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From Kevin Baxter: What started as a best-of-seven Stanley Cup playoff is now a best-of-three series after the Edmonton Oilers rallied from a two-goal third-period deficit to beat the Kings 4-3 in overtime Sunday, evening the series at two wins apiece.
The winning goal came from Leon Draisaitl, who beat Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper on the power play with 1:42 left in the extra period. Kuemper deserved a better fate on a night he stopped 44 shots.
The teams will meet again Tuesday for Game 5 at Crypto.com Arena, where the Kings have won a league-leading 33 times, including the playoffs. Game 6 is scheduled for Thursday in Edmonton. Game 7, if needed, would be Saturday in Los Angeles.
“They feed off the crowd. At the end, they had more energy, and obviously they came back,” Kings center Phillip Danault said, pointing to the raucous sold-out crowd at Rogers Place. “Obviously it takes a lot of energy. We have to find a way to seal the deal. You have to make those plays when it counts.”
None of that appeared necessary after the Kings, who won the first two games, took a 3-1 lead into the final 13 minutes of regulation. They were 29 seconds away from winning when Evan Bouchard blasted a slap shot by Kuemper from just inside the blue line, capping a wild third-period rally. It was Bouchard’s second goal of the period and his fourth of the playoffs.
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LAKERS
From Dan Woike: Value each possession. Move with purpose and speed over every inch of the court. Make the right pass. Hit the big shot. Do the right thing.
Over and over and over.
You meet these moments with your best players, counting on them to make the biggest plays in the most stressful moments. And Lakers coach JJ Redick met that moment by going all-in.
But the hand Redick played Sunday, which looked strong with the Lakers leading by seven with five minutes left, fell apart when it mattered most, with Minnesota stunning the Lakers in a 116-113 win to take a 3-1 series lead.
The Lakers took the court to start the second half with Luka Doncic, LeBron James, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and Dorian Finney-Smith. They played the entire third quarter, and then to start the fourth, all five returned to the court.
They were unable to maintain the Lakers’ 10-point lead. Now the team is potentially 48 minutes away from its season ending.
“This is not done yet,” Hachimura said.
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CLIPPERS
From Broderick Turner: Typically, Kawhi Leonard said after Game 4 Saturday at Intuit Dome, the four and five seeds in NBA playoff matchups are equal in many ways.
That appears to very much be the case in the fifth-seeded Clippers’ first-round series against the fourth-seeded Denver Nuggets.
They have each won two games, with Game 5 scheduled for Tuesday night in Denver.
They had identical 50-32 records and split the four games they played against each other in the regular season.
“It’s like another four, five seeding series,” Leonard said. “You usually get some tough battles in these seedings. You guys watched the ending of the last two weeks, three weeks of the season and everybody was fighting. I think we pretty much have the same record. So, that’s how it is. The matchups might be different, different styles of play, but both teams are fighting to win.”
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NBA PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE, RESULTS
All Times Pacific
First round
Western Conference
No. 3 Lakers vs. No. 6 Minnesota
Minnesota 117, at Lakers 95 (box score)
at Lakers 94, Minnesota 85 (box score)
at Minnesota 116, Lakers 104 (box score)
at Minnesota 116, Lakers 113 (box score)
Wednesday at Lakers, 7 p.m., TNT
Friday at Minnesota, TBD*
Sunday at Lakers, TBD*
No. 4 Denver vs. No. 5 Clippers
at Denver 112, Clippers 110 (OT) (box score)
Clippers 105, at Denver 102 (box score)
at Clippers 117, Denver 83 (box score)
Denver 101, at Clippers 99 (box score)
Tuesday at Denver, 7 p.m., TNT
Thursday at Clippers, TBD
Saturday at Denver, TBD*
No. 1 Oklahoma City vs. No. 8 Memphis
at Oklahoma City 131, Memphis 80 (box score)
at Oklahoma City 118, Memphis 99 (box score)
Oklahoma City 114, at Memphis 108 (box score)
Oklahoma City 117, at Memphis 115 (box score)
No. 2 Houston vs. No. 7 Golden State
Golden State 95, at Houston 85 (box score)
at Houston 109, Golden State 94 (box score)
at Golden State 104, Houston 93 (box score)
Monday at Golden State, 7 p.m., TNT
Wednesday at Houston, 4:30 p.m., TNT
Friday at Golden State, TBD*
Sunday at Houston, TBD*
Eastern Conference
No. 1 Cleveland vs. No. 8 Miami
at Cleveland 121, Miami 100 (box score)
at Cleveland 121, Miami 112 (box score)
Cleveland 124, at Miami 87 (box score)
Monday at Miami, 4:30 p.m., TNT
Wednesday at Cleveland, 4 p.m., TNT*
Friday at Miami, TBD*
Sunday at Cleveland, TBD*
No. 2 Boston vs. No. 7 Orlando
at Boston 103, Orlando 86 (box score)
at Boston 109, Orlando 100 (box score)
at Orlando 95, Boston 93 (box score)
Boston 107, at Orlando 98 (box score)
Tuesday at Boston, 5:30 p.m., NBA TV
Thursday at Orlando, TBD*
Saturday at Boston, TBD*
No. 3 New York vs. No. 6 Detroit
at New York 123, Detroit 112 (box score)
Detroit 100, at New York 94 (box score)
New York 118, at Detroit 116 (box score)
New York 94, at Detroit 93 (box score)
Tuesday at New York, 4:30 p.m., TNT
Thursday at Detroit, TBD*
Saturday at New York, TBD*
No. 4 Indiana vs. No. 5 Milwaukee
at Indiana 117, Milwaukee 98 (box score)
at Indiana 123, Milwaukee 115 (box score)
at Milwaukee 117, Indiana 101 (box score)
Indiana 129, at Milwaukee 103 (box score)
Tuesday at Indiana, 3 p.m., NBA TV
Friday at Milwaukee, TBD*
Sunday at Indiana, TBD*
* if necessary
DODGERS
From Benjamin Royer: When Tyler Glasnow left the mound last week at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, because of leg cramps, it was a dreary reminder of the injury struggles he has endured with the Dodgers.
Glasnow missed the postseason, and consequently the Dodgers’ World Series title run, after an elbow sprain last season. After four starts in 2025, was he in danger of seeing his season derailed again?
On Sunday, Glasnow suffered a setback of a more serious variety. Warming up before the second inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates — after giving up back-to-back solo home runs in the first — he doubled over to his side after releasing his last pitch. Manager Dave Roberts rushed out to the pitcher’s mound, followed by a trainer.
Glasnow’s day was done. The team announced he left because of right shoulder discomfort.
The Dodgers overcame the departure, collecting nine runs and 14 hits to win 9-2 and claim the series over the Pirates. Often used as a bulk relief pitcher, Ben Casparius took over and excelled — tossing 3⅔ innings no-run ball, striking out five to help bridge the gap to the rest of the bullpen that combined for eight scoreless innings.
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How Dodgers’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto ‘elevated his game to another level’ in his second year
ANGELS
Joe Ryan struck out a season-high 11 in seven shutout innings and the Minnesota Twins beat the Angels 5-0 on Sunday for their first three-game win streak since August.
Ryan (2-2) yielded four hits and a walk. The 28-year-old right-hander finished one strikeout shy of his career best. Justin Topa threw two hitless innings to complete the Twins’ second shutout of the season. Both have come with Ryan as starter.
Luis Rengifo had two hits for the Angels. Mike Trout led off for the first time this season and went hitless. Trout, who batted leadoff six times last season, is hitting .170.
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RAMS
From Gary Klein: During the NFL draft, the Rams added depth to multiple positions in their Super Bowl-ready roster.
Though not one of the most pressing: Cornerback.
Perhaps prospects that general manager Les Snead and coach Sean McVay wanted were already off the board each time the Rams were due to select a player. Maybe they were unsuccessful in attempts to trade up.
After the Rams drafted tight end Terrance Ferguson, outside linebacker Josaiah Stewart, running back Jarquez Hunter, defensive tackle Ty Hamilton, inside linebacker Chris “Pooh” Paul and receiver Konata Mumpfield, team scouts began a flurry of calls to prospective undrafted free agents.
But the biggest post-draft target for the Rams might be three-time All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey.
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CHARGERS
From Thuc Nhi Nguyen: Joe Hortiz has a grade for that.
When he sees a prospect stand at the front of the line during drills. When players go full speed in practice. When the game film shows max effort during every play, no matter the score.
The Chargers general manager calls it “competes” on his scouting report. The team’s nine-player draft class passed with flying colors.
“This class, we added a lot of competitors,” Hortiz said Saturday after the NFL draft. “I truly believe that and that’s what we look for. … Tough, physical, smart players that compete.”
The rookies will jump straight into the mix to help the Chargers build on their Wild Card finish during the first year under coach Jim Harbaugh.
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KENTUCKY DERBY
From John Cherwa: The Kentucky Derby is back to normal.
Gone is all the talk about the best horses not being there because the trainer of more Derby winners than anyone currently in the sport wasn’t there. Gone is all the talk about a spike in fatalities and the lack of understanding as to why it was happening. Gone is the intrigue about the status of the favorite and if he will run. And gone is the self-congratulatory pomp and circumstance over the 150th running of the most well-known horse race in the world.
Welcome to Kentucky Derby 151.
Saturday’s race could signal a resurgence of Southern California’s status as the training ground of Derby champions, the last coming in the screwed-up COVID-plagued year of 2020 when Authentic won the race in September. This year’s favorite is based at Santa Anita.
The field is considered very competitive, although maybe not very strong at the top. And what about the horses coming from Japan and the Middle East?
All these questions and more will be answered by 4:05 p.m. PDT on Saturday. But until then, here are five story lines that will dominate the conversation in anticipation of horse racing’s biggest race.
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SPARKS
From Anthony De Leon: When the Sparks acquired Kelsey Plum, they signaled they were ready to leave last season behind, and at the start of training camp, their newest superstar is making that clear.
“With all due respect, we finished last last year, so everything that we did last year was thrown out the window,” Plum said Sunday in Torrance, where the Sparks opened training camp. “I was brought here for a reason.”
After another offseason spent rebuilding a once-proud franchise, Plum is leading the charge. She came to L.A. not only to change the team’s fortunes on the court with her playmaking ability, but also to bring the leadership she demonstrated during her championship tenure in Las Vegas, helping establish a winning culture.
“It’s the turn of a new leaf in a lot of different ways, in leadership and investment in the franchise,” Plum said. “That’s why I decided to come here.”
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GALAXY
David Da Costa, Santiago Moreno and Kevin Kelsy each scored Sunday to lead the Portland Timbers to a 4-2 win over the Galaxy and extend the defending MLS Cup champions’ season-opening winless streak to 10 games.
Portland (5-2-3) is unbeaten in seven consecutive games, a streak that began with a 1-1 tie with the Galaxy on March 16.
The Galaxy (0-7-3), off to the worst start of any champion in MLS history, has a minus-12 goal differential, the worst in the league.
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LAFC
Denis Bouanga scored two goals in the second half, including the equalizer in stoppage time, to rally LAFC to a 2-2 draw on Sunday after St. Louis City had taken the lead in the 89th minute on a shorthanded goal by Joakim Nilsson.
Nilsson’s first goal of the season and the second of the defender’s career put St. Louis City (2-4-4) in position to beat LAFC (4-4-2) for the first time in five tries.
But Bouanga, a 20-goal scorer in each of the last two seasons, found the net unassisted in the fifth minute of extra time to help LAFC improve to 3-0-2 against St. Louis City. It was his fourth goal this season.
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NHL PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE, RESULTS
All times Pacific
First round
Western Conference
Pacific 3 Edmonton vs. Pacific 2 Kings
at Kings 6, Edmonton 5 (summary)
at Kings 6, Edmonton 2 (summary)
at Edmonton 7, Kings 4 (summary)
at Edmonton 4, Kings 3 (OT) (summary)
Tuesday at Kings, 7 p.m., TBS
Thursday at Edmonton, TBD
Saturday at Kings, TBD*
Wild-card 2 St. Louis vs. Central 1 Winnipeg
at Winnipeg 5, St. Louis 3 (summary)
Winnipeg 2, St. Louis 1 (summary)
at St. Louis 7, Winnipeg 2 (summary)
at St. Louis 5, Winnipeg 1 (summary)
Wednesday at Winnipeg, 6:30 p.m., ESPN
Friday at St. Louis, TBD
Sunday at Winnipeg, TBD*
Central 3 Colorado vs. Central 2 Dallas
Colorado 5, at Dallas 1 (summary)
at Dallas 4, Colorado 3 (summary)
Dallas 2, at Colorado 1 (OT) (summary)
at Colorado 4, Dallas 0 (summary)
Monday at Dallas, 6:30 p.m., ESPN
Thursday at Colorado, TBD
Saturday at Dallas, TBD*
Wild-card 1 Minnesota vs. Pacific 1 Vegas
at Vegas 4, Minnesota 2 (summary)
Minnesota 5, at Vegas 2 (summary)
at Minnesota 5, Vegas 2 (summary)
Vegas 4, at Minnesota 3 (OT) (summary)
Tuesday at Vegas, 6:30 p.m., ESPN
Thursday at Minnesota, TBD
Saturday at Vegas, TBD*
Eastern Conference
Wild-card 2 Ottawa vs. Atlantic 1 Toronto
at Toronto 6, Ottawa 2 (summary)
at Toronto 3, Ottawa 2 (summary)
Toronto 3, at Ottawa 2 (OT) (summary)
at Ottawa 4, Toronto 3 (OT) (summary)
Tuesday at Toronto, 4 p.m., ESPN
Thursday at Ottawa, TBD*
Saturday at Toronto, TBD*
Atlantic 3 Florida vs. Atlantic 2 Tampa Bay
Florida 6, at Tampa Bay 2 (summary)
Florida 2, at Tampa Bay 0 (summary)
Tampa Bay 5, at Florida 1 (summary)
Monday at Florida, 4 p.m., ESPN
Wednesday at Tampa Bay, 4:30 p.m., ESPN2
Friday at Florida, TBD*
Sunday at Tampa Bay, TBD*
Wild-card 2 Montreal vs. Metropolitan 1 Washington
at Washington 3, Montreal 2 (OT) (summary)
at Washington 3, Montreal 1 (summary)
at Montreal 6, Washington 3 (summary)
Washington 5, at Montreal 2 (summary)
Wednesday at Washington, 4 p.m., ESPN
Friday at Montreal, TBD*
Sunday at Washington, TBD*
Metropolitan 3 New Jersey vs. Metropolitan 2 Carolina
at Carolina 4, New Jersey 1 (summary)
at Carolina 3, New Jersey 1 (summary)
at New Jersey 3, Carolina 2 (2 OT) (summary)
Carolina 5, at New Jersey 2 (summary)
Tuesday at Carolina, 4:30 p.m., TBS
Friday at New Jersey, TBD*
Sunday at Carolina, TBD*
* If necessary
THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY
1931 — Program for woman athletes approved for 1932 Olympics track & field.
1956 — Cincinnati Reds outfielder Frank Robinson hits his 1st of 586 HRs.
1957 — LPGA Western Open Women’s Golf, Montgomery CC: Patty Berg wins her 6th WO by 1 stroke from Wiffi Smith.
1961 — Milwaukee Braves’ future HOF pitcher Warren Spahn throws his second career no-hitter at 41.
1966 — Boston edges the Lakers 95-93 in Game 7, giving the Celtics and coach Red Auerbach eight straight NBA titles. Auerbach, who announced his retirement earlier, is replaced by center Bill Russell, the first Black head coach of a major U.S. sports team.
1967 — Muhammad Ali refuses induction into the U.S. Armed Forces. He is arrested and the New York State Athletic Commission suspends his boxing license and strips him of his heavyweight title.
1987 — NFL Draft: University of Miami quarterback Vinny Testaverde first pick by Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
1992 — Video replay is used to decide a playoff game for the first time. In Game 6 of the Detroit-Minnesota division semifinal, Sergei Fedorov of the Red Wings appears to hit the crossbar behind Minnesota goalie Jon Casey during overtime. The Stars ice the puck immediately, but referee Rob Shick calls for a video review. The replay shows the puck enters the goal just below the crossbar and caroms off the frame at the back of the net. Fedorov is awarded the goal to give the Red Wings a series-tying 1-0 victory.
1995 — Michael Jordan, in his first playoff game since his return from retirement, scored 48 points as the Chicago Bulls beat the Charlotte Hornets 108-100.
1995 — The Orlando Magic give the Boston Celtics their worst defeat in team history, 124-77, in a playoff opener.
2001 — Colorado’s Patrick Roy sets an NHL record with his 16th career playoff shutout, making 20 saves in a 2-0 win over Los Angeles.
2003 — Andre Agassi recaptures the world no. 1 ranking to become the oldest top-ranked male in the history of the ATP rankings (33 years, 13 days).
2007 — NFL Draft: LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell first pick by Oakland Raiders.
2009 — Washington edges the New York Rangers 2-1 in Game 7 of their Eastern Conference series to cap a comeback from a 3-games-to-1 deficit. It is the franchise’s first series victory since the 1997-98 season, when Washington made it all the way to the Stanley Cup finals.
2010 — Montreal beats Washington 2-1 to complete a come-from-behind 4-3 series victory and eliminate the NHL’s best regular-season in the first round of the playoffs. The Canadiens are the ninth No. 8-seeded team to knock off a No. 1 in 32 matchups since the NHL went to its current playoff format in 1994 — and the first to come back from a 3-1 series deficit.
2011 — Canada’s Patrick Chan wins his first world figure skating title in record fashion. Chan sets world records for the free skate and total points to claim titles at the world figure skating championships in Moscow.
2011 — NFL Draft: Auburn quarterback Cam Newton first pick by Carolina Panthers.
2016 — The Rams select California quarterback Jared Goff with the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft, and the No. 2 selection for the Philadelphia Eagles is North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz. It’s the second straight year that two QBs went 1-2 and the seventh time in the modern era of the draft since 1967.
2018 — Shaquem Griffin is the first one-handed person to be drafted into the NFL, for the Seattle Seahawks.
Compiled by the Associated Press
Until next time…
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com, and follow me on Twitter at @latimeshouston. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
