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LIVE Game Thread: Los Angeles Kings vs. San Jose Sharks

  © David Gonzales  

Game 73: The Los Angeles Kings (40-23-9) host the San Jose Sharks (20-43-9) to close out the season series with their Northern California rival.

The LA Kings will look to get back to their winning wins at Crypto.com Arena after losing to Toronto on March 29th.  Grinder Jeff Mallot will make his third straight start in place  of injured Tanner Jeannot. Currently in 2nd place in the Pacific Division, the Kings will be looking to go two points clear of the idle Edmonton Oilers. The Kings and Oilers appear to be headed to a fourth straight 1st round playoff confrontation. The only question remains seems to be which squad with have home ice in this series.

San Jose has the worst record in the NHL but have had success against their Southern California rivals, winning two out the first three games in the season series. 18-year-old Macklin Celebrini has 11 points (3 G, 8 A) in the month of March and 53 points in his rookie campaign after being selected 1st overall by San Jose in the 2024 NHL Draft. Georgi Romanov will make his second career NHL start in goal tonight for the Sharks. Former King Tyler Toffoli checks in with a team leading 27 goals on the year for San Jose.

Season Series:

Oct. 24--LA 3, SJ 2

Oct. 29--SJ 4, LA 2

Nov. 25--SJ 7, LA 2

Last Ten:

LA Kings: 7-3-0

San Jose Sharks: 4-6-0

Leading Scorers:

LA Kings-- Adrian Kempe, 29 goals, 58 points

SJ Sharks--William Eklund, 17 goals, 54 points

Probable Staring Goalies:

LA Kings--David Rittich, 14-13-2, 2.77 GAA, .888 SV%

SJ Sharks--Georgi Romanov, 0-1-0, 3.66 GAA, .874 SV%

1st Period:

Brandt Clarke with a shot from the point that is easily saved by Romanov.

Good right-pad save from Rittich to keep the game scoreless.

Kuzmenko forces Romanov to make a nice on his wrister from in tight.

Trevor Moore is taken down and LA will go on the power play early in the first.

5th worst power play in the NHL comes out to try to take the lead in this one.

Fiala with a lot of dangles but can't find the net.

LA turnover creates a shorthanded opportunity for the Sharks.

GOAL: Phil Danault scores just as the penalty expires for his 8th of the season. LAK 1-SJS 0. Assists to Quinton Byfield (26) and Trevor Moore (19)

BIG stop by Rittich on a walk-in attempt by Carl Grundstrom.

Quinton Byfield comes right back the other way but Romanov denies him. 

San Jose to go on the power play. LA's Drew Doughty goes off 2 minutes for slashing.

Now other LA King penalty. Phil Danault goes off two minutes for high-sticking. San Jose with now have a long 5 on 3 power play and an excellent chance to tie the game.

Celebrini steps into one and draws iron. 

HUGE kill by LA as San Jose squanders their 5 on 3 power play.

PENALTY PALOOZA continues. SJ penalty to Noah Gregor, two minutes for hooking.

BIG slapper from Doughty stopped by Romanov.

Sustained o-zone time by LA on this power play but still unable to convert.

GOAL: Adrian Kemp from the slot on a nice pass from Kopitar. "Juice" makes it 2-0 on his team leading 30th goal of the season.

END OF ONE

LA 2, SJ 0

The first period story comes down to special teams. LA kills off SJ's 5 on 3 opportunity and the goes on to score a power play goal of their own. 

Shots on goal:

LA 8

SJ 7

2nd Period:

Puck is down and the second period is underway in LA.

Quick counter by San Jose but Rittich makes the stick save.

Doughty with a point shot into traffic that doesn't get through onto Romanov.

Quinton Byfield gets tripped up in the neutral zone and LA will go on the power play for the third time. LA 1/2 on the power play on the night.

Kempe with a one-timer that goes wide.

LA with some good pressure on this power play.

Good sequence from the second power play unit but SJ kills off the penalty.

GOAL: San Jose kills the penalty and immediately makes it a 2-1 hockey game on a goal from Cam Lund, his second of the year. Proving correct again the timeless axiom from Barry Melrose: "A two goal lead is the worst lead in hockey".

GOAL: Trevor Moore takes a nice feed from Kopitar in the slot and beats Romanov down low for his 16th goal of the year. LA retakes a two-goal lead.

Kuzmenko springs Kempe on a nice breakout pass. Kempe draws a hooking penalty and LA will go back on the power play.

Good looks and possession from LA there but unable to beat Romanov.

LA to the power play again as Ferraro goes right back into the box for tripping. 

Good one-time attempt from Kempe turned away by Romanov.

GOAL:  Clarke gets a nice shot through from the point and Warren Foegele knocks in the rebound for a power play goal. Foegele's 21st goal of the year, a new career high.

Eklund walks out and gets a sharp turnaround shot on goal but Rittich turns it away.

Kempe on the rush fires one wide.

Fiala darts through center ice and gets a hard shot in on Romanov get the rookie makes the safe.

GOAL: Warren Foegele redirects a Mikey Anderson point shot five-hole for his 21st goal of the `season. 

GOAL: Adrian Kempe finishes off a BEAUTIFUL passing play starting by Andrei Kuzmenko for his 31st goal of the year. 

END OF TWO:

LAK 6

SJS 1

The Kings turned a close game into a route with some highlight reel passing plays and nice finishing touches. After scoring seven goals against both Carolina and Boston, LA now has six goals in this one with still 20 minutes remaining in this one.

What appeared to be a trap game for LA has turned into a romp.

3rd Period:

Kempe skates right up the middle in front of Romanov but he makes the save.

Big scrum as LA takes exception to a hit from behind on Lewis and the refs are sorting out who is going to the box.

Somehow San Jose ends up with a powerplay for some reason out of all that.

Sharks unable to get set up on the power play and LA kills off the man advantage.

Refs trying to figure out who should come out of the box, not a master class from the zebras tonight right now.

Things have been sorted out and both sides are now skating 5 on 5 with 12:36 remaining in the 3rd.

GOAL: Andrei Kuzmenko skates right through the middle of the ice and fires off a laser that beats Romanov.

GOAL: Trevor Lewis makes it 8-1, which is the most goals that LA has scored in one game all season.

Jeff Mallot with a breakaway but Romanov makes a tough glove save to deny his bid for a 1st NHL goal.

Eight LA skaters have multiple points on the evening, including Kopitar with three assists and Kuzmenko with a goal and two assists.

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How Flyers' Coaching Change Bounce Affects Draft Lottery Chances

Jakob Pelletier and Bobby Brink celebrate the Flyers' win over the Sabres on March 29. (Photo: Kyle Ross, Imagn Images)

The Philadelphia Flyers are a perfect 2-0-0 in the Brad Shaw era following John Tortorella's dismissal, which is great for the players, but bad for their 2025 NHL Draft lottery chances.

At the time of this writing, the Flyers are 27th in the NHL in points percentage at .460, putting them narrowly behind the likes of Seattle and Nashville and just ahead of Buffalo, Boston, and Pittsburgh.

The .001 difference between Seattle (.459) and Philadelphia (.460) actually represents a 0.7% increase in odds to land the No. 1 overall pick. MoneyPuck, the wildly popular public analytics site, gives the Flyers a 8.4% chance of landing the top draft selection this summer, while the Kraken, who are marginally worse, have a 7.7% chance of doing this.

With and without Tortorella, the Flyers have insisted they are not in the business of throwing games away to improve their draft positioning. Matvei Michkov, who was a top draft pick himself, is driving the bus away from the bottom.

The 20-year-old Russian phenom has four goals and an assist in two games since Tortorella's abrupt firing, and the Flyers have scored 13 goals across this span overall.

Indeed, the Flyers were buoyed by Buffalo's shocking 8-5 win over Washington on Sunday afternoon, but they may want to be careful with their results with so few games remaining.

Philadelphia is in pole position to land a top-5 pick, and potentially a No. 1 pick, for the first time since 2022, when they drafted Cutter Gauthier with the fifth pick.

Who could the Flyers draft inside the top-5?

Assuming the Flyers stay put in the lottery and the standings and pick fifth in the 2025 draft, Tankathon predicts they draft Swedish center Anton Frondell, missing out on top forwards Porter Martone, James Hagens, and Michael Misa.

In this instance, the Flyers pass on forwards Caleb Desnoyers, Roger McQueen, Jake O'Brien, and Victor Eklund, among others.

Frondell, 17, is a versatile two-way center who thinks the game at a high level and has some serious skill, but struggles to impose himself in games consistently.

The 6-foot center is capable of playing wing if needed, though the Flyers will assuredly require his services in the middle of the ice.

Frondell has bounced back from a slow start to post 11 goals, 14 assists, and 25 points for DjurgĂĽrdens IF in HockeyAllsvenskan this season, but his draft projections currently peg him as high as second and as low as 18th on the given draft boards.

So, while Frondell could stylistically be a strong fit with Michkov due to his shot, hockey IQ, and willingness to play a power game, it is evident that the Swede is no sure thing to be a stud in the eyes of many draftniks.

Can the Flyers take a risk like that with such an important draft selection? Maybe, but they already did it once with Jett Luchanko in the 2024 draft.

MoneyPuck currently projects the Flyers to finish with 75.5 points; they have 69 points with seven games left on their schedule.

Anton Frondell vs Victor Eklund - Who's The Best Prospect?Anton Frondell vs Victor Eklund - Who's The Best Prospect?Re-uploaded due to a sound problem.David St-Louis breaks down two games of Victor Eklund, Anton Frondell, and Jakob Ihs-Woznkiak and looks at their strengths...

Remaining games for the Flyers include a matchup with big draft implications with Nashville, Montreal, New York Rangers, New York Islanders, Ottawa, Columbus, then Buffalo again.

For more Flyers news and up-to-date coverage, visit The Hockey News Flyers team site and like our Facebook page. Follow us on đ•: @ByJonBailey, @SGNolan, @TheHockeyNews

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Yankees' 'torpedo' bats elicit shock and awe around baseball after a 13-home run weekend

New York Yankees' Jazz Chisholm Jr. reacts after hitting a three-run home run.
The New York Yankees' Jazz Chisholm Jr. flips his 'torpedo' bat after hitting a three-run home run against the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday in New York. (Pamela Smith / Associated Press)

The Dodgers could be excused for thinking they dodged a torpedo. Good thing for them that in last year's World Series most New York Yankees hitters had yet to equip themselves with the bat conceived by an MIT physicist turned baseball analytics nerd.

Aaron Leanhardt was hired away from MIT by the Yankees in 2018 and soon put his Ph.D in physics and bachelor's degree in electrical engineering to use developing a novel shape of a bat, one that moved the fattest part from the end to the area where most contact is made.

Yup, looks like a torpedo, and that's the working nickname in headlines across the Big Apple.

Result? The Yankees hit nine home runs in a 20-9 win Saturday over the Milwaukee Brewers. The first three pitches to Yankees hitters were hit over the fence — a record feat — and most of the bombs were hit by torpedos. The Bronx Bombers hit four more Sunday, giving them 13 over the weekend and tying a Major League record with 15 in the first three games of a season.

The reaction across MLB? Shock and awe.

Read more:The Dodgers received their World Series rings. Here's what they look like

Leanhardt downplayed his contribution in an interview with the Athletic: “Really, it’s just about making the bat as heavy and as fat as possible in the area where you’re trying to do damage on the baseball."

He acknowledged it didn't take a rocket scientist or whatever it is they do at MIT to come up with the design. It might not even be a revelation.

“Ultimately, it just takes people asking the right questions and being willing to be forward-thinking,” he said.

Or maybe Leanhardt was inspired playing slowpitch softball. Bats used in those rec leagues — while metal — feature lengthy barrels that taper at the end, looking a bit like a bowling pin.

The instant success of the Yankees opened eyes. Expect copycats throughout the game.

“Obviously, [the Yankees'] performance threw a whole lot of attention to it.” said Leanhardt, who left the Yankees to become a field coordinator with the Miami Marlins this offseason.

Before he departed, however, he made sure his bat design was within Major League Baseball rules, that limit bats to 2.61 inches in diameter and 42 inches in length. The only other stipulations are that bats must be made of solid wood, not have a cup at the tip deeper than an inch, and not have pine tar or another grip substance more than 18 inches from the handle.

Read more:HernĂĄndez: Dodgers visiting Trump's White House goes against everything they represent

The rules say nothing about the location of the fat part of the bat.

"That’s the original concept right there, just take all that excess weight and put it where you’re trying to hit the ball," Leanhardt said. "And then in exchange try to take the thinner diameter that used to be at the sweet spot and put that on the tip.”

Pitchers, of course, already detest the torpedos.

“It took a minute for the shock to go away, since from the bullpen they looked like bowling pins,’’ Brewers reliever Trevor Megill told the New York Post. “We weren’t able to process it. But that’s the game. It’s a big data race, with science and technology playing a huge role in baseball now. You can’t hate them for trying something new.”

Cody Bellinger, Anthony Volpe, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Paul Goldschmidt and Austin Wells are among the Yankees using the torpedo. However, the jury is still out for Aaron Judge — baseball's premier power hitter with 161 home runs since the beginning of the 2022 season.

He hit three home runs in the first four innings Saturday and another homer Sunday with the bat he's used for years.

Read more:Moving Teoscar HernĂĄndez in lineup pays off for Dodgers in sweeping win over Tigers

"What I did the past couple of seasons speaks for itself," Judge explained to reporters. "Why try to change something if you have something that's working?"

Teammate Giancarlo Stanton was an early convert to the torpedo, using it last season. His playing time has been severely curtailed because of tendinitis in both elbows, however, something he attributed to “bat adjustments” made last season.

He hasn't said the torpedo inflicted the damage, but now that the bat is the talk of baseball, Stanton certainly will be asked for details.

Meanwhile, players throughout the game are curious.

"They should send a few over here if they’re going to be hitting homers like that," Padres slugger Manny Machado said with a laugh during an in-game interview with ESPN on Sunday. "So whoever’s making ‘em, they can send a few over to Petco with this big ballpark.”

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Crosby Earns OT Winner For 1-0 Win Over Senators On Koivunen's Debut

Mar 30, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) reacts after scoring the game winning power play goal in overtime against the Ottawa Senators at PPG Paints Arena. (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)

There was hockey being played on Sunday at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, although one might not even know it for how low-event it was.

Nevertheless, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby found a way to, yet again, come through for his team.

Crosby one-timed the overtime game-winner on a power play, and that lone goal gave the Penguins a tight 1-0 win over the Ottawa Senators. The goal extended Crosby's point streak to nine games, which is the longest active streak in the NHL.

But as big as Crosby was - as well as Tristan Jarry, who earned his first shutout of the season in a 31-save effort - that wasn't the story of the night.

Forward prospects Rutger McGroarty - who turned 21 Sunday - and Ville Koivunen were deployed in the Penguins' top-six against the Senators, and they did not disappoint. It was McGroarty's fourth NHL game and Koivunen's NHL debut, and both rookies made an impression.

"I thought they both had great games," head coach Mike Sullivan said. "I thought they played hard, they brought us some energy, you can see that their hockey-IQ is high, their compete level is high... I'm sure they were playing on adrenaline for obvious reasons. When you get called up and have an opportunity to play in the NHL, it's a dream come true for these guys.

"So, I'm sure they were playing on adrenaline, but I thought they had a huge impact. I thought they played really well, and I thought they fit in on the lines."

The captain agrees. And he had some great things to say about McGroarty, who flanked his left.

"I thought he played well," Crosby said. "He was in on the puck, in on the forecheck, creating turnovers, had a couple chances in and around the net. I thought he competed really hard."

Koivunen also felt really good about his NHL debut, 

"Felt very good," Koivunen said. "Of course, it was fun to win. Really exciting game, and I was pretty happy."

Mar 30, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Rutger McGroarty (2) looks for a pass as Ottawa Senators goaltender Anton Forsberg (31) guards the net during the third period at PPG Paints Arena. (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)

Here are some thoughts and observations from Sunday's win:

- Something that stood out right away about Koivunen is his puck pursuit game. During his very first shift with Rickard Rakell and Connor Dewar, he came in hard on the forecheck and won a few puck battles, also forcing a turnover later in the shift. Later, he also performed a nice stick lift on Ottawa forward Drake Batherson to shut down a play.

I also like Koivunen's game at the net front. He has a lot of smarts in the danger areas, and it's easy to see why the 21-year-old has seen so much success at the AHL level this season. He doesn't shy away from contact and he excels in the hard areas of the ice, too.

"I was curious to see how Ville would do with the pace and the size of the NHL, and I thought he handled it extremely well," Sullivan said. "I look forward to watching him here more."

Once Malkin is healthy, I'm looking forward to seeing a line of Koivunen, Malkin, and Rakell. They saw the ice together quite a bit during training camp, and I'm curious to see how Koivunen responds to a full-time center who also happens to be a future hall-of-famer. More on that "full-time center" thing later.

McGroarty also pointed out that Koivunen scored on his first shot during his "rookie lap." Props there, too.

"Luckily, I didn't fall, so I was happy with that," Koivunen joked.

Mar 30, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Ville Koivunen (41) takes the ice for his rookie lap before making his NHL debut against the Ottawa Senators at PPG Paints Arena. (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)

- Much of what applies to Koivunen also applies to McGroarty.

I didn't think he stood out quite as much as Koivunen on Sunday, but the details and subtleties in McGroarty's game are what impress me. He's rarely out of position, he has great offensive instincts, and he made a few tough passes in the offensive zone, and he even had a two-on-one with Kevin Hayes that he simply fumbled.

Overall, he felt great about his game Sunday, and he felt pretty natural next to 87.

"I feel like my first couple of shifts, [I was] just adjusting to the speed - I'd say my first two to three shifts - and just how fast he plays and the tempo he plays at," McGroarty said. "And then, just kind of reading off of him as well. I mean, he's such an easy player to read off of, and his communication is great. And he's just a very good hockey player. Just getting used to that tempo just the first two to three shifts, then after that, I felt really good."

'Sid and the Kids': McGroarty, Koivunen Skate With Crosby, Top-Six In Practice'Sid and the Kids': McGroarty, Koivunen Skate With Crosby, Top-Six In PracticeSid the Kid may have broken a major Wayne Gretzky record in the Pittsburgh Penguins' 7-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday.

His skating is certainly better than it was back in October, but I do think there's still room for improvement in his first step. I know this is something he has been working on.

However, McGroarty said he was wearing two different skates at the end of the game because one of the ones he was wearing malfunctioned.

When asked how awkward it felt, he quipped that they were "brand new" and that it did feel pretty awkward.

"First time ever putting them on," McGroarty said. "I baked 'em, and that was my first time ever putting them on. So, yeah, they [felt] different."

Well, having two different skates on certainly doesn't help a player's skating. Haha.

 - Re: Full-time center: I commend Rakell's effort at center, and all things considered, he doesn't look too shabby out there. He's going to the right areas of the ice, he's making good decisions, he's shooting the puck (tied for the team lead with 10 shot attempts Sunday), and he looks like he's been there before.

However, faceoffs are certainly a problem. Rakell hadn't won a single faceoff heading into the third period - he did win a few in the third - and Crosby was taking some strong-side offensive zone draws for that line throughout the night.

3 Takeaways From Penguins Thrilling Overtime Win Over Senators3 Takeaways From Penguins Thrilling Overtime Win Over SenatorsThe Pittsburgh Penguins (30-34-11) ended a miserable three-game losing streak with a 1-0 overtime win over the playoff-bound Ottawa Senators on Sunday evening at PPG Paints Arena. 

This isn't a role Rakell will be expected to play moving forward, so it's not a big deal. But it's certainly a tell that he hasn't played the position in a while when faceoffs are a struggle to that extreme.

- Noel Acciari gets his fair share of ire on social media and in fan circles. Sure, he doesn't provide much of anything offensively, and he is 33 years old in a bottom-six role.

But teams - even good ones - need this kind of player on an NHL roster.

Acciari laid out seven hits and had yet another blocked shot on Sunday. He now has 168 hits on the season - the next-closest player is Rickard Rakell with 109 - and he is tied with Kris Letang for the team lead in blocked shots at 96, which is typically not a forward-leading stat.

Mar 30, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Ottawa Senators left wing David Perron (57) moves the puck against Pittsburgh Penguins center Noel Acciari (55) during the first period at PPG Paints Arena. (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)

This low-event, low-scoring, tight-checking, defense-first game is the exact kind of game where a team needs someone like him in the lineup. He takes hard minutes away from the top players and plays a fearless game. 

"He's an important player for us," head coach Mike Sullivan said. "I think a lot of his contributions don't always show up on the highlight reel or they don't show up on the scoresheet. Those are the 'thankless jobs' that we're talking about.

"He pays a price. There's a cost to winning, and he's willing to pay it. I think Noel's been an invaluable player for us throughout the course of the year."

He won't be around for the rebuild, but he has more value than given credit for.

Wheeling Nailers Clinch ECHL Playoff SpotWheeling Nailers Clinch ECHL Playoff SpotThe Wheeling Nailers, the ECHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins, are headed back to the Kelly Cup playoffs, clinching a playoff spot with a 3-2 victory over the Bloomington Bison on Sunday. 

- The Penguins have seven games remaining. McGroarty and Koivunen were truly impressive on Sunday, and I imagine they'll be around until the end of the regular season. 

It was easy to tell that simply having those two around injected some energy into a dejected group of players. If Penguins' fans are going to take solace in anything this season, take it in watching these guys get a nice run of NHL hockey to close out the season. 

If they play anything like they did against the Senators, I'm sure they'll have something to show for it, too.

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab  to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!       

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Islanders' 6-4 loss at Hurricanes extends skid to five games

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Seth Jarvis scored twice, Sebastian Aho had a goal and two assists, and the Carolina Hurricanes beat the New York Islanders 6-4 on Sunday.

Dmitry Orlov, Mark Jankowski and Logan Stankoven also scored for Carolina, which has won two straight. Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 27 shots.

Pierre Engvall scored twice, Kyle Palmieri had a goal and an assist, and Anders Lee also scored for the Islanders, who have lost five straight (0-3-2). Bo Horvat had two assists and Marcus Hogberg finished with 24 saves.

Lee tied the score 4-4 at 4:05 of the third period. After Orlov put the Hurricanes in front midway through the third, Jarvis got his second of the night and 29th of the season with 2:46 remaining to cap the scoring.

Engvall’s second of the game at 1:37 of the second gave the Islanders a 3-2 lead. However, Aho had a power-play goal for his 28th of the season to tie it at 8:35 and Jarvis scored short-handed with 2:31 to go in the middle period to put the Hurricanes up 4-3.

Jankowski and Stankoven scored 13 seconds apart in the first period to put Carolina up 2-0 less than 5 minutes into the game. Engvall and Palmieri scored to tie it with 8:33 left in the opening period.

Takeaways

Islanders: New York remained tied with Detroit three points out of the second wild card in the Eastern Conference with two other teams ahead of them as well.

Hurricanes: Carolina has won 11 of 13 and has a strong hold on second place in the Metropolitan Division and home-ice in the first round of the playoffs. The Hurricanes trail first-place Washington by nine points, and lead third-place New Jersey by nine.

Key moment

Orlov got the puck on the left side, skated toward the middle and fired a slap shot from center point through traffic and under Hogberg’s blocker for the go-ahead goal at 9:19 of the third to give the Hurricanes a 5-4 lead.

Key stat

Jarvis’ short-handed goal gave Carolina 10 on the season, tied with Tampa Bay for third in the NHL. They trail only the New York Rangers (15) and Florida (12).

Up next

Islanders host Tampa Bay on Tuesday, and Hurricanes host Washington on Wednesday.

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Knicks overcome Trail Blazers as OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges step up

The Knicks, who hope to get Jalen Brunson back from injury soon, overcame an off night by Karl-Anthony Towns as OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges combined for 56 points in Sunday's 110-93 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.

Takeaways

  1. Deni Avidija dropped a game-high 33 points, and the Knicks (47-27) needed someone to keep up -- especially with Towns struggling. New York got a pair of team-high scorers as Anunoby and Bridges rose to the occasion, contributing 28 points apiece. Anunoby and Bridges were a combined 23-of-38 shooting in 37 and 40 respective minutes.
  2. The same could be said with Anunoby and Bridges leading the charge on the other end of the floor in the second half, where the Knicks held Portland (32-43) to 35 points. Initially, New York trailed 58-50 at halftime and by a largest deficit of 14 points (68-54 with roughly eight minutes into the third quarter). In a game where the Knicks lacked the offensive firepower from Towns, who finished with 10 points on 4-of-13 shooting over 32 minutes despite a double-double via 11 rebounds, New York's wing-anchored defense clamped the Blazers down the decisive stretch.
  3. Totaling 14 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, Josh Hart flirted with a triple-double in 38 minutes while making the plays that mattered late as the Knicks pushed a double-digit lead into the final three minutes. New York needed Hart to hit another gear.
  4. The Knicks are 20 games over .500 for the first time since early March. They were 40-20 after their March 2 game at the Miami Heat, a 116-112 overtime win. New York ends this month with a 7-5 record in the absence of Brunson, who started missing games March 7.

Who's the MVP?

Anunoby and Bridges, who gave the Knicks the two-way play that they needed to mount their comeback and eventual 17-point win.

What's next

The Knicks return to action in Tuesday's 7:30 p.m. game against the Philadelphia 76ers.

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Vancouver Canucks 2025 Playoff Odds Drop Below 10% After Loss To The Winnipeg Jets

Mar 30, 2025; Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN; Winnipeg Jets left wing Alex Iafallo (9) and Vancouver Canucks center Teddy Blueger (53) watch the puck go wide of Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko (35) in the third period at Canada Life Centre. Mandatory Credit: James Carey Lauder-Imagn Images

The Vancouver Canucks quest for a spot in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs got a little harder thanks to their regulation loss against the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday. Vancouver fell 3-1, finishing their six-game road trip with a 2-2-2 record. The loss had a massive impact on the Canucks playoff odds, as Vancouver finally dipped below a 10% chances of qualifying for the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

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According to MoneyPuck.com, Vancouver's odds to secure a playoff spot have dropped to 9.7%. The Canucks are projected to finish with around 90 points, which would be five points below the playoff bar. As of 3:55 pm PT on Sunday, the St. Louis Blues and Minnesota Wild are projected to secure Wild Card spots, while the Pacific Division will be made up of the Vegas Golden Knights, L.A. Kings and Edmonton Oilers. 

While the regulation loss to Winnipeg did not eliminate the Canucks, it means Vancouver will need to go on a long run to end the season. The Canucks have eight games remaining, and may need to win at least seven to qualify for the playoffs. This is in large part due to the recent play of the Blues, who have won nine straight and currently have a six-point advantage over Vancouver. 

The Canucks return home from their road trip on Wednesday to face the Seattle Kraken. Seattle has already been eliminated from playoff contention and will be looking to put another massive dent in Vancouver's 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs hopes. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 pm PT from Rogers Arena. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. 

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Alex Ovechkin scores his 890th career goal to move 5 goals away from breaking Gretzky’s NHL record

WASHINGTON (AP) — For Alex Ovechkin, scoring the 890th goal of his career wasn’t such a sweet moment; in fact, moving five goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record didn’t matter much to the 39-year-old after an 8-5 loss at the hands of the Buffalo Sabres.

“Right now, we lost three in a row,” Ovechkin said. “It’s a good thing it happens right now and not in the playoffs, but we just have to bounce back and find a way to win the games.”

Ovechkin scored at 9:11 of the third period, deflecting Rasmus Sandin’s shot past James Reimer to pull Washington within two.

Though the Capitals were able to pull within one and seemed to kick their game into higher gear after his goal, the 39-year-old said it was Aliaksei Protas’ shorthanded tally at the start of the period that sparked the rally.

“When you score on the PK, it give you more (life) and you can see our bench getting after the game,” Ovechkin said. “We tried to come back, but unfortunately, we can’t.”

He is now back on pace to pass Gretzky’s mark of 894 that long seemed unapproachable this spring. He has 37 this season and is on track to reach 40 for a 14th time, also the most in league history, despite missing 16 games because of a broken left fibula.

“Again, it’s insane number,” Protas said. “I don’t think I’d ever get that, even in NHL 25 (the video game) ... he’s chasing something special.”

Before capping off a three-point night in the third period, Ovechkin had found his ice time limited amid numerous defensive zone starts, penalty kills and an unsatisfactory effort from the top-six. He skated just 7:43 minutes through the first two periods, the lowest on the team, and finished the night with 16:22 minutes while moving to Pierre-Luc Dubois’ line.

“We were fighting to stay in that game, I didn’t like any of our top-six again tonight,” coach Spencer Carbery said, adding, “It just hasn’t looked great. Their underlying numbers haven’t been great the last two games from our top-six.”

Ovechkin will continue his pursuit of Gretzky on Tuesday when the Capitals head north to visit the Boston Bruins.

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3 Takeaways From Penguins Thrilling Overtime Win Over Senators

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The Pittsburgh Penguins (30-34-11) ended a miserable three-game losing streak with a 1-0 overtime win over the playoff-bound Ottawa Senators on Sunday evening at PPG Paints Arena. 

In one of the least expected outcomes in recent memory, the Penguins, led by Tristan Jarry, kept the pesky Senators off the board just 24 hours after their 3-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Like last week, the Penguins will depart their hometown victorious as they embark on a grueling three-game swing in the Western Conference. 

Let's discuss their latest overtime triumph. 

Will the Real Tristan Jarry Please Stand Up

Social media collectively sighed when Mike Sullivan announced that Jarry would start his third consecutive game despite giving up eight goals on 19 shots and getting the hook in each contest.

Pittsburgh Penguins Schedule: Remaining Games & Statistical NotesPittsburgh Penguins Schedule: Remaining Games & Statistical NotesThe Pittsburgh Penguins are winding down their 2024-25 season and on pace to miss the Stanley Cup playoffs for the third consecutive season, a first in Sidney Crosby's 20-year career. However, there is plenty to play for in the final weeks of the regular season. 

However, Jarry silenced the critics on Sunday with a 31-save shutout, his first of the 2024-25 season and 20th in his career. He is now the third Penguins goalie to earn 20 shutouts behind Marc-Andre Fleury and Tom Barrasso.

Jarry didn't stand on his head or bail Pittsburgh out. He just played solid and made the necessary saves when called upon. It was quite a rebound performance from his previous two outings on the road.

Crosby Does It Again

Captain Sidney Crosby, fresh off securing his 20th season with a point-per-game average, tallied Sunday's only goal, his 24th overtime lamplighter. He remains second in the NHL record book behind Alex Ovechkin, who is still ahead by three overtime winners. 

After receiving a standing ovation for his latest achievement, Crosby played a passionate game. With less than five minutes left, he took a late penalty after getting into a tussle with Artem Zub.

BREAKING: Sidney Crosby Breaks Wayne Gretzky's Point-Per-Game Seasons RecordBREAKING: Sidney Crosby Breaks Wayne Gretzky's Point-Per-Game Seasons RecordAfter 20 years in the making, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby has made NHL history.

Crosby led the Penguins with six shots on goal and was 69.2% in the face-off circle. Meanwhile, he was out skating with rookie Rutger McGroarty and Ville Kouivnen, who are now sitting next to the future Hall of Famer in the dressing room. 

Even though the season is winding down, and there's no chance at the playoffs, Crosby continues to dazzle and lead the Penguins.

Rookies Defy the Odds

Head coach Sullivan is famously known for playing his veterans and never letting the young kids get a fair shot. On Sunday, in a scoreless game through regulation, both McGroarty and Koivunen played over 16 minutes, each logging more than 25 shifts.

Koivunen made his NHL debut and had two shots, while McGroarty suited up for his fourth NHL contest and had three shots with a blocked shot and four hits. 

Penguins Call Up Star Prospects Koivunen & McGroartyPenguins Call Up Star Prospects Koivunen & McGroartyAfter a disastrous road trip, the Pittsburgh Penguins are calling up some reinforcements from the AHL. On Friday morning, they announced that prospects Ville Koivunen and Rutger McGroarty are bound for Pittsburgh.

At the AHL level, Koivunen is the league's second-best scorer and didn't get to find the back of the night in Pittsburgh. But he should be up for the remainder of the season and could become the 30th Penguins player to score this season on the upcoming road trip. 

Meanwhile, McGroarty is also looking for his first NHL point, and departed Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has one of the team's hottest players with 18 points in 19 games. 

It will be fun to watch the duo down the stretch and the impact they can have given top-six minutes and a chance to utilize the skills that have earned them a call-up in the first place.