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Yankees news: Anthony Volpe back, but José Caballero expected to start upon return from IL

NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 27: Anthony Volpe #11 and José Caballero #72 of the New York Yankees celebrate after defeating the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium on Saturday, September 27, 2025 in New York, New York. (Photo by Michael Mooney/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

CBS Sports | Mike Axisa: The Yankees recalled Anthony Volpe on Tuesday, giving their erstwhile starting shortstop another opportunity to carve out a role in the big leagues. After struggling on both sides of the ball last year, Volpe underwent shoulder surgery this offseason and began the year on the IL. Once his rehab stint ended, the Yankees chose to keep him down at Triple-A. It was a remarkable fall from grace for the three-year starter, who won a Gold Glove as a rookie and only turned 25 two weeks ago.

Volpe took the roster spot of José Caballero, who excelled in his absence to earn the starting job at short before recently fracturing his right middle finger. “Small fracture. Tendons and ligaments all good,” said manager Aaron Boone of the injury, noting the Yankees are hopeful Caballero will miss the minimum 10 days. Boone also noted he expects Caballero to reclaim his starting job once healthy. Max Schuemann started at the six last night, though that was partially because he was arriving in Baltimore around first-pitch time.

The Athletic | Chris Kirschner: ($) After an 0-for-4 day Monday dropped his OPS to .604, the normally loquacious Jazz Chisholm Jr. had but one word for beat writers who approached his locker in the postgame: “No.” In his stead, the questions fell to his manager. “You sense guys feeling it when you’re a month-plus in, and you’re not doing what the back of your baseball card is,” said Boone. “It’s part of it. He’s probably feeling that a little bit, probably pressing a little too much, trying to do a little too much.”

Chisholm did have this to say yesterday after sleeping on it: “Everybody gets frustrated with their performance when they’re not doing well. Right now, I’m not swinging well, so I’m just working my butt off every day to get back.”

Entering a contract year, Chisholm called his shot, predicting a 50/50 season. Instead, he’s hit well below the back of his baseball card, swinging underneath the ball far more often while taking fewer hard hacks. He’s particularly struggled against his fellow lefties, potentially opening the door to a soft platoon if his struggles continue. With southpaw Trevor Rogers on the bump Tuesday, Amed Rosario drew the start at the keystone while Chisholm sat; Rosario went 1-for-3 with an infield single and an error before Chisholm flew out as a pinch-hitter for him in the eighth.

USA Today | Gabe Lacques: Ryan Weathers took a tough no decision on Monday, taking a no-hitter into the seventh before watching Brent Headrick blow a late lead. It was a continuation of rough luck for the left-hander, who experienced an illness beginning on May 2nd that caused him to miss a start and lose nine pounds. “It’s definitely been a couple weeks, for sure,” said Weathers, who also welcomed a newborn son with his wife Thayer on April 22nd. “But that doesn’t stop me from doing my job.” Despite an exemplary start to the season, Weathers is at risk of losing his spot in a crowded Yankees rotation once Gerrit Cole returns from the IL, potentially by the end of May.

CBS News | Adam Thompson: Closing out with a bit of housekeeping, today’s game in Baltimore will now start at 1:05 PM instead of the previously scheduled 6:35 PM. The Orioles made the decision in consultation with MLB due to concerns about inclement weather in the forecast for the evening. Tickets will still be accepted at the new time, or may be exchanged here.

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Buffalo, Montreal face off with series tied 2-2

Montreal Canadiens (48-24-10, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Buffalo Sabres (50-23-9, in the Atlantic Division)

Buffalo, New York; Thursday, 7 p.m. EDT

LINE: Sabres -120, Canadiens +100; over/under is 6

NHL PLAYOFFS SECOND ROUND: Series tied 2-2

BOTTOM LINE: The Montreal Canadiens visit the Buffalo Sabres for game five of the second round of the NHL Playoffs with the series tied 2-2. The teams meet Tuesday for the ninth time this season. The Sabres won 3-2 in the previous meeting.

Buffalo is 50-23-9 overall with a 22-9-5 record in Atlantic Division games. The Sabres have a 50-4-8 record in games they score at least three goals.

Montreal is 48-24-10 overall and 22-12-3 against the Atlantic Division. The Canadiens are 48-8-9 when scoring three or more goals.

TOP PERFORMERS: Tage Thompson has 40 goals and 41 assists for the Sabres. Alex Tuch has four goals and three assists over the past 10 games.

Cole Caufield has 51 goals and 37 assists for the Canadiens. Alexander Newhook has six goals and one assist over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Sabres: 6-3-1, averaging three goals, 4.8 assists, six penalties and 15.7 penalty minutes while giving up 2.5 goals per game.

Canadiens: 5-3-2, averaging 2.7 goals, 4.6 assists, 6.4 penalties and 15.7 penalty minutes while giving up 2.2 goals per game.

INJURIES: Sabres: Noah Ostlund: out (lower body), Jiri Kulich: out for season (ear), Justin Danforth: out for season (kneecap).

Canadiens: Patrik Laine: out (abdomen).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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The Good, The Bad, The Ugly: 3 Takeaways from Golden Knights Game 5 Win

LAS VEGAS, May 13th, 2026– Nothing came easy for the Vegas Golden Knights in overtime during the regular season. They set a franchise record by going past regulation 26 times, and they lost 17 of those contests. 

Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.

Now, overtime is played at 5-on-5. After tonight’s 3-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks, the Golden Knights are a perfect 3-0 in overtime this postseason.

The Golden Knights hold a 3-2 edge as the series shifts back to Anaheim. Game 6 is scheduled for 6:52 p.m. PST at the Honda Center.

Three Takeaways of the Knight

1. Man Down!

Brayden McNabb, the Golden Knights’ best stay-at-home defenseman, was ejected from the game just nine minutes into the first period for a hit on Ryan Poehling. He played only 3:17; just like that, the Golden Knights were down to only five defensemen for 55 minutes.

Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella refused to comment on the call postgame.

“It’s just no sense talking about it… I just don’t get it,” said Tortorella following the 3-2 win. “High marks for the whole team tonight. I’m proud of the team tonight. Getting down, losing Nabber, one of our top D, losing him– I think he played three minutes– and still finding a way to get things done, to get a win, I’m really proud of the hockey club.

Poehling did not return to the contest.

2. Mr. Game 5

Can we start calling Pavel Dorofeyev ‘Mr. Game 5’ yet? His Game 5 hat trick in the First Round against the Utah Mammoth sent his team to overtime. Tonight, scored the Golden Knights’ first goal in addition to the overtime game-winner. 

But that’s not all. In the second period, Dorofeyev was hobbled after taking a heavy shot from Jackson LaCombe to the right knee. He was slow to get up, and after being attended to by the trainer, he headed down the tunnel. 

Needless to say, he returned.

“Just a blocked shot,” said Dorofeyev following the win. “It’s a s— part of my job, but it hurts more when I miss it. I just got myself together and got back on the ice.”

3. Holding Out for a Hero

By now, everyone’s heard the intimidating, yet oddly specific, statistic: the Golden Knights have never lost a series after winning Game 5 to go up 3-2. And now, they’ve won another Game 5 and can end this series in Anaheim on Thursday. But in all those Game 6s of old, there was one consistent factor: Mark Stone. 

Stone has missed the last two games with a lower-body injury, and there’s a very good chance that he doesn’t play in Thursday’s Game 6. And that means that the Golden Knights will close this series out without their Captain.

Teams that go up 3-2 in a series have historically won 79.8% of the time. Even without Stone, I like the Golden Knights’ chances against a young and relatively inexperienced Ducks team. But the Captain is watching from the sidelines, and someone else will have to step up and answer the call when the lights are brightest.

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Eric Haase ruins Ice Cube Night in Giants’ 6-2 win over Dodgers

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 12: Matt Chapman #26, Eric Haase #18 and Caleb Kilian #45 of the San Francisco Giants celebrate after defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in a game at Dodger Stadium on May 12, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Eric Haase is no kid, but he can definitely play.

In his sixth game with the San Francisco Giants, the veteran catcher hit two home runs off Yoshinobu Yamamato (3-3), the second happening one pitch after Harrison Bader took Yamamoto deep in the 5th inning. That put the Giants up 3-2 and they went on to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers for the fourth time in five games.

The Giants ruined Ice Cube Bobblehead Night at Dodger Stadium thanks to a strong start from Adrian Hauser (1-4), who got his first win of the season. Hauser had to check himself during a difficult first inning where the Dodgers loaded the bases with one out, but avoided wrecking himself when he escaped with one run after a sacrifice fly.

His only hiccup after that came when Shohei Ohtani jacked him for beats a leadoff home run with Cube sitting in the broadcast booth.

For Hauser, struggling through a difficult start of the season, giving up three hits and two runs in 5.2 innings certainly qualifies as a good day, and we hope someone gets him a Fatburger.

Yamamoto was mowing down the Giants to start the game, retiring eight straight and striking out four of them, before leaving a cutter to Haase out over the plate. He was greeted by a resounding chorus of boos from the crowd, which had likely only just reached their seats in the top of the third.

Yamamoto continued to pitch effectively to Giants not named Haase, until Bader hit a two-strike bomb to left and Haase followed with a home run eerily similar to his first blast. It was the first time the Giants have hit back-t0-back dingers in 2026.

You could argue that Dave Roberts left Yamamoto in too long, though he’d thrown only 84 pitches through six innings, and Haase was five batters away in the 7th. But Heliot Ramos doubled to left, then Willy Adames drilled a single that was hit too hard to score Ramos from second. Yamamoto then got Bryce Eldridge to line out on a play where only a leaping Hyeseong Kim prevented an RBI single.

Eldridge’s swing is like a Judd Apatow comedy: It’s too long, but it also leads to hits. In theory; he’s still hitting .118.

Roberts brought in Blake Treinen with one out, and he did not Make The Seventh Inning Great Again for the Dodgers. Drew Gilbert delivered a beautiful pinch-bunt on a safety squeeze that handcuffed Freddie Freeman and brought home Ramos.

Haase nearly added his third home run with a drive that went to the center field wall, but had to settle for being the fourth Giants catcher in history and the first since Bob Melvin to have a two-homer game against the Dodgers. He now has twice as many home runs in 2026 as Patrick Bailey.

Jung Hoo Lee gave the Giants two key insurance runs with another two-strike hit, driven to the same area of right-center where Lee would make a nice running catch in the bottom of the inning.

Reliever Sam Hentges got a big challenge in his second appearance of the season, entering to face Ohtani with two out and a man on first after a possibly-mythical hit-by-pitch on Andy Pages. Hentges struck him out, then got in trouble in the 8th when he sandwiched walks to Freeman and Will Smith around a Kyle Tucker double.

But Tony Vitello left Hentges in to sink or swim with Max Muncy at the plate as the tying run. He struck out the Dodgers third baseman, who was 0-for-4 on the night.

Caleb Killian retired Pages to end the threat and worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his second save. And in a big departure from Monday’s thrust-fest, the Giants outfielders opted for a much classier victory celebration after Tuesday’s win.

There’s no word yet on whether Ice Cube heard Duane Kuiper’s pre-game challenge and a promise to “pour a Blanton’s” on top of an Ice Cube, but please prepare yourselves for what may be the weirdest diss track of all time.

Ohtnai may have broken out of his slump, which is bad news for the Giants the rest of the series. He hadn’t homered in two weeks and put up a slash line of .111/.220/.139, before going 2-for-4 with a walk and scoring both Dodgers runs Tuesday night. Even Ohtani’s game-ending groundout necessitated a diving stop by Luis Arraez to retire him.

Robbie Ray will have to deal with Ohtani in the batter’s box tomorrow night and the rest of the Giants will have to deal with him on the mound. After that, Thursday is Star Wars Night. We can’t wait to hear what Kuiper has to say about Chewbacca.

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World’s No 1 disabled golfer Kipp Popert: ‘The best need to play for a living. The sport has stopped’

The DP World Tour putting its G4D disabled tour in cold storage does not fit the growing the game narrative, the Englishman argues

Kipp Popert is a man on a mission. The 27-year‑old Englishman, who tops the disabled world rankings, uses one word a lot: “opportunity”. Popert was “shocked” to hear from the DP World Tour that its G4D circuit, which staged a handful of tournaments per year for disabled players between 2022 and 2025, has been placed into cold storage.

The G4D Open, a tournament for 80 golfers with disabilities, will be staged at Celtic Manor from Thursday. It takes place thousands of miles from Pennsylvania and this week’s US PGA Championship, which last year bestowed $3.4m (£2.5m) on Scottie Scheffler. Even the main platform for players in this domain does not offer prize money. It is not Popert’s way to lambast anyone. He instead calmly articulates the impact of that move.

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‘No Moment Too Big’ for Golden Knights in Critical Game 5 Overtime Win

LAS VEGAS, May 12th, 2026– Rasmus Andersson said it best: there’s a feeling that no moment is too big for the Vegas Golden Knights. They conceded the tying goal late, rebounded quickly, and came out flying to start overtime. They scored the game-winner in the first five minutes of overtime and edged out the Anaheim Ducks by a score of 3-2.

“Big moments, right? It’s overtime– the easy answer is, the next goal wins,” said defenseman Rasmus Andersson following the 3-2 overtime win. “I think we’re a pretty comfortable group in [that situation]. There’s a lot of players in [the locker room] who’ve been through it and had a lot of success and won, and they usually lead the charge. 

“We’re an older team,” Andersson acknowledged. “And there’s a feeling that no moment is too big. We’re very confident when we go to overtime. I think we keep our composure and just try to simplify stuff, honestly. Usually, overtime goals aren’t the prettiest, and it’s the rebounds, or the tips, or the screened shots from the blue line. 

“But we just try to stay calm in there and work shift by shift,” Andersson finished.

In the first period, the teams played fast and loose. For every 2-on-1 the Ducks had, the Golden Knights went back the other way on a breakaway. Anaheim ended the period with six high-danger chances; the Golden Knights generated seven and controlled 57.19% of the expected goal share.

The Golden Knights lost Brayden McNabb just nine minutes into the first period. The defenseman threw a late hit on Ducks center Ryan Poehling, and after Poehling was slow to get up, the officials gave McNabb a five-minute major for interference and a game misconduct.

The Ducks broke the ice at 12:36 in the first on the ensuing five-minute power play. Carter Hart kicked out Cutter Gauthier’s wrister from the right circle, but he left the rebound in the blue paint. Hart lunged for the loose puck, but Beckett Sennecke got there first and banged it home.

The Golden Knights found the equalizer on a power play opportunity of their own at 16:13 in the first. Pavel Dorofeyev stripped the puck from Chris Kreider, danced into the slot, and ripped off a wrister that beat Lukáš Dostál top-shelf.

In the second period, the run-and-gun play from the first period was nowhere to be found. The teams combined for just 12 scoring chances, and for the first time this series, the Golden Knights and the Ducks entered the third period tied. 

It didn’t stay that way for long.

The Golden Knights took their first lead of the night at 4:48 in the third. Brandon Saad got a piece of Rasmus Andersson’s shot from the point, but Lukáš Dostál made the save. Tomáš Hertl got to the loose puck and backhanded it home for his first five-on-five goal since February 1st. 

“Every game, I tried not to think about a goal because, especially in the playoffs, winning games is all that matters,” said Hertl postgame. “I’ve tried so many different things over the last two months– it was almost impossible not to think about it. Hopefully this is behind me, and this stretch never happens again, because, honestly, it was way too long.”

After a period of sustained pressure, the Ducks finally broke through and found the equalizer at 16:55 in the third. Mason McTavish found Cutter Gauthier below the right circle, and Gauthier one-touched a cross-ice pass to Olen Zellweger at the left dot. Zellweger received the pass, picked his shot, and beat Carter Hart far-side. 

It was all Golden Knights in overtime. As Rasmus Andersson said, they simply rise to the occasion. They outshot the Ducks 5-0 and generated three scoring chances while not allowing Anaheim a single one.

The Golden Knights struck just 4:10 into overtime. Jack Eichel pick-pocketed Troy Terry, protected the puck from Leo Carlsson, and circled lower into the zone. He danced around Olen Zellweger and threaded a pass to Pavel Dorofeyev at the goal line; Dorofeyev knocked the puck down and batted it home.

“To be honest with you, I can’t even tell you what happened there,” laughed Dorofeyev after the 3-2 overtime win. “I just saw a puck, whipped my stick on it, and thankfully got it in.”

The series shifts back to Anaheim on Thursday, where the Golden Knights will have an opportunity to close it out. Game 6 is scheduled for 6:50 p.m. PST.

Read More: 3 Takeaways from Golden Knights Game 5 Win

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Yankees’ Jazz Chisholm Jr. off to slow start in contract year: ‘not swinging well’

An image collage containing 1 images, Image 1 shows Jazz Chisholm Jr. reacts after striking out in the ninth inning of the Yankees' loss to the Orioles on May 11, 2026 in Baltimore

BALTIMORE — For most of the early going, Smooth Jazz has been on mute for the Yankees.

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But Jazz Chisholm Jr. said before Yankees’ 6-2 win over the Orioles Tuesday he is “working my butt off every day to get back” to the player he is capable of being, and the one the Yankees need him to be in order to be their best version.

“Everybody gets frustrated with their performance when they’re not doing well,” said Chisholm, who was out of the lineup Tuesday against Orioles lefty Trevor Rogers. “Right now, I’m not swinging well.”

After going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts Monday night — three of those at-bats coming with runners in scoring position — and 0-for-1 Tuesday night pinch hitting for Amed Rosario, Chisholm fell to batting just .200 with a .600 OPS this season.

He has looked like a shell of the hitter he was last season, when he hit 31 homers and stole 31 bases, leading him to proclaim a goal of 50-50 this season.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. reacts after striking out in the ninth inning of the Yankees’ loss to the Orioles on May 11, 2026 in Baltimore. AP

But in a crucial contract year, Chisholm has yet to live up to his own lofty expectations, though he insisted that his uncertain future is not getting in his head.

“No, not right now,” he said. “It’s still pretty early for that. But right now, all I want to do is help my team win. When you feel like you’re not doing that and you’re not helping, especially with the bat … it sucks.”

Aaron Boone suggested Monday that Chisholm might be pressing and trying to make things happen instead of letting the game come to him.

“There’s been stretches this year where it seems like he’s starting to get it going a little bit and then a little bit of a pullback,” Boone said. “He hasn’t fully broken out yet. And he will. It’s the hard part of this game as a hitter, even the good ones, you’re going to go through it in different stretches That’s where you got to be mentally tough and continue to stick to your process and make subtle adjustments and then walk out there with some swagger.”

Unlike some of the other struggling Yankees in the lineup — notably Trent Grisham, and to some extent Austin Wells — Chisholm does not have the underlying metrics to suggest he has been the victim of bad luck and should be better than his surface numbers indicate.

During his 30-30 season last year, Chisholm posted a 15 percent barrel rate, which ranked in the 91st percentile; this year, it is 6.0 percent, ranking in the 31st percentile.

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Last year, he had an expected wOBA (weighted on-base average) of .346, which ranked in the 78th percentile; this year, it is .262, which is in the fifth percentile.

And last year, his expected slugging percentage was .481, which ranked in the 83rd percentile; this year, it is .310, which ranks in the 11th percentile.

“Just focusing on trying to square the ball up to center field every time I get up there,” Chisholm said. “Swing at the right pitches, put it in play.”

Due to the threat of rain, Wednesday’s series finale has been moved up from 6:35 p.m. to 1:05 p.m.

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Wembanyama stars to put Spurs on verge of Western final

Victor Wembanyama celebrates during the Western Conference semi-final
Victor Wembanyama became the third-youngest player in NBA history to record 25 points, 15 rebounds, and five assists in a post-season game [Getty Images]

Victor Wembanyama starred as the San Antonio Spurs moved to within one win of a Western Conference final against the Oklahoma City Thunder by taking a 3-2 lead against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Wembanyama scored 27 points - including 18 in the first quarter - to lead the Spurs to a 126-97 victory in game five of the best-of-seven series.

His display came after the 22-year-old was ejected for the first time in his NBA career in the previous game for elbowing an opponent, although he did not receive a suspension.

Victory in game six for the Spurs in Minneapolis on Friday would set up a showdown with the Thunder - the reigning NBA champions - who completed a 4-0 sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers.

On whether he was anxious about returning for game five, Wembanyama said: "Very, very much. I mean, I was fresh, feeling good. But honestly, it's hard to tell if it was just getting fired up.

"Obviously, I'm going to be excited with butterflies, you know. So excitement is not something abnormal."

Asked about Wembanyama, Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said: "The one word I'd like to use [is] just mature.

"There's a lot that's happened in the last 48 hours, in the last game, and I think how that young man came out tonight and played in a variety of ways, in a variety of situations, was extremely mature."

The Spurs allowed an 18-point second-quarter lead to slip as Minnesota levelled the game at 61-61 four minutes into the third quarter.

But San Antonio rallied again, scoring 30 of the next 42 points to take a 91-73 lead into the final quarter - and extended that advantage even further.

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Takeaways from the Ducks' 3-2 Overtime Loss to the Golden Knights, Vegas Leads Series 3-2

Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville speaks to the media after their Game 5 overtime loss (2-3) to the Vegas Golden Knights.

The Anaheim Ducks and Vegas Golden Knights entered Game 5 with a 2-2 series tie after the teams split the first four games, with each team winning one home game and one road game.

The Ducks had a better approach in Game 4 after going down early in Game 3 and never being able to properly recover. They scored first and, despite the Golden Knights tying the game twice, never relinquished the lead the entire game. Their power play also broke through in Game 4 after going 0-for-11 through the first three games of the series.

Takeaways from the Ducks' 4-3 Win over the Golden Knights, Series Tied 2-2

2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Round 2, Game 5 - Ducks vs. Golden Knights Gameday Preview (05/12/26)

Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella said after Game 4 that he felt his team took too many penalties (they took four minor penalties). The Ducks have had 15 power play opportunities compared to the Golden Knights' 12 power play opportunities through four games. The Ducks have scored twice on the power play this series (both in Game 4) while the Golden Knights have scored thrice.

Mason McTavish, Olen Zellweger and Ian Moore were inserted into the Game 4 lineup in favor of Jansen Harkins and Tyson Hinds, who were healthy scratches, and Drew Helleson, who missed Game 4 with an undisclosed injury. Captain Radko Gudas was a game-time decision for Game 4, but did not play. He was ruled out for Game 5 by head coach Joel Quenneville following Tuesday's morning skate.

Here's how the Ducks lined up to start Game 5:

Kreider-Carlsson-Terry
Killorn-Granlund-Sennecke
McTavish-Poehling-Gauthier
Johnston-Washe-Viel

LaCombe-Trouba
Mintyukov-Carlson
Zellweger-Moore

Lukáš Dostál and Carter Hart faced one another for the fifth consecutive game, unsurprisingly. Dostál stopped 29 of 32 shots in the game, while Hart stopped 34 of 36 shots in the game.

Ryan Poehling suffered an injury nine minutes into the game due to a hit from Brayden McNabb, who was assessed a five-minute major for interference and a game misconduct. Poehling did not return to the game.

Game Notes

A helter-skelter first period led to several scoring chances off the rush for both teams. Both Dostál and Hart gave up a couple of big rebounds, which neither team was able to capitalize on in the first. Despite being on the penalty kill for five minutes, the Golden Knights generated more chances at 5v5 in the first.

Game 5 featured more low-event hockey (for the most part), but featured plenty of chances off the rush for both teams. The Golden Knights began to take control once they gained the lead in the third, with the Ducks struggling to negate their cycle at times. Both teams made the most of their power play opportunities in a game that didn't feature many penalties.

Physicality continues to play a big role as this series progresses, with plenty of post-whistle scrums. Both teams are trying to play as close to the edge as they can without taking penalties.

Mason McTavish/Cutter Gauthier-While McTavish and Gauthier lost their linemate early in the game, they continued to build off their Game 4 performance and created chances alongside whoever their pivot was. While usually more of a goalscorer, Gauthier has been utilizing his vision more in the last couple of games to find teammates in good scoring positions.

McTavish found himself in prime scoring positions by simply being around the slot and the crease, the beneficiary of Gauthier's playmaking. His presence around Hart caused several rebounds to pop out in front of the crease, leading to several scoring opportunities. Both McTavish and Gauthier's vision and passing were vital in setting up Zellweger's game-tying goal in the third period.

Chris Kreider/Troy Terry-Terry has missed almost every morning skate since mid-March as he continues to manage his workload, surely due to a lingering injury. He's giving it his all, but it's beginning to show a bit more as this series has progressed, as he is beginning to overhandle the puck and appears to have a lack of jump in his skating.

Similarly, Kreider has not impacted the game on a consistent basis and was guilty of not getting the puck out of the defensive zone on Vegas' first goal. Both he and Terry were unable to get the puck out in overtime, which eventually led to Dorofeyev's game-winning goal. With Poehling likely out for Game 6, Quenneville will have to shuffle the lines around, which may lead to one or both of Kreider and Terry coming off the top line.

Fourth line-Quenneville seems intent on matching his fourth line against Mitch Marner's line, much like he did in the Oilers series to slow down Connor McDavid. While that may have worked to an extent, it's not quite having the same effects with Ross Johnston on that line instead of Ian Moore. The lack of foot speed on that line has been noticeable in defensive coverage, as they are a bit slow to get out and take away the perimeter at times.

Lukáš Dostál-It was a mostly solid night from Dostál, who kept the Ducks in the game for most of it and had some big saves down the stretch. His rebound control was a bit shoddy on Vegas' second goal, but Ian Moore was more at fault for not tying up Tomáš Hertl and icing the puck on the previous play. Dostál can't be faulted for either of Pavel Dorofeyev's goals, with the first being an absolute snipe and the second a baseball whack into the top part of the net. If not for Dostál, Vegas likely would have scored more than three goals.

Olen Zellweger-Zellweger didn't get a ton of ice time in his playoff debut in Game 4, but picked up a point on Moore's game-winning goal. He looked more engaged in this one, choosing the right times to activate offensively and creating effective breakouts with his skating. He received more ice time down the stretch for his efforts. More activation from the defensemen is something that Quenneville wanted going into Game 4, which Zellweger provided in both Games 4 and 5.

The series now returns to Anaheim, with the Golden Knights holding a 3-2 lead and a chance to end the series in six games. Game 6 will be Thursday, May 14 at 6:30 p.m. PT at Honda Center.

Takeaways from the Ducks 4-3 Win over the Golden Knights, Series Tied 2-2

Ducks GM Pat Verbeek Finalist for General Manager of the Year

Takeaways from the Ducks 6-2 Loss to the Golden Knights, Vegas Leads Series 2-1

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The Sabres Survived Absolute Chaos To Save Their Season

One minute the Buffalo Sabres were getting booed, reviewed and rattled inside Bell Centre — three hours later, they were walking out with their season very much alive.

The Buffalo Sabres responded to mounting pressure Tuesday night with arguably their grittiest performance of the postseason, defeating the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 in a chaotic, emotionally draining Game 4 that somehow felt longer and heavier than the final score suggested.

There were bizarre bounces. Endless penalties. Controversial reviews. Momentum swings violent enough to flip the building in seconds. And in the middle of all of it stood Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who hadn’t started a game in nearly three weeks and suddenly looked like a man refusing to let Buffalo’s season spiral away.

By the end of the night, the series was tied 2-2 — and the Sabres had rediscovered something that looked a lot like themselves.

“Our belief never wavered,” Zach Benson told NHL.com.

“I don’t think there’s ever been wavering confidence in our group all season,” echoed Tage Thompson. “From Day 1, we had people doubting us and counting us out. It’s all these guys inside this room, our staff, that’s the only opinions that matter in here, and we all believe in each other.”

Chaos Nearly Buried Buffalo Early

The opening period felt less like playoff hockey and more like survival.

Buffalo stormed out of the gate with the urgency of a desperate team. Mattias Samuelsson opened the scoring after the Sabres overwhelmed Montreal early, silencing the Bell Centre crowd before it fully settled into the game.

Moments later, it appeared Buffalo had grabbed complete control.

A lengthy video review confirmed that Jack Quinn had extended the lead after jamming the puck through goaltender Jakub Dobes near the crease. The Sabres celebrated. The Canadiens challenged. Then came another review — one that drained nearly all the oxygen from the building.

The goal was overturned for goalie interference.

The delay stretched endlessly. Buffalo’s momentum evaporated. The Bell Centre came roaring back to life. And suddenly, the game flipped.

Alex Newhook capitalized shortly after to tie the game before Cole Caufield buried a late power-play goal to send Montreal into intermission ahead 2-1 despite Buffalo controlling large stretches of play.

For a team that lost composure badly in Game 3, the situation felt dangerous.

Instead, the Sabres steadied themselves.

“We learned our lesson,” said Thompson, “and in a similar situation coming into the first intermission, did a way better job regrouping, just calming ourselves back down. I thought we played a great game.”

“There was a lot of elements that went the other way,” added coach Lindy Ruff. “The review where we get the goal, the review where they take it away. Which I totally disagree with, just for the fact that Dobes always is swinging his stick. He initiated the contact with (Konsta) Helenius with his stick coming across the crease.”

Luukkonen Slammed The Door Shut

The equalizer arrived in the strangest possible fashion.

During a second-period power play, Thompson dumped the puck into the offensive zone from near center ice. The puck ricocheted violently off the end boards, bounced directly toward the crease and somehow slipped past Dobes inside the post.

Bell Centre groaned. Thompson could barely believe it himself.

The bizarre goal tied the game, but it also reignited Buffalo’s confidence.

From there, the Sabres began playing with conviction again. Their power play — lifeless for most of the opening round — suddenly looked dangerous. Early in the third period, Peyton Krebs drew a penalty that opened the door for Benson, who calmly found soft ice in the slot before finishing off a slick passing sequence for the eventual game winner on his 21st birthday.

“We’ve talked about our power play being good in key moments. That’s what we did: We went out there, we executed,” said Benson, who turned 21 on Tuesday and is up to four goals these playoffs. “Heck of a slip pass by [Josh Doan], and my job was pretty easy from there, just putting it in the net.”

Joked Thompson: “I don’t know if being 21 makes him an adult, but it’s exciting. … No better way to celebrate Benny’s birthday than getting the game winner.”

What followed was pure desperation hockey.

Buffalo blocked everything.

Shots ricocheted off legs, gloves, hips and sticks as the Sabres collapsed around their net in waves during the final minutes. Samuelsson was everywhere, finishing with six blocked shots, six hits and massive minutes against Montreal’s top players.

“He was a beast,” Ruff said.

“Those are things that don’t look pretty on TV or to fans watching,” Thompson said of the blocks, “but that stuff on the bench gets us just as jacked as scoring a goal.”

And whenever Montreal managed to break through the layers in front, Luukkonen erased the chance.

The Finnish goaltender turned aside 28 shots overall and was especially brilliant late, surviving a furious Canadiens push that threatened to overwhelm Buffalo’s defense. His sprawling saves on Caufield midway through the game may have ultimately preserved the entire night.

“He’s a dog,” Benson said. “We had all the confidence in the world in him – all of our goalies. Upie made so many big saves tonight that we really needed in key moments. All the credit goes to him. He was the biggest reason why we walked out of this building with a win.”

After getting embarrassed in Games 2 and 3, the Sabres could have unraveled completely inside one of hockey’s loudest buildings.

Instead, they absorbed every punch, survived every bounce and dragged this series back to even.

And suddenly, all the pressure has shifted again.

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The Mammoth Learned A Brutal Playoff Lesson Against Vegas

The Utah Mammoth had the talent to skate with the Vegas Golden Knights, but when the series turned into a war of attrition, experience, structure and sheer force won out.

Playoff hockey finally arrived in Salt Lake City with genuine electricity behind it. The Delta Center shook on May 1 as fans draped in Mammoth colors believed they were about to witness a Game 7 push from one of the NHL’s fastest-rising teams. Instead, the night became a harsh lesson in what separates an exciting young contender from a battle-tested postseason machine.

The Utah Mammoth were dismantled 5-1 by the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 6, ending a fiercely contested series that had largely been defined by razor-thin margins and overtime drama. For most of the matchup, Utah looked capable of pulling off the upset. The skill was undeniable. The speed was real. But over six games, the cracks that often haunt inexperienced playoff teams slowly widened.

Strength Alone Shifted The Series

Coming into the series, the stylistic contrast was obvious. Utah wanted pace, transition offense and open ice. Vegas wanted to suffocate the game, lean on its size and grind every shift into exhaustion.

Eventually, the Golden Knights imposed their identity.

Vegas controlled extended stretches simply by overpowering Utah along the boards and below the circles. Their offensive-zone possession became relentless. Shift after shift, Utah defenders were pinned in their own zone while Vegas cycled the puck with patience and physical authority.

The Mammoth never completely backed down physically. In fact, they finished the series with more hits. But there is a difference between throwing hits and controlling a game through physical play. Vegas used its strength economically and strategically. Utah often looked like a team expending enormous energy simply trying to survive the next wave.

That distinction became more visible as the series wore on.

By Game 4 and Game 5, Utah’s legs appeared heavier. Breakouts became sloppier. Defensive recoveries slowed. The quick-strike attack that helped fuel early wins started disappearing beneath the pressure Vegas created shift after shift.

The Golden Knights didn’t just outmuscle Utah physically — they dictated the emotional pace of the series.

Experience Became The Deciding Factor

The moments that ultimately buried Utah were not necessarily failures of talent. They were failures of composure.

Game 4 offered the clearest warning sign. After taking the lead, the Mammoth drifted into a conservative shell, protecting the advantage instead of continuing to attack. Vegas recognized it immediately and gradually tilted the ice until the equalizer arrived. Once overtime began, the momentum had already shifted.

Game 5 became even crueler.

Utah stood seconds away from seizing complete control of the series before one defensive breakdown unraveled everything. The Golden Knights exploited a single moment of hesitation, drawing coverage away and creating just enough space for the tying goal that silenced the building and psychologically flipped the series.

Those are the situations veteran teams survive because they’ve lived through them repeatedly. Vegas remained calm while Utah looked overwhelmed by the weight of the moment.

That gap in experience surfaced constantly throughout the series. The Golden Knights rarely panicked. Their structure remained intact under pressure. Utah, meanwhile, occasionally chased hits, overcommitted defensively or lost its shape during chaotic sequences.

For a young team making its first real playoff push, those mistakes are common. Against a veteran contender, they become fatal.

Injuries only magnified the problem.

The absence of players like Jack McBain and Barrett Hayton quietly altered the complexion of the series. Utah lost depth, faceoff reliability and some of the grit necessary to withstand Vegas’ relentless style. Their replacements competed hard, but the lineup lacked the same edge once the series became increasingly punishing.

Still, despite the disappointment, this postseason likely marked the beginning of something far more important in Utah.

The city embraced playoff hockey completely. The atmosphere inside the Delta Center evolved from curiosity into genuine passion. Every massive goal, every thunderous hit and every overtime sequence felt like another step in cementing Salt Lake City as a legitimate NHL market.

More importantly, the foundation appears legitimate.

Logan Cooley continued to flash star potential. Dylan Guenther looks poised to become a centerpiece scorer. The anticipated arrival of Tij Iginla only strengthens the belief that Utah’s competitive window is just beginning to open.

The Mammoth may have lacked the maturity, depth and muscle needed to survive this postseason. What they did not lack was promise.

And after a spring that transformed the Delta Center into one of hockey’s loudest stages, expectations around Utah are no longer about simply arriving. Now they are about what comes next.

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Shohei Ohtani’s slump-busting home run not enough to stop Dodgers’ skid in loss to Giants

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows A relieved Shohei Ohtani looks up to the sky after hitting a slump-busting home run during the third inning of the Dodgers' 6-2 loss to the Giants on May 12, 2026 in Los Angeles, Image 2 shows Shohei Ohtani belts a solo home run in the third inning of the Dodgers' loss to the Giants, Image 3 shows Yoshinobu Yamamoto throws a pitch during the Dodgers' loss to the Giants

For a brief moment Tuesday night, smiles and laughter returned to the Dodgers dugout.

Mired in a month-long slump and without a home run in his last 13 games, Shohei Ohtani finally rediscovered his swing, belting a solo blast in the bottom of the third inning that –– for both himself, and his struggling team –– offered a temporary sigh of relief.

As Ohtani returned to the dugout, he sheepishly grinned as teammates greeted him with an exaggerated celebration. Then, as he walked down the bench, he joked with starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto that he should have the ball retrieved, making a hand motion usually reserved for a player’s first career hit.

A relieved Shohei Ohtani looks up to the sky after hitting a slump-busting home run during the third inning of the Dodgers’ 6-2 loss to the Giants on May 12, 2026 in Los Angeles. Getty Images

Good times.

They wouldn’t last.

Instead, the Dodgers once again faded late in an eventual 6-2 loss to the San Francisco Giants, suffering their fourth-straight defeat behind another quiet night from the offense and second-straight shaky performance from the pitching staff.

“When you don’t get a whole lot of opportunities and you don’t cash in on the couple that you do get, you don’t score a lot of runs,” manager Dave Roberts said. “We haven’t given ourselves as many opportunities as we’re used to … So that’s where it’s like, our margins, even on the offensive side, are just more finite.”

Indeed, since April 18, the Dodgers’ 9-14 record is fourth-worst in the majors.

Ohtani went 2-for-4 in the loss, snapping out of his recent 4-for-38 slump with not only the third-inning homer but also a first-inning single that led to the night’s opening run.

Alas, it wouldn’t be enough to get the Dodgers (24-18) out of their ongoing funk; not on a night Yamamoto allowed an MLB career-high three home runs in a 6 ⅓-inning, five-run clunker, and the rest of the Dodgers’ lineup combined for just two other knocks while stranding eight men on base.

The turning point came in the top of the fifth, when Yamamoto gave up back-to-back home runs to San Francisco’s Nos. 8 and 9 hitters Harrison Bader and (for the second time on the night) Eric Haase, turning a 2-1 Dodgers lead into a 3-2 deficit.

Then, the Giants (18-24) broke the game open in the seventh, scoring three times after Blake Treinen failed to escape a two-on, one-out jam he inherited from Yamamoto. The first scored one on a squeeze bunt Freddie Freeman couldn’t bare-hand while crashing from first base. Two more came around on a double from Jung Hoo Lee.

Shohei Ohtani belts a solo home run in the third inning of the Dodgers’ loss to the Giants. Getty Images

Just like that, the joy was gone again for the Dodgers –– who managed only one run from a bases-loaded opportunity in the first inning, after Will Smith was robbed of extra bases on a running catch in right from Lee; then left the bases loaded in the eighth, squandering their best chance at a late rally.

On another frustrating night, they suffered another dispiriting defeat.

“We just haven’t really capitalized on that much lately,” Tucker said. “So we just need to do a little bit better job at that, just kind of all the way around.”

What it means

The Dodgers’ recent slump first came into focus when they lost two of three in San Francisco last month.

This week, they were hoping to avenge that series, and get back on track against a Giants team that arrived in Los Angeles losers of nine of its last 12.

Instead, the Dodgers are now 1-4 against the Giants this season, and have scored a total of nine runs in the five games combined.

The offense remains the primary problem, with Tuesday marking the 10th time in the last 13 games the team has failed to score more than three times.

If that wasn’t bad enough, it was also their fourth-straight defeat by at least a four-run margin. The last time the Dodgers did that, according to Baseball Reference: 1936.

Who’s hot

At long last, Ohtani.

His first hit of the night might not have been exactly what he was looking for, a ground-ball single that snuck through the right side of the infield.

His next one sure was, though, as he not only snapped his two-week home run drought (and hit just his second in a snap of 109 plate appearances) but did so by going the other way with a towering drive –– using the “big part of the field,” as Roberts likes to say, in a way he has struggled to for most of this season.

“I thought tonight was a really good night (for him),” Roberts said. “He can hopefully take that momentum from tonight and then be building on that through Anaheim and San Diego.”

Shohei Ohtani belts a solo home run during the Dodgers’ loss to the Giants. Getty Images

The reason Ohtani will have to wait until the team’s weekend road trip is because he will not be in the lineup the next two games.

Roberts came to that decision before the game, sensnig the slugger needed an offensive reset after enteing the night batting .200 over his previous 26 games.

Roberts said he didn’t want to change course just because the two-way star –– who will start on the mound as a pitcher Wednesday –– had one good night, either.

“I’ve talked about the workload and I’ve talked to him at length about it,” Roberts said. “It’s tough on days he pitches. I don’t think it’s fair to player just to assume, he threw out a couple knocks so he should be in there tomorrow. I don’t like playing that game.”

Who’s not

Four starts into the season, Yamamoto seemed to be picking up where he left off in last year’s postseason, posting a 2.10 ERA with a sub-1.00 WHIP.

Since then, however, the Japanese right-hander has hit an unexpected skid, culminating in Tuesday’s season-worst performance against the Giants.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto throws a pitch during the Dodgers’ loss to the Giants. Getty Images

Yamamoto not only suffered a season-high for runs allowed in the loss, but also suffered his fourth-straight outing giving up at least three.

As a result, his ERA has climbed to 3.60 on the year, and is at 5.18 over this recent stretch.

He has also now allowed eight home runs, already more than double the total he yielded in 30 starts last year. 

Up next

The Dodgers and Giants continue this four-game series on Wednesday night, when Ohtani (2-2, 0.97 ERA) will face Robbie Ray (3-4, 2.76 ERA).

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Rui Hachimura ‘widely believed’ to want to stay with Lakers in free agency

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 11: Rui Hachimura #28 of the Los Angeles Lakers speaks to the media during a press conference after Game Four of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Crypto.com Arena on May 11, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Throughout the majority of the Lakers’ red hot March, Rui Hachimura was coming off the bench as a key reserve. Two months later, with the season on the line, he was having one of the best games of his career while trying to save the Lakers from elimination.

No one did more for his stock this postseason than Rui. After a regular season with mixed results and changing roles, Rui stepped up after the injuries to Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves and delivered in a big way.

Across the team’s 10 playoff games, Rui averaged 17.5 points per game on 54.9% shooting overall and an absurd 56.9% shooting from the 3-point line. He shot above 50% from three in every game as well, a truly impressive feat.

It all couldn’t have come at a better time for him as he’s set for unrestricted free agency this offseason. After his strong postseason, he’s set for a big payday, and it sounds like the Lakers could be the ones that offer it up.

On Tuesday, Dan Woike of The Athletic wrote a lengthy piece with plenty of great reporting on the present and future of the Lakers. Included in that was a tidbit on Rui and how most expect him to return to LA this summer.

Hachimura could be a priority for the Lakers. The 28-year-old is widely believed to want to stay with the Lakers. He shot 44.3 percent from 3-point range this season and is well-liked inside the locker room.

Rui has definitely found a home in LA after an underwhelming start to his career in Washington. His transformation from a high-volume midrange shooter to a high-efficiency laser from range has been remarkable. It speaks both to the work he’s done on his game as well as the level of comfort he has with the franchise, which President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka pointed out during his exit interview on Tuesday.

“From the time I traded for him when he came from the Wizards, Rui has gotten incredibly comfortable here,” Pelinka said. “Comfortable with the coaches and the front office and our systems and what I’ve seen in that, once Rui gets to a point of trust and comfort, then he grows exponentially with his production on the court.

“That’s what I’ve noticed most about him is just there’s a trust factor and comfort level that allows him to be the highest version of himself. That’s really important to keep those pieces.”

It surely sounds like someone who plans on retaining Rui this summer.

The question when it comes to free agents will always be the price point. But if Rui wants to be in LA and the Lakers want to keep him, you’d have to imagine they can iron out a deal that works for both sides.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

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From the Pocket: Voss coached the way he played and his brutal football failed Carlton

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When John Elliott died in 2021, the old, dark, imperial Carlton was dead. The new Carlton was grounded on “respect, humility and integrity”. The new president was a master networker. The new chief executive was the best administrator in football. The new coach had been one of the great players of his generation.

The Blues were a terrific team to watch in Michael Voss’s first year as coach. He had a lot to work with in 2022 – a pair of No 1 draft picks, two Coleman medallists, a captain who would win two Brownlow medals and a list that had been built from the spine since Brendon Bolton’s first year in charge. They spent almost the entire season in the top eight, and most of it on the cusp of a double chance.

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Dorofeyev scores in OT to give Golden Knights 3-2 win over Ducks and 3-2 series lead

NHL: Stanley Cup Playoffs-Anaheim Ducks at Vegas Golden Knights

May 12, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Vegas Golden Knights right wing Pavel Dorofeyev (16) scores on a shot against the Anaheim Ducks during the first period of game five of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

LAS VEGAS — Pavel Dorofeyev scored his second goal of the game at 4:10 of overtime to give Vegas a 3-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday night, moving the Golden Knights a victory away from advancing to the Western Conference final.

Game 6 of the second-round series is Thursday night at Anaheim.

The Golden Knights can reach the conference final for the first time since winning the Stanley Cup in 2023. Anaheim, making its first playoff appearance in eight years, will try force a Game 7 back in Las Vegas on Saturday.

Tomas Hertl had gone 29 games going back to the regular season without a goal, but now has two in two games. He also had the primary assist on Dorofeyev’s power-play goal in the first period. Jack Eichel had two assists, including the primary one on the winner.

Carter Hart stopped 34 shots.

Ducks defenseman Olen Zellweger scored his first career playoff goal from the left circle to tie it at 2 with 3:05 left in regulation. Beckett Sennecke extended his goals streak to four games with a power-play score. Mason McTavish and Cutter Gauthier each has two assists and Lukas Dostal made 29 saves.

Ducks center Ryan Poehling was helped off the ice after being checked hard into the boards by Vegas defenseman Brayden McNabb nearly midway through the first period. McNabb received a five-minute major for interference and was sent to the dressing room with a game misconduct, costing the Golden Knights a first-pair blue liner.

The Ducks got a goal off the power play when Sennecke scored off a rebound. Dorofeyev answered after taking the puck from Chris Kreider, shifting to the slot and snapping a shot past Dostal.

Hertl’s rebound goal at 4:48 of the third period nearly stood up before Zellweger took advantage of extended offensive zone time to force extra play.