Tortorella was susspended one-game for squir

LOS ANGELES -- Among Candace Parkers favorite Chicago meals is the sort of thing you should ever eat unless you burn calories the way a world-class athlete like Parker does.Chili cheese dog with extra cheese, French fries, chocolate-cake milkshake, she said, laughing. Its very healthy food.Parker, who grew up in the Chicago suburb of Naperville, will be going home to the Windy City on Sunday for the third -- and potentially decisive -- game of the Los Angeles Sparks WNBA semifinal series with the Chicago Sky. Los Angeles 99-84 victory Friday at Staples Center gave the Sparks a 2-0 series lead. One more victory will earn the Sparks their first trip to the WNBA Finals since 2003.That would be a milestone for Parker, the Sparks No. 1 draft pick in 2008 and a two-time league MVP. She has won everything else in her career except a WNBA title, and in truth she has had a lot of frustration in just trying to advance to the leagues championship series.On the way to the postgame meeting with reporters Friday, Parker mentioned to teammate Nneka Ogwumike that the Sparks have had a some very disappointing trips to the media room during past playoffs.Weve had to do a lot of press conferences talking about next year and what we need to do to improve, Parker said. My rookie year -- it seems like it was just yesterday -- we barely missed the [WNBA] Finals. And when we left the court, I was like, Oh, well be back next year! And that hasnt happened.Parker was referring to the 2008 Western Conference finals, when the Sparks beat San Antonio by 15 points in the series opener, and were 1.3 seconds away from closing out the best-of-three series. But the Stars Sophia Young took an inbounds pass, spun around and tossed up a shot from just inside the arc that bounced in for a 67-66 victory. San Antonio then won the third game, 76-72.The Sparks also lost in the conference finals in 2009 to Phoenix and 2012 to Minnesota. In Parkers career, Los Angeles also has fallen in the conference semifinal four times, including 2-1 to Minnesota last year.So its understandable just how intense the feeling is now for Parker and the Sparks to not let this chance at the WNBA Finals get past them.You have to take advantage of the opportunities you have, Parker said. Weve focused on the little things, while seeing the bigger picture.The Sparks fully expect the Sky to give them a battle Sunday (ESPN, 3 p.m. ET) when facing elimination back at Allstate Arena. But so far in this series, Chicago hasnt been able to impede the Sparks offense. Parker had 20 points, 12 rebounds and 8 assists Friday. That followed a Game 1 performance in which she had 30 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists.Ogwumike won the leagues MVP award, and no one was happier for her than Parker. They have genuinely great chemistry with each other, and that has been critical to the Sparks this season.But these past two games, Parker has played like she wants to make the statement that shes really at her peak for the playoffs.Its important to her, Sparks guard Kristi Toliver said. And we want to win a championship for her. Shes been here the longest, and she just wants it so bad.The Sparks as a unit all have been playing with that kind of fervor. Three other Los Angeles starters scored in double figures Friday as Ogwumike had 18 points, Toliver 15 and Essence Carson 11.Jantel Lavender came off the bench to do her thing in a big way, going 10 of 11 from the field for 20 points, plus 5 rebounds. Alana Beard had 2 points, but her defense was one of the key reasons the Sky shot 38.5 percent from the field (30 of 78).Chicago got a lift off its bench, with Clarissa Dos Santos, Jamierra Faulkner and Allie Quigley combining for 40 points. But with the Sparks shooting 53.7 percent from the field (36 of 67) -- including 10 of 23 from behind the arc -- Chicago, which is without injured Elena Delle Donne, just didnt have anywhere near the firepower to stay with Los Angeles.Parker wants a chance to be in the WNBA Finals, and she would be pumped up for Sundays game no matter where it was played. But the fact that its in Chicago is especially meaningful for her.Im excited to play in front of my family and my friends and some people who were there from my first game in high school, she said. Its a lot of fun to go home. Some really talented basketball players have come out of Chicago, and it was very competitive for me growing up.Parker can impact games in so many ways, and that has been something Sparks coach Brian Agler has seen her do at a high level all season.When shes playing like she is right now, shes clearly one of the best in the world, he said. To me, it has a lot to with focus and her desire and passion. Shes been a really good leader for us this year and a tremendous teammate. I think were having this year because of how she has tried to elevate everybodys play.Cheap Tom Brady Jersey . -- Adam Snyder returned to the San Francisco 49ers this season because the offensive lineman thought it was his best opportunity to win a championship. Tom Brady Jersey Michigan . -- Playing time has been limited for Maxim Tissot this season, so the Montreal Impact defender made the most of his first scoring opportunity on Saturday. https://www.sportsstarsjerseys.com/tom-brady-jersey/ . Vettel, who has already clinched his fourth straight F1 title, enters the finale with a chance to equal Michael Schumachers 13 victories in a year and match the record of nine consecutive wins by Alberto Ascari in the 1952 and 1953 seasons. Sale Tom Brady Jersey . -- Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Alrdridge were again the go-to duo for the Trail Blazers against the Kings. Custom Sports Jerseys . Tests earlier this week revealed a Grade 2 left hamstring strain for Sabathia, who was hurt in last Fridays start against San Francisco. Its an injury that will require about eight weeks to heal. He finished a disappointing campaign just 14-13 with a career-worst 4.The Vancouver Canucks have named John Tortorella the 17th head coach in team history, replacing Alain Vigneault, who was fired following a first-round exit at the hands of the San Jose Sharks. The 55-year-old Boston native carries with him both a history of success and controversy over his time as a bench boss in the NHL. The question is; is he the right choice to coach the Canucks? Tortorella had his best season as an NHL head coach in 2003-04, when he led the Tampa Bay Lightning to the Stanley Cup. He also received the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year at the end of the campaign. He spent six seasons behind the bench for the Lightning, compiling a 239-222-36-38 record before being fired after missing the playoffs in 2008. After half a season away from the game, Tortorella was named head coach of the New York Rangers. He would spend five more seasons at the helm before once again finding himself out of a job. In 319 regular-season games with the Rangers, he went 171-115-29. He also reached the playoffs in four of his five seasons. His time as a head coach has not been without its controversies. In 2009, Tortorella was susspended one-game for squirting a fan with water and throwing a water bottle that struck a fan during the playoffs.dddddddddddd He has also become known for colourful press conferences and run-ins with media members. The last seven seasons under Vigneault have been filled with near misses for the Canucks, as they have watched regular season success turn into playoff disappointment. The 2010-11 season was the closest the Canucks came to capturing the championship, as they were one game from the Stanley Cup before losing Games 6 and 7 to the Boston Bruins. General manager Mike Gillis said after the 2012-13 season that the team needed to head in a different direction if they were going to achieve at the level of their talent. "We lost consecutive games in the last two playoff years, and there comes a point in time where the message has to change and we have to be better," Gillis said at the year-end news conference. "And we simply didnt get the result we expected." Is Tortorella the right head coach to help the Vancouver Canucks get over the hump and finally win the Stanley Cup? Its Your! Call. ' ' '