Joined by Rocco from Isles House, we remember enforcer Trevor Gillies, who was a much more complex individual than his monstrous reputation would suggest.
Trevor Gillies had spent a decade in the minors fighting across North America before he finally got regular NHL playing time for a young Islanders team that needed a lot of protection. While his toughness and fearlessness instantly made him a fan favorite, those same qualities – plus one very scary image in one of the craziest melees in NHL history – made him a villain to outsiders. Getting two long suspensions in short order for two questionable actions made his time on Long Island brief. But he left a lasting impression upon those who both watched and played with him that’s only grown over time.
Rocco tells us how Gillies became one of his favorite Islanders fighters of all time, how he appreciated his list of bouts against combatants of various sizes and how Fight Night 2011 against the Penguins and its many storylines created a bond with that era that won’t be broken anytime soon. In addition to the degree of “heavy metal” Gillies brought to the Islanders, we also marvel at his insane ECHL stats, some of his former teammates and, of course, his glorious mustache.
Huge thanks again to Rocco for coming on and sharing his stories and his pizza tips. You should already be listening to him and previous Weird Islanders guests Jack and Ethan on the Isles House podcast. Or stop by Cafe Dolce Vita in either Jericho and Deer Park, grab a slice and say hello.
WEIRD BONUS MATERIAL
After 10 years in the minors, one game with Anaheim and 50 games with Bridgeport, Gillies established himself as the Islanders Enforcer of The Future in 2010.
Shockingly, he has lots of fights on YouTube! Here’s Gillies versus mouth-breathing dipshit idiot caveman Paul Bissonnette:
Gillies versus the late Derek Boogaard (RIP). Our boy lands on top but takes a lot of punishment:
Gillies vessus another fellow Weird Islander Mike Rupp
Then there was Fight Night. His most infamous altercation was against the Penguins on Feb. 11, 2011. Gillies pummeled Pittsburgh’s Eric Tangredi and looked to be taunting him from the tunnel. But that’s not really what happened.
Many saw the man for the complex person he is (and we all are). He had a job and did it. It turns out, he wasn’t an unrepentant killing machine. He could even be an inspiration. But by all accounts, he was also a great teammate. Here are two heartwarming videos: one is some friendly competition between he and, another Weird Islander, Kirill Kabanov.
And here’s Trevor and his dad Murray and their bad ass mustaches (Murray’s was first)
Believe it or not, Gillies even scored a goal for the Islanders. A nice one, too:
Gillies still loves talking about the old days and has a great sense of humor about his hockey career. You might even see him at an Islanders game!
What makes a “Weird Islander?”
We’re always open to suggestions about other Weird Islanders to discuss. Remember the criteria. Candidates must fulfill one of the two of the following:
Played one (1) season or less for the Islanders or very short stints over multiple seasons.
Be a veteran NHLer who is not generally associated with his time on Islanders.
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WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 19, 2026: James Hicks #21 of the Houston Astros throws a pitch during the second inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Miami Marlins at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on March 19, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below.
AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (10-7) POSTPONED
AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (6-6) lost 9-4 (BOX SCORE)
The Hooks got some runs early getting an Austin solo HR in the first and an Encarnacion RBI single in the 2nd. Hicks got the start and was solid allowing 2 runs over 5 innings of work. The Hooks got 2 more runs in the 4th on an error. The Hooks held a 4-2 lead but the pen struggled allowing 7 runs and the offense was quiet the rest of the way as they fell 9-4.
James Hicks, RHP: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
Alex Santos, RHP: 1.1 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
Railin Perez, RHP: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
Ramsey David, RHP: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
A+: Asheville Tourists (4-8) lost 11-8 (BOX SCORE)
Hertzler started for Asheville and was solid allowing 1 run over 3 innings. He was relieved by Rodriguez who struggled allowing 7 runs over 1.2 innings. The Asheville offense battled getting a Rosario 3 run HR in the 6th and a 2 run single from Hernandez in the 7th. The bullpen allowed another 3 runs as the Dash extended their lead. In the 9th, the offense got 3 runs on a Hernandez RBI single and Frey 2 run single but the comeback fell short as they lost 11-8.
Jose Guedez, RHP: 2.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Eurys Martich, RHP: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (2-10) lost 6-3 (BOX SCORE)
The Woodpeckers got on the board first scoring 2 runs in the first inning on Diaz and Ramirez RBI singles. Perez got the start and was pitching well but allowed a 3 run home run in the 5th. He finished with 6 strikeouts over 5 innings. The offense tied it in the 6th scoring a run on an error. Weber relieved Perez and allowed 3 runs in relief and the offense was quiet the rest of the way as the Woodpeckers fell 6-3.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - AUGUST 09: General Manager Mike Elias of the Baltimore Orioles watches the Orioles Hall of Fame ceremony before the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Athletics at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on August 09, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Through the first 19 games of the 2026 Orioles season, they are once again disappointing us. It is not a lot of comfort that many teams in the American League are off to a start where they are muddling along around .500. That’s mostly because a lot of these problems feel familiar and it’s frustrating that they’ve had an offseason to try to resolve them and so far they haven’t.
How much blame does Mike Elias deserve for all of this? To some degree, he deserves all blame for all of the Orioles problems, because he is the man in charge and he makes the decisions. I find this not a wholly satisfying perspective, since it’s also the players who take the field and have to actually make the plays. Many struggling Orioles have had previous MLB success that it was reasonable to believe they could do again this year. It’s too early to make final judgments about whether certain guys stink or not in 2026.
In this completely subjective survey of early 2026 Orioles problems, I consider each of the problem players, whether this is likely to prove a durable problem, and whether Elias deserves the blame if the problem is durable.
For my money, there are five problem hitters, four problem pitchers, problems with the defense in general, and injury problems. The list goes in order of players as they appear while scrolling down on the Baseball Reference 2026 Orioles statistics page.
Pete Alonso
Am I worried? No
Alonso has hit 34 home runs or more in each of the five seasons before this. He is not hitting them yet, or hitting much at all yet. I think it is reasonable to believe that the home runs and hitting in general will arrive. He is even playing better defense than expected so far. We can all find more productive uses for our anxious energy than to project concerns about Chris Davis from years beyond the end of his playing career onto Alonso.
Coby Mayo
Am I worried? Yes
Should Elias be blamed? Yes
Unlike some of the early struggling Orioles, there is nothing you can look at in Mayo’s batted ball profile that points to better things coming. He is a mess up there. He isn’t hitting the ball hard and the result is he’s not hitting the ball much at all. The only small saving grace is that his defense, the thing everyone was worried about in spring training, is fine.
Elias went out of his way to hold on to Mayo, rather than trading him for a pitcher before or during any of the 2023, 2024, or 2025 seasons, points when he had a lot of value as a prospect. All of this was so that he could step up now. He’s not given much reason to show that his success from last September can be repeated.
Samuel Basallo
Am I worried? No
In contrast to Mayo, you can find a decent amount of red on Basallo’s Statcast profile. He is swinging the bat fast and hitting the ball hard, though he doesn’t yet have much to show for it. Although he’s chasing a lot of pitches out of the zone, he’s also drawing a lot of walks. This is a 21-year-old player who should be given some allowance for growing pains as a player. That doesn’t mean the Orioles have to bat him 4th or 5th every game while he sorts it out. I blame Elias for that one.
Blaze Alexander
Am I worried? No, if only because there’s no point worrying about a player like this
Should Elias be blamed? Yes
Alexander played in 135 games with the Diamondbacks across the previous two seasons and gave indications that he would be a guy whose bat is just on the right side of “not bad” as long as he is able to provide decent defensive value at multiple positions. With his .542 OPS so far this year, he’s hitting much worse than that. This was the guy Elias went out and got once the injuries started to mount in his infield before spring training even began. Expected batting stats point to a turnaround coming for Alexander. Hopefully that bears out.
Dylan Beavers
Am I worried? Yes
Should Elias be blamed? Yes
Pretty much nothing is going right for Beavers so far other than that he isn’t swinging out of the strike zone much or swinging and missing much. He isn’t hitting the ball well, or hard. Maybe the most disheartening to me is how bad he’s looked in the field, coming in at 4th percentile in range despite also having 96th percentile sprint speed. This is a fast player who is getting no defensive value even with that speed. Elias went out of his way to call up Beavers later last year to preserve his rookie eligibility and maybe have a shot at contending for Rookie of the Year this year. So far, that looks like a joke.
Colton Cowser
Am I worried? Yes
Should Elias be blamed? Yes
The thing with Cowser and swinging and missing at nearly every changeup that he sees is beyond parody. That’s a comic second-tier character in a Major League-type movie, except in the movie he would actually overcome the flaw as the team improves thanks to some absurd training regimen. Maybe Cowser should try to figure out if he can break his changeup curse by building a very specific Lego set while blindfolded or with one hand tied behind his back.
Cowser is also Elias’s guy. The Orioles reached to draft him in the first round in 2021. We saw in his rookie season some signs of a perennial pretty good player. He has not been able to follow up on this. I don’t blame Elias entirely for this, but I do think he needed a better “what if Cowser keeps struggling” backup plan ready and he didn’t have one.
Shane Baz
Am I worried? Not really
Should Elias be blamed? If the problems continue
It doesn’t feel good that the Orioles gave up four prospects plus a draft pick for this guy, then gave him a $68 million extension before he’d ever thrown a pitch for the team, and after four starts he has a 4.91 ERA. He’s having rotten batted ball luck (.364 BABIP) that may be real bad luck or may be about the defense behind him. I’m willing to believe that things may still click for him. I understand the frustrations in the meantime. It’s one more Elias move from the offseason that’s bearing no immediate fruit.
Kyle Bradish
Am I worried? No
Should Elias be blamed? No
Bradish looked like he would be able to pick up close to where he left off before his Tommy John surgery in six starts after returning last year. That hasn’t carried forward into 2026; Bradish has battled command problems and he’s getting rocked in a way we haven’t seen from him since the bad days of his early career.
Even moreso than Baz, I think you can point to the defense behind him costing him a lot. Take away the two earned runs from Weston Wilson’s botch being scored a triple on Sunday and Bradish’s ERA shaves down to 4.58. That still doesn’t feel good, but it would feel better than 5.49. The Fielding Independent Pitching metric, an ERA analogue that tries to take defense out of the equation, has Bradish at 3.22 so far. We could live with Bradish at a 3.22 ERA.
Chris Bassitt
Am I worried? Yes
Should Elias be blamed? Yes
Elias could have invested real money in a starting pitcher in free agency this offseason and instead he went for two one-year guys, Bassitt and Zach Eflin. Obviously, Eflin is done already and that sucks; I don’t blame Elias for an elbow injury. That could have happened to any other pitcher he signed.
Bassitt, through three starts, is on the Charlie Morton path. When you have to try to feel good about, “Well, he only gave up one earned run in 4.2 innings,” that’s a bad place to be. It’s early and he’s only got to make like two good starts in a row to quiet some of the doubters. He’s got to actually do it. If he never does, this is a big strike against Elias. Building a consistently good rotation has proved elusive for him.
Tyler Wells
Am I worried? Yes
Should Elias be blamed? Yes
One of my observations about the Orioles over the years is that just about every season, there’s one reliever who you don’t expect to suck who suddenly is no good. The year-to-year volatility of relievers is one of those trends of the modern game. It looks a lot like Wells is that guy this year. I think the Orioles constructed their roster assuming that Wells would be able to take the eighth or ninth inning. If he flames out spectacularly, that’s a big evaluation failure.
If other players are able to step up, maybe Elias won’t have to shoulder too much blame for this. Indeed, as far as the bullpen goes, there’s not a lot of blame to shoulder so far: The Orioles bullpen is ninth in ERA at 3.52, even with Wells plus a couple of clunkers in Yaramil Hiraldo and Nick Raquet.
The defense
Am I worried? Yes
Should Elias be blamed? YES
You will probably not be surprised to learn that the Orioles are a bottom five defense in the league so far, as measured by Statcast’s Outs Above Average. Quite unexpectedly, the only places they’ve been okay are the infield corners, first and third base. The whole outfield is in the negatives. Second base and shortstop are negative.
This was one area of the roster where anyone should have been concerned heading into the season. A regular outfield alignment of Taylor Ward, Cowser, and Tyler O’Neill was always going to be bad. Ward has made people happy with his hitting so far, but he showed his poor defense on Opening Day and that’s not changed. He’s slow and he can’t make plays an average left fielder would make. Beavers struggling in the field early on was an unexpected problem.
If you wrangled a genie and used up one of your wishes on having the opportunity to ask Mike Elias questions to which he must give truthful answers, I think that genie-compelled Elias would admit that he always expected some defensive problems this year. There were supposed to be other trade-offs to make up for that defensive weakness, particularly guys hitting dingers. The bad defenders who are annoying you the most are not hitting dingers. Nor is anyone other than Gunnar Henderson and Jeremiah Jackson. Other than Ward, the offenders for bad defense aren’t hitting much at all.
The injuries
Am I worried? Yes
Should Elias be blamed? Eh
The Orioles are once again among the league leaders in players who are on the injured list. That feels like a problem, and if a problem exists then someone should be blamed for it. Whether the Orioles are doing something problematic in their strength and conditioning that is leading to being a more injury-prone team is beyond the knowledge of any fan.
There are some real freak injuries in the assortment. Dietrich Enns with a foot infection? Tyler O’Neill gave himself a concussion from passing out from dehydration while sick? Ryan Mountcastle broke a bone in his foot while running the bases? Jackson Holliday broke his hamate bone while swinging just before spring training even started?
It is up to a general manager to assemble depth that is competent to handle some unexpected problems. Elias probably thought he had this. I’m sure he knew O’Neill would hit the IL some time this year: That would have meant easier playing time for Beavers, and Leody Taveras is around to back things up too. Taveras has been great so far. Beavers has not.
Elias went and got Alexander when he learned about Jordan Westburg’s injury, and Jeremiah Jackson was around when Holliday was hurt. Mayo was in the mix. Even the Adley Rutschman injury, theoretically that would mean, okay, it’s Basallo’s time to shine. Which isn’t happening yet. Elias has two of his projected bullpen guys on the IL in Keegan Akin and Andrew Kittredge.
I think the Orioles should have probably signed another real reliever other than Helsley, probably instead of re-acquiring Kittredge, but guys are stepping up in the bullpen so far. Anthony Nunez has looked great. Rico Garcia is also off to a strong start. Even Yennier Cano has rediscovered something positive in the early results.
**
If the Orioles don’t make the playoffs this year, I think that’s a sign that Elias’s plan has failed and he should be fired. In that event, it would be clear that he does not have it in him to build a sustained talent pipeline and supplement that internal pipeline with useful players from outside the organization.
We are 19 games into the season and there is no certainty that the Orioles will remain on their current path. All of this feels worse because many of their problems do feel like they’re carrying over from last year, this despite having a new manager, new hitting coaches, and a decent amount of roster turnover. It should have been better than this, and so far it’s not. That’s not fun. Elias at the top is the big constant here.
Still, it’s early to give up on the team. The 2014 Orioles were below .500 as late as May 30, 53 games into their season. They finished 96-66. There is plenty of time for things to still come together for the 2026 Orioles. Of course, there was plenty of time for things to come together for the 2025 Orioles at this time a year ago, and we know that they never did.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 16: Walker Buehler #10 of the San Diego Padres throws a pitch in the first inning against the Seattle Mariners at Petco Park on April 16, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Diego Padres erased the memories of the season-opening homestand where they got off to a 2-4 start against the Detroit Tigers and the San Francisco Giants with a perfect second homestand that saw them get back-to-back sweeps of the Colorado Rockies and the Seattle Mariners. The Padres have won games throughout the season in multiple ways which have been nerve wracking and exciting at the same time. The win against the Mariners on Thursday neither – it was just a solid baseball game with a good start from Walker Buehler, a competent offensive approach and a stingy bullpen anchored by Mason Miller, who moved into second place in San Diego franchise history with 30 2/3 innings without allowing a run, which resulted in a 5-2 victory. The Padres go on the road today to face the Los Angeles Angels at 6:38 p.m.
Padres News:
Luis Campusano has been a key contributor throughout the seven-game homestand. His recent success and his 2026 season overall appear to be a credit to the confidence his manager Craig Stammen has in him and his reformed approach to the game.
Sung-Mun Song was activated off the IL and was optioned to Triple-A El Paso. It is understandable that San Diego would not want to shake up the lineup that is in the midst of an eight-game winning streak.
Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune says MLB and ABS inadvertently helped the Padres offense by shrinking the strike zone, leading to an improved offense.
Baseball News:;
The Angels and New York Yankees engaged in a heavyweight fight throughout their series, which resulted in both sides hitting home runs at an impressive rate and superstars Mike Trout and Aaron Judge captivating fans on both sides.
Arsenal dominated initially when the teams met last month at Wembley before City gradually became ascendant, Guardiola’s side in control after the break as two goals from Nico O’Reilly claimed the trophy. Guardiola was asked if City would prevail again at the Etihad Stadium if they perform as they did at Wembley. “If we play like the second half during 95 minutes and they play like the second half during 95 minutes, we are going to win,” said the manager.
SARASOTA, FL - MARCH 20: Juan Valera #67 of the Boston Red Sox leaves the field during the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium on Friday, March 20, 2026 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Scott Audette/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Bowling Green Hot Rods 9, Greenville Drive 8 (BOX)
Unfortunately, the story of the day in this one was Juan Valera’s elbow. After beginning to pop up on top-100 MLB prospect lists, Valera left the game after one inning with inflammation in his pitching elbow. Chris Cotillo has more detail here. Valera was off to an electric start, with 17 strikeouts in 9 1/3 innings to start the season. He also missed more than half the season a year ago with an elbow injury.
After his departure, the Hot Rods (TB) pulled out a wild back-and-forth affair on Thursday night in Greenville.
Last year, I made my pitch for the movie Hot Rod being rather underrated. This year, I’m pushing for professional athletes to go back to the nickname “Hot Rod”. There was Rodney “Hot Rod” Hundley who was the first overall pick in the 1957 NBA draft, played his whole career for the Lakers, and was a broadcaster after retirement. John “Hot Rod” Williams played in the NBA from 1986-1999, mostly for the Cavaliers.
We’re long overdue for a lightning-fast MLB player who points finger-guns into the air after sliding in for an extra-base hit.
For the Drive in the loss, Yoeilin Cespedes went yard twice on the day, with both coming off another 80-grade name in pitcher Gary Gill Hill. Yophery Rodriguez homered twice as well, knocking in five runs on the day.
🪀💣
Boston Red Sox prospect Yophery Rodriguez with his second home run of the night in High-A pic.twitter.com/of7r9Bf86m
The Altoona Curve (PIT) are 0-12 to start the season, and Thursday’s game was more of the same. Sea Dogs starter Eduardo Rivera struck out nine batters over 5 2/3 innings, allowing three hits to get the win in his second straight strong start. Joe Vogatsky got the ever-popular three-inning save (plus one out), preserving the shutout.
On the offensive side, Max Ferguson had the biggest blast of the night on a grand slam.
Max Ferguson to the roller coaster for a grand slam!
The second home run of the season for the Boston Red Sox prospect in Double-A. pic.twitter.com/Wy3wxc6AMH
RidgeYaks pitching got hit early and often yesterday by the Crawdads (TEX), beginning with starter Dylan Brown, who allowed 11 baserunners and six runs in 3 1/3 innings.
Offensively, right fielder Andrews Opata had three RBIs, including a solo home run.
Madinson Frias (0-0, 12.60) will take the bump on Friday at 7:00.
Worcester Red Sox at Nashville Sounds (Suspended, 0-0, Top 4th inn.)
Starters Jake Bennett for the Woo Sox and Thomas Pannone for the Sounds (MIL) each threw three shutout innings before the game was suspended in the top of the fourth inning.
The game will be continued, followed by the regularly scheduled game, at 7:05 ET on Friday, with pitching matchups yet to be determined.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 13: Bradly Nadeau #29 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrates his first period goal against the Philadelphia Flyers with Charles Alexis Legault #62, Jesperi Kotkaniemi #82, and Nikolaj Ehlers #27 at the Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 13, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Then there were … 16. Expanded playoff formats across all sports makes that sound far less dramatic, but The Stanley Cup Playoffs are upon us. It has been an incredible season of hockey with young players establishing themselves as the superstars of the future, stunning trades that took us aback, and an Olympic break which was absolutely devoid of any political drama whatsoever.
The field is now set with 13 teams from the USA and three from Canada trying to capture the most difficult prize in team sports. This year everything is up in the air with the Florida Panthers crashing to earth, meaning we will see a new team hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup. Let’s look at the full field and rank them from the most-likely to win it all, to the least.
No. 1: Colorado Avalanche
The President’s Trophy (awarded to the No. 1 regular-season team) has been a serious jinx when it comes to winning the biggest prize in the sport. You have to go back to 2013 to find the last time a team won both the President’s and the Stanley Cup — but I’m not going to let superstition get in the way with this pick.
The Colorado Avalanche are a phenomenal team. Finishing with 54 wins and 116 points they’d have an even more dominant record if not for a late-second injury to Cale Makar that has sidelined him while this team waited for the playoffs to start. Anchored by Nathan McKinnon, the best player in hockey, the Avs have so much high-end talent on their roster that they seem primed for the playoffs.
It’s very difficult to find a discernible weakness here, with Colorado finishing the season with a preposterous +97 goal differential. At this point the only thing stopping them from going all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals appears to be if Makar’s injury lingers, but it shouldn’t — and they are absolutely the favorites to do it all.
No. 2: Carolina Hurricanes
Nobody else in the NHL approaches hockey the same way as the Carolina Hurricanes, which is both their biggest blessing and their worst curse. Coach Rod Brind’Amour’s brand of hockey puts a premium on even, multi-line play without an emphasis on star players. It’s for this reason that superstars often choose to avoid the Canes in free agency, but this team found its missing piece with Nikolaj Ehlers, who moved past a slow start to the season to become the most consistent player on the team.
Boasting SIX 50-point players this season is something few in the league can claim, including the mighty Avs. Carolina is incredibly deep, attacks from seemingly anywhere, but as a result, also lacks the top-end star power often needed to carry a team to the cup. Couple that with incredibly shaky goaltending and we’re left with a very, very good team that’s unquestionably the best in the East — but lacks that x-factor who can put everyone on their back and carry the team in tough game.
No. 3: Dallas Stars
The biggest knock on the Stars is that they play in the same conference as the Avalanche. There’s no question Dallas had a great season by finishing with another 100+ point season, but it’s impossible to look at this team and feel just a little bit let down.
Mikko Rantanen has been very good, but a far cry from the 55-goal monster he was in Colorado, scoring netting just 22 on the year. He’s made up for that with his passing, where Wyatt Johnson has been the biggest goal-scoring benefactor, but a lack of solid center play outside of Johnson really makes this team stand out from the field.
Having good center play is absolutely critical in the playoffs, and it’s for this reason that the Stars lag just a little behind. Relying too much on their wings to push the tempo of the game hasn’t been a recipe for success, and it feels like this team is just one puck distributor away from being able to cement themselves as Stanley Cup favorites.
No. 4: Tampa Bay Lightning
The Lightning are more or less the same team they’ve been for several years now. For whatever reason the organization just keeps running it back and trying again, without a lot of adjustments being made to their core. This is fine with the caliber of players Tampa has in Nikita Kucherov, Jake Guentzel, Matthew Hagel, and Andrei Vasilevskiy in net — but beyond those guys the team falls off a cliff.
We’re left with a team in the East that has a higher top-end than some of its competitors, but much weaker depth. That’s more or less the rub on the Lightning and why they fall to 4th in our rankings.
No. 5: Buffalo Sabres
It’s really, really fun to see the Sabres back in the NHL Playoffs for the first time since 2011 and the team has all the trappings of a unit that can continue to build of this season. The core issue is that they’re too young and too inexperienced to be considered high-level contenders quite yet. Playoff hockey might as well be a completely different sport, which tends to chew up teams that aren’t ready for the tactical grind.
It was extremely tempting to put the Sabres above the Lightning considering regular season success, but I think Tampa and Carolina both have the ability to reach down and find a gear the Sabres are still lacking.
No. 6: Minnesota Wild
The Wild would be higher on this list if not for the division they play in. They have a lot of top-end talent with Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy, and Quinn Hughes — but too often this team relies on stellar netminding to eke out games.
It’s going to be very difficult to grind out games hovering around the league average in goals-for and goals-against when you have to go through the Stars and Avalanche to make it to the cup. This was a big, necessary step forward for the Wild to get off the treadmill from being an easy Wild Card out, but they still lack some line depth to really make a deep run.
The good news is they have a stellar prospect pool coming up, it’s just a touch too early for them.
No. 7: Montreal Canadiens
It’s wonderful that the Canadiens are back in the playoffs. There’s just something special about the Bell Centre being full for playoff hockey, and having another original six legend back in the hunt just makes it all feel more special.
So, with all due respect to Montreal, they’re not ready yet. I’m giving them an outside chance because they are better than several Eastern Conference teams on this list, with a penchant for rising to the occasion, but they’re also average in a lot of key areas like power play, penalty kill, and goals against.
This makes the Habs a little one-dimensional. They have five core players, with the third and fourth lines being a major liability. That makes the Canadiens a team to watch in the future, but not quite yet.
No. 8: Boston Bruins
Lack of wing strength (aside from David Pastrňák) is a major weakness for the Bruins who lack those reliable 2nd and 3rd scoring options. In order to win in these playoffs they need stellar play from the defense, and the centers to win their individual battles — which is certainly possible for a game of two, but not in a seven-game series.
Leading up to the playoffs the Bruins lost three straight games to Eastern Conference playoff teams. They were competitive in each game, but it did underscore the weaknesses of this roster, which is still a few pieces away. Another case of it just being a touch too soon, the Bruins have a really strong prospect pool coming down the pipeline.
No. 9: Las Vegas Golden Knights
It isn’t often you see a team fire its coach less than a month before the playoffs when they’re still in the hunt, but making the switch to John Tortorella was a bold move that had huge results down the stretch. The Knights went 7-0-1 with Tortorella as head coach, finally finding the gear that Vegas has been missing this season.
Goal scoring has been the big issue for this team throughout the season, with scoring being down across the board from a year ago. In 2024-25 the Vegas was 5th in the NHL in goals scored, but that fell to 14th this season. This was compounded by also allowing more goals than a year ago, making this just a much weaker team in general. Tortorella could work his magic, but this team is starting to show its age a little.
No. 10: Utah Mammoth
Utah have been another feel-good story this year with the Mammoth having expansion team success and making the playoffs in just their second season. A team that loves to grind out games with strong forechecking and reliable defense, the team ranked 10th in the NHL this season in both goals allowed and goals scored.
Just making it this far is a major accomplishment. There’s also a very real chance they could win an opening series against the Golden Knights, who are substantially weaker this season than in year’s past. The issue is that eventually the Pacific Division has to face the Central, which is where the Avs, Stars, and Wild are located.
No. 11: Pittsburgh Penguins
You have to be a die-hard Pens hater not to like the romance of Sidney Crosby getting another shot at playoff hockey, which could be one of the last in his career. This is an old team that leans far too much on Crosby to still make things happen at age 38, without enough youth support behind him.
This has more or less been the story of the Penguins for the last several years, as they’ve struggled to build out their roster in a way that can compete consistently. An emotionally-charged opening series against the Flyers will likely lead to the winner facing Carolina in the second round, and it’s near-impossible to see them making it past the Canes.
No. 12: Ottawa Senators
The Senators found their way into the playoffs as the final wild card in the east and boast a deep roster with a varied attack. The problem putting them any higher is twofold: Firstly, they have substantial goaltending issues that have plagued the team this season, and secondly, they face the Hurricanes in the opening round.
No. 13: Edmonton Oilers
The Oilers are the same team they’ve been for years now. Connor McDavid is arguably the best player in hockey, Leon Draisaitl is a monster, and Evan Bouchard is one of the best offensive blueliners in the game. This team is a mess defensively, and it’s been for a while now. Ranking 25th in goals allowed, Edmonton has to overwhelm on the offensive end to win. With this playoff field it’s just not going to work.
No. 14: Philadelphia Flyers
So much about the Flyers doesn’t make sense. They’re below the league average in goals scored and allowed, their goaltending is inconsistent, and there’s a lot to love about this team — but just not yet. The future is so bright in Philly with Trevor Zegras and Matvei Michkov, but the playoffs are often determined by veteran talent that can even out a roster and bring much-needed stability. That’s something the Flyers lack right now, and it’s tough to see them making a deep run.
No. 15: Anaheim Ducks
This was a building block season for the Ducks that achieved its goals. One of the youngest teams in hockey, there was huge growth from Anaheim’s stars who are in their early 20s, showing incredible promise for the future. This team doesn’t have what it takes to hang in the playoffs hight not, but wait a few years, and with some smart moves this will be a potential Stanley Cup winning team.
No. 16: Los Angeles Kings
The Kings are in because the depth of the west is incredibly weak. I know that sounds harsh, but with a -22 goal differential this season and a roster lacking impact players means they’re going to be eaten alive by the Avalanche in the opening round. It is what it is.
Mar 29, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Flyers center Trevor Zegras (46) controls the puck against the Dallas Stars in the second period at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
After two years of non-stop trade rumors and stagnant development, the Anaheim Ducks finally made the decision to trade forward Trevor Zegras this past offseason. In exchange for sending Zegras to the Philadelphia Flyers, the Ducks received second-and fourth-round picks as well as veteran forward (and former Pittsburgh Penguins forward) Ryan Poehling.
At the time, I loved it from a Flyers perspective and thought it was at least a little bit of a risk for the Ducks. The upside for the Flyers is they get a top-line talent that could change some games. The downside for the Ducks, at the very least, is they look bad if a talented forward goes elsewhere and blossoms.
Even though Zegras had reached a plateau with the Ducks with obvious frustration on both sides, he was still only entering his age 24 season, still had big talent and untapped potential, and had at least shown glimpses of being a productive NHL player. Given that the cost was only a couple of mid-round picks and a completely replaceable player, it was a good gamble to take. Especially for a team that needed to find way to add more offense and high-level skill to its lineup.
For the most part, Zegras delivered.
The fresh start seemed to help re-ignite his playmaking and offensive potential, while he has also seemed to fully embrace being a Flyer.
Zegras finished with career highs in goals (26) and total points (67), while finishing just two goals and one point off the team lead in each category.
His biggest impact on the Flyers success and turnaround this season, however, are numbers that do not show up on the traditional stat sheet. It might be the reason the Flyers are even here.
The Flyers’ 27 regulation wins are not only the fewest among Eastern Conference playoff teams, they are the only team in the field that did not win at least 33 games in regulation. In the Western Conference, only Pacific Division teams Anaheim and the Los Angeles Kings (26 and 22 respectively) failed to win at least 30 games in regulation. They relied heavily on games that went beyond regulation, winning six games during 3-on-3 and a whopping 10 games in shootouts, more than any other team in the NHL.
Zegras’ contributions to those games can not be overlooked.
He led the NHL with seven shootout goals, while also scoring an overtime winner. Do they win 10 shootouts without him? Probably not. Do they have enough points to finish ahead of Washington with even half of those shootout wins? No they do not.
All of that alone has made him worth it for the Flyers.
The potential downside for the Flyers here, aside from his defensive shortcomings still being there at times, is the obvious fact that 3-on-3 overtime and shootouts are no longer a thing in the playoffs. They are going to have to rely on winning games at 5-on-5, and while they have been better later in the season, only 10 of their 19 wins since Feb. 1 came during regulation.
That’s not to say that Zegras has been a non-factor in more traditional hockey settings.
During 5-on-5 play his 0.72 goals per 60 minutes are 178th out of 384 forwards that logged at least 500 minutes, while his 0.92 primary assists per 60 minutes were 36th, demonstrating strong playmaking abilities. Overall his 1.94 total points per 60 minutes were 104th out of that group of forwards. That is fringe first-second line production. He has the potential to be a problem to deal with offensively.
They needed somebody that could deliver more offense and impact games. Zegras did both. In a traditional sense (being their best playmaker) and non-traditional sense (swinging games and the standings in shootouts).
He is one of the big reasons they are here. Now we get to see what he does now that they are here.
There’s a whole other article here that’s tempting to write.
Several, even. How about “If the Rockets lose to the Lakers, Ime Udoka should be on the hot seat”? That is a position that could easily be justified. Luka Doncic is out for Game 1, and questionable for Game 2. Austin Reaves is questionable for the entire series. The Lakers are compromised.
The games still have to be played. Many NBA predictions have been wrong. What ought to happen on paper may not play out on the floor. The Rockets need to identify advantages beyond sheer talent, barring early returns from Doncic and Reaves.
Luckily, one jumps off the page.
The Rockets are tougher than the Lakers
There are stats, and then there’s the immeasurable. Let’s knock out the stats first.
Rebounding is as good a measure of toughness as we have. The Rockets’ 54.5% Rebounding Percentage leads the NBA. The Lakers’ 49.9% mark lands 12th.
Defense is linked to toughness, too. The gap there is larger. Houston’s Defensive Rating ranks sixth (112.1). The Lakers’ 115.5 ranked 20th. Granted, that mark came with All-No-Defense first-teamers Doncic and Reaves in the fold. That’s a fair point, but the counterpoint is that replacing them with Marcus “Toughness Personified” Smart and Jake “Don’t Call Me Doncic” LaRavia (a solid player to be fair) is not a net positive.
Almost any measure of toughness favors the Rockets. Loose balls recovered? Houston’s 5.0 per game ranked third, where the Lakers’ 4.2 ranked 15th (which reflects the small margins in this stat above all else). About the only argument for Los Angeles’ toughness is their league-leading 0.74 charges drawn per game. If you think the Lakers can win this one by drawing a charge every other night, I would recommend avoiding sports betting.
Those are the numbers. Now, let’s talk about what we intuitively know:
The Rockets are a lot tougher than the Lakers.
Smart is the exception. Unfortunately for him, he’s 6’3″. The simple solution here is to have Amen Thompson hunt him on offense. Thompson has a similar mentality in a much larger frame: He will win this wrestling match.
Deandre Ayton is an interesting case. He’s a human block of granite, but toughness has not been his forte. He is notably stronger than Alperen Sengun, and moving stronger players has, at times, proven difficult for him. I’d like to say Sengun is tougher (I think he is), but it’s not quantifiable. What can be comfortably said is that he’s more agile, so Sengun should lean into his face-up game and take Ayton off the dribble as often as possible.
Let’s move away from individual matchups. The broader idea is this: Thompson, Tari Eason, and Jabari Smith Jr. need to be bullying LaRavia, Luke Kennard, and Rui Hachimura off the floor. They need to leave a 41-year-old LeBron James physically exhausted. Physicality is the key to this series for the Rockets:
The Battle of Pennsylvania is on for the first time since the 2018 postseason, with the Philadelphia Flyers visiting the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena tonight.
My top Flyers vs. Penguins predictions are calling for Philly to continue its late-season surge with a low-scoring road upset in Game 1.
Puck drop is set for 8:00 p.m. ET, with the game airing on ESPN and Sportsnet.
Flyers vs Penguins Game 1 prediction
Who will win Flyers vs Penguins Game 1?
Philadelphia Flyers: The Flyers put it all together down the stretch with an NHL-best 15-5- 1 run, including going 9-2 on the road while allowing just 2.63 goals per game.
As a result, I like Philly pulling off the road upset in Game 1, especially considering Pittsburgh closed out with a middling 10-8-3 record.
Flyers vs Penguins best bet: Under 6.5 (-130)
The Philadelphia Flyers were dominant defensively at five-on-five down the stretch with the fewest goals against and second-fewest expected goals against per 60 minutes during their NHL-best 15-5-1 run after the March 6 trade deadline.
Excellent defense will be critical against the Pittsburgh Penguins because the Pens paced the league in goals per 60 minutes and team shooting percentage at 5-on-5 during the same result.
I’m anticipating the solid Philly defense to help kick-start statistical correction to the shooting efficiency from Pittsburgh and pave the way to this total going Under the number in Game 1.
Flyers vs Penguins Game 1 same-game parlay
The Flyers received a huge boost with Porter Martone joining the team down the stretch, and he’s collected 10 points – four goals — across his first nine NHL games, including hitting the scoresheet in each of the past six.
Martone projects to jump the boards with veterans Christian Dvorak and Travis Konecny, and the trio has posted a 57.1% shot share at five-on-five. So, with Konecny dropping to a 1.5 shots total, this is the perfect spot to target him after recording just seven shots across his final six games of the regular season.
Konecny frequently trades at a 2.5 shots total, and he recorded two or more shots in 51 of 77 regular-season games.
Flyers vs Penguins SGP
Flyers moneyline
Porter Martone Over 0.5 points
Travis Konecny Over 1.5 shots
Flyers vs Penguins Game 1 goal scorer pick
Travis Konecny (+270)
Flyers winger Travis Konecny only scored twice across his final 13 games of the regular season despite recording 3.67 individual expected goals and 14 high-danger scoring chances while averaging 18:20 of ice time and jumping the boards with the No. 1 power-play unit.
Konecny's 7.4 shooting percentage during the skid was also way below his 17.7% mark through the first 64 games of the season.
Flyers vs Penguins odds for Game 1
Moneyline: Philadelphia +125 | Pittsburgh -150
Puck Line: Philadelphia +1.5 (-183) | Pittsburgh -1.5 (+183)
Over/Under: Over 6.5 (+105) | Under 6.5 (-130)
Flyers vs Penguins trend
Philadelphia has won 18 of its last 25 games (+15.20 Units / 56% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Flyers vs. Penguins.
How to watch Flyers vs Penguins Game 1
Location
PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, PA
Date
Saturday, April 18, 2026
Puck drop
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
ESPN, Sportsnet
Flyers vs Penguins latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
This Cubs homestand is an old NL East flashback — Mets and Phillies! Just like it was the 1970s or 1980s again.
Obviously, that’s just a bit of nostalgia. In the meantime, this seven-game homestand seems important for the Cubs to begin to set a tone at Wrigley Field, where they are just 4-5 so far this year.
Here’s more on the Mets from Chris McShane, manager of our SB Nation Mets site Amazin’ Avenue.
If you wanted to draw up a nightmare season for David Stearns, it would pretty much look exactly like this. We keep reminding ourselves that it’s still incredibly early, but you can’t help but worry that this will be a lost season when your team loses eight games in a row by the middle of April. And even with the lineup being the team’s biggest problem right now, it felt all too fitting that Devin Williams had his first terrible outing as a Met in the team’s series finale in Los Angeles, turning a game that would’ve involved Edwin Díaz coming in for a save opportunity against the Mets into a blowout that no longer required his services.
Not every player who Stearns jettisoned is off to a hot start, but of the five new faces that were in the Mets’ lineup on Opening Day, only Luis Robert Jr. is hitting above league average so far this season. The rotation has major question marks after David Peterson’s recent run of bad starts and Kodai Senga’s particularly awful start his last time out. And after emphasizing run prevention early in the offseason as the team said goodbye to Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, and Jeff McNeil, the Mets’ defense looks anything but sharp as there are several players learning new positions on the job.
Things can’t get much worse than they are right now, but there’s no optimism about this team at the moment.
Fun facts
The Cubs’ next win against the Mets will be their 400th in the rivalry, which began in 1962. They have lost 379 and tied two, for a winning percentage of .513. While the Cubs have earned 20 more wins, in all 780 games they have been outscored, by seven runs, 3,372 to 3,365.
They are 213-181-1, .541, vs. the Mets at home, but lost two of three each of the last two seasons and are 5-8 since 2022.
The Ottawa Senators' torrid pace post-Olympics has set them up for a first-round clash with the Carolina Hurricanes, with Game 1 taking place on Saturday, April 18 at Lenovo Center.
My Senators vs. Hurricanes predictions and NHL picks suggest that, despite the Hurricanes advancing past the first round in five consecutive seasons, fans may be in for a closer series than many anticipate thanks to the exploits of Ottawa players like Dylan Cozens.
Senators vs Hurricanes Game 1 prediction
Senators vs Hurricanes best bet: Dylan Cozens Over 0.5 points (+115)
Dylan Cozens finished the regular season third in scoring for the Ottawa Senators, registering a point in five of his last six games.
He notched a multi-point performance in a 6-3 win over the Carolina Hurricanes on April 5, and had four points in two games against them this season.
Perhaps more importantly, the Yukon native strung together a four-game point streak to help secure a second consecutive postseason berth for the Sens.
Furthermore, his 28 shots in the month of April are nine more than his closest teammates, a testament to his level of confidence right now.
Senators vs Hurricanes Game 1 same-game parlay
Taylor Hall has been one of Carolina's most productive forwards post-Olympics. The 2010 first-overall pick ranks fourth on the team with 21 points in 23 games since the break, ending the regular season notching eight points across the final six games.
Both him and Cozens are generously priced at +115 to hit the scoresheet in Raleigh on Saturday.
The Senators, similarly red-hot since Milan, have failed to cover the spread against the Hurricanes just once in their last five meetings. Heading into Game 1, they've covered the spread in six straight and in seven of eight games in April.
Senators vs Hurricanes SGP
Dylan Cozens Over 0.5 points
Taylor Hall Over 0.5 points
Senators +1.5
Senators vs Hurricanes Game 1 goal scorer pick
Andrei Svechnikov (+195)
Andrei Svechnikov has scored in six of his last seven games, hitting his stride at the perfect time.
The 2018 second-overall pick led the 'Canes with eight playoff goals last season, and has scored in three straight games against Atlantic Division opponents. He scored against the Senators on April 5.
Four of his last six goals have come via the power play, which matches up well against the Sens' abysmal 29th-ranked penalty kill.
This matchup has hit the Over in three of the last four games, with the winner scoring at least four goals in eight of the last nine. Find more NHL betting trends for Senators vs. Hurricanes.
How to watch Senators vs Hurricanes Game 1
Location
Lenovo Center, Raleigh, NC
Date
Saturday, April 18, 2026
Puck drop
3:00 p.m. ET
TV
ESPN, SN
Senators vs Hurricanes latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Notre Dame and Villanova will play a men's and women's basketball doubleheader to open the season in Rome, Italy, a matchup the Catholic schools are promoting as a chance to celebrate their shared mission and heritage.
The jointly hosted event scheduled for Nov. 1 will include “special programming that brings together academics, athletics and spirituality,” Villanova said in its announcement.
“From academic engagement and cultural immersion to shared worship and athletics, this journey offers a profound opportunity to grow in mind, body and spirit," said the Rev. Peter Donohue, Villanova's school president.
The schools said Pope Leo XIV, an Augustinian friar and Villanova alumnus, was the inspiration for scheduling the game.
Those attending the Italian excursion will have the opportunity for a shared Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, a planned papal audience with Pope Leo XIV before the games and private tours of the Vatican Museums.
The men’s game will air nationally on Fox at 9:30 a.m. Eastern, with the women's game broadcast on FS1 at noon.
College teams playing overseas is expected to become more common amid a growing influx of international talent. Twenty-three of the 62 players on Final Four rosters listed a foreign country as their hometown, and NCAA data shows the number of international players on D-I rosters (888) has more than doubled since 2010.
Games in Croatia and Serbia are in the works and planned for November as part of a new College Basketball International Series launched by Intersport and Rochelle Management Group.
The Los Angeles Dodgers head to Coors Field for a four-game series with the Colorado Rockies beginning Friday night.
Tyler Glasnow gets the nod for the visitors in the series opener, while Tomoyuki Sugano toes the rubber for the home team.
My Dodgers vs. Rockies predictions and MLB picks for Friday, April 17 see a low-scoring game unfolding in frigid conditions.
Who will win Dodgers vs Rockies tonight: Dodgers (-291)
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a warranted heavy favorite given their advantages over the Colorado Rockies in starting pitching, relief pitching, and hitting.
Tyler Glasnow has strong underlying metrics (2.60 xERA, 2.83 FIP) and a 107 Stuff+, whereas Tomoyuki Sugano has a worrisome 4.98 xERA and 5.39 FIP. Sugano’s 82 Stuff+ ranks 178th out of 184 pitchers who have started a game.
L.A. has the more effective and better-rested bullpen after Thursday’s off day. Its lineup is tops in the league against right-handed pitching (135 wRC+), whereas Colorado lags well behind (80 wRC+).
COVERS INTEL: Glasnow has dominated the Rockies, holding their projected lineup to just three hits in 29 at-bats (.103) with 15 strikeouts.
Dodgers vs Rockies Over/Under pick: Under 9.5 (-107)
The Rockies have cashed the Under in 12 of their 19 games this season. With temperatures between 35 and 40 degrees at Coors Field, Friday could be another low-scoring contest.
Glasnow, combined with a well-rested bullpen, should limit a punchless Rockies lineup.
Sugano managed to outperform his underlying metrics a year ago (4.64 ERA, 5.79 xERA), and that’s been the case again through three starts (2.16 ERA, 4.98 xERA).
He’ll certainly experience regression given his .136 BABIP and 100% left-on-base rate, but his surface-level statistics (four earned runs in 16 2/3 innings) indicate that he’s at least in good form.
JD Yonke's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 4-5, -0.62 units
Over/Under bets: 5-5, -0.26 units
Dodgers vs Rockies odds
Moneyline: Dodgers -291 | Rockies +240
Run line: Dodgers -1.5 | Rockies +1.5
Over/Under: Over 9.5 | Under 9.5
Dodgers vs Rockies trend
The Rockies have cashed the Under in four of their last five home games. Find more MLB betting trends for Dodgers vs. Rockies.
How to watch Dodgers vs Rockies and game info
Location
Coors Field, Denver, CO
Date
Friday, April 17, 2026
First pitch
8:40 p.m. ET
TV
SportsNet LA, Rockies.TV
Dodgers starting pitcher
Tyler Glasnow (1-0, 4.00 ERA)
Rockies starting pitcher
Tomoyuki Sugano (1-0, 2.16 ERA)
Dodgers vs Rockies latest injuries
Dodgers vs Rockies weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Curry scored 35 points, including a go-ahead 3-pointer with under a minute left in the game, to lead Golden State to a 126-121 victory to eliminate the Clippers and set up a game against the Phoenix Suns for the No. 8 seed in the West.
He left it all on the floor, putting in 36 minutes of work. The Warriors and their fans are leaning on Curry to repeat that performance against Phoenix on Friday, April 17. It's not a matter of will he do it, but whether his body will allow him.
Will the Warriors have their best player available in the NBA Play-In game against the Suns? Here's what to know:
Will Steph Curry be available vs. Suns in NBA Play-In game?
Curry has battled a nagging knee injury throughout the season, but it seems that he's not feeling any pain, or significant enough pain to keep him from competing for a chance at the 2026 NBA Playoffs.
Curry missed 27 regular-season games from Feb. 3 to April 2 with patella-femoral pain syndrome, a bone bruising in his right knee. The persistent pain sidelined Curry until late in the season as he geared up for a postseason run.
Curry returned on April 5 against the Houston Rockets, appearing in three of the Warriors' final five regular-season games. The rest prepared him for a battle with the Clippers in a do-or-die situation.
There was an early scare in the game after Curry went to the locker room in the first quarter. It was unclear as to what happened, but concern crept in as Curry missed time with Golden State during the regular season due to what the team previously told USA TODAY Sports was runners' knee.
Curry returned to the game at the 7:59 mark of the second quarter. It was like nothing happened. He showed up when his team needed him most, connecting on a 3-point shot with 50 seconds left to lead the way to victory.
Curry celebrated by passionately screaming and stomping his feet so hard, it appeared he nearly rolled his ankle, but the grip from his retro Nikes, a pair of Kobe IV Protros, held.
COVERS INTEL: Glasnow has dominated the Rockies, holding their projected lineup to just three hits in 29 at-bats (.103) with 15 strikeouts.