Uncertain final 4 still alive in fight for Cup

If the teams left in the NHL playoffs are sick and tired of facing the same opponents over and over, they are in luck in the semifinals.

After exclusively divisional play this season and through the first two rounds, the hockey playoffs are down to a final four of teams that haven’t played each other all year. The Islanders face the Lightning in one semifinal that’s a rematch of the 2020 Eastern Conference final, while the Golden Knights play the Canadiens in a playoff series for the first time.

After so much familiarity from seeing the same teams over and over, the final two rounds with the Stanley Cup on the line bring every element of the unknown.

“It’s such a different series in terms of the preparation,” Vegas general manager Kelly McCrimmon said. “Now with the Islanders and Tampa Bay, our own series with Montreal, it’s brand new. Starting from scratch.”

Auto racing: Marcus Ericsson raced to his first IndyCar victory Saturday at the Raceway at Belle Isle Park. The Swede became the seventh driver to win through seven IndyCar races this season, and he’s the fourth first-time winner this year.

MLB: Two-time National League Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom is expected to make his next scheduled start for the Mets despite having to leave his most recent outing because of an elbow ailment.

NBA: The NBA has disciplined the Nets security guard who went on the Fiserv Forum court and appeared to shove P.J. Tucker during a confrontation between Tucker and Nets star Kevin Durant on Thursday. NBA officials said the security guard wouldn’t be assigned to any of the remaining games in Milwaukee during the second-round playoff series between the Bucks and Nets. He won’t be assigned to the court for the second-round games in Brooklyn.