Latest news with #MVP
Hamilton Spectator
30 minutes ago
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Tigers want to win Memorial Cup for goalie Meneghin: ‘Harrison's our heartbeat'
RIMOUSKI - Oasiz Wiesblatt skated up to the Western Hockey League's championship trophy. A hockey team's captain traditionally hoists the silver chalice first before handing it off to teammates for their celebratory laps. Not this time. Wiesblatt, who wears the 'C' for the Medicine Hat Tigers, posed for a quick photo with the Ed Chynoweth Cup two weeks ago before calling over Harrison Meneghin — the team's goalie who unexpectedly lost his father in March — to raise it into the air. 'Something that we did for Harry,' Wiesblatt said of that night in Spokane, Wash. 'We're all striving for doing things for him, and for the team and the city, but this thing was a lot more special than that.' The Tigers have rallied around Meneghin in the months since his father, Derek, died at just 49. Their goal now is to give him another trophy to lift Sunday when they battle the London Knights in the Memorial Cup final. 'Without him, we wouldn't be here,' star forward Gavin McKenna said. 'We want to do it for him, he's done a lot for us.' On March 23 in Calgary, Meneghin stopped 35 of 37 shots to help the Tigers beat the Hitmen and clinch first place in the Eastern Conference in their final regular-season game. The team celebrated after achieving a season-long goal. The mood drastically shifted when Meneghin stepped off the ice and received the devastating news of his father's passing. 'It went from such a high to such a low, I've never experienced a flip so quick on a team,' Tigers head coach Willie Desjardins said. 'It didn't just devastate Harrison, it devastated the whole team, because the whole team looked at it like, what happens if it was my dad?' 'It was so, so bad. But with that, for sure we rallied, the boys had his back,' he added. 'They did everything they could for him. They knew he was going to have good times and bad times, and they were there for it.' Meneghin flew home to Surrey, B.C., for a few days, but returned to the Tigers for their next game on March 28, posting a 21-save shutout in a 4-0 win over the Swift Current Broncos to open the playoffs. Wiesblatt said it's one of the most memorable moments of his junior career. 'He didn't have to come, and we said we would do it for him, and he decided to come back,' he said. 'It's just a really remarkable thing.' Meneghin went on to earn the WHL playoff MVP after backstopping the Tigers with a 14-1 record, posting three shutouts, a 2.32 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage. Two days later, the 20-year-old signed an entry-level contract with the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning. And so far in the Memorial Cup, the six-foot-four, 174-pound netminder has a 3-0 record with a .927 save percentage, including a 35-stop outing in a 3-1 win over London that propelled Medicine Hat into the final. 'Harrison's our heartbeat,' Wiesblatt said. 'For him to go through something like that, which is never easy to go through and such a big tragedy, but for him to be here with the team, and for him to almost play for his dad, it's been unbelievable to be a part of.' Wiesblatt's decision to hand Meneghin the WHL trophy is one of many examples of ways the Tigers have tried to support him. Desjardins and some teammates attended Derek Meneghin's funeral in April. The head coach, who acquired Meneghin from Lethbridge earlier this season, quickly learned why he has a lighthearted nature. 'His dad had a great sense of humour. Harrison has a great sense of humour,' Desjardins said. 'He's always involved in something. There's some joke going on, you know Harrison's part of it. 'I could see his dad in Harrison.' Medicine Hat forward Mathew Ward, who also grew up playing spring hockey with Meneghin, said teammates have made a point of spending time with their netminder. 'You just don't really want to be alone thinking about stuff, because then things can snowball,' Ward said. 'He definitely did rely on us a lot, I know that, but I think that just speaks to how much of a family we are in our room.' Desjardins also said they've given Meneghin — who hasn't spoken to reporters at the Memorial Cup — a break from media sessions, hoping to avoid a scenario where difficult moments come flooding back to him in front of cameras. 'The hardest thing about something like that is you can be going along so well, then one thing can happen, and it can bring you back to the worst moment you've ever had,' he said. 'That's just the nature of it. So I don't know when that moment could happen, but you don't want it to happen in media.' The hockey, meanwhile, is giving Meneghin something else to focus on. 'There's no right or wrong way to grieve,' Desjardins said. 'What you do, you do as hard as you can, and then you let them know that they're part of it and you're doing it for them.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 31, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Tigers want to win Memorial Cup for goalie Meneghin: ‘Harrison's our heartbeat'
RIMOUSKI – Oasiz Wiesblatt skated up to the Western Hockey League's championship trophy. A hockey team's captain traditionally hoists the silver chalice first before handing it off to teammates for their celebratory laps. Not this time. Wiesblatt, who wears the 'C' for the Medicine Hat Tigers, posed for a quick photo with the Ed Chynoweth Cup two weeks ago before calling over Harrison Meneghin — the team's goalie who unexpectedly lost his father in March — to raise it into the air. 'Something that we did for Harry,' Wiesblatt said of that night in Spokane, Wash. 'We're all striving for doing things for him, and for the team and the city, but this thing was a lot more special than that.' The Tigers have rallied around Meneghin in the months since his father, Derek, died at just 49. Their goal now is to give him another trophy to lift Sunday when they battle the London Knights in the Memorial Cup final. 'Without him, we wouldn't be here,' star forward Gavin McKenna said. 'We want to do it for him, he's done a lot for us.' On March 23 in Calgary, Meneghin stopped 35 of 37 shots to help the Tigers beat the Hitmen and clinch first place in the Eastern Conference in their final regular-season game. The team celebrated after achieving a season-long goal. The mood drastically shifted when Meneghin stepped off the ice and received the devastating news of his father's passing. 'It went from such a high to such a low, I've never experienced a flip so quick on a team,' Tigers head coach Willie Desjardins said. 'It didn't just devastate Harrison, it devastated the whole team, because the whole team looked at it like, what happens if it was my dad?' 'It was so, so bad. But with that, for sure we rallied, the boys had his back,' he added. 'They did everything they could for him. They knew he was going to have good times and bad times, and they were there for it.' Meneghin flew home to Surrey, B.C., for a few days, but returned to the Tigers for their next game on March 28, posting a 21-save shutout in a 4-0 win over the Swift Current Broncos to open the playoffs. Wiesblatt said it's one of the most memorable moments of his junior career. 'He didn't have to come, and we said we would do it for him, and he decided to come back,' he said. 'It's just a really remarkable thing.' Meneghin went on to earn the WHL playoff MVP after backstopping the Tigers with a 14-1 record, posting three shutouts, a 2.32 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage. Two days later, the 20-year-old signed an entry-level contract with the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning. And so far in the Memorial Cup, the six-foot-four, 174-pound netminder has a 3-0 record with a .927 save percentage, including a 35-stop outing in a 3-1 win over London that propelled Medicine Hat into the final. 'Harrison's our heartbeat,' Wiesblatt said. 'For him to go through something like that, which is never easy to go through and such a big tragedy, but for him to be here with the team, and for him to almost play for his dad, it's been unbelievable to be a part of.' Wiesblatt's decision to hand Meneghin the WHL trophy is one of many examples of ways the Tigers have tried to support him. Desjardins and some teammates attended Derek Meneghin's funeral in April. The head coach, who acquired Meneghin from Lethbridge earlier this season, quickly learned why he has a lighthearted nature. 'His dad had a great sense of humour. Harrison has a great sense of humour,' Desjardins said. 'He's always involved in something. There's some joke going on, you know Harrison's part of it. 'I could see his dad in Harrison.' Medicine Hat forward Mathew Ward, who also grew up playing spring hockey with Meneghin, said teammates have made a point of spending time with their netminder. 'You just don't really want to be alone thinking about stuff, because then things can snowball,' Ward said. 'He definitely did rely on us a lot, I know that, but I think that just speaks to how much of a family we are in our room.' Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Desjardins also said they've given Meneghin — who hasn't spoken to reporters at the Memorial Cup — a break from media sessions, hoping to avoid a scenario where difficult moments come flooding back to him in front of cameras. 'The hardest thing about something like that is you can be going along so well, then one thing can happen, and it can bring you back to the worst moment you've ever had,' he said. 'That's just the nature of it. So I don't know when that moment could happen, but you don't want it to happen in media.' The hockey, meanwhile, is giving Meneghin something else to focus on. 'There's no right or wrong way to grieve,' Desjardins said. 'What you do, you do as hard as you can, and then you let them know that they're part of it and you're doing it for them.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 31, 2025.
New York Post
2 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Timberwolves expected to pursue Kevin Durant to pair with Antony Edwards in potential blockbuster
The Timberwolves flirtation with Kevin Durant may not be over. After trying to land him midseason, Minnesota is 'expected to pursue a Durant trade again this offseason' as they search for another 'alpha' next to Anthony Edwards, according to a report from Hoops Wire. Durant, who turns 37 before next season, is 'interested in playing for the Timberwolves,' the outlet added. Kevin Durant may be on the move this offseason. AP The Timberwolves made a 'last ditch effort' to trade for the former NBA MVP at the February trade deadline. Durant remained with the Suns through the rest of the season, but murmurs of him headed out of Phoenix this offseason haven't died down. ESPN's Brian Windhorst recently projected the odds of a Durant trade at 98 percent. Fellow ESPN insider Shams Charania previously reported that the Suns, Durant and his business partner, Rich Kleiman, are 'working together' on his 'next trade home.' The Rockets have also been mentioned as a possible trade destination for Durant after falling in the first round to the Warriors. Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves smiles during warm up before the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Game 4 of the 2025 NBA Western Conference Finals on May 26, 2025. NBAE via Getty Images Edwards and Durant grew close last summer during the Paris Olympics. Windhorst said during a podcast appearance over the summer that Edwards was 'trailing Kevin Durant around like [Durant is his] big brother' while overseas. 'Literally, Ant gets off the bus with Durant. When they warm up before practice, Ant is standing next to Durant. … Ant cannot get enough of him,' Windhorst added. In his 17th season in the NBA last year, Durant averaged 26.6 points while shooting 52.7 percent during a 36-46 Suns season that resulted in coach Mike Budenholzer being fired after one year. The Timberwolves are looking to get over the hump after losing in the Western Conference finals in each of the past two seasons.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Hiedeman's heroics keep Lynx unbeaten in desert thriller
Hiedeman's heroics keep Lynx unbeaten in desert thriller originally appeared on Bring Me The News. How good are the Minnesota Lynx? Good enough to go on the road and win without MVP candidate Napheesa Collier, who missed Friday night's game in Phoenix with knee soreness. Without their star player, the Lynx found a way to stay in the game before striking like a snake in the desert with two big three-pointers in the final minute. The first came from Courtney Williams to tie the game 71-71 with 53 seconds to go, and the kill shot came when Natisha Hiedeman buried a three with 5.1 seconds remaining. 'I passed Courtney the ball and then Courtney passed it to me and I'm wide open in the corner," Hiedeman said. "So I'm sitting there in my head, 'I'm like (exhale). This is for game right here, I got to knock this down.' that's what I did." At 6-0, Minnesota is off to its best start since the 2017 team began the season 9-0. Hiedeman finished with nine points and five rebounds in 22 minutes off the bench. The Lynx were led by Kayla McBride's 20 points, while Alanna Smith scored 19 and Williams finished with 11 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. It's unclear if Collier will miss any additional time, but head coach Cheryl Reeve said Collier didn't play due to soreness in her knee and she was held out as a precaution. Up next: Lynx at Golden State, Sunday at 7:30 p.m. CT. This story was originally reported by Bring Me The News on May 31, 2025, where it first appeared.
NBC Sports
4 hours ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Judge, Ohtani light up first inning with historic home runs in Yankees-Dodgers rematch
LOS ANGELES — Reigning MVPs Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani blasted historic home runs in the first inning as the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers met Friday night in a rematch of last year's World Series. Judge got the fireworks going with a 446-foot solo shot to dead center on a 1-1 pitch from Tony Gonsolin. The Yankees slugger's 19th homer of the season tied him with Kyle Schwarber for third in the majors. Ohtani matched him in the bottom of the frame with a 417-foot homer to center on the first pitch from Max Fried in front of a sellout crowd of 53,276. 'I felt like he was copying me,' a smiling Judge said. It's the first time reigning MVPs homered in the first inning of a game in major league history. Barry Bonds of San Francisco and Miguel Tejada of Oakland were the first reigning MVPs to homer in the same game, including the World Series, on June 30, 2002. 'I really thought it was important to be able to score another run in that situation, knowing that momentum is really important,' Ohtani said through a translator. Judge downplayed the tit-for-tat with Ohtani. 'Try not to think about it,' he said. 'I got a job to do on the field. I got to make plays, score some runs for the team. You try not to get too hyped into that.' Ohtani led off the sixth with a solo shot to right-center, scurrying back to step on first base after missing it. That sparked a four-run rally that carried the Dodgers to an 8-5 victory, their 19th come-from-behind win of the season. The long balls extended Ohtani's major league-lead to 22. He tied the Dodgers record for most in a month with 15. 'We always seem to obviously play really well when Shohei's obviously playing well,' first baseman Freddie Freeman said. 'I heard the chants for MVP, and he's really well on his way to doing that again.' Ohtani has 60 runs this season, making him the first player since 1901 to reach the mark before June, according to OptaSTATS. The Japanese superstar has hit five homers in his last five games, with four coming on the first or second pitch. Judge is most impressed by Ohtani's consistency at the plate. 'Year after year continue to go up there and put up the numbers he does,' he said. 'Every single at-bat, you don't know if he's going to rip a ball to me in right field or if he's going to take a Max Fried first pitch heater opposite field.' The Dodgers beat the Yankees in five games to win their eighth world championship in 2024.
