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NHL Morning Skate – April 7, 2023

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NHL Morning Skate – April 7, 2023

* The Stanley Cup Playoffs will return to Seattle for the first time in over 104 years thanks to the Kraken clinching a berth in the 2023 postseason.

* The Panthers, Islanders and Penguins all picked up wins to keep pace with one another in the race for the Eastern Conference’s Wild Card spots, which remain occupied by Florida and New York. Each club has three games remaining this season.

* Joe Pavelski joined rare company and helped the Stars reach the 100-point mark in 2022-23 while Mikko Rantanen netted his third hat trick of the season to record the first 50-goal campaign by an Avalanche skater since 2002-03.

* All 32 teams are idle Friday before the first 16-game day in NHL history goes Saturday.

BUOY OH BUOY, THE KRAKEN ARE HEADED TO THE STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS!
Vince Dunn delivered a goal and Philipp Grubauer got 27 saves as Seattle (44-26-8, 96 points) clinched a berth in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, its first postseason appearance in franchise history.
 

* Dunn (2019 STL) and Grubauer (2018 WSH) are two of seven current Kraken players who have won at least one Stanley Cup. The others are Andre Burakovsky (2022 COL & 2018 WSH), Yanni Gourde (2021 TBL & 2020 TBL), Jaden Schwartz (2019 STL), Justin Schultz (2017 PIT & 2016 PIT) and Martin Jones (2014 LAK).

* Click here to read more playoff #NHLStats about Seattle, which can become the third team in NHL history to contest a playoff game with Cup winners from each of the previous seven-plus years in its lineup (also 1968 Blues & 1927 Bruins).



PANTHERS CONTINUE TO POUNCE TOWARD A PLAYOFF BERTH . . .

Brandon Montour (1-3—4) potted his second four-point outing of the season, Matthew Tkachuk (0-2—2) established a single-season high for points and Alex Lyon (56 saves) fell one save shy of the franchise record for most in a game as the Panthers (41-31-7, 89 points) skated to their fifth straight win.

* Florida, which scored at least seven goals in a game for the fourth time this season and third time in as many months, previously trailed the Islanders by six points prior to their win streak but now sit tied in points and hold the first Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference due to regulation wins (FLA: 35; NYI: 34).
 

* Montour (15-56—71 in 77 GP), who moved within one goal of the franchise record for most in a season by a blueliner and became the first Panthers defenseman to post two four-point outings in a single campaign (also 1-3—4 on Nov. 6, 2022), is the eighth defenseman in NHL history to post his first career 70-point season while never having 40 or more in a previous campaign. The others: Josh Morrissey (71 in 2022-23), Sergei Zubov (89 in 1993-94), Brian Leetch (71 in 1988-89), Paul Coffey (89 in 1981-82), Larry Murphy (76 in 1980-81), Mark Howe (80 in 1979-80) and Jean Potvin (72 in 1975-76).

* Tkachuk (39-66—105 in 76 GP) recorded his 33rd multi-point game of 2022-23 and surpassed Peter Stastny (32 in 1980-81 w/ QUE) for the fourth-most by a player in their first season with a team in NHL history. The only skaters with more are Wayne Gretzky (48 in 1988-89 w/ LAK & 41 in 1979-80 w/ EDM) and Teemu Selanne (38 in 1992-93 w/ WIN).



. . . WHILE ISLANDERS, PENGUINS KEEP PACE IN LOG-JAMMED WILD CARD RACE
The log jam for positioning in the Eastern Conference Wild Card race failed to produce any clarity following a 14-game Thursday after the Islanders (40-30-9, 89 points) and Penguins (39-30-10, 88 points) each skated to victories to keep pace with the aforementioned Panthers:

* Brock Nelson (1-2—3) notched his 238th career goal to tie Bob Bourne for ninth place on the franchise’s all-time list and help New York rebound from its 5-0 loss to Tampa Bay on April 1 with a 6-1 victory versus the Lightning. The tally also marked Nelson’s 38th career game-winning goal, which moved him past Bourne and Brent Sutter (both w/ 37) and into a tie with Anders Lee and Bobby Nystrom for sixth place in club history.

* Kris Letang (1-1—2) factored on two of four Penguins goals as Pittsburgh defeated former goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury to keep its hopes of a 17th consecutive postseason berth alive. Fleury tended the Penguins crease for at least one game in each of the first 11 consecutive postseason berths.   



HUGHES POSTS CAREER OUTING IN A DEVILS EIGHT-GOAL OUTBURST
Jack Hughes (2-2—4) opened the scoring to hit 200 NHL points and later factored on three more goals to record his first career four-point game, while Timo Meier (2-1—3) registered his first 40-goal season as the Devils (50-21-8, 108 points) found the back of the net eight times en route to the second 50-win campaign in franchise history (also 51-27-4, 106 points in 2008-09).

* Hughes (86-117—203 in 241 GP), who pushed his 2022-23 totals to 42-53—95 and sits one point shy of matching the single-season franchise record for points (Patrik Elias: 40-56—96 in 2000-01), required the fewest games to reach 200 career points among players to debut with the Devils/Scouts/Rockies – a mark previously held by Kirk Muller (242 GP).
 
* Hughes became the second 21-year-old with a four-point game for the Devils this season, following Dawson Mercer (1-3—4 on March 1). New Jersey joined Ottawa (Tim Stützle, 3x; last: Feb. 13) as just the second team with multiple four-point outings by players age 21 or younger in 2022-23.



BRUINS ONE WIN FROM MATCHING RECORD, MAPLE LEAFS SECURE HOME ICE
In a tightly-contested game between the top two teams in the Atlantic Division, the Bruins (61-12-5, 127 points) rallied from a one-goal deficit in the third period, capped off by David Pastrnak’s overtime winner, to defeat the Maple Leafs (46-21-11, 103 points) and move one victory from matching the highest single-season total in NHL history.

* Pastrnak (57-47—104 in 78 GP) netted his 11th game-winning goal of the 2022-23 season to tie Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl for the League lead. It also stood as his fourth overtime goal of the season – only four players in NHL history have recorded more in a single campaign.

* The Maple Leafs secured home-ice advantage for the First Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs by way of one point vs. the Bruins and a Lightning loss in regulation. Toronto will start a postseason with a best-of-seven series on home ice for the third straight year after Game 7 losses to Tampa Bay in 2022 and Montreal in 2021. Overall, Toronto has an all-time series record of 12-4 in their best-of-seven opening rounds with home-ice advantage, with their last such victory in that scenario over Ottawa in the 2004 Conference Quarterfinals.



ROBERTSON, PAVELSKI LEAD STARS TO 100-POINT SEASON
Joe Pavelski (1-2—3) and Jason Robertson (2-0—2) each recorded multiple points to help the Stars improve to 43-21-14 (100 points) and record the 10th 100-point season in franchise history. All of the franchise’s 100-point campaigns have come since the team arrived in Dallas prior to the 1993-94 season.



* Pavelski, who sits just one shy of the 1,000-point milestone, scored in his fifth consecutive game and became the fourth player in NHL history to record a five-game goal streak at age 38 or older. The only others to do so: Brett Hull (7 GP in 2003-04 w/ DET), Johnny Bucyk (6 GP in 1974-75 w/ BOS) and Justin Williams (5 GP in 2019-20 w/ CAR).

* Robertson (45-58—103 in 78 GP), who surpassed Dino Ciccarelli for the sixth-highest single season goal total in franchise history, recorded multiple points for the fourth straight game – a feat he achieved already once this season (5-5—10 in 4 GP from Oct. 29 – Nov. 5, 2022). He joined Mike Modano (3x; last: 4 GP in 2001-02) as the only other player in Stars team history to do so multiple times.

RANTANEN SCORES HAT TRICK, REACHES 50-GOAL MARK WITH FOUR-POINT NIGHT
Entering the night one goal back of 50 on the season, Mikko Rantanen (3-1—4) scored that and more with his third hat trick of 2022-23. Nathan MacKinnon (1-3—4) also added four points of his own as the high-scoring duo helped the Avalanche (47-24-6, 100 points) record their second straight 100-point season and maintain their position atop the Central Division standings.



* Rantanen (52) became the fifth player in Avalanche/Nordiques history to record 50 or more tallies in a single season and the fourth in the NHL in 2022-23. The League now features four or more 50-goal scorers in consecutive seasons (also 4 in 2021-22) for the first time since 1995-96 (8), 1996-97 (4) and 1997-98 (4).

* Rantanenbecame the third player this season to record at least three hat tricks, joining Buffalo’s Tage Thompson (4) and Carolina’s Sebastian Aho (3). The last campaign to feature a trio of players each with three or more was 2018-19: Alex Ovechkin, David Pastrnak and Patrik Laine (all w/ 3).  

PREDATORS CONTINUE PLAYOFF PUSH IN #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES
The Thursday, 14-game edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates featured an abundance of notes, including a crucial shutout victory from the Predators (40-30-8, 88 points). Nashville sits one point behind idle Winnipeg (43-32-3, 89 points) for the second Wild Card spot and final postseason berth available in the Western Conference. Each team has four games remaining in their regular-season schedule.

* Juuse Saros (33 saves) recorded his 20th career shutout as the Predators enter the weekend with a crucial head-to-head meeting against the Jets at Canada Life Centre on April 8. All three meetings to date have resulted in a one-goal affair, including two Winnipeg overtime victories (Dec. 15, 2022 & March 18).

 


QUICK CLICKS


* Steven Stamkos becomes second player to skate 1,000 games with Lightning

*Adam Fox fined $5,000 for actions in Rangers game

* Alex Killorn fined $5,000 for actions in Lightning game

* Blues fans cheer Vladimir Tarasenko, play tribute video in return with Rangers

* Women in Hockey: Katy Boettinger

NHL ACTION RESUMES SATURDAY WITH A FIRST-EVER 16-GAME SLATE

The NHL will take a pause on Good Friday and resume on Saturday when all teams will be in action for the first-ever 16-game day in NHL history.

Penguins’ Friedman Fined for Embellishment

NHL Editor
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Penguins’ Friedman Fined for Embellishment

NEW YORK – Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Mark Friedman has been fined $2,000 as supplementary discipline under NHL Rule 64 (Diving/Embellishment), the National Hockey League announced today.

NHL Rule 64 is designed to bring attention to and more seriously penalize players (and teams) who repeatedly dive and embellish in an attempt to draw penalties. Fines are assessed to players and head coaches on a graduated scale outlined below:

Citation #Player Fine(s)* Head Coach Fine(s)
1WarningN/A
2$2,000N/A
3$3,000N/A
4$4,000N/A
5$5,000$2,000
6$5,000$3,000
7$5,000$4,000
8$5,000$5,000

* For head coaches, each FINE issued to a player on his club counts toward his total. Four FINES issued to one player or a club collectively results in the head coach receiving his first fine.

Citations are issued by the National Hockey League Hockey Operations Department, which tracks all games, logs all penalties for diving or embellishment, and flags all plays not called on the ice that in its opinion were deserving of such a penalty. A Citation is issued once Hockey Operations, through its internal deliberations, is convinced that a player warrants sanction.

Friedman was issued a Warning following an incident flagged by NHL Hockey Operations during NHL Game No. 560 vs. Detroit on Dec. 28. His second Citation, which triggered the $2,000 fine, was issued for an incident at 10:22 of the third period during NHL Game No. 1221 vs. Philadelphia on April 2. Flyers forward Travis Konecny received a minor penalty for slashing on the play.

The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

Lightning’s Killorn Fined for Slashing

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Lightning’s Killorn Fined for Slashing

NEW YORK – Tampa Bay Lightning forward Alex Killorn has been fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, for slashing New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin during NHL Game No. 1241 in New York on Wednesday, April 5, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced today.

The incident occurred at 11:34 of the second period. Killorn was assessed a minor penalty for slashing.

The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

Rangers’ Fox Fined for Slashing

NHL Editor
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Rangers’ Fox Fined for Slashing

NEW YORK – New York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox has been fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, for slashing Tampa Bay Lightning forward Corey Perry during NHL Game No. 1241 in New York on Wednesday, April 5, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced today.

The incident occurred at 8:50 of the second period. Fox was assessed a minor penalty for slashing.

The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

MLS Preview: CF Montréal Impact (1-4-0) at New England Revolution (4-1-1)

MLS Editor
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MLS Preview: CF Montréal Impact (1-4-0) at New England Revolution (4-1-1)

CF Montreal Impact beat the New England Revolution twice last season as the Revolution had won the previous six meetings in all competitions. It marked the first time CF Montreal Impact won all of its meetings with the Revolution in a single season in club history.

With four wins and a draw (L1), New England is on 13 points after six matches this season. Last year, it took the Revolution twice as many games to reach that mark, recording a win in their 12th match to go from 12-15 points on the season.

CF Montreal Impact’s 5-0 defeat to the Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Saturday equaled the second-largest margin of defeat in club history, behind only a 7-1 loss to Sporting Kansas City in 2019. CF Montreal Impact has lost four of its first five matches of a season for the first time since the inaugural MLS campaign in 2012.

Carles Gil scored New England Revolution’s lone goal in its draw against New York City FC on Saturday on a shot from outside the box. Since the start of 2021, 71.4 percent of Gil’s seven non-penalty goals (5/7) have been scored from outside the box, the highest percentage of any player with more than five non-penalty goals in that time.

Romell Quioto has scored four goals against the New England Revolution since joining CF Montreal Impact in 2020 (including playoffs) Only Valentin Castellanos (5) has scored as many goals against the New England Revolution in that time.

Boxing Preview: Sebastian Fundora (20-0-1 13KOs) vs Brian Mendoza (21-2-0, 15 KOs)

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Boxing Preview: Sebastian Fundora (20-0-1 13KOs) vs Brian Mendoza (21-2-0, 15 KOs)

Undefeated super welterweight sensation Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora will defend his Interim WBC Super Welterweight Title against rising contender Brian Mendoza on Saturday, April 8 live on SHOWTIME from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif., headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT and will feature undefeated super lightweight contender Brandun Lee taking on Mexico’s Pedro Campa in the 10-round co-main event, plus undefeated featherweights Luis “The Twist” Núñez and Christian Olivo square off in the 10-round telecast opener.

WHAT TIME IS THE FUNDORA VS. MENDOZA FIGHT?
Date: Saturday, April 8
Start time: 2 a.m. GMT / 9 p.m. ET
Main event ringwalks (approx): 4 a.m. GMT / 11 p.m. ET
The fight takes place at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. Watch the fight live on Showtime in the US The event is set to get underway at 2 a.m. GMT / 9 p.m. ET with the main event ringwalks scheduled for 4 a.m. GMT / 11 p.m. ET.

“Sebastian Fundora has established himself as one of boxing’s must-see attractions, as he brings an all-action demeanor every time he steps into the ring, combined with an ability to end a fight at any time,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Coming off a career-best win, Brian Mendoza will be highly motivated to slow down Fundora’s momentum, which should make for great action at the always electric Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson. Adding in another action-fighter in Brandun Lee taking on Pedro Campa, and a pair of unbeaten featherweights in the TV opener, and April 8 lines up to be another memorable night on SHOWTIME.”

Fundora (20-0-1, 13 KOs) has rocketed to the top of the super welterweight division with a fan-friendly style and bruising toughness in the ring. At 6-foot-6, the unbeaten 25-year-old southpaw from Coachella, Calif., towers over his opponents, but has displayed an appetite for toe-to-toe combat from short range. Fundora showed his mettle in April 2022, battling the hard-hitting Erickson Lubin in an instant 2022 Fight of the Year contender. Despite both men hitting the canvas, Fundora stood tall in the end, prompting Lubin’s corner to stop the fight at the end of the ninth round. Fundora returned last October at Dignity Health Sports Park, dominating the streaking Carlos Ocampo to win a wide unanimous decision.

“I’m well-prepared for this matchup,” said Fundora. “I’m training hard, as usual, and I’m ready to put on a great show for the fans in Carson all over again. We expect a great fight from Mendoza. I hope he brings his best so that we can give the fans their money’s worth. Every single fight is important, so we’re going in there to win and get to where I want to be, and that’s world champion of the 154-pound division.”

Originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico, Mendoza (21-2, 15 KOs) now fights out of Las Vegas and will return to 154 pounds after knocking out former unified champion Jeison Rosario in the fifth-round of their middleweight clash in November. The 29-year-old, who trains under the tutelage of renowned trainer Ismael Salas, has won back-to-back fights after taking highly touted knockout artist Jesus Ramos the 10-round distance in a losing decision in September 2021. Mendoza also owns a 10-round unanimous decision triumph over Thomas LaManna in August 2020 and began his career with eighteen consecutive victories.

“I have another big opportunity in front of me on April 8,” said Mendoza. “Just like in my last fight, I’m embracing the role of underdog so I can shock the world. I’m not satisfied with just fighting for a world title, I’m going to keep working day after day until I walk out of the ring with that belt wrapped around my waist. Sleep on me at your own risk, because I’m coming for everything.”

La Quinta, California’s Lee (27-0, 23 KOs) has stopped 16 of his last 18 opponents, including a four-round destruction of Diego Luque in January. The 23-year-old has also shown his boxing acumen in winning a pair of 10-round decisions in 2022, besting Zachary Ochoa in April and Will Madera in August. Trained by his father Bobby, Lee was also an accomplished amateur, going an estimated 195 amateur fights with only five losses and capturing gold at the prestigious 2015 U.S. Junior National Championships at 145 pounds.

“This is my first co-main event, so it’s important for me to go and show the boxing world who Brandun Lee is and where I belong in the division,” said Lee. “Pedro Campa is a true Mexican veteran who can take a punch but also give one, so I have to be alert at all times. The fans can expect an explosive performance from me. I’m looking forward to performing in front of my family and friends but most importantly, I’m looking forward to being under those bright lights on April 8.”

The 31-year-old Campa (34-2-1, 23 KOs) had an eight-fight unbeaten streak snapped in his last outing, as he dropped an August 2022 showdown against former world champion Teofimo Lopez. A native of Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico, Campa stopped eight of his first nine opponents after turning pro in 2011 and owns an impressive stateside win over Aaron Herrera in 2015. Campa stopped previously unbeaten fighters Abimel Bautista and Carlos Valadez in back-to-back contests to earn the fight against Lopez.

“I’m very motivated to be on a great card like this,” said Campa. “I’ve seen a little bit of Brandun Lee and I have a good idea of what I need to do to win this fight. I’m ready to face the best version of Lee and show that I have the experience and strength to come out victorious. My plan is to have my hand raised on April 8 and give the people in my hometown of Guaymas something to celebrate.”

After piling up an 85-5 amateur record, Núñez (18-0, 13 KOs) turned pro in 2018 and has shown impressive skill in amassing his unbeaten pro resume. Fighting out of Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, Núñez made his U.S. debut in September 2021 by winning a unanimous decision over the previously unbeaten Jayvon Garnett on SHOBOX: The New Generation® and followed up that performance by taking down another undefeated fighter, as he stopped Carlos Arrieta in the 10th round of their January showdown, also on SHOBOX®. Núñez made it three unbeatens in a row in May 2022, as he won a unanimous decision over Jonathan Fierro, before most recently stopping Renson Robles last December.

“I’m very thankful to be back for another opportunity on SHOWTIME,” said Núñez. “I’m coming to represent my people of the Dominican Republic as a proud warrior. Olivo is an excellent fighter and this will be a tough fight, but my experience, my strength and my skills will twist things my way.”

A native of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, Olivo (20-0-1, 7 KOs) will be making his U.S. debut when he steps into the ring on April 8. The 24-year-old turned pro as a teenager in December 2017 and has steadily racked up wins since a split-draw in his sixth pro fight. Olivo added two wins to his ledger in 2022, sweeping a pair of fights on all three judges’ scorecards each time out. His most recent triumph saw him earn a unanimous decision over the previously unbeaten Carlos Jaquez last September.

“I’m thrilled to be making my U.S. debut on such a big stage,” said Olivo. “I’m thankful to my team for giving me this chance. I believe that our styles will make a great fight and that in the end, the fans will be the winners. I’m going to give everything I have in the ring to make the public remember my name. I’m going up against a great fighter, but I’m ready for this challenge.”

FUNDORA – MENDOZA CARD
Sebastian Fundora vs. Brian Mendoza; For Fundora’s WBC interim super welterweight championship
Brandun Lee vs. Pedro Campa
Luis Reynaldo Nunez vs. Christian Olivo Barreda
Gabriel Maestre vs. Devon Alexander
Frank Sanchez vs. Daniel Martz
Gabriela Fundora vs. Maria Micheo
Santizo Adrian Corona vs. Jerry Perez
Chris Arreola vs. Mathew McKinney
Gabriel Garcia vs. Marco Diaz
Viktor Slavinskyi vs.Juan Antonio Lopez,
Justin Viloria vs. Sirdarious Smith
Federico Pacheco Jr vs. Felipe Torres

Boxing Preview: Shakur Stevenson (19-0-0, 9KOs) vs Shuichiro Yoshino (16-0-0, 12KOs)

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Boxing Preview: Shakur Stevenson (19-0-0, 9KOs) vs Shuichiro Yoshino (16-0-0, 12KOs)

The King of Brick City: Shakur Stevenson Returns Home April 8 Against Shuichiro Yoshino in Lightweight Main Event at Newark’s Prudential Center

Stevenson-Yoshino, the return of heavyweight knockout artist Jared Anderson, and lightweight Olympic silver medalist Keyshawn Davis will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. – Tickets starting at $55 go on sale Friday, Feb. 10 at 1 p.m. ET and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com.

The pound-for-pound fighting pride of “Brick City” has packed the house before, and he is set to do it again

WHAT TIME IS THE STEVENSON VS. YOSHINO FIGHT?
Date: Saturday, April 8
Start time: 8:00 p.m. ET / 1 a.m. BST Main event ringwalks (approx): 11:00 p.m. ET / 4:00 a.m. BST
Viewers in the U.S. can watch the fight live on ESPN The fight will take place at the Prudential Center in New Jersey, America. The main card is set to get underway at 8:00 p.m. ET / 1 a.m. BST with the main event ringwalks scheduled for 11:00 p.m. ET / 4:00 a.m. BST. Undefeated former two-weight world champion Shakur Stevenson will take on Japanese puncher Shuichiro Yoshino in a 12-round WBC lightweight title eliminator Saturday, April 8, at Prudential Center in his hometown of Newark, New Jersey.

In the co-feature, heavyweight knockout artist Jared “The Real Big Baby” Anderson aims for another stoppage in a 10-rounder against an opponent to be named. And, in the 10-round televised opener, rising lightweight and U.S. Olympic silver medalist Keyshawn Davis fights a to-be-determined foe.

“Shakur Stevenson is one of the most gifted fighters I’ve had the pleasure of promoting, and I look forward to seeing him once again fight in front of his incredible hometown fans in Newark,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Yoshino is a tough fighter and won’t be deterred by the hostile crowd. Jared Anderson and Keyshawn Davis are two of the sport’s emerging superstars, and I can’t wait to see them back in the ring.”

“Following the overwhelming success of Shakur Stevenson’s return to Newark in September, we are thrilled to build on that momentum with another stacked Top Rank boxing card on Saturday, April 8th,” said Dylan Wanagiel, VP of Sports Properties & Special Events for Prudential Center. “As Shakur continues to rise the pound-for-pound rankings, we take great pride in being his home. We all witnessed just how much Shakur means to the City of Newark a few months ago, as the event sold the most tickets to a boxing event in our venue’s 15-year history. Alongside our world-class partners at Top Rank and ESPN, we look forward to raising the bar for boxing fans not only in New Jersey but across the globe.”

Stevenson (19-0, 9 KOs), a former featherweight and junior lightweight world champion, returns home following last September’s triumph against Robson Conceição. The stubborn Conceição lasted the distance, but Stevenson dominated in front of 10,107 fans at Prudential Center. It was the first time Stevenson had fought at Prudential Center since July 2019 and established the venue as one of the sport’s most raucous hometown crowds. Stevenson won the WBO junior lightweight title with a 10th-round knockout over Jamel Herring in October 2021, then unified the division with a stirring 12-round display over WBC king Oscar Valdez the following April. Those victories propelled Stevenson, a 2016 U.S. Olympic silver medalist, to the top 10 of most pound-for-pound lists. He now sets his sights on a third weight class and a spot atop the pound-for-pound throne.

“I am taking over the lightweight division and my run will start on April 8 in Newark. Shuichiro Yoshino is an undefeated fighter who was willing to step up and fight me when so many fighters were scared,” Stevenson said. “My last fight at the Prudential Center was just the start of what I’m building in Jersey. We are going to pack the Prudential Center again and show the world who the future of boxing really is.”

Yoshino (16-0, 12 KOs), the WBC’s No. 5 contender, is a former Japanese lightweight champion who compiled a 104-20 amateur record. After seven defenses of his Japanese title, Yoshino rose in the rankings following a banner 2022. Last April, he won a bloody technical decision over former world champion Masayuki Ito after Ito suffered a cut over his left eye. He followed up the Ito triumph in November with a sixth-round stoppage over Masayoshi Nakatani, best known to fans for his stands against Teofimo Lopez and Vasiliy Lomachenko. Yoshino has never fought away from Japan and hopes to spoil Stevenson’s homecoming.

“I am very honored to be fighting in the U.S. for the first time. I’m extremely focused and motivated,” Yoshino said. “I’m looking forward to fighting the great two-division champion, Shakur Stevenson, in his hometown of Newark. I’ll be training hard leading up to the fight and look forward to showing the fans an exciting victory!”

Anderson (13-0, 13 KOs), a 23-year-old from Toledo, Ohio, has notched five consecutive second-round stoppages, including a demolition of the normally durable Jerry Forrest last December. Anderson received international headlines for his work as a sparring partner of heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, but he is now firmly established as a potential heavyweight champion.

Davis (7-0, 5 KOs), from Norfolk, Virginia, went to the Tokyo Olympics as a 3-0 professional and returned home with a silver medal and a long-term promotional contract with Top Rank. He is 4-0 since signing with the promotional powerhouse in late 2021, including three stoppage victories and last December’s shutout over former world title challenger Juan Carlos Burgos. Davis shined at Prudential Center last September, stopping Omar Tienda in five rounds.

Undercard action — streaming live and exclusively on ESPN+ — includes undefeated Polish heavyweight prospect Damian Knyba (10-0, 6 KOs) in an eight-rounder. Knyba signed a long-term contract with Top Rank following his second-round knockout over Emilio Salas on the Teofimo Lopez-Sandor Martin bill in December.

Featherweight phenom Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington (6-0, 3 KOs), the latest uber-talent from Brownsville, Brooklyn, will fight in a six-rounder against an opponent to be named. Carrington fought on the Stevenson-Conceição bill and blanked Jose Argel over six rounds.

STEVENSON YOSHINO CARD
Shakur Stevenson vs. Shuichiro Yoshino; Lightweight
Keyshawn Davis vs. Anthony Yigit; Lightweight
Jared Anderson vs. George Arias; Heavyweight
Troy Isley vs. Roy Barringer; Super-welterweight
Damian Knyba vs. Curtis Harper; Heavyweight
Bruce Carrington vs. Brandon Chambers; Featherweight
Kelvin Davis vs. Nelson Morale; Super-lightweight
Antoine Cobb vs. Jaylan Phillips; Super-lightweight

NBA Preview: Golden State Warriors (42-38) at Sacramento Kings (48-32)

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NBA Preview: Golden State Warriors (42-38) at Sacramento Kings (48-32)

When the rivals meet on Friday night in the capital of California, the Sacramento Kings will have the opportunity to watch the scoreboard before deciding how important a win over the Golden State Warriors might be.

The Kings (48-32), who have previously secured the Pacific Division title, are guaranteed no more regrettable than the No. 3rd in the playoffs of the Western Conference.

They could still finish second, but it would require the Kings to finish on a two-game winning streak and the Memphis Grizzlies (50-30) to lose both of their remaining games.

On Friday night, the Memphis Grizzlies will take on the Milwaukee Bucks in a game that should end around the time the Kings take on the Warriors.

The Warriors (42-38), who are in a much tighter playoff position than Sacramento, could get a big break if Memphis wins, rendering the Kings’ home game meaningless.

Los Angeles holds the tiebreaker, so Golden State and the Clippers will take the court in fifth place in the West. With victories over Sacramento and Portland on Sunday, the Warriors could still pass the Clippers, but more importantly, they would ensure that they would not fall below the sixth playoff spot.

If Golden State wins on Friday and the Warriors lose to the Kings, the Los Angeles Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans, who also hold tiebreaker advantages over Golden State, could catch Golden State. In Friday’s nightcap, the Lakers will play the Suns at home, and the Pelicans will play the New York Knicks at home in a game that starts two hours before the game in Sacramento.

The Kings confronted a comparably centered rival around Wednesday when they fell 123-119 to a frantic Dallas Protesters crew in a game that might have moved Sacramento inside one round of the Grizzlies.

On the eve of the playoffs, Sacramento coach Mike Brown stated that there was a lesson to be learned.

The perception that the Warriors would prefer to face Sacramento in the playoffs rather than alternatives such as the Grizzlies or Suns is one reason for the Kings to take a serious approach to Golden State’s visit, regardless of whether it has any significance in the standings.

Stephen Curry and Draymond Green have both stated this publicly over the past week, despite the fact that both players insisted it was not personal.

The Warriors were beaten 122-115 in their main past visit to Sacramento this season. In the first three weeks of the season, the teams played three times, with Golden State winning at home by scores of 130-125 and 116-113.

NBA Preview: Chicago Bulls (38-42) at Dallas Mavericks (38-42)

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NBA Preview: Chicago Bulls (38-42) at Dallas Mavericks (38-42)

On Friday, the Dallas Mavericks will travel to Chicago Bulls, who have already secured a spot in the East’s play-in tournament, to continue their quest for the final play-in spot in the Western Conference.

Last week, Chicago (38-42) clinched a spot in the play-in round, but the Bulls lost to Atlanta on Tuesday and Milwaukee on Wednesday, locking them into the No. 10 seed.

Chicago will confront either Atlanta or Toronto making a course for open the play-in competition.

After snapping a three-game losing streak on Wednesday, Dallas (38-42) still has a chance of qualifying for the West play-in round. Due to Kyrie Irving’s 31 points and Luka Doncic’s 29 points and 10 rebounds, the Mavericks defeated the Sacramento Kings 123-119, defeating one of the conference’s leading contenders.

Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 24 points for Dallas, making it the third time in four games that Doncic, Hardaway, and Irving have all scored 20 or more points in the same game.

After Thursday night’s slate, the Mavericks will have a better idea of where they stand heading into the final weekend. Utah plays Oklahoma City, which has the tiebreaker but has the same record as Dallas. On Friday, Dallas could either be positioned to overtake the Thunder for the final play-in spot or be looking up at them.

On Sunday, Dallas plays San Antonio, a team with one of the league’s worst records. The Mavericks’ hopes of reaching the postseason are greatly enhanced by Friday’s game against the Bulls because of the favorable matchup.

Even though the last time the two teams met was on December 10, long before Irving’s addition significantly altered the Mavericks’ roster, Chicago prevailed.

Without Doncic, Dallas played the 144-115 defeat. In the victory, DeRozan scored 28 points and grabbed nine rebounds for the Bulls.

Zach LaVine and DeRozan both average team-highs of 24.7 points per game heading into Friday’s matchup. With 17.7 points and 11.1 rebounds, center Nikola Vucevic is averaging a double-double per game.

Dallas will face a tough defense from the Bulls, who are seventh in the league with a yield of 112.2 points. In terms of scoring defense (113.8 points) and scoring offense (114.2 points), the Mavericks are in the middle of the league.

While Chicago relies more heavily on interior scoring with 32.1 field goals made from within the 3-point line, Dallas leads the NBA with just 11.1 3-point conversions allowed per game.

NBA Preview: New York Knicks (47-33) at New Orleans Pelicans (41-39)

NBA Editor
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NBA Preview: New York Knicks (47-33) at New Orleans Pelicans (41-39)

With two games remaining in the regular season, the New York Knicks are guaranteed a spot in the postseason.

In contrast, the New Orleans Pelicans are aware that they will continue to play beyond the regular season, but they are unaware of many specifics. What lies ahead will be made clearer by the outcome of their regular-season home finale against New York on Friday night.

The Pelicans (41-39) secured the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference play-in tournament. 9 seed when they beat Memphis, who was visiting, 138-131 in overtime in a crazy game on Wednesday night.

In the final five seconds of the fourth quarter, New Orleans lost a six-point lead and found itself in overtime after trailing by 19 points late in the second quarter. However, it rebounded to lead by 19 points in the final quarter.

The Pelicans scored the first 10 points of the extra period to take control, scoring first with two 3-pointers from Trey Murphy III.

New Orleans, which plays Minnesota on Sunday to conclude the regular season, still has a chance of finishing anywhere from 5 to No. Nine in the West By winning eight of its last ten games, it has improved its standing.

The Knicks (47-33) will be the No. 1 team. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, where they will play the No. 4 against Cleveland in the opening round.

Meanwhile, New York’s attention is on getting solid.

Due to a left ankle sprain, forward Julius Randle, the Knicks’ leading scorer and rebounder (25.1 points, 10.0 rebounds per game), is still out and will miss at least the final two games of the regular season. RJ Barrett has been out of the last two games due to illness, and guard Jalen Brunson missed Wednesday night’s 138-129 victory over Indiana due to a hand injury.

Immanuel Quickley had 39 points in the game against Indiana, while Quentin Grimes had a career-high 36.

The Knicks held a 52-37 rebounding edge thanks to Obi Toppin’s 32 points and Mitchell Robinson’s 14 points and 16 rebounds.

The Knicks, who finish the regular season at home against the Pacers on Sunday, will be attempting to sharpen their game for the playoffs regardless of who is available, whereas the Pelicans will be attempting to improve their postseason positioning.

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