National Sports

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Pacers kept insisting this team was different. Anyone who doubted them coming into the playoffs understands now.

Friday's Games NHL Playoffs First Round Winnipeg 5 Minnesota 0 (Winnipeg wins series 4-1) Philadelphia 4 Pittsburgh 2 (Pittsburgh leads series 3-2) Colorado 2 Nashville 1 (Nashville leads series 3-2) --- AHL Playoffs First Round (best-of-five) Charlo

NASHVILLE — Injuries left the Avalanche playing their backup to the backup goaltender while needing a victory to stave off elimination. The goalie nicknamed the "Hamburglar" came through.

MILWAUKEE — Length and athleticism make the Milwaukee Bucks a dangerous team with the ball. When they defend the way they did on Friday night against the Boston Celtics, they're nearly unstoppable.

WINNIPEG — Bryan Little's teammates were happy they could deliver something special to the veteran Winnipeg forward.

NEW YORK — Growing up in Cuba, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. didn't foresee coming through in the clutch the way he did in his first major league game. The prized Toronto Blue Jays prospect delivered — in consecutive at-bats, too.

WINNIPEG — The Minnesota Wild never found a way to get it going on the road against the Winnipeg Jets and now find their season over.

WASHINGTON — Pascal Siakam sat at his locker after Friday night's loss, holding an ice pack on a bloody, stitched-up lower lip. Trailing Toronto 2-0 in their the opening-round playoff series, the Washington Wizards came out swinging Friday night.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Johnny Russell had his first career MLS hat trick and Sporting Kansas City routed the nine-man Vancouver Whitecaps 6-0 on Friday night for the largest margin of victory in Children's Mercy Park history.

PITTSBURGH — Sean Couturier did what he could to deal with the pain in his left leg, then hopped over the boards and let the adrenaline that comes with playoff hockey take care of the rest. The Philadelphia Flyers are still alive as a result.