Digital Sports Desk

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TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | June 15

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By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – As the 2025 NBA Finals and NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs come towards a close, and both series going six, maybe, seven games, Major League Baseball grinds on through the dog days of June. By the 4th of July, it will be “Baseball Season,” but, now, the winter sports are holding on to the interest of sports fans and to loyal, yet dwindling, worldwide television audiences.

 

For both the NBA Finals and Stanley Cup Final, pundits are criticizing the rise of the small market teams. In the NBA, Oklahoma City (Thunder, the No. 47 TV market) and Indiana (Pacers, the No. 25 TV market) are playing some of the best basketball seen in years, yet talking heads are harping on the size of each city.

In the NHL Cup Final, small market (Sunrise, Florida) representing Miami and South Florida as a whole (the No. 18 TV market in the USA), now 2-2 (going into Saturday night’s Game 5) vs. Edmonton (1.6m people in market, no Nielsen TV ratings info).

Here’s a look at the tremendous NHL Stanley Cup promo from TNT:

To help promote the Finals (NBA)/Final (NHL), each league and its broadcasters created/aired terrific promo teases, with the NHL’s shining brightly.

The NBA went with a solid campaign, underlined by Nat King Cole’s incomparable song, “Unforgettable.” The :30 second spot airs during NBA programming but also popped up elsewhere to promote tune-in to the Indiana vs OKC series, and other playoff matchups earlier this spring.

The concept took a storyline created by Goodby-Berlin during the “I Love This Game” campaign, weaving in everyday acts and tasks by the everyday fan into the glorious highlights of NBA action in the playoffs.

The All-Time Greatest Sports Tease

Teasing John Malkovich by CBS Sports

The NBA promos struck a chord of an NFL pre-game tease from years ago, one I’ve highlighted in this space before, for sure.

This aired prior to the 2018 AFC Championship game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and New England Patriots won by the Tom Brady-led Patriots, 24-20.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: This coming week is one of WWYI’s favorite weeks of the year. It’s PGA TOUR comes to New England week with the Thursday morning tee-off at the TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut. Digital Sports Desk (and PGA Tour Brunch) will be on site to cover the tournament.

The Travelers Championship is a TOUR Signature Event and will feature a very strong field, including Scottie Scheffler, the No. 1-ranked player in the world and the tournament’s defending champion. This year’s event will be held June 16-22. In addition to Scheffler, every player in the Top 15 of the current Official World Golf Ranking is eligible to play – and 45 of the Top 50 ranked players – has committed to compete. That includes Rory McIlroy (No. 2), who completed the career Grand Slam by winning the Masters this year and also won THE PLAYERS Championship; Xander Schauffele (No. 3), the 2022 Travelers Championship winner and the reigning Open Championship winner; Collin Morikawa (No. 4); Justin Thomas (No. 5); Ludvig Åberg (No. 6); Russell Henley (No. 7); Sepp Straka (No. 8); and Hideki Matsuyama (No. 9).

“This is an incredible field of world-class PGA TOUR players coming to Connecticut this week, and the competition is going to be something golf fans won’t want to miss,” said Andy Bessette, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer at Travelers. “Thanks to the dedication and hard work of countless people and the support from the best fans on TOUR, the Travelers Championship has become a premier week in golf that continues to have a significant impact on numerous worthy charities throughout the region. We’re looking forward to another great tournament.”

TIDBITS & NUGGETS: The NBA and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) today announced the Top 30 boys and 30 girls who will participate in the 15th edition of Basketball Without Borders / Asia, which will be held at the Singapore Basketball Centre in Singapore from Thursday, June 19 – Sunday, June 22. … USA Basketball announced the 2025 USA Men’s and Women’s 3×3 National Teams scheduled to compete at the 2025 FIBA 3×3 World Cup June 23-29 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The 2025 USA 3×3 Men’s National Team features Henry Caruso, Mitch Hahn, James Parrott and Dylan Travis, while the 2025 USA 3×3 Women’s National Team includes Morgan Maly, Sarah Strong, Mikaylah Williams and Sahara Williams. On the men’s side, the veteran quartet won the 2024 FIBA 3×3 Men’s AmeriCup last December. … The National Basketball Association, National Basketball Players Association and 2K, a wholly owned label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. and publisher of the leading global basketball video game NBA 2K series, today announced they have agreed in principle to terms for a new multiyear global partnership expansion. In addition, 2K has also agreed in principle to terms to extend its longstanding relationships with the NBA G League and USA Basketball. The agreements will enable 2K to continue creating the most realistic, authentic and engaging NBA video game experiences. … Boston Bruins forward David Pastrnak was selected to the 2024-25 NHL Second All-Star Team. This is Pastrnak’s second nomination to the NHL Second All-Star Team (2023-24). He previously received First Team honors in 2019-20 and 2022-23. … The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame revealed the matchups for the annual 2025 Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off. The event will take place on Saturday, November 8, at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, and will feature a doubleheader: Providence vs. Virginia Tech and George Washington vs. South Florida.

CWS: Here is your printable bracket for the 2025 College World Series, a double elimination college. baseball tournament ongoing as we type and read: (HERE)

U.S. OPEN and FATHER’S DAY SPECIAL: For WWYI & PGA TOUR Brunch Readers and Subscribers, there’s a new golf training tool that’s making serious strokes on and off the course: XView AI – the first and only markerless app that delivers real-time, full-swing golf analysis using nothing more than your iPhone.

Just like a subscription to PGA TOUR Brunch, it’s the perfect gift for Dads who love their game and their gadgets, as the app is currently being offered in a limited-time promotion through Father’s Day 2025. *Buy 2 months at $49.99 per month for XView AI and get one month free (Offer good now through midnight PT on June 16th).

Enter code: xviewdad25

More Info at: (HERE)

THIS JEST IN: The Houston Chronicle is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Houston Rockets’ back-to-back titles won in 1994-95. During the ‘95 NBA Playoffs, the Rockets faced the toughest road to a title – maybe of all-time.

Let former Chronicle columnist Fran Blinebury explain: (Click Here for his column)

Devers Shipped Out of Boston

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BOSTON –  (Staff Report from Official News Release and Wire Service Contributions) – Nomar Garciaparra – GONE. Manny Ramirez – GONE. Johnny Damon – GONE. Adrián González – GONE. Jacoby Ellsbury – GONE. Dustin Pedroia – RETIRED. David Ortiz – RETIRED. Mookie Betts – GONE. Chris Sale – GONE and Xander Bogaerts – GONE.

Rafael Devers – GONE.

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The Boston Red Sox traded third baseman/designated hitter Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants, in exchange for left-handed pitcher Kyle Harrison, right-handed pitcher Jordan Hicks, minor league outfielder James Tibbs III, and minor league right-handed pitcher Jose Bello. Harrison was optioned to Triple-A Worcester.

Devers will trade the Green Monster for McCovey Cove.

The Red Sox confirmed the trade with an 8:46pm news release sent to Boston-area media after trade rumors ran rampant as the weekend series against the New York Yankees ended Sunday with the Sox sweeping the rivals. To make room on the 40-man roster, the club designated left-handed pitcher Zach Penrod for assignment.

Devers, 28, was signed by Boston as an international free agent at 16 years old on August 9, 2013. In 1,047 Major League games, the Dominican Republic native has hit .279 (1,136-for-4,074) with an .859 OPS, 273 doubles, 215 home runs, and 696 RBI. A three-time All-Star (2021-22, 2023), and two-time Silver Slugger Award winner (2021, 2023), he finished in the top 15 in American League Most Valuable Player voting four times (2019, 2021-22, 2024). The left-handed hitter has started each of the Red Sox’ 73 games this season as the designated hitter, batting .272 (74-for-272) with 18 doubles, 15 home runs, 58 RBI, and 56 walks.

Harrison, 23, has pitched in eight games (four starts) this season, recording a 4.56 ERA (12 ER/23.2 IP) with 25 strikeouts. Selected by San Francisco in the third round of the 2020 First-Year Player Draft, the left-hander entered 2024 ranked by MLB.com as the Giants’ No. 1 prospect and baseball’s No. 23 overall prospect. The California native made his Major League debut in 2023, making seven starts, before making 24 starts with a 4.56 ERA (63 ER/124.1 IP) in 2024. He owns a 4.48 ERA (91 ER/182.2 IP) with 178 strikeouts in 39 career Major League games (35 starts), along with a 3.33 ERA (113 ER/305.1 IP) in 75 career minor league games (all starts).

Hicks, 28, has recorded a 6.47 ERA (35 ER/48.2 IP) with 43 strikeouts in 13 games (nine starts) for San Francisco this season. The right-hander was placed on the 15-Day Injured List on June 3 (retroactive to June 2) with right great toe inflammation. Originally selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the third round of the 2015 First-Year Player Draft, the Texas native has posted a 4.23 ERA (189 ER/401.2 IP) with 54 holds, 33 saves, a .234 opponent batting average, and 394 strikeouts in 254 career Major League games (37 starts) with the Cardinals (2018-23), Toronto Blue Jays (2023), and Giants (2024-25).

Tibbs III, 22, is ranked among the Giants’ top five prospects by both Baseball America (No. 3) and MLB.com (No. 4). The left-handed hitter has played in 56 games this season for High-A Eugene, batting .245 (50-for-204) with 41 runs scored, 10 doubles, one triple, 12 home runs, 41 RBI, and an .857 OPS while making 46 starts in right field and eight as the designated hitter. Selected by San Francisco in the first round (No. 13 overall) of the 2024 First-Year Player Draft, the Georgia native has batted .244 (76-for-312) with 55 runs scored, 14 home runs, and 28 RBI in 82 career minor league games.

Bello, 20, has pitched in eight games for the Arizona Complex League Giants this season, going 1-0 with one hold, two saves, a 2.00 ERA (4 ER/18.0 IP), a 0.72 WHIP, and 14.00 strikeouts per 9.0 innings (28 strikeouts). Signed as an international free agent by the Giants in January 2023, the Dominican Republic native has posted a 2.97 ERA (26 ER/78.2 IP) with 105 strikeouts and just 18 walks over 25 career appearances (15 starts) in the Dominican Summer League (2023-24) and Arizona Complex League (2024-25).

Penrod, 27, owns a 4.91 ERA (4 ER/7.1 IP) in seven games (three starts) this season with the Florida Complex League Red Sox (one start) and Triple-A Worcester (six games, two starts). Signed by Boston as a minor league free agent in August 2023, the Idaho native has posted a 2.25 ERA (1 ER/4.0 IP) in seven career Major League games, all with the Red Sox in 2024.

A Father’s Day “Save” for Whitlock

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By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – (Wire Services Contributed to this Story) – For the first time in his career of facing the New York Yankees, Garrett Whitlock found out what pressure is all about. Although he sported a 2.12 ERA vs. the vaunted Yankees over his five years in the majors, the Boston reliever faced more pressure today than he ever knew he would see.

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Whitlock was on the mound at Fenway Park with a 2-0 lead on Father’s Day. He now has a 15-month old son to provide for and closing out a game against the Yankees and gaining a sweep for his Boston team might establish his role with the Sox and even help pay some bills down the road.

After successfully putting out a brush fire in the 8th inning by coercing New York slugger Aaron Judge to ground into an inning ending double play, Whitlock took the mound for the 9th.

A ground out to Yankees OF Cody Bellinger provided the first out, and then the 36,475 fans (sans, maybe 3,000 NY fans) stood to support the new Dad. A strike-out of Jazz Chisholm added to the drama.

Then, the “baby got new shoes” when Whitlock struck-out NY shortstop Anthony Volpe to secure the Boston win and send the Fenway faithful home with the Sox’ fifth straight victory, their seventh of the last eight, eighth of the last nine and their 10th of the last 15 games played.

Boston is now (37-36) on the season and trail the first first place Yankees by 6.5 games after the three-game sweep.

When Boston walked into Yankee Stadium on June 6, they trailed the New Yorkers by 9.5 games. The 9-6 loss in the Bronx made it 10.5 back. But, since then, Boston has won five in a row against NY and they’ve climbed back into an American League East race that is likely to go down to the last days of September.

The Red Sox scored early on this grand Father’s Day in Boston. In a game played under bright, semi-overcast skies and in a lovely 64 degrees, three mph breeze, Boston 1B Romy Gonzalez tripled in the home half of the 1st inning, and SS Trevor Story knocked him in with a base hit.

That one run would prove to be enough, but Boston tacked up another in the 5th inning when DH Rafael Devers clocked an opposite field home run into the front row of the Green Monster seats in left field. A video review proved the two umpires who made the call correct and the scoring for the day was complete.

Red Sox starting pitcher Brayan Bello threw a career-high 114 pitches over seven innings to secure the victory, his third of the season. Bello allowed only three hits, three walked batters while striking out eight Yankees.

A rather shakey 0.1 inning of relief by Red Sox reliever Brennan Bernardino provided the Yanks with two baserunners after singles by pinch hitter Paul Goldschmidt and centerfielder Trent Grisham were cause of Sox manager Alex Cora to pull the plug and insert the young father.

Whitlock did his job and the Red Sox won, 2-0.

Boston will not rest easy this evening, as the club departs today for a nine game road trip, starting tomorrow (Monday) night in Seattle. The three games in the Queen City are to be followed by three in San Francisco and three more in Los Angeles, against the American League Angels.

It’s Marchand’s Cup to Win

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EDMONTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Florida’s Brad Marchand scored twice for the Panthers, who moved a win away from repeating as Stanley Cup champions with a 5-2 win in Game 5 against the host Edmonton Oilers on Saturday.

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Eetu Luostarinen had a goal and an assist, and Sergei Bobrovsky made 19 saves for the Panthers, who can clinch the trophy at home in Florida on Tuesday night.

Connor McDavid and Corey Perry scored for the Oilers. Calvin Pickard made 14 saves.

Marchand gave Florida a 1-0 lead at 9:12 of the first period. He got to a loose puck off a center-ice face-off, went around Mattias Ekholm inside the Edmonton zone and skated to the left hash mark before roofing a snapshot.

Bennett made it 2-0 at 18:06 when he collected the rebound of a Matthew Tkachuk shot that was blocked and fired it quickly past Pickard.

The Oilers had their chances to cut the deficit in the second period with a pair of power plays early in the frame but couldn’t convert.

Marchand extended it to 3-0 at 5:12 of the third period. The veteran retrieved a pass from Luostarinen in the neutral zone, carried it inside the Oilers’ zone, and jumped around defenseman Jake Walman above the left circle before sliding it five-hole on Pickard.

McDavid’s first of the series cut it to 3-1 at 7:24. He took a feed from Evan Bouchard in the left circle and brought it down to the crease, slipping it by Bobrovsky’s right skate to bring life to the crowd.

But Reinhart quieted the crowd when he responded for Florida 46 seconds later. Aleksander Barkov collected the puck behind the net and sent a backhand feed to Reinhart, who snapped it from the left circle through two Edmonton defensemen and past Pickard to make it 4-1 at 8:10.

With Pickard pulled for the extra attacker, Perry narrowed it to 4-2 when he fired a blast from the blue line through traffic at 16:47.

Luostarinen scored an empty-net goal at 18:41 for the 5-2 final.

–Field Level Media

Filed Under: NHL

The Sox Are Surging

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The host Boston Red Sox have an opportunity this afternoon to sweep the New York Yankees for the first time in a three-game series since August 2023. In the making of that task, the Red Sox have a four game win streak, have won six of their last seven games, seven of nine games, and nine of their last 14.

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After beating New York 4-3 on Saturday, the Red Sox have defeated the Yankees four straight times. The Red Sox have won seven of their past nine games overall to get back to .500, the first time since a win against Baltimore on May 24 put Boston at 27-27.

Former Yankees catcher gone from the Bronx, Carlos Narvaez, has done damage for Boston in the first two games of the series. He singled in the winning run in the 10th inning Friday.

On Saturday, he doubled and singled off starter Carlos Rodon, walked and scored a run. He also squashed a Yankees threat in the seventh when he threw out Jasson Dominguez at third base after he’d been picked off and was headed to third.

“This is big time, these games against the Yankees,” Narvaez said Saturday. “They are my former team, but I am just trying to do my job. (Carlos) Rodon is a great pitcher, and he is having a great year, so I just tried to put the ball in play.”

In the veteran’s five games against the Yankees, he is 8-for-21 (.381) with one home run and seven RBIs. That includes 2-for-4 with two doubles, a run and an RBI on Saturday.

“It’s a step in the right direction,” Story said of Boston moving back to .500. “We kind of dug ourselves a little hole early on. This is a point that we have to get to to get to where we want to be. So yeah, we feel good right now, looking to ride this momentum and keep pitching well and keeping hitting well, and we can win a lot of games that way.”

The Red Sox also have caught Yankees star Aaron Judge in a bit of a lull. His solo home run on Friday is his only hit of the series, and he’s 1-for-8 with six strikeouts.

The Yankees will send Max Fried (9-1, 1.84 ERA) to the mound Sunday. The former Atlanta Braves left-hander, who signed an eight-year, $218 million contract with the Yankees in the offseason, has struck out 81 and walked only 18 in 88 innings over 14 starts. He has allowed six home runs.

Fried has allowed two runs or less in all but one of his starts this season, but he gives the Yankees’ offense a lot of credit for his hot start.

“We have an extremely explosive offense, and when they put up 10 runs, it makes my job easier,” Fried said Tuesday after a 10-2 win over the Kansas City Royals in most recent start. “You just go a little bit more on the attack, you don’t want to give them free passes, and you try to avoid the big inning.”

Fried is 2-0 lifetime against the Red Sox with a 3.00 ERA. He has not faced Boston this season.

Boston will counter with Brayan Bello (2-1, 3.96), who lacks Fried’s strong strikeout-to-walk ratio. The Red Sox right-hander has struck out 37 and walked 25 in 52 1/3 innings in 10 starts.

Bello is 3-3 in eight career starts against the Yankees with a 2.54 ERA. He has not faced them this season.

–Field Level Media

Sox: Narvaez Strokes Walk-Off SIngle

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By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – From the start of the 2025 Major League Baseball season on March 27 until last week (June 6-8) in the Bronx, it took the MLB schedule-makers two months-plus to pit the New York Yankees against their longtime and bitter rivals in the Boston Red Sox. The Sox got the best of that series, dropping the opener but winning the final two games by outscoring the Yankees by a touchdown, 21-14. This weekend, Father’s Day Weekend, they’re doing it again.
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Boston defeated New York, 2-1, in 10 innings. The victory came on a Carlos Narvaez knock off the famed Green Monster, scoring the elusive MLB phantom runner (David Hamilton) in an exciting, yet low-scoring game.

On a gorgeous (65-degree, 5 mph wind), not a cloud in the sky night at Fenway Park, the Red Sox opened the series with ace Garrett Crochet on the mound. Crochet, the No. 5 MLB leader in innings pitched, pitched a strong first four frames, allowing only one hit and a walk. He struck Yankees slugger and American League triple crown threat Aaron Judge out twice.
The game, as a whole, produced only four hits over the first four innings, with Yankees SS Anthony Volpe collecting the only hit off Crochet.
The Red Sox squeezed out a lone run in the second inning when SS Trevor Story singled to center field, then stole second base. Boston centerfielder Ceddanne Rafaela singled off New York starter Ryan Yarbrough. When Yarbrough walked rookie second baseman Kristian Campbell in the Red Sox half of the fifth inning, then allowed a base hit to Boston left fielder Rob Refsnyder, New York manager Aaron Boone lifting his left-handed starter and replaced him with right-handed reliever Jonathan Loaisiga who proceeded to strike out both Sox slugger Rafael Devers and No. 3 hitter in first baseman Romy Gonzalez.
Yarbrough threw 4.2 innings, allowing four hits and one earned run. He walked three and struck out three Boston batters while throwing 78 pitches (45 for strikes).
Meanwhile, Crochet steamed-rolled through the Yankees batting order through eight  innings, allowing only another hit to Volpe who was doubled-up when NYY left fielder Jasson Dominguez hit a hot grounder to Campbell who flipped to SS Trevor Story for a timely double play in the seventh, then retired the side in order in the eighth.
After loading the bases in the bottom of the eighth Yankees reliever Fernando Cruz worked Story into a long fly ball out to left field, sending the game into the ninth.
With his closer warmed up, Boston manager Alex Coro decided to leave Crochet in the game to attempt a complete game shut-out. Crochet retired No. 2 hitter Ben Rice, then faced Judge.
Crochet fired pitches of 98, 99 and 100 mph and forced a 3-2 count against the Yankees slugger, only to throw a 3-2 fastball that Judge clobbered, clear over the Green Monster in left field. The 98 mph pitch landed some 443 feet away to tie the game, 1-1. It was Judge’s 26th homer of the season and it tied him for the Major League lead for HRs with Seattle catcher Cal Raleigh.
Arnoldis Chapman came in to relieve Crochet who threw a career high 8.1 innings, allowing four hits, one earned run – the homer – while walking one batter and striking out seven. Crochet threw 107 pitches, with 72 for strikes.
The game went into extra innings and Volpe became the phantom runner at second base to start the inning. Volpe attempted to steal third base but was thrown out by Boston catcher Carlos Narvaez (with the play requiring a look at instant replay).  After another controversial replay call (on an instant replay ruled a foul ball), the Red Sox retired NY second baseman DJ LeMahieu to send the game to the bottom of the 10th.
Pinch-hitter David Hamilton was placed on second base and Jarren Duran moved him to third on a ground ball to LeMahieu. Play slowed to a crawl, as the Yankees held a team meeting on the mound to discuss strategy with relieve Tim Hill on the hill.
Boston slugger Rafael Devers was intentionally walked to create a force play option and potential double play, and Mayer stepped up to the plate with an opportunity to win the game with a deep fly ball. Mayer struck out.
That sent former Yankee catcher Narvaez to the plate with two out and runners at first and third. Devers strolled to second base on a defensive indifference play and Hill focused on Narvaez.
The catcher stroked a a 2-1 four-seam fastball and it bounced off the Green Monster in left-center field to score Hamilton and secure a 2-1 walk-off victory.
The winning pitcher was Garrett Whitlock (5-0) and the loser was Tim Hill (3-2). The game was played in front of a sell-out crowd of 36,622 fans.

NBA Finals: OKC Thunder Will Attack

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INDIANAPOLIS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Physical and fast was the Pacers’ defensive approach in Game 3 of the NBA Finals, and more of the same is coming until MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander proves he and the Thunder can handle it.

“You got to suck it up. There’s a maximum four games left in the season,” Gilgeous-Alexander said Thursday of the hands-on defense from Indiana in Game 3. “It’s what you worked the whole season for. It’s what you worked all summer for. To me, the way I see it, you got to suck it up, get it done and try to get a win.”

Game 4 on Friday is vital to Oklahoma City after falling behind 2-1 in the best-of-seven NBA Finals. Indiana appeared to be the better conditioned team on Wednesday night, closing out Game 3 with a finishing kick and riding the adrenaline of a locked-in home crowd. Pacers’ coach Rick Carlisle gave additional credit to Andrew Nembhard, Ben Sheppard and Aaron Nesmith for their collective defensive effort and the role it played in limiting Gilgeous-Alexander’s contributions.

“I wouldn’t say it surprised me,” Thunder forward Chet Holmgren said of the Pacers’ stamina in Game 3. “That’s kind of been I guess you could say their identity leading up to this series. It’s what’s showed up in the games up to this point. We have to figure out a way to counteract that and kind of change that and swing it in our favor because it’s not a winning formula to not be better than the other team in the fourth quarter.”

Gilgeous-Alexander had only four free throw attempts in the second half of Game 3 and appeared to wear down late in the game. He only took three shots in the final 12 minutes.

“We were a little out of character in a lot of ways yesterday,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “I think that happens in a playoff series. Four games, five games, six games, seven games is a long time. You’re going to get a range of games and experiences in that. We have to get it course corrected pretty quickly if we want to give ourselves a better chance in Game 4.”

– Field Level Media

Filed Under: NBA

Old “Mo” for Ed-Mo-n-ton

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SUNRISE – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Edmonton Oilers could have returned home a loss away from falling to the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final for a second straight year.

Instead, they have a chance to put themselves one win away from a championship when they host the Panthers for Game 5 on Saturday.

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It didn’t look like they would be in this position after Florida staked a 3-0 lead in the first period of Game 4 on Thursday. But the Oilers rallied to take a 4-3 advantage and, after the Panthers tied it in the dying seconds, Leon Draisaitl clinched it in overtime to give the visitors the 5-4 win.

The best-of-seven series is tied 2-2.

“I mean, everybody knows what the crowd’s going to be like, Saturday night in Alberta, it’s going to be exciting,” veteran Edmonton winger Corey Perry said. “But I think I’ve talked about this a lot: We’re mature and I think after that first period last night it showed we’re a mature hockey team. I don’t expect anything else.”

The 40-year-old helped spark the Oilers with some words of wisdom after the first period. He’s also been delivering on the ice with nine goals in the playoffs, second only to Draisaitl. Perry, who is playing in the Stanley Cup Final for the fifth time in the past six seasons, has 140 points (63 goals, 77 assists) in 235 career playoff games.

“He’s been so valuable for us,” Edmonton defenseman Mattias Ekholm said of Perry. “He’s a leader and he knows exactly when to step in there. He doesn’t do it all the time but when he does, it’s always great and gets everybody’s attention.

“I mean, it was good from him last night again, both on the ice and in the locker room. It’s what we expect out of him. He’s getting up there, but he’s still got it.”

The Panthers, meanwhile, are turning the page after the loss. They’ve been here before: Last year, Edmonton erased Florida’s 3-0 series lead to ultimately force a Game 7.

“We’re calm and confident,” Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling said. “If we play our game, we know we’re going to win most games. … The good thing is, we have a game tomorrow, so we’re ready to bounce right back. We’re very excited to get back.”

It’s been an incredibly tight series thus far, with three of the four games going to overtime. Florida’s power play has helped fuel the defending Cup champions, going 7-for-21 with the man advantage.

It could be the edge the Panthers need to regain the series lead; the Oilers have scored just four times on 20 power-play opportunities.

“A lot of the success in postseason is how you handle your losses,” Florida forward Sam Reinhart said. “They’re going to happen, especially when you get down to the last two teams. You’ve got two of the best teams going at it. So you’ve got to expect to lose at some point. There’s a lot we can learn from and come back strong in Game 5.”

Edmonton has not announced a starting goalie for Game 5. Stuart Skinner was pulled after allowing three goals on 17 shots in the first period in Game 4. He was also pulled early in the third period of the 6-1 loss in Game 3.

–Field Level Media

U.S. Open: Spaun Leads After 18

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OAKMONT, (Pennsylvania) – J.J. Spaun (1st/-4) carded his low 18-hole score in a major with the previous low: (67) coming at the 2018 PGA Championship/R4). Spaun’s previous low in a U.S. Open was (75) at (2021/Torrey Pines/R2).

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Thursday marked Spaun’s first career bogey-free round in a major and he was the lone player in the field without a bogey (or worse).

This is Spaun’s seventh time leading/co-leading after the first round on TOUR but he’s 0-for-6 in such instances.

South Korea’s Sungjae Im (T3) and Si Woo Kim (T3) each opened with 2-under (68) and each look to become the first Korean player since Y.E. Yang(2009 PGA Championship) to win a major.

Two-time U.S. Open champion (2017, 2018) Brooks Koepka (T3) eagled No. 4 on his way to 2-under (68). He looks to become the seventh player to win three U.S. Open titles (Jack Nicklaus/4; Ben Hogan/4; Bobby Jones/4; Willie Anderson/4; Tiger Woods/3; Hale Irwin/3).

Now seeking his third win in seven starts, Ben Griffin (T6) opened with 1-under (69) as he won the Zurich Classic of New Orleans (with partner Andrew Novak) and Charles Schwab Challenge. Griffin finished 2nd in his most recent start (the MemorialTournament presented by Workday).

Making his 96th consecutive major appearance (the longest active streak), Adam Scott (T11) posts even-par 70.

World No. 1 and FedEx Cup leader Scottie Scheffler (T49) shoots 3-over 73; seeks his fourth win in five starts (THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson; PGA Championship; the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday).

125th U.S. Open | Leaderboard After 18 Holes

J.J. Spaun 66 (-4)

2 Thriston Lawrence 67 (-3)

T3 Si Woo Kim 68 (-2)

T3 Brooks Koepka 68 (-2)

T3 Sungjae Im 68 (-2)

Full Leaderboard: (PGATourCom)

Sox Buehler Tosses a Quality Win

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BOSTON – (Wire Service Report) – Boston’s starter Walker Buehler worked a seven-inning quality start and got the support of four solo home runs as the Red Sox defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 in the rubber game of a three-game series on Wednesday.

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Marcelo Mayer homered in each of the first two at-bats, with the 22-year-old rookie becoming the youngest Red Sox player to produce a multi-homer game since Rafael Devers in 2018.

Jarren Duran hit a leadoff home run in the first inning and Abraham Toro socked the eventual game-winning shot in the fifth after Tampa Bay erased a 3-1 deficit.

Toro and Ceddanne Rafaela joined Mayer with multi-hit games for Boston, which has won back-to-back series.

Buehler (5-4) struck out seven while yielding three runs on six hits and one walk. Aroldis Chapman struck out two in a 1-2-3 ninth for his 12th save.

Yandy Diaz (two-run homer), Brandon Lowe and Jake Mangum all had two hits for Tampa Bay.

Tampa Bay right-hander Zack Littell (6-6) allowed all four Boston homers in his six-inning outing. He permitted eight hits, fanned six and didn’t issue a walk.

After Buehler stranded two baserunners to post a first-inning zero, Duran bashed Littell’s first pitch of the game into the right-center-field bullpen give the hosts a quick 1-0 lead.

The Rays quickly responded as back-to-back singles by Mangum and Matt Thaiss set the table for a game-tying run in the second. Lowe knocked in Mangum on a fielder’s-choice grounder to shortstop.

Mayer singlehandedly put the Red Sox back in front and provided insurance with his solo shots. His first homer led off the second inning, landing deep in the right field corner.

Mayer went deep again with one out in the fourth, sending another homer to a similar location in right.

Two-out offense drew Tampa Bay even in the fifth. After Lowe chopped an infield single on an open left side, Diaz deposited a two-run homer into the first rows of the right field seats.

After Littell recorded three straight outs by strikeout in the fourth and fifth, Toro cranked a homer out to straightaway center for a 4-3 edge.

Buehler retired seven straight to finish his outing before Justin Wilson and Greg Weissert combined to get out of an eighth-inning jam, preserving the one-run Boston lead. A walk to Junior Caminero and a Mangum single off Weissert loaded the bases, but Thaiss fanned to end the threat.

–Field Level Media