Buffalo Sabres (50-23-9, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Montreal Canadiens (48-24-10, in the Atlantic Division)
Montreal, Quebec; Saturday, 8 p.m. EDT
LINE: Canadiens -159, Sabres +134; over/under is 6.5
NHL PLAYOFFS SECOND ROUND: Canadiens lead series 3-2
BOTTOM LINE: The Montreal Canadiens host the Buffalo Sabres in the second round of the NHL Playoffs with a 3-2 lead in the series. The teams meet Thursday for the 10th time this season. The Canadiens won the previous meeting 6-3.
Montreal has a 23-12-3 record in Atlantic Division games and a 48-24-10 record overall. The Canadiens have committed 350 total penalties (4.3 per game) to rank fourth in the league.
Buffalo is 50-23-9 overall with a 22-10-5 record in Atlantic Division games. The Sabres have committed 316 total penalties (3.9 per game) to rank ninth in league play.
TOP PERFORMERS: Nicholas Suzuki has scored 29 goals with 72 assists for the Canadiens. Lane Hutson has one goal and nine assists over the last 10 games.
Rasmus Dahlin has 19 goals and 55 assists for the Sabres. Zachary Benson has scored four goals and added three assists over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Canadiens: 6-3-1, averaging 3.1 goals, 5.4 assists, 5.7 penalties and 14.8 penalty minutes while giving up 2.2 goals per game.
Sabres: 5-4-1, averaging 2.9 goals, 4.8 assists, 5.9 penalties and 16.3 penalty minutes while giving up 2.8 goals per game.
INJURIES: Canadiens: Patrik Laine: out (abdomen).
Sabres: Noah Ostlund: out (lower body), Jiri Kulich: out for season (ear), Justin Danforth: out for season (kneecap).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
ANAHEIM, May 14th, 2026– In California, Duck Season typically runs from October through January. But tonight, for one night and one night only, it was reopened at the Honda Center.
According to California’s Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Vegas Golden Knights could have scored two more goals tonight. But, as it turned out, they didn’t need to hit the daily bag limit to defeat the Anaheim Ducks.
The puck dropped at 6:50 p.m. PST. They made their way through the handshake line at 9:36, and because media availability was so short, I imagine that the team was wheels up for a flight back to Las Vegas by 10:15. Head coach John Tortorella also declined to speak to the media following the series win.
Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals is scheduled for 5 p.m. PST on Wednesday at Ball Arena in Denver.
1. Birds of Prey? No– Birds *Are* Prey
The Ducks were moving targets for the Golden Knights tonight– and it had nothing to do with wearing orange. They made costly mistake after costly mistake, and the Golden Knights capitalized on nearly every single one. There is no better example than their shorthanded goal, which came after the Ducks cheated for offense. Mitch Marner took advantage of this.
“As soon as I saw that he had the puck with some time and space, I just tried to build up speed,” said forward Brett Howden following the 5-1 win. “I thought he was going to kick it out to me, and then he didn’t– he just stayed patient, stayed patient. When he has the puck on his stick, I just try to get to the net… Luckily enough, I found some space, and he made the play.”
Howden became just the eighth player in NHL history to score three short-handed goals in the same postseason.
“It’s funny,” said Howden postgame. “I was just telling Mitch that I don’t know if I’ve ever had a shorthanded goal before. He’s made some unbelievable plays to set me up for some of those.”
2. Next Man Up
It’s important to note that the most impressive part of the Golden Knights’ blowout win is that they did it without Brayden McNabb. The defenseman received a one-game suspension from the NHL’s Department of Player Safety following a hit on Ryan Poehling in Game 5 that knocked the Ducks forward out of the game, and out of Game 6 as well.
“Losing Nabber [is tough],” said defenseman Rasmus Andersson following Game 5. “He’s one of the leaders, if not the leader, on the back end. It’s time for other players to step up.”
And step up they did.
Andersson, Shea Theodore, and Noah Hanifin all played over 24 minutes tonight. Kaedan Korczak returned to the lineup and performed admirably in a limited role. Ben Hutton, too, has given the Golden Knights solid minutes ever since returning to the lineup six games ago. Dylan Coghlan, who played just three games with the NHL club during the regular season, has played in each of the last three games. He logged nearly 20 minutes tonight, recorded four hits, and was a +3.
3. That’s Me in the Spotlight, Losing My Religion
Brayden McNabb has served as alternate captain this season, and Mitch Marner wore the ‘A’ in his absence. And, boy, did he ever fill that role. He scored just 62 seconds into the first period, and made Brett Howden’s shorthanded game-winning goal happen. Marner continues to lead the postseason in scoring with seven goals and 18 points in 11 games.
“He’s a game-breaker, right? You saw it in that series– he was the best player in the series,” said Jack Eichel following the 5-1 win. “He comes out here at the beginning of the first period, makes two incredible plays, and all of a sudden we’re playing with the lead.
“Mitch has been incredible,” continued Eichel. “From day one in training camp, his personality has gelled really well with the team. Obviously, his play is incredible. He’s on a pretty special run right now, and it’s been a lot of fun to watch.
“I feel like he’s had a lot of critics,” Eichel finished. “He’s shutting a lot of people up right now. I’m super happy for him.”
Wreathed with more than 150 years of hopes, dreams and drama, the FA Cup reflects sporting heritage and mystique
Footballing physiques have changed a great deal over the decades, but when Chelsea meet Manchester City on Saturday there’s one outline we’ll all recognise. While the average shape has got leaner and more toned, this body has stayed comfortable in its old-school proportions. A modest waist gives on to surprisingly wide hips. Arms that have never lifted weights remain a little skinny for the frame. And yet none of this has been a hindrance in the modern game: every year, the FA Cup trophy still ends up on the winning team.
This is one of sport’s most iconic pieces of silverware, wreathed with more than 150 years of hopes, dreams and drama. It’s a far more emotive sight than the cartoonishly crowned Premier League trophy, or even the stylishly minimalist Champions League trophy. And this makes it even more extraordinary to remember that the object itself is still not out of its tween years. This weekend it will make its 13th Cup final appearance.
The 35-year-old will break the Bears’ top-flight appearance record against Northampton – and still hasn’t scored a try
Bristol’s Jake Woolmore has been pursuing a couple of personal goals for a while. Beneath the Friday night lights in Northampton he is about to tick off one of them by breaking the Bears’ top-flight appearance record. If he is also able to mark this special occasion by surrendering his status as the least likely person in the league to score a try, so much the better.
With fifth-placed Bristol seeking a win over the league leaders to bolster their playoff hopes, the 35-year-old prop is quick to stress the team’s interests come first. That said, if he makes it over the try‑line for the first time on his 142nd league appearance for the club (and 184th in all competitions), the celebrations will be even mightier. As he puts it: “I can’t imagine there are many people who’ve played over 180 games for one club without scoring.”
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - MAY 10: De'aaron Fox #4 of the San Antonio Spurs attempts a three-point basket against Jaden McDaniels #3 of the Minnesota Timberwolves during the fourth quarter in Game Four of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Target Center on May 10, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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 David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After a dominant victory in Game Five, the San Antonio Spurs will head to Minnesota with a chance to clinch a spot in the Western Conference Finals. In case you’re looking for even more drama than an elimination game, it will be the first time Victor Wembanyama has played in the Target Center since he was ejected from Game Four of the series.
The Spurs found success in Minneapolis the last time they had a must-win game coming off a blowout at home. San Antonio won Game Three in Minnesota 115-108, thanks to some clutch scoring by Wembanyama down the stretch. This game will likely elicit a more desperate effort from the Wolves, who are known for fighting back when their backs are against the wall. San Antonio will need to be ready for a feisty and physical Wolves squad playing in front of a raucous crowd.
The Silver and Black will trot into Minnesota with a clean injury report. They’ll need all hands on deck to close this series out on the road. With the Oklahoma City Thunder getting plenty of rest, and the unpredictability of a Game Seven, San Antonio will have a bit of desperation themselves to win this series in six.
Watch: Amazon Prime Video | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM)
Spurs Injuries: No injuries
Timberwolves Injuries: Donte DiVincenzo – Out (achilles)
What to watch for:
Getting to the basket
The Spurs outscored the Wolves in the paint 68-36 in Game Five. They relentlessly attacked the paint, especially in transition, to put Minnesota away in the second half. Getting to the rim and scoring through contact should be a focal point for their offense in Game Six, especially if the Wolves are thinking about going smaller with Rudy Gobert sitting on the bench. Gobert has been great defensively in this series, but has struggled offensively in the last few games, which has led to the Wolves going to Naz Reid at the center spot to spread the Spurs out a bit and add some offensive versatility to their lineup. Without Gobert’s rim protection, San Antonio has been able to capitalize at the rim. They’ll need more of that to close out this series on the road.
Can a second Timberwolf step up?
Anthony Edwards has been incredible in this series. He’s averaging 23.6 points while shooting 50.6% from the field and 40% from three. He’s been so good that the Spurs have elected to double-team him every time he catches the ball or brings it up the floor. San Antonio has begged another Timberwolf to beat them, and so far, none of them have risen to the challenge. Julius Randle has struggled, Ayo Dosumnu hasn’t hit the heights of his performance in the first round, and Jaden McDaniels has struggled to score over Wembanyama at the rim. If just one of these players turns it on in Game Six, the Spurs’ strategy of doubling Edwards could fall apart, and we may see a new defensive scheme from Mitch Johnson and Sean Sweeney.
Role players hitting threes
San Antonio has had hot-and-cold shooting performances from its role players in the playoffs. Julian Champagnie started the playoffs shooting the lights out, but has come back to earth a bit in recent games. Devin Vassell has struggled to find his stroke from deep all postseason, shooting just 31% from three. The Spurs need these two to hit open shots on Friday. The Silver and Black’s guards have done a great job of penetrating and drawing multiple defenders. Their shooters need to make the defense pay for collapsing onto drivers.
While not a role player, De’Aaron Fox’s shooting stroke will be important here, too. Elimination games on the road are exactly where veterans need to step up and take the reins. Fox is only shooting 44% from the field and 30.6% from three. Getting some of those mid-range jumpers and pull-up threes to go down could be just what the Spurs need to advance to the Western Conference Finals.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - MAY 13: Blaze Alexander #23 of the Baltimore Orioles drives in two runs with a single in the sixth inning against the New York Yankees at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on May 13, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Introduction
On February 5th, 2026 Arizona Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen sent fan favorite infielder Blaze Alexander to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for relief pitcher Kade Strowd, along with two minor league prospects, RHP Wellington Aracena and infielder Jose Mejia. It definitely hasn’t been long enough to evaluate this trade fairly, and won’t be for a few years, but I am going to try to do that today anyway.
How’s Blaze doing for the Orioles anyway?
Blaze Alexander has appeared in 36 games for the Baltimore Orioles, He’s seen time at every fielding position other than catcher, first base and pitcher, and as a result, his defensive stats have really taken hit. This is pretty clearly demonstrated by his Def stat on Fangraphs (which includes the positional adjustment) going from a positive 2.7 for the Diamondbacks in 2025 to -2.7 in 2026. Looking over his advanced fielding stats at each position, Blaze is still an above average fielder at third base, and possibly at the two corner outfield positions, but he’s a well below average fielder anywhere else in the field. Blaze’s defense would be fine if he was taking steps forward and growing as a hitter, but that’s not what we’ve been seeing through his first 100 plate appearances. He’s hitting .244/.299/.289 with a 70 wRC+, 69 OPS+, and a .271 wOBA; combined with his defensive decline, that puts his seasons value at -0.1 fWAR.
It’s actually not all doom and gloom for Blaze, as he’s actually been hitting the ball harder with a max EV a full 2.2 MPH faster than his highs in previous seasons. His expected wOBA (.306), expected Batting Average (.281), and expected Slugging Percentage (.350) do give some indication that he’s been somewhat unlucky as well. I think Blaze has the potential to turn it around if the Orioles leave him at a defensive position he’s actually comfortable at.
Okay, that’s cool, but what about the players the D’Backs acquired?
First up, there’s Kade Strowd, who was assigned to the AAA affiliate Reno Aces after not making the MLB Roster out of spring. Strowd has been an effective reliever for the Aces so far in the 14 games he’s appeared in. He’s put up a 2.40 ERA, though that does come with a significantly higher 4.17 FIP and xFIP, so I would expect that ERA to go up. Strowd seems like a solid candidate to be called up eventually this season, especially if there are any injuries in the bullpen.
RHP Wellington Aracena was assigned to the A+ Level Hillsboro Hops. There he’s started 5 games, but appeared in 6, pitching 18 ⅓ IP with a 2.95 ERA, a 3.58 FIP, 3.61 xFIP, and a 64 ERA-. In other words, he’s been an above average pitcher so far. Aracena has stood out to me thanks to an insane 32.4 strikeout percentage, in addition to his other stats above.
Finally, there’s 2nd baseman Jose Mejia, who has stood out the most to me, thanks to his performance at the plate in 2026. In 32 games and 132 plate appearances for the D’Backs A ball level affiliate Visalia Rawhide, Mejia is hitting .308/.455/.500 with a .442 wOBA and 152 wRC+. Mejia is sporting an excellent 19.5 walk percentage, along with a more than acceptable 15.9 strikeout percentage. Mejia has been an above average hitter throughout his minor league career, ans hiis .363 BABIP is well in line with his career norms, so this isn’t a case of a fluke hot streak. Mejia appears to legitimately be one of the better hitters in the Diamondbacks farm system.
Conclusion
While none of the players acquired are currently on the MLB roster for the Dbacks, the results so far in 2026 from each player make this trade look more and more promising as time goes by. Kade Strowd should be a useful bullpen piece in the very near future, with Aracena hopefully doing the same a few seasons down the line. Mejia looks like a guy who should climb the Dbacks top prospect list, though he plays a position that the Dbacks are absolutely stacked at currently. Meanwhile Blaze Alexander is currently struggling for the Orioles and may be sent down to the Minors sooner rather than later if his struggles continue.
It’s still way too early, but right now this looks like one of the better long term moves that GM Mike Hazen made over the offseason.
The Anaheim Ducks returned home, facing elimination for the first time this postseason after falling to the Vegas Golden Knights in overtime in Game 5.
Pavel Dorofeyev was the star of the show, scoring two goals––including the overtime winner––to give the Golden Knights a pivotal 3-2 series lead heading back to Honda Center. The Ducks lost forward Ryan Poehling to injury in the first period after a late hit from Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb. McNabb had a hearing with NHL Player Safety on Wednesday and was suspended for Game 6. Kaeden Korczak drew back into the lineup in his absence.
With Poehling out, Jansen Harkins drew back into the lineup after being a healthy scratch in Games 3 and 4. Mason McTavish slid into the middle to center the third line with Jeff Viel and Cutter Gauthier. No other lineup changes were made.
Lukáš Dostál and Carter Hart faced one another once again, with Dostál stopping 16 of 21 shots and Hart stopping 31 of 32 shots.
Game Notes
Game 6 was almost reminiscent of Game 3 from the jump, with the Ducks conceding a goal on the first shot against and then giving up a shorthanded goal. Mitch Marner was at the forefront of the action once again, as he was in Game 3. He scored the first Vegas goal and had the primary assist on Brett Howden's shorthanded tally. Shea Theodore's power play tally saw the Ducks facing a three-goal deficit at the end of the first period.
Joel Quenneville swapped Troy Terry and Beckett Sennecke after the second period, which gave Leo Carlsson's line a bit more speed. The Golden Knights showed why they have been a playoff contender almost every season of their existence, refusing to play a safe game and continuing to push back against Anaheim's attempts to erase their deficit. Their plethora of playoff experience was evident in this one. Anaheim made a push in the second and third, but the early 3-0 hole was too much to overcome.
Power Play-The power play was a very sore spot for the Ducks in this series, as the Golden Knights killed off all but four of the 21 opportunities that the Ducks had. The Ducks also gave up two shorthanded goals.
Anaheim's power play success against the Oilers wasn't going to be replicated, but there were times when they were unable to even generate momentum on the man advantage. Though they did get a power play goal in this game courtesy of Mikael Granlund, the power play did not shift the tide nearly enough overall.
Olen Zellweger-Zellweger continues to give the Ducks a dynamic option on the blue line, capable of creating offense with both his skating and shot. Where Jackson LaCombe has taken a bit of a backseat offensively in the past few games, Zellweger has grabbed that opportunity by the horns. It led to more ice time for the second consecutive game as he was paired with John Carlson down the stretch.
John Carlson-Carlson was a non-factor in this game and most of the series, quite frankly. He registered just one point and was a minus-4. He was walked several times in Game 4 and his attempt to go off the wall in the defensive zone led directly to a goal against in Game 5. The savvy, veteran plays he was pulling off in the Oilers series were few and far between in the Vegas series, with his lack of foot speed unable to cover up some of his mistakes.
Ryan Poehling-The Ducks really missed Poehling in this game, as they didn't have a bridge to cover the gap between Carlsson/Granlund and Washe. While McTavish and Gauthier drove play well in Game 4 without Poehling, they couldn't quite replicate that in Game 5. Some of that may have been due to the absence of Poehling, who also holds a big role on the penalty kill.
The Ducks' season comes to an end after securing a playoff berth for the first time in eight seasons. They also won their first playoff series in nine seasons. While their season is over, their young core gained plenty of experience, which they can pull from heading into next season.
Goaltending-While Lukáš Dostál isn't solely to blame for this loss, he was outplayed by Carter Hart in this one. The dreaded "first shot, first goal" trend which has followed Dostál into the playoffs reared its head once again. He did play well in Game 5, which makes that overtime loss sting a bit more. This is the most games Dostál has ever started in his pro career, including a stint at the Winter Olympics in February. It's also important to remember that next season will be just his second as the full-time starter.
When the Vegas Golden Knights took the ice on Thursday night, they did so with one mission: beat the Anaheim Ducks and advance to the Western Conference Finals. They certainly rose to the occasion– they struck 62 seconds into the first period and never let up en route to a 5-1 victory.
Less than a minute into the first period, William Karlsson sprung Mitch Marner on a breakaway. What followed was one of the most impressive goals in Golden Knights history.
Marner moved in on Lukáš Dostál, shielding the puck from a pursuing Jackson LaCombe. When Dostál moved to cut off Marner’s angle, the forward pulled up, stopping on a dime. Marner went forehand-backhand-forehand-backhand, and finished the play off forehand, between-the-legs, while skating backward.
Mr. Game Six. Stretch pass from William Karlsson, and Money Mitch is in on a breakaway. Dostál closes him off, no problem. Money Mitch with the pull up, tucks it home, and puts his team up early.
“I didn’t really have a good look at it, being behind the play. But from the glimpse I saw, it was just so sick,” said defenseman Shea Theodore postgame. “That’s him, though. [Marner] is so good on his edges, and he’s so good at finding different ways to get things done.”
The Golden Knights doubled their lead at 8:30 in the first. Mitch Marner took the puck up ice, carried it into the zone, and surveyed the ice as Brett Howden drove the net. Marner threaded a pass between Jackson LaCombe and Alex Killorn to set Howden up for a one-timer.
It’s the shorthanded specialist. Marner made it happen, and Howden finished it off. Have you heard that one before?
The Golden Knights added to their lead on the power play at 17:19 in the first. Tomáš Hertl won the draw clean back to Shea Theodore, who moved into the high slot and fired a wrister through traffic that found its way home.
That took all of four seconds. Snipe city, population Shea Theodore. Rips one from the point.
Anaheim came out flying to start the second period and recorded five shots in the first four minutes. Eventually, they broke through on the power play.
The Ducks broke through on the power play at 12:46 in the second. Troy Terry entered the zone with speed, danced between Mitch Marner and Shea Theodore, and fired a cross-ice pass to Mikael Granlund. Granlund picked his spot and ripped a wrister past Carter Hart far-side.
Mikael Granlund. Wow. What a shot. Let’s one rip from the top of the left circle and beats Hart far-side.
Granlund’s goal rejuvenated a frustrated group, but to no avail. Despite outshooting the Golden Knights 28-12 in the final two periods, the Ducks simply weren’t able to capitalize.
The Golden Knights restored their three-goal lead just 2:52 into the third. John Carlson tried to rim the puck around the boards, but it never made it to Alex Killorn at the half wall. Ivan Barbashev read the play, intercepted the pass, and threaded a backhand through Mikael Granlund to find Pavel Dorofeyev with time and space. Dorofeyev stepped into the slot and beat Lukáš Dostál far-side with a wicked wrister.
The kid is on fire! Ducks turnover, Ivan Barbashev with a backhand feed, and Pavel Dorofeyev finishes it off with a laser from the slot.
The Golden Knights tacked on another at 12:32 in the third. Rasmus Andersson fired the puck deep into the zone, and Lukáš Dostál left his crease to play the puck behind the net. Pavel Dorofeyev got to it first, protected the puck from Jacob Trouba, rolled out to below the right circle, and beat Lukáš Dostál over the shoulder short-side.
Pavel Dorofeyev. Ew. Drifts out from behind the net and rips one over Dostál’s shoulder.
The Ducks pulled Lukáš Dostál for the extra attacker with over five minutes remaining in regulation. But a four-goal deficit is a mountain to climb; despite recording eight shots, they couldn’t solve Carter Hart, and the Golden Knights held on for a commanding 5-1 victory.
Dodgers pinch hitter Alex Call celebrates in the dugout after scoring in the sixth inning of a 5-2 win over the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium on Thursday night. Call hit a two-run single earlier in the inning. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
You better run. Those three words were the only thought racing through pinch-hitter Alex Call’s head when he laced a pitch from San Francisco Giants reliever Matt Gage into right field.
The two-run single, which gave the Dodgers the lead, sparked a three-run rally in the sixth inning that concluded when Miguel Rojas drove in Call on a single to center field.
“It felt like I hit it,” said Call, who initially hesitated to run after making contact. “But I guess I just didn't quite see it off the bat, and I'm like looking for it, keep looking up, and then all of a sudden I hear the crowd get really loud.”
Call's single helped the Dodgers beat the Giants 5-2 on Thursday night, reclaiming first in the National League West after San Diego lost to Milwaukee. The Dodgers also escaped a third straight series loss at home ahead of their weekend road series against the Angels.
Call wasn’t the only Dodger who thrived under pressure. Designated hitter Will Smith, whom Dodgers manager Dave Roberts described earlier in the day as “unflappable,” hit from the leadoff spot for the first time in his career and homered to right-center field in the first inning to set the tone for the series-splitting win.
“That was nice, huh?” Roberts said. “Like I said before the game, just to be able to plug him in, you feel confident that no matter what, he’s going to give you his best. And I didn’t expect a homer, but it was a good way to start.”
The decision to put Smith in the leadoff spot allowed Roberts to maximize the 31-year-old’s plate appearances without moving other players after Shohei Ohtani was held out of the lineup.
The Dodgers (26-18) are trying to lighten Ohtani's workload after his recent struggles at the plate. It’s the first time a healthy Ohtani has been out of back-to-back batting orders, except for the paternity list, since the universal designated hitter rule was implemented in 2022.
Will Smith gets a face full of sunflower seeds from teammate Andy Pages after hitting a leadoff home run in the first inning for the Dodgers on Thursday. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Though the Dodgers outlasted the Giants (18-26) without Ohtani's help, the team’s compounded mistakes almost cost it a win.
In the second inning, the bottom of the lineup strung together two hits to score Max Muncy, who reached on a walk. However, after Miguel Rojas softly hit a ground ball to Giants starter Landen Roupp, Teoscar Hernández found himself stranded in no-man’s land after running toward home from third — there was no force play at the plate.
Rojas, who stood on the basepath, slammed his helmet down in frustration after Smith struck out to end the inning.
Rojas wasn't the only one upset. Dalton Rushing was shown on the game broadcast breaking his bat in the dugout and slamming his leg guard on the back bench after striking out in the fourth inning. Dodgers starter Emmet Sheehan shared some words of encouragement with the catcher and patted him on the back.
“He was frustrated obviously with that at-bat,” Sheehan said. “We just wanted to let him know that he’s good and we still got work to do.”
Despite striking out three times in three at-bats, Rushing continued to work well with Sheehan.
Sheehan gave up just two earned runs and two hits with six strikeouts and two walks over six innings. He produced a 50% whiff rate with his slider, and his four-seam dotted the zone 73% of the time.
“Every time he’s been going out there, he’s getting better,” Roberts said. “And today was his best outing in totality. The fastball was good, the life to it, the command of it. I thought Dalton did a great job with him, in the sense of when to use a curveball, when to use a change-up, when to use a fastball, and we needed it.”
With a four pitch arsenal, Sheehan put together three hitless innings before San Francisco’s Rafael Devers hit a one-out single to left field.
From there, things got worse. In the fifth, Jung Hoo Lee hit an inside-the-park home run when Hernández misread the ball off the left-field wall in foul territory, allowing the ball to roll past him. Rojas' relay throw was too high for Rushing to catch, and Lee slid into home to become the first Giants player to hit an inside-the-park homer at Dodger Stadium.
But the Dodgers responded in the sixth. After Max Muncy reached base on a force out at second and was moved over to third on a single from Hernández, Alex Call delivered a pinch-hit, two-run single to right field. Rojas then blooped a ball over the infield to drive in Call.
“This game at the end of the day is about results,” Call said. “Sometimes you just have to let it play out and just play baseball. Sometimes you just have to get through the tough stuff. We're doing a great job in here and no one's losing faith in anybody.”
CHICAGO, IL - MAY 12: AJ Dybantsa looks on during the 2026 NBA Draft Combine on May 12, 2026 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Tamez/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
According to Jeremy Woo, the Utah Jazz have reached out to the Washington Wizards … about potentially trading up…
‘Why not us?’ Keyonte George thinks Utah #Jazz can be playoff team. With No. 2 pick and addition of veteran Jaren Jackson Jr., George is optimistic about his Jazz returning to the playoffs next season. #NBA@andscapehttps://t.co/JUYnzuyUqy
From Marc J. Spears article, where he credits Jeremy Woo:
Dybantsa is the top prospect in the draft, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Woo. The Jazz have reached out to the Washington Wizards, who have the No. 1 pick, about potentially trading up to land the former BYU standout, a source said.
This could mean a wide range of things. Most likely, though, the Jazz are doing their due diligence. If the Jazz didn’t at least call the Wizards to talk, it would be negligent. For Utah, they appear to be fine with where they’re at in the draft, but if the Wizards want a certain player between AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson, and can get something from the Jazz and still draft them, it makes sense. The same goes for the Jazz. If they can get a trade done with the Wizards that doesn’t cost them much, then it’s worth doing. Don’t forget, Utah made trade calls about Mikail Bridges and other players that were known to be on the trade market. It didn’t materialize, but at least Utah was able to determine the cost.
That said, there is a scenario where it might mean more. Maybe this is a plot twist, and the Jazz want to move up for a player we don’t expect. What would happen if Utah trades up, but it’s for Darryn Peterson?
The Vegas Golden Knights hired former Vancouver Canucks head coach John Tortorella on March 29, only eight games before the end of the 2025–26 regular season.
Now, with only five games lost in both the regular season and playoffs since being hired, Tortorella and the Golden Knights are heading to the Western Conference Final.
After taking down the Utah Mammoth in six games during the first-round of the 2026 post-season, Vegas has knocked out an up-and-coming Anaheim Ducks team that defeated the Edmonton Oilers and brought the Golden Knights to six games.
This is the fifth time in their nine-season franchise history that the Golden Knights have made it to the Conference Finals. Vegas has made it to the Stanley Cup Final twice in their club history, losing to the Washington Capitals in their inaugural season (2018) and winning in 2023. They have only missed the post-season once, in 2022.
Tortorella has made the post-season 13 times in his coaching career, winning the Stanley Cup once with the Tampa Bay Lighting in 2003–04. He has made it to the Conference Finals only one other time throughout his career — with the New York Rangers in 2012. In his lone season as the Canucks’ head coach, Vancouver went 36–35–11 during the regular season and did not make the playoffs.
Also an ex-Canuck heading to the Western Conference Final with Vegas is Nic Dowd, who played with Vancouver for 40 games before heading to Washington for the better-half of eight seasons. While he didn’t end up getting on the scoresheet during the Golden Knights’ second-round series against the Ducks, Dowd played an important role against the Mammoth, scoring the game-winning goal in Game 1 and finding the back of the net in Game 3.
May 8, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Vegas Golden Knights center Nic Dowd (26) passes the puck to right wing Keegan Kolesar (55) against Anaheim Ducks defenseman Jackson LaCombe (2) during the first period in game three of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Hutton, the ex-Canuck and current Golden Knight who spent the most time with Vancouver, did not play in Vegas’ first-round series but found himself back in the lineup against Anaheim. The defenceman has served as a solid depth defender for the Golden Knights since joining the organization in 2021–22, steadily averaging 14 to 16 minutes per game.
Vegas will now move on to face the Colorado Avalache in the Western Conference Final. The Avalanche defeated the Minnesota Wild in five games while also sweeping the Los Angeles Kings in the first-round.
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May 14, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Alex Call (12) runs home to score against the San Francisco Giants in the sixth inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The Dodgers scored three runs in the sixth inning to back a strong start by Emmet Sheehan to beat the San Francisco Giants 5-2 on Thursday night at Dodger Stadium and salvage a series split after dropping the first two games.
Teoscar Hernández figured prominently on both sides of the ball in and around left field on Thursday, and it was his third hit of the night that finally chased San Francisco starter Landen Roupp with one out in the sixth inning with a tie score and runners on second and third base.
Left-hander Matt Gage was called in for his third appearance of the series and struck out lefty-hitting Dalton Rushing for the second out of the frame. Alex Call, a right-handed batter, pinch-hit for Hyeseong Kim, and dunked a single into short right field to give the Dodgers their second lead of the night, and he took second base on the throw home. Call scored on the second single of the game by Miguel Rojas, who started at shortstop for Mookie Betts.
It took until the sixth inning of the seventh and final game, but the three runs in the sixth marked the Dodgers’ largest-scoring frame of the homestand.
Hernández had no extra-base hits in his previous 15 games before this series, but doubled twice on Thursday, including a third-inning ball to the right field wall that set up another run. Hernández was caught between third base and home later in the frame, when Rojas attempted a safety squeeze but bunted it right back to pitcher Landen Roupp. Rojas was so displeased with the bunt that he slammed his helmet to the dirt when the inning ended one out later without another run scoring.
Sheehan was effective all night against the Giants, inducing 19 swinging strikes — his second-most in a start this season — including 10 whiffs on the fastball and seven on the slider. That fueled Sheehan’s six strikeouts in six innings in which he nearly escaped unscathed.
San Francisco didn’t get a hit off Sheehan until Rafael Devers dropped a bloop single into shallow left field in the fourth inning. Sheehan walked a pair, both after 0-2 counts, including one in the fifth to Drew Gilbert. The second hit against Sheehan was another properly placed looper into left field, this one by Jung Hoo Lee that somehow managed to scoot past Hernández for an inside-the-park two-run home run.
Instead of a 2-0 lead in which Sheehan was relatively cruising, suddenly the game was tied. But he rebounded to retire his next four batters to complete six innings for the third time this season.
Sheehan famously pitched six scoreless no-hit innings against the Giants in his major league debut at Dodger Stadium in 2023, and has allowed only four runs and five hits with 31 strikeouts in 28 innings against them for a 1.29 ERA in five career games, including four career starts.
Notes
Call has four hits in six at-bats as a pinch-hitter this season, including a double. Rest of the Dodgers have two hits in 25 pinch-hit at-bats.
Hernández in the series had three multi-hit games and three total doubles in the four games.
With Shohei Ohtani sitting, Will Smith got the start at designated hitter on Thursday after catching the first three games. Smith batted leadoff for the first time in his career and homered in the first inning.
Technically the Dodgers are on the road next, though close enough for many to still sleep at home, starting a three-game series against the Angels on Friday night (6:38 p.m.; SportsNet LA, KTTV channel 11) in Anaheim. Blake Snell goes in the opener, with Jack Kochanowicz on the mound for the Halos.
Fresh off their series victory over the Manitoba Moose, the Grand Rapids Griffins were back on the ice in the friendly confines of Van Andel Arena for their Central Division finals series against the Chicago Wolves on Thursday evening.
Unfortunately, the Wolves proved to be rude guests.
A goal from Josiah Slavin, who is a 2018 NHL Draft pick of the Chicago Blackhawks, broke a 1-1 tie in the third period and proved to ultimately stand up as the game-winner.
The Wolves, who picked up a 2-1 regulation victory, lead the series one game to none.
Eduards Tralmaks, who is playing in his first season in the Red Wings organization and scored 26 goals in 64 regular season games with the Griffins, opened the scoring late in the second period, only to have the Wolves respond courtesy of a tally from Justin Robidas.
Griffins goaltender Michal Postava, another first-year player in the organization and who has been playing nearly lights out hockey, made 30 stops in a losing effort. Meanwhile, Wolves goaltender Cayden Primeau made 23 saves.
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ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Mitch Marner scored a tremendous goal 62 seconds after the opening faceoff, Pavel Dorofeyev scored twice in the third period and the Vegas Golden Knights cruised into the Western Conference finals with a 5-1 victory over Anaheim Ducks in Game 6 of the second round Thursday night.
Brett Howden scored his third short-handed goal of the playoffs and Shea Theodore got a power-play goal during a 3-0 first period for the Golden Knights, who reached the third round of the NHL postseason for the first time since they won their lone Stanley Cup championship in 2023 — and for the fifth time in this charmed expansion franchise’s nine seasons of existence.
Marner played a role in all three of Vegas’ first-period goals while raising his NHL-leading playoff point total to 18, and Game 5 overtime goal-scorer Dorofeyev put the game away with a huge third period. Carter Hart made 31 saves as the veteran-laden Golden Knights ended the upstart Ducks’ first playoff appearance since 2018.
Vegas will face an exponentially bigger challenge in the Colorado Avalanche, who won the Presidents’ Trophy and then improved to 8-1 in the postseason on Wednesday by ousting Minnesota in five games.
Mikael Granlund scored a power-play goal for the Ducks, whose return from a seven-year playoff drought ended when their young roster was unable to match the veteran Knights’ playoff poise in three losses over the past four games.
Lukas Dostal stopped 16 shots for Anaheim, which couldn’t overcome another poor first period in Game 6, ending their encouraging first season under coach Joel Quenneville.
The Knights are 15-4-1 since John Tortorella replaced Cup-winning coach Bruce Cassidy on March 29, surging past the Ducks to claim the Pacific Division title before beating Utah and Anaheim in the first two playoff rounds.
CANADIENS 6, SABRES 3
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Captain Nick Suzuki and Jake Evans scored 68 seconds apart late in the second period, and Montreal defeated Buffalo to take a 3-2 lead in their second-round playoff series.
Montreal surged with a three-goal second period, and never led until Evans swept a loose puck over the goal line behind Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to put the Canadiens up 4-3 with 3:45 remaining. Suzuki then scored 10 seconds into a power-play opportunity by converting Juraj Slafkovsky’s one-handed pass from the end boards and beating Luukkonen through the legs with a shot from the lower right circle.
Cole Caufield, Josh Anderson, Ivan Demidov and Alexandre Texier also scored for Montreal, which will host Game 6 on Saturday night. Jakub Dobes allowed three goals on the first four shots he faced before finishing with 33 saves.
Josh Doan, Jason Zucker and rookie Konsta Helenius, appearing in his second career playoff game, scored for Buffalo.
Luukkonen allowed five goals on 23 shots, and was pulled after two periods -- the second time he’s been yanked this postseason. Alex Lyon mopped up in allowing a goal on three shots. Lyon is potentially in line to regain the starting duties after losing the job following a 6-2 loss in Game 3.
The Sabres have dropped two of three at home in the series, and were coming off a 3-2 win at Montreal on Tuesday.
