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Jamal Murray drops 43, sparks Nuggets to comfortable 131-115 win over Clippers, 3-2 series lead

NBA: Playoffs-Los Angeles Clippers at Denver Nuggets

Apr 29, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) reacts after a steal and basket in the fourth quarter against the LA Clippers during game five of the first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

This is the Jamal Murray Nuggets fans have been waiting for this postseason. With this version of Murray, playing off Nikola Jokic, the Denver Nuggets resemble their 2023 championship team. The issue this season has been that version of Murray has not been around consistently.

That Murray showed up on Tuesday night, dropped 43 on the Clippers, sparked a comfortable 131-115 win, and now the Nuggets are one game away from advancing to the second round.

Denver’s offense had its best game of the series and now leads 3-2, heading back to Southern California for Game 6 on Thursday night.

For the first three games of this series, the Clippers looked like the better team, but Denver escaped Game 1 with a win because vintage Russell Westbrook showed up in the clutch.

However, for the last two games, the Nuggets have been the better team for seven of the eight quarters. They were in charge after three quarters of Game 4, then almost had an epic meltdown, one salvaged by Aaron Gordon’s tip-in. That makes two games the Clippers let slip through their hands.

Game 5 Tuesday night was all Denver from the opening tip. The longer this series has gone, the more it has felt like Jokic and Murray have figured the Clippers out, while the opposite feels true for Kawhi Leonard and James Harden.

Jokic finished with a relatively quiet triple-double of 13 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds. Aaron Gordon had 23 points, while Westbrook had a good game off the bench with 19 points, shooting 3-of-6 from beyond the arc.

The best Clipper on the floor Tuesday night was Ivica Zubac, who scored 27 points on 11-of-15 shooting. Leonard added 20 points and 11 assists, while Harden had another quiet game with 11 points and eight rebounds.

Expect a desperate Clippers team in Game 6, one at home and trying to save its season. A big night from Harden or Norman Powell, could help the Clippers extend their season, but what Los Angeles needs more than their offense is for the team to rediscover the defense that had stood out in the first three games of this series.

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Knicks Notes: What went wrong for NY in Game 5 loss; Pistons growing confidence going into Game 6

Jalen Duren was probably one of the happiest people in Manhattan on Tuesday night.

“This is amazing. Being here, in this atmosphere, playing against this team, there’s nothing like it,” Duren said late Tuesday in the visitor’s locker room at MSG. “This is what you dream of as a basketball player.”

Duren’s dream was obviously a nightmare for the Knicks. New York let a chance to close out this series slip through their fingers on Tuesday night.

What went wrong? New York’s top two options on offense didn’t shoot the ball well. Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns missed a combined 21 shots on 30 attempts. The other Knick starters shot a combined 22-for-42 from the field.

The Knicks also seemed to botch a late-game situation.

Brunson (leg) and Josh Hart (wrist) both had left the game late in the fourth quarter due to injury. The Knicks traded water with Hart and Brunson. But both were ready to return, standing at the scorer’s table with under a minute to play and the Knicks down four. New York could have called timeout to get Hart and Brunson in the game (they had one timeout to use). The club also could have stopped the clock with a foul. But Tom Thibodeau decided against both options. He let play continue with Hart and Brunson standing at the scorer’s table. Cade Cunningham found Ausar Thompson for a layup on the ensuing possession, expanding the Pistons’ lead to six with 27 seconds to play.

“Just coach’s decision,” Thibodeau said after the game when asked about the sequence.

What factors go into the decision?

“You look at the time, score, penalty, timeouts, all of the above,” Thibodeau said. “What’s happening in the game. The next possession, we’re weighing — there’s a lot that goes into it.”

Hindsight is 20/20 but the coach’s decision late in Game 5 turned out to be the wrong one.

Detroit finished the Knicks off with two Cade Cunningham free throws.

Now, New York faces a Pistons team that’s loose and brimming with confidence entering Game 6 on Thursday. This is a Pistons team that doesn’t shrink in tough moments.

“When you’re back is against the wall, you might be stuck in the corner, the only way to get out is to keep swinging,” Duren said. “That’s what we did, just kept swinging. Got out that corner.”

The Knicks aren’t quite on the ropes entering Game 6 on Thursday. But a loss would put all of the pressure on the Knicks in Game 7. The Pistons are playing with house money; New York needs to win the series.

Will the Knicks be able to close it out on Thursday?

Cade Cunningham doesn’t think so. He plans to return to the Garden for Game 7.

“We’ll be back,” he said.

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Golden Knights Beat Minnesota, 3-2, In Wild Overtime Finish To Take 3-2 Series Lead

LAS VEGAS -- Brett Howden scored his third goal of the playoffs 4:05 into overtime to lift the Vegas Golden Knights to a 3-2 win over the Minnesota Wild, and a 3-2 series lead in the opening round of the Western Conference playoffs.L

Howden beat former Golden Knight and current Wild backup goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, who replaced starter Filip Gustavsson to start the third period.

Howden recorded his second game-winning goal of the series and matched the most in a single series by a Golden Knights skater.

Vegas kept Minnesota from earning a third win in the series, as the Wild held a 2-1 series lead after winning Game 3 in Saint Paul.

Game 6 is scheduled for Thursday in Minnesota, at 6:30 pm Central Time.

Adin Hill made 20 saves for the Golden Knights.

Gustavsson stopped 23 shots for Minnesota, while Fluery made six saves in relief.

The Golden Knights opened the scoring when William Karlsson scored a short-handed goal just before the midway point of the first period. Jack Eichel intercepted a pass in the defensive zone and took the puck to the other end before sending it to new linemate Karlsson, who was there for the one-time tap to give Vegas a 1-0 lead.

It wouldn't take long for Minnesota to respond, though, as Kirill Kaprizov notched his fifth goal of the series 13 seconds later when he one-timed Mats Zuccarello's pass to knot the game at 1-all.

Mark Stone scored his first goal of the postseason later in the period when Eichel once again picked off a pass to create a turnover and carry it into Vegas' zone. Eichel sent the puck to the top of the slot, where Stone blasted a shot past Gustavsson, giving the Knights a one-goal lead once again.

After a scoreless second period, the Wild got their equalizer when Matt Boldy scored with 3:31 left in the game.

Minnesota winger Ryan Hartman scored what appeared to be the go-ahead goal with 1:15 left, but a coach's challenge overturned the goal when it was determined the Wild were offside.

"I think once they got that goal and tied it 2-2, I thought we reset pretty well and played well third," Stone said. "It was a great challenge by (assistant coach) Dave (Rogowski), a critical point of the game. We either got a minute and 15 seconds left to try and tie the game, but he saw it right away and gets a challenge.

"Once you get into the locker room, we feel comfortable again. We got a great start to overtime, started forechecking, started making plays, get pucks to the net, (Tanner Pearson) makes an incredible play, draws two guys to him and (Howden) finds the soft spot to end it."

Stay updated with the most interesting Golden Knights stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.  

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QPR manager Martí Cifuentes placed on gardening leave amid West Brom links

  • One game remaining in current Championship season
  • Club ‘appreciate supporters’ frustrations at this time’

QPR have announced that their manager, Martí Cifuentes, has been placed on gardening leave, with one game of the season to go.

The news comes amid speculation about Cifuentes’s future, with the Spaniard being linked with West Brom, who sacked Tony Mowbray last week. Kevin Betsy and Xavi Calm, Cifuentes’s assistants, are to take interim charge before the final game of the Rs’ Championship campaign, Saturday’s trip to Sunderland.

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NHL Public Relations Releases Start Time for Game 6

Stanley Cup Playoffs graphic, courtesy of NHL Public Relations.

The NHL has officially announced the start times for postseason games set to take place on May 1st.

This includes Game 6 between the Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars, which the Avalanche forced with their 4-0 win on Saturday, April 26th.

Per NHL Public Relations:

"The start time for Game 6 of the First Round series between the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche has been set for 9:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, May 1, in Denver. The game will be televised on TBS in the U.S. In Canada, the game will be on SNE, SN360, and TVA Sports."
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For Colorado and Dallas residents, the start time is 7:30 p.m. MT/8:30 p.m. CT. The games will also be televised on the usual local broadcasts: Altitude for Colorado and Victory+ for Dallas.

The Stars currently lead the series 3-2, following a 6-2 win in Dallas.

Find all of the most up-to-date information on each series across the league here:

2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs 1st round schedule | NHL.com2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs 1st round schedule | NHL.comDates, times, broadcast info, results from all 8 best-of-7 series
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Matt Sauer saves the Dodgers' bullpen in rout of Marlins

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani runs to score on an RBI double by Teoscar Hernández during the second inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins in Los Angeles, Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Shohei Ohtani scores on an RBI double by Teoscar Hernández in the second inning. (Kyusung Gong / Associated Press)

The Dodgers' bullpen got an unexpected, and badly needed, reprieve Tuesday night.

Entering the day, no team had relied upon its relievers more heavily. Thanks to injuries and ineffectiveness from the starting rotation, the bullpen’s 126 innings were far and away the most in the majors.

Now, they were staring down a second designated bullpen game already in this opening month.

Only this time, they were able to stay away from their most important arms.

Instead, in a 15-2 win over the Miami Marlins, the Dodgers’ planned bullpen game transformed into a bulk effort — with minor-league call-up Matt Sauer providing an all-important five-inning effort that saved the bullpen in a way the Dodgers’ rotation has too often failed to so far this year.

As early-season pitching injuries have piled up for the Dodgers, the bullpen has been strained in order to compensate.

Entering Tuesday, only 10 teams had even topped 110 innings from relievers this year. The Dodgers had six relievers with more than 13 innings pitched individually. No other club had more than four.

“I think the thing that’s probably most disconcerting is the bullpen leading Major League Baseball in bullpen innings,” manager Dave Roberts said Monday, after Tyler Glasnow became the latest member of the starting staff to land on the injured list.

“That’s where my head is at,” Roberts added, “as far as making sure we don’t red-line these guys.”

Read more:Dave Roberts adopts Palisades High baseball team coping with fire's destruction

That will be no easy task over the next couple of weeks. Starting Friday, the Dodgers will play 19 games in a 20-day stretch. And with Glasnow and Blake Snell currently on the IL, they will begin it with just four healthy starters on their active roster.

“We thought our starters would be a position of strength for us from a workload standpoint, and unfortunately we lead all of baseball in innings for relievers,” pitching coach Mark Prior said Tuesday afternoon. “Sometimes that’s a good thing. But this early in the year, it’s probably not.”

Especially not after what the relievers did last October, combining for 82 innings in a grueling World Series run.

“Guys did some really heavy lifting,” Prior said.

And a short offseason only gave them so much time to recover.

Evan Phillips and Michael Kopech both started the season on the injured list, nursing injuries they sustained in the playoffs. While Phillips has since returned, another key member of last year’s team, Blake Treinen, has since gone down with a forearm strain.

It made Tuesday a seemingly daunting task, with the Dodgers opting for the type of bullpen-game strategy they used too often last October.

The good news: It played out far differently than expected.

Rookie left-hander Jack Dreyer took down the first two innings, giving up a lone run after Teoscar Hernández misplayed a ball in right field.

Then Sauer, a 26-year-old right-hander signed to a minor-league contract this offseason, took over for the next five, giving up just one run on five hits while collecting four strikeouts.

Read more:Dodgers Dugout: What should the Dodgers do about Max Muncy?

That allowed the Dodgers (20-10) to go to work at the plate.

Shohei Ohtani led the game off with a home run, his seventh of the season and first since returning from the paternity list last week.

Hernández atoned for his defensive miscue with two run-scoring doubles, tying him with Aaron Judge for the most RBIs in the majors with 29.

Mookie Betts had a two-run single as part of a two-hit performance, raising his batting average to .240 as he continues to try and snap his opening-month slump.

And former Cy Young-winning Marlins starter Sandy Alcantara never found his footing, exiting in the third inning with the Dodgers ahead 7-1.

The lead continued to grow from there, so much so that, after low-leverage right-hander Luis García pitched the eighth, utilityman Kiké Hernández took the mound for the ninth, a plastic “pitching helmet” covering his cap.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Edmonton Oilers rally to win Game 5, put Kings on the brink of elimination again

Kings right wing Quinton Byfield carries his stick over his shoulder and looks down during the second period
Kings right wing Quinton Byfield reacts during the second period of his team's Game 5 playoff loss to the Oilers Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

Edmonton’s Mattias Janmark pushed the Kings to the brink of playoff elimination, scoring off a rebound early in the third period to give the Oilers a 3-1 win in Game 5 of their first-round Stanley Cup playoff at Crypto.com Arena. The Oilers, who lead the best-of-seven series 3-2, can end the Kings’ season for a fourth straight season with another victory.

“It's hard right now. Obviously everybody's frustrated,” captain Anze Kopitar said. “But we’ve got to put it behind us. We’ve got to go win a game on the road, and that's what we're going to focus on.”

Janmark’s goal marked the fourth time in five games the Kings have given up a game-tying or go-ahead score in the final 13 minutes of regulation. It was also the third consecutive come-from-behind win for the Oilers, the first time they’ve done that in the franchise’s playoff history.

Evander Kane had Edmonton’s first goal while the lone Kings’ score came from Andrei Kuzmenko, both in the second period. The Oilers’ Ryan Nugent-Hopkins closed out the scoring with an empty-net goal in final minute.

Kings left wing Andrei Kuzmenko gets tangled up with Oilers defenseman Brett Kulak in the first period.
Kings left wing Andrei Kuzmenko gets tangled up with Oilers defenseman Brett Kulak in the first period. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

The final score wasn’t a true reflection of the game, which the Oilers dominated.

“They were stronger,” said Kings coach Jim Hiller, whose teams lost in regulation for just the seventh time in 44 home games this season, including the playoffs. “They beat us in every area except for the specialty teams. They were just better in every way ... we can't look to one part of our game and think that was acceptable.”

Well, except for goaltender Darcy Kuemper, who was brilliant, and deserved a far better fate after turning back 43 shots. He’s faced 93 in the last two games but the Kings have scored just four times behind him.

“Darcy was stellar tonight, as he's been the whole season,” Kopitar said. “He gave us a chance.”

Kings left wing Kevin Fiala goes after the puck against Oilers center Leon Draisaitl in the first period.
Kings left wing Kevin Fiala goes after the puck against Oilers center Leon Draisaitl in the first period. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

The Oilers were stronger during the opening 20 minutes during which they took the first 11 shots, building a 19-4 advantage for the period. But Kuemper, who on Monday was named one of three finalists for the Vezina Trophy, proved why, leaving Edmonton with nothing to show for all that effort.

That allowed Kuzmenko to put the Kings in front 3:33 into the second period. The winger parked himself in front of the net and was shielding Edmonton goalie Calvin Pickard when he reached out to redirect a pass from Kopitar near the blue line. The goal, the Kings’ eighth power-play score of the series, came eight seconds after Darnell Nurse went off for tripping. It also marked the fourth time in five games that the Kings scored first.

Kopitar's assist was his seventh in five games while Adrian Kempe, who also assisted on the goal, has six.

However the lead lasted less than three minutes before Kane tied it on a wrist shot from the high slot. That goal came seven seconds after the Kings killed off a tripping penalty to Drew Doughty.

Read more:Kings fall to Oilers in a Game 4 shutout, moving to the brink of elimination

Edmonton then went in front to stay 7:12 into the final period when Janmark scored off the rebound of a shot by former King Viktor Arvidsson that Kuemper had pushed out to his stick side, not knowing that Janmark was perched just inside the circle.

Now the Kings fly to Edmonton on Wednesday knowing that a season in which they tied franchise regular-season records for wins (48) and points (105) may not have more than 60 minutes left. A win, though, would bring them back home for a winner-take-all seventh game on home ice, where the Kings had the best regular-season record in the NHL.

“We've proven we're a pretty good hockey team,” Hiller said. “So you're a pretty good hockey team, go there and take it back. Because they just took it away from us.”

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Panthers can punch ticket to second round with Game 5 win in Tampa

Apr 28, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers defenseman Seth Jones (3) controls the puck against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second period in game four of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amerant Bank Arena. (Rich Storry-Imagn Images)

The Florida Panthers will play their first elimination game of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs on Wednesday night.

Fortunately for the Cats, they're on the potential giving end of the elimination, as the host Tampa Bay Lightning need to pull out a win in order to keep their season alive.

It wasn't until Monday's Game 4 that a home team finally picked up a victory, and now Florida will look to start their postseason a perfect 3-0 on the road and knock out their cross-state rivals in the process.

So far during the four games in the series, Florida has scored 13 goals. Five have come off the sticks of defensemen.

Nate Schmidt is tied for the team lead with three goals while Seth Jones and Aaron Ekblad each added tallies of their own during Monday's Game 4 win.

Between Schmidt in Games 1 and 2 and Jones in Game 4, those defensemen have also accounted for all of Florida's game-winning goals in the series.

Unfortunately for the Panthers, they will have to play without one of those defenseman for the next couple games.

The NHL Department of Player Safety announced on Tuesday that Ekblad had been suspended two games for an elbow to the head of Tampa forward Brandon Hagel.

A likely reason for the suspension length being two games instead of one is that Hagel had already been ruled out of Game 5 by Tampa Head Coach Jon Cooper.

Considering how the intensity has been building with each game this series, Wednesday night should be quite a barn burner.

Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Game 5 in Tampa:

Carter Verhaeghe – Sasha Barkov – Sam Reinhart

Evan Rodrigues – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk

Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Brad Marchand

A.J. Greer – Nico Sturm – Jesper Boqvist

Gus Forsling – Seth Jones

Niko Mikkola – Dmitry Kulikov

Uvis Balinskis – Nate Schmidt

Scratches: Mackie Samoskevich, Jonah Gadjovich, Tomas Nosek, Jaycob Megna

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Clippers falter against Nuggets and are one loss away from end of season

Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun, left, drives the lane as center Nikola Jokic, front right, blocks Los Angeles Clippers guard Norman Powell in the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball playoff series Tuesday, April 29, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Denver guard Christian Braun drives the lane as center Nikola Jokic blocks Clippers guard Norman Powell in the first half. (David Zalubowski / Associated Press)

For the Clippers, Game 5 against the Denver Nuggets meant being one more win away from advancing in the playoffs or one more loss away from going home.

From the start, the Clippers walked a tightrope that had them teetering all game, falling behind from the very beginning, putting stress on their defense. They were unable to contain Jamal Murray in falling behind by 22 points in the fourth quarter and unable to muster enough energy in losing 131-115 on Tuesday night at Ball Arena.

“I don’t think [it’s] sense of urgency. I think they kicked our butt,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “They played well. Game 4, like I said, I didn’t think we came out with a sense of urgency. But tonight I thought we had the right intent and they just took it to us.”

With Murray cooking the Clippers for a series-high 43 points, they trail the best-of-seven series 3-2 and are on the brink of being eliminated in the first round for the third straight season.

“The tough start was Jamal Murray,” Lue said. “I thought he came out being aggressive, which we knew he would. That’s why we started off with a blitz against him, just to try to slow him down. We knew in Game 5 he would come out aggressive. He made every shot.”

Win Game 6 on Thursday night at the Intuit Dome or the season is over for the Clippers. If they win, then the winner-take-all Game 7 is Saturday in Denver.

But history does not favor the Clippers. The team that wins Game 5 of a tied series has gone on to win the series 81.3% of the time.

Read more:Kawhi Leonard isn't surprised Clippers and Nuggets are locked in playoff showdown

Ivica Zubac was solid with a playoff career-high 27 points. Kawhi Leonard was one rebound shy of a triple-double with 20 points, a playoff career-high 11 assists and nine rebounds.

But the Clippers had no answer for Murray, who was efficient with his shooting, going 17 for 26 from the field and eight for 14 from three-point range. He also had seven assists and five rebounds. The Nuggets also got a triple-double of 13 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds from Nikola Jokic.

“I’m just glad we got a win, man, to be honest with you,” Murray said. “Shots are going to miss, they are going to make. I’m still going to play my game. I’m still going to be aggressive. I’m going to shoot the shots that I shoot. But like I said, it was a team win.”

After Murray drilled a three-pointer and assisted Aaron Gordon on a three-pointer for a 17-point Nuggets lead, Lue called a timeout with 2:35 left in the game and removed his starters.

“I just thought Jamal Murray was excellent tonight,” Lue said.

Lue had implored his group to get off to a better start, to not have to play catchup in this road game, to not get “bored with the process.”

But the Clippers struggled in the first quarter, putting themselves in a hole from the start. They fell behind 35-23 at the end of the first. They shot just 39.1% from the field and just 14.3% (one for seven) from three-point range.

“We’re trying to figure it out,” Zubac said about the Clippers’ slow starts. “They are more physical to start. I don’t think it’s a tactical thing, or strategies. It’s just we got to play harder.”

Jamal Murray works the ball to the basket against Clippers guard Kris Dunn in the first half.
Jamal Murray works the ball to the basket against Clippers guard Kris Dunn in the first half. (David Zalubowski / Associated Press)

Russell Westbrook, the former Clipper, hurt his former team with his energy and effort.

Westbrook missed Game 4 because of left foot inflammation and was sharp in his return, scoring 11 of his 16 first-half points in the second quarter and finishing with 21.

And when Westbrook scored, he frequently glared at the Clippers’ bench.

Sign up for the L.A. Times SoCal high school sports newsletter to get scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Hurricanes Exorcise Devils In Double Overtime, Advance To Second Round

Apr 29, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho (20) scores the game wining goal in the second overtime against the New Jersey Devils in game five of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Lenovo Center. (James Guillory-Imagn Images)

The Carolina Hurricanes became the first team to advance to the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, thanks to a Sebastian Aho double overtime winner.

The Canes eliminated the New Jersey Devils in five games, completing the deed in a 5-4 double overtime thriller Tuesday night at Lenovo Center.

It wasn't the easiest win in the world, as Carolina had to overcome a 3-0 deficit to force overtime in the first place, but once they got there, they weren't going to be denied.

I can't overstate how bad the Hurricanes were in that opening frame. I 100% figured the game was over after giving up three goals in the first 10 minutes of the game and even had the title written: 'Horrendous Start Keeps Series Alive.'

The team was just listless through the first 20 minutes, unable to clear pucks, skate through the neutral zone or set up in the offensive zone at all.

It was especially tough as the former Hurricanes kept being the ones to make the Hurricanes pay.

Brett Pesce continued to plague the Hurricanes with a pair of primary assists, banking one in off of Dawson Mercer's butt and then setting up Timo Meier in the slot off of a failed clear, and then Stefan Noesen grabbed the third goal with a redirection right in front of the crease.

The game looked well over at that point, so there's a lot of credit to be handed out to the Hurricanes for their maturity and composure in battling back and finishing off New Jersey.

And funny enough, speaking of maturity and composure, it was actually two rookies that got the ball rolling for Carolina.

At the tail end of the power play to start the second period, Logan Stankoven one-timed a Taylor Hall pass that squeaked through Jacob Markstrom (although Hall helped it the final way across the line).

Then it was Jackson Blake with a short-side shot on a curl around from behind the net.

And not too long after that, Andrei Svechnikov rifled one past Markstrom with a clear lane to tie it back up.

Three goals in 3:54 of game time.

The Hurricanes were back into it.

And then they weren't, as Nico Hischier put the Devils back ahead less than two minutes after Lenovo Center got rocking with an unimpeded look from the low circle.

But the wacky game kept getting wackier with the Hurricanes getting a 5v3 power play opportunity not too long after that and Aho scored his first of the night, putting home a great feed by Seth Jarvis.

It looked from that point it was going to be whoever could stop a puck would be the winning team, but actually both teams' goalies really stepped up their play from there, with Pytor Kochetkov shaking off a bad start and coming through with some clutch third period, shorthanded saves.

But Markstrom was the real show down the stretch as he kept the Devils alive through the first overtime that was all Carolina.

The Hurricanes had chance after chance after chance against a gassed Devils squad, but they just couldn't find a way to beat the Swedish netminder.

That was until the Canes got a power play early into the second overtime period as Jesperi Kotkaniemi took a high stick to the eye.

Upon review, Carolina was awarded a four-minute power play and Aho finally found a way to beat Markstrom for the final time this season.

The Canes now await the winner between the Washington Capitals (3) and Montreal Canadiens (1).

Be sure to check out the Carolina Hurricanes 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs Hub for all postseason stories!  

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Defending champion Celtics close out Magic 120-89 for 4-1 playoff series win

NBA: Playoffs-Orlando Magic at Boston Celtics

Apr 29, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) reacts after a three point basket by Boston Celtics center Al Horford (42) (not pictured) against the Orlando Magic in the third quarter during game five of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images

David Butler II-Imagn Images

BOSTON (AP) — When Magic star Paolo Banchero went to the bench with five fouls, the Boston Celtics pulled away and cruised into the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Jayson Tatum had 35 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds, and the Celtics abandoned their usual 3-point barrage to beat Orlando 120-89 in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series on Tuesday night.

The defending NBA champions will play either the New York Knicks or Detroit Pistons in the second round. The Knicks lead their series 3-2 despite falling 106-103 earlier Tuesday in New York.

“You just have to find different ways,” said Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla, whose team set NBA records in the regular season for the most 3-point baskets but made none at all in the first half - a first in almost four years.

“That’s what this series called for. Every series calls for different things,” Mazzulla said. “You have to be able to win in different ways on both sides of the ball.”

Franz Wagner scored 25 points, Banchero had 19 and Wendell Carter Jr. had 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Magic, who have not won a playoff series since Dwight Howard, Vince Carter and coach Stan Van Gundy led them to the Eastern Conference finals in 2010.

Boston fell behind by nine in the first half, and Orlando still led 51-47 early in the third quarter when Banchero picked up his fourth foul; just 79 seconds later, he picked up his fifth, a call that sent an apoplectic coach Jamahl Mosley to the officials, demanding a review.

The replay showed Banchero stepped into Jaylen Brown as he shot, and the Magic forward went to the bench, where he stayed for the rest of the quarter. In that time, Boston scored 31 of the next 40 points to open an 83-62 lead.

“It definitely swung the series. It definitely swung the game,” Mosley said. “All I saw is Paolo getting an elbow to the face or back into the face - and he got the foul. That was a game-changer right there. Your best player picks up his fifth foul in the third quarter. It’s tough to come back from that moment.”

Brown scored 23 points for Boston.

Tatum, who injured his wrist on a hard foul in Game 1 and missed Game 2, returned with three straight games of at least 35 points. He was 11 for 11 from the free-throw line - he has not missed a foul shot since Game 1 - and 10 for 16 from the field, making four of five 3-point attempts.

The Celtics attempted only six 3-pointers in the first half and made none. It was the first time they went into halftime without a 3 since 2021.

Tatum made their first 3-pointer early in the third quarter, but it would be another seven minutes before he made their second. During the regular season, they made one, on average, every 2 minutes, 42 seconds.

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Wild Backup Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury Returns To The Net Against Golden Knights, Loses In Overtime

LAS VEGAS -- Minnesota backup goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury returned the ice at T-Mobile Arena to oppose the Golden Knights, as Wild starting goalie Filip Gustavsson didn't return to the game due to illness, per the team.

Fleury stopped six of the seven shots he faced, including all three in regulation, but allowed the game winner to Brett Howden at the 4:05 mark of overtime.

Vegas' 3-2 win gave it a 3-2 series lead, with Game 6 scheduled for Thursday in Saint Paul, Minnesota. 

"It would have been perfect with a win," Fleury said. "As a goalie, you always feel like you can stop it, and should stop it. I haven't seen the replay yet. It happened pretty quick. I saw (Howden) in the corner of my eye and knew he was down there and he just put it in the corner."

Gustavsson stopped 23 of the 25 shots he faced in the first two periods and wasn't on the bench for the third period.

Fleury entered the game with the Wild trailing 2-1, and became the goalie of record when Matt Boldy scored his fifth goal of the postseason to tie the game at 2-all.

Fleury said he knew Gustavsson wasn't feeling well before the game and coming off the bench was a possibility.

"He battled through those first periods, and I talked when he come off and he said that was it," Fleury said.

Winger Ryan Hartman scored what appeared to be the go-ahead goal with 1:15 left, but a coach's challenge overturned the goal when it was determined Wild center Gustav Nyquist was offside. 

"Inches, right?" Fleury said  It happens. It happens to anybody, and that's just a bad break. Obviously, there was still a minute left, and they have a good team, so nothing was over, but it was a good feeling to have had that goal.

"It was definitely tough to have it taken away, but nobody panicked, I thought. We kept playing."

Fleury, who played four seasons with the Vegas Golden Knights, is in the final season of his 21-year career. It marked the first time he faced Vegas in the postseason.

Since leaving Vegas, Fleury is 1-4-0 against his former team with a 4.33 goals-against average and .877 save percentage.

The 40-year-old, three-time Stanley Cup champion was making his 170th career playoff appearance.

"I think coming in in overtime (I) felt better, too, after playing 20 minutes," Fleury said. "I was excited to have a chance to play again. And in this building, too. In front of the crowd and getting a little chant going too, it gives you a few butterflies. That was pretty sweet, too."

Fleury's appearance between the pipes sent a portion of the 18,441 in attendance into a "FLEU-RY! FLEU-RY" chant, something he added that he didn't expect.

"No, definitely not," he said. "In the playoffs and opposing team, rink, obviously. I guess it'll always be a special place for me."

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NHL Playoffs: Double Minor Leads To Hurricanes Eliminating The Devils In Double Overtime

Sebastian Aho (James Guillory-Imagn Images)

The Carolina Hurricanes are the first NHL team to advance to the second round of this year's playoffs after eliminating the New Jersey Devils.

The Devils, however, were one goal away from forcing a Game 6. They withstood a bombardment of shots by the Hurricanes from the third period to double overtime, with Carolina outshooting them 32-12 in that span. 

But a double-minor penalty for high sticking 70 seconds into the second overtime frame led to the Hurricanes sealing the Devils' fate.

Devils center Dawson Mercer carried the puck out of the defensive zone when Hurricanes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi challenged him. Mercer passed the puck off the boards and tried to lift his stick around Kotkaniemi to get by him.

Instead of avoiding contact, Mercer lifted his stick and caught Kotkamieni underneath the visor.

The referees called the double minor and reviewed the incident to see whether to keep the penalty or rescind it. The call on the ice stood.

Carolina set up in the offensive zone, passing the puck around to look for the right chance to shoot. When Hurricanes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere passed the puck to Sebastian Aho, the center took that chance.

Aho wired a one-timer slapshot that beat Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom. While Markstrom made some massive saves in overtime to keep his team alive, he and the Devils exited the first round with a 5-4 double-overtime loss in Game 5 and a 4-1 series loss.

Mercer did open the scoring on Tuesday night as the Devils took a 3-0 lead in the first period, but the Hurricanes responded with three unanswered goals in the second. Devils captain Nico Hischier gave the Devils another brief lead before Aho marked his first of two goals on the evening.

Aho is just the second player in Hurricanes franchise history to score the series-clinching goal in a game that required multiple overtimes. Brock McGinn was the first when he scored in Game 7 of the first round in 2019. Aho's eight points led the team in the first round.

The Hurricanes, which finished second in the Metropolitan Division in the regular season, are now just the fourth franchise in NHL history to win a round in seven straight post-seasons and the first since the New York Islanders accomplished the feat from 1979 to 1985.

As the Devils' off-season begins, the Hurricanes await the winner of the Washington Capitals and Montreal Canadiens series. Game 5 of their series is on Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET, with the Capitals leading 3-1.

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5 NFL teams with big questions coming out of the draft

(This article was written with the assistance of Castmagic, an AI tool, and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy. Please reach out to us if you notice any mistakes.)

In this episode of the "Inside Coverage" podcast, Yahoo Sports' Frank Schwab, Jori Epstein and Charles Robinson spent a significant amount of time discussing teams with the biggest question marks after the NFL Draft. Here are some of the teams they flagged as having the most uncertainty heading into the offseason:

Schwab ranked San Francisco's offseason 32nd — last in the NFL — due to major talent losses, questions about the aging core (like George Kittle, Trent Williams and Christian McCaffrey) and uncertainty around Brandon Aiyuk. 

Robinson emphasized that the team lost a lot of core talent, and its defensively heavy draft needs to hit perfectly for San Francisco to quickly rebound. There's also anxiety about whether Brock Purdy can succeed without the same level of skill-position talent he's had the past couple of years.

The Browns’ quarterback situation is a “clown car,” with too many options, especially after drafting Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, and no clear plan post-Deshaun Watson. 

Robinson points out that it's highly unusual and nearly unmanageable to go into the season with four quarterbacks. There’s also internal concern about front-office dynamics and whether team owner Jimmy Haslam is making things more chaotic. 

The quarterback room is crowded and unsettled — and, depending on how decisions play out, the Browns might be wasting draft capital and causing unnecessary drama in the locker room and front office.

Their quarterback situation is also murky. Russell Wilson was signed as a potential starter, Jameis Winston is in the mix, and first-round rookie Jaxson Dart is waiting in the wings. There are questions about how long Wilson will get before the team turns to Dart, especially with Brian Daboll coaching for his job. The Giants added talent this offseason, but the sequence and management of quarterbacks could dictate how the season unfolds — and whether the staff survives into 2026.

Apr 25, 2025; East Rutherford, NJ, US; New York Giants first round draft picks, Abdul Carter and Jaxson Dart pose for photos prior to the start of the press conference. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Salus-Imagn Images
Jaxon Dart (R), pictured next to fellow rookie Abdul Carter, is in an interesting QB room with Russell Winston and Jameis Winston. (Thomas Salus-Imagn Images)
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect / Reuters

While the pundits praised the Cowboys' draft (especially for strengthening the offensive line), Schwab and Epstein both raised questions about the running back and wide receiver rooms. There is uncertainty around who, aside from CeeDee Lamb, is going to catch passes, and whether the Cowboys have enough firepower at running back, or might need to make moves (like an Amari Cooper reunion) before the season. 

Despite a positive draft grade, Dallas' offensive skill-position depth is lacking compared to divisional rivals.

The Packers, after finally drafting a receiver in the first round (Matthew Golden), still don’t have a clear-cut WR1. There’s a logjam of “good but not great” receivers, and neither Epstein nor Robinson was sure if any will emerge as an alpha target for Jordan Love. The lack of a proven, dominant receiver could keep the Packers as a “good but not great” team, especially in a tough NFC North.

To hear more NFL discussions, tune into "Inside Coverage" on Apple, Spotify or YouTube.

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Devils eliminated from playoffs with double-OT Game 5 loss to Hurricanes

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Sebastian Aho hammered a one-timer past Jacob Markstrom at 4:17 of the second overtime to help the Carolina Hurricanes beat the New Jersey Devils 5-4 on Tuesday night to clinch their first-round playoff series.

The score came with the Hurricanes on a four-minute power play on a double-minor high-sticking penalty by Dawson Mercer that sent Jesperi Kotkaniemi skating off to the tunnel with a towel to his face. Aho provided the capper, the only lead the Hurricanes would have in a wild game that pushed them into the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

They’ll next play the winner of the Montreal-Washington series, with the Capitals leading 3-1 in that one.

Carolina won this game despite falling behind 3-0 in the first 10 minutes.