Georgia confirmed it would take part in next year's Sochi Olympics in Russia. Georgia's participation in the Games had been in doubt because of lingering resentment about the brief war with Russia in 2008. Sochi is just north of the separatist Georgian territory of Abkhazia, from which the last Georgian forces were driven out in the war. Russia and a handful of other countries now recognize it as independent.
Craig Anderson made 48 saves in a spectacular goaltending performance as the Ottawa Senators beat the host Montreal Canadiens, 4-2, Thursday night in Game 1 of their playoff series.
Jakob Silfverberg and Marc Methot scored early in the third period and gave Ottawa a lead in the best-of-seven series, with Game 2 set for Friday night at the Bell Centre.
Erik Karlsson and Guillaume Latendresse also scored for the Senators, who were outshot, 50-31, but saw Anderson easily win the goaltending duel with Carey Price, who was beaten twice through the pads.
Rene Bourque and Brendan Gallagher scored for Montreal, which set a team record for shots in a regulation-time playoff game.
The first playoff series between the Northeast Division rivals did not take long to get nasty. Montreal center Lars Eller was wheeled off on a stretcher bleeding heavily from the nose and was taken to a hospital with what the team said were head and facial injuries after he was caught with a shoulder to the face on an open-ice hit by Senators defenseman Eric Gryba.
Gryba was given an interference major and a game misconduct and could face further discipline from the N.H.L.
Anderson was especially sharp as the Senators weathered a fierce Canadiens push in the first 10 minutes. "He's a machine back there," Methot said.
BLUES 2, KINGS 1 In St. Louis, defenseman Barret Jackman scored his first career playoff goal with 50.4 seconds remaining, lifting the Blues over the defending Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings.
Jackman, a stay-at-home type who totaled three goals and 12 points in the regular season, joined a rush and scored in transition against Jonathan Quick, last year's playoff M.V.P. He beat Quick from just inside the blue line for a 2-0 series lead heading to Los Angeles.
In the opener, the Blues capitalized on a stickhandling gaffe by Quick to win on Alex Steen's short-handed goal in overtime.
On Thursday, Patrik Berglund's deflection tied it early in the third period for St. Louis, which was swept by the Kings in the second round last season.
Dustin Brown scored for the Kings, who'll try to rebound in Game 3 Saturday night.
The Kings led 3-0 in every playoff series last year and are down 2-0 in a playoff series for the first time since 2002, when they lost in seven games to Colorado.
RED WINGS 5, DUCKS 4 Gustav Nyquist's power-play goal at 1:21 of overtime after the Red Wings blew a three-goal lead in the third period gave Detroit a victory over the host Anaheim Ducks to even their playoff series.
Johan Franzen scored two goals and Damien Brunner had his first Stanley Cup playoff goal and two assists for the Red Wings, who survived a third-period collapse with a timely goal from Nyquist.
Bobby Ryan scored the tying goal with 2:22 left in regulation for the Ducks, who also got goals from Ryan Getzlaf and Kyle Palmieri while erasing Detroit's 4-1 lead with a surge in the final minutes.
FERENCE SUSPENDED The Boston Bruins will be without the suspended defenseman Andrew Ference for their next game. The N.H.L. suspended Ference for Saturday night's Game 2 for his hit on Toronto Maple Leafs center Mikhail Grabovski in the series opener Wednesday. The Bruins won, 4-1. Ference would be eligible to come back for Game 3 in Toronto on Monday.
2 WILD PLAYERS DON'T PRACTICE Minnesota Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom and defenseman Clayton Stoner did not practice Thursday, increasing the possibility they will be unavailable for Game 2 of their playoff series against the Chicago Blackhawks
Stopping to Smell the Roses
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Stepping into Wagner's Pharmacy outside Gate 5 of Churchill Downs is akin to taking a step back in time.
Sure Wagner's is a pharmacy, but it's also a diner, complete with an old-fashioned lunch counter, and a general store, especially for horse supplies. It sells its own brand of liniment for racehorse's aching legs and jockey silks, which are made next door at Becker & Durski Turf Goods.
Wagner's opened in 1922 when Leo Wagner bought Hagen's Pharmacy on the northeast corner of Fourth Street and Central Avenue, where he had worked since he was 14. And it has been a favorite pre- and post-workout gathering spot for horsemen ever since.
Now tourists and Food Network personalities flock to Wagner's, especially during Derby week, when lines often stretch into the back room and out the door. No matter, customers take their time perusing the iconic winner's circle portraits and other horse racing memorabilia covering every inch of the walls.
Adam Richman of "Man vs. Food" paid a visit Wednesday, adding another layer of excitement to an already crazed atmosphere. A banner hangs outside advertising $4 Budweiser products on Oaks and Derby day. Inside, items from a special Derby menu are served on paper products to keep the process moving along.
One thing is certain: Wagner's unmatched variety and no-frills ambiance draws you in, whether you are in town for the Derby, or just a regular on the track's backside.
Stopping to Smell the Roses
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Mention a hot brown to most people outside Kentucky, and they look at you like you are making some kind of joke. But to people in the state, especially in Louisville, where the hot brown was invented, the open-faced sandwich is a point of pride.
Created by Chef Fred Schmidt in 1920s at the Brown Hotel, this cheesy creation has been a staple there ever since. It includes house-roasted turkey, tomatoes and bacon served over toast and is smothered with Mornay sauce and sprinkled with pecorino Romano cheese.
In that era, the hotel drew over 1,000 guests each night for its dinner dance. After dancing almost until dawn, the story goes, guests would head to the restaurant for a late-night snack. Diners eventually grew tired of the traditional ham and eggs, so Schmidt invented the hot brown.
Several restaurants have put their own twist on the sandwich, but the elegant Brown Hotel has kept its original recipe intact. Recently the chef experimented with different sauces, the manager of the English Grill said, but everyone on the staff agreed that there was just no messing with the original's gooey greatness.
During Derby week, the Brown is filled to capacity, and hot browns are by far the top seller at all three restaurants in the hotel. In the classy English Grill, where horse portraits hang on the wood-paneled walls, one waiter suggested the sandwich be paired with a mint julep, then washed down with a slice of Derby Pie, something he called the Triple Crown.
For tourists and Kentuckians alike, it is a winning combination.
Ingredients (Makes Two Hot Browns):
¶ 2 oz. Whole Butter
¶ 2 oz. All Purpose Flour
¶ 8 oz. Heavy Cream
¶ 1/2 Cup Pecorino Romano Cheese, Plus 1 Tablespoon for Garnish
¶ Salt & Pepper to Taste
¶ 14 oz. Sliced Roasted Turkey Breast
¶ 2 Slices of Texas Toast (Crust Trimmed)
¶ 4 Slices of Crispy Bacon
¶ 2 Roma Tomatoes, Sliced in Half
¶ Paprika
¶ Parsley
¶ Sprinkle of Nutmeg
In a two-quart saucepan, melt butter and slowly whisk in flour until combined and forms a thick paste (roux). Continue to cook roux for two minutes over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. Whisk heavy cream into the roux and cook over medium heat until the cream begins to simmer, about two to three minutes. Remove sauce from heat and slowly whisk in pecorino Romano cheese until the Mornay sauce is smooth. Add nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste.
For each Hot Brown, place one slice of toast in an oven-safe dish and cover with seven ounces of turkey. Take the two halves of Roma tomato and set them alongside the base of turkey and toast. Next, pour one half of the Mornay sauce to completely cover the dish. Sprinkle with additional pecorino Romano cheese. Place entire dish under a broiler until cheese begins to brown and bubble. Remove from broiler, cross two pieces of crispy bacon on top, sprinkle with paprika and parsley, and serve immediately.
WASHINGTON — The extremes of beauty and ugliness in hockey came quickly for Steve Oleksy in his playoff debut Thursday night.
The 27-year-old Capitals defenseman, who was making his playoff debut after spending several years bouncing between the American Hockey League and the third-tier E.C.H.L., first set up a beautiful breakaway goal for center Marcus Johansson that gave the Capitals a 2-1 lead in their eventual 3-1 victory over the Rangers.
Minutes later, he took a Derick Brassard slap shot to the face.
Circling between the dots in his own defensive zone, Oleksy spotted Johansson near the Rangers' blue line, and his pass zoomed straight up the middle of the ice, perfectly splitting Rangers defensemen Ryan McDonagh and Dan Girardi. Johansson was in alone, and beat Henrik Lundqvist low.
"I didn't think he was even going to try," Johansson said. "But when I saw when he passed it I knew right away it was going to make it. It was the perfect pass."
Oleksky said: "I was taking a couple extra seconds to calm it down there, and I saw Jojo streaking. He did a great job giving me a spot there, and I saw a little lane, and obviously, you know, he did the job."
Minutes later, Oleksy would be face down on the ice after dropping to his knees in attempt to stop Brassard's fast-rising slap shot, which him in the jaw, just below his right cheek.
"Yeah, it's one of those things," Oleksy said. "You go down to block, and he was trying to go high, and he got it up quick, and you know, luckily there wasn't more damage."
Once Oleksy collected himself, he skated quickly to the Capitals bench, drawing cheers from the crowd. His face and teeth were checked by the trainer, who quickly cleared him to return.
"I'm pretty fragile, I cut pretty easy, so just made sure I wasn't leakin' too bad," Oleksy joked. "And fortunately there wasn't more damage then there was.'
Oleksy no longer wears a visor because of a N.H.L. rule that penalizes a player who wears one and is deemed an instigator in a fight.
"It's one of those freak things," he said. "And to be honest where it hit me, visor or no visor it really wouldn't have mattered. Especially with the visor and the fighting rule, that's the reason I took it off in the first place. So it's one of those things that's going to happen. Hockey's a rough sport, and visor or no visor it's going to hit me."
Fellow defenseman Karl Alzner glowed over the I impressive transition that Oleksy, a rookie, has made to the N.H.L.
"He played great," Alzner said. "Confident, calm, and he did all the right things. Like I've been saying the entire time he's been here, he's an amazing player. I think it's the start to a good career for him."
As promising as he has been, Oleksy was already 27 before he made it to the N.H.L.
"It took a while for somebody to realize it," Alzner said. "It's nice that they did figure out that he could play. And obviously he's stepping up to that challenge right now. He's a got a good head on his shoulders. He's a smart kid, so he knows how to play."
Alzner quickly corrected himself.
"I shouldn't say kid — because he's older than I am. He's a smart guy."
Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images
The Denver Nuggets' Andre Miller shooting against the Golden State Warriors.
OAKLAND, Calif. – The end came the way the Denver Nuggets feared it could, with Golden State's Stephen Curry lobbing 3-pointers, Andrew Bogut crashing the basket and a hyper-charged crowd shaking the arena with earsplitting noise. By the time the first scrap of yellow celebratory confetti fell, the Nuggets were off the court and through the tunnel, ushered out of the playoffs.
The Nuggets, seeded third in the Western Conference and hoping this might be the season they reach their franchise's first N.B.A. finals, were instead bumped out of the postseason in six games by the No. 6 Golden State Warriors – a young, plucky and talented contender advancing with a 92-88 victory.
Golden State was fueled by Curry's 22 points, 14 in the pivotal third quarter, and a late stand against a frantic Denver comeback. The Nuggets washed away most of an 18-point deficit with a 13-0 run through the middle of the fourth quarter, then pulled within 2 points in the final minute, sending a sense of panic through the 19,596 fans at Oracle Arena.
Golden State's Jarrett Jack made two free throws with 7.3 seconds left to let the Warriors escape and head to San Antonio to face the second-seeded Spurs, who swept aside the Los Angeles Lakers in four games.
The best-of-seven conference semifinals begin Monday.
"They are clearly the favorite," Golden State Coach Mark Jackson said of the Spurs. "But it's going to be a lot of fun."
The Warriors should have the unexpected benefit of the All-Star power forward David Lee. He tore his right hip flexor in the first game of the playoffs and was deemed out for the postseason.
But as the Warriors took the court 20 minutes before Thursday's game, Lee lined up with teammates for layups, even dunking the ball. A buzz rolled through the crowd.
It was a hazy reminder of Willis Reed, the hobbled Knicks center who surprisingly played Game 7 of the 1970 finals, leading New York past the Lakers.
Jackson said Lee had a surprisingly strong workout on Wednesday, and he decided to play him, partly for inspiration, in Game 6.
"I guess it's the New York City in me," said Jackson, who was born in Brooklyn, played collegiately at St. John's in Queens and starred for the Knicks.
Lee did not start. But when he stood midway through a sloppy first quarter and removed his warm-up shirt, fans rose and cheered. He missed his first shot, grabbed a rebound, ran a bit creakily and sat down after less than 90 seconds.
"Weird," Nuggets Coach George Karl called it.
Lee's mere presence – far different from the 18.5 points and 11.2 rebounds that the Warriors received, on average, during the regular season – would be an afterthought for the game, but not for the next one.
This series was left mostly for Curry to decide.
The Nuggets led, 34-23, midway through the second quarter, and had put the clamps on the sharpshooting guard. Curry and Golden State's two other top guards, Klay Thompson and Jarrett Jack, combined to shoot just 4 of 20 in the first half.
But the Nuggets held only a 42-40 lead. And Jackson had some words for Curry.
"I pulled him aside and said, 'There's going to be a point where you take over, because you're the best player on this floor,'" Jackson said.
It had been an eventful series for Curry already. He sprained his ankle late in Game 2 and was questionable for Game 3, but then led the Warriors to victory with 29 points. He scored 22 points in the third quarter of Game 4 to spark the Warriors to a 3-1 series lead, but was later inadvertently poked in the right eye. Days later, the eye remained darkly bloodshot.
In Game 5, with the Nuggets bumping and grinding him, Curry uncharacteristically struggled, scoring 19 points on 7-of-20 shooting. Jackson fumed about plays like a hard pick that nearly knocked Curry over, and a protruding foot from Denver's Kenneth Faried that tripped Curry.
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David West scored 24 points and Paul George had 21 points and 10 rebounds to lead host Indiana past Atlanta, 106-83, and take a 3-2 lead in their Eastern Conference playoff series. Atlanta was led by Josh Smith and Al Horford, who each had 14 points.
¶ The Houston Rockets, behind James Harden's 31 points, beat the host Oklahoma City Thunder, 107-100, to narrow the gap in their Western Conference series to 3-2.
The Olympic discus silver medalist Darya Pishchalnikova was barred for 10 years for doping and will be stripped of her medal, the Russian track federation said. She tested positive for the banned substance Oxandrolone in a retest of a sample taken out-of-competition last May. Li Yanfeng of China will move up to the silver medal and Yarelys Barrios of Cuba to bronze. Pishchalnikova, 27, served a two-year ban from 2007 to 2009.
