WASHINGTON (AP) — Connor McMichael and Dylan Strome scored a minute apart early in the second period, Logan Thompson made some spectacular stops among his 25 saves and the Washington Capitals beat the Montreal Canadiens 3-1 on Wednesday night in Game 2 to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven first-round series.
Thompson was at his best in the third, notably robbing Josh Anderson of what would have been the tying goal on a 2-on-0 breakaway with 10:59 left, then later getting his stick on a deflection by Christian Dvorak. Fans chanted “L-T! L-T!” and gave the goaltender a standing ovation in honor of his performance in just his second game back from injury.
Until that point, Thompson did not have much work to do as his teammates outshot Montreal 18-8 in the second when Washington tilted the ice toward Sam Montembeault. McMichael added his second into an empty net with 1.1 seconds left.
KINGS 6, OILERS 2
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Adrian Kempe had two third-period goals and two assists, captain Anze Kopitar added a goal and three assists, and the Los Angeles Kings routed the Edmonton Oilers 6-2 on Wednesday night to seize a 2-0 lead in the first-round Stanley Cup playoff series.
Quinton Byfield and Andrei Kuzmenko scored for the second straight game, and Brandt Clarke scored his first playoff goal to begin an overwhelming performance by second-seeded Los Angeles.
The Kings blew a four-goal lead before winning Game 1, and they let a three-goal lead slip to 3-2 early in the third period of Game 2 before seizing control with three goals in less than five minutes while chasing goalie Stuart Skinner.
Game 3 is Friday night in Edmonton.
Leon Draisaitl and Viktor Arvidsson scored for the Oilers, but the defending Western Conference champions’ endemic defensive struggles couldn’t be covered up by the brilliance of Draisaitl and Connor McDavid, who was held scoreless.
Darcy Kuemper made 24 saves for the Kings.
STARS 2, AVALANCHE 1, OT
DENVER (AP) — Tyler Seguin scored at 5:31 of overtime after Dallas killed a late double-minor penalty, and the Stars beat Colorado in Game 3 in a game that featured the return of Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog.
Dallas took a 2-1 lead in the first-round series with its second straight overtime victory. Game 4 is Saturday night in Denver.
Seguin knocked the puck past Mackenzie Blackwood off a feed from Mason Marchment. It was Marchment who was sent off for four minutes in the final minute of regulation for a high-stick that hit Brock Nelson in the face.
Seguin had his second career OT playoff goal. His first was in 2012 with Boston.
Stars defenseman Esa Lindell made a key play in overtime when he deflected a shot by Artturi Lehkonen down low.
Jamie Benn tied it midway through the third period for Dallas. Jake Oettinger stopped 27 shots.
Washington Capitals goaltender Logan Thompson (48) stops the puck in the second period of Game 2 of a first-round NHL hockey playoff series against the Montreal Canadiens, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California is facing a $12 billion deficit that Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to help close by freezing enrollment in a state-funded health care program for immigrants living in California without legal status.
Newsom announced the deficit and his plans to cover it Wednesday as he outlined his nearly $322 billion state spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year.
Beyond higher-than-expected Medicaid spending, Newsom blamed broad economic uncertainty, including federal tariff policies and a volatile stock market. California relies heavily on revenue from a tax on capital gains.
Newsom, a Democrat, highlighted California's contributions to the U.S. and world economy and said President Donald Trump's economic policies could reduce state revenues by $16 billion in the coming years.
“California is under assault,” he said. “We have a president that's been reckless in terms of assaulting those growth engines.”
He now opens budget negotiations with lawmakers. A final budget must be signed by June.
Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher criticized Newsom for blaming much of the state’s budget woes on Trump.
“Newsom’s finger-pointing on the budget shortfall is the biggest load of crap I’ve ever seen from a politician, and he shovels out a lot of it,” Gallagher said. “We’re in this mess because of his reckless spending, false promises, and failed leadership.”
His decision highlights Newsom's struggle to protect his liberal policy priorities against budget challenges in his final years on the job and as he weighs his next political move, which could include a presidential run.
Immigration has become a politically potent issue nationally. Nearly half of Americans approve of President Donald Trump’s tougher immigration approach, according to an AP-NORC poll conducted in April. Meanwhile, Republicans in Congress have threatened to reduce Medicaid money for states that enroll immigrants living in the country illegally.
The freeze does not mean California is backing away from its support for immigrants, Newsom said.
“No state has done more than the state of California, no state will continue to do more than the state of California by a long shot. And that’s a point of pride,” he said.
California was among one of the first states to extend free health care benefits to all poor adults regardless of their immigration status last year, an ambitious plan touted by Newsom to help the nation’s most populous state inch closer to a goal of universal health care. But the cost ran $2.7 billion more than the administration had anticipated.
Newsom in March suggested he was not considering rolling back health benefits for immigrants as the state was grappling with a $6.2 billion Medicaid shortfall. He also repeatedly defended the expansion, saying it saves the state money in the long run. The program is state-funded and does not use federal dollars.
Under Newsom's plan, low-income adults without legal status will no longer be eligible to apply for Medi-Cal, the state's Medicaid program, starting in 2026. Those who are already enrolled won't be kicked off their plans, and the changes won't impact children. Newsom didn't say how long the freeze would last.
Starting in 2027, adults with “unsatisfactory immigration status” on Medi-Cal will also have to pay a $100 monthly premium. The governor's office said that is in line with the average cost paid by those who are on subsidized heath plans through California's own marketplace. There's no premium for most people currently on Medi-Cal.
“We believe that people should have some skin in the game as it relates to contributions," Newsom said.
Newsom's office estimated the changes will save the state $5.4 billion by 2028-2029.
The Medi-Cal expansion, combined with other factors such as rising pharmacy costs and larger enrollment by older people, has forced California to borrow and authorize new funding to plug the multibillion hole earlier this year. California provides free health care to more than a third of its 39 million people.
Democratic state Sen. Dave Cortese said he opposed Newsom's plan to scale back coverage for some immigrants without legal status.
"Congress may be walking away from its obligation to the poor, the elderly, and the disabled, but California will not,” Cortese said in a statement.
Newsom's proposals go against the commitment the state has made to the immigrant community, said Masih Fouladi, executive director of the California Immigrant Policy Center.
“Questions about the practicality of the program aren't even something that we want to entertain with,” he said. “The proposal just doesn't match with our values as a state.”
Newsom also proposed eliminating state health care coverage for certain weight loss drugs beginning in January 2026, which would save an estimated $85 million for the upcoming fiscal year and $680 million by fiscal year 2028-29.
Associated Press journalist Sophie Austin contributed.
Calif. Gov. Gavin Newsom presents his revised 2024-2025 state budget during a news conference in Sacramento, Calif., Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
FILE - California Gov. Gavin Newsom stands in front of a state flag during a press conference about President Donald Trump's tariffs on Wednesday, April 16, 2025, at an almond farm in Ceres, Calif. (AP Photo/Noah Berger,FIle)
