Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) dunks the ball against the Dallas Mavericks during the second quarter at the American Airlines Center.
Anthony Edwards is out of the running for any NBA postseason awards.
The Timberwolves star was ruled out of Thursday’s 113-108 loss to the Pistons, making it impossible for him to reach the 65-game minimum needed to be eligible for awards.
Edwards missed the game on Thursday due to a right knee injury and an illness.
The Timberwolves have six games left in the regular season after Thursday, and Edwards, 24, has played in 59 games However, he played just three minutes in one game, a contest for which he was not given credit.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) dunks the ball against the Dallas Mavericks during the second quarter at the American Airlines Center. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Edwards would have needed to play in every game the rest of the season after he returned on Monday from a knee issue that kept him out of Minnesota’s six games before that.
He was certainly headed for a spot on one of the three All-NBA teams this season before he became ineligible.
He has been averaging 29.3 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, while shooting 40 percent from 3-point range and nearly 50 percent from the field.
Edwards had 17 points in the T-Wolves’ 124-94 win over the Mavericks on Monday night.
Aside from the impact it has on the chance for an individual award, the loss of Edwards comes at a crucial time for Minnesota as it battles for positioning in the standings.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) warms up before an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks Monday, March 30, 2026, in Dallas. AP
The Timberwolves entered Thursday’s game in sixth in the Western Conference and were a half-game back of the fifth-seeded Rockets.
The T-Wolves have a game on Friday against the 76ers, and it’s unclear if Edwards will be available for that one.
Edwards is now one of several well-known NBA stars who will not be eligible for awards due to the number of games they’ve played in.
That list includes big names like LeBron James and Steph Curry.
DALLAS (AP) — Jake Oettinger made 22 saves for his third shutout of the season in a matchup of Team USA Olympic goaltenders and rookie Arttu Hyry had a goal in his first multipoint NHL game as the Dallas Stars beat the Winnipeg Jets 3-0 on Thursday night.
Adam Erne also had a goal and an assist and Matt Duchene also scored for the Stars, who opened a five-game homestand that will close their home season. They are second in both the Central Division and the overall league standings, coming off a 1-2-1 road trip with only one regulation win in their previous 10 games.
Oettinger was an Olympic backup while Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck backstopped Team USA to the gold medal.
Oettinger has 31 wins, third in the NHL, with his first shutout since Dec. 3. In his previous five starts, he was 1-2-1 plus a no-decision when he was pulled after allowing four first-period goals.
Hellebuyck, who stopped 18 shots, is 20-21-11 after posting a career-high 47 wins last season while winning his third Vezina Trophy.
Duchene and Hyry scored 89 seconds apart midway through the first period to put Dallas ahead 2-0. Duchene collected his own rebound off the outside of the net behind the goal line and banked it off Hellebuyck. It was a power-play score for the NHL’s best home power play.
Hyry had the secondary assist on Erne’s deflection early in the second period.
Dallas led after one period for the first time in six games and improved to 22-4-3 when in that position.
The Stars went 4-0 in the season series, their first sweep of the Jets since the franchise moved from Atlanta in 2011.
With multiple forwards sidelined with injuries, Dallas played 11 and seven defensemen.
Up next
Stars: Host league-leading Colorado on Saturday.
Jets: Finish a four-game road trip on Saturday night at Columbus.
One of Major League Baseball's most iconic uniform sets is getting a refresh.
The Los Angeles Dodgers unveiled a new look on Thursday, adding a blue alternate jersey to their regular road rotation. While the Dodgers have worn blue in the regular season before, most notably in their first City Connect uniforms from 2021-23 and for six games during "Think Blue Week" in 1999, this marks the first time in club history that blue will be a mainstay option on the road.
Dodger Blue.
For the first time in history, the Dodgers will be wearing a blue jersey as part of their regular uniform rotation on the road. pic.twitter.com/ce3EVFVJTd
The announcement comes after much speculation among the fanbase; rumors spread over the last few months as images circulated on social media from retailers reportedly receiving the new alternates. They were also listed on both the Fanatics website and in the "MLB The Show 26" video game.
It's a clean look that resembles the Dodgers' spring training tops and features the traditional "Los Angeles" script that was first worn in 1959 (they used that until they switched to "Dodgers" as their away wordmark in 1970, before re-introducing "Los Angeles" in 1999). A script Dodgers logo appears on one of the sleeves, a break from all their other uniforms that carry the LA logo. The uniform is finished off with gray piping on the sleeves and a gray outline on the traditional red front numbers to match their gray pants.
With the new addition to their closet, the Dodgers now have three uniforms for the road. These will be the team's third option behind both of their grays — one that reads "Dodgers" across the front and the other with "Los Angeles."
Apr 02, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0) shoots over Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) in the first half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
You wouldn’t have thought this was the third game in four nights for Detroit given the energy they played with. Minnesota didn’t have Anthony Edwards for this one, but it was still a back-and-forth game until the Pistons were able to pull away late for the 113-108 victory.
The Timberwolves had the unique start of attempting seven straight three-pointers while Detroit focused on getting the ball down low. Jalen Duren had plenty of action early and was unbothered by Rudy Gobert for a quick eight points in the first five minutes. After Detroit took an 18-12 lead halfway through the first, Minnesota settled in and ended the quarter on a 9-2 run to take a 31-30 lead.
They say basketball is a game of runs, and this game was full of them. Pistons kicked off the quarter with one of their own, but a Tobias Harris drive ended up knocking knees with Gobert early in the second. Harris would be ruled out shortly after due to a left knee contusion. Daniss Jenkins stepped up to carry the offensive load and ended up leading the team in shot attempts and points. He and Duncan Robinson both had 10 points at the half of a 54-54 tie game.
Mike Conley led the way for Minnesota in place of Edwards and a had a game-high 14 points. Duren continued his All-NBA play with 13 points and six rebounds, including another midrange jumper that was nothing but net. The announcers of the Amazon Prime broadcast mentioned that he was 8-for-9 on shots outside of the paint this year. As exciting as it may be to imagine him with a jump shot one day, no team has found an answer for him at the rim yet.
Jenkins was the spark to the Pistons offense early in the third quarter as they got off on another 7-0 run. Detroit looked like they were going to push their lead after back-to-back threes from Kevin Huerter and Javonte Green, but Minnesota always had an answer. Marcus Sasser and Bones Hyland got into some extracurricular activities and received double technical fouls – it would be Detroit’s 54th of the year, most in the NBA.
The Timberwolves held a 80-79 lead heading into the final quarter, but it wasn’t long until Little Caesars Arena would have the loudest moment of the night. Detroit reclaimed the lead with eight minutes left after a Jenkins and-one and a lefty spinning layup by Ausar Thompson.
Thompson got his career-high ninth assist by finding Ron Holland for an impressive drive and slam in the middle of the Minnesota defense. Duncan Robinson followed that up with a transition lob to Ausar who threw down a two-handed flush right on top of Donte DiVincenzo that almost blew the roof off of LCA. You could see Jarrett Jack and Cade Cunningham celebrating together on the bench with a chest bump, just for Jack to quickly apologize to Cunningham due to his injury.
That alley-oop gave Detroit a seven-point lead, but Duncan Robinson put the dagger in the Wolves’ back with a movement three to put Detroit up 103-92. The Pistons would knock down their free throws late and go on to win 113-108.
This was a complete game by Daniss Jenkins to finish with 26 points, five rebounds, and eight assists. He has been fantastic sliding into the starting lineup during Cade’s injury and has been a huge part of Detroit’s success this season. He was a great find by Trajan Langdon and it’ll be interesting to see if he doesn’t make in JB Bickerstaff’s playoff rotation.
Jalen Duren had 22 points, 14 rebounds, four assists, and three stocks in 36 minutes. It is all but a forgone conclusion that Duren is going to get paid this summer, and it’s rightfully so. He has most likely earned himself an All-NBA nomination with his play after the All-Star Break. He has taken over as the #1 option during Cade’s injury and has helped keep Detroit as the top team in the East.
Ausar Thompson has the most Ausar Thompson-like stat line ever with seven points, nine rebounds, nine assists, two steals, and three blocks in 31 minutes. His athletic gravity is felt no matter where he is on the court and I’m not convinced he isn’t able to fly. Duncan Robinson did Duncan Robinson things and Kevin Huerter does a great job of doing Duncan Robinson things off of the bench.
I’d like to officially enter Naz Reid into the bucket of potential offseason acquisitions for Trajan Langdon. Caris LeVert’s expiring contract is enough to get a deal done this summer and Reid has 3+ years left on his deal at roughly $25 million per year. You could slot him in as the starting PF and ask Tobias Harris to take the sixth-man role off the bench. But, that’s an article for another time.
The Pistons will travel to Philadelphia to take on the 76ers Saturday night.
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Jack Hughes had two goals and three assists and Dawson Mercer scored twice as the New Jersey Devils beat the Washington Capitals 7-3 on Thursday night.
Hughes scored his first goal for the Devils 9:10 into the second period on a wrist shot, assisted by Jesper Bratt and Johnathan Kovacevic. He tacked on a wrist shot 8:10 into the third, assisted by Bratt and Connor Brown. Hughes has 24 goals and 44 assists this season.
Bratt, Dougie Hamilton and Cody Glass also scored for the Devils.
Tom Wilson, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Cole Hutson scored for the Capitals.
Jake Allen made 29 saves in the win for the Devils. Logan Thompson had 23 saves for the Capitals.
Up next
Devils: Host the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night.
Capitals: Host the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night.
After what was a disastrous start to their critical three-game road swing, the Detroit Red Wings managed to rebound and pick up a victory in a venue they've had very little success in over the last 30 years.
Thanks to two goals from Alex DeBrincat, the Red Wings doubled up the Philadelphia Flyers, winning by a 4-2 final score at Xfinity Mobile Arena. It was just Detroit's fourth regulation victory in the venue since 1997.
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) April 3, 2026
Despite being tied with 88 points, the Red Wings moved ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets in the standings. But because the Ottawa Senators managed to defeat the Buffalo Sabres, they are now in the second Wild Card position, also with 88 points.
During the contest, the Red Wings also lost defenseman Justin Faulk to an undisclosed injury.
DeBrincat, who has now matched his season total of 39 goals from last season, broke the ice late in the first period with a power-play goal.
While the Flyers got the tying marker early in the second period from Tyson Foerster, Detroit restored the one-goal lead after Lucas Raymond fired a shot at the side of the net past sprawling goaltender Samuel Ersson late in the frame.
While the Red Wings were outshot by the Flyers in the third period, they moved ahead 3-1 thanks to the 14th goal of the season from Patrick Kane, who had broken in on a two-on-one rush with DeBrincat.
In doing so, he passed former Red Wings forward Brett Hull to become the 26th highest-scoring player in NHL history (1,392 points).
Flyers rookie forward Porter Malone, who was recently signed to an entry-level contract after finishing his time with Red Wings prospect Trey Augustine with the Michigan State Spartans, soon picked up his first NHL point with an assist on a goal by Travis Konecny that was upheld following a video review.
However, DeBrincat answered just seconds later, spinning 180 degrees along the goal line before firing a sharp-angle shot past Ersson.
Goaltender John Gibson, making his 13th straight start, rebounded from being yanked in his previous two games by making 32 saves. Ersson countered with 15 saves.
The Red Wings conclude their road trip against the New York Rangers on Saturday afternoon.
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DETROIT, MICHIGAN - APRIL 02: Julius Randle #30 of the Minnesota Timberwolves tries to control the ball behind Ausar Thompson #9 of the Detroit Pistons during the first half at Little Caesars Arena on April 02, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Minnesota Timberwolves crushed the Dallas Mavericks in Anthony Edwards’ return and behind Ayo Dosunmu’s impressive triple-double. The welcome-back party for Edwards has been short-lived, as he was ruled out for knee injury management and an illness for this Thursday night matchup against the Detroit Pistons. With this missed game, Ant will not be eligible for postseason awards as he will not meet the 65-game requirement. Opposing stars both being dinged by a questionable rule is a bummer for the NBA as a whole.
The Pistons started off the game playing smash-mouth basketball and using their strength and size to dominate the paint. Jalen Duren was flexing his muscles early on and taking it right at Rudy Gobert for 10 points on 5-6 shooting.
The Timberwolves responded with some hot 3-point shooting and forced some Pistons turnovers to get back into the game. A Kyle Anderson circus tip-in ended the response to an early Detroit lead to take a 31-30 lead at the end of the first. Julius Randle’s three was dropping, and he played well in the first with 10 points and two threes.
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) April 2, 2026
The second quarter was all over the place in a back-and-forth affair. Detroit started on a 7-0 run that was immediately answered by a Timberwolves 9-2 run. Terrence Shannon Jr. had a great stretch in the second quarter, getting out in transition and finishing at the rim.
The game remained close until Mike Conley caught fire for a few threes to open up a seven-point advantage. The Pistons closed the gap and were able to tie the game 54-54 at halftime. Mike Conley led the team in scoring with 14, while Jalen Duren was right behind him for the Pistons with 13 of his own.
The Timberwolves came out a bit looser with the basketball in the third after a very clean first half in that area. Early in the quarter, Julius Randle used bully ball And-1s to keep the Wolves offense afloat. The Pistons responded with a few threes to take a slight lead halfway through the quarter. While Detroit’s defensive intensity kicked up, which got the crowd into it, the Timberwolves kept after it.
Bones Hyland showed a little fight (that was slightly less dramatic than the last altercation between these two teams) while Naz Reid took the offensive baton from Julius down the stretch. Minnesota closed the quarter with a one-point advantage in a back-and-forth affair heading into the fourth.
The game stayed close for the first part of the fourth quarter before the Detroit Pistons imposed their physicality on the game. They forced tough half-court possession after tough half-court possession for the Timberwolves offense. Detroit hit some key shots and took control of the game late, going on an 18-3 run and taking a double-digit lead.
The Pistons’ calling card all season has been their physical play style. They grind you down into dust over the course of a 48-minute game. While the Timberwolves did put up a good fight for much of the game, Detroit squeezed just hard enough to get Minnesota to break.
They tightened things up defensively and worked hard to get good shots on the offensive end against a team lacking scoring firepower. The Timberwolves fought in what was. a very good and close game, but could not come out on top.
Half Court Offense Dries Up
With Anthony Edwards (and Jaden McDaniels, for that matter) out, the half-court offense will always be a question mark. The way that Minnesota has juiced its offense in these situations is with fast-break points and points off turnovers.
They were able to muster a good amount of offense using that method, but when the Pistons tightened up defensively, so did the transition offense for the Wolves. Julius Randle played very well in this one, but they struggled to find consistent half-court offense, which spelled their demise in the fourth quarter.
Mike and TJ Out of the Woodwork
Despite the loss, two unlikely players stepped up and played well to keep this game close. Mike Conley scored 14 points and hit four threes in this one and looked closer to the vintage Mike we all know and love. Even with L, it was nice to see a few drop for him from downtown. Terrence Shannon Jr., who has also been having a difficult season, stepped up as well.
Every time he got the ball, he was launched like a rocket the other direction. He had some nice finishes, including a right-handed lay-in, and I loved his attention to pushing the ball up the court.
The Timberwolves are back in action tomorrow night for a road back-to-back. It’s another 6 PM CT start against the Philadelphia 76ers. The game will be on their standard FanDuel Sports North.
The Ottawa Senators’ relentless rash of injuries to defensemen continued Thursday night.
Already without Jake Sanderson, Thomas Chabot, Carter Yakemchuk, Nick Jensen, and Dennis Gilbert, they lost Tyler Kleven during a 4-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres at Canadian Tire Centre. Kleven left the game in the first period and did not return after taking a puck up high that struck him either in the side of the head or the neck area.
There's no word yet on how long Kleven will be out. He has three goals and 18 points in 69 games this season.
His injury not only left the Senators with five defensemen for most of the night, but all five were right shots. Kleven, who’s been eating up huge minutes with all the injuries, was the only healthy left shot on the NHL roster.
After the game head coach Travis Green didn't have anything definitive yet on Kleven, but told the media after the game he was "not expecting it to be great news."
This is more rough news for a lineup that already included the inexperience of Cam Crotty and Lassi Thomson. Thomson had played only three NHL games this season. For Crotty, the Ottawa native, this was just his third career NHL game.
That meant the Senators leaned heavily on Jordan Spence, who was a healthy scratch at the start of the season. He played 30:18.
Meanwhile, the options in Belleville are limited. Jorian Donovan, who got into two games last week, the first of his career, seems like the most likely callup candidate if healthy NHL-level reinforcements aren't coming.
On that front, Jake Sanderson is getting close to a return from an upper-body injury. He’s been skating with the team for a few days now. Dennis Gilbert suffered an upper-body injury on March 21 and was given a three-week prognosis, so he’s at least another week away.
If Sanderson can't go, it will be yet another next man up scenario on Saturday afternoon. The Senators, now back in a playoff spot, will host the Minnesota Wild in game two of a five game homestand.
INGLEWOOD, CA - MARCH 16: Keldon Johnson #3 of the San Antonio Spurs looks on before the game against the LA Clippers on March 16, 2026 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. 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 Tyler Ross/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome to the Game Thread. Veterans of the Game Thread know how we do things around here, but for all you newbies we have a few rules. Our community guidelines apply and basically say be cool, no personal attacks, don’t troll and don’t swear too much.
The Spurs will play their last back-to-back of the season in the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, against Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers. The eighth place Clippers are really interested in a win tonight, as the Trail Blazers are only half a game behind them, and they could be in danger of falling to ninth, which would require two wins in the play-in tournament to reach the playoffs, instead of one win and you’re in for the seventh and eighth place teams.
The Clippers are healthy and have a rest advantage over the Spurs having had a night off last night after losing to the Blazers by 10 on Tuesday night. The Spurs cruised to a 127-113 win over the Warriors last night over a Golden State team missing nine players and most of their stars. Tonight will be a tougher test, especially since Victor Wembanyama will sit out the game for injury management for a sore ankle. After tonight’s game, the Spurs will have five more games to play in the regular season, and Victor will have to play in at least three of them to be eligible for player awards, which he has said that he really wants.
The good news is that Luke Kornet is back in the lineup after sitting out last night, and he should be fresh tonight after taking a rest in the last game. The Spurs need to keep piling up wins to have a shot at catching the Thunder for the first overall seed, even though that seems to be a bit of a long shot. The Thunder face the Lakers tonight, who have won 13 of their last 14 games, and have a shot at making the Thunder sweat a bit tonight in their home arena, and again on the 7th when they play again in LA. Go Lakers g__ … OW, that hurts.
OK, GO SPURS GO!!! Beat the Clippers!
Game Prediction:
Kawhi Leonard will tell a joke in the pregame interview. No one will get it.
San Antonio Spurs at Los Angeles Clippers April 2, 2026 | 9:30 PM CT Streaming: NBA League Pass TV: FanDuel Sports Southwest Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.
DENVER, COLORADO - APRIL 5: Fans grab ballpark food before heading to their seat at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado on April 5, 2024. The Colorado Rockies took on the Tampa Bay Rays during the 2024 season home opener for the Colorado Rockies. (Photo by RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images) | Denver Post via Getty Images
Tomorrow, the Colorado Rockies will host the Philadelphia Phillies for their Mile-High Home Opener, and you know that that means: New food items have been added to the menu, and now dining choices are available at Coors Field.
Because we here at Purple Row are committed to provide you with the latest news (and the best food reviews), here’s what fans can expect in 2026.
The 9-9-9 challenge
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is this:
Drink nine flight-sized beers
Eat nine mini hot dogs
Finish before the ninth inning ends.
The 9-9-9 is, as MLB.com puts it, “a task not for the faint of heart.” Each challenge comes with customized team packaging.
Originally limited to Citizens Bank Park, this option has expended to five more MLB ballparks this summer, so do not throw away this opportunity.
Where is it? Fanfare, Section 139 — and be sure to bring your valid ID.
Taco Momalona
The Taco Momalona has brisket, chihuahua cheese, shredded cabbage, pork belly, gold BBQ sauce, hot Cheetos, fresh avocado, and avocado crema.
Pro tip: It should be eaten like a taco salad, and while it’s big enough for two, it’s tasty!
Pizza Donuts
Remember, this is a savory item, not a sweet one.
The Pizza Donut is a plain donut with garlic butter, parmesan, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni and marinara sauce, served with pesto sauce and Italian seasoning.
Where are they? Section 109
The Colorado Rockies will have donut pizzas at Coors Field this season 😋
These donuts are covered in garlic butter, grated parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, marinara sauce, pesto sauce and Italian seasoning 😮 pic.twitter.com/cTOjUDzaA7
If you want a dessert, try the Dubai Cinnamon Roll. It’s a cinnamon roll topped with chocolate, vanilla ice cream, pistachios, caramel puff cereal, and kataifi.
Where is it? Section 115
The Glizzilla
The pictures you saw on the internet do not do this one justice. Glizzilla is HUGE.
It’s a one-pound, 23-inch all-beef hot dog on a 19-in sub roll.
It’s a year of Rockies rebuilding, which, hopefully means some celebrating, and this year you can celebrate and eat ice cream. Boozy Ice Cream brings together two baseball staples, and it comes in a cool Rockies baseball helmet (see bottom right photo below).
Where is it? Section 306 — and be sure to bring your valid ID.
If you’re heading to the ballpark, come hungry.@AramarkSports is debuting new eats and fan experiences across eight MLB stadiums.
This is Aramark’s first proprietary cheesesteak brand, featuring a variety of sandwiches with premium ribeye, caramelized onions, and melted cheese served on a fresh roll.
It’s pretty daring, making a cheesesteak this side of the Mississippi, but Aramark has taken on the challenge.
Where is it? Section 134
Mac on Deck
Say you’re a series fan of macaroni and cheese. This year, you can get your favorite comfort food at the ballpark. Check out these options:
Loaded Mac — bacon bits, cheddar jack, blue cheese crumbles, green onion, and sour creme
Vegan Mac — vegan mozzarella cheese and green onion
Buffalo Mac — buffalo sauce, chicken, bacon bits, blue cheese crumbles, and green onion
Ballpark Mac — traditional mac, hot dogs, green onion, and shredded cheddar jack cheese
Classic Mac — just like Mom used to make!
Where is it? Section 115
Birdcall
If you’re a fan of chicken tenders, this one’s for you. Birdcall is a Denver-born craft chicken brand that will be serving chicken sandwiches, tenders, nuggets, and tots.
Where is it? Section 204 at the “Birdcall Deck.”
1913
This one’s a little trickier to describe.
If you were at Rockies Fest, Walker Monfort was asked if he knew any secrets about Coors Field, and he mentioned that there’s a speakeasy hidden in Coors Field.
Well, Reader, I’m here to tell you that it’s real, and I’ve seen it, and it’s pretty cool — like, hidden behind a bookcase and the whole thing. (And, apparently, the Old Fashioned is involved.)
I’m not entirely clear on how it all works, but it involves having a membership, and if you want more information, call 303-Rockies.
(Truly, I’m not trying to be coy. I’m still trying to figure this one out, but I also wanted to share what I’d learned.)
SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Florida goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky made 15 saves in the third period and 28 overall as the Panthers defeated the Boston Bruins 2-1 on Thursday night.
The two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers avoided elimination from the playoffs with the win.
Florida got first-period goals from Mackie Samoskevich and Sam Bennett in their second straight win.
Boston, which had won four straight, got a goal from Fraser Minten. Jeremy Swayman made 22 saves in the loss.
The Panthers also used a fast start in a 6-3 win over the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night, scoring five goals in the opening period.
Samoskevich opened the scoring with his third goal in as many games when he intercepted a pass deep in the offensive zone and sent a wrist shot past Swayman.
Bennett made it 2-0 at 7:39 of the first, scoring from the slot.
Boston pulled to within a goal in the closing minute of the first period.
The Bruins put two shots on Bobrovsky near the front of the net, and the puck squirted out along the goal line right to where Minten was all alone.
Minten had plenty of time to grab the puck, put it on his backhand, and beat a sprawled out Bobrovsky to make it 2-1 with 27 seconds left in the period.
Bobrovsky, who has won five of his past seven starts, had a big challenge in the third, but held strong.
The two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers avoided elimination from the playoffs with Thursday's win.
NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nev. (AP) — Lauren Coughlin showed her familiarity with Shadow Creek by opening with a 5-under 67, putting her in a three-way tie for the lead Thursday with Nasa Hataoka and Women's British Open champion Miyu Yamashita in the Aramco Championship.
Coughlin played 127 holes last year at Shadow Creek when the tournament was match play, with every match going at least the distance. She wound up as the runner-up to Madelene Sagstrom.
The Aramco Championship is co-sanctioned with the Ladies European Tour, which has leaned on Saudi Arabia’s state oil company to sponsor the Aramco series that often attracts LPGA players wherever it plays around the world. The total purse this week is $4 million and the tournament shifted to stroke play.
“I feel like I know this place really well. Been in a lot of the places that you don’t want to be, so I feel like ... I just know the spots that I need to land it to a lot of the pins, where to miss if you have to,” said Coughlin, who didn't drop a shot until her final hole on No. 9.
“Yeah, it was nice to not play seven rounds hopefully in five days like last year,” she said.
Nelly Korda and Hyo Joo Kim are side by side, again, at least on the scoreboard. Korda made eagle on the par-5 18th for a 68, while Kim made bogey on her opening hole and didn't drop another shot the rest of the way for a 68.
Kim has won the last two weeks on the LPGA Tour, both times with Korda as the runner-up. There haven't been players who finished 1-2 in consecutive weeks on the LPGA in 25 years.
Shadow Creek has been part of the LPGA schedule since 2021, but the last five years have been match play. Now it's an Aramco event, and the fabled course attracted every player from the top 20 in the women's world ranking.
“It's great,” Coughlin said of the strong field. “And we have a really great golf course that tests every bit of your game.”
Kim won the Founders Cup at Sharon Heights in northern California, and then last week the Ford Championship in Arizona. The 30-year-old South Korean is trying to win a third straight week. The last player to do that was Korda in 2024 during her streak of winning five straight starts. Her third week in a row winning that year also was at Shadow Creek.
Jin Yang also shot a 68 to trail by one shot. As tough as the course could be if players got out of position, 10 players managed to break 70.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Logan Stankoven scored two goals in the first nine minutes, and the Carolina Hurricanes clinched a playoff berth for the eighth season in a row by beating the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-1 on Thursday night.
Alexander Nikishin added a first-period short-handed goal and Jordan Martinook and Andrei Svechnikov also scored as the Metropolitan Division-leading Hurricanes were on the way to winning for the third time in their last four games. Taylor Hall and Sebastian Aho each had two assists and Frederik Andersen made nine saves.
For Carolina, the 10 shots allowed matched the fewest shots against in franchise history.
The Hurricanes have qualified for the playoffs in each season under coach Rod Brind’Amour, a former team captain.
Denton Mateychuk scored for the Blue Jackets, who are winless in their last five games (0-4-1). Elvis Merzlikins stopped 16 shots.
In the third meeting between the teams in less than 2½ weeks, Stankoven scored 2:27 into the game on a deflection in front of Merzlikins on Carolina’s first shot of the game. Stankoven's 17th goal of the season – adding to his career-high total – came at 8:52 when he tapped in a loose puck in the crease.
Nikishin became the franchise’s first rookie defenseman to score a short-handed goal.
By the end of the first period, Carolina had more goals (3) than the Blue Jackets had shots (2).
Mateychuk got Columbus on the board with 8:36 left in the second, but 13 seconds later Martinook scored by sending the puck on net from just inside the blue line.
Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal played in his 1,400th career game.
Stankoven had one goal when Carolina won 5-2 on Tuesday night at Columbus.
TAMPA, FL - APRIL 2: Emil Lilleberg #78 of the Tampa Bay Lightning races against Tommy Novak #18 of the Pittsburgh Penguins at Benchmark International Arena on April 2, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mark LoMoglio/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Pregame
The Penguins welcome back Bryan Rust from injury and shake up the lines a little to put Rickard Rakell back at center and put Ben Kindel up with Evgeni Malkin. Stuart Skinner gets a second-straight game in net.
The Penguins settle down after that and get to their game. Sam Girard steps up in the zone and makes a pass over to Rickard Rakell. Rakell uses his skates to kick the puck up to his stick for a nifty move and finish. 1-1.
Pittsburgh takes their first lead, courtesy of Egor Chinakhov. Chinakhov skates to the outside of the defense then gets a rising backhand shot that goes far-side. 2-1 Pens.
Next up come the first power plays of the night, Connor Clifton is guilty of interference when a Tampa player drives to the net. While on the PK, Erik Karlsson lifts a sky pass for Noel Acciari and a Lightning player has to hold Acciari on his drive to the net.
Shots are 11 a piece, good news for the Penguins to be able to create their looks at the net. They made the most of it and take a one-goal lead into the first break.
Second period
Pittsburgh starts the period on a short carryover power play, but it’s Tampa who scores. An odd bounce handcuffs Karlsson and Rust which Cirelli corals and is off to the races. He dekes and beats Skinner to make it a 2-2 game.
Tampa gains momentum for that and nearly score again if not for Girard pulling a puck away from the crease in a scramble. A bit later Girard stays active by breaking up a Nikita Kucherov pass that might have done damage if it got through.
The Lightning re-gain the lead with 5:52 to play. Tampa’s top line pushes up the ice, Jake Guentzel’s shot goes wide but the puck ramps back into the danger zone where Brayden Point gets it and scores from in close. 3-2 TB.
Tampa gets a goal in the last minute, Yanni Gourde passed from behind the net to Zemgus Girgensons and he was able to work it to the backhand and put in a goal to extend the lead to 4-2.
Tough period for the Pens, giving up goals at the beginning and end of it puts them behind. Shots are 9-8 TB in the second period, but shot attempts in the game are 47-33 TB through 40. They’re playing the type of game they want to play.
Third period
Evgeni Malkin’s temper boils over out of frustration, he gets four minutes worth of penalties after a scrum, taking a Tampa player away for two. The Lightning get their second power play of the night but come no closer to scoring than a post hit by Darren Raddysh.
Letang skates up the ice and gets hooked to draw a power play. It doesn’t go well, the Pens match their number of shots in the first ten minutes of the period (0) on their power play.
Soon after that expires, Connor Dewar is the latest to get rung up on a penalty, though Tampa’s power play is soon negated by a penalty by themselves.
Nikita Kucherov is at the point of the game where he’s trying to create a special highlight; he puts the puck through Girard’s triangle —twice — on a rush but doesn’t score. On his next shift, Kucherov whips a rolling puck on a bit of a no-look all the way from wall that beats Skinner high. 5-2. Yep, that’s a highlight goal from a special player.
Pittsburgh lifts Skinner for an extra skater with over 5 minutes to go. Doesn’t last that long until Cirelli completes his hat trick. 6-2.
The Penguins get a late power play and Chinakhov provides a somewhat meaningless buzzer beater to wrist an absolutely filthy wrister in with 1:5 seconds left. Not that meaningless I guess, being as it’s Chinakhov’s 20th of the season.
Some thoughts
Chinakhov often, often, often will cut into the middle of the ice on a rush with the puck on his stick (such a play got him crushed with an open ice hit against Calgary early in his Pittsburgh stint). That’s gotta be the book on him, so it was brilliant to go off-script and use his speed to beat Ryan McDonagh towards the outside in the first period. The finish to get enough on a backhander to beat a goalie the caliber of Vasilevskiy speaks for itself, what a talent Chinakhov is.
Sam Girard looks much more comfortable and confident lately, today was probably his best game yet as a Penguin. He’s starting to use his legs to extend plays and then he’s got the hands to make something happen. Two assists in the first period and a couple of other sequences were very positive to see. His partner Kris Letang also looks like he’s settling into a physical and more careful role, which from an article earlier today has been working lately. It truly helps the team so much seeing that pair gel and continue to stack up quality performances.
Glad to see Evgeni Malkin apparently shake off blocking a shot to the skate in the first period. With the way Malkin’s second half of the season has been going it’s been one bad break after another, the last thing he needed was taking more damage. Malkin usually has great games against Tampa, this certainly wasn’t one of them.
Rust came back from injury to play, but he visibly didn’t look that good moving around the ice. He was skating at times in an unnatural and unsteady way, not looking like a fluid NHL skater. Maybe he’s on the upswing from his unspecified lower body injury, didn’t look excessively comfortable out there on this day. After watching Rust for a decade you gain a little bit of knowledge for seeing him out there, something didn’t look quite right.
The Pens looked good at times early on, though for the most part Tampa played like a stronger team. They’re very persistent when it comes to puck battles and don’t give up much easily without getting on the opponent and competing for every inch. Wouldn’t blame Crosby if he has a nightmare tonight where Gourde is hounding him relentlessly considering that happened all night.
By the end of the night, maybe the Pens packed it in but they sure didn’t make a push in the third period. That’s unlike them, they usually don’t go away as quietly as they did today. The damage was done with a poor second period and there wasn’t anything in the cards for even the faintest hints of a comeback attempt.
This always kinda seemed like a house money game for the Penguins after the hugely important wins on Monday and Tuesday. Maybe all that exertion caught up with them, maybe they just caught a very good opponent on one of their better nights. (And, as always, it’s tends to be a bit of both). The good news for Pittsburgh is this won’t hurt them too much thanks to the other scores: Columbus and Philadelphia lost in regulation, even Washington looks like they’re about to fall. This was the ‘game in hand’ over the Islanders, who didn’t play tonight and now have as many GP as the Pens. Playoff positioning didn’t take any hits tonight – and now Pittsburgh gets to play all of their last six games against teams who won’t be going to the playoffs.
Not a banner night for the Pens, they got ahead early but gave up a shorthanded goal that took a lot of wind of their sails and Tampa ended up going right by them. On to the next on Saturday afternoon against Florida.
