MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - APRIL 25: Ty France #25 of the San Diego Padres roads the bases after hitting a solo home run in the ninth inning during a 2026 Mexico City Series game between the San Diego Padres and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu on Saturday, April 25, 2026 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The San Diego Padres put together another late inning rally to overcome a four-run deficit and beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-4 at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu in Mexico City. The Padres had to overcome a rough second inning for starter German Marquez who allowed four runs with two outs in the inning. To his credit, Marquez made an adjustment and was able to complete six innings to avoid overworking the bullpen. San Diego was not able to get much if any offense in the early part of the contest, but after Zac Gallen left the game following being struck by a Freddy Fermin line drive. Brandon Pfaadt came on in the fourth and was affective until the Padres were able to knock him out in the top of the seventh. The Padres added four runs to their 4-1 deficit which put them in the lead for good. Ty France hit two homers in the effort and was the star of the game for San Diego on the offensive side. The Padres will finish their series with the Diamondbacks on Sunday at 3:05 p.m.
Padres News:
The San Diego farm system continues to function as normal despite all the naysayers. Is it the top system in the game? No, but it does not have to be for the Padres to benefit and for the system to make headlines.
With the Padres and Diamondbacks kicking off the Mexico City Series 2026, Thomas Conroy of Gaslamp Ball took a trip down memory lane and pointed out some of the highlights of past trips for the Padres in Mexico.
Utility infielder Sung-Mun Song was called up from Tiple-A El Paso as the extra player for the Mexico City series.
Mason Miller has been more than what the Friar Faithful could have expected as the closer of the Padres and he now stands alone as the franchise leader with 34.2 innings pitched without allowing a run. San Diego general manager A.J. Preller took some criticism for the trade, but it seems to be paying off for him and the Padres.
ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 24: Atlanta Braves legends Dale Murphy, Tim Hudson,Terry Pendleton and Leo Mazzone are inducted into the Atlanta Braves hall of fame during the MLB game between the Washington Nationals and the Atlanta Braves on August 24, 2024 at TRUIST Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The rain ahead of Saturday’s contest between the Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies may have forced Brian Snitker’s Braves Hall of Fame induction ceremony indoors but it certainly didn’t dampen the spirits of anybody who was in the house for Snit’s big day.
That included Braves Hall-of-Famers Tim Hudson and Terry Pendleton, who were two of many former stars, legends and luminaries who showed up to be there for Snit’s time in the sun (well, the rain but I think you know what I’m getting at, here).
Both legends took questions in the Braves dugout right as the tarp was being rolled onto the field and both of them made it very clear just how impactful Brian Snitker was on them — not just as ballplayers but as human beings as well.
“When you start thinking about hall of famers and thinking accomplishments: Who’s been in an organization 50 years? Who’s been a manager who’s won a World Championship and continue to help kids and adults get better Also off the field, too,” stated Terry Pendleton when he was asked about how his feelings on Snit getting inducted into the Braves Hall of Fame.
“We’re all looking at baseball on the field — do you know how encouraging it is for a youngster out there trying to accomplish something? Not just baseball but life or work and trying to be the best they can be and grow and do something special. Snit has shown everybody how to do that, how to endure and continue on.”
Pendleton also revealed that the baseball-lifer Snitker was actually a bit nervous and wondered if he belonged in the same category as those who have been inducted before he was. Pendleton let us know that he made it clear that Snit belonged. “I told him down in Florida, he was like ‘I saw these names and I’m not worthy of this’ and I said ‘Hey, if anybody’s worthy of this, you are.”
Pendleton also spoke about how while the two of them didn’t really cross paths that much during Pendleton’s time as a big-leaguer, he took home some valuable lessons and inspiration from the man once Pendleton became a coach, himself.“
“Well, it took a while. It took some years. I didn’t really get to hang around him when I was in the big leagues since he was in the minor leagues down working,” explained Pendleton. “It didn’t really happen until we came together as coaches in the big leagues and I really got to learn who the man was and I love the man. Don’t get me wrong: I love his coaching, I love his managing but I love the man because I know what the man stands for and I know who he is.”
Once Terry Pendleton got done talking about Snitker, it was Tim Hudson’s turn. The Alabama native whose entire time as a starting pitcher for the Braves coincided with Brian Snitker’s tenure as a third base coach also spoke kindly about the time and experience he got to share with Snitker in the clubhouse and on the field. Huddy even talked about a time when h got to experience something that pitcher’s don’t usually get to do (and they certainly don’t get to do in today’s game).
“I remember there was a game in Washington where I was on first base and there was a double hit to the gap,” explained Hudson. “I thought I was kind of an athlete back then so I’m running hard and nine-times-out-of-ten or almost 100 percent f the time, the third base coach is going to stop you right at third base since you don’t want to hurt the pitcher.”
“Well I’m running and all of a sudden, I get close to third base and I see Snit and he’s giving me the [signal to round third and come home], he’s willing me around third base. I say, ‘Oh yeah, I’m scoring’. We never scored from first base, being pitchers and it was a play at the plate. It was like a bang-bang play. I felt like an athlete. I felt like a baseball player.”
Hudson did admit that the decision from Snitker to wave him around third wasn’t exactly smiled upon but Hudson appreciated it. “I’m sure people’s hearts skipped a few beats when that happened but it was just the kind of guy he was. He loves baseball, he loved working with the pitchers that could handle the bat a little bit and could run the bases and I appreciated that as a player.”
I then asked Tim Hudson if there was anything he he could take away from his experience with Brian Snitker and not just as a baseball player but as a human being, oto.“
“Probably after he’s retired and after I retired, I probably have a lot more respect for him now than I did when he was a manager or a coach because we’ve gotten to be a lot closer now as a family since he’s retired and since I’ve retired than we were [in the clubhouse]. Ronnie, his wife and my wife are really good friends. He always supported anything that we’ve had going on with our charity work and he always comes to Auburn and hangs out and does things. He’s a real person and he’s very approachable. If you can take away from this game four-or-five people that you can really call friends, you’re pretty lucky. He’s one of those guys.”
These were just two collections of stories from two of the truly countless amount of players that Brian Snitker got to either play with, coach or manage during his now-50 years with the Braves — remember, he’s still employed as a special consultant. Whether you consider that a ceremonial job or not, he’s still sticking around the organization. Either way, Brian Snitker has truly been an important part of this organization for quite some time and it’s good to see that everybody who he impacted made an effort to give him his flowers on his Braves Hall of Fame induction day.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - APRIL 25: Josh Jung #6 of the Texas Rangers celebrates with teammate Jake Burger #21 following the team's win over the Athletics at Globe Life Field on April 25, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Rangers 4, A’s 3
The Rangers beat a lefty starter! Woo hoo!
MacKenzie Gore had what I’m starting to think of as a rather MacKenzie Gore start. He struck out the side in the first on 14 pitches, making you feel like he was locked in. The broadcast was marveling at how his fastball was playing, how the A’s hitters weren’t catching up to it.
Then in the second, Tyler Soderstrom had a well struck fly out, Jacob Wilson smoked a double, and Darell Hernaiz had a hard hit single to drive him in for a 1-0 A’s lead. Corey Seager booted a two out grounder, which made things more worrisome, but Gore got Zack Gelof to fly out to end the inning.
In the third, it looked like Gore was in danger of having a really short outing. A line drive single by She Langeliers, a walk to Nick Kurtz, and a line drive single by Colby Thomas brought a run in. A ground out advanced the runners, Jacob Wilson had a sac fly, and then a seven pitch walk to Max Muncy followed by a six pitch walk to Hernaiz loaded the bases with Gore at 32 pitches in the inning.
Gore got out of it, though, getting Austin Wynns to fly out. And after that he was fine, allowing a single in the fourth and another in the fifth but not allowing either runner past first.
Gore’s final line was three runs in five innings, six hits, three walks, seven Ks. He generated 14 whiffs on 106 pitches, 10 of which came on his fastball and another two on his sinker. His offspeed pitches weren’t getting it done.
The bullpen, on the other hand, did get it done. An inning apiece from Cole Winn, Jalen Beeks, Jakob Junis and Jacob Latz, with just one A’s hitter reaching base over the final four innings.
As for the offense, they didn’t get on base much, but when they did, they made it count. A pair of two spots, one in the third and one in the sixth.
In the third they loaded the bases with no one out on a Danny Jansen HBP, an Evan Carter full count walk, and a Sam Haggerty bunt single. Brandon Nimmo brought home one run with a sacrifice fly, and a Corey Seager two out flare single brought home the second.
Josh Jung was responsible for the second two run inning, as he went the opposite way for a home run after Seager had lead off the inning with a single.
If you’re keeping track, Jung is now slashing .299/.354/.540 on the season. Not bad.
Every other inning was a 1-2-3 inning for the Rangers, except for the fourth, when Jansen had a two out single.
MacKenzie Gore hit 97.6 mph with his fastball, averaging 95.9 mph. Cole Winn touched 96.3 mph with his fastball. Jalen Beeks reached 95.3 mph with his fastball. Jakob Junis’s fastball topped out at 92.9 mph. Jacob Latz hit 97.1 mph with his fastball.
Brandon Nimmo had a 102.9 mph groundout. Josh Jung’s home run was 100.6 mph. Jake Burger had a 100.4 mph fly out.
Can the Rangers win the finale on Sunday and take the series? Tune in and find out…
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 24: Vj Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers dribbles the ball against Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics during game three of the Eastern Conference first round playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 24, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Celtics defeated the 76ers 108-100. 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. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Philadelphia 76ers will get a chance at home to even their first-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics on Sunday in Game 4.
The Celtics were able to reclaim the series lead on Friday, going up 2-1 after defeating the hosting Sixers in Game 3. It was a much closer affair though than Boston’s first win in this series — a 32-point victory in Game 1 — with Philadelphia putting up another valiant effort until simply faltering a bit too much at the end of the 108-100 contest.
Sunday is a new day however, and the Sixers will be back on their home court in front of their fans at Xfinity Mobile Arena with a chance to re-tie the series before things head back to Boston.
The main variable for Philadelphia coming into Game 4 is the status of Joel Embiid, who is currently listed as doubtful for the contest as he continues to work toward medical clearance following an appendectomy just over two weeks ago. If he is ultimately able to play, everything changes quite a bit. We all know how the Sixers’ strategy shifts when they are able to utilize Embiid on the floor, and his presence would certainly put some extra work on the Celtics’ defense and increase spacing for everyone else. That being said, right now, all we can do is wait and see. One can imagine Embiid is probably pushing pretty hard to get out on the floor, and now it’s just up to the medical staff to be satisfied enough with his recovery to clear him to play.
Another injury-related variable coming into Sunday is Kelly Oubre Jr., who is listed questionable as of Sunday morning with right adductor soreness. Oubre has been making some solid contributions throughout the series and is coming off arguably his best performance of these playoffs so far, posting 17 points on 6-for-12 field goal shooting in Game 3. His status, for now, is another situation we just have to wait and see about.
Something that could definitely make a difference in Game 4 for the Sixers would be a bounce-back performance from VJ Edgecombe. The rookie struggled quite a bit in the Game 3 loss, putting up just 10 points in over 41 minutes played shooting 5-for-17 (29.4%) from the floor and going 0-for-7 from long range. He continued to contribute in other ways, posting 10 rebounds, five assists, a steal and a block, but he simply couldn’t get going offensively.
The good news is that Edgecombe had a similar experience back in the Sixers’ crushing Game 1 defeat and was able to bounce back in a huge way. The rookie had just 13 points in that series opener, shooting 37.5% from the floor and 0-for-5 from long range. Just two days later, though, was a much different story. Rather than getting down on himself about the struggles of Game 1, Edgecombe looked like a star in Game 2. The rookie led the Sixers to victory with 30 points on 12-for-20 (60.0%) field goal shooting and 6-for-10 (60.0%) three-point shooting in that second contest. It was also his first career playoff double-double, grabbing 10 boards.
The Sixers in general actually had bounced back really well in Game 2. From game strategy adjustments down to individual performances, the two contests were night and day for Philadelphia. The fortunate thing coming into Game 4 is that they don’t even need that large of a turnaround again. The Sixers actually hung in there really well with the Celtics in Game 3 throughout the majority of the contest, even with Edgecombe struggling and minimal impact from bench players not named Andre Drummond. There are certainly adjustments to be made, but the situation is not nearly as dire and desperate as after Game 1.
The question is simply are they able to make those adjustments again and tighten up in the areas they so obviously have room for improvement in, such as limiting offensive rebounding and second-chance points for Boston, and to have the guys they need to step up to do so.
I’ll be honest, I personally have been extremely impressed with the level of fight this Sixers’ squad — especially without Embiid — has been able to put up against this Celtics team. Especially after Game 1, it looked like Boston had sincere potential for a 4-0 sweep with +20-point wins. Don’t get me wrong, there are no moral victories in the playoffs, that’s not what I’m saying at all. I simply mean that I now have a lot stronger of a “they could steal a win here” coming into these games post-Game 2 than I anticipated ever having in this series coming into it — whether they are with or without Embiid by the time tipoff comes around.
But… having Embiid certainly wouldn’t hurt.
Game 4 tips off at 7 p.m. ET.
Game Details
When: Sunday, April 26, 7 p.m. ET Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA Watch: Peacock Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic Follow:@LibertyBallers
The Montreal Canadiens are halfway there, as Bon Jovi once sang. They’ve won two games in their best-of-seven series against the favorite and experienced Tampa Bay Lightning, but the last two wins will be even harder to get as the Bolts are sure to up the tempo as they get pushed closer to elimination. Tonight’s game will be a pivotal one; there’s a huge difference between going back to Florida with a commanding 3-1 lead and heading back with a 2-2 tie.
Historically, the Lightning has a good record in Game 4 of a series, 23-16 for a .590 winning percentage, but it’s even better when said fourth game is on the road, they are 14-7 for a .666 winning percentage. However, their stats are a lot less enviable when they are trailing 2-1 in a series. Then, they are 6-8 for a measly .429 winning percentage, and it’s even worse on the road, where they are 3-6 for a lower .333 winning percentage.
However, the Canadiens’ outlook historically is even worse. They are 61-64 in Game 4 of a series for a .488 winning percentage, and at home, they are 19-27 for an even worse .413 winning percentage. There is some good news for Canadiens’ fans, however. When they have a 2-1 lead in a series, their record goes up to 39-11, which is a .780 winning percentage, and it’s even better at home, where they are 29-5, for a .853 winning percentage.
Given the result of the last game, it’s probably fair to expect the Canadiens to have not only the same roster, but the same lines and pairings. Despite his first line being muzzled by the Bolts, Martin St-Louis has made it clear that he trusts his first line to find a way to produce, essentially because they are elite player.
Game three made it look like Jon Cooper was a clown in another life; his ability to juggle his lines is second to none, and even on the road, he was able to get the matchup he wanted, largely because the Lightning kept having the upper hand at the faceoff circle. Nick Suzuki had only a 35.7% success rate in the faceoff circle. It’s much easier for the other team to change a couple of players on the fly when they have puck possession.
It could be an idea for St-Louis to use the same strategy he often uses in overtime in the regular season: send a draw specialist alongside Suzuki to win the faceoff, then have him change right after as they go up the ice. Jake Evans had a 66.7% success rate in the faceoff department on Friday, winning eight of his 12 draws, while Phillip Danault had an off night, winning just one of his five draws. Danault’s numbers were much better in Game 2 where he had a 66.7% success rate, while Evans was at 53.8%. Meanwhile, Suzuki was at 41,9% in Game 2 and had a surprising 71,4% success rate in the opening game.
If the Canadiens lose the draw, it’s not a big problem since both Danault and Evans are very good defensive forwards. Of course, that would give less ice time to Cole Caufield, but it might be worth trying, just to up the Canadiens’ top line’s chances of gaining puck possession and mounting a good attack.
Of course, the Canadiens have been able to grab two wins even if their top line wasn’t producing at even strength, but it stands to reason that their lives would be much easier if they could find a way to kickstart its production. However, the match unfolds, though, we should be in for yet another exciting bout between the two teams. This series is the only one that has needed overtime in all of its games so far, and it wouldn’t be surprising if it happened again.
The game is scheduled for 7:00 PM on Sunday, and you can catch it on CBC, TVAS, SNE, SNO, SNP, ESPN, and The Spot. Brandon Blandina and Wes McCauley are set to officiate, while CJ Murray and Jonny Murray will be the linemen. Brittany Kennell will be on national anthem duty.
@CCpxpSN What a goal call. “Canadiens in victory Lane.” Lane Hutson plays hero for the Montreal Canadiens as they take game 3 in overtime. #GoHabsGo Just an absolute perfect shot. pic.twitter.com/8jvVllFprh
Ronnie O’Sullivan thumped the table in frustration as John Higgins reeled in the seven-time world snooker champion in an enthralling second session of their second round match at the Crucible on Sunday night.
O’Sullivan twice led by five frames and looked set to cruise towards the quarter-finals at the expense of the out-of-sorts Scot, before Higgins drew on his decades of top-level experience to end the evening just two adrift at 9-7.
Former Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Ian Mitchell is currently playing in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Syracuse Crunch. While this is the case, the right-shot blueliner has already found his home for next season.
SC Bern of Switzerland's National League has announced that they have signed Mitchell to a two-year contract.
Mitchell spent all of this season in the AHL, where he had four goals, 23 assists, 27 points, and a plus-31 rating in 60 games. He has also played in one playoff game for the Crunch this spring, where he was held off the scoresheet.
Mitchell was selected by the Blackhawks with the 57th overall pick of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. In 82 games over three seasons with the Blackhawks from 2020-21 to 2022-23, he had four goals, 12 assists, 16 points, 44 hits, and 119 blocks.
Mitchell was traded with Alec Regula to the Boston Bruins in exchange for Nick Foligno and Taylor Hall during the 2023 NHL offseason. Following the move, Mitchell had zero goals, three assists, and a plus-4 rating in 28 games over two seasons with the Bruins.
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 21: Austin Warren #44 of the New York Mets reacts after throwing three straight strikeouts in the ninth inning during the game between the Minnesota Twins and the New York Mets at Citi Field on Tuesday, April 21, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Evan Yu/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Meet the Mets
Yesterday’s game between the Mets and Rockies at Citi Field was postponed due to inclement weather. The game will be made up as part of a single-admission doubleheader today with first pitch of Game 1 scheduled for 1:40pm ET. Nolan McLean will pitch the first game and Kodai Senga, yesterday’s scheduled starter, will pitch Game 2.
Reliever Austin Warren will be serving as the Mets’ 27th man for today’s doubleheader.
Given the Mets’ starting pitching depth, the leash can’t be that long for Kodai Senga, writes Mark W. Sanchez of the New York Post.
Around the National League East
The Phillies rallied to beat the Braves 8-5 in ten innings to snap a ten-game losing streak. Zack Wheeler made his return from surgery to address thoracic outlet syndrome for Philadelphia and the results were encouraging for the Phillies; he allowed two runs on three hits, striking out six in five innings of work. The Braves took a one-run lead in the sixth, but Philadelphia tied it in the eighth and put up a four-run tenth against the Braves’ bullpen, who wasted a strong effort from Bryce Elder. Bryce Harper’s go-ahead single was the decisive hit for the Phillies.
Former manager Brian Snitker was inducted into the Braves Hall of Fame prior to the game against the Phillies at Truist Park. He was surprised by his son—Mets hitting coach Troy Snitker—who was able to catch a flight to Atlanta to make the ceremony after the Mets’ game was postponed.
The Nationals beat the White Sox 6-3 also in extras thanks to a four-run tenth. Two Nationals pitchers also combined for the rare four-strikeout inning.
The Marlins fell to the Giants 6-2, as Eury Pérez took the loss for allowing four runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Around Major League Baseball
After a disappointing 10-17 start, the Boston Red Sox fired manager Alex Cora and five members of his coaching staff yesterday in a massive, stunning shakeup.
Yesterday marked the 50-year anniversary of the day two protestors attempted to burn an American flag on the field at Dodger Stadium. Rick Monday, then an outfielder for the Cubs, grabbed the flag from them. The flag, which Monday still owns, will be on loan to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown this summer as part of America’s 250th birthday celebration.
Reds DH Eugenio Suárez was placed on the injured list yesterday with an oblique strain.
The Padres beat the Diamondbacks 6-4 to open the Mexico City Series. With a scoreless inning to close things out, Mason Miller set the record for longest scoreless streak in Padres history.
The Dodgers walloped the Cubs 12-4 to snap Chicago’s MLB-best 10-game winning streak.
Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue
On a new episode of Today Your Love, Tomorrow the World Series, Brian Salvatore and Chris McShane breathe a sigh of relief that the Mets managed to win a couple of games, but remain concerned about the state of the team, especially with the injury to Francisco Lindor.
This Date in Mets History
Two iconic Mets—Keith Hernandez and Mike Piazza—reached career milestones on April 26: 1,000 RBIs for Keith in 1988 and 400 home runs for Piazza.
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 23: Artturi Lehkonen #62 of the Colorado Avalanche celebrates his goal with teammates against the Los Angeles Kings in Game Three of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena on April 23, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The Colorado Avalanche have battled through three tightly contested games thus far in their first round series, emerging victorious despite, among other things, the stifling defensive tactics employed by the Los Angeles Kings.
With a victory today, the Avalanche can be the first team in the Western Conference to advance to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
1 Colorado Avalanche (3-0)
The Opponent: 2WC Los Angeles Kings (0-3)
Time: 2:30 P.M. MDT/4:30 P.M. EDT
Watch: ALT, ALT + (Avalanche Broadcast Area), FDSNSC (Kings Broadcast Area), HBO Max, TNT, truTV (US National Broadcast), SN360, SNP, SNW, SN+, TVAS2, TVAS+ (Canadian National Broadcast)
Listen: Altitude Sports Radio KKSE-FM 92.5 FM
Colorado Avalanche
Scoring had been hard to come by for the Avalanche in the first two games against Los Angeles, with their first goals not coming until the second and third period, respectively. Game Three was a different story, as a shot from Gabe Landeskog ricocheted off the end boards before bouncing off the skate of goaltender Anton Forsberg early in the first period to give the Avs the lead. Los Angeles would tie the game with a bounce of their own off Trevor Moore in the second period, but Cale Makar’s first goal of the playoffs restored the lead. A shorthanded goal from Artturi Lehkonen would give the Avs some breathing room in the third, but a power play goal for Los Angeles would make things interesting late. Brock Nelson would cap off the night with an empty net goal to secure a 3-0 series lead to wrap up a game that featured more end to end action for both teams. Scott Wedgewood stopped twenty-four of twenty-six shots for his third consecutive playoff win.
Despite Game Three being more wide open, it still featured plenty of physical play throughout. After a hard hit from Kings defenseman Joel Edmundson into the boards at the Los Angeles bench late in the first period, Josh Manson would play sparsely in the second period before missing the remainder of the game. Head coach Jared Bednar said yesterday that Manson was “sore” and “unlikely” to be in the lineup for today’s game. When pressed for a further opinion on Manson’s status yesterday, he said, “We don’t know how long he’s going to be [unavailable] yet, so it’s hard to say. […] I won’t have a timeline. I don’t have a timeline. We’ll just take it day by day, and see how he’s feeling, and go from there.”
Manson’s absence opens the door for Nick Blankenburg to step into the lineup for the first postseason appearance of his career. While Blankenburg is certainly capable of physical defensive play in his own right, it would be a pretty tall task to elevate his physicality to that of playoff Manson having never skated in playoff situations before. “We need him to be solid defensively,” Bednar explained. “He’s perfectly capable of coming into our system and being a responsible, defensive player and helping us move the puck out of the zone and into the offensive zone—what we expect from all of our D—anything he can add beyond that is a bonus. […] I feel good about the option we have in [Blankenburg] coming into the lineup and being able to help us. It’s why I’m glad we got him a bunch of games down the stretch. It hasn’t been that long [since he’s played], so he’s been in all the meetings, and he should be in tune with what we’re trying to do here for Game Four.”
Game Three also marked the return of Ross Colton to the Avalanche lineup. When asked about what he’s looking for out of Colton, Bednar said, “Hungry game from [Colton], I felt. Committed, played with great urgency and determination in the game, made his presence felt on the forecheck, and created a couple of really dangerous scoring chances for himself, for his linemates. He added an element of physicality and speed to our game, so I was happy with his game. Again, it is really hard to create offense, but he did a nice job in his time to help us do that, and help the second line.”
It should be noted that Colton had 8:22 of ice time in Game Three, the lowest total ice time among all forwards. Jack Drury (9:26) and Parker Kelly (9:31) were the only other forwards that had fewer than ten minutes of total ice time in Game Three.
The Avs had an extra day of rest coming into today’s game, which could provide some extra spark for them to utilize their speed to help create more offensive opportunities. As has been the case throughout the series, those opportunities won’t come easy, and with Los Angeles on the brink of elimination, they will throw everything they can at the Avs to slow down them down as much as possible. Elimination games are difficult to win, and the Avs have not closed out an opponent to advance in the postseason since eliminating the Winnipeg Jets in the first round back in 2024. A win today would give the Avs some valuable rest before the start of the second round, especially since their next playoff opponent in either Dallas or Minnesota will now be forced to play no fewer than six games in their first round series.
Coming into today’s game, both Landeskog and Lehkonen share the team lead in scoring at two goals apeice, while Lehkonen leads the team in playoff points with three. While there might be some concern in the lack of production from the likes of Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Nečas, which had been a staple for the Avs during the regular season, the Avs have also returned the favor on the defensive side of their game as well, having limited the Kings to four total goals across three games. When addressing the media yesterday on his opinion on the low offensive output to this point in the series, Nečas said, “It would be a different story if we’re not scoring much and maybe down 2-1 or something like that, but being 3-nothing up, with not scoring many goals, I think we’re pretty comfortable, and it honestly feels almost better.”
Given Wedgewood’s solid performance in this series, expect him to start in goal today as he looks to earn his first playoff series win.
Projected Lineup
Forwards: Artturi Lehkonen – Nathan MacKinnon – Martin Nečas Parker Kelly – Brock Nelson – Valeri Nichushkin Gabe Landeskog – Nazem Kadri – Nicolas Roy Ross Colton – Jack Drury – Logan O’Connor
Defense: Cale Makar – Devon Toews Brett Kulak – Sam Malinksi Nick Blankenburg – Brent Burns
Between the Pipes: Scott Wedgewood Mackenzie Blackwood
Los Angeles Kings
What do you do if you’re the Los Angeles Kings coming into today’s game? The League’s most potent offense, featuring the current Rocket Richard winner in Nathan MacKinnon—who hasn’t scored a goal during this postseason—has been held to eight total goals. The power play has found success in three straight games. The penalty kill has been flawless. Anton Forsberg has been solid. Artemi Panarin has been the primary driver on offense, which is what General Manager Ken Holland was banking on when he made the trade for him.
The ingredients for playoff success are there, and what’s been the end result? An elimination game scenario on your own ice after three consecutive losses to start the postseason.
The Stanley Cup Playoffs giveth, and the Stanley Cup Playoffs taketh away.
Despite the defense limiting Colorado’s high-powered offense to this point in the series, Colorado’s defense has returned the favor in spades. Los Angeles has only led for a total of 3:21 throughout the entire series. That primary offensive driver in Panarin scored power play goals in both Game One and Game Two, but was limited to a single assist in Game Three. Adrian Kempe and Trevor Moore have one goal each. Quinton Byfield and Alex Laferriere have registered only two assists. That same power play gave up a shorthanded goal late in Game Three, which proved to be the game-winner.
In addressing the media yesterday, head coach D.J. Smith said, “We just got to play our best game one time, and then we’ll worry about the next game, but we have to find a way to score more while playing the exact same defense. Is it hard? Yes. Are we going to give it everything we got? Yes. I think you’re going to see our best game of the series.”
For Smith’s roster, an unlucky bounce led to Forsberg kicking the puck into his own goal early in the first period, and with Forsberg on the bench for the empty net late in the third, a neutral zone turnover by Anže Kopitar flipped a potential game tying scenario into the final nail in the coffin and a 0-3 series deficit. While luck can hardly be accounted for in any situation, outcomes like that have the potential to make or break a series.
For Los Angeles, they face the latter. “I think the game plan is correct,” Smith said. “I just think that you want more results, and let’s see if we get them in Game Four, but there’s nothing to feel bad about. I think our team plays hard, I think we’re organized and we’re detailed. We just probably should at least have one win, and we’re probably feeling different, so I like everything everyone’s done.”
The phrase, “There is no tomorrow” holds even more significance ahead of today’s game. “Right now, we’ve got nothing to lose,” Kopitar said in comments to the media yesterday. “It’s focusing tomorrow on the start, having a good start, and just go from there. To think what’s going to happen in a couple of days, or four days or five days from now, there’s really no need for that. It’s just staying in the moment, go down there tomorrow, and play our asses off, and see where that takes us.”
When asked if he was prepared for Game Four to be his last game, Kopitar said, “I hope it’s not going to be [my last game]. Can you ever be emotionally prepared? Probably not, so we’ll see.”
Those sound like words of someone who, rather than playing like he has nothing to lose, feels exactly the opposite.
Projected Lineup
Forwards: Artemi Panarin – Anže Kopitar – Adrian Kempe Trevor Moore – Quinton Byfield – Alex Laferriere Joel Armia – Scott Laughton – Jared Wright Mathieu Joseph – Samuel Helenius – Jeff Malott
Defense: Mikey Anderson – Drew Doughty Joel Edmundson – Brandt Clarke Brian Dumoulin – Cody Ceci
ST. LOUIS, MO - SEPTEMBER 17: Members of the St. Louis Cardinals pitching staff walk to the dugout prior to the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on Wednesday, September 17, 2025 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Ali Overstreet/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Like the rest of the NL Central, the St. Louis Cardinals have been at or above .500 for the majority of the season, but despite outperforming expectations, they find themselves in the middle of the way-too-early division race. Thanks to Jordan Walker, rookie JJ Wetherholt, and a new hero each win, the Cardinals have been able to hide the weakness on the field. Through the first 25 games of the year, St. Louis starting pitchers are checking in at 29th in the league by measure of fWAR and the underlying metrics show the alarming truth that they might actually be outperforming expectations so far in 2026.
As we all know, the point of this season was to serve as a fact-finding mission for most every piece on the major league roster. That involved bringing back everyone’s favorite 2025 term “runway” when talking about Nolan Gorman and Jordan Walker on the offensive side, as well as including Kyle Leahy and Andre Pallante in the rotation. So far, the Cardinals are batting .333 when looking at the early success of these four players. (I am classifying Leahy as an in-progress plate appearance since he is the one with the least amount of track record heading into the season as a starter). All four of them had the right to the first crack at playing time, especially factoring in that Chaim Bloom did not want to get into any 40-man funny business before the regular season got started.
Unfortunately, we have seen the Andre Pallante we saw for the majority of last season, a pitcher with a below-average fastball and inconsistent breaking stuff, which ends up with starts showing lack of command, lack of efficiency, or some combination of both. Positively, Pallante has already won more games than he won the entire second half last year, but he has yet to pitch more than five innings or allow less than six baserunners in any of his four starts. Leahy, on the other hand, has been more effective than Pallante when it comes to strikeouts and walks, but not by much, which is a bummer for a pitcher who had a mediocre 22% K-rate last year so he did not have much wiggle room for regression there, while also losing close to 2mph on his average fastball. The move to the rotation has also impacted his command, as the former reliever is walking hitters more often and allowing more hits and homers than he did out of the bullpen. In a season of fact-finding, the early returns are not pointing to positive data in the Cardinals rotation, potentially forcing more moves than anticipated for a rotation that seemed to be a point of solid, if unspectacular performances.
The Cardinals should utilize the Memphis Shuttle for more than just relievers
The Opening Day rotation featured Matthew Liberatore, Michael McGreevy, Dustin May, Andre Pallante, and Kyle Leahy, which again simply seemed “fine” for this iteration of Cardinals baseball. However, the early struggles of Pallante and Leahy did not help when surrounded by a couple May blowups (the pitcher not the month), and McGreevy getting hit like the pitch-to-contact hurler he is. Staff number one Matthew Liberatore has also been simply okay thus far, but he is showing concerning command issues and losing his normal strikeout stuff and was hit hard in his start against the Mariners.. For those keeping score at home, that is closer to 0-for-5 than any of us were hoping for, especially with the Cardinals still managing to win ballgames.
The problem with this current rotation alignment is that each of these players should start games as long as they are healthy or unplayable, which is quite the standard to hit in a season where winning is not priority 1, 2, or 3. I truly hope none of the five incumbents get there, but I am also hoping that the need to find answers extends beyond the major league roster and trickles into Memphis for some of the arms that are close to St. Louis. Typically, we see the shuttle bus reserved for struggling or overused relievers, but I would be open to gassing that baby up to transport guys who can pitch more than an inning at a time and still give the team a chance to win. Of course, a difficulty of that is having MLB-ready talent sitting in Triple-A who also match up to schedule and rotation needs, which the Cardinals have not worried about yet thanks to having every Thursday off in April.
One such pitcher who, at times, looked to be the next man up when the rotation was ready was Richard Fitts, who flashed high-90s velocity during Spring and was the face of the revamp we were promised in the minors. However, the minor league injury bug struck yet again in Memphis and Fitts has since undergone season-ending shoulder surgery with the expectation of a full recovery in 2027. Now, Fitts joins a growing list of Cardinals’ prospects who have missed extended time due to injury despite the major league arms seemingly immune to health issues.
Add Packy Naughton and Richard Fitts to the list of minor league injuries. Is anyone worried about this becoming a trend after the #STLCards new shift towards power stuff? https://t.co/a594uvn1rm
A name left off the list but currently rehabbing is other offseason acquisition in Hunter Dobbins, who the Red Sox gave up in order to gain the services of Willson Contreras. Dobbins came to St. Louis already recovering from ACL surgery, but his inability to yet field his position in games limited his exposure to big league hitters during camp. Now, he is back on the mound on what the Cardinals are calling a rehab assignment, meaning the team will have to make a decision on his roster standing when the allotted rehab time is up. The latest news around the organization is that a six-man rotation could be an option to help the Cardinals work through a long stretch of games, and the expectation is that Dobbins will fill that role. The remaining question, then, is if this is just a short three-game audition, or if he is actually going to be up and competing to stick around at the end of the grueling 17-game run.
The current rotation has an interesting setup, with really only Matthew Liberatore and probably Michael McGreevy having the longest leash for the entire season, as Dustin May is likely to be traded after bouncing back well since a rough start, and Pallante and Leahy have to prove their value to stick. The only change for the latter would likely be a move to the bullpen, if anything, as Leahy is 29 years old with an established ability to fill the middle innings. Pallante would be an interesting discussion if any changes were to happen in his role. He broke in and proved himself as a reliever before saving the rotation after stretching out in 2024, but he has never shown dominance as a starter or out of the bullpen. He has an option remaining and becomes arbitration-eligible for the first time this offseason, so if the Cardinals find a couple things he needs to work on, a move to Memphis could help. But, if he is closer to a finished product than a work in progress, keeping him in the bigs might be the only option in hopes he can build his value enough to be shipped at the Trade Deadline with May.
If a demotion, role change, or trade were to happen anywhere in the rotation, someone from Memphis will have to be ready. Assuming Dobbins gets first dibs at any vacancy, it is a wide-open competition for who would be the next man up. Former Pitcher of the Year Quinn Mathews has battled adversity since that 2024 season, regressing from a Top-100 prospect to a solid future as a rotation arm, but has been working through command issues. Those struggles continued in the start of the 2026 season, and even with his strikeout stuff getting back on track, these issues could prevent a promotion, even if an injury strikes.
The 2025 Minor League Pitcher of the Year for the Cardinals, Brycen Mautz, also looked to be a candidate for a big-league spot, but he has simply been just “fine” outside of a 1.2 inning start where he allowed four homers and four walks in that shortened outing. He is on the 40-man roster and does not have the prospect pedigree of Mathews, so that could actually work in his favor if the Cardinals decide to “rush” Mautz to the bigs for a cameo or two.
Interestingly, and unfortunately, Memphis’ best starter so far has been 31-year-old journeyman Bruce Zimmerman who is putting up the best strikeout numbers of his career while with his fourth organization. Unlike the other lefties, he is not on the 40-man roster, so any move up to the St. Louis for Zimmerman would mean someone losing their spot on the 40-man, as well as on the big league roster. Then, if the Cardinals wanted to send Zimmerman back to the Redbirds, he would have to clear waivers due to being out of options.
I would be surprised if Bloom and Co decide to cycle through the roster outside of Dobbins (or whoever they choose) during the six-man rotation stint. I personally think that any roster changes would happen only due to injury or trade, as we all know that winning is not on the top of mind for the executives this season.
Would you like to see any changes in the current setup? Remember, demoting or trading someone means that someone else has to take their spot, so a simple “DFA Svanson” comment that is usually left for Twitter would not make sense here.
OMAHA, NE - JUNE 24: Andrew Miller #33 of the North Carolina Tar Heels pitches against the Oregon State Beavers during game one of the NCAA College World Series Baseball Championship at Rosenblatt Stadium on June 24, 2006 in Omaha, Nebraska. The Tar Heels defeated the Beavers 4-3. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We are now far enough into the college baseball season that we’re not that far away from starting to seriously start thinking about seeds and hosting for the NCAA Tournament. North Carolina is in pretty good position on that front, especially having won a series last weekend over Georgia Tech, with both teams ranked #2 and #3 by several polls. There’s still some season left and baseball can be a fairly random sport, but the Tar Heels look to be in position to be a national championship contender this year.
UNC baseball have yet to actually take home a national title, but they have come agonizingly close. Thinking about the chances of this year’s teams inevitably takes one back to past great Carolina baseball teams. After all, baseball in general is an excuse and an exercise in “remembering some guys.”
With that in mind, for today’s question of the day, I thought I’d simply ask: who is your favorite UNC baseball player of all time?
My personal answer is former Tar Heel pitcher Andrew Miller for a couple of reasons. One is that he was excellent playing at UNC. He was a member of one of those teams that came agonizingly close to a national title, as an important part of the 2006 Tar Heels. They made it all the way to the finals before losing to Oregon State in the championship series. That year, he was also one of the best individual players in the country, winning a host of awards, including Baseball America’s College Player of the Year.
That season and his career in Chapel Hill led to Miller getting drafted sixth overall in the 2006 MLB Draft, and it was his professional career that leads the other reason why I hold him so dear. From 2015-16, Miller played for my favorite MLB team: the New York Yankees. Over those two seasons, he was an absolutely lights out reliever for the team and also always seemed like a good guy in addition to a good pitcher.
As far as recent Tar Heels go, Vance Honeycutt was an electric player to watch when he was at Carolina. As of now, I would find it a little hard to root for him at the MLB level, as he would be a division rival of my Yankees with the Baltimore Orioles. I wish him personal success, just maybe not his team.
That’s my answer, but what about you? Who is your favorite ever UNC baseball player?
Apr 25, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zack Wheeler (45) walks off the field against the Atlanta Braves in the third inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
The team’s Ace returned to the mound last night in Atlanta and had a solid season debut. Wheeler was coming back from thoracic outlet syndrome surgery and what to expect of him was something of a mystery. His velocity vacillated between good and concerning during his rehab starts, but on Saturday, he mostly maintained it in the 94-96 area.
Overall, what was the most encouraging thing you saw out of Wheeler? His control wasn’t pinpoint on the evening, but it was good enough. His secondary stuff was mostly good but with a few holes. It was a promising start to his season.
In the third, Miguel Amaya led off and was hit by a pitch. He took off for second on a wild pitch that bounced in front of the plate and was safe on a close play. One out later, Amaya scored on a single by Michael Busch [VIDEO].
Then the wheels fell off. Rea, who had thrown 73 pitches over the first three innings, allowed a one-out single and then a game-tying RBI double to Alex Freeland. Shohei Ohtani walked and then Freddie Freeman singled in Freeland to give the Dodgers the lead. About Rea’s evening, from BCB’s JohnW53:
Colin Rea gave up six hits and walked four. He was the first Cubs starter in eight games to allow double-digit runners and just the fourth this season. Edward Cabrera allowed 11 vs. the Pirates on April 11 and 10 vs. the Mets on April 17. Javier Assad surrendered 13 at Philadelphia on April 13.
Maybe Craig Counsell should have just lifted Rea after three innings and brought in Javier Assad to start a clean inning in the fourth. As it was, Assad walked the first hitter he faced, loading the bases. He got Kyle Tucker to pop up for the second out, but then the Dodgers smacked three straight singles off Assad, scoring four runs in all (two of which were charged to Rea). If you’ve lost count here, that’s a six-run inning and a five-run Dodgers lead.
The Cubs did have a chance to get back in this game in the sixth. Ian Happ led off with a walk. Then Suzuki singled and Sasaki was lifted for left-hander Jack Dreyer. Counsell left Ballesteros in to face the lefty and Moisés walked, loading the bases with nobody out.
But Dreyer struck out Dansby Swanson and Pete Crow-Armstrong and got Amaya to ground out, so the Cubs turned that opportunity into no runs at all, and then the Dodgers pushed four more runs across the plate. Assad started the sixth and, as was the case for Rea, maybe Counsell should have taken him out and started the inning with Vince Velasquez, who eventually entered after Assad had allowed the first four Dodgers to reach base, followed by two outs, the first of which scored a run. Eventually the Dodgers made it a four-run inning, the last of the runs scoring on a wild pitch by Velasquez.
And that, as they say, was that. The Cubs had just one baserunner after the seventh, Suzuki with a leadoff single in the eighth, but he was erased when Swanson hit into a double play. Props to Suzuki, who had three hits including his home run and is now batting .327/.439/.564 (18-for-55) in 15 games played since his return from the knee injury suffered in the World Baseball Classic.
This is just the third of the Cubs’ 27 games in which they have allowed at least eight runs. The first two were Opening Day, when they lost at home to the Nationals, 10-4, and the 13-7 shellacking on April 13 at Philadelphia. They had given up 100 runs in 26 games before this one — 3.85 per game.
Also, remarkably:
The 12 runs scored by the Dodgers tied for the most they have scored against the Cubs since moving to Los Angeles in 1958. This was the 368th game there between the teams. The Dodgers had scored 12 in four previous games at L.A., beating the Cubs by 12-6 in 1960, 12-5 in 1947, 12-3 in 1991 and 12-4 on April 24, 1998.
They scored more than 12 runs against the Cubs at Brooklyn in 10 games between 1901 and 1953. Their high was in a 16-1 win in 1922.
The Cubs still have a chance for a series win in the finale Sunday afternoon, and hopefully begin another winning streak. Shōta Imanaga will start for the Cubs and Justin Wrobleski will go for the Dodgers, a battle of left-handers. Game time is 3:10 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network (and MLB Network outside the Cubs and Dodgers market territories).
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - APRIL 25, 2026: Alex Cora #13 of the Boston Red Sox watches the action from the dugout during the seventh inning of a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park on April 24, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Red Sox beat the Orioles, 17-1. (Photo by Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Saturday saw the Yankees extend their win streak as they picked up another fairly comfortable win over the Astros. Trent Grisham, José Caballero, and Austin Wells all homered as the Yankees picked up the win to take their eighth consecutive game.
The win streak has seen the Yankees vault towards the top of the standings across baseball, but let’s see if they gained any ground with their competition around the AL yesterday.
Boston Red Sox (10-17) 17, Baltimore Orioles (13-14) 1
The biggest news around them came postgame when they fired Alex Cora, but the Red Sox did well on the field on Saturday, obliterating the Orioles.
Even with that final score, the game didn’t actually get too out of hand until late, although Boston was in control for most it. Caleb Durbin opened things up with an RBI double, as the Red Sox scored three runs in the first. They added one in the fourth and three more in the fifth, with Connor Wong hitting a bases-loaded, bases-clearing double.
Meanwhile on the mound, Garrett Crochet was way better than some of his other recent starts. He lowered his ERA to 6.30, having thrown six scoreless innings, giving up just three hits and two walks. Baltimore then did get on the board in the seventh, giving them a brief glimmer of hope, but that door would soon be slammed shut.
In the top of the ninth inning, the Red Sox scored 10 runs on 10 hits, sending 14 batters to the plate over the course of the frame. O’s reliever Keegan Akin was making his 2026 debut, and will leave the game with a 54.00 ERA after allowing six of the 10 runs in the inning.
Despite that dominance, Boston still pulled the trigger on Cora — and several coaches, including franchise legend Jason Varitek (who got away with reassignment) and former Yankees hitting coach Dillon Lawson — a few hours later. It’s been a less-than-stellar start for them, but that was still an unexpected move.
Toronto Blue Jays (11-15) 5, Cleveland Guardians (15-13) 3
A two-RBI double from Andrés Giménez capped off a three-run sixth inning for the Blue Jays that ended up holding up for a Toronto win.
The Guardians took an initial lead in the third, but the Jays answered on Kazuma Okamoto’s fourth inning homer to tie things up. Two innings later, Toronto broke things open. It was a Daulton Varsho RBI single that gave the Blue Jays the lead, before Giménez plated another two runs.
Cleveland did score two further runs and they did certainly have their chances, putting up nine hits on the day. However, Toronto also scored once more and their bullpen was solid enough to close things down.
Other Games
Seattle Mariners (13-15) 11, St. Louis Cardinals (14-12) 9: Despite getting only three innings out of Bryan Woo, who left after allowing seven runs, the Mariners used a late surge to overtake the Cardinals. Leo Rivas hit a two-run single in the top of ninth to give Seattle the lead after they trailed 9-7 going into the eighth.
Tampa Bay Rays (15-11) 6, Minnesota Twins (12-15) 1: Shane McClanahan and the Rays’ bullpen kept the Twins off the board until the game was basically decided as Tampa Bay came away with the win. Jake Fraley and Ben Williamson had two-RBI games each as the Rays mostly cruised.
Texas Rangers (14-13) 4, Athletics (14-13) 3: Josh Jung’s go-ahead homer gave the Rangers the lead for good as they overcame a 3-0 deficit against the A’s. The artists formerly known as Oakland struck a couple times early, but managed just one hit over the final five innings against Texas’ bullpen, allowing the Rangers to overtake them.
Cincinnati Reds (18-9) 9, Detroit Tigers (14-14) 2: Despite Kevin McGonigle homering in the game’s very first at-bat, the Reds immediately scored four runs in the bottom of the first and never looked back from there. Sal Stewart had a homer for Cincinnati and drove in five runs on the day.
Jiri Kulich (blood clot, Nov. 4; injured reserve - out for the season)
Sam Carrick (upper body, Mar. 31; injured reserve)
Josh Norris (unspecified, Apr 21; day-to-day)
Notes
A win today would give Buffalo back-to-back road playoff wins for the first time since the Sabres won two consecutive road playoff games from April 16 to 18, 2007 at the New York Islanders. It would mark the first time the Sabres have earned two consecutive playoff wins since April 20 to 22, 2011 against the Philadelphia Flyers. Buffalo last won consecutive playoff games against Boston from May 9 to 14, 1999 (three games). A win today would mark the second time in franchise history that the Sabres have earned consecutive road playoff wins against the Bruins (two games; April 18 to 20, 1993).
Owen Power has registered an assist in all three games of the series and he is the third skater in franchise history to record at least one assist in the first three playoff games in their career. Power joined Marc-Andre Gragnani (three games; April 14 to 18, 2011; 0+4) and Richard Smehlik (three games; April 18 to 22, 1993; 0+4). An assist today would make Power the only skater in franchise history to register an assist in the first four playoff games of their career. With any point today, he would join Danny Gare (seven games; April 13 to 29, 1975; 5+3) as the only Sabres skaters to record at least one point in the first four playoff games of their career.
Peyton Krebs (1+2) has also recorded one point in every game of the series and can join Gare with a point today. Krebs has a plus/minus of plus-5 through the first three games of the series, the best mark by a Buffalo skater in their first three playoff games with the Sabres all-time.
Noah Ostlund’s two points (1+1) in Game 3 made him the first Sabres rookie to record multiple points in the first playoff game of their career since Richard Smehlik on April 18, 1993 at Boston (0+2). Ostlund joined Pierre Turgeon (April 6, 1988 at Boston; 2+1) as the only Sabres rookies to record at least one goal and one assist in their first career playoff game. Ostlund, Smehlik, Turgeon and Bill Stewart (April 11, 1978 vs. NY Rangers; 0+2) are the only Buffalo rookies to register a multi-point performance in the first playoff game of their career all-time. He would join Paul Gaustad (April 22 to 24, 2006; 0+3) and Jason Pominville (April 22 to 24, 2006; 3+1) as the only Sabres skaters to collect three or more points in the first two playoff games of their career with a point today.
Alex Tuch has posted at least one point in all three games of the series (2+2) and a point today would give him the first fourgame point streak by a Sabres skater in the playoffs since Pominville from April 16 to 22, 2011 (four games; 1+3). With a point today, Tuch would become the first Sabres skater to register five or more points in their first four playoff games with Buffalo since Dainius Zubrus from April 12 to 18, 2007 (0+5). He would be the 10th Sabres skater to do so all-time. Tuch has two game-winning goals in this year’s playoffs and entering play Saturday, he was tied for 13th all-time among active players with eight career playoff game-winning goals.
Alex Lyon earned a win in his first playoff start with Buffalo in Game 3 and a win today would make him the first Buffalo goaltender to earn two straight playoff wins since Ryan Miller from April 20 to 22, 2011.
Bowen Byram has recorded a goal in back-to-back games and a goal today would give him the first playoff goal streak of three or more games by a Sabres defenseman since Ken Sutton from May 4 to 8, 1993 (three games; 3+0). A multi-point performance would make Byram the first Buffalo defenseman to record back-to-back multi-point games in the playoffs since Tyler Myers from April 24 to 26, 2011 (two games; 1+4). With a goal tonight, Byram would join Mike Ramsey (three games; April 14 to 17, 1983; 3+0) as the only defensemen in franchise history to record a goal streak of three or more games against Boston in the playoffs. He would be the first Sabres skater since Alexander Mogilny from April 18 to 24, 1993 (four games; 6+1) to register a goal streak of three or more games against the Bruins in the playoffs.
