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A20 SPORTS
Saturday 4 May 2019

San Jose Sharks goaltender Martin Jones, left, covers the puck
after stopping a shot by Colorado Avalanche center Nathan
MacKinnon during the third period of Game 4 of an NHL hockey
second-round playoff series Thursday, May 2, 2019, in Denver.
The Avalanche won 3-0.
Associated Press
Avalanche blank Canelo Alvarez, left, and Daniel Jacobs pose for photographers at a news conference for their

middleweight title boxing match Wednesday, May 1, 2019, in Las Vegas.
Sharks, Bruins Associated Press

top Blue Jackets Big contract in hand, Canelo

Alvarez looks for a big win

By The Associated Press shots and the Boston Bruins
DENVER (AP) — Nathan got some much-needed By TIM DAHLBERG The delivery may be a work that will be enough to take
MacKinnon kept up his production from their top- AP Boxing Writer in progress, but Alvarez isn't. the titles from Alvarez, who
scoring spree with a sec- liners in a win over the Blue LAS VEGAS (AP) — Canelo He's been beaten only is a 4-1 favorite in this city's
ond-period goal, Philipp Jackets that evened their Alvarez owns both big Mex- once, by Floyd Mayweath- legal sports books. But Ja-
Grubauer stopped 32 shots Eastern Conference semi- ican holiday weekends in er Jr. who Alvarez took on cobs has already beaten
for his first career playoff final series at two games this gambling town, along at the age of 23 and clear- the odds by beating can-
shutout and the Colorado apiece. with a contract that could ly wasn't ready. After domi- cer in 2011, and under-
Avalanche beat the San Patrice Bergeron had two make him one of the rich- nating everyone else at 147 stands that at the age of 32
Jose Sharks 3-0 Thursday goals, David Pastrnak had est athletes in the world. pounds, Alvarez moved up this will almost surely be his
night to tie the Western a goal and an assist and He'll own everything at 160 to middleweight, where he best chance at cashing in
Conference semifinal series Sean Kuraly also tallied for pounds, too, if he can get went the distance with the at the top.
at two games apiece. the Bruins, who had lost the past Daniel Jacobs in an in- fearsome Gennady Go- "This is the greatest oppor-
MacKinnon has at least last two games in the best triguing middleweight title lovkin and emerged with tunity I could ever have,
a point in eight straight of-seven series but knotted unification fight Saturday a draw and a narrow deci- much less dream about,"
games. It's the longest the set again as it moves night. sion win. Jacobs said. "So I'm looking
streak by an Avalanche back to Boston for Game 5 Just another big fight for Just for good measure, Al- forward to taking advan-
player in the postseason on Saturday. Alvarez, who doesn't like varez fought at 168 pounds tage of it."
since Peter Forsberg had Artemi Panarin scored for to back away from a good his last time out, when he To do that, the Brooklyn,
a point in eight straight in Columbus on a contro- challenge. stopped an outclassed New York, native must solve
2002. versial play, and Sergei "Every single one of my Rocky Fielding to win a the puzzle that is Alvarez,
Colin Wilson gave Colo- Bobrovsky, who has been fights is important," Alvarez piece of the super middle- the red-headed Mexican
rado a two-goal cushion spectacular in the postsea- said this week. "Every single weight title, too. who is wildly popular in his
with a power-play goal son so far, had 41 saves but fight marks history for me. "My focus is fighting the home country. And that's
early in the third period. was beaten on long shots He (Jacobs) is the second best fights," Alvarez said. not an easy task, consider-
Wilson's score was set up by Pastrnak and Bergeron best middleweight in the The scheduled 12-rounder ing Alvarez is the only fight-
by a no-look, between-the- in the first period. world, so it's another step in with Jacobs figures to qual- er to beat Golovkin and at
legs pass from Mikko Ran- Brad Marchand picked that direction, to keep writ- ify, with Alvarez trying to the age of 28 has already
tanen, who registered two up an assist on Bergeron's ing my history." add the piece of middle- won 51 times as a pro. A
assists. Erik Johnson added goal but also committed What would ordinarily be a weight title Jacobs holds to classic boxer-puncher, Al-
an empty-netter with 1:09 three penalties, one lead- big pay-per-view fight on his three other titles. Other varez showed he's a think-
remaining. ing to an unsuccessful Blue Cinco de Mayo weekend than a third fight with Triple er, too, when he switched
Game 5 is Saturday in San Jackets penalty shot in the on the Las Vegas Strip will G it's the best middleweight to a more aggressive style
Jose. first period. Marchand and be an experiment in the fight out there, with Jacobs to beat Golovkin in their
BRUINS 4, BLUE JACKETS 1 Bergeron had been kept possible new future of box- bringing plenty of creden- second fight in Septem-
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — off the score sheet in the ing as Alvarez meets Ja- tials of his own into the ring. ber. Alvarez has beaten 14
Tuukka Rask stopped 39 first three games.q cobs in a fight that will be Among them is a narrow world champions in his ca-
streamed on DAZN. Fans loss to Golovkin in 2017 in a reer, though he says there
who would ordinarily pay fight that could have easily are things he sees in Ja-
$70 or $80 for the bout can gone the other way. cobs that are unique to his
get it by signing up for ei- "I'm a big force," Jacobs fellow champion. "He's got
ther a monthly or annual said. "I'm a big guy with one of the most complicat-
plan on the new pay ser- skills, speed and ring IQ." ed, most complete styles in
vice. Oddsmakers don't think boxing," Alvarez said.q