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NASHVILLE -- Rob Bironas, who worked his way through odd jobs and the Arena Football League before becoming one of the NFLs most accurate kickers, died in a car crash. He was 36. The former Tennessee Titans player died Saturday night when he lost control on a curve in his 2009 GMC Yukon Denali and crashed after 11 p.m. less than a mile from home, Metro Nashville Police said. In a statement on the department website, police said his SUV was speeding when it went off the road and hit a line of trees before coming to a stop upside down in a culvert. Bironas was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Police said there was no evidence of alcohol or drugs at the scene. The Titans released Bironas in March after nine seasons. The Tennessean reported that Bironas worked out for the Detroit Lions and for Tampa Bay during the off-season. Bironas married Rachel Bradshaw, daughter of Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw, in June. Police spokesman Don Aaron said a police chaplain was with her after the crash. Bradshaw did not appear on the "Fox NFL Sunday" pregame show and was going to Nashville to be with his daughter. A post on his verified Twitter account, (at)RobBironas, stated Sunday morning: "Its w/ heavy hearts that we confirm the passing RB . 2 We appreciate your respect for the familys privacy and your prayers at this time." The Titans extended their condolences while it prepared to play a game at Cincinnati. "Rob made a significant impact as a player in his nine years with the team and more importantly touched many lives in the Nashville community off the field," the team said in a statement. Playing a few hours after they received the sad news, the Titans lost to the Bengals 33-7 on Sunday, falling to 1-2 with their worst performance of the season. "It was real tough, with him being on the team all those years," running back Shonn Greene said. "We had some of our motivation and energy to play for him. It didnt work out." Quarterback Jake Locker had a particularly rough time, going 17 of 34 for 185 yards with two sacks and two interceptions, one of them thrown into a crowd in the end zone. "Its one of those things that give you perspective," Locker said. "It reminds you to be thankful for the people in your life. Rob was a charismatic guy that always brought smiles to peoples faces around the building. Its tough to see it happen to someone so young, who was just recently married. You feel for him and his loved ones that are left behind." Nashville Mayor Karl Dean noted that Bironas was a favourite of the fans. "I got to know Rob through the many community events he supported in our city," Dean said in a statement. "He was down to earth, and it was clear he loved Nashville. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife and family." Reaction poured out on Twitter, with former teammates, friends and fans remembering the kicker. "Shocked and saddened this morning at the passing of Rob Bironas," country singer Carrie Underwood wrote. "Such a nice guy. Sending prayers and love to his family... RB . 2" Titans cornerback Jason McCourty wrote on the Twitter account he shares with brother Devin of the New England Patriots: "Rest in peace to my former teammate Rob Bironas." Bironas was the fourth most-accurate kicker in NFL history, connecting on 85.7 per cent of his kicks (239 of 279). Only David Akers made more field goals (247) between 2005 and 2013 than Bironas. For kickers with 100 or more field goals since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, Bironas ranked third making 75.2 per cent of his kicks from 40 yards or longer (94 of 125). He finished as the Titans second leading career scorer with 1,032 points, and he set a franchise record scoring triple digits in seven straight seasons. He also set an NFL record in 2011 in hitting a field goal from at least 40 yards in 10 consecutive games. Bironas made a franchise-record 11 winning field goals during his career, including a 60-yarder against the Indianapolis Colts in 2006 that remains the longest field goal in Oilers or Titans history. Bironas kicked an NFL single-game record eight field goals in a 2007 victory over the Houston Texans, including a 29-yard game-winner as time expired. That helped him make his only Pro Bowl, the same year he was an Associated Press All-Pro. He went to Auburn and transferred to Georgia Southern, where he won a Division I-AA national title. Bironas went to work for his fathers company in Louisville, Kentucky, and was cut by Green Bay in 2002. He played in the Arena Football League and even the AF2 while spending time in training camps with Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh working as a part-time security guard and other jobs while trying to stick with an NFL team. He won a roster spot with the Titans in 2005. "To play in the NFL," he said in 2006, "was the ultimate goal." 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LOS ANGELES -- The ovations started after the Los Angeles Kings third goal in 16 minutes to open Game 4 of the Western Conference final, and the home crowd eventually serenaded its team off the ice for intermission. The low-scoring Kings have become the Stanley Cup playoffs highest-scoring team. This defensive powerhouse is shutting down the Chicago Blackhawks big stars while pushing the defending champions to the verge of elimination. Yep, the Kings deserved a hand -- even if they insist they still havent anything thats really worth cheering. Jake Muzzin, Marian Gaborik and captain Dustin Brown scored in a dominant first period, and Los Angeles beat Chicago 5-2 Monday night to take a 3-1 series lead. Muzzin and Drew Doughty each had a goal and an assist, and Jonathan Quick made 22 saves as the Kings moved to the brink of their second trip to the Stanley Cup Final in three seasons with their third straight win over the defending champion Blackhawks. Gaborik, who joined the Kings on March 5 and immediately catalyzed their offence, took a momentary break from the businesslike atmosphere of the Kings dressing room and just plain marveled what Los Angeles has accomplished this spring. "To come into every game with that confidence, to have that mojo that you can win every game, thats the difference," Gaborik said. "Its great to come to a team like this and be part of a winning culture." Tanner Pearson added an empty-net goal for the Kings, who have been to the NHL finals just twice in franchise history, winning their only title in 2012. One year after Los Angeles lost the conference finals in five games to Chicago, the Kings have their own chance to close it out in five. Game 5 is Wednesday in Chicago. "Were not looking ahead," Kings forward Justin Williams said. "Chicago, I believe theyve been down 3-1 before. Every team has been through experiences that have made them better. Stanley Cup championship teams like Chicago and us, weve been through a lot. Weve persevered through a lot, and theyre down 3-1, were trying to squash them, and theyre trying to get some life." Two days after the Kings gritted out a 4-3 victory over Chicago in Game 3, they won again at Staples Center by scoring three goals on their first six shots of Game 4, capping an incredible three-game offensive performance by the lowest-scoring NHL team to make the postt-season.dddddddddddd. After trailing 2-0 late in the second period of Game 2, Los Angeles scored 13 goals in less than 100 minutes, capped by a dominant first period in Game 4. Muzzin scored on a power play. Gaborik added his 10th goal of the post-season off Duncan Keiths turnover. Brown banged a puck into an open net for another power-play goal, his first score since Game 7 of the first round against San Jose. Cue the standing ovations. Brandon Saad and Bryan Bickell scored and Corey Crawford stopped 16 shots for the Blackhawks, who didnt get rolling until they trailed 4-0 late in the second period. "I dont think we played that poorly," Chicago captain Jonathan Toews said. "We made some mistakes, and their confidence snowballed on us. Next thing you know, it doesnt matter how hard you work or how many shifts you spend in their zone. If the bounces arent going your way, its tough to get back in a game like this. Were going to find a way to get those bounces again and get things rolling our way. Well work ourselves out of it." The Blackhawks escaped a 3-1 hole in the second round against Detroit last season, but thats the only time in franchise history Chicago has rallied from that deficit -- and the Kings are an entirely different post-season challenge. "Its not a good position to be in," said Patrick Kane, who assisted on Bickells goal for his first point in the series. "Coming into this series, wed be lying if we thought wed be in this position, but it happens. Got no one to blame but ourselves, so were the only ones that can get ourselves out of it." After their dominant opening period, the Kings kept pressing in the second, and Doughty put a long shot through traffic midway through the period. Doughty, the Kings leader in ice time, has goals in back-to-back games after scoring just once in the first 16 playoff games. Chicago finally beat Quick when Saad scored on a backhand. The Kings sat back on defence to start the third period, and Bickell got just his second goal in eight games when he jumped on a loose puck in the slot with 10:31 to play. NOTES: Chicagos power play went 0 for 3, dropping to 1 for 24 on the road in the post-season. ... The Blackhawks scratched F Brandon Bollig in favour of Peter Regin, who sat out Game 3 after Andrew Shaws return. ... Game 6 would be Friday at Staples Center. ' ' '