NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Oliver Kapanen’s decisive goal in the shootout gave the Montreal Canadiens a 4-3 win over the New Jersey Devils for their eighth straight win on Saturday.
Kapanen scored on a wrist shot past Devils goalie Jake Allen in the fifth round of the shootout.
The win gave Montreal 100 points for the first time since the 2016-17 season when it accumulated 103 points.
Ivan Demidov, Lane Hutson and Jayden Struble scored for Montreal, and Jakub Dobes had 35 saves.
Timo Meier, Jack Hughes and Dawson Mercer scored for New Jersey and Allen stopped 26 shots.
Cole Caufield picked up two assists, but failed to notch his 50th goal for Montreal. Caufield will get another shot Sunday when these two teams face off again in Montreal. He is sitting at 49 goals.
Caufield is looking to be the first Montreal Canadiens player to score 50 goals in a season in more than three decades.
Mercer scored from Meier and Nico Hischier at 13:08 of the second period to cut the Montreal lead to 3-1.
Hutson’s unassisted goal came just 1:16 after Demidov scored on the power play at 8:12.
Struble’s second goal of the season and just the sixth of his career provided Montreal with a 1-0 lead late in the first period.
Alejandro Kirk #30 of the Toronto Blue Jays looks on during the fourth inning of a spring training game against the Detroit Tigers at TD Ballpark on March 14, 2026 in Dunedin, Florida.
The injuries are piling up for the Blue Jays.
All-Star catcher Alejandro Kirk was placed on the injured list Saturday after dislocating and breaking his left thumb, which he suffered on a foul tip during Friday’s game against the White Sox.
He is set to meet with a specialist to determine if surgery is needed.
After the game, Kirk was feeling about as one would expect.
Alejandro Kirk #30 of the Toronto Blue Jays hits a home run against the Athletics during the ninth inning in their MLB game at the Rogers Centre on March 28, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Getty Images
“He’s all right, as [Kirk] can be,” Toronto manager John Schneider said, per ESPN. “He’s pissed, obviously. Tough news for us and for Kirky for sure.”
Kirk has been one of the best backstops in baseball, making two All-Star appearances and winning the 2022 Silver Slugger since taking over full-time behind the plate for the Blue Jays four years ago.
Last season, Kirk hit .282/.348/.421 with 15 homers in 130 games.
He was one of the Blue Jays’ biggest bats during their American League pennant-winning run in October, hitting .254/.349/.493 with five long balls.
Tyler Heineman and Brandon Valenzuela are expected to split time at catcher in Kirk’s absence.
Kirk’s thumb issue adds to a long list of injuries the Blue Jays are dealing with during the early going of the 2026 season.
The team began the year with starting pitchers Shane Bieber (right elbow inflammation), José Berríos (right elbow stress fracture) and Trey Yesavage (right shoulder impingement) on the injured list.
Earlier this week, starter Cody Ponce went down with an ACL injury while trying to field a ground ball, which is expected to sideline him for a significant amount of time.
The Blue Jays are sitting at 4-3 on the season heading into Saturday’s play despite the injuries.
VANCOVUER, British Columbia (AP) — Clayton Keller had the third hat trick of his career and the Utah Mammoth extended their winning streak to three games with a 7-4 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night.
Keller's first three-goal game of the season came on a disputed power-play score and two empty-net goal. His man-advantage goal at 7:04 of the second period came on the deflection of a point shot by Dylan Guenther that gave Utah a 3-2 lead. The goal was originally waived off due to his stick touching the puck above the cross bar. After a video review, the referee ruled the stick was at or below the cross bar.
Dylan Guenther and Lawson Crowse each had a goal and an assist for Utah (40-30-6), which continued to push for a Western Conference playoff spot. Kailer Yamamoto and Liam O’Brien, who was in the lineup after 18 games as a healthy scratch, also scored for the Mammoth, who won their fourth straight road game. Logan Cooley added two assists. Karel Vejmelka made 19 saves for Utah.
Linus Karlsson, playing in his 100th NHL game, scored twice for Vancouver (22-46-8). Marco Rossi and Jake DeBrusk added power-play goals and Filip Hronek had two assists. Nikita Tolopilo stopped 17 shots for the Canucks, who have one win in their last nine games.
The Canucks called up goaltender Jiri Patera from Abbotsford of the AHL as the backup to replace Kevin Lankinen, who was a late scratch.
Before the opening faceoff there was a tribute to Vancouver native Evander Kane, who returned to the lineup to play his 1,001st game after missing the last two games with an undisclosed injury.
Up next
Mammoth: Host the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday.
Canucks: Host the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 4: Adem Bona #30 of the Philadelphia 76ers dunks the ball during the game against the Detroit Pistons on April 4, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
2025-26 Sixers Bell Ringer season standings:
Tyrese Maxey – 22.5 VJ Edgecombe – 12 Joel Embiid – 10.5 Paul George – 8 Kelly Oubre Jr. – 5 Justin Edwards – 4 Quentin Grimes – 3 Jared McCain :’( – 3 Dominick Barlow – 2 Andre Drummond – 2 MarJon Beauchamp – 2 Adem Bona – 1 Cam Payne – 1 Jabari Walker – 1 Trendon Watford – 1 15th roster spot – 1
Well, that wasn’t great.
The Philadelphia 76ers fell 116-93 to the Detroit Pistons on Saturday evening. The game was the close of the 15th of 16 back-to-backs for the Sixers this season after they defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves just last night. Unfortunately, the Sixers looked like a team on the end of a back-to-back.
Joel Embiid was out on Saturday for oblique injury management and illness (he hadn’t played both legs of any back-to-back this season, though). The Pistons were without Cade Cunningham and Isaiah Stewart.
It’s a testament to the Pistons’ depth how good they still are even without a player like Cunningham. Every time the Sixers would pull close to them, Detroit would suddenly have a burst of scoring to stretch their lead again. For the first half, Philadelphia were doing an alright job hanging in and battling back and forth.
The third quarter, as it has been so many times this season, was a different story. The Sixers started falling victim more often to the Pistons defense, committing a number of turnovers (some relatively unforced, even) while the Detroit offense continued to cook. In what truly felt like one fell swoop, the Sixers were suddenly down nearly 20 points. The Sixers were never able to recover in any meaningful way from then on.
With tonight’s loss, Philadelphia falls to the No. 7 seed in the East at least temporarily, now half a game behind the Toronto Raptors who did not play on Saturday. The Pistons, meanwhile, clinched the No. 1 seed in the conference with their victory over the Sixers.
The Sixers get a day to rest on Sunday before getting back to work on Monday visiting the San Antonio Spurs. Just four games remain.
Until then, let’s get to the Bell Ringer.
Paul George: 20 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals
<p>(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)</p><br> | NBAE via Getty Images
Paul George was available to play tonight after initially being listed as probable. Good thing, too, because he went right back to work doing exactly what he’s been able to do since returning from suspension: pretty much whatever he wants. He scored nine points in the first four minutes of the game by way of a catch-and-shoot three and a few mid-range jumpers. The only thing that slowed PG down was picking up two early fouls in the first. It didn’t stop him for long, however, with George reentering the game to start the second quarter and sinking yet another catch-and-shoot three in the first two minutes. By halftime, he was leading the field with 18 points on 6-for-7 field goal and 3-for-4 long range shooting in just under 14 and a half minutes on the floor.
PG’s night slowed down drastically from there as did the night for all of the Sixers, but it was still a good sign to see how well George is playing coming out of 25 games sidelined due to suspension.
George finished the game with 20 points on 7-for-14 field goal and 3-for-5 three-point shooting. He also had five rebounds, four assists and two steals.
Paul George still looking DAMN good since returning, starts this one off with nine points in the first four minutes 🔥 pic.twitter.com/OoEX6VAV0p
<p>(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)</p><br> | NBAE via Getty Images
Tyrese Maxey hit a number of really tough twos in the first and led the Sixers with 14 points after one on 5-for-8 field goal shooting (1-for-2 from long range). That being said, Maxey was another Sixer hamstrung by early fouls, picking up two in the first frame (and he was NOT happy about it). He went scoreless in the second, but fortunately PG and Edgecombe picked up in the slack in that frame.
As the game went on, Maxey seemed to start to fall out of sorts. Not sure if it was the fatigue of playing last night, a testament to the Detroit defense, or maybe a bit of both, but Maxey struggled in the third frame with some sloppiness and missed shots. His body language and facial expressions seemed to match the issue, with Maxey looking tired and/or frustrated quite a bit as things went on. He struggled, and the Sixers struggled without his offensive production setting the tone and pace the way it typically does.
Nevertheless, Maxey still found ways to chip in offensively here and there, and it added up. Despite what could probably be considered a lackluster game by Maxey’s standards, he still led the Sixers with 23 points. He also finished the game with one rebound, one assist and one steal.
<p>(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)</p><br> | NBAE via Getty Images
It took a little bit for the rookie to get going tonight, posting just two points on 1-for-4 field goal shooting in the first frame, but he seemed to lock in quick once the second came around. Edgecombe began relying more on his speed and footwork and suddenly the shots started falling, totaling 11 points on 4-for-5 field goal shooting in the second quarter.
It just continues to be impressive to see the shots that the rookie is able to create for himself even against the better teams in the NBA. It doesn’t seem to matter how many defenders are right in his face, Edgecombe is able to use his athleticism and quick footwork to create just enough space that he’s able to sink buckets. Sometimes, I think we even take for granted just how good Edgecombe looks at just 20 years old, still in his first year as a professional. Sure, his efficiency shooting still leaves some to be desired on nights like tonight (he shot just 7-for-18 from the floor), but there’s so many positives to this rookie’s game night in and night out that it’s easier to have some grace for that… especially since no one else on the team can seem to shoot either at times.
The rookie finished with 19 points, six rebounds (three offensive), one assist, two steals and a block.
VJ Edgecombe makes the most of a little space and the rookie is up to 13 points so far tonight pic.twitter.com/ljzny7qb5C
<p> (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)</p><br> | Getty Images
Nick Nurse opted to start Andre Drummond instead of Adem Bona in place of the absent Embiid tonight, but Bona made the most of his minutes on the floor. He started his first stint with a tap-in put-back, something we have seen him do plenty of times. Then, however, he found success in a much different way: putting some genuinely nice footwork moves on Jalen Duren to find buckets. It was nothing incredibly wild, but it was really unexpected from someone we typically don’t see that from like Bona. Nevertheless, it paid off with six points on 3-for-3 field goal shooting in the first half (in addition to an offensive board and two assists).
Bona continued his efforts in the second half, seemingly having a lot more success against the Pistons (both offensively and defensively) than Drummond was able to at any point.
Bona finished the game with 10 points on perfect 5-for-5 field goal shooting with four rebounds (three offensive) and two assists in 23 minutes off the bench.
Just a really nice sequence from the Sixers here to pull within two of the Pistons. Another PG three, a steal, and Adem Bona with a great move for a bucket. pic.twitter.com/uKxnnmeXia
One of the Rangers’ most promising young players became the latest rookie to add optimism to the final leg of this lost season, recording his first career hat trick in Saturday’s 4-1 win over the Red Wings at Madison Square Garden and helping the team claim its fourth win in the past five games.
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In the antepenultimate home game of a season that will end with one of the Rangers’ worst home records in the franchise’s 100-year history, the 20-year-old former first-round pick gave the packed crowd a rare memory worth carrying into next season.
Perreault became the fourth Rangers rookie in the past 30 years to record a hat trick, and one of five rookies in the league to do so this season.
His three multi-goal games this season are tied for second most among NHL rookies despite appearing in only 45 games.
“The trust that he’s earning from his coaches and his teammates, he’s becoming a great player right in front of us,” captain J.T. Miller said. “It’s exciting to think he’s 20 years old. He’s only gonna get stronger and better and faster, and what he’s been able to do for us is really impressive. He’s just got a really good nose for the game and he’s super smart and has that skill when he gets a chance to make some plays.”
Gabe Perreault #94 of the New York Rangers scores a goal during the third period at Madison Square Garden, Saturday April 4th, 2026, in New York, NY. Jason Szenes for the New York Post
“We’re just trying to enjoy it and take this opportunity and run with it,” Perreault said of the team’s rookie class. “We’re trying to bring energy and have fun and enjoy every day together.”
Perreault, who had two points in the previous seven games, broke an 11-game goal drought (March 12) with 4:01 left in the second period, sending a shot over John Gibson’s glove, following a pass through traffic from Mika Zibanejad.
New York Rangers is greeted by center J.T. Miller #8 of the New York Rangers after he scores a goal during the third period at Madison Square Garden, Saturday April 4th, 2026, in New York, NY. Jason Szenes for the New York Post
Perreault’s second goal was set up by a pretty feed from Jonny Brodzinski, which gave the Rangers (32-36-9) a 3-0 lead with 12:41 left in the third period.
“I think the game is slowing down in his mind and his hockey IQ is probably his greatest attribute,” head coach Mike Sullivan said. “He might not have the open-ice foot speed but he’s pretty elusive in traffic. With his vision and his brain and his stick skills, he’s finding ways to have success.”
As the clock sprinted down in the third period, Miller was able to get one more chance for Perreault, who scored his 10th goal of the season on an empty net with 1:44 to play.
First came the hats, falling to the ice.
Then came the hugs, enveloping the 5-foot-11 wing who found fans wherever he looked.
“You can see the reaction on the bench, everyone was rooting for him,” Sullivan said. “He’s an easy guy to root for.”
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - APRIL 04: Center Marc Gatcomb #16 of the New York Islanders looks on after being hit by left wing William Carrier #28 of the Carolina Hurricanes during the second period of the game against the New York Islanders at Lenovo Center on April 4, 2026 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Josh Lavallee/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The Islanders took the lead twice in this game off early goals in the first and second period, but once again came up short. Marc Gatcomb scored his third of the season, Max Shabanov scored in his return to the lineup, Anders Lee picked up his third goal in four games, Mat Barzal got his 70th point of the season and, of course, we have a Matthew Schaefer Record Update.
Schaefer got an assist on Lee’s late goal, which was his 58th point of the season, the most by an 18 year old defenseman in NHL history.
Also worth noting, if you’re looking for positives in this late-season collapse, that Cal Ritchie picked up his 7th point in his last 7 games with an assist tonight, and all but one of his 4 assists were primary ones. It’s a good end to the season for the Isles’ other highly touted rookie who has had a solid season while Schaefer’s grabbed all the headlines.
Carolina got an early power play when Marc Gatcomb took a holding penalty just three minutes into the game, forcing Ilya Sorokin to make some big saves on Sebastian Aho. Scott Mayfield hit Jordan Martinook on the bench with the puck off a clearing attempt, and then right after the penalty expired, Gatcomb made it 1-0, assisted by Simon Holmström and Jean-Gabriel Pageau.
Ondrej Palat hit the post behind Brandon Bussi, just narrowly missing the opportunity to give the Islanders a 2-0 lead.
Then, Seth Jarvis made it 1-1 after beating Ryan Pulock one on one and snapping it past Sorokin. That play started after Mat Barzal’s shot was deflected to Sean Walker in the slot, who passed it up to a streaking Jarvis.
Second Period
Early in the second, Cal Ritchie set up Max Shabanov from behind the net, and Shabanov made it 2-1 in his first game back in the lineup in a while. It was his first goal since the end of December, too.
Adam Pelech was called for holding, and Sorokin once again needed to make some big saves. Mayfield pushed Sebastian Aho into the crossbar and both he and Jarvis ended up in the box after a scrum. No team was able to capitalize on that.
But Carolina absolutely dominated this period, and Jackson Blake eventually tied the game at 2, while the Islanders were held to just five shots in the game to that point.
The Hurricanes got another power play when Ryan Pulock was called for hooking, and the Isles killed that. Then the Islanders got a power play of their own, with Alexander Nikishin called for slashing Mayfield, but Sebastian Aho scored shorthanded to make it 3-2 Hurricanes.
Third Period
Jarvis scored less than a minute into the period to make it 4-2.
Barzal set up Pageau but Bussi made the save. Ritchie also took a shot saved by Bussi, and the Isles had a few good chances stopped in the second half of the period.
Sorokin went to the bench with 3 and a half minutes left, and Anders Lee deflects a Matthew Schaefer shot past Bussi to make it 4-3 with a minute and 30 seconds left, but couldn’t get the tying goal despite some good chances.
Next, the Islanders head back to UBS Arena, where they’ll play out the rest of the season. On Thursday, they’ll host the playoff-eliminated Toronto Maple Leafs as they try to grab a much-needed two points and snap the longest losing streak of the season.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - APRIL 01: Jonathan India #6 of the Kansas City Royals crosses home plate after hitting a grand slam home run as first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino #9, third baseman Maikel Garcia #11 and catcher Salvador Perez #13 wit to congratulate him during the 7th inning of the game at Kauffman Stadium on April 01, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The day started poorly, but by the time we had finished things were looking a bit brighter. Let’s talk about the afternoon game first.
Luinder Avila got his first major league start and, at times, you could see why the Royals are still so high on him as a starter. His stuff is electric, especially the fastball and curveball. But he can have some difficulty locating them. He only managed to go 3+ innings thanks to is inconsistent ability to throw strikes. Over that span he gave up five runs on eight hits and three walks. Garrett Mitchell did most of the damage with a two-run double in the first inning and a three-run home run in the third. He gave up some hits on some good pitches, but also threw too many pitches that were too easy to hit.
If the Royals could have cut the game off after the third inning and started over, it would have been a very different story. The bullpen didn’t allow any runs. Daniel Lynch IV and Alex Lange each pitched very effective two-inning relief appearances combining to strike out seven while allowing only one walk and two hits. John Schreiber gave up a couple of walks in the eighth, but didn’t give up any runs. With last night’s rainout, Steven Cruz was able to pitch in a third straight game and had a clean ninth.
The Royals’ offense put runners on base all day long but had extreme difficulty bringing them home. They had eight hits and six walks on the day but went 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position. Popups continue to plague the team. In the third inning with runners at first and second with one out, Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez each popped up. In the fourth, with runners at second and third with one out, Nick Loftin popped out and Kyle Isbel had a shallow fly to left. The Royals scored both of their runs in the eighth when Loftin led off with a wall, Lane Thomas pinch hit for Isbel and smashed an RBI double, and Bobby Witt Jr. about took Brice Turang’s head off with a groundball to bring home Thomas. Vinnie Pasquantino struck out and Salvador Perez popped out to end the threat.
The Royals came into the day leading the league in popups and its unlikely that’s changed as they had several other popups even when runners weren’t in scoring position. I don’t necessarily expect that to continue to be an issue all year, but it’s certainly hurting them now. Last year, among batters with at least 400 plate appearances, the Royals had two players in the top 25 in popup percentage – Jonathan India and Isbel – and two more in the top 100; Witt and Pasquantino. So it wasn’t not a problem last year.
Now let’s talk about the second game.
It started off great with Seth Lugo keeping the Brewers off balance, though they were fouling a lot of balls off. In the second inning Salvador Perez led off with a single, one out later Jonathan India singled, and Carter Jensen hit a 2-RBI double in his first at-bat since the sleeping fiasco. His bat has been a bit quiet early this season, maybe the extra sleep did him some good.
Unfortunately, Seth Lugo could not put up a shutdown inning. He gave up a single, struck out the next two, and then Brice Turang swatted an RBI-triple to left and scored on a Garrett Mitchell double. If you’re keeping track at home, the Brewers scored all of their runs in both games with two outs. Fortunately he got Christian Yelich out on a soft liner to Maikel Garcia to end the threat. He struggled through two more innings but didn’t give up any more runs.
The Royals bats went quiet until the sixth inning, but when they woke up, they got loud.
Salvy smashed a one-out solo shot to left center to give the Royals the lead. Caglianone struck out on a filthy fastball at the bottom of the zone, but now it was the Royals’ turn to do some two out damage. India hit another single, then Carter Jensen singled, then Isaac Collins singled to give the Royals an insurance run. The Brewers brought in left-hander Jared Koenig to face the Royals hottest hitter to start the year, Kyle Isbel. Isbel was not deterred and drove in another run with a single. Maikel roped a double to left for another run. The Brewers intentionally walked Bobby, and then Jake Bauers booted Vinnie’s grounder to first for the Royals’ seventh run. A wild pitch allowed Garcia to score and led to Salvy also getting an intentional walk. Jac Caglianone had the ignominious distinction of being both the second and third out in the inning when he grounded out sharply to short. Just like that, the Royals went from a tense tie game with a malfunctioning offense to a big lead and their best relievers not having appeared since Wednesday and Thursday.
Nick Mears pitched a clean sixth to earn the win. Eli Morgan, the Royals 27th man, finished things off with a three-inning save. He struck out five while allowing only one walk and a hit. Really impressive stuff from him to protect a bullpen that had been burned by Wednesday’s mess and a doubleheader. The bullpen combined for 10 scoreless innings across the double-header. Just really good stuff all around.
Miscellaneous
The Royals have guaranteed a .500 homestand
The Royals have been a feast-or-famine offense; they’ve scored between 3 and 8 runs only once.
Jac Caglianone has the second-hardest hit ball of the year with one of his singles in the first inning. Don’t look now, but he’s slashing .333/.429/.417/.846
The Royals have a chance to go for the series victory tomorrow. The game will feature a battle of southpaws. Kyle Harrison will go for Milwaukee and Kris Bubic will pitch for KC. The game will start at 1:10 Royals time and be aired on Royals.TV.
Mar 17, 2026; Mesa, Arizona, USA; Chicago Cubs third baseman Pedro Ramirez against the Los Angeles Angels during a spring training game at Sloan Park. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Jaxon Wiggins had a rough start today, going four innings and giving up four runs on five hits. Wiggins walked three and struck out four.
Luke Little didn’t pitch any better, but got the win because Wiggins didn’t go five and Little was the only other pitcher in the game. Little pitched 1.2 innings and allowed two runs on one hit and three walks. He struck out three.
Iowa got on the board with a solo home run by DH BJ Murray Jr. It was Murray’s third home run already this season.
After Louisville tied the game up 4-4 in the bottom of the third, Iowa took the lead for good with a four-run top of the fourth. Left fielder Justin Dean singled in a run to break the tie. He was 1 for 4 with one run scored.
Later in the fourth, first baseman Jonathon Long hit a two-run single. Long was 2 for 3 with a walk and one run scored.
Luis Martinez-Gomez started and gave up a two-run home run in the top of the first inning. That was enough to give him the loss as he allowed two runs on four hits over four innings. Martinez-Gomez walked two and struck out four.
Rehabbing Seiya Suzuki played the entire game as the designated hitter and was 1 for 4.
Left fielder Jordan Nwogu was 2 for 4.
South Bend Cubs
South Bend is still waiting to play their first game this year, as their game this afternoon was called again for unplayable conditions.
Starter David Bracho allowed just one unearned run on two hits over three innings. Bracho did walk three while striking out one.
Edwardo Rodriguez didn’t allow a run or a hit over the next two innings, but he did walk four. Rodriguez struck out one.
Last year’s 11th-round draft pick Eli Jerzembeck made his professional debut over the final 3.1 innings. He gave up two unearned runs in the ninth inning to make it close after the Pelicans committed two fielding errors in the inning. But he ended up closing out the game and picking up his first professional win. The final line on Jerzembeck was two unearned runs on one hit over 3.1 innings. He struck out three and walked no one.
DH Edward Vargas singled in a run in the top of the second inning to open the scoring. He had another RBI single in the third inning. Vargas went 2 for 4 with the two RBI.
Second baseman Jose Escobar was 2 for 4 with an RBI single in the third inning. He also scored a run in the second inning on a sacrifice fly by right fielder Josiah Hartshorn. Hartshorn was 1 for 4 with the sac fly.
Center fielder Alexey Lumpuy went a perfect 3 for 3 with two walks and four steals.
Sebastian Aho celebrates after scoring during the Islanders' April 4 game against the Hurricanes.
RALEIGH, N.C. — Forget collapse. This is what capitulation looks like.
In a game the Islanders absolutely needed to have, on a night when a response was necessary after getting dominated at home 24 hours prior, with two points nothing short of critical to their playoff hopes, they flatlined.
Outside of Ilya Sorokin, who single-handedly kept them in the game, the Islanders were barely competitive. All 20 skaters were passengers in this woeful performance that was bad enough to warrant firings and severe changes to the roster if indeed the Islanders fail to make the playoffs, as now seems likely.
They were played off the ice at the Lenovo Center in a 4-3 loss to the Hurricanes that handed the Isles a season-long four-game losing streak at the exact moment they could afford it least.
“We’ve been knocked down, there’s no doubt about it,” captain Anders Lee said. “But this thing’s not over. This race isn’t over. I believe in this group, the guys in this room believe in it. We’re hitting a tough patch at just a really bad time of the year.”
Nominally speaking, the Islanders still held a playoff spot at the close of business Saturday. In reality, they are like a prisoner waiting on a death sentence.
By the next time they play, Thursday at home against the Maple Leafs, the Blue Jackets, Flyers, Red Wings and Senators all will have had the chance to pass them in the standings, and it is a step too far to hope that none of the four do so.
The Isles are now 3-7-0 in their past 10, an astonishing stretch that seemed to come out of nowhere and which is now likely to keep them out of the playoffs a second straight season.
Sebastian Aho celebrates after scoring during the Islanders’ April 4 game against the Hurricanes. Imagn Images
There are four games left, all of which are at UBS and the Islanders may need to run the table or come close in order to save their season.
Just like 24 hours prior on Long Island, though, the Islanders performance did not even come close to meeting the moment. They had four shots in the first period, just two in the second and barely touched the puck until they were skating 6-on-5 late in the third.
The Hurricanes were faster, way more physical, less prone to error, generated more of a forecheck and, damningly, played with more urgency than the Islanders could muster. There was defensive breakdown after defensive breakdown — too many to count and too many responsible parties to try to dole out blame. It was one of their worst efforts of the season, in one of their biggest games of the season.
“I think the mind was right, the energy was right. They were suffocating us,” Ryan Pulock said. “I thought they controlled most of the game.”
Emil Heineman defends during the Islanders’ April 4 game against the Hurricanes. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
It was only because of Sorokin, who for the umpteenth time was hung out to dry by his teammates, and because ’Canes netminder Brandon Bussi put in a rare shaky outing that the Islanders hung onto a 3-2 deficit entering the final 20 minutes.
Nothing about the way the game had gone, though, indicated that they could do anything with it.
Even when they finally seemed to get a break in the form of an offensive-zone slash by Alexander Nikishin late in the second with the game tied at 2, the Islanders immediately bled a 2-on-1 rush and a short-handed Sebastian Aho goal.
The ’Canes ended any hopes of a comeback just 24 seconds into the third as Andrei Svechnikov’s cross-ice feed to Seth Jarvis was buried off the crossbar and in to make it 4-2.
Ilya Sorokin makes a save during the Islanders’ April 4 loss. NHLI via Getty Images
Anders Lee’s 6-on-5 goal saved some face for the Islanders on the scoreboard, but did little to hide their performance for most of the night.
Mat Barzal turned over puck after puck, Matthew Schaefer looked like his ever-increasing workload was getting to him, Bo Horvat was hardly noticeable. There was no spark in the bottom six from which Kyle MacLean was bizarrely omitted as a healthy scratch, and the defense corps could not so much as execute a breakout.
In just a few weeks, the season has done a total 180. The Islanders played Saturday like they are already doomed to the consequences.
“100 percent,” Pulock said, asked whether coach Patrick Roy’s message is getting through. “He believes in us and we believe in him. It’s just up to us right now to bear down.”
Roy, who might be coaching for his job over the next 10 days, tried his best to put a happy face on things.
“We’re right there, isn’t it? We’re right there in the standings,” he said. “I know they [all] have a game in hand on us, but it’s not a time of year where you gotta feel sorry for yourself.”
The 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs are drawing nearer and nearer.
And with each passing day, the Pittsburgh Penguins are closer and closer to securing their ticket to the dance - and they're doing it in commanding fashion.
On Saturday, the Penguins played their first of back-to-back home games against the Florida Panthers, and their offense exploded for a 9-3 blowout win headlined by an Evgeni Malkin hat trick. Malkin and Sidney Crosby both hit major career milestones en route to the win, as Malkin became just the 23rd player in NHL history and third player in Penguins' history to record 1,400 points, and Crosby surpassed Detroit Red Wings legend Steve Yzerman to take sole possession of seventh on the NHL's all-time scoring list at 1,756.
"It feels like it's something every night," said forward Rickard Rakell, who registered his eighth goal in the past seven games Saturday. "But it's so exciting to watch them every day in practice and games and just have a chance to learn from them."
Lately, the Penguins have been getting off to fast starts, and that trend continued Saturday. Noel Acciari scored his 12th of the season just 20 seconds into the game to hand the Penguins a very early lead, and less than five minutes later, Erik Karlsson sent a one-time power play blast from the top of the right circle off a feed from Crosby to give his team the 2-0 advantage.
However, Florida did find a response, as A.J. Greer found the twine just two minutes later to cut the Penguins' lead to one. And with five and a half to go in the opening frame, Seth Jones shot a puck from the point that Rakell attempted to block with his hand, and the puck changed direction and ended up behind goaltender Arturs Silovs to knot the game at 2-2.
Then, the second period happened.
Once again, the Penguins had a loud start. But, this time, they just kept coming. Less than two minutes into the middle frame, Anthony Mantha threw a puck toward the goal from the right wall that hit a Florida stick on the way in and went past Sergei Bobrovsky to give him his 31st of the season and restore the Penguins' lead.
Exactly four minutes later, both Malkin and Crosby had their moment. From down low, Crosby found Karlsson at the right point on a power play opportunity, and he placed a perfect shot pass to a waiting Malkin on the doorstep, who deflected the puck into the net with the shaft of his stick. The secondary assist gave Crosby the point to surpass Yzerman, and the goal gave Malkin his 1,400th.
But Malkin wasn't done. Two and a half minutes later, the Penguins gained the zone on the rush, and Tommy Novak threw a puck at the net from the left wall. Malkin, again, was waiting on the doorstep, and it hit his leg and went in to make it 5-2.
Then, just a minute and a half after that, Elmer Soderblom scored his third as a Penguin to make it 6-2, capping off a stretch where the Penguins scored four goals and eight minutes and two seconds. The goal also chased Bobrovsky from the game, and he was replaced by Daniil Tarasov.
The Penguins still weren't done in the second period, though. Rakell added the Penguins' third power play tally of the game - his 22nd goal of the season - with a little more than two minutes left in the second, and Ryan Shea scored 19 seconds later to put the Penguins up by a comfortable 8-2 margin, capping off a six-goal second period.
Malkin's hat trick came three and a half minutes into the third period. He pickpocketed Florida defenseman Sam Benning right in front of Tarasov, and Malkin made a nice cross-crease reverse move to beat the netminder and secure the hat trick - as well as his team's ninth goal on the night.
Florida scored two more around the midway point of the third - one from Noah Gregor on a nice individual effort, and the other from Mackie Samoskevich - but the Penguins' offensive explosion was simply too high a mountain to climb.
For the third time in the last four games, the Penguins put up five or more goals, and this is the second time they've scored at least eight times within those four games. They have scored 25 goals in their last four games, and they're getting contributions from everyone.
And even if Saturday was Geno's night - and his teammates contributed a ton, too - they know they still have to come back ready for another fight Sunday against the same Panthers' team.
"We know Florida [has] lots of injury right now," Malkin said. "They [do] not play great, and we fight [for] playoffs. We are in different situations. We score the first two goals quickly, and the power play work tonight, we score three power-play goals.
"Everything works some nights. Like, you play the same, but the puck go in every shot. We see tomorrow, huge game tomorrow, because we know this team win two Cups in two years, and they fight tomorrow, for sure."
Here are some thoughts and takeaways from this one:
- This team has some warts. It is not a perfect team by any means. Silovs was not very sharp in this one despite the win, and in addition to better goaltending, they're still turning the puck over and giving up high-danger looks far too frequently.
But this offense is legitimately scary.
The only two teams in hockey that have scored more goals than the Penguins' 275 this season are the Tampa Bay Lightning (277) and Colorado Avalanche (285). Of course, the Penguins' 248 goals against are the third-highest mark in the Eastern Conference, too, and they'll need to clean that up if there is any hope of a playoff run.
However, I'm not sure there's a deeper forward group in hockey than the Penguins. Malkin is two goals away from 20, and if he hits that mark, the Penguins will already have six 20-goal scorers this season (Anthony Mantha, Crosby, Bryan Rust, Rakell, Egor Chinakhov) with the possibility of a couple more hitting the mark (Ben Kindel and Justin Brazeau have 17 each).
They also have 12 players with 12 or more goals and nine players with at least 15 goals - the highest total in the NHL - and both Karlsson and Connor Dewar have 14 goals, so that number could hit 11.
Do you remember the last time the Penguins had this kind of scoring depth in the Crosby era? I don't. I'm not sure they have.
This is a special, special offense. If they can clean up some of the rest, they'll be a tough opponent for anyone - especially if they stay this hot down the stretch.
- Somehow, Karlsson very quietly had a four-point game. That gives him 10 goals and 29 points in his last 20 games dating back to Feb. 28. In that same span, he is second only to New Jersey Devils' forward Jack Hughes in points. And it also gives him 14 goals and 64 points in 72 games on the season.
I mean, at this rate, this guy might finish near a point-per-game. What else can you say? He is in another stratosphere on some other planet right now, and no one in the league is operating at the level he currently is.
It's remarkable to watch. And if Penguins' fans are treated to playoff Karlsson... just wait.
After four points through two periods tonight for defenseman Erik Karlsson, let's check in on the NHL's point leaders since February 28:
1. Jack Hughes - 30 2. Erik Karlsson - 29 2. Nikita Kucherov - 29 2. Nick Suzuki - 29 pic.twitter.com/nuyJCWYiQl
- With a goal and two points on Saturday - according to Penguins PR - Rakell has a four-game goal-scoring streak and a seven-game point streak - both the longest active streaks in the NHL. He has points in 14 of his last 15 games and 11 goals and 21 points in those 15 games.
He's now up to 22 goals and 46 points in 56 games on the season, and - guess what? That's a 33-goal, 67-point pace - pretty similar to his 35-goal, 70-point campaign last season.
Rakell has been a monster for the Penguins, and - right now - he's making every single line he's part of better. He, Mantha, and Brazeau combined for four goals and eight points against the New York Islanders. He, Crosby, and Chinkahov had a pair of goals and four points against the Detroit Red Wings. And he, Malkin, and Novak combined for four goals and six points Saturday.
With two points (1G-1A) so far, Rickard Rakell has extended his goal-scoring streak to four games and his point streak to seven games - each the longest active such streaks in the league.
Behind Karlsson, Rakell has been their best and most important player in this stretch run, moving up and down the lineup and switching in and out of different positions. He's proving that he's very capable of repeating what most thought was an unrepeatable season in 2024-25, and he's a huge part of this team's success.
- Crosby looked much more himself in this game. He didn't explode off the scoresheet - and his milestone was certainly overshadowed by the night Malkin had - but this guy just continues to assert himself in the "Hockey Mount Rushmore" conversation.
Oh, and - by the way - he needs just one more point to clinch his 21st consecutive season at point-per-game or higher, which would pad his own NHL record of 20. Truly amazing stuff.
- Soderblom is finding his footing in Pittsburgh, and he has been very good in this last handful of games, registering two goals and five points in his last five.
But it's not just the production - in a fourth-line role, mind you - that stands out. He's a menace on the forecheck, he's playing physical, and he's using his size to win puck battles and overwhelm opponents. He also skates well for a guy who is 6-foot-9.
"Just feel like I'm playing more freely and playing without thinking too much," Soderblom said about playing in Pittsburgh. "And just play my game. And so far, I feel like it's worked pretty good."
To be honest, I'm not sure what you do when Blake Lizotte returns to the lineup. Soderblom, up to this point, has earned a permanent spot in it, and that means someone has to come out.
- Because, on that note, how good has Acciari been for the Penguins this season?
One year ago, he was the whipping boy for a lot of disgruntled fans. But not only is he the same hard-nosed, get-your-hands-dirty player he's always been in terms of shot-blocking, physicality, and defensive zone prowess, he's also added some offense this season with 12 goals and 23 points - his highest totals since his career season with Florida (20 goals, 27 points) in 2019-20.
He is such an important player for them. He plays the hard minutes and does the "thankless" jobs for this team, as former head coach Mike Sullivan used to say. But the offensive element is helping them even more - and some of his goals have been big ones, too.
It's been a great season for him, and he's also earned a stay in the lineup.
- Well, it was a great night for the Penguins on the out-of-town scoreboard, too.
Hurley was asked about Auriemma following his team's win in the men's Final Four against Illinois on Saturday, April 4. Known for his bold, emotional antics on the sidelines, Hurley joked "obviously I've had a negative influence on Geno." He added it was crazy because "Geno has helped me so much," and he credited how Auriemma handled the fallout from it.
"Geno, the way handled the whole thing, such a stand up guy with the way he handled it with the statement, and he's one of the classiest people," Hurley said. "If any one should get the benefit of the doubt in the world of sports, it's Geno Auriemma, because he's one of the most authentic, genuine, great people you'll ever meet in your life."
Just as the previously undefeated UConn women were about to officially lose to South Carolina in the national semifinal on Friday, April 3, Auriemma had a heated end-of-game exchange with Staley as they went to shake hands, resulting in him heading to the locker room without shaking Staley or her team's hands.
That happened after Auriemma took a shot at Staley when complaining about the officiating during the game to ESPN's Holly Rowe. He said "their coach rants and raves on the sideline and calls the referees some names you don't want to hear" and "I got a kid with a ripped jersey and (the refs) go, ‘I didn’t see it.’" The player with the ripped jersey was Sarah Strong, who said she actually ripped the jersey herself.
In his statement, Auriemma said "there’s no excuse" for how he handled the situation and said it was uncalled for how he acted.
Staley and South Carolina did not have much to say about the situation when speaking to media one day before the Gameocks play UCLA in the national championship game, with Staley saying it wasn't a distraction to the team.
"Just continue to focus on our team and their ability to advance in this tournament. And hopefully win another national championship," Staley said.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Seth Jarvis had two goals and an assist and the Carolina Hurricanes beat the New York Islanders 4-3 on Saturday night for their fourth victory in five games.
Sebastian Aho broke a tie with a short-handed goal in the second period, Jackson Blake also scored and K’Andre Miller had two assists, and rookie Brandon Bussi made 13 saves to boost his season record to 29-6-1.
Marc Gatcomb, Max Shabanov and Anders Lee scored for the Islanders, They have a four-game losing streak for the first time this season. Ilya Sorokin made 36 saves in his 11th straight start.
Lee’s goal with 1:37 to play with the Islanders — third in the Metropolitan Division — going with an extra skater gave them a chance, but they couldn’t break through again.
The Islanders had one-goal leads after Gatcomb scored in the first and Shabanov in the second. Shabanov was in his third game since the Olympic break and his first since March 13. He had been out with a lower-body injury and then missed games as a healthy scratch.
Aho’s go-ahead goal with 3:43 left in the second period gave the Hurricanes their sixth short-handed goal in nine games.
The Metropolitan-leading Hurricanes were playing in their first game since clinching a playoff berth two nights earlier. It was Carolina’s second straight strong defensive effort after allowing only 10 shots on goal Thursday night vs. Columbus.
Carolina has defeated the Islanders in all three meetings and they’ll meet again in the regular-season finale.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Seth Jarvis had two goals and an assist and the Carolina Hurricanes beat the New York Islanders 4-3 on Saturday night for their fourth victory in five games.
Sebastian Aho broke a tie with a short-handed goal in the second period, Jackson Blake also scored and K’Andre Miller had two assists, and rookie Brandon Bussi made 13 saves to boost his season record to 29-6-1.
Marc Gatcomb, Max Shabanov and Anders Lee scored for the Islanders, They have a four-game losing streak for the first time this season. Ilya Sorokin made 36 saves in his 11th straight start.
Lee’ goal with 1:37 to play with the Islanders — third in the Metropolitan Division — going with an extra skater gave them a chance but they couldn’t break through again.
The Islanders had one-goal leads after Gatcomb scored in the first and Shabanov in the second. Shabanov was in his third game since the Olympic break and his first since March 13. He had been out with a lower-body injury and then missed games as a healthy scratch.
Aho’s go-ahead goal with 3:43 left in the second period gave the Hurricanes their sixth short-handed goal in nine games.
The Metropolitan-leading Hurricanes were playing in their first game since clinching a playoff berth two nights earlier. It was Carolina’s second straight strong defensive effort after allowing only 10 shots on goal Thursday night vs. Columbus.
Carolina has defeated the Islanders in all three meetings and they’ll meet again in the regular-season finale.
Wolverines forward Yaxel Lendeborg limped off the court at Lucas Oil Stadium and headed immediately into the tunnel in the first half to get tended to by Michigan's medical staff. He appeared to have twisted his ankle on the previous play after stepping on the foot of Wildcats forward Motiejus Krivas while going to the basket for a layup. The broadcast later added that his knee was hurt on the play as well.
He is dealing with a sprained MCL of his left knee and an injured ankle, per CBS Sports' Tracy Wolfson, who spoke with Michigan basketball head athletic trainer Chris Williams during halftime. Lendeborg also received ice to numb the pain and a massage in the Wolverines' locker room.
Here's the play that Lendeborg appears to have been injured on at the 8:51 mark of the first half:
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) April 5, 2026
The absence of Lendeborg, who picked up two fouls fewer than 90 seconds into the game, was immediately felt by the Wolverines, as the Wildcats went on a quick 9-0 run to get themselves back in the game. Michigan would then take over the game to build a 16-point halftime lead over Arizona.
He exited the game with five points on 1-of-2 shooting from the field to go along with a rebound and a steal. He was back on the court with the Wolverines' starting lineup to start the second half, and immediately hit back-to-back 3-pointers on his first two shot attempts.
On the court for post-game interviews, Lendeborg talked about the extent of injury and committed to playing unless he "can't walk at all."
"it's a weird feeling to have the pain that I'm having right now, I've never experienced it before," he said. "So um, coach said at worst it's an MCL sprain and obviously I rolled my ankle so I mean just that. But I'm gonna push through there's no way I'm missing (the) game on Monday night no matter what goes on. So I'm gonna play unless I can't walk at all."
With 5:15 left, Lendeborg heads back to the Michigan bench with a big smile. It's unknown if that's a wrap on him for this game, but his teammates should be able to close the game from here.
Lendeborg is subbed out of the game at the 13:02 mark of the second half and immediately heads to the stationary bicycle near the Wolverines' bench. In an additional report, Wolfson mentioned that Michigan athletic trainer Chris Williams and team doctor said it was up to Lendeborg to play in the second half.
According to Wolfson, Lendeborg is dealing with a sprained MCL and an injured ankle. As he continues to try to contribute in any way he can, he is clearly hobbled on the floor.
.@tracywolfson reports that Yaxel Lendeborg is dealing with a MCL sprain and an ankle injury
Ahead of the second half against Arizona, Lendeborg took the floor and tried to walk the floor a bit, not putting much pressure on his leg. He then tried some light jogging, and joined the Michigan huddle as the team convened before taking the floor.
Lendeborg appeared to twist his left ankle after going up for a layup at the 8:51 mark of the first half against Arizona in the Final Four.
As noted by Tony Garcia of the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, Lendeborg screamed and slapped his hands onto the floor of the court after landing awkwardly on his ankle before taking his two free throw attempts.
Yaxel screamed and slapped his hands on the ground after coming down awkwardly on that layup attempt. He hits both FT.
— Tony Garcia | Detroit Free Press (@RealTonyGarcia) April 5, 2026
After Lendeborg hit both free throws, Michigan coach Dusty May took his veteran forward off the court. Lendeborg then immediately went into the tunnel to go back to the locker room to be looked at by members of the Wolverines' medical staff.
Later, it was reported that he also injured his knee on the play. The extent of the injury is unclear.
Here's a look Lendeborg initially heading back to the locker room:
Yaxel Lendeborg heading back to the locker room
"Yaxel Lendeborg is getting ice, and he's getting his ankle re-taped and should be back out here as soon as they can complete that." -- @tracywolfsonpic.twitter.com/sRbEhOyCAQ
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) April 5, 2026
Lendeborg was shown on the TBS broadcast at the 6:06 mark of the first half coming out of the locker room tunnel, walking gingerly back to the Michigan bench with a towel over his head. However, his presence on the Wolverines bench was short-lived, as he was brought back into the locker room. He was seen with a brace on his knee.
"It is the same ankle that he injured in the Big Ten tournament," Wolfson said in an additional report. She also reported that Michigan will continue to give Lendeborg more treatment in the locker room and then re-evaluate whether he is able to return to the game.
