Latest news with #EasternConferenceQuarterfinals
Time of India
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
'They're shooting rats as hard as they can': Paul Maurice cracks up over Panthers aiming rats at Brad Marchand
The ice crew collects hundreds of plastic rats after the Florida Panthers defeated the New Jersey Devils in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2012 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the BankAtlantic Center on April 15, 2012 in Sunrise, Florida. Photo byIf you thought the Florida Panthers' rat-throwing tradition was just some quirky playoff ritual, think again. This postseason, the Panthers have turned their famous plastic rats into weapons literally launching them at their rivals, especially Bruins' agitator Brad Marchand. And the best part? Their head coach Paul Maurice is not only on board, he's cracking up over the chaos. The Panthers are literally launching plastic rats at Brad Marchand and it's become a full-blown thing It's not just tradition anymore. Florida's playoff celebrations have taken on a whole new level of chaos and the Bruins' Brad Marchand is right in the splash zone. After every win, Panthers players have been tossing (read: sniping) plastic rats in his direction during the postgame scene. And they're not doing it gently either. 'They're shooting them as hard as they can,' head coach Paul Maurice told reporters. 'They're not flipping them... it's funny as hell.' That's not just approval, that's encouragement. And in a series that's already dripping with tension, it's the perfect sprinkle of petty that fans are eating up. From locker room legend to playoff weapon, the rats are having a moment The Panthers' rat obsession isn't just some weird playoff gimmick, it's NHL history. It all started during the 1995–96 season when Panthers forward Scott Mellanby killed a rat in the locker room before a game, literally slapped it with his stick. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Own A Barrel of Whisky With Average Annual Returns of 10.15%* Whisky Investors Download Undo That same night, he scored two goals using the 'rat stick,' and teammates started calling it a 'Rat Trick.' The story took off like wildfire. Fans went all in. They started bringing rubber rats to home games, chucking them onto the ice after every goal. It became Florida's signature move, a chaotic, rodent-filled celebration that defined their Cinderella run to the Stanley Cup Final that year. The NHL eventually had to tweak the rules to prevent delays (rats are only allowed after wins now), but the tradition stuck. And in the 2024–25 playoffs? It's made a full-blown comeback with a spicy twist. Also read - Brendan Shanahan steps down after 11 seasons with the Maple Leafs: What's next for the franchise legend? Get IPL 2025 match schedules , squads , points table , and live scores for CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS , and RR . Check the latest IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Henrique's heroics among key takeaways in Oilers' 3-0 win over Golden Knights in Game 4
Adam Henrique is often overlooked on the Edmonton Oilers, a team that relies on superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl for much of its offense. But the 35-year-old center was the biggest reason the Oilers moved within one win of returning to the Western Conference Final with a 3-0 win over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 4 of their Second Round series at Rogers Place on Monday night. Henrique had scored just once in Edmonton's first nine postseason games before beating Adin Hill twice in the first 13:03, giving the Oilers a lead they never relinquished. Advertisement The 35-year-old center converted a passout from Connor Brown after a turnover by Vegas defenseman Zach Whitecloud into the game's first goal 1:27 into the opening period. He followed that with a nifty shot in traffic from in close at 13:03 for a 2-0 lead. It was Henrique's second career two-goal game in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The last one came on April 26, 2012, in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, when he scored twice and had the series-winning goal in double overtime for the New Jersey Devils in a 3-2 win against the Florida Panthers. Evander Kane added a second-period goal for the Oilers, who lead the best-of-7 series 3-1 and can end the Golden Knights' season Wednesday night by winning Game 5 in Las Vegas. The early cushion was more than enough for goaltender Stuart Skinner, who made 24 saves to earn his first win in four starts this spring. He got plenty of help from his teammates, who limited Vegas to five shots in the first period, blocked 20 shots and controlled the tempo for most of the game. The Golden Knights managed just eight high-danger chances all night, according to Natural Stat Trick. Advertisement 'The way that we played tonight was phenomenal, right from puck drop,' Skinner told Sportsnet. 'We were stifling defensively. The way we responded after the last game showed a lot of maturity. The guys played so hard tonight, and they deserved it.' The Golden Knights, who got 29 saves by a combative Adin Hill, face a win-or-go-home game Wednesday night at home. The Oilers have lost just once in their history when they win three of the first four games in a series; the Golden Knights, who entered the NHL in 2017, are 0-2 when trailing 3-1 in a series. Related: Panthers even series with 2-0 win against Maple Leafs in Game 4: takeaways 3 takeaways after Edmonton's 3-0 win against Vegas in Game 4 1. Henrique helps Oilers win without McDavid and Draisaitl Shutting down the Oilers' top guns is usually a formula for success. That wasn't the case on Monday. Advertisement Draisaitl, who led the NHL in the regular season with 51 goals, was held without a point. McDavid had an assist on Kane's goal but otherwise wasn't much of an offensive factor, though he did have two blocked shots, two takeaways and won 11 of 18 face-offs. Henrique, who finished the regular season with 12 goals and 27 points in a bottom-six role, more than picked up the slack. Credit: Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images He showed the hands that have produced 275 NHL goals on his two first-period tallies. Henrique was alone between the circles when he zipped Brown's pass over Hill's glove before the goaltender could react. The second goal came when he pulled the puck between his legs and flipped it over Hill's right pad and under his armpit. Advertisement Related: NHL Power Rankings 2024-25: Updated For Round 2 of Stanley Cup Playoffs 2. Skinner steps up Skinner lost the starter's job after poor showings in Games 1 and 2 of Edmonton's first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings. Calvin Pickard stepped in and won six straight games, four against the Kings and the first two against Vegas. But Pickard was injured late in Game 2, giving Skinner the starter's job again. He wasn't good enough in Game 3, allowing four goals on 24 shots and coughing up the game-winner in the final second. Game 4 was a different story. Skinner entered the game with a save percentage of .817 but looked like the goalie who carried the Oilers within one win of the Stanley Cup last spring. His positioning was solid, he didn't overplay shots and played with the kind of confidence he hadn't shown thus far in the playoffs. Credit: Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images 'Definitely less nerves. I definitely felt more grounded,' Skinner said. 'I just have to keep that going.' He didn't have to make a lot of saves but came through when he had to. His two biggest saves might have been on Ivan Barbashev and Brayden McNabb from in close before Henrique scored to make it 2-0. He also made a big stop on Tomas Hertl midway through the third. Advertisement It was the second postseason shutout of Skinner career and improved his career record in Game 4s to 4-0. 3. Golden Knights come up small in big spot Vegas figured to come into Monday's game riding the momentum of their stunning Game 3 victory, when Reilly Smith scored with :00.4 remaining in the third period. Instead, the Golden Knights were dominated for most of the night. Henrique's first goal, the ninth by a team in the first two minutes of a game in this year's playoffs, meant that the Golden Knights were chasing the game before some of their players had even stepped on the ice. And unlike Game 3, when the Oilers led 2-0 before the game was 12 minutes old only to see Vegas get even before the end of the first period, there was little sign of a spark from the Golden Knights after they fell behind by two goals. Credit: Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images This time, Edmonton was quicker to the puck, won the majority of battles in the corners and was clearly the better team. Vegas was a step slow for most of the game, not as physical as the Oilers and generated little offense. That was especially true in the first period, when the Golden Knights managed just five shots on goal despite getting six minutes of power-play time. They had 12 shots in the third but rarely tested Skinner. Advertisement Vegas will have to come up with some answers pretty quickly. Even going home for Game 5 might not be much help; Edmonton won Games 1 and 2 at T-Mobile Arena. Related Headlines
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Celtics Announce Injury News Before Game 3 Against Knicks
The Boston Celtics are running out of time to improve their form against the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, as they're down 0-2 with two games at Madison Square Garden coming up. They missed a record 45 three-pointers in Game 1, which they lost 108-105 in overtime. The Celtics also blew 20-point leads in each contest, and were saddled by Jayson Tatum's subpar performance in Game 2. The six-time All-Star scored just 13 points (5-19 FG, 1-5 3 PT) in 42 minutes and turned the ball over on a Mikal Bridges steal on the final play. Boston lost 91-90. Advertisement Furthermore, the Celtics announced an unfortunate injury update on Friday, via their social media. Boston Celtics forward Sam Hauser (30)Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports "Injury Report for tomorrow at New York: Sam Hauser (right ankle sprain) - DOUBTFUL," they announced. Hauser played four minutes in Game 1, but missed Game 2. The 27-year-old averaged 3.2 points on 54.5 percent shooting (44.4 percent 3 PT) with 1.6 rebounds in Boston's first-round series against the Orlando Magic. Hauser has been with the Celtics his entire career dating back to 2021-22. The Virginia alum is averaging 7.4 on 45.1 percent shooting (42 percent 3 PT) with 2.9 rebounds across four regular seasons. Advertisement Meanwhile, the Knicks have a clean injury report. Star guard Jalen Brunson leads them with 29.4 points on 41.9 percent shooting (34.9 percent 3 PT) as well as 7.6 assists in the playoffs thus far. Additionally, star big man Karl-Anthony Towns tops the team with 11.2 rebounds and 1.1 blocks. Related: Joe Mazzulla Sends Clear Jayson Tatum Message After Celtics' Loss to Knicks Related: Jaylen Brown Sends Message After Tying Celtics Record
New York Post
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Former Rangers enforcer Sean Avery embracing second career as steamy romance novelist: ‘No rules. Just heat'
Retired Rangers enforcer Sean Avery said he has elevated the romance novel game with his upcoming book, 'Summer Skate,' which has a steamy plot about lust and hockey. Avery, who played 12 seasons in the NHL for the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings and Rangers, announced his next book on Instagram recently and revealed the cover and release date. 'September 9, 2025, the romance novel game is about to be elevated,' Avery, 45, wrote. It is described as a 'sexy and addictive' story about a forbidden attraction between an incoming Rangers player Carter Hughes and bestselling author Jessica Riley during a summer vacation in the Hamptons, according to publisher Simon & Schuster. The cover includes a description of, 'One Summer. No Rules. Just Heat.' 'A novelist with a rebellious streak and a bad habit of turning men into material. A hockey player with a dark past… and a shot at stardom that he just might blow,' the description reads. Sean Avery #16 of the New York Rangers during warm-ups before the game against the Boston Bruins at the TD Garden on March 26, 2011 in Boston, Massachusetts. NHLI via Getty Images 'A summer vacation that heats up with a forbidden attraction strong enough to burn their neighboring Hamptons houses to the ground.' Riley, who is married with kids, fakes a mental breakdown to get away, only to find that the house next door is filled with rowdy hockey players, including Hughes — and their connection spirals out of control as his behavior becomes more erratic. Sean Avery #16 of the New York Rangers looks on against the Washington Capitals in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on April 17, 2011 in New York City. Getty Images 'Sexy and addictive, 'Summer Skate' is the sun on your skin in a string bikini,' the description continued. 'It's the sound of skates cutting across the ice of a hockey rink, chasing victory. It's an answer to the question: How bad do you want it?' After retiring from hockey in 2012, Avery transitioned to authoring and acting. The Canadian's first book was his bestselling autobiography, 'Ice Capades' in 2017. Avery also landed a role in the Academy Award–winning movie 'Oppenheimer.' He has an active social media presence on Instagram and often does podcast appearances. Avery currently lives in Laurel Canyon, Calif., according to Simon & Schuster.
Newsweek
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Best Knicks vs. Celtics Player Props, ATS Bets: Boston Looks To Even Series
Mikal Bridges and the Knicks are once again heavy favorites vs. the Celtics in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals on Wednesday night. Mikal Bridges and the Knicks are once again heavy favorites vs. the Celtics in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals on Wednesday night. Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. When Indiana (4) took Game 1 of its second-round matchup with Cleveland (1) on Sunday night, that upset was expected to the be the exception to the rule, as higher seeds Boston (over New York), Oklahoma City (over Denver) and Minnesota (over Golden State) were all heavy favorites on Monday and Tuesday night. But after the Knicks, Nuggets and Warriors joined Indiana in pulling Game 1 upsets, the Celtics have a chance to reassert themselves tonight at TD Garden. Boston led Game 1 by as many as 20 points midway through the third quarter. But the Celtics' 3-point-heavy offense went cold down the stretch, and the Knicks outscored the C's 33-21 in the fourth quarter and OT to steal an improbable 108-105 win. Boston's 15-for-60 (not a misprint) night from downtown sparked a ton of questions about whether it should look to take more shots from inside the arc. The Celtics will (probably) take fewer than 60 3-pointers tonight, but don't expect them to abandon the strategy that won them last year's Finals in dominant fashion. Knicks vs. Celtics Series Winner Odds DraftKings : NYK +270; BOS -340 : NYK +270; BOS -340 FanDuel: NYK +295; BOS -370 Knicks vs. Celtics Game 2 Betting Odds DK FD bet365 NYK spread +10.5 (-110) +10.5 (-108) +10.5 (-115) BOS spread -10.5 (-110) -10.5 (-112) -10.5 (-105) NYK ML +380 +410 +400 BOS ML -500 -550 -550 Total 211 (o-110; u-110) 211.5 (o-108; u-112) 211.5 (o-110; u-110) How to Watch Knicks vs. Celtics Game 2 Tipoff: 7 p.m. ET Channel: TNT/truTV/Max Knicks vs. Celtics Game 2 Player Props Jayson Tatum 30+ Points (+135 at bet365) -- 0.75 units If there's one safe bet going into this game, it's that Tatum has heard he needs to be more aggressive going to the paint and drawing free throws. He took just eight of his 23 field-goal attempts from inside in Game 1. While he struggled on both his 2-pointers (3-for-8) and his 3-pointers (4-for-15), the biggest issue was that he took just seven free throws. The good news for Tatum backers in Game 2 is that after drawing just four FTA in Game 1 vs. the Magic in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals (and missing Game 2 with a wrist injury), Tatum took at least 11 free-throws in each of Games 3, 4 and 5. Related: he finished those contests with 36, 37 and 35 points. Against a New York defense that switched screens much more than usual, the 6-foot-8 Tatum had 10 FGA and 2 FTA in Game 1 while being defended by 6-foot-2 Jalen Brunson. He went just 3-for-8 on 3-pointers and 1-for-2 on 2-pointers in that matchup despite his massive size advantage. If the Knicks continue to switch tonight and live with Brunson on Tatum, the six-time All-Star should post much numbers much closer to the ones that made him an All-Star this year (45 percent FG shooting, 34 percent 3-point shooting, 53.7 effective FG percentage) than what he produced in Game 1 (30.4 percent FG shooting, 26.7 3-point shooting, 39.1 effective FG percentage). Assuming we see anything resembling the Tatum we saw during the regular season and in three of his four games vs. the Magic in the first round, 30 points feels well within reach in a game Boston badly needs to win to get back on track. Knicks vs. Celtics Game 2 Pick, Best Bets The Celtics have some questions to answer, especially if Kristaps Porzingis and/or Sam Hauser are out tonight. Still, law of averages alone is enough to like Boston to win this one after New York shot 17-for-37 from 3-point land in Game 1, while the Celtics (if you haven't heard) went just 15-for-60. The question is whether the Celtics will cover the double-digit spread. That hardly feels like a slam-dunk, so let's go with Boston to start off strong (remember, this team led Game 1 61-45 at the half) and cover the first-half spread. I also like the over in a bounce-back night for the Celtics' offense. Knicks vs. Celtics Game 2 Best Bets: Celtics 1H -6.5 (-120 at DraftKings) -- 1 unit Over 211 (-110 at DK) -- 1 unit Newsweek may earn an affiliate commission if you sign up through the links in this article. See the sportsbook operator's terms and conditions for important details. Sports betting operators have no influence over newsroom coverage.
