Alvarez has resumed baseball activities and Carlos Mendoza said following Sunday’s 10-1 win over Miami at Citi Field that the catcher is scheduled to begin a minor league rehab assignment with Triple-A Syracuse on Tuesday.
The Mets have survived without Alvarez thanks to the presence of Luis Torrens, who had another solid game Sunday — helping get Nolan McLean through five solid innings despite a career-high five walks, and David Peterson through four scoreless frames — as well as providing a key two-run single.
But Torrens also had an injury scare, as the catcher was hit by a pitch on his left hand during a sixth-inning at-bat.
Francisco Alvarez is pictured during the Mets’ May 25. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post
Torrens stayed in the game — and scored later in the inning on Juan Soto’s grand slam.
Still, the Mets are clearly better off with Alvarez as an option in the lineup — whether behind the plate or at DH.
Torrens, though, has again proven his value as more than just a capable backup.
Jorge Polanco could have his rehab assignment moved to Triple-A Syracuse on Tuesday as the infielder recovers from the wrist contusion and Achilles bursitis that have sidelined him since April 15.
But even when the veteran infielder returns to the Mets — potentially on the upcoming road trip in San Diego — he won’t see much time at first base, according to Mendoza.
The manager said he didn’t expect Polanco to need his glove initially when he gets back.
“I’m not anticipating a guy who’s gonna play a lot in the field,” Mendoza said.
He also used words like “manage” and “monitor” when it came to Polanco’s usage, which will include off days, time at DH and off the bench.
“Let’s get to that point,” Mendoza noted.
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Polanco has played just 14 games for the Mets since signing a two-year, $40 million deal in the offseason.
Peterson has pitched better out of the bullpen than as a starter all season and that trend continued Sunday, as the lefty didn’t allow a run in his four innings in relief of McLean.
As a reliever this year, Peterson has allowed just five earned runs in 24 innings (1.88 ERA) compared to a 7.56 ERA over 33 ¹/₃ innings in his seven starts.
“I was given the ball and I try to do my role and help the team win,’’ said Peterson, who was yanked from the rotation again and replaced by fellow lefty Sean Manaea, who has pitched better recently and seen an uptick in velocity.
Marcus Semien reached base four times for a second time this year.
The 2026 NHL Draft is quickly approaching, and that means it's time for another Pittsburgh Penguins' prospect profile.
It's also great timing, since the NHL Combine is set to be held in Buffalo starting this Monday and running through Saturday. It will be a great chance for teams to meet with some of the top prospects in the draft and get to know them. Teams will also be able to review players' medical reports.
It's also a chance for teams to kickstart trade conversations since the full offseason is set to get underway in a couple of weeks, but the main order of business is getting to meet with the top prospects.
I kicked things off with defenseman Ryan Lin last week, who would be a really solid pick if he were to fall to No. 22 overall, and we're now shifting to forward Nikita Klepov.
Klepov spent the 2025-26 season with the OHL's Saginaw Spirit and had a tremendous campaign, finishing with 37 goals and 97 points in 67 games. It was his first season with the Spirit after spending the 2024-25 season with the USHL's Sioux City Musketeers.
Klepov plays on the right wing and the first thing that stands out is his skating. It's extremely powerful and he absolutely flies up the ice once he gets going. He'll also showcase some dangles that players won't see coming and his shiftiness is one of my favorite attributes of his game.
His playmaking skills are through the roof, and he has excellent vision, especially on the power play. His office on the man-advantage is the right circle and made some outstanding passes that led to goals from there this season.
Don't sleep on his one-timer, either. He can really rifle the puck and scored some sick goals from the right circle this season as well, including one against the Flint Firebirds. The Spirit were trailing 3-0 at the time when Klepov passed the puck to the left point before drifting over to his office. He got the puck back a few seconds later and uncorked a one-timer to make it 3-1. The Firebirds' goaltender had no chance on it.
Another example of his nasty one-timer came from the Spirit's game against the Brampton Steelheads. It was a 1-1 game in the second period when Klepov changed that with an unbelievable shot from his office on the power play. The puck went in and out of the net in what felt like a millisecond.
Klepov also isn't afraid to drive to the net and get to the dirty areas. Yes, he does a lot of his best work a bit further out, but he's more than willing to get his hands messy and score/set up some greasy goals.
Outside of his play on the power play and at 5v5, Klepov also showed the ability to play on the penalty kill at times, making some nice shorthanded plays that showcased his speed and deception.
Klepov does a lot right offensively, but I wasn't overly impressed by his two-way game on tape. It definitely needs some improvement, and he'll have the chance to work on that when he plays for Michigan State during the 2026-27 season.
MSU is one of the top college hockey programs in the country, and for good reason. It knows how to churn out some really good NHL players.
Heck, Flyers forward Porter Martone played for MSU during the 2025-26 season, and look how that turned out for them. Martone was fantastic for the Spartans before making his NHL debut at the end of the year, and he helped the Flyers make the playoffs, compiling 10 points in nine games.
Overall, I'd be thrilled if the Penguins had the chance to select Klepov in the first round. He's a hard-working, electric winger with a ton of offensive upside and is still developing. He wouldn't be ready right away like Ben Kindel was this year, but he'd have the chance to crack the NHL roster in a couple of years if everything went right.
Mitchell Robinson shoots a free throw before the Knicks' May 23 game.
Consider this a small step in the right direction.
Mitchell Robinson, dealing with a broken left pinky finger, took part in practice Sunday.
The valuable big man went through individual work, according to coach Mike Brown.
Brown said Robinson’s status is uncertain for Wednesday’s Game 1 of the NBA Finals in San Antonio, although there is hope he will be available, The Post’s Stefan Bondy reported.
The Knicks said they’d provide no further details on the fracture, including its cause.
“I can’t thank you guys enough for the love and support most of you bring especially at a time like this in my life,” Robinson wrote on Instagram under a picture of him walking into the Cavs arena during the conference finals. “It makes everything in fighting for 100x easier to deal with.
Mitchell Robinson is pictured during the Knicks’ May 21 game against the Cavaliers. Charles Wenzelberg
“The ones that want to see me down and hurt all I gotta say for you is f–k you. And last the ones that say they love and care about me but can’t be there for me when I need them but I’m always there to when they need me god get you.”
The Knicks’ top offensive rebounder and rim protector is the best equipped to deal with San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama.
He is also insurance for starting center Karl-Anthony Towns, who is susceptible to foul trouble.
Miles McBride knows Spurs guard Dylan Harper’s older brother, Ron Harper Jr., well.
Their dads were college stars in Ohio, Ron Harper attending Miami of Ohio and Walt McBride playing for Xavier.
He has been impressed by Dylan, the former Rutgers guard and five-star high school prospect out of Don Bosco Prep (N.J.).
“I feel like he’s just a gamer,” McBride said. “He’s one of those kids that just probably in the backyard [growing up playing all the time]. I know his family pretty well. So, just in the backyard, playing against his older brother. I have an older brother, so I feel like you just figure out how to score over bigger guys, older guys [that way], and you live for these moments.”
Dodgers reliever Tanner Scott entered the game against the Phillies in the eighth inning Saturday with a 3-1 lead. As he stood on the mound at Dodger Stadium, that lead slipped until Edmundo Sosa belted a two-run homer to give his team the lead.
Dodgers reliever Tanner Scott’s wife, Maddie, revealed some death threats that were made after LA lost to the Phillies on Saturday night. Getty Images for Netflix
Tanner’s wife, Maddie Scott, took to Instagram to expose the ghouls who are flooding her inbox and comment section with death threats toward their family, including the couple’s newborn.
“When did it stop being a game?” Maddie wrote on her Instagram Story in response to a message from a user who said “gun shot your family tonight.”
“I don’t speak out often. Ever actually,” she said. “I promise you, you don’t know what it’s like unless you’re living it.”
Maddie posted another Instagram Story captioned, “The unfortunate reality Incase you were curious,” with a screenshot of six comments posted in a three-minute span from the same user, hawk.3112090.
The user’s hateful comments were directed toward Tanner and his newborn child.
“Hope this mutt d i e s soon,” one of the user’s comments read on a photo of the Scotts’ child. Another said “I hope you get home to your family lying in puddles of their own blood.”
“Hope it’s a still b i r t h,” the user wrote under one of the couple’s photos.
The faceless accounts behind the horrid messages and comments have become more common in the rise of internet trolling — deepening safety concerns for professional athletes and their families.
Maddie gave fans a glimpse of what it is like to be the wife of a high-profile athlete, but the battles behind closed doors of a new mother dealing with threats toward their child are impossible to measure on a social media post.
Knicks head coach Mike Brown has a special connection to San Antonio.
Another NBA Finals opens in San Antonio.
Mike Brown was on the bench — in what is now known as the Frost Bank Center — with Gregg Popovich during the 2003 NBA Finals, serving as a young assistant in the title series against the Nets, which ended with a parade along the San Antonio River.
Four years later, Brown was a second-year head coach with a 22-year-old superstar (LeBron James), attempting to lead the Cavaliers to an upset of Tim Duncan’s Spurs.
Now, Brown, 56, is heading back to a city where his family still resides, needing to defeat the friends and the franchise that helped catapult his career to claim his first championship as a head coach.
“They definitely want to beat me and I want to kick their ass,” Brown said following Sunday’s practice. “You love ’em and you can always love ’em before and after … I got ties to San Antonio and you appreciate the people, you appreciate the journey and all that other stuff. But at the end of the day, just like they want to beat you, you definitely want to beat them.”
Mike Brown reacts on the sideline during the Knicks’ May 23 game. Charles Wenzelberg
Brown was a hard-working but relatively inexperienced 30-year-old when he arrived in San Antonio, where he’d spend three years (2000-03) as an assistant who designed thorough scouting reports and color-coded practice itineraries.
Popovich (the five-time title-winning head coach who serves as the Spurs’ president of basketball operations) became a trusted mentor and close friend.
After Brown was fired as a head coach for the third time in 2014, Popovich helped convince him to unofficially end his coaching sabbatical by offering him a role as a volunteer consultant for the Spurs, giving Brown an open invitation to attend every game, practice and meeting he desired.
Gregg Popovich, Mike Brown and Tim Duncan are pictured after winning the NBA Finals in 2003. NBAE via Getty Images
Brown, who had recently gone through a divorce, took up part-time residence in San Antonio — sleeping in a double bed, beneath a Spiderman poster, in the former bedroom of Danny Ferry’s son — and spent more than half a season with the Spurs, helping the coach he could never properly repay.
“The job that he’s done, not only on the court with that team and the organization, but off the court too, is gonna be imprinted as long as the game of basketball exists,” Brown said. “He still has a huge presence. He’ll always have a presence. His presence is very much felt all the time.”I’ve got a lot of respect for the organization for a lot of different reasons. I worked there, having an opportunity to work there and being part of a championship there and my family being down there too reminds me of good times.”
"As of right now, the plan is for him to play Tuesday in Syracuse," Mendoza said, referencing New York's Triple-A affiliate.
Syracuse is set to host the Yankees' Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders Tuesday at 6:35 p.m.
The Mets placed Alvarez on the 10-day injured list with a right meniscus tear May 13. He last played May 12 in New York's 10-2 win over the Detroit Tigers.
Alvarez has been catching bullpens, blocking, running and throwing.
"Just two weeks removed from surgery, it's pretty amazing to see," Mendoza said before Friday's game.
Alvarez underwent surgery May 14.
"Alvarez, I mean, this guy is unbelievable," Mendoza said last Monday. "He's already hitting, he's already doing catching. We were talking about eight weeks. I'm not sure about that now. This guy is built different. ... There's a lot of positive from him, too."
Through 37 games this season, Alvarez is slashing .241/.317/.393 with four home runs and 10 RBI.
OG Anunoby could be the Knicks' solution to stopping Victor Wembanyama.
Through the Knicks’ first eight postseason games, there was no player who was more valuable than OG Anunoby.
In the NBA Finals, he may be Mike Brown’s most important player again.
While Anunoby will be counted on to continue his career-best postseason run — ranking second on the team with 19.7 points while shooting 57.7 percent from the field (48.3 percent on 3-pointers) — it may be the 28-year-old’s defense that determines whether the Knicks will end their 53-year title drought.
Anunoby is expected to spend significant time matched up with San Antonio’s 7-foot-4 Victor Wembanyama, and the 6-7 wing’s previous encounters with the French superstar offer hope that the Knicks can limit the damage done by the former No. 1 overall pick.
Among players who have served as the primary defender on at least 100 possessions against Wembanyama, Anunoby has allowed the fewest points per possession, bothering the Spurs big man with his 7-2 wingspan, physicality and athleticism.
OG Anunoby knocks the ball away from Paul George during the Knicks’ May 6 game against the 76ers. Jason Szenes for the NY Post
“OG is an extremely versatile guard, and you know, the luxury of having a guy like that is he’s long enough, athletic enough, strong enough to guard quick, smaller guys, he’s obviously got the size and athleticism to guard big wings, and then he’s got the strength and the length and the intelligence to guard bigger guys,” Brown said Sunday. “So having a guy like that gives us a ton of versatility to be able to move him around, knowing that he can adapt, slash, adjust, or whatever you want to call it, on the fly.”
Victor Wembanyama goes to dunk the ball during the Spurs’ March 1 game against the Knicks. Jason Szenes for the NY Post
Wembanyama — the first unanimous NBA Defensive Player of the Year — will create countless issues for the Knicks as a rim protector, but the 22-year-old’s offensive impact has seen him ping-pong between being the best player in the world and a passive observer.
In San Antonio’s postseason wins, Wembanyama has averaged 27.9 points and 12.1 rebounds while shooting 55.3 percent from the field and 46.3 percent on 3-pointers.
In the Spurs’ losses, he has posted 14.5 points and 8.3 rebounds, shooting 39.4 percent from the field and 18.5 percent on 3-pointers.
It is the biggest test of Anunoby’s career, the greatest opportunity to prove he deserved better than a selection to the NBA’s All-Defensive Second Team.
“[The voters] were wrong,” Brown said. “He should have been First Team All-Defense because of his versatility. And it’s shown throughout the course of the most important time during the year, which is the playoffs, and it will continue to show going into the Finals.”
ST. LOUIS — Matthew Liberatore took a shutout into the sixth inning and Masyn Winn hit a two-run single as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Chicago Cubs 5-1 on Sunday night.
JJ Wetherholt and Iván Herrera each had two hits and scored twice for the Cardinals, who took two of three from their NL Central rivals after entering the series on a four-game losing streak. Alec Burleson drove in two runs.
Alex Bregman homered for the Cubs, who are 3-2 since a 10-game skid.
Liberatore (3-3) allowed three hits and one walk in 5 1/3 scoreless innings after giving up at least three runs in each of his previous three starts. He struck out four.
Hunter Dobbins relieved Liberatore hours after being recalled from Triple-A Memphis and yielded one run on four hits with four strikeouts over 3 2/3 innings for his first professional save.
Bregman hit his fifth homer this season to left field off his former Boston teammate in the sixth to spoil the shutout and extend his hitting streak to 11 games.
Burleson blooped an RBI single off reliever Ethan Roberts that landed just in front of left fielder Ian Happ to make it 3-0 in the third. Winn added a two-run single that extended the margin to 5-0.
Jordan Walker had an RBI single for the Cardinals in a two-run first.
Jordan Wicks (0-2) was charged with three runs and four hits in two-plus innings. He was removed after Wetherholt reached on an infield single leading off the third.
St. Louis opened a 2-0 lead after Wetherholt, Herrera and Walker all singled to start the bottom of the first.
Up next
Cubs: RHP Jameson Taillon (2-4, 5.37 ERA) will face Athletics LHP Gage Jump (0-1, 7.20) to open a six-game homestand Tuesday night.
Cardinals: RHP Michael McGreevy (3-4, 2.98 ERA) faces Rangers RHP Jacob deGrom (3-4, 3.77) to begin a three-game series Monday night.
May 30, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; A general view in the fourth inning between the Colorado Rockies and the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
May is in its final hours, and the Colorado Rockies ended on a high note after scuffling hard for most of the month. After going 14-18 to start the season, they went 8-20 in May, but did finish by winning the series against the San Francisco Giants. Unfortunately, the series (and month) ended with a thud as they were outscored 19-6.
That said, it wasn’t all bad.
TJ Rumfield hit four home runs and continues to be an NL Rookie of the Year candidate
Jake McCarthy hit three homers of his own — including back-to-back games against the New York Mets — and is now hitting .301/.330/.494
Ezequiel Tovar has started to get out of his slump, including a two-homer performance on Friday night (that included the Rockies’ first walk-off win of 2026)
Brett Sullivan had as many hits (3) as pitching appearances (3) in May. While the hitting struggled, the three pitching appearances he made were scoreless and saved the bullpen against Texas Rangers, Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers. He also became the first non-Ohtani pitcher to homer this year, and nearly became the first pitcher in the history of MLB to homer twice in the same inning.
Antonio Senzatela continues to shine and is making a case to be a valuable trade candidate and/or an All-Star
Tomoyuki Sugano remains the Rockies’ most consistent starter, especially among a rotation that’s been decimated by injuries
Jaden Hill has been one of the Rockies’ most under-the-radar relievers, often falling behind only Senzatela in a number of statistical categories
So here’s the question for tonight: Who are your Rockies player(s) for the month of May? Let us know!
Josh Hart will need to make his shots for the Knicks in the NBA Finals.
Josh Hart has a unique take on potentially being defended by Spurs unicorn Victor Wembanyama.
“That’s the only unanimous Defensive Player of the Year, so that’s a pretty good sign for me, right?” Hart said Sunday after practice. “That means I’m a pretty good basketball player.”
Hart was somewhat joking, knowing if the Spurs do in fact put the 7-foot-4 Wembanyama on him, the intent is to allow the big man to roam, cut off the paint and protect the rim.
It’s up to Hart to make them pay from beyond the arc.
Other playoff opponents have defended him in a similar fashion, and during the regular season the Spurs used Wembanyama on Hart for large stretches too.
Josh Hart attempts a shot during the Knicks’ May 21 game against the Cavaliers. Charles Wenzelberg
“For me, it’s shoot the ball with confidence. Or be quick to make other plays — dribble handoff, stuff like that,” Hart said. “If he’s down the floor, that’s my [job] to get [Jalen Brunson] open looks, [Mikal Bridges] open looks, [Karl-Anthony Towns] open looks. It’s not different in terms of anything I’ve seen before. I’m comfortable making those plays.”
It has been a strong postseason for the gritty Hart.
He is averaging 11.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.8 steals in 33 minutes.
His 3-point shot has been inconsistent, Hart shooting it at a 30.3 percent clip on 4.7 attempts.
But he has been better of late.
In the last five games, he is 13-for-32 from distance.
“Any time a team does that, like Cleveland — Cleveland put their big on Josh and Josh won us a game doing it,” coach Mike Brown said. “I’ll tell you Josh works very, very hard on his shooting and playmaking because he knows that he gets guarded by centers, and my message to Josh is, ‘Let it fly, let it fly, let it fly,’ because we believe in it.
Victor Wembanyama is pictured during the Spurs’ March 1 game against the Knicks. Jason Szenes for the NY Post
“So we know that they’re probably going to come in and put their center on Josh, and if Wemby’s down the floor and that ball gets swung to Josh, first of all, he’s a great decision-maker. But secondly, if he’s open, his feet are set, we want him to let that thing fly.”
The Yankees ended May on a high note with Sunday's 13-8 win at the Athletics. New York (36-23) is a game and a half behind the 36-20 Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East, winning six of its past seven game as it gets Monday off and returns to Yankee Stadium for this week's six-game homestand.
"Anytime you win five out of six on the road, it's a really good trip," Aaron Boone said, referencing the combination of the Yankees' three-game sweep at the Kansas City Royals earlier this week and New York's 2-1 series in West Sacramento, Calif, against the A's (28-31). "So, you take that. I feel like, for the most part, we played well. Today was one of those crazy games that I don't know what it was, but it was a win. So, obviously, a good way to go back cross country into an off day."
The Yankees' 13-run third inning created a 13-3 lead before the A's hung around with a four-run seventh and one-run eighth. New York ultimately enters this week's three-game series with the Cleveland Guardians, which starts with Cam Schlitter set to start Tuesday's 7:05 p.m. opener, on the upswing after a 16-12 month.
"Lot of positives," said Aaron Judge, whose 1-for-4 afternoon featured the RBI single in the third inning that gave the Yankees their first lead of the game as they piled on the 13-run frame. "You can take a lot of positives from the first two months here. ... It kind of starts with our pitching staff, especially the starting rotation, getting a lot of key guys back. It kind of is the main part of our team."
Judge enters June slashing .248/.375/.533 with 17 home runs and 38 RBI through 59 games, but those around him in the Yankees' order have made a difference.
"A lot of people kind of banged on us about bringing the same guys back," Judge said. "But you bring back Cody Bellinger -- he's been so efficient for us, just probably one of the best players in the game right now. And then Ben Rice, the emergence of him -- I know he had a great year last year, but he just continues to make strides."
Rice, who brought in four runs Sunday, is tied with Judge for the team lead in homers while slashing .306/.397/.658 with 44 RBI through 54 games. Bellinger, meanwhile, is slashing .271/.378/.476 with eight long balls and 38 RBI through 58 games of his second season in pinstripes.
"There's a couple things you need to clean up -- maybe a couple things defensively or couple times where, like I said, our offense isn't clicking the way it should be," Judge said. "But I like where we're at. I love this team. A lot of guys are ready to go out there and compete, and all the guys competing for a job -- so, when you do that, good things happen."
Vancouver Canucks prospect Gabriel Chiarot and the Kitchener Rangers have won their third Memorial Cup in franchise history.
After a dominant round-robin that saw them win all three of their matchups against the Everett Silvertips, Chicoutimi Sagueneéns, and Kelowna Rockets, Kitchener advanced to their seventh Memorial Cup Final and took the WHL champion Silvertips down by a score of 6-2. This is Kitchener’s first Memorial Cup win since 2003.
Six different players found the back of the net for the Rangers in today’s win, with goals coming from Luke Ellinas (Ottawa Senators), Dylan Edwards, Jared Woolley (Los Angeles Kings), Jack Pridham (Chicago Blackhawks), Sam O’Reilly (Tampa Bay Lightning), and Christian Humphreys (Colorado Avalanche). On Everett’s side, 2026 draft prospect Matias Vanhanen continued his stretch of solid play by scoring a goal, as did Detroit Red Wings prospect Carter Bear.
Kitchener advanced to the 2026 Memorial Cup after winning the 2026 OHL championship with series wins against the Saginaw Spirit, Sault St. Marie Greyhounds, Windsor Spitfires, and Barrie Colts. During their OHL playoff run, Kitchener did not lose more than one game per series, sweeping both Saginaw and Barrie. The Rangers finished the 2025–26 regular season with the second-best record in the OHL with 101 points (47–14–5–2).
Photo Credit: Steve Dunsmoor-CHL
Chiarot, who was selected 175th overall in the 2025 NHL Draft by Vancouver, made an impact in his team’s dominant Memorial Cup run by scoring a goal and an assist in four games. He played on Kitchener’s top-line featuring O’Reilly and Edwards.
"Just the resilience and the belief in this group was unreal. All game, I know they had their moments, had their pressure on us, but we stick to the fight, and we found a way to get it done, and that's what this team's been all about, just finding ways to get it done," Chiarot told The Hockey News post-game.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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Even if the Senators break through next season, they'll still be ten years removed from winning their last playoff series. So it can be easy for Sens fans to feel like they cheer for a hard-luck franchise.
But it hasn’t always been that way.
In 2002-03, the Senators finished with a 52-21-9 record and 113 points, capturing the NHL's Presidents' Trophy as the league's top regular-season team. Led by head coach Jacques Martin, Ottawa finally avoided another playoff collision with Toronto when the Philadelphia Flyers eliminated the Leafs in the first round.
The Senators would go on to defeat both the Islanders and Flyers, reaching the Eastern Conference Final for the first time in franchise history. Looking back now, it was the high-water mark of an era that featured stars such as Daniel Alfredsson, Marian Hossa, Zdeno Chara and Patrick Lalime.
One of the team's greatest strengths was on the right side, where Alfredsson, Hossa and Martin Havlat gave opponents matchup nightmares.
“Our right side was awfully scary,” winger Shaun Van Allen said. “We had basically three number one right-wingers right there. On one team. So it didn’t matter who you tried to cover. Someone’s getting a very good matchup.
“We were deep. We weren’t really missing a whole lot. Maybe just a bit of experience, but talent was definitely not a problem. And you don’t win the league without being really consistent and really good.”
Despite their dominant regular season, there were still nerves heading into the playoffs. Ottawa opened with a 3-0 loss to the Islanders before winning four straight. Centre Todd White said their expectations were huge.
“I think every year you always think that you have the team to get it done," White recalled. "Because 16 teams make it, and usually all 16 teams are capable. I know LA won it from the 8th seed. St. Louis won it after being dead last in December.
“I remember Game 1 against the Islanders. It was kind of a stinker (a 3-0 loss). I think Garth Snow was the goaltender for the Islanders and they shut us out in our rink. And, it was kind of like, ‘Uh-oh, is this gonna happen again?’ We were fortunate we were able to end up winning the next four games and get through them. But it was definitely a little bit of nerves in that first game.”
One of White's favourite memories remains his double-overtime winner in Game 3 on Long Island.
“That was my most exciting individual moment ever,” White said. “We go back to New York, the series is tied, and being able to get the overtime winner, I don’t think I ever had a feeling like that on the ice.”
After dispatching Philadelphia in six games, Ottawa finally broke through to the conference final.
“The second round had been kind of a roadblock for us,” White said. “I think once we got through there, we were pretty excited, in terms of seeing what we’d be able to do. And that was a big moment for the fans as well to get to the conference finals and playing further than the team has ever gone. So it was pretty exciting.”
The city embraced the team like never before.
“Everywhere you went in the city, it was all about the Sens,” Van Allen said. “It gives you an extra jolt. Like, there’s nothing better. Before the game starts and you step on the ice and the flags are going, the people are going crazy. The whole city was involved. It was a community affair and you didn’t want to let them down because they were so supportive of us.”
Ottawa opened the Eastern Conference Final against New Jersey with an overtime victory, thanks to Van Allen.
“That’s the backyard rink or street hockey dream,” Van Allen said. “To score an overtime goal in the playoffs. It was a D to D pass, then up to Peter Schaefer, over to me, I passed it back to Marty Havlat, and then just went to the net. And Marty put it right on my tape like he does all the time. And then it’s just a tap in.”
But the Devils responded by winning the next three games.
“I think we were pretty disappointed,” White said. “It wasn’t like we’d played terribly in the next three games, but the Devils had a way of finding ways to win. And it’s not necessarily the best team that always wins games, but they would find a way to make the right play at the right moment.
“And I remember Game 4, we were tied going into the third period and we ended up losing that game. So it was a real disappointing time, knowing how close we were to every player’s ultimate dream and it was kind of slipping away. I remember we obviously still had belief but, at the same time, it seemed like it was such a huge mountain to climb.”
“We missed the boat on Games 2, 3 and 4,” Van Allen said. “We won the first one. I think we just played okay in that game. We needed to raise our game just a little bit more, which is a lot easier said than done. And we tried to do that, but it’s tough to beat experience and New Jersey definitely had that.”
“I think that we gave away two games too easily to the Devils in that series,” Sens winger Magnus Arvedsson said. “I still think about what a great chance we had created for ourselves. I think about the atmosphere, the fans, and the hype in the city around the club. That was something really special.”
The Senators refused to quit. Jason Spezza helped spark a Game 5 win before Chris Phillips delivered one of the most iconic goals in franchise history, scoring in overtime of Game 6 to force a deciding Game 7.
Fans still remember Gord Wilson's famous radio call:
"I don't know where he knifed in from, but he knifed in!"
Back in Ottawa for Game 7, the Sens got off to a perfect start when Arvedsson scored just three minutes in.
“At that point, I was like, ‘Oh boy,’” Van Allen remembers. “Usually, when we get that lead and momentum like that. Like, it’s coming. Two, three goals… we’re gonna blow these guys out.”
Arvedsson still thinks about another chance he had later in the game.
“Later on, I passed up on a great chance to score,” Arvedsson said. “I decided to pass the puck instead, and that would maybe have put us up 2-0 in that game.”
The Devils rallied to take a 2-1 lead, leaving Ottawa with one final period to save its season.
“We were down 2-1 going into the third,” Van Allen said. “I remember us saying in the dressing room, we’d just played about 100 games to get here. And to get back here, we’re going to have to play another 100. So we gotta pour everything we can into this last 20 minutes. But New Jersey was as tough a defensive team as you’re probably gonna play and it’s not easy to score. And that’s why everything has to fall right when you’re playing those teams.”
Radek Bonk tied the game early in the third, and it was bedlam in the Ottawa rink.
But with just over two minutes remaining, Sens fans had their hearts ripped out when Jeff Friesen scored the goal that ended Ottawa's season.
White says he later learned the setup of the winning goal was partly accidental.
“Two years later, we were at a charity event down in the Utica area,” White recalled. “Grant Marshall was there, and he was telling us he was actually trying to shoot the puck there, and his stick actually broke. So when his stick broke, instead of it being a shot at the net, the puck slid through Wade's feet and ended up being a perfect pass to the guy streaking to the net. And I’m guessing that Patty (Lalime) probably thought it was a shot as well.
“Obviously, it’s sports and anything can happen. But there’s luck involved as well, because who knew that a broken stick shot attempt would end up being the perfect pass to a guy for a mini-breakaway? And he was able to put it in.”
More than 20 years later, the players still remember both the excitement and the disappointment.
“I hate to say it, it’s kind of what might have been,” Van Allen said. “What would the city be like? We would be remembered a lot differently in the city other than just being a good team. We would be recognized as a great team if we went on to win the Stanley Cup.”
“For me, it’s the disappointment of being so close,” White said. “I think it’s so easy to think about what might have been. I think back on whether there was something you could have done a little bit differently to change the outcome. From the time I started to play hockey, it was my dream to be able to win a Stanley Cup and to be that close is pretty difficult.”
Despite the heartbreak, the spring of 2003 remains one of the most memorable, exciting seasons in Ottawa Senators history, and it all might have ended quite differently if not for a single broken hockey stick.
*Portions of this flashback article originally appeared in Faces Magazine.
The Los Angeles Clippers don’t necessarily have to hit the reset button after a mediocre 2025-26 season but will need to make the right decisions to replenish their roster for the future.
The Clippers will enter the NBA draft with the fifth overall pick on Tuesday, June 23.
It's the franchise’s lowest draft selection since picking Oklahoma's Blake Griffin with the No. 1 overall pick in 2009.
The Clippers likely will consider a guard with their first-round pick.
Even though the team acquired guard Darius Garland before the trade deadline during the season, the Clippers will consider their options from a guard-heavy list of draft prospects.
A forward could also be considered despite Kawhi Leonard’s likely return to the Clippers.
There’s still a chance that Leonard could be moved, but interested teams would have to be willing to make a trade offer and look past any potential punishment by the NBA for Leonard and the Clippers for their alleged involvement in a “no-show” agreement with a company to funnel extra compensation to the player.
“They’re great,” Soto said. “They call each other psychopaths. It’s crazy how hard they go into the wall and run around the field. It’s incredible. It’s really fun to watch.”
Ewing did it again in Sunday’s 10-1 win over the Marlins, robbing Connor Norby of a run-scoring extra-base hit with two on and no one out in the fourth, when Ewing raced back to make a leaping grab, crashing hard into the wall in the process.
It might be expected that Ewing might have been a little wobbly after the play, but the rookie insisted he was fine — and is now more inclined to go hard after shots like that at Citi Field.
“I feel great,’’ Ewing said of the possible aftereffects of the play. “The wall has a good amount of give. I think I could run into that thing at 30 mph and be all right. I won’t try it, but I like the odds.”
Mets center fielder A.J. Ewing (9) makes a nice catch on a ball hit by Miami Marlins first baseman Connor Norby (1) in the fourth inning against the Miami Marlins at Citi Field, Sunday, May 31, 2026. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
The Mets loved Ewing’s athleticism as he rocketed up their minor league system and they were confident he’d be able to handle the rigors of jumping to the majors so soon in his professional career because of his attitude and grittiness.
His fellow rookie, Benge, has similar attributes and nearly made a diving catch in right-center Sunday.
Their fearlessness was noted by Soto, who said he treats the pair as peers rather than taking a teacher/pupil role.
“I don’t try to be a mentor,” Soto said. “I try to be one of them. They are a part of this. It’s the first time for them being in the big leagues.”
Though Ewing and Benge likely will never approach Soto’s standards at the plate, they can still have a significant impact.
Benge followed a three-hit performance Saturday by getting on base twice — including a leadoff homer — Sunday.
The first-inning blast, his fourth of the year, was also the lefty-swinging Benge’s first against a left-handed pitcher.
Ewing has faltered of late offensively, with no extra-base hits in his last dozen games and 17 strikeouts in that span — including three Sunday — but he also walked and scored a run.
Plus, there’s the defense.
Mets left fielder Juan Soto (22) celebrates with right fielder Carson Benge (3) after he scores on his grand slam in the sixth inning against the Miami Marlins at Citi Field, Sunday, May 31, 2026 Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
“It’s a game-changer,’’ Carlos Mendoza said. “Part of the reason the pitching staff is having this success is they’re making the plays in the outfield.”
Marcus Semien has a unique viewpoint of what Ewing and Benge are doing defensively.
“A lot of those balls are hit over my head [at second base] and feel like doubles and triples and they run them down,” Semien said. “Their talent is through the roof. Experience is how they get better.”
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And after Ewing’s acrobatic play Sunday left him unharmed, he insisted he’ll do it again.
“Having gone into the wall like that and being OK, I’m even more confident about doing it,” Ewing said. “I’m definitely not gonna be afraid of it.”
