In the NHL, Tampa Bay remained alive in their quest for a spot in the playoffs with a 4-1 win over Toronto…..Ottawa clinched a playoff berth with a 2-1 shootout win over Boston…..Pittsburgh gained home ice advantage for the first round of the playoffs against Columbus with a 7-4 win over New Jersey. Sidney Crosby had two assists. The Penguins have amassed 111 points, second highest in the history of their franchise….In other play, it was Winnipeg 5 Columbus 4…..Anaheim 4 Chicago 0….Minnesota 4 Colorado 3….Nashville 7 Dallas 3…..St. Louis 6 Florida 3…..Edmonton 4 San Jose 2…..Calgary 4 Los Angeles 1….Arizona 4 Vancouver 3 and the New York Islanders over Carolina 3-0.
The Saint John Sea Dogs open up their quarter final series tonight against Val d’or at Harbour Station with a 7:00 start. Sea Dogs coach Danny Flynn has been named the “Q” League’s Coach of the Year and Thomas Chabot is being honoured as the league’s best defenseman.
In the Majors, the Toronto Blue Jays won their first game of the season, 5-2 over Tampa Bay. Kendrys Morales hit a grand slam homer and Marcus Stroman pitched 6 and a third innings for the win….The Boston Red Sox and Pittsburgh were rained out. In other play, it wasCincinnati 7 Philadelphia 4…..Minnesota 5 Kansas City 3….Colorado 2 Milwaukee 1….Chicago Cubs 6 St. Louis 4…..Chicago White Sox 11 Detroit 2…..Los Angeles Dodgers 10 San Diego 2….Oakland 5 Los Angeles Angels 1….Miami 4 Washington 3 (10 innings)…..NY Mets 6 Atlanta 2…..Seattle 4 Houston 2 and Arizona 9 San Francisco 3.
The Masters is underway in Augusta. Charley Hoffman shot a 7 under par 65 in the opening round for a four shot lead, the largest such lead after the first round in 62 years.
In the NBA, it was Atlanta 123 Boston 116…..Washington 106 New York 103…..Chicago 102 Philadelphia 90….Orlando 115 Brooklyn 107….Indiana 104 Milwaukee 89 and Portland 105 Minnesota 98.
