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Tampa Bay Lightning news and notes

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By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, May 22, 2011

Bolting from Tampa

About 500 fans showed up Sunday at Tampa International Airport to form a human lightning bolt the players could see from the sky as their charter plane took off for Boston.

"I think that's great," coach Guy Boucher said. "Every effort that's directed toward everybody feeling that they're part of it is amazing."

"It was crazy," W Ryan Malone said. "That wasn't happening three years ago. It was impressive."

Keeping tabs

Lightning C Nate Thompson, right, who was drafted by the Bruins and came up in their system, stayed at the house of Boston LW Shawn Thornton during training camp in 2008.

"I remembered him being a slob and cleaning up after him," Thornton said, smiling.

Joking aside, Thornton said he's happy it has worked out well for Thompson since the Bruins put him on waivers that season.

"His work ethic speaks for itself, but everyone notices that," Thornton said. "He's probably got a little bit better skill set than people give him credit for; great penalty killer. It's one of those unfortunate things that he got moved out of here. But I'm very glad he's found a niche for himself in Tampa and seems to be doing really well."

Watch party

The Lightning will host one for tonight's Game 5 beginning at 6:30 on the west plaza and in Shots restaurant at the St. Pete Times Forum. Food and drinks will be available, and fans are permitted to bring their own (excluding alcohol). Lawn chairs and blankets are permitted. Parking is free in the Forum West and VIP East lots.

Tickets

Wednesday's Game 6 at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa is sold out. Unused team tickets might be released that day. Check with the box office at (813) 301-6600 and Ticketmaster (outlets, ticketmaster.com, toll-free 1-800-745-3000).

Quote to note

"I've always had doubters. I wasn't strong enough, wasn't fast enough, wasn't physical enough. I guess it's always nice to prove those guys wrong. But I've always believed in myself."

Lightning RW Teddy Purcell on how being undrafted has been "motivation my whole life."

Number of the day

10 Turnovers coach Guy Boucher said the Lightning committed during the first period of Game 4, a season high for a period.

The series Tied 2-2

Game 1, Lightning 5, Bruins 2: Three goals in 1:25 of the first spark Lightning.

Game 2, Bruins 6, Lightning 5: Bruins score five in the second.

Game 3, Bruins 2, Lightning 0: Bruins prevail in tight defensive game.

Game 4, Lightning 5, Bruins 3: Lightning scores five unanswered goals.

Tonight: at Boston, 8, Versus, 970-AM

Wednesday: at Tampa, 8, Versus, 620-AM

Friday: at Boston, 8, Versus, 970-AM *

* If necessary


Tampa Bay Rays: Video coordinator really gets into themed trip; Johnny Damon will miss Rock star pal

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By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, May 22, 2011

Rays at Tigers

When/where: 7:05 tonight; Comerica Park, Detroit

TV/radio: Sun Sports; 620-AM, 680-AM (Spanish)

Starting pitchers:

RAYS:

RH Jeremy Hellickson (5-2, 3.18)

TIGERS: LH Phil Coke (1-5, 3.88)

K-club

Most strikeouts by a Rays pitcher:

13 — James Shields, at Marlins, 5-22-11

13 — Scott Kazmir, vs. A's, 8-25-07

12 — Shields, vs. LAA, 4-30-11

12 — Shields, vs. A's, 4-28-10

12 — Shields, vs. Cleveland, 4-22-07

12 — Dan Wheeler, vs. A's, 9-12-99

Watch for …

Jeremy the kid: Hellickson, 4-0, 2.08 in his past four starts, seeks to become the first Rays rookie to win five straight. He faced the Tigers in August in his second big-league start, throwing seven shutout innings.

Coke is it: Coke has handled the move from the bullpen to the rotation fairly well, better than his numbers — 1-4, 3.39 in eight starts — would indicate. The former Yankee is 0-1, 1.29 in 14 relief appearances vs. the Rays.

Key matchups

Rays vs. Coke

Casey Kotchman 0-for-4

Evan Longoria 1-for-2

Ben Zobrist 1-for-5

Tigers vs. Hellickson

Brennan Boesch 1-for-3

Miguel Cabrera 0-for-3

Austin Jackson 1-for-3

On deck

Tuesday: at Tigers, 7:05, Sun Sports. Rays — Wade Davis (4-4, 3.47); Tigers — Justin Verlander (4-3, 2.96)

Wednesday: at Tigers, 1:05, Sun Sports. Rays — Andy Sonnanstine (0-2, 4.21); Tigers — Brad Penny (4-4, 4.45)

Thursday: Off

Friday: vs. Indians, 7:10, Sun Sports. Rays — David Price (5-4, 3.89); Indians — TBA

Marc Topkin, Times staff writer

Steppin' out in style

Rays video coordinator Chris "Chico" Fernandez is known to accessorize, and he was in high style for Sunday's all-white trip from south Florida to Detroit. He was looking for something special online and found these shoes, with dice and poker chips in the heels. Fernandez said he probably won't wear them again "until the next all-white trip."

Goin' back in style

DH Johnny Damon liked playing in Detroit last season and is looking forward to going back, seeing his former teammates and hanging out with some friends. But he'll miss one buddy who will be out of town this week for work: singer Kid Rock. "He's on tour right now, or otherwise we would," Damon said.

Tampa Bay Lightning hed hereee

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By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, May 22, 2011

BOSTON — Let us assume Dwayne Roloson starts in net tonight for the Lightning.

We have to assume because coach Guy Boucher did not answer directly when asked point-blank if his No. 1 goalie would play Game 5 of the Eastern Conference final against the Bruins after being pulled in Game 4 for the second time in three games.

"Roloson is getting ready for (today)," Boucher said.

For that matter, so is Mike Smith, who has stopped all 29 shots he faced in this series, including 21 Saturday while Tampa Bay stormed back from a three-goal deficit to win 5-3 and even the best-of-seven series at two games.

The sidestepping is understandable. Boucher wants to create doubt for the Bruins.

But let's assume Roloson gets the call. There are issues.

Roloson, 41, who entered the series leading the playoffs with a 2.01 goals-against average and a .941 save percentage, is 0-2 in his past three games with a 5.64 goals-against average and .820 save percentage.

Talk all you want about Lightning turnovers and bad defense, Roloson has to start making some saves.

Not that he is worried.

Asked Sunday if he is fighting the puck, Roloson said no.

"Actually, I felt great. It's probably the best I felt in the series," he said of Game 4, in which he allowed three goals on nine shots before being pulled with 2:02 left in the first period.

Asked if he believes he has to reestablish himself, Roloson said, "Not at all. I just have to go out and play my game, nothing different, that's it; same thing that I've said since I got here, just give us a chance to win."

Even goaltenders coach Frantz Jean said, "There's no concern on our part.

"He's doing all the right things technically. As a team, we've had some ups and downs in the series; same thing for our goaltending. The goaltending is not apart from the whole package. It's just following the tendency of how we played until now."

Roloson has a great ability to compartmentalize his performances.

He has his 12-hour rule, in which he allows himself 12 hours to think about a game, good or bad, before moving on. And he constantly talks about having "amnesia."

Smith, who said he expects Roloson to play, has perspective.

"I understand my role," he said. "As a backup goaltender, you have to be ready when you get a chance to play. So far, I've taken advantage of that. But like I said, Dwayne's our guy right now and I understand the role he's played in getting us this far. I'm going to do everything I can to support him, and if I get another chance to get in, I'll be ready to go."

That brings us back to Boucher, who loves to dust off his psychology degree in moments such as this.

Asked if he gave any more thought to his goaltending "situation," he said, "I don't feel like we've got a situation. … We've got a goaltender that has taken us here that knows how to win and knows how to bounce back."

So is Roloson playing?

"He's getting prepared for (today)," Boucher said.

Whatever his role.

Damian Cristodero can be reached at cristodero@sptimes.com.

Tampa Bay Lightning coach Guy Boucher won't reveal starting goalie

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By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, May 22, 2011

BOSTON — Let us assume Dwayne Roloson starts in net tonight for the Lightning.

We have to assume because coach Guy Boucher did not answer directly when asked point-blank if his No. 1 goalie would play Game 5 of the Eastern Conference final against the Bruins after being pulled in Game 4 for the second time in three games.

"Roloson is getting ready for (today)," Boucher said.

For that matter, so is Mike Smith, who has stopped all 29 shots he has faced in the series, including 21 Saturday while Tampa Bay stormed back from a three-goal deficit to win 5-3 and even the best-of-seven series at two games apiece.

The sidestepping is understandable. Boucher wants to create doubt for the Bruins.

But let's assume Roloson gets the call. There are issues.

Roloson, 41, who entered the series leading the playoffs with a 2.01 goals-against average and a .941 save percentage, is 0-2 in his past three games with a 5.64 goals-against average and an .820 save percentage.

Talk all you want about Lightning turnovers and bad defense, Roloson has to start making saves to give his team a chance.

Not that he is worried.

Asked Sunday if he is fighting the puck, Roloson said no.

"Actually, I felt great. It's probably the best I felt in the series," he said of Game 4, in which he allowed three goals on nine shots before being pulled with 2:02 left in the first period.

Asked if he believes he has to re-establish himself, Roloson said, "Not at all. I just have to go out and play my game, nothing different, that's it; same thing that I've said since I got here; just give us a chance to win."

Even goaltenders coach Frantz Jean said, "There's no concern on our part.

"He's doing all the right things technically. As a team, we've had some ups and downs in the series; same thing for our goaltending. The goaltending is not apart from the whole package. It's just following the tendency of how we played until now."

Roloson has a great ability to compartmentalize his performances.

He has his 12-hour rule, in which he allows himself 12 hours to think about a game, good or bad, before moving on. And he constantly talks about having "amnesia."

Smith, who said he expects Roloson to play, has perspective.

"I understand my role," he said. "As a backup goaltender, you have to be ready when you get a chance to play. So far, I've taken advantage of that. But like I said, Dwayne's our guy right now, and I understand the role he's played in getting us this far. I'm going to do everything I can to support him, and if I get another chance to get in, I'll be ready to go."

That brings us back to Boucher, who loves to dust off his psychology degree in moments such as this.

Asked if he gave any more thought to his goaltending situation, he said, "I don't feel like we've got a situation. … We've got a goaltender that has taken us here that knows how to win and knows how to bounce back."

So is Roloson playing?

"He's getting prepared for (today)," Boucher said.

Whatever his role.

Stosur cruises in first match

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Times wires
Sunday, May 22, 2011

PARIS — Sam Stosur opened her bid to return to the French Open final by beating Iveta Benesova 6-2, 6-3 on Sunday in the first round.

Playing in the first match on Court Philippe Chatrier, the eighth-seeded Stosur dropped her serve in the opening game but then reeled off four straight games to take the lead for good.

The Australian reached the final at Roland Garros last year but lost to Francesca Schiavone. In 2009, Stosur reached the French Open semifinals.

"Obviously I thought of last year's last match," the Tampa resident said. "It was nice to get out there again and, of course, if you can play on any court here, you'd want to play on that one."

Stosur faces Simona Halep, who became the first player to reach the second round by beating Alla Kudryavtseva 6-2, 6-1.

"I don't think I have to necessarily prove anything. I think having made semis and a final, I think that kind of proves that I have been able to back it up and it wasn't a fluke the first time," Stosur said. "Of course I'd love to go a little bit further this year, but I think it's more just wanting to achieve that rather than I have to do it because of X, Y and Z."

Bethanie Mattek-Sands, the highest-ranked American woman in the event at 36th, rallied to beat Arantxa Parra Santonja 2-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3.

Meanwhile, Marin Cilic was the first seeded player ousted, losing to Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo 7-6 (7-5), 6-4, 6-4. The 19th-seeded Cilic had 67 unforced errors in the match and was broken five times.

For Ramirez Hidalgo, it was only his fourth win in 15 Grand Slam tournaments.

"It's my greatest victory this season, that's for sure," said Ramirez Hidalgo, 33. "I would not say this is the beginning of a new career, because I'm too old for this, but it's a kind of relief."

Seventh-seeded David Ferrer had no such problems, advancing by defeating Jarkko Nieminen 6-3, 6-3, 6-1.

No. 14 Stanislas Wawrinka, No. 17 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, No. 30 Guillermo Garcia-Lopez and No. 31 Sergiy Stakhovsky also advanced.

"I expected, like every year, the first match not to be too easy," said Wawrinka, who beat Augustin Gensse 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2. "I was a bit slow. I took some time before I got into the match. In the first round, it's never so easy."

The first seeded women's player to lose was Shahar Peer. The 19th-seeded Israeli lost to Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez 7-6 (7-4), 6-1.

In the final match of the day, No. 18 Plavia Pennetta lost to American Varvara Lepchenko 6-3, 2-6, 6-3.

No. 13 Svetlana Kuznetsova, the 2009 champion, reached the second round, as did No. 10 Jelena Jankovic, No. 14 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, No. 17 Julia Goerges and No. 32 Tsvetana Pironkova.

"It's never easy, especially in the first round," said Jankovic, who beat Alona Bondarenko 6-3, 6-1.

Former No. 1 and two-time major champion Lleyton Hewitt withdrew hours before the start, citing a left ankle injury.

Giants 5, Athletics 4, 11 innings

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Times wires
Sunday, May 22, 2011

Giants 5, Athletics 4

11 innings

SAN FRANCISCO — Emmanuel Burriss singled in the winning run as the Giants completed a three-game sweep. Burriss' line drive off reliever Brian Fuentes scored speedy Darren Ford from second.

Big second lifts Canucks

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Times wires
Sunday, May 22, 2011

SAN JOSE, Calif. — The Canucks scored on three on two-man advantages in a span of 1:55 in the second to beat the Sharks 4-2 on Sunday and move within one win of the Stanley Cup final.

Vancouver has reached the final only twice over its first 39 seasons, losing in 1982 and 1994.

"We're excited, obviously," said goalie Roberto Luongo, whose team is 2-4 in games that can clinch series this season. "But the series is far from over. We know that as we've seen in the first two series."

In its 4-3 loss in Game 3, Vancouver allowed three power-play goals and failed to score on a five-on-three that lasted 1:55. Sunday, it took the game's first five penalties (spending 10:00 of the first 24:06 short-handed) but killed them all.

"The guys did a huge job, blocking shots, getting in lanes, cutting off passing lanes, making sure there's no seam passes," said Luongo, who made eight saves during the power plays. "They mostly kept (shots) to the outside, which makes my job easier."

In the second, the Sharks had four penalties in a span of 2:46. With Dany Heatley in the box, Torrey Mitchell went off for hooking. The Canucks took just 10 seconds to capitalize, Ryan Kesler beating Antti Niemi with a one-timer.

Just 1:23 later and with Mitchell still in the box, the Sharks got caught with too many men on the ice. This time, it took the Canucks 16 seconds to score, Sami Salo making it 2-0. Soon after, Douglas Murray sent the puck over the glass for a delay of game penalty. And 10 seconds later, Salo made it 3-0.

"We kept marching to the box. They kept scoring," Sharks coach Todd McLellan said.

The Canucks are the first team in league history to score three five-on-three goals during a playoff game. Henrik Sedin, who led the league with 75 assists during the regular season, set up all three goals as well as an even-strength goal in the third.

"When you give Henrik that much open time, he's going to find a way to make plays," said Canucks wing Alexandre Burrows, whose team scored only one five-on-three goal during the regular season.

"We have great shooters on that power play. He's a magical player the way he's able to hold on to that puck and make plays."

Canucks0314
Sharks0022

First PeriodNone. PenaltiesGlass, Van (tripping), :26; Bieksa, Van (high-sticking), 10:32; Glass, Van (boarding), 13:36; Torres, Van (charging), 20:00.

Second Period1, Vancouver, Kesler 6 (Salo, H.Sedin), 9:16 (pp). 2, Vancouver, Salo 2 (H.Sedin, D.Sedin), 10:55 (pp). 3, Vancouver, Salo 3 (H.Sedin, D.Sedin), 11:11 (pp). PenaltiesHamhuis, Van (hooking), 2:06; Heatley, SJ (high-sticking), 8:15; Mitchell, SJ (hooking), 9:05; San Jose bench, served by Clowe (too many men), 10:39; Murray, SJ (delay of game), 11:01.

Third Period4, Vancouver, Burrows 6 (H.Sedin, D.Sedin), 5:43. 5, San Jose, Desjardins 1 (Huskins, McGinn), 7:02. 6, San Jose, Clowe 6 (Couture, Marleau), 15:55. PenaltiesMarleau, SJ (interference), 13:29; Clowe, SJ (roughing), 20:00. Shots on GoalVancouver 6-4-3—13. San Jose 10-8-17—35. Power-play opportunitiesVancouver 3 of 5; San Jose 0 of 5. GoaliesVancouver, Luongo 11-6-0 (35 shots-33 saves). San Jose, Niemi 8-8-0 (13-9). A17,562 (17,562).

Injuries: The Sharks lost Joe Thornton, their top assist man during the regular season, on Raffi Torres' hit into the boards. His status will be determined today. The Canucks played without defensemen Christian Ehrhoff and Aaron Rome due to undisclosed injuries. Both were hurt on hits by Jamie McGinn during Game 3.

Sports in brief

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Times wires
Sunday, May 22, 2011

Cycling

Report: Armstrong pushed doping

Lance Armstrong and other team leaders encouraged, promoted and took part in a doping program in an effort to win the Tour de France in 1999 and beyond, former teammate Tyler Hamilton said during a report aired Sunday on 60 Minutes.

Hamilton said he saw Armstrong take performance-enhancing drugs, EPO and testosterone and saw him receive a banned blood transfusion in 2000.

"I feel bad that I had to go here and do this," Hamilton said in his first public admission of doping. "But I think at the end of the day, like I said, long term, the sport's going to be better for it."

Team leaders, including doctors and managers, encouraged and supervised doping, Hamilton said.

Armstrong, who won the Tour each year from 1999 to 2005, has denied doping and has never tested positive.

On Sunday, his attorney, Mark Fabiani, released a statement deriding the CBS report.

"Throughout this entire process, CBS has demonstrated a serious lack of journalistic fairness and has elevated sensationalism over responsibility," Fabiani said. "CBS chose to rely on dubious sources while completely ignoring Lance's nearly 500 clean tests and the hundreds of former teammates and competitors who would have spoken about his work ethic and talent."

Tour of California: Chris Horner, 39, won the title in Thousand Oaks, holding off RadioShack teammate Levi Leipheimer by 38 seconds.

Giro d'Italia: Alberto Contador extended his lead, and Mikel Nieve Ituralde won the 15th stage in Val di Fassa. Contador leads Michele Scarponi by 4:20 in the overall standings.

Boxing

At 46, Hopkins oldest to capture major title

Bernard Hopkins, 46, became the oldest fighter to win a major world championship, taking the WBC light heavyweight title by unanimous decision from Jean Pascal, 28, late Saturday in Montreal.

Hopkins (52-5-2) broke the age record set by George Foreman in a heavyweight title victory over Michael Moorer in 1994. Hopkins won at 46 years, 4 months, 6 days. Foreman was 45 years, 10 months.

"I won't retire until I'm 50," said Hopkins, who won the WBC, IBO and Ring magazine titles as Pascal (26-2-1) made his fifth defense.

Et cetera

Horses: Preakness winner Shackleford and Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom could meet in the Belmont Stakes on June 11. Dale Romans said he wants to watch Shackleford train for a couple of days before deciding on whether to run in the 1½-mile Belmont in New York. Graham Motion plans to give Animal Kingdom a week to see how he comes out of his latest race. … With nine wins in 23 races at Churchill Downs, Ready's Rocket became the first horse with that many victories at the historic track in Louisville, Ky., since 1991, the first year Equibase gathered detailed information.

Gymnastics: The world championships will be Oct. 7-16 in Tokyo as planned, despite earlier concerns about radiation levels after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, the International Gymnastics Federation said.

Soccer: Blackpool and Birmingham were relegated from the English Premier League. Blackpool lost 4-2 at Manchester United, and Birmingham conceded a last-minute goal at Tottenham to lose 2-1. West Ham had already been demoted. The loss of television revenue means relegation costs a club about $65 million. … Carlo Ancelotti was fired as Chelsea manager after a season without a trophy, leaving a year after he led the club to EPL and FA Cup titles.

Times wires


Rejection fuels Tampa Bay Lightning's postseason run

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By John Romano, Times Sports Columnist
Sunday, May 22, 2011

BOSTON

Someday, they may appreciate the story line a little more. When the puck has thawed and the crowd has dispersed, they may recognize the compliment in the insult.

But for now, it is the rejection that drives them. The trade, the benching, the demotion. The release, the slight, the slur.

You want to know how a team survives the opening round of the playoffs after losing three of its first four games? Ask the guy who was traded five times in four years and left three other teams via waivers or free agency.

You want to know how a team falls behind 3-0 against one of the best defenses in the NHL and then comes back to win? Ask the goaltender who saved the day just three months after being snubbed by every GM in the NHL.

You want to know how a team goes from three consecutive losing seasons and three successive ownership groups to the cusp of the Stanley Cup final? Ask the head coach whose NHL resume was still completely blank by his 40th birthday.

It is not in spite of its setbacks that Tampa Bay is winning.

Rather, it is because of them.

"I don't think it's a stretch at all to say that," Lightning coach Guy Boucher said in a hallway of the TD Garden on Sunday afternoon. "This is the type of team we've got.

"We have a lot of guys who needed to prove some things. Guys who have had setbacks in their career. Guys with moments or circumstances to overcome. They were given a shot this year, and together, it's one of the things they all have in common."

Go down the roster of every team in the NHL and you will find similar stories of perseverance. So no, these woebegone tales do not make the Lightning unique.

What is curious is the way Lightning players wear their failures. The way they have almost turned their collective disappointments into a battle cry.

Marty St. Louis is wealthy, famous and quite possibly skating toward a spot in the Hall of Fame, and yet there is still a part of him that burns at the memory of being snubbed 14 years ago in the draft and being cut loose as a young player in Calgary.

Dominic Moore was traded five times before his 30th birthday. Nate Thompson was waived by both the Bruins and the Islanders in the past three years. Steve Downie was regularly suspended and condemned for his brutish play in Philadelphia and the minors.

Sean Bergenheim was so unappreciated after five years with the Islanders, Tampa Bay signed him to a one-year deal for about one-third of the league's average salary.

"There are a lot of guys on this team who have been through a lot in their careers. It definitely grows character," said goaltender Mike Smith, who was sent to the minors after passing untouched through waivers then called up after again passing untouched. "This time of the year, character guys are the ones who find a way to win hockey games.

"You look around this room. There are a lot of guys who will do anything to win."

They fit well together, this ramshackle franchise and its misfit players. Rarely called among the league's elite and yet never satisfied with waiting their turn.

You see, some franchises are historic. And some markets are privileged. Tampa Bay is neither. The Lightning has bounced from owner to owner and arena to arena while trying to hold on to fans in a community that is neither wealthy nor rooted.

So is it any wonder the franchise has attracted a fair number of players with similar tales of being forgotten, ignored or overlooked?

"On TV, they talked about all the rejects we had. Like half of the team was a bunch of rejects," Boucher said. "You hear that, it makes you feel you have to prove something.

"I like those kind of players. Oh yes, I like them."

In Boucher's mind, the NHL focuses too much on what players cannot do. The Lightning, instead, is trying to figure out what it can do.

Embrace a specialty. A trademark. A role. Teach a player to stay within a particular type of game and celebrate all of the little moments that go unnoticed.

In the meantime, do not be surprised if Boucher continues to tap into their insecurities. If he occasionally reminds them of who they are not.

For every Vinny Lecavalier on this roster, there is a Nate Thompson. For every Victor Hedman and Steven Stamkos, there is a Mike Lundin and a Dominic Moore.

Players who have never been celebrated in their careers but who have found homes, and roles and, sometimes, even glory in Tampa Bay.

"Sometimes, we think people get one shot at the end," Boucher said. "The great stories are about guys who get two, three, four shots. And they persist and persist and persist."

They may chafe today at the idea of being rejects or misfits, but the depiction grows more impressive and meaningful as they climb higher and higher.

Florida Gators reach softball Super Region, but Florida State Seminoles falter; USF Bulls prepare for Big East annual meetings

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Times staff, wires
Sunday, May 22, 2011

Florida reached the 16-team Super Region round of the NCAA Softball Championship after surviving an elimination game.

The Gators defeated UCLA 11-3 after losing to the Bruins in Sunday's first game of the double-elimination Gainesville Region. UF was the lone state team to make the 16-team second stage.

Florida State was eliminated with a 10-2 loss to host Georgia in the Athens Region. The Seminoles (32-28) committed a season-high five errors in their first NCAA region final since 2006.

UCLA scored twice in the bottom of the seventh — former Countryside High star GiOnna DiSalvatore singled and scored to start the rally — to win 3-2 and force the final game. In the final game, Gator shortstop Cheyenne Coyle went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer in the fourth inning.

Florida (50-10), the No. 4 national seed, faces No. 13 Oregon (42-14) in a best-of-three Super Region this week (the schedule is to be announced). The winners of the eight Super Region matchups advance to the College World Series, June 2-8, in Oklahoma City.

Big East meetings

The Big East's athletic directors and football and basketball coaches are in Ponte Vedra Beach for the next two days, and the topic of football expansion is sure to be central in the conference's annual meetings.

"We're going to learn an awful lot … when we go to the conference meetings," USF football coach Skip Holtz said last week to WGHB-AM 1250 in North Carolina. "We'll sit down for three days and that will be a big part of discussions."

The Big East added TCU to its football lineup for 2012, but it is pondering a 10th team. Villanova, a member in other sports but currently a Division I-AA football program, is one option, as is a Conference USA team such as Central Florida or Houston. Holtz questioned the benefits of having 10 as opposed to a more ambitious move to 12 teams.

"There's been a lot of talk about do you go from nine to 10, which I don't know how much sense that really makes, when the Big Ten left the model of 10, the Pac-10 has left the model of 10," Holtz told the radio station.

Any decisions regarding expansion would have to come from university presidents.

BASEBALL: Florida State (40-15, 19-11 ACC), the No. 2 seed, plays its first game in the conference tournament in Durham, N.C., at 7 p.m. Wednesday against No. 7 seed North Carolina State in pool play. No. 5 Miami opens at 11 a.m. Thursday against No. 4 North Carolina. FSU plays Clemson at 7 Thursday and Georgia Tech at 7 Friday. The two winners of the four-team pools meet May 29 for the championship.

women's TENNIS: Florida, the No. 2 seed, defeated No. 7 Miami 4-1 to reach the semifinals of the NCAA Championship at Stanford. Calif. Allie Will, Lauren Embree and Alex Cercone each won singles matches and were part of winning doubles teams for UF (29-1), which faces No. 6 seed UCLA tonight at 7.

WOMEN'S GOLF: Florida tied for 10th at the NCAA Championship in Bryan, Texas, with a four-round score of 44-over-par 1,196. Andrea Watts (293) was the top individual for the Gators, tying for 15th. UCLA (1,173) won the title by four strokes over Purdue, and LSU's Austin Ernst won the individual title.

BASKETBALL: St. John's forward Dwayne Polee II said he plans to transfer to help his family "get through a health issue."

Times staff writer Greg Auman contributed to this report.

Edwards' (all-)star value rising

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Times wires
Sunday, May 22, 2011

CONCORD, N.C. — Carl Edwards' victory Saturday in the Sprint All-Star Race was a very, very expensive win.

Not for Edwards, who claimed the $1 million prize with his first win in NASCAR's annual non-points showcase. But his celebratory drive through the infield grass at Charlotte Motor Speedway tore up the front of his Ford, and rebuilding that car will be costly for Roush-Fenway Racing.

That's just a small part of it, though. Edwards is in a contract year, and he likely increased his worth yet again this year.

NASCAR contracts are sensitive and secret, and nobody knows exactly what anyone gets paid. But for sure, Edwards couldn't have picked a better year to be a free agent. He's the Sprint Cup leader and has three wins in the Nationwide series.

Team owner Jack Roush wants to keep Edwards. Saturday, Roush called his driver "a rock star" and lauded his entertaining celebratory backflips, and his penchant for going into the stands with the fans after wins.

"Some of the drivers wouldn't go up in the stands like that after a race, and for good reason. But Carl, he's well thought of and he's out there doing things that other people wish they thought of first," Roush said. "And he drives the hell out of our race cars."

Rarity: Nationwide won by Nationwide driver

NEWTON, Iowa — Ricky Stenhouse held off Sprint Cup drivers Edwards and Brad Keselowski to win Sunday's Nationwide race in Iowa, becoming the first series regular with a victory this season and first since March 2010.

Stenhouse took the lead from Edwards 233 laps into the John Deere 250 at Iowa Speedway and held off the only Cup regulars in the field for his first series win. Edwards finished second, followed by Keselowski.

Kenny Wallace, whose brother Rusty designed Iowa's 0.75-mile oval, joined Jason Keller as the only drivers to run 500 races in NASCAR's second-tier series. He finished a season-best sixth.

FORMULA ONE: Series leader Sebastian Vettel held off Lewis Hamilton to win the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, his fourth victory in five races. The Red Bull Racing driver took the lead for good after the second round of pit stops to beat Hamilton by 0.6 seconds and widen his lead in the standings to 41 points over his McLaren rival.

NHRA: Robert Hight gave John Force Racing its 200th victory, beating teammate Mike Neff in the Funny Car final at the Summer Nationals in Topeka, Kan. Spencer Massey (Top Fuel) and Shane Gray (Pro Stock) also won their classes.

Long wait over, Toms savors win at Colonial

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Times wires
Sunday, May 22, 2011

FORT WORTH, Texas — David Toms was beginning to wonder if he could ever win again on the PGA Tour.

More than five years after he last won, a week after losing in a playoff and a day after blowing a seven-stroke lead to go into the final round trailing, Toms shot 3-under 67 on Sunday to win at Colonial.

"I'm not dreaming, am I? This is actually happening, right?" he said. "Wow, I didn't know if this day would ever come again."

Toms regained the lead for good from Charlie Wi with eagle on a wedge shot from 83 yards at the par-5 11th hole and finished at 15-under 265, a stroke ahead of Wi (69).

"It's one of the most perfect shots I've ever hit," Toms said.

Toms' long-elusive 13th career win came a week after a playoff loss to K.J. Choi at the Players Championship, when he missed a short par putt on the extra hole for his sixth runnerup finish since winning in January 2006 at the Sony Open in Hawaii.

"To win after this time frame and to come back after what happened last week certainly means more to me than any other victory," said Toms, 44, the 2001 PGA Championship winner.

A day before his wedding anniversary, Toms earned a payout of $1.116 million.

Wi, who started the round with a one-shot lead, settled for his fourth career runnerup finish without a win.

Poulter beats Donald, denies him No. 1 spot

CASARES, Spain — Ian Poulter denied Luke Donald the top spot in the world, beating his fellow Englishman 2 and 1 in the final of the World Match Play Championship to claim his first title of 2011.

The second-ranked Donald could have risen to No. 1 for the first time, supplanting compatriot Lee Westwood if he'd won the tournament.

Poulter, who ousted Westwood in the last 16, was 1-down on three occasions, but a 45-foot putt won the 12th hole, and birdies on the 14th and 16th sealed Donald's fate.

"I didn't play my best, but I played the right shots at the right times," said Poulter, who earned his 14th career title and became the first player to win both match play titles, having won the Accenture tournament last year.

LPGA: Suzann Pettersen beat Cristie Kerr 1-up to win the Sybase Match Play Championship in Gladstone, N.J., ending a 20-month victory drought. "There's nothing better than winning a match play event," said Pettersen, 30, who never trailed against Kerr in earning her seventh tour victory.

Sports items of the day

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By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, May 22, 2011

Birthday wish of the day

Belated happy birthday to baseball great Sadaharu Oh, who turned 71 on Friday. Oh played his entire 22-year professional career with Japan's Yomiuri Giants and was their manager from 1984 to 1988. Oh holds the world career home run record (868) as well as Japan's single-season home run record of 55, set in 1964. And, yep, he did it without performing-enhancing drugs.

He wrote it

There are Losses, Bad Losses, Very Bad Losses, and Catastrophic Losses. This being Florida, and therefore hurricane country, we might label them as Categories 1, 2, 3, and 4. I rate this one a 3: Very Bad Loss.

Bob Ryan, Boston Globe columnist, after the Lightning's 5-3 victory Saturday in which the Bruins led 3-0 in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference final

Check it out

The controversial book about ESPN will hit bookstores Tuesday. Those Guys Have All the Fun: Inside the World of ESPN is more than 700 pages and details the corporate history of the sports network. But it is generating headlines because of the juicy tales and unflattering off-camera looks at some of ESPN's personalities. Co-authors James Andrew Miller and Tom Shales interviewed more than 550 people for the book.

Shooting from the lip

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By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, May 22, 2011

St. Petersburg Times staff writer Tom Jones looks back at the best and worst from a weekend of televised sports.

Best coverage

Broadcasting two hours of pregame seems a bit much for a two-minute horse race, unless you're talking about NBC's coverage of Saturday's Preakness. The network has this horse racing thing down pat, as we saw just two weeks ago with the Kentucky Derby. Hosted by the incomparable Bob Costas, who is every bit as good on horse racing as he is on baseball and football, the show is fast-paced, whirling from analyst to analyst and feature to feature and news story to news story. Updated odds are dropped in throughout the broadcast. The two hours fly by, and the coverage is so good that it's almost a little disappointing that it has to end when the race arrives. NBC loads up on expert analysts with Gary Stevens and Donna Brothers leading the way. The storytelling was compelling, even to those who aren't horse fans. It's even more impressive when you realize the show was put together in the past two weeks since most of the story lines came out of the Kentucky Derby.

Saturday's top features:

• The story of Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom.

• The story of jockey Robby Albarado, right, whose checkered life (including a no-contact order from his wife) seemed to be turning for the better until he was removed from riding Animal Kingdom the day before the Kentucky Derby because he was kicked in the face by a horse.

• The story of Noah Grove, son of trainer Chris Grove. Noah, 12, lost his leg because of cancer but continues to lead an extraordinary life.

All in all, it was an outstanding two hours of coverage. And this praise comes from someone who is not even a horse racing fan. But good television is good television, and NBC's coverage of horse racing is the definition of good television.

Best interview

During NBC's Preakness Stakes coverage, host Bob Costas grilled Animal Kingdom owner Bill Irwin on changing jockeys the day before the Kentucky Derby. Costas got Irwin to admit that most trainers lie to their owners about the condition of the horses and revealed Irwin's insistence that his horses are never given drugs. Costas even reported that Irwin beefed up security for Animal Kingdom for fear that someone would tamper with his horse.

"I am outspoken," Irwin said. "I'm like a perfect target. I am sure some people would like to see some of my horses come up with a positive (drug test) and say, 'See, he's just like all these other guys.' "

Interviews like this remind us why Costas is so well-respected in the business.

Most intriguing perceptions

During Saturday's Lightning-Bruins game, the Lightning's Steve Downie was called for diving — essentially faking or embellishing — by referee Tim Peel after being knocked headfirst into the boards by Nathan Horton of the Bruins. Horton was penalized, but so was Downie. Turns out, Downie apparently suffered a head injury, did not return and might not play in tonight's Game 5.

Immediately after the call and before Downie went to the locker room, NBC's Joe Micheletti said, "I think the second part of this is embellishment." But then Micheletti quickly backed off those comments and offered a good explanation for what Peel was thinking by noticing how quickly Downie got back on his skates.

On Canada's TSN, Pierre McGuire was more blunt: "That's bad refereeing!"

Biggest complaints

Over the past couple of weeks, I've received a few e-mails from fans who questioned whether Rays announcers Dwayne Staats and Brian Anderson were too laid-back and, occasionally, silly during the Sun Sports broadcasts. One reader wrote that they were "a little too loose." Another wrote, "They never stop talking and often about off-topic, inane things."

It's a fair complaint, especially if that's how someone perceives it.

It's true that the two are much less stiff than when Staats was paired with Kevin Kennedy last season and Joe Magrane before that. Magrane's sense of humor was much drier than Anderson's. Personally, I think Staats and Anderson have a good balance of analyzing the game and seeing the lighter side of things, but it does appear that some viewers want more meat and potatoes than grins and giggles.

Best hustle

Great job by Sun Sports on Sunday to show a replay of the mother of Rays infielder Sean Rodriguez immediately after Rodriguez was hit by a pitch. She looked like she was ready to charge the mound.

Best line

While discussing the Lightning-Bruins series during Sunday's coverage of the Canucks-Sharks Western Conference final, NBC's Pierre McGuire said the most interesting matchup in Game 5 will be between Tampa Bay's Vinny Lecavalier and Boston's Zdeno Chara. Broadcast partner Mike Milbury said, "The most interesting matchup is (Lightning goalie ) Dwayne Roloson vs. himself. He has got to get himself together."

Best show

ESPN's Outside the Lines offered up two excellent pieces Sunday. The first was T.J. Quinn reporting on the latest allegations that Lance Armstrong used performance-enhancing drugs during his cycling career. If you're keeping score at home, that's reportedly four former teammates who claim Armstrong was doping.

The second feature was Shelley Smith catching up with former professional golfer Casey Martin, who 10 years ago sued the PGA Tour so he could ride a cart because of a debilitating leg injury. The piece included the taped depositions of Arnie Palmer and Jack Nicklaus, who testified for the tour and against Casey.

Palmer came off looking like a putz by saying: "I think we may not have a tour. It may disappear."

That could be one of the dumbest things anyone has ever said. Everyone loves Arnie and Jack, but the two testifying to keep Martin from using a cart for legitimate health reasons will forever paint them as bad guys in my book. Put PGA Tour president Tim Finchem in that group, as well. Forget about the golf and the integrity of the game and all that baloney. There are some things in life more important than that.

Martin ended up winning his case and, lo and behold, the tour didn't turn to ashes as Palmer predicted and didn't give Martin any advantages as Nicklaus said it would.

By the way, Martin is now a successful golf coach at the University of Oregon.

Biggest opening

Does any team want to be the subject of HBO's Hard Knocks, which gives viewers an inside look at an NFL team during training camp? Reportedly, the Lions are the latest team to turn down HBO, following the Bucs and Broncos. Next in line could be the Falcons, who reportedly are open to letting HBO cameras inside of their camp.

Three things that popped into my head

1. Isn't it practically impossible to take ESPN hockey analyst Barry Melrose seriously knowing what a mess he was as coach of the Lightning?

2. A year ago, how many Rays fans would've cared if the team traded pitcher James Shields? … And now?

3. Next month's Belmont became a lot less exciting about 6:15 Saturday evening. Hard to believe that it's now 33 years and counting since the last Triple Crown winner.

Danica Patrick, Marco Andretti squeeze into Indy 500 field

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Times wires
Sunday, May 22, 2011

INDIANAPOLIS — Danica Patrick made this year's Indianapolis 500 in the final hours Sunday and Marco Andretti qualified in the final seconds.

Two of their teammates were not as fortunate.

Patrick looked for a while as though she would fail to qualify for this Sunday's race. In mid afternoon she was outside the top 33 which earn spots on the grid — with rain falling.

"It kind of seemed like everything was not going our way, and it kept going against us," Patrick said.

Earlier, her car failed technical inspection. She went to the back of the line as others qualified to fill the field. Then she was about to go out for a four-lap run when rain delayed qualifying for a second time.

Finally the rain stopped, the sun came out and Patrick made the race with a run averaging 224.861 mph, good for 26th spot.

"I feel like getting a drink, that's how I feel right now," she said, drawing laughter. "I am mad because I really thought we had a fast car. … I'm somewhere between angry and happy."

The drama was nowhere near over for Andretti Autosport.

Marco Andretti, the son of team owner Michael, was bumped by Alex Lloyd in the final minutes.

Then just seconds before the session ended, Andretti got back on the track and put together a run of 224.628 to bump his way onto the 33-car grid in 28th.

"It was either going to be into the wall or into the show," the younger Andretti said. "It was a bummer that we were in this position."

The day was a much bigger bummer for Andretti Autosport's other two full-time drivers. The driver Marco Andretti bumped was teammate and Boca Raton native Ryan Hunter-Reay.

He and another teammate, Mike Conway, missed out. Conway was injured badly in a crash toward the end of last year's 500 and earned his first IndyCar victory last month at Long Beach.

"It was probably my worst day as an owner," Michael Andretti said.

This is the closest field in 500 history. Just 2.5399 seconds over four laps separate fastest qualifier Alex Tagliani and the slowest, Ana Beatriz.


Suspect in beating of Giants fan in custody

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Times wires
Sunday, May 22, 2011

LOS ANGELES — A tip from a parole officer led to the arrest Sunday of the key suspect in the attack on a Giants fan outside Dodger Stadium after the teams' season opener.

Suspect Giovanni Ramirez, 31, was detained in a morning raid on an East Hollywood apartment building and was believed to be the "primary aggressor" in the March 31 beating that left Bryan Stow with brain damage, Police Chief Charlie Beck said at an afternoon news conference at the stadium that included Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Dodgers officials.

Ramirez, of Los Angeles, was later booked for assault with a deadly weapon and was being held on $1 million bail, police said in a statement.

Beck hailed the work of 20 full-time detectives who he said have pursued more than 630 leads in the case. The police chief choked back tears as he described getting a call at 7 a.m. Sunday from Assistant Chief Earl Paysinger.

"He said the words I've been waiting for for seven weeks. He said that we had Bryan's assault suspect in custody," Beck said. "This is a huge step."

Ramirez was among several people detained for questioning after police served two search warrants, Los Angeles police Det. Jose Carillo said. Police said he was one of two suspects sought in the beating, along with a woman who drove them from the scene.

BYRD ON DL AFTER BEANING: The Cubs placed OF Marlon Byrd on the 15-day disabled list with multiple facial fractures, a day after he was beaned in the left eye by Red Sox LHP Alfredo Aceves and went to the hospital complaining, "I can't see."

Former Rays 1B Carlos Peña, who visited Byrd in the hospital after Saturday night's game, said his teammate was sitting up in bed, with two pizzas on his lap.

"He's doing well. He's a tough kid," Peña said. "Thank God. I'm so relieved to see him conscious."

Byrd was struck by a fastball on the left side near the ear flap on a 1-and-2 pitch. He crumpled onto his back, kicked his legs in the air then quickly got up holding his hand to his face.

"When you see an injury like that, hits you in the face, a fastball, you want to be optimistic," Peña said. "When he was walking off the field, he said, 'I can't see. My left eye.' … It was scary."

UTLEY back tonight: Phillies 2B Chase Utley will be activated off the 15-day disabled list before tonight's game against the Reds. The five-time All-Star hasn't played this season because of tendinitis in his right knee. The Phillies will also place RHP Joe Blanton on the disabled list and recall RHP Vance Worley. The Phillies optioned infielder Pete Orr to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

RANGERS TO RELOAD: Rangers OFs Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz are expected to be activated off the disabled list in time for today's home game against the White Sox. Hamilton, the former Rays prospect who was last year's AL MVP, is recovering from a broken bone in his upper right arm. Cruz is rehabbing a strained right quadriceps muscle.

DODGERS: RF Andre Ethier left the game against the White Sox with injuries to his back and toe after he ran into the outfield wall in the fourth inning. … SS Rafael Furcal was activated from the 15-day disabled list, and INF Juan Uribe went on the DL with a lower abdominal strain.

INDIANS: Rookie RHP Alex White will be sidelined at least two months with a sprained ligament in his right middle finger.

REDS: LH reliever Aroldis Chapman, on the disabled list with left shoulder inflammation, reported to Triple-A Louisville and is set to begin a minor-league rehab assignment tonight.

TIGERS: RH reliever Brayan Villarreal was optioned to Triple-A Toledo, and INF Carlos Guillen was transferred to the 60-day disabled list. RHP Enrique Gonzalez will take Villarreal's bullpen spot.

TWINS: LH reliever Glen Perkins went on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right oblique. LHP Dusty Hughes was recalled from Triple-A Rochester.

Red Sox 5, Cubs 1

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Times wires
Sunday, May 22, 2011

Red Sox 5, Cubs 1

BOSTON — Tim Wakefield allowed four hits in 62/3 innings and Adrian Gonzalez had four hits to lead the Red Sox in the Cubs' first visit to Fenway Park since the 1918 World Series. Boston took two of three from Chicago and has won eight of its past nine to move one-half game behind the Rays and Yankees in the AL East. James Russell lasted only four-plus innings in place of former Ray Matt Garza (elbow stiffness).

Bosh torches Bulls for lead

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Times wires
Sunday, May 22, 2011

MIAMI — For the second time in three games, Chris Bosh had a monster night against the Bulls.

Unlike the first, this one paid off with a win.

And the Heat is two victories from its first trip to the NBA Finals since 2006.

Bosh scored 34, LeBron James finished with 22 points and 10 assists, and the Heat remained unbeaten at home in the postseason by beating the Bulls 96-85 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals on Sunday night.

Dwyane Wade added 17 points and nine rebounds for Miami, which is now 7-0 at home and handed the team that finished with the NBA's best record its first losing streak since Feb. 5-7. Udonis Haslem sealed it with a jumper with 1:29 left, putting Miami up 93-84.

Bosh scored 30 in Game 1 against Chicago, when Miami was embarrassed 103-82. The Heat hasn't lost since, and only trailed for 3:22 in Game 3.

"I just wanted to be aggressive and just have some kind of imprint on this series," said Bosh, who's in the conference final round for the first time. "I had an aggressive Game 1, Game 2 was so-so, but we still won. But out here on the home floor I just wanted to be aggressive and it turned out to be a good game."

A really good game — it was five points shy of his postseason career best.

Carlos Boozer finished with 26 points and 17 rebounds for Chicago, which had won the first four meetings of the season with Miami. Derrick Rose finished with 20 points, but shot 8-for-19 from the field.

Heat 96, Bulls 85

CHICAGO (85): Deng 6-13 0-0 14, Boozer 8-19 10-12 26, Noah 0-4 1-2 1, Rose 8-19 3-3 20, Bogans 1-3 1-2 4, Asik 0-3 0-0 0, Gibson 5-6 1-2 11, Brewer 2-6 0-0 4, Watson 1-2 0-0 2, Korver 1-2 0-0 3. Totals 32-77 16-21 85.

MIAMI (96): James 6-13 9-9 22, Bosh 13-18 8-10 34, Anthony 1-2 1-2 3, Bibby 2-5 0-0 6, Wade 6-17 5-6 17, Haslem 4-7 0-0 8, Miller 0-2 0-0 0, Chalmers 2-3 2-2 6. Totals 34-67 25-29 96.

Chicago 15 25 25 20— 85

Miami 18 25 25 28— 96

3-Point GoalsChicago 5-12 (Deng 2-5, Korver 1-1, Bogans 1-3, Rose 1-3), Miami 3-9 (Bibby 2-4, James 1-2, Chalmers 0-1, Miller 0-1, Wade 0-1). Fouled OutNone. ReboundsChicago 49 (Boozer 17), Miami 38 (Wade 9). AssistsChicago 15 (Noah 6), Miami 20 (James 10). Total FoulsChicago 24, Miami 17. A20,123 (19,600).

Mavs-Thunder: A day after suggesting that the Thunder's defense against Dirk Nowitzki was stretching the rules and "the line may be crossed at times," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle took a step back from those comments.

Carlisle said he didn't want to get into "what's legal or not legal" and instead said the Mavs must put Nowitzki in better positions to succeed against Nick Collison.

Nowitzki has gone from making 24 of 24 free throws and scoring 48 in Game 1 to earning only three free throws and only 18 points in Game 3. "They were physical. Trying to drive, there was really not much being called for me," Nowitzki said.

Dallas beat Oklahoma City 93-87 Saturday and leads the series 2-1 heading into Game 4 tonight.

Un-T-ed: The league rescinded a technical foul on Mavericks center Tyson Chandler, ruling that Chandler's contact with the Thunder's James Harden in Game 3 was incidental and not unsportsmanlike.

Bosh's hot hand feeds Heat

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Times wires
Sunday, May 22, 2011

MIAMI — For the second time in three games, Chris Bosh had a monster night against the Bulls.

Unlike the first, this one paid off with a win.

And the Heat is two victories from its first trip to the NBA Finals since 2006.

Bosh scored 34, LeBron James finished with 22 points and 10 assists, and the Heat remained unbeaten at home in the postseason by beating the Bulls 96-85 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals on Sunday night.

Dwyane Wade added 17 points and nine rebounds for Miami, which is now 7-0 at home and handed the team that finished with the NBA's best record its first losing streak since Feb. 5-7. Former Gator Udonis Haslem sealed it with a jumper with 1:29 left, putting Miami up 93-84.

Bosh scored 30 in Game 1 against Chicago, when Miami was embarrassed 103-82. The Heat haven't lost since, and only trailed for 3:22 in Game 3. Game 4 is Tuesday in Miami.

"I just wanted to be aggressive and just have some kind of imprint on this series," said Bosh, who's in the conference finals for the first time. "I had an aggressive Game 1, Game 2 was so-so, but we still won. But out here on the home floor I just wanted to be aggressive and it turned out to be a good game."

He was five points shy of his postseason career best.

Carlos Boozer finished with 26 points and 17 rebounds for Chicago, which had won the first four meetings of the season with Miami. Derrick Rose scored 20, but shot 8-for-19 from the field.

The Bulls held James and Wade to a combined 12-for-30 from the floor. Problem was, Bosh finished 13-for-18.

"It's definitely frustrating," Rose said. "Our will wasn't there tonight. They still found a way to win."

Bulls center Joakim Noah, also a former Gator, acknowledged saying "something" toward a fan during the first quarter. Television cameras showed Noah exchanging words with someone near the Bulls bench. Noah appeared to use an obscenity.

"I got caught up," he said. "I don't mean no disrespect to anybody."

Heat 96, Bulls 85

CHICAGO (85): Deng 6-13 0-0 14, Boozer 8-19 10-12 26, Noah 0-4 1-2 1, Rose 8-19 3-3 20, Bogans 1-3 1-2 4, Asik 0-3 0-0 0, Gibson 5-6 1-2 11, Brewer 2-6 0-0 4, Watson 1-2 0-0 2, Korver 1-2 0-0 3. Totals 32-77 16-21 85.

MIAMI (96): James 6-13 9-9 22, Bosh 13-18 8-10 34, Anthony 1-2 1-2 3, Bibby 2-5 0-0 6, Wade 6-17 5-6 17, Haslem 4-7 0-0 8, Miller 0-2 0-0 0, Chalmers 2-3 2-2 6. Totals 34-67 25-29 96.

Chicago 15 25 25 20— 85

Miami 18 25 25 28— 96

3-Point GoalsChicago 5-12 (Deng 2-5, Korver 1-1, Bogans 1-3, Rose 1-3), Miami 3-9 (Bibby 2-4, James 1-2, Chalmers 0-1, Miller 0-1, Wade 0-1). Fouled OutNone. ReboundsChicago 49 (Boozer 17), Miami 38 (Wade 9). AssistsChicago 15 (Noah 6), Miami 20 (James 10). Total FoulsChicago 24, Miami 17. A20,123.

Un-T-ed: The league rescinded a technical foul on Mavs center Tyson Chandler, ruling that his contact with the Thunder's James Harden in Game 3 was incidental and not unsportsmanlike. Dallas leads the Western Conference series 2-1, with Game 4 tonight.

Lakers search: ESPN analyst and former Cavs coach Mike Brown is among the candidates to replace Phil Jackson as Lakers coach, ESPN.com reported.

Tampa Bay Lightning coach Guy Boucher keeps starting goaltender intrigue going

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By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Monday, May 23, 2011

Usually it is easy to tell who will start in net for a particular game. It's usually the goaltender off the ice first after the morning skate. If you go by that, Dwayne Roloson will get the start in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference final. Then again, Mike Smith came off almost immediately after Roloson, and did not do any extra work with the scratches. So, we really know nothing for sure.

Look, most believe Roloson is going to get the start tonight. He has brought Tampa Bay a long way since his acquisition in January and he has been a rock for most of the playoffs. And despite being pulled in two of the past three games, there were enough extenuating circumstances (most notably the bad defense in front of him, forwards included) that it seems a bit premature for coach Guy Boucher to say he has lost confidence in Roloson.

But Boucher also likes to keep opponents guessing, when he can. So when he was asked this morning if Roloson will start in net, he said, "We're preparing like usual. He's preparing like he prepared for all the other games. So, we're prepared."

Asked why he would not just come out and say who is playing in goal, Boucher repeated, "He's prepared. He's done his morning skate like usual. He prepared yesterday. We had a good talk, and he knows what's coming up."

So, what is coming up? Guess we have to wait to see who comes out first for warm-ups to be sure. But there is no doubt the goalies have gone in different directions of late.

Roloson, who entered the series leading the playoffs with a 2.01 goals-against average and .947 save percentage, is 0-2 in his past three games with a 5.64 goals-against average and .820 save percentage. Even so, goaltender coach Frantz Jean said Roloson has been technically correct in net and has just got caught up in the ups and downs of how the team is playing. Smith has stopped all 29 shots he has faced in the series, and Tampa Bay has outscored Boston 7-0 while Smith has played.

So, it's a tough choice. But that's why Boucher and his staff get the big bucks.

Other stuff from the morning skate: Right wing Steve Downie, whose head was pushed off the glass and then bounced off the ice after he was hit by Nathan Horton in the second period of Game 4, participated in the morning skate. Boucher said, basically, Downie is a game-time decision, but a player in the locker room said Downie will play. ... There has been some grumbling in the Boston press about defenseman Tomas Kaberle, whose gaffe led to Tampa Bay's second goal in Game 4. One columnist even called for Kaberle to be benched. But coach Claude Julien said you cannot look at that play in a vacuum, that there was supposed to be support there for Kaberle and there wasn't. "So, according to our system, he's not the only one to blame," Julien said. "The last winning goal, he blocks a shot, makes a great play, and he's trying to get off the ice and we turn the puck over. So, do we keep blaming Kaberle? I think people are a little hard on this guy, and I'm one of those guys who is going to support him." ... Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman also has had a rough go of it lately. A bad giveaway led to one Boston goal in Game 4, and another would have been a goal had not Roloson stopped Greg Campbell. But Boucher said he does not believe Hedman has flattened out some after he made such big strides in his development earlier in the playoffs. "What I like is the fact that we didn't sit him on the bench, and we didn't bring him down even further," Boucher said. "I think (assistant coach) Dan Lacroix, taking care of the defensemen did a very good job with him of calming him down, and he was terrific in the second and third periods and was part of the goals that we got back." ... Boucher on the series being a best-of-three: "I hear best-of-three but I never have that in my mind. It's one game. It's tonight. It's the first five minutes of tonight. That's how I always take it. I never go further than that." ... BruinsBlog.net wondered if the Lightning, for its own purposes, twisted a bit goalie Tim Thomas' comments after Game 3 in which he said he felt "comfortable" while playing. Lightning players turned that into an insult. But the blog made the point that Thomas was complimenting his teammates for sticking with their structure which made his job easier. But that is the way of the playoffs, isn't it? Anything to get your players motivated.

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