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Abbotsford Canucks Defeat Texas Stars, Advance To Calder Cup Finals

The Abbotsford Canucks have eliminated the Texas Stars and advanced to the Calder Cup Finals where they will take on the Charlotte Checkers. 

The Canucks captured the Robert W. Clarke as Western Conference Champions with a 4-2 win in game six.

Goaltender Arturs Silovs continued his fantastic playoff run with a .917 SP, 2.28 GAA, and one shutout in the series, he has a .929 SP, 1.94 GAA, and 12-5 record with five shutouts in the playoffs. He made 23 stops in game six.

There was a bizarre sequence early in the game when Sammy Blais thought he had opened the scoring, during the confusion several players stopped playing and Texas went down the ice and scored.

After scoring his first goal of the playoffs in game five Arshdeep Bains scored twice in game six, he and Linus Karlsson led the team with seven points each in the Conference Finals. 

Jujhar Khaira scored his third of the playoffs before Max Sasson scored his first of the series midway through the third in what ended up being the game winner.

The Canucks' defense core had a stellar series, veteran Christian Wolanin formed a great pairing with Victor Mancini while Guillaume Brisebois continued to perform in all situations. 

In a series that had three overtime games and a 1-0 game Abbotsford showed their comfort under pressure and ability to grind out different types of games. 

Despite boasting the two top point scorers of the playoffs in Cameron Hughes (19) and Justin Hryckowian (18) the Stars could not solve the Abbotsford defense. 

Harrison Scott scored his first career professional goal for the Stars in one of their few bright spots in game six. 

Goaltender Magnus Hellberg earned the start after entering the game in relief in game four, he was under fire all game and made 36 saves on 39 shots. 

The Stars had a great campaign and it will be fascinating to see the roster they return with next season as several players are pending free agents or have earned promotions. 

The 87th Calder Cup gets underway on June 13 in North Carolina. 

 Keep an eye on The Hockey News' Vancouver Canucks team site for on the ground coverage of the Abbotsford Canucks. 

Make sure you bookmark The Hockey News' AHL Page for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more.   

Photo Credit: Š Russell LaBounty-Imagn Images

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Yankees 'regroup' after series loss to Red Sox as 'big one' at Royals looms

The Yankees have an extra day to think on Sunday's 11-7 loss to the Boston Red Sox.

After Saturday's 10-7 loss, New York (39-25) dropped the season's first series against the sub-.500 rival Red Sox (32-35) and stumbles into Tuesday's three-game set at the Kansas City Royals.

"These are always kind of heavy series and fun to be a part of and go through, but they had their hitting shoes on the last couple nights and really even the first night with them coming back on us and pressuring us a little bit," Aaron Boone said. "So they beat us here this weekend. So it's part of it. We'll kind of regroup into the off day here, obviously, and off to Kansas City and then back to Boston and get ourselves right back on track."

The Yankees swept the Royals (34-32) April 14-16 and catch Kansas City after it lost two of the past three games to the 22-44 Chicago White Sox.

"Message is just keep going," said Aaron Judge. "We lost a couple series already this year. This is just another series. We've got a big one coming up with Kansas City. We played in the postseason. Guys are having great at-bats, making great plays. Every time we play the Red Sox, it's going to be a series like this, kind of back and forth -- they have a big inning, we have one back. That's baseball. So just go back to work and nothing different."

New York gets another crack at the Red Sox with a three-game series in Boston starting Friday.

"There's three really hard-fought games that maybe any of 'em could've gone either way but they made a couple more pitches or couple more swings than us," said Paul Goldschmidt. "So hopefully the next series will go our way and we'll win those pitches and win those at-bats."

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Thunder clap back behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, bench to take Game 2, even NBA Finals with 123-107 win

OKLAHOMA CITY — There would be no comebacks, no end-of-game drama in Game 2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made sure of it.

Gilgeous-Alexander put up 34 points (his 13th 30+ game of the playoffs) and had eight assists, but raw numbers undersell how in control of the game he was on Sunday night. With the Thunder setting his picks up higher on the court, he was able to get downhill and find space, but was never out of control — he orchestrated the game. He found passing lanes to open shooters as well as his midrange game again, shooting 9-of-16 from there, plus getting 14 points in the paint. Defensively, he was blowing up Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers' pick-and-roll all night.

The Thunder clapped back in Game 2 and the result was a comfortable 123-107 Oklahoma City win that evens the NBA Finals at 1-1 as the series heads to Indiana for Game 3 on Wednesday.

This was the performance Thunder fans — and most of the NBA world — expected from OKC in Game 1.

Oklahoma City was the aggressor from the opening tip, and much of what didn't work consistently for the Thunder in Game 1 did in Game 2. Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren started out shooting 6-of-9 from the floor and finished with a combined 34 points and 11 rebounds. It wasn't just SGA, the Thunder as a team shot 21-of-36 (58.3) from the midrange in Game 2. OKC got 26 of its 59 first-half points in the paint (and finished with 42 from there), and the ball touching the paint led to kick-out 3-pointers and good ball movement. Coach Mark Daigneault went to the two-big lineup of Holmgren and Isiah Hartenstein — something he didn't use in Game 1 — and it was +4 in 4:32 on the court.

Then there was the bench scoring 48 points, led by 20 points from Alex Caruso — more than any Pacer — and 18 from Aaron Wiggins, giving OKC a huge lift.

Thanks in large part to that bench, the Thunder extended their lead to as much as 23 and, thanks to another strong defensive performance, never let the Pacers get back in it.

"I just thought we were the aggressor tonight for much of the game, even when we had a lead," Daigneault said. "I thought the guys did a really good job of keeping the foot on the gas, especially defensively. I thought we really amped it up on that end of the floor."

As good as Gilgeous-Alexander was, it was a rough night for Haliburton and the Pacers.

"Another bad first half. Obviously, it was a big problem, and we just played poorly," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. "A little bit better in the second half but you can't be a team that's reactive and expect to be successful or have consistency."

Haliburton spent three quiet quarters trying to get his teammates going in the face of the Thunder's pressure defense, but when that didn't work, he became a scorer in the fourth with an impressive 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting. The problem was that it was too late (the other problem to monitor is the slight limp he walked with postgame). Back home for Game 3, the Pacers need him to put his scoring stamp on the game earlier, draw the defense, then find shooters.

Myles Turner gave the Pacers a little boost with a dozen second-half points (16 for the game) and he let loose his frustrations with this dunk.

Indiana needs to find a lot of things with its home cooking: Through two NBA Finals games, the Thunder have led for 91:22 and the Pacers 1:53. Indiana got the split on the road, but they are going to have to be much better at home, the Thunder have proven they can win on the road.

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NBA finals: Ruthless Thunder show Pacers no mercy as they level series 1-1

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was once again the best player on court.Photograph: Manuela Soldi/EPA

The Oklahoma City Thunder blew Game 1 of the NBA finals after holding a significant lead over the Indiana Pacers. In Game 2, they made sure there was no repeat, utterly dominating their opponents in a 123-107 victory that leveled the series at 1-1.

In Game 1, the Thunder had a 12-point lead at half-time and a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter before losing to the Pacers courtesy of a Tyrese Haliburton basket in the final second. On Sunday night, they took control of the game early on, but this time they didn’t let their advantage go.

“A lot of it comes down to just not panicking,” said Thunder’s Jalen Williams of his team’s ability to come back from their defeat in Game 1. “We always talk about winning the days in between [games] so just going back and looking at the film, and realizing not everything is as bad or as good as it seems in the moment.”

The result was perhaps not a surprise: the Thunder were 17-2 coming off a loss this season and are yet to lose back-to-back games in this season’s playoffs. And both teams would have recognized that Oklahoma City controlled most of Game 1, only to falter late under a surge led by Haliburton. In Game 2, however, the Thunder executed a far more complete performance, asserting control across all phases. Their aggressive defensive rotations disrupted Indiana’s rhythm, preventing the kind of scoring runs that had enabled the Pacers’ comeback in the opener.

“[Our defense] is where it starts,” said Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander after the game. “They’re a high powered offense and if you don’t get stops, you end up running all night and they can beat you that way.”

For the second game in a row, Gilgeous-Alexander was the game’s top scorer, with 34 points, but the reigning NBA MVP also had excellent support off the bench, notably from Alex Caruso and and Aaron Wiggins, who scored 20 and 18 points respectively.

Haliburton was the Pacers’ top-scorer with 17 points. That means no Indiana player has passed 20 points in a game this series, a tribute to the Thunder’s defense as much as any failings on the part of the Pacers.

“A bad first half, obviously, was a big problem,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “And we just played poorly. A little better in the second half. But you can’t be a team that’s reactive and expect to be successful or have consistency.”

The best-of-seven series heads to Indiana for Game 3 on Wednesday night.

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Hunter Dobbins outpitches Carlos RodĂłn as Yankees miss opportunity against Red Sox, lose series in Sunday's finale

The Yankees wasted a chance to take their first series of the 2025 season against the Boston Red Sox when they blew a sixth-inning lead and ultimately lost Sunday's 11-7 finale.

Takeaways

  1. Carlos RodĂłn has been nails for this year's Gerrit Cole-less Yankees (39-25) and continued to be a rock through four scoreless frames, but the fifth and sixth innings saw RodĂłn unravel. After a two-out Ceddanne Rafaela walk in the fifth, Kristian Campbell's two-run home run turned New York's 3-0 lead into a 3-2 edge. Aaron Boone let RodĂłn have the sixth, even after Rafael Devers' leadoff hit-by-pitch and Rob Refsnyder's subsequent walk, and Carlos NarvĂĄez's three-run home run in the ensuing at-bat put the Yankees into a 5-3 deficit that they could not dig their way out of.

  2. Whether or not Boone should have pulled RodĂłn (8-4, 2.87 ERA), who allowed five runs on three hits while striking out five and walking three through five-plus innings, he got outpitched in a rubber game against his team's arch rival. To rub salt in the wound, Boston rookie Hunter Dobbins got the job done on the other side of the pitching matchup. Dobbins, who said that he would rather retire than play for the Yankees, backed up his trash talk with a better outing than the veteran RodĂłn. Overall, Dobbins (3-1, 4.20 ERA) allowed three runs on four hits in five innings.
  3. Before RodĂłn's collapse, Aaron Judge's two-run home run in the first inning was a tone-setting blast and made some history. He put the Yankees on the board and gave RodĂłn an early lead to work with en route to a 3-for-5 evening that included a sixth-inning walk, seventh-inning single and ninth-inning two-run home run -- his 23rd of 2025. Judge's earlier 22nd home run of the season was also 30th against the Red Sox and, at 107 games, makes him the second-fastest Yankee to 30 homers against Boston behind only Babe Ruth's 95. Judge is also batting an MLB-best .396 while posting a .493 OBP, slugging .771 and driving in 55 runs.
  4. For a moment,DJ LeMahieu's two-out solo shot in the fifth inning was the go-ahead home run. If not for RodĂłn's sixth inning, LeMahieu's long ball would have changed the tune of the Dobbins discourse. Looking at the bigger picture, LeMahieu has a hit in three straight games and is slashing .258/.333/.371 with two home runs and nine RBI through 20 games. He turns 37 on July 13 and is not his prime self, but LeMahieu has proven serviceable and shown signs of still being able to play a key role for the Yankees this season.

Who's the MVP?

The Red Sox (32-35) hit five home runs, and Judge had two for the Yankees, but none was bigger than NarvĂĄez's game-breaking blast in the fifth. The Yankees added two runs in the sixth, but not before NarvĂĄez's three-run homer and Jarren Duran's subsequent two-run single during the bottom half's five-run breakthrough. NarvĂĄez knocked RodĂłn out and sparked the Red Sox, who left no doubt late in the game.

Highlights

What's next

The Yankees have Monday off and start a six-game road trip the next day, beginning with a three-game set at the Kansas City Royals (34-32). Left-handers Max Fried (8-1, 1.78 ERA) and Noah Cameron (2-1, 0.85 ERA) are set to start Tuesday's 7:40 p.m. opener.

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SEE IT: Pete Alonso ties, then surpasses David Wright for second place on Mets' all-time home run list

Pete Alonsocontinues to rise up the Mets’ all-time home run list.

On Sunday afternoon at Coors Field, Alonso belted a two-run home run to left-center that put the Mets ahead 4-0 on the Rockies in the top of the third inning. The blast from Alonso was No. 242, which tied David Wright for second place on the franchise’s all-time list.

Then, in the eighth inning, the Mets' slugger took sole possesion of second, crushing a two-run shot down the left field line for No. 243 that bumped the lead to 12-3. The pair of two-run dingers also increased Alonso's season RBI to a league-leading 61.

The only player now standing in Alonso's way for the home run crown is legend Darryl Strawberry, who logged 252 long balls in a Mets uniform. It's entirely possible he breaks the record this month, as he's slashing a red-hot .344/.412/.803 over his last 15 games.

"It's really cool [to surpass Wright], and for me, I just want to help the team win every single chance I get," Alonso said after the Mets' win. "My game is just driving the ball, doing what I can to score guys... Very blessed to do, but I really don't think that's going to settle in... We're still in the middle of a season. Right now, it's just focused on winning. But I don't think [the record is] going to settle in until later on."

The pair of homers were certainly absorbed by Wright. He offered his congratulations to Alonso with a video message on X/Twitter.

"Just a huge congratulations," Wright said. "You're one of the premier power hitters in the game. You easily passed me. Set Straw in your sights and go get him. Congratulations, my man."

While Wright wasn’t the same pure power hitter as Alonso, it’s worth nothing that Wright hit his 242nd home run in his 1,583rd career game, while Alonso accomplished the same number in just 912 career games.

Here’s a look at how the Polar Bear took another step closer to making Mets history:

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Mets' Juan Soto on reaching base career-high six times: 'I'm just finding more gaps, more holes'

The season-long Statcast hitting percentiles for Juan Soto have patently shown an atypical stretch of bad luck at the plate, and the Mets' new superstar made this point even more clear to his doubters on Sunday afternoon by achieving a feat he'd never reached before.

While the Mets relied on home runs -- six in total and two from Pete Alonso, who made some more franchise history -- to complete a convincing sweep of the lowly Rockies at Coors Field, there wasn't anyone in the lineup who came close to matching Soto's day in the batter's box. The lefty slugger reached base a career-high six times, logging three singles and three walks to raise his on-base percentage to .384. He also scored three runs.

Soto drove an 0-1 fastball to left in the first inning, a 3-2 fastball to right in the third, and a 1-2 fastball to center in the fourth. Those knocks bumped his season average to .244. He worked the count full during the sixth, eighth, and ninth innings, and wound up strolling to first base on balls each time.

The Mets aren't paying Soto record-breaking money to deliver record-breaking power. He's a generational talent because of his on-base skills and keen eye -- home runs should be viewed as a welcome bonus.

After the win, Soto was asked if he's felt differently at the plate in recent games. He said no. He's stayed true to the approach that's long made him successful.

"It's always a good feeling to get on base, try to help the team in any way," Soto said. "Even if I take a walk or hit the ball hard, I just try to help the team... It's just the same thing [at the plate]. I'm just finding more gaps, more holes. Finally landing some pitches and making some good swings and decisions. Just finding some holes."

Soto has resembled his old, dominant self over the last week-plus, and looked far more comfortable playing in a Mets uniform. Since the start of June, he's slashing .346/.564/.615 with two homers, a double, and 12 walks across 39 plate appearances. In the last 15 games, his on-base mark is .435 -- much closer to his career average of .418.

If the skeptics still aren't convinced of a Soto breakout, they should trust the Statcast metrics. His expected batting average (xBA) is currently .298, which ranks in the 91st percentile among MLB hitters. His walk (18.1) and chase (14.8) rates are elite, in the 100th percentile. His hard-hit percentage (54.0) ranks third-best in his career, and he's well on pace to become the second Met ever to register 100-plus walks in a single season.

"That's who he is, another great hitter we've got in our lineup," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said of Soto. "Three singles and three walks, not easy to do at the big league level. Good to see him do that, and again, finally getting some results. But I feel like the at-bat quality has been there throughout."

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There Are Reportedly Only Three Untouchable Players In Trade Talks For The Rangers

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Everyone on the New York Rangers roster is open to being traded except for three players.

According to Arthur Staple of The Athletic, Igor Shesterkin, Artemi Panarin, and Adam Fox are the only untouchables for the Rangers in trade talks. 

The Rangers Are Reportedly Looking To Target Vladislav Gavrikov During Offseason The Rangers Are Reportedly Looking To Target Vladislav Gavrikov During Offseason The New York Rangers reportedly have their eyes on a specific defenseman once the free agency period officially begins on July 1. 

Shesterkin and Fox are under contract for multiple more seasons while Panarin is set to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2026. 

Staple also reports that the Rangers are one of the teams, including the Buffalo Sabres, Utah Mammoth, and Seattle Kraken, looking to shake up their roster soon.

Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury sent out a league-wide memo early on in the 2024-25 season that he’s interested in making moves to shake up the roster. 

After missing the playoffs, Drury appears to be in a similar mindset, with major changes on the horizon.

The Rangers already made a coaching change and multiple players have been the subject of trade rumors including Chris Kreider and K’Andre Miller.

Now, we’ll have to see if all of these rumors lead to action from Drury.

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Former Sabres Prospect Signs With Oilers

It is a longshot that players who go unsigned by NHL clubs after being drafted make any impact. The Buffalo Sabres are one club that found out the hard way that sometimes players fall through the cracks. In 2016, Buffalo selected in the sixth round winger Brandon Hagel from the WHL’s Red Deer Rebels. After two unspectacular seasons, Hagel went unsigned and signed as a free agent with the Chicago Blackhawks. He then scored 102 points as an overager, went to the American Hockey League, worked his way to the NHL, was traded to Tampa Bay in 2022 and three years later is a shoo in to make Team Canada for the upcoming Olympic games. 

There is no way to tell whether history will repeat itself, but after allowing three draft picks rights to expire last week, the Edmonton Oilers quickly jumped on the opportunity and signed 2021 draftee Viljami Marjala to a two-year, entry-level contract. 

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Marjala played for the QMJHL’s Quebec Remparts after being selected in the fifth round by Buffalo. After another season in Quebec, he returned to his native Finland and split time between the junior level and the Finnish SM-Liiga. In his second season, he scored 40 points (17 goals, 23 assists) in 60 games for TPS Turku, and last season, the 22-year-old had another good offensive year, tying for his club’s scoring lead with 52 points (8 goals, 44 assists) in 54 games. 

The Sabres have not done a good job in developing their prospects, as only one player selected in the third round or later in the Kevyn Adams era has played in the NHL. Czech forward Lukas Rousek signed with a SHL club last month, and there is some speculation that 2021 second-rounder Aleksandr Kisakov may return to Russia after playing only 13 games in Rochester last season and that lack of development or opportunity may be a factor in Buffalo being able to bring their prospects to North America in the future. 

Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo

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Former Kraken Forward Signs One-Year Contract With Swedish Team

Seattle Kraken forward Karson Kuhlman (25) skates with the puck against the New Jersey Devils at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images

Former Seattle Kraken forward Karson Kuhlman has signed a one-year contract with SHL team RĂśgle BK.

The 29-year-old played 39 games with the Kraken, spanning over two seasons. In his time with the Kraken, Kuhlman recorded three goals, eight assists and 11 points. 

Kuhlman hasn't played any NHL games in the last two seasons, playing for the Bridgeport Islanders, the New York Islanders' AHL affiliate in 2023-24 and with Lukko in Liiga, Finland's top professional league. In his first season in Finland, the American right winger scored 21 goals and 46 points in 60 games.

Kuhlman is the second former NHL player to sign with RĂśgle BK in the past few days, joining former Vancouver Canucks, Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Mark Freidman. 

“Karson brings a lot of experience, including a season in Europe,” said Rögle sports director Hampus Sjöström. “He is a versatile player who can contribute in all forms of play. He is committed and good at finding pucks around the net.”

Kuhlman won a National Championship with Minnesota Duluth before beginning his NHL career, where he played 147 games, scoring 12 goals and 30 points, splitting his time with the Boston Bruins, Kraken and the Winnipeg Jets. 

Stay updated with the most interesting Kraken 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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Mets fueled by homers to complete convincing sweep of Rockies

The Mets enjoyed a bright and warm Sunday afternoon at Coors Field in style, with a cool and refreshing six-pack. No, not that type of six-pack.

There was no shortage of power from the Mets' bats in their series finale with the lowly Rockies, as they smacked six homers in a game for the first time since 2021 en route to a 13-5 win and convincing road sweep. New York is now a season-high 18 games over the .500 mark, with a 4.5-game lead in the NL East.

From top to bottom, the Mets' lineup produced some pop. The homer barrage began in the second inning, when Jeff McNeil won a 10-pitch at-bat against Rockies starter Chase Dollander by smacking a fastball to the right-field bullpen for a solo shot. Then, in the third, Pete Alonso flaunted his muscle with a two-run blast that tied him with David Wright for second place on the franchise's all-time homers list (242).

McNeil and Alonso were thirsty for another round. The veteran utilityman crushed his second homer in the fourth -- a towering three-run shot to the right-field seats -- that pushed the Mets' lead to a comfortable 8-0. Alonso then matched that dinger in the eighth with a two-run tank to left -- his 17th of the season -- that made the score 12-3 and gave him sole possesion of second place on the Mets' list.

The other two homers -- delivered by Bretty Baty in the seventh and Francisco Alvarez in the ninth -- capped off a stellar weekend of offense for the Mets. They tallied 17 hits on Sunday, 39 across the three-game set, and reaffirmed their league status among the haves and the Rockies' among the have-nots.

"He's just swinging the bat well. He's connecting on quality pitches in the zone and that allows him to hit the ball pull-side in the air," Alonso said of McNeil's power surge after the win. "It's really cool [to surpass Wright], and for me, I just want to help the team win every single chance I get.

"My game is just driving the ball, doing what I can to score guys... Very blessed to do, but I really don't think that's going to settle in... We're still in the middle of a season. Right now, it's just focused on winning. But I don't think [the record is] going to settle in until later on."

McNeil, who collected three extra-base hits and logged the third multi-homer game of his career, also had some kind words for Alonso. And he couldn't help but amusingly ask reporters how far away he is from catching up to Alonso in the race for the Mets' power crown.

The exact number is 169. So, not close. But if McNeil is only concerned with the 2025 tally, he's trailing Alonso by a more-reachable 11.

"He's been pretty incredible this year. Locked-in every single at-bat," McNeil said of Alonso. "Just seems like in big situations, he's going to do some damage. ... He's been here his entire career. He set the rookie home run record, he's closing in on the Mets' all-time record. ... Can't wait to see him on top. ... How many am I away? Well, maybe one day. It's fun to watch. I feel like he's putting on a show every time he's at the ballpark."

Surprisingly, the Mets' offensive explosion didn't include contributions from everyone. Francisco Lindor was the only one to go hitless (0-for-5), and right underneath him, Brandon Nimmo finished 1-for-6. Juan Soto didn't follow their lead, however -- he actually reached base a career-high six times with three singles and walks apiece.

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State of Origin 2 teams: Daly Cherry-Evans dropped in bombshell Maroons move

  • Queensland captain expected to make way for Tom Dearden

  • Beau Fermor also dropped with Kurt Capewell to step in

Queensland’s Daly Cherry-Evans has become the first State of Origin captain dropped mid-series this century, as one of several huge Billy Slater selection calls. Slater will name a 20-man squad for Origin II on Monday morning, but Tom Dearden is expected to replace Cherry-Evans in the No 7 jersey in Perth next Wednesday.

Beau Fermor is the other player dropped after the Maroons’ series-opening 18-6 loss at Suncorp Stadium, with Kurt Capewell set to replace him. Kurt Mann is then expected to take Dearden’s spot on the Maroons’ bench, after acting as 18th man in game one.

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Thunder dominate Pacers in Game 2 of NBA Finals to even series

Thunder dominate Pacers in Game 2 of NBA Finals to even series originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 34 points, Alex Caruso added 20 off the bench and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Indiana Pacers 123-107 on Sunday night to tie the NBA Finals at one game apiece.

Jalen Williams scored 19, Aaron Wiggins had 18 and Chet Holmgren finished with 15 for the Thunder. It was the franchise’s first finals game win since the opener of the 2012 series against Miami.

Tyrese Haliburton scored 17 for Indiana, which erased a 15-point, fourth-quarter deficit in Game 1 but never made a push on Sunday. Myles Turner scored 16 and Pascal Siakam added 15 for the Pacers, the first team since Miami in 2013 to not have a 20-point scorer in the first two games of the finals.

Game 3 is Wednesday at Indianapolis, in what will be the first finals game in that city in 25 years.

Gilgeous-Alexander’s first basket of the night was a history-maker: It gave him 3,000 points on the season, including the regular season and playoffs. And later in Game 2, he passed New York’s Jalen Brunson (514) as the leading overall scorer in these playoffs.

But the real milestone for the MVP came a couple hours later, when he and most everybody else on the Thunder got a finals win for the first time.

A 19-2 run in the second quarter turned what was a six-point game into a 23-point Thunder lead. It might have seemed wobbly a couple of times — an immediate 10-0 rebuttal by the Pacers made it 52-39, and Indiana was within 13 again after Andrew Nembhard’s layup with 7:09 left in the third — but the Thunder lead was never in serious doubt.

With the noise level in the building often topping 100 decibels — a chainsaw is 110 dB, for comparison purposes — the Thunder did what they’ve done pretty much all season. They came off a loss, this time a 111-110 defeat in Game 1, and blew somebody out as their response.

Including the NBA Cup title game, which doesn’t count in any standings, the Thunder are now 18-2 this season when coming off a loss. Of those 18 wins, 12 have been by double digits.