Sherwood’s Hat Trick Leads Canucks to 4-3 Shootout Win Over Blues
On Thursday night, the Vancouver Canucks and St. Louis Blues squared off for their second of three matches against each other this season. The Canucks came into this game fresh off being shut out at home by J.T. Miller and the New York Rangers. The Blues, on the other side, were on a five-game losing streak and were desperate to get back in the win column.
Game Recap
Shortly after the puck dropped to start the game, tragedy struck for Vancouver. The Canucks started to control the puck in the Blues zone, and the puck came to
To add to the stinging pain, the Blues were the team that scored the first goal of the game. Dylan Holloway cycled the puck down to Oskar Sundqvist, and he sent the puck back to Holloway, and he fired a shot through the legs of Kevin Lankinen to give the Blues an early 1-0 lead. About 10 minutes later, Vancouver got on the board and tied the game with a power-play goal. Jordan Binnington had a slight mishandle behind the net that he turned over to Evander Kane, and he took the puck to the net. Kiefer Sherwood was able to knock home the loose puck to tie the game 1-1. Sherwood’s goal was the final one of the period as both teams went into the intermission tied.
St. Louis regained their lead shortly after the puck dropped for the beginning of the second period. Near the end of a Blues power play, Cam Fowler sent a stretch pass to Jimmy Snuggerud, and the rookie
Unlike the previous two periods, goals were not scored early in the frame. It took over five minutes for a team to get on the board and take the lead. Near the seven-minute mark of the third period, the Canucks broke into the Blues zone. Aatu Raty shot a puck that got deflected to the right-hand boards onto the stick of the blazing hot Sherwood. Sherwood took a shot from a bad angle and hit the top of the net behind
With the clock ticking down, both teams looked to take the lead late in the game. Vancouver looked to have taken the lead with a goal by Evander Kane. But it was challenged by Blues coach Jim Montgomery for goaltender interference and was taken off the board, keeping the score at 3-3. After the disallowed goal, neither team could find the back of the net and take the lead, so the game went to overtime. In the overtime period, both teams had several chances to end the game, but no puck was able to beat either goaltender, and the game went to a shootout. The first five shooters were stopped, but Jake DeBrusk was able to
Vancouver’s next game will be Saturday in Minnesota against the Wild as they look to continue their winning ways. The Blues will also play on Saturday against the Columbus Blue Jackets, looking to end their losing streak.
Ex-Celtics Guard Hires Trump Lawyer to Fight NBA Gambling Charges
Former Boston Celtics guard and Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups has hired one of the nation’s most prominent defense attorneys to battle federal gambling charges that have rocked the NBA — and tied three former Celtics to the league’s biggest integrity scandal in years.
According to The Athletic, Billups has hired Marc Mukasey, a high-profile trial lawyer who has represented former U.S. President Donald Trump, to handle his defense against wire-fraud and money-laundering conspiracy charges.
Billups Turns to Prominent White-Collar Defense Attorney
Mukasey, a former federal prosecutor in the Southern District of New York and the son of ex-U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey, is widely regarded as one of America’s top courtroom strategists in financial and corporate cases.
According to The Athletic report, Mukasey previously defended Navy SEAL Edward Gallagher, who was acquitted of murder in 2019, and FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried during sentencing in his multibillion-dollar fraud case. Mukasey also served as a legal adviser to Rudy Giuliani’s 2007 presidential campaign and represented Joe Sanberg, co-founder of fintech firm Aspiration, in an NBA-related salary-cap case involving Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers. Sanberg later pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud after admitting to defrauding investors of $248 million.
Now, Mukasey is representing Billups — the 2004 NBA Finals MVP and current Portland Trail Blazers head coach — as he faces potentially career-defining criminal charges.
Federal Allegations and Celtics Connection
In the indictments reviewed by
The 49-year-old coach, arrested in Oregon, has been placed on administrative leave by the Trail Blazers while the case proceeds. His former attorney, Chris Heywood, said last week that Billups “would not jeopardize” his Hall-of-Fame legacy, his reputation and freedom.
Two other former Celtics — Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and former NBA player Damon Jones — are also implicated in the widening probe. Prosecutors allege Rozier shared private injury information with a friend who then profited from insider bets, while Jones allegedly helped facilitate the illegal gambling ring.
From Boston Lottery Pick to Hall of Fame Player
Getty 25 Jun 1997: Guard Chauncey Billups of the Boston Celtics shakes hands with NBA Commissioner David Stern during the NBA Draft at the Charlotte Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Billups began his NBA career in Boston, drafted third overall by the Celtics in 1997, before going on to win a championship with the Detroit Pistons and earning the nickname “Mr. Big Shot.” He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield in 2024, a crowning moment for one of the league’s most respected figures.
Rozier, beloved by Celtics fans from 2015 to 2019, helped Boston reach the 2018 Eastern Conference Finals, while Jones had a brief stint with the franchise during the 1998–99 season. Their shared ties to Boston have given the scandal an unsettling familiarity for local fans.
Badminton Betting Ban Mirrors NBA Investigation
The NBA’s ongoing gambling scandal comes as other global sports face similar integrity challenges. The Badminton World Federation (BWF) recently banned former Danish player and coach Joachim Persson for four years after he was filmed placing live bets courtside during a 2023 Japan Open match, according to
The similarities between the two cases are striking. Both involve allegations that individuals used insider access and confidential information for betting purposes. The incidents highlight the mounting challenge of maintaining sports integrity amid the rapid expansion of legalized gambling worldwide.
A Hall-of-Fame Legacy Under Scrutiny
For Billups, who spent part of his formative NBA years in Boston, the charges threaten to overshadow a Hall-of-Fame career defined by leadership and professionalism.
If convicted, Billups could face up to 20 years in prison per count, along with the potential loss of his coaching position and damage to his legacy.
The NBA continues to cooperate with federal authorities as the investigation broadens — with Boston fans watching uneasily as three familiar names fight to protect their reputations.
