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Kornet helps save Celtics' season with career night in Game 5

Kornet helps save Celtics' season with career night in Game 5 originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

BOSTON — The dogs were barking all night at TD Garden during the Boston Celtics’ season-saving Game 5 win over the New York Knicks.

While Derrick White (34 points) and Jaylen Brown (26 points) led the Jayson Tatum-less C’s in the scoring column, Luke Kornet was the difference-maker in Wednesday’s 127-102 rout. The big man recorded 10 points, nine rebounds, and a career-high seven blocks in 26 minutes off the bench.

“He was great. Just both ends of the floor,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. “His presence was good… He made some big-time plays for us.”

The Celtics took control of Game 5 in the third quarter, outscoring the Knicks 32-17 after being tied at the half. It’s no coincidence that Boston’s dominance began when Kornet replaced Kristaps Porzingis.

Porzingis, who started in Tatum’s place despite an ongoing battle with a mysterious illness, struggled mightily in his 12 minutes. He logged only one point and was a -12, making him the only Celtic to finish in the negatives.

According to Mazzulla, Porzingis didn’t play in the second half because he had difficulty breathing. The setback is concerning for the already shorthanded Celtics, but it opened the door for Kornet to give Boston a much-needed spark with its season at stake.

“He was unbelievable,” White said of Kornet. “He came in and just seemed to always be in the right position. “Seven blocks is crazy. He was unbelievable tonight and stepped up when we needed him.

“Yeah, I was barking with him,” White added. “It’s just fun seeing him do that.”

It was more than just a career night for Kornet. The 29-year-old made NBA history, becoming the first player with at least 10 points, nine rebounds, seven blocks, and a perfect shooting performance (5-5 FG) in a playoff game. Anthony Davis (2023), Robert Williams (2022), and Draymond Green (2016) are the only other players to notch at least 10 points, nine boards, and seven blocks in a postseason game in the last 10 years.

“Luke was huge tonight, defensively and offensively,” Brown said. “He was stellar, and that’s the type of performance we need in the playoffs.”

After the win, Kornet credited Brown and veteran big man Al Horford with helping the team reset after Tatum’s Achilles tear.

“Understanding the situation and understanding that we have a game to play, and to go out and represent ourselves well and play hard,” he said. “I feel like those two led the way in that.”

Winning the final two games of this Eastern Conference semifinals series without Tatum is a tall task, never mind making it through another two rounds. But if Kornet continues to provide a significant boost, and both White and Brown step up in starring roles, the reigning champions can’t be counted out.

With Porzingis’ status uncertain, Kornet will likely be asked to give the C’s more big minutes in Friday’s do-or-die Game 6 at Madison Square Garden. Coverage for the matchup begins at 7 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Boston with Celtics Pregame Live.

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Aaron Judge, Paul Goldschmidt belt late home runs in Yankees' 3-2 comeback win over Mariners

Paul Goldschmidt hit a home run to lead off the seventh and Aaron Judge a homer to lead off the eighth as the Yankees completed a comeback win over the Mariners, 3-2, on Wednesday afternoon in Seattle. 

New York improved to 25-18 on the year and took two out of three in Seattle (23-19).

Here are the takeaways...

- The Yanks got traffic on Mariners starter Luis Castillo with a Judge single and Cody Bellinger double with two down in the first and a pair of singles in the third. But New York would strand all four runners as the Seattle starter got five big strikeouts, including Judge and Bellinger in the third. 

Castillo settled into a solid groove and kept the Yanks out of creating anything until there were two outs in the fifth when Anthony Volpe cracked a double off the wall in right on a 3-2 fastball up and over the plate. Jasson Dominguez put the Yanks on the board by blistering a first-pitch double just over first baseman Rowdy Tellez's glove for an RBI double. Batting as a lefty, he took the down and in slider and rocketed 112.1 mph off the bat.

- Goldschmidt came on as a pinch-hitter to start the seventh and launched the first pitch thrown by Mariners reliever Gabe Speier to tie the game. The lefty's 94 mph fastball was in the perfect spot for Goldschmidt to turn on and drive 377 feet down the line in left (107 mph off the bat). He added a single in the ninth to finish 1-for-2 off the bench, raising his average to .346 on the year.

- Judge singled on a line drive his first time up, but went down swinging the next two times against Castillo. Carlos Vargas wasn't so lucky as his 1-1 slider went right down the plite and Judge clobbered it: 444 feet and 117.7 mph off the bat for his 15th home run and 41st RBI of the year to put the Yankees ahead for the first time of the day. With the 2-for-4 day, Judge boosted his slash line to .412/.497/.782 for a 1.279 OPS.

- Will Warren, coming off his best start of the season, looked in fine form, retiring seven of the first eight batters he faced with six strikeouts. But an error and a one-out single to right led to a third-inning mound visit from pitching coach Matt Blake. The righty got a swinging bunt for the second out, but walked the bases loaded on four straight out of the zone to the dangerous Jorge Polanco. 

Unfortunately, Julio Rodriguez laced a first-pitch sinker on the outside corner down the right field line for a two-run double on a ball that just stayed fair. Cal Releigh hit the next pitch even harder, but it just hung up on center for Trent Grisham to end the inning.

Warren found the groove again, retiring five of the next six with three more strikeouts to give him a new career-high. A two-out single by Polanco led to another visit from Blake as Rodriguez dug in. The Mariners’ star put a charge into a 3-2 sweeper that hung over the plate, but Dominguez camped under the high fly to make the catch on the warning track for a 374-foot out.

His final line: 5 innings, two runs (both unearned), three hits, one walk, one HBP, and nine strikeouts on 92 pitches (53 strikes).

- Out of the bullpen, Tyler Matzek put himself in a spot of bother, allowing a leadoff walk and a one-out four-pitch walk in the sixth. But, after Blake paid a visit, the lefty got Leody Taveras swinging before Ian Hamilton closed the inning. The righty added a pair of strikeouts in a clean seventh.

Fernando Cruz, the first Yankee to pitch with a lead on the day, got the eighth, and allowed a one-out single that one-hopped the wall in right that Bellinger played well to hold Raleigh at first. And after getting ahead of Randy Arozarena 0-2, he hit him with a 2-2 sinker to put the go-ahead run on base. But, after another Blake mound visit, a first-pitch sinker to Dylan Moore resulted in a room service 6-4-3 inning-ender.

Luke Weaver, who threw 21 pitches over two innings on Tuesday night, needed just 15 to strike out the side and earn his fourth save of the season.

- DJ LeMahieu got the start at second and was charged with a throwing error in the third, but wasn’t really at fault. He threw right to the bag, but confusion between Ben Rice and Warren about who was covering led to neither catching the ball. 

He finished the day 1-for-3 with a walk.

- Grisham, who hit two homers in the first game of the series, made a bid for a leadoff shot and had it over the wall in center, but Rodriguez ranged back and, with a leap, pulled the ball back in play for a 397-foot out. (It would have been a homer in 13 ballparks, but not Yankee Stadium.) He finished the day 0-for-4 with a walk and three strikeouts.

Game MVP: Yankees pitchers

New York's quintet totaled 15 strikeouts and limited the hosts to just five hits as they went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position and left seven on base.

Highlights

What's next

The Yankees have a day off on Thursday as they get ready for a Subway Series in The Bronx against the Mets starting on Friday night.

The Yanks are set to throw Carlos Rodon, Clarke Schmidt, and Max Fried.

The boys from Queens are set to start Tylor Megill, Griffin Canning, and David Peterson.

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Mazzulla on Porzingis' early exit from Game 5: ‘He couldn't breathe'

Mazzulla on Porzingis' early exit from Game 5: ‘He couldn't breathe' originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

BOSTON — Kristaps Porzingis’ struggles to stay on the court continued Wednesday night, and it sounds like his health issues were more pronounced this time around.

The Celtics big man logged just 12 minutes in Game 5 of Boston’s second-round playoff series with the New York Knicks at TD Garden and didn’t play at all in the second half. He finished with just one point on 0 for 3 shooting with one rebound and one block.

Head coach Joe Mazzulla shared a concerning update on Porzingis when asked about the big man’s limited minutes.

“I mean, he couldn’t breathe,” Mazzulla said after Boston’s series-extending, 127-102 win. “So, he was available if absolutely necessary.”

Porzingis started the game and played 7:38 minutes in the first quarter. He was used sparingly in the second quarter, however, and came to a mutual agreement with Mazzulla at halftime.

“That was just a decision between me and him,” Mazzulla said of Porzingis’ absence in the second half. “He was having difficulties breathing. But he wanted to be out there, and if we absolutely needed him, we would have been able to go to him and rely on him.”

Porzingis’ health difficulties stem from a viral respiratory illness that forced him to miss eight consecutive games in late February and early March. According to the C’s big man, he’s still feeling the effects of that illness in the form of depleted energy and breathing issues.

“I’ve had ups and downs up until this point, and just now had a big crash,” Porzingis said after Game 2. “My energy, my everything hasn’t been good.”

Porzingis played just 13 minutes in Game 1, 14 minutes in Game 2 and 19 minutes in Game 3 before delivering his “best” performance of the series in Game 4: a seven-point, four-rebound effort in 24 minutes. It’s clear the 29-year-old is very far from full strength, however.

Fortunately for the Celtics, Kornet stepped up in a huge way in Game 5, racking up 10 points, nine rebounds and a career-high seven blocks in 25 minutes of action. Kornet’s efforts were a big reason why Boston out-rebounded the Knicks 44-40 on Wednesday night after getting killed on the glass in Game 4.

With a must-win Game 6 set for Friday night in New York, don’t be surprised if we see more of Kornet going forward, with Porzingis only being deployed on an “as needed” basis.

Tip-off for Game 6 is set for 8 p.m. ET on Friday, with NBC Sports Boston’s coverage beginning at 7 p.m. ET with Celtics Pregame Live.

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Start of Wednesday's Mets-Pirates game delayed due to inclement weather

The series finale between the Mets and the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citi Field is delayed due to inclement weather.

Originally a 7:10 p.m. start time, the Mets announced a new tentative 7:25 p.m. first pitch.

Mets starter Clay Holmes has been great in his first season as a starter in Queens, pitching to a 2.74 ERA and 1.24 WHIP in 42.2 innings over eight starts. Wednesday will be Holmes' first start on regular rest since he made the transition from closer to starter.

The Pirates are looking to salvage a game in this series, and they'll have Bailer Falter on the bump to try and do so. The left-hander has pitched to a 2-3 record and a 4.36 ERA across eight starts this season.

New York will look to sweep this series ahead of an off day on Thursday and before they start a highly-anticipated three-game set against the Yankees this weekend in The Bronx.

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Kings' Hiring Of GM Holland Another Indication Sabres Must Add Veteran Voice To Front Office

Ken Holland (left); Kris Knoblauch (right) -- (Jim Rassol, USA TODAY Sports)

As the Buffalo Sabres' off-season continues to unfold, there are many voices arguing the team should be doing what many NHL teams are doing -- namely, augmenting their front office with a veteran voice who has many years as a successful GM in hockey's top league. And the Los Angeles Kings are the latest organization to do exactly that, hiring former Detroit Red Wings and Edmonton Oilers GM Ken Holland Wednesday as the Kings' new GM. 

To be sure, Holland's incredible experience as a Stanley Cup winner and team-builder was behind L.A.'s decision to insert him as replacement for longtime GM Rob Blake. The Kings have been a solid regular-season team for many years, but Los Angeles' inability to win a playoff round in Blake's tenure led to the decision to replace him with Holland. It was time for a change for the Kings, and L.A. went with a proven winner in Holland.

And while there are no guarantees Holland will guide the Kings to playoff success, the Sabres need to heed the example set by L.A. and figure out which experienced and available management member will at the very least help current Buffalo GM Kevyn Adams, and at the very most serve as Adams' replacement if and when Sabres ownership chooses to pink-slip Adams.

Does that addition have to be Lou Lamoriello? No, not at all -- although the Sabres could do far worse than the former New Jersey, Toronto and New York Islanders GM. But certainly, bringing in someone who doesn't have any experience as an NHL GM -- we're looking at you, new Sabres management hire Eric Staal -- doesn't mean Buffalo should stop hiring management members to assist Adams.

Indeed, there's no salary cap limit on front office members, so Sabres ownership can hire as many experienced hands as they can get. And while there is such a thing as too many cooks in the kitchen, adding someone who knows the terrain of the NHL leadership landscape can only help Buffalo.

The Sabres are going to be under incredible pressure just to make the playoffs next sesaon, let alone win a round or two. So having someone on board who's handled that kind of pressure and thrived in spite of it is exactly what the doctor ordered for this franchise at this point in Buffalo's history. The Sabres need someone whose temperature won't be in fever territory when things get difficult, and that almost assuredly means they need someone who's seen just about everything there is to see as they try to construct a year-in, year-out winner. 

Staal Hired By Sabres As Special Assistant To Adams Staal Hired By Sabres As Special Assistant To Adams The Buffalo Sabres were expected to make some changes to their coaching and management staff in the wake of their 14th straight season missing the playoffs, and on Wednesday, the club announced the hiring of former Sabre Eric Staal as a special assistant to GM Kevyn Adams. 

You can argue that Adams deserves another kick at the can as Sabres GM -- and while we don't necessarily agree with that perspective, you can't convince us that Adams should be charting a course for Buffalo without the assistance and feedback of someone who's achieved something as an executive that Adams hasn't yet achieved.

Time will tell how the Sabres flesh out the rest of their management team, but one thing is for certain -- if all they do in this off-season is hire Staal to help Adams out, they haven't done nearly enough to give themselves a bona fide opportunity to finally break their now-14-year playoff drought. And the blame for that will fall squarely at the feet of Buffalo ownership.

There should be no expense too rich for the Sabres to turn things around at the management level, and hiring someone like Holland to help reverse the team's fortunes is the very least they can do. Holland's hiring in L.A. is the latest instance of an NHL team hedging their bets with a GM who's seen and done it all, and Buffalo needs someone very similar to him in order to end the playoff-free streak and get the Sabres back on the winning track.

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J.T. Miller Has No Regrets After Failing To Qualify For 2025 U.S. Open Golf Championship

Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images

J.T. Miller has a hobby outside of playing hockey and that is golf. 

With the New York Rangers not making the playoffs, Miller decided to attempt to qualify for the 2025 U.S. Open Golf Championship. 

J.T. Miller Knows Mike Sullivan Can be ‘Straightforward’ With HimJ.T. Miller Knows Mike Sullivan Can be ‘Straightforward’ With HimJ.T. Miller and Mike Sullivan might be a match made in heaven. 

Unfortunately for Miller, he did not make the cut after he finished a 4-over-par 76 in the initial round of local qualifying, falling four strokes back of the cut line in the one-day, 18-hole event at Quicksilver Golf Club.

“It was hard,” Miller said via NHL.com. “It got windy. I thought it would be harder with the rain. ... I had a month to practice. So, I felt good coming in here. Typically, it always comes down to making putts. That’s what those guys are a lot better at doing.”

Regardless of the result, Miller is still happy he at least attempted to qualify for the U.S. Open and he has no regrets.

“I had an opportunity to play for one day,” said Miller. “I know who I’m playing against out there. I’m a competitive guy, so I just kept the expectations realistic. I’m happy with myself.”

It’s safe to say Miller hopes to be competing for a Stanley Cup with the Rangers next year as opposed to playing golf. 

“The goal is not to be available to play in this,” Miller said. “Unfortunately, that’s what happens.”

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Blackhawks Are One Of Four Teams Left Without A Head Coach

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Coaching is an essential part of hockey, especially in the NHL. Every successful team has a head coach who puts his players in the best position to succeed. Right now, the Chicago Blackhawks have a vacancy in that role. 

After Anders Sorensen completed his interim head coaching stint, replacing the fired Luke Richardson, it became obvious that Kyle Davidson and his staff would conduct a widespread search for the next bench boss. 

A few high-end candidates have come and gone. David Carle, who was at the top of Chicago’s list, will remain the head coach of Denver in the college ranks. Mike Sullivan was fired by the Pittsburgh Penguins and hired by the New York Rangers just a few days later. 

On Wednesday, two more coaching vacancies filled up. Rick Tocchet, who left the Vancouver Canucks on April 29th, was hired by the Philadelphia Flyers. There had been speculation for weeks that Tocchet would go to Philly, and it finally came to fruition. 

A few hours later, the Vancouver Canucks announced that Adam Foote, their assistant coach, would take over as the bench boss in place of Tocchet. This move will be met with mixed reviews, but another team is off the market for a new coach. 

The Blackhawks are left with the Boston Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Seattle Kraken as the only teams with a hole to fill behind the bench. Of the four, the Blackhawks have the best situation in terms of prospects and draft picks to build around. 

The Bruins, Kraken, and Penguins have also all had their rumors and speculation. The Blackhawks, outside of Carle, have not. Kyle Davidson, outside of saying that Anders Sorensen is in the mix for the job, has not let anything leak. Nobody knows who he likes, who has interviewed, or has a sense of where they are in the process.

It won't be long before something happens. The dominoes are falling around the league now, and the options for candidates are dwindling. If a young team with a bright future is what an incoming coach wants, Chicago is their best bet of the four remaining. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

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What we learned as Brandin Podziemski scores 28 in Warriors' season-ending loss

What we learned as Brandin Podziemski scores 28 in Warriors' season-ending loss originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Warriors have never been swept in a playoff series with Steve Kerr as their head coach. For the first time ever, though, they lost four consecutive playoff games under him after dropping Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals, 121-110, against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night at the Target Center.

Steph Curry, because of a strained left hamstring, missed all four losses. The Warriors were 4-1 against the Timberwolves with Curry this season, and 0-5 without him. 

To keep the season alive and the remaining hopes of Curry getting another crack at this, the Warriors needed a miracle. They instead laid an egg. When the Warriors cut the lead to nine points in the fourth quarter, the Timberwolves immediately pushed it to 14 and always had an answer.

Brandin Podziemski finished on a high note with his one strong game of the conference semifinals. The second-year pro was far and away the Warriors’ best player, scoring a team-high 28 points on 11-of-19 shooting, and had six rebounds, four assists and two steals.

But the Warriors sans Curry was supposed to be about Butler, the co-star they acquired at the trade deadline. For the second straight game, Butler did not live up to his Playoff Jimmy moniker one bit. 

Butler only took 11 shots and made four on his way to 17 points, nine of which came at the free-throw line. Butler led the Warriors in rebounds (six), assists (six) and steals (three), but was a game-worst minus-17.

The two best players in the series were Timberwolves stars Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle. The duo outplayed Butler and Draymond Green. To cap it off, Randle scored a game-high 29 points, and Edwards had a 22-point, 12-assist double-double.

Minnesota’s offense found a lot of comfort in Golden State’s defense the past few games, and sliced the Warriors like melted butter to end their season. Whether it was inside the paint or behind the 3-point line, the Timberwolves like their looks. The Timberwolves shot 62.8 percent from the field and 41.9 percent from three, far better than the Warriors’ final shooting numbers of 43.3 percent overall and 28.2 on 3-pointers.

Here are three takeaways from the Warriors’ season-ending loss.

Butler’s Bad Ending

The Butler who did his best Batman impression in Game 3 was nowhere to be found in Game 4. Everybody was looking for Butler to be far more aggressive in Game 5 after battling an illness and being held to 14 points on a lowly nine shot attempts Monday night. Then he took just one shot in the first quarter and was a minus-11.

Butler began forcing his way to the free-throw line and scored six points in the second quarter, bringing him to eight points on five shot attempts and five free throw attempts. And he also was down to a game-low minus-19.

Butler never got going. He went into the fourth quarter as a minus-19 with 12 points on nine shots. He took 26 shots when he scored 33 points in Game 3, and then scored a total of 31 points on 20 shot attempts in the final two games of the season.

He wasn’t close to Batman, nor Robin, once again. Butler looked tired and helpless. Maybe his illness was that big of a factor. Maybe his pelvic contusion still is bothering him more than we know. Maybe this is who Butler is at 35 when he doesn’t have a Curry to play next to. 

Kuminga’s Up-And-Down Finish

Leaping over Randle, Jonathan Kuminga swallowed a rebound off a Jaden McDaniels missed shot, ran the floor and threw down a hammer dunk on the other side in the first quarter. That sequence right there is what the Warriors always envisioned, combining athleticism and true impact on the court. 

Kuminga, for the fourth straight game, was aggressive the moment he came off the bench. In his first stint, Kuminga played eight first-quarter minutes and scored nine points on seven shots. He was beating his man to the basket, nailed a three and had words for both Naz Reid and the Timberwolves crowd.

As the Timberwolves had three players at halftime in double figures, led by 15 points by Randle, Kumiga was the lone Warrior in the club with 11 points. That rebound in the first quarter that led to a dunk also was his only board at the time.

Though he was up to 19 points, he still only had that one rebound to his name entering the fourth quarter, which is two fewer than how many he finished with on a night where he didn’t have one assist. Kuminga tallied 26 points off the bench of 11-of-23 shooting, and in the four games without Curry, again showed he can put up points, but again, his weaknesses were exposed.

The Steph Effect

Simply said, the numbers don’t lie. The Warriors could have been contenders if Curry remained healthy. They’re not even pretenders without him, they’re an afterthought. 

It was astounding to be reminded how much Curry shifts the entire court. Curry, at 37 years old and in Year 16, completely changes an offense, as well as the mindset of the other team. As general manager Mike Dunleavy assesses his roster this offseason, the lack of scoring and shooting will have to be noted. 

The Warriors, in their four losses against the Timberwolves, shot 31.9 percent on threes, going 38 of 119. The Timberwolves made 41.9 percent of their threes in that span, making 58 and taking 136. 

Podziemski’s performance was too little, too late. His shooting in the first four games was historically bad. It’s great to end strong, but the Warriors needed more earlier.

Buddy Hield had a combined nine turnovers (four) and fouls (five) while scoring eight points in 30 minutes. The historically strong 3-point shooter missed all four attempts and was 2 of 9 from the field. Moses Moody showed fight in the fourth quarter, but he and Quinten Post were mostly out of the rotation in the most important games. 

It’s the Steph Effect, and it’s a reality check. The Warriors made the big move. They still also live and die by one player.

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Mets' David Stearns expects to see defensive improvement, talks Brett Baty's resurgence

Prior to Thursday’s series final with the Pittsburgh Pirates (weather permitting), Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns held his usual once-a-homestand news conference.

With the Mets owning a 28-15 record and holding a 2.5-game lead in the NL East, Stearns touched on the state of the team, as well as some of the organization’s top prospects.

Here’s what Stearns had to say…

On the state of the team just past the quarter-mark of the season

“I think we’re a pretty balanced team,” said Stearns. “We can always get better. We’re far from a perfect team and there are absolutely ways we can improve. I think some of that improvement comes internally. I think we can play better defense, and that’s an area where we can get better, and I think the players that we have are capable of playing better defense.

“In terms of external acquisitions, we’re always monitoring, but sometimes it takes a little bit deeper into the season to find the right fit, and I don’t see any specific glaring spot on the team right now that maybe we had last year at this time that we feel like we need to be extremely proactive about. But if there are areas where we feel like we can get better and players available, we’re certainly going to make a deal.”

On improving the team defense

“I think we have a variety of different players who are good defenders – very good defenders in certain cases – who have made some mistakes this year,” Stearns said. “That’s going to happen, and it gets magnified in smaller samples like we’ve had in the first six weeks of the season, but I would expect us to be a better defensive team over the next 4.5 months of the season than we have over the first month and a half.”

On Brett Baty’s MLB resurgence

“If you go to catch a week of Brett Baty at Syracuse, you could very easily just run into a week like we’ve just seen here in the big leagues,” said Stearns. “So why are we seeing it now at the big league level? I don’t know that I have the definite answer for that. If I had the definitive answer, we probably would have implemented that a long time ago to help get him to this point. He’s clearly seeing the ball well, he’s gotten some pitches that he can handle and he hasn’t missed them.”

On the plan for Ronny Mauricio when he completes his rehab

“Ronny continues to progress. He’s still in Double-A. We’ll get him up to Triple-A here pretty soon, and then it’s just play all three [positions] on the infield, continue to build up volume,” Stearns said. “He’s still got, I think, a little ways to go to get – he’s a healthy player, but to get back into that true baseball shape, ready to compete art a high level at the big leagues, I think we’ve still got a little bit of a ways to go. So, it’s continue to get him at-bats, continue to get him reps in the minor leagues.

“He’s a player who has options, so he’s going to stay in the minor leagues until we have a need.”

On Nolan McLean’s rise through the system

“I think the first thing with Nolan is he’s done a tremendous job in pro ball so far, and now he’s got his next challenge ahead of him, and that challenge is Triple-A,” said Stearns. “So, I’m not gonna start getting into timelines to a major league arrival quite yet. I think we’re going to let him perform at Triple-A. His first start was great, that was great to see, and looking forward to watching him continue that.”

On Matt Allan’s progress

“This is a special arm, so I think as long as he stays healthy, he’s a prospect,” said Stearns. “That’s why he was thought of as an amateur the way that he was. That’s why his draft stock was so high. That’s why this organization was so excited about him before he got hurt. So I absolutely look at him as a prospect.”

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REPORT: Golden Knights Preparing To Take The Ice For Game 5 Without Their Captain

Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mark Stone (61) during a stoppage in play against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images

The Vegas Golden Knights are preparing for a must-win Game 5 with the possibility that their captain, Mark Stone, won't be with them, according to Sin Bin Vegas.

The 33-year-old suffered an upper-body injury in Game 3 and was immediately announced day-to-day. He was a full participant in practice before Game 4 and played 21:42 of ice time. The injury has seemingly gotten worse and will force him to be out for a must-win Game 5. 

With Stone out, Cole Schwindt will likely check into the lineup as he did not stay after practice with the expected healthy scratches. If he does play, it'll be Schwindt's playoff debut. 

Brandon Saad has been nursing a lower-body injury, which has kept him out of the lineup since Game 2. 

Fortunately for the Golden Knights, Kaedan Korczak and Ben Hutton remained on the ice after practice, indicating that although Alex Pietrangelo and Brayden McNabb did not skate, they should be in line to play. 

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.

"Show up and put your best foot forward"; Golden Knights Head Into A Must Win Game 5 With A Clear MindsetIt's been a poor display by the Vegas Golden Knights in the second round of the playoffs, and now they find themselves on the brink of elimination, trailing the Edmonton Oilers 3-1 in the series.
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Towering Utah Defenceman Would Be Ideal Senators Trade Target

Injuries to Artem Zub and Nick Jensen highlighted the Ottawa Senators' need for greater quality of depth on the right side throughout the 2024-25 season.

Utah Mammoth defenseman Michael Kesselring (7) plays the puck during the second period against the Seattle Kraken (Steven Bisig-Imagn Images).

Their absences created opportunity, and to his credit, Nik Matinpalo parlayed his emergence as a credible depth option into a two-year, one-way extension carrying an average annual value of $875,000.

Despite the 26-year-old Finn's arrival, the reluctance of the coaching staff to move Matinpalo off the third pairing when faced with injuries underscores the necessity of finding better quality of depth. It is essential with the uncertainty of Jensen's recovery and timetable from his undisclosed lower-body injury and the impact it may have on his offseason.

Bookmark The Hockey News Ottawa and never miss the latest Senators news, interviews, columns, features and more. 

General manager Steve Staios discussed Jensen's injury at his end-of-the-season media availability before acknowledging that it could influence his decision to address the right defence position this offseason.

"I can tell you that just about every one of our players was dealing with something when you play as hard as they did," the general manager stated. "The commitment they've shown, they played through a lot, including Nick. He's an absolute warrior to continue to perform at a level with what he was dealing with.

"It's the character of the individual Nick, but all of them. I'm not going to come out with any list and speak specifically to injuries. But, he will get re-evaluated, and if it is something significant, that's definitely an area to to look at. We have some players coming up, but that'll be an area to look at for sure."

Should the Senators' front office look to add another quality defenceman, the free agent options will be limited.

The Florida Panthers' Aaron Ekblad headlines the class, but the relatively weak crop of free agents means his combination of age (29) and championship pedigree will make him highly sought after. The demand for him will drive his cost, likely pricing him out of the Senators' range, assuming he would be interested in coming to this market in the first place.

Another unrestricted free agent who will likely command some decent money coming off a strong season in Columbus is Dante Fabbro. The 26-year-old rearguard had his best season in the NHL, recording nine goals and 26 points in 62 games for the Blue Jackets.

As one of the youngest players on the free agent market, that consideration alone will afford Fabbro a real opportunity to earn a significant raise on this season's $2.5 million salary.

Regarding the Senators, I do not see a fit for Fabbro. Most of his value is tied to his puck-moving and offensive abilities, and with the presence of Thomas Chabot, Jake Sanderson and Nick Jensen, the Senators already have several of these types.

Adding size, physicality, and defensive aptitude to their top four should be the preferred route. A free agent like Nick Perbix could make more sense, but the risk is that he predominantly played a third-pairing role on an excellent Lightning team. HockeyViz's data show that his minor isolated impacts suggest he's closer to a league-average player than not, so the risk is overpaying for a defenceman who could be worse playing an elevated role on a weaker team.

The rest of the unrestricted free agent options are underwhelming, which will pressure the Senators to make a trade and fill that void.

Local talent Mackenzie Weegar would be a pipe dream if the Senators could pry him out of Calgary, but a Flames defenceman they should avoid is Rasmus Andersson. The 28-year-old Swede will enter the 2025-26 season in the final year of his six-year contract, carrying a $4.55 million cap hit.

Calgary is known for its 'Sea of Red', but a close inspection of Andersson's underlying metrics reveals its own sea of red.

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Andersson played with a broken fibula down the stretch last season, which would have explained his horrendous metrics, but Andersson's defensive metrics have cratered in recent seasons. Evolving-Hockey's 'total defence' metric (DEF) combines all of a player's defensive contributions at five-on-five and shorthanded into a single value. This proprietary metric shows that Andersson has not created positive defensive value since the 2021-22 season.

His performance while playing hurt could help the Senators buy low, but if Andersson's defensive metrics continue to suffer, it would put the team in a difficult position. The Senators already have one of the thinnest farm systems in the league, so they can ill afford to trade prospect capital or valuable draft currency for a player who will not address a need.

If the Senators are going to move that capital, they would be better suited moving picks for more predictable veterans like Connor Murphy or Andrew Peeke. Alternatively, they could target younger options who could grow with this core, like Simon Nemec or a Jordan Spence (who, admittedly, is a smaller puck-moving type who relies on skating and his stick to defend well).

While researching prospective defencemen to target, one of the things that struck me was how many organizations are willing to use defencemen on their off-side. One solution for the Senators could be to use Tyler Kleven in this capacity, freeing them from using resources to bring in a top-four defenceman.

Kleven has experience playing his off-side from his time at the University of North Dakota. The maturation and growth that he displayed down the stretch and into the postseason was remarkable. He was already one of the team's best defenders, but watching his poise and play with the puck improve markedly leaves me wondering whether or not he could thrive in this role if given the opportunity.

The Senators could elevate Kleven and sign an excellent defender like Jon Merrill, giving the Senators three strong pairings.

If the Senators elect to acquire a right-shot defenceman, however, there is an option that they should consider pursuing.

Why 2024-25 Was The Best Season Yet For Senators Centre Tim StützleWhy 2024-25 Was The Best Season Yet For Senators Centre Tim StützleOttawa Senators centre Tim Stützle just enjoyed the best season of his NHL career.

If you are a regular viewer of the 'Coming in Hot Podcast' and saw yesterday's episode, you will have seen me mention the name of Michael Kesselring.

The 25-year-old right-shot defenceman stands at 6'5" and 216 lbs. He registered seven goals and 29 points in 82 games while averaging 17:41 of ice time per game. Kesselring finished tied for 32nd amongst NHL defencemen in blocked shots with 124 while tying for 69th in hits with 87.

His most iconic NHL moment occurred during a tilt in which the Maple Leafs' Simon Benoit attempted a Superman punch, but Kesselring possesses a nice mix of traditional hockey stats and analytics.

Although he played almost exclusively with noted analytics darling and legendary Senators defenceman Ian Cole, Kesselring's defensive numbers were strong.

When Kesselring was on the ice at five-on-five, Utah generated 53.91 percent of shots (CF%), 53.79 percent of the shots on goal (SF%), 56.47 percent of the goals (GF%), and 54.05 percent of the expected goals (xGF%) per NaturalStatTrick.

According to HockeyViz's data, Utah was a stronger defensive team with Kesselring on the ice than off it.

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Evolving-Hockey's data substantiate Kesselring's defensive gains. According to their DEF metric, Kesselring posted his first positive season of defensive value, accumulating the second-highest DEF among Utah's regular defencemen behind Olli Maata.

Advanced Hockey Stats also recognized his defensive improvements.

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Kesselring is entering the last year of his two-year contract, worth a real and average annual value of $1.4 million. He has one year left of restricted free agent status before he can become an unrestricted free agent, meaning, he should have some negotiating leverage on his next deal.

It may also represent the last opportunity to acquire Kesselring before his value and price tag go up significantly.

If the belief is that his offensive value can be preserved while his defensive aptitude continues to trend up, he could be an interesting target for consideration.

Given the alternatives, it may not be a bad bet. 

Graeme Nichols
The Hockey News Ottawa

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Warriors' 2024-25 season comes crashing down with Game 5 loss to Timberwolves

Warriors' 2024-25 season comes crashing down with Game 5 loss to Timberwolves originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

All Steph Curry could do was watch from the bench as the Warriors’ 2024-25 NBA season ended with a thud.

The Warriors couldn’t extend their season, losing 121-110 to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals on Wednesday night at Target Center.

Brandin Podziemski led the way with 28, while Jonathan Kuminga scored 26 points off the bench and Jimmy Butler added 17. Draymond Green finished with 10 points, six rebounds and six assists in the loss.

All five Timberwolves starters scored in double figures, led by Julius Randle’s 29 and Anthony Edwards’ 22.

A once-promising NBA playoff run came crashing down when Curry sustained a Grade 1 left hamstring strain in the Warriors’ Game 1 win over the Timberwolves, and Golden State never recovered.

Green, Butler and Kuminga tried to hold down the fort without Curry, but their best efforts weren’t enough.

Kuminga was the breakout star for the Warriors, scoring at least 18 points in each of the four games without Curry.

But the Timberwolves won all four games Curry missed, including Games 3 and 4 at Chase Center, before closing out the series at home.

While the Timberwolves advance to their second consecutive Western Conference finals, the Warriors head into an important offseason.

Butler, the Warriors’ massive NBA trade deadline acquisition, fit in well with Curry, Green and Co. But now, general manager Mike Dunleavy must figure out which pieces fit with the aging superstars.

Dunleavy also has to decide if Kuminga, a soon-to-be restricted free agent, still fits with the Warriors, or if it’s best for the sides to move in different directions.

The Warriors had championship aspirations after acquiring Butler from the Miami Heat, and they closed the regular season on a 23-8 run after the six-time NBA All-Star joined the lineup on Feb. 8.

Golden State made a late push for a top-six seed but lost the regular-season finale to the Los Angeles Clippers, meaning it had to get out of the Western Conference play-in tournament to make the playoffs.

The Warriors beat the Memphis Grizzlies to secure the No. 7 seed and a showdown with the No. 2-seeded Houston Rockets.

Golden State built a 3-1 series lead but lost Games 5 and 6, setting up a winner-take-all Game 7 in Houston. Buddy Hield was the unlikely hero, scoring 33 points to lift the Warriors to a thrilling win.

The Warriors carried that momentum over into Game 1 against the Timberwolves, stealing the series opener at Target Center even as Curry exited in the first half.

But without Curry, the Warriors didn’t have enough offensive firepower to keep up with the hungry Timberwolves.

A helpless Curry sat on the bench in disbelief that a golden opportunity to get to the Western Conference finals slipped away, all because of the first hamstring injury of his 16-year NBA career.

Curry, Green and coach Steve Kerr might have one last chance next season to win a fifth NBA title during this dynastic run.

The process to get back to the NBA mountaintop begins now.

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