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Cricketâ€s latest format aims to revolutionize the game

A fusion of Test cricketâ€s strategy and T20â€s pace, the new Test Twenty format promises 80 overs of action and a new pathway for young global talent.Cricket has seen a steady evolution — from traditional five-day Tests to the fast-paced…
Cricketâ€s latest format aims to revolutionize the game
A fusion of Test cricketâ€s strategy and T20â€s pace, the new Test Twenty format promises 80 overs of action and a new pathway for young global talent.Cricket has seen a steady evolution — from traditional five-day Tests to the fast-paced T20s, The Hundred, and T10. Now, the sport welcomes a new entrant: Test Twenty, officially unveiled on Thursday.Blending the patience of Test cricket with the excitement of limited-overs play, Test Twenty keeps both traditional and modern audiences in mind. Each match features 80 overs in a single day, divided into four innings, with each team batting twice, mirroring the structure of a conventional Test match.According to the organizers, “Each team bats twice, reviving the art of building an innings while keeping the format short, dynamic, and broadcast-friendly.â€Matches can end in a win, loss, tie, or draw, maintaining the spirit of longer formats within a compact framework.Aimed at discovering future starsThe innovation comes from The Fourth Format, the organization leading the initiative. Their goal is more than entertainment — they aim to build a global cricketing ecosystem that identifies and nurtures young talent between 13 and 19 years of age.To achieve this, the project incorporates cutting-edge technology such as AI-driven scouting systems and motion sensors in bats and balls to collect performance data and enhance player development.Gaurav Bahirvani, CEO of The Fourth Format and Executive Chairman of the One One Six Network, explained, “Weâ€re not just creating another cricket tournament; weâ€re building a global ecosystem to discover and develop future cricketing talent. Think of this as the NCAA equivalent for world cricket.â€He added that the projectâ€s long-term goal is to provide equal opportunities regardless of gender, background, or geography.From season two, the movement expands further to include women cricketers, ensuring inclusivity and equality at the heart of cricket's next era.Legends back the visionSeveral cricketing greats have voiced their support for the Test Twenty initiative, including Sir Clive Lloyd, AB de Villiers, Matthew Hayden, and Harbhajan Singh, who participated in the virtual launch event.AB de Villiers praised the balance between creativity and discipline that the new format brings, “Test Twenty gives players the freedom to express themselves while also teaching them how to survive across two innings — the best of both worlds.â€Matthew Hayden, one of the driving forces behind the project, highlighted its developmental value, “The youth are the future. This format tests both mental and physical endurance while keeping the excitement alive. Itâ€s a modern approach to identifying and grooming talent.â€Building bridges with cricket boardsWhile Test Twenty introduces a fresh concept, its creators emphasize collaboration, not competition, with existing cricket boards.Bahirvani and Hayden underlined that their goal is to support and enhance grassroots cricket through data-driven methods and partnerships.Hayden remarked, “In Australia, we once had a national academy that produced world-class cricketers. A system like Test Twenty can fill that gap by identifying young talent through a structured, technology-based approach.â€Bahirvani added, “Everyone deserves more than two chances. Test Twenty is about giving every young cricketer a fair opportunity to grow. We are happy to share technology and scouting tools with organizations like the BCCI and county boards in the UK.â€When and where will Test Twenty begin?The inaugural edition of the Junior Test Twenty Championship (JTTC) is scheduled to begin in January 2026, with India hosting the first tournaments.The competition will feature six franchises — three based in India and three representing Dubai, London, and a U.S. city.Each franchise will field a 16-player squad, consisting of eight Indian and eight international players, creating a 96-player draft pool. An additional 204 players will form a Wildcard Pool for mid-season selections.The champions of the first edition will be crowned Junior Test Twenty Champions, receiving a symbolic crown representing cricketâ€s future generation.Rules and format Test Twenty introduces a series of refined rules to enhance strategy and excitement:Powerplay: One per match (4 overs), tactical decision-making required.Follow-On: Enforced if the second batting team trails by 75+ runs after first innings.Early Collapse Clause: Extra overs added to opponent if a team is bowled out within 10 overs.Bowling Allocation: Max five bowlers, 8 overs each, distributed across innings strategically.Wides and No-Balls: T20 penalties, plus cumulative penalties for repeated mistakes.Conditional Draw: Team batting second can opt for a draw with fewer than 5 wickets down.Tie & Super Session: Aggregate tie resolved with one-over eliminator; if still tied, boundary count decides winner.These adjustments encourage tactical risk-taking, precision, and strategic play while remaining easy for fans to follow.The bigger pictureIn essence, Test Twenty is not just another format — it is a forward-looking project aimed at bridging the gap between grassroots development and professional cricket.By combining tradition, innovation, and inclusivity, it seeks to reshape how the world identifies and nurtures cricketing talent — one 80-over day at a time. 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NBA coaches on the hot seat? Front-office changes ahead? Here are 5 franchises to watch in ’25-26

As the 2025-26 NBA season is about to tip off, we'll soon learn which teams work, and which teams will be forced to make alterations in the future. But that doesn't mean we can't guess our way to…
NBA coaches on the hot seat? Front-office changes ahead? Here are 5 franchises to watch in ’25-26
As the 2025-26 NBA season is about to tip off, we'll soon learn which teams work, and which teams will be forced to make alterations in the future. But that doesn't mean we can't guess our way to something beforehand about the current outlooks of certain franchises that might need organizational changes soon. Here are five teams to keep an eye on.Heat: What's the plan, Pat?All right, all right. It's unfair to pin the latest round of mediocrity on just Pat Riley, as GM Andy Elisburg also has some serious sway in the organization. Yet you have to wonder how long the Heat can maintain their steadfast refusal to rebuild. They have good players, and quite a few of them, but they simply do not have in their possession a player who can carry them into the Finals now that Jimmy Butler is no longer on the roster.Advertisement[High Score is a new way to play Fantasy Basketball on Yahoo with simple rosters and scoring. Create or join a league]Look, the Heat will be competitive. They'll fight. They'll be scrappy. They'll win games they frankly have no business winning. But ultimately, this team has a fairly set ceiling, despite acquiring Norman Powell for freaking peanuts. Could this season, if they finish in the play-in again, prove to shake the foundation of Heat culture? Maybe, maybe not. But at the very least, it wouldn't be the worst idea in the world to be open to new interpretations of roster construction. (Mallory Bielecki/Yahoo Sports Illustration)Pelicans: Can Willie Green survive the hot seat?The arrival of Joe Dumars to helm the front office has already been a disaster in terms of asset evaluation. One look at this roster, and it's clear the odds are against the Pelicans making any type of competitive push. With an increasingly angered fan base, eventually the organization is going to need a fall guy, and that person is unlikely to be Dumars.Advertisement[Yahoo Sports TV is here! Watch live shows and highlights 24/7]Enter Willie Green, who is entering his fifth season as the organization's head coach. So far, he has won 148 games, lost 180 and hasn't exactly stood out as a beacon of hope for fans. While he's done reasonably well given the circumstances, 10 total playoff games isn't enough to save him from the chopping block, especially if the team starts poorly and the franchise needs an excuse to keep fans invested.It appears all the more likely Green will be out of there if things go sideways. Is it fair? Probably not. But when has that ever stopped any NBA organization from firing its coach?Bucks: Eh, what's up, Doc?Doc Rivers is notorious for avoiding responsibility, blaming his players, not playing young guys and installing offensive systems that lack nuance. With the Bucks firmly up against the wall, after waiving and stretching Damian Lillard, and spending their last remaining bullets on signing Myles Turner, they're going to look for a scapegoat as soon as Giannis Antetokounmpo sneezes, and odds are good that will be Rivers.The twist is that firing Rivers would easily be justified, even without the element of a scapegoat, but that probably won't stop the Bucks from applying that logic anyway, seeing as Rivers is easier to replace than making significant roster upgrades. (That's what happens when you decide to paint yourself fully into a corner.)AdvertisementOf course, it shouldn't just be Rivers potentially seeing his head roll here. The franchise spends more time being concerned about retaining Antetokounmpo than actually trying to build a contender around him, which is what he wants. General manager Jon Horst and the front office have spent years attacking the problem from the wrong angle, and seem hell-bent to continue that pattern for ... reasons?We'll see if the Bucks come out swinging and use the downfall of the Celtics and Pacers to their advantage. If they do, perhaps they all slide into safety. But that won't leave Bucks fans particularly optimistic about the future.Hornets: Come on, just sting a little!Hornets are usually very protective of their colony and are ready to throw down in tough times. That hasn't been the case for a while in Charlotte. This organization is all over the place to the point where we can't limit any one person to becoming the sacrificial lamb. If this teams starts off poorly again, especially with a healthy roster, everything should be on the table, including moving off, yes, LaMelo Ball.AdvertisementThe roster lacks cohesion and symmetry, and has developed habits that make you wonder if it can ever turn the narrative around as a collective group. This team needs better players, a stronger strategy and a true long-term plan, all of which seem to be a bit of an afterthought these days. Organizational changes should be more than welcome, especially if the Hornets are far below .500 when the calendar turns to 2026.Bulls: Is there currently a more unserious NBA franchise?The answer is a resounding no, and that's not the worst part. Including them here, which intends to point toward possible reactions to poor performance, is actually a joke, because they don't make changes. In fact, the front office and coaching staff, namely Artūras Karnišovas and Billy Donovan, seem to continue receiving contract extensions for a job not done, by just finding themselves in the play-in tournament every year.AdvertisementIf the league had such issues with the Philadelphia 76ers that it decided to move Sam Hinkie off his post during The Process, what exactly is keeping it from doing the same to the Bulls? At least The Process Sixers had a plan and made a genuine attempt at acquiring future stars, to a point where they could compete for a championship.The Bulls are standing still, by choice, and that should infuriate the league enough to reach out to Mr. Burner, Bryan Colangelo, to at least do something other than what's currently being done. (That's a joke. No team should entertain Colangelo as a real option.) But the point stands. This organization rewards its own members in reaching pointless mediocrity, and if that isn't grounds for change, then what is? Source link
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When is Blue Jays vs. Mariners ALCS Game 5? Date, Time and Lineups

SEATTLE – Four games into this American League Championship Series battle between the Blue Jays and Mariners, and nothing separates these two clubs – except another cross-country flight on deck, with nothing short of a pennant…
When is Blue Jays vs. Mariners ALCS Game 5? Date, Time and Lineups
SEATTLE – Four games into this American League Championship Series battle between the Blue Jays and Mariners, and nothing separates these two clubs – except another cross-country flight on deck, with nothing short of a pennant on the line. With the ALCS even at two games apiece, Seattle and Toronto will enter Friday's Game 5 locked into a best-of-three for a trip to the World Series, with Bryce Miller taking on Kevin Gausman in a matchup of right-handers. “Weâ€ll come back ready to go,†said Seattle catcher Cal Raleigh. “Bryce obviously threw a great first game, so weâ€ll have to come up with a good game plan tomorrow to keep them at bay and put a few runs on the board.†It has been a showdown defined thus far by road dominance: The Blue Jays have outscored the Mariners 21-6 in the two games at T-Mobile Park. Thatâ€s a flip from how the first pair of contests went at Rogers Centre, where Seattle outscored Toronto, 13-4. “We didn't get too high, we didn't get too low,†said the Blue Jays†Isiah Kiner-Falefa. “The coaches did a great job all around of not panicking, kind of keeping the mood light. Normally, you go down 2-0 and you're doing PFPs. “We kind of kept our normal routine, and guys were able to kind of just slow the game down. We were able to come up big here in these last two games. Hopefully, we can keep going.†Torontoâ€s resounding Game 4 victory restored home-field advantage for the stretch run, but first comes one more clash in the Pacific Northwest before the scene shifts back to Canada, where this seesaw showdown will be decided. “Obviously we wanted to get a couple wins here in the series at home,†Seattle manager Dan Wilson said. “We haven't been able to do that. But tomorrow we have a chance to bounce back, and that's where our focus is going forward.†When is the game and how can I watch it?First pitch is scheduled for 6:08 p.m. ET (3:08 p.m. PT) on Friday at T-Mobile Park and can be seen in the United States on FS1. Blue Jays fans in Canada can tune in via Sportsnet and Sportsnet+ for the broadcast with Buck Martinez, Dan Shulman and Hazel Mae, or listen to the radio call with Ben Shulman and Chris Leroux on Sportsnet 590 The FAN. All series are available in the US on MLB.TV with authentication to a participating Pay TV provider. Games also are available live internationally, although not in Canada. Sportsnet is MLB's exclusive English language broadcaster in Canada for every Postseason game, while TVA Sports will be covering the entire AL Postseason and the World Series in French and Broadcaster RDS will cover the entire NL Postseason in French. Who are the starting pitchers?Blue Jays: Kevin Gausman (10-11, 3.59 ERA) has pitched Game 1 in both the AL Division Series against the Yankees and this ALCS, but the stage just keeps getting bigger. His outings have been eerily similar, both at 5 2/3 innings with 75 pitches in one and 76 in the other, so itâ€s clear where the Blue Jays want to keep Gausmanâ€s workload. Gausman is Torontoâ€s ace for a reason, but given that he relies so heavily on his fastball and splitter combo, it will be interesting to see how the Mariners handle that mix after seeing him in Game 1. Mariners: Bryce Miller (1-0, 2.61 ERA in these playoffs) will face a Game 1 rematch vs. Gausman, in which he outlasted the splitter specialist by overcoming a leadoff homer to George Springer on his very first pitch to hold the Blue Jays 1-for-19 the rest of the way. Miller wound up clearing six brilliant innings in his first career start on short rest, though heâ€ll be on standard rest in Game 5. However, Miller noted that this will be his first time facing the same team in a five-day span since he was in the Minors, where a standard head-to-head series lasts a full week of six games. What might the starting lineups look like?Blue Jays: With Anthony Santander now done after being removed from the ALCS roster with an injury, the Blue Jays could roll out the same lineup they did for Game 4. Kiner-Falefa felt like a surprising addition at the time, but he came up with two big hits and has the full trust of manager John Schneider. Joey Loperfido would then take over as the top lefty bat option on the bench, with Davis Schneider available from the right side and Myles Straw as the pinch-runner. Mariners: Wilson made his first notable tweak to the starting nine in these playoffs in Game 4, opting for Dominic Canzone in right field (over Victor Robles), Jorge Polanco at designated hitter (where Canzone had been starting vs. righties) and switch-hitter Leo Rivas at second base (where Polanco had been playing). Polanco remained at cleanup, Canzone at No. 7 and Rivas was added at No. 9, with J.P. Crawford moving up a spot to No. 8. It didnâ€t necessarily correlate to much, as the Mariners mustered the same number of hits as walks (five). But Wilson has been prone to consistency, so itâ€s possible he sticks with it against another righty. How will the bullpens line up after the starter?Blue Jays: The most interesting wrinkle will be the potential availability of Trey Yesavage out of the bullpen on short rest, but since the Blue Jays evened up the series and are no longer fighting for their lives, it could make more sense to hold Yesavage for Game 6 at home. Behind Gausman, the Blue Jays should once again have everyone available, including back-end arms Louis Varland, Seranthony Domínguez and Jeff Hoffman. If any length is needed, Chris Bassitt and Eric Lauer are available. Mariners: Wilson said that he intended to be aggressive with the bullpen in Game 4, given that he didnâ€t turn to his three highest-leverage arms (Andrés Muñoz, Matt Brash and Gabe Speier) in Games 2 or 3. And that was a big factor in why he went to Speier in place of Luis Castillo with just one out in the third on Thursday. Seattle was already trailing and unable to recover, which led Wilson to using low-leverage options Carlos Vargas and Emerson Hancock at the end. Muñoz, who hasnâ€t pitched since Game 1, will almost certainly be used in Game 5 now that the stakes are even higher. But the biggest question mark is on Bryan Woo, who spent each of the past two games in the home bullpen and is expected to pitch in relief as soon as Friday (more below). Any injuries of note?Blue Jays: Bo Bichette was left off the Blue Jays†ALCS roster as he continues to rehab from his left knee sprain, and his status will remain a daily story in Toronto as he pushes to return in time for a potential World Series. Given that this is also the final year of Bichetteâ€s deal in Toronto, the only organization he has known, the stakes are sky high. Santander was removed from the Blue Jays†ALCS roster prior to Game 4 with a back injury, so he will no longer be eligible for the World Series, and his 2025 season is over. Mariners: The Mariners made the decision to move Woo (pectoral inflammation) to the bullpen once the series shifted to Seattle, and given that there are only three games left at most and Woo hasnâ€t pitched since exiting a Sept. 19 start in Houston, Seattle probably can spend him only once. So now the question becomes where to do so. If Miller is on the ropes early, like Castillo in Game 4, Woo could be a piggyback option. Itâ€s also likely that the Mariners would want to deploy Woo for a clean inning, since he hasnâ€t done this since his college days at Cal Poly, where he made 25 of his 31 career appearances as a reliever but not since 2019-21. Who is hot and who is not?Blue Jays: Guerrero might be the hottest hitter in baseball right now. He launched his fifth home run in eight postseason games Thursday and is officially entering Aaron Judge territory when it comes to how opposing teams need to handle him. Donâ€t sleep on Clement, either. The utilityman is batting .452 and has been crucial to extending this Blue Jays†lineup. Springer seems to be yanking a line drive into left field every time he swings the bat, too, while Giménez has now homered in back-to-back games. One through nine, this lineup looks like it did in the ALDS again, which is a very scary thing for the Mariners. Mariners: After outscoring the Blue Jays, 13-4, in Toronto, the Mariners†bats have gone cold since the series shifted to T-Mobile Park, going 13-for-63 (.206) with a .688 OPS and six runs scored. Leadoff man Arozarena has experienced the most glaring troubles, as heâ€s now 2-for-15 in this ALCS and hitting .158 overall this postseason. Naylor, meanwhile, will look to stay hot, as heâ€s 6-for-14 in this series with two homers, including a second-inning blast in Game 4 that gave the Mariners an early lead. Anything else fans might want to know?Blue Jays: Source link
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“I’m Dying For Babies” – Top WWE Star Discusses Pregnancy Plans

Top WWE star teases future pregnancy.At 34 years old, Chelsea Green is currently one of the most popular and successful stars on the WWE roster. A former Women’s Champion and leader of the ‘Secret Hervice’, Green is regularly featured…
“I’m Dying For Babies” – Top WWE Star Discusses Pregnancy Plans
Top WWE star teases future pregnancy.At 34 years old, Chelsea Green is currently one of the most popular and successful stars on the WWE roster. A former Women’s Champion and leader of the ‘Secret Hervice’, Green is regularly featured on WWE television and is actively involved in televised rivalries.Since her return to the Stamford-based promotion in 2023, ‘The Hot Mess’ has established herself as one of the most consistent performers on the roster and won multiple titles. Actively performing every week, she has now teased her plans of starting a family with her partner, Matt Cardona.Recently speaking with Womanâ€s World, Chelsea Green noted that she and Cardona paused their plans to start a family following her impactful WWE return a few years ago.We put it on pause when I was asked to come back to WWE. This was an opportunity we both knew we could not turn down. If I turn it down, Iâ€m going to end up having kids and resent the family life.So here I am. Iâ€m 34. Iâ€m dying for babies. My husband wants babies… but duty calls. Iâ€m making money. Iâ€m living my dream. But hey, you never know. In a couple months, if it happens, God willing, it happens. Iâ€ll just have to take my babies on the road with me!â€While Green is active in WWE, Cardona recently made his long-awaited return to the promotion, where he fought Josh Briggs on the October 14th episode of NXT.Chelsea Green Shares Emotional Message Following Matt Cardona’s WWE ReturnFollowing Matt Cardona’s recent WWE return, Green shared an emotional message on X(Twitter) and celebrated her partner’s much-awaited comeback to the Stamford-based promotion.I saw Matt win the tag titles at mania, trend worldwide over UFC & Olympics, break barriers on the indies… I could keep going, but this was definitely one his highlights for me.â€In other news: Released WWE star reflects on his career. Source link
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Suzuki and Caufield driving hot start for Canadiens, fuelling Olympic dreams

MONTREAL — The official play-by-play record from Thursdayâ€s overtime thriller at the Bell Centre reveals two of the biggest plays Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield made on the night, though “block, snap, def. zone 
Suzuki and Caufield driving hot start for Canadiens, fuelling Olympic dreams
MONTREAL — The official play-by-play record from Thursdayâ€s overtime thriller at the Bell Centre reveals two of the biggest plays Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield made on the night, though “block, snap, def. zone†doesnâ€t quite capture what made them so big. The NHL doesnâ€t even reveal that those blocks came 160 feet away from where they connected on the winning goal seconds later, but at least the timestamp indicates the relevance of those plays. First, it was Caufield, with 49 seconds to go, stepping in front of Steven Stamkos†shot, deflecting the puck out of play to save Canadiens teammate Mike Matheson from the most vulnerable position one can be in at three-on-three — stickless in your own zone. And then, on the ensuing play, Suzuki lost the faceoff, but not his man. The Canadiens†captain stood his ground and then perfectly timed his flash out to the slot to block another Stamkos shot that sprung Matheson on the rush up ice that sparked the winning goal with three seconds remaining.  Suzuki drove the goal line and pushed a backhand pass to Caufield in the slot, and then he watched as Caufield tied the franchise record for most overtime goals with his 10th. “What impresses me the most is how complete they are, on top of being dangerous offensively,†said Martin St. Louis. The whole overtime sequence encapsulated that, and hopefully Team Canada and Team USA architects got a chance to see it — and not just the highlight-reel goal that came of it. If they didnâ€t already feel how St. Louis did after watching Suzuki and Caufield carry the Canadiens to an unexpected playoff berth last season with a post-4 Nations FaceOff performance that was otherworldly, they should be feeling it through the first five games of this season. You know theyâ€re watching closely with roster submissions for the Olympics due by Dec. 31. The Canadiens are 4-1-0, and those executives have seen Suzuki and Caufield play leading roles — at both ends of the ice — in them establishing that record.  Itâ€s the start this team wanted to have, and itâ€s the start both Suzuki and Caufield needed to have in their quests to ensure they arenâ€t passed over again for best-on-best competition. They had to watch the last overtime between their respective national teams from the sidelines, but they could both be facing off in the next one if they keep going like this. About that last one, it was settled by Connor McDavid, the worldâ€s best player. Canadiens defenceman Lane Hutson, and fellow USA hopeful, thinks the next one could be settled by Caufield, who tied Thursdayâ€s game by beating a red-hot Juuse Saros with 20 seconds to go in regulation before winning it as time was expiring. “They need someone to score and, in those big moments, thatâ€s something he can bring,†said Hutson about Caufield. “Not only that; I think he generates so much at five-on-five, and heâ€s a threat on the power play. “I think when you give him some good players to play with, he makes them even better and he shines through. Just the skill, and the work ethic, and the scoring threat that he is, I think he should be on that team.†With respect to those who pulled off the 1980 Miracle on Ice in Lake Placid, N.Y., the team going to the Milano-Cortina Games is shaping up to be the greatest American one ever assembled for Olympic ice hockey. Caufield knows heâ€s got an outside chance of cracking it, but heâ€s been making a break towards the inside since hockey resumed post-4 Nations. With 16 goals, heâ€s the fourth-highest American scorer since then. Heâ€s No. 1 in game-winners with six. And Hutson (plus-21), who saved a goal before setting up Caufieldâ€s game-winner Thursday, is the only American whoâ€s put up a better plus-minus rating than Caufieldâ€s plus-16. How has Suzuki done over the same period? Heâ€s tied for the eighth-most goals amongst Canadians (15) and leads the NHL in points (44) and his countrymen in plus-minus (plus-19). Forget the play-by-play record of Thursdayâ€s game. If you had watched Suzuki in isolation through three periods and then watched what he did through that entire overtime — over which he had three shot attempts and a block before registering his NHL-leading seventh assist this season — youâ€d have seen exactly whatâ€s made him one of Canadaâ€s best players over the last number of months. Heâ€s been unquestionably Montrealâ€s best. “Thatâ€s our driver,†said Caufield. “Heâ€s a special player that lives for those moments and leads the way by example…  “He does it all. Not many people can play both sides of the puck so well, and his game is pretty special right now, and we see it every day in practice and his detail on the D-side of the puck. Everybody knows how well he does with the puck and stuff, but his play away from the puck — heâ€s definitely pretty annoying to play against in practice and I know most teams donâ€t like playing against him.†Caufield has been carving out the same niche, and both he and Suzuki have proven to be two of the most clutch players in hockey.  Theyâ€re two players with incredibly high baselines of performance, and they always seem to rise above that when the stakes get higher. St. Louis did that to become a Hall of Famer. It earned him a spot on Canadaâ€s 2014 gold medal-winning team. He knows what goes into it. “The major thing is confidence,†he said, “and wanting to be the guy that makes the difference.†Suzuki and Caufield are showing thatâ€s the stuff theyâ€re made of. Itâ€s propelling both the Canadiens and their Olympic dreams forward. Source link
6up.net
Naomi Osaka: Grand Slam winner withdraws from Japan Open after Emma Raducanu injuries

Naomi Osaka has pulled out of the Japan Open before Friday's quarter-final because of a leg injury sustained in the second round.The former world number one held back tears and needed painkillers to come through…
Naomi Osaka: Grand Slam winner withdraws from Japan Open after Emma Raducanu injuries
Naomi Osaka has pulled out of the Japan Open before Friday's quarter-final because of a leg injury sustained in the second round.The former world number one held back tears and needed painkillers to come through a three-set last-16 win over defending champion Suzan Lamens on Wednesday.Top seed Osaka, who completed the match with strapping on her left thigh, was due to face Jaqueline Cristian in the last eight but the Romanian will instead progress to the semi-finals. The Japan Open made the announcement on X, saying: "We regret to announce that Naomi Osaka has not recovered from a left leg injury sustained during the second round of this tournament and has withdrawn from the quarter-finals scheduled for today." It is not yet known whether Osaka will play in the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo later this month.The four-time Grand Slam champion is the latest high-profile player to suffer late-season injury issues.In September, Iga Swiatek complained the season is "too long and too intense" following a string of injuries among players at the China Open.British number one Emma Raducanu called time on her season on Thursday after retiring from her two previous matches with illness.Australia's Daria Kasatkina, Ukraine's Elina Svitolina and Spain's Paula Badosa also ended their seasons early in recent weeks.Across two tournaments in China last week, five players retired injured. Source link
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Bucks guard AJ Green agrees to 4-year, $45 million extension, now under contract through 2029-30 season

Milwaukee Bucks guard AJ Green agreed to a four-year, $45 million, fully-guaranteed extension Thursday, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.Green, 26, went undrafted out of Northern Iowa in 2022…
Bucks guard AJ Green agrees to 4-year, $45 million extension, now under contract through 2029-30 season
Milwaukee Bucks guard AJ Green agreed to a four-year, $45 million, fully-guaranteed extension Thursday, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.Green, 26, went undrafted out of Northern Iowa in 2022 and started his NBA career on a two-way contract. He leveled up to a standard deal, and now he's graduated to an extension that will keep him under contract with the Bucks through the 2029-30 season, per Charania.AdvertisementThe 6-foot-4 guard averaged 7.4 points in 22.7 minutes per game last season, his third and most productive in the NBA. He notably shot north of 40% from deep for the third year in a row, finishing third on the team with 155 made 3s, behind only Gary Trent Jr. and Damian Lillard.Trent is back, but the 35-year-old Lillard signed a three-year, $42 million deal with the Portland Trail Blazers after the Bucks waived him at the start of free agency.Locking up Green on Thursday gives Milwaukee a reliable catch-and-shoot option from beyond the arc for years to come. Green was set to become a free agent next summer.Advertisement[Yahoo Sports TV is here! Watch live shows and highlights 24/7]Green emerged as a key contributor for the Bucks last season. After scoring a combined 406 points over his first two seasons in the league, he collected 541 points in 73 games of action during the 2024-25 regular season.He more than doubled his minutes per game from the 2023-24 campaign and turned in six outings with at least 15 points. Green connected on five or more threes in all but one of those performances.Then, in the Bucks' lone playoff series — a first-round loss to the eventual Eastern Conference champion Indiana Pacers — he averaged 11 points and 27 minutes with a 51.4% clip from downtown. He also chipped in 2.8 rebounds and two assists per game.AdvertisementGreen even got the bump to the starting lineup in a win-or-go-home Game 5, during which he scored a playoff career high of 19 points, albeit in what was ultimately an overtime elimination defeat. He logged 46 minutes and went 6 of 10 from 3-point range in the loss.Green had been eligible for an extension since July. Now, after starting all four of Milwaukee's preseason games, he has a new deal heading into his fourth season in the league. Source link
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Vladimir Guerrero Jr. sets Blue Jays record for homers in a postseason

SEATTLE – Blue Jays manager John Schneider had the thought as his team boarded the 2,500-mile flight from Toronto to Seattle on Monday night, following losses in the first two games of the American League Championship Series…
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. sets Blue Jays record for homers in a postseason
SEATTLE – Blue Jays manager John Schneider had the thought as his team boarded the 2,500-mile flight from Toronto to Seattle on Monday night, following losses in the first two games of the American League Championship Series against the Mariners. “I hope we find some slug in the air out here.†Leave it to his superstar to lead the way and make some franchise history in the process. “Like I say always, I believe in God and I believe in this team,†Guerrero said on FOX postgame. “When you play one day at a time, one at-bat at a time, something big can happen. To us, we came here and tried to win the series. We got two, and tomorrow weâ€ve got to try and find a way to win the next one.†Guerreroâ€s Statcast-projected 359-foot blast out to right-center field in the seventh inning was his fifth of the postseason, breaking a tie with José Bautista (2015) for most in a single postseason in Blue Jays history. It was also Guerreroâ€s 15th hit of the postseason following his single in the third inning. Heâ€s just the fourth player with 15-plus hits and five-plus home runs in his first eight games of a single postseason, joining: "Let's be honest, with the contract comes a lot of extracurriculars,†Schneider said. “He's met them head on. I think the pitches he swung at in Games 1 and 2 were the right pitches to swing at, but I think he was a little bit overanxious and it led to some ground balls. “Vladdy a couple years ago might have been a little stubborn. Vladdy right now, in this moment in 2025, has the ability to take a step back, process what he's doing, then he leans into his teammates and leans into his coaches. He's made some adjustments. That was a big swing." Following an 0-for-7 start to the ALCS, Guerrero is wide awake now, having gone 6-for-9 in the past two games. And the rest of the lineup has followed with its normal gritty at-bats that can grind down an opposing pitching staff. Second baseman Isiah Kiner-Falefa didnâ€t know he was going to be in the lineup when he woke up Thursday, but with Anthony Santander dealing with a lingering back injury and now off the ALCS roster, the Blue Jays moved Addison Barger to right field on Thursday, Ernie Clement to third base and inserted Kiner-Falefa in at second base. Kiner-Falefa sent a double into left field to begin the third inning and a Toronto rally. And for the second consecutive night, No. 9 hitter Andrés Giménez hit the game-flipping home run. His two-run blast in the third inning turned the Blue Jays†one-run deficit into a one-run lead they never relinquished. “Iâ€m not going to hit homers every day,†Giménez said. “I was just trying to move the runner over, and I hit it pretty well. … The guys like me need to get on base for George [Springer], Vladdy, [Nathan] Lukes. Thatâ€s our game.†"That's just us, you know?†Schneider said. Kiner-Falefa added: “My job for this team is to be ready if someone was to get injured. That could be during the game, before the game. I just went at it how I go out every day, ready for any opportunity. … For me nothing changes, just going at it the same way every day until I get that opportunity.†And Guerrero did what he does best to add to the lead late. Whatever this offense found as the series shifted to Seattle this week, itâ€s gotten them back in this thing. They donâ€t want to slow down now. “We have a really good approach as a team,†Giménez said. “We all commit to it. And itâ€s really good when we execute that way.†Source link
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Canucks Takeaways: Power play finally breaks through in win over Stars

After two straight games chasing their opponents, trying and failing to mount comebacks, what the Vancouver Canucks desperately needed in their fourth game of 82 was a swing in momentum — a lucky bounce, a strong shift,…
Canucks Takeaways: Power play finally breaks through in win over Stars
After two straight games chasing their opponents, trying and failing to mount comebacks, what the Vancouver Canucks desperately needed in their fourth game of 82 was a swing in momentum — a lucky bounce, a strong shift, anything that could inject and sustain life into this lineup.  On Thursday night against the Dallas Stars, however, it seemed to be getting late early. An unfortunate own-goal tip from Elias Pettersson got the Stars on the board, a Mikko Rantanen power-play snipe doubled their lead and it looked like the Canucks were headed towards another too-little-too-late effort after barely surviving the first period. Then, the momentum swing came, and it came in the form of a penalty kill. The Canucks just had their best scoring chance after being thoroughly hemmed in their own zone when Conor Garland took a slashing penalty against Sam Steel in the early minutes of the middle frame. It could have been a nail in the coffin for Vancouver, could have made the hill to climb that much steeper. Instead, the penalty killers dug in and prevented the Stars from producing any dangerous chances. Suddenly, it was an entirely different game. Evander Kane sprung Filip Chytil just after Garland's penalty came to an end, who tucked one in blocker-side on former Canuck goalie Casey DeSmith for his third of the season. Then, Brock Boeser tipped home a Quinn Hughes shot on the power play for his third marker this year just over two minutes later, followed quickly by Max Sasson's first in his season debut. In the span of 3:26, the Canucks turned a 0-2 deficit into a 3-2 lead — a lead they would not surrender en route to a gusty 5-3 win. "The guys stuck with it. The start of the game didn't go how we wanted," Adam Foote told reporters in Dallas after the game. "But I give the guys a lot of credit. They hung in there at intermission and stayed with their game." In a market so accustomed to gloom, doom and endless disappointment, it's easy to catastrophize after two straight losses. But it's only Game 4, and this win returned the team to .500. More importantly, the Canucks put together their most dominant period of the season in the second and held strong in the final frame in the face of pressure, and a goal, from the Stars. "We just fought our way back," said Conor Garland, who scored the game-winner to close out the dominant second period. "That Sasson line kind of carried the pace for us, let us get our legs under us, and we had a really good game. Really good finish to it as well." That this performance came against a Western Conference juggernaut like the Stars should do loads to boost the Canucks' confidence as they continue along their five-game road trip, with upcoming stops in Chicago, Washington, Pittsburgh and Nashville. Is this the type of performance we should expect from the Canucks going forward? We'll find out on Friday night, when they take on the Blackhawks. "We're 2-2 now," said Garland. "We had no panic. It's early. We're trying to find our game. A lot of young guys in the lineup just getting used to the league. To hang in there tonight against one of the best teams in the Western Conference was a good statement by us." It took four games, but the Canucks power play finally got on the board. The Canucks have suffered from a lack of production from their top players, and the same can be said about their power play, which went 0-for-7 prior to Thursday night. While going 2-for-3 on the man-advantage against the Stars won't magically fix the power-play woes, which date back to the latter half of last season, it's encouraging to see them finally find success and string together high-danger chances on each chance. "I thought they were moving the puck pretty good tonight," Foote said. The Canucks scored on their first opportunity, with Boeser, Hughes and Elias Pettersson combining to finally score for the snake-bitten unit. They were stymied on their second chance, but looked dangerous throughout, forcing DeSmith to stay on his toes and make some tough saves, and on their third try, with the Stars' goalie pulled to pull to five-on-five, Hughes sent one into the empty net for his first of the year. The power play still sits at a dismal 20 per cent, but for the first time this season, there is a glimmer of hope that they can find this success consistently. With just one assist through three games — albeit a record-breaking assist — the Canucks captain was off to an uncharacteristically slow start to the season. Of course, 'slow' for the 2024 Norris Trophy winner is a relative term, and he still led the team in ice time prior to Thursday, smooth skating even if the points weren't coming with it — very much the case for the entire top-end of the lineup. Nobody who watches Hughes play regularly thought this mini-slump would at all extend to the point of concern, but it was still a relief to see the defenceman impact the scorecard in the way we've grown accustomed. Hughes finished the night with a goal and an assist, bringing his point total up to three in four games this year, while launching a team-high four shots in over 25 minutes on ice. If there were any questions surrounding Thatcher Demko's ability to man the crease after an injury-plagued 2024-25, he has very quickly provided answers. The 29-year-old has far and away been the Canucks' MVP through his three games played this season, looking much like the Vezina Trophy runner-up of two years ago, and on Thursday night, he provided yet another first-star performance. His .903 save percentage is a little misleading, as he kept the Canucks competitive even as the Stars were throwing everything at him. He had to be sharp early, too, with Dallas outshooting his squad 8-1 before the halfway point of the first period, including a Grade-A chance from Adam Erne less than three minutes into the game. "I think he's the best in the world. So big, so mobile, tracks every puck," Garland said of his goaltender. "We feel very confident any time he's in the net and we're fortunate to have (Lankinen) tomorrow night, so we feel great about our goalies." "He's unbelievable," Sasson added. "The saves he makes just look... They're really hard saves, and he makes them look routine. It's just a testament to his professionalism." In his past two games combined, against the Stars and the Oilers on Sunday, he's been tested 67 times and made 62 saves. It's early, but Demko is already in mid-season form. Compliments to the Calder Cup line Foote, on the Arshdeep Bains-Sasson-Linus Karlsson line: "I thought they had some jump. You saw it in pre-season and then you saw it tonight. That speed on the goal —(Sasson) almost had another chance — with that speed, defencemen will back off when he's out there. He spread the D out, they weren't playing up when that line was out there. They had to be cautious of that speed." Source link
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What will happen to the Championship table if Sheffield Wednesday are expelled by EFL?

Sheffield Wednesday's crisis has hit a new low with news that the club will 'imminently' be served with a winding-up petition over an unpaid tax bill.The Championship club are already under five separate EFL…
What will happen to the Championship table if Sheffield Wednesday are expelled by EFL?
Sheffield Wednesday's crisis has hit a new low with news that the club will 'imminently' be served with a winding-up petition over an unpaid tax bill.The Championship club are already under five separate EFL embargoes after they failed to pay wages on time in five of the past seven months, with fans staging several protests against owner Dejphon Chansiri.And now it has emerged Wednesday are set to be served with a winding-up petition - a formal court application to force a company into compulsory liquidation - with BBC Sport reporting the club owe HMRC £1 million. You may like How would other Championship clubs be affected if Sheffield Wednesday are expelled? Manager Danny Rohl left Wednesday in July amid the off-field troubles (Image credit: Getty Images)Wednesday fans have been hit with repeated bad news since it emerged that the club had failed to pay wages on time in March.Manager Danny Rohl left in July, when the Owls were unable to sign players for the new season, with assistant Henrik Pedersen taking over a skeleton squad that has exceeded expectations simply by eking out six points from their first nine games of the Championship campaign. Wednesday owner Dejphon Chansiri is under pressure to sell the club (Image credit: Getty Images)Wednesday's solitary win this season was a 2-0 victory at Portsmouth last month, while they have also claimed creditable draws away to Wrexham and Birmingham City, and at home against Queens Park Rangers. They even beat Bolton Wanderers and Premier League Leeds United in the Carabao Cup, both on penalties, before exiting to League Two Grimsby Town.It means that if the worst happened and the Owls were expelled from the league, it would have a knock-on effect for the rest of the division.The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.EFL regulations state that if this happens during the regular season the club's 'playing record shall be expunged', meaning their results up to that point would be removed from the record.As things stand, that would see Wrexham, Birmingham and QPR all lose a point, while the five teams to beat Wednesday this season - Leicester City, Stoke City, Swansea City, Bristol City and Coventry City - would have three deducted from their total. Wednesday fans continue to protest against Chansiri's ownership (Image credit: Getty Images)In a league as competitive as the Championship, that can make a big difference - demonstrated by the fact that if you deducted points won against Wednesday from the current table, Leicester would fall from third to eighth and Bristol City from 10th to 16th. You may like EFL rules also state the number of relegation places from a league will be reduced by the number of clubs that are expelled during the season - so if Wednesday cannot complete the campaign, only two teams would go down, rather than three. The two clubs currently occupying the other Championship relegation places are Oxford United and Sheffield United. Coventry City won 5-0 at Sheffield Wednesday this month (Image credit: Getty Images)The regulations add that the number of relegation places in League One would then be reduced from four to three to ensure there are 24 clubs in that division the following season.League Two would keep its two relegation places, unless the EFL Board decided otherwise - which happened in the Covid-disrupted 2019-20 season when Stevenage finished 23rd on points per game but were granted a reprieve following Bury's expulsion from League One. Sheffield United sit bottom of the Championship after an awful start to the season (Image credit: Getty Images)If two teams are relegated from League Two, the EFL Board has the power to promote an extra club to the division to restore the number of teams across the Championship, League One and League Two to 72.Of course, the hope is that none of this comes to pass. The imminent winding-up petition should put pressure on Chansiri to sell Wednesday and although the club still could be put into administration and incur a points deduction if the petition is thrown out, it would finally mean the end is in sight for his controversial tenure at Hillsborough. Source link
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What Is Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins’ Trade Value After Big Fantasy Game vs. Steelers?

The Cincinnati Bengals' offense is showing signs of life under quarterback Joe Flacco, and with that, it may be near impossible to trade for wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase in fantasy football and rather difficult to…
What Is Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins’ Trade Value After Big Fantasy Game vs. Steelers?
The Cincinnati Bengals' offense is showing signs of life under quarterback Joe Flacco, and with that, it may be near impossible to trade for wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase in fantasy football and rather difficult to acquire his teammate, Tee Higgins, as well.The Bengals added the 40-year-old via trade from the Cleveland Browns after Jake Browning encountered struggles in place of superstar Joe Burrow, who is reportedly out until at least December with a Grade 3 turf toe injury.Flacco made his first start last Sunday against the Green Bay Packers. The Bengals were shut out in the first half before Flacco led a furious finish, guiding Cincinnati to 18 second-half points in a 27-18 defeat.Cincinnati kept up the pace on Thursday evening against the Pittsburgh Steelers, defeating the AFC North champions 33-31.Of note, Chase and Higgins have formed an impressive rapport in a short amount of time with Flacco.Chase caught 16 passes for 161 yards and a touchdown on a whopping 23 targets. Higgins snagged six passes for 96 yards and another score. He could have crossed 100 yards and scored a second time after catching a long pass late in the fourth quarter with his team down 31-30. However, Higgins made a shrewd move, sliding down at the Steeler seven-yard line to kill some time before Evan McPherson kicked a 36-yard field goal with seven seconds left for the win.Chase had a great game the week before against the Packers, catching 10 passes for 94 yards and a touchdown on 12 targets. Higgins had a solid game as well with five receptions for 62 yards on eight targets.â–¶ï¸ Full Bengals-Packers RecapIn short, Chase looks like the player who was picked as the No. 1 consensus option on fantasy football rankings, per FantasyPros. He had an uneven start to the season. In Week 2, Chase caught 14 passes for 165 yards and a touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars. In Week 1 and Weeks 3-4, Chase had 12 receptions, 99 yards and no touchdowns combined.However, it appears he's now back to providing elite production on a regular basis. With that, Chase is virtually untouchable at this point. The window to potentially "buy low" on adding Chase when he had a tough stretch from Weeks 1-4 is officially closed. He's a top-three wide receiver at this point alongside Puka Nacua of the Los Angeles Rams and Amon-Ra St. Brown of the Detroit Lions.Like Chase, Higgins had a mostly rough start to the year, outside Week 2, when he caught three passes for 56 yards and a touchdown. In Week 1 and Weeks 3-4, Higgins caught seven passes for 80 yards and no scores.Higgins is the WR2 in this offense and doesn't see as many targets as Chase. Of note, he hasn't been targeted more than eight times in a game all season.However, Higgins has clearly fared better of late with Flacco. In Eric Karabell of ESPN's latest end-of-season rankings, Higgins ranked 32nd among wide receivers. FantasyPros' aggregate rankings have Higgins at 34th. He could easily be top 30 after the end of this week's games if not creeping toward the mid-20s. Ultimately, Higgins is clearly a WR3/flex option and perhaps not far off from being considered a WR2 in fantasy if the Bengals' offense stays hot, and that should be kept in mind when considering trades. Higgins was the 13th-ranked wideout in FantasyPros' aggregate rankings before the season, after all, and his production of late indicates a potential strong end to 2025. Source link
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Injured WWE Star Reflects On His Release; Says His Hard Work Has ‘Paid Off’

Infamous WWE star reflects on his recent release.Known for his work on WWE LFG (Legends and Future Greats) Sexy ‘BJ Ray’ was recently released from his contract by the Stamford-based promotion. Not in the good books of the…
Injured WWE Star Reflects On His Release; Says His Hard Work Has ‘Paid Off’
Infamous WWE star reflects on his recent release.Known for his work on WWE LFG (Legends and Future Greats) Sexy ‘BJ Ray’ was recently released from his contract by the Stamford-based promotion. Not in the good books of the mentors on the show, Ray was also recovering from a serious injury when the promotion decided to part ways with him.Soon after the news of his release became public, BJ Ray shared an update on X(Twitter) and reflected on his WWE journey and shared his gratitude to the promotion.WHAT A JOURNEY ðŸŒWell obviously I had to have pissed somebody off lmao!I would like to take this moment to address you guys as Brayden Jesse Ray. First and foremost, I have to give the glory to my lord and savior Jesus Christ, who had given me this opportunity. Secondly, I would like to thank Hunter, Shawn, & Matt Bloom (as well as all the@WWEcoaches & staff) that were involved with this entire process. The WWE Performance Center is truly a unique place filled with many gifted individuals and unlimited support.As soon as I stepped out of my uber at my WWE tryout, the SexyBJRay effect was in full play. I had a strategy upon filming WWE: NEXT GEN, to start building one of the most over exaggerated versions of myself, to give the wrestling industry a HEEL like theyâ€ve never seen before.And quite frankly, it arguably was one of the greatest rookie runs of all time. In a matter of months, whether hate or love, I won the WWE fans over and they were extremely invested. Without ever having a debut match on live@WWENXTtv, I have become one of the most recognized names in the brand and industry. From getting swarmed at WWE World in Las Vegas to taking pictures with fans in every airport I walk into, I have been able to build a movement with my hard work and dedication.The hours behind the scenes, editing social media content, training, and reflecting on my character work, I feel it has all paid off.There have been many challenges along the way, but I can only control what I can only control. Obviously this release is a big bummer (especially when you have no idea what you could have done different), but the only option in my opinion is an attitude of gratitude.All I can do is keep pushing, & put it in Godâ€s hands. Iâ€m healing strong and will continue to rehab my shoulder until Iâ€m 100%. And the biggest SHOUTOUT & THANKS to my fans who made it all worthwhile.And now, Brayden Jesse Ray is back on sabbatical and SexyBJRay has a few words. As my good friend@TheNotoriousMMAonce said, “Iâ€d like to take this chance to apologize to absolutely nobodyâ€. What youâ€ve seen was just the trailer… get ready for the whole movie ðŸ¿and p.s. “Ayo you got Snapchat?!â€With no confirmed in-ring appearances scheduled for BJ Ray, the youngster recently reached out to Tony Khan for a chance.Released WWE Star BJ Ray Ray Reaches Out To Tony Khan For A Chance In AEWSoon after his release and a successful surgery, ‘Sexy’ BJ Ray recently reached out to Tony Khan on X(Twitter) for a shot in AEW.@TonyKhan Your boy is ready… call me – The Ratings Machine (aka SexyBJRay),â€In other news: Andrade’s in-ring career in jeopardy. Source link
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Kevin Gausman named Blue Jays starter for ALCS Game 5

SEATTLE -- A nation turns its hopeful eyes to Kevin Gausman once more. The staff ace with two Game 1 starts under his belt already in this postseason will get the ball in Game 5 on Friday, when heâ€ll have a chance to put the Blue Jays within…
Kevin Gausman named Blue Jays starter for ALCS Game 5
SEATTLE -- A nation turns its hopeful eyes to Kevin Gausman once more. The staff ace with two Game 1 starts under his belt already in this postseason will get the ball in Game 5 on Friday, when heâ€ll have a chance to put the Blue Jays within one win of a trip to the World Series after they evened the series in Game 4. The stakes have never been higher for Gausman, the 34-year-old who was brought to Toronto four years ago for moments just like this. The two performances weâ€ve seen from Gausman this postseason have been enough, but both he and the Blue Jays know thereâ€s more in there. With Bryce Miller going for the Mariners, “good†might not cut it. “This is what we live for,†Gausman said. “Iâ€ve thrown a lot of really good games in the World Series in my backyard. Iâ€ve never really thought about the ALCS, usually it was the World Series. This is something that, as kids, we all dreamt of, pitching in the big game or getting the big hit in the World Series or a big playoff game. As a player, you relish these opportunities to go out and show not just your team, but really the whole world what you can do.†Gausmanâ€s Game 1 starts against the Yankees and Mariners were nearly identical, each lasting 5 2/3 innings with 75 pitches in one and 76 in the other. The one pitch heâ€d love to take back came against the Mariners last Sunday in Toronto, when Gausmanâ€s splitter caught too much of the zone and Cal Raleigh launched a solo shot to tie the game in the sixth. In each of Gausmanâ€s starts, heâ€s been cruising until some late turbulence. Part of being a veteran, though, is understanding that even the best-laid plans rarely last. Game plans get blown up every night. Gausman has held the early advantage in his starts so far, but it wonâ€t always go that way. “Sometimes, you get punched in the face in the first inning and you have to change your mindset,†Gausman said. “You saw that with Shane [Bieber] yesterday. I thought he did a great job of coming back. I joked with him after the game that he took this place up to 120, then took it to zero. It was a really cool performance for him and huge for our team.†Thatâ€s why Gausmanâ€s workload is the most interesting wrinkle in all of this. Given his first two starts, something in the range of 75 pitches seems likely in Game 5 too, but could the Blue Jays be even quicker with the hook if Gausman stumbles? Ideally, he takes that decision out of manager John Schneiderâ€s hands and bridges the gap right to the back end of Torontoâ€s bullpen with Louis Varland, Seranthony Domínguez and Jeff Hoffman, but the Blue Jays will need to be ready for all possibilities. Yes, one of those possibilities could be Trey Yesavage. If the Blue Jays were down 3-1 and fighting for their postseason lives, Yesavage would certainly be an option on short rest after throwing 70 pitches on Monday, but even in an even series, all of the Blue Jays†cards need to be on the table. Donâ€t expect Schneider to tip his hand, though. Heâ€s been keeping his cards close to his chest this postseason, even keeping a couple tucked up his sleeve. Remember Game 4 of the ALDS at Yankee Stadium, when Yesavage made that long, slow walk from the Blue Jays†dugout to the bullpen mid-game? That was all for show. Yesavage was never truly an option in that perfectly executed bullpen game, but this is the postseason, where any distraction is worth exploring, even if itâ€s all smoke and mirrors. Those are decisions for the chaos of the game, though. All the Blue Jays can control in the hours leading up to first pitch is their decision to roll with Gausman, putting their best foot forward in a game that could define how we remember this 2025 team. Source link
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NHL Roundup: Crosby, Malkin score to help Penguins down Kings

LOS ANGELES — Filip Hallander scored his first career goal to give Pittsburgh the lead, and the Penguins rallied to beat the Los Angeles Kings 4-2. Hallander, playing in his seventh NHL game, jammed in Rickard Rakellâ€s rebound at the…
NHL Roundup: Crosby, Malkin score to help Penguins down Kings
LOS ANGELES — Filip Hallander scored his first career goal to give Pittsburgh the lead, and the Penguins rallied to beat the Los Angeles Kings 4-2. Hallander, playing in his seventh NHL game, jammed in Rickard Rakellâ€s rebound at the near post for the short-handed goal at 6:50 of the third period to give Pittsburgh a 3-2 lead in the second game of a three-game California swing. Evgeni Malkin, Connor Dewar and Sidney Crosby also scored, and Arturs Silovs made 30 saves for the Penguins. Warren Foegele and Kevin Fiala scored in the first period to give the Kings a 2-0 lead after one, but LA lost its third in a row. Anton Forsberg made 22 saves. The Penguins scored goals 41 seconds apart in the second period to tie it at 2-all, as Malkin kick-started the push back on the power play. It was the 1,000th career game together for the Pittsburgh tandem of Crosby — who picked up a late empty-netter — and Kris Letang, making them the seventh NHL forward-defenceman duo to share the ice in that many games. MAPLE LEAFS 2, PANTHERS 1 TORONTO — Auston Matthews scored 58 seconds into overtime to give the Toronto Maple Leafs a 2-1 victory over the New York Rangers on Thursday night. Matthew Knies also scored for Toronto, William Nylander had two assists and Anthony Stolarz made 28 saves. Juuso Parssinen scored for New York. Igor Shesterkin stopped 22 shots. Matthews took a pass from Nylander on a 2-on-1 in the extra period after Rangers centre Mika Zibanejad fanned on a terrific chance at the other end. Knies opened the scoring on Torontoâ€s second power play of the night midway through the first period off Nylanderâ€s setup to snap the Maple Leafs†0-for-9 stretch on the man advantage to start the season. Parssinen tied it early in the third period for New Yorkâ€s first goal in 170 minutes 39 seconds. NEWARK, N.J. — Timo Meier and Nico Hischier scored in the third period and Jake Allen made 21 saves as New Jersey won its home opener over Florida. Meier beat Florida netminder Daniil Tarasov with his team-best third goal of the season at 6:23, snapping a 1-all tie before Hischier added his second of the season at 11:47. Jack Hughes also scored for New Jersey, which won its third straight game after a season-opening loss at Carolina. Floridaâ€s Evan Rodrigues opened the scoring 1:59 into the game, tapping a loose puck past Allen for his second goal of the season. Hughes knotted the contest with his first at 5:48 of the second, with assists to Meier and Jesper Bratt. The assist was the 300th of Brattâ€s career. Hughes was limited to 62 games last season during which he scored 27 goals for the second straight year. PHILADELPHIA — Mark Scheifele scored a pair of goals to tie the record for the most career points in Jets franchise history, Connor Hellebuyck made 15 saves, and Winnipeg beat Philadelphia. Scheifele tied Blake Wheeler with 812 points for the franchise, which includes the teamâ€s years in Atlanta. On his first goal, Scheifele fired a snap shot from the right circle past Philadelphia goalie Sam Ersson, beating him over his glove to put the Jets ahead 2-0 at 7:01 of the second period. His second goal was a one-timer from the left circle on the power play in the third period to extend the lead to 4-1. CANADIENS 3, PREDATORS 2, OT MONTREAL — Cole Caufield scored with two seconds left in overtime after tying it with 19.5 to go in regulation, leading Montreal to a victory over Nashville. Caufield scored in overtime for the second straight game. On Tuesday night, he also scored in regulation and overtime against Seattle. He has five goals this season. Rookie Oliver Kapanen also scored to help Montreal win its fourth straight game. Backup netminder Jakub Dobes stopped 17 shots in his second start of the year. Steven Stamkos and Nick Perbix scored for Nashville. Juuse Saros made 27 saves. NEW YORK — Bo Horvat tied it short-handed in the second period, scored the go-ahead goal on the power play and finished off the hat trick with an empty-netter with 8.1 seconds left to help New York pick up its first win of the season by rallying to defeat Edmonton. Seven seconds after Trent Frederic high-sticked Matthew Schaefer, Horvat beat Stuart Skinner with 4:46 left to bring fans — some of whom were booing the home team earlier — to their feet. Mat Barzal had the Islanders†first goal and the primary assist on Horvatâ€s game-winner, while David Rittich stopped 30 of the 32 shots he faced at the other end of the ice in his Islanders debut. Oilers defenceman Evan Bouchard gave the puck away on an inexplicable turnover in the neutral zone to set up Barzalâ€s goal and was the last player back on the power play who let Horvat past him for a breakaway on Skinner. Bouchard, who is the fourth-highest-paid player at his position in the NHL and tied for 14th among all players at a salary cap hit of $10.5 million, also coughed the puck up to cause several quality scoring chances against. Leon Draisaitl scored on the power play, his third goal this season, off a feed from Connor McDavid, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had Edmontonâ€s other goal. Skinner was hardly to blame in allowing three goals on 24 shots as teammates hung him out to dry on multiple occasions with mistakes all over in a back-and-forth, fast-paced game, including Fredericâ€s ill-timed penalty. AVALANCHE 4, BLUE JACKETS 1 COLUMBUS, Ohio — Valeri Nichushkin scored two goals, Scott Wedgewood stopped 22 shots and Colorado beat Columbus. Nichushkin scored in the second period on a tip-in and added an empty-net goal with just under two minutes left to cap the Avalancheâ€s fourth win in five games (4-0-1) to open the season. Coloradoâ€s Cale Makar scored in the second period to reach 434 points, third-most by a defenceman through 400 games in NHL history behind Bobby Orr (508) and Paul Coffey (475). The goal was Makarâ€s 118th, moving him ahead of George Boucher for fifth-most by a defenceman through 400 games. Brock Nelson also scored for Colorado. Columbus†Ivan Provorov had a goal in his 700th career game and Elvis Merzļikins had 32 saves. OTTAWA, Ontario — Shane Pinto scored his sixth goal of the season and added the shootout winner in Ottawaâ€s victory over Seattle. Ottawa rallied to end a three-game losing streak, tying it on Dylan Cozens†goal with 1:46 remaining in regulation. David Perron had a power-play goal, and Linus Ullmark stopped 30 shots. Chandler Stephenson scored twice for Seattle, giving the Kraken a 3-2 lead with a power-play goal early in the third. Shane Wright also scored for the Kraken, and Philipp Grubauer made 21 saves. DALLAS — Max Sasson scored the last of Vancouverâ€s three goals in a span of 3:26 in the second period and the Canucks rallied from a two-goal deficit to beat Dallas. Dallas scored at least four goals in each of its first three games this season and jumped on the Canucks with goals by Mavrik Bourque and Mikko Rantanen in the first period. Vancouver responded midway through the second period on goals by Filip Chytil, Brock Boeser and Sasson. Conor Garland put Vancouver up 4-2 late in the period, but Wyatt Johnston scored his fourth goal of the season with 2:08 left in the third. Quinn Hughes, who assisted on Boeserâ€s goal, sealed the Canucks†win with an empty-net goal on a pass from Garland. Thatcher Demko had 28 saves. Casey DeSmith had 21 saves for Dallas. ANAHEIM, Calif. — Seth Jarvis scored his 100th and 101st NHL goals and added an assist, and Carolina remained the NHLâ€s only unbeaten team with a victory over Anaheim. Alexander Nikishin scored his first NHL goal and Shayne Gostisbehere matched his career high with three assists for the Hurricanes, who improved to 4-0-0 with their second win to start a six-game trip. Sebastian Aho had a goal and an assist and Frederik Andersen made 23 saves against his former team for Carolina. Jarvis scored the Canes†first two goals, giving him five in four games during his sizzling start. The Hurricanes reached the Eastern Conference finals last summer, and they appear loaded for another memorable season after outscoring their opponents 19-8 so far. Jarvis, Nikishin, Gostisbehere, Aho and Jackson Blake have all scored in each of Carolinaâ€s first four games. Leo Carlsson scored and Lukas Dostal stopped 27 shots for the Ducks in their first home defeat under new coach Joel Quenneville. Source link
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Mercedes Moné Breaks Record, Now The Longest-Reigning AEW TBS Champion

Mercedes Moné has added another accolade to her impressive wrestling career by becoming the longest-reigning AEW TBS Champion in history. Moné has now held the gold for 509 days, breaking the record of the inaugural…
Mercedes Moné Breaks Record, Now The Longest-Reigning AEW TBS Champion
Mercedes Moné has added another accolade to her impressive wrestling career by becoming the longest-reigning AEW TBS Champion in history. Moné has now held the gold for 509 days, breaking the record of the inaugural champion, Jade Cargill. Moné won the gold at AEW Double or Nothing 2024 in her first match as part of the AEW roster. Since then, she has competed in 22 successful defenses, though Cargill defended the gold 25 times before her loss in 2023. Monéâ€s reign has seen her retain against the likes of Skye Blue, Hikaru Shida, Britt Baker, Mina Shirakawa, Nyla Rose, and Riho, among others. She also holds a title defense victory over Kris Statlander, the current AEW Women’s World Champion. The TBS title is just one of ten championships currently held by Moné across multiple promotions worldwide, tying her with Ultimo Dragon, who famously held ten belts simultaneously back in 1996. On October 19, Moné will take on Jody Threat for the Winnipeg Pro Wrestling title at the Rumble in the Bert event. Monéâ€s post-WWE run has solidified her as one of the most decorated and influential women in professional wrestling today. As she continues breaking records and building her empire, one question remains, who can stop The CEO? Source link
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Maria Kanellis-Bennett Promises Wrestling Return After Baby #3

Maria Kanellis-Bennett will soon become a mother for the third time, but that doesn’t mean she’s finished in the world of pro wrestling. While the prospect of three children may leave some hanging up their boots for good, Maria made…
Maria Kanellis-Bennett Promises Wrestling Return After Baby #3
Maria Kanellis-Bennett will soon become a mother for the third time, but that doesn’t mean she’s finished in the world of pro wrestling. While the prospect of three children may leave some hanging up their boots for good, Maria made clear on X that she’ll be looking for a new ‘wrestling home’ once she and Mike’s next child arrives. Maria’s post spawned a flurry of responses as fans shared their excitement for her eventual return to pro wrestling. Some argued that Maria should return to TNA Wrestling, where she is a former Knockouts Champion. Others pitched GCW or Major League Wrestling, while some suggested a return to WWE should be in order. In April 2018, Maria and Mike welcomed their first child, a daughter named Fredrica “Freddie” Moon Bennett. In February 2020, the couple welcomed their son Carver Mars Bennett into the world. It was in June 2025 that Maria shared that she was pregnant with the couple’s third child. Maria made her wrestling debut in 2004 as part of WWE’s Divas Search and has been a presence in the industry ever since. While she is currently focusing on her upcoming child, as well as her battle with skin cancer, fans haven’t seen the last of her in pro wrestling. Source link
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