The Cavaliers led the Knicks by 22 points with less than eight minutes to go in the fourth quarter on Tuesday night.
Somehow, someway, that lead did not hold. And the Cavaliers did not win.
The Knicks mounted a rally for the ages in a 115-104 overtime win in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals at Madison Square Garden. And after the game, Charles Barkley tore the Cavaliers to shreds for their performance.
“Oh yeah, hell yeah, that was a choke job. Hell yeah. Hell yeah, that was a choke job. No, that was a choke job. Come on, man,” Charles Barkley said on the “Inside the NBA” postgame show on ESPN. They started taking the air out of the ball with six minutes to go like dummies.”
Cleveland led by two at halftime and then outscored the Knicks 35-23 in third quarter.
After James Harden hit the first of two free-throw attempts with 7:52 left in the fourth, the Cavs led 93-71 and looked well on their way to taking Game 1 on the road.
Whether Harden’s missing the second shot from the line changed the momentum or not, the Knicks rallied to tie the game with 19.3 seconds left.
Mikal Bridges and the Knicks rallied to a 115-104 overtime win over James Harden and the Cavaliers on May 19, 2026 at Madison Square Garden. Jason Szenes for the New York PostJalen Brunson goes up for a layup during the Knicks’ Game 1 win. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The Knicks then outscored the Cavs 14-3 in overtime as an overjoyed crowd seemed as if it would blow the roof of the Garden.
Harden finished the night with 15 points on 5-of-16 shooting and just 1-for-8 from 3-point range. As a team, Cleveland went 16-of-50 from beyond the arc.
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The Cavaliers can try to get over this “choke” in Game 2 on Thursday night.
Quiet for three quarters, Jalen Brunson threw on his Superman cape when the situation was its most dire.
He scored 17 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, carrying the Knicks to a comeback from 22 points down.
His jumper with 19.3 seconds left in regulation forced overtime, and his assist on a Landry Shamet 3-pointer with 1:49 to go iced the dramatic Game 1 victory.
Brunson finished with 38 points on 15-for-29 shooting — his fourth 30-point effort of this postseason.
He also had six assists.
Zero
James Harden had more turnovers (six) than field goals (five).
He also shot 5-for-16 from the field and came up small late in regulation and overtime.
James Harden, who had a rough Game 1, reacts after scoring during the third quarter of the Knicks’ 115-104 overtime win over the Cavaliers on May 19, 2026 at the Garden. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
OG Anunoby’s return didn’t result in Shamet being glued to the bench.
With Josh Hart struggling, coach Mike Brown called on Shamet, and he provided a major jolt with nine points on three 3-pointers, and terrific defense on Mitchell.
In the 16 minutes Shamet was on the floor, the Knicks outscored the Cavaliers by 20 points.
Key stat
22: The Cavaliers lead in the fourth quarter.
Quote of the night
“I’m definitely thankful, because they could’ve walked out if they wanted to,”
— Jalen Brunson on the Garden crowd’s role in the comeback.
There are going to be a lot of interesting storylines surrounding the Pittsburgh Penguins in the summer of 2026.
For one, the NHL Draft is a little more than a month away, and that means draft boards and predictions are already making their rounds. The trade market will also be an intriguing point of emphasis, especially after Penguins' general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas's comments during his season-ending press conference. Also, Evgeni Malkin is still without a contract, meaning his future in Pittsburgh is still up-in-the-air.
But one of the quieter topics of discussion that is bound to surface at some point or another is the one involving extension talks with, arguably, the team's two best players.
Dubas did confirm in his presser that talks with extension-eligible players Sidney Crosby and Erik Karlsson are on the back-burner a bit as of now since the Penguins' priority is on the draft.
“They’re not eligible until Jul. 1, so it’s not been a front-burner topic for us," Dubas said. "I think with both of them, [it may be] something later in the summer as we get back in the fall.
"Sid is in a different category. I think most players start to get into their late 30s, and it tends to become a year-to-year thing. I don’t know if that’s how each of them will handle it. That’s just how most players handle it. We’ll discuss that as we get through the summer and into the fall, for sure. In Karl’s case, obviously, players voted him Team MVP. We’re very happy with him. And Sid is Sid.”
While a Crosby extension seems like a given as long as he wants to keep playing, a Karlsson extension is certainly no guarantee.
Karlsson, who turns 36 at the end of May, has one year remaining on his contract that pays him $11.5 million annually, with $10 million being paid out by the Penguins. He is coming off his best season in Pittsburgh, as he thrived under Dan Muse and the new coaching staff on both sides of the puck and wound up with 15 goals and 66 points in 75 regular season games.
Of course, teams should always tread carefully when it comes to extensions to players who will be 37 years old when the new deal would kick in. Even if the Penguins made tangible progress toward becoming a contender in 2025-26 by making the playoffs, Dubas admitted during his press conference that the team is still a "long way off" from being a contender the likes of the Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, and more.
So, it's fair to wonder whether or not a Karlsson extension would fit their timeline. The Penguins could probably trade him for a pretty nice return this summer and use those assets to help acquire someone younger in the trade market.
However, there are a few things worth considering here:
This is the biggest point of emphasis. Karlsson entirely controls if he goes and where he goes, so any possibility of a potential trade would need to be cleared by him and his camp first.
In addition, the Penguins and Karlsson need to be aligned. If the Penguins want to trade Karlsson, that doesn't mean he wants to go, and if the Penguins want to keep Karlsson, that doesn't mean he wants to stay. He has expressed how much he likes playing in Pittsburgh, but the reality is that he'll be 36 years old and, still, without a Stanley Cup.
Would Karlsson want to go to a more surefire contender? Or do he and the Penguins mutually agree that they'll be able to legitimately contend if he signs on for another couple of seasons?
Apr 9, 2026; Newark, New Jersey, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson (65) passes the puck against the New Jersey Devils during the first period at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Luther Schlaifer-Imagn Images
2. The Penguins do not have the right-side depth to effectively replace him
Yes, Harrison Brunicke is an intriguing prospect. He's an elite skater, but there is still a lot of rawness to his game that he needs to harness and refine a bit before hitting his stride in the NHL.
And he certainly won't be ready for top-four minutes at the start of next season, let alone top-pairing minutes. Kris Letang's game is declining, as he is not really an option on the top pairing, either, and is more than three years Karlsson's senior.
Beyond them? Well, Jack St. Ivany, who hasn't shown much promise in the last couple of years between a plethora of injuries, too, is the next guy on the depth chart, followed by Finn Harding - playing in his first full professional season in WBS - who is not only not quite NHL-ready but also someone with a pretty low NHL ceiling.
Even though the Penguins are almost certainly not tanking next season, even if they wanted to remove Karlsson and "tank," they can't even do that because they literally do not have the personnel who can take on his minutes as of now.
So, if Karlsson isn't extended, the Penguins need an immediate plan to replace him.
3. If the Penguins "go for it" on the trade market this summer, it makes sense to keep him around in the short-term
There's no way around it: The Penguins are a much better hockey team with Karlsson on it, and he was the single-most crucial player to their playoff berth this season.
It's becoming clearer that the Penguins intend to compete with Crosby still around. They plan to compete post-Crosby, too - hence why they're rebuliding the way they are - but if there is a real chance at building a true contender within the next two years because of bigger swings in the trade market, savvy drafting, good asset management, and smart free agent signings, then extending a bona fide No. 1 defenseman who played some of the best hockey of his NHL career last season seems like a worthwhile gamble.
Plus, it would give Brunicke - and, potentially, another young blueliner acquired in the trade market or in free agency - the opportunity to learn and grow under Karlsson and in roles that won't demand too much of them too quickly. So, really, a shorter-term Karlsson extension beyond next season does actually make a lot of sense for the Penguins, especially if they plan to improve, not regress.
While folks may have to wait a bit for an answer to the Karlsson extension conundrum - possibly even through the 2027 NHL trade deadline - it's clear that Dubas and the Penguins still see a lot of value in the three-time Norris Trophy winner, regardless of how they ultimately decide to channel that value.
Billy Donovan is also being considered for the position, vacant after Orlando fired Jamahl Mosley on May 4 after the Magic fell to the Pistons 4-3 — blowing a 3-1 lead — in their first-round playoff series. Mosley was hired by Pelicans on Monday.
Jeff Van Gundy has been the Clippers assistant coach the past two seasons. NBAE via Getty Images
Van Gundy, who was the head coach of the Knicks from 1995-2002 and led them to the NBA Finals in the 1998-99 season, has a 430-318 career record during his 10 seasons as a head coach with New York and the Houston Rockets.
Before becoming the Knicks coach, Van Gundy was the team’s assistant coach for nearly seven seasons, many under the leadership of Pat Riley.
After being a top NBA TV analyst for ESPN, Van Gundy returned to the sidelines as a Clippers coach for the past two seasons under Tyronn Lue.
He made headlines earlier this season for allegedly confronting star Chris Paul on the Clippers’ team plane over a changed coaching assignment before the point guard’s exit from the franchise.
Top Spurs assistant Sean Sweeney is also expected to interview for the Orlando opening, as well as the vacant Bulls job.
Per The Stein Line, former Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau is “not involved” in the process at this point.
May 19, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; General view behind home plate during the first inning between the Texas Rangers against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
When the Colorado Rockies welcomed the Texas Rangers to Coors Field for Game 2, their hope was to pick up where they left off after getting a Monday night win. After all, it was “Bark in the Park,” so the vibes (and the dogs!) were good.
However, by the time the game ended, there was nothing to be heard but howls of disappointment from the Rockies side of Coors Field as the Rangers racked up a decisive 10-0 win.
The hits, they kept coming — for the Rangers
The Rangers got on the board first after a rough first inning from opener Sammy Peralta.
He opened by walking Andrew McCutchen on four pitches and then hitting Brandon Nimmo. Ezequiel Duran hit a double to bring them home. After that, Peralta issued yet another walk, loading the bases with one out for Alejandro Osuna. After Peralta struck out Osuna, bulk reliever Tanner Gordon entered the game to get the final out, which he did with just one pitch.
Still, the Rockies were down two runs before even sending a batter to the plate. Worth noting is that the Rangers are 17-3 when scoring first, and that trend continued tonight.
In their half of the first, the Rockies did not get a hit. Adding to the bad news, Brenton Doyle left the game after attempting a diving catch with a left-side contusion.
E1: Rangers 2, Rockies 0
That would be as good as it got for Gordon with the Rangers hitting him hard for the rest of the game.
The second inning saw the Rockies falling further behind as a Nimmo RBI single scored Joc Pederson. Following that, Duran singled to bring home Nimmo, and then a Jake Burger single brought home Josh Jung. When the Rockies finally got the third out, the Rangers had a 5-0 lead.
Rockies pitchers had already issued three walks before the top of the second had ended.
Kumar Rocker took over pitching duties for the Rangers in the second inning and never looked back. Troy Johnston — the second hitter Rocker faced — hit a single, the Rockies’ first hit of the game. Tyler Freeman, fresh off paternity leave, followed that with another single, but the Rockies failed to capitalized.
E2: Rangers 5, Rockies 0
After a scoreless third inning, the Rangers got back to work in the fourth. They scored two more runs — seven runs on 10 hits with the game not yet half over.
Although Ezequiel Tovar walked in the bottom half of the inning, he was unable to advance.
E4: Rangers 7, Rockies 0
The hits kept coming in the fifth inning as Pederson scored his third hit despite entering the game in the second inning. Justin Foscue hit a sacrifice fly to bring him Evan Carter, and the score was 8-0 Rangers.
In contrast, the Rockies did not have a single baserunner in the fifth.
E5: Rangers 8, Rockies 0
This is a pretty grim game recap, so please enjoy this catch from Mickey Moniak in the sixth:
Also worth noting is that the Rockies got three outs on four pitches. The sixth was that rare inning when the Rangers failed to put a runner on base.
In the seventh inning, the Rangers scored again on a — stop me if you’ve heard this one before — Joc Pederson single that scored Danny Jansen. Pederson went 4-for-4 with one RBI.
The Rockies managed a baserunner in the bottom of the inning after a Johnston single, his second of the evening and the Rockies third hit, but they were unable to score.
E7: Rangers 9, Rockies 0
Seth Halvorsen entered the game in the eighth and promptly surrendered two hits, two walks, and a run.
Catcher Brett Sullivan was preparing to enter the game to relieve Halvorsen when Willi Castro caught two quick line-outs to end the inning.
E8: Rangers 10, Rockies 0
The Rockies sent Sullivan to pitch the ninth. Things were grim, but watching the Rockies turn a double play never gets old, and the Rockies turned a nice one to end the inning for Sullivan. (Unfortunately, no video was available.)
Ezequiel Tovar drew a two-out walk in the ninth — worth noting, he walked twice in this game. They were unable to score in the ninth.
E9: Rangers 10, Rockies 0
For the Rangers, this marked a season high in terms of hits (16) and runs (10). Add to that, an excellent performance from Kumar Rocker who absolutely muzzled the Rockies.
“The slider was devastating,” said manager Warren Schaeffer after the game.
On the flip side, it marked an offensive wasteland for the Rockies. They had just three hits and no runs. They walked three times and had and had seven Ks.
The Rockies pitching, it was not good
This will not go down as the best-pitched game in Rockies history.
Opener Sammy Peralta went 0.2 IP giving up two runs (both earned) on two hits. He also walked to and struck out one on 23 pitches. Tanner Gordon did his best, but the Rangers dinged him for hits throughout the game.
He went 6.1 IP, allowing seven runs (all earned) on 12 hits. He walked one and struck out five while throwing 81 pitches. Although Gordon was not effective on the mound, he saved the bullpen.
“The length was extremely valuable to us tonight, ” Schaeffer said.
The eighth inning went to Halvorsen, who struggled much as Gordon did. When the inning ended, he had thrown 25 pitches and allowed one run (earned) on two hits. He also walked two and did not strike out a hitter.
Sullivan pitched the ninth inning as the Rockies waved the white flag. He went one inning, allowed no hits or runs, and walked one.
“He’s willing to do it, and he saved the ‘pen,” Schaeffer said. “That was big for us and good job by Sullivan.”
Up Next
Join us tomorrow for the rubber match when Jack Leiter will face Kyle Freeland. First pitch is at 1:10.
It’s not often that the Mets score a bunch of runs in games started by Nolan McLean this season, but that’s exactly what they did on Tuesday night against the Washington Nationals after scoring five runs in the first two innings.
However, this time it was McLean who let his offense down after the right-hander allowed nine runs (six earned) in 5.2 innings. The six earned runs given up by McLean are a career-high and four of them came on one swing.
With the bases loaded in the bottom of the second inning, James Wood attacked McLean’s first pitch sweeper and sent it deep to left center field, where the Mets couldn’t make a play on it, which resulted in an inside-the-park grand slam.
In fact, all three hits allowed by McLean in that second inning came on the first pitch. All three were on different pitches.
“They were ultra aggressive, especially that first time through,” manager Carlos Mendoza said about the Nationals. “… They were hacking first pitch, they were looking hard. The sinker, the cutter, 1-0 [count] and they were aggressive. Balls found holes, they attacked him.”
With how aggressive Washington’s hitters were, McLean found it difficult to make the necessary adjustments on his pitches because they wouldn’t allow him to get settled or find a rhythm.
“Sometimes it’s tough to make adjustments when they’re putting the first pitch in play on multiple different pitches,” McLean said. “… They were just up there pretty aggressive, so sometimes it’s tough to get to the adjustment as quick as normal.”
To make things more difficult for McLean, he clearly didn’t have his best stuff and had to battle with every pitch. On top of that, his fastball, which usually sits around 96 to 97 mph, was hovering around 94 mph for most of the night, perhaps due to the high heat and humidity.
It’s also possible the 45-minute rain delay at the start of the game threw off the right-hander.
“They made some pretty good swings on some decent pitches,” McLean said. “Obviously, I didn’t have my best stuff, but that’s no excuse for not going out there and competing better than I did.”
In the end, McLean went 5.2 innings before handing it off to Daniel Duarte, who saved the bullpen by finishing the game with 2.1 scoreless innings.
Still, it’s not the outing that McLean expects out of himself.
“Obviously, the bullpen’s been getting after it these last couple of days, but my job every time, whether we have a full bullpen or not, is to go out there and get at least seven, so I’m disappointed I didn’t do that,” he said.
But back to the biggest swing of the night, that inning actually began with McLean retiring the first two batters. A double kept the inning going, but after that McLean got ahead 0-2 to No. 8 hitter Drew Millas before hitting him with a curveball.
That mistake elongated the inning and proved costly as an infield single loaded the bases before Wood jumped the rookie.
“In that second inning there, with two outs, even after the double, the 0-2 hit by pitch was kinda like the killer there,” Mendoza said. “… The 0-2 hit by pitch ended up costing a lot in that inning. Overall, especially in those early innings, like I said, he wasn’t able to go to his secondary, make that adjustment… It was a battle for him.”
As someone who has made much of his devotion to science, Bryson DeChambeau isn’t foolish enough to fall for any old conspiracy theory. But he does believe the moon landings may not have been all they seemed. And that interdimensional beings may be visiting Earth.
The two-time major champion appeared this week on a podcast hosted by Katie Miller, the wife of White House senior adviser Stephen Miller. During the interview DeChambeau spoke about conspiracy theories, golf and his friendship with Donald Trump.
Iowa Cubs' James Triantos (4) swings at the ball on Friday, March 28, 2025, at Principal Park in Des Moines. | Cody Scanlan/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Right-hander Kaleb Wing was promoted from rookie ball ACL Cubs to Low-A Myrtle Beach.
Right-hander Luis A. Reyes went from the Pelicans down to Mesa.
If you want some more bad news, Iowa starter Connor Noland had to be carted off the mound in this game after he was hit in the ankle by a line drive comebacker. Noland’s line on the game was one run on four hits over 1.1 innings. Noland struck out two and walked one.
If you want some good news, Ryan Jensen relieved Noland, stranded two runners and went on to pitch 2.1 scoreless innings. Jensen allowed two hits and walked two while striking out four.
The loss went to Yacksel Rios, who pitched two innings of relief and gave up one run on two hits. Rios walked two and struck out two.
Iowa pitchers walked a season-high 13 batters. Memphis got two runs with bases-loaded walks and two on sacrifice flies.
Left fielder Justin Dean hit a solo home run in the eighth inning, his third on the year. Dean was 1 for 3 with a walk.
James Triantos tripled in a run in the bottom of the fifth inning to tie the game 2-2. Triantos went 2 for 4.
Pedro Ramirez missed this game because of illness.
Nazier Mulé made his first start since returning from the Development List and got the loss. Mulé allowed one run on one hit over 1.1 innings. He walked four batters and struck out three.
Center fielder Kane Kepley was most of South Bend’s offense tonight as he hit a three-run home run in the seventh inning. It was Kepley’s second home run this year. Kepley went 1 for 4 with a walk and two runs scored.
Shortstop Ty Southisene continued to hit for average in South Bend. Tonight he went 3 for 5 with a stolen base. Southisene is hitting .373 over 13 games in the Midwest League.
Kepley’s three-run home run.
Them: You can't have a .490 OBP, lead the league in stolen bases, and hit bombs!
Pierce Coppola was terrific for the Birds even if his final line doesn’t completely show it. He no-hit the Cannon Ballers through five innings, although he did give up a run in the fourth inning on a walk, two stolen bases and a sac fly. He came out to pitch the sixth and exited after giving up a one-out walk and a single. Both of those runs scored off of reliever Mason McGwire, although to be honest, it was more an issue with the Pelicans defense than McGwire.
So Coppola ended up getting the loss after being charged with three runs on one hit over 5.1 innings. He walked three and struck out nine.
McGwire pitched 1.2 innings and allowed two hits and no runs of his own. He walked one and struck out one. But the two runs scored because of a high infield chopper that both shortstop Alexis Hernandez and third baseman Derniche Valdez just whiffed on, so it rolled into shallow left field for a double.
The only Pelicans run came on a single in the seventh inning by second baseman Jose Escobar. Escobar was 2 for 3 with a double.
Will Sanders made a rehab start in this game and got battered for five runs on six hits over 1.2 innings. Sanders struck out two and walked one. That’s not good, but as I always say, the only thing that matters about a rehab appearance is how the player feels afterwards. It’s about health, not results.
May 19, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Boston Red Sox left fielder Jarren Duran (16) runs to first base after hitting a three-run home run in the ninth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Aiken-Imagn Images | Peter Aiken-Imagn Images
With Kris Bubic out with some elbow discomfort, the Kansas City Royals turned to ye olde “bullpen game” against the Boston Red Sox. While the bullpen held for most of the game, the Royals offense stayed sleepy and the Red Sox eventually did their damage, beating the Royals in a 7-1 slog.
Kansas City turned to Bailey Falter, whose ERA entering tonight’s game was an eye-watering 10.13. Falter did nothing to dispel the implication that his ERA suggested, immediately walking leadoff hitter Jarren Duran on four consecutive pitches.
Somewhat miraculously, Falter only gave up two runs in his two innings of work. A Willson Contreras single poked across one run in the first inning, and Falter escaped a bases loaded jam in the second inning while only allowing one run thanks to a Wilyer Abreu double play.
In the clubhouse, a visibly frustrated Falter answered the first question from our press corps simply and directly: “I haven’t been good since being acquired.” He took responsibility for not being good, but it sure doesn’t seem like he has any answers, unfortunately.
On the offensive side, the Royals drew blood quickly. Bobby Witt Jr. hit a bouncing single to opposite field. Salvador Perez—who was briefly possessed by Juan Soto during this game—challenged a strike call! At the plate! And won! And then walked! Lane Thomas then hit a hustle double (a questionable send, TBH, but that will be a theme) to tie the game at the time.
Then, one of the turning points happened. Against a tough lefty, Cags hit a dribbler to the right side. It sure seemed that he beat it out on replay. But New York upheld the call, making it two outs. It really should have been one, but a questionable call shouldn’t sink a whole team.
The Royals challenged this play at 1st and the Call had STAND.. what do you think? pic.twitter.com/zzqSDBFySN
Oh, we should mention Duran here. Duran walked in the first inning. He also walked in the second inning. He also was flying everywhere on defense. In the second inning, Vinnie Pasquantino struck out looking bad against Red Sox starter Ranger Suarez, a lefty. But Nick Loftin came up to bat and swatted a beautiful line drive.
But then, Duran made a hell of a diving play. Out.
In the third inning, Salvador “Juan Soto” Perez walked, again, his second walk in three innings. Now, he didn’t score, but if Salvy can draw some walks, he can mitigate his declining hit tool a bit. Notably, Salvy was in the third spot in the order. Perez was the DH tonight, and Carter “Salvador Perez” Jensen threw out Isiah Kiner-Falefah on a delightful, perfectly thrown ball to second base.
Duran continued his night in the fifth inning with a booming double. But Lane Thomas scooped up the ball quickly and rifled a throw to Witt, who unleashed a beautiful laser of his own to third base and cut Duran down. It was ruled a double, but you should know.
Amusingly, one of the Boston beat writers to my left confidently said “triple” as the ball sailed to center field. Well, welcome to Kansas City. Witt is in charge here, and the only triples allowed here are his own.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, more baserunning bad happened. Jensen hit a leadoff double, a ground ball just fair down the first base line. A Maikel Garcia line drive moved him to third base, but Garcia was thrown out at second base after the relay went home; he had slowed down at first base and almost belatedly decided he would do it. It looked odd at the moment.
After the game, Garcia—through a translator, which is not his standard practice—answered some questions. “We made too many mistakes running the bases,” he said. He elaborated that he wasn’t running hard out of the box, and that first base coach Damon Hollis sent him when the throw came in high. “Honestly, it was a mistake. Coach said ‘go,’ but he didn’t see me coming out of the box.” To be clear, I think that Garcia blamed himself, and interviews through translators always have a sort of margin for error. But it was interesting nonetheless.
Anyway, nobody scored. A fly ball from Witt was too shallow, and a blistered line drive from Perez wasn’t quite high enough to go over the fence, instead finding its way into, of course, Duran’s glove. Duran made a…questionable route, but a leaping catch looked very snazzy.
In the sixth inning, this seemed like a turning point in the game. After failing to push a run in scoring position across with one out, and with John Schreiber coming into the game, things seemed prime to fall apart.
Now, while it didn’t fall apart immediately, it did fall apart—it just took some time, with a baserunning farse detour along the way. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Thomas led off with a single. Cags struck out, but Starling Marte singled to put men on first and second…until Thomas got picked off at third base, the Royals’ second. A Vinnie line drive then ended the inning.
The pitching took a little bit to topple. I mentioned Schreiber—he actually pitched a clean sixth inning. Nick Mears struck out a pair in his two innings of work, giving up one run in the eighth inning off a Rafaela double and some productive out shenanigans. But it was the ninth inning where things really fell of the rails. Fresh from Triple-A Omaha, the Red Sox greeted reliever Eli Morgan with a flurry of hits. And then Duran, capping off an excellent game, smashed a three-run shot to expand Boston’s lead to 7-1. Red Sox social media called it a “dagger,” but let’s be real—the true dagger came three runs earlier.
In the ninth inning, the Royals were blessed with not needing to face Aroldis Chapman. It didn’t matter; lefty Jovani Moran might as well have been, as he mowed down Caglianone, Marte, and Pasquantino with three strikeouts.
A halfhearted chorus of boos percolated through the crowd. The game ended. The Royals fall to 20-29, but are not yet alone at the bottom of the division because the Detroit Tigers are inexplicably also 20-29. So it goes.
DENVER, CO - MAY 19: Kumar Rocker #80 of the Texas Rangers delivers a pitch in the second inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on May 19, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Texas Rangers scored a girthy ten runs while the Colorado Rockies scored no runs at all.
This one’ll do wonders for the ol’ Pythagorean W-L.
Maybe last night’s loss was the kick in the butt moment the Rangers needed as they came out tonight and immediately scored a couple of runs before turning to a opener to help ease Kumar Rocker into one of his best outings as a big leaguer.
The first inning has been among the biggest trouble areas for Texas this season as they have given up a lion’s share of their runs allowed in the first frame while not scoring much of their own in the game’s first inning. That has put the Rangers in a hole in an exorbitant number of contests, which has only hindered a lineup that has clearly been pressing.
Tonight however, it felt like an upset that Texas scored only two runs in the first inning as Ezequiel Duran doubled in a pair before the Rangers left ‘em loaded.
Meanwhile, in the bottom of the first, on Rocker’s usual day, manager Skip Schumaker decided to go with reliever Tyler Alexander for an inning with Rocker being among the biggest first inning-issues offender this season.
The plan worked swimmingly as not only did Alexander enter with a lead and pitch a scoreless frame, by the time Rocker took the mound to start the second inning, the Rangers had scored three more runs to give Rocker a 5-0 lead to work with.
Big lead Rocker was a hit to put it mildly. The righty ended up going all but the final out with 7.2 shutout innings while allowing just three hits and three of walks with seven strikeouts.
Meanwhile, the Rockies also went for an opener and it, uh, didn’t work out as well for them. Left-handed opener Sammy Peralta didn’t even make it out of his opening inning and once he left, Schumaker inserted left-handed hitting Joc Pederson in for leadoff man Andrew McCutchen and Pederson ended up with four hits in five at-bats.
Texas scored runs in six of the nine innings and every member of the lineup contributed at least a hit, walk, or run scored.
The Rangers reached double digits in runs scored for the first time this season as the season-high ten runs allowed them to tie up this series ahead of tomorrow’s finale.
Player of the Game: The lineup had a lot to like tonight. Aside from Pederson, Brandon Nimmo had three hits including the game’s lone home run. Duran had three hits and drove in a team-high four runs. Justin Foscue doubled in a run and walked. Jake Burger had a couple of hits, walked, and drove in a run.
But then again, it’s hard to ignore what Rocker accomplished. 7.2 innings of shutout relief on 103 bullpen-saving pitches. It goes down as a win but it was the ultimate save!
Up Next: The Rangers close out this series against the Rockies with a day game finale with RHP Jack Leiter expected to pitch for Texas opposite LHP Kyle Freeland for Colorado.
The Wednesday afternoon first pitch from Coors Field is scheduled for 2:10 pm CDT and will be viewable via the Rangers Sports Network.
May 19, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Mason Fluharty (68) pitches in the seventh inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Jays 4 Yankees 5
I don’t know…..
Dylan Cease was pitching great and the Jays got three runs in the fourth. All seemed good in the world.
In that fourth:
Daulton Varsho singled.
Kazuma Okamoto walked.
Yohendrick Piñango singled, and we had our first run.
Jesús Sánchez singled in the second run, nice line drive hit, but his follow through caught catcher Austin Wells in the head and there was a delay while they looked at him.
Andrés Giménez singled, scoring our third run. Unfortunately it ended there, Tyler Heineman popped out and George Springer ground out.
The long break seemed to affect Cease, he wasn’t great in the bottom of the fourth, giving up a couple of walks and a Ryan McMahon home run.
Cease gave up two more in the fifth, on a Ben Rice homer. 5 innings, 5 earned isn’t what we were hoping to see.
The bullpen did the job. Adam Macko (two outs), Chase Lee (one out, two walks), Mason Fluharty (one inning), Louis Varland (1 inning).
But we didn’t score again. We had chances:
In the seventh, Vlad was hit by pitch and Varsho singled but Okamoto ground out.
In the ninth, Giménez walked and Ernie Clement singled (have to admire that he came into the game since he was suffering from strep throat). But Springer lined one right at pitcher Camilo Doval, who managed to snag it. 90 mph and almost straight at his head (Baseball Savant has it at a .470 expected BA). Then Vlad lined one fairly deep to right-center (339 feet, I thought it was deeper when I first watched), but Trent Grisham made the catch (Baseball Savant says a .320 expected BA) that scored a run. Varsho beat out an infield single, putting runners on the corners. But Okamoto ground out and that was the game.
We had nine hits, and 3 walks, but again, no extra base hits, which seems to be the usual thing for out Jays.
Daulton went 4 for 5. No one else had more than one hit.
We had three guys in the lineup with batting average in the .100s, with Schneider’s .136 being the low mark. I don’t know how much more run way he has. You can tell he’s been bad, John had him bunt (and he did a good job of it). Heineman isn’t much better at .143.
Of note, the Yankees lost a challenge on a caught stealing call that the replay we saw made it look like he was easily safe. Aaron Boone was understandably upset.
And I always get irritated when announcers talk about how hard it will be for a pitcher when he sits a long and generally, when they come back for the next inning they are fine, but tonight was the time it came to pass that Clease (at least seemed) to be affected by the long inning.
Jays of the Day: Varsho (0.21 WPA), Clement (0.15) and Giménez (0.09).
Other Award: Cease (-0.36), Vlad (-0.18), Springer (-0.10), and Heineman (-0.10).
Tomorrow Trey Yesavage (1-1, 1.40) goes against Cam Schlittler (6-1, 1.35). The bullpen could use a big of a rest but Trey isn’t pitching deep into games.
Jalen Brunson flipped the game on its head as the Knicks turned around a 22-point deficit with under eight minutes to play in the fourth quarter and kept the momentum going for a 115-104 overtime win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Tuesday.
The Knicks, who led by seven after the first quarter, were outscored 67-46 in the middle quarters, and the energy of Madison Square Garden went from deliriousness when the home side’s lead hit 11 in the second quarter to palpable anxiety by the start of the fourth.
And then, like so many times this season, the game changed on the back of Brunson as he scored 11 straight points as the Knicks used an 18-1 run to get back into the game. Mikal Bridges and Landry Shamet each hit crucial threes to tie the game, before Burnson’s floated bank shot sent the game to OT.
The Cavs were dead on their feet for the overtime period and never got off the mat as the home team outscored them 14-3. The final run for the Knicks to steal the win: 44-11 from the 7:52 mark in the fourth quarter.
“Found a way, I don’t have an answer for you,” Brunson said on the broadcast about the turnaround. “We got some stops, we kept fighting, we kept believing, just kept chipping away. They were playing great basketball, just found a way. Again, I don’t really have an answer for you.”
After a poor shooting start, New York shot 16-for-28 (57 percent) in the fourth quarter and overtime, including 6-for-9 from three. Cleveland was 7-for-23 in that span, including going 1-for-7 in overtime.
Here are the takeaways...
- The overtime period saw the Knicks grab their first lead of the second half with OG Anunoby hitting two at the line, Brunson hitting a floater, and Anunoby driving for a layup to make it a six-point game as Cleveland started the overtime by missing its first four attempts.
With 109 seconds to play, Brunson found a wide-open Shamet and the lead was 110-101, forcing a Cavs timeout. Max Strus answered with a three, but with steals from Bridges and Brunson, and the game was finally put to bed by Anunoby at the line.
- The fourth didn't start well with the Knicks committing three more turnovers (15 for the game) and missing their first four shots. The Cavs got a second four-point play of the game and Donovan Mitchell hit from three to give him 29 points on the night to put the lead at 21 with eight minutes left.
If the run were to come, there was a moment: Brunson hit a layup, Shamet drew a charge and hit on a three from a Karl-Anthony Towns offensive board. A Mike Brown timeout with the deficit at 17 with 6:41 to play didn't kill momentum as Brunson took the game over, leading an 18-1 run that cut it to a five-point deficit with 3:30 to play, forcing a Cavs timeout.
Evan Mobley hit a contested three to stem the tide, but Bridges answered with a step-back three, which just beat the shot clock to answer back. He connected again from deep, and after Towns blocked Mitchell, Shamet’s three bounced in to tie the game with 45 seconds to play.
It was a 28-6 run before James Harden’s jumper was answered with Brunson’s floater bank shot with 19.3 to play to level the score at 101. Sam Merrill’s three-pointer attempt with three seconds to play was more than halfway down when it rimmed out to send the game to overtime. The Cavs never recovered.
- The rest vs. rust debate got a boost in the early goings as the Knicks’ offense had a staccato beginning, missing seven of their first nine attempts (0-for-5 from behind the arc), a trend that continued throughout the first half. The Cavs were using their physicality to stick on all the cutters, making it tough on Towns to find a man in his playmaker role. The referees were letting both teams get acquainted with each other, with just 14 free throws attempted in the first half (only four by the home team).
New York’s defense, which has been quite good in the playoffs, didn’t appear rusty at all, holding Cleveland to 5-for-15 shooting to start, and a 6-0 spurt capped by Brunson converting a reverse layup to give him eight early forced a Kenny Atkinson timeout with the Knicks ahead 14-13 with 3:46 to play in the first. The timeout didn't work: Bridges picked Strus' pocket leading to a dunk, Dennis Schröder's missed jumper led to a Burnson jumper, Mobley's travel led to a Robinson alley-oop and the Knicks were up seven. (New York’s defense forced five turnovers in the first.)
New York missed its first eight from deep before Jordan Clarkson got one to go, his first in the playoffs after he was 0-for-8 to that point. The shooting was great for either team in the first quarter: Knicks 10-for-24 (41.7 percent) and 1-for-10 from three, Cavs 6-for-22 (27.3 percent) and 2-for-12 from three, with the home side up 23-16.
- The Knicks’ cold outside shooting continued (0-for-3) to start the second, but they made all five attempts inside the paint as they attacked the basket. The game’s physical nature continued, and New York benefited as another steal led to a Burnson layup before Anunoby connected from deep for his first points of the night to make it an 11-point Knicks lead midway through the second. That was the high-water mark as the Cavs responded: Merrill, their hero in Game 7, connected from deep and Harden pulled up from 30 feet for an 8-0 spurt, forcing a Brown timeout with 4:25 left in the half, with the head coach frustrated by a few defensive mistakes.
Mitchell, who had seven in the first, connected on a four-point play to cut the lead to one as New York couldn't get much of any rhythm offensively. Six Cavs turnovers helped (giving them 11 in the half), but Strus' three with 68 seconds remaining leveled the score before a late Mitchell three gave Cleveland a 48-46 halftime edge. The difference: Cleveland rebounding to go 6-for-9 from deep in the game's second stanza.
In the first half, the Knicks shot 18-for-24 (75 percent) from two and 2-for-19 (10.5 percent) from three, a big change after they were shooting lights out in the first two rounds (41 percent).
Spike Lee congratulates New York Knicks guard Landry Shamet (44) during overtime in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2026 NBA playoffs against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
- Towns, who had four assists and two points in the first half, missed from deep, got the rebound and hit from deep to cut the lead to one early in the third. But another ill-advised offensive foul spoiled things moments later as he grabbed Jarrett Allen's arm after he dished it to Josh Hart, wiping away what was originally called a third foul on Allen (and potentially a Flagrant 1, too). Cleveland’s challenge meant it would be KAT’s second foul and fourth turnover.
Mitchell continued to put his mark on the game, grabbing three early steals to give him six on the night and scoring six points to give him 22 for the game. That was all part of a 13-5 Cavs period to put Cleveland up nine as Brown called another timeout under five minutes into the third.
The deficit hit 13 points with 3:55 to go (the largest lead for either team to that point) as the Cavs started to find more holes in the Knicks' defense, and on the other end, New York was 5-for-12 in the quarter (2-for-4 from deep). Cleveland went with a hack-a-Robinson strategy, trying to keep New York out of rhythm while holding a 14-point edge. He went 1-for-6 on three trips, as any lingering excitement in MSG was gone, and the anxiety of the crowd was noticeable.
In the quarter, the Knicks went 9-for-18 from the line (Robinson 2-for-8, Brunson 5-for-8), committed five turnovers (to give them 13 for the night), and were down 83-69 entering the fourth.
- Bridges finished with 18 points on 7-for-11 shooting with five rebounds, two steals, and an assist. He was a plus-12 in 42 minutes.
Shamet had huge stretches on the floor, providing both offense and defense. He finished with nine points and was a team-high plus-25 in 17 minutes off the bench.
Anunoby had 13 points on 2-for-9 shooting with five rebounds, two assists, and was a plus-15 in 34 minutes in his first action back from a hamstring injury.
Towns finished with 13 points on 6-for-14 shooting with 13 rebounds (four offensive) and five assists, but committed seven turnovers and was a plus-13 in 40 minutes.
It wasn’t a night for Hart, who sat for the last 10 minutes of the fourth quarter in favor of Shamet, as he finished wth 13 points on 5-for-11 shooting with seven rebounds and four assists, but he was a minus-23 in 31 minutes.
Robinson had four points and six rebounds (four offensive) and was a minus-8 in 14 minutes.
For the Cavs, Mitchell had 29 on 12-for-23 shooting (4-for-11 from deep) with five rebounds, three assists, six steals, but was a minus-13 in 41 minutes. He missed his two shots in overtime as Cleveland went away from him in the extra quarter.
Mobley and Harden both finished with 15 points, Dean Wade and Allen had 10. Merill scored 12 off the bench and was a team-worst minus-17 in 28 minutes.
For the game, New York shot 47.7 percent from the floor (31.3 percent from deep) and 65.6 percent from the line. The visitors shot 40 percent overall (32 percent from deep) and 69.6 percent from the line.
Game MVP: Jalen Brunson
Who else? He finished with 38 points on 15-for-29 shooting (1-for-6 from deep, 7-for-10 from the line) with six assists, five rebounds, three steals, and was a plus-15 in 47 minutes.
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 19: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives to the basket during the game against the New York Knicks during Game One of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals on May 19, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. 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 Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Just when you think the Cleveland Cavaliers have finally put things together, they find a new way to disappoint you.
After pushing their lead to 22 points at the start of the fourth quarter, they collapsed over the final eight minutes, as they allowed the New York Knicks to close the fourth on a 30-8 run to send the game to overtime.
The Cavs’ free fall continued in the extra frames. The Knicks dominated overtime 14-3 to come away with what somehow became a 115-104 victory in Game 1.
Like their Christmas Day showcase, starting and finishing games in Madison Square Garden was an issue.
Cleveland couldn’t establish any kind of offensive rhythm after opening up an early 10-4 lead after the first four minutes. They scored just six points for the remainder of the quarter, as they went 2-12 from beyond the arc in the opening frame.
Fortunately for them, the Knicks looked like a team that hadn’t played a game in over a week. They went 1-10 from three, but were able to scrounge together enough offense to take a seven-point lead after the first.
New York pushed the margin to 11 early in the second quarter before the Cavs finally woke up.
Cleveland stormed back in the second quarter thanks to the play of their star guards. James Harden settled the momentum as he scored five points and had two helpers in the second. Donovan Mitchell caught fire, scoring seven points in the final two minutes of the half.
This fueled a 21-8 run, allowing the Cavs to take a slim two-point lead into the break.
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Cleveland hit the accelerator in the third.
Evan Mobley, who wasn’t able to get much going in the first half, got rolling in the third quarter. He took over defensively, deterring shots at the rim and grabbing misses on the glass. This was in addition to consistently beating mismatches on the other end. He had seven points in the third to help Cleveland extend their lead.
Mitchell continued his impressive play in the third. He had 10 points and three steals to keep the momentum going, as he led Cleveland to a 35-point quarter. This gave them a 14-point advantage heading into the fourth.
Cleveland extended their lead to 22 before the Knicks started to fight back.
New York showed why they’re heavily favored in this series. They completely controlled the final seven minutes of the fourth with a 30-8 run
Jalen Brunson, who was held in check for most of the game, came alive. He scored 15 points in the quarter. This forced the Cavs to start sending double teams his way, which allowed New York’s outside shooters to get going.
The Knicks went 5-7 from three in the fourth. This included two huge triples from both Mikal Bridges and Landry Shamet.
The Cavs had a chance to tie the game on their final possession. Sam Merrill got a clean look from three, the ball went halfway down, but popped out.
The Knicks dominated overtime. They controlled every aspect of the extra frame, as they were able to cruise to a comfortable win.
Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson made several questionable decisions down the stretch.
First, he didn’t use his timeouts when the Knicks were going on their run. He waited until it ballooned to 18-1 before deciding to use one. Then, he allowed Brunson to target Harden late in the game instead of subbing him out in situations that he could. And finally, his solution to this was trapping Brunson late, which led to wide-open shooters elsewhere.
Mitchell led the Cavs in scoring. He finished with 29 points on 12-23 shooting to go along with six steals.
Mobley and Harden both had 15 points.
Brunson led all scorers with 38 points on 15-29 shooting with six assists. Bridges contributed 18 points.
Resiliency and an ability to bounce back from terrible collapses have separated this group from previous Cavs playoff teams. They’ve responded well after disastrous Game 6 performances in both series to win Game 7. They also climbed back from a 2-0 hole against the one-seed in the last series.
We know they get back up, but this was a golden opportunity to assert control of this series. They had a chance to steal home court here and make Game 2 a near must-win for the Knicks. Now, they have to pick themselves off the mat and see if they can head back to Cleveland with the series tied at one.
Game 2 is back in Madison Square Garden on Thursday. Tip-off is at 8 PM.
It was perfectly poetic. Everything came full circle.
The Knicks scripted it perfectly. Even the overtime part.
Last year’s Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals produced an epic Knicks choke, a moment that immediately went down in the worst parts of the franchise’s lore. They spoke Monday about learning their lesson from that game and wanting to right that wrong.
Jalen Brunson celebrates during the Knicks’ 115-104 comeback overtime win over the Cavaliers in Game 1 on on May 19, 2026 at the Garden. Brad Penner-Imagn Images
And then, after a three-quarter malaise, they delivered their own comeback for the ages to begin this year’s conference finals. This one will immediately cement itself in the best part of Knicks lore.
They overcame a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit in an epic 115-104 Game 1 win over the Cavaliers Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.
It was the biggest postseason comeback in franchise history. It was the second-biggest in NBA history, behind the Clippers’ win over the Grizzlies on April 29, 2012.
In the play-by-play era, no team that was down by 20 or more points in the final seven minutes of the fourth quarter had ever won.
Now, there’s one.
Landry Shamet played a critical part in Knicks comeback. AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura
After going down by 22 points with 7:52 left in the game, the Knicks outscored the Cavaliers 44-11 the rest of the way. They shot 71 percent from the field — compared to the Cavaliers’ 22 percent — during that stretch.
“Definitely thankful,” Jalen Brunson said of the fans. “Because they could’ve walked out.”
The Knicks looked dead in the water, well on their way to a concerning blowout loss. Their win probability on ESPN had reached 0.1 percent. They were bricking in embarrassing style — going just 4-for-23 from 3-point range across the first three quarters.
Then, the real Knicks reemerged. And the floodgates opened.
Jalen Brunson looks to make a move during the Knicks’ Game 1 win in the Eastern Conference finals. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
They rattled off a 30-8 run to end the fourth quarter and force overtime. Brunson had 15 of those points, going 7-for-9 from the field.
Mikal Bridges drilled two huge 3-pointers during that stretch. Landry Shamet — who closed the game and played all of overtime in place of Josh Hart — drilled the game-tying 3-pointer with 45.0 seconds left. The shot bounced high off the rim and fell into the basket, eerily similar to Tyrese Haliburton’s infamous shot last year.
After James Harden reestablished the Cavaliers lead, Brunson tied it again with an off-balance floater off the glass.
Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson watched it all happen, curiously waiting way too long to call a timeout and leaving Harden on Brunson. Predictably, Brunson cooked him. He scored 11 straight Knicks points.
“Obviously, we don’t get it done if Jalen Brunson doesn’t play like one of the MVP guys in the league,” coach Mike Brown said. “He was phenomenal.”
Added Atkinson: “Brunson obviously took over at the end.”
Jimmy Fallon celebrates during overtime of the Knicks’ Game 1 win. Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
The Knicks shot 13-for-22 from the field and 5-for-7 from deep in the fourth quarter.
By overtime, the Cavaliers had capitulated. OG Anunoby scored nine of the Knicks’ 14 points in the extra period. Shamet’s 3-pointer gave the Knicks a nine-point lead with 1:49 left. MSG, which had gone quiet for much of the game, was in the type of frenzy that makes this building special.
“This team, all we want to do is make the city proud and bring this city wins,” Karl-Anthony Towns said. “To be able to accomplish that on a night where it didn’t seem like it was gonna happen is an honor. It’s truly something special.”
Karl-Anthony Towns celebrates a 3-pointer in Game 1. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Donovan Mitchell and Harden shot a combined 2-for-13 from the field in the fourth quarter and overtime. They completely fell apart. Mitchell had 26 points after three quarters, then scored just three in the fourth quarter and overtime.
The Knicks, after leading by 11 early in the game, were outscored by 21 points in the second and third quarters. Their transformed offense — playing through Towns as a facilitator from the elbows — was being stifled by the Cavaliers big man tandem of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. Those rest versus rust debates seemed like they were providing a clear answer for the latter.
But down the stretch, the Knicks’ rest seemed to give them an advantage.
“I don’t know if I’ve seen that in a playoff game,” Brown said. “I don’t know if I’ve been part of it.”
These were the Knicks that went on a seven-game tour de force, which is now extended to eight games. The Knicks that had fans — during eight days of rest — as bullish as they’ve been this century. The Knicks that are supposed to be favorites in the series.
They certainly know the crushing feeling now circulating around the Cavaliers. It completely set the tone for the rest of last year’s conference finals and became the defining and lasting memory of their season.
One year later, they completely flipped the script. Perhaps it will set the tone for how this series plays out.
And, maybe, become a defining moment of this season’s continuing magic ride.
The long break paid dividends for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Tuesday night after blowing a three-goal lead in Game 2 of their Atlantic Division Final series against the Springfield Thunderbirds last Thursday.
They were refreshed and ready to go from the opening puck drop, and were the better team in all three periods in Game 3. They had to hold on to their 2-1 win at the end of the third period, but they got the job done and are now one win away from advancing to the Eastern Conference Final.
Rutger McGroarty got things started with a shorthanded goal in the first period. He took a beautiful feed from Avery Hayes, who was everywhere in the game, and buried the puck blocker side with 19 seconds left in the opening frame.
— x - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) May 19, 2026
WBS kept that 1-0 lead for the entire second period before Bill Zonnon made it 2-0 at 5:58 of the third period. Zonnon took a nice pass from Boko Imama and also ripped the puck blocker side. It's Zonnon's third playoff goal in his third AHL game.
— x - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) May 20, 2026
The Thunderbirds got one back late in the third period, but weren't able to tie the game in the final seconds.
WBS goaltender Sergei Murashov had another outrageous performance, finishing with 27 saves on 28 shots. He now has a .942 save percentage in seven playoff games this season.
The Penguins can clinch a spot in the Eastern Conference Final with a win in Game 4 on Thursday. Puck drop is set for 7:05 p.m. ET.
