DETROIT (AP) — Patrick Kane scored twice for Detroit to move into sole possession of fourth place on the all-time goals list for NHL players born in the U.S. and lead the Red Wings to a 5-2 victory over the Calgary Flames on Monday night.
Kane has 504 career goals, trailing Mike Modano (561), Keith Tkachuk (538) and Jeremy Roenick (513). The 19th-year veteran entered the night tied with Joe Mullen (502). Earlier this season, Kane passed Modano to become the highest-scoring American-born player in league history. Kane now has 1,383 career points in 1,355 games.
Emmitt Finnie, Moritz Seider and Dominik Shine also scored and Alex DeBrincat had three assists for the Red Wings, who started a four-game homestand by stopping a three-game losing streak.
J.T. Compher added two assists and John Gibson made 25 saves for Detroit, which moved into a tie with Montreal for third place in the Atlantic Division. The Canadiens have two games in hand on the Red Wings, who currently occupy the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Morgan Frost scored late in the first period to put the Flames on the board first, but Detroit scored three times in a span of 5:34 early in the second period to take control. Kane had the first and third goals in that surge.
Matt Coronato added a goal and an assist and Dustin Wolf made 20 saves for Calgary, which finished a five-game road trip through the Eastern Conference at 1-4. The Flames, who have the NHL’s second-worst record ahead of only Pacific Division rival Vancouver, are 2-7-1 in their last 10 games.
DEVILS 4, BRUINS 3, OT
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Jack Hughes had three assists to extend his productive run since scoring the gold medal-winning goal for the U.S. at the Olympics, and New Jersey dented Boston's playoff chances by beating them in overtime.
Hughes set up Connor Brown’s goal to become the fastest player in franchise history to 400 career points. He also had a hand in Jesper Bratt’s goal and assisted on Paul Cotter’s winner with 6.2 seconds left in 3-on-3 overtime to reach 402 in his 414th regular-season game. Hughes has 12 points in 10 games since returning from Milan.
Cotter also scored early in the third period to give New Jersey a 3-2 lead before David Pastrnak tied it 1:42 later.
KINGS 4, RANGERS 1
NEW YORK (AP) — Alex Laferriere had a goal and two assists to lead Los Angeles to a win over New York.
Drew Doughty, Mikey Anderson and Trevor Moore also scored for Los Angeles, which has won three of five.
Darcy Kuemper stopped 21 shots.
Despite 22 saves from Igor Shesterkin, New York’s four-game winning streak ended.
Vincent Trocheck’s power-play goal 2:29 into the third period spoiled Kuemper’s bid for his third shutout of the season.
DETROIT (AP) — Patrick Kane scored twice for Detroit to move into sole possession of fourth place on the all-time goals list for NHL players born in the U.S. and lead the Red Wings to a 5-2 victory over the Calgary Flames on Monday night.
Kane has 504 career goals, trailing Mike Modano (561), Keith Tkachuk (538) and Jeremy Roenick (513). The 19th-year veteran entered the night tied with Joe Mullen (502). Earlier this season, Kane passed Modano to become the highest-scoring American-born player in league history. Kane now has 1,383 career points in 1,355 games.
Emmitt Finnie, Moritz Seider and Dominik Shine also scored and Alex DeBrincat had three assists for the Red Wings, who started a four-game homestand by stopping a three-game losing streak.
J.T. Compher added two assists and John Gibson made 25 saves for Detroit, which moved into a tie with Montreal for third place in the Atlantic Division. The Canadiens have two games in hand on the Red Wings, who currently occupy the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Morgan Frost scored late in the first period to put the Flames on the board first, but Detroit scored three times in a span of 5:34 early in the second period to take control. Kane had the first and third goals in that surge.
Matt Coronato added a goal and an assist and Dustin Wolf made 20 saves for Calgary, which finished a five-game road trip through the Eastern Conference at 1-4. The Flames, who have the NHL's second-worst record ahead of only Pacific Division rival Vancouver, are 2-7-1 in their last 10 games.
The Calgary Flames saw a strong start slip away Monday night, falling 5–2 to the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena. A physical opening period and an early Calgary lead were erased by a dominant middle frame from Detroit, which ultimately proved to be the difference.
The first period featured plenty of intensity as both teams established a physical edge. Early in the frame, Flames prospect Hunter Brzustewicz was driven hard into the boards along the wall, prompting teammate Martin Pospisil to immediately respond. Pospisil dropped the gloves with Dominik Shine who was responsible for the hit, energizing the Flames bench and setting the tone for a chippy contest.
Calgary carried that momentum onto the scoreboard later in the period.
With the Flames pushing in the offensive zone, Matvei Gridin skated into the slot and showed patience with the puck. After a subtle fake to freeze the defence, Gridin slid a crisp pass across to a streaking Morgan Frost, who redirected the puck past John Gibson to give Calgary a 1–0 lead.
The momentum swung quickly in the second period, and the Red Wings took full advantage.
Just 1:03 into the frame, Alex DeBrincat spotted Patrick Kane slipping behind the Calgary defence on a broken play. DeBrincat delivered the puck into Kane’s path, and the veteran forward smoothly controlled the pass between his legs before skating in alone and beating Dustin Wolf to tie the game 1–1.
Detroit grabbed the lead a few minutes later. After killing off a Calgary power play, the Red Wings transitioned quickly up ice. Lucas Raymond moved the puck to Albert Johansson, who delivered a one-touch backhand pass across the slot to Emmitt Finnie. Finnie tipped the puck past Wolf at 5:06, giving Detroit a 2–1 advantage.
The Red Wings kept pressing. At 6:37, Kane drove hard to the net and redirected a well-placed feed from DeBrincat past Wolf, extending Detroit’s lead to 3–1.
With the Red Wings on the power play at 11:45, Seider drifted in from the blue line and waited for traffic to form in front of the net before unleashing a pinpoint wrist shot that found the top corner. The goal restored Detroit’s two-goal lead at 4–2 heading into the third.
Detroit Seals It Late
Calgary pushed in the final frame but couldn’t solve Gibson again. The Red Wings eventually put the game away with an empty-net goal from Shine in the closing minutes, securing the 5–2 victory.
Matt Coronato snapped his 15-game goalless stretch with his second-period marker. The winger has been consistently generating chances and staying active around the puck, and this time the effort was rewarded.
2. Second Period Collapse
The middle frame proved decisive. Detroit scored four times in the period, turning a 1–0 Calgary lead into a multi-goal deficit the Flames couldn’t recover from.
3. Young Defence Gets a Look
Flames fans got a glimpse of the future as Zayne Parekh and Hunter Brzustewicz dressed in the same game. With Yan Kuznetsov out of the lineup, both young defenders saw time on the power-play units.
Mar 12, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) during a stoppage in play against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
Alex Ovechkin became the fresh face of the franchise for the Washington Capitals more than two decades ago when they selected the big, skilled Russian winger with the first pick in the 2004 NHL draft.
He’s now 40 and nearing the end of his 21st season with them. He hoisted the Stanley Cup as playoff MVP in 2018 and last year passed Wayne Gretzky as the league’s career goal-scoring leader.
Ovechkin has yet to say whether this is it or if he wants to play again in 2026-27, so the front office is planning for either contingency. While doing so, Washington is ushering in a youth movement on the fly, with the trade of 36-year-old organizational cornerstone John Carlson the latest step in turning the page on a generation of players responsible for not only a championship but 16 playoff appearances in 18 seasons.
“They’re these guys (who go from) sometimes they don’t even have a shaving kit to getting married and having families and having the careers that they’re having,” assistant general manager Ross Mahoney said in a phone interview. “Things don’t last forever.”
Capitals are building around a new core
The Capitals have done something rare in the NHL since the salary cap era began in 2005: replenish talent while consistently contending. Brian MacLellan, the general manager from 2014-24, and successor Chris Patrick have simultaneously bought and sold at times and made some shrewd offseason trades and free agent signings along the way.
The result is a new core of players in their mid-to-late 20s and early 30s, all signed through at least 2029: goalie Logan Thompson, defensemen Jakob Chychrun, Matt Roy and Martin Fehervary, and forwards Dylan Strome, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Aliaksei Protas and Tom Wilson, the latter of whom is likely to succeed Ovechkin as captain.
“That’s a pretty good starting point for a competitive team, a Stanley Cup-winning team,” Patrick said. “We just felt like going into the deadline, if we are going to make moves, we should make moves with that in mind — giving us assets that we can use to try to add impact players to this current group.”
Sending Carlson to Anaheim less than 15 hours before the trade deadline made it a sad day for former teammates. He spent 17 years with the Capitals, so Ovechkin called it probably the toughest day of his career from a personal standpoint.
The first- and third-round picks the Capitals got in the trade were among the best returns any team received for a pending free agent rental player. That deal and trading mid-30s fourth-line center Nic Dowd to Vegas added to a stockpile of draft capital: 13 selections in the first three rounds over the next four years.
Some of those picks will be used and others dealt for immediate help. A fast-rising cap has reduced the pool of high-end free agents available on July 1 because teams have plenty of space to re-sign their best players, so the trade market has become the place to go for talent.
“There’s not as big a bucket to shop from this summer, so I think having assets that are tradeable is good,” Patrick said. “Are those trades going to happen? I don’t know. We hope. There tend to be names that become available for some reason or another.”
Plenty of elite prospects already in Washington’s pipeline
The rare playoff misses and sell-offs have allowed Mahoney and his staff to infuse the organization with prospects from all over the world.
Already in the NHL are Ryan Leonard, the No. 8 pick in 2023, and fellow winger Ivan Miroshnichenko, a first-rounder the previous year. Defenseman Cole Hutson, selected 43rd in ‘24 is joining them this week after signing his entry-level contract Sunday fresh off his college season at Boston University ending. Ilya Protas, a find at No. 75 in that same draft, is leading the American Hockey League’s Hershey Bears in scoring at the age of 19 and is close to following his older brother to Washington.
“I’m really happy with where we’re at,” said Mahoney, who been head of amateur scouting since 2000. “My guys have done a fantastic job of trying to kind of stockpile the shelves again.”
Protas, a 6-foot-5 center, might be able to slide into Dowd’s old spot as soon as next season. Hutson is a dynamic, offensively minded right-handed shooter whose impending arrival in part paved the way for Carlson to go to the Ducks, because there’s a succession plan in place.
“We felt a little bit more comfortable saying if we have to let a guy kind of towards the end of his career, in his mid-30s go, and could get good assets in return, hopefully we’re in a good spot,” Patrick said. “We won’t be right away, but within the next couple seasons hopefully we’re in a pretty good spot with where our younger guys have come.”
Mahoney, as he did in the late 2000s when the likes of Ovechkin, Backstrom, Mike Green and Alexander Semin were 20 and 21, would love to “speed up the clock” and fast-forward this next crop of prospects to being NHL ready. He knows that’s not possible, acknowledging, “You’ve got to be patient and let it evolve.”
And yet the expectation still is to win now — and whenever Ovechkin hangs up his skates. The Capitals are confident the players who have studied under him will keep the positive culture going and trust that management will keep making moves to supplement the core already in place.
“No one can replace Alex Ovechkin and what he brings to a team,” Patrick said. “Those guys, they just want to know that we’re going to be a competitive team and when it’s time to push the chips in, we will.”
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Kawhi Leonard is out with a sprained left ankle as the Los Angeles Clippers chase a play-in berth.
He missed Monday night's game against the San Antonio Spurs after getting hurt in the fourth quarter of a 118-109 loss to Sacramento on Saturday.
Leonard is sixth in the NBA in scoring, averaging 28.3 points to go with 6.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists. He's shooting 50% from the floor, 38% from 3-point range and 90% from the free throw line in 53 games.
Leonard can’t afford to miss any more than three games to remain in contention for the league's major awards. Players are required to appear in at least 65 of 82 regular-season games to be eligible for MVP, All-NBA and All-Defensive honors.
Coach Tyronn Lue hopes Leonard isn't out more than a few days.
“I really don't know yet,” he said before the game.
John Collins was set to start in Leonard's place against Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs, who are second in the West.
GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Cleveland Guardians third baseman José Ramírez was feeling much better Monday after the seven-time All-Star left a spring training game the previous day because of a sore shoulder, according to manager Stephen Vogt.
“We’re going to reassess him day by day. He should be just fine in a few days,” Vogt said Monday. “He knows himself really well. ... He came up from the on-deck circle and said, ‘I’m done.’ And that was really all I heard until later in the game.”
After Sunday’s game, Vogt said Ramírez had a sore left shoulder after jamming it while sliding into third for a stolen base. That came in the second inning after his double, and he was lifted for a pinch hitter in the fourth.
The 33-year-old Ramírez has played his entire 13-year career in Cleveland and is a lifetime .279 hitter with 285 home runs and 949 RBIs in 1,609 games. The $175 million, seven-year contract he signed during the offseason is the largest in franchise history.
Ramírez finished third in AL MVP voting last season after batting .283 with 30 homers and 85 RBIs.
The Los Angeles Kings (28-24-15) end their five-game road trip with a bounce-back 4-1 win over the New York Rangers (28-31-8), snapping New York's four-game win streak, after suffering that disappointing loss to the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.
The opening period began with Drew Doughty snapping an impressive long-range shot through traffic to give LA the early 1-0 lead. The Kings once again played great defense to start, frustrating the Rangers on offense despite New York not drawing a penalty; they still struggled to score and generate shots on goal, holding the Rangers to just six. LA outshot the Rangers 8-6 during the quiet offensive period.
The second period began with the Kings remaining hot, scoring two goals in a span of 28 seconds in the first four minutes of the second period to hold a commanding 3-0 lead. It all began with Mikey Anderson putting in the rebound after Alex Laferriere was fed by Quinton Byfield in the slot. LA took advantage and cleaned up the shot on the 4-on-2 rush.
A few seconds later, the Rangers got called on their first power play of the game, and this time Alex Laferriere was able to get the shot up himself and put it through the net to give Los Angeles a 3-0 lead.
LAK Goal - Jersey Kid, New York Goal.
Laferriere scores early on the power play to put the Kings ahead by three. Byfield with his second helper of the night. 3-0 Kings.
Artemi Panarin also returned to Madison Square Garden for the first time since being traded to the Los Angeles Kings. The fans gave him a standing ovation, a much-deserved honor for the four-time All-Star.
Panarin finished the game with one assist and one point, while Alex Laferriere finished with one goal, one assist, and two points. Los Angeles also got help from their defenseman Mikey Anderson, who scored one goal, one assist, and two points, while Quinton Byfield had a nice night spreading the wealth with two assists and two points.
The dominance began in the second period, with the Kings outshooting the Rangers 16-3, once again putting in that defensive effort under D.J. Smith as interim head coach.
The second period would end with the Kings leading 3-0, in the perfect position to win this game.
New York did score on a power play goal to cut the deficit to 3-1 two minutes into the final frame, but couldn't generate goals. Despite outshooting the Kings by a big margin, 13-2, the Rangers had one chance to score and cut the deficit to 1, but hit the crossbar and never got back in the game.
With under two minutes remaining in the final period, the Kings sealed the deal with Trevor Moore capitalizing on the empty-netter to close out the Rangers 4-1 in MSG.
Trevor Moore picks the empty net.
The @LAKings will get the two points at MSG and head home with a 3-1-1 record on their five-game trip.
Overall, it was a great bounce-back win for the Kings in a must-win situation after dropping to sixth over the weekend. Los Angeles is now tied with Seattle for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
LA ends their five-game road trip with a 3-1-1 record and stays in the Western Conference playoff race.
The Kings will return to Crypto.com Arena on Thursday to host the Philadelphia Flyers at 7:30 PM PT.
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PORT ST. LUCIE, FL - MARCH 09: Carson Benge (93) of the New York Mets hits a triple to drive in a run in the second inning during a spring training game against the Miami Marlins on March 09, 2026 at Clover Park in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
In a see saw game on Monday night at Clover Park, the Mets fell 12-6 to the Nationals thanks to Washington’s six-run eruption in the ninth inning. It was the Mets’ ninth loss of the spring to go along with their 11 wins and one tie. The Mets return to action tomorrow afternoon as they travel to Jupiter to face the Marlins. Sean Manaea will take the ball in that game as he looks to secure his spot in the team’s rotations ahead of Opening Day.
David Peterson started for New York and had an uneven outing. He allowed two runs in the first and two runs in the fourth. He was charged with four earned runs on five hits, with two walks and two strikeouts over four innings.
The Mets got a pair back in the bottom half of the frame against Zach Penrod. Carson Benge led off with a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Francisco Alvarez drove Benge home on a double down the left field line, and then came around to score on a Ronny Mauricio two-out double.
Cristian Pache launched a solo home run in the second to give New York their first lead of the night. The Mets extended their lead in the third, as Mauricio singled home Jared Young.
Washington’s Riley Adams singled home two runs in the top of the fourth to knot the game up at four apiece.
After Peterson’s outing was complete, Devin Williams took the ball and hurled a scoreless fifth inning. The Mets’ closer struck out one and walked one as he lowered his ERA on the spring to 1.80
Cristian Scott came in and pitched three-plus innings for New York, allowing three earned runs on five hits. Scott struck out four and did not walk a batter.
Washington went ahead in the sixth when CJ Abrams led off with a triple and came around to score on a wild pitch. They added a run in the seventh on a James Woods leadoff home run.
The Mets pulled even on a Christian Arroyo two-run home run in the eighth, his first of the spring for the Mets.
The wheels came off for New York in the ninth inning, ultimately leading to their demise in this one. Woods doubled off Scott to lead off the inning, which ended the right-hander’s night. Douglas Orellana came in to try and hold the Nationals off the scoreboard, but he immediately allowed a double to Joey Weimer, which brought the pinch runner Luis Arias home. Later in the inning, Orellana threw a wild pitch, which brought home the eighth Washington run. Viandel Pena drove home two runs with a single past the third base bag, and another run came home on a Murphy Stehly run-scoring single.
That spelled the end of the night for Orellana, who could not escape the ninth inning. Gregori Louis came in and allowed another run-scoring hit, which made it six runs in the inning for Washington as they batted around. He recovered to retire Luis Arias for the final out of the nightmarish ninth.
Benge had another great night, going 2-for-2 with two walks and a run scored. He raised his spring average to .406 and his OPS to .972.
Alvarez and Mauricio each had good nights for New York. Alvarez went 1-for-3 with a walk, a run scored, and a one driven in, while Mauricio had two hits in four at-bats while driving in two of New York’s six runs.
Pache also had a two-hit night, with a double to go along with his home run.
On the flip side, Mark Vientos had another brutal showing, going 0-for-4 with a strikeout. His average has now fallen to .040 on the spring, which isn’t counting his tough stint with Nicaragua in the World Baseball Classic.
GOODYEAR, ARIZONA - MARCH 3: Carter Kieboom #31 of the Cleveland Guardians gloves a bouncing ground ball during the sixth inning of the spring training game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Goodyear Ballpark on March 3, 2026 in Goodyear, Arizona. (Photo by Mike Christy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Jose’s shoulder is ok, that’s all that matters. Here’s today’s lineup:
MESA, AZ - MARCH 03: Mark Leiter Jr. #38 of the Athletics pitches during the game between the Team Brazil and the Athletics at Hohokam Stadium on Tuesday, March 3, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Tom Wilson/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Athletics put forth arguably their best pitching performance yet this spring, shutting out the Los Angeles Angels 3-0. This afternoon marked the first time the team kept its opponent off the scoreboard in this year’s Cactus League.
A’s left-hander Jeffrey Springs put together his best performance and now seems ready for the season to start. He threw 84 pitches over 4 2/3 scoreless innings, only allowing three hits while striking out four. Springs found himself in trouble early as the Angels loaded the bases with two outs in the first inning on two hits and a walk. He escaped that jam by getting Angels’ catcher Logan O’Hoppe to fly out to left. Following that early scare, it was mostly smooth sailing for Springs until he was removed for reliever Nick Anderson after allowing Mike Trout’s fourth double of the spring with two outs in the fifth inning.
Returning to the first inning, buoyed by the Angels leaving the bases loaded, the A’s offense struck first against Los Angeles pitcher George Klassen. Following Nick Kurtz getting hit by a pitch and a Shea Langeliers single, Tyler Soderstrom grounded into a double play, which nearly killed the rally. Fortunately, Brent Rooker hit a two-out RBI single to score Kurtz who had moved to third base on the previous play. Rooker stole second base and then scored on Jacob Wilson’s single to right field.
Klassen and the three Angels relievers did a good job of subduing what was a red-hot A’s offense. The A’s finished the game with only four hits. Their only other run came courtesy of Max Muncy’s fourth Cactus League home run, a solo shot to right field in the fourth inning.
Out of all of the team’s candidates to play third base, Muncy seems to have the most offensive upside and has been getting the most playing time at the position, which suggests he will likely start there Opening Day in Toronto. Muncy has the offensive ability to further strengthen an already stellar lineup, although he will hopefully not make too many crippling defensive errors if given the chance to play third base daily.
With the team up 3-0, it was down to the A’s relievers to protect their team’s slim lead. Right-handers Nick Anderson, Mark Leiter Jr., Michael Kelly and A.J. Causey did their job and more, combining to keep the Angels from inching closer.
Anderson, who curiously was not reassigned alongside fellow non-roster invitees Wander Suero and Nick Hernandez, got the last out of the fifth inning and then worked around allowing a leadoff double the next inning. Free-agent acquisition Leiter Jr. will likely pitch in many high-stress, late-game moments this season for the A’s. This afternoon, he worked his way out of a first-and-third, one-out situation in the seventh inning, striking out Mike Trout for the second out and then getting the next Angels hitter to ground out to end the inning.
Kelly also worked out of trouble the next inning and then Causey, who has a shot to make his MLB debut this year, slammed the door in the ninth, collecting his first save in an A’s uniform.
All spring, the A’s have been winning games by simply outscoring their opponents, so today it was nice to see the team win thanks to strong pitching and defense. Speaking of defense, Zack Gelof caught every ball hit his way in right field. If anyone was at the game, how does he look in the outfield and is it a realistic possibility to see him out there in the regular season? Share in the comment section below.
— Bill Moriarity – A's Farm (@AthleticsFarm) March 16, 2026
The Athletics will try to make it two wins in a row tomorrow as they travel to Glendale, Arizona to play the Chicago White Sox. Luis Morales will start for the A’s, looking to build on his solid performance in his last outing and cement his spot as one of the A’s five starting pitchers in their season-opening rotation. At the moment, the White Sox have yet to list their scheduled starter for that Cactus League matchup between two teams looking to take a step forward this season.
(Original Caption) 6/6/1964-Philadelphia, PA: King of the Mount Sandy Koufax of the Los Angeles Dodgers knocks off the last of the Phillies' batters during the game here 6/6. In addition to downing the Philadelphia team 3-0, Koufax scored the third no-hitter of his career.
While Koufax and soon Yamamoto are the only Dodgers to follow the last pitch of a championship and the first pitch of the next season, eight others in modern franchise history threw the Dodgers’ final pitch of one season and the first pitch of the next.
Then Drysdale beat the Phillies in the same stadium with seven strong innings to open the 1961 campaign. That was the fourth consecutive opening day start for the then-24-year-old Drysdale, who would start seven opening days in his career.
Nobody knew it at the time, but Ramón Mártinezshutting out the Cincinnati Reds on August 11, 1994 was the Dodgers’ final game of the season. Before this start, Mártinez was briefly back home in Glendale for the birth of his daughter.
“They were saying to me, ‘Have another kid,” Martínez said, laughing, to Maryanne Hudson of the Los Angeles Times.
The players’ strike began the next day, and labor strife escalated enough to cancel the World Series that year as well as lop one-ninth of the 1995 schedule as well. Once an accord between players and owners was finally reached and a shortened-spring training got folks ready, Martínez pitched six strong innings to beat the Florida Marlins in Miami in the Dodgers’ first game.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - NOVEMBER 17: Head coach Kenny Atkinson of the Cleveland Cavaliers talks with Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks during the first half at Rocket Arena on November 17, 2025 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
Tuesday’s matchup will be the fourth and final time the Cleveland Cavaliers will take on the Milwaukee Bucks. So far, the Cavs have only had to deal with Giannis Antetokounmpo in one and a half of those games. They could be avoiding him again on Tuesday.
The Bucks have listed Antetokounmpo as questionable for Tuesday’s game with a left ankle sprain. Antetokounmpo left the Bucks’ win over the Indiana Pacers in the second half on Sunday with an injury that head coach Doc Rivers called a likely hyperextension at the time.
The Bucks’ goals for the remainder of the season are unclear. Antetokounmpo has been heavily involved in trade rumors at the deadline. All signs point to him being dealt in the summer. And if that’s the plan, there’s no point in having him play in what seem like meaningless games.
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Right now, Milwaukee is five and a half games behind the Charlotte Hornets for the 10th seed, which is the final spot in the Play-In. Additionally, the Bucks have won just two of their last 10 games. It certainly doesn’t feel like there’s much to really play for at this point, especially if it puts Antetokounmpo in harm’s way before a possible trade.
On the season, Antetokounmpo is averaging 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game on 62.4% shooting. Milwaukee has been 11-20 without Antetokounmpo this season and 17-19 when he suits up.
Antetokounmpo isn’t the only player the Bucks could be missing. Starting center Myles Turner is questionable for Tuesday’s game with a right calf strain. Additionally, Ousmane Dieng is questionable due to an illness.
The Cavs will be without Jarrett Allen (knee) for the sixth game in a row. Craig Porter Jr. (groin) and Tyrese Proctor (quad) are also out. Sam Merrill (hamstring) is questionable to return. Jaylon Tyson (ankle) is probable for Tuesday’s game.
SURPRISE, ARIZONA - MARCH 11: Starting pitcher Tyler Mahle #54 of the San Francisco Giants pitches against the Kansas City Royals during the first inning of the spring training game at Surprise Stadium on March 11, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A day after flirting with perfection, the Giants were perfectly inept at capitalizing on scoring opportunities.
In their 3-1 loss against the San Diego Padres, San Francisco bats went hitless in a baker’s dozen worth of at-bats, including three duds in the 9th inning after Osleivis Basabe’s lead-off triple. Tyler Fitzgerald’s sacrifice fly in the 7th accounted for the Giants’ solitary run, so “perfectly inept” isn’t exactly right — just near-perfect once again.
While it was a team effort in this regard, Luis Matos, a sub for Jung Hoo Lee in right in the 7th inning, particularly struggled. His two at-bats of the day each came with a runner in scoring position. With a man on first and second and one-out, he chased after an inside cutter and popped it up to short. In the 9th, he was called out on strikes on the sixth pitch of the at-bat: a four-seam fastball in the corner pocket that froze him completely. He had fouled off three previous pitches out of the zone to put him in the two-strike hole.
The spring slump continues for Matos and based on some of the swing decisions today, his eagerness to swing his way out of it is doing more harm than good.
All three of San Diego’s runs came against reliever Spencer Bivens in the 6th inning. Chalk this unseemly frame up to a 50/50 mix of tough-luck and self-inflicted trouble. The Padres peppered three singles off Bivens, two of them grounders finding holes, and two of them probably corralled by second baseman Casey Schmitt on a better day. What made those tough breaks hurt was the traffic supplied by Bivens by way of a walk, a hit batter, and a wild pitch. It also didn’t help that he didn’t properly back-up the catcher on Christian Koss’s overthrow home on Miguel Andujar’s sacrifice fly. The error was attributed to center fielder Koss, but if Bivens was positioned better, the runner on first would’ve been prevented from advancing into scoring position on the play.
But it wasn’t all bad!
Tyler Mahle went toe-to-toe with Padres starter Walker Buehler and Tyler Mahle through the early innings. Buehler scattered 3 hits and 2 walks over 5 innings pitched while bailing himself out of trouble by way of 7 strikeouts. Mahle had started the day with an unblemished ERA but struggled with command, having walked 7 batters against 6 strikeouts over his previous 6 innings of work. Over four innings against San Diego, Mahle doubled his K-total while allowing just one baserunner and preserving his scoreless Spring.
While the typical 1-2 punch of his four-seam and splitter were present today (accounting for 4 of his 6 strikeouts), Mahle evened out his mix on the day to focus on his slider.
Historically the offering has probably been his worst pitch. It’s an underwhelming specimen in regards to movement. The pitch is a little sluggish for a slider, nor does its glove-side run distinguish itself from his cutter, and only by virtue of being a couple of beats slower on the radar gun does the offering get more of vertical lilt.
Mahle tossed 13 of these sliders, about a quarter of his overall pitches, and most were offered to right-handed batters. Two of his six K’s came on the pitch. He threw four consecutive sliders in the 1st inning, and all of them were elevated in the upper-third of the zone or higher. While this feels like a location mistake for this pitch-type, because Mahle is such a north-south thrower, he seems to be able to get away with spotting his breaking ball at the belt. Xander Bogaerts, who spun around one on the 8th pitch of his at-bat in the 1st, was clearly timed-up for the fastball and thought he got one reading the ball out of Mahle’s hands. In their next match-up, Mahle served up a 2-1 slider (his last of the afternoon) to a similar spot that Bogaerts somewhat mis-hit, directing the pitch into the ground but striking it hard enough to coax a fielding error from shortstop Tyler Fitzgerald.
That belt-high slider should’ve been a souvenir for a fan sitting on the hill beyond left field. Instead a bad pitch in a bad location got drilled into the ground. A veteran hitter like Bogaerts still couldn’t square it up because Mahle mixed it in so well. He knows his stuff and knows how to squeeze the most out of each offering — this is the benefit of signing veteran arms. You can bet when those two meet in the regular season, that slider is going to be top of Bogaert’s mind. Mahle, in the middle of March, was pitching for outs in June.
PEORIA, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 22: James Tibbs III #98 of the Los Angeles Dodgers gets ready in the batters box against the San Diego Padres during a spring training game at Peoria Stadium on February 22, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Outfielder Michael Siani and reliever Paul Gervase are on the 40-man roster, so they were optioned to the minors.
Non-roster invitees Zach Ehrhard, James Tibbs III, Noah Miller, Zyhir Hope, Cole Irvin, and Ryder Ryan were reassigned to minor league camp.
Hope is the consensus top-100 prospect who remained the longest in camp, and through Monday leads the Dodgers with 22 games played this spring, though he hit just .179/.238/.231 with two doubles in 42 plate appearances.
Ehrhard and Tibbs, both acquired from the Boston Red Sox for Dustin May last July, each impressed this spring, and among Dodgers outfield prospects are older and closer to the majors than the rest, likely ticketed for Triple-A this season. Ehrhard hit .327/.389/.551 with five doubles and three triples in 20 games, while Tibbs hit .326/.392/.651 with three home runs, three doubles, and a triple in his 20 games.
With Irvin and Ryder Ryan sent down, the only two non-roster pitchers remaining in big league camp are right-hander Chris Campos and left-hander Antoine Kelly.
With these moves, the Dodgers have 43 players remaining in big league camp, including 23 pitchers and 20 position players.
DENVER — Can virtual NHL officiating be worse than real life? Let's dive in, shall we?
Jokes aside, the Pittsburgh Penguins skated away with a 3–2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche in our latest NHL 26 experiment, and the game was actually — gasp — fun to watch. If you missed it, you can check out the full simulation here.
Nathan MacKinnon and Parker Kelly provided the offense for Colorado, while Scott Wedgewood delivered a stellar performance between the pipes with 24 saves that bordered on video game legend territory.
Nathan MacKinnon hitting the net at morning skate.
For Pittsburgh, Bryan Rust scored twice and Justin Brazeau netted the late game-winner. Stuart Skinner was excellent as well, turning aside 33 shots to help secure the victory.
First Period
The Avalanche wasted no time electrifying the crowd at Ball Arena.
Just 29 seconds into the game, MacKinnon pounced on a loose puck along the boards, snapped it toward the net, and beat Skinner cleanly to give Colorado a 1–0 lead before many fans had even settled into their seats.
Pittsburgh quickly responded by cranking up the physicality. On the next sequence, Evgeni Malkin — appearing in his first game after serving a five-game suspension — leveled Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson during a gritty battle along the boards.
Manson bounced right back into the play. Moments later, off a faceoff win from Brock Nelson in Pittsburgh’s zone, the defenseman blasted a point shot that Skinner snatched out of the air with a spectacular glove save.
Nearly eight minutes into the period, Manson returned to the exact same patch of ice and fired another wrister toward the net. This time it beat the goalie but rang squarely off the post, drawing a loud, collective “Ohhh!” from the crowd.
About a minute later, Colorado went to the power play after Noel Acciari was whistled for holding Nelson. The man advantage generated chances, including a slap shot from Martin Nečas, but Skinner stood tall and kept the puck out.
Pittsburgh eventually found its breakthrough with 6:12 remaining in the period.
The sequence began when Parker Kelly mishandled the puck in the defensive zone, allowing Rickard Rakell to intercept the pass and quickly slide the puck into the slot. Rust took it from there, firing a precise shot past Wedgewood to tie the game 1–1.
The Penguins struck again almost immediately.
After crashing the net and forcing chaos around the crease, Parker Wotherspoon worked the puck free and sent it back to Rust in nearly the same shooting lane. Once again, he made no mistake, wiring it past the goaltender to give Pittsburgh a 2–1 lead.
Then came one of those classic EA Sports officiating moments.
Nicolas Roy was called for interference despite Anthony Mantha essentially skating directly into him. Thanks, EA. Fortunately for Colorado, the penalty kill held strong.
Late in the period, Wedgewood produced the save of the night.
With 1:29 remaining, Malkin uncorked a dangerous one-timer that looked destined for the net. Falling backward, the Avalanche goaltender somehow flashed the glove and robbed him in dramatic fashion.
After twenty minutes, the Penguins held a 2–1 lead and a 14–10 edge in shots.
Second Period
Colorado clawed its way back midway through the frame.
Nearly seven minutes into the period, Kelly capitalized on a quick passing play when Sam Malinski fed him in tight. Kelly attempted a backhand that caught Skinner’s blocker and fluttered awkwardly into the net, tying the game 2–2.
It was the kind of opportunistic scoring that highlights Colorado’s depth — the players who quietly deliver when the stars are tied up.
Nečas nearly pushed the Avalanche ahead later in the period with a booming slap shot from the top of the right circle, but the puck was partially deflected before Skinner calmly plucked it out of the air.
Neither team could break the deadlock before the intermission, sending the game to the third period tied 2–2. Pittsburgh held a razor-thin shots advantage at 22–21.
Third Period
The final frame opened with a little bit of everything — pressure, frustration, and plenty of iron.
About three minutes in, Mantha broke through Colorado’s defense and fired a wrist shot from the top of the left circle.
Doink.
Off the post.
Colorado controlled possession through much of the first half of the period, outshooting Pittsburgh 8–0 during one extended stretch. A turnover at the blue line created a chance for Gavin Brindley to drive the net, but his shot glanced off Skinner’s glove and stayed out.
Then came another moment of metallic misfortune.
With nine minutes remaining, MacKinnon received a slick pass from Nazem Kadri in the slot and quickly snapped a backhand toward the net.
Doink.
Right off the post again as Skinner sprawled across the crease stacking the pads.
Mantha later joined the unofficial “post club.”
On a clean 2-on-1 rush with 4:30 left, Kris Letang fed him perfectly in stride. Mantha ripped the shot…
Doink.
Again.
The forward covered his face before throwing his arms skyward in disbelief, seemingly wondering what kind of hockey spirits had cursed him.
Unfortunately for Colorado, the cruelest bounce of the night was still coming.
With just 35 seconds left in regulation, Brazeau snapped a shot from the slot that deflected off Zakhar Bardakov’s stick and fluttered past Wedgewood into the net.
An own goal.
A brutal break.
And a 3–2 Penguins lead.
Colorado pulled the goalie for a final push, but the rally never materialized. Pittsburgh held firm in the closing seconds to secure the virtual victory.
Now the only question left is simple:
What happens when these teams meet in real life tonight?
