Cincinnati scores 70.9 points and has outscored opponents by 5.3 points per game. UCF averages 8.7 made 3-pointers per game, 2.3 more made shots than the 6.4 per game Cincinnati gives up. Cincinnati has shot at a 44.9% rate from the field this season, 0.2 percentage points less than the 45.1% shooting opponents of UCF have averaged.
Brooks leads Butler against Boise State after 22-point game
Boise State makes 46.1% of its shots from the field this season, which is 2.3 percentage points higher than Butler has allowed to its opponents (43.8%). Butler scores 8.3 more points per game (74.2) than Boise State allows to opponents (65.9). TOP PERFORMERS: Tyson Degenhart is averaging 18 points and six rebounds for the Broncos.
USC faces Villanova following Agee’s 27-point game
USC averages 77.2 points and has outscored opponents by 2.2 points per game. Villanova ranks eighth in the Big East with 22.7 defensive rebounds per game led by Wooga Poplar averaging 6.0. USC averages 77.2 points, 9.8 more per game than the 67.4 Villanova allows.
Jokic sets NBA record in 61-point haul
The Denver Nuggets' Nikola Jokic hit a career-high 61 points as he recorded the highest-scoring triple-double in NBA history.
The Serb, a three-time MVP, claimed 10 rebounds and 10 assists in a 140-139 overtime defeat by the Minnesota Timberwolves at Ball Arena.
The previous record was held by Nuggets team-mate Russell Westbrook, who scored 57 points and made 13 rebounds and 11 assists for Oklahoma City Thunder in 2017.
Westbrook, who joined the Nuggets in 2024, missed a lay-up with 10 seconds remaining in overtime with the Nuggets leading 139-138.
He then fouled Nickeil Alexander-Walker in trying to block a three-point attempt with 0.1 seconds on the clock.
Alexander-Walker made two of the three free throws to seal a dramatic Timberwolves victory.
They were without Naz Reid and Donte DiVincenzo, who were serving one-match bans for their part in a brawl with the Detroit Pistons this week.
The Timberwolves are seventh in the Western Conference and the Nuggets third.
Curry shines for Warriors
Two-time MVP Stephen Curry hit 12 three-pointers in a 52-point haul as the Golden State Warriors beat the Memphis Grizzlies 134-125 at FedEx Forum.
"The guy's 37 years old - it's incredible," said Warriors coach Steve Kerr.
"I can't believe he's still doing this at this age. But he's put the work in and he's still got it.
"Fifty-two points with people draped all over him all game long. The conditioning, the skill, the audacity, the belief. It's incredible to watch Steph at work."
Victory lifted the Warriors above the Grizzlies and into fifth in the Western Conference.
Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire: Nickeil Alexander-Walker saves the day
Tuesday's matchup between the Timberwolves and Nuggets was critical regarding the Western Conference standings. While Denver is looking to make a run at the two-seed, Minnesota hopes to avoid the play-in tournament. The two teams combined to stage an instant classic, with the visiting Timberwolves winning 140-139 on two SG/SFNickeil Alexander-Walker (seven percent rostered, Yahoo! leagues) free throws with one-tenth of a second remaining in double overtime.
The free throws capped a big night for Alexander-Walker, who finished with 26 points, seven rebounds, eight assists, two blocks and five three-pointers in 45 minutes. While he remained in a bench role, the absences of Naz Reid and Donte DiVincenzo (both were suspended) raised Alexander-Walker's fantasy ceiling. He made the most of his opportunity, and Minnesota is now tied with Memphis for sixth in the West.
Reid and DiVincenzo were only suspended for one game, so they'll be available for Thursday's game against the Nets. That doesn't help Alexander-Walker managers, but there may be additional minutes due to the competition. Minnesota ends its week with games against two teams (Brooklyn and Philadelphia) focused more on improving their draft lottery odds than racking up wins.
Let's look at a few of Tuesday's other low-rostered standouts:
PG Ryan Rollins (13%), Milwaukee Bucks
Rollins had the best night of his NBA career, finishing Tuesday's win over the Suns with 23 points, five rebounds, five assists, two steals and five three-pointers in 31 minutes. Shooting 8-of-10 from the field, he established career highs in points and three-pointers. With Damian Lillard (calf) out indefinitely and the Bucks playing three games in the final four days of Week 22, there's no reason not to roll the dice on Rollins now that he's serving as the starting point guard.
SF/PF Julian Champagnie (12%), San Antonio Spurs
Champagnie was solid in Tuesday's loss to the Magic, finishing with 19 points, four rebounds, two assists and five three-pointers in 32 minutes. While he was not Jeremy Sochan's replacement in the starting lineup, Sochan's absence due to back spasms raised Champagnie's fantasy ceiling. With Sochan not expected to play in Wednesday's game against the Nuggets, it would be a good idea to add Julian ahead of that contest. Bismack Biyombo (three percent) returned to the starting lineup and finished with an 11/5/1/1/2 in 26 minutes, but Champagnie is the superior streamer.
PG/SG/SF Grayson Allen (11%), Phoenix Suns
The Suns were without Bradley Beal and Kevin Durant on Tuesday, with the latter sidelined for at least one week. Allen moved into the starting lineup and provided valuable offensive production, finishing the loss to Milwaukee with 23 points, four rebounds, three assists, one steal and six three-pointers in 34 minutes. Allen shot 6-of-13 from beyond the arc, and the shots will continue to be there as long as Durant and Beal are sidelined. The lone negative is the upcoming schedule, as the Suns don't play again until Friday against the Celtics.
C Mitchell Robinson (10%), New York Knicks
With Karl-Anthony Towns (knee) ruled out, Robinson received the starting nod on his 27th birthday. The Knicks center only needed 21 minutes to record 14 points, 14 rebounds, one steal and two blocked shots. Robinson shot 5-of-9 from the field and 4-of-4 from the foul line in his best performance of the season. Robinson has yet to play both games of a back-to-back this season, so he may not be available for Wednesday's game against the Cavaliers. However, his only playing 21 minutes may keep the door cracked open ever so slightly.
SG Ja'Kobe Walter (6%), Toronto Raptors
Walter started Tuesday's game because the Raptors held out RJ Barrett (rest), and the rookie had a good night in the loss to Chicago. In 27 minutes, he accounted for 17 points, four rebounds, four assists, one steal and five three-pointers. Walter was 5-of-5 from deep, and it isn't difficult to envision his playing time increasing. Tuesday's defeat eliminated Toronto from postseason contention, so there's even less reason to play guys like Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and Jakob Poeltl (Scottie Barnes is held to a different availability standard by the league due to his being an All-Star) down the stretch.
PG/SF Talen Horton-Tucker (0%), Chicago Bulls
Horton-Tucker wasn't on anyone's fantasy radar before Tuesday, and with good reason. However, the Bulls were down multiple rotation guards, and he played 32 minutes against the Raptors. THT finished with 27 points, six rebounds, three assists and three three-pointers, shooting 8-of-16 from the field. There's no need to add him in the aftermath of this performance. Also, there's hope that Lonzo Ball will be able to return from his wrist injury as soon as Friday. That said, while Horton-Tucker should not be added, he deserved a mention after his performance against the Raptors.
Snuggerud Proves He Belongs In NHL, With Blues
ST. LOUIS – For the second time in 10 days, the St. Louis Blues were implementing a part of their future right smack, dab in the middle of a playoff race.
And a winning streak.
First, it was Dalibor Dvorsky, the No. 10 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft making his debut in a 4-1 win against the Nashville Predators on March 23. On Tuesday in a 2-1 overtime win against the Detroit Red Wings, it was Jimmy Snuggerud, the No. 23 pick in the 2022 draft who signed his three-year, entry-level contract on Friday, had one practice on Monday and was thrown right into the fire, and enjoyed every bit of it.
“It was fun. So exciting,” Snuggerud said. “The rink was so energetic. Everything about the game, the comeback at the end, it was an awesome game.
“I felt like we snuck one out there at there at the end, and it was fun to be a part of.”
Snuggerud, who played 10:43 and was a minus-1, didn’t factor in the scoring by Jordan Kyrou in the final 30 seconds of regulation and by Cam Fowler in overtime, looks like he belongs.
The 20-year-old wasn’t overwhelmed by jumping into the middle of a nine-game winning streak that turned to 10 with the dramatic win.
Snuggerud had two shots on goal, including one in the first period from the right circle trying to beat Red Wings goalie Cam Talbot on the short side, but it was created by his awareness in the neutral zone to knock a puck down, push it into the zone before getting it back for the opportunity.
It was a subtle, little play that turned into multiple plays of the kind in which the forward did what he was supposed to do in a team concept of working off the puck to create opportunities.
“You're simulating what you think it's going to be and then you actually get out there and it's a whole different level of hockey,” Snuggerud said. “It's honestly fun to get that first game in and see the pace. It was nice to win with the guys.”
Snuggerud played on a line with Oskar Sundqvist and Zack Bolduc, who eventually flipped spots with Jake Neighbours.
“I thought he was really good," Montgomery said. “I thought he made smart plays. I didn't think he over-complicated the game and he made plays on first-touch. That's a real good sign of a hockey player with really good hockey sense. I thought he acquitted himself well in his first game in the NHL and I was very confident putting him over the boards.”
Snuggerud played 15 shifts, which included 1:49 of power play time. There was one giveaway in the game, but that’s OK, all things considered.
“I think he did a really nice job,” Fowler said. “Coming in at this point in the season, fresh out of college, that's not an easy thing for anybody to do. But he stepped in, you could see his poise with the puck and how strong he was in the corners. So I thought he did a nice job and he'll only get better with time and he'll only get more comfortable, and I think you'll see a lot more out of him.”
Montgomery was confident enough to use Snuggerud late in the game down a goal, and had there been another shift in OT, guess who was going over the boards?
Jimmy Snuggerud takes his rookie lap #stlblues ... pic.twitter.com/ES4UVsxgK1
— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) April 1, 2025
“I think if we were going to make another change, it was going to be Neighbours and Snuggerud going over,” Montgomery said. “[Snuggerud] was making things happen. He drove that puck wide and he went back post and we just missed the tap-in. That's not the only clever play he made, and I thought he was responsible defensively.”
If the University of Minnesota product is going to fit into the fabric of how the Blues want to play, small details will matter. But they will want him to be at his best, and that’s being a threat offensively.
“I thought he was good,” Kyrou said. “You could see his skill and speed and smarts. The first game is always tough coming in, right, especially a playoff atmosphere like that. But I thought he did a great job.
“His first game, obviously jitters and nerves come in. I just try to let him enjoy that and let him experience that.”
Snuggerud walked into the rink on Tuesday at Enterprise Center for the first time, likely sooner than he had hoped since the Frozen Four will be played here April 10-12 and wanting to be part of it with the University of Minnesota. But he got a taste of what hockey is like at the pro level and at a level where Blues fans will come to appreciate him if he keeps with the mindset of how he attacked his first pro game.
“The first game was really fun, but it's also the most nerves,” Snuggerud said. “It was a nervous game, but it was fun to play with so many good players.
“I mean honestly just seeing Patrick Kane from the bench tonight was a pretty weird moment. Then I kind of got buried by [Vladimir] Tarasenko in the first on the boards. I was like, ‘All right, got to get into it.’”
Get into it, he did.
“Just coming to the rink, ‘Boldy’ picked me up with ‘Tucks’. It was actually my first time seeing the rink, so it was really cool coming into this locker room and getting here for the pre-game stuff. The game starts and it's just such a whole different feel. It's so much more pro and it's really fun to be a part of.
“It's energetic. (3M Arena at) Mariucci is a really fun rink (on the campus of Minnesota), it's really loud in there,” Snuggerud said. “Then come to this rink and there's more people and it's more loud. I thought the energy in this rink was unbelievable. When we scored that game-tying goal, it was so loud in here and then the overtime winner was twice as loud. It's really fun to be here and see that.”
A Millimeter Proved To Be A Game Changer In Utah's Critical 3-1 Win Over Calgary
If football is a game of inches, then hockey must be a game of millimeters or even nanometers because it certainly was in Utah's game against Calgary.
And depending on who you ask, that tiny margin was either the sliver of white ice visible between the puck and the goal line or the fraction of the puck still touching the red line
The goal does not count for Calgary. 👀 pic.twitter.com/zKi6HdSNjQ
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 2, 2025
At the beginning of the second, with Utah leading 1-0, a sudden challenge from Calgary was issued on whether or not the puck crossed the line and if Utah goalie Karel Vejmelka actually saved it.
As the officials reviewed the play, what initially seemed like a clear save suddenly became a polarizing decision when a deflected puck off Utah defenseman Nick DeSimone came dangerously close to crossing the goal line for Calgary's first goal.
After the review was finished, it was deemed that, even with the puck being as close to going in as it could be, Calgary would not be awarded a goal.
If Vejmelka had reacted a tenth of a second later, Calgary would have tied the game up 1-1 and the dynamic of this game would have been very different.
Instead, Utah's Barrett Hayton would score Utah's second goal of the game just thirty seconds after the review ended.
Backhander Barrett 🔥#EasyToCelebrate | @budlightpic.twitter.com/umZcLaE65g
— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) April 2, 2025
The play began when Utah’s Nick Schmaltz stole the puck from Calgary in the neutral zone.
With Calgary having only two defenders back—one covering Schmaltz in the middle of the ice—Barrett Hayton and Sean Durzi worked together, passing back and forth before Hayton found an opening and fired a shot, putting Utah up 2-0.
What had looked like a tied game was now fully in Utah’s control, thanks to one of Vejmelka’s clutch saves of the night.
"It’s just a lot of fun to play in front of him. He's a competitor...he loves doing it," said Hayton. "It's a lot of confidence in a guy like that, and you see it every day. We know he kicks, but still, he makes some saves out there that are just crazy."
POSTGAME
— Utah Hockey Club PR (@UtahHC_PR) April 2, 2025
"It's part of the playoff game, the playoff style of hockey. Obviously, we learn a lot from those kinds of games and it's part of it too."@utahhockeyclub Karel Vejmelka on his teammates showing up for him pic.twitter.com/5Qp5E67FRA
In a night where Vejmelka saved all but one shot of his 34 saves, with Rasmus Andersson scoring the lone goal for Calgary on an unassisted long goal, he would get two more clutch saves in the third for Utah that proved to be the difference in this game
With Utah leading 2-1 in the third, Vejmelka denied back-to-back open shots from Calgary’s Blake Coleman and Matt Coronato. On Coronato’s attempt, Sean Durzi even helped his goalie by laying out to block the shot, but it would be Vejmelka who ended up saving the goal by kicking the puck away.
"I just try to focus on another game, another shift, and another shot," said Vejmelka. "That's [the] kind of the mindset that I've had and we just need to keep going and keep rolling and play a style of hockey where we block shots. Being resilient is huge for us."
Vejmelka also received help from his teammates, who disrupted Calgary's puck movement all night, and aggressively attacked the Flames whenever they were holding the puck.
Kevin Stenlund, who scored Utah's first goal, was even able to get a shot on goal with well under two minutes remaining, while Calgary tried to pull goalie Rasmus Andersson for an extra attacker, thanks to the aggressive play Utah displayed.
This line has been putting in work 💪
— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) April 2, 2025
Stenny makes it a 1-0 game! pic.twitter.com/YjqdJE87u9
In the end, Utah would stay strong on defense and secure the win with an empty-net goal from Clayton Keller, leading to a 3-1 victory.
"The point is, we'll never quit," said coach André Tourigny. " There's no quitting in that room. There's no quitting in those players... We won’t quit until they pull the plug, and if they do, it is what it is... but we won't give them any reason to do it."
Dylan Guenther proved to be a prime example of this in the first period after a puck to the face left him bleeding on the ice.
Hockey players are warriors 💪 pic.twitter.com/og2OmNLOqe
— Clean Hits (@CleanHitsHockey) April 2, 2025
Although Guenther temporarily left the game after taking the puck to the face, he returned before the first period ended, rejoining the action with just over a minute remaining.
While the game left battle scars and some Calgary fans still convinced the Flames should have had that goal, Utah earned a clutch win and a sweep over Calgary.
Though it must be irritating to watch the Blues pick up their 10th consecutive win on a last-minute, game-tying overtime goal against the Red Wings, Utah has to feel good about starting its five-game homestand with a win.
Its Do or Die For Utah Hockey Club
Now, Utah sits eight points out of the final Wild Card spot, currently held by the Minnesota Wild, with the Blues' win allowing them to leapfrog over the Wild.
Utah is hoping to continue its longest winning streak of the season with a matchup against the Kings this Thursday, April 3.
Three takeaways: 'Bad break' goal ruins strong outing from Panthers in Montreal
This may be one of the rare times when a team is happy to be playing a back-to-back set.
The Florida Panthers lost an extremely frustrating game on Tuesday night in Montreal, allowing a tying goal with 8.4 seconds left before losing in overtime 3-2.
From the opening puck drop, the game was dripping in playoff intensity.
The physicality, the passion, the effort…it’s what makes hockey the best sport there is, and what makes playoff hockey the best postseason in sports.
There should be more of where that came from as the actual playoffs get closer, but for now let’s go over to Tuesday’s takeaways:
A VERY FLUKY GOAL
The bottom line is that the Panthers were 10 seconds away from a well-earned two points in a very hostile building.
A funky goal that occurred during a sequence that saw several players go exactly where they shouldn’t have because of where the puck ended up bouncing after a strange shot and a block attempt that all felt awkward but ended in jubilation for Montreal…that sum it up okay?
“Just a bad break,” said Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice. “Over 82 games, you’re going to get one of those. We’ll leave it here.”
CATS DIDN’T PLAY POORLY
When it comes to playing postseason hockey, the Panthers know how to succeed.
They can grind games out with the best of them, and that’s exactly what they did Tuesday in Montreal.
When the Canadiens scored their funky goal in the final seconds, it was their first shot in over eight minutes.
Despite the way things ended up for Florida, Maurice said afterward he was not upset with how his team played.
“Not even a little bit,” he said. “You play the game the way you want to play it. We give up three shots in the third period with a 2-1 lead is nearly perfect. It's a break that won’t happen again. I won't think about the way this game ended again.”
SOLID GAME BY VANECEK
Goaltender Vitek Vanecek’s fourth game with the Panthers was not one many will want to remember, but that has little to do with how he performed.
The 29-year-old was strong throughout and displayed excellent poise and rebound control.
After things went sideways at the end, it’s easy to overlook a solid effort from Florida’s goaltending insurance policy.
He finished with 18 saves, including three on high danger shots.
“I thought in the first (period) he had a couple, then he had one in the second, and then I thought it was a pretty quiet game for him, but he was good when we needed him to be,” said Maurice.
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Three takeaways: Some good, some bad in frustrating loss to Montreal
Three Takeaways From Blues' 2-1 OT Win Against Red Wings
ST. LOUIS – Seriously, who really saw this coming?
From this St. Louis Blues team that was the last in the NHL this season to win three games in a row, let alone 10, after finding a way to win in a different fashion on Tuesday against the Detroit Red Wings.
When Cam Fowler scored at 3:27 of overtime to cap a last-minute comeback, staring at the clutches of defeat for the first time in 19 days, before rallying past the Red Wings 2-1, it gave the Blues (41-28-7) their 10th straight win.
Consider this: the Blues, who by the way are now one point ahead of the Minnesota Wild – who have a game in hand – for the first wild card in the Western Conference, were the last team in the NHL this season to put together a three-game winning streak, and it took nine(!) tries to do that, now are the hottest team in the NHL; they are one win shy of matching the franchise record for consecutive wins at 11 (accomplished by the 2019 Stanley Cup champion side) and one win from matching the Winnipeg Jets for longest winning streak in the league this season.
How is this happening?
There is some serious mojo going on around here considering the fact the Blues were 29 seconds away from being blanked by Cam Talbot, the same Cam Talbot who was offered up as a sacrificial lamb in this very building when the Blues downed the Wild in the first round of the playoffs just three years ago.
But Jordan Kyrou help steal a valuable point with a sixth-attacker goal set up by none other than Fowler, and then Fowler won it in OT.
“It’s been a fun ride here,” Fowler said. “We’ve all enjoyed playing with one another. There’s not many opportunities you have in this league to keep a streak like this going. It was one of those games where they did a good job of limiting our chances and we just had to stay as patient as we possibly could.
“We’ve kept faith for a long time now knowing that we can win hockey games no matter how much time is left. Our guys just stuck with it and everybody made some big-time plays that helped us win. It’s fun to be able to keep this thing rolling.”
Jordan Binnington, named the NHL's third star of the month for March, made 20 saves, some of them key stops.
“I don’t know if mental toughness is the right word, but the way we stick to it,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. ‘We said we need to simplify in the third, we thought our second was too much east-west, too many turnovers, not winning enough battles. We just had to get back to our identity and who we are. I felt we did as good a job as we could. We didn’t have much juice in the legs tonight and for whatever reasons, that just happens. First time we’ve had two days off in a while and maybe we didn’t handle that the right way. We’ll take another day off tomorrow and we’ll get back at it Thursday.”
It was a triumphant win and debut for 2022 first-round pick (No. 23 overall) Jimmy Snuggerud, who joined the Blues after signing his three-year, entry-level contract on Friday.
How about those Three Takeaways:
* Montgomery’s early goalie pull – It was only 1-0, and there was 3:23 remaining in regulation, but Montgomery felt it was the right time to lift Binnington.
The Blues had allowed the Red Wings (34-33-7) to forge ahead when J.T. Compher broke the scoreless stalemate at 5:13 of the third period and they just didn’t seem like they were going to have that overwhelming push to level the game or take a lead.
Montgomery saw some flaws that perhaps could be exposed and decided to go with an extra body on the ice that finally paid off when Fowler was able to slide down a seam play to Kyrou, who didn’t get all of his quick shot but enough to slide it through the seemingly impenetrable Talbot.
THIS TEAM IS UNBELIEVABLE!!! #stlbluespic.twitter.com/v2Jn1HguFX
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) April 2, 2025
“We’re just trying to attack there,” Kyrou said. “Not much time on the clock and we get a recovery there. Obviously [Flower] made a helluva pass to me right to the seam there and I just tried to tip it.”
Fowler added, “We had some opportunities from probably the three-minute mark. And we had a lot of possession down there, so I think they were just keeping us to the outside. We were getting a couple good looks, but for the most part, 6-on-5 you have to find a way to get pucks to the net and to the dirty areas. That’s where the goals are scored. I just saw a little seam to ‘Rouzy’ there and he made a great tip to get us the goal to tie it up. It’s more just about trying to funnel pucks to the front of the net 6-on-5, create as much chaos as much as you can.”
But credit Montgomery, who wasn’t seeing the kind of attack he wanted at 5-on-5.
“No, that’s why we pulled the goalie so early,” he said. “We weren’t creating enough chances, we didn’t have enough zone time and they were icing pucks because they were tired.
“I felt that our first period was a pretty good period, but it wasn’t hard enough offensively, and I just felt like we kind of lost energy as the game went along. But the great thing is we found a way to win. Our third period continues to be a period where we play simple, our habits are at their best and our game management was the best.
“They iced the puck. They were tired. All the guys that we used were fresh on the bench, so we didn’t have to use our time out and they were fresh. We thought it was a good time to try and get a goal. You don’t know if you’re going to get another offensive zone face-off.”
* Sticking with it when not at their best – During this winning streak, one aspect of the Blues’ game that couldn’t be faulted is their cleanliness of puck movement.
They had been swift, fluent, hitting guys in stride and not becoming terribly vulnerable with puck turnovers.
Tonight was one of those rare instances. But they stuck with it and found a way.
“It wasn’t sharp,” Montgomery said. ‘And I think it’s because of our brains. Our brains were slower today to make reads, checking and making plays offensively. We had a lot of odd-man rushes in the first 30 minutes and we didn’t get any real good scoring opportunities like we did on the 2-on-1 and the overtime winner.”
It all goes into play when putting together such a winning streak as this, the good and the not-so-great.
“Very hard. That’s an opportunity that doesn’t come around very often,” Fowler said. “We understand that and how special it is. It takes a lot of things to go right for that to be able to come true. I think it just speaks to our lineup top to bottom, the work that we’ve been putting in and we’ve had some comebacks here too in this streak. We’re finding ways to win hockey games and it’s a lot of fun coming to work and playing for one another. It’s a really tight group and we certainly enjoy going out and working for one another.”
* Fowler’s deft hands to win it – Once the Blues got it to overtime, they have an edge. They have the ability to utilize multiple bodies and Fowler was one of them.
The defenseman jumped into the play when Robert Thomas checked Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider off the puck in the defensive zone and created a 2-on-1. Once Thomas sauced a backhand towards Fowler, he had to use his hands to, first, corral a puck and pull it into stride, and two, be deft enough to lift it into the top end of the net to win it.
You didn't doubt it, did you? #stlbluespic.twitter.com/w421teCe0P
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) April 2, 2025
“A quick little 2-on-1 there,” Fowler said. “Obviously ‘Tommer’s a great passer. He put me in a good position and I just saw myself in with a good chance on the goalie and tried to make a good shot. It was a good all-around play mostly by ‘Tommer.’ He set the whole thing up.
“I think that’s the strength of our team, the depth that we have up front and on the back end. We feel like every night, there could be different guys contributing and helping us win hockey games. I think that’s totally true. We have a lot of weapons that we feel can help us in overtime, helps us stay fresh and energized as well.”
As for who was going over the boards next?
“We feel we have a lot of players. I think if we were going to make another change, it was going to be [Jake] Neighbours and Snuggerud going over,” Montgomery said. ‘It would mean I was going to use eight forwards and three D-men in the course of the 3-on-3 and that speaks to the depth of talented players that we have.”
Knicks Notes: Potential timeframe for Jalen Brunson's return; Mitchell Robinson's conditioning
Mitchell Robinson had his best game of the season on Tuesday, putting up 14 points and pulling down 14 rebounds in the Knicks’ win over the Sixers.
His rhythm and conditioning seem to be trending in the right direction.
“Still got a lot of work to do,” Robinson said late Tuesday night.
When asked to elaborate on where he wants to be conditioning-wise, Robinson chuckled and said, “I need to be able to play like seven minutes straight. But, been working on the conditioning stuff still so, we rollin’.”
The rust is understandable. Robinson missed 10 months while rehabbing from ankle/foot surgery.
The Knicks took a cautious approach with their backup center. They held him out until they felt he was 100 percent healthy and able to sustain that health.
Robinson has played well over his past three games. Tuesday’s performance against the Sixers was his best yet. He is playing this season at a much lighter weight than in past years.
“Way lighter now,” Robinson said. “…. All that extra weight that I was carrying last year and the year before that was just keeping me down. But now, (I’m) lighter, and I feel better.”
The Knicks will rely on Robinson to play rotation minutes off the bench in the postseason. They clearly feel confident about Robinson’s ability to fill the role; they passed on any opportunity to acquire a backup center at the deadline, essentially betting that Robinson could be healthy and productive by the time the playoffs rolled around.
Robinson on Tuesday said that he hopes to have his conditioning all the way back by the time the playoffs start.
“The way I’ve been working, I feel like I can. That’s the goal,” he said. “I’m just going to continue to keep working, work on my conditioning and keep going.”
Robinson hasn’t played in both games of a back-to-back this season. It’s unclear if the Knicks will hold him out of Wednesday’s game against the Cavs.
BRUNSON WEEKEND?
Also on the injury front, I think this weekend is a realistic timeframe for Jalen Brunson’s return from injury. Brunson has been out with a right ankle sprain since March 8. The Knicks play at Atlanta on Saturday and host Phoenix on Sunday. Based on the current trajectory, I’d expect Brunson to return during one of those games.
SHAMET STREAKING
Landry Shamet had 20 points and hit six threes against the Sixers. He’s made 19 of his last 40 three-point attempts. This is a welcome sign for a Knick team that needs Shamet’s scoring and defense off the bench.
Late last month, Shamet said he was comfortable with whatever the Knicks needed from him on a given night.
“I think you just lean into the fact that - I’ve said this before - it’s going to be something different night to night,” Shamet told SNY late last month. “That’s just how it’s going to be. And that’s OK. I think a lot of people maybe fight that – not saying here, but just in general. There’s kind of two choices: you can fight the variability of what’s going to be needed of you night to night or you can just accept it, welcome it and I think choosing the latter is a better approach.
“So that’s what I’m trying to do; just be OK with the fact that it’s going to look different night to night. Might get one three up, might get four or five. Might be all cutting and guarding. Being defensive-minded. It’s going to look different night to night. Minutes, all that. It’s going to change. And that’s OK. That’s part of it. That’s why we have to sacrifice and be willing to do.”
Tom Thibodeau was strongly in favor of keeping Shamet coming out of training camp. That decision has paid off, as Shamet gave the Knicks solid minutes for much of the season. Even when he wasn't hitting shots, Thibodeau praised Shamet for playing strong defense.
Shamet wears No. 44 in New York; it’s a tribute to late NBA legend Jerry West. West was an executive with the Clippers when the club drafted Shamet.
“Pre-draft, my interview with [West] was probably the most memorable one I had,” Shamet told SNY late last month. “To a young kid trying to make it into the NBA, he was giving [me] all this advice. I didn’t know Jerry was like that. Just a great dude, willing to give information. [I] had the luxury of being there [with the Clippers] for a couple years, spending time with him. For the rest of my career when we’d go play them he’d always be sitting in his seat on the baseline in LA and we’d just wink at each other.”
Another Shamet anecdote I found interesting? The role Patrick Beverley played in a Shamet three-pointer last month. Beverley was sitting behind the basket for a Warriors-Knicks game in early March. He was interacting with fans and players throughout the game. At one point in the fourth quarter, he was talking to Shamet about the best way to approach the Warriors’ zone defense.
“He was coaching me from the corner. He was forecasting the game. He was talking to me and I was like, ‘Is that Pat talking to me?’” Shamet recalled with a laugh, telling his version of an anecdote that Draymond Green relayed on his podcast.
Beverley helped Shamet recognize the right play against a Warriors zone defense in the fourth quarter.
“The guy guarding the corner was stepping up and it looked like you could cut from the corner – I went to go cut then I pulled back out and [Beverley] was like ‘Yeah, be patient, be patient. It’s gonna come, be patient.’ And sure enough, it was right in front of him in the corner [where Shamet got the pass from Cam Payne and knocked down a three]. It was funny.”
Credit Beverley with an unofficial assist this season.
Jets Swept In Season Series By Kings; Lose 4-1
The Winnipeg Jets had their three-game win streak snapped by the Los Angeles Kings, losing 4-1.
The Kings started the scoring in the first period, scoring twice in quick succession. Trevor Moore recorded his 17th goal of the season to break the ice. Long-time Kings centre Anze Kopitar extended the lead with his 19th of the season.
Cole Perfetti continued his strong end of the season, scoring his 17th of the season to cut the lead in half. Andrei Kuzmenko would answer back, regaining the Kings' two-goal advantage after a bad neutral zone turnover by Logan Stanley.
The Kings shut the door on the Jets in the third period, limiting the Jets to just six shots. Adrian Kempe iced the game, scoring his 32nd goal of the season into the Jets' empty net.
The Kings are one of the best defensive teams in the NHL and they put on a clinic. They held the Jets to just 19 shots, 18 of which were turned away by Darcy Kuemper. Connor Hellebuyck wasn't all too busy but allowed three goals on 19 shots.
The Jets will be back in action on Thursday when they take on another team they have failed to beat this season, the Vegas Golden Knights.
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Rashaun Agee scores 27 to lead Southern Cal over Tulane 89-60 in first round of CBC
Rashaun Agee scored 27 points and Southern California rolled to an 89-60 victory over Tulane in the first round of the College Basketball Crown at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Tuesday night. The Trojans (17-17) move on to play Villanova in a Thursday quarterfinal. The Wildcats (20-14) beat Colorado 85-64 to advance.
Watch Stephen Curry hit 12 3-pointers, drop 52 on Grizzlies as Warriors move into fifth in West
Apr 1, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) reacts during the fourth quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
There is still nothing in the NBA quite like the Stephen Curry show.
Memphis didn't enjoy that show on Tuesday but the red-hot Warriors did Curry drained 12 3-pointers on his way to 52 points to spark a Warriors win.
STEPH CURRY MASTERCLASS IN MEMPHIS
— NBA (@NBA) April 2, 2025
52 PTS
12 3PM
10 REB
8 AST
5 STL
A stellar performance from the Warriors superstar as he propels GSW to the #5 seed in the West! pic.twitter.com/fGYztIWpJu
That is Stephen Curry's second 50-point game this season and the 15th of his career.
What he will care more about is the win, which moved the Warriors in front of the Grizzlies for fifth in the West. The 44-31 Warriors are now 17-5 since the Jimmy Butler trade and half-a-game ahead of the sixth-seed Grizzlies (and just one game ahead of the Timberwolves and Clippers at seeds seven and eight).
Jimmy Butler III added 27 for Golden State. Ja Morant led Memphis with 36.
The Grizzlies have lost four in a row and 7-of-8, and have yet to pick up a win for interim coach Tuomas Iisalo. Memphis is the struggling team in the middle of a conference with a lot of hot teams, and it feels more and more like the Grizzlies will slide back into the play-in.
Dustin May makes his triumphant return as Dodgers extend perfect start to season
Dustin May closed his eyes, took a breath and held his head suspended toward the heavens.
For a brief moment, shortly before he began warming up for the first inning on Tuesday night, the Dodgers' pitcher let himself absorb the significance of his milestone moment — reflecting one last time on the 685-day journey that brought him there.
“There was definitely a lot of emotions that got let out,” May said. “It was just super, super great to be back out there.”
Not since May 17, 2023, had May last stood atop the Dodger Stadium mound. That day, he suffered an elbow injury that led to a flexor tendon surgery and Tommy John revision, the second major arm procedure of his young MLB career.
During the 22 months that followed, the hard-throwing right-hander endured a rehab process of uniquely difficult circumstances, getting close to a return midway through last season before a freak accident at dinner last July forced him into emergency, and season-ending, surgery to repair a frightening esophagus tear.
Read more:One bite of salad derailed Dustin May's return to Dodgers. He's thankful to be back
As May finally worked his way back to full strength this spring, the experience gave the 27-year-old renewed perspective. He was no longer a promising young prospect. He was unable to contribute to the Dodgers’ 2024 World Series championship.
But after so much time away, and such a scary medical saga last summer, he was simply grateful to once again be back on the rubber — making his season debut, and first MLB start since in almost two years, in the Dodgers’ 3-1 win over the Atlanta Braves.
“Even if it would have went bad, I still would have been having a good time,” May said afterward. “It literally meant the world to me just to be back out on the mound.”
Instead, May was clinical during a five-inning start on Tuesday, giving up just one unearned run to help the Dodgers — who also got a go-ahead two-run home run from Mookie Betts in the sixth inning off reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale — extend their perfect start to the season to a Los Angeles franchise record of 7-0.
In his outing, May gave up just one hit, struck out six batters and worked around three walks to escape a couple crucial jams.
Read more:Tyler Glasnow dominates as Dodgers tie franchise mark for best L.A. start
Most notably, he also displayed a calming demeanor in his return; replacing his old fiery and self-critical disposition with increased poise and, in the view of Dodgers coaches, newfound maturity.
“Just knowing that everything that I've been through in the last two years, it was just a huge weight lifted off my shoulders, and it was like I could just kind of relax,” May said. “Being able to stay a little bit more level-headed throughout life in general has been one of my biggest things in the last six months. Just trying to live in the moment. [Knowing] everything is going to be OK no matter what happens.”
May first began to change 10 months ago — when, just weeks away from a big-league return last July, he suffered his torn esophagus on a bite of a salad that got lodged in his throat.
That night, he went to the hospital and was rushed into surgery. Doctors told him that without medical intervention, “I probably wouldn’t have made it through the night.”
“I felt like I was really close. And then after the esophagus thing happened, it was just like a total reset,” May added. “Like there's nothing I can even do at the moment. … I was just trying to get healthy, get home and be able to see the next morning.”
The Dodgers were on a road trip to Philadelphia and Detroit when May went through his medical scare. And as word started spreading about what had happened, the team almost couldn’t believe the gravity of the situation.
“We have a message [chat] with medical updates, and got a thing saying, ‘Hey, he had a choking incident. He choked on some salad,’” pitching coach Mark Prior said. “Everybody’s like, ‘Huh? OK, that doesn’t sound great.’ But then we learned, ‘Oh no, it was an emergency surgery.’ We didn’t hear about that for a couple days.”
Echoed Betts: “We didn't understand what that really meant. It was hard to believe. Like one of those stories that you just make up, but it was actually true.”
When the Dodgers next saw May during a road series in Phoenix a couple months later, the pitcher was back on his feet but nowhere near playing shape.
An already lanky right-hander, he looked concerningly skinny after losing roughly 40 pounds from the liquid-only diet he was required to follow in the wake of his surgery. When coaches asked about the scar from his procedure, he lifted his shirt to show a long vertical incision running up the length of his chest.
“It almost looked like an open-heart-type surgery,” Prior said of the scar. “So to see where he’s at now, it’s pretty incredible.”
Despite not returning to full strength until around the turn of the New Year, May showed up to spring training displaying surprisingly impressive form. From the outset of camp, he emerged as a front-runner for the No. 5 spot in the team’s opening day rotation. And as he kept ramping up over the course of the preseason, the team noticed his altered approach to the game.
“To watch him mature and grow up in his own way, he’s just got a nice pro presence around him right now,” assistant pitching coach Connor McGuiness said. “As scary as it was, I think it put some things in perspective for him.”
For example, rather than throwing at “full max effort all the time” to overpower hitters with upper-90s mph heat, McGuiness said, May found increased consistency by “pitching efficiently at a good effort level, without blowing it out every single throw.”
“He can tap into that bigger velo when he needs it,” McGuiness added. “But [without it], he can actually kind of move the ball around, command it a little better.”
May still walked three batters, and threw only 46 strikes in 81 pitches. But he was able to repeatedly execute in the most crucial situations, like when he stranded two aboard in the second inning after Betts’ throwing error at shortstop led to his lone unearned run, or when he got ahead of Nick Allen with two strikes in the top of the fifth to set up his sweeper for an inning-ending double-play
“It was good to see [myself] actually getting big-league hitters out,” May said. “That was the best I’ve felt mechanical-wise and stuff-wise [in a long time] tonight.”
The other big change on Tuesday was May’s in-game emotional state.
Instead of cursing and screaming every time his adrenaline surged, the now sixth-year big-leaguer kept a cooler head. After striking out the side in the first, he simply skipped his way back to the dugout. In moments of frustration, he did little more than crane his neck.
“He's out there, certainly, being grateful that he has an opportunity to pitch and be healthy,” manager Dave Roberts said. “He's not as hard on himself as I recall in years past. He just kind of gets to the next pitch a lot better.”
It was all reflective of the long road May had traveled to get back to this stage, and the adversity-hardened mindset he was forced to evolve along the way.
“I was looking for the positive side of things, even though there wasn’t really a very bright light at the end of the tunnel,” May said. “I had to scratch and claw my way out, and find my way back.”
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Yankees Notes: Will Warren's 'exciting' first start, Clarke Schmidt's expected return set
The Yankees dropped their first game of the season Tuesday night, a 7-5 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks. The game got away from the Yankees after the bullpen allowed five runs in the eighth inning.
Despite the loss, the Yankees (3-1) are happy with the performance of young right-hander Will Warren. The 25-year-old made his first 2025 start and was impressive. He worked five innings, allowing just two runs to a formidable Diamondbacks lineup.
“That’s an exciting first outing for him," manager Aaron Boone said after the game. "That’s a really good offense to go through and I thought he pitched really well. Even when he had a couple leadoff walks, didn’t come unraveled at all. I thought he did a very good job of changing speeds. His secondary tonight was excellent. But a very encouraging first outing against a good offense there."
Warren made six appearances (five starts) a season ago and struggled. In that time in the big leagues, Warren was 0-3 with a 10.32 ERA. In the past, walks would snowball innings for Warren but Boone was glad to see his young hurler stay composed and get through five, especially in that fifth inning.
After allowing a leadoff walk, Warren got Alek Thomas and Geraldo Perdomo before taking on Corbin Carroll. The former NL Rookie of the Year took Warren deep in the third inning, so this was a hug spot with the Yankees only up 4-2.
Warren fell behind Carroll in the count 2-0 but then got the left-handed hitter swinging on the next three pitches, finishing with a curveball in the dirt. Warren was visibly pumped up as he walked off the mound and into the dugout.
"I loved seeing the emotion out there," Ben Rice, who went 2-for-4 with a home run,said of Warren. "He's got electric stuff and he showed that he's a competitor. That's what we know he's capable of."
"That was nice. Definitely was emptying the tank there in the fifth," Warren said of his final inning. "That was big for me to try and get through five."
Boone said he believes Warren's time in the majors last year and his impressive spring are reasons for Warren's ability to overcome the walks -- which he had four of on Tuesday.
"I do think that next wave of experience for him, I thought he did a good job of controlling the environment around him," Boone said. "Was poised all night. Yea, his stuff was good. There was some adversity along the way but he handled it really well."
With injuries to Gerrit Cole, Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt, Warren will be asked to play a big role in the Yankees rotation this season.
🗣 WILL WARREN IS FIRED UP
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) April 2, 2025
(via @Yankees) pic.twitter.com/0Nk3ll7R8j
Schmidt's return
Clarke Schmidt is starting the 2025 season on the IL with shoulder fatigue but the Yankees now know when they'll the right-hander back.
"He threw yesterday," Boone said after Tuesday's game. "We have him marked April 15/16. He’s got two more starts. He’ll start this weekend with Somerset up in Hartford and then he’ll have one more and the plan is for him to be with us."
Following Schmidt's two minor league starts, and if all goes well, the Yankees will have him back for their home series against the Kansas City Royals.
The 29-year-old was impressive with the Yanks last season, pitching to a 2.85 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in 16 starts. Schmidt's return would bolster a rotation that is, as previously mentioned, without Cole for the entire season and Gil for the first few months.
Yankees bullpen implosion
The Yankees' eight-inning was their downfall. The bullpen allowed five runs including a massive grand slam to Eugenio Suarez.
Tim Hill started off and allowed a scorching double to Randal Grichuk before Geraldo Perdomo hit a single over the first base bag to score Grichuk and bring Arizona within a run.
Hill would rebound by getting Carroll to ground out, and although he struggled, the Yankees skipper felt his southpaw executed well.
"That team creates some challenges for you especially with the platoon advantages they try to create," Boone said. "Grichuk stings the ball up. We want Perdomo on the right side he blocked that chopper over there and then [Hill] gets Carroll and we want to keep Marte on the left side. Overall, I thought Timmy threw the ball fine. Grichuk really stung it on him but he executed well against Perdomo and Carroll there."
Boone relieved Hill to bring in Mark Leiter Jr. with one out. The right-hander walked the first two batters he faced before getting Josh Naylor to strike out. He then had Suarez on a 2-2 count but left a splitter over the middle of the plate, which the third baseman smashed to left field for the lead.
"Can’t walk two guys, that’s really it. That’s all I got for you," Leiter Jr. said. "Can’t really walk those two guys. Trying to keep Ketel [Marte] close and being a little too quick and falling behind. And not landing the offspeed pitches."
"Just not his sharpest outing," Boone said. "He’s been throwing the ball so well the last month or so especially his first couple of outings. I thought he got himself back on track with the Naylor punch and I thought he executed a couple of good pitches in the Suarez at-bat but it wasn’t a good split there, obviously, that he threw there.
"Just one of those nights where he was just a little bit off there."
One of those nights indeed. Entering Tuesday, Leiter Jr. was lights out, pitching two perfect innings with four strikeouts this season. And before that, Leiter Jr. didn't allow a run in 4.2 innings during spring training.