NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — The memory of missing the playoffs for first time since 1996 and the ghost of an 18-year-old wound were wiped out with a sweep of rookie Adam Henrique’s stick.

The New Jersey Devils are going back to the Stanley Cup finals, thanks to Henrique, a 40-year-old goaltender and a coach who’d never been to the postseason in the NHL.

How’s that for a turnaround?

Henrique scored off a wild scramble in front at 1:03 into overtime and the Devils defeated the rival New York Rangers, 3-2, in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals to advance to their first Stanley Cup finals since 2003.

“It means a lot,” Devils leading scorer Ilya Kovalchuk said minutes after reaching the Cup finals for the first time. “It’s a great feeling. Last year was a tough one, but this year was totally different. We played well all year. The first round of the playoffs was a little tough but after that, I think we figured out our game and what it takes to win.”

After beating Florida, Philadelphia and their biggest rivals, the Rangers, only the Los Angeles Kings stand in the way of a fourth Cup for New Jersey.

The title round begins here Wednesday.

This series win came against the Devils’ most intense rival, and it was that much sweeter.

“That one was like Christmas,” said Henrique, who also scored the series winner in overtime as Devils’ first-round, Game 7 win over the Panthers.

It also was needed. The Devils blew a 2-0 first-period lead and didn’t want to head back to New York for a Game 7 on Sunday.

“It didn’t matter how it got to overtime, we were in a good position,” Devils captain Zach Parise said. “We were at home. We just needed one shot.”

Actually, the Devils needed four shots to win the game.

Henrique’s winner came after Henrik Lundqvist stopped Kovalchuk twice and Alexei Ponikarovsky. The last shot lay in the crease and Henrique tapped it home.

“We caught them on a line change and their defensemen were tired,” said Devils coach Peter DeBoer, who was fired by Florida after missing the playoffs in his three seasons. “We found a way to jam one in. That’s the only way you’re going to score on Lundqvist. You’re not going to get a clean one. You’re going to have to work for it around the net.

“And that’s what we did.”

Ryan Carter and Kovalchuk also scored for the Devils, whose biggest move this year was hiring DeBoer. He has more than proved his coaching ability.

Ruslan Fedotenko and Ryan Callahan tallied for top-seeded New York, which had a good flurry just before New Jersey scored to end it.

Henrique, who is nominated for the Calder Trophy — given to the NHL’s top rookie — skated away from the crease and jumped against the end boards in the corner as his teammates hopped off the bench and mobbed him.

The six Rangers on the ice just stayed down in disbelief and frustration. This was very much like Game 5, which the Devils won 5-3. New York carried the play after the first period and had a 35-29 edge in shots.

But when it came time for a game-deciding play to be made, it was a Devil who made it.

“When they scored, it was such an empty feeling,” said Lundqvist, who said the puck took a weird bounce on the final play. “It is shocking.”

Henrique overcame injury to score this one. He seemed to take a stick from Brian Boyle in the groin area late in the third and had to leave the ice.

He felt no pain after the game winner.

All the Rangers could do was bow their heads and then line up for the traditional handshake after losing to their cross-rival rivals in a series that was close.

“That’s playoff hockey, and that’s usually where you get an overtime goal,” Rangers veteran Brandon Prust said. “Just whacking away in front of the net, getting rebounds.”

Martin Brodeur, 40, kept the Devils alive in the third. He stopped a power-play shot by Brad Richards, made a save on Artem Anisimov between the circles and used his stick to deflect a pass from the boards by Carl Hagelin in the final minute just before it got to Marian Gaborik on the edge of the crease.

“You could tell he was in the zone. He led us,” Parise said. “He made some big saves tonight.”

Lundqvist’s best stop in the third was on Dainius Zubrus on a shot from behind the circles.

Facing elimination and down 2-0 after 20 minutes, the Rangers found their game in the second period and tied the game at 2-all on goals by Fedotenko and Callahan in a roughly four-minute span.

Defenseman Ryan McDonagh, who assisted on both goals, made the big play to get New York back in the game. He collected the puck above the left circle, skated around the net and tried a wrap around. The shot didn’t go on goal but it turned out to be a perfect pass to Fedotenko who a tap-in into an open net at 9:47.

Callahan, who had a New York goal go off his leg in the Devils’ 5-3 win on Wednesday, tied the game at 13:41 when Dan Girardi’s shot from the right point deflected off his leg into the open lower corner of the net. Callahan’s sixth of the postseason was set up when Brandon Dubinsky won a faceoff in the left circle.

Carter, who scored the game winner in New York on Wednesday night after the Devils blew a 3-0 lead, put New Jersey ahead again at 10:05 of the opening period.

The play started with a bad pinch at the point by Rangers defenseman Marc Staal. Steve Bernier led a 3-on-1 and found Stephen Gionta coming down the middle for a solo chance against Lundqvist. The Rangers goaltender stopped the shot, but Carter swatted the rebound home for his fourth of the playoffs.

Kovalchuk’s seventh goal of the postseason and fifth on the power play was a thing of beauty. All five Devils skaters touched the puck with tape-to-tape passes with Zubrus finding Kovalchuk alone low in the left circle for a shot that Lundqvist had little chance to stop.

The Devils — as is the tradition for many Cup finalists — did not touch the Prince of Wales Trophy that was presented at center ice. As the team skated off to their locker room, “Glory Days,” the 1984 hit from New Jersey rocker Bruce Springsteen serenaded them.

The game was played on the 18-year anniversary of the Rangers’ dramatic, 4-2, Game 6 victory over New Jersey at the Meadowlands, a victory that pushed that classic Eastern Conference final series to a Game 7 and eventually led New York to its first Stanley Cup in 54 years. That game, of course, was preceded by a guarantee from Rangers captain Mark Messier, who delivered three goals en route to the victory.

This time, though, there will be no Game 7.

NOTES: The Empire State Building’s tower lights were lit in red and blue on Friday to cheer on the Rangers. … Mogul and TV personality Donald Trump was at the game. … Devils C Travis Zajac left the ice briefly in the second after being slashed on the left hand by Prust. No penalty was called. … New Jersey is 4-1 in overtime in the postseason. New York finished 2-3 after regulation.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Adam Jones and J.J. Hardy had two RBIs apiece for the Orioles, now 28-1 when hitting a home run. Davis hit Baltimore’s league-leading 70th homer of the season in the seventh inning with a man on to make it 8-0.

The crowd of 28,954 included nearly 11,000 walk-up fans, a Camden Yards record. The attendance was a testament to the excitement the first-place Orioles have generated after a run of 14 straight losing seasons.

Part of the buzz centered around Jones, who appears to be closing in on a multi-year contract extension. Jones hit a sacrifice fly in the first inning and stretched his career-high hitting streak to 16 games with an RBI single in a five-run fifth.

Hammel (6-1) gave up five hits, walked one and struck out seven. Obtained in an offseason trade with Colorado, Hammel is one big reason why Baltimore (29-17) owns the best record in the AL.

Kansas City’s Jeff Francoeur had three hits, including an eighth-inning homer off Stu Pomeranz. The Royals’ inability to complete a relay from first base to second following a pickoff throw contributed to their third straight defeat.

The Orioles benefited from that shortcoming during the game-turning fifth inning. Xavier Avery led off with a walk and broke for second as starter Bruce Chen threw to first. Avery reached second before the throw from first baseman Eric Hosmer. Robert Andino followed with a perfectly placed bunt to put runners
on the corners. This time it was Andino who broke for second as Chen threw to first. Andino avoided the tag, and Hardy hit a two-run double.

Nick Markakis doubled in a run before Jones chased Chen with an RBI single. With two outs, Jones stole second and scored on a single by Davis for a 6-0 lead.

Chen (3-5) gave up six runs and seven hits in four-plus innings. The left-hander had won each of his previous three starts.

Baltimore loaded the bases with no outs in the first inning but got only one run, on a sacrifice fly by Jones.

The Royals missed a chance to draw even in the second. With one out and Francoeur on third, the Orioles moved the infield in and got the desired result — a grounder to second baseman Andino, who threw out Francoeur at the plate.

In the fourth, a double by Francoeur put runners at second and third with one out. Hammel then struck out Alex Gordon and Brayan Pena.

One inning later, the Royals again had runners at second and third with one out. Hammel struck out Hosmer before Brett Butler hit a rising liner to shortstop that Hardy leaped to grab.

NOTES: Francoeur is 11 for 21 in his last five games. The Orioles designated OF Bill Hall for assignment, recalled Pomeranz and C Ronny Paulino from Triple-A Norfolk and optioned C Luis Exposito to the same minor league club. KC RHP Blake Wood underwent successful elbow ligament replacement surgery Thursday.
LHP Danny Duffy is due to have Tommy John surgery next Thursday, manager Ned Yost said. Orioles 3B Mark Reynolds and LF Endy Chavez, who are both sidelined with left oblique injuries, are slated to begin their minor league rehabilitation assignments with Double-A Bowie on Saturday.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

“I don’t have a real timeline,” Orioles vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette said Friday night. “We’ve had some productive discussions and hopefully it will lead to a long-term deal.”

Jones’ current contract expires after this season, although he will still be under club control in 2013. Jones would then become a free agent, but the Orioles want to lock him up before that happens.

“Hopefully, we can get this done. It would be good for the team, good for the fans,” Duquette said. “Adam Jones is a good player. We like Adam Jones, like what he does for our team. He is a great defensive center fielder and hits in the middle of our lineup.”

Jones made the AL All-Star team in 2009. He entered play Friday leading the first-place Orioles in batting average (.311), homers (14) and RBIs (29) among players with at least 17 games.

Baltimore’s cleanup hitter was also on a career-high 15-game hitting streak.

Jones confirmed Friday that his representative, Nez Balelo, was in Baltimore. Jones also said he’s taken a physical, a prerequisite to a long-term contract extension.

Speaking before the Orioles faced the Kansas City Royals, Jones said of Balelo: “He’s in town now. Hopefully I’ll have some good news for you, but right now I don’t. I’m sorry.”

Reached by telephone, Balelo said, “It is our policy not to comment on any contract negotiations.”

Jones has been a starter since coming to the Orioles in the February 2008 trade that sent Erik Bedard to the Seattle Mariners.

Duquette said earlier this month that he prefers to put off contract talks until the offseason, but Jones’ value has never been higher.

“My choice is to not talk about contracts during the season,” Duquette said, adding, “We’ve been working on it a while.”

Asked who initiated the talks, Jones said, “Probably both sides. I’m not in their offices. It’s an exciting thing, it’s a humbling thing, just even the thought of it. But it’s not complete. Trust me, my phone has been blowing up. It’s exciting, but I’d rather wait until something is imminent. Then I could have good news for you guys.”

Jones figures to get a contract that will rival the most lucrative in Orioles history.

“It’s not about the money,” he said. “You can get money anywhere.”

For Jones, it’s about being on a winning team. The Orioles have endured 14 straight losing seasons, but Jones sees the potential for that to change.

“Look at the players I have around me,” he said. “The core is 25, 26. I’m 26 myself. It’s something we can build up until we’re in our 30s. That would be a strong thing, to have a strong core that can work together similar to what New York has with (Derek) Jeter, Mariano (Rivera), (Jorge) Posada, (Andy) Pettitte. We have a good team and I’ve enjoyed it since I’ve been here, but winning has made it more enjoyable.”

Catcher Matt Wieters would love to see Jones stick around for a long time.

“Everybody would be very happy for Adam and very happy for the Orioles,” Wieters said. “It would be a great deal for both parties.”

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

The Orioles also recalled catcher Ronny Paulino from Norfolk on Friday and optioned Luis Exposito to the same minor league club.

Hall was batting .286 with one homer since joining the team on May 12. He had seven at-bats in six games.

Manager Buck Showalter expressed hope that Hall would pass through waivers and accept an assignment to Norfolk.

Showalter said the Orioles wanted to add Pomeranz to “keep the integrity of the bullpen.” The right-hander made two scoreless appearances with Baltimore earlier this season.

Paulino hit .300 (9 for 30) with three RBIs in nine games for the Orioles earlier this season. Exposito was batting .059 in eight games with Baltimore.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

After a nearly two-year legal battle, California racing officials agreed with O’Neill but still found fault because of a
rule that says trainers are ultimately responsible for horses in their care.

The ruling Thursday doesn’t prevent O’Neill from saddling his Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner in the Belmont Stakes on June 9.

The suspension and $15,000 fine — which O’Neill can appeal — come in the final weeks of I’ll Have Another’s attempt to become horse racing’s 12th Triple Crown winner and first since Affirmed 34 years ago. The colt trained by O’Neill won the Derby on May 5 and took the Preakness on Saturday.

“I plan on examining and reviewing all of my options following the Belmont Stakes, but right now I plan on staying focused on preparing for and winning the Triple Crown,” O’Neill said in a statement.

The seven-member California Horse Racing Board met in closed session Thursday at Betfair Hollywood Park in Inglewood, Calif., to consider the recommended decision of a hearing officer in O’Neill’s case. The board agreed with the officer’s recommendations on the punishment for O’Neill, who turned 44 on Thursday.

While elevated carbon dioxide is associated with “milkshaking,” the officer agreed with O’Neill that his horse Argenta had not been fed a mixture of bicarbonate of soda, sugar and electrolytes that enhances performance and combats fatigue. The officer did not indicate what might have caused the overage.

“I’m gratified that the CHRB found that I did not “milkshake” a horse or engage in any intentional conduct that would result in an elevated TC02 level,” O’Neill said.

The penalty comes at a time when racing is under heavy scrutiny for the way horses are prepared for their races.

O’Neill said he spent $250,000 defending himself.

“I know I didn’t milkshake a horse. None of us around the barn milkshaked any horses,” O’Neill said Wednesday. “You got to have rules and I respect rules, but when you get faulty science involved, it costs a lot of money unfortunately, but you’ve got to fight it and that’s what we’re doing.”

O’Neill ran into trouble after Argenta tested in excess of the permitted level of TCO2 — a Class 3 violation — after finishing
eighth in a race at Del Mar on Aug. 25, 2010. The horse is co-owned by Mark Verge, the CEO of Santa Anita race track and O’Neill’s childhood friend.

But the hearing officer, who could have recommended up to a 180-day suspension, advised that 135 days be stayed as long as O’Neill doesn’t have any Class 1, 2 or 3 medication violations in any state during an 18-month period.

It was O’Neill’s third total carbon dioxide violation in California and fourth in his career. In 2010, he was suspended and
fined for a similar offense involving one of his horses that ran in the Illinois Derby at Hawthorne Race Course in suburban Chicago.

The officer found there were no suspicious betting patterns in the 2010 race and that there was no evidence of any intentional acts on the part of O’Neill in connection with the incident.

However before the hearing, the parties had stipulated that the Ken Maddy Laboratory at UC Davis detected an excess level of TCO2 in the horse’s blood sample, and CHRB Rule 1887 states a trainer is ultimately responsible for the condition of a horse, so O’Neill was punished.

CHRB executive director Kirk Breed will decide when O’Neill’s suspension will begin, but it will be no sooner than July 1.

The Jockey Club has said that elevated total carbon dioxide levels, regardless of cause, are violations of the rules and
penalties for excessive TCO2 are severe. It urges trainers and their veterinarians to work closely to identify any procedure or practices that may elevate such levels in horses.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Charley Toomey was in goal (1990) the last time Loyola played in a national championship game. Fast forward 22 years and the former goalie is pacing the Loyola sidelines and a strong candidate for national coach of the year.

Loyola is the top seed in the tournament. This is the Greyhounds first final 4 since 1998. The ECAC Champs bring the best record to New England at 16-1. Their only loss came in overtime to Hopkins.

Loyola will meet 4th seed Notre Dame, the Irish have won 13 of 15 games and have the nations best goalie in John Kemp. The Potomac, MD product leads the nation in goals against average (6.23) and save percentage (.636).Face-offs could decide this game, J.P. Dalton was dominant in Loyola’s quarterfinal win over Denver while Notre Dame is under 50% for the season.

The other semifinal matches Maryland against 3rd seed Duke. It’ll be the 3rd time this season that these 2 ACC rivals go at it (they split the first 2). And how about Maryland coach John Tillman, he’s been in College Park for 2 years and his Terps have made it to the Final 4 both seasons. He’s the first coach in NCAA history to take unseeded teams to back-to-back Final Four’s.

Maryland graduated a lot of talent a year ago but the Terps are back after an impressive 11-5 win over Johns Hopkins in the quarterfinals. Duke is red hot the Blue Devils have won 12 of their last 13 games. Maryland loves to slow the pace we’ll see who can control the tempo in this one.

Loyola has never won an NCAA lacrosse title and Maryland hasn’t hoisted the trophy since 1975 both are 2 wins away from history.

Saturday Schedule

2:30 Gillette Stadium (ESPN 2)
4-Notre Dame (13-5) vs. 1-Loyola (16-1)

5:00 Gillette Stadium (ESPN2)
Maryland 11-5 vs. 3-Duke 15-4

Winners play for Championship
Monday at 1:00

Number 5: NBA Playoff Surprises

On Tuesday the Los Angeles Lakers lost Game 5 in their series with the Oklahoma City Thunder, thus eliminating them from the NBA Playoffs. On Tuesday the Miami Heat beat the Indiana Pacers by thirty-two and lead the series three games to two.

Number 4: NFL Union Files Suit Against NFL Over 2010 Salary Cap

On Wednesday, the NFL Union filed suit against the NFL, accusing the league of “colluding” with NFL owners to set a salary cap in 2010, which they had no power to do so. This suit comes after appeals from the Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys were dismissed. The teams were appealing their punishments from going over the salary cap in 2010.

Number 3: I’ll Have Another Wins Preakness

I’ll Have Another won the Preakness on Saturday, again overtaking Bodemeister in the stretch to win the race by a neck. If he wins the Belmont Stakes on June 9, he would become only the 12th horse in history to win The Triple Crown.

Number 2: Maryland and Loyola in the Final Four

On Saturday the Maryland Terps and the Loyola Greyhounds will play in the Final Four of the NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse Championship. Maryland will play duke, while Loyola will play Notre Dame. Maryland has won the National Championship twice, while Loyola has never won the championship.

Number 1: The Return of Brian Roberts

Brian Roberts, Second Baseman for the Baltimore Orioles, begun playing baseball for the first time in more than a year. He is currently playing in the Minor Leagues as part of a rehabilitation assignment. Roberts last played in a game May 16, 2011, and since then has been sidelined because of a concussion.

Is their position at the top precarious? Perhaps.

That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t appreciate and enjoy what has been accomplished, so far.

Center fielder Adam Jones has been the team’s best player. He has blossomed into a legitimate All-Star candidate.

Jones leads the Orioles in batting average, HR’s, runs, RBI’s and stolen bases. He makes his hits count , as well. The Birds are 13-1 when AJ goes deep.

Closer Jim Johnson has also been outstanding in 2012 as he has converted all 16 of his save opportunities.

As a team, Baltimore leads the majors in HR’s and saves and 7th in runs scored.

Some good things are happening.

Injured players such as 2B Brian Roberts and LHP Zach Britton could be returning to the team to help the cause within the next month.

There is a chance manager Buck Showalter’s club could get better.

Then again, we should expect the Yankees and Red Sox to get better too. And we are definitely not forgetting about the Rays and Blue Jays.

The Al East is tough and Orioles have played with the big boys.

As the summer starts to heat up, we’ll find out if they are for real.
BH

I think not.

This is yet another move by the league to give the illusion of player safety along a focus on “the children”. I say give me a break. You’re not going to get me with this one. I hope that children understand the difference in tee ball, softball & baseball. Just like at the pro level in football, it’s similar but not the same. Because NFL players don’t wear thigh pads doesn’t means a 12 year old is going to resist.

What a joke all these rules are. Don’t insult me with the children excuse. It’s all about protecting the investment, in the player. With the money teams spend on players they want to make sure they are at max health. But it’s really about giving the fans something to chew on. Something to hang their hat on regarding safety. It’s a total shell game, look over here, look over there but don’t focus on the real issue. If the league is waving the flag for concussion safety, thigh pads won’t fix the issue and we all know it.

Follow me on twitter @gunitradio

On Wendesday, the NFLPA filed suit against the NFL, claiming the NFL and owners of all 32 teams made a secret cap number during the 2010 uncapped year.  Florio explained why the NFLPA would have difficulty winning the case.

“The problem is, that when the new CBA was finalized in August 2011 there were documents signed releasing claims, of you guessed it, collusion, and then when the NFLPA agreed to go along with the cap penalties in exchange of driving the salary cap north of what it was in 2011, the NFLPA was in a real bind,” he said.

Florio also talked about the current suit between former NFL players and the NFL. The suit claims those players were not informed of the dangers playing in the NFL and should be compensated for medical expenses.

“To the extent that the NFL is now standing on the shoulders of the men who made the game what it is, and are not properly taking care of them, I can understand why [the players] would want something,” he said.

Recently, it was announced that starting in 2013, it would be mandatory that players wear thigh and knee pads. Florio said this move benefits the NFL.

“First, of all it helps the league. It helps the teams make sure their players are available. I think there is less concern about the players than it is about the team getting the full return on their investment its making the in the player. But to the extent the NFLPA and the players are speaking out against this, what it does is it poisons the national jury pool in a round-about way. The picture it paints is that the players have no regards for their own safety, so good luck winning those concussion lawsuits.” he said.

Florio also thinks the Baltimore Ravens should not make a large investment on Running Back Ray Rice.

“You just can’t make that kind of investment in a guy who plays a position where on any given play his career could be over.” he said.

-Sarah Davis

Tillman, in his second season of coaching the Terps, said he really credits his coaching staff and older players with the team’s success.

“We have a really new team, with twenty-two guys lost off of last year’s roster. We really had to grow up fast and I think our older players have done a great job. Our assistant coaches have done a great job of bringing this team along and getting them to a Final Four weekend,” he said.

Tillman also had high praise for fellow Final Four team, the Loyola Greyhounds.

“I couldn’t be happier for Charley Toomey and his staff and what they’ve done this year. Their just a class act up there. It’s great for Baltimore, it’s great for our state, and we certainly hope Loyola has a lot of success on Saturday,” he said.

This weekend the team plays a familiar opponent in Duke. The have already met twice this year, and have played each other six times in the past fifteen months. Tillman said the teams are very familiar with one another.

“I don’t know if there are going to be a a lot of secrets. Their familiar with our style of play, our personnel, and some of of our schemes, and vice versa,” he said.

Florio also talked about the support the team has gotten back in Maryland, and how it drives the team to work harder.

“I know for some of those people it would mean a lot to them to try and bring back a title and I think that’s what really drives a lot of us. It allows us to stay a little later, and it drives us to come in earlier an watch a little more film and put in the hours that we do, because we know that it would make a lot of people happy,” he said.

Maryland’s Final Four match up against Duke takes place at  Gillette Stadium at 5 pm on Saturday, in Foxburough, Massachusetts.

-Sarah Davis

Roberts walked in both of his plate appearances against Richmond. He scored standing up from first base on a double. He also fielded one grounder.

Roberts, 34, had not been in a game since he had his second concussion on May 16, 2011 in Boston.

Roberts is a two-time AL All-Star. He is set to play for Orioles’ minor league affiliates during his rehabilitation assignment, which can last up to 20 days.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

NEW YORK (AP) — The Devils turned a stellar first nine minutes and an opportunistic final five into a stirring victory over the Rangers that moved New Jersey within one win of a trip to the Stanley Cup finals.

Suddenly, No. 1 seed New York is on the brink — again.

No one would have guessed when Travis Zajac scored 9:49 in to give the Devils a three-goal lead that they would be desperately looking for one more late in the third to hold off the Rangers, who had fought back to tie and appeared to have every bit of the momentum.

But the game, and perhaps the entire Eastern Conference finals, changed in the blink of an eye when Ryan Carter put the Devils in front to stay.

Carter snapped a tie with 4:24 left, and New Jersey survived en route to a 5-3 victory over New York after blowing a three-goal lead in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals on Wednesday night.

The rugged fourth-line forward, who had only four goals and four assists in 72 games with Florida and New Jersey, already has three goals in the playoffs, including two in the East finals.

The Devils, who led 3-0 before the first period was half over, have a 3-2 edge in the series and can advance to face the Los Angeles Kings in the finals with a win at home on Friday night. If the Rangers can stay alive, Game 7 would be back in Madison Square Garden Sunday.

“It’s a good feeling,” goalie Martin Brodeur said of the Devils’ status. “We worked really hard to get in that position. (There’s been) a lot of unsung heroes and guys producing at different times. Players are playing well. We’ve just got to keep going.

“Nothing is done yet.”

The Devils seemed primed for an easy win when Stephen Gionta and Patrik Elias scored within the first 4:13. Travis Zajac made it 3-0 before the Rangers woke up and began chipping away.

Brandon Prust brought New York within 3-1 before the first period was over, and Ryan Callahan made it a one-goal game in the first minute of the second. The Garden really rocked when Marian Gaborik tied it at 3 just 17 seconds into the third.

But the comeback was for naught. Carter put the Devils back in front, and Zach Parise sealed it with an empty-net goal.

“I thought,” Rangers coach John Tortorella said, “we probably played our best game of the series.”

Once Gaborik tied it with an unassisted goal that ricocheted in off the skate of Brodeur, it appeared the Rangers would ride the comeback all the way to one of the most stirring wins in team history — one that would rival victories over New Jersey in the classic 1994 East finals when the Rangers erased a 3-2 series hole behind Mark Messier’s guarantee.

Carter made sure it wouldn’t happen.

“You have to (keep it together) this time of year,” Gionta said. “You have to have a short memory. Fortunately we did and came out with the victory.”

Ilya Kovalchuk knocked Michael Del Zotto off the puck in the right corner, and Gionta sent a pass in front to Carter — who had just charged in front from the bench — for a quick shot that beat Henrik Lundqvist.

“A great play by Kovy to separate their (defensemen) from the puck,” Carter said. “Gio scooped the puck up, took a look and made a fantastic pass to me. All I had to was redirect it.”

New Jersey was outshot 28-17 overall and had only six shots in the third period, but two of them went in. Now the Devils are on the verge of their first Cup finals appearance since they won their third title in 2003.

Brodeur, the backbone of every New Jersey title, kept his focus throughout the third when he was loudly taunted with chants of “Mar-ty, Mar-ty” after New York got even.

“It was a mistake,” Brodeur said of Gaborik’s goal. “I’m pretty happy that the boys bounced back and made this a win for us. It would have been tough and people would have blamed that mishandle.”

The Rangers were ultimately done in by another terrible start. For the 13th straight game in these playoffs, the team that scored first in New York’s contests has gone on to win. The Rangers had been on a pattern of win-one, lose-one, but now they are on the verge of elimination with their second two-game losing streak in a series this year.

The only time the Rangers have won two straight in a playoff series is when they overcame a 3-2 hole in the first round and knocked out Ottawa. They have faced elimination three times already this postseason.

“We have to. There is no other way around it,” Lundqvist said of the Rangers’ comeback chances. “We have to bring all the good things we did and keep doing them in the next game. We played really well in the second and third period.”

They couldn’t say the same about the first.

“It’s different when you go down 3-0. You don’t have a whole lot to lose,” Rangers forward Brian Boyle said. “It was good nonetheless. Now it’s 3-2. Now we have to win two. That’s the bottom line.”

The Rangers burned their timeout early, and Devils coach Peter DeBoer spent his with 10:17 left. Parise implored his teammates on the bench to, `Come on boys.’ and the messages from the coach and the captain did the trick.

New Jersey surely never thought it would be in this kind of fight after storming in front early.

“It wasn’t pretty by any means, what we did tonight,” Parise said. “But we’re going home with a 3-2 lead.”

Not only didn’t the Rangers have the strong start they craved and insisted they needed, they were practically run out of their building less than 10 minutes in.

The same problems that plagued New York in its 4-1 loss in Game 4, when the Devils jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period, cropped up again in front of the home fans that grew frustrated and angry early.

Gionta got the Devils going 2:43 in when he gathered a rebound of Mark Fayne’s shot right in front of Lundqvist, steadied himself without any pressure from the defense, and slipped in his third goal of the playoffs to start the barrage.

Elias made it 2-0 just 1:30 later on New Jersey’s fourth shot of the night.

After Kovalchuk fumbled the puck just inside the blue line, he dived to keep it from leaving the Rangers’ zone. The puck eventually came to Adam Henrique at the right point for a shot that was stopped by Lundqvist. Elias got it in front and scored his fourth.

Tortorella used his timeout then, but it made little difference. He appeared to be calm as he moved back and forth behind the bench while talking to his players. Whatever the message was didn’t sink in.

The Devils shrugged off a few scoring chances by the Rangers, and padded their lead again.

Just 5:26 after Elias’ goal, Zajac made it 3-0 with his seventh of the playoffs. Bryce Salvador wiped out Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh in the New Jersey end and started the play going the other way. Zajac got a clean shot from just inside the right circle that sailed past Lundqvist and beat him inside the left post at 9:49.

The tide began to turn the Rangers’ way the rest of the period as they allowed only one shot the rest of the period and began cutting into the deficit.

Prust, making his return following a one-game suspension for an elbow he delivered to the head of Devils defenseman Anton Volchenkov in Game 3, showed off a bit of scoring touch when he converted on a breakaway with 4:19 left in the first.

The Rangers outshot the Devils 9-6 in the lopsided first period, but continued their sudden defensive dominance well into the second. Then they cut the Devils’ lead down to a goal just 32 seconds into the second.

Brandon Dubinsky, back from a foot injury, fired a shot from the left point that was deflected in front and caromed toward the left corner. Artem Anisimov flung the puck back toward the crease and it struck the left skate of the driving Callahan and got past Brodeur. The goal stood up after a brief video review.

New Jersey didn’t record its first shot of the period, and its second since its third goal, until Henrique put a puck in on Lundqvist at 6:23.

Lundqvist, who had stopped 94 percent of the shots he faced in the playoffs before Wednesday, made just 12 saves. The Rangers allowed five goals one game after allowing four for the first time in this postseason.

To make the finals now, New York will have to win a third consecutive seven-game series. The Rangers have already played 19 postseason games.

“We have to have a short memory,” McDonagh said. “We’ve been in this position before in this playoffs and we found a way to get it done. We don’t want to look ahead. We have to win two games, but we just have to focus on winning one.”

Notes: Dubinsky had been sidelined since he was injured in the Rangers’ victory over Ottawa in Game 7 of the first round. He sat out all seven games of the second round against Washington and the first four against New Jersey. John Mitchell was scratched to make room in the lineup. Prust’s return forced D Steve Eminger to sit out after he played the two previous games. … Kovalchuk has 10 assists in the postseason. … Prust scored his first career NHL playoff goal in his 23rd game. … The game was played on the 18-year anniversary of Game 5 of the 1994 Eastern Conference finals, in which the Devils won, 4-1, took a 3-2 series lead, and prompted the Messier guarantee the following day.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

New York, on the brink of elimination, headed to New Jersey for Game 6.

The comparisons to 1994 were apparent before this series even started — now it’s near a crescendo. All that’s missing is a guarantee from the Rangers captain.

Just don’t tell that to the Devils.

“We won’t worry about it,” forward Patrik Elias said. “Who cares what happened way back then?”

The Devils are concerned with 2012, not what happened in a different millennium, when Rangers great Mark Messier delivered — and came through on — his stunning guarantee.

“That’s 15, 20 years ago. I don’t care,” said captain Zach Parise.

Meanwhile, Parise & Co. never could have imagined they would have a three-goal lead on New York less than 10 minutes into Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals at hostile Madison Square Garden. Their shock was even greater when that advantage was gone, and they were suddenly locked in a tie game in the opening minute of the third period.

In the end, it all worked out for the Devils, who got another surprising goal from fourth-line forward Ryan Carter in the closing minutes and escaped with a win that put New Jersey on the verge of a spot in the Stanley Cup finals.

Carter’s third goal of the playoffs with 4:24 remaining was the difference in the Devils’ 5-3 victory over New York on Wednesday night. The Devils have a 3-2 edge in the series, but if the top-seeded Rangers can stay alive on Friday night in New Jersey, Game 7 would be back in Madison Square Garden on Sunday.

“It’s a good feeling,” goalie Martin Brodeur said of the Devils’ status. “We worked really hard to get in that position. (There’s been) a lot of unsung heroes and guys producing at different times. Players are playing well. We’ve just got to keep going.

“Nothing is done yet.”

If the Rangers fall short, their best season in years will come to a crashing end and the Devils will move on to face the Western champion Los Angeles Kings. New York hasn’t been to the finals since 1994, when the Rangers knocked out New Jersey in the semis and then beat Vancouver for the title.

The Devils are one win away from playing for the Cup one season after their run of 13 straight postseason appearances was snapped. New Jersey went to the finals four times between 1995 and 2003 and won three championships.

“It’s a great position to be in,” Elias said. “Hopefully, we can play a better game at home. Hopefully, we’ll be the team that dictates the energy and the pace out there.”

When Travis Zajac scored 9:49 in to make it 3-0, the Devils seemed ready to cruise to victory. But the Rangers roared back and appeared to have every bit of the momentum.

Then the game, and perhaps the entire series, changed in the blink of an eye when Carter put the Devils in front to stay. Parise added an empty-net goal to make sure the Rangers had no chance for another comeback.

Carter had only four goals and four assists in 72 regular-season games with Florida and New Jersey. He has two goals in the East finals.

“They’ve been great the whole playoffs,” Elias said of the fourth line. “It’s not always the top guys who win you hockey games.”

Stephen Gionta and Elias scored within the first 4:13 before Zajac made it 3-0. Then the Rangers woke up.

Brandon Prust brought New York within 3-1 before the first period was over, and Ryan Callahan made it a one-goal game in the first minute of the second. The Garden really rocked when Marian Gaborik tied it at 3 just 17 seconds into the third.

But the comeback was for naught.

“We probably played our best game of the series,” Rangers coach John Tortorella said.

Once Gaborik tied it with an unassisted goal that ricocheted in off Brodeur’s skate, it appeared the Rangers would ride the comeback all the way to one of the most stirring wins in team history — one that would rival victories over New Jersey in the classic 1994 East finals when the Rangers erased a 3-2 series hole behind Mark Messier’s guarantee.

Carter made sure it wouldn’t happen.

“You have to (keep it together) this time of year,” Gionta said. “You have to have a short memory. Fortunately we did and came out with the victory.”

New Jersey was outshot 28-17 overall and had only six shots in the third period, but two went in.

Brodeur, the backbone of every New Jersey title, kept his focus throughout the third when he was loudly taunted with chants of “Mar-ty, Mar-ty” after New York got even.

“It was a mistake,” Brodeur said of Gaborik’s goal. “I’m pretty happy that the boys bounced back and made this a win for us. It would have been tough and people would have blamed that mishandle.”

The Rangers were ultimately done in by another terrible start. They had been on a pattern of win-one, lose-one, but now they are on the verge of elimination with their second two-game losing streak in a series this year.

The only time the Rangers have won two straight in a playoff series this postseason is when they overcame a 3-2 hole in the first round and knocked out Ottawa.

“We have to bring all the good things we did and keep doing them in the next game,” Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist said. “We played really well in the second and third period.”

They couldn’t say the same about the first.

“It’s different when you go down 3-0. You don’t have a whole lot to lose,” Rangers forward Brian Boyle said. “It was good nonetheless. Now it’s 3-2. Now we have to win two. That’s the bottom line.”

The Rangers burned their timeout early, and Devils coach Peter DeBoer spent his with 10:17 left. Parise implored his teammates on the bench — “Come on boys!” — and the messages from the coach and the captain did the trick.

“It wasn’t pretty by any means,” Parise said. “But we’re going home with a 3-2 lead.”

Not only didn’t the Rangers have the strong start they craved and insisted they needed, they were practically run out of their building.

The same problems that plagued New York in its 4-1 loss in Game 4, when the Devils jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period, cropped up again in front of the frustrated fans.

Gionta got the Devils going 2:43 in, and Elias made it 2-0 1:30 later on New Jersey’s fourth shot.

Tortorella used his timeout, but it made little difference. He appeared to be calm as he moved back and forth behind the bench while talking to his players. Whatever the message was it didn’t sink in.

The Devils shrugged off a few scoring chances by the Rangers, and padded their lead again.

Just 5:26 after Elias’ goal, Zajac made it 3-0 with his seventh of the playoffs. Zajac got a clean shot from just inside the right circle that beat Lundqvist inside the left post.

The tide began to turn the Rangers’ way, and they allowed only one shot the rest of the period.

Prust, making his return following a one-game suspension for an elbow he delivered to the head of Devils defenseman Anton Volchenkov in Game 3, showed off a bit of scoring touch when he converted on a breakaway with 4:19 left in the first to make it 3-1.

The Rangers outshot the Devils 9-6 in the lopsided period, but continued their sudden defensive dominance well into the second. Then they cut the Devils’ lead to a goal just 32 seconds into the second.

New Jersey didn’t record its first shot of the period, and its second since its third goal, until Adam Henrique put a puck in on Lundqvist at 6:23.

Lundqvist, who had stopped 94 percent of the shots he faced in the playoffs before Wednesday, made just 12 saves. The Rangers allowed five goals one game after giving up four for the first time in this postseason.

To make the finals, New York will have to win a third consecutive seven-game series.

“We have to have a short memory,” Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh said. “We’ve been in this position before in this playoffs and we found a way to get it done. We don’t want to look ahead. We have to win two games, but we just have to focus on winning one.”

What’s your prediction for Game 6? Sound off in the comments below!

(TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

Imagine if the Baltimore Ravens had to go through a season without those guys. Suggs is already expected to miss significant time, if not the entire season. Lewis is going into his 17th season. That is considered to be borrowed time by NFL standards.

Ray Rice and Ed Reed are the two you really worry about, if you’re worried at all. Rice is out because the team has placed the Franchise tag on him, to his dismay.

Reed’s situation is that he’s disgruntled. AGAIN. He feels disrespected and unloved. He, the same guy who hears REEEEEED everytime he makes a play at M&T Bank Stadium. But he’s a guy who doesn’t usually show to things like this, so why worry. Right?

Look, this is why I’m a little concerned. This comes off the heels of a very disappointing ending to a season that was so promising. You would expect AND want all of the players to be in camp right now. You would expect them to be chomping at the bit to get back now. The fact that they aren’t doesn’t sit well with some.

We know, it’s a business. We get it. But fans don’t care about the business. They care about the games and when they see some of the best players not in camp, they wonder if the team can get better that way. They knew Suggs couldn’t play, but the “Pollyanna” side of things say you’d like the other stars to shine, even in OTAs.

Rob Long

The bottom line is when you have a player on your team who has been in this league for multiple years they know what they have to do and know what is expected of them. VIDEO OF COACH HARBAUGH.

One leader who was present was Quarterback Joe Flacco. He said it’s definitely important for the “young players” to be around, so they can grow as an athlete. Also Flacco’s presence at camp means a lot to the team. Flacco can help guide some of the rookies and make the transition process smoother for them.

All in all, it was a productive day for the players who were there. The Rookies and Veterans alike are working hard and looking forward to the upcoming season and improving their skills. With it being about a month away from training camp, Flacco claims he will not think about his contract- instead putting his teammates first. By the way, Joe Flacco’s wife Dana is due to have the couple’s first child in three weeks or so. ..JOE FLACCO VIDEO HERE

Forget everything you think you know about the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs are very deep and can play up to 10 different players at any given time in the game. They have a lot of young talent, mixed with the savvy veterans and the best coach in the NBA. On the flip side, the Thunder have two of the most dynamic players in the league in Durant and Westbrook and they also have a very deep bench.

I think most fans are expecting the Thunder to win this series. I really don’t see that happening. The Spurs will more than likely put Kawhi Leonard on Kevin Durant and we will see Parker go against Westbrook. The Spurs were in the top 3 in scoring this year and they can play any style of game you throw at them. The Spurs haven’t lost a game in over a month. The Thunder have limited turnovers in their last 2 series, but I think the spurs are a little better and quicker at the guard position than the Lakers and Mavs.

I like the Spurs to win in 6.

Jessica Kartalija reports he’s here to talk about bullying.

Students at Frederick Elementary School prepared for the arrival of the NBA star by blowing up balloons and attaching them to a giant “Welcome” sign.

The Memphis Grizzlies player arrived at the school just after 1 p.m. Wednesday and students couldn’t have been more thrilled.

Gay, who grew up near Turner Station in Baltimore County, started playing competitive basketball when he was 12 years old. Now his message is about putting an end to bullying.

“My take on bullying has always been, `Don’t treat anyone who you wouldn’t want to be treated,’” Gay said.

“They listen to athletes much more than they listen to us,” said Joe Leonard, principal at Samuel Morris Elementary. “It’s a great opportunity.”

Students had the chance to ask Gay questions about his life on and off the hard wood.

“He talked to us about bullying and how it’s not good to do it,” said student Darryl Washington. “It meant something to me and I think it meant something to other people, too.”

The students also had a chance to shoot hoops with their favorite player.

“Bullying is a problem that’s growing around this area so it was good for me to come back to talk to them,” Gay said.

“He’s a leader so he’s going to set the example for the kids,” said Amanda Rice, principal at George Washington Elementary. “He’s going to let us know what they need to do to make the right decisions.”

Gay played for the University of Connecticut before turning pro. He signed a five-year, $84 million contract with the Grizzlies in 2010.

Gay attended Eastern Technical High School before transferring to Archbishop Spalding.

The awards, and the foundation, are name for Yeardley Love, a former Virginia lacrosse player who was slain in 2010. The awards are given to a male and female lacrosse player from the Atlantic Coast Conference for leadership, community service, and being a positive role model. Candidates are nominated by their coaches.

Cummings is a senior captain who leads the Terps with 45 points. He has been active in several community service projects involving the Maryland lacrosse program.

Rotanz was fourth on the Hokies with 32 points. She has traveled to Vietnam with the Coach for College program and frequently visits critically-ill children in hospitals.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

That’s because the Orioles were going to get a day off Thursday, and they felt pretty good about going 12-8 during a brutal run of 20 games in 20 days.

A victory Wednesday would have given first-place Baltimore its fourth straight series win over Boston, but the Red Sox prevailed in this duel between AL East rivals.

“We had a chance to win two of them, so I’m proud of that,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. “I’m real proud of the effort and the way these guys have gotten after it for these 20 games. We knew looking at the schedule it was going to be a real challenge for us physically, mentally and emotionally.”

The day off will provide the Orioles a chance to relax and reflect.

“We played well,” catcher Matt Wieters said. “You want to win as many as you can, but a 20-game stretch is never going to be easy on a team. We were able to get through it, and now an off day is welcome to everybody to get a little rest and to be ready to go when we come back Friday.”

Daniel Nava and Kelly Shoppach hit sixth-inning homers to turn a tie game in Boston’s favor, and newcomer Scott Podsednik also connected to help carry the Red Sox to victory.

Nava batted seventh, Podsednik eighth and Shoppach last. The trio won’t make anyone forget the home-run power of David Ortiz, Adrian Gonzalez and Kevin Youkilis, but on this day they combined to go 6 for 9 with three homers, four RBIs and four runs.

It was 2-all in the sixth before Nava drove a 2-0 pitch from Jake Arrieta (2-5) over the right-field wall. Podsednik followed with a single, and Shoppach greeted Luis Ayala with a drive to left.

Nava and Shoppach each doubled their home run total for the season; the pair also connected on May 14 against Seattle.

Johnson’s second homer, against Andrew Miller with a man on in the sixth, got Baltimore to 5-4. But Podsednik hit a solo shot in the eighth for a two-run cushion.

Acquired from Philadelphia on May 11 and summoned from Triple-A Pawtucket on Tuesday, Podsednik got two hits in his first start with Boston.

Wilson Betemit hit a sacrifice fly in the eighth off Vicente Padilla, and Alfredo Aceves got four straight outs for his 11th
save in 13 chances.

Boston starter Daniel Bard (4-5) allowed two runs, five hits and four walks in 5 1-3 innings.

Johnson’s first multihomer game since May 28, 2006, was not enough to prevent the first-place Orioles from losing for the third time in four games. With the potential tying run on second base in the eighth, Johnson ended the inning with a strikeout.

Talking about his homers, Johnson said, “Fastballs. Got some pitches. They were in the middle of the plate and I put some good swings on it.”

Regarding the eighth inning, he said, “The last at-bat … I just couldn’t come through.”

Arrieta gave up four runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings. He’s winless in four starts since May 2.

“Well, I think four out of my six innings I allowed the leadoff guy on base,” the right-hander said. “When you’re pitching with a guy on and no outs to start off an inning, you put yourself in a tight situation.”

Baltimore used the speed of leadoff hitter Xavier Avery to take a 1-0 lead in the first. Avery beat out a chopper in front of the plate, went to second on a single by Robert Andino and worked his way home by tagging up on two short fly balls, the last by Chris Davis.

Boston loaded the bases with no outs in the second but scored only one run, on a double-play grounder by Podsednik.

Johnson hit a drive into the right-field seats to start the bottom half, only the third home run allowed by Bard in eight
starts this season.

Boston tied it at 2 in the third on a run-scoring double by Will Middlebrooks, but Kevin Youkilis was thrown out trying to score from first base on the two-out hit.

NOTES: Nava has 11 RBIs in 14 games since joining the Red Sox on May 10. … Orioles LHP Zach Britton (shoulder) is set to begin his minor league rehabilitation assignment Saturday with Double-A Bowie. … Baltimore’s Adam Jones extended his career-best hitting streak to 15 games. … RHP Dylan Bundy, the Orioles’ top amateur draft pick in 2011, was promoted to Class A Frederick from Class A Delmarva, where he went eight starts without giving up an earned run.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

The award is given to civilians for their exemplary service to the Army, soldiers, veterans and their families.

Harbaugh will be presented the award at a ceremony by the Army chief of staff Gen. Raymond T. Odierno. The ceremony will take place on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Whipple Field at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Va.

The citation that will be presented to Harbaugh will read: “Your visit to Iraq and your initiatives to show thanks to service members for their service through appreciation days, opportunities to attend Baltimore Ravens practices and games and to meet team members have improved morale and created a sense of pride and appreciation among our servicemen and women.”

Harbaugh is also being recognized for sending care packages to soldiers serving overseas and visiting military installations. He is among five people who will be presented with this award.

Toomey, in his seventh season as head coach for Loyola, was also a player for the team when Loyola was last in the Final Four in 1990. He said the team is planning on making the most of this opportunity.

“This opportunity may never come again for guys in the locker room and so what we’ve been doing is taking it one game at a time and making sure we are as prepared as we can be for Saturday. We’re not looking forward towards anything, this is all about the preparations for Saturday and being the best team we can be when we take the field,” he said.

Toomey also said as long as they can hold Notre Dame to their average of nine goals a game, he is confident in his team’s chances of scoring ten.

“That’s really been our mantra all year: if we can hold a team to eight we fell pretty good we can get to ten, this is going to be a defensive battle, but certainly Loyola’s a team when the ball hits the ground we want to run. We are going to try to stay true to character and play as fast as we can when those opportunities are out there,” he said.

Last Wednesday, Ray Lewis came and talked to the team and inspired them in many ways.

“Our message was ‘guys give something up’ and it was certainly the message Ray Lewis gave us last week, ‘Give something up. Do something different. Prepare, rehydrate, watch more film,” he said.

Toomey said they were able to get Ray Lewis to come and talk to them because of their many NFL connections on the team.

“Pat Moriarty’s son plays for us, Kevin Moriarty, and Pat is the General Manager for the Ravens, so he certainly was in Ray’s ear for probably a month or so saying, ‘Hey, these guys are on a little bit of a run and if you are in town would consider doing it?’ To our good fortune Ray Lewis was kind enough to come over and meet with out team,” he said.

Loyola plays Notre Dame in the Final Four on Saturday, in Boston.

-Sarah Davis

Commissioner Roger Goodell says he plans to make the bounty evidence known to the public. The appeals and grievance processes are still ongoing. Goodell says that the NFLPA told the players not to cooperate with the bounty investigation.

After 23 seasons in Utah, Jerry Sloan resigned as head coach of the team. He now wants to get back into coaching and has expressed interest in taking over in Orlando or Charlotte. Sloan took the Jazz to the finals twice in 1997 and 1998 and ranks 3rd all-time in regular season wins with 1,221. Wednesday on the court, the 76ers will try and stay alive in their series with the Celtics as the two teams play game 6 in Philly with Boston leading the series 2 games to 1.

On the ice it’s a pivotal game 5 between the Rangers and Devils in the Eastern Conference Finals which is knotted up at two games a piece with the swing game at Madison Square Garden Wednesday night.

Texas Athletic Director Deloss Dodds has admitted to courting Notre Dame to try to join their conference after departures had left the Big 12 with 10 teams. Florida State had also been rumored to try to join the Big 12.

Moreover, baseball reference.com did an analysis giving the O’s a 75% chance of a wildcard berth. That was done by looking over past years and comparing it to where the Orioles are now . It’s even better than that if you think about it because there is an additional wild card slot this season. Soooo, for all you haters out there now may be the perfect storm in the AL East. Baltimore has the best record in the American League, the Yankees and Red Sox are struggling badly and there is an extra wild card slot to be had.

I don’t know about the rest of you but I’m not doubting them any longer.

Roberts, 34, last played in a baseball game on May 16, 2011. Since that time, the two-time All-Star has languished on the disabled list.

Although he’s taken batting practice and fielded grounders with the Orioles, playing in a game — albeit one with Double-A Bowie — is a far more legitimate test of his readiness to return to the big leagues.

Asked to describe his emotions, Roberts said Tuesday, “Excited. Scared. A little bit of everything. It’s been a long time coming, for sure.”

Roberts will travel to nearby Bowie for a game against Richmond on Wednesday night. His minor league rehabilitation assignment can last no longer than 20 days.

“I’m pretty sure we’ll use the 20,” he said. “It’s been over a year and I need to get some at-bats.”

The plan is take it slowly at first and gradually pick up the pace.

“I need to get in there and see some pitches,” he said. “The first few days, the first week, it’s going to be two at-bats a day. It’s going to take a little while to get built up to play every day on a back-to-back situation.”

Roberts played in only 59 games in 2010 before going on the DL with a concussion. He returned last year, but was shelved after participating in only 39 games.

He compared this comeback to 2006, when he returned from elbow surgery to play in 138 games.

“Seven years ago, I had apprehension that, even though the doctors and everyone told me I was ready, that I was OK, that it wasn’t going to happen,” he said. “You’re still scared. That’s just the nature of going back out to a competitive environment when you’ve been hurt. Hopefully, once I get on the field and the first pitch is thrown, I’ll just be playing baseball again.”

There were times over the past year when Roberts wondered if he would ever feel right again, let alone play baseball.

“When there’s days you are laying on the couch and can barely function, you’re not even thinking about baseball,” he said. “There were days that (baseball) never even crossed my mind, I was just trying to get back to a normal life. And then, as we continued to progress, I still had doubts about playing baseball. I had more confidence in being able to live a productive and enjoyable life. Now I’m beginning to think that playing baseball at a high level is a reality.”

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Penner gathered a bouncing puck and beat Mike Smith between the pads for the game-winner, extending the Kings’ road winning streak to an NHL-record eight straight games. Anze Kopitar scored a short-handed goal, Drew Doughty had a goal and an assist, and Mike Richards also scored for Los Angeles.

“I got a lucky bounce,” Penner said. “I just waited for it to settle down, and I got a chance to get it in the net.”

The first team to go undefeated on the road en route to the Stanley Cup finals, the Kings will play Game 1 on May 30 at either New Jersey or New York.

Los Angeles is in the final round for the first time since 1993, when Wayne Gretzky and the Kings lost to the Montreal Canadiens in their only finals appearance.

Taylor Pyatt had a goal and an assist, Marc-Antoine Pouliot and Keith Yandle also scored for the Coyotes in their first trip to the Western Conference finals.

Game 5 Photo Gallery (Photo by Maxx Wolfson/Getty Images)

Los Angeles blew one chance to put away the pesky Coyotes.

Leading the series 3-0 and playing at home, the Kings couldn’t match Phoenix’s intensity in Game 4 and lost 2-0, giving the Coyotes a glimmer of hope.

What they didn’t want to do is give them momentum.

Phoenix has been as good as any team in the league when the confidence is rolling, using an 11-game winning streak in February to get back into the playoff race and a five-game streak to close out its first NHL division title.

The Kings had come through in this spot once before, beating top-seeded Vancouver on the road after failing to complete the sweep at home in Game 4.

They didn’t appear ready to do it again.

Riding the confidence carryover from Game 4, the Coyotes dominated early, controlling the puck, giving the Kings little room in the neutral zone or anywhere else. Phoenix had some good scoring chances early and Pyatt cashed in on a power play, redirecting Martin Hanzal’s one-timer in the slot 4:20 into the game.

“The first period was tough,” Penner said. “They threw everything at us. (Goaltender Jonathan) Quick hung in there for us, made some big saves, and we battled back. We couldn’t have done it without him.”

The Kings snatched a little momentum back with their fifth short-handed goal of the playoffs. Kopitar got it, redirecting a shot by Doughty past Smith off a faceoff after Phoenix’s goalie was called for icing.

Then it turned into a shootout in the second period.

Pouliot gave Phoenix the lead back by flipping a backhander past Quick on a loose puck in front midway through for his first career playoff goal. Doughty tied it a few minutes later, scoring from just inside the blue line on a shot Smith had trouble seeing through traffic.

Richards scored on rebound to put Los Angeles up 3-2, Yandle tied it again after a pass by Pyatt caromed off his right leg past Quick.

Both teams had numerous scoring chances in a hectic third period, but both goalies made some superb saves.

They went back and forth in the overtime, too, until Penner finally ended it when a shot by Jeff Carter caromed out front to him in the slot.

With it, the Kings, after a 19-year wait and some dicey moments against the Coyotes, are finally headed back to the finals.

“It feels great,” Penner said. “We just had to worry about ourselves. And we were able to battle back.”

Notes: Coyotes RW Radim Vrbata had an assist on Pyatt’s goal for his first point in eight games. … Los Angeles was 2 for 27 in the series on the power play after going 0 for 4 in Game 5. … Yandle has nine points in the playoffs, matching Dave Babych’s team record for a defenseman set in 1985. … Los Angeles has won 10 straight road playoff games over two seasons, an NHL record.

2012 Stanley Cup Final Schedule

Game 1 Wed., May 30 8 p.m. S
Game 2 Sat., June 2 8 p.m.
Game 3 Mon., June 4 8 p.m.
Game 4 Wed., June 6 8 p.m.
*Game 5 Sat., June 9 8 p.m.
*Game 6 Mon., June 11 8 p.m.
*Game 7 Wed., June 13 8 p.m.
* – If necessary
All times listed are Eastern Time

Over the weekend, Reggie Bush tried to make a joke, but in using the word Nazi, offended people. I think we are too uptight. Using the word doesn’t mean one supports that particular group or cause or place in history; however, it just shows either a lack of sensitivity or just plain ignorance.

Worse, Steve Blake’s family received death threats on his wife’s twitter account after he missed a shot. It’s ludicrous, and people should be exposed. If those people’s phone number address or email ends up in social media circles, that would be great.

I’m tired of these gutless punks hiding beyond perceived anonymity in social media. Expose the cowards!

The left-hander could be forgiven for soaking it all in, because the ovation was a long time coming.

Matusz allowed two hits and struck out nine in 6 1/3 innings, Steve Tolleson and Wilson Betemit both hit two-run homers, and Baltimore beat the Boston Red Sox 4-1 on Tuesday night.

It was the sixth win in eight games for the AL East-leading Orioles, who improved to 4-1 against Boston this season. Tolleson homered off Felix Doubront in the second inning and Betemit connected against Matt Albers in the eighth.

Matusz (4-4) threw his fastball with uncanny accuracy and kept the Red Sox off balance with a nasty, dipping curveball. In winning his third straight start, the 25-year-old allowed one run, walked one and matched his career high in strikeouts. He threw 101 pitches, 67 for strikes.

After striking out Adrian Gonzalez with a wicked breaking ball, Matusz was done for the night. But the fans wouldn’t let him leave without thanking him for his performance with a long round of cheers.

“I had chills going through my body,” he said. “It’s such a great feeling to see the fans on their feet like that. You know, it
really means a lot to have the support of the fans behind us. It’s a pretty special feeling.”

Especially for Matusz, who was 1-9 with a 10.69 ERA in a dismal 2011 that included two trips to the disabled list.

“I’ve come a long way since last year, when it was the opposite, when people were on their feet booing,” he said. “It’s
really special to be able to work as I have and be able to come back and get back to being my normal self and be able to see the support from the fans. There’s no better feeling.”

After starting 0-3 this season, he has won four of his last five starts.

“I’m getting my confidence back,” Matusz said. “Like I’ve said, I forgot all about last year. I look at that just as a fluke.”

The left-hander certainly made an impression on the Red Sox.

“He was hitting his spots, hitting the corners, getting ahead in the count,” Gonzalez said.

Darren O’Day struck out the final two batters in the seventh, Pedro Strop worked a hitless eighth and Jim Johnson got three straight outs to complete the two-hitter and earn his 16th save in as many tries.

Kevin Youkilis, who was activated from the disabled list before the game, homered for the Red Sox, who were seeking to climb over .500 for the first time this season. Instead, Boston reclaimed sole possession of last place in the AL East.

Matusz outpitched Doubront (4-2), who gave up two runs and four hits in six innings and notched a career-high nine strikeouts.

“Those things happen. Tough games,” Doubront said. “I just tried to stay calm and go deep in the game. Get a chance to let our guys do the job and score some runs.”

The difference was Tolleson, who came to the plate in the second inning with one home run in 62 career at-bats. With a runner on first, Tolleson sent a drive over the center-field wall.

“When I hit it, I said if that doesn’t go out then I’m probably not going to hit one out,” Tolleson said.

It was the first homer allowed by Doubront in five starts.

“Felix Doubront had his good stuff,” Boston manager Bobby Valentine said. “A walk and a home run and he gave up two runs. He was battling the whole way. He just picked a night when the opposing pitcher had good stuff and shut us down.”

Youkilis halved the lead with a shot to center in the fourth. It was his third homer of the season, the first since April 26.

Notes: Baltimore OF Adam Jones extended his hitting streak to a career-high 14 games. … Boston 2B Dustin Pedroia had his 20-game hitting streak against the Orioles come to an end. … The Red Sox put OF Cody Ross (broken foot) on the 15-day DL, purchased the contract of OF Scott Podsednik and moved RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka from the 15- to the 60-day DL. … Orioles 2B Brian Roberts, who’s been sidelined for more than a year with a concussion, will begin a minor league rehabilitation assignment Wednesday with Double-A Bowie. … Orioles OF Nolan Reimold (back) will receive a second
epidural shot Friday. “We’re hoping this does the trick,” Showalter said. … Jake Arrieta starts for Baltimore against
Daniel Bard in the series finale Wednesday afternoon.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Prince George’s County fire and EMS spokesman Mark Brady said it happened about 8 p.m. Tuesday night during a race. He said three were injured; none of the injuries was considered to be life threatening.

Brady said two of the drivers were being flown by a state police medevac helicopter, which landed in the infield, to a trauma center; the third was being transported by ground.

It was not known if any horses were injured.

Rosecroft features live harness racing Tuesday and Saturday nights in the spring.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — The Eastern Conference Finals between the rival New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils finally got ugly — real ugly.

Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur was sucker punched in the third period by former teammate Mike Rupp. Coaches Peter DeBoer of New Jersey and John Tortorella of New York screamed at each other after the incident. And the Rangers blew their cool, as the Devils rode two goals and an assist by Zach Parise to a 4-1 victory on Monday night that evened the series, 2-2.

“Throughout a seven-game series,” Parise said, “both teams are going to get frustrated with things.”

Well, Monday was New York’s turn. And only time will tell if it spills over to Game 5, Wednesday at Madison Square Garden. As for Game 3, though, the story was the hit on Brodeur, who made 28 saves en route to his 10th win of the postseason.

After all, the punch came out of nowhere and almost set off a battle on the ice before the coaches got into it on the benches.

“You don’t like to see that,” DeBoer said of the hit on his goaltender. “He’s a key guy for us. Two teams battling it out. He’s a big boy. He can take care of himself.”

Brodeur was more surprised by the incident than anything else.

“I didn’t expect anything,” the 40-year-old said. “I never got punched like that in my career. First time. It kind of surprised me more than anything, but now I know I can take a punch.”

Tortorella refused to say anything about his shouting match with DeBoer, with whom he has argued several times this season, including Sunday when he complained about the Devils using illegal picks and embellishing penalties.

“This isn’t about John and I,” DeBoer said. “This is about the guys on the ice. So, I don’t have anything to say about that.”

This game — and its result — seemed almost anticlimactic after the shenanigans.

Bryce Salvador and Travis Zajac beat Henrik Lundqvist less than four minutes apart in the first to give the Devils their first two-goal lead in a series where the intensity and the emotions are picking up to the point where they now compare to the classic 1994 Eastern Conference Finals between these two rivals.

In that series, there were suspensions on both sides, three double-overtime games, a Game 6 “Guarantee” by New York captain Mark Messier, and unparalleled drama.

Well, this one is getting there.

On Monday, Brodeur, the only remaining player on either side from that 1994 series, even notched an assist in the third, on Parise’s empty netter, capping a game in which the Devils maintained their composure and bounced back from a 3-0 shutout in Game 3, while the Rangers took several uncharacteristic penalties and seemed rattled from the start.

And the chippiness increased with each period. New York’s Marc Staal whacked Patrik Elias in the back of the knee with his stick in the second. Ryan Callahan, the Rangers captain, and New Jersey’s Ilya Kovalchuk tussled and then jawed at each other from the respective penalty boxes.

“There are going to be situations out there where we get into each other’s faces,” Callahan said. “That’s playoff hockey.”

But the Rupp incident might have been a little over the top, even for the Stanley Cup playoffs.

A former Devil who scored the Stanley Cup-clinching goal for New Jersey in 2003 vs. Anaheim, Rupp jabbed Brodeur in his crease in the third after a stoppage in play. That almost set off a free-for-all among the players on the ice, especially after Brodeur reacted like he had been hit by a roundhouse left.

As Brodeur walked through the locker room, he was asked if Rupp was his friend.

“That’s what I thought,” he said before heading to the podium for a postgame news conference. Meanwhile, Rupp was not available for comment.

The punch came about four minutes after Parise scored on a power play to give New Jersey a 3-0 lead and for all practical purposes, ended the game. Ruslan Fedotenko ruined Brodeur’s bid for his 25th career playoff shutout with just over five minutes to play.

The Rangers pulled Lundqvist, who had shut out the Devils in Games 1 and 3, with less than three minutes to play, and Brodeur made two outstanding saves to keep it a two-goal game.

Parise — two days after he did not speak to reporters after a disappointing effort in Game 3 — finally iced it with his second of the game and sixth of the playoffs. It was a clearing pass that found its way into the net. Brodeur notched the assist on that play. It was his fourth point of the playoffs.

But this game — which did not include New York’s Brendan Prust, who was suspended for elbowing Anton Volchenkov in Game 3 — was decided early because the Devils finally found ways to beat Lundqvist.

New Jersey dominated much of the play in Game 3, and the first period of Game 4 was even worse for the Rangers. They looked slow, were outhustled on nearly every shift, and they didn’t get a shot on goal until roughly halfway through.

By then, New Jersey already had a 1-0 lead, on a goal by Salvador, and was cruising.

Salvador’s see-eying shot through a half-dozen players from the left point sneaked by the Rangers’ netminder for New Jersey’s first goal since the third period of Game 2. New Jersey’s Jacob Josefson, playing for the first time since breaking his left wrist on April 3, failed to deflect the shot on the way in, and New York’s Anton Stralman seemed to screen Lundqvist, who seemingly never saw the wristshot.

Zajac’s goal gave the Devils a 2-0 edge at 11:59, and the rejuvenated Parise had a big hand in it.

New Jersey’s Dainius Zubrus sent the puck along the boards and New York’s Michael Del Zotto made two mistakes. He didn’t flag down the puck and then, he allowed Parise to skate past him, setting up a 2-on-1 break. Parise lifted a pass over the stick of a prone Dan Girardi, and Zajac one-timed the pass into the upper portion of the net before Lundqvist could react.

Parise extended the lead to 3-0 early in the third, just four seconds after New York’s Derek Stepan was sent off for high sticking. Kovalchuk took a shot from the point that Lundqvist could not control and Parise whacked the rebound into the net.

NOTES: Veteran Petr Sykora, who had played in every game for the Devils this season and won the 2000 Stanley Cup with New Jersey, sat, as Josefson returned to the lineup. … With Prust forced to miss the game, the Rangers dressed seven defenseman, including Stu Bickel who returned to the lineup after sitting for Game 3. … Rangers rookie forward Chris Kreider had his three-game goal scoring streak snapped. … The Devils’ win was played on the 18-year anniversary of New Jersey’s 3-1 victory over the Rangers in the aforementioned 1994 series. That was also a Game 4, and that also tied that series, 2-2. New York went on to win in seven games.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Koonce retired from the NFL in 2000, and had a diffcult time away from the game. In a guest column he wrote on ESPN, he admitted to trying to get commit suicide by crashing is car, and said it was a combination of things that pushed him to that point.

“Basically it was a cumulation of getting involved with sports when my mom got me involved with Pop Warner when I was nine years old. So that was part of my identity from nine years old until thirty-two, and I tried to be the best football player I could be. So when that was taken away from me I felt that I didn’t have anything else to live for. I felt like a part of me died,” he said.

Koonce said he did not talk about concussions in his article because he felt that there were players who had concussions throughout their careers and have managed to do well after they retired.

“When you look at Troy Aikman he had a history of concussions,Steve Young, and they haven’t committed suicide and Troy Aikman is one of the best broadcasters we have on television right now, and Steve Young is doing a great job at ESPN,” he said.

However, Koonce said that some guys may not be able to handle the transition from football well, and said players should be educated earlier on what to expect after they retire.

“The earliest point n a player’s career you can get him to start thinking about the transition, before the transition, the better the player is going to be when he leaves the game,” he said.

Koonce suggested that players should be forced to set money aside for after they retire, because at 22-years old they aren’t thinking about their future.

“You give a young man who comes from some of the worst communities in America, at 22, 23 years old when you get that man a check for a million dollars, or five million dollars, what good is going to come out of that?” he said.

Koonce played nine years in the NFL, eight of them for the Green Bay Packers.

In 1997, the now retired Stevens, had a chance to win the Triple Crown aboard his mount Silver Charm, but was beaten by a nose by Touch Gold in the Belmont Stakes. He said he never really got over that loss.

“A hundred yards from the finish line I thought we were bringing home the Triple Crown. To have the carpets ripped up from under you two or three strides from the finish when Chris McCarron on Touch of Gold came and nailed us in that last 50 yards, so it went from the ultimate high to the ultimate disappointment,” he said.

However, Stevens said he has more confidence in I’ll Have Another than he ever did in Silver Charm.

“He’s a jockey’s dream. He’s push button. You can move when you want to move. You can put him to sleep when you need to put him to sleep and that’s so important to be able to switch a horse on and off during a long race because it can fill their lungs faster with oxygen and it could keep him relaxed,” he said.

Stevens also said that it has become more difficult to win a Triple Crown over the years because horses are now trained specifcally for each race, and the fields are more competitive.

“If you look back at your previous Triple Crown winners they were not full fields, they were smaller fields. The Preakness used to be worth $150,000 and the Belmont Stakes $150,000, so it wasn’t a race that people were specifically targeting as a specialist type of race. I think that’s what happens now: people will really prepare for that one specific race,” he said.

Stevens also talked about the tough time fellow jockey, Kent Desormeaux is currently going through.

“He;s going through his personal issues over the past two years with the split up from his wife, and re-located back to the East Coast. I think he’s just a bit lost right now,” he said.

Over his career Gary Stevens won eight different Triple Crown Races: The Kentucky Derby twice, The Preakness twice, and the Belmont Stakes three times.

“I think I’m headed in the right direction,” Woods said at Congressional Country Club, where he was promoting the AT&T
National which takes place June 28 to July 1.  “I’m going to try and continue to improve in incremental steps
in every facet of my game and try to make every facet of my game more efficient.”

Woods has one PGA Tour victory this year, but his game has hit a slump recently with a missed cut in Charlotte as well as 40th-place finishes at The Masters and Players Championship.

“I’ve just played three events — I won a tournament (four) tournaments ago,” Woods said. “If I get more efficient at what
I’m doing, then I’m going to win golf tournaments.”

Woods won at Congressional in 2009 before the event moved to suburban Philadelphia to make way for last year’s U.S. Open.

Injury prevented Woods from participating in Rory McIlroy’s big win.

“Unfortunately, I was in a position where I couldn’t play and it was tough because I missed out on a golf course I know, that I’ve won on and that I love,” Woods said. “Those factors made it difficult to sit back and watch. What Rory did was extraordinary. He played some beautiful golf.”

McIlroy dominated Congressional, finishing at 16 under. He is not among the early commitments for the AT&T National, but in addition to Woods, past tournament champions Nick Watney, Justin Rose and K.J. Choi will play in the $6.5 million event.

Par on Congressional’s Blue Course will be 71 and at 7,535 yards. Woods has finishes of tied for 16th (1997 U.S. Open), tied for sixth (2008 AT&T National) and the win three years ago.

“The difficulty is that it’s a big ballpark,” Woods said. “If you get to where there’s a little moisture in the fairways and (tee
shots) aren’t running and aren’t chasing, this course gets really long. … It’s a fantastic tee-to-green golf course. You have to drive the ball well and once you get onto the greens, there’s a lot of pitch and movement, usually back to front.

“Playing here this year, I would like to see it difficult, there’s no doubt.”

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

The Orioles don’t want to rush Roberts too soon and have him re-injure himself. He played more than 100 games yearly for the O’s from 2003 through 2009. Through those seven seasons he averaged more than 20 stolen bases, while recording a career high 50 stolen bases in 2007.

At 34, Roberts may still contribute to the team. When he comes back and if the O’s are still fighting for the division or a playoff berth, just think B-Rob, Hardy, Markakis, Jones, Wieters, Davis, etc. That could be a “game changing lineup,” but only if Roberts could come back and be the great leadoff hitter he once was.