Florida
Rangers looking to fix futile power play as series swings to Florida
SUNRISE, Fla. — The Rangers found what they needed at five-on-five on Friday night to beat back the Panthers and tie the Eastern Conference Final at 1-1 before heading south.
But they have yet to gain any traction at all on the power play through six attempts in the series — a necessity if they are to move onto the Stanley Cup Final.
The power play buoyed the Rangers through the first two rounds of the playoffs, as they went a collective 11-for-35 (31.4 percent) against Washington and Carolina.
An 0-for-4 performance Friday that included 1:25 at four-on-three, however, was cause for worry.
“They’re coming with all four guys. It’s hard,” said defenseman Erik Gustafsson, who has occasionally taken Adam Fox’s spot on the top unit. “We gotta make fast, quick plays, otherwise it’s not gonna be pretty. Putting the puck to the net is not a bad option, even if it’s just a wrist shot from the blue line or the corner or whatever. We have one of the best guys in the netfront [in Chris Kreider].
“When they’re forechecking so hard, I think we have to put a little bit more pucks to the net. I think the breakouts can be a little bit better.”
The Rangers had opportunities in Game 2, spending 7:14 total on the power play, including the four-on-three.
Per Natural Stat Trick, however, they had just one high-danger chance at 5:49 in Game 2 — the same number they recorded in Game 1.
“We’re playing a team that’s been really good and they’ve been aggressive,” coach Peter Laviolette said. “We’re looking at it and trying to make small adjustments, [trying] to do things a little bit sharper, a little bit crisper make some adjustments. And we’ll get with the guys and get that information to them.”
Last round, the Rangers went three straight games without scoring on the power play before making adjustments in time for Kreider to tie Game 6 at five-on-four.
It might take similar adjustments this time around for the Rangers to get things moving.
The Rangers have never played a playoff game at Amerant Bank Arena.
When these teams last faced off in the postseason in the 1997 first round, they split the first two games at Miami Arena before Esa Tikkanen won the series for the Rangers with an overtime goal in Game 5 at the same venue.
Barclay Goodrow’s overtime winner broke a 12-game overtime playoff winning streak for Sergei Bobrovsky and an 11-game playoff overtime winning streak for the Panthers.
Bobrovsky is tied with Patrick Roy for the longest OT winning streak for a goalie in playoff history.
Neither team held practice Saturday as both made the trip to Florida.
Florida
‘I feel like Bin Laden,’ Florida man arrested by FBI for planning to bomb NYSE to 'reboot' US government
A Florida man has been arrested and charged in connection with a plot to bomb the New York Stock Exchange in an effort to “reboot” the US government, according to the FBI.
Harun Abdul-Malik Yener, 30, from Coral Springs, Florida, was charged with attempting to use an explosive device to damage or destroy a building involved in interstate commerce.
The FBI began investigating Yener in February after receiving a tip that he was storing materials related to bomb-making in a storage unit. Agents searched the area after obtaining a search warrant. They found “bomb-making sketches, numerous watches with timers electronic circuit boards and other electronics that can be utilised to build bombs.
According to the FBI, Yener had also been conducting online searches about bomb-making since 2017.
In March, Yener admitted to authorities during questioning that he had knowledge of making “rockets” and “bombs” and had previously tried to join a “domestic extremist group.” He also revealed that in 2015, he had considered travelling to Iraq to join ISIS but ultimately decided against it because he doubted the group’s ability to meet its objectives.
Yener allegedly told undercover FBI agents that he planned to detonate the bomb during the week before Thanksgiving, targeting the New York Stock Exchange in lower Manhattan. Court documents state that his goal was to “reboot” the US government.
‘I feel like Bin Laden’
“There is one place that would be hella easy… the stock exchange, that would be a great hit. Tons of people would support it. They would see it and think dude, this guy makes sense, they are [profanity] robbing us. So that’s perfect,” he told the agent.
“I feel like Bin Laden,” he told the undercover agent.
Weeks before his arrest, Yener had modified two-way radios to function as remote triggers for explosives. He also planned to wear a disguise while planting the device, according to court filings.
Yener appeared in court on Wednesday afternoon, where it was decided he would remain in custody while awaiting trial.
(With inputs from agencies)
Florida
USC Trojans In Recruiting Battling With Florida, Texas For Four-Star Joseph Mbatchou
With the early national signing period approaching quickly, the USC Trojans have been working hard on the recruiting process. The Trojans have lost some key recruits but gained some big names. One target to watch for is defensive lineman Joseph Mbatchou, who is set to visit USC on Nov. 30.
Mbatchou is a class of 2025 four-star defensive lineman playing for Grayson (Ga.). On3 ranks Mbatchou as the No. 22 defensive lineman in the nation and the No. 36 player from Georgia. The four-star recruit was once committed to the Florida Gators but re-opened his recruitment in October.
Mbatchou is predicted to commit to the Texas Longhorns, but after another visit with the Florida Gators, Florida has jumped into the top two. The Auburn Tigers have also been a top team in the running for the four-star recruit. One last school to watch out for is the USC Trojans.
Mbatchou is considering visiting the USC Trojans on Nov. 30, when they face the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the final regular-season game. Mbatchou announced this visit in October and is still considering it. As he narrowed down his decision, there was a chance he would no longer meet with USC, but the official visit is still set.
On3 ranks the USC Trojans class of 2025 as No. 13 in the nation and No. 4 in the Big Ten. Though they may have lost a couple of big names, they were able to flip five-star quarterback Husan Longstreet after a big push for him.
USC coach Lincoln Riley and the Trojans’ staff must work hard to flip Mbatchou. The visit will be the most important way to convince the four-star recruit, as that is how Florida rose back into the top two. Visiting USC during the final weekend of November could help the Trojans with the game being right before national signing day.
Mbatchou is expected to make his decision during the early signing period. Texas is the top prediction for now, but expect the USC Trojans to make a final push for the four-star defensive lineman.
This week, USC will take on the UCLA Bruins at the Rose Bowl on Saturday, Nov. 23. The game will be broadcast on NBC and kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.
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Florida
Florida sheriff breaks up alleged massive gang check fraud conspiracy
A massive check fraud conspiracy resulted in the arrests of three gang members following a yearslong investigation, authorities announced on Tuesday.
The alleged crimes victimized 200 people and businesses in Polk County, according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice.
Back in June 2022, Polk County Sheriff’s office deputies responded to a call at a gas station resulting in the search for Tyler Jacob, a convicted felon known to be a member of the “Trap Boys” gang.
Although Jacob had tried to run away when he was apprehended, he was found with a handgun, ammunition, numerous fraudulent checks, checks that had been returned as altered, personal information of other people written in a notebook, 27 debit cards in other people’s names, a computer and a cell phone, FOX 13 Tampa Bay reported.
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The checks Jacob was found with allegedly belonged to businesses that had reported fraud on their checking accounts, and had been deposited into the accounts associated with the debit cards, U.S. Attorney Mark Handberg said.
Following a search warrant execution on Jacob’s computer, investigators found check-writing software and copies of fraudulent checks, Handberg added.
Deputies later determined the information in the notebook was stolen and belonged to dead people, people who lived in assisted living facilities and people who were mentally incompetent, FOX 13 reported.
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Suspect Jaquavious Green was stopped on gun charges when he was discovered to have blank checks, blank check paperwork and debit cards. Green also belongs to the “Trap Boys” gang, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said.
A similar story ensued when a third alleged gang member, Daquan Carey, was arrested on murder charges following a shooting in Lake Wales.
“When we arrested him, we fought with him,” Judd said during the presser. “Our deputies put their lives on the line, and they got a gun out of his waistband. What else did he have? Checks, credit cards, and so we saw that we have the beginning of a large operation here.”
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Jacob and at least 19 conspirators are believed to have worked from July 2021 to November 2023 defrauding banks, credit unions and businesses throughout central Florida.
“These guys were kind of instrumental for this gang they call the ‘Trap Boys’,” Judd said. “In fact, Tyler Jacob was known as the ‘Money Man’. He kind of perfected the scheme and was teaching it and bringing people in…. But, guess what? We flushed the ‘Trap Boys.’ They cease to exist. They’re in the toilet and down in the sewer. We’re going after their accomplices now. There are more flushes for this toilet.”
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