Good morning. The NLCS is back in Los Angeles, and the Dodgers have to win four of the next five games. Game 3 is at 5 on FS1. There’s a full night after that: the Galaxy, LAFC and San Diego FC are all home at 7:30, and the Clippers host Denver. Tuesday night was rough on the ice in Southern California. The Kings outshot Edmonton 40-17 and lost 4-1 to stay winless, and the Ducks gave up a late goal to a Calgary team that hadn’t won yet. The Golden Knights won in Nashville. Let’s get into it.
🚨 HEADLINES
⚾ “Supporting the crap out of him.” Roberts says Ohtani starts Game 3 despite knee and upper-body issues and a 24-game homerless streak — Fredo Cervantes at Dodger Stadium.
🏒 Still winless. McDavid had four points and the Oilers beat the Kings 4-1 despite being outshot 40-17 — Brady Charette at Crypto.com Arena.
🏒 Dumped late. Calgary got its first win, 4-2, and Ryan Poehling is out 6-8 weeks — Zach Cavanagh at Honda Center.
🏒 Split. Eichel, Karlsson and Connelly scored as Vegas beat Nashville 5-2 — Derek Hegna at Bridgestone Arena.
🏀 28 for Reaves. Walker Kessler debuted, but the Lakers blew a 20-point lead to Golden State in Las Vegas — Carlos Yakimowich at T-Mobile Arena.
🏈 “Talk is cheap.” McVay on penalties, Grupe and the kicking job after the Bills loss — The Sporting Tribune.
See what else is trending at The Sporting Tribune.
📋 SCOREBOARD — TUESDAY
🏒 NHL: Golden Knights 5, Predators 2 · Flames 4, Ducks 2 · Oilers 4, Kings 1
🏀 NBA (preseason): Warriors 101, Lakers 89
⚾ BACK HOME, DOWN TWO
The Dodgers have scored five runs in two NLCS games. Their middle of the order went 0-for-20 in Game 2. They need to win four of the next five games, and three of them are at Dodger Stadium, starting tonight.
Dave Roberts isn’t changing the most important name in the lineup. Shohei Ohtani will start Game 3, Fredo Cervantes reports, even though he hasn’t homered since Aug. 19, a 24-game streak that ties the longest of his career, and has driven in one run in that time. Roberts said Ohtani is dealing with “everything. It’s the upper body. It’s the knee,” and that he doesn’t know the diagnosis on the knee.
“He was adamant he feels good enough to be in there,” Roberts said. “At this moment, we’re listening to Shohei and we’re supporting the crap out of him and that’s it.”
Ohtani didn’t make excuses. “I take full responsibility,” he said. “The symptoms shouldn’t be the reason I can’t hit.”
Game 3 is at 5 p.m. on FS1. Blake Snell is expected to start. Milwaukee has won all five of its postseason wins by one, two or three runs, and BetOnline has the Brewers at -270 to win the series.
“There’s still a lot of series left,” Max Muncy said after Game 2.
GO DEEPER
› Fredo Cervantes: Dave Roberts confirms Shohei Ohtani will start Game 3 against Brewers (The Sporting Tribune)
› Fredo Cervantes: Dave Roberts’ bullpen decisions backfire, Dodgers trail 0-2 in NLCS (The Sporting Tribune)
› Brewers replace Dodgers as World Series favorites after taking 2-0 NLCS lead (The Sporting Tribune)
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🏒 THREE RINKS, ONE WIN
The Kings outshot Edmonton 40-17 and still lost by three. Brady Charette writes that Leon Draisaitl and Vasily Podkolzin scored a minute apart in the first period, Connor McDavid added a breakaway goal and finished with four points, and Darcy Kuemper was pulled after allowing three goals on seven shots. Brandt Clarke scored his first of the season. The Kings went 0-for-4 on the power play, have lost five straight and are still looking for their first win. “It’s just not good enough right now,” Trevor Moore said. “Puck luck doesn’t matter at this point.” They host Boston on Saturday before a five-game East Coast trip.
In Anaheim, a winless team got its first win. Beckett Sennecke scored on a four-on-four breakaway and Leo Carlsson scored on the power play, but Martin Pospisil put Calgary ahead with just over four minutes left and the Flames won 4-2. Zach Cavanagh reports Ryan Poehling is out 6-8 weeks with an MCL sprain and Cutter Gauthier is day-to-day. Roger McQueen made his NHL debut, and Mikael Granlund’s assist extended his franchise-record season-opening point streak to six games. “I don’t find much positive right now,” Joel Quenneville said. The Ducks are 4-2-0.
In Nashville, Vegas finished strong. Derek Hegna has Tomas Hertl, Jack Eichel, William Karlsson, Trevor Connelly and Brett Howden scoring in a 5-2 win, with Adin Hill making 25 saves to go 3-0-0. Calgary comes to T-Mobile Arena on Thursday.
GO DEEPER
› Brady Charette: Kings remain winless, fall to Oilers on Frozen Frenzy (The Sporting Tribune)
› Zach Cavanagh: Ducks dumped late by winless Flames, 4-2 (The Sporting Tribune)
› Derek Hegna: Golden Knights find form late to defeat Predators, split road trip (The Sporting Tribune)
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🏟️ FIVE GAMES, ONE WEDNESDAY
NLCS Game 3: Brewers at Dodgers, 5 p.m. on FS1.
MLS, three times at 7:30, all on Apple TV. Portland at the Galaxy, a game Greg Vanney called “the most important game of the season” after Sunday’s 6-2 loss in St. Louis, with Portland right behind the Galaxy in the standings. Austin at LAFC. Houston at San Diego FC.
Nuggets at Clippers at 7:30 on NBA TV, a preseason game.
Thursday: Flames at Golden Knights. Friday: Bruins at Ducks, and the Lakers close the preseason against Denver.
📌 AROUND THE MARKETS
A 20-point lead, gone. Carlos Yakimowich has Walker Kessler debuting with 11 points and nine rebounds in 16 first-half minutes and Austin Reaves scoring 28, but Golden State outscored the Lakers 51-26 after halftime and won 101-89 at T-Mobile Arena. Luka Dončić rested. The Lakers shot 9-for-34 from three and committed 29 turnovers. JJ Redick called Kessler “a great fit for our team.” Steve Carp has more on Redick’s confidence that the chemistry will come.
“Talk is cheap.” Sean McVay said special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone keeps his job, Alaric Jackson was suspended two games and is expected to appeal, and Myles Garrett’s practice window won’t open this week. On Blake Grupe, the new kicker: “We need better production.” Arizona comes to SoFi on Sunday.
GO DEEPER
› Carlos Yakimowich: Lakers vs. Warriors: Kessler’s debut, Reaves’ big night and second-half struggles (The Sporting Tribune)
› Steve Carp: Redick confident Lakers will find chemistry, rhythm (The Sporting Tribune)
› Rams replace Harrison Mevis with Blake Grupe as McVay addresses special teams failures (The Sporting Tribune)
› Rob Jalon: Galaxy crushed 6-2 by St. Louis City (The Sporting Tribune)
📺 WATCHLIST — WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14
⚾ NLCS Game 3: Brewers at Dodgers — Dodger Stadium — 5:00 p.m. — FS1
⚽ MLS: Timbers at Galaxy — Dignity Health Sports Park — 7:30 p.m. — Apple TV
⚽ MLS: Austin FC at LAFC — BMO Stadium — 7:30 p.m. — Apple TV
⚽ MLS: Dynamo at San Diego FC — Snapdragon Stadium — 7:30 p.m. — Apple TV
🏀 NBA (preseason): Nuggets at Clippers — Intuit Dome — 7:30 p.m. — NBA TV
🎟️ GOING TO A GAME?
Get-in prices across Southern California, Las Vegas and Hawaii — brought to you by TickPick, the no-hidden-fee ticket marketplace.
⚾ NLCS Game 3, Brewers at Dodgers — Dodger Stadium — $90
⚽ Timbers at Galaxy — Dignity Health Sports Park — $45
⚽ Austin FC at LAFC — BMO Stadium — $45
🌴 TST TRIVIA
Shohei Ohtani hasn’t homered since Aug. 19. How many straight games is that, and how does it compare to his longest drought?
Answer at the bottom.
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Trivia answer: 24 games, which ties the longest homerless streak of his career.
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