EDMONTON (AP) - When Kris Knoblauch became coach of the Edmonton Oilers, they had lost 10 of their first 13 games and the Stanley Cup was the last thing anyone on the team was talking about. Since then, no team in the NHL has won more games and Knoblauch is a big reason they are in the final. It comes as no surprise to those who know Knoblauch to see him making the most of his first chance to be an NHL head coach. The fall struggles feel far away now, with the Oilers in the final against Florida and four victories away from the franchise’s first championship since 1990. None of this seemed possible under Jay Woodcroft. Knoblauch replaced him Nov. 12 and brought a straightforward, calm approach to a star-studded team that needed a steady hand. Game one of the Stanley Cup Finals is Saturday.
BOSTON (AP) — As the Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics prepare to tip off the NBA Finals, the four biggest names in the series are looking at this moment through different lenses. Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown – the Celtics’ most tenured and scrutinized stars on their roster – see it as a chance at redemption after falling just short two seasons ago and then failing to return last year. Dallas’ Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving see it as their first opportunity to make good on a partnership that began late last season after Irving was traded from Brooklyn following a tumultuous run of two-plus seasons with the Nets. Game one of the NBA Finals is tonight.
NEW YORK (AP) — Carlos Rodón has put his miserable first season with the Yankees behind, pitching like the All-Star expected by New York when it lavished a $162 million, eight-year contract on the left-hander. Rodón retired his first 16 batters and won a career-best sixth straight start Wednesday night, helping the Yankees beat the Minnesota Twins 9-5 for their seventh straight victory. Rodón is 8-2 with a 3.08 ERA, striking out 71 and walking 20 in 73 innings with a .217 opponents’ batting average. The 31-year-old left-hander has 39 strikeouts on sliders, 24 on fastballs, six on changeups and two on cutters.
HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Easygoing Gardner Minshew never seems to get stressed out about anything. Aidan O’Connell said he has enjoyed getting to know and work with his new teammate. Who’s also his competitor. Both want the same thing — to become the starting quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders — but they don’t appear ready to tear each other down to get there. They communicate in the quarterback room and on the practice field for organized team activities, trying to help each other get better. The Raiders need one of those quarterbacks to emerge as the starter and help the team beat low preseason expectations in which Las Vegas’ win total at BetMGM Sportsbook is 6 1/2 games.
WEDNESDAY'S SCORES
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Kansas City at Cleveland, ppd to Aug. 26
NY Yankees 9, Minnesota 5
Toronto 3, Baltimore 2
Texas 9, Detroit 1
Oakland 2, Seattle 1
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Cincinnati 12, Colorado 7
San Francisco 9, Arizona 3
NY Mets 9, Washington 1
Philadelphia 2, Milwaukee 0
Pittsburgh 10, LA Dodgers 6
INTERLEAGUE
Boston 9, Atlanta 0
St. Louis 4, Houston 2
Tampa Bay 5, Miami 3
Chicago Cubs 7, White Sox 6
LA Angels 3, San Diego 2