While the Detroit Red Wings prospects got off to a winning start Saturday evening against the Dallas Stars prospects, the Pittsburgh Penguins prospects handed them a setback Sunday.
The Penguins defeated the Red Wings 4-3 at the BELFOR Training Center inside Little Caesars Arena, evening Detroit’s record in the 2026 Prospect Tournament at 1-1.
The Red Wings were without forward Nate Danielson and defenseman Anton Johansson, both of whom played Saturday evening. They are both expected to return to the lineup for Tuesday's Prospect Tournament finale.
Detroit got on the scoresheet first, with Theo Rochette converting a pass from Carter Bear on an odd-man rush and beating Penguins goaltender Xavier Wendt.
Pittsburgh soon tied the game on a goal from Carter Sanderson, but Detroit regained the lead when a point shot from Jacob Truscott eluded Wendt through traffic.
Tomas Galvas tied the game again after cutting through the Detroit defense and beating goaltender Michal Orsulak with a backhander. Brayden Edwards then gave Pittsburgh its first lead of the game shortly afterward while the Penguins were shorthanded.
Late in the period, Detroit's Adam Levec jammed a loose puck across the goal line to tie the game once again. However, Pittsburgh's Jordan Charon scored in the third period to give the Penguins a lead they would not relinquish.
The Red Wings had multiple power-play opportunities late in the third period but struggled to gain the offensive zone or generate any meaningful pressure.
Orsulak stopped 29 of the 33 shots he faced, while Wendt turned aside 22 of 25 shots. Bear, Rochette, and Truscott each recorded four shots on goal.
Detroit will conclude the Prospect Tournament on Tuesday afternoon against the Columbus Blue Jackets; puck drop is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. ET.
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A prospect game is typically uneventful. It’s competitive and a fun way to get back into the hockey season, yet the players are still getting into shape and finding their footing again. It’s how the prospect game between the New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders started.
Then there was the hit by Anton Silaev at the end of the first period. It got the crowd into the game and brought some much-needed energy. Silaev’s defense partner, Seamus Casey, had quite the quote about it after the game. “I think the whole building felt it. Some people probably in Jersey City and Hoboken might have felt it, too.”
The hit was a glimpse into Silaev’s game and what he can become. The game showed what the Devils hope to develop him into. Likewise, it showed his deficiencies and where he must improve before he’s ready for the NHL.
Silaev As A Bigger Bruising Defenseman
When he’s on the ice, he’s a noticeable presence. He’s a bigger defenseman and plays like one too. For some hockey fans, he’s a throwback to a previous era, when every team had its physical presence who was eager to set the tone with a big hit (Scott Stevens was that player for the Devils during the Stanley Cup years).
Defensemen who deliver the big hits are exciting. They also don’t last long in today’s NHL. Suspensions don’t help, but more importantly, the injuries take their toll. The Islanders, who faced the Devils on Sunday, will be quick to point to Alexander Romanov. He’s their version of Silaev and has battled injuries over the years. At 26, Romanov is already wearing down and not the same player he once was.
It’s one reason the Devils will want Silaev to use his strength wisely. They want him to use his size and, at the same time, focus on becoming a shutdown defenseman who blocks shots and cleans up pucks in the net front.
Silaev Ideally Becomes The Devils’ Next Shutdown Defenseman
The Devils have their scoring defenseman, or at least they hope that Luke Hughes becomes one this season. They might add another in the near future, with the possibility of a Quinn Hughes addition on the horizon.
They need more stay-at-home defensemen, specifically young ones, to build around for the future. While Brett Pesce, Jonas Seigenthaler, and Johnathan Kovacevic play that role, all three are 29 or older.
If Silaev develops into one, it changes the Devils' outlook. Suddenly, they have a young stay-at-home option to build around who blocks shots and forces turnovers, while his defensive pairing can play more aggressively and focus on offense. Most playmaking and offensive-minded defensemen need a shutdown defenseman playing alongside them. The Devils are hoping they can develop a few with Silaev leading the way.
Silaev Still Has Room To Improve
Silaev, like many of the Devils' young defensemen, will allow opponents to get into the dirty areas and the net front for scoring chances. Likewise, he’ll allow open looks in the high-danger areas, which was on display in the exhibition game against the Islanders.
It’s not a knock on him. Many defensemen struggle at his age, especially coming from overseas. It’s why Silaev will likely spend this season developing with the Utica Comets in the American Hockey League.
The plus is that the Devils have the right players around him to help, including Seamus Casey as a defensive partner and Mikael Diotte, who understands the adjustment a rookie like Silaev is going through. “He’s got everything to have a good career. So, just trust himself, move his feet, and use his body, and I think he'll have success for sure,” Diotte mentioned when asked about the advice he gives the Devils prospect.
Silaev has made plenty of progress already, and he’s on the right track. The key for the Devils is keeping him on that track. “He's really attentive. He wants to learn. He wants feedback. He's responsive to anything that we're telling him on the bench. So, it’s been a pleasure to be working with him,” Comets head coach Ryan Parent noted after Sunday’s game.
It's not just Parent who was excited to work with Silaev either. "Seeing how he progressed in the KHL and the player he became is kind of impressive. So, he was somebody I was looking for at this rookie camp," Diotte added.
It’s easy to overreact to preseason hockey, especially a prospect game that doesn’t have many implications in the big picture. That’s the type of game the New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders played on Sunday afternoon at the RWJ Barnabas Health Hockey House.
That said, the surprise of the game was that the Devils kept up with the Islanders. The Islanders have multiple elite prospects in their system, some of whom will be on the NHL roster at the start of the season.
The Devils went toe to toe with the Islanders and had a 4-3 lead in the final minute before losing it in overtime. The game, while an exhibition, shined a bright light on the Devils' farm system, which has some pleasant surprises in it.
Devils Depth Stepping Up
The Devils found the back of the net four times, with Mikael Diotte and Matyas Melovsky particularly stepping up. Diotte is a depth defenseman who got the Devils on the board, while Melovsky found the back of the net twice.
The hope for the Devils is that both players develop into NHLers. For Melovsky, he’s starting to hit his stride as a 22-year-old forward who has found a scoring touch. This season, he’ll make his impact in the American Hockey League but down the road, he’s someone who can fight for a bottom-six spot.
The big name, however, in the Devils' system and on the ice Sunday afternoon was Anton Silaev. He’s not a scoring defenseman but showed flashes on the defensive end and made his biggest mark with a hit in the first period. “He’s got everything to uh to to have a good career. So, just trust himself, move his feet, and use his body, and I think he'll have success for sure,” Mikael Diotte noted after the game on what the young defenseman must do to make it to the NHL.
The Depth The Front Office Brought In Is Changing The Culture
The most impressive part about the Devils pipeline wasn’t on display in the Sunday game. It’s what’s happening in Utica with their AHL affiliate. First-time general manager Sunny Mehta brought in Braden Birch as the AHL GM, and the new-look front office brought in multiple borderline NHLers. It included players like Riley Tufte, Declan Chisholm, Amadeus Lombardi, and Ben Steeves.
These players aren’t prospects per se. However, they can fill in if the injuries pile up, and the Devils won’t experience a major drop-off. They’ll also become the veterans and mentors for the prospects who are on their way to the NHL.
It’s something that gives Utica Comets head coach Ryan Parent optimism. He’s entering his second full season behind the AHL bench and is finally getting a boost from the front office. “We talked about the organizational depth, and it's not just the guys that are in New Jersey. It's in Utica as well,” Parent noted after the prospect game, adding, “It just creates a lot of depth, and it surrounds everybody. It makes our team better and surrounds our prospects. So, we can get the most out of developing those guys.”
The Devils weren’t expected to improve their farm system overnight. It takes time to draft and develop. That said, bringing in the vets and changing the culture at the AHL level are how an NHL team moves the needle and makes progress.
Taking The Devils Pipeline With A Grain Of Salt
Parent said it best when trying to read into these games, even though he was talking about Silaev. “It’s a small sample size for us so far.” It’s only one exhibition game, and the 84-game season is still around the corner and more telling about this team.
The Islanders also switched goaltenders halfway through the game, swapping Josh Kotai for Burke Hood. It’s no coincidence that all four of the Devils' goals came after the change. In games like these, it’s always important to adjust for inflation.
It’s also worth adding that the Devils struggled defensively. Aside from allowing five goals to lose the game in overtime, they allowed the Islanders' prospects to find open looks in the net and bury second chances in the net front.
All that being said, the game left a strong impression. The Devils, who aren’t known for their prospect pool, might have a few players to keep an eye on, even if they spend next season in the AHL.
On Sunday afternoon, the New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders met inside RWJBarnabas Health Hockey House in Newark, New Jersey, for the first game action of the season.
As the stands filled with an energized group of fans, the Devils’ rookies took the ice, including top prospect Anton Silayev, marking the beginning of their preseason slate and the first opportunity to see the organization’s young talent on the ice.
After 60 minutes, the teams were tied at 4-4 with the home team getting goals from Mikael Diotte, Luke Wifley, and Matyas Melovsky (2). With 56.9 seconds remaining in overtime, Islanders forward Cole Eiserman scored the game-winner.
“We talked about making sure that at the end of the game we're looking back and the feedback that we were getting was that we were a competitive team, and make sure that was on the forefront,” Utica Comets head coach Ryan Parent said after the game. “I think the start of the game was as expected. There was a lot of energy, a lot of emotion, and guys were just anxious to get out there and play again. The game was a little bit choppy, but I thought the second period settled down, had a little more poise with the puck, and got some good opportunities from it, and then the compete to get back into it and make it a competitive game towards the end. I think the guys played hard.”
Devils lineup vs. Islanders
Ben Steeves - Matyas Melovsky - Lenni Hameenaho
Shane Lachance - Gabe Klassen - Cam Squires
Josh Filmon - Quinn McKenzie - Jeremy Wilmer
Cristophe Tellier - Luke Wifley - Nathan Lecompte
Anton Silaev - Seamus Casey
Ethan Edwards - Eamon Powell
Etienne Morin - Mikael Diotte
Jakub Málek
Game Notes and Observations
— Casey, Hämeenaho, and Melovsky were the three players wearing an “A”.
Photo Credit: Kristy Flannery
— With two minutes remaining in the opening period, Silaev laid a massive hit on Tomas Poletin below the goal line behind Malek. The Islanders naturally took exception, and a scrum ensued. Casey and Luca Romano were the two players assessed penalties on the play.
— The Islanders took a 1-0 lead early in the second period, as Daniil Prokhorov scored his first of the two-game series.
— It took 41 seconds for the Devils to tie and take the lead. Diotte scored his first of the scrimmage off a great play from Melovsky. Wifley potted New Jersey’s second goal with a wrist shot that beat Hood.
— The Islanders tied the game in the opening minutes of the third period as Prokhorov scored his second of the game.
— Diotte, known for playing a physical and emotional game, dropped the gloves, going up against Kadon McCann. By that point, he had already secured a goal and an assist. Not a bad outing for the defenseman.
— Melovsky scored New Jersey’s third and fourth goals. He finished the afternoon with three points: “He’s a really smart hockey player; the puck doesn’t slow him down, he does a great job of supporting it in the middle”, Parent said. “He can transport the puck really well. But I think what I saw tonight was kind of where he was trending last year, getting a lot stronger and confident with the puck. There were some plays where he has three guys around him, and he can still keep it on his stick.”
— I need to see more from Josh Filmon. In the opening period, he had a prime scoring opportunity in the opening period, but missed the net. In the second period, he had another opportunity, but Islanders goaltender Burke Hood made the save. Last season he played 11 games in the ECHL with the Adirondack Thunder and 31 with the Comets.
Photo credit: Kristy Flannery
The Devils rookie will hit the ice on Monday for a practice in Newark before traveling to Long Island to conclude their series against the Islanders.
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The Carolina Hurricanes came up short in the first game of the 2026 Prospects Showcase, falling 4-1 to the Nashville Predators Sunday afternoon at Lane Arena.
Despite what the final score may show, it was a fairly close game (Nashville scored two goals in the final two minutes), but in the end, wins and losses aren't necessarily the point of the showcase.
"The biggest thing we're looking for is trying to establish our style of play," said Chicago Wolves coach Spiros Anastas, who was coaching the Hurricanes prospects. "Whether they're guys we're going to see in Chicago or whether they're going to be competing for a spot here with the Canes or prospects we're going to see in the future, it's just the style of play, the habits and the expectations. Wins and losses aren't that important. We went 0-3 last year and I think both of our teams did pretty well."
The Canes were icing a roster comprised of 12 of its own draft picks and eight additional invitees, who may wind up on either the Chicago Wolves or Greensboro Gargoyles rosters, but notably there are a few key players who could very well be competing for an NHL job in less than a week.
One such player is defenseman Charles Alexis Legault, who is wearing the 'C' for Carolina in the showcase and who also made quite the impression in the game as the Hurricanes' top defender.
Legault laid a bone crushing hit on Joey Willis in the opening seconds and then a few minutes later, dropped the gloves with Kalan Lind.
"Just getting back into it," Legault said with a smirk. "I thought the best way was just to get physical. I mean, hockey's a physical game, so it turned me on and I think I played better because of it."
The 23-year-old blueliner made his NHL debut last season, appearing in 12 games with the Hurricanes.
Legault is known for his physicality, but it's the growth in his overall game that has him on the precipice of really breaking into the league.
"He's becoming more of a man," Anastas said. "And it's a confidence piece too. He wants to be in the NHL and he knows he can be and we have that belief in him too."
Another two players with NHL potential close at hand are Bradly Nadeau and Felix Unger Sorum.
The two are playing on opposite wings on the Hurricanes' top line and while the two didn't connect for any goals on Sunday, you can see the way they're able to dictate play and drive offensive looks.
The lone Carolina skater who did find his way onto the score sheet though was 18-year-old Zach Lansard.
Midway through the third period, a strong forechecking shift by the Hurricanes forced Nashville into a bad turnover and Lansard was there to send the mistake right back into the Predators' faces.
It's the 2026 draftees first trip down to Carolina and while it's been a whirlwind week for the youngster, he's been enjoying the experience before he heads back to the OHL.
"It's been great," Lansard said. "Just trying to take everything in and have a smile on my face and enjoy the week here."
The Hurricanes prospects will be back in action on Tuesday, Sept. 15 as the team takes on the Tampa Bay Lightning at 2 p.m. at Lane Arena.
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - SEPTEMBER 09: Gabriel Landeskog #92 of the Colorado Avalanche is recorded by TNT during the NHL/NHLPA North American Player Media Tour at City National Arena on September 09, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This weekend it was time to spotlight the Colorado Avalanche rookies before main training camp kicks off this week on Thursday, September 17th. After the release of the 25-man roster of attendees, all that was left was finally some on-ice activity.
Practice at Family Sports Center
Bright and early Friday morning the group of Avalanche rookies gathered for a brief practice before their two game set in San Jose, Calif. over the weekend. First, some news was released as the club need to bolster their roster on the back end. Great to see 2026 draftee Teddy Lechner as one of the selections, he must be on loan from the USHL. Two of the other names were in invites in attendance at development camp a few months ago.
The following players have been added to the Avalanche Rookie Faceoff roster:
Teddy Lechner Noah Jettelson Evan Friesen
Additionally, Saige Weinstein and Connor Kelley will not be participating in rookie camp activities due to injury.
For the practice, it was a short but productive one and lasted a little over an hour. Some ideas at lines began to form with Beckett Hamilton featuring often on TJ Hughes’ right wing. There was also some center ice battle drills leading to 2v2, which was a new look, perhaps from new Colorado Eagles head coach Jussi Ahokas. Getting the special teams units up to par was also on the agenda, first the traditional 5v4 practice but then later on a down low focus of just 3v2 was an interesting new approach.
Game 1 vs. Anaheim – 7-2 WIN
How the #Avs are going to line up today, courtesy of @CurtisPashelka on the ground in San Jose.
Ilya Nabokov will get his first taste of live North American hockey that (sort of) counts. pic.twitter.com/SOYvoY39EC
To start, this game was delayed over an hour but when the puck finally dropped, it was all Avalanche in a 7-2 victory. The top line was as suspected with TJ Hughes centering Taylor Makar and Beckett Hamilton, which was the trio that got the scoring started. For the first goal Makar received a gorgeous feed from Hamilton and then Hamilton scored himself on a one timer cross-ice pass from Hughes. Other goal scorers were from Matthew DiMarsico, Shawn Carrier, Cooper Gay and invite Kalder Varga.
Defenseman Alex Gagne had a special outing with a complete Gordie Howe hat trick plus an extra assist all while wearing the captain’s “C” on his jersey. Ilya Nabokov looked sharp in net and earned the win playing the first 40 minutes. He put on a show on the penalty kill when Anaheim was awarded numerous opportunities in the second period.
With a much thinner lineup compared to the previous tilt, the Avalanche found a tighter checking game against the Golden Knights rookies. The game unfolded somewhat similarly in the first two periods to the prior contest as Colorado built a 4-2 lead on a solid outing from goaltender Nikita Novosyolov. They received goals from invites Noah Jettelson, Kalder Varga and two from Jake Chaisson.
In the third period entered 2026 draftee Alexandre Raymond in net who was tasked with holding down the fort against Vegas’ pressure. At this point it was a total penalty-fest and Vegas evened up the game 4-4. Shortly after that Nikita Prishchepov scored on one of his half dozen penalty kill breakaways and put the Avalanche up 5-4 with only a few minutes left in the game. Linus Funck took a bad penalty and put Vegas back on the power play where they scored again and the game went to overtime.
Nikita Prishchepov on the SHORTY FOR THE LEAD late in the game! He uses all of PK skills from the AHL to take the puck away and run with it! And the video feed went to crud again. #Avs#GoAvsGopic.twitter.com/ysYnbiBNR9
Colorado was awarded a power play right at the end of regulation but couldn’t score on the 4v3. The five minute overtime concluded without a score and the game went into a shootout. Beckett Hamilton was the only tally for Colorado while Vegas put two on the board and the game ended 6-5 in their favor.
On defense it was an interesting mix both days of AHL veterans and young prospects. Teddy Lechner, who wasn’t even supposed to join the tournament as his USHL team begins their season in a matter of days, did well especially for as inexperienced as he is. Same goes for Ondrej Ruml as both were drafted by the Avalanche this summer. Linus Funck has hot and cold moments but was able to get a lot of ice time. Alex Gagne certainly will move up the pecking order with his strong showing in the first game as well. Sean Behrens set up a very nice goal in the second game but seems a bit lost in the shuffle.
It’s hard not to get excited for Beckett Hamilton who was able to show off his talents in this setting. He had looked good in camps prior to the showcase and turned it up a notch in these games by leading all Colorado rookies with 10 shots on goal over the two games. He’s still only 18-years-old and needs to get stronger on the puck but he has all the attributes of a NHL forward including a shot mentality to go along with a heavy shot but also great vision and playmaking ability, defensive aptitude and high hockey IQ. A goal, assist and shootout goal over the two days in a nice weekend of work heading into a tougher challenge against NHL competition where hopefully he can add a couple more shining moments. Also among the forward group, TJ Hughes and Taylor Makar set themselves up nicely to battle for NHL opportunity in main camp next week.
As the “starters” over the two games, both Ilya Nabokov and Nikita Novosyolov each contributed to the leads they allowed their teammates to build. Only giving up two goal each, the Russian netminders had particularly good sequences in the second periods when they were frequently on the penalty kill. Nabokov has a smoothness to his game with good reads and made an especially dramatic glove save. Novosyolov has a more aggressive style where he challenges in the crease more but was just as effective. To consider him just an ECHL goaltender would be a mistake.
The Vancouver Canucks wrapped up the 2026 Prospects Showcase with a 5–2 win against the Seattle Kraken. Adam Novotný, Bennett Schimek, Gabriel Chiarot, Braeden Cootes, and Alonso Gosselin scored for Vancouver today, while Ty Young and Aku Koskenvuo split the start and stopped a combined 31 of 33 shots faced.
After an individually successful first game the day before that saw him score his first goal in a Canucks uniform, Novotný put on an excellent performance once again, opening the scoring with less than five minutes to go in the first period. Playing on a new line with Cootes and fellow 2026 draftee Brooks Rogowski, the winger helped advance the play into the O-zone, chipping it up to Rogowski before advancing on net and beating Kraken goaltender Nikke Kokko.
Novotný’s impact went farther than just on the scoresheet, however, as he was also noticeably more physical in today’s game — specifically in throwing extra jabs at the Kraken prospects after the whistle went.
“In a good way, bull in a china shop,” Abbotsford Canucks Head Coach Ryan Papaioannou said post-game of Novotný’s performance. “Everything [went] north for him, chipping pucks to areas, winning races, really tough to knock off the puck. So I think he probably just stayed to his brand.”
“He’s got an elite shot release. You saw him on his first goal today — that’s pretty sick," linemate Rogowski added. "Just with his speed too, he just creates so well. His speed opens up ice for everyone else because guys kind of duplicate on him and it just creates more space for everybody. For a guy like him, he’s such a threat. It sometimes takes the pressure off me a little bit to give me some more space to make a play.”
Just as it seemed to for Seattle the night before, once the second period came around, the Canucks’ floodgates opened up.
At the beginning of the second, the Kraken announced a change at goal, swapping Kokko with Maks Corovic.
The Kraken managed to tie things up at the five-minute mark of the second period, though it didn’t take long for Vancouver to regain their lead and then some. Schimek helped start the play that led to his goal, retrieving the puck from a Seattle team attempting to break-out. After giving it to Kirill Kudryavtsev to reset, the Abbotsford Canucks forward tore into the O-zone and flipped the puck past Corovic’s glove.
Vancouver scored once again after things got scrambly near Seattle’s crease, with the puck hitting a Kraken player’s stick before ending up in the net. Cootes tapped Vancouver’s fourth goal into the net after receiving a smooth pass from linemate Rogowski.
Before Vancouver could score their fifth, Kraken prospect Jagger Firkus found the back of the net for Seattle. Five minutes later, however, Novotný brought the puck into the O-zone, keeping it alive along the boards before passing it to Gosselin, who tucked it in for the Canucks’ fifth goal of the game.
By the end of the second period, the score was up to 5–2 for Vancouver.
The third period featured more special teams time as well as some stunning saves by Koskenvuo. This included a split-save that saw the goaltender stretch across the crease to stop the Kraken from scoring with around five minutes remaining in the game.
One of the most impactful changes to Vancouver in today’s game was the switch in lines. The new line of Novotný, Cootes, and Rogowski helped score three of the Canucks’ five goals, with each member of the line registering at least one point.
“I think [it was] just probably something that we all wanted to see, everybody in the stands included,” Papaioannou said of the Canucks prospects’ top-line.”Give those guys a look together, and whether they had a successful game or not, I think it was fun just to watch.”
Vancouver’s prospects will now look to build on today’s result by having a strong training camp next week.
Photo Credit: Izzy Cheung - THN
Scoring Summary:
1st Period:
15:54 - VAN: Adam Novotný from Brooks Rogowski and Arseni Anisimov
2nd Period:
5:23 - SEA: Tyson Jugnauth from Oscar Fisker Molgaard and Jagger Firkus (PPG)
6:28 - VAN: Bennett Schimek from Kirill Kudryavtsev
7:56 - VAN: Gabriel Chiarot from Carson Cameron
9:08 - VAN: Braeden Cootes from Brooks Rogowski and Adam Novotný
11:33 - SEA: Jagger Firkus from Julius Miettinen and Ty Nelson
16:24 - VAN: Alonso Gosselin from Adam Novotný and Sawyer Mynio
3rd Period:
No Scoring.
Up Next:
The next time the Canucks will hit the ice in front of their fans is on September 17 for Day 1 of their 2026 Training Camp in Penticton. The 2026 NHL pre-season begins a couple of days after on September 19, with the Canucks facing none-other than the Kraken in Seattle.
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Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd has to be the MLB King of Having His Inherited Runners Scoring. (For lack of a better term.)
This has been happening frequently to Boyd — in fact, that makes three starts in a row where he left with the lead and runners on base and a Cubs reliever let those runners score and in two of the three, the Cubs thus coughed up the lead.
That’s what happened Sunday at a rainy Wrigley Field that, for the first time, really felt like September. The Cubs and Boyd entered the sixth with a lead, Boyd put runners on base and in this case it was Aaron Civale giving up a two-run single that the Pirates made hold up for a 4-3 Cubs defeat.
The Pirates had taken a 1-0 lead in the first on a single by Konnor Griffin, walk drawn by Oneil Cruz and single by Bryan Reynolds.
Interesting editing on that clip, too, which has video from the Pirates broadcast. It starts with audio from the Pittsburgh channel, then switches to Marquee audio when the play is made at third.
The lead did not last long. Boyd issued a leadoff walk in the sixth, and how often have we seen those come back to bite the Cubs? A single by Rafael Flores Jr. followed, and then Nick Gonzales sent a double to right that got stuck in the ivy. For a moment, at least, a break for the Cubs as only one run scored on the play, tying the game.
But there are still two runners on with nobody out. Boyd struck out Ryan O’Hearn and then was lifted for Civale.
That was absolutely, positively the right move to make, but Civale did not produce. He walked Jake Mangum to load the bases and then gave up a two-run single to pinch-hitter Brandon Lowe, who just wore out Cubs pitching all year. The runs, as noted above, were charged to Boyd.
Civale then settled down and finished off that inning, and the Cubs mounted a comeback in the bottom of the sixth. Michael Busch singled with one out and went to third on a double by Bregman. A walk to Happ loaded the bases, and Nico Hoerner then grounded out, with Busch scoring [VIDEO].
That left runners on second and third with two out, but Ramirez flied to right to end the inning.
The Cubs managed just one baserunner after the sixth, a two-out walk drawn by Suzuki in the seventh. The Pirates might have scored more runs, too, if not for some more good defense.
Check out this nice play by Ramirez in the eighth [VIDEO].
This loss isn’t the end of the world. The Phillies won Sunday, so the teams are back in a tie for the top wild-card spot at 83-67, with the Cubs holding the tiebreaker. Something I noticed about the Phillies while watching them this weekend against the Braves — they are a very poor defensive team, while the Cubs play elite defense which will get better when Dansby Swanson returns, hopefully Friday in Cincinnati. If the Cubs and Phillies do wind up matching up in a Wild Card series, that will matter.
Note on this loss from BCB’s JohnW53:
This was the 54th of the Cubs’ 150 games in which they have squandered a lead. They are 24-30 in such games and have lost 10 of 11: nine in a row before winning Friday, then the loss today.
They have blown 65 total leads, 25 of them, including today, in the next half-inning after going ahead.
That… that’s just got to change before the regular season ends, or any postseason run isn’t going to last long.
Things are not going to get any easier for the Cubs beginning Monday evening, when they host the Braves in the opener of a three-game series. The Braves do play much better at home (51-27) than on the road (37-35), so perhaps the Cubs can take advantage. David Peterson will start the series opener Monday against Atlanta right-hander Reynaldo Lopez. Game time Monday is 6:40 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.
Former Minnesota Wild defenseman John Klingberg has officially called it a career.
Klingberg announced his retirement from professional hockey Friday after 12 NHL seasons and exactly 700 regular-season games. The 34-year-old finished his career with 92 goals, 351 assists and 443 points while playing for six different teams.
His time in Minnesota was brief, but Klingberg played an important role for the Wild down the stretch of the 2022-23 season.
Minnesota acquired Klingberg from the Anaheim Ducks at the 2023 NHL trade deadline in exchange for defenseman Andrej Sustr, the rights to prospect Nikita Nesterenko and a fourth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. Anaheim also retained 50 percent of Klingberg's salary in the deal.
Klingberg appeared in 17 regular-season games for the Wild, recording two goals and seven assists for nine points. He then added a goal and three assists in four playoff games as Minnesota was eliminated by the Dallas Stars in six games in the first round.
He left Minnesota that summer and signed a one-year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He underwent season-ending hip surgery during the 2023-24 season before eventually returning to the NHL later.
He spent the 2025-26 season with the San Jose Sharks and showed he could still produce offensively, finishing with 10 goals and 17 assists for 27 points in 56 games. It ultimately proved to be his final NHL season.
For Wild fans, Klingberg's stay in Minnesota amounted to only 21 games between the regular season and playoffs, but he remains part of Bill Guerin's aggressive 2023 trade-deadline push that also brought Gustav Nyquist, Marcus Johansson and Oskar Sundqvist to Minnesota.
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MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - SEPTEMBER 13: Robert Gasser #54 of the Milwaukee Brewers is taken out of game by manager Pat Murphy #49 of the Milwaukee Brewers in the sixth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at American Family Field on September 13, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A three-run home run off the bat of Eugenio Suárez in the top of the sixth inning led the way for the Cincinnati Reds to salvage the final game of the three-game series. The Brewers’ 4-3 loss snaps their five-game winning streak and avoids any chance of clinching the division title on an off-day.
Robert Gasser toed the mound for the 19th time this season and delivered one of his better performances that the Brewers have seen this season. He threw five innings of one-run ball, allowing three hits and two walks. Looking to avoid early trouble, Gasser found himself with two runners on base with just one out; that was until he forced back-to-back flyouts to end the top of the second inning.
After scoring 33 runs in the first two games of the series, the Brewers offense came back down to Earth this afternoon only scoring three-runs, all off of home runs. Entering play this afternoon, the Crew had hit seven home runs as a team during the series against the Reds. Joey Ortiz made it eight in the series with his two-run home run in the bottom of the second inning to give the Brewers an early 2-0 lead.
Shortly thereafter, Reds ace Chase Burns left the game after 56 pitches in three innings. That’s the second straight appearance for Burns in which he hasn’t appeared into the fourth inning. In fact, three out of his last four starts have resulted in an early departure from the game for Burns, having not pitched into the fifth inning since August 30.
Gasser gave up his second hit of the game on a ground-rule double to Tyler Stephenson in the top of the fourth inning; from that point on, no one else would reach base. He finished the afternoon with three 1-2-3 innings, a significant improvement from what we’ve seen from him on the mound. This won’t be the last time we see Gasser this regular season, as if the schedule remains the same, he should expect one to two more starts.
In the top of the sixth inning, Gasser went back out to the mound and gave up a lead-off single to Elly De La Cruz. Antonio Senzatela replaced Gasser on the mound, tasked with getting through the heart of the Reds lineup. After instantly allowing a single up the middle, Suárez attacked with his 24th home run of the season to give the Reds their first lead of the game. After the nightmare sixth inning for Senzatela, his ERA with the Brewers now inflates to 6.48 in 16.2 innings.
Needing an offensive spark after being held at bay for four straight innings, Jake Bauers woke up the bats with a lead-off solo home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to bring the game back to even. His home run total on the season improves to 26, continuing to lead the Brewers in long ball.
Bullpen issues continued to haunt the Brewers for the second time in the game, as reliable setup man Abner Uribe allowed back-to-back singles to lead off the top of the eighth inning. After getting Suárez to pop out, Stephenson hit a sacrifice fly to right field to drive in the go-ahead and ultimately winning run of the game.
The Brewers had a great start in the bottom of the eighth inning with a lead-off single from Cooper Pratt followed by a bunt for a single hit from Sal Frelick. With it looking like it was turning into another classic Brewers inning, Jackson Chourio grounded into the team’s third double-play of the day to kill any momentum swinging their way.
Outside of the Brice Turang lead-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning, there was no real threat for the Brewers to come back against the Reds as Gary Sánchez was called out on strikes before Bauers lined out. Christian Yelich flew out in foul territory to lock in the win for the Reds.
Today marked the final time these two teams will face each other, and the Brewers won the season series 9-4. The Crew will go on one of their longer road trips of the season as they go on the East Coast tour, beginning in Pittsburgh on Tuesday for a three-game series.
After today, the Brewers didn’t make up any ground on their own in their other magic number races, but did so with the help of the Pirates. With the Cubs’ loss, their number to clinch the division is now down to two games. On top of that, their number to clinch a first-round bye is down to eight.
The Brewers will head to Pittsburgh for the final time in 2026 for a three-game series, which will begin on Tuesday at 5:40 p.m.
Norman Powell signed with the Bulls in the offseason. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Powell was formerly a cross-town rival of the Lakers, having some of the best years of his career with the Clippers from 2021 through 2025.
Powell’s remarks come at an interesting time for the Lakers franchise. The offseason featured a slew of dramatic events including the departure of LeBron James and owner Mark Walter selling the team amid a federal investigation.
As for the Lakers’ roster, general manager Rob Pelinka orchestrated a massive overhaul headlined by center Walker Kessler’s four-year, $130 million deal. LA’s new trio features Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Kessler.
Many experts are predicting the Lakers to finish the 2026-27 season as a fringe playoff team, rather than a legitimate contender. Thus, Powell’s comments seem unwarranted.
But the guard formerly played for the Clippers from 2022-25, so his remarks may be coming from the crosstown rivalry.
Doncic will have to show he can do just that this season.
The new look Lakers will be led by Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. NBAE via Getty ImagesLuka Doncic faces immense pressure to play at a high level this season and lead the Lakers to a playoff push. Andrej Tarfila/SOPA Images
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - SEPTEMBER 13: Steven Kwan #38 of the Cleveland Guardians celebrates in the dugout after a solo home run against the Minnesota Twins in the first inning at Target Field on September 13, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Steven Garcia/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Guardians made up some ground in the AL Central race with today’s victory over the Minnesota Twins. Steven Kwan started things off with a second pitch bang.
This immediate lead gave the team some great momentum through the game. Tanner Bibee had one of the best starts of his 2026 campaign. Bibee only gave up two runs on four hits and two walks and struck out seven in 6.2 innings of work. He never really had a huge threat on the base path, with one of the runs coming from a solo home run. Hunter Gaddis went 0.2 of scoreless ball, allowing one hit. Erik Sabrowski pitched 0.2 scoreless innings too, leaving things to Matt Festa to close things out. Festa gave them a clean ninth, only allowing one baserunner and striking out two.
Cleveland put up a couple of runs via the home run, and Jo Adell absolutely demolished one. 451 feet, 116.8 mph off the bat, an absolute beauty.
Not to forget their roots, the Guardians threw in some small ball in the top of the fourth to tack on two runs. Brayan Rocchio reached on a one-out hit by pitch then stole second to put himself in scoring position. Steven Kwan doubled on a liner to right to score Rocchio. Chase DeLauter grounded out for the second out, but it moved Kwan to third in the process. Travis Bazzana hit a single on a liner to right to score Kwan and give Cleveland a 4-1 lead.
In the top of the sixth, Brayan Rocchio lead things off with a single to right. With two outs, Travis Bazzana hit a home run of his own, scoring Rocchio and giving the Guards a five run lead.
Cleveland pretty much sealed the deal in the top of the ninth. Chase DeLauter singled on a grounder to right and was lifted for pinch runner Petey Halpin. Travis Bazzana drew a walk and forced a pitching change. Jo Adell hit a ground-rule double scoring Petey and moving Travis to third. Nathaniel Lowe hit a sac fly to left, scoring Travis easily and giving the space for Adell to move to third. Angel Martínez doubled to center, scoring Adell for the final Cleveland run of the game.
Steven Kwan had a fantastic game, going 3-for-4 with only a triple shy of a cycle and a walk. He had two runs and two RBI. Travis Bazzana went 2-for-4 with two runs, three RBI, and walk. Jo Adell went 2-for-5 with two runs and two RBI.
The Chicago White Sox come to town tomorrow after dropping back-to-back series against the Pirates and Cardinals. That means they will be desperate for a win in a series that practically determines who raises the AL Central pennant next year. It will make for some gritty baseball that hopefully ends in Cleveland’s favor.
He’d already fouled off three sinkers in the at-bat and was rewarded with a four-seam fastball on the inner third of the plate. He extended through it and admired the ball’s flight to loanDepot Park’s right-field upper deck, his bat at his side.
The Dodgers dugout turned raucous.
In the Dodgers’ 6-4 walk-off loss against the Marlins on Sunday, De Paula’s three-run home run in the fourth inning gave the team a spark on offense. He also drew a walk and hit a double to reach base in every plate appearance.
As Dodgers starting pitcher Emmet Sheehan turned in a two-hit gem over the course of six scoreless innings, De Paula carried the offense. The Dodgers logged just two other extra-base hits, a double from Will Smith to lead off the fourth, and an RBI double from Mookie Betts in the ninth.
Then to start a bullpen meltdown, reliever Edgardo Henriquez gave up two runs in the eighth to make it a nail-biter. Closer Tanner Scott finished the inning, but after allowing an infield single and a bunt for a base hit in the ninth, he surrendered a game-tying double to Javier Sanoja. Right-hander Brock Stewart replaced him and gave up a walk-off two-run homer to Agustín Ramírez.
De Paula’s day started with a first: a major-league start in the outfield. He’d served as the designated hitter in his first two big-league games, racking up three walks in eight plate appearances. But the Dodgers’ lineup Sunday was missing left fielder Teoscar Hernández and utility man Tommy Edman.
Manager Dave Roberts explained that, for them, he wanted to avoid the toll of playing three straight days in a turf outfield. So, De Paula went out to left field, and Alex Call started in center field.
De Paula’s defense is behind his offensive game, but the Dodgers have been pleased with his progress lately. And he’s bought into a pregame routine with third base coach Dino Ebel in his short time with the team.
Dodgers rookie Josue De Paula celebrates after hitting a three-run homer against the Marlins Sunday in Miami. (Lynne Sladky / Associated Press)
“Being candid, I don’t think that he’s valued it as much as he will,” Roberts said earlier this week. “And it just has to be important. Certainly, when you get to the big leagues, outs are important, converting outs are important. And so, he’s a young player, he’s 21 years old. His bat has certainly got him here, but it’s our job to make him value defense and get him to be a better defender.”
De Paula immediately impressed with the quality of his at-bats — “I don’t think he swung at a ball out of the hitting zone,” Roberts said Saturday — and he again showed off his plate discipline in his first at-bat Sunday, drawing a five-pitch walk in the second inning.
Then, in the fourth, he stepped into the biggest situation of his young major-league career: a 0-0 ballgame, with runners on first and second. And his patience paid off.
The crack of the bat echoed the thunder that had been rumbling outside of the roofed ballpark for much of the afternoon.
He lifted Marlins starter Eury Pérez’s fastball at a 39-degree launch angle, according to Statcast, 108.2 mph off the bat.
De Paula tossed his bat aside, looked into the Dodgers dugout and slapped his chest across the letters.
He logged his second major-league hit in the next at-bat. With two outs in the sixth inning, he lined a splitter from Marlins right-handed reliever Jack Ralston off the wall in right-center field for a double.
Rojas returns
Dodgers' Mookie Betts, left, and Miguel Rojas celebrate in the seventh inning against the Marlins in Miami on Sunday. (Megan Briggs / Getty Images)
Roberts also made sure to get Miguel Rojas in the lineup Sunday, in what may be the former Marlin’s last game at loanDepot Park. Rojas has shied away from a full farewell tour but is contemplating returning after the season and transitioning into a player development role.
“I had a conversation with him about a week ago about potentially getting a start here,” Roberts said. “That’s something that meant a lot to him. I don’t know how emotional you’re going to see him. Maybe at the end of the game or to start the game I think you’ll probably see some kinds of emotions if you’re looking closely. This has been an important place for him, an important organization. So for him to get a potential final start here, it’s important for him.”
The Marlins played a tribute video for Rojas after the first inning. At the top of the dugout stairs, he put his hand over his heart and acknowledged the cheering crowd.
In the eighth inning, he dove after a ground ball up the middle, as shortstop Mookie Betts hurdled over him, and was slow to get up, holding his right shoulder. But after a conversation with an athletic trainer and a couple practice throws, he remained in the game for the rest of the inning. Edman pinch hit for him against a right-handed reliever in the top of the ninth.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 13: Pitching Coach Justin Willard meets Christian Scott #45 at the mound along with Francisco Alvarez #4 and Francisco Lindor #12 of the New York Mets in the third inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on September 13, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Evan Bernstein/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The final game of the 2026 Subway Series was a well pitched game by both teams, starting with both Christian Scott and Cam Schlittler throwing quality starts.
Schlittler, who is one of the very best pitchers in the league, was as dominant as he has been all season. The 25 year old righty surrendered just one hit, a fifth inning Brett Baty double, en route to his 14th win of the season. He walked just two, and struck out eight, lowering his ERA to 1.95 on the season. He is truly excellent, and today was no different. He was only lifted from the game after getting hit with a comebacker on the leg in his sixth and final inning, though Yankees manager Aaron Boone said he will be okay.
Christian Scott, to his credit, was nearly as good as Schlittler on the day. He gave up three hits, also walked two, and struck out seven. Unfortunately for Scott and the Mets, two of those three hits were solo home runs; one by Ben Rice in the first inning, and the second by Austin Wells in the third inning. Scott, who also went six innings, sits with a very solid 3.76 ERA on the season after the tough luck loss.
As you can imagine by the shutout, the Mets were at their wits end offensively even after Schlittler was lifted from the game. They went down in order against Brent Headrick in the seventh, got a runner on by way of a Francisco Alvarez single in the eighth against Old Friend Paul Blackburn, and got a runner on in the ninth against closer David Bednar (a Bo Bichette single), but did not really come close to tying the game.
The Mets bullpen did their best efforts to keep them in the game after Scott left. Nate Lavander and Austin Warren both worked around walks in the seventh and eighth innings, respectively. It was a very well-pitched game, with the two solo home runs for the Yankees putting them on top.
Big Mets winner: Francisco Alvarez and Christian Scott, +2% WPA Big Mets loser: Carson Benge, -12% WPA Mets pitchers: +6% WPA Mets hitters: -5.6% WPA Teh aw3s0mest play: Francisco Alvarez’s eighth inning single, 6.7+% WPA Teh sux0rest play: Ben Rice’s solo home run, -9.9% WPA
Sep 13, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Dylan Cease (84) throws out Baltimore Orioles first baseman Pete Alonso (not pictured) at first base during the third inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Orioles 1 Jays 8
Well, Vlad finally homered at Rogers. He would have had two, except the wind pushed one back to make it just a double.
And Springer and Okamoto homered on either side of Vlad’s so the Jays could go back-to-back-to-back in the fifth inning.
We also got one in the second: Charles McAdoo started the inning with a single and Andrés Giménez doubled him home.
And four more in the eighth: Nathan Lukes walked. Two outs later, Brandon Valenzuela singled (and stole second). Myles Straw walked. Brett Bateman walked in a run. Springer doubled in three more (the Orioles left fielder let it bounce past him).
We had 10 hits, with the three home runs, and 5 walks today. Vlad had four, with the homer and double, just needed a triple. Springer had two. Bateman (with 2 walks), Clement and Straw (1 walk) had 0 fors.
Vlad had hits of 115.5 mph (single), 105.3 (double), 94.0 home run, and 82.3 (single). The home run wasn’t ‘crushed’, 350 feet. The double went further (but to center).
Dylan Cease wasn’t at the top of his game, but he threw 5 innings of 1 run ball. He gave up 5 walks and 4 hits, with 9 strikeouts, coming out of the game at 94 pitchers.
We used most of the pen too:
Ricky Tiedemann gave up a hit and a walk, with a strikeout, while getting two outs.
Braydon Fisher got the last out of the sixth.
Mason Fluharty gave up a single and had a strikeout in the seventh.
Tyler Rogers did the same in the eighth.
And, since we scored four in the eighth, Michael Lorenzen pitched the ninth, giving up a pair of singles with a strikeout.
Jays of the Day: Vlad (0.15 WPA), Springer (0.13) and Cease (0.14). The relievers deserve an honourable mention.
No on gets the Other Award. Clement had the low mark at -0.08.
We play three against the Tigers in Toronto starting tomorrow.
