff inflammation. Young is 1-5 with a 6.68 ERA this season, and Medlen is 1-3 with a 7.77 ERA.

 Veteran lefty reliever Joe Beimel has agreed to terms with the Miami Marlins and will report to extended spring training, pending a physical. The 39-year-old has pitched in 676 games and spent the last two years with Seattle. Last year he had a 3.99 ERA in 47 1/3 innings. The Marlins designated reliever Craig Breslow for assignment Wednesday, leaving them with no lefty in the bullpen.

NFL:

The New York Jets have signed Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg, their second-round draft pick, and wide receiver Charone Peake, a seventh-rounder, to four-year contracts. The deal signed Thursday by Hackenberg is worth a total of $4.66 million and includes a $1.6 million signing bonus.

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz has signed a four-year contract on the eve of rookie camp. Wentz was the second player taken in the NFL draft last month after leading North Dakota State to consecutive FCS national championships in his only two seasons as a starter. He is expected to spend most of the season playing behind starter Sam Bradford and backup Chase Daniel.

Rob Gronkowski parties almost as well as he plays football, and now he's showing off both sides of his larger-than-life personality as a cover model. Gronkowski was selected for the cover of the Madden NFL 17 on Thursday. At the same time, he'll be appearing on the front of GQ magazine along with model Hailey Clauson.

A friend of former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez has been acquitted of murder in the shooting death of a man Hernandez was convicted of killing. But a jury found Ernest Wallace guilty of accessory after the fact to murder in a Fall River, Massachusetts, court Thursday. Wallace was sentenced to four and a half to seven years in prison.

NCAA:

Former Villanova athletic director Vince Nicastro has been named deputy commissioner and chief operating officer of the Big East Conference. Commissioner Val Ackerman announced the appointment to the newly created position on Thursday. Nicastro was the athletic director at Villanova from 2000-2015. He left the position last June to become associate director of the Jeffrey Moorad Center for the Study of Sports Law at the Villanova School of Law last. Nicastro will begin his duties on June 8th.

PGA:

World No. 1 Jason Day opened first-round play of The Players Championship by tying the course record with a 9-under-63. That's good enough for a two-stroke lead over Cameron Tringale, Shane Lowry, Justin Rose, Bill Haas and Brendan Steele. Day putted for birdie on every hole, making half of them. His longest par putt was 30 inches. Former World No. 1 Jordan Spieth opened with a 73 while playing with Day.

OLYMPICS:

The World Anti-Doping Agency's foundation board has suspended Kenya's anti-doping agency after determining a new law passed there to combat doping was "a complete mess." WADA (WAH'-dah) has also released new numbers out of Russia showing that testing by independent authorities has decreased by more than two-thirds in the past year.

Russia won 16 medals and Kenya came away with 11 at the 2012 London Olympics. The Kenyans also tied for the lead at the world championships last year with seven gold medals. The final call on whether either country's track team will be eligible for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics is left to the sport's governing body, the IAAF, which is set to decide about Russia at a meeting on June 17.

FIFA:

FIFA doping testers turned up unannounced Thursday to collect samples from Russian soccer team FC Rostov amid suspicions of meldonium use during its surprise pursuit of the league title. FIFA says the starting players were tested following the team's 3-1 win over leader Dynamo Moscow to move within two points of the Russian capital club with two games remaining, Rostov only remained in the Russian top flight after a relegation playoff last year and has stunned soccer by being involved in the title race this season.

LA SPORTS ARENA:

The Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, the building that Bruce Springsteen affectionately dubbed "the dump that jumps," is having a closing ceremony with city leaders today. In recent decades, it has lived in the shadow of the younger, sexier Forum and Staples Center.

But the Sports Arena was once home to the Lakers, Clippers and some Olympic events. It also rocked with Bob Dylan, James Brown and Michael Jackson; and saw the nomination of John F. Kennedy at the Democratic National Convention of 1960.

©2016 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

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