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Knies’ Game-Winner Gives Maple Leafs 1-0 Series Lead Over Panthers

Apr 2, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies (23) carries the puck against the Florida Panthers during the third period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

With a 5-4 win on Monday night, the Toronto Maple Leafs take a 1-0 series lead over the Florida Panthers.

The two teams went at it again, two years after their first series, which Toronto lost in five games. Since then, the Maple Leafs have brought in a new coach in Craig Berube, while the Panthers have added a Stanley Cup to their resume.

Toronto eliminated the Ottawa Senators in six games. William Nylander led the way with nine points—three goals and six assists—in the series. New father Mitch Marner (one goal, seven assists) is one point behind Nylander for the team lead through six games.

Nylander led the Maple Leafs in points during the game with two goals and an assist, now with 12 points in seven games. Matthew Knies scored the game-winner, his fourth goal of the playoffs, with six minutes remaining in the third period.

Steven Lorentz, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and Anthony Stolarz, three former Panthers, face their former team in the postseason after winning the ultimate prize last June.

Florida eliminated the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games. Selke Trophy nominee Sam Reinhart led the team in points with two goals and four assists during the series. Sergei Bobrovsky had a .901 save percentage in the five games played.

3rd Period

During the second intermission, Sportsnet showed Stolarz appearing to throw up on the Maple Leafs' bench. After stopping four shots in the middle frame, Woll led the Maple Leafs out for the third period.

As the final period began, the team announced that Stolarz wouldn't return to the game and remains under evaluation. Dennis Hildeby is Toronto's third goalie.

Maple Leafs’ Anthony Stolarz Leaves Game 1 After Taking Elbow From Panthers’ Sam BennettMaple Leafs’ Anthony Stolarz Leaves Game 1 After Taking Elbow From Panthers’ Sam BennettThe Toronto Maple Leafs’ goaltending situation took an unexpected turn in Game 1 of their second-round series against the Florida Panthers, as Anthony Stolarz was forced to leave the game midway through the second period after appearing to take an elbow to the head from Panthers forward Sam Bennett.

At 1:39 of the third period, Eetu Luostarinen one-hands a pass from Anton Lundell in front, which beats Woll over the glove to make it a 4-2 game.

Nearly three minutes later, Uvis Balinskis beats Woll over the shoulder to cut Toronto's lead to just a goal. Brad Marchand assisted on Florida's second and third goals.

Domi finishes his check on Matthew Tkachuk, putting him into the boards, before joining the rush with Bobby McMann on a two-on-one. McMann gets the puck across to Domi, but Bobrovsky stops the chance.

Shortly after Domi's scoring opportunity, Knies finds himself behind the Panthers' defense. Marner ties up Nate Schmidt's stick before sending the 22-year-old on a breakaway.

He pulls the puck to the backhand and beats Bobrovsky with six minutes left in the third period, putting Toronto up 5-3. It's Knies' fourth goal in seven playoff games this year.

With 1:53 remaining in the third period and Bobrovsky on the bench, Tavares tries to clear the puck, but cannot, and Bennett's shot goes off two Maple Leafs sticks before beating Woll over the shoulder.

2nd Period

After not scoring on a power play early in the period, the Panthers went to the man advantage following Pontus Holmberg's interference with Jones in front of Florida's net.

The Panthers weren't able to score, but had some strong chances, including one at the end of the power play where Sam Bennett's forearm hit Stolarz in the head.

Tanev's knuckler of a point shot beats Bobrovsky, putting Toronto up 4-1 at 7:50 of the second period. It's the 35-year-old's first goal since the regular season finale against the Detroit Red Wings.

McCabe tallies his second assist of the game, and Knies gets his first assist of the playoffs. Toronto's defense now has seven of the Maple Leafs' 23 goals during the postseason.

Joseph Woll enters the net at 10:14 for the Maple Leafs after Stolarz goes to the dressing room. Stolarz was in good spirits, speaking and smiling with Woll during the TV timeout.

Knies buries Jones in the corner of Florida's zone before setting up Auston Matthews for a chance. The Maple Leafs' captain's shot just goes wide.

1st Period

Nylander scores the series-opening goal 33 seconds into the game. It's his fourth goal in seven games, with assists going to Max Pacioretty and Jake McCabe. Bobrovsky couldn't see anything with John Tavares and Seth Jones battling in front.

Toronto's second line continued with another chance a few minutes later. Nylander finds Tavares in the slot, and his shot is stopped by Bobrovsky before going out of play.

The Maple Leafs' third line gets involved after a few chances from the second line. Max Domi deflected Chris Tanev's point shot before it took another deflection as it travelled to the net. Bobrovsky made the difficult stop with his glove.

Domi takes a cross-checking penalty 6:38 into the first period after getting tied up with Brad Marchand following a whistle. Toronto's coaching staff was surprised by the call. The Maple Leafs allowed one shot on Florida's power play.

McCabe throws a massive hit on Dmitry Kulikov, heating the game even more than it already was.

Nylander scores his second goal of the game and fifth of the playoffs at 12:51 after Ekman-Larsson's rebound bounced to him. It's the defenseman's first assist of the playoffs. Nylander shimmied left and right before going upstairs on Bobrovsky.

The Maple Leafs have two goals on their first six shots of the game.

Toronto takes a too-many-men penalty midway through their power play. Jones gets the Panthers on the board with his second goal of the playoffs at 16:57 as his point shot beats Stolarz.

Nineteen seconds after Florida cut Toronto's lead in half, Morgan Rielly found himself on a two-on-one with Tavares after a pass from Nylander. Rielly beats Bobrovsky over the blocker for his third postseason goal, putting the Maple Leafs up 3-1.

Nylander's third point of the night ties him for the playoff lead with Mikko Rantanen and Kyle Connor.

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Mets pitching prospect Nolan McLean promoted to Triple-A Syracuse

Mets pitching prospect Nolan McLeanis now just a phone call away from Queens.

McLean, who had been dominating this season for Double-A Binghamton, has been promoted to Triple-A Syracuse.

The 23-year-old right-hander, who is in his first season as a full-time starting pitcher (after transitioning from being a two-way player during the 2024 season), has immense upside.

In 26.1 innings over five starts for Binghamton this year, McLean had a 1.37 ERA and 1.22 WHIP with 30 strikeouts.

On May 2, McLean fired 6.0 innings of shutout ball while allowing five hits, walking two, and striking out four.

McLean features an elite sweeper and high-octane four-seam fastball, and also utilizes a changeup, two-seam fastball, curve, and cutter.

With McLean now in Triple-A, three of the Mets' top four pitching prospects (McLean, Brandon Sproat, and Blade Tidwell) are now at the highest level of the minors.

New York Mets pitcher Nolan McLean participates in the Spring Breakout game in the fourth inning against the Washington Nationals at Clover Park
New York Mets pitcher Nolan McLean participates in the Spring Breakout game in the fourth inning against the Washington Nationals at Clover Park / Jim Rassol - USA TODAY Sports

Jonah Tong, ranked as SNY contributor Joe DeMayo's third-best Mets pitching prospect and No. 7 overall prospect, is with Binghamton, where he has been excelling.

Tong has a 3.38 ERA and 1.40 WHIP with 38 strikeouts in 21.1 innings over five starts -- an eye-popping rate of 16.0 strikeouts per nine.

Tidwell made his big league debut during Sunday's doubleheader against the Cardinals, while Sproat and McLean are expected to get their first taste of the majors later this season.

As their starting pitching prospects get closer to making meaningful big league contributions, the Mets continue to get strong performances from their current rotation of Clay Holmes, Kodai Senga, David Peterson, Tylor Megill, and Griffin Canning -- and that group is expected to get reinforcements around June with the returns of Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas.

The Mets, who have been using a sixth starter recently (sometimes utilizing openers), are expected to go to a more regular six-man rotation when they're closer to full strength.

How New York utilizes its top pitching prospects in the majors in the coming weeks and months remains to be seen, but it's getting close to the point where their impact will be felt.

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2025 NHL Draft Lottery: Islanders win first overall pick, Rangers to select 12th

The Islanders don’t currently have a GM, but whoever they end up hiring just picked up a pretty significant asset. 

New York officially won the NHL Draft Lottery on Monday night -- meaning that they now own the first overall pick in the 2025 Draft. 

The Isles entered the night with just a 3.5 percent chance of landing in the top spot, but they somehow had the luck of the draw on the first roll of the night and are now in a good spot to take the young talent of their choice.

One of the top prospects in this class is 18-year-old Long Island-native James Hagens, who produced 11 goals and 26 assists this season with Boston College. 

How bout the Blueshirts?

The Rangers, on the other hand, weren’t so lucky. 

With the Utah Hockey Club jumping up to the fourth overall pick, they actually moved down a selection and will now be at No. 12 this year. 

They now have until two days before the draft to decide if they want to keep that pick and use it themselves or send it to Pittsburgh by way of the Vancouver Canucks to help complete the J.T. Miller trade. 

If they do keep it, they’ll send the Penguins a 2026 unprotected first-round pick. 

Here's a look at the rest of the order:

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Flyers Locked In At No. 6 For 2025 NHL Draft

The Philadelphia Flyers officially hold the 6th overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.

For general manager Danny Brière and the rest of the Flyers front office, the draft continues to be a cornerstone of the franchise’s long-term rebuild. Though the Flyers exceeded outside expectations at times, team leadership has consistently reiterated that their strategy is rooted in patience, development, and building a sustainable contender through the draft.

The Flyers have invested heavily in their amateur scouting department in recent years and have reaped early signs of that investment. Players like Matvei Michkov, Jett Luchanko, and Denver Barkey represent a promising wave of young talent. Adding a sixth-overall pick to that group offers another chance to secure a difference-maker—potentially one who can grow into a franchise-altering piece.

While much remains uncertain leading up to the draft, the 2025 class is shaping up to be strong at the top, with high-end forwards and puck-moving defensemen available—all of which will be of interest to the Flyers. Philadelphia’s position at sixth overall puts them in prime position to draft one of the most NHL-ready players in the pool or take a calculated swing on long-term upside.

There is also intrigue around how the Flyers could use this pick within the broader scope of their offseason plans. Even more interesting is that the team has multiple selections in the early rounds and a stocked prospect pipeline, which gives them flexibility if opportunities arise—something Briere is known to be open to.

Still, the message remains clear: the draft is one of the pivotal parts of the Flyers’ rebuild. With the sixth overall pick secured, the organization now turns its focus to final evaluations and preparation for a decision that could help shape their future for years to come.

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New York Islanders Win NHL Draft Lottery: Who Should They Pick First Overall?

The New York Islanders have selected first overall four times in the NHL draft, taking Billy Harris in 1972, Denis Potvin in 1973, Rick DiPietro in 2000 and John Tavares in 2009. (David Kirouac-Imagn Images)

The NHL draft lottery was broadcast live for all to see, and the balls fell in the New York Islanders’ favor.

The Islanders had the winning combination that awards them the first overall pick and the chance to improve their franchise moving forward. The Utah Hockey Club won the second draw to move up 10 spots to fourth overall. That means the San Jose Sharks have the second overall pick.

Although most lists are beginning to put Matthew Schaefer at the top spot, there are a few, including my own, that have Michael Misa ranked first. 

Let this officially open the debate as we dig into which top prospect makes the most sense for the Islanders.

Let’s start with the underdog in the race for first overall, Misa. 

Michael Misa, C, Saginaw (OHL)

The Saginaw Spirit center was undeniably dominant in the OHL this past season. His 62 goals were second in the CHL, and his 134 points led the entire CHL in scoring. 

Misa showed himself to be one of the most intelligent players in the draft class throughout the year and continually grew his game. Not only was his offensive game a force to be reckoned with, but he was a positive defensive presence as well, even playing on the penalty kill. 

Misa’s ability to elevate those around him was evident all season. He was more than capable of playing any role asked of him on a line. The Spirit captain showed an amazing amount of maturity and mental toughness throughout the season, becoming a more well-rounded player as the season wore on. 

The big separator for Misa compared to most other high-end offensive scorers at the junior level was his attention to detail. From positioning himself on the right side of the puck to understanding his leverage in a board battle, Misa used his strengths in those situations. Misa can be a top-line center with a legitimate two-way impact.

2025 NHL Draft: Michael Misa's Historic Year Has Him Pushing For First Overall2025 NHL Draft: Michael Misa's Historic Year Has Him Pushing For First OverallTop-level NHL draft prospect Michael Misa tore the OHL apart with a season that rewrote the history books.

Matthew Schaefer, D, Erie (OHL) 

Matthew Schaefer is the front-runner in discussions about the first overall pick since at least the world juniors. 

Not only did he make Canada’s U-20 team, but he was its most effective defenseman before his season-ending injury. He pushed the pace, showed offensive prowess and controlled the flow of play as a 17-year-old. 

Unfortunately, the collarbone injury he suffered when he crashed into the net in Canada’s second game kept him out of the lineup for the second half of the season. 

What makes Schaefer special is his fluidity in all aspects of his game. His vision on the ice is incredible. He handles the puck with impressive control and is rarely in a situation where he loses the puck off his stick. His passing is crisp and precise, hitting targets in motion with ease. 

Defensively, Schaefer leverages his skating and play-reading ability to close on puck carriers in transition, and he wins battles in the tough areas by playing through opponents' hands. He doesn’t have the raw strength to throw guys around or blow players up, but he’s no slouch along the boards because he understands how to position his body.

Instant Reaction: NHL Central Scouting Releases Final 2025 Draft RankingsInstant Reaction: NHL Central Scouting Releases Final 2025 Draft RankingsNHL Central Scouting released its final rankings for the 2025 NHL draft.

Who’s The Better Fit?

The biggest question is how Schaefer and Misa would fit with the Islanders and where they would project in the lineup next year and down the line.

It’s an interesting question because the Islanders are entering a new era without former GM Lou Lamoriello after parting ways. The search for a new GM continues.

Looking at the current roster and their prospect pool, there are needs all over the lineup. Center prospect Cal Ritchie was acquired from the Colorado Avalanche in the Brock Nelson trade at the deadline. Ritchie has been electric at times in the OHL, and his development as a two-way forward has been fantastic. He may not project as a true first-line center, but he has top-six talent. 

Cole Eiserman is a scoring left winger who was quite good for Boston University this year. He is a one-shot lethal scorer who could look great alongside Ritchie down the line. 

Danny Nelson has shown some promise in college, playing for the University of Notre Dame, but he projects as a bottom-six center. Outside of those few players, there is still quite a bit of work for the Islanders to do in rebuilding this team back to true contention. 

Notably, all of those players are forwards. Although Misa is a first overall worthy prospect, the logical pick for the Islanders is Schaefer, who would instantly become their top prospect. He would be the centerpiece of their blueline for years to come.

A pairing of Schaefer and current No. 1 defender Noah Dobson would push the pace and create an offensive advantage that most teams would cause most teams a headache or they could opt to spread out the puck-moving ability and consistently have the best defenseman on the ice at any given time.

There is plenty of work to do for the Islanders’ scouting staff, and things could change, or they could opt to load up down the middle.

James Hagens grew up as an Islanders fan and started the year as the top-rated player, so there is always the chance that he comes in as the dark horse. There will be plenty of intrigue heading into the NHL draft in June.

2025 NHL Lottery Mock Draft: Where Schaefer, Misa, Hagens And More Could Fall2025 NHL Lottery Mock Draft: Where Schaefer, Misa, Hagens And More Could FallThe NHL draft lottery went live this year, and the drama was real, with the New York Islanders moving all the way to No. 1 once the balls were read out.

Sharks Get No. 2 Pick

Since a team can only move up a maximum of 10 spots if it wins the a lottery draw, Utah climbed from 14th to fourth.

That means the Sharks get the second pick and the intriguing possibility of adding Misa to pair down the middle with last year’s first overall pick, Macklin Celebrini. Their fourth overall pick in 2023, Will Smith, played mainly on the right wing this season.

The one-two punch down the middle could make them a force out West for years to come. Two complete centers who have 30-goal, point-per-game potential is a prospect that almost no NHL team has and that could be the Sharks reality for the next decade.

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Cavaliers' Kenny Atkinson wins NBA Coach of the Year, beating out previous Cavs coach Bickerstaff

For the previous couple of years, with J.B. Bickerstaff as coach, the Cavaliers were a good team — they finished fourth in the conference both years. Last season they had 48 wins, had a +2.5 net rating, and advanced to the second round of the playoffs before falling to the eventual champion Celtics.

Cavaliers management wanted more, so it made a coaching change: Bickerstaff was out, Kenny Atkinson was in. With essentially the same roster in place, Atkinson's Cavaliers started 15-0, finished with 64 wins (the second most in franchise history), a +9.5 net rating and were the No. 1 seed in the East.

That earned Atkinson the Coach of the Year award, the NBA announced Monday.

Atkinson got 59 first-place votes from the international panel of 100 media members, with 33 second-place votes.

After being let go, Bicketstaff was hired by the Pistons, taking over a team that had the worst record in the NBA each of the past two seasons. He helped turn them around into a 44-win team that finished sixth in the East (and pushed the Knicks to six games in the first round). That earned Bickerstaff second in the Coach of the Year voting, with 31 first-place votes and 44 second-place votes.

The Rockets' Ime Udoka finished third. The Thunder's Mark Daigneault finished fourth in the voting (two first-place votes), and the Clippers' Tyronn Lue finished fifth (one first-place vote).

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The Anaheim Ducks will Select 10th Overall at the 2025 Draft

Jun 28, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Stian Solberg is selected by the Anaheim Ducks with the 23rd overall pick in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft at The Sphere. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

The NHL conducted their annual Draft Lottery on Monday night ahead of the Florida Panthers vs. Toronto Maple Leafs game, which was game one of the second round.

Report: The Ducks Ongoing Search for Next Head Coach

An extremely unlikely scenario unfolded and the Anaheim Ducks will be selecting 10th overall at the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, to be held on June 27 in Los Angeles.

The Ducks finished the 2024-25 season with a 35-37-10 record, good enough for 80 points and the eighth-best odds to win the lottery.

The Lottery featured two draws, one for first overall and one for second. The Ducks came into Monday with a 6% chance to win the first overall pick and a 6.2% chance to win the second overall pick. They won neither, and their fifth most likely outcome transpired, as they had a 3.2% chance of dropping to the 10th overall pick.

For the Ducks to drop from eight to ten at the draft lottery, two teams that finished the season with better records had to win the draws. The New York Islanders won this year’s draft lottery with a 3.5% chance, and the Utah Hockey Club won the second draw with a 3.2% chance. 

Utah was only eligible to move up a maximum of 10 spots, so they will select fourth. The San Jose Sharks will select second overall. 

The 2025 Draft will be the 32nd in franchise history, and they’ve never selected first overall. They’ve never had a first overall pick even on their roster at any point in time.

This will mark the third time the Ducks will have drafted 10th at the NHL Draft. They selected Nick Ritchie 10th in 2014 and Pavel Mintyukov in 2022.

The 2025 draft class isn’t like most years, where there’s a clear-cut prospect at the top of everyone’s (or most everyone’s) list. In 2024, there was no doubt that Macklin Celebrini was going to be taken first. In 2023, there was even less doubt that it was going to be Connor Bedard.

This year, consensus indicates the top selection is between Erie Otters defenseman Matthew Schaefer and Saginaw Spirit forward Michael Misa, with Schaefer seemingly having the edge at this point in time.

After Schaefer and Misa, there’s a cluster of three to five players that draft experts view as the next tier, including forwards James Hagens, Porter Martone, Anton Frondell, and Caleb Desnoyers.

As the annual draft combine nears and subsequent reports leak out, a lot of information will be uncovered.

Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek and assistant general manager/director of amateur scouting Martin Madden have marched to the beat of their own drummer during their three previous drafts together when they selected Pavel Mintyukov (10th overall in 2022), Leo Carlsson (2nd in ’23), and Beckett Sennecke (3rd in ’24). When it comes to the Ducks’ front office duo, it’s best to expect the unexpected at the draft.

Opinion: The Anaheim Ducks Deserve to Win the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery

2025 Anaheim Ducks Draft Lottery Preview

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Blackhawks Will Make 3rd Overall Pick In 2025 NHL Draft

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On Monday night, the National Hockey League conducted the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery. The San Jose Sharks led the way with a 25.5 percent chance of winning. The Chicago Blackhawks were in second with a 13.5 percent chance. 

Any team could only move up a max of 10 spots. For the Blackhawks, that meant that they could pick anywhere from 1-4. 

The first draw led to the New York Islanders winning the first overall pick. They jumped up from 10 to earn this selection. New York will pick first for the first time since 2009 when they selected John Tavares. 

The second lottery went to the Utah Hockey Club, so they will jump up from 14 to 4. That means that the Sharks will go down to 2 and the Blackhawks will drop to 3. 

This will be the third year in a row that Chicago will make a draft pick in the top three. In 2023, they took Connor Bedard first overall, and they took Artyom Levshunov second in 2024.  

A lot of conversations will take place in regards to who Chicago will select with this pick. There are some great options as players like Michael Misa, Matthew Schaefer, James Hagens, and Porter Martone are projected to go in the top four. 

The first round of the 2025 NHL Draft will begin on June 26th, 2025. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

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Kraken Will Have The Eighth-Overall Pick In The 2025 NHL Draft

Seattle Kraken draft pick Eduard Sale stands with Kraken staff after being selected with the twentieth pick in round one of the 2023 NHL Draft at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

The Seattle Kraken will make the eight selection of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft after moving down two spots in the draft lottery. If the Kraken do not move the pick, it will be tied for the third-highest selection they've made since they became an NHL franchise. Only Matty Beniers (second overall) and Shane Wright (fourth overall) were higher selections. The additional two players the Kraken have drafted in the first round are Eduard Sale (20th overall) and Berkly Catton (eighth overall). Heading into the draft, the glaring need within their prospect pool is on their blue line. Their top defensive prospect, Ty Nelson, likely projects to be a bottom-pairing defenseman, and the Kraken require more high-end talent. Matthew Schaefer is the best defenseman in the draft class, but he will likely be selected within the top two picks. Jackson Smith and Radim Mrtka are the next best two available defensemen. If the Kraken elect to continue to bolster their forward group, one of James Hagens, Anton Frondell, Porter Martone, Jake O'Brien and Caleb Desnoyers could be available for them to select. The NHL draft is set for Jun. 27 in Los Angeles, and the Kraken will have eight selections to make across the seven rounds

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Celtics' 3-point shooting slumps won't fly against Knicks

Celtics' 3-point shooting slumps won't fly against Knicks originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

BOSTON — The Boston Celtics aren’t in Orlando anymore.

They can’t afford to shoot 15-for-60 from 3-point range in the playoffs against competent offensive teams, but that’s exactly what they did in Monday’s Game 1 loss to the New York Knicks at TD Garden. Boston set new NBA playoff records with 45 misses and 60 attempts from deep.

That kind of performance only flies against teams like the Celtics’ first-round opponent, the Orlando Magic. The worst 3-point shooting team in the league maintained that reputation by shooting just 26.3 percent from 3 in the series, which Boston won in five games despite mostly being held in check from beyond the arc.

Orlando didn’t make more than 10 3-pointers in a game throughout the series. New York shot 17-for-37 (45.9 percent) from distance in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

In Monday’s matchup, the Celtics held a 20-point lead midway through the third quarter. The Knicks cut the deficit to nine by the end of the frame and pulled ahead late in the fourth before finishing off their 108-105 win in overtime.

After going up by 20, the C’s shot just 10-of-40 (25 percent) from the floor and 7-of-29 (24.1 percent) from deep. A whopping 34 of their 41 shot attempts in the second half were 3s.

After the loss, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla was asked whether he was satisfied with his team’s shot selection.

“For the most part,” he said. “Obviously, over the course of the game, you always can find five to 10 shots you want to be better at.”

While the 60 3-point attempts jump off the page, the Celtics shouldn’t shy away from that game plan going forward. They lived and died by the 3 during their 2024 NBA championship run, and they remained an elite 3-point shooting team during the 2024-25 campaign.

Twenty-five of Boston’s 60 3-point attempts were unguarded catch-and-shoot 3s, according to The Volume Sports’ Jason Timpf. Only seven of them went in.

That trend is unlikely to continue, and Knicks guard Josh Hart knows it.

“I don’t think you want to force them into 3s. We don’t want them to shoot more 3s,” Hart said. “They got great shooters, man. We were just trying to make it tough for them, play physical. … We were trying to take away 3s, and they still got up 60.”

Celtics star Jaylen Brown finished with a team-high 23 points, but shot just 1-for-10 from 3-point range. He was asked whether Boston attempted a “knockout punch” with the number of 3s they took in the second half.

“Some of them felt good, some of them felt like we maybe forced the issue,” Brown said. “Definitely our rhythm and our timing was a little bit off. We got a lot of great looks, but there may be some truth to that. We’ve got to look at the film and see what happened in that second half.”

His co-star Jayson Tatum (23 points, 4-15 3-PT) agreed with his assessment.

“Probably some times where we settled,” he said. “I could’ve put more pressure on the rim. But a lot of times, we felt like we got really, really good looks and just couldn’t convert.”

Tatum scored just two points in the fourth quarter, both from the free-throw line. He was 0-for-7 with six misses from deep in the frame.

That won’t cut it against the Knicks, who matched the C’s with a 36.9 3-point shooting percentage during the regular season. Boston will look to bounce back in Game 2 at TD Garden, which is set for 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday.

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Vancouver Canucks Will Select 15th Overall In The 2025 NHL Entry Draft

2025 NHL Draft Logo

The Vancouver Canucks will be selecting 15th overall in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. While there was a chance that the Canucks could have moved up ten spots, they did not win the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery, which took place on Monday. As for which teams will be picking in the top three this season, that will be the New York Islanders, the San Jose Sharks and the Chicago Blackhawks.

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Vancouver has only had the 15th overall pick once before. That occurred in 2022, when they selected Jonathan Lekkerimäki. The Canucks have never won the draft lottery, but have picked second overall on four occasion. 

If Vancouver elects to keep their pick, there are plenty of intriguing prospects who could be available at 15th overall. Some of those players include University of Wisconsin defenceman Logan Hensler, Soo Greyhounds center Brady Martin and Victoria Royals center Cole Reschny. There are also some BC-born players, including Calgary Hitmen winger Ben Kindel and Moose Jaw Warriors winger Lynden Lakovic.

The 2025 NHL Entry Draft is scheduled for June 27 and 28. While the event will take place in Los Angeles, it will be a decentralized draft, meaning teams will make their selections from their home cities. Both days of the draft will be aired on Sportsnet. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum.

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Calgary Flames Goaltender Dustin Wolf Amongst Finalists For Calder Memorial Trophy

Calgary Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf (Photo: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images)

The NHL has announced its nominees for the Calder Trophy during the pre-show of Monday's Draft Lottery, and Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf is amongst the contenders for the award alongside San Jose's centre Macklin Celebrini and Montreal's defenceman Lane Hutson.

The 24-year-old ended a memorable rookie season with a record of 29-16-8.

He registered a GAA of 2.64 and a save percentage of 91.0 in 53 games while putting up three shutouts.

The undersized netminder was the biggest reason why Calgary were in the playoff conversation and the last team eliminated from post-season contention in the Western Conference.

The young California-native was the fourth-last pick in the 2019 NHL draft – 214th overall – and the last of 22 goalies to be selected. The fact that Wolf has played more games than all but two of those goalies (the first two to come off the board: Spencer Knight at 13th and Pyotr Kochetkov at 36th overall) alone is probably Calder-worthy on its own.

He'll look to be the sixth Flame to win the Calder Trophy.

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Mets place Jesse Winker on 10-day IL with right oblique strain

In an expected move, the Mets placed Jesse Winker on the 10-day IL with a right oblique strain on Monday.

Prior to Monday's game against the Diamondbacks in Arizona, manager Carlos Mendoza said Winker has a Grade 2 oblique strain that'll keep him away from the big league club for 6-8 weeks.

Winker left the first game of Sunday's doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals in the bottom of the fourth inning due to right-side discomfort.

Playing LF for the first time all season, Winker caught a fly ball and threw the ball home trying to get Nolan Arenado out.

Mendoza said after the game Sunday that Winker felt something on the throw home and would be sent back to New York to get additional testing. He said it would likely be "an IL situation" for the veteran. Winker is hitting .239 with a .739 OPS this season, totaling nine RBI with one home run.

"Anytime you're not playing, it sucks," Winker said Sunday about the potential of missing time.

In a corresponding move, the Mets recalled Brett Baty from Triple-A Syracuse. The 25-year-old had three hits in 10 at-bats since being optioned on April 24. Additionally, RHP Austin Warren returned to Syracuse after serving as the 27th player on Sunday.