KTBB News, Weather, Talk

DALLAS (AP) — Logan Cooley had a goal and two assists, and the Utah Hockey Club scored four power-play goals to beat the Dallas Stars 5-3 on Saturday night.

Barrett Hayton had a goal and an assist, and Sean Durzi, Josh Doan and Nick Schmaltz also scored to help Utah improve to 3-0-1 in its last four games. Jack McBain and Dylan Guenther each had two assists, and Karel Vejmelka stopped 21 shots.

Jason Robertson, Wyatt Johnston and Brendan Smith scored as Dallas lost its fifth straight (0-3-2). Casey DeSmith finished with 29 saves.

Johnston gave the Stars a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal 2:48 into the game for his 32nd of the season, and Hayton tied it for Utah at 8:11.

Smith then put Dallas back ahead with a short-handed goal 32 seconds into the second for his first goal in 30 games this season.

Durzi tied it just 49 seconds later with Utah on the same power play, and Cooley made it 3-2 at 7:04 with his 24th and the game’s first even-strength goal.

Doan gave Utah a two-goal lead with 1:54 left in the second, but Robertson pulled the Stars to 4-3 just 47 seconds later with his 35th.

Schmaltz restored Utah’s two-goal lead with its fourth power-play goal of the day at 5:32 of the third.

Dallas’ Jamie Benn appeared to score his 400th NHL goal in the final minute but it was overturned for goalie interference after a challenge.
Takeaways

Utah: Utah got its 37th win of the season, topping the team’s total last season in Arizona.

Stars: Dallas secured second place in the Central Division and home-ice in its first round matchup with Colorado when the Avalanche lost earlier in the day.
Key moment

Schmaltz scored on the rebound of Hayton’s shot from the top of the left circle 5 1/2 minutes into the third to give Utah a 5-3 lead.
Key stat

Dallas came in second in the NHL on the penalty-kill at 83.9% but gave up four power-play goals in four chances to Utah.
Up next

Utah visits Nashville on Monday, and Stars play at Detroit.

___

AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL

Game 82 for every team in the NBA has arrived. For 10 clubs, it’s the end of the season. For 13 others, it’s one last game before the postseason.

And for seven teams in the Western Conference, Game 82 might feel like Game 7.

The NBA regular season ends on Sunday, with seven postseason-bound West teams entering the final day wondering where they’ll land in the standings. And it all could be decided around the same time; each of the games that will affect those unclaimed West spots start a little after 3:30 p.m. Eastern.

All 30 teams will be in action. Some just want to get things over with. Some want answers — and will get them.

“I don’t want to be too dramatic,” Golden State guard Stephen Curry said. “It should be like a Game 7-kind of vibe. You win, and you control your destiny on a guaranteed playoff series. You lose, and you roll the dice. Good teams find a way to win big games like that, and that’s what we’re aiming to be.”

There are four West teams — Golden State, Denver, the Los Angeles Clippers and Minnesota — vying for three guaranteed playoff spots, and one of them will even get home-court in Round 1. The odd team out of that mix is headed to a play-in game on Tuesday.

For those four teams, it’s very simple: Win and you’re in.

Golden State plays the Clippers, so the loser of that game likely — but not definitely — goes to the play-in. If Utah knocks off Minnesota, the Timberwolves are play-in bound regardless of other outcomes.

Entering Sunday, Minnesota would be the odd team out in the race for those last three West guaranteed spots. Denver enters the final day in the No. 4 spot, with the Clippers fifth and Golden State sixth. The Timberwolves close at home against Utah, the team with the worst record in the West.

“Win the game and then whatever happens after that happens,” Minnesota’s Julius Randle said. “We win the game, we’re where we want to be. So, focus on us and I always say control what we can control. And after that, we’ll figure it out.”

Also undecided: where Memphis, Sacramento and Dallas will end up. Memphis will be seventh or eighth in the West and in a play-in game on Tuesday, while Sacramento and Dallas will be ninth and 10th — in some order — with No. 9 hosting No. 10 in an elimination game Wednesday.

“It’s good that we know who we’re playing,” Mavericks forward Anthony Davis said. “So, we’ll start prepping.”

The Eastern Conference order is set going into Sunday: Cleveland is No. 1, Boston is No. 2, New York is No. 3 (and will play No. 6 Detroit) and Indiana is No. 4 (and will play No. 5 Milwaukee). No. 7 Orlando hosts No. 8 Atlanta on Tuesday in a play-in game, and No. 9 Chicago hosts No. 10 Miami on Wednesday in an elimination game.

The West spots that are set: Oklahoma City is No. 1, Houston is No. 2 and the Los Angeles Lakers are No. 3. Next weekend’s openers will mark the first time that the Lakers host a Game 1 in Los Angeles since 2012; the Lakers were the home team for all four Game 1s they played on their way to the NBA title in the bubble in 2020, but those games were in Florida.

“I’m just incredibly proud of our team,” Lakers first-year coach JJ Redick said. “It’s an accomplishment to win 50 games in the regular season in any year. I think particularly this year, in this Western Conference, it is, and it’s a credit to our players. … We want to go win one more game, and we’ll figure out Sunday who we play in the first round.”
Playing in all 82

There are 11 players entering Sunday with a chance of appearing in all 82 games, and six with a chance to start all 82.

New York’s Mikal Bridges is in line to play all 82 — again. He’s appeared in all 555 possible regular-season games of his career, 39 more in the playoffs and all 116 of Villanova’s games when he was in college. His last game missed: one game because of illness in his junior year of high school.

San Antonio’s Chris Paul could become the second-oldest player, behind John Stockton, to start all 82 games. Stockton did it in the season where he turned 40; Paul won’t turn 40 until May 6. Paul could become the first player to do so in Year 20 of a career or later; Stockton played 19 seasons.

The others who could start 82: Cleveland’s Jarrett Allen, San Antonio’s Harrison Barnes, Houston’s Jalen Green and Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels.

In addition to Bridges, Paul, Allen, Barnes, Green and McDaniels, San Antonio’s Julian Champagnie, Golden State’s Buddy Hield, Detroit’s Malik Beasley, Washington’s Bub Carrington and Minnesota’s Nickeil Alexander-Walker could play in their 82nd games of the season on Sunday.
50-win teams

Oklahoma City, Cleveland, Boston, Houston, the Lakers and New York have already reached the 50-win mark this season.

Indiana, Denver and the Clippers could all get there on Sunday. If they all do, it’ll be the first time the NBA has seen nine teams win 50 games in the same season since 10 clubs did it in 2014-15.

The Thunder, Cavaliers and Celtics will all finish with at least 60 wins. That’s the most in the NBA since three teams did it in 2008-09 — and Boston has won 60 for a 15th time, extending its NBA mark for the most such seasons.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba

San Antonio guard Stephon Castle went through a little of everything in Year 1 of his NBA career. He’s been in and out of the Spurs’ starting lineup. He had Gregg Popovich coaching him for only five games. He played most of the season’s second half without Victor Wembanyama.

It was a roller coaster. And he believes all of it — the good and the bad — made him better.

Castle’s rookie season ends Sunday when the Spurs play host to Toronto. He’s the favorite to win the rookie of the year award, according to BetMGM Sportsbook, and the former UConn guard — the MVP of this year’s Rising Stars event for first- and second-year players at All-Star weekend — doesn’t deny that he’s thought about what that trophy might mean.

“It would mean a lot,” Castle said in an interview with The Associated Press. “I mean, it was definitely a goal of mine, I’m not going to say I was playing for it every game but coming into the season I definitely had my eyes on it. So, to be this close to it, I can say it would mean a lot.”

It would also mean history for the Spurs. Wembanyama was the unanimous winner last year, and if Castle wins it this year it would mark just the second time in more than a half-century that one franchise went back-to-back with the top-rookie honor. Minnesota’s Andrew Wiggins (now of Miami) and Karl-Anthony Towns (now of New York) were voted rookies of the year in 2015 and 2016, respectively.

The last instance of a team going back-to-back before that: 1973 and 1974, when Bob McAdoo and Ernie DiGregorio pulled it off for the Buffalo Braves.

“The thing about Steph that sticks out to me, respectfully to all the other rookies, is (that) I don’t know that there’s anybody who has been asked to do the variety of roles and responsibilities, and the way he’s handled it,” said Spurs acting head coach Mitch Johnson, who took over when Popovich had a stroke in early November. “His being able to achieve enough to be honored as rookie of the month more than once says a lot.”

Castle is one of two players to be rookie of the month twice this season; Atlanta’s Zaccharie Risacher is the other. Risacher will surely get some consideration for the top-rookie award, as will Washington’s Alex Sarr, Memphis teammates Zach Edey and Jaylen Wells, Miami’s Kel’el Ware and others.

Taking Philadelphia’s Jared McCain — whose season ended after 23 games — and his 15.3-point-per-game average out of the mix, Castle leads all rookies in scoring at 14.6 per game. Castle also leads all rookies with 10 games of at least 15 points, five rebounds and five assists this season, getting six of those in the last month alone.

And having a 20-year veteran like Chris Paul there to teach him anything and everything about playing guard in the NBA has certainly been another plus for Castle in Year 1.

“I’m learning how to manage games and not always fully depend on athleticism and strength and speed,” Castle said. “You have to find other ways to outsmart the opponent, just play smarter to give yourself an advantage to win games. I feel like the NBA is more mental than physical. That’s why you see most of the smartest players in the league are some of the best players.”

The Spurs are working under the belief that Wembanyama — who was ruled out for the remainder of the season after deep vein thrombosis was found in one of his shoulders in February — will be back next season.

Castle is already thinking about what it’d be like for the Spurs to have back-to-back rookies of the year on the court if that happens.

“I think that speaks very highly of our future,” Castle said.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba

HOUSTON (AP) — Tyler Anderson took a no-hitter into the sixth inning, Nolan Schanuel and Taylor Ward homered and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.

Yordan Alvarez broke up Anderson’s no-hit bid with a two-out double in the sixth. The left-hander’s night ended after he walked Christian Walker one batter later. Anderson (1-0) allowed one hit and walked four with six strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings.

Kenley Jansen pitched the ninth for his fourth save of the season.

Isaac Paredes hit a solo homer in the eighth for Houston.

Los Angeles overcame a fan grabbing the ball out of Mike Trout’s glove after the Angels star reached into the right field stands to make what appeared to be a great catch on a fly ball hit by Yainer Diaz in the second inning.

A fan wearing an Astros jersey was also reaching for the ball, which appeared to simultaneously glance off the fan’s hand while Trout made the catch. The fan immediately snatched the ball from Trout’s glove with his left hand.

First base umpire Alan Porter ruled it a foul ball. Trout said he was told by Porter that as soon as his glove goes into the stands, “it’s fair game.” The Angels could’ve challenged the call, but chose not to. The fan and his young son were escorted out of the section by security.

Los Angeles took a 2-0 lead in the first when Ward singled, Luis Rengifo doubled and Trout hit a two-run single off Ryan Gusto (1-1).

Gusto, making his first career start, allowed three runs and four hits with six strikeouts in four innings.

Schanuel homered in the fourth and Ward in the fifth.
Key moment

Anderson, who retired his first 10 batters, walked the bases loaded with one out in the fourth, but escaped the jam by striking out Jeremy Peña and getting Diaz to line out.
Key stat

Ward, Rengifo and Trout finished a combined 5 for 13 with three runs scored and three RBIs.
Up next

Astros RHP Hayden Wesneski (0-1,3.75 ERA) opposes RHP Kyle Hendricks (0-0, 1.64) when the series concludes Sunday.

—

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

SEATTLE (AP) — Luke Raley drove in three runs and the Seattle Mariners scored four times in the third and seventh innings to down the Texas Rangers 9-2 on Saturday night.

Bryan Woo (2-0) allowed one run and six hits with seven strikeouts in seven innings for Seattle. Cal Raleigh hit a home run for the second consecutive game.

Woo got off to a rough start, allowing the first four batters to reach base. The Rangers went up 1-0 on Josh Smith’s single to center that scored Marcus Semien, who walked to lead off the game.

The Mariners went ahead in the third. Julio Rodriguez hit an RBI triple to left center off Rangers starter Kumar Rocker (0-2) before scoring on Jorge Polanco’s sacrifice fly to put the Mariners up 2-1.

Raleigh doubled and Randy Arozarena walked. Raleigh scored on a wild pitch and Raley’s double brought in Arozarena to give the Mariners a 4-1 lead.

Raleigh added a solo homer in the bottom of the fifth. A day earlier he hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in a 5-3 victory over the Rangers in the series opener.

Raley hit a two-run single and Rowdy Tellez drove in two more runs with a double to extend the Mariners’ lead in the seventh inning.

Jake Berger drove in a run for the Rangers in the ninth.
Key moment

Using his new torpedo bat, Raleigh’s home run in the fifth had an exit velocity of 108.7 mph and sailed 420 feet to straightaway center. He has two homers and a double with the bat.
Key stat

After allowing a single in the fourth, Woo shut down the Rangers by retiring the next 12 batters.
Up Next

The Mariners have a chance to sweep the series Sunday when they send RHP Logan Gilbert (0-1, 2.55 ERA) to face Rangers RHP Nathan Eovaldi (1-1, 2.29 ERA).

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb