Sports
Floundering Rangers try to end frustrations on visit to Panthers
Dec 22, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad (93) at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images The New York Rangers are still desperately seeking answers following their blockbuster trade of captain Jacob Trouba earlier this month.
They’ll try to regain some stability when they visit the Florida Panthers on Monday evening in Sunrise, Fla.
New York is 3-8-0 since trading Trouba to the Anaheim Ducks on Dec. 6 in a roster shakeup that hasn’t ignited anybody.
They’ve dropped three in a row and six of seven, most recently losing at the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-2 on Saturday.
“Right now, it’s just frustrating,” New York coach Peter Laviolette said. “We’re in the business of winning hockey games and we’re not getting it done right now, so it’s tough to sit here and tell you good things. We’re losing hockey games. We need to win hockey games and we’re not getting that done.”
New York had high expectations after reaching the Eastern Conference finals for the second time in three years last season.
Hopes of getting past that hurdle and reaching the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2014 were heightened after the Rangers improved to 12-4-1 with a 4-3 win at the Vancouver Canucks on Nov. 19. They haven’t won two games in a row since.
“Result-wise, this is not what we wanted,” Rangers center Mika Zibanejad said. “We can talk about a reset, we can talk about whatever, but if the result is not there, it’s not going to matter.”
In the loss to the Lightning, special teams once again played a big role. The Rangers went 0-for-4 on the power play while Tampa Bay went 2-for-5.
“We don’t score on our power play, we let in two goals, we put ourselves in a bad spot,” Zibanejad said. “I don’t think that’s the effort. I don’t think that’s the team itself or how we came out, how we started. I don’t think that’s why we lose a game. We had (44) shots, we’ve got to get in front of a few more and get some quality chances, but I thought we did. It’s frustrating.”
The Rangers will face a hungry Florida team that has been shut out the past two games, the second time that’s happened this month.
“Yeah, there is something to that. We are playing the perimeter game for the most part,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. “That has a lot to do with it.”
The Panthers most recently fell to the visiting Montreal Canadiens 4-0 on Saturday afternoon, failing to get one past a goalie making his NHL debut in Jakub Dobes.
“I don’t think we are going to dwell on this one, just kind of move on,” Florida forward Sam Bennett said. “Mistakes are going to be made. It’s about how you help each other and fix them. We are just going to move on from this game.”
Sergei Bobrovsky will start in goal for the Panthers. He’s 5-2 in seven starts this month with a 2.24 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage.
He made 24 saves in a 3-1 win against the Rangers on Oct. 24. Overall, the two-time Vezina Trophy winner is 15-12-3 in 31 career starts against New York with a 2.83 GAA, a .908 save percentage and one of his 45 career shutouts.
Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin was pulled after giving up five goals on 13 shots in 28:08 against the Lightning. He took the loss against Florida in October while making 26 saves and is 4-3-0 with a 2.87 GAA and a .915 save percentage against the Panthers all-time.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Which NBA Playoffs Game 1 Loser Is Most Likely To Win Their Series?
Mar 27, 2026; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) reacts during the second quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images On Saturday, we watched all the higher seeds take care of business and start their series up 1-0. It’s way too early to overreact to these games, but I think a lot of these winners will end up moving on to the second round. Here are the teams I think have the best chance of coming back from their slow starts.
Houston Rockets
Before the series, I picked the Lakers to pull off the big upset over Houston, and I still believe that’s the case; however, they’re the team I think has the best chance of turning their luck around.
If the Rockets are without Kevin Durant, I have no idea where they’re generating any offense. Houston shot 38% from the field, and Reed Sheppard and Alperen Sengun struggled to generate any offense as primary ball handlers. On the other end, LeBron James and company did a great job of slowing the game down by running a consistently efficient offense. If Houston can get more stops and generate offense in the fastbreak, they could easily swing this series around.
Atlanta Hawks
Apr 18, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) is guarded by Atlanta Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker (7) during the first quarter of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images For most of 2026, the Hawks have looked like one of the best teams in the NBA. Offensively, they had a solid outing in game one against the Knicks, but New York had one of their better shooting performances, knocking down 48% of their triples.
Atlanta will need to turn New York over more, but that’s something the Knicks have done a good job of preventing all season long. If Atlanta can find a way to steal game two on the road, I think they’ll be in a great spot to steal this series. I would still take the Knicks in this series, but the Hawks didn’t seem rattled on offense, and that’s an important factor in pulling off the upset.
Minnesota Timberwolves
I am fully out on this iteration of the Timberwolves.
It might be dumb to fade the team that’s been to two straight Western Conference Finals, especially one with Anthony Edwards, but I hate the construction of Minnesota in 2026.
The Nuggets are going to get out and run all day on Minnesota, and have more shooting than they have in most years during the Nikola Jokic era. Denver shot poorly in game one and still won by double digits. Donte DiVincenzo is the only player outside of Edwards who can provide any gravity on offense for the T-Wolves, and I don’t think that’s enough to stop the Nuggets. If Jamal Murray starts hitting jumpers, this series could be ugly.
Toronto Raptors
Apr 18, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) drives to the basket against Toronto Raptors forward Brandon Ingram (3) during the first quarter of game one in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images All season long, we wondered when the Cavs would turn it on, and I think we watched them take it to another level in game one. The Cavs are finally all healthy, and we got to see a 10-deep roster that looked very comfortable playing together.
RJ Barrett, Jamal Shead, and Scottie Barnes combined for 11/16 from three, and they still weren’t in this game for most of the second half. Cleveland’s rotations were at their best in this one as well, with one of Donovan Mitchell or James Harden, and Evan Mobley or Jarrett Allen on the floor at all times, and they provide way too much firepower for Toronto to handle. The Raptors might steal one game in Toronto, but I’d bet on this one being a sweep.
Sports
Angels activate OF/DH Jorge Soler from four-game suspension
Apr 7, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; A fight breaks out between Atlanta Braves pitcher Reynaldo López (40) and Los Angeles Angels right fielder Jorge Soler (12) during the fifth inning at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Navarro-Imagn Images The Los Angeles Angels activated outfielder/designated hitter Jorge Soler from the suspended list on Sunday and put him in the cleanup spot of the lineup for the series finale against the San Diego Padres.
Soler was given an original seven-game suspension for an on-field fight with former Atlanta Braves teammate Reynaldo Lopez on April 7. Soler appealed the suspension, and it was reduced to four games, while the Angels were in New York last week.
Soler, 34, is batting .231 with five home runs and 18 RBIs in 18 games for the Angels this season.
In 13 major league seasons, Soler is a career .240 hitter with 208 home runs and 568 RBIs over 1,112 games for the Chicago Cubs (2014-16), Kansas City Royals (2017-21), Atlanta Braves (2021, 2024), Miami Marlins (2022-23), San Francisco Giants (2024) and Angels.
Lopez had his own seven-game suspension reduced to five games.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Flyers aim to take 2-0 lead over rival Penguins
Apr 18, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar (80) makes a save against Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Anthony Mantha (39) during the third period in game one of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images The Philadelphia Flyers got the best of the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 1, but both teams understand that the Keystone State rivals are likely headed for a long series.
The Flyers aim to take a commanding 2-0 series lead over the Penguins when the teams match up Monday in Pittsburgh.
In Saturday’s series opener, Philadelphia posted a 3-2 victory behind third-period goals from Travis Sanheim and Porter Martone. Sanheim, one of the team’s veteran players, scored the go-ahead goal midway through the final session before Martone added an insurance tally with 2:37 remaining.
Martone’s goal proved to be critical as Bryan Rust scored with 1:01 to play. However, Philadelphia goaltender Dan Vladar stayed firm down the stretch as the Flyers held on.
“I think I understand the level that’s needed to play in the playoffs,” said Sanheim, who helped keep Sidney Crosby off the scoreboard. “I understand the challenge ahead and my job, playing against top guys.”
Crosby and Sanheim received penalties late in the third period – Crosby for slashing and Sanheim for cross-checking – that forced both key players off the ice for the final stretch.
“That’s going to be part of a series,” Crosby said. “I think we’ve got to stay out of it a little bit more and trust that when they do it and try to start it up, that they’re going to get penalized for it. But that’s more something I think they’re looking to do. We’ve got to stay out of it and trust they’ll be undisciplined.”
Jamie Drysdale also scored for Philadelphia, while Rasmus Ristolainen notched a pair of assists. The headline, though, was Martone with the game-winning goal in his postseason debut.
“Everyone’s been great,” said the 19-year-old Martone, the sixth pick in the 2025 draft. “I think we were all pretty excited going into this game, being able to play in the playoffs. For me, it’s my 10th NHL game. It’s pretty special, and it’s an opportunity you can’t pass up.”
Philadelphia is in the postseason for the first time since 2020, while Pittsburgh is back in the playoffs for the first time since 2022. The Penguins certainly don’t want to go down 2-0 in the series before heading across the state for Games 3 and 4.
“(The Flyers) make it hard,” Pittsburgh coach Dan Muse said. “I think that’s part of their game. They’ve been doing that for a while. … They can make it difficult. I think we got away from things that worked. Part of that is the intensity. Everything is ramped up here in the playoffs.”
Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin was a force in Game 1 with a goal and an assist. He has 68 goals and 114 assists in 178 career playoff games.
“We played good all year long,” Malkin said. “We know how we play and we just, like, maybe nervous too much or we want (it) too much. We just (weren’t) thinking a little bit, I think.”
The Flyers are expecting a crisper overall effort by the Penguins in Sunday’s affair.
“We did a good job, but we know they’re going to respond,” Philadelphia captain Sean Couturier said. “We know they’re going to come hard next game. We’ve got to keep respecting their skill and just be prepared.”
–Field Level Media
Which NBA Playoffs Game 1 Loser Is Most Likely To Win Their Series?
Angels activate OF/DH Jorge Soler from four-game suspension
