On bended knee: The Flyers' Danny Briere celebrates scoring against the Devils in Game 1 of their playoff series on Sunday in Philadelphia. The Flyers won 4-3. APThe first time, his goal didn't count.The second time, Briere left no doubt and put away Game 1, once and for all.Briere continued to stamp his name alongside Philadelphia's postseason greats, scoring the winning goal 4:36 into overtime, leading the Flyers to a 4-3 win over the New Jersey Devils on Sunday to open this Eastern Conference semifinal series."He has his ups and downs, but he just picks it up in the playoffs. And that's what matters," Flyers coach Peter Laviolette said. "He's a guy who consistently gets it done."Indeed, no Flyer is as clutch in the postseason as Briere.His second attempt at the winner counted minutes after his earlier goal was overturned on review because he kicked the puck into the net. But he wasted no time making up for it, firing a slapper past Martin Brodeur for his seventh goal of the playoffs. Brodeur was screened in front by Philadelphia forward James van Riemsdyk."When you look at the replay, it's kind of obvious," Briere said of the reversal. "But I needed to stop pouting and get back my focus in overtime. I ended up getting a break."In doing so, Briere, who also scored in the second period, now has 106 points in 104 career postseason games."Is it pressure? I think it's fun," he said of playoff hockey. "When I have the opportunity, like I've had the past few years here, I try to take advantage of the opportunities."The Flyers took the series lead in their first game in a week after eliminating Pittsburgh in Game 6 last Sunday. The weary Devils, meanwhile, played their third consecutive overtime game after defeating Florida in Games 6 and 7 to win their first-round series."I thought we played real well in the first," New Jersey coach Peter DeBoer said. "We just couldn't keep it up."The Flyers put a slow start well behind them in the third and completely set the pace. They used a tremendous forecheck to stave off the Devils and played with more life in their skates than a worn-down Devils team that had only a three-day break.And then, there's Flyers forward Claude Giroux. The postseason's leading scorer got himself into the series, as well, in the third period. Giroux, in fact, wound from the circle and fired the puck high over Brodeur's right shoulder for a power-play goal and a 3-2 lead. It was Giroux's seventh goal of the postseason, perhaps living up to Laviolette's bold claim as, "the best in the world."Veteran forward Petr Sykora wiped out the lead, though, when he raced past two defenders off a turnover and slipped the puck through Ilya Bryzgalov's pads for a soft goal to make it 3-3. It was his first playoff goal since 2008.But Briere was the difference in overtime."I think," Laviolette said, "everyone expects it from him now."Coyotes 5, Predators 3In Glendale, Arizona, Shane Doan, Radim Vrbata and Antoine Vermette each had a goal and an assist, and Phoenix avoided its usual overtime theatrics, beating Nashville to take a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference semifinal series.Martin Hanzal and Taylor Pyatt also scored for the Coyotes. Ryan Suter, Patric Hornqvist and Andrei Kostitsyn scored for the Predators.Phoenix scored three times on 19 second-period shots. The Coyotes built a two-goal lead early in the second period. Nashville twice cut it to one only to see Phoenix quickly respond.The Coyotes did not go into overtime for only the second time in eight playoff games.The best-of-seven series shifts to Nashville for Game 3 on Wednesday night.Ray Whitney, who scored the game winner in Phoenix's 4-3 overtime win in Game 1 on Friday night, had two assists, as did Keith Yandle.After being outshot 42-24 in Game 1, the Coyotes had a playoff-high 39 shots to Nashville's 33 in Game 2.With its offensive production, Phoenix didn't need to lean on goalie Mike Smith's heroics quite so much. Smith had 30 saves to 34 for Predators goalie Pekka Rinne.The Coyotes, in the second round of the playoffs for the first time since the franchise moved from Winnipeg in 1996, built a 3-1 lead with goals by Hanzal and Vrbata early in the second period.The Predators cut it to 3-2 when Hornqvist redirected Suter's shot into the net with 5 seconds left on a power play with 8:40 left in the second.Thirty seconds later, Rinne deflected Doan's shot, but the puck bounced right to Pyatt, who scored to make it 4-2.Again, Nashville came back.The Predators took advantage of a 4-on-3 situation to score on Suter's shot from the left circle 53 seconds into the third period to cut the Coyotes' lead to 4-3.Just 2:43 later, Phoenix responded. The Coyotes won a faceoff in the Nashville end, Vermette took a shot and Doan deflected it in to make it 5-3 with 16:24 remaining.
Showing posts with label winner. Show all posts
Showing posts with label winner. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Briere scores winner as Flyers burn Devils
PHILADELPHIA — Danny Briere had two chances to celebrate his overtime winner.On bended knee: The Flyers' Danny Briere celebrates scoring against the Devils in Game 1 of their playoff series on Sunday in Philadelphia. The Flyers won 4-3. APThe first time, his goal didn't count.The second time, Briere left no doubt and put away Game 1, once and for all.Briere continued to stamp his name alongside Philadelphia's postseason greats, scoring the winning goal 4:36 into overtime, leading the Flyers to a 4-3 win over the New Jersey Devils on Sunday to open this Eastern Conference semifinal series."He has his ups and downs, but he just picks it up in the playoffs. And that's what matters," Flyers coach Peter Laviolette said. "He's a guy who consistently gets it done."Indeed, no Flyer is as clutch in the postseason as Briere.His second attempt at the winner counted minutes after his earlier goal was overturned on review because he kicked the puck into the net. But he wasted no time making up for it, firing a slapper past Martin Brodeur for his seventh goal of the playoffs. Brodeur was screened in front by Philadelphia forward James van Riemsdyk."When you look at the replay, it's kind of obvious," Briere said of the reversal. "But I needed to stop pouting and get back my focus in overtime. I ended up getting a break."In doing so, Briere, who also scored in the second period, now has 106 points in 104 career postseason games."Is it pressure? I think it's fun," he said of playoff hockey. "When I have the opportunity, like I've had the past few years here, I try to take advantage of the opportunities."The Flyers took the series lead in their first game in a week after eliminating Pittsburgh in Game 6 last Sunday. The weary Devils, meanwhile, played their third consecutive overtime game after defeating Florida in Games 6 and 7 to win their first-round series."I thought we played real well in the first," New Jersey coach Peter DeBoer said. "We just couldn't keep it up."The Flyers put a slow start well behind them in the third and completely set the pace. They used a tremendous forecheck to stave off the Devils and played with more life in their skates than a worn-down Devils team that had only a three-day break.And then, there's Flyers forward Claude Giroux. The postseason's leading scorer got himself into the series, as well, in the third period. Giroux, in fact, wound from the circle and fired the puck high over Brodeur's right shoulder for a power-play goal and a 3-2 lead. It was Giroux's seventh goal of the postseason, perhaps living up to Laviolette's bold claim as, "the best in the world."Veteran forward Petr Sykora wiped out the lead, though, when he raced past two defenders off a turnover and slipped the puck through Ilya Bryzgalov's pads for a soft goal to make it 3-3. It was his first playoff goal since 2008.But Briere was the difference in overtime."I think," Laviolette said, "everyone expects it from him now."Coyotes 5, Predators 3In Glendale, Arizona, Shane Doan, Radim Vrbata and Antoine Vermette each had a goal and an assist, and Phoenix avoided its usual overtime theatrics, beating Nashville to take a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference semifinal series.Martin Hanzal and Taylor Pyatt also scored for the Coyotes. Ryan Suter, Patric Hornqvist and Andrei Kostitsyn scored for the Predators.Phoenix scored three times on 19 second-period shots. The Coyotes built a two-goal lead early in the second period. Nashville twice cut it to one only to see Phoenix quickly respond.The Coyotes did not go into overtime for only the second time in eight playoff games.The best-of-seven series shifts to Nashville for Game 3 on Wednesday night.Ray Whitney, who scored the game winner in Phoenix's 4-3 overtime win in Game 1 on Friday night, had two assists, as did Keith Yandle.After being outshot 42-24 in Game 1, the Coyotes had a playoff-high 39 shots to Nashville's 33 in Game 2.With its offensive production, Phoenix didn't need to lean on goalie Mike Smith's heroics quite so much. Smith had 30 saves to 34 for Predators goalie Pekka Rinne.The Coyotes, in the second round of the playoffs for the first time since the franchise moved from Winnipeg in 1996, built a 3-1 lead with goals by Hanzal and Vrbata early in the second period.The Predators cut it to 3-2 when Hornqvist redirected Suter's shot into the net with 5 seconds left on a power play with 8:40 left in the second.Thirty seconds later, Rinne deflected Doan's shot, but the puck bounced right to Pyatt, who scored to make it 4-2.Again, Nashville came back.The Predators took advantage of a 4-on-3 situation to score on Suter's shot from the left circle 53 seconds into the third period to cut the Coyotes' lead to 4-3.Just 2:43 later, Phoenix responded. The Coyotes won a faceoff in the Nashville end, Vermette took a shot and Doan deflected it in to make it 5-3 with 16:24 remaining.
On bended knee: The Flyers' Danny Briere celebrates scoring against the Devils in Game 1 of their playoff series on Sunday in Philadelphia. The Flyers won 4-3. APThe first time, his goal didn't count.The second time, Briere left no doubt and put away Game 1, once and for all.Briere continued to stamp his name alongside Philadelphia's postseason greats, scoring the winning goal 4:36 into overtime, leading the Flyers to a 4-3 win over the New Jersey Devils on Sunday to open this Eastern Conference semifinal series."He has his ups and downs, but he just picks it up in the playoffs. And that's what matters," Flyers coach Peter Laviolette said. "He's a guy who consistently gets it done."Indeed, no Flyer is as clutch in the postseason as Briere.His second attempt at the winner counted minutes after his earlier goal was overturned on review because he kicked the puck into the net. But he wasted no time making up for it, firing a slapper past Martin Brodeur for his seventh goal of the playoffs. Brodeur was screened in front by Philadelphia forward James van Riemsdyk."When you look at the replay, it's kind of obvious," Briere said of the reversal. "But I needed to stop pouting and get back my focus in overtime. I ended up getting a break."In doing so, Briere, who also scored in the second period, now has 106 points in 104 career postseason games."Is it pressure? I think it's fun," he said of playoff hockey. "When I have the opportunity, like I've had the past few years here, I try to take advantage of the opportunities."The Flyers took the series lead in their first game in a week after eliminating Pittsburgh in Game 6 last Sunday. The weary Devils, meanwhile, played their third consecutive overtime game after defeating Florida in Games 6 and 7 to win their first-round series."I thought we played real well in the first," New Jersey coach Peter DeBoer said. "We just couldn't keep it up."The Flyers put a slow start well behind them in the third and completely set the pace. They used a tremendous forecheck to stave off the Devils and played with more life in their skates than a worn-down Devils team that had only a three-day break.And then, there's Flyers forward Claude Giroux. The postseason's leading scorer got himself into the series, as well, in the third period. Giroux, in fact, wound from the circle and fired the puck high over Brodeur's right shoulder for a power-play goal and a 3-2 lead. It was Giroux's seventh goal of the postseason, perhaps living up to Laviolette's bold claim as, "the best in the world."Veteran forward Petr Sykora wiped out the lead, though, when he raced past two defenders off a turnover and slipped the puck through Ilya Bryzgalov's pads for a soft goal to make it 3-3. It was his first playoff goal since 2008.But Briere was the difference in overtime."I think," Laviolette said, "everyone expects it from him now."Coyotes 5, Predators 3In Glendale, Arizona, Shane Doan, Radim Vrbata and Antoine Vermette each had a goal and an assist, and Phoenix avoided its usual overtime theatrics, beating Nashville to take a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference semifinal series.Martin Hanzal and Taylor Pyatt also scored for the Coyotes. Ryan Suter, Patric Hornqvist and Andrei Kostitsyn scored for the Predators.Phoenix scored three times on 19 second-period shots. The Coyotes built a two-goal lead early in the second period. Nashville twice cut it to one only to see Phoenix quickly respond.The Coyotes did not go into overtime for only the second time in eight playoff games.The best-of-seven series shifts to Nashville for Game 3 on Wednesday night.Ray Whitney, who scored the game winner in Phoenix's 4-3 overtime win in Game 1 on Friday night, had two assists, as did Keith Yandle.After being outshot 42-24 in Game 1, the Coyotes had a playoff-high 39 shots to Nashville's 33 in Game 2.With its offensive production, Phoenix didn't need to lean on goalie Mike Smith's heroics quite so much. Smith had 30 saves to 34 for Predators goalie Pekka Rinne.The Coyotes, in the second round of the playoffs for the first time since the franchise moved from Winnipeg in 1996, built a 3-1 lead with goals by Hanzal and Vrbata early in the second period.The Predators cut it to 3-2 when Hornqvist redirected Suter's shot into the net with 5 seconds left on a power play with 8:40 left in the second.Thirty seconds later, Rinne deflected Doan's shot, but the puck bounced right to Pyatt, who scored to make it 4-2.Again, Nashville came back.The Predators took advantage of a 4-on-3 situation to score on Suter's shot from the left circle 53 seconds into the third period to cut the Coyotes' lead to 4-3.Just 2:43 later, Phoenix responded. The Coyotes won a faceoff in the Nashville end, Vermette took a shot and Doan deflected it in to make it 5-3 with 16:24 remaining.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Durant nails winner; Thunder still perfect
OKLAHOMA CITY — Kevin Durant thought he might have just given away a victory and let the Dallas Mavericks steal another one in heartbreaking fashion.
Rolling Thunder: Kevin Durant attempts to drive past Mavericks guard Vince Carter on Thursday in Oklahoma City. Durant hit a 3-pointer as time expired to give the unbeaten Thunder a 104-102 triumph. APThen he found a way to take it right back.Durant scored 30 points and hit a 3-pointer at the final buzzer to lift the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 104-102 win against Dallas on Thursday night in a rematch of last season's Western Conference finals."As a kid, of course you dream about hitting a game-winning shot in the NBA," said Durant, who has hit two other game-winners at the buzzer in his five seasons."It's a dream come true."The Thunder let Dallas wipe away a five-point deficit in the final 46 seconds to go ahead on Vince Carter's 3-pointer with 1.4 seconds remaining. That was just enough time for Thabo Sefolosha to get the ball to Durant, who drilled a 3 from the right wing that improved his team to 4-0."It was crazy, a crazy course of events," Durant said. "When two tough teams always go at it, it always comes down to the last play."Dirk Nowitzki had 29 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Mavericks, whose title defense is off to a 0-3 start. Dallas had been blown out in its first two losses against Miami and Denver before letting a close one slip away."I think the more we go out and just play the game itself more, good things happen on the court," Mavs forward Shawn Marion said."We've got to just go out there and stop worrying about other things and just go out there and just play the game and just play hard."Rockets 105, Spurs 85In Houston, Kevin Martin scored 25 points, Luis Scola added 18 and Kyle Lowry had 16 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for the Rockets.Houston took advantage of San Antonio's poor shooting at the start to build a big lead. First-year Rockets coach Kevin McHale was able to rest his starters in the fourth quarter, with his team playing the first of three games on consecutive nights.Magic 94, Nets 78In Orlando, Ryan Anderson scored 22 points, Dwight Howard had 16 points and 24 rebounds and the Magic had little trouble handling New Jersey.Jason Richardson added 16 points for Orlando, including 15 in the first half, and J.J. Redick scored 15 points.Lakers 99, Knicks 82In Los Angeles, Kobe Bryant scored 28 points in yet another dynamic performance against the Knicks, and the Lakers pulled away in the fourth quarter for their ninth straight victory over New York.Pau Gasol had 16 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for Los Angeles, which has won two straight after a 0-2 start to the compressed season.Trail Blazers 111, Nuggets 102In Portland, Wesley Matthews had 25 points, including five 3-pointers in the second half, and the Blazers defeated Denver.Bulls 108, Kings 98In Sacramento, Derrick Rose had 19 points and eight assists and Chicago earned a victory over the Kings.The Bulls ran off 15 straight points early in the game and never trailed again in defeating Sacramento, the NBA's youngest team.
Rolling Thunder: Kevin Durant attempts to drive past Mavericks guard Vince Carter on Thursday in Oklahoma City. Durant hit a 3-pointer as time expired to give the unbeaten Thunder a 104-102 triumph. APThen he found a way to take it right back.Durant scored 30 points and hit a 3-pointer at the final buzzer to lift the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 104-102 win against Dallas on Thursday night in a rematch of last season's Western Conference finals."As a kid, of course you dream about hitting a game-winning shot in the NBA," said Durant, who has hit two other game-winners at the buzzer in his five seasons."It's a dream come true."The Thunder let Dallas wipe away a five-point deficit in the final 46 seconds to go ahead on Vince Carter's 3-pointer with 1.4 seconds remaining. That was just enough time for Thabo Sefolosha to get the ball to Durant, who drilled a 3 from the right wing that improved his team to 4-0."It was crazy, a crazy course of events," Durant said. "When two tough teams always go at it, it always comes down to the last play."Dirk Nowitzki had 29 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Mavericks, whose title defense is off to a 0-3 start. Dallas had been blown out in its first two losses against Miami and Denver before letting a close one slip away."I think the more we go out and just play the game itself more, good things happen on the court," Mavs forward Shawn Marion said."We've got to just go out there and stop worrying about other things and just go out there and just play the game and just play hard."Rockets 105, Spurs 85In Houston, Kevin Martin scored 25 points, Luis Scola added 18 and Kyle Lowry had 16 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for the Rockets.Houston took advantage of San Antonio's poor shooting at the start to build a big lead. First-year Rockets coach Kevin McHale was able to rest his starters in the fourth quarter, with his team playing the first of three games on consecutive nights.Magic 94, Nets 78In Orlando, Ryan Anderson scored 22 points, Dwight Howard had 16 points and 24 rebounds and the Magic had little trouble handling New Jersey.Jason Richardson added 16 points for Orlando, including 15 in the first half, and J.J. Redick scored 15 points.Lakers 99, Knicks 82In Los Angeles, Kobe Bryant scored 28 points in yet another dynamic performance against the Knicks, and the Lakers pulled away in the fourth quarter for their ninth straight victory over New York.Pau Gasol had 16 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for Los Angeles, which has won two straight after a 0-2 start to the compressed season.Trail Blazers 111, Nuggets 102In Portland, Wesley Matthews had 25 points, including five 3-pointers in the second half, and the Blazers defeated Denver.Bulls 108, Kings 98In Sacramento, Derrick Rose had 19 points and eight assists and Chicago earned a victory over the Kings.The Bulls ran off 15 straight points early in the game and never trailed again in defeating Sacramento, the NBA's youngest team.Thursday, May 26, 2011
Bieksa's OT winner gives Canucks chance to play for Cup
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Kevin Bieksa scored 10:18 into the second overtime and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the Stanley Cup finals for the first time in 17 years with a 3-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night.The Canucks ended the Western Conference finals in five games after getting even 2-2 with 13.2 seconds left in regulation when Ryan Kesler scored with goalie Roberto Luongo on the Vancouver bench for an extra skater.It will be Vancouver's first trip to the Cup finals since 1994, when they lost in seven games to the New York Rangers. The last NHL team from Canada to win the title was the Montreal Canadiens in 1993.Exactly 17 years to the day after they earned their previous trip to play for the Cup, the Canucks used 54 saves from Luongo and a lucky bounce to Bieksa to advance to the finals for the third time in the team's 40-year history.The puck caromed awkwardly off the glass on the sideboards and out to Bieksa just inside the blue line. His quick shot beat Antti Niemi inside the right post before the goalie — or mostly everyone else on the ice — could find the puck."The only guy who knew where that puck was, was Kevin Bieksa and he almost fanned on it," Sharks coach Todd McLellan said. "It's one of those things you have no control over. We can talk about it all we want. There is nothing we can do about it."Luongo raised his stick in celebration as his teammates jumped onto the ice. Blue confetti fell from the roof as the sellout crowd chanted, "We want the Cup.""I think when the puck went in, the goalie was looking behind the net," Bieksa said. "It was an ugly goal, but one I will take."It's fantastic. It's unbelievable. To go to the Stanley Cup final is a dream come true."The Sharks outshot Vancouver 16-9 and 56-34 overall. Despite having a 91-47 shots advantage over the final two games of the series, San Jose lost both. The Canucks won Game 4 on Sunday 4-2 even though they recorded only 13 shots.Vancouver was down 2-1 after Luongo's gamble left Devin Setoguchi with an empty net 24 seconds into the third period.But Kesler, who left briefly in the second period with an apparent injury to his left leg, deflected Henrik Sedin's shot through Niemi after a questionable icing call against San Jose. Replays appeared to show that the puck hit Daniel Sedin, but icing was called anyway to set up an offensive zone faceoff for Vancouver.After claiming the franchise's first Presidents' Trophy as the NHL's top regular-season team, the Canucks are now only four wins away from claiming their first Stanley Cup championship.Atlanta — The Atlanta Thrashers' sale and move to Winnipeg is not yet official, but Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed spoke on Tuesday as if losing the team is inevitable."I think anytime we lose a major sports franchise, it is tough," Reed said."It is going to hurt the city but we will withstand it just fine and we will get through it. We have a lot of positive things going on in the sports franchise space that I think we'll be announcing pretty soon that will offset it a bit."An official announcement concerning a Thrashers' sale and move has yet to be made.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Schwartzel surprise winner at Masters
AUGUSTA, Ga. — Charl Schwartzel of South Africa closed with four straight birdies Sunday to win the Masters over a pair of Australians in one of the most dramatic finishes ever at Augusta National.
Schwartzel's final putt from 20 feet curled into the side of the cup for a 6-under 66, the best closing round at the Masters in 22 years. It gave the 26-year-old a two-shot victory over Adam Scott and Jason Day.
"Just an exciting day," said Schwartzel, who finished at 13-under 274. "So many roars, and that atmosphere out there was just incredible. A phenomenal day."
Scott shot a 67 and Day finished with two straight birdies for a 68, leaving the Aussies in second place at 276. It was bitter disappointment for themselves and their country: the Masters is the only major an Australian has never won.
Tiger Woods was in a group at 278, failing to capitalize after making four birdies and an eagle to shoot a 31 on the front side. He missed short putts at both the 12th and 15th holes, limping to the finish with a 36 on the back nine.
"It could have been," he said. "I hit it good all day."
Ryo Ishikawa turned in a strong final round to share 20th and Asian amateur champion Hideki Matsuyama ended his impressive week in a tie for 27th.
"It's nice to have a birdie-birdie finish. I played those last two holes the way I wanted to," Ishikawa said. "I was out of breath like a marathon runner in the end."
At age 19, Ishikawa was already making his third Masters appearance and playing the weekend rounds for the first time.
"I've never played a major tournament for four days this consistently. I believe I have a great year ahead of me if I can play this kind of golf," Ishikawa said.
Rory McIlroy, who entered the day with a four-stroke lead, meanwhile, suffered a stunning collapse.
Still leading by one shot as he headed to the back nine, the Northern Ireland golfer hit a tee shot next to the cabins left of the 10th fairway and twice hit a tree to make triple bogey. He three-putted from 7 feet for bogey on the 11th, four-putted from about 12 feet on the next hole and then buried his head into his forearm as the loss began to settle in.
McIlroy shot 80, the highest final round by the 54-hole leader since Ken Venturi in 1956.
Schwartzel's victory comes on the 50th anniversary of South Africa's Gary Player becoming the first international player to win the Masters.
"I am absolutely delighted for Charl and South Africa. Congratulations and very well done to him. That is how you finish like a champion!" Player said on Twitter.
Eight players had at least a share of the lead at some point during the back nine Sunday. The steady hand came from the eventual champion Schwartzel, whose only bogey was on the fourth hole.
Schwartzel's final putt from 20 feet curled into the side of the cup for a 6-under 66, the best closing round at the Masters in 22 years. It gave the 26-year-old a two-shot victory over Adam Scott and Jason Day.
"Just an exciting day," said Schwartzel, who finished at 13-under 274. "So many roars, and that atmosphere out there was just incredible. A phenomenal day."
Scott shot a 67 and Day finished with two straight birdies for a 68, leaving the Aussies in second place at 276. It was bitter disappointment for themselves and their country: the Masters is the only major an Australian has never won.
Tiger Woods was in a group at 278, failing to capitalize after making four birdies and an eagle to shoot a 31 on the front side. He missed short putts at both the 12th and 15th holes, limping to the finish with a 36 on the back nine.
"It could have been," he said. "I hit it good all day."
Ryo Ishikawa turned in a strong final round to share 20th and Asian amateur champion Hideki Matsuyama ended his impressive week in a tie for 27th.
"It's nice to have a birdie-birdie finish. I played those last two holes the way I wanted to," Ishikawa said. "I was out of breath like a marathon runner in the end."
At age 19, Ishikawa was already making his third Masters appearance and playing the weekend rounds for the first time.
"I've never played a major tournament for four days this consistently. I believe I have a great year ahead of me if I can play this kind of golf," Ishikawa said.
Rory McIlroy, who entered the day with a four-stroke lead, meanwhile, suffered a stunning collapse.
Still leading by one shot as he headed to the back nine, the Northern Ireland golfer hit a tee shot next to the cabins left of the 10th fairway and twice hit a tree to make triple bogey. He three-putted from 7 feet for bogey on the 11th, four-putted from about 12 feet on the next hole and then buried his head into his forearm as the loss began to settle in.
McIlroy shot 80, the highest final round by the 54-hole leader since Ken Venturi in 1956.
Schwartzel's victory comes on the 50th anniversary of South Africa's Gary Player becoming the first international player to win the Masters.
"I am absolutely delighted for Charl and South Africa. Congratulations and very well done to him. That is how you finish like a champion!" Player said on Twitter.
Eight players had at least a share of the lead at some point during the back nine Sunday. The steady hand came from the eventual champion Schwartzel, whose only bogey was on the fourth hole.
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