The New Jersey Devils’ quest for the Stanley Cup is going to start with the longest road trip in franchise history. With the new Prudential Center in Newark getting its final touches, the Devils will begin the season with a nine-game, three-week sojourn that will include a couple of quick pit stops at home to say hello to family and friends.
The irony for the Dallas Stars is that with Mike Modano about to become the NHL’s top American-born scorer, this team will have to rely on defense and goaltending. Even after their third straight first-round exit from the playoffs, with one of the league’s lowest-scoring teams (2.65 goals a game), the Stars didn’t add a premier scorer.
Kris Jenkins started being concerned about his team’s effort a few weeks ago. The Carolina Panthers defensive tackle then decided he couldn’t wait any longer to address it. After Sunday’s dismal 20-7 loss to Tampa Bay, Jenkins called out his teammates, saying they lacked heart, passion and drive. Given 24 hours to reflect on comments that sent shockwaves through the organization, Jenkins wasn’t…
Although Alex Smith probably will miss more than one game after separating his right shoulder, the San Francisco quarterback is sticking with the best-case scenario until he hears something worse. Smith definitely won’t play in the 49ers’ next game against Baltimore after getting hurt on the third play of their 23-3 loss to Seattle on Sunday.
Jimmie Johnson still doesn’t understand the rule that gave Greg Biffle a victory at Kansas Speedway, even though three other cars crossed the finish line before the race winner.
Suns forward Amare Stoudemire will undergo minor arthroscopic knee surgery on Tuesday but is expected to be sidelined only two to three weeks. The operation to remove a loose particle will be on the All-Star’s right knee, not the left on which microfracture surgery was done two years ago. That operation forced him to miss virtually all of the 2005-06 season.
The San Antonio Spurs seem to have it all. Four championships in nine seasons, “dynasty talk” that they routinely blow off and a humble but capable team led by a disciplined and winning coach. This summer they had the big parade and citywide party, their Finals MVP had his storybook wedding, and players’ families added little ones here and there.
The Houston Rockets signed Dikembe Mutombo to a one-year contract on Monday, extending the 41-year-old center’s NBA career into a 16th season. “I’m going to enjoy every second and every minute of my last year in the NBA,” he said. “I hope my farewell tour will be a nice memorable one.” The 7-foot-2, 260-pound Mutombo ended up playing a pivotal role for Houston last season, when Yao Ming broke a…
Trevor Hoffman stayed and took responsibility. The San Diego reliever didn’t duck out or try to escape through a back exit after blowing his second game in three days, costing the Padres a spot in the postseason. Hoffman gave up three runs in the 13th inning, and San Diego lost to the Colorado Rockies 9-8 in the NL wild-card tiebreaker Monday night.
They played as if they never wanted the season to end, and they had already gotten an extra day. The NL wild card came down to a wild, 13-inning finish Monday night that put Matt Holliday and the Colorado Rockies into the playoffs and sent Trevor Hoffman and the San Diego Padres home weary and dazed.
