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Yankees drop second straight to Red Sox after 4-3 loss

The Yankees dropped another close one in the second game of their three-game series against the Boston Red Sox on Saturday night by a score of 4-3.

Here are the takeaways...

-Hoping to get past his previous outing against the Red Sox in his last start on June 8 at Yankee Stadium, where he allowed five earned runs in five innings, Carlos Rodon let Boston tag him for another run in the bottom of the first inning to kick things off.

Rob Refsnyder led off the inning with a double that just scraped the left field foul line and was almost stranded at second after Rodon retired the next two. With two outs, Carlos Narvaez grounded one to the left of shortstop Anthony Volpe, who managed to get to the ball, but with all of his momentum taking him towards third base, he tried channeling his inner Derek Jeter and jump-threw the ball to first base.

The ball was down the line and even though Paul Goldschmidt came off the bag, he let the ball skip past him, which allowed a run to score. It was ruled a single while Volpe was charged with a throwing error.

-Rodon kept the Red Sox scoreless until the fourth inning, where they scored another run thanks to doubles by Narvaez and Trevor Story, who lined one up the middle and caught Volpe sleeping at second base to hustle into second before the shortstop could tag him out.

-Volpe got a measure of revenge leading off the next half inning, hitting one off the Green Monster but being held to a single. The Yankees would not score in the frame.

-Boston scored again in the fifth on Romy Gonzalez's RBI double, which drove in Kristian Campbell, who was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning.

-Down 3-0 through five innings and 90 pitches, Rodon went back out to start the sixth but was pulled after Story's leadoff double. Yerry De los Santos came in for relief but couldn't strand Story at second, allowing the inherited runner to score and putting an end to Rodon's night.

The lefty's final line: 5+ IP, 7 H, 4 R (3 ER), 2 BB, 4 K.

-New York's offense was held in check for most of the night against rookie right-hander Hunter Dobbins, who pitched six scoreless innings and allowed just two hits and a walk while striking out five.

With Dobbins out of the game, the Yanks finally broke through in the seventh with two runs off Luis Guerrero to make it 4-2. After back-to-back walks began the inning, Jasson Dominguez singled home a run before Austin Wells followed with an RBI single of his own. They were the first Yankees not named Aaron Judge to have an RBI in the team's last 30 innings played.

The inning could've been bigger had Dominguez not been picked off and caught stealing third base for the third out after it appeared he thought Trent Grisham struck out to end the inning.

-The game's score stood at 4-2 as New York went up to bat in the ninth inning. Goldschmidt ripped a double off The Monster to start things off against Greg Weissert, who traded to two groundouts to second base for a run to score. Down to their final out, Dominguez also hit a double to put the tying run in scoring position. On a 3-1 pitch in the zone, Wells smashed one to the deepest part of the ballpark for a flyout to end the game.

-The Yankees' top three of the batting order (Grisham, Judge, Ben Rice) combined to go 0-for-12 with six Ks.

Game MVP: Hunter Dobbins

The rookie turned in a masterful performance to grab his fourth win of the season.

Highlights

What's next

The Yankees conclude their three-game set with the Red Sox on Sunday afternoon with first pitch scheduled for 1:35 p.m.

LHP Max Fried (9-1, 1.84 ERA) pitches for New York and will be opposed by Boston's RHP Brayan Bello (2-1, 3.96 ERA).

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The Hockey News Playoff Frenzy Live: React To Game 5 Between Oilers And Panthers

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

After each game of the Stanley Cup final, our experts go live to react to the match that was, break down the key moments and storylines and read your opinions.

On tonight's show, Katie Gaus and Michael Traikos react to Game 5 between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers with Avry Lewis-McDougall joining live from inside Rogers Place.  

During the game, join the conversation in the comment section and send in your questions. They may end up on the post-game show.

Florida Panthers vs Edmonton Oilers Game 5 - Playoff FrenzyFlorida Panthers vs Edmonton Oilers Game 5 - Playoff FrenzyWelcome to Playoff Frenzy Live by The Hockey News presented by STIX.com, where we give our live reactions and break down the latest news to all the biggest g...

Stay tuned to The Hockey News and Playoff Frenzy Live throughout the Stanley Cup final.

Check out the show here.

Promo image credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

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Mets, Tylor Megill discuss what went wrong in fourth inning against Rays: 'It spiraled on him'

You never want to give teams extra outs, and that was especially the case for Tylor Megill and the Mets on Saturday evening.

Taking a 2-1 lead into the fourth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays, the wheels fell off for Megill and the Mets.

It started with Megill allowing a game-tying solo shot from Junior Caminero on a sinker running in. Although the pitch resulted in a home run, props to Caminero for getting around it and launching it into the stands.

The next batter, Megill hit with a slider before a single and a strikeout led to arguably the biggest play of the inning. With one out and runners on first and third, Taylor Walls laid down a sacrifice bunt. Megill should have taken the out at first but while fielding, he took a look at home before turning to throw to first base. The big right-hander, however, could not grip the ball and it trickled away for an error.

Now with the Rays in front by one run, Megill struck out the next batter, in what should have been out the final out. Instead, back-to-back singles scored two more runs, then a walk loaded the bases. Megill then threw a wild pitch that allowed the fifth run of the inning to cross home plate before walking the bases loaded again, forcing manager Carlos Mendoza's hand.

"He was fine for the first time through the order. And then in that fourth inning, even after the first and third, he gets the strike out and then he doesn’t make the play on that bunt," Mendoza said of Megill's outing. "That’s two outs and then he gets the next guy… And then it spiraled on him. Base hit, base hit.

"There was a lot of non-competitive pitches, especially the secondary, there were a few pitches, ball out of the hand where he’s bouncing. And then when he came back in the zone, they were all over him. He lost it there, pretty much."

Jose Castillo came in and got the final out of the fourth without any more damage but Megill's final line was not pretty. He allowed six runs (three earned) on seven hits, two walks and two HBP.

It was the most runs Megill has allowed this season and the most he's allowed since June of last year. But of all the moments in that fourth inning, Megill says the HBP after Caminero's home run was the difference.

"Biggest difference, probably the hit-by-pitch," Megill said. "Didn’t have a feel for the slider, especially coming in on the backfoot on the lefties. After that, made some good, quality pitches, sinker down and away, found a hole up the middle. The slider fell in short. Then a couple of walks, then a hung slider. By then, kinda ran up and was taken out."

On his error, Megill said the ball felt like it went through his fingers, but admitted that while the ball was slick from the wet field, it wasn't an excuse. He had to secure the ball.

"I should get my hand into my glove, secure it instead of trying to flip it into my hand," he said.

On the wild pitch, Megill said he simply "pulled" the backdoor sinker.

But Megill's error wasn't the only one by a Mets pitcher on Saturday. Castillo led off the sixth with a fielding error that eventually came around to score. The Rays scored four runs on those two fielding errors, which was the difference in their 8-4 win over the Mets.

"We’ve been playing pretty good defense. They are a good team," Mendoza said of the Rays. "When you give them extra outs, they play the small game. We saw it today. They get the bunt down, go the other way, put the ball in play and they are aggressive. That’s who they are. When you give good teams extra outs, extra bases, you are going to pay for it."

It's the first time the Mets have lost back-to-back games since mid-May and have now lost their second home series of the year (10-2). The Mets will look to salvage a win on Sunday before heading to Atlanta and Philadelphia for two consecutive divisional series.

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Pat Cummins admits ‘reset’ looms for Australia after crushing loss to South Africa

  • New WTC cycle could create opportunity for Australia to refresh ageing team

  • Cummins says ‘everyone gets thrown back into the conversation’ after loss at Lord’s

Australia’s captain Pat Cummins has acknowledged that a “reset” is coming for his team after another top-order capitulation opened the door for a South African upset for the ages.

Not having lost an ICC final since 2010, Australia were upstaged by Temba Bavuma’s fighting Proteas at Lord’s in a five-wicket defeat, crushing their hopes of defending the World Test Championship title they won in 2023.

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Devils News: New Jersey Signs Former Canucks Gritty Forward

According to PuckPedia, the New Jersey Devils have signed forward Juho Lammikko to a one-year, $800,000 contract for the 2025-26 season.

Lammikko, 29, spent each of the last three seasons with the ZSC Lions of Switzerland's National League. In 48 games this campaign with the Swiss club, he posted 13 goals, 38 points, and a plus-23 rating. Now, after three seasons overseas, Lammikko is heading back to North America.

Lammikko last played in the NHL during the 2021-22 season with the Vancouver Canucks. In 75 games with the Pacific Division club that season, he recorded seven goals, 15 points, 93 hits, and a minus-6 rating.

Lammikko was selected by the Florida Panthers with the 65th overall pick of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. In 159 career NHL games split between the Panthers and Canucks, Lammikko has recorded 11 goals, 26 points, and 188 hits. Now, he will look to improve upon his career stats with the Devils from here.

With the Devils' bottom six needing clear help, there is no harm in them taking a shot on Lammikko with this one-year contract. At a minimum, the 6-foot-2 forward will provide them with more depth and grit, which is never a bad thing.

Photo Credit:  © Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

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Chris Kreider Clears The Air About Transparency With Rangers Management And Explains Reasoning For Waiving No-Trade Clause

Danny Wild-Imagn Images

For the entirety of Chris Kreider's career, he’s been with one team until now as the New York Rangers traded the veteran forward to the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday. 

The Rangers and Kreider had a successful 13-year marriage filled with memories of joy and success. 

However, it ended with a season where Kreider was mentioned in trade rumors, dealt with numerous injuries, and had an overall down year for his standards. 

It wasn’t clear if the relationship between Kreider and Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury was hindered after everything that transpired this past season. 

At least according to Kreider, there was transparency from Drury about his trade intentions and there are no hard feelings in terms of how this whole situation was handled by the Rangers organization. 

“I think so. There’s no point of reference for me. I’ve been lucky enough to have been with the Rangers for 13 years, so I’ve never been in a trade,” Kreider said. “I don’t think it’s super common to be afforded the time to kind of do my due diligence and kind of go through that emotional spectrum. I think it was done in a really respectful fashion by the New York Rangers, and I’m very appreciative of that.”

The 34-year-old forward has a 15-team no-trade clause in his contract, so finding an ideal fit was a long process for Kreider. 

After doing his due diligence, he landed on the Ducks as the team he wants to start this next chapter of his career with. 

Chris Kreider Feels ‘Gratitude’ After Trade To Ducks While Praising The Rangers' Communication Throughout Process Chris Kreider Feels ‘Gratitude’ After Trade To Ducks While Praising The Rangers' Communication Throughout Process The move by the New York Rangers to trade Chris Kreider to the Anaheim Ducks comes with great emotion. 

“I did have to waive my no-trade,” said Kreider. “When we sat down and Drury communicated to us that he was looking to free up cap space and that I could potentially be traded, we were allowed to go out and look at some teams and kind of do our due diligence. I think it’s a great fit. I think it’s a team that’s on the come-up, that has a wealth of talent, youth, veteran presence, speed, and size. 

“It’s a group that I think can win hockey games and make a push to make the playoffs. With the addition of Quenneville and his staff, that’s a massive draw for me as well. It certainly helps knowing some of the guys on that team and kind of being able to get a look behind the curtain.”

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Tylor Megill struggles, another big inning downs Mets in 8-4 loss to Rays

The Mets allowed another big inning as they dropped their second in a row to the Rays, 8-4, on Saturday evening at Citi Field.

After the start of the game was delayed for almost an hour, poor pitching and shoddy defense allowed Tampa Bay to score five runs in the fourth inning. In total, the Rays scored four runs on two fielding errors by pitchers, which was the difference in the game.

The Mets have dropped back-to-back games for the first time since May 18-20.

Here are the takeaways...

-After hitting the first batter he faced, Tylor Megill settled down a bit to pitch until the third inning. Megill allowed a one-out double that was hit just fair by Taylor Walls before Josh Lowe's single drove in the game's first run. After allowing another hit, pitching coach Jeremy Hefner came out to settle his starter down. Megill responded by getting the final two outs of the inning.

Megill would pitch into trouble in the fourth after the Mets gave him back the lead. Junior Caminero led off with a solo shot, but then another HBP and single put runners at the corners with no outs. Megill got a strikeout, but a Walls sacrifice bunt was botched by the big righty, which led to the second run of the inning. This is where things fell apart for Megill and the Mets.

Brandon Lowe then hit a two-out bloop single to score another run for Tampa. Yandy Diaz tacked on with an RBI single and then Megill threw a wild pitch with the bases loaded to push across another run for the Rays. After Megill walked Caminero to load the bases again, manager Carlos Mendoza had to take out his starter. Jose Castillo came in and Jake Mangum hit a grounder up the middle but Francisco Lindor backhanded it and tossed it to Brett Baty to get the force out at second to end the five-run inning.

Megill's night was done after throwing 82 pitches (52 strikes) through 3.2 innings, allowing six runs (three earned) on seven hits, two walks and two hit batters. He struck out five batters but his ERA rose to 3.95 on the season.

-Baty has struggled of late (one hit in his previous five games), but the left-hander hit a laser (115.6 mph) off of Drew Rasmussen to tie the game at 1-1 in the third. It was the hardest hit by a Met this season. The Mets would tack on in the same inning whenLindor hit a double, which was followed by a Brandon Nimmo single, all with two outs.

Ronny Mauricio, who was 0-for-his-last-12, tomahawked a Rasmussen fastball up in the zone 374 feet over the right field wall to cut the Rays' lead to 7-3. A two-out walk to Lindor, a passed ball, and Nimmo single brought the Mets within 7-4 in the fifth.

-Unfortunately, the Mets bullpen could not hold the Rays from scoring for long. A Walls double scored Matt Thaiss from second -- Thaiss reached on a single and advanced on a passed ball in the fifth. Castillo allowed the leadoff hitter in the sixth to reach on his fielding error before Jose Butto allowed an RBI triple to Diaz that Juan Soto tried to grab at the wall but it bounced away from him.

Despite that, the Mets tried to get back in this game by putting traffic on the bases, but just couldn't get a clutch hit. They had two runners on in the seventh and eighth with two outs but Nimmo and Baty did not come through. The Mets had 11 hits but only had four opportunities with runners in scoring position (2-for-4), with Nimmo coming through with those lone two hits.

-Pete Alonso extended his on-base streak to 22 games with his eighth-inning single. He finished 1-for-4. Soto went 0-for-4 while Starling Marte, who had three hits and drove in three runs on Friday, went 1-for-4.

On a defensive positive, Luis Torrens gunned down two runners and made a great play in tandem with Butto on a wild pitch that got Diaz out at the plate. Torrens did have two passed balls, so it wasn't all great for the Mets backstop.

Game MVP: Rays bullpen

While the lineup dinked and dunked their way to eight runs, the bullpen held the Mets off the board. They pitched four scoreless innings, allowing just four hits and one walk.

Highlights

What's next

The Mets and Rays complete their three-game series on Sunday afternoon on PIX11. First pitch is set for 1:40 p.m.

Griffin Canning (6-2, 3.22 ERA) will be on the mound as Tampa will send Shane Baz (5-3, 4.97 ERA) on the bump.

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Panthers beat Oilers 5-2 in Game 5, one win away from repeat Stanley Cup champs

Panthers beat Oilers 5-2 in Game 5, one win away from repeat Stanley Cup champs originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Brad Marchand scored twice, Sam Bennett had his NHL playoff-leading 15th goal and the Florida Panthers moved to the verge of a second consecutive Stanley Cup title by beating the Edmonton Oilers 5-2 in Game 5 on Saturday night.

The Panthers improved to 10-3 on the road this playoffs. They can hoist the Cup again as soon as Tuesday night if they win Game 6 on home ice in Sunrise.

Florida this time built a multigoal lead and built on it, unlike a couple of previous games in the final. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 19 of the 21 shots he faced, making some important saves when needed, and was aided by lockdown defense that took ice away from the Oilers.

Marchand, Bennett and Sam Reinhart provided the offense. Marchand joined Mario Lemieux as the only players in the past half-century to score five-plus goals in a final multiple times, and his 13 career goals in the final are the most among active players.

Connor McDavid scored his first goal of the series after the Oilers fell behind 3-0. Reinhart’s came 46 seconds later to restore the Panthers’ three-goal lead, and by the time Corey Perry scored with 3:13 left, it was too late.

Eetu Luostarinen sealed it with an empty-netter with 1:19 left, silencing the once fired-up crowd for a final time.

Edmonton’s power play went 0 for 3, a product of the Panthers’ aggressive penalty kill knocking McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and the rest of the top unit out of their usual rhythm.

Calvin Pickard lost for the first time in eight starts this spring, allowing four goals on 18 shots. He got the nod over Stuart Skinner after entering in relief and winning Game 4 to improve to 7-0, a record that is now 7-1.

Skinner could be back in for Game 6, with the Panthers aiming to close things out following another cross-continental trip back to the other corner of North America. They are in this spot after bouncing back from blowing a three-goal lead and falling in overtime in Game 4, taking advantage of their depth to send the Oilers to the brink again.

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Panthers beat Oilers 5-2 in Game 5, one win away from repeat Stanley Cup champs

Panthers beat Oilers 5-2 in Game 5, one win away from repeat Stanley Cup champs originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Brad Marchand scored twice, Sam Bennett had his NHL playoff-leading 15th goal and the Florida Panthers moved to the verge of a second consecutive Stanley Cup title by beating the Edmonton Oilers 5-2 in Game 5 on Saturday night.

The Panthers improved to 10-3 on the road this playoffs. They can hoist the Cup again as soon as Tuesday night if they win Game 6 on home ice in Sunrise.

Florida this time built a multigoal lead and built on it, unlike a couple of previous games in the final. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 19 of the 21 shots he faced, making some important saves when needed, and was aided by lockdown defense that took ice away from the Oilers.

Marchand, Bennett and Sam Reinhart provided the offense. Marchand joined Mario Lemieux as the only players in the past half-century to score five-plus goals in a final multiple times, and his 13 career goals in the final are the most among active players.

Connor McDavid scored his first goal of the series after the Oilers fell behind 3-0. Reinhart’s came 46 seconds later to restore the Panthers’ three-goal lead, and by the time Corey Perry scored with 3:13 left, it was too late.

Eetu Luostarinen sealed it with an empty-netter with 1:19 left, silencing the once fired-up crowd for a final time.

Edmonton’s power play went 0 for 3, a product of the Panthers’ aggressive penalty kill knocking McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and the rest of the top unit out of their usual rhythm.

Calvin Pickard lost for the first time in eight starts this spring, allowing four goals on 18 shots. He got the nod over Stuart Skinner after entering in relief and winning Game 4 to improve to 7-0, a record that is now 7-1.

Skinner could be back in for Game 6, with the Panthers aiming to close things out following another cross-continental trip back to the other corner of North America. They are in this spot after bouncing back from blowing a three-goal lead and falling in overtime in Game 4, taking advantage of their depth to send the Oilers to the brink again.

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Should Sabres Trade Up In The Draft?

Bowen Byram (Timothy T. Ludwig, USA TODAY Images)

The Buffalo Sabres currently have the ninth-overall pick in the 2025 NHL entry draft. But not every team above the Sabres in the draft order is fully intent on holding onto it. Does that mean Buffalo should be inquiring about trading up?

From this writer's perspective, Sabres GM Kevyn Adams should certainly be testing the waters when it comes to moving higher in the draft. A team like the Utah Mammoth -- who we wrote about as a potential trade partner for Buffalo in this column -- might be persuaded to give up the fourth-overall pick. But it would take quite the offer from the Sabres to get that kind of deal consummated. The Mammoth would likely want a proven NHL talent who is in the early stages of their career, and Buffalo certainly has many of those types of assets. So there's definitely a potential hook-up trade situation between the two teams.

But the bigger question is this: why would the Sabres want to get even younger? Buffalo's only goal has to be to make the playoffs, and while adding a long-term piece of the puzzle through the draft would make sense in some respects, the player the Sabres would get at the fourth slot wouldn't be much different than the one they're going to get at the ninth slot -- at least, when it comes to contributing meaningfully next season.

The Sabres definitely should be making trades this summer, but they should be looking at the same type of players as the Mammoth are looking at -- experienced NHLers with a playoff pedigree, So while it does make sense for Buffalo and Utah to collaborate on a trade, we'd guess that trade would feature players like Utah's Lawson Crouse and Buffalo's Bowen Byram. A draft pick trade between the Mammoth and Sabres doesn't make sense.

Sabres Potential Trade Partner: Utah MammothSabres Potential Trade Partner: Utah MammothThis is the first file in what will be an ongoing series on THN.com's Buffalo Sabres site. In these files, we're going to identify a number of teams the Sabres could be making a trade with this summer, and we'll be picking out specific players who could be trade targets for Buffalo.

Other than Utah, we suspect most, if not all of the teams ahead of Buffalo are going to hold onto their pick. Adams may decide to tempt one or many of them by offering up an excellent trade package featuring the ninth-overall pick and a current Sabres player or two, but again, Buffalo's prime need at this point in its competitive trajectory is not another player who won't be hitting his prime for many a year.

So no, the Sabres probably shouldn't be trading up in the draft. If they hang onto the ninth pick, and if their draft and development team finds a gem at that slot, Buffalo's management will have done its job. And the Sabres would still have all the assets necessary to swing a major deal that will address their true needs.

Sabres Should Be Focusing On Trading For This Veteran Stanley Cup-WinnerSabres Should Be Focusing On Trading For This Veteran Stanley Cup-WinnerThe Buffalo Sabres are in need of many things this summer -- but more than anything else, they need some veterans to come in and establish a winning standard for a new era for the franchise. And while it won't be a cakewalk to acquire the type of talent that can change things for the Sabres, that doesn't mean Buffalo GM Kevyn Adams shouldn't be swinging for the fences in trades and free agency. 

It's always tempting on draft day to imagine what it takes to trade up and land a prospect who could be a difference-maker for many years. But the Sabres have to stay focused on their central goal, and that goal is ending their 14-year playoff-less streak.

Anyone they get at the ninth pick -- and anyone they'd get at a pick higher than that -- probably won't get them there next season. So the trades Adams needs to make shoudn't be draft-related. The Sabres need veteran help, right here and right now, and any failure on that part may lead to Buffalo drafting just as high, if not higher next summer. And that's not where the Sabres or Sabres fans should want them to be.

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Crowned Event Week 2 In NHL 25 HUT

The Crowned Event Week 2 is live now in NHL 25 Hockey Ultimate Team. 

The new 95/96 overall master set players are Jonathan Quick, Taylor Heise, Erik Cernak, Sam Bennett, and Denis Potvin. 

These 96 overall players can be unlocked by trading in the corresponding 95 overall card and another 95 Crowned card. 

Three 88+ cards get you a 90 Crowned player, three 90+ Crowned players get you a 92, and three 92+ and any two additional 92+ cards get you the 95 master set card. 

The 96 overall cards come with free zone and superstar abilities. 

On top of the master set players 96 overall Nikita Kucherov, Alex Ovechkin and Connor Hellebuyck were added to celebrate their real-life awards. As were 95 overall Lane Hutson, Anze Kopitar, and Leon Draisaitl. 

94 overall Matt Murray, Dominik Hasek, and Calvin Pickard were also added. 94 overall Martin St. Louis and Henrik Zetterberg and 93 overall Drew Doughty and Marian Hossa highlight new Crowned base cards. 

All of Friday's cards and the releases from earlier this week are in the video above.  

The Hockey News' Stanley Cup Final simulation predicted the Florida Panthers to win in five games here.

For more NHL 25 news make sure you bookmark The Hockey News Gaming Site or follow our Google News Feed.         

Photo Credit: EA SPORTS NHL 

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Flyers Draft 2025: Which Russian Prospects Complement Matvei Michkov?

Matvei Michkov could lose two of his Russian teammates in the near future. (Photo: Eric Hartline, Imagn Images)

With the additions of Matvei Michkov and Egor Zavragin in the 2023 NHL Draft, the Philadelphia Flyers have done an excellent job of adding top Russian talent to their ranks. But, can they manage to do the same in 2025?

Bog-standard performances and a lack of improvement have cast doubt over the futures of fellow Russian Flyers Egor Zamula and Ivan Fedotov, who will each be out of contract at the end of the 2025-26 season.

Those two, who have been a great help for the younger and less experienced Michkov, might not be around forever. It's unclear when former Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Nikita Grebenkin will crack the NHL lineup for the Flyers and what his ceiling is if and when he does.

With seven picks in the first two rounds of the 2025 draft, the Flyers have all the opportunities possible to find players who can socialize with Michkov and, most importantly, add the talent necessary to build the best team possible.

Ivan Ryabkin, C, Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL) 5-foot-11, 210 pounds

Teased in my latest big board, I think Ivan Ryabkin would be a great fit for the Flyers with his agitating, physical nature alongside Grebenkin and Michkov. Could you imagine the talent and irritation coming from that line?

The problem with Ryabkin, though, is that recent reports from the NHL Scouting Combine have indicated that the 18-year-old did not test well or interview well, meaning teams like the Flyers are going to have to spend a good portion of the development process working through immaturity and teaching him how to be a pro.

If conditioning is a real concern, that might explain why some scouting reports mention Ryabkin "gliding" during plays.

Can (or Should) the Flyers Pick a High School QB in the 2025 NHL Draft?Can (or Should) the Flyers Pick a High School QB in the 2025 NHL Draft?The Philadelphia Flyers are one of a few teams towards the bottom of the NHL looking to add talent in any way they can. One NHL insider just connected them to a... high school quarterback?

At the same time, Ryabkin entered the season looking like a surefire top 10 talent. He can hit, shoot, and create. After leaving Russia, Ryabkin finished the season with the Muskegon Lumberjacks, scoring 26 goals, 20 assists, and 46 points in 41 total games while winning the Clark Cup.

Ryabkin is exactly the kind of risk the Flyers should be taking with a late first-round pick or one of their four early second-round picks. Ivan Barbashev, a two-time Stanley Cup champion, is a name that comes to mind for me.

Alex Zharovsky, Inverted RW, Salavat Yulaev Ufa (KHL) 6-foot-1, 163 pounds

Do the Flyers need more right wings? No, not really, but they could use some talented left-shot forwards outside of Michkov, who, like Alex Zharovsky, is a left-handed right wing.

The 18-year-old Zharovsky is a supremely talented forward who plays with guile, creativity, and flair. He'll break ankles and crate scoring chances for his teammates with his passing all the same, but his NHL projection can be tough to predict because of that.

Zharovsky played all of his regular season action with Tolpar Ufa in the MHL, which is a step down from Salavat Yulaev Ufa in the KHL, with whom he finished the 2024-25 season.

In the NHL, defenders are bigger, stronger, and faster and will close down the spaces Zharovsky exploits with haste. If he can make the changes and avoid doing too much too often, Zharovsky has all the tools to justify a Day 2 draft pick.

Ilya Pautov, the Flyers' sixth-round pick a year ago, had a similar draft year in the MHL and has yet to build on it. Zharovsky should be on Philadelphia's radar, but they may want to be careful of drafting him too early. The industry consensus currently sees the silky winger as mid-second-round pick.

Kurban Limatov, LHD, Dynamo Moskva (KHL) 6-foot-4, 190 pounds

Kurban Limatov, like Ryabkin, was featured in our early big board, and for good reason.

Limatov is an excellent skater for his size and could forge a career as a top-four NHL defenseman with improvements to his passing and decision-making with the puck. But without that?

He's still a strong, physical defender with the closing speed that allows him to kill plays quickly.

The Flyers have virtually no projectable left-shot defenders in their prospect pool at this time, so Limatov should be a candidate to be selected with a late first- or early second-round pick.

Flyers Coach Rick Tocchet Has Exciting, Simple Plan for Matvei MichkovFlyers Coach Rick Tocchet Has Exciting, Simple Plan for Matvei MichkovNew Philadelphia Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet has revealed his simple, preliminary plan to get the most out of star rookie Matvei Michkov going forward. It's not rocket science.

Although Brad Shaw has left for New Jersey, the Flyers have done a decent job of developing defensemen in recent years. They could do worse with a spare draft pick than taking a shot on Limatov... as long as someone else doesn't beat them to the punch.

Pyotr Andreyanov, G, Krasnaya Armiya Moskva (MHL) 6-foot-2, 210 pounds

The Flyers are more than likely going to draft a goalie - maybe more than one - in the 2025 draft. Why not get Pyotr Andreyanov, the highest-ranked European goalie by NHL Central Scouting in this year's draft class?

Andreyanov, similarly to Zavragin, has been virtually unbeatable in the MHL in his draft year this season. The 18-year-old posted a 23-6-6 record for Krasnaya Armiya Moskva to the tune of a 1.75 GAA, a .942 save percentage, and three shutouts.

Somehow, in six postseason games, Andreyanov's superhuman efforts weren't enough; he stumbled to a 2-4-0 record and first-round exit despite having a 2.36 GAA, a .929 save percentage, and a shutout during that span.

Andreyanov notably plays for the same MHL team as Ilya Pautov, the Flyers' sixth-round pick from a year ago. If the Flyers have been keeping up with Pautov at all, they should have all the information they need to justify picking Andreyanov early in the 2025 draft.

Semyon Frolov, G, MHK Spartak Moskva (MHL) 6-foot-3, 200 pounds

Semyon Frolov, coming in just behind Andreyanov, is the second-highest ranked European goalie in the 2025 draft class by NHL Central Scouting.

The 18-year-old played most of his hockey for MHK Spartak Moskva this season, for whom he posted a 9-2-2 record, a 2.05 GAA, and a .915 save percentage with two shutouts.

Frolov's numbers weren't as impressive as Andreyanov's, and he played in only 18 regular season games and 25 games in total this season.

Still, the Togliatti product is a superb athlete who plays with poise and discipline, which are hallmarks of any successful goaltender at any level.

Assuming the Flyers watched Andreyanov and Pautov, they've probably seen some of Frolov, too. Frolov is more likely to be a third- or fourth-round player, but he would be a welcomed addition to the Flyers' goaltending depth all the same.

For more Flyers news and up-to-date coverage, visit The Hockey News and like our Facebook page. Follow us on 𝕏: @ByJonBailey,  @TheHockeyNews

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If The Stanley Cup Final Can't Get Any Crazier, Here We Are

Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

NEVER SAY NEVER. 

After a historic Edmonton Oilers 5-4 victory, the Stanley Cup Final is deadlocked at two games a piece heading back to Edmonton for Game 5. 

“We wanted to come out strong tonight, but they put us on our heels early,” said Leon Draisaitl post game. 

“We were lollygagging around a little bit, and it’s certainly not the time to lollygag around, especially after getting spanked in Game 3.” 

So, how did Game 4 unravel? 

The first period was all Panthers. The Cats took a demanding 3-0 lead. Matthew Tkachuk netted a pair of powerplay goals, Anton Lundell potted the third. 

The second period was all Oilers. Backup Calvin Pickard would replace Stuart Skinner and Edmonton would rally back and tie the game 3-3. The goal scorers were Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on the powerplay, Darnell Nurse, and Vasily Podkolzin. 

Period three would, understandably, be very, very tactical. Neither team wanted to make the first mistake knowing that could be the difference. 

With just over six minutes to play, Jake Walman would blast one past Sergei Bobrovsky to give the Oilers a 4-3 lead. Just as we thought the game was over, Sam Reinhart would find the back of the net with 19.5 seconds remaining. 

Reinhart’s goal would be the second latest game tying goal in Stanley Cup Final history. The latest? Corey Perry’s equalizer in Game 2, with 18 seconds remaining. 

For the third time in four games, we have overtime. In overtime, Carter Verhaege was inches away from giving the Panthers a 3-1 series lead when his one timer went off the crossbar. 

Moments later, Leon Draisaitl would score his second overtime goal of the series and fourth of these playoffs, a new NHL single postseason record. 

The goal wasn’t flashy, but ugly goals are worth just as much as the pretty ones. Draisaitl, with one hand on his stick, was trying to throw the puck in the nets direction and a fortunate bounce off of Cats defenseman, Nikko Mikkola, redirected the puck between Bobs legs. 

When you throw pucks on net, good things happen. In a game that was as back and forth as ping-pong, what was the turning point? 

For Solon Mihas, it was Lundell’s goal that put the Panthers up, 3-0. Without that goal, late in the first period, Mihas doesn’t think Oilers HC Kris Knoblauch makes the goaltending switch he did. 

“What I noticed was a bunch of leaders we have in this room. We came in, Perry gave us a little speech, and a couple of other guys spoke up,” said Walman. 

Game 4 Stanley Cup Final Preview And What's At Stake Game 4 Stanley Cup Final Preview And What's At Stake Game 3 was nothing like the first two in Edmonton. We went from consecutive overtime games to a dominant, 6-1, Florida beatdown. 

“Just the quiet confidence we have in our room even down 3-0, to turn that game around shows a lot about our group. I don’t think we’re ever out of a game.” 

Tonight’s X-Factor? Backup goalie, Calvin Pickard. 

Before the game there was a question of who will be in net for the Oilers. The answer was NOT Pickard. 

After taking over for Skinner to start the middle frame, Pickard saved 22 of 23 shots he faced, improving his personal playoff record to 7-0. 

Without Pickard, who knows what happens after the first 20 minutes. 

“I have confidence in him (Pickard) because you look at his record… he’s been doing a lot of winning,” Oilers Head Coach Kris Knoblauch said post game. Each team has both positives and negatives to take out of this game, but Panthers Matthew Tkachuk chooses to focus on the plus. 

“Take our first period, take our third period, beginning of overtime. I thought we did a lot of good things.” 

Aside from being eventful, this series has been historic. 

The Oilers became just the first team in NHL history to win a Stanley Cup Final game when trailing 3-0 after the first period. 

Prior to tonight, teams in the Panthers position were 37-0. After tonight? 37-1. 

This series has gone from a best-of-seven, to a best-of-five, and now, a best-of-three heading into Game 5. 

The series heads to Alberta with a chance to advance one step closer to the games ultimate prize.