by ldh2013 » Thu Jun 30, 2016 8:51 am
SANDY, Utah -- One year after making an early playoff exit while struggling to score as the season wound down, its a much different story for Real Salt Lake this time. . Robbie Findley scored the go-ahead goal in the first half and had an assist in the second half, leading Real Salt Lake to a 4-2 victory over the Portland Timbers in the first leg of the Western Conference finals on Sunday night. Chris Schuler, Devon Sandoval and Javier Morales also scored for Salt Lake, which will take a two-goal advantage into the second leg of the series on Nov. 24. Salt Lake scored three goals in a 13-minute stretch starting with Schulers tally in the 35th that tied it 1-1. "Theres a lot of guys on the team willing to work," Findley said. "They put the work in early and it showed tonight. We were able to put some goals in the back of the net." The most impressive part of the scoring flurry for Salt Lake is that it happened without leading scorer Alvaro Saborio, who sat out after sustaining a right hip flexor injury. "It says were a deep team," RSL coach Jason Kreis said. "It says we have a ton of guys who have contributed this year in really meaningful matches and in really meaningful ways. That puts us in a place now where we havent been typically. We can plug and play." Will Johnson put the Timbers on the scoreboard in the 14th minute and Frederic Piquionne closed the scoring in stoppage time. Salt Lake extended its unbeaten streak over Portland to nine games. The Timbers have not beaten RSL since the first meeting in the series on April 30, 2011. The Timbers loss snapped a 10 game unbeaten streak, stretching back to a 4-2 loss to Salt Lake on Aug. 30. "Its not the end of the world," Johnson said. "Well be OK. We got to fix some things. It is what it is. Were two goals down, but were not out of it yet. Well fight for 90 minutes." On Johnsons opening goal, the Timbers midfielder sent a free kick over the defensive wall and threaded the ball inside the far post, denying Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando any chance to get to it in time. Schuler tied it 21 minutes later as Morales lobbed a corner kick high into the air toward the defender. Schuler outjumped everyone around him to snag the ball and headed it past Portland goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts. A defensive mistake helped Salt Lake take the lead in the 41st. Mamadou Danso made an errant back pass under pressure from Findley and the ball squirted loose. Findley sprinted past Danso to collect the ball and easily flicked it around Ricketts as he came off the line. In the second half, Findley latched onto a through ball and sent a cross into Sandoval, who quickly put it home for his first career playoff goal in the 48th. Morales made it 4-1 in the 82nd. Ricketts made an impressive save moments earlier, leaping in the air and denying a header from Luis Gil at the far post. It led to a corner kick and Joao Plata fed the ball to Morales on a run to the far post. He lunged forward and headed the ball past Ricketts in the middle of the net. We got punished in certain circumstances," Portland defender Jack Jewsbury said. "Theyre a very good team. If youre not on your game, theyre going to punish you." . 2 jersey and flashed a smile that beamed to Texas. With whirring cameras providing the soundtrack, he was welcomed to his NFL home. . How can you explain the Philadelphia Eagles battling for an NFC East title and losing to Minnesota when Minnesota does not have either of its starting running backs? How can Dallas, who can only get into the playoffs but end up being dominated in the second half by Green Bay. . On Sunday afternoon, they sparked the Capitals to a much-needed victory. On a day when Alex Ovechkin was held to one shot on goal, the Capitals third line scored twice in a three-goal first period and the Capitals held on for 4-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- DeMarcus Cousins had 25 points and 16 rebounds to help the Sacramento Kings snap a seven-game losing streak by defeating the Chicago Bulls 99-70 on Monday night. Cousins, the Kings leading scorer and rebounder, missed the previous six games with a sprained ankle. Cousins came out aggressive, getting 11 points and seven rebounds in the first quarter when the Kings led 24-12 and never trailed the remainder of the game. Jimmy Butler had 17 points for the frustrated Bulls, who have lost two straight and three of four. Tony Snell and Taj Gibson each had 11 points. Chicago was outscored 28-13 in the fourth quarter. Chicago All-Star centre Joakim Noah had four points and four rebounds before being ejected in the third quarter when he picked up two technical fouls in less than three minutes. The second technical came after Noah was called for a foul against Cousins at the 7:40 mark. Isaiah Thomas had 19 points for the Kings, who stretched the lead to 20 points four minutes into the fourth quarter. Rudy Gay had 14 points and Jimmer Fredette had all of his 11 points in the fourth quarter. Chicago shot 28 per cent and was outrebounded 53-30 in losing back-to-back games for the first time since mid-December. The point total was a season-low for a Kings opponent. Fredette made jumper and Ben&nbssp;McLemore followed with a basket, giving Sacramento an 84-62 lead at the 7:15 mark of the fourth quarter. . Before Monday mornings shootaround, Bulls power forward Carlos Boozer talked with the media regarding his displeasure with coach Tom Thibodeaus tendency not to play him in the fourth quarter, when the minutes typically go to Gibson. Boozer had four points in 21 minutes Saturday in a loss to New Orleans. Against the Kings, Boozer had eight points and nine rebounds in 35 minutes, including seven in the fourth quarter. Cousins was dominant in the low block, scoring 12 points in the third quarter when Sacramento built its lead to 71-57. The physical play continued in the quarter, where three technicals were called and every foul seemed to be followed by complaints. Thomas scored 15 first-half points for the Kings, who led 44-33. The Bulls shot 24 per cent in the opening half and trailed 24-12 after one quarter. The 12 points was the second fewest this season by a Kings opponent. Notes: Quincy Acy made a 3 to end the first quarter, his first 3-pointer in 27 games with the Kings. Acy, who came to the Kings in a trade this season with Toronto, had two 3s with the Raptors. ... Cousins got called for his 12th technical of the season in the third quarter. ... The Bulls made 22 of 34 free throws (64.7 per cent) ' ' '
