No. 7 Indiana Hoosiers at No. 3 Oregon Ducks Game Preview
Evgeni Malkin Passes Mats Sundin For 30th On NHL's All-Time Points List
Pittsburgh Penguins legendary forward Evgeni Malkin looked like a man possessed during the Penguins' 3-0 win over the New York Rangers on Tuesday and carried that play into Thursday's game against the New York Islanders.
He came into Thursday's game one point off from tying Mats Sundin for 30th on the NHL's all-time scoring list and ultimately passed him, thanks to a three-point performance. It looked like he opened the scoring in the first period before the goal was given to Rickard Rakell. Malkin got the assist on the goal and then dished out two more assists, including the game-winner in the third period.
Justin Brazeau scored his third goal in two games with less than six minutes remaining in the third period after
Malkin now has 1,351 points, which is 30th on the NHL's all-time points list. He's only two away from tying Guy Lafleur for 29th on the all-time scoring list and three away from tying Brendan Shanahan for 28th. Malkin's five points in the first two games of a season are a career best.
The Penguins held on for a 4-3 victory over the Islanders and are 2-0-0 to start the 2025-26 season. Malkin will try and keep his hot start going on Saturday when the Rangers come to PPG Paints Arena.
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3 things we saw in Nashville Predators season opening win over Columbus Blue Jackets
For the first time since 2019, the Nashville Predators are opening an 82-game regular season with a win at home.
The Predators defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets, 2-1, on Thursday at Bridgestone Arena, powered by a 35-plus save performance by Juuse Saros. Ryan O'Reilly scored the game-winning goal on the power play in the third period.
"Juice [Saros] was outstanding, and gave us a chance to win the game," Predators head coach Andrew Brunette said. "I'm really proud of the group. It wasn't the smoothest water all the time, but we hung in there."
Here are three things we saw in the season opening victory.
Juuse Saros kept Predators close throughout
The Predators' offense struggled to get anything going through the majority of the game, but it was goaltender Saros who was able to give them a fighting chance throughout.
Under a bit of a spotlight after a disappointing 24-25 season, Saros made 37 saves on 38 shots. In the second period, he had already faced nearly 30 shots. The goal allowed in the first period came off a play where the puck deflected off two Predator sticks before Dmitri Voronkov put it in.
The Blue Jackets also had a goal called back at the end of the second period after it was reviewed, as Saros had been interfered with.
The called-back goal played into what Brunette said he wanted to help Saros with in clearing out space in front of the net. He said the Predators didn't "help" Saros last season, but did in the win over Columbus.
I never lost confidence in him [last season] and I didn't think we helped him. Today, we help him [Saros]; he needs to see the puck to be effective," Brunette said. "We've got to clean the porch in front of the net a little bit better. Even though we're not quite there, it was a good step in the right direction."
While the Predators likely don't want anyone to be carrying them, Saros gave them a fighting chance the entire night, allowing them to walk away with a win. The pressure may be just what he needed to get back into form.
"Juice [Saros] was unbelievable tonight," O'Reilly said. "He was our best player by far, especially when they [Columbus] had momentum, and he made big stops to calm it down for us."
Predators' offense still settling in
Nashville's offense wasn't electric, but did enough to pick up the win.
"It was a little bit of a difficult opener. Two teams that don't play the cleanest hockey," Filip Forsberg said. "They were better for two, but I thought in the third period we played really well. We got a big power play goal and obviously dominated the rest of the match."
It went 1-for-4 on the power play, with O'Reilly scoring the lone special teams goal on an opportunity that he really created for himself in front of the net.
He got a feed from high to low from Forsberg and backhanded it in, opening up Jet Greaves off an individual stick-handling effort.
"The PP [power play] needed to step up and get a big goal," O'Reilly said. "We won some battles there. You could feel all the [penalty] killers moving up and I knew I had time to make a move. I tried to get it from the middle, move up and make a move in front of the net."
Michael Bunting scored the Predators' first goal of the season, which he scored off his own rebound. Bunting's original shot was saved, bounced off two Blue Jacket players, came back to him, and he scored on the second chance.
Playing with a handful of new players on new lines, the offense hasn't yet found its identity, let alone individual lines. The Jonathan Marchessault, Erik Haula and Bunting trio looked the best, as they've found a bit of chemistry in the preseason.
However, the Predators were chasing a 10-shot deficit throughout the game, with Saros having to do most of the heavy work in the first two periods.
Brady Martin has decent debut
While the Predators' 18-year-old center, Brady Martin, didn't record his first NHL point, he held his own on the top line with Forsberg and O'Reilly.
Martin logged 12:44 minutes of ice time on 14 shifts, won 42% of faceoffs and had a shot block. At the same time, he was on the ice for the Voronkov goal and gave away the puck twice.
"It was a hard game, and he's [Martin] kind of against their best players," Brunette said. "He hung in there like, he has all camp, found a way to get through it and to make a few plays. It's a great learning experience."
It was still a good start for the fifth overall pick. He was utilized not just in the top six, but on the Predators' power play as well. Whether the Predators would like to keep him in Nashville past the nine games, Martin is still getting critical experience.
"It's tough coming into the league as an 18-year-old with NHL players that have been here for awhile," Martin said. "I think I held my own and I'm hoping for better games to come."
Milwaukee call-ups Joakim Kemmel and Adam Wilsby also cracked the Predators' opening night roster. Kemmel skated on the second line with Steven Stamkos and Fedor Svechkov. Wilsby was on the first pairing with Roman Josi.
Ozzy Wiesblatt was a healthy scratch as Tyson Jost took the fourth line, right wing position. Nick Blankenburg was also a healthy scratch.
Flyers Underwhelm in Loss to Panthers, But An Unlikely Hero Emerges
The Philadelphia Flyers suffered a rather uneventful 2-1 loss to the Florida Panthers in their season opener Thursday night, and it was a performance fans aren't going to want to see often.
Indeed, the Flyers did well to keep the back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Panthers within their reach the entire night, but the Panthers were still without captain Sasha Barkov and superstar winger Matthew Tkachuk.
As for the Flyers, the difference, quite frankly, was the lack of discipline and execution. This was not a banner start to the Rick Tocchet era in Philadelphia.
Here's the simple math: the Flyers were 0-for-2 on the power play, while the Panthers were 1-for-5. In other words, the Flyers forked out momentum in the form of five penalties (two came from Christian Dvorak), and the Panthers opened the scoring at the top of the second period and gave themselves some life.
Despite the loss, the hero for the Flyers was undoubtedly goalie Dan Vladar, who made his Flyers debut and dropped a masterful performance, stopping 32 of 34 shots (.941) and staking his claim to the starter's role.
NHL Trade Rumors: Flyers Badly Need Defensive UpgradesThe Philadelphia Flyers are reportedly scouring the NHL trade market for much-needed defensive reinforcements, but which players are actually going to be worth their while?
Many, included myself, expected Sam Ersson to start the Flyers off in goal this season. That could still happen when they play their home opener in a rematch against Florida on Monday, but if Vladar can play with any kind of consistency, it might just be his job to lose.
As for the defense, it could be a long year, especially given that we're starting off with an injury to Cam York.
Neither Noah Juulsen nor Nick Seeler picked up Anton Lundell on his 1-0 power play goal, and Juulsen screened, and allowed A.J. Greer to screen, Vladar on Brad Marchand's game-winning goal early in the third period.
The Flyers, of course, only scored one goal, courtesy of Noah Cates, while Trevor Zegras and Matvei Michkov each played fewer than 16 minutes. The only forwards who played less than them were Owen Tippett, Rodrigo Abols, Garnet Hathaway, and Nick Deslauriers.
So, the fourth line barely played, and the Flyers' two most talented forwards still didn't see a lot of ice despite trailing for most of the game.
Speaking of the fourth line, Abols and Deslauriers combined to play 15 minutes, while Nikita Grebenkin and Jett Luchanko were healthy scratches.
It remains to be seen if Tocchet is willing to learn and adjust early in the season, but Flyers fans won't be thrilled with that development.
Fortunately, the goaltending, which has bedeviled the Flyers for years, got off to a hot start thanks to a monster performance from Vladar on Thursday night.
The Flyers will be back in action on Saturday night, when they face the Metropolitan Division rival Carolina Hurricanes at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C., at 7 p.m.
Islanders Fall 4-3 To Penguins In Season-Opener
PITTSBURGH, PA -- The New York Islanders fell 4-3 to the Pittsburgh Penguins to open up their regular season.
Deadlocked at 3-3, Justin Brazeau scored the game-winner at 5:39 of the third period to win the game for Pittsburgh.
Matthew Schaefer and Maxim Shabanov both found the scoresheet in their NHL debuts, with the No. 1 overall pick finding Jonathan Drouin in the high slot to tie the game at 1-1 at 12:02 of the first:
Drouin from Schaefer.
— The Elmonters (@TheElmonters) October 9, 2025
First #Isles 🚨 for Drouin. (Thank you @walsha )
First Schaefer NHL 🍎 in his first NHL game. pic.twitter.com/xdfcVXev2N
With the assist, Sschaefer became the youngest player in NHL history to record a point in his NHL debut. Here's our story on that:
Islanders No. 1 Pick Matthew Schaefer Becomes Youngest Player To Record Point In NHL DebutPITTSBURGH, PA -- During the New York Islanders’ season opener on Thursday, 2025 first-overall pick Matthew Schaefer scored his first NHL point, marking an early milestone for the young defenseman.
Kyle Palmieri added a snipe at 4:04 of the second, with Shabanov's goal coming at 19:19 of the second off a glorious feed from Simon Holmstrom:
Shabanov 1st NHL Goal #isles
— The Elmonters (@TheElmonters) October 10, 2025
Scoring your first NHL goal from one knee is next level! pic.twitter.com/y5wI3epg1p
The power play went 0-for-3 while the penalty kill improved as the game went on, but ultimately finished 3-for-5.
Here's my thoughts:
Mike Sullivan Talks About Getting His First Victory With The Rangers
“It’s humbling,” Sullivan said on winning his first game with the Rangers. “It’s an incredible honor to be the coach of the New York Rangers. It’s a franchise that has such history to it. For me it’s just a privilege that I don’t take for granted. I’m excited about the group of players that we have here.
“There’s been a certain enthusiasm on the team that has been really rewarding from a coaching standpoint. It’s tangible, we can feel it. We get the first win, it means a lot to me, J.T. (Miller) gave me the game puck, which was nice.”
The Heroics Of Igor Shesterkin Help Mike Sullivan Secure His First Win With The Rangers
The New York Rangers secured their first win of the season on Thursday night, defeating the Buffalo Sabres 4-0.
During their season opener on Tuesday, the Rangers came out flat, as it carried on for the remainder of the contest.
They learned from their mistakes in Buffalo and came firing on all cylinders, literally.
The Rangers were unafraid to shoot the puck, getting the puck to the net as often as possible, and it translated to 16 shots through the first 20 minutes.
Alexis Lafrenière’s goal gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead after the first period of play.
“We obviously had way more energy to start,” Mike Sullivan said. “I thought from an energy standpoint, the guys felt a lot better for whatever reason. I think that’s where it started… I thought the start of the game might have been the best period we’ve played since training camp started.”
When the Sabres began to push back in the second period, it was Igor Shesterkin who came to the rescue.
The 29-year-old goalie made multiple key saves throughout the second period and the entire game to allow the Rangers to hold their narrow lead.
Shesterkin finished the night with a 36-save shutout.
“It sure is nice,” Sullivan said about having Shesterkin on his side. “He’s a world-class goalie. He’s one of the very best. He makes really hard saves look routine sometimes, and we certainly don’t take that for granted.”
The Blueshirts settled down in the third period and got goals from Carson Soucy, J.T. Miller, and Adam Fox to secure the victory.
One aspect of the game Sullivan values is heavy forechecking from his forwards.
Sullivan’s forechecking philosophy was on full display from the Rangers against the Sabres, as it appears his message is rubbing off on the players.
“I think we are built in that element of our game,” Sullivan said of the team’s forechecking. “That’s among the things our coaching staff looked at coming into this season, and trying to get what we would call a grind game. I just think it’s an important aspect of today’s NHL.
Vincent Trocheck Exits Game Against Sabres After Suffering Upper-Body InjuryVincent Trocheck exited the New York Rangers’ Thursday night game against the Buffalo Sabres and ultimately did not return.
“It’s how you control territory, how you control momentum. You force teams to have to expend energy defending you. There are so many elements and you can manufacture offense on top of it. I just think it’s such an important element of today’s game. Just a team that is able to play on top of their opponents and control momentum that way. We are built on that, we are getting better at it. We have a long way to go but I think our intentions are in the right spot.”
Unfortunately for the Rangers, Vincent Trocheck left the game early after suffering an upper-body injury, and he did not return.
During his postgame interview, Sullivan confirmed Trocheck is currently being evaluated, but he didn’t provide many other details.
Sullivan was able to capture his first win as the Rangers’ head coach, and he expressed his gratitude to have gotten this special opportunity.
“It’s humbling,” Sullivan said on winning his first game with the Rangers. “It’s an incredible honor to be the coach of the New York Rangers. It’s a franchise that has such history to it. For me it’s just a privilege that I don’t take for granted. I’m excited about the group of players that we have here.
“There’s been a certain enthusiasm on the team that has been really rewarding from a coaching standpoint. It’s tangible, we can feel it. We get the first win, it means a lot to me, J.T. (Miller) gave me the game puck, which was nice.”
The Rangers will be back in action on Saturday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Bedard Collects 2 Points, Dickinson Injured, Blackhawks Fall To Bruins 4-3 In Exhilarating OT
The Chicago Blackhawks were defeated by the Boston Bruins in overtime by a final score of 4-3. Although they weren't perfect, particularly in the third period, they stayed close to the Bruins and earned their first standings point of the season.
The Bruins took a 1-0 lead just 3:53 into the opening frame, but Connor Bedard scored his first goal of the season less than five minutes later. Colton Dach took a huge hit to make a play, which led to Andre Burakovsky making a perfect pass to Bedard for the one-timer.
Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) on XCB98 first goal of the season✔️After that score held through the first intermission, the Blackhawks took the lead with Louis Crevier's first goal of the season. Right before the game, the Blackhawks called an audible with their lineup. They went 11/7 and added Crevier to the lineup while scratching Sam Lafferty.
Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) on Xanother first goal of the season‼️With one less forward dressed, they had to double shift Connor Bedard, who assisted on this Crevier goal while playing with the fourth line. That one lineup decision played a huge role in this tally.
Eventually, a goal by Tanner Jeannot tied the game for the Bruins, which was taken to the second intermission. With an early third-period power play, Elias Lindholm scored to give the Bruins the lead back just 15 seconds into the final frame.
A tick over two minutes later, Andre Burakovsky scored his first goal in a Blackhawks sweater to tie the game back up one more time. Despite a tough go for the Blackhawks throughout the rest of the period, including lots of power play time for the Bruins, this 3-3 knot earned each team that initial standings point with a trip to overtime.
Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) on Xthings we love to see🤩On the Burakovsky goal, Artyom Levshunov earned one of the assists (Frank Nazar earned the other). Although Levshunov has had a tough start to the season with penalties and defensive miscues, he needs to find points when he can get them.
In overtime, there were a ton of chances for both teams, but Arvid Soderblom and Joonas Korpisalo stood tall. One save, in particular, was highlight-reel as Korpisalo absolutely robbed Frank Nazar after Sam Rinzel made a brilliant play to set him up. The Bruins eventually took the game with an overtime winner scored by Fraser Minten.
This game was an example of the Blackhawks being young and less talented than their opponent, but certain players kept them in the game. Connor Bedard's breakout game and big plays by guys like Andre Burakovsky and Frank Nazar played a role in the team getting the point, but they were still outshot and out-chanced throughout.
In the net, Arvid Soderblom was fine. He didn't stand on his head quite like Spencer Knight did against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday, but he was good enough to win. He made 29 saves on 33 shots, and one of them was the 3-on-3 winner for the Bruins.
During the game, Jason Dickinson left the game and didn't return. Head coach Jeff Blashill did not have an update after the game. Losing him would be a big loss for their bottom six as he plays well in all three zones, with emphasis on defense.
That's it for the Blackhawks on the road to begin the season. They will now come home for their home opener, which will begin the celebration of their centennial season. The Montreal Canadiens will be in town for a Saturday night Original Six matchup.
Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.
Knicks remain undefeated in preseason play after 100-95 OT win over Timberwolves
The Knicks extended their preseason record to 3-0, beating the Timberwolves in their first game at MSG this season, 100-95, in overtime. Mikal Bridges led the way with 15 points on 3-for-7 shooting from three, followed by 11 points from Jalen Brunson.
New York was without Josh Hart, but Karl-Anthony Towns picked up the slack with a double-double in 26 minutes while Miles McBride and Jordan Clarkson each added 10 off the bench. Anthony Edwards led Minnesota with 17 points while former Knick Julius Randle notched 16.
Here are the takeaways...
-Despite being a man down, the Knicks set a competitive tone using the same starters from the last contest, going on a 7-2 run off of strong team defense. The Timberwolves quickly met their intensity, responding with a 7-0 run of their own.
Towns was active early with two aggressive drives leading to scores, including an acrobatic lefty and one, as he had five points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals in the opening period. On the other end, it was Minnesota’s stars Randle and Edwards leading the way with nine and eight, respectively, as their Wolves led 21-20 after one, capitalizing on the Knicks' shooting just 2 of 14 from three.
-The first half likely looked close to what we’ll see from the Knicks' final rotation, as we saw them play nine guys and decent starter minutes. However, there was still experimentation going on with a different starting and closing unit, plus the three-guard bench had Landry Shamet featured over Malcolm Brogdon. Dillingham was a big spark off the bench for Minny with seven quick points in the second period, but New York kept their deficit within single digits. Even a late first-half spark from Brunson to give him a team-leading 11 points at the half failed to bridge the gap, though, as Minny led 44-38 at halftime behind 14 points from Edwards.
-Head coach Mike Brown opened the second half with Guerschon Yabusele in as the “fifth” starter, then subbed him for Shamet, after opening with Robinson and trying out McBride to finish the first. Fans have been watching this storyline closely throughout the preseason, but expect to continue seeing variations of the looks around the core four well into the regular season.
Nothing he threw out made meaningful headway against the Timberwolves while the Knicks bricked away from three, as they started 4-for-30 from deep on this night. The silver lining was that they created tons of good looks that simply didn’t go down, and their defense fared well.
Late in the third, things shifted as Bridges hit a couple and OG Anunoby drilled one facing up in Rudy Gobert’s eye. The Knicks took advantage of some offensive rebounding without Robinson on the floor, then doubled down with a super small lineup of Yabusele at the five.
But Minnesota closed the third strong, featuring an inside hook and buzzer-beating corner three from the 2024 Sixth Man of the Year Naz Reid, going into the final frame up 71-63.
-The fourth quarter began with a bench unit of Brogdon, McBride, Clarkson, Pacome Dadiet, and Ariel Hukporti that kicked off a massive 19-9 run to give the Knicks an 82-80 lead, their first since the opening period. McBride was the big offensive boost, hitting a flurry of jumpers, while the rest each chipped in to the effort.
Midway through the period, the Knicks went deeper into their bench as the Timberwolves also cleared the pine to close the game. Down two with 10 seconds left, Minny’s Johnny Juzang drove for a running right hook to tie the game.
The Knicks declined to call timeout, running it up to Garrison Mathews, who got a clean look from the top of the break but couldn’t pull off the game-winner.
-New York ran with Kolek, Mathews, Dadiet, Tosan Evbuomwan and Hukporti for the extra minutes. Their defense sparked an 8-0 run with some solid teamwork and execution on the other end and coasted from there.
Highlights
Jalen! pic.twitter.com/DepcXJTJkF
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) October 10, 2025
Brunson from the floor, Mikal with the lob, Yabusele with the slam! pic.twitter.com/KL9j3djnyB
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) October 10, 2025
What's next
The Knicks continue their preseason slate with a home game against the Wizards on Monday, Oct. 13 at 7:30 p.m.
Plaschke: A wild finish propels the Dodgers into NLCS and past their toughest playoff test
No, he didn’t.
Yes, they did!
No, Philadelphia Phillies’ reliever Orion Kerkering did not just botch a grounder and throw it away with the season on the line!
Yes, it happened with two out and the bases loaded and allowed the Dodgers to steal a National League Division Series clinching 2-1 victory in 11 taut innings Thursday at Dodger Stadium!
Clinched, just in time.
Read more:Dodgers defeat Phillies in a wild, instant-classic walk-off to reach the NLCS
Clinched, while the other guys were clenching.
With their backs quickly approaching the wall, faced with a loss that would return the series to Philadelphia for a deciding Game 5, the Dodgers dug in and lashed out and ultimately suffocated the talented and favored Phillies to take a three-games-to-one series win and clear the way toward their second consecutive World Series title.
And they did it thanks to a mad, mindless throw from a frozen, frightened reliever.
Has any postseason series ended with such an error?
“It’s brutal,” acknowledged Dodger Manager Dave Roberts.
It happened in the 11th, after Tommy Edman hit a one-out single to left, then moved to third one out later on a single by Max Muncy. Kiké Hernández walked to load the bases, bringing up the struggling Andy Pages, who entered the day with an .053 playoff average and had gone hitless in four previous at-bats.
He proceeded to hit into his fifth out… except Kerkering muffed the grounder. When the pitcher finally picked up the ball, he still had plenty of time to throw out Pages at first, and catcher JT Realmuto gestured for him to throw it to first... but he didn't throw it to first. Instead, he panicked and threw it home, launching it far over Realmuto’s head.
“Once the pressure got to me, I just thought there's a faster throw to JT… little quicker throw than trying to cross-body it to Bryce (Harper),” said Kerkering afterward. “So just a horses— throw… honest mistake. Just it's baseball, s— happens.”
Pinch-runner Hyeseong Kim scored the winning run as Kerkering stood slumped on the mound with his hands on his knees while the Dodgers danced wildly across the field around him.
“I mean, when this happens, it's like your entire world comes to a stop,” said Phillies manager Rob Thomson. “It's just a thud.”
One man’s thud is another man’s triumph, and the Dodgers will now be shouting their way deep into October, advancing to the National League Championship Series, where they will be heavy favorites against either the Milwaukee Brewers or Chicago Cubs.
A victory in that seven-game set will land them back in the World Series, where they will be even heavier favorites against whatever inferior team the American League can muster.
Yeah, the rest of their journey should be the easy part, the Dodgers already conquering their Goliath equal in a Phillies series that was essentially the World Series.
“It was a war,” said Roberts. “It was a battle.”
Remember last fall when they defeated the San Diego Padres in a tense five-game fight before cruising to the title? This was that. This was the two best teams in baseball. This was the Dodgers once again swallowing all the pressure and refusing to relent.
After a breathtaking six-inning scoreless pitching duel between the Dodgers’ Tyler Glasnow and the Phillies’ Cristopher Sanchez, the Phillies struck first in the seventh with a single, an error by reliever Emmet Sheehan, and a double by Nick Castellanos.
The Dodgers countered in the bottom of the seventh with two walks and a single followed by a bases-loaded walk drawn by Mookie Betts against closer Jhoan Duran.
This set the stage for the Error Heard ‘Round The World, which shouldn’t obscure the fact that the Dodgers played hard enough to earn this victory without an asterisk.
Glasnow, maligned throughout his two Dodgers seasons for a lack of resilience, was brilliantly tough, giving up only two hits with eight strikeouts in six scoreless innings.
“What he did, it was his time today,” said Roberts. “Today was his moment. And I was just very happy to see that he rose to that occasion.”
Roki Sasaki, struggling with injury and ineffectiveness throughout his rookie season, was equally as brilliant with three perfect innings.
“Oh, my gosh. You're talking about one of the great all-time appearances out of the pen that I can remember,” said Roberts.
Then there were the great plate appearances in the 11th inning that laid the groundwork for the error. Edman’s single came with two strikes, Muncy’s single came against a left-hander, and Hernández worked a six-pitch walk with the final two balls coming with two strikes.
“It was just a great inning,” said Roberts. “Again, we just kept fighting.”
Before these playoffs there was a lot of talk about the Dodgers’ late-season struggles that were symbolized by that blown no-hitter in Baltimore. They had no bullpen depth. They had no offensive patience. They were headed for another early October exit.
It turns out, that’s what outsiders thought. That’s clearly not what the Dodgers thought.
“I think it boils down to the guys we have in the clubhouse,” said Muncy earlier this week in a pregame news conference. “We have a lot of experience, a lot of really good players. We've been there before. We accomplished it.”
Read more:Dodgers defeat Phillies in 11-inning thriller to advance to NLCS
They were impressive in the four games against the Phillies. Here’s guessing they’re going to get even better before the month ends.
“I still think there's another gear in there,” said Muncy. “I don't think we fully reached where we can be at. And that's not saying we are, and that's not saying we aren't. But I still think there's a whole other level in there we haven't reached yet.”
The Times’ Bill Shaikin quickly asked, “What would tell you you've reached it?”
“I think you would know,” said Muncy.
The media laughed. The baseball world shivered.
Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Dodgers advance to NLCS after Kerkering’s costly error in 11th inning beats Phillies
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Orion Kerkering made a wild throw past home instead of tossing to first after mishandling Andy Pages’ bases-loaded comebacker with two outs in the 11th inning, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Philadelphia Phillies 2-1 Thursday to win their NL Division Series 3-1.
Kerkering hung his head and put hands on knees after his throw sailed past catcher J.T. Realmuto as pinch-runner Hyeseong Kim crossed the plate, advancing the Dodgers to the NL Championship Series against the Chicago Cubs or Milwaukee.
Realmuto had pointed to first when the two-hopper hit off Kerkering’s glove and rolled just in front of the mound. Fans in the crowd of 50,563 at Dodger Stadium erupted after spending the final three innings on their feet.
Phillies manager Rob Thomson wrapped an arm around Kerkering when the distraught reliever reached the dugout.
Nick Castellanos’ RBI double in the seventh off Emmet Sheehan had put the Phillies ahead but Jhoan Duran walked Mookie Betts with the bases loaded in the bottom half, forcing in the tying run.
Tommy Edman singled off Jesús Luzardo with one out in the 11th and took third on Max Muncy’s two-out single that eluded diving shortstop Trea Turner.
Kerkering walked Kiké Hernández, loading the bases. Pages, in a 1-for-23 postseason slide, hit what appeared to be a routine grounder, the type every pitcher practices gloving from spring training on.
Philadelphia, wearing its powder blue throwback uniforms on the road for the second straight day, was knocked out in the Division Series for the third straight season while the defending World Series champion Dodgers reached the LCS for the eighth time in 13 years.
Orion’s melt: Dodgers eliminate Phillies from MLB playoffs after Kerkering’s devastating error
The Los Angeles Dodgers are heading back to the National League Championship Series after an extraordinary error from Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Orion Kerkering ended his team’s season.
A WALK-OFF TO MOVE ON TO THE NLCS. pic.twitter.com/JPveGti3Nu
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 10, 2025
With the scores tied at 1-1 and the bases loaded with two outs in the bottom of the 11th inning, the Dodgers’ Andy Pages hit a routine grounder to Kerkering. But the 24-year-old fumbled the ball and, instead of going to first for an easy out, he threw it wide of catcher JT Realmuto at home plate as Hyeseong Kim scored the winning run. The 2-1 win sealed a 3-1 series victory for the Dodgers, who will face either the Milwaukee Brewers or Chicago Cubs for a place in the World Series.
Kerkering slumped in despair after his error and was comforted by manager Rob Thomson.
The Phillies had gifted the defending champions their other run in the seventh when Jhoan Durán walked Mookie Betts with the bases loaded allowing Justin Dean to score. The Phillies had taken the lead at the top of the inning when Max Kepler scored off Nick Castellanos’s double.
It was another frustrating end to a season for the Phillies, who were the No 2 seed in the National League after winning the NL East. Despite an excellent rotation and a strong batting lineup they have lost in the NLDS two years in succession; last year they were eliminated by NL East rivals the New York Mets. They also lost in the 2023 NLCS to the Arizona Diamondbacks, despite at one point holding a 3-2 series lead.
The Dodgers, meanwhile, are into the NLCS for the eighth time in 13 seasons.
‘It's the worst feeling': Another Phillies season ends far too soon
‘It's the worst feeling': Another Phillies season ends far too soon originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
LOS ANGELES – To a man in the Phillies’ tiny clubhouse following their 11-inning, season-ending 2-1 loss to the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, it didn’t come down to pitcher Orion Kerkering throwing the ball errantly towards home with the bases loaded after he bobbled a come-back grounder, allowing the winning run to score. That was just a play in the series, in which the Dodgers advanced by winning three of four. There were other opportunities missed, hits that weren’t had, runners that were left stranded, plays that weren’t executed. Not a ton of them, as this was a really well played series between two of the best in baseball, but enough that putting the series loss on that one play wasn’t justified, in their eyes.
A wonderful pitcher’s duel in which both teams got terrific outings from their starters, multiple pressure packed innings from their relievers and splendid defensive gems, ended on a play that will be remembered for a long time in the Philadelphia area.
Kerkering came into the game in the 11th with two outs and runners on first and third. After walking Kike Hernandez, Kerkering got a swinging strike on Andy Pages with a 97 mph sinker. Pages then hit the next pitch right back to Kerkering, who bobbled the grounder but still had plenty of time to get the out at first, with catcher J.T. Realmuto calmly pointing that way. But the moment got to Kerkering, and when he gathered the ball, he threw it well wide of Realmuto at home and the Dodgers advanced to the NLCS with the hard-fought win.
“Just kind of the pressure got to me. Just in the moment,” said a distraught Kerkering.
As many said throughout the somber clubhouse following their final game of the season, that play didn’t define the series. Their top three hitters in Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper were offensively inept again Thursday, going 1-for-14 with four strikeouts and three runners left on base. There was a bases-loaded walk by Jhoan Duran that tied the game in the seventh inning after the Phillies purposely loaded the bases by intentionally walking Shohei Ohtani. There were seven runners left on base, a wasted wonderful starting outing from Cristopher Sanchez and a few more tidbits here and there. And that’s just Game Four. Add to that the many chances the Phillies had to not get into a 2-0 hole with losses at home to begin the series and the contemplation among the players makes sense.
“You either win or lose,” said Turner, who went 4-for-17 in the series with three RBI. “I don’t care how it ends, who it is, what it is. It doesn’t matter. At the end of the day losing sucks. It’s the worst feeling. It sucks. I felt like we played a really good team and we played really clean baseball for a lot of innings. I felt like we had some more opportunities offensively, myself included. If those things go one way or the other in a few of these games, who knows what happens. We lost and we have to do better.
“When you’re facing elimination, you can’t afford to have a single bad game or really a single bad at-bat. They all count. They all feel really big. Who knows what happens if you hit a single here or there or get a walk here or there. Who knows what happens. I think we all feel that. We want to be that person up there in those situations and we didn’t get it done. That’s on me and on us.”
The Phillies took the lead on Thursday in the seventh when Max Kepler scored on an RBI double by Nick Castellanos down the left field line. It was the first run of the game and appeared as if it may be enough to even the series and send it back to Philadelphia.
But it was quickly wiped out in the bottom of the inning, amid a very controversial call. Sanchez got Will Smith to ground out to short on a wonderful play by Turner. Then, after a missed called third strike by home plate umpire Mark Wegner, Alex Call walked. Sanchez then gave up a single to Kike Hernandez, and his day was over. On his way off the mound, he had some words for Wegner, who answered back to Sanchez.
“He knows he missed it because he told me and he apologized to me,” said Sanchez. “But a lot of pressure, important game, important situation, you can’t miss those things. You can’t miss those calls. I get it with the added pressure and all, but the pitch was a strike. So that’s going to stick in the back of his mind, there.”
Manager Rob Thomson brought in closer Duran to close out the inning and he got Pages to ground out to first, putting runners on second and third with two outs. The Phillies then gave Ohtani the free pass to load the bases before Duran walked Mookie Betts on six pitches to bring home the tying run.
“That’s Jhoan’s first career bases loaded walk,” Thomson said. “So, you’re not expecting that.”
Just as no one involved with the Phillies expected them to be ousted by the Dodgers in four games. Though they are the defending champs and still a very solid team, many truly believed this was the Phillies year.
The hugs and tears and disappointment in the clubhouse was all there to see, with the heavy cloud of free agents Schwarber, Realmuto and Ranger Suarez hanging in the air.
“It doesn’t feel good,” said Schwarber, his lips quivering in emotion. “You make a lot of different relationships in the clubhouse. You don’t know how it’s going to work out. You just make so many personal relationships with guys and you spend how much time with these guys throughout the course of the year and they become family and you just never know how it’s going to go. These guys know how I feel about them. I got a lot of respect for the guys in here, the organization, the coaching staff, everyone, top to bottom. This is a premier organization, and a lot of people should feel very lucky that you’re playing for a team that is trying to win every single year, and you have a fan base that cares, and you have an ownership that cares, you have coaches that care.”
Schwarber has often been described as the heart and soul of the team due to his steady presence and terrific chemistry with everyone. Realmuto isn’t at all behind in those categories and everyone gravitates towards the sunny disposition of Suarez.
If this isn’t that last run that the primary core of this group has, the somberness sure made a hint that it may be.
“I’m not sure,” said Harper about the future. “J.T. is one of the best catchers in baseball. Our guys love pitching to him, throwing to him. He calls a great game. Had a great year this year, had a great postseason. Schwarbs is one of our team leaders, cornerstone of our organization. I’m not really sure what happens or what goes into this offseason or where we kind of go from here. I think those guys are going to be a main decision for us and main conversation for us as a team and as a club. We love those guys and want them back.”
Thomson, who has the backing of his players to return as this team’s manager, sang the praises of his players during a season that saw them lose their ace pitcher when Zack Wheeler went down in August, and overcame many adversities throughout the season.
“I told them after the game I appreciate what they’ve done all year,” Thomson said. “They prepared, competed, picked each other up. True professionals the entire year. I’m extremely proud of how they went about their business. That goes for the coaching staff, all the support staff. It’s a unique group of people. They win as a team they lose as a team. They support each other. As bad as you feel, it’s good to see them be there for each other.
“When this happens it’s like the entire world comes to a stop. It’s just a thud. It’s just not a good feeling. Especially the regular season, we were really good. We had a lot of wins. We expected a lot more.”
And now comes the offseason of questions and answers, players coming and going. How it all plays out will be seen over the next few months, but this sting will last for a while with this group.
“I know fans are upset, it’s warranted,” said Harper. “We’re upset in here as well. Our daily life is Philly baseball. This is our family in here. This is what we do. We want to win not just for ourselves but for everybody that watches us play as a fan base and everything else. I understand what they’re going through. I’ve lost many playoff series and many games in the playoffs and it’s not fun. I want it more than probably a lot of people. I want to hold that trophy and that’s the goal every single time you get into spring training and that’s going to be the goal for us going into spring training this year.”
For now, that just doesn’t resonate for many. Not yet, at least.
John Gibson Pulled In Red Wings Debut As Part Of 5-1 Loss To Canadiens
The Detroit Red Wings have seen it all through 100 years of history in the National Hockey League, and have delivered multiple cherished memories for their legions of fans across the world.
Unfortunately, their Home Opener on Thursday evening was not a moment that they'll want to remember.
The Montreal Canadiens took the life out of the sold-out Little Caesars Arena by scoring five unanswered goals as part of a 5-1 victory, dropping the Red Wings to an 0-1 record in the first of 82 games.
Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features.
After team captain Dylan Larkin buried an early power-play goal, the Canadiens took advantage of multiple defensive miscues by the Red Wings, scoring three goals in the first period, including a back-breaker with just six seconds left in the opening frame to extend their lead to 3-1.
Another quick two goals in the second period spelled the end of the night for goaltender John Gibson, who was pulled in his Red Wings debut after allowing five goals on 13 shots against. For the second consecutive Home Opener, Cam Talbot was forced into action from the bench.
Gibson made a pair of spectacular saves in the first period during a Canadiens power-play chance, but was largely left unsupported by his teammates, particularly on Montreal's first and second goals, both of which were the result of broken defensive coverage.
It was also a particularly forgettable Red Wings debut for defenseman Travis Hamonic, who finished with a team-worst -3 rating.
He was eventually moved from his initial pairing with Albert Johansson and paired with Ben Chiarot, while Johansson was moved to playing alongside Moritz Seider.
"Super Honored": Emmitt Finnie Grateful For Opportunity With Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings are set to begin their centennial campaign with a matchup on Thursday evening against the historic Original Six rival Montreal Canadiens, and while this campaign will be all about the franchise celebrating a full century in Motor City, there are several youngsters being introduced into the institution that is Red Wings hockey.
The Red Wings are now 0-1 in divisional play, and will be particularly frustrated at how quickly things unraveled against a team that they're expected to battle with for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Next up are the Toronto Maple Leafs, who began their own schedule with a 5-2 victory over the Canadiens on Wednesday.
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Islanders allow late goal in 4-3 season-opening loss to Penguins
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Justin Brazeau beat Ilya Sorokin on a breakaway with 5:39 left to lift the Pittsburgh Penguins past the New York Islanders 4-3 on Thursday night.
Brazeau collected a lead pass from Evgeni Malkin, then deked his way by a sprawled Sorokin as the Penguins won for the second time in as many games under first-year coach Dan Muse.
Malkin finished with a goal and two assists, while Sidney Crosby added a goal and an assist.
Crosby’s second-period tally from one knee at the top of the crease gave him 626 goals in his career, broke a tie with Hall of Famers Jarome Iginla and Joe Sakic, and moved Crosby into 16th-place by himself on the NHL’s career list.
Pittsburgh rookie Harrison Brunicke became the first South African to score in the NHL when he beat Sorokin between the legs in the second period. Tristan Jarry finished with 34 saves, including a couple of key stops in the frantic final seconds.
Jonathan Drouin, Kyle Palmieri, and rookie Max Shabanov scored for the Islanders. Sorokin stopped 24 shots.
Islanders rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer, the top overall pick in this year’s draft, picked up the first point of his career when the 18-year-old set up a knuckler from the slot by Drouin just past the midway point of the opening period.
Schaefer, who had around 30 friends and family in the stands, played 17:15 while becoming the second youngest defenseman to make his NHL debut in the last 70 years. Schaefer hardly looked out of place and showcased his dazzling speed on a handful of occasions while racing through the neutral zone to jump into the play.
Up next
Islanders: Host Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals in their home opener on Saturday.
Penguins: Welcome former coach Mike Sullivan and the New York Rangers on Saturday.