Mets fight back late but fall to Twins in extras, 4-3

The Mets dug out of a late 3-0 hole but fell to the Twins, 4-3, in 10 innings on Wednesday in Minnesota in the finale of their three-game series.


Here are the takeaways...

- Trailing 3-0 in the top of the eighth inning, the Mets mounted a furious rally to tie the game. Francisco Lindorled things off with a single, Pete Alonsoripped a double down the left field line to drive in Lindor, Jesse Winker smoked a double to right field to bring Alonso home, and Luisangel Acuña smacked a two-out single off the glove of shortstop Willi Castro to even things up.

Edwin Diaz pitched the bottom of the ninth, and after walking leadoff batter Harrison Bader -- who was caught stealing second base -- Diaz locked in to strike out Edouard Julien (swinging on a slider) and Byron Buxton (swinging on a fastball) to force extra innings.

The Mets had runners at first and second with no one out in the 10th inning, but Winker grounded into a 4-6-3 double play (on a ball that came off the bat around 100 mph) before Brandon Nimmo popped out in foul territory on the first pitch he saw.

In the bottom of the inning, Ty France led off by lining a single to center field off Reed Garrett to win it.

- With Griffin Canning scratched from his start due to illness, Huascar Brazoban served as the opener and pitched well, recording the side in order in the first inning. After Brazoban issued a leadoff walk in the second, he was replaced by Justin Hagenman -- who was called up from Triple-A Syracuse before the game ahead of his big league debut.

Hagenman was impressive, allowing just one run on three hits while walking one and striking out four in 3.1 efficient innings. The only run charged to Hagenman came in to score after he exited, with Badersmacking a single off Jose Butto to left field through the drawn-in infield to give Minnesota a 1-0 lead in the fifth inning.

Butto suffered more damage later in the frame, allowing a two-out single to Buxton that increased the Twins' advantage to 2-0.

With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, an egregiously bad call by the first base umpire cost the Mets a run. On what should've been an inning-ending ground out to first base, Butto received the throw from Alonsoand stepped on the bag -- beating Castro by a full step. But Castro was ruled safe, and while Butto was in disbelief with his back turned to home plate, Ryan Jeffers came around to score from second base.

- The Mets' first real threat came in the fifth inning, when they loaded the bases with one out on a pair of singles and a hit-by-pitch. But Juan Soto, who was first-pitch swinging, hit a weak grounder between first and second base with the infield halfway in that resulted in an unassisted double play. Lindor was tagged out a few feet off first base before Julien stepped on the bag.

- There were a few unforced errors by the Mets on Wednesday -- one that cost them and one that didn't.

With Winkeron second base and no one out in the second inning, he was waved home on a single to left field by Nimmo-- despite Winker not being in an advantageous spot and Bader fielding the ball in shallow left field. Winker was out at the plate.

In the fifth inning, Acuñaleft second base uncovered on Buxton's single. That allowed Buxton to advance to second, where he was stranded.

- Brett Baty showed some good signs at the plate, contributing a pair of singles. His second hit was a line drive to left field.

Game MVP: Justin Hagenman

In his MLB debut, Hagenman saved the Mets' bullpen and kept them in the game.

Highlights

What's next

The Mets open a four-game series against the Cardinals on Thursday at Citi Field at 7:10 p.m. on SNY.

David Peterson or Griffin Canning is expected to get the start for New York, opposed by Andre Pallante for St. Louis.

American Hockey League Announces 2024-25 All-Rookie Team

© Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

The American Hockey League has officially announced the 2024-25 All-Rookie Team.

The team is voted on by players, coaches and media from all 32 teams.

The 2024-25 team is:

  • Goaltender ― Nikke Kokko, Coachella Valley Firebirds (32 GP, 20-9-2, 2.23 GAA, .914 SV%)
  • Defenseman ― Luca Cagnoni, San Jose Barracuda (62 GP, 14-35-49, 10 PPG)
  • Defenseman ― Tristan Luneau, San Diego Gulls (56 GP, 7-41-48, 1 PPG, 2 GWG)
  • Forward ― Justin Hryckowian, Texas Stars (66 GP, 20-38-58, +14, 4 PPG, 1 GWG)
  • Forward ― Ville Koivunen, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (62 GP, 21-34-55, 4 PPG, 2 GWG)
  • Forward ― Bradly Nadeau, Chicago Wolves (63 GP, 30-26-56, 8 PPG, 7 GWG)

Nadeau leads all rookies in goals and is second in rookie scoring to Hryckowian. He is the fifth U20 player in AHL history to score 30 goals in a season. He was selected 30th overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in 2023. 

Koivunen is third in AHL rookie scoring and his offensive ability has immediately come through for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. He has five assists in seven NHL games this season. A second round pick of the Hurricanes in 2021, he was acquired by Pittsburgh in the trade that sent Jake Guentzel to Carolina. 

Hryckowian leads all rookies in scoring in what is his first full pro season. He has one point in five NHL games this season. He was signed as a free agent by the Dallas Stars in 2024 after three seasons at Northeastern University. 

Cagnoni was a fourth round pick of the San Jose Sharks in 2023 and has been dominant offensively in his rookie season, sitting fourth in scoring by AHL defensemen this season. He recorded two assists in six NHL games this season.

Luneau is fifth in scoring amongst AHL defensemen this season after missing most of what was intended to be his rookie year last season due to injury. A second round pick of the Anaheim Ducks in 2022, Luneau won QMJHL Rookie of the Year in 2021 and Defenseman of the Year in 2023. He is pointless in six NHL appearances this season.

Kokko has stepped up admirably for Coachella Valley this season as they look to make their third straight Calder Cup Final. A second round pick of the Seattle Kraken in 2022, he made his NHL debut earlier this season. 

Make sure you bookmark The Hockey News' AHL Page for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more.        

Blues Had To Be Near-Flawless From 4 Nations Face-Off On To Reach Playoffs

The St. Louis Blues, who reached the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since 2022, went 19-4-3 after the 4 Nations Face-Off. (Jeff Le-Imagn Images)

ST. LOUIS – For the St. Louis Blues to accomplish what nobody thought they could do coming out of the 4 Nations Face-Off on Feb. 22 was nothing short of remarkable.

And even in going 19-4-3, good for a .788 points percentage, it still took until the final game of the regular season to punch their ticket to the Stanley Cup playoffs.

That’s just the degree of difficulty of gaining entry into the playoffs as the second wild card from the Western Conference, no less, was what it took to get this done.

So how did it happen?

Coach Jim Montgomery knows.

“Great leadership, led by our captain who scored the first goal tonight,” Montgomery said, referring to Brayden Schenn. “I thought consistency by the staff and the players with our communication and I just thought that we grew so much culturally and in our team identity. And those two things, when our players started using words like togetherness. The words I used were their words this morning. Selfless, sacrifice, love.”

Let’s start at the top:

When Montgomery was hired to replace Drew Bannister on Nov. 25, mere days after being fired by the Boston Bruins, the Blues were 9-12-1 and sort of running amuck, through a quagmire of sorts.

And sure, there was a coaching surge initially, winning five of their first seven games under Montgomery, but then there were also challenges of not being able to string wins together regularly. Consistency was a topic of discussion. The Blues were the last team in the NHL to put together a three-game winning streak this season.

How could they possibly be a playoff team, let alone be considered to be taken seriously? Their coach stayed the course, and the players bought in.

“System, positivity, always great to be around, believing in you, how you’re a good player, let you do stuff in the offensive zone,” forward Pavel Buchnevich said of Montgomery. “Everybody was super-pumped when ‘Monty’ was coming. Half of the team know him from previous work here (2020-22 as an assistant coach under Craig Berube) and we know how good he is as a coach and even a better person.”

The Blues won their last game prior to the 4 Nations, 6-5 against the Chicago Blackhawks, and came out of the gates and dropped a 4-3 shootout loss against their first-round playoff opponent, the Winnipeg Jets, a game in which they led in the final minute of regulation. It’s a game in which the Blues liked more so than the one they lost, but then on the following night on Feb. 23, the team began a stretch of what’s laid the foundation for where they are now, winning six of seven before starting their franchise-record 12-game winning streak on March 15, and here we are.

“A lot goes into it,” Schenn said after scoring his 18th and final goal of the regular season Tuesday. “This is what you train for in the summer, and this is what you play for all year -- to have a chance at the Stanley Cup. You just have to get in and anything can happen. We saw that years ago. We've been on a good run here and, at the same time, we just can't be happy that we're in. Playing Winnipeg, Winnipeg is obviously a good team and they're going to present a good challenge for us. But I don't think anyone gave us a chance really, where we were. I'm glad we kept it together. They're too many good pieces in this locker room to not get in the playoffs. We felt if we played hard for one another, we can get the job done and it just took 82 games.”

Several things stood out, too many to name.

“I mean, there's a lot of things,” Schenn said. “I've talked about it all along, guys being selfless, playing hard for one another. Something we've been trying to do for a couple of years now ... when you start winning hockey games, you actually start getting more individual results and guys feel better about themselves individually and about the team. It's just a mindset that you have to come in and play for a team and good things happen when you do that. It's nice to be in and some pressure relieved of how the past week’s gone, and it's nice to seal it that way.”

In goal, things tightened up as well between Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer.

At the break, Binnington was 15-19-4 with a 2.89 goals-against average and .897 save percentage. Hofer was 10-7-1, 2.88 GAA and .903 save percentage.

From the break on, Binnington was 13-1-1 with a 2.10 GAA and .910 save percentage; Hofer went 6-1-2 with a 2.19 GAA and .904 save percentage.

When the Blues lost Colton Parayko on March 5 to a left knee injury that required it to be scoped in a 3-2 shootout win against the Los Angeles Kings, much hope was lost.

Parayko was having a career season offensively and leading the Blues in minutes played. But instead of playing the oh-woe-is-me card, the Blues went on a 13-3-1 run without their top defenseman, who returned on Saturday in a 4-3 shootout loss at the Seattle Kraken. The Blue line held it together, including Cam Fowler, who was acquired from the Anaheim Ducks on Dec. 14 and chose St. Louis because he thought he would win here.

The 33-year-old, who last played in the playoffs in 2016-17, really helped fuel his career with an incredible run with the Blues from the moment he played his first game.

“There’s a lot that goes into it,” Fowler said. “We looked at the makeup of the team and where I could come in and try and make an impact. You just look at the players they have, guys that have won the Stanley Cup (Schenn, Parayko, Oskar Sundqvist, Robert Thomas, Binnington), world class goaltending, high-end players offensively. I just felt like it was a good fit for me and my family and I’m grateful that they trusted me to come in here and try and help this team. It’s been a heck of a ride for the last few months and I feel like I’ve been here much longer than that just by the way everyone’s treated me and the guys that we have in this locker room. I’m thankful for that and looking forward to the opportunity of playing in the playoffs again.”

The Blues were third in goals against average at 2.31 per game, behind the Jets (2.20) and Kings (2.29) since the break.

From a forward perspective, it starts with Robert Thomas.

Thomas finished the season with a 12-game point streak (four goals, 21 assists) and was tied for second in the NHL since Feb. 1 in points with 45 (nine goals, 36 assists) behind Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov (46 points; 14 goals, 32 assists) and Boston Bruins forward David Pastrnak (45 points; 19 goals, 26 assists).

Thomas is first since the 4 Nations break with 40 points (eight goals, 32 assists); Jordan Kyrou was a point-per-game player (26 points; 13 goals, 13 assists) in 26 games; the injured Dylan Holloway (lower-body injury suffered April 3 against the Pittsburgh Penguins) had 23 points (10 goals, 13 assists) in 21 games, followed by Pavel Buchnevich, who also had 23 points (nine goals, 14 assists) in 22 games; Fowler had 22 points (three goals, 19 assists) in 25 games, and Jake Neighbours had 21 points (nine goals, 12 assists) in 26 games.

The Blues were No. 1 in the NHL since the break averaging 3.81 goals per game.

“I feel like break really help us,” said Buchnevich, who scored in six of the final eight games. “Everybody kind of (reset) thinking how their game (is) going and now we start playing for each other, support everywhere, sacrifice blocking shots. You look at all lines, everybody contribute. We come (together) as a team, but everybody like to be around (each other). It’s positive energy every time and it’s helped us.”

And let’s not discount the young guys, like Zack Bolduc, who tied Kyrou for most goals since the break (13). Bolduc finished the season with 19 goals, and Jimmy Snuggerud, playing in just his sixth game since coming out of college at the University of Minnesota, had a goal and an assist, his first NHL goal and multi-point game, in a 6-1 convincing win over Utah Hockey Club on Tuesday to punch their ticket.

“What they’ve learned is what it takes to win in this league,” Montgomery said. “It’s such a great experience to understand the grind and the mental grind, more than a physical grind, that it takes to win battles, to win every foot of ice in this league that’s the greatest league in the world in big moments and being able to come through in big moments. This is going to give us years of good vibes because the experience of learning how to win, it’s not easy to find that in the league.”

For Snuggerud, it’s gone fast, but it’s been enjoyable.

“It's cool, honestly,” he said. “I grew up watching hockey and the dream goal is to play in the Stanley Cup playoffs and to have this group in here to do it with, it's so special. It should be a fun upcoming few weeks.”

And now they go in playing with house money as the underdogs against the Presidents’ Trophy winners and Central Division winners.

“Everyone looks at Winnipeg and that's the first-place team in the league,” Schenn said. “We've got a lot of work to do, they're a good team and they don't give up much. You don't really pay attention to Winnipeg a whole lot, and then I started watching when my brother [Luke] got traded there and they're a good defensive hockey team with a good goalie. It's going to be an exciting series and we're looking forward to the challenge.”

Stanley Cup Blueprint: Believe It Or Not, The Jets, Kings And Lightning Have The Most Makings Of A Champion

Ryan McDonagh and Mark Scheifele (Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images)

What does a Stanley Cup winner actually look like? It’s a question that all 32 NHL teams ask every season. 

By analyzing the regular-season profiles of the last 10 champions, there are statistical trends that consistently lead to post-season success and can be used to see which 2025 Cup contenders match the mold.

The general framework for this experiment prioritizes some key aspects that have historically dictated a team’s success in the playoffs: offensive depth, puck possession, defensive strength and goaltending.

Here’s a rundown of the stats and criteria being used, and why each of them is important.

After that, it's time to see which NHL teams fit the bill the most.

(Stats courtesy of moneypuck.com, naturalstattrick.com and hockey-reference.com.)

What Stats Often Determine A Stanley Cup Champion?

Goals against per game: While offensive efficiency in the regular season has varied across previous champions, defense has always been consistent. Seven of the last 10 Cup winners have ranked in the top 10 in goals against per game.

Expected goals differential: How dangerous are the chances you are creating, and how dangerous are the ones you are giving up? They can individually be valuable, but the best teams are good at both. Eight of the last 10 champions finished in the top 12 in expected goal differential.

Goal differential: While expected stats provide a good measurement of a team’s overall process, results are truly what matter. Seven of the last 10 Stanley Cup champions finished in the top four in goal differential.

Power-play percentage and penalty-kill percentage: Special teams have always had the potential to decide which team wins a game, which can apply to an entire playoff run. Seven of the last eight winners finished with a top 10 power play in the regular season.

Corsi-for percentage: Possession dominance at even strength has increasingly become a factor leading to success in the regular season, which translates to success in the playoffs. Seven of the last 10 Stanley Cup winners finished in the top 10 in Corsi-for percentage during the regular season.

PDO: Every team needs bounces to go their way in the quest for the Stanley Cup. While not perfect, PDO is the best indicator of favorable bounces throughout a season. It measure shooting percentage plus save percentage. Five of the last 10 teams that won it all finished in the top five in PDO, and nobody finished lower than 13th.

Regulation wins: With no 3-on-3 overtime, wins in regulation can be a way of measuring even-strength dominance. Nine of the last 10 Stanley Cup champions have finished top-10 in regulation wins.

Here are some other factors being taken into consideration that aren’t accounted for with the analytics above.

Weight: Playing “heavy hockey” has been an important part of today’s game. While the 2014-15 Chicago Blackhawks and the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2015-16 and 2016-17 ranked in the bottom half of average weight, five of the last seven Stanley Cup rosters have been in the top 10.

Star talent: Defining a “star” isn’t always a linear process, but for the sake of this exercise, it’s defined as a player who averages over a point per game throughout the regular season. Seven of the last 10 champs have had at least one in their lineup, and five of them have had two or more.

Depth scoring: While the stars lead you to the playoffs, having offensive depth has always been an important part of every Stanley Cup run. Six of the last 10 winners had four or more 20-plus-goal scorers, and every team other than the 2020-21 Tampa Bay Lightning (shortened season) had three.

Goaltending stability: When nothing seems to be going right, the best teams have historically had a goaltender to rely on to potentially steal a game or two in the post-season. Seven of the last 10 champions have had a goaltender with at least a .915 save percentage, and six teams had at least one that finished top-10 in goals saved above expected (GSAx)

2024-25 NHL Teams That Match The Blueprint The Most

Winnipeg Jets

Canada’s best chance of winning a Stanley Cup in 2025, according to this exercise, lies in the hands of the Winnipeg Jets.

The Presidents' Trophy winners are primed for a deep playoff run with Hart Trophy candidate Connor Hellebuyck and the dynamic offensive duo of Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele. This team has long felt like a contender, but now the pieces might finally fall into place.

This year is different. The Jets’ offense seemingly struggled throughout the regular season last year, finishing 15th in goals-for per game (3.16). With scoring dropping around the league this year, the Jets have only produced offense at a slightly higher clip (3.37) and rank fourth in goals per game. For even further context, that pace would have them finish ninth in league scoring last season.

Last year’s first-round matchup with the Colorado Avalanche was a track meet the Jets simply could not keep up with, especially with a power play that ranked in the bottom 10 in the NHL. Now, the Jets are the best team in the NHL with the man-advantage and have the best goaltender in a league where nearly every other team has had offensive regression.

NHL Power Rankings: Each Team's MVP As Jets Finish On TopNHL Power Rankings: Each Team's MVP As Jets Finish On TopWelcome to the last edition of the NHL power rankings for the 2024-25 season. Thanks for following along in what has been another unpredictable and exciting season. 

Los Angeles Kings

What the Los Angeles Kings lack in star power, they make up for in structure and depth. 

They’ve arguably been the best defensive team in the NHL this season, ranking first in expected goals against and second in total goals conceded. Their penalty kill is also among the league’s best, ranking seventh.

While the Kings play a tight brand of defense, goaltender Darcy Kuemper deserves a ton of credit for his efforts. 

The 34-year-old is outperforming his 2021-22 Cup-winning campaign with a .922 save percentage, a top-six GSAx ranking and a 2.02 goals-against average – tied with Hellebuyck. 

The Kings haven’t had any real stability in their crease since the departure of Jonathan Quick, and a resurgence like this could give them the edge in playoff rounds where they might not be favored.

Offense has, and will continue to be, the biggest question for the Kings. 

Adrian Kempe is their only player with over 70 points. They rank 28th in power-play percentage and 13th in goals-for per game (3.06). 

That said, their formula seems to be working, putting together an absurd 41-0-2 record when scoring three goals or more. 

Aside from Kempe, Anze Kopitar, Kevin Fiala and even Quinton Byfield have all been significant contributors to this balanced offense. It will be guys like Alex Laferriere, Warren Foegele and Trevor Moore who leverage matchup opportunities and drive them on a deep run.

Tampa Bay Lightning

The Lightning just won’t go away. 

Even after losing two integral pieces to their core in Steven Stamkos and Mikhail Sergachev last off-season, the Lightning built a regular-season resume that has them looking just as dangerous as they were in their pursuit of back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021.

The Lightning arguably have the most star power out of any playoff team this season, led by Art Ross leader and Hart Trophy candidate Nikita Kucherov. They also have three other players who have scored at least 35 goals and averaged over a point per game in Brandon Hagel, Brayden Point and Jake Guentzel. 

This high-powered offense is third in even-strength goals while also having the fifth-best power play, leading them to score more total goals than anyone in the NHL. There isn’t an on-ice scenario where the Lightning aren’t capable of scoring, and they do it at a rate higher than any other team in the league.

GM Julien BriseBois also deserves credit for the additions made in the summer and at the trade deadline. Aside from Guentzel fitting in perfectly as the Lightning’s new trigger man, re-acquiring Ryan McDonagh has also been a huge win, covering up a lot of the defensive shortcomings this blueline looked to have heading into the season. 

Oliver Bjorkstrand was also a nice pickup, adding a defensively responsible winger with some scoring upside to a bottom-six group that already wins most of its matchups offensively. Having him recovered from injury would give the team another depth boost in the playoffs, but he's currently out week-to-week.

The Lightning also have the best goal differential in the Eastern Conference, largely due to a Vezina-caliber season from Andrei Vasilevskiy. The Russian netminder is quietly having one of the best statistical years of his career, boasting a .921 SP and 2.18 GAA while sitting only behind Hellebuyck in GSAx.

There’s no perfect formula for winning the Stanley Cup – but there are some patterns. Teams that have depth scoring, dominant goaltending and strong defensive structure tend to be the ones lifting the Cup this summer. The margin between contenders and pretenders is razor-thin, but these three teams have set themselves up for success in the coming weeks.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Draymond reveals TJD's ‘selfless' act for Post in Warriors' win

Draymond reveals TJD's ‘selfless' act for Post in Warriors' win originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Warriors veteran Draymond Green noticed second-year center Trayce Jackson-Davis made an honorable sacrifice for rookie center Quinten Post in Golden State’s 121-116 win over the Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA play-in tournament on Tuesday night.

And Green made sure to highlight it when talking to reporters postgame.

“I want to mention something that I saw today that no one will give a s–t about,” Green prefaced. “Trayce Jackson-Davis did something on the bench today. He didn’t play in the game. There were no seats on the bench, Quinten Post said, ‘Trayce, can I get that seat?’ and Trayce just got up. And a part of me was baffled that he got up for the rookie. Because the rookie – if there’s no seat, you sit on the floor. [Jackson-Davis] just got up and gave him the seat. 

“And I walked over to [Jackson-Davis] and said that’s one of the more selfless things I’ve ever seen. Ninety-nine percent of the time, you’re going to be like, ‘You going to go sit on the floor, rook. Go find a seat somewhere else.’ But [Jackson-Davis] knew he wasn’t part of the rotation, and yet the rookie was. They’re playing the same position, and [Jackson-Davis] got up and went and stood in the tunnel because there were no seats.”

Jackson-Davis, 25, has the class of a pro’s pro.

It isn’t easy to be out of coach Steve Kerr’s rotation during the Warriors’ biggest game of the 2024-25 NBA season. It also isn’t easy to give up your seat for a less-experienced player who is playing crucial minutes over you.

Yet, Jackson-Davis did exactly that for Post – who finished with 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting, five rebounds and tied with Green as a game-high plus-12 – and the respectful moment clearly helped Golden State reach its first-round NBA playoff series against the Houston Rockets, even if he didn’t find his way onto the court.

“I just wanted to put that out there because that to me – that’s why you win games,” Green told reporters. “It’s chemistry, selflessness, togetherness, and I just thought that was a huge moment. Nobody else saw it except us three. And so I wanted to share that. I thought that was a really big moment for our bench. 

“You know, you can make [Post] sit on the floor and nothing happens, or you can get up and boost confidence in him and he’ll go back out there and hit a [three-point shot]. And I thought that was special.”

Green has seen it all over his illustrious 14-year Warriors career. And even he was “baffled” by Jackson-Davis’ willingness to give up his seat for the fellow 25-year-old.

The type of honorability displayed by Jackson-Davis is exactly what Golden State needs moving forward in the postseason.

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How Austin Reaves earned his place among the Big 3 on the Lakers

Lakers guard Austin Reaves is introduced before the team plays the Houston Rockets on March 31 at Crypto.com Arena.
Lakers guard Austin Reaves has played his way from a two-way contract onto the roster and into the starting lineup. Now he's part of the team's Big 3 entering a playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves. (Ric Tapia / For The Times)

JJ Redick had validated Austin Reaves all season, publicly and privately praising the Lakers guard as a key player of the roster.

It was a topic in Redick’s first news conference as Lakers coach, a topic in the preseason and, as the season began fittingly against the Minnesota Timberwolves, a topic an entire regular season ago.

“I’ve mentioned this a few times. We’ve talked a ton throughout the offseason. We’ve seen it already in the gym. He’s had a specific sort of pie to choose from, a menu to choose from so far in his career,” Redick said in October. “We’re going to try to give him a little bit more on the menu. Just make him a little more dynamic.”

Yet no piece of praise, no late-game play call, no moment more than any cemented how the Lakers felt about Reaves then their decision in Memphis in late March when Redick gathered LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Reaves together to talk about how the Lakers’ best players could make things work together.

“Just in terms of Austin being included, of course he's been included,” Redick said.

For Reaves, there’s rarely been a doubt. Since he played his way from a two-way contract onto the Lakers roster and, eventually, into the starting lineup, he’s never thought anything asked of him has been too much.

Lakers guard Austin Reaves, right, drives past Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, on March 14 in Denver.
Lakers guard Austin Reaves, right, drives past Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, on March 14 in Denver. (David Zalubowski / Associated Press)

Yet as he’s gained responsibility on the court throughout his first season with Redick coaching the Lakers, the team has sought more from him, trying to harness his ability as a connective personality in the locker room into a more vocal presence on the court.

Stunningly, the Lakers kept him from being included in the deal for Doncic, giving them a massive advantage in any series they’ll play this postseason — the ability to have three highly intelligent, creative playmakers. And, if trends continue, all three can lead the Lakers through the tough moments that are guaranteed to arise between now and their championship goals.

It’s has been a process, Reaves navigating shifting roles and the Lakers’ ever-fluid roster as he’s been one of the most consistent performers for the last three seasons.

But he and former Laker guard D’Angelo Russell often got in each other’s way on the court — and not in any combative way. The two are close friends. But the presence of one meant the sacrifice of the other, and Reaves couldn’t feel fully empowered until the Lakers totally bought in to him.

That happened just before the Lakers’ decision to trade Russell in late December, Reaves hitting a game-winner on Christmas Day against Stephen Curry and the Warriors to add to his growing list of Lakers moments.

Read more:How do the Lakers match up against the Timberwolves entering their playoff series?

He reminded everyone, again, of what he could do when James and Doncic missed a game in Los Angeles against the Indiana Pacers — Reaves led the Lakers to a big win thanks to a career-high 45 points.

Late in the season, James loudly touted Reaves as the league’s most improved player, echoing his yearlong praise of a player he says is an “ultra-competitor, makes big-time shots and doesn't shy away from the moment.”

He quickly earned James’ trust after joining the team because of his high IQ and competitiveness, which are the same qualities that have helped him bond with Doncic early in his time with the Lakers.

“It doesn't surprise me,” Doncic said of Reaves’ level of play. “I've been watching him a lot.”

People outside the organization first really notice two years ago in his first playoff game, when he led the Lakers to a road win against Memphis and shouted “I'm him” after a fourth-quarter bucket iced the game. Yet greatness in the NBA comes with more responsibility than counting stats, and Reaves is starting to fully embrace that part of the job.

“We're asking a lot out of him and he's performed and lived up to everything we've asked him to do. So I think the next step is him just being more vocal cause a lot of times he has stuff to say,” Jarred Vanderbilt said.

Lakers star LeBron James, center, jokes around with guard Austin Reaves.
Lakers star LeBron James, center, jokes around with guard Austin Reaves as the Lakers take a commanding lead against the Houston Rockets. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

And this season, it’s been one of the areas Redick has encouraged him to grow.

In meetings with Reaves this season, Redick has encouraged better decision making. “You gotta allow the Pistol Pete s— to some degree because it's what makes him Austin,” the coach said. He’s worked with him on handling his added on-court responsibilities and challenged him to be more vocal.

Reaves has done that — even embracing his part in the meeting with Redick, James and Doncic when the Lakers’ coach leaned on his stars to solve the biggest remaining riddle for the team.

“Them being able to accept that challenge of figuring something out on the fly in the middle of a season — we challenged all three of those guys on that. And Austin's great to coach, awesome to coach. And, he's accepted every challenge and exceeded any sort of baseline level of response that we could expect from him.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

‘Tormented … but I don’t feel down’: Rose opens up on Masters heartache

  • Englishman lost in playoff at Augusta for second time
  • ‘I could really sense what it would be like to win it’

Justin Rose says he feels “tormented” by a feeling of what might have been after losing a second Masters playoff. Eight years after losing against Sergio García at Augusta National, Rose was beaten on the first extra hole by Rory McIlroy, who holed from short range for birdie after Rose’s attempt had narrowly missed.

Rose had started the final round seven shots behind McIlroy, but made his 10th birdie of the day on the 18th in a closing 66 to set the clubhouse target, with McIlroy then missing from five feet for the title in regulation.

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What we learned as Jung Hoo Lee, Giants' offense erupt in big win over Phillies

What we learned as Jung Hoo Lee, Giants' offense erupt in big win over Phillies originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOX SCORE

PHILADELPHIA — The Giants have talked a lot over the past two weeks about how they’re winning all different types of ball games. You can add this one to the list: “Win what’s probably going to be the ugliest game of the year.”

On a night when both starting pitchers nearly got knocked out in the first inning and the teams combined for four walks with the bases loaded, the Giants pulled away from the Philadelphia Phillies for an 11-4 win. What ultimately was the winning run scored on an airmailed throw from center field that got past the catcher and a pitcher who wasn’t backing up the plate and bounced into the dugout.

But a win is a win, and they’re piling up right now. 

The Giants poured it on after reliever Lou Trivino settled everything down and they retook the lead. They put up a second four-spot of the night in the seventh inning to get to 13-5 on the year.

Splitting a series at Citizens Bank Park is tough enough, but the Giants will try and get greedy on Thursday behind right-hander Jordan Hicks.

Here are three things to know from a long Wednesday night in Philadelphia … 

Fitzmagic

On the bus ride over from New York on Sunday night, Tyler Fitzgerald had a .237 average and .582 OPS. By the end of Wednesday’s game, he was sitting at .314 and .842, numbers that are better than last year’s breakout. 

Fitzgerald was a single shy for the cycle on Monday and two days later, he had two singles and a double, with two runs scored and an RBI. His slugging percentage is up to .490, which is good anywhere, but downright elite from a second baseman. You know you have a deep lineup when that’s your No. 9 hitter. 

Oh, and he also did this:

The patience the Giants displayed this spring and over the first couple of weeks of the season is paying off big time. 

Marathon Men

Aaron Nola faced nine batters in the top of the first and gave up four runs on four hits and two walks while throwing 35 pitches. Robbie Ray somehow threw even more pitches in his half of an inning that took 37 minutes and saw both managers get their bullpens up. 

Ray needed 39 pitches to get through the bottom of the first, giving back two of the four runs on walks with the bases loaded. He issued four free passes in the lengthy half-inning and threw just 16 strikes. According to Todd Zolecki of MLB.com, this was the first game since 2001 in which both starting pitchers walked home a run in the first inning, and just the fourth time it has happened since 1974. 

Because baseball is forever unpredictable, the two faced just seven combined batters in a quick second inning.

Rough Trip

Ray got a strange win on Friday night when the rain led to the official scorer crediting him despite throwing just four innings. He lasted four innings Wednesday, too, and it was a battle to even get that far. 

Ray walked five and struck out five in the first two innings alone and ended up with those five walks and eight strikeouts. He also gave up six hits, including a two-run blast to Bryce Harper that briefly tied the game in the bottom of the fourth. Harper walked on four pitches in each of his first two plate appearances and he wasn’t going to wait around; the slider wasn’t even a strike, but he yanked it into the seats in right.

Ray became the first MLB pitcher to walk five and strike out eight in four innings since … Robbie Ray in 2020. He took his first no-decision of the year and his ERA jumped to 4.19.

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NHL Nugget: Calgary Flames' Dustin Wolf's Birthday Backcheck

Dustin Wolf (Sergei Belski-Imagn Images)

Here's today's NHL Nugget – this Birthday Backcheck features Calgary Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf, who turns 24 on April 16.

Wolf is the fifth-fastest American-born rookie goalie to hit 20 wins in a season. He was the goaltender of the year in the CHL in 2020, the AHL in 2022 and 2023 and the AHL's MVP in 2023.

Brian T. Dessart takes fans on a distinctive ride through the historic-laden NHL with the #NHLNugget. Check out NHLNugget.com to find where to follow NHL Nugget on social media.  And for past NHL Nuggets, click here.      

Flames set to inject youth into season finale with Parekh, Morton, Brzustewicz and Suniev expected to debut

With this season’s goal now out of reach, the Calgary Flames are looking toward the future. 

Flames fans should get a good look at as many as four first-timers who may make their NHL debuts on Thursday night against the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena in California.

Terrence Lee-Imagn Images

The sting of playoff elimination still fresh after Tuesday night’s disappointing news that the Flames were ousted by the second intermission of their comeback win over the Vegas Golden Knights, the Flames called up defenceman Hunter Brzustewicz and centre Sam Morton from the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers on Wednesday. 

With prospects Zayne Parekh and Aydar Suniev already inked to their entry level deals and having joined the Flames in recent weeks following the end of their own seasons, it is anticipated they will all suit up in the season finale. 

Interestingly, Thursday’s game is a do-over for the game that was originally scheduled for Jan. 8 but had to be rescheduled because of the devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area. So the ‘bonus’ game offers a real glimpse into the future for the Flames with a chance to see prospects in NHL action. 

None are more anticipated than Parekh — last spring’s top Flames pick at No. 9 overall in the NHL draft. Parekh had an incredible junior season and is in the odd position of either having to play in the NHL or the CHL next year with the AHL’s Wrangler’s not an option because of his age and junior experience under the current rules. 

Brzustewicz has five goals and 31 points in 69 games with the Wranglers so far in his first professional season. The 20-year-old is a third-round pick of the Vancouver Canucks but came to Calgary in the Elias Lindholm trade last season. He was a standout junior blueliner with 92 points in 67 games for the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers in 2023-24 before graduating to the AHL this season.  

Morton is an older prospect at 25 after being signed out of the NCAA ranks just over a year ago. He was a strong performer in Penticton this past fall and has 20 goals and 45 points in 69 games with the Wranglers in his first full pro season. He’s a natural centre who was the Central Collegiate Hockey Association’s player of the year and a top-10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award in 2024 while starring for Minnesota State University – Mankato.

Suniev has stomed up the prospect rankings in recent months. The 20-year-old Russian posted 20 goals and 18 assists in 35 games for the University of Massachusetts Amherst — who upset the No. 3-ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers in the Fargo Regional Semifinals in NCAA action before inking his NHL deal. 


Penguins Notebook: Letang's Surgery, Rebuild On-The-Fly Discussion, And More From Final Practice Of 2024-25

The Pittsburgh Penguins partake in their final full practice of the 2024-25 season on Apr. 16, 2025 at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry, Pa. (Kelsey Surmacz - The Hockey News)

On Wednesday, the Pittsburgh Penguins took the ice for what will be their final full practice for the 2024-25 season. 

And there were a few notable absences. 

Forward Kevin Hayes - who also missed Tuesday's practice - is day-to-day with a lower-body injury and did not skate. And defenseman Kris Letang - fresh off successful surgery to repair a hole in his heart - also did not participate.

Head coach Mike Sullivan said that Letang's surgery was not reactionary and that it has been in the works for a while. He is expected to be in recovery for 4-6 weeks

"This wasn't a reaction to anything from an injury most recently," Sullivan said. "This is something that Kris and the medical team have discussed for a long time. Given the circumstance with Kris right now, he's banged up, dealing with a lot of bumps and bruises... we collectively thought as a group that it made the most sense to have the procedure done at this particular time.

"So, it wasn't anything that caused it. It was just something that's been an ongoing discussion for a long period of time now, and we just felt that this was the opportune time to do it."

Teammates also reacted to the news of Letang's surgery and commented on the resiliency that the veteran defenseman - who turns 38 next week - has shown throughout his career.

"His ability to keep himself in peak physical condition separates him from a lot of people and allows him to be as good as he is," longtime teammate Bryan Rust said. "And as long as he's been that good and played so many minutes, I think his conditioning level and his commitment to health and nutrition and making sure his body is as good as it can be... it shows."

Penguins Defenseman Kris Letang Has Surgery To Repair Hole In HeartPenguins Defenseman Kris Letang Has Surgery To Repair Hole In HeartIt appears the Pittsburgh Penguins will be down one more man for their final game of the season on Thursday against the Washington Capitals.

Defenseman Erik Karlsson mentioned that he had talked to Letang and that his fellow blueliner was at the rink on Wednesday - which came as no surprise.

"He was in here today and seemed in a good spirit," Karlsson said. "I'm happy everything went well, and like they said, hopefully it's 4-6 [weeks], and he can keep doing his thing.

"He's a maniac. I was kind of expecting to see him yesterday, to be honest."


Defenseman P.O Joseph - out since took line rushes and skated in a full-contact capacity for the second consecutive day.

And also - for the second consecutive day - he took line rushes as a forward on a fourth line with Vasily Ponomarev and Valtteri Puustinen.

If Hayes is out for tomorrow's game, the Penguins - without an emergency recall - will not have enough forwards to ice 12. If Joseph is available, don't be surprised to see him slotted into the lineup as a forward for the first time in his NHL career.


-  When asked about his no-movement clause expiring this summer, Rust remained staunch on his desire to remain in Pittsburgh for, at least, years 4-6 of his current contract:

"Yeah. I will say it to you guys, too. I don't want to leave here. This is home for me, this is where I intend to be, where I want to be, and, obviously... we'll talk more about that Friday [on locker cleanout day]."


Sidney Crosby Named 'Most Complete Player' For Sixth Consecutive Season In NHLPA Player PollSidney Crosby Named 'Most Complete Player' For Sixth Consecutive Season In NHLPA Player PollFor the sixth consecutive season, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby has earned a prestigious honor from his NHL peers.

-  I also asked Karlsson about Crosby being named in the NHLPA's Annual Players Poll as the league's most complete player for the sixth consecutive season.

"Did you say it was six years in a row?" Karlsson said. "I would have guessed it would have been, you know, 18 or 19. I think I voted for him every single year I've been in this league.

"For me, it was even easier to vote this year now that he's my teammate. When you know him and the effort he puts into this game and how much he dedicates himself to the sport of hockey and this organization and this team, and himself... nothing surprising for me."


-  In his post-practice press conference, Sullivan was asked about whether or not he and POHO/GM Kyle Dubas have had discussions about trying to model the Washington Capitals' rebulid on-the-fly strategy. 

His answer was pretty interesting:

 “We’ve certainly had discussions about where we’re at and strategizing on where we want to go and how to get there. And there’s different ways to do that. There are some teams that want to strip the team right down to the studs. That’s one strategy. There’s others that have reshaped their teams on-the-fly. Washington is an example of that. There’s a number of those examples. I know Kyle’s done a deep dive on all of those different examples, and then looking at our team and trying to strategize as a group on what makes the most sense for this organization and where we’re at right now and how to return this group to a Stanley Cup contender and a competitive organization. 
I guess that’s a long-winded answer, but the answer is, yes, we have had those discussions over the last year-plus on what it should look like and what, potentially, we’re able to do and how we’re going to go about doing it.”
-

In case folks haven't noticed, the Penguins have not "stripped the team to the studs." Read into this quote what you will, but I think it's safe to ascertain that the Penguins are exploring how to get this thing accomplished as quickly as possible.

Like Ovechkin's Capitals, Penguins Owe It To Crosby To Right The ShipLike Ovechkin's Capitals, Penguins Owe It To Crosby To Right The ShipOn Sunday, the hockey world got to witness Alexander Ovechkin - The Great “8” - surpass The Great “One” for the most goals in NHL history.

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

Dodgers legend Manny Mota suffers stroke: 'We hope he can recover all his functions'

Manny Mota bumps fists with a fan as he greets fans before a spring training baseball game
Dodgers great Manny Mota greets fans before a spring-training game against the Texas Rangers on March 9, 2024, in Phoenix. (Carolyn Kaster / Associated Press)

Dodgers legend Manny Mota, who won a World Series with the organization as a player in 1981 and as a coach in '88, suffered a stroke Monday night.

"He is in recovery, where he is responsive to commands and is resting comfortably," the Dodgers wrote Tuesday on X.

His son, Dodgers broadcaster José Mota, told ESPN Deportes on Tuesday that his "dad never lost consciousness during the incident and is currently doing well."

On Tuesday morning, Mota told Grandes en los Deportes that his 87-year-old father was taken to the hospital after the stroke and that he "responded quickly to treatment." He added that his dad "is responding to commands to move his body and try to speak.”

He's alert and responding," José Mota said. "Today is crucial. We'll see the results of removing the clot. At his age, it's difficult to predict, but we hope he can recover all his functions.”

Read more:'Los Angeles ... is our home.' Manny Mota, Dodgers have been nearly inseparable for 75 years

A pinch-hitting specialist, Manny Mota appeared in games over 20 MLB seasons, including the final 13 with the Dodgers. Mota, an outfielder from the Dominican Republic, was an All-Star in 1973 and retired in 1982 with a career batting average of .304 and a then-record 150 pinch-hits.

Mota remained with the team in various roles, including coaching from 1980 to 2013, the longest tenure in franchise history, and working with the Spanish-language TV broadcast team from 2013 to 2020.

In 2023, Mota was inducted into the team's Legends of Dodger Baseball, a group that also includes Steve Garvey, Don Newcombe, Fernando Valenzuela, Orel Hershiser and Dusty Baker. Ron Cey is slated to be inducted this summer.

Dodgers minority owners Magic Johnson and Billie Jean King are among those who have taken to X to express their love and support for Mota.

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

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Real Madrid 1-2 Arsenal: Champions League quarter-final, second leg – as it happened

Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli scored as Arsenal laughed in the face of the remontada

“Is there really any point watching this game?” asks Matt Dony. “I mean, is there really any point even playing it in the first place? It’s Madrid in Europe. We all know what’s going to happen. They’ll have a blindingly good 10-minute spell towards the end of the first half, where they score two goals. There’ll be a scruffy third goal around the 70th minute, then they’ll willpower a winner sometime after the 87th minute. And there is nothing Arsenal can do about it.”

The emergence of the Arsenal players for their warm-up is the cue for the home fans to pay tribute to Joe Root. The noise is quite something, especially as we’re still half an hour away from kick off.

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How many NBA teams have never won a championship?

How many NBA teams have never won a championship? originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Last season, the Larry O’Brien trophy returned to Boston, a city that has won more NBA championships than any other.

It was the 18th title for the Celtics, which is 18 more than many teams in the league.

There are 10 NBA franchises that have never won an NBA championship, and as many as five of them will be competing in the first round of the playoffs that begin Saturday.

Two of those teams — the Minnesota Timberwolves and Indiana Pacers — reached their respective conference finals last season. They were each attempting to become the fourth NBA team over the last decade to capture their first NBA championship — joining the 2022-23 Denver Nuggets, the 2018-19 Toronto Raptors and the 2015-16 Cleveland Cavaliers.

Which teams have never won an NBA championship?

There are 10 active NBA teams that have not yet won an NBA championship: the Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, New Orleans Pelicans, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns and Utah Jazz.

The Pacers, Clippers, Timberwolves and Magic have secured their spot in the 2025 playoffs, and they could be joined by the Grizzlies if they win their play-in game on Friday.

Perhaps you thought the Oklahoma City Thunder would be on this list. The Thunder, who had the best record in the league this season at 68-14, won the NBA championship in 1979 as the Seattle SuperSonics. Since relocating to Oklahoma City in 2008, the team has not yet won a title but did reach the NBA Finals in 2012.

As the NBA playoffs near, let’s look at each of the title-less teams and see how close each has come to winning that elusive championship:

Brooklyn Nets

Joined NBA: 1976

NBA Finals appearances: 2 (2002, 2003)

The Nets have not won a title since joining the NBA in 1976. But they did win two ABA titles!

Charlotte Hornets

Joined NBA: 1988

NBA Finals appearances: None

Neither the Hornets nor the Bobcats have won a title. In fact, they are one of two teams to have never advanced beyond the second round of the playoffs. Probably why Michael Jordan sold the team.

Indiana Pacers

Joined NBA: 1976

NBA Finals appearances: 1 (2000)

The Pacers, a three-time ABA champion, pushed a Los Angeles Lakers team led by Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant to six games in the 2000 Finals.

Los Angeles Clippers

Joined NBA: 1970

NBA Finals appearances: None

The Clippers’ postseason history is well documented, as is the organization’s past dysfunction. There’s even a television series about it. But the Clippers enter this season’s playoffs having won 18 of their last 21 games. Perhaps this is the year they finally reach their first NBA Finals?

Memphis Grizzlies

Joined NBA: 1995

NBA Finals appearances: None

The Grizzlies have more international relocations than NBA championships, having shifted from Vancouver to Memphis in 2001.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Joined NBA: 1989

NBA Finals appearances: None

The Timberwolves came within three wins of their first NBA Finals appearance last season after Anthony Edwards led the team to the Western Conference Finals.

New Orleans Pelicans

Joined NBA: 2002

NBA Finals appearances: None

The Pelicans, along with the Hornets, are the only teams in the league that have never reached the conference finals. Perhaps one day we’ll get the Pelicans-Hornets NBA Finals matchup we deserve.

Orlando Magic

Joined NBA: 1989

NBA Finals appearances: 2 (1995, 2009)

The Magic have made it to the Finals twice and lost both. But they will forever be the last team to eliminate Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls, so there’s that.

Phoenix Suns

Joined NBA: 1968

NBA Finals appearances: 3 (1976, 1993, 2021)

The Suns have been two wins away from winning a title on three occasions, including in 2021 when they held a 2-0 series lead over the Milwaukee Bucks. They are the only current team in the league to have reached three NBA Finals without winning a championship. 

Utah Jazz

Joined NBA: 1974

NBA Finals appearances: 2 (1997, 1998)

Thanks, Michael Jordan.

Which teams have never been to the NBA Finals?

Five current NBA franchises have still yet to play in the Finals with one team in the midst of a half-century drought.

  • Los Angeles Clippers – 55 seasons
  • Minnesota Timberwolves – 36 seasons
  • Charlotte Hornets – 35 seasons
  • Memphis Grizzlies – 30 seasons
  • New Orleans Pelicans – 23 seasons