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LA Kings star Drew Doughty reveals the letter he wrote to Wayne Gretzky as a kid

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Wayne Gretzky attending the G2E convention in Las Vegas, Image 2 shows Los Angeles Kings player on the ice during a game against the Florida Panthers, Image 3 shows Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar stands on the ice holding his stick, looking toward the crowd

Drew Doughty has only known one thing in his career.

The Los Angeles Kings.

Doughty, 36, is in his first season serving as the captain of the Kings and shared a heartfelt, two-page letter he wrote to the team’s former captain and the greatest hockey player of all time, Wayne Gretzky.

Drew Doughty reveals a heartfelt letter he wrote to Wayne Gretzky as a child. ZUMAPRESS.com

“Dear Mr. Gretzky, my name is Drew. I am 5 years old. I played hockey this year for the London Red Circle Raiders in the mite division,” Doughty wrote. “It was my 2nd year of hockey. Last year I scored 6 goals all year. This year I got 93 goals.”

As Doughty’s five-year-old self was writing to his hockey hero, he revealed that his coaches didn’t keep score, but the parents attending the games did.

Doughty went on to tell Gretzky that he is his favorite hockey player, and that the Kings were his “favourite team,” in true Canadian spelling.

“My mommy says I used to cry to stay up late and watch hockey when I was two years old.”

Drew Doughty shares a heartfelt letter he wrote to Wayne Gretzky as a child. NHLI via Getty Images

In the letter, Doughty asked Gretzky if he could do him a favor and say hi to then-Kings goalie Kelly Hrudley.

At the end of the letter, he went on to congratulate Gretzky on reaching his 2,500th NHL point and gave him a fun fact.

“Also my grandma was at Parkwood Hospital in London [Ontario]. She said one of her nurses went to your wedding,” Doughty wrote.

Drew Doughty has played for the Kings for the entirety of his NHL career. NHLI via Getty Images

For Doughty, life has come full circle as he’s had a 19-year career in the NHL with the Kings, and will likely play the rest of his career with the franchise.

Doughty has put together a Hall of Fame resume in his career, being known as one of the top defensemen for the last two decades, while having won the James Norris Memorial Trophy in 2016.

He also helped the franchise he grew up admiring win two Stanley Cup titles in 2012 and 2014. During their 2012 title run, Doughty had four goals in the playoffs and collected 16 points with 12 assists.

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Blackhawks Hold On And Beat Blues 4-2 In Patrick Kane's Return

On Tuesday night, the Chicago Blackhawks made their highly anticipated return to the United Center for their first home game of the 2026-27 season. That meant that Patrick Kane made his return in a Blackhawks sweater after a handful of seasons away. 

With some of his former mates in the building, specifically Jonathan Toews and Nicklas Hjalmarsson, there was an extra sense of excitement in the crowd. The 0-3-0 start on the road didn't keep anyone from bringing the energy. 

The opponent, the St. Louis Blues, entered Chicago with a 1-1-0 record to start the season, and they had the plan of matching the intensity that the Blackhawks were naturally going to bring. 

Before the games began, player intros were a bit more special than in other years. Patrick Kane was given a warm welcome with an intro video, special effects on the ice, and a standing ovation from the crowd that was blistering. 

After the game started, for a while, it was more of the same for the Blackhawks. There were problems connecting on passes in all three zones, sloppy play defensively, and no finish to their game offensively. 

Eventually, the Blues took the lead with a goal scored by Mason McTavish. This came at 15:38 in the first period, and the Blues held that lead through the first intermission. 

Early in the second, the Blues scored again, but the goal was waved off for offside. That seemed to give the Blackhawks some juice. From there, they started to play their game. At 5:40 of the middle frame, Sam Rinzel scored by cleaning up Frank Nazar's rebound garbage. 

Exactly two minutes of game clock later, at 7:40, Anton Frondell scored his first goal of the season. This goal was Frondell taking advantage of a brilliant play by Artyom Levshunov, who split the defense and made a brilliant pass. 

The 2-1 lead held for Chicago through the second intermission. Holding onto leads that they built for themselves in the third period was a major issue in 2025-26, and this was their chance to put a stop to that early in the year. 

The Blackhawks, who held the Blues off the board for the first 18 minutes of the final frame, had to face a penalty kill late. With 2:23 left, Roman Kantserov took a tripping penalty. The Blackhawks had to make a final push to kill the penalty if they wanted to win in regulation. 

With the net empty, Cole Smith scored his first goal with the Blackhawks to make it 3-1. That felt like a secured victory for Chicago, but the Blues kept their goaltender out of the net and got it back to make it 3-2. 

Instead of letting the lead slip away, however, Frank Nazar added another empty-net goal, and the Blackhawks secured a 4-2 victory on Patrick Kane night. 

Now, the Blackhawks have a win to build on. From the time they scored their first goal of the game, they played much better than they had in the first three games. They overcame the tough start to the game and found a way. The Hawks would like to clean up that goal that was scored by St. Louis with under a minute left, but it was a work in progress that they can build on. 

Injury Update

Teuvo Teravainen left the game and did not return. Jeff Blashill confirmed after the game that he will not travel for thier next game. Beyond that, it is unknown at this time. 

Watch Every Chicago Goal

What’s Next For The Blackhawks?

The Chicago Blackhawks will hit the road again for one. It's back east they go as they will face the New York Islanders on Thursday night. 

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Jake Cronenworth hits solo HR to put Padres ahead of Brewers in NLDS Game 3

SAN DIEGO – Jake Cronenworth hit a solo home run to put the Padres back on top with a 3-2 lead in Game 3 of the National League Division Series at Petco Park on Tuesday, Oct. 6. 

Cronenworth sent the ball 368 feet to right field during the bottom of the fifth inning.

The run cuts into the momentum the Milwaukee Brewers started building in the top of the inning.  

Milwaukee had just evened the score with a run scored in the top of the fifth inning, but the Padres managed to prevent the game from getting out of hand as the Brewers were in position add more runs with the bases loaded.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jake Cronenworth hits solo HR to put Padres ahead of Brewers in NLDS Game 3

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Cubs BCB After Dark: Matt Shaw or Pedro Ramírez?

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 29: Pedro Ramirez #75 of the Chicago Cubs bats in the National League Wild Card game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on September 29, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Matt Dirksen/Chicago Cubs/Getty Images) | Getty Images

It’s Tuesday evening here at BCB After Dark: the coolest club for night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. Come on in and sit with us for a while. We leave the light on for a reason. There’s no cover charge. We still have a few tables available. The hostess will seat you now. Bring your own beverage.

BCB After Dark is the place for you to talk baseball, music, movies, or anything else you need to get off your chest, as long as it is within the rules of the site. The late-nighters are encouraged to get the party started, but everyone else is invited to join in as you wake up the next morning and into the afternoon.

The last time we met, I asked you about whether you’d give outfielder Ian Happ a qualifying offer. The vote was very close, reflecting the divided opinion of Happ that seems to be a fixture of Cubs fandom these days. In any case, 51 percent of you said no, you wouldn’t give Happ a qualifying offer and 49 percent of you said you would. So yeah, really close.

On Tuesdays, I don’t normally do any movie stuff. But I did want to take a moment to remember Eva Marie Saint, who passed away today at the age of 102. Saint won a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award for On the Waterfront, which was her on-screen debut. Of course, she also co-starred with Cary Grant in Alfred Hitchcock’s North By Northwest, which won our Hitchcock tournament a few years ago. But she was more than just her two most famous films and she had a long career that continued into her nineties.

So rest in peace, Eva, and thank you for all your performances that made so many people happy.

Tonight we have one of those NPR Tiny Desk concerts featuring Chilean saxophonist Melissa Aldana and Cuban pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba. The two are joined by Pablo Menares on bass and Kush Abadey on drums. This is from just last week as part of Latin Music Month.

Welcome back to everyone who skips all that jazz.

The Cubs have a very good infield of Alex Bregman, Dansby Swanson, Nico Hoerner and Michael Busch. They also have two solid reserve infielders in Pedro Ramírez and Matt Shaw, both of whom would start for many other teams. Shaw, of course, started for the Cubs in 2025.

Six good infielders is nice to have, but it’s a bit of a luxury. While Matt Shaw played more outfield than infield in 2026 and the Cubs have experimented with Ramírez in the outfield, both Shaw and Ramírez’s best positions are second and third base. And while both of them have the potential to be pretty good hitters for a second or third baseman, they aren’t projected to have the kind of power that contending teams want out of their corner outfielders.

This is just a roundabout way of saying that Shaw and Ramírez might be more valuable to another team than they are to the Cubs. And in that case, it might be a good idea to see if a team would be willing to send the Cubs a pitcher or an outfielder for one or both of them.

The other point is that Shaw and Ramírez are pretty similar players and it’s not always great to have two similar players on the roster. Sure, it’s nice to have a backup if one or the other gets hurt, like Shaw did for a chunk of this year, but if they’re both healthy, they’ll be fighting each other for playing time. (Not literally. No punches will be thrown.) Both Shaw and Ramírez had a similar OBP last year (.327 to .321) and a similar slugging percentage. (.410 to .402). We can argue about which one is the better fielder. Ramírez had much better defensive metrics last year, but Shaw was also forced to play a majority of his games out of position as a corner outfielder. Shaw was much better defensively in 2025 as an everyday third baseman.

Ramírez is also two years younger than Shaw and has one more year of control. That might mean Ramírez would bring back more in trade, despite the two being so similar in many other ways.

So which one of these two players would you try to trade this winter? Shaw or Ramírez? Or would you trade neither? Both?

Obviously there’s an answer of “Whichever one brings back the most.” I’m going to ask you to take into consideration which one you think will bring back more in trade. So if you are willing to deal the one you think is better for a better return, vote for that player. I’m not going to tell you which one that is. Like I said, I think the two are pretty similar except that Ramírez is younger.

So what would you do with Matt Shaw and Pedro Ramírez?

Thank you for stopping by tonight. We were so glad to see you. Tell your friends about us. Get home safely. Recycle any cans and bottled. Tip your waitstaff. And join us again tomorrow night for more BCB After Dark.

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Ryan O'Reilly Hits Major Milestone Against Hometown Maple Leafs

Although Tuesday night's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs is one that the Nashville Predators will likely want to forget as soon as possible, one player will certainly remember it. Ryan O'Reilly recorded his 900th career point in the second period when he assisted on Steven Stamkos's second goal of the evening. 

O'Reilly, a player often known for his two-way style of play, may not be known as a prolific scorer. With that being said, he has played 1,236 career games in the NHL and during that time he's recorded an impressive 900 points (328 goals and 572 assists).

Currently in his fourth season in Nashville, O'Reilly registered 198 of his points in Predators Gold. He scored the most points as a member of the St. Louis Blues, picking up 269 across five seasons. He also had stints with the Colorado Avalanche (the team that drafted him back in 2009), the Buffalo Sabres, and the Toronto Maple Leafs.

O'Reilly's future in Nashville is currently up in the air, as he's in the final year of his current contract and at 35 years of age, he's running out of time to win a second Stanley Cup.

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Orioles mascot among organization’s mass layoff ‘bloodbath’

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows The Baltimore Orioles mascot, The Oriole Bird, stands on the field wearing an Orioles cap and raises its fists in celebration, Image 2 shows Baltimore Orioles superfan
Orioles mascot

Not even the Orioles mascot escaped the layoffs that have swept through the MLB organization.

More than two dozen employees were let go by the Orioles in layoffs that touched everything from ticket sales to graphic design and included the individuals who played The Oriole Bird and Mr. Splash, The Athletic reported Tuesday.

The team is planning to continue to operate its Bird Bath section in left field despite the news on Tuesday impacting Mr. Splash, whom the Orioles debuted in May 2023. He was in charge of spraying fans with water in the special section when the team connected on extra-base hits. 

The Baltimore Orioles mascot performs during a game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Sept. 18, 2026, in Baltimore. Getty Images

Multiple outlets reported on the layoffs on Tuesday, and a spokesperson told The Athletic that the cuts had impacted the Orioles’ business department. 

The Orioles spokesperson also said the team does not comment on employee matters. 

The Baltimore Banner reported that the number of employees who were let go was at least in the teens, and one source described it as a “bloodbath.” 

President of business operations Catie Griggs wrote in an internal memo that the cuts were “not about reducing headcount” and that the ballclub would “continue to recruit for critical roles and will add talent in areas where we have clear needs.”

“Today we made difficult changes to our business, reshaping some roles and reporting lines and saying goodbye to colleagues,” Griggs wrote in the memo, obtained by multiple outlets. “Some of the people leaving have been here for more than a decade, others for a much shorter time, and every one of them was part of our team. To many of you, they are friends as well as coworkers.

Mr. Splash waves to the crowd before throwing out the ceremonial first pitch before the start of a game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Boston Red Sox at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023. Getty Images

“For those of you who have been here a long time, today may also feel like losing part of what this place has been. That history matters, and it remains part of who we are. We’re grateful for what each of them gave this organization.”

While the MLB playoffs roll on, the league is possibly headed for a lockout in December once the current collective bargaining agreement expires. 

It’s unknown if the layoffs were made with the potential lockout in mind.

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Nets’ Egor Demin’s conditioning, weight work starts to pay dividends

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Grayson Allen drives on Egor Dëmin during the Nets' blowout win over the Hornets in their preseason opener, Image 2 shows Edor Dëmin dribbles the ball up court during the Nets' 124-90 preseason win over the Hornets on Oct. 6, 2026 in Charlotte, N.C
Demin nets

When the Nets tipped off their preseason Tuesday night in Charlotte, a strong offseason by Egor Dëmin had buoyed hopes of a potential sophomore leap.

Brooklyn’s young guard said he’s not the player he was in summer league.

He’s better.

“Yeah, my goal is to translate not just a part of what I did in summer league, but even more, right?” said Dëmin, who has worked to improve his driving and shore up his Achilles’ heel. “Obviously I had some more time after summer league, and I kept working on that stuff. And I think I’m even better right now than I was in summer league.”

The Nets can only hope so. That would give them a leg up in their rebuild.

Dëmin starting the Nets’ 124-90 preseason-opening win over the Hornets was hardly a surprise, but his getting the nod at point guard was noteworthy. And encouraging.

Dëmin’s playing time was limited, though his 18:26 led all the starters.

He hit 2-of-3 from 3-point range (six points), but his repeated paint touches unlocked his passing. He handed out a game high-tying five assists, including a second-quarter drive down the lane and behind-the-back pass to Day’Ron Sharpe for a dunk.

Edor Dëmin dribbles the ball up court during the Nets’ 124-90 preseason win over the Hornets on Oct. 6, 2026 in Charlotte, N.C. NBAE via Getty Images

“Yeah, you see him with five assists in the first group; so he leads that group in assists, which is great,” said Jordi Fernández. “Egor was good. I want him aggressive to shoot or to touch the paint, and he’s done it the whole summer. He’s worked at it, he’s stronger, and now he’s very comfortable getting there. So, it’s great. He’s got to keep doing it, got to keep finding his teammates or getting good shots.”

It showed not only the Nets’ faith that he was more capable of handling on-ball duties, but that they were less intent on force-feeding minutes to their sophomore point guards — regardless of struggles — and more intent on playing the best available, and winning.

After two years of tanking, it will be a welcome sight for fans.

Brooklyn tanked through two arduous seasons to get consecutive lottery picks that became first Dëmin and then Mikel Brown Jr.

Dëmin taking a quantum leap would let the Nets advance their rebuild and exceed expectations.

“To win as many games as possible,” Dëmin said. “Our process is oriented now on getting there each day, at least a little bit, but getting there, no matter whether it’s a game day, practice day, or an update.”

Dëmin would have to be a big part of that.

He wasn’t merely an ineffective driver but an unwilling one. Billed as a point guard, he was turned too often at the point of attack and kept out of the paint.

But his progress this summer was encouraging.

Grayson Allen drives on Egor Dëmin during the Nets’ win over the Hornets in their preseason opener. Getty Images

Work with head strength and conditioning coach Alvin Dike has let Dëmin get bigger and stronger, and his downhill game benefited. After having gone just 1-for-4 inside the arc during his rookie summer league, this time Dëmin showed far more downhill juice in going 22-for-29.

“I’m excited to play with Egor,” Michael Porter Jr. said. “He’s a phenomenal shooter and scorer, but also a great passer. So he can do a lot of things on the court, rebound, push the break, shoot the ball. And now that he’s getting in the paint and finishing around the rim, he’ll make a humongous jump.”

The preseason opener was his first chance to show it against NBA competition.

With Brown still working his way back from a rolled ankle, the Nets needed a lead guard.

Coach Jordi Fernández went with veteran Keon Ellis at off guard and put Dëmin on the ball rather than Nolan Traore or Ben Saraf.

It was an acknowledgment of how much Brooklyn needs Ellis’ point-of-attack defense, but also a show of faith in how real they believe Dëmin’s improved driving is. It would let the Nets stagger him and Brown going forward, and in turn leverage the defense of Ellis and/or Terance Mann.

“Yeah, I can’t rave on Egor enough in terms of the work he’s put in, the difference that I’m seeing with him playing,” Porter said. “And Egor was a dude who already last year had such big flashes. He showed a lot of clutch performances. He showed his fearlessness, his shooting ability. And working with [Dike] in the weight room, [he looks] better and different.

“Egor is a lot more comfortable with the ball in his hands as a point guard. Guys aren’t able to crowd him and be physical around him. He’s very comfortable with the ball in his hands. He’s also, as a scorer, touching the paint more, getting downhill more, looks very comfortable finishing around the rim. So Egor is very comfortable playing the point guard position or the shooting guard position. He definitely has physically matured enough to play the point guard if that’s needed, because guys aren’t bothering him when he’s pressured.”

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Owen Power lifts Sabres past Wild 3-2 in overtime after 2-goal comeback

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Owen Power scored 4:22 into overtime and the Buffalo Sabres rallied from a two-goal deficit to beat the Minnesota Wild 3-2 on Tuesday night.

Tage Thompson and Noah Ostlund tied the game by scoring six minutes apart in the third period. Colten Ellis stopped 18 shots, including three in overtime, and Buffalo (2-1) won its second straight game when trailing entering the third.

The Sabres overcame a 3-2 deficit in a 4-3 home-opening win over Chicago on Saturday night.

Danila Yurov and Maxim Shabanov scored 1:45 apart to stake Minnesota to a 2-0 lead with 4:22 left in the second period. Jesper Wallstedt stopped 25 shots, including his glove save of Thompson’s shot from the slot with 3:28 left in regulation.

Power’s goal came after Thompson shot wide on a drive to the net. Jiri Kulich, who scored the decisive goal against Chicago, collected the puck and fed Power, who snapped in the puck inside the left post.

Minnesota blew an opportunity to open a season 3-0 for the first time since 2021-22 and sixth time in franchise history.

Thompson’s goal was also his 400th career point with Buffalo. He became one of nine Sabres and the first since Thomas Vanek to reach the 400-point plateau in 491 or fewer games.

Ellis, Buffalo’s third-string goalie, made his season debut, with co-starter Alex Lyon still recovering from a shoulder injury.

RED WINGS 5, SENATORS 3

DETROIT (AP) — Dylan Larkin scored in his first game since asking for a trade, helping Detroit to a win over Ottawa.

Larkin was initially booed by the home crowd when he touched the puck on his first shift. The boos turned to cheers when he scored in the 13th minute, giving Detroit a lead it never relinquished.

Alex DeBrincat scored twice and Justin Faulk and Viktor Arvidsson added goals for Detroit. John Gibson made 22 saves.

Drake Batherson, Tim Stutzle and William Eklund scored for the Senators, who had won their first two games. Samuel Ersson had 31 saves.

DeBrincat opened his scoring in the first with a wrist shot 3:16 into the period, assisted by Nate Danielson and Carter Mazur. He added a power-play empty-netter with 50 seconds remaining in the third. DeBrincat also had an assist.

Larkin remains in limbo several months after his trade request became public. He was stripped of the captaincy, reported to training camp despite being injured, missed the start of the season because of injury and received a frosty reaction from home fans during introductions prior to their first game last week.

MAMMOTH 5, DEVILS 3

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Nick Schmaltz scored his NHL-best fifth goal of the season, and Utah relied on its proficient power play to beat New Jersey.

Clayton Keller, MacKenzie Weegar, Lawson Crouse and Vincent Trocheck also scored for the Mammoth, and Mikhail Sergachev had three assists to surpass 300 for his career before leaving the game when he took a puck to the back of the helmet late in the second period.

Utah went 2 for 4 on the power play and has scored on 8 of 13 opportunities this season with the man advantage, including Keller’s goal in the first period and Schmaltz’s go-ahead tally midway through the second that made it 3-2.

Luke Evangelista scored twice for New Jersey and Jesper Boqvist had the other goal.

The Mammoth beat the Devils for the first time, having gone 0-4 in the franchise’s previous two seasons.

Karel Vejmelka stopped 30 shots for Utah, and New Jersey’s Jake Allen made 26 saves.

MAPLE LEAFS 5, PREDATORS 4, OT

TORONTO (AP) — Auston Matthews scored with 14 seconds left in overtime and had three assists in regulation and Toronto erased a three-goal deficit in a win over Nashville.

William Nylander, No. 1 overall pick Gavin McKenna — with his first as a professional — John Tavares and Jack Roslovic had the other goals for Toronto, which got 21 saves from Anthony Stolarz.

McKenna also picked up an assist on Tavares’ goal for his first NHL point. Nylander chipped in two assists and Roslovic added one.

Steven Stamkos scored twice for Nashville to move into 17th place on the NHL’s career goals list, while Nils Hoglander also scored twice. Filip Forsberg had two assists and Juuse Saros made 33 stops.

Stamkos opened the scoring at 7:13 of the first period on a power play. Nashville doubled its lead at 9:08 when Hoglander collected a rebound off the end boards and slotted it home before making it 3-0 at 3:03 of the second on another tap-in.

Tavares got Toronto going off the rush at 4:56 of the middle period and Nylander connected on a man advantage at 6:58 to make it 3-2. Stamkos scored his second to restore a two-goal lead at 13:30, but McKenna scored his first NHL goal 61 seconds later.

Roslovic tied things at 8:54 of the third.

Stamkos broke a tie with Joe Sakic and Jarome Iginla on the league’s career scoring list with his first-period goal — the 626th of his career — before adding another in the second. Dave Andreychuk is 16th in NHL history with 640 career goals.

RANGERS 5, ISLANDERS 2

NEW YORK (AP) — Alexis Lafrenière recorded a hat trick, with two goals into an empty net, and had an assist as the New York Rangers extended their winning streak to four by defeating the crosstown rival Islanders.

The Rangers are unbeaten since getting shut out in their opener a week ago at Boston. They’re 3-0 at home, a year since losing their first seven games at Madison Square Garden last season.

Oliver Bjorkstrand scored twice, and Mika Zibanejad finished with three assists. Igor Shesterkin made 17 saves for the victory but had his point streak from an assist Sunday and his goalie goal Thursday end at two.

The Rangers didn’t get a shot until 6:40 in, but Bjorkstrand scored on it for his first goal with his new team. He and Lafrenière took advantage of the Islanders’ Semyon Varlamov showing some rust in his first game in 676 days.

Varlamov was playing in the NHL for the first time since Nov. 29, 2024, completing his comeback from undergoing double partial knee replacement surgeries. He allowed three goals on 22 shots.

Captain Bo Horvat and young forward Calum Ritchie scored for the Islanders, while reigning rookie-of-the-year defenseman Matthew Schaefer hit the post twice among his 12 shot attempts.

HURRICANES 6, CANADIENS 4

MONTREAL (AP) — Taylor Hall scored twice as Carolina beat Montreal in its home opener.

Sebastian Aho added a goal and two assists, while Eric Robinson and Mark Jankowski had a goal and an assist each.

Andrei Svechnikov added an empty-net goal and Brandon Bussi stopped 16 shots in the rematch of last season’s Eastern Conference final.

Zachary Bolduc scored twice, Nick Suzuki had a goal and an assist, and Juraj Slafkovsky also scored for Montreal. Alexandre Texier and Chris Krieder had two assists apiece, while Jakub Dobes made 28 saves.

The Canadiens returned to the Bell Centre for their first regular-season home game since falling to the Hurricanes in the third round. Carolina eliminated Montreal in five games before going on to win the Stanley Cup over the Vegas Golden Knights.

The teams combined for five goals in the opening 13 minutes. Hall opened the scoring 2:25 into the first period, deflecting Jackson Blake’s shot after Slafkovsky turned the puck over in front of his own net.

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William Contreras' home run gets Brewers back into NLDS Game 3 vs. Padres

SAN DIEGO —  Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras cut into the San Diego Padres' lead Tuesday with a solo home run during the fourth inning of Game 3 of the NLDS.

Contreras slowly trotted around the bases, even stopping briefly to celebrate, before crossing home plate at Petco Park.

The home run served as a quick response to the Padres, who scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the third inning.

The Padres led the game 2-1 as action headed to the bottom of the fourth.

It was the second home run of the series for Contreras, who hit a go-ahead solo home run to center field in the bottom of the seventh inning to break a 2-2 tie in Game 1 on Oct. 3.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: William Contreras' home run gets Brewers back into NLDS Game 3 vs. Padres

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Why the Dodgers can win without Ohtani and why it should scare the Braves

Shohei Ohtani has not hit a home run since Aug. 18. The Los Angeles Dodgers are 0-for-13 with runners in scoring position in the National Division Series.

And they are now one win away from the NL Championship Series anyway.

That’s what all the money really buys.

On Tuesday night, it bought the insurance of having Enrique Hernandez.

Dave Roberts dropped Ohtani to fifth in the lineup Tuesday night, the first time he’d hit there this postseason. Ohtani struck out with two runners on in the first inning. The Dodgers still won 3-1 and now lead the National League Division Series 2-1.

Hernandez won it.

He’s making just $4.5 million on a one-year deal. He played 41 games in the regular season after elbow surgery and a torn oblique. He was only in the lineup Tuesday night because Roberts benched a slumping Tommy Edman. In the fourth inning, he hit a Chris Sale changeup for a two-run homer, the 17th postseason home run of his career. Freddie Freeman added a solo shot two batters later.

Every contender pays for stars. The Dodgers pay for the guy who wins the game when the star is slumping.

Their 2026 payroll is projected at $322.4 million. Add a projected $163.7 million luxury tax bill and they're spending close to $500 million all in this season, more than any team in baseball. Last year, they spent a record $515 million and won a second straight World Series.

The Atlanta Braves aren't exactly cheap with a payroll is $252.1 million, among the highest in the game. Atlanta, however, lost four starters in spring training and they’ve been trying to patch the holes ever since. The Braves opened their wild-card clincher and Game 2 of this series with Ray Kerr, a 32-year-old left-hander with barely 70 career innings coming into October. Rowdy Tellez, Tuesday's pinch-hitter, signed on the last day of spring training and spent most of the season in Triple-A.

That $70 million gap in salary alone, before the Dodgers' tax bill, shows up in the details that a team needs in October.

Tuesday night Max Muncy, Edman and 21-year-old Josue De Paula all started on the bench. Roberts called that "ultimate flexibility." For plenty of teams, it would be a lineup.

The Braves lost four starters in spring training. They opened their wild-card clincher and Game 2 of this series with Ray Kerr, a 32-year-old left-hander with barely 70 career innings coming into October. Rowdy Tellez, Tuesday's pinch-hitter, signed on the last day of spring training and spent most of the season in Triple-A.

And Wednesday, Roberts plans to move Ohtani back toward the top of the lineup against Tyler Mahle. Last October, he hit eight postseason homers. The Dodgers are now 0-for-13 with runners in scoring position.

Dave Roberts doesn’t have to worry about the drought.

“It’s good to know that we can still win games without him doing a whole bunch,” Roberts said.

For the Dodgers, that’s the peace of mind that $322.4 million buys them.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why the Dodgers can win without Ohtani and why it should scare the Braves

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Justin Verlander hilariously explains ‘pretty easy’ decision to retire

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Five sports commentators standing in a studio with a large screen displaying a picture of Justin Verlander, Image 2 shows Justin Verlander talking about his retirement in a studio setting, Image 3 shows Genevieve Verlander hugs her dad, Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Justin Verlander, on the pitcher's mound during a game

Justin Verlander seemingly didn’t have to think too hard about whether it was time to retire after 21 MLB seasons. 

The future Hall of Fame right-hander was injured in his first start back with the Tigers on March 30 and was placed on the injured list with left hip inflammation.

It proved to be the only start the 43-year-old made this season before the final one of his career on Sept. 26, after he suffered a left hamstring strain during a bullpen session in June.

Justin Verlander talks about his decision to retire. FOX Sports/X

It was then that Verlander knew his career was over before fighting his way back for his swan song.       

“It was pretty easy,” the three-time Cy Young winner told the MLB on Fox crew before the Dodgers’ 3-1 win over the Dodgers in Game 3 of the NLDS. “I make the first start of the season and my leg starts hurting. I said, my entire career, man, I love this game. I love giving everything I got. I’m gonna play until the wheels fall off. The wheel falls off in the first game.

“Then a couple [of] months later, the wheel’s still falling off.”

One last thing sealed it, as Verlander got to spend more time with wife Kate Upton, 7-year-old daughter Genevieve and young son Bellamy.   

“My daughter comes up. My family comes up. I mean, this is pretty sweet here, hanging out with them,” he said. “It just made it pretty clear. The arm held up great. It always has. But the leg man gave out on me.”

The former MVP and two-time World Series champion admitted before his final start that he was “skipping a lot of steps, risking some serious injury potentially” to get back on the mound.

It proved to be all worth it as he got emotional during an on-field ceremony and caught his daughter’s first ceremonial pitch. A day later, he turned in a performance to be proud of.

Genevieve Verlander hugs her dad, Detroit starting pitcher Justin Verlander, during the sixth inning of the Tigers’ win over the Pirates on Sept. 26, 2026, in Detroit. AP Photo/Jose Juarez

Verlander allowed two runs on five hits and walks with six strikeouts over 5 ⅓ innings against the Pirates.

His daughter joined Tigers manager A.J. Hinch to take him out of the game.

Verlander finished his career with a 266-159 record, 3,560 strikeouts (eighth all time) and a 3.33 ERA to go along with a pitching Triple Crown in 2011.       

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Andrew McCutchen opens up on Yankees’ historic Tropicana Field woes: ‘Cloud over their head’

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. reacts after making an error in the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays, Image 2 shows Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero tags out New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells at third base, Image 3 shows Photo of former NBA player Ben Wallace wearing a blue suit and a dark shirt

The Yankees’ struggles at Tropicana Field run deeper than poor play on the field, according to a former MVP who once donned the pinstripes.

Andrew McCutchen, who spent the final months of the 2018 season in The Bronx, revealed how struck he was by the roster’s visceral response to facing the Rays on their home turf.

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“When I came over, we went to [Tropicana Field] and I remember them all talking about how they just can’t beat the Rays in Tampa,” the 2013 NL MVP and five-time All-Star revealed Tuesday during an appearance on MLB Network, a day after the Yankees’ loss to the Rays in Game 2 of the ALDS put them on the brink of elimination. “That was always the thing that they talked about.

“I remember being like, ‘Dude, we’re a good team, let’s go, let’s win.'”

While the Yankees finished 2018 with the second-best record in the American League (100-62), they did not fare well against their AL East rivals.

New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. reacts after making an error and allowing a run to score in the first inning during Game 2 of the ALDS against the Tampa Bay Rays, Monday, October 5, 2026, at Tropicana Field. Charles Wenzelberg for New York Post

Before McCutchen’s acquisition in August, the Yankees went just 1-5 at Tropicana Field before winning three of four in Tampa Bay in their second-to-last regular-season series of 2018.

Despite that strong finish, McCutchen said the club’s negative attitude toward the Tampa turf never wavered.

New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells (28) is tagged out by Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) at third base on Saturday, October 3, 2026, at Tropicana Field. Wells was tagged out trying to stretch a double into a triple to end the eighth inning. Charles Wenzelberg for New York Post

“We ended up winning…but that’s not the thing they think about, I know that,” McCutchen, 39, said. “That’s the cloud over their head.”

Tropicana Field’s status as a house of horrors has been a consistent theme in 2026 once again, as the Yankees lost five of seven games at the venue during the regular season.

After failing to catch the Rays in the AL East, the Yankees promptly disposed of the Red Sox in two games during the wild-card series — but the ALDS has been a different story.

Andrew McCutchen of the New York Yankees prepares to shake a teammate’s hand after scoring his second run in the seventh inning of a game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, Monday, September 24, 2018. Getty Images

The Yankees’ performance across the first two games of the ALDS has been defined by an anemic offense and a barrage of sloppy play.

The Bombers managed just a single hit in Game 1, an eighth-inning double by Austin Wells, which was negated by the catcher’s ill-advised attempt to stretch the knock into a triple.

Despite having Cam Schlittler on the mound and two homers from Ben Rice in Game 2, a comedy of errors sunk the Yankees in a 5-1 loss.

As the series shifts to Yankee Stadium for Game 3, New York will hope to kick off the difficult task of winning three straight games to advance — and McCutchen thinks his former club can pull it off.

Even with Aaron Judge still sidelined and the offense scuffling, McCutchen said the Yankees’ home field advantage gives them the edge.

“Going back to New York, they’re going to have a lot of fun. They know being at home, in their home stadium, they’re going to bring it, those fans are gonna be loud,” McCutchen said.

“I see them going and doing really well for those next two games.”

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Devils' rally falls short in 5-3 loss to Mammoth

Nick Schmaltz scored his NHL-best fifth goal of the season, and the Utah Mammoth relied on their proficient power play to beat the New Jersey Devils, 5-3, on Tuesday night.

Clayton Keller, MacKenzie Weegar, Lawson Crouse and Vincent Trocheck also scored for the Mammoth, and Mikhail Sergachev had three assists to surpass 300 for his career before leaving the game when he took a puck to the back of the helmet late in the second period.

Utah went 2-for-4 on the power play and has scored on 8 of 13 opportunities this season with the man advantage, including Keller’s goal in the first period and Schmaltz’s go-ahead tally midway through the second that made it 3-2.

Luke Evangelista scored twice for New Jersey, and Jesper Boqvist had the other goal.

The Mammoth beat the Devils for the first time, having gone 0-for-4 in the franchise’s previous two seasons.

Karel Vejmelka stopped 30 shots for Utah, and New Jersey’s Jake Allen made 26 saves.

Sergachev reached 300 assists with his second of the game, on Weegar’s goal early in the second period. The 28-year-old Russian defenseman reached the milestone in his 634th NHL game.

He also assisted on Schmaltz’s goal for his seventh career four-assist game and fourth in his last 32 contests.

Schmaltz had two assists, the second on Trocheck’s goal that made it 5-3 with 3:08 remaining.

New Jersey defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler left with an injury early in the third period.

Up next

Mammoth: At Boston on Thursday.

Devils: Host Vancouver on Saturday.

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Penguins Notebook: Bryan Rust Nears His Return To The Lineup

The Pittsburgh Penguins held a practice inside the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex on Tuesday after suffering their first loss of the season to the Winnipeg Jets on Monday. 

The Penguins didn't play well in that game, but they quickly got back on the ice and put it behind them. All expected players were on the ice, and Bryan Rust joined them, getting closer to returning.

Rust has been week-to-week with an injury that he suffered in the Penguins' final pre-season game against the Buffalo Sabres. He's been skating with the team in morning skates, but fully participated in Tuesday's practice. 

He skated on the third line with Ben Kindel and Ville Koivunen, while also participated in special teams drills. 

Penguins head coach Dan Muse confirmed after practice that they still need to have some conversations before Rust can make his season debut. 

"Still need to have some conversations, but it was good to have him out there," Muse said.

Here were the forward lines and defensive pairs: 

Forwards

Lapierre-Crosby-Rakell

Chinakhov-Novak-Malkin

Koivunen-Kindel-Rust

Dewar-Lizotte-Robertson

Defensive pairs

Carlile-Karlsson

Girard-Korczak

van Riemsdyk-Letang

The defensive pairings remain unchanged, but Muse is already trying new combinations, including Hendrix Lapierre on the top line with Sidney Crosby and Rickard Rakell. 

Lapierre will face his former team, the Washington Capitals, on Wednesday and is excited for the challenge. He also can't wait to face Alex Ovechkin after the latter announced on Monday that this will be his final NHL season.

"Like the rest of the team, it's going to be pretty special," Lapierre said after practice. "I played with him for a couple of years, and it was a pleasure; it was an honor. Really, truly had a great time there and playing with them, and he's a great leader. Again, it's gonna be a little weird tomorrow, but I'm super excited. He's had a heck of a career, as you guys know, and to be able to play against him in his final year is gonna be special, so it should be a really good game."

Wednesday will be the first of four matchups between the Penguins and Capitals this year. The Penguins are 2-1-0 through three games, while the Capitals are 1-1-0 through two games. 

Puck drop for Wednesday's game will be at 7:30 p.m. ET on TNT.

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Mets' Carson Benge, A.J. Ewing, Nolan McLean named to MLB Pipeline's 2026 All-Rookie Teams

A trio of Mets rookies was honored on Tuesday night after being named to MLB Pipeline's 2026 All-Rookie Teams.

Right fielder Carson Benge took home First-Team honors while center fielder A.J. Ewing and starting pitcher Nolan McLean were picked for Second-Team after all three had great rookie seasons in New York.

Benge, who had a slash line of .282/.346/.430 (.776 OPS) with a 20/20 season to go along with 22 doubles, finished with a 4.3 WAR in 156 games -- the third-highest among rookie position players. 

The 23-year-old is also one of the top contenders for the National League Rookie of the Year award with two of his competitors, Cincinnati Reds designated hitter Sal Stewart and St. Louis Cardinals second baseman JJ Wetherholt, also making First-Team.

After getting promoted to the big leagues in May, Ewing hit the ground running and made an immediate impact with the Mets. He struggled in the middle of the season, but the 21-year-old ended the season on a high note and led the club with 25 steals, a new franchise record for a rookie. 

Ewing's biggest contributions of the season possibly came in the outfield, where he manned center field masterfully while occasionally getting reps at the corners as well. He finished with a 3.1 WAR in 120 games.

McLean rounds out the group after a sensational first full campaign in the big leagues. The right-hander burst onto the scene in 2025 when he made eight starts down the stretch of the season during a pennant race and went 5-1 with a 2.06 ERA.

Despite New York struggling as much as it did this season, McLean was one of the most consistent players on the team. He made all 31 of his starts and had a 3.16 ERA across a career-high 179.2 innings while striking out 194 batters. He's joined by Milwaukee Brewers starter Logan Henderson on the Second-Team.