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Leafs Live On …

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Toronto 4, Boston 3

When: 8:00 PM ET, Saturday, April 21, 2018
Where: TD Garden, Boston, Mass
Attendance: 17,565
Special to Digital Sports Desk by Field Level Media

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James van Riemsdyk v Tuukka Rask

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BOSTON – James van Riemsdyk capped a two-goal second period for Toronto, and the Maple Leafs held on for a 4-3 win against the host Boston Bruins in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series Saturday night at TD Garden.

Van Riemsdyk (third playoff goal) also had an assist. Tyler Bozak (2), Connor Brown (1) and Andreas Johnsson (1) also scored, and Frederik Andersen made 42 saves for the Maple Leafs, who trail the best-of-seven series 3-2.

Game 6 is Monday in Toronto.

David Backes (2), Sean Kuraly (2) and Noel Acciari (1) each scored goals for the Bruins, but goalie Tuukka Rask allowed four goals on 13 shots before being replaced by backup Anton Khudobin (eight saves).

Boston star center Patrice Bergeron returned after missing Game 4 with an upper-body injury. The Selke Trophy finalist did not record a point in 20:57 of ice time after totaling five assists over the first three games.

Toronto was bolstered by the return of Nazem Kadri, who was suspended for the last three games after his hit to Boston’s Tommy Wingels in Game 1. Kadri had an assist in 13:58 of ice time.

Leo Komarov (lower body) did not play for the Maple Leafs despite deeming himself ready to return after missing Games 3 and 4.

Brown and Johnsson each scored their first career playoff goals — at 6:36 and 10:12 ,respectively — of the first period as Toronto carried a two-goal advantage into the first intermission despite being outshot 15-6.

Backes scored 16 seconds into a Bruins’ power play with 10:15 remaining in the second after a Mitch Marner tripping penalty. Toronto answered with 9:24 left on Bozak’s goal, and van Riemsdyk’s power-play goal with 8:05 to go chased Rask.

Acciari’s goal 5:56 into the third made it a one-goal game.

The Bruins are seeking their first playoff series victory since the 2013-14 season, while the Maple Leafs haven’t prevailed in a series since 2003-04.

The winner of the series will face Tampa Bay in the conference semifinals.

–Field Level Media

NBA Scout: Celtics at Bucks

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Boston at Milwaukee

When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, April 22, 2018
Where: BMO Harris Bradley Center, Milwaukee
Preview for Digital Sports Desk by Gracenote

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Al Horford (file)

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MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee Bucks clamped down defensively to get back into their first-round series with the Boston Celtics, and they’ll try to even the best-of-seven matchup at two wins apiece when the teams play Game 4 in Milwaukee on Sunday. After allowing an average of 116.5 points in the first two games at Boston – one of which did go to overtime – the seventh-seeded Bucks held the Celtics to 40 percent shooting and forced 18 turnovers in Friday’s 116-92 Game 3 win.

“The activity, if you take the stat sheet out of it, the activity and the energy that we brought … as you go through the game, that’s what you need, is the energy first,” interim coach Joe Prunty told reporters. The Bucks were no slouch at the other end of the floor while shooting 57 percent and making 16-of-33 3-pointers. The halftime score was 58-35 in favor of the hosts and second-seeded Boston knows it needs a better start to avoid going back home tied 2-2. “We got into a hole. This is new for our group,” forward Al Horford – who scored a team-high 16 points – told the media. “They had it going … and we really didn’t have an answer for them tonight.”

TV: 1 p.m. ET, ABC

ABOUT THE CELTICS: With three young players – Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Terry Rozier – making their first career starts in a road playoff game, jitters and anxiety seemed to play a role as Boston fell behind 27-12 after the first quarter. “I think that we learned that the level – the intensity – that is playing in the playoffs on the road (is heightened),” Horford said. “I feel like it was just a different level of intensity and we all saw it. We felt it.” The trio combined to go 11-for-27 from the floor in the loss but they committed just one turnover combined after the opening quarter.

ABOUT THE BUCKS: Jabari Parker managed only two points on 1-of-7 shooting in the two losses at Boston, but he recovered in a big way back home with 17 points, five rebounds, two assists, two blocks and a steal off the bench in Game 3. “Jabari’s a special talent, man,” point guard Eric Bledsoe told the media. “All he’s got to do is stick with it. Not get too high, not get too low. He played phenomenal tonight. We need him to play like that from here on out.” Giannis Antetokounmpo had his streak of consecutive 30-point playoff games snapped at four but he was 8-of-13 from the floor and is shooting 62.7 percent while averaging 28 points in the series.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Milwaukee is shooting 54.8 percent in the series, compared to 45.1 percent for Boston.

2. Bucks backup C Thon Maker had 14 points and five blocked shots in Game 3 while starting C John Henson sat with a sore back.

3. Horford is averaging 18.7 points in the series while making 3-of-5 3-pointers and 15-of-17 free throws.

MLB, NBA Divest from DFS

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NEW YORK – Major League Baseball and the NBA are in discussions to divest from daily fantasy sports, but will continue to partner with DraftKings and FanDuel, respectively, ESPN reported Thursday.

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The financial details of the divestiture not disclosed.

MLB invested in 2013 in DraftKings, which became the league’s “official daily fantasy game” in 2015. The NBA invested in FanDuel in 2014.

The repositioning comes at a time when sports leagues and fantasy companies are awaiting a ruling from the United States Supreme Court that could open the door for states outside of Nevada to legalize betting on team sports. DraftKings and FanDuel have expressed interest in the niche.

The NBA and MLB have been lobbying in states that are exploring legalized sports betting.

“We’re not going to be part-owner of a bookmaker,” MLB lawyer Bryan Seeley said during a committee hearing on sports betting in Missouri this month.

“This space is evolving and we saw the need to take a fresh look at the structure of our relationship,” NBA spokesman Mike Bass told ESPN. “FanDuel has been, and will remain, a great partner. We have simply modified some of the components of our partnership.”

FanDuel and DraftKings have raised hundreds of millions of dollars in investments and were each valued at more than $1 billion at their peak, the network reported.

–Field Level Media

Gronk Ready to Run

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LOUISVILLE – Gronk has bought a stake in Gronk. Well, not exactly a man betting on himself this time.

New England Patriots star Rob Gronkowski actually purchased a minority stake in a racehorse named Gronk, a 3-year-old colt that will run in next month’s Kentucky Derby.

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Patriots Tom Brady (l.) and Rob Gronkowski at Churchill Downs

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There was no immediate word on the purchase price.

“I’ve never dealt with horses,” Gronkowski told the Wall Street Journal. “Hopefully I can get a ride on the horse.”

Gronk the horse was purchased by Phoenix Thoroughbreds for over $400,000 in England last year. Trainer Jeremy Noseda and his family are huge Patriots fans and the decision was reached to name it after the player nicknamed “Gronk.”

It didn’t take long for Gronkowki’s interest to grow.

“This horse is a winner and I love a winner,” Gronkowski said. “When I heard about the racehorse being named after me, I started watching and got really stoked when he started winning. He’s won his last three races and is now headed to the Derby. I’m all in: Welcome to the Gronk Family, Gronkowski the Horse!”

Gronkowski does admit he knows very little about horse racing and says he is treating the situation as an investment and something fun.

“It will be a new experience,” Gronkowski said. “Hopefully it will be something I like. I like new hobbies.”

Gronkowski said he will be at Churchill Downs in Louisville on May 5 for the race.

–Field Level Media

NFL, Rams, Chiefs to Mexico

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MEXICO CITY – The Los Angeles Rams will be the home team when they face the Kansas City Chiefs on “Monday Night Football” from Mexico City on Nov. 19, the NFL announced Wednesday night.

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The announcement came ahead of the release of the full 2018 regular-season schedule on Thursday.

The Rams-Chiefs game at Estadio Azteca will be the league’s second Monday night contest in Mexico City. The Raiders and Houston Texans met there in 2016, with Oakland posting a 27-20 win.

The league has not yet announced matchups for three other international games, all slated for London.

For the Chiefs, it will be the franchise’s first trip to Mexico since a preseason contest in Monterrey in 1996.

The Rams have never played in Mexico, which has played host to 10 NFL games.

–Field Level Media

76ers, Mavericks to China

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SHANGHAI – China will get a first-hand look at “the Process” next season when the Philadelphia 76ers play two preseason games there against the Dallas Mavericks.

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The teams will meet Oct. 5 in Shanghai, then Oct. 8 in Shenzhen.

“It will be an honor to be the first 76ers team to play in front of the amazing fan base in China in October,” Philadelphia 76ers All-Star center Joel Embiid said in a statement released by the team.

Dikembe Mutombo, an NBA “global ambassador,” was on hand Tuesday in Shenzhen to make the announcement.

Philadelphia and Dallas will be the 16th and 17th teams to compete in the “NBA China Games” since the league first began playing in China in 2004.

“Getting a chance to play all over the world has always been a dream of mine and I’m excited to play in China in October,” 76ers guard/forward Ben Simmons said in a statement issued by the team. “I know the fans there are passionate about basketball and I’m really looking forward to the trip to Shanghai and Shenzhen.”

Embiid and Simmons are two big pieces of the “Process,” the years-long rebuilding strategy that finally has the 76ers in the playoffs this year for the first time since 2012.

The Mavericks, meanwhile, failed to qualify for the postseason for the second year in a row after a run of 15 playoff appearances in 16 years.

Mavericks veteran forward Dirk Nowitzki said in a statement, “When I played in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, I witnessed China’s enthusiasm for basketball firsthand. It will be a fantastic experience for our franchise to play in China for the first time.

“We’re also excited about the possibility of reconnecting with two great Chinese players who played for the Mavericks, Wang Zhizhi and Yi Jianlian.”

–Field Level Media

Sox Scout: Red Sox at A’s

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Boston at Oakland

When: 9:05 PM ET, Saturday, April 21, 2018
Where: Oakland Coliseum, Oakland
Preview for Digital Sports Desk by Gracenote

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OAKLAND – The Boston Red Sox are off to a tremendous start this season and look to continue their success Saturday, when they visit the Oakland Athletics in search of their ninth consecutive victory. Boston rolled to a 7-3 triumph in the opener of the three-game series on Friday to become the fifth team in the live-ball era to win 17 of its first 19 contests and first since Milwaukee in 1987.

Jackie Bradley Jr. forged a tie in the second inning with a three-run homer and Mitch Moreland snapped it four frames later with the Red Sox’s league-leading fifth grand slam in their last 12 games. Boston, which finished last year without a slam, has belted 13 homers while winning each of the first four contests of its nine-game road trip – outscoring the opposition 34-6 in the victories. Mookie Betts finished with just one single on Friday, ending his string of three straight multi-hit performances. Oakland had its four-game winning streak halted, but Jed Lowrie remained piping hot as he went 4-for-5 with an RBI and is 14-for-28 during his six-game hitting streak.

TV: 9:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, NESN (Boston), NBCS California (Oakland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox LH Chris Sale (1-0, 1.23 ERA) vs. Athletics LH Sean Manaea (2-2, 1.63)

Sale has just one victory in four starts this season despite allowing a total of three runs over 16 innings. The 29-year-old Floridian has yet to work more than six innings, however, lasting only five while giving up one run and two hits in a no-decision against Baltimore on Sunday. Sale owns a 5-2 record and 2.60 ERA in eight starts and five relief appearances versus Oakland in his career.

Manaea has been nearly as good as Sale this season, yielding five runs over 27 2/3 innings in four starts. The 26-year-old native of Indiana notched a victory at Seattle on Sunday after giving up one run and two hits in seven frames. Manaea has struggled against Boston in his career, going 1-2 in three starts while surrendering 18 runs and 26 hits (four homers) over 11 1/3 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Red Sox activated LHP Drew Pomeranz from the disabled list to make the start on Friday after optioning RHP Marcus Walden to Triple-A Pawtucket the previous night.

2. Oakland recalled RHPs Josh Lucas and Chris Bassitt from Triple-A Nashville on Friday and optioned LHP Daniel Coulombe to the Sounds.

3. Boston RHP Steven Wright (knee) made his first rehab start for Pawtucket on Friday but lasted only 2 2/3 innings due to back stiffness.

Hockey Night in Boston …

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Toronto at Boston

When: 8:00 PM ET, Saturday, April 21, 2018
Where: TD Garden, Boston
Preview for Digital Sports Desk by Gracenote

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BOSTON – The last time Original Six rivals Boston and Toronto met in the postseason, the Bruins needed a miraculous comeback in the final minutes of Game 7 before ousting the Maple Leafs in overtime. Five years later, Toronto is in position of needing a miracle comeback of its own, trailing the Eastern Conference best-of-seven series 3-1 heading into Saturday’s Game 5 at Boston’s TD Garden.

The Maple Leafs can look to the past for inspiration — they also trailed the series 3-1 in 2013 before blowing a two-goal lead in the final 90 seconds of Game 7 — but they are lamenting a missed opportunity in Thursday’s 3-1 setback against a Bruins team missing its top-line center. “When (Patrice) Bergeron didn’t play tonight, you’re set up pretty good,” Toronto coach Mike Babcock said. “You’ve got to find a way to win. This is in our building. You’ve got to win.” Bergeron skated on his own Friday, which was called a “positive” by coach Bruce Cassidy, who said he will make a decision on the four-time Selke Trophy winner’s status at Saturday’s morning skate. Bergeron’s line accounted for 20 points in the first two games at TD Garden as Boston steamrolled Toronto by a combined 12-4 margin.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBC, CBC, Sportsnet, TVAS (Toronto)

ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS: Toronto will receive a boost with the return of center Nazem Kadri, a 32-goal scorer during the regular season who received a three-game suspension for a dangerous hit on Boston’s Tommy Wingels in the series opener. “It’s exciting to get back in,” Kadri said. “I’ve been champing at the bit the last couple of games here. It has been hard to watch knowing you could be out there trying to help and trying to make an impact. I’m just happy the time has come.” Kadri’s return will mean a demotion for Tomas Plekanec, who scored the team’s only goal Thursday — his first since he was acquired from Montreal.

ABOUT THE BRUINS: Bergeron, who is up for his fifth Selke Trophy as the game’s best defensive forward, collected five assists in the first two games, but with Riley Nash taking his place, Brad Marchand scored a goal and David Pastrnak continued his brilliant play with two assists to bump his series point total up to 11. Goaltender Tuukka Rask has been overshadowed by the offensive exploits through much of the series but he answered the bell in Game 4 by turning aside 31 of 32 shots in what Marchand termed a “phenomenal game. He’s one of the best goalies in the world and he gives us an opportunity to win every night.”

OVERTIME

1. Maple Leafs F Auston Matthews has been held off the scoresheet in three of the four games.

2. Marchand has four goals and 10 points in seven matchups versus Toronto this season.

3. Maple Leafs F Leo Komarov skated Thursday but has missed the past two games.

Slammin’ Sox

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Boston 7, Oakland 3

When: 10:05 PM ET, Friday, April 20, 2018
Where: Oakland Coliseum, Oakland
Attendance: 23,473
Recap for Digital Sports Desk by Field Level Media

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OAKLAND – Mitch Moreland hit reliever Emilio Pagan’s first pitch of the evening for a tie-breaking grand slam in the sixth inning Friday night, propelling the Boston Red Sox to their eighth straight win, a 7-3 triumph over the Oakland Athletics in Oakland, Calif.

The Red Sox trailed the opener of a three-game series 3-0 after one inning, but quickly evened the score on a three-run home run by Jackie Bradley Jr. in the second, setting the stage for Moreland’s game-winning blow four innings later.

Right-hander Hector Velasquez (3-0) pitched three innings of shutout relief to get the win. A’s starter Kendall Graveman (0-4), who loaded the bases in the sixth, took the loss.

Graveman had retired 11 straight batters following Bradley’s homer before Mookie Betts, Andrew Benintendi and Hanley Ramirez singled consecutively to open the sixth. Pagan then came on and immediately served up Moreland’s grand slam, the third of his career and first since 2016. The homer was Moreland’s second of the season.

The A’s jumped on left-hander Drew Pomeranz, making his first start of the season, for three runs in the first inning, catching a break when Matt Chapman struck out for what would have been the third out, except that the ball got away from catcher Christian Vazquez for a wild pitch that kept the inning alive.

The A’s led 1-0 at the time, with Jed Lowrie knocking in the first run. Matt Olson and Mark Canha followed Chapman’s strikeout with RBI singles that made it 3-0.

Graveman retired the first batter he faced in the top of the second, but Rafael Devers and Eduardo Nunez singled, after which Bradley bombed his second homer of the season to draw Boston even.

Pomeranz, who began the season on the disabled list with a strained left forearm, was pulled two outs into the fourth inning, having thrown 88 pitches. He allowed three runs and five hits in his 3 2/3 innings. He walked two and struck out seven.

Graveman was credited with six runs allowed on seven hits in five-plus innings. He struck out six and did not walk a batter.

Velasquez teamed with Brian Johnson, Matt Barnes and Joe Kelly for 5 1/3 innings of shutout relief, helping the Red Sox improve to 4-0 on their current 10-game trip while extending the pitching staff’s string of games allowing three or fewer runs to eight straight.

Nunez collected three hits and Ramirez two for the Red Sox, who were coming off a three-game sweep of the Los Angeles Angels in which they scored at least eight runs in each win.

Lowrie had four hits, including a pair of doubles, and Olson added a pair of singles for the A’s, who had a four-game winning streak snapped.

The Red Sox out-hit the A’s 11-10.

–Field Level Media

Bucks Are Back …

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Milwaukee 116, Boston 92

When: 9:30 PM ET, Friday, April 20, 2018
Where: BMO Harris Bradley Center, Milwaukee
Attendance: 18,717
Special to Digital Sports Desk by Field Level Media

MILWAUKEE – Khris Middleton had 23 points, eight rebounds and seven assists and Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 19 as the host Milwaukee Bucks beat the Boston Celtics 116-92 in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinals series Friday night.

Eric Bledsoe and Jabari Parker scored 17 apiece and Thon Maker had 14 for Milwaukee, which now trails the best-of-seven series 2-1. The Bucks are seeking their first playoff series win since 2000-01, but they’ve never won a series after trailing 0-2.

“We came out (and) just wanted to be the first team that hit first (and) be physical,” Middleton told ESPN after the game as confetti fell from the rafters. “The crowd was great tonight, they got us going.”

Al Horford finished with 16 points, Greg Monroe scored 15 against his former team and Jayson Tatum had 14 for Boston. The Celtics won the first two games of the series, and they’ve never lost in the playoffs after doing so on 35 prior occasions.

Game 4 is Sunday afternoon in Milwaukee.

Parker, who averaged 12.6 points during the regular season, had been held to two points on 1-of-7 shooting over the first two games of the series.

Boston won Game 1, 113-107, in overtime and took Game 2 by a 120-106 result.

Milwaukee shot a blistering 57 percent (45 of 79) from the field while holding the Celtics to 40 percent shooting (32 of 80). Boston outrebounded the hosts 45-37.

Bucks starting center John Henson missed the game with back soreness. Former Celtics big man Tyler Zeller started in his place and had two points and two rebounds in 19 minutes against his former team.

Milwaukee had its foot on the gas pedal from the start, building a 15-point lead after one quarter at 27-12. The Celtics missed 16 of their 18 shots and committed nine turnovers in the period.

The Bucks ran their lead up to 20 early in the second quarter and were up 58-35 at halftime.

After falling behind by as many as 26 in the third, the Celtics showed a little life in getting the deficit under 15 points in the final minutes of the quarter before Milwaukee rebuilt its advantage to 85-67 after three.

Milwaukee led by as many as 28 points in the fourth.

–Field Level Media

Bucks Stop Here?

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Boston at Milwaukee

When: 9:30 PM ET, Friday, April 20, 2018
Where: BMO Harris Bradley Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Preview for Digital Sports Desk by Gracenote

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MILWAUKEE – Milwaukee Bucks guard Eric Bledsoe says he doesn’t know who Terry Rozier is, so it might be time for him to check the scouting report. Rozier fueled Boston to victories in the first two games of the Eastern Conference first-round series and the Celtics look to take a 3-0 lead when the series moves to Milwaukee on Friday.

The unsung Rozier is in the staring lineup due to Kyrie Irving’s season-ending knee injury and he torched the Bucks for 23 points in each of the first two games and has yet to commit a turnover. Meanwhile, Bledsoe is averaging just 10.5 points on 9-of-25 shooting and making three turnovers per game and wasn’t thrilled when asked about Rozier after a 120-106 loss in Game 2, saying “I don’t even know who the (expletive) that is.” Celtics coach Brad Stevens took the high road Wednesday when asked about the comment by saying, “I mean, I heard that. Our team is just focused on Game 3.” Milwaukee lost in the first round in its past seven postseason appearances and it last prevailed in 2001, when it reached the Eastern Conference finals before losing to the Philadelphia 76ers.

TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, NBCS Boston, FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee)

ABOUT THE CELTICS: Second-year shooting guard Jaylen Brown is also lighting up the Bucks as he made five 3-pointers while scoring 30 points in Game 2 and is averaging 25 in the series. “Ultimately, we just want to win games, so that’s the only thing that we are concerned with,” Brown told reporters after his big outing. “We are confident as ever. Teams have been writing us off all year and we just keep proving people wrong, so that’s what we’re going to do.” Power forwards Al Horford and Marcus Morris are also off to strong starts in the series with Horford averaging 20 points and 8.5 rebounds and Morris coming off the bench to average 19.5 points and six boards.

ABOUT THE BUCKS: Forwards Giannis Antetokounmpo (32.5 points, 11 rebounds, 7.5 assists) and Khris Middleton (28 points, six rebounds) have been superb in the series but haven’t received much help from the supporting cast. “We got to play better,” Antetokounmpo said. “We got to play with more effort. I think as a team we didn’t show up (Tuesday). Hopefully we can go back home and protect our home and play better and get those two wins.” Second-year guard Malcolm Brogdon is averaging 13 points in the series but played just 19 minutes in Game 2 despite being 5-of-7 shooting while scoring 10 points.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Celtics made 13 3-pointers in Game 2 after knocking down 11 in the opener.

2. Boston SF Jayson Tatum had just four points on 2-of-9 shooting in Game 2 after scoring 19 in the opener.

3. Milwaukee backup PF Jabari Parker has just two points on 1-of-7 shooting in the series.

Bruins In Control …

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Boston 3, Toronto 1

When: 7:00 PM ET, Thursday, April 19, 2018
Where: Air Canada Centre, Toronto, Ontario
Attendance: 19,689
Recap for Digital Sports Desk by Field Level Media

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TORONTO – Brad Marchand scored the go-ahead goal late in the second period, and the visiting Boston Bruins beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-1 Thursday night to take a three-games-to-one lead in their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series.

Marchand took a sharp-angled pass from David Pastrnak and flicked it past out-of-position Maple Leafs goalie Frederik Andersen from the left circle. Jake DeBrusk scored early in the third to seal the Bruins’ win.

“We’ve played together for a while now, and (I) kind of know when he’s thinking shot or pass,” Marchand told NESN about his two-on-one play with Pastrnak. “So I just tried to find a good lane. He made an incredible pass.”

Boston can close out the best-of-seven series at home in Game 5 on Saturday night.

Marchand and DeBrusk both increased their postseason goal tally to two. Torey Krug added his first playoff goal for the Bruins, who haven’t advanced to round two of the Stanley Cup playoffs since the 2013-14 season.

Pastrnak had two assists to give him a playoff-leading 11 points.

Tomas Plekanec scored his first goal of the postseason for the Maple Leafs, who hope to avoid their second straight first-round exit. Toronto was eliminated by Washington in six games last season, its first playoff appearance since a first-round loss to Boston in 2012-13.

Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask finished with 31 saves. Andersen had 18.

Boston played without Selke Trophy finalist Patrice Bergeron, who was a late scratch due to an upper-body injury. The four-time winner of the award given to the league’s best defensive forward was the Bruins’ third-leading scorer this season with 30 goals and 33 assists.

“When Bergeron didn’t play tonight, you’re set up pretty good,” Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock said. “You’ve got to find a way to win. This is in our building, you’ve got to win.”

Toronto’s Leo Komarov (lower body) missed his second consecutive game.

Seconds after the Bruins’ goal song “Kernkraft 400” played on the Air Canada Centre speakers during a stoppage in play, Marchand put Boston up 2-1 with 3:05 left in the second.

DeBrusk scored 4:17 into the final period.

Krug struck quickly with Boston’s first goal on a wrister from the top of the left circle just 28 seconds into the game. Plekanec answered for Toronto on a one-timer from the slot with 12:17 left in the first.

–Field Level Media

Sweeps …

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Boston 8, LA Angels 2

When: 10:07 PM ET, Thursday, April 19, 2018
Where: Angel Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim
Attendance: 36,253
Special to Digital Sports Desk by Field Level Media

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ANAHEIM – The Boston Red Sox continued their historic start to the season, beating the Los Angeles Angels 8-2 Thursday night in Anaheim, Calif., to complete a three-game sweep and extend their winning streak to seven games.

Boston improved to 16-2, the best start through 18 games in the franchise’s 118-year history. The Red Sox outscored the Angels 27-3 in the series.

J.D. Martinez and Rafael Devers each had three hits, while both Mookie Betts and Andrew Benintendi bashed home runs in the Red Sox’s 14-hit onslaught.

Red Sox starter Eduardo Rodriguez (2-0) got the win after throwing six innings, allowing two runs on three hits and three walks. He struck out five.

As they did in the first two games of the series, the Red Sox jumped to a lead in the first inning. And again it was Betts in the middle of things, Boston’s right fielder leading off the game with a home run off Angels starter Nick Tropeano.

It was his sixth homer of the season, his fourth in the series. It also marked the 13th time in his career he has led off the first inning with a home run, extending his Red Sox record.

The Angels got the run back in the second inning against Rodriguez, Zack Cozart’s RBI single tying the game at 1-1.

Boston pushed across two runs in the fourth, one on an RBI double by Martinez and one on an RBI single by Devers, to go ahead 3-1.

Chris Young, getting a start in right field in place of Kole Calhoun, hit his first home run of the season to get the Angels to within 3-2 in the fifth, but Boston got it right back in the sixth on a solo homer by Benintendi.

Tropeano couldn’t get out of the sixth, Angels manager Mike Scioscia taking out the right-hander with one on and one out. The Angels’ bullpen, though, was unable to quell the rally, and the Red Sox added another run in the inning for a 5-2 lead.

It could have been worse for the Angels in the inning if not for a spectacular play by shortstop Andrelton Simmons, who made a diving stop of a ball hit up the middle by Eduardo Nunez. Simmons flipped the ball with his glove to second baseman Ian Kinsler, who made the relay to first to complete an inning-ending double play.

Tropeano (1-1) lasted 5 1/3 innings, giving up five runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out three.

–Field Level Media

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