Sports
Veteran-laden Knights, youthful Ducks to clash in second round
Apr 24, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (9) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against the Utah Mammoth during the second period in game three of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images The Vegas Golden Knights and the Anaheim Ducks have played each other 38 times over the last nine seasons but have never met in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
That changes on Monday night in Las Vegas when the two teams open a best-of-seven Western Conference second-round series.
The Pacific Division champion Golden Knights, who defeated the Utah Mammoth in six games in the first round, will be playing in the second round for the sixth time in nine seasons.
Anaheim, which eliminated Connor McDavid and two-time defending Western Conference champion Edmonton in six games, will be playing its first second-round series since 2017. The Ducks defeated the Oilers in seven games that year before losing to the Nashville Predators in the Western Conference final.
Vegas is 27-8-3 all-time against the Ducks, including 15-3-1 at home, but division rival Anaheim won all three meetings this season, including two in overtime.
“It’s going to be an exciting matchup,” said defenseman Shea Theodore, a first-round draft pick of the Ducks in 2013 who was traded to Vegas before the 2017-18 season. “They’re a great team. Watching how well they played against Edmonton, and how good Edmonton has been the last couple years, that was a tough matchup. It’s going to be a tough test.”
Third-year defenseman Jackson LaCombe, a member of the U.S. gold medal-winning Olympic team, led the Ducks in the opening round with nine points and a plus-six rating. He also drew praise for his defensive effort against McDavid, who scored just one goal and had five assists in six games.
Left wing Cutter Gauthier, 22, led the team with 41 goals in the regular season and also against the Oilers with four goals. Center Leo Carlsson, the second overall pick of the 2023 NHL Draft, had 29 goals and 38 assists in 70 games, then the 21-year-old followed that up with three goals and five assists against Edmonton.
The Ducks were particularly lethal on the power play, converting eight of 16 chances (50%).
“They’re a fast team,” said Vegas center Jack Eichel, who led the Golden Knights with nine points against the Mammoth after scoring a team-best 90 points in the regular season. “I think having played Utah, having improved throughout the series in terms of some of our deep defensive responsibilities, we should be able to take from that a bit.”
“They’re a good team. They’re always trying to make plays through you and around you. ” Golden Knights defenseman Noah Hanifin added. “They’re young. They have some experience, too, on the backend especially. Should be a lot of fun.”
This is the first time since 2018 that Anaheim has played in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
“Now we’ve got a taste of playoff hockey,” said first-year Anaheim coach Joel Quenneville, who led the Chicago Blackhawks to three Stanley Cup titles (2010, 2013 and 2015). “And I think we can feel at this moment that it’s so much more fun playing games that have more meaning. And then it seems to grow from this level on.”
Eichel gave Vegas fans a scare at practice Sunday when he departed with trainers with towels held to his face after getting hit in the lip with a puck. However, he returned to finish practice.
Also noteworthy was center William Karlsson, out since suffering a lower-body injury on Nov. 8, returning to practice Sunday. Vegas was tight-lipped about Karlsson’s possible return to the lineup. Karlsson, a two-way star and a key member on power play and penalty kill units, also is a former Duck who was obtained by Vegas from the Columbus Blue Jackets in the expansion draft.
“He hasn’t played in a while. I’ve been through that,” Vegas captain Mark Stone said. “It’s not the easiest thing in the world to come back right into the playoffs. But he’s a tremendous skater and in tremendous shape.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Xander Bogaerts’ RBI single helps Padres' snap skid over White Sox
May 3, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts (2) slides into home plate to score a run during the fourth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images Xander Bogaerts’ infield single in the bottom of the eighth inning Sunday was enough for the winning run as the San Diego Padres snapped a four-game losing streak with a 4-3 decision over the visiting Chicago White Sox.
Ramon Laureano started the winning rally by coaxing a leadoff walk from Tyler Davis (0-1). Bryan Hudson relieved Davis and fanned Miguel Andujar as Laureano stole second. Jackson Merrill’s infield hit moved Laureano to third.
Merrill swiped second while Hudson whiffed Manny Machado. Bogaerts’ check-swing on a 2-2 fastball produced a soft bouncer that third baseman Colson Montgomery gloved but couldn’t make a throw as Laureano scored.
Jason Adam (1-0) pitched a scoreless eighth and Mason Miller mowed Chicago down in the ninth for his 11th save in as many chances. The result snapped the White Sox’s five-game winning streak.
Chicago tied the game at three in the seventh when pinch-hitter Derek Hill clouted an 0-2 fastball from Adrian Morejon 409 feet over the center field wall with Chase Meidroth aboard after a single.
Hill’s tying homer no-decisioned both starters after five-inning outings. Chicago’s Anthony Kay permitted seven hits and three runs, two earned, with a walk and five strikeouts. San Diego right-hander Griffin Canning, making his first start of the year, allowed only three hits and a run while walking three and fanning seven.
Drew Romo gave the White Sox a 1-0 edge in the top of the third, lining a homer into the right field seats that traveled an estimated 363 feet. It was his third homer of the year.
The Padres took their first lead of the series with three runs in the fourth. Andujar drilled a leadoff homer to left-center, his second of the year, and Machado followed one out later with his fifth homer that traveled an estimated 397 feet to left-center.
Bogaerts and Ty France followed up with singles, then moved up 90 feet on Nick Castellanos’ groundout. Freddy Fermin drew a walk and Romo was charged with a passed ball on ball four, enabling Bogaerts to score.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Mark Vientos' two homers power Mets over Angels
May 3, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; New York Mets first baseman Mark Vientos (27) gestures after hitting a home run during the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images Mark Vientos hit a pair of two-run homers Sunday afternoon for the visiting New York Mets, who earned a rare series win by beating the Los Angeles Angels 5-1 in the rubber game of a three-game interleague set.
Carson Benge had an RBI double immediately before Vientos’ second homer in the eighth for the Mets, who won for just the fifth time in 23 games. The series win is the second in that span for New York, which also took two of three from the Minnesota Twins from Apr. 21-23.
Jorge Soler delivered a run-scoring single in the first for the similarly skidding Angels, who have dropped 12 of 14 since an 11-10 start.
Mets starter Clay Holmes (4-2) earned the win by allowing the one run on four hits and three walks while striking out six over 6 2/3 innings. The outing lowered his National League-leading ERA to 1.69.
Holmes allowed just four baserunners after Soler’s one-out RBI hit.
Luke Weaver retired all four batters he faced before Brooks Raley struck out two in a one-hit ninth.
Angels starter Jack Kochanowicz (2-1) gave up two singles in the first three innings before walking Benge with one out in the fourth. Vientos followed two pitches later by hitting a 427-foot homer to left-center.
Benge and Vientos teamed up again in the eighth against Nick Sandlin, when Benge’s double scored Brett Baty before Vientos homered to left. It was the sixth regular season two-homer game for Vientos and his first since last Aug. 23, when he went deep twice against the Atlanta Braves.
Bo Bichette had two hits for the Mets.
Nolan Schanuel had two hits and a unique fielding play at first base in the third for the Angels. Schanuel snared a grounder by Juan Soto but couldn’t get the ball out of his glove, so he tossed the glove to Kochanowicz covering first.
Kochanowicz gave up two runs on five hits and three walks while striking out six over 6 1/3 innings.
–Field Level Media
Sports
5-star C Obinna Ekezie Jr. picks Louisville, reclassifies to ’26
Mar 21, 2026; Buffalo, NY, USA; Louisville Cardinals head coach Pat Kelsey looks on during the first half against the Michigan State Spartans during a second round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Keybank Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images Obinna Ekezie Jr., one of the top recruits in the Class of 2027, will reclassify to 2026 and join Louisville next season, he announced Sunday.
The 7-footer was the No. 4 overall prospect in the 2027 class, according to the 247Sports composite rankings.
He was also considering Arkansas, BYU and Maryland, where his father starred before going on to play four NBA seasons.
“I have chosen to commit to University of Louisville as I feel it’s the best situation to develop, showcase my game and strive to win a national championship,” the younger Ekezie told multiple outlets in a statement.
Ekezie is finishing his junior year of high school at Southeastern Prep in Orlando, Fla.
He joins an incoming Louisville class that was previously without a true freshman but is packed with transfers. Coach Pat Kelsey attracted top transfers Flory Bidunga (Kansas), Jackson Shelstad (Oregon), Karter Knox (Arkansas) and Alvaro Folgueiras (Iowa) this offseason.
–Field Level Media
Xander Bogaerts’ RBI single helps Padres' snap skid over White Sox
Mark Vientos' two homers power Mets over Angels
