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DENVER — Sam Reinhart scored three times for his seventh career hat trick, and the surging Florida Panthers defeated the Colorado Avalanche 8-4 on Saturday for their seventh straight win.

Reinhart has 10 goals during Florida’s win streak, including three multigoal games. Sergei Bobrovsky made 23 saves for his sixth straight win during the streak.

The Panthers have defeated the past two Stanley Cup champions in the past three days and haven’t lost since Dec. 21.

“When you can get on a roll like this it takes some pressure off some other times throughout the season when it’s not going so well,” Reinhart said.

Aleksander Barkov, wearing a shield on his helmet after taking an elbow to the head at Vegas on Thursday night, had four assists in his 700th NHL game for Florida. Carter Verhaeghe had two goals and an assist, and Matthew Tkachuk had a goal and three assists. Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Kevin Stenlund also scored.

“The helmet didn’t slow him down,” coach Paul Maurice said. “If he gets four [assists] the next night it’s on, he’s wearing it all year.”

The Panthers, last year’s Eastern Conference champions, led 3-0 and 4-3, but Colorado rallied each time. Jonathan Drouin tied it at 4 with his ninth of the season 3:31 into the third.

Ross Colton then took a double minor for high sticking, Logan O’Connor went off for delay of game 25 seconds later and Reinhart completed his hat trick when he scored his 28th of the season at 5:59.

“Coming in here, we know how good they are, we know how good they play at home,” Barkov said. “It’s another big one for us.”

Stenlund made it 6-4 with his seventh 8:59 into the final period.

Colorado rallied from multigoal deficits to win in overtime in the previous two games, but it couldn’t pull off the same feat against Florida. Cale Makar and Valeri Nichushkin each had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche. Josh Manson also scored, and Nathan MacKinnon had an assist to extend his home point streak to 21 games to start the season.

Colorado goalie Alexandar Georgiev had 12 saves in relief of Ivan Prosvetov.

The Panthers scored three times on four shots against Prosvetov in the first 7:41. Verhaeghe scored his 21st just 1:10 into the game, and Reinhart had two goals 4:39 apart.

Makar and Manson responded for Colorado in the first 52 seconds of the second. It was the first time in NHL history that two defensemen from the same team scored in the first minute of a period.

Nichushkin tied it at 3 when he deflected Makar’s shot from the point at 4:35. But Ekman-Larsson put Florida back in front with his eighth goal of the season at 8:50 of the second.

That ended Prosvetov’s day after he allowed four goals on 13 shots.

“I didn’t like some of the first four goals,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. “I certainly didn’t like the fourth one.”

Before the game, Colorado placed defenseman Bowen Byram on injured reserve with a lower-body injury.

Panthers center Sam Bennett departed with an upper-body injury, but Maurice said he is not concerned about it.

The Panthers will wrap up a four-game road trip at the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday night.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Panthers’ Luostarinen ejected after check in 1st

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Panthers' Luostarinen ejected after check in 1st

SUNRISE, Fla. — Florida Panthers forward Eetu Luostarinen was ejected from Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals after a boarding major against forward Jackson Blake of the Carolina Hurricanes.

With 3:01 left in the first period, Blake was chasing the puck back in his own zone with Luostarinen behind him. As Luostarinen reached out with his stick, Blake stopped short of the boards and Luostarinen hit through him. Luostarinen drove Blake’s head into the boards, bloodying the Carolina forward.

The on-ice officials gave Luostarinen a five-minute major and then reviewed the hit. They confirmed the call on the ice. Per NHL Rule 41.5, when a major penalty for boarding is called, a game misconduct is automatic. A major penalty for boarding is determined by “the degree of violence of the impact with the boards.”

Luostarinen was tied for the team lead with 13 points entering Game 3, with 4 goals and 9 assists. He scored 12 of those points on the road. Blake returned to action in the second period.

The Panthers lead the series 2-0 and had a 1-0 lead in Game 3 when the major penalty was called.

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Fantasy baseball: What to expect from Red Sox prospect Marcelo Mayer

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Fantasy baseball: What to expect from Red Sox prospect Marcelo Mayer

Boston Red Sox SS prospect Marcelo Mayer is getting the call to the major leagues, as starting 3B Alex Bregman (calf) is headed to the injured list. Fantasy managers should not expect Mayer, 22, to replace Bregman’s excellent numbers (.938 OPS), but he should see opportunity for playing time over the likes of Nick Sogard and Abraham Toro. Mayer is an excellent defensive shortstop, but he has played second base and third base at Triple-A Worcester as well this season.

Ranked No. 6 in Kiley McDaniels’ recently updated top 50 prospect rankings, Mayer hit .265/.342/.465 over 43 games and 193 plate appearances at Triple-A, with 9 home runs, 43 RBI and 2 stolen bases. The No. 4 pick in the 2021 amateur draft, Mayer hits left-handed, makes solid contact and drew a 10.4% walk rate this season. There is power upside, but as with most prospects, fantasy managers should keep initial expectations well in check.

Everyone loves the prospects until they reach the majors and alter their narrative (as most do). Chicago Cubs rookie IF Matt Shaw struggled earlier this season and was sent back to Triple-A, though he has returned to the majors. Arizona Diamondbacks SS Jordan Lawlar remains hitless in the majors this season. New Red Sox teammate Kristian Campbell is hitting .225 with a 27% strikeout rate. Hitting big league pitching can be problematic even for long-time veterans. In ESPN’s shallow standard leagues, with no middle infield spot and only nine active hitting spots, it is tough to make an argument to rush out and add Mayer. At the time of the promotion announcement, he was available in 94% of ESPN standard leagues.

Those needing to replace Bregman at third base should look at the Texas RangersJosh Jung and Jake Burger, and the Philadelphia PhilliesAlec Bohm, proven players with job security. For those looking at adding Mayer as their shortstop, Angels star Zach Neto somehow remains available in 71% of leagues, and he certainly comes recommended over Mayer, as does Colorado Rockies starter Ezequiel Tovar. Mayer will likely hit near the bottom of the Boston lineup. If he hits well, he might move up, and he might keep his roster spot even when Bregman returns to health.

It is exciting when one of the top prospects in the sport earns a promotion, but hitting a baseball against top pitching can be challenging for all. Those in deeper formats can make a better case to add Mayer and hope for the best.

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Sources: Red Sox call up heralded prospect Mayer

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Sources: Red Sox call up heralded prospect Mayer

The Boston Red Sox are calling up infielder Marcelo Mayer, the No. 6 prospect in baseball and a central part of their future who they hope can play a role in their push for a postseason berth this year, sources told ESPN.

Mayer, 22, who has excelled at shortstop as he ascended through the Red Sox’s farm system after they took him with the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft, is likely to get playing time with All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman expected to land on the injured list after leaving Friday’s game with right quadriceps tightness.

At Triple-A Worcester, where Mayer was hitting .271/.347/.471 with nine home runs and 43 RBIs in 43 games, he played four games at third base. Mayer also could see time at shortstop, with Trevor Story in a profound monthlong slump.

The arrival of Mayer marks the second of Boston’s big three prospects, with Kristian Campbell earning the second-base job in spring training. After a hot start, Campbell has slumped likewise and is hitting .225/.321/.369. The third of the group, outfielder Roman Anthony, is the No. 1 prospect in MLB, according to ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel, and is hitting .323/.455/.513 with six home runs and 18 RBIs at Triple-A.

The loss of Bregman, who is hitting .299/.385/.553 in his first year with the Red Sox, takes an MVP-caliber bat out of a lineup that has struggled. The Red Sox lost first baseman Triston Casas for the season to a ruptured tendon in his left knee and have struggled to find a productive fill-in, amplifying calls for the team to reach into its significant minor league depth.

Boston has taken Mayer’s development slowly, with injuries limiting him to 91 games in 2022, 78 games in 2023 and 77 games last year. He is a career .273/.360/.466 hitter in 315 minor league games and projects to be a middle-of-the-order bat and Boston’s long-term solution at shortstop.

Bregman’s contract includes an opt-out after the 2025 season, opening the possibility of a shift to third for Mayer. At 6-foor-3 and 190 pounds, he has both the size and the arm strength typically sought for the position. But his glove at shortstop is regarded as above average, and Boston could opt to move Story off the position for Mayer or Ceddanne Rafaela, who also plays center field for the Red Sox.

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