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MONTREAL — Ivan Demidov scored in the first period of his ballyhooed NHL debut, but the Chicago Blackhawks spoiled the party, defeating the playoff-hopeful Montreal Canadiens 4-3 on Monday night.

Demidov, a 19-year-old Russian forward who joined the team last week, had a goal and an assist, and Juraj Slafkovsky and Alex Newhook also scored for the Canadiens. But they couldn’t prevent the home team from losing its third straight with a chance to clinch a playoff spot.

The Canadiens have 89 points — four more than the Columbus Blue Jackets with one game left Wednesday at home against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Blue Jackets have two games left.

What lies ahead for the team, though, took a back seat to Demidov and the deafening ovation he received after he set up Newhook’s opening goal. The youngster sat on Montreal’s bench, mouthed a couple of words and cracked a big smile while public address announcer Michel Lacroix announced the goal amid the Bell Centre bedlam.

“He has a unique blend of skill, hockey sense, deception,” general manager Kent Hughes said Monday morning, highlighting Demidov’s ability to move laterally on the ice. “Let’s see how it is. He’s going to adjust to a different game of hockey here.”

In making his debut, Demidov became the third teenager in Canadiens franchise history to score a goal in his NHL opener, joining Mark Hunter (1981) and Bernie Geoffrion (1950).

“It’s a great time to be a Habs fan,” Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson said. “But for him I think it’s important to know that he doesn’t need to come in and be the savior.”

Demidov was the No. 5 pick in last year’s NHL draft. He led his Russian club, SKA Saint Petersburg, in scoring with 49 points (19 goals, 30 assists) in 65 games this season, setting a Kontinental Hockey League record for under-20 players despite having inconsistent ice time.

“In the locker room, I felt good,” Demidov said after the loss. “But when I got out to do my rookie lap, I guess I was nervous, because the crowd was so amazing.”

He should get used to crowds soon. Last Thursday night, when he touched down on Canadian soil at Toronto Pearson Airport, he was greeted by a throng of Canadiens fans waiting for him.

“It obviously shows how excited our fans are,” Matheson said. “Social media kind of causes it to be way [bigger] than it could have ever been when I was growing up.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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3 tossed from Giants-Rockies after Devers homer

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3 tossed from Giants-Rockies after Devers homer

DENVER — Rafael Devers‘ 30th home run of the season was a weird one.

Colorado Rockies pitcher Kyle Freeland along with San Francisco Giants third baseman Matt Chapman and shortstop Willy Adames were ejected from Tuesday night’s game following a benches-clearing incident that started after Devers hit a two-run homer in the first inning.

Devers hammered a sweeper over the right-field wall, and Freeland took exception to Devers’ celebration, shouting at him as he neared first base.

That caused several players to charge toward the infield, where Chapman appeared to make contact with Freeland. Adames also was in the middle of the scrum.

The umpires restored order before sorting out the situation and announcing the ejections. It did not appear that any punches were thrown.

Devers waited at first base while the umpires were meeting and then trotted around the bases several minutes after he actually hit the homer.

The Giants had to shuffle their defensive infield after the two ejections, moving Devers to third base for the first time since he was traded to the club from the Boston Red Sox in June. Christian Koss moved from second base to shortstop, Casey Schmitt entered the game at second base and Dominic Smith entered at first.

Antonio Senzatela came in the game to pitch for the Rockies.

Devers’ 30th homer also ended a skid for the Giants — sort of. He is the first San Francisco player to hit 30 homers in a season while wearing a Giants uniform since Barry Bonds in 2004, but he hit his first 15 long balls with the Red Sox.

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Ohtani belts 100th HR with Dodgers in record time

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Ohtani belts 100th HR with Dodgers in record time

PITTSBURGH — Shohei Ohtani hit his 100th home run with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but the Pittsburgh Pirates spoiled the milestone with a 9-7 win Tuesday night.

Ohtani’s solo shot off prospect Bubba Chandler (2-0) was the second-hardest hit homer in MLB this season at 120 mph. It was home run No. 46 for Ohtani this season and the hardest-hit ball of his MLB career, according to ESPN Research.

Playing his 294th game with the Dodgers, he became the fastest to reach 100 home runs in team history, ahead of Gary Sheffield (399). It took him 444 games to hit 100 home runs with the Angels.

After the home run, Teoscar Hernandez hit a two-out RBI single and Andy Pages led off the next inning with his 24th homer, tying it 4-4.

Henry Davis put the Pirates back ahead on an RBI single off Edgardo Henriquez (0-1) in the sixth. Jared Triolo added a two-out, two-run double.

Chandler gave up three runs and six hits in four innings of relief. The 22-year-old has two wins and a save in his first three major league appearances.

Dennis Santana walked Miguel Rojas and gave up Ohtani’s second double to start the ninth before retiring the next three batters for his 12th save.

Clayton Kershaw yielded four runs, four hits and a pair of walks in the first inning. He recovered to last five innings, denying the Pirates of another hit while giving up two walks over the final four.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Red Sox’s Anthony exits with oblique tightness

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Red Sox's Anthony exits with oblique tightness

Star Boston Red Sox rookie Roman Anthony left Tuesday night’s 11-7 win against the Cleveland Guardians because of left oblique tightness and will undergo an MRI on Wednesday, according to manager Alex Cora.

Anthony could be seen grabbing at his lower back on a swinging third strike in the bottom of the fourth inning. He did not take the field in the top of the fifth, with Nate Eaton replacing him in right field at Fenway Park.

Anthony’s absence would be significant for a Red Sox team that entered Tuesday night just 2½ games behind the first-place Toronto Blue Jays in the AL East. Anthony has been a catalyst to Boston’s resurgence since his June callup, with the 21-year-old hitting .291 with an .861 OPS, eight home runs and 31 RBIs entering Tuesday.

Anthony entered the season as baseball’s No. 1 prospect. He has since signed an eight-year, $130 million extension with the team.

Teammate Marcelo Mayer, who entered the season as baseball’s No. 6 prospect, joined the big league club before Anthony in May but has since had season-ending wrist surgery. Kristian Campbell, the third of Boston’s touted prospects, opened the season as the club’s starting second baseman but was sent down to Triple-A Worcester in June after some early struggles.

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