The Chicago Blackhawks needed to have a very good 2022 NHL Trade Deadline. Most would say that they did okay but they did particularly well in one trade. Nobody wanted to see Brandon Hagel go but they did it anyway and the results are amazing so far.

With Chicago, in an advanced role, he thrived. He scored 21 goals and added 16 assists for 37 points in 55 games played. That is excellent for a guy of his status and role on the team. Then, the Hawks traded him to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

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CHICAGO — Cardinals rookie Brendan Donovan apologized Saturday night for tweets he sent with homophobic language as a teenager that surfaced during St. Louis’ game against the Chicago Cubs.

Twitter users directed Donovan’s tweets to the attention of reporters during a doubleheader in Chicago, including at least one that used an anti-gay slur. Donovan’s Twitter account was deleted shortly after the second game, in which Donovan hit a two-run double in the 10th inning to spur a 7-4 Cardinals victory.

The flagged tweets were sent in 2011 and 2013, and the 25-year-old Donovan said Saturday they were part of “playful banter” with a friend.

“I take full responsibility,” Donovan said. “It was something I sent out a long time ago. I’m truly sorry to anyone I may have offended. Anyone that knows me as a person knows I see everyone the same, and I do not condone that type of behavior or anything.

“If I’ve offended you, I truly apologize. Hopefully, I can do my part to show you that’s not who I am.”

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CHICAGO — The Cubs called up their top pitching prospect, righty Caleb Kilian, and started him in Game 2 of their doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday evening.

Kilian went five innings in his major league debut, giving up three runs on three hits. He walked two and struck out six.

Kilian, 25, was acquired from the San Francisco Giants last July in exchange for former MVP Kris Bryant.

Kilian is 2-0 with a 2.06 ERA in nine starts for Triple-A Iowa this season. He had 41 strikeouts in 39 1/3 innings before being called up.

The Cubs are in the midst of a busy schedule, having two doubleheaders this week with veterans Wade Miley and Drew Smyly both on the injured list.

Kilian was acquired with outfielder Alexander Canario last July 31 for Bryant as part of the Cubs’ roster tear down. He has a career 2.08 ERA in three minor league seasons after being drafted in the eighth round by the Giants in 2019.

To make room on the 40-man roster, the Cubs DFA’d pitcher Conner Menez. They also recalled righty Anderson Espinoza to serve as the team’s 27th man for the doubleheader. Kilian will be the team’s eighth player to make his major league debut this season.

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CHICAGO — Cardinals rookie Brendan Donovan apologized Saturday night for tweets he sent with homophobic language as a teenager that surfaced during St. Louis’ game against the Chicago Cubs.

Twitter users directed Donovan’s tweets to the attention of reporters during a doubleheader in Chicago, including at least one that used an anti-gay slur. Donovan’s Twitter account was deleted shortly after the second game, in which Donovan hit a two-run double in the 10th inning to spur a 7-4 Cardinals victory.

The flagged tweets were sent in 2011 and 2013, and the 25-year-old Donovan said Saturday they were part of “playful banter” with a friend.

“I take full responsibility,” Donovan said. “It was something I sent out a long time ago. I’m truly sorry to anyone I may have offended. Anyone that knows me as a person knows I see everyone the same, and I do not condone that type of behavior or anything.

“If I’ve offended you, I truly apologize. Hopefully, I can do my part to show you that’s not who I am.”

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CHICAGO — The Cubs have called up their top pitching prospect, righty Caleb Kilian, to start Game 2 of their doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday evening.

Kilian, 25, will make his major league debut after being acquired from the San Francisco Giants last July in exchange for former MVP Kris Bryant.

Kilian is 2-0 with a 2.06 ERA in nine starts for Triple-A Iowa this season. He had 41 strikeouts in 39 1/3 innings before being called up.

The Cubs are in the midst of a busy schedule, having two doubleheaders this week with veterans Wade Miley and Drew Smyly both on the injured list.

Kilian was acquired with outfielder Alexander Canario last July 31 for Bryant as part of the Cubs’ roster tear down. He has a career 2.08 ERA in three minor league seasons after being drafted in the eighth round by the Giants in 2019.

To make room on the 40 man roster, the Cubs DFA’d pitcher Conner Menez. They also recalled righty Anderson Espinoza to serve as the team’s 27th man for the doubleheader. Killian will be the team’s eighth player to make his major league debut this season.

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SAN FRANCISCO — Stephen Curry has seen the Golden State Warriors bounce back before multiple times this season and has confidence they will do it again in Game 2.

Citing how the Warriors rebounded from their 39-point loss in Game 5 at Memphis in the second round and a 10-point loss to Dallas in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals before closing out both teams in the ensuing game, Curry says he has seen proof of resilience this season.

“Even moments throughout the regular season where things are starting to get away from us a little bit at times,” Curry said after practice on Saturday. “And kind of have your ‘Come-to-Jesus’ moment, like we need to play right.

“How are we going to flip the script and get things back on the right track? We usually responded pretty well.”

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After suffering a fourth-quarter meltdown and dropping Game 1 of the NBA Finals at home, the Warriors lost a series-opening game for only the third time in the Steve Kerr era. But for this current collection of Warriors, this is the first time they’ve been down 0-1 in a best-of-seven series.

“It’s the first time for a lot of things with this particular group,” Curry said of a team that features players like Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole making their NBA Finals debut. “We are here in the Finals for a reason, because we figured it out along the way. If we’re going to get back in this series, we’ve got to figure it out again.”

Asked if this qualifies as one of those moments of truth, Curry replied emphatically, “absolutely.”

The Warriors will look to defend the Celtics’ 3-point shooters much better after surrendering 21 3-pointers, including nine in the fourth quarter.

“We have to play with more force on the defensive end,” said Draymond Green, who has held himself accountable for not playing up to his standards in Game 1. “I think there were times in the game when they didn’t feel us, when you’re playing against a great team at this level at this point in the season, they have to feel you every possession.

“We just have to make sure they feel us every possession.”

The Warriors could utilize defender Gary Payton II in Game 2. Payton did not play in Game 1 although he was available after being out with a broken elbow since Game 2 of the second round against Memphis. Kerr — who played Andre Iguodala 12 minutes in Game 1 after the veteran had not played since Game 4 of the first round against Denver due to a neck injury — said Payton is feeling better and he anticipates using him more.

Otto Porter Jr. called Game 2 “a must-win” three times after practice. The Warriors will be looking toward their championship-experienced core to lead the way. Curry, Klay Thompson and Green all expressed confidence in the Warriors’ ability to bounce back with the championship on the line.

“Draymond and Steph have been in the Finals six times now,” Kerr said. “They have seen it all. They have seen everything. They have won championships. They have lost championships. They have had their heart broken. They have had parades. This is all part of it. So that’s the right mental approach, and that’s one that’s born out of experience.”

Thompson said he’s excited for Game 2.

“I need to make more shots,” said Thompson, who made 6-of-14 shots in Game 1. “I need to take more shots. I need to get more stops. I need to just be myself. Yeah, that would be one of the greatest to ever shoot it, so I’ll rely on that.

“We are going to play with desperation tomorrow, and I think that’s when we are at our best.”

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SAN FRANCISCO — Members of the Boston Celtics wore T-shirts with “WE ARE BG” written across them at Saturday’s practice ahead of Game 2 of the NBA Finals in support of WNBA superstar Brittney Griner, who remains detained in Russia.

“The shirts were super important not only showing our support for our sister that is detained over in Russia, Brittney Griner, we just wanted to show that togetherness and love that we have throughout not only the NBA but the WNBA,” Grant Williams said. “She’s been a vital part of the WNBA over years past, college, and in the amount of impact she’s had on young female athletes, USA and overseas.

“We hope to have her back in the U.S. and reunited with her family and do what she loves and bring that love and tenacity she always plays with on the court.”

Williams, a vice president within the National Basketball Players Association, said the shirts were a collaboration between both the NBPA and WNBPA, as a way to show support for Griner as she continues to be held in Russia, where she’s been in custody since early February.

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“They sent them overnight to get them here for today,” Williams said. “They did a phenomenal job, and want to credit them to make that process happen. We just wanted to do that as a team. It was one of those things where no one questioned it. Everyone said, ‘Let’s do it.’ Everyone put the shirt on immediately when we got them, fresh off the box. They were ironed and good to go. So we wanted to show that love and support.”

Griner, 31, is a seven-time WNBA All-Star and a 2014 WNBA champion, and has been one of the league’s best players since being drafted by the Phoenix Mercury with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 WNBA Draft out of Baylor, where she won a championship in 2012.

The 6-foot-9 center has been in custody since being detained at an airport in mid-February, with the United States government saying Griner has been wrongfully detained.

For the Celtics, it was a chance to show their solidarity with Griner with the attention of the basketball world on them during the NBA’s championship round.

“As a collective we wanted to come out and show our support for Brittney Griner,” Celtics star Jaylen Brown said. “She’s been over there for an extended amount of time, and we feel like enough is enough.”

Jayson Tatum got to know Griner when the two of them were both members of Team USA at last year’s Summer Olympic games in Tokyo. He said the restrictions on the movement of players due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic meant he got a chance to spend lots of time with Griner, and enjoyed being in her company.

“Being over there with the Olympics, obviously it was during COVID and so we couldn’t really go out and see other events and things like that,” Tatum said. “So after the games, after practice, we would be in the hospitality room, men and women. We would be in there, playing cards, karaoke, things like that, video games. Great person to be around. She just lightens the entire room with her personality.

“So it’s extremely tough seeing what she’s going through. I know everybody sees and feels that, and obviously we’re all together in support trying to bring her back to her family and things like that. Yeah, wearing those shirts today in support of her.”

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SAN FRANCISCO — Members of the Boston Celtics wore T-shirts with “WE ARE BG” written across them at Saturday’s practice ahead of Game 2 of the NBA Finals in support of WNBA superstar Brittney Griner, who remains detained in Russia.

“The shirts were super important not only showing our support for our sister that is detained over in Russia, Brittney Griner, we just wanted to show that togetherness and love that we have throughout not only the NBA but the WNBA,” Grant Williams said. “She’s been a vital part of the WNBA over years past, college, and in the amount of impact she’s had on young female athletes, USA and overseas.

“We hope to have her back in the U.S. and reunited with her family and do what she loves and bring that love and tenacity she always plays with on the court.”

Williams, a vice president within the National Basketball Players Association, said the shirts were a collaboration between both the NBPA and WNBPA, as a way to show support for Griner as she continues to be held in Russia, where she’s been in custody since early February.

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“They sent them overnight to get them here for today,” Williams said. “They did a phenomenal job, and want to credit them to make that process happen. We just wanted to do that as a team. It was one of those things where no one questioned it. Everyone said, ‘Let’s do it.’ Everyone put the shirt on immediately when we got them, fresh off the box. They were ironed and good to go. So we wanted to show that love and support.”

Griner, 31, is a seven-time WNBA All-Star and a 2014 WNBA champion, and has been one of the league’s best players since being drafted by the Phoenix Mercury with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 WNBA Draft out of Baylor, where she won a championship in 2012.

The 6-foot-9 center has been in custody since being detained at an airport in mid-February, with the United States government saying Griner has been wrongfully detained.

For the Celtics, it was a chance to show their solidarity with Griner with the attention of the basketball world on them during the NBA’s championship round.

“As a collective we wanted to come out and show our support for Brittney Griner,” Celtics star Jaylen Brown said. “She’s been over there for an extended amount of time, and we feel like enough is enough.”

Jayson Tatum got to know Griner when the two of them were both members of Team USA at last year’s Summer Olympic games in Tokyo. He said the restrictions on the movement of players due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic meant he got a chance to spend lots of time with Griner, and enjoyed being in her company.

“Being over there with the Olympics, obviously it was during COVID and so we couldn’t really go out and see other events and things like that,” Tatum said. “So after the games, after practice, we would be in the hospitality room, men and women. We would be in there, playing cards, karaoke, things like that, video games. Great person to be around. She just lightens the entire room with her personality.

“So it’s extremely tough seeing what she’s going through. I know everybody sees and feels that, and obviously we’re all together in support trying to bring her back to her family and things like that. Yeah, wearing those shirts today in support of her.”

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