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Deadspin | NHL roundup: Flyers win Game 1 of in-state playoff series vs. Penguins  Apr 18, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim (6) celebrates his goal with the Flyers bench against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the third period in game one of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images   Porter Martone scored a timely goal late for the Philadelphia Flyers, who skated away with a 3-2 road victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins to take a 1-0 lead in their best-of-seven, first-round playoff series on Saturday night.  Martone, a 19-year-old playing in his 10th NHL game, scored an insurance goal to make it 3-1 with 2:37 left in the Battle of Pennsylvania rivalry series. That proved crucial when the Penguins’ Bryan Rust found the net with 1:01 left.  Travis Sanheim and Jamie Drysdale also scored for Philadelphia in the franchise’s first playoff game in six years. The Flyers got 15 saves from Dan Vladar in his playoff debut, including one on a point-blank shot from Anthony Mantha in the closing seconds.  Evgeni Malkin scored his 68th postseason goal for the Penguins and assisted on Rust’s goal. Stuart Skinner made 17 saves. Game 2 is Monday in Pittsburgh.    Wild 6, Stars 1  Matt Boldy had two goals and an assist for visiting Minnesota in a win against Dallas in Game 1 of their Western Conference first-round series.   Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and two assists, Joel Eriksson Ek scored twice, Ryan Hartman had a goal and an assist and Mats Zuccarello had three assists for the Wild, who are trying to win their first playoff series since 2015 after getting eliminated in the opening round eight times since then. Rookie Jesper Wallstedt got the start and made 27 saves.  Jason Robertson scored and Jake Oettinger made 23 saves for Dallas, which lost Game 1 of its first-round series 5-1 against the Colorado Avalanche last season before rebounding and eventually reaching the Western Conference finals. Game 2 is Monday in Dallas.  Hurricanes 2, Senators 0  Frederik Andersen made 22 saves and Logan Stankoven had a goal and an assist as Carolina overcame a slow start to defeat Ottawa in the opener of the first-round series in Raleigh, N.C.  Andersen recorded his sixth career playoff shutout after not having any in 35 regular-season starts this season. Taylor Hall also scored and Jackson Blake had two assists for the Hurricanes.  Linus Ullmark made 27 saves for the Senators, who saw 13 of their 22 shots on goal come in the third period but were unable to get on the board, even with a late power-play opportunity. Game 2 is Monday in Raleigh.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #NHL #roundup #Flyers #win #Game #instate #playoff #series #Penguins

Deadspin | NHL roundup: Flyers win Game 1 of in-state playoff series vs. Penguins
Deadspin | NHL roundup: Flyers win Game 1 of in-state playoff series vs. Penguins  Apr 18, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim (6) celebrates his goal with the Flyers bench against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the third period in game one of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images   Porter Martone scored a timely goal late for the Philadelphia Flyers, who skated away with a 3-2 road victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins to take a 1-0 lead in their best-of-seven, first-round playoff series on Saturday night.  Martone, a 19-year-old playing in his 10th NHL game, scored an insurance goal to make it 3-1 with 2:37 left in the Battle of Pennsylvania rivalry series. That proved crucial when the Penguins’ Bryan Rust found the net with 1:01 left.  Travis Sanheim and Jamie Drysdale also scored for Philadelphia in the franchise’s first playoff game in six years. The Flyers got 15 saves from Dan Vladar in his playoff debut, including one on a point-blank shot from Anthony Mantha in the closing seconds.  Evgeni Malkin scored his 68th postseason goal for the Penguins and assisted on Rust’s goal. Stuart Skinner made 17 saves. Game 2 is Monday in Pittsburgh.    Wild 6, Stars 1  Matt Boldy had two goals and an assist for visiting Minnesota in a win against Dallas in Game 1 of their Western Conference first-round series.   Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and two assists, Joel Eriksson Ek scored twice, Ryan Hartman had a goal and an assist and Mats Zuccarello had three assists for the Wild, who are trying to win their first playoff series since 2015 after getting eliminated in the opening round eight times since then. Rookie Jesper Wallstedt got the start and made 27 saves.  Jason Robertson scored and Jake Oettinger made 23 saves for Dallas, which lost Game 1 of its first-round series 5-1 against the Colorado Avalanche last season before rebounding and eventually reaching the Western Conference finals. Game 2 is Monday in Dallas.  Hurricanes 2, Senators 0  Frederik Andersen made 22 saves and Logan Stankoven had a goal and an assist as Carolina overcame a slow start to defeat Ottawa in the opener of the first-round series in Raleigh, N.C.  Andersen recorded his sixth career playoff shutout after not having any in 35 regular-season starts this season. Taylor Hall also scored and Jackson Blake had two assists for the Hurricanes.  Linus Ullmark made 27 saves for the Senators, who saw 13 of their 22 shots on goal come in the third period but were unable to get on the board, even with a late power-play opportunity. Game 2 is Monday in Raleigh.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #NHL #roundup #Flyers #win #Game #instate #playoff #series #PenguinsApr 18, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim (6) celebrates his goal with the Flyers bench against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the third period in game one of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Porter Martone scored a timely goal late for the Philadelphia Flyers, who skated away with a 3-2 road victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins to take a 1-0 lead in their best-of-seven, first-round playoff series on Saturday night.

Martone, a 19-year-old playing in his 10th NHL game, scored an insurance goal to make it 3-1 with 2:37 left in the Battle of Pennsylvania rivalry series. That proved crucial when the Penguins’ Bryan Rust found the net with 1:01 left.

Travis Sanheim and Jamie Drysdale also scored for Philadelphia in the franchise’s first playoff game in six years. The Flyers got 15 saves from Dan Vladar in his playoff debut, including one on a point-blank shot from Anthony Mantha in the closing seconds.

Evgeni Malkin scored his 68th postseason goal for the Penguins and assisted on Rust’s goal. Stuart Skinner made 17 saves. Game 2 is Monday in Pittsburgh.

Wild 6, Stars 1


Matt Boldy had two goals and an assist for visiting Minnesota in a win against Dallas in Game 1 of their Western Conference first-round series.

Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and two assists, Joel Eriksson Ek scored twice, Ryan Hartman had a goal and an assist and Mats Zuccarello had three assists for the Wild, who are trying to win their first playoff series since 2015 after getting eliminated in the opening round eight times since then. Rookie Jesper Wallstedt got the start and made 27 saves.

Jason Robertson scored and Jake Oettinger made 23 saves for Dallas, which lost Game 1 of its first-round series 5-1 against the Colorado Avalanche last season before rebounding and eventually reaching the Western Conference finals. Game 2 is Monday in Dallas.

Hurricanes 2, Senators 0

Frederik Andersen made 22 saves and Logan Stankoven had a goal and an assist as Carolina overcame a slow start to defeat Ottawa in the opener of the first-round series in Raleigh, N.C.

Andersen recorded his sixth career playoff shutout after not having any in 35 regular-season starts this season. Taylor Hall also scored and Jackson Blake had two assists for the Hurricanes.

Linus Ullmark made 27 saves for the Senators, who saw 13 of their 22 shots on goal come in the third period but were unable to get on the board, even with a late power-play opportunity. Game 2 is Monday in Raleigh.


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #NHL #roundup #Flyers #win #Game #instate #playoff #series #Penguins

Apr 18, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim (6) celebrates his goal with the Flyers bench against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the third period in game one of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Porter Martone scored a timely goal late for the Philadelphia Flyers, who skated away with a 3-2 road victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins to take a 1-0 lead in their best-of-seven, first-round playoff series on Saturday night.

Martone, a 19-year-old playing in his 10th NHL game, scored an insurance goal to make it 3-1 with 2:37 left in the Battle of Pennsylvania rivalry series. That proved crucial when the Penguins’ Bryan Rust found the net with 1:01 left.

Travis Sanheim and Jamie Drysdale also scored for Philadelphia in the franchise’s first playoff game in six years. The Flyers got 15 saves from Dan Vladar in his playoff debut, including one on a point-blank shot from Anthony Mantha in the closing seconds.

Evgeni Malkin scored his 68th postseason goal for the Penguins and assisted on Rust’s goal. Stuart Skinner made 17 saves. Game 2 is Monday in Pittsburgh.

Wild 6, Stars 1

Matt Boldy had two goals and an assist for visiting Minnesota in a win against Dallas in Game 1 of their Western Conference first-round series.

Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and two assists, Joel Eriksson Ek scored twice, Ryan Hartman had a goal and an assist and Mats Zuccarello had three assists for the Wild, who are trying to win their first playoff series since 2015 after getting eliminated in the opening round eight times since then. Rookie Jesper Wallstedt got the start and made 27 saves.

Jason Robertson scored and Jake Oettinger made 23 saves for Dallas, which lost Game 1 of its first-round series 5-1 against the Colorado Avalanche last season before rebounding and eventually reaching the Western Conference finals. Game 2 is Monday in Dallas.

Hurricanes 2, Senators 0

Frederik Andersen made 22 saves and Logan Stankoven had a goal and an assist as Carolina overcame a slow start to defeat Ottawa in the opener of the first-round series in Raleigh, N.C.

Andersen recorded his sixth career playoff shutout after not having any in 35 regular-season starts this season. Taylor Hall also scored and Jackson Blake had two assists for the Hurricanes.

Linus Ullmark made 27 saves for the Senators, who saw 13 of their 22 shots on goal come in the third period but were unable to get on the board, even with a late power-play opportunity. Game 2 is Monday in Raleigh.

–Field Level Media

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KKR vs RR head-to-head record, IPL 2026: Kolkata Knight Riders v Rajasthan Royals overall stats; most runs, wickets <div id="content-body-70878883" itemprop="articleBody"><p>Kolkata Knight Riders will look to end its winless run when it hosts Rajasthan Royals in an Indian Premier League 2026 clash at the Eden Gardens on Sunday.</p><p>KKR comes into the game on the back of a defeat to Gujarat Titans, while the Royals return to action after their loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad ended their winning start to the season.</p><p>Here is the head-to-head record between the two sides in the IPL:</p><div class="fact-box"><h5 class="main-title"> KKR vs RR head-to-head record </h5><p> Matches played: 31 </p><p> KKR won: 16 </p><p> RR won: 12 </p><p> Tied: 2 </p><p> No Result: 1 </p></div><h4 class="sub_head">MOST RUNS IN KKR vs RR IPL MATCHES</h4><div class="article-table my-3"><table class="table"><tr><td> Batter</td><td> Innings</td><td> Runs</td><td> Average</td><td> Strike Rate</td><td> HS</td></tr><tr><td> Sanju Samson</td><td> 17</td><td> 413</td><td> 27.53</td><td> 121.47</td><td> 54</td></tr><tr><td> Jos Buttler</td><td> 10</td><td> 393</td><td> 49.12</td><td> 146.67</td><td> 107*</td></tr><tr><td> Ajinkya Rahane</td><td> 15</td><td> 386</td><td> 25.73</td><td> 122.53</td><td> 72</td></tr><tr><td> Shane Watson</td><td> 10</td><td> 304</td><td> 33.77</td><td> 140.74</td><td> 104*</td></tr><tr><td> Yusuf Pathan</td><td> 12</td><td> 292</td><td> 32.44</td><td> 143.13</td><td> 55</td></tr></table></div><h4 class="sub_head">MOST WICKETS IN KKR vs RR IPL MATCHES</h4><div class="article-table my-3"><table class="table"><tr><td> Bowler </td><td> Innings</td><td> Wickets</td><td> Economy</td><td> Average</td><td> BBI</td></tr><tr><td> Sunil Narine</td><td> 20</td><td> 14</td><td> 7.11</td><td> 39.64</td><td> 2/21</td></tr><tr><td> Shivam Mavi</td><td> 8</td><td> 13</td><td> 7.25</td><td> 17.38</td><td> 4/21</td></tr><tr><td> Varun Chakaravarthy</td><td> 9</td><td> 13</td><td> 7.09</td><td> 18</td><td> 2/17</td></tr><tr><td> Yuzvendra Chahal</td><td> 4</td><td> 10</td><td> 9.37</td><td> 15.4</td><td> 5/40</td></tr><tr><td> Shakib Al Hasan</td><td> 7</td><td> 10</td><td> 6.16</td><td> 15.4</td><td> 3/17</td></tr></table></div><p class="publish-time" id="end-of-article">Published on Apr 19, 2026</p></div> #KKR #headtohead #record #IPL #Kolkata #Knight #Riders #Rajasthan #Royals #stats #runs #wickets

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NBA playoffs: LeBron James hits 19 points as Lakers beat Rockets <div id="content-body-70880241" itemprop="articleBody"><p>LeBronLuke Kennard scored 27 points, and LeBron James added 19 points with 13 assists as the short-handed Los Angeles Lakers earned a 107-98 victory over the visiting Houston Rockets on ​Saturday in Game 1 of a Western Conference first-round playoff series.</p><p>Deandre Ayton scored 19 points with ‌11 rebounds and Marcus Smart added 15 points with eight assists as the ​fourth-seeded Lakers won, with leading scorers Luka Doncic (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique) watching from ⁠the bench.</p><p>In just his seventh start since joining the Lakers from the Atlanta Hawks at the trade deadline, Kennard went nine of 13 from the floor and five of five from three-point range while ‌delivering a season high in points to fill the scoring void at guard.</p><p>Alperen Sengun scored 19 points while Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard each added 17 for ‌the fifth-seeded Rockets, who were playing without leading scorer Kevin Durant (knee).</p><p>Jabari Smith Jr. scored 16 ‌points ⁠with 12 rebounds and Tari Eason also had 16 points for Houston, which ⁠has lost three consecutive road games to Los Angeles since the middle of March.</p><h4 class="sub_head">Nuggets 116, Timberwolves 105</h4><p>Nikola Jokic had 25 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists, Jamal Murray scored a game-high 30 points and host Denver Nuggets beat ​Minnesota Timberwolves to take a 1-0 lead in its first-round Western Conference playoff series.</p><p>Murray was perfect from the line, hitting a career-high 16 free throws. Aaron Gordon finished with 17 points, nearly half of which came during the Nuggets’ 14-0 third-quarter run which broke a deadlock and put them in control of ‌the game after a slow start.</p><p>Anthony Edwards, who was questionable after missing 11 of ​the Timberwolves’ final 14 regular-season games with right knee issues, led Minnesota with 22 points. Rudy Gobert produced 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who ⁠led by as many as 12 points in the first quarter.</p><h4 class="sub_head">Knicks 113, Hawks 102</h4><p>Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby hit 3-pointers on consecutive possessions to start the decisive third-quarter run for host ‌New York Knicks, which pulled away for a win over the Hawks in Game 1 of an Eastern Conference quarterfinal series.</p><p>Jalen Brunson scored 19 of his game-high 28 points in the first quarter for the third-seeded Knicks, who reached the Eastern Conference finals last year for the first time since 2000. Towns finished with 25 points and was 10 of 10 from the free throw line, while Anunoby collected 18 points.</p><p>CJ McCollum scored 26 points for the Hawks, who ‌earned the sixth seed in their first trip to the playoffs since 2023. Jalen Johnson had 23 points ​while Onyeka Okongwu (19) and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (17) each scored in double figures.</p><h4 class="sub_head">Cavaliers 126, Raptors 113</h4><p>Donovan Mitchell scored 32 points, and James Harden added 22 points and 10 assists, powering the Cavaliers to a victory over visiting Raptors in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round series.</p><p>Max ⁠Strus had 24 points off the bench, and Evan Mobley scored 17 for the fourth-seeded Cavaliers, who have won 11 straight playoff games over the Raptors. Game 2 ‌is Monday in Cleveland, where the Raptors are 0-8 all-time in the postseason.</p><p>RJ Barrett scored 24 points, and Scottie Barnes contributed 21 points and seven assists for the fifth-seeded Raptors. ​Brandon Ingram added 17 points, and Jamal Shead had 17 points in his playoff debut, starting for injured guard Immanuel Quickley (right hamstring strain).</p><p class="publish-time" id="end-of-article">Published on Apr 19, 2026</p></div> #NBA #playoffs #LeBron #James #hits #points #Lakers #beat #Rockets

The destiny of the Premier League title is at stake on Sunday as Arsenal aim to halt an alarming slump and hold off the charge of Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.

Mikel Arteta’s Gunners still hold a six-point advantage at the top of the table, but have wobbled across all competitions in recent weeks to put their quest for a first league title in 22 years at risk.

City’s victory when the sides met last month in the League Cup final has sparked a run of just one win in five games for Arsenal.

That also included a FA Cup exit to second-tier Southampton and a crucial home defeat to Bournemouth last weekend to give City fresh hope in the title race.

Arsenal is the only English side still standing in the Champions League but even progressing to the semifinals was underwhelming as it squeezed past Sporting Lisbon 1-0 over two legs.

Jaded by a brutal schedule, the leader has also been hindered by injury.

Bukayo Saka is set to miss the trip to the Etihad Stadium, while captain Martin Odegaard and first choice full-backs Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori are doubts.

Yet, Arteta is attempting to focus his players on the opportunity that awaits rather than the fear of another shot at the title slipping away.

“We see this as a big opportunity for us,” said Guardiola’s former assistant at his pre-match press conference.

“We have earned the right to be in this position and to be challenging, with an opportunity to win, against arguably the best team and best manager this league has ever seen.”

Arsenal has finished second in each of the past three seasons and history could be about to repeat itself.

In both the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons, City reeled in the Gunners after Arsenal began the campaign stronger.

City’s early exit from the Champions League has given them a free week to prepare and Guardiola’s men have been gaining momentum as Arsenal have faltered.

Since lifting the League Cup, City has thrashed Liverpool 4-0 to reach the FA Cup semifinals and Chelsea 3-0.

“If you could buy confidence in a supermarket we would buy it immediately. It is one of the most important aspects,” said Guardiola about his side’s sudden upturn in form.

“The reality is there are seven games left in the Premier League and that is the decisive moment.”

Indeed City is just nine games away from matching its own achievement seven years ago of being the only English side to win the domestic treble.

It is the big favourite to add the FA Cup to the League Cup, with Southampton to come in the last four next weekend.

And it controls its own destiny in the title race.

Victory over Arsenal and Burnley in midweek will take City top of the table for the first time this year.

“We all know the importance of this game. It’s like a final,” said City striker Erling Haaland. “It’s probably the biggest and the best game there will be, so hopefully it can be an amazing game.”

Published on Apr 19, 2026

#Manchester #City #Arsenal #Master #Apprentice #meet #time #Premier #League">Manchester City vs Arsenal — Master and Apprentice meet again, this time in Premier League  The destiny of the Premier League title is at stake on Sunday as Arsenal aim to halt an alarming slump and hold off the charge of Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.Mikel Arteta’s Gunners still hold a six-point advantage at the top of the table, but have wobbled across all competitions in recent weeks to put their quest for a first league title in 22 years at risk.City’s victory when the sides met last month in the League Cup final has sparked a run of just one win in five games for Arsenal.That also included a FA Cup exit to second-tier Southampton and a crucial home defeat to Bournemouth last weekend to give City fresh hope in the title race.Arsenal is the only English side still standing in the Champions League but even progressing to the semifinals was underwhelming as it squeezed past Sporting Lisbon 1-0 over two legs.Jaded by a brutal schedule, the leader has also been hindered by injury.Bukayo Saka is set to miss the trip to the Etihad Stadium, while captain Martin Odegaard and first choice full-backs Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori are doubts.Yet, Arteta is attempting to focus his players on the opportunity that awaits rather than the fear of another shot at the title slipping away.“We see this as a big opportunity for us,” said Guardiola’s former assistant at his pre-match press conference.“We have earned the right to be in this position and to be challenging, with an opportunity to win, against arguably the best team and best manager this league has ever seen.”Arsenal has finished second in each of the past three seasons and history could be about to repeat itself.In both the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons, City reeled in the Gunners after Arsenal began the campaign stronger.City’s early exit from the Champions League has given them a free week to prepare and Guardiola’s men have been gaining momentum as Arsenal have faltered.Since lifting the League Cup, City has thrashed Liverpool 4-0 to reach the FA Cup semifinals and Chelsea 3-0.“If you could buy confidence in a supermarket we would buy it immediately. It is one of the most important aspects,” said Guardiola about his side’s sudden upturn in form.“The reality is there are seven games left in the Premier League and that is the decisive moment.”Indeed City is just nine games away from matching its own achievement seven years ago of being the only English side to win the domestic treble.It is the big favourite to add the FA Cup to the League Cup, with Southampton to come in the last four next weekend.And it controls its own destiny in the title race.Victory over Arsenal and Burnley in midweek will take City top of the table for the first time this year.“We all know the importance of this game. It’s like a final,” said City striker Erling Haaland. “It’s probably the biggest and the best game there will be, so hopefully it can be an amazing game.”Published on Apr 19, 2026  #Manchester #City #Arsenal #Master #Apprentice #meet #time #Premier #League

Deadspin | Taylor Gray fends off Sheldon Creed, wins eventful race in Kansas  Apr 18, 2026; Kansas City, Kansas, USA; NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series driver Taylor Gray (54) poses with his team after winning the Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-Imagn Images   KANSAS CITY, Kan. — The early bird got the victory on Saturday night.  The first of the frontrunners to pit during the final 95-lap green-flag run in the Kansas Lottery 300, Taylor Gray grabbed the lead during the cycle and held off charging Sheldon Creed to score the second NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series victory of his career.  Crew chief Jason Ratcliff, who won at Kansas with driver David Green in 2003, called Gray into the pits on Lap 143 of 200. Creed and Brandon Jones, running first and second on Lap 146, emerged from pit road after stops on Lap 147 roughly three seconds behind Gray.  Jones, winner of the first two stages, had to serve a pass-through penalty for a tire violation during his stop and lost the chance to win. But Creed, with Justin Allgaier behind him in third, began a methodical pursuit of Gray that ultimately came up 0.718 seconds short.  “How about Jason Ratcliff?” Gray exclaimed after climbing from his No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. “That pit call was awesome. We had a car capable of winning. I thought the 20 (Jones) was a little better than us before the green-flag cycle started, but we just had to stay locked in, and we had to be a little bit freer.  “Jason made a really good adjustment on the car and a really good pit call and got us in clean air. It’s been a long start to the year, man — not that we’re not bringing speed to the race track. It’s just that things haven’t really gone our way. So it’s nice to finally be able to close one out.”  Gray gained three positions to ninth in the series standings.  As it turned out, Creed also had plenty of reasons to celebrate. By finishing first among four eligible drivers, he earned a 0,000 Dash 4 Cash bonus for the first time in his career. It was Creed’s fifth attempt to win the Dash 4 Cash prize money.  “It was a great day for us after starting in the back,” said Creed who dropped to the rear of the field at the beginning of the race after his No. 00 Haas Factory Team Chevrolet failed pre-race inspection. “I kind of knew right away my car was really fast, and I was able to drive to the front, and I just had a lot of fun today…  “It’s just really cool to be able to bring a hundred grand back to the Haas Factory Team. I definitely wanted to win and add to it, but the 54 (Gray) did a really good job short-pitting us. He ran a really good last 40 laps there and got through traffic quick and made it where I never really got close enough.”  Allgaier came home third, followed by defending series champion Jesse Love and Brent Crews. William Byron, Cole Custer, Jones, Sam Mayer and Ryan Sieg completed the top 10 in a race that featured 11 lead changes among eight drivers.   Allgaier finished third in both stages and added one point to his series lead over second-place Creed. The margin is now 131 points.  Long before Gray took the checkered flag, there was plenty of action in the first stage.  The race wasn’t two laps old when an accident on the backstretch launched the No.1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet of Carson Kvapil into the air and sent it flipping down the backstretch.  Contact from Byron’s Chevy turned Kvapil’s car sideways near the front of the field. Parker Retzlaff piled into Kvapil’s car near the outside wall. The impact knocked the rear of Kvapil’s Camaro airborne, and the car proceeded to barrel-roll down the backstretch, coming to rest on its roof.  With the use of tethers and a tow truck, safety workers righted the car, and Kvapil climbed out before a mandatory trip to the infield care center.  “Maybe on dirt, I’ve flipped a few of them, but definitely never asphalt racing or a big stock car race,” Kvapil said after being evaluated and released from the care center. “It was actually not as bad as I thought it was going to be, once I realized I was going over, but it just sucks.”  On Lap 38, Jesse Love crowded Richard Childress Racing teammate Austin Hill down toward the apron as the two raced side-by-side in Turn 4. Hill spun sideways, and as he fought to control his No. 21 Chevrolet, the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota of William Sawalich plowed into Hill’s car.  “I’ll remember this,” Hill promised on his radio, referring to racing from his teammate he thought was unnecessarily close.  Hill fell out of the race in 34th place. Corey Day saw his streak of eight straight top 10s end with a 12th-place finish after rallying from an accident on Lap 101 and subsequent flat tire.  Gray, Creed, Allgaier and Love qualified for the third Dash 4 Cash race of the season, Saturday’s Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega Superspeedway (4 p.m. ET on CW, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).    NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Race – Kansas Lottery 300  Kansas Speedway  Kansas City, Kansas  Saturday, April 18, 2026  1. (10)  Taylor Gray, Toyota, 200.  2. (4)  Sheldon Creed, Chevrolet, 200.  3. (3)  Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 200.  4. (9)  Jesse Love, Chevrolet, 200.  5. (5)  Brent Crews #, Toyota, 200.  6. (2)  William Byron(i), Chevrolet, 200.  7. (36)  Cole Custer(i), Chevrolet, 200.  8. (14)  Brandon Jones, Toyota, 200.  9. (19)  Sam Mayer, Chevrolet, 200.  10. (12)  Ryan Sieg, Chevrolet, 200.  11. (22)  Dean Thompson, Toyota, 199.   12. (6)  Corey Day, Chevrolet, 199.  13. (16)  Jeb Burton, Chevrolet, 199.  14. (24)  Patrick Staropoli #, Chevrolet, 199.  15. (18)  Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 199.  16. (11)  Sammy Smith, Chevrolet, 199.  17. (30)  Josh Williams, Chevrolet, 199.  18. (27)  Lavar Scott #, Chevrolet, 198.  19. (17)  Brennan Poole, Chevrolet, 198.  20. (7)  William Sawalich, Toyota, 198.  21. (13)  Rajah Caruth, Chevrolet, 198.  22. (29)  Ryan Ellis, Chevrolet, 198.  23. (21)  Blaine Perkins, Chevrolet, 198.  24. (32)  Nathan Byrd, Chevrolet, 197.  25. (25)  Kyle Sieg, Chevrolet, 197.  26. (23)  Josh Bilicki, Chevrolet, 196.  27. (33)  Joey Gase, Chevrolet, 194.  28. (20)  Harrison Burton, Toyota, 190.  29. (28)  Dawson Cram, Chevrolet, Engine, 120.  30. (31)  Anthony Alfredo, Chevrolet, Accident, 65.  31. (37)  Blake Lothian, Chevrolet, Brakes, 62.  32. (35)  Austin Green, Chevrolet, Engine, 61.  33. (34)  Mason Maggio, Chevrolet, Engine, 51.  34. (15)  Austin Hill, Chevrolet, Accident, 37.  35. (26)  Luke Baldwin(i), Ford, Suspension, 4.  36. (8)  Parker Retzlaff, Chevrolet, Accident, 2.  37. (1)  Carson Kvapil, Chevrolet, Accident, 1.    Average Speed of Race Winner: 116.946 mph.  Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 33 Mins, 55 Secs. Margin of Victory: .718 Seconds.  Caution Flags: 7 for 37 laps.  Lead Changes: 11 among 8 drivers.  Lap Leaders: C. Kvapil 0;C. Day 1-23;B. Jones 24-48;A. Alfredo 49-54;W. Byron(i) 55;B. Jones 56-70;J. Love 71;B. Jones 72-98;S. Creed 99-146;C. Day 147-149;R. Sieg 150-152;T. Gray 153-200.  Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Brandon Jones 3 times for 67 laps; Sheldon Creed 1 time for 48 laps; Taylor Gray 1 time for 48 laps; Corey Day 2 times for 26 laps; Anthony Alfredo 1 time for 6 laps; Ryan Sieg 1 time for 3 laps; Jesse Love 1 time for 1 lap; William Byron(i) 1 time for 1 lap.  Stage #1 Top Ten: 20,17,7,2,96,54,00,19,27,88  Stage #2 Top Ten: 20,00,7,2,17,8,54,24,41,26  –By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service. Special to Field Level Media.   #Deadspin #Taylor #Gray #fends #Sheldon #Creed #wins #eventful #race #KansasApr 18, 2026; Kansas City, Kansas, USA; NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series driver Taylor Gray (54) poses with his team after winning the Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-Imagn Images

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — The early bird got the victory on Saturday night.

The first of the frontrunners to pit during the final 95-lap green-flag run in the Kansas Lottery 300, Taylor Gray grabbed the lead during the cycle and held off charging Sheldon Creed to score the second NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series victory of his career.

Crew chief Jason Ratcliff, who won at Kansas with driver David Green in 2003, called Gray into the pits on Lap 143 of 200. Creed and Brandon Jones, running first and second on Lap 146, emerged from pit road after stops on Lap 147 roughly three seconds behind Gray.

Jones, winner of the first two stages, had to serve a pass-through penalty for a tire violation during his stop and lost the chance to win. But Creed, with Justin Allgaier behind him in third, began a methodical pursuit of Gray that ultimately came up 0.718 seconds short.

“How about Jason Ratcliff?” Gray exclaimed after climbing from his No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. “That pit call was awesome. We had a car capable of winning. I thought the 20 (Jones) was a little better than us before the green-flag cycle started, but we just had to stay locked in, and we had to be a little bit freer.

“Jason made a really good adjustment on the car and a really good pit call and got us in clean air. It’s been a long start to the year, man — not that we’re not bringing speed to the race track. It’s just that things haven’t really gone our way. So it’s nice to finally be able to close one out.”

Gray gained three positions to ninth in the series standings.

As it turned out, Creed also had plenty of reasons to celebrate. By finishing first among four eligible drivers, he earned a $100,000 Dash 4 Cash bonus for the first time in his career. It was Creed’s fifth attempt to win the Dash 4 Cash prize money.

“It was a great day for us after starting in the back,” said Creed who dropped to the rear of the field at the beginning of the race after his No. 00 Haas Factory Team Chevrolet failed pre-race inspection. “I kind of knew right away my car was really fast, and I was able to drive to the front, and I just had a lot of fun today…

“It’s just really cool to be able to bring a hundred grand back to the Haas Factory Team. I definitely wanted to win and add to it, but the 54 (Gray) did a really good job short-pitting us. He ran a really good last 40 laps there and got through traffic quick and made it where I never really got close enough.”

Allgaier came home third, followed by defending series champion Jesse Love and Brent Crews. William Byron, Cole Custer, Jones, Sam Mayer and Ryan Sieg completed the top 10 in a race that featured 11 lead changes among eight drivers.

Allgaier finished third in both stages and added one point to his series lead over second-place Creed. The margin is now 131 points.

Long before Gray took the checkered flag, there was plenty of action in the first stage.

The race wasn’t two laps old when an accident on the backstretch launched the No.1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet of Carson Kvapil into the air and sent it flipping down the backstretch.

Contact from Byron’s Chevy turned Kvapil’s car sideways near the front of the field. Parker Retzlaff piled into Kvapil’s car near the outside wall. The impact knocked the rear of Kvapil’s Camaro airborne, and the car proceeded to barrel-roll down the backstretch, coming to rest on its roof.

With the use of tethers and a tow truck, safety workers righted the car, and Kvapil climbed out before a mandatory trip to the infield care center.

“Maybe on dirt, I’ve flipped a few of them, but definitely never asphalt racing or a big stock car race,” Kvapil said after being evaluated and released from the care center. “It was actually not as bad as I thought it was going to be, once I realized I was going over, but it just sucks.”

On Lap 38, Jesse Love crowded Richard Childress Racing teammate Austin Hill down toward the apron as the two raced side-by-side in Turn 4. Hill spun sideways, and as he fought to control his No. 21 Chevrolet, the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota of William Sawalich plowed into Hill’s car.

“I’ll remember this,” Hill promised on his radio, referring to racing from his teammate he thought was unnecessarily close.

Hill fell out of the race in 34th place. Corey Day saw his streak of eight straight top 10s end with a 12th-place finish after rallying from an accident on Lap 101 and subsequent flat tire.

Gray, Creed, Allgaier and Love qualified for the third Dash 4 Cash race of the season, Saturday’s Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega Superspeedway (4 p.m. ET on CW, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Race – Kansas Lottery 300

Kansas Speedway

Kansas City, Kansas

Saturday, April 18, 2026

1. (10) Taylor Gray, Toyota, 200.

2. (4) Sheldon Creed, Chevrolet, 200.

3. (3) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 200.

4. (9) Jesse Love, Chevrolet, 200.

5. (5) Brent Crews #, Toyota, 200.

6. (2) William Byron(i), Chevrolet, 200.

7. (36) Cole Custer(i), Chevrolet, 200.

8. (14) Brandon Jones, Toyota, 200.

9. (19) Sam Mayer, Chevrolet, 200.

10. (12) Ryan Sieg, Chevrolet, 200.


11. (22) Dean Thompson, Toyota, 199.

12. (6) Corey Day, Chevrolet, 199.

13. (16) Jeb Burton, Chevrolet, 199.

14. (24) Patrick Staropoli #, Chevrolet, 199.

15. (18) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 199.

16. (11) Sammy Smith, Chevrolet, 199.

17. (30) Josh Williams, Chevrolet, 199.

18. (27) Lavar Scott #, Chevrolet, 198.

19. (17) Brennan Poole, Chevrolet, 198.

20. (7) William Sawalich, Toyota, 198.

21. (13) Rajah Caruth, Chevrolet, 198.

22. (29) Ryan Ellis, Chevrolet, 198.

23. (21) Blaine Perkins, Chevrolet, 198.

24. (32) Nathan Byrd, Chevrolet, 197.

25. (25) Kyle Sieg, Chevrolet, 197.

26. (23) Josh Bilicki, Chevrolet, 196.

27. (33) Joey Gase, Chevrolet, 194.

28. (20) Harrison Burton, Toyota, 190.

29. (28) Dawson Cram, Chevrolet, Engine, 120.

30. (31) Anthony Alfredo, Chevrolet, Accident, 65.

31. (37) Blake Lothian, Chevrolet, Brakes, 62.

32. (35) Austin Green, Chevrolet, Engine, 61.

33. (34) Mason Maggio, Chevrolet, Engine, 51.

34. (15) Austin Hill, Chevrolet, Accident, 37.

35. (26) Luke Baldwin(i), Ford, Suspension, 4.

36. (8) Parker Retzlaff, Chevrolet, Accident, 2.

37. (1) Carson Kvapil, Chevrolet, Accident, 1.

Average Speed of Race Winner: 116.946 mph.

Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 33 Mins, 55 Secs. Margin of Victory: .718 Seconds.

Caution Flags: 7 for 37 laps.

Lead Changes: 11 among 8 drivers.

Lap Leaders: C. Kvapil 0;C. Day 1-23;B. Jones 24-48;A. Alfredo 49-54;W. Byron(i) 55;B. Jones 56-70;J. Love 71;B. Jones 72-98;S. Creed 99-146;C. Day 147-149;R. Sieg 150-152;T. Gray 153-200.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Brandon Jones 3 times for 67 laps; Sheldon Creed 1 time for 48 laps; Taylor Gray 1 time for 48 laps; Corey Day 2 times for 26 laps; Anthony Alfredo 1 time for 6 laps; Ryan Sieg 1 time for 3 laps; Jesse Love 1 time for 1 lap; William Byron(i) 1 time for 1 lap.

Stage #1 Top Ten: 20,17,7,2,96,54,00,19,27,88

Stage #2 Top Ten: 20,00,7,2,17,8,54,24,41,26

–By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service. Special to Field Level Media.

#Deadspin #Taylor #Gray #fends #Sheldon #Creed #wins #eventful #race #Kansas">Deadspin | Taylor Gray fends off Sheldon Creed, wins eventful race in Kansas  Apr 18, 2026; Kansas City, Kansas, USA; NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series driver Taylor Gray (54) poses with his team after winning the Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-Imagn Images   KANSAS CITY, Kan. — The early bird got the victory on Saturday night.  The first of the frontrunners to pit during the final 95-lap green-flag run in the Kansas Lottery 300, Taylor Gray grabbed the lead during the cycle and held off charging Sheldon Creed to score the second NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series victory of his career.  Crew chief Jason Ratcliff, who won at Kansas with driver David Green in 2003, called Gray into the pits on Lap 143 of 200. Creed and Brandon Jones, running first and second on Lap 146, emerged from pit road after stops on Lap 147 roughly three seconds behind Gray.  Jones, winner of the first two stages, had to serve a pass-through penalty for a tire violation during his stop and lost the chance to win. But Creed, with Justin Allgaier behind him in third, began a methodical pursuit of Gray that ultimately came up 0.718 seconds short.  “How about Jason Ratcliff?” Gray exclaimed after climbing from his No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. “That pit call was awesome. We had a car capable of winning. I thought the 20 (Jones) was a little better than us before the green-flag cycle started, but we just had to stay locked in, and we had to be a little bit freer.  “Jason made a really good adjustment on the car and a really good pit call and got us in clean air. It’s been a long start to the year, man — not that we’re not bringing speed to the race track. It’s just that things haven’t really gone our way. So it’s nice to finally be able to close one out.”  Gray gained three positions to ninth in the series standings.  As it turned out, Creed also had plenty of reasons to celebrate. By finishing first among four eligible drivers, he earned a 0,000 Dash 4 Cash bonus for the first time in his career. It was Creed’s fifth attempt to win the Dash 4 Cash prize money.  “It was a great day for us after starting in the back,” said Creed who dropped to the rear of the field at the beginning of the race after his No. 00 Haas Factory Team Chevrolet failed pre-race inspection. “I kind of knew right away my car was really fast, and I was able to drive to the front, and I just had a lot of fun today…  “It’s just really cool to be able to bring a hundred grand back to the Haas Factory Team. I definitely wanted to win and add to it, but the 54 (Gray) did a really good job short-pitting us. He ran a really good last 40 laps there and got through traffic quick and made it where I never really got close enough.”  Allgaier came home third, followed by defending series champion Jesse Love and Brent Crews. William Byron, Cole Custer, Jones, Sam Mayer and Ryan Sieg completed the top 10 in a race that featured 11 lead changes among eight drivers.   Allgaier finished third in both stages and added one point to his series lead over second-place Creed. The margin is now 131 points.  Long before Gray took the checkered flag, there was plenty of action in the first stage.  The race wasn’t two laps old when an accident on the backstretch launched the No.1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet of Carson Kvapil into the air and sent it flipping down the backstretch.  Contact from Byron’s Chevy turned Kvapil’s car sideways near the front of the field. Parker Retzlaff piled into Kvapil’s car near the outside wall. The impact knocked the rear of Kvapil’s Camaro airborne, and the car proceeded to barrel-roll down the backstretch, coming to rest on its roof.  With the use of tethers and a tow truck, safety workers righted the car, and Kvapil climbed out before a mandatory trip to the infield care center.  “Maybe on dirt, I’ve flipped a few of them, but definitely never asphalt racing or a big stock car race,” Kvapil said after being evaluated and released from the care center. “It was actually not as bad as I thought it was going to be, once I realized I was going over, but it just sucks.”  On Lap 38, Jesse Love crowded Richard Childress Racing teammate Austin Hill down toward the apron as the two raced side-by-side in Turn 4. Hill spun sideways, and as he fought to control his No. 21 Chevrolet, the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota of William Sawalich plowed into Hill’s car.  “I’ll remember this,” Hill promised on his radio, referring to racing from his teammate he thought was unnecessarily close.  Hill fell out of the race in 34th place. Corey Day saw his streak of eight straight top 10s end with a 12th-place finish after rallying from an accident on Lap 101 and subsequent flat tire.  Gray, Creed, Allgaier and Love qualified for the third Dash 4 Cash race of the season, Saturday’s Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega Superspeedway (4 p.m. ET on CW, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).    NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Race – Kansas Lottery 300  Kansas Speedway  Kansas City, Kansas  Saturday, April 18, 2026  1. (10)  Taylor Gray, Toyota, 200.  2. (4)  Sheldon Creed, Chevrolet, 200.  3. (3)  Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 200.  4. (9)  Jesse Love, Chevrolet, 200.  5. (5)  Brent Crews #, Toyota, 200.  6. (2)  William Byron(i), Chevrolet, 200.  7. (36)  Cole Custer(i), Chevrolet, 200.  8. (14)  Brandon Jones, Toyota, 200.  9. (19)  Sam Mayer, Chevrolet, 200.  10. (12)  Ryan Sieg, Chevrolet, 200.  11. (22)  Dean Thompson, Toyota, 199.   12. (6)  Corey Day, Chevrolet, 199.  13. (16)  Jeb Burton, Chevrolet, 199.  14. (24)  Patrick Staropoli #, Chevrolet, 199.  15. (18)  Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 199.  16. (11)  Sammy Smith, Chevrolet, 199.  17. (30)  Josh Williams, Chevrolet, 199.  18. (27)  Lavar Scott #, Chevrolet, 198.  19. (17)  Brennan Poole, Chevrolet, 198.  20. (7)  William Sawalich, Toyota, 198.  21. (13)  Rajah Caruth, Chevrolet, 198.  22. (29)  Ryan Ellis, Chevrolet, 198.  23. (21)  Blaine Perkins, Chevrolet, 198.  24. (32)  Nathan Byrd, Chevrolet, 197.  25. (25)  Kyle Sieg, Chevrolet, 197.  26. (23)  Josh Bilicki, Chevrolet, 196.  27. (33)  Joey Gase, Chevrolet, 194.  28. (20)  Harrison Burton, Toyota, 190.  29. (28)  Dawson Cram, Chevrolet, Engine, 120.  30. (31)  Anthony Alfredo, Chevrolet, Accident, 65.  31. (37)  Blake Lothian, Chevrolet, Brakes, 62.  32. (35)  Austin Green, Chevrolet, Engine, 61.  33. (34)  Mason Maggio, Chevrolet, Engine, 51.  34. (15)  Austin Hill, Chevrolet, Accident, 37.  35. (26)  Luke Baldwin(i), Ford, Suspension, 4.  36. (8)  Parker Retzlaff, Chevrolet, Accident, 2.  37. (1)  Carson Kvapil, Chevrolet, Accident, 1.    Average Speed of Race Winner: 116.946 mph.  Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 33 Mins, 55 Secs. Margin of Victory: .718 Seconds.  Caution Flags: 7 for 37 laps.  Lead Changes: 11 among 8 drivers.  Lap Leaders: C. Kvapil 0;C. Day 1-23;B. Jones 24-48;A. Alfredo 49-54;W. Byron(i) 55;B. Jones 56-70;J. Love 71;B. Jones 72-98;S. Creed 99-146;C. Day 147-149;R. Sieg 150-152;T. Gray 153-200.  Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Brandon Jones 3 times for 67 laps; Sheldon Creed 1 time for 48 laps; Taylor Gray 1 time for 48 laps; Corey Day 2 times for 26 laps; Anthony Alfredo 1 time for 6 laps; Ryan Sieg 1 time for 3 laps; Jesse Love 1 time for 1 lap; William Byron(i) 1 time for 1 lap.  Stage #1 Top Ten: 20,17,7,2,96,54,00,19,27,88  Stage #2 Top Ten: 20,00,7,2,17,8,54,24,41,26  –By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service. Special to Field Level Media.   #Deadspin #Taylor #Gray #fends #Sheldon #Creed #wins #eventful #race #Kansas

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