SPORTS WRAP
Story By William Hathaway, Jr.
Photos By James Dombrowski
In something a little different, let’s first talk hockey. The New Jersey Devils had a good year this season, and recently took their rival New York Rangers in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The highly anticipated matchup was epic, and reminded everyone of the legendary series from 1994.
For the renewed rivalry, Game 1 saw the Rangers come to the Prudential Center and scoop up a 5-1 win. Leading NY was Chris Kreider, who scored two goals. The Rangers then took a stronghold on the series by winning Game 2 by the same 5-1 score.
Despite heading to MSG down 2-0, NJ rallied and took Game 3 in overtime 2-1 thanks to a Dougie Hamilton in the extra period. The Devils then took back home ice advantage after winning Game 4 by the score of 3-1. Jonas Siegenthaler, Jack Hughes and Vincent Trocheck all lit the lamp in that one.
In Game 5, the Devils made sure to win at The Rock, shutting out the Rangers 4-0. However, like NJ, the team from NY finally figured out how to defend their home ice, winning 5-2. This set up a Game 7 winner take all matchup in New Jersey. The winner would also be the remaining local team, as the New York Islanders lost in six games to the Carolina Hurricanes.
Devils rookie goalie Akira Schmid rose to the occasion, and stopped all 31 shots he faced in a 4-0 win, giving the Devils the series 4-3. His Rangers counterpart Igor Shesterkin stopped 23 shots, but he needed to stop 27 at least. Michael McLeod, Tomas Taar, Haula Erik, and Jesper Bratt tallied the goals before a sellout Prudential Center crowd. Perhaps the win will help NJ exorcise the demons of 1994 and the call of “Matteau! Matteau!” when the Rangers won to make and win the Stanley Cup Finals.
As for other playoff action, there will be a new Stanley Cup champion, as the defending Cup holder Colorado Avalanche were eliminated by the “new kid on the block” Seattle Kraken 4-3 in a seven game series. Another seven game thriller saw the President Cup curse continue, as the Boston Bruins, who had a record breaking 135 point season, lose in seven games to the Florida Panthers.
In other news, the second round of the NBA Playoffs is underway. The matchups are Celtics vs. Sixers, Knicks vs. Heat, Nuggets vs. Suns, and Warriors vs. Lakers, after Stephen Curry scored a Game 7 record 50 points to lead Golden State past Sacramento in a 120-100 to advance to the next round.
Finally, the NFL Draft emanated from Union Station in Kansas City and saw the Carolina Panthers take Alabama QB Bryce Young with the 1st overall pick. The Houston Texans took Ohio State QB CJ Stroud with the 2nd overall pick, and then traded up to #3 and took ‘Bama LB Will Anderson, Jr. Other notable 1st Round selections saw the Colts take Florida QB Anthony Richardson at #4, and the Eagles continuing their binge on Georgia players by taking DT Jalen Carter at #9 and LB Nolan Smith at #30. The 1st Round had only 31 picks because the Dolphins forfeited theirs.
The first pick of the second round saw the Steelers take cornerback Joey Porter, Jr, the son of former Steeler LB Joey Porter. Other notable draft picks included the Titans taking highly touted Kentucky QB Will Levis, Detroit taking Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker with pick #68, the Rams getting Georgia QB Stetson Bennett IV with pick #128, the Chargers taking TCU QB Max Duggan with pick #239, and the Rams taking Toledo DE Desjuan Johnson with the 259th and final pick of the 2023 Draft.
As for the Jets, Gang Green took Iowa State DE Will McDonald IV with the 15th overall pick, after swapping 1st Round picks with the Packers in the Aaron Rodgers trade. They also took C Joe Tippmann, T Carter Warren, RB Israel Abanikanda, LB Zaire Barnes, CB Jarrick Bernard-Converse, and TE Zack Kuntz in later rounds.
Meanwhile, the Giants made Maryland CB Deonte Banks their first pick at #25. They then selected C John Michael Schmitz, WR Jalin Hyatt, RB Eric Gray, CB Tre Hawkins III, NT Jordon Riley, and S Gervarrius Owens in later rounds.
