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2025 NBA playoff simulation: Will C's repeat as NBA champs?

2025 NBA playoff simulation: Will C's repeat as NBA champs? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Celtics will look to begin another dominant postseason run when they welcome the Orlando Magic to TD Garden for Game 1 of their first-round playoff series on Easter Sunday.

Boston, the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, aims to become the franchise’s first team to repeat as NBA champions since the 1968 and 1969 squads led by Bill Russell. It would be the first NBA team to repeat since the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018.

Perhaps the No. 7 seed Magic won’t pose the Celtics’ biggest threat in their title quest, but it won’t be an easy road the rest of the way. The East is filled with teams that could give the C’s some trouble, including the Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks, and the top-seed Cleveland Cavaliers. Potential NBA Finals showdowns with the No. 1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Lakers, or Denver Nuggets also won’t be cakewalks.

So, just how far will the Celtics go on their quest for Banner 19? Our partners at Strat-O-Matic ran a simulation to find out, and they ended up with some interesting results.

Let’s jump in. . .

First Round: No. 2 Celtics defeat No. 7 Orlando Magic, 4-0

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Unsurprisingly, the reigning champions steamroll the underdog Magic with a first-round sweep. Boston sets the tone for another long postseason run with two blowout victories at TD Garden before finishing the series in Orlando with two closer wins.

East Semifinals: No. 2 Celtics defeat No. 6 Detroit Pistons, 4-3

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The Celtics face a far tougher test in Round 2 against the scrappy Pistons, who are coming off an impressive bounce-back campaign. Detroit dispatched the New York Knicks in five games and brought Boston to Game 7, but couldn’t finish the job at TD Garden. The C’s survived with a 13-point victory to advance to their fourth consecutive Eastern Conference Finals.

East Finals: No. 1 Cleveland Cavaliers defeat No. 2 Celtics, 4-3

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The Cavs cruised to the East Finals with sweeps of the Miami Heat in the first round and the Indiana Pacers in the second round, setting up a fascinating postseason rematch with the C’s.

Boston squeaked out a tough Game 1 win on the road, but Cleveland responded with three consecutive wins to put the Celtics on the brink of elimination.

Trailing the series 3-1, the C’s lived to see another day with a nail-biter five-point win in Cleveland. Boston forced Game 7 with a blowout victory at TD Garden.

During Game 7 in Cleveland, the Celtics led by a point at halftime before a 12-2 Cavs run put Cleveland up by 10 entering the fourth quarter. The C’s would get back within four with two minutes left, but a turnover and a basket on the other end by the Cavs’ Evan Mobley put the game out of reach in an eventual 108-98 Cavs victory.

According to Strat-O-Matic, Cleveland gets its revenge.

Celtics’ top playoff performers

Co-stars Jayson Tatum (28.1 ppg) and Jaylen Brown (22.8 ppg) led the way for the Celtics in their postseason run.

Western Conference Playoffs

First Round

  • No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder defeat No. 8 Memphis Grizzlies, 4-2
  • No. 4 Denver Nuggets defeat No. 5 Los Angeles Clippers, 4-1
  • No. 3 Los Angeles Lakers defeat No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves, 4-3
  • No. 2 Houston Rockets defeat No. 7 Golden State Warriors, 4-3

West Semifinals

  • No. 2 Thunder defeat No. 4 Denver Nuggets, 4-2
  • No. 3 Los Angeles Lakers defeat No. 2 Houston Rockets, 4-2

West Finals

  • No. 1 Thunder defeat No. 3 Lakers, 4-1

2025 NBA Finals: Thunder defeat Cavaliers, 4-3

The Thunder take down the Cavs in a thrilling seven-game series. OKC superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander averages 35.0 points and 6.0 assists per game and is a no-brainer for Finals MVP.

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What are the largest NBA playoff wins? Where Thunder's 51-point margin ranks

What are the largest NBA playoff wins? Where Thunder's 51-point margin ranks originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Oklahoma City Thunder brought the boom.

Boasting a league-best 68-14 regular-season record, top-seeded Oklahoma opened its NBA playoff run with a whopping 131-80 Game 1 win over the No. 8 Memphis Grizzlies.

Six Thunder players eclipsed double-digit points, with Aaron Wiggins recording 21 off the bench for welcome output. MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was only the team’s fourth-leading scorer on the day with 15 points.

It marked the largest Game 1 margin in NBA history, but how did it fare compared to playoff history? Let’s take a look:

What is the largest NBA playoff win?

Two games hold a tie for the largest NBA playoff win. Most recently in the 2009 playoffs, the Denver Nuggets crushed the New Orleans Hornets 121-63 for a 58-point win, as did the Minneapolis Lakers in their 1956 133-75 result over the St. Louis Hawks.

Denver’s win came in the first round, while Minneapolis’ was in the semifinals, though the formats differed.

What are the largest NBA playoff wins in NBA history?

Oklahoma City’s 51-point margin over Memphis is top-five worthy. Here’s a list of the 50-plus-point margins in NBA playoff history:

  • 58 points: Minneapolis Lakers 133, St. Louis Hawks 75 (1956 Western Division semifinals)
  • 58 points: Denver Nuggets 121, New Orleans Hornets 63 (2009 Western Conference first round)
  • 56 points: Los Angeles Lakers 126, Golden State Warriors 70 (1973 Western Conference Finals)
  • 54 points: Chicago Bulls 120, Milwaukee Bucks 66 (2015 Eastern Conference first round)
  • 51 points: Oklahoma City Thunder 131, Memphis Grizzlies 80 (2025 Western Conference first round)
  • 50 points: Milwaukee Bucks 136, San Francisco Warriors 86 (1971 Western Conference semifinals)
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ICYMI in Mets Land: Pete Alonso, Kodai Senga star in series-clinching win over Cardinals; Jeff McNeil update

Here's what happened Saturday in Mets Land, in case you missed it...

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"I think he is one of the most under appreciated defensemen in the league," Golden Knights Head Coach Hands Out High Praise For Defensive Defenseman

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb (3) before the game against the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb finished the season with a +/- rating of +42, the second-best in the NHL, earning high praise from HC Bruce Cassidy.

"I think Brayden McNabb is one of the most under appreciated defensemen in the league," Cassidy said.

The 34-year-old is known for his defensive acumen, throwing 131 hits this season and blocking 167 shots. His 167 blocked shots ranked first on the Golden Knights and 14th in the NHL. His defensive work is more than enough for Cassidy to feel this way about McNabb, but he's become more than that. 

His penalty killing work is highlighted by his improved play with the puck. He's cleaner with his breakouts and moves the puck efficiently, and it's why he's worked so well next to Shea Theodore or Kaedan Korczak.

In addition to his puck-moving, the 2024-25 campaign saw McNabb equal his career-high in goals (5) and record the third-highest point total of his career (20). He also averaged the second-most ice time of his career, 20:07, and recorded over 20 minutes for the third time in his career. 

Earlier this season, the Davidson, SK, native signed a three-year contract extension, which will keep him with the Golden Knights until he is 37 years old. His 6'4 frame and hockey IQ should help him stay in top form despite being considered one of the slowest skaters in the NHL. Since he arrived in Vegas, McNabb has been a safety blanket for each coach, and he'll continue to be vital to the team's defensive success. 

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.

Golden Knights Sticking With Lines That Have WorkedGolden Knights Sticking With Lines That Have WorkedThe Vegas Golden Knights flamed out in the first round of the playoffs last year to the Dallas Stars in large part due to HC Bruce Cassidy’s inability to find the best lines. The blame can’t all be put on him as the Golden Knights were ravaged with injuries and did not have enough time to build chemistry among linemates.  Storylines Abound When In Opening Round Series Between Golden Knights And Wild, Including Several Head-To-Head MatchupsStorylines Abound When In Opening Round Series Between Golden Knights And Wild, Including Several Head-To-Head MatchupsLAS VEGAS -- There are storylines aplenty across every NHL Playoff series, and will be as we get closer to the Stanley Cup Final.
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Florian Xhekaj Is Now Part Of An Exclusive Club

Florian Xhekaj in preseason action with the Montreal Canadiens. Photo credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

The Laval Rocket ended its season with a 5-4 win over the Belleville Senators. Since the Montreal Canadiens had already clinched the league’s championship, coach Pascal Vincent opted to rest some of his regulars and iced his “B” lineup.

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Those who didn’t benefit from a night off were Florian Xhekaj, Owen Beck, and recently signed goaltender Jacob Fowler. The young netminder gave up four goals on 31 shots, finishing his night with a .871 save percentage. Not a brilliant result, to say the least, but Laval’s defense was not as strong as it usually is.

Beck, Tuch, and Noel Hoefenmayer each picked up a goal while Xhekaj scored a pair, including the overtime winner. Now that the season is over, we can say just how impressive the youngest Xhekaj’s first professional season has been.

He finishes the year with 24 goals and 11 assists for 35 points, but he also put up 175 penalty minutes, meaning he entered a very select club. Only three other players in AHL history have scored at least 20 goals while putting up at least 150 penalty minutes.

Shaun Van Allen scored 25 goals and 182 penalty minutes with the Cape Breton Oilers in 1990-91, but he was 24 years old and in his fourth pro season. He went on to play 794 games in the NHL.  

Zenon Konopka scored 24 goals and racked up 194 penalty minutes in 2007-08 with the Syracuse Crunch, but he was 27 years old and in his sixth professional season. He went on to play 346 games in the NHL.

Former Hab Cédric Paquette was the last to accomplish the feat in 2013-14 with the Crunch. He’s the only one, aside from Xhekaj, who can do it in his first professional season. He played 448 games in the NHL, winning the Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2019-20. He played his last 24 NHL games with the Canadiens.

There’s no guarantee that Xhekaj will be able to have that kind of career, but his first season certainly is an encouraging sign, and he looks like a good candidate for an energy line in Montreal down the line. This season, he also pulverised the rookie goal scoring record in Laval which stood at 17. When he scored the game-winning goal in overtime on Saturday night, he celebrated in a particular fashion, not taking the time to celebrate with his teammates and heading straight to the dressing room, as if to say, “Time to get on with the real business!”

Thanks to winning the league championship, the Rocket has a bye for the first round of the playoffs and will face the winner of the Cleveland Monsters—Toronto Marlies duel. A team only needs to win three games to move on to the division semifinal. The Monsters have won seven of the eight duels between the two sides this season and look to be the favorites in that series.

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Kane Suggests Mutual Interest in Red Wings Return

Apr 1, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Detroit Red Wings right wing Patrick Kane (88) skates against the St. Louis Blues during the third period at Enterprise Center. (Jeff Le, Imagn Images)

In April a year ago, Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane—then an expiring free agent—raised eyebrows at his locker clean-out day press availability when he spoke about his time in the Red Wings in the past tense: "It was fun to be a Wing and in this organization. I'll definitely have some memories to last me a life time," Kane said then.

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That sounded like a farewell, but instead, on the cusp of free agencies opening, Kane agreed to a one-year, bonus-laden deal to remain in Detroit for another season, remaining with the franchise where he revitalized his career after hip resurfacing surgery.

Now, Kane is again an expiring free agent, but during Saturday's locker clean out interview, his message about the future was one Red Wings fans will be eager to here.  Regarding free agency, Kane said he would "definitely take some time to think, but overall, I've really enjoyed my time here, and I think it's been a great place for me to continue my career and play and there's a lot of great things about the organization."  Kane then proclaimed, there is "definitely some mutual interest in coming back and continuing on here."

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In 72 games this season, Kane scored 21 goals and added 38 assists.  He started the season slow, but his game picked up with the arrival of new coach Todd McLellan and his creative touch proved an essential ingredient in Detroit's lethal power play.

On Saturday, Kane pointed out that free agency can be unpredictable but said another contract similar (in term and bonus structure, something players over the age of 35 are able to include in their contracts) to his present one sounds appealing.

"Last year I felt like I sat up here and said one thing I was thinking at the time—talking about security and maybe multi-year contracts—and then a month, a couple weeks later, you think completely different," Kane said.  "So I think those are conversations that still need to be had with myself, my family, the people closest with me, my agent, obviously with the organization too and figure all that out, but I thought this year with my age and the one-year bonuses and kinda working that contract, I thought it worked well for both sides."

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'I Can't Say Enough': Jared Bednar Praises Avalanche GM For New Additions

Mackenzie Blackwood (Sergei Belski-Imagn Images)

“All the pieces, including depth pieces, serve a purpose.”

Adding new players is a delicate process.

The Colorado Avalanche knows a thing or two about that this year. While the calendars were still reading the year 2024, they had swapped out their entire goalie tandem. Alexandar Georgiev and Justus Annunen were out, and Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood came in.

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Further into the season, the Avalanche made many more additions. Brock Nelson, Charlie Coyle, Ryan Lindgren, and Jack Drury were a few of the other players acquired during the season.

With that many new faces on the team, concern arises about upsetting the team chemistry. To the players’ credit, that was not the case.

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A Round One Schedule for the Stanley Cup Playoffs is HereA Round One Schedule for the Stanley Cup Playoffs is HereNHL Public Relations announced the full schedule for games 1-4 of round one for the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs on Thursday morning. Dates for games 5-7 were also announced with times listed as TBD, meaning they will be announced once or if they become necessary.

“We came back with a lot of the same guys,” Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar said to the media in a scrum after his team’s Game 1 victory over the Dallas Stars. “We were banged up early in the season. We got a look at our guys going into the season, what we liked and didn’t like.” 

“I feel like as a coach we were really lucky,” Bednar revealed. “We re-vamped the most major parts of our lineup.” 

“The two goalies right away, strength down the middle of the ice when you get Drury, Coyle, and Nelson, added some grit and determination on the backend in Lindgren.”

Blackwood performed admirably in the first playoff game of his career. The 28-year-old stopped 23 of 24 shots to backstop the Avalanche to a 5-1 victory in Game 1.

Not bad for his first playoff game.

“It’s never easy winning (in the) regular season, playoffs it gets harder every single round,” Bednar said. “We feel like we have a good team and it’s up to us to go play our best hockey for two weeks at a time, as far as you can possibly go and try to reward the organization for giving us those players.”

“I can’t say enough about the moves that he made to revamp our team.”

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Barry Hoban, British cycling legend and Tour de France icon, dies aged 85

  • Yorkshire-born cyclist won eight stages of Tour de France
  • Famously beat Eddy Merckx at Gent-Wevelgem in 1974

The pioneering British road sprinter and Classics rider Barry Hoban has died at the age of 85. Hoban was for many years the UK record holder for stage wins in the Tour de France with a tally of eight during his 17-year professional racing career, a total bettered only by the greatest sprinter of them all, Mark Cavendish, in 2009.

Hoban’s first stage victory in the Tour, in 1967, was not one he cared to remember – or that he felt was really a win – as it came the day after the sudden death of his friend and rival Tom Simpson on Mont Ventoux; he was “permitted” to escape and cross the line first by the grieving peloton.

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Paul Skenes bobblehead giveaway causes frenzy at Pirates game

Paul Skenes bobblehead giveaway causes frenzy at Pirates game originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Paul Skenes grew used to the buzz that surrounds him a while ago.

Still, Saturday was different. Throughout an unseasonably warm spring afternoon, the mania that seems to follow the 22-year-old Pittsburgh Pirates ace whenever he takes the mound collided with the reality of the current state of his underperforming team.

A day that began with fans queueing up outside the gates of PNC Park more than five hours before Skenes delivered his first pitch — all in the in hopes of securing one of the 20,000 bobbleheads inspired by the National League Rookie of the Year — ended with a 3-0 loss and the increasingly familiar chants urging owner Bob Nutting to sell the team.

The irony this time is that the club’s executives avoided the kind of public-relations missteps that have become all too frequent over the season’s opening month.

Due to what Pirates president Travis Williams called unprecedented demand, the team pledged to make sure that every one of the 37,113 who waited in lines that stretched for blocks in every direction — including across the Roberto Clemente Bridge into the city’s downtown — would be able to obtain one of the popular collectibles.

It didn’t take long for some of them to pop up on eBay, though for far less than a one-of-a-kind Skenes rookie card that fetched more than $1 million at a public auction last month.

Asked if he thought the bobblehead bore more than a passing resemblance to him, the bearded Skenes — who is about 6 feet taller than the figurine — shrugged.

“It’s a bobblehead,” he said. “It’s not my thing.”

He didn’t notice the growing crush of people outside the ballpark when he arrived for work, though he called seeing a sellout for just the second time this season “cool.”

“Wish we would’ve gotten the win,” Skenes added inside a postgame clubhouse so quiet the most notable noise was coming from the air conditioning unit in the middle of the room.

Those moments have been far too infrequent during an opening month in which the Pirates’ play has offered a reminder that for all of Skenes’ brilliance, it takes more than a phenom pitcher to compete against some of baseball’s best teams.

Skenes did his part, limiting the Guardians to two runs and six hits across seven efficient if not quite overpowering innings. Making the first start of his big league career on four days’ rest, Skenes struck out a season-low four batters, which he chalked up to Cleveland’s approach more than the quality of his stuff.

There was just one true mistake, a 93 mph splitter on the first pitch of the seventh that dipped down and in to Kyle Manzardo. The left-handed designated hitter turned on it and sent it bouncing into the Allegheny River to put the Guardians up 2-0.

“I’m not going to lose any sleep over this outing,” he said. “Just got to score runs.”

Something the Pirates have not done with any sort of consistency. Five days after putting up a season-high 10 runs to back Skenes in a win over Washington, Pittsburgh managed just six hits while being shut out for the third time in a week.

The Pirates went 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the most damning a two-batter sequence in the sixth in which first-and-third with no outs ended with Ke’Bryan Hayes taking a ball that looked outside for strike three, immediately followed by Tommy Pham grounding into a double play.

The unease that bubbled up during the home opener — when a plane flew overhead dragging a banner urging owner Bob Nutting to put the team up for sale — is starting to become a constant.

While there were boos after Pham’s dribbler to second ended the scoring threat, a brief but noticeable “sell the team” chant curiously popped up after Skenes gave up the homer to Manzardo. It quickly died out, and Skenes was given a generous ovation when he walked off the mound after the top of the seventh following a performance that gave his team a chance to win.

Only the Pirates didn’t. Just as they haven’t in three of his five starts this season, or in 14 of their first 22 overall.

Skenes brushed aside the idea that frustration is starting to creep in, even with the Pirates dealing with the same issues — namely offense and spotty work from the bullpen — that plagued them during a late-summer swoon that dropped them out of contention in 2024.

Everyone from Nutting to Williams to general manager Ben Cherington to Shelton to Skenes has said it’s time for Pittsburgh to win. Those wins aren’t coming with any regularity.

The window to contend that the club expected to open in 2025 remains shut. And no amount of giveaways can distract the fanbase, even as their bright young hope continues to look every bit the budding superstar that he is.

Skenes brushed aside the idea that frustration is starting to mount internally, even as it ratchets up externally, even on days that begin with the giddy frenzy that seems to follow Skenes wherever he goes in full bloom.

“We’re just not executing at a high enough level and as consistently as we need to, to win these games,” he said. “I don’t think it’s a clubhouse thing. Everybody likes each other. But positive feelings, friendships and all that don’t win championships. We’ve got to figure it out.”

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Canadiens: Preparing For The Capitals’ Terrorizing Power Play

Ivan Demidov in the first game of his young career. Photo credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

After holding an optional skate on Friday morning, Martin St-Louis held a regular practice on Saturday. While it was scheduled to start at 11:00 a.m., at 10:30, most of the players were already on the ice, ready to get going.

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Former assistant coach Alex Burrows was also present and had a long conversation with Montreal Canadiens’ center Jake Evans. Samuel Montembeault revealed the nature of the conversation in the post-practice media availability. The netminder told us that Burrows had been scouting the Washington Capitals for a few weeks already, paying particular attention to their lethal power play.

Once practice started, St-Louis got everyone’s legs going with three vs. three mini-games on a reduced ice surface. Then there were some passing and shooting drills, but not as complete lines. Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield always worked together, while Ivan Demidov was always with Patrik Laine.

Then, the focus was squarely on the power play. There was no change to the first unit, with Suzuki, Laine, Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Lane Hutson skating together, but much of the focus was on getting Caufield to unleash shots from the bumper position. Asked how he felt about being deployed there, the diminutive sniper answered that it was a work in progress and that it would depend on how Washington deployed its penalty kill.

On Caufield, the coach said:

He’s progressed tremendously from goal line to goal line on both sides; he’s had to score goals differently a little bit this year; you see him more on the inside. I think it’s important for him not to be a perimeter player, having all those touches in space all the time, the game isn’t going to give you that space all the time. I think especially in the playoffs, you must be willing to play inside regardless of whether you're big-bodied or not.
- Martin St-Louis on Cole Caufield.

On the second until, Brendan Gallagher, Alex Newhook, Demidov, and Mike Matheson participated in all the drills while Suzuki and Joel Armia alternated. Time will tell if St-Louis has finally decided not to overwork his captain and give him a bit of downtime. It wouldn’t be a bad idea, and it would allow him to be fresher and play better minutes.

After practice, the members of the penalty killing units were whisked away for a meeting to dissect the Capitals’ power play and its weapon of mass destruction, Alexander Ovechkin. Speaking of the Great Eight, Ivan Demidov explained that he watched him play growing up, but he was more of an Evgeni Malkin fan. The youngster is preparing to play in his second professional playoff tournament in the same season. When he was asked what he thought was different between the postseason and the regular season, he said:

The playoffs are a different game than the regular season, you need like more energy.
- Ivan Demidov on the difference between the regular season and the playoffs.

When asked about his feelings about playing the newly minted best goal scorer in league history, Patrik Laine simply replied, “I couldn’t care less.” Clearly, the Finnish sniper doesn’t feel like too much emphasis should be put on Washington’s captain.

Meanwhile, goaltender Samuel Montembeault is ready to finally make his playoffs debut and is excited about the challenge of facing the Caps.  

It was about time, after eight years, to finally get to play some playoff hockey. I’m really excited to do it with this team and am looking forward to Monday.
-

As for how he stayed cool and collected down the stretch while under much pressure, he explained:

I had some meetings with our sports psychologist here. We spoke about staying in the moment and just focusing on your breathing. When you focus on your breathing, you’re not thinking about what’s going to happen in the future or what happened in the past.
- Samuel Montembeault on how he stays calm. 

You can expect some very physical hockey when the puck drops on the series on Monday night in Washington. Josh Anderson mentioned how hard someone like Tom Wilson would play and added that he would do the same for the Canadiens. Caufield was asked how important it was that Slafkovsky played a physical game, and he said:

That’s how he should play every game. He knows it, it’s just about him making that decision himself and leading the way physically, I’d say.
- Cole Caufield on Juraj Slafkovsky

This is an assessment that most fans will agree with. There was a bit of excitement in the air in Brossard. The players were visibly happy to have reached the postseason, as they should be. The bench boss was also in good spirits, even teasing The Athletic’s Arpon Basu when he had to be called on twice to ask his question. St-Louis smiled and asked if he was in Ferris Bueller, giving everyone a good chuckle.

The Canadiens will hold another practice in Brossard on Sunday morning before taking off for Washington to prepare for game one the following day. Game two is scheduled for Wednesday, and the series will move to Montreal on Friday, when the Bell Center should be filled to the brim with overexcited fans.

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Former Devils Goalie Has Big Game For New Team

Mackenzie Blackwood (© Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images)

Earlier this season, former New Jersey Devils goalie Mackenzie Blackwood was traded to the Colorado Avalanche by the San Jose Sharks. The move was understandable, as the Avalanche desperately needed help between the pipes, while the Sharks were willing to move Blackwood because of his then-pending unrestricted free agent status. 

The decision to acquire Blackwood certainly has benefited the Avalanche. In 37 regular-season appearances with Colorado after the move this campaign, he had a 22-12-3 record, a 2.33 goals-against average, a .913 save percentage, and three shutouts. Due to this impressive play, Blackwood earned a five-year, $26.25 million contract extension with the Avalanche, which kicks in next season.

Now, Blackwood has gotten the playoffs started on the right foot for the Avalanche. In Game 1 against the Dallas Stars, Blackwood stepped up big time, saving 23 out of 24 shots he faced. That equates to an impressive .958 save percentage on the night.

Blackwood made multiple incredible saves in the process and undoubtedly played a significant role in the Avalanche's 5-1 win over Dallas. Now, Blackwood and the Avalanche will look to keep this kind of play up when they face the Stars next for Game 2 on April 21. 

Blackwood was selected by the Devils with the 42nd overall pick of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. In 152 games as a Devil over five seasons, he had a 65-57-18 record, a .906 save percentage, and a 2.97 goals-against average. His time in New Jersey came to an end during the 2023 NHL off-season when he was traded to the Sharks for a sixth-round pick.

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County cricket: Pope and Lawrence hit centuries for Surrey against Sussex – as it happened

Attacking hundreds from Ollie Pope and Dan Lawrence helped Surrey to 390 for three on the third day against Sussex, who made 435 in their first innings

A first missive: and a very happy Easter to you Tim Maitland:

“Salutations Tanya!

“I’m struggling to concentrate on the cricket at the moment. It doesn’t help that my beloved Western Bulldogs (Long story short: some disreputable caddies on the LPGA decided I needed an AFL team and I didn’t have the sense to ignore them) are playing St. Kilda right now.

“But it’s not just that.

“I’m finding it hard to get a sense of who is in form, especially with the bat. Maybe it’s because we were distracted by Tom Banton’s 371, which he’s followed with scores of 6, 0 and 5. How long a lead does a triple centurion get before his chain is yanked?

“If Surrey’s Dom Sibley adds significantly to his 40 overnight, does he hold the crown after a 66 at Essex and then 100 not out and 1055 against Hampshire? Incidentally he made 3 in his one game for Khulna Tigers in Chittagong, which is officially called Chattogram, which would be a great name for a social media platform wouldn’t it?

“Or is it Tom Haines? His 174 against Surrey in this round of matches is, weather permitting, potentially match winning and his second innings 141 set up the victory against Somerset last week.

“As for bowlers... have you got anything? [Ed – My immediate thought is Fergus O’Neill?]

“The Bulldogs, incidentally, have living legend Marcus Bontempelli aka The Bont back for the first time this season, but as I speak our 6 ft 10 in young superstar-to-be ruckman Sam Darcy has just hobbled off with an injured knee, which would be a disaster for the Doggies.”

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