Sports

By LARRY LAGE AP Hockey Writer Auston Matthews is having the best season of his career, and that’s quite a feat. Toronto’s No. 1 overall pick from the 2016 NHL draft has lived up to the hype from the start of his rookie year through last season, averaging a little more than a point per

By STEPHEN WHYNO AP Hockey Writer Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper describes the shift from the regular season to playoff hockey like getting jolted out of a deep sleep by an alarm. The change when the Stanley Cup playoffs begin is perhaps the most dramatic in sports given the level and style of play. But

By DAIMON EKLUND Associated Press SEATTLE (AP) — Yanni Gourde and Adam Larsson scored in the first period to help Seattle a 3-0 win over the San Jose Sharks in the Kraken’s final home game of the season on Friday night. Victor Rask scored an empty-net goal in the final minute and Chris Driedger had

By STEPHEN WHYNO AP Hockey Writer It took until the final game on the final night of the NHL regular season to set the matchups for the first round of the playoffs. Naturally, the battle for the Stanley Cup starts in less than 72 hours. Technically there’s still one more inconsequential, weather-postponed game to be

By JOHN MARSHALL AP Sports Writer GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The Arizona Coyotes created one last memory in their final game at Gila River Arena. Their four-goal comeback also put the Nashville Predators in a difficult spot: instead of facing Calgary, they get top-seeded Colorado in the first round of next week’s playoffs. Shayne Gostisbehere

MICHAEL WAGAMAN Associated Press OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Andrés Giménez hit his first career grand slam, Josh Naylor’s two-run home run capped a four-run seventh inning and the Cleveland Guardians rallied to beat the Oakland Athletics 9-8 Friday night, snapping a seven-game losing streak. Naylor’s home run off Domingo Acevedo (0-1) came after the Guardians

By LARY BUMP Associated Press DALLAS (AP) — Jason Robertson scored on a power play against an emergency replacement goalie midway through the third period and the Dallas Stars beat the Anaheim Ducks 4-2 on Friday night in the regular-season finale for both teams. Robertson gave Dallas a 3-2 lead with his 41st goal of

By DAVE CAMPBELL AP Sports Writer MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Memphis Grizzlies didn’t act their age in this first-round series against Minnesota, especially when they faced a double-digit deficit — all three times — entering the fourth quarter. With another relentless and resolute finish, the Grizzlies finished off the Timberwolves. Their next challenge is coming

By JOHN WAWROW AP Sports Writer ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Bills took Georgia running back James Cook with the 63rd overall pick in the NFL draft. Cook was the third running back selected in this year’s draft and is brother of Minnesota Vikings star running back Dalvin Cook. The Bills traded twice

By W.G. RAMIREZ Associated Press LAS VEGAS (AP) — Dylan Parham almost missed the biggest moment of his football career Friday night, after the Raiders called to tell him to pack his bags for Las Vegas. Emotions got the best of Parham as the Raiders chose the 6-foot-3, 310-pound guard from Memphis in the third

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Connor Hellebuyck made 32 saves to help the Winnipeg Jets beat the playoff-bound Calgary Flames 3-1 on Friday night. Blake Wheeler, Mason Appleton and Brenden Dillon scored for Winnipeg. The Jets will conclude the season Sunday at home against the Seattle Kraken. Matthew Tkachuk scored his 42nd goal of the season

By DENNIS WASZAK Jr. AP Pro Football Writer FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — The New York Jets drafted Iowa State running back Breece Hall with the 36th overall pick after the Jets acquired it from the Giants for their second-round selection at No. 38 and a fifth-rounder. New York kept its focus on the offense

By MIKE CRANSTON Associated Press DENVER (AP) — Ryan McMahon hit a tiebreaking, three-run home run in the fifth inning and the Colorado Rockies sent the Cincinnati Reds to their major league-worst 17th loss in 20 games with a 10-4 victory. Elias Diaz also went deep and Antonio Senzatela pitched 6 1/3 strong innings for

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Devin Shore scored the lone shootout goal and the Edmonton Oilers beat the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 on Friday night while resting star forwards Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in the regular-season finale. Edmonton will face the Los Angeles Kings in the first round of the playoffs. Mikko Koskinen made 39 saves

By IAN HARRISON Associated Press TORONTO (AP) — Jeremy Peña hit a three-run home run, Yordan Alvarez and Alex Bregman also connected, and the Houston Astros beat the Toronto Blue Jays 11-7, extending their winning streak to four games. Bregman hit a solo home run off Yusei Kikuchi in the first, his fourth, and Peña

By MIKE COOK Associated Press ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and an assist and the Minnesota Wild clinched home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs by beating the Colorado Avalanche 4-1. Jordan Greenway had two goals and Tyson Jost also scored for the Wild (53-22-7). Minnesota is 10-1-2

By DAVID SMALE Associated Press KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Anthony Rizzo and Gleyber Torres all homered and the New York Yankees won their seventh in a row, beat the Kansas City Royals 12-2 in a rain-shortened game. The game was called after eight innings. New York took a 3-2 lead

By DAVE CAMPBELL AP Sports Writer MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Desmond Bane and Dillon Brooks each scored 23 points to steer a third fourth-quarter comeback victory in the series by the Memphis Grizzlies, who eliminated the Minnesota Timberwolves with a 114-106 victory in Game 6. Brandon Clarke added 17 points and 11 rebounds off the bench