–NHL —
Game 3 of the NHL’s Western Conference finals is on tap for tonight in Chicago, as the Blackhawks host the Anaheim Ducks. The teams split the first two games in Anaheim. The Ducks won the opener on Sunday before the Blackhawks came away with a triple-overtime win on Tuesday night.
Mike Babcock did not mince words during his introductory press conference as the new head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday. The Leafs have reached the playoffs just once in 10 seasons since the end of the lockout that wiped out the 2004-2005 campaign and the storied franchise has not won a Stanley Cup since the days of the Original Six ended in 1967. Babcock indicated Thursday that the rabid fans of Toronto should not expect a championship any time soon, saying “this is going to be a long process,” adding the rebuilding of what he called “Canada’s Team” will be a “massive, massive challenge.” Babcock agreed to become the new Leafs coach on Wednesday, ending a 10-year run as the coach of the Detroit Red Wings.
–NBA–
Houston and Golden State will play Game 2 of the NBA’s Western Conference finals tonight in Oakland. The Warriors won the opener 110-106 behind 34 points from league MVP Steph Curry. The Rockets are still awaiting word on the status of center Dwight Howard, who injured his left knee on Tuesday and has been listed as questionable for tonight’s game.
Curry and four-time MVP Lebron James headline the 2014-15 All-NBA First Team, announced Thursday. Curry and James were the only unanimous First-Team selections, receiving all 129 votes for a total of 645 points in the balloting. Joining the duo as First-Team members are Houston guard James Harden, New Orleans forward/center Anthony Davis and Memphis center Marc Gasol.
–NFL–
A judge in New Jersey has dismissed domestic violence charges against Ray Rice after the former Baltimore Ravens star completed a pretrial intervention program. Judge Michael A. Donio signed the order on Thursday after the Atlantic County prosecutor informed the court that all terms and conditions of Rice’s plea agreement were met. Rice pleaded not guilty to an aggravated assault charge stemming from a February 2014 incident with his then-fiancee at an Atlantic City hotel and entered the program for the first-time offenders designed to keep him out of jail. Rice was cut by the Ravens last September after video of the actual punch in the hotel elevator surfaced and was suspended indefinitely by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, but won an appeal in November but has yet to find a new team.
Buffalo Bills All-Pro defensive lineman Marcell Dareus has been suspended by the NFL for Week 1 of the 2015 season due to a prior arrest for drug possession. Dareus, whose career-high 10 sacks in 2014 led all interior linemen, was charged with felony possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia during a traffic stop in his native Alabama last May. Dareus will sit out Buffalo’s season opener at home againts Indianpolis and will be eligible to return when the Bills host defending Super Bowl champion New England on September 20.
–MLB–
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu had season-ending left shoulder surgery on Thursday. The surgery, to repair a torn labrum, was performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles and “went as well as could be expected,” the Dodgers said. Ryu, who started the season on the disabled list due to shoulder soreness, is expected to be ready for spring training next season. The 28-year-old left-hander last pitched during spring training and tried to avoid surgery, but no progress was made with conservative
treatments. Ryu experienced shoulder tightness twice last season and pitched through fatigue in September. In two seasons with the Dodgers, Ryu has compiled a 28-15 record with a 3.17 ERA over 56 starts.
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