Connect with us

Published

on

Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy is expected to miss the first two months of the regular season after having back surgery Thursday.

Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois announced Vasilevskiy, a five-time NHL All-Star and the 2019 Vezina Trophy winner, underwent a successful microdiscectomy Thursday morning to repair a lumbar disc herniation.

BriseBois said Vasilevskiy informed the team in August that he was having a back issue but was feeling better after having an injection. It wasn’t until the Lightning’s first practice when Vasilevskiy started feeling discomfort.

Vasilevskiy’s absence is a significant blow to the Lightning, who are aiming for a seventh straight postseason appearance in an Eastern Conference landscape that could prove even more challenging considering teams like the Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins just missed out on the playoffs while others such as the Detroit Red Wings and Ottawa Senators used the offseason to bolster their rosters.

The Lightning were eliminated in a six-game first-round series last year by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Prior to that, they had reached the past three Stanley Cup finals, winning consecutive titles in 2020 and 2021 before losing to the Colorado Avalanche in 2022.

Vasilevskiy was one of the largest reasons for that success. At a time when many teams are shifting toward goaltender tandems to navigate an 82-game season, Vasilevskiy was one of the few netminders who could be trusted to make more than 60 starts in addition to playing every minute of a playoff push.

Vasilevskiy, 29, was one of seven goalies who started more than 60 games last season and finished with a 34-22-4 record in addition to a 2.65 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage.

BriseBois told reporters that Vasilevskiy’s absence means the Lightning will continue with the goalies they have on roster: Jonas Johansson and Matt Tomkins.

Johansson, who signed a two-year contract with the Lightning this offseason, has become a journeyman backup who has also been used as a third option over his stints with the Sabres, Florida Panthers and Avalanche. He spent most of the 2022-23 season playing with the Avs’ AHL affiliate.

With Vasilevskiy sidelined, Johansson is the most experienced goaltender on Tampa Bay’s active roster, with 35 career games.

Tomkins, 29, who represented Canada at the 2022 Winter Olympics, has spent the past two years playing in Sweden. He has never played in the NHL, signing a two-year deal with the Lightning this past offseason.

Before he left to play in Sweden, Tomkins played in the AHL and ECHL after spending four seasons at Ohio State, having previously been a seventh-round draft pick by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2012.

Continue Reading

Sports

Follow live: Cubs aim to force Game 5 vs. Brewers

Published

on

By

null

Continue Reading

Sports

Dodgers advance to NLCS after Kerkering’s error

Published

on

By

Dodgers advance to NLCS after Kerkering's error

LOS ANGELES — Orion Kerkering made a wild throw past home instead of tossing to first after mishandling Andy Pages‘ bases-loaded comebacker with two outs in the 11th inning, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Philadelphia Phillies 2-1 Thursday to win their NL Division Series 3-1.

Kerkering hung his head and put hands on knees after his throw sailed past catcher J.T. Realmuto as pinch-runner Hyeseong Kim crossed the plate, advancing the Dodgers to the NL Championship Series against the Chicago Cubs or Milwaukee.

Realmuto had pointed to first when the broken-bat, two-hopper hit off Kerkering’s glove and rolled just in front of the mound.

Kerkering picked up the ball and in one motion made a sidearm throw, 46 feet from the plate. The ball sailed up the third-base line, past Realmuto’s outstretched mitt, and fans in the crowd of 50,563 at Dodger Stadium erupted after spending the final three innings on their feet.

“It’s brutal,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “It’s one of those things that it’s a PFP, a pitcher’s fielding practice. He’s done it a thousand times. And right there he was so focused, I’m sure, on just getting the hitter and just sort of forgot the outs and the situation.”

Phillies manager Rob Thomson wrapped an arm around Kerkering when the distraught reliever reached the dugout.

“He just got caught up in the moment a little bit,” Thomson said. “I feel for him because he’s putting it all on his shoulders.”

This was the second postseason series to end on a walk-off error, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. A wild relay throw by Texas second baseman Rougned Odor on a potential double-play grounder allowed Josh Donaldson to score and give Toronto a 7-6, 10-inning win and a three-game sweep of their 2016 AL Division Series.

Los Angeles ended a postseason series with a walk-off win for the third time after Bill Russell’s single against the Phillies in Game 4 of the 1978 NLCS and Chris Taylor‘s homer in the 2021 NL wild card game.

Nick Castellanos‘ RBI double in the seventh off Emmet Sheehan had put the Phillies ahead but Jhoan Duran walked Mookie Betts with the bases loaded in the bottom half, forcing in the tying run.

Tommy Edman singled off Jesús Luzardo with one out in the 11th and took third on Max Muncy‘s two-out single that eluded diving shortstop Trea Turner.

Kerkering walked Enrique Hernández, loading the bases. Pages, in a 1-for-23 postseason slide, hit what appeared to be a routine grounder, the type every pitcher practices gloving from spring training on.

Philadelphia, wearing its powder blue throwback uniforms on the road for the second straight day, was knocked out in the Division Series for the third straight season while the defending World Series champion Dodgers reached the LCS for the eighth time in 13 years.

Dodgers rookie Roki Sasaki, averaging 99.5 mph his his fastball, threw three innings of hitless relief, combining with Tyler Glasnow, Sheehan and winner Alex Vesia on a four-hitter.

Glasnow allowed two hits and three walks in six innings with eight of the 12 strikeouts by Dodgers pitchers.

Continue Reading

Sports

QB Mateer probable to play for OU against Texas

Published

on

By

QB Mateer probable to play for OU against Texas

Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer was upgraded to probable Thursday on the SEC availability report, a signal he’s set to attempt to play against Texas on Saturday, just 17 days after surgery on a broken bone in his throwing hand.

Mateer’s push to return Saturday has continued this week, with sources telling ESPN that he has practiced and progressed enough to be in position to attempt to play. Sources told ESPN earlier Thursday that Mateer was on track to attempt to play Saturday.

The ambiguity over Mateer’s ability to play is expected to extend until kickoff, as sources told ESPN that Mateer’s pain level and ability to grip the ball will be watched closely.

A return to the field against Texas would be in line with the most aggressive timelines of a potential comeback.

Oklahoma coach Brent Venables said Monday that he assumed Mateer wouldn’t be available. OU listed Mateer as questionable on the first SEC availability report Wednesday, and Venables has remained evasive on Mateer’s availability.

Mateer emerged as a Heisman favorite in the first month of the season. He injured the hand in the first quarter of a 24-17 win over Auburn on Sept. 20. He played the rest of the game and threw for 271 yards.

He has missed just one game since surgery Sept. 24, as OU had a bye and blew out Kent State 44-0. Michael Hawkins Jr. started in the Kent game and threw three touchdown passes.

Continue Reading

Trending