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Anze Kopitar: Five Career Defining Moments

Anze Kopitar has been with the LA Kings for his entire career, and he has shown the hockey world just what that means. From his immediate impact as a rookie to helping the Kings capture 2 Stanley Cups in 3 seasons, and having his nation receive international success with him leading the way, Anze Kopitar has left a truly inspirational legacy and career-defining moments that nobody could have imagined. 

Kopitar's Immediate Impact 

Anze Kopitar was drafted by the Kings at 11th overall in the 2005 NHL Draft, and he made his presence known in his first NHL career game. He debuted on October 6th 2006, on the road against the Anaheim Ducks. Kopitar would score his first NHL goal in that game after receiving a pass from Dustin Brown. Kopitar would rush down the wing and pass Chris Pronger before outwaiting Jean-Sebastien Giguere for his first NHL goal. Kopitar would score his 2nd career goal later that game, and that was just the beginning for Anze Kopitar. 

Kopitar would finish his rookie season with 72 games played, 20 goals, 41 assists, and 61 points. Kopitar was the player the Kings needed to help get back to the playoffs and compete for a Stanley Cup. 

In the early parts of Kopitar's career, he improved steadily as he reached career milestones early and often. 

Some of Kopitar's Milestones in his early career were: 

  • First Career Hat-Trick October 22 2009
  • 100th NHL Goal January 28 2010
  • First Career Playoff Goal April 17th 2010

Anze Kopitar achieved all of these feats before the age of 24, and he was showing the entire NHL just how good a player he was becoming.

Playoff Experiences 

In his first 3 seasons with the Kings, Kopitar did not make the playoffs, but in his 4th season, they qualified, and for Kopitar, it was his first time in the NHL competing for the Stanley Cup. The Kings would play the Vancouver Canucks in the first round, and while they would be eliminated in Game 6, Kopitar would have 2 goals and 3 assists for 5 points in those 6 games. While the Kings did not make the playoffs the following year, it would not be long before Kopitar and the Kings returned to the postseason. 

Anze Kopitar and the Kings would make it back to the postseason in the 2011-2012 NHL season, where they would face the Vancouver Canucks in round 1. This time, the Kings would defeat them in 5 games, marking Anze Kopitar's first playoff series win. 

In that same year, Anze Kopitar and the Kings would defeat the St. Louis Blues in 4 games, then the Phoenix Coyotes in 5 games to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they would take on the New Jersey Devils. Anze Kopitar made an immediate impact in the Stanley Cup Finals, scoring the overtime-winning goal in game 1, and the Kings never looked back as they captured their franchise's first Stanley Cup after defeating the New Jersey Devils in 6 games. 

Anze Kopitar was tied for the Playoff Point lead with fellow King Dustin Brown as they both had 20 points. That was not enough for Kopitar and the Kings, as 2 years after winning the Kings' first Stanley Cup, the Kings would make history once again. 

In the first round of the 2013-2014 NHL playoffs, the Kings faced the San Jose Sharks, and after the first 3 games, they found themselves down 3-0 in the series. But the Kings would battle back to force a game 7, where Anze Kopitar would register the game-winning goal to complete the reverse sweep, a feat that has not happened in the NHL since. 

What made this comeback even more legendary was that the Kings would find themselves in the Stanley Cup finals once again and capture their 2nd Stanley Cup in 3 years, with Anze Kopitar leading the way with 26 playoff points. Kopitar was a key piece for the Kings 2 Stanley Cup runs, and he was slowly becoming a legend in the making. 

International Success 

While Kopitar was coming off 2 Stanley Cup wins in 3 seasons, he added another great feat to his hockey resume, helping Slovenia achieve its best-ever performance at the Olympics. In that tournament, Slovenia would defeat Slovakia 3-1 and secure their first-ever Olympic hockey win; they would also defeat Austria 4-0 and advance to their first-ever Olympic Quarterfinals. 

Slovenia made history with its best-ever hockey showing, and they did it with only 1 NHL player on the roster: Anze Kopitar. Kopitar would finish the 2014 Olympics with 2 goals, 1 assist for 3 points in 5 games. 

Kopitars Impact 

While Anze Kopitar was a spectacular player on the ice, it was his off-ice character that had Kings and hockey fans alike admiring the type of person he is. Kopitar, throughout his career, would receive individual awards that showcased his skill, character, and the kind of person he was.

Kopitar would receive 2 Selke Trophies, which are awarded to a forward who best excels in the defensive aspect of the game, meaning that Kopitar was considered the best 2-way forward in the NHL. It shows just how much he wants to support his teammates with his play in every aspect of the game. Kopitar would also receive the Lady Byng Trophy 3 times in his career, an award given to a player who has shown the best type of sportsmanship alongside a high standard of playing ability. 

Lastly, Kopitar would receive the Mark Messier Leadership Award, presented to a player who demonstrates leadership qualities on and off the ice and plays a leading role in their community to grow the game of hockey. What all of these awards say about Kopitar is how good a person, teammate, and player he truly is. 

Anze Kopitar Career Awards: 

  • Lady Byng: 2015-2016, 2022-2023, 2024-2025. 
  • Frank J. Selke: 2015-2016, 2017-2018. 
  • Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award: 2021-2022. 

Becoming The Greatest King

While Anze Kopitar, throughout his career, showcased to the world just how elite he is for the Kings, he was slowly chasing down the Kings franchise history, and in the 2025-2026 NHL season, he rewrote it. 

After already being the Kings' franchise leader in games played with 1521, Kopitar would have an opportunity to break another Kings record: the franchise points leader. Before this season, the Kings' point leader was Marcel Dionne, who had 1307 career points. But on March 14th 2026, Anze Kopitar would receive a pass from Artemi Panarin and redirect it past Jake Allen to pass Marcel Dionne for the Kings franchise point leader, and he would end the season with the point record at 1316.

Saying Goodbye

Anze Kopitar has had a Hall of Fame career with the Kings, playing his entire career with the team since being drafted in 2005. Anze Kopitar has set the standard for what it means to wear the LA Kings jersey, and not only will he be a future Hall of Famer, but he will also be, for many NHL fans, a true childhood hero. 

To Anze Kopitar, thank you for all you have done for the Kings organization, and Enjoy Your Retirement as the Kings, NHL, and Hockey fans say Goodbye to one of the best to ever do it. 

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Celtics' Brad Stevens named NBA Executive of the Year

Last offseason, Brad Stevens had to make cuts — the team that had won the title just more than a year before was about to get far too expensive. It was not pain free. Gone were three key pieces of the 2024 championship puzzle: Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford. Combine that with Jayson Tatum being expected to miss most or all of the season, and expectations were low in Boston.

The result: 56 wins, the No. 2 seed, and being the betting favorite to take the East heading into the playoffs.

All that had his peers vote to hand Sevens the NBA Executive of the Year award.

This is the second time Stevens has won the award, he also did so two years ago for assembling the team that won a title, the one he had to disassemble last offseason.

Stevens received 11 first-place votes and was on 17 ballots, cast by a panel of 30 basketball executives (one from each team). Atlanta's Onsi Saleh finished second in the voting, with Detroit's Trajan Langdon third (for the second consecutive season).

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Game Thread: Is the AL Central anything like the NL Central?

ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - APRIL 20: Taylor Walls #6 of the Tampa Bay Rays throws the ball during the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Tropicana Field on April 20, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Go Rays!

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Colorado Rockies Game #30 thread: Kyle Freeland vs. Chase Burns

Apr 1, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Kyle Freeland (21) pitches to the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

The Colorado Rockies are surely feeling good about life since they are coming off a three-game sweep of the New York Mets at Citi Field. Worth noting, Colorado sits at 13-16 on the season, their best start through 29 games since 2022, when they got off to a 16-13 start.

In addition, the Rockies are 26 games into a 29-game stretch since March 30 against teams that finished the 2025 season with a winning record. They have gone 13-13 thus far, a marked improvement over 2025.

Tonight, the Rockies hope their good fortune will continue as they travel to play the Cincinnati Reds in a three-game series.

Starting for the Rockies is Kyle Freeland, who is just off the IL with some shoulder issues. This will be his fourth start for the Rockies in 2026.

The lefty has a 2.30 ERA in 15.2 IP. He’s struck out 13, walked four, and given up one home run. Freeland has a 1.09 WHIP. 

Taking the mound for the Reds will be RHP Chase Burns.

Currently, he has an ERA of 2.57 in 28.0 IP. He’s struck out 30 while giving up 11 walks and four home runs with a 1.07 WHIP.

And now to the details.

First Pitch: 4:40 pm MDT

TV: Rockies TV

Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM; KNRV 1150 (Spanish)

SB Nation Site:Red Reporter

Lineups:

For the visiting Rockies:

Colorado Rockies Lineup — 28 April 2026

And the home Reds:

Cincinnati Reds Lineup — 28 April 2026

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Game #30: St. Louis Cardinals vs. Pittsburgh Pirates

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - APRIL 22: Oneil Cruz #15 of the Pittsburgh Pirates runs the bases after hitting a three-run home run against the Texas Rangers during the ninth inning at Globe Life Field on April 22, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images

St. Louis Cardinals vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, April 28, 2026, 6:40 p.m. ET

Location: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA

Broadcast: KDKA AM/FM, Sportsnet-PIT

Pitching Matchup: Kyle Leahy (2-3, 5.63 ERA) vs. TBD

The Pittsburgh Pirates are at home hosting the St. Louis Cardinals this afternoon at beautiful PNC Park.

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Observations after Sixers stay alive, Embiid scores 33 in Game 5 win over Celtics

Observations after Sixers stay alive, Embiid scores 33 in Game 5 win over Celtics  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

BOSTON — The Sixers’ season is not dead just yet.

Joel Embiid turned in one of his best career playoff performances and the Sixers forced a Game 6 in their first-round playoff series against the Celtics with a 113-97 win Tuesday night at TD Garden.

Embiid had 33 points and eight assists. Tyrese Maxey added 25 points and 10 rebounds for the Sixers, who now trail 3-2 in the series. Paul George posted 16 points, nine rebounds and seven assists.

Celtics star Jayson Tatum tallied 24 points and 16 rebounds. Jaylen Brown added 22 points. 

Game 6 will be Thursday night in Philadelphia. Here are observations on the Sixers’ Embiid-led Game 5 victory:

Sixers bring back competitiveness 

The Sixers created their first basket off of a Maxey-Embiid pick-and-pop. Embiid swung the ball to George, who drained a three-pointer from the left wing. Another George triple put the Sixers up 8-2. 

Defensively, the Sixers’ start was encouraging. They were solid on the ball and relied on Embiid to protect the paint. Boston settled for some contested jumpers and the Sixers cleaned up the defensive glass. The Celtics scored just six points in the first six minutes. 

The Sixers’ spirits could have stayed low following an ugly Game 4 loss, but they were certainly not checked out mentally in the early stages. 

“I think that the players are pretty aware that they need to do the effort side of things, the really tough, grind it out things much better,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said before the game. “We show them. They’ve certainly talked about it enough among themselves. And now we’ve just got to see what mental frame of mind we’re in when the ball goes up tonight.”

The Sixers couldn’t break open a big lead because their offense stalled. Embiid began 0 for 4 from the field, including three long-range misfires.

After going 0 for 11 from three-point territory over the past two games, VJ Edgecombe nailed a corner jumper on his first shot beyond the arc. The Sixers launched 13 three-pointers as a team in the first quarter and only made three. Boston missed 11 of its first 12 threes.

Grimes steps up

Nurse initially stuck with Andre Drummond as Embiid’s backup over Adem Bona. Nikola Vucevic drove past Drummond and slammed home a dunk late in the first quarter.

Embiid was whistled for two fouls early in the second quarter and Payton Pritchard picked up where he left off in his 32-point Game 4 performance. Tatum intercepted a Quentin Grimes pass and finished a fast-break layup. Derrick White waltzed past Grimes and scored inside. The Celtics’ lead grew to 11 points on a pull-up Tatum jumper.

Grimes eventually converted a four-point play, but he wasn’t sharp on either side of the floor for much of his first stint and the Celtics’ bench outplayed the Sixers’ once more in the first half.

To Grimes’ credit, he had a great second half and posted 18 points on 5-for-8 shooting on the night. While consistency has been an issue this year for Grimes, he can deliver those sort of momentum-shifting scoring bursts.

Embiid had a productive second period attacking against the Celtics’ center trio of Neemias Queta, Luka Garza and Vucevic. He scored 13 points in the second and also helped the Sixers get Boston in the bonus. 

Embiid dished to Maxey for a right wing three that cut the Sixers’ deficit to 50-48, but the Celtics replied with a 7-0 spurt and also had a strong start to the third quarter. The Sixers soon trailed by double digits again. 

Embiid plays through it all, comes up huge

The Sixers continued to feed Embiid over and over again in the post. 

As his teammates know well, Embiid is awfully tough for anyone to handle 1-on-1 when he’s in rhythm. The 35-year-old Vucevic lacked good defensive answers and Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla didn’t respond with double teams. Embiid laid the ball in over Vucevic and Edgecombe then drilled a three to pull the Sixers to within 66-65. 

Embiid exited the game with an apparent injury a couple of minutes later. He grimaced and limped under the basket, leading the Sixers to call timeout after Pritchard hit a three. Embiid headed to the locker room.

He was back on the floor with two minutes left in the third quarter and the Sixers closed the period impressively, showing poise at a time when the game could easily have spiraled out of control.

While Embiid’s had well-documented playoff failures, he’s always been determined to grit through pain and injury in the postseason. This was his second game since returning from an appendectomy. In the big picture of his career, Embiid’s resolve to be on the court at well below 100 percent is a quality that sticks out.

With three-balls from Maxey and George, the Sixers surged in front early in the fourth quarter. An Embiid mid-range jumper gave the Sixers a 90-86 lead.

Embiid kept on providing superstar plays. When doubled down low, he assisted a Grimes three. And when he got the ball on the left block against Queta, Embiid sunk a beautiful fadeaway jumper to extend the Sixers’ advantage to eight points.

During Embiid’s best nights, he has the ability to make just about anything feel possible for the Sixers. The team is still down in the series and still one loss from elimination, but Embiid is a massive reason why they remain alive.

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Mets will start David Peterson against Nationals on Wednesday

David Peterson (23) delivers a pitch during the seventh inning against the Minnesota Twins at Citi Field.

The Mets hadn’t officially listed who their starting pitcher would be for the second game of their series against the Nationals until this afternoon, but it’s official now: David Peterson is getting the start. The 30-year-old lefty had lost his rotation spot after a string of very bad outings, but he’s fared better working multiple innings in relief over his last couple of appearances.

In four starts before moving into the bullpen/bulk role, Peterson had a rather unsightly 6.41 ERA with a 3.33 FIP that suggested he deserved better results and a 5.01 xERA that suggested slightly less ugly results. In those two appearances out of the bullpen after the Mets used Tobias Myers as an opener, Peterson threw a total of 7.0 innings with a 1.29 ERA, a 4.99 FIP, and a 4.07 xERA.

With Kodai Senga having gone on the injured list this afternoon and Christian Scott having been called back up following a poor outing in his first major league start in two years, Peterson will clearly get a shot at sticking in the rotation. In the short term, at least, they don’t have a ton of options, and Peterson and Scott will presumably serve in a five-man rotation alongside Nolan McLean, Clay Holmes, and Freddy Peralta.

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Cubs left-hander Justin Steele has had a ‘setback’

Justin Steele throws a bullpen session in Mesa in February | | Getty Images

Justin Steele had Tommy John surgery just about a year ago. So, most were hoping he could come back to the Cubs rotation sometime in late May or early June.

That, apparently, will not be happening:

We don’t really know anything beyond this, yet. A “setback” could be a few days, or a few weeks, or longer, we just don’t know. “Shut down” could last… well, again, we don’t know.

It’s fortunate that the Cubs rotation, put together mostly by patchwork at this point, has been doing pretty well. Entering tonight’s game against the Padres, the Cubs starters have a 4.18 ERA, which is middle of the pack (14th) among all teams, just behind the Rangers at 4.17.

Obviously the Cubs would like this ranking to improve.

One thing that almost certainly will NOT happen anytime soon is a trade for a starter who would improve the rotation. No team is going to be trading a quality starting pitcher before the end of April.

So the Cubs will have to hope that Shōta Imanaga, Matthew Boyd, Edward Cabrera, Colin Rea and Jameson Taillon can hold things together until July, when there likely will be starters on the market. Or maybe Steele can be ready to return after the All-Star break.

As always, we await developments. Today’s game preview will post at 6:30 p.m. CT.

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Hawks vs Knicks Odds & Win Probability for Game 5 at Prediction Markets

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The New York Knicks aim for redemption at Madison Square Garden, and while CJ McCollum has been a constant problem, they’re fixated on getting it done in order to take a 3-2 series lead.

With that said, our Hawks vs. Knicks predictions and free NBA picks have the home team standing on business to do just that on Tuesday, April 28.

Who will win Hawks vs Knicks Game 5?

Hawks win probability:32% (+198)
Knicks win probability:68% (-239)

The New York Knicks will be back in front of their home crowd for Game 5 & will try to take full advantage of being the favorites at 68% while CJ McCollum & the Atlanta Hawks look to pull off another upset in this series by coming in as the 32% underdogs.

Our prediction:Knicks to win

This has been a great opening round chess match, with the Hawks and Knicks able to neutralize each other’s biggest threats so far.

But with Jalen Brunson and Jalen Johnson struggling, the supporting casts are even more important.

I have more faith in New York’s lineup to pick up the slack, especially with the series swinging back to MSG.

Read more in Jason Logan's full Hawks vs. Knicks predictions.

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New York avoided a bad spot with a strong road win in Game 4 and is learning to live without Jalen Brunson making his usual postseason magic. Atlanta, on the other hand, is starting to struggle with adjustments as the series goes on and doesn’t have a reliable support staff to step up, as the Knicks do.

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If Brady Tkachuk Trade Rumors Are True, Don't Be Surprised If Florida Panthers Are Among Potential Suitors

The offseason rumor mill is certainly a fun one to see churning.

This time of year is always especially juicy because while the season is over for some teams, others are still fighting in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, so you get storylines that are dripping with intrigue as players fight their guts out for one team with the looming concept of them moving on as soon as their season ends is hanging over everyone’s head.

Between trades and free agency, there will be plenty to keep track of as we make our way through the playoffs and into the NHL Draft before finally hitting free agency on July 1.

This week, NHL Insider David Pagnotta dropped a very interesting nugget while appearing on “Hello Hockey.”

According to Pagnotta, the Ottawa Senators could look into trading team captain Brady Tkachuk this offseason.

"I think there's a good chance the Sens explore trading Brady Tkachuk this summer," Pagnotta said. "And it’s for a variety of reasons. I don't think it's exclusively to do with the fact that he plays in Ottawa. I think there are different parameters for him that have factored into perhaps that personal decision."

If Tkachuk is indeed on the trade block, it wouldn’t be surprising at all to see the Florida Panthers kick the tires on what it would take to swing a possible deal for the feisty forward.

Bringing the Tkachuk brothers together in South Florida would be quite the power move by Panthers General Manager Bill Zito.

Florida already plays an incredibly fast and physical brand of hockey, and it would seem Brady Tkachuk would be a good fit with his brother Matthew and the Panthers.

One of the biggest hurdles would seemingly be whether or not the Senators would be willing to trade Brady Tkachuk within the Atlantic Division.

Beyond that, the financial element of making a move for Brady Tkachuk work in South Florida would be interesting to see play out.

Brady has two years remaining on his current deal, which carries an Average Annual Value (AAV) of just over $8.2 million.

According to PuckPedia, the Panthers will head into the offseason with around $15.3 million in cap space to work with.

While Florida has 12 forwards and six defensemen under contract for next season, they need to shore up their goaltending situation.

Could Zito bring in Brady Tkachuk while still addressing the team’s need for goaltending?

A deal for Brady would likely have to include Florida’s 2026 first-round pick – which will be either the first, second, eighth, ninth or tenth overall depending how things shake out at next week’s NHL Draft Lottery – and some combination of NHL players or prospects.

The 26-year-old younger Tkachuk brother was the fourth overall pick by Ottawa at the 2018 NHL Draft and has played 572 games with the organization, racking up 213 goals and 463 points while developing into one of the league’s grittiest two-way forwards.

In the time since older brother Matthew Tkachuk was traded to the Panthers during the summer of 2022, there have been more than a few instances where the bothers have gotten a taste of what it would be like to play together at the highest level.

They skated on the same line during the 2023 NHL All-Star Game, which just happened to take place in South Florida.

Then came the 4 Nations Face-Off in February of 2025, when the Tkachuk’s again skated on the same line for much of the tournament, leading Team USA to the gold medal match against Team Canada.

Perhaps the biggest and best example of what the two can accomplish together came during the 2026 Winer Olympics.

Matthew and Brady were two of the biggest faces for Team USA, helping the United States claim its first Olympic gold in ice hockey since 1980.

Will the brothers once again have the opportunity to put on the same sweater later this year?

Stay tuned.

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Photo caption: Feb 4, 2023; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Atlantic Division forward Matthew Tkachuk (19) of the Florida Panthers fist bumps Atlantic Division forward Brady Tkachuk (71) of the Ottawa Senators during the second period of a semifinal game during the 2023 NHL All-Star Game at FLA Live Arena. (Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images)

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Mets say Luis Robert Jr. is day-to-day with lower back tightness

Apr 26, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets center fielder Luis Robert Jr. (88) reacts after popping out with the bases loaded in the eighth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Citi Field.
Luis Robert Jr. | (Photo: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images)

In addition to mentioning that Juan Soto is dealing with forearm tightness in his pregame press availability, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said that fellow outfielder Luis Robert Jr. is dealing with lower back tightness. The team considers him day-to-day at the moment.

The perpetually-injured Robert is in his age-28 season, his first in Queens as he came to the organization in a trade with the White Sox over the offseason. Over the course of his major league career, he’s topped out at 145 games played in a single season, and his next-best total was 110. Over the last five seasons, he’s averaged 104 games played per year.

On top of the injury concerns, Robert came into this season with back-to-back 84 wRC+ seasons to his name in 2024 and 2025 in Chicago. He’s off to a slightly better start than that with a .224/.327/.329 line and a 94 wRC+, but he’s been worth just 0.2 fWAR and hasn’t looked the part of a stellar defender in center field.

Still, with Francisco Lindor out of the Mets’ lineup for the foreseeable future, the last thing the Mets need is another injured player. Here’s hoping Robert ends up being fine and returning in a matter of days, but it won’t be shocking if he ends up missing more time than that given his track record.

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Andre Tourigny Sends Strong Message After Mammoth’s Toughest Loss Yet

For Utah Mammoth head coach Andre Tourigny, Monday night’s collapse and comeback were inseparable.

His club spent the opening stretch chasing the game, then authored one of the fiercest rallies of the postseason before watching it slip away in overtime. In the end, resilience was not enough.

Mammoth Rally Falls Short in Overtime Heartbreaker

Utah erased a three-goal deficit against the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 4 of its first-round series at Delta Center, only to suffer a crushing 5-4 overtime defeat.

After falling behind early, the Mammoth stormed back with four unanswered goals and seized a 4-3 lead in the third period, sending the Salt Lake City crowd into a frenzy. But Vegas answered with 10 minutes remaining, and Shea Theodore buried the winner in overtime to even the series.

It was a painful missed chance for Utah, which had an opportunity to grab a commanding 3-1 series advantage and put itself one win from the second round. Instead, the Golden Knights reclaimed home-ice advantage heading back to T-Mobile Arena for Game 5.

“Obviously, they had a great start,” Tourigny said afterward, per NHL.com's Matt Komma. “I liked the way we responded after their third goal. … Right away after that’s where we started rolling and got back in the game a little bit. So, I’m proud of the way our guys responded to adversity. That was a hard-fought game. We know how good they can be, and I think we responded well in the second half of the game.”

Utah Finds Its Game Too Late

The Mammoth looked sluggish early, generating only three shots in the first period before gradually finding their footing. By night’s end, Utah had fired 31 shots at Vegas goaltender Carter Hart and solved him four times.

Vegas countered with 36 shots of its own, and Utah netminder Karel Vejmelka will likely replay a few of those goals in the days ahead. Still, the Mammoth’s pushback reinforced why this series remains far from settled.

“I loved our fight. We're still playing confident,” captain Clayton Keller said after scoring Utah’s fourth goal. “We got down in the game but kept going. Everyone was contributing, and we got some momentum there from the fans as well. All in all, we fought well until the end. We'll learn from this game and still be really confident, for sure.”

Utah has already proven it can win in Las Vegas once this series. To regain control, it will need to do it again when Game 5 begins just after 10:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday night.

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Braves injury updates on Spencer Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach, Ha-Seong Kim and more

Feb 28, 2026; Sarasota, Florida, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Spencer Strider (99) throws a pitch against the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning at Ed Smith Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Hoo boy, we got an absolute litany of updates from Atlanta Braves manager Walt Weiss during his usual pre-game press conference. It was as if the skipper just decided to take this opportunity to clear the air about the handful of Braves players who are in various stages of working their way back onto the big league roster.

Big thanks to Grant McAuley for detailing some of these updates since there were a bunch of them. We’ll go one by one, starting with Spencer Strider:

Spencer Strider

Strider was spotted at Truist Park on Saturday doing a throwing program ahead of his rehab start on Sunday with Gwinnett. The start went well and now the Braves are planning for Strider to make his return to the roster this weekend in Colorado against the Rockies. As Weiss has mentioned in previous statements, the rotation is currently on a series-by-series basis so we don’t know which day will be Strider’s day but it will be this weekend.

Sean Murphy

Meanwhile, Murphy has been struggling a bit at the plate during his rehab stint. He did pick up three hits on Sunday against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (Miami’s Triple-A squad) but those were also the first three hits that he’s collected so far on rehab after going 7 games and 19 plate appearances without a hit and just one walk. As such, the Braves are giving Murphy a little more time and according to Weiss, it’ll be “4-to-5 more days” before they’ll re-evaluate his status.

Ha-Seong Kim

The Braves are anticipating that Kim will need “a couple of weeks” for a rehab assignment before they start to think about bringing him up. I’d imagine that it’ll be the same process as what Murphy is getting, so I personally wouldn’t anticipate seeing Murphy until early-May and Ha-Seong Kim until mid-May.

Raisel Iglesias

Iggy is reportedly back throwing again and his shoulder inflammation has “subsided” so this should indeed just be a minimal IL stint for Atlanta’s high-leverage reliever. Please tell me he’s learned how to sleep in a normal position.

Hurston Waldrep

Apparently Waldrep will be throwing his first bullpen session since having surgery on his elbow to remove those infamous “loose bodies.” The bullpen session will take place within the next few days. In fact, we actually got a bit of a timeline for Waldrep, as McAuley reported that the Braves are apparently targeting June as a possible time for Waldrep to get back into game action.

Spencer Schwellenbach

We also got a timeline for Schwellenbach as well but that one is a lot more nebulous. Schwellenbach still isn’t throwing yet and Weiss told the media that he’s expecting a return after the All-Star Break. So this is very much a long-term situation for Schwellenbach.

So there you have it! That’s about as clear of an update as you can get for a lot of these guys who are still trying to get back healthy in order to join a Braves squad that is flying high at the moment. The good news for Schwellenbach and Waldrep in particular is that they can likely take their time in getting healthy since the pitching staff is currently doing very well in their absence and they’ll still need plenty of time to get right anyways.

With that being said, it’s certainly exciting to know that Spencer Strider will be back soon and that guys like Raisel Iglesias, Sean Murphy and even Ha-Seong Kim are clearly on the right track as well. This team still isn’t at full strength yet and help is one the way. It’s a very good sight to see!

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Mets announce Juan Soto is dealing with forearm tightness

Apr 22, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets designated hitter Juan Soto (22) fields fly balls in the outfield before a game against the Minnesota Twins at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said that Juan Soto experienced forearm tightness after throwing on Friday, and the team is hoping he can get back to playing the field in the next few days. For now, Soto is in the Mets’ lineup as the team’s designated hitter for their series opener against the Nationals tonight at Citi Field.

Having moved from right field to left field ahead of the 2026 season—following a rather disastrous defensive showing in right in his first season with the Mets last year—the typically-durable Soto already spent some time on the injured list with calf tightness this month.

He returned from that injury on April 22, and in the Mets’ five games since then, he’s hit .200/.429/.200 in 21 plate appearances. On the season, Soto is hitting .301/.418/.413 with one home run and a 141 wRC+ in 55 plate appearances.

While forearm tightness isn’t quite as dreaded a term for a position player as it is for a pitcher, outfielders do occasionally end up needing Tommy John surgery for injuries that arise in the forearm. Bryce Harper is the most notable of those players, but aside from the time he needed on the injury list to recover, he’s been a very good hitter after having the surgery.

For now, the Mets say that Soto is not experiencing any discomfort when swinging the bat, and the last thing they can afford in a season that’s off to a terrible start is significant time without Soto in the lineup. Keeping him at DH for the time being seems like a wise move, even if the Mets’ outfield options aren’t super appealing at the moment.

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Alex Cora declines Phillies proposal (for now) but flopping team needed 'new voice'

Philadelphia Phillies boss Dave Dombrowski wasn’t evasive Tuesday, didn’t try to be politically correct and didn’t bother to soothe anyone’s feelings.

He wanted to hire Alex Cora to be the team's next manager.

He might have even begged Cora at times to be their manager, saying that not only is he one of the finest managers in the game, but a future Hall of Famer.

Dombrowski didn’t even bother to wait 24 hours after Cora was fired by the Boston Red Sox on Saturday to offer him the Phillies managerial job with Rob Thomson still employed.

It wasn’t until Monday morning that Cora, in the second year of a three-year, $21.75 million contract, told Dombrowski that he was sorry, but he was going home to Puerto Rico for the summer. He wanted to be a “full-time dad" for his eight-year-old twin sons with a daughter in graduate school.

“I thought he might take it, but as time went on over the next day,’’ Dombrowski said after making the offer Sunday, “it was apparent from his perspective that he wanted to take time with his family."

Dombrowski, Phillies president of baseball operations, was disappointed, but certainly understood Cora’s reasoning. He then had to make a huge decision himself.

Should he stick with Thomson, or fire him anyway, and determine if there’s anyone in the organization who could make a difference?

“There's no question we have the talent," Dombrowski kept saying.

So, he telephoned Don Mattingly, their bench coach and the son of Phillies GM Preston Mattingly, and asked if he’d please take over the Phillies for the remainder of the season.

Phillies players during a pitching change in Atlanta.

Mattingly, 65, who said in January that he didn’t have the energy to manage again after stints with the Dodgers and Marlins, agreed to at least ride out the rest of the season. The Mattinglys make history by becoming the first father and son to be a GM and manager for an MLB team.

Mattingly won’t be around long, just the rest of the summer, but Dombrowski still believes a change of voice is all that’s needed to have this team playing deep into October.

“This isn’t a blame game…," Dombrowski said in his press conference. “I just don’t think we’re playing up to our capabilities. I think we’re a much better club than we played. And so you make tough decisions that are tough at times….

“Four years ago, he was the right voice for us with the club that we had. There was no question about it. I just think we needed a different voice with this group where we are now."

So, Thomson, who had the finest winning percentage in Phillies’ history, leading the Phillies to four consecutive postseason berths, is out the door.

Cora will be waiting at the door and most likely will be the Phillies’ top target after the season, barring Mets owner Steve Cohen from offering a contract so lucrative that he can’t ignore.

And Mattingly is now inside the room, hoping to somehow make a difference with a team that’s grossly underperforming.

Why was Rob Thomson fired?

The Phillies, 9-19, off to their worst start since 1992, may learn quickly if this year is even salvageable. They already are 10 ½ games behind Atlanta in the NL East, and seven games out in the NL wild-card race race. If they’re going to make a move, the time is now.

The Phillies are facing four teams with losing records in their next five series with the Athletics (15-13) the only team with a winning record. The Phillies will face the Giants (13-15), Marlins (13-16), A's, Rockies (13-16) and Red Sox (12-17) in their next 16 games. Those teams have a .462 winning percentage.

The upcoming weak schedule played a factor in Dombrowski’s decision. He could have waited to see how they’d perform in this stretch under Thomson, but decided he didn’t want to take that risk. If he really had any confidence that their fate would change under Thomson, Dombrowski would have delayed a move.

He didn’t want to take that chance.

“I felt that we needed a new voice in there," Dombrowski said, “a little different feeling in the clubhouse. At this point, Rob was the first to admit that he doesn’t know what’s really going on. He’s a little bit surprised on how we performed…

“I just thought this was the right time to get a different voice with some different direction. Don’t been part of our staff here all along, so he’s got a pulse of his feelings and how we can perhaps improve a little bit here and a little bit there."

Well, to be honest, they need to improve a whole lot here, and a whole lot there.

This team, who has averaged 92 victories the past four seasons, has been dreadful. They have been outscored by an MLB-leading 54 runs. Their star-studded and expensive rotation is last in the league in ERA (5.80). They are winless (0-10) against left-handed starters. Their right-handed hitters have the lowest OPS (.505) against lefties than any team since 1920. And they’ve played lousy defense

So, the looming question now is just what kind of team would Cora be inheriting after the season?

Is it a team that needs to be completely overhauled? Or just one that needs tinkering?

Do they make some household changes and perhaps even contemplate the idea of trading Bryce Harper, who has a complete no-trade clause, or shortstop Trea Turner?

Or do they add onto the mix and pursue infielder Bo Bichette again after they thought he was coming their way last winter before pivoting to the Mets?

Can Phillies turn things around?

The truth is that the Phillies have an aging team, with four players 33 or older, and the window to win a World Series is closing quickly, but Dombrowski aggressively pushed back on the narrative they are too old.

“It’s not age that has caught up to us," Dombrowski said. “Our guys are not aged out by any means. Some of the guys who aren’t even our more veteran guys aren’t having a good start to the season. That would be an inappropriate statement to me. In fact, some of the [older] guys there are having better seasons than anybody.

“But I do think we’re better than this."

When asked if there were any regrets the way he built the roster, or whether the Phillies should have made changes during the winter instead of bringing back the nucleus, Dombrowski pushed back again.

“I don’t know anybody that would think we would not have a good starting pitching rotation," Dombrowski said. “To me, it might be the best in baseball. Our bullpen is strong. We haven’t scored runs. We haven’t hit. I can’t predict that some of these guys would have performed the way they have. But on roster construction, we don’t have a gaping hole….

"So I don’t have a regret. Now, if we play the game this way the rest of the year, I’ll have a lot of regrets."

Dombrowski, who wanted to make sure that his own evaluations weren’t off-base, summoned his top three scouts to Atlanta over the weekend. He asked them to closely watch the team, talk to players, and make their own assessments. He said that unanimously, they all agreed that the club is simply underachieving and not deeply flawed.

“This club has talent," Dombrowski said. “There’s no question we have the talent. I don’t want to say the most talented, but talented as most. We just have not played that way…

“Do I think we can play better?

“I hope so.

“If not, we’ll all have made a mistake."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Phillies manager job goes to Mattingly after Alex Cora declined