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Takeaways from the Ducks 4-3 Win over the Golden Knights

It begins where it ended. The Anaheim Ducks opened their 2026-27 season on the road with a Pacific Division matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights, the team that defeated them in six games in the second round of the 2026 NHL Playoffs. 

The Ducks saw their elongated rebuild come to an end in 2025-26, qualifying for the playoffs for the first time since 2018 and winning a series for the first time since 2017. On Friday evening, the puck dropped on their brand-new season, where they look to improve upon those results despite a tumultuous offseason. 

Game #1: Ducks vs. Golden Knights Gameday Preview (10/02/26)

Who is Tristan Luneau, and Why did the Anaheim Ducks Sign Him to a Huge Extension?

The Ducks entered 0-0-0, but the Knights entered this game having won their season-opener in a 5-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday.

The Ducks deployed a lineup full of new faces that featured two NHL debuts (Noah Warren and Judd Caulfield) and three other Ducks debuts (Travis Mitchell, AJ Greer, and Jeff Malott) Here’s how the Ducks lined up to start this game:

Greer-Carlsson-Gauthier

Sennecke-Granlund-Killorn

Nesterenko-Poehling-Vatrano

Malott-Washe-Caulfield

LaCombe-Luneau

Mintyukov-Mitchell

Hinds-Warren

Lukas Dostal got the start in the Ducks crease and saved 27 of 30 shots. He was opposed by Carter Hart, who stopped 16 of 20.

Game Notes

The first period of this game saw the Ducks hemmed in their zone quite a bit, but displayed decent coverage habits. They scored one in the dying seconds of the first and added three more in the first eight minutes of the second to take a 4-0 lead into the third. Vegas furiously attempted to mount a comeback, but came up just short.

The Ducks showed some surprisingly encouraging aspects of their game and revealed some unpleasant others in the process. If this is any indication of things to come this season, the Ducks will be one of the NHL’s most entertaining teams yet again. 

“I think it’s a big win for us,” Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville said after the game. “We had a strong start, pretty even, then all of a sudden, we started scoring some goals there. I thought that our pace was excellent. I thought we did a lot of good things pressuring up through all zones there to create some odd-man situations.

“Our speed was effective. Then, they got a little momentum, and then the challenge was against us. All of a sudden, the momentum changes and we’re hanging on at the end, but Dosty was really good tonight. He was excellent.”

Cycle: The Ducks established themselves as the league’s most dangerous team off the rush a year ago, but their cycle game left much to be desired. In this game, they were generating extended sequences low in the Vegas zone with clever puck movements that found their way to the point, where they consistently deployed a high third forward who could then attack downhill. 

Oftentimes, that third forward high was Leo Carlsson, who is the player on the Ducks roster who could most benefit from developing a cycle presence. He succeeded in that area in this game, as he was calculating with pucks on his stick, made quick decisions along the wall, and showcased some escapability from the small areas to the soft areas of the o-zone.  

Defensive Zone Coverage: The Ducks were an adventure in their end of the ice in this game. They are far less experienced than Vegas and the Knights’ veteran savvy forced a high number of mistakes from Anaheim in their end.

Retrievals, outlets, and exits kept the Ducks in their zone longer than they should have been, but for the most part, their coverage against the talented, effective Vegas cycle was a pleasant surprise. They were cohesive in their movements to retreat to soft ice and get sticks in lanes. They were stingy around their crease and didn’t lose many even-numbered battles in that area. 

Coverage showed a few holes as the game wore on, but Dostal made all the saves he was required to and gave the team a chance to win. The Ducks were most impactful high in the defensive zone, where their speedy, long forwards forced turnovers from Knights’ defenders and sprung odd-man rushes the other way.

AJ Greer: Greer, though far less skillful than his superstar linemates, filled in the gaps in their games, provided a forechecking identity, and did the dirty work on a shift-by-shift basis so they didn’t have to. By muscling his way to the front of the net and winning battles in that area of the ice, Gauthier and Carlsson were afforded much more time and space to operate in the offensive zone. 

He was one of the long, speedy forwards who caused chaos at the defensive blueline and his trap work in the neutral zone aided in the blueline denials that the Ducks benefitted from in this game. 

The Ducks will be back at it on Sunday, when they’ll host the Florida Panthers for their home-opener. 

Ducks Sign Tristan Luneau to Six-Year Contract Extension

Anaheim Ducks Submit 2026-27 Season-Opening Roster

Ducks Alumni Partner with Warrior of Life Fund for Face Off for Heroes

Report: Estimated 2028-29 NHL Salary Cap, How the Ducks are Impacted

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Instant Analysis: Blues Open Season By Taking Down Stars 4-0

Going in, the St. Louis Blues knew what they were up against with a season-opening back-to-back against two of the Central Division heavyweights, the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche.

Blues coach Jim Montgomery called this an "opportunity." An opportunity to make a mark against two Stanley Cup favorites out of the Western Conference.

"Opportunity to go into Dallas, show them what we have, how hard we’re going to play against and then fly to Colorado and show the Avalanche," Montgomery said earlier in the week. "It’s an opportunity to make your mark right away.”

Put a check mark next to Friday's season-opener with an emphatic 4-0 win over the Stars at American Airlines Center in Dallas, their first win in this building since Dec. 14, 2021; they had lost seven in a row in Dallas (0-4-3).

The Blues are now 9-0-2 in their past 11 road openers, which ties an NHL record for longest such streak to open a season since the Montreal Canadiens (1963-64 to 1973-74) went 6-0-5.

Many were likely expecting the Blues (1-0-0) go come out of Dallas and Colorado potentially losing two games, but now going in against the Avalanche on Saturday, where Jordan Binnington is expected to get the nod in goal, they have the chance to take four of a possible four points to begin this trip, which concludes Tuesday against the Chicago Blackhawks.

As for the game itself, here are the talking points:

* Joel Hofer -- The Blues tendy got the opening night assignment for the first time in his NHL career and picked up where he left off when he went 12-2-2 down the stretch last season.

Hofer didn't have to make any of those acrobatic, stand-on-his head saves, and that's a testament to the way the Blues defended, but he was composed and didn't give up any juicy rebounds to pick up his ninth NHL shutout.

Oh, and Hofer, who will get his chance at a goalie goal some day, picked up an assist on Pius Suter's empty-net goal at 17:52 of the third period:

Hofer is the second Blues goalie to pick up a shutout on opening night and first since Jaroslav Halak on Jan. 19, 2013:

* Adam Jiricek -- It was an impressive debut for the first-round pick (No. 16) in the 2024 NHL Draft.

He finished the game playing 16:35 and was a plus-1 and had his first NHL goal taken away in the third period when the Stars successfully challenged an offside play, to which Pavel Buchnevich was the guilty culprit.

But this kid looked like he belongs in the league. I know it's only one game, but I've got to say, I can't see this kid going back to the American Hockey League.

Jiricek looked so calm, so composed. I mentioned during the game one of his first puck touches, he gets the puck and moves into the right circle after a cross-ice feed and with my hesitation, whips a shot towards the net. Most young, first-year, first-NHL game players likely defer in that situation. That's confidence with the puck.

And playing alongside Philip Broberg, when in the defensive zone, his positioning and ability to make plays and move pucks out of danger was very encouraging.

There was so much to like from the 20-year-old in his first NHL game; you have to imagine things will continue to get better. It'll be interesting to see how he reacts playing against Nathan MacKinnon and company Saturday, but it's evident Blues fans are very encouraged. I know I was.

* Mason McTavish -- The Blues acquired the 23-year-old and sacrificed two first-round picks for a reason, and McTavish made good on his proclamation of liking to play in and around the net.

His first goal as a Blue, just 1:34 into the game, stands as the game-winner and it came by being around the net:

It was a really smart rush play by Colton Parayko, who got the puck to the net, followed his shot and was able to slide the puck to McTavish for the finish.

McTavish played 14:36 and had six shot attempts (three on goal) with two hits but was only 5-for-15 (33 percent) on face-offs, so you want some better numbers there, but getting that early goal was a good way to start his Blues career.

* Penalty kill perfect -- Dallas was one of the top power plays in the NHL last season but the Blues, who have made it a point to make marked improvements on their special teams (power play wasn't good at 0-for-4), but their PK limited Dallas to four shots on goal in 8:40 of power play time and did a very good job of taking away the middle of the ice.

Wyatt Johnston scored 27 power-play goals last season for Dallas and the Stars like to implement that play where they use his quick-shot ability in the bumper, but the Blues made a point to take that away.

* Alexey Toropchenko -- This was probably the biggest downer of the night, with the Blues' fourth-line checker leaving in the first period with what appeared to be a right shoulder injury.

Toropchenko was going behind his net to make a play and took a bit of a shove from Lian Bichsel and was sandwiched with Tyler Seguin, immediately went down on the ice and needed help off.

It's obvious that Toropchenko, who did not return to the game, will miss some time. How much will be determined in the next day or so, so it will give one of Dillon Dube or Zach Dean to get into the lineup against the Avalanche.

And here's what you notice why the Blues signed Ross Johnston, who went to Bichsel looking to have him answer the bell for shaving Toropchenko in the first place.

* Brandon Carlo -- It was also a debut for another new Blues player, and things were going well for Carlo, who finished with 15:27 of ice time, but he was assessed a five-minute major for kneeing Roope Hintz and a game-misconduct just 2:49 into the third period.

As you can see after the puck is flipped towards the left side boards, Carlo was focused on a shoulder check on Hintz, who made a nice move to the inside to slip by Carlo, but the Blues defenseman's right knee caught Hintz's left knee:

My two cents: there was no intent to injure. Hintz just made a quick pivot to the inside and unfortunately, their knees collided. Hintz wasn't seriously injured after initially being down on the play, so I can't imagine the league will further punish Carlo for what just turned into an unfortunate play.

I can understand why the call on the ice was upheld, but there was a part of me that wondered if they were going to reduce the infraction to a minor, especially since Hintz was back so quickly.

Otherwise, I thought Carlo and Cam Fowler played a solid defensive game.

* Solid, aggressive first period, passive in second bailed out by Dvorsky goal -- The Blues came out with an attack mindset in the first period and carried much of the play and could have conceivably led by more than just the one-goal edge.

They were quicker to pucks, forced the Stars into some puck mistakes with turnovers and were attacking the net aggressively.

The second period, Dallas adjusted and were the better side, but when Dalibor Dvorsky scored this timely goal at 13:05 of the period that made it 2-0, it seemed to suck some life out of Dallas' momentum:

What you like about the goal, though, was Jiricek starting it by rimming the puck in, Suter on his horse to poke the exchange away from Jake Oettinger and Nils Lundkvist. In the process, Oettinger and Hintz got their skates caught together, Oettinger went down, and Broberg made an unselfish play to feed Dvorsky, who had a yawning cage to finish.

And when Jimmy Snuggerud made it 3-0 just 15 seconds before Suter's goal, it put a stamp on what was a solid road win:

Now it's on to Colorado.

Image

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The NBA just keeps disrespecting the Jazz

CHICAGO, IL - MAY 10: Keyonte George #3 of the Utah Jazz looks on during the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery on May 10, 2026 at Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Another day, another disrespect!

In a recent interview, Bub Carrington revealed that the Wizards held back to try to draft AJ Dybantsa last season. You can see the exchange below.

That should mean a fine, right? I mean, that’s what they did with the Utah Jazz? Turns out that they will not be fining the Wizards, according to Sam Amick.

This disrespect is not new, remember when the Jazz wanted to give Keyonte George a chance to coach during summer league? It was going to be a lot of fun and help connect Keyonte George to the young rosters. But no, the NBA couldn’t let the Jazz do that.

Was Adam Silver consistent with that? No, actually. Because he let the Celtics do the exact same thing days later.

So it’s okay for the Celtics, but not the Jazz? So disrespectful!

I guess the consolation is that it obviously bugged the NBA that the Jazz wanted to do the right thing to win a title by tanking. Winning the lottery after that fine is hilarious. What would be even more funny is Utah becoming an NBA champion because of that tanking. That $500K could be the best money ever spent by Ryan Smith.

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Golden Knights’ Furious Third-Period Rally Falls Short in 4-3 Loss to Ducks

LAS VEGAS -- The Vegas Golden Knights nearly completed an improbable comeback Friday night, scoring three unanswered goals in the third period before falling 4-3 to the Anaheim Ducks at T-Mobile Arena.

The loss was Vegas’ first under coach Ryan Craig and provided another chapter in a budding Pacific Division rivalry after the teams met in the second round of last season’s Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Beckett Sennecke opened the scoring with eight seconds remaining in the first period, a late-period strike that changed the complexion of a game Vegas had controlled territorially.

Then came the stretch that ultimately decided it.

Alex Killorn scored 1:33 into the second period, and Jeff Malott followed just 55 seconds later to make it 3-0. Leo Carlsson extended Anaheim’s advantage at 7:03, leaving Vegas down four before the game reached its midpoint.

“Probably just the execution,” captain Mark Stone said when asked about the difference between the second and third periods. “Against a team like that, you look at their top players, they’re high-end players. With time and space, and if you turn the puck over or give them that time and space, they make plays, and they did.”

Vegas finally awakened in the third.

Shea Theodore scored at 4:38 before Tomas Hertl converted on the power play at 6:07. Braeden Bowman pulled Vegas within one with 2:50 remaining, transforming what had looked like a one-sided Anaheim victory into a frantic finish.

Stone said the response reflected something that has become part of the Golden Knights’ identity.

“I think you’re never gonna see this team quit, and I think that’s why we’ve had awesome playoff success and regular-season success as a team,” Stone said. “We don’t quit. We continue to push.”

But Stone also acknowledged the obvious lesson from Friday: resiliency can only overcome so much.

“When you get down in a hole 4-0, it’s not gonna come back very often,” Stone said. “It’s early in the season. I like the way we started to build some better habits leading into the next game, especially.”

The Golden Knights continued pressing after pulling Carter Hart for the extra attacker, but Lukas Dostal and the Ducks survived the final push.

Vegas was left with an encouraging third period - and a reminder that even its ability to rally has limitations.

As Stone put it: “It’s doable, but that fourth one is just difficult.”

KEY MOMENT: Anaheim's Third Goal

Anaheim delivered its biggest blow just 55 seconds after Killorn gave the Ducks a 2-0 lead. Malott scored at 2:28 of the second period to suddenly make it 3-0. Vegas eventually found its game, but that rapid-fire sequence left the Golden Knights chasing a deficit that proved one goal too large.

KEY STAT: .800

Hart stopped 16 of the 20 shots he faced. Vegas held a 30-20 advantage in shots and won nearly two-thirds of the faceoffs, but four goals on Anaheim's first 20 shots proved too much to overcome.

WHAT A KNIGHT: Tomas Hertl

Hertl supplied more than Vegas' second goal. He finished with a team-high five shots on goal, went 8-3 in the faceoff circle and posted a plus-1 rating in 17:23 of ice time. His power-play goal at 6:07 of the third cut the deficit to 4-2 and helped turn what looked like a runaway into a frantic finish.

UP NEXT

The Golden Knights head north for their first road game of the season, visiting the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday.

PHOTO CAPTION

Vegas Golden Knights center Tomas Hertl (48) scores a goal in the third period against the Anaheim Ducks at T-Mobile Arena.

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Utah Jazz season preview with Chandler Holt of KSL Sports

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - SEPTEMBER 28: Ace Bailey #19 of the Utah Jazz speaks during the Utah Jazz media day at Zions Bank Basketball Campus on September 28, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Chandler Holt of KSL Sports was kind enough to join me on the Hoops Nerd Podcast to talk about the upcoming season. We discussed a wide range of topics, including but not limited to:

  • Who will be in the Jazz starting lineup?
  • What should we expect from Darryn Peterson? Will he be starting?
  • What type of role will Keyonte George play? Can he be the point guard the Jazz need?
  • Where does Ace Bailey fit in? Is he happy in camp?
  • How does Lauri Markkanen fit into a packed roster? Can he score at the level he did before? What is his role?
  • What impact does Jaren Jackson Jr have? Will he play center? What other things will he do in the Jazz offense?
  • Will the Jazz make some sort of trade this year? What would that look like?
  • How many wins will the Jazz get?

Also, make sure to download the new SB Nation sports app. It’s a great way to keep up with all our stories and discussion boards.

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Ducks open the season with a 4-3 victory over the Golden Knights

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Leo Carlsson had a goal and an assist, Lukas Dostal made 27 saves and the Anaheim Ducks opened the season by holding off the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3 on Friday night.

The teams met last season in the second round of the playoffs, with Vegas winning in six games and going on to win the Western Conference. The Golden Knights opened Tuesday night at home with a 5-2 victory over Chicago.

Carlson set up Beckett Sennecke's goal with eight seconds left in the first period, then scored at 7:03 of the second to cap a three-goal burst for a 4-0 lead. Alex Killorn and Jeff Malott also scored.

Shea Theodore, Tomas Hertl and Braeden Bowman scored for Vegas in the third period, with Bowman connecting with 2:50 left. Hertl struck on a power play.

Carter Hart stopped 16 shots for the Golden Knights.

Up next

Ducks: Host Florida on Sunday.

Golden Knights: At Vancouver on Sunday night.

___

See AP’s full NHL coverage here

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Dylan Garand Caps “Craziest Week” Of His Life With First NHL Shutout In Rangers’ Victory

Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Sometimes, life-changing opportunities come when you least expect them. 

For Dylan Garand, securing his first NHL shutout while propelling the New York Rangers to a 2-0 victory over the Detroit Red Wings probably didn’t even cross his mind as a remote possibility when he was sent down to the American Hockey League, but that’s exactly what transpired on Friday night. 

Since the Rangers selected him in the fourth round of the 2020 NHL Draft, Garand has more than paid his dues in the AHL, playing 150 games for the Wolf Pack.

He finally got his NHL opportunity toward the tail end of the 2025-26 season, starting three games and posting a 2-0-1 record, 1.62 goals against average, and a .948 save percentage.

Things were looking promising for Garand, who signed a two-year contract extension with the Rangers at the beginning of the offseason, and was in line to replace the retired Jonathan Quick as Igor Shesterkin’s backup goalie. 

However, the Rangers went out and acquired veteran goaltender Joonas Korpisalo from the Boston Bruins on July 1, which complicated Garand’s standing with the team. 

Despite coming into training camp with the presumption that the backup goaltending position was up for grabs, Korpisalo always seemed to have the upper edge over Garand throughout the two-week training camp. 

The Rangers ultimately decided to keep Korpisalo around and waive Garand, who cleared waivers and reported to the Wolf Pack. 

“I had a number of conversations with him when the decision was made to send him to Hartford,” Mike Sullivan said. “He knows that we believe in him. I don't know that I need to say anything else. He’s a good, solid goalie, and we believe in him.

After being sent down, a disappointed Garand had already accepted his fate that he’d have to spend additional time playing in the AHL, and he even bought himself an apartment in Hartford. 

The 24-year-old goaltender’s time in Hartford did not last long though, as he was recalled on Thursday after Joonas Korpisalo was placed on injured reserve due to a lower-body injury.

Starting for the Rangers on Friday night in Detroit, Garand was given another opportunity to prove himself at the NHL level, and he completely seized the moment.

Garand recorded a 22-save shutout, becoming the eighth Rangers rookie goalie in franchise history to register his first career shutout in four games or less.

When the Red Wings came into the second period with an onslaught of pressure and shots, Garand stood tall, making timely saves and delivering when the team needed him most.

In what Garand described as the “craziest week” of his life, he kept his composure through it all, and when he was given another chance to play in the NHL, Garand took full advantage and proved his worth to the Rangers organization. 

“I’m proud of myself for the way I just kind of left it out there,” Garand said. “Like I mentioned to you guys throughout training camp, it was out of my control. So I just focused on what I could control, I did that. Obviously, what happened happened, and it is what it is. Just happy to be back here. It was a great win tonight.”

What does this momentous victory mean for Garand moving forward, and what will happen to him once Joonas Korpisalo is activated from injured reserve?

Sullivan threw out the idea of carrying three goaltenders on the roster during training camp before the team ultimately decided to waive Garand. If the organization fears that Garand won’t clear waivers, they could re-visist the three-goalie strategy. 

It’s hard to imagine the Rangers placing Korpisalo on waivers after giving up a fourth-round pick and prospect to acquire him over the summer, but if Garand were to be placed on waivers, it’s always a possibility he’s claimed by another team looking for more goaltending depth.

‘This One Counts’: Igor Shesterkin Finally Scores A Goal And Makes History In The Process ‘This One Counts’: Igor Shesterkin Finally Scores A Goal And Makes History In The Process When Ilya Sorokin scored a goal on March 1, 2025, his good friend Igor Shesterkin wasn't particularly pleased that Sorokin scored an NHL goal before he did. 

It could also be that Garand clears waivers once again and takes on the starting goaltending role for the Wolf Pack.

Regardless of what the future holds for Garand, he’s taken advantage of every opportunity the Rangers have thrown his way thus far and continues to show that he has the potential to blossom into a promising NHL goalie.

"It speaks volumes for his character,” Sullivan said about Garand responding the way he did. “He's a good person, first and foremost. He loves hockey. You can see it — I mean, I can see it every time I see him walk through the door, and the way he works on his game. And he's a fierce competitor. He wants to play in the NHL. I understand that. That's one of the things we love about him. He's battling. He's controlling what he can, and it's hard. Pro sports is competitive, and things don't always go your way. You've got to be able to work your way through the ebbs and flows of a career. 

“The thing I love about Dylan is he controls those things that are within his power. He's got a great attitude. His effort is always where it needs to be. I really have a lot of admiration for him — for how he handles his circumstances. He's a great kid. I was thrilled for him that he got a shutout tonight.”

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Red-hot Padres on to NLDS

The past seven days have been highly successful for the San Diego Padres organization.

After giving starter Casey Mize a chance to show he was healthy enough to participate in the postseason, the Padres placed the right-hander on the injured list after he surrendered seven hits and seven runs in four innings in the 11-4 loss on Sept. 25, to the Diamondbacks.

Walker Buehler started Game 2, which the Padres won 10-7 to clinch home-field advantage for the Wild Card round of the NL playoffs. Buehler was not particularly sharp, but the Padres eeked out the win despite a rare hiccup by Mason Miller, pitching in a non-save situation to finish the game.

In a game that meant nothing in the playoff picture, Rándy Vásquez went six strong innings to lead the Friars to another win. He combined with Griffin Canning to finish off the D-backs and give the bullpen two full days of rest before their homestand against the Chicago Cubs in the Wild Card series.

A fairytale series

It couldn’t have gone any better for the Padres against the Cubs. Rookie manager Craig Stammen had the least stress-inducing playoff series any manager could have. 

After naming a playoff roster that surprised many by including both Joe Musgrove and Gavin Sheets, Stammen used both of those Padres in two dominant performances versus Chicago. 

Musgrove, who had spent almost two years on the IL, pitched in the ninth inning of the first game, finishing off the Cubs for the first win.

Stammen was given the softest landing ever imaginable for both himself and Musgrove. 

Sheets, who spent most of the past month in a boot for a plantar fascia tear in his left foot, was activated at the end of the season and played in two games versus the D-backs. After showing he was able to perform in those games, Sheets provided the pitching staff with some breathing room in the second game, blasting a 101 mph fastball 394 feet into the right-field stands. 

The Padres pitching staff held the best offense in the National League to one run on eight hits in the two games. The two best hitters on their roster, NL MVP-to-be Pete Crow-Armstrong and Alex Bregman, went 0-for-15 with eight strikeouts against the Padres dominant pitching staff.

Meanwhile, Fernando Tatis Jr. put on a show in the first game with a leadoff home run while also scoring from first on a stolen base and a throwing error in his last at-bat.

Manny Machado and Xander Bogaerts turned their worst professional seasons around by going 7-for-15 with two homers, two doubles and four RBI combined in the two games.

Second-half momentum carries on

The Friars had a 50-53 record before their second-half surge. After struggling offensively for much of May, June, and July, the Padres went on a 43-18 tear to end the season. They carried that over into the series against the Cubs.

With home-field attendance that topped 47,000 for both games, the Padres had a vocal and raucous crowd behind them that served as their 10th man in snuffing out the Cubs.

The stars were stars

The Padres’ top four earners are Machado, Tatis Jr., Bogaerts and Musgrove. For the first time in two years, all four played for the Friars during the Cubs series. Although limited to one inning of work, Musgrove was able to contribute to a win. All the others played the way we would expect them to play in the postseason.

NBC scores a win

Including Musgrove in their plans for the postseason gave the team and their fans a huge emotional lift. Even the decision-makers at NBC acknowledged the importance of Musgrove’s inclusion. 

Rather than cut away at the end of the eighth inning, NBC bypassed its lucrative commercial break and showed Musgrove’s entrance from the bullpen. As the left-field crowd rose and began cheering, Musgrove stepped through the bullpen gate and set foot on the Petco Park field for the first time since October 2, 2024.

The ensuing spread of cheers through the park and Musgrove’s entrance was covered live for the TV audience. It was a brilliant moment for San Diego.

Postseason ambition

After reaching the postseason for a record third consecutive season, the Padres have also reached at least 90 wins for the third straight season. In an unprecedented era of success for the organization, new Padres owner Jose E. Feliciano paid tribute to late owner Peter Seidler with his attire for the second game versus the Cubs.

With their official ownership of the team now almost two months in, Feliciano and Kwanza Jones are enjoying the first fruits of their investment in the Padres. Attending the season-ending games in San Diego and the playoff games versus the Cubs, Jones and Feliciano have shown their support, and Jones’ dancing skills, on the field and in the locker room.

On to Milwaukee to play the Division Series against the team with the best record in baseball. In a best-of-five series, the Friars take on hard-throwing right-hander Jacob Misiorowski in Game 1. After two in Milwaukee, the Padres return home for Tuesday and Wednesday games at Petco Park. 

There is little doubt that home-field advantage will be in full force at Petco. The magic of the Cubs series could carry over into a series win at home against the Brewers.

The baseball gods could be shining on San Diego.

Why not the Padres? Why not us?

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Alex Tuch’s 2-goal debut sparks Capitals’ 5-2 win over Hurricanes

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Alex Tuch scored twice in his first game for Washington, Alex Ovechkin opened his 22nd NHL season with an assist and the Capitals beat the Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes 5-2 on Friday night.

Tuch joined the Capitals in an offseason trade after five seasons with Buffalo. The 41-year-old Ovechkin assisted on Tuch’s opening goal in Washington’s three-goal first period.

Cole Hutson, Jakob Chychrun and Ryan Leonard also scored for the Capitals, and Logan Thompson made 31 saves.

Sebastian Aho and Logan Stankoven scored for Carolina, and Brandon Bussi stopped 22 shots. The Hurricanes opened Tuesday night at home with a 1-0 overtime loss to Florida.

Tuch opened the scoring at 6:33 of the first period, beating Busso with a wrist shot. Hutson scored on a snap shot with 8:27 left in the period, and Tuch connected on a backhander with 5:37 to go.

Jakob Chychrun made it 4-0 on a power play at 1:36 of second.

Aho got one back for Carolina on a power play with 3:10 left in the second, and Leonard made it 5-1 eight seconds later. Stankoven scored midway through the third.

RANGERS 2, RED WINGS 0

DETROIT (AP) — Dylan Garand made 22 saves for his first career shutout and New York spoiled Detroit's opener with a victory.

Garand was making his first start after going 2-0-1 in three appearances with the Rangers last season. Sean Durzi scored on a first-period power play and Eeli Tolvanen added an empty-netter.

New York was already playing its third game of the season and second of a back-to-back. The Rangers were coming off a 5-1 home win over Tampa Bay on Thursday that featured a goal by goaltender Igor Shesterkin.

The Red Wings began the season without two prominent players. Former captain Dylan Larkin, who has requested a trade, has an upper-body injury and was placed on injured reserve retroactive to Aug. 15. Restricted free agent Simon Edvinsson, one of Detroit’s top defensemen, remains unsigned amid stalled negotiations.

Larkin, wearing street clothes, was booed during pregame introductions. Some disenchanted fans chanted “Sell the team!” after Durzi’s goal, directing their venom at owner Chris Ilitch. The fans became more supportive once the home team put some pressure on Garand and Wings forward Marco Kasper fought Durzi midway through the second period.

John Gibson made 19 saves for Detroit.

BRUINS 4, JETS 3, OT

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Elias Lindholm tied it on a tip with 1:38 left in regulation and JJ Peterka scored at 3:21 of overtime to give Boston a victory over Winnipeg.

David Pastrnak set up both late goals, with goalie Jeremy Swayman off for an extra attacker on Lindholm’s goal.

Peterka also had the winner Tuesday night against the New York Rangers in the Bruins’ opener.

Hampus Lindholm and James Hagens also scored, and Swayman made 30 saves.

Dylan DeMelo, Kyle Connor and Mario Ferraro scored for Winnipeg in the Jets opener. Stuart Skinner stopped 26 shots.

Connor and Ferraro scored in the second period to give the Jets a 3-2 lead.

BLUES 4, STARS 0

DALLAS (AP) — Mason McTavish scored only 94 seconds into his first game with the Blues to put them ahead to stay, Joel Hofer stopped 25 shots for his ninth career shutout and St. Louis won at Dallas in the season opener for both teams.

Dalibor Dvorsky scored in the second period for the Blues before they got empty-netters from Jimmy Snuggerud and Pius Suter in the game’s final 2 1/2 minutes.

The 21-year-old Dvorsky had his open shot at the net when goalie Jake Oettinger fell down after getting clipped by teammate Roope Hintz. Oettinger stopped 20 shots.

Dallas lost a season opener for the first time since 2019, ending a six-game winning streak that had been the NHL’s longest active streak. The Stars were also shut out in a home opener for the first time since moving to Dallas before the 1993-94 season.

Dallas and St. Louis were among seven teams to play their first game Friday, three nights after the NHL season began.

DUCKS 4, GOLDEN KNIGHTS 3

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Leo Carlsson had a goal and an assist, Lukas Dostal made 27 saves and Anaheim opened the season by holding off Vegas.

The teams met last season in the second round of the playoffs, with Vegas winning in six games and going on to win the Western Conference. The Golden Knights opened Tuesday night at home with a 5-2 victory over Chicago.

Carlson set up Beckett Sennecke’s goal with eight seconds left in the first period, then scored at 7:03 of the second to cap a three-goal burst for a 4-0 lead. Alex Killorn and Jeff Malott also scored.

Shea Theodore, Tomas Hertl and Braeden Bowman scored for Vegas in the third period, with Bowman connecting with 2:50 left. Hertl struck on a power play.

Carter Hart stopped 16 shots for the Golden Knights.

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JJ Peterka scores in OT to lift the Bruins past the Jets, 4-3

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Elias Lindholm tied it on a tip with 1:38 left in regulation and JJ Peterka scored at 3:21 of overtime to give the Boston Bruins a 4-3 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Friday night.

David Pastrnak set up both late goals, with goalie Jeremy Swayman off for an extra attacker on Lindholm's goal.

Peterka also had the winner Tuesday night against the New York Rangers in the Bruins’ opener.

Hampus Lindholm and James Hagens also scored, and Swayman made 30 saves.

Dylan DeMelo, Kyle Connor and Mario Ferraro scored for Winnipeg in the Jets opener. Stuart Skinner stopped 26 shots.

Connor and Ferraro scored in the second period to give the Jets a 3-2 lead.

Up next

Bruins: At Minnesota on Saturday night.

Jets: At Detroit on Sunday.

___

See AP’s full NHL coverage here

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Luka Doncic files international petition to bring his daughters back to US

Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Dončić has filed a petition under international rules to have his two children brought to the United States, according to a report from The Athletic.

Dončić’s two daughters, Gabriela and Olivia, live in their home country of Slovenia with their mother, Dončić's former fiancée.

“Nothing is more important to me than my daughters,” Dončić said in a statement to The Athletic. “I will do whatever it takes to make sure they have both parents present in their lives.”

Dončić and his longtime girlfriend ended their engagement in March, leading to an ongoing custody battle over the daughters.

The two began dating in 2016 and were engaged in 2023.

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His then-fiancée, Anamaria Goltes, had filed for child support from Dončić last March, but later withdrew her suit. According to The Athletic, Dončić filed his petition in Slovenia, where he lives in the offseason, but local laws prevent it from being made public.

In August, Dončić hosted his teammates for a minicamp in an attempt to build team chemistry after the team overhauled the roster during the offseason. The All-NBA player’s decision to have the minicamp in the home country allowed him to remain close to his two daughters.

He did not compete with the Slovenia national team this summer, as he focused on the legal matters while also recovering from a Grade 2 left hamstring strain.

“I love my daughters more than anything, and they will always come first in my life,” Dončić wrote in a post on Instagram in May. “As I continue working toward joint custody of my daughters, I have been forced to make a difficult decision between traveling and playing for the Slovenian national team and being with my daughters this summer. Unfortunately, it has been made extremely difficult for me to see them over the past eight months.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Luka Doncic files international petition to bring his daughters back to US

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Bruins Spoil Jets' Season Opener with 4-3 Overtime Win

The 2026-27 Winnipeg Jets are certainly something to behold.

No, they might not win every game, but they will certainly leave you entertained.

In Friday night's season-opener, the Jets produced two NHL debuts, multiple Winnipeg firsts, Kyle Connor's ninth-straight year scoring in the first game of the season (an NHL record), Mario Ferraro's first goal as a Jet, Tyrel Bauer's first NHL fight (in his first shift), an appearance in the crowd from former Jet Jonathan Toews, a boatload of "STUU" chants for new goaltender Stuart Skinner and sudden-death overtime.

Photo by James Carey Lauder/Game On Magazine 
Photo by James Carey Lauder/Game On Magazine 

Oh right, and there was a hockey game played - Winnipeg's first of the season, the Boston Bruins' second.

The Jets ultimately left with a loss, falling 4-3 to the Bruins in overtime. 

“Honestly, I just think it was a pretty solid game," Skinner said post-game.

"I think both teams came out to play. There were moments where we had our pushes, moments where Boston had theirs. I thought Swayman and I held both teams in, made some good saves at good times. On my side, what I saw from our guys is a lot of battle, a lot of compete, a lot of speed. We had some big blocked shots at the right times by our D and our forwards.Obviously a great fight by Bowsie. All in all, a good game. Lessons to be learned. When we do that, hopefully that will create a better result."

A highly-entertaining opening frame began with a heavy dose of offence from the hometown team, including the Jets' first goal of the season, but concluded with Boston atop the scoreboard 2-1. 

Dylan DeMelo blasted home Winnipeg's first marker on a long-range clapper from the point, before Tyrel Bauer dropped the gloves on just his first career shift, getting the better of Bruins' tough guy, Mark Kastelic. 

Despite some lopsided shot totals through the first 10 minutes, Boston battled back for two goals before the period came to a close. First, a long-range wrist shot form Hampus Lindholm found its way through a maze of players. Then it was James Hagens, who potted his first career goal, beating Stuart Skinner on a tap in, standing all alone at the side of the Jets' net. 

Winnipeg remained ahead 12-9 in the shot tally, but trailed 2-1 on the scoreboard as the two clubs reconvened for the second period. 

If the first 20 minutes was not enough, the middle stanza provided even more excitement. 

The jumbotron and clock malfunctioned, so public address announcer Jay Richardson was called upon to announce how much time was left in play every 30 seconds as the period wore down. 

Connor got his first of the season on the power play, meaning he now has goals in nine-straight season-openers, which extends his all-time NHL record. 

“Oh man. It's impressive what that guy can do, impressive what he can do on the ice. The type of teammate that he is, first and foremost," Skinner said. "He's the type of guy that's got a lot of speed, good hands, good IQ level. You know, he's one of those guys that can do it all. Pretty impressive what he was able to do tonight."

And then it was Ferraro who fired home his first as a Jet, before celebrating animatedly in front of his new teammates on the bench. 

Winnipeg held off the Bruins' attack through the majority of the third, forcing the visitors to pull Jeremy Swagman for the extra attacker with two minutes left. Boston needed just six seconds to score following a timeout.

With 1:38 to play, the Bruins won the offensive zone face-off, to which newly-minted captain David Pastrnak's centring pass found its way past Skinner, thanks to a high tip from Elias Lindholm, sending the game to overtime. 

Moments after the puck hit the skate of a Bruins player on his way off the ice, Boston regained possession, to which JJ Peterka collected the puck and beat Skinner five-hole for the winner with 1:39 remaining.

Skinner finished the night with 26 stops on the 30 pucks fired his way, while Swayman turned aside 30 of 33 shots by Winnipeg. 

Winnipeg now heads on the road for two games before heading home for a Wednesday night affair with Colorado. The Jets will face Detroit on Sunday afternoon and Pittsburgh on Monday. 

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Ohtani’s injuries lingering into postseason, and even he can’t pinpoint what’s behind them

shohei ohtani

LOS ANGELES — Even Shohei Ohtani isn’t sure the extent of injuries to his right biceps, left knee and neck that kept him off the mound after the All-Star break and landed him on the injured list for the first time with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

“I haven’t been able to get a good grasp of the root cause of all this, so I think that process is going to happen during the offseason when I’m going have a little bit more time to be able to address it,” he said Friday through a translator. “As of now, it’s something I’m just going to have to manage.”

Ohtani’s health is key to the Dodgers’ hopes of winning a third consecutive World Series championship, starting Saturday against Atlanta in Game 1 of the National League Division Series.

Manager Dave Roberts isn’t sure what Ohtani can deliver.

“I know that once the lights turn on, the postseason starts, the focus will be heightened,” he said. “I expect good things. I really do. We just haven’t seen it enough for me to forecast it.”

The two-way superstar came off the IL with just five games remaining in the regular season. He was 5 for 21 with eight strikeouts, a walk and a double.

The Dodgers have said Ohtani is feeling better since his return, and Roberts believes his at-bat quality showed improvement.

“(My body) feels really good overall,” Ohtani said. “I do feel like my swing is in a better place — it feels smooth. Just little tweaks here and there and I’ll be ready.”

Ohtani was single when he went on the IL twice during his six years with the Los Angeles Angels. He’s now married and a father of two, with his son arriving in late June to join a daughter born in April 2025.

“If I’d been by myself this time, I probably would have had a lot more time to think about everything, and I imagine it would have been much harder mentally,” he said in Japanese. “But I had a house full of people around me, so that made a big difference in terms of how I felt.”

Ohtani throws right-handed and bats left-handed. He explained that he was better able to use his left arm with his daughter. His infant son, however, requires two arms to hold, which limited him because of the injury to his right biceps.

Ohtani took live batting practice against countryman Yoshinobu Yamamoto earlier in the week. The last time they’d faced each other was in 2017 in Nippon Professional Baseball, when Ohtani struck out and singled off Yamamoto.

“I think it was a valuable experience for both of us in terms of getting some game-like repetitions. I got to take a few at-bats and see all of his different pitches,” Ohtani said in Japanese. “It was a lot of fun. It felt fresh and exciting. His stuff also felt quite different from what I remembered.”

Braves’ strained rotation

The Braves’ rotation is seriously strained coming into the Division Series.

Their three-game win over the Philadelphia Phillies in the Wild Card Series forced ace Chris Sale into pitching the final four outs on short rest Thursday night. He threw 95 pitches while starting Game 1, leaving his possible start against the Dodgers in Game 2 of the NLDS up in the air.

“A lot of it’s going to depend on how Chris feels. Certainly don’t want to jeopardize him and his health,” manager Walt Weiss said Friday. “He’s had to grind here recently, so we’re going to err on the side of giving him more rest, if it’s even close.”

On Thursday, the Braves ruled out starters Martín Pérez (back) and Bryce Elder (knee) for the NLDS.

“There’s a chance we’re going to have to pitch a lot of innings out of our bullpen, especially the first couple games,” Weiss said. “We’ll have to add some arms to the roster.”

The Braves had a late night after eliminating the Phillies and then traveling Friday to Los Angeles, where the Dodgers have been resting and preparing for five days.

“My world is spinning right now,” Weiss said.

High heat

Los Angeles is under an extreme heat warning, and it’s expected to continue into late next week.

Saturday’s forecast calls for a high temperature of 100 degrees (38 Celsius) for the day game, when Tarik Skubal takes the mound for the Dodgers. The average high in early October is 81 degrees.

“I know the pitchers are going to have a hard time,” Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani said. “I’m wishing all the best for Scooby.”

Skubal grew up in Kingman, Arizona, where the average July temperature is 96 degrees (35 Celsius). He said he’ll drink plenty of water Saturday.

“You’re just not going to the bathroom because you’re probably sweating it out,” he said.

Sunday’s game begins at 8 p.m. EDT but conditions won’t be much better, with a projected high of 99 degrees.

The highest game-time temperature ever recorded at Dodger Stadium is 103 degrees (39 Celsius), recorded twice. The first time was Oct. 24, 2017, for Game 1 of the World Series against Houston. It was equaled on Sept. 8, 2024, for a regular-season game against Cleveland.

The Dodgers are encouraging fans to wear hats and sunscreen. They’re allowed to bring in non-alcoholic drinks of one liter or less in factory-sealed plastic bottles. Empty refillable water bottles are allowed. Bottle filling stations and water fountains are scattered around the stadium.

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LeBron James says it still bothers him Lakers didn’t get a parade for 2020 championship

ORLANDO, FL - OCTOBER 11: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers talks with the media after winning Game Six of the NBA Finals on October 11, 2020 at AdventHealth Arena in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2020 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Given how divisive it is, there will never be a uniform opinion on the Lakers’ 2020 title.

For some — like basically any respectable NBA player who was there — the title is one of the most impressive, given the circumstances. For loud wrong people, it’s a lesser-than title.

What shouldn’t be up for debate, regardless of the validity of the title, though, is that it’s a shame they never got to properly celebrate it. Because of everything going on in the world in 2020, a parade was never a viable option.

And that’s something that still bothers LeBron James.

In his return to his Mind the Game podcast prior to training camp kicking off around the league, LeBron James spoke about his time in Los Angeles and brought up the fact that the Lakers never really got to celebrate their title.

“It bothers me, [on a scale of] 1-10, 20. Just to be able to celebrate with the Laker faithful. I don’t know what the route would have been. I’m thinking go down Olympic, just all the way down Olympic and then end up downtown right by Staples Center. Everybody want to call it Crypto but it’s Staples Center to me. It would have been super, duper dope. But we did that. We did that and that banner’s up there. That banner’s in that arena forever along with the other ones that’s been able to go up in the history of the Lakers franchise.”

Even if the Lakers wanted to celebrate, the league didn’t exactly give them much time to do it. Their six-week offseason didn’t exactly lend itself to much time to plan things.

Now, it’s hard to imagine a scenario where they get to ever truly celebrate the title. Perhaps in the future if/when the Lakers win another title, they can have members of the 2020 team tag along. But would it feel the same?

It would likely have to happen in the distant future as it’s hard to imagine LeBron being on a different team and celebrating a title in LA with the Lakers. Hopefully, though, it’s something the team has to contemplate in the future because that 2020 team does deserve to be celebrated and given it’s flowers.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

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Zack Of All Trades Tries To Get One More Win: In Court

DETROIT, MI - JULY 09: Athletics left-fielder Zack Gelof (20) grabs his leg after sliding into the railing trying to catch a foul ball during game between Athletics and Detroit Tigers on July 9, 2026 at Comerica Park in Detroit, MI (Photo by Allan Dranberg/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Zack Gelof is one of those athletes who only has one speed: full bore ahead. It’s part of what makes him an elite athlete and at times it makes it difficult for him to stay on the field. But there is also a difference between playing with “reckless abandon” and having “no regard for your body,” and hitting the ER because the other team’s stadium operations executives had no regard for your body.

In July, 2017 the A’s acquired Dustin Fowler from the New York Yankees as he was recovering from a serious knee injury, a rupture of his right patella tendon. In December, 2017, Fowler sued the Chicago White Sox, claiming negligence due to an unpadded, metal electrical box that was located in precisely the area where Fowler impacted the wall. Fowler’s lawsuit settled for an undisclosed amount of cash.

Now comes Gelof’s lawsuit filed against the Detroit Tigers after Gelof badly lacerated his leg on July 9 when his pursuit of a foul fly ball took him into the side wall — where instead of padding there was a stretch of metal wiring that sliced Gelof’s knee like a Veg-O-Matic and kept him out of action for a month.

Some injuries are preventable and many aren’t. Some mishaps are the result of foreseeable gross negligence and many are just plain bad luck. Stadium operators are obliged to notice clear safety hazards, and many hazards only reveal themselves when a fluky play exposes a formerly unknown truth.

The question in front of a judge or jury, first to be mediated by posturing attorneys, is whether Gelof’s injury was caused by a negligence that anyone could have, and should have, reasonably foreseen. The law doesn’t compensate you for bad luck like it does for bad faith.

Did the Tigers expressly have an obligation to put padding, or avoid putting a wire facing, in a part of the playing field a fielder might slide or crash into? Did Gelof have some obligation either to avoid going full tilt into a very visible wire structure or to notice the hazard during batting practice and bring it to someone’s attention?

Separately there is the question of “damages” as the two sides haggle about the “value” of the case. Certainly there was appreciable pain and suffering — that much was clear at the time of the collision as well as the fact that Gelof could not take the field in a big league game for 32 days.

But he was also paid while on the IL and rehab assignments, so there was no loss of income there. His future value, and how this injury did or did not affect it, is a pretty subjective question, but we do know that Gelof put up a 116 wRC+ before the injury and a very similar 112 wRC+ after.

One thing is for sure: Fowler’s case will be raised, by both sides, in conversations around Gelof’s chances of prevailing in his lawsuit and the value of any settlement. Fowler created precedent that informs comparable cases. And once again, here is an outfielder who was racing into foul territory when he bludgeoned himself on an exposed and unforgiving barrier to his pursuit.

What do you think are the material facts in Gelof’s case and who do they ultimately favor? In all likelihood this case, like the one before it, will settle and never go to trial and the settlement amount will not be made public. But if you were on a jury and were asked to rule on the merits, what information would most inform your verdict and what would that verdict look like? In the end, will Gelof get the 65th win of the season to bring vengeance upon the stadium where Oakland’s season was ended 20 years prior?