Sports
Clayton Keller's hatty surges Mammoth past lowly Canucks
Apr 2, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Utah Mammoth right wing Clayton Keller (9) looks to pass while defended by Seattle Kraken center Chandler Stephenson (9) in the second period at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images Clayton Keller collected his third career hat trick in a four-point game to lead the visiting Utah Mammoth to a 7-4 victory over the cellar-dwelling Vancouver Canucks on Saturday.
Dylan Guenther and Lawson Crouse both scored once and added an assist for the Mammoth (40-30-6, 86 points), who pulled closer to clinching a playoff berth.
Kailer Yamamoto and Liam O’Brien also tallied, while Logan Cooley collected a pair of assists and goaltender Karel Vejmelka made 19 saves.
Utah, which has won six straight versus Vancouver, is firmly in control of the Western Conference’s first wild-card spot.
Linus Karlsson scored twice while Jake DeBrusk and Marco Rossi added singles for Vancouver (22-46-8, 52 points), which has lost eight of nine games.
Goalie Nikita Tolopilo stopped 17 shots.
Keller broke open a 2-2 tie with a power-play goal at 7:04 of the second period by deflecting Guenther’s high point shot. It was originally waived off but video review showed Keller’s stick was even with the crossbar at impact.
The Mammoth have scored on the power play in five consecutive outings, converting nine times in that span.
After a string of near misses, Utah extended the lead when Guenther buried a sharp-angled chance into a yawning net at 11:55.
To their credit, the Canucks kept fighting but could not draw even.
DeBrusk’s power-play goal 20 seconds into the third period, a nifty deflection of Filip Hronek’s point shot, made it a one-goal game. But Crouse restored Utah’s two-goal bulge with a top-shelf shot at 1:32 of the final frame.
Rossi again pulled the hosts within one with another power-play goal at 4:40, only to see O’Brien tally seven minutes later with a deke on a partial breakaway in his first game since Feb. 4.
Keller’s empty-net goal rounded out the scoring, and gives him 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in a four-game streak.
Both clubs staked and squandered a lead.
Karlsson opened the scoring at the 2:28 mark, but Yamamoto drew Utah even 11 minutes later and Keller potted his first of the game with 90 seconds remaining in the opening period to give the Mammoth a 2-1 edge.
Karlsson tied the clash at 2-2 by deflecting the point shot 125 seconds into the second period.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Mets deal reliever A.J. Minter to Twins
Jun 7, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher A.J. Minter (33) throws a pitch during the seventh inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images The New York Mets have begun their expected sell-off of veterans before the trade deadline, with the first deal bringing a familiar last name back to Queens.
The last-place Mets traded left-handed reliever A.J. Minter to the Minnesota Twins on Friday in exchange for minor league infielders Bruin Agbayani and Billy Amick.
Agbayani, 19, is the son of former Mets outfielder Benny Agbayani, a fan favorite in his playing days.
Minter, 32, is set to become a free agent after the season. He is 1-1 with a 2.35 ERA and 20 strikeouts and just two walks across 23 innings in 23 appearances this season, his second in New York after eight seasons with Atlanta. He is 25-30 with 36 saves and a 3.18 ERA and 456 strikeouts over 382 2/3 innings in 420 games in his career.
Minter suffered a lat muscle tear last season that delayed his 2026 debut to late May, which could help explain his dip in velocity.
Agbayani was the Twins’ sixth-round draft pick last year out of Saint Louis School in Honolulu. He played 10 games for Class-A Fort Myers this season, batting .268 with no homers and six RBIs, before being sidelined since mid-May due to a right shoulder ailment.
Amick, 23, was Minnesota’s second-round draft choice in 2024 out of the University of Tennessee. He hit .217 with 23 homers and 72 RBIs in 86 games for Double-A Wichita this season.
The Twins enter Friday three games behind the Chicago White Sox for the American League Central lead and one game back of fellow Central foe Cleveland for the final AL wild-card spot.
The Mets, in the cellar in the National League East, hold the second-worst record (47-63) in the NL behind only the Colorado Rockies (42-67).
Among the players they are expected to try to move are relievers Luke Weaver and Brooks Raley as well as starters Freddy Peralta and Clay Holmes.
The trade deadline is 6 p.m. ET on Monday.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: Karl Ravech not quite finished at ESPN
Jul 13, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; ESPN commentator Karl Ravech before the MLB Draft at The Coca-Cola Roxy. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images Longtime anchor and play-by-play announcer Karl Ravech, laid off 10 days ago by ESPN, is not quite finished with the network.
Viewers of ESPN’s coverage of the game between the Atlanta Braves and Washington Nationals on Thursday night heard Ravech on the call. And The Athletic reported that Ravech still has a few more baseball tasks for the network.
He served as ESPN’s lead MLB announcer and the network’s voice of the College World Series before being laid off.
Per the report, Ravech will be in the booth when the New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners meet on Aug. 12. He will follow that by calling some games in the Little League World Series, one of the events closely associated with Ravech through the years.
The LLWS will be held Aug. 19-30 in Williamsport, Pa.
Ravech, 61, began work at ESPN in 1993 and anchored “SportsCenter” and hosted “Baseball Tonight”. He also called college basketball games.
ESPN parted with several employees who work both in front of the camera and behind the scenes in its latest round of layoffs. NFL analyst Ryan Clark and NFL insider Tom Pelissero were among the most prominent cuts.
These layoffs were linked to ESPN’s acquisition of NFL Network, according to an internal memo from ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro that multiple media outlets obtained.
The Athletic said it is expected that Ravech’s time on air at ESPN will conclude with the end of his baseball assignments.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Whitecaps acquire Canadian F Kwasi Poku
May 22, 2024; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Forge FC Hamilton midfielder Kwasi Poku (20) celebrates after scoring a goal against the CF Montreal during the first half at Stade Saputo. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images The Vancouver Whitecaps acquired Canadian striker Kwasi Poku from Belgium’s RWDM Brussels.
Poku, 23, agreed to a contract through 2027-28 with a club option for the 2028-29 MLS campaign.
He recorded six goals in 31 appearances with the Belgian side from 2024-26.
“We are excited to welcome Kwasi to our group,” Vancouver sporting director Axel Schuster said in announcing the deal on Thursday. “Kwasi is a young, talented Canadian international who brings pace, intelligent movement, and finishing ability to our attack. He has the qualities and mindset to continue his development, and we are excited to help him take the next step in his career while strengthening our team.”
Poku previously played three seasons with Forge FC in the Canadian Premier League, posting 13 goals and four assists in 70 appearances (47 starts) from 2022-24.
“I’m very excited to be joining Whitecaps FC, for me, it feels like a fresh start and it’s great to be back in my home country,” said Poku, who is from Ontario. “I can’t wait to make my debut at BC Place and meet all of you. I understand this is a winning team, and I want to continue that legacy and make even more history.”
Poku earned his first senior cap for the Canadian national team on Oct. 15, 2024, coming off the bench in a 2-1 win in a friendly against Panama.
–Field Level Media
Mets deal reliever A.J. Minter to Twins
Report: Karl Ravech not quite finished at ESPN
