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NEWARK, N.J. — The last time the New York Rangers played in New Jersey, they established a 2-0 series lead and had many wondering if the upstart Devils weren’t ready for the Stanley Cup playoffs spotlight.

But after Thursday night’s Game 5 at Prudential Center, the Devils had a 4-0 win and a 3-2 series lead after their third straight victory, pushing their shell-shocked archrivals to the brink of elimination.

“A few too many times we’ve been in this situation,” Rangers winger Chris Kreider said. “So win one hockey game at home.”

The Rangers trailed 3-2 in all three of their playoff series in 2022. They rallied to eliminate the Pittsburgh Penguins and Carolina Hurricanes in seven games; they were eliminated by the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games in the Eastern Conference finals.

Kreider admitted that the Rangers had let their advantage over the Devils slip away in two losses at Madison Square Garden.

“We’ve had a terrific fan base all year. We let them down, we let ourselves down at home,” he said. “So it’s up to us to show up and play the way we want to play from puck drop.

“All the cliches and euphemisms I throw at you guys all year, it’s time to step up and do those things, right? It’s time to play for a full 60 minutes. It’s time to win a hockey game.”

The Devils controlled play for the second straight game, using their speed and tenacious puck-hounding defense to frustrate the Rangers’ offense and create chances of their own off the rush.

“We’ve gotta get pucks behind them. You can’t be stubborn with how you play,” Rangers captain Jacob Trouba said. “You’ve gotta play the game in front of you. Can’t force pucks at the blue line or the red line. It’s not a recipe to win against that team.”

Coach Gerard Gallant blasted his players’ effort after Game 4, saying they “didn’t show up” in the loss. Yet he felt they were better in Game 5, despite getting shut out and getting outshot 20-2 in the third period.

“I got no problem with their effort tonight. They competed,” he said. “Jersey played a hell of a game, You’ve got to give them a lot of credit. They played their best game in the series tonight.”

The Devils took a 1-0 lead just 39 seconds into the game on a goal by Ondrej Palat, his second of the series. It remained that way until Erik Haula‘s power-play goal at 3:27 of the second period, with Patrick Kane in the penalty box for tripping. The Rangers had an opportunity later in the period on the power play, with Devils defensemen Damon Severson and Kevin Bahl in the box. Instead, it was Haula feeding Dawson Mercer on a 2-on-1 for a shorthanded goal. Haula added an empty netter for the 4-0 win.

Rookie goalie Akira Schmid had his strongest game of the series, stopping all 23 shots he faced for his first playoff shutout. He replaced starter Vitek Vanecek after Game 2, and the Devils have won all three games with Schmid between the pipes.

“That had nothing to do with Vitek. That had to do with the group not playing well in front of him,” coach Lindy Ruff said. “We took a shot at it in Game 3, and the whole group realized we needed to play better.”

The biggest improvement for the Devils has been the biggest deficiency for the Rangers. In the first two games of the series, New York scored two power-play goals in each. Since then, it’s gone 0-for-10.

“We had that in our favor early in the series, and it didn’t go our way tonight. So that’s gotta be better,” Kreider said.

Ruff said the Devils’ penalty kill has taken away one of the Rangers’ strengths as a team.

“I don’t think it’s their only strength, but it is one of their strengths,” he said. “They get a lot of energy from it. They’re a skilled group that’s tough to defend 4-on-5.”

A powerless power play, a group of offensive stars that is struggling to create chances and a veteran team that’s lost control of this series. That’s what the Rangers are as they head into Saturday night’s Game 6 at the Garden.

“You have to keep levelheaded, but of course you’re frustrated,” defenseman Adam Fox said. “You want to score. You want to win games. And obviously, at this time, you need to win games to keep your season alive.”

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College football spring transfer portal: Live news, rumors and analysis

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College football spring transfer portal: Live news, rumors and analysis

College football‘s spring transfer portal period opens Wednesday and runs through Friday, April 25.

More than 2,200 players have elected to transfer this offseason. This period is the last chance for underclassmen to switch teams before the start of the 2025 season and for schools to bolster their roster.

The biggest news of the spring period happened this past weekend when Tennessee parted ways with quarterback Nico Iamaleava. The former four-star recruit, who threw 19 touchdown passes in 2024, was seeking an increase in his NIL package. He is now looking for a new home.

With players officially able to enter their names in the portal, we’re tracking all the latest news and developments.

Transfer portal coverage:
Best available player rankings
What to expect

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Kent State fired Burns for violations of contract

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Kent State fired Burns for violations of contract

Kenni Burns was fired as Kent State‘s football head coach for multiple violations of his contract, including how he used a personal credit card.

Kent State did not provide details on why Burns was fired last Friday, but a copy of Burns’ dismissal letter was obtained by The Associated Press through a public records request.

University president Todd A. Diacon outlined five reasons for cause for Burns’ firing, with the first being “significant, repetitive, and intentional violation (or a pattern of conduct which may constitute or lead to a major violation), as determined by Kent State University after appropriate investigation, of the University’s policies and procedures regarding your P-card (personal card) expenditures.”

Burns was sued last September by Hometown Bank in Kent, Ohio, for $23,852.09 plus interest in unpaid credit card purchases, which exceeded the credit limit of $20,000. Burns did not make minimum monthly payments on the card and was 60 days past due in August, according to a Portage County Court of Common Pleas document.

The case was dismissed a couple months later when Burns made payment.

Burns was put on administrative leave with pay on March 27, a couple of days before the Golden Flashes began spring practices. Athletic director Randale Richmond said in the letter to Burns that he was being investigated for committing deliberate or serious violations of policies outlined by the university.

“My family and I are saddened by the news today,” Burns posted on social media after he was fired. “We are thankful for the relationships and connections we have made with the players, coaches, and staff over the past few years. The team bond we have is not transactional but that of a family. Kent G.R.I.T. will bind us forever, and for that I am thankful. I am proud of you all, and we will be rooting for you this season and beyond.”

Calls and emails by The Associated Press to Lee Hutton III, Burns’ attorney, have not been returned.

Burns was 1-23 in two seasons at Kent State. The team went 0-12 last season, the fifth winless season in school history. Before arriving at Kent State, Burns was the running backs coach at Minnesota.

Offensive coordinator Mark Carney will serve as the interim coach for the upcoming season with a national search taking place at the end of the year.

Kent State opens its season on Aug. 30 against Merrimack, a Football Championship Subdivision foe.

The Golden Flashes schedule gets more difficult after that, including road games against Texas Tech (Sept. 6), Florida State (Sept. 20) and Oklahoma (Oct. 4).

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Badgers lose starting LT Heywood to ACL tear

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Badgers lose starting LT Heywood to ACL tear

MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin offensive tackle Kevin Heywood is expected to miss all of the upcoming season after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in spring practice.

Heywood, the Badgers’ projected starter at left tackle, hurt his knee in practice Thursday. Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell revealed the severity of the injury on Tuesday.

“That was one that’s going to be really difficult and tough, but it’s also part of the game,” Fickell said. “We’ve been fortunate up front in the last two seasons to have those guys prepared and be able to last through the season. Now we’re going to have to figure out how we’re going to manage some of that and move some other guys around and expect some other guys to step up, whether it’s Leyton Nelson, an Emerson Mandell, guys like that have got to step in.”

Wisconsin had benefited from remarkable stability on its offensive line during the first two years of Fickell’s tenure.

The Badgers had the same starting offensive line for each of its 12 games last year, with Jack Nelson at left tackle, Joe Brunner at left guard, Jake Renfro at center, Joe Huber at right guard and Riley Mahlman at right tackle. Brunner, Renfro and Mahlman are back this year.

Wisconsin also had the same starting offensive line for all 12 of its regular-season games in 2023, with Nelson at left tackle, Huber at left guard, Tanor Bortolini at center, Michael Furtney at right guard and Mahlman at right tackle. The only change that season came in the ReliaQuest Bowl loss to LSU, with Renfro getting to start after missing the entire regular season with an injury to his lower left leg.

Heywood was expected to take over this season for Nelson, who had started at left tackle each of the last three years. Heywood had participated in all 12 games for Wisconsin last year while playing special teams and making occasional appearances on offense.

His injury represents a setback for a Wisconsin team seeking to bounce back after its streak of 22 consecutive winning seasons and bowl appearances ended last year. The Badgers finished 5-7 last season and lost their final five games.

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