www.dailypostathenian.com FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2021 | SPORTS DAILY POST-ATHENIAN | B3 Staal scores in OT, Hurricanes beat Bolts in Game 3

BY ERIK ERLENDSSON Killorn had power-play a pass from inside his own defenseman David Savard The Associated Press goals for Tampa Bay. zone up ice to Svechnikov, missed his third consecu- The Hurricanes did who one-touched a pass tive game with an undis- TAMPA, Fla. — Jordan something they were to a streaking Aho. The closed upper-body injury. Staal scored on a power unable to do in the open- play sent Aho in alone for Though Savard practiced play at 5:57 of overtime to ing two games on home ice a breakaway to give Caro- with the team Monday and give the Carolina Hurri- — score first. lina a 2-0 lead at 7:40. coach Jon Cooper indicat- canes a 3-2 victory over the The first lead of the series It didn’t take long for ed Savard is expected to Tampa Bay Lightning on for the Hurricanes came Tampa Bay to respond on return in the series, he did Thursday night in Game 3 courtesy of Pesce, who one- a power play. At 8:57, a pass- not take part in the team’s of the second-round series. timed a shot from above the ing play from Steven Stam- morning pregame skate. Staal scored with Tam- right circle off a feed from kos to Kucherov to Point NO GO FOR TRO: Carolina FRANK FRANKLIN II | THE ASSOCIATED PRESS pa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov Andrei Svechnikov at 5:15 of cut the lead to 2-1. center Vincent Trocheck Boston Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask (40) celebrates with Charlie serving a for hold- the second period. It’s the The Tampa Bay power missed the game and his sta- McAvoy (73) and other teammates after the Bruins’ 2-1 overtime ing the stick. Carolina cut first time Carolina opened play went back to work tus for the remainder of the win in Game 3 of the East second-round playoff series against the Tampa Bay’s series lead to the scoring since Game 2 again when Brady Skjei serious is unknown. Tro- on Thursday in Uniondale, New York. 2-1, with Game 4 on Sat- against the Nashville Pred- was whistled for hooking check left late in the second urday. ators in the opening round at 15:52 and again cashed in. period of Game 2 after col- Carolina coach Rob and the first lead for the Point gained the zone with liding with teammate War- Brind’Amour changed Hurricanes since Game 4. speed and found Kucherov ren Foegle and had to hop Marchand scores in goaltenders, opting for It also was the first 5-on-5 in the slot. After his ini- off the ice. Trocheck tried Petr Mrazek after Alex scored by Carolina in tial chance was blocked, he to return but took just one Nedeljkovic started the the series and the first one recovered the puck and fed shift. Brind’Amour indi- OT, Bruins beat Isles first eight games of the Tampa Bay had allowed Killorn between the hash- cated Thursday morning playoffs. Mrazek stopped since the second period of marks for a quick rising sot that Trocheck was doubtful 35 shots. Game 5 against the Florida over Marazek at 16:18, the but wanted to give it a try Sebastien Aho and Brett Panthers. 11th power play goal scored but the Hurricanes’ second to take lead in series Pesce also scored also The Hurricanes built the by Tampa Bay in nine post- leading scorer during the scored for Carolina. lead on a well-executed set season games. regular season did not dress Brayden Point and Alex play as Jaccob Slavin sent NOT SO SAVVY: Tampa Bay for pregame warmup. BY VIN A. CHERWOO NHL PLAYOFFS AP Sports Writer EAST DIVISION FINAL UNIONDALE, N.Y. — Game 3 Brad Marchand scored BOSTON BRUINS 2, 3:36 into overtime and the N.Y. Islanders 1, OT Boston Bruins beat the Bruins lead series 2-1 New York Islanders 2-1 Filling his own shoes Thursday night in Game 3 Islanders on their second to take the lead in the sec- power play of the game. ond-round playoff series. Rask made a spectacular In the extra period, Char- blocker save on Brock Nel- lie McAvoy brought the son nine minutes in, and puck up ice along the left then denied Anthony Beau- side and passed to March- villier in front less than a and, who skated along the minute later. boards and fired a sharp- Varlamov made a stellar angle shot into the top right stop on David Krejci’s shot corner past Islanders goalie from the left circle with less Semyon Varlamov. than six minutes remaining Craig Smith also scored in the middle period, draw- for Boston, and Tuukka ing more chants of “Var-ly!” Rask stopped 28 shots — from the crowd. including five in overtime, Smith, back in the lineup as the Bruins took a 2-1 lead after missing Game 2, gave in the best-of-seven series. the Bruins a 1-0 lead 5:52 Mathew Barzal scored the into the game as he got a tying goal late in the third pass from and period for New York, and beat Varlamov high on the Varlamov — making his glove side from between second straight start after the circles. it was his sec- Ilya Sorokin went in four ond goal of the postseason straight games — finished and came on Boston’s sec- with 39 saves. ond shot on goal. Game 4 is Saturday night Beauillier had a chance at . on a breakaway less than Boston got its first pow- two minutes later, but his er play 1:38 into the third forehand shot was denied period and mustered five by Rask. shots on goal during the The Islanders went on a advantage, but couldn’t power play when March- beat Varlamov. and was called for high- GEORGE WALKER IV | THE TENNESSEAN Bruins defenseman Bran- sticking with just under The ’ Todd Downing throws to receivers during NFL training camp on May 27 in Nashville. don Carlo was helped off nine minutes remaining the ice after a hard hit by in the opening period, but Cal Clutterbuck near the they couldn’t muster a shot Downing trying to tune up Titans’ o ense, not replace Smith end boards to Rask’s right a on goal. little more than six minutes The Bruins’ Mike Reilly BY TERESA M. WALKER became the eighth man to top 2,000 he’s excited about the competition into the third. It left Boston nearly doubled the lead AP Pro Football Writer yards with 2,027 yards. Henry aver- the Titans currently have at differ- with five defensemen. with 6:20 left, but his shot aged 126.6 yards per game. ent spots on offense. Varlamov had another went off a goalpost. NASHVILLE — Todd Downing has “It’s certainly an easier job hav- “I think that you’re going to see stellar save on David Pas- CASSIDY WINS: fBruins no plans to fill Arthur Smith’s shoes ing back there than some growth from some of these trnak at 7:11 to keep it a one- coach Bruce Cassidy got as Tennessee’s new offensive coordi- not having him back there,” Down- guys,” Downing said. “Excited to see goal game. his 33rd playoff win, break- nator. His real challenge is keeping ing said. where they finish up by the time we Then, with Josh Bailey off ing a tie with Art Ross to the Titans’ offense clicking as well Downing said they all know Henry get to the real ball.” for tripping to put Boston move into sole possession as possible. is one of the Titans’ playmakers and Vrabel promoted Downing after on its second power play of of second place on the fran- “I look at this job more as what the offensive line works hard to open he coached tight ends the past two the period with nine min- chise list. Claude Julien is coach (Mike) Vrabel and (GM) Jon holes for him. But they’re always seasons working with both the pass- utes left, Varlamov made first with 57 postseason Robinson asked me to do to fill it looking for ways to be more efficient ing and run games. Smith had never several more nice stops to victories. this year, not to be the Arthur Smith and get the ball to their playmakers. called a single play as coordinator at keep it a one-goal game. EARLY GOALS: For the fourth or to be anybody else for that mat- “It’s no secret that that’s part of any level before Vrabel tapped him Barzal tied the score with time in his four starts this ter,” Downing said Wednesday in the identity of this offense. So I’m before the 2019 season. a great individual effort. He postseason, Varlamov gave his first availability with reporters looking forward to finding ways to Downing was the offensive coor- went behind the Bruins’ net up a goal in the first three since being promoted from tight ends make sure that Derrick’s utilized,” dinator for the Raiders in 2017 after to get the puck, came back shots he faced to start a coach in January. Downing said. two seasons as quarterbacks coach to Rask’s right and tried to game. Downing has a couple of big advan- Downing does have some chal- working with . The Raid- stuff a wraparound. He allowed a goal to Bry- tages taking over as Tennessee’s new lenges. ers had almost all of the key players The goalie stopped the an Rust 3:22 into Game 2 offensive coordinator. Unlike Smith, Corey Davis and back from a 12-4 season but fell to attempt, but Barzal kept of the first round against now head coach of the Atlanta Fal- tight end , who com- 16th in scoring. The entire staff was jabbing at the puck and Pittsburgh, and to Kris cons, Downing has been a coordina- bined for 106 catches, 1,432 yards fired after that season. knocked it in on the sec- Letang at 2:01 of Game 3. tor in the NFL previously. and 13 , now are with Downing worked with quarterbacks ond try for his first goal On Monday night, Bos- He also was closely involved in the other teams. before being promoted with the Raid- this postseason. ton’s Charlie Coyle scored Titans’ offense last season coaching The Titans signed wide receiver ers, and he coached Varlamov stopped March- 2:38 into Game 2 of this tight ends, an offense that was one Josh Reynolds to a one-year deal and while in Detroit. He coached tight and on a try 7 1/2 minutes series. of the NFL’s best. Tennessee tied for drafted in the fourth ends in 2018 in Minnesota and also into the second on Bos- LINEUP CHANGE: Smith second with Buffalo averaging 396.4 round. Tight end is has worked at Buffalo and St. Louis ton’s first shot on goal of returned to the Bruins’ yards per game and ranked fourth in back on a one-year deal. during 20 years coaching in the NFL. the period, drawing chants lineup after missing the last scoring 30.7 points a game. Wide receiver A.J. Brown has been “Each stop along the way has given of “Var-ly! Var-ly!” from the game due to a lower-body Tennessee also was second in rush- very vocal on social media lobbying me some new insight, and I can cer- home crowd. injury sustained in the sec- ing thanks to AP NFL Offensive Play- for the Titans to trade for Atlanta tainly rely on some of those experi- After several big hits on ond period of Game 1. er of the Year Derrick Henry. The All- wide receiver , a push ences to maybe see around some both sides, Pastrnak was Karson Kuhlman, who Pro not only led the NFL in rushing endorsed by Henry and several of corners or predict things a little bit whistled for slashing on played in Smith’s absence for a second straight season, Henry Browns’ teammates. Downing said better,” Downing said. Ryan Pulock, putting the in Game 2, sat out. Nuggets eliminate Trail Blazers in Game 6 BY ANNE M. PETERSON NHL PLAYOFFS that all but sealed it for Den- Porter had six 3-pointers in AP Sports Writer ver with less than a minute the first quarter alone, tying WEST FIRST ROUND to go. an NBA playoff record for PORTLAND, Ore. — Niko- Game 6 The Nuggets took a 3-2 most 3s a quarter. la Jokic had 36 points and the DENVER NUGGETS 126, lead in the series with a 147- Lillard hit a 3-pointer at the Denver Nuggets eliminated Portland Trail Blazers 115 140 double overtime victory buzzer to give the Blazers the Portland Trail Blazers in Nuggets win series 4-2 in Denver on Tuesday night. a 68-61 lead at the half. He six games with a 126-115 vic- It spoiled Lillard’s epic play- raised his arms to encourage tory Thursday night. They led by 14 points in the off performance: He had 55 the crowd as he headed off Michael Porter Jr. added third quarter but couldn’t points, including 12 3-point- the floor. 26 points, including 22 in stave off elimination. ers, and 10 assists. It was the TEAMMATE AWARD: Damian the opening quarter, for the Monte Morris hit a buzzer- most 3-pointers ever in a Lillard was honored before third-seeded Nuggets. They beating 3-pointer to close playoff game. the game as the NBA’s await the outcome of the Denver to 101-98 heading The Blazers needed big Twyman-Stokes Team- first-round series between into the last period. Jokic man Jusuf Nurkic to stay out mate of the Year award. the Phoenix Suns and Los hit a 3-pointer to put Den- of foul trouble. Tasked with The league’s players vote Angeles Lakers. ver ahead 108-106 and Den- defending Jokic, he fouled to recognize “selfless play, Denver advanced to the ver stretched it to 117-108 on out in three of the first five on- and off-court leadership Western Conference semi- Austin Rivers’ 3 with 3:52 games. as a mentor and role model finals for the third straight left. Nurkic didn’t have a foul to other NBA players, and season. Portland tired to catch in the first half, but then had commitment and dedication CRAIG MITCHELLDYER | THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Damian Lillard finished up, getting to 121-115 on CJ four quick fouls in the third to team.” Carmelo Anthony Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic shoots over Portland Trail with 28 points and 13 assists McCollum’s layup, but Aar- quarter and had to head to and CJ McCollum presented Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic during the first half of Game 6 in the for the sixth-seeded Blazers. on Gordon hit a 3-pointer the bench. Lillard with the award. West first-round playoff series on Thursday in Portland, Oregon.