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Sixers lose

DENVER, CO - MARCH 17: Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets handles the ball during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on March 17, 2026 at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Medals of bravery will be going out for every Sixers fan that stayed up for this one.

Philadelphia was crushed 124-96 by the Denver Nuggets Tuesday night.

They are 37-32, only two games back of falling to the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference.

VJ Edgecombe had just nine points, three rebounds and four assists shooting 3-of-12 from the floor. MarJon Beauchamp shot it well again with the game out of hand, leading the Sixers with 16 points. Christian Braun led all scorers with 22. Nikola Jokic had eight points on seven shots along with 14 assists.

The Sixers were once again without Tyrese Maxey (finger sprain), Joel Embiid (oblique strain), Paul George (suspension), Kelly Oubre Jr. (elbow strain), Jabari Walker (illness) and Johni Broome (torn meniscus). Denver was without Peyton Watson along with their two-ways.

Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.

First Quarter

  • The early battle was between Dominick Barlow and Aaron Gordon. Gordon sealed him off a couple of times for baskets but Barlow was able to swat a couple shots away. The Sixers offense’ looked overmatched early, only scoring on an Edgecombe drive and a rolling dunk by Adem Bona.
  • Edgecombe was hunting his midrange pull-ups, but it took three tries to make his first one. Quentin Grimes was also aggressive early but could only get one pull-up three to go. It was another unbalanced start from behind the arc, with Denver making five of their first seven triples while the Sixers started 2-of-8 from deep.
  • One of the few edges the Sixers had early was the chippiness of the game. Andre Drummond got Jokic T’d up in the process of drawing an offensive foul. That was about as much resistance as the Sixers had early, as the Nuggets shot 56% from the field in the first and jumped out to an 18-point lead.

Second Quarter

  • Even the high of Bona’s impressive dunk was quickly overshadowed. The 33-year old Jonas Valancuinas beat him off a couple dribbles and threw down a contested dunk of his own. For once, the Sixers were at least outpacing their opponent in three-pointers attempted but nothing fell for them. They missed their first four threes of the quarter.
  • This pace continued so much so that any positive play for the Sixers felt like a noteworthy event. Dalen Terry cut his way for a basket and made a nice little dribble move to get himself a floater. Edgecombe threw a nice lob to Grimes cutting backdoor but neither of them were able to get into a rhythm off the dribble. On top of that, Edgecombe picked up four fouls in the half.
  • On top of a subpar defensive performance, the Sixers were buried early because their shooters couldn’t buy anything. Edgecombe, Grimes and Cam Payne shot a combined 8-of-29 from the field in the half. The Sixers made 17 field goals in the half while the Nuggets had 20 assists. Denver led by 32 at the break.

Third Quarter

  • Still scourging for any positive, Justin Edwards became the first Sixer of the night to make multiple three-pointers, MarJon Beauchamp would join him late in the quarter when he finally got his second shift. Bona picked up two more blocks and was somehow only -7 to this point in the night but still got an early hook.
  • Edgecombe picked up his fifth foul early in the third, but he was able to make it over halfway through the quarter before the white flag was waved. Perhaps he could have gotten a few more shots up, but he was cold and his night was ending quickly one way or another. After winning a third quarter for once, the Sixers only trailed by 29.

Fourth Quarter

  • Beauchamp again took advantage of the run he was given, making five of his first seven shots of the night. It’s weird that he’s seemed to fallen down the hierarchy even amongst two-ways when they’ve been slightly healthier. There’s plenty of reasons he’s on a two-way, but at least he’s made shots. As a Sixer, Beauchamp came into this game shooting 47% from the field and 36% from three-point range.
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Mariners split pair of split-squad games: win at Rockies, lose vs. Padres

PEORIA, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 24, 2026: Luke Raley #20 of the Seattle Mariners bats during the second inning of a spring training game against the Chicago White Sox at Peoria Stadium on February 24, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by David Durochik/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images

The Mariners played their first split-squad game of the spring this season now that they finally have enough players back from the WBC and split the games, losing at home against the Padres and winning on the road against the Rockies.

Home game: San Diego 9, Mariners 6

It wasn’t as bad as the 27-6 blowout from the other week but San Diego’s offense once again ran roughshod over the Mariners pitching. The Rad Dads dinged Luis Castillo for two solo homers and a boatload of hard contact – although he only surrendered runs on the two solo shots. The rest of the pitchers didn’t fare well, either: Andrés Muñoz gave up a solo homer to new Padre Nick Castellanos [scans headlines urgently] plus another run; Gunner Mayer, a pitcher I hadn’t heard of before today, gave up two homers and three runs in just a third of an inning; and José Ferrer, despite striking out the side, also gave up a two-run homer to the Padres’ second-string catcher. The best pitching performance of the day was turned in by Casey Legumina, who pitched two perfect innings behind Castillo.

The Mariners offense made a steady effort, holding a slender 4-2 lead through the sixth thanks to Legumina’s effort, with the runs coming on this Luke Raley opposite field shot:

And this Colt Emerson homer, his second of the spring:

Emerson was also involved in the Mariners’ go-ahead score in the fifth; he made a gutsy challenge on a called strike three and instead got it called a ball for a walk. Luis Suisbel then doubled, and Brendan Donovan sacrificed him home to give the Mariners the go-ahead run.

Another young player helped the Mariners pad their lead in the sixth, with Cole Young continuing his strong spring with an RBI single scoring Luke Raley, who had singled and moved to second on a wild pitch.

San Diego opened up the scoring after that, beating up on the Mariners bullpen, but the young kids did claw back another pair of runs late, with Felnin Celesten coming through with a pinch-hit RBI single in the seventh and Austin St. Laurent adding one last run in the ninth on an RBI single scoring Colt Emerson, who had doubled for his second hit of the day in a nine-inning effort.

Away Game: Mariners 10, Rockies 6

Cooper Criswell turned in a solid effort, albeit with some loud contact: a 114 mph EV single in the first, and back-to-back 100 mph+ EV doubles in the second that led to two runs for Colorado, tying the game after the Mariners had struck first. He wasn’t especially efficient, needing 61 pitches to clear his three innings of work and giving up five hits, but he also struck out five, working out of jams by enscorcelling the Rockies with a beautiful changeup and a devilish cutter. The loud contact is worrisome, but Criswell has enough craft in his arsenal to be able to survive a lineup at least once through.

Meanwhile, the Mariners “B” offense went to work on the Rockies tandem of Ryan Feltner and Chase Dollander, who are fighting it out for the fifth rotation spot like George Kirby and Matt Brash back in 2022, but like, badly. The Mariners hitters tagged Feltner for three runs over 3.1 innings, taking advantage of some poor command – four walks – and then beat up on Dollander for another five runs over 3.2 innings, again taking advantage of three walks, although Dollander struck out four. The big blows came off Dollander in the sixth, who gave up three doubles in a row to Rhylan Thomas, Connor Joe, and Carson Taylor, giving the Mariners an 8-5 lead

The Mariners got another pair of runs in the top of the ninth on a homer by prospect Colin Davis, scoring J.T. Arruda, who I am embarrassed to say I’ve never heard of before today. So we’re at that point of spring training. That would give the Mariners a 10-6 lead they would not relinquish, securing a split in today’s split-squad action.

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Howard holds off UMBC in First Four for its first March Madness win

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — Bryce Harris had 19 points and 14 rebounds, and he sank a turnaround jumper with 13 seconds remaining that sent Howard to its first NCAA Tournament victory in program history, 86-83 over UMBC in the First Four on Tuesday night.

Ose Okojie scored a career-high 23 points to lead the Bison (24-10), who entered with an 0-4 record in March Madness and had to hold off a late rally by the Retrievers (24-9).

DJ Armstrong Jr.‘s 3-pointer with 43 seconds left got UMBC within 83-81. After Harris’ jumper as the shot clock expired gave Howard a four-point lead, Jah’Likah King made a layup to make it 85-83.

Isaiah Brown made one of two free throws and Armstrong couldn’t convert a 3 at the buzzer, sealing a trip to Buffalo, New York, for the Bison, who enter the Midwest Region bracket as the No. 16 seed and will face top-seeded Michigan on Thursday.

Coach Kenneth Blakeney also led Howard, one of the country’s premier historically Black universities, to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title and NCAA Tournament appearances in 2023 and ’24.

UMBC was seeking its first March Madness win since it shocked top overall seed Virginia in 2018, becoming the first No. 16 seed to knock off a No. 1. The Retrievers lost in the second round that year and this was the first NCAA Tournament appearance since for the suburban Baltimore school, located 31 miles north of the Howard campus in Washington.

King led UMBC with 19 points, Armstrong had 17 and Caden Diggs scored 15.

Cedric Taylor III scored 16 points for Howard, going 9 of 10 at the free-throw line before fouling out in the final minute

TEXAS 68, NC STATE 66

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — Tramon Mark hit a fadeaway jumper from just inside the 3-point line with 1.1 seconds left, and Texas survived a late rally to beat N.C. State in a First Four matchup of power-conference teams that limped into March Madness.

Mark scored 17 points to lead the Longhorns (19-14), who had lost five of six entering the NCAA Tournament. Texas moved into the bracket as the No. 11 seed in the West region and will face sixth-seeded BYU on Thursday night in Portland, Oregon.

Coach Sean Miller’s Longhorns led 62-53 on Chendall Weaver’s two free throws with 2:56 left, but the Wolfpack (20-14) — who also lost five of six before getting sent to Dayton — scored 10 points in a span of 1:12. Paul McNeil Jr. hit two 3s before Mark beat the shot clock with a fadeaway.

Darrion Williams connected from deep to get N.C. State within one. The Wolfpack then forced a turnover by Dailyn Swain, and Tre Holloman made one of two free throws to tie it at 66-all.

Texas ran down most of the game clock before Mark connected from 19 feet, and N.C. State couldn’t get a shot off before the buzzer.

Mark finished with 17 points, Matas Vokietaitis scored 15 and Swain added 13 for the Longhorns. Weaver recorded his first career double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Darrion Williams led the Wolfpack with 21 points. Quadir Copeland scored 16 and McNeil finished with 11.

AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

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From the Pocket: Andrew Dillon needs authenticity and nuance, not AFL talking points

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In 2023, the late Sam Landsberger wrote a piece in the Herald Sun recalling how Andrew Dillon came to work at the AFL. Dillon was driving down Punt Road in the early 2000s after playing a game for amateur club Old Xaverians. Senior AFL administrator Ben Buckley, who was recruiting for an in-house counsel, was in the next lane and spotted his former Xavs teammate. “Hey Dills,” he shouted across traffic, “you’re a lawyer, aren’t you?”

A quarter of a century later, a line from North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson in an interview with Jay Clark jumped off the page on Sunday. “I spoke to Gil [McLachlan] on Tuesday night and he says: ‘This will all be resolved by the end of next week,’” Clarkson said. “This was the grand final week of 2022. Just talk to ‘Dills’ and this will all be resolved.”

Continue reading...
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Walker Buehler dominates San Francisco, strikes out 7

TEMPE, ARIZONA - MARCH 10: Pitcher Walker Buehler #10 of the San Diego Padres throws against the Los Angeles Angels during the second inning of a spring training game at Tempe Diablo Stadium on March 10, 2026 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images

With the news that Joe Musgrove will start the season on the injured list, the San Diego Padres now have two rotation spots available instead of just one. 

Germán Márquez was lined up to take the fifth spot due to his big-league contract, but now there’s room for one more. One name has continued to come up this spring for San Diego: Walker Buehler

An inconsistent career

The Los Angeles Dodgers mainstay has struggled since having the best year of his career in 2021, with a 4.83 ERA from 2022-25. But in ‘21 he dominated the league with a 2.47 ERA and 0.97 WHIP.

Toward the end of the ‘22 season, Buehler underwent Tommy John surgery and was out for the entire 2023 season. Since then, he has been largely ineffective outside of a dominant postseason run in ‘24.

In 2025, Buehler put up a 5.45 ERA while on a prove-it deal with the Boston Red Sox to bolster their rotation depth. Suffice it to say, he did not prove it. He was released by the club in August before being picked up by the Philadelphia Phillies.

Through three games in Philly, Buehler dominated. It’s obviously a small sample size, but a 0.66 ERA down the stretch is nothing to sneeze at. It pointed to a possible return to the success that had eluded him the last few years.

Fighting for rotation spots in San Diego

The Padres’ rotation has been a thing of immense scrutiny this offseason. With Musgrove now out of the group due to injury, there are two spots remaining behind Nick Pivetta, Michael King and Randy Vásquez. 

Buehler has been fighting for his life in Cactus League play. He was signed by the Friars to a minor-league contract with an invite to Spring Training. Since joining the club, he’s put up a 3.09 ERA in 11 ⅔ innings. 

Monday’s dominant outing

Prior to Monday, Buehler had a 5.40 ERA this spring. He’s made two solid starts but nothing awe-inspiring, giving up four runs in 6 ⅔ innings. 

But against the San Francisco Giants, Buehler dominated. Pitching five full innings in a spring game and striking out seven, he allowed only three hits and two walks without allowing a run.

The even greater thing of note was his pitch count. Buehler only threw 77 pitches through five innings, meaning he could have likely gone deeper if this were a regular season game. But this has been a winning formula for San Diego: starter goes six innings, relievers pick up one apiece to close it out. 

Now don’t immediately go and say that he’s going to dominate every single game. He is far from the pitcher he was in 2021. But he’s beginning to lean into the stuff he now has after his fastball lost velocity. That has given him some new ways to get outs during Cactus League. 

How will it translate to real games?

If anything, Buehler has earned the starter spot head-and-shoulders above Márquez, who has struggled to a 9.26 ERA this spring. But with room in the pitching staff for both now, they’ll each get an opportunity to prove themselves for the big-league club.

If Buehler can continue to build on what he showed against San Francisco, it would go a long way to anchoring a shaky Padres rotation. The pitcher has long struggled with pain in his throwing arm but has said that it disappeared this offseason. 

It’ll be exciting to see what this new form of Buehler looks like in San Diego, and what he can do to add to the Friars’ World Series aspirations.

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San Antonio at Sacramento, Final Score: Spurs score at will in 132-104 win

SACRAMENTO, CA - MARCH 17: Victor Wembanyama #1, Stephon Castle #5 and De'Aaron Fox #4 of the San Antonio Spurs smiles during the game against the Sacramento Kings on March 17, 2026 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Short rest on the second game of a back-to-back is no issue when the game ends in the first half. The San Antonio Spurs rolled into Sacramento after a tough game with the Los Angeles Clippers the night prior. The Spurs thoroughly and utterly dominated the Kings in a blowout 132-104 victory.

San Antonio took a 78-47 lead in the first half, effectively ending the game after the second quarter. The Spurs were able to go deep into their bench against a Sacramento team that was without key players like Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, and Keegan Murray. The shorthanded Kings didn’t provide much defensive resistance against the Spurs, allowing them to get to the basket or take open looks all night long.

The Spurs were red hot from three, shooting 25-49 from deep. It was the most single-game three-pointers made in franchise history. Everyone got in on the fun, as ten different Spurs hit a three-pointer. San Antonio shot 52% from the field overall. The Kings had a solid offensive game despite their defensive woes, shooting 44% from the field and 38% from deep. Interestingly enough, the Kings actually outscored the Spurs in the paint 48-40.

Victor Wembanyama led the Spurs with 18 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block in the win. His French counterpart on the Kings, Maxime Raynaud, had a game-high 32 points and was one rebound shy of a double-double.

The Spurs improve to 51-18 with the win. Next, they’ll head back to San Antonio for a matchup with the Phoenix Suns on Thursday.

Observations

  • Stephon Castle put up a stat line that Chris Paul would be proud of. He had 3 points, 12 assists, and 0 turnovers. His only made basket came on a spot-up three-pointer. Castle’s evolution this season has been fun to see. He’s distributing the ball at a high level, cutting down on turnovers, and shooting the ball better from deep.
  • Harrison Barnes stepped into the starting lineup in place of Devin Vassell, who is dealing with some ankle soreness. Barnes was on fire, going 4-5 from three on his way to 16 points. Getting him going before the playoffs would be extremely beneficial for their title chances.
  • We caught a glimpse of what Dylan Harper could become on Tuesday. He, of course, did damage around the basket like he usually does, but he also knocked down 3-5 three-pointers. He made some nice step-back moves that led to mid-range jumpers. He has all of the tools to become a good three-level scorer, and showed a lot of them against the Kings. Harper had 15 points and 5 assists in the win.
  • It was an “old-friend” game for both teams. DeMar DeRozan and Doug McDermott faced their former squad in the Spurs, and De’Aaron Fox and Barnes had significant stretches of their careers in Sacramento. McDermott looked just like he did when he was in San Antonio, flying off screens and hitting threes. He had 12 points on 4-8 shooting from three. Fox was great in limited minutes, scoring 15 points and tossing 6 assists.
  • Every single player on the Spurs roster who logged a minute scored a point. Bismack Biyombo knocked down a free throw late in the game to solidify the feat. Mason Plumlee was the only Spur not to play on Tuesday night.
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Watch Venezuela celebrate 2026 World Baseball Classic championship

Venezuela's Daniel Palencia stood on the mound in the bottom of the ninth inning and blew a 99.7 mph pitch past USA outfielder Roman Anthony, who whiffed for strike three to seal a 3-2 championship win for Venezuela. Palencia turned to face his teammates, threw his glove in the air and screamed as he stretched his arms out to the sky.

For the first time in the World Baseball Classic's 20-year history, "La Vinotinto" were crowned champions.

Tears streamed down the faces of several players as the celebration ensued.

"This team is awesome," Eugenio Suárez said to Ken Rosenthal on the field. "We're a family here. That's why we play with passion, with love, because we feel this jersey, we feel our country in front of us. That's why this is a lot for us as people, as players, as human beings and as Venezuelans. Now, we are champions."

Kansas City Royals breakout star Maikel García was named MVP of the World Baseball Classic after he hit .385 over the tournament with a home run and seven RBIs. He drove in the first run of the final on Tuesday on a sac fly that scored Salvador Perez.

Watch Venezuela's championship celebration from multiple angles below:

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Venezuela WBC celebrations: World Baseball Classic championship 2026

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Dodgers Shohei Ohtani is driving MLB’s boom in Japan

Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani isn’t just the best baseball player in the world. He’s also the driving force behind why Japanese fans are watching Major League Baseball.

In a country where baseball already pulses through the culture like oxygen, Ohtani has turned passion into obsession. According to a YouGov Sport survey, nearly 8 in 10 Japanese fans now say he’s one of their favorite MLB players, and more importantly, 79 percent admit he’s the reason their interest in Major League Baseball has grown. 

Shohei Ohtani smiles after he is intentionally walked during the third inning of a World Baseball Classic quarterfinal game against Venezuela. AP

Ohtani’s current team, the Dodgers, have now become Japan’s team. A commanding 59 percent of the nation said the Dodgers are their favorite MLB team. That’s no coincidence. Ohtani, alongside countrymen Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki, has turned Dodger Stadium into a second home for millions of fans watching from across the Pacific. 

When the Dodgers reached the 2025 World Series, more than half of Japanese sports fans tuned in—and 86 percent of them weren’t just watching. They were emotionally invested. 

This is the rarest kind of athlete, the kind who doesn’t just dominate a sport but redefines its geography. Ohtani hasn’t simply bridged Japan and America—he’s collapsed the distance between them. Every home run, every splitter, every moment under the lights pulls two baseball worlds closer together.

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Roki Sasaki continues his spring struggles

Mar 3, 2026; Goodyear, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Roki Sasaki (11) reacts against the Cleveland Guardians during the first inning at Goodyear Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

The Roki Sasaki experiment continued on Tuesday night, with a loss of command coming to be expected from the Dodgers right-hander despite this game taking place in Surprise. Sasaki got through parts of five innings in a 10-4 Kansas City Royals.

Sasaki’s first time through the Royals’ batting order was a pleasant stroll, with three strikeouts with only a double and walk allowed. But then he walked three straight batters in the third inning to load the bases with one out. Manager Dave Roberts removed him from the game to prevent a taxing inning, with the intent of bringing him back in to begin the next frame, which is allowed during spring.

Nick Robertson got the final two outs of the fourth inning, stranding all three of Sasaki’s runners.

In the fourth inning, Sasaki struck out a pair, but also allowed a single and a two-run home run. Then he ran a 3-0 count to Jonathan India, slipping on the delivery on one of the pitches, enough to warrant a mound visit from Roberts and a team trainer. Sasaki stayed in and induced an inning-ending groundout that he ran to first base himself, a rare 1u on the scorecard.

Sasaki was also allowed to start the fifth inning, but was pulled when his 71st pitch of the game was smacked by Starling Marte for a leadoff double off the wall. Sasaki is officially credited with 3 1/3 innings though he pitched in parts of five innings, with three runs allowed. He struck out five but walked four, throwing nearly as many balls (33) as strikes (38).

In three Cactus League games this spring, Sasaki has thrown 76 balls and 76 strikes in his 6 2/3 innings, with nine walks and 10 strikeouts.

Notes
  • Jack Suwinski has played in two games this spring for the Dodgers, all over the last three days, and he homered in each one. His ninth-inning shot on Tuesday cleared Surprise Stadium, and gave the Dodgers the lead for good in what became a six-run inning.
  • Dalton Rushing had an impressive opposite-field home run down the left field line on Tuesday, and caught seven innings before departing.
  • Hyeseong Kim played the entire game, playing eight innings at shortstop before finishing up in center field in the ninth. He singled, got hit by a pitch, stole a base, and scored two runs in his third game back from the World Baseball Classic.
Up next

For the first time in a game in 2026, we get to see Shohei Ohtani on the mound on Wednesday afternoon against the Giants (1:05 p.m.; SportsNet LA, MLB Network).

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Oilers rally past the Sharks 5-3 without Leon Draisaitl

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Max Jones and Zach Hyman scored third-period goals, Adam Henrique had a pair of assists, and the Edmonton Oilers rallied without star forward Leon Draisaitl for an important 5-3 win over the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Connor Murphy and Vasily Podkolzin also scored for the Oilers, who improved to 5-2-1 in March and moved into a tie with Anaheim atop the Pacific Division.

The Oilers were without Draisaitl, who is fourth in league scoring, after it was announced earlier in the day that he is expected to miss the remainder of the regular season with a lower-body injury.

Dmitry Orlov, Pavol Regenda and Kiefer Sherwood scored for the Sharks, who have lost five of their last seven.

Connor Ingram had 27 saves for Edmonton, while Alex Nedeljkovic made 32 stops for San Jose.

The game was tied 3-3 after two. The Oilers went up 5-3 with 11:48 to play in the third period as Hyman picked up a rebound in front and lifted a backhand shot into the net from his knees for his 29th goal in just 50 games this season.

San Jose's Macklin Celebrini had his nine-game point streak halted and was held without a point for the first time since the Olympic break. He had 14 points during the streak and remains five points from becoming the sixth teenager in NHL history to register 100 points.

Edmonton's Evan Bouchard picked up an assist to give him 26 points and a plus-22 rating in 18 career games against the Sharks. He has 32 points in his last 21 games overall.

Edmonton now has nine consecutive home wins over the Sharks.

Up next

Sharks: Host Buffalo on Thursday.

Oilers: Host Florida on Thursday.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

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Caufield scores in overtime as the Canadiens edge the Bruins 3-2

MONTREAL (AP) — Cole Caufield scored 4:38 into overtime as the Montreal Canadiens edged the Boston Bruins 3-2 in a rivalry matchup Tuesday night.

Caufield tapped a pass from Nick Suzuki into the back of the net for his 40th of the season, becoming the first Canadien to reach the mark since Vincent Damphousse in 1993-94.

Suzuki and Josh Anderson also scored while Jakub Dobes made 26 saves for Montreal, which snapped a two-game losing skid.

Brendan Gallagher picked up an assist in his 900th NHL game, all for Montreal.

Pavel Zacha had both goals for Boston, and Jeremy Swayman stopped 28 shots.

The Canadiens sat third in the Atlantic Division and one point ahead of the Bruins — with one game in hand — heading into Tuesday’s games.

BLUE JACKETS 5, HURRICANES 1

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Charlie Coyle had a goal and three assists, Danton Heinen scored his 100th career goal and Columbus beat Carolina.

Mason Marchment, Denton Mateychuk and Mathieu Olivier also scored for Columbus, which has gotten points in a season-high 10-straight games (6-0-4). Cole Sillinger and Adam Fantilli each added two assist, and Jet Greaves stopped 27 shots.

Andrei Svechnikov scored and Brandon Bussi made 25 saves for the Hurricanes.

Marchment scored on a power play 5:25 into the first period, and the Blue Jackets have scored in the opening 10 minutes in 13 of their last 20 games. Coyle added another power-play goal in the final minute of the first.

Svechnikov scored his 25th goal of the season with 5:55 left in the second period before Heinen and Mateychuk scored 34 seconds apart.

ISLANDERS 3, MAPLE LEAFS 1

TORONTO (AP) — Calum Ritchie had a goal and an assist on a pair of first-period power plays as New York beat Toronto.

Brayden Schenn scored his first goal since being acquired from St. Louis ahead of the trade deadline, and Emil Heineman also scored for the Islanders, who have won nine of 12.

Ilya Sorokin made 26 saves for New York, and Mathew Barzal had three assists.

Steven Lorentz scored for Toronto. Joseph Woll stopped 31 shots.

The Leafs fell to 2-1-1 since losing captain Auston Matthews for the season to a knee injury — a run on the heels of an ugly 0-6-2 slide that all but cratered their playoff hopes.

WILD 4, BLACKHAWKS 3, OT

CHICAGO (AP) — Mats Zuccarello scored 3:09 into overtime, and Minnesota stopped a three-game slide by topping Chicago.

Marcus Johansson had a goal and two assists as Minnesota improved to 3-0 against Chicago this season. Vladimir Tarasenko and Ryan Hartman also scored, and Brock Faber had three assists.

Filip Gustavsson made 21 saves for the Wild, and Jesper Wallstedt stopped two shots. Gustavsson departed for 3:27 in the third period because of an equipment issue.

The Wild had a long stint in their offensive zone before Johansson found Zuccarello for his 13th goal.

Minnesota forward Nick Foligno received a warm welcome in his first game against Chicago since he was acquired in a March 6 trade with the Blackhawks. Foligno held his stick in the air and waved to the cheering crowd after he was saluted with a tribute video during a timeout in the opening period.

Louis Crevier had a goal and an assist for last-place Chicago, which dropped its second straight game. Frank Nazar and Ryan Greene also scored.

PREDATORS 4, JETS 3, SO

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Ryan O’Reilly scored the lone goal in the shootout to lift Nashville to a victory over Winnipeg.

O’Reilly beat Connor Hellebuyck to the glove side in the first round of the shootout. Predators’ netminder Juuse Saros secured the win by stopping Gabriel Vilardi, Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor.

Matthew Wood, Filip Forsberg and Erik Haula scored in regulation for Nashville. Jonathan Marchessault chipped in with two assists. Saros made 36 saves.

Jonathan Toews forced overtime for Winnipeg, tying the game 3-3 with 1:01 left in the third period.

Josh Morrissey and Vilardi also scored in regulation for the Jets. Connor contributed three assists to extend his point streak to four games, while Scheifele assisted on the game-tying marker. Hellebuyck stopped 20 shots.

The contest was officiated by a single referee, Brandon Schrader, after Chris Lee was unable to attend due to travel issues.

OILERS 5, SHARKS 3

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Max Jones and Zach Hyman scored third-period goals, Adam Henrique had a pair of assists, and Edmonton rallied without star forward Leon Draisaitl for an important win over San Jose.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Connor Murphy and Vasily Podkolzin also scored for the Oilers, who improved to 5-2-1 in March and moved into a tie with Anaheim atop the Pacific Division.

The Oilers were without Draisaitl, who is fourth in league scoring, after it was announced earlier in the day that he is expected to miss the remainder of the regular season with a lower-body injury.

Dmitry Orlov, Pavol Regenda and Kiefer Sherwood scored for the Sharks, who have lost five of their last seven.

Connor Ingram had 27 saves for Edmonton, while Alex Nedeljkovic made 32 stops for San Jose.

CANUCKS 5, PANTHERS 2

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Elias Pettersson scored twice, including the 200th goal of his NHL career, and Vancouver held on for a win over Florida.

The Swedish center opened the scoring at the 3:49 mark of the first period, blasting a one-timer in from inside the faceoff circle during an early power play. It was his 14th tally of the season and his first goal in 21 games.

Marco Rossi also scored and contributed a pair of assists for the Canucks, who rebounded from a lopsided 5-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken on Saturday.

Vancouver center Aatu Raty and Drew O’Connor also scored and Brock Boeser added three assists. Kevin Lankinen — playing in his 200th NHL game — stopped 21 of the 23 shots he faced for his first win since Jan. 21.

The Panthers got a goal and an assist from Matthew Tkachuk. Sam Bennett also scored and Carter Verhaeghe had two assists.

Sergei Bobrovsky made 17 saves for the defending Stanley Cup champions, who lost their second straight game.

SABRES 2, GOLDEN KNIGHTS 0

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 27 saves to record his first shutout of the season and Buffalo defeated Vegas.

Josh Doan and Josh Norris scored for Buffalo, while Luukkonen registered the eighth shutout of his career.

The Sabres, who opened their four-game road trip with their 10th win in 11 games since the Olympic break, completed the regular-season sweep after they defeated the Golden Knights in Buffalo on March 3.

The Sabres have been the winningest team in the NHL since Dec. 9, sporting a 31-6-2 mark for 64 points.

The surge has Buffalo atop the Atlantic Division, ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Montreal Canadiens.

Vegas, meanwhile, had its two-game win streak snapped after opening its four-game homestand with wins over Pittsburgh and Chicago, outscoring the Penguins and Blackhawks by a combined final of 10-2.

The Golden Knights suffered just their third shutout of the season and first at home.

LIGHTNING 6, KRAKEN 2

SEATTLE (AP) — Nikita Kucherov scored three goals for his sixth career hat trick and added two assists as Tampa Bay beat Seattle.

Brandon Hagel had a goal and three assists for the Lightning, who remained four points behind first-place Buffalo in the Atlantic Division. Anthony Cirelli added a goal and two assists, and Gage Goncalves had a goal and an assist.

Bobby McMann and Jared McCann scored for the Kraken, tied with the Los Angeles Kings at 71 points for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

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Mets' Nolan McLean keeps Team USA in WBC Championship game with impressive start: 'He had unbelievable stuff tonight'

Mets rookie Nolan McLean took the mound for Team USA and against Venezuela in the 2026 World Baseball Classic championship on Tuesday night, and gave his team a chance.

It was an inauspicious start for the youngster, as he threw a 98 mph first-pitch fastball to Ronald Acuña Jr., and the former NL MVP laced the pitch up the middle for a leadoff hit. McLean would bounce back, though, getting Maikel Garcia to ground into a double play, erasing Acuña. Luis Arraez then followed up by flying out to center.

McLean's second inning started off great, with the young right-hander striking out Eugenio Suarez and Gleyber Torres.Ezequiel Tovar dumped an opposite-field single before Wilyer Abreu popped out to shortstop to get through two scoreless innings. 

Salvador Perez led off the top of the third with a single, but McLean struck out Jackson Chourio before walking Acuña with one out. The righty shanked a curveball that got past catcher Will Smith, allowing the runners to advance. 

Garcia capitalized by bringing home Perez with a sac fly, but that was the only damage in the inning as McLean induced an inning-ending Arraez groundout. 

Unfortunately for Team USA, that run mattered a lot as the offense just could not get going in the early going. Team Venezuela's starter, Eduardo Rodriguez, allowed just one hit and one walk in his 4.1 innings pitched as he blanked the high-powered US team.

"Nolan McLean pitched his tail off," Team USA manager Mark DeRosa said after the game. "We were not prepared for him to go five. We were thinking he’d give us three, he give us four and we would go right to the bullpen and see where the game is at. That’s a testament to him. He had unbelievable stuff tonight. He matched Eddie."

McLean's fourth inning of work was an easy 1-2-3 while throwing only 51 pitches. 

Abreu, who had arguably Venezuela's biggest home run earlier in the WBC, took McLean deep on a 0-1 fastball that he launched 414 feet over the centerfield wall. That leadoff homer gave Venezuela a 2-0 lead. 

"I could've executed a little bit better," McLean said. "But he's a really good player at the same time. I would love to go back and make a different pitch, obviously."

McLean got the next two batters out before he was pulled after pitching 4.2 innings (63 pitches/44 strikes), allowing two runs on four hits and one walk while striking out four.

After the game, McLean was asked about this game and rated it a seven out of 10, but was generally pleased with it.

"I felt good out there. Proud of the way I competed," McLean said of his outing. "Stuff felt great, filling up the zone, tried to control everything I could."

And although Bryce Harper's two-run shot in the eighth tied the game at 2-2, Venezuela would get the go-ahead run in the ninth to capture their first WBC Championship with a 3-2 win.

But without McLean's start, the game could have gotten away from Team USA.

"Whenever you go down two-nothing, it's tough, but I thought Mac threw the ball great," Harper said of McLean. "He’s a special talent; he’s going to be a special talent for a long time. We got a lot of great young guys in there who are going to play again on this team. Baseball’s in a really good spot." 

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Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Lakers game preview

Mar 16, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) defends against Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) during the fourth quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

After Monday night’s loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, tonight’s game will determine the winner of the season series between these two teams. Maybe now that the Houston Rockets lost the first game, they will lock in and play with more intensity and might actually, you know, make some shots.

I think Ime Udoka should have ripped into the officials after Monday’s loss. Maybe he could have made a big deal about the Kevin Durant flagrant foul or how the Lakers took more free throws than Houston while Durant was being held every time down the court. He didn’t need to mean it, but it would have made referees second guess themselves in tonight’s game. The Lakers have led the league in free throw differential basically every year of their existence, so harping on the discrepancies would have possibly helped Houston tonight.

Anyway, Alperen Sengun should be back for tonight’s game and needs to bully the smaller Lakers inside. If he can’t get going against this team, he really might be broken. I think he’s been playing injured, but if he’s good to play then he needs to give Houston everything.

Tip-off

8:30pm CT

How To Watch

Space City Home Network and ESPN

Injury Report

Rockets

Steven Adams: OUT

Fred VanVleet: OUT

Jae’Sean Tate: OUT

Lakers

Maxi Kleber: OUT

The Line (as of this post)

HOU -1.5

Check here for updates

Looking ahead because we can

Friday night at home against the Atlanta Hawks

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Yankees news: Gerrit Cole returns to game action

TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 27: Gerrit Cole #45 of the New York Yankees works out during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 27, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images

New York Post | Joel Sherman: ($) Gerrit Cole will return to the field Wednesday, starting a spring training game against the Red Sox. The Yankees’ ace is scheduled to pitch one inning, marking his first appearance since spring training of last year, when he sustained a UCL injury that required Tommy John surgery. While this development is encouraging, Cole will still begin the year on the IL as he continues to build himself up to full strength, with late April his earliest plausible return window.

MLB Trade Rumors | Steve Adams: There’s encouraging news on New York’s other injured frontline starter as well. Carlos Rodón is expected to return “at some point in April,” Aaron Boone told the press Tuesday, confirming that the left-hander is still on the same schedule outlined at the start of spring. Boone did not rule out Rodón making a spring training appearance as well, though none are currently scheduled.

Boone also confirmed he would be comfortable with playing third baseman Ryan McMahon at shortstop, a development that has ramifications for several players hoping to make the team. With Anthony Volpe starting the season on the IL, McMahon’s ability to serve as a fill-in for starter Jose Caballero would allow the team to carry Randal Grichuk, a right-handed outfielder who fills an area of need, instead of utilityman Max Schuemann or one of the team’s non-roster invitee shortstops.

The Athletic | Brendan Kuty: ($) A story about the conspicuous lack of stories coming out of Yankees’ spring training camp. Luis Gil, the team’s projected fifth starter, struggling and Cam Schlittler dealing with minor back and lat discomfort have been the closest thing to drama permeating George M. Steinbrenner Field. Jasson Domínguez, the heralded former top prospect who played in 123 games last season, is slated to start the season at Triple-A, but he’s handled the demotion with aplomb, skirting a potential pain point. This type of calm is “very unique for spring,“ said Giancarlo Stanton.

NJ.com | Randy Miller: The Yankees reassigned non-roster invitee Bradley Hanner to minor-league camp Tuesday morning as the team continues to whittle down its roster. The right-hander had a 9.00 ERA in five appearances in big-league camp after signing a minor-league deal with the Yankees on the heels of a middling campaign last year with the Rockies’ Triple-A team. With this move, New York now needs to clear 20 more roster spots to get down to 26 for Opening Day.

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Player Grades: Cavs at Bucks – James Harden and Evan Mobley save Cavaliers from another bad loss

MILWAUKEE, WI - MARCH 17: James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives to the basket during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks on March 17, 2026 at Fiserv Forum Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images). | NBAE via Getty Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers did just enough to outscore a bad Milwaukee Bucks team 123-116 that was without two of their best players, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Myles Turner. It’s difficult to be too positive about the overall effort after a game like this, even though it’s an improvement from Sunday’s disappointing loss to the Dallas Mavericks.

All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents that player performing to our expectations for them.

James Harden

27 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds, 2 steals

This was a vintage, prime Harden game. He put up 27 points on just 10 shot attempts, got to the free-throw line at will, and made sure the offense got a quality shot every time he had the ball in his hands.

It was a great response from someone who struggled on both ends of the floor in the loss to the Mavs.

Grade: A

Donovan Mitchell

19 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists

This was about as rough a game as you’re going to see from Mitchell, even though the box score numbers above wouldn’t suggest that.

He wasn’t inefficient from the floor, going 4-14, and struggled defensively against a team that doesn’t have many players who should be able to easily take opposing guards off the dribble. This led to Mitchell being a team-worst -15 in the minutes he was on the floor. That means the Cavs won the 14 minutes he was on the bench by 22 points.

This was just rough all the way around.

Grade: F

Evan Mobley

27 points, 15 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 blocks

The box score numbers are great, but it’s how he achieved them that’s most impressive.

Mobley was excellent at attacking in the pick-and-roll as the roller. He was forceful when diving to the basket, which is something he’s struggled with throughout his career. That aggression was rewarded as he took a team-high 21 shots.

Additionally, he did a great job of taking advantage of the Bucks’ thin frontcourt. He completely dominated his matchup with Jericho Sims to the point that he only played 16 minutes.

This was exactly what you want to see from Mobley.

Grade: A

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Max Strus

6 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists

Strus struggled to find his shot, going 2-6 from beyond the arc. He did, however, do all of the dirty work that makes him so valuable and was a useful second-side playmaker.

This was a solid second game back from injury.

Grade: B-

Keon Ellis

8 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 0 blocks

This was a rare game where Ellis didn’t record a block or a steal. He did, however, nail both of his three-point looks.

Grade: B-

Jaylon Tyson

2 points, 0 rebounds, 2 assists

Tyson has struggled to establish any momentum after putting up 22 points against the Detroit Pistons at the beginning of the month. He’s dealt with injuries to his neck and ankle recently. Maybe that plays a part in it. But his play on the court was once again rough.

Atkinson limited Tyson to just 13 minutes in this game, and understandably so. He wasn’t good defensively (he lost Pete Nance numerous times), had no impact on the glass, and was mostly out of place on offense.

Grade: F

Dennis Schroder

3 points, 5 assists, 1 rebound

Schroder didn’t make an impact scoring, but he set up his teammates, as he finished with five helpers in just 16 minutes of play.

Grade: C+

Dean Wade

9 points, 2 assists, 2 rebounds

Wade attacked the basket offensively, took four outside shots, and did his job defensively. This led to him having the third-best plus/minus on the team at +13. What more can you ask for from Wade?

Grade: B

Thomas Bryant

5 points, 0 rebounds, 0 assists

This wasn’t a good showing from Bryant. He was picked on defensively and didn’t provide enough on the glass or offensively to make up for it.

Grade: D-

Sam Merrill

17 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists

Merrill provided a spark to the offense. He did a great job of reading how the defense was playing him and attacking the weaknesses off ball. This led to him going 3-4 in his shots in the paint.

Additionally, he knocked down timely triples and competed defensively. It isn’t surprising that the Cavs played their best basketball with him on the court, as he led the team in plus/minus by being a +22 in the 28 minutes he played.

Grade: A