ROSEMONT—The Wolves saw a three-goal lead slip away and surrendered a late power-play goal to fall, 5-4, to the Milwaukee Admirals in Game 5 of the West Division Semifinal at the Allstate Arena Wednesday night. The Wolves still lead the best-of-seven series, 3-games-to-2. The Wolves (3-2) jumped out to a 3-0 lead early in the game and built a 4-1 advantage behind a season-high three power-play goals, but the Admirals responded with four unanswered tallies to steal the win and keep their season alive.The Wolves drew first blood 53 seconds into the game with a goal from right wing Tim Stapleton. Center Jason Krog carried the puck into Milwaukee’s zone and slipped a backhanded pass to defenseman Ivan Vishnevskiy, who fired a long shot from high in the zone. Center Matt Anderson attempted to tip Vishnevskiy’s shot in front of the net and was thwarted by Admirals goaltender Mark Dekanich, but Stapleton was there to knock home the rebound.The Wolves stepped ahead, 2-0, with a power-play strike at 12:18 of the first frame. Right wing Spencer Machacek won the puck along the boards in the Wolves zone, raced up the ice and attempted a shot on net. He collected his own rebound and attempted a wrap-around, which Dekanich blocked, but Greg Stewart and center Kevin Doell hacked at the rebound until Doell was able to chip it up over the netminder.The Wolves padded their lead, 3-0, with a power-play goal from right wing Joey Crabb, 55 seconds into the second period. Crabb took a pass from center Matt Anderson behind the net and bounced a shot of Dekanich’s back and into the net, sending the netminder to the bench in favor of back up Chet Pickard.Pickard made nine saves on 10 shots in 11:48 of action, before Dekanich (2-3) returned to the crease, posting 18 saves on 21 shots in 48:12 of action overall.Milwaukee (2-3) got on the board, 3-1, at 5:18 of the middle frame when center Mike Santorelli found Andreass Thurreson alone in the slot and he wound up and cranked a shot between Wolves goaltender Peter Mannino’s legs.The Wolves regained the three-goal edge with a third power-play goal at 12:43 of the middle frame. Defenseman Nathan Oystrick slapped a shot at Pickard from just outside the right face-off circle and Anthony Stewart punched the rebound past the scrambling goaltender and into the net.Milwaukee pulled to 4-2, when left wing Mark Santorelli received a pass from Mike Bartlett, broke down alone on Mannino and rifled a shot to the corner of the net at 17:12 of the second period. Fifty-eight seconds later, Ben Guite popped the rebound from an Alex Sulzer shot past Mannino to make the score 4-3 heading into the second intermission.Mannino (3-2) posted 27 saves on 32 shots for the Wolves.The Admirals evened the score, 4-4, at 18:10 of the third period. Sulzer shipped a pass over to a streaking left wing Ryan Thang, who buried the puck in an empty net and three Wolves collapsed in front of the net.Chris Mueller took a feed from defenseman Jon Blum at the right of the goal and ripped a shot into the empty corner of the net.The Wolves will travel to Milwaukee for Game 6, which will take place at the Bradley Center on Fri., April 23 at 7 p.m.

NASHVILLE—The Nashville Predators have their first 2-1 lead ever in an opening-round series. It’s only fitting the first player they ever drafted played a key role.David Legwand was the No. 2 overall pick in 1998 when the franchise was getting started. Best known as a two-way player, he scored the go-ahead goal and had two assists as the Predators beat the Blackhawks 4-1 on Tuesday and made some history.The Predators have never won more than two games in any of their first four playoff appearances.Game 4 is here Thursday night, but Nashville forward and former Hawk Steve Sullivan said they aren’t worried about stats and history.Pekka Rinne stopped 26 shots and has allowed only two even-strength goals. Joel Ward and Shea Weber also scored for Nashville, and Martin Erat scored on a penalty shot late. The Predators more than made up for the absence of top goal scorer Patric Hornqvist, scratched for a second straight game with an injury.Tomas Kopecky scored a power-play goal for the Hawks.The Blackhawks won a franchise-record 23 road games in earning the West’s No. 2 seed but could be in trouble even with all their offensive firepower. They are just 8-18 all-time when losing two of the first three games of a series.The Predators’ biggest problem early was coming out a bit too excited at the prospect of having home-ice advantage.Outhit by the Blackhawks in losing 2-0 Sunday night in Chicago, they made up for that every chance they got. Francis Bouillon set the tone by leveling Blackhawks defenseman Colin Fraser right in front of the Hawk bench at 6:10 of the first to get everyone on their feet. They also outshot the Blackhawks 13-7 over the first 20 minutes and finished with a 35-27 margin.They more than made up for that with seven giveaways to just one by the Blackhawks in that span. They also got very lucky when Rinne tried to clear a puck early only to see John Madden flip it back to the net. Rinne threw himself onto the puck and looked like he might have carried it across the goal line but a quick review kept it scoreless.Nashville got the man advantage three times in the first period and was outshot on the first and couldn’t score on any of the three. Ward put Nashville up 1-0 with a backhander over Antti Niemi’s leg off a rebound with 13 minutes gone.But Nashville picked up its first penalty at 17:20 when Francis Bouillon was called for roughing, and Kopecky backhanded the puck past Rinne to tie it up just 15 seconds later.That was it for the Hawks as the Predators shut down Patrick Kane, who had two goals through the first two games, Patrick Sharp and Marian Hossa. They combined for seven shots, though Hossa did assist on Kopecky’s goal.Legwand put Nashville ahead to stay on a play started by defenseman Kevin Klein flipping the pass up the ice to Sullivan, skating up the right boards. Sullivan passed from the right circle to Legwand who tipped the puck past Niemi four minutes into the second.Weber made it 3-1 with 9:52 gone, firing a slap shot from the blue line through Niemi’s legs. The crowd, about 1,000 shy of a sellout, responded by turning up the noise and serenading the Predators through one timeout and as they headed into the locker room for the second intermission. They really cranked it up after Erat was awarded a penalty shot with 14:35 left, and he went top shelf over Niemi’s glove hand. Nashville coach Barry Trotz said they could barely hear on the bench. The Blackhawks noticed the noise as well.

NOTES—Nashville is 0 of 12 on the power play in the series. The Blackhawks aren’t much better. They went 1 of 4 and now are 2 of 11…..The last time Hawks split the first two games in the playoffs and lost Game 3 was last season to Vancouver, and the Blackhawks won three straight to win the series…..Legwand has five points in the series. He had 38 in the regular season.

John Danks has pitched well so far this season despite the White Sox slow start.Danks threw eight strong innings and Paul Konerko hit a solo home run and drove in two runs and the White Sox ended the Tampa Bay Rays’ seven-game winning streak with a 4-1 victory Tuesday night.Andruw Jones also homered and Bobby Jenks pitched a scoreless ninth for his third save for the White Sox, who snapped a four-game losing streak.The White Sox won their first game since Danks’ seven-inning two-hit performance against Toronto last Wednesday and continues to get praise across the league.The Rays faced the White Sox for the first time since they were on the losing side of Mark Buehrle’s perfect game on July 23.Danks (2-0) allowed one run and two hits with nine strikeouts and two walks.Tampa Bay left-hander David Price (2-1) allowed three runs and six hits in five innings. He struck out three and walked three.Carl Crawford went 3 for 4 with a homer. He had all of Tampa’s hits.Danks’ lone mistake came against Crawford in the first inning. Crawford homered on the first pitch he saw for his second of the season, but Danks rebounded and didn’t allow a hit until Crawford reached on an infield single in the sixth inning.Danks struck out Ben Zobrist and Evan Longoria to end the fourth inning and then struck out the first two batters in the fifth inning. Danks struck out Zobrist with runners on first and second to end the sixth inning and he capped off a perfect eighth inning by striking out Gabe Kapler.The Rays, coming off a four-game sweep at Fenway Park, lost for the first time on the road this season.Danks has a 5-1 career record against the Rays with a 2.35 ERA.Before the game, Major League Baseball reversed its ban Tuesday on Maddon’s pullover, telling the Tampa Bay Rays manager he can resume wearing it.Maddon wasted no time, either. He wore it on the brisk, 54-degree night in Chicago.After a walk to Carlos Quentin with two outs in the first inning, Konerko followed with a double off the right-field fence. Quentin scored from first after Kapler’s throw from right wasn’t cut off to tie the game at one.In the second inning, Alex Rios took advantage of another failed relay by the Rays. Rios split the gap in right-center and headed to third for a triple. Rays shortstop Jason Bartlett had a shot at Rios on a relay throw, but his errant throw went into the stands, allowing Rios to score.Jones homered on an 0-2 fastball from Price in the sixth inning. It was Jones’ fourth of the season. Konerko added his fifth homer of the season off Tampa reliever Dan Wheeler.

NOTES—Buehrle is Wednesday’s scheduled starting pitcher. “I expect to throw a perfect game every time I go out there. I know it’s not going to happen, though. Obviously facing this team again, I’m not going to be thinking about the last time I faced them and what happened. It’s a new year,” he said. … Chicago is 7-2 against Tampa Bay in its past nine games. … Danks’ career high in strikeouts is 10.

NEW YORK—Jose Reyes popped up from his first triple this season with a big grin on his face and gave several emphatic hand claps.Mike Pelfrey’s performance was pretty electric, too.Reyes had a two-run triple among his four hits Tuesday night after being held out of the starting lineup Monday, and Pelfrey pitched three-hit ball for seven innings to run his scoreless streak to 19, leading the New York Mets to a 4-0 victory over the Cubs.Reyes was certainly flashing that toothy smile when he spoke of the big right-hander, who didn’t allow a hit until Mike Fontenot’s one-out single in the fifth.The Mets took advantage of a two-out walk to Pelfrey in the second to score the game’s first runs against a stingy Carlos Zambrano. Pinch-hittier Fernando Tatis had a two-run homer in the eighth inning for New York, which has won back-to-back games for the first time this season.The punchless Cubs have lost four in a row, scoring just six runs during the skid.Mets top prospect Ike Davis went 0 for 3 with a walk in his second big league game and made a nifty running catch behind first base in the fourth. His dad — former Yankees reliever Ron Davis — and stepmother were in the crowd after not having enough time to get to Citi Field from Arizona to see Ike’s debut Monday.Pelfrey (3-0) extended his scoreless streak to 19 innings, matching a career high established July 3-20, 2008. He allowed three hits, walked three in the first three innings and struck out six. Manuel said the often-moody Pelfrey is in command and is using his secondary pitches to great effect.Pelfrey began a stretch of six splendid starts for New York’s rotation Thursday with seven shutout innings against Colorado. He also picked up the team’s first save of the season, pitching the 20th inning of a 2-1 win over St. Louis on Saturday.Struggling with his control early, Pelfrey thought back to the relief appearance.Mets starters have allowed just four earned runs in the last 38 innings (0.95 ERA) and New York is 4-2 in that span. Pelfrey has three of the team’s six wins — plus that save against the Cardinals — and a 0.86 ERA.Reliever Ryota Igarashi strained his left hamstring when he slipped trying to retrieve Koyie Hill’s bunt in front of the mound leading off the eighth for an error. Igarashi left after getting two outs. He’ll have an MRI on Wednesday.Fernando Nieve relieved with a runner on second and struck out Jeff Baker. Francisco Rodriguez finished the three-hitter by pitching the ninth.Reyes’ triple in the second inning was the sort of exciting play the Mets have been waiting to see from their speedy shortstop, who missed all but 36 games last season with a hamstring injury and the beginning of April because of a hyperactive thyroid. His hit leading off the first snapped an 0-for-18 slide. He also had a stolen base.Manuel thought the rest – Reyes pinch hit in the seventh Monday and remained in the game – was essential.Looking recovered from the cramps in his calf and right index finger that hindered his previous start, Zambrano (1-2) kept to form, following a subpar outing (five innings, four runs against Milwaukee) with a solid one. He struck out nine for the second time this season and gave up six hits, while covering plenty of ground stalking around the mound after his three walks.

NOTES—Mets All-Star center fielder Carlos Beltran (knee) saw a doctor in Vail, Colo. He is making progress but still is not ready for baseball activities…..Ted Lilly gave up a run on three hits and a walk over seven innings in a rehab start for Class-A Peoria. Manager Lou Piniella said Lilly will pitch this weekend in Milwaukee, likely on Saturday.

CLEVELAND—LeBron James scored 40 points and took over in the fourth quarter as the Cleveland Cavaliers, fueled by a rabid home crowd that booed every move by Joakim Noah, maintained home-court advantage by beating the Bulls 112-102 on Monday night to take a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference playoffs.James added eight rebounds and eight assists for the Cavs, who led 96-93 with 4:30 left before the league’s soon-to-be-two-time MVP decided to dominate.James dropped a 3-pointer that he capped with a quick dance move and wink toward the Bulls bench, made two free throws, a layup and two jumpers, scoring 11 straight as Cleveland opened a 107-98 lead with 1:36 left.Noah, who criticized Cleveland’s lack of downtown activity, scored 25 points and had 13 rebounds. Derrick Rose added 23 and Luol Deng 20. Game 3 is Thursday night in the United Center.

NEW YORK—Former Cub Angel Pagan hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the seventh inning for New York’s first extra-base hit since Friday and top prospect Ike Davis had an RBI single in his debut for the Mets as they beat the slumping Northsiders 6-1 Monday night.In an offensive slump, New York called up the first baseman from Triple-A Buffalo. And Davis didn’t disappoint, going 2 for 4 and following slumping Jason Bay’s RBI double in the seventh with a run-scoring hit.New York’s Jonathon Niese allowed a run against the Cubs, who haven’t been hitting either. Like the Mets, the Cubs entered having scored five runs in the past two games.The Cubs, who lost two in a row to Houston over the weekend, shuffled their lineup against the left-handed Niese, moving Marlon Byrd into the leadoff spot and dropping Ryan Theriot to eighth. Xavier Nady and Aramis Ramirez flopped spots with Nady batting fourth, and Geovany Soto moved up to seventh.It didn’t work.Niese went 5 2-3 innings and allowed eight hits and an unearned run, striking out seven. Fernando Nieve (1-0) pitched 1 1/3 innings for the win after.Randy Wells – who singled twice – only allowed a run himself, but the Mets rallied against the Cubs’ bullpen.Jose Reyes, who did not start and was in an 0 for 17 slump and hitting .154 since returning to lineup on April 10 after sitting several weeks because of a hyperactive thyroid, was hit by a pitch from James Russell (0-1) to start the seventh.Gary Matthews Jr. struck out after failing to sacrifice Reyes over before Pagan homered several rows into the seats in left-center for the Mets’ first extra-base hit since Matthews doubled in the ninth inning Friday night at St. Louis.The drought included New York’s 20-inning win Saturday.Bay added an RBI double and after Jeff Francoeur reached on an error by third baseman Ramirez, Davis made it 5-1 Mets. Francoeur scored on Sean Marshall’s wild pitch to make it 6-1.Davis will take over at first base for Mike Jacobs, who was designated for assignment Sunday, while Daniel Murphy recovers from a sprained knee.Byrd appeared comfortable in the top spot. He had three hits, driving in run in the sixth that tied it at 1. He was hit in the helmet with a pitch in the ninth by Jenrry Meija but quickly picked up his helmet and ran to first.After Niese worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth, Luis Castillo chopped an RBI single over Wells’ head for a 1-0 lead in the bottom half.The Cubs scored an unearned run in the sixth. Niese walked Soto and Wells got his second hit with two outs in the inning to end Niese’s night. Soto went to third on Wells’ infield hit when Davis couldn’t scoop Alex Cora’s throw from shortstop out of the dirt.Byrd then greeted reliever Nieve with a run-scoring infield single to tie it.

NOTES—Ted Lilly worked 7 innings for Class A Peoria, giving up one run on three hits,fanning 8.He also had a single. He could return to the Cubs rotation this weekend against Milwaukee. … The Mets celebrated Jackie Robinson Day because they were on the road April 15, the anniversary of the Brooklyn Hall of Famer’s breaking baseball’s color barrier. Both teams wore Robinson’s No. 42.

***The Blackhawks win Sunday night turned their first round Stanley Cup Series with Nashville into a ‘best of five’. Game three is Tuesday evening in Nashville. The win also eased what was a horrible sports weekend for Chicago teams. The White Sox got swept in Cleveland, The Cubs dropped two of three to the lowly Houston Astros, the Bulls lost to the Cavaliers in Cleveland Saturday, and the Wolves got routed 6-0 by the Milwaukee Admirals at the Bradley Center Saturday.At least the Rush won Friday night at Phoenix over Arizona up their record to 3-0 and the Fire blanked D.C.United 2-0 Saturday on the road.

***The Cubs first home stand was a blah one,going 3-3 and losing three of the last four including two of three to the Houston Astros who came to town 1-8.With the wing blowing in,Wrigley Field does the Cub hitter no favors. And this is a team that like their cross town neighbors, has so far relied on the long ball too much.Carlos Marmol and Sean Marshall,the Cubs lone two reliable relievers,were both roughed up Sunday.Marmol blew a save and Marshall took the loss.

***The White Sox finished their first road trip 2-5,and that after winning two of their first three in Toronto. After the Blue Jays killed the Sox in the fourth game up there, the Southsiders went into Cleveland and got swept by the Tribe in a series for the first time since Ozzie Guillen became Sox Skipper in 2004. The Sox 9 losses are the second most in the AL to Baltimore’s 11.

***In light of the Bulls loss to the Cavaliers Saturday afternoon, Cleveland went 4-0 against Chicago this weekend.

***Joakim Noah of the Bulls wasn’t talking about the Cavs Saturday after the game, he called Boston’s Kevin Garnett “dirty” and said the former Farragut star uses his elbows like crazy. Garnett was ejected Saturday for elbowing Miami’s Quentin Richardson during a scuffle. Now, will the NBA have the ‘stones’ to suspend Garnett, or will he get away with this because he’s a Celtic? And for those who may want to say that Michael Jordan got preferential treatment, he was suspended twice, once for ‘slapping the Pacers Reggie Miller in 1993, and one for bumping Referee Tommy Washington a year earlier.