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Resiliant Pacers will not go away, force Game 7 Sunday after dominant 108-91 Game 6 win vs. Thunder

INDIANAPOLIS — Hanging in the rafters of the Gainbridge Fieldhouse are three Pacers ABA championship banners — every one of them was won on the road.

The Pacers are now just one more road win away from their first NBA championship.

With its season on the line, the Pacers demonstrated the resilience that had brought them to this point, led by their All-NBA point guard, Tyrese Haliburton, who played through a strained calf, still scored 14 points, and was +25 on the night.

“I felt like he did amazing today, he led us to win. He’s a soldier, he’s never going to let a little injury keep him from playing in the Finals, from leading us to a win,” Obi Toppin said of Haliburton.

In Game 6 the Pacers played their best game of the postseason — they just kept making plays.

That’s who these Pacers have been all playoffs and it’s why there will be a Game 7 of the NBA Finals on Sunday after a 108-91 win in Game 6.

The Pacers played with the desperation of a team trying to save its season. Their ball movement was as crisp as it has been these playoffs. More importantly, they cranked up the pressure defense and forced 21 Thunder turnovers — MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 7 made buckets and 8 turnovers on the night — which led to transition buckets going the other way.

This game was decided in the second quarter.

That’s when Indiana’s defensive intensity overwhelmed the Thunder reserves, and things started to spiral. OKC shot 6-of-18 for the quarter and turned the ball over seven times, which sparked a 30-9 run by Indiana to close the second. The turnovers and misses allowed the Pacers to get out in transition, and they thrived in their element with a raucous crowd soaking up every minute of it. By halftime it was 64-42 Indiana and it was in total control.

T.J. McConnell got going in the second quarter. It started doing something he has done all series — attacking whenever Aaron Wiggins (or Isaiah Joe) is the defender. But once McConnell got a couple of buckets that way, the basket looked huge and he was hitting midrangers over everyone. He finished with a dozen points on the night.

Any dreams of a Thunder comeback were snuffed out when they failed to score on their first eight possessions of the second half. While there was a flicker of life late in the third, the Thunder cut the lead to 19, the game was never really in doubt.

Indiana did it with balance, led by Toppin scoring 20 off the bench. Andrew Nembhard scored 17, Pascal Siakam added 16, and there was Haliburton’s inspirational 14.

“Everybody was tied together, and that’s how it has to be,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “We did better rebounding, we did better on the turnover count, and on Sunday we’re going to have to be better.”

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 21 on 7-of-15 shooting but had eight turnovers. Jalen Williams had 16 points, and as a team the Thunder were 8-of-30 on 3-pointers.

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Struggling starting pitching continues to sink Mets during six-game skid: ‘It starts on the mound’

The Mets’ starting pitching was incredible to start the season. 

Despite coming into the year viewed as one of their biggest weaknesses, it’s shined. 

But with the depth being put to the test of late, things have began to falter off. 

While it’s not completely to blame, the Mets’ shorthanded and suddenly struggling rotation has ended up being one of the biggest catalysts behind their current season-high six-game losing streak. 

“It starts on the mound,” Carlos Mendoza said. “The starting pitching, they’ve been so good the whole year pretty much carrying us to this point, you lose guys who have been consistently throwing the ball well and get some bad outings -- it happens, we're going through a rough stretch right now.”

They received another one of those bad outings on Thursday night in Atlanta, as Clay Holmes battled through some struggles with his command and issued a career-high six free passes over just 4.2 innings of work. 

The last of those came to Drake Baldwin with the bases loaded and two outs in the fifth.  

“The walks hurt us, especially that last inning,” Holmes said. “You walk that many eventually it’s hard to avoid the big inning -- the leadoff walk hurt, then [Ronald] Acuna got on and [Austin] Riley hit a good sinker. It forced me to throw more pitches, and it’s tough to overcome that many walks.”

Prior to Thursday’s showing Holmes had been a relatively steady presence in New York’s rotation -- that marked just the second time he’d failed to complete five innings since his second start of the season. 

The 32-year-old has by-far passed the most frames he’s thrown in a big-league season. 

While there’s always some concern about him eventually hitting a wall in his first year transitioning from the bullpen to the starting rotation -- Holmes insists he continues feeling strong out there. 

“I feel like my stuff was some of the best it’s been all year today,” he said. “The ball was coming out well and I was moving really fast, so not really -- I feel good physically and pitch-wise, it’s just a matter of executing a little better.”

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Pacers roll past Thunder 108-91 to send the NBA Finals to a deciding Game 7

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Season on the line, the Indiana Pacers did what they’ve done time and time again. They bucked the odds.

And the NBA Finals are going to an ultimate game.

Obi Toppin scored 20 points, Andrew Nembhard added 17 and the Pacers forced a winner-take-all Game 7 by rolling past the Oklahoma City Thunder 108-91 on Thursday night.

The first Game 7 in the NBA Finals since 2016 is Sunday night in Oklahoma City.

“The ultimate game,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said.

Pascal Siakam had 16 points and 13 rebounds for Indiana, while Tyrese Haliburton - playing through a strained calf - scored 14 points. The Pacers started slowly and then turned things into a blowout.

Game 6 was a microcosm of Indiana’s season in a way. The Pacers started the regular season with 15 losses in 25 games, have had five comebacks from 15 or more down to win games in these playoffs, and they’re one win from a title.

“We just wanted to protect home court,” Haliburton said. “We didn’t want to see these guys celebrate a championship on our home floor. Backs against the wall and we just responded. ... Total team effort.”

TJ McConnell, the spark off the bench again, finished with 12 points, nine rebounds and six assists for Indiana.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 21 points for the Thunder, who pulled their starters after getting down by 30 going into the fourth. Jalen Williams added 16.

“Credit Indiana,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “They earned the win. They outplayed us for most of the 48 minutes. They went out there and attacked the game.”

Good news for the Thunder: home teams are 15-4 in finals Game 7s. Bad news for the Thunder: Cleveland won at Golden State in the most recent of those and one of the three other home-team losses was in 1978 - by Seattle, the franchise that would move to Oklahoma City three decades later.

Indiana missed its first eight shots and got down 10-2. The arena, roaring just a few minutes before at the start, quieted quickly. Hall of Famer Reggie Miller, sitting courtside in a Jalen Rose Pacers jersey, was pacing, kneeling, generally acting more nervous than he ever seemed as a player.

No need.

After the slow start, the Pacers outscored the Thunder 68-32 over the next 24 minutes. An Indiana team that hadn’t led by more than 10 points at any time in the first five games - and that double-digit lead was brief - led by 28 early in the third quarter. The margin eventually got to 31, which was Oklahoma City’s second-biggest deficit of the season.

The worst also came in these playoffs: a 45-point hole against Minnesota in the Western Conference finals. The Thunder came back to win that series, obviously, and now will need that bounce-back ability one more time.

“Obviously, it was a very poor performance by us,” Daigneault said.

The Thunder, desperate for a spark, put Alex Caruso in the starting lineup in place of Isaiah Hartenstein to open the second half. There was no spark. In fact, there was nothing whatsoever - neither team scored in the first 3:53 after halftime, the sides combining to miss their first 13 shots of the third quarter.

And the outcome was never in doubt.

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Rays pitcher carted off field and taken to hospital after foul ball into dugout hits him in face

MLB: Baltimore Orioles at Tampa Bay Rays

Jun 19, 2025; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; A group of Tampa Bay Rays players look as pitcher Hunter Bigge (43) gets medical attention after getting hit in the face by a foul ball in the seventh inning against the Baltimore Orioles at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) Rays pitcher Hunter Bigge was carted off the field in a frightening scene and taken to a hospital after getting struck in the face by a foul ball lined into the Tampa Bay dugout Thursday night.

Bigge was placed on a backboard and gave a thumbs up before being driven by ambulance to a nearby hospital for tests. He never lost consciousness and was able to converse with first responders, Rays manager Kevin Cash said.

In the top of the seventh inning, Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman sharply pulled a pitch into the Tampa Bay dugout on the first base side and the ball hit Bigge, a 27-year-old right-hander currently on the injured list.

Emergency medical personnel quickly arrived to attend to Bigge. After several quiet minutes, as visibly concerned Rays players knelt in the field, Bigge was loaded onto a stretcher and carted off.

After the game, Cash said Bigge was struck in the face. The ball left Rutschman’s bat at 105 mph, according to Statcast.

Bigge, on the 15-day injured list with a lat strain, received a standing ovation from the Steinbrenner Field crowd as he was loaded onto a cart. The game resumed after an eight-minute delay, and Baltimore held on for a 4-1 victory.

Bigge was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the 12th round of the 2019 amateur draft from Harvard and made his major league debut for them on July 9 last year. He was traded 19 days later to Tampa Bay along with Christopher Morel and minor leaguer Ty Johnson for All-Star third baseman Isaac Paredes.

In 32 career appearances, including one start, Bigge has a 2.51 ERA and one save. This season, he has a 2.40 ERA in 13 relief outings covering 15 innings.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

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Ruthless Pacers throttle Thunder to push NBA finals to decisive Game 7

Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton, right, celebrates a basket during the second quarter of Thursday’s win over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6 of the NBA finals. Photograph: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

The Indiana Pacers saved their best for last at home. Obi Toppin scored 20 points, Andrew Nembhard added 17 and the Pacers blew past the Oklahoma City Thunder 108-91 in Game 6 of the NBA finals on Thursday night, leveling the series at 3-3 and setting up a dramatic Game 7 in Oklahoma City.

Pascal Siakam added 16 points and 13 rebounds for Indiana, while Tyrese Haliburton, playing through a strained calf, delivered 14 points to steady the team after a rocky start. TJ McConnell chipped in 12 points, nine boards and six assists off the bench in another energetic showing.

Schedule

Best-of-seven-games series. All times US eastern time (EDT). 

Thu 5 Jun Game 1: Pacers 111, Thunder 110

Sun 8 Jun Game 2: Thunder 123, Pacers 107

Wed 11 Jun Game 3: Pacers 116, Thunder 107

Fri 13 Jun Game 4: Thunder 111, Pacers 104

Mon 16 Jun Game 5: Thunder 120, Pacers 109

Thu 19 Jun Game 6: Pacers 108, Thunder 91

Sun 22 Jun Game 7: Pacers at Thunder, 8pm

How to watch

In the US, all games will air on ABC. Streaming options include ABC.com or the ABC app (with a participating TV provider login), as well as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, fuboTV, DIRECTV STREAM, and Sling TV (via ESPN3 for ABC games). NBA League Pass offers replays, but live finals games are subject to blackout restrictions in the US.

In the UK, the games will be available on TNT Sports and Discovery+. As for streaming, NBA League Pass will provide live and on-demand access to all Finals games without blackout restrictions.

In Australia, the games will broadcast live on ESPN Australia. Kayo Sports and Foxtel Now will stream the games live, while NBA League Pass will offer live and on-demand access without blackout restrictions.

Indiana missed their first eight shots and fell behind 10-2, but then went on a 68-32 run across the second and third quarters. The lead ballooned to 31 late in the third – the Thunder’s second-worst deficit of the season – and the Pacers cruised to their first double-digit win of the series.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led Oklahoma City with 21 points and Jalen Williams had 16, but the Thunder pulled their starters before the fourth quarter. A half-time lineup switch inserting Alex Caruso failed to spark a comeback, as both teams opened the third quarter with nearly four scoreless minutes and 13 straight missed shots.

Game 7 will mark the first time the NBA finals has gone the distance since 2016. The Thunder have already come back from a 45-point hole in these playoffs and will need one more rally at home.

For Indiana, the moment was about resilience. With Hall of Famer Reggie Miller watching courtside in a Jalen Rose jersey, the Pacers played their most complete game of the series. They controlled the glass, pushed the pace and held Oklahoma City to 37% shooting. Now both teams head to a one-night showdown for the NBA title.

More to follow.

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Mets prospect Blade Tidwell to start Friday’s game against Phillies

The Mets have a change in their pitching plans for Friday's series opener in Philly.

New York originally expected to have Justin Hagenman either start or work as a bulk reliever in a bullpen game, but he ended up throwing the final 2.2 innings during Thursday’s series finale against the Braves. 

Instead, they'll turn to young right-hander Blade Tidwell.

Carlos Mendoza indicated postgame Thursday that the team was planning on utilizing a traditional starter due to the recent heavy bullpen usage and Tidwell was among the arms in the mix.

Now the 23-year-old will make his second big-league outing to open a massive three-game set against the Phillies.

Tidwell made his debut with the club earlier this season -- allowing six runs on nine hits while walking three over just 3.2 innings in a loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. 

He was roughed up during his last outing down in Syracuse but had put together a strong stretch prior to that -- allowing three or less earned runs over each of his last five starts. 

Fellow prospect Nolan McLean was a potential option as well, but Tidwell was a better fit at the moment since he is currently on the 40 Man roster and the Mets are only looking for a spot starter. 

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Clay Holmes, Huascar Brazobán walk nine combined as Mets drop sixth straight with 7-1 loss to Braves

The Mets recent struggles continued on Thursday night in Atlanta, losing to the Braves, 7-1.

Their losing streak is now at a season-high six games.

Here are the takeaways...

-- Clay Holmes started off strong with three scoreless innings, including avoiding damage in the third after a double and a walk by striking out Austin Riley. But the trouble caught up to him in the fourth when he walked Matt Olson, let up a single to Marcell Ozuna, and gave up a one-out RBI-single to Ozzie Albies that tied the game at 1-1. Holmes escaped the jam by getting a forceout and a strikeout.

The right-hander found himself in a tough spot again in the fifth after walking Ronald Acuña Jr., giving up a one-out single to Riley, and walking Matt Olson to load the bases. Holmes caught Ozuna looking on a low sinker for the second out, but after a PitchCom issue, walked Drake Baldwin on a full-count to give the Braves a 2-1 lead.

Holmes then exited after a career-high 104 pitches (61 strikes). His final line: three runs on four hits with five strikeouts and six walks over only 4.2 innings.

-- Huascar Brazobán replaced Holmes and threw four straight balls to Albies, walking in another run to make it a 3-1 game. He then got Michael Harris II to ground out and finally end the fifth inning.

The pitching struggles continued for the Mets in the sixth as Brazobán loaded the bases in the sixth and gave up a bases-clearing double to Olson, making it a 6-1 game. Brazobán was pulled after 0.2 IP, allowing four runs on two hits with three walks.

-- Juan Sotopicked up his 1,000th career hit (game No. 1,010) with a two-out single to right field against the Braves' Spencer Strider for NY's first of the day. Pete Alonso followed with a single of his own, but the two were left stranded as Starling Marte grounded out.

-- Tyrone Taylor singled with one away in the top of the second inning and stole second to give the Mets a runner in scoring position. The move payed off as Ronny Mauricio came through with a two-out line drive up the middle to put the Mets ahead, 1-0.

-- RHP Justin Hagenman, who was called up earlier in the day and was considered to potentially start Friday's game, came in for Brazobán in the sixth with Olson on second base and one out. He got Ozuna to groundout, but let up a single to Baldwin that pushed the Braves' lead to 7-1. Hagenman stayed in to finish the rest of the game, tossing 2.2 scoreless innings with two hits and a strikeout.

-- New York totaled just six hits in the loss: Soto, Alonso, Taylor, and Mauricio all singled; Brandon Nimmo and Marte doubled. The Mets went 1-for-8 with RISP and left six on base.

Game MVP: Matt Olson

Olson delivered the game-breaking, three-run double and collected two of the nine walks given up by Holmes and Brazobán. He doubled again in the bottom of the eighth against Hagenman, pushing his season total to 18 doubles.

Highlights

What's next

The Mets head to Philadelphia for a three-game series with the Phillies. First pitch is at 7:15 p.m. on Apple TV+.

Carlos Mendoza said postgame that Blade Tidwell will start for New York. Former Met Zack Wheeler (7-2, 2.76) starts for the Phillies.

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Brad Marchand Takes To Social Media To Thank Devils

After winning the Stanley Cup earlier this week, the summer of Brad Marchand and the Florida Panthers has officially kicked off. 

The 37-year-old former Boston Bruins captain is having the time of his life after clinching his second Cup. After lifting the Cup on Tuesday, Marchand joined Panthers' fans in a "Thank you, Boston" chant on Wednesday.

The following night, he took to social media to extend his gratitude to his former team. On his Instagram page, he posted stories thanking his teammates' former teams. 

Starting with the New Jersey Devils. 

Courtesy of Brad Marchand's Instagram Page 

Five former Devils were part of the Panthers' Stanley Cup victory. Defenseman Dmitry Kulikov won his second consecutive Cup while Jesper Boqvist, A.J. Greer, Tomas Nosek, and Vitek Vanecek each won it for the first time. 

Marchand continued to thank the Minnesota Wild, Buffalo Sabres, Calgary Flames, and more. You can see his hilarious Instagram stories here. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's New Jersey Devils site for the latest news and updates this offseason. 

The Mental Side of the Game: Devils Players & Mental Skills Coach Andy Swärd Take You Behind the Scenes

Hischier's Manager Patrick Fischer: 'He's Driven to Succeed, but Not Easily Satisfied'

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New TOTW, HUT Champs, And Crowned Cards In NHL 25

New Team of the Week, HUT Champs, and Crowned cards have been added to NHL 25 Hockey Ultimate Team. 

The new Team of the Week prize is 96 overall Olli Jokinen while the HUT Champs rewards are 95 and 96 overall Saku Koivu for winning 10 games or finishing top 100 respectively. TOTW cards can be acquired in sets. 

A 96 overall Closers Leon Draisaitl was also added after he scored four overtime winning goals in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

Six 96 overall Florida Panthers cards were added to celebrate their win, as were five 96 overall active players who have three Stanley Cup rings. 10 95 and 96 overall back-to-back Stanley Cup Champions were added as were 96 overall Sam Reinhart and 95 overall Ted Lindsay and Maurice Richard to celebrate players who have scored four goals in a finals game. 

All players are pictured below. 

EA SPORTS NHL 25EA SPORTS NHL 25EA SPORTS NHL 25EA SPORTS NHL 25EA SPORTS NHL 25

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

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Yankees' Pablo Reyes elects free agency after going unclaimed on waivers

The Yankees officially lost a piece of their veteran infield depth on Thursday.

Pablo Reyes elected free agency after going unclaimed off of waivers.

Reyes, of course, was DFA'd earlier this week to make room for Giancarlo Stanton on the active roster.

The 31-year-old landed with the Bombers on a minor league deal this offseason, and he ended up cracking one of the last roster spots out of camp as the team dealt with a plethora of injuries.

Now that New York is back healthy it came down to Reyes or Oswald Peraza to be let go, and they ultimately decided to hold onto the former highly-regarded prospect.

Reyes appeared in just 24 games as a Yankee -- picking up one RBI and six hits.

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Mets Mailbag: Could New York target a center fielder ahead of trade deadline?

SNY's Andy Martino is responding to and breaking down answers to Mets questions from readers. Here's the latest...

At what point do the Mets seriously consider sending Francisco Alvarez down to AAA for a reset? - @steven_d_fisher

The Mets want Francisco Alvarez to figure it out at the MLB level. They are still hoping that happens, because the roster is best with a productive Alvarez as the primary catcher and Luis Torrens as a high-end second catcher.

Having said that, the Mets are in the business of winning games, and if Alvarez can’t figure it out with the big club the organization will consider sending him to Triple-A.

A demotion is not imminent. And for what it’s worth, Alvarez still has the potential to be a top catcher in the league.

Do you think the Mets need to have a conversation regarding their hitting coach? He seems to be a big factor on why a lot of guys are not producing at the plate. - @reidsgarcia_

If this were a conversation, I would answer with, what do you mean he seems like a big factor in why a lot of guys are not producing at the plate?

We got a bunch of questions on the Mets hitting coaches, to which I answer, it’s almost never the hitting coach’s fault.

It seems like none of the Mets young position players have stepped up and established themselves as a major league regular. I'm talking about Vientos, Baty, Mauricio, Acuña, and Alvarez. Is the Mets FO concerned? Should they be? - @noahgittell

Interesting question. It’s hard to generalize, but I would say that, industry-wide, hype for prospects usually outpaces reality. These guys get so much coverage before they even arrive in the big leagues, inflating expectations to an unrealistic level.

You listed five players. If one or two of them stick in the big leagues long enough to reach free agency, that would be a huge win for the organization.

Now let’s go through your list.

Vientos is a talented hitter who has regressed defensively this season, though not irreversibly. Plus he might be the first baseman next year.

Baty has made tremendous strides defensively but can’t yet break through as an MLB hitter.

Acuña looks like a useful role player who can start at any infield position if needed -- and who is trying to produce while playing intermittently for the first time in his life. No easy task.

Alvarez? That’s a troubling one at the moment, but there remains star potential. See the above answer.

Again, when it all shakes out, some will stick, some won’t. From where I sit the hype machine is the real problem.

I don’t detect structural issues with player development of coaching that could provide a blanket answer.

Have you heard the Mets connected to Eugenio Suarez, Jarren Duran, or Cedric Mullins? Or is it just relievers? - @Evanobrien5250

It’s too early in the trade deadline season to hone in on certain players, but I can definitely see them seeking a center fielder in addition to the obvious pitching needs. Keep an eye on whoever becomes available at that position.

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Sabres Potential Trade Partner: New Jersey Devils

Dawson Mercer (Ed Mulholland, USA TODAY Images)

The NHL's off-season has arrived, and here at the Sabres team website on THN.com. we're in the midst of a series of columns examining which teams Buffalo could make a notable trade with.

We kicked off the series by looking at the Utah Mammoth, Colorado Avalanche, Vancouver Canucks, Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers. And in today's file, we're turning our attention to the New Jersey Devils, a team whose GM -- Tom Fitzgerald -- has gone on record as saying his team "won't be coming back with the same group" after a disappointing 2024-25 campaign. Is there a potential trade fit with the Sabres? Read on and find out:

TEAM:  New Jersey Devils

CAP SPACE: $14.3 million

FREE AGENTS:  Justin Dowling, C; Curtis Lazar, C; Daniel Sprong, RW; Nathan Bastien, RW; Cody Glass, C (RFA); Nolan Foote, LW (RFA); Brian Dumoulin, D; Luke Hughes, D (RFA)

NEEDS: Experienced fourth-line forwards; overall change in team chemistry

SABRES FIT? The Devils were drummed out of the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs rather easily by the Carolina Hurricanes, falling in five games as they failed to get into the second round for the 12th time in their past 13 seasons. Thus, Fitzgerald made no mistake in suggesting major changes were coming. And that could mean New Jersey chooses to deal away a valuable youngster if it means shaking up the chemistry of the core of the team.

That said, the Devils aren't trading superstar center Jack Hughes, nor are they dealing his brother, defenseman Luke Hughes. The same goes for captain Nico Hischier and most, if not all of New Jersey's defense corps. However, that still leaves one tantalizing possibility for Sabres GM Kevyn Adams to contemplate making a trade pitch for.

The player who does jump to mind in that regard is center/right winger Dawson Mercer. The 23-year-old forward is entering the second year of a three-year contract that pays him $4-million per season, and Mercer has posted at least 17 goals in each of his first four NHL seasons. Mercer also has a career-high of 27 goals and 56 points, which he put up in the 2022-23 campaign. His best days are still ahead of him, and most importantly from Buffalo's point of view, Mercer doesn't have any no-trade or no-move protection right now.

Sabres Potential Trade Partner: New York RangersSabres Potential Trade Partner: New York RangersThe NHL's off-season has arrived, and we're turning our attention in this THN.com series to potential trade partners for the Sabres.

So, the Sabres could swing a deal that sends winger J.J. Peterka to New Jersey in what could be a straight-up, one-asset-for-one-asset trade. If Peterka is looking to be on a playoff-bound team, he could do much worse than the Devils, and in return for him, Adams would bring in an above-average player in Mercer who will only be a restricted free agent when his current contract expires at the end of the 2026-27 season.

That essentially kicks the financial can down the road for the Sabres when it comes to Mercer, and that also provides plenty of motivation for Mercer to play well in Buffalo. And acquiring a still-on-the-rise talent like Mercer could be considered a coup for Adams as he, like Fitzgerald, tries to alter the chemistry of his squad.

Otherwise, there really isn't a good fit between the Devils and Sabres on the trade front. New Jersey's defense corps is one of the deeper groups in the league, and we don't see Fitzgerald messing with it. And the Devils' goaltending is also set with veteran Jacob Markstrom and youngster Nico Daws in place. So unless Bufffalo is intent on sending a third-or-fourth-line forward to New Jersey -- and even then, it's difficult to imagine what the Sabres would want in return -- it's hard to envision a match between the Sabres and Devils.

Sabres Potential Trade Partner: Philadelphia FlyersSabres Potential Trade Partner: Philadelphia FlyersThe Buffalo Sabres are likely to be active on the trade front this summer. And as part of an ongoing series on THN.com's Sabres site, we're examining potential trade partners for Buffalo.

Still, a Mercer-for-Peterka swap is intriguing. Both players are the same age, both have approximately the same goal-producing ability, and both might benefit from a change in employer. And Adams and Fitzgerald wouldn't need to throw in draft picks or prospects to make the trade work. It's a one-for-one move, and one that could be made well in advance of free agency.

New Jersey would need to sign Peterka to a contract extension, but we don't forsee that being a problem. The chance to play alongside the Hughes Bros. would be highly-appealing to Peterka, and Mercer could go to Buffalo knowing the Sabres are counting on him to be a key cog for many years to come. So yes, a Peterka-for-Mercer move makes a lot of sense for both sides. And no one should be surprised if Buffalo and New Jersey can come together and make it happen.

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Yankees Mailbag: What positions could NY look to upgrade at trade deadline?

SNY's Andy Martino is responding to and breaking down answers to Yankees questions from readers. Here's the latest...

What positions do you think the Yankees will be looking to upgrade at trade deadline? - @nick5875

The Yankees continue to look for a righty bat, likely an infielder. It’s too early to do anything but speculate on specific names but Isiah Kiner-Falefa could fit the bill. They could also trade for a third baseman like the lefty-hitting Ryan McMahon and move Jazz Chisholm Jr. back to second base.

By shifting Chisholm to third earlier in the season, the Yanks now have the option to use him at either of those positions, depending on who they acquire. They gained that flexibility by getting him those reps sooner than later.

Some in the organization see a need for an additional starting pitcher. One could also make a case for another power arm for the back end of the bullpen, although they’re in solid shape with Luke Weaver (expected to return Friday) and Devin Williams. Again, it’s early.

Do you think Ben Rice will be taught 3B? Goldy is having a good year and can see an extension to be our premier 1B. - @zanna_zt

No, Ben Rice won’t play third base for the Yankees. Aaron Boone has a plan for Rice that involves days at first base, days at DH, days on the bench here and there, and the occasional day at catcher (though not as the second catcher; that’s J.C. Escarra’s job and it is not in jeopardy). The Yankees do not plan to introduce Rice to any additional positions.

As for Paul Goldschmidt, he has been an excellent upgrade at first base, both on the field and for the team’s culture. But at 37 years old, he’s not an extension candidate. Another year? Maybe. But not an extension.

Is there a real chance Ben Rice starts playing catcher 2-3 times a week? - @NYsportSufferer

Not really. They will likely continue to carry three catchers, if you classify Rice as a catcher. This relates to the previous answer. Escarra is the backup and needs to play at least once or twice a week to stay fresh.

Andy, did you get good questions? - @SirRonaldFritz

Eh.