By late Sunday night
Zach Zenner Jersey , either the expansion Vegas Golden Knights will be headed to the Western Conference final or the San Jose Sharks will have forced a winner-take-all matchup.
That is what’s on the line for both teams heading into Game 6 of their second-round series in San Jose, Calif.
Vegas took a 3-2 series lead after holding on for a 5-3 home victory Friday. Alex Tuch scored twice for the Golden Knights, who gave up three goals in a 6:09 span of the third period to make it interesting before Jonathan Marchessault’s empty-netter.
Sharks forward Tomas Hertl said to keep the bags packed.
“It’s not over yet,” he told reporters. “We’ve got a home game now. We have to take it and start right away, and I believe we’ll come back (to Las Vegas) for Game 7.”
He may be on to something. The Sharks have been nearly unbeatable at home during the 2018 playoffs, posting a 3-1 record and outscoring their opponents 17-6. In Game 4 on Wednesday in northern California, Martin Jones made 34 saves for his sixth career playoff shutout in San Jose’s 4-0 win.
Golden Knights coach Gerard Gallant told the team’s official website Saturday that he wouldn’t need to offer any encouragement or words of wisdom about this game.
“Our guys know that (San Jose is) going to come in and battle hard,” Gallant said. “They’re going to compete hard. That’s the way the game is going to be and that’s the way this series has gone.”
While the Sharks have plenty of playoff-tested veterans in Joe Pavelski, Brent Burns and Logan Couture (three assists in Game 5), Hertl joins that group. He scored during Friday’s third-period flurry, and leads San Jose with six goals this postseason — including four at home.
“He goes out and plays a man’s game at an important time of the year
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Vegas is a first-year team, but its roster is dotted with plenty of playoff experience, especially with Marc-Andre Fleury in net. He has surrendered 17 goals and collected three shutouts to lift the Golden Knights to a 7-2 postseason record.
Fleury said he doesn’t think the team is looking ahead to what might happen because that’s not how they approached difficult situations during the season.
“I think we’ve had this mentality all year long. It’s all about the next game and it’s where our focus has to be,” said Fleury, who needs one win to become the 10th goaltender in NHL history with 70 playoff victories.
Vegas is 3-1 away from Sin City during the postseason but has been outscored 9-8. Seven players have goals for the Golden Knights, but only William Karlsson has more than one. Despite logging more than 39 minutes and 10 shots combined in Games 4 and 5, Karlsson failed to register a point.
He set career bests with 43 goals and 35 assists in the regular season.
In what might be the final game of the season, DeBoer said he expects the Sharks to start well and keep up that intensity throughout.
“If you are going to be eliminated or not, you don’t want to do it leaving your best game in the bag, so to speak
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Vegas defenseman Luca Sbisa doesn’t want to see a seventh game.
“When you have a chance to close out a series — you want to do it as quickly as you can. You don’t want to give them any chance or any life,” he said Saturday.
Game 7, if necessary, is scheduled for Tuesday night in Las Vegas.
The Latest on NBA Free Agency (all times EDT):
2:40 a.m.
Portland has announced the signing of Jusuf Nurkic, who agreed earlier Friday to a four-year deal worth $48 million.
Trail Blazers president of basketball operations Neil Olshey said Nurkic ”is an integral part of the core of this roster.”
”He has been an impactful addition since joining our team and we are excited about the prospect of this long-term commitment leading to continued individual and team success,” Olshey said.
The 23-year-old Nurkic led the Trail Blazers with 27 double-doubles last season.
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11:30 p.m.
Jusuf Nurkic is staying with the Portland Trail Blazers.
Nurkic has agreed to a four-year deal to remain with the club, a person with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press on Friday night. The person did not disclose the financial terms, with ESPN reporting it was a contract worth $48 million.
Keeping Nurkic was a clear priority for the Blazers this summer.
He’s averaged 14.5 points in 99 games since joining Portland and becoming the team’s starting center.
– Reporting by AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds in Las Vegas.
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10 p.m.
Kyle Anderson has signed a $37 million, four-year offer sheet from the Memphis Grizzlies.
Anderson agreed to the terms Friday, according to a person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither the Grizzlies nor the San Antonio Spurs publicly confirmed the deal.
The Spurs have 48 hours to decide whether to keep Anderson, who averaged 7.9 points for them last season in his first year as a full-time starting forward.
– Reporting by AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds in Las Vegas.
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8:50 p.m.
Zach LaVine has signed a four-year
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A person with direct knowledge of the deal confirmed the terms to The Associated Press on Friday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because neither the Kings nor the Chicago Bulls announced the deal involving the 6-foot-5 guard who’s going into his fifth NBA season.
The Bulls have 48 hours to decide whether to match the offer on the restricted free agent.
LaVine has missed 91 of a possible 162 games over the last two seasons. He appeared in only 24 contests for the Bulls last season, averaging 16.7 points on 38 percent shooting.
– Reporting by AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds in Las Vegas.
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8:20 p.m.
DeAndre Jordan followed through on a commitment to sign with the Dallas Mavericks in free agency three years after backing out on the same pledge.
Jordan signed a one-year contract Friday, the first day players could make their decisions in free agency official. It’s expected to be worth around the $24.1 million Jordan was set to get before opting out of his contract with the Los Angeles Clippers.
In 2015, Jordan agreed to sign with the Mavericks before changing his mind thanks in part to the urging of former teammates and All-Stars Chris Paul and Blake Griffin. The Houston native stayed with the Clippers and was going into the final year of that four-year contract before opting out. He spent his first 10 seasons with LA.
Jordan, who turns 30 this month, gives the Mavericks a rebounding and defensive presence they’ve mostly lacked since winning their only title in 2011. Dallas hasn’t won a playoff series since then.
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3:50 p.m.
Tony Parker’s time in San Antonio is over, after 17 seasons and four NBA championships.
A person with knowledge of the negotiations says Parker has agreed to sign a two-year, $10 million deal with the Charlotte Hornets. The person spoke to AP on condition of anonymity Friday because the deal has not been signed.
Parker lost his starting role with the Spurs last season. The move to Charlotte reunites him with former Spurs assistant James Borrego, who became the head coach in Charlotte earlier this offseason.
Parker averaged career-lows of 7.7 points and 19.5 minutes last season. The six-time All-Star is the No. 4 all-time scorer in Spurs history and the franchise’s career assists leader.
He was part of 137 playoff wins with Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, the second most by any coach and player in NBA history. Popovich and Spurs legend Tim Duncan combined for 157 playoff wins. Parker has also appeared in 17 consecutive postseasons; only Karl Malone and John Stockton’s run of 19 straight playoff trips are longer.
– Reporting by AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds in Las Vegas.
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3:15 p.m.
Carmelo Anthony has played his last game for the Oklahoma City Thunder, barring a massive change of plans.
A person with knowledge of the negotiations said Friday that Anthony and the Thunder have mutually decided that he will not be on the team next season
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ESPN first reported the decision by Anthony and the Thunder. The person who spoke to AP says Anthony would prefer to sign with a contender if he becomes a free agent.
Anthony is due to make $28 million this season, his last in a five-year, $125 million contract he signed with New York before getting moved to Oklahoma City. He has said he will not accept a reserve role, and by parting with him – somehow – the Thunder could save more than $90 million in luxury tax payments.
Anthony averaged 16.2 points on 40 percent shooting last season, both of thos
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