May 05, 2008 06:00 am Phil Kessel had a hat trick and the United States scored three power-play goals in a 5-1 win over Slovenia in a preliminary round game of the world championships last night. The Boston Bruins forward scored twice with the man advantage in the second, then added his third of the game on an even-strength tally 9 minutes into the third. David Booth and Calder Trophy nominee Patrick Kane also scored for the United States. On Friday, the U.S. went 4-for-9 on the power play in a 4-0 win against Latvia. Next up for the United States is a matchup with rival Canada on Tuesday. Both teams are 2-0, and the winner will get the top spot for Group B. In the other Group B game, Dany Heatley had a goal and three assists to lead Canada to a 7-0 win over Latvia. NBA playoffs: Lakers flex muscles against Jazz in opener Kobe Bryant, celebrating what is expected to be his first NBA MVP award, had 38 points, six rebounds and seven assists, and Los Angeles made it five straight playoff wins by beating Utah to begin the second round. Game 2 will be played Wednesday night before the best-of-seven series shifts to Utah for Games 3 and 4. Word leaked late Friday that Bryant had won his first Most Valuable Player award and he expressed his joy on Saturday. The NBA has declined comment, but Bryant is expected to receive the MVP trophy from commissioner David Stern before Game 2. Pau Gasol added 18 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, Lamar Odom had 16 points and nine rebounds before fouling out with 45 seconds to play, and Sasha Vujacic scored 15 for the Lakers. Mehmet Okur had 21 points and a career playoff-high 19 rebounds for the Jazz, who lost despite outrebounding the Lakers 58-41. Carlos Boozer had 15 points, 14 rebounds and four assists before fouling out with 3:28 left, and Deron Williams added 14 points, nine assists and nine rebounds. Golf: Creamer survives in playoff against Inkster Paula Creamer squandered another late lead and fell into a playoff she didn't want. She got the result she desperately needed, beating Juli Inkster on the second extra hole yesterday in the SemGroup Championship. A week after losing to Annika Sorenstam in a playoff, Creamer bogeyed the 18th hole at Cedar Ridge for the third straight day and wound up in overtime when the 47-year-old Inkster, trying to become the oldest LPGA Tour winner, made an 18-foot birdie putt. Instead of getting nervous, Creamer got mad. She twice gave herself birdie putts in the playoff, making an 8-footer on No. 10 for the victory. Lost in a terrific duel was the end of Lorena Ochoa's winning streak. Going for a record-tying fifth straight victory, Ochoa never got on track, even in a final round absent of much wind. She closed with a 2-under 69 to tie for fifth, five shots behind. ... Anthony Kim became the youngest PGA Tour winner in six years, cruising to a five-shot win over Ben Curtis in the Wachovia Championship. With Tiger Woods home recovering from knee surgery and unable to defend his title at Quail Hollow Club, the 22-year-old Kim turned in a masterful performance that brought comparisons to Woods. Entering the day with a four-shot lead, Kim birdied the first hole and was never threatened on his way to a 3-under 69. He set the tournament record with a 16-under 272 total, well ahead of a stacked field that included 18 of the world's top 25 players. Kim earned $1,134,000 and became the youngest winner since Sergio Garcia won his third PGA Tour title in the 2002 Mercedes Championship. Curtis closed with a 65. Jason Bohn (71) finished third at 10 under.
FedEx Kinko's Classic LAKEWAY, Texas (AP) — Denis Watson birdied the final hole to win the FedEx Kinko's Classic, taking advantage of Nick Price's back-nine errors. Watson, from Zimbabwe, closed with a 3-under 69 to finish at 10 under. He earned $240,000 for his second victory of the year and fourth overall on the Champions Tour. Price, who shot a 75 to finish at 9 under, appeared to be in control of the tournament through most of a clear and warm final round. But double bogeys on 15 and 16 dropped him out of the lead, and an 18th-hole par left him a stroke back. Price tied for second with 2007 winner Scott Hoch (69) and Tim Simpson (70). Watson won the AT&T Classic in March in California. Last year, he won the Senior PGA Championship and Boeing Classic. South Georgia Classic VALDOSTA, Ga. (AP) — Canada's Bryan DeCorso won the South Georgia Classic for his first Nationwide Tour title, closing with a 3-under 69 for a three-stroke victory over Greg Owen and Bryce Molder. The 36-year-old DeCorso had a 14-under 274 total on the 7,781-yard Kinderlou Forest County Club course, the longest in Nationwide Tour history. He earned $112,500 to jump from 38th to fourth on the money list with $148,976. The top 25 at the end of the season will earn 2009 PGA Tour cards. Molder closed with a 69, and Owen shot a 72. Spanish Open SEVILLE, Spain (AP) — Ireland's Peter Lawrie won the Spanish Open for his first European tour victory in 175 attempts, beating Ignacio Garrido with a par on the second hole of a playoff after the Spaniard's approach shot rolled into the water. Lawrie closed with a 5-under 67 to match Garrido (72) at 15-under 273. Denmark's Soren Hansen (69) finished third at 14 under.
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