Shedeur Sanders, drafted 144th by Cleveland, emerged as a star at Trinity Leadership. See the news Browns QB's high school highlights. here.
Crystal Palace 3-0 Aston Villa: FA Cup semi-final – as it happened
Eberechi Eze and Ismaila Sarr scored the goals as Palace routed Villa to reach their third FA Cup final
4 min: Other than that one progressive Kamara pass, nobody’s showing their hand as of yet. A thoughtful start as both teams gently probe.
2 min: Kamara tries to release Cash down the right with a clever first-time pass. Lacroix is on point to usher both opponent and ball out of play for a goal kick. We can just about make this out. A lot of smoke down this end of the pitch, thanks to the tail end of a pre-match pyro party.
Continue reading...Newbury Park quarterback Brady Smigiel commits to Michigan
The junior quarterback has developed into one of the nation's top football prospects after starting since his freshman year for the Panthers.
Newbury Park quarterback Brady Smigiel commits to Michigan
The junior quarterback has developed into one of the nation's top football prospects after starting since his freshman year for the Panthers.
QB Brady Smigiel commits, Michigan football lands four-star for 2026
Michigan football commit Brady Smigiel is the No. 7 QB in the 2026 class, and the No. 80 overall player according to 247 Sports' consensus rankings.
QB Brady Smigiel commits, Michigan football lands four-star for 2026
Michigan football commit Brady Smigiel is the No. 7 QB in the 2026 class, and the No. 80 overall player according to 247 Sports' consensus rankings.
Giants closer Walker bounces back with huge outing after tough week
Giants closer Walker bounces back with huge outing after tough week originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO — When he’s right, Giants closer Ryan Walker is one of the best baseball players in the world, but he doesn’t necessarily realize it. Walker doesn’t consider himself a diehard fan, and he often has no idea when he’s facing one of the game’s best hitters when he’s out on the mound.
One day earlier in his career, Walker and teammates were talking about their first big league strikeouts. That first outing is one that nearly every pitcher can recite pitch-for-pitch, but Walker couldn’t quite remember the name of a Minnesota Twins star that he struck out in his second game as a big leaguer. Teammates laughed when they looked it up and discovered it was Byron Buxton.
A few weeks into his rookie season, Walker made a statement by freezing Nolan Arenado with a slider in the eighth inning of a game in St. Louis. Asked about it later, he shrugged. He had no idea that Arenado had done so much damage against the Giants over the years.
“I try to treat every hitter the same,” Walker said this spring. “Whether it’s Ohtani or someone off the bench, everyone is here for a reason.”
There are times, though, when it’s harder to take that approach. Walker was well aware that he would face Joc Pederson in the ninth inning Saturday, and not just because they were teammates in 2023. Pederson’s eye-popping struggles this season came up in a scouting meeting before the series, and while Walker didn’t know he had just one RBI on the season, he did know Pederson had gone hitless over 41 at-bats recently.
That only meant one thing when Walker watched Pederson stroll to the plate with two runners on in a tie game.
“He’s due,” Walker thought. “That man is due.”
For Pederson, the breakthrough will have to wait. But Walker and the Giants are hopeful that the right-hander’s came in the ninth inning of a 3-2 win over the Rangers.
Walker threw a 97-mph sinker past Pederson to strand both runners. When Patrick Bailey walked it off in the bottom of the inning, Walker had his first win of the year, and a nice confidence boost at the end of what has been the worst week of his big league career.
“It’s huge. I think it gives him back his confidence,” Bailey said. “I know it’s been a few rough outings in a row, but the stuff has been there all year. It happens, it happens to the best of them — and he is one of the best of them.”
Walker was part of a theme Saturday. The Giants got off to a slow start after celebrating Brandon Crawford, but Willy Adames, who is hitting just .205 through his first month in orange and black, tied the game with a two-run single. Bailey is down at .171, but he was sent up to hit for Sam Huff with two runners in scoring position and poked the first pitch into right for his fourth career walk-off hit.
For Adames and Bailey, the first few weeks of the 2025 MLB season have been a grind. But there is no spotlight greater than the one in the ninth inning, and there’s no worse feeling in the game than being a closer who coughs up what looked to be an easy win.
Walker did that Sunday in Anaheim, allowing four runs in a gut punch of a loss. Three days later — when he gave up three hits, plunked a batter and allowed two runs — Bob Melvin pulled him for Camilo Doval, who got the save.
Doval is a former MLB All-Star, and it would have been easy for Melvin to ignite a closer controversy by saying he would ride the hot hand, or give Walker a break for a few days. But the manager said repeatedly this week that he would throw Walker back into the fire, and when the Giants trailed by a couple of runs late Friday, Walker struck out a pair and looked more like his old self.
Melvin never wavered, viewing it as just two bad outings in a career that thus far has produced a 2.72 ERA in 137 appearances. Walker was going to pitch in a big spot if it came Saturday, and Melvin stuck with him against Pederson, even though lefty Erik Miller was loose. He figured Bruce Bochy would counter with Adolis Garcia if he made a move, and he liked Walker’s chances against Pederson.
The former Giant jumped on a two-strike slider and yanked it over the arcade in right, but it was well foul. A pitch later, Walker blew him away with a sinker. The normally calm closer pumped his fist and yelled as he walked off the mound.
“I think it’s the last week, all that kind of stuff just boiling up,” he said. “Finally finding a groove brought out all that emotion.”
The last week has been difficult, but Walker took a lot away from it. He had been 15-for-15 in save opportunities before last Sunday, and teammates and coaches reminded him repeatedly that he was still a good pitcher. When he went home, he was able to get away by spending time with his young daughter and chatting with his wife, who is a counselor.
“A lot of guys have been talking me through it and helping me realize it’s two games out of 162,” he said. “It’s not something to fret about. It’s really, I feel like, brought me closer to the team, which is really cool. Seeing everybody support me is awesome.”
Walker also found a mechanical fix in recent days. He had been standing too upright and said that was leading him to be “more rotational” as he went down the mound. He tightened up his mechanics and found that his old stride length and arm path were back. He no longer was worried about missing arm-side, a huge issue in those two rough outings.
Walker felt good when he took the mound Saturday, but a pair of singles put a sellout crowd in a nervous state. A popped-up bunt helped everyone relax a bit, and Walker struck out Josh Smith ahead of the Pederson at-bat. That final out set the stage for the latest round of ninth-inning heroics.
There will be other speed bumps over the course of the next five months. That’s life as a closer, and when you fail, there’s no safety net. But over the last two games, Walker has looked like his old self.
“It helps out a lot, that’s for sure,” Walker said. “The biggest thing, though, is I’m not going to get too high. There’s plenty of baseball left. I’ll enjoy these two and continue to move forward with the progression.”
Count On Tkachuk, Nylander Trading Goals in High-Scoring Game 4 Win For Senators Over Maple Leafs
Ottawa Senators host Toronto Maple Leafs, who look to complete a series sweep with a 3-0 series lead heading into Game 4 on Saturday
Sunday night is the ultimate opportunity for NHL fans, with a loaded slate of thrilling matchups of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The game that sticks out is the Battle of Ontario between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Ottawa Senators, which promises to be a physical war of attrition.
The Buds look to close out the series and complete their first series sweep since 2001 when they disposed of the same Ottawa Senators in the first round.
For bettors, this matchup provides a chance to capitalize on some of our recent strong trends, like our 25-12 record on our last 37 picks, including a 5-0 night during Game 1 of the Battle of Ontario.
More NHL: Battle of Ontario Betting Guide: Best Bets, Strategies and Futures for Maple Leafs versus Senators
All betting lines are from FanDuel Sportsbook and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly.
Toronto Maple Leafs vs Ottawa Senators Best Bets:
- Senators ML (-115)
- Over 5.5 goals (-118)
- Tim Stutzle Under 0.5 points (+122)
- Brady Tkachuk Over 0.5 points (-158)
- William Nylander Over 0.5 points (-162)
The Sens are staring down the barrel of five straight playoff losses with their last victory in the postseason being in 2017 when they lost in the Conference Finals to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Toronto's last sweep in the playoffs was 2001 when they beat the Senators in the first round, which could point to history repeating itself on Saturday.Ottawa has been within reach of every game with two straight overtimes not going their way.
More NHL: Bolts, Golden Knights Present Last Call For Massive Betting Values
They're receiving little help on offence as captain Brady Tkachuk and veteran winger Claude Giroux have been forced to do the heavy lifting. Senators' regular season point leader Tim Stutzle hasn't been seen with just one point through three games. The assist he recorded was a touch along to a defenceman who fired off a shot that was tipped in front of the net, basically meaning he hasn't production virtually any offence at all.
The under for Stutzle has been really effective this series and we will continue to go to the well as the pick is still listed at plus money. However, I expect his linemate in Tkachuk to cause some damage. One of the biggest headlines of the series heading in was seeing how Tkachuk was going to adapt to the playoff environment after thriving at the Four Nations Face-Off yet he hasn't had a multi-point game so far.
We were expecting more of a performance similar to Minnesota's Kirill Kaprizov, who has seven points through three playoff games. It should finally boil over Saturday as Brady will be giving it his all to prevent his team from being eliminated.
Despite the over not hitting for us in game three, I think we go back to it as the numbers are hard to go against with six or more goals in 18 of their last 25 matchups at Canadian Tire Centre. The Buds should give a lot of push back and I expect it to come from Leafs leading goal scorer, Williiam Nylander.
People have forgotten cause of the team's success that Nylander has just one goal in this series in the opener. The Swedish winger entered the series with nine goals and six assists for 15 points in his last 16 games against the Senators. He also recorded 12 goals and 17 assists for 29 points over his last 26 games.
More Hockey: Top NHL Prospect Expected to Join Michigan Wolverines Next Season
Kings must overcome power of rabid Edmonton Oilers fans after faltering in Game 3
The streets of Edmonton were awash in blue and orange, the colors of the city’s hockey team, on Friday.
From the Southgate Centre, on the city’s southern edge, to the downtown financial district, it seemed as if everyone, from students and shopkeepers to cabbies and the cable guy, were wearing Oilers sweaters. And with reason: Their team, a Stanley Cup finalist a season ago, was fighting for its playoff life against a Kings team it had dispatched with ease each of the last three postseasons.
The Kings won the first two games in the best-of-seven series, so Edmonton desperately needed a victory at home. It got that in uncommon fashion, scoring four unanswered goals in the final seven minutes of a 7-4 win.
But the Oilers didn’t do it alone. The atmosphere, said winger Evander Kane, who scored the goal that started the final rally, played a big part.
“It was nice to get in front of our own fans,” he said. “You come back to Edmonton, there’s some buzz in the city. There’s some buzz in the morning. We kind of got reenergized a little bit.”
The Kings still lead the first-round series 2-1 heading into Game 4 on Sunday in Edmonton. Both teams then will return to Los Angeles for Game 5 on Tuesday. A fifth game was looking unlikely until a bizarre sequence that began with 6:42 to play erased a 4-3 Kings lead and changed the complexion of the series.
Read more:Kings rally to take lead, only to collapse in third period of Game 3 loss to Oilers
It started with Kane scoring on a scramble in front of the Kings’ net to tie the score, although the goal took time to sort out since it appeared Kane, playing for just the second time this season, kicked the puck under Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper.
After a lengthy video review determined Kane used his stick to score, the Kings called a timeout and rather than playing it safe, they challenged the goal, claiming Kane interfered with Kuemper. When they lost that challenge, Edmonton was awarded a two-minute power play and needed only 10 seconds of it with Evan Bouchard scoring what proved to be the winner on a tip-in from the crease.
The Oilers, blanked on the power play in the first two games, had two goals, both by Bouchard, with the man advantage Friday. The Kings also had two power-play goals and are now seven for 12 with the man advantage in the series while the teams have combined for 30 goals in three games.
So much for the conservative nature of playoff hockey. And this series might have turned on Jim Hiller’s challenge, which was the furthest thing from playing it safe.
“We take a timeout. We understand the situation. We don’t want to give them a power play but clearly we felt that that challenge was in our favor. The league disagreed,” the Kings' coach said. “The next step would have been for us to kill a penalty and that didn’t happen either. It’s a tough stretch for us, there’s no question. That’s hockey. That’s playoff hockey, especially.”
Connor McDavid and Connor Brown each scored into an empty net in the final 1:40 to account for the final score. It was the second time in three games that Edmonton scored four times in the final period to erase a deficit, although the Kings came back to win the first time.
“I'm pretty happy that we're playing the game well enough that we're leading them in the third period,” Hiller said. “So I'll take that. That's the way I look at that.”
Another way to look at that is the Kings have collapsed twice, failing to close out games they led handily. Friday they erased a two-goal deficit and twice broke ties to take the lead, only to give it all back.
“Yeah, it sucks,” defenseman Mikey Anderson said. “But we're still in a good place. You get to come back in two nights and get another stab at it, which is the best part.”
Be careful what you wish for because the next stab at it also will be on the Oilers’ ice, in one of the loudest buildings in the NHL.
Hockey in Edmonton is special, more a religion than a game. And any night the Oilers play in the postseason is church night.
Rogers Place was again a raucous cacophony of noise Friday while outside thousands of people who couldn’t get a seat in the temple — some carrying signs that read “We Believe” — began lining up more than three hours before game time for a spot in the “Moss Pit,” an open-air fan zone named after Joey Moss, a longtime club employee.
Their prayers were answered with a comeback that fed off the size and fervor of the crowd, which inspired the home team while intimidating the visitors.
“The crowd was emotional,” Hiller said. “The crowd was great. The energy, we expected. I would have wished that we did a better job of just weathering that.”
Anderson agreed.
“We knew they were going to come out hard. It's their home rink,” he said.
The Oilers finished strong as well, climbing back into a series that appeared all but over until the final seven minutes Friday.
Afterward Edmonton’s ICE District, a town square centered around the hockey arena, continued buzzing until well after midnight. A pickup truck with a faux oil derrick flanked by two large Oilers flags drove laps around the area while fans in the de rigueur orange and blue team sweaters milled about, too excited to leave but too exhausted to do much more than blow on horns and block the sidewalks.
“What a game,” one young man repeated aloud to no one in particular.
The Oilers will play again Sunday, the traditional Christian Sabbath, and the faithful once again will file into Rogers Place to offer hosannas at decibel levels loud enough to make your ears bleed. If their prayers are answered, the series will return to L.A. even at two games apiece.
If not, Friday’s game might prove to be a false miracle, unworthy of either praise or condemnation.
“It feels good right now to get that win,” said Leon Draisaitl, who had two assists, including the pass that set up Bouchard’s winner. “But it’s not going to do much if we don’t follow it up, right? We’ve got to follow it and take this back to L.A. 2-2.”
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
'I'm Not Used To It, That's For Sure': Simon Benoit Embracing Attention After Maple Leafs Overtime Contributions Against Senators
As time passed after Simon Benoit's overtime-winner for the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 3 against the Ottawa Senators on Thursday, his phone continued filling up with messages cheering him on.
The 26-year-old has played an integral role in Toronto's last two overtime goals. In Game 2, the defenseman intercepted a puck in the Maple Leafs' end before jumping up in the rush and finding Max Domi, whose goal gave Toronto a 2-0 series lead.
48 hours later, Benoit found himself in an identical position: on the ice during a decisive moment in overtime.
Auston Matthews won the faceoff back to Benoit, who fired a shot through an assemblage of players in front of Ottawa's net. Benoit's shot found its way to the net, beating Linus Ullmark and putting Toronto up 3-0 in the series.
SIMON BENOIT! OVERTIME WINNER! 🚨
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) April 25, 2025
THE LEAFS ARE UP 3-0! pic.twitter.com/fCxQ7iSlBS
"I don't score much goals, so I would say yeah," said Benoit after Game 3, when asked if it's the biggest goal of his life. The second-biggest goal of his life? "Probably peewee or something," he added with a smile.
"It's fun. In the playoffs, it's not always the same guys. It's fun when other guys get a good goal because it's so hard to score in the playoffs, so getting that goal was pretty exciting."
'I Don't Score A Lot Of Goals': Leafs Take 3-0 Series Lead As Simon Benoit's Heroics Put Senators on the RopesKANATA, Ont. — After scoring the Toronto Maple Leafs' game-winning overtime goal against the Ottawa Senators on Thursday, Simon Benoit took the news conference podium and was asked if it was the biggest goal of his life?
What's it been like for Benoit — and his phone — throughout the days following his overtime-winning goal?
"A couple [messages], that's for sure," he laughed on Saturday morning.
"A lot of people support me, which I really appreciate, and it means a lot to me. It’s fun to see that old teammates, old coach, old friends, they still keep track of what you’re doing out there, so it’s fun."
When asked if he had a favorite message from the loads that he received, Benoit said, "They’re all good. It’s all good. All love."
Nick Cousins, Senators Issued Fines For ‘Unsportsmanlike Conduct’ In Game 3 Warmups Against Maple LeafsThe NHL has officially handed out disciplinary fines following a pre-game incident in Game 3 of the Battle of Ontario first-round playoff series between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Ottawa Senators.
The defenseman has had an interesting year, to say the least. It began with him and his girlfriend welcoming a baby daughter during training camp. A new list of responsibilities arrived, including a new sleep schedule.
Benoit's play at the beginning of this season wasn't as strong as the previous year, which helped him earn a three-year extension. However, Toronto's trust in Benoit never wavered.
"I think for me it was a long process this season. I struggled a bit at the beginning of the season. My game wasn't quite there yet, and management was good enough to just let me take my sleep back and work my way through it," said Benoit.
"And after Christmas, I think I managed all the things that were happening at home and it's the best thing that could happen for me. My baby's just fantastic, and I have a wonderful girlfriend who's at home, so it's fun."
‘She Just Looks At You, Not Really A Word For It, It’s Just Exceptional’: Maple Leafs Defenseman Simon Benoit on Having a Baby Girl, Returning To Training Camp, and Thoughts on New Oreo PartnershipBenoit returned to training camp on Friday after he and his girlfriend, Alice, welcomed their firstborn child, a little girl, into the world on Thursday.
While the biggest storyline entering Game 4 against Ottawa is Toronto having the chance to sweep the Battle of Ontario, the micro story of Benoit has been refreshing. In the playoffs, different players come up big for their team in dire moments.
For Benoit, his back-to-back overtime contributions came with some attention of the good kind.
"I’m not used to it, that’s for sure," he smiled. "But no, it’s fun. We have the greatest fans out there, so you just have to embrace it."
Game 4 goes down Saturday night inside the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa. Let's see if the Maple Leafs pounce on the chance to sweep the Senators in four games, and if there'll be another unsung hero for Toronto.
Stay updated with the most interesting Maple Leafs stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.
Golden Knights Attempt To Regain Footing In Game 4
The Vegas Golden Knights are in search of any positive outcome tonight in Game 4, looking to regain their footing and take back the momentum the Minnesota Wild have built.
In Games 2 and 3, the Golden Knights have performed considerably lower than the expectations they've set for themselves. They've allowed far too many quality chances in front of their goal, and Adin Hill has not done a good enough job of bailing them out.
In the series, Hill has posted a .825 SV% and a 3.77 GAA, simply not good enough.
Hill isn't the only Golden Knight who's underperforming in the first round. Jack Eichel and Mark Stone, two forwards who've shown on several occasions they elevate their game in the playoffs, have not recorded a point, combined for just 10 shots, and they both have a +/- rating of -5. If the duo continue to ghost through games, Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy will continue to run all over the Golden Knights and make quick work of the series.
A win today maintains home ice advantage for the Golden Knights, something they desperately need. The Wild's atmosphere is lively.
"The series isn’t over. It’s 2-1. Would you like to be up 2-1 or 3-0? Of course. Who wouldn’t? But it’s never a bad thing to go through a little adversity and work a little bit harder to get what you want. What we want is Game 4," said the Golden Knights captain.
With the experience they possess, the Golden Knights know how important the mental side of the playoffs can be. HC Bruce Cassidy has attempted to rest his players during the opening round, looking to keep their minds away from hockey. He also believes that drastically shaking up the lines would indicate panic, and at the moment, he and the Golden Knights are in the belief that there is nothing to panic over.
If the Golden Knights can be more attentive on the defensive side of the puck, get contributions from their best players, and get better performances from their No.1 goaltender, they should be heading back to Vegas with the series tied.
If they don't, Kaprizov and Boldy will continue to run rampant and take a commanding 3-1 series lead.
Stay updated with the most interesting Golden Knights stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story.
EXCLUSIVE: Former Golden Knight Marc-Andre Fleury Soaking Up Final Moments In The NHL As Wild Aim For CupLAS VEGAS -- "And now, the end is near. And so I'll face the final curtain. ... I've lived, a life that's full ... I've traveled each and every highway. And more, much more than this, I did it My Way."
Limiting Turnovers and Production From Star Players The Key To Game 3 For Golden KnightsGame 2 was an uncharacteristically bad showing for the Vegas Golden Knights, losing 5-2 to the Minnesota Wild, and they'll be looking to turn things around as they head out onto the road for Game 3.
2025 NBA Playoffs results, highlights, recap April 25 including Anthony Edwards clutch game
It was a sweep for the home teams on Friday night, 3-0.
TIMBERWOLVES 116, LAKERS 104 (Minnesota leads series 2-1)
It raised the eyebrows of some casual fans when Minnesota signed Jaden McDaniels to a five-year, $136 million extension, a deal that kicked in this season. Was he worth more than $27 million a year on average?
This is the Jaden McDaniels Minnesota hoped it was paying for. He has been the difference in this series. McDaniels had 25 points in Minnesota’s Game 1 win, and then on Friday night, he put up 30 on 13-of-22 shooting in Minnesota’s clutch win at home.
ANT & MCDANIELS STAR IN GAME 3 WIN
— NBA (@NBA) April 26, 2025
Ant: 29 PTS | 8 REB | 8 AST | 2 STL | 5 3PM
McDaniels: 30 PTS | 5 REB | 2 STL
Timberwolves take a 2-1 series lead, with a chance to go up 3-1 on Sunday, 4/27 at 3:30pm/et on ABC! pic.twitter.com/aVfNzuW3gJ
This felt like a confidence-boosting win for the Timberwolves in front of a raucous Minnesota crowd. This looks like a team starting to believe in itself. Minnesota is simply outworking Los Angeles through most of this series and did it again Friday night, including running past the Lakers for 21 fast-break points (and a lot of other early offense). Minnesota is capable of playing some incredible high-level basketball — something we have seen dating back to last year, before the Karl-Anthony Towns trade — but it doesn’t do it consistently.
Did Game 3 — and the 13-1 run to close the game — change that? They sound like a team that believes in itself. However, the real test is Sunday: Can they come out and take Game 4 against a desperate Lakers team, taking total control of the series?
The best adjustment J.J. Redick can make before Game 4? Get Luka Doncic healthy. A great LeBron James game — which we got Friday with 38 points — will not be enough.
MAGIC 95, CELTICS 93 (Boston leads series 2-1)
While the focus in this series has been on Orlando’s physicality and how far it goes, Boston had been able to execute well enough against it to pick up a couple of wins at home.
That flipped Friday night in Orlando — the Magic were a little more desperate and Boston got a little sloppy with the ball. The Celtics had 21 turnovers on the night, and while some of those were instances like Payton Pritchard having the ball stolen in the backcourt, there were a couple of 24-second violations and a lot of offensive fouls.
At the same time, the Magic fixed another of their problems on the court: The third quarter. They had been outscored by 19 in the third in the first two games in Boston, and that’s where things tended to get away from them. Not in Game 3 at home. Orlando opened the third quarter on a 14-0 run, retook the lead, and changed the dynamic of the game.
ORLANDO'S STAR DUO SHOWED OUT IN GAME 3
— NBA (@NBA) April 26, 2025
Franz: 32 PTS | 7 REB | 8 AST | 2 STL
Paolo: 29 PTS | 6 REB | 2 STL
Magic get the win and have a chance to tie the series in Game 4! pic.twitter.com/shhjhDJJHN
The Magic’s depth also showed out, with things like good play off the bench from Anthony Black.
BUCKS 117, PACERS 101 (Indiana leads series 2-1)
Doc Rivers made his big change, moving Gary Trent Jr. into the starting lineup.
Well, that couldn’t have worked any better.
GARY TRENT JR. WAS SCORCHING FROM DISTANCE IN GAME 3!
— NBA (@NBA) April 26, 2025
37 PTS
9 3PM
4 STL
It ties the Bucks franchise record for MOST 3PM in a playoff game...
AND the Bucks get the win! #NBAPlayoffs presented by Google pic.twitter.com/WRQPjed5eO
Trent’s nine 3-pointers tied Ray Allen for the franchise record for most in a postseason game. It was Trent — along with Giannis Antetokounmpo, who also scored 37 — who sparked the Bucks’ third-quarter comeback and kept their season alive.
Game 4 becomes huge in this series. Can the Bucks get stops again when they need them? Can the Bucks get someone to step up and help Antetokounmpo again? If not, if the Pacers score their way to a 3-1 series lead, this is over.
Rockets coach Udoka calls out Warriors fans before Game 3 in Bay
Rockets coach Udoka calls out Warriors fans before Game 3 in Bay originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Shots fired.
As expected, there has been no shortage of fireworks between the Warriors and Houston Rockets in their first-round NBA playoff series, with plenty of chatter between the teams and their fanbases.
But Rockets coach Ime Udoka clearly believes Dub Nation only feels comfortable talking trash online, as he said in his pregame press conference at Chase Center before Game 3 on Saturday.
“Very pleasant,” Udoka said with a smile when NBC Sports Bay Area’s Kerith Burke asked about exchanges with Warriors fans who recognized him during his walks outside the Rockets’ hotel in San Francisco. “… Wherever you go, you might have hostility online and all this, but in person, nobody says anything. You’re not as brave in person.”
After Golden State’s Game 1 win, Houston came out with a physical approach in its Game 2 victory, which led to Jimmy Butler’s pelvic injury that will keep him out of Game 3. During that game, Udoka was heard on a hot mic telling the Rockets’ bench, “Don’t worry, they’re [the refs] not going to call anything, play through it,” and guard Fred VanFleet reportedly told Draymond Green the Warriors “better pray Jimmy’s back.”
Always-candid Rockets forward Dillon Brooks also told reporters Green was “dirty” and to blame for Butler’s injury — a sentiment coach Steve Kerr later called “interesting” — while many Warriors fans have pointed the finger at Houston forward Amen Thompson for crashing into Butler on the play. The entire situation played out during a game where Rockets fans chanted “F–k you, Draymond” in Houston.
It’s safe to say there’s no love lost between the Warriors and Rockets in the high-stakes matchup. And that goes for the fans, too — who now might be more inclined to give Udoka a piece of their mind if they run into him in the Bay.
The Montreal Canadiens Tapped Into Their Unique Mystique Again In Game 3. How Long Can They Ride The Wave?
Home-ice advantage is a powerful force in the National Hockey League, and no home rink holds more magic than the Bell Centre. So, even though the Montreal Canadiens are locked into a tough 1-vs-8 matchup against the Washington Capitals, it should be no surprise that their first playoff game on home ice since the 2021 Stanley Cup Final was a well-earned 6-3 win.
The Habs will have the opportunity to tie their best-of-seven series 2-2 in Game 4 on Sunday (6:30 p.m. ET).
But on Friday, the fans, as always, brought it.
MONTREAL WENT WILD AFTER SUZUKI’S GOAL 🔊 pic.twitter.com/LfR7k1lrlR
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 26, 2025
On the ice, Montreal held a 40-21 edge in shots, won 53.7 percent of the face-offs, out-hit the Capitals 45-26, went 2-for-5 on the power play, perfect on the penalty kill and controlled 66.15 percent of expected goals at 5-on-5, per Natural Stat Trick.
The Canadiens didn’t even get rattled when Sam Montembeault, who was arguably their MVP through the first two games of the series, departed abruptly just after the midpoint of the game, with the score tied 2-2.
Cole Caufield put Montreal back in the lead with nine seconds left in the middle frame, and after Alex Ovechkin drew the Capitals level early in the third, the Canadiens scored three more times to salt away the win. Christian Dvorak’s second of the series stood up as the game-winner, and Juraj Slafkovsky’s first-ever playoff goal came on the same play that forced Logan Thompson to leave the Washington crease after he was run into by his teammate, Dylan Strome.
The Capitals have had a storybook season of their own, and Ovechkin has his own unique superpowers. But the seed of doubt has now been planted in this series.
Early in Ovechkin’s career, the Capitals had a reputation for failing to rise to the occasion. While that narrative disappeared when they broke through with their Stanley Cup win in 2018, the Canadiens have a knack for winning, even when they have no business doing so.
The Canadiens’ 23 Cups in the NHL era since 1917 dwarf every other franchise. The Toronto Maple Leafs are second with 13, and the Detroit Red Wings are the only other team in double digits (11).
And while their dynasties from 1956-1960 and 1976-1979 loom the largest in their history, today’s Habs share more DNA with the group that won Canada’s last Stanley Cup, in 1993, and the one that went to the Stanley Cup Final in 2021.
That team earned a strong 102 points in 84 games, in the era before overtime, but still finished third in the top-heavy Adams division behind the Boston Bruins and Quebec Nordiques.
The Canadiens started the playoffs on the road in Quebec City and needed two overtime wins to take the Battle of Quebec in six games. Regaining home ice for the division final, they won three more games in sudden death to sweep the Buffalo Sabres.
Then, against the New York Islanders, they added two more overtime wins — including one in double OT — to claim the Prince of Wales Trophy. Finally, they took down Wayne Gretzky’s Los Angeles Kings in five games to claim the Cup on home ice at the Montreal Forum, winning three more overtime games along the way.
It takes a certain swagger to win 10 of your 16 playoff victories in extra time, and that record still stands today. No other team has ever had more than seven.
But the 2020-21 Canadiens had six — and also manufactured a run to the Stanley Cup Final seemingly out of nowhere.
It feels like way more than four years have passed since the shortened 56-game campaign, when the Canadiens replaced Claude Julien with Dominique Ducharme one-third of the way through, then rode a fourth-place finish in the Scotia North Division past the Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets and Vegas Golden Knights before falling to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Today’s Canadiens are a young group. But Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Joel Armia, Brendan Gallagher and Josh Anderson were all part of that run in 2021. They would have learned plenty along the way.
The Canadiens also have a history of unproven netminders stepping up at playoff time — whether that was Ken Dryden in 1971, fresh out of college, or 21-year-old rookie Patrick Roy in 1986.
Will that turn out to be Montembeault, a native son like Roy? Or will upstart Jakub Dobes seize the reins and stir up 50-year-old memories of Dryden’s early heroics?
The ghosts may have rattled their chains louder at the old Montreal Forum, but they’re still watching over the Habs at the Bell Centre. With their support and with the Canadiens’ true-blue fans in full voice, don’t be surprised if the team delivers another magical memory on Sunday.
Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.
Sasha Barkov will play Game 3 against Tampa Bay
The Florida Panthers will have a full roster for Game 3 against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Panthers Captain Sasha Barkov was on the ice for pregame warmups and will be in the lineup after being deemed a game-time decision by Head Coach Paul Maurice.
Barkov left Game 2 in Tampa midway through the third period after taking an illegal hit from Lightning forward Brandon Hagel, who was given a five-minute major for interference.
Hagel has since been suspended for Game 3 by the NHL Department of Player Safety as a result of the hit, and it was unknown whether Barkov would be able to play.
Well, now we know that Barkov is good to go.
He'll skate on the Panthers top line, flanked by Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Reinhart.
Florida will also welcome defenseman Aaron Ekbald back into the lineup after the top pairing defenseman finished serving a 20-game suspension for violating the terms of the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program.
Here is how the Panthers lined up during pregame warmups:
Carter Verhaeghe – Sasha Barkov – Sam Reinhart
Evan Rodrigues – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk
Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Brad Marchand
Jesper Boqvist – Nico Sturm – Mackie Samoskevich
Gus Forsling – Aaron Ekblad
Niko Mikkola – Seth Jones
Nate Schmidt – Dmitry Kulikov
LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA
Ekblad set to return, Hagel suspended as Panthers seek to take stranglehold on series with Tampa Bay
Panthers' Nate Schmidt Ties NHL Record With Hot Playoff Start
The Hockey Show: Playoff madness with Adnan Virk, including reaction to Hagel hit on Barkov
Sasha Barkov status for Game 3 remains unknown following illegal hit from Brandon Hagel
Sergei Bobrovsky locked back into playoff-mode, providing elite goaltending for Panthers