Deadspin | Cardinals’ Jordan Walker displaying power ahead of rematch vs. Guardians     Apr 11, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Jordan Walker (18) hits a solo home run against the Boston Red Sox during the eighth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images   St. Louis Cardinals fans didn’t have much to cheer about in a 9-3 loss to the Cleveland Guardians on Monday.  However, in the seventh inning, the sparse crowd started chanting the name of the new hero in town, Jordan Walker. He had just hit his major-league-leading eighth home run, and the fans were showing their appreciation.  The 23-year-old will try to help the Cardinals beat the visiting Guardians on Tuesday night in the second contest of a three-game series.  Walker’s homer total after 16 games puts him in high Cardinals company with Scott Rolen in 2004, Mark McGwire in 1998 and Stan Musial in 1954, each of whom hit eight in their first 16 games in those seasons.  Albert Pujols is the only Cardinal with more homers in the first 16 games — 11 in 2006.  Walker, who is on a nine-game hitting streak, is batting .333 with 15 RBIs and 15 runs, and his 46 total bases lead the majors. After finishing 2025 with a .584 OPS, he has a 1.161 OPS to start 2026.  “A lot of thought is being put into his cage work and stuff on the field,” Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. “But being on the field and being able to compete and just being free to do what he is doing out there is key to all this.  “His work has been good, but when you get out there in the box, it is you against the pitcher and just competing is important. He has done a great job with that.”  Walker hit .215 last season and drove in just 41 runs in 111 games. In 2024, he managed only 20 RBIs in 51 games after driving in 51 in his rookie season of 2023.   “You can just tell he is enjoying the game again,” Marmol said. “I like to see that. A really talented player who has gone through quite a bit. The couple of years he has had hold quite a bit of weight, so to be able to see him enjoy himself and have fun is really good to see.”  St. Louis will send Michael McGreevy (1-1, 2.16 ERA) to the mound Tuesday to try to even the series. The 25-year-old right-hander is 12-5 lifetime with a 3.72 ERA in 24 games (22 starts) and has never faced Cleveland.  The Guardians will counter with southpaw Joey Cantillo (1-0, 2.45). The 26-year-old is 8-7 lifetime with a 3.57 ERA in 46 games (24 starts) and hasn’t faced the Cardinals.  The Guardians’ offense rocked four Cardinals pitchers for 11 hits and nine runs on Monday. Cleveland starting pulling away in the fourth inning with three runs when Daniel Schneemann singled to right field to drive in a pair.  The left-handed-swinging Schneemann is hitting .256 with no home runs and had just four RBI leading into Monday.  The Guardians have faced an unusual amount of southpaws in the early season, and Schneemann said he believes that has made his quality at-bats inconsistent.  The Guardians were able to get to Cardinals lefty starter Matthew Liberatore for six hits and four runs in five innings on Monday, however.  “I was just looking to come through and, luckily, that ball got through,” Schneemann said of his two-run single that was off the glove of Cardinals first baseman Alex Burleson. “I have to give big credit to our coaching staff. They have done a great job of getting us good at-bats during this stretch.”  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Cardinals #Jordan #Walker #displaying #power #ahead #rematch #Guardians

Deadspin | Cardinals’ Jordan Walker displaying power ahead of rematch vs. Guardians
Deadspin | Cardinals’ Jordan Walker displaying power ahead of rematch vs. Guardians     Apr 11, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Jordan Walker (18) hits a solo home run against the Boston Red Sox during the eighth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images   St. Louis Cardinals fans didn’t have much to cheer about in a 9-3 loss to the Cleveland Guardians on Monday.  However, in the seventh inning, the sparse crowd started chanting the name of the new hero in town, Jordan Walker. He had just hit his major-league-leading eighth home run, and the fans were showing their appreciation.  The 23-year-old will try to help the Cardinals beat the visiting Guardians on Tuesday night in the second contest of a three-game series.  Walker’s homer total after 16 games puts him in high Cardinals company with Scott Rolen in 2004, Mark McGwire in 1998 and Stan Musial in 1954, each of whom hit eight in their first 16 games in those seasons.  Albert Pujols is the only Cardinal with more homers in the first 16 games — 11 in 2006.  Walker, who is on a nine-game hitting streak, is batting .333 with 15 RBIs and 15 runs, and his 46 total bases lead the majors. After finishing 2025 with a .584 OPS, he has a 1.161 OPS to start 2026.  “A lot of thought is being put into his cage work and stuff on the field,” Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. “But being on the field and being able to compete and just being free to do what he is doing out there is key to all this.  “His work has been good, but when you get out there in the box, it is you against the pitcher and just competing is important. He has done a great job with that.”  Walker hit .215 last season and drove in just 41 runs in 111 games. In 2024, he managed only 20 RBIs in 51 games after driving in 51 in his rookie season of 2023.   “You can just tell he is enjoying the game again,” Marmol said. “I like to see that. A really talented player who has gone through quite a bit. The couple of years he has had hold quite a bit of weight, so to be able to see him enjoy himself and have fun is really good to see.”  St. Louis will send Michael McGreevy (1-1, 2.16 ERA) to the mound Tuesday to try to even the series. The 25-year-old right-hander is 12-5 lifetime with a 3.72 ERA in 24 games (22 starts) and has never faced Cleveland.  The Guardians will counter with southpaw Joey Cantillo (1-0, 2.45). The 26-year-old is 8-7 lifetime with a 3.57 ERA in 46 games (24 starts) and hasn’t faced the Cardinals.  The Guardians’ offense rocked four Cardinals pitchers for 11 hits and nine runs on Monday. Cleveland starting pulling away in the fourth inning with three runs when Daniel Schneemann singled to right field to drive in a pair.  The left-handed-swinging Schneemann is hitting .256 with no home runs and had just four RBI leading into Monday.  The Guardians have faced an unusual amount of southpaws in the early season, and Schneemann said he believes that has made his quality at-bats inconsistent.  The Guardians were able to get to Cardinals lefty starter Matthew Liberatore for six hits and four runs in five innings on Monday, however.  “I was just looking to come through and, luckily, that ball got through,” Schneemann said of his two-run single that was off the glove of Cardinals first baseman Alex Burleson. “I have to give big credit to our coaching staff. They have done a great job of getting us good at-bats during this stretch.”  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Cardinals #Jordan #Walker #displaying #power #ahead #rematch #GuardiansApr 11, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Jordan Walker (18) hits a solo home run against the Boston Red Sox during the eighth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

St. Louis Cardinals fans didn’t have much to cheer about in a 9-3 loss to the Cleveland Guardians on Monday.

However, in the seventh inning, the sparse crowd started chanting the name of the new hero in town, Jordan Walker. He had just hit his major-league-leading eighth home run, and the fans were showing their appreciation.

The 23-year-old will try to help the Cardinals beat the visiting Guardians on Tuesday night in the second contest of a three-game series.

Walker’s homer total after 16 games puts him in high Cardinals company with Scott Rolen in 2004, Mark McGwire in 1998 and Stan Musial in 1954, each of whom hit eight in their first 16 games in those seasons.

Albert Pujols is the only Cardinal with more homers in the first 16 games — 11 in 2006.

Walker, who is on a nine-game hitting streak, is batting .333 with 15 RBIs and 15 runs, and his 46 total bases lead the majors. After finishing 2025 with a .584 OPS, he has a 1.161 OPS to start 2026.

“A lot of thought is being put into his cage work and stuff on the field,” Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. “But being on the field and being able to compete and just being free to do what he is doing out there is key to all this.

“His work has been good, but when you get out there in the box, it is you against the pitcher and just competing is important. He has done a great job with that.”


Walker hit .215 last season and drove in just 41 runs in 111 games. In 2024, he managed only 20 RBIs in 51 games after driving in 51 in his rookie season of 2023.

“You can just tell he is enjoying the game again,” Marmol said. “I like to see that. A really talented player who has gone through quite a bit. The couple of years he has had hold quite a bit of weight, so to be able to see him enjoy himself and have fun is really good to see.”

St. Louis will send Michael McGreevy (1-1, 2.16 ERA) to the mound Tuesday to try to even the series. The 25-year-old right-hander is 12-5 lifetime with a 3.72 ERA in 24 games (22 starts) and has never faced Cleveland.

The Guardians will counter with southpaw Joey Cantillo (1-0, 2.45). The 26-year-old is 8-7 lifetime with a 3.57 ERA in 46 games (24 starts) and hasn’t faced the Cardinals.

The Guardians’ offense rocked four Cardinals pitchers for 11 hits and nine runs on Monday. Cleveland starting pulling away in the fourth inning with three runs when Daniel Schneemann singled to right field to drive in a pair.

The left-handed-swinging Schneemann is hitting .256 with no home runs and had just four RBI leading into Monday.

The Guardians have faced an unusual amount of southpaws in the early season, and Schneemann said he believes that has made his quality at-bats inconsistent.

The Guardians were able to get to Cardinals lefty starter Matthew Liberatore for six hits and four runs in five innings on Monday, however.

“I was just looking to come through and, luckily, that ball got through,” Schneemann said of his two-run single that was off the glove of Cardinals first baseman Alex Burleson. “I have to give big credit to our coaching staff. They have done a great job of getting us good at-bats during this stretch.”


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Cardinals #Jordan #Walker #displaying #power #ahead #rematch #Guardians

Apr 11, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Jordan Walker (18) hits a solo home run against the Boston Red Sox during the eighth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

St. Louis Cardinals fans didn’t have much to cheer about in a 9-3 loss to the Cleveland Guardians on Monday.

However, in the seventh inning, the sparse crowd started chanting the name of the new hero in town, Jordan Walker. He had just hit his major-league-leading eighth home run, and the fans were showing their appreciation.

The 23-year-old will try to help the Cardinals beat the visiting Guardians on Tuesday night in the second contest of a three-game series.

Walker’s homer total after 16 games puts him in high Cardinals company with Scott Rolen in 2004, Mark McGwire in 1998 and Stan Musial in 1954, each of whom hit eight in their first 16 games in those seasons.

Albert Pujols is the only Cardinal with more homers in the first 16 games — 11 in 2006.

Walker, who is on a nine-game hitting streak, is batting .333 with 15 RBIs and 15 runs, and his 46 total bases lead the majors. After finishing 2025 with a .584 OPS, he has a 1.161 OPS to start 2026.

“A lot of thought is being put into his cage work and stuff on the field,” Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. “But being on the field and being able to compete and just being free to do what he is doing out there is key to all this.

“His work has been good, but when you get out there in the box, it is you against the pitcher and just competing is important. He has done a great job with that.”

Walker hit .215 last season and drove in just 41 runs in 111 games. In 2024, he managed only 20 RBIs in 51 games after driving in 51 in his rookie season of 2023.

“You can just tell he is enjoying the game again,” Marmol said. “I like to see that. A really talented player who has gone through quite a bit. The couple of years he has had hold quite a bit of weight, so to be able to see him enjoy himself and have fun is really good to see.”

St. Louis will send Michael McGreevy (1-1, 2.16 ERA) to the mound Tuesday to try to even the series. The 25-year-old right-hander is 12-5 lifetime with a 3.72 ERA in 24 games (22 starts) and has never faced Cleveland.

The Guardians will counter with southpaw Joey Cantillo (1-0, 2.45). The 26-year-old is 8-7 lifetime with a 3.57 ERA in 46 games (24 starts) and hasn’t faced the Cardinals.

The Guardians’ offense rocked four Cardinals pitchers for 11 hits and nine runs on Monday. Cleveland starting pulling away in the fourth inning with three runs when Daniel Schneemann singled to right field to drive in a pair.

The left-handed-swinging Schneemann is hitting .256 with no home runs and had just four RBI leading into Monday.

The Guardians have faced an unusual amount of southpaws in the early season, and Schneemann said he believes that has made his quality at-bats inconsistent.

The Guardians were able to get to Cardinals lefty starter Matthew Liberatore for six hits and four runs in five innings on Monday, however.

“I was just looking to come through and, luckily, that ball got through,” Schneemann said of his two-run single that was off the glove of Cardinals first baseman Alex Burleson. “I have to give big credit to our coaching staff. They have done a great job of getting us good at-bats during this stretch.”

–Field Level Media

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#Deadspin #Cardinals #Jordan #Walker #displaying #power #ahead #rematch #Guardians

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Live Updates: Iran war continues with U.S. blockade of ports; Lebanon and Israel hold direct talks<div> <p>Tracking data appears to show a number of Iran-linked ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz in the hours after the U.S. blockade of the waterway began on Monday.</p><p>The U.S. military <a href="https://www.centcom.mil/MEDIA/PRESS-RELEASES/Press-Release-View/Article/4457255/us-to-blockade-ships-entering-or-exiting-iranian-ports/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> its blockade would apply to “all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports,” but that it would “not impede freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports.”</p><p>One ship that crossed the strait after the blockade began on Monday – the Christianna – had previously been stopped at the Iranian port of Bandar Imam Khomeini, data shows.</p><p>Another ship, the Ladonna, had been at Bandar Imam Khomeini for a week before turning on its transponder Tuesday and journeying into the Persian Gulf.</p><p>The Murlikishan, which is under U.S. sanctions over its connections to Iran, journeyed west through the strait overnight, tracking data shows, along with another tanker, the Peace Gulf, which is not sanctioned by the U.S. but made a port call in Iran in December 2025.</p><p>The Rich Starry, a tanker that is sanctioned by the United States under a different name, sailed through the strait overnight Monday, while the Elpis, another sanctioned tanker, sailed through the strait after the blockade began, having apparently come from the Iranian port of Bushehr, according to tracking data.</p><p>CBS News cannot confirm that the ships have not been broadcasting false location reports – called spoofing – to conceal their true whereabouts.</p> </div>#Live #Updates #Iran #war #continues #U.S #blockade #ports #Lebanon #Israel #hold #direct #talksIran

Declan Rice left Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta with another injury worry on the eve of its Champions League quarterfinal second leg against Sporting Lisbon after missing the club’s open training session Tuesday.

Rice withdrew from England’s recent international against Japan but returned for Arsenal’s match against Sporting in Lisbon last week. He was also the stand-in captain for the table-topping Gunners’ shock defeat by Bournemouth in the Premier League last weekend.

ALSO READ: UEFA rejects Barcelona handball complaint ahead of Champions League second leg quarterfinal against Atletico Madrid

But the 27-year-old midfielder was not involved at Arsenal’s London Colney training ground on Tuesday, with Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori, also missing the session.

Saka has been sidelined from Arsenal’s last three matches, while captain Odegaard, in and out of the team through injury this season, was not fit enough for Arsenal’s loss against Bournemouth last weekend.

Timber, one of Arsenal’s best players this season, last featured in a 2-0 win against Everton a month ago.

Arsenal heads into Wednesday’s fixture at the Emirates with a slender 1-0 lead from last week’s opening leg against Sporting secured by Kai Havertz’s late goal.

It will be aiming to bounce back from a 2-1 defeat against Bournemouth which allowed Manchester City to cut its advantage at the top of the table to six points. Arsenal travels to the Etihad to face Pep Guardiola’s side on Sunday.

Published on Apr 14, 2026

#UEFA #Champions #League #Rice #misses #training #add #Arsenal #injury #concerns #ahead #Sporting #clash">UEFA Champions League 2025-26: Rice misses training to add to Arsenal injury concerns ahead of Sporting clash  Declan Rice left Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta with another injury worry on the eve of its Champions League quarterfinal second leg against Sporting Lisbon after missing the club’s open training session Tuesday.Rice withdrew from England’s recent international against Japan but returned for Arsenal’s match against Sporting in Lisbon last week. He was also the stand-in captain for the table-topping Gunners’ shock defeat by Bournemouth in the Premier League last weekend.ALSO READ: UEFA rejects Barcelona handball complaint ahead of Champions League second leg quarterfinal against Atletico MadridBut the 27-year-old midfielder was not involved at Arsenal’s London Colney training ground on Tuesday, with Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori, also missing the session.Saka has been sidelined from Arsenal’s last three matches, while captain Odegaard, in and out of the team through injury this season, was not fit enough for Arsenal’s loss against Bournemouth last weekend.Timber, one of Arsenal’s best players this season, last featured in a 2-0 win against Everton a month ago.Arsenal heads into Wednesday’s fixture at the Emirates with a slender 1-0 lead from last week’s opening leg against Sporting secured by Kai Havertz’s late goal.It will be aiming to bounce back from a 2-1 defeat against Bournemouth which allowed Manchester City to cut its advantage at the top of the table to six points. Arsenal travels to the Etihad to face Pep Guardiola’s side on Sunday.Published on Apr 14, 2026  #UEFA #Champions #League #Rice #misses #training #add #Arsenal #injury #concerns #ahead #Sporting #clash

UEFA rejects Barcelona handball complaint ahead of Champions League second leg quarterfinal against Atletico Madrid

But the 27-year-old midfielder was not involved at Arsenal’s London Colney training ground on Tuesday, with Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori, also missing the session.

Saka has been sidelined from Arsenal’s last three matches, while captain Odegaard, in and out of the team through injury this season, was not fit enough for Arsenal’s loss against Bournemouth last weekend.

Timber, one of Arsenal’s best players this season, last featured in a 2-0 win against Everton a month ago.

Arsenal heads into Wednesday’s fixture at the Emirates with a slender 1-0 lead from last week’s opening leg against Sporting secured by Kai Havertz’s late goal.

It will be aiming to bounce back from a 2-1 defeat against Bournemouth which allowed Manchester City to cut its advantage at the top of the table to six points. Arsenal travels to the Etihad to face Pep Guardiola’s side on Sunday.

Published on Apr 14, 2026

#UEFA #Champions #League #Rice #misses #training #add #Arsenal #injury #concerns #ahead #Sporting #clash">UEFA Champions League 2025-26: Rice misses training to add to Arsenal injury concerns ahead of Sporting clash

Declan Rice left Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta with another injury worry on the eve of its Champions League quarterfinal second leg against Sporting Lisbon after missing the club’s open training session Tuesday.

Rice withdrew from England’s recent international against Japan but returned for Arsenal’s match against Sporting in Lisbon last week. He was also the stand-in captain for the table-topping Gunners’ shock defeat by Bournemouth in the Premier League last weekend.

ALSO READ: UEFA rejects Barcelona handball complaint ahead of Champions League second leg quarterfinal against Atletico Madrid

But the 27-year-old midfielder was not involved at Arsenal’s London Colney training ground on Tuesday, with Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori, also missing the session.

Saka has been sidelined from Arsenal’s last three matches, while captain Odegaard, in and out of the team through injury this season, was not fit enough for Arsenal’s loss against Bournemouth last weekend.

Timber, one of Arsenal’s best players this season, last featured in a 2-0 win against Everton a month ago.

Arsenal heads into Wednesday’s fixture at the Emirates with a slender 1-0 lead from last week’s opening leg against Sporting secured by Kai Havertz’s late goal.

It will be aiming to bounce back from a 2-1 defeat against Bournemouth which allowed Manchester City to cut its advantage at the top of the table to six points. Arsenal travels to the Etihad to face Pep Guardiola’s side on Sunday.

Published on Apr 14, 2026

#UEFA #Champions #League #Rice #misses #training #add #Arsenal #injury #concerns #ahead #Sporting #clash
Deadspin | Hurricanes complete playoff prep against Islanders  Apr 13, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield (5) in action against the Philadelphia Flyers in the third period at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images   For most of the past several months, the regular-season finale between the Carolina Hurricanes and New York Islanders looked as if it would be a potential playoff preview.  However, while the Hurricanes will be in tune-up mode on Tuesday, the Islanders will be wondering where a previously successful season went wrong as they prepare for an uncertain spring and summer.  The Hurricanes and Islanders will close out their regular-season schedules on Tuesday when Carolina faces New York in a battle of Metropolitan Division rivals in Elmont, N.Y.  The Hurricanes will be completing a back-to-back road set after falling to the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 in the shootout Monday night. The Islanders were off Monday after their costly late-season skid continued Sunday, when they were eliminated from playoff contention with a 4-1 loss to the visiting Montreal Canadiens.  The Islanders (43-33-5, 91 points) needed to win their final two games and have the Flyers lose their final two to have any chance of getting the third and final playoff berth from the division.  However, getting eliminated on the ice served as a stark reminder of the scope of the collapse for the Islanders, who were in third place in the Metropolitan for most of the previous four months before going 4-9-0 since March 19.  First-year general manager Mathieu Darche fired head coach Patrick Roy on April 5. The Islanders beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-3 in Peter DeBoer’s debut on Thursday, but New York then fell 3-0 to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday before being blanked into the third period on Sunday.  “I feel for them,” DeBoer said Sunday night. “They put in 81 games here and seven months. So that’s a lot of blood, sweat and work that went into that. And when the lights go out on a season, it’s never easy after you put in that kind of time.”   The hard part may be coming for Darche and the Islanders, who found a franchise cornerstone in rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer (23 goals and 59 points). But New York has four defenseman 30 or older, and Darche needs to decide the fate of captain Anders Lee, who is 35 and headed for free agency.  The short-term focus is much different for the Hurricanes (52-22-7, 111 points), who won the Metropolitan Division and clinched the top seed in the Eastern Conference by collecting a point for the shootout loss on Monday.  Carolina will oppose the second wild card — either the Boston Bruins or the Senators — in the first round of the postseason this weekend.  “That’s a huge accomplishment,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “It says you had a real good year and you came to play every night. You can’t luck into that.”  Carolina is in the playoffs for the eighth straight season, breaking the franchise record set by the then-Hartford Whalers from 1986 through 1992. But the Hurricanes have yet to appear in the Stanley Cup Final during their current run, They reached the Eastern Conference finals in 2019, losing to the Bruins, and fell in the East to the Florida Panthers in both 2023 and 2025.  With the playoffs on the horizon, the Hurricanes scratched Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov and Seth Jarvis — their first-, second- and fourth-leading scorers — on Monday along with captain Jordan Staal and top defensemen Shayne Gostisbehere and Jaccob Slavin.  –Field Level Media   #Deadspin #Hurricanes #complete #playoff #prep #IslandersApr 13, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield (5) in action against the Philadelphia Flyers in the third period at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

For most of the past several months, the regular-season finale between the Carolina Hurricanes and New York Islanders looked as if it would be a potential playoff preview.

However, while the Hurricanes will be in tune-up mode on Tuesday, the Islanders will be wondering where a previously successful season went wrong as they prepare for an uncertain spring and summer.

The Hurricanes and Islanders will close out their regular-season schedules on Tuesday when Carolina faces New York in a battle of Metropolitan Division rivals in Elmont, N.Y.

The Hurricanes will be completing a back-to-back road set after falling to the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 in the shootout Monday night. The Islanders were off Monday after their costly late-season skid continued Sunday, when they were eliminated from playoff contention with a 4-1 loss to the visiting Montreal Canadiens.

The Islanders (43-33-5, 91 points) needed to win their final two games and have the Flyers lose their final two to have any chance of getting the third and final playoff berth from the division.

However, getting eliminated on the ice served as a stark reminder of the scope of the collapse for the Islanders, who were in third place in the Metropolitan for most of the previous four months before going 4-9-0 since March 19.

First-year general manager Mathieu Darche fired head coach Patrick Roy on April 5. The Islanders beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-3 in Peter DeBoer’s debut on Thursday, but New York then fell 3-0 to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday before being blanked into the third period on Sunday.


“I feel for them,” DeBoer said Sunday night. “They put in 81 games here and seven months. So that’s a lot of blood, sweat and work that went into that. And when the lights go out on a season, it’s never easy after you put in that kind of time.”

The hard part may be coming for Darche and the Islanders, who found a franchise cornerstone in rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer (23 goals and 59 points). But New York has four defenseman 30 or older, and Darche needs to decide the fate of captain Anders Lee, who is 35 and headed for free agency.

The short-term focus is much different for the Hurricanes (52-22-7, 111 points), who won the Metropolitan Division and clinched the top seed in the Eastern Conference by collecting a point for the shootout loss on Monday.

Carolina will oppose the second wild card — either the Boston Bruins or the Senators — in the first round of the postseason this weekend.

“That’s a huge accomplishment,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “It says you had a real good year and you came to play every night. You can’t luck into that.”

Carolina is in the playoffs for the eighth straight season, breaking the franchise record set by the then-Hartford Whalers from 1986 through 1992. But the Hurricanes have yet to appear in the Stanley Cup Final during their current run, They reached the Eastern Conference finals in 2019, losing to the Bruins, and fell in the East to the Florida Panthers in both 2023 and 2025.

With the playoffs on the horizon, the Hurricanes scratched Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov and Seth Jarvis — their first-, second- and fourth-leading scorers — on Monday along with captain Jordan Staal and top defensemen Shayne Gostisbehere and Jaccob Slavin.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Hurricanes #complete #playoff #prep #Islanders">Deadspin | Hurricanes complete playoff prep against Islanders  Apr 13, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield (5) in action against the Philadelphia Flyers in the third period at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images   For most of the past several months, the regular-season finale between the Carolina Hurricanes and New York Islanders looked as if it would be a potential playoff preview.  However, while the Hurricanes will be in tune-up mode on Tuesday, the Islanders will be wondering where a previously successful season went wrong as they prepare for an uncertain spring and summer.  The Hurricanes and Islanders will close out their regular-season schedules on Tuesday when Carolina faces New York in a battle of Metropolitan Division rivals in Elmont, N.Y.  The Hurricanes will be completing a back-to-back road set after falling to the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 in the shootout Monday night. The Islanders were off Monday after their costly late-season skid continued Sunday, when they were eliminated from playoff contention with a 4-1 loss to the visiting Montreal Canadiens.  The Islanders (43-33-5, 91 points) needed to win their final two games and have the Flyers lose their final two to have any chance of getting the third and final playoff berth from the division.  However, getting eliminated on the ice served as a stark reminder of the scope of the collapse for the Islanders, who were in third place in the Metropolitan for most of the previous four months before going 4-9-0 since March 19.  First-year general manager Mathieu Darche fired head coach Patrick Roy on April 5. The Islanders beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-3 in Peter DeBoer’s debut on Thursday, but New York then fell 3-0 to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday before being blanked into the third period on Sunday.  “I feel for them,” DeBoer said Sunday night. “They put in 81 games here and seven months. So that’s a lot of blood, sweat and work that went into that. And when the lights go out on a season, it’s never easy after you put in that kind of time.”   The hard part may be coming for Darche and the Islanders, who found a franchise cornerstone in rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer (23 goals and 59 points). But New York has four defenseman 30 or older, and Darche needs to decide the fate of captain Anders Lee, who is 35 and headed for free agency.  The short-term focus is much different for the Hurricanes (52-22-7, 111 points), who won the Metropolitan Division and clinched the top seed in the Eastern Conference by collecting a point for the shootout loss on Monday.  Carolina will oppose the second wild card — either the Boston Bruins or the Senators — in the first round of the postseason this weekend.  “That’s a huge accomplishment,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “It says you had a real good year and you came to play every night. You can’t luck into that.”  Carolina is in the playoffs for the eighth straight season, breaking the franchise record set by the then-Hartford Whalers from 1986 through 1992. But the Hurricanes have yet to appear in the Stanley Cup Final during their current run, They reached the Eastern Conference finals in 2019, losing to the Bruins, and fell in the East to the Florida Panthers in both 2023 and 2025.  With the playoffs on the horizon, the Hurricanes scratched Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov and Seth Jarvis — their first-, second- and fourth-leading scorers — on Monday along with captain Jordan Staal and top defensemen Shayne Gostisbehere and Jaccob Slavin.  –Field Level Media   #Deadspin #Hurricanes #complete #playoff #prep #Islanders

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