Juan Soto swung his bat and felt it send a ball against the barrel, allowing himself a moment to take in a drive destined for the right-field seats. Looking toward the dugout, he flipped his bat and shouted, inviting his teammates to enjoy the ride. The “Soto Show’’ continues to attract spectators nighly in the Bronx, where Juan has been greatly advertised. His three-run homer showed a five-run seventh-inning outburst as the New York Yankees secured a 5-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night. Soto also delivered a leaping grab in the third inning, robbing Richie Palacios of an extra-base hit. No wonder he got a standing ovation and cries of “M-V-P!’’ as he mounted his defensive position in the eighth, with New York hoping to entice the pending free agent to stay long-term. Silent through the first six frames, the Yankees exploited two Tampa Bay mistakes in the seventh, with second baseman Curtis Mead and first baseman Yandy Diaz committing miscues. Oswaldo Cabrera’s run-scoring bouncer zapped past Diaz to tie the game, and Anthony Volpe snapped a 0-for-14 skid with a run-scoring single off Chris Devenski. This was before Soto crushed his fifth homer of the season, reaching the second deck in right field with a Statcast-calculated 409-foot blast. More NBA News: Woman who accused Trevor Bauer of sex assault now charged with defrauding the ex-MLB player.

Noah Dobson will return to play for the New York Islanders for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round against the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday. Dobson missed the final three matches of the regular season with an upper-body injury. See: NHL Predictions Today: New York Islanders VS Carolina Hurricanes Expert Picks. “He’s ready to go,” Islanders coach Patrick Roy said on Friday.  Dobson skated without support on Wednesday and joined the team for practice Friday before heading to Carolina. “When you leave a game and miss the three games to finish the year, you obviously had some concern with the playoffs coming,” Dobson said. “But I’ve just tried to focus on doing whatever I can to get myself ready. It’s been a day-by-day thing, just one day at a time, and I’m just happy to be feeling a little better here.” Noah had 70 points (10 goals, 60 assists) in 79 games this campaign and led New York in ice time per game (24:31).

The Edmonton Oilers will travel to face the Arizona Coyotes at the Mullet Arena. The Oilers have a record of 49-25-6, while the Coyotes have a record of 35-41-5. These two teams clashed twice this season with each side winning one matchup. Watch Coyotes VS Oilers. MatchPlug has the NHL Predictions today for the Coyotes VS Oilers. Use the Prediction today, picks, odds, and analysis we laid out in this preview. Betting Preview for Arizona Coyotes VS Edmonton Oilers Venue: Mullet Arena. Date: Thursday, April 18th, 2024. Time:  03:00. Teams to play: Coyotes and Oilers. NHL Picks: MONEYLINE 2.081. Odds as provided by 1XBet and BetMGM. Betting On Arizona Coyotes 1XBet Spread: 0 1XBet Total: Over 6.5 1XBet Moneyline: 3.045 BetMGM Spread: +1.5 BetMGM Total: Under 6.5 BetMGM Moneyline: 2.45 The Arizona Coyotes were +100 underdogs in their previous match and they lost 6-5 to the Calgary Flames. The Coyotes have been playing well on offense recently. They scored four or more goals in seven out of their last 10 matches. Arizona ranks 17th in goals per game and 27th in shots per game. Arizona’s defense and goaltending have struggled this season. The team ranks 25th in goals against per game and 24th in shots against per game. They are second last in the Central Division. The Coyotes will not make the playoffs. Betting On The Edmonton Oilers 1XBet Spread: 0 1XBet Total: Under 6.5 1XBet Moneyline: 2.081 BetMGM Spread: -1.5 BetMGM Total: Over 6.5 BetMGM Moneyline: 1.57 The Edmonton Oilers were -550 favourite in their last match and they beat the San Jose Sharks 9-2. Adam Henrique and Dylan Holloway each scored a goal and had two assists. The Oilers’ offense has been impressive this season. They scored four or more goals in six of the last 10 matches. Edmonton is fourth in goals per game and first in shots per game. Edmonton’s defense and goaltending have been great this season. The team is ninth in goals against per game and fifth in shots against per game. They are second in the Pacific Division. The Oilers’ goaltending has improved and their offense is one of the best in the league. MatchPlug Prediction On Arizona Coyotes VS Edmonton Oilers  In this match, the Edmonton Oilers will continue to reign over the Arizona Coyotes and the Oilers will win by two or more goals. Final Prediction: Edmonton Oilers Moneyline.