After three eliminations on Thursday night, there is the possibility of only one on Friday — of course, there’s only one game on Friday.
All eyes in the hockey world will be on the Enterprise Center in St. Louis as the Blues host the Winnipeg Jets. With a win, the Blues extend the series to Game 7 on Sunday. A win for Winnipeg punches its ticket to the second round.
Game 5 winners in a best-of-seven series tied 2-2 have gone on to win the series 79% of the time (233-62).
Winnipeg’s Kyle Connor had his second game this postseason with three or more points, becoming the third player in Thrashers/Jets 2.0 postseason history with multiple such games in one postseason. Blake Wheeler and Paul Stastny (both in 2018) are the others.
Mark Scheifele, who is second in scoring for the Jets this postseason, did not return after a hard hit in the first period of Game 5, and he did not travel with the team to St. Louis for Game 6.
Blues forward Nathan Walker scored two goals in Game 5. Born in Wales (though raised in Australia), he became the second Welsh-born player to score a goal in the Stanley Cup playoffs, joining Jack Evans (who played from 1956 to ’63).
The Enterprise Center has been a venue for the Blues in this series; the team won both home games this series by an aggregate score of 12-3.
Arda’s three stars from Thursday night
Pacioretty scored his first goal since Dec. 20 (his first playoff goal since 2021), which proved to be the game winner for Toronto as it eliminated Ottawa in the Battle of Ontario.
Stone had two points, including the game winner that he batted out of the air, as Vegas eliminated Minnesota and moves on the second round.
Despite losing to the Avs, Rantanen and Hintz became the first teammates in Stanley Cup playoff history to each record four points in a period. They get another chance to win a clinching game against Colorado on Saturday.
At least on this night, the playoff demons stayed away from the minds of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and they are on to Round 2. Auston Matthews and William Nylander started things off for Toronto before Brady Tkachuk pulled the Senators back within a goal 7:28 into the second. Veteran Ottawa forward David Perron tied the game at two 12:40 into the third, sending the home fans into a frenzy, but Toronto’s Max Pacioretty had the answer less than two minutes later. Nylander added an empty-netter to cap this one and send the Leafs on to play the Florida Panthers. Full recap.
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Auston Matthews sneaks in power-play goal for Toronto
Auston Matthews wrists in a power-play goal just past the goalie’s skate late in the first period for the Maple Leafs.
After the two teams traded goals in the first period — Shea Theodore for Vegas, Ryan Hartman for Minnesota — Jack Eichel scored his first goal of the postseason 16:12 into the second. After Eichel nearly scored another late in the third, his linemate Mark Stonedid score by knocking the puck in out of midair, giving the Knights a two-goal edge. They’d need it, as Hartman added another goal 31 seconds later, but the Wild could not find the equalizer in the final three minutes, and Vegas moves on. Full recap.
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Mark Stone hits puck into net out of midair for Vegas goal
Mark Stone gives Vegas a 3-1 lead as he whacks it in out of midair.
A defensive struggle this series has not been (save for a 2-1 OT win by the Stars in Game 3). The goal onslaught was on full display in Game 6. After two goals in the first for the Avs, the Stars had four in the second period — with Roope Hintz and Mikko Rantanen having a hand in all of them. However, the Avs got one goal from Martin Necas (who came over from Carolina in the original Rantanen trade), which was critical to what happened in the third. In the final frame, Colorado scored four straight –the game-tying tally from Valeri Nichushkin and the game-winner from Nathan MacKinnon, followed by empty-netters by Josh Manson and Cale Makar. We’re on to Game 7 Saturday! Full recap.
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MacKinnon’s 6th goal of the series pushes Avs ahead
Nathan MacKinnon finds the net for the sixth time this series to give the Avalanche the lead in the third period.
And so for the fourth year in a row, the Kings’ season ends in the first round of the playoffs against the Oilers. With the Kings’ backs against the wall, Quinton Byfield and Brandt Clarke helped the cause with first-period goals … unfortunately, Adam Henrique, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zach Hyman also did, giving the Oilers a 3-2 edge after one. The Oilers would add to that lead with goals from Darnell Nurse and Trent Frederic in the second. L.A. would claw back with goals from Jordan Spence and Anze Kopitar, but that was as close as it would get, with Connor Brown sealing the deal with an empty-netter. Edmonton-Vegas is the Pacific Division matchup in the next round. Full recap.
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Oilers go up 5-2 on Trent Frederic’s goal
Trent Frederic’s impressive goal pads the Oilers’ lead in the second period.
Jesse joined ESPN Chicago in September 2009 and covers MLB for ESPN.com.
The last-place Washington Nationals fired president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo and manager Davey Martinez, the team announced Sunday.
Rizzo, 64, and Martinez, 60, won a World Series with the Nationals in 2019, but the team has floundered in recent years. This season, the Nationals are 37-53 and stuck at the bottom of the National League East after getting swept by the Boston Red Sox this weekend at home. Washington hasn’t finished higher than fourth in the division since winning the World Series.
“On behalf of our family and the Washington Nationals organization, I first and foremost want to thank Mike and Davey for their contributions to our franchise and our city,” principal owner Mark Lerner said in a statement. “Our family is eternally grateful for their years of dedication to the organization, including their roles in bringing a World Series trophy to Washington, D.C.
“While we are appreciative of their past successes, the on-field performance has not been where we or our fans expect it to be. This is a pivotal time for our club, and we believe a fresh approach and new energy is the best course of action for our team moving forward.”
Mike DeBartolo, the club’s senior vice president and assistant general manager, was named interim GM on Sunday night. DeBartolo will oversee all aspects of baseball operations, including the MLB draft. An announcement will be made on the interim manager Monday, a day before the club begins a series against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Rizzo has been the top decision-maker in Washington since 2013, and Martinez has been on board since 2018. Under Rizzo’s leadership, the team made the postseason four times: in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2019. The latter season was Martinez’s lone playoff appearance.
“When our family assumed control of the team, nearly 20 years ago, Mike was the first hire we made,” Lerner said. “Over two decades, he was with us as we went from a fledging team in a new city to World Series champion. Mike helped make us who we are as an organization, and we’re so thankful to him for his hard work and dedication — not just on the field and in the front office, but in the community as well.”
The Nationals are in the midst of a rebuild that has moved slower than expected, though the team didn’t augment its young core much during the winter. Led by All-Stars James Wood and MacKenzie Gore, Washington has the second-youngest group of hitters in MLB and the sixth-youngest pitching staff.
The team lost 11 straight games in a forgettable stretch last month. And during a 2-10 run in June, Washington averaged just 2.5 runs. Since June 1, the Nationals have scored one run or been shut out seven times. In Sunday’s 6-4 loss to Boston, they left 15 runners on base.
There was industry speculation over the winter that the Nationals would spend money on free agents for the first time in several years, but that never materialized. Instead, the team made minor moves, signing free agents Josh Bell and Michael Soroka, trading for first baseman Nathaniel Lowe and re-signing closer Kyle Finnegan. Now, the hope is a new management team, both on and off the field, can help change the franchise’s fortunes.
The rosters for the 2025 MLB All-Star Game will feature 19 first-timers — and one legend — as the pitchers and reserves were announced Sunday for the July 15 contest at Truist Park in Atlanta.
Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw, a three-time Cy Young Award winner who made his first All-Star team in 2011, was named to his 11th National League roster as a special commissioner’s selection.
Kershaw, who became only the fourth left-hander to amass 3,000 career strikeouts, is 4-0 with a 3.43 ERA in nine starts after beginning the season on the injured list. He joins Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera as a legend choice, after the pair of sluggers were selected in 2022.
Kershaw said he didn’t want to discuss the selection Sunday.
Overall, the 19 first-time All-Stars is a drop from the 32 first-time selections on the initial rosters in 2024.
Kershaw would be the sentimental choice to start for the National League, although Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes, who leads NL pitchers in ERA and WAR, might be in line to start his second straight contest. Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler, a three-time All-Star, is 9-3 with a 2.17 ERA after Sunday’s complete-game victory and also would be a strong candidate to start.
“I think it would be stupid to say no to that. It’s a pretty cool opportunity,” Skenes said about the possibility of being asked to start by Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. “I didn’t make plans over the All-Star break or anything. So, yeah, I’m super stoked.”
Kershaw has made one All-Star start in his career, in 2022 at Dodger Stadium.
Among standout players not selected were New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto, who signed a $765 million contract as a free agent in the offseason, and Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts, who had made eight consecutive All-Star rosters since 2016.
Soto got off to a slow start but was the National League Player of the Month in June and entered Sunday ranked sixth in the NL in WAR among position players while ranking second in OBP, eighth in OPS and third in runs scored.
Earning his fifth career selection but first since 2021 is Texas Rangers righty Jacob deGrom, who is finally healthy after making only nine starts in his first two seasons with the Rangers and is 9-2 with a 2.13 ERA. He has never started an All-Star Game, although Skubal or Brown would be the favorite to start for the AL.
“Red carpet, that’s my thing,” Chisholm said. “I do have a ‘fit in mind.”
Rosters are expanded from 26 to 32 for the All-Star Game. They include starters elected by fans, 17 players (five starting pitchers, three relievers and a backup for each position) chosen in a player vote and six players (four pitchers and two position players) selected by league officials. Every club must be represented.
Acuna, Wood and Raleigh are the three All-Stars who have so far committed to participating in the Home Run Derby.
ESPN baseball reporter. Covered the Washington Wizards from 2014 to 2016 and the Washington Nationals from 2016 to 2018 for The Washington Post before covering the Los Angeles Dodgers and MLB for the Los Angeles Times from 2018 to 2024.
NEW YORK — The New York Yankees were seemingly in deep trouble Sunday when Juan Soto cracked a pitch to left field in the seventh inning.
The New York Mets, down two runs, were cooking up a rally with no outs. Francisco Lindor stood at first base, Pete Alonso loomed on deck, and Brandon Nimmo was in the hole. This was the heart of the Mets’ potent lineup. Given the Yankees’ recent woes, fumbling their two-run lead and suffering a Subway Series sweep at the hands of their neighbors — and a seventh straight loss — seemed almost fated.
Then Cody Bellinger charged Soto’s sinking 105 mph line drive, made a shoestring catch and fired a strike to first base for an improbable double play to secure a skid-snapping 6-4 win — and perhaps rescue the Yankees from another dreadful outcome.
“Considering the context of this week and everything,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said, “that’s probably our play of the year so far.”
Soto’s line drive off Mark Leiter Jr. had a 10% catch probability, according to Statcast, but Bellinger, a plus defender at multiple positions who started at first base Saturday, was just able to snatch it before it touched the grass. Certain that he caught it clean, he made an 89.9 mph toss that reached first baseman Paul Goldschmidt on a line, over Lindor, who didn’t slide into the bag.
“I saw it in the air and had a really good beat on it,” said Bellinger, who went 2-for-3 with a double and a walk at the plate.
The Mets challenged the catch, but the call stood.
“That was incredible,” said Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge, who swatted his 33rd home run of the season in the fifth inning. “I’ve never seen something like that on the field.”
For the past week, a stretch Boone described as “terrible” for his ballclub, poor defense has been an issue for the Yankees. Physical errors. Mental lapses. Near disasters. The sloppiness helped sink a depleted pitching staff, more than offsetting the offense’s strong production.
That combination produced the team’s second six-game losing streak in three weeks and a three-game deficit in the American League East standings behind the first-place Toronto Blue Jays.
The surging Blue Jays won again Sunday to extend their winning streak to seven games and keep their division lead at three games, but Bellinger’s glove and arm ensured it didn’t grow to four.
“That was an unbelievable play,” Goldschmidt said. “Amazing catch and absolute cannon to me at first. To make that play was a game-changing play and potentially game-winning play for us today. And we needed it.”