Latest news with #Blomqvist
NBC Sports
22-06-2025
- Automotive
- NBC Sports
IMSA Watkins Glen results, points: Acura wins again as Blomqvist saves just enough juice
Stretching his hybrid battery to the aboslute limit when a rival couldn't, Tom Blomqvist took the lead on the last lap to win the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar race at Watkins Glen International. Blomqvist's No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing Acura ARX-06 crossed the finish line with less than 1% of its battery power reamining and finished 1.880 seconds ahed of the No. 40 Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac. The No. 10 WTR Cadillac finished third. 'The guys gave me a target, and we were able to execute,' Blomqvist told NBC Sports' Dave Burns on Peacock. 'The car came alive there. I knew we just needed a bit space. We were able to capitalize on a couple of restarts. The guys did a great strategy and the pace was set to be able to hit those really big fuel targets ,and that's what enabled me to go to the end and the others not. IMSA WATKINS GLEN RESULTS: Click here for overall l By class 'So really proud of everyone. It was an up-and-down race for us. We had a few mistakes here at the beginning, but we made the most of it there at the end, so I'm so happy for the guys. It's been a really tough year. We haven't really had what we believe we deserve.' Earl Bamber had been in the lead on a restart with 3 minutes remaining, but his No. 31 Cadillac finished fifth after being forced to make a pit stop when its battery expired just before taking the white flag. Just before the last restart, Nick Yelloly also had pitted from second in the No. 93 MSR Acura. That had Blomqvist's co-driver, Colin Braun, nervous atop the Meyer Shank Racing pit stand. 'Tom did a great job there at the end saving the fuel,' Braun said. 'Man, the guys on the pit box were sweating bullets up there, but they made it happen there, so I'm pumped.' With the No. 93 's May 31 victory at Detroit, Meyer Shank Racing's Acuras have won two consecutive races after Porsche Penske Motorsport opened the 2025 season with four wins. 'The guys have really stepped it up,' Blomqvist said. 'We're just getting better and better every race, so hopefully more to come.' The No. 6 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963 finished fourth to move into the championship lead by 12 points over the No. 7 963, which finished a season-worst 47th. After a promising start in which Felipe Nasr moved from 10th to the lead, things went awry when Nick Tandy went into the Turn 1 wall with just over 90 minutes remaining. The No. 7 Porsche 963 required major repairs that cost the team more than 10 laps in the pits. The Watkins Glen winners in other categories: LMP2: No. 22 United Autosports USA ORECA LMP2 07 GTD Pro: No. 48 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO GTD: No. 27 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo IMSA WATKINS GLEN SIX HOURS RESULTS Race results Results by class Fastest laps by driver Fastest laps by driver after race (over the weekend) Fastest laps by driver and class after race Lap chart Best sector times Leader sequence Race distance and average speed Fastest lap sequence Race analysis by lap Stint analysis Track limits analysis Time cards Pit stop time cards Flag analysis Weather report NEXT RACE The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship will race with the LMP2, GTD Pro and GTD categories Sunday, July 13 at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park (2 p.m. ET, USA, Peacock). Dan Harper and Max Hesse recap their up-and-down day at Watkins Glen and how they worked pit strategy to climb to the front and win the Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen in GTD Pro. For Tom Gamble, his emotions were "all over the place" after Lexus ran out of gas on the final lap at Watkins Glen, and he shares his first-time win with teammate Casper Stevenson while Zacharie Robichon gets his eighth. Paul Di Resta, Rasmus Lindh and Daniel Goldburg discuss their LMP2 class win at Watkins Glen, vaulting the United Motorsports No. 22 to the top of the championship standings.
New York Times
03-03-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Penguins recall goalie Tristan Jarry, send Joel Blomqvist back to AHL
Protecting Joel Blomqvist has become more important than protecting Tristan Jarry. The Penguins have recalled Jarry to the NHL and sent the struggling rookie Blomqvist to the AHL. Blomqvist's past few starts have been disastrous, punctuated with a 6-5 loss to the Maple Leafs on Sunday. Interestingly enough, Jarry hasn't been good since being demoted to the AHL in January. The man who has been the No. 1 starter for the past few seasons in Pittsburgh has allowed four or more goals in four of his seven appearances in Wilkes-Barre since clearing waivers and being sent to the AHL on Jan. 17. He has been particularly ineffective in recent starts. Jarry, while playing for Wilkes-Barre, has allowed 13 goals in his past four outings, starts that have seen him allow at least four goals on each occasion. Advertisement So, Jarry doesn't seem to be receiving a promotion based on quality of performance. Rather, the Penguins believe that Blomqvist badly needs some time in the minor leagues. Blomqvist is 4-9-1 with a 3.81 GAA and an .885 save percentage. He has allowed three or more goals in 10 of his 12 NHL starts this season. The Penguins have recalled goaltender Tristan Jarry from the @WBSPenguins (AHL). Goaltender Joel Blomqvist has been re-assigned to WBS. — Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 3, 2025 Jarry is 8-8-4 with a 3.55 GAA and an .884 save percentage this season. He is 6-5-1 with a 2.67 GAA and a .908 save percentage at the AHL level, though those numbers have ballooned in recent starts. He was far more effective during his first stint in Wilkes-Barre earlier this season. The Penguins' goaltending has been a nightmare all season, and Alex Nedeljkovic's recent performance hasn't helped. Nedeljkovic is 12-12-5 with a 3.18 GAA and an .892 save percentage. He has been yanked in two of his first four starts since the 4 Nations Face-Off break. While the Penguins' goaltending has been horrific, it isn't lost on their front office that the goalies are playing behind arguably the NHL's worst defensive team. There has been growing concern in the organization that playing the 23-year-old Blomqvist behind a team that generally doesn't seem to concern itself with protecting its goaltender is only going to stunt his development.
New York Times
03-03-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Does it make sense for the Penguins to bring back Tristan Jarry?
PITTSBURGH — Of the many moves he's made since taking control of the Penguins, Kyle Dubas' decision to demote Tristan Jarry remains the most significant. It showed he possessed a hockey boss' greatest asset: willingness to concede a mistake was made. Placing Jarry on waivers and then sending him to the AHL was the correct call. The time is fast approaching to reverse it. Advertisement After the Penguins' 6-5 overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs at PPG Paints Arena on Sunday afternoon, it's fair to question whether bringing back Jarry is the best move Dubas can make between now and the end of another lost season. That's entirely because Joel Blomqvist, while perhaps not a future franchise goalie, is too young and has too much promise to waste in the role he'll have the rest of this season with the Penguins. He likely won't start on an upcoming three-game trip, and the case for continuing to throw him to the wolves by playing behind these Penguins is increasingly difficult to make. 'Obviously, Joel's a young kid and he's trying to find his way in establishing in this league,' coach Mike Sullivan said after the loss Sunday. 'And it's a hard league. We recognize that we're going to go through some ups and downs.' Sullivan added Blomqvist is 'no different than any other young kid that's trying to enter the league.' Technically, that is accurate. History, though, is fraught with young goalies who were done a disservice by their organizations and thrust into all the trappings of playing in the NHL and stunting their development. Those trappings aren't limited to struggles but also the lack of regular playing time that young goalies are often not afforded. Blomqvist is experiencing both issues in his second stint this season with the Penguins. Discussing a very late goal allowed in the second period on Sunday, Blomqvist sounded like a veteran of 250 games in net. It was his 15th game, and the Maple Leafs are about as skilled up front as any team in the Eastern Conference. Knies timing eh — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) March 2, 2025 'Things not gonna always go your way but you need to reset a bit and stay the course,' he said. That's a professional answer. But there are levels to professional hockey, and Blomqvist isn't ready to excel at the highest level. That's fine. He shouldn't be ready — not yet. Cap space permitting, Dubas could recall Jarry after the NHL's trade deadline expires Friday. That move would likely be accompanied by one that returns Blomqvist to the AHL, where he can play a lot — and in meaningful games — for a Wilkes-Barre/Scranton affiliate that could make noise in the Calder Cup playoffs. Advertisement These moves should benefit the Penguins' short- and long-term objectives. Jarry remains under contract for the next three seasons. The salary cap is set to increase substantially during those years, thus providing Dubas the option to retain a percentage of Jarry's annual hit in any potential trade. Stranger things have happened than another general manager viewing Jarry as part of a potential goaltending solution in a different environment — especially if the cost isn't $5.375 million against the cap. However, it's difficult to envision any GM going in that direction without scouting Jarry's work against NHL competition. Recalling Jarry and having him split starts with Alex Nedeljkovic after the trade deadline would at least provide Jarry a small sample size to entice potential suitors for an offseason trade. Or, perhaps more likely, Jarry uses those starts to build momentum to begin next season with the Penguins and play his way into a trade for a team that encounters in-season goaltending needs. Either scenario would qualify as a win for Dubas. He cannot lose a valuable development opportunity for Blomqvist, whose early season success with the Penguins has become a distant memory amid struggles since he replaced Jarry in mid-January. It's fair to cut Blomqvist some slack. He's 23, and Sunday marked only his 12th start in the NHL. He made 27 saves. It was a poor performance. Blomqvist has mostly struggled since his recall in January. But the Penguins have been in a free fall for months and are prone to surrendering quality scoring chances, and young goalies come with growing pains. Still, how much good will it do for Blomqvist to play a handful more games with this roster, from which Dubas will try to subtract before the trade deadline, instead of sharpening his skill in meaningful games in the AHL before the offseason? Don't think too hard. The answer to that question is none at all. Advertisement Goaltending in the NHL is perhaps the most precarious position in major team sports. Goalies tend to mature slower and have later and shorter primes, and there's often a fine line between being elite and expendable. Goaltenders with better bona fides than Blomqvist have slid along that line only to fall over it. Remember Matt Murray? A little less than eight years ago, he was a two-time Stanley Cup goalie for the Penguins. Last week, he played in his 100th AHL game for the Maple Leafs affiliate. Murray was one of the AHL's historically prodigious goalies when he joined the Penguins during the 2015-16 season. He wasn't expected to carry a big load. Once he took the blue paint because of Marc-Andre Fleury's injury, Murray played big, was calm in the crease and exuded defiant confidence. He was exactly what a well-constructed roster needed for Cup runs. Murray was not as well suited to hold up during the grind of NHL regular seasons, especially when he was not part of one of the NHL's deepest, most talented rosters. While that was disappointing and threw cold water on any dreams the Penguins had to turn consecutive Cup wins in 2016 and 2017 into a modern dynasty, those title wins were enough to make up for the bummer that became Murray's endgame in Pittsburgh. The Penguins are about to miss out on a third consecutive postseason. Despite a roster that includes four likely future Hall of Famers and a coach held in high regard, the franchise is not built to win now. Even if everything goes excellent to a ridiculous degree — like landing a top-three pick in the upcoming NHL Draft and lucking into potential generational prospect Gavin McKenna, the presumed No. 1 pick in 2026 — the Penguins might not be ready to compete for a championship within the next three seasons. And even if they are ready, Blomqvist would benefit from having this postseason run with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Advertisement There might not be another run for him in the minors. It's entirely possible, if not probable, that goalie prospect Sergei Murashov will have taken the No. 1 spot for the AHL Penguins by this time a year from now. He's only 20 but has shown he's already too good for the ECHL in his first taste of North American professional hockey. If any goalie in the Penguins system is a shrewd bet to become the next Murray, it's Murashov, not Blomqvist. The Penguins have a long way to go before their roster is ready for a young goalie to arrive and play a pivotal role in ascending to a playoff berth, let alone the Cup. Jarry's failure to live up to the franchise goalie contract he was given by Dubas two years ago has placed the Penguins in a terrible position. He's not the guy or the next guy. By playing his way into a demotion, he helped sink a couple of seasons and is now limiting the best developmental opportunities for potential successors. Jarry needs a fresh start. The Penguins need to be rid of him. Neither is likely to happen and coincide with a quick franchise return to prominence without him finishing this season in the NHL.
USA Today
02-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Toronto Maple Leafs at Pittsburgh Penguins odds, picks and predictions
The Toronto Maple Leafs (37-20-2) meet the Pittsburgh Penguins (24-29-9) Sunday at PPG Paints Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET (TNT / truTV / Max). Let's analyze BetMGM Sportsbook's NHL odds around the Maple Leafs vs. Penguins odds and make our expert NHL picks and predictions. Season series: Tied 1-1 The home team has won both meetings to date, with the Penguins winning 5-2 Dec. 7 as moderate underdogs (+145) as the Over (6.5) cashed. Toronto has won 5 of the past 7 meetings since Nov. 15, 2022, with the Under going 7-2-1 in the past 10 in the series since Nov. 20, 2021. The Maple Leafs scratched out a 3-2 victory at the New York Rangers Friday as slight favorites (-115) as the Under (6) cashed. LW Matthew Knies and RW William Nylander had goals, while D Oliver Ekman-Larsson also lit the lamp. Toronto has won 4 in a row and gone 7-1-0 in the past 8 outings. The Over is 3-1 across the past 4 contests, too. For the Penguins, they suffered a 3-2 loss against the Boston Bruins Saturday afternoon as the Under (6.5) connected. LW Anthony Beauvillier had a shorthanded goal, and RW Rickard Rakell notched a power-play goal in the loss. Pittsburgh is just 1-5-0 in the past 6 games, while the Over has hit in 4 of the past 5 contests. Stream the NHL all season on ESPN+, with your team's out-of-market games, exclusive games, originals and more. Get ESPN+ now! Maple Leafs at Penguins odds Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 3:10 a.m. ET. Moneyline (ML) : Maple Leafs -190 (bet $190 to win $100) | Penguins +155 (bet $100 to win $155) : Maple Leafs -190 (bet $190 to win $100) | Penguins +155 (bet $100 to win $155) Puck line (PL)/Against the spread (ATS) : Maple Leafs -1.5 (+125) | Penguins +1.5 (-150) : Maple Leafs -1.5 (+125) | Penguins +1.5 (-150) Over/Under (O/U): 6.5 (O: -105 | U: -115) Maple Leafs at Penguins projected goalies Joseph Woll (20-11-0, 2.63 GAA, .910 SV%, 1 SO) vs. Joel Blomqvist (4-9-0, 3.63 GAA, .890 SV%) After Maple Leafs G Anthony Stolarz notched a win against the Rangers Friday, stopping 33 of 35 shots, it's Woll's turn Sunday. He is confirmed to start for the first time since Feb. 23, and just the second time since Feb. 8. He went 3-1-0 with a 2.53 GAA and .921 SV% in 4 starts in February. Blomqvist is likely to start after G Alex Nedeljkovic started Saturday's game. Blomqvist came on in relief in Thursday's 5-4 OT comeback win, stopping 22 of 23 shots to pick up the victory in relief. He went 1-2-0 with a 3.75 GAA and .851 SV% in 2 starts and 2 relief appearances in February. Play our free daily Pick'em Challenge and win! Play now! Maple Leafs at Penguins picks and predictions Prediction Maple Leafs 4, Penguins 3 The Maple Leafs (-190) are heavy favorites on the road, but you can't risk nearly 2 times your potential return on a standalone bet. If you were to toss Toronto into a multi-team parlay, or if you were to use an odds boost, it would be OK to back the Leafs straight up. PASS. The PENGUINS +1.5 (-150) are worth backing at home as underdogs on the puck line. The Pens have played five 1-goal games in the past 8 outings, with Pittsburgh going 6-3 in the past 9 on the puck line as an underdog. The Pens have won 4 of those games outright. The Maple Leafs -1.5 (+125) have won 4 in a row, but the past 2 victories have been by only a single goal. As a favorite, Toronto is just 3-6 on the puck line in the past 9 games. OVER 6.5 (-105) is the lean, but go with a half-unit play at best. The Over is 3-1 in the past 4 games for the Maple Leafs, while the Penguins have cashed high in 4 of the past 5 contests. Want to play some games of your own? Play for free at the best social casinos and enjoy lots of slots, blackjack, video poker, roulette and more. You can even earn real prizes! For more sports betting picks and tips, check out and BetFTW. Follow Kevin J. Erickson on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook.
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
February Penguins Prospects Update: Goaltenders
There are some exciting developments down on the farm for the Pittsburgh Penguins. With more talent in the system than they've had in recent memory, the Penguins have several prospects of interest to keep an eye on. We close out our February Penguins Prospects Update with goaltending. Since Blomqvist's recall from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) on Jan. 16 - after Tristan Jarry was waived and re-assigned to WBS - it hasn't exactly been smooth-sailing for the 23-year-old rookie. His first stint in the NHL earlier this season - aside from one rotten performance by the entire team against the Dallas Stars - was impressive. Taking out the Dallas game, he boasted a .913 save percentage and was, clearly, the team's best goaltender up to that point in the season. But since his recall on Jan. 16, Alex Nedeljkovic hit a hot streak just before the 4 Nations Face-off break, and Blomqvist hasn't gotten too many starts as a result. In his four starts - and six appearances - since his second recall, Blomqvist has posted a measly .863 save percentage. That's not exactly great, but the inconsistent playing time sure hasn't helped him. And he was very good against the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday in relief of Nedeljkovic, surrendering just one goal on 23 shots in 32 minutes and 36 seconds of ice. There are going to be some growing pains in Blomqvist's development, so patience is paramount. Larsson, 26, has been nothing short of spectacular for WBS this season. The Swedish goaltender is 9-4-3 on the season with five shutouts - tied for first in the AHL - including one Friday against the Syracuse Crunch. He has also posted a .927 save percentage on the season. Larsson is very clean and postionally sound, but what stands out most about him - perhaps - is his composure. He doesn't get rattled. He navigates the crease with poise and confidence, and he doesn't give up a whole lot of second-chance opportunities. His reads have been spectacular as well. He's been, arguably, the best goaltender in the Penguins' system this season. There's another guy in the ECHL that has given him a run for his money, but Larsson is very legitimately making the case for an NHL call-up before the end of the season. Even if Larsson has been the steadiest goaltender in the Penguins' system, there is no denying who the most talented and highest-ceiling goaltender is. And that would be 20-year-old Russian netminder Murashov. We've discussed how Murashov - in three seasons prior to 2024-25 between the KHL and the MHL, Russia's junior league - never posted a save percentage below .925. Well, now that's the case for professional hockey in North America as well. In the ECHL this season? He is 16-6-1 with a .926 save percentage and a .231 goals-against average. In the AHL this season? He is 6-0-0 with a .934 save percentage and a 1.99 goals-against average. Murshov's talent is raw, but the talent can't be denied. He's quicker than anyone the Penguins have had in their systen in recent memory. He's agile. He's athletic. And he's composed and mature beyond his years. Even one of the weaker areas of his game - his rebound control - has seen some improvement throughout the course of the season. Right now, Murashov belongs in the AHL. The organization needs to get him there as soon as they can so they don't stunt his development - because it's not all that far-fetched to say that the Penguins have a potential star goaltender in the making. Gauthier, 24, took home ECHL Goaltender of the Year honors last season with a 24-16-1 record and a .923 save percentage. His numbers have dipped a bit this season, as he has assumed more of a backup role behind Sergei Murashov. But he is still 10-7-0 with a .911 save percentage, which are respectable numbers for a starting goaltender. Unfortunately for Gauthier, Murashov exists. And so do Larsson and Blomqvist. Barring injury, he's unlikely to see ice time above the ECHL level this season, and it's not because of him. It's because of the sheer amount of goaltending depth in the Penguins' organization. Still, Gauthier is a reliable depth option for the Penguins. As long as he continues to put up good numbers, he should eventually earn an elevated role as veterans get moved out. Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!
