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Man falls from 21-foot Clemente Wall at PNC Park during Pirates game

MLB: Chicago Cubs at Pittsburgh Pirates

Apr 30, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong (4) is visibly shaken as Pittsburgh Pirates medical personnel (not pictured) cart a fan who fell from the stands to the field to an ambulance as the Pirates batted against the Chicago Cubs during the seventh inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Charles LeClaire/Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH — A man fell from the 21-foot-high Clemente Wall in right field at PNC Park during Wednesday night’s game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs.

Right after Andrew McCutchen hit a two-run double in the seventh inning to put the Pirates ahead 4-3, players began waving frantically for medical personnel and pointing to the man, who had fallen onto the warning track.

The fan was tended to for approximately five minutes by members of both the Pirates and Cubs training staffs as well as PNC personnel before being removed from the field on a cart.

The team issued a statement shortly after the game ended saying the man was transported to Allegheny General Hospital. No further details were given.

Pittsburgh Public Safety, which includes Pittsburgh Police and EMS, posted on X late Wednesday night that the man was in critical condition and that police were investigating.

Pirates manager Derek Shelton and Cubs manager Craig Counsell both alerted the umpire crew of the situation immediately after the play.

“Even though it’s 350 feet away or whatever it is, I mean the fact of how it went down and then laying motionless while the play is going on, I mean Craig saw it, I saw it. We both got out there,” Shelton said. “I think the umpires saw it because of the way it kicked. It’s extremely unfortunate. That’s an understatement.”

Players from both teams could be seen praying and McCutchen held a cross that hung from his neck while the fan was taken off the field.

“Truly hate what happened tonight,” McCutchen posted on X late Wednesday night. “Cant help but think about that guy, his family and friends. I pray tonight for him. Let us think about his loved ones and hug our families a little tighter tonight. I hope he pulls thru. May God Bless you all. Good night.”

The game was paused for several minutes while the man was tended to but there was no official stoppage in play.

“I didn’t see anything happen, but I saw (Counsell’s) face when he came out on the field, and I could tell that it was a very scary moment,” Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson said. “All we could do was just pray for a good, strong recovery for him and his family. I have never been part of something like that before and I hope I am never part of something like that again.

“It’s a humble reminder of the gratitude we should all have to play this game. Folks obviously come out to support us, and they are a big reason why we are able to do what we do. It’s obviously tough. At a time like that, you want (the fans) to know you love them.”

Fans have died from steep falls at baseball stadiums in the past.

In 2015, Atlanta Braves season ticket holder Gregory K. Murrey flipped over guard rails from the upper deck at Turner Field. That was four years after Shannon Stone, a firefighter attending a game with his 6-year-old son, fell about 20 feet after reaching out for a foul ball tossed into the stands at the Texas Rangers’ former stadium.

Both incidents prompted scrutiny over the height of guard rails at stadiums. The Rangers raised theirs, while the Braves settled a lawsuit with Murrey’s family.

A spectator at a 2022 NFL game at Pittsburgh’s Acrisure Stadium died following a fall on an escalator.

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Mets Notes: Ryne Stanek's bad luck, team undecided on next move after losing left-handed relievers

The Mets fell to the Diamondbacks, 4-3, on Wednesday night at Citi Field. After the game, manager Carlos Mendoza and some of the players spoke about the game and other topics...

Ryne Stanek's bad luck

Stanek has been great since joining the Mets last season, but he's gone through a rough stretch of late.

Over his last three appearances, including Wednesday, he's allowed five runs on seven hits and one walk, giving up the lead in all three games, including twice in the ninth inning in save situations against the Washington Nationals over the weekend. But Wednesday was a different animal for Stanek.

Coming in with one out in the seventh inning, he got his first batter out on a ground ball, but then he allowed a single hit 85.3 mph, before a broken-bat double (73.9 mph) and a two-run single by Geraldo Perdomo, hit 80.9 mph, gave Arizona the lead.

“Not being able to put hitters away, he gets ahead. Honestly, the ball is not bouncing his way. It’s like when hitters are in the middle of a slump," Mendoza said of Stanek after the game. "Today, he got a groundball to third base, a groundball that somehow got through, a broken bat, soft single. It’s tough luck right now. Stuff is good, he just has to continue to fight through it."

Stanek echoed his manager's thoughts and is ready to just move forward.

"It doesn’t feel good. The last three times have not gone well results-wise. I can’t look at one pitch that I didn’t execute and the results were bad," Stanek said. "Expected numbers on these balls are pretty good in my favor. Such is life. It sucks, it doesn’t feel good, no one’s going to feel bad for me, the job is to go execute. And hopefully, the next time they hit the balls at people instead."

Before these last three games, Stanek's ERA was at a minuscule 0.96 and has now ballooned to 5.06.

Apr 26, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; New York Mets pitcher A.J. Minter (33) throws to the Washington Nationals during the eighth inning at Nationals Park.
Apr 26, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; New York Mets pitcher A.J. Minter (33) throws to the Washington Nationals during the eighth inning at Nationals Park. / Brad Mills-Imagn Images

Moving forward without left-handed relievers?

Aside from Wednesday's loss, the big Mets news comes from a duo of injured relievers. A.J. Minter continues to weigh his options after suffering a serious lat strain and now Danny Young is on the IL with a left elbow sprain that could result in Tommy John surgery.

Entering Wednesday's game, the Mets were without a left-handed reliever, and that may not change any time soon. Mendoza was asked how the team will look to navigate not having a southpaw in the bullpen moving forward.

"We got some righties there that can get lefties out," Mendoza explained. "Whether it’s [Jose] Butto, [Huascar] Brazoban, Reed Garrett, for sure, [Max] Kranick has been doing a really good job. We feel good with our options, now we have to decide what our next move is. We like our righties’ ability to get left-handed hitters out."

Mets can't come up with big hit

Probably the biggest takeaway from Wednesday's loss was the Mets' inability to hit with runners in scoring position. They left 13 runners on base and were 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position.

Despite that, the Mets had a chance to win the game late. They loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth inning down by just one run, but could not come up with that clutch knock.

On the flip side, the Diamondbacks had limited chances with runners in scoring position but capitalized, going 1-for-5 and manufacturing runs late on sac flies.

"There’s a lot of different parts of the game you could look back on [as a reason we lost]," Mendoza said. "Not getting the big hit and they got the big hit, especially with two outs. We created some chances and couldn’t come through. You can make a case for that. We created a lot of traffic and we just came up short."

For the season, the Mets are hitting .224 with RISP (25th in MLB). Their RISP OPS is .731 (15th).

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Rockies get to celebrate a win after losing 16 of 17, including eight in a row

DENVER — The Colorado Rockies got to shake hands after a game for only the second time in three weeks, and they celebrated after a rookie outpitched the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner.

“You guys can probably hear it now. We’re in pretty good spirits,” Chase Dollander said after Wednesday’s 2-1 win over the Atlanta Braves stopped an eight-game losing streak. “I would never say we were down in the locker room. Obviously, losing’s not fun, but at the same time, we know that we’re capable of winning and we can put a winning product on the field, so that’s exactly what we did today.”

Colorado had lost 16 of its previous 17 games. At 5-25, the Rockies avoided becoming just the second MLB team since 1901 to lose at least 26 of its first 30 games of the season.

Only the 1988 Baltimore Orioles, who went on to go 54-107, had a worse 30-game start.

“There’s frustration, sure. Guys are angry,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “These guys are professional baseball players who want to win games and want to do well and it just hasn’t happened as a group, right? We just don’t have enough guys playing well. For us to get going, we have 26 players, they all have to do a little better, maybe not all 26, but we need a higher majority of the guys to perform and right now, we only have a few guys.”

Brenton Doyle hit a tiebreaking home run in the third inning. Ryan McMahon went 0 for 3 and extended his hitless streak to a team record 0 for 34, one more than Desi Relaford in 2005. McMahon has two hits in his past 58 at-bats.

“We have to as a group and more players have to do a little bit more on the field,” Black said.

Doyle’s home run ended a skid of 20 consecutive at-bats without a hit.

“Everyone in here is a competitor, so losing definitely hurts,” Doyle said. “But we know we have to celebrate the wins. That’s what we’re going to do today.”

Dollander, the Rockies’ No. 9 overall pick in the 2023 amateur draft, got his second big league win in his fifth major league start by limiting the Braves to one run and two hits in 5 2/3 innings as part of a three-hitter.

He left because of a cracked fingernail on the middle finger of his throwing hand.

“This is a great confidence-builder for him, going up against Chris Sale, a Cy Young Award winner, and he basically outdueled him,” Black said. “What a great feat today for him.”

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Penguins Draft Prospect Profile: Jake O'Brien

Brantford Bulldogs forward Jake O'Brien. (Credit: Canadian Hockey League)

With the 2025 NHL Entry Draft approaching fast, POHO and GM Kyle Dubas and the Pittsburgh Penguins have their work cut out for them. 

With a total of 30 picks over the next three drafts, including 11 this year - which could reduce to 10 if the conditional first-round pick from the New York Rangers defers to 2026 - there will be plenty of opportunity for the Penguins to add impact players. Of their 11 picks in 2025, six of them are in the first three rounds.

And, as of now, the Penguins will select ninth overall. The draft lottery will take place on Jun. 5th - Pittsburgh has a five percent chance of getting the first overall pick - while the draft itself will be on Jun. 27-28.

Assuming they stay put at ninth, however, we have compiled a list of potential draft prospects that should fall around the Penguins' selection. 

First up? Center Jake O'Brien.

2025 NHL Draft Lottery Day Announced: How It Works, And What Are The Odds?2025 NHL Draft Lottery Day Announced: How It Works, And What Are The Odds?The 2025 NHL draft lottery is scheduled for Monday, May 5, when we will know which team has the top pick in June.

Jake O'Brien

Brantford Bulldogs forward Jake O'Brien. (Credit: Canadian Hockey League)

DOB: Jun. 16, 2007
Position: Center
Shoots: Right
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 170 pounds
Team: Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)

After bursting onto the scene as the Canadian Hockey League's (CHL) Rookie of the Year in 2024, O'Brien followed that up with an impressive sophomore campaign. The 17-year-old two-way center finished eighth in CHL scoring during the regular season, registering 32 goals and 98 points in 66 games. 

The only draft-eligible players more productive this season than O'Brien? Porter Martone and Michael Misa, who are both projected to be drafted in the top-five.

Even though several draft projections still have O'Brien being selected somewhere in the teens, it's also worthwhile to acknowledge how much his draft stock has risen. He's certainly put himself into the conversation to be drafted in the top-10, and what seemed like a far-fetched thing feels more and more like it's going to happen.

O'Brien's playmaking acumen, patience, and hockey-IQ are near the top of this draft class, and there are a lot of details present in his game that should translate well to the NHL level. He's good in the hard and the soft areas of the ice, and his creativity and vision aid in his playmaking and space creation ability.

His passing game is excellent, and his two-way game is strong. OBrien is effective in all three zones with his stick details and puckhandling ability, and he's especially proficient in the offensive zone. He is able to expose the danger areas and has a knack for being in the right place at the right time around the net-front.

Like Penguins top forward prospects Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen, O'Brien's defining characteristic is his hockey sense. He is elusive to defenders, he goes to the net fearlessly, and the deception in his game makes him a threat every time he possesses the puck.

2025 NHL Draft Spotlight: Jake O'Brien's Elite Playmaking Ability Heating Up Down The Stretch2025 NHL Draft Spotlight: Jake O'Brien's Elite Playmaking Ability Heating Up Down The StretchTop prospect for the upcoming NHL draft, Jake O'Brien, has helped push the Brantford Bulldogs up the Eastern Conference standings with his incredible play.

O'Brien's skating is average, and a lot of his production comes on the power play. In fact, 50 of his 98 points in 2024-25 came with the man advantage, so it's fair to question whether his even-strength production is a concern. He also needs to fill out his frame and add some size.

However, O'Brien is arguably one of the most complete players in this draft class. Most of the deficiencies in his game are areas that can be addressed as he develops, his all-around toolset is already impressive, and his details in all three zones

Given the Penguins' glaring need for center depth in their system, O'Brien is certainly a player worth taking a good look at. He has a ceiling as an effective second-line center at the NHL level, and his rise in stock is becoming harder and harder to ignore.

O'Brien will certainly be one to watch as a potential first-round selection by the Penguins in 2025.

NHL comparables: Mason McTavish, Martin Necas, Ryan O'Reilly

'We Have To Stick To A Very Concise Plan And Then Execute Our Butts Off': Dubas Clarifies Penguins' Summer Plans'We Have To Stick To A Very Concise Plan And Then Execute Our Butts Off': Dubas Clarifies Penguins' Summer PlansTo close out the 2024-25 season, Pittsburgh Penguins president of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas spoke with the Pittsburgh media on Monday.

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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Washington Capitals To Renew Bad Blood With Carolina Hurricanes In Round 2

Connor McMichael and Jalen Chatfield (James Guillory-Imagn Images)

As the Washington Capitals beat the Montreal Canadiens 4-1 in Game 5 on Wednesday, the first second-round matchup of the Stanley Cup playoffs is set. 

The Capitals eliminated the Canadiens and will face the Carolina Hurricanes, which knocked out the New Jersey Devils in five games. 

During the regular season, the Capitals and Hurricanes played each other twice in April, leading up to the playoffs. If those outings showed anything, these two clubs don't like each other. 

On April 2, the Canes beat the Caps 5-1 at the Lenovo Center, with two goals from Carolina rookie Jackson Blake. However, it wasn’t the goal-scoring or the high-flying skills that were highlighted from this contest, but the antics between whistles.

This game had a total of 142 penalty minutes between the teams, 74 for Washington and 68 for Carolina. There were eight misconducts from scrums after stoppages.

The bad blood didn’t stop there. At the end of a fight between Connor McMichael and Jalen Chatfield, Chatfield took down McMichael with what was argued as a slew-foot. Despite the arguments and debate across the hockey world, Chatfield didn’t receive any supplemental discipline.

MMA-Style Takedown In NHL Fight Could Have Ended Very BadlyMMA-Style Takedown In NHL Fight Could Have Ended Very BadlyEverything in Connor McMichael's life is going wonderfully at the moment. At the age of 24, the Washington Capitals winger has established himself as a legitimate scoring power forward on one of the best teams in the NHL and has reached the 25-goal mark for the first time in his career.

Eight days later, these teams faced off again, this time at Washington’s Capital One Arena. The Capitals took down the Hurricanes in a shootout, 5-4. There weren’t nearly as many penalties, but it’s not to say it wasn’t a physical match.

Brandan Duhaime came to McMichael’s defense, fighting Chatfield in the first period.

The season series finished 2-2, with Carolina earning the extra point from the shootout. Now, these teams have another chance at beating each other in the second round.

Despite the Capitals and Hurricanes advancing in five games, it wasn’t as easy as it looked, especially for Washington. The young Canadiens refused to go down without a fight and put together some strong performances, even if they are the youngest team in the NHL, according to eliteprospects.com.

The Capitals had some spirited battles with the Canadiens, including heavy hits, warmup antics at center ice, fights on the bench and more moments.

"We knew that they were gonna play kind of cheap and try and get us off our game," Wilson told reporters after beating the Canadiens. "So it got crazy at times. But that's why hockey's so fun, and that's why we all love the sport and we love playing and love competing. So it was a heck of a physical series, but that's what playoffs is all about."

Washington should be ready for the battle Carolina will bring when their series begins.

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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VanVleet and Thompson lead the way as Rockets avoid elimination, routing Warriors 131-116 in Game 5

NBA: Playoffs-Houston Rockets at Golden State Warriors

Apr 28, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet (5) points during the first quarter of game four of the 2025 NBA Playoffs first round against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

HOUSTON (AP) Pushed the the brink of elimination, the Houston Rockets delivered a playoff gem Wednesday night to beat the Golden State Warriors and keep their season alive.

Fred VanVleet scored 26 points, Amen Thompson added 25 and the Rockets extended their first-round playoff series with a 131-116 rout in Game 5.

“Nobody wants to go home,” Alperen Sengun said.

Game 6 is Friday in San Francisco.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr threw in the towel early in this one with the game out of hand. A layup by VanVleet midway through the third quarter made it 93-64, and Kerr called timeout and cleared his bench.

Houston coach Ime Udoka followed suit with about a minute to go in the third and his team up 105-76. He put all his starters back in with about eight minutes left after Golden State cut the lead to 109-92.

Dillon Brooks added 24 points on a night when all five Houston scored in double figures.

VanVleet, a nine-year veteran who won a title with Toronto in 2019, tried to encourage his young teammates by reminding them that they've been in every game.

“Keep everything light and fresh and and confident and understand that we have played good basketball,” he said. “It's not like we were getting our (expletive) kicked the whole time.”

A 9-5 run by the Warriors got them within 114-101 before a fracas broke out with about four minutes to go. Pat Spencer pushed Brooks and then was ejected after headbutting Alperen Sengun in the ensuing scuffle.

Houston went on a 7-2 run after that to put the game away.

“Houston was great and they took it to us right away,” Kerr said. “But like I said, it was an important finish.”

Reserve Moses Moody led the Warriors with 25 points. Golden State's 76 bench points were the most in a playoff game for the franchise since 1970-71, when starters began being tracked.

The Rockets put together their best performance this postseason after losing both games in California, including Game 3, which Jimmy Butler sat out with an injury.

“We came out aggressive, executed offensively and defensively,” Jalen Green said. “We had a professional approach and handled business.”

The Rockets raced to a 14-point lead after one quarter and by the time Stephen Curry made his first basket on a 3-pointer midway through the second, they led 55-32.

They had a 27-point lead at halftime behind 19 points from VanVleet.

Butler managed just eight points in 25 minutes on 2-of-10 shooting after combining for 52 points in the two full games he’d played in this series.

Curry was 4 of 12 for 13 points after scoring more than 30 points in two of the first four games to move the Warriors within a game of clinching the series.

The Warriors made 15 of 44 3-pointers and shot 41.7% overall. The Rockets made 13 of 30 3s and shot 55.1%.

By extending the series, the Rockets have a chance to become the 14th team in NBA history to overcome a 3-1 deficit in a best-of-seven series. Houston has done it twice, most recently in the 2015 Western Conference semifinals against the Clippers.

The Warriors were on the wrong end of such a comeback, losing the 2016 NBA Finals to LeBron James and Cleveland after having a 3-1 advantage.

Golden State has dominated the Rockets in the playoffs, eliminating them four times between 2015 and 2019.

---

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

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Australia’s Dyson Daniels scoops major award for NBA’s most improved player

Dyson Daniels has won the NBA’s most improved player award with an average of 14.1 points and three steals per game this season.Photograph: Kevin C Cox/Getty Images

Australian basketballer Dyson Daniels has declared he can still get better after winning the NBA’s prestigious Most Improved Player award. The George Mikan Trophy is awarded for the player who shows the most progress between seasons.

Daniels was selected eighth in the 2022 draft, but started only 25 games in two seasons for New Orleans before he was traded to Atlanta last year. He was in the Hawks’ starting five for all 76 appearances this season.

Related: NBA playoffs: Haliburton’s ‘disrespectful’ father sparks fracas as Pacers seal Bucks’ fate

“I came into the third year wanting to really put my foot down and go out there and show what I could do,” Daniels told the NBA on TNT broadcast. “I think it was just a small step in the right direction this year, and I feel like I’ve got a lot more in me.”

Playing alongside all-star teammate Trae Young, Daniels made the most of the opportunity with Atlanta. He averaged 14.1 points per game, an increase of 8.3 on the previous season, and three steals per contest, the highest figure in the league.

The man given the nickname “The Great Barrier Thief” recorded 229 takeaways in all, the most in a season in almost 30 years. He was also among three nominees for the league’s defensive player of the year award, won by Cleveland’s Evan Mobley.

The 22-year-old said landing at Atlanta gave him a fresh start. “It’s just coming in with the right mindset, working hard in the offseason, having a good Olympic campaign, and going out there and being aggressive, being myself, and not caring about making mistakes,” he said.

“The main theme this year is I got trust in my coaches, trust in my teammates, and I was able to go out there and just be myself.”

Daniels earned first place votes from 44 of the award’s 100 voters, delivering him 332 total points based on a 5-3-1 voting system.

Los Angeles Clippers’ centre Ivica Zubac finished second with 186 points, and Detroit guard Cade Cunningham attracted 122. Daniels’ Australian backcourt teammate, Chicago’s Josh Giddey, finished 10th in voting.

The executive who traded Daniels from New Orleans last year, David Griffin, said in a visit to Australia in March the deal was “the right thing to do at the right time”.

The trade included Daniels, two first-round draft picks and other players in exchange for guard Dejounte Murray. Murray ruptured his Achilles tendon in January and Griffin was fired as the Pelicans’ executive vice president two weeks ago.

Daniels helped the Hawks finish ninth in the NBA’s Eastern Conference, but the team lost a painful play-in match against Miami in overtime.

The Australian, who grew grew up in Bendigo – a hotbed of Australian basketball talent – has returned to stay with his family in Melbourne following the conclusion of the season.

His older brother Kai plays VFL with Richmond, and his younger brother Dash is due to play in the NBL with Melbourne United later this year as part of the Next Star programme.

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Vancouver Whitecaps stun Lionel Messi, Inter Miami in Concacaf semi-final

  • The Canadian side won 3-1 in the second leg
  • Whitecaps will face Tigres or Cruz Azul in final

Brian White and Pedro Vite scored two minutes apart and the Vancouver Whitecaps stunned Inter Miami 3-1 in the second leg of their CONCACAF Champions Cup semi-final on Wednesday night, spoiling Lionel Messi’s squad’s hopes of making the tournament’s final.

Sebastian Berhalter also scored for Vancouver, which advanced with a 5-1 aggregate to face either Cruz Azul or Tigres UNAL in the Champions Cup final on 1 June.

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Mets' bats can't produce big hit late in frustrating 4-3 loss to Diamondbacks

The Mets saw their home winning streak end at eight games, as they frustratingly fell to the Arizona Diamondbacks, 4-3, on Wednesday night at Citi Field.

Here are the takeaways...

-- New York employed a bullpen game, with Huascar Brazobán serving as the opener for a second time this season. The right-hander resembled his efficient self, striking out three with one walk allowed across two scoreless frames (26 pitches). It was quite an impressive April for Brazobán, who owns a sharp 1.40 ERA through 12 appearances.

-- It didn't take long for the Mets to disrupt the rhythm of D-backs ace Corbin Burnes, but their first-inning threat didn't yield any runs. A one-out, bases-loaded jam set up by a Francisco Lindor double and a pair of walks was all for naught, as Burnes escaped trouble by striking out Starling Marte and getting Jeff McNeil to ground out. Lindor is now hitting a league-best .483 leading off the first.

-- Just when it looked like Burnes had regained composure after his shaky first, Mark Vientos punished him in the third with a two-out solo home run to left, giving the Mets a 1-0 lead. The third baseman's fourth blast of the season traveled 371 feet. Vientos had another chance to inflict damage on Burnes in the fifth with two runners on, but he grounded into an inning-ending double play.

-- The Mets had their chances to make Burnes pay for mistakes, but the veteran right-hander ultimately limited the damage to just the Vientos homer across six innings. He didn't have his ace stuff -- he walked five batters for the first time since 2022 -- but the quality start was earned due to New York leaving seven runners on during those frames.

-- Brandon Waddell was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse to pitch specifically in bulk relief, and his first taste of the majors since 2021 was undoubtedly sweet. The 30-year-old righty logged 4.1 shutout innings with four strikeouts and retired the last eight batters he faced. Waddell's debut with the Mets ended with a standing ovation from the crowd, but the cheering in the seventh inning didn't last.

-- The positive vibes from Waddell's performance were quickly squashed by Ryne Stanek, as he allowed Arizona's bottom-three hitters to produce a two-out, three-single rally for a pair of runs. There's now a pattern of trouble with Stanek, who's relinquished the lead in each of his last three appearances.

-- New York had an opportunity to knot the score in the seventh, as Tyrone Taylor led off the inning with a single and a steal of second that was initially ruled a caught-stealing and required a replay challenge. But the big hit never arrived -- D-backs reliever Jalen Beeks worked out of the jam by inducing a popout, flyout, and strikeout from the top of the Mets' order.

-- Brandon Nimmo, who drove in a mammoth nine runs on Monday but missed Tuesday's game due to illness, was called upon to pinch-hit in the eighth with two outs and a runner on first. The move didn't pay off, as he grounded out to third. Chris Devenski, in his second inning of work, allowed a leadoff walk, a double, and a pair of sac flies that resulted in two more runs for Arizona in the top of the ninth.

-- New York finally showed signs of life in the bottom frame, trailing by three against D-backs closer Justin Martinez. The rally began with a solo homer from Taylor, and after Lindor and Juan Soto worked walks, Arizona opted to pull Martinez for Ryan Thompson. More chaos ensued when Pete Alonso was plunked by a pitch and Jesse Winker drove in a run with a groundout to first, cutting the Mets' deficit to one. But the hopes of a win disappeared when Francisco Alvarez grounded out to third with two outs and the bases juiced.

-- The Mets left a whopping 13 runners on base, and went 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position. In spite of these ugly numbers, the offense nearly pulled off an unexpected win.

Game MVP: Geraldo Perdomo

Perdomo entered as a pinch-hitter in the seventh, and he won the battle against Stanek by driving in two with a single to left. He then produced a sac fly in the ninth, bumping his RBI total to three in the series.

Highlights

What's next

The Mets (21-10) will wrap up their brief homestand against the Diamondbacks on Thursday afternoon, with a matinee scheduled for 1:10 p.m..

Kodai Senga (3-1, 1.26 ERA) is slated to take the mound, opposite Zac Gallen (1-4, 5.57 ERA).

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Big night by Marchand line helps Panthers eliminate Lightning with 6-3 win in Game 5

Apr 22, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers defenseman Nate Schmidt (88) is congratulated by center Brad Marchand (63) and center Eetu Luostarinen (27) after he scored a goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second period in game one of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena. (Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images)

The Florida Panthers are moving on.

Fueled by Wednesday’s 6-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 5, Florida is heading to the second round for the fourth consecutive postseason.

They’ll face the winner of the series between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators.

It didn’t take long for the goals to start coming fast and furious on Wednesday night at Amalie Arena.

First it was Gage Goncalves from the doorstep, picking up a Luke Glendening shot and putting it behind a sprawling Sergei Bobrovsky just 2:33 into the game.

Carter Verhaeghe tied the game less than three minutes later, taking a feed from Matthew Tkachuk and backhanding it past Andrei Vasilevskiy.

A great play by Brad Marchand in the corner led to Florida’s next goal, as Marchand’s centering pass went off the leg of Anton Lundell and into the net at the 10:06 mark.

Florida’s lead lasted just over two minutes.

Connor Geekie stole the puck from Lundell in Florida’s zone and the puck went right to Nick Paul in the slot. He quickly spun around and beat Bobrovsky over the glove, knotting the score at two.

The second period had barely gotten going when Florida took the lead for a second time.

Defenseman Gus Forsling fired a one-timer from the point that was deflected by a screening Sasha Barkov to put the Cats up 3-2 just 52 seconds into the period.

A Jake Guentzel power play goal, Tampa’s first in 15 chances, tied the score at three midway through the middle frame.

The Bolts went right back on the power play when Sam Bennett took his second straight penalty, but it would be Bennett that got the last laugh this time

Immediately after Florida killed off the power play, Bennett took a pass from Lundell and went in all alone on Vasilevskiy, beating him to the blocker side to put the Panthers back in front.

Florida’s third line continued their amazing night, picking up a huge insurance goal for the Cats.

A steal by Lundell in the neutral zone led to Marchand collecting the puck in Tampa’s end.

Marchand sent a perfect feed to a cutting Eetu Luostarinen, whose fourth point of the game put Florida ahead 5-3.

Sam Reinhart added an empty-net goal to seal the victory for the Cats.

On to round two!

QUICK THOUGHTS

Verhaeghe has now scored in consecutive games. He had goals in three straight games and a five-game point streak to close out his regular season.

Also scoring in back-to-back games is Lundell, who has five points over his past two outings.

His buddy Eetu Luostarinen had quite a night, logging a goal and three assists on Wednesday for the first four-point game of his career.

Tkachuk’s assist gave him five points so far during the playoffs.

Barkov is also up to five playoff points after picking up his first goal of the postseason.

Reinhart is also up to six postseason points after logging an assist on Verhaeghe’s goal.

Marchand has picked up assists in back-to-back games and has four so far during the playoffs.

Not one, not two, not three but four assists over his last two games for Eetu Luostarinen after dishing a pair of apples in Game 5.

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The Hockey News Playoff Frenzy Live: Reaction As Capitals Eliminate The Canadiens

Alex Ovechkin (Geoff Burke-Imagn Images)

Welcome to The Hockey News Playoff Frenzy Live, streaming nightly during the NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs.

After the big game of the night, our experts go live to react to the match that was, break down the key moments and storylines, provide updates on the rest of the night's NHL slate and read your opinions.

On tonight's show, Katie Gaus and Andrew McInnis react to the Washington Capitals beating the Montreal Canadiens 4-1 in Game 5 and advancing to the second round of the playoffs.

Capitals vs Canadiens Game 5 - Playoff Frenzy | The Hockey NewsCapitals vs Canadiens Game 5 - Playoff Frenzy | The Hockey NewsWelcome to Playoff Frenzy Live by The Hockey News presented by STIX.com, where we give our live reactions and break down the latest news to all the biggest g...

They also look at the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning facing off in Game 5.

Share your thoughts in the comments and live chat, and the hosts may discuss your message during the stream.

Check out the show right now.

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It's Official: The Flames Will Pick 18th Overall at the 2025 NHL Draft (And We Have Our Guess)

A fan looks on prior to the first round of 2024 NHL Draft in The Sphere in Las Vegas. (Photo:  Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images)

With the Carolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals eliminating the New Jersey Devils and Montreal Canadiens respectfully from 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Calgary Flames are now officially locked in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft with the 18th overall pick.

Who will they draft?

Let the speculation begin…

The Flames have a problem on the offensive end. They had the fourth-lowest goals scored in the league, and a power play that ranked 19th. But they do get shots on goal with the seventh-most this past season.

The good thing about Calgary is they have two first-round picks this year and the second one is dependent on how far the Florida Panthers end up in the playoffs. The Flames should prioritize their offensive needs with that second pick.

Considering in Elite Prospects top 32 April’s list of prospects for the draft, there are just seven defencemen, it makes the position even more valuable.

And since 23-year-old Wranglers centre Rory Kerins impressed in the AHL with 33 goals and 61 points in 63 games this past season, and even scored four points in five games with the Flames, there is potential he makes the roster and helps with the scoring.

Calgary has depth with right-handed defencemen: Rasmus Andersson (whose future with the organization is cloudy), MacKenzie Weegar, Brayden Pachal, Daniil Miromanov.

Zayne Parekh and Hunter Brzustewicz are RHD prospects that are very likely to make the roster.

With left-handers, the only regulars are Joel Hanley, Jake Bean and Kevin Bahl. Hanley will be an unrestricted free agent in the summer and will turn 34 on June 8th: quite old for the Flames roster whose average age was 27.35 for the 2024-45 season according to Elite Prospects.

Jake Bean is not a game-changing defenceman, and will most likely be headed to the AHL, leaving Bahl as the top pairing left defenceman. That means it should be Craig Conroy’s priority to sign the upcoming restricted free agent.

With that 18th overall pick, the Flames should draft a left-handed defenceman and add depth to their blueline.

Our pick:  Kitchener Rangers LD Cameron Reid -

24'-25' OHL Stats:  14 Goals, 40 Assists,  54 Points in 67 Games

Notable Stat: 22 Power Play assists (Team-high, 16th in the OHL)

The Reasons:

  • Valuable shutdown defenseman
  • Two-way capabilities with great offensive skills
  • Leadership experience as alternate captain of Rangers
  • Ability to quarterback the man-advantage will help Flames power play woes
  • Very physical defender will fit well in a Flames roster ranked 11th in hits this past season
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Nashville Predators Draft Odds: NHL Announces Lottery Details

The NHL announced that the 2025 Draft Lottery will be held May 5 at NHL Network studios in Secaucus, New Jersey. The event will be broadcast on ESPN in the United States and Sportsnet and TVA Sports in Canada, at a time to be announced. 

The Draft itself will take place from June 27-28 in Los Angeles.

Nashville Predators

There will be two drawings in the Draft Lottery, one to determine the No. 1 pick and a second to determine the No. 2 pick. No team can move up more than 10 spots in the draft order, and only the top 11 teams in the lottery are eligible for the No. 1 pick. If a team outside of the top 11 wins the draw, the team with the worst record in the NHL will pick No. 1.

The San Jose Sharks (20-50-12), who finished with the NHL's worst record, have the best odds to win the lottery at 18.5%, followed by the Chicago Blackhawks (25-46-11) at 13.5% and the Nashville Predators (30-44-8) at 11.5%.

According to Tankathon, the Predators' odds for their five possible lottery results are as follows:

  • No. 1 overall — 11.5%
  • No. 2 overall — 11.2%
  • No. 3 overall — 7.8%
  • No. 4 overall — 39.7%
  • No. 5 overall — 29.8%

Regardless of the lottery results, the Predators will select in the top five of the draft order for the first time since 2013, when they selected defenseman Seth Jones at No. 4 overall.

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Carlos Carrasco's rocky second inning sinks Yankees in 5-4 loss to Orioles

Carlos Carrasco allowed four second-inning runs, and that was enough for the Orioles to hold off the Yankees, 5-4, on Wednesday night in Baltimore.

Here are the takeaways....

-The Yankees got out to an early lead once again, thanks to the longball. Aaron Judge took Cade Povich deep on a hanging sweeper, launching it 426 feet into deep center field. Judge extended his on-base streak to 27 games.

He would drive in another run with an RBI single in the seventh to cut the Orioles' lead to 5-4. Judge finished 3-for-3 with a walk.

-Paul Goldschmidt would get in on the home run barrage in Baltimore, launching his second long ball -- a solo shot -- of the season in the fifth. It was the first baseman's first homer since March 29.

Unfortunately, the Yankees' lineup just couldn't get traffic on the bases or come through when they needed to. Their best chance came in the sixth with runners at the corners with one out. Pablo Reyes and Jasson Dominguez struck out to end the threat.

-Carrasco was tasked with keeping the Orioles' hitters down with an early lead, but just couldn't. Ryan Mountcastle turned on a slider that had too much plate that tied the game at 2-2 in the second. Two batters later, Ramon Urias took Carrasco deep to give the Orioles the lead. Carrasco would allow another run in the second after two-out hits from Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman.

Carrasco would settle down, but in the fourth, he could only get one out. Tim Hill came in to get the final two outs of the inning.

Carrasco pitched just 3.1 innings (66 pitches/40 strikes), allowing four runs on eight hits, no walks, while striking out five.

-The Yankees' bullpen did their job, keeping the game close. Hill allowed a run -- aided by an Anthony Volpe error -- in his one inning of work, while Fernando Cruz continued to dominate, striking out four in his 1.2 innings.

Devin Williams made his second appearance since losing his closer's role. After getting the Orioles in order on Monday, Williams allowed a walk but got through his one inning of work unscathed. Mark Leiter Jr. worked in and out of trouble in the eighth to give the Yankees one last shot in the ninth, down 5-4.

However, the Yankees would go down in order to closer Felix Bautista, not allowing Judge to get one final at-bat.

-In the fourth, Heston Kjerstad stole second base but Austin Wells' throw was high. Reyes jumped and batted the ball down but landed on Kjerstad's head. Kjerstad took offense to Reyes and started jawing, causing both benches to clear. Cooler heads would prevail, but it harkens back to last season when Kjerstad was hit in the head with a pitch that caused the benches to clear.

-Dominguez started, hitting right-handed against the southpaw. He had some bad luck in his first at-bat, lining a ball into left field that Ramon Laureano caught diving to rob Dominguez of a hit (xBA .530). In his second at-bat, he smoked a pitch 103.9 mph off the bat but right at the third baseman for a forceout. His third and fourth at-bats resulted in strikeouts, and he finished the night 0-for-4.

-With Jazz Chisholm Jr. out of the lineup with his "flank" sprain, manager Aaron Boone switched up his lineup, having Reyes start at second and Oswald Peraza at third. Ben Rice hit leanup against the left-hander Povich and Volpe was moved up to the No. 5 hole.

Reyes finished 0-for-2 with a walk, while Peraza went 0-for-3 with a walk and a run. Volpe went 1-for-3 with a walk, while Rice went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.

Game MVP: Orioles bullpen

Baltimore used six pitchers to get the final 13 outs, allowing just one run.

Highlights

What's next

After an off day on Thursday, the Yankees return home to host the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.

Max Fried (5-0, 1.19 ERA) will take the mound while the Rays have yet to name a starter.