So what kind of reaction would Matthews get in the Canadian city? Would country or NHL team be the determining factor?
When the words "gold medalist" were said, there seemed to be a mixed reaction, but when Matthews' Leafs position and name were mentioned, the cheers reigned and people stood and clapped.
Watch the video below:
The Maple Leafs salute their Olympians Oliver Ekman-Larsson, William Nylander and Auston Matthews 🫡 pic.twitter.com/nsJNBgnelr
Philadelphia center Joel Embiid, who has already missed 28 games this season, will miss at least three more after an MRI revealed an oblique strain, the team announced Saturday.
Embiid was bothered by his oblique during Thursday night's win over Miami, even going back to the locker room for a short stint after being hit by Kel'el Ware. Embiid returned to the game and hit a clutch 3-pointer in the final minute, but did not speak to reporters after the game (and coach Nick Nurse had no update on his condition.
Embiid had played in the 76ers' last two games after missing the previous five with knee and shin issues. When he has played, he has been brilliant this season, averaging 26.6 points and 7.5 rebounds a game. Philadelphia, currently the No. 6 seed in the East (1.5 games ahead of Orlando and the play-in), and it needs a healthy Embiid to have a shot to pull off an upset in the playoffs.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — Myles Colvin scored 32 points on a near-perfect shooting effort and Wake Forest rallied in the second half to defeat Syracuse 88-83 on Saturday night.
Colvin made seven of eight 3-pointers and his only 3-point miss came with 1:22 remaining in the game. He shot 9 of 12 overall and was 7 for 7 at the free-throw line.
Tre’Von Spillers scored 16 for Wake Forest (15-14, 6-10 ACC) and Juke Harris added 13. Off the bench, Cooper Schwieger scored 11 points and Sebastian Akins added 10 points.
Donnie Freeman scored 28 points and Nate Kingz 20 for Syracuse (also 15-14, 6-10). Naithan George had 13 points and 10 assists, and Sadiq White Jr. scored 12 off the bench.
The Orange trailed 14-13 before they buried seven 3-pointers in the final 12-plus minutes of the first half. They made 10 of 18 from beyond the arc in the first half and led 46-42 at halftime. They made only 3 of 8 from deep in the second half.
Syracuse's largest lead of the second half was 56-49 five minutes after halftime before Wake Forest began to rally. Near the 11-minute mark Colvin drained a 3 that began a near nine-minute stretch in which the Deacs made 10 of 11 shots, including eight in a row.
Still, a driving layup by Freeman had Syracuse within 84-80 in the final minute, but an offensive rebound and putback by Schwieger gave Wake Forest a six-point margin with 30 seconds left.
Up next
Syracuse: The Orange visit No. 24 Louisville on Tuesday and finish the regular season with a home game against Pitt on Saturday.
Wake Forest: The Demon Deacons visit No. 11 Virginia on Tuesday and host Cal on Saturday.
The Cleveland Cavaliers will look to snap their two-game losing streak as they finish off their three-game road trip against the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday afternoon.
Cleveland has lost their last two games without the services of either Donovan Mitchell (groin) or James Harden (thumb). They will still be without Mitchell, but Harden could be making his return to the lineup.
The Nets are a good team to break a losing streak against. They’ve lost seven in a row and have made it clear that they aren’t trying to win games at this point in the season. We’ll see if the Cavs can take advantage of that.
TV: FanDuel Sports Network – Ohio, FanDuel Sports Network App, NBA League Pass
Point spread: Cavs -11
Cavs injury report: Donovan Mitchell – OUT (groin), James Harden – QUESTIONABLE (thumb), Dean Wade – OUT (ankle), Keon Ellis QUESTIONABLE (left index finger fracture), Max Strus – OUT (foot), Riley Minix – OUT (G League)
Nets injury report: Nick Claxton – QUESTIONABLE (thumb), Egor Demin – (foot), Tyson Etienne – OUT (G League), Chaney Johson – OUT (G League), E.J. Lindell – OUT (G League), Drake Powell – OUT (G League)
Cavs expectedstarting lineup: Dennis Schroder, Sam Merrill, Jaylon Tyson, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen
Nets expected starting lineup: Nolan Traore, Egor Demin, Noah Clowney, Michael Porter Jr. Nic Claxton
Jan 24, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Ryan Nembhard (9) controls the ball in front of Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) during the second quarter at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
After going undrafted in the 2025 NBA Draft, the Dallas Mavericks gave point guard Ryan Nembhard a well-deserved chance after leading the NCAA in assists per game with 9.8 during his senior season with the Gonzaga Bulldogs. He finished with a school record 325 total assists in 2024-25.
After proving his worth in the NBA on a two-way contract and splitting his time with the G League’s Texas Legends, Nembhard has signed a two-year contract (per Todd Ramasar and Jaafar Choufani of Life Sports Agency). It will be a standard NBA contract that includes a team option for the 2026-27 season. Veteran guard Tyus Jones was waived to create the roster spot.
Nembhard brought a spark to coach Jason Kidd’s team when he was with the big club, averaging 9.9 points on a 44.4 three-point shooting percentage and 6.1 assists per game in 17 starts for the Mavericks. That included three double-double performances.
He will be a key piece of the rotation in Dallas and a favorite to play alongside the face of the franchise, forward Cooper Flagg.
Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 12: Michael Lorenzen #24 of the Colorado Rockies looks on during a spring training bullpen at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on February 12, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Kyle Cooper/Colorado Rockies/Getty Images)
Today, the Kansas City Royals absolutely pounded a Colorado Rockies squad that issued 15 walks. (You read that correctly.)
Feb 28, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Flyers right wing Travis Konecny (11) reacts with goalie Dan Vladar (80) after the game against the Boston Bruins at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
In a tightly played contest, it ended up being Dan Vladar who made a few extra saves.
The former Bruin out-dueled Jeremy Swayman, stopping 26 of 27 shots and leading the Flyers to a 3-1 win.
Vladar was at his best in the second period, when he stopped all 16 shots he faced.
This game was tied through two periods, with Travis Konecny breaking the deadlock four minutes into the third period on a fortuitous bounce.
Charlie McAvoy scored the lone goal for the Bruins, who dropped their fifth road game in a row.
Konecny’s goal came on a funky bounce off a stanchion, with Swayman caught in “should I get it or not?” land. Christian Dvorak deserves credit for a great pass too. 1-0 Flyers.
Unfortunately for the B’s, that’s all the offense they could muster. Sean Couturier would add an empty-netter with just under a minute to play, and that was that.
Bruins lose, 3-1.
Game notes
The Bruins appeared to take a lead in the third period in this one, only to have a Hampus Lindholm goal called off due to goalie interference on Mikey Eyssimont. The goal was waved off on the ice, meaning it was always a longshot to get overturned and switched to a goal. It might have been worth a punt from Marco Sturm given how well Vladar was playing, but he ultimately decided against challenging.
While there were no goals scored, the Bruins let this game get away from them in the second period. The B’s were handed two power play opportunities just over four minutes apart, landed 16 shots on Vladar, and came up empty.
Swayman’s final stat line of two goals allowed on just 16 shots doesn’t look great, but he was good in this game — with a highlight reel stop of his own as well. I suppose you might like to see a bit more decisiveness on that weird bounce, but you can probably chalk that up to just one of those things that happens.
If you’re a fan of the rough stuff, Tanner Jeannot and Nic Deslauriers gave you quite a bout in the first period. Deslauriers landed a couple of punches early, but I’d give the edge to Jeannot — especially since Deslauriers ended up cut after the fight.
It was an uncharacteristically quiet afternoon for David Pastrnak, who landed just two shots on goal.
The B’s will be back in action on Tuesday night, hosting the Pittsburgh Penguins.
NEW YORK (AP) — Iron Horse won the $300,000 Gotham by a length Saturday to earn Kentucky Derby qualifying points.
Ridden by Manny Franco, Iron Horse ran a mile in 1:37.94 and paid $3.88 to win as the 4-5 favorite in the field of eight.
Iron Horse earned 50 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby on May 2.
“He fought hard,” Franco said. “The other horse, I’ve got to give a little credit to, but I knew that my horse had enough to get it done.”
Crown the Buckeye was second and earned 25 qualifying points. Right to Party was another 6 1/2 lengths back in third and earned 15 points. Exhibition Only was fourth and earned 10 points, while Balboa got five points for finishing fifth.
Trainer Chad Brown said Iron Horse would remain in New York and be pointed toward the $750,000 Wood Memorial on April 4. The colt improved to 2-0 in his career. He is a son of 2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist.
“Race by race, he’s still learning,” Franco said. "This was just his second start and I’m just happy to be on him.”
The 74th edition of the Gotham marked its final running at Aqueduct before it moves to the newly redesigned Belmont Park next year.
Italian WBC player, aka Sam Antonacci, goes deep | Chicago White Sox
With most of the expected big hitters out of the lineup after yesterday’s split-squad games, some other sources made Tanner Bibee’s first inning of the spring a miserable one. For him.
No. 2 hitter Sam Antonacci started things off for the White Sox when he got a 2-0 cutter that had too much of the plate.
Antonacci knew that was gone from the start, all 107.1 mph, 416´worth. That shot was followed by Miguel Vargas and LaMonte Wade Jr. doubles, with Wade later scoring on a wild pitch for a 3-0 Sox lead.
Bibee settled down for two scoreless innings after that, but Shane Smith showed his weak first start had just been working out the kinks as he kept the Guardians off the board until one run in the third, although a sweet play by William Bergolla Jr. at short kept the damage from being worse.
Lousy Cleveland defense (see, other teams have that, too) helped the Sox to two more runs in the fifth, with Bergolla and Antonacci scoring after walking and getting hit by a pitch, the first of two HBPs for Antonacci in the game. Bergolla also had an RBI single in the sixth, making it 6-1, and Antonacci scored in the seventh for a 7-1 lead. Both players are making management decisions on which middle infielders to keep when camp breaks ever more difficult.
Three Sox relievers cruised their way to the seventh, when Tyler Davis decided the game was too much of a yawner and coughed up three runs on two hits and a walk in the bottom of the seventh. Cleveland added one more in the eighth and had the tying run at the plate, but Adysin Coffey got a three-pitch K to end the threat. Shane Murphy then had an easy ninth for the save.
The Sox only had seven hits for their seven runs as they ran their spring record to 6-4, but six walks and those two HBPs, along with bad Guardian fielding decisions, helped things out.
Next up is a rematch with the Cubs, first pitch at 2:05 p.m. Central tomorrow. It will be on ESPN 1000, but you won’t get to watch the game unless you’re on of those turncoats who get Cubs TV.
Feb 24, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson talks to referee Suyash Mehta (82) during the second half against the New York Knicks at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
At the same time, they were on the wrong end of several critical calls that ended up costing them the game, according to the league’s Last Two Minute Report.
The league admitted that there were four incorrect calls in the last two minutes of regulation and the last two minutes of overtime. Three of the missed calls benefited Detroit and played a large role in them coming away with the win. Let’s review each of these missed calls.
First, Jaylon Tyson’s turnover with just under two minutes left that helped spur Detroit’s comeback shouldn’t have happened. A review of the play indicates that Jalen Duran fouled Jarrett Allen when he attempted to make the pass.
Here is the league’s comment for the missed call: “Duren’s (DET) hand slides off the ball and initiates contact with Allen’s (CLE) wrist, affecting his ability to make his intended pass. The illegal contact causes the errant pass.”
The Cavs were firmly in control of the game at this time, and Cade Cunningham had just fouled out. If this is called on Duran, as it should’ve been, then the game probably ends in a much more anticlimactic way.
The second incorrect call forced Allen to miss the rest of the fourth quarter and overtime. Allen was whistled for a shooting foul against Duran, which led to free throws with 48 seconds remaining.
Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. You can buy the Jarrett Allen Fro shirt HERE. You can also shop all of Homage’s Cavs gear HERE.
The report states: “Allen (CLE) makes contact with the ball and legally blocks Duren’s (DET) shot attempt at the basket.”
This missed call cost the Cavs the most. It meant that they had to play the rest of the game without their best player that evening, and the Pistons received two points in what should’ve been an empty possession. This call was the one that the Cavs’ locker room most vocally disagreed with afterward, even though Allen took the high road.
“You know, everybody’s biased, I don’t think so,” Allen said when asked afterward if he felt the block on Duren was a foul. “But obviously the refs have different angles, so I’m not going to complain about it.”
The Cavs weren’t able to challenge this missed call since they had already won two challenges earlier in the game. However, if this play had been reviewed, the officials would’ve likely overturned the call on the floor. It was pretty clear that Allen didn’t foul Duren.
The third missed call was the only one that benefited the Cavs.
Cleveland shouldn’t have been awarded the ball when Marcus Sasser knocked the ball out of Tyson’s hand shortly after he came down with an offensive rebound off of Craig Porter Jr.’s missed free throw with under 10 seconds left in regulation.
The report states: “Sasser (DET) cleanly dislodges the ball from Tyson (CLE) and Tyson is the last player to touch the ball before it goes out of bounds. Possession should be awarded to the Pistons.”
This missed call gave Evan Mobley a chance to win the game at the line. If he made both, it would’ve been a two-possession game, but he split them, giving Detroit a chance to tie the game on their final possession.
The last errant call happened at the end of overtime. Sam Merrill should’ve been awarded three free throws after Sasser closed out too hard while trying to contest a potential game-tying three with 18 seconds in overtime.
The report states: Sasser (DET) contests Merrill’s (CLE) jump shot attempt and initiates illegal lower-body contact following the release of the shot attempt.
This was the most egregious missed call of the four. I’m not sure how this wasn’t called a shooting foul at the time. Sasser wrongly went under the screen and closed out way too hard. This is a foul at every level of basketball.
It’s worth noting that the league agreed with the call on the floor that Daniss Jenkins was attempting a half-court shot when Tyson intentionally fouled him at the end of regulation. The report says that Jenkins was in the upward shooting motion when Tyson contacted him.
The Cavs had chances to win this road game, and still should’ve even though these calls went against them. However, if any of the three missed calls that went against the Cavs were called correctly on the floor, the outcome of this game would’ve been different.
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Tramon Mark had 23 points and Dailyn Swain added a double-double in Texas' 76-70 win over Texas A&M on Saturday afternoon.
Swain finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds in posting his seventh double-double this season for the Longhorns (18-11, 9-7 Southeastern Conference). Jordan Pope scored 16 and Matas Vokietaitis added 14.
The Aggies (19-10, 9-7) were led by Rashun Agee with 22 points and eight rebounds. Marcus Hill totaled 17 points and eight rebounds, while Pop Isaacs scored 14.
Texas shot 44% (27 of 62) from the field and 94% (15 of 16) from the free-throw line. Texas A&M shot 38% (23 of 60) from the field.
The Longhorns led early in the first half, but the Aggies responded with an 11-0 run to take their first lead of the game, 24-20 with 5:43 to play in the half, and went into the break up 30-29. Texas regained the lead off its first bucket in the second half and continued to push ahead.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Kelvin Yeboah's rebound goal and Drake Callender's four saves gave Minnesota United FC a 1-0 win over Cincinnati FC on Saturday.
Callender made a host of key saves for Minnesota (1-1-0, 4 points), including a leaping save on a shot from Obinna Nwobodo in the 71st minute.
Roman Celentano also saved four shots for Cincinnati (1-0-1, 3 points), including two in the span of three minutes early in the second half.
Cincinnati had five corners in the first 25 minutes.
There were 11 added minutes after a lengthy head injury evaluation of Cincinnati captain Michael Boxall, who exited in the 77th minute for Devin Padelford.
The 2025 MLS MVP Evander, who exited the opener against Atlanta with a hamstring injury, did not play after entering Saturday as questionable.
Minnesota's star acquisition, Columbia international James Rodríguez, is yet to debut.
The 20-degree temperature at kickoff was the coldest in FC Cincinnati's MLS history.
Up next
Cincinnati: Will host Toronto FC next Sunday.
Minnesota: Travels to face Nashville SC on Saturday.
COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (AP) — Hamzat Ojediran and Lucas Herrington each scored their first career MLS goal on Saturday to help the Colorado Rapids beat the Portland Timbers 2-0.
Zach Steffen stopped three shots and had his first shutout of the season for Colorado (1-1-0).
Ojediran opened the scoring in the seventh minute, when the 22-year-old midfielder ripped a straight-away shot from 35 yards that deflected off defender Finn Surman and rolled into the net.
The 18-year-old Herrington, at the back post, headed home a corner kick played in by Dante Sealy to make it 2-0 in the 53rd.
Jimer Fory was shown a straight red card in the 77th minute and Portland (1-1-0) played a man down the rest of the way.
The Rapids are 12-15-7 against Portland, 10-3-5 in Colorado.
Sep 16, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Brandyn Garcia against the San Francisco Giants at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Record 5-4. Change on 2025: +0.5. 5-inning record: 2-7.
Whenever a pitcher is leaving the mound with a trainer after having hit two batters and walked a third, while showing sharply lower velocity… Yeah, it’s never a good thing. Such was the situation this afternoon in Tempe for Brandyn Garcia. His fifth inning appearance was sharply curtailed, and the worst was feared. Not least because, if he went down, the only left-handed reliever left on the D-backs’ 40-man roster would be Philip Abner, and the non-roster invitees wouldn’t help much either [there’s only three, and Yu-Min Lin is already reassigned] However, it appears to have been just a stomach bug for Garcia, rather than looming Tommy John surgery. Phew.
While we make our way back from the SnakePit Fainting Couch, the D-backs notched their third consecutive win, though as has become a habit this year, it required a late comeback. A five-run eighth inning proved key, with a three-run homer by Yassel Soler the big hit. Later in the inning, Wallace Clark drove in the final run with a single. I think that might be the first hit ever in a D-backs jersey by a player born in the United Kingdom, Clark being a native of London. Arizona’s other runs came on a two-run homer by Luken Baker in the fourth inning, and a Jorge Barrosa triple the next frame. Soler also walked in addition to his home-run: Baker and Aramis Garcia each had two hits.
Mitch Bratt’s start started well, with a 1-2-3 first, but he ended up lifted in the second after allowing two runs, and also gave up a homer in the third inning, after returning. His final line: 2 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K. The D-backs ended up using ten pitchers again. The other runs came off Paul Sewald – good to see him in mid-season form already – and Jonathan Loasiga, making his Arizona debut. Bryce Jarvis got the save with a clean ninth, and Abner also appeared, loading the bases but escaping without damage thanks to a pair of strikeouts. A good day for home-plate umpire Jonathan Parra: three ABS challenges, but all confirmed his call.
Tomorrow, it’s back to Salt River Fields where the Guardians will be visiting. Michael Soroka gets his second start, with a 1:10 pm first pitch. Several members of the A-bullpen are scheduled to work behind Soroka.
SEATTLE (AP) — Braeden Carrington had career highs of nine 3-pointers and 32 points, Nick Boyd added 22 points, and Wisconsin defeated Washington 90-73 on Saturday.
Carrington, who averages 7.4 points per game, played 27 minutes off the bench, making 9 of 15 3s. He was 6 for 9 from deep in the second half when he scored 23 points.
Boyd scored eight points in the first six-plus minutes of the game and the Badgers led 14-3. Washington's Hannes Steinbach opened the scoring with a dunk but the Huskies didn't get another field goal until Quimari Peterson's layup with 12 minutes remaining made it 17-7.
Wisconsin (20-9, 12-6 Big Ten) led by double digits over the final six minutes of the half and it was 36-21 at the break. A 10-0 run in the middle of the second half put the game out of reach at 66-42.
Steinbach scored 22 points with 11 rebounds and Zoom Dialo had 21 points for Washington. Wesley Yates III scored three points on 1-for-17 shooting.
It was Steinbach's 18th double-double of his freshman season, nine of them coming when he scored 20 or more points.
Nolan Winter had 13 points and nine rebounds for Wisconsin. The Badgers average more than 30 3-point attempts per game and were 17 for 38 (45%) in this one.
Washington retired Detlef Schrempf's No. 22 jersey during a halftime ceremony.
Up next
Wisconsin: The Badgers have a home game against Maryland on Wednesday then wrap up the regular season at No. 8 Purdue on Saturday.
Washington: The Huskies stay on the West Coast to wrap up the regular season. USC visits on Wednesday before the Huskies finish at Oregon on Saturday.
