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3 Takeaways: Golden Knights Strike First, Top Wild 4-2 To Take 1-0 Series Lead In Opening Round Of NHL Playoffs

<i>Golden Knights wing Pavel Dorofeyev (16) scores a goal against the Wild during the second period of Game 1 of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena on April 20, 2025. <b>Photo Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images</b></i>

LAS VEGAS -- It takes 16 wins to hoist Lord's Stanley Cup.

One down, 15 to go.

The Golden Knights opened their 2025 postseason campaign with 4-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Sunday night to take a 1-0 series lead in the best-of-seven set.

Brett Howden scored twice and Adin Hill made 18 saves for the Knights. Pavel Dorofeyev also scored for Vegas, his first career playoff goal, while Tomas Hertl found the slimmest of margins for his 26th career playoff score.

Matt Boldy scored both of Minnesota's goals while Filip Gustavsson made 23 saves.

Vegas opened the scoring late in the first period when Hertl simply outmuscled Minnesota's Brock Faber to grab the puck and lift it short side and beat Gustavsson.

Boldy tied the game a little more than two minutes later when he one-timed Kirill Kaprizov's cross-ice pass to the doorstep past Hill.

The Knights retook the lead late in the second period, just five seconds into a power play, when Shea Theodore dragged the puck down the line, faked a shot and fed Dorofeyev, who fired a missile into a wide-open net to make it 2-1.

Howden pushed the lead to two goals early in the third period when he took a pass from Nic Roy inside the blue line during an odd-man rush and lasered a wrist shot from the bottom of the left circle.

The Wild closed the gap again when Kaprizov's shot caromed behind the net, and Boldy was there to gather the puck on one side and deliver a nifty wraparound to the other and make it a one-goal game.

Howden's second of the evening, into an empty net as time expired, provided the final margin.

Here are three takeaways from Sunday's game:

NO PRESSURE: Dorofeyev, who led the Golden Knights with 35 goals during the regular season, may have done himself a favor by notching his first-ever playoff goal in his second career playoff game. One, the jitters are out after getting on the stat sheet, and two, any confidence that poured in from the regular season was exemplified when his blast beat Gustavsson.

"I think it's important to get that out of the way, so good for him," Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. "Real good play by Hertl all around, wins the draw, picks, releases, screens a goalie. He's done that a number of times this year, opened up plays for the guys. And Pav, I mean, he didn't miss. Even if the goalie does track the puck and get across, it might still go in. ... Happy for Pav as a young guy that has scored a lot, you don't want that to have to answer those questions as a playoff goes along, if you can help it."

MINNY MUSCLE: The Wild played an exceptionally physical game, looking to establish their presence immediately while hoping to bully the Knights. Minnesota outhit Vegas, 54-29, marking the Wild's second-highest postseason total in franchise history. The highest? That came on May 16, 2021, also against Vegas, with 71.

"Yeah, obviously, I think they were pretty physical today," Vegas forward Nic Roy said. "But we got a big team. We're not just gonna look for a number of hits. I think we're always gonna be a physical team. We're gonna win our battles. That's the most important thing. And I think the guys that have that in them to be physical are gonna be physical. And the guys that are going to make plays, are going to make plays and obviously raise their the intensity and winning their battles. It's just the way we approach it."

PLAYOFF ADIN: In his 20th career playoff appearance, and 18th start, Hill faced his second-fewest shots (20). The only time he faced fewer shots was his first-ever appearance, when he relieved Laurent Brossoit on May 6, 2023, and played just the third period. Hill has now allowed two or fewer goals in 12 of his 20 playoff games. He has a career goals-against average of 2.08 and a save percentage of .931.

Stay updated with the most interesting Golden Knights stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story.    

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Curry leads Warriors to play-off win at Rockets

Stephen Curry dribbles the basketball
Stephen Curry (left) is a four-time NBA champion [Reuters]

Stephen Curry scored a game-high 31 points as the Golden State Warriors began their play-off campaign with a 95-85 win at the Houston Rockets.

The seventh-seeded Warriors made it successive wins in Houston, with Curry also adding six rebounds and three assists.

Jimmy Butler chipped in with a further 25 points, seven rebounds and six assists to hand Golden State a 1-0 series lead - with Game 2 scheduled for Thursday.

"Steph was incredible. He was incredible," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said.

"With that type of pressure on him from [Amen] Thompson and others, he just made some amazing plays and, obviously, carried us offensively along with Jimmy."

The Rockets, seeded second in the play-offs, endured a disappointing end to the regular season with three successive defeats and have lost back-to-back games at home.

Ime Udoka's side are featuring in the play-offs for the first time since 2019-20, when they lost against the Los Angeles Lakers in the semi-finals.

"I wouldn't say the moment, I would say the physicality at times, going after guys, and just play-off basketball," Udoka said when asked if a lack of experience cost his side.

"It's not really about the moment. Going into the lane, trying to shoot over too many and not finding your outlets is a big thing and a big key for us all year."

Elsewhere, the Cleveland Cavaliers sealed a 121-100 win against the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference play-offs.

Donovan Mitchell scored 30 points with Ty Jerome adding 28 points and Darius Garland scoring 27.

Jerome, who picked up 16 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter, was making his play-off debut.

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In defensive struggle, Curry and Butler prove to be difference in Warriors' Game 1 win against Rockets

NBA: Playoffs-Golden State Warriors at Houston Rockets

Apr 20, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) reacts after making a basket during the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

It felt like we've all seen this movie before. Stephen Curry's Warriors facing a team with younger legs and elite defenders, a team trying to push Golden State around physically. Jimmy Butler on the lower-ranked team but making clutch, winning plays on both ends.

New season. New opponent in the Houston Rockets. Familiar result.

In a defensive struggle of a game, the Warriors had more firepower, particularly in the clutch, and pulled away for a 95-85 win that puts Golden State up 1-0 in this first-round series.

The difference was Stephen Curry doing Stephen Curry things on his way to 31 points.

It's unfair to say the Rockets didn't have anyone who could do this, because there is only one player who could make this shot.

Butler finished with 25 points, made defensive plays, and, with the game on the line, sealed the win with a jumper and a dunk. Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody hit big shots late when called upon.

The Rockets didn't have go-to scorers they could lean on. Over the course of the season they relied on a more egalitarian offense — everybody got their chance, had their night, and there was no real pecking order. Sunday night they needed one.

Alperen Sengun led Houston with 26 points, but when things got tight late it was often Amen Thompson trying to create, and he finished with eight points on 4-of-9 shooting for the game. Jalen Green shot 3-of-15, Fred VanVleet 4-of-19, Tari Eason 3-of-10.

"Some guys did struggle offensively, you are not going to overreact to one game," Houston coach Ime Udoka said postgame.

The Rockets often just looked sloppy against a Warriors defense that was the best in the NBA after the All-Star break: Houston shot 20.7% on 3-pointers and had 17 turnovers. They left points all over the court, shooting just 11-of-20 (55%) from the free throw line.

Houston can't play like that and beat Golden State.

There are bright spots for the Rockets moving forward, including the fact that they fought back from a 20-point deficit to make it a game late. There are easy "just play better" points to pick up knocking down 3-pointers and free throws. Plus, the Rockets grabbed 22 offensive rebounds on the night.

However, the Rockets need someone to step up as a bucket getter, to have someone they can trust at the end of games to make big plays and set up teammates.

The Warriors have two of those guys and that was the difference in Game 1.

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Panthers taking full advantage of late start to Stanley Cup Playoffs

Florida Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice watches over a team practice at the Baptist Health IcePlex in Coral Springs. (Florida Panthers)

Monday is day three of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

It’s been a fun start to the best postseason in all of sports, and now we’ll start getting into the drama of a seven-game series as we’ve already got a pair of Game 2’s.

By the time the night is over, only the series between the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning will have yet to begin.

When the puck finally does drop on Game 1 between the Cats and Bolts, it’ll kick off one of the more anticipated matchups of the opening round.

While the longer wait can be frustrating for a fanbase frothing at the mouth to defend their Stanley Cup title from a season ago, the Panthers are embracing the additional time before the madness begins.

Remember, Florida was far from full strength down the stretch of the regular season.

Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice regularly rested his players over the past few weeks, and made no secret about his intention to have the Cats as healthy as possible for the start of the playoffs.

Among the players given nights off to allow extra healing and rest time were Sam Bennett, Sasha Barkov, Gus Forsling, Sam Reinhart and several others.

Maurice has since said that every player on the active roster should be good to go for Game 1 against Tampa Bay, but that does not include Florida’s All-Star who remains on LTIR.

Matthew Tkachuk practiced with the Panthers on Saturday for the first time since he suffered an apparent groin injury during the 4 Nations Face-off in February.

He should be back on the ice with Florida on Monday, barring any setbacks following Saturday’s skate.

If all goes well, thanks to this late series start date, there is still hope that Tkachuk will be ready in time for Game 1 on Tuesday.

As Maurice explained earlier this week, the team is doing their best to use the extra days to their advantage.

“We’ll get an extra day skate, and it lets us accomplish both things: we’ll get the right amount of rest and also be on the ice enough that we can stay sharp,” he said. “To balance those two things, the extra days allow us to accomplish both.”

The Panthers will head up to Tampa after their practice in Fort Lauderdale on Monday.

Before they leave, we’ll likely get an update on Tkachuk, as Maurice also previously said that Monday would be a decision day regarding his status for Game 1.

Stay tuned.

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Padres’ Arraez out of hospital after scary collision at first base

HOUSTON — San Diego’s Luis Arraez returned to the stadium postgame after he was taken to a hospital following a collision with Mauricio Dubón on a play at first base in the first inning of the Padres’ 3-2 win over the Astros on Sunday night.

San Diego manager Mike Shildt said after the game that the situation was the “best case scenario with Luis.”

“Obviously, very scary,” Shildt said. “We think he’s for the most part out of the woods. More time will tell, but the initial testing is very favorable. No fractures of any sort. I mean, he got a little bit of a laceration on his jawline, so we are worried about his jaw. We are worried about his cervical region. Everything was clear, stable on the initial testing.”

However, Shildt was cautionary about the initial testing.

“We’ve been burned before on testing, so we will be cautiously optimistic,” he said. “He did have a period where he wasn’t aware of where he was, so that’s clearly concerning. Everything is coming back to him now, and his initial testing from a concussion standpoint was favorable, but clearly, we are not out of the woods. All things considered, that’s a blessing.”

Arraez hit a drag bunt on the first pitch of his at-bat, grounding it down the first base line to Christian Walker, who flipped it to second baseman Dubón, who ran over to cover first. As Dubón covered the base, he collided with Padres designated hitter Arraez, who appeared to hit Dubón’s arm or elbow with his face.

Both players hit the ground, but Arraez took the worst of it, laying motionless in foul territory next to first base as trainers and coaches from both teams came out to tend to him.

“It was scary,” Dubón said. “I mean, just watching him not move. It was scary. Especially people know the type of player I am. I’m not a dirty player or anything. So it sucks. Worst part about it is you get death threats from stuff like this and everything. So it’s going to be a fun ride home.”

Dubón and Walker as well as Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado stood and watched as Arraez was placed on a backboard and carted out of the stadium. As he was being placed on the cart, Arraez put his arm around Shildt.

“It was a sad moment, especially getting close to him and seeing him on the ground like that, you definitely get scared,” said Tatis, who hit the tiebreaking home run in the game. “You almost go into tears but holding up. You sit down right next to him and start praying for him right away. Happy he is back with us already. Just happy, he’s standing up. It’s a sad part of the game, but stuff happens sometimes. Just happy he’s alright.”

Tatis, who was running to second on the play, said he heard the collision.

“As soon as they called timeout, I went to see my boy and see what was going on,” he said.

Dubón said he knows Arraez.

“That’s what I’m saying,” Dubón said. “It sucks just having that play on him and everything. Like I said before, there’s nothing I could have done. I braced myself and I thought I was going to get the worst out of it. I mean, I’m not a big guy.”

Play resumed after a 10-minute delay

Arraez entered hitting .287 on the season with three home runs and seven RBIs.

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One Year Later: Did The Penguins Come Out On Top Of The Jake Guentzel Trade?

Jan 13, 2024; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins left wing Jake Guentzel (59) looks on at the start of the game against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena. (James Guillory-Imagn Images)

At the NHL trade deadline in 2024, the Pittsburgh Penguins took their first major step in shifting toward a rebuild when they dealt their best winger, Jake Guentzel, to the Carolina Hurricanes.

It was a decision that weighed heavily at the time, and there was a lot of pushback once the final trade details were announced.

But one year later, things might not be looking so bad after all.

So, let's revisit the trade - and whether or not the Penguins may actually come out on top of it.

The full trade

Carolina Hurricanes get:
-  F Jake Guentzel
-  D Ty Smith

Pittsburgh Penguins get:
-  F Michael Bunting
-  F Ville Koivunen
-  F Vasily Ponomarev
-  F Cruz Lucius
-  Conditional 2024 first-round pick
-  Conditional 2024 fifth-round pick

Bunting was traded to the Nashville Predators at the 2025 trade deadline for defenseman Luke Schenn and forward Tommy Novak. Schenn was then flipped to the Winnipeg Jets for a second-round pick.

The conditions were not met for the 2024 fifth-round pick.

TRADE: Penguins Flip Luke Schenn to Winnipeg following Trade with PredatorsTRADE: Penguins Flip Luke Schenn to Winnipeg following Trade with PredatorsFormer Nashville Predators defenseman Luke Schenn is on the move for the second time this week, with multiple reports indicating that the Pittsburgh Penguins have traded him to the Winnipeg Jets for a second-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft and a fourth-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.

Will the Penguins end up winners in the trade?

More than one year later, it's interesting to see how this trade has panned out. Guentzel did not end up remaining with the Hurricanes, as his UFA rights were traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning, where he signed a seven-year, $63 million contract extension. The 30-year-old winger registered 41 goals and 80 points in 80 games this season with the Lightning.

Yes, Guentzel is one of the game's elite wingers, and there are many who posit that he should have returned a sure first-rounder when the Penguins dealt him. 

Maybe that's true to an extent. But given what both Koivunen and Brunicke - who, by several different accounts, may have gone in the first round if not for an injury during his draft year - have shown in short sample sizes over the course of this season, it's hard not to have some hindsight bias and like the early returns on the trade. 

Koivunen, 21, was one of the AHL's top rookies this season, recording 21 goals and 56 points in 63 games to finish third in rookie scoring. At the time of his call-up, Koivunen led all rookies in scoring and was top-three in goals.

Apr 17, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Ville Koivunen (41) reacts after being named a star of the game against the Washington Capitals at PPG Paints Arena. (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)

And his call-up proved impressive, too. Seeing playing time alongside both Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby, Koivunen ended the season on a five-game point streak and had seven points in his first eight NHL games - which is the most points by a Penguins' rookie in their first eight games since Guentzel in 2017.

But Koivunen's hockey sense, offensive zone smarts, and playmaking acumen were what stood out most, as the details in his game are more advanced than expected at this point. He meshed beautifully with Crosby, especially, and his smarts are a bit remniscent of Guentzel in some ways.

'I Have No Doubt This Thing's Going To Be Turned Around Quickly': After Lost Season, Penguins Optimistic About Future'I Have No Doubt This Thing's Going To Be Turned Around Quickly': After Lost Season, Penguins Optimistic About FutureFor one final time this season, the Pittsburgh Penguins gathered at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry, Pa. - this, time, for locker cleanout day.

As far as Brunicke, he had an impressive training camp with the Penguins that nearly earned him a nine-game trial run as an 18-year-old. He fractured his hand during his junior season with the Kamloops Blazers and missed two months of action, but he still managed to produce five goals and 30 points in 41 games. 

Brunicke got the call to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) - Pittsburgh's AHL affiliate - a few weeks ago. And while there was a bit of a learning curve in terms of getting up-to-speed and decision-making, he has seen a lot of growth over the course of his 10 games at the AHL level. 

He has spent most of his time on a second pairing with Filip Kral, and he has two points and 18 penalty minutes and is a minus-4 in those 10 games. He is starting to make better reads, his decision-making is improving, and he's using his biggest strength - his skating - to his advantage to beat opponents in all three zones. 

Oct 4, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Harrison Brunicke (45) skates in on goal against Columbus Blue Jackets center Sean Kuraly (7) during the first period at PPG Paints Arena. (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)

Even when looking at just Koivunen and Brunicke, the Penguins have legitimate top-six and top-four potential in them - perhaps even top-line and top-pairing potential. Of course, that's the ceiling for those players, but it's looking more and more like a tangible possibility because they are ahead of the development curve and haven't looked a step out of place against NHL competition. 

When watching those two players, it's easy to separate them from their peers. The fact that Koivunen was nearly point-per-game in his first taste of the NHL and that Brunicke has well-exceeded expectations already, it's fair to wonder whether or not the Penguins might actually come out on top of this one. 

If Koivunen does hit his peak potential as a top-line winger? If Brunicke does reach his ceiling as a top-pairing defenseman? If Novak can be a serviceable third-line center? If Ponomarev can be a really solid fourth-line center? If Lucius can even be an option as an AHL call-up for the Penguins?

'He's Grown A Ton': Ponomarev Looks To Build On Learning Experience With Penguins'He's Grown A Ton': Ponomarev Looks To Build On Learning Experience With PenguinsIt has been a whirlwind year for Pittsburgh Penguins' prospect Vasily Ponomarev.

Yes, that's a lot of "ifs," but the picture is coming more into focus. And it's looking more and more like the Penguins may have, at least, two crucial parts of their future because of this trade, and, at most, two stars in the making.

If either ends up happening? That's not so bad. Not bad at all, actually.

Guentzel is one of the best wingers in Penguins' history, and he was probably Crosby's greatest winger. Nothing can replace that. But the decision to trade him may just end up turning out far more than okay for the Penguins.

Time will only tell how these prospects - and Novak - pan out. But, as of now, the future looks a whole lot brighter than it did just one year ago on March 8.

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Knicks’ Jalen Brunson named finalist for NBA Clutch Player of the Year award

They call him Captain Clutch for a reason. 

Knicks PG Jalen Brunson has been named a finalist for the 2024-25 NBA Clutch Player of the Year award. 

The nomination is very deserving, as Brunson has stepped up for the Knicks time and time again -- putting the team square on his back often down the stretch in games when they need him the most.

The latest example: Saturday’s Game 1 playoff victory. 

With the Knicks trailing by eight entering the fourth, Brunson went on another one of his vintage runs -- scoring 12 of his game-high 34 points in the final 8:30 of the quarter to help pullout the come-from-behind win. 

During the regular season, the All-Star point guard averaged 5.6 points while shooting a stellar 51 percent from the field during the “clutch,” which is defined by the NBA as the last five minutes of the game. 

Overall, Brunson averaged 26 points and a career-high 7.3 assists on the year. 

The other finalists for the award that was introduced during the 2022-23 season are Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets and Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves. 

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Pistons’ Isaiah Stewart undergoes imaging, questionable for Game 2 against Knicks

The Pistons are trailing the Knicks in their first round matchup, and now one of their big pieces appears to be banged up. 

Sources have told SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley that center Isaiah Stewart had to undergo imaging on his right leg following Saturday night’s Game 1 Knicks win at the Garden.

The big man is officially being listed as questionable due to right knee inflammation heading into Game 2.  

Stewart was laboring for most of his 19 minutes as he finished with just two points and five rebounds while also picking up five fouls -- and he was subbed out at the beginning of New York’s fourth quarter comeback.

The 23-year-old NY-product has found himself relegated to more of a reserve role this season, but he’s still served as one of the Pistons’ toughest front-court options, setting the tone off the bench night in and night out.

He averaged 6.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game during the regular season.

Even if Stewart isn't forced to miss any time, the injury could potentially have an impact on the remainder of the series since he plays such a physical game down in the paint.

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'He Made Big Saves': How Anthony Stolarz Won Game 1 Of The Goalie Battle Against Senators' Linus Ullmark

Apr 20, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson (95) and Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz (41) celebrate a win over the Ottawa Senators in game one of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Anthony Stolarz showed up and showed out against the Ottawa Senators in Game 1 of the Battle of Ontario, which the Toronto Maple Leafs won commandingly, 6-2.

The 31-year-old stopped 31 of 33 shots from the Senators, winning his first-ever NHL playoff game. It wasn't an easy game, though, as Stolarz had to battle through a lot of physicality throughout.

He'd like to have the first goal allowed back, which hopped over his stick before landing on Drake Batherson's stick, who, at the time, cut Toronto's 2-0 lead in half.

"It kind of hops over your stick, right? That’s part of being a goalie, it’s short-term memory, and you gotta worry about that next shot," Stolarz said after Toronto took a 1-0 series lead.

"Guys did a really good job for me, keeping them to the outside, and when my number was called to make a big save, I just tried my best to do that. Like I said, though, our commitment to playing a 200-foot game, blocking shots, having good sticks in lanes, I think, was key to our success tonight."

There were countless moments in Sunday's game where Stolarz had to battle through physicality. At one point late in the third period, Ottawa's Ridly Greig drove the net hard, colliding with Stolarz, who said his knee hit the post.

"Yeah, I’m fine. He just kind of came in and caught me in a little awkward spot," said Stolarz. "It was something that just happened, he blew a tire. It is what it is, and I felt fine and was able to finish the game."

Despite the conditions in front of him, Stolarz backstopped the Maple Leafs when they needed it most. He stopped Brady Tkachuk on a breakaway early in the second period before making some timely stops later in the frame.

He comes up big in key moments, and that's why Toronto brought him into the fold last summer on a deal that keeps him with the Maple Leafs for another season after this one.

"Well, he had to make some huge saves, I thought, in the second period after we had the five-on-three. They had three really good opportunities after that, when it became five-on-five, he made big saves. I thought he was solid, very solid tonight."

At the other end of the rink, however, was Linus Ullmark, who had a difficult night.

He allowed two goals on Toronto's first four shots and gave up six total, leaving Scotiabank Arena on Sunday evening with a .750 save percentage, well below his .910 season total.

"It's just one game," Ullmark told reporters after the loss.

"That's the view of it. It doesn't matter how you play one game and you lose it. You can lose 1-0, and it's still going to be a loss. It's just have the mind of a goldfish and go out there and play a game two with a little bit of a chip on your shoulder."

'I Can't Say Enough About Matthew Knies and JT In Those Areas': Maple Leafs Explode For 3 Power-Play Goals To Down Senators In Game 1'I Can't Say Enough About Matthew Knies and JT In Those Areas': Maple Leafs Explode For 3 Power-Play Goals To Down Senators In Game 1The Toronto Maple Leafs exploded for three power-play goals against the Ottawa Senators in a 6-2 victory in Game 1 of their first-round series in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Ullmark is right: there are more games in this series. However, if Ottawa allows Toronto to keep firing on all cylinders, it will be a quick first round for both teams. Either way, Stolarz clearly has the upper hand on the goaltending after Game 1.

But don't count out Vezina Trophy-winner Ullmark just yet.

"I like our goaltending. I like our goalie a lot," Senators head coach Travis Green said post-game. "He's a good goalie. He's won a Vezina. He's pretty good. There's no elephant in our room."

Stay updated with the most interesting Maple Leafs stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.

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Mitchell scores 30, Jerome adds 28 to help Cavaliers rout Heat 121-100 in Game 1

CLEVELAND — Donovan Mitchell scored 30 points, Ty Jerome had 16 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter and the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Miami Heat 121-100 on Sunday night in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first-round playoff series.

It was the seventh straight series where Mitchell has scored at least 30 points in Game 1, tying Michael Jordan, who had two streaks of seven games.

Bam Adebayo had 24 points and Tyler Herro added 21 for the Heat. They are the first No. 10 seed to advance to the playoffs out of the Play-In Tournament.

Darius Garland added 27 for the Cavaliers, who host Game 2 on Wednesday night. Garland and Jerome each had five 3-pointers for Cleveland, and the Cavaliers were 18 of 43 from beyond the arc.

Cleveland had a 16-point lead midway through the second quarter, but Miami steadily cut it down and got to 98-90 with 7:26 remaining in the fourth. Cleveland put it out reach though with a 13-4 run that included 10 straight points by Jerome, who was taking part in his first playoff game.

Jerome was 6 of 7 from the field, and made all three of his 3-point attempts in the fourth quarter.

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North Dakota transfer guard Eaglestaff commits to West Virginia

The West Virginia Mountaineers basketball program has landed a critical piece out of the transfer portal with a commitment from North Dakota guard Treysen Eaglestaff.Eaglestaff, 6-foot-6, 190-pounds, initially committed to South Carolina March 30 but backed off that pledge April 16 and that ended up benefiting the Mountaineers basketball program.

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The Hockey News Playoff Frenzy Live: Reacting To Maple Leafs Beating Senators In Game 1

Anthony Stolarz, Brady Tkachuk and Oliver Ekman-Larsson (John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images)

Welcome to The Hockey News Playoff Frenzy Live, streaming nightly during the NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs.

After the big game of the night, our experts go live to react to the match that was, break down the key moments and storylines, provide updates on the rest of the night's NHL slate and read your opinions.

On tonight's show, Emma Lingan and Michael Traikos react to the Toronto Maple Leafs beating the Ottawa Senators 6-2 in Game 1 of their first-round series.

Playoff Frenzy Live - April 19, 2025 | The Hockey NewsPlayoff Frenzy Live - April 19, 2025 | The Hockey NewsWelcome to Playoff Frenzy Live by The Hockey News presented by STIX.com, where we give our live reactions and break down the latest news to all the biggest g...

The Battle of Ontario had a one-sided score despite the Senators sweeping the regular season, so has it affected the outlook on the series? Is the Leafs' Core Four stepping up a sign of more to come? Which player needs a big bounce back in Game 2?

They discuss all that and take a look around the NHL, with the Carolina Hurricanes' Game 1 win over the New Jersey Devils, an update on the Vegas Golden Knights and Minnesota Wild game and more.

Check out the show right now and share your opinions in the live chat and in our comment section.  

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Mets expecting ‘high energy’ in first meeting with Phillies since last year’s NLDS

The last time the Mets and Phillies met it was Game 4 of the NLDS. 

Francisco Lindor demolished a grand slam off Carlos Estevez in the bottom of the sixth -- and the Mets never looked back as they sent their division rival packing and secured the first playoff series clincher in Citi Field history. 

Fast forward a few months later, and the two teams are set to meet again. 

The Mets are riding high as they currently sit in first place in the NL East and are tied with the San Diego Padres for the second-most wins in the NL after securing a commanding four-game series sweep of the Cardinals.

Philadelphia is coming off a rough series finale loss to the scrappy Miami Marlins in which their bullpen blew another late-inning lead, but they are playing good baseball as well -- sitting just 2.0 games back of the Mets. 

While it’s still early in the year, the expectation is more fireworks when the rivals meet again, starting Monday. 

“We know the Phillies have a fantastic team,” Francisco Lindor said. 

“It’s early, but every game counts,” added Brandon Nimmo. “They obviously don’t like the way things ended last year and I’m sure they’d like to make a statement right away -- it’s a big series, I expect it to be high energy. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

This three-game set is indeed shaping up to be a ton of fun. 

This will be the Mets’ biggest test to this point in the season and it seems to have come at a perfect time -- as their stars finally started finding their groove at the plate during the four games against the Cardinals. 

Lindor homered twice during the series and is back doing his thing setting the table atop the order. Juan Soto is looking more and more like himself after driving in runs in three of the four games. Pete Alonso has continued his early-season tear with an NL-leading 24 RBI. 

The Mets have also began receiving more contributions from the rest of the lineup.

Brandon Nimmo came up with a RBI single to retake the lead in Sunday's game. Luisangel Acuña and Brett Baty have turned things around after a brutal start to the season. Mark Vientos was showing signs of life before suffering his groin injury -- luckily for the Mets, he was said to be feeling better pregame.

Luis Torrens also continues showing out with the bat and behind the dish while Francisco Alvarez is working his way back and Tyrone Taylor has come through with some big knocks since taking on the bulk of the playing time in center with Jose Siri sidelined.

With the pitching doing their thing and the offense now settling into a groove, everything seems to be clicking for New York -- and they’ll look to keep that rolling against Aaron Nola in Monday's series opener. 

“We know we have to go out there and play the game the right way,” Lindor said. “They have a really good lineup, they have some really good pitchers -- we just have to stay the course. At the end of the day, we have to give everything we got no matter who is on the other side.”

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Padres’ Luis Arraez released from hospital after ‘very scary’ collision

Luis Arraez was taken to the hospital and was later reported to be stable.Photograph: Karen Warren/AP

San Diego’s Luis Arraez returned to the stadium postgame after he was taken to hospital following a collision with Houston’s Mauricio Dubón in the Padres’ 3-2 win over the Astros on Sunday night.

“Obviously, very scary,” San Diego manager Mike Shildt said after the game. “We think he’s for the most part out of the woods. More time will tell, but the initial testing is very favorable. No fractures of any sort. I mean, he got a little bit of a laceration on his jawline, so we are worried about his jaw. We are worried about his cervical region. Everything was clear, stable on the initial testing.”

However, Shildt was cautious about the initial results of testing.

“We’ve been burned before on testing, so we will be cautiously optimistic,” he said. “He did have a period where he wasn’t aware of where he was, so that’s clearly concerning. Everything is coming back to him now, and his initial testing from a concussion standpoint was favorable, but clearly, we are not out of the woods. All things considered, that’s a blessing.”

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Arraez hit a drag bunt in the first inning, grounding it down the first-base line to Christian Walker, who flipped it to second baseman Dubón, who ran over to cover first. As Dubón covered the base, he appeared to accidentally hit Arraez in the face with his elbow. Both players fell to the ground, but Arraez took the worst of it, laying motionless as staff from both teams came out to tend to him.

“It was scary,” Dubón said. “I mean, just watching him not move. It was scary. Especially people know the type of player I am. I’m not a dirty player or anything. So it sucks. Worst part about it is you get death threats from stuff like this and everything. So it’s going to be a fun ride home.”

Arraez was placed on a backboard and carted out of the stadium. As he was being placed on the cart, Arraez put his arm around Shildt.

“It was a sad moment, especially getting close to him and seeing him on the ground like that, you definitely get scared,” said San Diego’s Fernando Tatis Jr, who hit the tiebreaking home run in the game. “You almost go into tears but holding up. You sit down right next to him and start praying for him right away. Happy he is back with us already. Just happy, he’s standing up. It’s a sad part of the game, but stuff happens sometimes. Just happy he’s alright.”

Tatis, who was running to second on the play, said he heard the collision. “As soon as they called timeout, I went to see my boy and see what was going on,” he said.

Dubón said he knows Arraez. “It sucks just having that play on him and everything,” he said. “Like I said before, there’s nothing I could have done. I braced myself and I thought I was going to get the worst out of it. I mean, I’m not a big guy.”

Play resumed after a 10-minute delay. Arraez entered hitting .287 on the season with three home runs and seven RBIs.