The proverbial “lights-out bullpen” is the desire of every Major League Baseball playoff team. Yet it doesn’t take much for the indicator lights on the dashboard to start blinking.

The Seattle Mariners found this out in Game 4 of their American League Division Series when they bumped up against the two f-words of postseason relief.

Familiarity. And fatigue.

They were up three runs and just 15 outs from dispatching the Detroit Tigers and claiming the first spot in the AL Championship Series when the diminishing returns of relief pitching reared its head.

Detroit struck for seven runs over two innings against Gabe Speier and Eduard Bazardo, who’d been near-perfect in the first three games of the series, to salvage its season and send both teams winging it back to Seattle for a decisive Game 5.

Where presumed Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal will await the Mariners.

That’s how quickly these things can turn: From comfortable lead and bullpen security blankets to lightning striking, the Tigers evening the series with a 9-3 victory that squares this ALDS 2-2.

And to think the Mariners nearly rocked these Tigers to sleep.

Comerica Park was a funeral parlor into the bottom of the fifth, with Mariners right-hander Bryce Miller outkicking his 2025 statistics to allow just two hits through four innings. Then things got loud – and unsuspecting fans were about to see nine unanswered runs on the board.

Dillon Dingler’s double scored Spencer Torkelson, who’d singled. It was 3-1. Dan Wilson, in his first full season as manager, prudently hooked Miller for the lefty Speier – only to get outflanked by his counterpart.

Sure, Speier had seen eight Tigers hitters in this series – and retired all eight of them, striking out four. But increased exposure brings adversity for even the more immortal pitchers.

‘There are no secrets,’ says Tigers manager A.J. Hinch, ‘when you get this deep into a series.’

And Speier suddenly looked like a mere mortal.

Hinch threw up righty-swinging Jahmai Jones to pinch-hit in Parker Meadows’ place, and he hooked an RBI double down the left field line. A 3-2 game.

No. 9 hitter Javy Baez reawakened the echoes of 2016 with a solid single to plate Jones. A 3-3 game.

Speier worked around a Baez stolen base, got a groundout, issued an intentional walk to Gleyber Torres and escaped the jam with the score tied.

That should have been it.

But Wilson opted to bring back Speier, despite having to sit down and run back out there, despite the familiarity that Greene might enjoy, having seen Speier twice already this series.

“Just trying to get it to the next guy. Just trying to get on base for the guys behind me,” the ever-humble Greene, 2 for 14 with no extra-base hits in the series before that at-bat, said after the game.

He did much more – clouting a Speier slider 454 feet into the right field seats. Suddenly, the Tigers had a lead for the first time since the 11^th inning of Game 1.

Hey, no worries. Wilson simply turned to Eduard Bazardo, who’d pitched in Games 1, 2 and 3, who’d recorded seven outs and gave up just one hit.

Wilson was asked after the game if he was concerned that the Tigers had seen Speier twice and Bazardo three times before Game 4.

‘These guys have thrown the ball so well, and I don’t think that’s a risk,’ says Wilson. ‘These guys have done the job and thrown the ball extremely well, and today they just – they were able to get to us.’

The Tigers rocked Bazardo for four hits, including a Baez home run, fattening the lead and ensuring they’d only need closer Will Vest for one, not two innings.

Game 5?

Well, they’ll all have a day off as they hop from the D to the Pacific Northwest. The arms should ostensibly be rested. Skubal will be breathing fire, still stinging from his Game 2 loss.

The Mariners? They can only hope one more game of familiarity doesn’t set off the fireworks in Detroit’s lineup.

LOS ANGELES — The Philadelphia Phillies tried to tell everyone they wouldn’t panic.

No one believed it.

They kept saying that maybe a change of scenery to Dodger Stadium would relax them.

No one believed it.

They insisted that their powerful trio of All-Star hitters would break out.

No one believed it.

When the Philadelphia Phillies lined up Wednesday night on the Dodger Stadium field for handshakes, blasting the Los Angeles Dodgers 8-2 in front of a stunned sellout crowd of 53,689, they suddenly have a whole lot of believers.

The Phillies still are in trouble, of course, trailing the Dodgers 2-1 in this best-of-five National League Division Series, with Game 4 scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 9 at Dodger Stadium.

Yet, they are alive.

And they also have that dynamic the Dodgers badly wanted to prevent.

Momentum.

“Momentum’s always something that you don’t know if it’s real or not,’ Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy said before the game. “You definitely feel it, though, as a player in certain situations, you feel the momentum change.

‘Obviously we want to finish this tonight, and we don’t want to let anything slip away from us. That’s one of those things, when you talk about momentum, if you don’t finish it tonight, you feel like it’s slipping away. That’s definitely not something you want to have happen.’

Well, it happened.

“We want to put these guys away,’’ Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before the game, “and don’t let them up for air.’

Well, after what transpired Wednesday, the Phillies suddenly have confidence too.

The Phillies, whose season was on life support after losing the first two games in front of their home crowd at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, believe they can pull this off.

After all, they became the first team in two weeks to beat the defending World Series champions, snapping the Dodgers’ nine-game winning streak.

While Ranger Suarez was brilliant in his five-inning outing coming in relief for Aaron Nola in the third inning, it was the Phillies’ powerful trio who reminded everyone just what they’re capable of doing to the opposition.

Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper and Trea Turner, who were in a 2-for-21 skid entering the game, put on a power-hitting clinic for everyone to see.

There was Schwarber hitting two home runs, including a 455-foot blast in the fourth inning, with three RBIs.

Turner, who produced three hits and two RBI, broke the game open in the Phillies’ five-run eighth.

There was Harper who had a two-hit game and reached base three times.

Just like that, the Phillies looked like well … the Phillies.

They made sure that Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who entered the game with a 0.66 ERA in his last six starts, couldn’t make it out of the fifth inning.

It began with Schwarber, who had been hitless in his last 22 at-bats when he stepped up to the plate to lead off the fourth. The slump ended with one majestic swing of the bat.

Schwarber sent Yamamoto’s fastball nearly out of the stadium, landing 455 feet into the right-field pavillion. It was hit so far, and so hard (117-mph), that Dodgers right fielder Teoscar Hernandez didn’t move.

Just like that, the Phillies’ bats awoke.

Harper, who had also been handcuffed this series, followed by slapping a single to left field. Byson Stott singled and when Harper headed to third, center fielder Andy Pages tried to get him. The ball instead sailed past third baseman Max Muncy and bounced into the Dodgers’ dugout, scoring Harper with Stott advancing to third. Brandon Marsh made it 3-1 with a sacrifice fly to left field.

Yamamoto came out for the fifth, but was immediately greeted by with singles by Bryson Stott and Trea Turner knocking him out of the game. It was his shortest outing since June 1.

The Phillies, after a double steal, then had a golden opportunity to blow open the game against left-handed reliever Anthony Banda. Yet, Schwarber struck out. Harper hit a shallow pop-up to right field. And after Bohm was intentionally walked, loading the bases, Brandon Marsh struck out on three pitches. Well, technically two ptiches – with Marsh being charged with an automatic strike on a pich clock violation.

The Phillies threatened again in the seventh inning off three-time Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw coming into the game relief, with a leadoff single by Turner and a walk by Schwarber. But Harper flied out to right, and then Schwarber was picked off first base when he wandered too far, and the opportunity ended on Brandon Marsh’s line drive to right.

Finally, they broke through in the eighth on J.T. Realmuto’s homer, Turner’s two-run single, and a two-run homer by Schwarber.

Who knows what can happen now, with Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts vividly remembering the feeling of struggling in the postseason before ending his slump last year.

“I’ve been there…,’ Betts said. “When you get in that rut and it seems like it’s quicksand. No matter what you do you just can’t get out of it. It’s tough. Hell, I didn’t get out of it. So I have no advice or anything. I mean, shoot, I would have if I knew what to do.

“Good luck to those guys and we’ll see if they have the answer.”

For one night, they certainly did.

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

Here’s how Wednesday’s game unfolded:

Kyle Schwarber home run blows it open

Coming back out for a second inning, Clayton Kershaw gave up a leadoff home run to J.T. Realmuto. He then walked Max Kepler and Nick Castellanos reached on an error before Bryson Stott bunted them to second and third. With one out, Trea Turner hit a two-RBI single to make it 6-1 Phillies. Then, Kyle Schwarber delivered his second home run of the game, a two-run shot that extended Philadelphia’s lead to 8-1.

Clayton Kershaw comes out of the bullpen

Trailing 3-1 in the seventh, Dave Roberts brought Clayton Kershaw out of the bullpen for his first appearance of the 2025 postseason. Kershaw was met with the Phillies’ best hitters and gave up a leadoff single to Trea Turner before walking Kyle Schwarber. The veteran left-hander got Bryce Harper to fly out and then Schwarber was picked off in a baserunning blunder for the second out.

After intentionally walking Alec Bohm, Kershaw retired Brandon Marsh on a hard-hit line drive to right, getting out of the inning without allowing a run.

Kershaw, retiring at the end of the season, won three Cy Youngs and an MVP award, surely heading for the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Phillies still lead 6-1 in the sixth

Anthony Banda (fifth) and Jack Dreyer (sixth) put up zeroes relieving Yoshinobu Yamamoto, managing to keep the Phillies from adding insurance runs despite Philadelphia loading the bases in the fifth.

Phillies ambush Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the fourth

Kyle Schwarber’s mammoth home run led off the top of the fourth and tied the game. The next batter, Bryce Harper, singled and then scored as a result of Andy Pages’ throwing error on Alec Bohm’s single. The ball went out of play and moved Bohm to third and Brandon Marsh brought him home with a sacrifice fly for the first out of the inning. J.T. Realmuto hit a ground-rule double but Yamamoto got Max Kepler and Nick Castellanos to end the frame with the Phillies up 3-1.

Kyle Schwarber home run ties it up

Leading off the fourth inning, Kyle Schwarber hit a 455-foot homer off Yoshinobu Yamamoto to tie the game.

The Phillies slugger had been stuck in an 0-for-23 slump having led the Natioinaln League with 56 home runs in the regular season.

Tommy Edman home run welcomes Ranger Suarez

Phillies manager Rob Thomson stuck with his plan to limit Aaron Nola’s exposure and pulled the right-hander after two innings to put in southpaw Ranger Suarez.

On Suarez’s first pitch of the night, switch-hitter Tommy Edman hit a solo home run to left field, giving the Dodgers a 1-0 lead in the third.

Meanwhile, Yoshinobu Yamamoto held the Phillies hitless through three innings.

Aaron Nola escapes first-inning jam

Dodgers-Phillies Game 3 underway in Los Angeles

Yoshinobu Yamamoto worked around Bryce Harper’s two-out walk to toss a scoreless first at Dodger Stadium.

In his second year after signing a $325 million contract before throwing an MLB pitch, the Japanese right-hander was the Dodgers’ ace this season with an All-Star nod and a 2.49 ERA.

Phillies lineup today

1. Trea Turner (R) SS
2. Kyle Schwarber (L) DH
3. Bryce Harper (L) 1B
4. Alec Bohm (R) 3B
5. Brandon Marsh (L) CF
6. J.T. Realmuto (R) C
7. Max Kepler (L) LF
8. Nick Castellanos (R) RF
9. Bryson Stott (L) 2B

Dodgers lineup today

1. Shohei Ohtani (L) DH
2. Mookie Betts (R) SS
3. Teoscar Hernández (R) RF
4. Freddie Freeman (L) 1B
5. Will Smith (R) C
6. Enrique Hernández (R) LF
7. Max Muncy (L) 3B
8. Andy Pages (R) CF
9. Tommy Edman (S) 2B

Will Smith returns to Dodgers lineup

The Dodgers’ All-Star catcher is in the starting lineup for the first time this postseason in Game 3, coming off the bench in each of the first two games in the series. Smith had missed nearly a month with a hand fracture.

‘The at-bats have been fantastic especially considering the arms that he’s had to face coming into both those games and the lay-off,’ Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before Game 3.

‘If I didn’t feel he could finish a game I wouldn’t have started him. I feel good. He’s in a good spot. I think the at-bat quality has been great.’

Now that the season is nearly a third of the way through, there are only two ways to improve your rosters — waiver wire and trades.

Evaluating a fantasy trade can be a daunting task. Most managers value their players more than they’re actually worth. That’s where the Week 6 fantasy football trade value charts come in.

The charts can be used as your very own fantasy football trade analyzer in standard, half-PPR (point per reception) and full PPR leagues. Someone sends you an offer? Simply pull out a calculator (on your phone, you don’t need an actual calculator) and plug in the values for each player. Don’t worry, six-points-per-passing-touchdown and superflex leagues are covered as well.

Important note: If you’re offered an uneven trade (i.e., a 2-for-1 or 3-for-1), include the values for the players you’d be moving to the bench or dropping within your calculation. Example: If someone in your league offers you Cam Skattebo, Romeo Doubs, and David Njoku (combined value of 79) for Jonathan Taylor (72), it might look like you’re getting the better end of it. However, if you’re bumping down, say, AJ Barner and Kimani Vidal (combined value of 26) in the process, it’s a net negative deal for you.

The rankings are based on how players should be valued in 12-team leagues. Players are sorted in order of their half-PPR values.

Quarterback trade value chart

(Note: ‘6/TD’ is for leagues that award six points for passing touchdowns and ‘SFLEX’ stands for superflex.)

Running back trade value chart

Wide receiver trade value chart

Tight end trade value chart

Overall Week 6 fantasy football rest-of-season rankings

Note: These values are for 12-team, one-QB leagues with half-PPR scoring.

Arturo Gatti Jr. has died at the age of 17 in Mexico, where he lived with his mother on Wednesday, according to the World Boxing Association.

The son of the late Canadian boxer and Hall of Famer Arturo Gatti has recently been confirmed deceased by several close family members, including Gatti Sr.’s former bodyguard. However, the circumstances surrounding his death remain unclear, and details have yet to be released.

Gatti Jr. lost his father at a young age after what was initially considered a mysterious death in a hotel in Brazil in 2009. Later, Brazilian authorities ruled the death a suicide. From an early age, Gatti Jr. aspired to follow in his father’s footsteps, first aiming to compete in the Olympics as an amateur before shifting his focus to a professional boxing career.

‘The WBC sends its heartfelt condolences to the Gatti family, friends, and the entire boxing community mourning this so heartbreaking loss,’ the World Boxing Council wrote.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

• Florida Panthers’ quest for third consecutive championship opens with win vs. Chicago Blackhawks.
• Newcomers help Pittsburgh Penguins defeat New York Rangers on opening night of the 2025-26 NHL season.
• The first fight of the 2025-26 NHL season featured Nick Foligno of the Chicago Blackhawks vs. A.J. Greer of the Florida Panthers.

The Florida Panthers raised their Stanley Cup banner on the opening night of the 2025-26 NHL season and showed the efficiency they need to push for a third consecutive championship.

The Panthers downed the Chicago Blackhawks, 3-2, on Oct. 7, dominating early by outshooting them 17-3 and in the first period and 37-19 for the game. Only the play of Chicago goalie Spencer Knight, traded by the Panthers last season, kept the game close.

Though the Blackhawks tied the game in the second period, Jesper Boqvist batted the puck out of the air in the third period to give Florida a 3-2 lead it wouldn’t relinquish.

The Panthers showed they had the depth they need with Aleksander Barkov out seven to nine months and Matthew Tkachuk out until December or longer.

And they avoided more injuries as Sam Reinhart and Evan Rodrigues left briefly and A.J. Greer was slow getting up at one point. But all finished the game.

Exclusive book: Relive the Panthers’ latest Cup

The Pittsburgh Penguins shut out the New York Rangers, 3-0, in the second game of the opening night ESPN tripleheader behind offseason acquisition Arturs Silovs. Another newcomer, Justin Brazeau, scored twice, the first one on a Rangers defensive breakdown that left him alone in front.

Coach Mike Sullivan, in his Rangers debut, fell to his former team, now led by first-time NHL head coach Dan Muse.

In the final game of the NHL’s season-opening tripleheader, the Colorado Avalanche defeated the Los Angeles Kings, 4-1.

Here are highlights from the NHL’s opening night:

Avalanche vs. Kings highlights

Final score: Avalanche 4, Kings 1

Martin Nečas scored two goals as the Colorado Avalanche picked up a season-opening road win over the Kings in Los Angeles.

Artturi Lehkonen and Sam Malinski scored a goal apiece for Colorado, which is hoping its embarking on a ninth consecutive playoff season.

Rangers vs. Penguins highlights

Final score: Penguins 3, Rangers 0

Big night by Justin Brazeau, who had two goals in his Penguins debut. His first, late in the first period, was the game-winner. He then added an empty-netter, as did Blake Lizotte. Goalie Arturs Silovs also had a solid Penguins debut, recording a 25-save shutout.

All of the pregame focus was on new Rangers coach Mike Sullivan facing his former team, but Dan Muse ended up with the win in his NHL head coaching debut.

End of second period: Penguins 1, Rangers 0

The Rangers looked better in that period but they can’t get the puck past Arturs Silovs. He made a big save on Mika Zibanejad to keep the Rangers scoreless.

End of first period: Penguins 1, Rangers 0

Pretty evenly played period. Rangers could have escaped with a tie, but gave up a Justin Brazeau goal because of a defensive breakdown off a faceoff.

Who is Justin Brazeau?

Justin Brazeau, the Penguins scorer, signed a two-year contract and is in his first year in Pittsburgh. The 6-6 forward previously had played with the Minnesota Wild and Boston Bruins. He had 16 goals in 95 games heading into the season.

Score update: Justin Brazeau gives Penguins lead

A Rangers defensive breakdown leads to Justin Brazeau’s goal with 32 seconds left in the first period. He’s left alone in front, takes a pass from Evgeni Malkin and makes a nice move to beat Igor Shesterkin.

Rangers vs. Penguins prediction

4-3 Rangers. Coach Mike Sullivan gets a win against his former team.

Panthers vs Blackhawks highlights

Final score: Panthers 3, Blackhawks 2

The Panthers showed a lot of speed to get past the Blackhawks in the opener. Chicago goalie Spencer Knight was called upon often and kept his team in the game. But though the Blackhawks scored first and tied the game in the second, Florida’s depth won out. Blackhawks forward Frank Nazar will be dangerous this season.

Panthers win

The plastic rats fly onto the ice as the Panthers open their defense of their Stanley Cup title with a 3-2 victory against the Blackhawks.

Spencer Knight goes to the bench

It took a while but the Blackhawks goalie is finally able to get to the bench for an extra skater.

Less than five minutes left

Chicago’s Spencer Knight makes a glove save on Brad Marchand to keep the score 3-2 Florida.

Score update: Panthers take lead

Mackie Samoskevich chips a pass to Jesper Boqvist, who bats in out of the air and past Spencer Knight at 9:40. Panthers 3, Blackhawks 2

Blackhawks power play

Luke Kunin called for high-sticking. Chicago 0-for-2 so far. Florida kills it off. Ryan Donato makes several nice moves but is stopped by Sergei Bobrovsky.

Third period underway

Score tied 2-2.

End of second period: Panthers 2, Blackhawks 2

The Blackhawks played better that period after getting badly outshot in the first period. Teuvo Teravainen tied the game early and drew a couple penalties, but the Blackhawks couldn’t convert on the power play. The Panthers played briefly without Sam Reinhart and Evan Rodrigues after they were hit by pucks, but they returned. A.J. Greer was slow to get up late in the period.

Sam Reinhart injury update

He’s back on the ice after getting stitched up.

Blackhawks power play

Seth Jones goes off for slashing. Panthers kill it off. Sergei Bobrovsky makes a shoulder save on Connor Bedard.

Panthers injury updates

Evan Rodrigues is back on the ice. Coach Paul Maurice tells ESPN that Reinhart is getting sewn up and should be back soon.

Evan Rodrigues injury update

The Florida forward is helped off the ice after being hit by a puck in the leg. He joins teammate Sam Reinhart in the dressing room.

Blackhawks power play

Brad Marchand is called for holding the stick. Florida kills it off but Sam Reinhart heads off after being hit by a puck in the face.

Score update: Blackhawks tie it up

The Blackhawks come out strong in the second period with two breaks up ice. Teuvo Teravainen scores on the second chance off a 2-on-1 break with Frank Nazar. Nazar picks up his second point of the game.

Second period underway

2-1 Florida.

End of first period: Panthers 2, Blackhawks 1

Fun period, but it showed why the Panthers are Cup winners and the Blackhawks are expected to finish near the bottom of the league. Florida had a 17-3 edge in shot, but ex-Panthers goalie Spencer Knight is keeping it close with some big saves. Anton Lundell hit the post late to keep it a one-goal game. A.J. Greer has a goal and a fight. Needs an assist for a Gordie Howe hat trick.

First fight of the season

Chicago’s Nick Foligno vs. Florida’s A.J. Greer.

Score update: Carter Verhaeghe puts Florida ahead

Verhaeghe gets the puck at the side of the crease and beats Spencer Knight on the power play. 2-1 Panthers.

Panthers go on power play

Artyom Levshunov goes to the penalty box again, this time for tripping Brad Marchand.

Score update: Panthers tie game

The Panthers fourth line comes through as A.J. Greer scores on a rebound at 11:06. 1-1.

Score update: Blackhawks take lead

Chicago’s Frank Nazar gets a breakaway and beats Sergei Bobrovsky at 10:03. He just signed a big extension and is in the mix for Team USA at the Olympics. 1-0 Blackhawks.

Panthers go on power play

Artyom Levshunov is called for slashing. Blackhawks kill it off. Panthers get one shot on goal.

Game update: Scoreless so far

No score through the first five minutes. Connor Bedard hit the crossbar. Spencer Knight stopped a Panthers 2-on-1 break.

Puck drops

The 2025-26 NHL season is underway.

Blackhawks lineup

Panthers lineup

Panthers’ Stanley Cup banner raised

Panthers players watch as the 2025 Stanley Cup banner goes to the rafters. Now, it’s on to the 2025-26 season and an attempt for a third consecutive championship.

Panthers on the ice

Aaron Ekblad carries the Stanley Cup out onto the ice. Injured Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk are on the bench in street clothes.

When is NHL opening day 2025?

The 2025-26 NHL season opens on Tuesday, Oct. 7 with three games:

• Chicago Blackhawks at Florida Panthers, 5 p.m. ET
• Pittsburgh Penguins at New York Rangers, 8 p.m. ET
• Colorado Avalanche at Los Angeles Kings, 10:30 p.m. ET

How to watch, stream NHL opening night

• TV: ESPN
• Streaming: Games can be streamed on ESPN Unlimited and on Fubo, which offers a free trial for new subscribers.

Watch NHL games on Fubo

Where to watch Blackhawks vs. Panthers

The game is being shown on ESPN.

Blackhawks’ Spencer Knight makes homecoming

Goalie Spencer Knight will be playing in Amerant Bank Arena for the first time since he was traded to the Blackhawks on March 1. The 2019 first-round pick was sent to Chicago, along with a first-round pick, trade for defenseman Seth Jones.

T.J. Oshie joins ESPN studio panel

‘Finally got a good-looking guy on the panel,’ Marchand interrupted, laughing. ‘It’s nice having someone good to look at.’

NHL 2025-26 points projections

NHL teams’ home openers

The Panthers, Rangers and Kings are holding their home openers on Oct. 7. Here’s when the other 29 teams will hold theirs.

• Anaheim Ducks: Oct. 14 vs. Penguins
• Boston Bruins: Oct. 9 vs. Blackhawks
• Buffalo Sabres: Oct. 9 vs. Rangers
• Calgary Flames: Oct. 11 vs. Blues
• Carolina Hurricanes: Oct. 9 vs. Devils
• Chicago Blackhawks: Oct. 11 vs. Canadiens
• Colorado Avalanche: Oct. 9 vs. Mammoth
• Columbus Blue Jackets: Oct. 13 vs. Devils
• Dallas Stars: Oct. 14 vs. Wild
• Detroit Red Wings: Oct. 9 vs. Canadiens
• Edmonton Oilers: Oct. 8 vs. Flames
• Minnesota Wild: Oct. 11 vs. Blue Jackets
• Montreal Canadiens: Oct. 14 vs. Kraken
• Nashville Predators: Oct. 9 vs. Blue Jackets
• New Jersey Devils: Oct. 16 vs. Panthers
• New York Islanders: Oct. 11 vs. Capitals
• Ottawa Senators: Oct. 13 vs. Predators
• Philadelphia Flyers: Oct. 13 vs. Panthers
• Pittsburgh Penguins: Oct. 9 vs. Islanders
• St. Louis Blues: Oct. 9 vs. Wild
• San Jose Sharks: Oct. 9 vs. Golden Knights
• Seattle Kraken: Oct. 9 vs. Ducks
• Tampa Bay Lightning: Oct. 9 vs. Senators
• Toronto Maple Leafs: Oct. 8 vs. Canadiens
• Utah Mammoth: Oct. 15 vs. Flames
• Vancouver Canucks: Oct. 9 vs. Flames
• Vegas Golden Knights: Oct. 8 vs. Kings
• Washington Capitals: Oct. 8 vs. Bruins
• Winnipeg Jets: Oct. 9 vs. Stars

Panthers vs. Blackhawks prediction

5-2 Florida. The Panthers are two-time champions and have plenty of talent, even without Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk in the lineup. The Blackhawks are rebuilding and will be a lottery team.

Panthers championship rings details

The Panthers received championship rings Monday, Oct. 6, and they pulled another rat trick.

Like the rings from 2024, the latest edition includes an engraved rat, a nod to the fans’ tradition of throwing plastic rats onto the rink after victories.

The Panthers received the rings in a private event at War Memorial Auditorium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and they feature more than vermin. The rings, handcrafted in white and yellow gold, include more than 450 diamonds and genuine rubies, according to a press release issued by the Panthers. – Josh Peter

Panthers injury updates

The Panthers are missing two key players as they open defense of their back-to-back titles.

Captain Aleksander Barkov will miss seven to nine months after he had knee surgery in September. He was injured during practice and had his ACL and MCL repaired.

The Panthers also are missing Matthew Tkachuk, who had offseason surgery to repair a torn adductor muscle and a hernia. He’s out until ‘December-ish,’ general manager Bill Zito said.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was seen raising his middle finger during Dallas’ 37-22 win over the New York Jets on Sunday at MetLife Stadium. The 82-year-old will pay a hefty price for doing so.

The NFL is fining Jones $250,000 for his gesture, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.

Jones was asked about his actions during his weekly spot on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas on Tuesday. The octogenarian owner insisted his gesture was ‘inadvertent.’

‘That was unfortunate. That was kind of an exchange with our fans out in front of us,’ Jones said Tuesday on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas, per ESPN. ‘There was a swarm of Cowboys fans out in front – not Jets fans, Cowboys fans. The entire stadium was brimming with enthusiasm of the Cowboys and certainly late in the game.

‘[The gesture] was inadvertent on my part because that was right after we made our last touchdown, and we were all excited about it. There wasn’t any antagonistic issue or anything like that. I just put up the wrong show on the hand. That was inadvertently done. I’m not kidding. If you want to call it accidental, you can call it accidental. But it got straightened around pretty quick. I had a chance to look at it. It got straightened out pretty quick, but the intention was ‘thumbs up,’ and basically pointing at our fans because everybody was jumping up and down excited.’

This isn’t the first time an NFL owner has been fined for raising his middle finger to fans. In 2009, Bud Adams – then the owner of the Tennessee Titans – was given a $250,000 fine for making an obscene gesture after his team beat the Buffalo Bills 41-17.

Adams apologized for his actions at the time in a statement.

‘I got caught up in the excitement of a great day, but I do realize that those types of things shouldn’t happen,’ Adams said, per ESPN. ‘I need to specifically apologize to the Bills, their fans, our fans and the NFL.

‘I obviously have a great deal of respect for [Bills owner] Ralph Wilson and the history we have shared. I also understand there will probably be league discipline for my actions and I will accept those.’