Rangers win Game 7, reach East finals
Chris Kreider scored twice, Igor Shesterkin was strong in net again and the New York Rangers ended Carolina's perfect postseason run at home, beating the Hurricanes 6-2 in the decisive Game 7 of their secondround playoff series Monday night.
Shesterkin — a finalist for the for both the Vezina Trophy for the league's top goalie and Hart Trophy for most valuable player — finished with 36 saves and carried the shutout well into the third period. That included one stop from flat on his back on Sebastian Aho near the right post. Shesterkin snagged the puck between his legs flailing, as if trying to make a snow angel late in the first period.
Kreider and Adam Fox had first-period power-play goals as the Rangers raced to a quick lead. The Rangers then rode Shesterkin's latest offense-stymieing performance to win a fifth straight elimination game in these playoffs. Ryan Strome and Filip Chytil also scored in what became an unexpected rout, with Andrew Copp adding a late empty-netter.
New York advance to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2015, earning a matchup with twotime defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay. New York will host Game 1 of that series Wednesday night.
NFL
CARDINALS DEFENSIVE BACK DIES IN CRASH >> Jeff Gladney, a defensive back for the NFL's Arizona Cardinals, died in a car crash in Dallas. He was 25.
Gladney's death was confirmed by the Cardinals and his agent.
The crash occurred on the service road of Woodall Rodgers Freeway in Dallas, KTVT-TV reported. Another person also died.
Soccer
FRANCE BLAMES TICKET FRAUD FOR CHAOS >> French authorities defended police for indiscriminately firing tear gas and pepper spray at Liverpool supporters at the Champions League final, while blaming industrial levels of fraud that saw 30,000 to 40,000 people try to enter the Stade de France with fake tickets or none at all.
UEFA ordered an independent report that it said would “examine decision making, responsibility and behaviors of all entities involved in the final” and be made public.
After a meeting into Saturday's chaos, the French ministers of the sport and the interior shifted responsibility onto the Liverpool fans while not providing details on how they were sure so many fake tickets were in circulation. People with legitimate tickets bought through Liverpool and UEFA reported struggling to access the stadium.
MESSI: BENZEMA THE BEST >> According to Lionel Messi, there is “no doubt” that Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema deserves to win his first Ballon d'Or award this year.
Messi has won a record seven Ballon d'Or awards as the world's best player, but saw his new club Paris Saint-Germain eliminated by Madrid in the round of 16 of the Champions League this year — after Benzema scored a hat trick in the second half of the return leg.
Benzema netted another four goals against Chelsea in the quarterfinals and three against Manchester City in the semifinals — including the decisive penalty in extra time of the second leg — before Madrid defeated Liverpool 1-0 in the final on Saturday. Benzema was also the top scorer in the Spanish league as Madrid won the title in dominant fashion.
MLB
ROYALS PUT GREINKE ON IL >> Kansas City veteran Zack Greinke was placed on the 15-day injured list with a strained right forearm, the most significant in a flurry of roster moves by the Royals before opening a three-game series with the Guardians.
The 38-year-old Greinke complained of tightness in his arm following Sunday's start in Minnesota. He allowed five runs — all on three home runs — in four innings in a 7-3 loss to the Twins.
Greinke is 0-4 with 5.05 ERA this season.
College baseball
TENNESSEE SEEDED NO. 1 >> After finishing one of the most dominant runs in Southeastern Conference history, Tennessee was selected the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA baseball tournament.
The Volunteers (53-7) won 31 of their first 32 games, swept the SEC regular-season and tournament titles and have the best pitching and batting statistics in the nation.
They've been the consensus No. 1 team in the polls all but one week since March 28 and enter regionals having won eight straight and 12 of 13.
The 64-team tournament opens Friday in 16 regionals. Winners advance to eight best-of-three super regionals. Those winners move on to the College World Series in Omaha.
Motor sports
ERICSSON COLLECTS $3.1M FROM INDY PURSE >> Indianapolis 500 winner Marcus Ericsson cashed in on the race's record purse, earning an unprecedented $3.1 million check for Sunday's victory.
Prize totals were announced Monday, the same day the annual victory celebration was held in downtown Indianapolis.
The 31-year-old Ericsson became the second 500 champion from Sweden, joining 1999 winner Kenny Brack, who helped mentor Ericsson early in his career. Ericsson drives for Chip Ganassi Racing.
Indy's total purse of slightly less than $16.1 million smashed the previous mark of $14.4 million that was set in 2008.
College lacrosse
MARYLAND COMPLETES PERFECT SEASON >> Anthony DeMaio scored four first-half goals for his fifth hat trick in his last six games, Logan McNaney made 17 saves to be named the NCAA Tournament's most outstanding player and top-seeded Maryland completed a perfect season by holding off Cornell 9-7 to win the men's lacrosse title.
Maryland (18-0) set an NCAA record for most wins in a season without a loss, becoming the first undefeated team since Virginia in 2006. The Terps are 33-1 in the last two seasons, with the lone loss coming in the 2021 championship against the Cavaliers.