Vegas inches closer to a 2-0 series lead on the Hurricanes in the Stanley Cup Final

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Vegas Golden Knights lead the Carolina Hurricanes 2-0 after two periods of Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final. They’re halfway to their second consecutive victory in the series after Brett Howden scored twice to pad his playoff-leading total to 13 goals. Vegas lost key defensive defenseman Brayden McNabb just past the midway point of the first period. McNabb took a face to the nose off a slap shot from Nikolaj Ehlers, dropped to the ice, skated immediately off the ice and did not return after intermission. Game 3 is Saturday in Las Vegas.

NBA bans two fans for life after one runs onto court during Game 1, attempts selfie with Wemby

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The NBA banned two people for life from its arenas after one of them was arrested after running onto the court during Game 1 of the NBA Finals and appearing to take a selfie next to Victor Wembanyama. The San Antonio Spurs star didn’t appear bothered by the incident, which occurred in the fourth quarter of Wednesday’s game between the Spurs and Knicks. The NBA didn’t disclose what role the second person played in that incident. Another incident involving fan behavior occurred in the final minute, when New York guard Jalen Brunson appeared to be upset by something said to him by a patron in a courtside seat. Commissioner Adam Silver says the league is looking into what was said to Brunson.

New York City is in a Knicks frenzy for its beloved team’s 1st NBA Finals in 27 years

NEW YORK (AP) — From Bay Ridge to the Bronx and beyond, the Big Apple has gone nuts for the New York Knicks making their first NBA Finals appearance in 27 years. It’s evident in the soaring ticket prices to fans filling Madison Square Garden with thousands more lining the streets outside to watch the Knicks’ 105-95 victory at San Antonio in Game 1 of the series. Bars in Brooklyn overflowed and “Knicks in Four” chants erupted shortly after midnight following the win. Similar scenes were captured at a free watch party in Central Park, and across the five boroughs.

Trump says he will attend NBA Finals game in New York to root for his hometown Knicks

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is planning to attend an NBA Finals game in New York next week to root for his hometown Knicks. The president announced Thursday that he’s accepting an invitation from Knicks owner James Dolan. The president said he’s eyeing a visit Monday for Game 3. An avid sports fan and native New Yorker, Trump said he watched some of the Knicks’ Game 1 win over the San Antonio Spurs. He called the Knicks “dominant.” The NBA believes Trump would be the first sitting president to attend an NBA Finals game.

Fleetwood part of 4-way tie for the lead at Memorial in a tough opening round for Scheffler

DUBLIN, Ohio (AP) — Scottie Scheffler has some work to do if he wants to make it three in a row at the Memorial. The wind played tricks on him at Muirfield Village and led to a 73. That leaves him six shots behind a four-way share of the lead. Tommy Fleetwood, Wyndham Clark, U.S. Open champion J.J. Spaun and Ryan Gerard were at 67. Only seven players broke 70 and a total of 22 players broke par. Gerard had only five pars in his wild round. Scheffler was particularly frustrated when the wind shifted on the 16th and he went in the water.

FIFA prohibits fans from bringing refillable water bottles into World Cup stadiums

CORAL GABLES, Fla (AP) — FIFA has made a late change of policy to bar World Cup fans from bringing refillable water bottles into the tournament’s 16 stadiums across North America. Some venues have limited or no shade from the sun. The “Stadium Code of Conduct” update was criticized by an England fans group. Free Lions says FIFA gave assurances on carrying empty plastic bottles to fill with freely available water at a tournament where heat and extreme weather are expected. FIFA says it’s “to prevent risk and injury to players and attendees” by bottles being thrown. FIFA says water prices will be consistent with other events at stadiums.

AP exclusive: Iran players describe how the war affects their World Cup preparations

ANTALYA, Turkey (AP) — Iran is heading to the World Cup amid tensions with the main host nation, creating a unique situation in tournament history. Two Iranian players shared their struggles to stay focused on soccer. Saeid Ezatolahi, a 29-year-old midfielder, said it’s challenging to manage the political situation while preparing for his third World Cup. The team has been training in Turkey and plans to move to Tijuana, Mexico, due to visa issues. Mohammad Ghorbani, attending his first World Cup, emphasized the importance of playing for their people. He said the team aims to bring joy and pride to Iranians.

Packers’ Christian Watson agrees to four-year, $110.5 million extension, AP source says

The Green Bay Packers have continued their offseason objective of reaching long-term deals with their top receivers by signing Christian Watson to an extension. The Packers announced Thursday they had signed Watson to an extension without disclosing terms. But a person with knowledge of the contract told The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity that the 27-year-old receiver is getting a four-year, $110.5 million extension through 2030 with a $31 million signing bonus. Packers receiver Jayden Reed agreed in April to a three-year extension that includes $50.25 million in new money and $20 million guaranteed.

George Pickens isn’t with Cowboys for voluntary work as Schottenheimer says communication is good

FRISCO, Texas (AP) — George Pickens isn’t with the Dallas Cowboys during the opening week of voluntary offseason practices, while coach Brian Schottenheimer says the receiver is “taking care of his business” and their communication has been good. Pickens signed his $27.3 million franchise tag a little more than a month ago but has stayed away from the team. The Pro Bowler isn’t required to show up until mandatory minicamp June 16-18. Pickens waited two months before signing the one-year contract that’s worth three times what the 25-year-old earned on his four-year rookie contract.

How long should college athletes play? NCAA is about to give a new answer to that age-old question

The NCAA is on the cusp of extending Division I athlete eligibility from four years of competition to five and essentially setting an age limit. It should be remembered that the issue of who can play and for how long has been a point of contention in college sports from the beginning. Walter Camp is known as the ‘Father of Football’ and was in his seventh season playing for Yale when an injury ended his career in 1882. Amos Alonzo Stagg was 27 when he played his fifth season in 1889. The latest rule change would combat aging rosters.