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Mets' Francisco Alvarez homers in rehab game with Double-A Binghamton

Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez played his first rehab game with Binghamton, the team's Double-A affiliate, on Tuesday night and showed off the power.

Alvarez grounded out in his first at-bat but launched a home run in his second plate appearance. The backstop singled in his third at-bat and then had a scary moment in his fourth time up. In the sixth, Alvarez was hit in the same hand he fractured by the first pitch thrown by Eiberson Castellano. The Binghamton training staff took a look at Alvarez and he was seemingly ok, running the bases and catching the next inning.

Overall, Alvarez went 2-for-3 and caught six innings.

Jeff McNeil continued his rehab down in Single-A St. Lucie and reached base three times. He singled and walked twice in his five at-bats.

Mendoza said McNeil will continue to play down in St. Lucie before eventually going to Triple-A to get more at-bats. It's possible McNeil will stop off at Binghamton, but the utility infielder/outfielder should be back soon.

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Panthers end regular season with 5-1 defeat in Tampa Bay

Apr 15, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov (86) is congratulated by center Yanni Gourde (37), center Brayden Point (21) and defenseman Darren Raddysh (43) after he scored a goal against the Florida Panthers during the second period at Amalie Arena. (Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images)

The Florida Panthers wrapped up their regular season schedule on Tuesday night in Tampa Bay.

Locked into third place in the Atlantic Division, Florida rested several of their key players in preparation for the battles to come in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Tampa Bay, on the other hand, still had a shot at the division title, so they were going all out, and that led to a lopsided 5-1 final score.

It didn’t take long for the Lightning to strike first.

Yanni Gourde sent a cross-ice pass to Brayden Point as he crossed into Florida’s zone, and Point fired a quick shot that beat Vitek Vanecek glove side and put the Bolts up 1-0 just 92 seconds into the game.

A Conor Geekie one-timer and a shorthanded goal by Jake Guentzel less than three minutes apart sent Tampa into the first intermission riding high and leading 3-0.

Things got worse for Florida early in the second period when Nikita Kucherov was the recipient of a pretty passing play.

A failed zone clear by Seth Jones led to Point finding Yanni Gourde who quickly fed Kucherov at the side of the net.

His 37th goal and 120th point extended Tampa’s lead to 4-0.

Florida finally got on the board thanks to newcomer Brad Marchand.

Taking a neutral zone pass from Carter Verhaeghe, Marchand wired a shot past Andrei Vasilevskiy’s glove to get the Cats going.

Kucherov picked up point 121 when he assisted on a 5-on-3 power play goal by Darren Raddysh late in the third after a round of penalties that started with an illegal check to the head by Jesse Puljujarvi.

These teams will meet again, soon and often.

On to the playoffs.

QUICK THOUGHTS

Florida and Tampa will meet in the first round of the playoffs for the fourth time in five years.

Marchand played in his 1,100th NHL game on Tuesday.

He’s now got two goals and three points over his past four games.

Verhaeghe closed out the regular season on a five-game point streak, racking up three goals and six points during the run.

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Jasson Dominguez's three-run double powers Yankees past Royals, 4-2

Jasson Dominguez notched a go-ahead three-run double in the sixth inning in a 3-for-3 performance and Max Fried delivered a quality start as the Yankees took down the Kansas City Royals, 4-2, on Tuesday night in The Bronx.

New York improved to 10-7 on the year. Kansas City fell to 8-9.

Here are the takeaways...

- Fried needed just 11 pitches in the first and 16 in the second for a perfect start, tallying two strikeouts on the four-seam fastball in the process. 

The second pitch of the third innings was a bad one for the lefty as MJ Melendez clobbered a 94 mph four-seamer to the Yankee bullpen in center (107.2 mph, 429 feet). With two down, a slow dribbler to third wasn't barehanded by Oswald Peraza, and that infield hit came around to score when Bobby Witt Jr. smacked a first-pitch fastball off the wall in right-center for a double.

Fried’s first-pitch curveball to start the fourth went right into the leftfield gap for a double off Salvador Pèrez’s bat, but three balls on the infield stranded the runner. The first-year Yank allowed the leadoff man to reach for the third-straight inning with an infield single to first in the fifth. But Fried escaped without further damage, adding his fifth strikeout of the night in the process.

A leadoff walk and a two-out walk in the seventh ended Fried's night. Luke Weaver needed just two pitches to end the threat. Fried's final line: 6.2 innings, five hits, two runs, two walks, seven strikeouts on 94 pitches (60 strikes).

- Two runners reached against Michael Wacha in the first, but he cruised to five scoreless innings, needing just 58 pitches. The wheels came off in the sixth. After a leadoff infield single, Wacha got the next two batters before back-to-back walks saw the Royals summon Angel Zerpa, but the lefty promptly walked Austin Wells on four pitches to score a run.

That brought Dominguez to the plate, and the young left fielder got a 96 mph fastball on the inside corner and didn’t miss it, yanking the 1-2 pitch over the third baseman for a bases-clearing double to give the Yanks a 4-2 lead.

It was Dominguez’s third hit in three at-bats after he stayed on a breaking ball for a first-pitch single through the right side in the second and laced a single (106.4 mph) to the right of second base in the fifth.

He exited the game for the top of the seventh – manager Aaron Boone said after the game Dominguez "lost his contacts" when he was running the bases – and Trent Grisham came in to play defense. And it didn’t take long for Grisham’s defense to pay dividends as he tracked down a hard-hit ball for the first out in the inning, robbing Melendez of extra bases.

- Weaver needed just nine pitches for a 1-2-3 eighth inning with a strikeout. Devin Williams needed just 16 for a perfect ninth (with a strikeout) to earn his third save of the year.

- Aaron Judge, 1-for-21 with no extra-base hits against Wacha, rocketed a single (108.6 mph off the bat) that one-hopped the wall in right-center. Judge notched a second hit off Wacha, an infield single to start the sixth when Perez at first mishandled a throw from shallow center. He finished the day 2-for-3 with a walk.

- Cody Bellinger went 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout swinging. The outfielder is now 5-for-40 (.125) with one extra-base hit and two RBI in the month of April

- Paul Goldschmidt reached on catcher’s interference in the first but finished the day 0-for-3 with a strikeout.

- Jazz Chisholm Jr., wearing high socks and baggy pants in honor of Jackie Robinson, had a big chance in the first with two on and two out, but popped out in foul ground down the line in right. Went 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout looking. He is now stuck in a 2-for-28 stretch.

- Wells made a bid for extra bases his first time up, but Hunter Renfroe tracked down the 369-foot flyout to the warning track in right-center. Finished 0-for-2 with a strikeout and RBI walk.

- Ben Rice, who has been swinging a mighty bat, hit just one ball hard as he finished 0-for-5 with a strikeout.

- Anthony Volpe had just one hit in his last 22 at-bats before cracking a leadoff single (100 mph) in the eighth. He finished 1-for-3 with a strikeout and a walk.

- Members of both teams – and across all of baseball – wore No. 42 for Jackie Robinson Day in honor of his April 15, 1947 debut for the Brooklyn Dodgers, which ended segregation in the modern era of MLB. After Robinson’s debut, it would be another eight years – 1,233 regular season games – before the Yanks became the 13th team out of 16 to integrate when Elston Howard appeared in pinstripes for the first time on April 14, 1955.

Game MVP: Dominguez

When Kansas City presented the Yanks with the opportunity to win the game, it was Dominguez – in his first at-bat from the right side – who seized the moment.

Highlights

What's next

The Yankees look to complete the three-game sweep of the Royals on Wednesday, first pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.

Right-hander Clarke Schmidt will make his season debut and face off against Kansas City left-hander Kris Bubic (0.96 ERA, 0.964 WHIP in 18.2 innings).

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Mavericks' GM Nico Harrison, 'There's no regrets on the trade'

Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison met with a very limited, hand-selected number of Dallas media on Tuesday (much to the surprise of a lot of media members who regularly cover the team). Harrison repeatedly defended his shocking February decision to trade Luka Doncic to the Lakers, using the phrase "defense wins championships" repeatedly during the session, according to multiple reports. Here are some quotes from the meeting, via Tim MacMahon at ESPN, Christian Clark at The Athletic, and Tim Cato.

"There's no regrets on the trade," said Harrison... "Part of my job is to do the best thing for the Mavericks, not only today, but also in the future, and some of the decisions I'm going to make are going to be unpopular. That's my job, and I have to stand by it."

“When you look at this trade, we targeted A.D. with our philosophy of defense wins championships," Harrison said. "We wanted a two-way player to lead our team, and that was Anthony Davis. Everybody's going to have their critics. … But we got what we wanted... The team post-trade that was intended to be on the floor … that's a championship-caliber team. You guys were able to see it for 2 1/2 quarters. Unfortunately, that's a small sample size."

Mavericks fans are not going to get to see that team for most or all of next season as Kyrie Irving recovers from a torn ACL. Any debate about whether this is really a championship-caliber team is on hold for the foreseeable future.

Harrison is correct that a GM should trust his instincts and convictions, and not hesitate to make what he sees as a move that betters the franchise. However, when others are waving red flags about the trade, a smart GM puts aside his ego and thinks from outside his perspective. In this trade, one red flag is that, as highly as one might think of Anthony Davis (and he had an All-NBA season before injuries limited his game), he is six years older than Doncic — trading stars to get that much older is not wise. The other major red flag is this: If you're keeping this trade under wraps because you know there will be massive fan backlash to the idea, maybe enough to kill the trade, is this really a wise trade? Not just from a basketball sense but from a fan sense — the NBA is an entertainment business, angering the people who are fans and pay for your product is just not smart.

Harrison is convinced he will be vindicated with this trade in time. At least he doesn't have to worry about people forgetting this trade and not wanting to talk about it. For now, he can watch Anthony Davis and the Mavericks in the play-in Wednesday night while Luka Doncic and the No. 3 seed Lakers rest, waiting for their first game of the playoffs on Saturday evening.

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Are you a believer? Assessing the surprising hot starts of the 2025 MLB season

(This article was written with the assistance of Castmagic, an AI tool, and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy. Please reach out to us if you notice any mistakes.)

On the latest episode of "Baseball Bar-B-Cast," hosts Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman engaged in a fun discussion about breakout performances so far this season by creating a unique belief scale to rate their faith in players.

The concept was inspired by Kyren Paris and his impressive early-season performance, with both hosts pondering whether they believe Paris and others can maintain their current pace.

Here are the five levels of belief:

  • Atheist: Total disbelief, firm conviction that the player's early success is fleeting and won't hold up in the long run

  • Skeptic: Doubtful but open, acknowledging that the player might continue their performance but unconvinced until more proof is presented

  • Agnostic: Neutral territory, neither believing nor disbelieving in the player's potential to sustain their performance

  • Believer: Optimistic belief, confident that the player's performance is meaningful and will continue

  • Evangelist: True conviction, so certain about a player's success that they're willing to proclaim it loudly and widely

Now let's run through some of the players highlighted and how much Mintz and Shusterman believe in them.

Shusterman: Skeptic

"For how bad he was last year and for what his struggles, for what his limitations were as a hitter before, I need to see so much more to believe that he is an above-average hitter now."

Mintz: Skeptic

"I might be a little closer to agnostic just because the physical changes are so drastic, but I'm not someone who ever prefers to opt out of a conversation ... so I will say skeptic."

Shusterman: Believer

At this point, I think he's probably a little too flawed to become a top-five first baseman in baseball. But I'm a believer that he can be a very important, good part of this Tigers lineup."

Mintz: Believer

"I think next spring we enter the season being like, that dude's the first baseman for the Detroit Tigers. He's a good player. He hits fifth, and everyone's happy."

Mintz: Skeptic

"I remain a skeptic because I need to see him fail and rebound again. I need to see him get cold. I need to see pitchers adjust to his new approach, as they will, as they always do. And I need to see him readjust before I become a believer."

Shusterman: Believer

"Here's a very simple way to put it: I think he will absolutely be a top-three hitter on this team by the end of the season, maybe even top."

Shusterman: Evangelist

"Everybody was overthinking Pete to a ridiculous degree. ... We know what Pete is going to be at the floor. And if he is now reminding us of the ceiling, which we have seen at other points in his career, that should make a lot of teams, who should have paid this extremely low price for a very good first baseman, feel extremely foolish."

Mintz: Believer

"I'm just a believer, and partially that's because I want to give you space to evangelize."

Mintz: Evangelist

"All in, all in. Scream it from the mountaintops. Tell your friends, and tell their friends, even if they don't want to hear it. Hunter Green looks so freaking good."

Shusterman: Believer

"What he's looking like right now, it's like, yeah, of course. This is like what he's supposed to be. He's been working toward this, and he looks awesome."

Mintz: Believer

"I now think that Ben Rice is a big-league DH, for sure. His bat is going to play in the big leagues. Is he a star? I don't know. I don't know if I'm ready to call him a star."

Shusterman: Agnostic

"I do not want to say that this guy is a fraud. But it's so over the top right now that I also do not want to catch myself falling for it almost again."

Mintz: Evangelist

"I'm, like, beyond evangelizing like for him. I'm a zealot for him. I'm willing to shed blood. I'm willing to put my life on the line. ... He's going to get Cy Young votes."

Shusterman: Believer

"He is just the perfect story of everything you would bet on for that late-blooming superstar."

To listen to the full episode and hear more from the hot start belief scale, tune in to "Baseball-Bar-B-Cast" on Apple, Spotify or YouTube.

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Warriors set to unleash ‘different' Playoff Jimmy Butler against Rockets

Warriors set to unleash ‘different' Playoff Jimmy Butler against Rockets originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – The world around us begs for stress, anxiety and far too many worries. Smiles and laughs feel secondary at the moment. A basketball exercise that’s sure to bring both takes almost no time and is meant for all ages. 

Fire up Basketball Reference and type in your favorite player. Below their complete name – first, middle and last – are nicknames for players. Some are known worldwide, others have never even been heard by the player. 

Threezus. Yeah, that’s apparently Steph Curry. The Dancing Bear. Don’t call Draymond Green that, but it’s included in his list of nicknames as well. 

Ever since the Warriors acquired Jimmy Butler, two words have been brought up over and over again for a team eyeing their fifth championship during this dynastic run, and a player looking for his first ring after two trips to the NBA Finals that fell short with his previous team. 

Playoff Jimmy.

“He different, that guy,” Green said, his eyes lighting up at the sound of Butler’s nickname. “He’s different. You can just see a whole different intensity level and focus. I’m a basketball fan, you know, so I’ve watched it on TV for years. To see it up close and personal, like it’s a real thing. Sometimes you get in the NBA and these guys get these nicknames and you’re like, man, stop it. There’s some other nicknames out there, they not real. 

“That one’s real. And I’m happy he’s on our side.” 

Butler’s game is built on consistently making the right plays, often deferring to teammates. He isn’t going to force shots or toss up heat checks. Golden State was given another star alongside Curry upon Butler’s arrival, but that didn’t mean scoring barrages came in bunches. 

Until the right time came. 

The Warriors needed Game 83 to punch their ticket to the NBA playoffs, beating the Memphis Grizzlies in a fight to the very end, 121-116, Tuesday night at Chase Center in a play-in tournament matchup that decided the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference. When reminded of Butler’s Playoff Jimmy moniker, Gary Payton II pulled out something else from his Basketball Reference page. 

“Jimmy Buckets,” Payton said. “Give him the ball. Go where he tells you to go, and sit and wait until Jimmy needs help, or he’s going to score or get fouled.”

Knowing the importance of fast starts and having the ultimate closer at his disposal in Curry, Butler scored 10 points in the first quarter for the second straight game. With a 7-foot-4 rookie center Zach Edey sagging off him, Butler hit two threes in the first quarter and calculated in real time how to either take advantage of extra space or maneuver his way closer to the basket, pressing all the right buttons of the computer that buzzes inside his head. That also led to his second straight game of 20 shot attempts.

And it also resulted in his second straight 30-point game. 

Butler had scored 30 points just once since joining the Warriors, which happened to be Sunday’s regular-season finale – an overtime loss against the LA Clippers. He was up to 21 points at halftime Tuesday, which turned to 34 through three quarters and a season-high 38 on 12-of-20 shooting when it was all said and done. 

The 35-year-old scored twice behind the 3-point line, climbed the ladder for multiple dunks and a tip shot, delivered a 15-foot jumper for his only made shot in the fourth quarter, and, of course, racked up frequent flyer miles at the free-throw line. Butler attempted a season-high 18 free throws and made 12, a number far too low for his standards. 

“At the end of the day, you need somebody that can put the ball in the basket, and he knows how to do that,” Curry said. “We have to keep doing all of our parts, and you know, Playoff Jimmy will hopefully be a big unlock for us.” 

Beating the Grizzlies means a series with the young, long, athletic and ultra-physical Houston Rockets. Butler, in his final three games to end the regular season, plus Tuesday’s play-in game, scored 28, 24, 30 and 38 points. He dropped just 13 in a loss to the Rockets a week and a half ago. 

There won’t be a lumbering rookie guarding him, but doses of Amen Thompson, Dillon Brooks and others trying to play in the rough-and-rowdy image of coach Ime Udoka. Butler’s message to his first opponent in the way of him and the Warriors’ path towards a championship? Bring it on, all of it.

“We’ll go back to the drawing board and see how I can be effective on the offensive side of the ball,” Butler said. “But I really believe I can score with the best of them. I don’t care who I’m lined up against.”

That loss is long gone to the mind of a winner. The calendar has turned its pages to Playoff Jimmy time.

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‘Playoff guy' GP2 ready to answer Warriors' postseason call

‘Playoff guy' GP2 ready to answer Warriors' postseason call originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – As critical as it is for teams to get big games from their superstar players, in order to get deep into the NBA playoffs, it’s equally important to get steady and solid production from the backups.

That was the formula that played out nicely in the Warriors’ 121-116 play-in victory against the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday.

Jimmy Butler was in complete Playoff Jimmy mode and poured in a season-high 38 points while Stephen Curry shrugged off a slow start and finished with 37 points.

A deeper dive into the game, however, shows that while those two paved the way for Golden State, it was players like Gary Payton II and Quinten Post who held it down during critical moments.

Payton scored 12 points and made one of the game’s biggest plays when he snuck up from behind and blocked a shot attempt by Grizzlies’ 7-foot-4 center Zach Edey.

Post, the No. 22 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft who has been a revelation as a perimeter shooter, added 11 points and five rebounds in 22 minutes and combined with Payton and Jimmy Butler to limit Edey’s output. He grabbed 17 rebounds and scored 14 points albeit on 4-of-11 shooting.

For Post it was a satisfying night considering it was his first taste of a postseason atmosphere.

For Payton, it was basically another night at the office where the scrappy guard was all over the court diving for loose balls, going chest-to-chest with opposing players and doing whatever he could to make a difference.

“This is time,” Payton said. “You lead up all year to get to this moment. I’m more of a playoff guy … so when it’s that time of year, lock in and get right and try to be as efficient as I can.”

Payton has been very efficient almost from the moment he joined the Warriors.

Golden State coach Steve Kerr was very outspoken about Payton’s impact with the Warriors, specifically pointing out the impact that GPII had when the Warriors won the 2022 NBA Finals.

“We don’t win that championship in (2022) without Gary,” Kerr said. “He’s a big-time player, playoff performer, two-way player. Understands how to play with Steph probably as well as anybody on our team. He’s basically a power forward on offense and a point guard on defense. Very unique player.”

Butler, who was a one-man wrecking crew for most of the game against Memphis, took it a step further and said Payton will definitely be a key factor in the upcoming playoffs.

“He’s going to be a reason that we win a couple games in the playoffs,” Butler said. “But what I love most about GP is he makes sure everybody’s calm. He lets everybody know, ‘We’re going to be just fine. We just have to get a stop, get a bucket. We got to execute.’

“He’ll take and make some big shots (and) for sure he’ll get a big-time dunk to get the crowd into the game and then guard whoever you ask him to guard.”

Payton realizes, too, that the Warriors bench will have to keep producing if the Blue and Gold are going to reach their final destination.

“We know what’s at stake,” he said. “In a regular normal series, you got two games (that) your superstars are going to win for you. You got another game that the bench is going to win for you, and then the third is probably execution. We do our part and we know that Wardell, Jimmy and (Draymond Green) are going to do their part.

“So as much as we can take the load off them and they come in and do what they normally do, it just gives us extra bump, extra run that we have later in the game.”

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2025 NFL Draft: Who will be the most shocking 1st-round pick and other bold predictions

(This article was written with the assistance of Castmagic, an AI tool, and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy. Please reach out to us if you notice any mistakes.)

Subscribe to Yahoo Fantasy Forecast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen.

In a recent episode of the Yahoo Fantasy Forecast, Matt Harmon and The Ringers’ Danny Heifetz discussed some potential surprises awaiting all of us during next week's NFL Draft. Amidst an array of bold predictions, here are some of the highlights.

As they explored possibilities, Heifetz put forward the idea of the New Orleans Saints taking Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart ninth overall pick. Heifetz emphasized how this move would be a shocker, but one that aligns with the Saints' need for a long-term QB solution given Derek Carr's shoulder injury and uncertain standing with the team.

Further adding to the surprise element, Harmon entertained the notion of the Los Angeles Rams trading into the top 10 to select Penn State tight end Tyler Warren. The Rams have previously shown an interest in adding offensive weapons, and Warren could fill a critical tight end role, easing the burden off their wide receivers.

Heifetz also shed light on the possibility of Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe going in the first round, specifically mentioning the Pittsburgh Steelers. If Aaron Rodgers were to retire, the desperate need for a young quarterback could push the Steelers toward the surprise move.

Lastly, Harmon and Heifetz discussed the Denver Broncos' potential move for Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty. Under the helm of head coach Sean Payton, the Broncos might pursue Jeanty aggressively — likely needing to trade up from the 20th overall pick — adding another dimension to their offense. 

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Blues Top Prospect Jimmy Snuggerud Scores First NHL Goal

Jimmy Snuggerud (© Jeff Curry-Imagn Images)

During the St. Louis Blues' April 15 contest against the Utah Hockey Club, top prospect Jimmy Snuggerud scored his first career NHL goal. It was a significant one, too, as it gave the Blues a 3-0 lead in the first period. 

Snuggerud certainly worked hard to score his first NHL goal, as the 2022 first-round pick jammed in front of the net before getting the puck past Utah goaltender Karel Vejmelka.

Before this goal, Snuggerud already was making an impact in this contest against Vegas. Earlier on in the first period, the promising youngster was denied on a breakaway attempt, but Blues forward Pavel Buchnevich scored on the rebound. As a result, Snuggerud recorded an assist on this play. 

Snuggerud is one of the Blues' most exciting young players, and he certainly showed off his offensive potential against Utah with this multi-point game. 

Exciting Blues Goalie Prospect Continuing To ThriveExciting Blues Goalie Prospect Continuing To ThriveSt. Louis Blues goalie prospect Colten Ellis is enjoying an excellent season down in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Springfield Thunderbirds. In 41 appearances, the 24-year-old netminder has a 22-13-3 record, a 2.62 goals-against average, and a .922 save percentage.  However, what's more encouraging about Ellis' strong play is that he is only continuing to thrive as the campaign carries on. In his last appearance against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on April 12, he stopped 40 out of 43 shots, which equates to a .930 save percentage. Furthermore, he has had a .900 save percentage or better in six out of his last seven appearances. This includes a 36-save shutout against the Iowa Wild on March 28. Blues Star Is Heating Up In A Big WayBlues Star Is Heating Up In A Big WaySt. Louis Blues forward Pavel Buchnevich is one of the team's most important players. When playing at his best, the 29-year-old is a big difference-maker because of his high offensive skill.  Former Blues Star Struggling With New TeamFormer Blues Star Struggling With New TeamDuring this past off-season, former St. Louis Blues forward Vladimir Tarasenko signed a two-year, $9.5 million contract with the Detroit Red Wings. This was after he appeared in 76 games split between the Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers last season, posting 23 goals and 55 points in 76 games. He also won his second career Stanley Cup with Florida that spring.
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Kings Prospect Sets Franchise Record In Spitfires' Game Three Win

Liam Greentree was named captain of the Spitfires at the start of the season. This is his first playoff appearance since his rookie year when Windsor was eliminated in round one [Natalie Shaver/OHL Images].

All of Windsor is flying high after the Spitfires pummeled the Kitchener Rangers 6-3 last night to take a 3-0 lead in round two of the OHL Playoffs. The victory is extra sweet for L.A. Kings prospect Liam Greentree, who set a franchise record by scoring five goals in the game.

He's the first player to score five goals in a playoff game since Connor McDavid, who completed the feat during the 2015 OHL Playoffs. Greentree also set a franchise record, surpassing Ernie Godden, who put up a four-goal effort back in 1981 for Windsor.

While the Spitfires' success comes from a team effort, it cannot be denied that Greentree is leading the charge,e showing all of the skill and tenacity that made him a first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. 

He leads the playoffs with 14 goals in eight games, scoring at nearly a two-goal per game pace. The 6-foot-3 forward is tied for the playoff lead in points with linemate and Washington Capitals prospect Ilya Protas, both of whom have tallied 24 points in eight games. 

Greentree scored two goals in the opening period to give Windsor a 2-0 lead heading into the second period. 

His first goal in the second period couldn't have been timed better. It restored the Spitfires' two-goal lead, coming just a minute and a half after Ottawa Senators prospect Luke Ellinas scored Kitchener's first goal of the game. 

Henry Mews' Commitment Shows Why The OHL Could Be In Trouble?Henry Mews' Commitment Shows Why The OHL Could Be In Trouble?Early yesterday evening, Calgary Flames prospect Henry Mews announced his commitment to the University of Michigan to play NCAA hockey next season. The unique decision shows how players are forging new paths in the wake of the NCAA's decision to make CHL players eligible for Division I hockey. 

Early in the third, Greentree scored his fourth goal of the game on the power play, making the Windsor lead 5-2 before finishing the night with an empty net goal. 

Protas, Greentree's partner in crime, also had a fantastic night scoring a goal and adding three helpers. The pair reminded the league that they are one of the deadliest duos in major juniors, scoring all six Windsor goals and accounting for 11 points.

The Windsor Spitfires have absolutely dominated the Kitchener Rangers in round two of the OHL Playoffs. Through three games they've scored 16 goals while Kitchener has only recorded five. 

MVP Candidate Scores Hattrick In Game Two WinMVP Candidate Scores Hattrick In Game Two WinEarlier this afternoon, the Brantford Bulldogs defeated the Oshawa Generals 8-5 to take a two-game lead in the series. Chicago Blackhawks prospect Nick Lardis was the center of attention, scoring a hattrick in the win. 

The win gives Windsor a 3-0 series lead and the opportunity to eliminate their opponent and move on to the Western Conference Final on Wednesday. At this point it it seems almost impossible that Kitchener will make a comback in the series. 

Only four NHL teams have ever come back from that kind of a deficit, the most recent being the 2014 L.A. Kings, who defeated San Jose and went on to win the Stanley Cup. 

While it seems like Windsor will soon book their tickets to the Western Conference Finals, junior hockey is entirely unpredictable. We will see what happens come Wednesday night when Kitchener will host Windsor for game four.

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Butler uses ‘hellified' superhero analogy for Steph's big play-in game

Butler uses ‘hellified' superhero analogy for Steph's big play-in game originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Every Batman needs his Robin.

That’s exactly who Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler were in the Warriors’ 121-116 NBA play-in win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday at Chase Center — and Butler made sure everyone knew it.

“That we got a hellified Batman in Steph,” Butler told NBA on TNT’s Allie LaForce after the win of what gave him the confidence Golden State would pull it off. “And we just got a group of guys that got a lot of fight and never give up, and we did what we were supposed to do finally.”

Butler scored a game-high 38 points on 12-of-20 shooting from the field and 2 of 4 from 3-point range while also sinking 12 free throws on a season-high 18 attempts in the victory. Curry was right behind Butler with 37 points, 15 of which came in a fourth-quarter takeover that secured the Warriors’ first-ever play-in win and pushed them to the NBA playoffs as the Western Conference’s No. 7 seed.

There’s no one like Curry, and Butler is well aware. The Chef is the Bay Area’s very own superhero — and now he has the perfect sidekick.

“I think any team has a chance with me on it,” Butler told reporters at the postgame podium. “But I know every team has a chance with Steph on it. I get to play Robin. That’s my Batman.”

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Canucks Quinn Hughes Joins Elite Company With 350th Career Assist

Apr 6, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes (43) during a stop in play against the Vegas Golden Knights in the third period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images

On Monday, Quinn Hughes celebrated a special milestone. The Vancouver Canucks captain recorded his 350th career assist, becoming just the seventh player and first defenceman in franchise history to achieve the feat. Over his 432-game career, Hughes has developed into one of the best passers in the NHL and now finds himself in elite company alongside some of the best players ever to play in the NHL.

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With his assist on Monday, Hughes became the 21st player in NHL history to record at least 350 assists before turning 26. The list includes many Hall of Famers, including Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemiux, as well as current NHLers in Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, Mitch Marner and Nathan MacKinnon. Hughes is currently tied with MacKinnon for 20th on the list and will have one final chance to move past the Colorado Avalanche superstar before his 26th birthday as Vancouver battles the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday.

As for defensemen, Hughes is the fifth defender to record 350 assists before turning 26. The other four are Bobby Orr (522), Paul Coffey (460), Phil Housley (380), and Ray Bourque (366). Hughes also ranks 11th in all-time points by a defenceman before turning 26, while his 409 points are the most by any defender currently playing in the NHL. 

To wrap things up, the 2024-25 season was also the fourth time in Hughes' career he has recorded at least 60 assists. That ranks tied for sixth with Jaromír Jágr, Joe Sakic, Lemieux and Denis Savard for the most by any skater before their 26th birthday. As for the players with more, those would be Gretzky (7), McDavid (6), Bryan Trottier (6), Orr (5) and Coffey (5).

While Hughes still has a ways to go, he is on pace to become one of the highest point-producing defensemen in NHL history. His .95 points per game ranks sixth among defenders in NHL history who have played at least 200 games, while he leads all defensemen in points since the start of the 2018-19 season, during which he only played five games. Ultimatley, if Hughes can keep up this production, and be signed to a long-term contract, he could very well finish his career as the greatest player in Canucks history.

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