Golden Knights Cruise Past Panthers For 2-0 Lead

The Vegas Golden Knights have absolutely dominated the first two games of this year's Stanley Cup Final, including on Monday night with a 7-2 rout of the Florida Panthers for a 2-0 series lead. Jonathan Marchessault scored twice and added an assist, as the Knights rolled to another big home win, outscoring the Panthers, 12-4, in the first two games. Teams that have taken a 2-0 series lead in the Stanley Cup Final are 31-3 in the expansion era, and the Knights are only two wins away from their first title in their six-year history. The last team to win the first two games of a Stanley Cup Final by more than eight combined goals was the 1996 Colorado Avalanche. Marchessault's 12 postseason goals sets a franchise record, all of which have come after the first round. Brett Howden added two goals, while Alec Martinez, Nicolas Roy, and Michael Amadio all scored as well. ​Six players had at least two points for the Knights, who will visit the Panthers for Game 3 of the series on Thursday night.

Canadiens Give Cole Caufield Eight-Year Extension

The Montreal Canadiens are already all in on their young star, locking in Cole Caufield with an eight-year contract extension on Monday. The deal keeps him with the team through the 2030-2031 season and is worth $62.8 million. The 22-year-old is set to make an average of $7.85 million per season on the new deal, which is the second-richest in Habs history, only behind Nick Suzuki. He most recently posted 26 goals and 10 assists over 46 games, but went down early with a shoulder injury in February. Since making his NHL debut in the 2020-2021 season, he has compiled 53 goals and 31 assists for 84 point over 123 games. The former 15th overall pick has also added in four goals and eight assists over 20 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

Julks, Astros Rout Blue Jays Up North

Corey Julks made some history for his career on Monday night to power the Houston Astros is an 11-4 blowout of the Toronto Blue Jays on the road Monday night. Julks hit his first-career grand slam, as the Astros finished with four home runs on the night to roll. Yordan Alvarez and Kyle Tucker added in solo home runs, while Jake Meyers connected on a two-run shot. The Astros have now won eight of their past 11 games and 19 of their past 25 overall to stay right behind the first-place Texas Rangers. Meyers and Yainer Diaz each recorded four hits to support Brandon Bielak, who tied a career-high with 6.2 innings pitched. Bielak allowed three runs on 10 hits, but won for the third time in four starts, walking one and striking out two. Other key score saw Marcus Semien extend his hitting streak to 24 games and Nathaniel Lowe walk the Rangers off for a 4-3 win over the Cardinals. Shane McClanahan earned his league-leading ninth win as the Rays topped the Red Sox, 4-1. Andrew Abbott allowed just one hit over six innings as the Reds blanked the Brewers, 2-0. Andrew McCutchen's sac fly helped the Pirates past the Athletics, 5-4. And Luis Arraez had three hits, lifting his average to .399 as the Marlins rallied past the Royals, 9-6.

News and Notes

The Atlanta Braves optioned pitcher Michael Soroka to Triple-A Gwinnett after he posted an 8.38 ERA over two starts this season. ​ The NFL is investigating Indianapolis Colts cornerback Isaiah Rodgers for possible violations against their gambling policy. ​ The Dallas Cowboys have released wide receiver Antonio Callaway following his arrest last weekend in Miami for driving with a suspended license.

Heat Even Up NBA Finals With Nuggets

The Miami Heat put aside all the talks of a potential sweep in this year's NBA Finals by taking Game 2 from the Denver Nuggets with a 111-108 road win on Sunday night. Gabe Vincent led the way with 23 points, while Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo added 21 points apiece on the night. That helped them overcome a 41-point effort from Nikola Jokic, as they bounced back from a Game 1 defeat. The Heat trailed by as many as 15 points, and were down eight heading in to the fourth, as the Nuggets were 11-0 when leading by double digits in this year's playoffs. They were 37-1 overall when leading by at least eight going into the fourth quarter, but the Heat used a 17-5 run to start the comeback. Other contributors saw Max Strus put up 14 points, while Duncan Robinson had 10, all of which came in the fourth quarter. The Nuggets lost for the first time at home since March 30th, and the first time in 10 playoff games this season. The Heat will host Game 3 of the series on Wednesday night.

Yankees Take Series From Dodgers; Rosario, Braves Slam Diamondbacks

The New York Yankees rallied late out west Sunday night, taking the series from the Los Angeles Dodgers with a 4-1 victory. The road team scored in each of the final three innings, including Anthony Rizzo with the go-ahead RBI in the eighth. Anthony Volpe provided insurance with a two-run home run in the ninth, as the Yankees won despite playing without Aaron Judge due to a foot injury. Clay Holmes earned his fourth win out of the bullpen after pitching one inning, while Wandy Peralta got his fourth save by getting the final four outs. J.D. Martinez homered for the lone Dodgers run, but they dropped the final two games of the series. Domingo German and rookie Bobby Miller gave us a pitching duel, giving up a combined four hits in the first six innings. Miller allowed just one hit, becoming the first Dodgers pitcher since 1901 to allow one hit or fewer within their first three big league starts. The Arizona Diamondbacks had the Atlanta Braves down to their final out on Sunday afternoon, but Eddie Rosario came to the plate and lifted his team to a series win with a thrilling 8-5 road victory at Chase Field.​ Rosario went deep for the go-ahead grand slam with two outs in the ninth inning, sending it over the wall in right field off of Miguel Castro. The Braves took two of three from the Diamondbacks in the battle of division leaders this weekend, and moved a half game above them in the NL standings. Ketel Marte went deep for a two-run homer, while rookie Corbin Carroll added a solo shot in the loss. Matt Olson moved the Braves within a run with an RBI single in the eighth, and then two walks and a single kicked off the Braves' rally in the ninth. Ozzie Albies added in a two-run shot for the Braves and had four of the team's 14 hits, as they had 25 combined hits over the final two games. Other key scores saw Josh Lester get his first career hit and drove in two runs as the Orioles beat the Giants, 8-3. Brandon Belt's seventh inning homer lifted the Blue Jays over the Mets, 6-4. Yandy Diaz had an RBI single turned in to a Little League homer in the Rays' 6-2 road win over the Red Sox. Adrian Houser went seven innings to pitch the Brewers past the Reds, 5-1. Rich Hill pitched in to the seventh as the Pirates swept the Cardinals with a 2-1 win. Marcus Semien extended his hitting streak to 23 games, while Jonah Heim added in five RBIs in the Rangers' 12-3 rout of the Mariners. Shohei Ohtani had the tiebreaking RBI single as the Angels edged the Astros, 2-1. Luis Arraez's RBI single sent the Marlins past the Athletics, 7-5. And Triston McKenzie had 10 strikeouts in his season debut as the Guardians took out the Twins, 2-1.

Diamondbacks Extend Manager Torey Lovullo

The Arizona Diamondbacks are one of the surprises in baseball this season, which has led to them giving manager Torey Lovullo a one-year contract extension as of Sunday morning. The deal is for one year, keeping him with the team through the 2024 season. The 57-year-old is in his seventh season with the team, making him the longest-tenured manager in franchise history. After three straight losing seasons, the D-backs are now tied for first place in the NL West with a 35-24 start to the season. Lovullo was named NL Manager of The Year in 2017 when the Diamondbacks went 93-69 and reached the Postseason for the first time since 2011. Over six-plus seasons with the Diamondbacks, he has gone 446-483, and he'll now have at least one more season left in this run.

News and Notes

The New York Yankees are expecting starting pitcher Nestor Cortes Jr. to be placed on the injured list due to a shoulder issue.​ The Los Angeles Dodgers placed outfielder Trayce Thompson on the 10-day injured list with an oblique injury, this after he left Saturday's game. He is hitting .155 with five home runs and 14 RBIs this season. ​ The Cleveland Guardians have designated pitcher Zach Plesac for assignment, this after he went 1-1 with a 7.59 ERA over five starts this season.

Golden Knights Strike First Against Panthers

The Vegas Golden Knights pulled away on their home ice Saturday night, striking first for a 5-2 win over the Florida Panthers in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final. Zach Whitecloud had the official go-ahead goal, as the home team pulled away after overcoming an early deficit. Adin Hill made 33 save and enjoyed the support he got from the offense, which included a goal from Shea Theodore. Theodore's tally was his first of the playoffs and snapped a 27-game drought dating back to March 7th. The Panthers jumped ahead in the first on a wraparound goal from Eric Staal, which was shorthanded, while Anthony Duclair also score. Other goals from the Knights came from Jonathan Marchessault on the power play, Mark Stone in the third, and an empty netter from Reilly Smith. The Knights will host Game 2 of the series on Monday night.

Blue Jackets Hire Mike Babcock as Next Head Coach

The Columbus Blue Jackets officially set on Mike Babcock as their next head coach as of Saturday, which was first reported by TSN. The 60-year-old last coached the Toronto Maple Leafs for five seasons, before getting fired in November 2019. The team is still working out the details of his contract, as he will replace Brad Larsen, who was fired in April. The Blue Jackets missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for a third straight season, finishing last in the Eastern Conference with a .360 points percentage. That was the second-worst finish in franchise history, this after signing star free agent Johnny Gaudreau to a seven-year contract. Babcock has coached 1,301 games with the Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings, and Anaheim Ducks, leading the Wings to the 2008 Stanley Cup. His 700 wins is the 13th-most all time and his .608 points percentage is good for fourth-best among coaches with at least 1,000 games.

Judge, Yankees Double-Up Dodgers; Acuna Powers Braves Over D-Backs

Aaron Judge's red hot week continued on Saturday, as the New York Yankees doubled-up the Los Angeles Dodgers out west with a 6-3 win. Judge went deep to left field, and then crashed through the wall in right field while making a tremendous catch on the defensive end. The reigning AL MVP robbed J.D. Martinez of extra bases, as the Yankees overcame an 8-4 defeat from Friday night. Oswaldo Cabrera added a solo shot, helping the Yankees earn their fifth win over the past seven games. Gerrit Cole moved to a perfect 7-0, striking out five and walking just two over six innings. Although, the Yankees' ace threw a season-low 80 pitches, as he exited the game with apparent cramping. And the Atlanta Braves got back at the Arizona Diamondbacks in a battle of first place teams, earning a 5-2 win on the road. Ronald Acuna Jr. smashed a 464-foot home run to highlight the win, which avenged a defeat from Friday night. Spencer Strider struck out seven batters over six innings, helping to snap the Diamondbacks' six-game winning streak. Marcell Ozuna and Eddie Rosario both knocked in runs with singles, as the Braves had 11 hits on the night. Rhyne Nelson suffered his fourth loss, as the home team fell behind, 3-0, early on and could not bounce back. Strider earned his sixth win of the season, while Raisel Iglesias worked the ninth inning for his sixth save in seven chances. Other key scores saw Alex Cobb pitch 7.2 innings as the Giants shut out the Orioles, 4-0. Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s RBI double lifted the Blue Jays over the Mets, 2-1. The Rays split a doubleheader against the Red Sox with an 8-5 loss and a 4-2 win. Marcus Semien extended his hitting streak to 22 games as the Rangers blew out the Mariners, 16-6. Alex Bregman's grand slam powered the Astros over the Angels, 9-6. Luis Arraez had a career-high five hits and five RBIs in the Marlins' 12-1 blowout of the Athletics. And Will Brennan hit the first home run allowed by Sonny Gray as the Guardians topped the Twins, 4-2.

Bills, Ed Oliver Agree on Four-Year Extension

The Buffalo Bills secured a key piece on their defensive line, agreeing to a four-year contract extension with defensive tackle Ed Oliver. The deal is worth $68 million, including $45 million in guaranteed money for the former first-round draft pick. Oliver is tied with the Bills through the 2027 season, as he has the eighth-most guaranteed money for interior defensive linemen. He is set to make an average of $15.75 million per season over the next five years, which ranks 16th among his position. The 25-year-old was going to play on his fifth-year option, this after playing 13 games with 2.5 sacks, nine tackles for loss, and six pass breakups. His best performance came on Thanksgiving, where he had a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, a safety, six tackles, two tackles for loss, and a sack. Oliver joins tight end Dawson Knox as the two players getting four-year contract extensions from the Bills this off-season.

News and Notes

The NHL announced that MetLife Stadium will host a weekend full of outdoor games, with the New Jersey Devils hosting the Philadelphia Flyers on February 17th and the New York Islanders hosting the New York Rangers on February 18th. ​ Washington Nationals pitched Stephen Strasburg is suffering from severe nerve damage which could prevent him from pitching again. ​ The Detroit Tigers have placed pitcher Alex Faedo on the 15-day injured list with discomfort in his right middle finger, as he is 1-3 with a 5.54 ERA over five starts this season. ​​ The Boston Red Sox have given outfielder Rob Refsnyder a one-year contract extension through 2024, with a team option for 2025.

Judge Homers Again in Yankees' Rout; Astros Top Twins

The New York Yankees continued to cruise behind the red hot bat of Aaron Judge, as they blew out the Seattle Mariners, 10-2, on Tuesday night. Judge went deep for the third time over the two games of the series, giving him 18 on the season. The Yankees won their fourth straight overall, moving them a season-high 11 games over .500. They have recorded 20 runs on 30 hits over the first two games of the series, which included two home runs from Judge on Monday. Anthony Volpe, Greg Allen and Isiah Kiner-Falefa also went deep on the night, as the Yankees have scored at least 10 runs in three straight games for the first time since September 2020. That supported Nestor Cortes, who allowed two runs on five hits with six strikeouts over five innings in his fifth win of the season. And the Houston Astros got back at the Minnesota Twins to even up their home series, earning a 5-1 win over the first place team on Tuesday. Alex Bregman and Chas McCormick both went deep in the second inning to lead the way, with both driving home two runs. Joe Ryan gave up both home runs, suffering his second loss, and snapping his career-best of streak of six games without allowing a homer. Brandon Bielak allowed one run on three hits with six strikeouts over 5.2 innings in his second win. The Astros overcame a 7-5 10-inning loss from Memorial Day, moving back to 10 games over .500 in second place in the AL West. Royce Lewis doubled one night after driving in four runs in his season debut, but the Twins went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position. Other key scores saw Vladimir Guerrero Jr. get three hits to help the Blue Jays top the Brewers, 7-2. Jose Barrero's grand slam powered the Reds over the Red Sox, 9-8. Nico Hoerner's homer was the difference as the Cubs took a second straight from the Rays, 2-1. Connor Joe homered to lift the Pirates over the Giants, 2-1. Zac Gallen went six shutout innings as the Diamondbacks beat the Rockies, 5-1. Freddie Freeman extended his hitting streak to 19 games with four hits in the Dodgers' 9-3 win over the Nationals. Kodai Senga went seven innings with nine strikeouts as the Mets blanked the Phillies, 2-0. The Athletics walked off on Austin Riley's error for a 2-1 upset of the Braves. Andrew Vaughn drove in three runs as the White Sox beat the Angels, 7-3. Grant Anderson struck out seven of the nine batters he faced in his debut as the Rangers beat the Tigers, 10-6. And Anthony Santander had three hits and three RBIs in the Orioles' 8-5 home win over the Guardians.

Capitals Name Spencer Carbery as Next Head Coach

The Washington Capitals became one of two teams in the NHL on Tuesday to hire their next head coach, going with Toronto Maple Leafs assistant Spencer Carbery for the job. The 41-year-old receives a four-year deal to join the Caps. Carbery ran the power play with the Maple Leafs, and he does have history working in the Capitals organization in the ECHL and AHL. He replaces Peter Laviolette, whom the Caps parted ways with after this past season due to them missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in a decade. The team just decided not to renew Laviolette's contract after three seasons together, and he has since interviewed with the New York Rangers. Over eight years coaching hockey at the pro level, Carbery's teams finished below .500 just once, and even led the AHL's Hershey Bears to a 17-game point streak during the 2018-2019 season.

Predators Hire Andrew Burnette to Replaces John Hynes

The Nashville Predators agreed to a deal on Tuesday to hire their former player Andrew Brunette as their next head coach. The news comes from ESPN's Kevin Weekes, as he replaces John Hynes in that position. Hynes was officially fired on Tuesday, along with assistant coach Dan Lambert. The now former coach spent four seasons with the Predators after replacing Peter Laviolette on January 7th, 2020. The Predators failed to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2014 this past season, going 42-32-8 on the year. Hynes went 134-96-18 over his four seasons with the Predators. Brunette gets his first coaching gig after being an interim coach for the Florida Panthers in October 2021. He coached underneath Joel Quenneville for the Chicago Blackhawks, and then replaced him following the Kyle Beach lawsuit. Brunette has a solid resume already, leading the Panthers to the President's Trophy in the 2021-2022 campaign with a franchise-record 51 wins and 108 points, but they were eliminated in the second round.

Caleb Love Commits to Arizona

The Caleb Love drama continued on Tuesday for this off-season, as he officially committed to the Arizona Wildcats for next season. This comes after the former North Carolina Tar Heel previously committed to the Michigan Wolverines, but that fell through due to an admissions issue with his credits transferring. He originally chose Michigan over his home-state school of Missouri, whom he once again passed on. The junior averaged a career-high 16.7 points last season, shooting 37.8% form the floor with 3.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists. Over six tournament games in March 2022, he posted 18.8 points per game, including 30 points and six three-point makes in the Sweet 16 against UCLA and 28 points in the Final Four against Duke.

News and Notes

Bob Meyers officially stepped down as the general manager of the Golden State Warriors, claiming that "it's just time." ​ Matthew Murrell says that he is returning to Ole Miss basketball after leading them in scoring with 14.4 points per game. ​ The Detroit Tigers placed pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez on the 15-day injured list with left index finger injury, as well as outfielder Matt Vierling on the 10-day injured list with lower back soreness. ​​ The Baltimore Orioles placed outfielder Cedric Mullins on the 10-day injured list with a right groin strain, while agreeing to a deal with veteran outfielder Aaron Hicks. ​ The New York Yankees placed outfielder Harrison Bader on the 10-day injured list with a right hamstring injury suffered during Monday's game against the Seattle Mariners. ​​ The Washington Commanders are set to release guard Andrew Norwell, this after placing him on the reserve/physically unable to perform list as he is dealing with a right elbow injury.

Heat Rout Celtics in Game 7 to Reach Finals

The Miami Heat prevented the Boston Celtics from making NBA history on Monday night, rolling to a 103-84 Game 7 blowout on the road to reach the NBA Finals. Jimmy Butler scored 28 points and earned the Eastern Conference Finals MVP Award, while Caleb Martin stepped up with 26 points and 10 rebounds. The Heat reached the Finals for the second time in the past four seasons and the sixth time since 2006. The Celtics had won three straight games and were hoping to become the first team in NBA history to win a series after facing a 3-0 deficit. Instead, the Heat are the first eighth seed to reach the Finals since the 1999 New York Knicks. Derrick White led the Celtics with 18 points, while Jayson Tatum was held to just 14 points and 11 rebounds in the loss. The Heat will open up the Finals on the road against the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night.

Sixers Hire Nick Nurse as Next Head Coach

The Philadelphia 76ers are getting Nick Nurse back on the sidelines immediately, hiring him as their next head coach on Monday. The Sixers and Phoenix Suns were the two teams pursuing Nurse for the job, this after the Toronto Raptors fired him following a Play-In loss. He joins a Sixers organization still attempting to re-sign James Harden this off-season to keep him with reigning MVP Joel Embiid. Nurse replaces Doc Rivers, who was fired after a Game 7 loss to the Boston Celtics in the second round of the NBA Playoffs. The Sixers reached the playoffs three times under Rivers, but failed to reach the Conference Finals. Nurse spent five seasons with the Raptors, winning the 2019 NBA Title with Kawhi Leonard, as well as the 2020 Coach of The Year, going 227-163 for a .582 winning percentage.

Golden Knights Blank Stars to Reach Final

The Vegas Golden Knights ended any hope of a Dallas Stars 3-0 comeback in the Western Conference Final on Monday night with a 6-0 shutout on the road, advancing to the Stanley Cup Final. William Karlsson posted two goals and an assist, while William Carrier and Jonathan Marchessault also scored in the big win. Keegan Kolesar and Michael Amadio each added a goal and an assist, as the Knights overcame consecutive losses after winning the first three. Adin Hill made 23 saves for his second career shutout in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, with the other coming in Game 3 last Thursday. The Golden Knights return to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since their inaugural season in 2017-2018, which also included ​Reily Smith, Brayden McNabb, and Shea Theodore. The Knights fell to the Washington Capitals that year, but they will host Game 1 of the Final this year against the Florida Panthers on Saturday night.

Judge, Yankees Pound Mariners; Twins Top Astros in Lewis' Debut

Aaron Judge led the powerful New York Yankees offense on the road late Monday night en route to a 10-4 rout of the Seattle Mariners. Judge went deep twice and then had a home run robbing catch, helping the Yankees pull away at T-Mobile Park. Domingo German returned from a 10-game suspension and pitched into the seventh inning to earn the win. Judge now sits with 17 home runs on the season, while robbing Teoscar Hernandez of a long ball on defense. Jake Bauers also went deep for the Yankees, who compiled a season-high 18 hits. German allowed four runs on seven hits over 6.1 innings, as he came back strong from a May 17th suspension. Julio Rodriguez went deep off of German for his 10th homer of the season, while adding a two-run single later in the loss. The Minnesota Twins welcomed back rookie Royce Lewis one year to the day that he tore his ACL and topped the Houston Astros in extras on the road, 7-5. Ryan Jeffers hit a two-run shot in the 10th inning, helping the first-place Twins extend their lead to two games in the AL Central. Lewis returned from the sidelines with a home run and drove home four runs, this after he tore the ACL in his right knee for a second time. The former top overall pick in the 2017 draft played just 12 games before going down last season with the same injury he suffered in February 2021. Jhoan Duran pitched a scoreless ninth and then shut things down in the 10th to earn his first win out of the bullpen. Jose Altuve went deep for a second straight games for the Astros, as he continues to work back from the broken thumb he suffered in the World Baseball Classic. Other key scores saw Marcus Stroman allowed just one hit in a complete game as the Cubs shut out the Rays, 1-0.Patrick Bailey had four RBIs on his 24th birthday in the Giants' 14-4 rout of the Pirates. J.D. Martinez and Freddie Freeman both went deep in the Dodgers' 6-1 win over the Nationals. Pavin Smith's three-run homer powered the Diamondbacks past the Rockies, 7-5. Ryan Noda had a three-run shot as the Athletics snapped an 11-game losing streak with a 7-2 upset of the Braves. Brandon Drury and Matt Thaiss went deep early as the Angels beat the White Sox, 6-4. And Logan Allen struck out 10 over seven shutout innings as the Guardians blanked the Orioles, 5-0.

News and Notes

The Tampa Bay Rays placed closer Pete Fairbanks on the 15-day injured list due to inflammation in his left hip, and manager Kevin Cash said he will undergo more tests on Tuesday. ​​ The San Diego Padres claimed catcher Gary Sanchez off waivers from the New York Mets, as the 30-year-old played just three games in the majors this season.

Rays Take Wild Game From Dodgers; Orioles Avoid Sweep Against Rangers

The Tampa Bay Rays were tested hard on their home field Sunday morning, but took a wild 11-10 game from the Los Angeles Dodgers to win the weekend series. Isaac Paredes went deep and drove home four runs, as the Rays took two of three in the battle of division leaders. Luke Raley beat out an infield single and scored on a Wander Franco grounder in the seventh to give the Rays the lead for good. The Dodgers got two home runs from Chris Taylor, while Max Muncy, J.D. Martinez, and Trayce Thompson also went deep in the loss. Muncy did leave the game in the third inning with a left hamstring cramp, which occurred while running the bases. Freddie Freeman did go 2-for-5 with two doubles, extending his hitting streak to 17 games, in which he is hitting .441 in that span. The Rays improved to 26-6 on their home field this season, tying the 2008 Boston Red Sox for the best home start in the past 15 years. The Baltimore Orioles took a game from the Texas Rangers this weekend, earning a 3-2 win on Sunday afternoon. Austin Hays singled home the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, completing a three-hit performance. The O's were outscored, 17-5, in the first two games of the series after sweeping the Toronto Blue Jays and taking two of three from the New York Yankees. The win on Sunday helped them avoid their first sweep of the season, as they improved to 10-6 in one-run games this season. The victory also clinches a winning record in the month of May and moves them back ahead of the Rangers for second in the majors. Felix Bautista finished out the ninth for his 13th save in 17 tries as the O's moved to 34-19 on the season. Other key scores saw Anthony Rizzo drive in the go-ahead run in the Yankees' 10-7 win over the Padres. Merrill Kelly struck out 10 as the Diamondbacks doubled-up the Red Sox, 4-2. Jose Berrios pitched in to the sixth to help the Blue Jays blank the Twins, 3-0. Eric Haase's walk off sac fly gave the Tigers a 6-5 win over the White Sox in extras. Eugenio Suarez's walk-off three-run blast lifted the Mariners past the Pirates, 6-3, in extras. Nick Fortes homered and doubled in the Marlins' 2-0 shutout of the Angels. The Astros hit seven home runs in their 10-1 rout of the Athletics. William Contreras went deep to power the Brewers past the Giants, 7-5. Matt Olson homered twice as the Braves blew out the Phillies, 11-4. And Ryan McMahon drove in five runs to rally the Rockies past the Mets, 11-10.

News and Notes

The Los Angeles Angels placed left-handed pitcher Matt Moore on the 15-day injured list with a right oblique strain, as the 33-year-old has gone 3-1 with a 1.44 ERA over 22 relief appearances this season. ​ The Cincinnati Reds placed outfielder Wil Myers on the 10-day injured list due to kidney stones. Myers is hitting just .189 with three home runs and 12 RBIs this season.

Celtics Stun Heat at Buzzer to Force Game 7

The Boston Celtics had their season on the line in the final seconds of Game 6 on Saturday night, and it was Derrick White who stepped up with a tip-in at the buzzer for a stunning 104-103 win over the Miami Heat. The thrilling road win gives the Celtics a chance to become the first team in NBA history to come back from a 3-0 series deficit in Game 7 back in Boston on Monday. White's game-winning tip-in came off a missed three-point attempt from Marcus Smart, this after Jimmy Butler made three free throws to give his team the lead with three seconds left. Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 31 points, while Jaylen Brown added in 26 and Smart posted 21, as the Celtics became the fourth team to force a Game 7 after being down 3-0. Butler finished with 24 points to lead the Heat, while Caleb Martin had 21, as they are still hoping to become the first eighth seed to reach the NBA Finals.

Bucks Hiring Raptors' Adrian Griffin as Coach

The Milwaukee Bucks are turning to the Toronto Raptors' bench for their next head coach, hiring assistant Adrian Griffin on Saturday to fill that position. The two sides have begun negotiations on a multiyear contract, which is expected to be signed very soon. Griffin replaces Mike Budenholzer, who was fired after five seasons with the team, this following a first-round elimination at the hands of the Miami Heat. He takes over a team with a perennial MVP candidate in Giannis Antetokounmpo, who led them to an NBA Title just two years ago. Griffin spent the past four years with the Raptors under Nick Nurse, who was also fired this off-season, and also had stops with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic, and Chicago Bulls. The coach did play nine seasons in the NBA, playing with the Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks, Chicago Bulls, Houston Rockets, and Seattle Supersonics, and even started eight games for the Mavs in their 2006 Finals run.

Dellandrea, Stars Force Game 6 With Knights

Ty Dellandrea stepped up in a major way on the road Saturday night, helping the Dallas Stars keep their season alive with a 4-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights to force a Game 6. Dellandrea scored twice in a span of 1:27 in the third period, helping his team break a 2-2 tie in T-Mobile Arena. It is the first multigoal game of his playoff career and it supported a 27-save effort from Jake Oettinger. Jason Robertson and Luke Glendening also scored, while Thomas Harley recorded two assists. Chandler Stephenson and Ivan Barbashev both scored for the Knights, while Jonathan Marchessault had two assists to extend his point streak to four games. Adin Hill made 30 saves in net for the Knights, but they will head back to Dallas for Game 6, as the Stars look to become the fifth team to rally from a 3-0 deficit in NHL history.

Freeman Stays Hot, Dodgers Beat Rays; Heaney, Rangers Top O's Again

The Los Angeles Dodgers evened up their weekend series with the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday, earning a 6-5 road win at Tropicana Field. Freddie Freeman extended his hitting streak to 16 games, while both Max Muncy and Miguel Vargas went deep. Freeman went 2-for-3 with two walks, and is now hitting .444 with 18 RBIs during his streak. Mookie Betts contributed an RBI single, as the Dodgers took the lead for good in the seventh, handing Colin Poche his first loss. Harold Ramirez did go deep for the Rays, who became the first team to reach 100 home runs this season, but the Dodgers now rank second in the NL with 84 homers. Tyler Glasnow went 4.1 innings in his season debut, while Kershaw returned from the bereavement list, but gave up four runs on six hits over five innings. The Texas Rangers earned another solid road win to take the series this weekend, beating the Baltimore Orioles, 5-3, on Saturday afternoon. Andrew Heaney went seven innings, giving up just four hits, giving the Rangers their second straight win in Baltimore. Marcus Semien extended his hitting streak to 16 games with a two-run single, while Robbie Grossman and Jonah Heim each had an RBI single. The Rangers moved to 33-18 on the season, good for first place in the AL West, as they have won 10 of their past 13 games overall. Their record is the best in franchise history, moving past the Orioles for second-best record in the majors. Austin Hays went deep for the home team, but they have been outscored, 17-5, in the first two games, and the Rangers have secured their fifth straight road series. Other key scores saw Isiah Kiner-Falefa hit the walk-off RBI single in the 10th to lift the Yankees over the Padres, 3-2. The Twins hit four home runs to power past the Blue Jays, 9-7. Reese McGuire scoring on a safety squeeze was the difference in the Red Sox's 2-1 win over the Diamondbacks. Luis Castillo struck out 10 as the Mariners shut out the Pirates, 5-0. Jorge Soler homered in a fifth straight game as the Marlins topped the Angels in extras, 8-5. Jeremy Pena homered in his return as the Astros doubled-up the Athletics, 6-3. Mitch Haniger had the go-ahead homer to lift the Giants past the Brewers, 3-1. Zack Wheeler struck out 12 over eight innings in the Phillies' 2-1 win against the Braves. And Ryan McMahon's go-ahead homer gave the Rockies a 10-7 victory over the Mets.

News and Notes

The San Francisco Giants placed infielder Thairo Estrada on the 10-day injured list with a sprained left wrist, as he is hitting .301 with six home runs, 17 RBIs, and 13 stolen bases over 47 games this season. ​ The Kansas City Royals have released veteran outfielder/third baseman Hunter Dozier, who was designated for assignment on Monday after hitting just .183 with two home runs and nine RBIs over 29 games this year. ​​ The Milwaukee Brewers officially placed shortstop Willy Adames on the concussion injured list after he was hit in the head by a foul ball while in the dugout on Friday night.

Rays Roll Past Dodgers; Rangers Crush Orioles

The Tampa Bay Rays continued to dominate all teams in their path this season, especially at home, cruising to a series-opening win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night, 9-3. Yandy Diaz went deep and drove in two runs, while Jose Siri added in some insurance with a home run late. It was the first meeting between these two teams since the 2020 World Series, which the Dodgers won in six games. Cooper Criswell earned his first major league win, replacing opener Jalen Beeks and got two outs in the second inning. The Rays added two long balls to the major league leading total of 99 home runs, while improving their home record to 25-5. Freddie Freeman did extend his hitting streak to 15 games for the Dodgers, going 2-for-4 with a walk in the loss. And the Texas Rangers made a statement on the road, pulling a way to blow out the Baltimore Orioles, 12-2, on Friday night. Corey Seager's grand slam highlighted an eight-run fourth inning for the Rangers, pulling them away for good. It was the third grand slam of his career, while Robbie Grossman added a two-run shot in that inning. Both Josh Jung and Josh Smith had two hits apiece in that inning, as Jon Gray earned his fifth win on the mound. Gray has won a personal best four straight starts, giving up one run on four hits over seven innings with eight strikeouts and just one walk. Leody Travers also went deep for the Rangers, while Marcus Semien extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a single in the eighth. Other key scores saw Juan Soto and Fernando Tatis Jr. go deep as the Padres beat the Yankees, 5-1. Chris Sale earned his fifth win of the season as the Red Sox topped the Diamondbacks, 7-2. Kevin Kiermaier and Bo Bichette both homered to lift the Blue Jays over the Twins, 3-1. The Giants got over .500 with a 15-1 rout of the Brewers behind home runs from Mitch Haniger and J.D. Davis. The Pirates tied a franchise record with seven home runs to power their way past the Mariners, 11-6. The Astros sent the Athletics to their most losses through 53 games with a 5-2 road win. Jorge Soler homered for a fourth straight game in the Marlins' 6-2 road win over the Angels. Francisco Lindor had a home runs and four RBIs in the Mets' 5-2 road win against the Rockies. And Craig Kimbrel became the eighth pitcher with 400 saves as the Phillies took down the Braves, 6-4.

Cardinals Release WR DeAndre Hopkins

The Arizona Cardinals made a move to save up some money, releasing wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins on Friday after three seasons together. The move saves the team $8.15 million in cap space for 2023, but they will take a dead cap hit of $22.6 million. Hopkins was under contract with the team through the 2024 season and was most recently a $30.75 million cap hit this past season, the seventh highest overall in the league. The 30-year-old had been the center of trade rumors as of late, getting interest from the likes of the New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens, and Buffalo Bills. Over three seasons with the Cardinals, he compiled 2,696 yards and 17 touchdowns on 221 receptions. He most recently recorded 64 catches for 717 yards and three touchdowns after missing the first six games for a PED suspension. The Cardinals acquired Hopkins from the Houston Texans in March 2020 in a deal that included running back David Johnson.

News and Notes

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone has been suspended one game, this after he was ejected for the fourth time this season on Thursday night. He served the suspension on Friday night. ​ Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Willy Adames was struck in the dugout by a foul ball on Friday and was taken to the hospital. He has no fractures, but will land on the injured list. The Brewers also agreed to a major league deal with pitcher Julio Teheran, who has not pitched in the league since 2021. ​ The Buffalo Sabres agreed to sign defenseman Ryan Johnston to a two-year rookie contract, this after he posted 59 points over 143 games in his college career. ​ Marquette forward Olivier-Maxence Proposer will forgo his remaining eligibility with the program to stay in the NBA Draft. He is a projected first-round pick. ​ Former Florida Gator Keyontae Johnson has been has been cleared by the NBA's Fitness to Play Panel and can be selected in the NBA Draft.

Celtics Cruise to Force Game 6 With Heat

The Boston Celtics are flipping the script on the Miami Heat real quick, cruising on their home floor in Game 5 on Thursday night with a 110-97 rout to keep their season alive. Derrick White stepped up with 24 points, making six shots from three-point range, as the Celtics forced a Game 6 with their second straight win. Marcus Smart added in 23 points and five steals, while Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown each finished with 21 points. The Celtics are looking to become the first team in NBA history to overcome a 3-0 series deficit. The Heat are also hoping to make history, looking to become the first eighth seed to reach the NBA Finals in the current format, which dates back to 1984. Duncan Robinson led the Heat with 18 points, while Bam Adebayo posted 16 points and eight rebounds, but the Heat will have to host Game 6 on Saturday.

Pavelski, Stars Keep Season Alive in OT

The Dallas Stars will live to see another day in the Western Conference Finals after Thursday night, avoiding the sweep with a 3-2 overtime win over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 4. Joe Pavelski scored the game-winning goal on the power play at 3:18 of overtime, slamming home a one-timer. Jason Robertson found the back of the net twice for his first-career multigoal playoff game. The Stars got 37 saves from Jake Oettinger, who was pulled from the game in the opening seven minutes two nights ago in Game 3 after surrendering three early goals. Dallas was playing the first of two games without captain Jamie Benn, who was suspended for his cross-check on Mark Stone. The 38-year-old Pavelski is in his 15th NHL season and scored his ninth goal in 12 playoff games this season, and now has 73 career playoff goals, the most among US-born players. The series shifts back to Vegas for Game 5 on Saturday night.

Gibson, Orioles Take Series From Yankees

The Baltimore Orioles clinched a big series win in the division on Thursday night by holding off the New York Yankees on the road, 3-1. Kyle Gibson was phenomenal on the mound, allowing just two hits over seven shutout innings. Anthony Santander supported him with three hits, including an RBI single, while Austin Hays drove in two with a two-run double. The Orioles finish their road trip with a solid 5-1 record on it after taking two of three from New York, as well as sweeping the Toronto Blue Jays. They now sit with a league-leading 19-9 record away from home this season. Gibson earned his sixth win of the season, despite being 1-6 with a 6.75 ERA over 10 career outings against the Yankees coming in. Other key scores saw Austin Riley homer twice to power the Braves over the Phillies, 8-5. Pete Alonso hit his league-leading 19th homer in the Mets' 10-1 rout of the Cubs. Michael Conforto had four hits and a homer as the Giants shut out the Brewers, 5-0. Rougned Odor's three-run homer in the ninth lifted the Padres past the Nationals, 8-6. Zach Eflin earned his seventh win as the Rays doubled-up the Blue Jays, 6-3. And a bases loaded walk in the eighth gave the Mariners a sweep of the Athletics with a 3-2 win.

Jaguars Agree to Deal with Kicker Brandon McManus

Veteran kicker Brandon McManus did not stay on the market for too long, as the Jacksonville Jaguars agreed to sign him to a deal on Thursday. This comes two days after McManus was released by the Denver Broncos, where he spent nine seasons and won Super Bowl 50. To make room for this move, the Jaguars traded kicker Riley Patterson to the Detroit Lions. The 31-year-old went a perfect 10-for-10 over three playoff games with Denver, including 5-for-5 on attempts 40 yards or longer. That included a 3-for-3 mark in their 24-10 win over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50. He most recently made 77.8% of his field goal attempts last season for the league's lowest-scoring offense.​

News and Notes

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo underwent surgery on his injured left foot in March and is expected to be ready to go after he signed a three-year, $72.75 million deal. ​​ Cincinnati Reds pitcher Connor Overton is set to undergo Tommy John Surgery and will miss the remainder of the season after going 0-1 with an 11.45 ERA over three starts this season.

Tkachuk Strikes Again as Panthers Advance to Final

For the second time this series Matthew Tkachuk came up clutch for the Florida Panthers, and this time it was a big one, as his late goal gave the Florida Panthers a sweep of the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Finals with a 4-3 win on Wednesday night. Tkachuk found the back of the net with just 4.9 second left in regulation, giving the Panthers their second Final appearance in franchise history. It is their first appearance in the Stanley Cup Final since 1996, making it a whole 27 years since they got this far. Sergei Bobrovsky was once again stellar, making 36 saves, as he finished with a .966 save percentage with 174 saves on 180 shots in the series. The Panthers got four one-goal wins because of him, two of which took place in overtime on the road. Tkachuk scored twice on the night, while Ryan Lomberg and Anthony Duclair also tallied a goal, completing their first sweep in franchise history.

Stars' Jamie Benn Suspended Two Games

Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn has been suspended two games for his cross check against Vegas Golden Knights forward Mark Stone in Game 3 on Tuesday night. The incident occurred in the first period of a 4-0 Golden Knights win, which led to Benn getting ejected on his home ice less than two minutes into the game. The Golden Knights lead the series, 3-0, so if the Stars lose Game 4 on Thursday night, he will miss the team's regular season opener in 2023-2024. The league office explained that this suspension was determined due to him attempting to injure a player that was in a "prone position."

Braves Walk Off Against Dodgers; Orioles Rally Past Yankees

The Atlanta Braves avoided the dreaded sweep in the battle of first place teams, walking off for a 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday night. Ozzie Albies drove in the winning run on a sacrifice fly that scored Austin Riley in the ninth inning. Riley led off the inning with a double off of Phil Bickford, and the moved to third base on a Travis d'Arnaud grounder. Bryce Elder gave up seven hits and a walk while striking out six and allowing one run over six innings for the home team. The Dodgers struggled to come through on opportunities, going just 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position. Mookie Betts did go deep for the 11th time this season, as Tony Gonsolin allowed three runs on three hits, including two home runs, over 5.2 innings. Gonsolin saw his 14-inning scoreless streak come to an end when Matt Olson went deep, as did Marcell Ozuna in the win. And the Baltimore Orioles used a big seventh inning in which they scored seven times to rally past the New York  Yankees, 9-6, on Wednesday. Adam Frazier's three-run home run highlighted that inning, while Gunnar Henderson had the go-ahead, pinch-hit two-run double. The Yankees built a 5-1 lead at Yankee Stadium behind two home runs from Gleyber Torres, while Isiah Kiner-Falefa had a home run and a triple in the win. The Orioles sent 12 batters to the plate in the seventh for their highest-scoring inning of the season. Nestor Cortes allowed a long ball to Ryan Mountcastle, but it was Jimmy Cordero that suffered his second loss out of the bullpen. The win for the O's helped them avenge a walk-off loss to the Yankees the night before, courtesy of an Anthony Volpe Sac fly in the 10th. Other key scores saw Shane McClanahan become the league's first eight-win pitcher as the Rays beat the Blue Jays, 7-3. Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani both went deep as the Angels swept the Red Sox, 7-3. Bryce Miller struck out six over six innings in the Mariners' 6-1 win over the Athletics. Adrian Houser went 5.1 innings as the Brewers shut out the Astros again, 4-0. Marcus Semien went deep to lift the Rangers over the Pirates, 3-2. Marcus Stroman went eight innings as the Cubs doubled-up the Mets, 4-2. Yuli Gurriel had four hits in the Marlins' 10-2 rout of the Rockies. Trea Turner's two-run blast forced extras and lifted the Phillies over the Diamondbacks, 6-5, in walk-off fashion. And Eduard Julien and Ryan Jeffers both homered as the Twins took care of the Giants, 7-1.

News and Notes

Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant is said to be okay after Tennessee officials made a welfare check on him after his cryptic posts to his Instagram story, as he is said to just be taking a break from social media. ​​ The New York Jets will work out punter Matt Araiza, who recently learned that he will not face criminal charges in an alleged gang rape case. ​​ Running back Adrian Peterson says he is not officially retired from the NFL, as he has not played since appearing in four games during the 2021 season with the Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans. ​​ The Buffalo Sabres agreed to re-sign captain Kyle Okposo to a one-year deal worth $2.5 million, as the 35-year-old just completed a seven-year, $42 million deal.