After dissipating a (4-0) lead, evoking memories of the Oilers doing same with a (5-0) lead in #3/’82 Prelims, unlike those Oilers, L.A. won said tilt, getting a fluke last minute goal from Phillip Danault to (6-5), yes Edmonton, in their best of 7 prelims/first round NHL playoff series opening game.
The Kings (2-8) in ‘offs series and the losing team in 6 straight, 3 in first round clashes in each of the last 3 seasons, (they won that first such clash in ’82 and the other was in ’89, the first season after Wayne Gretzky “Janet Jones’d” from Edmonton to L.A. I feel denying what could have been a top 3 or so all-time sports dynasty and in fairness led by Gretzky and Messier was a great one, winning 5 crowns (Kings, crowns, “The Wanderer”) in 7 seasons, the last sans Gretzky and with Messier in ’90) win made the favorite team (7-0) in games 1 thus far (on the 4th night Bettman says “let there be Florida at Tampa Bay”), the home team going (6-1) in such and currently both home teams and favorites are (8-1). (Exceptions are both in the Colorado at Dallas games as the favorite team, ‘Lanche of Colorado, eased in #1, but lost as such in overtime, last night in game 2.
Click above to hear the great Dion (DiMucci) sing his smash hit, “The Wanderer.”
That referenced above (including in the post title) so memorable Kings’ (6-5) home win vs Edmonton in #3 of the best of 5 ’82 prelims, is recalled in the video above.
I did not see that game and surely it was not TV’d nationally, but watching it I recall the fans standing blocking the camera, as shown in the video, which so often manifested at both great “Forums,” the one in L.A. and the one in Montreal, to which I rode a bus overnight to see my first and one of the last Canadiens’ games there.
An observation above indicates areas, thus I note 5 cities/areas have qualifying teams in both the NBA and NHL ‘offs, one L.A. , which had a bad games1 start yesterday, has 3, while none of the 5 have home advantage in all their first round series.
In addition to L.A. which has the Lakers, beaten decisively by the Timberwolves, of the Lakers former area Minneapolis-St. Paul, Clippers (lost by 2 at Denver (Nuggets) and Kings, who have home advantage vs the Edmonton Oilers, hoping to reverse first round series losses in each of the last three seasons, Minneapolis, New York/New Jersey as “areas,” join Miami and Denver with qualifying ‘offs teams, in both the N.H.L. and N.B.A.
The Lakers “off” as over 2 to 1 series “faves” now slight underdogs to Minne (The Wolves are a so impressive (7-2) in road ‘offs tilts the past 2 seasons), and Kings have home “adv” as stated above, while the Clippers, also as noted, do not.
Elsewhere the New York Knicks won at home vs the Detroit Pistons in their series opener while the New Jersey Devils start their series as surprisingly big underdogs vs Carolina (Hurricanes), sans home advantage, with a game at “Robin” Raleigh today.
Denver with both the ’23 season title winning Denver Nuggets, as stated above, at home, and ’22 champion Avalanche doing so at Dallas, vs the Stars joins Minnesota (the NHL Wild open at the ’23 champion Las Vegas Golden Knights) and Miami (the Heat “played in” 2 wins and are huge series underdogs vs NBA East top seed, Cleveland (Cavaliers) while in a highly anticipated series, the defending NHL champion Florida Panthers open at Tampa Bay, vs the ’20 and ’21 NHL champion Lightning.
Notes from a post on the subject, later in last year’s ‘offs, are below.
Cities/Areas With At Least One Team In Both The NHL And NBA Playoffs on May 14, 2024
There has never been an instance in which teams from the same city/area won both the NBA and NHL crowns in the same season.
The great Bobby Clarke, pictured above was an integral member of the title winning 1974 Philadelphia Flyers, who 1 week after the Boston Celtics grabbed their 12th title with a road #7 win at Milwaukee (Bucks) 6’d the Boston Bruins, denying Boston titles in both leagues.
The “technicalities” regarding the three NHL ‘offs qualifying franchises, that have not won a previous Stanley Cup title are seemingly worth noting.
13 “qualifiers” have won the crown before, none this year are U.S. based original 6 teams while once dominant teams from Canada, Toronto (Maple Leafs) and Montreal (Canadiens) did qualify. (Channeling Sydney Greenstreet’s “Ferrari” in the classic film, “Casablanca” “carrying charges or the similar, however, not humorous, tariffs).
The Minnesota Wild, whose likely retiring, now backup netminder Marc-Andre Fleury, he on 3 title teams with the Pittsburgh Penguins (’09,’16 and ’17), played in an essentially meaningless OT in the game “Minne” clinched an ‘offs spot, Ottawa Senators and Winnipeg Jets, this year’s top points team, are the three “qualifiers” never to have “titled” in previous NHL annals.
Minnesota’s North Stars moved to Dallas where they reside as the Stars, having won it all in 1999. Way back as another Ottawa incarnation, also called the Senators, Ottawa won numerous titles as a dominant 1920’s team.
Meanwhile Winnipeg (this team nee Atlanta Thrashers) once had the W.H.A. Jets with Bobby Hull, Anders Hedberg and Ulf Nillson, garnering 2 of that defunct league’s titles.
Ottawa made the 2007 NHL final, losing to Anaheim (Ducks) in 5 games, while neither the Wild or Jets have made an NHL Final appearance.
The great actor, Sydney Greenstreet, pictured above. “Carrying charges.”
Nearly 58 years after the entire 1967 NHL season, playoffs included, “wrapped” with the last Toronto Maple Leafs’ title in what was their last NHL final appearance (Alex Trebek, yes that Alex Trebek narrated that year’s NHL playoffs film), the Leafs clinched something far less, but on paper, at least, gives them a better ‘offs position.
Toronto’s (4-0) win at Buffalo vs the Sabres, clinched the “reg div” title and sets up a Toronto vs Ottawa first round matchup.
In other “reg” news, the Winnipeg Jets nee Atlanta Thrashers, won the President’s Trophy, Alex Ovechkin became the NHL’s all-time goal scoring leader, while in last night’s tilt “Tor” players, Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews notched their 100th point this season and 400th career goal respectively.
Rory McIlroy, the pre tournament second “choice,” behind Scottie Scheffler, survived a bad last round and won a playoff vs Justin Rose, to win the prestigious Masters golf crown for the first time.
Oh he nearly blew it, but now has won 5 major golf tournaments.
McIlroy is now the sixth golfer ever to win all four majors and achieve the career Grand Slam, joining Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.
Quite good company!
I prefer roller coasters to golf and it was a “roller coaster” triumph for McElroy, hitting a white ball to earn green, both money and the famed jacket.
This week the great player George Mikan was part of a Jeopardy question/answer and just now I saw and now post, the photo above, with George (on the right) and the one and only Mickey Mantle.
Each man was a center of sort, Mikan literally, as he dominated basketball leading the then Minneapolis Lakers to 5 titles in 6 seasons (’49,’50, and ’52-’54) while Mickey patrolled center field for the vaunted New York Yankees, an integral, great part of 7 (his #, ’51-’53, ’56, ’58, ’61 and ’62) title teams and 12 pennant winners.
Recently a non descript NIT was held (Nebraska won something called The Crown Tournament thus one was played in Las Vegas while none were in New York) and when it was more prestigious than the NCAA such, Mikan led DePaul University to the title in New York.
Also in New York and at Madison Square Garden, the marquee read ” Tonight Mikan vs Knicks.”
As “Carter,” “we hear Frank and Jim Nabor’s and are grateful.
In “Marty”
I really enjoyed actor Frank Sutton’s performance, as a man happy in his own place in life, on the legendary television show, “Gunsmoke.”
The episode has been shown on MeTV, which is a television channel that I thoroughly enjoy.
Sutton is best known for his role as “Sergeant Carter,” on the television show, “Gomer Pyle,” which starred Jim Nabors.
In 1955, Ernest Borgnine played against type and was brilliant in the Paddy Chayefsky written, “Marty.” Mr. Borgnine won the best actor Academy Award.
Frank Sutton was among a great supporting cast in the film, playing one of Borgnine/”Marty’s” pals.
Frank Sutton, pictured above.
Florida University copped their third national basketball title and first since winning consecutive ones in ’06 and ’07, edging Houston (now sans the prize in all 7 national semis “apps”) (65-63) in the title game.
Florida held that (65-63) when Houston got the ball with :19 left but el Cougars (Houston) failed to get a shot attempt and that along with turnovers “vs” left them out, as was the case, with Duke, after Houston’s victory/Duke loss, in the national semi.
Walter Clayton Jr. was named the tournament’s most outstanding player, though he had only 11 points in the title game. He had made the big plays for Florida throughout the event, including such vs Connecticut and Auburn (a 3 point play up 3), the latter in the semi-final game, that I actually saw.
I did see Florida’s Aberdeen only split the pair and then the season’s final possession. That is thanks to a bus driver who exhibited kindness and opened the door for my entry late last night, though the vehicle was just past the stop at a light.
My effort yes, (one must try) is commended, however, mostly I praise his kindness and that is my indelible memory attached to the tournament.
Oh do we need kindness now and I thank him for it.
Above, the great Jackie Gleason, is pictured, as the fictional but most famous bus driver, “Ralph Kramden,” from the seminal “Honeymooners” television show.
The Connecticut women’s basketball team eased by South Carolina to win their 12th tournament crown, doing so with a (12-1) final game record and handing South Carolina its first title tilt loss (3-1).
Azzi Fudd was named the outstanding player of the tournament, as the Lady Huskies, with double the so impressive 6 titles the Connecticut men have won, won their first title since 2016.
They are just (13-11) in “semis,” but this incredible period, all under Luigi “Geno” Auriemma is one of the great ones in any sport at any time.
Luigi “Geno” Auriemma is pictured above.
Andy B Sports 