Which players from this list should the Texans target to close out their 2025 draft class?
Wagner, Banchero help Magic beat Celtics 95-93 despite 36 points from Tatum in return
Apr 25, 2025; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) drives around Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) during the second quarter of game three of first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images
Mike Watters-Imagn Images
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Franz Wagner scored 32 points, Paolo Banchero added 29 and the Orlando Magic beat Boston 95-93 on Friday night to cut the Celtics' lead to 2-1 in the Eastern Conference first-round series.
Jayson Tatum had 36 points and nine rebounds for the Celtics in his return to the starting lineup after missing Game 2 with a bruised wrist.
The defending NBA champions were 33-8 on the road this season but are now 0-3 in Orlando in 2024-25. The Magic host Game 4 on Sunday.
The Celtics, who set several NBA records for 3-point shooting during the regular season, shot 9 for 27 in Game 3 and went 17 minutes between 3-pointers in the second half. The game included 43 fouls, a flagrant foul and 35 turnovers, 21 by the Celtics against the physical Magic defense.
“I feel like it suits our team, our playing style,” said Wagner, who had eight assists and seven rebounds. “We’ve played like that all year, and I feel like whoever plays more aggressive is going to win in this series.”
The flagrant foul was called on Orlando's Cole Anthony after a play in which Boston's Jaylen Brown dislocated his left index finger.
“Maybe a fight will break out (in Game 4),” said Brown, who finished with 19 points and five fouls. “If you want to fight, we can do that and see who goes to the second round.”
The Celtics believe the Magic are already getting plenty of shots in.
“Some fouls they call and some they don’t, and that’s how it’s going to be,” said Kristaps Porzingis, who had seven points and four fouls. “We have to accept the reality and also, we can use that. It goes both ways. It’s really a big difference from the regular season.”
Boston rallied after scoring just 11 points in the third quarter to tie it 91 on Derrick White's layup with 2:31 to play. Wagner answered with a layup, and after a miss by Tatum, followed with another basket for a 95-91 lead with 1:26 to play.
White scored, and after Wagner missed a 3-pointer, the Celtics got the ball and inbounded with 0.3 seconds left but White's pass toward the basket was tapped away as time expired.
The Celtics played without Jrue Holiday, who has a strained right hamstring.
Tatum, who was listed as doubtful late Friday afternoon, scored 21 points in the first half, leading the Celtics to a 10-point lead.
Tatum's 3-pointer early in the second half stretched their lead to 11, but the Celtics missed 17 of their next 19 shots and did not hit another 3-point shot until Al Horford connected with 6:20 left in the fourth quarter.
Wagner and Banchero combined for nine points on a 14-0 run that pulled the Magic ahead and they led 86-74 after the third quarter.
Trent ties Bucks playoff mark with 9 3s, he and Giannis score 37 in 117-101 Game 3 win over Pacers
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - APRIL 25: Gary Trent Jr. #5 of the Milwaukee Bucks makes a three point shot in the second half over Ben Sheppard #26 of the Indiana Pacers during game three of the first round of the 2025 NBA playoffs at Fiserv Forum on April 25, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)
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MILWAUKEE (AP) — Gary Trent Jr. got hot from deep, Giannis Antetokounmpo dominated in the paint and together they gave the Milwaukee Bucks new life in their first-round playoff series.
Trent tied a franchise playoff record with nine 3-pointers and scored 37 points, Antetokounmpo also had 37 and the Bucks used a big second half to beat Indiana 117-101 on Friday night and cut the Pacers' series lead to 2-1.
“My mindset was just to come in and get a win," said Trent, who got a rare start and had his highest playoff scoring output.
Trent also was assigned to cover Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, who was held in check for most of the game.
“I was trying to be all over him to start the game," Trent said. "Let him know you’re there and try to take him out of his game.”
Bucks coach Doc Rivers said Trent's aggressiveness earned him a start.
“There were two reasons. The offensive part because he’s really aggressive and the defensive part because of his hands," Rivers said. “We wanted somebody aggressive to attack Haliburton. I thought he did that."
The Pacers led 57-47 at halftime, but Trent hit three 3-pointers early in the third to pull the Bucks even at 62. The Bucks grabbed a 72-69 lead on Antetokounmpo’s three-point play and led 86-75 at the end of the quarter.
The lead grew to as many as 20 in the fourth and Trent finished 9 for 12 behind the arc to tie Hall of Famer Ray Allen's mark for most 3-pointers in a postseason game. The Bucks outscored the Pacers 70-44 in the second half.
Antetokounmpo added 12 rebounds for Milwaukee, which hosts Game 4 on Sunday. A.J. Green scored 12 points and Bobby Portis had 10 for the Bucks, who took on the Pacers for the 18th time in the past two seasons.
“We have to stay humble,” Antetokounmpo said. “It's just one game.”
Indiana had won five of the last six playoff games between the teams and ousted the Bucks from the playoffs in the opening round last season.
“We were bad on both sides of the ball,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “They were great, we were bad.”
Pascal Siakam had 28 points and Aaron Nesmith scored 18 for the Pacers. Tyrese Haliburton finished with 14 points and 10 assists.
After trailing throughout Game 2, the Bucks grabbed an early lead. Antetokounmpo and Trent combined to score Milwaukee’s first 21 points. No other Bucks player scored until Green sank a 3-pointer with 2:28 left in the opening quarter.
Milwaukee shot 4 for 23 from 3-point range over the first two quarters but was 11 for 18 after halftime.
Bucks star guard Damian Lillard was held to seven points on 2-of-12 shooting. He made just 1-of-8 3-pointers.
Kings rally to take lead, only to collapse in third period of Game 3 loss to Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers played like they couldn’t afford to lose Friday. And they didn’t, scoring two goals 10 seconds apart late in the third period to beat the Kings 7-4 in a wild first-round playoff game in which both teams overcame deficits.
The Kings still lead the best-of-seven series 2-1 heading into Game 4 on Sunday in Edmonton. But the Oilers’ win means the series will return to Los Angeles for Game 5 on Tuesday.
Evan Bouchard and Connor Brown both had two goals for Edmonton, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Connor McDavid and Evander Kane also scored.
Read more:Why Andrei Kuzmenko has become a 'difference-maker' for the Kings vs. the Oilers
McDavid’s goal and Brown’s second goal were empty-netters after Bouchard scored on a power play to put Edmonton ahead with 6:32 remaining. Edmonton scored four unanswered goals in the final seven minutes.
The Kings’ goals came from Adrian Kempe, Kevin Fiala, Drew Doughty and Trevor Moore, with two coming on the power play.
But the game turned on a decision by Kings coach Jim Hiller to challenge Kane’s tying goal in the third. The unsuccessful challenge gave the Oilers a power play, leading to Bouchard scoring what proved to be the winning goal.
“We understand the situation,” Hiller said. “But clearly we felt that that challenge was in our favor. The next step would have been for us to kill a penalty. That didn't happen either.
“So it's a tough stretch for us, no question. That's hockey. That's playoff hockey.”
The Oilers, desperate to get back in the series, benched goalie Stuart Skinner, who gave up 11 goals in the first two games, in favor of Calvin Pickard. But Pickard hardly fared better, giving up four goals on 28 shots.
Still, Edmonton played with urgency, taking its first lead of the series less than three minutes in when an unguarded Nugent-Hopkins took a Zach Hyman pass directly in front of the net and pushed the puck under Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper.
Bouchard doubled the lead six minutes later, firing a slap shot past Kuemper from the top of the circle three seconds after the Kings’ Andrei Kuzmenko went off for interference. It was Edmonton’s first power-play goal in six tries in the series.
The Kings responded with three unanswered goals.
Kempe started the rally late in the first period, deflecting a left-handed shot off Pickard from the center of the right circle with the teams skating four on four. It was his fourth goal of the playoffs, matching Minnesota’s Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy for the NHL lead.
More importantly, it took momentum away from the Oilers, allowing Fiala to even things early in the second period with a power-play goal from nearly the same spot. Doughty’s power-play goal less than five minutes before the second intermission then put the Kings in front for the first time.
The Kings were 0 for 12 with the man advantage in last season’s series loss to Edmonton, their third consecutive to the Oilers. This year against the same team, the Kings have converted seven of 12 power-play opportunities.
After Brown pulled Edmonton even again, Moore scored nine seconds later when he drove to the net and poked the puck past Pickard.
Things got really wild in the third period, with the Oilers scoring four goals in less than seven minutes. Edmonton also scored four goals in the third period of Game 1.
Read more:How Koreatown seniors have become Kings' playoff good luck charm with harmonica national anthem
Kane tied the score again, scoring off a mad scramble in front of the net, then waiting several long minutes for a replay review to confirm he pushed the puck in with his stick, not his skate.
Hiller challenged the goal, arguing there was goaltender interference.
“We got a good look at it. We had plenty of time,” he said. “Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. It cost us big-time.”
Bouchard needed just 10 seconds to make the Kings pay, scoring Edmonton’s second power-play goal on a tip-in from Kuemper’s left. Kuemper made 29 saves.
“It sucks,” Kings defenseman Mikey Anderson said. “But again, I look at it, we're still in a good place. You get to come back in two nights and get another stab at it, which is the best part.”
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Paul Skenes wins duel with Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Dodgers extend losing streak
Billed as a matchup between the National League’s best arms, Friday night's pitchers duel lived up to expectations.
Enter 22-year-old flamethrower Paul Skenes. He grew up in Fullerton. He began his meteoric rise at nearby El Toro High.
Coming off his rookie of the year campaign, in his second start at Dodger Stadium, the Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander harnessed the “plus-plus stuff” — emphasized by his 99.4-mph first-inning strikeout of Freddie Freeman, dazzling curveballs and stand out “splinker” — that Dodgers manager Dave Roberts marveled at before the game.
Read more:Shohei Ohtani's struggles continue as Dodgers are swept by Cubs
Skenes, the No. 1 selection in the 2023 draft, tossed 6⅓ scoreless frames to send the Dodgers to a 3-0 loss on Friday night. The Dodgers never drummed up run support for their ace, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, succumbing to a shutout for the second time and falling into a three-game losing streak for the first time since last August.
“I think that he's one of the best in the game,” Roberts said about Skenes, who generated 18 swings and misses. “Tonight we really couldn't muster much."
Freeman hit Skenes’ only mistake of the day — a hanging curveball over the center of the plate — into the right field corner for a double in the fourth inning. Freeman advanced to third on an error on the play, but being 90 feet away from home didn’t matter. Skenes set the next three batters down.
In the fifth inning, after Andy Pages reached on a double for the second time in the game, Skenes struck out Shohei Ohtani on a full-count curveball that sent the Dodgers star into a twisting, off-balance backswing and had Pirates catcher Henry Davis pumping his fist toward the mound in celebration.
Skenes, a highlight for the struggling Pirates (11-16), simply walked back to the dugout — his performance was business-like, giving up five hits, while striking out nine and walking zero over 108 pitches. Roberts said the Dodgers (16-10) wouldn’t be able to “paper-knife” Skenes, pointing at how difficult it is to rally hits against the 6-foot-6 right-hander.
And Roberts was right. Pages had three hits and Freeman two, but the Dodgers tallied just one more against Skenes.. The Pirates bullpen gave up just one hit during the final 2-2/3 frames.
“Certain nights, we just can’t put a complete ballgame together with starting pitching, hitting, timely hitting, all that stuff,” Roberts said. “It just hasn’t been synced up.”
Michael Conforto, who ended the night 0 for 4 with three strikeouts — two of which came against Skenes — said the Dodgers need to stretch together a hitting run to get out of the team’s funk — now 8-10 since starting the season 8-0. Conforto is hitting .187 after hitting .237 for the Giants a year ago.
"We've definitely had our struggles,” Conforto said, adding that he believes hitting is contagious and that the lineup will begin to rally. “There's a lot of great hitters in this lineup. A lot of us haven't gotten it going yet, and it's only a matter of time before it all starts clicking."
It wasn’t so long ago that Yamamoto was in a similar position to Skenes.
Three days after he turned 19 years old, the Orix Buffaloes thrust Yamamoto into big-league action. Much like Skenes in Pittsburgh, his youth did not hinder his success — Yamamoto building a trophy case that included three Triple Crowns of pitching and three Sawamura awards (the Japanese equivalent of the Cy Young) before heading to the U.S.
“The bottom line is that he has shown to be the best pitcher in a particular league multiple times,” Roberts said before Yamamoto toed the mound.
But Yamamoto didn’t have his best stuff against the Pirates. He struggled with command, issuing four walks for the first time since Aug. 2, 2022 — against the Seibu Lions in Japan — and lasted five innings and 94 pitches (54 of which came in the first two innings).
Roberts said Yamamoto’s outing was "uncharacteristic," pointing to the Japanese right-hander’s struggles with locating his fastball against Pirates — leading to hard contact on get-me-over offspeed pitches such as the one Oneil Cruz lined for a 117.6-mph RBI single to make it a 2-0 lead in the fifth.
“I think tonight, overall, he just typically has great command and tonight he just wasn't as pinpoint,” Roberts said.
Both of Pittsburgh’s fifth-inning runs, however, were unearned. Third baseman Max Muncy sailed a ball wide to first base after collecting a ground ball near the foul line, enabling Davis to advance to second. Three hits later, the Pirates were up three.
“In a game like this, there is a reason,” Yamamoto said through an interpreter when asked about his command. "I was feeling I'm getting better, actually, as a matter of fact, in the early phase of the game. But today, I couldn't bring it back to my normal stuff."
Yamamoto still struck out five and kept the Dodgers in the contest despite being below his best. His earned-run average rose a few points but remained at an NL-low 1.06, second to only Texas Rangers right-hander Tyler Mahle.
Injury updates
Roberts said the pitching staff “dodged a bullet” with Blake Snell's latest injury update. Snell, shut down from his throwing program Wednesday, underwent an MRI on Thursday morning — which came back with no new findings of damage in his left shoulder.
Snell’s next steps likely will include an injection, Roberts said, before he resumes a throwing program. Before heading to the 15-day injured list on April 6, Snell held a 1-0 record with a 2.00 ERAthrough two starts.
“I don't know the extent of the length of time,” Roberts said, “but just knowing that there's no damage is certainly a big relief."
Roberts also provided updates on bullpen arms Blake Treinen and Michael Kopech. Treinen (low-grade right forearm sprain) has yet to begin a throwing program, while Kopech (right shoulder impingement) — who joined the Dodgers last year in a trade-deadline deal with the Chicago White Sox and St. Louis Cardinals — tossed a 30-pitch bullpen session Thursday and will do the same Monday before a potential minor-league rehab assignment.
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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With Luka Doncic ailing, LeBron James' historic night can't save Lakers in Game 3 loss
After a midseason loss to the Clippers, JJ Redick and LeBron James sounded a bit of an alarm, both coach and leader saying the Lakers didn’t have the luxury to just be pretty good.
The Lakers, if they wanted to win tough games, needed to be great.
“It’s just, we don’t have a huge margin for error,” Redick said.
“That’s how our team is constructed,” James said. “We don't have room for error.”
Read more:'Be a banshee': How the Lakers cultivated a winning spirit
But in a single phone call, when the Dallas Mavericks agreed to a blockbuster trade, the Lakers got the ultimate margin mover in Luka Doncic.
Friday night in Minneapolis, that cushion came crashing in, Doncic far from himself because of an illness that had him working out on the court an hour before the game.
With Doncic off, the mistakes took on more weight. The free throws that rattled out? Bruising. The offensive rebounds given up? Crushing. The lapses in attention that led to turnovers? Back-breaking.
The Lakers weren’t good enough, losing 116-104 to the Timberwolves in a Game 3 they had chances to win before Minnesota slammed the door to take a 2-1 first-round playoff series lead.
“In the postseason, obviously you're not gonna play a perfect game,” James said. “But the more that you make mistakes on top of mistakes on top of mistakes, things that can be controlled, then it's not gonna give you an opportunity to be in the best possible chance to win.”
The Lakers committed 19 turnovers. They allowed nine offensive rebounds. Minnesota took 13 more shots and scored 10 more points in transition.
“Really hard to win a basketball game in that scenario,” Redick said of the possession disparity.
Doncic, a monster in the first quarter of the first two games of the series, looked badly uncomfortable, starting one for six from the field.
After he checked out for the first time, he put on his warmup jacket and pulled the hood onto his head. He wasn’t able to make it out of the locker room at halftime and missed the first 50 seconds of the third quarter, checking back in with a shirt under his uniform.
He scored 17 points on six-for-16 shooting but never could create the kinds of advantages that have given the Lakers room to maneuver.
“He was fighting, trying to be there for us,” Dorian Finney-Smith said. “I didn't think he was going to come out second half.”
James, though, was sublime. Still stimulated by the chance to silence a road playoff crowd, he played with his most energy all series. He pointed over at the bench after he scored on a midrange jumper when the Lakers executed a play called for him early. He held his three-point celebration in the fourth quarter when he shot the Lakers back into the game. He flew for rebounds and moved his feet on defense in a 38-point, 41-minute game. It was the most points scored in a playoff game by a player over 40.
“He's moving better,” Redick said. “He seems like he's getting healthier by the day.”
Austin Reaves, who struggled shooting in Game 2, hit big shots, keeping the Lakers in it despite the mistakes rapidly mounting and making things tougher. He finished with 20 points.
Read more:Plaschke: Lakers found true grit just when they needed it and silenced their critics
The most fatal wounds were caused by the turnovers. They ranged from multiple 24-second violations to lost rebounds to a ball squirting through James’ hands. One even came when Minnesota Rudy Gobert, Doncic’s favorite target, poked the ball loose leading to a Jaden McDaniels layup.
Twenty-four of McDaniels' 30 points came in the paint.
“He had 30 and he was aggressive from the start to the finish,” James said. “Can't remember the last time he took over 20 shots.”
While the mistakes the Lakers made were brutal, the things they couldn’t control hurt too. Their lack of rim protection got badly exploited by McDaniels, who consistently went over their defense.
Jaxson Hayes, the Lakers' starting center, played less than nine minutes, the Lakers being out-scored by 13 when he played.
The combination of the shrunken margins put the Lakers' season a step closer to conclusion, the team now needing to steal a win Sunday in the shortest turnaround in the series.
Despite being sick, Doncic still played 40 minutes. Reaves played 41. They’ll need to recapture their energy from Game 2 on light rest to avoid facing elimination in Game 5.
“We got control the controllables,” James said. “And I don't think we did that tonight obviously. Nineteen turnovers on the road is not gonna be a good ingredient for winning. Giving up (28) points off those turnovers — they had 20-plus points in transition as well. We gotta control the controllables and if we do, we give ourselves chance to win.”
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
2025 NFL Draft best available: Shedeur Sanders, Cam Skattebo headline top remaining players of Day 3
Take a look at Connor Rogers' top remaining prospects with one day of the 2025 NFL Draft remaining.
With Day 3 of the 2025 NFL draft on tap, check out the top 101 players remaining
The final four rounds will begin at 11 a.m. CT live from Green Bay, these 101 players are the best available in the remaining draft class.
Ekblad set to return, Hagel suspended as Panthers seek to take stranglehold on series with Tampa Bay
The Florida Panthers will host their first playoff game on Saturday since Game 7 of last year’s Stanley Cup Final.
Florida opened their first-round matchup against the Tampa Bay Lightning with a pair of impressive road victories earlier this week.
Now the Cats have returned to South Florida and will look to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the series when they host the Lightning in Game 3 at Amerant Bank Arena.
Exactly how the Panthers roster will look is still a bit of a mystery.
Florida Captain Sasha Barkov was injured during the third period of Thursday’s 2-0 win after an illegal check by Tampa forward Brandon Hagel.
Officials gave Hagel a five-minute major for interference during the game, and he has since been handed a one-game suspension from the NHL Department of Player Safety.
As for Barkov, Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice said Friday that he had not been cleared to play but he had not been ruled out either, so it sounds like a game-time decision.
One change that we know is coming to the Panthers roster is the addition of defenseman Aaron Ekblad to the back line.
Ekblad has completed a 20-game suspension that he was handed back in early March or violating the terms of the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program.
He’s been back skating and practicing with the Panthers for the past couple weeks and it will be interesting to see how quickly he can re-adapt to the intensity and speed of not just the NHL, but the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
“It’s a very unusual situation, normally, a player that’s out 20 games has a significant injury and that really effects their rehab,” said Maurice. “We’ll put him right back with his partner and we’ll put him right back in all the situations. It’s about getting him up to speed as fast as we can. There’s going to be about a 10-minute adjustment to playoff hockey, because it’s just different. He’ll make that adjustment and away he goes.”
Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Game 3 against Tampa:
Carter Verhaeghe – Sasha Barkov – Sam Reinhart
Mackie Samoskevich – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk
Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Brad Marchand
Evan Rodrigues – Nico Sturm – Jesper Boqvist
Gus Forsling – Aaron Ekblad
Niko Mikkola – Seth Jones
Dmitry Kulikov – Nate Schmidt
Scratches: A.J. Greer, Jonah Gadjovich, Tomas Nosek, Jaycob Megna, Uvis Balinskis
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Bolts, Golden Knights Present Last Call For Massive Betting Values
Tampa Bay Lightning and Vegas Golden Knights offer unforeseen value heading into back half of first round series that shouldn't go ignored
The Stanley Cup Playoffs offer many twists and turns with come-from-behind wins, unforeseen upsets and plenty of opportunities to cash in on some massive values.
We see many already listed on sportsbooks after most series enter their fourth games. It happens often where teams can go down 2-0 or 2-1 early in the series and sportsbooks completely write teams off, which we can look to exploit.
All betting lines are from FanDuel Sportsbook and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly.
More NHL: Battle of Ontario Betting Guide: Best Bets, Strategies and Futures for Maple Leafs versus Senators
Tampa Bay Lightning - Eastern Conference Champions (+2000)
Winning four of their next five games is a tough challenge for the Bolts, especially with four of those matchups on the road. Still, it's far from impossible — just last season, the Dallas Stars bounced back after losing the first two games of their series at home, reeling off four straight wins to clinch and move on to the second round.
If anyone could do it, it's the Bolts as they have the league's top scorer this season in Nikita Kucherov and are long overdue for a swing in their direction when it comes to this matchup. They've dropped six of their last seven playoff matchups versus Florida, dating back to last season and would like to renew their playoff success that saw them reach three straight Stanley Cup Finals just three seasons ago.
The Lightning will likely be without 35-goal scorer Brandon Hagel after he interfered with Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov for a mean body check that potentially hurt the Finnish centre. Tampa will need their star players to produce as you see around the league, other teams like the Wild feature dominating top lines that could change the outlook of a game.
Brayden Point, Jake Guentzel and Kucherov all sitting with one point each so far while forwards Anthony Cirelli and Yanni Gourde still haven't found the scoresheet. I expect a massive surge of production from this bunch that will need to reclaim some stability in this series with a Game 3 win that will certainly see these odds drop exponentially, so get in while you can. A subtle $10 bet on Tampa would pay out a staggering $200 or 20-to-1 payout.
More NHL: Montreal Canadiens vs Washington Capitals Betting Guide: Best Bets, Strategies and Future Options
Vegas Golden Knights - Western Conference Champions (+650)
The Golden Knights are most certainly not out of their series with the Wild after dropping two straight games and their odds have dropped to a pretty great place. After being listed as the favourites to win the West following Game 1 of their series, they now sit with the fifth-best odds.
This most certainly is a play as the Golden Knights have proven to be a resilient team with the experience of a Stanley Cup win just two seasons ago. They are only one game down in their series and could even things up and plummet these odds back to Vegas being the favourites at odds somewhere around +300 to +400 by Saturday night.
Minnesota shouldn't be counted out of this series but they are just a wild card team compared to a Vegas team that won the Pacific Division title. We most certainly won't see odds like this again unless the Golden Knights are put in a position where they are truly in trouble and not worth taking a look at anyway.
More Hockey: Top NHL Prospect Expected to Join Michigan Wolverines Next Season
WBS Penguins Suffer Heartbreaking 3-2 Elimination Loss To Phantoms
For a moment on Friday, it looked as if the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) Penguins were going to avoid a repeat of last season's first-round Calder Cup playoff loss against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and force the series-deciding Game 3 on Sunday.
But, unfortunately for the Pittsburgh Penguins' AHL affiliate, victory just wasn't in the cards.
The Penguins took a 2-1 lead approaching the midway point of the third period, but Lehigh Valley scored the tying goal a minute and a half later and potted a third goal with two minutes left in regulation to hand WBS its second consecutive first-round sweep.
Goaltender Sergei Murashov - recalled from Wheeling to take the place of an injured Joel Blomqvist - stopped 28 of 31 Lehigh Valley shots and took home the loss.
After a relatively uneventful first period, Phantoms forward Anthony Richard finally broke the scoresheet open with a little more than five minutes remaining in the second. But the Penguins responded before the end of the middle frame, as forward Tristan Broz snapped a wrister from the right circle on the power play to knot things up at 1-1.
Then - six and a half minutes into the final frame - Ville Koivunen took a hit along the wall in the defensive to start a breakout, getting the puck to Broz, who carried the puck up ice and into the offensive zone along the right wall. He fed a perfect pass to defenseman Harrison Brunicke in the slot, and Brunicke backpedaled himself into a fadeaway shot through the left circle, which found the twine and gave him his first goal in professional hockey.
Bruno with an absolute SNIPEEE pic.twitter.com/IxuZ3gHR81
— x - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) April 26, 2025
The Penguins were feeling pretty good about themselves, but old habits came back to haunt them. Their 2-1 lead didn't last long, as Lehigh Valley forward Jacob Gaucher scored less than a minute and a half later to tie the game again.
Both teams played with a high degree of desperation for the next 10 minutes, but the back-breaking, game-breaking goal came at the hands of Phantoms defenseman Helge Grans, who put Lehigh Valley up 3-2 with only two minutes remaining in the game.
WBS Penguins Drop Crucial First Game Of AHL Playoffs To Phantoms, 5-2Heading into Wednesday's opening-round matchup, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) Penguins - AHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins - were 8-2-2 against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in the regular season.
The Penguins pulled Murashov almost immediately, but, unfortunately, they could not muster anything with the extra skater at the end and will go home early again this season.
It is quite the disappointing result for a young team that had higher expectations heading into the Calder Cup playoffs, but several players on the roster are eligible to be sent to the Wheeling Nailers - Pittsburgh's ECHL affiliate - to give the team a boost for their run at a Kelly Cup.
Wheeling will square off against the Norfolk Admirals on Saturday, as a 4-1 win in Game 4 on Friday forced a Game 5. The Nailers trail the Admirals 3-1 in the series.
Wheeling Nailers Snap Shutout Streak, But Now On Verge Of Elimination After Game 3 LossThe Wheeling Nailers not only came back home to WesBanco Arena trailing 2-0 in their first-round playoff series against the Norfolk Admirals, but they were starving for a goal after back-to-back shutouts.
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Mets' Carlos Mendoza talks 'frustrating' triple play call: 'Tough break for us there'
In what was a wacky game on Friday night between the Mets and the Washington Nationals, perhaps the strangest play happened in the fourth inning. Something that hasn't happened to New York in 15 years.
With runners on first and second and nobody out after back-to-back singles by Brandon Nimmo and Mark Vientos, the Mets were on the verge of a potential big inning against Jake Irvin, who had a 2-0 lead and was pitching well up until that point.
Instead, Jesse Winker lined a ball to first base that was caught by Nathaniel Lowe. At least, that's what was called on the field by first base umpire Alfonso Marquez. With both baserunners trying to advance, the Nationals threw to second and first base for the force outs, which resulted in a triple play.
Threat over.
However, on instant replay, it was clear that the ball hit the dirt before going into Lowe's glove which should've negated the triple play. Unfortunately for New York, that play is not reviewable and could not be challenged by manager Carlos Mendoza.
"It’s frustrating, obviously, because we all saw what happened," the skipper said after the game. "And I’m not blaming Alfonso because he’s the one behind the play, but I think the other three [umpires], somebody’s got to see that play. Tough break for us there.",
After the call on the field, Mendoza went out to argue that the umpires should at least get together to talk about what they saw. His request was to no avail as all four umpires apparently saw the same thing as Marquez.
"They said that if somebody saw it, somebody would have just called to Alfonso, and that was my frustration there. We all saw it in the dugout," Mendoza said.
While having a wrong call go against you is undeniably frustrating, especially in this day and age of replay review, what had Mendoza and the Mets most annoyed was how crucial the call was at that point in the game.
Already down 2-0 and unable to get anything going against Irvin, New York's golden opportunity to do some damage against the right-hander was stripped away in the blink of an eye.
"That’s just frustrating – a play like that with so much impact, not only in that inning but in the game, it’s first and second, nobody out and before you know it, you’re out of the inning and there’s nothing you can do about it," Mendoza said. "I was asking for them to get together and it was just a pretty frustrating play."
Following the game, Nimmo and Vientos were asked about what they saw on the play.
While Vientos called it a baserunning mistake on his part for not freezing and going back to first base on the sharp liner, Nimmo said he made a split-second decision while acknowledging that it's a tough play.
"I thought I saw a little skip [of the ball] before the glove and so I decided to go [to third base]," Nimmo said. "But you’re also kind of in no-man’s land when it’s hit hard at [someone] like that and it’s a close play on the ground…
"Just unfortunate timing there and one of those plays where unfortunately on the base paths you’re kind of in no-man’s land and you just gotta make a decision and see what the umpires end up saying."
Perhaps most frustrating of all is the fact that that specific play can not be reviewed. If MLB has the capability to review close plays, why not extend that power to all plays to ensure every call is correct?
It's an answer Mendoza, Nimmo and the rest of the Mets are still searching for.
"I do think it switched momentum big time," Nimmo added.
Devin Williams' woes continue after blown save in Yankees' 4-2 loss to Blue Jays
NEW YORK (AP) — Alejandro Kirk hit a go-ahead two-run double in the ninth inning off Yankees closer Devin Williams and the Toronto Blue Jays beat New York 4-2 on Friday night, snapping a five-game losing streak.
Williams (0-2), who has an 11.25 ERA in his first 10 appearances, failed to retire a batter and blew his first save in five chances.
After allowing a leadoff single to George Springer and hitting Andrés Giménez, Kirk lifted a 1-0 changeup over the had of center fielder Trent Grisham and Williams was pulled by manager Aaron Boone.
Kirk’s big hit came after he threw out Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Cody Bellinger at second on stolen base attempts in the sixth.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. homered in the sixth and Addison Barger added an RBI single in the ninth off Mark Leiter Jr. to give the Blue Jays a 4-2 lead.
Austin Wells hit a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded to give the Yankees a 2-1 lead. Oswaldo Cabrera hit a tying single in the seventh, but the Yankees stranded two in the seventh. New York stranded 11 runners and were 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position.
Mason Fluharty (1-0) earned his first win by keeping the game at 2-1 in the eighth.
Toronto starter José Berríos allowed five hits in 5 1/3 innings for his first scoreless start since Aug. 31 at Minnesota. Berríos struck out four and walked two.
New York starter Carlos Carrasco allowed three hits in five scoreless innings.
Key moment
Jeff Hoffman stranded Ben Rice by retiring Paul Goldschmidt for his sixth save in as many chances.
Key stats
Opponents are 6 for 22 (.273) against Williams’ changeup. Last season, Williams allowed six hits in 37 at-bats (.162) off the pitch.
Up next
Toronto RHP Kevin Gausman (2-2, 3.16 ERA) opposes New York LHP Max Fried (4-0, 1.42) on Saturday.
The Hockey News Playoff Frenzy Live: Breaking Down Canadiens' Win Over Capitals With Injuries, Fights And More
Welcome to The Hockey News Playoff Frenzy Live, streaming nightly during the NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs.
After the big game of the night, our experts go live to react to the match that was, break down the key moments and storylines, provide updates on the rest of the night's NHL slate and read your opinions.
On tonight's show, Emma Lingan and Ryan Kennedy react to everything that happened in the Montreal Canadiens' Game 3 win over the Washington Capitals.
Playoff Frenzy April 25, 2025 | The Hockey NewsWelcome to Playoff Frenzy Live by The Hockey News presented by STIX.com, where we give our live reactions and break down the latest news to all the biggest g...They also take a quick look around the NHL, with the Tampa Bay Lightning's Brandon Hagel getting suspended and Calvin Pickard starting in net for the Edmonton Oilers.
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