PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 29: Erik Karlsson #65 and Ben Kindel #81 of the Pittsburgh Penguins exchange words with Trevor Zegras #46 of the Philadelphia Flyers after the whistle during the first overtime period in Game Six of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 29, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Up until the very end, the Pittsburgh Penguins battled and fought to force a Game 7 against the Philadelphia Flyers in their first round series, but Dan Vladar was a brick wall in net and Cam York found a just enough daylight behind Arturs Silovs to score an overtime winner that gave the Flyers a 1-0 victory in Game 6 to eliminate the Penguins and send the Flyers into the second round where they will face the Carolina Hurricanes.
After no scoring through 60 minutes thanks to some stellar goaltending from both Silovs and Vladar, Game 6 went into overtime for the first time this series and the Penguins were in control for much of the overtime period but Vladar never blinked. Although they had few opportunities in the extra frame, all the Flyers needed was to make one count and Cam York did exactly that to initiate handshakes between the two rivals. [Pensburgh]
Pens Points…
Mario Lemieux was in attendance for the Penguins Game 5 win on Monday night and his presence around the team may become more frequent in the near future. According to sources close to Mario, he is planning on having a bigger role with the franchise once the team sale is approved to the Hoffman family. [The Athletic $$]
In case of emergency, the Penguins recalled Joel Blomqvist from the AHL on Wednesday to serve as the third goalie for Game 6 in Philadelphia. Sergei Murashov held that role earlier in the series, but with him being the top netminder in Wilkes-Barre, it was Blomqvist getting the nod last night. [Trib Live]
It has been a roller coaster 2025-26 for Kris Letang, with seemingly more downs than ups this season. While there will certainly be questions about Letang’s future this offseason, right now he is playing his best hockey of the season right as the team needs him most. [The Hockey News]
Aside from a single assist in Game 5, this has been a series to forget for Penguins leading goal scorer Anthony Mantha. Through 19 career playoff games, Mantha has never recorded a postseason goal, but he’s hoping if he start putting more puck on net his luck will start to change. [Trib Live]
NHL News and Notes…
It’s all Eastern Conference goalies among the finalists for the Vezina Trophy this season. Ilya Sorokin of the New York Islanders and Jeremy Swayman of the Boston Bruins will each be looking to take home their first Vezina while now six-time finalist Andrei Vasilevskiy will hope to add to his 2019 win. [NHL]
After being held pointless in a four game sweep against the Carolina Hurricanes, Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk spoke to the media on Tuesday and denied any rumors he was unhappy in Canada’s capital and could be looking for a way out this offseason. [NHL]
The playoffs are steadily widdling down the number of combatants, with the Penguins the latest to fall. Tonight the Wild-Stars and Ducks-Oilers resume their series, with the home team in each aiming to stave off elimination again.
Yesterday’s late-breaking news was expected yet tempered by the Islanders’ late-season swoon: Ilya Sorokin is indeed one of the Vezina finalists for best goalie, along with Jeremy Swayman and Andrei Vasilevskiy. The other two are the common favorites, so don’t hold your breath for Ilya.
Rugby league veteran to stay at NRL club amid horror start to season
Specialists say coaching ability not affected in immediate future
Craig Bellamy has been diagnosed with an unspecified neurodegenerative disorder but will remain as coach of Melbourne Storm in the immediate future, the club has said.
The club issued a statement 24 hours out from Melbourne’s NRL clash with the Dolphins in Brisbane, with the 66-year-old Bellamy recently undergoing a series of medical tests.
PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 29: Chris Devenski #57 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches during the game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on Wednesday, April 29, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rayni Shiring/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates have made several roster moves this week, particularly with their bullpen, which has been off to a not-so-perfect start. First, they DFA’d righty Ryan Harbin to make room for righty Chris Devenski. The Bucs had to make room for Devenski on the 26 and the 40-man, so it was Harbin who took the red ticket.
Harbin has been injured and wasn’t expected back until late May at the earliest, and that sadly meant bye-bye, and unfortunate reality of sports injuries for non-stars.
Cam Sanders was also brought up a few days ago, replacing Braxton Ashcraft who is out on family bereavement. Again, they exchanged a righty for a righty. But they also called up lefty Hunter Barco, while optioning righty Wilber Dotel this week.
They then sent down Barco when Devenski got called up. Barco allowed 5 runs in 4.2 innings versus the St. Louis Cardinals and now has an ERA of 7.71 in just five appearances. Devenski, who is a 10-year veteran, gave up two hits and a run in last night’s loss to the Cards. Not a good start for Devenski, as the Bucs look to tighten up a bullpen that currently has more blown saves than actual saves.
Don’t expect too much roster action at the top of the pen, where Dennis Santana, Gregory Soto, Isaac Mattson and Yohan Ramirez have gotten the bulk of the work, but the Bucs need some help in the long and middle relief category and on the edges of the bullpen, where we’re likely to see guys bouncing in and out as the Bucs look for a better combination to help solidify what has been, to this point, a team weakness on the season.
CHICAGO - MAY 19: Michael Jordan #23 of the Chicago Bulls shoots a jump shot against the Cleveland Cavaliers during Game One of the Eastern Conference Finals during the 1992 NBA Playoffs at Chicago Stadium on May 19, 1992 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 1991 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Michael Jordan/LeBron James GOAT debate is heating up again, thanks largely to King James, who had a few things to say about it.
They’re very different players, as James rightly notes, but we’re in the Jordan camp for several reasons.
First, as Muggsy Bogues pointed out, consider their weaknesses. For James, it’s free-throw shooting, basic shooting mechanics, turnovers (it’s not generally understood that one of his records is that he is the all-time turnover king in the NBA. Part of that is due to his extraordinary longevity, but still), and his mid-range game is not really all that great. And he also doesn’t move a lot when he doesn’t have the ball.
Now, as Muggsy asked, what are Jordan’s weaknesses? His fundamentals are as sound as anyone who ever played the game. Shooting? Check. Rebounding? Check. Defense? Check+. Ballhandling was a weakness, but he attacked it and made it a strength.
You can absolutely argue that Jordan wasn’t a phenomenal passer, but he was a lethal weapon with the ball. And when he wanted to pass, he could dazzle. But who would you rather have shoot, Jordan or Dennis Rodman? Jordan or BJ Armstrong? Jordan or Horace Grant?
Of course you’d pick Jordan.
Jordan’s talent was off the charts, and he also has huge hands, which helped a lot. He was also arguably the best defender of his day.
However, Jordan’s greatest asset as a basketball player was his extraordinary competitive desire.
The Chicago Bulls would not let him lift weights with Horace Grant, because they were scared he would hurt himself trying to outwork the much bigger Grant. He also didn’t move from team to team in search of a better supporting cast. He elevated his own team instead.
None of this is to say that James is not a great player. He’s very, very good.
However, if they played in the same era, Jordan would have chewed his own leg off if it meant beating James. In every sense, he was on a different level.
It’s late March when Jordan Walsh plops down in a director’s chair in a theater where we are taping interviews with the members of the Celtics. It’s one day before Walsh, who at times earlier in the 2025-26 season felt like he was finally on the path to consistent playing time, will log his sixth consecutive DNP.
Walsh started 20 consecutive games from Nov. 12 to Jan. 1, raising eyebrows around the league with his relentless energy and defensive potential. But his playing time slowly evaporated, culminating with this late-March dry spell.
As Walsh waited his turn in our chair, he was punching away at his phone. On the other end was former Celtics forward Xavier Tillman, who played sparingly here over two-plus seasons but never let a lack of floor time dictate his attitude and approach. Tillman was ready whenever called upon, including in key spots during the team’s 2024 NBA Finals triumph over the Dallas Mavericks.
Walsh learned a lot about what it means to be an elite teammate and a true professional by watching the way Tillman carried himself in Boston. Tillman got dealt to Charlotte in a series of cost-cutting moves at the February trade deadline.
But Walsh continues to lean on Tillman’s wisdom in the aftermath.
“We talk all the time, even if it’s not basketball-related,” said Walsh. “Sometimes it’s just me sending him Instagram reels of funny stuff and him sending something back. Or like food — we talk about food a lot, too. It’s just random stuff but I think that’s a big part, too.
“[Tillman is] a guy who’s removed from our organization and is technically competing against us now, [but he’s] still looking out for the best for me and trying to give his help as a vet. I think it’s huge.”
How ironic, then, that just a couple days after our chat, Walsh returned to the lineup, making a spot start against Tillman’s Hornets. In fact, Walsh made 10 straight appearances to close out the regular season (including five starts) while reaffirming his ability to help Boston with his defensive tenacity and energetic rebounding.
Being ready for the moment helped Walsh state a case for postseason playing time. He’s appeared in all five games for Boston in these playoffs, often being an early sub tasked with chasing All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey through a never-ending gauntlet of screens. But Walsh dutifully fights through every Andre Drummond and Joel Embiid pick as if staying attached to Maxey is the key to his survival.
Entering Game 6 of an Eastern Conference first-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers, and with the Celtics facing a second chance to close out an Atlantic Division rival Thursday night, Walsh leads Boston’s playoff regulars in defensive field goal percentage differential, holding his opponents to 9.5 percent below expected output.
Opponents are shooting 36.4 percent when Walsh is the primary defender, per NBA tracking. Chasing Maxey is a thankless and nearly impossible task. Maxey has generated 15 points on 6-of-13 shooting with two turnovers and a blocked shot while defended by Walsh. All other Sixers players are 2-of-9 shooting with four points when Walsh is the primary defender.
Look at this defense from Jordan Walsh on Tyrese Maxey
In December, players like Austin Reaves were raving about how Walsh could be “one of the best defenders in the league for many years to come.” After limited playing time in his first two seasons in green, Walsh finally seemed to be carving out a role.
But Walsh stayed engaged even when his playing time evaporated, as head coach Joe Mazzulla cycled through all of Boston’s young wings at various points during the 2025-26 season.
“I think a big part of it is understanding that, if you’re not playing, you’re still holding onto the rope,” said Walsh. “You’re still a kind of support beacon of hope, almost, you could say, for the team and for guys. At no point are you left out. At least in this organization, there’s never a point where I felt like I was left out, or not in consideration or not being thought of or protected.
“So just knowing that, at every point, you’re still a part of the machine, whether your cog is [big or small], you’re still a part of it and, with you, it moves the machine forward.”
And when his playing time became sparse, Walsh leaned on Tillman.
Hearing his point of view … it helps you stay sane. … It keeps you here, keeps you focused.
Jordan Walsh on Xavier Tillman
“Obviously it’s big because, like I told you, I never felt like I was given up on. A guy I talked to a lot is Xavier,” said Walsh. “He’s been in this situation. Obviously, it’s a little bit different, but he was here for two years, didn’t play most of the year, goes in the Finals against the Mavs, hits a really big shot.
“So hearing his point of view, and I’m talking to Al [Horford], talking to guys that are here, [Jaylen Brown] — JB and me [are] always going back and forth. It’s a big part of it. It helps you stay sane, you don’t lose yourself in the, ‘I’m not playing,’ or ‘I am playing,’ and these guys still support you. So it keeps you here, keeps you focused.”
The Celtics are outscoring the Sixers by 23.5 points per 100 possessions with Walsh on the floor this postseason. Boston’s defensive rating is 8.4 points per 100 possessions better during Walsh’s court time, with the team posting a 103.8 defensive rating in his 65 minutes.
Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens, who selected Walsh 38th overall in the 2023 NBA Draft, knew Walsh would maximize his opportunities.
“I think Jordan has always been probably as talented a young player, physically — especially on the defensive end — that we’ve had,” said Stevens. “But he just got thrust into a team that nobody was going to play on. So it’s been good to see him take advantage of these opportunities. But you could kind of see that coming over time.”
Walsh has produced multiple highlight-worthy hustle sequences in the postseason, including one scramble for an offensive rebound in Philadelphia that ignited the entire Celtics bench.
It’s not easy to come off the bench and chase Maxey, but Walsh does what he’s asked. The Celtics have outscored the Sixers by 45 points in Walsh’s floor time in the three wins.
Tillman’s time in Boston might have ended in February, but his impact lives on in Boston through Walsh.
Before her first Miami Grand Prix in charge, Nowak opens up on F1’s boom time in the US and flying the flag for women in the sport
There is an air of buoyant confidence about Katharina Nowak that is striking but also understandable given the robust state of Formula One in the United States and at the Miami Grand Prix, where the 29-year-old who is at the helm of the race believes the sport only has more to come.
“F1 is at its strongest right now that we’ve seen, the interest in F1 is still going up and will go further,” she says in the buildup to this weekend’s meeting in Florida. “From my seat at the table, we are seeing the interest continue to grow.
Apr 29, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; The New York Yankees team staff and manager Aaron Boone (17) check on left fielder Jasson Dominguez (24) after Dominguez is hit by pitch during the fourth inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: Jasson Domínguez took a pitch off his left elbow Wednesday afternoon and left the game shortly after. X-rays taken at the stadium were inconclusive so the Yankees are sending Jasson for a CT scan. For his part, he doesn’t sound too concerned, publicly at least. When asked, Domínguez commented, “As of right now, I don’t feel any concern.”
Aaron Boone meanwhile is hoping it’s just bruising but it’s too early to know much of anything, though it’s hard to not be a little worried about the vague results of the X-rays. Regardless, it’s safe to expect that The Martian will be out of the lineup for at least a couple days.
MLB.com | Jared Greenspan: Speaking of injury, ace Gerrit Cole is working his way back from Tommy John surgery. Wednesday, he made his third rehab start, pitching for Double-A Somerset. Cole went 5.2 innings on Wednesday, throwing 60 pitches. He has gone from 44 pitches to 52 to 60. At those increments, Cole could perhaps have four more rehab starts, building his pitch count into the low 90s. But that’s just speculation. The Yankees have long looked at a late-May/early-June debut for Cole and that seems to be where he is trending.
The Athletic | Rustin Dodd ($): As part of a series where they look at sports duos handle high pressure, The Athletic talked to former Yankees and current YES booth mates David Cone and Joe Girardi. The latter caught more of Coney’s starts than any other catcher, most famously Cone’s perfect game. And that’s what Dodd asks them about. How they handled the pressure that day. There’s a lot of fun stuff behind the paywall but two things in particular jumped out. First, the two were so synced that Cone did not shake off Giradi until the ninth inning and only did so once. Second, you get a real sense from Girardi that he really wanted Cone to get that perfect game to the finish line.
MLB.com | Jason Foster: Somehow, we’re already 20-percent of the way through the season. As the calendar is about to turn to May, MLB surveyed 39 people to get their thoughts on the Cy Young races in each league. In both leagues, they’ve gone chalk, with Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes favored to win their respective leagues. But the Yankees are very well represented. Cam Schlittler and Max Fried place third and fourth in the ballot, with Cam’s strikeout numbers and Fried’s innings total jumping out in the early going.
This season never really gave the Golden State Warriors a stable version of themselves. It kept shifting with players in, players out, lineups changing, roles stretching past where they were supposed to go. Some nights it looked functional, some nights it didn’t, and most of the time it felt like they were figuring it out in real time with no guarantee it would ever settle.
But every now and then, something cut through all of that.
A game where the chaos stopped mattering for a while. Where one player found a rhythm strong enough to pull everything else into place, even if it was only for one night. And nobody planned for a night like this. Not the team, not the player, and definitely not the guy who spends three quarters missing everything he normally makes.
Nikola Jokic was doing what he does, stacking up a 35-point, 20-rebound, 12-assist triple-double like it barely required effort, the kind of performance that usually decides the game by itself. The Golden State Warriors, meanwhile, were operating with nine available players and a starting lineup that felt more like a group project than a rotation, no Stephen Curry, no Jimmy Butler III, no Draymond Green, just whoever was upright and ready to go.
And for a while, it worked in a way that almost made you suspicious. They hit everything early, moved the ball cleanly, scored 76 in the first half with 15 threes, and built a lead that felt a little too functional for the circumstances. It looked like one of those nights where everyone does their job and the math holds up long enough to get you out of the building.
Then the third quarter showed up and reminded everyone what kind of team they actually were. Thirteen straight missed threes, a 34–19 swing, the lead gone, the rhythm gone, and Jokic starting to take the game apart in that slow, methodical way that makes it feel like there was never really a choice involved.
Somewhere inside all of that, Brandin Podziemski had one made field goal. He was 1-for-10 through three quarters, had more turnovers than baskets, and had spent most of the night doing the right things just in time to watch them not matter. The kind of game where you start thinking about fixing it instead of playing it.
He never really did that. He just kept arriving at the same spots and trusting that eventually the ball would cooperate. He scored 15 points in the fourth quarter, and the run that followed, 20–2 to close the game, didn’t feel like a burst as much as a slow takeover that nobody interrupted.
Brandin Podziemski 18 Points, 15 Rebs, 9 Assists full highlight vs Nuggets I 25-26 NBA Season pic.twitter.com/n0GjsIUPxY
That’s phenomenal, especially after missing nine of your first ten shots. Most players spend a night like that searching for a different answer. He waited for the same one to start working. He finished with 18 points, a career-high 15 rebounds, and nine assists, one short of a triple-double, which is a funny stat line for someone who essentially couldn’t buy a bucket for three quarters and then played perfectly when it mattered. And those 15 boards from a guy with the body of a point guard?? That’s insane grit.
That’s the part that stays with you. Not that he got hot, because players get hot all the time, but that he did it at the exact moment the game stopped offering second chances. When the lead was gone, Jokic had settled in, and the Warriors looked like they had already used up whatever margin they had to work with, Podz delivered.
But without Pavel Dorofeyev, the Golden Knights wouldn’t have made it to overtime. The winger recorded his first career playoff hat trick in a 5-4 win, including the game-tying goal with 52 seconds remaining in regulation.
With 37 goals in the regular season, Dorofeyev led the Golden Knights in scoring for the second consecutive year. However, after a costly mistake in Game 4 on Monday, he rode the pine for most of the third period.
On Wednesday, he bounced back, and he did so in a big way.
“Players make big plays at key times,” said Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella. “Perfect timing. It's good timing. He was fighting it a little bit, but he’s found his game. Hopefully, it’ll continue.”
Dorofeyev scored his first of the night on the power play with 41 seconds remaining in the first period. Tomáš Hertl made a play to find him all alone in the right circle, and Dorofeyev picked his spot.
French fries for my drive to Utah! Pavel is all alone in the right circle and beats Vejmelka clean.
His next two goals came because of his willingness to go to the net.
“Everything around that net, so many things are happening. It’s a big part of playoff hockey, protecting your blue and getting to the other blue,” said Tortorella. “The puck seems to find him when he’s on his game. I thought he’s done a really good job of the battles, too, as far as battling for pucks. You do stuff on the other part of the game, I think you get rewarded in the strength of the game.”
Dorofeyev’s second of the night came off an excellent drop-pass by Shea Theodore after Jack Eichel won an offensive zone draw. As Theodore pressed lower in the zone, Dorofeyev went to the net. When Theodore fed him a drop-pass from below the goal line, the winger roofed it.
Ew. Shea Theodore jukes Kevin Stenlund, dances below the goal line and hits Pavel Dorofeyev with a drop pass. Pavel is once again all alone and roofs it.
The Golden Knights pulled Carter Hart for the extra attacker down 4-3 late in the third period. Mammoth goaltender Karel Vejmelka made the save on Jack Eichel’s one-timer and another on Reilly Smith’s second attempt. But once again, Pavel Dorofeyev was in the right place and ready to collect the change.
Throw the hats! Pavel Dorofeyev scores with the net empty.
“I was so fired up,” said Dorofeyev postgame. “It’s not [my first goal] in a tight game, but in playoff time, it feels so, so good.”
Dorofeyev played 23:34 in Game 5 and led the Golden Knights with five shots on goal. He also blocked two shots, finished the night as a +2, and wasn’t on the ice for any of Utah’s four goals.
“I think Dory’s game has been coming,” said Tortorella following the 5-4 overtime win. “Big credit to Dory. I’ve pushed him along here a little bit as far as his play. He’s handled himself really well, and found a way to be a star tonight in a big game.”
Tampa Bay Lightning (50-26-6, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Montreal Canadiens (48-24-10, in the Atlantic Division)
Montreal, Quebec; Friday, 7 p.m. EDT
LINE: Lightning -115, Canadiens -105; over/under is 5.5
NHL PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND: Canadiens lead series 3-2
BOTTOM LINE: The Montreal Canadiens host the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the NHL Playoffs with a 3-2 lead in the series. The teams meet Wednesday for the 10th time this season. The Canadiens won the previous matchup 3-2.
Montreal has gone 48-24-10 overall with a 19-10-2 record in Atlantic Division play. The Canadiens have a +28 scoring differential, with 279 total goals scored and 251 given up.
Tampa Bay has a 50-26-6 record overall and an 18-10-3 record in Atlantic Division games. The Lightning rank fourth in NHL play with 286 total goals (averaging 3.5 per game).
TOP PERFORMERS: Nicholas Suzuki has 29 goals and 72 assists for the Canadiens. Juraj Slafkovsky has four goals and five assists over the last 10 games.
Brandon Hagel has 36 goals and 38 assists for the Lightning. Dominic James has three goals and one assist over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Canadiens: 6-3-1, averaging 2.7 goals, 5.1 assists, 6.5 penalties and 16.2 penalty minutes while giving up 2.7 goals per game.
Lightning: 4-4-2, averaging 2.4 goals, 4.1 assists, 6.7 penalties and 17.6 penalty minutes while giving up 2.9 goals per game.
INJURIES: Canadiens: Patrik Laine: out (abdomen), Noah Dobson: out (thumb).
Lightning: Nick Paul: day to day (illness), Charle-Edouard D'Astous: day to day (undisclosed), Victor Hedman: out (personal), Pontus Holmberg: out (upper-body).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Vegas Golden Knights (39-26-17, in the Pacific Division) vs. Utah Mammoth (43-33-6, in the Central Division)
Salt Lake City; Friday, 10 p.m. EDT
LINE: Golden Knights -119, Mammoth -101; over/under is 5.5
NHL PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND: Golden Knights lead series 3-2
BOTTOM LINE: The Vegas Golden Knights look to clinch the first round of the NHL Playoffs over the Utah Mammoth in game six. The teams meet Wednesday for the ninth time this season. The Golden Knights won the last meeting 5-4 in overtime. Pavel Dorofeyev scored three goals in the victory.
Utah has gone 23-16-4 at home and 43-33-6 overall. The Mammoth have gone 43-11-2 when scoring three or more goals.
Vegas has a 39-26-17 record overall and a 20-15-8 record in road games. The Golden Knights have a 40-6-11 record in games they score at least three goals.
TOP PERFORMERS: Dylan Guenther has 39 goals and 34 assists for the Mammoth. Lawson Crouse has six goals and two assists over the past 10 games.
Dorofeyev has 37 goals and 27 assists for the Golden Knights. Mark Stone has scored six goals with four assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Mammoth: 4-4-2, averaging 3.1 goals, 5.1 assists, 4.1 penalties and 8.5 penalty minutes while giving up 3.2 goals per game.
Golden Knights: 7-2-1, averaging 3.6 goals, 6.1 assists, 3.4 penalties and seven penalty minutes while giving up 2.6 goals per game.
INJURIES: Mammoth: Barrett Hayton: day to day (upper-body).
Golden Knights: William Karlsson: out (lower body).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Buffalo Sabres (50-23-9, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Boston Bruins (45-27-10, in the Atlantic Division)
Boston; Friday, 7:30 p.m. EDT
LINE: Sabres -115, Bruins -105; over/under is 5.5
NHL PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND: Sabres lead series 3-2
BOTTOM LINE: The Buffalo Sabres look to clinch the first round of the NHL Playoffs over the Boston Bruins in game six. The teams meet Tuesday for the 10th time this season. The Bruins won the previous meeting 2-1 in overtime.
Boston is 45-27-10 overall with a 13-15-3 record in Atlantic Division play. The Bruins have committed 372 total penalties (4.5 per game) to rank second in league play.
Buffalo is 50-23-9 overall and 19-7-5 against the Atlantic Division. The Sabres have given up 240 goals while scoring 283 for a +43 scoring differential.
TOP PERFORMERS: Morgan Geekie has 39 goals and 29 assists for the Bruins. Viktor Arvidsson has three goals and two assists over the past 10 games.
Tage Thompson has 40 goals and 41 assists for the Sabres. Alex Tuch has seven goals and four assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Bruins: 4-4-2, averaging 2.5 goals, 4.4 assists, 5.2 penalties and 13.4 penalty minutes while giving up 2.6 goals per game.
Sabres: 7-1-2, averaging 3.8 goals, 6.3 assists, 5.3 penalties and 12.5 penalty minutes while giving up two goals per game.
INJURIES: Bruins: Viktor Arvidsson: day to day (upper-body).
Sabres: Noah Ostlund: out (lower body), Jiri Kulich: out for season (ear), Sam Carrick: out (arm), 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.
Los Angeles, CA - April 29: Austin Reeves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers on the bench during a time out against the Houston Rockets in the second half of game 5 of a Western Conference first-round NBA playoff basketball game at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
LOS ANGELES — Entering Game 5, the Lakers were still comfortably in the driver’s seat against the Rockets.
Now, the car is slowing down, making a funny sound and the hazard lights are on.
Houston took Game 5 in Crypto.com Arena and, suddenly, a matchup that was one game away from a sweep is just one more victory away from going the full seven games.
“It’s the first team to win four games in a series,” Lakers head coach JJ Redick said postgame. “We happen to have won the first three. They happened to have won the last two. We’ve got to be better.”
After having the momentum firmly on their side after Game 3, the pendulum has swung the other direction.
Gone are the great games from Luke Kennard and Marcus Smart. The purple and gold rode the Kennard wave to a win in Game 1, where he had a playoff-high 27 points. In Game 2, he was equally brilliant with 21 points while Smart added 25 points to put LA in front 2-0.
However, the Lakers can’t score at all now — Smart and Kennard included — having failed to reach the century mark in either of these losses.
Even the return of Austin Reaves wasn’t enough of an injection to close out the Rockets. He came off the bench and immediately made a difference in front of a welcoming Lakers crowd. He got into the paint, drew fouls on frustrated defenders and looked mostly like his old self, minus the efficiency after going 4-16 from the field.
“I thought he was aggressive,” Redick said. “[He] did a nice job of driving. He’ll find his rhythm.”
The NBA is a make-or-miss league, so some of these offensive issues can be chalked up to luck. However, the turnovers are unacceptable and have been a growing problem throughout this series.
Los Angeles had 15 turnovers, which led to 18 Houston points. Somehow, both those stats are actually improvements from Game 4. Entering this contest, the Lakers were averaging 20 turnovers a game, the most of any playoff team.
The Lakers have also begun to struggle with their outside shot, which was a strength during the beginning of this series. In their wins in Games 1 and 2, they shot 23-47 (48.9%) from deep.
During their last two losses however, they have shot 12-49 (24.4%). Meanwhile, the Rockets have flipped their fate by knocking down 26-70 (37.1%) of their threes in Games 4 and 5.
Momentum is hard to quantify, but like art, you know it when you see it. When you see role players struggling to score in losses and Houston getting big performances in wins, it’s clear which side has it.
But the thing about momentum is that it swings back and forth. The Lakers don’t need momentum for long as one more win ends Houston’s season.
“It’s playoff basketball,” Smart said. “This is what every kid, every person, every player, every competitor dreams of, being in the highest moment on the highest stage with the highest stakes. We knew that they weren’t going to just lay down.
“They came out and they did their job and they extended the series for themselves.”
The Lakers now have just 48 hours to regain that momentum. If not, Game 7, and potentially a historic collapse, awaits.
In Game 4, Pavel Dorofeyev rode the pine for most of the third period in a tie game. In Game 5, he capped off a hat trick by scoring the game-tying goal with just 52 seconds remaining in regulation. That’s hockey.
And yet, somehow, Dorofeyev’s heroics aren’t the story as the Vegas Golden Knights topped the Utah Mammoth 5-4 in double overtime. Instead, that honor lies with Brett Howden and his second shorthanded goal in two games.
Both teams played a tight first period, and shots were tied at seven apiece. The Golden Knights had more scoring chances, but the Mammoth generated the edge in high-danger chances with four.
The Mammoth opened the scoring at 17:11 in the first. Nick Schmaltz won an offensive zone draw back for John Marino, who switched places with Clayton Keller and drifted down towards the goal line. Keller fired a shot wide, and Marino snapped the rebound into the net.
John Marino. Keller banks it off the end boards, and Marino gets the rebound.
Two minutes later, the Golden Knights found the equalizer on the power play. Kevin Stenlund got a stick on Jack Eichel’s pass attempt, and the puck flipped up into the air. It landed on the stick of Tomáš Hertl, who found Pavel Dorofeyev all alone in the right circle for his second of the postseason.
French fries for my drive to Utah! Pavel is all alone in the right circle and beats Vejmelka clean.
The Mammoth were the better team in the second period, generating 12 scoring chances against the Golden Knights’ nine. However, they went into the second intermission with a 3-2 lead after scoring two quick goals to end the period.
The Mammoth regained the lead at 10:40 in the second. Mikhail Sergachev fired a shot around the boards, and Clayton Keller got to the loose puck first. Keller found Lawson Crouse all alone in the slot, and the winger beat Carter Hart over the blocker.
The Golden Knights tied the game at 15:37 in the second. Jack Eichel won an offensive zone face-off, and Ivan Barbashev chipped the puck back for Shea Theodore. Theodore avoided the pressure of Kevin Stenlund, danced below the goal line, and dropped a pass to Pavel Dorofeyev; Dorofeyev roofed it for his second of the game.
Ew. Shea Theodore jukes Kevin Stenlund, dances below the goal line and hits Pavel Dorofeyev with a drop pass. Pavel is once again all alone and roofs it.
Just 1:40 later, the Golden Knights took their first lead of the night. Mark Stone intercepted Karel Vejmelka’s clearing attempt and sent the puck to Shea Theodore at the point. The defenseman stepped into the slot and wired a shot home for his second goal in two games.
Shea Theodore with a blast from the point. It changed directions on the way to the net, but he lead the handshake line.
Down by a goal, the Mammoth pressed hard in the third period. They outshot the Golden Knights 10-7 and generated eight scoring chances while holding Vegas to four.
The Mammoth scored the equalizer just 5:54 into the third. Kevin Stenlund won a defensive zone draw, and MacKenzie Weegar chipped the puck forward to Dylan Guenther. Guenther crossed over and left the puck for Kailer Yamamoto, who blew past Noah Hanifin and entered the zone on a 2-on-1 with Guenther. Yamamoto got the pass across, and Guenther wired it home short-side.
Mammoth 2-on-1. Yamamoto to Guenther and it’s a tie game.
The Mammoth took the lead at 12:42 in the third. The Golden Knights gave up yet another 2-on-1, this time with Alexander Kerfoot and Michael Carcone against Jeremy Lauzon, and Carcone finished it off.
Redemption, thy name is Carcone. Scores off ANOTHER 2-on-1 from Kerfoot.
Despite trailing in the third period, there was no panic on the Golden Knights’ bench.
“I think the resiliency of our group has been something that we’ve prided ourselves on throughout the entire season. We never feel like we’re out of a game,” said Jack Eichel postgame. “I think we did a great job of fighting back and finding a way to score one late.”
The Golden Knights pulled Carter Hart for the extra attacker and tied the game with 53 seconds remaining in regulation. Karel Vejmelka made the save on Jack Eichel’s one-timer from the half wall, but Pavel Dorofeyev got to the loose puck in front of the net and completed the hat trick.
Throw the hats! Pavel Dorofeyev scores with the net empty.
Both teams had their fair share of scoring chances in overtime. Carter Hart made a ten-bell save on Clayton Keller; Karel Vejmelka denied Tomáš Hertl’s one-timer on the power play. But for the first time in the entire series, neither team scored a goal in a period.
Just 3:42 into double overtime, Reilly Smith took an offensive zone penalty. But as they have all series, the Golden Knights’ penalty kill stood strong. Karel Vejmelka denied Jack Eichel on a shorthanded breakaway, but the Golden Knights scored moments later.
Deep in the attacking zone, Mitch Marner and Brett Howden forced a turnover. The puck ended up on Howden’s stick, and he stepped into the slot and wired a wrister that beat Vejmelka far-side and gave his team a 3-2 lead in the series.
Brett Howden with his second shorty in as many games!
“Mitch did a really good job,” said Howden following the 5-4 win. “It’s kind of like the other night on the PK. He did a good job of getting a stick in there, interrupting the play. [The puck] kind of popped out, and I just tried to get a shot. After that, I just kind of blacked out.“
