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Utah HC's Playoff Hopes Take Another Tough Blow In Latest 4-2 Loss to Kings

Apr 3, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar (11) and Utah Hockey Club center Nick Bjugstad (17) have words after a play during the third period at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images

A lot changed for Utah HC in 44 seconds. 

What had been a 1-1 game, one that seemed like Utah’s to take control of at any moment, thanks in large part to its 25-9 advantage in shots on goal through two periods, suddenly had turned into a 3-1 deficit that the team could never recover from.

With a quick, unassisted goal from Kings forward Kevin Fiala, Los Angeles would not only take the lead back, but would never give it up for the rest of the game. 

With Utah defenseman John Marino attempting a dangerous cross-ice pass right after the faceoff, the puck went straight to Fiala’s stick, right in front of the net, leading to an immediate goal for the Kings.

The uncharacteristic mistake from Marino would prove to be fatal for Utah later in the game. 

After two penalties were called on Anze Kopitar for cross-checking Kevin Stenlund, and Stenlund was assessed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for going down a little too easily after the cross-check, a 4-on-4 situation was set up for both teams.

But with Fiala’s goal coming just 19 seconds into the 4-on-4, play resumed with both Stenlund and Kopitar still in the box.

Without the extra man on the ice, Utah made yet another costly mistake.

This time, Trevor Moore knocked Utah's Sean Durzi to the ice, then took off on a breakaway and buried another goal for L.A. during the 4-on-4.

“I think the first one was an unfortunate turnover," said coach André Tourigny. "Johnny (John Marino) doesn't do a lot of those... just happened at the wrong time. I think it was an unnecessary risk but that's happened. The other one, there's a few things on that. I think we didn't move our feet to get up ice... Veggie (Karel Vejmelka) could have, should have, gotten that puck."

The Kings would add one more with an empty-netter to go up 4–1, before conceding Utah’s only other goal—Jack McBain's first career power play goal—with under 30 seconds remaining and far too little time left to mount a comeback.

"We were in the driver's seat for the first two periods, and unfortunately, what happened on the four on four and they capitalized on two chances," said Utah's Lawson Crouse. "That's how quick the game can get away from you, and we were playing catch up from there." 

While the game ultimately ended in a convincing win for the Kings, it's hard not to look back at a few key moments in the first two periods that went Los Angeles' way. 

The first tough break for Utah came just two minutes in, when what looked like an early goal was called back.

Upon review, a pass from Utah’s Clayton Keller to Dylan Guenther, who was wearing a bubble after breaking his nose in Utah’s win over the Flames, never crossed back in front of the blue line and instead traveled along it.

As a result, Keller crossed the line before the puck, making the play offside. While it wasn’t initially called and it appeared as though Guenther had scored, a quick challenge by the Kings led to the play being overturned and play resumed shortly after.

“I think [the team is learning] how every play matters...," said Guenther. "Every shift, no matter what happens, all you can do is go out there and try to win your shift so just take it a step at a time.”

While Utah never looked fazed, even after the unfortunate offside call, the team found itself on the wrong side of yet another goal

This time, the Kings scored their first goal of the night following a wild sequence in which L.A.'s Adrian Kempe collided with Vejmelka after being pushed by Utah’s Logan Cooley.

Because it was deemed that Kempe ran into Vejmelka because of Cooley,  no goalie interference penalty was called against Kempe.

All of the sudden, what could have been a 1–0 lead heading into the second period instead turned into a 1–0 deficit.

Those breaks for the Kings were a big reason why the game stayed close early on, even with Utah's offense humming and controlling much of the play.

While Lawson Crouse scored Utah’s first goal of the game in the second to tie things up and keep it competitive, being on the wrong end of a two-goal swing early proved costly once Utah began making mistakes in the third.

Though Utah's playoff hopes are still statistically possible, the team can't seem to catch a break with each win the Blues get, this time with its second consecutive overtime victory coming against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The win extended St. Louis' win streak to 11, tied for the longest in the NHL this season, and has singlehandedly snuffed Utah's hopes of making the playoffs. 

With only six games remaining and sitting nine points behind the Minnesota Wild, holders of the final Wild Card spot, Utah will need to win out the rest of its schedule if it has any hope of making the playoffs.

Minnesota has struggled recently, losing five of its last six games, but it would still take a remarkable collapse, like losing all six of its remaining games, for the Wild to fall out of playoff position.

So while tonight's loss has all but eliminated Utah from the race, the club will need to keep fighting while there's still a statistical chance, starting with its game against Winnipeg on Saturday, April 5.

Its Do or Die For Utah Hockey ClubIts Do or Die For Utah Hockey Club 
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Three Takeaways From Blues' 5-4 Overtime Win Against Penguins

St. Louis Blues forward Pavel Buchnevich (second from left) scores on a backhand past Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry (left) on Thursday. (Jeff Curry-Imagn Images)

ST. LOUIS – The old adage that good teams find ways to win when they’re not at their best has found its way to the St. Louis Blues once again.

And in doing do on Thursday against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the same team that was last in the NHL to put together a three-game winning streak has now matched a franchise record 11 straight wins.

The Blues were not at their best, but they found a way for a second straight overtime game when Robert Thomas’ power-play goal at 2:12 won it, 5-4, after blowing a two-goal lead in the third period at Enterprise Center.

Jake Neighbours scored twice to surpass the 20-goal mark for the second straight season, and Thomas and Jordan Kyrou each had a goal and an assist for the Blues (42-28-7), who moved two points ahead of the Minnesota Wild for the first wild card in the Western Conference. They matched the Stanley Cup-winning team of 2018-19 for consecutive wins (Jan. 23-Feb. 19) and won their 10th in a row at home.

“It’s been a fun ride,” Thomas said. “We’ve beaten some really good teams and we’re playing really good hockey. We just got to consistently be there every single night and that’s what makes a great team and that’s what we’re on our way to be.”

Added forward Oskar Sundqvist, who was part of the 2019 team, “It's awesome. I was here for the last 11 straight wins. It's a good feeling in our group right now. Even if we haven't played our best games our last two games, but we're finding ways to win. That's what's important right now.”

Jimmy Snuggerud had an assist for his first NHL point in his second game, and Joel Hofer won his fifth straight start with 24 saves.

“Another one of those games where we didn’t think we played to our standard, but finding ways, goalies are playing well, guys are making big plays in big moments and keep finding ways,” Neighbours said.

Here are Thursday’s Three Takeaways --

* The power play finally connected – Even with the Blues scoring four times at 5-on-5, it was a game in which they could have put it away with better special teams.

Earlier in the game, they had a 38-second two-man advantage lumped in with a four-minute double minor for high-sticking and did nothing with it.

The Blues led the game 3-2 and had the chance to put the game away then but their unwillingness to be more direct allowed the Penguins to stay in the game despite Neighbours scoring at 5:56 on a great play by Snuggerud both defensively, then starting the transition offensively to make it 4-2.

But on the 4-on-3 in overtime, after Penguins defenseman Kris Letang was called for slashing Kyrou, the Blues had to be more direct, they had to take advantage of the open ice.

It wasn’t clean, but Thomas and Kyrou worked the puck off the left side and after corralling the puck, Thomas wired a wrister high glove on Tristan Jarry to end it.

“They pressured hard and we weren’t able to beat it early,” Thomas said. “I missed a couple good looks. We did have some good looks. I think just more consistent on the 5-on-3 and the couple minutes, I think we had six minutes of power play 5-on-4. Got to find a way to do a better job early in the game, but it came through in the end.”

* Staying with it despite frittering away third-period lead – The first period was as poor as the Blues have played in quite some time, and coach Jim Montgomery attributed it to “energy.”

The Blues just weren’t connected on the ice, their puck play was passive, zone exits weren’t clean, and the Penguins (30-34-12) had something to do with it, but they finally turned the game around in the second period.

“We just don't seem to have juice, and it's going to happen, but it's a sign of a good team when you don't have our legs and we're still pulling out wins,” Montgomery said. “This is a hard league to win in, as we found out earlier in the year.

“I thought we were significantly better (in the second period), I thought we skated, I thought we worked better and I thought it led to a lot of opportunities.”

Neighbours tied the game 1-1 on a beautiful sequence with Philip Broberg, Pavel Buchnevich and Thomas, who fed Neighbours on the last pass 39 seconds in.

After Pittsburgh took a 2-1 lead during a sequence that Thomas took a stick to the face on a follow-through shot by Rickard Rakell, Buchnevich tied the game 2-2 after Nathan Walker broke up a play in the neutral zone, and Buchnevich used his stick magic to lift a backhand in at 6:48 before Kyrou whipped a wrister past Jarry for their first lead at 3-2 at 8:05 on an incredibly strong flipper out of the zone in stride by Cam Fowler.

“Got the perfect spin on it, English on it too, right,” Montgomery said. “So he could skate right into it. It was nice.”

But after the Neighbours goal, the Blues, who were 0-for-4 on the power play at the time, were not going to get any more man advantages unless it was something egregious, and the Penguins had yet to have a power play.

But when a failed clearance of a puck seconds later resulted in Justin Faulk taking a holding minor, the Penguins didn’t waste much time all of the sudden making a game of it when it didn’t have to be a game when Rakell scored from the high slot at 11:15 of the third period, using all of 30 seconds to score on their lone power play to make it 4-3.

The Blues didn’t do a good job of closing the game out the rest of the way either, and when Pittsburgh pulled Jarry, eventually it was Rutger McGroarty scoring his first NHL goal at 19:35 to tie the game 4-4.

“We have won all different kinds of games, but I am not happy that we were up 4-2 in the third and we went to overtime,” Montgomery said. “We have to close out games. We have to get better.

“Attention to detail, knowing your responsibilities. There’s a couple mistakes there in that (tying goal). It’s a wraparound goal, they make a power move, but we shouldn’t be that far from the net.”

* Holloway goes down, now what – When Blues forward Dylan Holloway left the game late in the first period with a lower-body injury, as a result of a McGroarty check in the Blues’ offensive zone along the wall at 17:09 and Holloway trying one more shift roughly a minute later, it would remove a 26-goal scorer and 63-point player from the Blues’ lineup.

Now what?

Who can jump into the top six and play with Kyrou and Brayden Schenn, or whoever it may be?

Well, Zack Bolduc comes to mind. Snuggerud, who made a strong defensive stick play that ultimately led to a beautiful pass to Neighbours for the Blues’ fourth goal, would get more ice time and more responsibilities.

Game management was important at that time, and those that handled the extra ice time handled the minutes effectively.

“It’s kind of just a little scrambly on the bench,” Neighbours said. “We’re trying to mix and match lines, get guys out there. Obviously that’s an elite player for us, someone who plays in all situations and a really important piece for our team. But we had to focus on the task at hand. We weren’t playing great and obviously it sucked losing Dylan. Just hope he’s OK and we get him back.”

Snuggerud finished with 16:22 of ice time, significantly more than the 10:43 he played on Tuesday in a 2-1 overtime win against the Detroit Red Wings.

“Really impressive. He’s been making a lot of plays,” Montgomery said of Snuggerud. “I think once he gets used to the speed, strength and less time and space in the NHL, he’s going to be a real good player for us. He’s already playing well.

“It gets a little difficult. It can, but we have a lot of players than can play all three forward positions. And I found out that Snuggerud can play left wing. It just worked out that I could manage the bench quite easily with the depth of the talented players that we have.

“I haven’t seen any egregious mistakes, and in the D-zone, surprisingly, because he’s never played our D-zone before, he’s executing really well. He cut the top off the one time, sprinted out, made sure they stayed on the same side of the ice and Sunny was able to get out and kill it. It’s a sign of a really smart player because our D-zone’s very different than man-on-man.”

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Lakers show fight, but Luka Doncic's 'unacceptable' struggles prove costly in loss to Warriors

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 3, 2025: Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) scores.
Golden State star Stephen Curry scores over Lakers star LeBron James, left, and forward Dorian Finney-Smith in the first half of the Warriors' 123-116 win Thursday at Crypto.com Arena. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

The Lakers couldn’t miss. And then they couldn’t make anything.

Eleven times in a row they got a mismatch they liked and found themselves in spots on the court they wanted, only to see their shots fail.

For the first four minutes, the Lakers’ offense was perfect. For the next eight, it was problematic.

For the first time in a long time since the Lakers traded for Luka Doncic, his magic disappeared, the team’s offensive engine frustrated by a combination of Golden State’s defense, wasted offensive opportunities and whistles that didn’t come.

Read more:Stephen Curry passes Lakers' Jerry West on NBA scoring list: 'That’s The Logo, so very special'

The tone had been set, the Lakers playing a big game against Golden State without the necessary rhythm, without the necessary toughness, without the necessary smarts.

The first-quarter famine meant the Lakers had to play from behind, only briefly getting within striking distance of the lead before losing 123-116 on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena.

Things got better in the second half, but the hole was too big and the momentum too fleeting.

It wasn’t for lack of fight — the Lakers have had plenty all season. They got within five points in the final five minutes and within five in the final 60 seconds, but never within a single possession.

Lakers star LeBron James, left, steals the ball from Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler.
Lakers star LeBron James, left, steals the ball from Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler in the closing seconds Thursday. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

A wild scramble after a Golden State turnover could’ve cut it to one possession, but the Lakers turned over the ball.

It was the story all night. Whenever the Lakers briefly flurried, disaster was there to strike.

Brandin Podziemski, who scored 19 points in the first half, stole the briefest sliver of momentum by making a running half-court shot to end the second quarter.

With the Lakers (46-30) putting some positive possessions together at the end of the third, Austin Reaves got caught reaching in on Stephen Curry and sent him to the line for three free throws.

“I thought we still did a good job trying to fight out of those situations,” Reaves said. “It’s just, we didn't have enough time to get it all back.”

In between all of it, the Lakers spent plenty of energy directed at the officials, some with good cause. The team used and won a pair of challenges but had none left by the third quarter, leaving it helpless when a replay showed Curry, not the Lakers, kicked the ball out of bounds. Instead of a turnover, Curry scored on a layup on the next possession.

The Lakers often overreacted to missed calls, missed shots and missed chances.

The game also offered an interesting look at where the teams stand with just six games left in the regular season, the Lakers unable to solve Golden State (45-31) and its defense in the first meeting since both rosters were overhauled.

Curry finished with 37 points on 10-for-21 shooting and Podziemski had 28 points and eight rebounds. Jimmy Butler had 11 points.

In the tightly contested West playoff picture, the teams could end up meeting in the first round. If the season ended Thursday, the Lakers and the Warriors would be the Nos. 4 and 5 seeds, respectively.

Read more:Rebuilding from ruins: Lakers coach JJ Redick aims to fix Palisades rec center

“That's part of the process of becoming a really good team. You gotta go through those up-and-down battles of going through situations where you have to figure it out,” Reaves said. “If everything is always smooth sailing, if at any point in the future it doesn't get there, if it's a little rocky, then you don't know what to turn to. Once you go through things like this, you have to adapt and adjust. And that's what we'll do."

LeBron James scored 33 points and Reaves had 31, but Doncic made just six of 17 from the field for 19 points. It was Doncic’s worst-scoring game since Feb. 25 and his first without a three-pointer since the 2022-23 season.

"That performance from me is unacceptable," Doncic said.

Doncic banged his left elbow late in the Lakers’ win Monday against Houston but said it wasn’t a factor in his play.

"It's fine. That's my left so it's fine,” Doncic said. “I shoot them with the right."

The Lakers host New Orleans on Friday night before playing their next three games on the road, including two against the first-place Oklahoma City Thunder.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Jets Beat The Golden Knights For The First Time This Season; Winning 4-0

Winnipeg Jets center Adam Lowry (17) celebrates next to Winnipeg Jets right wing Nino Niederreiter (62) after scoring a goal against the Vegas Golden Knights during the first period at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

The Winnipeg Jets picked up a much-needed win in emphatic fashion, defeating the Vegas Golden Knights for the first time this season, 4-0.

The Jets opened the scoring in the first period, thanks to Mark Scheifele's 37th goal of the season. Alex Iafallo made a phenomenal play, taking the puck off his face before sliding over to Scheifele to one-time the puck into the wide-open net. Adam Lowry extended the Jets lead, scoring his 15th goal with 1:45 remaining in the opening frame.

A 96MPH slap shot from Colin Miller on the power play gave the Jets a three-goal lead in the second period.  

With under a minute to go Cole Perfetti scored the Jets' fourth goal of the game into the Golden Knights' empty net.

Eric Comrie was solid from the second the puck dropped, turning away all 27 shots he faced, earning his second shutout of the season and fourth of his career. Adin Hill was pulled after the second period, allowing three goals on 19 shots. 

The Jets are back in action on Saturday when they take on a central division foe, Utah HC. 

Stay updated with the most interesting Jets stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story.

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Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman lands on injured list following fall in his shower at home

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Freddie Freeman’s fall landed him on the injured list.

The Los Angeles Dodgers placed their star slugger on the 10-day IL on Thursday after the World Series MVP sprained his surgically repaired right ankle in a slip in the shower at home last weekend. The incident happened Sunday, an off day for the defending champions.

Freeman has played in just three games so far. He missed the season-opening Tokyo Series against the Chicago Cubs with left rib discomfort and sat out this week’s three-game series against his old team, the Atlanta Braves.

The Dodgers are off to an 8-0 start and open a six-game trip Friday at Philadelphia.

Freeman described the shower slip as a “freak accident” and said his wife, Chelsea, joked: “I thought I was going to deal with this when you’re 70, not when you’re 35.” Even his 4-year-old son, Brandon, piled on, saying, “Daddy, you got another boo-boo.”

Freeman sprained his right ankle on a play at first base in late September and struggled in the first two rounds of the postseason, but it was hardly evident during the World Series. He homered in the first four games and had 12 RBIs as the Dodgers beat the New York Yankees in five games.

He had debridement surgery in December to remove loose bodies in the ankle.

His wife had to drive him to Dodger Stadium on Sunday for a three-hour treatment session. By the time it was over, he was able to drive himself home. An X-ray showed no serious damage.

Freeman is 3 for 12 with two homers in three games this season — his fourth with the Dodgers. An eight-time All-Star, he was National League MVP with Atlanta in 2020.

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Yankees' Jazz Chisholm Jr., Aaron Judge pushing each other to fast starts this season: 'I'm just trying to keep up'

The Yankees' offense is on a power trip to start the 2025 season thanks in large part to two players: Aaron Judge (of course) and Jazz Chisholm Jr.

Judge is having a run befitting of a two-time MVP and arguably the best hitter in baseball. Through six games, the Yankees Captain is batting .417 with an OPS of 1.648 to go along with five home runs (most in the AL) and 15 RBI. That includes his productive performance in Thursday's win against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

After losing the first two games of the series, the second coming after an overall poor team performance on the offensive side, Judge got the scoring going in the first inning, launching a three-run home run to give the Yankees a lead they would not relinquish. Judge's blast was the first of three hit by the Yankees who scored nine runs total, the most they've scored since their incredible weekend series against the Brewers.

When asked who kickstarted the offense, Chisholm Jr. made it clear who it was.

"Aaron Judge," Chisholm Jr. said with a laugh. "As a team, guys keep getting on for him and he keeps on performing and showing us why he’s the MVP of the league and one of the best players to ever play this game. We’re all just trying to be like him. We all tell him every day that we want to be you when we grow up but at the same time we’re out here playing a team game and we have our big brother leading us and it helps a lot."

One large talking point this offseason was how the Yankees' offense would perform without Juan Soto. The slugger complemented Judge so well, and it helped the Yankees get to their first World Series since 2009.

While manager Aaron Boone puts out different configurations of the lineup, the one constant is Judge. And this season's version of Judge has, at least early on, been more impressive than previous years.

"Last year he hit 58 [home runs] and had a bad first month," Chisholm Jr. said of Judge. "So imagine right now what he’s about to do. I’m just trying to keep up."

Judge won the 2024 AL MVP on the back of batting .322 while smashing 58 home runs and driving in 144 runs. That's after he had an awful March and April when he hit .207 and launched just six home runs heading into May.

But this start could mean bigger things for Judge and the Yankees, and that point isn't lost on Chisholm Jr.

"That’s what I’m saying, I’m just trying to keep up," the young infielder said. "He’s amazing, man, just trying to follow him, pick his brain and watch him and learn from him every day. See him go in there every day even with the poise. Even if he doesn't homer, he went 3-for-4. He’s starting to steal bags now, it’s starting to get ridiculous out of him, man What can you do with someone who is doing it like that?"

Judge did go 3-for-4 with a home run and double while driving in four runs in Thursday's game, and yes he stole a base. But Chisholm Jr. has also been a big part of the early success of the Yankees offense.

Coming over in a trade with the Marlins at last year's deadline, Chisholm Jr. has gotten off to a fast start, hitting .292 with four home runs -- tied for second on the team with Anthony Volpe -- and driving in eight runs. Last season, Chisholm Jr. hit .256 with 24 homers, but 11 of those came as a member of the Yankees.

These early 2025 numbers affirmed Boone's decision to hit the left-handed Chisholm Jr. behind Judge. The Yankees skipper half-joked after the game that whenever Judge only gets a single or double he sometimes feels Judge should have done more in that at-bat. It's something he's come to expect from Judge.

When Boone's comment was brought to Judge's attention, the captain smirked and said he liked it when his manager continued to push him but gave credit to his teammate hitting behind him for taking the pressure off of him early in the season.

"I gotta go out there and do my job, especially with how Jazz has been swinging the bat behind me," Judge said. "I’ll take my singles, take my doubles if he’s going to go out there and hit homers like he’s doing right now. It doesn’t have to always be a homer with a guy like that behind me."

"I’m ok compared to him," Chisholm Jr. said when his own early-season success was brought up. "I’m trying to get to his level right now. I told him I’m not going to fall too far behind him. I gotta keep up with him."

That mentality is something Judge says has permeated throughout the clubhouse this season. Each player is trying to push each other to be better and so far, it's working.

"I told [Jazz] I was going to catch him in stolen bases this year," Judge said. "We’re both trying to beat each other. It’s going to be a good year. We’re going to go out there and continue to push each other. Everybody in this whole clubhouse strives to be great, especially after last season when we weren’t able to finish the job. Guys are motivated to go out there and do something special."

The Yankees have started strong out of the gate with a 4-2 record heading into their first road series, starting Friday in Pittsburgh. But they know if they hope to make it back to the World Series, and "finish the job" they'll need to keep it up.

Oh, and the race for stolen base supremacy between Judge and Chisholm Jr. is tied at 1-1 after six games.

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Chattanooga becomes first Southern Conference team to win NIT title after beating UC Irvine in OT

Collin Mulholland scored 19 points and made five-pointers, Garrison Keeslar sank a go-ahead jumper from the free-throw line with 11 seconds left in overtime and Chattanooga became the first team from the Southern Conference to win the NIT championship after beating UC Irvine 85-84 on Thursday night. Chattanooga (29-9) tied a program record for victories in a season after winning 17 of its last 18 to capture the program’s first postseason title. UC Irvine 7-foot-1 center Bent Leuchten went to the free-throw line with 31 seconds left in overtime for a chance at a three-point lead, but he missed both free throws.

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Judge gets 500th extra-base hit, 3rd-fastest Yankee to reach mark behind DiMaggio, Gehrig

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge became the third-fastest New York Yankees player to reach 500 extra-base hits with a three-run homer in the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday night, trailing only Joe DiMaggio and Lou Gehrig.

Judge lined a 1-1 fastball from Merrill Kelly to the opposite field and into the Yankees bullpen for a 3-0 lead. The two-time AL MVP added a run-scoring single in the fourth inning as the Yankees moved ahead 7-3 and has five homers and 15 RBIs in six games this season.

Judge has 320 homers, 175 doubles and five triples in 999 games.

DiMaggio reached 500 extra-base hits in 853 games and Gehrig in 869.

Bob Meusel is fourth at 1,091, followed by Robinson Cano (1,130) and Mickey Mantle (1,138).

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The Colorado Avalanche Clinch Eighth Consecutive Playoff Berth After Resounding Win in Columbus

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (8) celebrates his goal against the Columbus Blue Jackets during the second period at Nationwide Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russell LaBounty-Imagn Images

At the end of the 2016-17 season, the Colorado Avalanche finished dead last in a 30-team league, with a record of 22-56-4 and a total of 48 points.

The next season, Colorado made it back to the postseason. Though it was fruitless with a first-round bounce, it ended a three-year postseason drought.

Tonight, on April 3rd, 2025, the Avalanche secured a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the eighth consecutive season with a 7-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets.

It was reported this morning by NHL.com that the Avalanche had an opportunity to secure their spot in this year's postseason run with any of the following scenarios: 

If they defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets in any fashion

OR

If they get one point vs. the Columbus Blue Jackets AND the Calgary Flames lose to the Anaheim Ducks in any fashion

OR

If the Calgary Flames lose to the Anaheim Ducks in regulation.

As of 8:45 pm Mountain Time, the Flames/Ducks game is tied at 1-1 in the second period. Not that it matters, as the Avalanche were able to check off scenario number 1.

The New Guys Showed UP

Long-awaited, forward Charlie Coyle netted his first goal in burgundy and blue to tie things up with the Blue Jackets. 

This goal would be just one of three points on the night for the third-line center. The other two points came as assists on goals scored by Cale Makar and Miles Wood. He joins Makar and his defensive partner, Devon Toews, who also had three points apiece in tonight's win.

Brock Nelson, who slotted into Colorado's second-line center spot upon being traded, also notched a goal in tonight's win. This goal is his 10th point and 4th goal since being traded.

Every single center chipped in tonight. While it wasn't a goal, Jack Drury did provide the lone helper on Parker Kelly's game-winning goal in the second period. Since joining the Avalanche, Jack Drury has provided some much-needed depth to this team, providing not only vital help on the penalty kill, but crucial skill in the faceoff dot.

A Monumental Night for the Norris Trophy Favorite

Makar, as mentioned recorded a three-point night (1g/2a) in Colorado's win over Columbus. His goal, Colorado's fifth of the night, acted as his 30th of the season, making him the first defenseman in 16 years to achieve 30 goals in a season. He becomes the ninth defenseman to achieve a  30-goal season, joining the likes of Bobby Orr (5x), Paul Coffey (4x), Denis Potvin (3x), Doug Wilson, Phil Housley, Ray Bourque, Kevin Hatcher, and Mike Green, who was the last defenseman to notch the milestone in the 2008-09 season.

With a primary assist on Toews' third-period goal, Makar also hit the 60-assist mark on the season. He becomes the first defenseman in Avalanche/Nordiques franchise history and the 20th defenseman in NHL history to record the milestone in multiple seasons. He is the fifth player, following Joe Sakic (7), Peter Stastny (7), Peter Forsberg (5), and Nathan MacKinnon, in franchise history to record multiple 60-assist seasons.

Makar's 90 points, reached tonight, ties his career high in points, set last year (2023-24) with 21g/91a in 77 games played.

What's Next?

The Colorado Avalanche only have five games remaining in their regular season campaign.

  • AWAY: Saturday vs. St. Louis Blues @ 5:00 PM Mountain time
  • HOME: Tuesday vs. Vegas Golden Knights @ 7:30 PM Mountain time
  • HOME: Thursday vs. Vancouver Canucks @ 7:00 PM Mountain time
  • AWAY: Saturday vs. Los Angeles Kings @ 2:00 PM Mountain time
  • AWAY: Sunday vs. Anaheim Ducks @ 8:00 PM Mountain time

This Saturday's matchup against the St. Louis Blues will be Colorado's third game in four days before they return to Denver for their final two matchups at home until the postseason begins.

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Orioles at Royals Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for April 4

The Baltimore Orioles (3-3) begin a weekend series Friday in Kansas City against the Royals (2-4).

Dean Kremer is slated to take the mound for Baltimore against Seth Lugo for Kansas City

The O's dropped a series earlier this week to the Red Sox. Thursday, Charlie Morton struggled again. The veteran gave up five earned runs in five innings.

KC scored 11 runs to open their series against Milwaukee but proceeded to score just two runs in losing the final two games of the series. Wednesday, they lost 3-2 in 11 innings.

Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Orioles at Royals

  • Date: Friday, April 4, 2025
  • Time: 7:40PM EST
  • Site: Kauffman Stadium
  • City: Kansas City, MO
  • Network/Streaming: MASN, FDS

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Orioles at the Royals

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Moneyline: Orioles (+100), Royals (-120)
  • Spread:  Royals 1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Orioles at Royals

  • Pitching matchup for April 4, 2025: Dean Kremer vs. Seth Lugo
    • Orioles: Dean Kremer (1-0, 8.44 ERA)
      Last outing: 3/29 at Toronto - 5.1 IP, 5ER, 5H, 2BB, 6Ks
    • Royals: Seth Lugo (0-0, 5.40 ERA)
      Last outing: 3/29 vs. Cleveland - 5 IP, 3ER, 4H, 3BB, 4Ks

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Orioles at Royals

  • The Orioles have covered the Run Line in each of their wins but have failed to do so in each of their losses
  • The Royals' last 3 games against the Orioles have stayed under the Total
  • Kansas City is 2-4 on the Run Line this season

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Expert picks & predictions for Friday’s game between the Orioles and the Royals

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday's game between the Orioles and the Royals:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Baltimore Orioles +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
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Dodgers at Phillies Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for April 4

Two of baseball's best meet Friday in Philadelphia when the LA Dodgers (8-0) begin a weekend series against the Phillies (4-1).

Yoshinobu Yamamoto is slated to take the mound for Los Angeles against Jesús Luzardo for Philadelphia

The Dodgers remained unbeaten thanks to a walk-off home run from Shohei Ohtani at home Wednesday in a 6-5 win over the Braves. The Phillies enter the series riding a three-game winning streak. They swept the Rockies and allowed just one run in each game.

Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Dodgers at Phillies

  • Date: Friday, April 4, 2025
  • Time: 6:45PM EST
  • Site: Citizens Bank Park
  • City: Philadelphia, PA
  • Network/Streaming: Spectrum SportsNet LA, NBC Sports Philadelphia

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Dodgers at the Phillies

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Moneyline: Dodgers (-140), Phillies (+119)
  • Spread:  Dodgers -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Dodgers at Phillies

  • Pitching matchup for April 4, 2025: Yoshinobu Yamamoto vs. Jesús Luzardo
    • Dodgers: Yoshinobu Yamamoto, (1-0, 2.70 ERA)
      Last outing: 3/28 vs. Detroit - 5 IP, 2ER, 5H, 2BB, 10Ks
    • Phillies: Jesús Luzardo (1-0, 3.60 ERA)
      Last outing: 3/29 at Washington - 5 IP, 2ER, 5H, 2BB, 11Ks

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Dodgers at Phillies

  • The Dodgers are 6-2 on the Run Line this season
  • The Phillies are 5-1 on the Run Line this season
  • Trea Turner had 3 hits for the Phillies in Wednesday's win

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Expert picks & predictions for Friday’s game between the Dodgers and the Phillies

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday's game between the Dodgers and the Phillies:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Los Angeles Dodgers on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Philadelphia Phillies +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
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Freddie Freeman to miss at least a week after being placed on injured list

Freddie Freeman walks in the dugout during a game against the Angels at Angel Stadium in September.
Freddie Freeman walks in the dugout during a game against the Angels at Angel Stadium in September. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Freddie Freeman’s latest ankle issue will keep him out longer than initially expected.

During the Dodgers’ travel day to Philadelphia on Thursday, the team announced Freeman had been placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to March 31.

The moves means that Freeman won’t be eligible to return to action until next weekend, when the club returns home for a three-game series against the Chicago Cubs April 11-13.

Read more:Plaschke: Who says the Dodgers can’t go 162-0? Dramatic win over Braves extends a perfect start

Freeman has been out since he slipped in the shower at his home Sunday and fell, aggravating the right ankle he had surgically repaired this offseason in the process.

Freeman experienced swelling in his ankle in the wake of the mishap, and required extensive sessions of treatment from the team’s training staff.

Despite that, he went through two days of routine pregame work this week, while missing all three games against the Atlanta Braves. And the initial expectation was that he would be available for the start of the team’s Philadelphia-Washington D.C. trip Friday.

On Tuesday night, manager Dave Roberts said there was even a 50/50 shot of Freeman being back in the lineup Wednesday.

Instead, Freeman will now go on the IL for the first time in his Dodgers career — and the first time for a non-COVID-19 related reason since he suffered a wrist fracture with the Braves in 2017.

Dodgers first base Freddie Freeman watches from the dugout Tuesday against the Atlanta Braves.
Dodgers first base Freddie Freeman watches from the dugout Tuesday against the Atlanta Braves. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Even before his slip in the shower, Freeman’s ankle — which he sprained in the last week of the regular season last year, and had surgically repaired after playing through the injury during the Dodgers’ World Series run — was not yet back to 100%.

Throughout spring training and the opening week of the season, he still required close to an hour daily pregame treatment. After playing three straight games against the Detroit Tigers last week, he said it was “getting a little stiff” near the end of the series.

Still, Freeman said those issues were “nothing to be ever worried about,” and was hoping the team’s rare Sunday off-day would provide him further reprieve.

Alas, his right foot slipped as he tried stepping into a bathtub-shower. And now, he’ll have to wait at least another week before returning.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Yankees at Pirates prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for April 4

The Yankees (4-2) are in Pittsburgh to take on the Pirates (2-5) Friday in Game 1 of their weekend series.

Max Fried is slated to take the mound for New York against Mitch Keller for Pittsburgh

Thursday night Aaron Judge cracked his fifth home run of the season to lead New York to a 9-7 win over the Diamondbacks and snap a two-game losing streak in the process.

After scoring one run in the first two games of their series against Tampa, the Bucs got the offense going somewhat and they salvaged the final game of the three-game set, winning 4-2. Oneil Cruz went deep and drove in a pair of runs for the Pirates.

Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Yankees at Pirates

  • Date: Friday, April 4, 2025
  • Time: 4:12PM EST
  • Site: PNC Park
  • City: Pittsburgh, PA
  • Network/Streaming: YES, SNP 360

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Yankees at the Pirates

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Moneyline: Yankees (-152), Pirates (+128)
  • Spread:  Yankees -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Yankees at Pirates

  • Pitching matchup for April 4, 2025: Max Fried vs. Mitch Keller
    • Yankees: Max Fried (0-0, 3.86 ERA)
      Last outing: 3/29 vs. Milwaukee - 4.2 IP, 2ER, 7H, 2BB, 4Ks
    • Pirates: Mitch Keller (1-0, 1.50 ERA)
      Last outing: 3/28 at Miami - 6 IP, 1ER, 5H, 1BB, 4Ks

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Yankees at Pirates

  • Aaron Judge is hitting .417 with 5 HRs, 15 RBIs and he has scored 11 runs
  • Anthony Volpe got his first hit of the season that was not a home run Thursday against Arizona
  • Pittsburgh is just 2-5 on the Run Line this season
  • Pittsburgh Game Totals have cashed to the UNDER in 5 of their 7 games

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Expert picks & predictions for Friday’s game between the Yankees and the Pirates

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday's game between the Yankees and the Pirates:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the New York Yankees on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play ATS on the Yankees -1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
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Nets' winning streak snapped in 105-90 wire-to-wire loss to Timberwolves

NEW YORK (AP) — Anthony Edwards shook off an injury scare and finished with 28 points to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves past the Brooklyn Nets 105-90 on Thursday night for their fourth straight win.

Edwards, who also added five rebounds, appeared to avoid serious injury when he briefly left the game after he stepped backward onto the foot of Nets coach Jordi Fernandez while making a 3-pointer late in the second quarter. Edwards was helped off the court, but returned for the start of the second half.

Rudy Gobert added 21 points for Minnesota while shooting 9 of 10 from the field and adding 18 rebounds.

Nic Claxton had 18 points for Brooklyn and Dariq Whitehead scored 17.

Key moment

The Timberwolves took the lead with 8:26 left in the second quarter and never looked back. Edwards led his team in scoring with 15 points in the first half to help put them up 49-37 at the break.

Key stat

The Timberwolves shot 31.0% — 13 of 42 — from 3-point range, led by Edwards’ 5 of 10.

Up next

Timberwolves: Take on the 76ers in Philadelphia on Saturday night.

Nets: Host the Toronto Raptors on Sunday.