Sports

‘Another big one’: Panthers net 8, win 7th straight

Published

1 year ago

January 8, 2024

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ESPN News Services

Jan 6, 2024, 08:32 PM ET

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.

Sports

3B Ramirez (ankle) returns to Guardians’ lineup

Published

2 hours ago

May 4, 2025

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3B Ramirez (ankle) returns to Guardians' lineup

Associated Press

May 4, 2025, 01:05 PM ET

TORONTO — Cleveland Guardians star Jose Ramirez was back in the lineup for Sunday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays, two days after the third baseman left in the third inning because of a mild right ankle sprain.

The six-time All-Star was injured when he stumbled and fell while crossing first base on an infield single. Ramirez went down after being struck in the back by a throw from Blue Jays right-hander Chris Bassitt.

Ramirez was batting third Sunday against right-hander Bowden Francis.

Ramírez sat out Saturday when Cleveland beat Toronto 5-3. He went 2 for 2 before departing Friday, boosting his average to .274. He has five home runs and 15 RBIs in 31 games.

In last Thursday’s 4-3 victory over Minnesota, Ramirez became the first primary third baseman to reach 250 homers and 250 stolen bases.

Sports

Yankees’ Volpe day-to-day after tests on shoulder

Published

2 hours ago

May 4, 2025

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Yankees' Volpe day-to-day after tests on shoulder

Associated Press

May 4, 2025, 11:03 AM ET

NEW YORK — Shortstop Anthony Volpe was not in the New York Yankees‘ starting lineup Sunday against the Tampa Bay Rays, a day after he injured his left shoulder on a dive while trying to get to a grounder.

“X-rays, MRI — good news,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “He’s sore today, but I feel like we’re probably in a good spot. We’ll see. Kind of day to day right now.”

Volpe remained in the game after his unsuccessful attempt for a backhand stab on Christopher Morel‘s eighth-inning single, which sparked a two-run rally in Tampa Bay’s 3-2 win Saturday.

Volpe said after the game he heard a pop in the shoulder.

“It’s a little unclear in there. He’s got some stuff that they feel like is older stuff, so hard to know exactly,” Boone said. “He’s definitely a little cranky in the shoulder today.”

Volpe, 24, is hitting .233 with five homers, 19 RBIs and four stolen bases in his third season with the Yankees.

Oswald Peraza was listed to start at shortstop, batting ninth.

New York already is missing second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (strained right oblique), third baseman DJ LeMahieu (strained left calf), ace Gerrit Cole (Tommy John surgery) and right-hander Luis Gil (right lat strain), the reigning AL Rookie of the Year.

Sports

Marlins reinstate C Fortes, place 2B Lopez on IL

Published

2 hours ago

May 4, 2025

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Marlins reinstate C Fortes, place 2B Lopez on IL

Field Level Media

May 4, 2025, 01:28 PM ET

The Miami Marlins activated catcher Nick Fortes from the 10-day injured list Sunday morning. To make room for him on the active roster, starting second baseman Otto Lopez was placed on the 10-day injured list.

Fortes, the Marlins’ Opening Day catcher, posted six hits in 20 at-bats with two doubles, one triple and one RBI in seven appearances before going on the IL on April 10 with an injured left oblique muscle. The 28-year-old missed 20 games as the Marlins went 7-13 without him. To prepare for Sunday’s return, he rehabbed for two games at Triple-A Jacksonville and went 0-for-6.

Fortes figures to split time with 23-year-old rookie catcher Agustin Ramirez, who has delivered a .256/.293/.615 slash line with three homers and five RBIs in 10 games during his first stint in the bigs.

The 26-year-old Lopez hits the injured list, retroactive to Saturday, with a sprained right ankle. Lopez started the season hot with a .400 average to go with two homers, six RBIs and one stolen base during five games in March. Since then, he has batted .191 (17-for-89) with no homers, five RBIs and two steals.

Rookie Javier Sanoja, 22, has filled Lopez’s spot at second base the last two games and provided two doubles, two runs and one RBI in seven at-bats.