Mullin: It was time to go
Ex-SJU coach needed to do ‘something different’
Chris Mullin felt in his heart it was time to leave St. John's.
He stepped down this month after four years as coach at the school where he starred in the 1980s.
“It got to a certain point for me to do something different,” Mullin told The Associated Press on Monday. “Straight from the heart and gut, when you do it that way it's natural. It wasn't anything but that. I'm excited to do some different things.”
Mullin had two years remaining on his contract. At the time he resigned, he mentioned a “recent personal loss.” Older brother Roddy died in March after battling cancer for years.
The 55-year-old coach was coming off his first winning season and only trip to the NCAA Tournament, an accomplishment he described as a “lifetime memory.” The Red Storm lost to Arizona State in a First Four game last month.
“I think it's all about timing. I had four great years,” Mullin said.
HURRICANES FORCE GAME 7
Jordan Staal scored the go-ahead goal and added an assist in the third period, and the Hurricanes beat the Capitals, 5-2, on Monday night to force Game 7 in their firstround playoff series.
Justin Williams scored an insurance goal seconds after the Capitals saw the tying goal disallowed, Warren Foegele and Teuvo Teravainen also scored, Dougie Hamilton added an empty-netter and Petr Mrazek made 23 saves.
The Hurricanes scored three thirdperiod goals in bouncing back from a 6-0 beatdown in Game 5 and prolonging their first playoff appearance in a decade by one game at least.
Game 7 is Wednesday night in Washington. The winner will play the Islanders in the second round.
STARS FINISH OFF PREDATORS
John Klingberg scored from the left circle 17:02 into overtime and the Stars beat the Predators, 2-1, to wrap up their first-round Western Conference playoff series in six games.
Klingberg's first goal of the playoffs came on a cross-ice pass from Alexander Radulov.
The victory by the Stars came 11 years after the previous time they clinched a playoff series on home ice. They needed overtime for a 2-1 win in that Game 6 as well — four overtimes to beat San Jose in the second round of the 2008 playoffs.
The Stars will play St. Louis in the second round of these playoffs, just as they did in their previous postseason appearance three years ago. The Blues, who have home-ice advantage this time, won that 2016 series with a Game 7 win in Dallas.
BUCKS SWEEP PISTONS
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 41 points, and the Bucks beat the Pistons, 127-104, completing a four-game sweep of the Pistons and advancing to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2001.
Milwaukee closed the third quarter with a 17-3 run, taking a 10-point lead into the fourth after the Pistons had led much of the way. Detroit set an NBA record with its 14th consecutive playoff loss, a skid that began in 2008.
LUKE WALTON ACCUSED OF SEXUAL ASSAULT
A female sports reporter has accused new Sacramento Kings coach Luke Walton of sexual assault in a lawsuit.
Kelli Tennant filed the suit in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Monday alleging that Walton assaulted her in a hotel room in Santa Monica during his time as an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors. TMZ first reported the lawsuit.