1 0 ?“»s D BHCON Sn o rts
I www.thebehrendbeacon.com ' I **
NHL
Stanley Cup playoff race features turn-around teams
NICK BLAKE
tort's ('illfor
The weather is getting warm,
and when the puck drops for
games on the east coast, the
sun is still out. This can only
mean one thing: It is time for
playoff hockey.
The NHL regular season is
quickly winding down, and
with less than a week left in
regular season play, teams are
fighting to earn a spot in the
Stanley Cup playoffs.
The Western Conference
playoff race is already decided
as eight teams have clinched
playoff births, shutting the door
on the bottom seven teams.
The Chicago Blackhawks
currently hold the No. 1 seed in
the West with 109 points and
have clinched the Central divi
sion.
Four Western Conference
teams that missed the playoffs
last season have punched their
ticket this year.
The Colorado Avalanche, Los
Angeles Kings, Nashville Pred
ators and Phoenix Coyotes all
PGATOUR
janetcharltonshollywood.com
Tiger Woods is tied for seventh after the first round of the Masters.
MON-THUR 4-6 PM
missed the playoffs last season
but will play in the postseason
this year for a chance to hoist
the Stanley Cup.
Phoenix finished in 13th
place last season and after fac
ing bankruptcy almost moved
the franchise this season.
Now, they sit in fourth place
going into the playoffs.
Colorado finished dead last
in the West last season, missing
the final playoff spot by over 20
points.
The Avalanche completed a
turn-around season this year by
clinching a playoff birth for the
first time since 2008.
Four Western Conference
teams that made the playoffs
last year but will be missing out
this year are the Anaheim
Ducks, Calgary Flames, Colum
bus Blue Jackets and St. Louis
Blues.
The Eastern Conference is
yet to be decided, as three of
the eight playoff spots are still
up for grabs.
The Washington Capitals
have clinched the No. 1 seed,
the Southeast Division and the
overall best record in the NHL.
The rest of the conference is
still a circulating mix, as the
final games of the regular sea
son will decide who is in and
who is out.
The defending Stanley Cup
champion Pittsburgh Penguins
currently sit in fourth place and
are two points behind the At
lantic Division leading and sec
ond place New Jersey Devils.
The Penguins have clinched a
playoff spot for the third year in
a row and could finish as high
as second and win the Atlantic
Division.
The Buffalo Sabres have
clinched the Northeast Division
and currently hold the third
playoff position.
The Sabres are one point
ahead of the Penguins and one
point behind New Jersey. Buf
falo will be making its first
playoff appearance since 2007.
In order, the Montreal Cana
diens, Philadelphia Flyers and
Boston Bruins hold the final
three playoff spots.
The New York Rangers are
currently on the outside look
Woods has early success at
NICK BLAKE
sports edit* >i
After all of the questions sur
rounding Tiger Woods, about
the future of his career and
when he would play again.
Woods hit the golf course for
the first time in over 20 weeks.
The first round of the Mas
ters Tournament began on
Thursday in Augusta, Ga. and
marked Woods’ return to golf
after the allegations surround
ing his private life.
While many expected Woods
to be rusty and a bit off his
game, he had a solid first round
and left himself in a good posi-
■' "*r'f#**^*'
sidneycrosby.blogspot.com
The Pittsburgh Penguins will begin their Stanley Cup title defense later this month in the NHL playoffs.
ing in, but are only one point
behind the eighth place Bruins.
All four teams are separated
by three points or less, so the
final regular season games will
be vital to the future of these
teams.
tion to make the cut.
Woods shot a 68 for the first
round and is tied for seventh at
four under par.
Woods had three birdies,
three bogies and two eagles on
the day.
It was the first time Woods
made two eagles in a single
round at the Masters in his ca
reer, and it was his best first
round score.
“Why play if you don’t think
you’re going to win," said
Woods, according to ESPN. “If
I don’t think I can win, I won’t
enter the event.”
What may be lost in all of the
Woods coverage is the first
As of right now, the only
team that has no chance of
making the playoffs that made
the playoffs last year is the Car
olina Hurricanes. The Hurri
canes made it to the Eastern
Conference finals last season,
round play of 60-year old Tom
Watson.
Watson shot an opening
round 67 and sits at five under
going to the second round.
Watson is the oldest player in
the field and shocked the golf
world by nearly winning the
British Open last year at age 59.
Watson was two under par
after a shot in the water on No.
13 but recovered with a wedge
shot and was able to save par.
Watson then went on to
birdie 15,16 and 18 to finish his
round.
Watson had his son Michael
caddie for him, and that made
the day even more special.
but will fail to return this year.
The playoffs will begin later
this month, and final dates will
be decided at the conclusion of
the regular season.
Masters
“What made the day so
worthwhile was having my son
Michael caddie for me,’’ Watson
said. "I wanted to shoot a good
score for Michael.”
Atop the leaderboard is Fred
Couples, who shot a first round
score of 66.
Couples’ last major champi
onship came 18 years ago at the
Masters, and he has put himself
in a position to win it again.
“I’m driving it very long and
fairly straight, and I’m putting
ridiculously well out there,”
Couples said. “Today I made a
bunch of 6- and 7-footers on the
front 9. That was just a huge
boost.”