Phoenix goaltender Mike Smith produced another dominant performance to lead the Coyotes into the Western Conference Finals with a 2-1 home win over the Nashville Predators on Monday.
Smith has been the driving force behind Phoenix’s post-season run and he was at his best again on Monday with 32 saves as the Coyotes claimed the best-of-seven second-round series 4-1.
Phoenix, who had their first playoff series win in the opening round against Chicago, will now face fellow outsiders the Los Angeles Kings, who were the West’s eighth and final seeds.
Photo: Reuters
“It has been a heck of a ride,” said Smith, who shut out Nashville in Game 4. “You don’t make the playoffs every season and you certainly don’t make the conference finals every year, so it has been a heck of a ride.”
Derek Morris and Martin Hanzal gave the home team a 2-0 second-period lead over the Predators, who welcomed forwards Alexander Radulov and Sergei Kostitsyn back after they missed two games for disciplinary reasons.
Nashville’s Colin Wilson cut the deficit to 2-1 with a tip-in with six minutes remaining, but Nashville could not find another way to beat Smith.
“We made it interesting in the end, but when you have Mike Smith in there you feel somewhat comfortable by the end,” Phoenix’s Ray Whitney said. “We’ve had contributions from key people at key times, that’s what you’re going to need.”
Coyotes defenseman Rostislav Klesla served his one-game suspension for boarding Matt Halischuk in Game 4 and he will be available for the start of the West finals against the Kings, who stunned top seeds Vancouver and second seeds St Louis in the first two rounds.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
Rafael Nadal on Tuesday lost in straight sets to 31st-ranked Jiri Lehecka in the fourth round at the Madrid Open, while Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei advanced to the semi-finals in the women’s doubles. Nadal said that he was feeling good about his progress following his latest injury layoff. Nadal called it a “positive week” in every way and said his body held up well. “I was able to play four matches, a couple of tough matches,” Nadal said. “So very positive, winning three matches, playing four matches at the high level of tennis. I enjoyed a lot playing at home. I leave here with
When 42-1 underdog James ‘Buster’ Douglas shocked ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson 34 years ago at the Tokyo Dome, the result reverberated worldwide. Spectators at the 45,000-plus seater venue witnessed one of boxing’s biggest upsets as unbeaten heavyweight champion Tyson was knocked out in the 10th round by the unheralded Douglas in February 1990. Boxing returns to the famous venue on Monday for the first time since that unforgettable encounter when Japan’s undisputed super-bantamweight world champion Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue puts his belts on the line against Mexican Luis Nery. The 31-year-old Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) is a huge star in Japan and is just
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at