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Dodgers’ Ohtani leaves late vs. Padres with back tightness

22 hours 5 min ago

SAN DIEGO — Los Angeles Dodgers star designated hitter Shohei Ohtani left after his fourth at-bat in a 5-0 win over the San Diego Padres on Saturday night with what manager Dave Roberts said was back tightness.

Ohtani went 0-for-3 with a walk, grounding out to the pitcher in his final at-bat in the seventh inning. He was replaced by pinch-hitter Kiké Hernández in the ninth.

“His back tightened up,” Roberts said. “So it was one of those things where I got word before his fourth at-bat his back tightened up. So, being up 5-0, we didn’t want to push it. We’ll see how he comes in tomorrow.”

While Roberts said his concern was “minimal,” but was “more leaning” toward having Ohtani sit out Sunday as a precautionary measure.

“Things could change, but most likely, we’ll probably give him the day (off),” Roberts said.

Ohtani, who signed 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers last December, has been one of the best hitters in the majors this season. The two-time AL MVP leads baseball with a 1.090 OPS and is hitting .352, which ranks only behind Cleveland’s Steven Kwan (.353). Ohtani also has 11 home runs and 27 RBIs, which both are among the league leaders.

Playoff Takeaways: Opportunistic Stars regain home-ice advantage over Avalanche

22 hours 24 min ago

The Dallas Stars may not have been the better team Saturday night, but there’s no question they deserve to lead their series over the Colorado Avalanche.

A pair of empty-net goals in a 4-1 win over the Avs in Denver put the Stars up 2-1 despite being on their heels a good chunk of the night.

The stellar defence and depth the Stars are known for were the difference, as Tyler Seguin and Logan Stankoven had two goals apiece in a win that came despite being outhit and outshot in a game in which the Avs had 71 shot attempts to the Stars’ 45.

Unlike Games 1 and 2 when the Stars gave up seven goals after establishing early leads, the Stars looked very comfortable defending a one-goal lead in the final 20 minutes before finding the empty net.

“I think our group took it personally when everyone questioned whether we could hold a lead in the third,” laughed Dallas coach Peter DeBoer.

“It was warranted with how the first two games went, but we knew we were better than that.

“We’ve been really good in those situations all year and really good on the road. I thought the details of our game tonight were outstanding.”

Opportunistic and dependent on shot-blocking and the solid netminding of Jake Oettinger, the Stars regained home-ice advantage, which is significant given the Avs hadn’t lost at home until Saturday.

Stanley Cup Playoffs Round 2: Stars vs. Avalanche

Keep up with the latest news and analysis as the Dallas Stars clash with the Colorado Avalanche in Round 2 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Full coverage

Some takeaways from the evening:

MACKINNON IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Nathan MacKinnon and the rest of his top line continue to show signs of frustration, as the league’s top trio hasn’t been as productive as hoped against the Stars.

Avs coach Jared Bednar had said before the game he wanted his big guns to persevere and remain composed despite the added pressure put on them by the opposition.

Although Mikko Rantanen was able to jam home the rebound on a brilliant foray by MacKinnon midway through the game to tie it up, the dynamic duo with Artturi Lehkonen were all seen showing signs of frustration throughout a night in which they had only eight of their 17 shot attempts get through to test Oettinger.

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Valeri Nichushkin’s record-tying seven-game goal streak from the start of the playoffs came to an end, as the closest he was able to come to scoring saw him ring one off the post late in the second period of a 1-1 game.

This series does ultimately seem like it will come down to a battle between Colorado’s stars and Dallas’ depth.

On this night the depth won out.

Chris Tanev sets the tone.

With all eyes on how MacKinnon and company would open the evening in front of a raucous home crowd, the tone for the evening was set early when the Stars’ prized trade deadline acquisition blocked a slapshot from the Avs captain that would otherwise have been an early power-play goal.

It’s hardly surprising the selfless veteran finished the night with a game-high five blocked shots, which were all crucial in a game in which the Stars were forced to defend plenty against a high-powered team known for its comebacks and third-period pushes.

Fellow defenceman Ryan Suter also played a big role in keeping the Avs off the board early when a MacKinnon redirection dribbled through Oettinger’s pads and was heading across the goal line before he corralled it to keep the game scoreless.

SEGUIN STRIKES… TWICE

Snakebit through the playoffs, Seguin managed to break through with the game-winner and the insurance marker into an empty net.

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Playing wing on the third line, Seguin represents the type of depth that teams dream of.

His two-goal effort gives him just three goals in these playoffs, but they’ve all come in the last two games when the Stars have managed to turn the series around following their opening-game collapse.

That’s not to say Seguin hasn’t been playing well, as he had two glorious scoring chances early in overtime of Game 1, only to be robbed by Alexandar Georgiev on both.

In Game 3 he got his revenge after driving the net and managing to convert a crossing pass from Evgenii Dadonov in tight despite having Andrew Cogliano draped all over him. A goal-scorer’s goal from the 32-year-old vet.

Seguin now has scored game-winners in two straight outings.

‘STANKY’ STEPS UP

Despite being a 21-year-old rookie with just 24 regular season games under his belt, Stankoven has seen plenty of time on Roope Hintz’s top line, which paid off when he scored his first two NHL playoff goals Saturday.

The first opened the scoring late in the first period following a stretch in which the Stars were killing off penalty after penalty and had gone ten minutes without a shot on goal.

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“You talk about deadline acquisitions – we went out and got Tanev, but we also added Logan,” said DeBoer of the Kamloops Blazers star.

“It was like getting a really good NHL player. We didn’t know that. He was a rookie and we hoped it would translate but you never know until you jump in. You never know when the moment might be too big for a young player but he’s handled everything we’ve thrown at him and excelled.”

He’s representative of the depth that made the Stars one of the Cup favourites this spring.

“We just have these guys that are stepping up at different times,” said Seguin

“Johnny (Wyatt Johnston) almost won a series on his own against Vegas. We have Stanky coming in and playing his part and doing an incredible job. It takes a team to be successful at this time of year and it’s the team that’s doing it right now.”

More from Sportsnet

Categories: Canada Sports News, Ontario Sports News, Pro Sports News

Lewis adds to KO legacy in win over Nascimento, remains heavyweight gatekeeper

Sat, 05/11/2024 - 23:47

The knockout king made an appearance in St. Louis on Saturday night and it was as regal of a fight that fans could’ve hoped for.

Former heavyweight title challenger Derrick Lewis picked up a 15th KO victory, this time putting Brazilian up-and-comer Rodrigo Nascimento to sleep in the third round of their main event bout from the Enterprise Center, and adding to his UFC record for most KO/TKOs all-time.

Fitting that in the UFC’s return to the “Gateway City” after six years, the gatekeeper of the heavyweight division proved why he’s not someone that can be passed easily.

Lewis came into the fight wanting to prove he’s more than just a knockout specialist, repeatedly hinting that he’d have some surprises for Saturday. And it didn’t take long to see what the 39-year-old meant as he followed up a head kick in the first round with a takedown attempt that got Nascimento to the ground.

It didn’t amount to much as the Brazilian escaped immediately but Lewis’s versatility was how he remained afloat until a KO opened up in round three.

Through the rest of round one and practically all of round two, any time Lewis engaged and baited Nascimento into exchanges, the 31-year-old tactfully countered with a takedown, even getting Lewis’s back towards the end of round two. Yet at no point, despite feeding Lewis multiple elbows and maintaining ground control, was Nascimento able to build enough momentum to end things. Instead, the divisional mainstay pulled a savvy veteran move, reversing positions on Nascimento to protect his back and wait things out until the second round horn went.

Showcasing his ability to handle Nascimento’s groundwork, although impressive, is not how Lewis got the title of knockout king. Which is exactly why his corner told him to look for a finishing shot before round three began and it took Lewis less than a minute to heed the words of his coaches. He connected on a looping right hand that both wobbled and dropped Nascimento, to which “The Black Beast” followed up with a flurry of unanswered ground strikes.

Referee Jason Herzog officially called a stop to the contest at 0:49 of round three and that was how Lewis closed the gates, for now, on the division’s No. 15 ranked fighter.

Nascimento had earned his way into the rankings with a three-fight win and taking on Lewis was meant to be his first test, but the American Top Team product ultimately fell short in his first bout against a ranked opponent.

Meanwhile, Lewis avoided losing back-to-back bouts for just the third time in his UFC career. After losing to Jailton Almeida via Unanimous Decision in Nov. 2023, he moved down the ranks and currently sits at No. 12, but one or two more impressive knockouts like Saturday and he could be challenging for a belt.

Considering the heavyweight division is stagnating at the top with Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic unable to finalize their legacy fight, Tom Aspinall is waiting on the sidelines, and Lewis says he’s the healthiest he’s ever felt, it could mean a third title run is on the horizon for the knockout king.

In the co-main event, St. Louis’ own Joaquim Buckley picked up a Unanimous Decision win after dispatching Nursulton Ruziboev — an opponent not many others in the welterweight division were chomping at the bit to fight. The Uzbekistani had won his first two bouts in the UFC by early stoppage and had yet to step into an octagon for a second round.

Yet, Buckley changed all that thanks to a measured approach, forcing the 30-year-old to fight on his terms. Buckley showed why he’s the No. 11 ranked contender in the division as he sprinkled in takedowns that frustrated Ruziboev, and when the two exchanged upright, Buckley was swinging with malice intent.

Not only did the St. Louis native earn himself a win, he ensured that hometown fighters went undefeated on Saturday. He joined Sean Woodson who earned a Unanimous Decision over Alex Caceres on the main card and Charles Johnson who also won by UD, beating Jake Hadley on the prelims.

Another standout from the main card was Carlos Ulberg who literally punched his way into the light heavyweight rankings thanks to a first-round knockout of Alonzo Menifield. Ulberg anticipated an aggressive start from the No. 11 ranked Menifield and was able to respond with a check hook that turned the light out.

“Coaches had reminded me that he may push forward right off the dot, so I was prepared for that,” Ulberg said after the fight. “He woke me up with a right hook … I woke up and said ‘OK let’s throw some.’”

The fight ended up lasting just 12 seconds, the third-fastest finish in light heavyweight division history.

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Before Ulberg had the crowd on its feet, Diego Ferreira had everyone practically falling out of their seats. The Brazilian entered the octagon as the biggest underdog of the night against Mateusz Rębecki (- 500), and after five minutes the betting line was looking accurate. Ferreira almost immediately found himself on the ground thanks to a left hand from Rębecki but withstood the danger and completely flipped the script as the fight went on.

Ferreira pieced up the Polish lightweight in the second round, and by the third round, he had chained together enough strikes to wobble Rębecki. That was enough for Ferreira to shoot and get a takedown before unloading a barrage of unanswered strikes, prompting referee Gary Copeland to end the right with just nine seconds left.

Ferreira not only pulled off the biggest upset of the night he put a screeching halt to Rębecki’s undefeated UFC start and 16-fight MMA win streak.

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The only other heavyweight fight of the card, unfortunately, didn’t live up to its billing like the main event, despite boasting major knockout power as well. Robelis Despaigne suffered his first MMA loss, a Unanimous Decision defeat at the hands of Waldo Cortes-Acosta that snapped a six-fight win streak.

Despaigne entered the night following a UFC debut win at UFC 299 where he knocked out Josh Parisian in 18 seconds, with his last three fights lasting a combined 25 seconds. But none of that mattered in St. Louis as Despaigne had no answers for Cortes-Acosta’s ground control. To his credit, “The Salsa Boy” ate some vicious strikes from Despaigne to set up his takedowns, and once on the canvas, his presence was overwhelming.

The prelims were pretty tame until the final two bouts, both of which ended via early stoppage. First came Chase Hooper’s submission victory against Viacheslav Borshchev which was pure domination from the opening bell. Hooper dropped Borschev with a left hand in the opening round, but the Russian somehow survived the ensuing onslaught.

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It didn’t matter though as Hooper, a submission specialist, immediately took the fight to the mat in the second round and continually punished Borschev while in a mounted position before securing a D’Arce choke and a tap, albeit questionably.

Borschev immediately began protesting that he had not tapped but to no avail. He’s now lost three of his last five fights while Hooper is now on a three-fight win streak in the UFC.

Right before that contest, Esteban Ribovics delivered the KO of the night just 37 seconds into his fight against Terrance McKinney. “El Gringo” was representing as one of just four Argentinians in the UFC and he made his country proud with a head kick that immediately shut down McKinney.

It was Ribovics’ seventh career knockout and second consecutive UFC victory.

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McKinney on the other hand is trending in the opposite direction as he’s now lost three of his last five fights under the promotion and has built an identity around knocking people out or getting knocked out.

The UFC will return next week, back at the Apex Complex in Las Vegas for another Fight Night Card. It’ll be headlined by a ranked featherweight matchup between No. 11 Edson Barboza and No. 14 Lerone Murphy.

After that, UFC 302 will take place in New Jersey, a long-anticipated title fight between lightweight champion Islam Makhachev and No. 4 contender Dustin Poirier.

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NHL Game 3 Highlights: Stars 4, Avalanche 1

Sat, 05/11/2024 - 22:55

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Wenczkowski the hero as Boston wins triple-OT thriller over Montreal, takes 2-0 series lead

Sat, 05/11/2024 - 22:27

LAVAL, Que. — As the clock struck midnight, the scoreboard art Place Bell marked the arrival of Mother’s Day by showing a picture of Marie-Philip Poulin and her mom.

A few minutes after the sellout crowd of 10,1723 celebrated the holiday, there was a moment of shock as Taylor Wenczkowski scored at 11:44 of triple overtime to give Boston a 2-1 win over Montreal in Professional Women’s Hockey League playoff action.

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Amanda Pelkey gave Boston a 1-0 lead at 6:48 of the first period, and Kristin O’Neill tied it at 1-1 with a goal at 1:58 of the second period.

The win gives Boston a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five semifinal series with Game 3 set for Tuesday at the Tsongas Center in Lowell, Mass.

Montreal thought it had the winning goal when Poulin scored with 30 seconds remaining in regulation time, but the goal came after a whistle halted play.

Montreal was on the power play for seven minutes in the first overtime period but failed to score.

Aerin Frankel, who had a record 53 saves in a 2-1 overtime win in Game 1, broke that mark with 56 saves on Saturday.

Ann-Renée Desbiens made 50 saves in a losing cause.

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Gotta See It: Boston’s Wenczkowski scores in front for triple-OT winner

Sat, 05/11/2024 - 22:25

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Playoff Takeaways: Hurricanes stay alive, hand Rangers first loss of playoffs

Sat, 05/11/2024 - 21:52

The New York Rangers were one win away from doing something no other NHL club has done for half a century.

Rolling through this 2024 post-season like a red-white-and-blue wrecking ball, the Rangers took the ice Saturday night hunting for a series clincher. With a Game 4 win under the PNC Arena lights, New York not only would have booked their ticket to the second round, they would’ve become the first team in 55 years to open a playoff run with back-to-back series sweeps.

Instead, the Carolina Hurricanes came out flying, fought for their playoff lives, and spoiled the party.

It was just as tightly contested as every instalment of this series has been — another one-goal game, requiring a late, down-to-the-wire winner. This time, it was the Canes who scored last, staving off the brooms and extending this series by at least one more game.

Before the page turns to that next do-or-die assignment, here’s a look at how Carolina fought off elimination on Saturday night.

Stanley Cup Playoffs Round 2: Rangers vs. Hurricanes

Keep up with the latest news and analysis as the New York Rangers battle the Carolina Hurricanes in Round 2 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Full coverage

CANES PUT TOGETHER THEIR BEST FIRST PERIOD OF THE SERIES

In a series that’s seen four games decided by a single goal, the importance of every moment is magnified. Goals have been hard to come by. Neither team has managed to run away with a win. Every mistake could be the one that gifts an opponent the rare chance to gain ground, every stretch of pressure could be the one that tilts the ice in the other direction.

For Carolina, then, a strong start to this night was a must. And while the Canes have managed a few solid starts in what’s been an incredibly close trio of games, they saved their best for Game 4, when it was needed most.

Aside from a miserable first 20 in Game 1, which saw the Canes trailing 3-1 at the first intermission, Rod Brind’Amour’s group had managed to head into the second period with a thin lead in two of three games heading into Game 4. It wasn’t enough. So, Saturday night, they found another level — by the end of the opening frame this time around, the Canes had poured three goals into Igor Shesterkin’s net, matching their max output from each of the three previous games in one period.

Evgeny Kuznetsov kicked off the productive period, beating Shesterkin just two minutes into the game to draw first blood. Stefan Noesen added another a few minutes later, and Sebastian Aho potted one more late in the frame, the latter a key tally as New York had scored one of their own by that point.

In the end, that opening flurry was key, as New York managed to regroup and hold Carolina off the board for the rest of the game while they tried to mount a comeback, until the home side added a game-winning fourth goal in the final few minutes of the tilt.

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HURRICANES’ DEADLINE GAMBLES CONTINUE TO COME UP BIG

Much has been made of the Canes’ all-in approach this season. After years of playoff runs that began with promise and ended in disappointment, the club made waves at the trade deadline in an attempt to stockpile as much game-breaking skill as they could. Where the previous iterations of this group had fallen flat when the stakes were highest, the reinforcements, the thinking went, would add another layer of dynamic skill to get them over the line — namely blue-chip offensive talents Jake Guentzel and Evgeny Kuznetsov.

We’ve seen glimpses of that plan coming to fruition for the Canes throughout this post-season, and here, in the most important game of Carolina’s season, we saw it again.

Despite a slow start to his time in Canes colours, Kuznetsov has managed to stitch together more than a few memorable moments over the course of this post-season. When the team first began this run in Round 1, there was Kuznetsov scoring a minute-and-a-half into Game 1 of the opening series, setting the tone early. When his Canes had the New York Islanders on the ropes in Game 5, there was Kuznetsov, breaking out his signature move to score on a penalty shot, becoming just the second player in league history to score on a penalty shot in a series-clinching game.

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Saturday night, there was Kuznetsov again, — setting the tone early, again — with a quick strike in the opening minutes to spur that crucial Canes flurry.

And then there’s Guentzel, the team’s star deadline prize. While he was largely held at bay in Round 1, the former Pittsburgh Penguin has been a key cog in the Canes’ machine in Round 2, leading Carolina in the goal-scoring department and sitting second in overall points. In Game 4, the 2017 Cup champ made an impact once again, showing his poise and playmaking ability early as he set up Aho for the third goal of Carolina’s first-period collection.

All told, Guentzel and Kuznetsov have a combined eight goals and 14 points in the post-season so far.

“We’re fighting for our lives. There’s no way else to put it,” Guentzel said of the Game 4 win to Sportsnet’s Shawn McKenzie post-game. “It’s been a fun group to be a part of, and we don’t want it to end. So, we did everything we could to make sure we’re trying to move on to the next day. I thought we did a great job — everyone played a part in this one. It feels nice, but we’ve got to move on to the next one.”

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AS RANGERS’ VETS GO QUIET, LAFRENIERE KEEPS SHINING

One of the key storylines of the Rangers’ 2023-24 campaign has been the resurgence of young Alexis Lafreniere. After a trio of somewhat underwhelming campaigns for the 2020 No. 1 pick, the 22-year-old found a new level this season, potting 28 goals and collecting 57 points over the course of the regular season.

In the post-season, though, the young winger has truly shown his growth.

A point-a-game presence in the opening round, Lafreniere has been a key factor in each of New York’s efforts here in Round 2. In Game 1, it was the Saint-Eustache, Que., native who found Artemi Panarin for the game-winner midway through the third period. In Game 2, Lafreniere potted one himself, scoring the game’s opener. In Game 3, another strong performance, Lafreniere scoring to give New York a third-period lead, and then assisting on Panarin’s overtime winner.

In Game 4, as the Canes managed to hold the rest of New York’s big dogs off the board — Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, Vincent Trocheck and Chris Kreider were all held at bay after dominating the series to this point — Lafreniere still managed to break through.

The young sniper scored his team-leading fourth goal of the series Saturday, his six points now tied for the team lead, too. For a Rangers group already well-stocked with dangerous offensive options, the emergence of a flourishing, potential-reaching Lafreniere is a tough pill to swallow for the rest of the Eastern Conference — and the rest of the 2024 playoff field.

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CANES’ POWER PLAY COMES UP CLUTCH WHEN IT’S NEEDED MOST

Through three games of this series, Carolina found itself on the wrong side of the divide that seems to separate playoff performers from playoff pretenders. The special-teams battle had swung wildly against them, the Rangers having killed off every one of the Canes’ 15 power-play opportunities — and tallying a short-handed goal themselves — while potting four man-advantage markers of their own in Round 2.

Saturday night, the special-teams pressure ramped up to the max as the game, and Carolina’s season, came down to the wire.

The home side had built up a three-goal cushion courtesy of that sterling first period. Goals from Will Cuylle, Barclay Goodrow and Lafreniere had pulled New York level. But with the clock ticking down on the third period, the game barrelling towards yet another overtime session, Jordan Martinook offered up a lifeline, drawing a Ryan Lindgren tripping call and sending his Canes to the power play.

With the goose egg weighing heavy on their shoulders, the stakes as high as they could be, Carolina finally broke through, Teuvo Teravainen throwing the puck over to Brady Skjei for a one-time blast from the point.

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As pointed out by Sportsnet’s Kevin Bieksa once the game had wrapped, a key personnel tweak made all the difference in the game’s final goal, which finished as the winner. After trying a few different right-handed options in the power-play quarterback role over the course of the series, Brind’Amour and Co. slotted the left-handed Skjei into that role for Game 4.

The decision came up clutch, as Skjei receiving that puck from the left side meant he could one-time it on net, rather than having to corral it first, that split-second difference enough to beat Shesterkin.

And beating the 2022 Vezina winner a fourth time in one playoff game is no easy feat. Shesterkin has allowed four or more goals only three times in 36 career playoff games. The last time he did? May 2022, against Guentzel’s Penguins. After seeing that streak continue through three games in this series, the Canes unable to get that last one to turn the tide, Carolina finally found that elusive fourth goal when it mattered most.

Now, they’ll have to prove they can do it again. Game 5 goes Monday night.

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Stars’ Dadonov finds streaking Seguin for backdoor goal

Sat, 05/11/2024 - 21:50

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Jayson Tatum scores 33, Celtics rebound to beat Cavaliers for 2-1 series lead

Sat, 05/11/2024 - 21:18

CLEVELAND — Green uniforms. Big shots. Championship-level intensity.

The Boston Celtics looked much more like themselves in Game 3.

Jayson Tatum scored 33 points, Jaylen Brown added 28 and the No. 1-seeded Celtics bounced back from a stumble at home, beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 106-93 on Saturday night to take a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

The Celtics didn’t mess around after dropping Game 2 on their home parquet floor by 24 on Thursday. They couldn’t.

“We don’t come to Cleveland for the weather, so let’s go,” said Brown, who went 13 of 17 from the field. “There’s nothing complicated about it: Play defense and the rest will take care of itself. We could have done better, but we kept them under 100.”

The lackluster performance — Boston was favored by double digits — in Game 2 was reminiscent of the first round, when the Celtics lost the second game against Miami before winning three in a row to eliminate the Heat.

“Tonight was a great test, an opportunity for us to come out and respond, and play better and harder,” said Tatum, who added 13 rebounds and six assists. “There was a purpose behind every play. We did a good job communicating our actions.”

Tatum scored on a three-point play and the Celtics opened the second half with 14 straight points to take a 23-point lead.

That was way too much for the Cavs, who overcame a 22-point deficit in the fourth quarter to stun Boston in March.

“We felt like trying to punch them in the face right away was the right option,” said Jrue Holiday, who scored 15 of his 18 points in the first half. “J.B. (Brown) told us it wasn’t over and we knew that. We’ve been up 20 in the fourth quarter here and they came back and won.”

Donovan Mitchell scored 33 points for Cleveland, but the All-Star guard aggravated a left knee injury in the fourth quarter and was labored. With Boston up 13 and in control, Mitchell left the court with 1:19 left and walked directly to the locker room.

Afterward, Mitchell didn’t say anything about the injury, but bemoaned Cleveland’s slow start after halftime.

“It changed the game,” he said. “Give them credit. They came out with a sense of urgency. It’s tough to come back from that. They came out with an intention.”

Cleveland got within nine three times in the fourth but the Celtics, who went just 8 of 35 on 3-pointers in Game 2, got back-to-back 3s from Payton Pritchard and Derrick White to slow the Cavs’ comeback.

Game 4 is Monday night in Cleveland.

“We need everybody to be on the same page and everybody to come out with the same effort,” Brown said. “The rest will take care of itself because we’ve got enough talent in this locker room.”

Down by 23 and unable to stop Tatum, the Cavs clawed back.

They cut Boston’s lead to 15 by the end of the third, and scored the first six points in the fourth, sending their towel-waving crowd at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse looking for another upset into a frenzy.

But whenever the Celtics needed a bucket, they went to either Tatum or Brown, who broke down Cleveland’s defense for layups or made tough, contested jumpers.

“When they get going, that’s who they are,” Mitchell said. “We fought and we clawed back but that start of the third quarter, that’s what did it.”

Evan Mobley added 17 points and Darius Garland and Caris LeVert 15 apiece for the Cavs, who lost for the first time at home in these playoffs.

Cleveland was again without starting center Jarrett Allen, who missed his sixth straight game with a painful rib injury. Allen has been out since Game 4 of the opening-round series against Orlando and there’s no telling when — or if — he’ll be available.

Mitchell made six 3-pointers and scored 23 in the first half to pace the Cavs, but Cleveland didn’t get nearly enough from the rest of its starters or bench as the Celtics opened a 57-48 halftime lead.

After the Celtics were stunned on their home floor in Game 2 despite being heavy favorites, coach Joe Mazzulla said the message to his players heading into Game 3 was simple.

“Do what you do best, and do it better,” he said.

The Celtics started cold again, missing their first two 3-pointers. But those good early looks raised their confidence, and they made 5 3s in the first quarter to take a 30-28 lead after one.

By then Game 2 was forgotten, and Tatum was confident all the Celtics would show up.

“I’ve done that plenty of times before (score 33 points),” he said. “The points will come and go, but the poise we played with was the most important. And we did it in a great environment that was fun to be a part of.”

Cleveland got a nice early lift as forward Dean Wade made his postseason debut after missing the past two months with a sprained knee. Wade, who scored a career-high 23 against Boston on March 5 when the Cavs overcame a 22-point deficit in the fourth quarter, knocked down a 3-pointer on his first touch.

Boston center Kristaps Porzingis missed his fourth straight game with a calf strain.

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MLB Roundup: Matt Chapman’s grand slam leads Giants past Reds

Sat, 05/11/2024 - 20:49

SAN FRANCISCO — Matt Chapman hit a grand slam in the first inning to lead struggling San Francisco to a victory over Cincinnati.

The Giants had lost eight of 11 games coming into the contest and were averaging less than three runs over their last 15 before Chapman provided more than that with one big swing in the first against Nick Lodolo (3-2).

Chapman came to the plate with two outs in and sent a drive over the bullpen beyond the fence in left-center to give San Francisco a 4-0 lead.

Mason Black made the lead stand up by allowing only one run in 4 1/3 innings in his home debut, giving up a solo homer to Elly De La Cruz in the fourth.

The bullpen did the rest, sending the Reds to their ninth loss in 10 games.

BRAVES 4, METS 1

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NEW YORK — Atlanta’s Max Fried and two relievers combined for a no-hitter through 8 2/3 innings before New York’s J.D. Martinez homered to spoil the bid as the Braves beat the Mets 4-1 on Saturday.

Fried opened with seven no-hit innings and Joe Jiménez worked around a pair of walks in the eighth before Raisel Iglesias retired the first two batters of the ninth. Martinez homered just over the wall in right field on the next pitch off Iglesias, who walked Jeff McNeil and allowed an infield single to Harrison Bader before retiring Brett Baty on a fly to center.

The Braves have not thrown a no-hitter since Kent Mercker’s gem against the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 8, 1994. The no-hitter drought is the fourth-longest in the majors.

The Braves have the second-most wins and second-lowest ERA in baseball since 1994, a span in which Hall of Famers Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux and John Smoltz pitched for the team.

Fried walked three over the first seven innings, throwing 109 pitches, one shy of his career high. The 30-year-old left-hander retired the first eight batters he faced before issuing consecutive walks to Tomas Nido and Brandon Nimmo. He then set down 11 straight before walking Pete Alonso with one out in the seventh.

BLUE JAYS 10, TWINS 8

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TORONTO — Ernie Clement broke an 8-all tie with a bases-loaded single in the seventh inning and Toronto overcame a six-run deficit to beat Minnesota.

Danny Jansen hit a two-run home run while Bo Bichette and Davis Schneider each hit solo homers for the Blue Jays, who came in having lost six of eight.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. went 4 for 5 with three RBIs in his 11th multihit game of the season as the Blue Jays used a season-best 16 hits to cool off the Twins, who had won 16 of 18.

Guerrero tied it at 8-all with a two-run, two-out single off Steven Okert in the sixth inning.

After two Blue Jays batters reached against Jay Jackson (1-2) to begin the seventh, pinch hitter George Springer walked and Clement broke the tie with a single to shallow center off Caleb Thielbar. Schneider followed with a sacrifice fly.

Carlos Santana hit a three-run home run and Ryan Jeffers had a solo homer for the Twins, whose seven-game road winning streak was snapped.

RED SOX 4, NATIONALS 2

BOSTON — Rafael Devers hit a tiebreaking, two-run double in the eighth inning to lift Boston to a victory over Washington.

Wearing their alternate bright-yellow jerseys with powder-blue lettering, numbers and caps, the Red Sox snapped a three-game losing streak with just their second victory in eight games.

Devers hit his two-out double over the head of left fielder Eddie Rosario off Robert Garcia (0-2) after Tyler O’Neill was intentionally walked with Rob Refsnyder on second.

Chris Martin (2-1) worked a scoreless inning and Kenley Jansen got three outs for his sixth save, the 426th of his career.

Wilyer Abreu hit a solo homer and Jarren Duran added an RBI double for Boston.

Rosario and Joey Meneses each hit a solo homer for the Nationals, with Meneses’ his first this season.

RAYS 7, YANKEES 2

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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Randy Arozarena homered and drove in four runs, Yandy Díaz hit a leadoff shot, and Tampa Bay beat New York.

Arozarena put the Rays ahead 4-2 with a three-run homer in the third inning off Nestor Cortes (1-4). The 2023 All-Star has struggled this season — he went 2 for 3 to raise his average to just .154 — but has gone deep four times in his last eight games.

Díaz homered on Cortes’ first pitch of the game. Díaz and Arozarena had RBI doubles in a three-run seventh.

Zack Littell (2-2) allowed two runs and four hits in 5 2/3 innings as the Rays returned to .500 at 20-20.

Rays closer Pete Fairbanks returned after missing 19 games with nerve-related hand issues and struck out one in a 1-2-3 ninth.

Anthony Volpe had a two-run single in the second for the Yankees, who lost for the second time in eight games.

PHILLIES 8, MARLINS 3

MIAMI — Bryson Stott hit a tiebreaking, bases-loaded triple in the sixth inning, and major league-best Philadelphia beat Miami.

Stott finished with two hits and four RBIs. Catcher J.T. Realmuto had a run-scoring single and threw out two baserunners trying to steal for the Phillies, who have won 13 of 15 to improve to 28-12. Cristian Pache had three hits and an RBI and is 5-for-9 through the first two games of the series.

Phillies starter Taijuan Walker (3-0) allowed one run in six innings. He gave up eight hits and struck out four.

The Marlins dropped to an NL-worst 10-31. They are 1-7 since trading NL batting champion Luis Arraez on May 4.

Philadelphia trailed 1-0 in the sixth before Realmuto’s RBI hit against Marlins starter Jesús Luzardo (0-3). Anthony Maldonado relieved Luzardo and allowed Alec Bohm’s two-out single and walked Nick Castellanos. Stott then hit a hard grounder over the bag at first that rolled to the wall and cleared the bases.

The Phillies broke it open with a four-run eighth. Stott and Pache hit RBI singles and Johan Rojas’ two-run single padded the lead.

ORIOLES 5, DIAMONDBACKS 4 (11)

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BALTIMORE — Jordan Westburg flicked a game-ending single inside the right field line in the 11th inning for his fourth hit of the day, and Baltimore beat Arizona.

Gunnar Henderson tied the major league lead with his 12th homer of the season for the AL East-leading Orioles, and Anthony Santander went deep in the eighth to tie the game at 4-all.

Craig Kimbrel (4-1) worked a scoreless 11th after a rough stretch in which the veteran closer failed to convert four of five save opportunities. He also worked a scoreless seventh in Friday night’s 4-2 win. Baltimore (26-12) has won seven of eight and has the second-best record in the majors behind Philadelphia.

Westburg hit an RBI double in the second and singled in the fourth and ninth before his well-placed walk-off hit against Bryce Jarvis (0-2), which scored automatic runner Colton Cowser.

Ketel Marte extended his hitting streak to 12 games and homered for the second consecutive day for the Diamondbacks, who haven’t won at Camden Yards since June 17, 2007.

TIGERS 8, ASTROS 2

DETROIT — Mark Canha hit a grand slam in a seven-run second inning, Kerry Carpenter homered twice and Detroit beat Houston.

Tarik Skubal (5-0) gave up two runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out seven over 6 1/3 innings.

Cristian Javier (2-1) allowed seven runs on five hits and four walks in 1 1/3 innings, making his first start since going on the injured list because of neck discomfort nearly a month ago.

The Tigers loaded the bases against Javier in the pivotal second and then he threw four straight balls to Riley Greene, forcing home the first run. Two pitches later, Canha sat on a changeup and sent it 393 feet over the left-field fence.

Carpenter’s two-run homer put Detroit ahead 7-0 and ended Javier’s brief and rough outing.

After Houston was held scoreless for a third straight inning, hitting coach Alex Cintron was ejected after appearing to argue with the umpiring crew.

Alex Bregman and Yainer Diaz responded in the fourth inning, hitting RBI singles to make it 7-2. Carpenter hit a homer off Hunter Brown in the home half, putting Detroit ahead by six runs.

WHITE SOX 3, GUARDIANS 1

CHICAGO — Mike Clevinger combined with three relievers on a four-hitter, and Chicago topped Cleveland for their season-high fourth consecutive victory.

Clevinger permitted one run and four hits in 4 2/3 innings in his second major league start of the season. The right-hander, who signed a $3 million, one-year contract with Chicago on April 4, struck out five and walked none.

Then the bullpen took over.

Tim Hill (1-0), Jared Shuster and John Brebbia combined for 4 1/3 hitless innings as the last-place White Sox improved to 9-6 since their 3-22 start. Shuster got six outs before Brebbia handled the ninth for his first save since June 8, 2018, for St. Louis at Cincinnati.

Cleveland wasted a sharp performance by Triston McKenzie (2-3), who pitched 6 2/3 innings of four-hit ball. The Guardians lost for the fourth time in five games.

Josh Naylor accounted for Cleveland’s only run with an opposite-field drive to left with two out in the fourth. It was his 11th homer of the season.

PIRATES 10, CUBS 9

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PITTSBURGH — Paul Skenes struck out seven over four-plus innings in his major league debut and Yasmani Grandal hit a go-ahead three-run homer as Pittsburgh edged Chicago.

Skenes, the top overall pick in the 2023 draft, showed flashes of why he is considered perhaps the best pitching prospect in a generation. The 21-year-old — who was greeted by a standing ovation by most of the near-capacity crowd including girlfriend Livvy Dunne — reached 100 mph on 17 of his 84 pitches.

He was electric at times but hardly perfect. Skenes allowed at least one runner in every inning he started — including a solo homer by Nico Hoerner in the fourth — and was pulled after allowing a pair of hits leading off the fifth. He was charged with three runs on six hits with two walks and a hit batter.

Pittsburgh’s bullpen imploded immediately after Skenes’ exit, allowing Chicago to score seven runs to take the lead, with six coming on walks with the bases loaded, most of them on counts that weren’t even competitive.

Pirates relievers Kyle Nicolas, Josh Fleming and Colin Holderman threw 26 balls in a span of 31 pitches sandwiched around a 2-hour, 20-minute rain delay in the top of the fifth.

BREWERS 5, CARDINALS 3

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MILWAUKEE — Rhys Hoskins hit a go-ahead three-run home run in the seventh inning and Milwaukee beat St. Louis, sending them to their seventh straight loss.

Milwaukee trailed 3-2 when Hoskins hit his ninth homer, a 407-foot blast to center off reliever Andrew Kittredge (0-2).

The NL-Central leading Brewers have eight straight wins over the Cardinals, dating to last season.

St. Louis, last in the division and nine games behind Milwaukee, has the longest current losing streak in the majors.

Milwaukee starter Freddy Peralta, who walked six batters in five innings in his last outing, walked one and struck out eight, giving up three runs in six innings.

Relievers Hoby Milner (1-0), Bryan Hudson and Trevor Megill held St. Louis in check, allowing four hits in three shutout innings. Megill earned his fourth save.

ROCKIES 8, RANGERS 3

DENVER — Elias Díaz had two hits including a tiebreaking single in a six-run seventh inning, Ryan McMahon tied a career-high with four hits, and Colorado won its first series of the season with a victory over Texas.

The Rockies, who had lost 11 of their first 12 series and split the other, won their third straight game for the first time this season.

Jacob Stallings had a two-run single and Charlie Blackmon had a two-run double in the seventh when the Rockies scored all six runs with two outs. Blackmon had his 599th career extra-base hit, tying Larry Walker for second in franchise history.

Leody Taveras had two hits including a 389-foot homer off Jake Bird to give the Rangers a 3-2 lead in the top of the seventh.

Tyler Kinley (2-0) got out of a two-out, two-on situation by striking out Adolis Garcia to end the seventh.

David Robertson (2-1) did not retire any of the four batters he faced after entering with a 3-2 lead and a runner on second base with two outs in the seventh.

DODGERS 5, PADRES 0

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SAN DIEGO — Teoscar Hernández hit a grand slam, James Paxton tossed six scoreless innings to remain undefeated and Los Angeles defeated San Diego.

Freddie Freeman hit a solo homer for the Dodgers, who have won eight of their last nine games.

Paxton (5-0) was masterful while allowing four hits with four strikeouts and no walks. In a start against San Diego on April 14, Paxton walked eight in a no-decision.

The Petco Park attendance of 46,701 set the largest single-game attendance record in the stadium’s 20-year history. The previous high was 45,567 on March 30, 2014 — opening day — also against the Dodgers.

Even with the loss, the Padres have won four of seven against the Dodgers this season. The teams play the rubber match of the three-game series on Sunday.

With the Dodgers leading 1-0 in the sixth, Hernández blasted a 390-foot shot to left field off a slider from Padres reliever Enyel De Los Santos, who entered the game to face Hernández.

ANGELS 9, ROYALS 3

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Jo Adell hit a three-run homer and Kevin Pillar had three hits and three RBIs in Los Angeles’ victory over Kansas City.

Logan O’Hoppe had a two-run double during a four-run seventh for the Angels, who won for only the sixth time in 22 games.

Tyler Anderson (3-4) yielded three runs and seven hits over 6 2/3 effective innings for the Halos, ending his five-start winless skid. The left-hander retired 12 straight at one point.

Salvador Pérez had an early RBI double for the Royals, whose three-game winning streak ended.

Cole Ragans (2-3) allowed eight hits and five runs over 6 1/3 innings for Kansas City, recording a season-low three strikeouts in his first loss in four starts.

ATHLETICS 8, MARINERS 1

SEATTLE — Rookie starter Joey Estes struck out five in five solid innings after being called up earlier in the day for his first major league win, and Oakland beat Seattle.

Abraham Toro and Brent Rooker hit run-scoring singles in the two-run third inning to put Oakland up 2-1. Max Schuemann added added a three-run double in the eighth and JJ Bleday had a two-run homer in the ninth as Oakland snapped a two-game losing streak. The A’s had lost five of six following a six-game winning streak.

Cal Raleigh hit his 10th home run, a solo shot in the second inning to put Seattle up 1-0. It was all Athletics after that.

Bryce Miller (3-3) struck out nine, allowing five hits, but started the costly third inning with one of his two walks, to Lawrence Butler. The speedy right fielder moved to second on Brett Harris’ single and scored on Toro’s single to right field. Rooker’s hit to shallow right scored Harris for the 2-1 lead.

The Mariners had beaten the A’s in 13 of their last 14 dating to the start of the 2023 season. They’ve lost three of their last four and four of six. Seattle had been 12-1 in Miller’s last 13 quality starts.

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Accusations fly in wake of ugly player melee following Toronto FC’s loss to NYCFC

Sat, 05/11/2024 - 20:11

TORONTO — Toronto FC saw its five-game winning streak end in ugly fashion Saturday in a 3-2 loss to New York City FC that saw seven yellow cards, one red and a frenzied post-game melee.

There was bad blood between the two teams dating back to New York’s 2-1 win on March 16 when there was an altercation in the tunnel at halftime at Yankee Stadium.

New York coach Nick Cushing had played down that incident when asked about it on the lead-up to Saturday’s match, saying: “There was nothing in it. It was two teams that are fighting for three points.”

Toronto coach John Herdman and captain Jonathan Osorio had a much different recollection.

Osorio said Cushing had crossed the line with his talk in the tunnel in the March game. And then it got physical.

“Then when we hear that the coach and three of their players corner a 19-year-old (player) of ours, by himself. That’s when there’s a problem,” Osorio said. “And I think that kind of carried over this game, probably from their side as well. … We were just letting them know that we didn’t forget about that.”

Osorio did not identify the 19-year-old but the age fits Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty, who scored in the seventh minute at Yankee Stadium. Herdman said the player in question “said he got cornered and punched in the face.”

Herdman said there were no repercussions from the March game because “the cameras weren’t working in a certain area of the stadium,” a comment that drew a snicker from his captain.

Cushing denied hitting a Toronto player.

“I can honestly say as head coach — I’ve done 348 games — I’ve never ever laid a finger on a player,” he said after Saturday’s game when apprised of the Toronto accusations.

Herdman, however, also pointed the finger at Cushing.

“You don’t want to see those scenes in football but it’s a passionate group,” Herdman said. “There was definitely some bad blood that spilled over from the first game that involved their head coach.”

Adding to the niggle, New York midfielder Keaton Parks was sent off in the 68th minute of the March game for a nasty challenge on Kobe Franklin that earned a straight red after video review.

Combine that bad blood with Toronto (6-5-1) mounting a furious comeback Saturday with an 89th-minute goal from substitute Raoul Petretta and its anger at referee Lukasz Szpala’s calculation of extra time and you had a powder-keg. The initial call was for seven minutes of extra time, which stretched to nine after several New York players needed treatment.

Toronto wanted more minutes.

An irate Federico Bernardeschi, who scored Toronto’s first goal and had already been cautioned in the first half, confronted the referee at the final whistle. He was shown a second yellow, meaning he will miss Wednesday’s game at Nashville.

And the number of confrontations snowballed.

Osorio said Toronto goalkeeper Sean Johnson, a former NYCFC captain, had been head-butted by a New York player in the melee. An irate Johnson was trying to get at New York defender Strahinja Tanasijević, as was Toronto forward Prince Owusu who went down and was swallowed up in a sea of bodies.

“Sean as any person would, you’re going to react,” said Osorio. “And that’s how it started. … This is the second time now they’ve got physical with our players.”

Johnson, a 16-year veteran, is one of TFC’s leaders and usually is the picture of calm. But he was red-hot Saturday.

Santi Rodriguez, Malachi Jones and Andres Perea scored as New York held on for the win Saturday.

For the 20-year-old Jones, a teammate of Toronto rookie Tyrese Spicer at Lipscomb University, it was his first MLS goal in his first start.

Italian star Lorenzo Insigne, returning to action after missing the last eight games in all competitions with a hamstring issue, came off the Toronto bench in the 76th minute to applause from the announced crowd of 26,925.

He almost scored with his first touch, off a Bernardeschi setup, but New York goalkeeper Matt Freese, who was terrific on the night, made the save.

New York (5-5-2) then scored the insurance goal with Perea knocking in a Hannes Wolf feed in the 78th minute to make it 3-1.

Rodriguez put New York ahead in the 23rd minute, sending Johnson the wrong way from the penalty spot after Matty Longstaff was called for handball in the box. It was the fifth goal of the season for the Uruguayan designated player.

Longstaff protested that the ball had gone off his chest but Szpala, after reviewing the play on the pitch-side monitor, disagreed.

New York doubled the lead in the 44th with the Toronto defence found lacking. Hannes Wolf drove past Deybi Flores and found Jones racing alone toward the goal with Bernardeschi trying to catch up. He couldn’t and Jones’ shot beat Johnson and bounced in off the post.

Bernardeschi pulled one back in the 55th minute, roofing a rebound after Freese made a spectacular save of a close-range Longstaff shot. It was the Italian’s fourth goal in his last three matches in all competitions.

Petretta’s goal was a highlight-reel volley in the 89th minute off a Longstaff cross.

Toronto centre back Kevin Long will also miss the Nashville game after being cautioned in the 53rd minute, triggering a ban for yellow card accumulation.

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Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan stays hot in Game 2 of OHL final

Sat, 05/11/2024 - 19:58

Somehow, a season to remember for Easton Cowan just keeps on getting better.

The Toronto Maple Leafs prospect and London Knights forward played a big role in the utter dismantling of the Oshawa Generals in Game 2 of the OHL final, scoring two goals and picking up an assist in a blowout 9-1 win on Saturday.

He netted both his goals on the power play, with the first coming in the opening frame to help the Knights establish an early 3-0 lead. Then, perhaps for some unnecessary insurance in the third period, he scored another goal with the man advantage three minutes into the frame.

Cowan opened the series by picking up five points (one goal, four assists) in Game 1, helping lead the Knights to an 8-1 win. His eight points in the final lead the league.

Past just the final, though, Cowan has been on an absurdly proficient run, as he now has 15 points in his last five games and his 27 total playoff points (10 goals, 17 assists) are tied for the league lead.

Cowan, 18, was named the OHL’s Most Outstanding Player for the regular season after notching 34 goals and 62 assists in 54 games.

The Leafs picked the native of Mount Brydges, Ont., in the first round (28th overall) of the 2023 NHL Draft.

Kasper Halttunen, a second-round pick by the San Jose Sharks in 2023, scored a hat trick as part of a four-point night for the Knights. A couple of Philadelphia Flyers prospects also had productive nights, as winger Denver Barkey, a 2023 third-rounder, and defenceman Oliver Bonk, a 2023 first-rounder, picked up four and three points apiece.

The Generals host Game 3 against the Knights on Monday.

The winner of the series goes to the Memorial Cup in Saginaw, Mich.

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NHL Game 4 Highlights: Hurricanes 4, Rangers 3

Sat, 05/11/2024 - 19:49

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Skjei keeps Hurricanes’ season alive with late go-ahead goal

Sat, 05/11/2024 - 19:40

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Kuznetsov’s ‘Michigan’ attempt falls just short

Sat, 05/11/2024 - 19:28

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Ulberg knocks out Menifield 12 seconds into Round 1

Sat, 05/11/2024 - 19:13

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Inter Miami erases two-goal deficit to beat Montreal as Messi arrives in Canada

Sat, 05/11/2024 - 19:03

MONTREAL — CF Montreal was home on Saturday, but a player on the opposing team stole the night.

Lionel Messi — considered by many as the greatest footballer ever — took the American soccer scene by storm with his move from Europe to Major League Soccer last year.

“Messi Mania” finally flocked north of the border this weekend, as Inter Miami CF erased a two-goal deficit to edge CF Montreal 3-2 in the Argentine superstar’s professional debut in Canada.

“The atmosphere was crazy,” Montreal striker Jules-Anthony Vilsaint said despite the loss. “One of the craziest nights I’ve seen in Saputo Stadium.”

An announced sellout crowd of 19,619 feverish spectators featured many CF Montreal shirts, but the baby blue Argentina and pink Inter Miami colours — and one fan even dressed in a Messi tracksuit wearing a goat mask — were overwhelming.

So were the “Messi! Messi! Messi!” chants throughout the evening, even with Montreal down a goal late.

“I understand the people are cheering for Messi,” Montreal head coach Laurent Courtois said. “For me as a head coach when I’m losing, hearing my stadium cheering the other guy when we’re losing, it’s tough.”

Messi wasn’t the only star in the house. Fellow former FC Barcelona stars Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets joined him in the starting lineup.

Suarez scored his league-leading 11th goal of the season, Matias Rojas produced a goal and an assist, and Benjamin Cremaschi scored the winner in the 59th minute as league-leading Miami (8-2-3) won its fifth straight game.

Messi Mania, however, came and went in Montreal without a goal or assist from the man himself despite his scorching-hot form.

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The 36-year-old entered the match with 10 goals and 12 assists in eight league games after a record-setting one-goal, five-assist showing last week, but was held off the scoresheet for the first time this season.

Meanwhile, Montreal’s Vilsaint had a goal and an assist under the Messi spotlight.

“I’m just still in the moment, it doesn’t feel real,” Vilsaint said. “I feel like it just went all too fast. I have no words to explain it.

“To share the pitch with these guys, it’s something unforgettable.”

Bryce Duke also scored for Montreal (3-5-3), and said doing it against Messi made it even more special.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Duke said. “You watch him when you’re younger on TV and he’s one of those guys that every time he plays you’re kind of in awe and then to share a field with him or share the pitch with them, it’s cool.

“Definitely keeping that in my memories.”

The home side dropped points for the fourth consecutive MLS match. The club played its first game since officially parting ways with sporting officer Olivier Renard on Thursday.

After Suarez and Rojas scored late in the first half, Cremaschi put the visitors ahead 3-2, sliding into the ball and beating Jonathan Sirois after a Montreal defensive breakdown.

Montreal pressed for an equalizer much of the second half but couldn’t generate quality chances on goal.

Messi, seeking a goal, started showing off his talent late in the second half. The star forward had multiple runs through Montreal’s defence and also won a free kick at the edge of the box in the 87th minute, setting the stage for the crowd to erupt with a goal.

The main attraction didn’t deliver, sending his shot just over the bar.

“It’s a big achievement for the team,” Duke said of keeping Messi off the scoresheet. “Especially after last week where he’s got five assists and a goal. I mean, it’s crazy.”

Fireworks went off outside the stadium to kick off the spectacle. The crowd erupted with Messi’s first touch before the superstar immediately gave it away.

Montreal then pounced on the attack in an electric first half.

Duke opened the scoring in the 22nd minute with a left-footed finish between the legs of Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender after a perfect through ball from Vilsaint.

Vilsaint then placed a clinical shot into the bottom-right corner after a give-and-go with Ariel Lassiter in the 32nd.

“I’m really, really pleased with the performance,” Courtois said. “The way we arrived with quality movement, and allowing us to arrive more established and limit the turnovers against the two best players of the last decades in their position, pretty much.”

The fans held their breath in the 40th minute when Montreal’s George Campbell caught Messi in the leg with a hard foul.

Messi fell to the ground in pain for several minutes as trainers took the field, but ultimately got back up to draw more cheers.

With Messi temporarily off the field, Rojas made his best impression of the all-time great. Rojas curled a gorgeous free kick from 30 metres out into the net in the 44th minute to get Miami on the board.

“To concede versus 10 men that way because we’re not about to close off the half mentally is a heartbreaker, but it’s my fault,” Courtois said.

Suarez then tied the match in first-half injury time with a header at the back post off a corner kick before Cremaschi’s go-ahead goal.

UP NEXT

Miami: Visits Orlando City SC on Wednesday.

Montreal: Hosts the Columbus Crew on Wednesday.

More from Sportsnet

Categories: Canada Sports News, Ontario Sports News, Pro Sports News

Els, Barron tied for Regions Tradition lead at 13-under heading into final round

Sat, 05/11/2024 - 18:59

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Doug Barron shot a 6-under 66 for a share of the Regions Tradition lead with Ernie Els on Saturday, heading into the final round of the PGA Tour Champions’ first major of the season.

Els shot 70 with an eagle and a par-saving shot after sending the ball into the creek on No. 15 at Greystone. The World Golf Hall of Famer settled for par on the final hole, where Barron had birdied to catch up to him at 13-under 203. Padraig Harrington, two-time defending champion Steve Stricker and Charlie Wi are in pursuit.

“It was a tough day. We were kind of sizing each other up, myself and Steve,” Els said. “I made that great eagle on 2. I’m really finding it tough to read some of these putts. I made a soft bogey on 5 that really set me back.

“I kind of scrambled it around. I feel like I’m still playing pretty well.”

They were a shot ahead of Harrington, whose 69 included a double bogey on No. 11 after his tee shot landed out of bounds. But he rallied with a closing birdie, his fifth.

Stricker (73) and Wi (70) were two shots back. Stricker remained near the leaders in his bid to match Jack Nicklaus’ record four Tradition wins despite failing to make a single birdie. It’s his first time failing to card a round under par at the Tradition.

Els eagled the par-5 second hole before getting his first bogey of the tournament on No. 5. He saved par after his second shot on 15 went into the creek, hitting from the rough to within a few feet of the hole some 40 yards away. Els parred 17 after his birdie attempt from the bunker hit the flag stick.

A 19-time winner on the PGA Tour, Els is seeking his fourth victory on the 50-and-over circuit, with the latest being last year in the Hoag Classic.

Barron closed with his seventh birdie while his only bogey came on the third hole. He is seeking his first PGA Tour Champions win since the 2020 Shaw Charity Classic and third overall, while coming off a tie for second at the Mitsubishi Electric Classic.

But Barron knows he’s facing tough competition from better-known players like Stricker and Els.

“I don’t care who’s winning,” said Barron, who had one of his twin sisters on hand at Greystone. “So I’m just going to go out and do the best Doug Barron can do. I know what I can shoot. I can’t control all those other superstars.

“So I’ll just do the best I can do. I’m feeling good about my game, though. I will say that.”

Wi, who hasn’t won on the senior tour, made a long birdie putt to end his day.

K.J. Choi (69) and Kenny Perry (71) were 9 under, one ahead of Stewart Cink (70) and Steve Flesch (74).

Categories: Canada Sports News, Ontario Sports News, Pro Sports News

‘We’re respecting them too much’: Canucks must play with more drive, confidence in Game 3

Sat, 05/11/2024 - 18:19

VANCOUVER – Before the second round of National Hockey League playoffs began, Vancouver Canucks defenceman Nikita Zadorov said that a seven-game series is simpler to navigate than any seven-game stretch during the regular season.

“It’s easier than playing regular season,” he told Sportsnet. “Regular season you switch opponents all the time, and every team has a different forecheck, different neutral zone, different players. In a seven-game series, you’re pretty much playing the same hockey, just repeating. So you build confidence (because) it helps players understand what you’ve got to do.”

Zadorov said this, of course, before Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl — the best player on the planet and his trusty, megastar sidekick — double-handedly destroyed the Canucks in Game 2 during the Edmonton Oilers’ 4-3 overtime win in Vancouver on Friday night.

Stanley Cup Playoffs Round 2: Canucks vs. Oilers

Keep up with the latest news and analysis as the Vancouver Canucks battle the Edmonton Oilers in Round 2 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Full coverage

How much confidence have the Canucks left for the remaining 3-5 games of this Stanley Cup quarter-final after McDri generated all four goals for the Oilers and, as linemates, out-chanced Vancouver 18-1 when they were on the ice at five-on-five?

Sure, the Canucks understand what’s ahead of them. That doesn’t make it any more appealing.

“I felt like it was more us, too,” Zadorov said Saturday before the Canucks travelled to Edmonton for Game 3 on Sunday with the Canadian championship tied 1-1. “I feel like we did a better job on (McDavid) in Game 1. We stayed above (the puck), we checked him, we made him play defence.

“I mean, at the end of the day, we’ve got to focus on our hockey, how we play, how we want to dictate the play, how we want to stay aggressive on the ice and not focus on how we’re going to stop him. If we’re going to be just thinking every time we go on the ice, how are we going to play against him, nothing good will happen.”

Nothing good did happen for the Canucks after Zadorov’s geometry-bending goal from a sharp angle put Vancouver ahead 3-2 with 1:43 remaining in the second period of Game 2. The Oilers outshot the Canucks 15-2 in the third period, tied it on McDavid’s breakaway and won it when Evan Bouchard’s pass toward the Vancouver goal was misplayed into his own net by defenceman Ian Cole.

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The familiarity of McDavid, already a three-time Hart Trophy winner who is determined to become a first-time Stanley Cup champion, isn’t going to make whatever remains in this captivating series easier for the Canucks.

But Zadorov is correct that a seven-game series removes a lot of mystery, and allows knowing teams to adjust on the fly.

After collapsing in Game 1 to lose 5-4, the Oilers adjusted on Friday by pooling McDavid and Draisaitl on one line with 54-goal scorer Zach Hyman. Now the Canucks, under coach Rick Tocchet and his Hall-of-Fame staff, will adjust for Edmonton.

Zadorov even said so, although he didn’t whip out the whiteboard and draw up for the reporters the tactical changes planned for Game 3.

Certainly, matching power against power, putting leading scorer J.T. Miller and leading goal-scorer Brock Boeser against the McDavid line didn’t work for Tocchet and the Canucks on Friday.

Former Selke Trophy runnerup Elias Lindholm, acquired by the Canucks from the Calgary Flames for moments like this, might be a better matchup for Vancouver — even if it just frees Miller’s line to create offence against lesser players.

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But Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch will dictate the matchups for Games 3 and 4, at least for faceoffs.

All the discussion about tactics and matchups, however, overshadow a more essential issue for the Canucks: if they play with the defensive passivity and panic with the puck like they did for the final 25 minutes on Friday, Tocchet could put Patrice Bergeron and Bob Gainey against McDavid and Draisaitl and it wouldn’t matter.

“Obviously, we have to adjust with our D-zone coverage,” Tocchet said Saturday. “And it’s not so much we adjust on positions or system, it’s a little bit more tenacity. I mean, we respect this (Oilers) team — they’re great players — but I think we’re respecting them too much. We were coming off our checks. We were stick-checking too much last night. And that was kind of the disappointing thing for me: we lose in overtime, it’s 1-1 in the series, we’re second round… we need some players, they’ve got to dig in for us. You have to dig in if you want to win.”

With this in mind, Tocchet said he is considering lineup changes for Game 3. He was especially unhappy with Nils Hoglander — “We need more from Hoggy. We’ve got to figure a few things out here” — and named 13th forward Nils Aman and minor-league call-up Linus Karlsson as possible options.

Although he defended Cole’s play – “He’s a warrior and, you know, he always bounces back” – Tocchet also said seventh defenceman Noah Juulsen is a lineup option. Veteran defenceman Tyler Myers, who sat out one game with an injury in the first round and laboured at times on Friday, may be unable to play.

But, again, who is in the Vancouver lineup is far less important than the drive and confidence the Canucks need to display as a team. The meek may inherit the Earth, but they’ve never won a Stanley Cup.

Zadorov, for one, can’t wait to play Game 3.

“It’s fun,” he said of playing in Edmonton. “They have good fans, diehard fans. I mean, it’s pretty much nothing else to do in that city except watch hockey.

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“I mean, it’s awesome. At least, that’s what I’m playing for, you know? Like, competition on the highest level you can possibly find in hockey, mainstage Canada, Sportsnet and all that. I feel like you get the energy all the time and you’re just feeding from the energy and you’re trying to bring your best every night.”

Even far from their best in the third period on Friday, Game 2 was right there for the Canucks. They led with 15 minutes remaining, were one shot or lucky bounce away in overtime from taking a 2-0 series lead against the prohibitively-favoured Oilers.

“We’re here, we’re so close that, you know, you can’t give in,” Tocchet said. “I thought in the third period, we just backed off, completely backed off. Uncharacteristic of some players. That’s the disappointing (thing) for me is that when you’re that close, you have to find it inside you. There’s more in there. And we’ve got to find it.”

TOCCHET TALK

After measuring his words Friday night when asked about the officiating, Tocchet said he will speak before Sunday’s game with series supervisor Brad Watson. Game 2 referees Eric Furlatt and Kelly Sutherland missed what should have been a double-minor to McDavid for cutting Quinn Hughes with a high stick, and also allowed Oiler winger Evander Kane to execute dangerous slew-foot takedowns on Hughes and Zadorov.

“I’m not going to nitpick with the hooking and holding stuff,” Tocchet said. “I don’t care about that. But obviously, the slew-foots and the (high) stick. … I mean, there’s four or five stuff that you’d like to see (called). But, like I said, I’m not going to complain about the refs. I don’t know what they’re seeing; if they don’t see it, they don’t see it. What am I going to do, argue with the guy? (But) there was two slew-foots on Kane, and those can’t be missed.”

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Categories: Canada Sports News, Ontario Sports News, Pro Sports News

Calm down, there is no refs’ conspiracy favouring Oilers over Canucks

Sat, 05/11/2024 - 17:40

VANCOUVER — As fans arrive at Rogers Arena here, on the kind of spring day that makes every superlative ever used to describe this wonderful city seem understated, they are greeted by a statue.

The statue is of the great Roger Neilson waving his white towel.

It is, on one hand, the one statue-worthy moment this franchise has to celebrate. On the other hand, it is a travesty.

One of the smartest, most engaging and innovative coaches in our sport’s history, immortalized for the rare moment emotions got the better of him. Of all the great things Neilson accomplished in the game — and there were so, so many — here in Vancouver, they have eternalized him for whining about some rough calls one night in Chicago.

En route to the game, the local media personality is on the car radio, warning fans about one of that night’s referees and how he holds a grudge against the Canucks. The message is clear: We’re not getting a fair shake tonight, folks. The hockey establishment is against us, and it’ll be a miracle if we can overcome it.

Eventually the Canucks, one of the best teams in the NHL this season, take the ice in front of perhaps the loudest building we’ve been in on the playoff trail. But before we get going, let’s meet the Towel Kid, who waves a white towel before puck drop.

Institutionalized surrender.

People know what waving a white towel stands for, don’t they?

This is the culture that the Canucks players must overcome.

This is why nary a press conference passes here without poor coach Rick Tocchet being asked to comment on the officiating. Why players are peppered with questions about calls, and non-calls.

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Why social media is as stocked with posts about officiating as it is with love for the Canucks, or shots at Nashville fans in Round 1, or Oilers fans in Round 2.

It’s the culture, and dare we say, a culture that has produced a 50-year team without a Stanley Cup banner in its rafters.

Let’s be clear: This isn’t on the fans. Not one bit.

Fans in every city see the game through goggles tinted to the colour of the home team. They’re supposed to be irate when a high-stick on Quinn Hughes get missed, and oblivious to the six Canucks skaters on the ice seconds before a Vancouver goal.

Fans have every right to cite Connor McDavid’s alleged embellishment, but gloss over the giant oak tree that is Nikita Zadorov, toppled by a love-tap from Warren Foegele. Or the knee taken by Quinn Hughes.

Canucks fans? God bless ‘em.

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They’re rabid, hockey-lovin’ Canadians, and I’ll admit that back in 2011 I’d have preferred to chronicle a different ending to that woeful Game 7 against Boston. Fans pay my salary, and after two years of empty rinks during COVID, nights like the ones we just had in Rogers Arena is a reminder as to why we all love the game the way we do.

But in hockey, they say that if you arrive at the rink already wondering about the officiating, you are halfway to being beaten. And I’ll guarantee you, Tocchet and the Canucks are not willing participants in this. Victims, perhaps. But not willing ones.

Let the record show, the players and coaches are neither whining nor waving any white towels in Vancouver.

J.T. Miller’s post-game address Friday was accountable on a Hank and Danny Sedin level. Hughes too. Outstanding.

I don’t hear any references to officiating from any Canucks player or coach — until they are asked about it by media. It’s not their fault, this fixation.

So, from where does it come?

How did we get to a place where a media member is tapping his sources at the Department of Player Safety to see if Derek Ryan is due a suspension for a drive-by slash for which he was rightly given a minor penalty? As if that play has ever met the threshold of a even double minor, let alone a suspension?

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How does the “Kelly Sutherland hates us” theme that fans lap up — but accredited media should laugh off — get legitimate traction here?

Must we go all the way back to the great Vancouver hockey columnist Tony Gallagher — Dear Leader of the Tinfoil Hats Brigade — an old friend and able wordsmith who taught this market that Gary Bettman would rather they lose, and the referees were microchipped to slant games in the direction of whichever team was in town that night?

How is it that, of the 32 press boxes I’ve spent the past 35 years in, this is the one where the intermission topic of conversation is officiating. Night after night, after whiney, complaining night?

So, here’s the deal: As an Edmonton-based writer, you can write me off as a homer. Go ahead.

I’m also the guy who has heard from colleagues around the NHL about how the Oilers were going to mop up the Canucks in four or five easy games, an opinion I never shared. Today, I’m vindicated to see a series that is in no way lopsided.

Hell, it could easily stand at 2-0 for Vancouver. Lopsided, indeed.

I picked the Oilers in six and I’ll stay with that, but already we can see how equal these teams are. How neither team requires a break from the zebras to win, and frankly, how a series with fewer power plays dotted throughout probably favours the Canucks.

But the Oilers do have an edge in this series, as does every team who ever played Vancouver.

They are not surrounded by the Great Conspiracy, the way Canucks teams have been for so many years.

They are not burdened by institutionalized surrender, the haunting knowledge that the deck is stacked against them. That if they are able to beat that night’s opponent, the referees will still have to be conquered. And after that, perhaps the league office.

They’re not waving a white towel even before the game begins, because nobody in pro sports celebrates surrender — except for one franchise.

Here, they quit before they play. Because who has a chance with these refs, anyhow?

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