I Dig Sports
Stanley Cup Playoffs Daily: Stars, Blue Jackets even it up
Published in
Hockey
Sunday, 28 April 2019 06:05
The Columbus Blue Jackets' double-overtime win over the Boston Bruins caps off seven straight nights of overtime playoff hockey, and you won't find us complaining.
Here's a recap of last night's action (check out replays of every playoff game on ESPN+) and what to watch for tonight, in today's edition of ESPN Stanley Cup Playoffs Daily:
Jump ahead: Last night's games | Three Stars
Play of the night | Today's games | Social post of the day
About last night ...
Game 2: Dallas Stars 4, St. Louis Blues 2 (Series tied 1-1). This game got wacky late in the first period when, during a 4-on-4, the teams combined for three goals in two minutes. Ben Bishop is now 12-3 in his playoff career following the loss. Production beyond the top line for the Stars no longer feels like a problem. Through eight games, Stars rookies Roope Hintz and Miro Heiskanen have combined for 10 points (six goals four assists). Hintz's second line, with Mats Zuccarello and Jason Dickinson on the wings, has been particularly good. The Blues had some good looks on the power play, but went 0-for-5. They also decided to keep Jordan Binnington in net despite a rough start, and he sharpened up and finished with 34 saves.
0:41
Stars even series behind goals from Hintz, Janmark
Roope Hintz and Mattias Janmark both score in the first period to lead to the Stars 4-2 win over the Blues.
Game 2: Columbus Blue Jackets 3, Boston Bruins 2 (2OT) (Series tied 1-1). For the second straight game, this one needed to be decided in extra time. The Blue Jackets had a hard time generating offense early. The game was a bit choppy, with some bloodshed, quite a few turnovers and not many shots. Tuukka Rask would make two terrific saves on Nick Foligno -- one at the end of regulation, one in overtime -- to keep the Bruins in it. Not to be outdone, Sergei Bobrovsky had a series of spectacular saves too, including stoning Patrice Bergeron on two strong chances. Matt Duchene played overtime hero on the power play as the Blue Jackets take home-ice advantage away from the Bruins.
Three Stars
1. Matt Duchene, C, Columbus Blue Jackets. Duchene's fourth goal in six playoff games. Double-overtime winner, enough said.
2. Roope Hintz, C, Dallas Stars. After recording one multi-goal game in the regular season (and just nine goals total), the Finn has two multi-goal games now in the postseason, and is tied for the team lead with four goals total.
3. Artemi Panarin, LW, Columbus Blue Jackets. It's looking smarter and smarter for GM Jarmo Kekalainen to have kept Panarin around instead of trading him at the deadline; the Breadman became the first Blue Jackets player with four goals in a single postseason with his game-tying goal at 8:03 of the second period, an absurd shot from a seemingly impossible angle.
Play of the night
This pass is a beauty.
So soft, so sweet. Hintz goes between the legs of a Blues defender to set up Miro Heiskanen with a gorgeous feed.#GoStars | #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/tZanMv7dX3
- Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) April 27, 2019
Dud of the night
We've been lauding Charlie Coyle as one of the best trade deadline acquisitions this season, and he has been mostly terrific. But the turnover that led to Panarin's second goal was criminal. Can't be making blind backhanded passes in your own zone in the playoffs.
Brutal Charlie Coyle turnover leads to Artemi Panarin's second goal of the game pic.twitter.com/4foqqr9Mcn
- Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) April 28, 2019
On the schedule
Carolina Hurricanes at New York Islanders, Game 2, 3 p.m. ET (Hurricane lead the series 1-0)
If you like tight, low-scoring playoff hockey, well, Game 1 was for you. Carolina is one of the hottest teams in the playoffs right now; after losing the first two games to Washington, the Canes have now won five of their last six. To earn a home split, New York will likely rely heavily on Robin Lehner again. Lehner has given up just one goal in each of his past four games, though the Isles had a 10-day layover sandwiched in.
Colorado Avalanche at San Jose Sharks, Game 2, 7:30 p.m. ET (Sharks lead the series 1-0)
In Game 1, the Avalanche couldn't keep up with San Jose's second gear late in the game. The Sharks, surprisingly, had their legs after an emotionally and physically taxing opening-round series against the Golden Knights. It was a big night for Joe Thornton's line (five points). And don't look now, but Martin Jones had another good outing. It was a rough night for Colorado defenseman Erik Johnson and Samuel Girard, the latter returning from injury.
Social post of the day
��....... pic.twitter.com/44zdLs7EFw
- Tyler Seguin (@tseguinofficial) April 27, 2019
Not everyone agreed with Miro Heiskanen finishing outside the top three in Calder Trophy voting.
Quotable
Justin Faulk just found out Hamilton the Pig was not on the road for Game 1. "Nice to know it's not just the pig. Some of the boys in the room get some credit, too."
- Luke DeCock (@LukeDeCock) April 27, 2019
Wherein Hamilton the Pig becomes 2019's Bark-Andre Fleury.
Tagged under
Rahm-Palmer, Stallings-Mullinax share Zurich Classic lead
Published in
Golf
Saturday, 27 April 2019 13:20
AVONDALE, La. – Jon Rahm and Ryan Palmer shared the lead with Scott Stallings and Trey Mullinax as the Zurich Classic finally got back on schedule.
Rahm and Palmer played 30 holes Saturday in the event delayed by rain for more than seven hours Thursday, finishing off a 7-under 65 in the alternate-shot second round and shooting 64 in best-ball play in the third.
''It's been 4:30 four nights in a row,'' Palmer said. ''Dinners at 9 and back up at 4:30. Took its toll on me. Just feeding me sugar and food trying to keep my energy up. Tomorrow we'll be on a lot of rest. If we're on tomorrow in alternate shot, we're going to be hard to beat.''
Rahm carried the team in the third round, with the Spaniard making eight birdies.
''He's just fun to be around,'' Palmer said. ''He's actually a great guy. I've enjoyed every second with him. When you're up close and personal and watching it and see the shots he can hit around the green, you know, his short game is phenomenal. You can learn something from that, too, so I learned a lot. Honor to be a part of it.''
Palmer saved bogey with an 8-footer on the par-3 17th after both players hit into the water, and Rahm made a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th to match Stallings and Mullinax at 23-under 193.
''That putt Ryan made was probably the most important shot we made so far in the tournament,'' Rahm said. ''Felt like a birdie, and then to keep tied for the lead, very important.''
Stallings and Mullinax played 27 holes, shooting 70-62.
''We play a lot of practice rounds together,'' Stallings said. ''We've known each other for a few years. Just kind of we played so much together it just kind of made sense. We know each other's games pretty well.''
Mullinax looked ahead to the final round.
''I really enjoy alternate shot,'' Mullinax said. ''Scott hits the ball great. Hitting it nice. We're both putting well. I don't feel like there is much pressure on us. Just go out and do our thing.''
Brandan Grace and Justin Harding were a stroke back. The South Africans played 32 holes, shooting 68-61.
''I think we played 50 odd holes,'' Harding joked. ''We certainly moved up the board. It's just a matter of continuing the momentum throughout the rounds.''
Peter Malnati and Billy Hurley III were 20 under. They shot 66 after finishing the second round Friday.
Sergio Garcia and Tommy Fleetwood were another stroke back with the teams of Joel Dahmen-Brandon Harkins, Austin Cook-Andrew Landry, Hank Lebioda-Curtis Luck, Russell Henley-Ryan Blaum and Russell Knox-Brian Stuard. Brothers Brooks and Chase Koepka topped the group at 18 under along with Henrik Stenson and Graeme McDowell.
Tagged under
McDowell: Molinari ‘flogging dead horse’ in regard to slow play
Published in
Golf
Saturday, 27 April 2019 13:41
AVONDALE, La. – Graeme McDowell understands where Edoardo Molinari is coming from.
Molinari took to Twitter to vent about slow play after playing a five-and-a-half-hour round Saturday at the European Tour’s Trophee Hassan II, saying, “It’s time that professional golf does something serious for slow play.” He then tweeted out a list of every player who has been timed, penalized and fined this season because of slow play in European Tour, WGC and major tournaments.
“I saw his tweet this morning when he came off the course, ‘We need to play faster, blah, blah, blah.’ I get it,” McDowell said Saturday at the Zurich Classic. “I hear where Edoardo is coming from, but he is, what shall we say, flogging a dead horse?
“It’s not a dead horse, but it’s pretty dead. What do you want to do? We can’t get around there much quicker. Is 20 minutes going to change his life? Listen, I like Edoardo, nice kid, but I think he’s just frustrated.”
McDowell pointed out that he feels like the pace-of-play policy on the European Tour is more stringent than the PGA Tour’s policy, though he said even that is “getting tougher and tougher.”
“Listen, golf courses are long, golf courses are hard, we’re playing for a lot of money, it’s a big business, it is what it is,” McDowell said. “There’s just no way to speed the game up really. You can try these small percentiles, but at the end of the day it’s very hard to get around a 7,600-yard golf course with tucked pins with a three-ball in less than 4:45, 5 hours. You can’t do it.”
As for Molinari sharing an in-house document with the world and in turn calling out his fellow players, McDowell doesn’t have a major issue with Molinari’s actions. McDowell is not on the list, which includes Tiger Woods and Patrick Reed along with three players – Louis Oosthuizen, Erik Van Rooyen and Adrian Otaegui – who each received $3,000 fines.
But the Northern Irishman did disclose that he’s received some bad times on the PGA Tour this season.
“It should be public, you know, name and shame,” McDowell said. “I’m willing to admit I’ve been timed five times so far this year, been put on the clock five times, which is halfway to my 10, which is halfway to a $25,000 fine. I’m aware, but you get in the wrong group on the wrong week and you’re gonna get timed. Henrik Stenson is on six times [according to the list]. Is Henrik a slow player? No, it’s just one of those things.
“I hear Edoardo. We all hear him. We all wish we could play a little faster to attract more people to the sport. We’re trying.”
Tagged under
Co-leaders Rahm, Palmer taste the rainbow at Zurich Classic
Published in
Golf
Saturday, 27 April 2019 13:58
AVONDALE, La. – Jon Rahm and his partner, Ryan Palmer, teamed up to card nine birdies in Saturday’s third round of the Zurich Classic.
For the pair, that not only meant an 8-under 64 that earned them a share of the 54-hole lead with Trey Mullinax and Scott Stallings at 23 under, but also nine “treats.”
A day earlier, Rahm’s caddie, Adam Hayes, brought a bag of Skittles with him onto the golf course and started giving them to Rahm and Palmer after every birdie. They made seven of them in a sweet 7-under 65 foursomes round.
“We figured we needed to get something going, so we had Skittles for birdies,” Palmer said, “so every birdie we made, [Hayes] pulled out [the bag] and fed each one of us one Skittle.”
I’m ready pal. Let’s go get it. What a blast. @Skittles for birdies. Let’s do it. https://t.co/ZFU20wy0iP
— Ryan Palmer (@RyanPalmerPGA) April 28, 2019
That tradition continued Saturday in four-balls, where Rahm played the role of candy man by accounting for all but one of the birdies. The final one came from 15 feet at the par-5 18th hole, with Palmer looking at a 3-footer for birdie.
“Completely stealing Ryan's momentum,” Rahm quipped.
Added Palmer: “I get one chance to make birdie…”
Palmer, though, made arguably the most crucial putt of the round a hole earlier. Both players hit their tee balls in the water on the par-3 17th, but Palmer was able to hit his third shot to 9 feet and make the bogey putt to avoid further damage.
“That putt Ryan made was probably the most important shot we made so far in the tournament,” Rahm said. “Felt like a birdie, and then to keep tied for the lead, very important.”
Instead of playing ahead of Sunday’s final pairing, Rahm and Palmer will go off last alongside Mullinax and Stallings. Tee time is at 12:42 p.m. local time. Bring the Skittles.
Tagged under
LOS ANGELES - Minjee Lee overcame a triple bogey Saturday to take the lead into the final round of the Hugel-Air Premia LA Open.
Lee shot a 4-under 67 to reach 11-under 202 at Wilshire Country Club. The 22-year-old Australian birdied the first two holes before dropping the three strokes on the par-4 third. She rallied with birdies on Nos. 5, 6, 10, 14 and 17 - all par 4s - for a one-stroke lead over Denmark's Nanna Koerstz Madsen.
''Sort of fought my way back to my score today,'' Lee said. ''After that (triple) I wasn't super nervous or anything. I just sort of tried to believe in myself and just go out there and make as many birdies as I can, try and hit as many good shots as I can.''
Ranked fourth in the world, Lee won the last of her four LPGA Tour titles in May in Michigan in the LPGA Volvik Championship. She tied for third last week in Hawaii for her third top-three finish of the season.
''Both of us, Nanna and I, we made a lot of birdies today,'' Lee said. ''I think we sort of fed off each other, which was really nice. Yeah, nice confidence for tomorrow.''
The 24-year-old Koerstz Madsen also shot 67.
''I'm glad to be done,'' Koerstz Madsen said. ''I got the putter going on the last couple holes, but it was a little bit shaky all day kind of.''
She's trying to become the first LPGA winner from Denmark
''Do the same thing as the last two days, three days,'' Koerstz Madsen said. ''Really just focus on my own game. If it's enough, that's good and I'm happy with whatever. I mean, I'm already happy with how I've been emotionally this week. Just going to enjoy tomorrow I think.''
Inbee Park was 7 under after a 68. The South Korean star has 19 LPGA victories - seven in majors - but is winless in more than year.
''It's extremely hard to stay patient on these greens,'' Park said. ''I really feel like I should be 15-under par easily by now. These greens are just so complicated, and you can't be aggressive or it's either you leave it a foot short or you're 5 feet by.''
Top-ranked Jin Young Ko and Morgan Pressel were 6 under. Ko had a 67. She's the only player with multiple victories this year, taking the Founders Cup in Phoenix and the major ANA Inspiration in Rancho Mirage.
Pressel shot 70. She won the last her two LPGA titles in 2008.
''It's just tough to be aggressive on a lot of these putts out here, even when you're uphill,'' Pressel said. ''You don't want to be left with a downhiller coming back, especially late in the day. Poa can get a little bit bumpy.''
Tagged under
Quotes of the Week: Woods, Peterson approaching post-Masters differently
Published in
Golf
Saturday, 27 April 2019 14:44
Two weeks after Tiger Woods' fifth Masters victory, we're learning more about the ripple effects from the greatest comeback in golf history. Woods himself hasn't done much since, but one former PGA Tour player has used what he saw as motivation to quit his job and return to competitive golf.
Tagged under
British Police said on Sunday they were investigating how a picture reported to be of the body of Argentine footballer Emiliano Sala had been taken and posted online.
Sala, 28, had been flying from his previous club Nantes in western France to Wales on Jan. 21 to join up with Cardiff City when the single-engined Piper Malibu aircraft disappeared over the English Channel.
- Borden: In search of Emiliano Sala
Wreckage was found on Feb. 3 following a privately-funded underwater search and a body was recovered three days later. Later that month Sala's body was flown back to Argentina for his funeral.
"We are aware that a picture reported to be of Mr. Sala's body has been shared on social media channels and are disgusted that somebody did this," a spokeswoman for Dorset Police said in a statement. "It is clearly a very difficult time for Mr Sala's family and they should not have to endure additional pain that this shameful act will undoubtedly cause.
"We are investigating this incident and are working together with a number of agencies to establish how the picture was taken and who is responsible."
It has been a very difficult period for the Sala family with Emiliano's father Horacio passing away following a sudden heart attack on Friday.
Cardiff and Nantes are in a dispute over Sala's transfer after the Premier League side refused to make the first scheduled payment for the Argentine.
The Bluebirds argue the agreement struck with Nantes regarding Sala's purchase was not legal as the French club failed to fulfill conditions they set.
FIFA has granted Cardiff City and Nantes extra time to submit full details of the transfer of Sala as the clubs look to schedule face-to-face talks.
Tagged under
Paris Saint-Germain forward Neymar criticised some of his younger teammates after they lost the Coupe de France final to Rennes 6-5 on penalties after a 2-2 draw over 120 minutes.
The Brazil international doubled PSG's lead after Dani Alves' opener, but the Bretons fought back through a Presnel Kimpembe own goal and a Mexer strike before winning on penalties after Christopher Nkunku missed his kick.
Speaking in the mixed zone after the final whistle at Stade de France, Neymar urged his younger teammates to listen more to the older and more experienced members of the squad.
"We need to be more like men in the dressing room, we must be more united," he said. "I see a lot of young players who are, not lost exactly, but they lack more ear than mouth.
"They must listen more than they talk. Sometimes a more experienced guy speaks, and they answer back. The coach himself speaks, and they retort. This is not how a team goes far.
"We are more experienced, so they must respect us a bit more, listen a bit more. I had to do the same when I was starting out."
Meanwhile, Hatem Ben Arfa, who was frozen out by PSG and is currently suing the capital club for damages, was part of the winning Rennes side and wasted no time in sticking the boot in on his former employers.
"This is my greatest title," said Ben Arfa in the mixed zone. "We pulled off a Remontada, but PSG are used to that.
"It was complicated [his time with PSG]. Everything comes back to you one day, which is what I told the president [chairman and CEO Nasser Al-Khelaifi] -- the human side must be respected. When you do not do that, at some point, you pay for it.
"One day, Adrien Rabiot [currently frozen out by PSG] will come back with a different team against PSG, and they will be hurt then as well -- that is life. When you do wrong, wrong comes back on you.
"I have nothing against PSG. I love the club, since I was small -- the problem is the institution, the people in charge. Once again, the human must be respected.
"This victory brings me extraordinary joy. Regarding Nasser, this is especially important. Never underestimate your opponent -- one day, they will come back stronger."
Elsewhere, PSG coach Thomas Tuchel admitted that he needed a few days to think about evaluating his debut season, and that the situation is "complicated."
The German also admitted his surprise at Kylian Mbappe's red card in extra time but pointed out that the France international was injured pre-match.
"Kylian underwent exams at hospital after a muscle issue on Friday," said Tuchel. "That plays on your mind before a final. His red card was completely unlike him."
PSG's failure to win the Coupe de France or the Coupe de la Ligue makes this season, numerically, the least successful campaign since the Qatari takeover back in 2011 as the club have only the Ligue 1 title in hand.
Tagged under
Leeds United's action-packed 1-1 draw against Aston Villa saw Sheffield United clinch the final automatic promotion to the Premier League after Norwich had clinched their place in the top flight on Saturday.
Despite knowing anything but a victory would end their hopes of automatic promotion, after opening the scoring on 72 minutes when Aston Villa's Jonathan Kodjia was injured, Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa allowed the visitors to equalise.
Leeds' Mateusz Klich had scored despite Villa players calling for the ball to be put out of play, and a mass brawl ensued on the pitch which involved both sets of players, which saw Anwar El Ghazi sent off for the away side.
Meanwhile, a separate row broke out on the benches, with Bielsa going head-to-head with Villa assistant boss John Terry.
When play eventually restarted, Villa were allowed to run unchallenged as Albert Adomah ran the length of the half to equalise, although Leeds' Pontus Jansson did try unsuccessfully to put in a tackle.
Leeds pressed for a winner, which would have taken the race for the final automatic spot to the final deep into the eight minutes of stoppage time but had to settle for a point.
Villa boss Dean Smith said Klich apologised for his goal and also gave credit to Bielsa for allowing Villa to score unimpeded.
"Klich has apologised," Smith told Sky Sports. "Every credit to Leeds and Marcelo Bielsa for putting that right.
"I asked him and he agreed. He said 'yes'. He apologised for what happened. Fair play to them. It was a good game of football until that moment."
Bielsa said he had allowed Villa to score in the spirit of sportsmanship.
"We gave the goal back," Bielsa said. "English football is known for its sportsmanship, so I don't need to comment on this kind of thing, which is common in English football."
Villa defender Tyrone Mings also praised Leeds for allowing them to score the equaliser after failing to put the ball out of play so Kodjia could get treatment.
"We kicked it out for them," Mings said after the game. "But listen each to their own. Fair play to their manager for saying we can go and score a goal, full credit to them for saying we could go and score."
Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder told Sky Sports at the team celebration: "First and foremost, Marcelo Bielsa full respect, Patrick Bamford not. He [Bielsa] did the right thing, Bamford didn't.
"At the moment we're the second best team in the division and we're going to try and be the best next Sunday."
The result means Leeds can no longer catch the top two in the Championship and are guaranteed a playoff spot alongside Aston Villa and West Brom.
The final place will be between Derby, in sixth place, and Middlesbrough in seventh, as the two sides are level on points with only one match remaining in the season.
Information from Reuters was used in this report
Tagged under
Arsenal suffered a third successive defeat in the Premier League as they lost 3-0 at Leicester after seeing Ainsley Maitland-Niles red carded on 36 minutes.
Goals from Youri Tielemans and a late Jaime Vardy double gave the home side the win after a dominant performance against Unai Emery's side.
The contest was fairly even until Maitland-Niles' early sending-off for two yellow cards, and then Leicester took control -- with Jamie Vardy coming closest to opening the scoring.
But the breakthrough did eventually come on 59 minutes when James Maddison's cross found Tielemans, who headed past Bernd Leno.
And the German goalkeeper was on hand to make several top-class saves in order to keep his team in it as Leicester dominated. Ricardo Pereira and Ben Chilwell both saw efforts parried, while Maddison curled a delightful effort just wide.
With five minutes remaining, Vardy ran onto a long ball from Kasper Schmeichel over the top of the Arsenal defence and, having seen his effort initially come off the bar, was on hand to head in the rebound.
And, with the last kick of the match, he tapped in from close range after being teed up by Ricardo Pereira.
Leicester, who have beaten Manchester City and Chelsea and earned a draw at Liverpool, registered their first victory over a top six side since Brendan Rodgers took over as manager in February and remain on course for seventh.
Arsenal, meanwhile, stay fifth and will finish the weekend outside the top four.
Tagged under
Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: 
Email: 
