Moore’s Morning Sports Briefing for Tuesday, May 7

A 14th overtime game of these 2019 NHL playoffs will result in a fifth Game Seven. Gabriel Landeskog beat Martin Jones from in tight, just 2.5 minutes into sudden death to give Colorado a 4-3 win, sending the series back to San Jose for a winner-takes-all showdown tomorrow night.

JT Compher scored twice for his first two goals of the series for the Avs while Marc-Edouard Vlasic had a pair for the Sharks who will go the distance for the second straight series.

Columbus wanted the chance for a Game Seven, but Tuukka Rask was having none of that as the veteran Boston Goalie stopped 39 shots, and had some help from three or four goalposts and crossbars to shutout the Blue Jackets 3-0. David Backes made it a no-doubter with 9.5 minutes to play, and just 101 seconds after Marcus Johansson had given the Bruins a 2-0 lead. Backes says it’s important to remember he and his teammates are just halfway there:

A significant win for Boston, who will get an extra day or two off to prepare for the well-rested Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final. And it’s very likely defenceman Charlie McAvoy will be sitting out at least Game One of that series on Friday or Saturday after delivering an elbow to the jaw of Columbus forward Josh Anderson in the final minute of the second period. The Blue Jackets were incensed that he only received a minor penalty, but after referees Eric Furlatt and Dan O’Halloran made that controversial match penalty call on Cody Eakin of Vegas in Game 7 and then were left off the second round assignment sheet — who could blame Kelly Sutherland and Steve Kozari, (the refs who worked last night’s game) from erring on the side of caution and leaving it up to Player Safety to decide if a harsher penalty was deserved?

And Brad Marchand’s post-game petulance of one or two word responses to legitimate questions from Sportsnet’s Kyle Bukauskas — and then a media scrum afterwards- just added to the notion that as good a player as Marchand is, the decisions he too often makes on – and off the ice – are the polar opposite. Sure he might have been ticked off about the question Bukauskas asked ahead of Game Two with respect to trying to stomp on the stick of Blue jackets forward Cam Atkinson in the series opener. And Marchand took a lot of heat for the punch to the back of the head of Columbus Defenceman Scott Harrington in the late stages of Game Three.

Here’s part of a conversation I had with Kyle Bukauskas this morning as he was preparing to leave Columbus and return to Boston for the start of the NHL eastern final between the Bruins and Carolina later this week.

What did Brad Marchand expect? It’s called accepting accountability for one’s actions, not blaming others.

A second straight “short” turnaround for Valour FC, as they’re off to Calgary today and will play their third game in less than a week tomorrow night against Cavalry FC. But Head Coach Rob Gale says that’s only part of the rational behind inserting some “fresher legs” into the starting lineup.

Valour is 1-1 while Cavalry FC was a 2-1 winner over York in their home and season opener last Saturday.

The Greek Freak has Milwaukee just one win away from the NBA Eastern Final. Giannis Antetokounmpo had 39 points and 16 rebounds as the Bucks beat up Boston 113-101 for a 3-1 series lead. James Harden scored 38 for Houston as the Rockets were able to get past Golden State 112-108 to even that series at 2-2. Toronto hosts Philadelphia tonight in what is now a best of three.

The Minnesota Twins pummeled the Blue Jays 8-0, while AL leading Tampa Bay crushed Arizona 12-1 for their 22nd win of the season. Reigning Cy Young award winner Blake Snell bounced back from a rough outing against Kansas City last week to pitch a perfect game for 5 2/3rd innings. The Yankees won for the 12th time in 16 games, dumping Seattle 7-3. The Mariners have dropped to .500 after a 13-2 start to the season.

And the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission has denied the appeal of Maximum Security’s disqualification as Kentucky Derby winner for interference, saying the stewards’ decision is not subject to appeal.

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