European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 3, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 32 stars and stripes tuesday april 32007 Roundup the associated press Milwaukee getting a win didst Lessen the Jolt to the Washington wizards playoff drive Gilbert Arenas scored 19 Points and Caron Butler added 19 Points but fractured his right hand Early in the second half of the wizards 121107 Victory Over the Milwaukee Bucks on sunday thais a blow Are Nas said you never want an injury As youre getting ready for the playoffs to see him go Down with an in jury like that is hurtful Butler want optimistic about returning this season second round third round of the play a possibility Butler said his hand in a cast but right now i probably wont have a Jersey on until next year Butler said the Accident happened when he was going up to Challenge a shot by Ruben Patterson and his right hand hit the backboard my hand caught under the rim and it popped out of place said Butler who was playing his third game since missing six games with a left knee contusion i see a hand specialist tomorrow hopefully full get the Opportunity to come Back As soon As possible he entered the game averaging 191 Points and 75 rebounds Caron is going to out for a Long time wizards coach Eddie Jordan said every body in the league has had some devastating injuries Miami with dwyane Wade by butlers loss Jim Denver nuggets carmelo Anthony right gets fouled by Seattle supersonics Luke Ridnour in the second half sunday Anthony led All scorers with 32 Points and even the lakers with Lamar Odom for a while you can just go Down the list weve got a capable Bench we dont have a Caron Butler Allstar but if we can collectively do things at a High level we should win our share of games and go on to the playoffs Darius Songaila came in for Butler with left in the third Jarvis Hayes scored 17 Points including two three pointers and a Basket during a 101 run Midway through the fourth that put Washington in control Washington Victory coupled with miamis loss to Detroit earlier sunday helped the wizards regain first in the Southeast division Washington fell a Hal game out of first Friday when it lost to Toronto and the heat beat Minnesota celtics 98 Cavaliers 96 at Boston with Lebron James and Paul Pierce sitting out Delonte West made two free throws with 19 seconds left to lift the celtics James was diagnosed with right knee tendinitis and was scheduled to travel to Minnesota with the team and be reevaluated monday pistons 94 heat 88 Richard Hamil ton who had missed Detroit last four games scored 17 of his 19 Points in the Sec Ond half Shaquille Oneal led the visiting heat with 23 Points and Jason Williams added 21 jazz 86 rockets 83 at Houston men met Okur scored 20 Points Carlos Boozer added 13 and Utah overcame a late deficit to remain ahead of the rockets in fourth place in the Western conference Yao Ming led the rockets with 35 Points 16 rebounds and four blocks raptors 107 bobcats 94 at Toronto Chris Bosh had 24 Points and 16 rebounds to help the raptors Clinch their first play off spot in five years nuggets 114 supersonics 103 car Melo Anthony scored 32 Points his 29th game with 30 or More Point Sallen Iverson added 21 of his 26 after halftime and visit ing Denver snapped a three game losing Streak Earl Watson led Seattle with a Ca ree High 28 Points but the sonics had their three game win Streak snapped lakers 126 Kings 103 at los Ange Les Kobe Bryant had 19 Points and a sea so High 13 assists to Lead the lakers Over sinking Sacramento which lost for the 10th time in 12 games bulls 105 Hawks 97 at Atlanta Lull Deng scored 30 Points and Kirk Hinrich had 22 in Chicago Lith straight Victory Over the Hawks Josh Smith finished with 24 Points for at Lanta which has dropped six straight Over All warriors 122 grizzlies 117 Jason Richardson scored 13 of his 26 Points in the fourth Quarter and Host Golden state Over came the Early ejection of Baron Davis Timber wolves 105 magic 104 at Orlando a Ricky Davis scored a sea so High 36 Points and made the winning three Pointer pacers 1oo spurs 99 at Indianapolis Jamaal Tinsley Layup Over Tim Duncan with 11 seconds left helped Indiana snap san Antonios six game winning Streak the pacers ended a fou game losing Streak despite playing without Jermaine Oneal their leading scorer who sat out with a sore left knee Trosley finished with 20 Points and eight assists Avery closer 3ushes rangers to playoff berth Roundup the associated press new in february the new York rangers looked a lot like the team that missed the playoffs seven straight times before last season that was before Sean Avery brought his sandpaper style to Broadway now the rangers Are one Victory away from a return trip to the playoffs Avery had two goals an assist and a take Down in a fight with Toronto agitator Darcy Tucker during new Yorks 72 Vic tory Over the Maple Leafs on Sun Day night that had significant play off ramifications for both teams with just one week left in the regu Lar season averys Impact on the rangers has been so Strong that Captain Jaromir jagr credited the Nils most noted pest As being the differ ence in new Yorks Rise to sixth place in the Eastern conference he was just unbelievable jagr said i think he was the big Gest Factor in our season lately once he came Here he changed everything we got a great player who can score goals play rough play Tough Hes Tough to play against that has been Clear since he brought his grit to the rangers who lacked an Edge before his arrival from los Angeles on feb 5 new York was three places below a postseason spot and five Points off the Pace but has gone 1655 with Avery in the lineup he has eight goals and 11 assists in those 26 games Ive just come in and played hard i think jags is exaggerating a Little bit a lot of Guys have played Well its just my game that i play every night and try to keep it consistent red wings 4 Blue jackets 1 at Columbus Ohio Tomas Holm Strom scored twice and Detroit took the Lead in the Overall nil standings the red wings have earned Points in six straight sur passing Buffalo in the race for the presidents trophy hurricanes 4 panthers 3 at Sunrise Fla Ray Whitney Power play goal into Over time eliminated Florida from the playoff race the panthers blew a two goal Lead in the third period and lost for the sixth time in seven games to the hurricanes devils 3 Bruins 1 at East Rutherford no Brian Gionta scored the winning goal in Bis first game in almost a month Jay Pandolfo tallied twice and new Jersey took the Lead in the Atlan tic division Sharks 6 Kings 2 at san Jose Calif Jonathan Cheechov had his third three goal game of the season to lift the Sharks to their sixth straight Home Victory Jack Hawks 2 Osers 1 at Chi Cago Patrick Sharps shorthanded breakaway goal Early in the third period snapped a tie and lifted the Host Blackhawk nil scoreboard Eastern conference a Buffalo Denew Jersey Atlanta Ottawa Pittsburgh by rangers Tampa Bay l of pts of a 50 21 7 107 295 235 47 24 8 102 209 195 41 27 11 93 237 239 47 24 8 102 279 214 45 23 11 101 271 239 4129 9 91236210 43 32 4 90 246 249 41 32 6 88 237 247 Toronto Carolina by islanders Florida Boston Washington 30 11 87 247 257 39 32 8 86 233 242 36 30 12 84 233 232 34 30 15 83 236 249 3538 6 76214277 26 39 14 66 231 282 2146 11 53204290 a Detroit a Anaheim do Vancouver Nashville san Jose Dallas Minnesota Calgary Western conference w l of pts of a 48 19 12 108 242 194 47 20 12 106 251 200 47 24 7 101 212 190 49 23 7 105 262 206 49 26 4 102 248 190 48 24 6 102 218 188 45 26 8 98 224 190 43 25 10 96 247 209 Colorado 41 30 7 89 257 240 St Louis 32 33 13 77 203 241 Columbus 32 40 7 71 196 241 Edmonton 31 41 7 69 192 240 Chicago 2940 9 67 191 244 los Angeles 26 39 14 66 220 274 Phoenix 29 44 5 63 206 273 two Points for a win one Point for Over time loss or shootout loss clinched playoff spot division Leader sundays games Detroit 4 Columbus 1 Chicago 2 Edmonton 1 new Jersey 3 Boston 1 Carolina 4 Florida 320t san Jose 6 los Angeles 2 by rangers 7 Toronto 2 mondays game St Louis at Dallas tuesdays games Buffalo at Potts Burn Florida at Washington Boston at Montreal Columbus at Detroit Philadelphia at Toronto Ottawa at new Jersey by rangers at by islanders Carolina at Tampa Bay Edmonton at Minnesota Chicago at Nashville Colorado at Calgary St Louis at Phoenix los Angeles at Vancouver sunday red wings 4 Blue jackets 1 Detroit 0314 Columbus 0 0 second period1 Detroit Lebda 5 Samuelsson 2 Detroit Holm Strom 27 Hudler 3 Detroit Matsyuk third period4 Detroit Holmstrom 28 Draper 495 Columbus Nash 25 shots on 812525 Colum bus 1341532 Power play 1 of 3 Columbus oof 6 goalie Detroit hasek 37116 32 shots31 Columbus Norrena 23213 Blackhawk 2 oilers 1 Edmonton 1 0 Chicago 0 1 12 firstperiod1 Edmonton Torres 15 Pouliot second penod2 Chicago Ruitu 17 Vrba to third period3 Chicago Sharp 20 hav shots on Chica go 68620 missed penalty Chi 13136 second Power play 0 of 5 Chicago 0 of 3 goalie Edmonton Roloson 26346 20 shots18 Chicago Khabibulin 24255 a12193 devils 3 Bruins 1 Boston 01 01 new Jersey 11 13 first new Jersey Pandolfo 12 Rasmussen second Boston Kalus 3 ten Krat 3 new Jersey Gionta 25 Parise third new Jersey Pandolfo 13 Madden shots on Goa Boston 56718 new Jer sey 89724 Power play 1 of 3 new Jersey 1 of 5 Thomas 30284 24 shots21 new Jersey Brodeur 46237 a14378 hurricanes 4 panthers 3 of Carolina 012 14 Florida 210 03 first Florida Stumpel 22 Jokinen Van 2 Florida Stumpel 23 Morton second period3 Carolina Tanabe 3 Stapaj Florida Gratton 13 Kolnik third period5 Carolina Brindamour 24 Williams 6 Carolina Larose 6 Stillman overtime7 Carolina Whitney 31 Brindamour shots on Goa Carolina 111013337 Florida 11515031 Power play opportunities Carolina 1 of 8 Florida 1 of 5 goalie Carolina Ward 30196 31 shots28 Florida Belfour 261710 a17878 Sharks 6 Kings 2 los Angeles 1012 san Jose 1 4 16 first period1 san Jose Bell 10 Marleau 2 los Angeles Cammalleri 32 Osullivan second period3 san Jose Cheechov 33 rivet 4 san Jose Michalek 24 Thornton 5 san Jose Cheechov 34 rivet 6 san Jose Cheechov 35 Thornton third peridd7 los Angeles Frolov 35 san Jose Rissmiller 7 Grier shots on goal los Angeles 92920 san Jose 716629 Power play opportunities los Angeles 1 of 6 san Jose 3 of a goalies los Angeles Burke 695 23 shots18 Garon third san Jose Nabokov 23163 a17496 rangers 7 Maple Leafs 2 Toronto 2 0 my rangers 2 3 27 first Toronto Poni Karovsky 21 2 by rangers Avery 17 3 by rangers Nylander 25 Isbister Toronto Devereaux 8 Kubina 1635 second period5 by rangers Callahan 4 6 by rangers Straka 29 Avery 7 by rangers Avery third period8 by rangers Rosival 10 Nylander 9 by rangers jagr 29 shots on Goa Toronto 1111527 by rangers 126725 Power play 1 of 3 by rangers 1 of 4 goalie Toronto Raycroft 36249 16 shots12 Aubin second by rangers Lundqvist 36217 a18200 nil Calendar apri 8 last Day of regular season april 11 Stanley cup playoffs begin april 27may 13 i if world Champion ship Moscow May 29june 2 nil Combine Toronto june 11 last possible Day for Stanley cup finals june 15 deadline for first club elected salary arbitration june 23 nil draft Columbus Ohio july 1 free Agency signing period be gins july 5 deadline for player elected salary arbitration july 6 deadline for second club elected salary arbitration july 10 deadline for eligible players to elect group 5 free Agency july 20aug 4 salary arbitration hear Ings held aug 5 deadline for salary arbitration decisions