Former ice hockey national coach Marco Sturm will not be the head coach of the Los Angeles Kings. The NHL team decided on Wednesday to continue working with the previous interim coach Jim Hiller. Sturm, who has been the head coach of the Kings farm team Ontario Reign since last year, was considered a successor candidate. He worked as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Kings from 2018 to 2022 and gave up his position as national coach after winning Olympic silver in Sochi.
Sturm is also being discussed as head coach of the San Jose Sharks under national player Nico Sturm. “There are a lot of rumors,” he said after the Reign’s playoff exit in the second division American Hockey League (AHL) on Sunday. “It’s nice to get some attention, I don’t have to lie. I think I’m ready for the next step.” Sturm made it clear that he doesn’t want to return to the NHL as an assistant coach. “I am a head coach. If nothing works out, then I’m here,” he said of his role with the Ontario Reign. “It’s not my goal to be an assistant. I think I’m a better head coach than an assistant.”
Basketball: Dallas wins at the start of the play-off semifinals
The Dallas Mavericks basketball players got off to a perfect start in their play-off semifinals. The NBA team around superstar Luka Doncic won against the Minnesota Timberwolves in game one of the Western Conference finals with 108:105 and took the lead in the best-of-seven series. Game two takes place on Saturday night.
The best scorer for Dallas in a close game in which neither team was ahead by more than nine points throughout the game was once again Doncic, the Slovenian scoring 33 points. Kyrie Irving, the Texans’ other star player, contributed 30 points. Jaden McDaniels scored 24 points for the Timberwolves, who dethroned defending champions Denver Nuggets and three-time MVP Nikola Jokic in the quarterfinals after a strong comeback.
The Mavs, who were still missing Maximilian Kleber due to a shoulder injury, are dreaming of the second title in franchise history. The Texans last reached the Conference Final in 2022, but lost to the Golden State Warriors. The Texans’ only title to date came in 2011, led by German superstar Dirk Nowitzki.
In the East final, the main round winners Boston Celtics and the Indiana Pacers face each other. The Celtics won game one (133:128 after overtime), and the series continues on Friday night.
Ice hockey: Florida defeats Rangers to start semifinal playoffs
The ice hockey stars of the Florida Panthers have made a perfect start to their play-off semi-final in the NHL. Last year’s finalists beat the New York Rangers 3-0 and took the lead in the best-of-seven series. Game two of the Conference Finals in the East will take place on Saturday night.
Man of the evening in Madison Square Garden was Sergei Bobrowsky, Florida’s keeper defused eleven shots on his goal in the final third alone. The goals for the team from the Sunshine State, which was clearly defeated by the Vegas Golden Knights in the final series last year (1:4), were scored by Matthew Tkachuk, Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Bennett.
In the final of the West, the Edmonton Oilers around the German Leon Draisaitl and the Dallas Stars face each other. The series starts on Friday night.
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