June 3, 2022 3:54 am
DENVER (AP) – The Colorado Avalanche have held serve in the first two games of the NHL’s Western Conference finals. The Avalanche have a two-games-to-none lead after a flurry of goals and a backup netminder led to a 4-0 shutout of the Oilers. Nazem Kadri set up goals by Artturi Lehkonen, Josh Manson and Mikko Rantanen during a 2:04 span early in the second period. Lehkonen and Manson tallied just 15 seconds apart, and Nathan MacKinnon capped the scoring late in the third. Pavel Francouz had a 24-save shutout two nights after the Oilers scored six times in a Game 1 loss. Francouz replaced Darcy Kuemper, who sustained an upper-body injury in the second period of the opener. Mike Smith made 35 saves for the Oilers, who host Game 3 on Saturday.
June 3, 2022 3:56 am
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – The Golden State Warriors had one of their patented, strong third quarters in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, but the Boston Celtics had the last word. The Celtics rode the most lopsided fourth quarter in NBA Finals history to a 120-108 victory over the Warriors. Boston outscored Golden State 40-16 in the final 12 minutes after trailing by 15 points late in the third quarter. Boston won it with long-range shooting, shooting 21 of 41 from beyond the arc. Al Horford was the catalyst with six 3-pointers and 26 points. Boston made its first seven tries from long distance in the fourth and wound up 9 of 12 beyond the arc in the period. Derrick White was 5-for-8 from downtown in scoring 21 points off the bench. Jaylen Brown finished with 24 points and Marcus Smart added 18 on 4-for-7 from beyond the arc. Steph Curry had a team-high 34 points for the Warriors, who host Game 2 on Sunday.
June 3, 2022 3:51 am
OAK BROOK, Ill. (AP) – Roger Valdiserri, who helped tell the story of some of Notre Dame’s greatest football teams as the school’s sports information director for three decades, has died. He was 95. Valdiserri’s family says he died of natural causes at a retirement community outside Chicago. The family said he was surrounded by his five children at the time of his death. Valdiserri was a native of Belle Vernon who graduated from Notre Dame in 1954. His first job at the school was an administrative assistant for football coaches Frank Leahy and Terry Brennan. He took over as the school’s sports information director in 1966 under coach Ara Parseghian. Notre Dame won the first of four national titles in football during Valdiserri’s tenure that season.
June 2, 2022 3:55 am
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Bryan Reynolds hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning and the Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 8-4. The Pirates completed their first sweep at Dodger Stadium in nearly 22 years. Rodolfo Castro went 2 for 2 with four RBI in three innings and the Pirates’ defense turned four double plays. The NL West-leading Dodgers lost their third in a row for the first time since dropping four straight from May 11-14 against the Pirates and Phillies. They were swept for the first time this season.
June 2, 2022 2:48 am
The WPIAL baseball playoffs ended late Wednesday night with West Allegheny’s 8-inning win over Peters Township. WA led 2-0 and 4-1 before Peters Township pulled even in the sixth. The teams worked through weather delays of 40 minutes, then 36 minutes before Anthony Ranieri singled home Brady Miller with the go-ahead run in the top of the eighth. Peters Township got the leadoff man aboard in the bottom of the inning but couldn’t bring in the tying run.
West Greene came up a run short in a bid to set a new WPIAL record as the five-time defending champions lost to Union in the 1A softball championship game. The Pioneers, Sto-Rox and Hempfield are the only schools to win five straight WPIAL softball titles. The PIAA baseball & softball playoffs begin on Monday with West Greene softball (in District 6), Burgettstown baseball (in District 9) and Peters Township baseball (in District 3) all opening on the road. Once the brackets are released, we’ll post links here. Our first round coverage will be based on the time schedule set by the PIAA.
Baseball WPIAL Brackets — Click Here — Softball WPIAL Brackets — Click Here
Tuesday, May 31
Baseball Third Place
2A Riverside 6, Burgettstown 4
5A Bethel Park 6, Thomas Jefferson 0
Baseball Championship
6A Mt. Lebanon 2, Upper St. Clair 1
Wednesday, June 1
Baseball Championship
5A West Allegheny 5, Peters Township 4 (8)
Wednesday, June 1
Softball Championship
1A Union 3, West Greene 2
June 2, 2022 2:13 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Stephon Tuitt’s NFL career is over. The Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman has retired from the NFL at age 29. Tuitt said feels called to move on from the game following the death of his younger brother in June 2021 and Tuitt’s own recent graduation from Notre Dame. Tuitt had 34 1/2 sacks in eight seasons with the Steelers. He did not play last season after his brother Richard Bartlett III was killed in a hit and run in Georgia.
June 2, 2022 3:58 am
NEW YORK (AP) – Filip Chytil scored twice in the second period and the New York Rangers routed the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning 6-2 on Wednesday night in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals. Mika Zibanejad, Artemi Panarin and Frank Vatrano each had a goal and an assist, Chris Kreider also scored and Alexis Lafreniere and Adam Fox each had two assists to help New York win its franchise-record seventh straight home playoff game. Igor Shesterkin stopped 37 shots. Steven Stamkos had a goal and an assist, and Ondrej Palat also scored for Tampa Bay, which had won six straight and was playing for the first time since completing its second-round sweep of Florida on May 23. Tempers flared with less than two minutes remaining as several skirmishes broke out in one corner. Ten players received penalties – including two on the Rangers’ Barclay Goodrow – to put Tampa Bay on a power play to finish the game. Game 2 is Friday night at Madison Square Garden.
June 1, 2022 3:57 am
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Michael Chavis and Tucupita Marcano each hit two-run homers and the Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-3 to take their second straight series from the NL West leaders. The Pirates won four of five games against the Dodgers in May and conclude their LA visit on Wednesday. The Dodgers dropped just their fifth series of the season after wasting several chances. They failed to capitalize on seven walks and a hit batter. Trea Turner blasted a two-run homer to extend his hitting streak to 23 straight games, tops in the majors this season.
June 1, 2022 4:01 am
DENVER (AP) – J.T. Compher scored twice, Cale Makar had a goal and two assists and the Colorado Avalanche held off the Edmonton Oilers 8-6 in Game 1 of the Western Conference final.
The Avalanche’s eight goals were tied for the most in a playoff game in franchise history. Both teams needed to use backup goaltenders. Edmonton’s Mike Smith was pulled after giving up six goals and Darcy Kuemper left with an upper-body injury. Twelve Avs recorded at least a point and six had multi-point games.
May 31, 2022 3:54 am
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Michael Perez hit a tying single in the ninth inning and pinch-runner Michael Chavis scored the go-ahead run on first baseman Freddie Freeman’s error to give the Pittsburgh Pirates a wild 6-5 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers. The loss snapped the Dodgers’ four-game winning streak. The Pirates have won three of four against the Dodgers this month. Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton earned his 100th career victory.
