JLB ELECTRIC TUESDAY EYE-OPENER
Matt Beleskey scored 45 seconds into overtime, and the Anaheim Ducks beat the Chicago Blackhawks 5-4 in Game 5 Monday to take a 3-2 lead in the NHL’s Western Conference finals. Chicago captain Jonathan Toews scored two stunning goals in 72 seconds late in regulation to force overtime, but Beleskey barrelled into the crease and scored on a rebound of Ryan Kesler’s shot.
A Lightning victory tonight will send Tampa Bay to the Stanley Cup final for the second time in franchise history. Steve Stamkos and the Bolts host Game 6 of the Eastern Conference final against the Rangers, who are trying to force a Game 7 back in New York. Tampa Bay won the Cup in 2004 — the only other season the Lightning reached the final.
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The RCMP says Graham James is facing criminal charges of repeated sexual assault alleged to have occurred while he coached the Swift Current Broncos in the early 1990s. James served three-and-a-half years in federal prison for sex offences against former Broncos player Sheldon Kennedy and two others. He’s now completing a five-year sentence for sexually abusing former N-H-L player Theoren Fleury and Fleury’s cousin, Todd Holt, when they played for him with the Moose Jaw Warriors.
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Nick Merkley, Gage Quinney and Leon Draisaitl (DRY’-sit-uhl) each scored twice as the Western Hockey League champion Kelowna Rockets downed the Rimouski Oceanic 7-3 at the Mastercard Memorial Cup. The loss puts the Quebec champs from Rimouski into a must-win situation Wednesday night against the host Quebec Remparts.
The Oshawa Generals will attempt to go undefeated in round-robin action tonight at the Mastercard Memorial Cup. The Ontario Hockey League champions are 2-and-oh so far and face the Western Hockey League’s Kelowna Rockets, who evened their record at 1-and-1 with a 7-3 win last night over the Quebec league champs Rimouski Oceanic.
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The Houston Rockets are still alive in the NBA’s Western Conference final. James Harden scored a playoff career-high 45 points as Houston downed the Golden State Warriors 128-115 in Game 4. The Rockets used a 45-point first quarter to build a big lead that they never gave up. The Warriors lead the series 3-1.
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Drew Hutchison threw a complete-game four-hit shutout and Justin Smoak and Josh Donaldson homered as the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Chicago White Sox 6-nothing. Jose Reyes returned to the lineup after a stint on the 15-day disabled list and hit a double in his first at-bat for the Jays.
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Albert Pujols hit a two-out, broken-bat single with the bases loaded in the ninth inning to give the Los Angeles Angels a walk-off 4-3 win over the San Diego Padres. And Jhonny Peralta hit a game-ending homer in the 10th inning, lifting the St. Louis Cardinals to a 3-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
No matter how much time they give Graham James. It isn't enough.