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NEW YORK — Adam Fox scored 36 seconds into overtime and the New York Rangers became the first NHL team to clinch a playoff spot this season, beating the Philadelphia Flyers 6-5 following a wild third period Tuesday night.

Alexis Lafreniere had two goals and Igor Shesterkin made 36 saves for the Rangers, who lead the league with 100 points after giving coach Peter Laviolette his 800th career win.

New York technically secured its third consecutive playoff berth just by getting to overtime and earning one point after Detroit lost to Washington in OT. But after the teams traded seven goals in a frenetic third period, it didn’t take long for Fox to finish the night in style with a wrist shot from the high slot for his 15th goal, adding to the star defenseman’s career high.

“For us to stay as consistent as we have says a lot about our group,” said Fox, who has points in eight straight games. “It’s big for us to clinch that playoff spot. It’s just the first step.”

Vincent Trocheck, Mika Zibanejad and Jonny Brodzinski also scored for the Rangers, who extended their Metropolitan Division lead to three points over Carolina.

“I thought we battled hard. We knew this would be a tough game,” Zibanejad said. “I thought we got better as the game went on. We kept fighting.”

Scott Laughton and Ryan Poehling scored second-period goals to put the Flyers up 2-0 before Zibanejad narrowed the deficit with a power-play goal at 15:28.

Brodzinski and Lafreniere scored early in the third to put New York ahead 3-2 before Flyers leading scorer Travis Konecny tied the game at 3 with his team-leading 31st goal at 6:45.

Trocheck scored short-handed at 9:34 to put the Rangers ahead 4-3, but Owen Tippett tied it again at 11:45 before Lafreniere scored his second of the game and 22nd of the season at 13:59. Flyers forward Tyson Foerster then evened the score again at 16:29 with his 19th goal to send the game into overtime.

“I liked the game for the most part. I thought we played very well,” Laughton said. “I thought we were in control of it and should have gotten two points. We’re in this game to win and we didn’t get on the right side of it tonight.”

New York won its third straight and fifth in six overall to improve to 26-9-0 at home. The team is 17-1-1 when Lafreniere, the top pick in the 2020 draft, scores a goal.

“We found a way to win, that’s all that matters,” Lafreniere said. “There’s still a lot of work to do and we know that. We have a lot of hockey to play still. We have to stay focused.”

Artemi Panarin‘s assist on Zibanejad’s goal was his 100th point of the season, making him the seventh player in Rangers history — and first since Jaromir Jagr in 2005-06 — to reach the milestone. Panarin has points in 57 of New York’s 72 games.

“He’s an unbelievable player,” Zibanejad said of Panarin, his teammate for five seasons. “I’m super happy for him.”

Third-place Philadelphia has nine games remaining and will play five of its last seven against division opponents including the Rangers again in New York on April 11.

“I feel like we did a good job grabbing a point tonight,” said Flyers goalie Samuel Ersson, who is 21-14-7 in his rookie season. “Great attribute to have as a team, to never give up. I think we showed that tonight.”

Rangers defenseman Brandon Scanlin made his NHL debut in place of injured Erik Gustafsson.

New York captain Jacob Trouba has missed 10 straight games with a lower-body injury, while fellow defenseman Ryan Lindgren missed his fourth in a row with a lower-body injury. Rangers center Alex Wennberg, whose wife is pregnant, was a late scratch for personal reasons and was replaced by Brodzinski.

“What I liked was the fight in our guys,” said the 59-year-old Laviolette, who is the seventh coach in NHL history to reach 800 wins and is in his first season coaching the Rangers. “I like the fact that we were resilient.”

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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2025 MLB All-Star Game: Everything you need to know

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2025 MLB All-Star Game: Everything you need to know

For the first time since the turn of the century, MLB’s All-Star Game will be held in Atlanta — the first ever at Truist Park since its opening in 2017.

All-Star festivities begin July 11 and culminate in the Midsummer Classic on July 15, as the National League looks to gain just its second win since 2013 while the American League aims to extend its dominance.

Following the first phase of All-Star voting, we know the top overall vote-getters in each league — Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani — automatically earned the starting spot at their positions, outfield and designated hitter, respectively. Now, the starting lineups have been revealed, with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Detroit Tigers leading the way each with three starters, followed by the Chicago Cubs with two. Four players named as starters — Cal Raleigh, Jacob Wilson, Ryan O’Hearn and Pete Crow-Armstrong — are first-time All-Stars.

Stay tuned, as we’ll have everything you need to navigate All-Star Week — from event schedules and full rosters to All-Star Game analysis.

Vote for the All-Star starters: All-Star Ballot 2025

Latest news and analysis

How does MLB All-Star voting work?

2025 MLB All-Star roster predictions, biggest debates

Which slugger will win the HR Derby? Breaking down the field

All-Star schedule

(All times ET)

July 2: MLB All-Star starters reveal at 7 p.m. on ESPN

July 6: MLB All-Star full rosters announced at 5 p.m. on ESPN

July 11: HBCU Swingman Classic at 8 p.m. on MLB Network

July 13: MLB Draft at 6 p.m. on ESPN and MLB Network

July 14: MLB All-Star Celebrity Softball Game at 1 p.m. on MLB Network

July 14: MLB Home Run Derby at 8 p.m. on ESPN

July 15: All-Star Red Carpet Show at 2 p.m. on MLB Network

July 15: MLB All-Star Game at 7 p.m. on FOX

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Braves ace Schwellenbach has fractured elbow

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Braves ace Schwellenbach has fractured elbow

Braves ace Spencer Schwellenbach has a fractured pitching elbow, becoming the latest Atlanta starter sidelined with a long-term injury.

The Braves said on Wednesday that the right-hander was placed on the 15-day injured list as part of a series of roster moves.

Schwellenbach said he felt tightness while pitching against Philadelphia on Saturday, when he threw 90 pitches and had a career-high 12 strikeouts. He allowed one run and three hits over seven innings.

He felt sore the following day and imaging Monday revealed a small fracture at the top of the elbow. Schwellenbach said he was told this was a freak accident and said he hopes to be back this season.

MLB.com reported that the second-year player won’t throw for at least four weeks.

Schwellenbach is 7-4 with a 3.09 ERA in 17 starts this season for the Braves, who already are without reigning Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale (rib cage), 2024 All-Star right-hander Reynaldo Lopez (shoulder) and hard-throwing rookie AJ Smith-Shawver (elbow).

The Braves also announced Wednesday that outfielder Jurickson Profar, who was suspended 80 games without pay on March 31 for violating MLB’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program, has been activated after his reinstatement. Veteran outfielder Alex Verdugo, batting .239 with 12 RBIs in 56 games, was designated for assignment to create a roster spot.

Atlanta also optioned right-hander Kevin Herget to Triple-A Gwinnett on Wednesday, reinstated right-hander Daysbel Hernandez from the IL and recalled left-hander Austin Cox from Gwinnett.

The Associated Press and Field Level Media contributed to this report.

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Raleigh, rookie Wilson among All-Star starters

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Raleigh, rookie Wilson among All-Star starters

Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, MLB’s home run leader, and American League Rookie of the Year candidate Jacob Wilson of the Athletics will be in the starting lineup for the All-Star Game on July 15 at Truist Park in Atlanta, it was announced Wednesday.

Raleigh, nicknamed “The Big Dumper,” earned his first All-Star selection and starting spot on the back of his 33 first-half home runs and MLB-leading 71 RBIs (through Tuesday). Wilson, the Athletics’ shortstop, was voted in after a dynamic first half in which he has hit .339, second in all of MLB, through Tuesday’s games.

“Just trying to stay as consistent as I can — my work, preparation going into games and my approach at the plate,” Raleigh told ESPN on Wednesday. “It’s been working out so far, and I just got to keep it rolling and keep my head down.

“… This is all I’ve ever known — this city, Seattle. They’ve taken me in with open arms and I’m very blessed and very lucky to have them in my corner. They’ve been awesome and they’ve always been there for me in this organization. It’s great that I’m going to get to represent them, like I said, in the [Home Run] Derby and the All-Star Game. Hopefully I can make them proud.”

The 23-year-old Wilson, whose father, Jack, was an All-Star for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2004, is the lone rookie in either league to be voted into the starting lineup after edging the RoyalsBobby Witt Jr. 52% to 48%. He is the first rookie shortstop to win an All-Star fan election and just the second to start an All-Star Game after Baltimore’s Ron Hansen, who started both games in 1960.

Three players from the Detroit Tigers — second baseman Gleyber Torres and outfielders Riley Greene and Javier Baez — will join them in the AL’s starting lineup, while the National League starters are led by three representatives from the Los Angeles Dodgers: first baseman Freddie Freeman, catcher Will Smith and DH Shohei Ohtani, who received the most votes among NL players during Phase 1 of the voting.

Rounding out the starting lineup for the AL: Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez and Baltimore Orioles designated hitter Ryan O’Hearn. They’ll all join New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, who was the AL’s top vote-getter in Phase 1.

Joining the Dodgers trio in the NL starting lineup will be Chicago Cubs outfielders Pete Crow-Armstrong (first selection) and Kyle Tucker (fourth), Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte, San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado and New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor, who was named an All-Star starter for the first time.

Despite missing the first seven weeks of the season, Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. also earned a starting nod after getting the most votes at the position during Phase 2 voting.

There are nine first-time starters for the second time in three years.

“I am overly grateful right now,” Crow-Armstrong, who has 21 home runs and 62 RBIs so far this season, told ESPN. “It’s pretty cool. … That’s definitely the highlight of the year so far.

“… I think what I kind of surprised myself with is obviously the power production, but in this specific time span. You know, pulling the ball in the air is something I’ve worked on for my whole pro career, and we’re really starting to make some good improvements here. But I think inherently I’ve always had enough confidence to produce a year like this.”

The Tigers had three fan-elected starters for the fourth time in history, matching a franchise best also accomplished in 1984, 1985 and 2007. Meanwhile, the three fan elections for the Dodgers marks their most in a single season since the team had four fan-elected starters for the 1980 Midsummer Classic: Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, Bill Russell and Reggie Smith.

Freeman, 35, was picked for the ninth time — fifth as a starter — and is the oldest player on either team. He will return to Atlanta, where he starred from 2010 to 2021.

For Torres and Baez, it marks the first time since 2019 that they are All-Stars. Baez, meanwhile, will be making his third All-Star start at his third different position, having started for the NL at second base (2018) and shortstop (2019) while with the Cubs.

Baez edged the Los Angeles AngelsMike Trout 26% to 24% in the closest vote.

Overall, 13 MLB teams are represented among the 18 positional starters, including seven clubs in the AL and six in the NL.

Judge, Ramirez and Machado each earned their seventh All-Star selection.

Under rules that began in 2022, voting was split into two stages, and the second phase ran from Monday to Thursday.

Pitchers and reserves for both teams — totaling 23 for each side — will be determined through a combination of player ballot choices and selections made by the MLB commissioner’s office. They’ll be announced Sunday (5 p.m. ET, ESPN).

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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