TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tampa Bay defenseman Mikhail Sergachev was a surprise addition to the lineup and had an assist in the Lightning's Game 4 win against the Florida Panthers on Saturday night after being out since early February with a broken left leg.
Sergachev had surgery one day after he got hurt during a game at the New York Rangers on Feb. 8.
“I felt like a hockey player again.” Sergachev said after the Lightning avoided elimination with 6-3 victory over Panthers. “A little bit tired, obviously. I haven’t played for a little while."
Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper had said before the playoff series started that the top-four defenseman would miss the matchup. But in his pregame media session Saturday, Cooper indicated that some roster decisions would be made after the pregame skate.
The home crowd gave Sergachev a roaring ovation when introduced in the pregame starting lineup.
"The roar just kept going on,” Cooper said. “It was a stirring moment.”
Lightning captain Steven Stamkos said the ovation gave him “chills."
“You guys don’t get to see what goes on behind the scenes and the amount of work that goes into coming back from an injury like that, and it’s impressive,” Stamkos said “The timeline is impressive. Everything he’s done is extremely impressive, And to go out there and play and jump into a series when we were down and on the ropes, it was a huge boost for our team..”
Tampa Bay trails 3-1 in the series; Game 5 is at Florida on Monday night.
Sergachev appeared in 34 regular-season games, picking up two goals and 17 assists. He played 17:03 on 27 shifts Saturday.
“I found out yesterday the doc cleared me and it was a coach’s decision," Sergachev said. "So, I stayed at the rink longer waiting for coach to say yes or no and he said yes. I got very excited and I honestly couldn’t really sleep last night. It felt like a first NHL game again.”
Defenseman Darren Raddysh, limited to 13:11 of playing time in Thursday's Game 3, was scratched.
Defenseman Haydn Fluery, who hasn't appeared in game since being in a scary center-ice collision in the third period of a game at Pittsburgh on Apr. 16 with referee Steve Kozari, is practicing, but remains out.
Kozari, taken off on a stretcher following the collision, is back working in the playoffs..
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Brandon Hagel (38) celebrates his goal against the Florida Panthers with defenseman Erik Cernak (81) and defenseman Mikhail Sergachev (98) during the second period in Game 4 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Florida Panthers center Sam Reinhart takes down Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev (98) during the third period in Game 4 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev (98) stops Florida Panthers center Kevin Stenlund (82) during the first period in Game 4 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
DENVER (AP) — Charlie Blackmon hit a go-ahead two-run double in the eighth inning to lift the Colorado Rockies to a 4-2 victory against the Texas Rangers on Friday night.
The Rockies earned consecutive victories for the first time this season. They had been the only team yet to win back-to-back games and the 37-game streak without consecutive victories was the longest drought in franchise history.
“They weren’t going to come in here and feel bad for us,” Rockies starter Austin Gomber said. “That’s kind of been the sentiment: Nobody feels bad for us. If we’re playing bad, these teams aren’t coming in here and they’re not going to feel bad for us.
"It’s nice to just kind of feel like we’ve got a little bit of momentum going.”
Blackmon had just 12 hits in his previous 69 at-bats — an average of .174 — when he came up against Yerry Rodríguez with runners on first and second and two outs and the game tied at 2. He hit a sharp line drive to center field that brought home Brenton Doyle and Jake Cave to break a 2-2 tie.
“I try to help keep my center, try to keep things in perspective,” Blackmon said. “(Zero) for 2 or 3 in the sixth inning feels terrible at the time, but that’s one of those things where I tell myself I can still help us win this game. It only takes one pitch.”
Elías Díaz had two hits and an RBI for the Rockies, his 13th multihit game of the season and his 20th RBI, both team highs. Doyle and Brendan Rodgers each added two hits for Colorado.
Jake Bird (1-1) earned the win in relief for the Rockies, while Grant Anderson (0-1) took the loss for the Rangers.
Jalen Beeks retired the side in order in the ninth for his second save of the season.
The loss temporarily halted a recent hot streak for the defending World Series champion Rangers, who had won five of their last six and eight of 11.
“We just have a tough time against lefties putting runs on the board,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said.
Corey Seager hit his fourth home run for Texas, a sharp 403-foot shot to right field that came off his bat at 108.2 mph. Seager, who drove in both of the Rangers’ runs, entered the game with hits in just 10 of his previous 66 at-bats.
Gomber was sharp, giving up one earned run and striking out five in 6⅔ innings. His 14-inning scoreless streak, which was snapped by Seager’s home run, was the longest by a Colorado pitcher since 2021.
Texas starter Jon Gray, who pitched for the Rockies for six seasons and was drafted by the franchise with the No. 3 overall pick in 2013, gave up eight hits in six innings, but held Colorado to just one run while recording six strikeouts.
“It’s a good confidence builder,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “I think any time you win, especially with how we’ve started this season, it’s a huge lift. The guys hopefully can gain some confidence with a win like this against the world champions.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rangers: Anderson was recalled from Triple-A Round Rock before the game. ... LHP Kolton Ingram was acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals on a waiver claim.
UP NEXT
Colorado RHP Ryan Feltner (1-3, 5.54 ERA) will face Texas LHP Andrew Heaney (0-4, 4.50) Saturday in Denver in the second game of a three-game series.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Austin Gomber works against the Texas Rangers during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, May 10, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies' Ezequiel Tovar, left, scores on single by Elias Díaz as Texas Rangers catcher Jonah Heim, right, fields the throw in the fifth inning of a baseball game Friday, May 10, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Austin Gomber reacts after giving up a solo home run to Texas Rangers' Corey Seager in the sixth inning of a baseball game Friday, May 10, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies' Brendan Rodgers singles off Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jon Gray in the fourth inning of a baseball game Friday, May 10, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jon Gray follows through with a pitch in the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Friday, May 10, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Texas Rangers' Corey Seager, right, is congratulated by third base coach Tony Beasley, left, after hitting a solo home run off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Austin Gomber in the sixth inning of a baseball game Friday, May 10, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies second baseman Brendan Rodgers, left, tags out Texas Rangers' Jonah Heim, right, at second base as Heim was trying to stretch a singgle into a double in the sixth inning of a baseball game Friday, May 10, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies' Charlie Blackmon heads up the first base line after connecting for a double to drive in two runs off Texas Rangers relief pitcher Yerry Rodríguez in the eighth inning of a baseball game Friday, May 10, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies' Charlie Blackmon, top, scores on a fielding error by Texas Rangers center fielder Leody Taveras as catcher Jonah Heim, bottom, fields the throw in the seventh inning of a baseball game Friday, May 10, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies' Charlie Blackmon follows the flight of his double to drive in two runs off Texas Rangers relief Yerry Rodríguez in the eighth inning of a baseball game Friday, May 10, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
