For just the fourth time this season, the Mets won a series, as they beat the Angels by a 5-1 score in the rubber game of their series this afternoon in Anaheim. No matter what happened today, the Mets were destined to retain sole possession of the worst record in baseball come tomorrow morning, but a series win sure is a sight for sore eyes for a team that had won just three of its previous twenty games coming into the weekend.
Most of this game was close. The Angels opened the scoring on an RBI single by Jorge Soler in the bottom of the first, but that was the only run Clay Holmes gave up in six-and-two-thirds innings of work. He threw 99 pitches, struck out six, walked three, and gave up four hits, and he has a 1.69 ERA on the season.
The Mets took the lead in the top of the fourth when Mark Vientos hit a two-run home run. And while Vientos continues to struggle with routine plays at first base, his bat turned out to be the best one the Mets had on the afternoon.
After Carson Benge drove in an insurance run with a double in the top of the eighth, Vientos hit another two-run home run to extend the lead to four. And thanks to Luke Weaver throwing one-and-one-third scoreless innings in relief of Holmes before Luke Raley threw a scoreless ninth.
None of the Mets’ pitchers did it alone, as outfielder MJ Melendez and Carson Benge and shortstop Bo Bichette, who played just his second game this season at his old position, each made a great defensive play along the way.
When the game was closer in the early going, the Mets once again didn’t challenge a play that could’ve made a big difference in the game and looked like it would’ve easily gone in their favor. With a runner on first in the top of the third, Juan Soto hit a ground ball to first base that got stuck in the webbing of Angels first baseman Nolan Schanuel’s glove as he went to make a throw to second base. He instead took off his glove and tossed it to Angels starter Jack Kochanowicz at first. He bobbled the glove as Soto crossed first base, but the first base umpire called him out.
Fortunately, that wound up being a moot point, and weather permitting, the Mets will attempt to win another series as they travel to Denver to play the Rockies in a three-game series that’s set to get underway tomorrow night.
Big Mets winner: Clay Holmes, +32% WPA Big Mets loser: Marcus Semien, -13% WPA Mets pitchers: +42% WPA Mets hitters: +8% WPA Teh aw3s0mest play: Mark Vientos hits a two-run home run in the fourth, +22% WPA Teh sux0rest play: Jorge Soler hits an RBI single in the first, -9% WPA
TORONTO (AP) — The Toronto Maple Leafs hired former captain Mats Sundin as senior executive adviser of hockey operations and John Chayka as general manager Sunday.
The moves mark a reset of the club’s front office after a season that ended with Toronto missing the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
The team said Sundin will provide support across hockey operations, with a focus on team culture, player development and leadership support.
“This fan base deserves greatness and I am grateful for the opportunity to help this team, organization and city achieve that,” Sundin said in a release.
Toronto fired GM Brad Treliving in March, near the end of the disastrous campaign for the Maple Leafs, who entered the season among the Stanley Cup favorites.
The club also did not replace president Brendan Shanahan after he was let go in May 2025.
Sundin and Chayka arrive with the organization still searching for its first Stanley Cup since 1967.
The Maple Leafs’ career points leader, Sundin had a complicated Toronto exit in 2008 before a brief stint with the Vancouver Canucks, but remains a fan favorite for his 13 seasons in blue and white.
The 55-year-old Swede, who was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2012 and returned home to start a family after retiring, has never held a formal management position in the game.
The 36-year-old Chayka became the NHL’s youngest GM when he was hired by the Arizona Coyotes a decade ago. His time in the desert was marked by an analytics-heavy push and bold trades.
“I’m honored to join the Toronto Maple Leafs organization and excited to work alongside Mats and the entire organization,” Chayka said in a statement. “This is one of hockey’s most historic franchises, with a passionate fan base who want to win."
Chayka abruptly resigned in July 2020 on the eve of the league’s pandemic restart and was subsequently suspended by commissioner Gary Bettman for one year in 2021 for “conduct detrimental to the league and game” after pursuing job opportunities with other teams while still employed by the Coyotes.
Arizona was also docked first- and second-round picks for holding unauthorized workouts with draft prospects under his watch, in breach of the league’s scouting combine policy.
The Mets won their first road series in nearly a month after taking two out of three against the Los Angeles Angels thanks to a 5-1 win on Sunday.
Here are the takeaways...
-- The first inning was an unconventional slog for Clay Holmes who needed 27 pitches to get through the frame which is the most he's thrown in any inning this season. Holmes allowed a run on Jorge Soler's one-out single after walking the first two hitters he faced and was in need of a double play to get through the inning. The ground ball pitcher, who surprisingly entered the game with just two double plays turned behind him this season, got exactly what he was looking for at the perfect time, getting Jo Adell to ground into an inning-ending double play and limit the damage to a run.
In need of a quick inning in the second, Holmes walked his third batter in the first seven hitters but managed to induce another ground ball double play, this one handled by Bo Bichette, making his first start at shortstop with New York, who stayed with it after it took a funky hop and turned two to get Holmes out of the inning after just 11 pitches.
From there, Holmes cruised through 6.2 terrific innings and retired 12 of the last 15 hitters he faced, helped out by a diving catch by MJ Melendez in the sixth and a leaping grab at the wall in right field by Carson Benge in the seventh. The last batter Holmes faced reached base on a throwing error by Bichette, but Luke Weaver entered the game and struck out pinch-hitter Yoan Moncada to end the inning.
Holmes' final line: 6.2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 6 K on 99 pitches (71 strikes) and he lowered his season ERA to 1.69, fourth-best in the majors.
-- Shut out for the first three innings against Jack Kochanowicz despite a few chances with runners on, the Mets finally got to the right-hander in the fourth and it was Mark Vientos who delivered the big blast, launching a two-run shot that went 427 feet and put New York ahead, 2-1.
Benge worked a fantastic eight-pitch walk in front of Vientos, his second walk of the game, that led to the home run and had a solid day at the plate, finishing 1-for-2 with an RBI double and two runs scored to go along with those two walks.
-- The Mets wouldn't score again until the eighth as their collective slump at the plate continued, including strikeouts by Juan Soto and Austin Slater in the seventh with a runner at second base and a chance to extend their lead. Soto went 0-for-5 with two Ks and was visibly upset with himself on a few of his at-bats.
-- New York finally got the insurance run (and a hit with RISP) it was looking for on Benge's double that drove in Brett Baty who led off the inning with a hit by pitch before advancing to second on Marcus Semien's groundout to the catcher. They got two more when Vientos smacked his second two-run homer of the game that put the Mets ahead, 5-1.
-- After hitting a double on Saturday night, Vientos has begun to heat up and show off his power as his last four hits have been for extra-bases. He's now slashing .250/.297/.440 on the season and his four home runs are tied with Francisco Alvarez for the team lead.
-- Weaver turned in a good performance, pitching 1.1 scoreless innings with three strikeouts and Brooks Raley finished things off in the ninth as Benge made another incredible catch, this one diving to his left on a tailing fly ball.
Game MVP: Mark Vientos
The Mets needed a spark offensively and they got it off the bat of Vientos.
DENVER, CO - MAY 3: Starting pitcher Spencer Strider #99 of the Atlanta Braves delivers a pitch in the third inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on May 3, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After letting a sweep slip through their hands on Thursday, the Braves heaped another hurting on the Rockies, scoring 11 runs en route to a blowout win in Spencer Strider’s 2026 debut.
Let’s start with Strider, because besides “yeah this offense rules” and some interesting bullpen stuff, this game felt like a fait accompli at times.
To be candid, Strider looked about as off in this game as I’ve ever seen him. I’m sure Coors Field had something to do with that, but whatever the reason or reasons, it was kind of a nasty outing. Strider walked two in his first inning of work: the leadoff batter, and after a two-out bloop scored the game’s first run, another batter afterwards. Fortunately, he struck out two in the frame, so it wasn’t all bad, but it wasn’t great, either. The second was kind of the same: strikeout, single, walk, strikeout, walk. Things looked like they could get out of hand with Hunter Goodman at the dish with the bases loaded and a 3-1 count, but Goodman took a down-the-pipe 95 mph fastball and hit it deep but not quite deep enough to right for a loud out rather than something that could’ve busted the game open.
Strider didn’t really recover after that inning — the first batter he faced in the third (TJ Rumfield) took a low-in-the-zone 93 mph four-seamer and destroyed it 420-plus feet into right center. There was another strikeout and walk in the frame, but no more damage. And then, to start the fourth, Strider threw another 94ish mph fastball down the middle, which turned into a leadoff triple. It actually could’ve been a leadoff inside-the-park homer off the bat of Jake McCarthy, but McCarthy slid into third rather than picking up the windmill motion of his third base coach. After a final strikeout, Strider departed.
His final line was a weird one: a 6/5 K/BB ratio and a homer allowed in 3 1/3 innings. He faced 19 batters, and twelve had one of the “three true outcomes.” Put that together, and it wasn’t a heartening debut, adding up to a 7.95 FIP and 5.76 xFIP. Hopefully, his next effort at a place less challenging than Coors works out better.
When Strider departed, the Braves had a slim, 3-2 lead, but McCarthy on third was the tying run. In came Aaron Bummer to face the lefty-swinging Mickey Moniak, and three pitches later, Moniak jumped on a sweeper in the zone and crushed it for a no-doubter into right field to turn the game around. It was the third time in four games that Bummer had allowed a homer. I’m not sure if he’s still recovering from his shoulder woes of last year, or if it’s just his time to drop off the aging cliff, but the Braves might want to look into something where he gets a breather, because this is pretty brutal, and it’s not like he was pitching that well before the homers began, either.
Okay, time to talk about the offense. The offense was at Coors Field, and it was great, so put those together and it was a painful afternoon to pitch to them, as it has been throughout this series. The damage came from sources both likely and unlikely, through the whole affair.
The second inning started with a leadoff double from Matt Olson. Kyle Freeland struck out both Austin Riley and Eli White, but Jonah Heim found a hanging curve and smashed it 420-plus feet for a go-ahead no-doubter. On the very next pitch, Jorge Mateo turned on an inside fastball and yoinked it at 112 mph into the left-field corner for another dinger, making it 3-1 Braves. The bottom of the order stranded White after a leadoff triple in the fourth, but then got the lead back after Moniak’s homer in the fifth anyway: Drake Baldwin singled with one out, and Freeland walked both Ozzie Albies and Olson to load the bases. (I’m not sure why Freeland was pitching to the Braves’ lineup a third time through having already gotten thrashed by almost everyone in the lineup previously, but hey, thanks, Rockies.) I fully expected Riley to fall prey to the WPA vortex once again, but he actually “singled” on an 0-2 count by hitting a hard grounder that hit the third-base bag and spun in the air, allowing Baldwin to tie the game. Freeland then walked White to push the go-ahead run across, and after departing, Heim popped a sac fly off Antonio Senzatela.
Oh, but the Braves were nowhere near done. Albies added a two-out RBI single in the sixth, and then Olson doubled him home. There was more pouring on in the top of the ninth thanks to the bottom of the order once again: Albies walked, White singled, Heim doubled, and Mateo blooped another single to push three more across.
After the Braves went ahead 6-4 and chased Freeland, Bummer stayed in for the bottom of the fifth… but two grounder singles and a bunt chased him in favor of Didier Fuentes. This game was interesting because Walt Weiss didn’t do a punt (a la Carlos Carrasco/etc.), but instead went with his in-the-bullpen-right now arms, along with his primary relievers, as a mix-and-match that ultimately worked out. The Rockies got a sac fly and a groundout against Fuentes, who gave way to Lee in the sixth. Lee carved up the top of the Colorado order (nine pitches, two strikeouts, a groundout), and then the Braves inserted Reynaldo Lopez. The Rockies didn’t score on Lopez: weak single, walk, strikeout, groundout, and a hard liner flagged down in right field. Moniak crushed another monster homer in the eighth, this time off Tyler Kinley, but it came with two out and none on; Kinley otherwise struck out two in his frame.
Robert Suarez wrapped up the game despite the five-run difference. His inning included a weird play where Troy Johnston was thrown out after trying to extend a single into a double but then thinking better of it and retreating to first, where Ozzie Albies nailed him with a return throw. After a bloop single, Brett Sullivan lined out hard to Mauricio Dubon in center, and that was that.
It was kind of a weird game for the Braves — their pitching staff had a 13/6 K/BB ratio and allowed three homers while using seven different arms, but because the offense drew six walks and hit two homers of their own, it never really felt like the game was going to slip away. The Rockies maybe should’ve pulled Freeland earlier, but the Braves were feasting on pretty much every pitcher they saw, so it may not have mattered. Heim drove in five of Atlanta’s 11 runs; it remains to be seen whether the Braves retain him once Sean Murphy comes off the Injured List later on this road trip.
Sweep secured, the Braves will now continue westward to face the Mariners in Seattle on Monday night.
Sep 20, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Brice Turang (2) hits a one run single against the St. Louis Cardinals during the tenth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
The Milwaukee Brewers continue their road trip to begin the week, as they’ll visit the St. Louis Cardinals for three games beginning Monday evening. The Brewers, who have taken two of three against the D-backs and Nationals in their last two series, are now 18-15 on the season, sitting in fourth place in the deepest division in baseball. Just above them in those standings are the Cardinals, tied for second at 20-14. The Cardinals had their six-game win streak — including a four-game sweep of the Pirates and two wins over the Dodgers — snapped on Sunday.
I already provided a more in-depth rundown of the Brewers’ injured list earlier today, but for the quicker version, read on. The big news here is that first baseman Andrew Vaughn should be back with the team for the first time since Opening Day as he finishes his rehab assignment with Triple-A Nashville. Alongside Vaughn, outfielder Jackson Chourio was also expected to return Monday, but after he fouled a ball off his foot/ankle on Saturday night, that return may be slightly delayed. Regardless, we should see him soon. Jacob Misiorowski is the other big name to mention, as he exited Friday night’s win with cramps — he would be slated for the series finale in St. Louis, but the Brewers still have that spot listed as TBD. More on that below. Rounding things out: Angel Zerpa (extended absence as he weighs whether to undergo Tommy John surgery), Brice Turang (day to day after he was scratched with an illness on Sunday), Brandon Woodruff (right arm inflammation; should be back in a couple weeks), Quinn Priester (rehabbing from thoracic outlet syndrome), Christian Yelich (has begun running and hitting as he recovers from a groin strain); Jared Koenig (on a throwing program); Rob Zastryzny (playing catch again); Akil Baddoo (TBD, but no earlier than a June return). Oof.
The Cardinals have a much smaller injured list, as they’re only without outfielder Lars Nootbaar and right-hander Matt Pushard. Nootbaar underwent surgery on both heels and hasn’t appeared in a game this season. On the 60-day IL, he is eligible to come off the IL on May 24, with the team tentatively scheduling a rehab assignment to begin around May 10. Pushard is currently with Triple-A Memphis as he works his way back from right knee tendinitis that has kept him out since the end of March.
The not-so-heavy-hitting Brewer offense is currently led by Brice Turang and William Contreras, both of whom are close to batting .300 (.298 for Contreras, .291 for Turang). Tyler Black, who was recalled last week, has shined in six games with the team, hitting .429 with nine hits (four doubles) and seven RBIs over 21 at-bats. Jake Bauers and Gary Sánchez have provided the little bit of power Milwaukee has had, though they’ve both been sitting with five homers for a couple of weeks. Garrett Mitchell, Sal Frelick, David Hamilton, Greg Jones, Brandon Lockridge, Joey Ortiz, Blake Perkins, and Luis Rengifo round out the offense, though two players will have to be optioned to make room for Vaughn and Chourio this week. As a team, the Brewers .239/.335/.354 (.689 OPS ranks 24th), with 22 homers (29th), 172 runs (eighth), and 38 steals (first).
Jordan Walker got off to a scalding hot start and leads the Cards with 10 homers this season, adding 27 RBIs, 27 runs, and six steals as he’s hitting .307/.373/.591. Rookie JJ Wetherholt adds seven homers, while Alec Burleson, Nathan Church, and Nolan Gorman have five homers each. The Cardinals also have a solid combo of catchers in Iván Herrera and Pedro Pagés. Masyn Winn is the team’s starting shortstop, though he’s a defense-first player, with Yohel Pozo, Ramón Urías, José Fermín, Thomas Saggese, and Victor Scott II rounding things out. As a team, the Cardinals are hitting .241/.325/.403 (.728 OPS ranks ninth), with 44 homers (tied for fourth), 166 runs (ninth), and 26 steals (12th).
It seems like we haven’t seen Grant Anderson and Aaron Ashby quite as often in the last couple of series, but they still lead the Crew with 17 and 16 appearances, respectively. Abner Uribe, DL Hall, Shane Drohan, and Brian Fitzpatrick have also been solid recently, and Trevor Megill has improved drastically after a ridiculously cold start. Jake Woodford has served as a long-relief arm in a few of the Brewers’ blowout games this year, as he’s a former starter/swingman for these Cardinals. As a staff, the Brewers have a 3.56 team ERA (fifth), including a 3.47 starter ERA (fifth) and a 3.67 bullpen ERA (eighth). They’ve struck out 309 batters (seventh) over 293 1/3 innings.
Justin Bruihl leads the Cardinals’ bullpen with 18 appearances, though he has a 5.29 ERA. Closer Riley O’Brien has been solid, with a 2.20 ERA and nine saves in 11 opportunities. JoJo Romero, George Soriano, and Gordon Graceffo have all been solid, while Ryne Stanek (7.71 ERA) and Matt Svanson (9.68 ERA) have struggled. Jared Shuster, who was selected and DFA’d by the Cardinals earlier this season, rounds out the bullpen after once again being selected on Friday. He’s made three appearances with a 3.18 ERA over 5 2/3 innings this season. As a staff, the Cardinals have a 4.54 team ERA (23rd), including a 4.27 starter ERA (17th) and a 4.92 bullpen ERA (26th). They’ve struck out 236 batters (last) over 307 innings.
Probable Pitchers
Monday, May 4 @ 6:45 p.m.: RHP Chad Patrick (2-1, 2.57 ERA, 4.33 FIP) vs. RHP Kyle Leahy (3-3, 5.52 ERA, 5.64 FIP)
Patrick continues to outpace his FIP, as his 2.57 ERA is nearly two runs lower than his 4.33 FIP through six appearances (four starts) this season. The former fourth-round pick picked up his second win of the year his last time out, allowing two runs on a hit and five walks while striking out five in a 13-2 win over the D-backs. He made three appearances (two starts) against St. Louis last season, going 0-1 with a 3.72 ERA and six strikeouts over 9 2/3 innings.
Leahy, who served as the Cardinals’ set-up man for the majority of last season, has transitioned into a starter this season. Through six starts, he’s an even 3-3, though he has a not-so-pretty 5.52 ERA and 5.64 FIP, striking out 22 over 29 1/3 innings. He picked up the win his last time around against Pittsburgh, allowing three runs on nine hits and striking out seven over 5 1/3 innings. He’s alternated wins and losses in each appearance this year, though, which means he’s due for a loss. In eight appearances (all relief) against Milwaukee, Leahy has a 3.65 ERA and 12 strikeouts over 12 1/3 innings.
Tuesday, May 5 @ 6:45 p.m.: RHP Brandon Sproat (0-2, 6.75 ERA, 6.38 FIP) vs. RHP Andre Pallante (3-2, 3.73 ERA, 4.68 FIP)
It has been a rough start for Sproat in his first season in Milwaukee, as he has a 6.75 ERA and 6.38 FIP with 25 strikeouts over 26 2/3 innings. He made a pair of solid outings against the Nationals and Blue Jays a few weeks ago, allowing just two runs and striking out nine over 10 1/3 innings in those games, but he’s struggled his last two times out against the Tigers and D-backs. Against Arizona on Wednesday, he allowed four runs on six hits (two homers) and a pair of walks, striking out five in a 6-2 loss. This marks his first career appearance against St. Louis.
Pallante, 27, is now in his fifth season with St. Louis and his third as a full-time starter. After a rough -1.1 bWAR season last year, he’s bounced back to begin the 2026 season. Through six starts, he has a 3.73 ERA, 4.68 FIP, and 26 strikeouts over 31 1/3 innings. A former fourth-round pick, Pallante went six innings against the Pirates his last turn through the rotation, allowing one run on five hits and striking out six. A familiar opponent for Milwaukee, Pallante has made 15 appearances (three starts) against the Brewers, with an 0-2 record, a 5.06 ERA, and 19 strikeouts over 32 innings.
Wednesday, May 6 @ 12:15 p.m.: TBD vs. LHP Matthew Liberatore (1-1, 4.50 ERA, 5.84 FIP)
As I noted above, the Brewers haven’t yet announced a starter for Wednesday’s series finale, as this would be Misiorowski’s turn in the rotation. Miz exited Friday night’s game against the Nationals with cramping, but it seems more likely than not that we’ll still see him in this one. If that is the case, I’ll note that Miz had his best stuff in his last outing, striking out eight and allowing no hits and two walks over 5 1/3 innings in the win over Washington. He made three starts against St. Louis last year (including his MLB debut), going 1-1 with a 3.95 ERA and 12 strikeouts over 13 2/3 innings.
Liberatore, 26, is also in his fifth season with the Cardinals. He made 29 starts with a 4.21 ERA a year ago, and he looks to be on track for a similar season in 2026. Through seven starts, he has a 4.50 ERA, 5.84 FIP, and 23 strikeouts over 36 innings. He picked up the win in Friday’s series opener against the Dodgers, going 5 2/3 innings with two runs allowed on five hits and a pair of walks, striking out four. Liberatore has made 11 appearances (four starts) against Milwaukee for his career, with a 4-0 record, a 1.26 ERA, and 31 strikeouts over 28 2/3 innings.
How to Watch & Listen
Monday, May 4: Brewers TV and nationally on FS1; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Tuesday, May 5: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Wednesday, May 6: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Prediction
The Cardinals have gotten off to a solid start thanks to a strong offensive showing across the lineup. I think the Brewers’ pitching staff can hold them, though, and the return of Vaughn (and maybe Chourio) should be big for Milwaukee’s inconsistent offense. I’ll take the Crew to win two of three.
After a 3-0 Game 1 trouncing at the hands of the Carolina Hurricanes, the Philadelphia Flyers must recognize that the game has changed for them in Round 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
A mediocre Flyers offense was already cooling off in the second half of the Round 1 matchup with the Pittsburgh Penguins and, by the end, needed a Cam York prayer to beat an injured Arturs Silovs.
The Flyers' staunch defense, which was initially tasked with marshalling and silencing the likes of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Erik Karlsson, now faces an entirely new task altogether.
Instead of worrying about defense and fundamentals, the blueline corps now has to learn how to play fast under pressure. It's the only way they'll bypass the Hurricanes' disruptive forecheck and subsequently retain possession and create offense.
The problem, though, is that they aren't built for that, and the Flyers will have to adapt.
Veteran defenseman Noah Juulsen, who has done a solid job for the Flyers in limited action, struggles to move the puck and isn't capable of using his legs as a weapon.
The same, to a lesser extent, applies to Nick Seeler, too.
Juulsen, in particular, was victimized by the Hurricanes' intensity in Game 1, as he was forced into an error with the puck in his own zone that led to Logan Stankoven cashing in for his second goal of the night, making it 3-0 and effectively burying the Flyers where they stood.
The Flyers have options, though there is risk involved.
Youngsters Emil Andrae and David Jiricek each boast premium puck-movement skills; Andrae is more nimble, while Jiricek is overall more talented.
The Flyers probably won't want to throw someone like Jiricek, who has yet to make his playoff debut despite playing in 85 NHL games, into the fire, but other prospects who are considered important parts of the franchise's future have felt the flames already.
Players like Denver Barkey, Alex Bump, Porter Martone, and Matvei Michkov are all 22 or younger and going through this for the first time, but that isn't the case on defense.
Jiricek, 22, is virtually penciled in for a roster spot on the Flyers next season, if for no reason other than being unable to be sent to the AHL without passing through waivers first.
The recent trade acquisition is the Flyers' most talented defender with the puck on his stick, and it isn't close.
Will Jiricek struggle with defending and the pace of play in the playoffs? Sure, but didn't everyone else in Game 1?
If the Flyers want to have a fighting chance for the rest of the series, they would be wise to turn to Jiricek, who can at least buoy the disgraceful power play and help the team move the puck up the ice in transition with his passing skills.
Juulsen has done a solid job defensively, but he's played more than 12:29 just once this postseason--the Game 6 win over the Penguins that went deep into overtime (14:46).
Those minutes should be going to a player who needs the experience, if they're going to be so limited.
It's clear the Flyers are going to need more juice to weather the Hurricanes, and Jiricek has the ability in spades.
The Cardinals won the recruiting Ekezie sweepstakes against Arkansas, BYU, Kentucky and Maryland, according to the Louisville Courier Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network. His dad, Obinna Ekezie Sr., played in the NBA for four seasons.
"I have chosen to commit to (the) University of Louisville as I feel it's the best situation to develop, showcase my game and strive to win a national championship," Ekezie told ESPN's Jeff Borzello and Paul Biancardi on why he chose Louisville. "Coach Kelsey separated himself with his detailed plan for my development, specifically being able to play and develop at both the 4 and 5. His excellent staff was completely bought in to helping me reach my goals. But honestly, what put it over the top was the visit. Louisville felt like home from the moment I got there."
Ekezie not only brings a 7-foot frame to the Cardinals, but also adds to their growing depth at the forward position. He was also a consensus five-star and top-five ranked recruit, according to different recruiting outlets.
As noted by the Courier Journal, Ekezie participated in the Basketball Without Borders camp at the 2026 NBA All-Star Game in February, where he earned Defensive Most Valuable Player honors.
Obinna Ekezie Jr. 247 ranking
Stars: Five
National ranking: No. 4
Positional ranking: No. 2
State ranking: No. 2
Ekezie is listed as a five-star prospect and the No. 4 overall recruit in the 2027 recruiting class by 247Sports Composite rankings. He is the No. 2 center and No. 2 player in the state of Florida in the 2027 class, as well.
His classification rankings are not updated to the 2026 recruiting class at the time of this writing.
Ekezie becomes the eighth addition to the Cardinals' 2026-27 roster after Louisville swarmed the transfer portal following their first-weekend exit from the men's NCAA tournament. Louisville should be a top-15 ranked team — if not within the top-10 — in preseason polls with a roster that includes Kansas transfer Flory Bidunga, Oregon transfer Jackson Shelstad and Arkansas transfer Karter Knox.
Here's an updated look at Louisville's offseason acquisitions with Ekezie's commitment and re-classification:
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Anthony Edwards might be back for Game 1 of the Minnesota Timberwolves’ playoff series against the San Antonio Spurs, barely a week after appearing to suffer a serious knee injury.
The All-Star guard, who averaged 36.7 points in three games against San Antonio this season, has been “cleared for on-court basketball activities,” the Timberwolves said Sunday.
The Los Angeles Kings are searching for a head coach, according to GM Ken Holland. While D.J. Smith is a candidate for the job after filling in as the interim coach of the Kings from March 1 to the end of the season, there's a good chance Holland will look for new blood.
There is a selection of head coaches that are available for hire, and some great veteran bench bosses at that. But what if the organization wants to go a different route and hire someone who isn't a household name?
Sometimes, teams will look to bring in an assistant coach from another, relatively successful team, and that could be the case here with Los Angeles.
Here are three NHL assistant coaches who could wind up being the Kings' head coach for the 2026-27 campaign.
Jay Woodcroft, Anaheim Ducks
For Jay Woodcroft he's actually a well-known coach in the NHL, especially in the Kings community, as he was the bench boss of the Edmonton Oilers.
He led the Oilers from behind the bench for just one full regular-season campaign, and two stints in the post-season, none of which were Edmonton's back-to-back Stanley Cup final appearances.
Therefore, Woodcroft does have experience in running a team behind the bench, even if it wasn't a lengthy period.
In his one full regular season, he helped the Oilers register a 50-23-9 record, accumulating 109 points in the standings, finishing two points off Pacific Division winners, the Vegas Golden Knights.
In the playoffs, Woodcroft took the Oilers as far as a Western Conference final sweep at the hands of the Colorado Avalanche in 2022.
This season, he joined the Anaheim Ducks' coaching staff as an assistant coach to Joel Quenneville. In Anaheim, his duties are with the offense and power play.
An offense-minded coach could be the shakeup the Kings need after sitting back and playing defensive hockey for several years to this point.
Muse doesn't become the coach with one of the most impressive campaigns of this NHL season without a competent coaching staff around him, and Nelson has a say in that.
In terms of other NHL experience, Nelson's most recent role was as an assistant with the Dallas Stars for four seasons from 2018-19 to 2021-22. Dallas made a Stanley Cup final appearance in that span.
Nelson has also spent many years as a head coach in the AHL, including stints with the Hershey Bears, Grand Rapids Griffins, and the Oklahoma City Barons.
Furthermore, in the last 10 years, Nelson has won three Calder Cups as the champion of the American League. Others who have won the Calder Cup and gone on to be respectable NHL coaches include Jared Bednar, Jon Cooper, Sheldon Keefe and Ryan Warsofsky.
Neil Graham has spent the past eight years in the Stars organization, most of which in the head coaching role with the AHL's Texas Stars.
In his final three seasons as Texas' coach, they've made the American League post-season. The team's best campaign came in his last year when the AHL Stars advanced to the third round of the playoffs.
Following that tenure in the minors, Graham then became a prime candidate to become the head coach of Dallas, following the sacking of Peter DeBoer in the aftermath of the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs.
Nonetheless, since Graham was close to landing the job with Dallas, he could very well be a name that Holland is keeping a close eye on as the next head coach of the Kings.
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DETROIT, MI - MAY 02: A general view of Comerica Park before a regular season Major League Baseball game between the Texas Rangers and the Detroit Tigers on May 02, 2026 at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Joseph Weiser/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Chicago Blackhawks have an impressive crop of young talent throughout the organization. With a top-four pick coming in the 2026 NHL Draft, it is about to become an even stronger pipeline. The prospects already in place give the Blackhawks a bright future outlook.
One of those prospects, Roman Kantserov, was a second-round pick (44th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft. Kantserov is a forward who has spent the last couple of seasons in the KHL with Metallurg Magnitogorsk.
In this most recent KHL regular season, Kantserov had 36 goals and 28 assists for 64 points in 63 games played. It was one of the best seasons a 21-year-old has ever had in the KHL.
Over the weekend, Kantserov and his Metallurg team lost their series to Ak Bars 4-1 in the Gagarin Cup semifinals. After being one of the best teams in the league all season long, they are now eliminated. In 15 playoff games, Kantserov had 4 goals and 4 assists for 8 points.
Now that his year is done, he is free to sign with the Chicago Blackhawks this summer. His KHL deal will officially expire on May 31st, but negotiations may take some time. The decision is still being made on whether he will do it right away, but all signs point to him becoming an NHL player by next season.
When Kantserov first comes to North America, it will be a major transition for his overall game. Once he is used to the pro game on this side of the world, the talent is there for him to make an impact quickly.
Kantserov has the goal-scoring skills to take full advantage of good playmakers like Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar, or Anton Frondell. He can also make plays himself, which will benefit the goal-scoring abilities of those aforementioned teammates.
It might take some time for this all to click, but bringing him over on his entry-level deal will mark a big milestone in his NHL career.
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The Yankees appear to have dodged a massive bullet.
Ben Rice is feeling better after leaving Sunday's win over the Orioles with a left hand contusion.
“I feel good,” he said. “It’s a little sore, but should be alright.”
Rice suffered the injury when a Max Fried pickoff caught him awkwardly on his palm in the top of the third.
“I read that the throw low, it was a little lower than I thought it actually was,” he said. “I went down quick like it was going be in the dirt and it kind of just stayed up at the end so I caught it poorly and it kind of hit me in the palm.”
The lefty took some practice swings in the on-deck circle and his hand started to feel better, but it didn’t feel great when he ramped it up towards game-speed.
He was replaced in the field by Paul Goldschmidt in the top of the fourth.
X-rays came back negative, but Rice and the Yanks are still unsure if he’ll play in Monday’s series finale, as they’ll wait and see how he feels in the morning.
Rice was sure to get in on the fun prior to the departure, though, retying Aaron Judge for the team-lead in homers before the captain took it back over a few innings later.
The 27-year-old also doubled down the third-base line in the bottom of the third.
Following their 1-0 loss in the Central Division Semifinal of the Calder Cup Playoffs against the Manitoba Moose, the Grand Rapids Griffins responded in kind.
The Griffins evened up the series at one game apiece on Sunday afternoon, earning a 2-0 victory at Canada Life Centre in downtown Winnipeg.
Leading the way on the scoreboard for the Griffins were a pair of Detroit Red Wings draft selections that the club hopes will someday soon be making a postseason impact for them.
Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, Detroit's first round (14th overall) pick from the 2024 NHL Draft, opened the scoring in the second period by capitalizing on a three-way passing play with Sheldon Dries and John Leonard.
Brandsegg-Nygård initially made the Red Wings roster in the fall out of Training Camp and appeared in 12 total NHL games, registering an assist. Both Dries and Leonard also saw action with the Red Wings at various points in the season.
The Griffins then got an insurance goal from defenseman William Wallinder, who was the first pick (32nd overall) of the second round in the 2020 NHL Draft.
Goaltender Michal Postava was solid between the pipes, picking up his first career postseason shutout by stopping all 30 shots that he faced from the Moose.
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Former Vancouver Canucks forward and Hall-of-Famer Mats Sundin has officially been hired for a front-office role.
Sundin, longtime Toronto Maple Leafs captain from 1997–98 to 2007–08, was announced as the Maple Leafs’ senior executive advisor of hockey operations on Sunday afternoon. Alongside his announcement was the news that former Arizona Coyotes General Manager and President of Hockey Operations, John Chayka, would be joining the Maple Leafs as GM.
This news comes around the same time that the Canucks take part in their own search for a new General Manager, during which many Maple Leafs candidates had also been linked to the Canucks. Names such as Boston Bruins Assistant General Manager Evan Gold were also reported to be in consideration for the Maple Leafs’ role as well as Vancouver’s.
While known primarily for his time with Toronto, Sundin also spent 41 games as a member of the Canucks during the 2008–09 season. Vancouver signed him to a one-year deal worth $5.626M back on December 18, 2008. Though his tenure was short, the forward scored nine goals and 19 assists in his time with the Canucks, while also putting up three goals and five assists in eight post-season games. Most notably, he scored the shootout winner in his return to Toronto, helping the Canucks win the game by a score of 3–2.
With Sundin and Chayka now hired, the Maple Leafs are now off the board when it comes to open GM positions in the NHL.
Jan 28, 2009; Vancouver, BC, Canada; Vancouver Canucks center Mats Sundin (13) in action against the Nashville Predators at General Motors Place in Vancouver, BC. The Thrashers beat the Canucks 5-3. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-Imagn Images
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Sunday afternoon at Wrigley Field, Moisés Ballesteros homered and Michael Busch smacked a bases-loaded triple. That, plus six solid innings from Matthew Boyd, helped the Cubs to an 8-4 win over the Diamondbacks, a series sweep and their 11th consecutive win at home.
Arizona scored first, in the top of the second inning, their first lead of the series. Nolan Arenado doubled with one out and one out later, Gabriel Moreno smacked a home run for a 2-0 lead.
The Cubs chipped away in the second. After the first two Cubs struck out, Busch popped a ball into short center that dropped among three D-backs fielders. Those guys are likely going to be very happy to get out of playing outdoors in the wind. Busch’s ball went for a double.
Boyd then started setting down D-backs hitters. After a two-out double in the third, Boyd retired eight of the next nine Arizona batters he faced.
In the meantime, the Cubs extended their lead. Ballesteros drew a leadoff walk in the fifth, followed by Alex Bregman hitting a ground ball to third that wound up as a fielder’s choice when the throw to second was late. Then Ian Happ got a called strike three overturned [VIDEO].
Good call by Happ, and he wound up with a walk to load the bases.
That was Busch’s first triple of 2026 — he had five last year. More on the bases-loaded three-bagger from BCB’s JohnW53:
Busch’s bases-loaded triple was the Cubs 141st since 1901, only slightly more than one per season. It was their 74th at home and 61st at Wrigley Field. The previous one there was by Nico Hoerner, against the Padres, on April 25, 2023.
They have had two on the road since then, by Cody Bellinger at Philadelphia in 2024 and by Dansby Swanson at Colorado on Aug. 29 of last year.
They have been hit by 113 batters. Busch is the 92nd with one. Frank Schulte and Sammy Sosa hit four; Augie Galan, Ray Grimes and Ryne Sandberg, three.
Boyd completed six innings, allowing just the two runs on the homer. He got out of the sixth on a nifty play by Nico. Corbin Carroll was on first with one out, and he took off on a pitch that got popped into short right.
I think that one should end any concerns about whether Nico returned too quickly from the neck issue. That’s a really athletic play and he doesn’t do it unless he’s 100 percent.
As for Boyd, I thought he had a really good outing, the only real mistake the home run ball to Moreno. Boyd struck out five [VIDEO].
That’s about as close as you can get and still get a call overturned. Good call by the hitter. Maton got out of the inning by striking out Ketel Marte.
The Cubs put two more on the board in the bottom of the seventh. Happ led off with a walk, his second of the game. Incidentally, the two walks extended Happ’s on-base streak to 24 consecutive games. Seiya Suzuki followed with a double, with Happ stopping at third.
Hoby Milner threw a scoreless eighth and then Corbin Martin was summoned to finish things off. He did so, but not before issuing a walk and allowing a two-run homer to pinch-hitter Adrian Del Castillo. Here’s the final out of the game [VIDEO].
The game was pretty much well in hand, but after the home run, Craig Counsell got just-activated Daniel Palencia up in the bullpen and I am pretty sure he didn’t want to have to do that. I suspect Martin will be replaced on the active roster sometime soon, perhaps even tomorrow if there’s someone else at Iowa who could take that roster spot. As always, we await developments.
Aside from the ninth inning, this was another outstanding team effort, with guys stepping up who hadn’t done much the last couple of days. That’s always good to see.
One last note on the game from John:
Michael Busch’s three-run triple in the fifth inning completed a team cycle by the Cubs for the second day in a row. They had had only two in their first 31 games, April 22 and 24.
They won each previous game this year. They were 18-1 a year ago with a team cycle and 11-2 in 2024, for a combined 32-3 before today.
The Reds, Cardinals and Brewers all lost Sunday, so the Cubs, now 10 games over .500 at 22-12, lead the Cardinals and Reds by two games and the Brewers and Pirates by 3.5. Good times.
The Reds come to Wrigley Field to open a four-game series Monday evening, just the second series so far this year for the Cubs against an NL Central rival. Edward Cabrera will start for the Cubs and Chase Petty will go for the Reds. Game time Monday is 6:40 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.
