After trailing China for much of the Tokyo Games, the U.S. pulled off a stunning comeback in the final hours of the 2021 Olympics on Sunday to edge China, 39-38, for the most gold medals.

The U.S. used victories from from women’s basketball, women’s volleyball and Californian cyclist Jennifer Valente to come out on top after entering the final day of competition down two gold medals.

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The Americans finished with a tournament-high 113 total medals — 25 more than China — following 17 days in Tokyo.

The US was the only country to win 100 medals.

In 2016, the U.S. finished with 121 total medals — 46 of which were gold.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Mollie Walker

After bowing out of the gymnastic team final and missing much of her events during the 2021 Olympics, USA gymnastics star Simone Biles defended her bronze medal on the balance beam Tuesday in what may be her final Olympic performance. It was Biles’ second consecutive bronze in beam dating back to the 2016 Rio Games and her seventh career Olympic medal, which ties her with Shannon Miller for the most by an American gymnast – though Biles’ four golds is unmatched.

Between the Olympics and World Championships, Biles’ 32 total medals officially ties her with Russia’s Larisa Latynina as the most decorated athlete in women’s gymnastics of all time.

The 24-year-old Biles was solid in her first individual medal event in Tokyo aside from one minor connection issue, earning a 14.0 score that placed her in third. China took gold and silver, with 16-year-old sensation Guan Chenchen coming out on top at 14.633 and Tang Xijing right behind with 14.233.

USA’s all-around gold medalist Suni Lee finished in fifth, behind Ellie Black of Canada.

Biles was returning to the competition after pulling out of the all-around team event due to struggles with her mental health and a case of the “twisties,” a common issue gymnasts face that Biles described as not being able to “tell up from down.”

Beam already features minimal twisting, but Biles downgraded her dismount from the “Biles” – a double-twisting double tuck – to a double pike. After cleanly landing her dismount, Biles smiled and clapped her hands, clutched her heart in relief and waved in response to cheers.

In wake of backlash for her decision to pull out of several events, Biles answered questions from her 6.6 million followers on her Instagram this past weekend to clarify what she was going through. She described trying to compete with the twisties as “petrifying” and pointed out that gymnastics was a team sport.

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The heavily favored USA team had finished the qualifying round on July 25 trailing Russian athletes, but Biles was still at the top of the individual standings with berths for each event final in balance beam, floor exercise, uneven bars and vault. Biles – as well as a few of her U.S. teammates – had made uncharacteristic mistakes in her first events that included stepping out of bounds, off the mat entirely in the floor exercise and staggering backward on her dismount from the balance beam.

USA ultimately earned silver in team competition without Biles, finishing behind the Russian Olympic Committee.

“I didn’t have a bad performance and quit,” Biles wrote. “I’ve had plenty of bad performances throughout my career and finished the competition. I simply got so lost my safety was at risk as well as a team medal. Therefore, the girls stepped up and killed the rest of the competition and won silver. QUEENS!!!”

Biles hasn’t confirmed that she’s ready to hang up the leotard, but the New York Times reports that it seems likely she will retire after Tokyo. There is a possibility Biles could attempt to qualify in one event at the 2024 Paris Olympics at the age of 27, though there aren’t many gymnasts who can continue to compete at that age.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Mollie Walker

As first reported by The Post’s Larry Brooks, defenseman Patrik Nemeth agreed to a three-year deal with the Blueshirts at a $2.5 million average annual value.

The team announced the move Wednesday as the free agent market opened.  

Nemeth, who was traded from the Red Wings to the Avalanche as a rental leading up to last season’s trade deadline, is a big-bodied lefty who is expected to fortify the Rangers’ third defensive pairing alongside fellow Swede Nils Lundkvist.

At 6-foot-3 and 228 pounds, Nemeth can protect the front of the net, block shots and play a reliable game in his own end.

On top of bringing experience to the back end, Nemeth is expected to be a prime penalty killer and help his fellow countryman Lundkvist get acclimated to North America. In 366 NHL games with the Stars, Avalanche and Red Wings, Nemeth has amassed eight goals and 50 assists.

The Blueshirts also signed 29-year-old defenseman Jarred Tinordi to a two-year, $900,000 contract on Wednesday, per multiple reports. Tinordi, a 6-foot-6 lefty, will likely step into a seventh-defenseman role behind Ryan Lindgren, K’Andre Miller and Nemeth. It was a necessary signing after general manager Chris Drury decided to move on from Brendan Smith earlier this offseason.

The additions of Nemeth and Tinordi push young defensemen Libor Hajek and Zac Jones on the outs. Jones, the skillful 20-year-old who won a national championship at UMass, will likely be designated to the AHL Wolf Pack next season barring a trade.

And despite receiving a qualifying offer on Monday, Hajek is now on the outside looking in on the left side spot of the third pair he held last season. Hajek, who along with Brett Howden was part of the return in the February 2018 trade that sent Ryan McDonagh and J.T Miller to Tampa Bay, wasn’t able to make the early impact the Rangers wanted him to.

In 77 games with the Rangers since 2018-19, Hajek has three goals and seven assists.

Also, Greg McKegg is coming back to Rangers on one-year, two-way deal for $750,000  and $350,000 guaranteed, per Sportnet.

McKegg, who appeared in 53 games for the Rangers in 2019-20, is coming off a one-year stint in Boston in which he spent most of his time on the taxi squad and only saw five games of NHL action.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Mollie Walker

NHL scouts had significant concern surrounding his skating abilities and, as a result, Othmann was beginning to lose faith in himself. Othmann had fallen into bad skating habits, so his family suggested he get back to working with Clark, with whom he first started taking lessons when he was just 5 years old.

It ended up being the decision that put Othmann’s hockey career back on track, and ultimately led to him getting drafted 16th overall by the Rangers in the first round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft on Friday.

“She made me smile every day,” Othmann wrote in a testimonial for Clark, who said she was brought to tears by the details of his endorsement. “She made me want to go to power-skating. (Let’s admit it, most people dread power-skating, or skating with no pucks.)

“Every time I was on the ice with Lisa my desire and confidence grew more and more,” he said, “and then finally Lisa said, ‘Brennan, I want you to believe in yourself as much as I do.’ ”

Clark first started working with Othmann when he was in kindergarten. During his lunch breaks at school, Othmann would go to Luther Vipond Brooklin Memorial Arena in Whitby, Ontario, and eat with Clark before getting on the ice to train. He then would go back to finish out the school day.

From what Clark can remember, Othmann was the top listener in the group. He never fooled around and always had his eyes on her while she taught.

“This one time, I was explaining a drill and this kid was playing with the puck or something and he’s like, ‘Hey! She’s talking! Listen to her!’ ” Clark told The Post through a laugh over the phone on Saturday.

As Othmann grew up and became busier with hockey, however, he and his family lost touch with Clark. It wasn’t until 2018 that his mom, Lisa, reached out to Clark and said her son needed to get back on the ice with her.

Othmann had a standout 2018-19 season with the GTHL’s Don Mills Flyers U16 AAA, a team that went undefeated. Yet Othmann was repeatedly told he needed to work on his stride and posture. He was complimented on his edges, which he had worked on with Clark, but his overall skating was a point of concern.

Luckily, Clark was running a nine-week program with six hour-long sessions available per day. Othmann usually came on with the 12-1 p.m. group, but often finessed staying for another session.

“He would say, ‘Lisa, there’s some kids away in your next group, could I stay on for an extra hour?’ ” Clark said. “And I’d say, ‘Of course you can,’ like, are you kidding me? Even if we repeated the same drill, like remember that might be boring for some skaters, but after the second hour, he was better than the first hour, just because he got more repetition.”

Clark recalled how Othmann was skating hunched over when she began working with him again. She focused on training him to pick his body up and put more weight down on his legs, which allowed him to get more power in his stride. On her days off, Clark would go watch Othmann play so she was able to reference specific plays he made, analyze what else needed to be tweaked and make any other mental notes she could to help him improve.

But it wasn’t just the fundamentals that he needed help with, Othmann had to rebuild his confidence.

“Lisa was always the one person who said “Brennan, you can skate,” Othmann said.

After excelling in his rookie 2019-20 season with the Flint Firebirds, scoring 17 goals and 33 points in 55 games as a 16-year-old, Othmann ranked third in goals among all under-17 OHL players. In 2020-21 with EHC Olten in the second-tier Swiss League, Othmann posted 18 points in 34 games.

“You get tears in your eyes and you think, man, I started with this kid three years ago and even when he was 5 years old,” a choked-up Clark said of watching Othmann get drafted. “And then you watch them, you think about the struggles, and all the corrections and all the time and the effort that you both put into it — I don’t even know what to say.”

The Rangers made their remaining eight selections of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft on Saturday, beginning with center Jayden Grubbe at No. 65, a pick the organization received from the Sabres in the 2019 Jimmy Vesey trade.

Grubbe, a 6-foot-3 center from Calgary, had his 2020-21 WHL season — his first as captain — with the Red Deer Rebels cut short when he had ACL surgery in March. He said he has been skating since the start of July and is aiming to be ready by September.

“I’m just a competitive guy, I play an intense game,” Grubbe said of how he would describe himself. “The biggest thing for me is my compete and playing a big heavy physical game. I like to think of myself as a 200-foot center that just plays hard, gritty, intense.”

Day 2 of the draft also saw the Rangers trade up for the 75th-overall pick, which they used to draft center Ryder Korczak, by sending 80 and 176 to Washington. The Blueshirts also took forward Brody Lamb at 104, left winger Kalle Vaisanen at 106, goalie Talyn Boyko at 112 and Jaroslav Chmelar at 144.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Mollie Walker

Buchnevich, who is coming off a career-high 48 points in 54 games last season, is a restricted free agent and searching for a long-term deal that the Rangers simply couldn’t afford with other key players due for raises in the next two seasons.

In 301 games over five seasons with the Rangers, Buchnevich posted 79 goals and 116 assists.

Blais, a more prototypical bottom-six forward, had 35 points in 119 games across four seasons in St. Louis.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Mollie Walker

The Rangers announced a six-year deal with gritty forward Barclay Goodrow, whom the organization acquired from the Lightning less than a week earlier in exchange for a 2022 seventh-round pick. Taking into consideration how active Chris Drury has been this offseason, including his move to unload Brett Howden to Vegas this past weekend, it feels as though the Rangers’ new president and general manager is working toward something bigger.

Also, the Rangers plan to move on from veteran defenseman Brendan Smith, according to The Post’s Larry Brooks. Smith is a pending unrestricted free agent after five seasons in a depth role.

While Drury continues to shape the Blueshirts’ lineup ahead of the 2021-22 season, the draft presents a slew of opportunities. The Rangers hold nine picks, the 15th overall selection in the Friday’s opening round and eight more in Rounds 2-7 on Saturday.

As tight-lipped as Drury was during his pre-expansion draft media availability, he made it known the Rangers front office is leaving no stone unturned when it comes to options to make the team better. One of those options is certainly utilizing that first-round pick.

“That’s a piece we have,” Drury said Monday. “If we can make the team better with moving that pick — or another pick or players — we’ll look at everything.”

Since speculation is through the roof on the possibility of Drury crafting a package deal that appeases the Sabres’ absurd asking price for vexed star center Jack Eichel, the Rangers’ No. 15 pick (which is listed as 16 because of the Coyotes’ forfeited selection) is guaranteed to be part of the equation.

According to Brooks, however, the Rangers have still not received access to Eichel’s medical records.

The Rangers have one first-round pick, two third-rounders, three in the fourth round and one in each of the fifth, sixth and seventh rounds.

Last year’s draft was the start of the Rangers’ objective to become “harder to play against,” and that mantra is expected to drive their player selections again. Former GM Jeff Gorton proved that bulking up was a priority when he traded up on two separate occasions in 2020, in the first round for 6-foot-2 defenseman Braden Schneider (No. 19) and in the second for 6-3 winger William Cuylle (No. 60).

The Rangers didn’t take a center last year until the third round, but it is now the clear position that needs strengthening. Filip Chytil is the franchise’s only center draftee who played a major role on the team last season. Morgan Barron, who played in five games in 2020-21, is on the cusp of breaking onto the scene full time, but the Cornell product is expected to get some looks on the wing instead of center.

At No. 15, the consensus top-three centers of the 2021 draft — Matthew Beniers, Kent Johnson and Mason McTavish — probably won’t be available to the Rangers.

Aatu Räty out of the Finnish Liiga, Russian Fyodor Svechkov and Cole Sillinger of the USHL are more likely to be there. There’s also forward Matthew Coronato, who is known for his hands and is coming off an 85-point season with the Chicago Steel in the USHL. The New York native is committed to Harvard for the 2021-22 season, as Adam Fox was when he was drafted in 2016.

At 6-2, 185 pounds, Räty fits the big-bodied trend the Rangers are on in the draft. He is considered a versatile forward, but his stock went down after he struggled to produce for the Finnish Liiga’s Karpat last season. Svechkov is a defensive-minded center with a tremendous upside, which could be enticing to the Rangers. In 2020-21, Sillinger put up big numbers for the USHL’s Sioux Falls Stampede with 46 points (24 goals, 22 assists) in just 31 games. The Columbus, Ohio, native’s wrist shot is described by EliteProspects as “potent,” and he is considered to be a true offensive threat.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Mollie Walker

With Seattle’s expansion draft selections due Wednesday morning, the 32nd NHL franchise’s player choices have begun to leak ahead of the official roster announcement set for 8 pm on ESPN2. Word is the Kraken snatched Colin Blackwell from the Rangers, but the selection could swirl into a more significant move.

The Blueshirts are zeroing in on veteran defenseman Mark Giordano, who was exposed by the Flames and reportedly taken by the Kraken in the expansion draft. Seattle, The Post has learned, has interest in Rangers forward Ryan Strome and could be willing to retain a portion of Giordano’s salary to strike a deal.

Strome, whose production has increased over the last two seasons (108 points in 126 games) with help from playing next to star Artemi Panarin, could also be part of the Rangers’ package deal for disgruntled Sabres star Jack Eichel.

Seattle and Buffalo are just two of several teams believed to be in on Strome.

Despite rumblings of a larger deal in place, Seattle general manager Ron Francis opted to select Blackwell over Julien Gauthier, whom he drafted in Carolina. Blackwell made a name for himself in his first season with the Rangers in 2020-21, breaking out for 12 goals and 10 assists in 47 games. In addition to his contagious work ethic and attitude, Blackwell comes with a cheap $725,000 cap hit before he becomes an unrestricted free agent next summer.

The Islanders, according to several reports, are expected to lose top-line winger Jordan Eberle to the Kraken. Eberle may have been a top-three scorer for the Isles this past season with 16 goals, plus four more in the playoffs, but his departure will help the organization financially.

Clearing cap space this offseason has been a priority for Lou Lamoriello, who appears to be preparing for a big trade or signing. The Islanders general manager began by shipping Nick Leddy and his $5.5 million cap hit to Detroit, in exchange for Richard Panik and a 2021 second-round pick, and then unloaded Andrew Ladd’s $5.5 million average annual value over the next two seasons to the Coyotes, along with a handful of picks to sweeten the deal, for zero return.

Now that the Kraken has taken Eberle, who has three years remaining with a $5.5 AAV, Lamoriello has managed to free up $16.5 million in cap space in less than a week.  

The Islanders now have roughly $17.6 million in cap space and can add Johnny Boychuk’s $6 million cap hit via long-term injured reserve when the 2021-22 season begins in October. While there’s suddenly a bit of room to work with, Lamoriello still has to sign restricted free agents Adam Pelech, Ilya Sorokin and Anthony Beauvillier.

Considering Lamoriello opted to protect two-thirds of the fourth “Identity” line in Matt Martin and Cal Clutterbuck in the expansion draft, it’s safe to assume that pending unrestricted free agent Casey Cizikas will be brought back as well.  

There are a handful of players the Islanders could target come the start of free agency on July 28. Zach Parise, who Lamoriello drafted for the Devils in 2003 at No. 17, is believed to be on the Isles’ radar after the veteran winger was bought out by the Wild. To replace Leddy, Lamoriello could go after Ryan Suter – also bought out by Minnesota – or Alec Martinez, the only left-handed defenseman expected to hit the UFA market with similar numbers to Leddy. Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog, who may also become a free agent, is also a possibility and would seemingly be a perfect fit for the Islanders’ top-six.

Now that Eberle is gone, however, Lamoriello may have a replacement already in house in Kyle Palmieri. The 30-year-old pending UFA played a major role in the Islanders’ second consecutive run to the Stanley Cup semifinals and could be willing to take a lower deal to take another crack at winning a championship on Long Island.

Additionally, the Kraken reportedly nabbed Nathan Bastian from the Devils. Bastian, who signed a two-year extension with the Devils last month, is a young depth winger that brings energy and physicality. The 23-year-old recorded three goals, seven assists and a team-high 136 hits in 41 games this past season.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Mollie Walker

Now they’ll just have to keep him.

The Blueshirts acquired the 28-year-old Goodrow, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent after winning his second straight Stanley Cup with the Lightning. The move was a last-minute trade that sent their 2022 seventh-round pick to Tampa Bay on Saturday before the NHL roster freeze period ahead of Wednesday’s expansion draft.

Goodrow can play all three forward positions.

Additionally, the Rangers sent Brett Howden to the Golden Knights in exchange for Vegas’ 2022 fourth-round pick (originally belonging to the Jets) and impending free agent defenseman Nick DeSimone.

The Golden Knights had to include a player in the deal to be compliant on their reserve list. The Rangers aren’t expected to re-sign DeSimone.

Free agency begins July 28.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Mollie Walker

He was 23.

The school did not disclose a cause of death. Roundtree died in Tampa, where he had rehabbing from the spinal cord injury.

“All of us with Illinois Athletics are shocked and saddened by the sudden passing of Bobby Roundtree,” Illinois athletics director Josh Whitman said in a statement. “From his first day on campus, Bobby was a leader. His work ethic, competitive fire, and drive for excellence set him apart.

“Following his tragic accident, those same qualities allowed him to tackle his new challenges with the same vigor and determination that we had seen on the football field,” Whitman said. “In so doing, he continued to bring light and inspiration to the lives of those around him — and, in fact, to so many people who had never had the pleasure of meeting him.”

Roundtree suffered the severe spinal cord injury jumping off a boat in Florida following his sophomore season.

He had been sharing his rehab journey on social media and became a source of inspiration for the football program.

“I learned that I’m strong,” Roundtree told reporters in 2020. “I probably wouldn’t think I’d be able to do this, but here I am doing it. It taught me also to always have a back-up plan. I was just thinking about the NFL, but I got hurt. One door closes and more open. It taught me I’m a strong young man. I’ve still got goals to reach, and I’ll reach them.”

His most recent video was posted to Twitter on Monday with the caption, “Day by Day.”

In two seasons with Illinois, Roundtree started 20 of 24 games. He earned an All-Big Ten honorable mention in his final season in 2018 after leading the Fighting Illini with 7.5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Mollie Walker

Julien Gauthier agreed to a one-year deal Friday morning, the team announced, which makes the burly winger another option for the Rangers to fulfill the requirement of exposing two forwards who are under contract in 2021-22 in next week’s expansion draft. Per PuckPedia, Gauthier signed a two-way contract for $775,000 in the NHL and $300,000 in the minors with $325,000 guaranteed.

The signing of Gauthier, along with RFA Brett Howden, gives the Rangers a glut of forwards that could indicate a bigger move in the works.

The Hurricanes traded Gauthier to the Rangers in February 2020 in exchange for defenseman Joey Keane. After competing in just 12 games in his first season on Broadway, recording two assists, Gauthier made the opening-night roster in 2020-21.

Despite the fact that the 6-foot-4, 227-pound Gauthier was one of the few Rangers who could effectively attack the net, the former coaching staff, led by David Quinn, felt the 23-year-old was still adjusting to the pace of the NHL and had room for improvement. Gauthier was often scratched this past season and immediately slid down the right-wing ladder once Vitali Kravtsov came onto the scene in April.

In 30 games in 2020-21, Gauthier scored two goals and dished six assists with 14 penalty minutes.

Before new president and general manager Chris Drury replaced the Rangers’ former managerial tandem of Jeff Gorton and John Davidson and dismissed Quinn, it was clear that Gauthier was the odd-man out on the roster and likely would’ve been exposed in the expansion draft. But Drury and new coach Gerard Gallant could view things differently.

Gauthier is young and has valuable skills that can be developed, but the Rangers may not be willing to work through his recurring issues in the defensive end and away from the puck.

NHL teams have to submit their final protection list by Saturday for the Seattle expansion draft on July 23. Kraken general manager Ron Francis is familiar with Gauthier after drafting the Quebec native 21^st overall in 2016 out of the QMJHL while he was at the helm of the Hurricanes.  

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Mollie Walker

Tuivasa, 28, landed a counter left hook to floor Hardy before finishing him with hammer punches just 67 seconds into the featured bout on the pay-per-view main card. The win was Tuivasa’s third straight, while Hardy was knocked out for the second time in his career.

But what really got the crowd at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas going was Tuivasa climbing the cage wall and drinking a full beer out of a sneaker, which he refers to as a “shoey.”

Hardy, a former defensive end for the Panthers and Cowboys, is now on a two-fight losing streak. He has not won since he beat Maurice Greene by technical knockout at UFC Fight Night 181.

While Tuivasa is not currently in the top 14 in the latest UFC heavyweight rankings, this latest win could make him a legitimate contender for the belt.

Hardy, 32, has not played in the NFL since 2015. Earlier that year, domestic violence charges against him were dismissed following his appeal of a guilty verdict.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Mollie Walker

With roughly a week until the deadline for each NHL team to submit their final protection list for the expansion draft – which is set for July 21 – the Rangers signed Howden to a one-way contract worth $885,000, The Post has learned.

The move gives the organization another option to fulfill the expansion requirement of exposing two forwards who are under contract in 2021-22. Prior to signing Howden Friday, the only logical choices the Rangers had were Kevin Rooney and Colin Blackwell. The Rangers are expected to protect Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider, Artemi Panarin, Pavel Buchnevich, Ryan Strome and Filip Chytil.

Now, Howden is even more susceptible to being exposed, and will come with a cheap price tag that may be enticing to the Kraken.

Leaving Howden exposed would allow the Rangers to protect Blackwell, who forced his way into the top six this past season while racking up 12 goals and 10 assists in 47 games. Blackwell, a grinder who wins puck battles and gets in the dirty areas, brings many of the qualities the Rangers are hoping to increase in their lineup in order to become a playoff contender.

Howden, a first-round pick by the Lightning in 2016, has played all 178 games of his NHL career with the Rangers over the last three seasons. A penalty killer primarily in a bottom-six role, Howden is coming off an underwhelming 2020-21 season offensively, with just one goal and six assists in 42 games.

Since he was acquired by the Rangers in February 2018 as part of the deal that sent former captain Ryan McDonagh to the Lightning, Howden has accumulated 16 goals and 33 assists.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Mollie Walker

“I always had so much respect for him,” Georgiev wrote in an Instagram story Monday morning. “Same age as me, undrafted goalie chasing his dreams against the odds. You inspired many, Rest in Peace Matiss.”

Kivlenieks, who recently competed for his native country Latvia at the IIHF World Championship, died from chest trauma as a result of a fireworks blast, according to the AP. In a statement Monday morning, the Blue Jackets said medical personnel was called to attend to Kivlenieks, but he succumbed to his injuries a short time later. He was 24.

Several of Kivlenieks’ current and former Columbus teammates have spoken out in wake of the tragic accident, as well as many others across all different hockey leagues.

“Words are hard to find right now, but the day we put the same jersey on meant that we would be family forever,” Blue Jackets forward Nathan Gerbe said. “When my kids play Kivi ‘the kid’ in goal it will have a greater meaning!! RIP kid, love you brother.”

Added former Columbus captain Nick Foligno: “Seeing all the beautiful tributes to Matiss only further cements what kind of person he was! What a tragic loss for all of us who knew him and I am thinking and praying for his family. Heaven gained a darn good goalie and better person…Just, way too soon. RIP Kivi.”

The Blue Jackets started the hashtag #SticksOutforKivi, and many fans have put their hockey sticks outside their homes in honor of Kivlenieks.

“Love you brother,” Blue Jackets center Max Domi wrote on Twitter. “Rest In Peace.”

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Mollie Walker

In a statement Monday morning, the Blue Jackets said medical personnel was called immediately to attend to Kivlenieks, but he succumbed to his injuries a short time later.

“We are shocked and saddened by the loss of Matiss Kivlenieks, and we extend our deepest sympathies to his mother, Astrida, his family and friends during this devastating time,” Blue Jackets president of hockey operations John Davidson said in a statement. “Kivi was an outstanding young man who greeted every day and everyone with a smile and the impact he had during his four years with our organization will not be forgotten.”

Michigan police told the Associated Press that Kivlenieks was attempting to jump out of a hot tub with others after a fireworks malfunction before he slipped and hit his head on concrete. He was pronounced dead on the scene after medical personnel arrived.

Kivlenieks, who had recently competed for his native country Latvia at the IIHF World Championships, started in two games for Columbus this NHL season. The undrafted netminder had six NHL starts and eight appearances to his name dating back to 2019-20. He was expected to compete for more playing time next season.

“Life is so precious and can be so fragile,” Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen tweeted. “Hug your loved ones today. RIP Matiss, you will be dearly missed.”

After signing with the Blue Jackets as a free agent in 2017, Kivlenieks made his NHL debut at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 19, 2020. He turned aside 31 of the 32 shots he faced to lift Columbus to a 2-1 victory over the Rangers.

Kivlenieks, who was dubbed the 2017 USHL Player of the Year, finishes his NHL career with a 2-2-2 record and a 3.09 goals-against average with a .899 save percentage.

“The National Hockey League was saddened to learn of the sudden and tragic passing of goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement Monday. “On behalf of the NHL family, we extend our deepest sympathies to his family, friends and teammates in both the Blue Jackets organization and his native country of Latvia. His love for life and passion for the game will be deeply missed by all those who have been fortunate to have him as a teammate and a friend.”

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Mollie Walker

For the second straight season, the Islanders fell just short of a trip to the Stanley Cup Final, as the Lightning beat them 1-0 Friday night at Amalie Arena to close out the semifinal series and tee up a chance to defend their championship title against the Canadiens.

It was fitting that it was thundering and lightning in Tampa just before puck drop, because the Islanders couldn’t weather the storm as the home team amped up their defense to the point at which the visitors looked static at times.

When the Islanders were supposed to be the ones with the energy, on the lone power play given in the entire game, that was the beginning of the end for their season. A shorthanded goal from the Lightning’s Yanni Gourde at 1:49 of the second period proved to be the only score in the game.

If it weren’t for goaltender Semyon Varlamov, who finished with 30 saves on 31 shots, the Islanders would’ve been blown out in the first period, when they were outshot 15-5. But the 33-year-old goalie withstood several lengthy shifts in the Islanders’ zone, denied Victor Hedman on a partial breakaway after defenseman Nick Leddy couldn’t play the puck and swallowed up a Gourde shot on a Tampa Bay 2-on-1 rush that stemmed from an Islanders defensive-zone turnover.

Still, the Islanders established the franchise’s longest playoff run since 1993, when they lost in five games in the conference finals to the Canadiens.

With Friday’s loss, not only did the Islanders’ season come to an end, but also Nassau Coliseum’s run as the team’s home officially expired.

“No matter what they do [in Game 7], they’re forging a legacy of being a team that’s consistently hard to play against, consistently have a great work ethic, consistently a team that cares about each other,” Islanders coach Barry Trotz said prior to the loss. “That’s part of the whole legacy. Win or lose, it’s not going to diminish anything. It’s just part of the overall journey for these young men.”

The Islanders’ power play has been a weak spot all season long, but it was detrimental in Friday’s loss. When Barclay Goodrow was penalized for cross-checking Adam Pelech 50 seconds into the second period with the game scoreless, the Islanders actually started off strong.

But once the Lightning cleared their zone and Anthony Cirelli carried the puck to the other end, three Islanders skaters came to challenge Tampa Bay’s second-line center, but lost sight of the rest of the ice. Gourde hopped onto the ice, skated in completely uncontested and buried a shorthanded goal for the 1-0 lead at 1:49 of the middle frame.

Out of desperation in the third, the Islanders generated some quality offensive zone time and poured on seven shots. The Lightning, however, continued to clog the lanes and get their sticks in every play. Varlamov gave the Islanders a fighting chance with four stops in the final 20 minutes, including saves on Brayden Point and Mikhail Sergachev.

So the Islanders’ special playoff run was ultimately cut short by one of their few deficiencies. They say that Lightning isn’t supposed to strike in the same place twice, but the Islanders evidently are the exception. 

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Mollie Walker

Behind Anthony Beauvillier’s goal just 1:08 into overtime, the Islanders staved off elimination and forced a Game 7 of their Stanley Cup semifinal series with a 3-2 win Wednesday night at Nassau Coliseum — the historic arena that can still hang on to its hopes of hosting its first Cup Final series since 1984.

Intercepting a Blake Coleman turnover, Beauvillier blasted the puck from the slot, then immediately turned around, dropped to his knees and slid into an Islanders dog pile of a celebration as beer cans rained down onto the ice.

Game 7 is set for Friday night in Tampa at 8 p.m.

Trailing 2-1 at the start of the third, not even Mathew Barzal’s wizardry with the puck or a power-play opportunity at 8:15 that brought the entire Coliseum crowd to its feet resulted in a goal for the Islanders.

But a Scott Mayfield snipe to the top corner on Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy blew the roof off of the Old Barn and knotted the game 2-2 with 8:44 left in regulation.

The Islanders then had to fend off the Lightning’s thunderous power play when Matt Martin was called for high-sticking shortly after the game-tying tally. Goaltender Semyon Varlamov came up with three big saves, including one on a one-timer from Tampa Bay captain Steven Stamkos, to allow the Isles to ultimately force overtime.

After the Islanders whiffed on a 58-second four-on-three power play and then a five-on-three chance that lasted just over a minute in the second period while down 1-0, it felt like the Old Barn deflated a bit. The arena drooped even further when Anthony Cirelli broke free for a partial breakaway and went five-hole on Varlamov to give the Lightning a 2-0 lead at 12:36.

Cirelli’s score was the 12th unanswered goal for Tampa Bay at the time, after the Lightning had mangled the Islanders 8-0 in Game 5 and scored the last two goals of the Isles’ victory in Game 4.

Jordan Eberle finally ended the Isles’ scoring drought at 116:25, backhanding one past Vasilevskiy to cut the deficit to 2-1.

The team that has scored first had won each game this series, and the Lightning ensured they were the ones to strike first. Heading into Game 6, Tampa Bay was also 11-1 this postseason in contests in which they scored first.

Despite a heap of offensive zone time for the Islanders in the opening 20 minutes, Brayden Point — because, who else? — put the Lightning on the board with a backhander at 16:02 of the first. The goal extended Point’s goal-scoring streak to nine consecutive games, dating back to Game 3 of Tampa Bay’s second-round series against the Hurricanes.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Mollie Walker

It was clear from the moment the teams hit the ice Monday night at Amalie Arena, the Isles didn’t bring their usual aggressive play in the neutral zone, they forgot their defensive structure and must have accidentally left their energy back on Long Island, as the Lightning coasted to an 8-0 victory.

The Lightning, now leading the Stanley Cup semifinal series 3-2 after scoring 10 unanswered goals dating back to Game 4, have an opportunity to zap the Islanders out of the playoffs in Game 6 at Nassau Coliseum for potentially the last time Wednesday night.

It was a game that will go down in franchise history for all the wrong reasons. The 8-0 score was the largest margin of defeat the Islanders had ever endured in the playoffs. It was also the first time they were shut out this postseason.

There was no question it just wasn’t the Isles’ night. To further confirm it, the Islanders clanked two shots off the post and one off the side of the net in a single shift to start the second period. Nick Leddy sent a shot from the top of the zone that hit iron before Josh Bailey’s backhanded rebound attempt went off the other post. Brock Nelson then tried to flip the puck over Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, who was sprawled out flat on the ice, but it went right into the twine.

That’s when the Islanders’ frustrations became too overwhelming to play through. After managing to stay out of the box in the first period, the Islanders racked up 13 penalty minutes during play in the middle frame.

The Lightning capitalized on two of their four power-play opportunities, which sandwiched an Ondrej Palat tip-in at 15:43 of the second to make it a 6-0 game heading into the third. But the Islanders had to take on the final frame without star center Mathew Barzal, who cross-checked Tampa Bay defenseman Jan Rutta in the head at the conclusion of the second and got tossed from the game.

To cap off the night, Brayden Point extended his scoring streak to eight games with a power-play goal before Luke Schenn flung a long shot from the top of the zone that ricocheted in off Ryan Pulock’s skate in the third period.

Tripping over themselves into a 3-0 hole after the first period, the Islanders never had a chance to get back into the game. Forty-five seconds in, a rare turnover from Adam Pelech led to a Tampa Bay rush that ended with Steven Stamkos burying his first of two goals on the night.

The Islanders’ defensive breakdowns just kept coming, with Yanni Gourde banking a pass, intended for Barclay Goodrow, off a diving Andy Greene and in for a 2-0 lead at 11:04 of the first.

Less than five minutes later, Alex Killorn was finally able to get one past Isles goalie Semyon Varlamov, who had robbed the Tampa Bay winger several times throughout the series, on a rebound put-back. The Lightning’s third strike sent Varlamov to the bench after he had allowed three goals on 15 shots, bringing in rookie Ilya Sorokin.

The Islanders have had their fair share of rocky first periods this postseason, but Monday’s was easily their sloppiest 20 minutes to start a game. Giving up eight odd-man rushes, the Isles lost Game 5 in the first.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Mollie Walker

Because in a pivotal, must-win contest to even the Stanley Cup semifinal series before heading back to Tampa Bay, the Islanders were able to pull out a win behind a disciplined play that took immense focus and sheer willpower.

As the scoreboard ticked down to its final four seconds, Ryan McDonagh evaded a lunge from Brock Nelson with a spin-o-rama move that sent the puck at a wide-open net while Islanders goalie Semyon Varlamov desperately ventured out of his crease to challenge the Lightning defenseman.

But in swooped Pulock, who dropped to his knees and got his right glove on the puck before it could cross the goal line.

It was a quintessential Islanders play. There was no quit, no doubt, just a gutsy play that preserved a crucial victory.

“That’s the kind of desperation all our D play with,” Matt Martin said of Pulock’s heroics in Game 4. “I think all our players play with [desperation] in general. Just a huge play. We’re not sitting here right now if he doesn’t do that. Obviously, a game-saving situation.”

Had McDonagh’s backhanded shot gone in and sent the game to overtime, the entire trajectory of the series could’ve changed. The Islanders could’ve been traveling back to Tampa with their season on the line if the Lightning finished the job in OT after their third-period comeback.

But the Islanders aren’t a team that looks ahead, or looks back. The Islanders are a team that stays in the moment, and that’s why Pulock was right where he needed to be in that moment.

“That’s how our team has success,” said Josh Bailey, who scored the first of the Islanders’ three goals in the second period Saturday. “Different nights, different guys are stepping up and you need that in the postseason if you’re going to make a run.”

Head coach Barry Trotz wanted to see more “grunt” goals from his team, and they delivered. Facing a Lightning squad that is as equally defensively savvy as they are, the Islanders have recognized that pretty goals are going to be few and far between.

So the Islanders were aggressive around Tampa Bay’s net and focused on creating traffic in front of it. According to Natural Stat Trick, the Islanders created six rebounds in Game 4 – three of which came from Cal Clutterbuck. They were relentless around the crease, which just may be the only way to even remotely rattle Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, who is a Vezina Trophy finalist and anticipated winner of the top goalie award.

“You really have to will yourself in there,” Trotz said. “If you want to be a lightweight and play on the perimeter, you’re going to have no success against these guys. I thought there was a better commitment from us to at least make it harder on them on the inside. I thought we did and we got rewarded for it.”

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Mollie Walker

With a 3-2 win at Nassau Coliseum on Saturday night, the Islanders evened their Stanley Cup semifinal series against the Lightning at two wins apiece heading back to Tampa for Game 5, which is set for Monday at 8 p.m.

During the Eastern Conference final against the Lightning in the bubble playoffs last season, the Islanders always trailed Tampa Bay by at least one game and had their backs against the wall in the final two contests of that series.

After the teams exchanged wins through the first four games this time around, it’ll be a best-of-three to decide who will advance to the Stanley Cup Final.

Saturday’s victory ensures the Islanders will get to come back to The Barn at least one more time for Game 6, which is set for Wednesday night.

The Lightning refused to go quietly Saturday despite a monster three-goal performance by the Islanders in the second period. Brayden Point, who extended his scoring streak to seven games, and Tyler Johnson both scored in the span of 2:58 early in the third period to make it a one-goal game.

Head coach Barry Trotz called a timeout and the Islanders settled down to keep the Lightning from tying the game. In the final seconds, Tampa Bay’s Ryan McDonagh spun around to maintain possession and deked Islanders goalie Semyon Varlamov, but Ryan Pulock dove at the goal line to save the win.

The Islanders have been a second-period team for the entire postseason, owning a league-high plus-10 goal differential in the middle frame heading into Game 4. They added three to that number Saturday night. The Lightning gave up as many goals in the second period as they had allowed in their previous four road games combined.

To get things started, Brock Nelson sent a backhand pass to a cutting Josh Bailey, who wristed the puck home from the high slot to give the Islanders a 1-0 lead on just their seventh shot of the game at 5:30. The Coliseum crowd made sure to show Bailey their appreciation by serenading him with his signature chant.

As the Lightning tried to contain the Islanders, who were swarming, Cal Clutterbuck’s long shot from the blue line rebounded right to Mathew Barzal for the wide-open putback at 13:46. Then the Islanders’ fourth “Identity” line began to buzz, resulting in Matt Martin’s backhander that beat Tampa Bay goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy to make it a 3-0 game.

Lightning coach Jon Cooper challenged the goal for offside, but it was upheld to send Tampa Bay on its second penalty kill of the game.

After Kyle Palmieri rung the post on a 3-on-1 Islanders rush in the opening minutes, the Lightning took control and began piling on the shots for a 7-2 advantage by the first TV timeout. It prompted Trotz to bump Palmieri to the first line with Leo Komarov and Barzal for a handful of shifts in attempt to jump-start the Islanders’ offense.

While Tampa Bay emerged from the first period with a 6-2 edge in high-danger chances, the Islanders came centimeters away from opening the scoring. From the slot, Barzal sent a shot that clanged off the far post and skid across the crease, drawing an eruption from the Coliseum crowd that thought it went in.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Mollie Walker

As the Islanders lost 2-1 on Thursday night in the first semifinal game Nassau Coliseum has hosted since 1993, it was evident that it’s going to take a lot more skill and manpower to overcome Tampa Bay. With the victory, the Lightning swung the series 2-1 in their favor heading into Game 4 on Saturday night back at The Barn.

The Islanders haven’t been able to score more than two goals against the Lightning in any of the first three games. While the Isles are known to have defensively responsible forwards, so does Tampa Bay — and it has made capitalizing on high-danger opportunities that much more difficult.

“Tampa is good all-around,” said Matt Martin, who assisted on the Islanders’ lone goal from Cal Clutterbuck. “They’re the defending Stanley Cup champions and they know what it takes to win. They got a couple top-tier defensemen and four good lines that know what they have to do in their D-zone.

“There’s a lot of top teams in this league that know how to take care of their own end and they’re certainly one of them.”

Trailing 1-0 at the start of the second, after Tampa Bay’s Yanni Gourde put one in off a sharp angle halfway through the opening frame, the Islanders weren’t very active to start the period but then hit a spurt of momentum. Following a Mathew Barzal chance that saw the Isles star center fling the puck through the crease, the Islanders broke through at 17:01.

In the midst of a scramble in front of Tampa Bay’s net, Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak tried to put the puck under goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy’s pads, but Clutterbuck jammed it over the goal line to tie the game.

The Islanders were starting to buzz, but an interference call on defenseman Adam Pelech sent them to the penalty kill — and the crowd of 12,978 into a fit of fury. Just as it expired, Lightning top-line center Brayden Point scored his third goal of the series, swiping the puck through while falling to the ice for the 2-1 lead with 17.4 seconds left in the period.

With eight shots in the third period, the Islanders had a few looks to pull even again. They outshot the Lightning 4-0 through the first 8:47, but nothing came of it. The Islanders weren’t able to create anything when goalie Semyon Varlamov was pulled with 1:49 left in regulation, either.

For an organization that prides itself on being a four-line team, the Islanders seemingly only had two Thursday night — and it was the bottom six. Barzal posed as a threat on a handful of shifts, otherwise, the Islanders didn’t get much from their usual contributors.

“I felt that we had four lines for parts of the game, but not all of the game,” head coach Barry Trotz said. “I thought we came out OK, and then we sort of had a little bit of a dry spell, where I felt they had way more chances in the first. I thought we responded with a little bit of a slow start in the second and then I thought we came on really strong.

“At the end of the day, pretty even game. They just capitalized on a chance on a sort of scramble at the end of the power play.”

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Mollie Walker