After yet another brutal loss, a 5-1 beatdown from the Boston Bruins on Saturday afternoon, the Philadelphia Flyers remain the only winless team in the Eastern Conference. Things seem to be getting worse before they get better, and the Flyers are now running out of time to salvage a spiraling season.
The Flyers played their best game of the season, an incomplete effort in a 2-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators, on Thursday, then followed it up with arguably their worst game of the season on Saturday, at least given the context.
An 0-3-2 start, losses to multiple Metropolitan Division rivals, ranking among the league's worst in nearly every offensive and defensive category, and rapidly increasing displeasure amongst the loyal fanbase. What's there not to be motivated by for the Flyers?
And yet, they were completely outclassed by the Bruins on Saturday from start to finish, and didn't eclipse three, yes three, shots on goal until over halfway through the second period: 30 minutes of game action. That's an average of one shot on goal every 10 minutes.
Eventually, the Flyers finished the game with a modest 15 shots on goal, thanks to a seven-shot third period. In that third period, they were also out-scored 3-1, so they quickly blew their chance of salvaging the manageable 2-0 deficit they entered the final frame with.
On the bright side, rookie Porter Martone finally made his mark for the Flyers this season, as I predicted in the game preview, scoring the team's second power play goal on a far-side snipe on Jeremy Swayman. Martone's goal was assisted by 22-year-old David Jiricek, who made a nice play at the blueline to draw a Bruins penalty killer out of position.
That's about the only positive to take away from another one of those games for the Flyers, who are now 0-4-2 and about to host Carolina, again, on Sunday night.
Not that it isn't time already, but if the Flyers really start their season winless through seven games, it might be time to raise more important questions.
This once-promising roster is going nowhere fast, and it's not a great environment for players like Martone, Jiricek, and Matvei Michkov to have to develop in if the season continues to spiral this badly out of control.
And, I mean, the Flyers already sacrificed NHL development time for Alex Bump in favor of Michael Bunting, who went unsigned throughout the entire NHL offseason. And journeymen like Carl Grundstrom and Garrett Wilson remain on the roster, too.
The Flyers aren't leaning into player development and they don't look capable of winning a game right now, and that mushy middle is the worst place to be for a team like theirs.
DENVER — Nathan MacKinnon put on a show, slicing through Toronto’s defense with a pair of goals to give the Colorado Avalanche an early lead.
But one superstar’s brilliance couldn’t cover up the cracks elsewhere. Defensive breakdowns and a difficult night in net unraveled Colorado’s advantage, sending the Avalanche to a 5-3 loss against the Maple Leafs.
William Nylander led Toronto with five points, tying a career high with two goals and three assists. Auston Matthews added two goals and two assists, while Nicholas Paul recorded two assists. Easton Cowan and former Avalanche defenseman Nick Blankenburg also scored for the Maple Leafs. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 30 of 33 shots, while Mackenzie Blackwood allowed five goals on 22 shots.
First Period
Toronto won the opening faceoff, and Blackwood made the first save of the night by denying Jack Roslovic on a one-timer from the slot following a setup from Matthews.
Captain Gabe Landeskog following a brutal loss.
Colorado earned its first power play shortly afterward when Kirill Marchenko was called for tripping Martin Necas. The Avalanche failed to register a shot on the man advantage.
Things went from bad to worse for the visitors.
Blankenburg, who departed Colorado in free agency during the offseason, opened the scoring for Toronto. Nylander threaded a pass to the defenseman at the top of the right circle, where he fired a wrist shot over Blackwood’s glove to make it 1-0.
Colorado struggled to generate offense early, managing just one shot on goal through the opening seven minutes as the Maple Leafs controlled the momentum.
Colorado goal!
Scored by Nathan MacKinnon with 04:46 left in the 1st. Assisted by Cale Makar and Martin Necas.
MacKinnon changed the complexion of the game with a spectacular individual effort just past the halfway point of the period. After collecting a pass from Brett Kulak, the superstar accelerated through the neutral zone and weaved past multiple defenders before slipping the puck past Bobrovsky. The goal tied the game at 1-1 and marked his fourth of the season.
There were smiles at one point. Credit: Ron Chenoy - Imagn Images
He wasn’t finished.
With 4:46 remaining, MacKinnon struck again. After taking a pass from Cale Makar, he fought through the forecheck to create time and space before firing a wrist shot through traffic and past the Toronto goaltender. The goal gave Colorado a 2-1 lead.
Colorado goal!
Scored by Nathan MacKinnon with 09:14 left in the 1st. Assisted by Brett Kulak and Devon Toews.
The Avalanche had another opportunity to extend their advantage when Roslovic was called for hooking Nazem Kadri with 1:01 remaining. Colorado carried the power play into the second period.
Second Period
Colorado nearly received an extended two-man advantage to open the period. With nine seconds remaining on the original power play, Troy Stecher was called for tripping MacKinnon, briefly giving the Avalanche a 5-on-3 opportunity. They couldn’t capitalize, with their best chance coming when Necas sent a one-timer over the crossbar with the left side of the net open.
The Avalanche entered the game with a perfect penalty kill, having successfully killed every penalty they had faced this season. That streak ended 6:53 into the period.
After Jaden Schwartz was penalized for high-sticking, Gavin McKenna sent a cross-ice pass to Nylander, who deked around Blackwood and slid the puck past him to tie the game at 2-2 just 19 seconds into the power play.
Brock Nelson restored Colorado’s lead with 7:35 remaining after a chaotic sequence in front of the Toronto net. The Olympic gold medalist battled for the puck and got the final touch, lifting it over Bobrovsky’s right shoulder to make it 3-2.
Then the game turned.
Blackwood surrendered consecutive goals in a 46-second span as Toronto seized control. Nylander scored his second of the period to even the score before Cowan found the back of the net to give the Maple Leafs a 4-3 advantage.
Colorado’s defensive struggles continued late in the frame when Makar was called for cross-checking Marchenko. The Avalanche headed to the dressing room trailing by a goal and facing a penalty kill to start the third.
Despite holding a 24-12 advantage in shots on goal through two periods, Colorado had little to show for its offensive pressure.
Third Period
The game returned to even strength after Makar’s penalty expired.
At 6:41, Toronto forward Brandon Duhaime was called for tripping Josh Manson. After the whistle, Zach L’Heureux got into it with Duhaime along the boards, prompting the Toronto forward to respond with a punch. Both players received roughing penalties, while the initial tripping call gave Colorado a power play.
Past the halfway point of the period, MacKinnon was called for tripping Matthews. The Toronto captain made Colorado pay, scoring his second power-play goal of the night to extend the lead to 5-3.
The Avalanche’s penalty troubles continued when Fedor Svechkov was called for tripping Matthews, giving the Maple Leafs another man advantage. Colorado couldn’t find a way back into the game, closing out its one-game homestand with a disappointing loss.
Toronto fans were the only ones celebrating at the end, or a "fan" in this case. Credit: Ron Chenoy - Imagn Images
The defeat marked Colorado’s second regulation loss of the season, despite outshooting its opponent in both games. On Oct. 7, the Avalanche fell 3-2 to the Winnipeg Jets despite holding a 34-19 advantage in shots. Against Toronto, another edge in shots couldn’t make up for defensive breakdowns and five goals allowed.
Next Game
Colorado now turns its attention to a critical back-to-back against the Dallas Stars, beginning Tuesday on the road before the teams meet again Wednesday at Ball Arena. Puck drop for both games is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. local time.
CLEVELAND, OH - MAY 15: A general view of Jacobs Field as Roy Halladay #32 of the Toronto Blue Jays delivers a pitch during MLB game action against the Cleveland Indians at Jacobs Field on May 15, 2005 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We have one game today, Game Five of the Guardians/White Sox series. Winner moves on. If the White Sox lose, they will have to ask for forgiveness from the Pope. Historically, Popes were much for forgiveness.
The starters are:
White Sox: Sean Burke (3.34, 11-7)
Guardians: Gavin Williams (14-8, 3.76).
Lineups:
Today’s Lineups
WHITE SOX
GUARDIANS
Sam Antonacci – LF
Steven Kwan – LF
Kyle Teel – C
Jose Ramirez – 3B
Miguel Vargas – 3B
Chase DeLauter – RF
Munetaka Murakami – 1B
Jo Adell – DH
Andrew Benintendi – DH
Nathaniel Lowe – 1B
Tristan Peters – RF
Travis Bazzana – 2B
Chase Meidroth – 2B
Patrick Bailey – C
Colson Montgomery – SS
Petey Halpin – CF
Brenton Doyle – CF
Brayan Rocchio – SS
Sean Burke – RHP
Gavin Williams – RHP
I was sort of cheering for the White Sox, but I don’t really care. I don’t like or dislike either team.
Tomorrow we have game one between the Dodgers and the Brewers. Tarik Skubal starts for the Dodgers, Jacob Misiorowski Brewers. Go Brewers Go.
That’s when, from the corner of the room, Hernández chimed in with one more observation.
“And we’re dinosaurs!” he shouted.
Cretaceous creatures, who have once again found the fountain of October youth.
Los Angeles Dodgers players celebrate winning Game 4 of baseball’s National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026, in Atlanta. AP Photo/Mike StewartThe Los Angeles Dodgers celebrate after winning Game 4 of baseball’s National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026, in Atlanta. AP Photo/Mike Stewart
Their grizzled veteran core has played more games (and traveled more miles, including two season-opening Asia trips) than any other club in baseball the past two years.
Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters
To the two-time defending champions, it still qualified as a perceived slight.
“We’ve heard it,” 36-year-old third baseman Max Muncy said. “But you can’t focus on the outside stuff for us.
Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman, left, and third baseman Max Muncy celebrate after winning Game 4 of baseball’s National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026, in Atlanta. AP Photo/Colin Hubbard
“You worry about yourself,” Muncy said. “You worry about how you’re getting ready for the game, how you’re preparing for the series.”
But talk about their age has nonetheless added some fuel to their competitive fire.
“Los Viejitos!!!” Kiké Hernández captioned on an Instagram photo of him, Muncy, Miguel Rojas, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman earlier this week –– playfully using the Spanish term for “old folks” to describe the club’s five eldest statesmen.
That was not always the case during the second half of this year’s regular season, when the Dodgers’ offense slipped into such a glaring funk –– highlighted by an inability to consistently slug the ball –– that one rival scout remarked in late August: “This is the oldest they’ve ever looked.”
Since then, however, they have rediscovered a jolt. They scored the fourth-most runs in the majors in September. They outslugged the Braves in the NLDS by belting eight home runs, all but one of which came from players age 33 or older.
“The toughest part about age is [managing it during the regular] season,” Roberts said. “But once you get through the marathon and you get to the sprint of the postseason, advantage goes to us in the sense of the experience.”
Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy, left, talks with manager Dave Roberts during practice ahead of a baseball NL Division Series in Los Angeles, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
Father Time, of course, will eventually win out at some point.
Even Muncy acknowledged that there has been “some talk” of this being a potential final ride for this version of the roster.
“For us, it’s about playing for each other, and that’s what makes it so special,” Muncy said. “A lot of us have been through a lot of moments together –– good, bad, in the middle –– and I wouldn’t want to share those with anyone else, that’s for sure.”
For now, however, the Dinosaur Dodgers just want to keep on roaring.
Eight wins away from another World Series, age is the least of their concerns.
“I don’t like thinking that this could be towards the end [of our run], because I don’t think it is,” Muncy said. “I think we still have a lot of good baseball left in us. Hopefully we can keep going.”
Less than two weeks ago, the New York Rangers placed Dylan Garand on waivers as the young goaltender’s future in the organization was completely up in the air.
Now, with Igor Shesterkin out for the remainder of the 2026-27 season, Garand has suddenly been thrust into the starting goaltending role.
From being placed on waivers to becoming the Rangers’ starter in less than two weeks, how did we get to this point?
Since the Rangers selected him in the fourth round of the 2020 NHL Draft, Garand has spent most of his time with the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League, appearing in 150 AHL games.
He finally got his NHL opportunity toward the tail end of the 2025-26 season, starting three games and posting a 2-0-1 record, a 1.62 goals-against average, and a .948 save percentage.
Things were looking promising for Garand, who signed a two-year contract extension with the Rangers at the beginning of the offseason and was in line to replace the retired Jonathan Quick as Igor Shesterkin’s backup.
However, the Rangers acquired veteran goaltender Joonas Korpisalo from the Boston Bruins on July 1, and he ultimately beat out Garand for the backup spot.
The 24-year-old was placed on waivers before the regular season began. After clearing waivers and being assigned to the Wolf Pack, Garand was prepared to settle back into Hartford, where he had even bought himself an apartment.
Things changed quickly when Garand was recalled by the Rangers on October 1 after Korpisalo was placed on injured reserve with a lower-body injury.
Shesterkin’s season-ending injury has now opened the door for Garand to take over as the Rangers’ starter for the foreseeable future, with Korpisalo expected to remain sidelined for another month.
“You never want to see guys get injured, especially your best player in Igor,” Garand said on Saturday. “He means a lot to the guys in this room and a lot to me personally. At the same time, it’s just next man up, and that’s kind of my approach here. I’m excited for the opportunity, I’m gonna put my heart and soul on the line for these guys and this city every night.”
Garand recorded a shutout in the Rangers’ 2-0 win over the Detroit Red Wings last week. He also entered Friday night’s game against the Washington Capitals in relief of Shesterkin, stopping 11 of 12 shots in a 2-1 loss.
The Rangers are expected to call up goaltender Spencer Martin from the AHL, but Mike Sullivan confirmed that Garand will likely handle the bulk of the workload until Korpisalo returns.
“Dylan is a great kid,” Sullivan said. “He’s another fierce competitor, he loves hockey, and he has aspirations to play in the NHL. He’s a good goalie. Everytime we’ve put him in the net, certainly since I've been here, he's made timely saves. He's given our team a chance to win each and every time he's been in the net. We think he's very capable, and he's going to get an opportunity here.”
Although Garand has limited NHL experience, he has spent the past several seasons as Hartford’s starting goaltender, starting more than 35 games in each of the past three seasons.
“Very ready,” Garand said when asked whether he’s ready to take on the Rangers’ starting role. “I think I have a chip on my shoulder for how my past has been. I’m really excited for this opportunity and ready to battle for these guys.”
While expressing their empathy for Shesterkin during this difficult time, Rangers players have emphasized their belief in Garand and their readiness to “rally” around him.
New York has started the season strong, posting a 4-2 record, but Garand’s performance could play a significant role in determining the team’s trajectory.
After going from the waiver wire to the starting crease in less than two weeks, Garand has a unique opportunity to establish himself in the NHL and become a hero in New York.
“I'm excited,” Garand said. “Obviously it's a dream to play in the NHL. I'm just trying to embrace that mentality and have a lot of gratitude for this opportunity. I love being part of this group and I love the guys in this room. So I really just want to work my nuts off and battle for these guys and help the team keep winning.”
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 08: Gavin Williams #32 of the Cleveland Guardians reacts during the ninth inning against the Chicago White Sox in game four of the American League Division Series at Rate Field on October 08, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The White Sox and Guardians are the only teams to take their ALDS all the way to the limit. It’s been a battle of bad offenses to this point, with the Guardians exploding all over White Sox postseason hero Grant Taylor in Game 4 to force the winner-take-all finale.
Gavin Williams, the veteran ace of the Guardians, will take the ball in the top of the first inning. The White Sox, who have mostly leaned on their bullpen through the first six games of their 2026 playoff experience, will turn to the closest thing they have to their own ace in Sean Burke to start things off. This is a series finale, though, so expect all hands on deck and to potentially even see guys who pitched a lot on Thursday night like Parker Messick and Erick Fedde take the ball.
I can’t promise the baseball will be good, but it should at least be fun!
CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 10: The Cleveland Guardians on the field for batting practice prior to the Major League Baseball American League Division Series Game 5 between the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Guardians on October 5, 2026, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
This is definitely not a pretty playoff series. But I’ll give it this: at least it’s going the distance and providing us with baseball to fill the time between now and the League Championship Series. While the Braves and Padres folded in four to the Dodgers and Brewers, and the Yankees got unceremoniously dusted by the Rays, the Guardians fought back from down 0-2 and going on the road to win two in Chicago and force a decisive fifth game.
If the Guardos pull off the comeback, it’ll be the first in the Division Series since the 2017 Yankees turned the trick at Cleveland’s expense. It’ll also be just the fourth ever in a best-of-five where the team lost the first two games at home, joining the 2001 Yankees, the 2012 Giants, and the 2015 Blue Jays. If the White Sox survive, however, then they’ll play for their first pennant since 2005.
I’ll just repeat what I said the other day about these two likely hapless teams: Yes, I’m hoping for a miracle in the ALCS and that one of these underwhelming AL Central teams can pull off an upset over Tampa Bay. Baseball’s a silly sport. You never know! (I have far more hope in Cleveland making it a series than Chicago since I don’t think the White Sox have any remotely rested pitchers, but we’ll see what happens.
Today’s Matchup:
American League Division Series Game 5
Cleveland Guardians vs. Chicago White Sox(winner-take-all)
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - OCTOBER 10: Pavel Zacha #18 of the Boston Bruins celebrates his first-period goal against the Philadelphia Flyers on October 10, 2026, at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The Bruins got points from 11 different skaters on Saturday afternoon, extending Philly’s season-opening misery with a 5-1 win at TD Garden.
Fraser Minten led the way for the B’s, with the youngster recording a goal and two assists.
Casey Mittelstadt, Pavel Zacha, Marat Khusnutdinov, and Mason Lohrei recorded the other Bruin goals.
Jeremy Swayman didn’t have a ton to do in this one, as he made just 14 saves in the win.
In spite of outshooting the Flyers 22-8 through two periods, the B’s kind of let Philly hang around at just 2-0 down; however, they outscored the Flyers 3-1 in the third period to salt this one away.
The loss extended the Flyers’ season-opening losing streak to six games, giving Rick Tocchet one of the hotter seats in the hockey world at the moment.
Zacha’s goal, his first of the season, kind of epitomized Philly’s start to the season: the play only came about because Owen Tippett knocked the puck back into his own zone, directly to David Pastrnak.
Zacha’s shot somehow trickled past Dan Vladar, and it was 1-0 Bruins early in the first.
The score would remain the same until the final three minutes of the second period, when Lohrei cashed in on a well-executed 4-on-2 rush to make it 2-0 Bruins.
Porter Martone got one back for Philly five minutes later, as the B’s gave the young forward too much space on the power play, and he didn’t miss. 3-1 Bruins.
However, Mittelstadt would reestablish the three-goal lead just three minutes later, tucking home a great pass from Elias Lindholm to make it 4-1 Bruins.
After an afternoon spent dishing the puck out, Minten got a goal of his own late in the third, speeding past multiple Flyers before getting a bit of a fortuitous bounce to beat Vladar five-hole and make it 5-1 Bruins.
By my count, Minten has had three three-point games as a Bruin, and two of them have been against the Flyers. Along with today’s effort, Minten had a 1G-2A game against Philly on January 29; his other three-pointer was a 2G-1A outing in the B’s 10-2 blowout win over the Rangers on January 10.
On a day when the scoring was spread around, the only other Bruin with a multi-point day was JJ Peterka. The forward was credited with primary assists on both Lohrei’s and Minten’s goals.
Speaking of the Minten goal, that one will not be going on the Noel Acciari Highlight Reel. The former Bruin got caught getting back on defense in the neutral zone, and he barely got a sight of Minten as he sped past. Adios.
James Hagens, who ended up with an assist on the goal as well, made a great play at his own blue line prior to Mittelstadt’s goal. He was able to cleanly corral an outlet pass with his skate, then immediately turn the puck up ice and hit a teammate in stride. That started the clean zone entry, and the rest was history.
Unfortunately, the B’s did not, in fact, maintain power play momentum from the Utah game in this one, going 0-for-2 on the afternoon.
If you’re a Flyers fan, this game probably epitomizes your season thus far. The Flyers turn it over at the blue line and Zacha’s shot somehow trickles in, a blocked shot leads to a 4-on-2 the other way, Minten’s shot ends up banking five-hole and in instead of getting stuck, etc. One of those stretches for Philly, I guess.
Minten actually ended his afternoon shortly after his goal, as he was given 2-and-10 for tangling with Martone after a hit on Hampus Lindholm that Minten didn’t like. I’m not sure he was actively angling for the Gordie Howe Hat Trick, but he came pretty close.
The B’s will now make their annual sojourn out to California, as they’ll play the Sharks, Ducks, and Kings on Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday, respectively.
When Simon Katich walked into Kingsmead Stadium on Friday, he was swift to pull his mobile phone out to capture a monument to one of his fondest memories as a cricketer.
PHOENIX, AZ - APRIL 27: Dillon Brooks #3 of the Phoenix Suns drives to the basket during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Round One Game Four of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 27, 2026 at PHX Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Lights. Camera. Action.
After nearly six months, the Phoenix Suns are set to play their first game tonight at the Mortgage Matchup Center since their Game 4 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the First Round of the Western Conference Playoffs last season. At 7:30 Arizona Time, they’ll tango against the San Antonio Spurs in their preseason home opener.
For at least 43 times over the next six-plus months, there will be Suns basketball played in Arizona. Two preseason and 41 regular season games.
While the last game they played at home ended their season, the team had many unforgettable victories on their home court.
25-16 in Phoenix a season ago, many of the team’s most memorable moments came at the Mortgage Matchup Center during the 2025-2026 campaign, including Jalen Green’s buzzer beater, Devin Booker’s game-winner against the NBA’s best regular-season team, Grayson Allen’s franchise-record 10-three contest and many other exciting comebacks and game-winners.
The Suns also clinched their spot in the Western Conference Playoff bracket in Phoenix last year, beating the Golden State Warriors in the 8/9 Play-In game, returning to the playoffs after a year’s absence, officially surprising the many who didn’t expect them to be in the top-eight of the conference.
Nov 21, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Collin Gillespie (12) prepares to take the game winning shot against Minnesota Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo (0) in the second half of an NBA Cup game at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Whether it’s getting to watch Devin Booker and the squad, saying hi to The Gorilla, or munching down on any of the items from the $2 menu, what is your favorite part of going to Suns games?
Oct 8, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez (11) and the rest of the Guardians celebrate after beating the Chicago White Sox in game four of the ALDS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The final spot in the best-of-seven League Championship Series will be decided tonight as the Cleveland Guardians face the Chicago White Sox in Game 5 of their Division Series. The winner will advance to face the Tampa Bay Rays for the American League pennant. In the National League, the Milwaukee Brewers will look to avenge last fall’s loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the same round. That series begins Sunday, with the ALCS starting Monday.
Cleveland Guardians vs Chicago White Sox (8:00 PM EDT)
Tonight, the MLB spotlight will be on Cleveland, where the AL Central rivals will meet in the most important game of their season. The White Sox won the regular-season series against the Guardians 7-6, as the two teams struggled to gain an edge over one another down the stretch.
It is fitting, then, that this series comes down to a winner-take-all Game 5. The road team has won each of the first four games. Will the Guardians buck that trend and win in front of their home fans, or will the White Sox win their third straight playoff game in Cleveland?
Guardians right-hander Gavin Williams, who came out of the bullpen Friday to record the final three outs of Game 4, will make his third appearance and second start of the series. He started Game 2 and received a no-decision after allowing two runs on four hits over five innings while striking out 11.
After failing to clinch a postseason series win at home for the first time since 1906, the White Sox are dropping the opener strategy for the first time this round. Right-hander Sean Burke, who was Chicago’s best starting pitcher this season, will start for the visitors. He outdueled Williams in Game 2, allowing one run on one hit over 5 1/3 innings of bulk relief following the opener.
How deep both starters go into the game will likely depend on their performance and the score. As this series has shown, White Sox manager Will Venable and Guardians manager Stephen Vogt are willing to turn to their bullpens early and often.
Which team will win? Will it be a blowout, or a close, dramatic game?
Oct 8, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Cleveland Guardians pitcher Gavin Williams (32) and catcher Patrick Bailey, right, celebrate after the Guardians beat the Chicago White Sox in game four of the ALDS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The bad news is that the Rangers current backup goaltender is 31-year-old Spencer Martin, who has a career 87.5 percent save percentage through 72 games played in the NHL, and was only recently cleared from a lower-body injury of his own.
Behind Martin is emergency backup goaltender (EBUG) Remmington Keopple, a 24-year-old who played 19 NCAA games across four seasons at Cornell between 2022 and 2026.
With this in mind -- assuming that the Blueshirts can't convince Jonathan Quick or Connor Ingram to come out of retirement, and don't have the leverage to swing a trade for an established NHL goaltender such as Connor Hellebuyck -- let's take a look at three realistic options the Rangers could bring in to serve as Garand's backup, including two third-string goalies under one-year contracts with other NHL teams and one current free agent.
Matt Murray
32-year-old Canadian Matt Murray is very familiar with Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan. As a rookie with Sully's Pittsburgh Penguins in 2015-16, he replaced legendary veteran Marc-André Fleury in the first round of the playoffs, posting a .923 save percentage and 2.08 GAA across 15 games as the Pens emerged as 2016 Stanley Cup Champions.
Murray spent five years in Pittsburgh, two seasons in Ottawa, and three seasons in Toronto, which included a 21-month absence due to bilateral hip surgery. Last season, he started four games for the Seattle Kraken as the third-choice goaltender behind Joey Daccord and Philipp Grubauer. A small sample size, yes, but Murray recorded strong marks in both save percentage (.922) and goals against average (2.21).
That serious hip injury could be the reason why Murray remains an unrestricted free agent, but with proven NHL experience and familiarity with the Rangers' head honcho, he could be worth a flier.
Remi Poirier
25-year-old Remi Poirier has yet to make his NHL debut, but in my opinion, that's no fault of his own. A sixth-round pick in 2020 by the Dallas Stars, Poirier was unsurprisingly unable to dislodge either of the members of a premier goaltender tandem in the form of Jake Oettinger and Casey DeSmith, who have been the team's unquestioned starter and backup for three seasons running. Last season with the AHL's Texas Stars, Poirier was something of a bell cow, starting 52 games and recoding a .912 save percentage alongside a 2.61 GAA.
Similar in many ways to Garand, Poirier was waived by the Stars in late September, but unlike Garand, Poirier was claimed by another team. Now the third-choice for the New Jersey Devils behind Jake Allen and Nico Daws, Poirier's $850,000 contract expires at season's end, when he's set to become a restricted free agent.
With Poirier yet to make a start for the Devils, a crosstown trade to the Rangers could give him the chance to prove he's got what it takes to be a full-time NHL backup.
Brandon Halverson
Drafted by the Rangers at the tail end of the 2014 NHL Draft's second round, 6'5" American netminder Brandon Halverson has made just two NHL starts since. And yet, the 30-year-old's stock is seemingly on the rise.
Halverson struggled mightily during his time in the Rangers organization following the draft, bouncing around from the OHL to the AHL and even the ECHL (one tier below the AHL). After a brief stint in Germany's second-tier, he was signed by the Tampa Bay Lightning and dominated the AHL during the last three seasons, saving 91 percent of the 2421 shots on goal he faced with the Lightning's AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch.
A free agent this past offseason, Halverson earned the third-choice gig in Dallas with the AHL's Texas Stars, and as I mentioned earlier, Dallas's AHL starter is merely an insurance policy for Oettinger and DeSmith.
On a one-year, $850,000 contract, trading for Halverson to serve as Garand's backup could be a low-risk, high-reward reclamation project for the Rangers.
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - OCTOBER 10: Jake Allen #34 of the New Jersey Devils is congratulated by teammate Jack Hughes #86 after the win over the Vancouver Canucks at Prudential Center on October 10, 2026 in Newark, New Jersey. The New Jersey Devils defeated the Vancouver Canucks 4-1. This game was Allen's 500th NHL game. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
First Period
After putting together four good shifts to start the game, the New Jersey Devils took a bad penalty when Anthony Mantha went to the box for hooking in the neutral zone four and a half minutes in. Cody Glass won the first draw on the penalty kill, allowing the Devils to clear the puck. The forwards did well early on, but Dougie Hamilton was screening Jake Allen a bit when Linus Karlsson took a shot from the side of the high slot near halfway into the kill, as the Canucks went up 1-0.
The Devils went to the power play when Jonathan Lekkerimaki was called for high sticking Brett Pesce a couple minutes later. Hischier won the draw, but Bratt’s weak pass to the point was immediately picked off and cleared. The Devils took three turns to get full possession back in the offensive zone, wasting most of the first unit’s time. But when they did get back in, completing passes, Nico Hischier took a pass in the bumper and scored his 200th NHL goal to tie the game!
After a hard Luke Hughes slap shot, Kevin Lankinen had to replace Leevi Merliainen due to Merlialinen’s skate blade being broken. With the equipment crew unable to fix the skate, Lankinen was forced to enter. This would prove costly to the Canucks. Filip Hronek was skating backwards with the puck in their defensive zone and fanned on a pass, allowing Amadeus Lombardi to shoot on Lankinen. Lankinen allowed the shot to leak through, and Jesper Boqvist smacked the puck into the net! The Devils went up 2-1 as Lombardi picked up his first career point.
Second Period
The Canucks gained Leevi Merliainen back in their net to start the second period. Yet again, the Devils looked like they were outclassing the Canucks at five-on-five to start this period. Thankfully, they didn’t take a back-breaking penalty. But Brock Boeser would take a hooking penalty for Vancouver, sending the Devils back to the power play a few minutes into the period.
Nico Hischier won the draw, but the Devils were forced back. When they regained possession, Jesper Bratt cut across for a backhand, but Merliainen made the save. The Devils were forced back again, but the first unit stayed on. Jack Hughes made a nice feed to Nico Hischier, but Merliainen blocked it with his pad. Nico poked at it, and Jesper Bratt came in from behind to shoot the puck through Filip Hronek to give the Devils a 3-1 lead!
This power play did not look very good early on, but the last minute of the period featured a lot of in-zone time for them. Here, they broke the Canucks down as Dougie Hamilton was quarterbacking the power play. With 9.6 seconds to play, Nico Hischier scored at the side of the net when Jack Hughes feathered a pass across the crease after Bratt drew defenders to the slot and sent the puck down low.
After the goal, at center ice, Evan Rodrigues knocked Marco Rossi down with his stick when Rossi hit him with his glove. Rodrigues was reviewed for a spearing major. He was gifted a four-minute double minor instead of the major, but it looked to me like he deserved a game misconduct.
Evan Rodrigues has been assessed a double-minor for "high-sticking" on Marco Rossi 😬 pic.twitter.com/r8RzBZ0Khv
The Devils set out to kill the remaining 3:51 of the Rodrigues penalty to start the second period, sending out Cody Glass, Dawson Mercer, Brett Pesce, and Brenden Dillon. Glass won the draw, and Dillon cleared down to Vancouver. Glass was strong on Vancouver’s entry, allowing Mercer to force them back to center. After another entry, Glass cleared down the ice and went off for Hischier and Bratt. Siegenthaler and Hamilton came on for Dillon and Pesce. Hamilton got the next clear to allow the Devils more breathing room before disrupting Vancouver’s next entry, allowing Hischier to clear the puck and change. Gritsyuk and Meier went on with Dillon and Pesce as the Devils ramped the pressure up on Vancouver, drawing a penalty to negate the remaining 1:51 of the Canucks penalty. Brock Boeser went off for hooking Timo Meier.
At four-on-four, Luke Hughes stripped the puck on the wall and sent his brother Jack ahead. He did not get his best shot on goal, but it still went forced Merliainen to smother it under his arm. Declan Chisholm later picked off a pass to Filip Hronek right in front of Allen on the other end. A couple shifts after the penalties expired, Paul Cotter threw a big hit on Evan Rodrigues, but the two did not fight despite exchanging words at several points.
The Canucks fittingly showed little fight throughout the rest of the game, as the Devils just missed on several chances to extend their lead as Jake Allen’s workload calmed down over the last 20.
Giving up just one screened goal in his 500th NHL game, Jake Allen faced just over 2 expected goals from the Vancouver Canucks this afternoon and came up big with some strong saves and steady positional play in the crease. Allen goes up to 2-1-0 this season, 38-40-4 as a Devil, and 227-206-45 in his total career with today’s win. Through the first four games of the season, Allen has been stronger than not in his three appearances, though I suspect that things are going to slow down for him a bit from here. The Devils have been able to play him in these three out of four because of how many rest days they’ve had, as he had four and then three rest days between starts. He will have to settle for just one or two to the next game, as the Devils play four games in six days from Monday to next Saturday.
Nico 200
Jake Allen turned out to be only one of the Devils to reach a career milestone today, as Nico Hischier scored his 200th and 201st career goals in a three-point game. In Devils franchise history, Hischier ranks fifth on the all-time scoring list, though he will tie Bobby Holik and Travis Zajac for tied-third all-time with his next goal. Meanwhile, with a secondary assist on Nico’s second goal, Jesper Bratt passed Travis Zajac to take sole possession of fifth place all-time on the Devils’ assist leaderboard at 349.
The Devils have needed Nico to get going with the goal scoring, as he was held scoreless through the team’s first three games. Two of those goals helped the Devils go three-for-four on the power play today, though it was practically a three-for-three considering their last power play spanned 11 seconds. So, after the power play started 1-for-14 (7.14%), they are now officially 4-for-18 (22.22%). That’s a world of difference.
Better Penalty Kill?
The Devils went two-for-three on the penalty kill today. Technically, that isn’t great, but it is better than their 62.5% kill rate over the first three games. What I found encouraging, though, was how well they approached the penalty kill after the Rodrigues penalty. They were able to pressure the puck on entries and along the wall, forcing the Canucks to try and make good passes. The frustration they inflicted on Vancouver led to Brock Boeser’s second penalty of the game, and they did it by rolling three forward units on the kill who were able to change frequently due to the number of times they cleared the defensive zone. More of that in the future will lead to better results.
Two Games, Two Goals for Boqvist
While I am still not convinced that the right players are centering the third and fourth lines, I am really encouraged by the chemistry that Amadeus Lombardi and Jesper Boqvist have built over two games together so far. Boqvist had four shots on goal today, including the game-winning goal, while Lombardi and Rodrigues had a shot each. Lombardi’s, of course, led to Boqvist’s goal in the first period as Lombardi got his first career point. But just like that, this is already the hottest start to a season Boqvist has ever had. He’s never scored two goals in the first five games played of a season, and his career-best was two assists in the first three games he played for Florida in 2024-25. In the two seasons Boqvist had 10 goals for the Devils, it took him 17 and nine games to get on the scoresheet for the team. Hopefully, by getting on the board early and often, Boqvist can get going on a big year, as he has historically been a high-percentage shooter when he actually gets shots on goal.
Keep Your Stick Down
I was incensed by Evan Rodrigues’s spearing penalty on Marco Rossi at the end of the second period. I was sure it was going to be called a five-minute major, as Rodrigues made direct contact with Rossi during the incident. I was angry for three reasons. First and foremost, Evan Rodrigues is 33 years old. He should know better. Second, the Devils had just gone up three goals. Putting his team at risk of having to kill a five-minute major penalty was incredibly thoughtless of Rodrigues. Third, I would hate to see a team take runs at the Devils’ stars because a bottom six player made a really bad decision.
Thankfully, for the Devils, the Canucks looked like they wanted no part of making the Devils pay for what Rodrigues did. And for that matter, the only Canuck who really gave it to Rodrigues was Paul Cotter, who threw a big check on him and seemed ready to get going with a fight. If this incident were flipped, where a Devils player was speared and the team did not fight afterwards for him, I could not imagine how upset this board would be at the lack of toughness on display by the team. So, I am not sure how Canucks fans are feeling right now, but I was shocked that nobody even tried to drop the gloves on Rodrigues or really rough him up after a whistle. He got away with it this time, but I would hope that this never repeats as long as he’s a Devil.
Your Thoughts
But what did you think of this afternoon’s game? Did you think the Devils missed some opportunities? What did you think of the late-second period lull before the power play? What did you think of the spearing penalty? Leave your thoughts in the comments below and thanks for reading.
Flyers Announce Major Series of Injury UpdatesThe Philadelphia Flyers just lost three important players in their latest major injury update.
kilé really said unc still got it 
(@myfriendteo) 
