Giroux, Hayes help Flyers to win over first-place Penguins

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May 4, 2021

PHILADELPHIA — Claude Giroux had two goals and an assist, Kevin Hayes gave Philadelphia a rare early lead, and the Flyers skated to an easy 7-2 victory over the first-place Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday night.

Joel Farabee had a goal and two assists and Shayne Gostisbehere, Wade Allison and Robert Hagg also scored for the Flyers, who snapped a three-game skid and won for just the sixth time in the last 16.

Sidney Crosby and Jason Zucker scored for the Penguins, who are tied atop the East Division with Washington. Each has 71 points, but the Capitals have four games left while Pittsburgh has three.

Evgeni Malkin returned to the lineup for Pittsburgh after missing 23 games with a lower body injury. The Penguins didn’t miss a beat without the four-time All-Star, winning 16 of the contests during his absence. Malkin had an assist on Crosby’s tally.

Alex Lyon made 35 saves for his first victory in his fourth start.

The Flyers were thought to be a Stanley Cup contender at the season’s outset, and that didn’t change after starting the season with a convincing two-game home sweep of the Penguins. But Philadelphia (23-22-7, 53 points) has been in a free fall since the end of February, were eliminated from the playoffs last Thursday and are just trying to stay about .500 with four games remaining.

The Flyers probably wish they had more games against the Penguins, though. Philadelphia improved to 5-2 against Pittsburgh with one of its best performances of the season.

The Flyers jumped out to a 3-0 first-period lead for the first time this season.

Hayes’ tally 5:58 into the contest to give Philadelphia a rare early advantage. The goal wasn’t whistled on the ice as it looked like Casey DeSmith made a remarkable glove save on Hayes’ wraparound shot, but replays showed that DeSmith’s glove actually was over the goal line and was awarded after an officials’ review.

It was the first time in 11 games and just the second time in the last 22 contests that Philadelphia scored first.

Gostisbehere’s slap shot from the point through traffic on the power play made it 2-0 with just under 5:52 left in the period. And Giroux notched his 15th 1:04 later. Sean Couturier sent the puck behind the net, Konecny tipped it to the slot and Giroux fired it past DeSmith’s glove.

Lyon made a remarkable save with 10 ½ minutes left in the period to keep the Penguins off the board. Lyon stopped Kasperi Kapanen’s long shot, but it knocked the stick out of Lyon’s hand. The puck trickled behind Lyon and toward the goal, but he sprawled around and used his hand under his blocker to stop the puck just before it crossed the goal line.

Crosby netted his 21st of the season and 47th in 76 career games against the Flyers 2:30 into the third when he tipped Kris Letang’s pass over Lyon’s left shoulder from the side of the net. Zucker pulled Pittsburgh within 4-2 with 11:36 remaining when he tipped John Marino’s shot past Lyon for another power play goal, but Farabee dashed any hopes of a Pittsburgh comeback with his team-leading 17th goal with 8:23 left.

Tristan Jarry replaced DeSmith in goal at the start of the third.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Penguins: D Mike Matheson is listed as week to week after taking a puck to the face in the second period of Saturday’s 3-0 win over Washington. … F Evan Rodrigues (lower body) missed his second straight game. Rodrigues didn’t skate on Monday. … Brandon Tanev (upper body) was out of the lineup for the 13th consecutive game. His return appears near, though, as he skated with full contact on Monday.

UP NEXT

The teams close out their season series with the second game of a back-to-back on Tuesday night in Philadelphia.

Aho, Hurricanes beat Blackhawks 5-2 for 4th straight win

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The Associated Press

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May 4, 2021

RALEIGH, N.C. — Sebastian Aho scored twice in the second period on the way to a hat trick, helping the Carolina Hurricanes rolled past the Chicago Blackhawks 5-2 on Monday night.

Dougie Hamilton and Martin Necas also scored for the Hurricanes, who entered this game leading the race for the Presidents’ Trophy awarded to the team with the league’s best regular-season record. They led nearly the entire way, going up 2-0 in the opening period and then getting Aho’s scores to blow the game open on the way to a fourth straight victory.

Aho got his first when he buried a pass from Andrei Svechnikov — who stayed on his feet to lead a terrific charge up the middle of the ice for the 2-on-1 chance at 4:42 of the second.

Aho followed that minutes later by finding himself alone in front of the crease on the power play. That gave him time to set up and perfectly redirect the puck high past Malcolm Subban off a low pass from Hamilton.

That lifted Carolina to a 4-0 lead by midway through the period, pushed Aho’s point streak to eight games and knocked Subban from the game in favor of Collin Delia.

Aho capped his night by beating Patrick Kane to a puck and scoring the empty-net putaway at 18:44 to earn the hat trick.

Ian Mitchell and Alex DeBrincat scored for Chicago, which also had a goal from Philipp Kurashev disallowed on replay review because Pius Suter impaired Alex Nedeljkovic’s ability to play his crease position.

Chicago, sitting at sixth in the eight-team Central Division, has lost five straight and seven of nine.

AHO’S ROLL

The 23-year-old Aho had managed three goals and nine assists in his point streak entering Monday, a tear that had helped make him the Central Division Star of the Month for April.

Aho’s streak had included five straight games with an assist.

IN NET

Subban allowed allowed four goals on 18 shots before being pulled for Delia, who finished with 19 saves in his third appearance this year — and first since Jan. 17.

Nedeljkovic finished with 16 saves and didn’t face much pressure considering Chicago managed just 11 shots through the first two periods.

INJURY UPDATES

Carolina got winger Jesper Fast back after he missed five games with a lower-body injury. Fast saw more than 13 1/2 minutes of ice time.

Goaltender Petr Mrazek, who has missed the past six games with a lower-body injury, was the backup to Nedeljkovic on Monday night.

UP NEXT

The teams meet Tuesday in the second game of a three-game set as the Hurricanes close their home schedule.

More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Senators extend Jets’ losing streak to 7 with 2-1 win

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The Associated Press

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May 4, 2021

OTTAWA — Nikita Zaitsev scored with 1:13 left in the third period to give the Ottawa Senators a 2-1 win over the struggling Winnipeg Jets on Monday night.

Zaitsev’s third of the season gave Ottawa its sixth win in eight games (6-1-1).

Goaltender Filip Gustavsson was stellar in the win, stopping 28 shots while the Senators killed off all six of Winnipeg’s power-play chances.

Connor Brown also scored and assisted on Zaitsev’s winning goal for Ottawa.

Josh Morrissey scored for Winnipeg, which has lost seven straight games.

Ottawa lost defenseman Thomas Chabot in the first period with an apparent shoulder injury. Chabot left the ice after taking a hard hit from Winnipeg’s Logan Stanley, returning briefly before heading back to the dressing room.

Chabot’s loss is a big one for Ottawa. He’s the team’s top-scoring defenseman (six goals, 25 assists) and came into the game leading the NHL in average ice time (26 minutes, 46 seconds).

Brown opened the scoring at 11:31 of the first with a short-handed goal, his league-tying fourth this season. He took a centering pass from Nick Paul on a 2-on-1 break and beat Winnipeg’s Laurent Brossoit for his 12th goal in 17 games and 18th overall.

Gustavsson kept it a one-goal game with solid play in the second as Winnipeg outshot the Senators by a whopping 17-4 margin. The Jets had the first 11 shots of the period, with Gustavsson coming up big on Mark Scheifele in close just prior to a Jets power play around the midpoint of the game.

It was Brossoit’s turn, though, to play well to start the third as Ottawa had some good scoring chances on the power play. Then Morrissey tied the game with his fourth of the season at 9:46, snapping Gustavsson’s shutout bid.

UP NEXT:

Jets: at Calgary on Wednesday.

Senators: host Montreal on Wednesday.

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Bergeron, Bruins blank Devils to clinch playoff spot

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The Associated Press

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May 4, 2021

NEWARK, N.J. — Captain Patrice Bergeron scored his 20th goal of the season and the Boston Bruins clinched their fifth straight playoff berth with a dominating 3-0 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Monday night.

Tuukka Rask stopped 20 shots for his second shutout of the season and Nick Ritchie broke a scoreless tie in the second period as the Bruins won their fourth straight game and ended the Devils’ three-game winning streak.

Defenseman Matt Grzelcyk scored on a deflection off Devils defenseman Ryan Murray late as the Bruins won for the 10th time in 12 games. Brad Marchand, who was playing in his 800th NHL game, and Bergeron got the assists on the third goal.

The win was the sixth in a row for Rask.

Boston got off to a dominating start. The Bruins took the first 11 shots of the game and limited New Jersey to nine in the first 40 minutes in taking a 2-0 lead. The Bruins finished with a 42-20 shots advantage.

Devils goalie Scott Wedgewood gave New Jersey a chance, stopping all 16 shots in the first period and 35 of 37 in the first 40 minutes. He finished with 39 saves.

Ritchie got the game’s opening goal at 9:08 of the second period, taking a cross-ice pass by defenseman Jakub Zboril and beating Wedgewood with a one-timer from the right circle.

Bergeron’s 20th was a perfect play by the “Perfection Line”. Marchand got the puck from David Pastrnak, skated around the Devils’ net and found Bergeron alone in front.

Rask’s toughest saves of the game came against Devils captain Nico Hischier. He made a pad save on a breakaway in the first period and stopped a backhand in close with under five minutes to play.

PROMOTED

The Devils called up forward A.J. Greer from Binghamton on Monday and he was in the lineup. He was acquired from the Islanders in the deal that sent Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac to New York. This was his first NHL game in two years. His night ended in the third-period fight against Bruins defenseman Connor Clifton.

NOTES: Bruins D Mike Reilly got a night off after an 11-game run after being acquired from Ottawa. … Zboril was in the lineup for the first time in seven games. … Devils F Mikhail Maltsev missed the game. He sustained a lower-body injury after being hit by a shot in Philadelphia on Saturday. … Devils coach Lindy Ruff said D P.K. Subban and Jonas Siegenthaler are getting closer to skating with the team after being sidelined by COVID-19.

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Houser wins in NHL debut as Sabres rallly past Islanders 4-2

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The Associated Press

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May 4, 2021

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Michael Houser stopped 34 shots in his NHL debut, Sam Reinhart scored twice in Buffalo’s three-goal third period and the Sabres beat the playoff-bound New York Islanders 4-2 on Monday night.

Tage Thompson and Rasmund Asplund also scored for Buffalo, which trailed 2-0 early in the second period.

Houser spent the past 8 1/2 seasons in the minor leagues. It was his first game since March 7, 2020, with Cincinnati of the ECHL.

Adam Pelech and Oliver Wahlstrom scored for the Islanders. Semyon Varlamov, coming off three straight shutouts, finished with 36 saves.

The Islanders fell to fourth place in the Eastern Division —one point behind Boston, which beat New Jersey 3-0. The Bruins also have a game in-hand on the Islanders.

The teams finish their season series Tuesday night in Buffalo.

Thompson’s power-play goal got the Sabres on the scoreboard with 5:56 left in the second period and ended Varlamov’s shutout streak at 248 minutes.

Asplund tied the score with 8:35 remaining in the third.

Reinhart gave the Sabres a 3-2 lead with 4:04 left and sealed the win with an empty-netter, his career high-tying 25th, with 52 seconds to go.

SABRES ADD A GOALIE

Buffalo signed goalie Stefanos Lekkas to a professional tryout deal on Monday. Lekkas was the backup for the Sabres AHL team in Rochester and is 1-4-1 with a .863 save percentage with a 4.32 goals-against average. He backed up Houser on Monday night due to injuries to goalies Dustin Tokarski, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Carter Hutton, and Linus Ullmark.

LINEUP NOTES

Sabres: Tokarski did not dress for the Sabres. Interim coach Don Granato said Monday morning they wanted to give Tokarski a day off and see where he is at

Islanders: Forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau was replaced by Travis Zajac in the lineup. Pageau missed part of the third period of the Islanders’ 3-0 win against the Rangers on Saturday

Magic top Pistons 119-112 behind Bamba’s big night

By

The Associated Press

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May 4, 2021

DETROIT — Mo Bamba had 22 points and 15 rebounds — both career highs — and the Orlando Magic beat the Detroit Pistons 119-112 on Monday night.

Saddiq Bey led Detroit with 26 points in a game that had little at stake — with the possible exception of lottery positioning. The Pistons (19-46) have the second-worst record in the NBA. Orlando (21-44) is now even with Oklahoma City for the fourth-worst mark. Idle Minnesota (20-45) is in between.

The list of injuries and absences was lengthy on this night. Detroit was without Wayne Ellington (calf), Jerami Grant (right knee), Cory Joseph (left ankle), Rodney McGruder (right elbow), Jahlil Okafor, Mason Plumlee (rest) and Dennis Smith Jr. (left knee Soreness). The Magic were missing Devin Cannady (right ankle), Michael Carter-Williams (left ankle), James Ennis III (right calf), Markelle Fultz (left knee), Jonathan Isaac (left knee), Chuma Okeke (left ankle), Otto Porter Jr. (left foot) and Terrence Ross (back).

The Magic were also without coach Steve Clifford, who missed a sixth straight game. The team did announce before the game that Clifford has cleared the league’s health and safety protocols for COVID-19 and will return to the bench Wednesday night against Boston.

Clifford tested positive for the virus last month while in between two vaccination shots.

The Magic led 51-48 at halftime and then shot 13 of 18 from the field in the third. Orlando led 88-78 heading into the fourth. Detroit was within three late, but Iggy Brazdeikis made a 3-pointer from the right corner to make it 112-106.

TIP-INS

Magic: Chasson Randle scored 18 points, R.J. Hampton added 16 and Brazdeikis contributed 14.

Pistons: Frank Jackson scored 19 points and Hamidou Diallo had 16. Tyler Cook scored 13 on 6-of-6 shooting.

UP NEXT

Magic: Host Boston on Wednesday night. Orlando is 0-2 against the Celtics this season.

Pistons: Host Charlotte on Tuesday night. Detroit is 0-2 against the Hornets this season.

Follow Noah Trister at https://twitter.com/noahtrister

More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

Westbrook has 21 boards, 24 assists; Wizards blast Pacers

By

The Associated Press

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May 4, 2021

WASHINGTON — Russell Westbrook had the third game in NBA history with 20-plus rebounds and 20-plus assists — he and Wilt Chamberlain have the other two — and the surging Washington Wizards moved closer to Indiana in the Eastern Conference playoff standings by outgunning the Pacers 154-141 on Monday night.

Westbrook had 14 points to go along with his career-high 21 rebounds and career-high-tying 24 assists, his league-leading 32nd triple-double of the season. He has 178 triple-doubles, three short of Oscar Robertson’s record, with seven games remaining for Washington.

Rui Hachimura scored 27 points and Bradley Beal had 26 as Washington scored a season high and moved within one-half game of Indiana for ninth place in the East. Teams that finish between seventh and 10th will enter the league’s new play-in tournament for the main playoff draw.

The Wizards earned the tiebreaker over the Pacers by winning the first two meetings. The teams meet one more time this season at Indiana on Saturday.

Domantas Sabonis had 32 points and 20 rebounds and Caris LeVert scored 33 points for the Pacers, who have lost three of four. Eight Pacers scored in double figures.

Washington finished the first half with a 20-8 run over the final 4:15 to take an 82-66 lead at the break. Westbrook had three of his 11 second-quarter assists during that stretch. It was Washington’s highest scoring first half of the season.

Westbrook had 14 assists and 12 rebounds at the half while taking just three shots.

Westbrook’s layup with 10:23 left in the third clinched his triple-double. His 32 are the fourth most in any NBA season; he holds the record with 42.

One game removed from scoring a franchise record 152 points, the Pacers allowed a season high in points as Washington shot 61.2% from the field.

TIP-INS

Pacers: Leading scorer Malcolm Brogdon (21.2 points per game) missed his second consecutive game with a right hamstring injury. … Coach Nate Bjorkgren was given a technical foul with 9:09 left in the third. … Edmond Sumner left in the third with a left knee contusion and did not return. Sumner finished with 10 points in 16 minutes. … Fell to 17-3 when scoring 120 or more points.

Wizards: Had 16 assists on 17 field goals in the second quarter while shooting 63% (17 of 27) and scoring 46 points. … Alex Len, who averages 7.4 points, scored nine in the first and finished with 12. … Nine players finished in double figures. … Washington scored 96 points in the paint.

UP NEXT

Pacers: Host Sacramento on Wednesday in the first of three straight at home.

Wizards: Begin a five-game trip at Milwaukee on Wednesday night.

More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

China’s UN envoy: Myanmar violence could lead to civil war

By

The Associated Press

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May 4, 2021

UNITED NATIONS — China’s U.N. ambassador on Monday urged stronger diplomatic efforts to resolve the confrontation in Myanmar since the Feb. 1 military coup, warning that further violence could lead to a chaotic situation “and even a civil war.”

Zhang Jun also warned that “any wrong handling” might lead to further tension in Myanmar.

The U.N. Security Council on Friday strongly backed calls by Southeast Asian nations for an immediate cessation of violence and talks as a first step toward a solution following the military coup in Myanmar that ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her party and reversed years of slow progress toward democracy.

The council again demanded the restoration of democracy and the release of all detainees including Suu Kyi and condemned the use of violence against peaceful protesters and the deaths of hundreds of civilians.

Zhang, who described Myanmar as “a friendly neighbor,” strongly backed diplomatic efforts by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations known as ASEAN and by U.N. special envoy for Myanmar Christine Schraner Burgener, and expressed hope they would produce results. He said “China is not in favor of imposing sanctions.”

“We should really be creating a more favorable environment for bringing the country back to normal and finding a political solution through dialogues among the relevant political parties within the constitutional and legal framework,” he said.

Myanmar for five decades had languished under strict military rule that led to international isolation and sanctions. As the generals loosened their grip, culminating in Suu Kyi’s rise to leadership in 2015 elections, the international community responded by lifting most sanctions and pouring investment into the country. The coup took place following November elections, which Suu Kyi’s party won overwhelmingly and the military contends was marred by fraud.

“It’s mainly an issue relating to the difference on the election,” Zhang said. “The political parties should be able to find a solution on that. So that’s why China prefers … more diplomatic efforts.”

“That’s why China is working very closely with the relevant parties urging them really to refrain from going extreme, avoiding violence, avoiding casualties, and try to find a solution with dialogue. That’s why the council is also now giving full support to the diplomatic efforts of ASEAN,” he said.

Zhang was asked whether China was concerned that Myanmar could descend into civil war, given that its military is fighting the Kachin and Karen ethnic minorities, which maintain their own armed forces, while also confronting pro-democracy protesters — amid reports that civilians, mainly students, are now receiving training in the use of weapons in ethnic areas.

“We do have similar concerns,” Zhang said. “We do believe that with diplomatic efforts we can avoid the further escalation of the tension.”

“With further escalation of the tension, there will be more confrontation, and with more confrontation there will be more violence, and with more violence there will be more casualties, and then we may go further down the wrong direction,” he warned. “It may also mean a chaotic situation in Myanmar and even a civil war.”

Zhang said China is also very concerned about the humanitarian impact of the crisis, citing U.N. envoy Schraner Burgener who pointed to more poor people losing jobs, civil servants refusing to work to protest the junta, and a brewing crisis of families in and around the main city Yangon “pushed to the edge” for food, going into debt and trying to survive.

In her briefing to the council Friday, obtained by The Associated Press, she also cited a World Food Program report that the combination of existing poverty, the COVID-19 pandemic and the political crisis have led to a sharp rise in “hunger and desperation,” and that within six months up to 3.4 million more people will suffer from hunger, particularly those in urban areas.

In again urging a diplomatic solution, Zhang warned that with further deterioration “definitely a humanitarian disaster or crisis will be inevitable so we do need to try our best to avoid that.”

James out, Schröder enters virus protocol for reeling Lakers

By

The Associated Press

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May 4, 2021

LOS ANGELES — With LeBron James still working himself back to full strength from a sprained right ankle, the Los Angeles Lakers found out Monday they’ll be without their other point guard for more than a week.

Coach Frank Vogel said James and Dennis Schröder were out for Monday’s game against the Denver Nuggets. Vogel said he was sitting James in the second game of a back-to-back after the four-time MVP experienced ankle soreness during the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 121-114 loss to the Toronto Raptors.

Schröder will be out much longer. He entered the league’s coronavirus health and safety protocol on Sunday and will miss at least 10 days.

“They are the quarterbacks of our offense and it is a unique challenge without them. It will be more of a team-led approach,” Vogel said.

The Lakers had lost three straight and six of seven entering Monday. They have gone 8-15 since James sprained the ankle on March 14 against the Atlanta Hawks.

Vogel said James didn’t suffer any setbacks and the decision to sit him was precautionary.

Schröder recently told German media that he had some reservations about getting vaccinated against the coronavirus. According to the German site Spox, Schröder said it was difficult for him because “I’m one who doesn’t like to take painkillers. I always try to get by without all that stuff.”

Vogel said the team had a series of meetings on Zoom before vaccines became available and shortly after to tell players about the benefits of getting vaccinated.

“Everyone has a different viewpoint on how they want to manage their own personal health,” he said. “There are competitive and lifestyle advantages if we reach 85%. At the end of the day, it’s their own personal choice and we respect that.”

At 36-28 entering Monday in the highly competitive Western Conference, the Lakers are in danger of having to participate in the league’s new play-in tournament for a spot in the main playoff draw.

After Sunday’s loss, James was highly critical of the play-in tournament concept, while Anthony Davis said the defending champions had reached their lowest point of the season.

“Our team is shook right now to not have LeBron again. We understand it is going to take time for him to be 100 percent,” Vogel said. “We’re not happy where we are right now. We need everyone to rise to the challenge. That applies to Anthony as much as everyone else.”

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