Kuznetsov’s goal helps Capitals advance
Rookie Evgeny Kuznetsov scored the go-ahead goal with less than 7½ minutes left in Game 7, and Braden Holtby only needed to make 10 saves Monday night, lifting the Washington Capitals past the visiting New York Islanders 2-1 in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Kuznetsov took the puck from the right boards and sent a rising shot over sprawling goalie Jaroslav Halak.
The Capitals next will face the New York Rangers.
ARLINGTON, Texas — Josh Hamilton is back with the Texas Rangers.
After two troubled years with the Los Angeles Angels and less than halfway through a $125 million, five-year contract, Hamilton was traded to AL West rival Texas with cash on Monday for a player to be named or cash.
Hamilton returns to the team he helped reach consecutive World Series in 2010 and ’11. Hamilton was the 2010 AL MVP and an All-Star each of his five seasons with Texas (2008-12).
“I’m back here. I’m back home,” Hamilton said. “I’m going to give everything I’ve got.”
“Over the course of the last few weeks, it became clear that Josh wanted to return to Texas,” Angels general manager Jerry Dipoto said in a statement. “After several discussions with the Rangers, we were able to complete a trade that in the end is the right decision for everyone involved.”
Los Angeles is expected to pay most of the remaining $80.2 million Hamilton was owed. As part of the trade, Hamilton agreed to give up some money he was due under the contract, a source said.
Hamilton, on the 15-day disabled list recovering from offseason right shoulder surgery, is expected to report this week to the Rangers’ complex in Surprise, Arizona. He is still a few weeks from playing for Texas.
Hamilton, who turns 34 on May 21, never reported to the Angels this season after surgery in early February and his self-reported relapse into alcohol and cocaine use. Arbitrator Roberta Golick ruled that MLB could not discipline Hamilton.
In his first stint with Texas, Hamilton hit .305 with 152 homers and 506 RBIs in 647 games. He led the majors with a .359 batting average in 2010, the season he was also the MVP of the AL Championship Series.
But he never came close to duplicating that during his time with the Angels.
In 220 games the past two seasons in Los Angeles, Hamilton had 31 homers and 123 RBIs. He was limited to 89 games because of injuries last year.
DEVELOPMENTS
Briefly: The Cincinnati Reds put starter Homer Bailey on the 15-day DL on Monday night with a sprained ligament in his right elbow, the same one he had surgery on last September. The Reds called up right-hander Carlos Contreras from Triple-A Louisville. ... Right-hander Max Scherzer will miss his scheduled start for Washington against Atlanta tonight because of a sprained right thumb. Manager Matt Williams said Scherzer may be ready to start within a few days. ... Dodgers pitcher Brandon McCarthy will miss the rest of the season with a torn elbow ligament, creating a hole in the middle of the rotation for Los Angeles. ... Catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia has been designated for assignment by the Miami Marlins.