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Trent Jr. scores 33 as Raptors top Heat, win third straight – TSN

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TORONTO — Gary Trent Jr. scored 33 points as the Toronto Raptors beat the Miami Heat, 110-106, at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday for their third straight win.

Fred VanVleet added 21 points, and Pascal Siakam finished with 16 points and14 rebounds for the Raptors (26-23).

Bam Adebayo had a double-double in the losing effort for Miami (32-20), with 32 points and 11 rebounds.

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These two sides last met Saturday, a triple overtime thriller that saw the Raptors come away with a 130-124 victory as Trent scored 33 points in the victory.

Trent, who shot 11-for-20 from the field, entered Tuesday’s contest on a four-game streak of scoring at least 30 points in a game. He extended it to five on Tuesday, joining DeMar DeRozan as the only other Raptor to do so.

“Its a surreal feeling,” said Trent of tying DeRozan’s record. “What he’s done for this organization, this city, the type of player he is, what he stands for, where he’s from, his background. To share that with him, knowing what he does and what he means for this organization, I can’t put into words.”

Toronto coach Nick Nurse voiced his praise of Trent and his recent play.

“Every time he starts (isolating), you’re expecting him to walk away with a bucket these days, no matter what he has to do,” Nurse said.

Tuesday’s game would’ve been Heat, and former Raptors, guard Kyle Lowry‘s much-anticipated return to Toronto. Unfortunately, Lowry was forced to miss his ninth straight game as he attends to a personal matter. Fans will, instead, have to wait until April 3 now for a potential Lowry return to Toronto.

Siakam and Precious Achiuwa hit back-to-back three-pointers to give Toronto a three-point lead with a little over nine minutes to play. The two teams would take turns trading the lead until Trent went on a personal 8-0 run to put Toronto up 100-93 with 4:35 remaining. The Heat were able to get the lead down to as few as two, but that was as close as they got.

Miami played a strong first half that appeared to overwhelm a Raptors team that didn’t look quite as sharp as it had in its previous two games as the Heat carried a 62-50 lead after the first 24 minutes. Miami shot 57.9 per cent from the floor in the half and Adebayo had 19 points in the opening two periods, alone.

Toronto responded after the break, using a 10-2 run that saw VanVleet and Siakam score all the points, to cut Miami’s lead to four with about six-and-a-half minutes left in the frame.

A couple minutes later, Chris Boucher took a hit to the groin area on an offensive foul by Jimmy Butler as Butler kicked out his leg. The play appeared to spark both teams as the Raptors and Heat traded baskets to end the period with Miami clinging to an 83-80 lead heading into the fourth.

Once again, the Raptors rode their starters hard as both Trent and Scottie Barnes eclipsed the 40-minute mark. However, given the success the team’s seen of late, the fatigue the players may be feeling sounds like it’s worth it.

“I think that they’re doing a really good job of not thinking about that,” said Nurse. “Even though everybody’s talking about it and asking them about it and talking about it, they’re lost in the competition.”

Toronto is in the midst of a stretch that’s seeing the team play four games in five nights. The Raptors opened this frame in their schedule with a 106-100 victory over the Hawks in Atlanta on Monday.

Achiuwa, one of the players Lowry was traded for in the sign-and-trade transaction between Toronto and Miami in the off-season, along with rookie Barnes were named to the NBA’s Rising Stars showcase on Tuesday.

Achiuwa finished Tuesday’s contest with 12 points, while Barnes had 11.

Raptors centre Khem Birch missed his 10th consecutive game with a nose fracture. Nurse said Birch is “within a week of playing” again before the game.

Up next for the Raptors will be another back-to-back, against the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks, both at home, beginning Thursday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 1, 2022.

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Marchand says Maple Leafs are Bruins’ ‘biggest rival’ ahead of 1st-round series – NHL.com

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BOSTON – Forget Boston Bruins-Montreal Canadiens. 

For Brad Marchand, right now, it’s all about Bruins-Toronto Maple Leafs. 

“You see the excitement they have all throughout Canada when they’re in playoffs,” Marchand said Thursday. “Makes it a lot of fun to play them. And I think, just with the history we’ve had with them recently, they’re probably our biggest rival right now over the last decade. 

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“They’ve probably surpassed Montreal and any other team with kind of where our rivalry’s gone, just because we’ve both been so competitive with each other, and we’ve had a few playoff series. It definitely brings the emotion, the intensity, up in the games and the excitement for the fans. 

“It’s a lot of fun to play them.”

The Bruins and Maple Leafs will renew their rivalry in their first round series, which starts Saturday at TD Garden (8 p.m. ET; TBS, truTV, MAX, SN, CBC, TVAS). They’ll be familiar opponents. 

Over the past 11 seasons, the Bruins have faced the Maple Leafs four times in the postseason, starting with the epic 2013 matchup in the first round. That resulted in an all-time instant classic, the Game 7 in which the Bruins were down 4-1 in the third period and came roaring back for an overtime win that helped propel them to the Stanely Cup Final. 

That would prove to be the model and, in the intervening years, the Bruins have beaten them in each of the three subsequent series, including going to a Game 7 in the Eastern Conference First Round in 2018 and 2019. 

Which could easily be where this series is going. 

“Offensively they’re a gifted hockey club,” Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said Thursday. “They present a lot of challenges down around the netfront area. We’re going to have to be really sharp there. We’re a pretty good team defensively when we stick to what our principles are. So I expect it to be a tight series overall.”

But if anyone knows the Maple Leafs — and what to expect — it’s Marchand. In his career, he’s played 146 games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, 11th most of any active player. Twenty-one of those games have come against the Maple Leafs, games in which Marchand has 21 points (seven goals, 14 assists).

“They’re always extremely competitive,” Marchand said. “You never know which way the series is going to go. But that’s what you want. That’s what you love about hockey is the competition aspect. They’re real competitors over there, especially the way they’re built right now. So it’s going to be a lot of fun, and that’s what playoffs is about. It’s about the best teams going head-to-head.”

But even though the history favors the Bruins — including having won each of the past six playoff matchups, dating back to the NHL’s expansion era in 1967-68 and each of the four regular-season games in 2023-24 — Marchand is throwing that out the window.

“That means nothing,” he said. 

The Maple Leafs bring the No. 2 offense in the NHL into their series, having scored 3.63 goals per game. They were led by Auston Matthews and his 69 goals this season, a new record for him and for the franchise. 

“You have to be hard on a guy like that and limit his time and space with the puck,” forward Charlie Coyle said. “He’s really good at getting in position to receive the puck and he’s got linemates who can put it right on his tape for him. You’ve just got to know where he is, especially in our D zone. He likes to loop away after cycling it and kind of find that sweet spot coming down Broadway there in the middle. It’s not just a one-person job.”

Nor is Matthews their only threat. 

“They have a lot of great players, skill players, who play hard and can be very dangerous around the net and create scoring opportunities,” forward Charlie Coyle said. “You’ve just got to be aware of who’s out there and who you’re against, who you’re matched up against, and play hard. Also, too, we’ve got to focus on our game and what we do well and when we do that, we trust each other and have that belief in each other, we’re a pretty good hockey team.”

Especially against the Maple Leafs. 

Marchand, who grew up in Halifax loving the Maple Leafs, still gets a thrill to see their alumni walking around Scotiabank Arena in the playoffs. And it’s even more special to be on the ice with them, to be competing against them — even more so when the Bruins keep winning. 

But that certainly doesn’t mean this series will be easy. 

“They’ll be a [heck] of a challenge,” Marchand said.

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NHL sets Round 1 schedule for 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs – Daily Faceoff

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The chase for Lord Stanley’s silver chalice will begin on Saturday.

After what could be described as the most exciting season in NHL history that saw heartbreaks and last-ditch efforts to clinch playoff spots, players and staff now get ready as 16 teams go to battle.

We saw the Vancouver Canucks have a massive year and finish first in the Pacific Division with captain Quinn Hughes leading all defensemen in points. The Winnipeg Jets set a franchise record for most points. The Nashville Predators went on a franchise-record winning streak in order to lock themselves into a Wild Card spot, and the Washington Capitals clinched the last Wild Card spot in the East after a wild finish that saw the Detroit Red Wings and Philadelphia Flyers see their playoff hopes crumble in front of them.

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While Auston Matthews missed out on scoring 70 goals, Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid and Tampa Bay Lightning standout Nikita Kucherov became the first players since 1990-91 to record 100 assists in a single season. They joined Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux and Bobby Orr as the only players to do so.

With the bracket set, it’s time to expect the unexpected. 

Here is the schedule for Round 1 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs:

Eastern Conference

#A1 Florida Panthers vs. #WC1 Tampa Bay Lightning

Date Game Time
Sunday, April 21 1. Tampa at Florida 12:30 p.m. ET
Tuesday, April 23 2. Tampa at Florida 7:30 p.m. ET
Thursday, April 25 3. Florida at Tampa 7 p.m. ET
Saturday, April 27 4. Florida at Tampa 5 p.m. ET
Monday, April 29 5. Tampa at Florida TBD
Wednesday, May 1 6. Florida at Tampa TBD
Saturday, May 4 7. Tampa at Florida TBD

#A2 Boston Bruins vs. #A3 Toronto Maple Leafs

Date Game Time
Saturday, April 20 1. Toronto at Boston 8 p.m. ET
Monday, April 22 2. Toronto at Boston 7 p.m. ET
Wednesday, April 24 3. Boston at Toronto 7 p.m. ET
Saturday, April 27 4. Boston at Toronto 8 p.m. ET
Tuesday, April 30 5. Toronto at Boston TBD
Thursday, May 2 6. Boston at Toronto TBD
Saturday, May 4 7. Toronto at Boston TBD

#M1 New York Rangers vs. #WC2 Washington Capitals

Date Game Time
Sunday, April 21 1. Washington at New York 3 p.m. ET
Tuesday, April 23 2. Washington at New York 7 p.m. ET
Friday, April 26 2. New York at Washington 7 p.m. ET
Sunday, April 28 2. New York at Washington 8 p.m. ET
Wednesday, May 1 2. Washington at New York TBD
Friday, May 3 2. New York at Washington TBD
Sunday, May 5 2. Washington at New York TBD

#M2 Carolina Hurricanes vs. #M3 New York Islanders

Date Game Time
Saturday, April 20 1. New York at Carolina 5 p.m. ET
Monday, April 22 2. New York at Carolina 7:30 p.m. ET
Thursday, April 25 3. Carolina at New York 7:30 p.m. ET
Saturday, April 27 4. Carolina at New York 2 p.m. ET
Tuesday, April 30 5. New York at Carolina TBD
Thursday, May 2 6. Carolina at New York TBD
Saturday, May 4 7. New York at Carolina TBD

Western Conference

#C1 Dallas Stars  vs. #WC2 Vegas Golden Knights

Date Game Time
Monday, April 22 1. Vegas at Dallas 9:30 p.m. ET
Wednesday, April 24 2. Vegas at Dallas 9:30 p.m. ET
Saturday, April 27 3. Dallas at Vegas 10:30 p.m. ET
Monday, April 29 4. Dallas at Vegas TBD
Wednesday, May 1 5. Vegas at Dallas TBD
Friday, May 3 6. Dallas at Vegas TBD
Sunday, May 5 7. Vegas at Dallas TBD

#C2 Winnipeg Jets vs. #C3 Colorado Avalanche

Date Game Time
Sunday, April 21 1. Colorado at Winnipeg 7 p.m. ET
Tuesday, April 23 2. Colorado at Winnipeg 9:30 p.m. ET
Friday, April 26 3. Winnipeg at Colorado 10 p.m. ET
Sunday, April 28 4. Winnipeg at Colorado 2:30 p.m. ET
Tuesday, April 30 5. Colorado at Winnipeg TBD
Thursday, May 2 6. Winnipeg at Colorado TBD
Saturday, May 4 7. Colorado at Winnipeg TBD

#P1 Vancouver Canucks vs. #WC1 Nashville Predators

Date Game Time
Sunday, April 21 1. Nashville at Vancouver 10 p.m. ET
Tuesday, April 23 2. Nashville at Vancouver 10 p.m. ET
Friday, April 26 3. Vancouver at Nashville 7:30 p.m. ET
Sunday, April 28 4. Vancouver at Nashville 5 p.m. ET
Tuesday, April 30 5. Nashville at Vancouver TBD
Friday, May 3 6. Vancouver at Nashville TBD
Sunday, May 5 7. Nashville at Vancouver TBD

#P2 Edmonton Oilers vs. #P3 Los Angeles Kings

Date Game Time
Monday, April 22 1. Los Angeles at Edmonton 10 p.m. ET
Wednesday, April 24 2. Los Angeles at Edmonton 10 p.m. ET
Friday, April 26 3. Edmonton at Los Angeles 10:30 p.m. ET
Sunday, April 28 4. Edmonton at Los Angeles 10:30 p.m. ET
Wednesday, May 1 5. Los Angeles at Edmonton TBD
Friday, May 3 6. Edmonton at Los Angeles TBD
Sunday, May 5 7. Los Angeles at Edmonton TBD

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With matchup vs. Kings decided, Oilers should be confident facing familiar foe – Sportsnet.ca

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