Avs after loss in OT: ‘... still in a great spot’

Cale Makar boarded a plane bound for St. Louis, leaving behind one thing he doesn’t believe travels from game to game or city to city — momentum.

The Avalanche hope the young defenseman is right after the team squandered a three-goal lead in a 5-4 overtime loss Wednesday night in Denver.

“We’re still in a great spot right now,” said Makar, whose team leads 3-2 in the Western Conference semifinals that shifts to St. Louis for Game 6 on Friday. “So that’s all that’s in my head . ... This (loss) is in the past.”

„ ■ Drake Batherson scored on a power play early in OT to give Canada a 4-3 comeback win over Sweden and a berth in the semifinals at the world hockey championship in Finland. The defending champ will face the Czech Republic. The U.S. beat Switzerland 3-0 and will play Finland in the other semifinal.

Golf: Patrick Reed, Webb Simpson, Scott Scheffler, Harold Varner III, Chris Kirk, Nick Taylor, Cam Davis and Beau Hossler each shot an opening-round 4-under 66 to share a one-stroke lead at the PGA Tour’s Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial in Fort Worth, Texas. ... Chris DiMarco, Gene Sauers, Mark Hensby, Joakim Haeggman and Thomas Levet each shot an opening-round 4-under 67 to share a one-stroke lead over six players at the Senior PGA Championship in Benton Harbor, Mich. Defending champ Alex Cejka was among those one back at the senior season’s second major.

NFL: The Saints expect QB Jameis Winston and former All-Pro WR Michael Thomas to be back at 100% for the start of next season as both recover from serious injuries. Winston is seven months removed from reconstructive ACL surgery on his left knee, while Thomas still is working his way back from a second procedure last year for an ankle injury. Thomas was absent last season after playing in just seven games in 2020.