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Game #67: Brewers at Athletics Game Thread

LAS VEGAS, NV - JUNE 08: Nick Kurtz #16 of the Athletics hits a home run in the 10th inning during the game between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Athletics at Las Vegas Ballpark on Monday, June 8, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

How will these two teams follow up last night’s homer barrage? We’re about to find out as the A’s take on the Brewers for the second of three tonight in Las Vegas, looking to right the ship and get back in the win column on a hot spring evening in a Triple-A ballpark. The A’s have fallen to 31-35 and now sit 3 1/2 back of the Mariners in the AL West and they’ve fallen out of a Wild Card spot. Time to get out groove back, and quickly.

The starter tonight will be right-hander J.T. Ginn, who’s getting the call for his 12th start of the season. The 27-year-old continues to be on an absolute roll in what is shaping up to be his breakout year. In his past six starts he’s allowed just six runs spanning 36 1/3 frames. Overall on the year he has a 2.74 ERA but an even better 2.45 as a starting pitcher. Can Ginn, a groundball specialist, keep the ball in the park tonight? Tonight is a difficult test for any pitcher but if anyone can post a good line tonight in the hot desert weather it’s Ginn.

Here’s how the Athletics will line up for tonight’s contest:

No Brent Rooker tonight as he heads to the bench. With a lefty on the opposing mound manager Mark Kotsay is filling tonight’s lineup with lots of right-handed hitters, starting with right fielder/leadoff man Colby Thomas. He’ll be followed by Nick Kurtz, Shea Langeliers (tonight’s DH), Tyler Soderstrom and the recently-activated Max Muncy, who gets the second straight start at the hot corner tonight after going just 1-for-5 in his first game back.

The bottom half of the lineup is all right-handed hitters. With Langeliers DH’ing tonight it’ll be Jonah Heim behind the plate catching Ginn and the bullpen this evening. Henry Bolte seems to be your everyday center fielder at this point so no surprise to see him in there behind Heim. And then Zack Gelof gets the second straight nod at second base again, keeping left-hander Jeff McNeil on the bench. Alika Williams brings up the rear manning shortstop and batting ninth.

That starting nine will be facing Brewers lefty Robert Glasser. The 27-year-old has been one of the Brewers’ top pitching prospects in recent years but had Tommy John surgery in June 2024 that had kept him on the shelf for a year-plus. He’s finally healthy and in the Brewers’ rotation but has only made three starts, allowing seven runs in 13 1/3 innings of work so far. He is coming off a five-inning, one-run performance last time out against the Giants but they’ve struggled offensively all year, the A’s have bigger bats and we’re playing in a minor league park. Those three things aren’t exactly favoring a low-scoring performance tonight for Gasser.

And Milwaukee’s lineup for tonight’s contest:

More or less the same lineup as last night, and after that performance why change things up if your Brewers skipper Pat Murphy? We do have two small changes at the bottom where Sal Frelick gets into the starting nine over Andrew Vaugh, and then we’ll also see David Hamilton take over at shortstop for Joey Ortiz.

Will the Las Vegas heat cause another homer galore tonight? Will J.T. Ginn be able to keep the ball in the ballpark? How many long balls get hit tonight? And most importantly, can the Athletics bounce back and get a win? Let’s go A’s!

Follow the Game:
Watch:
Athletics – NBCSCA

Listen:
Athletics – Talk 650 KSTE, A’s Cast

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Ronald Acuña Jr. exits game with apparent leg ailment

CINCINNATI, OHIO - MAY 30: Ronald Acuna Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates a hitting a home run in the third inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on May 30, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Ah, jeez. The frustrations continue for Ronald Acuña Jr. and his wheels, as he had to exit Tuesday’s game against the Chicago White Sox with an apparent lower leg injury.

With one out in the top of the fourth inning, Acuña hit a ground ball deep to the left side of the infield. Chicago third baseman Miguel Vargas’ throw bounced to first and just barely beat Acuña but that happened after Acuña started to limp once he got close to first base. Acuña appeared visibly frustrated as he was taking off his batting gloves and limped off the field and into the visitors’ clubhouse. Acuña was replaced by Eli White in the outfield.

We’ll have more on the situation as it develops but for now, it’s once again time to cross our fingers and hope that this isn’t on the more severe side of injuries for the star outfielder. We’ll see what happens.

UPDATE [9:54 p.m. ET]: The Braves have reported that Acuña is dealing with “left hamstring tightness” and yes, that’s the same hamstring that he strained just over a month ago. Hopefully this is more of the “day-to-day” variety and not anything more serious than that.

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A’s and Brewers play wild game in Sin City amid NBA Finals Game 3 hoopla

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Christian Yelich of the Milwaukee Brewers sliding into home plate, kicking up dust, Image 2 shows Athletics players Nick Kurtz (16) and Shea Langeliers (23) high-five after Kurtz's home run, Image 3 shows Abner Uribe reacts after striking out the final batter

While the attention of many sports fans might have been turned to Madison Square Garden and the NBA Finals on Monday night, about 2,500 miles away, there was a rather bizarre baseball game taking place.

The Brewers visited the Athletics at Las Vegas Ballpark, marking the first time the A’s have played in Vegas since their move there was announced.

Milwaukee came away with a 15-14 victory in 12 innings. The 29 combined runs scored broke the MLB season high of 25 set in the Giants’ 19-6 win over the Rockies on May 31. The Brewers outhit the A’s by a small margin, 18-16.

Milwaukee designated hitter Christian Yelich slides into home plate to score on a fielder’s choice by Brice Turang during the 12th inning the Brewers’ 15-14 win over the A’s on June 8, 2026, in Las Vegas. AP Photo/Caroline Brehman

As expected for a minor league park, the ball was flying out of Las Vegas Ballpark on Monday as the two clubs combined for 11 homers.

The Athletics were responsible for seven, and four just between Nick Kurtz and Tyler Soderstrom.

Andrew Vaughn, who homered for Milwaukee, led the team with four RBIs. Three other Brewers, Brice Turang, William Contreras, and Jake Bauers, had three RBIs apiece. Tyler Soderstrom matched Vaughn and led his own squad with four RBIs alongside two home runs.

Abner Uribe (45) reacts after striking out the final batter during the 11th inning of the Brewers’ shootout win over the A’s. AP Photo/Caroline Brehman

On the other side, the Brewers and A’s each used seven pitchers in contest, and the staffs threw a total of 441 pitches, a season high.

The starters, Kyle Harrison for the Brewers and Jeffrey Springs for the Athletics, allowed a combined 13 runs. It was the longest game thus far this season, taking four hours and 14 minutes.

After heading into extras tied 10-10, each team scored four runs in the tenth inning to keep things tied 14-14. The 11th inning saw no runs scored, but in the top of the 12th, automatic runner Christian Yelich scored the deciding run when A’s second baseman Jeff McNeil threw wide to home on a grounder by Turang.

First baseman Nick Kurtz (right) celebrates with catcher Shea Langeliers (23) after hitting a home run during the A’s loss t the Brewers. Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

The Central Division-leading Brewers have been slugging the past few days, having scored seven or more runs in their last five games.

The A’s are expected to move into their new ballpark in Las Vegas for the start of the 2028 season.

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Game 66: Cincinnati Reds at San Diego Padres

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 08: Freddy Fermin #54 of the San Diego Padres celebrates with Jackson Merrill #3 after hitting a home run during the third inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Petco Park on June 08, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Cincinnati Reds (31-34) at San Diego Padres (34-31), June 9, 2026, 6:40 p.m. PST

Watch: Padres.TV

Location: Petco Park – San Diego, Calif.

Listen: 97.3 The Fan

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The Coaching Change That Comes After

LOS ANGELES – The Kings have hired Peter Laviolette as their new head coach. More changes could be expected to bolster the coaching staff.

Peter Laviolette is a Stanley Cup-winning head coach with 24 seasons of NHL experience. Along with the title he won with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006, Laviolette has two other Stanley Cup appearances with the Philadelphia Flyers in 2010 and the Nashville Predators in 2017.

Now, the Kings are hoping Laviolette can bring playoff success to their organization. Los Angeles has been eliminated in the first round in the past five seasons.

So the biggest question with this hire is how Laviolette will benefit the Kings' playing style? The answer to that it is a great fit for the Los Angeles organization.

During his interim tenure as head coach, DJ Smith enhanced the defensive success through activating the backend along with forechecking and physicality. This defensive scheme helped the Kings go from outside the playoff picture to secure the final wild card spot.

Throughout Laviolette’s career, he has been known as a coach with a team that pushes the pace and presents a heavy forecheck. Every team Laviolette has coached has played an aggressive forecheck, which has led to massive improvements in their puck possession.

The season before the Flyers hired Laviolette, Philadelphia had a 47.65% CF in 2009, but that skyrocketed to 50.93% in 2010. The Predators had a 48.44% CF in 2014, but with Laviolette, that improved to 52.82% in 2015.

Teams that struggled with forechecking found success in the very next season with Laviolette as their head coach. Now, Laviolette gets to coach a Kings team that is already fond of forechecking.

Los Angeles had a 52.22% CF, which ranked in the top 10 in the NHL last season. A forecheck-heavy coach should find success with a team that has already excelled in puck possession.

The Kings dropped from 105 points to 90 points in the Pacific, while young teams like the Ducks and Sharks surged in the standings. With the right offseason moves, an upbeat tempo, active defensemen, and aggressive forecheck could keep the Kings competitive against their rivals.

While the Laviolette hire activates the defensive core in place, how else will the offense improve? That’s where the Kings will have to make another decision for the coaching staff.

Newell Brown was hired back in the 2025 season to help the power play improve. However, the Kings have experienced an even larger decline in the power play since then.

In 2024, the Kings had a 22.6% power play, which ranked 11th in the league. The next season, Brown gets hired, and the power play drops to 17.9% and 27th overall.

As underwhelming as the power play was in 2025, it was even worse this past season. The Kings had a 17% power-play percentage, which ranked 28th overall.

Brown led the Kings' power play to a bottom-six percentage in both of his seasons as an assistant coach. Brown's power-play strategy has been criticized by fans and reporters for the struggle.

In the past two seasons, the Kings' power play has been holding the puck to set up the perfect shot. Nonetheless, one good look at a power play isn’t as effective as four difficult shots.

A north-to-south style creates more shots on net, which creates more chances for goals. This style of hockey also aligns with the new head coach, who likes to forecheck and play fast.

Therefore, an east-to-west offense that has struggled will not align with Laviolette’s vision for the team. Making it apparent that Brown might be the next coach to be replaced for the Kings.

It is not official that the Kings are moving on from assistant coach Brown, but it is heavily speculated that this could be the move, with new head coach offseason hires typically comes with new staff preferences. The head coach hire may just be the beginning of the coaching overhaul for Los Angeles.

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Game Discussion: Milwaukee Brewers (41-23) @ Athletics (31-35)

LAS VEGAS, NV - JUNE 08: William Contreras #24 of the Milwaukee Brewers hits a 3 run home run in the 10th inning during the game between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Athletics at Las Vegas Ballpark on Monday, June 8, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Last night, the Brewers and Athletics opened the Las Vegas series with a high-powered extra-inning classic, in which the Brewers came out on top 15-14. That was just the first game of the series, and we could see more of the same tonight.

There will be a lot of pressure on tonight’s starter, Robert Gasser. After the Brewers used most of their bullpen yesterday, Gasser may be asked to eat some innings to get through this one. He made a step forward in his last start, limiting the Giants to a solo home run in five innings. Unfortunately, he took a tough-luck loss as the Brewers were shut out in that game. He should get some additional run support tonight, but will also be facing an Athletics lineup that scored 14 runs and hit seven home runs last night. So far this season, Gasser has allowed seven earned runs in 13 1/3 innings over three starts, striking out 12 and walking seven. The longest start he has made in the majors this season is five innings, and his pitch count has maxed at 89 pitches.

For the Athletics, J.T. Ginn will start tonight. He’s been their best starter this season, anchoring a rotation that has been hit with injuries. In 14 games (11 starts), he has a 2.74 ERA and 4.08 FIP. Ginn has allowed two or fewer runs in each of his last six starts, and nine of his 11 starts overall. He also has pitched through the eighth inning twice this season. That being said, we saw that no pitcher is safe in this ballpark from last night’s game. This will be Ginn’s third career appearance against the Brewers. Last season, he allowed three runs in 4 2/3 innings on April 18. He struck out seven and walked two in that start in Milwaukee, which the Brewers won 5-3.

Looking at the bullpen situation, it is not good going into tonight’s game. Here is a breakdown of the bullpen usage:

  • Chad Patrick: Pitched one inning last night, threw eight pitches. Also pitched on Sunday, pitched 1 2/3 innings and threw 21 pitches.
  • Grant Anderson: Pitched 2 2/3 innings last night, threw 28 pitches.
  • Aaron Ashby: Pitched 1 2/3 innings last night, threw 36 pitches.
  • Joel Kuhnel: Pitched 1 2/3 innings last night, threw 20 pitches.
  • Drew Rom: Pitched 1 1/3 innings last night, threw 25 pitches.
  • Abner Uribe: Pitched 1 1/3 innings last night, threw 15 pitches.
  • Trevor Megill: Last pitched on Friday, but was unavailable last night due to “discomfort”. Before tonight’s game, Todd Rosiak reported that he’s been dealing with a right side/oblique injury, but will be available tonight if playing catch goes well.

As for the Athletics, they recalled Joey Estes and optioned Kade Morris before today’s game, giving them a reinforcement for their bullpen. They also have Elvis Alvarado and Mason Barnett fresh, as both did not pitch last night. On the other side, Hogan Harris, Mark Leiter Jr., and Justin Sterner have all pitched in two consecutive games.

While the Brewers did not make any major-league roster moves before today’s game, they did provide some updates on the different rehabbing players on the injured list.

One additional note from the minor leagues; Jake Woodford is back in the organization on a minor-league contract. He has been assigned to Nashville.

The top five in the lineup remain unchanged from yesterday, but a couple of players who were on the bench are back in the lineup. Sal Frelick is back in right field and batting seventh, while David Hamilton is at shortstop and batting ninth. Despite going 4-for-6 and finishing a triple short of the cycle yesterday, Andrew Vaughn will start this game on the bench.

First pitch tonight is at 9:05 p.m. It will be on Brewers.TV locally and available on MLB Network outside the Brewers’ broadcast area. It will also be on the Brewers Radio Network.

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Paul Skenes randomly stopped to play with Little League team

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher throwing a baseball, Image 2 shows Paul Skenes stopped by a local Little League practice earlier this week

Paul Skenes is “just a boy” at heart. 

The Pirates ace and one of the biggest names in Major League Baseball was driving on Perry Highway in Wexford, Pa., a suburb north of Pittsburgh, when he saw the lights on at a little baseball field and made the night of the kids who make up Ingomar Franklin Park Little League. 

Skenes watched practice on a park bench before the kids and parents took notice of the baseball superstar, before he ended up spending more than two hours with the local little leaguers, signing autographs, posing for pictures and playing catch with them.

Paul Skenes throws a pitch during the first inning of the Pirates’ loss to the Astros at Daikin Park on June 3, 2026 in Houston. Getty Images

An Ingomar Little League coach and member of the board of directors, Eddie Dubis, told MLB.com that the kids were “totally starstruck, in awe of what happened.” 

Photos and videos circulated of Skenes online smiling with players and playing catch, even seeming to be giving advice while throwing the ball with one player under the lights at the ballpark. 

“He just said he loves baseball, he’s a baseball nut, he loves everything about the game, and he remembers being that age, and how special Little League baseball was to him when he was that age,” Dubis said.

Skenes impromptu stop spread like wildfire and his girlfriend, and influencer, Olivia Dunne, posted about it on social media. 

Paul Skenes stopped by a local Little League practice earlier this week. Livvy Dunne/TikTok

“Remembering your MLB bf is just a boy bc wdym he saw a little league team practicing while driving home and pulled over to show me and play catch with them,” Dunne captioned a TikTok post that featured screenshots of a FaceTime at the Little League park. 

Several people who said they were there commented on Dunne’s post, praising Skenes for making their kids’ night and sharing photos. 

“He took a picture with my two boys there last night and they said it was the greatest night of their life,” one person wrote, “it was SO sweet that he stopped by!!!” 

“This is my kids’ league – this meant so much to so many people tonight,” another wrote. “Can’t even tell you how many of our friends are posting pics of their kids looking like it’s Christmas morning. What a good human.”

Skenes is scheduled to pitch on Tuesday night against the defending World Series champion Dodgers.

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Why Brandon Bussi was Hurricanes' Game 4 starting goalie, could be for Game 5

The answer to the most guarded secret in the NHL was given when Brandon Bussi skated onto the ice for warmups in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final.

In a surprise, Frederik Andersen didn't dress as Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour said the team's goalie coach said Andersen needed a break.

Bussi played well enough in the series-tying 5-3 victory on Tuesday, June 9, that he could get the call again when the series resumes Thursday night in Raleigh, North Carolina.

He stopped 18 of 21 shots and now has stopped 36 of 40 since Brind'Amour inserted him at the start of the third period of Game 3. Andersen, who had started every game, had given up four goals in the second period in Saturday's game.

Bussi had to stop a Mitch Marner penalty shot in Game 3 and that save gave the Hurricanes a chance to rally, though they eventually fell 5-4 in double overtime.

Brind'Amour didn't reveal his starter either after Monday's practice or in Tuesday's pregame news conference. There was no morning skate on Tuesday.

Bussi was tested quickly again in Game 4. He stopped a Mark Stone short-handed breakaway to preserve a 1-0 lead and the Hurricanes made it 2-0 shortly after.

Stone scored in the first period and Vegas tied the game 3-3 in the second period. But Bussi stopped nine shots in the third period to make Jordan Staal's go-ahead goal stand up.

"He was really solid all night," Brind'Amour said.

The start was Bussi's first since mid-April and his first career start in the playoffs. Did he think he played well enough to get the call in Game 5?

"Talk to Rod," he told ABC.

How Brandon Bussi fared in third period

The Golden Knights kept him scrambling but couldn't get a puck past him. He stopped 18 of 21 shots in the game and gave himself a chance to get the call again in Game 5 on Thursday, June 11.

How Brandon Bussi fared in second period

The Golden Knights have outscored the Hurricanes in 9-1 in the second period and Brandon Bussi is part of that now. He gave up goals to William Karlsson and Brett Howden as Vegas tied the game. He wasn't quite set on the first goal. The second goal was a great play by Howden, who set up a screen by shooting through a defender's leg. Bussi has stopped nine of 12 shots, a big difference from his relief appearance in Game 3.

How Brandon Bussi fared in first period

He was tested early on a short-handed breakaway by Mark Stone, but came up big. Stone later scored on a breakaway as he faked a shot, stickhandled and tucked the puck past Bussi's outstretched pad. The Golden Knights' next goal didn't count because time expired. But all in all, a good period for Bussi, who made five saves and has a 3-1 lead.

Why isn't Frederik Andersen playing?

Brind'Amour said Brandon Bussi got the start because he played great when he entered Game 3. Why isn't Frederik Andersen dressed? "Let him rest," the coach told ABC.

Bussi catches with different hand than Andersen

Bussi catches right-handed while Andersen catches left.

"We don't care who's playing, what hand, what feet, we're just going to play," Golden Knights coach John Tortorella told reporters.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hurricanes' Brandon Bussi starts Game 4, gets win vs Golden Knights

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From New York To Vegas: Brett Howden’s Surprising Playoff Emergence

Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The 2026 NHL Playoffs have marked Brett Howden’s coming-out party. 

With the Vegas Golden Knights two games away from winning the Stanley Cup, Howden currently leads all players in the playoffs with 13 goals. 

There’s no doubt that Howden has been an integral piece for the Golden Knights through their playoff run thus far, but what many people may not know is how he got to Vegas in the first place. 

Howden was selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the 2016 NHL Draft, but he was traded to the New York Rangers as part of the deal that sent Ryan McDonagh and J.T. Miller to Tampa Bay in 2018.

He ultimately spent three seasons with the Rangers, playing in a total of 178 games and recording 16 goals, 33 assists, and 49 points.

Shortly after being hired as the Rangers’ president and general manager in 2021, Chris Drury traded Howden to the Golden Knights in exchange for defenseman Nick DeSimone and a fourth-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft.

The Rangers eventually used that 2022 fourth-round pick to select Noah Laba.

Over his first three seasons in Vegas, Howden failed to record over 20 points, but he had a career year during the 2024-25 campaign, posting 23 goals, 17 assists, and 40 points.  

Now, playing on a line alongside Mitch Marner and William Karlsson, the 28-year-old forward has found his offensive groove and could be on his way to winning both the Stanley Cup and the Conn Smythe Trophy.

“I think he's in the moment,” Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella said of Howden. I just think he likes the situation he's in. I think the line's been good. That line, once we put it together, just connected. I don't think he's afraid of a damn thing, as far as playoffs, what comes with it, the flows of it. I just think he feels that good about himself.”

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New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani says Knicks watch party outside MSG back on for Game 4

A handful of Knicks fans gathered outside Madison Square Garden on Tuesday to burn cleansing sage, hoping to purge whatever bad energy was left behind from Monday’s loss to the San Antonio Spurs in Game 3 of the NBA Finals.

Maybe it’s working, because New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced on X.com Tuesday evening that a watch party for Game 4 is back on outside MSG.

"We have approved a ticketed MSG watch party for Game 4. More details soon," Mamdani said. "As we prepare to watch together, let me be clear: this is a historic, joyful moment for our city. We will not allow it to be disrupted by violence. Be safe, take care, and celebrate responsibly."

This is seemingly another indication that President Donald Trump, who stirred up strong emotions by shutting down midtown so he could attend, will not return for Game 4.

ESPN’s Shams Charania had already reported Trump will not attend, citing “scheduling conflicts and obligations."

Madison Square Garden Sports in a statement, though, said it has been told "that the NYPD will once again implement the same 'frozen zone' restrictions for Game 4," even with Trump not attending.

"The complete closing of areas around MSG is going to affect not only the celebration but also all the small businesses that rely on Garden fans for their livelihood," MSG said.

Trump became the first sitting president in history to attend an NBA Finals game when he showed up at MSG on Monday at the invitation of Knicks owner James Dolan. He was booed when shown on the Jumbotron during the national anthem. His presence also forced the cancellation of the outdoor watch party outside MSG and triggered a security perimeter that had fans waiting two hours or more to get inside.

The Knicks had won 13 straight games before the Spurs snapped the streak, 115-111, and fans wasted no time blaming Trump on social media.

With the president staying away, New York City approved a permit for a ticketed watch party at Plaza 33 outside MSG on Wednesday night. Watch parties will also be held at Wollman Rink in Central Park and the Brooklyn Bowl.

The Knicks lead the series 2-1.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Zohran Mamdani says Knicks watch party outside MSG back on for Game 4

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Ex-Sabres Goalie Abruptly Ends KHL Contract In Shocking Push Back To NHL

From a Buffalo Sabres perspective, the Alexandar Georgiev experiment was supposed to be a low-risk reset on a once-ascending NHL goaltender. Instead, it became another short stop in a rapidly unraveling career arc that has now stretched across three leagues in under two seasons.

Georgiev has officially terminated his contract with KHL club Spartak Moscow, according to league confirmation, with his representation indicating the veteran netminder intends to pursue an NHL return next season. For the Sabres, it marks the end of a brief and underwhelming stint that never found traction at either level of the organization.

A Low-Cost Gamble That Never Stabilized

After a difficult run with the San Jose Sharks, Georgiev signed a one-year, $825,000 contract with the Buffalo Sabres in September, a move designed to stabilize a volatile goaltending depth chart without significant financial risk. The hope inside the organization was simple: recreate the version of Georgiev who once led the NHL in wins and briefly looked like a long-term starter with Colorado.

That version never materialized.

Instead of pushing for NHL minutes, Georgiev struggled to separate himself in camp and early-season evaluation, eventually landing with the Rochester Americans in the AHL. The results there did little to change the trajectory. In limited action, he went 0-2 with a 3.57 goals-against average and a .896 save percentage—numbers that mirrored the inconsistency that had already defined his recent NHL stretch.

By the time Buffalo made the decision to move on, the organization was no longer evaluating upside. It was simply trying to reset its depth chart.

A Career Sliding Between Peaks and Freefall

Not long ago, Georgiev looked like a goaltender on the rise. During his time with Colorado, he earned full-time starter responsibility and reached his peak in the 2023-24 season by leading the NHL with 38 wins, while also tying for the league lead in victories the year prior.

Georgiev wasn't exactly good for Colorado, but was carried mostly by their offense. Credit: Jerome Miron
Georgiev wasn't exactly good for Colorado, but was carried mostly by their offense. Credit: Jerome Miron

But the decline came quickly and decisively.

Across his final stretch in the NHL with Colorado and San Jose, his numbers dropped sharply, and his game lost the consistency that once made him a volume-win starter. By the time he reached Buffalo, he was no longer being acquired as a long-term answer—he was a reclamation project on a one-year flyer.

The KHL Reset—and Another NHL Try

After his brief stint in Rochester, Georgiev and the Sabres parted ways, and he signed overseas with Spartak in the KHL. There, he stabilized his performance, posting a 2.37 GAA and a .918 save percentage over 24 appearances. The numbers suggested competence, but not enough to fully restore NHL starter credibility.

Now, with his KHL contract terminated, Georgiev is once again testing the NHL market. But the league he’s returning to looks different than the one he once briefly dominated in wins. Most teams are already set in net, and the remaining openings project heavily toward backup or organizational depth roles.

For Buffalo, the move is already in the past. For Georgiev, it’s another reset in a career defined increasingly by them.

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For first time since April, pressure is on Knicks to adjust after loss. What do they plan for Game 4?

It's been a while since New York has been in this position: The team coming off a playoff loss and having to adjust. It's the first time since April 23rd, 13 wins ago.

That's the Knicks reality after San Antonio came into Madison Square Garden and took Game 3 behind 32 points from Victor Wembanyama, making it a 2-1 series.

"We have a veteran group. Nobody is 'panicking' or anything like that," Knicks coach Mike Brown said. "Everybody is disappointed that we didn't go out and execute and play to what we feel our standard is. That's not taking anything away from San Antonio, but we feel like we can play a lot better than what we did."

"We learned from film today, and we'll be better tomorrow," is how Josh Hart put it.

The Spurs made some key adjustments in Game 3, both on offense — relentlessly attacking the rim even when the Knicks packed the paint — and defensively, where Victor Wembanyama spent more time on Josh Hart (even when he hit 3-pointers) and around the basket than matched up on Karl-Anthony Towns. What do the Knicks do now in a critical Game 4? Here are three things to look for on Wednesday night.

More Karl-Anthony Towns

Jalen Brunson rightfully drew praise for scoring 32 points in Game 3, a dozen of those in the fourth quarter. However, he wasn't efficient getting there — he was 11-of-25 shooting in Game 3, and that was better than he has been in these Finals. Brunson is shooting 37% from the floor through three games with as many turnovers as assists — and the Knicks are -13 for the series when he is on the court (they are +31 with Towns on through three). This is not a knock on Brunson, in the previous two rounds the Spurs turned Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Anthony Edwards into inefficient scorers (compared to their regular-season selves).

The Thunder and Timberwolves didn't have the depth to overcome that. New York is supposed to, but when Brunson came out in the second half of Game 3 overdribbling and trying to hunt mismatches — of which there are no great ones, there is no James Harden to target on the Spurs — it took the Knicks out of their flow. Brown talked about it after the game. The Spurs are doing a lot more cross-matching of wings and guards on Towns, rather than Wemby, that was a change that seemed to throw the Knicks off balance.
New York needs more Karl-Anthony Towns — like the guy we saw in the first two games of the series. The Knicks wins. His quiet 11 points in Game 3 are not enough (and Towns remains scoreless in the fourth quarter for the Finals). There were actions the Knicks ran in the first two games that got Towns touches near the basket, those seemed to go away in Game 3 and need to return for Game 4.

"It's extremely important that he's getting touches, that he's involved, not just in the fourth quarter, but obviously throughout the ballgame," Knicks coach Mike Brown said.

Protect the paint

San Antonio took 40 of its 84 shot attempts in Game 3 either at or within a few feet of the rim. That included drives from Stephon Castle and more alley-oops to Wembanyama.

It was a change from the first two games of the series, when the Knicks controlled the paint.

"I'm sure we're going to change some things and switch up some schemes to protect the paint because obviously, like you said, those guys are very dynamic when they touch the paint. Obviously, Wemby, when he rolls, he brings in a crowd," Josh Hart said.

Part of that is physicality, but the bottom line is in a series with two elite defenses, the team that gets more easy buckets is going to get the win.

Spray the ball

One number from Game 3 told the story: New York had 18 assists on 40 made baskets (45% of their buckets). In the first two games of this series, the Knicks assisted on 64.5% of their baskets, nearly two-thirds.

"We've got to pick up the ball movement, for sure," Towns said of adjustments for Game 4. "We have what, 13 games in a row, 50 days of film to show what it looks like when we're at our best. So we've got good film. We'll get back to our fundamentals, what makes us great, what made us great, and get back to work."

Brown's term is to spray the ball — have a guard or Towns get the ball in the paint then, if the defense collapses, kick out to shooters. On Tuesday, Brown talked about his players making quicker decisions to move the ball, noting that there was too much isolation and too much holding on to the ball, which let the defense reset.

That's easier said than done against the long, athletic defenders of the Spurs, but the Knicks need to get those defenders in rotation and keep moving the ball until a good shot opens up. Taking contested ones against Wembanyama is generally a bad idea.

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Colorado Rockies vs. Chicago Cubs game discussion: Colin Rea vs Tomoyuki Sugano

ANAHEIM, CA - JUNE 02: Colorado Rockies pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano (11) pitching during an MLB baseball game against the Los Angeles Angeles played on June 2, 2026 at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, CA. (Photo by John Cordes/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

After being swept at Coors Field by the Milwaukee Brewers, the Colorado Rockies (24-42) will look to get back in the win column as they welcome the Chicago Cubs (34-32) for a three-game stand.

But first — in case you were offline this afternoon — the Rockies promoted Cole Carrigg (No. 4 PuRP) today, and he’ll be starting tonight in center field. Watch this:

Very, very cool.

In his first MLB game, Carrigg (and the other Rockies) will be facing Cubs starter Colin Rea. This will be his 14th start for the Cubs in 2026.

The righty has a 4.59 ERA in 62.2 IP. He’s struck out 52, walked 22, and given up nine home runs. Rea has a 1.35 WHIP. 

Taking the mound for the Rockies will be RHP Tomoyuki Sugano (菅野 智之).

Currently, he has an ERA of 3.98 in 63.1 IP. He’s struck out 36 while giving up 18 walks and 11 home runs with a 1.26 WHIP.

And now to the details.

First Pitch: 6:40 pm MDT

TV: Rockies TV

Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM; KNRV 1150 (Spanish)

SB Nation site:Bleed Cubbie Blue

Lineups:

For the visiting Cubs:

Cubs @ Rockies Lineup (6.9.26) Crow-Armstrong, Ballesteros, Busch, Bregman, Happ, Suzuki, Horner, Amaya, Swanson, Rea

And the home Rockies:

Cubs @ Rockies Lineup (6.9.26) McCarthy, Castro, Rumfield, Goodman, Johnston, Tovar, Carrigg, Karros, Julien, Sugano

Here’s one last Cole Carrigg mix to get everyone ready for the game tonight:

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Knicks fans 'cleanse' MSG with sage after Trump visit, Game 3 loss

Following their nail-biting loss in Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday night, Knicks fans gathered outside of Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, June 9, to cleanse the arena with sage.

President Donald Trump, a New York City native, made an appearance at Madison Square Garden on Monday for Game 3. Fans who were in attendance were forced to arrive at the area about two hours before the start of the game and had to wait in long, TSA-style security lines.

Once inside, Trump was greeted with a chorus of loud boos when he was shown on the large video screens during the national anthem. The president was saluting and smiled slightly as the boos grew. Once the feed showed Knicks players, the cheering returned.

After their 111-115 loss to the San Antonio Spurs, which snapped a 13-game win streak, Knicks fans accused Trump of placing a “curse” on the team, prompting a “cleanse” to try to change the Knicks’ fortunes ahead of a potentially series-altering Game 4 on Wednesday, June 10.

See video of the cleanse

Kazeem Famuyide, an Emmy award-winning host of several podcasts, including the Knicks podcast, Big Apple Buckets, called on Knicks fans to join him outside of the arena for a cleanse on Tuesday.

"All Knicks fans meet in front of MSG at 1:30 PM and bring your sage," he wrote on X. “We gotta clean this bih out before Wednesday."

Following that initial post, Famuyide followed up with a video, several hours later, showing him and his friends holding sage outside of Madison Square Garden.

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Trump is not expected to attend Game 4 due to “scheduling conflicts and obligations.”

USA TODAY’s Mark Giannotto and Lorenzo Reyes contributed to this report.

Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Following Game 3 loss, Knicks fans 'cleanse' MSG after Trump's visit