National Sports: AP-4thSportsMinute

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r s AP-4thSportsMinute     04-09 0247
^AP-4th SportsMinute<
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^A pair of baseball matinees...NHL‘s second season upon us...Wizards
trying to catch Cavs
^

     UNDATED (AP) _ Today‘s full major league schedule includes one
day game in each league. The Los Angeles Angels are home to the
Cleveland Indians and Arizona hosts the L.A. Dodgers.
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     UNDATED (AP) _ The NHL playoffs get under way tonight with four
games on the schedule. It‘ll be Ottawa at Pittsburgh, New Jersey
hosting the New York Rangers, Minnesota home to Colorado and
Calgary at San Jose in Game 1 of their best-of-seven, first-round
series.
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     UNDATED (AP) _ Boston brings an NBA-high seven-game winning
streak into tonight‘s game at Washington. The Wizards are fifth in
the Eastern Conference, two games behind fourth-place Cleveland in
the race for home-court advantage in the opening round of the
playoffs. The Cavaliers host New Jersey.
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     LONDON (AP) _ Players competing in the Davis Cup World Group
will get ATP ranking points for the first time beginning next
season. The International Tennis Federation and the ATP say they
made the decision in order to encourage more top players to
participate in the team event. Besides earning points for a
victory, players can also get bonus points for winning a certain
amount of matches throughout the year.
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     ZURICH, Switzerland (AP) _ The United States has jumped seven
spots to Number 21 in the world soccer rankings following a 3-0
exhibition win at Poland. Argentina remains Number 1.
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     (Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

     AP-NY-04-09-08 1149EDT<