New York and New Jersey sports teams strive for success
Staff photo by Chloe Berger
New Jersey and New York sports teams are having exciting seasons across all sports.
This past season has been a busy one for New York and New Jersey’s sports teams. From hockey, to football, athletes have been gearing up for upcoming events and teams across the board have been dominating their competition whether it be the off season or the playoffs.
Hockey:
A hard-fought playoff game had the New Jersey Devils on top in the series against the New
York Rangers. Akira Schmid had unbelievable performance with 31 saves in goal. Michael McLeod, Tomas Tatar, Eric Haula and Jesper Bratt all made their mark on the ice by scoring one goal each to lead the Devils to victory, advancing them to the next round.
The New York Islanders suffered a defeat to the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round of the playoffs. Although they were down only 3-2 before the final game in the series, the last game ended the Islanders’ run in the playoffs with a score of 4-2.
As the second round of the playoffs continues this week, the Devils will battle it out for a chance to win the Stanley Cup in 2023.
Basketball:
The New York Knicks beat The Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the playoffs with a final game count of 4-1. A match between their offense and defense had the Cavaliers on their toes every second of the game.
Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle carried the team to even more victories by leading the Knicks in points. RJ Barrett has equally been a key player putting up a personal playoff record of 26 points in a singular game.
The Knicks continue to the second round of the playoffs, battling rival Miami Heat in another seven game series. They continue to shoot their shot at a chance of being the 2023 NBA champions.
The Brooklyn Nets lost badly to the Philadelphia 76ers for four consecutive playoff games, eliminating them from the first round. The Nets went 0-4 against the 76ers and had their season concluded by a final game ending with a score of 96-88.
Football:
NFL superstar quarterback and four-time MVP, Aaron Rodgers, is parting ways with the Green Bay Packers after 18 consecutive seasons. Rodgers is now making his way to the New York Jets for the start of the 2023 season.
The Jets received Rodgers and the Packers first and fifth round draft picks as compensation in the blockbuster trade. In return, the Packers secured a higher first-round pick, second-round pick, sixth-round pick and a contingent second-round pick for 2024. The conditions will only be accepted if Rodgers plays the amount he should: 65 percent of plays, according to an April 24, ESPN article.
The Jets also obtained Billy Turner, offensive tackle, from the Green Bay Packers. These two players both move on to the Jets and share their first season together in New York.
The New York Giants acquired seven new fresh faces ready to show off their athleticism next season. Deonte Banks, John Michael Schmitz, Jaylin Hyatt, Eric Gray, Trey Hawkins, Jordan Riley and Gervarrius Owens will soon make their gateway entrance into Metlife Stadium for a shot at making it all the way to the Superbowl.
Baseball:
Although trailing in last of their division, the New York Yankees continue to strive for greatness on and off the field. The Yankees currently stand at 16-15, meaning they have over a .500 winning percentage like all of the other teams in the American League East division. Key Yankees players are suffering from multiple injuries but are hoping for a speedy recovery.
The New York Mets are currently placed at second in their division with a season record of 16-13. After being rained out yet again, the Mets are playing in a doubleheader today against the Detroit Tigers.
