- Rangers have had 19 different goalscorers (excluding own goals) in the Scottish Premiership this season; since their promotion in 2016, only in 2023-24 (20) have they had more in a single campaign.
- Rangers are unbeaten in 12 league meetings with Dundee United (W8 D4) since a 1-0 defeat in August 2021.
- Dundee United have only won one of their past 22 league visits to Rangers (D4 L17), a 3-2 victory in April 2011 under Peter Houston.
- Dundee United have won two of their last three league games (D1), as many as their previous 11 beforehand (W2 D4 L5).
- Rangers have won 10 of their 12 home league games under Danny Rohl (D2), more than any other Scottish Premiership side since his first such match in charge in October.
Oilers host the Golden Knights on 5-game winning streak
Vegas Golden Knights (34-26-16, in the Pacific Division) vs. Edmonton Oilers (39-28-9, in the Pacific Division)
Edmonton, Alberta; Saturday, 10 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: The Edmonton Oilers host the Vegas Golden Knights as winners of five consecutive games.
Edmonton is 39-28-9 overall with a 14-5-3 record in Pacific Division play. The Oilers rank third in the league with 264 total goals (averaging 3.5 per game).
Vegas has a 12-5-5 record in Pacific Division play and a 34-26-16 record overall. The Golden Knights have gone 33-6-10 in games they score three or more goals.
Saturday's game is the fourth time these teams meet this season. The Oilers won 4-3 in overtime in the last meeting.
TOP PERFORMERS: Connor McDavid has 43 goals and 83 assists for the Oilers. Matthew Savoie has five goals and two assists over the past 10 games.
Jack Eichel has 25 goals and 54 assists for the Golden Knights. Mitchell Marner has scored four goals with five assists over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Oilers: 7-2-1, averaging 3.1 goals, 4.9 assists, three penalties and 7.2 penalty minutes while giving up 2.3 goals per game.
Golden Knights: 4-4-2, averaging 2.6 goals, 4.3 assists, 4.1 penalties and 10.6 penalty minutes while giving up 2.6 goals per game.
INJURIES: Oilers: Leon Draisaitl: out (lower-body), Colton Dach: out (undisclosed), Zach Hyman: day to day (undisclosed), Mattias Janmark: out for season (undisclosed).
Golden Knights: William Karlsson: out (lower body), Jonas Rondbjerg: out (lower body).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Golden Knights Overcome Delay, Extinguish Flames in Much-Needed 6-3 Win
On Thursday, the Vegas Golden Knights picked up two much-needed points with a 6-3 win over the Calgary Flames.
The Flames broke the ice at 7:41 in the first period. Morgan Frost intercepted Kaedan Korczak’s pass intended for Tomáš Hertl at center ice and raced into the offensive zone on a 2-on-1 with Matt Coronato. Frost had all the time in the world to shoot and beat Carter Hart glove-side.
Morgan Frost elects to shoot on a 2-on-1. That’s probably the right decision, because he knows a thing or two about Carter Hart.
— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) April 3, 2026
1-0, Flames pic.twitter.com/wgZXtzSW2Q
Despite trailing 1-0 after 20 minutes, the Golden Knights were the better team– they simply ran into a hot goaltender.
In the second period, they finally capitalized on the chances they were generating at will.
The Golden Knights answered back just 1:47 into the second period. Shea Theodore fired a shot through a screen from above the right circle, and Mitch Marner redirected it home.
Theodore the shot, Marner the redirect.
— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) April 3, 2026
1-1 pic.twitter.com/kUsOwpCVWB
The Flames pulled ahead at 4:38 in the second. Joel Farabee broke the puck out, and Mikael Backlund drove into the offensive zone on a 2-on-1 with Blake Coleman. Backlund got the pass across and Coleman fired a shot home.
There’s another 2-on-1. Farabee to Coleman to the back of the net.
— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) April 3, 2026
2-1, Flames pic.twitter.com/fssFy1W0oX
The Golden Knights found the equalizer at 6:42 in the second. Jack Eichel threaded a cross-ice pass to Rasmus Andersson at the right dot. Andersson faked a shot and set up Mitch Marner in the slot for the equalizer.
Some really nice puck movement there. Andersson finds Marner in the slot and it’s a tie game.
— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) April 3, 2026
2-2 pic.twitter.com/q3BY5AbYDG
The Flames took the lead again at 12:11 in the second. Blake Coleman jumped off the face-off, won a battle against Rasmus Andersson, and raced up ice on yet another 2-on-1 with Joel Farabee. Coleman bet on himself and ripped a shot past Carter Hart glove-side.
Blake Coleman is having the game of his life. Elects to shoot off yet another 2-on-1 and he’s got two tonight.
— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) April 3, 2026
3-2, Flames pic.twitter.com/lzZcZ0SYju
The Golden Knights tied it on the power play at 16:21 in the second. Mitch Marner held the line and set up Pavel Dorofeyev for his 35th goal of the season.
Marner hold at the line leads to a Dorofeyev one-timer. PPG. Tie game.
— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) April 3, 2026
3-3 pic.twitter.com/NZ6QAzjseV
After a 27-minute delay for ice repairs, the dam broke for the Golden Knights in the third period. They generated seven scoring chances and capitalized on nearly half of them.
The Golden Knights took their first lead of the night at 12:20 in the third period. Shea Theodore caught up to Ivan Barbashev’s bank pass, pulled up to avoid Olli Määttä, and threaded a pass to Brett Howden in the slot. Howden picked his spot and beat Dustin Wolf blocker-side.
Marner finds Brett Howden all alone in the slot. First Vegas lead of the night.
— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) April 3, 2026
4-3, Golden Knights pic.twitter.com/Vovn1QTMF0
The Golden Knights doubled their lead at 14:59 in the third. Dustin Wolf misplayed the puck after leaving the net, and Mitch Marner got to it first. Wolf recovered to make the save, but Ivan Barbashev banged in the rebound.
If you’re a goaltender… you know the rest. Dustin Wolf leaves the net, misplays the puck, and Ivan Barbashev bangs in Mitch Marner’s rebound.
— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) April 3, 2026
5-3, Golden Knights pic.twitter.com/WM3pbBktjG
The Golden Knights added to their lead at 18:31 in the third. Mark Stone won a foot race and found Mitch Marner in the slot. Marner moved in, danced around Morgan Frost, fooled Dustin Wolf, and completed the hat trick on the wraparound.
Throw the hats! Mitch Marner fools Dustin Wolf and tucks it home on the wraparound.
— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) April 3, 2026
6-3, Golden Knights pic.twitter.com/cBvs9tKaMR
Three Takeaways of the Knight
1. For nearly half an hour following the conclusion of the second intermission, a nine-man band consisting of four members of the ice crew, three officials, two captains (and a partridge in a pear tree) hovered over a divot in the ice. Meanwhile, DJ Joe Green continued his rave-esque ‘Knight Life,’ bumping EDM while the projector displayed images of a roulette wheel onto the ice. The nine individuals were highlighted by a spotlight, which stood out as a harsh contrast against the colorful ice.
It was all very dramatic.
There’s a lot going on in the entertainment capital of the world. This has been the longest— but also most comical!—delay for ice maintenance I’ve ever seen. pic.twitter.com/DJjSzEz2sI
— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) April 3, 2026
New head coach John Tortorella did say that he wanted his team to be ‘more relaxed’ after Monday’s 4-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Maybe this moment was just what the doctor ordered. The Golden Knights only went on to outshoot the Flames 6-3 in the third period, but they capitalized on their scoring chances and controlled 87.27% of the expected goal share.
2. Mitch Marner capped off a five-point night by completing his first hat trick as a Golden Knight. He recorded six shots on goal and nine total attempts. He’s back to being a point-per-game player with 76 points in 75 games played.
3. Carter Hart returned from injury tonight, playing his first game since January 8th. He made 19 saves on 22 shots and recorded his sixth win of the season. The delay put him in a less-than-ideal situation in the third period, but he battled through. When the team needed him most, Hart answered the bell and made several key saves.
Spurs push win streak to 11 after up and down game against the Clippers
No Wemby, no problem. The Spurs won their third game in four nights and 11th straight Thursday night in an up and down game against the Clippers, keeping the #1 seed within reach while giving the Alien a night off.
It was a high-scoring game from the tip. Kawhi continued his magnificent season and scored a handful of baskets from all over the court. John Collins got in the action too, using his athleticism to drive and finish around the rim without having to worry about Wemby. Still, Luke Kornet was his usual reliable self, providing solid rim protection on the back line.
Offensively, the Spurs capitalized on lazy defensive efforts from the home team. San Antonio had two uncontested transition baskets early, swinging the momentum their way. They then caught fire from deep, making four in quick succession to build a double-digit lead. De’Aaron Fox, in particular, got on a heater, hitting a handful of mid-ranges and getting to the rim at will. That run coincided with the Clippers going ice cold, and it didn’t help that Darius Garland had to go to the locker room after taking a rough fall. Overall, the Spurs led 68-44 heading into halftime, showing no signs of fatigue or of Wemby’s absence.
LA showed signs of life early in the third. Kawhi regained his rhythm and made back-to-back buckets, forcing Mitch Johnson to call a timeout. The Spurs began trapping him soon after, but the Clippers started generating efficient offense even with the ball out of his hands. In a turn of events, LA capitalized on a number of sloppy Spurs possessions in a quick 3-minute stretch, going on a 14-5 run to cut the lead down to 12. Bennedict Mathurin led the charge, hitting a circus shot and helping force turnovers to bring his team back in the game. Following another sloppy Spurs possession, the Clippers made it just a 9-point game before both teams traded wild possessions that resulted in no basket scored for the remainder of the quarter.
LA’s momentum carried over to start the fourth. San Antonio continued to fumble the ball, resulting in the Clippers cutting the lead down to just seven. Fortunately, a technical call against LA helped the Spurs regain control, and a few key baskets from Stephon Castle put the good guys back up by double digits. The Clippers seemed to deflate afterwards, and a few more buckets from Dylan Harper and Keldon Johnson sealed the game for the visiting side. With minutes left in the fourth, Ty Lue finally waved the white flag and brought in his reserves, prompting Mitch Johnson to do the same. The Spurs walked away with a 118-99 victory, but the scoreline doesn’t do justice to the crazy back-and-forth game.
Game notes
- Fox had a really unusual game. 18 of his 22 points came in the first half, and he only made one bucket in both the third and fourth quarters. This wasn’t due to his shot abandoning him, either: Fox only took 13 field goals and made 9, so both he and the Spurs chose to rely on other players who were more in rhythm.
- Harper ended his night with 19 points, 2 rebounds, and 5 assists on 8-12 shooting and 2-3 from deep. He did all that in 25 minutes, and I can not be any higher on the kid. I think he’s already a starting-calibre guard and could be the second-best player on the team as soon as next season, and I’ve never been more comfortable with the ball being in the hands of a rookie guard ever.
- The diciest part of the game was during a 3-minute stretch in the middle of the third quarter, when the Spurs kept on losing the ball. Even in the moment, I wondered why Mitch didn’t call a timeout to regroup the guys, and I’m still confused about it after. Maybe he had faith that they’d figure it out? He was finally forced to call one but it was almost too little too late, and the team was definitely tempting fate during that brief stretch.
Play of the game
Harper shot over 50% from three in March and is now hitting half-court heaves. Is he the next Steph Curry?
Next game: @ Nuggets on Saturday
The Spurs will look to make it a lucky dozen when they face a rising Nuggets team on Saturday.
Austin Reaves gives positive update after straining back vs. Thunder
The biggest gut punch from Thursday’s loss to the Thunder was Luka Dončić‘s hamstring strain, but he wasn’t the only star with a visible injury in the game.
Prior to Luka going down, Austin Reaves was the one who made a trip to the locker room. Reaves was holding his back for much of the first quarter before checking out and getting checked.
While he did return, he was still holding his back at times during the rest of the game, though it never seemed to slow him down. After the game, head coach JJ Redick provided an explanation of how the injury occurred.
“He was in a weird position stretching for a basketball, loose ball,” Redick said. “He just felt like like intercostal, somewhere in his back in between the ribs. He was able to play through it and battled back. We’ll see how he feels tomorrow.”
Austin said he got treatment at halftime that allowed him to play in the second half. He also said that he felt better postgame, too.
“I went back to get a rebound, overextended a little bit and felt something,” Reaves said. “I feel decent now. We’ll see.”
The extra day off between games for the Lakers could be beneficial for Reaves. While it seems unlikely Luka’s injury will be measured in days, this one feels like that extra day could be beneficial.
The Lakers won’t play again until Sunday in Dallas. Having an extra day to rehab and get treatment could be the difference in him playing or not. The fact that he was able to play after the injury and play well, relatively speaking, is also encouraging for him being available against the Mavs.
It goes without saying that, with Luka sidelined, Austin’s availability will be even more crucial. He has flourished when Luka has been out this year, so there’s at least some room for optimism there. But only if he’s healthy.
In just about every way, Thursday’s loss was a gut punch. At least with Reaves’ injury, there’s a silver lining of hope that he won’t also be missing time.
You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.
Third Period Rally Falls Short As Kings Lose To Predators
On a night where Los Angeles was celebrating Anze Kopitar's legacy, this game between the Kings and Predators did not disappoint.
A playoff-like atmosphere saw the Los Angeles Kings (30-26-19) pull off an improbable comeback against the Nashville Predators (35-31-9) in the third period, forcing eight rounds of a shootout on Thursday, before falling short 5-4.
Final from the Shootout in LA. #GoKingsGopic.twitter.com/IGyPPKiiqa
— LA Kings (@LAKings) April 3, 2026
Los Angeles, once again, got off to a terrible start in the first period against a potential Western Conference playoff contender. Nashville jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period and extended its lead to 4-1 in the middle of the second period. It looked like another blowout loss was on the horizon for Los Angeles, but the Kings played a valiant effort in the second period to cut the deficit to 4-3.
Turnovers, missed shots, and defensive lapses plagued the Kings from the jump, allowing the Predators to take the lead. Still, despite the mistakes Los Angeles made early on, they made up for it in the third period, but couldn't make up for it down the stretch.
Both teams struggled on the power play, combining to go 0-for-5, and Los Angeles won the faceoff battle 55.4% to the Predators' 44.6%.
It was a hot offensive start for the Predators early. The Kings had no answer to the rush, giving up goals on fast-break possessions and turning the puck over. Three minutes into the first period, Nashville jumped ahead to a 2-0 lead after a faceoff win and a beautiful puck play by forward Zachary L'Hereux to give Nashville the 2-0 lead after 20 minutes.
It was a terrible first period for the Kings, getting outshot 18-9, looking like one of those games where nothing goes right for them at home.
The second period began immediately, with Nashville continuing where they left off, scoring two minutes into the period after converting on the missed shot. Nashville scored on the rebound to hold a commanding 3-0 lead.
Los Angeles finally got a goal to go, a contact goal by Adrian Kempe pushed in after Artemi Panarin missed the shot; the puck deflected off Kempe and made its way into the net.
A lucky shot, but a good way for the Kings to get back in the game and avoid disaster.
Nashville, though, would answer once again, scoring on the beautiful 2-on-1 rush play, displaying beautiful puck movement to take another three-goal lead.
At this point, the game looked like it was a wash for Los Angeles. Down three in the second period with 11 minutes remaining, the Kings would make a valiant effort to get back in the game.
The momentum shifted after Adrian Kempe scored his second goal of the night at the 6:30-minute mark to get the crowd and players back in the game. Two minutes later, Los Angeles cut the deficit to one after a rebound goal by Scott Laughton, ending the second period down one.
LAK Goal - 30 for 🧃
— Zach Dooley (@DooleyLAK) April 3, 2026
Kempe buries his second of the night. Fourth time in five seasons he’s scored at least 30. Kings within 4-2.
It was a gritty third period, with both teams missing shots left and right off the crossbar; there was a lid on the net, and Nashville had multiple chances to end the game early in the final period.
Another missed shot from the Kings gave up Joel Armia the rebound to score on and clean up the goal, tying the score 4-4 with under 10 minutes to go in the final frame.
LAK Goal - Big. Goal. Joel.
— Zach Dooley (@DooleyLAK) April 3, 2026
Jared Wright's shot goes through the legs of Saros, Armia picks up the garbage to tie the game at four.
Everything seemed to be on the Kings' side, outshooting the Predators 13-5 in the third period, but they couldn't close the game in the period. Artemi Panarin had a very good chance to score, but the puck landed on the legs of the Predators' goaltender.
We were treated to another overtime game, the 30th of the season for the Kings. Another thrilling way to end the match. Neither team could score in overtime, setting up an exciting finish in the shootout.
Eight rounds saw the Kings miss shot after shot. Give credit to both goatkenders for giving their teams several chances to win, but it was the Predators who scored in the eighth round to hang on and stop the Kings' late comeback.
Round 8: Predators win in a shootout.
— Zach Dooley (@DooleyLAK) April 3, 2026
LAK - Armia - ❌
NSH - Evangelista - ✅
Key Stats
Credit the Armia-Wright-Laughton line, stepping up late in the match, to make this game close, despite the loss. All three forwards combined to score four points and two goals.
Kempe scored two goals and two points to notch his 30th goal of the season, the fourth time in five seasons he's accomplished this feat. After starting off slow, Darcy Kuemper played a big role in the third period and the extra periods, stopping key shots in the clutch, finishing with 30 saves on 34 shots.
The good news in the loss is that Los Angeles gets a point, now tied with the Predators and Sharks for the final playoff spot, making their next game against the Predators crucial.
The Kings' next matchup will be against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday at 4:00 PM PT.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
Former Arizona catcher Daniel Susac has perfect night in first MLB start
Daniel Susac had to wait four seasons to get to the majors, then another six games just to make his big league debut. All that patience paid off on Thursday night.
The former Arizona Wildcats catcher went 3 for 3 with a walk in his first career start, helping his hometown San Francisco Giants beat the New York Mets 7-2. He became the first Giants player to reach base four times in his first start since 2006.
The 24-year-old Susac, who made his MLB debut as a defensive replacement on Wednesday, wasted no time in his first plate appearance, sending a first-pitch curve ball into right-center field for a single. He singled through the left side of the infield on the next pitch he saw, then drew a 4-pitch walk in his third at-bat and singled up the middle to end the evening.
Per OPTA Stats, Susac is the first catcher with three hits and a walk in his first MLB start since Mike Piazza in 1992.
Susac, who played for Arizona in 2021-22, was a 1st round pick of the Oakland (now Sacramento) Athletics in the 2022 MLB Draft. Blocked at the big league level by other prospects, Susac helped Las Vegas reach the Triple-A championship game last season and then was not added to the Athletics’ 40-man roster in the offseason.
That made him available for the Rule 5 Draft, which allows teams to pick up players from others’ farm systems who aren’t on the 40-man. Those drafted must remain on the MLB roster all season or be offered back to their original team.
Susac was selected by the Minnesota Twins, who then traded him to the Giants. A Northern California native, Susac’s older brother AndrewSusac made his MLB debut with San Francisco in 2014.
At the UA, Susac was Pac-12 Freshman of the Year in 2021 when he helped the Wildcats reach the College World Series, and as a sophomore was an All-American and Golden Spikes Award semifinalist. In 125 career games he hit .351 with 24 home runs and 126 RBI.
Nashville Predators Avoid Near Collapse In Shootout Win Over Kings
After sufficing a three-goal lead and needing to go to a shootout, Luke Evangelista scored in the eighth round of the shootout to give the Nashville Predators a critical 5-4 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday at Crypto.com Arena.
In the winning shootout goal, and the only conversion by either team, Evangelista faked a shot on the forehand before pulling it to the backhand and beating goaltender Darcy Kuemper.
The Predators came out of the gate hot, outshooting the Kings, 18-9 in the first period and taking a 2-0 lead. Filip Forsberg netted his 35th goal of the season from an odd angle and Zach L'Heureux scored on the backhand.
L'Heureux had a goal disallowed in the first minute of the game as it was ruled that he had knocked down a Ryan O'Reilly feed with a high stick.
In the early second period, Jonathan Marchessault put away a Matthew Wood rebound to make it 3-0. Adrian Kempe scored four minutes later to get the Kings on the board, but Steven Stamkos responded with his 37th of the year.
Nashville was in a comfortable place up 4-1 halfway through the second period. However, it allowed three unanswered goals, two in the second and one in the third, allowing the Kings to force the game to overtime.
This was the 30th time the Kings have gone to overtime this season and 19th overtime loss, both of which are NHL records.
Nashville generated just two shots on net to LA's one in overtime. In the shootout, O'Reilly, Forsberg, Stamkos, Marchessault, Erik Haula, Tyson Jost and Roman Josi all missed on their attempts before Evangelsita scored.
Despite the Predators picking up the extra point, they are still not in the Wild Card position. San Jose also has 79 points but has played one fewer game than the Predators, giving it the tiebreaker.
Nashville does have the tiebreaker over the Kings in regulation wins.
Juuse Saros made 29 saves on 33 shots in the victory, shutting down every Kings shooter in the shootout.
This won't be the last time the Predators will see the Kings, as they will be back at Crypto.com Arena on Monday.
Nashville will face the Sharks next in San Jose on Saturday at 9 p.m. CST, a game that will break another tie in the Wild Card race.
Thunder inflict one of Lakers' heaviest defeats
The Oklahoma City Thunder condemned the Los Angeles Lakers to one of the heaviest defeats in their history - one made more painful by an injury to star Luka Doncic.
Reigning NBA champions Thunder claimed a commanding 139-96 victory, helped by 28 points from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, as they improved their league-best record to 61-16.
The Lakers have only been beaten by a greater margin on six occasions, with this 43-point loss just six points short of their worst margin of defeat against the Dallas Mavericks in 2017.
It was a first defeat in five for the Lakers, who must now wait to learn the severity of Doncic's left hamstring injury after the Slovenian appeared emotional as he exited the court during the third quarter.
Doncic, who had scored 40 or more points in each of his previous three games and five of his past seven, will have an MRI scan on Friday, Lakers coach JJ Redick confirmed.
The Lakers had won 13 of their previous 14 games as they seek to hold on to the third seeding in the Western Conference, behind Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs, before the play-offs begin on 18 April.
Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning Most Valuable Player, finished with 28 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, while Isaiah Joe added 20 points for the Thunder.
Austin Reaves led the Lakers with 15 points despite struggling with back pain, and LeBron James added 13 in 26 minutes.
Thunder's 139 points were the most conceded by the Lakers this season and the 43-point defeat was the team's heaviest since a 44-point loss to Philadelphia in November 2023.
Mets' Bo Bichette a bit unlucky against Giants but looking more like himself at the plate
The Mets offense, as a whole, is struggling, but Bo Bichette is starting to look more like himself, and Thursday proved that.
Bichette's box score shows he went 1-for-4, but he could have easily had three hits and driven in a lot more runs. It started in the first, when he lined a double to left field to score the game's first run. He then took Robbie Ray very deep in the third inning. Bichette launched an 86 mph slider to straightaway center. The ball exited the bat at 104 mph and went 390 feet. Unfortunately for Bichette and the Mets, it needed to go 391 feet as Harrison Bader leapt and caught it at the top of the wall.
"I don't know, I thought I hit it OK," Bichette said after the game of the near-homerun. "I mean, if I thought I got it, I would've came out of the box a little different."
After a strikeout in the fifth, Bichette's night ended similarly to the robbed home run. He hit a liner that first baseman Casey Schmitt jumped and snagged on a line, before stepping on first base to complete the double play that ended the eighth.
"Bo had some really good at-bats today," manager Carlos Mendoza said. "That first inning, that double. The one he drove to centerfield. I thought the at-bats from him today looked like Bo Bichette."
Bo Bichette's first extra base hit as a Met is a double to drive in Juan Soto for the game's first run! pic.twitter.com/O17d90QVoI
— SNY (@SNYtv) April 3, 2026
The high-profile free agent signing hasn't lived up to his billing in the early going. Entering Thursday's game, Bichette was just 3-for-27 with no extra-base hits. Bichette even admitted that he didn't feel like himself in the first series against the Pirates, but it seems the infielder has found his stroke, especially over the last couple of games.
Although the hits haven't been there, the at-bats look better. He struck out eight times in the first three games, he's struck out just once since and that includes Thursday.
"Other than the first three games at home, he’s settling in nicely," Mendoza said. "Not trying to do too much. When he does that, he’s a pretty good player."
But Bichette's re-emergence has not translated to much offense for the team overall. After going 0-for-11 with RISP in Wednesday's series finale against the Cardinals, they were 0-for-3 on Thursday.
"I mean, we've faced some pretty good pitchers recently. Or pitchers that have pitched well, that's part of it," Bichette said of the team's struggles. "I think for the most part, guys are having good at-bats. Maybe the contact is just not where we need it... This is baseball, so things go up and down, not that you're OK with it. You need to figure out a way to be better, but this is baseball. We'll show up tomorrow and do it again."
Bichette was asked about his two hard outs -- the near-homerun and the linedrive double play had xBAs of .680 and .520, respectively -- and whether the team is just a bit unlucky to start the season.
"Maybe, but that's not something to fall on. Should always be looking to do better, be better," Bichette said. "So that's what we'll do. Good thing about baseball, we get to do it tomorrow.
"I think people are looking at everything, every day throughout the whole season. Some years you get off to good starts, some years you don't. Just part of it."
Wembanyama leads San Antonio against Denver after 41-point performance
San Antonio Spurs (58-18, second in the Western Conference) vs. Denver Nuggets (49-28, fourth in the Western Conference)
Denver; Saturday, 3 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: San Antonio plays the Denver Nuggets after Victor Wembanyama scored 41 points in the Spurs' 127-113 victory over the Golden State Warriors.
The Nuggets are 31-16 in Western Conference games. Denver leads the Western Conference with 121.4 points and is shooting 49.5%.
The Spurs are 33-14 in conference matchups. San Antonio averages 119.6 points and has outscored opponents by 8.3 points per game.
The Nuggets average 14.1 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.0 more made shot on average than the 13.1 per game the Spurs give up. The Spurs average 13.7 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.3 more makes per game than the Nuggets allow.
The teams square off for the third time this season. The Nuggets won 136-131 in the last meeting on March 13. Jamal Murray led the Nuggets with 39 points, and Stephon Castle led the Spurs with 30 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: Nikola Jokic is averaging 27.7 points, 13 rebounds and 10.8 assists for the Nuggets. Murray is averaging 25.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 7.1 assists over the last 10 games.
De'Aaron Fox is averaging 18.5 points and 6.2 assists for the Spurs. Julian Champagnie is averaging 2.3 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Nuggets: 8-2, averaging 126.4 points, 45.8 rebounds, 33.1 assists, 6.3 steals and 3.2 blocks per game while shooting 50.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.2 points per game.
Spurs: 10-0, averaging 124.3 points, 51.2 rebounds, 32.0 assists, 7.1 steals and 5.9 blocks per game while shooting 49.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.1 points.
INJURIES: Nuggets: Zeke Nnaji: day to day (hip), Peyton Watson: day to day (hamstring), Tim Hardaway Jr.: day to day (knee), Spencer Jones: day to day (hamstring).
Spurs: David Jones Garcia: out for season (ankle), Victor Wembanyama: out (injury management).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Washington faces Miami, looks to end road slide
Washington Wizards (17-59, 15th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Miami Heat (40-37, 10th in the Eastern Conference)
Miami; Saturday, 3 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Washington will try to stop its three-game road slide when the Wizards face Miami.
The Heat are 24-23 in Eastern Conference games. Miami is fifth in the Eastern Conference with 12.0 offensive rebounds per game led by Kel'el Ware averaging 2.9.
The Wizards are 11-35 in conference matchups. Washington is 2-2 in games decided by less than 4 points.
The Heat score 120.4 points per game, 3.9 fewer points than the 124.3 the Wizards give up. The Heat average 112.7 points per game, 5.5 fewer points than the 118.2 the Heat allow to opponents.
The teams square off for the third time this season. The Heat won the last matchup 150-129 on March 10, with Bam Adebayo scoring 83 points in the victory.
TOP PERFORMERS: Adebayo is scoring 20.3 points per game with 10.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists for the Heat. Tyler Herro is averaging 20.2 points and 4.8 rebounds while shooting 44.4% over the past 10 games.
Bub Carrington is averaging 10.2 points and 4.6 assists for the Wizards. Will Riley is averaging 17.0 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Heat: 2-8, averaging 119.6 points, 41.6 rebounds, 27.8 assists, 7.0 steals and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 46.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 129.3 points per game.
Wizards: 1-9, averaging 113.2 points, 36.6 rebounds, 24.6 assists, 7.6 steals and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 48.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 128.6 points.
INJURIES: Heat: Norman Powell: day to day (illness).
Wizards: Anthony Davis: out (finger), Cam Whitmore: out for season (shoulder), Alex Sarr: day to day (toe), Kyshawn George: out for season (elbow), D'Angelo Russell: out (not injury related), Trae Young: out (quad).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Charlotte faces conference rival Indiana
Indiana Pacers (18-58, 13th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Charlotte Hornets (41-36, eighth in the Eastern Conference)
Charlotte, North Carolina; Friday, 7 p.m. EDT
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Hornets -15.5; over/under is 235.5
BOTTOM LINE: Indiana faces Charlotte in Eastern Conference action Friday.
The Hornets are 24-24 against Eastern Conference opponents. Charlotte is fourth in the Eastern Conference at limiting opponent scoring, giving up just 111.4 points while holding opponents to 46.7% shooting.
The Pacers are 14-33 against conference opponents. Indiana is 6-34 in games decided by at least 10 points.
The Hornets average 116.2 points per game, 4.5 fewer points than the 120.7 the Pacers allow. The Pacers average 13.3 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.5 more makes per game than the Hornets allow.
The teams meet for the fourth time this season. The Hornets won 133-109 in the last matchup on Feb. 27.
TOP PERFORMERS: LaMelo Ball is averaging 19.6 points and 7.1 assists for the Hornets. Coby White is averaging 18.7 points over the last 10 games.
Jay Huff is averaging 9.4 points and 1.8 blocks for the Pacers. Pascal Siakam is averaging 13.7 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Hornets: 7-3, averaging 119.7 points, 46.1 rebounds, 25.5 assists, 6.6 steals and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 47.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 105.1 points per game.
Pacers: 3-7, averaging 121.4 points, 38.4 rebounds, 34.2 assists, 6.7 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 52.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 125.3 points.
INJURIES: Hornets: PJ Hall: out (ankle).
Pacers: T.J. McConnell: out (hamstring), Obi Toppin: day to day (foot), Johnny Furphy: out for season (knee), Andrew Nembhard: out (back), Ivica Zubac: out for season (rib), Jarace Walker: out (back), Pascal Siakam: day to day (knee), Aaron Nesmith: out (neck), Tyrese Haliburton: out for season (achilles).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Mitch Marner Nets Hat Trick During Five-Point Night In Golden Knights' 6-3 Win Over Calgary
LAS VEGAS -- Mitch Marner registered the fourth hat trick of his career and the Golden Knights improved to 2-0 under coach John Tortorella after coming from behind to defeat the Calgary Flames 6-3 on Thursday night.
Vegas two-game win streak comes at a perfect time, as the team will embark on its final road trip of the season, a four-game trek that begins in Edmonton on Saturday.
The Oilers and Anaheim Ducks lead the Pacific Division with 87 points, while the Knights sit third with 84. The Ducks have a game in hand on the Oilers and Knights.
Pavel Dorofeyev, Brett Howden and Ivan Barbashev also scored for the Knights, while Carter Hart made 19 saves in his first appearance since Jan. 8.
The Golden Knights hit the road on a four-game point streak.
KEY MOMENT
Though it would be easy to pinpoint Howden's game-winning goal with 7:40 left in the game, the key moment goes to Hart, who made a key stop on Blake Coleman, who had two goals for the Flames. He could have had three, but Hart stymied the left wing during a short-handed odd-man rush with 11:31 left in the game. Marner showed off his defensive skills there, too, as he batted the puck from the air off the rebound from Hart's save to help keep the game tied at 3-all.
KEY STAT
+3 ... The Hockey News colleague Hannah Kirkell makes an excellent point that the number of 2-on-1 situations Vegas gave Calgary could easily be the key stat. Unfortunately, the eye test doesn't give us an official stat for that. Instead, the +3 goal differential in the third period for the Knights was the difference, as they continued their domination in the final period. For the season, Vegas has outscored teams, 97-57.
WHAT A KNIGHT
Marner had his hand in five of the team's six goals, scoring three of them and assisting on two others. Tortorella said he planned on shaking things up with his forward lines, most notably moving Marner around in the lineup, including a potential top line of Jack Eichel, Mark Stone and Marner. For Thursday, Marner centered wingers Barbashev and Stone, a line that produced nine points (4 goals, 5 assists).
UP NEXT
The Golden Knights open a four-game road trip on Saturday, when they'll visit their Pacific Division rival, the Edmonton Oilers.
PHOTO CAPTION: Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mitch Marner (93) celebrates after scoring his third goal of the game against the Calgary Flames during the third period at T-Mobile Arena.
"Great Effort": Patrick Kane Scores Winner, Red Wings Rebound With Massive Win Over Flyers
It's not often that the Detroit Red Wings pick up a victory in the City of Brotherly Love, but for just the fourth time since early 1997, they did just that - and at a most critical time of their season.
Detroit defeated the Philadelphia Flyers by a 4-2 final score at Xfinity Mobile Arena, moving into a three-way tie with the Ottawa Senators and Columbus Blue Jackets in the ultra-tight standings.
The Red Wings were paced by a pair of goals from Alex DeBrincat and a strong performance in net by goaltender John Gibson, who made his 13th straight start and rebounded from being pulled twice in a row.
While they were outshot by the Flyers, Detroit's intensity was far more apparent than it had been in three of their four previous outings, all regulation losses.
"Great effort, right from the start of the game, we knew it would be a tough road game," said Patrick Kane, who scored the game-winning goal in the third period. "It's hockey. Nothing is going to go perfectly throughout the game. We found a way to get some timely goals for sure."
Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features.
Alex DeBrincat scored his team-leading 38th and 39th goals of the season, the latter of which came just 15 seconds after Travis Konecny scored to bring the Flyers back to within a single tally.
"Right from the start, we played hard and matched the physicality and their intensity," DeBrincat said. "I thought we played pretty well for the whole game. Obviously, in the third period, they came on us a little bit, and it took us a little bit to settle into that speed, but overall, right after their goal, we scored another one and got a big two points."
DeBrincat is now one goal away from becoming Detroit's first 40-goal forward since Marian Hossa in the 2008-09 NHL season.
As said by head coach Todd McLellan, the Red Wings need to make this winning feeling contagious as they head into another pivotal game on Saturday against the New York Rangers.
"Going forward, winning and losing is contagious: lose, and you get down and question yourself, maybe question your system or your linemates," McLellan said. "But a win can turn that and go the other way."
"We worked real hard tonight," he continued. "We had a formula we thought would give us a chance at success. And that shouldn't change as we head to New York. We'll get a quick practice in tomorrow and move on."
Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.