PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Sophia Smith had options but in the end felt like she “wasn't done” in Portland.
The Thorns announced Wednesday that they signed Smith to a contract extension through 2025, with a player option for 2026. Portland says the deal gives the 23-year-old forward the highest annual salary in the National Women's Soccer League but would not disclose terms.
"I’ve felt so welcomed and so loved and so believed in, and I just felt like I wasn’t done here. And there’s still things that I want to do with this team and this club and trophies I want to win," she said. "And just with new ownership coming in, I have already felt that this club is just going in the right direction.”
The Thorns were sold in January to the Bhathal family, which is also part of the ownership group of the NBA's Sacramento Kings.
FILE - Portland Thorns FC forward Sophia Smith (9) controls the ball during an NWSL soccer match against NJ/NY Gotham FC, Sunday, March 24, 2024, in Portland, Ore. Sophia Smith had options but in the end felt like she “wasn't done” in Portland. The Thorns announced Wednesday, March 27, that they have signed Smith to a contract extension through 2025, with a player option for 2026. (AP Photo/Amanda Loman, FIle)
Smith is embarking on her fifth season with the Thorns. She was the NWSL's most valuable player and the U.S. Soccer player of the year in 2022. She was also the NWSL championship game MVP that year. She was set to become a free agent after this season and had some interest from European clubs.
“It’s a new era for us and the Bhathal family have been very clear of the vision that they have for this club. And we’re all aligned in that vision. And one of the key ingredients was to make sure that Sophia Smith was here,” general manager Karina LeBlanc said. “For her, this is a place she always wanted to be. For her to sign this contract, I think we’re eight months ahead of when she actually could have made it play out. She’s like, ‘I just wanted to get the season going and I just wanted this to be done.’”
Smith was the top pick in the NWSL draft in 2020 after helping Stanford to a victory over North Carolina in the 2019 NCAA College Cup championship. She scored three goals in the Cardinal's semifinal victory over UCLA and was named the College Cup's most valuable player.
She has scored 40 goals across all competitions with the Thorns, and her 11 goals last season — in 17 matches — earned her the league's Golden Boot award.
A regular on the U.S. national team, Smith played in last summer's Women's World Cup. She has scored 16 goals in 44 appearances since her U.S. debut in 2020.
Speaking to a small group of reporters on the eve of the team's announcement, Smith said she wants to take a greater leadership role on the Thorns.
“I don’t believe anyone is perfect or any player has hit their full potential ever. So I think for me, I want to grow into more of a leadership role on this team. I want to be a player that kind of brings everyone around me into games,” she said. “I think that’s a big thing for me, is being less individual and bringing my teammates into games, whatever that looks like, and just kind of making this team something really special and contributing to that in any way that I can.”
Smith credited the new ownership with making her more comfortable. The team had been put up for sale in late 2022 after a misconduct scandal involving a former Thorns coach shook the league.
"I have just been waiting for some stability and some reassurance that this club is headed in the right direction and the Bhathal family coming in is doing exactly that, if not more,” she said. “Their vision for this club is so exciting. You can just tell how passionate they are about making this what it should be, and continuing to push the standard in women’s soccer globally, and making the Portland Thorns a center of that and in any way that they can.”
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
NEW YORK (AP) — Mika Zibanejad helped the New York Rangers get off to a strong start in their first game in a week, and they held on to get a big win in their second-round series opener against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Zibanejad had two goals and an assist, Artemi Panarin also scored and the Rangers beat the Hurricanes 4-3 on Sunday in Game 1.
Vincent Trocheck had a goal and an assist, and Chris Kreider had two assists as the Rangers, playing for the first time since completing their first-round sweep of Washington one week earlier, won their seventh straight including the regular season.
“We really wanted to have a good start, especially at home, Game 1,” Zibanejad said. “Been off for a few days and been able to rest, and I thought that was most noticeable. Guys were excited to play and when we're able to score on our chances early on and get a little bit momentum, that was good.”
Igor Shesterkin stopped 22 shots to become the third goalie in franchise history to open a postseason with five straight wins, joining Dave Kerr (1937) and Mike Richter (1994).
“A week out from the last time you played, I thought the start was really good and we followed that through right through the game," Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said.
Jaccob Slavin, Martin Necas and Seth Jarvis each had a goal for Carolina, which last played Tuesday night when it finished its first-round win against the New York Islanders. Frederik Andersen finished with 19 saves.
Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is Tuesday night.
The Hurricanes had the second-best power play in the NHL during the season and the top penalty-killing unit. However, they went 0 for 5 with five shots on goals during the advantages against a Rangers team that was third on the PK. New York was 2 for 2 on its power plays that totaled 23 seconds.
“I thought we played a pretty good game,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. ”On a couple of (penalty) kills we didn't quite execute right and they did. ... We were just a step off and that's the difference. It's tough because we played pretty hard. Overall, as the game went on we got a little better."
Necas got in alone on Shesterkin early in the third period and quickly put it through the goalie's legs to pull the Hurricanes to 3-2 at 2:48.
Panarin beat Andersen from the left circle at 8:21 to restore the Rangers' two-goal lead. It was his third of the playoffs after finishing with a career-high 49 in the regular season.
Carolina pulled Andersen for an extra skater with 3 minutes to go, and Jarvis scored from the left side with 1:45 remaining.
Shesterkin made a glove save on Andrei Svechnikov with just under a minute remaining to preserve the Rangers' lead.
Jacob Trouba was sent off for cross-checking 2 1/2 minutes into the second period. The Hurricanes got one shot on goal during the advantage. After the penalty expired, the Hurricanes' Jordan Staal had a breakaway but his attempt was gloved aside by Shesterkin.
The Hurricanes got another power play with 4:46 left in the period, but did not get a shot on goal during the advantage. '
Zibanejad got the Rangers on the scoreboard on the game's first shot on goal 2:46 into the game. Jack Roslovic skated around the back of the net and sent a pass in front and Zibanejad put it past Andersen.'
Slavin tied it 1:02 later on the Hurricanes' first shot as he fired a shot from the left point that bounced and went over Shesterkin's right shoulder.
Carolina defenseman Brady Skjei sent a shot off the right post 20 seconds later.
The Hurricanes got the first power play of the day when Kreider was sent off for boarding at 6:14. A little more than a minute later, Necas skated in on Shesterkin from the right side and hit the left post.
New York went on the power play midway through the period when former Ranger Tony DeAngelo was sent off for roughing. New York needed just 9 seconds to take advantage as Kreider got the puck on the right doorstep and sent a no-look pass to the left to Zibanejad, who fired it in.
The Rangers got their second power play with 3:46 remaining, and needed just 14 seconds to score as Trocheck backhanded the rebound of Zibanejad's shot in front past Andersen to make it 3-1.
“First game, new round and the crowd was into it," Hurricanes forward Sebastian Aho said. "We need a better start.”
It was Trocheck's fourth of the playoffs and gave him a goal in four straight games and a point in five straight.
“He’s somebody that we just count on for both sides of the puck, offensively and defensively,” Laviolette said. “Tonight was more just a reflection of the regular season.”
Zibanejad has an 11-game point streak, including the regular season, with five goals and 13 assists in the stretch. Roslovic extended his point streak to six games.
AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://www.ap)news.com/hub/NHL
Carolina Hurricanes center Martin Necas, defenseman Brady Skjei and New York Rangers left wing Will Cuylle fight for the puck during the first period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series, Sunday, May 5, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)
New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck (16) and Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal fight for the puck during the first period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series, Sunday, May 5, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)
Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen makes a save against the New York Rangers during the first period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series, Sunday, May 5, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)
New York Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren, left wing Jimmy Vesey and others celebrate following center Mika Zibanejad's goal against the Carolina Hurricanes during the first period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series, Sunday, May 5, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)
Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen (31) looks on as New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad and left wing Chris Kreider celebrate following Zibanejad's goal during the first period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series, Sunday, May 5, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)
New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin watches the puck during the second period against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series, Sunday, May 5, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)
New York Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren (55) skates with the puck during the second period against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series, Sunday, May 5, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)
New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad, right, celebrates after his goal as Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin (74) looks on during the first period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series, Sunday, May 5, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)
New York Rangers defenseman Erik Gustafsson (56), left wing Jimmy Vesey and others celebrate center Vincent Trocheck's goal against the Carolina Hurricanes during the first period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series, Sunday, May 5, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)
