Sports News – Page 1030 – Worldwide Sports News

May 23, 2025

The Hockey Show: Are the Panthers about to repeat? Dimitri Filipovic discuss conference finals, exits by Toronto, Winnipeg

We’re down to the NHL’s final four and for the third straight season, the Florida Panthers are still alive!

This week on The Hockey Show, hosts Roy Bellamy and David Dwork welcomed Dimitri Filipovic of the PDOcast to get into the latest happenings in and around the NHL.

That mostly included talk about the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and can you blame them?

They touched on a couple of the recently eliminated teams, like the Toronto Maple Leafs – who had a 2-0 series lead and a 3-1 lead in Game 3 before getting knocked out in seven by Florida – and the Winnipeg Jets – the Presidents’ Trophy winners who struggled mightily on the road and didn’t get the same goaltending from Connor Hellebuyck during the playoffs that they did during the regular season.

The boys (and Rose) also got into the two conference finals, with the Dallas Stars and the Edmonton Oilers out west and the Panthers facing the Carolina Hurricanes in the east.

Dallas pulled off an impressive comeback on the Oilers to take Game 1 of their rematch series while Florida continued some incredibly strong road play by taking Games 1 and 2 in Carolina by a combined score of 10-2.

Wins and fails of the week included a masterclass in being interviewed on live TV by Florida’s A.J. Greer, a Panthers fan walking around Downtown Toronto in a fresh new Florida Brad Marchand jersey before Game 7 and a horrible attempt at a sign trolling Marchand by a fan in Raleigh.

You can check out the full episode in the video below:

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May 23, 2025

Shaquille O'Neal drops a bomb on Jimmy Fallon: A recent viral moment was indeed about No. 2

One may be the loneliest number, but No. 2 is what sent Shaquille O'Neal urgently mincing off the "Inside the NBA" stage last month while the cameras kept running.

O'Neal copped to the truth Thursday night during his 18th appearance on "The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon," giving what might be more detail than anyone needed about that sudden departure in April.

First, he clung to the fib, saying, "I was drinking a lot of water that day. So I know I had the No. 2 run, but it was really a No. 1. So let's just get that out of the way."

He explained he was drinking olive oil at the time "to be sexy," because he'd seen on Instagram that if he drank olive oil daily for 14 days, he would clean out his system and have a flat stomach. "So I was trying that."

A laughing Fallon held his face in his hands.

"You know what," O'Neal said. "I just made a mistake. I lied to you on national TV. It wasn't a No. 1 run. It was a No. 2 run. I had to go bad. Oh, I had to go so bad."

Shaq had to hustle out of Studio J 🤣😅 pic.twitter.com/HcAXHjqUki
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) April 22, 2025

Fallon begged him to keep telling the lie. O'Neal asked whether the host had seen him squeezing his butt cheeks as he scooted away from the "Inside the NBA" desk.

Then Fallon showed a photo of what the crew did to O'Neal the next day: It put a blue porta-potty in studio on his side of the table.

Blessedly, the conversation then moved in a different direction.

Things were a bit more serious but no less amusing back in April when O'Neal got up while a co-host was in the middle of talking and — in a big hurry — walked awkwardly in front of his fellow panelists and out the stage door. Ernie Johnson Jr., Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley weren't sure what was going on.

"You all right, big fella?" Barkley asked with a look of concern on his face.

As the camera (cruelly) followed him, O'Neal blurted to his co-hosts to "go ahead, keep talking" while one reminded him, "Hey, we're on TV."

"It's that olive oil you've been drinking," Barkley said. "Hey, take some matches with you."

As the remaining hosts broke into giggles, Kenny Smith said, "After 40, you can't hold it no more."

"That wasn't something planned, was it?" Ernie Johnson Jr. wondered.

Smith also noted that O'Neal had been drinking olive oil to clean out his system, saying, "Oh, he's cleaning out his gut all right!"

"I did not like his gait as he left!" Johnson said.

And Barkley simply couldn't move past the idea of the smell.

"Please turn his mic off, that's all," Smith quipped. Then, as Smith tried to return to talking about L.A. Clippers forward Kawhai Leonard, the team in TNT's Studio J came through with the instant replay of Shaq bailing out. Instant. Freaking. Replay.

IN SLO-MO.

The three very professional analysts immediately began very professional analysis of O'Neal's shambolic gait.

The big man returned fairly soon after that, mumbling something about drinking too much water and about Barkley talking way too long when he really needed to cut to a break.

"Sorry about that, America," he said.

Seriously Shaq, you have absolutely no reason to apologize. As long as you remember the matches.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

May 23, 2025

All-NBA teams 2024-25: These star players made the cut

All-NBA teams 2024-25: These star players made the cut originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Denver’s Nikola Jokic and Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo were the only players to appear on every MVP ballot this season.

It only made sense that they would be unanimous All-NBA picks as well.

Gilgeous-Alexander — the league’s MVP — along with Jokic and Antetokounmpo were unveiled Friday night as first-team All-NBA players, along with Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell.

Tatum was another unanimous first-team pick. Mitchell made the first team for the first time.

Antetokounmpo has seven first-team selections and nine appearances on the All-NBA team overall. Jokic is a five-time first-teamer and seven-time All-NBA pick, Tatum is first-team for the fourth time (fifth overall), Gilgeous-Alexander has been first-team in all three of his All-NBA appearances, and Mitchell is All-NBA for the second time in his career.

Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic, Antetokounmpo and Tatum were all first-teamers last season as well.

Second team

LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers is an All-NBA player for the 21st time in 22 seasons. He made the second team.

Also on the second team: Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards, Cleveland’s Evan Mobley, Golden State’s Stephen Curry and New York’s Jalen Brunson.

Curry made All-NBA for the 11th time, something only 21 players in NBA history have done. Edwards and Brunson are two-time All-NBA players, and Mobley made a team for the first time.

Third team

Detroit’s Cade Cunningham, Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton, the Los Angeles Clippers’ James Harden, New York’s Karl-Anthony Towns and Oklahoma City’s Jalen Williams were named to the third team.

Harden is an eight-time selection, Towns is a three-time pick, Haliburton made a team for the second time and Cunningham and Williams both are All-NBA for the first time.

All 100 ballots

Eight players appeared on every ballot. Antetokounmpo, Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic and Tatum all got 100 first-team votes.

Mitchell got 61 first-team votes, 35 second-team and four third-team. Edwards got 11 first-team, 87 second-team and two third-team. Curry got two first-team, 68 second-team and 30 third-team. And Brunson got two first-team, 62 second-team and 36 third-team.

James and Cunningham were on 99 of 100 ballots.

Giannis: The people’s choice, again

For the eighth consecutive year, Antetokounmpo was listed on every All-NBA ballot. That’s the longest active run in the NBA.

The last time an All-NBA ballot was sent to the league without Antetokounmpo’s name listed was 2017, when four of the 100 voters didn’t rank him among the league’s top players.

Since then: 799 ballots cast, 799 listing Antetokounmpo.

Jokic appeared on every All-NBA ballot for the fifth consecutive year; it would be six in a row if he hadn’t fallen one vote short of unanimous status in 2020. Jayson Tatum was on every All-NBA ballot for the fourth consecutive season.

LeBron: The first at 40

James is the first 40-year-old to make an All-NBA team — he turned 40 in December.

James has 13 first-team appearances, four second-team selections and four third-team nods.

No other player has more than 15 All-NBA selections. Kobe Bryant (11 first-team picks), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (10 first-team picks) and Tim Duncan (10 first-team picks) are the other members of the 15-time club.

May 23, 2025

All-NBA teams 2024-25: These star players made the cut

All-NBA teams 2024-25: These star players made the cut originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Denver’s Nikola Jokic and Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo were the only players to appear on every MVP ballot this season.

It only made sense that they would be unanimous All-NBA picks as well.

Tatum was another unanimous first-team pick. Mitchell made the first team for the first time.

Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic, Antetokounmpo and Tatum were all first-teamers last season as well.

Second team

LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers is an All-NBA player for the 21st time in 22 seasons. He made the second team.

Also on the second team: Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards, Cleveland’s Evan Mobley, Golden State’s Stephen Curry and New York’s Jalen Brunson.

Curry made All-NBA for the 11th time, something only 21 players in NBA history have done. Edwards and Brunson are two-time All-NBA players, and Mobley made a team for the first time.

Third team

Harden is an eight-time selection, Towns is a three-time pick, Haliburton made a team for the second time and Cunningham and Williams both are All-NBA for the first time.

All 100 ballots

Eight players appeared on every ballot. Antetokounmpo, Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic and Tatum all got 100 first-team votes.

James and Cunningham were on 99 of 100 ballots.

Giannis: The people’s choice, again

For the eighth consecutive year, Antetokounmpo was listed on every All-NBA ballot. That’s the longest active run in the NBA.

The last time an All-NBA ballot was sent to the league without Antetokounmpo’s name listed was 2017, when four of the 100 voters didn’t rank him among the league’s top players.

Since then: 799 ballots cast, 799 listing Antetokounmpo.

LeBron: The first at 40

James is the first 40-year-old to make an All-NBA team — he turned 40 in December.

James has 13 first-team appearances, four second-team selections and four third-team nods.

May 23, 2025

Flyers Linked to KHL Star as Decision on NHL Future Looms Large

Shabanov's creativity and willingness to attack good ice will be attractive skills to the Flyers.

Reigniting reports from earlier in the year, the Philadelphia Flyers are once again said to be in on KHL star Maxim Shabanov, an undrafted free agent forward mulling an overseas leap to start his NHL career.

Anthony San Filippo of On Patinson reported Thursday that the Flyers are indeed pursuing Shabanov, citing league sources who believe that the Russian forward's decision will come down to Philadelphia, the Vegas Golden Knights, or, ultimately, staying with Traktor Chelyabinsk in pursuit of the elusive Gagarin Cup.

Additionally, San Filippo reported that a source in the Flyers' hockey ops feels the final outcome is "up to the player."

By now, the Flyers' growing Russian contingent has been well-documented. Last spring, the Flyers surprisingly added Ivan Fedotov after he terminated his contract with CSKA Moskva, and Belarusian goalkeeper Aleksei Kolosov returned from his loan to Dinamo Minsk.

That summer, Matvei Michkov made his highly anticipated move to the Flyers, joining Fedotov, Kolosov, defenseman Egor Zamula, and prospect Egor Zavragin in the organization. Then, a few months ago, the Flyers traded Scott Laughton to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Nikita Grebenkin and a 2027 first-round pick.

Oh, and the Flyers went out of their way to hire decorated KHL coach Oleg Znarok to help Michkov and Co.

Basically, in Philadelphia, Shabanov will have all the opportunity in the world to earn an NHL roster spot permanently, and he'll have plenty of countrymen around him in support, including a former Traktor U16 teammate in Zamula.

But Vegas, too, will represent a strong challenge to the Flyers for his services.

Is Rick Tocchet a 'Quitter'? New Flyers Coach Understands Heavy BacklashAfter leaving the Vancouver Canucks and joining the Philadelphia Flyers a short time later, Rick Tocchet has been labelled a quitter by his own former fanbase. But, is there any truth to such heavy criticisms?

Shabanov played with sharpshooter Pavel Dorofeyev for parts of three seasons, including in the MHL, and Ilya Samsonov and Ivan Barbashev help comprise a Golden Knights team that is objectively way better than the Flyers are.

They also have prospects like Pavel Moysevich, a Belarusian goalie, and Ivan Morozov coming through.

In addition to Vegas, the Flyers may have to ward off a Metropolitan Division rival in the Pittsburgh Penguins to secure Shabanov's signature.

According to RG, "NHL scouts, particularly from the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Vegas Golden Knights, have closely monitored him."

“Maybe I'll think about it, maybe not. I've said before that all my thoughts were focused on having a successful season with Traktor. I don’t read what people write about me or listen to what they say,” Shabanov was quoted as saying about his NHL future by RG.

The Flyers should have plenty of appeal for Shabanov, especially as it relates to opportunity on the ice. The 24-year-old forward only needs to look as far back as Vadim Shipachyov's tenure in Vegas to see what could happen if he doesn't emerge as a stud immediately.

Shabanov's size, standing at just 5-foot-8, could eventually emerge as a concern, but his talent is evident. He's creative, skilled, adventurous, and knows where the good ice is.

As far as the Flyers are concerned, that's a worthy gamble. Now, we wait on a final decision.

May 23, 2025

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza provides injury updates on Paul Blackburn, Frankie Montas

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza provided injury updates on a few recovering starting pitchers before Friday night's highly anticipated matchup with the Dodgers.

Here's what the manager said...

Frankie Montas

The veteran right-hander (lat) will begin a rehab assignment with High-A Brooklyn on Saturday, and be limited to two innings (30-35 pitches) of work in the start.

Montas threw live batting practice for the first time last week. The 32-year-old logged a 4.84 ERA across 150.2 innings last season.

Paul Blackburn

One step closer to a return to the majors, the veteran right-hander (knee) will make one more rehab start (seventh overall) with Triple-A Syracuse on Tuesday.

The 31-year-old has produced a 3.91 ERA with 27 strikeouts across 23 innings in the minor league ranks this spring.

May 23, 2025

‘Efficient' Roupp continues strong May as Giants shut out Nationals

‘Efficient' Roupp continues strong May as Giants shut out Nationals originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Of the Giants’ young pitchers, 23-year-olds Hayden Birdsong and Kyle Harrison have generated headlines lately by turning strong relief outings into burgeoning starting opportunities.

Meanwhile, 26-year-old Landen Roupp — who beat out both promising pitchers for San Francisco’s final Opening Day rotation spot — quietly has found a groove in his first full MLB season.

Roupp accelerated that positive momentum on Friday night, throwing six-plus scoreless innings to help the Giants grab a 4-0 shutout win over the Washington Nationals to begin a nine-game road trip.

With this outing in the nation’s capital, the 2021 12th-round pick improved his ERA to 1.64 in 22 innings during May — a strong response to an up-and-down first month of the season.

Landen Roupp has been DEALING in May 🔥 pic.twitter.com/cUE0KA75Rc
— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) May 24, 2025

After the win, third baseman Matt Chapman detailed what he’s seen from Roupp as of late.

“I think he’s gaining more experience every time he goes out there. He’s getting more confident,” Chapman told NBC Sports Bay Area’s Laura Britt and Ron Wotus on “Giants Postgame Live.” “He’s going to be somebody that we lean on. I think having a guy like [Logan] Webb at the top of our rotation for him to pick his brain and watch how he throws, because they both throw sinkers and have some similarities, so I think it’s been really big for him.

“He just seems to be getting better every time.”

"He seems to be getting better every time."
Matt Chapman likes what he's seen from Landen Roupp after another strong outing 👏 pic.twitter.com/aYhxOXUVN7
— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) May 24, 2025

What’s even more impressive is Roupp’s success despite his curveball — his signature pitch — being relatively ineffective Friday. Roupp historically throws his curveball over 40 percent of the time, but he only tossed it for 17 of his 76 pitches (22 percent) against a Nationals lineup full of left-handed hitters, per Baseball Savant.

“This game gives me more confidence than the last one, just because of that reason,” Roupp told reporters postgame. “In the past, I haven’t been that good to lefties, just because I’ve never had four pitches. So throwing all of my pitches tonight really helped.”

That growing ability to rely consistently on other pitches has been a major factor behind Roupp’s recent surge as a whole. In particular, he credited his growth with his two-seam sinking fastball.

“Getting it in the zone — when my two-seam is in the zone, it makes my other stuff better,” Roupp explained. Uncoincidentally, his sinkers were in the zone 70 percent of the time on Friday night.

Likewise, Giants manager Bob Melvin emphasized Roupp’s command as a primary reason for his strong month on the mound.

“Just more efficient throwing strikes and after getting ahead, doesn’t pick — he’s still trying to pound the zone,” Melvin detailed. “That’s why he came out of that game with 76 pitches. He was so efficient that it looked like new territory maybe for him in the seventh inning like that, but with the pitch count and the way he was pitching, it was easy to let him go back out there.”

Melvin took the ball from Roupp after he surrendered a double and a walk to start the seventh inning during a 2-0 game at the time. But Randy Rodriguez, another second-year righty having a stellar May, induced a strikeout and a double play to escape the jam and help cement Roupp’s third win of the season.

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

May 23, 2025

Golden Knights Prospect Looking To Leave His Mark At The Memorial Cup

CHL Top Prospects team red forward Mathieu Cataford (22) skates during the second period in the 2023 CHL Top Prospects ice hockey game at Langley Events Centre. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-Imagn Images

Vegas Golden Knights prospect Mathieu Cataford is looking to leave his mark on the Memorial Cup after a disappointing QMJHL season.

Cataford was traded to the Rimouski Océanic in the offseason from the Halifax Mooseheads, providing Cataford the opportunity to play in the Memorial Cup as Rimouski are the 2025 hosts. In his third and final season with the Mooseheads, Cataford took home MVP honours after scoring 40 goals and 90 points in 65 games.

In his first season with the Océanic, the 20-year-old started the season off strongly, but after the World Juniors, his production took a dip, finishing the season with 19 goals and 64 points in 54 games. The playoffs brought a new opportunity, and he took advantage, scoring seven goals and 18 points in 12 games. The Océanic unfortunately lost in the finals to the Moncton Wildcats.

The Memorial Cup provides Cataford with the opportunity to show why he was brought into the organization. If he can play at his MVP level, the Océanic will have an excellent opportunity to win the tournament. Their opponents this year are the three other CHL league winners, which include the London Knights (OHL), Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL) and the Moncton Wild Cats (QMJHL).

Last year's tournament provided another Golden Knights prospect, Matyas Sapovaliv, to leave his mark. The 6'4 defensive center recorded just one assist in five games, but was a force defensively, shutting down some of the best prospects in the CHL and winning the Memorial Cup with the Saginaw Spirit.

Cataford will play a vital role with the Henderson Silver Knights in the AHL next season, and heading into his first professional season with the confidence of a strong performance in a major tournament would be a valued asset.

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.

Could The Golden Knights' Top Prospect Be Heading To The WHL?Vegas Golden Knights prospect Trevor Connelly was acquired from the Spokane Chiefs by the Penticton Vees in the WHL expansion draft.

Golden Knights Sign Tuomas Uronen To Three-Year, Entry-Level ContractThe Vegas Golden Knights have signed forward Tuomas Uronen to a three-year, entry-level contract.

May 23, 2025

Braves' Ronald Acuna Jr. hits homer on first pitch since return from injury

Braves' Ronald Acuna Jr. hits homer on first pitch since return from injury originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Ronald Acuña Jr. crushed his first pitch 467 feet for a home run in his dramatic return to the Atlanta Braves on Friday night.

Making his first appearance in almost one year, the 2023 NL MVP was activated from the injured list and restored to the Braves’ lineup almost one year after he tore his left ACL.

Acuña, in his customary leadoff position in the lineup, turned on a fastball from San Diego right-hander Nick Pivetta’ and sent the ball into the seats in left-center. Acuña hesitated briefly on his jog around the bases for a shuffle step.

Infielder Orlando Arcia, a 2023 All-Star, was designated for assignment to clear a roster spot for Acuña, who started in right field.

Acuña said through translator Franco Garcia he was “super excited, super happy” to make his return and added “I couldn’t sleep that much” after receiving the news of his return on Thursday.

Braves manager Brian Snitker announced after Thursday night’s 8-7 loss at Washington that Acuña would make his season debut on Friday night.

Snitker said Friday it felt good to make out his first lineup of 2025 that included Acuña.

“He’s one of those players that you better not go get a beer or whatever, because you might miss something really cool, you know?” Snitker said. “I mean, he’s that type of force, I think, in the game. I think he’s going to energize everybody. Gonna energize the fans. Gonna energize his teammates.”

Acuña, the 2023 NL MVP, hurt his left knee last May 26 and had surgery on June 6. The 27-year-old played six games in the minors on a rehab assignment, going 6 for 15 with two home runs.

Acuña played in only 49 games last season, batting .250 with four homers, 15 RBIs, 16 stolen bases and a .716 OPS.

This is Acuña’s second comeback from a major knee injury. He tore his right ACL on July 10, 2021, and returned the following April. When asked Friday what is different about this rehabilitation process, he said “Patience. The patience, for sure. … I just think I’m in a much better place.”

Atlanta entered 24-25 after an 0-7 start.

“It’s huge,” third baseman Austin Riley said. “The talent is there. The energy he brings, having Ronald up there at the top of the lineup. … he can change a game at any point.”

Acuña was a unanimous NL MVP in 2023 when he hit .336 with 41 home runs, 106 RBIs and a league-leading 1.012 OPS. Acuña also stole 73 bases that year to become the only player with 40 homers and 70 steals in one season.

Arcia, 30, was a 2023 NL All-Star when he hit .264 with 17 homers and 65 RBIs. Arcia lost his starting job due to an inability to compensate at the plate while suffering a defensive decline. He hit only .194 in 31 at-bats this season.

Snitker said he hopes Arcia would ccept a minor league assignment if he does not land another job in the majors.

“I think we all know that it’s a business,” Acuña said of Arcia getting cut. “I’m happy to be back but I’m sorry that’s the move.”

Nick Allen has taken over as the starting shortstop. Snitker said Luke Williams is the backup shortstop and Eli White, a part-time starter in the outfield, will see more time in the infield.

May 23, 2025

Braves' Ronald Acuna Jr. hits homer on first pitch since return from injury

Braves' Ronald Acuna Jr. hits homer on first pitch since return from injury originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Ronald Acuña Jr. crushed his first pitch 467 feet for a home run in his dramatic return to the Atlanta Braves on Friday night.

Making his first appearance in almost one year, the 2023 NL MVP was activated from the injured list and restored to the Braves’ lineup almost one year after he tore his left ACL.

Infielder Orlando Arcia, a 2023 All-Star, was designated for assignment to clear a roster spot for Acuña, who started in right field.

Braves manager Brian Snitker announced after Thursday night’s 8-7 loss at Washington that Acuña would make his season debut on Friday night.

Snitker said Friday it felt good to make out his first lineup of 2025 that included Acuña.

Acuña, the 2023 NL MVP, hurt his left knee last May 26 and had surgery on June 6. The 27-year-old played six games in the minors on a rehab assignment, going 6 for 15 with two home runs.

Acuña played in only 49 games last season, batting .250 with four homers, 15 RBIs, 16 stolen bases and a .716 OPS.

Atlanta entered 24-25 after an 0-7 start.

“It’s huge,” third baseman Austin Riley said. “The talent is there. The energy he brings, having Ronald up there at the top of the lineup. … he can change a game at any point.”

Snitker said he hopes Arcia would ccept a minor league assignment if he does not land another job in the majors.

“I think we all know that it’s a business,” Acuña said of Arcia getting cut. “I’m happy to be back but I’m sorry that’s the move.”

Nick Allen has taken over as the starting shortstop. Snitker said Luke Williams is the backup shortstop and Eli White, a part-time starter in the outfield, will see more time in the infield.

May 23, 2025

Pacers steal Game 2, beat Knicks 114-109 in Eastern Conference Finals

Pacers steal Game 2, beat Knicks 114-109 in Eastern Conference Finals originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The New York Knicks are officially in trouble.

New York again couldn’t defend home-court advantage in Game 2 Friday, losing 114-109 to the Pacers with the Eastern Conference Finals headed to Indiana.

Both teams stayed neck and neck throughout the first three quarters, with Indiana making a serious push late in the fourth. Indiana even took a 110-100 lead with a few minutes left, but New York brought life into the crowd with a run of its own.

However, the Knicks didn’t have enough in the tank with limited bench options to turn to. Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 39 points on an efficient 15 of 23 clip from the field. No other teammate scored more than 16 (Myles Turner).

Tyrese Haliburton, the star of Game 1 with his late heroics, logged 14 points on 5 of 16 shooting but compensated for it with 11 assists.

Jalen Brunson tried to put New York on his back with 36 points, but his solid 13 of 27 clip to go with 11 assists didn’t move the needle at the right time.

Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns each added 20 points, but the latter rarely played in the fourth quarter despite it being a pivotal stretch.

Indiana had six players come off the bench, but only one made a notable impact. T.J. McConnell put up 10 big points on 5-for-8 shooting in 14 minutes.

For comparison’s sake, the Knicks had only three players come off the bench. Both Mitchell Robinson and Miles McBride played over 25 minutes, but scored just six apiece. Cam Payne made a nine-minute cameo, but missed all three attempts, including two from three.

With the backs against the wall, the Knicks desperately need to pull an upset of their own in Game 3 at Indiana.

Game 3 in Indiana is scheduled for Sunday, May 25. Should the Knicks lose, they’ll be on the brink of an Eastern Conference Finals sweep right after eliminating the reigning champs Boston Celtics.

May 23, 2025

Hurricanes Must Listen To Taylor Hall's Big Message

The Carolina Hurricanes had a nightmare Game 2 against the Florida Panthers. After allowing three goals in the first period to the Panthers, the Hurricanes were unable to bounce back and lost by a 5-0 final score. It was just an uncharacteristically brutal game for Carolina, and they are now down 2-0 in the series because of it.

While the Hurricanes suffered this ugly loss to the Panthers in Game 2, Carolina forward Taylor Hall remained optimistic and argued that Florida is beatable.

"I mean, they just went seven games against the Leafs, right?" Hall said to reporters, including ESPN's Greg Wyshynski. "They're not a perfect hockey team, and we know that there are areas to exploit, like any team."

Hall certainly has an argument here, as this series is not over until a club wins four games. Anything can happen until then, but if the Hurricanes hope to get things back on track, they are going to need to improve immediately.

In their first two rounds of the playoffs this year against the New Jersey Devils and then the Washington Capitals, the Hurricanes demonstrated that they have the potential to go on a massive run this post-season. They were getting a fantastic mixture of great offense, strong defense, and excellent goaltending. All of this just hasn't been there against the Panthers, but there is still time for them to change that.

It is going to be interesting to see if Hall and the Hurricanes can solve the Panthers and get this series back on track. A win in Game 3 would be the first step in doing so.

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May 23, 2025

Florida Panthers playing historically good when away from home during Stanley Cup Playoffs

The Florida Panthers have been a menace when playing on the road this postseason.

When looking at some of the statistics they are putting up, it’s starting to get a little ridiculous.

We may end up bouncing around a little bit when going over the numbers, so bear with me.

Let’s start with the goaltending.

Sergei Bobrovsky has been absolutely lights on when playing away from South Florida during the playoffs.

Through nine road games, Bob holds a 7-2 record to go with a tidy 2.02 goals against average and strong .919 save percentage. He’s also logged two of his three playoff shutouts on the road.

Now while Bob has been stellar in away games, the Panthers are making a case that they’d be okay even if he wasn’t standing on his head between the pipes.

The Panthers are seven road goals away from setting a new NHL record for most road goals in a single postseason. Currently, the record is held by the 1993 Los Angeles Kings, who scored 49 goals on the road. Florida has 43, which is also the most goals ever through nine road playoff games.

But wait, there’s more.

Florida has now scored three or more goals in seven consecutive road games, the second-longest streak in Stanley Cup Playoff history. Both the 1996 Colorado Avalanche and 2020 bubble New York Islanders scored three or more goals in eight straight road games.

The Panthers are also the second team in NHL history to have a four-game road winning sreak in three consecutive postseasons. They had an eight-game road winning streak in 2023 and a four-gamer last year.

During their current four-game road winning streak, the Cats are outscoring their opponents 22-4.

Florida is also the sixth team in Stanley Cup Playoff history to score five or more goals in four straight road games. The record is five games, held by the 1981 Islanders.

This is the second time in franchise history Florida has opened the conference final with two road wins. They did it in 2023, also against Carolina.

Now we’ll see if the Panthers can keep it going on home ice, as they’re two wins away from a third straight trip to the Stanley Cup Final.

Since leaving South Florida last weekend, Florida has gone 3-0 by a combined score of 16-3.

“It’s been a hell of a road trip,” Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk said after Game 2 in Carolina.

Indeed it has, Matthew.

Game 3 from Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise is set for Saturday night at 8 p.m.

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Photo caption: May 22, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Florida Panthers celebrate the win against the Carolina Hurricanes in game two of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Lenovo Center. (James Guillory-Imagn Images)

May 23, 2025

New York Islanders Explain Why Mathieu Darche Is The 'Perfect Choice' To Be New GM

The New York Islanders officially announced Mathieu Darche as their GM and executive vice-president on Friday.

Darche will manage all aspects of the Islanders' hockey operations in his first NHL GM job, which suggests the team won't hire a president of hockey operations for now. The former NHL player spent the past six seasons as the Tampa Bay Lightning's director of hockey operations and assistant GM for the past three.

Islanders operating partner John Collins led the search for the person to replace Lou Lamoriello, who was GM and president of hockey operations from 2018-19 to the end of this season.

“Mathieu is the perfect choice to lead our hockey operations,” Collins said in a news release. “He will be given every resource available to put the Islanders first-in-class on the ice, with our business initiatives, and in the community.”

Mathieu Darche played 250 NHL games, including 149 for the Montreal Canadiens. (Jean-Yves Ahern-Imagn Images)

Darche's arrival adds to the Islanders' momentum after winning the NHL draft lottery earlier in May, Collins added.

“With the Islanders owning the first overall pick in the upcoming NHL draft and preparing to welcome the Olympic sendoff at UBS Arena next season, there is much to which our franchise, our players, and our passionate fans can look forward,” he said.

The Lightning made the playoffs in every season Darche was on GM Julien BriseBois' staff, and they won the Stanley Cup in 2020 and 2021. The Lightning have not been afraid to make big moves, either, such as acquiring Brandon Hagel, Jake Guentzel, trading Mikhail Sergachev and letting Steven Stamkos walk last summer.

Darche said he's honored for this opportunity to lead the Islanders forward.

“I’d like to thank Scott Malkin, Jon Ledecky, John Collins, and the entire ownership group for entrusting me with the hockey operations of this great franchise.”

Before Darche joined the Lightning's front office, he played 250 games in the NHL from 2001 to 2012. While he spent most of his playing career splitting seasons between the NHL and AHL and won the Calder Cup in 2004, he played a career-high 73 games with the Lightning in 2007-08 and recorded a career-high 26 points with the Montreal Canadiens in 2010-11.

The 48-year-old from Montreal has a lot on the to-do list.

The Islanders finished sixth in the Metropolitan Division with a .500 points percentage, the team's lowest since 2017-18.

They also have seven pending RFAs to deal with, including No. 1 D-man Noah Dobson and fellow defensemen Adam Boqvist and Alexander Romanov. The Islanders also have five pending UFAs, including Kyle Palmieri on offense and Mike Reilly and Tony DeAngelo on the back end.

The Islanders have a projected $28.3 million in cap space next season, but only 14 of 23 slots are filled on the active roster.

There's also the question about whether their No. 1 pick in the NHL draft will be in The Show next season. Defenseman Matthew Schaefer is the front-runner to be that selection, but he only played 24 games in the 2024-25 campaign between the OHL, world juniors and Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

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Reports came out earlier in the week that the Islanders had permission to interview outgoing Toronto Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan, but Darche got the full vote of confidence to handle all these action items in the hockey operations department without going the rebuilding route.

“Mathieu has served as a key member of the Tampa Bay Lightning and has a diverse background in top-level business models,” Collins said. “He is a proven winner and is committed, as is our ownership group, to building a group that will be highly competitive next season and beyond.”

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Promo image credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

May 23, 2025

Tatum selected to First-Team All-NBA for fourth straight season

Tatum selected to First-Team All-NBA for fourth straight season originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum has added another impressive accomplishment to his NBA resume.

The All-NBA teams for the 2024-25 season were announced Friday night, and Tatum was selected to the First Team for the fourth straight season. It’s the longest streak of First-Team All-NBA selections by a Celtics player since Larry Bird earned the honor in nine straight seasons from 1979-80 through 1987-88.

Tatum also is one of just 24 players in league history (11 since 2000) to make All-NBA First Team in four or more consecutive seasons.

Joining Tatum on the First Team are Milwakuee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

No other Celtics players were selected to any of the three All-NBA teams. Jaylen Brown (63 games played) didn’t meet the minimum threshold of 65 games played to be eligible for an All-NBA team.

Tatum led the Celtics with averages of 26.8 points, 8.7 rebounds and six assists per game this season, while also shooting 45.2 percent from the field and 34.3 percent from 3-point range. He played in 72 of 82 regular season games. The 27-year-old also has averaged 26-plus points per game in five straight seasons.

Tatum’s five total All-NBA appearances — he made the third team in 2019-20 — are the sixth-most by a Celtics player. Bob Cousy has the franchise record with 12 All-NBA selections.

Tatum’s All-NBA streak likely will end next season as he recovers from a ruptured right Achilles suffered in Game 4 of the Celtics’ Eastern Conference semifinals series versus the New York Knicks. The injury is expected to sidelined him most or all of the 2025-26 season.