BOTTOM LINE: The Los Angeles Kings and the New York Islanders meet in a non-conference matchup.
Los Angeles has a 24-22-14 record overall and a 9-14-7 record on its home ice. The Kings have an 18-2-7 record in games they score at least three goals.
New York has a 35-22-5 record overall and an 18-12-3 record in road games. The Islanders have an 18-5-0 record in games decided by one goal.
The matchup Thursday is the first meeting this season between the two clubs.
TOP PERFORMERS: Artemi Panarin has 19 goals and 41 assists for the Kings. Adrian Kempe has five goals and six assists over the last 10 games.
Mathew Barzal has 17 goals and 38 assists for the Islanders. Matthew Schaefer has scored seven goals with three assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Kings: 3-6-1, averaging 2.1 goals, 3.4 assists, 3.9 penalties and 11 penalty minutes while giving up 3.3 goals per game.
Islanders: 7-3-0, averaging 3.3 goals, 5.2 assists, 2.9 penalties and 6.1 penalty minutes while giving up 2.9 goals per game.
INJURIES: Kings: None listed.
Islanders: None listed.
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Montreal Canadiens (33-18-9, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Anaheim Ducks (34-24-3, in the Pacific Division)
Anaheim, California; Friday, 9 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: The Montreal Canadiens visit the Anaheim Ducks after Alexander Newhook's two-goal game against the San Jose Sharks in the Canadiens' 7-5 loss.
Anaheim is 34-24-3 overall and 21-9-1 at home. The Ducks have gone 15-7-2 when they commit fewer penalties than their opponent.
Montreal has a 33-18-9 record overall and a 16-7-7 record on the road. The Canadiens have a 30-7-8 record in games they score at least three goals.
Friday's game is the first time these teams meet this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Cutter Gauthier has 31 goals and 24 assists for the Ducks. Beckett Sennecke has five goals and eight assists over the past 10 games.
Cole Caufield has 35 goals and 25 assists for the Canadiens. Nicholas Suzuki has four goals and 10 assists over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Ducks: 7-3-0, averaging 3.5 goals, 6.1 assists, 2.7 penalties and 5.9 penalty minutes while giving up 3.1 goals per game.
Canadiens: 5-3-2, averaging 4.1 goals, 6.9 assists, 3.9 penalties and 8.1 penalty minutes while giving up 3.1 goals per game.
INJURIES: Ducks: None listed.
Canadiens: None listed.
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Minnesota Wild (36-16-10, in the Central Division) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (29-19-14, in the Pacific Division)
Paradise, Nevada; Friday, 10 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: The Minnesota Wild visit the Vegas Golden Knights after the Golden Knights defeated the Detroit Red Wings 4-3 in overtime.
Vegas is 29-19-14 overall and 14-8-7 in home games. The Golden Knights have a +13 scoring differential, with 204 total goals scored and 191 allowed.
Minnesota has an 18-9-3 record on the road and a 36-16-10 record overall. The Wild rank eighth in NHL play with 205 total goals (averaging 3.3 per game).
The teams match up Friday for the third time this season. The Wild won 5-2 in the previous meeting.
TOP PERFORMERS: Mark Stone has 21 goals and 38 assists for the Golden Knights. Ivan Barbashev has seven goals and two assists over the past 10 games.
Quinn Hughes has six goals and 55 assists for the Wild. Matthew Boldy has scored eight goals with 13 assists over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Golden Knights: 4-5-1, averaging 3.2 goals, 5.7 assists, three penalties and 6.9 penalty minutes while giving up 3.1 goals per game.
Wild: 7-2-1, averaging four goals, 6.8 assists, 3.5 penalties and 7.9 penalty minutes while giving up 2.9 goals per game.
INJURIES: Golden Knights: None listed.
Wild: None listed.
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
From grappling at corners to VAR, the endless list of complaints reflects a wider sense of dislocation from ‘the product’
A terrible boredom stalks the land. Across the nation’s television studios and podcast armchairs, wearied men grizzle accursedly with forked tongues into branded microphones: entombed by a game they despise and yet are paid so generously to discuss. Out there in the wild digital beyond, the sickness festers still deeper. The game has gone, they type into a little white box. This is not the football I once loved, click send. The beautiful game is broken, pleads the Telegraph. They think it’s all over, and perhaps it always was.
Arne Slot is no longer enjoying himself, and presumably a good proportion of the Liverpool fans at Molineux on Tuesday night know exactly how he feels. John Terry is no longer enjoying himself. Yaya Touré is “disappointed”. Ruud Gullit is so disgusted he has decided to stop watching. Chris Sutton thinks Arsenal will be the ugliest winners in Premier League history. Mark Goldbridge is bored out of his mind, albeit nowhere near as bored as you would presumably need to be to watch a Mark Goldbridge livestream.
Midfielder tapped into history while frustrated by injury but hopes to help a young side rediscover promising form
Jonathan Varane’s 2026 didn’t get off to the best start. Four days into the new year, the QPR midfielder sprained a knee during a 3-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday and was a frustrated spectator for more than a month.
Varane had been desperate to play his part, with QPR hoping to push for the playoffs, but the 24-year-old took the opportunity to indulge in two of his other passions: reading and history. That included a trip with his teammate Paul Nardi to the British Museum, where the ancient Egyptian artefacts proved of particular fascination.
Times
are tense around the St. Louis Blues, especially with the news of the
day Wednesday being reported my multiple people that the team has the
framework of a trade with the Buffalo Sabres that includes long-time
defenseman Colton Parayko.
But
the schedule doesn’t stop, and the Blues put up another ‘W’ in
the win column.
As
first reported by TSN’s Darren Dreger, the Blues and Sabres are in
agreement of a trade, that reportedly includes Buffalo’s
first-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, defenseman Radim Mrtka, along
with a first-round pick plus other pieces, the deal hinges on Parayko
waiving his full no-trade clause, which he hasn’t done so yet, and
I've been told that initially, the 11-year veteran is reluctant
to do so (that could change by Thursday or Friday):
In
the meantime, the Blues continue to motor on, winning their second
straight road game after 10 straight losses away from Enterprise
Center, and third win in four games after the Olympic break, downing
the Seattle Kraken, 3-2, at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle.
Robert
Thomas had his second one-goal, one-assist game in as many games
since returning from a right leg injury/personal reasons; Brayden
Schenn with a three-assist game; Logan Mailloux scored in his second
straight game and played a career-high 22:52; Dylan Holloway scored
his fifth goal in three games this season against Seattle (29-23-9),
and Joel Hofer came up large again with 34 saves for the Blues
(23-29-9), who have scored three or more goals in nine of the past 10
games.
Let’s
go into Wednesday’s game observations:
*
Thomas looks motivated – You think Thomas doesn’t hear all this
trade talk surrounding, not only him but several other Blues key
cogs? You bet he does. And just how much do you think it’s
motivating him right now? Plenty.
For
the second straight game since having a right leg procedure done,
Thomas put up two points and has two goals and two assists since
returning. He looks healthy, smooth and fluent in his game, and it
was his goal that turned out to be the game-winner when he took a
smooth pass from Schenn in the slot and whipped a one-timer past
Philipp Grubauer to make it 3-1 at 1:33 of the third period:
Thomas
played 16:53 and had four shot attempts (two on goal) and won 10 of
16 face-offs (63 percent) and was on the ice late taking draws when
the Blues were killing a 6-on-4 late in the game trying to preserve a
one-goal lead.
*
Look out for Mailloux – Keep the temperament
to
a minimum. Let’s allow the 22-year-old to continue to cook, but
that’s what’s been happening for the defenseman.
Not
only did he score for the second straight game on this wraparound
that tied the game 1-1 at 6:50 of the first period, but he logged an
NHL career-high 22:52 and played 20-plus minutes for the third
straight game:
I’ll
have more on a separate story on Mailloux on Thursday, but it’s
evident that this kid is becoming more assertive and confident in
what he’s doing on the ice, and what he told me was it’s stemming
from killing plays in the D-zone and doing things defensively that’s
leading to other aspects of his game.
Mailloux
was a plus-1, the fourth straight game in which he’s a plus (plus-5
total) and was second to only Holloway (six) in shots on goal with
four (on seven attempts); his ice time in the game was second to only
Philip Broberg’s 26:19.
Is
he finally starting to turn a corner here? Let’s see if it
continues moving forward, but as a fan, you have to be encouraged
that this has been a stretch of games going back to prior to the
Olympic break that Mailloux’s game has started to change for the
better.
*
Holloway loves him some ‘Sleepless in Seattle’ – Holloway is up
to 12 goals on the season now, and his redirection of a Cam Fowler
thread-the-needle pass to the crease at 7:40 of the second period
that gave the Blues a 2-1 lead was his fourth against the Kraken in
less than a week – he had a hat trick in a 5-1 Blues win over
Seattle at home on Feb. 26 – and fifth of the season after scoring
on them in November:
So
nearly 50 percent of his goals this season have come against one
team, but it was another game in which ‘Hollywood’ Holloway was
noticeable on the ice with his speed and aggressive play around the
puck at both ends of the ice, playing
16:12 in the game (plus-1).
And as evidenced by the video, his determination to drive to the net
after giving up the puck at the O-zone blue line is another example
of a player playing injury free and doing things that was lacking by
this group when it was struggling.
* The captain bringing it again – His name is one that has been floated
around in the rumor mill going back to last season, and it’s one of
the names running rampant again as this year’s NHL Trade Deadline
is nearing on Friday afternoon at 2 p.m. (CT) but no matter the
circumstances, he’s bringing it again.
The
alpha in the room and on the ice had a hand in all three goals and
had his second three-point game of the season. As he indicated prior
to departing on this current three-game trip, players just need to
put their heads down and go to work and let things fall into place
with Friday’s deadline looming.
Schenn
played 14:24 and has four assists his past two games and was a plus-2
Wednesday with three shots on goal.
*
Hot Hofer – Honestly, I didn’t like the goal scored by former
Blue Jaden Schwartz just 31 seconds into the game that made it 1-0
Seattle. It came off a wrister from the right point by Adam Larsson
that I thought Hofer could have done better with his rebound control
and put it right into the path of Schwartz instead of off to the side
or into the corner, but boy did he hold the fort down after that,
especially in the third period.
There’s
nothing he could do on another goal by a former Blue, Vince Dunn, in
the third period on a slot shot that cut it to 3-2 with 6:26 to play,
but Hofer was in control of his crease throughout and made 15 saves
in the third period. He had to be especially sharp when Justin Faulk
airmailed a backhand over the glass for delay of game with 2:06 to
play and Seattle playing with a 6-on-4 situation in a one-goal game.
Hofer,
who has won all three starts coming out of the break allowing just
four goals, gloved Brandon Montour’s dart from the point with five
seconds left in regulation to preserve the lead and ultimately, win
the game.
Hofer
has a 1.33 goals-against average and .952 save percentage in the
three starts coming out of the break.
Are
we seeing the changing of the guard with him and Jordan Binnington?
Sort of seems that way, doesn't it? Or at least they're giving the 1B coming into the season more runway, at least.
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Two days before the NHL trade deadline, the Anaheim Ducks hosted the New York Islanders on Wednesday night at Honda Center. This game was the 2500th game in the history of the Anaheim Ducks/Mighty Ducks of Anaheim franchise.
The Ducks were playing their second game of a back-to-back, as they were defeated by the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday, a game that snapped their five-game winning streak.
New York was playing their first game of a back-to-back, and entered play on a five-game winning streak of their own.
Ducks forward Frank Vatrano was activated off IR before the game and was inserted into the lineup. Ryan Strome had missed the last six games, both due to healthy scratches and illness, and was also re-entered the lineup. Mikael Granlund was placed on IR in a corresponding transaction.
Here’s how the Ducks lined up in this game:
Kreider-Carlsson-Gauthier
Killorn-McTavish-Sennecke
Vatrano-Poehling-Strome
Johnston-Washe-Viel
LaCombe-Trouba
Zellweger-Gudas
Mintyukov-Moore
For the first time in eight games and for the first time since Jan. 26, Ville Husso got the start for the Ducks. He saved 42 of the 43 shots he faced in this game. David Rittich opposed Husso in the Islanders’ net, who stopped 21 of 25.
“I liked our game tonight. I know the shot clock was in their favor by a big number, but at the same time, I thought we had more energy in this game from the start to finish than we had since we’ve been back (from the Olympic break),” Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville said after the game. “Physically, it was a hard game for both teams, and I liked the way we played, competed in the back-to-back game. So, I thought we did a lot of good things.”
Game Notes
Once again, the Ducks surrendered the first goal of the game, but they responded with three goals in quick succession to end the first period with a 3-1 lead. From there, the Islanders made a continuous push in the second amid a myriad of penalties on both sides. The Ducks played one of their strongest stretches early in the third period, got a quick tally, and Islanders’ coach Patrick Roy pulled Rittich with 8:33 left in the third, afterwhich the Ducks eventually extended their lead to 5-1.
Between the penalties and the early goalie pull, this game only featured 37:38 of 5v5 play. During that time, the Ducks accounted for 45% of the shots on goal, 49.4% of the shot attempts, and 43.7% of the expected goals.
Ville Husso: Husso was challenged early with perimeter shots that led to rebounds in tight that his defensemen had a difficult time finding, as they also struggled to box out New York’s heavy forwards. Quenneville said it seemed like he had velcro on him because pucks were sticking to him as the game wore on.
Day-to-day, Husso remains on the ice for extended periods after Ducks practices, both to help skaters looking to refine their skills and to keep himself fresh for these instances when he gets the call to start an occasional game. He rose to the challenge, and while he didn’t make many spectacular saves, his anticipation and knowledge of angles kept his team within striking distance when the game could have gotten out of hand early.
Ian Moore: Ian Moore returned to his natural position on the blueline and didn’t seem to miss a beat. In fact, he played with added confidence with the puck on his stick and was the driver on his team’s third goal. He is calmer with the time and space afforded to him in all three zones, and in the offensive zone, he is picking opportune times to activate, pinch, or drive the middle lane to either make himself a dangerous option or disrupt the opposing defensive structure in front of him.
He’s still being utilized as a forward on the penalty kill. His explosive lateral movement is beneficial at the top of the diamond, and he thinks like a defenseman, so he’s always scanning and aware, on the weak side of the diamond, of the weak side flank cutting to the back post in an attempt to find a seam.
Ryan Strome/Frank Vatrano: This hasn’t been an easy season for the pair of veteran Ducks forwards. They’ve struggled to carve out meaningful roles for themselves and produce on the scoresheet. Both played their first game in weeks, next to the speedy and responsible Ryan Poehling, and made the most of their shifts.
Strome’s vision was on full display, as his two pacey linemates opened up several cross-ice seams all game, which he exploited on several occasions while cycling. Vatrano was a key contributor on the Ducks’ cohesive and energetic forecheck all game long, which hounded New York’s defensemen into throwing area passes up the wall where they could be met by a pinching defenseman or F3 forward.
Vatrano’s F1 work to pressure Matthew Schaefer into a quick slip pass attempt upon a retrieval, and Strome’s effort to win position against Adam Boqvist were integral elements to Poehling’s goal, the Ducks’ fourth, in this game.
The Ducks will return to action hours after Friday’s NHL trade deadline passes, as they’ll host the Montreal Canadiens at 6 PM PST.
The California trip got off to a thud of a start with a 5-1 loss in Anaheim as the Islanders could not get much going and could not finish nor get better looks against the Ducks’ backup-backup goalie.
Ville Husso made 42 saves, but the game really turned in the first period as the Islanders gave up three quick goals, the first one on a Ducks power play, to erase the Anders Lee power play goal that opened scoring.
Trailing 3-1 going into the first intermission, the Isles outshot Anaheim 13-4 in the second period (though that looks more lopsided than it was) but still couldn’t get back on the board.
When Ryan Poehling scored early in the third to make it 4-1, that was about it. With Mathew Schaefer’s regular partner Ryan Pulock out, Poehling’s goal was another occasion where Schaefer and Scott Mayfield were not in sync heading back to the D zone, though Calum Ritchie was the guiltiest party leaving Poehling all alone in front with time to beat David Rittich.
As Anders Lee said, they need to wipe this one away quickly because they play again Thursday night in L.A. They banked some runway with their three comeback wins coming out of the Olympic break and five-game win streak overall, but they need to get something from the next two games against Western wild card chasers.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Nikolaj Ehlers sealed his seventh career hat trick with an empty-net goal and the Carolina Hurricanes held off the Vancouver Canucks for a 6-4 victory on Wednesday night.
Sean Walker, Andrei Svechnikov and Sebastian Aho each added a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes. Seth Jarvis had two assists and Brandon Bussi stopped 18 shots.
Filip Hronek had a goal and two assists for the Canucks, who have lost seven straight and have just two wins in their last 23 games (2-17-4).
Vancouver traded defenseman Tyler Myers to Dallas earlier in the day for a 2027 second-round draft pick and a 2029 fourth-rounder.
Marco Rossi scored and had an assist and Brock Boeser and Nils Hoglander added goals for the Canucks. Kevin Lankinen allowed four goals on 22 shots before getting pulled midway through the second period. He was replaced by Nikita Tolopilo, who made nine saves in relief.
The Canucks took a 2-1 lead on goals by Rossi and Hronek 44 seconds apart in the opening period.
Carolina took control with four consecutive goals in the second, with Walker, Ehlers, Aho and Ehlers again to make it 5-2.
Boeser scored with 43 seconds left in the second and Hoglander scored his first of the season to cut the Canucks' deficit to one at 5-4 6:45 into the third. But Ehlers sealed the win — and his hat trick — with 14 seconds left.
Vancouver played without forward Evander Kane, who general manager Patrik Allvin said was recovering from the flu.
VANCOUVER, CANADA - MARCH 4: Nikolaj Ehlers #27 of the Carolina Hurricanes scores a hat trick during the third period of their NHL game against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena on March 4, 2026 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The Carolina Hurricanes got a hat trick from Nikolaj Ehlers and defeated the Vancouver Canucks, 6-4 on Wednesday night at Rogers Arena.
It was a tight game at the end as Ehlers netted his last goal into an empty net with just 14 seconds left. It was his second hat trick of the season and the seventh of his career.
At times it seemed like the Hurricanes might run away with things as they outshot the home team, 33-22, but Vancouver made it interesting.
After taking the lead early on a powerplay goal by Andrei Svechnikov, the Canucks scored twice before the end of the first period to carry a 2-1 lead into the first intermission.
The Canes would come roaring back in the second period and scored four straight goals to pull ahead.
Sean Walker, Ehlers, Sebastian Aho, then Ehlers again provided the offensive push.
Aho’s goal gave him 60 points making him just one of four other Finnish players to score 60 points or more in eight straight seasons. He joins Kurri, Selanne, and Rantanen.
The Canucks scored late in the second and early in the third to make it a one goal game but it stayed that way until near the end.
Brandon Bussi picked up another win giving him a 25-3-1 record. Bussi didn’t look sharp at times but made the saves he needed to when it counted, which he has done often this season. That makes nine wins in a row for the netminder.
Brandon Bussi now the fastest goaltender in NHL history to 25 career wins.
SEATTLE (AP) — Dylan Holloway scored the go-ahead goal in the second period, Brayden Schenn had three assists and the St. Louis Blues beat the Seattle Kraken 3-2 on Wednesday night.
Robert Thomas added a goal and an assist, and defenseman Logan Mailloux also scored as the last-place Blues improved to 9-17-3 on the road with their second consecutive victory away from home against a playoff contender.
Joel Hofer made 34 saves for St. Louis, which won 3-1 on Sunday at Minnesota after going 2-8-1 in its previous 11 games.
Seattle defenseman Vince Dunn had a goal and an assist. Jaden Schwartz also scored for the Kraken, who had won five in a row at home without giving up more than two goals in any of them. Philipp Grubauer stopped 24 shots.
Seattle fell to 2-1 on its six-game homestand and 7-4-0 in its last 11 overall. The Kraken, who hold the second wild card and final playoff spot in the Western Conference, remained one point behind third-place Edmonton in the Pacific Division with a game in hand on the Oilers.
Holloway gave the Blues a 2-1 lead with his 12th goal at 7:40 of the second. The 24-year-old forward scored St. Louis' first hat trick this season and added an assist when he returned from a sprained ankle to lead the Blues over Seattle 5-1 at home in their first game back from the Olympic break last Thursday.
Thomas made it 3-1 just 1:33 into the third. Dunn trimmed Seattle's deficit to one at 13:34.
Up next
Blues: Visit the San Jose Sharks on Friday night, the third stop on a four-game trip.
Kraken: Host the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night.
PEORIA, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 27: Carlos Vargas #54 of the Seattle Mariners warms up before the spring training game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Peoria Stadium on February 27, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Mike Christy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It never feels good to have someone tell you that “almost isn’t good enough,” or that “close doesn’t cut it.” Growing up in the south, the phrase I always heard was “close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.” People use these sayings whenever some who failed to reach a goal says that it’s okay because they were “close.” And often, they’re right. If you were “close” to making that big sale or if you “almost” didn’t crash your forklift the end result is still a disaster. Hell, the Mariners were close to making the World Series last year, and we all remember how that turned out.
But often, especially for the small stuff, close does count, so long as you do your best. Today, I almost did all my laundry. I’ll finish tomorrow. I’m close to finishing the book I’m reading, but I see how it’s going to end. Tonight the Mariners were, for a while at least, close to winning a Spring Training game. Maybe they’ll win the next one.
The Mariners almost had some productive at-bats against Robbie Ray in the first inning. Cole Young led off the game and worked a six pitch at-bat by fouling everything off before whiffing on pitch 6. J.P. Crawford watched from the on deck circle and wanted in on the fun, working a 7-pitch AB that ended in a groundout. Brennen Davis got bored and grounded out on the first pitch. Almost some productive outs.
The Giants almost put a rally together in their half of the first, with Matt Chapman and Will Brennan hitting back-to-back one out singles, but Mariners pitcher Cooper Criswell neutralized the threat by inducing a double play from Casey Schmitt. The Mariners were also close to putting a rally together in the second, but likewise stranded runners on first and second.
In the top of the third Jonny Farmelo hit a leadoff triple, and almost didn’t score with Cole Young and J.P. Crawford making back-to-back outs, but was able to scamper home on J.P.‘s groundball. After a few quiet innings it looked like the Mariners were close to carrying their slim lead into the “every starter leaves the game” portion of a Spring Training game. Alas, close did not count.
Carlos Vargas replaced Criswell on the bump in the bottom of the fourth, and sadly wasted no time in getting hit all up and down the field. Brennan, Schmitt, and Matos led off the inning with a trio of singles to load up the bases and put all of the pressure on Vargas’ shoulders. That pressure may have gotten to him, as he found it impossible to find the zone and issued a free pass to Grant McCray. From a pitcher’s perspective, a no-out bases loaded walk is very close to the worst possible outcome. You’re in the same situation and you just gave them a run for free. The worst possible outcome is of course a grand slam — hey what’s this video of Jake Holton doing here?
After that back-breaker, the Giants really wanted to get another rally going. Christian Koss almost even got a hit to speed that along. But just almost, thanks to Cole Young.
Afterwards, the Giants went into full Spring Training mode and pulled half their starters from the game. The Mariners clawed back a couple of runs on a Cole Young single and a J.P. Crawford sac fly, but couldn’t keep the line moving long enough. And honestly? They didn’t even come close.
The Giants secondary squad contended with Jose A. Ferrer on the mound in the bottom of the 5th, and had no trouble extending their lead back to five runs, with the capper being a two-RBI double by Bryce Eldridge. Even though the Mariners were able to get another run back in the sixth, the game still wasn’t nearly close enough. In a close game when the offense is clicking, singles can turn into doubles and doubles can turn into homers. But when you’re down by a grand slam or more, everyone is sad. And no one plays good baseball when they’re sad.
[Speaking of sad, Jake had to end the recap here, because he is in Texas and did not realize this game would end at midnight his time. I am here to tell you things did not get better, tonight. The Mariners will try again tomorrow, in a home game back in Peoria at the normal 12 PM PT start time. -KP]
WEST PALM BEACH, FL - MARCH 03: Members of Team Venezuela look on during the singing of the national anthem prior to the game between the Team Venezuela and the Houston Astros at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on Tuesday, March 3, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Lawrence Brown/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Well in the aftermath of Jurickson Profar’s suspension, the Braves are down a (presumably) productive bat, but up $18 million dollars when you include luxury tax savings. That Mike Yastrzemski signing looks even more important now and Eli White is really not a bad platoon partner for him. That said, for a team that wanted to add a quality starting pitcher but was unable to and suffered a couple brutal pitching injuries right at the beginning of Spring Training, the Profar news really is an instance of “when it rains, it pours”. The team said they had money leftover before, but they certainly have more now. It will be really tough to add impact players in March, but they’ve almost got to be at least making calls on the trade market for another bat, a starting pitcher, or both. We’ll see if the front office can pull a rabbit out of a hat and bolster a roster that still has significant talent, but has already been substantially depleted before the season has even started.
TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 21: Jasson Domínguez #24 of the New York Yankees smiles before the game against the Detroit Tigers at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 21, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
MLB.com | Ian Browne: George Lombard Jr.’s strong spring continued Wednesday as he took Red Sox ace Garret Crochet deep to lead off a Grapefruit League game. The Yankees’ top prospect pulled the ball 392 feet and it exited his bat at 104.2 mph. Crochet was “just trying to push it up in the zone instead of just throwing it up in the zone,” the 2025 AL Cy Young runner-up said after the game of the pitch that led to the long ball. “But that was a good swing, because it was still a good bullet by me.”
Lombard has flashed the leather at shortstop throughout camp, though he’s not expected to be in play for an Opening Day roster spot.
SNY | John Flanigan: Cam Schlittler has gotten the go-ahead to make his spring debut Friday against the Rays, easing concerns about his back. The starting pitcher was delayed earlier in camp due to back inflammation. Given his later start, it’s expected that he might only get stretched out to 65-80 pitches to start the season. Still, with fellow starters Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, and Clarke Schmidt expected to begin the season on the IL, the Yankees will take all the Schlittler they can get.
MLB.com | Alfred Santasiere III: In light of Schlittler’s scheduled return, what better time for a profile on the young right-hander? The sophomore touches on adjustments to big-league competition, evolving his pitch mix, and closing out the season strong. But the lion’s share of the Q&A provides a remarkably in-depth, sometimes inning-by-inning, breakdown of his instantly legendary performance in Game 3 of the Wild Card Series against his hometown Red Sox.
The Athletic | Chris Kirschner: ($) After the Dodgers’ repeat title last year, their blockbuster offseason acquisitions of Kyle Tucker and Edwin Díaz intensified backlash from many around the game decrying the lack of parity in today’s game. Don’t count the Yankees’ biggest stars among the detractors of LA’s approach. “They’re trying to get the best product on the field and finding a way to maximize whatever they can to get the best players,” says Aaron Judge, adding (perhaps pointedly), “I wish a lot of teams found a way to do that.”
“They’re maximizing their efficiency,” ace Gerrit Cole said in typically analytical fashion. “They are getting contracts that are making them better quality. It’s within the rules.”
Giancarlo Stanton lauded the Dodgers for creating “good buzz for baseball.”
Lastly, a couple Yankees went deep in World Baseball Classic exhibition play yesterday, with Aaron Judge launching a 453-foot moonshot for Team USA off the Rockies’ Kyle Freeland …
DETROIT (AP) — Tomas Hertl scored a power-play goal with 2:49 remaining in overtime and the Vegas Golden Knights rallied from a two-goal, third-period deficit to edge the Detroit Red Wings 4-3 on Wednesday night.
Hertl scored in front off a pass from Mitch Marner as Vegas snapped a three-game losing streak. Marner scored the tying goal with 3:24 left in regulation and had two assists.
Reilly Smith and Ivan Barbashev had the other goals for Vegas, which wrapped up a five-game road trip. Adin Hill made 23 saves in the Golden Knights’ third game in four nights.
Simon Edvinsson and Alex DeBrincat each had a goal and an assist for Detroit, which is now 24-1-3 when leading after two periods. Emmitt Finnie also scored for the Red Wings and Cam Talbot made 21 saves.
Vegas’ second-leading scorer, Mark Stone, missed the game due to an upper-body injury.
Vegas scored twice in the final nine minutes of regulation to erase a 3-1 deficit.
DEVILS 4, MAPLE LEAFS 3, SO
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Paul Cotter and Jesper Bratt scored in the shootout, Connor Brown forced overtime with a tying goal with 2:21 left in the third period and New Jersey beat Toronto, sending the Maple Leafs to their fifth straight loss.
Timo Meier and and Arseny Gritsyuk also scored in regulation for the Devils, who have won three in a row and improved to 25-8-1 when scoring at least three goals. Jacob Markstrom made 24 saves.
William Nylander, Matias Maccelli and Matthew Knies had goals for the Maple Leafs, who haven’t won since beating the Edmonton Oilers 5-2 on Feb. 3 — their last game before the Olympic break. Anthony Stolarz made 44 saves.
Cotter put a backhander past Stolarz to start the shootout for the Devils. After Nylander’s wrister was stopped, Bratt also scored on a backhander to put New Jersey up 2-0 in the shootout. Auston Matthews’ wrist shot was then stopped by Markstrom, giving the Devils the victory.
