Panthers move to the verge of 2nd straight Stanley Cup title by beating the Oilers 5-2 in Game 5
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Brad Marchand scored twice, Sam Bennett had his NHL playoff-leading 15th goal and the Florida Panthers moved to the verge of a second consecutive Stanley Cup title by beating the Edmonton Oilers 5-2 in Game 5 on Saturday night. The Panthers improved to 10-3 on the road this playoffs. They can hoist the Cup again as soon as Tuesday night if they win Game 6 on home ice in Sunrise. Connor McDavid scored his first of the series, but it was too late to save the Oilers.
Getting better with age, Marchand scores twice in the Panthers’ Game 5 win over the Oilers
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — It’s 2011 all over again for Brad Marchand, who at 37 is showing signs he’s getting better with age in inching the Florida Panthers to within one victory of repeating as Stanley Cup champions. Marchand scored twice, including being credited with his second winning goal of the Cup Finals, in a 5-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday night. With six goals in the final, Marchand became the 18th player to do so and first since Edmonton’s Esa Tikkanen in 1988. And Marchand, who scored five times in Boston’s 2011 Cup-winning final series over Vancouver, joined Mario Lemieux in becoming just the second player over the past 50 years to score five or more times in multiple Cup finals.
Sam Burns holds steady on soggy Oakmont to lead US Open
OAKMONT, Pa. (AP) — Sam Burns has the lead in the U.S. Open on a rain-soaked Oakmont course and faces his biggest test. The 28-year-old from Louisiana has never contended in 20 previous majors. He shot a 69 with a late birdie and a great lag putt for par. That gives him a one-shot lead over Adam Scott. The Australian shot a 67 to finish one shot behind. Scott is the only player in top 10 who has won a major. J.J. Spaun shot 69 and also was one back. Viktor Hovland was the other survivor to par. He was three back.
At US Open, Adam Scott turns back the clock and climbs within a shot of the lead
OAKMONT, Pa. (AP) — Adam Scott is one shot out of the lead heading into the final round of the U.S. Open. The 44-year-old Aussie is the only player in the top 10 at Oakmont who has won a major. Scott birdied three of the last six holes to shoot 3-under 67 and finish a shot behind Sam Burns and tied for second with J.J. Spaun. Scott and Burns will have the final tee time Sunday at Oakmont.
Shohei Ohtani hits 2 homers against Giants, ending the Dodgers star’s 10-game homer drought
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani has hit two homers against the San Francisco Giants, emphatically ending the three-time MVP’s longest homer drought since joining the Los Angeles Dodgers. Ohtani led off the game with his 24th homer, hammering Landen Roupp’s fourth pitch 419 feet deep into the right-field bleachers with an exit velocity of 110.3 mph. The slugger had been in a 10-game homer drought since June 2, going 10 for 40 in that stretch with no RBIs. Ohtani then led off the sixth with his 25th homer on Tristan Beck’s breaking ball outside the strike zone.
Caitlin Clark returns with 32 points and Fever hand Liberty first loss with 102-88 victory
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Caitlin Clark made seven 3-pointers and scored a season-high 32 points in her return from a five-game absence, and the Indiana Fever handed the defending WNBA champion New York Liberty their first loss of the season with a 102-88 victory Saturday. Clark tied her career high for 3-pointers and added nine assists and eight rebounds. Kelsey Mitchell added 22 points as Indiana reached triple digits for the first time this season. Sabrina Ionescu scored a season-high 34 points for the Liberty, who had been the last unbeaten team in the WNBA.
Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami and Egypt’s Al Ahly battle to scoreless draw in Club World Cup opener
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi was denied on a long shot in extra time and Inter Miami and Egypt’s Al Ahly settled for a scoreless draw in the opening game of the Club World Cup. Argentina’s eight-time Ballon d’Or winner kicked a long, curling shot from the right side that was tipped by diving goalkeeper Mohamed Elshenawy and brushed off the crossbar in front of a crowd of more than 60,000 at Hard Rock Stadium. Messi also shaved the post with a free kick in the second half. Miami had its own good fortune, surviving a first half onslaught by 12-time African champion Al Ahly, with goalkeeper Oscar Ustari saving a penalty from Trezeguet just before the break.
Thunder embraced their moments of adversity this season. It paid off in Game 4 of the NBA Finals
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Contrary to popular belief not everything was easy for the Oklahoma City Thunder this season. They had lineup issues at times because of injuries. Players had slumps. It might not have been too noticeable because the team was winning just about every game, but there were moments of frustration. Coach Mark Daigneault embraced those moments, knowing adversity would arrive in the playoffs. And when it has hit, the Thunder have answered.
Contreras catchers become first pair of brothers to homer in same inning as opponents since 1933
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Catchers Willson and William Contreras became the second pair of brothers to homer in the same inning as opponents in baseball’s modern era. Both went deep Saturday in the ninth inning of the St. Louis Cardinals’ 8-5 win over the Milwaukee Brewers that snapped the Cards’ six-game skid. Willson Contreras’ ninth homer of the season, a solo shot to right-center, gave St. Louis an 8-4 lead in the top of the ninth. William Contreras led off the bottom half of the inning with his sixth homer. The Contreras brothers are the first to homer in the same inning as opponents since Rick and Wes Ferrell on July 19, 1933.
Woeful Rockies absorb 2 records for futility with 19 whiffs and worst 70-game mark in modern era
ATLANTA (AP) — The Colorado Rockies have made history no team wants to claim. With their 4-1 loss to the Atlanta Braves, the Rockies have the worst 70-game record in the modern era. They fell to 13-57. The 1932 Boston Red Sox had the previous worst 70-game mark at 14-56. The Rockies made more inglorious history by setting a team record with 19 strikeouts. Veteran first baseman Kyle Farmer says the Rockies “don’t care” about making history for the worst start in baseball’s modern era. Farmer says the players simply have to move on for the next game.