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RALEIGH, N.C. — The Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes spent Friday recovering from the sixth-longest game in Stanley Cup playoff history.

Neither team practiced on the off day before Saturday night’s Game 2 in Raleigh, with Florida leading the series 1-0 after a 3-2, quadruple-overtime thriller. Game 1 finished at 79:47 of overtime play.

For Panthers defenseman Brandon Montour, the day off was a chance to rest after leading all skaters with 57:56 of ice time and skating over eight miles in the game, according to the NHL.

“Surprisingly, I still had some energy,” Montour said. “But at the end of the game, I was really happy we got the win. Then it was straight to rest and recovery.”

Both teams did whatever they could to rejuvenate during the game, from downing caffeinated beverages to munching on salty snacks, granola bars and fruit. Carolina defenseman Brady Skjei said he ate four bananas between periods. Florida’s Eric Staal stuck with apples and oranges, saying he would burp up bananas.

The physical toll was one aspect of Game 1. Then there was the emotional and mental strain. Before the Panthers won in four overtimes, they thought they had won in the first overtime. But winger Ryan Lomberg‘s goal was overturned on video review because the NHL determined that the Panthers’ Colin White had interfered with goalie Frederik Andersen.

“You get the overtime winner, there’s a celebration, a release. But then it’s, ‘Oh, just kidding,'” said Panthers coach Paul Maurice. “I was really impressed that we went back to work, that we didn’t lose our composure in a situation where you easily could have. That’s a statement of our group. We’ve had a few of those moments [in the playoffs] where we get tested and you say, ‘Let’s just go back to work.'”

For the Hurricanes, getting back to work was the only thing to do after a devastating loss.

“It was a weird day and a long day and not a great day for us. But that day is over,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “We’ve done this for five years. The mentality of doing your best today, and then when tomorrow comes, you focus on that day.”

Hurricanes forward Stefan Noesen said the game was “a tough one to swallow” but that the exhaustion of four overtimes meant a better-than-usual night of sleep.

“I was out cold pretty quickly. Usually takes me a couple hours, but playing 40 minutes of hockey takes a toll on you for sure,” he said.

Brind’Amour said the four-overtime game changed the plans for the Hurricanes’ off-day. The players weren’t coming to PNC Arena for an optional skate or meetings. They were at home and resting.

“That was not originally part of the plan, but [Saturday] will be regular day,” he said.

Goalies Sergei Bobrovsky and Andersen played 139:47 and 139:43, respectively, on Thursday. Maurice said he has no concerns about running Bobrovsky back for Game 2. But Brind’Amour said he won’t know Andersen’s status until Saturday.

The Hurricanes have a capable backup goalie in Antti Raanta, who has stellar numbers on home ice, in case they want to give Andersen time to recuperate for the rest of the series. Brind’Amour said he was “definitely considering” a load management decision for his goaltenders ahead of Game 2.

“You have to. The guy played the whole game,” Brind’Amour said of Andersen.

For his skaters, however, the Hurricanes coach indicated that load management might not come into play.

“I’ve got a 38-year-old in the back end,” Brind’Amour said of defenseman Brent Burns, who played over 54 minutes in Game 1. “Maybe I shouldn’t go to him [in Game 2]. But I can tell you right now that if I confronted him, he would punch me in the face. This is why they play the games, to get in these moments. So I guess that answers [the question] for the rest of the guys too.”

Game 2 is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET Saturday.

“I expect both teams to bounce back and be ready to go,” Staal said. “I know the way we train and prepare ourselves. Our guys are in phenomenal shape. I’m pretty well aware of how Roddy trains, so I’m sure the rest of [the Hurricanes] are the same. It’ll be highly competitive. The pace will be there. The juices will be flowing.”

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Cubs blow lead in 10-run 8th, storm back in thriller

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Cubs blow lead in 10-run 8th, storm back in thriller

CHICAGO — Kyle Tucker had the fans on their feet, roaring and pumping their fists as he rounded the bases after hitting the go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth inning. His screaming line drive cleared the right-field wall with plenty of room to spare.

The Chicago Cubs went from giving up 10 runs in the eighth to scoring six in the bottom half and beating the Arizona Diamondbacks 13-11 on Friday in one of the wildest games on record.

The two teams combined for 21 runs in the seventh and eighth innings, with the Cubs scoring 11 runs and the D-backs plating 10. It was the first nine-inning game in MLB history in which both teams scored 10 or more runs from the seventh inning on, and the third game overall, according to ESPN Research.

“That’s kind of baseball,” Tucker said. “There’s a lot of ups and downs in this game, especially with how many games we play.”

There haven’t been many games like this, though.

The Cubs are just the seventh team in at least the past 125 seasons to allow 10 or more runs in an inning and win. They are also the fifth team to give up 10 or more runs and score six or more in the same inning.

The 16 combined runs in the eighth were the most in an inning at Wrigley Field, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

“If you’ve seen that one, you’ve been around for a while,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said with a laugh. “It was crazy. You know, we gave up 10 runs in an inning and we won. So it was a wild game, but we kept going, and, you know, there’s 27 outs in a game and this kind of proves it, and you’re just happy to get out with a win.”

On a warm day with the ball carrying, Carson Kelly homered twice. Ian Happ belted a grand slam and Seiya Suzuki went deep, helping the Cubs open a weekend series on a winning note.

“You’ve seen it early — having some tough losses, coming back winning the next day,” Happ said. “Losing the first game of the series, winning the series. Little things like that. Today’s a great example of professional hitters going out there and continuing to have really good at-bats.”

The way things transpired in the final two innings was something to see.

Kelly hit a two-run homer in the second against Corbin Burnes, and Happ came through with his grand slam against Ryne Nelson as part of a five-run seventh. But just when it looked as if the Cubs were in control with a 7-1 lead, things took a wild turn in the eighth.

Eugenio Suarez cut it to 7-5 with a grand slam against Porter Hodge, Geraldo Perdomo singled in a run and Randal Grichuk put Arizona on top by one with a two-run double. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit a three-run homer, making it 11-7.

The crowd of more than 39,000 let the Cubs hear it, but their team regrouped in the bottom half. Bryce Jarvis hit Nico Hoerner leading off and walked Pete Crow-Armstrong before Kelly drove a three-run homer to center. Tucker, the Cubs’ prized offseason addition, came through after Happ singled with one out. Suzuki followed with his drive against Joe Mantiply to give the Cubs a 13-11 lead.

Arizona, which had won five straight, became just the third team over the past 50 seasons to lose a game in which it had a 10-run inning at any point, according to ESPN Research.

“You just got to stay locked in,” Kelly said. “Obviously, you don’t want to … give up 10 in an inning. Obviously, you don’t want to do that. I think the biggest thing is coming back, regrouping and continuing to fight.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Chisholm suspended 1 game for conduct, tweet

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Chisholm suspended 1 game for conduct, tweet

Major League Baseball suspended New York Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. for one game and fined him an undisclosed amount, the result of his actions during Thursday night’s win against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Chisholm was ejected in the seventh inning by plate umpire John Bacon for arguing after a called third strike on a full-count pitch from Mason Montgomery that appeared low.

Minutes later, he posted on his X account, “Not even f—ing close!!!!!” then deleted the post.

“I didn’t think before I had anything that I said was ejectable but after probably,” Chisholm said after the game. “I’m a competitor, so when I go out there and I feel like I’m right and you’re saying something to me that I think doesn’t make sense, I’m going to get fired up and be upset.

“I lost my emotions. I lost my cool. I got to be better than that. … I’m definitely mad at myself for losing my cool.”

Michael Hill, the league’s senior vice president for on-field operations, said Friday’s discipline was for Chisholm’s “conduct, including his violation of Major League Baseball’s Social Media Policy for Major League Players.”

MLB regulations ban the use of electronic devices during games. The social media policy prohibits “displaying or transmitting content that questions the impartiality of or otherwise denigrates a major league umpire.”

Chisholm did appeal the decision, allowing him to play in Friday night’s 1-0 win against the Rays. He started at second base and went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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First-time father-to-be Ohtani away from Dodgers

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First-time father-to-be Ohtani away from Dodgers

ARLINGTON, Texas — Shohei Ohtani is away from the Los Angeles Dodgers for the birth of the two-way superstar’s first child.

Manager Dave Roberts said before the Dodgers’ series opener Friday night against the Rangers that Ohtani was with his wife and going on MLB’s paternity list.

“He and Mamiko are expecting at some point. That’s all I know,” Roberts said. “I don’t know when he’s going to come back and I don’t know when they’re going to have the baby, but obviously they’re together in anticipation.”

The 30-year-old Ohtani posted on his Instagram account in late December that he and his 28-year-old wife, a former professional basketball player from his native Japan, were expecting a baby in 2025.

“Can’t wait for the little rookie to join our family soon!” said the Dec. 28 post that included a photo showing the couple’s beloved dog, Decoy, as well as a pink ruffled onesie along with baby shoes and a sonogram that was covered by a baby emoji.

Ohtani can miss up to three games while on paternity leave. The Dodgers have a three-game series in Texas before an off day Monday, then play the Cubs in Chicago on Tuesday.

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