FRIDAY EYE-OPENER

The Vancouver Canucks have forced Game 6 in their first round series versus Calgary. Daniel Sedin scored early in the third period as Vancouver edged the Flames 2-1. The Flames still lead the best-of-seven series 3-2, with Game 6 set for Saturday in Calgary. Nick Bonino had the other goal for Vancouver. Ryan Miller made 19 saves.

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A hat trick from Filip Forsberg kept Nashville’s season alive. The Predators forced a sixth game in their first-round Western Conference series by beating the Chicago Blackhawks 5-2.

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The Washington Capitals are one win away from the second round. Rookie Evgeny Kuznetsov scored twice, Karl Alzner added a goal and an assist, and Washington beat the New York Islanders 5-1 for a 3-2 lead in their first-round series. The Capitals can end the best-of-seven set by winning Game 6 at New York on Saturday.

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Tyler Johnson scored in regulation and again 2:25 into overtime to lift the Lightning to a 3-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. That evens their playoff series at 2-2. The Red Wings led 2-0 in the third before Johnson scored with 5:26 remaining. He then assisted on the tying goal 77 seconds later.

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LeBron James scored 31 points and the Cavaliers moved one win away from a sweep with a 103-95 victory over Boston. Kevin Love hit two 3-pointers for a 101-93 lead with 26 seconds to go. Cleveland can complete the sweep of the best-of-seven, first-round series Sunday in Boston.

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Drew Hutchison struck out seven batters over eight innings and was perfect through five to pace the Blue Jays to a 7-6 win over Baltimore. Hutchison finished with two earned runs on four hits and one hit batter, and Josh Donaldson hit a monster home run to give the Blue Jays their first series sweep of the season.

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Nick Tropeano pitched five-hit ball into the seventh inning in his Angels debut, and Kole Calhoun’s two-run homer was L-A’s only hit in a 2-0 victory over the Oakland Athletics. Calhoun homered in the third and four pitchers combined on an eight-hit shutout, allowing the Angels to split the four-game series with their upstate A-L West rivals.

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Former Seattle Seahawks tight end Jerramy Stevens has pleaded no contest to driving drunk in a Southern California beach town. Prosecutors say Stevens entered pleas to two misdemeanour counts of driving under the influence of alcohol and driving with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 – both within 10 years of a previous D-U-I offence.

(CP)