PHOENIX — Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve blasted the officials after Minnesota’s 84-76 loss to the Phoenix Mercury in Game 3 of their series Friday, saying it was “malpractice” to have them work a WNBA playoff semifinal game.

Reeve was ejected in the closing seconds of the fourth quarter after Mercury guard Alyssa Thomas stole the ball from Lynx forward Napheesa Collier and sealed the win with a layup.

Collier was on the floor in pain after her left leg made contact with Thomas on the play, resulting in Collier coming down hard on the side of her ankle. No foul was called. Collier hobbled to the bench, and Reeve said afterward that the ankle injury was “probably a fracture,” though she did not elaborate.

The Lynx did not have an update on Collier’s status for Game 4.

“If this is what the league wants, OK, but I want to call for a change of leadership at the league level when it comes to officiating,” Reeve said after the Lynx fell behind 2-1 in the series. “The officiating crew that we had tonight, for the leadership to deem those three people semifinal-playoff worthy, it’s f—ing malpractice.”

After Thomas scored, Reeve had to be restrained as she ran onto the court to berate one of the officials. As the ref walked away, Reeve followed him and received her second technical of the game, leading to an ejection.

Lynx guard Natisha Hiedeman and two assistant coaches tried to hold back Reeve. Associate head coach Eric Thibault also got a technical for yelling at the refs.

Reeve was eventually escorted off the court but not before shouting at some fans at PHX Arena.

Collier, who sat out the final 21 seconds, finished with 17 points on 8-of-15 shooting.

The game featured 15 lead changes, and neither team led by more than eight points. But the Lynx were limited to just nine points in the fourth quarter, and the Mercury took control.

Phoenix stars Thomas, Satou Sabally and Kahleah Copper combined for 65 of the Mercury’s 84 points. The trio scored the Mercury’s last 29 points, including all 21 in the fourth.

In her postgame remarks, Reeve was incredulous after Collier did not attempt a free throw Friday.

“We were trying to play through it, trying not to make excuses. But one of the best players in the league, she had zero free throws and she had five fouls,” Reeve said. “She had her shoulder pulled out and finished the game with her leg being taken out.”

Reeve added: “I can take an L with the best of them. I don’t think we should have to play through what we did.”

Then, before walking out of the news conference without taking questions from reporters, Reeve said, “They’re f—ing awful.”

Reeve is the latest coach to speak out against the officiating this postseason. After Game 2 between the Las Vegas Aces and Indiana Fever, Aces coach Becky Hammon said that the physicality in these playoffs would not be allowed in other leagues.

When Reeve was asked about the officiating before Game 3 in Phoenix, she said the limited number of fouls being called in the Lynx-Mercury series wasn’t a positive. In Game 1 of the series, the teams combined for only 10 free throws, the fewest in a playoff game in league history.

Reeve said she didn’t want a “foul fest,” but said anything that limited freedom of movement or was an obvious infringement needed to be called.

“We’ve talked about how dangerous it can be,” Reeve said before Game 3. “And you’re hearing it from the other series. You’re hearing from other coaches. You’re hearing Becky talk about it. When you let the physicality happen, people get hurt.”

The Lynx have one day before their must-win Game 4 on Sunday.

HARRISON, N.J. — It’s been a whirlwind year for Gotham FC midfielder Jaedyn Shaw.

When she joined the club earlier this month, on the heels of her headline-making trade – Gotham acquired her from the North Carolina Courage for a National Women’s Soccer League-record $1.25 million in intraleague transfer funds – the team became her third in a long year that has sent her from coast to coast.

But when the 20-year-old took her new home pitch for the first time Friday night for Gotham’s 3-0 rout of the Portland Thorns FC, the New York City suburbs looked like the right landing spot as Shaw quickly became a crowd favorite at Sports Illustrated Stadium.

“The coaching staff and all of my teammates have really helped me just feel comfortable here,” Shaw said. “It’s been a really seamless transition into the group.”

Her first appearance for Gotham came on Sept. 12, when she scored in a 2-0 victory over the San Diego Wave – the team she played for before being shipped to North Carolina.

On Friday night against Portland, Shaw assisted on Midge Purce‘s goal.

“When you bring in a player like that, you’re not only bringing in somebody with already so much experience – but at the same time, I think we’ve just scratched the surface of what she can do,” Gotham midfielder Rose Lavelle said.

Shaw’s fans are hopeful the trade could trigger a comeback of sorts for the young player, who’s had her share of setbacks.

A recent omission from national team training and an Olympics-ending injury have dimmed some expectations surrounding her international contributions, and her time in North Carolina didn’t pan out how she might have hoped. In 19 games with the Courage, Shaw had three goals and one assist, and her minutes dwindled as the season wore on.

That was no cause for concern for Gotham coach Juan Carlos Amorós.

“If I asked how many games Esther González played for her club before joining us, the answer would be zero,” Amorós said, referencing his team’s league-topping scorer. “She didn’t play at all, yet we believed she was a great player who could help us – and three years later, she’s one of the best in the league and in the world.”

The trade from North Carolina dropped Shaw into the middle of a top playoff contender – in large part thanks to Gonzalez – meaning Shaw will be continuing her development on a big stage.

“I’m grateful to be part of those headlines and records,” Shaw said, “but ultimately, it comes down to what I can do on the field.”

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov needed surgery Friday to repair the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his right knee, injuries that will likely sideline him for the regular season and potentially the playoffs as Florida tries to win a third consecutive Stanley Cup.

Barkov was injured Thursday in his first official practice of training camp. He had surgery Friday, and the Panthers said the typical timetable for recovery from such a procedure is seven to nine months.

At minimum, that timetable would mean he won’t be playing before the start of the playoffs. The injury also ends any chance of him representing his native Finland — as he hoped and planned — in the Milan-Cortina Olympics this coming February.

“He’s such an important person in that locker room,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said Friday. “I think what we’re going to get to experience now is you’ll get to know some of the other leaders that we have in our room.”

Barkov was hurt 20 minutes into practice, during a drill on a play where he took minimal contact.

“I know the idea is next man up,” Maurice said. “There’s not a next man for Barky’s skates.”

Barkov led the Panthers in assists last season with 51 and was second in points with 71. He added six goals and 16 more assists in the playoffs when Florida won its second consecutive Stanley Cup.

Barkov has appeared in more than 86% of all Florida games, including playoffs, in his 12 NHL seasons. This is the first time he has dealt with a potential season-ending injury.

And now, the Panthers — who have been to the past three Stanley Cup finals and played more games in the past three seasons than any team in a three-year span in NHL history — have to navigate another missing star as the season approaches.

In addition to Barkov, the Panthers also won’t have forward Matthew Tkachuk while he recovers from offseason surgery to repair a torn adductor muscle. There is no formal target for Tkachuk’s return; given the typical return-to-play timelines for such procedures, it wouldn’t seem likely that he returns before December.

Since Tkachuk came to the Panthers in 2022, Florida has played only five games without either him or Barkov in the lineup — all last October, with the Panthers winning three of those five contests. And Tomas Nosek, who had a big role in last season’s run to the Cup title, is expected to miss considerable time because of a knee injury.

“It’s going to be tough,” Panthers forward Carter Verhaeghe said when asked about the Barkov news Friday. “He’s our leader — there’s no replacing Barky. Everyone has to step up. There’s no replacing him, but it’s another challenge for our group. And we’re usually pretty good at overcoming challenges.”

Barkov is Florida’s franchise leader in many categories, including games played (804), goals (286), assists (496), points (782), power-play goals (84) and game-winning goals (52).