Toronto Maple Leaf’s Ryan Reaves wants a rematch with Arber Xhekaj. “Yeah. I don’t like getting jumped,” the Toronto Maple Leafs winger said Friday. “I don’t know if I’ve ever really jumped anybody. If you want to fight, just ask me. I’m always around. You know where to find me.” In Wednesday’s 6-5 wild opening-night victory over the Montreal Canadiens, Reaves slammed Kaiden Guhle into the boards on a hard forecheck. Xhekaj took offense and pounced on Reaves, grabbing him behind the goal line and starting a brawl that ended when the Habs defenceman pushed Reaves into the Montreal net, knocking everything over. “The guy obviously threw a couple big hits, and I wanted to stick up for my teammates there. Definitely proud of how I carried myself,” Xhekaj told Montreal reporters on Thursday. “If it needs to be done, I’ll be there.” Xhekaj got an extra two minutes for starting a fight, plus a 10-minute misconduct and 67.6 per cent of HockeyFights.com’s users ruled in favour of the Canadien. Reaves (six-foot-two, 226 pounds) was clear on wanting to square off one-on-one with Xhekaj (six-foot-four, 240 pounds).  “I don’t know if he (pushed me into the net) on purpose to end it or what. I don’t know. Once I kinda stood up and he ended up grabbing me, he just kind of tried pushing me for the rest of the way,” Reaves said. “So, I felt like it was on purpose. But we got (the Canadiens) two more times. I’m sure something might happen. I don’t want to go out like that.” Xhekaj dropped the gloves nine times last winter in his rookie season and will not back down from a challenge. The undrafted NHL sophomore said he and Reaves did not exchange words after their fight, which was more of a  “more of a wrestling match.” It marked the Montreal player’s first fight since he injured his shoulder, and he was pleased with how his throwing arm responded. While Reaves did not best his challenger, the veteran still waved his arm in celebration after the tussle. He is a showman with a mission to bring some “swagger” (coach Sheldon Keefe’s word) into Maple Leafs culture. “I’ve always done that. I like to bring energy, whether it’s in the locker room, on the bench, into the crowd. That’s kind of my job here. So, a little bit of a sleepy start. Try and get some in the body, get the crowd into a little bit — that’s what I was brought here to do,” Reaves explained. “I don’t know if it makes a difference or not. But if it gets the crowd up a little bit, sure.” Related NHL News: Maple Leafs trade Lafferty to Canucks for 5th-round pick in 2024 NHL Draft.

Major League Baseball has released a statement taking responsibility for the decision that revoked Jim “Mattress Mack’’ McIngvale’s chance to throw the ceremonial first pitch at this past weekend’s ALDS matchup between the Houston Astros and the Minnesota Twins. Jim McIngvale was initally picked to throw the pitch, but there was a last minute change. McIngvale released a post on X stating that his opportunity was cancelled due to interference from Mattress Firm, a national sponsor of MLB. Mattress Firm released a statement over the weekend stating that they do not decide who throws out the first pitch.  “While we love being the Official Sleep Partner of Major League Baseball, we don’t determine who throws out the first pitch. We’re here to help Astros fans crush their sleep, not their dreams. Go ‘Stros!” On Tuesday, Major League Baseball gave a statement saying that promotional opportunities, like sponsor first pitches, during the postseason are reserved for national partners. They said MLB asked for the change to the first pitch of Jim McIngvale at the Astros game and that Mattress Firm was not part of that decision. Related News: Randy Arozarena’s mom throws first pitch at first MLB game.

The Toronto Maple Leafs traded Sam Lafferty to the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday for a fifth-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. Lafferty who became an unrestricted free agent after this season, had 27 points (12 goals, 15 assists) in 70 games for the Maple Leafs and Chicago Blackhawks last season, and three points (one goal, two assists) in nine Stanley Cup Playoff games. online pharmacy buy amoxicillin no prescription with best prices today in the USA Toronto bought him in a trade with the Blackhawks on February 27th. “I talked to a couple of his former coaches, (they) gave him some good reviews,” Canucks coach Rick Tocchet said. “Kind of a heavier, kind of grittier guy, really good skater, can score some goals. It’s a chance to acquire a little bit of a stickier guy. That’s why I think we did it. “He’s a penalty killer, too. I think him and Teddy (Blueger) PK’d together in Pittsburgh. When a guy’s kind of a bigger guy and grittier and can skate, you got to take a look at guys like that. online pharmacy order addyi with best prices today in the USA What did he have, 13-14 goals last year? He can score some goals, which helps us, too. online pharmacy buy vidalista no prescription with best prices today in the USA ” Chosen by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the fourth round (No. 113) of the 2014 NHL Draft, Lafferty has 59 points (23 goals, 36 assists) in 210 regular-season games for the Maple Leafs, Blackhawks and Penguins. online pharmacy order prednisone with best prices today in the USA “As we work towards becoming a tougher team to play against, Sam will add some grit and sandpaper to our lineup,” Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin said. online pharmacy order cialis soft tabs with best prices today in the USA “We also like the way he skates and can back players off with his speed. He is a good addition to our forward group and has shown he can also use his speed effectively in a penalty-killing role.” Vancouver will open their season against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Arena on Wednesday (10 p.m. ET; SN1, SNE, SNO, SNP).

Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy has rotated a number of players through the three-hole in recent weeks, to no avail. The Rangers’ three-hole hitter had a . online pharmacy buy flomax no prescription with best prices today in the USA 143 average through three postseason matches entering Game 2 of the American League Division Series on Sunday. Enter Mitch Garver. Garver, made his postseason debut as a designated hitter for Texas, delivering a 419-foot grand slam deep over the left-field wall in the third inning, giving the Rangers an early 9-2 lead in a final 11-8 win over the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards to go up 2-0 in the series. It was just the second postseason grand slam in Texas Rangers history, including Nelson Cruz’s walk-off in the 11th inning in Game 2 of the 2011 ALCS against Detroit. online pharmacy professional cialis for sale with best prices today in the USA “I got a good pitch to hit, honestly,” Garver told FS1’s Ken Rosenthal in an in-game interview. “I was a little hesitant on the first pitch. I was kind of looking for the slider. Wasn’t quite where I wanted it. Worked myself into a count where I could get a fastball. online pharmacy buy arimidex no prescription with best prices today in the USA I had a feeling he wasn’t going to go offspeed in a 3-1 count with the bases loaded, so I took my shot.” Garver’s five RBIs tied to Rangers’ postseason single-game record, done twice previously: Cruz in the 2011 ALCS and Michael Young in Game 6 of the same series. Eleven runs is the second-highest Texas has scored in a postseason game in franchise history, with the highest being 15 in Game 6 of the 2011 ALCS against Detroit. Baltimore took an early 2-0 over the Rangers, tagging starter Jordan Montogomery with three hits and a walk in the first inning. online pharmacy semaglutide for sale with best prices today in the USA But Texas punched back with a five-spot in the top of the second inning before Garver broke it open with his grand slam in the third. “I would just say controlling the strike zone,” Garver told Rosenthal on the broadcast. “We really didn’t really chase out of the zone too much, minus that first inning. We’re working walks, getting guys on base, using the whole field and just playing good offense.” Related MLB News: Randy Arozarena’s mom throws first pitch at first MLB game.