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Devils hoping Palat regains Stanley Cup magic for playoffs

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:10 GMT

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — When the New Jersey Devils signed Ondrej Palat to a five-year, $30 million contract in the offseason, it was with the hope they would be right where they are now — in the NHL playoffs for the first time in five seasons.Coach Lindy Ruff will have Palat at his disposal when the series against the rival New York Rangers opens Tuesday at the Prudential Center.Sure, former No. 1 overall picks Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier, star defenseman Dougie Hamilton and emerging goaltender Vitek Vanecek are going to have major roles in the best-of-7 battle. But when it comes to the playoffs, Palat — Pally, as he is referred to by teammates — is money. The former Tampa Bay forward played 138 postseason games with the two-time champions, and 48 goals and 46 assists. Those 94 points are 119th overall in NHL playoff history. What’s more remarkable is Palat has had only one 20-plus goal season since his first full one with the Lightning in 2013-14.“I think he puts himself in pos...

Chief: Indiana plastics fire reduced to a single hot spot

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:10 GMT

RICHMOND, Ind. (AP) — Fire crews working to fully extinguish an Indiana plastics fire have reduced its smoldering areas to a single hot spot, a fire chief said Saturday as officials prepared to decide if a dayslong evacuation order should be lifted.Richmond Fire Chief Tim Brown said crews will remain at the 14-acre (5-hectare) former factory site through the weekend, watching the sole hot spot remaining from the fire, which was declared under control Thursday night when the last flames were extinguished.He said fire officials will meet Monday morning to decide what their next steps will be at the site, where tons of recycled plastic stored for resale caught fire Tuesday. The site is in Richmond, about 70 miles (115 kilometers) east of Indianapolis, near the Ohio border.“Other than that one hot spot, I consider this contained, controlled and 99% out,” Brown told The Associated Press on Saturday afternoon.Mayor Dave Snow said Friday that experts would meet Saturday to discuss ai...

Germán leads Yankees over Twins 6-1 after sticky stuff flap

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:10 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Domingo Germán retired his first 16 batters, staying in the game after an extensive sticky substance check by umpires and an argument that led to the ejection of Minnesota manager Rocco Baldelli, leading the New York Yankees over the Twins 6-1 on Saturday.Kyle Higashioka and Anthony Rizzo homered and Giancarlo Stanton had a two-run double for the Yankees, which rebounded from their first consecutive losses this season and stopped the Twins’ four-game winning streak.Wearing No. 42 along with every player on Jackie Robinson Day, Germán (1-1) didn’t allow a hit until his 66th pitch when Christian Vázquez singled up the middle on a fastball with a 2-1 count. He allowed a single to Michael A. Taylor on his next pitch and a double to Trevor Larnach in the seventh.Germán struck out a career-high 11, walked none and gave up one run and three hits in 6 1/3 innings. He left to a loud ovation after an outing that was a turnaround from Monday at Cleveland, where he walked five i...

Harden scores 23 as 76ers cruise past Nets 121-101 in Game 1

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:10 GMT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — James Harden hit seven 3-pointers and had 23 points and 13 assists, NBA MVP finalist Joel Embiid scored 26 points and the Philadelphia 76ers pushed back Mikal Bridges and the Brooklyn Nets in a 121-101 Game 1 victory on Saturday.Tobias Harris added 21 points and the 76ers hit a postseason team-record 21 3s in the opener of this Eastern Conference playoff series. The Sixers are trying to win their first NBA championship since 1983 and advance past the second round for the first time since 2001. The No. 3-seeded 76ers host Game 2 on Monday.Bridges scored 30 points and helped the Nets at least hang around in the first half.But Brooklyn’s starless roster was no match for Embiid, Harden and a playoff-tested roster expected to make a deep run in the postseason. The Sixers had a sellout crowd of 20,913 in a frenzy from the opening tip, then blew the game open in the fourth.Philly got it done even without a vintage effort from Embiid.Embiid made only 7 of 15 shots (and a...

Sangriento motín deja al menos 12 muertos en la cárcel más peligrosa en Ecuador

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:10 GMT

QUITO  — Un violento motín en la Penitenciaría del Litoral, la cárcel más peligrosa de Ecuador, dejó al menos 12 reclusos fallecidos tras enfrentamientos a tiros entre bandas rivales, informaron el sábado las autoridades.En un comunicado, el Servicio de Atención a Personas Privadas de la Libertad de Ecuador indicó que la balacera empezó la tarde del viernes y que recién las autoridades pudieron tomar el control de esas instalaciones durante la noche.Posteriormente, ingresaron fiscales y peritos legales que aún trabajan para determinar el número total de víctimas, agregó. Explosiones y tiroteos sacuden Guayaquil En video: grupo armado masacra a balazos a nueve pescadores en Ecuador Explicó que las disputas se produjeron entre los presos de los pabellones cinco, ocho y nueve, cada uno controlado —según señaló— por un grupo criminal distinto, en pugna por el control del lugar, rutas y territorios de distribución de drogas a nive...

For Panthers, no trade-deadline moves were the right moves

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:10 GMT

CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. (AP) — The kitchen inside the home of Florida general manager Bill Zito has some nice amenities, such as a warming drawer and a built-in griddle. He hasn’t used either.The reason: He doesn’t do something just because he can.Such was the philosophy at the NHL trade deadline when the Panthers — who were on the outside of the playoff picture at the time — were the only team in the league to be involved in zero deals. They held firm, rolling the dice with what they already had in the locker room. And since the Panthers went 12-5-2 the rest of the way, clearly playing their best hockey, Zito making no moves then seems like the best move now.“It wasn’t intended to send a message,” Zito said. “Perhaps the inference is, ‘Hey, this guy, all the things he’s telling us, he seems to believe it.’ Sometimes I wonder if people just execute to execute. If something doesn’t make sense to do, don’t do it.”Nothing made sense at that time, and things fell into place. The Panthers — ...

Knight scores 2, US routs Czech Republic 9-1 in world semis

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:10 GMT

BRAMPTON, Ontario (AP) — Captain Hilary Knight, Amanda Kessel and Tessa Janecke each scored twice, and the United States secured its tournament-record 22nd berth in the women’s hockey world championship gold-medal game with a 9-1 rout of the Czech Republic on Saturday.The victory sets up another potential showdown against cross-border rival Canada in the championship game on Sunday. Canada, which eked out a 3-2 overtime win over Sweden in the quarterfinals, plays Switzerland in the other semifinal later in the day.Canada (5-0) finished atop the Group A standings following a 4-3 shootout win over the Americans on Monday.With nine titles to Canada’s 12, the U.S. (5-1) has never missed a gold-medal game in tournament history, and it will be seeking to reclaim the title after losing to Canada in each of the past two finals.Second-year coach John Wroblewski’s decision to retool an aging roster so far has paid off, with a mix of veterans — Knight and Kessel — and youngsters — Janeck...

70 gallons of diesel spilled after semi overturns on I-25

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:10 GMT

CASTLE ROCK, Colo. (KDVR) -- Multiple lanes of northbound I-25 in Castle Rock were closed Saturday afternoon after a semi-truck overturned and spilled 70 gallons of diesel.Colorado State Patrol said the call came in at 12:42 p.m. Only the semi-truck was involved in the crash, and the driver was issued a citation. No injuries were reported.Hazmat was called to clean up the scene.The lanes were closed between Exit 182 and Exit 184.

Missing 3-year-old Miami boy found safe; search underway for subject

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:10 GMT

Police are searching for the man who, they said, stole an SUV in Miami with a 3-year-old boy and 7-year-old girl inside, triggering a search for the younger child.City of Miami Police on Saturday morning announced that Oliver Williams was recovered and is in good health. According to investigators, they received a call at around 3 a.m. from the owner of a gray 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe saying the vehicle had been stolen from outside the Lotus House Women’s Shelter, located along the 200 block of Northwest 15th Street, with the children sleeping inside.Detectives said the girl was dropped off in the area of Northwest Sixth Avenue and 58th Street in Miami about a half hour later.An Amber Alert was issued for Oliver shortly after.The Amber Alert stated the toddler may have been in the company of an unknown Black male who was last seen wearing a baseball cap and an orange shirt. It also listed a vehicle of interest as the gray Santa Fe.https://twitter.com/MiamiPD/status/1647254108196...

Mets Notebook: Pitching moves follow Stephen Nogosek being placed on IL

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:10 GMT

OAKLAND — The Mets’ pitching staff took another hit Saturday when right-hander Stephen Nogosek was placed on the 15-day injured list with a bone bruise on his right elbow. However, the club is confident that reinforcements are on the way.A series of roster moves were made Saturday morning ahead of the second game of a three-game series against the Oakland A’s. The club designated right-hander Dennis Santana for assignment and brought up right-handers Jimmy Yacabonis and José Butto from Triple-A Syracuse.In addition, ace Justin Verlander (teres major strain in right shoulder) came out of his side sessions well in Florida, and right-hander Tommy Hunter (back spasms) is set to come off the injured list April 19.“We have Tommy not too far away, it looks like he’s going to make it,” Showalter said. “Justin’s work day went really well today, so that’s good.”Butto has not pitched since April 9, so the Mets could use him out o...