Knights rally in Game 1, spoiling Mammoth's playoff debut

Nic Dowd scored the go-ahead goal 7:20 into the third period and Carter Hart made 31 saves as the Vegas Golden Knights rallied for a 4-2 victory over the Utah Mammoth in Game 1 of their Western Conference first-round series on Sunday night in Las Vegas.

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Colton Sissons had a goal and an assist, Noah Hanifin had two assists and Mark Stone and Ivan Barbashev also scored goals for Vegas, which improved to 8-0-1 since John Tortorella replaced Bruce Cassidy as head coach. Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is Tuesday night in Las Vegas.

Logan Cooley and Kevin Stenlund each scored goals for Utah, which was playing its first playoff game in the franchise's two-season history. Karel Vejmelka finished with 27 saves.

Pacific Division champion Vegas had the first good scoring chance during a physical first period that featured more than 30 hits, several scrums and 10 penalty minutes when Stone blasted a slap shot from inside the blue line that caromed off the right post.

Utah took a 1-0 lead just before the end of the period when former Golden Knight Nate Schmidt rifled a cross-ice pass to Cooley, who one-timed a shot from the middle of the right circle inside the right post for his first career playoff goal.

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Vegas tied it 3:44 into the second period when Sissons tapped in Cole Smith's no-look backhand pass into the blue paint.

The Mammoth regained the lead just 1:23 later. Stenlund fired a shot from along the right boards that Hart knocked away with his stick into defenseman Kaedan Korczak skating by the left side of the crease. The puck then ricocheted off Korczak and into the net to give the Mammoth a 2-1 lead.

The Golden Knights tied it at 2-all at the 5:33 mark of the third period on a power-play goal by Stone, who roofed a rebound of a Tomas Hertl shot into an open net on the backdoor. It was Stone's 37th career playoff goal with Vegas, breaking a tie with Jonathan Marchessault for most in team history.

Dowd gave the Golden Knights their first lead when he deflected Hanifin's shot from the left point past Vejmelka's glove side.

Utah pulled Vejmelka for an extra attacker with 1:45 to go, and Barbashev sealed the win with an empty-netter before Vejmelka fully left the ice.

--Field Level Media

Knights rally in Game 1, spoiling Mammoth's playoff debut

Nic Dowd scored the go-ahead goal 7:20 into the third period and Carter Hart made 31 saves as the Vegas Golden Knights rallied for a 4-...
Country Star Suffers Serious Injury, Forcing Early End to Concert

Billy Strings’ recent concert came to an abrupt early end after he suffered a serious injury off-stage. The unfortunate accident happened onSaturday, April 18, right before his anticipated encore at the John Paul Jones Arena during night two of his back-to-back stint in Charlottesville, Virginia.

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RELATED:Country Singer Reflects on ‘One of the Hardest Seasons of My Life,’ Eyes Next Chapter

According toLive For the Music, Strings broke his leg while attempting a kick flip on his skateboard as he made his way back to the stage between songs. In his attempt, the 33-year-old country and bluegrass star reportedly tried to land the trick, but misjudged his move and lost his balance.

He Broke His Leg

He ended up taking a hard spill, which resulted in a broken leg and an abrupt and painful end to a night that was supposed to be celebrated, as he, instead, was unable to return to the stage for his grand finale.

Though the disastrous moment wasn’t caught on camera, one person, who appeared to have been in attendance at the concert, shared video of the aftermath of the fall. The dim clip, posted on X, shows the two-time Grammy Award winner lying on the ground before he sits up and scoots himself away from the stage. Afterward, crew members reportedly wheeled the Michigan native out on a stretcher.

“Missed out on the encore, but he tore the house down,” one ticketholder also captioned a clip after capturing a musical moment before the injury occurred.

“Moments before Billy Strings broke his leg,” that person added in the video uploaded toTikTok.

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He Confirmed the Injury

Strings, onSunday, April 19, took to his personal Instagram page, confirming the injury. His post shows an X-ray of his leg, which includes a broken tibia and fibula, and an image of his setlist from the night of the concert.

Fans and friends jumped into the comments section of Strings’ post to share their warm wishes for healing and a swift recovery.

“Heal up, champ,” comedian and podcast hostTheo Vonwrote, while artists ofThursdayBandwrote, “Get well soon, sir.”

“You got this, Billy,” a third person wrote, while another user added, “Billy, I hope it’s a swift recovery.”

According to hisofficial website, Strings is currently on a short break before his next run of sold-out shows. His next scheduled concert isWednesday, April 22, at the Charleston Coliseum in Charleston, West Virginia.

Related: Country Star’s Pregnant Wife Reveals Crushing Family News: ‘These Are My Days Right Now’

This story was originally published byParadeon Apr 20, 2026, where it first appeared in theCelebssection. Add Parade as aPreferred Source by clicking here.

Country Star Suffers Serious Injury, Forcing Early End to Concert

Billy Strings’ recent concert came to an abrupt early end after he suffered a serious injury off-stage. The unfortunate accident happen...
Padre Guilherme hosts rave in Argentina's capital honoring late Pope Francis

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Pope Francis reappeared in Argentina's capital a year after his death, but it wasn’t a miracle: It was through the hands of a DJ-priest.

Associated Press Portuguese Catholic priest, Padre Guilherme performs an open-air DJ set at the Plaza de Mayo, honoring the first year anniversary of Pope Francis' passing in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Saturday, April 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) Portuguese Catholic priest, Padre Guilherme performs an open-air DJ set at the Plaza de Mayo, honoring the first year anniversary of Pope Francis' passing in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Saturday, April 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

Argentina DJ Priest

Guilherme Peixoto is a Portuguese Catholic priest who, in his 50s, has become a celebrity in the world of electronic music. He hosted a rave Saturday in Buenos Aires in homage to the Argentine-bornleader of the Catholic churchwho died in April 2025.

As young and old, Catholics and agnostics alike, danced to the music Peixoto controlled from his DJ booth, three enormous screens projected images of the late Popes Francis and John Paul II as well as white doves.

“God bless you, and let’s dance,” a voice-over said before Peixoto appeared in priestly attire and headphones at the historic Plaza de Mayo. He then placed his hands on the console and for the next two hours mixed techno and religious melodies.

“This is a unique opportunity to see him, and it’s free,” said Jesús Martín, a 54-year-old Spaniard andelectronic music fan. “In Ibiza, you have to pay 150 euros, and up to 2,000 euros for VIP.”

Inspiration leads to global sensation

Peixoto— better known as Padre Guilherme — has become a global sensation, performing around the world to large audiences and amassing a following of 2.8 million people on Instagram and over 220,000 monthly streams on Spotify. He was ordained a priest in 1999, partly out of religious vocation and partly to fulfill a promise his mother made to God when he suffered a life-threatening illness as a child.

Electronic music became a hobby alongside his priestly career. In the 2000s, he began playing at universities and organizing parties to raise funds for his parish, but he asked that no one take his picture for fear of reprisals from his superiors.

Those fears dissipated whenMonsignor Jorge Bergoglioassumed leadership of the Catholic Church as Pope Francis in 2013.

“He often said, ‘Don’t be afraid,’ that we had to go out to the peripheries and that ‘We shouldn’t be afraid to use our hands.’ These messages were an inspiration,” Peixoto recalled in an interview with The Associated Press ahead of his performance in Buenos Aires.

So, he enrolled in a DJ school, contacted electronic music producers and began composing his own tracks. Eventually, invitations to participate in festivals and play in clubs across Portugal began to arrive.

The priest burst onto the world stage after his performances at World Youth Day in 2023, before the open-air Mass celebrated by Pope Francis.

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“I will never lose this connection with Pope Francis," Peixoto said. "He was the one who touched my heart with this facet of music."

Many attending his Saturday rave knew little about the priest-DJ.

“I learned about him when the tribute to Francis was first announced. I came to remember the Pope, but I think what he does is very original, as long as it’s done respectfully,” Silvia Garaggiola, 60, said.

Saturday’s set list included Peixoto’s hit “El Grano de Mostaza” and remixes ofBad Bunnyand Queen.

Evangelizing youth from the DJ booth

From the Medusa Festival in Cullera, Spain, to Dreamfields in Mexico, or the Hï Ibiza club — in that Spanish resort town often dubbed the “Vatican” of electronic music — Peixoto broadcasts a message of peace and coexistence to thousands of young people, the vast majority of whom are not practicing Catholics.

Amid the smoke of tobacco and marijuana cigarettes, several groups of teenagers danced and imitated the DJ priest’s hand movements, while laser lights gave Plaza de Mayo the appearance of a nightclub.

“It sounds really good,” commented 17-year-old Ileana González. “I have zero religion, but I’m having fun.”

The Curia’s resistance to modernization, its rejection of sexual diversity and the scandals involving the abuse of minors have erected a wall between the Catholic Church and younger generations —a barrier that Pope Francis sought to dismantle through his revolutionary papacy.

An admirer of English musician Carl Cox and the Italian American artist Anyma, Peixoto seeks to carry forward that mission from behind his DJ decks.

“I believe it is incredibly important to make young people smile, to help them feel happy with themselves, rather than associating happiness with merely possessing this or that material thing,” he said.

Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean athttps://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

Padre Guilherme hosts rave in Argentina's capital honoring late Pope Francis

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Pope Francis reappeared in Argentina's capital a year after his death, but it wasn’t a miracle: It w...
Zay Flowers blames John Harbaugh practices for Ravens injury issues

Zay Flowersbelieves theBaltimore Ravens' offseason coaching change could help the team avoid the injury bug that has plagued them in recent seasons.

USA TODAY Sports

In an appearance onthe "4th and South" podcast, hosted by Jarvis Landry and Leonard Fournette, Flowers spoke about the Ravens' strenuous practices under former coach John Harbaugh.

"Bro, we're [in] full pads all the time," Flowers said, with a smile. "However many practices in pads you can get, every single one."

"We're doing one-on-ones in Week 17," Flowers added. "Week 17, we're doing one-on-ones, everybody out there, we're tired, we're still going."

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2026 NFL offseason tracker: Player signings, trades

OT Tytus Howard:Traded to Cleveland Browns(previous team: Houston Texans)

Landry and Fournette cracked a couple of jokes about Flowers' remarks but seemed to be in disbelief about the 25-year-old receiver's claim. It also prompted them to ask Flowers how the players managed such a grueling schedule.

"We don't," Flowers said. "Low key, that's why we had a lot of injuries – because of how we practiced, how we went. The load was heavy."

The Ravens dealt with a plethora of injuries early during the 2025 NFL season, and were without seven Pro Bowl players in Week 5 against the Houston Texans. Star quarterbackLamar Jacksonmissed four games because of a hamstring injury, which played a role in the Ravens posting a 1-5 record over their first six games.

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However, the Ravens got healthier as the season progressed, as reflected by their 7-4 record over their final 11 games. Baltimore lost 183 total games to injury during the 2025 NFL season, which ranked 22nd league-wide and well below the average of 220 games missed, perSports Info Solutions.

NEW RAVENS UNIFORMS:Check out details from elaborate unveiling

Still, Flowers believes new coach Jesse Minter can help lower that number further as he becomes a first-time coach.

"[Minter] knows how we worked with Harbaugh," Flowers said. "So, he's like, 'You're going to get your work, but it's going to be a little easier on your body. You're going to be fresher for the game.'"

While Flowers was critical of Baltimore's practice habits under Harbaugh, he still lauded the Super Bowl 47-winner's ability to prepare his players for game action.

"How he prepared for games, he can get anybody prepared," Flowers said. "He's good at getting you ready to go play. Not even speeches, it's just the way we practiced. How he gets you prepared to go play and hit and do your job. It carries over to the game, without you even having to think about it."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Zay Flowers says Ravens injuries caused by 'heavy' practice workload

Zay Flowers blames John Harbaugh practices for Ravens injury issues

Zay Flowersbelieves theBaltimore Ravens' offseason coaching change could help the team avoid the injury bug that has plagued them i...

 

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