SPORTS - Ex-Ga Tech coach Hewitt takes job at George Mason (AP)

SPORTS - Ex-Ga Tech coach Hewitt takes job at George Mason (AP)

AP – Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8), of Russia, battles for the puck against Tampa Bay Lightning …

By HOWARD FENDRICH, AP Sports Writer Howard Fendrich, Ap Sports Writer – Sat Apr 30, 5:41 pm ET

WASHINGTON – Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau is hoping his top-seeded team will be more patient in Game 2 against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

After dropping the opener of its Eastern Conference semifinal at home 4-2, Washington hosts Tampa Bay again Sunday. Boudreau says the Capitals made a mistake in Game 1 by abandoning the more defensive stance they adopted this season and reverting to their more go-go, think-about-scoring style of the past.

He says that instead of "realizing we can win games 2-1, we tried to win it 5-1." Washington led Game 1 by a goal before Tampa Bay scored three in a row.

Lightning coach Guy Boucher says he expects the Capitals to be "outstanding" Sunday.

___

AP freelance writer Rich Dubroff contributed to this report.

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SPORTS - NFL draft concludes as labor dispute rolls on (AP)

SPORTS - NFL draft concludes as labor dispute rolls on (AP)

AP – Fans look on during the fourth round of the NFL football draft by the at Radio City Music Hall Saturday, …

By RICHARD ROSENBLATT, AP Sports Writer Richard Rosenblatt, Ap Sports Writer – Sat Apr 30, 7:38 pm ET

NEW YORK – One fourth-round draft pick won't be ready to run until August. Another wasn't ready to talk to his new team because he was in the middle of his graduation ceremony.

Those were the least of the complications Saturday at the NFL draft, which completed its three-day run at Radio City Music Hall against a backdrop of a restored lockout. Right now, no one is sure when clubs will be ready to let any players walk back in to team headquarters.

"With the lockout, there's so much uncertainty," said tight end Kyle Rudolph, a second-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings. "I'm just focused on getting myself in the best shape as possible and being ready whenever we are allowed to" show up.

A total of 254 players were selected over seven rounds. But only a few lucky first-rounders were able to pick up playbooks Friday during a brief time when the lockout was lifted.

The Carolina Panthers opened the fourth round by selecting West Virginia cornerback Brandon Hogan. The 5-foot-10, 192-pounder not only has off-field issues, but he's recovering from ligament surgery on his left knee. Hogan won't be able to begin running full speed until August.

"My knee is ahead of schedule," he insisted. "It's getting stronger and getting used to doing things."

The Panthers, who chose quarterback Cam Newton with the No. 1 overall pick to open the draft Thursday night and added a pair of defensive tackles Friday, are hoping Hogan recovers and stays out of trouble to bolster a secondary in need of depth.

The Seattle Seahawks went next and picked Mississippi State linebacker K.J. Wright. General manager John Schneider gave Wright a call in Starkville and was puzzled why the player had so little to say. Well, it turns out Wright was just about to receive his diploma at his graduation ceremony.

"As soon as I got off the phone, two minutes later I had to go up there and walk across the stage," Wright said.

Day 3 of the draft was the first full day that players were locked out again after a brief respite Friday. That night, however, an appeals court decision allowed the league to reinstate the lockout that had been lifted earlier in the week.

But the draft carried on because it is protected under the old collective bargaining agreement, which expired March 11.

Dan Lauria, who stars as Green Bay coach Vince Lombardi in the Broadway show "Lombardi," ended the sixth round by making the Packers' pick — Arizona linebacker Ricky Elmore.

The draft concluded with the Houston Texans picking Rice linebacker Cheta Ozougwu. As the final pick, he will be honored as "Mr. Irrelevant," a weeklong celebration in Newport Beach, Calif., that began in 1976.

The Arizona Cardinals, trying to improve their pass rush, selected Texas linebacker Sam Acho in the fourth round. The 6-1, 257-pounder in December won the Campbell Trophy and a $25,000 scholarship given by the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame as the nation's top scholar athlete.

Acho's parents emigrated from Nigeria, and each summer he returns to the country with his father and brother on a medical mission.

Another Matthews joined the NFL when Oregon linebacker Casey Matthews was picked by the Philadelphia Eagles with the 19th pick in the fourth round. He's the brother of Packers All-Pro linebacker Clay Matthews. The Eagles are well aware of Clay Matthews — they had a hard time handling him last year.

"Clay had some success against them," Casey Matthews said. "At the conclusion of my visit when I was out there, Coach (Andy) Reid said, 'Tell your brother we're going to get him next year with you on the team.' And I told Clay that. I don't think they have the Packers on the schedule, but hopefully we get them in the playoffs."

Minutes later, the Eagles made Nebraska All-American Alex Henery the first kicker taken with the 23rd pick of the fourth round. Henery hit 18-of-19 field goal attempts (10-of-11 from 40 yards or longer) and all 54 extra points last season. He also punts.

Eagles longtime kicker David Akers is a free agent, but the team has placed a transition tag on him and would have a chance to retain him.

The Cleveland Browns, with a pick from Atlanta, chose Stanford fullback Owen Marecic, a two-way player who also played linebacker. He won the inaugural Paul Hornung Award as the nation's most versatile player.

The 6-0, 246-pound Marecic ran for five touchdowns and had two interceptions last season. In a 13-second span against Notre Dame in 2010, he scored on a 1-yard TD plunge and returned an interception 20 yards for a score.

The Browns plan to use him on offense, but special teams might work, too.

"Hopefully I can find big ways to contribute on special teams, which is a little bit of defense in itself," Marecic said.

The Washington Redskins were wheeling and dealing again Saturday after collecting 10 picks for rounds 4-7 by the end of Friday night. They made a five-pick swap with the Texans and took Nebraska running back Roy Helu Jr. early in the fourth round.

Redskins coach Mike Shanahan has a knack for finding productive running backs. Maybe he's got another in Helu, who ran for 1,245 yards last season.

"History is proof for itself, all the running backs and the offensive lineman that have worked under him and the success that they've had," Helu said.

Three quarterbacks were taken in the fifth round — the Kansas City Chiefs went for Iowa's Ricky Stanzi, the Texans took North Carolina's T.J. Yates and the Chicago Bears picked Idaho's Nathan Enderle.

The Baltimore Ravens went for Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor in the sixth round. He had a 34-8 record as a starter and last season was voted ACC player of the year after throwing for 2,743 yards and 24 touchdowns with five interceptions.

The 12th and last quarterback picked in the draft was Alabama's Greg McElroy, taken by the New York Jets in the seventh round — No. 208 overall.

One notable player who went undrafted was Boston College linebacker Mark Herzlich, who was diagnosed with cancer after being chosen ACC player of the year in 2008. He missed the 2009 season, was declared cancer free and played last season.

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SPORTS - Kyle Busch denies Hamlin weekend sweep at Richmond (AP)

SPORTS - Kyle Busch denies Hamlin weekend sweep at Richmond (AP)

AP – Denny Hamlin (11) and Kyle Bush (18) are side by side in turn two during the NASCAR Sprint Cup auto race …

By JENNA FRYER, AP Auto Racing Writer Jenna Fryer, Ap Auto Racing Writer – 1 hr 17 mins ago

RICHMOND, Va. – If there's one thing Denny Hamlin could change, he maybe wouldn't have been so forthcoming about Richmond International Racing in all those Joe Gibbs Racing team meetings.

But holding out information about his home track would make Hamlin a bad teammate, so he shared everything he knew.

Then Kyle Busch used those tips to beat his teammate Saturday night at Richmond, denying Hamlin a weekend sweep at his home track.

"I learned from Denny last fall, and I'm not going to say what I learned," Busch said after stretching his final tank of gas 107 laps to pick up his second win of the Sprint Cup season.

It was Busch's third consecutive win in Richmond's spring race. Hamlin has won the last two fall races, and the last non-JGR driver to win at Richmond was Jimmie Johnson in September, 2008.

So it was no surprise to see Busch and Hamlin finish first and second for a JGR sweep Saturday night. Hamlin just wished it had been him out front.

"It's tough when you share notebooks. You know those guys got exactly what you got," Hamlin said. "Just got beat by my teammate. He drove a great race. I thought he would burn his stuff up. Our cars were dead equal."

Hamlin, in an early season slump, really needed the strong finish to snap the funk that's had many wondering if last year's championship runner-up will challenge for the title again. He got off to a great start by winning his charity race Thursday night at RIR, and followed it with a victory in Friday night's Nationwide Series race.

And while he sat back in the closing laps, waiting to pounce should Busch's tank run dry, he never regretted giving Busch the information that ultimately beat Hamlin.

"If I don't tell him the things I know on short tracks, the crew chiefs don't relay information, it's not a good team," he said. "Yeah, it might cost me a race here or there because he out runs me. In the grand scheme of things, it makes me an overall better driver."

Kasey Kahne, fresh off surgery to repair a torn ligament in his knee, finished a season-best third to give Toyota the top three spots.

"We weren't quite good enough as the Gibbs cars, they were really good tonight," Kahne said. "But it's still a good run. The guys did a good job and it's nice to get a top-five."

The leaders seemed to have an easy go of it, with most of the fireworks coming far behind them in the field.

Roush Fenway Racing drivers David Ragan and Carl Edwards finished fourth and fifth in Fords, while Clint Bowyer was sixth in a Chevrolet. AJ Allmendinger was seventh and was followed by Johnson, Tony Stewart and Brian Vickers.

But Stewart, despite his top-10 finish, was less than pleased with the performance.

"We have a lot of work to do," he said. "We (stink) right now. I am embarrassed about how bad our stuff is."

That was par for the course Saturday night.

Ryan Newman and Juan Pablo Montoya were involved in two different on-track incidents. The first caused Montoya, the pole-sitter, to brush the wall. His stop to repair the damage dropped him three laps off the pace. He later ran into the back of Newman when Newman was running eighth, and Newman vowed his payback would come after the race.

There was no confrontation, though. Montoya hopped on a waiting golf cart and headed out of the track, while Newman walked to the NASCAR hauler to complain about Montoya's driving. What kind of action did he want from NASCAR?

"Just fair, I guess. I don't know that you can have that," he said. "To retaliate the way he did just didn't show much class."

There's been some history between the two, including contact that led to a fiery crash for Montoya in his 2006 Cup debut at Homestead. Newman got a dig in when asked if he thought Montoya's still mad about that accident.

"Yeah, I don't know if he could even remember back that far," he said.

Meanwhile, Kurt Busch completely lost his composure on his team radio several times during the race. Frustrated by an ill-handling car, he was pushed over the edge when he ran into Newman seconds after contact between Newman and Montoya brought out the caution.

And Martin Truex Jr., in position for a top-five finish, threatened over his team radio to fire his entire crew when he was penalized twice on his final pit stop.

All that action made the actual finish fairly uneventful, and both Hamlin and Kahne shared a knowing smirk during the post-race news conference about all the in-race excitement.

"I watch the screen ... every time Montoya has damage, you see who did it, they usually end up getting wrecked," Hamlin said. "You usually know that's coming."

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SPORTS - Ethier makes it 26 straight games with a hit (AP)

SPORTS - Ethier makes it 26 straight games with a hit (AP)

AP – San Diego Padres' Chase Headley, right, scores on a single by Cameron Maybin as Los Angeles Dodgers catcher …

– 35 mins ago

LOS ANGELES – Will Venable scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch by reliever Matt Guerrier with two outs in the eighth inning, and the San Diego Padres got two other runs on dropped throws at home plate to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-2 Saturday night.

Andre Ethier extended his hitting streak to 26 games, a record for the month of April. He had two singles for the Dodgers.

Heath Bell got three outs for his sixth save. He has converted 40 straight chances, one shy of Trevor Hoffman's franchise record.

Padres right-hander Tim Stauffer took a three-hitter and a 2-1 lead into the seventh. He was lifted after giving up a two-out double by Rod Barajas and hitting Jamey Carroll with a pitch. Tony Gwynn Jr. pinch-hit for Dodgers starter Hiroki Kuroda and greeted Luke Gregerson (1-1) with a tying single.

The Padres responded with three runs in the eighth. They loaded the bases with one out against Guerrier (2-2) on a pair of singles, a sacrifice and an intentional walk to Chase Headley. Nick Hundley popped up, but Guerrier's second pitch to Orlando Hudson was inside and went to the backstop, allowing Venable to score the go-ahead run.

Hudson was then intentionally walked, and Cameron Maybin followed with a two-run single. Rookie left fielder Jerry Sands tried to prevent the second run from scoring on the play and made a perfect throw to the plate, but backup catcher Dioner Navarro dropped the ball for an error.

Ethier's streak is the longest by a Dodgers player since Willie Davis' franchise-record 31-game stretch in 1969. Ethier extended his string with one out in the fourth with an opposite-field single, and scored the game's first run on James Loney's bases-loaded sacrifice fly.

Ethier made a diving grab of a sinking liner by Stauffer in right field and nearly cut down a runner at the plate for what would have been an inning-ending double play in the fifth with no one scoring. But Maybin jarred the ball loose from Barajas after the catcher stuck out his left leg block the runner off.

Venable followed Stauffer's sacrifice fly with a single, Jason Bartlett walked and Ryan Ludwick drove in the go-ahead run with an opposite-field single to right. Ethier threw out Bartlett as he tried to advance two bases on the hit.

San Diego first baseman Brad Hawpe, who came in 7 for 16 lifetime against Kuroda and with an overall .351 lifetime against the Dodgers, was 1 for 4. He has a .149 average with no homers and just two RBIs in 67 at-bats with the Padres after signing a one-year, $3 million contract in January as a free agent.

NOTES: Ethier's two hits gave him 40 for the month, tying the club record for April shared by Mike Piazza (1996) and Rafael Furcal (2008). Ethier also had a hit in the season opener on March 31. ... The Padres scored three runs in an inning for the first time since getting four in the eighth at Houston on April 17.

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SPORTS - Manager hails Reds' pride ahead of Newcastle Premiership visit (AFP)

SPORTS - Manager hails Reds' pride ahead of Newcastle Premiership visit (AFP)

AFP/File – Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish (pictured) awaits Sunday's encounter with Newcastle United buoyed …

by Chris Brereton Chris Brereton – 36 mins ago

LIVERPOOL, England (AFP) – Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish awaits Sunday's encounter with Newcastle United buoyed by the strength in depth he feels he has at Anfield.

Liverpool have taken 27 points from their last 14 league games, and are behind only Manchester United and Chelsea in the Premier League form table.

That has been achieved without the likes of regular first teamers Steven Gerrard, Daniel Agger, Martin Kelly, Glen Johnson and record signing Andy Carroll - signed from Newcastle for £35m in January.

The highlight of Liverpool's form was the 5-0 thrashing of Birmingham City last weekend, helped by a Maxi Rodriguez hat-trick, and Dalglish believes Liverpool's squad is improving by the week.

"I think (winning 5-0) is an indication of how far the players have come," he said.

"It is they who get the results on the pitch, and they did fantastically well against Birmingham.

"It is very pleasant to see the boys come in, and it was great that Maxi got three and Joe (Cole) got one.

"It is good to see they have kept themselves as close to match condition as they can with the way they have trained, and when they get their opportunity to play, they can play very well.

"They are playing for Liverpool, that is the biggest thing. The fact that they take pride in their own performance shows they take huge pride in the club. I think that was reflected in the performance on Saturday."

Carroll is nursing a knee problem and may not be fit to face his former club but if he does feature, Dalglish has backed him to be able to handle any abuse thrown at him because of his contentious move on the last day of the transfer window.

"I think the boy is expecting something," Dalglish said.

"The fans will do whatever they want. It will not take away from what he has done for their club and it won't take away what the club meant to Andy.

"It is a compliment, really, in a strange way, if you do get the abuse because it means you must have been important to them."

Newcastle have not won in the league at Anfield for 17 years, but Peter Lovenkrands is confident Alan Pardew's side can celebrate having all but secured Premier League safety by springing a surprise at a ground where they have failed to score in over seven hours' football spanning six-and-a-half years.

The Danish forward found the net in last week's hard-fought 1-1 draw at Blackpool that took Pardew's side to 41 points, seven above the relegation zone ahead of this weekend's games.

"Hopefully, we can go there and surprise a few people by getting a point or three," Lovenkrands said.

"Liverpool have a lot to play for, so they're going to be up for it, we know that, but as a team we don't want to slacken off. We're up for any game."

Newcastle have confounded many critics who tipped them to go straight back down after last season's Championship title success, although Lovenkrands won't be in full celebratory mode until the North-East club are mathematically safe.

With four games remaining to seal a top-half finish, the 31-year-old added: "Something will have to go fantastically wrong for us not to stay up, and if we could get in to the top 10 having come up from the Championship we could be proud of that.

"We've done really well to keep away from the relegation scrap."

Newcastle's Liverpool-born skipper and 12-goal top scorer Kevin Nolan, who is set to sign a new three-year contract extension, faces a fitness test on a calf muscle problem.

Manager Alan Pardew revealed: "We've had to protect him this week because he's desperate to play."

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SPORTS - Return of lockout punctuates wild week in NFL (AP)

SPORTS - Return of lockout punctuates wild week in NFL (AP)

AP – Seattle Seahawks defensive back Roy Lewis smiles as he stops to chat with media members while driving …

By BARRY WILNER, AP Pro Football Writer Barry Wilner, Ap Pro Football Writer – Sat Apr 30, 10:29 pm ET

NEW YORK – From lockout to injunction to limbo and back to lockout — with a draft thrown in. Not even Super Bowl week gets that wild.

Backed by an appeals court ruling, owners shut their doors once more, with players across the league trying to figure out where they stand — again.

That includes veterans with contracts and free agents. It includes rookies drafted in the first round who took advantage of a small window Friday to meet with coaching staffs and get playbooks.

And it includes players being drafted Saturday in the fourth through seventh rounds, plus any collegians not selected at all. They can have no such communication with their teams.

NFL Players Association President Kevin Mawae calls the last few days "chaotic." And with a court hearing scheduled for Monday in St. Louis, the labor dispute could take a few more turns.

"This is hurting everybody," Mawae said. "The guys getting drafted who can't be part of their teams, the older guys who should be allowed to work out and get ready for playing football."

They were able to do so Friday until an appeals court issued a temporary stay of the injunction that blocked the lockout. The league ordered the 32 teams late Friday night to shut down all business except the draft.

"I didn't build that stadium not to have football in it," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said. "If I wanted to spend my life in courtrooms and controversy over contracts and doing all that thing ... I'd be doing something else."

The ruling came after 17 Broncos veterans showed up at work Friday. Quarterback Tim Tebow wasn't among them. The second-year pro who started the final month last season didn't get into Denver in time to join his teammates.

"When I landed, the lockout was back on," Tebow said.

That also meant the chain was back on the main gate at the Tennessee Titans' facility, a day after the entrance was thrown wide open for the 15 to 20 players who came by. Reporters arriving Saturday to cover the final day of the NFL draft had to enter through a side gate and drive through the players' lot.

The empty players' lot.

"When you get in court, basically where we are in the process, then you now have somebody else making the decisions for you in many cases," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said. "I think that in general, the things that we want to do are good and are good in the long-term interest of the players, as well as the fans, as well as NFL football."

There was little feeling of goodwill among the fans who showered Commissioner Roger Goodell with a steady stream of boos during the draft at Radio City Music Hall. They chanted "We want football" even before proceedings began Thursday night, to which Goodell responded, "So do I."

One day later, the lockout was back on. Puzzlement had replaced optimism.

"My advice hasn't changed," said Browns linebacker Scott Fujita, an NFLPA player representative. "When guys are deciding whether they want to return to Cleveland right away ... they just have to understand the need to be flexible."

He said some of the younger players, mostly those who may have spent only a few weeks on the practice squad, are having difficulty paying for medical coverage. Also, he added, because of the uncertainty teams can't expect such players to book expensive, last-minute flights.

"I imagine some players will want to wait for more clarity," he said. "Because it would be a shame for them to rush back, only to find out they'll be locked out for an extended period and essentially be in limbo again."

So what's next?

Monday becomes a critical day. U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson's order lifting the 45-day lockout last Monday was temporarily stayed by the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis on Friday. The lockout returned a few hours later as the third round of the draft concluded.

"We are in uncharted but fascinating legal territory," said agent/attorney Ralph Cindrich. "The owners' lockout is temporary now; it can become permanent after the same three judges do a detailed review. If the lockout is reinstated, it puts the players down on points big."

But Cindrich predicts the NFL will not get Nelson's injunction permanently blocked. If he is correct, teams will be opening for business again soon.

"I think everybody is frustrated — across the board," Lions linebackers coach Matt Burke said.

___

AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Stapleton in Denver, and Sports Writers Teresa M. Walker in Nashville, Tenn.; Tom Withers in Cleveland; Steven Wine in Miami; Stephen Hawkins in Dallas; Larry Lage in Detroit; Richard Rosenblatt and Rick Freeman in New York contributed to this story.

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SPORTS - Caps' Boudreau wants more patience vs. Lightning (AP)

SPORTS - Caps' Boudreau wants more patience vs. Lightning (AP)

AP – IndyCar driver Will Power, of Australia, gestures to fans after winning the pole position for the Brazilian …

By TALES AZZONI, Associated Press Tales Azzoni, Associated Press – Sat Apr 30, 5:59 pm ET

SAO PAULO – Will Power of Australia improved to four for four in IndyCar poles this season after earning the 200th for Team Penske at the Sao Paulo 300 on Saturday.

Power, winner of the inaugural Sao Paulo race last year, will start at the front in Sunday's race after clocking 1 minute, 21.896 seconds on the 2.5-mile, 11-turn Anhembi temporary street circuit.

"Very good day with qualifying," Power said. "I think it's important to start up front, there is less chance of getting taken out on the start and maybe the first couple of restarts."

American Ryan Hunter-Reay of Andretti Autosport was 0.402 behind and will start second. Hunter-Reay was runner-up to Power in last year's race in Brazil and in qualifying two weeks ago in Long Beach.

"Congratulations to Will," Hunter-Reay said. "Everybody else in the paddock is getting tired of it, but he is doing a great job."

Scott Dixon of New Zealand will start third after a lap of 1:22.362, and he will be followed by Ryan Briscoe, Graham Rahal and series leader Dario Franchitti, the pole winner in Brazil a year ago.

Power appears to have the dominant car again in Sao Paulo this year. He set the fastest time with about three minutes left in the final stage of qualifying. He had already been the fastest in practice.

"We were very comfortable putting our sectors together," Power said. "I gathered everything I had and put as much as I could into a lap."

Power won last year's race after starting fifth on the grid, his worst starting spot on a road or street course in 2010. He has won the pole 11 times in his last 13 road course starts.

His four consecutive poles are the most for a Penske driver to start the season. The pole was the 399th overall for Penske in all levels of racing.

The Anhembi track was significantly faster than last year's inaugural race after officials repaved the entire surface to eliminate bumps and removed some curbs that were slowing the cars in some turns. Franchitti had the pole position in 2010 with a time of 1:27.735, nearly six seconds slower than Power's time on Saturday.

"What a fantastic job they did of repaving the track," Power said. "I believe that now it has set the standard for street courses. This is the nicest street course I've driven on. I'm very impressed."

Other drivers agreed.

"We can really floor it now," said three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves, who will start seventh and the highest Brazilian driver on the grid.

"The track definitely improved a lot," said KV Racing driver Tony Kanaan, who will start 21st, losing six spots on the grid after changing his front wing during qualifying.

Simona de Silvestro of Switzerland surprised with the second fastest time in practice after a mechanical failure, but she failed to run past 13th in qualifying. She ran well and even led laps in Sao Paulo last year in the race that marked her debut in the series.

Danica Patrick again struggled in qualifying and will start 17th, her best starting position this season.

Venezuela's E.J. Viso will get off last because his car wasn't fixed in time for qualifying after he crashed in practice at the end of the back straight, which was the series' longest ever straight at just short of a mile.

Canadian James Hinchcliffe was the best rookie in qualifying and will start 11th.

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SPORTS - Bulls' Rose says he hasn't been informed he's MVP (AP)

SPORTS - Bulls' Rose says he hasn't been informed he's MVP (AP)

AFP – American David Zabriskie rides during the fourth stage of the Tour de Romandie between Aubonne and Signal-de-Bougy. …

– Sat Apr 30, 6:20 pm ET

SIGNAL-DE-BOUGY, Switzerland (AFP) – America's David Zabriskie, riding for the Garmin Cervelo team, won the fourth stage of the Tour de Romandie on Saturday, a 20.1km time-trial between Aubonne and Signal-de-Bougy.

Australia's Cadel Evans, who was eighth on the stage, took the yellow jersey.

Zabriskie finished the stage almost two seconds ahead of Australia's Richie Porte with Dutch rider Lieuwe Westra 14 seconds back off the lead.

"I had a good day on a course that suited me," said Evans. "Of the earlier starters, Zabriskie pipped Richie Porte for the stage. Great ride by both of them as they were well ahead of the rest of us."

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SPORTS - Zabriskie takes Tour de Romandie fourth stage (AFP)

SPORTS - Zabriskie takes Tour de Romandie fourth stage (AFP)

AFP – Fernando Verdasco of Spain returns a forehand to Milos Raonic of Canada during their semi-final match …

by Scott Williams Scott Williams – Sat Apr 30, 3:35 pm ET

ESTORIL, Portugal (AFP) – Second seed Fernando Verdasco defeated fellow marathon man Milos Raonic to reach the Estoril Open final Saturday after his exhausted opponent retired injured after dropping the first set of their semi-final.

The 27th-ranked Canadian breakthrough player was reportedly suffering with a back injury.

Raonic had lost the first set after 41 minutes -- saving a set point -- then walked to the umpire's chair to shake hands and retire 4-6.

Spain's Verdasco will Sunday face off against Argentine eighth seed Juan Martin del Potro, who beat good friend Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay 6-2, 7-6 (8/6).

The 46th-ranked Del Potro, who once stood inside the top five before wrist surgery ended his 2010 season more than a year ago, is aiming for his second title of the season.

Number 15 Verdasco and Raonic both had to play quarter-finals stretching over two days due to atrocious weather on the Portuguese coast near Lisbon. Storms moved in Friday after a week of brilliant sunshine.

Verdasco, fighting to return to the top 10, overcame South African seventh seed Kevin Anderson 6-7 (2/7), 6-2, 6-3 while Raonic completed a win over fourth-seeded Frenchman Gilles Simon, 7-6 (7/4), 4-6, 6-3 on Saturday.

Raonic beat Verdasco in two previous meetings this season, in the San Jose final - the first title for the Canadian - and a week later in the Memphis first round.

Raonic won with seven aces and five breaks of the Simon serve, taking two-and-a-half hours to go through in his first ATP season on clay.

"Stopping twice was hard for me," said Simon, "The only advantage I had in the match was my ability to go nonstop for three hours."

"Instead, we'd play an hour and then go off for rain. I may have lost but I'm confident in my tennis."

While Del Potro and Cuevas finished their quarter-finals on schedule on Friday, the weather caught them out in the semi-final with an interruption.

But Del Potro did not let the pause disturb as he lifted his 2011 record to 24-6 including a title on cement in February at Delray Beach, the eighth of his career.

Saturday's women's final at the Estadio Nacional was also interrupted by the rain.

However, Spain's Anabel Medina Garrigues came back out after the break to round off her victory against German Kristina Barrois 6-1, 6-2 in 75 minutes with six breaks of her 29-year-old opponent's serve.

"I played very aggressively and hit it high and deep, Kristina couldn't play her game," said the winner.

Medina Garrigues was playing her first WTA final of the year, but 16th of her career and first since 2009.

The Spaniard now holds nine clay titles, level with leader Venus Williams among active players in that category.

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SPORTS - Texans take Rice DE Ozougwu with draft's last pick (AP)

SPORTS - Texans take Rice DE Ozougwu with draft's last pick (AP)

AP – Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose brings the ball up against the Indiana Pacers during the third …

– Sat Apr 30, 3:27 pm ET

DEERFIELD – A heavy MVP favorite, Chicago Bulls star Derrick Rose insists the NBA has not informed him he is the winner.

He said "No, not yet" Saturday when asked if he had been told he won the award.

Rose's comment came a day after a congratulatory post on teammate C.J. Watson's Twitter account that caused a bit of a stir.

That message read: "Congrats to drose on winning the MVP he's played unbelievable this season!!! now just need tibs to win coach of the yr."

It would hardly be a surprise if Rose won the MVP, considering he averaged 25 points and 7.7 assists while leading Chicago to a league-best 62-20 record. Tom Thibodeau is also a favorite for coach of the year.

Rose made light of Watson's post, saying "C.J. knows a lot of people. A lot of famous people, too, so watch that guy."

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SPORTS - Padres win 5-2, Ethier extends hit streak to 26 (AP)

SPORTS - Padres win 5-2, Ethier extends hit streak to 26 (AP)

AP – FILE - In this March 10, 2011 file photo, Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt directs his team against Virginia …

– Sat Apr 30, 3:47 pm ET

FAIRFAX, Va. – After losing a Final Four coach to the Atlantic Coast Conference, George Mason got one in return.

The Patriots on Saturday hired former Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt to replace Jim Larranaga, who left this month for the University of Miami.

"Both are very good coaches," George Mason athletic director Tom O'Connor said. "We were glad to have Jim, and we're proud to have Paul."

Hewitt was fired by Georgia Tech last month. He took the Yellow Jackets to the Final Four in 2004, but that was the only season he had a winning record in ACC play. He went 190-162 over 11 years at the school and was 72-104 in the conference.

Georgia Tech went 13-18 this season and failed to sell out any games at its 9,100-seat arena.

Money was a major reason the Patriots lost Larranaga, who took George Mason to the Final Four in 2006 and is the winningest coach in school history. Hewitt, 47, is receiving a $7.2 million buyout over five years from Georgia Tech, which would seem to make him more affordable for a Colonial Athletic Association school like GMU.

"That was never a consideration we had," O'Connor said. "We felt like he was right person to have. He fit all the criteria we were looking for."

Hewitt arrived at Georgia Tech in 2000 after posting a 66-27 record in three seasons at Siena.

George Mason plans to introduce Hewitt at a news conference on Monday.

"Paul is an excellent teacher of basketball," O'Connor said. "He's a great communicator. He's done wonderful things in the community. We felt he was the total package."

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SPORTS - Bruins pound Flyers 7-3 in Game 1 of East semis (AP)

SPORTS - Bruins pound Flyers 7-3 in Game 1 of East semis (AP)

AP – Philadelphia Flyers' James van Riemsdyk (21) tumbles over Boston Bruins goalie Tim Thomas (30) during …

By DAN GELSTON, AP Sports Writer Dan Gelston, Ap Sports Writer – Sat Apr 30, 6:09 pm ET

PHILADELPHIA – David Krejci and Brad Marchand each scored two goals, and the Boston Bruins took out their frustration from one of the great collapses in postseason history with a 7-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

The Bruins chased goalie Brian Boucher by taking a 5-1 lead in the second period. New round, same problem for the Flyers. Philadelphia used two goalies in three of its seven first-round games against Buffalo.

For the second straight season, the Bruins lead the Flyers in the second round. The Bruins led 3-0 a year ago, then the Flyers became the third NHL team to rally with four straight victories to win a best-of-seven series.

Nathan Horton, Mark Recchi and Gregory Campbell also scored for Boston.

Game 2 is Monday in Philadelphia.

Since beating Montreal to advance to the second round, the Bruins had insisted they wouldn't be haunted by last year's epic collapse.

Perhaps it is fitting that Krejci was the Game 1 star.

Krejci watched Boston give away the series from the sidelines after he was knocked out of Game 3 a year ago with a dislocated right wrist. He needed surgery and missed the rest of the series.

He wasted no time in aiding Boston's quest to erase those bad memories, scoring a backhander off a rebound 1:52 in. The goal foreshadowed what was to come — Boston scored four of its five goals against Boucher on rebounds.

The Flyers did little to help Boucher, who won two games in relief vs. the Sabres, with lackluster play in front of the net. But Boucher failed to stop the often soft second chances.

He was yanked for rookie Sergei Bobrovsky late in the second period.

Tim Thomas, who saved 93 percent of his shots in the first round, was stout in net for the Bruins.

Danny Briere scored his seventh of the playoffs, and James van Riesmsdyk and Mike Richards added goals for the Flyers.

Briere tied it at 1-all, but Horton put the Bruins ahead for good with 36 seconds left in the first period. Boucher made the initial save on a shot to the gut, but Horton pounced and pounded the puck off Boucher's arm for a 2-1 lead.

Recchi didn't let the Flyers start yet another comeback with a quick goal 2:33 into the second. It was a soft rebounder that Boucher swiped at as it trickled behind him to the back of the net.

Krejci scored from the point and Marchand scored the fourth rebound goal with 2:46 left in the second for a 5-1 lead. That was all for Boucher.

Boucher, the Flyers' Game 7 winner, allowed five goals on 23 shots. Flyers coach Peter Laviolette again is forced to confront the weak link in the lineup. Bobrovsky won 28 games and started Games 1 and 2 against Buffalo. He was replaced by Boucher in Game 2 and never played again.

Richards, the Flyers captain, busted out of a scoring slump with his first goal of the postseason late in the third. His power-play goal made it 5-3.

Marchand quickly followed with his second goal for a 6-3 lead. Campbell completed the rout with 2:21 left.

Maybe the Flyers should have attempted more boarding, hooking, and high-sticking because even-strength play didn't help. Boston went 0 for 5 on the power play and extended their drought to 0 for 26 in the postseason. The Bruins went 0 for 21 against the Canadiens and became the first team to win a seven-game series without scoring a power-play goal.

Laviolette said the day before Game 1 he doesn't believe in momentum.

"I believe in desperation," he said.

The Flyers are desperate again.

Note: Boston won the season series 3-1. ... Laviolette was an assistant coach for the Bruins in 2000-01. ... The Flyers are 15-20 in a series when they lose Game 1.

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SPORTS - Halischuk's goal in 2nd overtime lifts Predators (AP)

SPORTS - Halischuk's goal in 2nd overtime lifts Predators (AP)

AP – Nashville Predators' Matt Halischuk, right, celebrates his game winning goal with teammate Jerred Smithson …

– 32 mins ago

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Ryan Suter tied the game with 67 seconds left and Matt Halischuk won it 14:51 into double overtime as the Nashville Predators beat the Vancouver Canucks 2-1 on Saturday night and tied the Western Conference semifinal series 1-1.

After Pekka Rinne made several acrobatic game-saving stops in extra time, Halischuk took a cross-ice pass from Nick Spaling and fired a quick shot over a diving defender and past the glove of goalie Roberto Luongo.

Alex Burrows scored a short-handed goal two minutes into the second period and it appeared Luongo would make it stand up for his second straight shutout in the series. But Suter tied it on Nashville's 36th shot, a harmless looking centering pass from below the goal line that went between Luongo's legs and bounced in off his left skate.

Luongo finished with 44 saves.

Game 3 is Tuesday at Nashville.

Rinne made the best of his 32 saves in overtime, including robbing Henrik Sedin alone atop the crease on a rebound, and a headfirst diving paddle stop to take an empty net from Kevin Bieksa with 2:14 left in the first overtime period. He stretched out to turn away Maxim Lapierre with his glove a minute later, as the Predators avoided losing consecutive games for the first time since early March.

It was the longest game in Predators history, and the third longest for the top-seeded Canucks, who won the series opener 1-0 on Thursday but have now given up home-ice advantage to Nashville.

The Predators will host the next two games before the series returns to Vancouver for Game 5.

Unlike the opener, in which the Canucks outplayed the Predators and Luongo's toughest task was staying awake, Nashville carried the play in Game 2. The Predators outshot Vancouver 36-15 in regulation, forcing Luongo to make several good saves, including a stacked-pads stop on Jordin Tootoo's breakaway with 8:46 left.

The best of the rest of his saves came against the Predators' power play. So did the Canucks' chances, and Burrows converted one early in the second period.

After stealing the puck from Sergei Kostitsyn in the neutral zone, Burrows broke in on the right wing 2-on-2 with Ryan Kesler. His centering pass forced Rinne to push off the post, but it hit the skate of defenseman Shea Weber and bounced right back to Burrows, who quickly lifted it into an unguarded net on the shortside.

It was the fourth goal of the playoffs — all in the last four games — for Burrows. He scored both, including the overtime winner in Game 7 against Chicago on Tuesday. He had a busy week as his wife gave birth to their first child, a daughter, on Wednesday.

Luongo, who got a break when Joel Ward hit him as he was down on the goal line after a scramble in the first period, stuffed Mike Fisher on a 3-on-1 power play rush in the second. He added a right pad save on Weber's blast from the top of the circles, and just got David Legwand's wraparound try as Nashville pushed hard for the tying goal in the third.

But Luongo looked bad on Suter's shot from well below the goal line, ending his shutout streak at 126 minutes, 11 seconds — his best stretch in the playoffs.

Nashville failed to score during a power play after Vancouver was caught with too many men on the ice in the first overtime and another when the Canucks were called for delay of game early in the second extra period. The Predators were 0 for 4 overall on the power play and are 0 for 9 in the series. Overall against Vancouver this season, Nashville is 0 for 23 on the advantage.

NOTES: Predators RW Martin Erat, who missed two games in Round 1 with a suspected concussion, left briefly after getting hit in the head by Weber's deflected slap shot. ... Nashville coach Barry Trotz said he was considering using forwards J.P. Dumont and Colin Wilson, but neither played. ... Vancouver D Sami Salo, out since Game 6 in Chicago because of an undisclosed injury, skated on his own Saturday and is expected to travel to Nashville.

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