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Atlético Madrid v Manchester United: Champions League – live

Diego Simeone made mention of Julian Alvarez in his pre-match duties: “Well, he’s happy because I’ve been able to speak to him a lot and I’ve really focussed on Julian Alvarez as the person, not just the player and I think we’ve reached reached a very good point with him.“

Michael Carrick speaks to the Amazon UK broadcast: “It’s where we want to be. Got a really good history of this competition and that’s where we want to challenge ourselves and test ourselves. you know, we’ve worked hard to be here. We want a reaction You know, we haven’t had the results that we wanted, that we expected. Fine margins in some of them games and it can go both ways, but the reality is exactly where we are now and this is a fresh opportunity.

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Blackhawks Send Nick Lardis To IceHogs To Make Room For Connor Bedard

On Tuesday, the Chicago Blackhawks made it official that Connor Bedard is returning. He will be in the lineup when they take the ice against the Pittsburgh Penguins at the United Center on Tuesday night. 

Bedard missed all of training camp, the preseason, and the first 6 regular-season games as he worked his way back from shoulder surgery. A lot of work was put in for him to return this quickly, as the July diagnosis had him coming back in mid-November. 

To make room for Bedard on the roster, they had to send someone down to the AHL's Rockford IceHogs. Instead of putting someone on waivers and taking that type of chance, they sent Nick Lardis down.

Lardis was outstanding in camp and in the preseason, but it has been a tough six games for him. Playing a handful of games for the IceHogs could be good for him, if that's the route that they go. He already has experience scoring lots of goals down there, and it helped him have a strong showing when he was called up to the NHL last year. 

When Frank Nazar returns from suspension, there will be even less room in the forward room, but they likely won't keep Dominic Toninato up long beyond that. They chose him over Lardis because Toninato can play center with Nazar out. 

There is the possibility of more injuries to follow for others, and Lardis is at the top of the call-up list once again. If Lardis shows he is ready for a call-up before it becomes a necessity, the Blackhawks have proven that they won't hesitate, either. 

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Breaking: Cale Makar to Miss Tonight’s Game as Wife Tracy Nears Childbirth

Colorado Avalanche superstar Cale Makar has a pretty good reason to miss a hockey game.

As first reported by Evan Rawal of The Denver Gazette, Makar will miss Tuesday night's game against the Dallas Stars as his wife, Tracy, has gone into labor and is expected to give birth at any moment to their twins.

According to The Denver Post's Corey Masisak, the Avs will move forward with 11 forwards and seven defenseman for the game. 

Makar’s absence comes as the Avalanche defenseman continues another impressive start to the season, recording three goals and four assists for seven points through five games.

The 27-year-old is one of Colorado’s most important players, serving as the centerpiece of the team’s blue line and a major contributor offensively.

Cale Makar is going to be a father!

Makar married Tracy in 2024, and the couple is now preparing for a major milestone off the ice as they await the arrival of their child.

The news comes amid a major period for Makar, who recently agreed to an eight-year, $163.2 million contract extension with the Avalanche. The deal carries an average annual value of $20.4 million and is set to begin in the 2027-28 season, making Makar the NHL’s highest-paid player.

Makar has established himself as one of the league’s premier defensemen since making his NHL debut in the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He has won two Norris Trophies as the NHL’s best defenseman and captured the Conn Smythe Trophy during Colorado’s 2022 Stanley Cup championship run.

For now, the Avalanche will have to manage without their top defenseman while Makar focuses on his growing family. The team has not announced how long he could be unavailable or whether he will miss additional games.

With seven points already this season, Makar’s on-ice production will be difficult to replace, but Tuesday’s absence puts family first.

Given the Avalanche play the Stars again Wednesday evening at Ball Arena, there is a possibility he may not be available for that game, either.

Head Coach Jared Bednar informed reporters that they would take monitor Makar's status day-by-day. 

Congratulations to the Makar family. Puck drop from American Airlines Center is at 6:30 pm. local time.

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Matt Richardson promises to cooperate with British Cycling misconduct probe

  • Richardson ‘disappointed’ to miss world championships

  • ‘I understand the seriousness of what has been raised’

Matt Richardson has promised to cooperate with a British Cycling investigation into allegations of serious misconduct after he was withdrawn from this week’s World Track Cycling Championships in Shanghai.

In an Instagram post on Tuesday, Richardson said that he understood the seriousness of the allegations, which the Times reported were related to his behaviour to other riders, and promised that he would act with contrition to anyone that he had offended.

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NBA unveils NBA Cup courts: Bold colors are back, fans will know it's a Cup game

When fans tune in to an NBA Cup tournament game, the league wants them to instantly recognize something is different — this isn't just another regular-season NBA game.

One key way to do that: Distinctive, vibrant NBA Cup courts, and they are back this season.

These courts will be used for the group play, quarterfinals and semifinals of the NBA Cup (in a change this year, the semifinal games will be played on the higher-seeded team's home court, with the two teams in the Cup Finals traveling to the iconic Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, home of the Butler Bulldogs, for that game).

This year's court design is inspired by Nike’s “End of Ordinary” NBA Standard Issue Collection, with the collection's designs extending onto the court. At center court is the team's logo as well as the NBA Cup trophy, and there are oversized "woodmarks" featuring the team's name in the style of the Nike Standard Collection jackets.

Teams also will wear their statement edition uniforms for all NBA Cup games, to help those games stand out.

NBA Cup games will start on Oct. 30 and run on selected NBA Cup nights through Nov. 27. The 30 NBA teams have been drawn into three five-team groups within their conference, and each team will play at least four NBA Cup games against the others in its group. The winner of each group — with point differential as the tiebreaker — and one wild card team from each conference will enter an eight-team tournament (four East teams, four West) and play a single-elimination tournament to reach the NBA Cup Finals.

Last season, the New York Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Cup Finals, previewing what would happen in the NBA Finals in June. Whether we get another NBA Finals preview in the Cup remains to be seen, but we fans will know when the NBA Cup games hit, with these courts it will be hard to miss.

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Ex-Penguins Goalie Thriving With Jets Amid Connor Hellebuyck Drama

During this past off-season, Stuart Skinner's time with the Pittsburgh Penguins ended when he signed a two-year, $7.5 million contract with the Winnipeg Jets in free agency.

With the Penguins having multiple young goalies, it was not too surprising to see Skinner sign elsewhere this summer. Now, as the Connor Hellebuyck trade request drama continues, Skinner is impressing early on for the Jets. 

In three games so far this season with the Jets, Skinner has a 2-0-1 record, a 2.62 goals-against average, and a .920 save percentage. With numbers like these, the former Penguins goalie has been a nice surprise for the Jets early on as Hellebuyck continues to sit out. 

Skinner was also very good for the Jets in his most recent appearance on Oct. 7 against the Colorado. During the matchup, the former Penguins goalie stopped 32 out of his 34 shots. This was after he made 34 saves on 36 shots against the Detroit Red Wings in his previous appearance.

It will now be interesting to see if Skinner can keep this kind of play up for the Jets this season. If the former Penguins netminder does, Winnipeg could surprise a lot of people this campaign. 

Skinner was acquired by the Penguins from the Edmonton Oilers last season. In 27 games for Pittsburgh in 2025-26, he posted a 12-9-5 record, an .885 save percentage, and a 2.99 goals-against average.

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4-star SG Devin Cleveland down to 3 schools, sets commitment date

Michigan 2027 target Devin Cleveland (Photo Credit: Jamie Shaw)

Four-star shooting guard Devin Cleveland has narrowed his list of schools under consideration to three, a source told Rivals.

Moving forward, the 6-foot-3 rising senior out of La Lumiere School (IN) will consider Michigan, Missouri, and TCU. Cleveland will announce his college commitment on Friday, Oct. 16, and has visited each of his three finalists.

[ $19.99 gets you a FULL year of On3 | Rivals national coverage ]

Cleveland, a Chicago native, is ranked as the No. 32 overall recruit in the 2027 class and the No. 5 ranked shooting guard, according to the Rivals Industry Rankings, an average of all three major recruiting media companies (Rivals, ESPN, 247Sports).

In late July, Cleveland announced a top seven that also included Alabama, Arkansas, Marquette, and Syracuse.

More on Devin Cleveland

Playing on the EYBL Circuit this summer, Cleveland averaged 16.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game for Brad Beal Elite.

“I feel like I’m a winner,” Cleveland previously told Rivals in an interview. “That’s what I’ve been trying to prove this EYBL season. You know, the past couple of years, I haven’t really had much success in winning games, so just coming over here with Bradley Beal, their identity is to win. So, I’m just trying to be a leader. I can score the basketball, and I’m a willing passer. I try to get my teammates involved every game.

“I watch a lot of Devin Booker, Jeremiah Fears, my brother Fred Cleveland, who is a pro overseason. Watching how they score the ball, create contact on the offensive end so I can draw fouls and little things like that.”

Cleveland also discussed what he’s looking for in a program.

“I’m going to be looking a lot at the fit. I want to play for a coach who believes in me and believes in my game, and that it will fit in with their system. Really, I just want to win. That’s all I want to do at the end of the day.”


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Wild Place Nico Sturm On Injured Reserve Following Head Injury, Recall Justin Kirkland

The morning after Nico Sturm's scary head injury, the Minnesota Wild announced a roster move. Sturm has been placed on the injured reserve.

In addition to the move, the Wild recalled forward Justin Kirkland from the Iowa Wild to replace Sturm on the roster. Minnesota already has Tyler Pitlick up so now John Hynes can decide between the two for who plays.

Kirikland, 29, has recorded two assists in four AHL games with Iowa this season. He recorded one goal and one assist in 20 NHL games with the Calgary Flames last year.

Sturm, 31, was hit in the head in Monday's game against the Vegas Golden Knights by a puck. It hit around the same spot that left Brock Faber with a skull fracture and a timeline that is indefinite.

“Very, very scary,” goalie Jesper Wallstedt said after Monday's game. “Obviously, we’ve seen what it could do. We don’t know what the situation is like, if it’s the same or worse or not as bad. Obviously, I wish Nico is doing good and doing well, and it’s not that bad. But very, very scary, and obviously you get flashbacks to the preseason game when that happened to Brock. Hopefully, it’s not like that, but obviously very hard to see.”

Sturm was taken to a local hospital by ambulance and per a source, he was stable sitting in the back drinking water. Michael McCarron also stated he was able to see Sturm during intermission and said he was looking okay.

Hynes didn't have an update after the game but said Sturm obviously wouldn’t be on the team’s plane to Winnipeg for tonight's Tuesday night game.

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Kyshawn George shows added muscle in 21-point showing vs. Nets

WASHINGTON, DC -  OCTOBER 12: Kyshawn George #18 of the Washington Wizards drives to the basket during the game against the Brooklyn Nets on October 12, 2026 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. 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 Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

WASHINGTON — Kyshawn George added eight pounds on lean muscle this offseason to become a more versatile defender.

What he didn’t expect was how much it would help his offensive game as well. Namely, bodying his way into the paint for easy layups or kick-outs to open teammates.

The 22-year-old wing tallied used that muscle to tally 21 points and four assists in the Wizards’ 131-122 loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Monday. It’s a sign of things to come for George, who’s entering a possible breakout campaign in Year 3.

“Just more durability, being more confident in my body, what I could do out there,” George said of his added muscle. “I think I always had the skill set, just having the strength and the athleticism to just put it on display on an hourly basis. So having that work being done over the offseason gave me more confidence to go do it in the game.”

George opened the game with a patient step-through move into a mid-range jumper and later skied in for a put-back layup. Isolated on the wing, George drove left and used his added strength to fend off Michael Porter Jr. with his off-arm before drawing contact and making the ensuing free throws.

That ability to muscle inside and draw contact is one of the many perks of added weight, especially against NBA competition.

“My first intention was to be able to add on weight to guard multiple positions, keep that same ability, but guard you know bigger players. And offensively, it’s the same thing,” George said. “I’d be able to get in the paint, draw contact, and then find the open man.”

Then came George’s playmaking — an area the Wizards want him to expand this season. The 6-foot-9 wing received a pass from Alex Sarr before throwing a transition lob to AJ Dybantsa that ignited Capital One Arena.

“I think it’s just getting comfortable [playing point guard],” George said. “I’ve been the point guard for most of my life. It’s just being able to do at this level, and we got a whole ton of support outside of this. So I’m gonna just go out and do it. “

George finished his impressive opening quarter with a 3-point barrage. The Miami product ran the baseline and found space on the wing before drilling his first triple. He followed with another three on the ensuing possession to give him 12 first-quarter points on 4-for-5 shooting.

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Adou Thiero says Matisse Thybulle has been helping him improve defensively

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 08: Darius Acuff Jr. #5 of the Sacramento Kings dribbles the ball against Adou Thiero #1 of the Los Angeles Lakers in a preseason game at Crypto.com Arena on October 08, 2026 in Los Angeles, 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. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Throughout his eight-year NBA career, Matisse Thybulle has been tasked with guarding all sorts of stars and offensive archetypes. His foremost traits defensively are his anticipation, timing and ability to cause havoc, which helped him earn consecutive All-Defensive Second Team accolades in 2020-21 and 2021-22 as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers.

For his career, he’s averaged a staggering 2.8 steals and 1.4 blocks per 36 minutes, underscoring his knack for disrupting opposing offenses. Since signing with the Los Angeles Lakers this summer, Thybulle has seemingly been imparting whatever wisdom he can upon second-year wing Adou Thiero, whose tremendous athletic gifts suggest significant defensive upside.

“We [were] talking about defense,” Thiero told reporters following an Oct. 6 loss to the Golden State Warriors. “That’s what he’s been helping me with the whole time. Just letting me know to pick my spots when I want to be aggressive, when not to, ways to keep the ball in front and just telling me different things defensively.”

In 55 minutes this preseason, Thiero has collected four steals and two blocks, four of which (two steals, two blocks) came Thursday against the Sacramento Kings. During that game, he authored a handful of eye-popping plays defensively, including a rotation to deflect and steal a Maxime Raynaud short-roll pass, fighting around a screen to stay attached to Darius Acuff Jr. and get a hand on his jumper, and containing a Precious Achiuwa drive before blocking his shot.

Here’s the block on Acuff:

After the Lakers’ preseason opener against the Sacramento Kings on Oct. 5, when they forced Sacramento into 27 turnovers, head coach JJ Redick said “clearly, that disruption we talked about carried over.” Across the two ensuing games, the Lakers have forced 51 more turnovers.

The generally sloppy, experimental and shake-off-the-rust nature of preseason presumably inflates turnover numbers across the league. But the Lakers, with plenty of full-court pressure, are clearly trying to be a disruptive group defensively. Thiero’s size and athleticism can help amplify this identity, and it appears the veteran Thybulle is offering his own insights to accelerate the young forward’s development on that end.

You can follow Jackson on Twitter at @jackfrank_jjf.

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Former Sabres Goalie Is Absolutely Dominating Right Now

The Ottawa Senators have an impressive 5-1-0 record right now and are at the top of the Atlantic Division.

A big reason for the Senators' strong start to the season is because of former Buffalo Sabres goaltender Linus Ullmark.

Ullmark has been excellent for the Senators early on this season. In five games so far, he has a 5-0-0 record, a 1.27 goals-against average, and a .948 save percentage. The former Sabres goalie is also showing no signs of slowing down, either. He stopped 29 out of 30 shots he faced against the New Jersey Devils in his most recent appearance on Sunday. 

With the way Ullmark is playing right now, he is showing signs of his previous Vezina Trophy form. If the former Sabres goalie continues to play this well, the Senators should be in very good shape during this season.

Ullmark was selected by the Sabres in the sixth round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, 163rd overall. In six seasons with the Sabres from 2015-16 to 2020-21, he posted a 50-47-13 record, a .912 save percentage, and a 2.78 goals-against average.

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Cooper Flagg poised to be one of the greats? Kyrie Irving thinks so

MACAO, CHINA - OCTOBER 6: Cooper Flagg #32 and Kyrie Irving #11 of the Dallas Mavericks pose for a photo as part of 2026 NBA China Games on October 6, 2026 in Macao, China. 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 Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Dallas Mavericks are working their way through their preseason schedule in anticipation of the 2026-2027 season tipping off later this month. Fresh off a two-game set in Macau, China, where they split wins and losses with the Houston Rockets, Kyrie Irving was asked about rising star Cooper Flagg. This led Irving to show respect to two former teammates, LeBron James and Kevin Durant, while drawing parallels to Flagg.

“I think Coop falls in line in terms of having that competitive nature at a very young age”

Irving’s choice of comps is well thought out. He has played with Durant, James and now Flagg throughout his career, affording him unique insight beyond what a more casual observer could glean. Also, all three of those players are versatile two-way types and all three were drafted into the NBA at the age of 18. Flagg, of course, is at the beginning of his NBA career, while Durant and James are nearer to the end of theirs, but to be grouped with such company is high praise indeed. If Flagg can grow into that caliber of player, it would make him a sure-fire Hall of Famer and NBA Champion, so let’s hope Irving is correct in what he is seeing.

Already we have seen Flagg develop at a rapid rate across his Rookie of the Year campaign last season, and despite some struggles from the floor in the second game in Macau, Flagg nonetheless showcased the hard work he put in this offseason. Irving echoes this notion when discussing Flagg’s development going into his second year in the league.

“I love that he’s a two-way player… I love that he cares about using his voice as he’s grown into year two”

As viewers, a player growing into a vocal leader can be a bit more difficult to pick up on, but that seems to be part of Flagg’s evolution according to Irving. Flagg certainly led the way with his play last season, especially in the second half, so this next logical step in becoming a leader is a great sign. Joining a team with established veterans means there is a more clearly defined pecking order. Flagg wasn’t necessarily a leader until he earned it with his play, then witnessed a roster overhaul that put him firmly in the spotlight. Now in year two, he is set to be a vocal leader as well. That’s not easy for any player, especially one that is 19 years old, but accordingly to Irving, that time has arrived.

“My first few years in the league were pretty tough on me… I struggled in certain areas, I needed veteran leadership… so now that I’m in this seat…”

While Flagg develops into the player and leader he will one day become, Irving has his back. Encapsulated in Irving’s comments are why it is important to not abandon all veteran presence for the sake of a youth movement. Some are proponents of jettisoning Irving while others want to see him retire a Maverick. The stance of the latter is supported by Irving’s comments simply because you can’t replace experience the likes of which he has. A fellow Duke alum, Irving was also Rookie of the Year and has been through some ups and downs on his road to winning a championship and beyond. Both on the court and off, Irving appears more and more like an ideal running mate and veteran mentor for Flagg.

I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.

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Louis Rees-Zammit demands end to artificial Prem pitches after leg burns at Saracens

  • Bristol wing: ‘Someone do something about it!’

  • Pat Lam left three players out because of the pitch

Louis Rees-Zammit has called for an end to artificial pitches in the Prem after posting a graphic image of the wounds he sustained during Bristol’s defeat at Saracens’ StoneX Stadium on Saturday.

The Wales wing revealed the extent of the friction burns caused to his right leg after running out for the Bears on Saracens’ artificial pitch with the caption: “Can we please stop playing on these AstroTurf pitches!! Someone do something about it!!”

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Florida Panthers Recall Cooper Black Ahead Of Matchup With Blue Jackets

With key forwards Aleksander Barkov and Brad Marchand injured, the Florida Panthers can ill afford to lose anyone else.

On Monday, goaltender Jacob Markstrom exited a 5-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres in the first period. Akira Schmid replaced him, and after the game, coach Paul Maurice stated that Markstrom was not injured and that he had just "tightened up."

“It just tightened up so we pulled him,” said Maurice. “We’ll see. There’s no injury there we don’t think that we can’t deal with, just standard stuff.”

While that is positive news, it means Schmid will play nearly both halves of a back-to-back.

Additionally, the Panthers have recalled goaltender Cooper Black from the AHL's Charlotte Checkers, who will likely back up Schmid.

Black has started the season solidly for the Checkers, posting a .906 save percentage in two games, winning one and losing another. Last season, Black played 42 games, posted a .903 SP, and won 25.

Black hasn't played in an NHL game yet, but the 25-year-old is trending in the right direction, and the team rates him highly. The Panthers signed Black to a two-year, two-way deal this off-season. When the deal expires, the 6-foot-8 goaltender will become an unrestricted free agent, but for now, the Panthers hope to keep developing him in the AHL. 

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free.

See more of The Hockey News on Google and save us as a preferred source. 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.