NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Even Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins are going to be challenged trying to top this. Crosby was awarded his second consecutive Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the Stanley Cup playoffs, and goalie Matt Murray made 27 saves for his second straight shutout as the Penguins became the first team to repeat as champion in nearly two decades with a 2-0 win over the Nashville Predators in Game 6... more

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The night started with a catfish throw. It ended with haymaker after haymaker — both literal and proverbial — from Sidney Crosby and the rest of the resilient Pittsburgh Penguins. The defending champions provided an emphatic reminder of why they're on the cusp of history with a 6-0 demolition of the Nashville Predators in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final to take a 3-2 lead. ... more

reds even Stanley Cup Final at 2-2, beat Penguins 4-1 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Frederick Gaudreau sure is doing his best to earn his own locker with the Nashville Predators with a Stanley Cup Final debut for the ages. For now, he insists he is happy enough just to sit on the floor as long as he plays. An undrafted free agent playing in just his sixth postseason game, Gaudreau scored the go-ahead goal 3:45 into the second period and Pekka Rinne made 23 often-spectacular saves as the Predators beat the Penguins 4-1 on Monday night to even the series at 2-2. more

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — P.K. Subban says ask the Pittsburgh Penguins if he's getting under their skin. The All-Star defenseman only knows he apparently needs to work on his breath on the ice and loves the challenge of helping shut down Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin... more

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Different players just keep stepping up for the Nashville Predators, and now their magical postseason run has an even bigger destination: the franchise's first trip to the Stanley Cup Final. Colton Sissons scored his third goal with 6:00 left, and the Predators eliminated the Anaheim Ducks with a 6-3 win in Game 6 on Monday night in the Western Conference finals. "In the back of your head, you've been thinking about the Finals and then when the buzzer goes off, it's an amazing feeling," Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne said. more

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Craig Anderson and the Ottawa Senators bounced back nicely two days after a blowout loss put them on the brink of elimination. Anderson stopped 45 shots, Mike Hoffman scored the tiebreaking goal early in the third period and the Senators beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1 Tuesday night to force a decisive Game 7 in the Eastern Conference Finals... more

NASVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Nashville Predators don't have their top center, and their captain is day to day with an upper-body injury. They still have Pekka Rinne in net. And the Predators have a chance at history on their own ice, a win away from the first Stanley Cup Final berth in the franchise history... more

Mike Minor's road back to the majors was not an easy one. Shoulder surgery kept him out of the majors for two years and resulted in a move to the bullpen. Minor got his first victory since 2014 with 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief in the first game Sunday. He relieved Jake Junis with a 5-2 lead in the fifth, two outs and two on. The 29-year-old left-hander walked Max Kepler, then retired Kennys Vargas on a popup. Minor retired the side in order in the sixth... more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (AP) — The Nashville Predators are so confident right now that not even having two goals in eight seconds waved off for goaltender interference can shake them. Especially not on home ice. Roman Josi scored a power-play goal with 2:43 left, and the Predators rallied to beat the Anaheim Ducks 2-1 Tuesday in their first-ever home game in the Western Conference finals... more

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — The Anaheim Ducks were down a game in the Western Conference finals and down 2-0 in Game 2 against Pekka Rinne, the most dominant goalie in these Stanley Cup playoffs. That's when Sami Vatanen got the puck and thought he saw a sliver of room over Rinne's shoulder... more

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — ESPN reporter Shelley Smith said Sunday night she was doing well and undergoing tests at an East Bay hospital for stroke symptoms after a scare in the Golden State locker room following the Warriors' 113-111 victory over San Antonio in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals... more

BOSTON (AP) — Former NFL player Aaron Hernandez sounded as if he thought he would soon be freed in his last conversation with his fiancee before he killed himself. Shayanna Jenkins-Hernandez says in an interview on "Dr. Phil" scheduled to air next week that he said "Daddy's going to be home ... I can't wait to hold you and love you" in a telephone conversation hours before he was found hanged in his prison cell on April 19... more

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Ryan Johansen celebrated his game-winning goal with a windmill fist pump, and the Nashville Predators finished off the rest of a thrilling third period with the standing-room only crowd on their feet anticipating history. Yes, the team that plays in a place called "Smashville" is going someplace the Predators have never been before: The Western Conference final. Johansen scored 3:15 into the third, and the Predators advanced to the conference finals in their fourth try by beating the St. Louis Blues 3-1 to take the series in six games. more

NASHVILLE (AP) — Marcus Mariota and the Tennessee Titans have yet to set an official timetable for the quarterback's return from surgery on his right leg. The latest benchmark is reporting for the start of the offseason program. The third-year quarterback now will finish his recovery from the season-ending injury at team headquarters after doing much of his rehabilitation at the University of Oregon this offseason. "It's important to be here, because together, you're building the foundations that you're going to use throughout the entire year," Mariota said Monday. "You're building the chemistry and the camaraderie that's going to make this team successful. I'm happy to be here, and I'm excited to be here. I'm sure all the guys are." more

NASHVILLE (AP) — The Nashville Predators are at a point they've never been before in franchise history, and now they have a chance to keep their first-round series from going back to Chicago. They can thank a 20-year-old playing the fourth postseason game of his career for putting them in that position. Kevin Fiala scored on a backhander 16:44 into overtime , and the Predators rallied from a 2-0 deficit in the third period to push the Blackhawks to the brink of elimination with a 3-2 victory early Tuesday morning in Game 3 of the first-round series. more

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — As a big league pitcher, Dallas Green was pretty mediocre. "I was a 20-game winner," he would joke, "it just took me five years to do it." Instead, it was in another role where the imposing, 6-foot-5 Green really made noise. "When you think of big, with that deep voice, that booming voice, he could hold a team meeting, boy, he could scare you right out of your seat," Cleveland manager Terry Francona recalled. more

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The eagle has landed on top. The United States routed Puerto Rico 8-0 to win its first World Baseball Classic in four tries on Wednesday night behind six hitless innings from Marcus Stroman. The Americans planted their eagle statue mascot on the mound in celebration, a blue cap jauntily hanging from one of its large wings. "It's a different feeling when the USA is on your chest," first baseman Eric Hosmer said. "We wanted to get the U.S. back on top of the baseball world, and we did that." more

BOSTON — The Patriots have re-signed Pro Bowl linebacker Dont’a Hightower. Hightower’s agency, SportsTrust Advisors, tweeted the agreement on Wednesday and his agent Pat Dye, Jr confirmed it. The new pact is for four years and $43.5 million. It brings back one of the Patriots’ biggest free agents, who has helped New England win two Super Bowls in his five NFL seasons. He has 372 tackles and 17 sacks since being a first-round pick out of Alabama in 2012... more

It was surreal watching Dont’a Hightower kiss the Lombardi Trophy Sunday night after the Lewisburg native’s fourth quarter sack led to a change of momentum and ultimately the fifth Super Bowl title for the New England Patriots, who stormed back from 25 points down to win Super Bowl LI 34-28 in the first-ever overtime finish. Patriots coach Bill Belichick didn’t take long to give the Marshall County High School legend and 2007 Tennessee Titans Class 3A Mr. Football Lineman of the Year credit for coming up with the most important defensive play of the game, saying in a postgame interview with ESPN’s Chris Berman, “The Hightower play was the key play, without that I don’t think we would have had enough possessions or we get it done fast enough.” more

Henry Horton assistant professional Kevin Snell needed some late round magic to hold off the competition at the National Car Rental Tennessee Assistant PGA Championship last week at The Governors Club in Brentwood. Snell, the 2013 winner, carded a 66-71 two day total of 137 to outlast McCabe assistant Josh Bevell, who came in with 72-67-139 to place second. more