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All 4 lines contribute as Panthers get back in series with Game 3 OT win over Toronto

May 9, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers left wing Tomas Nosek (92) celebrates after scoring against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the second period in game three of the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

The Florida Panthers picked up perhaps their most important win of the season on Friday night.

Entering Game 3 against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Panthers were down 0-2 after dropping both games north of the border.

Florida dug deep and came back from a two-goal second period deficit to take down Toronto 5-4 keep their season very much alive.

It took all of 23 seconds for the Leafs to score first and take the crowd out of the game.

Matthew Knies jumped on a loose puck in front of the net after a Toronto-dominated shift to give the visitors a very early 1-0 lead.

About five minutes later, the fans raised out of their seats for a big hit by Carter Verhaeghe on Chris Tanev, but Toronto simply took the puck up ice and John Tavares pulled Sergei Bobrovsky out of his net with a strong move to his right before wrapping the puck around the opposite side of the net and in.

Florida’s captain stopped the bleeding at the 7:38 mark, carrying the puck off the boards and toward Joseph Woll.

Barkov’s backhand went off the stick of Leafs’ defenseman Morgan Reilly and into the net, cutting Toronto’s lead in half.

An offensive zone interference penalty by A.J. Greer early in the second period led to Toronto’s third goal.

Tavares got his stick blade on a shot by Mitch Marner from just inside the blue line to restore the Maple Leafs’ two-goal lead.

A scrum at Toronto’s net would lead to a replay review and eventually, a Panthers goal.

A shot by Evan Rodrigues was stopped by Woll, but it squeaked behind him and toward the goal line.

Brandon Carlo reached behind Woll and stopped the puck just before it crossed the goal line, but Sam Reinhart came swooping in and poked the puck just over the goal line.

Just 64 seconds later, Carter Verhaeghe converted a gorgeous backhand pass from Sam Bennett into a yawning cage to tie the game at three, sending the packed house into a frenzy.

It wasn’t until there was 4:53 left in the period that another goal was scored.

Tomas Nosek carried the puck into Toronto’s zone, cut behind Jonah Gadjovich to create a screen and beat Woll with a deceptive wrist shot, giving the Panthers their first lead of the night.

A fluky goal midway thought the third period would tie the game at four.

Bobrovsky made the blocker save on a shot by Morgan Reilly, but the rebound went directly off Seth Jones and right into the back of the net with just over nine minutes to go.

Florida failed to convert on a late power play, sending the game into overtime.

With 4:33 left in overtime, after several big saves by Sergei Bobrovsky, Brad Marchand ended the game with a deflected shot that fluttered past Woll.

Florida now has a chance to even the series on Sunday night in Sunrise.

On to Game 4.

QUICK THOUGHTS

Barkov’s goal was his third in the past four games.

Sam Reinhart picked up the primary assist on Barkov’s goal. It was his first point of the series. He finished the game with two.

Rodrigues logged a pair of assists, his first multi-point playoff game since Game 5 of last season’s Stanley Cup Final.

Verhaeghe is up to six points over his past four games after picking up a goal and an assist Friday.

Bennett has points in six of Florida’s eight playoff games.

Nosek’s goal was his second as a Panther, and first since Nov. 7 against Nashville.

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Mets flaunt power with four homers in 7-2 win over Cubs

The Mets opened their six-game homestand with an early-inning power surge, clubbing four home runs in a 7-2 win over the Chicago Cubs on Friday night at Citi Field.

Here are the takeaways...

-- Francisco Lindor recently became just the ninth shortstop to reach the 50-WAR threshold since 1970, and he wasted no time showcasing his elite skills in the field and at the plate. He took an infield single away from Cubs star Kyle Tucker in the top of the first by snagging an excuse-me chopper barehanded and throwing across his body for the out. Then, in the bottom half, he smacked a 0-2 fastball from Cubs starter Jameson Taillon that landed in the bullpen for his fourth leadoff home run this season. The Mets led 1-0 after one.

-- Taillon entered Friday with a sharp 1.96 ERA in six career starts against the Mets, but it sure didn't take long for the veteran right-hander's mark to rise. He gave up another leadoff homer in the second -- this time to Brett Baty, making his second straight start at third -- and then proceeded to watch designated hitter Jeff McNeil bump the Mets' lead to 3-0 witha solo shot to right. The second inning also featured a little surprise from Lindor, who changed his walk-up song to "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" for his second at-bat. The result? A swinging strikeout.

-- Of the Mets' seven knocks through three innings, six came with two strikes. But one ball in play that brought home a pair of runs in the third didn't register as a hit. With the bases loaded and one out, Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson botched a tailor-made double-play on a chopper from Luisangel Acuña, airmailing the throw down to first after stepping on second for the force out. The throwing error allowed Brandon Nimmo and Francisco Alvarez to score and increase the lead to 5-0. Taillon was knocked out after four innings.

-- Clay Holmes finally fell victim to the long ball in the fourth, as Tucker took a 1-1 sinker deep to right-center to cut the Cubs' deficit to four. It was the first homer allowed by the closer-turned-starter this season, and it came on his 168th batter faced. But the Mets made sure that Holmes entered the fifth with a five-run lead -- Juan Soto joined the power show by crushing a solo shot to the Shea Bridge. It was the superstar slugger's eighth homer of the season and third this week.

-- Holmes appreciated the run support he received in his previous start against the Cardinals -- big cushions simply weren't handed to him as a high-leverage reliever. This time around, he limited the damage and generated massive run on his sinker, completing six solid innings of one-run ball with five strikeouts. There were a few mistakes across his season-high 93 pitches -- he allowed three hits and walks apiece plus a wild pitch -- but his season ERA dropped to 2.74, and he's now produced three quality starts.

-- The Mets turned to Ryne Stanek for the seventh, and he retired the Cubs in order on 11 pitches. Dedniel Núñez got the ball to start the eighth and struck out two, but he also walked a pair that created a jam. With two outs, Reed Garrett entered and neutralized the threat by getting Seiya Suzuki to fly out to left-center.

-- Soto showed off his tower power in the fourth and opposite-field approach in the eighth. After Lindor reached first on an infield single and stole his fifth bag of the season, he found his way home on a line drive off Soto's bat that narrowly avoided Swanson's glove. The RBI knock marked Soto's 11th multi-hit game this season. New York produced 13 total hits, and a whopping 12 of them came with two strikes.

-- Jose Butto assumed the ninth and immediately fell into trouble by committing a pitch clock violation and allowing a solo homer and a single. But the right-hander regrouped by striking out three to cap off a strong night from the staff.

Game MVP: Francisco Lindor

Lindor's glovework and power in the first inning set the tone, and his new walk-up song set social media ablaze. Only time will tell if the classic hit from Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell sticks around at Citi Field, but the Mets' shortstop is now hitting .290 with an .848 OPS.

Highlights

What's next

The Mets (25-14) will play the middle game of their series against the Cubs on Saturday night with first pitch scheduled for 7:15 p.m. on FOX.

Tylor Megill (3-2, 2.50 ERA) is slated to take the mound for his eighth outing of the season. Chicago has yet to announce its starter, but rookie Cade Horton is expected to make his MLB debut.

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Mets prospect Nolan McLean pitches seven scoreless innings in Triple-A debut

Right-hander Nolan McLean had himself an impressive debut for the Syracuse Mets on Friday night.

The Mets' No. 3 overall prospect, according to Joe DeMayo, breezed through seven scoreless innings for the Mets' Triple-A affiliate. McLean threw just 78 pitches (57 strikes) to get through seven innings unscathed. He allowed seven hits (all singles) but did not walk a batter, while striking out seven against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimps.

McLean was promoted to Triple-A on Tuesday after dominating the prior level. In five starts with Binghamton, McLean pitched to a 3-1 record, a 1.37 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. He pitched 26.1 innings across those five Double-A starts and struck out 30 batters.

The 23-year-old left with Syracuse up 4-0, thanks to hits from up and down the lineup. Veteran first baseman/DH Jon Singleton picked up an RBI groundout in the first before Jared Young homered to give McLean a 2-0 lead in the third inning.

Luis De Los Santos hit an RBI double in the sixth and Mets No. 10 prospect Drew Gilbert launched a solo homer in the seventh, his second of the year.

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Former New Jersey Devils Defenseman Signs Overseas

Connor Carrick (© Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)

Former New Jersey Devils defenseman Connor Carrick is taking his talents overseas. The right-shot blueliner has signed a two-year contract with HC Lugano of the Swiss National League, as announced by the overseas club.

Carrick, 31, played all of this season down in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Bakersfield Condors. In 63 games with the Edmonton Oilers' AHL affiliate, he posted 18 goals, 41 points, 101 penalty minutes, and a plus-5 rating. Overall, it was a strong season in the AHL for the Orland Park, Illinois native, and he will now look to make an impact with HC Lugano from here.

Carrick played three seasons with the Devils from 2018-19 to 2020-21. In 60 games with the Metropolitan Division squad, he had three goals, 12 assists, 15 points, 58 hits, and a minus-14 rating. Carrick's time with the Devils ended during the 2021 NHL off-season when he signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Seattle Kraken.

In 242 career games over eight NHL seasons split between the Washington Capitals, Toronto Maple Leafs, Dallas Stars, Devils, and Boston Bruins, Carrick has posted 13 goals, 50 points, 157 penalty minutes, 238 hits, and a minus-19 rating.

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Goaltending Improvement Must Be Key For Sabres Next Season

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (Timothy T. Ludwig, USA TODAY Sports)

It's no secret that, as is true in many sports, defense wins championships in hockey, but it underscores the importance of goaltending when it comes to which teams succeed in the Stanley Cup playoffs. And a quick look at a couple key numbers only confirms it in the current post-season.

To wit: of the eight teams still playing this year, seven of them were in the top-10 in goals-against average. The Edmonton Oilers were the only anomaly, as they were 14th-overall in G.A.A. at 2.87. But otherwise, the teams that have lasted longest also had a well-above-average overall defense. And what we're seeing in the playoffs is similar, as the top four playoff G.A.A.s are owned by four teams -- the Carolina Hurricanes, Washington Capitals, Toronto Maple Leafs and (tied for fourth) the Florida Panthers -- who are still playing. That's not by accident.

Thus, this is why the Buffalo Sabres have to have a better overall defense, but they also need improvement in net. Because this season, the team G.A.A. was not only well below-average, but it was the pits, as their 3.50 G.A.A was third-worst in the league. 

That means workhorse Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has to be better. His 3.20 G.A.A. this year wasn't great, and his save percentage of .887 also left much to be desired. Greybeard James Reimer likely won't be back, and youngster Devon Levi's brief (nine-game) stint also didn't look good (.872 SP, 4.12 G.A.A.).

Certainly, the Sabres' defense in front of the goalies has to be better as well. We're not here to tell you it's solely the goalies' fault. But there's no question Buffalo's overall presence in their own zone has to be stronger, and the goalies have to own their role in that challenge.

Another free agent depth signing in net could be crucial for the Sabres if things don't go well defense-wise out of the gate for them next fall. Buffalo's offense can only do so much, if the guy between the pipes can't do their part. So the pressure will be on Sabres goaltending until further notice -- and if it doesn't go as hoped, bigger changes might be on the horizon for the team's goalie picture.

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The pope is a White Sox fan: Baseball and the conclave collide in the holiest fandom twist

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

Every so often, baseball and the outside world collide in ways that feel more mythic than real. On the latest episode of "Baseball Bar-B-Cast," hosts Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman reveled in one such moment: when the brand-new pope turned out to be a Chicago White Sox fan.

Let’s break down why this story became instant baseball legend.

A new pope is big news. But this one hits different. As Mintz says, “All of religious history has led up to this. Yes, my dear friends, the pope is a White Sox fan.” 

It’s the sort of news that, as podcasters, you can’t wait to get behind the mic for. “There just isn’t a better feeling,” Shusterman notes, than being gifted “so much incredible stuff to talk about.”

When news broke that Pope Leo XIV hails from Chicago, speculation erupted: Cubs or White Sox? Initially, reports — and even the Cubs’ own social media! — leaned Cubs, but then the story pivoted.

It wasn’t until the pope’s own brother appeared in an interview that the truth emerged. “He’s always been a White Sox fan,” the brother declared. Despite the family split (mother: Cubs; father: Cardinals), the pope stayed loyal to the South Side. 

Mintz summarizes the stance: “He’s not just, yeah, he liked the White Sox, and then they move on. He’s like, yeah, I don’t know where all this Cub stuff is coming from. He’s always been a White Sox fan.”

As Shusterman adds, “This man is not just, you know, grew up and thought Luis Aparicio was cool. This guy … has been into the Sox for a long time now.” 

The ultimate proof? A photo from the 2005 World Series featuring His Holiness at a White Sox game, Nokia phone in hand, basking in the glory of Chicago’s first championship in generations.

“Going to a World Series game as a fan is an expensive thing to do," Mintz says. "... This is someone who had opinions on Mark Buehrle. Now he’s the pope.”

Does it fit? Jake and Jordan think so. “The White Sox are what you would call a poverty franchise," Mintz says. "And what is the pope supposed to do if not take care of the poor?” 

They laugh, but there’s truth there: A team starved for hope and leadership now has a weird, cosmic link to the Vatican’s top spot.

The hosts muse about what this could mean for the franchise. “If the White Sox, along with his guidance … can rise,” Jordan says, “maybe some divine influence will help.” 

The White Sox themselves quickly embraced the connection. They sent a custom jersey and hat straight to the Vatican and invited the pontiff to his “cathedral” at 35th and Shields.

Don’t expect the pope to be rocking a fitted cap from the balcony or tossing out a first pitch, at least not according to precedent. But Pope Francis (a fan of Argentina’s San Lorenzo) held up plenty of soccer scarves and jerseys, so maybe we’ll see Pope Leo XIV do the same. 

Mintz can't resist asking: “If the pope comes out here and is like, ‘I don’t want robo umps,’ does that move the needle?”

But as Jordan and Jake both note, the larger point is the narrative: “Some things are bigger than baseball,” the White Sox said in a statement, “and in this case, we’re glad to have a White Sox fan represented at the Vatican.”

This intersection of faith and fandom is the kind of bit that only baseball can provide. The new pope is a White Sox fan — documented and witnessed. Cubs fans might grumble, but for a franchise starved for miracles, this moment offers hope, humor and maybe, just maybe, a prayer for the South Side.

For more of the latest baseball news and debates, tune in to "Baseball-Bar-B-Cast" on Apple, Spotify or YouTube.

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Bruins and Kings Only NHL Teams to Lose to The Same Team in the First Round Four Straight Years

© Perry Nelson

As the final seconds ticked down in Edmonton in Game 6, Kings fans were surely feeling sorry for themselves and maybe even thinking that only the LA Kings could lose to the same team four years in a row in the first round, right?

Wrong. The Boston Bruins were already passengers on this pain train back in the mid-80s. The Bruins ran into their hated rivals, the Montreal Canadiens, every year in the first round between 1984 and 1987, and like the Kings, were sent packing every time. 

If, however, the Kings continue to follow the Bruins' example, they may find themselves in a very long playoff run nest season. 

After four straight losses at the hands of the Habs, Ray Bourque and the Bruins started cooking in 1988. After avoiding Montreal in the first round this time-maybe something the Kings should think about- Boston would take out Dave Andreychuk and the Buffalo Sabres in six games in the first round. 

In the second round it would be time for redemption: a rematch with the red, white, and blue nemesis known as the Montreal Canadiens. This time, however, Ray Bourque, Cam Neeley, and Ken Linsemen would finally have their revenge against Le Tricolore in five games.

The Hockey Samurai 侍 (@hockey_samurai) on XThe Hockey Samurai 侍 (@hockey_samurai) on X1988. Habs/Bruins. Adams Div Final. With this goal, Cam Neely puts the icing on the cake and Boston finally beats Montreal in the playoffs. They had gone 0-18 in series since 1946 and Seabass slays the dragon. #NHLBruins

But getting the Montreal monkey off their back wasn't enough for Boston. They were hungry for more and went on to defeat Kirk Muller and the New Jersey Devils in seven games in the Prince of Wales Conference Finals.

And here's where the parallels with the Los Angeles Kings come into focus. Who did the Bruins face in the Cup Finals? The Edmonton Oilers. Gulp.

Now it's true that the current Oilers feature the formidable duo of McDavid and Draisaitl, it's fair to stay they have nothing on the 1988 Oilers. A quick glace at that roster reveals names such as Jari Kuri, Mark Messier, and Wayne Gretzky: a far cry from the likes of Connor Brown, Evander Kane, and Zach Hyman.

Facing the fire power of these future Hall of Famers would prove to be too much for Boston and they would eventually find themselves on the wrong end of a sweep.

Thus, if it's any solace to the Kings and their fans, precedent has shown that the fifth time can be the charm. The formula? Avoid Edmonton in the first round next year and then don't lose in the Finals. 

Piece of cake. 

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Cavaliers' Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, De'Andre Hunter all available, playing in Game 3

Entering what is essentially a must-win game for Cleveland on Friday night, already down 0-2 to Indiana, the Cavaliers three key players out last game are returning for Game 3.

Darius Garland (toe), Evan Mobley (ankle) and De'Andre Hunter (thumb) are all available for Game 3, with Garland and Mobley returning to their starting roles.

That starting five, the Cavaliers ' most-used lineup during the regular season and had a dominant +12.5 net rating, has played just 23 minutes across six playoff games due to injury (and has a -5.1 net rating in those minutes).

Cleveland needs Garland and Mobley to take some of the ball-handling and shot-creation load off Donovan Mitchell, who scored 48 points in Game 2 and got the Cavaliers out to a 20-point lead, but wore down during the fourth quarter as that lead slipped away. Mitchell was 2-of-6 in the fourth and Indiana got the win.

Garland has been battling turf toe going back to the regular season, but it was aggravated in Cleveland's first-round series against Miami and he sat out the final two games of that series and the first two of this one. Mobley and Garland were injured on back-to-back possessions in the fourth quarter of Game 1 against Indiana. Mobley rolled his ankle when he was crowded by Myles Turner while taking a shot and landed on Turner's foot. Hunter suffered a dislocated thumb when Bennedict Mathurin blocked his dunk attempt. After the game, Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said he didn't think the Pacers' plays were dirty but that the officials need to better protecting player safety.

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'Definitely Miss Him': Avalanche's MacKinnon Reflects On The Rantanen Trade In Sweden

Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen (Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images)

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN - Nathan MacKinnon was all smiles as he arrived for the 2025 IIHF men's World Championship.

That said, he had to answer some tough questions in front of a sea of reporters about the Colorado Avalanche's first-round loss and his former teammate, Mikko Rantanen.

One of the wide range of topics discussed after Team Canada's Friday practice was Rantanen, who scored a third-period hat trick to propel the Dallas Stars to eliminate the Avalanche in what felt like a revenge game against the team that traded him. 

With the Avalanche and Rantanen struggling to agree on a new contract extension early in the season, the team traded the superstar right winger to the Carolina Hurricanes, which then moved him to the Stars at the trade deadline. 

The Stars ultimately gave Rantanen an eight-year, $96-million contract extension, and the rest is history. He leads the NHL with eight goals and 15 points in eight playoff games.

MacKinnon attempted to dodge a question about whether the Avalanche made a mistake trading Rantanen, but he did share some feelings about his former teammate.

"It's tough to say," MacKinnon said. "I can't really give you an answer. I don't know. Obviously, I'd love to have him on the team, but he's not on the team, so I don't really know what to say. Definitely miss him. Obviously, he scored a hat trick on us in Game 7. Amazing player and great friend as well."

MacKinnon and Rantanen played in Colorado with each other since the 2015-16 season and shared many valuable memories, including winning a Stanley Cup in 2022.

All of the feelings associated with those memories don't go away. 

While the loss of getting eliminated still stings, MacKinnon had nothing but positive things to say about Rantanen.

"He's an amazing player," MacKinnon said. "As you know, he did so much for our team, so no surprise that he's dominating. Yeah, he's been playing great."

Will The Colorado Avalanche Benefit Long-Term From Depth Over A $12-Million Rantanen? Will The Colorado Avalanche Benefit Long-Term From Depth Over A $12-Million Rantanen? The Colorado Avalanche began and ended the 2024-25 NHL season on a low note. 

There was also a quick discussion about how the Avalanche lost against the Stars in Game 7 of the first round.

MacKinnon made sure to give Dallas its flowers, not before mentioning the two late third-period penalties that allowed the Stars to seize momentum of the game and win.

"They just don't go away," MacKinnon said. "I thought, overall, we had a good series. We played well enough to win. Obviously up 2-0 with 10 minutes left. I think some of those penalties were, I don't know if those are playoff Game 7 penalties, but it is what it is. I feel like our team is close. You know, it's a first-round loss, but it's a pretty good team we played."

It's clear this Avalanche and Stars rivalry is not going anywhere. As for MacKinnon, he still has a different championship to win. Team Canada gets going against Slovakia at 6:20 a.m. ET on Saturday at the World Championship.

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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Why Steve Kerr believes Draymond Green will be ready for Game 3 after incident

Why Steve Kerr believes Draymond Green will be ready for Game 3 after incident originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Draymond Green dealt with a lot during the Warriors’ Game 2 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night at Target Center.

After picking up a technical foul in the first half and facing racist taunts from a fan during the fourth quarter, Green issued a short, impassioned statement to a few media members in the locker room before leaving.

But with an important Game 3 set for Saturday night at Chase Center, Warriors coach Steve Kerr is confident the 35-year-old forward will be fine when the players take the court.

“I don’t think it will impact the game,” Kerr told reporters on a conference call Friday afternoon. “I wasn’t aware of what happened, in terms of the fan, like the insults, until I read about it this morning. I talked to him about that and we did talk about the technical counts and just the whole set of circumstances, but I know Draymond well. He’s going to be ready to go tomorrow. He’s going to play a great game.

“He understands where we are in the series and we have this great opportunity. It’s 1-1 and we’ve got home-court advantage. We got our home crowd tomorrow. So he’s excited. I’m excited and we moved past all that stuff.”

Green’s technical foul for hitting Timberwolves center Naz Reid in the head is his fifth infraction in nine games this postseason. Two more and Green faces a one-game suspension.

Long after the outcome of the game had been decided, Green, who played 29 minutes in the 117-93 loss, was riding a stationary bike near the tunnel when he appeared to be taunted by a fan sitting nearby.

The Timberwolves issued a statement Friday morning, which Kerr commended.

“The only thing I can say is that the Timberwolves handled it perfectly,” Kerr said Friday. “For their security to be on it and remove the fan. Obviously, that stuff is ugly and unacceptable. And so we want to thank the Timberwolves organization for handling it as well as they possibly could. I just think that things like this happen occasionally.

“Happened to me a couple of times as a player. Fans crossing the line, yelling stuff at you. It’s painful. I can’t sit here and claim to know what it would be like to be in Draymond’s shoes as a Black man, to hear racially insensitive comments like that.

“But I’ve heard my share of stuff that’s really painful and hurtful and it’s not ideal, but you always want the support of the security and the crowd, the home crowd, and like I said, the Wolves handled that beautifully and Draymond is handling it really well.”

But Kerr wanted to make it clear that one fan doesn’t represent an entire fanbase or city.

“It’s unacceptable for any fan to do that to a player,” Kerr said. “When you say it’s unacceptable, there has to be action that goes with that term, and that’s exactly what the Timberwolves did. Security immediately ejected the fan, so we are really grateful for the way that the T-Wolves handled the situation.

“I know that ‘Minnesota Nice’ is a phrase to describe Minnesotans and I found that to be 100 percent true. The last few days, every single person I ran into was so kind and everybody was saying the same thing like ‘I’m pulling for the T-Wolves, but you guys are always welcome in our city.’ It’s a real thing, the hospitality in Minneapolis, in Minnesota.

“So I never take words from one person and label a city with that. There’s just going to be people, individuals, sometimes they’re drunk, whatever, who cross the line and it’s unfortunate but it doesn’t at all impact my view of the city of Minneapolis.”

Kerr has been open about how, when he played college basketball at Arizona, fans taunted him regarding the murder of his dad, Malcolm, in a terrorist attack in Beirut, Lebanon, in 1984.

So, while Kerr might be the right person to ask if fans hurling racial or other insensitive taunts should be banned from attending future NBA games, he doesn’t want that weight on his shoulders.

“It’s a good question,” Kerr told reporters. “I kind of leave that up to the league to decide. They have their protocols, their rules, But these ugly incidents are … I don’t think they’re common but they do happen occasionally and I mentioned earlier, they happened to me when I was in college. Not racial taunts, but taunts about my father, who had been killed in a terrorist act a year earlier or so. That was the most shocking moment of my entire playing career to hear somebody saying something like that, that was so personally hurtful and painful and intentionally trying to hurt me.

“And so, I empathize with every athlete, whether it’s Draymond last night getting taunted about racial taunts, whether it’s really anything. It seems like a few times a year, you read about situations like this. I think Russell Westbrook, in Utah a few years ago, had to go through something like that, and it’s unfortunate but like I said, I believe most of these incidents are pretty isolated and it’s really important that people handle them the right way and the Timberwolves absolutely handled it the right way.”

Kerr understands what Green is going through, but he fully expects his star forward to bring his best self in a game the Warriors need to win Saturday night.

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Harper scuffling, Phillies blanked to begin series in Cleveland

Harper scuffling, Phillies blanked to begin series in Cleveland originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Phillies had scored first in nine straight games entering Friday’s series opener in Cleveland and were in business immediately with a Bryson Stott walk and Trea Turner single.

Right-hander Gavin Williams had two on, nobody out for Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos, a situation which more often than not produces runs but didn’t on Friday night. Harper advanced them with a groundout, Schwarber struck out looking and Castellanos went down swinging to end an eight-pitch at-bat.

It was the Phillies’ first and best opportunity of the night in a 6-0 loss. They went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and had no extra-base hits, a quiet offensive night for a team that had scored 70 runs in its last 11 games.

Harper was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts and has been in a rut the last six series, going 11-for-63 (.175) with three doubles, a homer, six RBI, nine walks and 19 strikeouts since April 21. It’s been slightly less noticeable because so many other Phillies have hit during that stretch and the team has gone 9-7, but their former MVP hasn’t been himself.

Part of it is the way Harper has been pitched. He’s seen the lowest percentage of pitches inside the strike zone of any player in baseball, 42% compared to a league average of 50%.

And the only player in the National League who has seen a higher rate of breaking balls than Harper (42%) is Castellanos (45%).

The pitch Harper grounded out on in the first inning was a curveball at the bottom of the zone. The pitch he struck out on in the third inning was a curveball well below the zone. He struck out looking in the fifth on a backdoor curveball that caught the upper-outside corner for a strike ’em out, throw ’em out double play with Trea Turner. Harper went down on three pitches in the eighth, striking out on a sweeper at his back foot.

Harper’s numbers overall against the breaking ball this season (.237 BA, .458 SLG) are similar to 2022-24 (.253 BA, .469 SLG), but the last few weeks haven’t been pretty.

Aaron Nola’s night started well with three scoreless innings and two quick outs in the fourth before Kyle Manzardo took him deep to center field. The fifth inning, his last, went walk, flyout, two-run homer, single, single, single to put the Guardians up four and load the bases with one out.

Nola allowed four runs in five innings and is 1-6 with a 4.89 ERA.

The Phillies are 22-16 after the first loss of this week’s road trip to Tampa and Cleveland. They’ll look to even the series Saturday night in Ranger Suarez’ second start. Cleveland counters with right-hander Tanner Bibee, who dominated the Phils two seasons ago with seven scoreless, two-hit innings.

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Knicks strive to play 'as desperate' as Celtics with commanding 3-0 series lead within reach

If fortune really does favor the bold, the Knicks' pair of stunning comeback road wins against the Celtics this week bode well for the remainder of their Eastern Conference semifinal bout. NBA history is on their side, too, as teams with a 2-0 advantage in a best-of-seven series have advanced nearly 93 percent of the time.

The Knicks, entering Game 3 on Saturday at Madison Square Garden with full momentum and better health, are primed to take a commanding 3-0 lead over the reigning champions and silence even more doubters. But it's still way too early for any chatter about a potential sweep -- comfort is a luxury they're unwilling to accept.

"Control the controllables, and do everything we can to put ourselves in a position to win," Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns said after Friday's practice. "If we can do that, we'll live with the results. Don't take it for granted, don't get comfortable. You've got to be as desperate as we've been these last two games, in Game 3 and on. Never get comfortable with any success. Never too high, never too low."

While there's no such thing as style points in the playoffs, the Knicks undoubtedly have to clean up their game on both ends of the court. In spite of their improbable victories -- they had never won consecutive playoff games at TD Garden before -- both games featured 20-point deficits midway through the third quarter. They were also outrebounded twice.

The Knicks also can't count on more pitiful three-point shooting from the Celtics, who've gone a pitiful 25 percent (25-of-100) from beyond the arc. They can't expect Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum to keep shriveling up in fourth-quarter crunchtime, or dig another massive hole with inconsistent first-half performances.

Whether or not the first two games have crushed the Celtics' spirit, the Knicks must realize the numbers aren't sustainable and the series is far from over. After all, they've yet to play their best brand of basketball. The reality that their game can still be elevated could serve as an extra source of motivation. Their foot can't come off the gas pedal.

"The mentality is 0-0. Don't even focus on [the series lead]. Focus on the next play, the next quarter," Knicks captain Jalen Brunson said. "Don't look ahead, don't look into anything. Just focus on the task at hand and be present... The game is unpredictable. No matter what you prepare for, there's going to be things that happen that you're not really ready for... We've got to be locked-in together."

The Knicks now own home-court advantage, and perhaps an exceptionally raucous Garden crowd will help them buck a trend. While they've proven to be road warriors, they finished 27-14 at home during the regular season and lost two of three home games in their first-round series against the Pistons.

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Crosby, Malkin Named To NHL Quarter-Century Team

Nov 27, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) and center Evgeni Malkin (71) talk before a face-off against the Vancouver Canucks during the third period at PPG Paints Arena. (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)

The votes for the NHL Quarter-Century Team are finally in. 

And, so far, two Pittsburgh Penguins' all-time greats have made the cut.

With the NHL releasing the names in groups by decade of debut, and captain Sidney Crosby and fellow center Evgeni Malkin made the second cut out of players that debuted between 2000-10. 

The other names from that cut included Alex Ovechkin, Steven Stamkos, Patrick Kane, Patrice Bergeron, and Pavel Datsyuk. 

Crosby, 37, debuted in the first post-lockout season in 2005-06 after being selected first overall in 2005, and he has been dominating the NHL ever since. He's registered 602 goals and 1,637 points in 1,311 games, and he sits ninth all-time in points. He also recorded his 20th consecutive point-per-game season in 2024-25, officially breaking Wayne Gretzky's previous record of 19. He is widely regarded as one of the five greatest NHL players of all time.

Malkin, 38, was drafted second overall behind Ovechkin in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. Known as one of the greatest Russian-born players of all time, he has put together an impressive career with 506 goals and 1,327 points in 1,184 games. He became just the fourth active player to reach the 500-goal plateau during the 2024-25 season.

Both Crosby and Malkin are three-time Stanley Cup champions (2009, 2016, 2017), and each have won the Conn Smythe Trophy, the Ted Lindsay Award, the Art Ross Trophy, and the Hart Trophy.

The NHL Quarter-Century Team will be fully revealed over the next several days, and it will feature the 25 best NHL players since 2000 as voted on by fans. Each NHL franchise had its own Quarter-Century team - slow-rolled during the back half of the regular season - which was voted on by a panel of media, former players, and executives representing each team.

The 25 players for the NHL Quarter-Century team were made eligible by being voted to their respective team's first-Quarter-Century team. There are no positional limits for the players selected.

You can track the Quarter-Century reveals on The Hockey News here.

Coaching Conclaves: Who Should Be Annointed Next Penguins' Head Coach?Coaching Conclaves: Who Should Be Annointed Next Penguins' Head Coach?The Vatican conclave to elect a new Pope has officially concluded, but there are other conclaves generating buzz around the National Hockey League.

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab  to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!    

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Mets Injury Notes: Sean Manaea throwing at 120 feet, Frankie Montas scheduled for bullpen on Friday

Prior to Friday's matchup between the Mets and the Chicago Cubs, manager Carlos Mendoza gave updates on three of his rehabbing pitchers...

Sean Manaea

Since Manaea's last update of throwing from 105 feet earlier in the week, the left-hander is now up to 120 feet and "feeling good."

"I think he was scheduled to play catch off the mound, not with the catcher squatting down, but off the mound," Mendoza said.

There's still no timetable for Manaea's return, let alone a rehab assignment, but New York is hoping he doesn't suffer any setbacks from his oblique injury this time around after getting shut down in mid-March due to discomfort.

He resumed throwing on April 14 after getting a platelet-rich plasma injection.

Frankie Montas

There continues to be good news with Montas, who is waiting to make his Mets debut this season.

Following his third bullpen session on Tuesday, the veteran right-hander is scheduled for another one on Friday. After that, the next step is hopefully facing live batters.

"He’s scheduled to throw a bullpen today, I think it’s his fourth one, so hopefully by the end of next week he’s facing hitters," Mendoza said.

Paul Blackburn

The closest one of the three to returning to the big league club is Blackburn, who is currently on a rehab assignment.

After two starts with High-A Brooklyn, the right-hander moved up to Triple-A Syracuse where he pitched 3.2 innings on May 6, giving up one run on three hits and a walk while striking out five.

He's scheduled to throw again on Sunday with Syracuse in Jacksonville.

"I think he’s up to 50-some pitches now," Mendoza said. "He’s continuing to progress well."

The skipper added that the goal is for Blackburn to reach 70-75 pitches, which he will likely reach after two or three more starts, before the Mets make a decision.