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‘That Was Kind Of My Era Of Hockey’: Scott Laughton Ready To Write His Own Chapter With Maple Leafs In Battle Of Ontario Revival

Mar 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Scott Laughton (24) warms up prior to the game against the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Scott Laughton is ready for the revival of the Battle of Ontario. 

It’s been more than two decades since the last playoff matchup between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Ottawa Senators, and for Laughton, it’s a chance to step into the rivalry he grew up watching. 

"I watched the highlight pack yesterday. I remember watching guys like Darcy Tucker, Shayne Corson and all those guys. That was kind of my era of hockey, and I thought it was the best era of hockey. It was amazing, so really excited to get going,” said Laughton post-game on Thursday. 

Originally from Oakville, Ont., Laughton watched the Leafs defeat the Senators four consecutive postseasons in a row from 2000-04. Now, he’ll be on the ice for the first playoff Battle of Ontario in 21 years.

'It's Going To Be An Absolute War': Maple Leafs Prepare For Intense Battle Of Ontario Playoffs Series Against Senators 'It's Going To Be An Absolute War': Maple Leafs Prepare For Intense Battle Of Ontario Playoffs Series Against Senators John Tavares has fond memories of watching the Toronto Maple Leafs take on the Ottawa Senators in the early 2000s.  

The Maple Leafs clinched the Atlantic Division title on Tuesday night with a 4-0 win over the Buffalo Sabres, locking in a first-round series against Ottawa and home-ice advantage. The best-of-seven begins Sunday night in Toronto, and for Laughton, it couldn’t come at a better time for the 30-year-old.

"You see the buzz and how much people care here, and that’s what you want in a franchise and to go to battle for. So, yeah, it’s an exciting time. I haven’t played playoff hockey in a while, this is big for me," said Laughton. 

Maple Leafs' First-Round Playoff Scheduled Against Senators RevealedMaple Leafs' First-Round Playoff Scheduled Against Senators RevealedThe first Battle of Ontario in the postseason since 2004 will begin on Sunday in Toronto.

Laughton’s last playoff appearance came during the 2019-20 shortened season with the Philadelphia Flyers, where he posted five goals, four assists, and nine points in 15 games. In total, he’s played in 24 career postseason games, all with the Flyers, putting up six goals and 10 points across three separate Stanley Cup Playoff runs.

This year, after arriving in Toronto via trade on March 7, Laughton has been working to find his footing. His numbers don’t jump off the page with two goals and two assists in 20 games, but his play has started to come around at just the right time. He finished the regular season on a two-game point streak, including an assist in Tuesday’s division-clinching win and an overtime game-winner against the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday.

“Before, if you go back to three games now, I think he's really come around for us,” head coach Craig Berube explained after the win. “I thought in Buffalo he was excellent, but before that, he was even playing good hockey. Got some chemistry going with those guys. Starting to feel a lot more comfortable. I was happy for him to get that goal in OT. Obviously, if you score a goal, you feel good about yourself. But it's not the goal so much as how he's playing the game.”

‘He’s Overthinking Things Instead Of Just Playing’: Scott Laughton Remains Pointless With Maple Leafs, Craig Berube Urges Forward To ‘Loosen Up’‘He’s Overthinking Things Instead Of Just Playing’: Scott Laughton Remains Pointless With Maple Leafs, Craig Berube Urges Forward To ‘Loosen Up’The Toronto Maple Leafs have begun to find their stride, securing back-to-back victories over the Calgary Flames and the Colorado Avalanche. However, one player in particular remains stuck in a slump – newly acquired Scott Laughton, who has yet to register a point in six games with the Leafs and continues to struggle to find his place in his hometown.

With the Leafs resting their normal starters in the extra frame, Laughton took advantage of the opportunity.

“I let them know that I was ready,” said Laughton of his overtime goal.

It’s exactly the kind of confidence and momentum the Leafs are hoping carries over into the postseason – and the vision they had when they acquired the 12-year NHL veteran.

Toronto closed out the regular season with five straight wins, including Thursday’s 4-3 comeback victory against Detroit after trailing 3-1 in the third period. They finished with 108 points, fourth-most in the NHL.

“It was nice, I think, to get out in overtime and the season on a high note, I think, is big. We found a way to come back, Taney scores us a big one, and we found a way. So now the real fun starts, and it's exciting to get some rest here and get prepared for a really good series,” said Laughton.

For Laughton, who hasn’t had many chances to chase a Stanley Cup, this is a golden opportunity. Now playing for his hometown Maple Leafs, the forward has the chance to write his own chapter.

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Mets’ Griffin Canning sees ‘blueprint’ for success in win over Cardinals

Two days after an illness meant he would miss his normal day in the rotation and sent the Mets’ front office scrambling through a series of roster moves, Griffin Canning made St. Louis Cardinals batters sick for six innings in New York’s 4-1 win Thursday night at Citi Field.

“I feel like tonight is kind of the blueprint,” Canning said after allowing one run on three hits over six innings while striking out eight. “Tonight is how I want to pitch.”

Canning finished his outing retiring nine-straight Cardinals, including five going down swinging.

“I thought the slider was good again today, the way he uses both slider-changeup, but the fastball at the top of the zone to finish off hitters,” manager Carlos Mendoza said, adding it was “hundred percent” the best he’s seen Canning’s four-seamer.

“He executed well,” the skipper said of the heater. “It was high enough to get by the hitters. Good carry, good velo, and used it effectively.”

Canning threw his fastball 45 times out of 102 pitches, and got seven whiffs and eight called strikes. The right-hander said he noticed the Cardinals’ lefties were “a hundred percent selling out for the changeup” early in the game and adjusted to get on the same page with Luis Torrens behind the plate.

“Just kinda felt like they were sitting off-speed,” he said. “Felt like the fastball had pretty good life, rolling what was working and on the same page as Luis back there.”

Mendoza remembered facing Canning last year and that the right-hander really liked his fastball. The plan against him was to “take away his fastball, knowing that the secondary pitches were really, really good.”

The biggest difference this season?

“The biggest adjustment is how he’s using his arsenal,” the manager said. “He’s getting ahead with a lot of different pitches, whether it’s the slider, the changeup. Using the fastball effectively. On hitters’ counts, he’s not just throwing four-seam fastballs there. He’s using all of his pitches. 

“... and when he’s ahead, he’s sneaking fastballs by hitters. I think it’s an adjustment, and I think he’s got the ability to read the situation and read the lineups and hitters are trying to do to him.”

Of course, the slider was quite good as he got six whiffs, five called strikes, and six foul balls from his 27 offerings. 

Canning, while leaning heavily on his big three pitches, noted he threw a few cutters to left-handed batters late in the game and five curveballs, after only throwing two in previous outings.

“The hitters are good, they’re gonna go into a game watching video and having an approach against me,” he said. “Being able to throw something in that’s a little different speed, little different look kinda helps me in the long run.”

The long run was something the Mets were hoping to get from Canning in Thursday’s start, with the bullpen thin after Huascar Brazobán was used as an opener and Justin Hagenman was called up for his MLB debut in Wednesday’s extra-inning loss at Minnesota. 

“We needed at least five from him,” Mendoza said, adding that while they “felt good about him taking the ball,” they would be watching him closely because “he was weak a couple of days ago.”

Canning spared everyone the details of the illness, just saying with a broad smile, “I just didn’t feel very good.” And after a pair of walks in the fourth and a run in the third, he settled into things, retiring six straight batters to get him to 84 pitches through those five innings.

“Watching him go out there and continue to execute pitches, hold the velo. He wasn’t missing his spots. Good outing by him,” Mendoza said.

Mendoza had Reed Garrett ready in the sixth if Canning got into any trouble, but after a nine-pitch strikeout started the frame, a pair of groundouts got him to a quality start and bridged the gap to the back-end of the Mets bullpen, who slammed the door shut.

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Mets' Jeff McNeil plays six innings in center field for Single-A St. Lucie

Jeff McNeil continued his rehab with the Mets' Single-A affiliate down in Port St. Lucie, but Thursday saw him start in center field.

With Jose Siri down for weeks due to a leg injury, the Mets are trying to figure out who can play center field alongside Tyrone Taylor, and they are trying to give McNeil a look at the position.

In his first crack at center field on Thursday, McNeil was good, making all his plays and even making a running grab. The only ding on McNeil's start was that he went 0-for-3 at the plate, and is not 3-for-11 in four games, but he completed six innings in center field, which should be encouraging for the Mets.

Manager Carlos Mendoza has given a few names as center field options moving forward. In addition to Taylor, Brandon Nimmo was named and the veteran outfielder is open to making the change from left field to help the team out.

"I'll play wherever they want me to. If that requires center field, then that's where I'll be," Nimmo said Wednesday. "We’ll see how they want to write things up as we move forward."

Luisangel Acuña is also a candidate, but while the young infielder has some experience in center down in the minors -- 31 games in 2024 -- it's not his natural position and he'll need reps in the majors. But the Mets are prepping Acuña for the task.

"We are preparing Acuña for a potential start if we need him to," Mendoza said on Thursday. "He's playing well. He's earning opportunities here."

The team also brought in José Azócar on Thursday, so they'll have another outfield option if they choose to go that way, but when McNeil returns from his injury, is when Mendoza and the rest of the organization will have decisions to make.

McNeil has made three appearances (two starts) in center field in his big league career. All those times in center came in 2023 when he had six chances and made six putouts.



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Penguins End Season On High Note, Defeat Caps, 5-2

Apr 17, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) reacts with center Connor Dewar (19) after Crosby scored a goal against the Washington Capitals during the second period at PPG Paints Arena. (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)

It's difficult to imagine a more fitting end to the 2024-25 season - and any season, really - than one last matchup between Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin.

That's what happened in the Pittsburgh Penguins' final game of the season on Thursday, and Crosby's team came ready to play.

The Penguins defeated the first-place Washington Capitals, 5-2, in yet another contest that saw Crosby and Ovechkin each light the lamp. Bryan Rust also hit the 30-goal plateau for the first time in his NHL career, and he had two tallies on the evening.

The rivalry between these two teams, and two all-time greats, never gets old. Even though the teams will part ways in much different directions - the Penguins will get an early start to their summer and the Capitals are bound for a first-round matchup against the Montreal Canadiens in the Stanley Cup playoffs - it's still a sight to behold two decades later.

"It's cool," Rust said. "Two guys who, from my point of view, almost saved the league. It was in not the greatest spot 20 years ago, and these two guys - these two young bucks - came into the league and took it by storm. Two high-character guys who have only gotten better and shown that they're the best of their generation, if not two of the best players of all time.

"Seeing them on the ice tonight after two huge milestones for each of them this year... I think it's really cool, and the hockey geek in me was really excited to be a part of that."

The game got off to a good start for Washington, as forward Connor McMichael potted his 26th goal of the season just four minutes into the game. But Rust responded with this 30th goal just 46 seconds later off a feed from Ville Koivunen, and the 1-1 tie was taken into first intermission.

Pittsburgh received a power play a little more than six minutes into the second period, when Capitals forward Andrew Mangiapane went off for holding the stick. Rust struck again, this time on a ridiculous no-look backhand feed from Crosby cross-crease. That point secured the sixth 90-point season of Crosby's career.

Apr 17, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Washington Capitals right wing Tom Wilson (43) and Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) share a laugh during the first period at PPG Paints Arena. (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)

A few minutes later, Crosby added a goal of his own, going to one knee in his office just below the right circle to snipe home a feed from Philip Tomasino to make it 3-1 Penguins.

Then, just as Crosby scored a signature goal, Ovechkin followed it up with one of his own on the power play, which came in the form of a heavy one-timer from the top of the left circle to cut the Penguins' lead to 3-2.

But Pittsburgh completely took over in the third period, getting tallies from Danton Heinen - his first this season as a Penguin - just as shorthanded time expired and from Tomasino just 15 seconds later. 

It was a great team effort from top to bottom, but - although they will end the season on a high note - it doesn't make it any less disappointing that they won't be suiting up for the playoffs along with the Capitals.

"We kind of know that we should have won a lot more games earlier in the year," Rust said. "Which is, kind of, a tougher pill to swallow that if we would've played a little but more like this through the first large part of the year, maybe we'd be playing on Saturday, Sunday, Monday, whatever it is. But, unfortunately, we didn't."

Like Ovechkin's Capitals, Penguins Owe It To Crosby To Right The ShipLike Ovechkin's Capitals, Penguins Owe It To Crosby To Right The ShipOn Sunday, the hockey world got to witness Alexander Ovechkin - The Great “8” - surpass The Great “One” for the most goals in NHL history.

Here are some notes and observations from the final game of 2024-25:

- It's really a great thing to see Rust hit the 30-goal mark, Rickard Rakell hit the 70-point mark (a new career-high), Crosby hit the 90-point mark, and Matt Grzelcyk hit the 40-point mark. Aside from Crosby, all of those were career-firsts.

The Penguins are one of only five teams with three 30-goal-scorers this season (Rust, Crosby, and Rakell), and Crosby is the only player in NHL history to record three 90-point seasons over the age of 35. 

Just really incredible stuff from some the veterans on this Penguins team this season.

- It was easy to tell that Tomasino had a lot to play for in this game.

Apr 17, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Philip Tomasino (53) celebrates his goal with the Penguins bench against the Washington Capitals during the third period at PPG Paints Arena. (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)

A pending restricted free agent, Tomasino, 23, was trying to make something happen on just about every shift. He was getting creative in the offensive zone, trying to skate and deke around guys to get to the danger areas of the ice, shooting the puck at every given opportunity... and he made a nice play to set up Crosby's goal.

It's hard to say what the Penguins are going to do with each of their pending-RFAs. They only have so many open roster spots, and with young prospects knocking on the door, development is the priority. They won't want to block any players from being where they should be, but they also can't rely entirely on prospects to fill out the depth of their 2025-26 roster.

If I was Dubas, I would bring back Tomasino on a one-year "prove-it" deal. I suspect something like that will happen. But you never know, and these guys certainly can't take anything for granted. 

Tomasino certainly didn't. He left it all out there Thursday.

Which RFAs Should The Penguins Keep?Which RFAs Should The Penguins Keep?It should be quite the summer for the Pittsburgh Penguins in the free agent market.

- I liked what I saw from the fourth line of Sam Poulin, Vasily Ponomarev, and Valtteri Puustinen on Thursday. I thought they served their function as an energy line and generated some good opportunities on the forecheck.

I don't expect Poulin or Puustinen to factor in heavily regarding the Penguins' future at this point. But, that's not to say they couldn't be somewhat effective fourth-line players when needed. 

- Erik Karlsson has been a polarizing figure among Penguins' fans since his arrival in the summer of 2023.

There is no question that Karlsson is in a complete league of his own in terms of the type of player he is. Few players in the game can impact a game as strongly as he does on both sides of the coin.

And, man, was this a vintage Karlsson performance against the Capitals.

He made a gorgeous play leading up to a prime scoring opportunity for Rickard Rakell during the first period, pirhouetting around a defender, smoothly carrying the puck into the left circle, and feeding Rakell across the ice with an open net that he simply missed. His skating was on full display, and he kept skating down low in the offensive zone and taking the reins, just as he does when he's at his best.

This is the version of Karlsson the Penguins need - and have needed - far more often. And, depending on what happens this summer, this may have been the final game for Karlsson in a Penguins' uniform. 

We'll see what happens. But if he does remain in Pittsburgh next season, the coaching staff and Karlsson need to figure out a happy medium that allows him to do this kind of stuff more often. Whether that's coach or player... the jury is out on.

- I feel like a broken record at this point, but I can't say enough how impressed I am by Koivunen. 

Apr 17, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Ville Koivunen (41) reacts after being named a star of the game against the Washington Capitals at PPG Paints Arena. (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)

His instincts are just so far beyond his age. He looks like a natural out there with Crosby and Rust, and he just knows where to go and what play to make. He makes the right decision almost every time.

He appeared to finally have his first NHL goal in the third period, as he crashed into the net-front and took a few swats. However, he put the puck in the net with his hand, so it was called back.

Regardless, he recorded two points on the evening and had seven points in eight NHL games.

What this kid has shown in a small sample size should give the Penguins a strong dose of encouragement heading into next season. There is absolutely no way this guy should be left off of the NHL roster from the get-go. He and Rutger McGroarty have earned their spots.

- There was a really nice video tribute and a great ovation for Ovechkin during the first commercial break in the first period. And it was well-deserved.

This rivalry between the Caps and Pens - and between Ovechkin and Crosby - has been one of the very best in sports. Maybe ever. What they both accomplished this season by beating Gretzky in their own signature way won't soon be forgotten.

I said it after the last game, and I'll say it again: Enjoy this, folks. It has truly been a remarkable 20 years so far.

Ovechkin Proud Of What He & Crosby Have Done For NHL, Reiterates He's Not Retiring YetOvechkin Proud Of What He & Crosby Have Done For NHL, Reiterates He's Not Retiring YetWhen Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby came into the league, they didn't exactly take kindly to one another, having been pitted against one another right from the get-go while the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins remained intertwined in a heated rivalry.

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Igor Shesterkin makes 27 saves as Rangers end season with 4-0 win over Lightning

NEW YORK (AP) — Mika Zibanejad scored twice and Igor Shesterkin made 27 saves as the New York Rangers beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-0 on Thursday night in the regular-season finale for both teams.

Vincent Trocheck and Chris Kreider also scored for the Rangers, who missed the playoffs a year after winning the Presidents’ Trophy as the league’s best team.

The Lightning host the defending-champion Florida Panthers in the first game of a first-round Stanley Cup playoff series on Tuesday.

Trocheck scored his 26th goal this season — his sixth short-handed — at 1:02 of the middle period. The Rangers lead the NHL with 18 short-handed goals this season.

Kreider scored at 4:02 of the third to make it 2-0, then Zibanejad scored at 12:50 and 16:24.

The shutout was the sixth this season for Shesterkin, who finished with a career-worst 27-29-5 mark.

The playoff-bound Lightning finished with 47 wins and 102 points.

Lightning netminder Jonas Johansson made 19 saves.

Takeaways

Rangers: New York ended with a 19-19-3 home record. Last season, they were 30-11-0 at Madison Square Garden.

Lightning: Jake Guentzel played his 600th career game. The 30-year-old forward had 41 goals and 39 assists in his first season with the Lightning.

Key moment

Every Ranger wore a blue No. 40 jersey with “Rosen” on the back during warmups to honor Hall of Fame broadcaster Sam Rosen, who called his final game after 40 years as the team’s television play-by-play voice. The jerseys also included a patch on the front with Rosen’s famous call: “It’s a Power Play Goal!”

Key stat

Tampa Bay has made the postseason eight straight seasons and since 2014-15 they lead the league with 146 postseason games and 87 playoff wins. The Lightning won back-to-back Cups in 2020 and 2021 and lost to Colorado in the 2022 Final.

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Griffin Canning strikes out eight, Mark Vientos homers in Mets' 4-1 win over Cardinals

Mark Vientos' first home run of the season started a four-run fourth inning that was all Griffin Canning needed as he twirled a quality six innings with eight strikeouts in the Mets' 4-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday night at Citi Field.

New York improved to 12-7 on the year (6-1 at home). St. Louis fell to 9-10 (1-6 on the road).

Here are the takeaways...

- Canning, who had his start pushed back a day due to illness, issued a pair of walks, missing outside to right-handers with sliders, but stranded the runners in the first. In the third, Canning allowed a leadoff single (that reached third on a steal and wild pitch), but his fastball got Lars Nootbaar and Wilson Contreras swinging before a bullet of an infield single scored the Cardinals’ first run.

After a leadoff bunt single in the fourth, Canning went back to the well of the high fastball to get back-to-back swinging strikeouts before a 3-2 slider in the dirt ended the inning with his sixth strikeout.

Canning finished very strong, retiring the last nine batters he faced to close the door with a quality start of one run on three hits and two walks with eight strikeouts over six innings on 102 pitches (65 strikes).

- Vientos ended his 62 at-bat home run drought with a leadoff shot off the foul pole in right. The third baseman took a fastball up and away and just kept it fair the other way, 339 feet down the line (100.1 mph off the bat). He finished the day 1-for-4.

- After the Vientos homer in the second, the Mets tacked on, starting with Starling Marte smacking a double to left to snap a 0-for-9 stretch. With two down, Brett Baty grabbed an RBI, serving a ball the other way for a softly hit single. Tyrone Taylor then lashed a first-pitch up the middle to give Francisco Lindor a chance with men on base.

Lindor, who singled his first time up, entered Thursday just 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position on the year. With the runners off on a 3-2 pitch, he rocketed a single to right to score one run, but got caught in no man’s land when the relay through was cut off. However, the Cardinals' defense failed to execute the rundown and Taylor smartly was able to dash home to give the Mets a 4-0 lead before Lindor was tagged out.

After the funky second, Cardinals starter Andre Pallante retired 12 of the next 13 batters with Lindor cracking his third single of the night, lifting a low breaking pitch into center, in the fifth.

- In relief for the Mets, Reed Garrett was first up and the Cards made him earn the scoreless seventh inning as they fouled off 10 pitches. AJ Minter tossed a perfect eighth on nine pitches, the inning after Garrett needed 29 to retire the side with a walk.

Edwin Diaz walked the leadoff hitter in the ninth for the third straight outing. But the closer got Alec Burleson looking at a fastball, Jordan Walker to swing through a slider, and Nolan Gorman to weakly ground out to first to pick up his fourth save of the year.

 - Juan Sotoscorched a ball up the middle (106.7 mph) but right at shortstop Brandon Donovan for a 6-4-3 double play in the first. Soto chased a high slider and then chased one in the dirt on a half-swing to go down on strikes his second time up. He smashed a 1-2 slider on the outside corner (97.7 mph) that was deftly handled by Nolan Arenado at third.

The two balls in play had a .530 and .500 expected batting average, but accounted for no hits and three outs. Baseball, huh? He finished 0-for-3 with a walk.

- Baty made a fine play in the first, moving quickly to his left on a sharply hit ball to get a force at second. And he cracked a double into the corner in right with two down in the seventh to give him back-to-back multi-hit games after not having any all season. He finished 2-for-3 and was lifted for Luisangel Acuña. 

- Pete Alonso made a nice over-the-shoulder grab in foul territory to start the second inning. The slugger, who has been red-hot at the plate, went 0-for-4 with a strikeout.

- Brandon Nimmo went 0-for-3 with a pair of hard-hit groundouts to see his average dip to .194 on the year.

Game MVP: Griffin Canning

The right-hander threw 14 first-pitch strikes to 23 batters and kept the Cardinals off balance all game. And in the 19th game of the year, he was the first Met pitcher to break the century mark on pitches.

Highlights

What's next

The Mets continue the series with the Cardinals on Friday at Citi Field at 7:10 p.m. on SNY.

Left-hander David Peterson (2.70 ERA, 1.380 WHIP in 16.2 innings) climbs the hill for New York. Righty Miles Mikolas (9.00 ERA, 1.615 WHIP in 13 innings) starts for St. Louis.

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LIVE Game Thread FINAL: Calgary Flames 5 Los Angeles Kings 1

Jayne Kamin-Oncea

The Los Angeles Kings (48-24-9) will host the Calgary Flames (40-27-14) at Crypto.com Arena to close out the regular season for both teams. The Pacific Division rivals find themselves going in direct directions: Los Angeles is set to host Edmonton in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs on April 21st, while Calgary failed to make the playoff cut.

Last Ten

Los Angeles 8-2-0

Calgary 6-1-3

Top Scorers

LA- Adrian Kempe 35 G 38 A 73 PTS

CAL-Nazeem Kadri 35 G 32 A 65 PTS

Notable

Forward Taylor Ward will make his NHL debut for the Kings tonight.

With at least one point tonight, LA would set the franchise record for most points in a season.

1st Period

We are underway at Crypto!

Byfield and Fiala go in a 2-on-1 but can't convert.

Calgary gets some o-zone time and Kadri gets off a wrister that is eaten up by Rittich.

Taylor Ward can't handle the pass on what could have been a Grade-A scoring chance.

Mikey Andersson enters the zone with speed and finds Trevor Moore in deep but Vladar makes the save.

BIG SAVE from Vladar on a walk-in by Taylor Ward who was looking for his first NHL goal.

PENALTY Samuel Helenius goes off two minutes for hooking.

Coleman gets offs a hard wrist shot but Big Save Dave makes the pad save.

LA is back to even-strength.

Calgary outshooting LA 9-4 with about 7 minutes left in the 1st.

Gavrikov turns the puck over and Rittich bails him out with a nice save. Rittich looks dialed in tonight.

Akil Thomas bid is denied by Vladar. 

So far, LA looks like a team that is thinking about the playoffs. Not a lot of engagement.

Excellent save from Rittich on a hard one-timer from Hunt.

First shift from LA where they have had some sustained zone time. Hard shot from the point by Doughty.

LA waking up a little before the final horn on the 1st. Hard shot from Gavrikov gets through to Vladar. 

END OF ONE

Shots on goal

CAL 12

LA 10

A very lethargic start from the Kings tonight. Could easily be down a few goals in this one but Rittich has come through with some big saves. LA will need to be much better in the second period.

2nd Period

The puck is down in the second frame in LA.

GOAL  Kadri walks out from behind the goal line and roofs one over Rittich's pads. 1-0 CAL. Kadri sets a career season high with this 34th goal of the year.

Good shift from the Kings, generating a few shots and some traffic in front of Vladar.

Byfield makes a nice move and then fires off a missile that draws iron. Fiala recovers the puck and is tripped up. LA to the power play.

Good pressure and puck movement from the Kings but Vladar keeps them off the board.

Bahl wraps up Akil Thomas after the whistle and Helenius comes in to stick up for Akil.

Parekh trips Mikey Andersson and the Kings are back on the power play. Fiala fires a rocket over the net. 

Good pressure from LA, feels like they are close to converting.

Backhand chance from Lewis but Vladar gloves it down.

END OF TWO

Shot on goal

CAL  12   6

LA     10   5

LA looked much in the second period and had more sustained o-zone time. LA had some good looks on the power play but couldn't find the back of the net. A lot of work to do in the 3rd if they want to win for the 32nd time at home this year. 

3rd Period

Taylor Ward wide open in front of Vladar but can't beat the Calgary netminder over the glove. 

Laferriere walks in but can't beat Vladar.

Turcotte hits the post. Good jump from the Kings at the start of this period.

Byfield to the penalty box for a high-stick on Parekh.

Byfield and Fiala on a 2-on-1 but Vladar robs Fiala.

GOAL Counter by Calgary and Morton drives to the net and flips the puck past Rittich. 2-0 CAL. This is Sam Morton's first NHL goal.

GOAL Kadri connects for his 35th of year and the Flames are starting to blow this one open.

GOAL Zane Parekh joins in on the fun and scores his 1st NHL goal. You can put this one in the fridge. The jello is jigglin' and the butter is getting hard. 

GOAL Mikael Backland top shelf wrister from the left circle.  His 15th of the year. This Calgary team doesn't look like a non-playoff team tonight. As the for the Kings, head coach Jim Hiller cannot be happy about this effort from his team tonight. 

LA to the power play.

GOAL Taylor Ward knocks in a rebound from in front to score his 1st NHL goal, breaking up Vladar's shutout.

FINAL: CAL 5, LA 1

Shot on goal

CAL 12   6    11      29

LA    10   5    16     31

The Kings never looked ready to play in this one. If they come out like this against Edmonton on Monday, they should probably expect a similar result. In a certain sense, however, this was the Kings' B Squad, in that Kempe, Trevor Moore, and Phil Danault were all scratched. 

Sam Morton (CAL), Zayne Parekh (CAL), and Taylor Ward (LA) all scored their 1st NHL goal.

NEXT UP: Edmonton Oilers vs. Los Angeles, Round 1, Game 1, April 21st, 7:00 Pacific, Crypto.com Arena.

 

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Islanders Clinch Top-10 Lottery Odds At 2025 NHL Draft

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The New York Islanders will enter the NHL draft lottery with the 10th-best odds of moving into a top-two pick.

They will have a 3.5% chance of landing the first overall pick and a 3.7% chance of landing second overall.

There is a 73.3% chance the team remains at the 10th-overall slot, while an 18.4% chance of moving to 11th and a 0.9% chance of falling to 12th.

The Islanders have not made a top-10 selection since 2014 when they selected Michael Dal Colle at No. 5.

The draft lottery is set to take place on either May 5 or May 6.

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

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John Calipari announces return of Wagner, Brazile, Richmond

Arkansas basketball fans got a clearer picture of what next year's roster will look like Thursday evening, as head coach John Calipari announced the return of three key players from last year's team. A video posted to Calipari's X account detailed the roster the Hogs have so far. Point guard D.J. Wagner, forward Trevon Brazile and wing Billy Richmond III all said they will be in a Razorback jersey for the 2025-26 season.

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Chris Dobey shines in Rotterdam to earn long-awaited Premier League triumph

  • Dobey gets first nightly win in two years
  • ‘I’m a fighter and I’ll be here until the end’

Luke Littler’s wait for a record-breaking fifth nightly win of a single Premier League season goes on as Chris Dobey reigned on night 11 in Rotterdam.

Dobey took his first nightly win in two years with a 6-2 victory over Stephen Bunting, who saw off Littler in the semi-finals. After avoiding a scare to edge out Rob Cross 6-5, Littler fell 3-2 behind to Bunting and then drew the ire of the Dutch crowd when he spent time changing his barrels – to no avail, as Bunting charged into a 5-2 lead.

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Penguins V. Capitals Preview: Ovechkin In Lineup For Penguins' Final Game Of 2024-25

Nov 8, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) and Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) shake hands after a puck drop ceremony prior to their game at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

In a season of ups, downs, and playoff disappointments, the Pittsburgh Penguins’ opponent for their final game of the 2024-25 season on Thursday is quite fitting.

The Penguins will take on the Washington Capitals in Pittsburgh, and it was confirmed that Caps winger Alex Ovechkin - who recently broke Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal record - will be in the lineup despite the opportunity to rest him.

It will mark yet another chapter in the Ovechkin v. Sidney Crosby rivalry, which is one that, likely, doesn’t have all that many chapters left.

And what started out as a bitter rivalry between the two players has blossomed into a friendship over the years.

“We’ve seen a lot of each other on the ice,” Crosby said. “But off it, whether it’s All-Star games or events or whatever it may be, just having the opportunity to get to know him a little bit more… I think that’s helped. You develop a friendship through those experiences and things like that.”

Ovechkin also pointed out the impact that both of them have had on hockey for the past two decades on the Pat McAfee show last week.

Ovechkin Proud Of What He & Crosby Have Done For NHL, Reiterates He's Not Retiring YetOvechkin Proud Of What He & Crosby Have Done For NHL, Reiterates He's Not Retiring YetWhen Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby came into the league, they didn't exactly take kindly to one another, having been pitted against one another right from the get-go while the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins remained intertwined in a heated rivalry.

"What we did to the NHL, it's a tremendous thing,” Ovechkin said. “Me and him, what we do all those years, it's great for us. People [are going to] talk about Crosby-Ovechkin, Pittsburgh and Washington, for maybe 20 or 50 more years." 

With first-place Washington destined for a first-round matchup with the Montreal Canadiens, the Penguins will not be in the postseason. However, on fan appreciation night, they’ll still give it all they can.

Alex Nedeljkovic gets the nod in goal for the Penguins. Here is the rest of the lineup:

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab  to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!    

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St. Bonaventure transfer forward Moore commits to West Virginia

The West Virginia Mountaineers basketball program has landed another commitment out of the transfer portal from St. Bonaventure forward Chance Moore.Moore, 6-foot-6, 210-pounds, entered the transfer portal March 19 and took an official visit to Morgantown April 17 which led to his commitment to the Big 12 Conference program which he announced on Instagram.

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Party like it’s 1999: Amorim uses treble as ‘inspiration’ for crazy Lyon comeback

  • ‘I was watching the 1999 documentary … A great night’
  • United score three goals in extra time to progress in Europa League

After Manchester United scored three times in the last seven minutes of extra time to knock Lyon out and progress to a Europa League semi-final versus Athletic Bilbao, Ruben Amorim stated he had drawn on the 1999 Champions League final triumph over Bayern Munich.

Losing 1-0 going into added time goals from Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær claimed European glory for United 26 years ago.

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Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend

Brighton hope their injury problems ease, Palace must stem the tide and Forest could do with Chris Wood fully fit

Considering the length of Brighton’s injury list, Fabian Hürzeler will be desperate to get Kaoru Mitoma back in time for Saturday’s trip to west London. The Japanese winger sustained a heel injury against Crystal Palace, ruling him out of the draw with Leicester. It was the first time he had missed a Premier League game all season after making 31 appearances. Whether he will be available against Brentford is yet to be seen but, with three teenagers on the bench last weekend, the more experience Hürzeler can name on the teamsheet the better. James Milner, Igor Julio, Georginio Rutter, Adam Webster, Ferdi Kadioglu and Tariq Lamptey are all out, while the goalkeeper Jason Steele returned to action for the under-21s this week but Carl Rushworth will remain the backup to Bart Verbruggen for now. If Mitoma can recover in time, it will be a timely boost as Hürzeler’s side fight for a European place. Will Unwin

Brentford v Brighton, Saturday 3pm (all times BST)

Crystal Palace v Bournemouth, Saturday 3pm

Everton v Manchester City, Saturday 3pm

West Ham v Southampton, Saturday 3pm

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