COHEN'S CORNER SPORTS

 The New Jersey Devils season ended Tuesday night in a disheartening 5-4 double-overtime loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. It was a game that was a microcosm of a lost season, one that leaves nothing but a bad taste in the mouths of fans. The Devils jumped out to a 3-0 lead in Game 5, as Dawson Mercer, Timo Meier and Stefan Noesen all lit the lamp in the opening period. There was a sense that perhaps the Devils could find a way to extend the series. Then it all fell apart.  The Hurricanes scored four goals in the second period, including three goals in a matter of four minutes to tie the game at three. Later, after Nico Hischier gave the Devs a brief 4-3 lead by tapping the puck into the net on an assist by Paul Cotter and Noesen, Sebastian Aho tied it once again with less than nine minutes to go in the period. After a scoreless third period, and a scoreless first overtime, the Hurricanes finally put the nail in the coffin on the Devils season when Aho lit ...

 Onto Game Six. At the end of the day that is all the Knicks and their fans can say after a disappointing 106-103 loss to the Detroit Pistons in Game 5 that will send the series back to Detroit on Thursday night. What made Tuesday's blown opportunity by the Knicks so frustrating is the fact that the game was right there for them the take. The turning point came with just under three minutes to play when both Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart had to sit with injuries.  Jalen Brunson - Getty Images.  With only one timeout in his pocket, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau chose not to use it when both Brunson and Hart were ready to check back into action. Without a stoppage in time, the Knicks watched as Detroit went on a 6-2 run to grab a 103-97 advantage. Without Brunson and Hart on the floor, the Knicks took five shots and missed every single one.  By the time Brunson and Hart finally came back in, there were only 27 seconds to play. Ironically the Knicks almost made up f...

 Yes, folks, the New York Giants won the NFL Draft.  Selecting the best edge rusher on the board with the third overall pick in Abdul Carter, coupled with the risky gamble in taking a potential franchise quarterback in Jaxson Dart, and there is no question the G-Men did a great job.  Check out our vlog! 

 The New York Giants might have found their new franchise quarterback in quarterback Jaxson Dart out of Ole Miss.  Dart has risen up the draft boards in the league circles for months because of his phyiscal traits and strong arm out of the SEC.  Dart hails from Utah, and even went to the same high school as ex-Jets bust Zach Wilson, but Dart had a much better college career. He completed 65 percent of his passes in his four years of college ball, and threw for 81 touchdowns. Last season he threw for 4,279 yards, 29 touchdowns and six picks.  He wears his emotions on his sleeves, but he will not start right away. The Giants have Russell Wilson and Jameis Winson ahead of him on the depth chart. He will get every opportunity to learn behind two veterans. If the Giants were smart, they would let Dart sit the entire season.  But since, Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen are on the hot seat, there is a very good chance that come November, if not late October we could see Dar...

 When the New York Jets hit the clock at number seven, they had their pick of the litter. They could have gone tight end Tyler Warren, or right tackle Armand Membou. While a lot of fans wanted Warren for his play-making ability, the wiser move, especially for a first year coach and GM, was to take Membou out of Missouri.  He solidifies the offensive line that the franchise started rebuilding under ex-GM Joe Douglas. Three-fifths of the Jets offensive line now comprises a first round pick. From Olu Fashanu at left tackle, Alijah-Vera Tucker at right guard, and now, Membou.  It makes perfect sense. Plus, Head Coach Aaron Glenn has some experience in this department. When he was DC in Detroit, the Lions took Penni Sewell with their first round selection when Dan Campbell's run started in the Motor City. They have reaped the benefits of that pick since.  So when in doubt, take the lineman! Good move by Gang Green. 

 The Giants went back to the basics with their first round selection the 2025 NFL draft, taking Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter.  Known as a player with a high motor and a sack specialist, Carter recorded 12 sacks and 23.5 tackles for loss last season for the Nittany Lions.  Abdul Carter, NFL Draft. Getty Images.   The Giants can now pair Carter with incumbent defensive end Kayvon Thibodeau, who had his fifth year option picked up by the Giants on Thursday night according to Adam Schefter.  "I had a good feeling where I was going to go. All the stuff I have been working my whole life for, it's a blessing," Carter said after the pick was made .  The Giants could definitely use the help on the defensive side of the ball. They had only 45 sacks as a team, and the most sacks were 8.5 by Brian Burnes. If Carter lives up to his pedigree this could be a slam dunk for Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll, who desperately need one.  QUARTERBACK?  There is al...

 Try as they may, the Knicks just didn't have enough in the tank to pull of a monumental comeback against the Detroit Pistons in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference First Round Series.   Behind a three-pointer by Dennis Schroder, Detroit held on to win 100-94 in a game that was reminiscent of the kind of defensive battles we used to see all the time in the NBA in the 90s and early 00s.  The Knicks trailed Detroit by 13 with 7:10 to go in regulation before Jalen Brunson's three-pointer with 6:47 to go seemed to wake the Knicks from their slumber.  All of a sudden New York rallied, including going on a 12-2 run down the stretch to tie the game at 94 on Josh Hart's dunk with 1:15 to go.  However Schroder's three-pointer took air out of the Knicks sails. Couple that with missed three-pointers by Mikal Bridges and Brunson, and just like that it was a loss on a Monday night at the Garden.  While Schroder killed the Knicks off the bench with 20-points for Detroi...

 Francisco Lindor remains the hottest player in Queens right now.  The Mets shortstop blasted two more home runs, including a three-run blast in the bottom of the eighth inning, Monday night to help propel the Mets to a 5-4 win over Philadelphia.   Lindor who typically struggles in the month of April is putting together a heck of a month. Monday's two hit effort was the 10th game in the last 11 where Lindor has recorded a hit. In fact in the month of April alone this year, Lindor was hitting at .311 coming into Monday's action.  On the year, Lindor is batting .284 with five homers and 13 RBI.  Lindor's efforts proved to be prophetic, as the Phillies Alec Bohm crushed a three-run bomb off Edwin Diaz in the top of the ninth to cut the Mets lead to a single run. Fortunately for New York, Diaz was able to shut the door with strikeouts of Trea Turner and Bryce Harper.  New York (16-7) has now won five in a row.  

 Give points to new Jets General Manager Darren Mougey. He didn't wilt under the pressure of having to answer questions about Aaron Rodgers interview with Pat McAfee where the former Jets quarterback divulged a private conversation between he, Head Coach Aaron Glenn and Mougey, prior to Rodgers' release.  "I understand the question, but I am going to talk about the draft and current Jets players."    Good for Mougey. There is really nothing that the Jets need to say more on the matter. It's over and done with. Rodgers' complaints came across poorly as both fans and media swarmed to support the Jets new hierarchy.  Instead the focus is now on the future. The Jets appear ready to move on granting fifth year options to linebacker Jermaine Johnson, cornerback Sauce Gardner and wide receiver Garret Wilson. No surprise at all. All three are cornerstone players.  The odd man out appears to be Breece Hall, who after a poor 2024, could be either dealt or become part...

 The New York Mets are feeling pretty good about things right now!  The Amazin's swept a four game series from the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday, winning 7-4 Sunday afternoon. It was the first time since 1986 that the Amazin's had swept such a series from St. Louis. We all know what happened later that season.    Well, not to get too far ahead of ourselves, because the 2025 version now faces a very stiff challenge. The Mets will face their arch rivals the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday with only two games separating the two teams in the NL East.  The Mets took out Philly in the NLDS last October, so this figures to be a heck of showdown. The Mets begin a month long stretch against teams that are likely postseason contenders like the Phillies, D-Backs, Cubs, Yankees, Red Sox, and Dodgers.  If the Mets (15-7) are this good, we will know for sure in a month.

 Former New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers scorched earth  on his former employer, directly targeting new Head Coach Aaron Glenn during an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show Thursday afternoon. Rodgers, who was released by the Jets at the start of free agency in early March, still has not signed with a new team as he continues to consider his future.  Rodgers claimed that Glenn didn't show "ample respect" to him, making him fly across the country on "his own dime" for a meeting that lasted only 15 to 20 minutes. “I think we are going to have this long conversation. I’ve flown across the country, and 20 seconds in he goes and he leans to the edge of his seat and says, ‘So, you want to play football?’ And I’m like, ‘Yeah, I’m interested.’ And he was like, ‘We’re going in a different direction at quarterback.’   Perhaps the strongest remarks by Rodgers came when he claimed that Glenn hinted he was concerned Rodgers would try to undermine him. ...

 As I wrote for Fox Sports New Jersey this week, if Major League Baseball were like the stock market, then both the Mets and Yankees find themselves in a solid position, even though it feels like they are going in opposite directions. The Mets sit in second in the NL East at 8-4, just a half game behind the Philadelphia Phillies. The Yankees are 7-5, a half game out of first in the AL East behind the suddenly surging Toronto Blue Jays. The Mets can thank their pitching staff for getting them to this point. Before Tuesday's 10-5 victory over Miami that extended its winning streak to six games, the Mets led all of Major League Baseball in ERA at 1.72. And even after the bullpen got touched up a bit in a 5-0 loss to Miami on Wednesday, the Mets STILL lead baseball in ERA at 2.10. What makes the Mets early season run all the more amazing are two things. 1) They aren't hitting much at all as a ball club. Aside from Pete Alonso (.333 BA, 3 HR, 15 RBI), the Amazin's are hitting o...

 It's the end of an era for fans of the New York Rangers, and also the end of a rough season. Amid this disappointing 2024-25 campaign for the Blue Shirts, Wednesday night's contest against the Philadelphia Flyers was also the final time legendary Rangers broadcaster Sam Rosen and "JD", John Davidson called a game together.   While the game wasn't on MSG, it was broadcast nationally on TNT, it was still a moment long time Rangers fans could cherish. Rosen, a Hall of Fame broadcaster who has been at the mic of Rangers hockey since 1984 is retiring at the end of the season, which is coming up April 17. For 40-plus seasons Rosen's pipes have been at the forefront of some huge moments in Rangers hockey, and even coined the phrase ... "It's a powerplay goal." For 20 of those season, Rosen had the call with Davidson on MSG. Davidson is now in the front office in Columbus after a stint in the Rangers front office.  

  It was a heck of a weekend for the New York Mets. Not only did the Amazins sweep away the Toronto Blue Jays to extend their winning streak to four games, improving their overall record to 6-3, but they also got some clarity when it comes to the future of first base in Flushing. Because Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is not coming to the Mets in 2026. Despite Mets fans giving Guerrero a loud ovation during player introductions on Friday afternoon, under the assumption that he would sign with them come next off-season, Guerrero is staying put. The Blue Jays and Guerrero agreed to a 14-year, $500 million deal that will make him the highest paid first baseman in baseball at close to $37 million annually. So with Guerrero off the board, all eyes in Met-land now turn to Pete Alonso. The two sides agreed to a short-term deal that is essentially a one-year contract. Alonso can opt out of the deal at the end of the season. READ MORE on FOX SPORTS NJ