Lightning unfazed trailing 1-0 in Cup Finals
Minutes after losing Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final in overtime, Patrick Maroon scoffed at the idea that it was some sort of gut punch to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
“Two really good teams going at it,” he said. “That's Game 1. We just got to refocus and be ready for Game 2.”
Few teams in recent NHL history are better at doing that, which is why the Lightning are unfazed about trailing the Colorado Avalanche. The two-time defending champions have won 11 consecutive series since their remarkable postseason run began in 2020; in five of them, Tampa has lost the opener -- including twice this postseason -- and the experience has steeled them for situations just like this.
“It's not about riding the wave of one game,” coach Jon Cooper said Thursday. “It's kind of about getting our feet under us. It's understanding we're playing a different team. We can't win the series all in one game, and (players have) been really good at that.”
Players wasted no time in moving on to Game 2 on Saturday night. Tampa
Bay, after all, had roared back from a 3-1 first-period deficit to tie the opener before Andre Burakovsky's overtime winner. Elements from successful stretches of Game 1 can factor into the team's tweaks and changes moving forward.
“We've done a great job of making adjustments after losses, so we'll look to do that,” captain Steven Stamkos said. “The mindset is we're here to win a series and you don't know when that's going to come: four games, five, six, seven. You never know.”
SOURCE: TORTORELLA HIRED AS FLYERS COACH >> The Philadelphia Flyers named John Tortorella their new coach, hoping the veteran can help lead them to their first Stanley Cup since 1975.
The hire was confirmed by a person with direct knowledge of the decision who spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anoymity because the move had not been announced.
Tortorella coached Tampa Bay to a Stanley Cup title in 2004, and he also coached the New York Rangers, Vancouver Canucks and was fired in May 2021 after six seasons with Columbus.
The Flyers finished with a 25-46-11 record under Alain Vigneault and Mike Yeo and were last in the Metropolitan Division.
Golf
KUPCHO SHOOTS 63 TO TAKE LPGA LEAD >> Jennifer Kupcho shot a 9-under 63 at windy Blythefield Country Club to take the first-round lead in the LPGA Meijer Classic in Belmont, Mich.
Kupcho eagled the par-5 14th and had seven birdies in the bogey-free round.
She won the major tournament at Mission Hills in the California desert in early April for her first LPGA Tour victory.
Gerina Mendoza was second. She closed birdie-eagle.
Lexi Thompson, the 2015 winner, was another stroke back at 65 with Swedes Anna Nordqvist and Madelene Sagstrom. Andrea Lee shot 66.
Defending champion Nelly Korda opened with a 67. Stacy Lewis also was at 67 with Na Rin An, Ruixin
Liu, Bianca Pagdanganan, Megan Khang, Ryann O'Toole and Caroline Masson.
WNBA HOWARD LEADS LIBERTY TO 77-65 WIN OVER MYSTICS >>
Natasha Howard scored a season-high 27 points to help the New York Liberty beat the Washington Mystics 77-65. Howard added eight rebounds and was 13 for 17 from the field for the Liberty (6-9). Former Miramonte High star Sabrina Ionescu had 10 points, nine assists and seven rebounds.
Tennis
MEDVEDEV BEATS IVASHKA TO REACH HALLE QUARTERS >> Top-ranked Daniil Medvedev defeated Ilya Ivashka for the second time in a week, beating the Belarusian 7-6 (4), 6-3 to reach the quarterfinals at the Halle Open in Germany.
Medvedev next faces seventh-seeded Roberto Bautista Agut, who beat qualifier Tallon Griekspoor 6-7 (6), 6-4, 6-2.
BERRETTINI KEEPS WINNING AT QUEEN'S CLUB >> Defending champion Matteo Berrettini stayed on course for back-to-back grass-court titles by beating lucky loser Denis Kudla 3-6, 7-5 (5), 6-4 to reach the Queen's Club quarterfinals in London.