Tuesday Sports: Stayin’ Alive!, Stars Shining

STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS (Round 2)

• Wyatt Johnston scored a short-handed goal and one on the power play as the visiting Dallas Stars defeated the Colorado Avalanche 5-1 Monday night to take a 3-1 lead in their second-round, best-of-seven NHL playoff series. Miro Heiskanen, Evgenii Dadonov and Sam Steel also scored for the Stars, who can win the series Wednesday in Texas.
• The visiting Carolina Hurricanes scored four goals in the third period to beat the New York Rangers 4-1 on Monday to extend their second-round, NHL playoff series. Jordan Staal, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Jordan Martinook and Martin Necas scored for the Canes, who have won two straight but still trail the best-of-seven series 3-2. Jacob Trouba scored for the Rangers. Game 6 is Thursday in Raleigh, North Carolina.
• Colorado Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkinwas suspended at least six months without pay and placed in stage 3 of the league’s player assistance program before Game 4 on Monday night of a second-round series with Dallas. The National Hockey League and National Hockey League Players’ Association announced the news about an hour before the start of the game with the Stars. It’s the second time this season he’s been in the program. Stage 3 means Nichushkin violated the terms of the program. The 29-year-old Russian forward will miss the rest of the postseason and the first month next season at a minimum. He leads the team with nine playoff goals this season. Colorado lost 5-1 to Dallas on Monday and trails 3-1 in the series.
• There are two playoff games in the NHL Tuesday night, including one in Edmonton where the Oilers host the Vancouver Canucks, trailing the second-round, best-of-seven series 2-1. The Canucks will be without defenceman Carson Soucy who was suspended for one game for cross-checking Connor McDavid in the face. The Florida Panthers host the Boston Bruins with a shot to eliminate the visitors, who trail their series 3-1.

CENTENNIAL CUP

Monday Scores:
Collingwood 8 Longeuil 0
Calgary 3 Sudbury 2
Winkler 4 Oakville 0

Tuesday Sked:
Sioux Lookout vs Melfort
Navan vs Calgary
Winkler vs Miramachi

PWHL

Minnesota finally solved netminder Kristen Campbell and in so doing kept their Professional Women’s Hockey League season alive with a 2-0 victory over visiting Toronto on Monday at the Xcel Energy Center. Maggie Flaherty and Denisa Krizova scored for Minnesota, while Liz Schepers chipped in with two assists. Maddie Rooney made 18 saves to post the shutout. Toronto still leads the best-of-five series 2-1, with Game 4 set for Wednesday in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

MLB

Daulton Varsho had a homer, 2 RBIs and a circus catch that prevented a homer as the visiting Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Baltimore Orioles 3-2 in 10 innings tonight to open a three-game series at Camden Yards. Bo Bichette had three hits, Vladimir Guerrero Junior had a hit and three walks. Starter Jose Berrios pitched seven innings of two-hit ball. Jordan Romano pitched the final two innings for the win. Adley Rutschman had two solo homers for the AL East-leading Orioles.

NBA

• Canadian Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 32 points and Chet Holmgren added 18 and nine rebounds as the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder edged the Dallas Mavericks 100-96 to tie their best-of-seven NBA Western Conference semifinal series 2-2. P-J Washington led the Mavericks with 21 points and 12 rebounds. Luka Doncic had 18 points and 12 rebounds for the Mavs.
• Jayson Tatum scored 33 points and added 11 rebounds as the visiting Boston Celtics defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 109-102 tonight to take a 3-1 lead in their N-B-A Eastern Conference semifinal series. Jaylen Brown also scored 27 points for the Celtics. Darius Garland led the Cavaliers with 30 points. Game 5 is Wednesday in Boston.

(Canadian Press)