Predators still perfect at home

THE Nashville Predators are so confident right now that not even having two goals in eight seconds waved off for goaltender interference can shake them. Especially not on home ice. Roman Josi scored a power-play goal with 2:43 left and the Predators rallied to beat the Anaheim Ducks, 2-1, Tuesday night in their first-ever home game in the Western Conference finals.

The Predators grabbed a 2-1 lead in the series with their 10th straight home victory in the postseason going back to last season. The Predators are the first NHL team to win 10 straight playoff games at home since Detroit in 1997-98.

MARIA LEFT OUT IN PARIS

Two-time champion Maria Sharapova has missed out on a wild-card entry for the French Open because of her doping ban.

French Tennis Federation president Bernard Giudicelli said he told Sharapova in person that it was not possible.

“I decided not to give Maria Sharapova a wild card. I’m very sorry for Maria, very sorry for her fans. They might be disappointed, she might be very disappointed,” Giudicelli said. “But it’s my responsibility, it’s my mission to protect the game and protect the high standards of the game.”

Sharapova returned to tennis only last month following a 15-month ban for doping.

“This suspension is over and she can take her path toward new success,” Giudicelli said. “But while there can be a wild card for return from injury, there can’t be a wild card for return from doping.”

Sharapova, who has titles at all four majors, won at Roland Garros in 2012 and 2014.

Thanks to wild cards at her first two tournaments, she got her world ranking to outside the top 200 this week. But that wasn’t good enough to make the cut even for the qualifying field at Roland Garros, so she will miss the tournament for a second straight year.

EX-FIANCEE: HERNANDEZ CALLED GAY RUMOR UNTRUE

The fiancee of former NFL player Aaron Hernandez says he told her rumors that he was gay or bisexual were not true.

The second part of a two-part interview with Shayanna JenkinsHernandez aired Tuesday on the “Dr. Phil” show.

Jenkins-Hernandez said Hernandez was “very much a man” to her and called the rumors “embarrassing” and “hurtful.”