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Canadiens’ Matheson Quietly Having Good Bounce Back Season

Last year, Montreal Canadiens’ veteran defenseman Mike Matheson saw his power-play minutes melt in front of his very eyes when rookie Lane Hutson showed that he was ready to quarterback the first wave of the man-advantage. Relegated to the second unit, the Pointe-Claire native ended his season with an average of just 1:57 on the power play compared to 3:41 the year before. He also went from 62 points to just 31 on the season, getting just 10 points on the man-advantage, compared to 28 the year before.

This season, with Noah Dobson’s arrival, he’s hardly seen any power-play time at all, averaging just 16 seconds per night, and his time on ice has also diminished from 25:05 to 24:14. Yet, through 74 games, he’s already surpassed his point total from the last campaign with 37 and only one of those points came on the man advantage. Furthermore, he went from a minus-six rating last season to a plus-10 so far this year.

Canadiens’ Winning Streak Comes To Grinding Halt
Canadiens Are Off To The Races
Montreal Canadiens Legend Fired By Islanders

The improvement stems from the veteran's complete embrace of his new role as a penalty-killing specialist and his formation of a very effective pair with Noah Dobson. While neither has ever been known as a defensive specialist, their pairing has worked well because of their mobility and their strong puck possession, which keeps them on the ice in the offensive end for most of the time. Granted, he can make mistakes here and there, but anybody who spends so much time on the ice is bound to make some, and he has made fewer than last season.

Matheson’s capability to adapt as the Canadiens went through their rebuild showed that he was ready and willing to do whatever the team needed from him, which is what earned him a five-year contract extension. Back when Kent Hughes signed Jake Allen to a two-year contract extension, he described the goaltender as someone who didn’t mind being there for the rough patch, the tree-planting process and growth and who didn’t mind not being there when it was time to enjoy the shade provided by the grown three. Matheson earned the right to be there to enjoy the shade of the grown trees, which is why the GM signed him to a five-year contract extension at the end of November.

On Sunday night at the Bell Center, the Canadiens highlighted the fact that the blueliner had played his 700th NHL game in New Jersey on Saturday night with a congratulatory message on the Jumbotron. The announcement was met with warm applause by the Habs faithful.

At 32, there’s no denying that the rearguard plays an important role for the Canadiens, and if he keeps adapting as the young core matures and progresses, he may very well end up playing in Montreal for the rest of his career. If he spends the five years of his new contract in town, he could play 420 more games with the Sainte-Flanelle, bringing his NHL total to over 1,100, a testament to his longevity and adaptability.

Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.  

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Yankees Birthday of the Day: Ken Clay

SEATTLE, WA - MARCH, 1981: Pitcher Ken Clay #21 of the Seattle Mariners poses for a portrait in March, 1981 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by B Bennett/Bruce Bennett Studios via Getty Images Studios/Getty Images) | Getty Images

As we here at Pinstripe Alley continue to do our daily feature highlighting a Yankee birthday of the day, we’re probably going to come upon situations where someone we write about happens to have been in the news recently. In today’s case, it was for a sad reason.

Today’s birthday is Ken Clay, who sadly passed away just over a week ago. Even before that news, he was set to feature as today’s birthday honoree, so let’s offer our best wishes to his family and loved ones on his 72nd birthday.

Kenneth Earl “Ken” Clay
Born: April 6, 1954 (Lynchburg, VA)
Died: March 26, 2026 (Lynchburg, VA)
Yankees Tenure: 1977-79

Born on April 6, 1954, Clay was born and raised in Lynchburg, Virginia where he made his name at E.C. Glass High School. A multi-sport star and five-letter athlete, Clay excelled on the baseball diamond, leading to the Yankees selecting him in the second round of the 1972 MLB Draft.

Right from the start in the Yankees’ minor league system, Clay showed talent and was dubbed an “outstanding” pitching prospect, but his path to the majors would take a little while. That was in large part because, while having decent stuff, he had some issues with control. In all of his first four seasons in the minors, he walked at least 4.1 batters per nine innings, including 27 in 48 innings in his first taste of Triple-A in 1975.

Clay started to get his control under, well, control, in 1976, and he followed that with an excellent start in ‘77. In 10 starts with Triple-A Syracuse, Clay went 5-1 with a 1.68 ERA in 75 innings. That got him a call-up to the big leagues for his first taste of The Show. Manager Billy Martin gave Clay his debut on June 7, 1977 in the eighth inning of a game the Yankees were trailing against the Rangers. Clay allowed one single in a scoreless frame, keeping the Yankees in it with a chance in the ninth, though nothing came of it.

For the year, Clay would make 21 appearances for the Yankees in 1977, including three starts. He went on to appear in the Yankees’ two World Series losses, but he pitched decently in them, earning a ring as the Yankees defeated the Dodgers, 4-2.

The following season, Clay went into the year hoping to win a spot in the Yankees’ roster, or even the rotation. However, the Yankees acquired a number of more veteran pitchers, dampening those chances. Clay began to show some frustrations over that, to the irritation of some of his veteran Yankee teammates. The generally easygoing Catfish Hunter even said that Clay had a “great arm, great slider, bad brains,” remarking that advice from him and other more experienced pitchers often went ignored.

On the field, Clay finally seemed to figure out his walk issues, but was still a bit below average, posting a 4.28 ERA. However, once again, he was good enough to merit a postseason roster spot, where he showed his potential. In Game 1 of the 1978 ALCS against the Royals, Clay threw 3.2 hitless innings out of the bullpen. He was credited with a save as he kept the Royals in check, allowing the Yankees to build and then maintain a lead. He had a less successful appearance in the World Series, but the Yankees again defeated the Dodgers, earning Clay another ring.

As the calendar turned to 1979, Clay’s frustrations about his role continued, but this time around, he was running out of positive marks to point to. Again in a swingman role, Clay posted a 5.40 ERA in in 78.1 innings.

Things fully came to a head on September 1, 1979. Having been given a 5-0 lead in the bottom of the first in a game against the Royals, Clay ended up surrendering four runs on five hits and a walk, lasting just 2.1 innings, getting removed from the game by manager Billy Martin after allowing a home run to George Brett. Kansas City ended up winning the game 9-8, despite the Yankees’ big early lead. Adding to that, Clay didn’t stick around after being removed and left the dugout in frustration.

After the game, Clay was the subject of ire from not only Martin, but also Steinbrenner. As was his wont, the Yankees’ owner did not mince words about Clay, saying:

Clay has continually complained about not getting a chance to pitch, but he has refused any of our suggestions to help his pitching. I’ve heard people tell me what a great arm he has, but I question his heart. In horse racing, we have what we call a morning glory. The horse works a great three or four furlongs in the morning workout and looks sensational. Then when the race comes he starts sweating during the parade to the post, and when he gets in the gate and the race starts he stinks the place out. He spits the bit.

Clay was relegated to just one bullpen appearance for the rest of the ‘79 season, and began the following season in the minors. With the 1980 Yankees looking for pitching they could count on more, they added future Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry in a trade with the Rangers on August 14th. With the still-intriguing Clay pitching well in the minors, he was a featured name going the other way.

However, his fortunes didn’t really change in Texas as despite now getting an extended chance in the rotation, he posted a 4.60 ERA and also walked 29 batters in 43 innings. After the season, the Rangers included him in a 11-player deal with the Mariners. He still struggled there in 1981, and was released in March 1982. Clay never really attempted to catch on anywhere else after that, ending his baseball career at just 27 years old. Following his playing career, Clay dealt with a number of legal issues. He eventually settled back in his native Lynchburg, where he lived until his recent passing, just before his 72nd birthday.

There is a saying that there’s “no such thing as a pitching prospect,” and considering what happened to Clay, George Steinbrenner may have taken that to heart a little too much.

See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.

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Yankees Birthday of the Day: Ken Clay

SEATTLE, WA - MARCH, 1981: Pitcher Ken Clay #21 of the Seattle Mariners poses for a portrait in March, 1981 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by B Bennett/Bruce Bennett Studios via Getty Images Studios/Getty Images) | Getty Images

As we here at Pinstripe Alley continue to do our daily feature highlighting a Yankee birthday of the day, we’re probably going to come upon situations where someone we write about happens to have been in the news recently. In today’s case, it was for a sad reason.

Today’s birthday is Ken Clay, who sadly passed away just over a week ago. Even before that news, he was set to feature as today’s birthday honoree, so let’s offer our best wishes to his family and loved ones on his 72nd birthday.

Kenneth Earl “Ken” Clay
Born: April 6, 1954 (Lynchburg, VA)
Died: March 26, 2026 (Lynchburg, VA)
Yankees Tenure: 1977-79

Born on April 6, 1954, Clay was born and raised in Lynchburg, Virginia where he made his name at E.C. Glass High School. A multi-sport star and five-letter athlete, Clay excelled on the baseball diamond, leading to the Yankees selecting him in the second round of the 1972 MLB Draft.

Right from the start in the Yankees’ minor league system, Clay showed talent and was dubbed an “outstanding” pitching prospect, but his path to the majors would take a little while. That was in large part because, while having decent stuff, he had some issues with control. In all of his first four seasons in the minors, he walked at least 4.1 batters per nine innings, including 27 in 48 innings in his first taste of Triple-A in 1975.

Clay started to get his control under, well, control, in 1976, and he followed that with an excellent start in ‘77. In 10 starts with Triple-A Syracuse, Clay went 5-1 with a 1.68 ERA in 75 innings. That got him a call-up to the big leagues for his first taste of The Show. Manager Billy Martin gave Clay his debut on June 7, 1977 in the eighth inning of a game the Yankees were trailing against the Rangers. Clay allowed one single in a scoreless frame, keeping the Yankees in it with a chance in the ninth, though nothing came of it.

For the year, Clay would make 21 appearances for the Yankees in 1977, including three starts. He went on to appear in the Yankees’ two World Series losses, but he pitched decently in them, earning a ring as the Yankees defeated the Dodgers, 4-2.

The following season, Clay went into the year hoping to win a spot in the Yankees’ roster, or even the rotation. However, the Yankees acquired a number of more veteran pitchers, dampening those chances. Clay began to show some frustrations over that, to the irritation of some of his veteran Yankee teammates. The generally easygoing Catfish Hunter even said that Clay had a “great arm, great slider, bad brains,” remarking that advice from him and other more experienced pitchers often went ignored.

On the field, Clay finally seemed to figure out his walk issues, but was still a bit below average, posting a 4.28 ERA. However, once again, he was good enough to merit a postseason roster spot, where he showed his potential. In Game 1 of the 1978 ALCS against the Royals, Clay threw 3.2 hitless innings out of the bullpen. He was credited with a save as he kept the Royals in check, allowing the Yankees to build and then maintain a lead. He had a less successful appearance in the World Series, but the Yankees again defeated the Dodgers, earning Clay another ring.

As the calendar turned to 1979, Clay’s frustrations about his role continued, but this time around, he was running out of positive marks to point to. Again in a swingman role, Clay posted a 5.40 ERA in in 78.1 innings.

Things fully came to a head on September 1, 1979. Having been given a 5-0 lead in the bottom of the first in a game against the Royals, Clay ended up surrendering four runs on five hits and a walk, lasting just 2.1 innings, getting removed from the game by manager Billy Martin after allowing a home run to George Brett. Kansas City ended up winning the game 9-8, despite the Yankees’ big early lead. Adding to that, Clay didn’t stick around after being removed and left the dugout in frustration.

After the game, Clay was the subject of ire from not only Martin, but also Steinbrenner. As was his wont, the Yankees’ owner did not mince words about Clay, saying:

Clay has continually complained about not getting a chance to pitch, but he has refused any of our suggestions to help his pitching. I’ve heard people tell me what a great arm he has, but I question his heart. In horse racing, we have what we call a morning glory. The horse works a great three or four furlongs in the morning workout and looks sensational. Then when the race comes he starts sweating during the parade to the post, and when he gets in the gate and the race starts he stinks the place out. He spits the bit.

Clay was relegated to just one bullpen appearance for the rest of the ‘79 season, and began the following season in the minors. With the 1980 Yankees looking for pitching they could count on more, they added future Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry in a trade with the Rangers on August 14th. With the still-intriguing Clay pitching well in the minors, he was a featured name going the other way.

However, his fortunes didn’t really change in Texas as despite now getting an extended chance in the rotation, he posted a 4.60 ERA and also walked 29 batters in 43 innings. After the season, the Rangers included him in a 11-player deal with the Mariners. He still struggled there in 1981, and was released in March 1982. Clay never really attempted to catch on anywhere else after that, ending his baseball career at just 27 years old. Following his playing career, Clay dealt with a number of legal issues. He eventually settled back in his native Lynchburg, where he lived until his recent passing, just before his 72nd birthday.

There is a saying that there’s “no such thing as a pitching prospect,” and considering what happened to Clay, George Steinbrenner may have taken that to heart a little too much.

See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.

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NHL’s East playoff race shaken up as the Flyers rise, Red Wings fall and Islanders fire their coach

Lucas Raymond

Apr 4, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Detroit Red Wings left wing Lucas Raymond (23) waits for a face-off against the New York Rangers during the third period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images

Danny Wild/Danny Wild-Imagn Images

NEW YORK — Rick Tocchet understood the stakes, so the Philadelphia coach didn’t want to make his players nervous before stepping onto the ice.

“They know,” Tocchet said. “They see the standings.”

The standings in the Eastern Conference look a lot different than they did in late March. For one thing, Tocchet’s Flyers have crashed the party and are in a playoff spot for the first time since Jan. 12.

Way ahead of them, the Boston Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins and Montreal Canadiens have solidified their positions, while the Detroit Red Wings have dropped from what was once a comfortable lead to the outside looking in. Things went so sideways for the New York Islanders that they fired coach Patrick Roy, and the Washington Capitals look to be running out of time to give Alex Ovechkin possibly one more postseason appearance at age 40.

“It’s just frustrating,” Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said after an 8-1 loss at the New York Rangers. “It’s frustrating because we fought as hard as we have to get back into this spot where we’re within striking distance.”

Race turns upside down

Before play began on March 26, only four points separated the Canadiens (88), Columbus Blue Jackets (87), Penguins and Bruins (86), Ottawa Senators and Islanders (86) and Red Wings (84). With the Flyers all the way back at 80, it looked like seven teams vying for five spots.

Montreal reeled off six consecutive victories and clinched before its eight-game winning streak that began March 21 came to an end. Pittsburgh won five of seven, and Boston went 4-2-1 to erase any doubt of postseason hockey in those markets this spring.

“With where the league’s at, our division, there’s pressure every night on every team,” said Canadiens winger Cole Caufield, who’s on the verge of being the franchise’s first 50-goal scorer since 1990. “That’s what makes this thing so fun. It’s just the guys in this group, in this room that are pushing each other and the staff that we have is unreal. We’re just going to keep this thing going.”

Philadelphia beating the Bruins in overtime on top prospect Porter Martone’s first NHL goal leapfrogged the Flyers over the Islanders into third place in the Metropolitan Division. Long before Martone arrived following the completion of his college season at Michigan State, the Flyers were 13th out of 16 teams in the East out of the Olympic break and have since won 14 of 21 games to burst into contention.

“These past 10 or so games, they’ve been playoff games and we’ve been playing the right way,” forward Noah Cates said. “It’s been the simple things, the little things that just kind of get us over the hump and in the win column.”

Red Wings and Blue Jackets are falling

Detroit led the Atlantic Division and was tied for the most points in the East on Jan. 15. The cushion ahead of the conference’s ninth-placed team was 12 points.

After falling behind by three goals, rallying to tie it and losing 5-4 in regulation to Minnesota, the Red Wings have gone 8-9-3 since that point and sit two points out with five games left to play.

“Obviously, we would have loved to be in a playoff spot, but that’s not the case,” forward Lucas Raymond said after a dud of a 4-1 loss at the Rangers. “We’ve got a great opportunity here. We’ve got these games left here to really do something special with this team. The faith is high in here. We have a lot of faith in ourselves, in our team, so it’s just about going out there and getting it done.”

Raymond and his teammates have failed to score in the first period in 43 of 77 games, the most in the league.

“I wish I had the answer,” coach Todd McLellan said. “We can get out of the gate quicker: don’t dip our toe in the water.”

Columbus made a coaching change from Dean Evason to Rick Bowness in mid-January and won 19 of 27 games to surge to second in the division. The Blue Jackets have lost seven in a row since.

Islanders and Capitals running out of gas

Since March 18 when it looked like they’d cruise into the playoffs in Matthew Schaefer’s magical rookie year, the Islanders have lost seven of 10 games, including four in a row. First-year general manager Mathieu Darche dismissed Roy and hired Peter DeBoer with four games left, hoping the new-coach bump could get his team in.

The Capitals are not contemplating any such change with Carbery, the reigning Jack Adams Award winner who should see them through the post-Ovechkin transition, whenever that is. Veteran defenseman John Carlson and depth center Nic Dowd got traded at the deadline with a youth movement afoot, but going 8-3-2 from March 9 made the playoffs seem possible.

Getting blown out by the already-eliminated Rangers unearthed some of the defensive issues Carbery thought were there for the past dozen games or so that were covered up by strong goaltending, outscoring the problems and getting lucky. Washington needs a lot of that, plus some help, now three points out with four games remaining.

“It’s tough we put ourselves in this spot,” forward Aliaksei Protas said. “But those big games, I feel like they can really show who we are as a team and where we’re at as a team.”

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Is the 65-game rule hurting the NBA more than it helps?

OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - APRIL 02: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers warms up before tipoff against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Paycom Center on April 2, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Lakers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

Throughout the season, conversations about the 65-game rule have been ramping up as players who are worthy of end-of-season awards find themselves disqualified.

The Lakers have all three of their stars currently ineligible for awards.

Luka Dončić is out indefinitely due to a hamstring strain. He is set to miss the rest of the regular season, and his playoff status is up in the air.

He needed to play in one more game to reach the 65-game threshold for end-of-season awards consideration, and now that he’s ruled out of the rest of LA’s games, he’ll remain at 64. Dončić will apply for the Extraordinary Circumstances Challenge, so perhaps the NBA will make an exception and make him eligible.

LeBron James might play 60 or more games, but he will also be ineligible. The rule is firm, but it feels weird that players like Victor Wembanayama, who have played fewer minutes than James, are up for awards simply because they suited up for more contests.

In our national SB Nation Reacts survey this week, we asked whether the league should lower the 65-game threshold, which led to potentially surprising results.

While it’s understandable to have some rules that incentivize players to play, Luka and LeBron are among the players this rule has hurt.

This rule is turning the awards into a recognition of the best players who played 65 games, rather than the best players in the NBA each season. But, fans seem to think 65 games is fine, and if that means great players lose All-NBA selections or even MVP, so be it.

A good compromise could be just setting the parameters at 1300 minutes. Since the NBA states a game counts if a player plays 20 minutes and 65 games are necessary, then 1300 minutes is really how much they, at minimum, want a player to play to qualify. The rule set this way would still allow most of the best players to be eligible, barring a significant injury.

Lakers playoff foes

The Lakers now have to play the rest of the way without Luka and Austin Reaves, who is likely done for the year with a Grade 2 oblique strain. This makes the Lakers’ odds of postseason success that much tougher.

Before these injuries were known, we also asked fans which team they would most like the Lakers to play in the first round of the playoffs between the Wolves, Rockets, and Nuggets.

All of the options for the Lakers are tough teams. However, given that the Lakers have recently beaten the Rockets in back-to-back games in Houston, it makes sense that fans would feel confident they can win this matchup.

Even with Kevin Durant joining the Rockets, they haven’t been able to maximize their potential and play like one of the best teams in the NBA.

Now, however, all opponents have gotten much harder.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

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2026 NBA MVP predictions: NBC Sports roundtable gives their full picks between Gilgeous-Alexander, Wembanyama

Every day this week, the NBC Sports NBA writing crew is breaking down the league's individual postseason awards and giving you their thoughts and predictions. We're starting the week with the big one: MVP. It's a tight race between Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wembanyama and Nikola Jokic, so who are we taking?

Most Valuable Player

Kurt Helin, NBC Sports Lead NBA Writer: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

This is the deepest MVP field I can remember — Nikola Jokic is averaging a triple-double and is going to be third on my ballot. Which is insane. This race comes down to Victor Wembanyama and SGA, and it's close. Very close.

In my mind, three things separate Gilgeous-Alexander and get him my vote. One is minutes: As of Monday, Gilgeous-Alexander has played 353 more total minutes — remember Wemby was on a minutes limit when he raced back from injury to make sure he had time to reach the league's ridiculous 65 games threshold. SGA is averaging 33.5 minutes per game, so he has been on the court for the equivalent of 10 more total games this season. That matters. Second is efficiency, and as efficient on offense as Wembanyama is, and for all his gravity, Gilgeous-Alexander is just slightly more efficient, which is incredible for a guard who creates most of his own shots.

Third, SGA is about to lead the Thunder to being only the third team to have 65+ wins in back-to-back seasons, joining the Jordan-era Bulls and the Curry/Durant Warriors — and this year the Thunder did it without their second-best player, Jalen Williams, for much of the season. That's leadership from SGA. (One final note, Wembanyama is right that defense should matter, and he is the better defender, but Gilgeous-Alexander is having his best defensive season and deserves All-Defense consideration; that gap is just not large enough to put Wemby over the top.)

Jay Coucher, NBC Sports Lead Betting Analyst: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Even with Jalen Williams missing over half the season, the Thunder will again finish mid-60s in wins because of SGA's metronomic brilliance. 55% FG and 67% true shooting are preposterous marks for a self-creating volume-scoring guard.

On a per-minute basis, Victor Wembanyama has a case as SGA's equal for impact, but Shai playing close to 400 more minutes than Wembanyama tips this award.

Raphielle Johnson, NBC Sports Fantasy basketball lead analyst: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

While there are multiple players with good cases to win the award, including Nikola Jokić, Luka Dončić, Victor Wembanyama and Jaylen Brown, Gilgeous-Alexander has been every bit as consistent (and excellent) as he was last season. He's averaging 31.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 1.4 steals per game with 55.1/38.0/88.1 shooting splits. Despite the heavy usage and attention he receives from opposing defenses, SGA has been close to a 50/40/90 player, and that's with multiple Thunder contributors missing extended time due to injury.

Eric Samulski, MLB/NBA Writer, NBC Sports: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

This seems close to a lock at this point. We can make separate arguments for who should win this award, but that's probably SGA, too. Nikola Jokic was probably the favorite before his knee injury, but he has not looked like the same player since he's come back, and his defense has been even less impactful than it was before, if that's possible. The Thunder continued to roll along even with Jalen Williams missing half the season, and other key contributors like Isaiah Hartenstein also being out for extended periods of time. Make all the arguments you want about how SGA plays, but he delivers time after time.

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Where to watch Portland Trail Blazers vs. Denver Nuggets: Live stream, start time, TV channel, odds for Monday, April 6

The Denver Nuggets begin the final week of the NBA’s regular season with a key game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday. The Nuggets are in position to overtake the Los Angeles Lakers for the Western Conference’s No. 3 playoff seed. The teams are currently tied, but the Lakers hold the head-to-head tiebreaker. The Trail Blazers are trying to hold onto the No. 8 seed and avoid having to win two games in the play-in tournament to make the playoffs.

  • Portland Trail Blazers: 40-38 (No. 4 in Northwest Division)

  • Denver Nuggets: 50-28 (No. 2 in Northwest Division)

  • Spread: Denver Nuggets -8.5

  • Moneyline: Denver Nuggets -350 / Portland Trail Blazers 280

  • Over/Under: 240.5

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FanDuel Refunds Home Run Bets Robbed by Jo Adell’s Heroics

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FanDuel Sportsbook is paying bettors who were robbed of three home runs during Los Angeles Angels outfielder Jo Adell’s historic night of defense.

Adell snagged three balls headed over the fence, including one that sent him tumbling into the stands, during Saturday’s 1-0 win over the Seattle Mariners.

Key Takeaways

  • Adell caught three balls that were headed over the outfield wall and would’ve been home runs.

  • The underdog Angels won the game and the series against their division rivals.

  • FanDuel users received bonus bets instead of cash refunds.

FanDuel bettors experienced the same sinking feeling of despair that the Mariners did during Saturday’s unprecedented outcome.

On three occasions, a Seattle player appeared to have slammed a solo blast over the right field wall. That included last year’s MLB home run leader Cal Raleigh in the first inning, Josh Naylor in the eighth, and J.P. Crawford in the ninth. 

Player home runs are one of the most popular betting markets in MLB games. Prior to the contest, sportsbooks had home run odds for Raleigh (+215), Naylor (+425), and Crawford (+800), while the Mariners were -150 on the moneyline.

Anyone who bet $10 on each outcome individually would have won $174. Taking it a step further and parlaying all three outcomes with a $10 wager would’ve resulted in $1,478.42 in winnings.

While all home run tickets on the players mentioned above could have been graded as losses, FanDuel decided to refund customers with bonus bets. The sportsbook said that it had its customers' backs for a “once-in-a-lifetime situation” like the one that Adell found himself in the middle of.

The company did not say anything about refunding Mariners’ moneyline bets.

Bonus bets are not the same as cash refunds. They cannot be withdrawn or transferred to other sportsbooks, but they can be used to fund wagers placed at FanDuel Sportsbook.

Adell powers the Angels’ solid start

Adell wasn’t much of a factor on offense in Saturday’s win. He hit one single but did not get on base otherwise and did not score the only run of the game.

Despite that, his defensive performance earned praise from a legendary player who happened to have a close-up view of his outfield robberies. 

Torii Hunter, a nine-time Gold Glove winner and five-time All-Star, who now works as a special assistant for the Angels, said that Adell probably played “the greatest defensive game I’ve ever seen.” 

He also claimed to have “blacked out” when Adell, with whom he spent time working on defense during spring training, fell into the stands clutching his third robbery.

The Angels carried the momentum from Saturday night’s thriller into the rubber match with the Mariners on Sunday, which ended 8-7 in their favor. Adell went 1-5 at the plate with an RBI and scored twice.

The Angels now sit at 5-5 on the season, one game behind the AL West-leading Houston Astros. The Mariners are 4-6 and two games out of first in the same division.

World Series and future odds

There are still more than 150 games left in the MLB regular season. Although the Angels have enjoyed a solid start, they still find themselves last in odds to win the AL West at FanDuel (+2700). The Mariners (+105) lead the odds board and are slightly ahead of the Astros (+230). 

World Series odds still heavily favor the Los Angeles Dodgers, who are already down to +200. The New York Yankees are second and first among all American League teams at +800, followed by the Mariners (+1100).

There are no odds for Adell to rob three home runs in another game.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

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FanDuel Refunds Home Run Bets Robbed by Jo Adell’s Heroics

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

FanDuel Sportsbook is paying bettors who were robbed of three home runs during Los Angeles Angels outfielder Jo Adell’s historic night of defense.

Adell snagged three balls headed over the fence, including one that sent him tumbling into the stands, during Saturday’s 1-0 win over the Seattle Mariners.

Key Takeaways

  • Adell caught three balls that were headed over the outfield wall and would’ve been home runs.

  • The underdog Angels won the game and the series against their division rivals.

  • FanDuel users received bonus bets instead of cash refunds.

FanDuel bettors experienced the same sinking feeling of despair that the Mariners did during Saturday’s unprecedented outcome.

On three occasions, a Seattle player appeared to have slammed a solo blast over the right field wall. That included last year’s MLB home run leader Cal Raleigh in the first inning, Josh Naylor in the eighth, and J.P. Crawford in the ninth. 

Player home runs are one of the most popular betting markets in MLB games. Prior to the contest, sportsbooks had home run odds for Raleigh (+215), Naylor (+425), and Crawford (+800), while the Mariners were -150 on the moneyline.

Anyone who bet $10 on each outcome individually would have won $174. Taking it a step further and parlaying all three outcomes with a $10 wager would’ve resulted in $1,478.42 in winnings.

While all home run tickets on the players mentioned above could have been graded as losses, FanDuel decided to refund customers with bonus bets. The sportsbook said that it had its customers' backs for a “once-in-a-lifetime situation” like the one that Adell found himself in the middle of.

The company did not say anything about refunding Mariners’ moneyline bets.

Bonus bets are not the same as cash refunds. They cannot be withdrawn or transferred to other sportsbooks, but they can be used to fund wagers placed at FanDuel Sportsbook.

Adell powers the Angels’ solid start

Adell wasn’t much of a factor on offense in Saturday’s win. He hit one single but did not get on base otherwise and did not score the only run of the game.

Despite that, his defensive performance earned praise from a legendary player who happened to have a close-up view of his outfield robberies. 

Torii Hunter, a nine-time Gold Glove winner and five-time All-Star, who now works as a special assistant for the Angels, said that Adell probably played “the greatest defensive game I’ve ever seen.” 

He also claimed to have “blacked out” when Adell, with whom he spent time working on defense during spring training, fell into the stands clutching his third robbery.

The Angels carried the momentum from Saturday night’s thriller into the rubber match with the Mariners on Sunday, which ended 8-7 in their favor. Adell went 1-5 at the plate with an RBI and scored twice.

The Angels now sit at 5-5 on the season, one game behind the AL West-leading Houston Astros. The Mariners are 4-6 and two games out of first in the same division.

World Series and future odds

There are still more than 150 games left in the MLB regular season. Although the Angels have enjoyed a solid start, they still find themselves last in odds to win the AL West at FanDuel (+2700). The Mariners (+105) lead the odds board and are slightly ahead of the Astros (+230). 

World Series odds still heavily favor the Los Angeles Dodgers, who are already down to +200. The New York Yankees are second and first among all American League teams at +800, followed by the Mariners (+1100).

There are no odds for Adell to rob three home runs in another game.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

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Watch Warriors' Draymond Green get hilariously rage-baited on secret prank show

Watch Warriors' Draymond Green get hilariously rage-baited on secret prank show originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Draymond Green has seen just about everything over the course of his NBA career.

But even he wasn’t prepared for this.

A newly released clip from the premiere of “Foul Play With Anthony Davis” shows the Warriors forward as the target of an elaborate hidden-camera prank orchestrated by Davis and LeBron James, who secretly feed lines to actors posing as business partners.

What b egins as a seemingly exclusive investment opportunity quickly spirals into chaos.

Inside a staged meeting, Green is pitched on what appears to be a high-level deal — before things quickly escalate into increasingly bizarre territory. When asked if he would commit to a $100 million cash investment, Green immediately shuts it down.

The actors insist that “lots of people” have that kind of money, but Green isn’t convinced.

“Well y’all should find them,” Green responded.

As the conversation grows more heated — and the pitch more aggressive — Green pushes back on both the tone and the situation.

“Number one, you guys should stop yelling,” Green said. “I’m a grown ass man.”

Moments later, clearly fed up, Green delivers a final warning before appearing ready to walk out.

“Alright, I’mma leave here or I will f— you up.”

The prank is part of a new unscripted series that flips the traditional locker room dynamic, allowing athletes to turn the tables on one another with the help of the creative team behind “Impractical Jokers.”

The show features a lineup of high-profile athletes and celebrities pulling off elaborate jokes on their peers.

The series debuts Monday, April 6, immediately following the NCAA Men’s Basketball National Championship Game, simulcast across TBS, TNT and truTV.

While Green might not have been in on the joke, the moment fits into his growing presence off the court.

The four-time NBA champion already hosts “The Draymond Green Show” and has expanded into media, acting and broadcasting roles in recent years — making him no stranger to the spotlight.

Just maybe not like this.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

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Yankees and Dodgers off to impressive starts, and Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani just are starting to hit

The Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees are off to good starts — and their MVPs finally are starting to hit.

Shohei Ohtani hadn’t driven in a run until Friday, then homered in that game and again Sunday. He and Aaron Judge each have three straight multihit games.

Judge hasn’t needed to carry the Yankees, who are 7-2. They had allowed a paltry 15 runs on the season before a 7-6 loss to Miami. Cam Schlittler has made two scoreless starts and New York ran wild against the Marlins — with even Giancarlo Stanton stealing a base.

It wasn’t a great first week for the Dodgers’ quartet of sluggers — Ohtani, Kyle Tucker, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman — but then they broke out in a big way as Los Angeles posted 31 runs in three games at Washington. The Dodgers are 7-2 with Andy Pages off to a 16-for-34 start at the plate, so they can afford to be patient with their stars.

That includes Betts, who went on the injured list with an oblique strain.

Los Angeles now heads to Toronto for a three-game series — the first meeting between the teams since the Dodgers beat the Blue Jays in Game 7 of the World Series in Canada last year.

Battling Bucs

On the topic of teams succeeding while waiting for stars to get untracked, Pittsburgh swept three straight from Baltimore to improve to 6-3. The Pirates have won five straight, although Paul Skenes has allowed six runs in 5 2/3 innings through his first two starts.

They haven’t needed much from top prospect Konnor Griffin either. The infielder is 1 for 9 since being called up, but he has yet to play in a loss. The Pirates have 10 of their next 13 games at home, with Skenes expected to take the mound when they host San Diego.

Trivia time

When is the last time the NCAA men’s basketball champion and baseball’s World Series champion came from the same state in a given year?

Performance of the week

Jo Adell went 1 for 3 at the plate Saturday, but it’s what he did defensively that made a real impact. The Angels’ outfielder made three home run-robbing catches to help Los Angeles to a 1-0 win over Seattle.

Adell made spectacular catch while crashing into the seats when J.P. Crawford led off the ninth with a drive to right. Adell also denied Cal Raleigh what would have been the catcher’s first homer of the season.

Comeback of the week

Arizona trailed Detroit by four Tuesday night before scoring six times in the bottom of the eighth to win 7-5. The Tigers had a win probability of 96.4% after seven, according to Baseball Savant.

Corbin Carroll hit a bases-loaded double that scored two runs, and Jose Fernandez added a three-run homer. It was the second home run of the game for Fernandez, who was making his major league debut.

Trivia answer

In 1973, UCLA won the national title and the Oakland Athletics won the World Series. That pairing also won in 1972.

There was a recent near-miss in 2021 when Baylor won the NCAA Tournament and the Houston Astros lost to the Atlanta Braves in the World Series. The only way this double can happen this year is if Michigan wins in basketball and the Tigers prevail in baseball.

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Yankees and Dodgers off to impressive starts, and Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani just are starting to hit

The Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees are off to good starts — and their MVPs finally are starting to hit.

Shohei Ohtani hadn’t driven in a run until Friday, then homered in that game and again Sunday. He and Aaron Judge each have three straight multihit games.

Judge hasn’t needed to carry the Yankees, who are 7-2. They had allowed a paltry 15 runs on the season before a 7-6 loss to Miami. Cam Schlittler has made two scoreless starts and New York ran wild against the Marlins — with even Giancarlo Stanton stealing a base.

It wasn’t a great first week for the Dodgers’ quartet of sluggers — Ohtani, Kyle Tucker, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman — but then they broke out in a big way as Los Angeles posted 31 runs in three games at Washington. The Dodgers are 7-2 with Andy Pages off to a 16-for-34 start at the plate, so they can afford to be patient with their stars.

That includes Betts, who went on the injured list with an oblique strain.

Los Angeles now heads to Toronto for a three-game series — the first meeting between the teams since the Dodgers beat the Blue Jays in Game 7 of the World Series in Canada last year.

Battling Bucs

On the topic of teams succeeding while waiting for stars to get untracked, Pittsburgh swept three straight from Baltimore to improve to 6-3. The Pirates have won five straight, although Paul Skenes has allowed six runs in 5 2/3 innings through his first two starts.

They haven’t needed much from top prospect Konnor Griffin either. The infielder is 1 for 9 since being called up, but he has yet to play in a loss. The Pirates have 10 of their next 13 games at home, with Skenes expected to take the mound when they host San Diego.

Trivia time

When is the last time the NCAA men’s basketball champion and baseball’s World Series champion came from the same state in a given year?

Performance of the week

Jo Adell went 1 for 3 at the plate Saturday, but it’s what he did defensively that made a real impact. The Angels’ outfielder made three home run-robbing catches to help Los Angeles to a 1-0 win over Seattle.

Adell made spectacular catch while crashing into the seats when J.P. Crawford led off the ninth with a drive to right. Adell also denied Cal Raleigh what would have been the catcher’s first homer of the season.

Comeback of the week

Arizona trailed Detroit by four Tuesday night before scoring six times in the bottom of the eighth to win 7-5. The Tigers had a win probability of 96.4% after seven, according to Baseball Savant.

Corbin Carroll hit a bases-loaded double that scored two runs, and Jose Fernandez added a three-run homer. It was the second home run of the game for Fernandez, who was making his major league debut.

Trivia answer

In 1973, UCLA won the national title and the Oakland Athletics won the World Series. That pairing also won in 1972.

There was a recent near-miss in 2021 when Baylor won the NCAA Tournament and the Houston Astros lost to the Atlanta Braves in the World Series. The only way this double can happen this year is if Michigan wins in basketball and the Tigers prevail in baseball.

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Cash Considerations: Early Season Lineup Construction

Aug 26, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash (16) stands in the dugout in the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images

There has been plenty of discussion surrounding Kevin Cash’s lineup decisions. Cash addressed those concerns recently, noting that the team expects to experiment with different lineups throughout the season. Much of the focus has centered on Chandler Simpson’s place in the order and Junior Caminero’s lack of traditional lineup protection.

It’s not a matter of these decisions being “right” or “wrong,” but there’s a clear pattern and underlying rationale behind them.

Leading-off

One of the main criticisms of the Rays lineups has been Simpson’s spot in the order. Some want to see him leveraging his speed at the top of the lineup. That would mean bumping Yandy Diaz down to 2nd or 3rd in the lineup. He’s the best on-base hitter on the roster, so they could potentially be leaving runs off the board by replacing him with Simpson. However, Simpson is off to a hot start and is reaching base over 43% of the time. Unfortunately for him, Yandy is getting on base nearly 49% of the time. Yandy also has a more established track record of getting on base at a high clip (.373 career OBP vs .334 for Simpson so far in the majors). I think Simpson will have some opportunities at some point this season to hit leadoff, but the best version of the Rays lineup right now has Yandy leading off. The case against Simpson leading off isn’t just about OBP – it’s about optimizing both his strengths and the hitters around him.

There’s also the question of how much is Simpson’s position near the bottom of the order helping his production. There’s typically less pressure to produce when you’re near the bottom of the lineup. Simpson has batted 8th three times already this season, and his average spot in the lineup is 6.3. It’s also fair to wonder how his current role is supporting his production. Hitters lower in the lineup often operate with less pressure and clearer situational expectations. While that’s difficult to quantify, it’s at least possible that Simpson’s current usage is helping him settle in at the major league level. Simpson is already making worse swing decisions that last season, so I’m not sure the added pressure of the leadoff position would benefit his production.

There’s also evidence that having an aggressive base stealer on first doesn’t necessarily help the hitter. In some cases, it can do the opposite; hitters may alter their approach to accommodate the steal attempt rather than focusing on their own at-bat. In this case, it might be better to have someone less central than the Yandy-Aranda-Caminero group hitting behind Simpson so the Rays best hitters can focus on being their best. Simpson batting 8th like he has most of the season might be the most effective way to get him in scoring position with the top of the lineup coming around; he would have an opportunity to steal a base with the number 9 hitter at the plate or potentially advance a base with a productive out from that hitter.

Cleaning-up

So far, Caminero has primarily been batting 4th in the lineup with mainly Cedric Mullins (x4), Jake Fraley (x2), or Ben Williamson (x2) hitting immediately after him. Some fans might want Caminero higher in the lineup so he can get more plate appearances. This does make sense as he would statistically have more PAs over a full season hitting 3rd rather than 4th, but there are a few reasons to bat him 4th and it doesn’t really matter who is “protecting” him in the lineup.

First, separating Díaz and Caminero (while still keeping both near the top) creates matchup pressure later in games. An opposing team could bring in a tough RHP to face Yandy, but would likely have to let them face Aranda plus another LHB like Fraley or Mullins. This forces an opposing manager between having to neutralize Yandy/Caminero or the LHB between them – but not both.

Another reason to hit Caminero 4th is because he’ll see more PAs with runners on base than if he was batting 3rd. Batting Caminero fourth may cost him some total plate appearances over a full season, but it increases the likelihood that those plate appearances come with runners on base — and for a hitter with his power profile, that’s often the more valuable trade-off.

Lastly, the idea of lineup protection is more mental than scientific.

There isn’t any research that supports the idea that protection is something that should be prioritized when building a lineup. The effects of having a good hitter protecting the batter in front of him are likely marginal at best, and Caminero can hit just about anything out if he squares it up, so he’s not really someone who needs to see more pitches in the zone to be productive. The main thing for him will be to continue to improve his swing decisions as his zone-minus-out-of-zone swing rate is the same as last season despite him chasing less. Having someone like Aranda hitting behind Caminero won’t help him be more productive, but swinging more at pitches down the middle will. Caminero swung at pitches in the heart of the plate just over 75% of the time in 2025, but that number is down under 64% this season. He has done well to limit his chasing so far, but swinging at pitches he can do damage on will help raise his game even more.

Lineup construction isn’t just about putting the “best hitters” at the top; it’s about sequencing skills, managing matchups, and creating the most difficult set of decisions for the opposing staff. Early on, the Rays appear to be prioritizing exactly that.

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Cash Considerations: Early Season Lineup Construction

Aug 26, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash (16) stands in the dugout in the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images

There has been plenty of discussion surrounding Kevin Cash’s lineup decisions. Cash addressed those concerns recently, noting that the team expects to experiment with different lineups throughout the season. Much of the focus has centered on Chandler Simpson’s place in the order and Junior Caminero’s lack of traditional lineup protection.

It’s not a matter of these decisions being “right” or “wrong,” but there’s a clear pattern and underlying rationale behind them.

Leading-off

One of the main criticisms of the Rays lineups has been Simpson’s spot in the order. Some want to see him leveraging his speed at the top of the lineup. That would mean bumping Yandy Diaz down to 2nd or 3rd in the lineup. He’s the best on-base hitter on the roster, so they could potentially be leaving runs off the board by replacing him with Simpson. However, Simpson is off to a hot start and is reaching base over 43% of the time. Unfortunately for him, Yandy is getting on base nearly 49% of the time. Yandy also has a more established track record of getting on base at a high clip (.373 career OBP vs .334 for Simpson so far in the majors). I think Simpson will have some opportunities at some point this season to hit leadoff, but the best version of the Rays lineup right now has Yandy leading off. The case against Simpson leading off isn’t just about OBP – it’s about optimizing both his strengths and the hitters around him.

There’s also the question of how much is Simpson’s position near the bottom of the order helping his production. There’s typically less pressure to produce when you’re near the bottom of the lineup. Simpson has batted 8th three times already this season, and his average spot in the lineup is 6.3. It’s also fair to wonder how his current role is supporting his production. Hitters lower in the lineup often operate with less pressure and clearer situational expectations. While that’s difficult to quantify, it’s at least possible that Simpson’s current usage is helping him settle in at the major league level. Simpson is already making worse swing decisions that last season, so I’m not sure the added pressure of the leadoff position would benefit his production.

There’s also evidence that having an aggressive base stealer on first doesn’t necessarily help the hitter. In some cases, it can do the opposite; hitters may alter their approach to accommodate the steal attempt rather than focusing on their own at-bat. In this case, it might be better to have someone less central than the Yandy-Aranda-Caminero group hitting behind Simpson so the Rays best hitters can focus on being their best. Simpson batting 8th like he has most of the season might be the most effective way to get him in scoring position with the top of the lineup coming around; he would have an opportunity to steal a base with the number 9 hitter at the plate or potentially advance a base with a productive out from that hitter.

Cleaning-up

So far, Caminero has primarily been batting 4th in the lineup with mainly Cedric Mullins (x4), Jake Fraley (x2), or Ben Williamson (x2) hitting immediately after him. Some fans might want Caminero higher in the lineup so he can get more plate appearances. This does make sense as he would statistically have more PAs over a full season hitting 3rd rather than 4th, but there are a few reasons to bat him 4th and it doesn’t really matter who is “protecting” him in the lineup.

First, separating Díaz and Caminero (while still keeping both near the top) creates matchup pressure later in games. An opposing team could bring in a tough RHP to face Yandy, but would likely have to let them face Aranda plus another LHB like Fraley or Mullins. This forces an opposing manager between having to neutralize Yandy/Caminero or the LHB between them – but not both.

Another reason to hit Caminero 4th is because he’ll see more PAs with runners on base than if he was batting 3rd. Batting Caminero fourth may cost him some total plate appearances over a full season, but it increases the likelihood that those plate appearances come with runners on base — and for a hitter with his power profile, that’s often the more valuable trade-off.

Lastly, the idea of lineup protection is more mental than scientific.

There isn’t any research that supports the idea that protection is something that should be prioritized when building a lineup. The effects of having a good hitter protecting the batter in front of him are likely marginal at best, and Caminero can hit just about anything out if he squares it up, so he’s not really someone who needs to see more pitches in the zone to be productive. The main thing for him will be to continue to improve his swing decisions as his zone-minus-out-of-zone swing rate is the same as last season despite him chasing less. Having someone like Aranda hitting behind Caminero won’t help him be more productive, but swinging more at pitches down the middle will. Caminero swung at pitches in the heart of the plate just over 75% of the time in 2025, but that number is down under 64% this season. He has done well to limit his chasing so far, but swinging at pitches he can do damage on will help raise his game even more.

Lineup construction isn’t just about putting the “best hitters” at the top; it’s about sequencing skills, managing matchups, and creating the most difficult set of decisions for the opposing staff. Early on, the Rays appear to be prioritizing exactly that.

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How NHL Tiebreaker Protocols Would Shape the Pacific Division

With just five games remaining in their regular season, there is still much to be determined for the Vegas Golden Knights.

They could make the playoffs and face the Anaheim Ducks in the first round. They could make the playoffs and face the Edmonton Oilers in the first round. They could win the division and face WC1 (currently the Utah Mammoth) in the first round.

Now, it’s also still technically possible— although extremely unlikely— that the Golden Knights miss the postseason entirely. However, they’d basically have to lose out, and one of San Jose or Los Angeles would have to win out. There’s a reason why Moneypuck gives the Golden Knights a 97.4% chance to make the playoffs.

Regular-season series don’t always mean much in the grand scheme of things. In a seven-game series, coaches can make adjustments to counter their opponent. In an 82-game season, those adjustments are typically broader.That being said, in a tiebreaker situation, looking back on a regular-season series can make all the difference.

The top three spots of the Pacific Division are closer than ever. The Oilers currently hold the top spot with 87 points and the tiebreaker over the Ducks, but the Golden Knights lurk just one point back.

NHL Tiebreaker Protocols

If two or more NHL teams finish the regular season with the same number of points in the standings, playoff seeding is determined by these tiebreakers:

1. Regulation wins

2. Regulation and overtime wins (excluding shootout wins)

3. Total wins

4. Head-to-head points

5. Goal differential

6. Total goals for

Let’s take a look at how the Golden Knights measure up against the other two top teams in the Pacific Division.

Vegas Golden Knights

Regulation wins: 27

Regulation and overtime wins: 34

Total wins: 35

Goal differential: +7

Total goals: 247

Edmonton Oilers

The Oilers would hold the tiebreaker with more regulation wins (30).

The Oilers would hold the tiebreaker with more wins in regulation and overtime (39).

The Oilers would hold the tiebreaker with more total wins (39).

The Oilers would hold the tiebreaker with six head-to-head points against the Golden Knights this season.

The Oilers would hold the tiebreaker with a higher goal differential than the Golden Knights (+8).

The Oilers would hold the tiebreaker with a higher total of goals scored than the Golden Knights (265).

Anaheim Ducks

The Golden Knights would hold the tiebreaker with a higher number of regulation wins (the Ducks have 24).

The Golden Knights would hold the tiebreaker with more wins in regulation and overtime (the Ducks have 33).

The Ducks would hold the tiebreaker with more total wins (41).

The Ducks would hold the tiebreaker with six head-to-head points against the Golden Knights this season.

The Golden Knights would hold the tiebreaker with a higher goal differential (the Ducks have a -14).

The Ducks would hold the tiebreaker with a higher total of goals scored than the Golden Knights (257).