Oilers gaining steam, lead Stars 2-1

Zach Hyman had two goals and an assist, Connor McDavid added two goals and the Oilers defeated the Stars 6-1 on Sunday in Edmonton, Alberta, taking a 2-1 lead in their NHL Western Conference final series. Evan Bouchard, with a goal and an assist, and John Klingberg also scored for the defending conference champs, with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins added three assists. Nugent-Hopkins has multipoint efforts in every game of the series, becoming the only Oiler in franchise history other than Wayne Gretzky with more than one point in the first three games of a conference final. “You have to have dominant nights, you have to have nights where maybe your goalie is better than theirs,” McDavid said. “You have to find ways to win different games different ways and we did again tonight.” Stuart Skinner was impressive once again in the Oilers net, making 33 saves to improve to 4-4 in postseason play, his first victory in the playoffs that wasn’t a shutout. “For him, to be able to battle back the way he has is just really impressive,” Hyman said. “I think a lot of people were counting him out and he came in and has been phenomenal and a big reason we’re up 2-1.” Game 4 will be in Edmonton on Tuesday.

Trackhouse Racing gets big victory

Trackhouse Racing has won nine NASCAR Cup Series races since opening in 2021. None as big as Sunday night’s race. Ross Chastain became the first driver since Bobby Allison 56 years ago to win a race from an official starting position of last when he passed William Byron with six laps remaining to capture the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, giving team owner Justin Marks his first crown jewel win. In a time when the Cup racing seems largely dominated by Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing and Team Penske, the little guys got a much-needed breakthrough win. “It’s sinking in that we won the Coke 600,” Chastain, above, said. “What that means for the team and me, I don’t know yet. I’m excited to find out, though.” For Chastain, it means returning to the NASCAR playoffs after missing out last year. Marks said he spends most of his waking moments trying to figure out how to close the gap between his team and the Hendricks, Gibbs and Penskes of the racing world. And Sunday night was a big step.

Pacers lift ban on Haliburton’s dad

Tyrese Haliburton’s father will be allowed to attend Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals, meaning his ban from attending Pacers games following an on-court confrontation with Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo earlier in the playoffs has ended. John Haliburton is expected to be seated in a suite Tuesday night when the Pacers host the Knicks, in hopes of avoiding a repeat of what happened in Game 5 against the Bucks. The Pacers hold a 2-1 lead in the series. John Haliburton hasn’t attended any of the Pacers’ eight games — home or road — since running onto the court and yelling in Antetokounmpo’s face after his son made a last-second layup in overtime to end the Bucks’ season in the first round for the third straight year. Antetokounmpo has said that he talked with John Haliburton after the skirmish and that “we’re in a good place.” The elder Haliburton also apologized to Antetokounmpo, as well as the Bucks and Pacers on social media after the game. Since, John Haliburton has been seen in a local Indianapolis bar celebrating his son’s feats, such as making a buzzer-beating shot to force overtime in Game 1 against the Knicks — a game the Pacers won at Madison Square Garden. —News services