Digital Sports Desk

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TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | June 7

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By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk

CHESTNUT HILL – There’s been a lot of talk about the secondary ticket market for New York Knicks home games at Madison Square Garden. Those ticket prices are peaking for Games 3 and 4 of The NBA Finals with Game 3 being played Monday night.

Should the Knicks win Monday night and go up 3-0 in their best-of-seven series against the upstart San Antonio Spurs, the prices for Game 4 will sky-rocket. Should the Knicks lose Game 3, the ticket prices for a potential clinching Game 6 at Madison Square Garden will set new high marks for the toughest and most expensive ticket in New York sports history.

On the eve of Game 3, the highest price ticket listed for sale on Ticketmaster, the official online ticket sale and secondary market partner of the NBA, was selling a pair of Courtside seats for $180,187.20 in Row A (not Row AA). Some of the seats in the same area are going for the bargain basement price of $82,000+ and some others, with a few of the back of TV commentator Richard Jefferson’s (6-foot-7) head.

The proverbial “Get In Price” for Game 3 is running between $8,800 per seat (400 level) to $9,100 for some soul looking to dump 200-level seats.

That’s all fine and good.

In this day and age with legal secondary ticket sales online, the ticket is worth whatever price someone is stupid enough to pay for it. Like the NBA’s official ticket sales commercial spot says, “the game is never sold out.”

This columnist harkens back to buying tickets for the 1974 and 1976 ABA Championship Series. The New York Nets sold tickets in strips for all games, but more commonly, on a night-by-night basis. When the Nets won in the semi-finals, young ticket buyers would sprint from their seats to the Nassau Coliseum ticket office window where a line would form to purchase tickets for the next two home games.

The best value at The Coliseum was a Row A (front row seat) in any of Sections 306, 320, 326 and 340. They were all mirror images. The ideal seats were on the aisle, closest to the court. No obstructions. Great seats.

The price tag?

Not $180,187.20 or even $82,000 but a hefty $3.25.

A lower bowl seat in the 200s was something like $6.00 and a seat (in the 100s was an obscene $12.00.

We never missed a game, and the games would eventually sell out.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: All this ticket mayhem in New York made me think of the “toughest” tickets to get in New York sports history. The list I’ve compiled is a modern day listing, and doesn’t include real old time boxing, or Murderer’s Row Yankees World Series games from the 1920s.

As always, the column is quite open to additions, suggestions, criticisms, whatever. Just keep it clean as this is a family publication with plenty of children, students and the like.

For the most part, the list is geared to the magnitude of the event not the ticket scalping price. Here’s one man’s look at tough tickets in New York, and that means at a New York City venue, not in Buffalo.

  1. The Beatles Play Shea Stadium – (August 15, 1965) – The Beatles changed rock music forever when they played in front of a raging, screaming 55,600 fans at Shea Stadium, former home of the New York Mets. “At Shea Stadium, I saw the top of the mountain,” said The Beatles’ lead guitarist and joint vocalist, John Lennon of the show.
  2. New York Rangers – (June 14, 1994) – The Rangers broke the spell and won the NHL Stanley Cup, ending a 54-year drought (1942).
  3. New York Mets – (Oct 16, 1969) – After losing Game 1 at Baltimore, the Mets took four straight to clinch MLB’s 1969 World Series, the franchise’s first ever title.
  4. New York Knicks – (May 8, 1970) – Forever to be known as the “Willis Reed game,” the Knicks took the 1970 NBA title with a Game 7 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. The injured Reed limped out from the locker to join his team in warm-ups, then proceeded to hit the first two jump shots of the game. Knicks all-star guard Walt Frazier had 38 points and 19 assists.
  5. Ali vs. Frazier – (March 8, 1971) – Billed as “The Fight of the Century,” Muhammad Ali and Smokin’ Joe Frazier battled for the heavyweight championship of the world at Madison Square Garden. The fight is considered the biggest boxing match in history, and arguably the single most anticipated and publicized sporting event of all time. It was the first time ever that two undefeated boxers who held the world heavyweight title fought each other. Frazier won in a 15-round unanimous decision.
  6. New York Giants vs. Baltimore Colts – (December 28, 1958) – The 1958 NFL Championship, widely known as “The Greatest Game Ever Played,” was a thrilling overtime victory for the Baltimore Colts over the New York Giants, 23-17, at Yankee Stadium. It was the first NFL playoff game to go into sudden-death overtime, nationally televised, and is credited with skyrocketing the NFL’s popularity, featuring legendary performances by quarterback Johnny Unitas and the late Raymond Berry, who passed away May 15, 2026.
  7. The 1973 Belmont Stakes – (June 9, 1973) – It was the 105th running of the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, Running in a field of only five horses, Secretariat won by 31 lengths going away, the largest margin of victory in Belmont history. A crowd of 69,138 spectators came out to see the Triple Crown finale and most never cashed their $2.00 betting stubs. Secretariat’s winning time of 2 minutes and 24 seconds still stands as the American record for a mile and a half on dirt.
  8. Michael Jackson’s 30th Anniversary Celebration Concerts – (Friday, September 7, 2001, and Monday, September 10, 2001) marked Michael Jackson’s shows at Madison Square Garden – arguably the toughest concert tickets in world history. Whitney Houston, Britney Spears, and Destiny’s Child all performed along with Michael and five of his brothers, marking the last time they performed together on one stage. The shame of it all was the fact the attacks on the USA on September 11, 2001 came only hours after the Jackson concert on the Monday night concluded.
  9. Derek Jeter’s final baseball game at Yankee Stadium – September 25, 2014 – In the bottom of the 9th of a game against the Baltimore Orioles, the game was tied 5–5, and the Yankees had Antoan Richardson on second base. On the first pitch he faced, Derek Jeter lined a single to right field that scored Richardson and the Yankees won, 6–5, on a walk-off single in Jeter’s final game in front of 48,613 fans who had somehow secured tickets.
  10. Barbra Streisand’s Concert at The Garden – (June 23, 1994) – Less than two weeks after the New York Rangers won the Stanley Cup and the New York Knicks lost a hard-fought seven game series to the Houston Rockets, the biggest show in modern day history graced the Garden’s stage.

TIDBITS & NUGGETS: For those who tune-in to The Memorial on CBS on Sunday (today), you’ll see the greatest golfer of all-time, Jack Nicklaus, greeting the current players as they finish on the 18th hole, and then congratulating the tournament winner. For most golfers, it is the greatest honor of their careers. Jack will be wearing his tradition Sunday yellow or gold golf shirt, a signature of his Golden Bear look, along with his golden locks and burly build that won 18 Majors and 73 PGA Tour events during his illustrious career.

The Yellow Sunday has another meaning and the players all join in, as the tournament benefits children’s hospitals fighting cancer. Back at the 1986 Masters, Nicklaus chose his famous yellow shirt in memory of a young boy who had died from cancer a short time before the tournament. Nicklaus said, “The boy’s name was Craig Smith, and before he passed away, he told me he loved watching me play on Sundays and how he liked it when I wore a yellow shirt because it always seemed to bring me luck.” … “I remember Barbara (Nicklaus, Jack’s wife) telling me to wear yellow that Sunday morning, that it would bring me good luck because of Craig,”

Players, caddies and fans will all be wearing yellow or gold at Muirfield Village.

GIDDY-UP: Kentucky Derby champ Golden Tempo won the 158th running of the Belmont Stakes on Saturday, capturing the third leg of the Triple Crown five weeks after winning the ‘Derby and making more history for trainer Cherie DeVaux.

Jockey Jose Ortiz was aboard, as Golden Tempo went from last to first down the stretch at Saratoga Race Course, the track pinch-hitting for Belmont Park which is in the final year of renovations.

DeVaux, after becoming the first woman to train a Kentucky Derby winner, is the second in four years to do so at the Belmont. DeVaux is the first woman to win multiple Triple Crown races.

Knicks, Brunson Eek Out Victory

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SAN ANTONIO — Jalen Brunson fueled New York’s first victory of the NBA Finals with his fourth-quarter offense and he set up its  Game 2 win with his fifth steal.

And suddenly, the underdog Knicks are two victories away from their first NBA championship since 1973.

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Brunson and the Knicks aren’t planning any title-winning parades but they placed the San Antonio Spurs in a huge hole with a 105-104 victory on Friday night to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

“It’s a team effort. We found a way to win these two games,” said Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns, who had 21 points and 13 rebounds in Game 2. “It’s a shout-out to everybody coming together for a greater cause.”

After Brunson stole the ball, he converted the go-ahead free throw with 9.5 seconds left as New York claimed its 13th straight postseason victory, passing the 1999 Spurs for the second-longest such streak in NBA history.

The sequence began with San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama throwing the ball off the back of teammate Stephon Castle, who was in the backcourt heading toward the midcourt line. Brunson retrieved the ball, was fouled and split two free throws to give New York a one-point lead.

“I saw he wasn’t looking so I just tried to go get it,” Brunson said of Castle. “I just didn’t want Wemby to come back and get it.”

San Antonio still had a chance to leave victorious but Wembanyama missed a 20-foot shot before time expired as the Knicks racked up their eighth consecutive road victory.

“Of course, I liked the shot,” Wembanyama said. “I feel like in this moment you need to shoot to score. In moments like this, it’s like results matter more than process, if you know what I mean.

“We just need to score. I just need to score. That’s the whole point.”

Wembanyama totaled 29 points, nine rebounds and four blocked shots but committed four turnovers and has made 10 through two games.

He took responsibility for the ill-advised pass off Castle’s back.

“I threw that one away,” Wembanyama said. “I messed up. We didn’t play great as a team. We needed to win that game. This game was ours. But at this point, it’s done.

“Am I going to regret it? Yes, of course. Am I going to use that to fuel me and to fuel us next game? Absolutely.”

Castle said he was dashing up court to give Wembanyama some room to work with.

“I was looking at him when he first got the rebound,” Castle said. “I just started to take off to try to give him some space to dribble up the court. I didn’t see him throw it to me.”

Game 3 is on Monday in New York, which will also be the site of Game 4 on Wednesday.

Brunson scored 20 points after pouring in 30 in Game 1, including 13 in the fourth quarter of that 105-95 victory.

Mikal Bridges also scored 20 and OG Anunoby added 17 points. Landry Shamet scored 13 off the bench for New York, which squandered a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter before recovering.

De’Aaron Fox scored 20 points for the Spurs. Dylan Harper tallied 15 off the bench while Castle and Devin Vassell had 14 points apiece.

Wembanyama’s three-point play with 57.3 seconds left gave the Spurs a 104-102 edge, their first lead of the second half. Brunson answered with a jumper to tie it with 39.3 seconds remaining.

The Knicks shot 41.6% from the field, including 15 of 38 (39.5%) from 3-point range.

San Antonio made 47.4% of its attempts and was 11 of 29 (37.9%) from behind the arc.

Spurs coach Mitch Johnson is counting on his team to step up its play as the series turns to Madison Square Garden.

“We don’t feel like we played well or up to our standard at least in the last two games,” Johnson said. “New York has played very well and they’re a part of that. But we’re going to go into Game 3, if we play our brand of basketball up to our standard, we’ll be just fine.”

The Spurs trailed by 14 midway through the fourth quarter before going on a 14-0 run to knot the score at 97.

Fox had five straight points during the burst and Devin Vassell buried a straightaway 3-pointer to bring San Antonio within two. Harper then got the roll on a short jumper to tie the game with 2:59 remaining.

“Obviously, they made their run towards the end,” New York coach Mike Brown said. “And you know, we could have folded a few times. But our guys just kept fighting.”

New York led 84-75 entering the final stanza and the margin was soon 12 after Shamet sank a 3-pointer. The Spurs answered with seven straight points to move within 87-82 before Shamet buried a trey to start a 10-1 run.

Brunson added a driving basket, Miles “Deuce” McBride canned a wide-open 3-pointer and Anunoby slammed home a dunk against Wembanyama’s defense to give the Knicks a 97-83 advantage with 6:04 left.

Towns had 17 points and seven rebounds in the first half as the Knicks led 56-52 at the break. Fox scored 12 in the half for San Antonio.

After the Spurs were on top by as much as 12, the Knicks led for the first time on Shamet’s basket for a 49-48 lead with 3:39 left in the second quarter.

–Field Level Media

 

Knicks Take Two

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SAN ANTONIO — There wasn’t a whole lot for the New York Knicks to like about the final six minutes of the fourth quarter of Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Friday.

Yet despite blowing a late 14-point lead, the Knicks looked up at the scoreboard after the final buzzer and saw that they had somehow done just enough to beat the San Antonio Spurs 105-104.

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The result sends the Knicks home with a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series, with Game 3 set for Monday.

An exhausted Jalen Brunson leaned on his teammates after the win and offered up a weak smile. It was his steal with 9.5 seconds to play and subsequent free throw that proved to be the decisive play and point in a slugfest that saw the last team standing prevail.

“We could have folded a few times, but our guys just kept fighting,” New York coach Mike Brown said. “They kept fighting, and you work on connectivity throughout the course of the year for moments like these.

“No matter what run (San Antonio) went on, no matter what time of the game, our guys just kept uplifting one another. It’s an amazing feeling as a coach to know how mentally tough your team is no matter what the situation is in front of them.”

Brunson scored the Knicks’ first five points of the game but then went cold, entering the final quarter with just 13 points on 4-of-16 shooting from the floor.

San Antonio was making the Knicks star guard work for everything, and he was worse for wear, collapsing on the bench during each New York timeout down the stretch while trying to find the energy to help drag his team over the finish line.

“We have to do a good job of staying composed in those situations,” said Brunson, who finished with 20 points and just as many bruises. “Not (folding) in situations like that is key to winning games like this. At this stage of the season, things aren’t going to be pretty. It’s going to be ugly. It’s going to be grinded out. It’s simple as that.”

It was not easy. The Spurs were down 97-83 with 6:04 to play before their 14-0 spree, tying the game on Dylan Harper’s floater with 2:59 to play.

San Antonio shoved its way to the lead at 104-102 via a Victor Wembanyama three-point play with 57.3 seconds left. However, Brunson responded, pouring in a fadeaway jumper with 39.3 seconds remaining to level the score.

Brunson then missed a jumper with 13.5 seconds left, and Wembanyama grabbed the rebound. The Spurs star tried to pass to Stephon Castle, but Castle was not ready, and the ball bounced off his back and into Brunson’s waiting hands. Wembanyama fouled Brunson, setting the stage for the go-ahead free throw.

“That’s the most frustrating thing, to throw it away after putting in all this work,” said Wembanyama, who also missed a 20-foot shot in the final seconds. “I messed up. We didn’t play great as a team. We needed to win that game. This game was ours.Games

“But at this point, it’s done. Yes, am I going to regret it? Yes, of course. Am I going to use that to fuel me and to fuel us next game? Absolutely.”

Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said his team needs to bring the same intensity to the whole game as it had in its fourth-quarter comeback. With a young squad in the Finals spotlight for the first time, maturity and the ability to finish continue to be crucial factors.

“We showed tremendous desperation, urgency and competitive response (late in the game),” Johnson said. “We don’t feel like we played well, or up to our standard at least, in the last two games. New York has played very well, and that’s a part of that.

“But we’re going to go into Game 3 — if we play our brand of basketball up to our standard, we’ll be just fine.”

The Spurs might have the NBA’s ascending superstar player as the backbone for a youthful team with a high ceiling. But New York has Brunson, and he, along with a squad that keeps winning, presents a formidable obstacle for San Antonio to overcome.

The Knicks recorded their 13th straight postseason victory, moving them into second place all-time for consecutive playoff wins behind the Golden State Warriors (15 in 2017).

“I don’t know if you could say it was a rough shooting night (for Brunson),” said New York’s Karl-Anthony Towns, who led the team with 21 points and 13 rebounds. “I see ‘Captain Clutch’ doing what he’s always been doing since I got here. When it comes down to winning the game, No. 11 can’t be messed with.”

–Steve Habel, Field Level Media

Mazzula Wins NBA Coach of Year

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BOSTON – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – The NBA announced Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla was named the 2025-26 NBA Coach of the Year. He becomes the fourth Celtics head coach to win the award (Auerbach, Heinsohn, Fitch), after Mazzulla and his coaching staff steered Boston to the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 56-26 regular season record. Mazzulla takes home his first Red Auerbach Trophy this season with the help of his assistant coaches and staff: Sam Cassell, Tony Dobbins, D.J. MacLeay, Da’Sean Butler, Nana Foulland, Amile Jefferson, Tyler Lashbrook, Craig Luschenat, Ross McMains, Alex Merg, Phil Pressey, God Shammgod Jr., and Steve Tchiengang.
“Thank you to our players who compete and give it everything they have each night,” said Mazzula. “I am grateful for every member of the Celtics organization whose dedication impacts winning every day. This award belongs to our staff, who are there for the guys every day. Their relentless work ethic improves our team daily. This award should be named, staff of the year.”
The NBA Coach of the Year Award trophy is named in honor of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Red Auerbach. The legendary head coach guided the Celtics to nine NBA championships, including eight in a row from 1959-66.
“This is well deserved recognition and a testament to both Joe and his staff,” said Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens. “With all of our unknowns entering the season, Joe did a fantastic job building and growing a team. He pours everything he has into competing at a high level, while helping players find the best versions of themselves within the framework of a team. On top of all of that, Joe leads with an authentic care for the Celtics and everyone he works with – players, coaches, and staff.”
Ranking second in the NBA in offensive rating (120.0) and fourth in defensive rating (111.7), Boston was one of two teams this season to be in the top four in both offensive and defensive rating. The Celtics also led the league in several categories this season, including fewest turnovers per game (12.4), fewest opponent points in the paint per game (40.1), and fewest steals allowed per game (6.2). The Celtics averaged 16.9 second chance points per game this season, the team’s most in the play-by-play era, and averaged the team’s most offensive rebounds per game (12.5) since the 1999-2000 season. Boston was tied for the league lead in games allowing 100 points or less (22) this season and led the NBA in games with 20+ 3-pointers made (16).
Mazzulla was named Eastern Conference Coach of the Month for December, his fifth career monthly honor, after guiding Boston to a 9-3 record in December with a league-best 124.3 offensive rating. He earned his 200th career victory in just 275 games, making him the third-fastest coach in NBA history to do so behind Steve Kerr (238 games) and Phil Jackson (270 games).
In four seasons as Boston’s head coach, Mazzulla owns a 238-90 regular season record (.726 winning percentage) and has gone 36-21 (.632) in the playoffs.

NFL Schedule: Here’s a Top Ten

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LOS ANGELES – (Wire Service Report) – Not only do the Los Angeles Rams have a reasonable shot at becoming the first team to win the Super Bowl on its homefield twice, the NFC West runner-up is by far the easiest team to find on the NFL’s 2026 broadcast schedule.

Seven times the Rams are positioned for a primetime slot — tying a league record — barring a slip from contender status that would prompt networks to invoke the “flex” option and reassign Sean McVay’s team to an afternoon kickoff.

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You’ve got to appreciate McVay’s offensive machine as much as the next NFL fan, but let’s survey the broader landscape for the 10 games we are circling on the 2026 schedule.

1. Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears, Friday, Dec. 25
Are the Packers still gutted by two heartbreaking losses to the Bears? They’ll never admit it. The drama on the field and sidelines restored one of the  game’s best rivalries. Chicago’s schedule strength adds a degree of difficulty the Bears didn’t face rising from the bottom of the NFC North to a division title in Ben Johnson’s first season. The Packers had owned this series in recent years and want to pull the pendulum northward.

2. Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys, Thursday, Nov. 26
Thanksgiving Day amplifies whatever the state of the Dallas Cowboys happens to be, and this one should be extra spicy. It hasn’t happened since 2014 and will be the third Turkey Day meeting between the teams. Cowboys fans are crossing their fingers the results will be better than the last time (33-10 loss in ‘14) and 1989, when the Eagles used two Randall Cunningham-to-Cris Carter TDs and Philly’s defense ransacked Troy Aikman at Texas Stadium, 27-0. Philadelphia hosts the first meeting of the 2026 season with Dallas on “Monday Night Football” in October.

3. Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots, Sunday, Dec. 6
Josh Allen ran the AFC East for nearly a decade and Drake Maye was more than the new kid on the block in 2025. He played like an MVP candidate — even winning in Buffalo — and the Patriots went 5-1 in the division. The only loss was a 35-31 barnburner at Gillette Stadium won by the Bills on Dec. 14. It was New England’s only loss between Sept. 28 and the Super Bowl.

4. Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks, Friday, Dec. 25
Fine, we can talk Rams, too Merry Christmas to those who celebrate, the NFL wrapped up a matchup between teams who combined for 26 regular-season wins and took the division duel down to the wire last season. Lumen Field won’t be a present for the Rams, but Matthew Stafford and Sean McVay have usually done just fine in enemy territory. The game falls one week after the one-year anniversary of Seattle’s memorable fourth-quarter rally from 16 down, forced overtime and walked it off with a 38-37 victory over the Rams.

5. Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals, Thursday, Dec. 31
Last season wasn’t a typical set of Bengals-Ravens games. The AFC North rivals split with an average margin of victory of 21 points. Rewind to 2025 and unleashed Lamar Jackson vs. bomb-happy Joe Burrow produced scores of 35-34 and 41-38 (overtime). If we get a New Year’s Eve snow game with division and playoff consequences, even better.

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6. New England Patriots at Seattle Seahawks, Wednesday, Sept. 9
A Wednesday night opener ahead of the Thursday Rams-49ers matchup in Australia, we’ll find out if the Patriots are better prepared for a Super Bowl rematch with months to prepare. New England oscillated from disjointed to complete disarray in the February loss to Seattle and didn’t have all oars in the water during an offseason when Mike Vrabel’s off-field, ahem, affairs were a constant talking point.

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Chicago Bears, Sunday, Nov. 8
Baker Mayfield vs. Caleb Williams piques our interest in a midseason “Sunday Night Football” matchup with the undercard of Buccaneers head coach and defensive maestro Todd Bowles against Bears coach and offensive brain Ben Johnson. The Bucs fell short of the postseason in 2025 for the first time since 2019, while the Bears are trending upward after the franchise won a playoff game (well, two of them, actually) in January to snap a 15-year drought dating to 2011.

8. Dallas Cowboys at Seattle Seahawks, Monday, Dec. 7
Crossover games with the NFC West add a degree of difficulty to the Dallas schedule this season. While we wait to offer judgment on the revamped defense, the Cowboys are likely to bring all the smoke to test Seattle’s versatile, attacking defense in a game sandwiched between matchups with the Eagles and Rams for Dallas.

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9. Jacksonville Jaguars at Denver Broncos, Sunday, Sept. 20
Some called the Denver AFC West run last season but far fewer anticipated Jacksonville winning 13  games and dealing the Broncos one of the team’s three regular-season losses. First-year head coach Liam Coen reflects many of Broncos head coach Sean Payton’s qualities as a play-caller and designer, adding built-in entertainment value.

10. San Francisco 49ers at Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Dec. 27
What will the 49ers have left in the tank? San Francisco is setting a record for miles traveled in a season thanks to international treks to Mexico and Australia and the closing stretch for the 49ers is some kind of minefield from NFL schedulers. Patrick Mahomes and Brock Purdy are familiar foes but 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan has not beaten Andy Reid as a head coach (0-3). Two of those losses were agonizing Super Bowl defeats (LIV, 2020 and LVIII, 2024). After falling short of historical track and expectations in 2025, is the window closed on one or both of these longtime contenders?

–Field Level Media

Canes Head to Vegas with Confidence

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LAS VEGAS — The five-hour, 2,000-plus-mile trip to Las Vegas on Friday afternoon was a whole lot smoother for the Carolina Hurricanes after their dramatic 4-3 come-from-behind, overtime victory over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 2  of the Stanley Cup Final on Thursday.

Carolina, trailing 2-0 midway through the third period and staring squarely at an 0-2 deficit in the best-of-seven series, pulled out a comeback for the ages capped by Seth Jarvis’ power-play game-winner 3:56 into overtime.

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It marked the first time since the Montreal Canadiens in 1944 that a team trailing by multiple goals in the final 10 minutes of regulation rallied for a victory in a Stanley Cup Final.

Now the series heads west to Las Vegas for Game 3 on Saturday and Game 4 on Tuesday before returning to Raleigh, N.C., for Game 5 on Thursday.

“I think there’s obviously more good vibes today than there could have been,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. ” … We’ve played two good games, and we’re starting over.”

“It’s a five-game series now,” Hurricanes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere added. “It’s just managing (the emotions). We’re still human beings. We’re going to get nervous out there and have emotions, but the more you do it, the more you do anything, you get used to it. It’s just trying to holster that and bring it all in focus for the task at hand.”

The Eastern Conference champions, who were an impressive 24-12-5 on the road in the regular season, are 6-0 away from home in the playoffs. Thursday’s win also improved Carolina to 6-0 in overtime in these playoffs.

It looked like Vegas was going to finish a two-game sweep of the games in North Carolina thanks to two more goals by Brett Howden combined with defensive play which was, at times, quite stifling.

But the game turned around quickly with 9:40 remaining when 5-foot-8, 165-pound center Logan Stankoven won a puck battle along the boards behind the net from 6-foot-1, 202-pound Vegas defenseman Rasmus Andersson and then scored on a backhand shot from the right side of the crease.

“You can’t measure that stuff,” Brind’Amour said Friday, pounding his heart when asked about Stankoven’s play that flipped the game and the series. “He just keeps doing it, night in and night out. It’s pretty amazing.”

Just 2:26 later, ex-Golden Knight William Carrier made a diving pass to Mark Jankowski who blasted a shot from the high slot bar-down to tie it at 2.

Jordan Staal then gave the Hurricanes a controversial 3-2 lead with a tip-in on a power play after the Golden Knights drew a delay of game penalty after unsuccessfully challenging a goalie interference call that negated a potential Ivan Barbashev score. But Mark Stone scored a 6-on-5 goal with 1:21 remaining to force overtime.

Jarvis then won it with a one-timer from the left circle off a Gostisbehere pass on a power play after Tomas Hertl went to the penalty box for tripping.

Vegas, which was well-positioned to take full control of the series, instead heads home even at a win apiece.

“It’s fine,” center William Karlsson said of his team’s emotions Friday following the late meltdown. “It is what it is. Obviously, we would have loved to win that game. We didn’t, but it’s in the past. Nothing we can change, so now we just look ahead.”

“We’re good,” Golden Knights coach John Tortorella added. “We’re ready to play. I like a lot of things about what’s gone on in the first two games.”

One potentially very big negative for Vegas occurred in the first period when defenseman Brayden McNabb, who had three assists in the team’s 5-4 Game 1 victory and is the franchise’s all-time leader in blocked shots (1,417) and hits (1,469), was hit square in the middle of his face by an 87 mph slap shot by Nikolaj Ehlers.

A key member of the team’s penalty-kill unit, McNabb skated off immediately while covering his face and was taken to a hospital for treatment. Tortorella refused to give any update on his condition on Friday but said McNabb would fly back with the team.

“I think he’s a vital part of this team,” Karlsson said. ” … Of course, (it was) tough not to have him for the remainder of the game.”

–Field Level Media

Brunson Leads Knicks in G-1 of Finals

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SAN ANTONIO — (Staff and Wire Service Report) – New York’s magical guard Jalen Brunson was beaten and battered but not dismayed, and the Knicks star had enough energy to orchestrate a fine George Gervin impersonation with an Iceman-like final quarter in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. The Spurs icon surely appreciated Brunson’s zest for heroics but the city of San Antonio was stunned over an opening defeat as the red-hot Knicks controlled the final two minutes while prevailing 105-95 on Wednesday night.

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Brunson scored 13 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter and the Knicks overcame a 14-point third-quarter deficit to win their 12th consecutive playoff game, tied for the second-longest postseason streak in league history.

“Jalen was MVP in the second half,” New York coach Mike Brown said. “He was huge for us. He did what MVP candidates are supposed to do. He carried us home and we put the ball in his hands and he got it done for us down the stretch.”

Brunson had a rough time during the first half as he injured his right knee in the first quarter and his left ankle in the second.

Per the knee injury, Harrison Barnes of the Spurs and Landry Shamet of the Knicks were battling for position after a missed free throw and Barnes fell directly into Brunson’s knee with 1:27 remaining.

Brunson departed for the locker room and returned with 8:03 left in the second quarter. Two minutes later, Brunson hurt his ankle on a driving basket.

“When I saw him walk back to the bench, it was a relief feeling,” Knicks teammate Karl-Anthony Towns said of Brunson.

Brunson was just 7-of-22 shooting entering the final stanza before finding his groove. He hit 5 of 9 shots in the fourth.

“I think it starts with my confidence. It comes with my work ethic,” Brunson said of bouncing back. “I think most importantly, knowing we’re on the road, and knowing my teammates have my back, I think that’s the biggest thing in an environment like this. The trust they have in me and the trust I have in them, it’s got us to this point.”

The Spurs had few answers over the final 12 minutes when it came to slowing Brunson.

“He’s an elite player,” Spurs star Victor Wembanyama said of Brunson. “We’re going to have many more chances. It’s the first-to-four series. We’re going to have time to work on it.”

New York closed the game with 11 straight points while playing in its first NBA Finals game since 1999.

Towns contributed 18 points and 12 rebounds and Josh Hart was solid all-around with 15 rebounds, six assists, four steals and three points for the Knicks.

OG Anunoby produced 12 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter for the Knicks, who committed no turnovers in the final period. San Antonio gave the ball away five times over the final 12 minutes while shooting 28.6% (6 of 21) and being outscored 29-19.

Wembanyama registered 26 points, 12 rebounds and three blocked shots but made just 6 of 21 field-goal attempts.

“He missed a few shots early,” San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson said of the star Frenchman. “We got to him moving in space toward the rim.”

Stephon Castle had 17 points and eight rebounds, Julian Champagnie added 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Dylan Harper had 16 points off the bench.

Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is Friday night at San Antonio.

Shamet scored 13 points off the bench for New York, which shot 41.5% from the field, including 11 of 36 (30.6%) from 3-point range.

The Spurs connected on 36% of their field-goal attempts and were 11 of 43 (25.6%) from behind the arc.

Brunson scored eight straight points, including a driving hoop with 6:08 left to give the Knicks a 94-86 advantage. Wembanyama responded with eight points during a 9-0 run as the Spurs moved ahead 95-94 with 2:16 to play.

San Antonio wouldn’t score again, and Brunson drained a corner trey to put the Knicks back ahead with 1:50 left.

Mikal Bridges made two free throws, Brunson hit a jumper and Anunoby sank four consecutive free throws to seal it.

“Obviously, we’ve been down in a series before,” Wembanyama said. “Never in the Finals, obviously. But I’m not kicking myself about anything, really. I’m not worried the slightest.”

San Antonio led by seven at the break before scoring 10 of the first 13 points in the third quarter to take a 65-51 lead on Harper’s basket.

The Knicks responded with a 20-6 burst and knotted the score at 71 on Brunson’s jumper with 2:01 remaining in the third.

Knicks backup center Mitchell Robinson (broken right pinkie) played 13 minutes and had two points and six rebounds.

Champagnie had 15 points on five 3-pointers as the Spurs led 55-48 at the half. Brunson logged 11 in the half for New York.

–Field Level Media

Baltimore’s Alonso Reminds Red Sox of What Could’ve Been – “A Monster”

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By TERRY LYONS, Editor-in-Chief, Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – The ballgame was tied 1-1, going into the top of the 3rd inning. Baltimore catcher Adley Rutschman singled to left-center field with one out and Red Sox pitcher Connelly Early was throwing darts.

But …

Batter-up, Pete Alonso.

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Alonso was floating in the wind for two seasons as he completed a stellar career playing for the New York Mets. Aside from Mets retired third baseman, David Wright, Alonso was the face of the franchise and very well liked and respected by the fans. But, the Mets were beginning a re-build and both time and money were short.

The Mets signed Alonso to a couple short-term contracts when he was seeking, at least a five year deal. Then, last summer Alonso opted for free agency and hit the jackpot with the Orioles, signing a 5-year, $155 million contract that pays him $31m this season, then $33m for four more years. It was a major commitment by the O’s.

The Red Sox stood by and watched, never a serious bidder, and instead signed Willson Contreras, currently the club’s No. 4/clean-up hitter and the most consistent bat on the team. Contreras has 11 home runs and 33 RBI – not too shabby.

But Tuesday night, the fans in Fenway Park – both Red Sox and busloads of Orioles fans – witnessed what might have been if the Sox had taken an aggressive play at Alonso.

As the third batter up in the 3rd inning, Alonso hit a ball 400 feet at 110.8 mph and it was rising as it cleared the Green Monster and then plugged a seat so hard, the Fenway Park and Boston building inspectors might need to take a look later tonight, or maybe Wednesday morning when the steam subsides. It was a glimpse of “what might have been” for the Red Sox is they truly went after the long ball hitting free agent – either in 2024 or 2025.

It wasn’t meant to be for the Sox, and Alonso’s homer put the Orioles ahead 3-1. Baltimore followed up with an insurance run in the fourth inning to make it 4-1.

Boston’s Mickey Gasper scored in the 5th inning, the result of a single, a wild pitch, advancing to third base on a ground-out and then scoring on a Marcelo Mayer sacrifice fly to center field.

Baltimore starter Shane Baz went seven full innings, allowing four hits, two earned runs while walking two and striking out six Boston batters. He was credited with the win and is now (3-5).

Boston’s Connelly Early pitched well, but allowed four earned runs in 5.1 innings. He allowed six hits of which two were home runs. (Coby Mayo’s seventh, hit in the 2nd inning. Early walked only one batter and struck out six. He threw 96 pitches and 64 were strikes. Two were mistakes.

Baltimore and Boston continue their three-game series Wednesday night when Chris Bassitt (4-3) takes the mound for the Orioles and rookie Payton Tolle (2-2) starts for Boston. Baltimore is three games ahead of the AL East cellar-dwelling Red Sox.

NHL: Stanley Cup Final Preview

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RALEIGH – (Wire Service Preview) – The Vegas Golden Knights know that the bookmakers in their own city have them as the underdogs in the Stanley Cup Final.

All that matters to the Golden Knights is what happens on the ice during the best-of-seven finals that begin Tuesday when they face the Carolina Hurricanes in Carolina.

“I honestly don’t really think I care or it matters to us,” Vegas defenseman Shea Theodore said on Monday. “We have belief in our room from the first game of playoffs up until now. Whatever is said is said. At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter who picks who. The better team ends up winning.”

The Golden Knights, who are riding a six-game winning streak, and the Hurricanes, who are looking to become the first NHL team to go 16-1 in the postseason, are both chasing a second Cup title in franchise history.

Carolina — the former Hartford Whalers franchise which became the Hurricanes for the 1997-98 season — for the won its only Cup in 2006 and had not reached the finals since. Vegas, which won in 2023, is in the finals for the third time in its nine-year history.

Thirteen players on this season’s Vegas roster played on that 2022-23 team.

“You can draw from your experience, knowing what to expect, having done it before and knowing what this is gonna look like,” said forward Jack Eichel, a member of that Cup-winning team. “But I think every series and every season has its own story, so we’re trying to write that now.”

Although Carolina’s run is garnering more headlines, the Golden Knights have been just as hot since the final few weeks of the regular season. After John Tortorella was hired in a late-season coaching change, Vegas posted a 7-0-1 mark down the stretch to claim the top spot in the Pacific Division and has marched through its opponents with a 19-4-1 record since he took over.

“He’s a big personality guy,” defenseman Brayden McNabb said. “So it’s very easy to get comfortable right away. He tells you exactly what he wants from you and it’s all black and white.

“He came in and preached the right things and got us playing better and better as a team.”

That said, the Hurricanes are worthy of their favorite status. Carolina reached this point by sweeping its opponents in the first two rounds — the Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Flyers — and then knocking out the Montreal Canadiens in five games in the conference finals, which it concluded with a pair of dominant victories.

The Hurricanes are the first team since the 1976 Montreal Canadiens to win 12 of 13 games to open a playoff run. That Montreal team claimed the Stanley Cup, and the Hurricanes are looking to duplicate the feat.

“We went through so much … now we’re here,” forward Andrei Svechnikov said. “But still the job is not done. This is the biggest stage, we all know that, but now we have one more step.”

Reaching this point was a huge achievement for a Carolina club that reached the Eastern Conference finals for the third time in four years and fourth time in eight seasons, but was becoming known for falling short.

A key to the Hurricanes continuing their success, beyond the club’s stifling defensive play, will be to embrace the situation. After all, hockey history is loaded with clubs that managed to reach a new point but then failed to reload.

“We’ve been knocking on the door for this for a while. To be in this moment now, I think everyone is extremely grateful and super excited,” forward Seth Jarvis said.

“We’re competing for the Stanley Cup with 20 of my best friends. Twenty guys I’ve spent a lot of time with. To be here in this moment with this group of guys, I can’t ask for anything more.”

–Field Level Media

MLB Preview Red Sox vs. O’s

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BOSTON – (Wire Service preview) – Quality at-bats and quality starts are what it’s all about in baseball.

The Boston Red Sox hope that both trends can continue as they return home to host the Baltimore Orioles for the first time this season, opening a three-game series with their American League East rival on Tuesday night.

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After Boston rode a six-run seventh inning to a series-clinching 9-4 win at the Cleveland Guardians on Sunday, rookie Connelly Early (5-2, 2.95 ERA) will take the ball looking to deliver another quality start. The 24-year-old left-hander has worked at least six innings in five of his last eight outings.

Sunday’s win saw Boston log 12 hits — including at least one from all nine starting batters — with Masataka Yoshida highlighting the big inning with a go-ahead two-run single.

“You got to tie the game before you can take the lead, so those were really quality at-bats,” interim Red Sox manager Chad Tracy said. “We keep stacking on after that to get into a comfortable lead.”

Tracy’s lineup also has Isiah Kiner-Falefa riding a seven-game hit streak, while Caleb Durbin tripled as part of his second consecutive multi-RBI effort.

While left-hander Garrett Crochet deals with left lat tightness in a setback of his return from shoulder inflammation, the Red Sox hope that Early can continue the team’s recent momentum. He pitched seven scoreless, four-hit innings with seven strikeouts en route to his win over the Atlanta Braves last time out on Wednesday.

“After what he did last year for us in the playoffs, I feel like he had to grow up pretty quick,” outfielder Jarren Duran said of Early. “Some of us forget he’s a rookie and he’s doing the things that he’s doing.”

Early faced the Orioles for the first time in his career on April 26, recording the win and allowing just a pair of solo home runs on four hits through 6 2/3 innings.

The Red Sox are just 9-19 at home. Early’s performance came in the only win of Boston’s last homestand — a 1-5 stretch against the Minnesota Twins and Braves.

Though the Orioles sit just ahead of the Red Sox at the bottom of the division standings, they’ve put together one of their most consistent runs of the season.

A 9-5 Sunday win against the Toronto Blue Jays was Baltimore’s seventh on a season-high 10-game homestand it entered having lost five of six. Colton Cowser hit a three-run homer and drove in four to lead the support of Kyle Bradish, who allowed just one unearned run over seven innings.

“I’m not going to say the team needed it, but I think it’s one of those things that is encouraging and keeps morale up, keeps confidence up, and hopefully (we’ll) continue to build momentum,” said Cowser.

Manager Craig Albernaz agrees.

“We were playing the baseball that we’re capable of,” he said. “Just all the work that these guys have been putting in relentlessly every day, we’re starting to see the rewards now, and against some really good teams. It’s been fun to watch.”

Confidence has gone a long way on the mound as well. Shane Baz (2-5, 4.48) has been a part of it, putting together back-to-back solid starts ahead of taking the mound at Fenway Park.

Baz notched a season-high nine strikeouts across seven innings of one-run ball against the Tampa Bay Rays last Tuesday. It was his third straight start working at least six frames and his second straight allowing just one run.

The right-hander, who has spent his entire five-season career in the AL East with the Tampa Bay Rays and Orioles, is 3-1 with a 2.64 ERA in five career starts against the Red Sox.

–Field Level Media

Red Sox Take Series vs. Guardians

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CLEVELAND – (Wire Service Report) – A six-run seventh inning propelled the visiting Boston Red Sox to a 9-4 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Sunday in the rubber game of a three-game series. Boston trailed 4-3 entering the seventh and scored all six runs with two outs. The inning included a two-run single by left fielder Masataka Yoshida, who had misplayed a fly ball in the fifth that allowed Cleveland to score the game-tying run.

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Jarren Duran hit his 10th home run of the season for the Red Sox. It extended his hitting streak to eight games. Every player in Boston’s lineup had at least one hit in the victory.

Chase DeLauter and David Fry each collected three hits for the Guardians.

The Red Sox lineup didn’t include Willson Contreras or Ceddanne Rafaela. Contreras, who is dealing with a lingering hand/wrist issue, entered in the ninth inning as a defensive replacement. Rafaela was a late scratch with lower back tightness.

Jovani Moran (2-1) earned the win for pitching 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief after Ranger Suarez tossed 10 strikeouts but allowed all four of Cleveland’s runs over the first five frames.

Colin Holderman (3-1) took the loss. He recorded one out and allowed two of Boston’s six runs in the seventh.

After Duran led off the game with a home run, Cleveland took a 2-1 lead in the second when Austin Hedges drove in Fry and Rhys Hoskins with a two-run single.

Boston regained the lead by scoring twice in the fifth. Mickey Gasper’s sacrifice fly drove in Marcelo Mayer, and Connor Wong scored on Wilyer Abreu’s single to put the Red Sox up 3-2.

Cleveland tied the game when Yoshida didn’t see a Jose Ramirez fly ball that dropped in for a double and allowed Brayan Rocchio to score. DeLauter followed with a single that drove in Ramirez to give the Guardians a 4-3 lead.

It was 4-4 after Cleveland reliever Tim Herrin walked Abreu with the bases loaded in the seventh. After Yoshida’s two-run single extended Boston’s lead to 6-4, Isiah Kiner-Falefa came up with a run-scoring single that drove in Abreu, and Caleb Durbin tripled to score Yoshida and Kiner-Falefa to make it 9-4.

Guardians starter Tanner Bibee went six innings and struck out five while scattering three runs and six hits.

–Field Level Media

PGA Tour: Henley Birdies ‘Em All

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FT. WORTH – (Wire Service Report) – Russell Henley did some of his most difficult work during Sunday’s final round of the Charles Schwab Challenge to get into a playoff. Yet he still had to put aside his nerves to finish the task. Henley birdied the first playoff hole with a putt from inside 5 feet to defeat Eric Cole and complete a comeback victory in Texas.

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“This is why I practice hard … to come back to the playoff and do that, I’m still just kind of shaking,” Henley said. “That was as nervous as I’ve been over a putt in my whole life.”

Henley shot 3-under-par 67 with birdies on the final three holes before beating Cole in the playoff. They were tied at 12-under 268.

Cole, who shot 70 in the fourth round, failed to convert a 13-foot putt for birdie before Henley sank the winning putt when the duo replayed the par-4 No. 18 at Colonial Country Club.

“The putt was good, I hit it pretty much where I was aiming, I just kind of misread it,” Cole said. “I thought it might start breaking left a little earlier.”

Henley, now a six-time winner on the PGA Tour, won for the first time since the 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational.

“I think the longer you play this game, the more you want, you want more success and I feel like I’ve just worked harder and harder and I feel like I’ve been a little off just mentally this year, really,” Henley said. “Just feel like I just fought really hard through the end, so it just felt really good to see an awesome result.”

Henley’s round began with an eagle on the par-5 first hole and a birdie on the next hole followed by three consecutive bogeys. He played Nos. 3-9 in 4 over before recovering. His tying birdie putt on No. 18 was from about 16 1/2 feet.

He recalled “feeling a little jittery” on the front side. Then that changed.

“I just kind of calmed down a little bit and started to hit some good shots, and felt like I was hitting good putts most of the day and they just went in at the end,” he said.

Cole, the third-round leader, was bidding for his first victory on the PGA Tour. He had birdies on the first two holes but didn’t maintain the momentum and was hurt by a double bogey at No. 9.

“I was proud with the way I played,” Cole said. “I think I played solid for the most part. I drove the ball pretty well. I just needed to shave a shot somewhere.”

Defending champion Ben Griffin (65), Mac Meissner (69) and Alex Smalley (68) shared third place at 11 under.

Meissner, playing in the last pairing with Cole, needed a birdie on No. 18 to join the playoff. Instead, his second shot ended up in a bunker and he scrambled for par.

Griffin moved into second place by the midway mark of the round, catapulted by playing the front nine in 5 under. He was even par the rest of the way. Griffin’s 65 matched Steven Fisk for the best round of the day.

“I felt like I was going to make a nice run when I woke up this morning,” Griffin said. “My game was trending in the right direction. It’s a course I have experience on and I kind of know what you have to do on Sunday here.”

He nearly rolled in a 50-foot birdie putt on the last hole.

J.J. Spaun (70), Gary Woodland (67), Michael Brennan (68) and Colombia’s Nico Echavarria (68) all tied for sixth place at 10 under.

Brennan pulled into a share of the lead by mid-afternoon, but across his final seven holes, he had three bogeys and two birdies.

Woodland was happy to move into contention.

“I’m excited about where the game is at,” Woodland said. “I definitely didn’t get the most out of it this week, I played a lot better than what I scored, but happy with where it’s at.”

England’s Jordan Smith, who led at the tournament’s midway mark, finished at 8 under and tied for 13th place after a final-round 68.

–Field Level Media