Sports Update for May 9, 2014

So, what a time it is in sports right now, right?

The World Cup is going to begin next month in Brazil, and the excitement is building for it.

In North America, both the NBA and NHL playoffs are well underway and in the second round. The NFL Draft, which seems to be getting to be a bigger and bigger deal every year, began last evening. And, of course, baseball season continues.

The Canadiens entered Game 4 with home ice advantage, and a 2-1 series lead last night. They had a chance to take a 3-1 series lead over the heavily favored Boston Bruins, and that likely would have gotten them an excellent chance at winning it. For the Bruins, the mission was clear: win the series to tie it all up, then return to Boston for Game 5. Obviously, they could not afford to fall behind 3-1 in the series.

The game was a tough, defensive battle, and remained scoreless through the first period. Then the second period. And then, yes, the third period.

But very quickly in the overtime session, Boston was able to earn the win just a bit over a minute into it when Matt Fraser, who the day before was in Providence when he got the call from the Bruins, was able to put the puck into the net for a Boston win. it was his first ever playoff goal, and it could not have come at a better time.

That series is now tied at 2-2, and effectively become a best of three series the rest of the way.

In Los Angeles, the Anaheim Ducks were able to recover from the two home losses with a road win against the Kings that keeps them in the series.

As for basketball, the Nets, hoping to reassert the dominance over the Miami Heat that they had enjoyed during the regular season (when they went 4-0 against them), desperately wanted to rebound from their blowout loss in Game 1. They played better, but the Heat still were able to score a decisive victory, and now own a 2-0 series lead, as the series moves now to Brooklyn, where the Nets will now have an opportunity to enjoy home court advantage.

In the West, the San Antonio Spurs once again made surprisingly short work of the Portland Trailblazers, to also take a 2-0 series lead, as the series now shifts to Portland.

The big news in the NFL Draft this morning is that the Cleveland Browns took Johnny Manziel (also known as "Johnny Football") from Texas A&M, with the 22nd pick in the first round. The Houston Texans, with the first overall pick in the draft, took defensive end Jadeveon Clowney from South Carolina, who is considered a beast on defense, which the Texans tend to specialize in.