Shubman Gill, long Indian cricket’s “Prince” in waiting, has been entrusted with leading a new era as India announced the team for next month’s all-important tour of England.
Premier League 2024-25 fans’ verdicts: stars, flops, and the most loved referees
Our fans network reviews the season with one game to play: the highs, the lows and the moments that made them smile
It’s been yet another “always the bridesmaid, never the bride” season. There were times it felt we were destined for glory, but injuries and red cards cost us. We still had jaw-dropping moments, though, especially in a phenomenal Champions League campaign. As they say, it’s the hope that kills, but even this jaded old lag had begun to believe I’d finally tick that big-eared prize off my bucket list. Still, 8/10.
Bernard Azulay onlinegooner.com; @GoonerN5
Jonathan Pritchard
Continue reading...Will Tom Thibodeau shake up Knicks' struggling starting five? Something needs to change as pivotal Game 3 awaits
For most of the past five months, the Knicks have played well in spite of their starting lineup.
The starting five's net rating from Jan. 1 to the end of the regular season was -1.4. But the Knicks went 28-21 in that span and finished the year with 51 wins.
In their first two playoff series, the Knicks' starting five was outscored by a combined 52 points. But the team executed when it mattered against the Pistons and came back from 20-point deficits twice against Boston en route to the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Knicks haven't been able to mask the starting five issue against the Pacers. Indiana has abused New York's starting five in the first two games of this series. The Pacers have outscored the lineup by a combined 29 points. The Knicks lost the first two games of the series by a combined eight points.
It's clear that something needs to change entering Game 3 in Indiana.
Is it as simple as subbing Miles McBride for Josh Hart or inserting Mitchell Robinson into the starting lineup?
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau is never going to tip his hand to the media. So his answers to questions about the Knicks starting five aren't exactly brimming with insight.
"We've just got to keep looking at it, just got to be better,” Thibodeau said late Friday night after New York's Game 2 loss.
The starters trailed Indiana by 10 points just seven minutes into the first quarter. Robinson and McBride entered off the bench and helped erase the Pacers lead.
The starting five was a -6 to open the second half. So it was outscored by a combined 16 points to start the first quarter and second half.
What is the prevailing issue?
"I think we just have to talk to each other off the jump," said Mikal Bridges. "I think maybe we just play a little to soft in the beginning. I'm not sure."
FRIED IN FOURTH
The starting five's struggles weren't the only reason why the Knicks lost Game 2.
They started the fourth quarter with their double-big lineup, featuring Karl-Anthony Towns and Robinson with Cam Payne at point guard. That group was outscored by nine points in the first three minutes of the quarter. A tie game turned into a nine-point Pacer lead by the time Jalen Brunson checked back in.
Thibodeau went away from Towns for a 6:30 stretch of the fourth, which tells you what he thought of his center's play against Indiana.
In all, the Knicks were outscored by 20 with Towns on the floor in Game 2. I don't like using single-game plus/minus as to assess a player because it can be misleading. But the team's struggles on defense were apparent during Towns' minutes.
After the loss, Hart was asked for his thoughts on what New York needed from Towns.
"We need him to be aggressive offensively. We need him to be locked in and communicate defensively," Hart said. "That's all we need from him. We need him to communicate at a high level. Offensively, be aggressive, get to his spots, get deep post position, and use his talent offensively. Defensively, be locked in, communicate at a high level and be an anchor for us."
MORE MITCH OR MCBRIDE?
Thibodeau played McBride and Robinson for the majority of the first half. New York outscored Indiana by 10-plus points when one of those players was on the floor.
McBride was less effective later in the game and Robinson seemed to tire late in the fourth quarter. But it's hard to ignore their total impact on the game. They made up for the starters' poor first quarter. It was telling to me that when Hart was asked about Robinson, he mentioned that Robinson should be playing more often.
"Man, he's huge. He's someone who does just everything. Offensive rebound, defensive rebound, he can guard on the perimeter, guard in the post. He's a big X factor for us," Hart said. "We have to figure out ways -- I think he played 30 minutes -- figure out ways if he can play more. We're great with him on. We all got to be willing to sacrifice for the betterment of the team."
The Knicks obviously face long odds to win the series. Only six of the 82 teams to trail a conference finals 0-2 came back to win. New York's comeback will have to start on Sunday in Indiana. Tipoff is at 8 p.m. If Thibodeau decides to go with the same starting five and it produces the same result, the second-guessing of the coach will only grow louder.
Siakam stars as Pacers go 2-0 up against Knicks
Pascal Siakam scored 39 points as the Indiana Pacers beat the New York Knicks 114-109 to go 2-0 up in the NBA Eastern Conference play-off finals.
The three-time All-Star scored the Pacers' first 11 points at Madison Square Garden as they claimed their sixth consecutive play-off win away from home.
Game three in the best-of-seven series takes place in Indianapolis at 01:00 BST on Monday.
"I just came out aggressive," said Siakam, who has averaged more than 20 points in six consecutive seasons and won the NBA title with the Toronto Raptors in 2019.
"We're a team. It doesn't matter who scores. That's what I love so much about this team.
"I got it going early and the guys did a good job of finding me. Another night, it will be somebody else. That's what makes us special."
Myles Turner scored 16 points and Tyrese Haliburton added 14 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds.
The fourth-seeded Pacers led by 10 points with two minutes 25 seconds left, but two free throws from OG Anunoby, five points from Jalen Brunson and a Josh Hart lay-up with 14 seconds left brought the Knicks to within one point at 110-109.
But Aaron Nesmith and Turner scored two free throws apiece for the Pacers to secure victory.
Brunson finished with 36 points to set a Knicks post-season record of 19 30-point games, while Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges both scored 20 points and made seven rebounds.
Bridges said: "I know it is 2-0 but it is still a long series. We just have to find different ways to advance."
The Oklahoma City Thunder lead the Minnesota Timberwolves 2-0 in the Western Conference finals.
The winners of each conference finals will meet in the NBA Finals from 5-22 June.
Mets' Mark Vientos day-to-day with abdominal soreness, could be available off bench Saturday
After getting scratched from the lineup before Friday's game, Mets third baseman Mark Vientos is day-to-day with abdominal soreness, manager Carlos Mendoza said after the 7-5 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 13 innings.
However, the skipper gave another update on Saturday, saying Vientos has already begun swinging in the cages and could possibly be available off the bench after missing just one game.
"Mark was just getting done hitting in the cages, so that’s a good sign," Mendoza said. "When we’re talking about that abdominal area, oblique, which it’s not the oblique in this case, but every time you’re talking about this area, the fact that he’s swinging the bat the very next day, that’s a good sign. I think he’s a player for us off the bench today."
Following New York's exhausting loss, Vientos added some context to the injury and said that it was on his left side.
"I just felt a tightness in my stomach area and just a weird pain," he said. "Took a swing in the cages off the machine and just felt it off one swing, and then I took another one, then I stopped."
Third baseman Brett Baty started in place of Vientos and delivered a 2-for-4 game while batting ninth for the Mets.
"I thought we played hard," said Vientos, who is slashing .232/.299/.375 with five home runs and 18 RBI through 46 games. "It was a tough game, tough conditions -- it was raining -- and, honestly, both teams competed and I think we tried our best out there."
Mets’ Brandon Nimmo pulls himself out of Dodgers game with neck stiffness: ‘I couldn’t pull the trigger on anything’
Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo was removed from Friday's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers with a stiff neck and the team is considering him day-to-day.
After an hour-plus rain delay, Jeff McNeil replaced Nimmo in left field. It was initially thought that the cause of the ailment was when Nimmo collided with the wall, robbing Will Smith of extra bases in the second inning. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said the neck stiffness occurred before that play.
"After that first at-bat, he came up to me and said, ‘It’s hard for me to pull the trigger right now,'" Mendoza said. "He came in and it’s something that he deals with every so often and usually gets better, but today wasn’t the case."
Nimmo explained after Friday's game that his neck stiffness is something he's dealt with for a few years now.
"This morning, my neck tightened up on me,” Nimmo explained. “It’s from 2019 when I ran into the wall and we’ve been really good with the training staff and myself about keeping it under control and at bay. Sometimes with the travel and just everything, it pops its ugly head and it takes a few days to deal with it.
"I was hopeful that I could get it taken care of today and get into a spot where I can play. I was able to go out there and give it a shot, but once I had my first at-bat with [Clayton] Kershaw, I couldn’t pull the trigger on anything. I told Mendy I was more of a detriment than a help right now because I wasn’t able to do my job at the plate."
Nimmo struck out looking in his only at-bat on Friday.
When asked if slamming into the wall on Friday made it worse, Nimmo said it didn't and that the trajectory of the ball was fortuitous.
"It doesn’t help, but it was not great before that point," he explained. "Able to turn to the left fine, but over my right shoulder was no problem, so I was able to turn and make the play.
"Turning to the right was very limited today. I was going to try and change my whole setup and my swing in order to play, but I wasn’t even able to pull the trigger once I got out there. Yeah, it was frustrating."
The veteran outfielder said that he usually just needs sleep and some muscle relaxer and he's good in a day or two, but he hopes that it'll be quicker.
Nimmo was seen in the team's dugout as the Mets played a marathon 13-inning game against the Dodgers, a contest they ultimately lost 7-5. The Mets scored three runs in the ninth against Dodgers closer Tanner Scott, led by McNeil's two-run triple, to send the game to extras. Despite the loss, Nimmo was proud of his teammates for the effort.
"The way the guys fought back, I’m super proud of that. To come back on Scott, he’s a great pitcher, a great closer. A lot of fight from them, very very proud," he said. "Could have been easy to roll over there against a great closer, chalk it up and get it tomorrow, made them use all of their arms in the bullpen and hopefully that’ll be to our advantage in the next couple of games."
Brandon Nimmo takes a hit away from Will Smith at the wall!
— SNY (@SNYtv) May 23, 2025
(via @AppleTV) pic.twitter.com/AU4CTqErha
Pascal Siakam scores 39, Pacers take 2-0 lead over Knicks with 114-109 victory
NEW YORK (AP) — The Indiana Pacers are headed home, halfway to a chance to play for an elusive NBA title.
They might prefer to stay right where they are.
Pascal Siakam scored a playoff career-high 39 points, and the Pacers beat the New York Knicks 114-109 on Friday night for a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals.
Game 3 is Sunday night in Indiana, which will be rocking all day long with the Indianapolis 500 being run that afternoon. The Pacers can only hope to be as good there as they've been on the road, where they have won six straight games since falling at Milwaukee in Game 3 of the first round.
“We have a long way to go and it’s only going to get tougher for us,” Siakam said.
Myles Turner added 16 points and Tyrese Haliburton had 14 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds for the Pacers, who lost to the Lakers in 2000 in their only NBA Finals appearance.
Siakam finished 15 for 23 from the field on a night nobody else on the high-scoring Pacers had more than five baskets.
“Special game,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “In the first half he was the guy that got us going and got us through some difficult stretches.”
Jalen Brunson had 36 points and 11 assists for the Knicks, who need a quick turnaround or their first appearance in the conference finals in 25 years will be a brief one. They defended much better after their crushing collapse in a 138-135 overtime loss in Game 1, but couldn't find enough scoring to come back after a bad start to the fourth quarter.
Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns each had 20 points and seven rebounds for the Knicks, but Towns played just 28 minutes as coach Tom Thibodeau went longer with backup Mitchell Robinson, a much better defender who grabbed nine rebounds.
No team has lost the first two games at home and come back to win a series in the conference finals.
“Going into the fourth quarter it’s a tie ballgame. We've just got to make better plays, more winning plays,” Thibodeau said.
It was tied at 81 after three, before the Pacers opened the fourth with a 13-4 run to move ahead 94-85 on Siakam’s 3-pointer with 9:17 remaining. They would quickly push the margin back to around there every time the Knicks got any momentum, and it was 110-100 after another basket by Siakam with 2:45 to play.
The Knicks scored nine straight to make it 110-109 on Josh Hart’s basket with 14 seconds to go. Aaron Nesmith made two free throws for the Pacers, Brunson was well off on a 3-point attempt and Turner finished it out with two free throws.
The 50th playoff meeting between the rivals - the Pacers lead 28-22, all since 1993 - more closely resembled their defensive battles of the 1990s than the shootout of two nights earlier.
Indiana raced to a 19-9 lead, but the Knicks quickly caught them when Robinson and Deuce McBride entered and the game remained within a single-digit margin nearly the entire rest of the night.
Teoscar Hernández and Dodgers defeat Mets in 13 innings, but pitching issues loom large
The upcoming month was already going to be tough for the Dodgers.
A rainy Friday night in Queens made it that much tougher.
In the fourth game of a 29-game stretch against playoff-contending teams, the Dodgers beat the New York Mets in a marathon contest at Citi Field, overcoming a three-run ninth-inning blown save from closer Tanner Scott by prevailing 7-5 in the 13th inning.
But, their already shorthanded pitching staff endured more unexpected obstacles in the process. A one-hour, 38-minute rain delay in the top of the third limited starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw to just two innings. A seemingly never-ending game forced their overworked bullpen to combine for 11 more innings in which every reliever was used except one.
Teoscar clutch! pic.twitter.com/YCHalM26vQ
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) May 24, 2025
“Obviously, it's not the way we envisioned it,” manager Dave Roberts said. “But found a way to persevere.”
“The Mets had to do the same thing and they lost,” Kershaw added. “That doesn’t feel near as good.”
Navigating this difficult portion of the schedule — which began in earnest with a three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks this week — was already posing a test for the Dodgers pitching staff missing three of its five opening-day rotation members and many other important arms in the bullpen.
Because of that, Roberts has emphasized in recent days the need to push his starters to take down as many innings as possible.
On Friday, however, the weather didn’t cooperate.
In his second start after offseason toe and knee surgeries, Kershaw seemed to be on his way to a decent start. Over two scoreless innings, he yielded only a lone walk that was quickly erased by a double play. Just 26 pitches in, he felt like he “could find some consistency, some repetition” in his delivery.
“More reps the better for me right now,” he said. “Just trying to get back into it.”
Instead, with the Dodgers mounting a rally in the top of the third, the New York skies opened up for a late May downpour. For the next 98 minutes, fans scattered for shelter and watched the Knicks’ playoff game on the stadium scoreboard. Back in the visiting clubhouse, Roberts watched the clock tick and tick and tick, eventually to the point where keeping Kershaw in was no longer a viable option.
“I tried to stay as loose as I could, but it just kept going longer,” Kershaw said. “In hindsight, they probably should have waited to start the game for a while. Tough to have our bullpen end up covering 10 innings.”
It would have been less, if not for Scott’s fourth blown save in 14 opportunities and second in the last four days; this one coming with the Dodgers ahead 5-2 following three innings of two-run ball from Matt Sauer and three scoreless innings from Ben Casparius.
Starling Marte led off the ninth with a single. Pete Alonso drew a one-out walk. Jeff McNeil got them both home on a triple hit just high enough to evade a leaping Freddie Freeman at first base. Tyrone Taylor then completed Scott’s fourth blown save in 14 opportunities with an RBI single to left.
“I didn’t even think about it like that,” Scott said when asked if he was impacted by pitching for a third time in four days. “I just wish I would have located better and got guys out.”
Somehow, the Dodgers (32-19) still managed to prevail.
Alex Vesia got the game to extras, denying the Mets (30-21) a regulation walk-off by stranding two runners to end the ninth. Both teams wasted opportunities from there, failing to score their automatic runners in the 10th (when the Dodgers had the bases loaded with no outs), the 11th (when Anthony Banda and Luis García combined to escape a bases-loaded threat) and the 12th (when the Dodgers turned an inning-ending double play while employing a five-man infield).
“Just a grindy game,” said third baseman Max Muncy, who was in the middle of some controversy earlier in the night when third base umpire Tripp Gibson ruled he had intentionally stepped into Marte’s line of sight on a potential sacrifice fly, awarding a run to the Mets baserunner on what had been an outfield assist from Hernández on a perfect throw to the plate.
“Really good for the guys to not give up, keep battling,” Muncy added, “and come through in the end."
Indeed, in the 13th, the Dodgers finally broke through, with Teoscar Hernández hitting a leadoff RBI double before scoring on Andy Pages’ sacrifice fly.
García closed it out, completing his 2 ⅓ scoreless innings just minutes shy of 1 a.m. local time.
And while the result will certainly come at the future expense of a pitching staff already running on fumes, Roberts took solace in the way his other six relievers battled, relieved that any bigger-picture complications coming out of Friday at least weren’t squandered in what would have been a crushing late-night loss.
“There was some usage certainly that we're going to talk through as far as protecting some downside in the next handful of days,” Roberts said of his overworked bullpen, which was already leading the majors in innings pitched entering the night.
“But,” he added, “there was a lot of good things from our ‘pen today. Certainly from Luis and Banda right there, and obviously Caspy continues to be good. So there's a lot of good things.”
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Mets rally to force extras but fall to Dodgers, 7-5, in 13 innings
In their first meeting since last season's NLCS, the Mets rallied to force extras but ultimately fell to the reigning champion Dodgers, 7-5, in 13 innings on a rain-drenched Friday night at Citi Field.
The Dodgers and Mets used a combined 17 pitchers. It's also the first time the Mets played a 13th inning since the automatic runner rule was implemented after the 2019 season.
Here are the takeaways...
-- The Dodgers turned to closer Tanner Scott in the ninth with a three-run cushion, and just when it seemed as if the Mets were ready to pack things up, they emphatically defied expectations. After allowing a leadoff single to Starling Marte and a walk to Pete Alonso, Scott grooved a fastball to Jeff McNeil that was sent down the right-field line for a two-run triple. Then, four pitches later, McNeil touched home on a game-tying single from Tyrone Taylor. It was Scott's fourth blown save of the season.
-- Alex Vesia was called upon to clean up the mess and force the game into extras, and he narrowly did just that. After giving up a two-out single to Brett Baty that put the winning run on third in Taylor, Vesia sent Luisangel Acuña down on strikes on a close check swing call.
-- Edwin Diaz was tasked with a pressure-packed 10th inning, and a messy mound that required maintenance from the groundscrew seemingly spelled doom. But the Mets' closer surprisingly left a no-out, bases-loaded jam unscathed, as he induced a forceout at home and a 6-3 double-play chopper between Francisco Lindor and Alonso.
Unfortunately for the Mets, they could not capitalize in their half of the 10th. Lindor would strike out for the third time before Marte was hit by a pitch. Juan Soto hit a slow grounder to first for the second out, but moved the runners up. Alonso then hit a long flyball that Andy Pages snagged at the warning track to end the threat.
-Reed Garrett got through the 11th and 12th without allowing a run, but the Mets squandered another chance. Lindor was intentionally walked and Marte laid down a great bunt to move the runners up. Soto was intentionally walked for Luis Torrens, who replaced Alonso in the field after he was pinch-run for. Torrens grounded into an inning-ending double play.
-- Huascar Brazoban came out for the 13th and was the Mets' ninth and final pitcher out of the bullpen. Teoscar Hernandez roped a double to push across the automatic runner. Hernandez would score on a Hyeseong Kim single and Pages sac fly.
-- Mets starter Griffin Canning navigated his first trip through the Dodgers' lineup with some help from his teammates. In the first inning, Francisco Alvarez pulled off a slick back pick behind the plate to get a leaning Mookie Betts tagged out at first base. The Dodgers challenged the play, but replay review confirmed the call. Then, in the second, Brandon Nimmo took extra bases away from Will Smith with a leaping catch at the wall in left.
-- A week of incessant chatter about his effort and energy levels didn't seem to faze Soto in his first at-bat back home. The fans who wanted to see the return of his signature "Soto Shuffle" were somewhat amused, as the superstar slugger appeared to shimmy a tad after taking a pitch from Dodgers veteran Clayton Kershaw. While the battle ended with a double-play groundout, Soto patently hustled out of the box and down to first.
-- Betts found himself involved in another reviewed play in the third, when his fly to right-center with two runners on bounced off of Soto's glove and somehow found Taylor's bare hand for the out. Michael Conforto tagged up at second and advanced to third, but the Mets presumed he left early, completed the process of doubling him off, and then challenged. After review, it was determined Conforto took off on the touch instead of the catch, and both runners legally moved up. How? A wrinkle in MLB's rulebook states a runner can tag up as soon as the glove touches the ball.
-- Just moments after the confusing sequence, heavy rain arrived at Citi Field, forcing the game into a lengthy 98-minute delay. Play resumed with Max Kranick pitching in relief of Canning, and the Dodgers took advantage of the rally they'd built. A walk to Freedie Freeman loaded the bases for Smith, who then drove in the first run with an infield single deep in the shortstop hole. Five pitches later, Hernandez bumped the lead to 3-0 with a two-run single to left.
-- The rain showers cut Canning's outing to just 2.2 innings. The right-hander threw 54 pitches -- 27 for strikes -- and was unfortunately responsible for the three third-inning runs. He also walked a season-high four. Nimmo didn't come back out either -- the Mets said he was removed with a stiff neck. McNeil entered in left as the replacement.
-- Kershaw's night was cut short too, and the Dodgers turned to reliever Matt Sauer for the third. With one out in the inning, Baty put the Mets on the board with a solo home run to right-center. He entered Friday with a .583 slugging percentage and an .833 OPS in 36 plate appearances since returning from Triple-A Syracuse.
-- Max Muncy found himself responsible for a pair of errors in the fourth, and the mistakes cost the Dodgers another run. The Mets' funky rally began with a wild throw from Muncy on a soft grounder that allowed leadoff man Marte to reach first and advance to second. Then, with one out, Marte was awarded home on a sac fly from Alonso after the umpires ruled that Muncy obstructed Marte's view. It was a huge break for the Mets, as Hernandez threw a perfect missile home that beat Marte attempting to score. The effort was all for naught -- Muncy's gaffe made the score 3-2.
-- The Dodgers were able to shrug off Muncy's blunders with another multi-run rally in the fifth, this time against Jose Butto. It was also sparked with two outs, as Butto lost control by walking Smith and plunking Hernandez. Muncy then atoned with an RBI single to left, and Pages pushed the Dodgers' lead back to three with a sharp liner to left.
-- After the Mets removed Butto in the fifth, the bullpen combination of Jose Castillo, Ryne Stanek, and Genesis Cabrera held the Dodgers to just one hit and struck out five across 4.1 innings. Los Angeles relied on considerable length from Ben Casparius -- he struck out six and allowed one walk across three hitless innings.
Game MVP
Hernandez, whose 2-for-5 night and three RBI -- including the go-ahead double in the 13th -- made the difference.
Highlights
Francisco Alvarez throws out Mookie Betts to end the first inning!
— SNY (@SNYtv) May 23, 2025
(via @AppleTV) pic.twitter.com/RJVHYuO1As
Brandon Nimmo takes a hit away from Will Smith at the wall!
— SNY (@SNYtv) May 23, 2025
(via @AppleTV) pic.twitter.com/AU4CTqErha
Tyrone Taylor makes the catch after a juggle! 😅
— SNY (@SNYtv) May 23, 2025
The Mets did not get a double play after umpires ruled that Michael Conforto took off on the touch instead of the catch
(via @AppleTV) pic.twitter.com/ErVh9Nq5Rv
Brett Baty homers to get the Mets on the board!
— SNY (@SNYtv) May 24, 2025
(via @AppleTV) pic.twitter.com/EDHKBubsMs
Starling Marte and the Mets are awarded a run on obstruction by Max Muncy at third base
— SNY (@SNYtv) May 24, 2025
(via @AppleTV) pic.twitter.com/Njni32IGZI
Francisco Alvarez throws out Shohei Ohtani trying to steal second
— SNY (@SNYtv) May 24, 2025
(via @AppleTV) pic.twitter.com/phPEBX8Xgh
A TWO-RUN TRIPLE FOR JEFF McNEIL!!!!!
— SNY (@SNYtv) May 24, 2025
(via @AppleTV) pic.twitter.com/9se6hC1m6v
TYRONE TAYLOR TIES THE GAME IN THE 9TH!!!!!!!!!!!!
— SNY (@SNYtv) May 24, 2025
(via @AppleTV) pic.twitter.com/oZgqHiBEVP
TWO SCORELESS INNINGS FOR REED GARRETT!
— SNY (@SNYtv) May 24, 2025
(via @AppleTV) pic.twitter.com/79UNef8ipu
What's next
The Mets (30-21) will continue their three-game series against the Dodgers (32-19) on Saturday night, with first pitch scheduled for 7:15 p.m. on Fox.
David Peterson (2-2, 2.86 ERA) is slated to take the mound, opposite right-hander Tony Gonsolin (2-0, 4.05).
Oilers' Stuart Skinner Ties For The NHL Lead In Playoff Shutouts: 'It's A Rollercoaster'
Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner recorded a shutout once again this post-season.
The Oilers beat the Dallas Stars 3-0 in Game 2 of the Western Conference final to tie the series at 1-1. While Edmonton blew a 3-1 lead in the third period of Game 1's 6-3 loss, the away team held on while being outshot 9-2 in the final frame of Game 2.
Skinner stopped 25 shots in the game, including a massive third-period stick save on Stars defenseman Esa Lindell. The blueliner had a wide-open net, but Skinner reached across to the right and got the heel of his stick on the ice to redirect the puck just past the left side of the net.
The 26-year-old Skinner recorded a 2.87 goals-saved-above-expected rating, which factors in the quality of chances, according to moneypuck.com.
Friday night's performance adds to an up-and-down playoffs for the goaltender.
"It's a rollercoaster," Skinner told ESPN's Emily Kaplan while sitting on the bench post-game. "It's every playoffs. I mean, no matter what happens, there's a lot of highs, there's a lot of lows. It doesn't matter who you are, what team you are. You're just going to face those challenges."
Skinner now has three shutouts in the 2024-25 NHL playoffs, tying Florida Panthers netminder Sergei Bobrovsky for the league lead.
Bobrovsky, however, has played twice as many games as Skinner, at 14 to 7. They also have the same number of losses, at four. And Bobrovsky won seven other games without recording shutouts. Skinner hasn't.
In fact, Skinner kept an intriguing stat alive in Game 2: he's either won by recording a shutout or lost with a save percentage of .833 or below in these playoffs.
He allowed a combined 11 goals in his first two games against the Los Angeles Kings in Round 1, both losses, before the Oilers ran with Calvin Pickard for the rest of the round. Pickard went 6-0 to eliminate the Kings and take a 2-0 series lead against the Vegas Golden Knights in the second round before suffering an injury.
Skinner had an .833 save percentage when returning to the lineup in Game 3 of that series, when the Golden Knights scored with less than a second left in regulation to win 4-3. But Skinner responded with back-to-back shutouts to help the Oilers book their place in the Western Conference final for the second straight time and third time in four years.
With Pickard remaining out of the lineup to start the series against the Stars, Skinner stopped 16 of 17 shots through the first two periods of Game 1 before conceding three power-play goals and an even-strength goal on 10 shots in the third period. The Oilers were more disciplined in Game 2, going 2-for-2 on the penalty kill while outhitting the Stars 50-29.
Nearly every time after Skinner lost, the burning question is whether the Oilers should put another goalie in net, whether it's a healthy Pickard or third-stringer Olivier Rodrigue. After every shutout, there are signs of a goaltender who can get the job done in the biggest games of the year.
"For me, it's just rinse and repeat, just keep on going," Skinner said. "You can let in five and still give it your all, so I mean, that's kind of what our whole mindset was as a team. I thought we played well (in Game 1), and sometimes, the score doesn't really tell you the whole picture, and we just went back out there and played the same way."
Skinner said gaining experience, such as backstopping the Oilers to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final last season, can really change a person's mindset.
"It really tells you that you're never out, no matter what position you're in until they actually don't allow you to play anymore," he said.
He also gave his teammates credit for helping him get that mindset.
"It truly does take a community," Skinner told Kaplan. "It takes a city, takes a lot of people to really help you persevere, go through different challenges, adversities, and mainly your teammates. The way the guys play in front of me, day in, day out, no matter what situation we're in, I mean, that's all it is."
Game 3 goes down in Edmonton on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET.
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Acuña Jr. hits long homer on first pitch in his return to Braves after missing one year
ATLANTA — Ronald Acuña Jr. crushed his first pitch 467 feet for a home run in his dramatic return to the Atlanta Braves on Friday night.
Making his first appearance in almost one year, the 2023 NL MVP, was activated from the injured list and restored to the Braves’ lineup almost one year after he tore his left ACL.
Acuña, in his customary leadoff position in the lineup, turned on a fastball from San Diego right-hander Nick Pivetta’ and sent the ball into the seats in left-center. Acuña hesitated briefly on his jog around the bases for a shuffle step.
It was Atlanta’s only offensive highlight in a 2-1 loss.
Acuña said after the game “I had a feeling” about hitting a homer in his return.
When asked if he meant he had a feeling about a first-pitch homer, Acuña said: “exactly how it happened. ... To me that’s just the culmination of all the work I put in.”
Infielder Orlando Arcia, a 2023 All-Star, was designated for assignment to clear a roster spot for Acuña, who started in right field.
Acuña said through translator Franco Garcia he was “super excited, super happy” to make his return and added “I couldn’t sleep that much” after receiving the news of his return on Thursday.
Braves manager Brian Snitker announced after Thursday night’s 8-7 loss at Washington that Acuña would make his season debut on Friday night.
Snitker said Friday it felt good to make out his first lineup of 2025 that included Acuña.
“He’s one of those players that you better not go get a beer or whatever, because you might miss something really cool, you know?” Snitker said. “I mean, he’s that type of force, I think, in the game. I think he’s going to energize everybody. Gonna energize the fans. Gonna energize his teammates.”
“Did you think he wasn’t going to hit a homer on that first pitch?” Snitker said.
Acuña, the 2023 NL MVP, hurt his left knee last May 26 and had surgery on June 6. The 27-year-old played six games in the minors on a rehab assignment, going 6 for 15 with two home runs.
Acuña played in only 49 games last season, batting .250 with four homers, 15 RBIs, 16 stolen bases and a .716 OPS.
This is Acuña’s second comeback from a major knee injury. He tore his right ACL on July 10, 2021, and returned the following April. When asked Friday what is different about this rehabilitation process, he said “Patience. The patience, for sure. ... I just think I’m in a much better place.”
Atlanta entered 24-25 after an 0-7 start.
“It’s huge,” third baseman Austin Riley said. “The talent is there. The energy he brings, having Ronald up there at the top of the lineup. ... he can change a game at any point.”
Acuña was a unanimous NL MVP in 2023 when he hit .336 with 41 home runs, 106 RBIs and a league-leading 1.012 OPS. Acuña also stole 73 bases that year to become the only player with 40 homers and 70 steals in one season.
Arcia, 30, was a 2023 NL All-Star when he hit .264 with 17 homers and 65 RBIs. Arcia lost his starting job due to an inability to compensate at the plate while suffering a defensive decline. He hit only .194 in 31 at-bats this season.
Snitker said he hopes Arcia would ccept a minor league assignment if he does not land another job in the majors.
“I think we all know that it’s a business,” Acuña said of Arcia getting cut. “I’m happy to be back but I’m sorry that’s the move.”
Nick Allen has taken over as the starting shortstop. Snitker said Luke Williams is the backup shortstop and Eli White, a part-time starter in the outfield, will see more time in the infield.
Penalty Kill Streak Ends At 30 As The Abbotsford Canucks Fall 3–1 To The Colorado Eagles
The Abbotsford Canucks’ penalty killing streak has officially ended. They surrendered their first power play goal in a 3–1 loss to the Colorado Eagles in Game 4 of the Division Finals. Nate Smith scored Abbotsford’s lone goal, while Artūrs Šilovs stopped 26 of Colorado’s 29 shots on net.
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The first period started off with a major chance for the AHL Canucks, as Jujhar Khaira’s breakaway opportunity was saved by Colorado’s Trent Miner. This was followed up by a chance from Chase Wouters that Miner also stopped. These saves by Miner helped the Eagles out on offence as only minutes later, a tip chance by Jean-Luc Foudy went past Šilovs and gave Colorado the opening goal. This marked the third straight game in which the Eagles scored the opening goal.
Despite the score, chances were relatively even between the two teams during the first period. Colorado bested Abbotsford in shot totals with an 8–6 lead, but the AHL Canucks made up for it in the quality of their chances. Timely blocks by the Eagles and quick saves by Miner kept the game in Colorado’s control.
Abbotsford stayed hemmed in their own zone at the start of the second period. Any breakout efforts by the AHL Canucks were neutralized by Colorado until a little less than four minutes into the period. After that, it was Abbotsford’s turn to sling shots onto the net, with the AHL Canucks earning the first power play of the game after Chris Wagner held Max Sasson down for an extended period of time. However, Colorado’s penalty kill tightened things up, leaving Abbotsford without a shot during their man-advantage.
The AHL Canucks’ penalty kill was tested — times tonight. They killed their first penalty, during which Phil Di Giuseppe sat for cross-checking, despite an extended period of Colorado o-zone time. Danila Klimovich took a roughing call in Colorado’s zone with only a couple of minutes left in the second period, sending Abbotsford back on the penalty kill. The 3–0 goal scored by Tye Felhaber ended the AHL Canucks’ streak of 30 penalties killed.
Abbotsford started the third period with a power play, though they were unable to capitalize on the opportunity even with a couple of looks for Jonathan Lekkerimäki. With the AHL Canucks’ penalty-killing streak now snapped, it felt as if the penalty-taking floodgates had opened. From Colorado’s power play goal with less than a minute left in the second period to the end of the game, Abbotsford took five penalties and three game misconducts. They finished the game with seven total taken.
The AHL Canucks were rewarded for their efforts with a goal, though the call itself was somewhat controversial. One referee blew their whistle on the play, but when Smith slid the puck into the net, the goal was counted as legal. Even with a quick review, the goal stayed. Abbotsford’s late push with the net empty was interrupted by some pushing and shoving that resulted in a handful of game misconducts being dealt.
Overall, special teams made a difference in tonight’s game. Colorado was the team to finally break Abbotsford’s streak of 30-straight penalties killed. On the flip side, the AHL Canucks were unable to capitaize on the two power plays they were given. Abbotsford will need to get their power play going in order to win Game 5 and make the Conference Finals.
Scoring Summary:
1st Period:
3:36 - COL: Jean-Luc Foudy (1) from Mark Senden and Hank Kempf
2nd Period:
11:14 - COL: Jayson Megna (5)
19:25 - COL: Tye Felhaber (4) from T.J. Tynan and Oskar Olausson (PPG)
3rd Period:
14:04 - ABB: Nate Smith (3) from Jujhar Khaira
Game 5 at Blue Arena: Monday, May 26 @ 2:05 pm PT
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Knicks, Pacers acknowledge Game 3 stakes as Eastern Conference Finals momentum swings
With the Knicks facing a 0-2 series deficit after Friday's 114-109 Game 2 loss to the Pacers, what changes will be made before a pivotal Eastern Conference Finals swing for Game 3 in Indiana?
Neither side appears to be looking too far ahead as the best-of-seven set shifts from MSG to Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
"Same thing -- just get ready for the next one," said Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau after the Pacers, who mixed in 11 players, outscored New York's eight-man rotation 65-57 in the second half. "You've got to be ready for the next challenge. We've got to study the film, make our corrections and get ready to play again."
Indiana stole both of the first two away games in the Eastern Conference semifinals against the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers before dropping Game 3, 126-104.
Although Rick Carlisle's team won the series, 4-1, the Pacers are not taking the Knicks for granted.
"There are a lot of traps here," Carlisle said. "You cannot assume going home is going to be easier -- it never is. Each game, as you ascend in a playoff series, becomes harder.
"New York -- they have an amazing fighting spirit, so we're going to have to keep concentrating on our process, making it hard on them and trying to keep tempo in the game."
Where do the Knicks start?
After Pascal Siakam's game-high 39 points among the Pacers' six double-digit scorers, New York must get back to basics.
"Just taking it one game at a time," said Knicks wing Mikal Bridges, who scored 20 points on 9-of-18 shooting while adding seven rebounds in 45 minutes. "We know it's 2-0, but it's still a long series -- 1-1 first series, up 2-0 last series, now down 0-2.
"We've just got to find different ways to advance. We've just got to be better defensively as a team and offensively make the right play."
Karl-Anthony Towns echoed Bridges when he referenced how his former team, the Minnesota Timberwolves, jumped out to a 2-0 lead over the Denver Nuggets in the 2024 Western Conference semifinals and lost three straight before ultimately winning the series in seven games.
"If I've learned anything, especially last year, as quick as you win two games is as quick as you could lose two games," said Towns, who scored 20 points on 6-of-14 shooting and grabbed seven rebounds in 28 minutes. "So just bank on my experience and we've just go to execute at a higher level."
Yankees open lengthy West Coast trip with stunning 3-2 loss to Rockies
DENVER (AP) — Ryan McMahon lined a two-run double off the top of the centerfield wall, Tanner Gordon got his first major league win and the scuffling Colorado Rockies stopped a five-game skid with a 3-2 victory over the AL East-leading New York Yankees on Friday night.
In front of a sellout crowd at Coors Field, the Rockies improved to 9-42, the most losses through 51 games since 1901. Colorado, which has yet to win a series this season, is 2-9 since Wayne Schaeffer replaced Bud Black as manager.
Aaron Judge hit his 17th homer of the season, a solo shot in the fifth of his first regular season game at Coors Field. He finished 2 for 4 and raised his major league-leading average to .398.
Gordon (1-1), a 27-year-old right-hander who entered with a 5.68 ERA, allowed two runs and five hits in six innings before turning it over to the bullpen.
After Jake Bird threw a perfect seventh, Seth Halvorsen worked his way out of trouble in the eighth by getting Judge to hit into a double play and striking out Ben Rice. Zach Agnos pitched around a one-out walk in the ninth for his third save.
New York went 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position and its last 14 batters failed to get a hit. The Yankees had won six of their previous seven games.
Clarke Schmidt (1-2) was cruising along until the fifth and had a 2-1 lead when he allowed two-out singles by Ezequiel Tovar and Hunter Goodman. He was taken out for Tim Hill, who surrendered the two-run double to McMahon.
Some of the loudest cheers of the night were for Judge and Broncos quarterback Bo Nix, who delivered a strike while throwing out the ceremonial first pitch.
Key moment
The Yankees hit into two double plays, including a nifty turn by second baseman Adael Amador in the fourth.
Key stat
The Rockies are 2-2 this season while wearing their vibrant City Connect uniforms.
Up next
Yankees lefty Max Fried (6-0, 1.29 ERA) can tie Arizona’s Brandon Pfaadt (7-3) for the major league lead in wins Saturday. Colorado will throw lefty Kyle Freeland (0-6, 5.68).
The Hockey News Playoff Frenzy Live: Reacting To The Oilers Shutting Out The Stars In Game 2
Welcome to The Hockey News Playoff Frenzy Live, streaming nightly during the NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs.
After the big game of the night, 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, Avry Lewis-McDougall, Michael Augello and Kelsey Surmacz react to the Edmonton Oilers beating the Dallas Stars 3-0 in Game 2 of the Western Conference final to tie the series at 1-1.
Stars vs. Oilers Game 2 - Playoff Frenzy | The Hockey NewsWelcome to Playoff Frenzy Live presented by The Hockey News, where we recap all of the action from every night of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.Share your thoughts in the comments, and the hosts may discuss your message during the stream.
Promo image credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images