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Phillies explode for 3 late homers to send 45,000 home happy in Game 1 at The Bank

Phillies explode for 3 late homers to send 45,000 home happy in Game 1 at The Bank originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

It took two hours from first pitch, but with the weather cooperating and with just under 45,000 fans on hand for the home opener, the Phillies did not disappoint.

They trailed by a run entering the bottom of the seventh inning but again exploded vs. the opponent’s bullpen, scoring four in the seventh and two in the eighth of a 6-1 win.

Rockies starter German Marquez gained strength and confidence as the game progressed but departed after six scoreless innings with three lefties due up in the span of four batters in the seventh. Just like Opening Day, the Phillies quickly made the opposing bullpen pay.

Bryson Stott hit a lefty-on-lefty double off of Scott Alexander with two outs to bring up Brandon Marsh and manager Rob Thomson pinch-hit with Trea Turner. Turner was out of the lineup for a third straight game after feeling his back lock up pregame Saturday but he took grounders Monday afternoon and should return to the lineup Wednesday.

Though he didn’t start the home opener, Turner’s one plate appearance was extremely important, prolonging the seventh inning for Edmundo Sosa to hit a go-ahead two-run double and Kyle Schwarber to hit an absolute bomb off the ivy wall past center field.

In the eighth, Max Kepler and Nick Castellanos went back-to-back.

“It shows the depth of the lineup,” Schwarber said. “We always preach that it’s not gonna be one person, two people, three people. It takes a village to go where we need to go.”

The Phillies have hit .386 with 12 extra-base hits in 57 at-bats against relievers compared to .224 with five extra-base hits in 85 at-bats vs. starters.

“Going into my fourth year here, if we don’t score runs and we get into that bullpen, you feel like you’re one swing away,” Schwarber said.

Thomson’s enjoyed the late offense but quipped that he’d “like to get to a starter here pretty quick, getting a little anxious coming down to the end.”

Schwarber and Sosa are both off to scalding starts. Schwarber is 6-for-17 with three homers and six RBI. Sosa is 6-for-11 with three doubles and has multiple hits in each game he’s played. It certainly wasn’t ideal for Turner to miss a couple games so early, but it also afforded Sosa more at-bats than he would have otherwise received and a chance to find a groove at the plate.

“You saw it last year, too, when Trea went down,” Thomson said. “When Sosa gets a chance to get some consistent at-bats, he shows what he can do.

“He’s extremely important. You’re gonna have injuries over the course of the year and he can fill in almost anywhere. When he gets a chance to play, he plays well.”

Castellanos is also seeing the ball well. He singled and homered Monday after walking four times over the weekend in D.C., his most walks in any series as a Phillie.

The home opener was a pitchers’ duel for five innings with both Cristopher Sanchez and Marquez throwing up zeroes. The run Sanchez allowed came on a solo homer by catcher Hunter Goodman in the top of the sixth. One of Sanchez’ strengths is avoiding homers; the first he allowed last season came vs. the 111th hitter he faced.

Sanchez pitched well aside from that one at-bat and only added to the offseason hype by averaging 96.5 mph with his fastball, two full mph faster than last year. It probably won’t be a one-day fluke, either. He averaged 96.5 in the spring too after adding 20 pounds of muscle to his 6-foot-6 frame. It took him a few innings Monday to find his bread-and-butter changeup but he had it working from the third inning-on, striking out five of six batters at one point.

Jose Alvarado, who also had an electric spring, struck out the side in the eighth after the Phillies took their three-run lead. Alvarado threw 16 sinkers and they averaged 100.0 mph on the dot.

Jordan Romano pitched a scoreless ninth to rebound from a two-run outing on Opening Day.

The Phillies pick back up on Wednesday against the Rockies, who they’ve beaten in 11 of the last 12 meetings at Citizens Bank Park. Zack Wheeler will be on the mound for that one. Good luck to Bud Black’s bats.

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MLB Team Power Rankings: Yankees torpedo Brewers with historic power outburst, Dodgers start season 5-0

Most teams have only played three or four games at this early point of the 2025 MLB season, so don’t look for any major changes since my MLB Opening Week Power Rankings were released last week. That would be silly.

And so, the Braves and Red Sox are still quite high here and teams like the Cardinals and the Marlins (obviously) have some work to do in order to get out of the bottom-third of the list.

With a full week of games awaiting us, let's get started!

MLB: Texas Rangers at Oakland Athletics
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Tyler Soderstrom, Jack Leiter open season strong
Eric Samulski breaks down his favorite waiver wire adds for the upcoming week of fantasy baseball.

1) Los Angeles Dodgers (5-0)

Last week: 1

Mookie Betts battled a mystery illness in recent weeks which brought his weight as low as 158 pounds. Fortunately, he’s regained some strength in recent days, as evidenced by his two-homer game including the walk-off blast against the Tigers on Friday night.

2) Philadelphia Phillies (2-1)

Last week: 3

Jesús Luzardo might have been the most overlooked impact move of the winter. After being limited to just 12 starts due to injury last year, he ripped off 11 strikeouts in his Phillies debut Saturday against the Nationals. He showed frontline potential before 2024, so the Philly rotation has the chance to be one of the scariest in the majors.

3) Atlanta Braves (0-4)

Last week: 2

The Braves aren’t making my job easy this week. Things should get much better from here, but Atlanta hit just .148 as a team during their season-opening sweep at the hands of the Padres.

4) Boston Red Sox (1-3)

Last week: 4

Coming off a shoulder injury and being moved to the DH spot, Rafael Devers had a series to forget against the Rangers by going 0-for-12 with 11 strikeouts. It’s a concern.

5) Arizona Diamondbacks (2-2)

Last week: 6

Eugenio Suárez looked to have his career at a crossroads during the first half last season, but he’s now amassed 28 home runs in his last 77 games, including four to open the 2025 season.

6) New York Yankees (3-0)

Last week: 7

If you blinked over the past few days, you might have missed another Yankees home run against the Brewers. Armed with their new torpedo bats, they tied an MLB record by hitting 15 homers through their first three games. How much of it was the Yankees (and their bats) and how much of it was the Brewers’ undermanned pitching staff? We’re about to find out.

7) New York Mets (1-2)

Last week: 5

Beautiful home run from Juan Soto aside, the offense was largely non-existent in their series against the Astros, but one positive was that their pitching staff allowed just six runs over three games.

8) Texas Rangers (3-1)

Last week: 8

A great sign for the Rangers? Jacob deGrom looked pretty much like himself in Sunday’s win over the Red Sox, spinning five scoreless innings with six strikeouts and 16 swinging strikes in his 73 pitches.

9) Houston Astros (2-1)

Last week: 9

Framber Valdez, Hunter Brown, and Spencer Arrighetti combined to allow just four runs (three earned) through three games against the Mets.

10) Baltimore Orioles (2-2)

Last week: 10

The Orioles should get Gunnar Henderson back from the injured list this week, but they’ve already lost Colton Cowser due to a fractured left thumb. He's expected to miss around six weeks.

11) San Diego Padres (4-0)

Last week: 12

With Nick Pivetta dominating the Braves on Sunday, the Padres are now 4-0 for the second time in franchise history. The only other time came in 1984, when they won the NL pennant and went on to lose to the Tigers in the World Series.

12) Seattle Mariners (2-2)

Last week: 13

Concern about the Mariners’ offense remains a very real thing, but watching this massive go-ahead two-run home run from Julio Rodríguez on Sunday makes you forget about it for a minute.

13) Chicago Cubs (2-4)

Last week: 11

It’s bad enough to give up eight runs in an inning, which the Cubs’ bullpen did on Sunday, but they also allowed an RBI single to Ryne Nelson (yes, a pitcher) after the Diamondbacks ran out of position players. Oh, the indignity.

14) Kansas City Royals (1-2)

Last week: 16

Jonathan India is somehow in the lineup for the Royals on Monday after being hit in the head by a 99 mph fastball from Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase on Sunday. Great news for the Royals' key acquisition during the offseason.

15) Minnesota Twins (0-3)

Last week: 14

The mood of Twins’ fans was already on shaky ground, so a three-game sweep at the hands of the Cardinals to start the season isn’t helping matters. After dealing with an illness in recent days, Bailey Ober was blasted for eight runs and didn’t make it out of the third inning on Sunday.

16) Detroit Tigers (0-3)

Last week: 15

A sweep is a sweep, but the Tigers showed a good amount of fight during their series against the Dodgers. Maybe most encouraging was that Spencer Torkelson’s strong spring carried into the opening series.

17) Toronto Blue Jays (2-2)

Last week: 17

The excitement behind Max Scherzer’s season debut didn’t last long. The future Hall of Famer lasted just three innings against the Orioles on Saturday before leaving with lat soreness and landed on the IL on Sunday with right thumb inflammation. The issues are related and cast serious doubt on his outlook moving forward.

18) San Francisco Giants (2-1)

Last week: 19

Camilo Doval lost his closer job last season amid some control issues and even found himself in the minors, but he was called upon Sunday to close out a victory over the Reds with Ryan Walker unavailable due to back pain. It’s unclear if Walker will require a lengthy absence, but Doval rediscovering his All-Star form would be a big deal for this team.

19) Milwaukee Brewers (0-3)

Last week: 18

Woof. In getting swept (and demolished) by the Yankees, the Brewers became the first team since 1901 to allow at least 15 home runs through the first three games of a season. Aaron Civale was forced to exit Sunday’s game with a hamstring injury, which is yet another test for a short-handed rotation.

20) Cincinnati Reds (1-2)

Last week: 20

The Reds have the talent to make things interesting in the NL Central, but the backend of their bullpen is a pain point. Alexis Díaz was on shaky ground even before his hamstring injury, but piecing it together in his absence will be a process.

21) Cleveland Guardians (2-1)

Last week: 21

Once again, I might be underestimating the Guardians in the AL Central. Tanner Bibee’s Chipotle regimen apparently backfired, with food poisoning pushing back his season debut to Sunday, but he looked strong with 5 2/3 scoreless innings against the Royals.

22) Tampa Bay Rays (2-1)

Last week: 22

How weird is to see the Rays playing outside as the home team? I will hereby refer to the 2025 home Rays as the “outie Rays.” On a serious note, it’s a bummer to see Josh Lowe already hit the injured list with an oblique strain.

23) St. Louis Cardinals (3-0)

Last week: 25

The outlook for the Cardinals might look a little bit different if Victor Scott II’s improvements are real. After a two-hit, two steal-game on Saturday, Scott slugged a three-run homer on Sunday to finish off a sweep against the Twins.

24) Athletics (2-2)

Last week: 24

Aaron Judge, not surprisingly, leads the majors with 20 total bases so far this season, but A’s first baseman Tyler Soderstrom ranks second with 17 through four games.

25) Pittsburgh Pirates (1-3)

Last week: 23

The Pirates made history over the weekend! Oh, it was the bad kind of history.

26) Washington Nationals (1-2)

Last week: 26

Nationals outfielder Dylan Crews was the consensus choice of the Rotoworld staff to win the NL Rookie of the Year Award, but great throw notwithstanding on Saturday, he’s had a rough start to the season. The 23-year-old is 0-for-11 and has struck out in each of his last eight at-bats. Dodgers right-hander Roki Sasaki, the other favorite for the NL ROY, has had his own struggles through his first two MLB starts.

27) Los Angeles Angels (2-1)

Last week: 27

Free agent pickup Kenley Jansen has two saves through the first three games of the season. He’s still getting it done at the age of 37 and finds himself 31 saves away from Lee Smith for third on the all-time list. It’s within reach seeing that he notched 27 saves last year and 29 the year before.

28) Miami Marlins (3-1)

Last week: 29

Three walk-off wins for the Marlins in their season-opening series against the Pirates. Fun! This is still likely where they’ll peak in this year’s rankings.

29) Colorado Rockies (1-2)

Last week: 28

The great thing about baseball is that you regularly see things that haven’t happened in 100 years. Take for instance Antonio Senzatela’s outing against the Rays on Saturday, as he navigated a small village of baserunners through 4 1/3 scoreless innings.

30) Chicago White Sox (1-2)

Last week: 30

It’s early but the White Sox are leading the league in tarp.

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Fantasy Basketball Week 22 Key Injuries

Welcome to championship week for those still competing in Yahoo! public and default leagues. A season of navigating the waiver wire and making shrewd trades comes down to seven days, with 22 of the league's 30 teams having four-game schedules. And there are some key injury situations to deal with before the week begins, most notably the sprained ankle Kevin Durant suffered during Sunday's loss to the Rockets.

SF/PF Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns

Durant sprained his ankle during the third quarter of Sunday's blowout loss and did not return. He'll undergo an MRI on Monday and will not travel with the team as the Suns begin a three-game road trip in Milwaukee on Tuesday. That's followed by games against the Celtics (Friday) and Knicks (Sunday). One question to consider is whether or not Bradley Beal will be able to return from his hamstring injury during Week 22. If so, that would address who steps in as Durant's replacement in the starting lineup. If not, Royce O'Neale (13 percent rostered, Yahoo!) and Grayson Allen (11 percent) are potential replacements. O'Neale offers a slightly higher fantasy ceiling, if only because he's the superior rebounder.

PG/SG Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons

Cunningham has missed Detroit's last four games with a calf injury, most recently sitting out Sunday's loss to the Timberwolves. Dennis Schroder (39 percent) has been the replacement, providing 12th-round value in nine-cat formats over the past week. Cunningham's absence has also resulted in rotation minutes for Marcus Sasser (four percent), whose productivity has swung wildly based on the competition. After scoring 47 points against the Pelicans and Spurs, Sasser scored seven on 2-of-12 shooting against the Cavaliers and Timberwolves. Schroder and Malik Beasley (39 percent) would be the players to target if Cunningham continues to miss time, but the Pistons won't play their first Week 22 game until Wednesday.

PG Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks

Brunson provided an update before Sunday's win over the Trail Blazers, saying he has been cleared to resume basketball activities. While he did not say what that entails, the All-Star point guard continues progressing in his recovery. With Miles McBride (groin) and Cameron Payne (ankle) considered day-to-day, the Knicks have relied on Delon Wright (one percent) and Tyler Kolek (one percent) to fill the void. While Wright has been the starter, Kolek has tallied 32 assists and two turnovers over the last five games. Neither Wright nor Kolek is a must-add, but the Knicks will play four games during Week 22.

SG/SF Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics

Due to a knee injury, Brown is questionable for Monday's game against the Grizzlies. This situation is pretty straightforward. Al Horford (30 percent) will be the likely replacement in the starting lineup, which raises his fantasy ceiling. A starter missing time also boosts the fantasy value of Payton Pritchard (50 percent), but he's already rostered in most standard leagues. The Celtics do not have a back-to-back during Week 22, but the team is also in a situation where it essentially knows its seed in the upcoming playoffs. Therefore, Brown's knee may not be the only issue that impacts the availability of Boston's most reliable fantasy options.

SF/PF Cameron Johnson, Brooklyn Nets

Johnson has been ruled out for Monday's game in Dallas with a lower back contusion, the first of three games the Nets play during Week 22. Jalen Wilson (one percent) is a potential replacement in the starting lineup, but he has not done enough to merit being rostered in most leagues. However, with the Nets looking to improve their draft lottery odds, there may be more starts in Wilson's future. Tyrese Martin (two percent), who's stepped in when D'Angelo Russell has missed time, is another possibility moving forward. There's no need to consider adding Dariq Whitehead (zero percent), but this may be a good time for the Nets to see what they have in the 2023 first-round pick, given how little NBA basketball he's played due to injury.

C Walker Kessler, Utah Jazz

With John Collins and Lauri Markkanen already out, Kessler has also been ruled out for Monday's game against Charlotte. This will be the second straight game he's missed due to an illness, with "return to competition conditioning" being the reason for Monday's absence. Oscar Tshiebwe (zero percent) replaced Kessler in the lineup the last time out and can provide value in the rebounding category. However, Kyle Filipowski (31 percent) remains the Jazz frontcourt player who should be targeted in fantasy leagues. Utah plays four games with no back-to-backs during Week 22, but that doesn't mean Kessler will be available for the three remaining contests.

C Daniel Gaffordand C Dereck Lively II, Dallas Mavericks

At long last, the Mavericks' frontcourt rotation is expected to be whole at some point during Week 22. Gafford (knee) is probable for Monday's game against the Nets, while Lively (ankle) is considered questionable. With Anthony Davis also considered probable, there's a chance Dallas will have its top three interior options available on Monday. Kai Jones (14 percent) has been a solid replacement when he's been healthy, but his time as a streamable fantasy option may come to an end. Dallas' four-game Week 22 ends with a Friday/Saturday back-to-back, so Jones may have another opportunity as a streamer. Also of note in Dallas is that Brandon Williams (12 percent) has hit his 50-game max as a two-way contract player, so don't hold onto him for Week 22.

SF/PF Tobias Harris, Detroit Pistons

Harris was cleared to play in Sunday's loss to the Timberwolves, but a lingering Achilles issue led to him being scratched just before tipoff. That was the second game he's missed, resulting in Malik Beasley (39 percent) making two starts. Beasley has been productive enough to be rostered regardless of Harris' availability. As noted above, the Pistons won't play their first Week 22 games until Wednesday in Oklahoma City, so that may be enough time to get Harris back to full strength.

SF/PF Andrew Wiggins, Miami Heat

Wiggins has been ruled out for Monday's game in Washington, the second game he has missed with a hamstring injury. With Duncan Robinson (back) also missing time, the Heat called on Alec Burks (one percent) and Pelle Larsson (zero percent) to fill the resulting voids in the starting lineup. While neither qualifies as a "safe" streaming option, Burks is better for deep-league managers seeking a higher floor. Also, Kel'el Ware is rostered in 55 percent of Yahoo! leagues, which is a bit low, given his importance to the Heat. Wiggins' availability does not directly impact Ware, but he's worth adding for managers needing a frontcourt player.

SF/PF Jonathan Kuminga, Golden State Warriors

Having returned from an extended absence on March 13, Kuminga injured his right ankle during Sunday's win over the Spurs when he fell hard during the first half. Hopefully, this does not result in another extended absence for the Warriors forward. However, with Golden State's four-game week including a back-to-back, Kuminga could be capped at three appearances if he's available for Tuesday's game in Memphis. Gui Santos (zero percent) started the second half of Sunday's game, but Kuminga's absence also preserves some of Moses Moody's fantasy value, as does Gary Payton II's absence due to a left thumb injury. Moody is rostered in 13 percent of Yahoo! leagues and has remained in the starting lineup since Stephen Curry's return, with Draymond Green taking over as the starting center.

SF Khris Middleton and SG/SF Kyshawn George, Washington Wizards

Middleton (knee) and George (ankle) will remain out for Monday's game against the Heat, the first of four games the Wizards play during Week 22. And with the schedule including a Wednesday/Thursday back-to-back, Middleton may get in two games at the most (Marcus Smart's availability is also shaky due to the back-to-back). The good news is that there are young players worth targeting, beginning with Justin Champagnie (12 percent). He has provided top-100 value over the past week. AJ Johnson (two percent) has averaged nearly 33 minutes per game over the past week and is worth a look if Champagnie has already been claimed.

PF/C Noah Clowney and C Day'Ron Sharpe, Brooklyn Nets

This was supposed to be "prime time" for Clowney and Sharpe from a playing time standpoint, as the Nets are focused on the draft lottery. Unfortunately, at a minimum, both players are hurt and will miss Monday's game in Dallas. Trendon Watford (four percent) would be the "safe" target, but Drew Timme (zero percent) recorded a double-double in his Nets (and NBA) debut on March 28 against the Clippers. He followed that up with a 19-point outing against the Wizards the following night.

PG Cole Anthony, Orlando Magic

Anthony has missed Orlando's last six games after aggravating a left big toe injury and is questionable for Monday's game against the Clippers. Cory Joseph (zero percent) has been his replacement in the starting lineup, but the veteran guard has offered little streaming value. Anthony Black (12 percent) is the superior option despite coming off the bench and has provided top-100 value in nine-cat formats over the past two weeks. Orlando plays all three of its Week 22 games in the first four days, so this would be a case of streaming Black through Thursday and then dropping him if Anthony continues to miss time.

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Panthers' Mikkola Receives Fine For Late-Game Slapshot Against The Canadiens

Niko Mikkola (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

NHL Player Safety handed the Florida Panthers’ Niko Mikkola a $5,000 fine after the brouhaha that ended Sunday’s matinee against the Montreal Canadiens.

With two seconds left in the Panthers’ 4-2 loss to the Canadiens, and with the Montreal players turning around to skate toward their goaltender, Mikkola unloaded a slapshot from the defensive zone.

The puck rose high, prompting Canadiens defenseman David Savard to duck to avoid it.

The Habs players skated over to confront Mikkola, leading to a skirmish after time expired. Jayden Struble, Christian Dvorak, Brendan Gallagher and Savard all tried to get at Mikkola as Panthers players and officials tried to separate them.

After linesman Julien Fournier brought Mikkola to the Panthers bench, the defenseman and Struble continued to shout at each other before heading to the dressing room.

Mikkola received a two-minute minor for unsportsmanlike conduct and a 10-minute misconduct. The $5,000 fine, which is the highest the collective bargaining allows without a hearing, goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

Are The Florida Panthers In Danger Of A Playoff Upset?Are The Florida Panthers In Danger Of A Playoff Upset?The Florida Panthers have earned their reputation as one of the NHL’s best teams, getting to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs in each of the past three seasons, making it to the Cup final in each of the past two seasons, and of course, winning their first Cup in franchise history last season. And for much of this year, the Panthers have been at or near the top of the Atlantic Division. Obviously, there’s a whole lot to like about this Florida team.

Both teams face each other again in Montreal on Tuesday. They’ve played each other three times already this season, with the lower-ranked Canadiens winning in regulation every time and outscoring Florida by a combined total of 11-3.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

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Jets Goaltender Named Third Star Of The Week

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) eyes an incoming shot from the New Jersey Devils in the third period at Canada Life Centre. Mandatory Credit: James Carey Lauder-Imagn Images

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck has been named the NHL's third star of the week.

The 31-year-old posted a 3-0-0 record this week, including a .961 SV%, a 1.00GAA and a shutout. Hellebuyck has been dominant all season, earning praise and consideration in the Hart Trophy raise.

The three wins Hellebuyck picked up this week were against the Washington Capitals, New Jersey Devils and the Vancouver Canucks, all of which are desperately looking for wins.

He currently leads all goaltenders in wins (43), save percentage (.925), goals against average (2.01) and shutouts (7). This feat has been achieved twice in NHL history, by Jaques Plante in the 1958-59 season and Bernie Parent in the 1973-74 season. 

Here's what the NHL's press release had to say about Hellebuyck's week:

"Hellebuyck went 3-0-0 with a 1.00 goals-against average, .961 save percentage and one shutout to help the Jets (51-19-4, 106 points) reclaim first place first place in the overall NHL standings as they clinched their third straight playoff berth. He denied 27 of 29 shots to lead Winnipeg to a 3-2 overtime win against the Washington Capitals March 25 in a battle of the League’s top two teams. Hellebuyck then made 24 saves to set a franchise record with his seventh shutout of the campaign in a 4-0 victory over the New Jersey Devils March 28. The reigning Vezina and William M. Jennings Trophy winner closed the week by stopping 23 shots, including all 18 he faced over the final two periods, in a 3-1 triumph versus the Vancouver Canucks March 30. The 31-year-old Hellebucyk has played in 57 total contests this season (43-10-3), topping the NHL (minimum: 25 GP) in wins (43), goals-against average (2.01), save percentage (.925) and shutouts (7)."

The Jets begin a three-game road trip which will feature another two difficult tests against the Los Angeles Kings and the Vegas Golden Knights. With the Dallas Stars breathing down the Jets' neck, they'll need every bit of Hellebuyck's dominance to continue. 

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

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Motivation for coaching change in Memphis reportedly was to 'optimize' Ja Morant

The winding path to Taylor Jenkins' firing in Memphis can defy logic. Last offseason, Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman forced coach Taylor Jenkins to fire all his existing assistant coaches and remake his staff, and management then pushed to hire Noah LaRoche to institute a new motion offense (fewer ball screens). While the offense worked, the Grizzlies are sixth in the league in offensive rating, but Ja Morant and other players were not happy with it and reportedly were tuning out their coach. So Kleiman fired Jenkins and LaRoche, then gave the interim job to Tuomas Iisalo, who coached in Paris a year ago and ran an offense with a lot more ball screens (but maybe better spacing than we have seen in Memphis).

The coaching change's goal was to "optimize" Morant, something ESPN’s Tim MacMahon summarized well on the Hoop Collective podcast (hat tip Real GM).

"This decision to do it now and to move on from LaRoche, and to lean back into all the pick and roll stuff... this was a decision that was about optimizing Ja Morant...

"And look there has been noise about Ja being unhappy all season long. There has been noise about, 'Hey, you know, could Memphis look to move Ja this summer? Could Ja look to get out of Memphis this summer?'... I was texting with a GM after this happened and he said 'I would have told you I thought they were definitely going to [shop him]. Ja was out on them. They won games without him. They have to be sustainable.' And he said 'This is a move that goes in the face of that.'"

McMahon sums up the message of the trade as, "Hey, Ja, you're still our guy. Everything we do is going to be based on what's best for you. What optimizes you. They got away from that for a lot of this season and they're leaning back hard into it."

Morant didn't push for Jenkins's firing, and Jenkins would have happily leaned back into more Morant on offense (when he's healthy), but management wanted a new voice. Whether Iisalo is that voice and if he can make meaningful changes before the playoffs remains to be seen.

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Yankees' Jazz Chisholm Jr. calls out 'idiots' opposed to torpedo bats

The Yankees’ torpedo bats have been the talk of Major League Baseball over the first weekend of the season, and for good reason.

The Yankees slugged an all-time record-tying 15 home runs in their three-game sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers, with players like Jazz Chisholm Jr., Anthony Volpe, Cody Bellinger, and Paul Goldschmidt all going yard while using the newly designed lumber.

But with the Yankees’ early success in using these bats have come detractors, including Brewers’ reliever Trevor Megill, who called the bats “something used in slow-pitch softball.”

On Monday morning, Chisholm, who homered three times in the first three games, fired back via social media.

“Okay explanation the barrel is bigger and within mlb regulation!,” Chisholm posted on X. “For the idiots that say it’s moved to the label you’re an idiot! Nobody is trying to get jammed you just move the wood from the parts you don’t use to the parts you do! You’re welcome no more stress for y’all !”

Like many hitters in the Yankees’ lineup, Chisholm is off to a tremendous start, slashing .417/.500/1.167 through three games with three home runs and six RBI, all while using a torpedo-style bat.

The torpedo bats, designed by Aaron Leanhardt, a former member of the Yankees analytics department who now works for the Miami Marlins, take wood away from parts of the bat, like the handle, to create and elongated barrel with more mass.

The bats came into the national spotlight on Saturday, when the Yankees blasted nine home runs and put 20 runs on the board in a win over the Brewers.

As Chisholm said, the bats have been deemed legal by MLB officials, and we’ve already seen other players around the league, like Minnesota Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers, using them as well.

And with all of the early success the Bombers have had at the dish, it’s fair to expect that a large number of players around baseball will at least test out using these new bats. In fact, Britt Ghiroli of The Athletic reports that "several" Baltimore Orioles players are using them, though none of the bats look "quite as jarring" as the ones Chisholm is using.

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Buffalo Sabres Send Defenseman Back To AHL

Jack Rathbone (© Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images)

The Buffalo Sabres have announced that defenseman Jack Rathbone has been loaned back to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Rochester Americans.

The Sabres just recalled Rathbone from Rochester on March 30 ahead of their matchup against the Washington Capitals. The 25-year-old blueliner did not dress for the Sabres' contest and is now returning to Rochester. 

Rathbone has yet to appear in a regular-season game for the Sabres this season. In 56 games this season with Rochester, he has five goals, 15 assists, 20 points, and a plus-6 rating. This is after he posted nine goals and 25 points in 69 AHL games last season split between the Abbotsford Canucks and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. 

In 28 career games over three NHL seasons, Rathbone has posted two goals, three assists, five points, and a minus-5 rating. 

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Golden Knights Can Clinch Playoff Berth Tonight Without Playing

Vegas Golden Knights fans celebrate a second period goal against the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Talia Sprague-Imagn Images

The Vegas Golden Knights can clinch a playoff spot if the Calgary Flames lose to the Colorado Avalanche in regulation tonight.

If the Flames lose to the Avalanche in regulation tonight, the Golden Knights will clinch a playoff spot for the seventh time in eight seasons. The Golden Knights currently sit atop the Pacific Division with 98 points, leading the Los Angeles Kings by seven points. 

The Golden Knights have nine games remaining on the schedule and are back in action on Tuesday against the Edmonton Oilers, who they hold a nine-point lead over. Six of the Golden Knights' last nine games are against Pacific Division teams, and all but two are against teams fighting for a playoff spot. 

If the playoffs started today, the Golden Knights would battle the Minnesota Wild in the first round. Due to their point percentage, they currently hold the second wild card spot in the Western Conference, tied with the St. Louis Blues with 87 points.

The postseason in the Western Conference is shaping up to be a gauntlet, with several teams capable of going on a long run.

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

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NHL fines Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola for final-second slapshot toward Montreal players

Mar 30, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola (77) reacts from the bench after the game against the Montreal Canadiens at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

The NHL has levied a fine against Florida Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola.

On Monday, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced that Mikkola had been fined $5,000 for what it calls “unsportsmanlike conduct” during Sunday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens.

Montreal defeated Florida 4-2 at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise.

In the game’s final seconds, Mikkola had the puck on his stick in the Panthers defensive zone.

As time expired, Mikkola wound up and fired a blistering slapshot down the ice that nearly hit David Savard about 150 feet away.

The Canadiens players responded, understandably so, by going after Mikkola as officials attempted to usher the players to their respective locker rooms.

Mikkola was given a two-minute minor for unsportsmanlike conduct and a ten minute misconduct, according to the game’s official scoresheet.

It took less than 24 hours after the game had ended for the NHL to respond with the $5,000 fine, which is the maximum allowable under the collective bargaining agreement.

We’ll see how Montreal responds when they host the Panthers Tuesday night at Bell Center.

Between the aforementioned animosity and how both teams are fighting for every point they can get in the standings, it should be a doozie.

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The GR8 Chase: Predicting When Alex Ovechkin Breaks Wayne Gretzky's All-Time Goal Record

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin is five goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky's NHL goal record with odds increasing for it to happen versus the New York Islanders

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The biggest storyline of the NHL season has by far been the GR8 Chase with Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin on the precipice of passing hockey legend Wayne Gretzky for the all-time goals record. There is nine games left in the Capitals season and Ovechkin is within five goals from breaking the record after scoring versus the Sabres this past Sunday.

The Russian winger now has 37 goals, and betting odds for the record to be broken this season have dropped drastically to -170 which means if you haven't taken it already like we suggest, you may have missed your last opportunity to take the bet at a bargain. However, today we look to outline a couple other options that you still can take to get in on the chase. 

All betting lines are from FanDuel Sportsbook and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly.

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In our last post about the GR8 Chase, we said to take the odds while you could at -136 and like we predicted the odds have continued to drop due to Ovechkin staying hot as the Capitals were heading into favourable matchups. Washington is still dominating with the league's best offence and seventh-best defence plus have the third-easiest remaining strength of schedule, according to Tankathon.

The case is starting to look more and more likely as they will play against bottom eight defences in their remaining games like the Blackhawks, Penguins and Bruins as well as two bouts with the Blue Jackets.

They will also face off twice against the Hurricanes, who is one of the top teams in the East but Ovechkin has his second-most career goals against. We don't see a ton of value in betting the record to be broken now but we can take a guess as to who it'll be against.

More Betting: Simple Strategies to Score NHL Betting Slips with Huge, Favourable Odds

The Capitals will have a back-to-back on Monday and Tuesday with games versus the Bruins and Hurricanes, which should give us the ability to pencil in a goal or two there. We will need just four more goals after that and Washington will return home on Friday to take on one of the league's worst defences in the Blackhawks. A home matchup versus a Chicago team that has allowed a league-worst 83 goals over their last 20 games should spell for at least one goal for Ovi. 

That takes us into next week with three goals to go and after a Sunday matchup versus the Islanders, Washington will get a lengthy four-day break before facing off against Hurricanes for a second time on Thursday. This game could be the most crucial as a much-needed goal here would leave him with two left and four games left to do it.

A pair of matchups versus the Blue Jackets should provide at least one goal and will leave us with one more to go with two matchups left versus the Islanders and Penguins.

Everyone is speaking into existence that Ovechkin will break the record in front of his longtime rival Sidney Crosby when taking on the Penguins and as much as the sports world would love to see it, I expect he gets the job done versus New York.

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A random Tuesday night on the road in the Big Apple wouldn't be the most romantic setting for the record to be broken but could provide a massive spectacle with many flocking to the city, hoping to see Gretzky's record broken.

Ovechkin to break the record versus the Islanders or Penguins is listed at +490 and +600 odds respectively and both could be taken at not a high number and should provide a decent return if either hit.

The Blue Jackets have the highest odds at +280 but with how Ovechkin has slowed down with four goals over his last nine games, I don't expect him to break the record earlier then the final two games. The record being broken in New York should give us the best case scenario to cash in on some attendance bets for notable people attending the game.

Wayne Gretzky to be in attendance for the record-breaking goal isn't available on FanDuel but a longshot bet for someone who could be is former teammate Jaromír Jágr. The Hockey legend is still playing actively at 53 years old for the Czechia-based team he owns, Rytíři Kladno, but has been known to miss time and could again to see what will be a one-of-one legendary hockey moment.

Jagr and Ovechkin have been known to have a very close relationship with Jagr even sending a video to Ovechkin after he became the all-time leading goal scorer for European-born players and congratulating him on the achievement. 

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The Weekly Rewind: Vancouver Canucks Recaps From March 24 to 30

Mar 30, 2025; Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN; Winnipeg Jets center Morgan Barron (36) and Vancouver Canucks defenseman Marcus Pettersson (29) eye a flying puck in the second period at Canada Life Centre. Mandatory Credit: James Carey Lauder-Imagn Images

Welcome to The Weekly Rewind, a column published every Monday that recaps the past week of Vancouver Canucks hockey, including the team’s record, players with the highest stats, and more. This week, we’ll be looking at what the Canucks got up to from March 24 to 30, 2025.

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Vancouver started the week with a Prime Monday Night Hockey matchup against the New Jersey Devils. Two of the three Hughes brothers skated in this game, with Quinn Hughes registering his highest number of minutes played in one game this season with 31:38. The Canucks made comeback after comeback, tying the game up with 36 seconds left in the third period and taking the match to a shootout. Vancouver ultimately won the game 4–3 off a confident shot by rookie Jonathan Lekkerimäki. 

On Wednesday, Vancouver took on former Canuck Bo Horvat and the New York Islanders, scoring four-straight to take a 5–2 win. The bulk of this win came from a stellar performance by Thatcher Demko, particularly during the first period, as he stopped all 10 shots faced in the first frame. During the second period, Vancouver and New York combined to score five goals, with the Canucks escaping the second frame with the 3–2 lead. Kiefer Sherwood had two goals and an assist in the effort. 

Friday night was a shootout for Vancouver in more than one sense — one, because they actually pushed the game to a shootout, and two, because both themselves and the Columbus Blue Jackets combined for 13 goals scored. The Canucks took an early 3–0 lead in the first period, but ultimately squandered this chance by the halfway point of the game. A Kent Johnson shootout goal gave Columbus the 7–6 win. 

Heading into Sunday’s game against the Winnipeg Jets, the Canucks needed to add to their season point totals in order to contest the efforts of the St. Louis Blues and Calgary Flames. A lone goal scored by Pius Suter was not enough for Vancouver to win, as they lost 3–1 to the Winnipeg Jets. 

Playoff Odds From MoneyPuck.com 

9.7%

Stats 

Team record: 2–1–1

Highest points-getter: Pius Suter (8)

Most goals: Aatu Räty (3)

Most assists: Pius Suter (6)

Most hits: Kiefer Sherwod (29)

Most faceoffs taken: Pius Suter (80)

Most blocks: Quinn Hughes and Marcus Pettersson (7) 

Facts 

  • Kiefer Sherwood hits 400 hits in one season, becomes first NHL player to do so   
  • Jonathan Lekkerimäki scores first career shootout goal
  • Pius Suter records an ongoing four-game point streak 

The Canucks return to Vancouver for a three-game homestand that starts with a matchup against the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday, with puck drop expected for 7:30 pm PT. They don’t play again until April 5, when they take on the Anaheim Ducks at 1:00 pm PT. The next day, they’ll play against the Vegas Golden Knights at 7:00 pm PT. 

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

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