NHL:
In the NHL playoffs, the Rangers shut out Montreal 2-0 to start the series with a 1-0 lead, Boston edged Ottawa 2-1, Pittsburgh topped Columbus 3-1, St. Louis skated by Minnesota in overtime 2-1, and it was San Jose over Edmonton in overtime 3-2.
Doug Weight is returning as coach of the New York Islanders next season after going 24-12-4 as their interim bench boss. Weight replaced the fired Jack Capuano in January and led the Isles to within one point of a playoff berth.
Ken Hitchcock will be taking another turn behind the Dallas Stars' bench. A person with direct knowledge of the situation says Hitchcock is returning as head coach, 18 years after leading the Stars to their lone Stanley Cup. The 65-year-old Hitchcock was there for parts of seven seasons from 1995-96 through 2001-02.
MLB:
In Major League Baseball, the Yankees doubled up Tampa Bay 8-4, Baltimore beat Boston 12-5, and the Mets bested Philadelphia 5-4.
The Pawtucket Red Sox and the city have jointly hired a national firm to explore the financial impact of a new stadium on the city's downtown revitalization effort. Pawtucket Director of Administration Tony Pires tells The Providence Journal that the consultants will study two new potential ballpark sites, as well as the team's current location.
James Loney is getting another opportunity to prolong his major league career. The Tigers have signed the veteran first baseman to a minor league contract and will send him to extended spring training. The 32-year-old Loney played in 100 games last season for the New York Mets, hitting .265 with nine home runs and 34 RBIs. Loney is a lifetime .284 hitter with 108 home runs and 669 over 11 big league seasons.
In other major league news:
— Phillies right-hander Clay Buchholz has been diagnosed with a partial tear of the right flexor pronator mass after surrendering six runs and eight hits over just 2 1/3 innings against the Mets on Tuesday. Buchholz will seek a second opinion next week.
— Rangers reliever Matt Bush has returned to Texas to get an injection in his sore shoulder.
— Dodgers outfielder Franklin Gutierrez has landed on the 10-day disabled list with a strained left hamstring suffered when he was caught stealing against the Cubs on Monday.
— Right-hander Rookie Davis has been placed on Cincinnati's 10-day disabled list with a bruised right forearm suffered when he was hit by a pitch on Tuesday.
— The Giants have signed outfielder Melvin Upton Jr. to a minor league deal and will send him to Triple-A Sacramento.
— Infielder Stephen Drew has been added to Washington's 10-day disabled list with a right hamstring strain.
NBA:
In the NBA, Carmelo Anthony scored 17 points after deciding to play in what could be his final game with the Knicks, and New York beat the Philadelphia 76ers 114-113 last night. Boston topped Milwaukee 112-94, Chicago won against Brooklyn 112-73, Indiana bested Atlanta 104-86, Miami won against Washington 110-102, Dallas defeated Memphis 100-93, Houston beat Minnesota 123-118, Orlando topped Detroit 113-109, Utah bested San Antonio 101-97, New Orleans squeaked by Portland 103-100, the Clippers beat Sacramento 115-95, and it was Golden State over the Lakers 109-94.
Pacers forward Paul George and 76ers guard Gerald Henderson have been fined $25,000 apiece by the NBA for their actions on Monday. Henderson was punished for throwing an elbow at George, who was fined for publicly criticizing the officiating afterward. Both players were ejected following a fourth-quarter scuffle.
Joakim Noah has a right rotator cuff injury and the New York Knicks say team doctors have recommended offseason surgery for their suspended center. It's the latest bad news in a season full of it for Noah, who while recovering from knee surgery was suspended 20 games by the NBA for violating the anti-drug policy. The Knicks say Wednesday that Noah was injured in January and an MRI showed the injury, but he continued to play through it. Another MRI this month showed no improvement and surgery was recommended, though there has been no decision or a timeline for his return to the court. Noah was limited to 29 games last season in Chicago before surgery to repair a dislocated left shoulder. He then signed a four-year, $72 million contract with the Knicks in July. He has been limited to 46 games and his suspension will carry into next season.
NFL:
The San Francisco 49ers' new general manager is willing to surrender the second overall pick in the month's NFL draft. John Lynch says he'd be open to a trade if another team comes up with a suitable offer. Lynch has needs all over his roster after the Niners finished with the NFL's second-worst record at 2-14. Lynch says having the No. 2 choice "puts you in the driver's seat with a lot of options at your disposal."
The city of St. Louis and that region's sports authority are suing the NFL over the Rams' relocation to Los Angeles. The lawsuit filed Wednesday in St. Louis Circuit Court also names the league's 32 teams as defendants and seeks unspecified damages and restitution. The suit alleges the Rams failed to meet league relocation rules when leaving for Los Angeles before last season, constituting a contractual breach with St. Louis.
The jury in the Aaron Hernandez double-murder trial is set to begin its fifth day of deliberations. Jurors have deliberated nearly 26 hours over four days without reaching a verdict. Deliberations are set to resume this morning. The former New England Patriots tight end is accused of fatally shooting two men in 2012 after one of them accidentally spilled a drink on him at a Boston nightclub.
NCAA:
After 9 wins in a row, the UAlbany men’s lacrosse team fell to Maryland yesterday 12-11.
Oregon forward Dillon Brooks says he is entering the NBA draft and has hired an agent. The Pac-12 Player of the Year averaged 16.1 points per game this season to help the Ducks advance to the Final Four for the first time since 1939. Brooks is the second Oregon player to say he will leave school for the NBA this week after sophomore Tyler Dorsey declared on Monday.
Indy 500:
McLaren says Fernando Alonso will race for the team at the Indianapolis 500 and miss the Monaco Grand Prix. McLaren will be racing in the famous race in the United States for the first time in 38 years. The Indy 500 and the Monaco GP both take place on May 28.
Minor League Baseball:
The Tri-City ValleyCats will renew its annual tradition of fixing up youth baseball fields. The Troy Record reports the team will renovate four youth baseball fields in a 24-hour period starting today. The four leagues to receive the work will be the Amsterdam Youth Baseball, Colonie Little League, the Tri-Village Little League in Glenmont, and the RC Little League in Schenectady.
Obit:
Longtime NFL scouting and personnel specialist Tom Modrak, who broke into the league with his hometown Pittsburgh Steelers, has died. He was 74. Modrak died at his home near St. Augustine, Florida, on Tuesday as a result of a neurological disease discovered late last year. Modrak spent the past five years serving as executive director of BLESTO, a scouting service affiliated with numerous NFL teams. Modrak began his career as a part-time scout with the Steelers in 1973 before being hired by the team full-time in 1978. He eventually headed Pittsburgh's scouting department before taking over as Philadelphia Eagles director of football operations in 1998.
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