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Deadspin | Avalanche clinch Presidents’ Trophy with narrow win over Flames  Apr 9, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Avalanche center Jack Drury (18) and Calgary Flames right wing Adam Klapka (43) collide in the first period at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images   Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas had a goal and two assists each, and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Calgary Flames 3-1 in Denver on Thursday night to clinch the top overall seed for the postseason.  MacKinnon set a career high with his 52nd goal, Gabriel Landeskog also scored and Mackenzie Blackwood turned away 28 shots for Colorado. The Avalanche (54-16-10, 114 points) clinched the Presidents’ Trophy for the fourth time since relocating to Colorado 31 years ago.  Carolina, with 108 points, could match the Avalanche in total points, but Colorado holds the tiebreaker between the teams by virtue of winning the season series 1-0-1.  The Avalanche also captured the top seed in 1996-97, 2000-01 and 2021-22. They won the Stanley Cup the last two times they won the Presidents’ Trophy.  Tyson Gross scored his first NHL goal in his third career game and Dustin Wolf made 38 saves for Calgary (32-37-9, 73 points), which has dropped three of its last four games.  The Avalanche played without center Nazem Kadri, who sustained a finger injury in their 3-1 win at St. Louis on Tuesday night. Head coach Jared Bednar said before Thursday’s game he expects Kadri to return by the end of the regular season.   The game was scoreless until late in the first period when Calgary’s John Beecher took a hooking minor. Six seconds into the power play, MacKinnon sent a pass through the crease to Landeskog at the far post, and he tapped it in at 18:44.  Necas extended the lead late in the second period. He sent a pass to MacKinnon down low, got it right back, stickhandled through the slot and lifted a shot over the sprawling Wolf at 15:01.  It was his career-best 38th goal of the season.  Wolf came off for an extra skater with 3:46 remaining, and Gross scored at 17:08 to cut the deficit in half. Gross appeared to tie it 1:23 later with Wolf off again, but Colorado successfully challenged for offsides. Less than a minute later, MacKinnon scored into the empty net to extend his NHL lead in goals.  –Field Level Media   #Deadspin #Avalanche #clinch #Presidents #Trophy #narrow #win #Flames

Deadspin | Avalanche clinch Presidents’ Trophy with narrow win over Flames
Deadspin | Avalanche clinch Presidents’ Trophy with narrow win over Flames  Apr 9, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Avalanche center Jack Drury (18) and Calgary Flames right wing Adam Klapka (43) collide in the first period at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images   Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas had a goal and two assists each, and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Calgary Flames 3-1 in Denver on Thursday night to clinch the top overall seed for the postseason.  MacKinnon set a career high with his 52nd goal, Gabriel Landeskog also scored and Mackenzie Blackwood turned away 28 shots for Colorado. The Avalanche (54-16-10, 114 points) clinched the Presidents’ Trophy for the fourth time since relocating to Colorado 31 years ago.  Carolina, with 108 points, could match the Avalanche in total points, but Colorado holds the tiebreaker between the teams by virtue of winning the season series 1-0-1.  The Avalanche also captured the top seed in 1996-97, 2000-01 and 2021-22. They won the Stanley Cup the last two times they won the Presidents’ Trophy.  Tyson Gross scored his first NHL goal in his third career game and Dustin Wolf made 38 saves for Calgary (32-37-9, 73 points), which has dropped three of its last four games.  The Avalanche played without center Nazem Kadri, who sustained a finger injury in their 3-1 win at St. Louis on Tuesday night. Head coach Jared Bednar said before Thursday’s game he expects Kadri to return by the end of the regular season.   The game was scoreless until late in the first period when Calgary’s John Beecher took a hooking minor. Six seconds into the power play, MacKinnon sent a pass through the crease to Landeskog at the far post, and he tapped it in at 18:44.  Necas extended the lead late in the second period. He sent a pass to MacKinnon down low, got it right back, stickhandled through the slot and lifted a shot over the sprawling Wolf at 15:01.  It was his career-best 38th goal of the season.  Wolf came off for an extra skater with 3:46 remaining, and Gross scored at 17:08 to cut the deficit in half. Gross appeared to tie it 1:23 later with Wolf off again, but Colorado successfully challenged for offsides. Less than a minute later, MacKinnon scored into the empty net to extend his NHL lead in goals.  –Field Level Media   #Deadspin #Avalanche #clinch #Presidents #Trophy #narrow #win #FlamesApr 9, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Avalanche center Jack Drury (18) and Calgary Flames right wing Adam Klapka (43) collide in the first period at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas had a goal and two assists each, and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Calgary Flames 3-1 in Denver on Thursday night to clinch the top overall seed for the postseason.

MacKinnon set a career high with his 52nd goal, Gabriel Landeskog also scored and Mackenzie Blackwood turned away 28 shots for Colorado. The Avalanche (54-16-10, 114 points) clinched the Presidents’ Trophy for the fourth time since relocating to Colorado 31 years ago.

Carolina, with 108 points, could match the Avalanche in total points, but Colorado holds the tiebreaker between the teams by virtue of winning the season series 1-0-1.

The Avalanche also captured the top seed in 1996-97, 2000-01 and 2021-22. They won the Stanley Cup the last two times they won the Presidents’ Trophy.

Tyson Gross scored his first NHL goal in his third career game and Dustin Wolf made 38 saves for Calgary (32-37-9, 73 points), which has dropped three of its last four games.


The Avalanche played without center Nazem Kadri, who sustained a finger injury in their 3-1 win at St. Louis on Tuesday night. Head coach Jared Bednar said before Thursday’s game he expects Kadri to return by the end of the regular season.

The game was scoreless until late in the first period when Calgary’s John Beecher took a hooking minor. Six seconds into the power play, MacKinnon sent a pass through the crease to Landeskog at the far post, and he tapped it in at 18:44.

Necas extended the lead late in the second period. He sent a pass to MacKinnon down low, got it right back, stickhandled through the slot and lifted a shot over the sprawling Wolf at 15:01.

It was his career-best 38th goal of the season.

Wolf came off for an extra skater with 3:46 remaining, and Gross scored at 17:08 to cut the deficit in half. Gross appeared to tie it 1:23 later with Wolf off again, but Colorado successfully challenged for offsides. Less than a minute later, MacKinnon scored into the empty net to extend his NHL lead in goals.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Avalanche #clinch #Presidents #Trophy #narrow #win #Flames

Apr 9, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Avalanche center Jack Drury (18) and Calgary Flames right wing Adam Klapka (43) collide in the first period at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas had a goal and two assists each, and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Calgary Flames 3-1 in Denver on Thursday night to clinch the top overall seed for the postseason.

MacKinnon set a career high with his 52nd goal, Gabriel Landeskog also scored and Mackenzie Blackwood turned away 28 shots for Colorado. The Avalanche (54-16-10, 114 points) clinched the Presidents’ Trophy for the fourth time since relocating to Colorado 31 years ago.

Carolina, with 108 points, could match the Avalanche in total points, but Colorado holds the tiebreaker between the teams by virtue of winning the season series 1-0-1.

The Avalanche also captured the top seed in 1996-97, 2000-01 and 2021-22. They won the Stanley Cup the last two times they won the Presidents’ Trophy.

Tyson Gross scored his first NHL goal in his third career game and Dustin Wolf made 38 saves for Calgary (32-37-9, 73 points), which has dropped three of its last four games.

The Avalanche played without center Nazem Kadri, who sustained a finger injury in their 3-1 win at St. Louis on Tuesday night. Head coach Jared Bednar said before Thursday’s game he expects Kadri to return by the end of the regular season.

The game was scoreless until late in the first period when Calgary’s John Beecher took a hooking minor. Six seconds into the power play, MacKinnon sent a pass through the crease to Landeskog at the far post, and he tapped it in at 18:44.

Necas extended the lead late in the second period. He sent a pass to MacKinnon down low, got it right back, stickhandled through the slot and lifted a shot over the sprawling Wolf at 15:01.

It was his career-best 38th goal of the season.

Wolf came off for an extra skater with 3:46 remaining, and Gross scored at 17:08 to cut the deficit in half. Gross appeared to tie it 1:23 later with Wolf off again, but Colorado successfully challenged for offsides. Less than a minute later, MacKinnon scored into the empty net to extend his NHL lead in goals.

–Field Level Media

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#Deadspin #Avalanche #clinch #Presidents #Trophy #narrow #win #Flames

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Life comes full circle at the Wankhede — Ravi Shastri, mother Lakshmi share emotional moment <div id="content-body-70846012" itemprop="articleBody"><p>For Lakshmi Shastri, the unveiling of the Ravi Shastri Stand at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday was not merely an honour bestowed on her son. It was a full-circle moment — one that brought back memories of train rides, packed stands, and the quiet pride of watching a young boy from Mumbai carve his place in Indian cricket.</p><p>“It means a lot to me. I feel so honoured to be present here. I would come to the Wankhade Stadium to watch him play, though I did not watch his six sixes that day (in 1985). And I never dreamt that one day I would stand before the stand that has been named after him,” Lakshmi told <i>Sportstar</i> moments after the ceremony, with her daughter-in-law Ritu and granddaughter Alekha patiently waiting for her.</p><p>“This is with God’s grace, and I do believe Ravi’s devotion, dedication, most importantly, his self-belief that he will achieve what he dreamt of. So may he go from strength to strength, extremely proud of him.”</p><p>Her words carried the weight of decades. An ardent cricket follower since the 1960s, Lakshmi has been pivotal in pushing Ravi to the limits since his formative years. Yet, Thursday’s honour had a special emotional pull, particularly because Dr Jayadritha Shastri, Ravi’s father and one of his earliest supporters, was not present, having passed away in 2007.</p><p>“Only regret is his father is not present who encouraged him. But I am sure our blessings are with him,” she said.</p><p>Lakshmi also recalled one of her fondest memories at the Wankhede, an incident her son elaborated on during his speech.</p><p>“That he mentioned already, that when we came here to watch (the Test against England in 1984), Mr. (S.K.) Wankhade was present at that time. And he welcomed us, and he took us right up to his gallery to watch, which we thought was a great gesture on his part. We will never forget that,” she said.</p><p>Ravi Shastri, during his address, expanded on that cherished moment from 1984, when he was batting in a Test against England at the Wankhede.</p><p><b>RELATED | <a href="https://sportstar.thehindu.com/cricket/domestic/ravi-shastri-diana-edulji-wankhede-stadium-stand-unveiled-fadnavis-quotes-latest-news/article70844195.ece" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Stand in honour of Ravi Shastri unveiled at Wankhede Stadium</a></b></p><p>“We had Mr. Wankhede. And he was such a cricket lover. I remember my father and mother walking up the stairs to go up into the stand. And someone told him, ‘That’s Ravi’s parents’. And I was batting on fifty. This was the Test match against England (in 1984). He called them, took them up and put them in the prime seats to watch me get a hundred,” Shastri recalled.</p><p>It was a memory that tied the past to the present — from a young cricketer’s parents being escorted to the best seats to watch a milestone, to their son now having an entire stand named after him.</p><p>Lakshmi also reflected on where Thursday ranked among her son’s achievements. “It’s one of the memorable days. The most memorable will be his six sixes and his winning the Benson & Hedges Championship, when he was crowned Champion of Champions. That will forever remain in my memory,” she said.</p><div class="inline_embed article-block-item"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">A special night for the Shastris 🌟</p><p>Former India captain and coach Ravi Shastri had his biggest cheerleaders in attendance, his family, as the stand named after him was unveiled at the Wankhede Stadium. His mother, Lakshmi, reacts to the honour: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MumbaiCricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MumbaiCricket</a> | Video:… <a href="https://t.co/buNeZsvRAy">pic.twitter.com/buNeZsvRAy</a></p>— Sportstar (@sportstarweb) <a href="https://twitter.com/sportstarweb/status/2042290093193642055?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2026</a></blockquote></div><p>Shastri, too, acknowledged the role his family played in his journey.</p><p>“To my family that’s present here, without their support, I don’t think I would have made it. My mother, 86, is even more obsessed with the game (than anyone else). She has watched Test cricket from the 1960s, right from (Gary) Sobers at the CCI to Clive Lloyd, and (Vivian) Richards, and her favourite was Neil Harvey. And she was a pest. You had to score every game.”</p><p>The honour held added significance for Shastri. The stand bearing his name now occupies almost the same area where, as a 12-year-old, he had watched his first Test match — against New Zealand in 1976 — as a spectator.</p><p>“The only disappointment, my father. He is not present here today, but he watched almost every game from the Garware Pavilion at that time. But he will be upstairs, he will be proud that this has happened.”</p><p>Nearly five decades later, with his mother watching from below and memories of his father lingering above, the unveiling of the Ravi Shastri Stand became not just a tribute to a cricketer, but a celebration of a family’s journey intertwined with Mumbai cricket.</p><p class="publish-time" id="end-of-article">Published on Apr 10, 2026</p></div><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> #Life #full #circle #Wankhede #Ravi #Shastri #mother #Lakshmi #share #emotional #moment

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Deadspin | Astros reinstate 2B Jose Altuve (left oblique strain) from IL  Jun 4, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (27) warms up prior to the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images   The Houston Astros have reinstated All-Star second baseman Jose Altuve (left oblique strain) from the 10-day injured list and he is slated to bat fifth as the club opens a three-game home series vs. the Athletics on Friday.  In a corresponding move, Houston optioned outfielder Zach Dezenzo to Triple-A Sugar Land.  Altuve was placed on the IL on May 17 after taking an unorthodox swing the previous night against the Texas Rangers.  Altuve, 36, was hitting .245 with four home runs and 12 RBIs through 42 games.   The Astros are 9-8 in the 17 games that Altuve has missed.  The nine-time All-Star is hitting well below his career average of .302. Earlier this year, he played in his 2,000th game with the Astros and is currently 72 hits shy of 2,500 in his 16-year career.  Dezenzo, 26, was hitting .191 with one home run and two RBIs in 21 games in his third season with the Astros.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Astros #reinstate #Jose #Altuve #left #oblique #strainJun 4, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (27) warms up prior to the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images

The Houston Astros have reinstated All-Star second baseman Jose Altuve (left oblique strain) from the 10-day injured list and he is slated to bat fifth as the club opens a three-game home series vs. the Athletics on Friday.

In a corresponding move, Houston optioned outfielder Zach Dezenzo to Triple-A Sugar Land.

Altuve was placed on the IL on May 17 after taking an unorthodox swing the previous night against the Texas Rangers.


Altuve, 36, was hitting .245 with four home runs and 12 RBIs through 42 games.

The Astros are 9-8 in the 17 games that Altuve has missed.

The nine-time All-Star is hitting well below his career average of .302. Earlier this year, he played in his 2,000th game with the Astros and is currently 72 hits shy of 2,500 in his 16-year career.

Dezenzo, 26, was hitting .191 with one home run and two RBIs in 21 games in his third season with the Astros.


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Astros #reinstate #Jose #Altuve #left #oblique #strain">Deadspin | Astros reinstate 2B Jose Altuve (left oblique strain) from IL  Jun 4, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (27) warms up prior to the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images   The Houston Astros have reinstated All-Star second baseman Jose Altuve (left oblique strain) from the 10-day injured list and he is slated to bat fifth as the club opens a three-game home series vs. the Athletics on Friday.  In a corresponding move, Houston optioned outfielder Zach Dezenzo to Triple-A Sugar Land.  Altuve was placed on the IL on May 17 after taking an unorthodox swing the previous night against the Texas Rangers.  Altuve, 36, was hitting .245 with four home runs and 12 RBIs through 42 games.   The Astros are 9-8 in the 17 games that Altuve has missed.  The nine-time All-Star is hitting well below his career average of .302. Earlier this year, he played in his 2,000th game with the Astros and is currently 72 hits shy of 2,500 in his 16-year career.  Dezenzo, 26, was hitting .191 with one home run and two RBIs in 21 games in his third season with the Astros.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Astros #reinstate #Jose #Altuve #left #oblique #strain

North Carolina could not have asked for a better start to Game 1 of its Super Regional series against visiting Southern California. The Tar Heels loaded the bases in the bottom of the first inning, and while Big Ten Pitcher of the Year Mason Edwards escaped that jam, he got into trouble again in the second, giving up a pair of runs. By the time the fourth inning arrived, UNC held a 4-1 lead, and Edwards — the leading strikeout artist in college baseball this season — had already been pulled.

But, as the saying goes, that is why they play nine innings.

The Trojans stormed back, thanks to a five-run sixth inning, to take Game 1 in Chapel Hill by a final score of 9-5 and move to within one win of a trip to Omaha for the Men’s College World Series.

USC trailed 6-1 in the top of the sixth, and was struggling to get anything going against UNC starting pitcher Ryan Lynch. But that is when the Trojans’ bats came alive. This single from Kevin Takeuchi brought home a run, closing UNC’s lead to 5-2 with nobody out in the sixth:

Lynch got the next two outs, but UNC called on reliever Walker McDuffie. He walked Andrew Lamb, who had hit a solo shot earlier in the game, to load the bases. That set the stage for Dean Carpentier to give USC their first lead of the afternoon:

The blast staked USC to a 6-5 lead, and the Trojans would not look back. USC added three more runs in the seventh, using a little safety squeeze to plate the third run of the inning:

But full credit should go to the USC bullpen. After Edwards exited the game, relievers Chase Herrell, Ben Cushnie, and Andrew Johnson combined for six innings of work, allowing just one earned run over that stretch. Herrell was credited with the win, going two innings while giving up just one run, while Johnson earned a save by pitching the final 3.2 innings and allowing just two hits, while striking out two.

These two teams will meet again tomorrow, with USC booking a spot in the Men’s College World Series with a victory. A UNC win would force a decisive Game 3 on Sunday.

#USC #storms #UNC #Game #Super #Regional">USC storms back against UNC to take Game 1 of their Super Regional  North Carolina could not have asked for a better start to Game 1 of its Super Regional series against visiting Southern California. The Tar Heels loaded the bases in the bottom of the first inning, and while Big Ten Pitcher of the Year Mason Edwards escaped that jam, he got into trouble again in the second, giving up a pair of runs. By the time the fourth inning arrived, UNC held a 4-1 lead, and Edwards — the leading strikeout artist in college baseball this season — had already been pulled.But, as the saying goes, that is why they play nine innings.The Trojans stormed back, thanks to a five-run sixth inning, to take Game 1 in Chapel Hill by a final score of 9-5 and move to within one win of a trip to Omaha for the Men’s College World Series.USC trailed 6-1 in the top of the sixth, and was struggling to get anything going against UNC starting pitcher Ryan Lynch. But that is when the Trojans’ bats came alive. This single from Kevin Takeuchi brought home a run, closing UNC’s lead to 5-2 with nobody out in the sixth:Lynch got the next two outs, but UNC called on reliever Walker McDuffie. He walked Andrew Lamb, who had hit a solo shot earlier in the game, to load the bases. That set the stage for Dean Carpentier to give USC their first lead of the afternoon:The blast staked USC to a 6-5 lead, and the Trojans would not look back. USC added three more runs in the seventh, using a little safety squeeze to plate the third run of the inning:But full credit should go to the USC bullpen. After Edwards exited the game, relievers Chase Herrell, Ben Cushnie, and Andrew Johnson combined for six innings of work, allowing just one earned run over that stretch. Herrell was credited with the win, going two innings while giving up just one run, while Johnson earned a save by pitching the final 3.2 innings and allowing just two hits, while striking out two.These two teams will meet again tomorrow, with USC booking a spot in the Men’s College World Series with a victory. A UNC win would force a decisive Game 3 on Sunday.  #USC #storms #UNC #Game #Super #Regional

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