What Predators' Steven Stamkos said about NHL trade rumors

Predators star Steven Stamkos isn't ready to leave Nashville.

Stamkos denied a report from The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun that he might be willing to waive a full no-movement clause in his contract to be traded to a legitimate contender.

"I haven't talked to (general manager Barry Trotz) at all about that," Stamkos said, adding there was "zero" chance he'd be willing to waive his no movement clause.

"Obviously there's stuff that gets reported," Stamkos said. "But what I'll say, with this group, we want to be together. I can only control what I can control, but I love being here."

Stamkos, 36, has drawn attention ahead of the March 6 NHL trade deadline.

In The Athletic's Feb. 26 report, the Tampa Bay Lightning, Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild were mentioned as potential trade partners.

The Predators (27-24-7, 61 points) are coming off a 4-2 win over the Blackhawks that puts them within two points of the final wild card spot in the Western Conference. But even if Nashville makes the playoffs, they'd face a tough task going up against teams like Colorado, Vegas, Dallas or Minnesota in the first round.

That's fueled speculation that Trotz, who announced his retirement on Feb. 2, might be willing to sell off players like Stamkos to improve the team's future.

At least for himself, Stamkos doesn't see that happening.

"We want to play in meaningful hockey games and we're playing in meaningful hockey games right now," Stamkos said.

This season, Stamkos leads the Predators with 29 goals in 58 games, giving him 56 goals in two seasons with Nashville. The four-year contract he signed in 2024 includes an annual $8 million cap hit and runs through the 2027-28 season.

Prior to his arrival in Nashville, Stamkos spent 16 seasons with Tampa Bay after being selected No. 1 overall in the 2008 NHL Draft. On Dec. 31, Stamkos scored his 600th NHL goal, becoming the 22nd player in NHL history to pass the milestone.

Alex Daugherty is the Predators beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Alex atjdaugherty@gannett.com. Follow Alex on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @alexdaugherty1. Also check out our Predators exclusive Instagram page @tennessean_preds.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Predators' Steven Stamkos has had 'zero' trade talks with Barry Trotz

Penguins Notebook: Girard Misses Practice Before Weekend Back-To-Back

The Pittsburgh Penguins held a practice on Friday afternoon before flying to New York for Saturday's game against the New York Rangers.

The Penguins are coming off a 4-1 win over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday night and will be in second place in the Metropolitan Division heading into that game.

All healthy players were present for practice, except defenseman Sam Girard, who made his Penguins' debut on Thursday. He skated on the second pair with Kris Letang. 

Girard was acquired from the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday, along with a 2028 second-round pick, for fellow defenseman Brett Kulak. 

Here's how the lines looked when the team did line rushes: 

Forwards

Chinakhov-Novak-Malkin

A. Hayes-Rakell-Rust

Mantha-Kindel-Brazeau

Dewar-Lizotte-Acciari

Defensive pairs

Wotherspoon-Karlsson

Shea-Letang

K. Hayes-Clifton


Kevin Hayes was filling in for Girard, while Ryan Graves and Ilya Solovyov were skating on the fourth defensive pair. Penguins PR confirmed during practice that Girard wasn't on the ice because he was being evaluated for a lower-body injury. 

Penguins head coach Dan Muse confirmed after practice that Girard will travel to New York for Saturday's game, so he hasn't been ruled out. Girard blocked multiple shots during Thursday's game, so hopefully it's nothing too serious.

- The Penguins ended Friday's practice with a shootout, which is never a bad idea. The Penguins are 1-7 in shootouts this season and need all the practice they can get in them. There were some nice goals scored on both Stuart Skinner and Arturs Silovs. 

- This is a big weekend for the Penguins as they try to stay in second place in the Metropolitan Division heading into next week. They'll face a Rangers team on Saturday that has already waved the white flag on the season and is the worst team in the Eastern Conference. The Penguins have won two of the three previous meetings against them this year. 

After that game, the Penguins will come home to play the Vegas Golden Knights for the first time this season. This will be a big test for the Penguins, since the Golden Knights are first in the Pacific Division and a top Stanley Cup contender this season.

Both games will be nationally televised. Saturday's game will start at 12:30 p.m. ET on ABC, and Sunday's will start at 1 p.m. ET on TNT.  


Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!    

Red Wings' John Gibson Remains All Business Despite Another Elite Outing

Follow Michael Whitaker On X

As part of the busy 2025 offseason for Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman, he acquired veteran goaltender John Gibson from the Anaheim Ducks.

In return, he sent goaltender Petr Mrazek, a 2027 second-round pick, and a 2026 fourth-round pick back to the Ducks. 

While Gibson didn't get off to the start that he would have liked in the first two months with his new club, he's been among the NHL's best goaltenders since the calendar flipped to December and beyond. 

He turned in another fine performance on Thursday evening, stopping 26 shots from the Ottawa Senators in a 2-1 overtime victory that vaulted the Red Wings back into second place in the Atlantic Division. 

Despite his elite run of play, Gibson is keeping an all-business approach and, as he put it, just trying to play his game to give his club a chance to win. 

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest newsgame-day coverage, and player features

Image

“I just kind of try and approach it (like) I just try to play my game and focus on that; If I sat here and told you that I could draw it all up, I’d be lying to you," Gibson said afterward. "You can’t control the bounces and all that, so I’m just trying to keep the puck out of the net and give us a chance to win.”

"They had their chances, and fortunately, we were able to capitalize (on ours) and win the game." 

Since Dec. 1, Gibson has gone 19-5 while posting an impressive 1.89 goals-against average. He has also posted four shutouts during that span. 

This is the kind of goaltending that the Red Wings envisioned from Gibson when they acquired him in late June, and it's resulted in them being in as advantageous a position at this point in an NHL season as they've been in a decade. 

Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!

Image

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

NHL Rumors: 2 Trade Fits For Penguins' Stuart Skinner

Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Stuart Skinner has found himself entering the rumor mill with the 2026 NHL trade deadline right around the corner. Teams looking for depth between the pipes could consider targeting Skinner, as he has plenty of playoff experience due to his time with the Edmonton Oilers.

Due to this, let's look at two teams that could consider targeting Skinner if the Penguins end up shopping the pending unrestricted free agent (UFA). 

Anaheim Ducks 

The Ducks stand out as a potential landing spot for Skinner. The Ducks could use an upgrade over Ville Husso for their backup role, and Skinner would provide them with just that if acquired. Petr Mrazek is also out for the season, so Anaheim would benefit by adding another netminder. 

Furthermore, the Ducks are in a position to be buyers right now, as they are third in the Pacific Division standings with a 31-23-3 record and 65 points. While Skinner would not be the biggest of splashes for Anaheim, he would still improve their goalie depth, which is a clear need. 

Ottawa Senators 

The Senators could also make sense as a trade destination for Skinner. Backup goalie options like Leevi Merilainen, James Reimer, and Mads Sogaard have all struggled this season with the Senators, so it could make sense for Ottawa to take a chance on Skinner. Starter Linus Ullmark has had a tough season for Ottawa, as evidenced by his .884 save percentage in 31 games. 

With the Senators needing to move up the standings to help their playoff odds, they should not be afraid to bring in a potential goalie upgrade like Skinner. He could form a nice tandem with Ullmark as the Senators look to keep their playoff hopes alive. 

Penguins Have Predators Trade Target To Consider

The Pittsburgh Penguins are in a position to add to their roster ahead of the 2026 NHL trade deadline. This is because the Penguins have a 30-15-12 record and are second in the Metropolitan Division standings with 72 points.

One area that the Penguins should be looking to improve is the right side of their defense. When looking at trade candidate defensemen around the NHL, Nashville Predators blueliner Nick Perbix stands out as an interesting potential option.

If the Penguins acquired Perbix, he would give their bottom pairing a nice boost. Furthermore, he would provide the Penguins with another defenseman who could work on the penalty kill. 

Perbix would also be more than a rental for the Penguins if acquired. This is because the right-shot defenseman is signed until the end of the 2026-27 season, where he has a $2.75 million cap hit. This adds to the 27-year-old blueliner's appeal, as he would have the potential to benefit the Penguins beyond this season. 

In 55 games so far this season with the Predators, Perbix has recorded three goals, six assists, and nine points. While his offensive totals are not necessarily the highest at this point of the season, he has two 20-point seasons on his resume. With this, he could give the Penguins some offense from the point if he bounced back in Pittsburgh. 

James Harden still struggling to dribble after broken thumb

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 20: James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on during the first half of a basketball game against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center on February 20, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. 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. (Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images) | Getty Images

DETROIT — The Cleveland Cavaliers will be shorthanded for Friday’s showdown against the Detroit Pistons. Their star-studed backcourt of Donovan Mitchell and James Harden will both be missing the game.

Harden broke his thumb in Tuesday’s win over the New York Knicks. Initial X-rays revealed a non-displaced fracture of the distal phalanx. He will not be undergoing surgery at this time and is expected to play through the injury.

However, that won’t be happening on Friday as he’s still struggling to dribble according to head coach Kenny Atkinson.

Support us and Let ‘Em Know with HOMAGE!

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.

“I know this morning he was struggling a little just dribbling,” Atkinson said when asked about Harden’s thumb injury before Friday’s game in Detroit. “If you have a hard time dribbling and catching [it’s tough to play]. Jarrett Allen went through it earlier in the season. We tried to bring him back. He wanted to rush, and then we had to go back and give him some time.

“I know James is different…we got to get the feedback from James. … Theres no tougher guy in the league. No one more available. No one wants to play more.”

The plan was to have Harden go through pregame warmups and see how it goes. However, he didn’t come out for pregame warmups like usual.

Even though he won’t be playing Friday, Atkinson says that he is making progress.

“It was improved from when he first did it,” Atkinson said. “It wasn’t like, man it feels the same. It’s better than it was two days ago, so that’s a positive.

Harden has played seven games with the Cavs this season and is averaging 18.9 points and 8 assists on .494/.488/.867 shooting splits. On the season, he’s averaged 24.5 points and 8.1 assists in 51 games.

Cavs at Pistons open gamethread

CLEVELAND, OHIO - JANUARY 04: Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers dunks against Duncan Robinson #55 of the Detroit Pistons during the second half at Rocket Arena on January 04, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers will be shorthanded again. That isn’t ideal when going against the best team in the conference, the Detroit Pistons.

I’ll be in the comments throughout the game sharing my thoughts. Feel free to join in on the conversation and let your voice be heard in the comments below.

Join the conversation!

Sign up for a user account and get:

  • Fewer ads
  • Create community posts
  • Comment on articles, community posts
  • Rec comments, community posts
  • New, improved notifications system!

Go Cavs!

Espí late show gives Levante priceless win over Alaves

VITORIA-GASTEIZ, Spain (AP) — Carlos Espí scored twice in the dying minutes to give Levante a 2-0 win over Alaves on Friday and a vital three points in its fight to avoid relegation from La Liga.

Espí, who came through the youth ranks at the Valencia-based club, had scored only once all season but tripled his tally with a blistering late show against an Alaves side that played the last half hour with 10 men after Víctor Parada was sent off.

Espí's deflected shot in the 88th minute put Levante ahead and he then sparked jubilant scenes with almost the last kick of the game when his assured finish rounded off a counterattack.

"This has been one of my greatest nights," the 20-year old told broadcaster DAZN. "It's incredible."

The result snapped a four-game losing streak for the home side. It remained second from bottom of La Liga but has cut the gap with the fourth bottom club to four points.

Alaves was 14th but only three points clear of the relegation zone.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

CSR Weekend Warriors: 2/27-3/1

Greetings, Panthers fans. Welcome to the weekend.

Feel free to use this thread to chat about (almost) anything you want: video games, food, movies, non-football sports, you name it. As long as it’s allowed by the site’s ToS, it’s fair game here.

You know the drill.

This is now an open thread

Girard Injured Just One Game Into Penguins Tenure

If you’re the Colorado Avalanche, you’re probably exhaling.

If you’re the Pittsburgh Penguins, you might be staring at the trade paperwork wondering whether you just got fleeced.  

A Trade That Turned Fast

Sam Girard — moved just two days ago from Colorado to Pittsburgh in exchange for defenseman Brett Kulak and a second-round pick in the 2028 NHL Entry Draft — lasted exactly one game in black and gold before being sidelined with what the Penguins are calling a lower-body injury.

Girard speaks with DK Pittsburgh Sports upon his arrival in Pittsburgh.

It’s a brutal twist for a team that believed it had just solidified its blue line.

Girard did not practice with Pittsburgh on Friday at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex, as the team announced he is being evaluated. Head coach Dan Muse said Girard will travel with the club to New York ahead of Saturday afternoon’s matchup against the Rangers but did not provide additional details.

The uncertainty is what stings most. There’s no timeline. No clarity. Just another pause.

Girard skated on the left side alongside veteran defenseman Kris Letang in Thursday’s 4-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils.

In his Penguins debut, he logged 17:53 of ice time, finishing with one shot on goal and four blocked shots. It wasn’t flashy, but it was steady — the kind of transitional, puck-moving presence Pittsburgh hoped would complement Letang and stabilize the top four.

Instead, that pairing may already be on hold.

The Familiar Concern: Durability

For as impactful as Girard has been over the years with the Avalanche, availability has consistently been the underlying concern.

He has played all 82 regular-season games just once in his career, during the 2018-19 season in Colorado. This season alone, this marks the third time he has been sidelined by injury.

That pattern isn’t lost on either organization.

Girard was a regular at Colorado’s optional offseason skates before suddenly disappearing from the ice. He later resurfaced at an injured skate with what was reported as a lower-body issue.

He recovered in time to start the regular season opener on Oct. 7 against the Los Angeles Kings, but lasted just two games before suffering an upper-body injury that landed him on injured reserve and forced him to miss 15 games.

Now, one game into his Penguins tenure, he finds himself in limbo once again.

For Colorado, the timing of the trade may feel increasingly fortunate. For Pittsburgh, the gamble is already being tested.

This appears to be yet another victory for the "Trust CMac" crew. 

Image

Los Angeles Kings' Forward Listed In Top 10 Of NHL Trade Board

The NHL trade deadline is exactly one week away, and every team has its short list of players that they're either looking to move out or a trade target.

At this point, it seems more likely that Los Angeles Kings GM Ken Holland will position his team as a buyer at the deadline, based on previous comments, the acquisition of superstar Artemi Panarin, and the fact that this is captain Anze Kopitar's final season.

However, in the latest edition of The Athletic's trade board, written by Chris Johnston, Kings left winger Warren Foegele was ranked eighth in the list of 50 players.

It shouldn't be a shock to see Foegele on the trade board, considering Holland did hint at moving the 29-year-old not long after his trade for Panarin.

"Warren Foegele had a great year last year," the Kings GM said earlier in the month. "He's been out of the lineup for the last couple of games… got to work the phones here."

Los Angeles Kings GM Ken Holland Hints At Trading Away Warren FoegeleLos Angeles Kings GM Ken Holland Hints At Trading Away Warren FoegeleWith Artemi Panarin coming on board, there is even less room in the Los Angeles Kings' forward group. Left winger Warren Foegele has been the odd man out as of late, and GM Ken Holland has hinted at trading him away, potentially for a center.

Who knows if Kevin Fiala's leg injury from the Olympics, which ruled him out for the remainder of the regular season, will change Holland's thought process and where he stands with 

Foegele has played 45 games out of the Kings' total of 58 contests. He missed a few games with injuries, but has also been a healthy scratch for several outings, too.

When he has been in the lineup, Foegele hasn't been nearly as effective this season as he was last year. He has seven goals, nine points and has a minus-five plus-minus rating while averaging 14:45 of ice time.

Warren Foegele (Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images)
Warren Foegele (Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images)

In comparison, last season was the best of his NHL career. Foegele scored 24 goals, 46 points and averaged the most ice time in his career at 16:10 per game. In fact, he led the Kings' roster in the plus-minus department with a plus-36 rating.

In The Athletic's article, Johnston touched on the massive difference between these past two seasons for Foegele.

"The best season of Foegele’s career has been followed by one of the worst," his player description said.

Kings' Jim Hiller Is 'Always Concerned' About His Job After Embarrassing 8-1 Loss To OilersKings' Jim Hiller Is 'Always Concerned' About His Job After Embarrassing 8-1 Loss To OilersFollowing an embarrassing 8-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday, the Los Angeles Kings coach Jim Hiller admits he is 'always concerned' about his job status. The Kings players were also asked if the team had quit on their coach.

Foegele was described as a player "with speed and is an effective forechecker who helps keep plays alive in the offensive zone," the article read. "He’s got a great shot and the percentages haven’t been in his favor — hinting at a bounce-back to come. The puck tends to be moving in the right direction when he’s on the ice."

The left winger carries a $3.5 million salary cap hit for one more season after this campaign. He was signed to a three-year contract ahead of 2024-25. Foegele is in the midst of his second year in Los Angeles.


Image

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

Oristanio's late goal cancels stunning Folorunsho strike as Parma draw with Cagliari

PARMA, Italy (AP) — Gaetano Oristanio came on at halftime and scored a late equalizer for Parma against Cagliari in a hard-fought 1-1 home draw in Serie A on Friday.

Oristiano’s goal seven minutes from time earned Parma a point but its poor home form continued. It has won only two of its last 12 home games and has not won two in a row at Stadio Ennio Tardini since January 2020.

Still, it has taken 10 points from its last 12 and moves into 11th place, a point behind Lazio and a point ahead of Udinese.

Michael Folorunsho put Cagliari ahead 18 minutes into the second half with a stunning 30-meter strike.

The midfielder on loan from Napoli missed the last 10 games through injury and was introduced just after the hour mark. Two minutes later, he spied Parma goalkeeper Edoardo Corvi off his line and his dipping shot from near the right touchline flew over Corvi’s head and into the far corner of the net.

The goal was Cagliari’s first since January but leaves it without a win in four games. It sits in 13th spot, six points above the relegation zone.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

'Maybe you're in the wrong business.' Blake Treinen fires back at Dodgers' spending critics

Dodgers pitcher Blake Treinen reacts after striking out Brice Turang for the final out of the Dodgers' 2-1 win.
Dodgers pitcher Blake Treinen reacts after closing out Game 1 of the NLCS against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Much has been made of the Dodgers’ exorbitant spending, magnified by a pair of World Series titles for the franchise, as Major League Baseball enters the final year of the current collective bargaining agreement.

The Dodgers open 2026 with a record $381 million payroll, while having over $1 billion in deferrals. As if signing Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernández and Blake Snell, and extending Tyler Glasnow and Will Smith weren’t enough, the club once again opened up its wallet this winter, spending a combined $309 million on four-time All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker and three-time reliever of the year Edwin Díaz.

Relief pitcher Blake Treinen, one of the longest-tenured players on the Dodgers heading into his seventh season with the team, did not mince words when asked about how outsiders view the organization.

Read more:Shaikin: Dodgers hype time: How many games will they win in 2026?

“Perception is built from the media and maybe owners that don’t like what the Dodgers are doing because they would have to do something similar,” Treinen said earlier this week. “And I say to that, ‘Maybe you’re in the wrong business.'”

Treinen thinks more teams should spend the way that the Dodgers do.

“Is it a bad thing that the people who pay our checks and our salaries want a winning product?” Treinen said. “If you’re going to complain about a team willing to do what it takes to win, then I think you’re in the wrong business. And, if you win, to say that you lose money by winning is a wild statement, so I think the perception is more or less if you don’t like what the Dodgers are doing, either take a look in the mirror or look at the people who aren’t putting a product on the field.”

Treinen went on to say that teams don’t necessarily need to be lavish spenders in order to compete, pointing to how the Milwaukee Brewers posted baseball's best record a season ago, with the 22nd-highest payroll. The Brewers bested the Chicago Cubs in the NL Central by five games, despite having a payroll nearly $100 million lower than their rival, and reached the National League Championship Series.

“You don’t always have to spend money to be great, look at the Brewers,” Treinen said. “But to say that you can’t compete — like they did — is a wild thing, because [they had] the best record in baseball last year. Draft and development is a big deal, a lot of teams have leaned into it. So, if you either invest heavily in one or the other, and the Dodgers have done a great job of doing both and that’s why players sign here. If you don’t like it, then maybe find a new business model.”

How the Dodgers operate has garnered some praise — the Padres' Manny Machado and the Phillies' Bryce Harper weighed in on the subject early in spring training — but the front office wasn't really seeking it out.

“We’re not looking externally for validation,” Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes said earlier this month at Camelback Ranch. “The validation is winning championships and putting out as good a team as we can each and every year, and all we’re trying to do is get a little bit better each and every season, with the goal of winning championships. [Our] coaching staff, our players I think view it as that. Good, bad or indifferent, the external stuff is something we can’t worry about.”

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, speaking at Cactus League media day earlier this month, said the fixation on the money spent makes people miss the things they do well.

Read more:'Just go out and pitch.' Dodgers' Tyler Glasnow is efficient in his first spring start

“It does get lost, the things that we do well,” Roberts said. “Scouting and player development, I think we do as well as anybody in baseball … to get superstars to play well every night, to put out a good product every single night, I think we do a good job at that.”

“That’s why the biggest conversation should be that instead of a payroll question,” Roberts added. “Why are we good for baseball? Because our players play the game the right way."

Yoshinobu Yamamoto makes final start before WBC

Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto throws during the first inning against the San Francisco Giants on Friday.
Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto throws during the first inning against the San Francisco Giants on Friday. (Ross D. Franklin / Associated Press)

Six days after Roberts mistakenly wished his ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto luck in the World Baseball Classic, the reigning World Series MVP took the mound one last time before departing for Team Japan against the San Francisco Giants at Scottsdale Stadium on Friday.

Yamamoto threw 52 pitches while completing three innings, giving up five hits and two runs — including a solo home run in the first — while striking out four.

"Overall, I was feeling good physically," Yamamoto said via interpreter Yoshihiro Sonoda after his outing. "Early on, my command was a little off in the first inning. But once I got into the second inning, the feel came back."

Roberts said the Dodgers are on the same page as Team Japan is regarding Yamamoto’s workload in the WBC.

“Yoshinobu knows when he’s going to pitch for Team Japan,” Roberts said before Friday's game. “And we’re aligned as far as our organization, our pitching guys, he’s comfortable with it.”

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Bottom club Wolves shock high-flying Aston Villa at Molineux

WOLVERHAMPTON, England (AP) — João Gomes scored his first Premier League goal of the season and Rodrigo Gomes added a second in stoppage time to give bottom club Wolverhampton a shock 2-0 win over high-flying Aston Villa on Friday.

It was only the second win in the league for a club that remains six points adrift at the bottom of the table and is almost certain to be relegated.

However, there was no hiding the joy felt by the home players and fans who were ecstatic at beating their Midlands rival.

“You have to be pretty good to get a result like that against them,” coach Rob Edwards said.

“I’m really proud. Nights like this is why I came here. To connect with the supporters like that. I know we are in a difficult position but I love football. I love it on nights like that."

The result was a bitter blow to Villa’s Champions League aspirations and a slap in the face for coach Unai Emery, who was bidding to record his 100th victory in charge of the Birmingham club.

“Now is the moment to be together and understand how the season is going," Emery said. "We need to understand the moment we are in. We were already recovering because we drew two and won one but today we didn’t get the result we needed. It is still in our hands to reach the ambitions in the top positions.”

Both sides struggled in a dour first half but Wolves seized the initiative 16 minutes into the second period when Gomes gave it a surprise lead.

Adam Armstrong deftly cushioned a long pass right into the path of the onrushing Gomes and his superbly struck shot gave Emiliano Martínez no chance.

Villa pushed forward as the game went on and it was caught out in stoppage time when Wolves doubled its lead on the break, Rodrigo Gomes doing the damage.

Villa has won only one of its last five league games. The result leaves it 10 points behind leader Arsenal and five behind second-placed Manchester City, having played a game more than both.

Its next two matches are against the clubs immediately below it in the table, Chelsea and Manchester United.

“We need to keep playing how we are," Villa midfielder Morgan Rogers said. "We are in third for a reason, we need to not forget that. The run lately hasn’t been the same, sometimes you have to come back down to earth as you are playing good teams which you could win or lose. That is the Premier League. We need to stay focused and get back to what we know.

“We didn’t do anywhere near enough to create chances and score goals. “We controlled the game so it isn’t all doom and gloom. They took their chances and we didn’t create enough.”

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Padres reliever Yuki Matsui (groin strain) out of WBC for Japan; Opening Day status unknown

PEORIA, Ariz. — Padres reliever Yuki Matsui’s will not pitch for Japan in the World Baseball Classic and the left-hander’s status for San Diego’s season opener in a month also is unclear because of a left groin strain.

Matsui was still throwing off flat ground Thursday, a week after cutting short a batting practice session because of the groin.

“Right now, I’m just continuing the throwing progression, getting intensities and distances of (playing) catch back up,” Matsui told reporters through a translator. “Once it’s good enough, then I’ll start throwing off the mound. But as to when, we don’t know yet.”

The 30-year-old Matsui, who is 7-3 with a 3.86 ERA in 125 appearances in two seasons since signing a five-year, $28 million with the Padres, also said he wasn’t sure yet about opening day. San Diego’s opener is March 26 at home against Detroit.

Defending WBC champion Japan opens against Taiwan on March 6 at the Tokyo Dome. Matsui was replaced on Japan’s roster by left-hander Yumeto Kanemaru of the Chunichi Dragons.

“I was looking forward to playing with them,” Matsui said. “I think the Tokyo games, because of the time differences, I don’t think I can watch in real time. But I believe they’re going to make it to the round in Miami. And I think that’s when I’ll be able to watch live, and cheer for them.”

Before the 5-foot-8 Matsui joined the Padres, he had a 2.40 career ERA, 236 saves and a 1.11 WHIP over 10 seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball. He was the youngest pitcher in the Japanese major leagues to reach 200 saves,. He made his Japanese big league debut at age 18 in 2014 and became a five-time All-Star for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, leading the Pacific League in saves in 2019, 2022 and 2023.