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Dawson Mercer scored the game-winning goal on the power play midway through the second period and Luke Hughes earned three assists to lift the visiting New Jersey Devils to a 5-3 victory against the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday.
Nathan Bastian, Timo Meier, Ondrej Palat and Stefan Noesen also scored for the Devils. New Jersey (38-28-7, 83 points) remained in third place in the Metropolitan Division and in control of the division's final guaranteed playoff spot.
Jesper Bratt added a pair of assists, and Mercer had another and Jacob Markstrom stopped 21 shots for the Devils, who won despite getting outshot 24-20. New Jersey had been winless in its previous three games (0-2-1).
Tyler Bertuzzi, Frank Nazar and Ilya Mikheyev scored for the Blackhawks. Artyom Levshunov had two assists, and Spencer Knight made 15 saves.
Chicago (21-42-9, 51 points), already eliminated from Western Conference postseason contention, lost for the eighth time in nine games (1-7-1). The Blackhawks have the second-fewest points in the NHL.
Bastian opened the scoring 6:23 into the game. Hughes weaved down the left wing and found Bastian open in front, as the winger beat Chicago goaltender Knight with a tap-in. Meier scored on the man advantage just 27 seconds later.
Bertuzzi got the Blackhawks on the board with a power-play goal at 9:06 of the first period. With the Devils unable to clear, Ryan Donato fed a cross-ice pass to Bertuzzi, who beat Markstrom on the back door.
New Jersey took a 3-1 lead 3:14 into the second period. With the Devils short-handed, Palat gathered a drop pass from Bratt and scored on a wrist shot from the right circle.
Mikheyev answered for the Blackhawks a little over two minutes later. Teuvo Teravainen backhanded a pass through traffic, and Mikheyev scored from the low left circle.
The Blackhawks appeared to score the equalizer moments later, but officials waved off a Donato tip-in goal, ruling his stick was too high when he redirected the puck.
The Devils restored a two-goal lead with Mercer's power-play goal at 11:01 of the second on a wrist shot from the left circle. It stood up as the game-winner after Nazar scored for Chicago with 2:50 left in the game. Noesen capped the scoring with an empty-netter with 13 seconds remaining.
New Jersey center Cody Glass missed the game due to an injury.
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Dallas Stars to trade Jason Robertson: New details have emerged
The NHL trade chatter surrounding Jason Robertson refuses to quiet down, even as most teams settle into the slow summer stretch before training camps. While the Dallas Stars recently cleared enough cap space to avoid a roster crunch, the 26-year-old forward's name is still drawing plenty of attention from rival clubs hoping for a blockbuster. Dallas solved its immediate cap concerns by moving Matt Dumba to Pittsburgh on July 10, putting the roster $1.085 million under the salary ceiling with 22 players signed. That move ended any talk of a fire sale, but Robertson's $7.75 million cap hit and his looming arbitration rights next summer make him a fascinating piece for general managers to watch. Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos continues to list him as a prime target on his offseason trade board, while other insiders believe the trade market could heat up again before next summer. Why Jason Robertson's contract status has rival teams circling despite his importance to the Stars Robertson, who produced 80 points in 82 games last season, remains Dallas's most consistent scoring threat even with Mikko Rantanen now in the fold. The big question is whether the Stars are prepared to pay Robertson a contract similar to Rantanen's massive $12 million annual deal. He currently lacks no-trade protection, which could make a deal easier to execute if the right package comes along, though moving a player of his caliber remains a tough task. According to a breakdown by The Hockey News, several teams, including the Los Angeles Kings, Seattle Kraken, Utah Mammoth, and Detroit Red Wings have the mix of prospects, picks, and cap space that could tempt Stars GM Jim Nill. Analyst Julian Gaudio singled out Seattle as a particularly logical fit, while Jesse Courville-Lynch argued that the Kings would push hardest if Robertson ever hits the trade block. For now, Nill seems comfortable waiting to see how Dallas performs this season before committing to an extension or exploring a move. However, with Robertson nearing both arbitration and unrestricted free agency in 2026, his future could become one of the league's biggest storylines before next summer.
Steelers' Mike Tomlin's Secret Comments About George Pickens Exposed By ESPN Analyst
The Pittsburgh Steelers, in back-to-back offseasons, traded away a talented wide receiver. Heading into the 2024 NFL season, the team made the surprising decision to move on from Diontae Johnson, sending him to the Carolina Panthers. It was a bold move that left questions about depth behind George Pickens, but the Steelers appeared to have a long-term plan in mind. This week, fans got a clearer picture. ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky had told Louis Riddick a story and Riddick exposed it on Get Up on Wednesday and shared a never-before-told story about Head Coach Mike Tomlin’s relationship with Pickens. According to Riddick, Tomlin once passionately defended his coaching approach to Orlovsky when questioned about how he handled Pickens, offering a glimpse into the challenges the Steelers faced behind closed doors. "I sat in a TV production meeting where Mike Tomlin chastised Dan Orlovsky for asking about George Pickens and why George Pickens wasn't maybe being reprimanded a little bit harsher," Riddick said. "And Mike in no uncertain terms, said, 'Look, you don't give up on talent like this at this point.' So trust me, he knew what he had on his hands, too. As far as the upside of this young man." While the full story behind Pickens’ departure may never be known, it’s becoming increasingly clear that off-field concerns weighed heavily on Tomlin’s mind. The Steelers knew Pickens was a rare talent, and that’s why Tomlin didn’t punish him as much as he probably could have. It wasn’t because he thought Pickens was good enough to get away with it, but because his coaching style is different for every player. In Tomlin’s mind, he still had faith that Pickens would mature, but it appears that growth just didn’t happen fast enough. "We were all, were like, whoa," Riddick said of the panels reaction to Tomlin's secret comments in that production meeting. "Mike was not playing around. He was like, 'Y'all know how this business works now.'" Riddick described the moment as tense, and as the quotes are now being shared, Steelers fans are likely picturing exactly how that meeting went down. Tomlin is known for being a direct, no-nonsense leader. If something bothers him, he speaks up, and it appears he did not appreciate being questioned by Orlovsky about his coaching style when it came to Pickens. Steelers Fans Starting To Understand More Details Behind The George Pickens Trade According to Riddick, Tomlin firmly defended his approach during the exchange. He explained that his coaching style depends on the individual player, and with Pickens, he chose to be patient rather than overly critical. Tomlin believed Pickens could grow with time and guidance. In his mind, treating every player the same does not always produce the best results, and he trusted that Pickens would eventually mature. Despite Tomlin’s belief in his potential, that growth never fully happened. As a result, the Steelers chose to make a change. With Pickens now gone and Metcalf brought in to lead the wide receiver room, Pittsburgh is turning the page. Still, the story behind Pickens’ exit is one that will stick with fans, especially as more behind-the-scenes details continue to surface.
Golden State Warriors Predicted to Land $70 Million Sharpshooter in Jonathan Kuminga Trade
The Golden State Warriors have had an underwhelming offseason thus far and the main headline surrounding the franchise remains the future of young forward Jonathan Kuminga. Kuminga remains a restricted free agent and after falling out of Steve Kerr’s rotation last season, his role entering next season is up in the air. Due to this, many believe that Kuminga’s time in Golden State is set to come to an end this offseason but the young forward is still deciding on what his next move will be, which will also be reliant on the Warriors due to them likely having to move him in a sign-and-trade deal. With Kuminga’s time in Golden State likely nearing an end, Sports Illustrated’s Jackson Caudell and Rohan Raman recently came up with a three-team mock trade that would send Kuminga to the Phoenix Suns. In the trade, the Suns would receive Kuminga and Moses from the Warriors and they would send Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neal and an unprotected 2032 first-round pick to Golden State. The Atlanta Hawks are the third team in this mock trade and they would acquire Nick Richards from Phoenix. This would be an interesting move for the Warriors as they would not only be moving on from a young player in Kuminga, but Moses Moody as well. Despite this, adding a sharpshooting guard in Grayson Allen, who also excels on the defensive end, could be a massive boost that the Warriors need. O’Neal would also give the Warriors a solid scorer and defender at the forward position that would allow them to upgrade their bench. By making this move, the Warriors would get older as they would swap two young players for two veterans but the additions of Allen and O’Neal, along with potential free agent signings, could help them compete for a title next season with Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler leading the way.
Cleveland Guardians Top Prospect Undergoes Surgery, Will Miss Several Weeks
The Cleveland Guardians got some bad news on top prospect Chase DeLauter Wednesday, as he is set to miss much of the rest of the season with injury. Per Zack Meisel of 'The Athletic:' Guardians prospect Chase DeLauter underwent surgery today for a fractured hamate bone in his right hand/wrist. He’s expected to miss 6-8 weeks. DeLauter, 23, was a first-round pick of the Guardians in 2022 out of James Madison. He had been expected to make his debut this season, but it's unclear if that's possible now. He's hitting .264 this season in 42 games, having already dealt with an injury prior. He has seven total home runs and 24 RBIs. An outfielder, he is the No. 31 prospect in baseball, per MLB Pipeline. The following comes from a portion of his prospect profile: Few players in the Minors can match DeLauter's combination of size (6-foot-3, 235 pounds), athleticism, ability to hit for both average and power, and plate discipline. He rarely strays from the strike zone and makes repeated hard contact against all types of pitches. He has an unorthodox left-handed swing that can get long and he'll get caught on his front foot at times, but his bat speed and strength allow him to pull pitches for power and drive them the other way with authority. The Guardians enter play on Wednesday at 50-50 through 100 games. After winning the American League Central last season, they are 2.5 games back of the third and final wild card spot in the AL. They'll take on the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday night. Related MLB Stories DOMINANT OUTING: Cristopher Sanchez threw a complete-game against the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday night, making rare history among Phillies lefties. CLICK HERE: 20/30 ONCE AGAIN: Jose Ramirez just keeps doing things that no player in Cleveland history has ever done. CLICK HERE: TURNING DOWN AN OFFER: According to reports, D-backs star Corbin Carroll will not play for Taiwan at the World Baseball Classic. CLICK HERE:
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