LOS ANGELES — Garrett Mitchell hit a go-ahead homer off reliever Tanner Scott in the sixth inning, Milwaukee’s bullpen slammed the door late and the Brewers rallied past the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-4 on Thursday in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series to earn their first trip to the World Series since 1982.
No. 9 hitter David Hamilton’s two-out solo shot off reliever Edwin Díaz gave the Brewers a two-run cushion in the ninth. Hamilton had just four homers in the regular season.
Shohei Ohtani’s first home run of the postseason helped put the Dodgers ahead 4-0 early before the Brewers came back to complete a four-game sweep of the two-time defending World Series champions a year after getting swept by the Dodgers in the NLCS.
The Brewers lost to the St. Louis Cardinals 4-3 in their only other World Series appearance, when Milwaukee played in the American League.
CHICAGO - The Chicago Blackhawks came into Thursday night's game against the Winnipeg Jets feeling good about their game. Two nights prior, Connor Bedard returned to the lineup, and that added some juice to the team in a winning effort over the Pittsburgh Penguins.
For a variety of reasons, the Jets came into the 2026-27 season with low expectations from the outside. In their room, however, they didn't see that to be the case. They have shown it on the ice in the early going, too, as they entered the United Center with a 4-1-1 record.
The Blackhawks, for the second game in a row, started off on a good note. While on a 5-on-3 power play, Connor Bedard scored his first goal of the season. It was set up by Patrick Kane, which was a connection that folks have been waiting weeks to see in a game that counts.
With that assist, Patrick Kane passed Phil Housley for the most assists ever by a US born player in the NHL. Of the many impressive milestones that Kane has reached throughout his career, this one shows just how good he has been compared to other top American borns in history.
The game opened up a little bit from there, and Frank Nazar made it 2-0 shortly after. In his return from a two-game suspension, he found some open ice, used his speed to create separation, and sniped one home.
Before two minutes of game clock could go by, Neal Pionk got the Winnipeg Jets on the board with his first of the season. 14 seconds later, Ryan Donato restored the two-goal lead for the Blackhawks. He used incredible patience to eventually get a good shot off for the goal.
That 3-1 score held through the first intermission. In the middle frame, there was only one goal scored, and it was Kyle Connor for the Jets. It wasn't for a lack of chances, but both goalies stood tall.
You knew the Jets would not fly quietly into the night, and they got the equalizer that they were looking for when Alex Iafallo scored. That's back-to-back games in which the Blackhawks blew a 3-1 lead. They overcame it against the Penguins, but they needed a hero again against the Jets.
That hero came in overtime when Artyom Levshunov scored his first of the season. He was set up with a lane to the net thanks to a play made by Patrick Kane and Connor Bedard. Levshunov has been exceptional as an offensive defenseman so far this season, and it continued with this game-winning goal.
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The Dodgers’ reign atop Major League Baseball officially ended at 8:08 p.m. Thursday night.
Kiké Hernández hit a line drive to left. Jackson Chourio caught it on the run. And instead of a World Series three-peat, the Dodgers saw their dynasty end in the most futile fashion.
With a 6-4 loss in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series, the two-time defending champions were swept by the Milwaukee Brewers.
Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Garrett Mitchell celebrates his solo home run with Cooper Pratt during the sixth inning of Game 4 of a baseball National League Championship Series game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, in Los Angeles. AP Photo/Ashley LandisMilwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras returns to the dugout as Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy (13) slams his bat after striking out to end the sixth inning of Game 4 of baseball’s National League Championship Series, Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, in Los Angeles. AP Photo/Gregory Bull
No World Series three-peat. No historic march to baseball immortality. Just a fourth-straight loss and an embarrassing elimination that will send the Dodgers into a long, regretful winter full of future uncertainty.
This team’s season was not supposed to end like this.
Not after they entered the year coming off back-to-back championships. Not after they amassed the league’s most talented –– and expensive –– roster with a record-setting $432 million payroll. And certainly not after the way Game 4 started, when the Dodgers jumped to a 4-0 lead in the second inning thanks to a cathartic three-run blast from the previously slumping Shohei Ohtani.
At that point, it felt like the tide just might be starting to turn.
Shohei Ohtani (17) of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a three-run home run against the Milwaukee Brewers during the second inning in game four of the National League Championship Series at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026. Getty ImagesShohei Ohtani (17) of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates after hitting a three-run home run against the Milwaukee Brewers during the second inning in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026. Getty Images
All month, the Dodgers had waited for an injury-hampered Ohtani to look like himself at the plate. All week, they had waited for their offense to show any genuine sign of life against a dominant Brewers pitching staff.
Finally, after returning to his customary leadoff spot of the lineup for the first time this postseason, Ohtani took care of both, belting a 428-foot bomb for his first home run since Aug. 18.
As had been the case throughout this one-sided series, however, the Brewers regrouped, then came roaring back.
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Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Garrett Mitchell connects for a solo home run during the sixth inning of Game 4 of baseball’s National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, in Los Angeles. AP Photo/Gregory BullMilwaukee Brewers third baseman David Hamilton (6) greets Milwaukee Brewers designated hitter Christian Yelich (22) after scoring on a base loaded walk by Jake Bauers during the fifth inning of Game 4 of baseball’s National League Championship Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers in Los Angeles, Friday, Oct. 16, 2026. AP Photo/Ashley Landis
It started in the top of the fourth, when Tyler Glasnow –– having retired his first 10 batters, six via strikeout –– gave up a walk, then back-to-back ground-rule doubles, the latter coming from NLCS MVP Jake Bauers to score two runs and cut the Dodgers’ lead in half.
An inning later, the cushion would be gone, with Milwaukee going full BrewerBall to stun the Dodger Stadium crowd.
Though left-hander Alex Vesia was warm, manager Dave Roberts tried to sneak Glasnow through the left-handed-heavy bottom of the Brewers’ order. It didn’t work. Sal Frelick walked, stole second, then scored on a David Hamilton single. At that point, Roberts summoned right-hander Evan Phillips, but watched him issue two more free passes to load the bases.
That finally brought Vesia into the game. But he couldn’t find the strike zone.
With Bauers at the plate again, the southpaw missed on four-straight pitches to walk in the tying run.
Just like that, Milwaukee had snatched the momentum right back, erasing the sixth different Dodgers’ lead of this series.
In the top of the sixth, they’d go in front for good on Garrett Mitchell’s solo home run against Tanner Scott.
The Los Angeles Dodgers watch during the eighth inning of Game 4 of baseball’s National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers, Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, in Los Angeles. AP Photo/Ashley LandisA Los Angeles Dodgers fan looks down during the eighth inning of Game 4 of baseball’s National League Championship Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers, Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, in Los Angeles. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
That was this NLCS in a nutshell. The Brewers responded to every moment of adversity. The Dodgers withered in the face of every setback of their own.
The magic from the last two Octobers? Nowhere to be found.
The energy that had pulsed through this franchise over the last two years? Long gone, as another less-than-capacity crowd –– Thursday’s attendance was just 49,104 –– once again showed.
Where the Dodgers go from here is just as much of a mystery.
Their aging roster will be another year older. Important veteran role players like Miguel Rojas (who is likely to retire) and Kiké Hernández (who will be a free agent) could be gone.
Add in the uncertainty of a looming labor battle, and a new collective-bargaining agreement that could bring profound changes to the sport’s financial structure, and it’s possible an ever larger-scale retooling could be in order.
That’s why this year’s run was so precious; with the Dodgers not only chasing history, but trying to prolong what felt like a potential last dance with this veteran core.
They won 100 games in the regular season. They captured a 13th NL West crown in the last 14 years.
But all that really mattered was completing their World Series three-peat.
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 15: Members of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrate in the dugout as David Hamilton #6 rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run in the ninth inning during Game Four of the National League Championship Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Thursday, October 15, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani hit his first home run in 58 days, and the Dodgers built an early lead. But the Milwaukee Brewers answered, as they did in every game of the National League Championship Series, and finished off the Dodgers with a 6-4 win in Game 4 on Thursday night at Dodger Stadium.
The Brewers advance to the World Series for the first time since 1982, and their first trip to the Fall Classic as a National League team.
“Just seeing the work the last couple days, I like where his head is at,” Roberts said before Game 4. “I liked the at-bats yesterday, and I felt that trying to shake it up a little bit.”
All that sowing finally brought reaping in the second inning of Game 4 with two runners on, when Ohtani unloaded on a cutter from former teammate Dustin May for a three-run shot and an early 4-0 lead.
Ohtani had 115 plate appearances between home runs, the longest drought of his career, hitting a paltry .156/.289/.229 with one run batted in and 37 strikeouts since his homer at Coors Field on August 18.
Four runs in the second was the Dodgers’ best inning of this postseason. Ohtani had the team’s first home run since the ninth inning of Game 4 of the National League Division Series, snapping a 118-plate-appearance skid.
“I think for us it’s just play free and easy. The facts are we haven’t hit. We’ve got two extra base hits in the series,” Roberts said. “So our baseball is hitting, slugging, and we haven’t done it, but there’s still today. They’ve still got to beat us today.”
By the fifth inning, that 4-0 lead disappeared.
Tyler Glasnow retired his first 10 batters before trouble arrived in the fourth inning. A Brice Turang walk was followed by a pair of ground-rule doubles, William Contreras to left field and Jake Bauers to right field. After Bauers turned games around with a 12-pitch walk and 11-pitch home run in the previous two games, Glasnow used only six pitches on this two-run double.
Sal Frelick walked with one out in the fifth, then stole second off Glasnow, and scored on a single by David Hamilton, the fourth time in the NLCS that Milwaukee sequenced a single, steal, and single for a run. That ended Glasnow’s night after 13 outs, having allowed five of his final eight batters to reach.
Evan Phillips entered and got a second out on a scorched line drive to center by Jackson Chourio, then fell behind 3-0 to Brice Turang before issuing an intentional walk. William Contreras walked on six pitches, ending the outing for Phillips while loading the bases.
Alex Vesia came into face Bauers, seemingly in the middle of everything int this series. He walked on four pitches, the fourth Brewers walk of the inning to tie the game at 4-4. Vesia escaped further damage by inducing a groundout by Christian Yelich.
All bullpen hands were on deck for the Dodgers, who turned to Tanner Scott in the sixth inning. He got ahead 0-2 on lefty Garrett Mitchell, who worked the count full before homering to center field for Milwaukee’s first lead of the night. Mitchell entered these playoffs with two home runs off southpaws in 201 career plate appearances, and he homered in Game 3 off Blake Snell and Game 4 off Scott.
Left-hander JoJo Romero pitched two scoreless innings to stem the tied while the Brewers came back, then it was time to turn the game over the Milwaukee’s devastating back end of the bullpen.
Left-hander Aaron Ashby pitched 3 2/3 scoreless innings combined in the first two games, then got a respite in Game 3.
“Ashby — I don’t understand that,” first baseman Freddie Freeman said before Game 4. “It’s 98 to 100 from up here and sinking and curving.”
Andy Pages greeted Ashby for a leadoff double in the seventh inning, the Dodgers’ third extra-base hit of the game after only two total in the first three games. Most importantly, the tying run was in scoring position, and Kiké Hernández bunted Pages over to third base. But Ashby struck out Ohtani on three pitches before inducing a groundout from Mookie Betts to keep Milwaukee’s lead.
Ashby stayed in for the eighth, pitching in multiple innings in relief for the fifth time this postseason and 31st time this season, tied with Justin Bruihl for most in the majors. He got Freeman to fly out before Will Smith doubled, and went to third on an error by Frelick in right field. But Kyle Tucker, who doubled and was stranded in the sixth, flew out to shallow center then Teoscar Hernández struck out to end the threat.
The Dodgers had doubles in the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings with either one or zero out, trailing by a run and none of them scored. In Game 4 they had two hits in 11 at-bats with runners in scoring position, their best showing in that regard all postseason, which consisted of only five hits with 43 at-bats (.116) with runners in scoring position in eight games.
Third baseman David Hamilton, who stole a base earlier in Game 4 and swiped three bags in the NLCS, cut out the middleman and drove in himself with a solo home run in the ninth, providing yet another insurance run for a Brewers team that cashed in all series.
Ashby stayed in the game, because why not? He didn’t allow anything in the ninth inning, clinching the pennant with a three-inning save. The Dodgers had no three-inning saves all season.
Milwaukee is just the second team ever to get swept one season, then beat that team in the next year’s postseason, joining the 1923 New York Yankees. The Brewers are the first to be swept then return the favor with a sweep of their own.
NLCS Game 4 particulars
Home runs: Shohei Ohtani (1), Garrett Mitchell (2), David Hamilton (1)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 14: Garrett Mitchell #5 of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrates after hitting a Home Run during the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game three of the National League Championship Series at Dodger Stadium on October 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Milwaukee Brewers have finally done it for the first time in 44 years.
After the franchise’s lone World Series appearance as an American League team back in 1982, they’re headed back to the Fall Classic as a National League team for the first time ever in 2026.
To do it, they played some more come-from-behind Brewers baseball to complete a sweep of the two-time reigning World Champion Dodgers, returning the favor after Los Angeles swept them in last year’s NLCS.
With Shane Drohan on a playoff mound for the first time in his young career, things got off to a shaky start. After setting down Shohei Ohtani, he walked a pair in the first inning but escaped the jam with a 6-4-3 double play.
The second didn’t start any better, as Kyle Tucker hit a single, marking the end of Drohan’s day as Dustin May replaced him. The Dodgers kept rolling against May, with Teoscar Hernández singling to put runners at the corners with no outs.
After a Max Muncy strikeout, Andy Pages singled to bring in the first run of the night, giving the Dodgers an early 1-0 lead. Enrique Hernández then lined out, but Ohtani crushed his first homer of the postseason, creating a four-run deficit through just two innings.
Needing some offense, the Brewers couldn’t get anything going early. Tyler Glasnow, who had a perfect game through the first 10 batters, finally faltered with one out in the fourth. He walked Brice Turang and then gave up back-to-back ground-rule doubles to William Contreras and Jake Bauers, cutting the lead in half to 4-2 after four frames.
After Cooper Pratt flew out, Sal Frelick drew a walk, swiped second base, and scored on a David Hamilton single. Evan Phillips took over from Glasnow and got Chourio to line out, but he allowed a stolen base by Hamilton before walking both Turang and Contreras, loading the bases for new pitcher Alex Vesia.
On the pitching side, JoJo Romero took over for May in the bottom of the inning, striking out Ohtani and Freddie Freeman around a groundout by Mookie Betts to maintain the tie.
That tie wouldn’t last very long.
Leading off the sixth, Garrett Mitchell fell behind 0-2 against the lefty Tanner Scott. He then took three balls to work the count back to full before Scott left a four-seamer down the middle, which Mitchell promptly crushed to right-center, his second homer in as many nights to give Milwaukee a 5-4 lead.
The Dodgers threatened against Milwaukee’s bullpen in the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings, getting a runner to third via a double in all three frames but failing to get the run across in each case.
Looking for insurance, Hamilton crushed a homer to right-center in the top of the ninth, his first homer of the postseason after slugging just four homers in the regular season.
Aaron Ashby, who has been absolute nails for Milwaukee throughout the series, worked a perfect ninth to finish off three more strong innings, striking out three to secure the sweep and Milwaukee’s first NL pennant in franchise history.
Another balanced attack with a whole lot of small ball — Milwaukee had just five hits tonight, drawing five walks and coming up in the moments when it mattered most to score six unanswered runs after a rough start from Drohan and May.
Romero and Ashby worked five scoreless innings in relief, striking out six while allowing three hits (all doubles) but stranding all three of those runners at third.
Bauers, who drew the game-tying walk in the fifth, earned NLCS MVP. IN this four-game set, Bauers went 4-for-14 with a homer, a double, three walks, and six RBIs. What those numbers don’t include, however, are Bauers’ incredible 12-pitch and 11-pitch at-bats on Monday and Wednesday, respectively, culminating in a walk and a homer that completely changed the narrative of Games 2 and 3.
While Bauers earned the MVP, make no mistake that this was a balanced attack.
Ashby was incredible with 6 2/3 scoreless innings across three outings, earning a pair of saves and allowing just two hits and a walk. Contreras went 5-for-14 with a homer, a double, and three RBIs. Mitchell slugged a pair of big homers. Even Hamilton went 4-for-7 with a homer and three steals despite only appearing in two games.
The Brewers will now spend the next week preparing as they await an opponent for their first World Series appearance in 44 years. It will be either the Tampa Bay Rays or the Cleveland Guardians — Cleveland leads that series 2-1 entering Friday’s Game 4. We’ll have plenty of coverage over the next week, but for now, pour one out for Bob Uecker and the 2026 NL Champion Brewers.
LOS ANGELES — The Milwaukee Brewers can’t tell you much about their 1982 ancestors, with no current player alive the last time the club went to the World Series, but Thursday evening, they just carved out their own legacy.
The Brewers, the team that resides in the smallest market in baseball, who can’t afford to keep their stars, who changed leagues since they last won the pennant, who have never won a World Series title, just claimed the National League pennant and a trip to the World Series.
The Brewers shocked the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers by completing a four-game sweep, winning 6-4, in front of a paid non-sellout crowd of 49,104 at Dodger Stadium.
“I don't know much about baseball history," Brewers second baseman Brice Turang said, “but now that I'm a part of it, learning the history of and how much it would mean to the city… yeah, it would mean a lot.
“They've gone through the bads and the goods, and they've stuck with us. And they're really good fans. They show up to every game. They're passionate about baseball. Any sport in Milwaukee or Wisconsin."
“We love them just as much as they love us. It's been fun to be able to play a part with them in the stands."
Mark Attanasio, owner of the Brewers, plans to present the National League Championship Series trophy to former commissioner Bud Selig, who brought the franchise to Milwaukee in 1970, and owned it until selling it to Attanasio in 2005.
“He deserves this," Attanasio said. “He has meant everything to Milwaukee and this franchise.’’
It was no fluke that the Brewers swept the Dodgers. They beat them in every phase of the game.
The Dodgers were in every game, but every time they managed a lead, the Brewers came fighting back, just like on this night.
The Dodgers, who have been looking for a clutch hit the entire postseason, batting .116 with runners in scoring position, finally appeared to find their magic moment in the second inning when Shohei Ohtani stepped to the plate with two outs and two runners on base.
He looked terrible in his first at-bat against lefty Shane Drohan, striking out on five pitches, badly swinging and missing on a slider and losing his helmet in the process.
This time, facing former teammate Dustin May, he swung at May’s 95.1-mph cutter, and sent it halfway up the right-field pavilion 428 feet away, with a vicious swing clocked at 113-mph.
Ohtani stood at the plate, admired it, flung his bat high into the air, and screamed. He danced around the bases, stomped on home plate, skipped into the dugout, and slapped hands so hard that his hands stung.
Just like that, the baseball world was subtly reminded that Ohtani, who was mired in the deepest slumps in his career, still is the greatest player in the game.
And perhaps no one needed that reminder more than Ohtani.
Ohtani, who had not homered since Aug. 18, and hit .156 with only three extra-base hits after the homer, spent the past several days working on his swing deep into the night, with a debate raging whether he should still be playing with his nagging knee and biceps injuries.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts dropped him from leadoff to second, to fourth, to fifth, to sixth in the lineup. He even had a heart-to-heart conversation with Ohtani on Tuesday to see if he was healthy enough to contribute with his nagging injuries.
He convinced Roberts he’d be fine, and was close to finding his stroke, staying in the hitting cages until 9 p.m.
Ohtani, hitting sixth in the lineup in their Game 3 loss, looked like the Ohtani of old, reaching base three times with a 113-mph single off his bat.
Roberts rewarded him by putting him back as the leadoff hitter, believing if they’re going to go down, he wanted to go down with the lineup that brought them here, moving struggling catcher Will Smith back to the cleanup spot, too.
It worked, but the Brewers came storming back with two runs apiece in the fourth and fifth innings to tie the game, with Garrett Mitchell hitting the go-ahead homer to lead off the sixth.
Mitchell, who had hit two homers all season off left-handed pitchers, suddenly hit two homers off lefties in 24 hours.
“You got to give credit where credit’s due,’’ Dodgers veteran first baseman Freddie Freeman said. “You've got a platinum Gold Glover [Brice Turang] at second base. Joey Ortiz is great at third. Cooper Pratt has been playing amazing as a rookie. They played great baseball.’’
Now, the question is whether this is the end of the Dodgers’ dynasty, reaching the postseason 14 consecutive years, winning five pennants, and three World Series titles since 2020.
“We do know we have an older team," Freeman, 37, said. “That doesn't mean we're old and we're playing bad because we're old. But that's people's opinions. I can't change your opinion because we are in this game a little bit older than everybody else.’’
The Detroit Red Wings hosted the winless Philadelphia Flyers at Little Caesars Arena on Thursday night, and both teams were locked in a 1-1 tie as time began to wind down in the third period.
But veteran forward Andrew Copp made sure the Red Wings wouldn’t need overtime for a third consecutive game.
Copp buried a centering feed from forward Michael Rasmussen with 4:38 left in the third period, breaking the 1-1 tie and eventually extending the miserable start to the season for the Flyers, who are now 0-6-3.
Rasmussen took a feed from Nate Danielson and carried the puck behind the net and tried to find Copp, only to have the puck deflect right back onto his stick. He immediately fed Copp, who had a tap-in.
It was Copp’s first goal since March 19 of last season, while Rasmussen broke a lengthy points drought dating back to January 5.
Red Wings goaltender Daniil Tarasov, making his second start in three games, continued his strong play with 17 saves on 18 shots. The win was his first since signing with Detroit as a free agent over the summer.
Meanwhile, Flyers goaltender Joseph Woll took the loss with 24 saves.
The Flyers struck first when forward Matvei Michkov batted the puck out of midair past Tarasov at the 17:32 mark of the opening period.
But it was another milestone night for a young Red Wings rookie, as Anton Johansson scored his first NHL goal early in the second period to tie the game at 1-1.
Joining the rush, Johansson one-timed a pass from Dylan Larkin past Woll on a two-on-one for the milestone goal.
With the win, the Red Wings improved their record to 2-3-2. They will host the San Jose Sharks on Saturday evening.
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CHICAGO (AP) — Artyom Levshunov scored 1:37 into overtime and Patrick Kane set the NHL record for most assists by a U.S.-born player in the Chicago Blackhawks' 4-3 win over the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday night.
Connor Bedard scored on the power play for his first goal of the season after missing the first six games with a shoulder injury. Frank Nazar and Ryan Donato also scored for Chicago and Bedard added an assist.
After breaking Phil Housley’s record with his 895th assist in the first period, Kane had a hand in Levshunov’s game-winner.
Kane gained the Jets’ zone and dropped the puck to Bedard, who fed Levshunov. The defenseman took a few steps up the middle and snapped a shot to beat Stuart Skinner on the glove side.
The goal came some 40 seconds after Blackhawks goalie Spencer Knight kicked out his left pad to foil Neal Pionk’s attempt to convert Mark Scheifele’s cross-ice pass on a two-on-one break.
Knight had 31 saves.
Pionk had a goal and two assists. Kyle Connor, on the power play, and Alex Iafallo also had goals for the Jets. Connor now has a four-game point streak with five goals and an assist. Skinner had 24 saves.
Pionk's point shot went in off Iafallo’s shin at the right of the net to tie it at 3 5:39 into the third period. It was the defensman's eighth career three-point game.
The Jets had dominated the Blackhawks recently coming into the game 8-1-1 in their past 10 outings against Chicago, with their only loss a 2-0 decision at Chicago on Jan. 19.
Up next
Jets: Host the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday.
Blackhawks: Host the Dallas Stars on Saturday night.
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
The NHL saw a notable free agent finally land his contract for the season on Thursday, as David Perron signed a one-year, $850,000 contract with the Dallas Stars. This came a little over a week after Michael Bunting signed a one-year, $1.22 million contract with the Philadelphia Flyers after not being signed during the off-season.
Now, as more recent NHL free agents are finally getting signed, one former Montreal Canadiens forward is still unsigned at this point of the season: Patrik Laine.
With free agents like Bunting and Perron finding new homes, it is fair to wonder if Laine could be the next free agent signed by an NHL club. Teams looking for more scoring could consider taking a chance on him. This is especially so with how frequently injuries are occurring early on this campaign.
Laine played in just five games last season with the Canadiens, where he recorded one assist. This was after he had 20 goals and 33 points in 52 games for Montreal in 2024-25. With that, he put up decent offensive totals not too long ago, so the possibility of him being signed by a team soon should not be ruled out.
It will be interesting to see if Laine can land with an NHL team soon. He is arguably the best free agent left after Vladimir Tarasenko.
Two former New York basketball stars are joining ESPN this season.
Former Nets legend and coach Jason Kidd and ex-Knicks phenom Jeremy Lin will join the Worldwide Leader’s rotation of NBA commentators, the network revealed on Thursday.
Kidd moves over to the broadcast side of the game after five seasons as head coach of the Mavericks.
Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd reacts on the baseline during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden in New York on Jan. 19, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“Excited to join @ESPN for the 2026–27 season!” Kidd wrote on X after the news was announced. “Looking forward to working with some amazing colleagues and legends of the game, and providing my perspective in the studio for @ESPNNBA Countdown!”
Kidd will be part of the “new-look” team for “NBA Countdown,” and he will serve as an analyst on select games carried by ESPN.
The addition of Kidd on “NBA Countdown” will add him to a program that includes Malika Andrews, Kendrick Perkins, Shams Charania and Brian Windhorst.
Former New York Knicks player Jeremy Lin poses for a photo before Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden in New York on June 8, 2026. Jason Szenes for the New York Post
Lin had appeared part-time for ESPN during the 2025-26 season, appearing in March and then being part of the network’s coverage of the Knicks’ run during the NBA Finals.
He will be a regular contributor on “NBA Today” and serve as a game analyst.
Kidd and Linn join a rotation of analysts that includes Richard Jefferson, Tim Legler, Doris Burke, and P.J. Carlesimo.
Kidd was a 10-time All-Star and reached the Finals twice in New Jersey before being a key part Dallas’ championship-winning team in 2010-11.
Lin became a household name during the 2011-12 season during “Linsanity” when he led the Knicks to a surprise winning streak that February.
The 2026-27 season will mark the 25th consecutive NBA campaign that ESPN has had coverage of.
OTTAWA — Semyon Varlamov did everything in his power Thursday night to earn his first win after two partial knee replacements.
The Islanders, though, could only get a point to show for their goaltender’s efforts. They never made Linus Ullmark work all that hard in the opposite net, and Shane Pinto’s shootout goal was the difference in a 2-1 loss to the Senators.
The shame of it is that Varlamov — after two would-be Senators goals in the first period were called back for not crossing the line and for offside — was the Islanders’ best player, turning aside 19 shots and looking, in coach Pete DeBoer’s words, “like the old Varly.”
“I’ve been there, it’s not the first time [in that kind of game],” Varlamov said. “It hasn’t been for a while. There’s a lot of, I wouldn’t say new things, but just different moments for me, going to OT and experiencing the shootout. I haven’t been in that position for a while.”
In his second start of the season, Varlamov looked markedly better than his first, gaining more command of his crease as the night went on and making a terrific reaction save on Stephen Halliday in the second period.
New York Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov (40) makes a save against Ottawa Senators’ Drake Batherson (19) as Islanders’ Logan Stanley (8) defends during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Ottawa, Ontario, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026. Justin Tang/The Canadian Press via AP
This, though, was one of those nights that even when the Islanders were doing things right, pucks seemed to find a way of bouncing off their sticks.
They hung on for life through chunks of a second period in which they took three penalties and the game got dangerously open, with Ridly Greig’s finish from Warren Foegele — left completely unmarked to receive Artem Zub’s stretch pass at the Islanders blue line — the only damage.
Again, that was thanks in no small part to Varlamov, who made sure the Islanders penalty kill was flawless despite struggling to disrupt Ottawa’s puck movement.
Ottawa Senators’ Ridly Greig, second from right, celebrates with Michael Amadio (22) and Warren Foegele (37) after scoring against New York Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov (40) during the second period in Ottawa, Ontario, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026. Justin Tang/The Canadian Press via AP
Given the gift of a 1-1 score entering the last 20 minutes, the Islanders had every chance to walk out of Canadian Tire Centre with at least a point.
DeBoer made a series of changes to his forward lines to try to ensure it. Cal Ritchie and Anthony Duclair, both struggling, were dropped to the fourth line while Simon Holmstrom was moved up to the third and Emil Heineman to the second, where Brayden Schenn shifted to center.
That did have the effect of reinforcing the Islanders’ structure, and the third was a good display of physical, tight-checking hockey by both teams.
“We weren’t trying to be too cute. We were getting back to our game,” Bo Horvat told The Post. “Forechecking hard and started turning pucks over.”
It was enough to get the Islanders a point, but they couldn’t end it there — even after getting a four-on-three power play that immediately followed a successful penalty kill.
“It sucks that my stick broke there,” Horvat said. “They kinda had three-on-three at the end, me going back to get my stick. It happens.”
New York Islanders’ Bo Horvat (14) reacts after scoring against the Ottawa Senators during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Ottawa, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026. Justin Tang/The Canadian Press via AP
The Islanders went oh-fer in the ensuing shootout and were left to rue their missed opportunities.
Matias Maccelli was a bright spot along with Varlamov, opening the scoring with 12 seconds left in the first by picking Pinto’s pocket at the blue line and burying it. Jean-Gabriel Pageau’s line — with varying combinations of wingers — was the only one that consistently managed to break the puck out against Ottawa’s forecheck.
It was mainly thanks to instant replay — and a good challenge by DeBoer on Halliday’s would-be goal — that Ottawa didn’t grab an early lead. Both overturned goals beat Varlamov short side, a potentially worrisome trend given it’s not the first time his reaction time has looked susceptible since returning.
By the end of the night, Varlamov had quelled any worries about his play.
New York Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov (40) tends net as Brayden Schenn (10) looks on against Ottawa Senators’ Ridly Greig (71) during the first period of an NHL hockey game at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026. NHLI via Getty Images
“That has to be the hardest position to come back from an extended absence because so much of it is timing and seeing the puck compared to a forward or a defenseman,” DeBoer said. “And you can’t replicate game action in practice either for that.
“We saw game one, he got through [against] the Rangers. I thought he was pretty good. Tonight, he looked like the old Varly. It’s great to see, and it’s great for us because we’re gonna need him.”
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Shane Pinto scored the shootout winner to lead the Ottawa Senators to a 2-1 win over the New York Islanders on Thursday night.
Ridly Greig scored in regulation and Linus Ullmark made 20 saves for Ottawa (6-2-0). Ullmark has won his first six starts of the season.
Matias Macelli scored and Semyon Varlamov, making his second start of the season, stopped 18 shots for the Islanders (3-3-1).
The Islanders’ Adam Pelech took a hooking penalty with 3:08 remaining in overtime. Varlamov made two saves to extend the game before Dylan Cozens took a tripping penalty, catching Pelech as he came out of the box and looked to break in on Ullmark. Bo Horvat had the lone shot on the power play.
Trailing 1-0, the Senators tied the game late in the second on a 2-on-1. Warren Foegele broke in and made a cross-ice pass to Greig, who beat Varlamov high on the stick side.
New York opened the scoring with 11.2 seconds remaining in the period when Maccelli stripped Pinto of the puck at Ottawa’s blueline, took two strides and wristed a shot past Ullmark.
Artem Zub made his season debut Thursday, assisting on Greig’s goal. The Senators defenseman hadn’t played since sustaining a knee injury in Game 1 of the first round of last season’s playoffs.
The Senators had two goals called back in the first period. Foegele believed he had opened the scoring, but upon review, it was clear the puck hit the outside of the crossbar and never crossed the goal line. Just over seven minutes later, Stephen Halliday beat Varlamov, but upon review, Ottawa was offside.
Ottawa’s William Eklund had surgery Wednesday to repair a torn tendon in his ankle and is expected to miss 10 to 12 weeks.
Up next
Islanders: At the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday.
Senators: At the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday.
Highlights
Maccelli with a goal to close out the first period! https://t.co/MNlCUXcPQE
The Senators got back on the winning track Thursday night with a 2-1 shootout victory over the New York Islanders at Canadian Tire Centre.
Long Island native Shane Pinto scored the only goal of the shootout, while Linus Ullmark made 20 saves to improve his own record to 6-0.
After Tuesday's gnarly 7-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues, the Senators (6-2-0) got some of their defensive mojo back on Thursday. But even with Travis Green's major re-shuffle of the forward line combinations, the offense was still having trouble finding some rhythm.
That was thanks, in part, to the fine play of Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov, who's one of the great stories of the young NHL season. He turned in an excellent performance in just his second NHL game since November 2024.
Varlamov has endured the bumpiest of roads after undergoing not one, but two partial knee replacements and spending 22 months rehabbing. That's a tall order for anyone, let alone a goalie who's now 38.
Judging by his work against the Sens, he still has plenty of game left. He made only 18 saves but there were some biggies in there.
Senators fans thought their team had beaten the Russian goalie twice in the opening period, going bananas in each case. Unfortunately for the home side, neither shot ended up being an actual goal.
First, Warren Foegele appeared to open the scoring with a snapshot that got past Varlamov. But after a review, it was crystal clear that the puck had only struck the crossbar and stayed out.
Then Stephen Halliday, promoted to the top line, ripped a shot past Varlamov and this one clearly entered the net. The fans went wild again. But they were disappointed again.
This time, the Islanders challenged for offside, and the replay showed that Drake Batherson had entered the zone just ahead of the puck.
Instead of carrying a lead into the intermission, the Senators found themselves trailing. With just 12 seconds remaining in the opening period, Matias Maccelli beat Ullmark with an unassisted wrist shot to give the Isles a 1-0 after one.
That lead held up throughout most of the second period when the Sens finally broke through on a beautiful two-on-one rush.
Foegele delivered a perfect backhand saucer pass to Ridly Greig, who one-touched the puck past Varlamov to tie the game at 1.
Varlamov's finest moment may have come against Halliday, who had two high danger chances in a row. The veteran stopped Halliday's initial shot, but the puck bounced right back to him.
With a net that was briefly wide open, Varlamov somehow scrambled to his right and arrived just in time to stop Halliday's follow-up. It was a fantastic save, particularly considering everything Varlamov has been through over the past two years.
After a scoreless third period and overtime, that's where Pinto delivered the decisive goal. Ullmark did the rest, turning aside all three Islanders' shootout attempts to secure the win.
The Senators improved to 6-2-0 and move into sole possession of first in the Atlantic. They'll return to action Saturday night against the Philadelphia Flyers at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Game time is 7 p.m. ET.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are coming off a sour defeat against the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday. Falling to the Sabres in a 5-4 overtime loss, the outcome of the game was fueled by Maple Leafs rookie Gavin McKenna not seeing the ice for about half of the game.
The 18-year-old ended up taking nine shifts and finished the contest with 6:36 of ice time, the lowest of his young NHL career to this point. The last shift McKenna took was at the 10:20 mark of the second period.
"You know what? That was my decision," Leafs head coach Jim Hiller said after the game. We went for a stretch. I think we had those penalties. I wanted to get him out there. He sat through the penalties, and then I didn't get him out there. You know, through that stretch, and then in the last few minutes of the period, we're just trying to, you know, get out of the period. I guess you would say. And then now, as I've sat him for so long, and he sits in the intermission, so I probably should have got him out there early in the third. I didn't. So I'll talk to him about that."
Hiller is referencing the two minor penalties the Maple Leafs took in the second period. Oliver Ekman-Larsson was called for holding at 14:35 into the middle frame, and Morgan Rielly was called for hooking at 18:07.
The Leafs' bench boss said he would speak to the rookie about why he didn't see the ice as much as he should have, and how much ice time Hiller intended to give him. However, he's not worried about how McKenna might react to the situation, highlighting his maturity.
"I'll talk to him," Hiller said. "I've said this before. I've talked to Gavin. Very, very mature. Doesn't take anything too, too personally. That's what I've got from him. He's usually ready to go. There's been other times I haven't played him as much and put him in there and double-shifted him and those kinds of things, and you know, he's responded. So, yeah, I'll talk to him, but I, I don't have a big concern about that."
Captain Auston Matthews, who scored the first goal of the game for Toronto, said the situation McKenna was in isn't an ideal one. But he knows a night like this will only motivate him.
"Those things kind of happen sometimes," Matthews said post-game. "I mean, I think everybody's been in that situation before. It's not necessarily a situation you want to be in. But we've all got his back. A game like tonight is going to just make him hungry for the next one to go out there and, you know, compete and dominate. And I'm excited to watch that."
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OTTAWA, CANADA - OCTOBER 15: Tim Stützle #18 of the Ottawa Senators stickhandles the puck against Matthew Schaefer #48 of the New York Islanders during the third period on October 15, 2026 at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by André Ringuette/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Hey everyone, glad to be back for another season of recaps for our favorite team that tortures us constantly!
The Islanders stuck around in this one for longer than they probably deserved, earning a point on the road and dragging the game out to a shootout by killing a full two minute penalty in OT.
Matias Maccelli scored the team’s lone goal and looked pretty good on the Islanders’ top line tonight and paired well with Bo Horvat in overtime, but Cal Ritchie’s line struggled all night and Ritchie and Victor Eklund both were benched for much of the third period. It was probably Ritchie’s worst game of the season so far, and he found himself on the fourth line for stretches, too, which might be good for him until he can find the form he had towards the end of last season.
Semyon Varlamov was sharp all game, turning aside 18/19 shots from the Ottawa Senators, and if he can continue that level of play it’ll be a huge help for Ilya Sorokin and the Islanders.
Early, Kyle Palmieri got tangled up with Shane Pinto, a fellow Long Island native (which the broadcast mentioned multiple times) and limped off the ice. It was a scary moment given his ACL injury last season, but he ultimately was fine.
Stephen Halliday had a great chance in the slot that he seemed to pass off for a backdoor set up which didn’t connect. Then, Warren Foegele sniped the puck past Semyon Varlamov and hit the crossbar. At first, it was ruled a goal on the ice, even though it didn’t entirely look like the puck actually went in, and after the Ottawa Senators celebrated, the call on the ice was overturned.
Halliday beat Varlamov after a defensive breakdown, but the Islanders challenged for offside, and once again Ottawa had a goal wiped off the board, leaving us at 0-0.
Matthew Schaefer rushed to the net and sent a backhand wide after he had Linus Ullmark beat and Emil Heineman had a great chance saved, too.
With 11 seconds left, Matias Maccelli stole the puck from Pinto and ripped it past Ullmark to give the Islanders a lead heading into the second period, his second goal of the season.
Thomas Chabot went to the box for high-sticking Brayden Schenn, and Schaefer had to break up a shorthanded chance for Tim Stutzle. Ultimately, the Senators killed the penalty.
Logan Stanley tripped Ridley Greig, and the Islanders killed that. When Stanley came out of the box, he had a chance on goal, but missed.
About a minute after that, Cal Ritchie took a hooking penalty in the offensive zone. He had a rough game overall, with his line getting hemmed in a lot and his passes just not connecting all game. On the penalty kill, Varlamov robbed Halliday to help get the kill. After that, Simon Holmstrom put a shot off the glass on a 3 on 2.
Foegele cherry-picked at the blue line and got a stretch pass from Artem Zub, and then passed it off to Greig, who put it past Varlamov to tie the game.
Then, Anthony Duclair took a holding penalty, but the Isles were able to get the kill.
Third Period
Varlamov made a big save on Fabian Zetterlund, and when the puck still got behind him he managed to keep it away with the help of a diving Adam Pelech.
Then, Pelech blocked a shot and went down to the dressing room but came back quickly looking no worse for wear, so it was, fortunately, probably more of a stinger than anything else.
Ritchie was moved down to the fourth line, and DeBoer put Emil Heineman with Schenn and Eklund, and then shortened his bench for much of the third period tied 1-1.
Heineman laid a big hit on Foegele a bit far from the boards, with no call, and Foegele wanted to fight Heineman who didn’t take him up on it. Shortly after that, a high stick from Nick Cousins on Matthew Schaefer sent the Isles to the power play, but the Senators got the kill.
Overtime/SO
In OT, the Islanders had their chances, mostly with the combo of Horvat-Maccelli-Schaefer on the ice. When they were off, the Isles got hemmed in, and Pelech took a penalty, hooking Carter Yakemchuk. The Islanders killed off the full two minutes, and Pelech was tripped setting up a play as he got out of the box.
The Islanders couldn’t convert on their 4 on 3 chance, and we went on to the shootout, where only Shane Pinto could convert, giving the Ottawa Senators the extra point.
Up Next
Next, the Islanders head to Toronto to take on the Maple Leafs for the second time already this season. Last time was for the season opener, where the Islanders lost to the Leafs 2-1. That game is on Saturday, October 17. Hoping for a better outcome this time!
