Rangers end Red Wings streak in 3-2 win.

Artemi Panarin #10 of the New York Rangers (C) celebrates his second period goal against the Detroit Red Wings and is joined by Vincent Trocheck #16 (L) and Braden Schneider #4 (R) at Madison Square Garden on November 29, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

The New York Rangers got it done at home again to beat the Red Wings 3-2 on Wednesday night. Staying all over them allowed the home team at Madison Square Garden to strike late and lead the NHL with 33 points won. Igor Shesterkin made 26 saves, winning his sixth game in eight starts.

The Red Wings found themselves in a coincidental position after acquiring Patrick Kane from the Rangers. After three weeks and five teams to choose from, the three-time Stanley Cup champion picked to sign a one-year deal with Detroit. As the team played for the second time at MSG, they wanted most to be on the winning side.

The Rangers won 5-3 over three weeks ago, but Detroit sat with a three-game streak. Two came at Little Caesars Arena and one in Boston, gaining their second straight against the Bruins. In their short road trip to New York without Kane in the lineup, the Red Wings sought their fourth in a row.

New York wanted to avoid being a consecutive victim, taking advantage of an early power play in the opening period. Detroit killed off the penalty and faced challenges in their zone, and the Rangers took four scoring chances. Through five and a half minutes, New York outshot Detroit 6-2. The Rangers had the better control of the puck, but Detroit fought them for it at every opportunity.

The Red Wings gained two shots but suffered a hooking penalty, putting the Rangers back on the man advantage. New York was dangerous when the puck was close to Ville Husso, but the Red Wings netminder made the key saves. Detroit was 2 for 2 on penalty kills, and at the five-minute mark, got two minutes to challenge Shesterkin in the net for the Rangers. They looked for a clean shot by passing the puck around but never found one. There was little offensive push from the Red Wings through 20 minutes, but the game remained scoreless.

As the second period got running, so did the Red Wings. They were getting pucks to the Rangers net, with Daniel Sprong getting a solid scoring chance. The Rangers got things back in check and made good on a turnover. New York took off, getting down the center until a pass to Artemi Panarin went in ringing off a wrister into the back of the net. He took a penalty two minutes later, opening the door for Detroit to level the game.

The power play was slow to come together as the Rangers battled with them at the boards, and not one shot taken. With 20 seconds left, they got a play into motion with Mortiz Seider firing through traffic from the blue line to even the game for his third of the season. Robby Fabbri made it 2-1 just 23 seconds later for his fifth on the year, finding a window to get it in.

Lucas Raymond suffered an elbow to the back from Vincent Trocheck, staying down for a time until JT Compher was ready to fight it out with him. It earned the Red Wings a third-man advantage, hoping to widen the gap on their opponent. The Rangers squashed their chance to keep in reach with five minutes left in the game. It was a lively game coming together as the fights for control of the puck occurred all over. For the Red Wings, the score didn’t change in the remaining minutes, with the Rangers leading 22-17 on shots to the net.

Two minutes into the third period, both teams took penalties leading to the Rangers having a great chance. Trocheck had a wide-open net shot and missed the opportunity to make it two-all. Raymond almost sold a high stick penalty to New York, but video evidence showed that he lifted his opponent’s stick.

When the game smoothed out, the Rangers continued to look for ways to tie the game with Detroit. With 10:30 left in the game, they got a play going with Mika Zibanejad and his line being patient. He found K’Andre Miller open at the back and sent him a pass that one-timed through traffic and behind Husso for his third of the season.

At 6:30, the Red Wings were awarded their fourth power play of the night but almost saw a shorthand occur. Chris Kreider went in on Husso, missed, and ended up stuck inside the net. He got out to take another shot on the net but missed again. It took away time for Detroit to make a difference. Once the Rangers killed the penalty, they got into the offense with Jimmy Vesey creating opportunities.

He missed his first attempt but on a rebound, got the back of the blade of his stick on the puck to send it into the net. Video evidence by officials determined it was a good goal, giving Vesey his fifth. Sitting a goal down with two minutes left, the Red Wings got another power play to get an overtime situation in play.

Husso came off with 1:14 left in the game, but the two-man advantage didn’t pan out for them. Detroit couldn’t find an open shooting lane at the back and struggled to get a clean shot from anywhere else. With six seconds left, the Red Wings took a timeout for one last play, but the Rangers cleared out the puck, snapping their opponent’s three-game winning streak.

  

Red Wings fight back too late in loss to Rangers.

Will Cuylle #50 of the New York Rangers celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal in the second period against the Detroit Red Wings at Madison Square Garden on November 7, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images)

Detroit fell flat for too long in a 5-3 defeat against the New York Rangers on Tuesday night. Two uneventful periods for the Red Wings allowed New York to score five straight at Madison Square Garden and avoid a resurgence. Jonathan Quick made 25 saves on the night, inching closer to becoming the most-winning American goaltender in the NHL.  

The Red Wings big victory at home against the Boston Bruins was a huge statement, handing them their first regulation loss. They came in for their first visit with the Rangers and goaltender Igor Shesterkin still out. It was up to Quick to use his experience against Detroit and their offense to start on time. The Rangers shootout loss to the Wild on Saturday on the road was a small step back, but hosting the Red Wings could bring a positive start to their three-game homestand.

The Rangers took control in the opening ninety seconds, taking three shots on goal. It was their last one that came off the faceoff, with a big shot from the blueline blocked by Ville Husso. Vincent Trochek came back on the glove side of the Red Wings netminder, firing on the open stick side for his second of the season. After four minutes, New York had seven shots on goal while Detroit waited to tally their first.

Detroit marked their first during the man advantage, but it was all that was produced as missed opportunities were apparent. They struggled to return to even strength as the Rangers pressured the defense in the Red Wings zone. Getting the game at Quick was a struggle as New York fought to gain more puck possession. They handed the Red Wings a second power play where Alex DeBrincat and captain Dylan Larkin challenged Quick.

He put a stop to it at the center, while the PK unit killed half the time. When it was all said and done, Detroit notched three more but was still outshot 12-4. After 20 minutes, they tallied five and were outplayed, outhit, and outdone at the faceoff. A third attempt to make the power play work didn’t pan out at the start of the second period as they tallied a shot on goal.

The Rangers pushed the envelope at Husso, who had a chance to increase their lead. Eight minutes into the period New York got their first man advantage, which resulted in a goal 11 seconds into it. Chris Kreider tipped in the puck off a monster shot through traffic from Erik Gustafsson at the blue line for his ninth. Detroit suffered another penalty and watched the Rangers take a 3-0 lead on Trocheck’s second of the night, firing a one-timer to the high slot.

New York continued to have successful offensive shifts with Alexis Lafreniere getting a play rolling. He ended it in the hands of Artemi Panarin, scoring his seventh of the year. The Rangers notched their fourth goal of the period, with Zac Jones eager to get a point or a goal for himself. His drive ended up tipped by Will Cuylle, getting his third, with six minutes left in the period. The Red Wings handed the Rangers another man advantage, hoping to avoid their opponent’s going 3 for 3.

They did prevent another goal while down a man, and more as the game returned to five on five. Detroit fought to kill time and before it was over, gained a fourth power play. Most rolled into the third, but they slipped up massively to allow the Rangers free movement and control. New York outshot them 13-7 and won 58 percent of faceoffs. It was a mountain for Detroit to climb back and very unlikely to close the gap.

Detroit opened with the remainder of their power play but nearly saw a short-hander for the Rangers succeed. Mika Zabinejad took off with the puck and made the pass down to Kreider, who was shut off by Husso on the stick side. It was another failed attempt for the Red Wings, who struggled to transition as the Rangers went heavy into the offensive zone. They got a couple of ringers off the post, missing by small margins.

The Red Wings made the best of their fifth power play, with J.T. Compher ringing the post before they got into a scuffle with New York in frustration. On the next play, Michael Rasmussen rang a puck off the pipe to see it go in and end the shutout for Quick. They marked another, with Klim Kostin backhanding one near the slot and keeping the celebrations short. Sitting three down with 11 minutes to go, Detroit kept their hopes high, intent on maintaining discipline and going for broke.

As time fell off the clock, the Red Wings defense strengthened, blocking plenty of scoring chances from the Rangers. Near the six-minute mark, Andrew Copp got Detroit within two, scoring his fifth. It was the third game this season that Detroit attempted a comeback from behind, with two wins in the books. Detroit coach Derek LaLonde pulled Husso out of the net, giving the team six attackers. They didn’t find clean shots to close the gap and suffered a tough outing in NYC.

Red Wings handle adversity to beat Islanders in overtime 4-3

Lucas Raymond #23 of the Detroit Red Wings celebrates a third period goal by Jake Walman #96 against Ilya Sorokin #30 of the New York Islanders at UBS Arena on October 30, 2023 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

The Red Wings fought late to come through victorious in overtime at the UBS Arena Monday night. Lucas Raymond scored the game-winner against the New York Islanders in a 4-3 win, ending their three-game slide. Detroit stayed in touch with New York but struggled on scoring chances until the team clicked in. It was the first time in 17 games that the Red Wings beat the Isles on the road. Ville Husso made 36 of 39 saves for a .923 percentage and his third victory.  

Detroit sat with a three-game slip after losing two at home and a second straight 4-1 loss to the Boston Bruins Saturday. Net protection in front of Ville Husso was light, giving the Bruins enough room to light the lamp with ease. With the first month of action coming to a close, the Red Wings wanted to turn around their road trip against the Islanders, who have back-to-back victories. In their short stint at home, New York would vie for three in a row before heading out of town.

The Isles got a jump on shots to the net, taking the play to Ville Husso, who made the key stops. Detroit got into action going after Ilya Sorokin, after utilizing their defense and winning puck battles. By the halfway point, they got within reach on shots to the net against New York, but the game remained scoreless. The Red Wings were getting pucks to the net, tallying four scoring chances against Sorokin.

The Detroit defense remained firm going down to the final two minutes and consistent with shots to the net. They still looked to change the scoreless situation, but Sorokin and the Islanders cleared some loose pucks around the crease. Detroit faced aggression in the final seconds, but as the horn sounded to complete 20 minutes, Husso made a beautiful glove save.

In the second, Detroit came out hot to get on the board first, showing tremendous chances at the Islanders net. New York fired pucks at Husso, who, like Sorokin, didn’t want to be the first to give up the first goal. The teams remained close on shots to the net, but through eight minutes, no one changed the scoreboard. New York got their first chance to take the lead, but the Detroit PK denied them during the two-minute power play.

At 7:21, the Red Wings earned a two-minute advantage that helped boost their shots on the net to get close to New York but couldn’t get any luck at clean shots to the back of the net. They had another one in the final minutes, but things went sour for them. Detroit lost the puck at center ice and watched as Casey Cizikas took off going one on one with Husso and backhanding one through the five hole for the shorthanded goal. It was his second of the season and the one that Detroit would have to sit on. They didn’t make anything of their second chance and were caught up by the Islanders at 16 shots apiece.

The third overshadowed Detroit early as Pierre Engvall drove one from the blue line in the second minute of play. Noah Dobson got a piece of it near the crease, earning credit for the goal and a 2-0 lead. With a comfortable position, the Islanders left things in the hands of their goaltender, who remained hot through almost 48 minutes. His shutout came to a close with Dylan Sprong battling to get into a centering position, scoring his third.

Just under two minutes later, Detroit leveled the scoreboard as Jake Walman scored his second of the season on a wrister behind the faceoff to Sorokin’s right. J.T. Compher got in on the fun scoring at 11:43. It was the third consecutive unanswered for Detroit where Compher came around the net and connected with Mortiz Seider at the net, giving them the lead.

The Islanders had plenty of time left on the clock to make a statement, and on their third power play, the PP unit did work as Bo Horvat leveled things at three-all. New York outshot Detroit 10-7, but the game remained unsettled through sixty minutes of play. Detroit went into its second overtime situation of the season, taking a big scoring chance on Sorokin. Dylan Larkin tried to pull something off with Alex DeBrincat, but the netminder made a huge save on them.

The Red Wings were determined to get it done and keep control of the net. Compher was back with the puck on the final pass to Raymond, who scored on the open net to win it. "I think we put together 60 good minutes and we'll take a win in any shape or form," said Raymond during his chat with Bally Sports Detroit's Trevor Thompson. "It was a good pass from J.T., and with the one-timer it was wide open and I couldn't miss that."

Detroit watches Jets jump to lightspeed in 4-1 defeat

Nate Schmidt #88 of the Winnipeg Jets celebrates a goal with teammates on the bench during the first period against the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena on October 26, 2023 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Darren Clark/NHLI via Getty Images)

The force was not with the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena on Thursday night. The Winnipeg Jets were most impressive, taking advantage of Detroit's penalties and an empty netter, winning 4-1. Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Larkin were left scoreless and pointless, snapping their game streak at six.

Detroit’s loss Tuesday marked their first in overtime after completing a comeback against the Kraken. Despite having their winning streak snapped at home, the Red Wings readied to host the Jets, who won 4-2 against St. Louis. James Reimer returned between the pipes after a win on Calgary Oct. 22, giving up two goals. Connor Hellebuyck made 18 saves and would try to stop the squad and DeBrincat, who made the lineup after an illness.

The Red Wings started the game a man down after David Perron high-sticked Neal Pionk in the face. The Jets took two shots but didn’t get clean chances against the Red Wings PK unit. Winnipeg earned another shot four minutes in after Justin Holl boarded Mark Scheifele. The PK succeeded once again for Detroit, who went on the rush to shoot the puck at Hellebuyck. They had a man advantage in play against the Jets, who with Hellebuyck stopped the power play.

Both teams had eight shots on goal with five minutes left in the period, but at 16:28 Winnipeg struck first. The team set up a play where two shots went on goal until Nick Ehlers earned credit with a drive over the shoulder of Reimer for his first of the season. It was soon 2-0, with Josh Morrisey firing a blocked shot that went to Kyle Connor, scoring his fifth at 17:30. Detroit didn’t make much of the final two and a half minutes, finding themselves in a hole after 20.  

Giving the Jets three power plays was not a good run for their PK, who felt the pressure and couldn’t return to an even-strength position. As they moved into the second period Detroit and captain Dylan Larkin worked through the first three minutes. Mortiz Seider got it to Larkin, who took a shot and watched Lucas Raymond get a scoring shot for his second of the season.

The Jets lost half their lead, sending Morrisey to try and get on the board himself. Reimer made a good stop on the defenseman, allowing his team time with the puck. Detroit produced chances including one from Michael Rasmussen, but Hellebuyck refused to be the one to let them level the score. The same went for Reimer, who wanted to keep his team in the hunt to lead stopping eight through 17 minutes.

The last three saw the teams fight for control but the Jets lead remained after two periods. As they entered the third, Detroit exploded with ten shots on goal through the first six minutes. They got into their second power play, with DeBrincat trying to be the one to tie the game up. Detroit couldn’t get a clean shot at the net in their attempts during the two minutes. After Hellebuyck stopped Larkin’s best chance on net, his team made it 3-1 on a goal from Jason Appleton.

The centerman was at the net and slid the puck in on a backhand, gaining his third of the season and widening the gap. Detroit had 10 minutes to make a comeback as Larkin made the push to try and get his team back. The Red Wings didn’t make any significant scoring chances through half the time, letting time slip by. With more than two to play, coach Derek Lalonde pulled Reimer from the net to gain a sixth attacker.

It didn’t work out as Nino Niederreiter found the empty net with a minute left in regulation to put the nail in the coffin. DeBrincat was left pointless and scoreless, which was exactly the result Winnipeg wanted most to cap their third straight victory.

Red Wings crush Penguins late in 6-3 score.

DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 18: Andrew Copp #18 of the Detroit Red Wings fist bumps with teammates after scoring a goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the second period at Little Caesars Arena on October 18, 2023 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty Images)

The Detroit Red Wings won a decisive game against the Pittsburgh Penguins On Wednesday night. Dealing with a late surge from their opponents in the third period allowed them to take advantage of an empty net and win 6-3 at Little Ceasars Arena.

The Red Wings faced their real test in the Penguins who like them, acquired strong players like Erik Karlsson. Both teams were 2-1 coming into their fourth game of the season, but the matchup would spell out how things go. Ville Husso returned to the net after Reimer put up a shutout  Monday against Tampa. Having experience against strong teams gave Detroit a chance to show their talents and hunt down a win.

The Penguins made it a tough start as they ran into the Red Wings zone, with Evgeni Malkin getting the play rolling. He made a pass to Reilly Smith before getting in position to gain it back for his third of the season. Detroit tried to get into the same gear as their opponents’ but it was a tough task to gain extensive puck possession. Christian Fischer almost had a wraparound scoring chance against Tristan Jarry but missed the window opportunity.

In the 12th minute, the Red Wings caught up to Pittsburgh, waiting to even the score. They handed the Penguins a power play but killed it off before things changed. A fight to break through the Pittsburgh defense by Austin Czarnik allowed him to make the pass to Alex DeBrincat, who got to the open corner of the net, scoring his fourth. Detroit was running well as the period approached its conclusion, and the game tied. Husso made a huge save on Jeff Carter, who came at him solo and denied a lead change.

In the second set, the two teams picked up where they left off until Detroit struck first for the lead. At 5:31 defenseman Ben Chiarot got his first goal of the season with assistance from captain Dylan Larkin and Jeff Petry on the first line. Petry made it 3-1, making an outstanding play at the blue line with four minutes left. Getting control of the puck allowed him to fire a shot that went off the stick of Andrew Copp. A review showed that Copp got the stick below the crossbar on impact, giving him his second.

Detroit got a chance to widen the gap in the final minutes of the second, gaining a man advantage. It only took them 16 seconds to get it done, moving the puck quickly and ending the play with David Perron cashing in for his first. In the final minute, the teams got into a scuffle after Perron tripped Malkin. Marcus Petterson tried to fight with the Detroit captain, but nothing serious occurred.

Another scuffle occurred 40 seconds later after Husso stopped the puck. Malkin and Mortiz Seider got into it but had referees ending the fight early. The second period came to a close, with Pittsburgh moving the remainder of their power play into the third but suffering a loss of control. Detroit outshot them 12-8 and had 13 blocked shots in total. With a three-goal lead, the Red Wings needed to prevent things going south.

After the closing of two short power plays between the teams, Pittsburgh made a push to set up a scoring chance. Erik Karlsson helped cut into the gap, firing a shot behind Husso for his first with the team. Petry drew a penalty after hooking Noel Acciari. Detroit’s PK did their job and had a penalty shot for Copp after being hooked by Kris Letang. Copp’s attempt was stopped by Jarry, followed by big saves for Husso.

Pittsburgh continued their onslaught of shots in the period, challenging Husso to the brink. They managed to outshoot Detroit, and at 13:03, Bryan Rust fired the puck through traffic to put the Penguins within one. The remaining minutes were tense as Jarry waited to be called off for Pittsburgh to gain a sixth attacker. Detroit battled to clear the puck and saw Copp get to it, scoring on the empty net.

The Penguins challenged the goal on a potential offsides call being missed, with Michael Rasmussen being the culprit. The call was not conclusive leaving the Copp goal good. Pittsburgh suffered a bench penalty with 1:32 left, pulling Jarry once more. It was a bad move for the Penguins, who couldn’t stop Detroit. DeBrincat scored an empty netter himself for his second of the night.

With zeros on the clock, the Red Wings remained outshot by their opponents but had the last laugh, with four of their players scoring goals and nine overall with points.  

Red Wings help James Reimer score shutout against Columbus

The Detroit Red Wings celebrate a second period goal during a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena on October 16, 2023 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Ben Jackson/NHLI via Getty Images)

The Red Wings tied another victory against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena Monday night. James Reimer celebrated a shutout with Detroit, who defeated their opponents 4-0. The penalty killing took its toll through 60 minutes, giving energy to the defense that made improvements in their second game this season.

Detroit’s home win Saturday was a good one, but defense was an issue early on. The offense got the team through the Lightning in the late stages to be in the positive before going into Columbus. Reimer earned a spot between the pipes after Ville Husso played the first two. As DeBrincat performed well on the first line, he and the 11 other forwards and six defensemen would go for broke against the Blue Jackets, who won at home against the Rangers.

In an effort to have another good start, Columbus came out attacking the Detroit defense. Their determination didn’t result in a goal, and instead watched the Red Wings fight to clear the puck out. After nine minutes of dealing with their opponent's push, they got a good play rolling with Joe Veleno skating up with the puck on the left side before he found Shayne Gostisbehere coming up dead center. The 30-year-old defenseman got the shot in behind Spencer Martin for his first of the season.

Columbus turned up the heat on a power play opportunity, only to see Reimer handle a good scoring chance. Detroit had four shots through the elapsed part of the game, while Columbus notched nine, making it another challenging time for Reimer. The Red Wings went on the power play with four minutes to go, but very little room was there for them to notch another to their bottom line.

Returning to even strength, Detroit found more time with the puck, but couldn’t get back in place to take shots at the Columbus net. They finished the period shooting five on net but made the lone goal count through 20 minutes. Detroit came into the second, notching their first shot on goal at Martin, hunting a chance to go up further. Detroit also saw a consistent improvement in their defense, stopping the Blue Jackets from leveling through seven minutes.

A good steal for J.T. Compher in the Columbus zone ended with Michael Rasmussen, who regained control of the puck and backhanded it into the net to make it a 2-0 score. Columbus suffered a setback when Boone Jenner went into the box for cross-checking Gostisbehere. No more than 20 seconds into the man advantage, Mortiz Seider connected with Red Wingd captain Dylan Larkin, who took the puck between the pads of Martin to make it 3-0.

Columbus was back in the box for a slashing call, and Detroit took advantage. Lucas Raymond fired the puck that went off the pad of Martin until Andrew Copp got the puck and scored to make it four straight. With 7:33 left, the Red Wings evened up with Columbus on 13 shots each, but the gap was huge.

Detroit gained full leverage of the game, spending the remainder of the period wreaking havoc against Columbus, who at one point took a timeout to regroup the squad. After 40 minutes of play, Detroit had a dozen scoring chances in the books and outshot the Blue Jackets 13-4 in the period, with one to go.

There was a lot of inactivity between the teams as Detroit had a comfortable lead, and the Blue Jackets were left restless and frustrated. Eight minutes into it, Klim Kostin and Erik Gudbranson decided to throw down near center ice and throw punches. The fight went for more than two minutes, with referees breaking things up. It was all the action seen by the teams until a power play for Columbus arrived. Detroit killed the penalty and soon caught a chance to go up more. Copp got hooked going for a shot and received a penalty shot. His attempt went right into the glove of Martin, having very little leverage in his attempt.

The Red Wings spent the remainder of the game holding off Columbus and continued to shoot. When the horn sounded, Reimer celebrated the shutout while his team shot 28 on the night. The 35-year-old became the third Red Wings goaltender in franchise history to record a shutout in his debut. “It feels good,” said Reimer during his interview with Trevor Thompson of Bally Sports Detroit.

“I thought the boys battled, and the PK was dialed tonight. Maybe it didn’t start the way we wanted it to, but the way we buckled the last 40 was pretty special, just to sit back there and watch your boys go to work.”

Red Wings win at home in 6-4 win over Tampa

DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 14: Daniel Sprong #88 of the Detroit Red Wings scores a goal on Jonas Johansson #31 of the Tampa Bay Lightning as Calvin de Haan #44 defends in the first period of the home opener at Little Caesars Arena on October 14, 2023 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty Images)

 

The Detroit Red Wings put on a show to defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning at Little Caesars Arena Saturday night. The new squad came through, with Alex DeBrincat scoring two on the night in a 6-4 victory. The Farmington Hills native, getting to play for the team he grew up watching, lifted them high on opening night.

Detroit did well to keep up with the Devils in their 4-3 defeat Thursday, with seven players getting points in the opening game of the season. The new faces of Detroit made their mark and went in against the Lightning at home. With a new group of players covering half of the roster and two getting to play for their hometown, the Red Wings were prepared to put on a good show in front of their fans. Tampa hadn’t played since their win over Nashville on home ice. Jumping right into a road trip was a good test for them to see if their defense could keep Detroit quiet.

The Red Wings were the first to score on a screenshot from DeBrincat that got behind Jonas Johansson five minutes in. Daniel Sprong got behind him, finding the puck to get it across the line for his second of the season. Just a short time later, Lucas Raymond delivered a big hit to Michael Eyssimont, sending him into the Red Wings bench. Christian Fischer smashed into Calvin de Haan behind the Tampa net just before play was stopped, sending the Detroit fans into a frenzy.

The Lightning tied it at the 12-minute mark, but it appeared that Steven Stamkos got the puck in with his glove. Video evidence determined so, negating the Lightning captain of a goal. Johansson faced a two-man rush from the Red Wings midway into the period but managed to lock down the net. His team turned around to level the score, with Victor Headman sending Stamkos a corner shot into the net for his first.

Tampa took the lead three minutes later on a well-executed pass from Hedman to Brandon Hagel, who went on Ville Husso solo for his second. DeBrincat leveled it back to two-all on his second of the night unassisted. A chance to jump ahead arrived for Detroit, with the game’s first penalty going to Tampa. Having two of three minutes to work with, the Red Wings had their chances but couldn’t get one from it. The period finished at full strength, with Detroit outshooting the Lightning 14-10.

As the second got underway, Detroit had control of the offensive zone. Raymond got himself onto the scoring chart, firing one through the legs of Conor Sheary and into the back of the net two minutes in. At the seven-minute mark, Detroit had six shots on goal, with a few of them close to doubling the margin. At the halfway point, the Red Wings were still taking their scoring chances at Johansson, but the Tampa netminder kept the net clear.

It gave time for Stamkos to get an opportunity with the puck, firing a shot through Husso to notch his second and level the score once more. With 4:37 left, Detroit regained the lead on  Mortiz Seider's shot that J.T. Compher got a reach for, notching his first as a Red Wing. Detroit made it to 31 shots at the end of 40 minutes, where they outshot Tampa 17-8.

Tampa played the remaining half of their power play into the third period, but struggled to find a clean scoring chance. Detroit showed patience through the first five minutes and saw their captain Dylan Larkin take charge of an offensive push. He got the pass cleanly to DeBrincat, who scored his third of the season and second of the night for a 5-3 lead. A scuffle occurred shortly after, handing Tampa their second man advantage of the night.

Hedman got his team within a goal with a shot through traffic for his first, ending the power play. With eight minutes to go, Detroit tried to find another goal to put things out of reach for their opponent. Two minutes remained, and Tampa took Johansson out for the sixth attacker, trying to force overtime. Detroit got lucky to clear out the puck and had one left before the horn could sound.

They killed 44 seconds before coach Jon Cooper called a timeout for Tampa. A faceoff occurred in the Red Wings zone, but they managed to clear it and score a goal before the horn went off. Credit went to Seider for his first going in with four-tenths of a second left in regulation.

“From the very start, the fans brought us into the fight, and it’s nice to have a good game and get a win, and hopefully keep doing this,” said DeBrincat with Bally Sports reporter Trevor Thompson. When asked about playing for his favorite team the 25-year-old spoke of dreams coming true. “It’s so much better being here,” he said. “Being able to experience this with my family and friends in the crowd is awesome.”

Victoria Azarenka takes second round at GDL Open

Victoria Azarenka remained focus during her second round match against Dayana Yastremska at the GDL Open. 

Victoria Azarenka had the offense to hold back the challenges at the GDL Open on Tuesday night. The former world number one won in straight sets against Dayana Yastremska, aiming the shots just where they needed to be in a 6-4, 7-6(5) result on Estadio Akron De Tenis at the Panamerican Tennis Center.

The two met twice, making their third hard court battle one for control of the series. Between the two, the 34-year-old had a stronger outcome, rushing through her opening round. The Ukrainian faced a bitter challenge in her straight sets win over Ana Sofia Sanchez that took two hours to complete. Both of their previous meetings were decided in two sets, but since Azarenka leveled the history, she had the best chance of coming out on top.

The Ukrainian had problems with the forehand service, racking up double faults early in the match. She gave Azarenka a fight but wasn’t in a position to break. Three double faults came off big for Yastremska in the third, tallying five total before giving the 34-year-old the break. The tenth seed opened the gap holding serve, only to see the Ukrainian staying in touch.

With the break in hand, Azarenka kept at most a two-game lead on Yastremska, who did stay on serve, but the tenth seed played strong to finish it and close out the first set in 55 minutes. Though the 34-year-old performed better late in the set, her five double faults made the battle with Yastremska difficult. The 23-year-old had six to her name, but her opponent won the lead on first-serve points with 13 of 16.

After taking some time off the court, the Ukrainian returned to open service in the set. She added a break to make a statement, but the tenth seed broke back to get on the board. She backed up the break on serve in the fourth, holding back the competition. They remained even through six games, getting back on serve to make every game tight.

Yastremska was playing better in the set, taking charge on both sides of the court. In the eighth game, she drew errors from Azarenka, earning the break to love and a shot at forcing a decider. Azarenka denied her the chance to serve to get it done, fighting to force the set deeper and produce chances. She stopped the Ukrainian from achieving set point twice in the tenth before holding it from her end.

Yastremska didn’t let the lost chances get in the way, setting up the pressure for Azarenka in the 12th. She forced errors by the 23-year-old to push a tiebreak into place and try to bring the match to a close. The forehand shot was working well for Azarenka, continuing to draw errors from the Ukrainian, but after four points, it was even. The score remained tight, but a big crosscourt winner for Azarenka set her up for match point at 6-5. Yastremska double-faulted for the tenth time on the day to give the tenth seed a way out of a tight finish that took two hours and nine minutes to finish.

Danielle Collins determines three set win against Jelena Ostapenko

Danielle Collins serves up during her third round match at the San Diego Open. 

Danielle Collins played through the pain to advance at the San Diego Open on Wednesday. Going the distance with Jelena Ostapenko, the American remained set on fighting off the pain to beat her opponent 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 on Court Two at the Barnes Tennis Center. It was a roller coaster match for the players, who saw the lead changes take place in the final two sets.

The Latvian appeared to be comfortable playing another roller-coaster match to a decider on Tuesday. The 26-year-old was forced to the distance against Ekaterina Alexandrova after letting go of marginal victories. It was the 17th match since May that Ostapenko has played, and one of two meetings against Collins went the distance. The Latvian won their second meeting in Abu Dhabi this season and would try to get a win as she did in the Miami 2018 semifinal.

Collins opened the scoring with a service hold, followed by one from Ostapenko where she aced it to close the second game. A double fault from the American handed the early break to the Latvian, who remained in control of the serve to back it up. Collins sat a game down, but after serving, failed to chase the break in the sixth. The Latvian stepped it up in the sixth and tried to go for a bigger gap against the American.

A third double fault came from the serve of Collins, giving the 26-year-old the double break. With the 5-2 lead, Ostapenko ran away with the set to complete a strong run of service games. It was a 26-minute success for Ostapenko, who won 90 percent from the first serve and 70 percent from the second.

She continued her hot streak and broke Collins for the third time in the match. She fell behind slightly in the second but dug in to hold off the American on serve. The third game saw the two get into a contest for the AD point, which Collins wanted to hang on to. After three breaks, the American clinched the service game and then ran into trouble physically. She called for the trainer after breaking Ostapenko to level the score.

The Latvian broke Collins to love in the fifth and went to her coach for strategy advice while the trainer checked out the American’s lower back issue. She left the court to receive medical treatment, leaving Ostapenko to hit balls around to stay warm. The match continued after ten minutes, with the 26-year-old serving for the sixth. She fell behind to hand the break to Collins and soon sat a game down after seven.

The match got turned on its head when the American achieved the double break of Ostapenko, who faced a looming decider. Just when it looked like Collins had the match tied, she committed a sixth double fault to get the Latvian to deuce. Despite back-to-back double faults, the 29-year-old made good on her third set point attempt to take the set in 45 minutes. It was the tenth time in 11 matches that Ostapenko had to play, blowing the second set with late errors.

Collins took a medical time-out during the changeover and came into the first, breaking Ostapenko for her fifth game-winner in a row. The 26-year-old wasn’t able to bring the same heat, blowing a break to love chance and fighting to get on the board. She gained confidence with a serve to love in the third, leading 2-1 as Collins struggled with the injury. During the changeover, she refused to sit down to remain standing and prevent a drop in her performance. Collins let her service fall apart on double faults, giving the 26-year-old a step up. She committed a double fault in the fifth and struggled with the serve to suffer a break to love.

Ostapenko questioned calls during the sixth game on two occasions, believing that she was close. Her returns were nowhere near the lines, allowing Collins to hold serve for the three-all score. Collins took the next two games, causing a cheer from the crowd and screams of frustration by the Latvian. Collins continued to stand through it all, playing for her shot at the match, only to be shut out in the ninth.

It was all on the 29-year-old to do it on serve and did so on beautiful winners. Ostapenko drew a return into the net, giving Collins match point. On the second serve, the 26-year-old returned the ball long, ending the match in 1 hour and 53 minutes.

Jelena Ostapenko edge Alexandrova in three sets at San Diego Open.

Jelena Ostapenko clenches her first during the first round of the San Diego Open. 

Jelena Ostapenko came through in a topsy-turvy competition at the San Diego Open on Tuesday. Ekaterina Alexandrova had momentum and was on the verge of taking the third set until the tide changed for the Latvian, winning 7-6(3), 6-7(6), 7-5 on Court Two at the Barnes Tennis Center.

The two met for an eighth time, with a few coming in their ITF days. Alexandrova won their most recent two matches, going the distance against the Latvian in each of them. Though she carries the series lead, Ostapenko had her share of three-setters at the US Open, losing in the quarterfinals to eventual champ Coco Gauff. For the second straight tournament, the 26-year-old suffered scheduling issues in tournaments, playing late Monday night in doubles.

In her singles opener, Ostapenko laid down two aces before shutting out Alexandrova. The eighth seed followed suit, holding serve, and things remained that way through four. After saving breakpoints on serve, the 28-year-old produced breakpoints against Ostapenko, who managed to force deuce. An ace assisted the eighth seed to attain the AD point and the lead. Alexandrova backed up the break with an easy service, only to see her opponent remain comfortable on serve.

The Latvian went for the break in the eighth, covering the gap, and took the lead back in the ninth. Alexandrova remained in touch with her opponent, forcing further action into the set. Ostapenko saved breakpoints on serve to take the important 6-5 stand, trying to avoid a tiebreak. The momentum stuck with Ostapenko, but Alexandrova continued to battle for a way to challenge. After five breaks and three set points saved, the 28-year-old forced the tiebreak. T

The Latvian began her runaway performance, opening a 5-1 gap to Alexandrova. The eighth seed took it like a grain of salt, gaining two before Ostapenko reached set point. A long crosscourt gave the Latvian the first set after 57 minutes. The 28-year-old had four double faults in total, during the lengthy set, which Ostapenko performed well. The Latvian had four aces and a strong first serve to put her in the running to hold off going forward.

She took the opening game with a break and backed it up on serve in the second. Ostapenko easily achieved the double break and enjoyed the game she delivered to Alexandrova. She backed up things in the fourth in a shutout of the eighth seed, gripping all the control. Alexandrova blew her chance for the triple break, giving two points to the eighth seed, who went on to save her service and avoid the bagel.

Gaining some momentum for herself, the eighth seed threatened Ostapenko’s squeaky-clean service in the set. She cut the lead in half for the break and got within a game after the seventh. Frustration got to the Latvian, who had two games left to attain, only to have the competition hunting for more. Ostapenko breathed a sigh of relief after holding the eighth game and going for the match.

The ninth game was tight, but the Latvian managed to bring up a match point. A bad forehand brought Alexandrova to deuce, who got her way out of danger, taking the service hold. Alexandrova was gifted a shot to push the match three sets after Ostapenko suffered problems with the service. The 28-year-old took the lead at 6-5, playing for her chance to go three with Ostapenko. The 26-year-old started clean but faced big hits on the return from Alexandrova. The Latvian saved her opponent’s first set point of the match to go on and take the game to set up another tiebreak.

Alexandrova came out 3-0 and got into a struggle for set point against Ostapenko. After a six-all tie, the eighth seed went on to take her fifth set point attempt and cap the second in just under an hour. The two players combined for seven double faults, but the Latvian’s 4-0 lead squandered was the highlight of disaster.

She began the third, holding serve against Alexandrova, and capped it off with a break of the eighth seed. Just when it looked as if she would build together another sizable lead, the 28-year-old answered. Despite fighting off breaks from the Latvian, Alexandrova played two breaks to deuce and broke back to get on the board. She went on to take the next three, setting off Ostapenko to scream out in anger.

Alexandrova continued her march, taking a 5-2 stand on the score and her opponent on the ropes. When it looked as if the eighth seed had the match locked up, Ostapenko went on to break her in the eighth. She dug in on serve and held the ninth, then scored the double break in a shutout. Serving Alexandrova to love gave Ostapenko the lead at 5-6, allowed her to carry the four-game streak and get a fifth to hold through for the match that took 2 hours and 47 minutes to finish.

Double faults were a major factor late for the two, but Alexandrova’s 11 in total gave the Latvian a clean run to victory. 269 points were divvied out, with the Latvian taking a small edge in what was a lopsided match from both sides of the court.

Belinda Bencic edges Zhu in three sets to enter US Open round of 16.

Belinda Bencic during a critical point of her third round match with Lin Zhu at the US Open. 

Belinda Bencic got into the round of 16 by the skin of her teeth at the US Open Friday night. The 15th seed played a roller-coaster match with Lin Zhu, winning 7-6(1), 2-6, 6-3 on Grandstand Court at the Billy Jean King National Tennis Center. Both players never held longer than a few games, making it a drama-filled fight from start to finish. 

The two met almost a decade ago in Tianjin when they were teenagers, with Bencic taking their only meeting in straight sets. The 15th seed took down her previous opponents in straight sets, dropping six games against both. It marked the seventh time in eight appearances that she made the round of 32. Zhu pulled off an upset of Azarenka in round two, denying three breakpoints to the former world number one. It marked her fourth top-20 win of the season, looking for another against the Swiss.

She returned well against Bencic’s opening serve, getting a breakpoint opportunity quickly. The Swiss star hit one towards Zhu but watched it land wide of the tramline. The 29-year-old almost had a clear path to a 2-0 lead, only to see Bencic strike back. The 15th seed forced deuce and crushed the AD point to level up. Serving was still a struggle for Bencic, who moved her opponent to deuce in the third. A lucky break came on a wide return from Zhu, enabling the first service hold.

Zhu followed suit for a two-all score but watched Bencic quickly held to regain the lead. During critical points, the 15th seed erred into the net, allowing Zhu to secure the service. She pressed the Swiss star for breakpoints, waiting for her moment to lock it down and take a 4-3 lead. Bencic refused to go down another game and broke back to remain in touch through eight.

The players held serve to the tenth, and the Swiss took the 11th. Three straight errors from Bencic in the final game handed Zhu a shot in the tiebreak but witnessed the first serve come together, gaining a sizable lead. The 15th seed reached set point at 6-1, smacking a crosscourt to draw an error out of Zhu, taking the first in 64 minutes.

The experience of playing under pressure got Bencic through a challenging set where she committed 28 errors. The 71 percent success from the first serve was her ability to be dominant under tense situations. When the second got underway, Zhu picked up her service game and pressed Bencic on serve in the second. It was the longest game of the match at that point, going six minutes and two breaks until the 15th seed had one under her belt.

The players held serve through five games, with Zhu gaining leverage on her hold of serve. She dug into the sixth, scoring the break and the first lead since the set began. The 29-year-old dictated points on serve in the seventh, drawing errors from Bencic. The Swiss star showed frustration as her returns didn’t get back across the court, allowing Zhu to easily back up her success.

A third set loomed over Bencic, who served to extend the set in the eighth, only to watch Zhu finish off the rallies on simple winners. She had set point in play, smashing it near the net to close out the second in 44 minutes. Bencic had 17 unforced errors and a bad second serve that opened the door for the Chinese star to put her destiny into action.

Zhu led the way through four holds of serve, but her opponent picked up momentum and control to secure her side of the court. In the fifth game, Zhu erred on service, bringing up breakpoints for the 15th seed. After a nine-shot rally, Bencic had the break on the long return, taking the lead.

Bencic backed up the break to widen the gap on Zhu and two games from the match. Finding enough rhythm and patience, the Swiss star watched her opponent throw together great ball striking. Bencic fought her to deuce, but the 29-year-old took the service hold by the smallest of margins. Gaining a break in the eighth was not in the cards of Zhu, who made crucial mistakes on points to give Bencic the hold of serve after three breaks.

Playing for the match, the 15th seed got ahead of Zhu earning two match points. She blew one straight into the net on a stretched forehand but held the last one after a long rally where Zhu hit the ball just behind the baseline. It was all said and done in 2 hours and 39 minutes in a match where the competition was so close, but mistakes changed how much the lead changed throughout.

“Tennis is usually a roller coaster,” Bencic said during her on-court interview. “Sometimes it's enjoyable, and sometimes it’s not, but I’m really happy with how I fought in the end.” Both tallied 206 and ran over two miles throughout their battle. With Bencic back in the second week, she’ll await the winner between Elena Rybakina and Sorana Cirstea on Sunday.

Two Americans exit at the hands of Ostapenko and Wozniacki three setters.

Jelena Ostapenko celebrates her improvements during the third round of the US Open. 

Jelena Ostapenko kept the errors to less than half to come through another three-setter against Bernarda Pera, winning 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 on Court 17 at the US Open Friday. Caroline Wozniacki shined once again, defeating Jennifer Brady quickly in the final set, advancing on a 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 score at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The former world number one continued her surprising run back at her home away from home, taking down Petra Kvitova in a clash of titans. With a big name out of the way, her facing Brady was a challenge of the powerful American’s forehand. Ostapenko tallied 120 errors in her first two rounds but somehow got through each of the three sets. With her miraculous way of reaching for victory, the 26-year-old didn’t want to do that again and instead earned her way into the second week.

Pera took advantage of Ostapenko’s slow start, taking the first set 6-4. Errors racked up in the double digits for the Latvian, who improved in the second set, winning 6-3. She had a three-game lead in the decider, but it slipped away. She managed to stay ahead of the American to clear her way to the round of 16 in 1 hour and 48 minutes.

Caroline Wozniacki waves to the crowd after dispatching Jennifer Brady from the US Open.

Wozniacki and Brady got into a competition of serves to love, with the American winning the day on two shutouts and a break to love. It was a fast-paced set that slowed down in the second, with neither player getting through a clean service.

The former world number one broke Brady three times, with two at the business end of the second to go for broke in the third. It was there she went on a five-game run before the 28-year-old found a way to dig into her service. Wozniacki made the final blow, smashing three shots for errors by Brady to finish her match in under two hours. 

Elina Svitolina rallies late to down Pavlyuchenkova

Elina Svitolina clenches her fist during a comeback that gave her a three set win over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova at the US Open. 

Elina Svitolina found the energy to keep fighting, coming through to make the third round of the US Open on Thursday. Anastasia Pavlyunchenkova played terrific through the first set, but felt the challenges of her opponent’s rally at Louis Armstrong Stadium, losing 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.

The two played for the sixth time, with the tennis vet holding the series lead even after Svitolina clinched her second win in Rome three years ago. On the hard courts, the 32-year-old had more wins against the Ukrainian, giving her a chance to do the same in New York. The 26th seed dominated her opening-round match against Anna Lena Friedsam but knew that her history with Pavlyunchenkova was within reach of changing for the better.

She went after the 32-year-old’s service, but let her grip on a break chance slip out of her hands. When it came time for her to match up, Svitolina ran to a 40-0 run fast and held Pavlyunchenkova to a point. The two continued to hold serve on each other, but at times saw double faults from the players.

Reaching the business end of the set, Svitolina leveled at five-all to keep her efforts alive and take the first. Pavlyunchenkova refused to give it to her, holding in the 11th and taking advantage of her errors from the Ukrainian to reach set point. The 32-year-old produced two more before it was enough to take the set 7-5 in one hour and two minutes. The final game was the only game to go down as a break for Svitolina, who only struggled with the serve in the set.

The two continued their slow pace, playing the first two games on serve through 10 minutes. They held serve through four, but the efforts for the 28-year-old to gain a break were challenging. After leveling the score, Svitolina finally got the edge on Pavlyunchenkova in a comeback to deuce and take the AD point. Despite her battle in the fifth, backing it up didn’t go as planned, with double faults rattling her offense. Pavlyunchenkova got the break to love to level at three-all, continuing a long march to the end.

A third consecutive break of serve went the way of Svitolina, who had the lead back for the second time. It set off a boost of energy that worked into her service game and hold, taking a 5-3 stance. Pavlyunchenkova answered on serve to sit a game down, keeping the match within reach. It was the Ukrainian getting the job done, firing two aces on serve in the tenth. Reaching set point, the 28-year-old had three chances and blew every one of them.

Despite all the free points lost, Pavlyunchenkova gave her another with a long return to send them the distance after 52 minutes. The first serve was nearly flawless for the 26th seed, but her second serve was most dismal. The 32-year-old produced plenty of breakpoints to maintain her status as a player to go for it all.

Pavlyunchenkova served to open the deciding set but faced a determined Svitolina, who turned the tables to break her. She fed off another energizing success and held firm to go into the third and score the double break. With her biggest lead of the match, the 26th seed didn’t get a clean service through in the fourth but denied Pavlyunchenkova any breakpoints on deuce. The 32-year-old achieved a victory in the set, but it was an uphill climb with the Ukrainian two games away.

Pavlyunchenkova played a good strategy, finishing the sixth with great positioning at the net to answer every shot and break. She denied a break back and sat a game from leveling the 26th seed, carrying a winning streak. At 30-all in the eighth, Svitolina set up two monster winners to hold serve and cap off her opponent, who served to stay alive. The 26th seed got ambitious on returns, watching too many fall wide of the court. Pavlyunchenkova took the win on a long ball, leaving her opponent to finish it herself.

Two loose points came back as errors by Pavlyunchenkova on the next two. She laid down an ace but couldn’t get the match point down. On deuce, she produced two match points, setting up the third, which did the trick on an ace, ending a 2 hour and 47 minute tussle.

“It was a tough match today,” Svitolina said during her post-match interview. “I didn’t play so well today, and it was up and down.” When asked about the change in her game, the Ukrainian explained the strategy of her coach's tactics. “I try to be a little more aggressive and I’m not young anymore, so I have to hit a bit stronger to run less, but I’m trusting my physical condition and really happy I’m back playing.”

She’ll await the winner between Jessica Pegula and Patricia Tig on Saturday. “I played Jess a couple of times,” she said. “Played in Washington, had an extremely good match there, so If she wins it is gonna be amazing. If it’s gonna be Tig, it’s gonna be another challenge in the third round so I’m gonna try to prepare and recover from today and I’m happy that I could win this match today.”

Lin Zhu upsets Azarenka at US Open

Victoria Azarenka struggled with the forehand during her second round defeat to Lin Zhu at the US Open

Lin Zhu wanted to make a statement for her loss at the Australian Open, doing so in fine fashion at the US Open on Wednesday. The 29-year-old stayed tight, while errors from Victoria Azarenka were too much in a 6-3, 6-3 score line on Grandstand court at the Billy Jean King National Tennis Center.

The two met in the round of 16 at this year’s Australian Open, with the Chinese youngster going three sets against the former world number one. Though Azarenka got out of that challenge, she prepared to expect the same amount of fight against Zhu in the second round. The world number 44 upset Mayar Sherif in straight sets Monday, equaling her personal best of 2019. Defeating the Egyptian marked her seventh top-50 win this season, hungry enough to make it eight against the three-time finalist.

She got into a long rally for the first point, but a return crosscourt fell wide of the tramlines for Zhu. She made a quick adjustment, painted the corners, and took the break off Azarenka to lead. Zhu consolidated the break making very few errors on serve and reminding her opponent what to expect. The 18th seed answered on serve in the third from 0-40 down to force deuce and avoid the double break.

Despite her loss of a shutout, Zhu had great control of her offense and made it a difficult outing for Azarenka. The competition got heavy in the seventh just after the 18th seed forced deuce on serve. The two went through nine deuces where she managed to deny two breakpoints but struggled to close it out. Zhu opened the gap to a pair of games after eight, then went for the break, where Azarenka handed her the set on a double fault.

It was a 51-minute feat for the Chinese star, who had a near-perfect set, while unforced errors rattled 14 times from the 34-year-old. The second set got underway quickly, with Zhu on the ball, running the rallies. The 18th seed failed to capitalize on early chances and produced more errors from the forehand. Azarenka somehow held in the second, but the effort was short-lived as Zhu rushed through her service and broke the 34-year-old in the fourth. Zhu scored another service hold against the former world number one, sitting comfortably at 4-1.

Azarenka produced a positive game, but it was still an uphill battle sitting a set down. Zhu fed off the errors of Azarenka and coasted to a service hold. The 18th seed tied another service hold together, turning the table on Zhu to falter on her service for the match. Azarenka delivered challenges to the Chinese star, who watched two unanswered points slip by. A long ball from Azarenka handed Zhu a match point, but double-faulted, forcing deuce.

Breakpoint chances were coming for Azarenka, who played a 20-shot rally to gain her second attempt. Each time Zhu denied Azarenka her first break of the day but couldn’t bring up an AD point for the match herself. On her second attempt, Zhu watched Azarenka smash the return into the net, ending her singles run in 1 hour and 31 minutes.

Belinda Bencic makes round three in straight sets win over Miyazaki

Belinda Bencic had her eyes on the ball during the second round match of the US Open. 

Belinda Bencic faced an impressive rookie on the tour but pushed herself into the third round of the US Open on Wednesday. Yuriko Miyazaki had history against the 15th seed when they were kids and challenged through two sets only to fall 6-3, 6-3 on Court Five at the Billy Jean King National Tennis Center.

The Swiss star had a comfortable finish to her opening round, giving up six games in her straight sets result. Being in gear set her up for another first-time meeting with the Brit, who did well in her US Open debut. She remains hot on a four-match streak, dropping one set so far. Still looking for a top 90 career win, Miyazaki would have a hard time expecting one against a resurgent Bencic.

The 15th seed opened service, closing her game fast with a point to Miyazaki. She applied the pressure against the Brit, forcing deuce and redirecting the ball for the AD point. She finished control of the point with a smash, gaining an early break. Bencic consolidated in the third, opening the gap wider on Miyazaki, who continued to wait for her first game win. Using her second serve, Miyazaki played through the points to beat the Swiss star in the fourth.

The 27-year-old scored her first point on Bencic’s first serve, but the 15th seed made it 4-1. Miyazaki notched another service in the sixth, slowing  Bencic, who struggled against the returns. The Swiss struggled to serve the seventh game, losing momentum while her opponent took another step closer. Serving for the set didn’t come any easy for the 15th seed, who recorded the first double fault of the match. She managed to rally back from 0-30, winning the next four to take the set in 44 minutes.

Miyazaki’s second serve was a push for her performance, but the first serve of Bencic held together to move her forward and a great handle on the pressure. She opened the second set breaking Miyazaki’s service and fought to contain service. The 15th seed backed up the break and achieved the double break for a 3-0 lead. Miyazaki answered back in the fourth, crushing Bencic’s second serve shots to produce a break of the 15th seed. The 27-year-old hadn’t held serve in the set, and in the fifth, she got on the board causing Bencic to throw her racket in frustration.

Despite losing the chance for a shutout, Bencic raged to hold serve in the sixth, returning a two-game buffer. She battled the serve of Miyazaki, but the forehand let her down on control of the lead. The Brit took care of it after a few deuces to hold and stay within reach of the Swiss. Bencic remained firm on serve, taking the important step to play for the match. The 15th seed jumped ahead on the scoreboard until an error got Miyazaki into it. She erred back, giving Bencic a match point, but watched a mishit from the Swiss negate that.

Two chances were left for the 26-year-old and a final error from Miyazaki into the net made Bencic the first player to make the round of 32 after 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Svitolina cruises to victory in straight sets over Friedsam

Elina Svitolina waves to the crowd after her first-round match against Anna-Lena Friedsam at the US Open. 

Elina Svitolina kept laser-focused to come through in spectacular fashion at the US Open on Tuesday. Anna Lena Friedsam was no match for the tactics the Ukrainian brought to court 17, winning 6-3, 6-1 in just under an hour at the Billy Jean King National Tennis Center. It was the fifth opening victory in a row for Svitolina, who played in her sixth tournament since becoming a mother. 

The two met for the first time, allowing the Ukrainian to have another solid opening to her strongest major of the year. Since her return from maternity five months ago, Svitolina gained the attention of the tennis world, making it to the semifinal of Wimbledon and quarterfinals at Roland Garros and Washington DC. She took time off to prepare for the Open so that she could vie for a second-week spot for the fifth year in a row. The German hasn’t been at her best, dealing with injuries over the last six years. Her 6-10 record in first-round slams, leaves her with a slim chance to upset the 26th seed.

She opened the service with a couple of drop shots that beat the 28-year-old. Svitolina struck back staying balanced to recover the deficit and force deuce. Friedsam captured the AD point to avoid producing a break opportunity on serve. Svitolina served the German to love, coming out hot with the forehand. Friedsam didn’t get clean through the third but held serve to make things clear to her opponent. The Ukrainian didn’t let Friedsam’s game bother her and put together a second straight love service.

In the fifth, the 26th seed pushed Friedsam to hit another ball, bringing up her first breakpoint chance. The German denied her the first, but the Ukrainian pressed on her second to gain the lead at 3-2. She comfortably backed up the break on serve to open the gap on Friedsam, ready to hunt down more. Despite struggling to get to the balls near the net, the German avoided the double break, putting herself back in reach after seven games.

Svitolina had yet to drop a service game, inching herself closer to the set, with Friedsam playing to stay in it. The German got into place for game point, but Svitolina ravaged back to force deuce. It didn’t take her long to have set point in place, smacking a winning lob while at the net to finish the first in 35 minutes. It was the 11th winner posted in the set, showing her dominant form against Friedsam, who had four but notched 12 total errors and a rough second serve.

Svitolina jumped off her seat and got back to work to begin the second set, allowing Friedsam to get another break point opportunity. The Ukrainian forced deuce and didn’t give another break point to clear the service. She attacked the German at the body, taking the second game, and flew to a 5-0 run, winning nine of the next ten points.

Friedsam was all but out, yet found a way to serve Svitolina to love in the sixth, avoiding the shutout. The 28-year-old didn’t mind missing the flawless victory, serving the German to love in the seventh. It was a 59-minute mission accomplished for the 26th seed, who fired off 26 winners and made only four unforced errors in the match.

Caroline Wozniacki defeats rookie in US Open return

Caroline Wozniacki waves to the crowd in her return to the US Open. 

Caroline Wozniacki did well in her return to the US Open Monday night. Returning to Louis Armstrong Stadium was no problem for the former world number one, who handled her first major back against Tatiana Prozorova to win 6-3, 6-2 at the Billy Jean King National Tennis Center.

It marked the first match in a major for the Dane since the Australian Open three years ago when she retired. She returned to Montreal and Cincinnati, not making it deep into those tournaments, but was more than prepared to be back in comfortable surroundings. Prozorova made her major debut and got into the top 200 two months ago. Facing one of the biggest names in tennis was a big moment for Prozorova but also a nerve-wracking one.

Wozniacki suffered a break when it was her time to serve in the second but had a break in hand to start. She got into gear, with a serve to love in the fourth, and another in the sixth. By the end of the set, Wozniacki had three breaks of serve on Prozorova, completing the first in 39 minutes.

The second stretched out further as the competition from Prozorova grew. She challenged the Dane in the opening game, forcing deuce, but gained no break chances. She stopped two in the second game before holding serve on the first deuce. The 33-year-old struggled in the third but kept it together to contain the service. She finally got a grip of the second and tallied a break against Prozorova. By the time the match closed in, the Dane had a double break in hand and was broken back.

Wozniacki delivered the final blow in the eighth, gaining a breakpoint for the match to end in 1 hour and 22 minutes.

Jelena Ostapenko goes three to win opening round at US Open

Jelena Ostapenko went to three sets but came out a winner at the US Open Monday night. The 20th seed had a rough second set, but turned it around in the final set with Jasmine Paolini to win 6-2, 4-6, 6-1 on Court 12 at the Billy Jean King National Tennis Center. The Latvian had six beautiful aces but numerous double faults and errors.

The Italian came into her fourth appearance in the year’s final major, holding a previous victory over her opponent’s head. Though it came nine years ago, Paolini needed the notion to help her with a 4-11 record in first-round majors against top 20 players. Ostapenko won two matches in her last three tournaments, leaving her vulnerable to an early exit. The Latvian did make the quarterfinal in the three previous majors this season, but her opponent put in a lot more time on the hard courts since the grass court season ended. In Cincinnati, Paolini played six matches before losing in the quarterfinal, giving her a lot of momentum to make a strong run in New York.

Ostapenko made her mark to begin the set despite being forced to deuce. The 20th seed produced two breakpoints before notching the break for a two-game lead on Paolini. Back on serve in the third, the Latvian fired winners and an ace for a 40-0 run before capping it with a crosscourt winner. The Italian responded with a serve to love in the fourth and later made it a two-game margin after her service in the sixth.

Ostapenko stopped Paolini from gaining another victory, holding the seventh and breaking her in the eighth to take the set. It was a 30-minute run for the 20th seed, who had the most winners but also errors with 16. The Italian’s second serve got her into the competition late, but consistency had to come in order to make a threat.

She started the second set, breaking Ostapenko, but suffered a break back to love by the 20th seed. The Italian brushed off the loss of serve, clinching the double break and backing it up on serve in the fourth. The double faults were rolling in for Ostapenko, notching six in the set after five games. She managed to overcome her struggles and force deuce to contain the service. Paolini kept the heat on the 20th seed, winning on serve to build up confidence in her offense that was leading the way.

Ostapenko was fighting to dig back into her service game, but the Italian was all over her in the seventh. The two went five breaks until the 20th seed got the AD point clinched on a service winner. A break for the Latvian arrived in the eighth when Paolini suffered a double fault. She then made two errors from the backhand that brought Ostapenko level. Double faults continued to rattle the 26-year-old, notching two more to hand a break back to Paolini.

The Italian put her offense to work on serve and sealed up the second set in 47 minutes. While her service points rolled along fine, the double faults from Ostapenko broke hers apart. The same went for her return game, leaving her to remain in pieces or find a way to take control back.

She got into comeback mode right off the bat, holding the Italian back while on serve. Paolini followed suit, but the third set was going the way Ostapenko wanted. She contained the third easily  hunting down a chance of a break. Forcing errors on Paolini, the 20th seed almost had a shutout but let one slip. She dominated in the following two games, handling deuce in the fifth and allowing a point to the Italian in the sixth. The Latvian served for the match with the double break in hand but got into a 30-all tie. She fired two winners, with the last one cross-courting the forced error to end her night in 1 hour and 48 minutes.

It was another match filled with good points and bad for the 26-year-old, who had 54 winners to Paolini’s nine, but the 41 errors and 11 double faults were a lot to have had the finish the 20th seed produced. She’ll need to tone it down facing the winner between Alize Corner or Elina Avanesyan in the second round.

Belinda Bencic puts the brakes on Kamilla Rakhimova at US Open

Belinda Bencic celebrated a point won during her first round match at the US Open. 

Belinda Bencic had a late slip of control occur late, but held it together for a straight-sets win at the US Open. Kamilla Rakhimova almost had a third set on the horizon against the 15th seed but couldn’t keep her momentum up, losing 6-2, 6-4 on Court 7 at the Billy Jean King National Tennis Center. It was a match full of errors that changed the tide of control in their opening-round match.

The Swiss entered her eighth time at the US Open, having a strong output in Montreal and Washington DC. Her two quarterfinals in those cities left her, with a chance to make the second week. Having not faced Rakhimova before left no worries for the 15th seed, who could handle a three-setter but would prefer to close out the first round early. Taking time off after her first-round loss in Cincinnati was not a bad move for the 26-year-old, who had the best success at the major in her career.

She started the match behind on the scoreboard but forced deuce on Rakhimova’s service. After a few breaks, the Swiss star gained the AD point twice and put a break in her pocket. Bencic backed up the break, with an easy service game, leading the 22-year-old. The Swiss star denied anything from Rakhimova in the third, breaking her to love for a commanding 3-0 lead.

Rakhimova broke back to love in the fourth, but the battle to contain service was a tough challenge. The 15th seed traded points in the fifth, reaching another breakpoint opportunity. She earned it on a double fault from the 22-year-old, regaining her three-game gap. Bencic held the sixth game, dealing with a challenge on deuce from Rakhimova. She earned a shot at playing for the set on her opponent’s service but fell behind 0-40. Bencic gained two points on errors from the 22-year-old, then forced deuce on a clean forehand crosscourt.

Rakhimova got a grip on the AD point and scored another win against Bencic on an ace down the T. Sitting three games up, the Swiss star served to close out the first but had to come back from 15-40 down to force deuce. After saving a breakpoint, Bencic clinched set point and sealed the match lead after 43 minutes. Both players had 13 errors each, but the offense from Bencic was the strongest on both the first and second serves.

Rakhimova knew she couldn’t let the second go the way of the first and served to love to make a statement. Bencic didn’t let that bother her but was forced to fight her way into control on serve in the second. She worked herself into the third to break and backed it up on serve in the fourth. She clinched the double break for a 4-1 lead, inching closer to victory. Rakhimova had a break to love shot in the sixth, but Bencic fought to save every breakpoint.

It was a short stint for the Swiss star, who clinched the AD point and was up 5-1. The 22-year-old served to stay in the match, allowing Bencic a single point en route to a service hold. She added a break to her momentum, sitting two games from threatening the 15th seed. Rakhimova put Bencic on the ropes, winning on serve in the ninth.

Knowing she couldn’t let a third set come to fruition, the Swiss star held her opponent back and made good of the second match point. A forehand error from Rakhimova gave Bencic a sign of relief, ending what could have been a drama-filled match in 1 hour and 40 minutes.

Azarenka cruises to straight sets win over Ferro at US Open

Victoria Azarenka celebates her first-round win over Fiona Ferro at the US Open. 

Victoria Azarenka took care of business in her classic style at the US Open on Monday. The former world number one handled her opening round against Fiona Ferro in a 6-1, 6-2 result at Louis Armstrong Stadium at the Billy Jean King National Tennis Center.

The 34-year-old made her 16th appearance in Flushing Meadows, hoping to brush off a rough performance in the second half of the hard court season. The former world number one failed to make the second round in tournaments, marking her 11th of 12 in Cincinnati last week. 

Despite being a three-time finalist, Azarenka looked to handle Ferro, who gained a wild card to enter the main draw. The Frenchwoman carried a 7-10 record in first-round majors but won over 40 matches this season in WTA and ITF events. In their first meeting, the 26-year-old looked to make another good impression like she did against Iga Swiatek one year ago.

Azarenka conducted a strong start to the match, taking her time to smash the ball and positioning well on the court for the break. Ferro broke back in the second, but the 18th seed regained charge of the scoreboard on a second break of serve. Picking up the pace, Azarenka held serve in the fourth while Ferro continued to play the ball, but made no major redirects to challenge the former world number one.

It was 4-1 for the 34-year-old, who found the game going to deuce on a couple of overplayed shots. She handled the situation and remained focused to lead 5-1 after overcoming the 0-40 deficit against Ferro. She went after the Frenchwoman on serve to blast the winners and get the set over and done with after 42 minutes. Azarenka notched 18 winners in total and dominated near the net with 8 of 11 points won.

She rolled into the second set, controlling the pace with Ferro, who couldn’t find a way to dig in. Before the Frenchwoman realized what happened, four games swept by, all going in Azarenka’s favor. The 26-year-old was down a double break, broke back in the fifth, and looked to consolidate in the sixth. She moved into the court and fired backhands down the line that allowed her to seal up the serve. 

Azarenka took care of her service game in the seventh, putting the pressure on Ferro to hold serve or give up the match.The 18th seed put together an impressive finish against Ferro, watching her opponent hit a return long of the corner baseline to cap the match in 1 hour and 16 minutes.

"I was so nervous before the match," said Azarenka during her on-court interview. "It's the last slam of the year, and New York is always one of my favorite places to play, opening the tournament here, I was very nervous and wanted to do well, and I was glad I was able to start strong and don't take my foot off the gas today."

Belinda Bencic strengthens late to beat Petra Kvitova in three sets

Belinda Bencic in action during her third round match at the Omnium Banque Nationale in Montreal. 

Belinda Bencic rode through a wave of obstacles but came out the winner at the Omnium Banque Nationale Friday. The 12th seed suffered an injury to her ankle, but Petra Kvitova had enough problems with her attack on the returns losing 6-7(3), 6-3, 6-1 on Court Rogers at IGA stadium. It was a match of rain delays and medical timeouts for each player, but the 12th seed remained stronger by the match's end.

Their seventh meeting came short of a decade from when they first met. Bencic and Kvitova met four times in 2019, from two near the start of the season to its conclusion. Each split the series of matches, waiting four years to meet again. Bencic’s debut in Montreal was a long time coming, but her effort was successful.

After her win over Bronzetti, her battle with Alycia Parks went longer than expected. Despite going three sets, she had a day of rest before facing the veteran Czech. Kvitova went the distance against Camila Giorgi, going to 1 AM to get the job done. With only one match under her belt, the fight for a spot in the quarterfinal against the Swiss star would be a heavy competition.

Bencic earned the honor to serve first and kept Kvitova back in the opening game. The seventh seed followed suit and took advantage of her opponent's sudden double faults in the third. The AD point came to Kvitova, where she captured the break over the 12th seed for a 2-1 lead. During the sit-down, Bencic showed signs of agony in her leg but tolerated it in the fourth. She got ahead on the score, but Kvitova was determined to even the score and force deuce. It took her a break to gain the AD point and consolidate for a two-game buffer.

Bencic stayed close, scoring an important service in the fifth and avoiding a double break. She recovered the ground lost to level and make it a point to take the lead away. They went to deuce in the seventh on the Swiss service, where the 26-year-old held to go up 4-3. Kvitova was ferocious on serve in the eighth, serving Bencic to love to even the score. They continued in a deadlock, with the Swiss star holding the bar high for Kvitova to clear. In the 12th, she did just that to force a tiebreak with the 12th seed.

Bencic etched the first point, but Kvitova took a grip of the reigns and tallied three straight points her way. The 26-year-old tallied two more, but the Czech marched on to reach set point and take the first 7-3 after one hour and nine minutes. Kvitova had a strong output from her offense, recording 17 winners and 81 percent of first-serve points won. Both had a number of unforced errors, but Bencic struggled from the second serve dependence.

The Swiss made a surprising statement, breaking Kvitova to open the second set, but consolidating proved tough. Bencic had a moment of frustration after double-faulting, slamming her racket to the ground. She battled through six breaks until the AD point was captured. Kvitova had a lot to be mad about, failing on eight of nine break points blown. On serve in the third, she clinched the service but struggled to develop breakpoint chances.

They spanned five games, with Bencic remaining ahead on the count of denying Kvitova breakpoint opportunities. At 5-3, the 12th seed handled Kvitova’s service, blowing through the game for the easy break that forced them to a decider. It was a 55-minute achievement for the 26-year-old, who got into focus and a shot at besting her opponent at the business end of the match.

Bencic kept the game-winners going, taking the service game in the first. As they played the second, the Swiss star twisted her right leg at the ankle, falling down in pain, but managed to rise on her own power. The trainer arrived to analyze the situation, taking a three-minute medical timeout. After getting her ankle taped up, they resumed the second which Bencic went on to win.

The 12th seed did well on serve in the third, blasting the shots at Kvitova, who struggled to be a true threat. After a three-game slide, Kvitova marked her first win of the deciding set before she took a medical timeout to deal with an issue. The rain fell on the court during that timeout, but they resumed play. Bencic had a 4-1 commanding lead, gaining ground in the sixth to vie for a break. The 26-year-old got it, causing Kvitova to throw her racket after another frustrating game lost.

Bencic served for the match in the seventh, giving no points to the Czech to earn the shutout and the victory after a dramatic 2-hour and 57-minute roller coaster. The day was not over for the Swiss star, as she needed to prepare for her quarterfinal match against Ludmila Samsonova in less than four hours.