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Birthdays – May 1

Singer Judy Collins is 84. Actor Stephen Macht (“Suits") is 81. Singer Rita Coolidge is 78. Singer-bassist Nick Fortuna of The Buckinghams is 77. Actor Dann Florek (“Law and Order: SVU”) is 72. Singer-songwriter Ray Parker Jr. is 69. Actor Byron Stewart is 67. Actor Maia Morgenstern (“The Passion of the Christ”) is 61. Actor Scott Coffey (“Mulholland Drive”) is 59. Country singer Wayne Hancock is 58. Actor Charlie Schlatter (“Diagnosis Murder”) is 57. Country singer Tim McGraw is 56. Bassist D’Arcy Wretzky (Smashing Pumpkins) is 55. Director Wes Anderson is 54. Actor Julie Benz (“Dexter”) is 51. Singer Tina Campbell of Mary Mary is 49. Actor Darius McCrary (“Family Matters”) is 47. Actor Jamie Dornan (“Fifty Shades of Grey”) is 41. Actor Kerry Bishe (“Argo”) is 39. TV personality Abby Huntsman (“The View”) is 37. Actor Lizzy Greene (“A Million Little Things”) is 19.

Panthers oust record-setting Bruins 4-3 in OT in Game 7

Carter Verhaeghe scored the game-winner at 8:35 of overtime to lead the Florida Panthers to a 4-3 Game 7 victory and eliminate the record-setting Boston Bruins from the playoffs. Brandon Montour tied it with 1 minute left in regulation to force the overtime. Sergei Bobrovsky made 28 saves as the Panthers won three in a row after falling behind 3-1 in the series. They advance in the postseason for just the second time since reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 1996.

Curry scores playoff career-high 50 as Warriors down Kings

Stephen Curry scored a playoff career-high 50 points and answered time and again to will the defending champions on in their quest for a repeat, Kevon Looney grabbed 21 rebounds, and the Golden State Warriors advanced to the Western Conference semifinals by beating the Sacramento Kings 120-100 in the winner-take-all Game 7. Curry’s points are the most in NBA history in a Game 7, topping former teammate Kevin Durant’s 48 for the Nets against Milwaukee in 2021. 

Michigan State's Thorne, Coleman and Brantley enter portal

Michigan State quarterback Payton Thorne and receiver Keon Coleman have entered the transfer portal. A team spokesman has confirmed their departures. Spartans coach Mel Tucker said this spring that Thorne was part of an open competition to take the first snap in 2023. Thorne will have options after going 16-10 as a starter with 49 touchdown passes and 6,494 yards receiving. 

Basketball legend Rivers, longtime Globetrotter, dies at 73

Larry “Gator” Rivers, who helped integrate high school basketball in Georgia before playing for the Harlem Globetrotters and becoming a county commissioner in his native Savannah, has died. Chatham County Commission Chairman Chester Ellis says 73-year-old Rivers died Saturday from cancer. Rivers was a sophomore on the all-Black Beach High School team that won the first Georgia High School Association basketball tournament to include Black and white players in 1967.

Birthdays – April 30

Singer Willie Nelson is 90. Actor Burt Young is 83. Actor Perry King (“Riptide”) is 75. Singer-guitarist Wayne Kramer of the MC5 is 75. Singer Merrill Osmond of The Osmonds is 70. Director Jane Campion is 69. Actor-director Paul Gross (“Due South”) is 64. Bassist Robert Reynolds of The Mavericks is 61. Actor Adrian Pasdar (“Heroes”) is 58. Singer J.R. Richards (Dishwalla) is 56. Rapper Turbo B of Snap is 56. Guitarist Clark Vogeler of The Toadies is 54. Singer Chris “Choc” Dalyrimple of Soul for Real is 52. Guitarist Chris Henderson of 3 Doors Down is 52. Country singer Carolyn Dawn Johnson is 52. Actor Lisa Dean Ryan (“Doogie Howser, M.D.”) is 51. Singer Akon is 50. Singer Jeff Timmons of 98 Degrees is 50. Actor Johnny Galecki (“The Big Bang Theory") is 48. Actor Sam Heughan (“Outlander”) is 43. Actor Kunal Nayyar (“The Big Bang Theory”) is 42. Rapper Lloyd Banks is 41. Actor Kirsten Dunst is 41. Country singer Tyler Wilkinson of The Wilkinsons is 39. Actor Dianna Agron (“Glee”) is 37. Singer Brandon Lancaster of LANCO is 34. Rapper Travis Scott is 32.

Maple Leafs top Lightning to break first-round playoff jinx

John Tavares scored 4:35 into overtime, and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 on Saturday night for their first NHL playoff series win in nearly two decades. The Maple Leafs won the best-of-seven matchup in six games, winning three times in overtime on the road and ending an 11-game losing streak in elimination games. 

USA will open Basketball World Cup against New Zealand

The United States will open Basketball World Cup play against New Zealand this summer, with Greece and Jordan also awaiting the Americans in the group stage. And the earliest the U.S. can see France in an Olympic final rematch is the semifinals. FIBA held the World Cup draw in Manila on Saturday. The 32 teams that qualified for the field found out their initial matchups for the tournament that runs from Aug. 25 through Sept. 10. The Americans play New Zealand on Aug. 26, then face Greece and likely Giannis Antetokounmpo on Aug. 28, and conclude group-stage play Aug. 30 against Jordan.

Birthdays – April 29

Actor Keith Baxter is 90. Singer Bob Miranda of The Happenings is 81. Country singer Duane Allen of The Oak Ridge Boys is 80. Singer Tommy James is 76. Comedian Jerry Seinfeld is 69. Actor Kate Mulgrew ("Orange Is the New Black," "Star Trek: Voyager") is 68. Actor Daniel Day-Lewis is 66. Actor Michelle Pfeiffer is 65. Actor Eve Plumb ("The Brady Bunch") is 65. Country singer Stephanie Bentley is 60. Actor Vincent Ventresca (TV's "The Invisible Man," "Boston Common") is 57. Singer Carnie Wilson of Wilson Phillips is 55. Actor Paul Adelstein ("Private Practice") is 54. Actor Uma Thurman is 53. Rapper Master P is 53. Actor Darby Stanchfield ("Scandal") is 52. Country singer James Bonamy is 51. Singer Erica Campbell of Mary Mary is 51. Bassist Mike Hogan of The Cranberries is 50. Actor Tyler Labine ("New Amsterdam") is 45. Actor Megan Boone ("The Blacklist") is 40. Actor Zane Carney ("Dave's World") is 38. Singer Amy Heidemann of Karmin is 37. Singer Foxes is 34. Actor Grace Kaufman ("Man With a Plan") is 21.

Jill On Money: Paying for college

Authors, journalists and filmmakers take what may seem mundane or complicated and bring it to life through engaging storytelling. Each year, I highlight interviews that stuck with me throughout the year.

Canes oust Islanders in OT

NEW YORK — Paul Stastny scored 6:01 into overtime, and the Carolina Hurricanes beat the New York Islanders 2-1 on Friday night in Game 6 to advance to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Monk, Fox lead Kings past Warriors to force Game 7

Malik Monk scored 28 points, De'Aaron Fox added 26 points and 11 assists, and the Sacramento Kings staved off elimination in their first-round playoff series by beating Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors 118-99 in Game 6. Now, a winner-takes-all Game 7 is back in Sacramento on Sunday afternoon. Rookie Keegan Murray scored 15 points with four 3-pointers and grabbed 12 rebounds for his first playoff double-double, and the Kings withstood every scoring surge by the defending champions and shined in nearly every facet of this one with their special season on the line.