TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Pontus Holmberg and Ilya Mikheyev each had a goal and assist, Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 13 shots to move into a tie for 20th place on the NHL career wins list, and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Philadelphia Flyers 4-1 on Monday night.
Vasilevskiy's 372nd victory moved him into a tie with Andy Moog. Vasilevskiy needs two more wins to tie John Vanbiesbrouck for 19th place.
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Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Simon Benoit (44) and Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Jeffrey Viel (25) fight during the third period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale (9) handles the puck against Tampa Bay Lightning center Anthony Cirelli (71) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Ilya Mikheyev (95) is tripped as he collides with Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar, front left, during the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Pontus Holmberg celebrates after his goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers, Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy makes a save during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers ,Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Brayden Point and Brandon Hagel also scored for the Lightning, who have won two games since an opening-night loss to the New York Rangers.
Tyson Foerster scored for Philadelphia and Dan Vladar finished with 32 saves.
The Flyers are winless (0-2-2) through four games to start the season for the first time since 2013-14. Philadelphia has been held to two or fewer goals in all four games.
Point scored his first goal of the season with a deflection off a wrist shot from John Carlson at 16:05 of the first period. Holmberg scored 17 seconds into the second period off the rush for a 2-0 lead.
Foerster wheeled a shot from the top of the left circle that hit Tampa Bay defenseman Charle-Edouard D'Astous in front of the net to bring Philadelphia with one at 7:22.
Mikheyev made it 3-1 with a wraparound with three minutes to play. Hagel added an empty-netter.
Nikita Kucherov picked up two assists and now has 1,128 career points to move past Mike Bossy and Joe Nieuwendyk for 67th place.
Denver Barkey made his season debut for the Flyers after missing the first three games with an undisclosed lower-body injury.
Flyers: At Ottawa Senators on Thursday night.
Lightning: Host Minnesota Wild on Thursday night.
See AP’s full NHL coverage here
Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Simon Benoit (44) and Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Jeffrey Viel (25) fight during the third period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale (9) handles the puck against Tampa Bay Lightning center Anthony Cirelli (71) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Ilya Mikheyev (95) is tripped as he collides with Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar, front left, during the second period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Pontus Holmberg celebrates after his goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers, Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy makes a save during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers ,Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
CLEVELAND (AP) — The White Sox are returning to Chicago one win from advancing to the American League Championship Series for the first time in 21 years.
Braden Montgomery lined a two-run double down the right-field line in the sixth inning for the go-ahead runs and Sean Burke allowed one hit in 5 1/3 innings of impressive relief as the White Sox rallied past the Cleveland Guardians 4-3 on Monday to take a 2-0 lead in their AL Division Series.
Game 3 is Wednesday afternoon at Guaranteed Rate Field, where the White Sox have two chances to do something they haven't done since 1906 — clinch a postseason series at home.
“They've been waiting 120 years, so maybe we can do it this year,” said Grant Taylor, who worked 1 1/3 innings and allowed one hit as he got his second straight save. "I think it’s going to be unbelievable. Those fans deserve it. They’ve been with us for three years of 100 losses and they’ve been with us a good bit this year giving us a lot of support as we’ve gone through this. So being able to give them a postseason game is going to be pretty special."
The surprising White Sox improved to 4-0 in these playoffs — all on the road — and are one win from reaching the ALCS for the first time since winning the World Series in 2005. Chicago became the first team to reach the postseason after three straight 100-loss seasons, including a post-1900 record 121 defeats in 2024.
“Our club has been confident the entire year, regardless of the previous result,” manager Will Venable said. “They come in ready to play and turn the page. Now, we’re really excited to get playoff baseball to our fans.”
Munetaka Murakami hit an RBI single in the fourth to get Chicago within 2-1. Chase Meidroth added an RBI single to extend the lead to 4-2.
Jo Adell hit an RBI triple in the eighth and Chase DeLauter had two hits for the Guardians.
Gavin Williams struck out 11, tied for second-most by a Cleveland pitcher in a postseason game. But the offense failed to produce for the second straight game.
“We have had two-game stretches like this all year and we come right back. I've got a lot of faith in this offense. I have a lot of faith in this team,” Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said. “We've got our work cut out for us. Like I said, this team plays its best with its back against the wall.”
The White Sox went ahead with a three-run sixth.
Miguel Vargas led off with a base hit to chase Williams and advanced to second on a groundout. Randal Grichuk drew a walk before a wild pitch by losing pitcher Erik Sabrowski with Tommy Pham at the plate advanced the runners to second and third. Pham flied out to shallow left before Montgomery jumped on a first-pitch fastball to drive in the go-ahead runs.
Montgomery celebrated at second base before scoring on Meidroth’s single to right.
“I was just ready for something to attack, and I was ready for his hardest stuff. I gave myself my best chance to succeed," Montgomery said. “I can’t even describe how it felt. It’s exhilarating. I was just taking it all in.”
Burke came on with one out in the third. After Travis Bazzana walked with one out in the fourth, the right-hander retired 13 straight batters until DeLauter got a base hit to end Burke's night.
Burke struck out six and threw 83 pitches, including 53 strikes, to earn the win.
“I was able to settle in and find my groove,” Burke said. “I’ve had openers before, but not in this situation, so I talked with a lot of guys. It’s just normal baseball when you get into that game.”
Taylor entered and allowed an RBI triple to Adell before Nathaniel Lowe flied out to end the eighth.
After getting shut out Saturday, the Guardians struck quickly with a pair of runs in the first.
Steven Kwan led off with a single and José Ramírez walked before Chase DeLauter's grounder off opener Anthony Kay moved the runners to second and third. Sean Newcomb came on and intentionally walked Adell to load the bases. Lowe hit a high chopper to drive in Kwan, but Newcomb threw it wide of the bag at first, allowing Ramírez to score on the error.
It marked the first time in four games this postseason the White Sox were behind.
Kay faced three batters and threw 17 pitches, including eight strikes.
Williams didn’t allow a hit until Kyle Teel led off the fourth with a single.
The right-hander allowed two runs and four hits in five-plus innings. He had eight strikeouts in the first three innings and became the first Cleveland pitcher to strike out five straight in a postseason game.
See AP’s full MLB coverage here
Chicago White Sox relief pitcher Sean Burke talks to reporters after Game 2 of baseball's American League Division Series against the Cleveland Guardians, Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Phil Long)
Chicago White Sox's Chase Meidroth, left, and Colson Montgomery, right, celebrate after Game 2 of baseball's American League Division Series against the Cleveland Guardians, Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Cleveland Guardians shortstop Brayan Rocchio, right, forces out Chicago White Sox's Colson Montgomery (12) on a double play ball hit by Sam Antonacci in the third inning of Game 2 of baseball's American League Division Series in Cleveland, Monday, Oct. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Chicago White Sox's Kyle Teel, right, scores off an RBI-single by baseman Munetaka Murakami ahead of Cleveland Guardians catcher Patrick Bailey during the fourth inning of Game 2 of baseball's American League Division Series, Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Chicago White Sox's Tristan Peters, left, reacts after striking out during the second inning of Game 2 of baseball's American League Division Series against the Cleveland Guardians, Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Gavin Williams celebrates after completing the top of the fourth inning of Game 2 of baseball's American League Division Series against the Chicago White Sox, Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Phil Long)
Chicago White Sox's Braden Montgomery (24) watches his 2-run double during the sixth inning of Game 2 of baseball's American League Division Series against the Cleveland Guardians, Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
