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Surging Flyers, Sidney Crosby-led Pens bring rivalry back to playoffs

NHL: Detroit Red Wings at Pittsburgh PenguinsMar 31, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin (71) and center Sidney Crosby (87) talk on the ice against the Detroit Red Wings during the first period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

For the first time in eight seasons and the eighth time overall, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers will meet in the Stanley Cup playoffs, with the opening game of their first-round series taking place Saturday night in Pittsburgh.

The latest chapter of the Battle of Pennsylvania features a couple teams ending lengthy postseason droughts. The Penguins last made the playoffs in 2022, but beyond that, the franchise’s last series win came in 2018 against the Flyers.

Philadelphia last made the playoffs in 2020. However, Travis Konecny, Sean Couturier and Travis Sanheim are the only players remaining from that squad.

This Flyers team surprised some by reaching the postseason, but they earned their spot thanks to their strong play down the stretch. Coach Rick Tocchet’s club went 18-7-1 after the Olympics, going from sixth in the Metropolitan — eight points back of the then-third-place New York Islanders — to leapfrogging the Washington Capitals, Columbus Blue Jackets and Islanders for the division’s final playoff spot.

The Flyers may be the third-youngest team by average age in the postseason, according to EliteProspects.com, but Tocchet said the past few weeks have been a playoff-like atmosphere. Now, the question becomes how much slack the coach gives his younger players when the pressure increases, especially when playing a veteran-laden group like the Penguins.

“I don’t want these guys to be nervous if they make a mistake,” Tocchet said. “Then I’m not doing my job if I’m making these guys nervous.”

One young player who has stood out is Porter Martone, who joined the club in late March. He scored 10 points (four goals, six assists) in the Flyers’ last eight games, with points in each of the last six.

Tocchet has already made his choice in goal in Dan Vladar, who played six straight games earlier this month and went 5-1 with a .921 save percentage. He allowed a total of six goals in the five wins and will making his first career playoff start.

The Czech goalie has played the Penguins six times in his career. He is 2-3-1 with an .899 save percentage and a 3.10 goals-against average.

Pittsburgh does have a question of who will be its netminder. Arturs Silovs and Stuart Skinner shared that role during the regular season. Skinner, acquired during the season from Edmonton for Tristan Jarry, has made back-to-back Stanley Cup Final appearances, but Silovs also has postseason experience from his time in Vancouver.

While Skinner has more experience, both have fared well against the Flyers. Skinner is 5-1-2 in eight games with a .913 save percentage and a 2.45 GAA, while Silovs is 1-0-1 with a .944 save percentage and a 1.92 GAA.

While the Flyers have youth, the Penguins have a core of 30-somethings looking to make one last run to the Cup. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have three titles in their nearly two decades together in the Steel City. Despite being 38 and 39, respectively, they continue to lead; Crosby put up a team-hgh 74 points in 68 games, while Malkin had 61 in 56.

First-year coach Dan Muse said that leadership has its advantages.

“I don’t have to say anything,” Muse said Friday. “I know for sure that the guys that have the significant playoff experience … are going to be playing a big role there in just terms of helping along the guys that this is their first time.”

–Field Level Media

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Early offense sparks Nationals to another win over Giants

Jun 9, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA;  Washington Nationals first baseman Luis Garcia Jr. (2) celebrates with Washington Nationals right fielder James Wood (29) after hitting a two run home run during the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn ImagesJun 9, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Washington Nationals first baseman Luis Garcia Jr. (2) celebrates with Washington Nationals right fielder James Wood (29) after hitting a two run home run during the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

Luis Garcia Jr. hit the 11th pitch of the game for a two-run homer, James Wood had three hits and scored twice, and the visiting Washington Nationals made it two straight wins over the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday with a front-running 6-3 victory.

Andrew Alvarez and four relievers overcame nine hits and seven walks to limit the Giants to three runs, helping the Nationals improve to 4-1 on a six-game Western swing.

Garcia’s homer, his eighth, came off Adrian Houser (2-6) following a game-opening single by Wood. The blast gave the Nationals a lead they never relinquished.

Washington tacked on a run in the fifth when Jacob Young tripled and scored on a single by Wood. The Nationals benefitted from the Giants’ generosity to create a three-run margin in the seventh on a run-scoring wild pitch thrown by Erik Miller and a bases-loaded walk drawn by Daylen Lile.

Alvarez labored through four-plus innings in which he allowed five hits and five walks, throwing 90 pitches. He was pulled with a shutout but with two runners on base, and Jung Hoo Lee lashed a two-run double off reliever Brad Lord to get the hosts within 3-2.

The runs were charged to Alvarez, who struck out four.

Lord (4-0) pitched out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam to end the fifth and retain the one-run lead. He then teamed with Richard Lovelady, Clayton Beeter and Orlando Ribalta to shut out the Giants the rest of the way until Bryce Eldridge launched his third home run of the season, a solo shot, with two outs in the ninth.

The Nationals completed their scoring in the top of the ninth when Lile smacked the game’s fourth triple to score CJ Abrams, who had reached base on a two-out error.

Houser worked 4 1/3 innings and gave up three runs and four hits. He struck out six without issuing a walk.

Young finished with two hits and two runs while Lile drove in a pair of runs for the Nationals, who began their trip by taking two of three from the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Lee, Eldridge and Luis Arraez each had a pair of hits for the Giants, who dropped their fifth straight home game. Eldridge added a double and two walks to his homer.

The Giants out-hit the visitors 9-8 but stranded 13 baserunners.

–Field Level Media

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Reports: Victor Wembanyama won't get flagrant-1 for Game 3 shove

Jun 8, 2026; New York, New York, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) passes the ball to San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) against New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) and center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) during game three of the 2026 NBA Finals in the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn ImagesJun 8, 2026; New York, New York, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) passes the ball to San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) against New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) and center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) during game three of the 2026 NBA Finals in the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

NEW YORK — San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama won’t receive a retroactive flagrant foul for a play in Game 3 of the NBA Finals, league officials told multiple media outlets Tuesday night.

Wembanyama shoved New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson in the first quarter of the Spurs’ 115-111 win on Monday. The NBA admitted referees missed a foul call on the incident, but the league won’t step in to assess Wembanyama a flagrant-1 foul.

Without a whistle on Wembanyama, play continued with San Antonio on offense.

A replay review appeared to show Brunson, who was on defense and working through a screen on the play, making initial contact with his left hand and grabbing a fistful of Wembanyama’s jersey, prompting the retaliatory push. With his own left hand, Wembanyama aggressively shoved Brunson in the upper back and neck area, sending him toward the floor.

The NBA rulebook deems “unnecessary contact” a flagrant-1 foul, because it goes beyond the actions warranting a common foul.

Had Wembanyama been given a flagrant-1 for the play, he would not have been subject to a suspension. However, the Spurs big man would have been skating into Game 4 on thin ice.

Wembanyama has already received two penalty points for a flagrant-2 foul in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals against Naz Reid of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

All players can accumulate a total of three penalty points in the playoffs — one point for a flagrant-1, two for a flagrant-2. Four penalty points in the postseason prompt an automatic one-game suspension.

A flagrant-2, defined in the rulebook as “unnecessary and excessive or reckless contact … committed by a player against an opponent,” triggers an automatic ejection.

In the third quarter on Monday, Brunson was called for a flagrant-1 foul while closing out on a 3-pointer by Julian Champagnie. Officials said he did not provide ample landing space for the Spurs’ deep threat.

–Field Level Media

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Sal Stewart bashes go-ahead homer in 11th as Reds top Padres

Jun 9, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Cincinnati Reds first baseman Sal Stewart (27) is congratulated by center fielder Blake Dunn (59) after hitting a two-run home run during the 11th inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn ImagesJun 9, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Cincinnati Reds first baseman Sal Stewart (27) is congratulated by center fielder Blake Dunn (59) after hitting a two-run home run during the 11th inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

Sal Stewart clouted a two-run homer in the 11th inning Tuesday night and the visiting Cincinnati Reds snapped a five-game losing streak with a 5-3 victory over the San Diego Padres.

Yuki Matsui (0-1) retired leadoff man JJ Bleday on a fly ball to right that advanced automatic runner Blake Dunn to third. Stewart then drilled a hanging splitter over the center field wall for his 13th homer of the year.

Tejay Antone (1-0) picked up the win despite allowing a run in the bottom of the 10th. Zach Maxwell earned his first major league save with a 1-2-3 11th.

Cincinnati took a 3-2 lead in its half of the 10th when Eugenio Suarez ripped an RBI double just inside third base. San Diego equalized on a one-out RBI single by Samad Taylor.

The Padres outhit the Reds 12-8 but went 3-for-20 with runners in scoring position and left 13 runners on base. San Diego took its 12th loss in 15 games.

Both starters got a no-decision. Cincinnati’s Chase Burns worked 5 1/3 innings, yielding six hits and two runs with two walks and seven strikeouts. San Diego’s Lucas Giolito pitched four innings, permitting two hits and two runs, one earned. He walked five and fanned three.

The Reds initiated the scoring in the second inning with a two-out rally. Matt McLain walked and stole second, the first of his three thefts on the night and Cincinnati’s seven. McLain scored when Tyler Stephenson lined a hanging changeup into left-center for an RBI single.

Giolito was his own worst enemy in the third. Bleday singled with one out, and Stewart and Nathaniel Lowe drew walks to fill the bases. Giolito then misplayed Spencer Steer’s comebacker for an error that allowed Bleday to cross the plate.

The Padres tied it in the bottom of the third. Fernando Tatis Jr. singled with one out and scored when Jackson Merrill ripped a triple to the right field corner. Manny Machado chased Merrill home with a single to left.

–Field Level Media

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