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Pens Points: Big comeback win over Bruins

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - MARCH 8: The Pittsburgh Penguins celebrate following a 5-4 overtime win over the Boston Bruins at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 8, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Here are your Pens Points for this Monday morning…

The Pittsburgh Penguins closed out the weekend on Sunday afternoon with another matchup against the Boston Bruins. The Penguins found themselves down 3-0 by the time the second period rolled around, but these Penguins dug down deep, led by Anthony Mantha and Egor Chinakhov, and rallied back, forcing overtime, and earned two massive points in a win. [Recap]

Sunday’s game also saw the debut of the Penguins’ newest acquisition, Elmer Soderblom, after trading for him from the Detroit Red Wings at the trade deadline. The 6-foot-8 winger logged just over 10 minutes of ice time, three shots, and two hits. Coaches say they’re excited about his long-term potential as he adjusts to a new system and opportunity in Pittsburgh. [Penguins]

News and updates from around the NHL…

Sunday’s game between the surging Buffalo Sabres and longtime contenders Tampa Bay Lightning may have been the game of the season. The game saw a combined 100 penalty minutes, five fights, 15 combined goals, and a postgame scrum for good measure. Hopefully, we get a seven-game series of this come next month. [TSN]

It appears Connor Bedard is taking the next step in his ascension to the top of the Chicago Blackhawks franchise after being drafted first overall in the 2023 draft. Bedard is stepping into a larger leadership role for the team, formally being named an alternate captain for the rest of the season, and is expected to help guide the team’s young roster both on and off the ice as the franchise continues its rebuild. [NHL]

Longtime Chicago Blackhawks forward-turned-broadcaster Troy Murray has died. He was 63. [Associated Press via ESPN]

Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog is considered week-to-week with a lower-body injury. [TSN]

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Islanders News: Finishing the road trip, packing up Schenn

Maybe more of a Merrick or Henning than a Cole or Lindgren, as far as #10s go. | NHLI via Getty Images

The Islanders finish their four-game road trip with a stop to help Brayden Schenn pack up in St. Louis, where the Blues are returning from a lottery-spoiling perfect four-game western road trip of their own. In full selloff mode, the Blues somehow took out the Kraken, Sharks, Kings and finally the Ducks, with a 4-0 win last night.

Jonatha Drouin even scored for them, naturally.

Islanders News

  • J-G Pageau was relieved to stay where he has called home since joining the Isles on the eve of the pandemic. [Isles | Post]
  • Schenn, asked about waiving his limited no-trade clause to come to the Island, hinted at how Matthew Schaefer is going to bring more interested players into the fold: “When superstars in this league are good guys that take care of his teammates, guys are gonna want to be around him. And guys are only gonna want to come to the New York Islanders in the future just because of his talent and character.” (It’s widely believed that Schenn used his NTC to veto a trade to the Leafs last year, by the way.) [Post]
  • Schenn and new teammates shared their excitement. (Bonus footage: sewing the new jerseys on the road.) [Isles]
  • The Skinny: “The Isles improve to 16-2-3 when tied after two periods.” [Isles]
  • Gross: Bold moves by the Isles to double down on some mid-30s guys. [Newsday]
  • Who is this Brayden Schenn? [Newsday]

Elsewhere

Last night’s NHL scores included the Penguins mounting a big comeback to beat the Bruins (in OT though, so Boston also gets a point) and pass the Isles in the standings, plus an insane, brawl-filled 8-7 Sabres win over the Lightning, pushing Buffalo above them and into first place.

  • The Leafs should do a full-blown rebuild. [Sportsnet]
  • And here’s a really, really long explanation that Oliver Ekman-Larsson has kids so the Leafs shouldn’t have put him on the trade block. [Sportsnet]
  • Gabriel Landeskog is week to week with a lower body injury. [NHL]
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Mizzou Baseball can’t stop winning!

Welcome to the Morning Commute

Today we’re yet again talking about how Mizzou Baseball doesn’t seem to be able to not win at this point in time.

After some early struggles in their weekend series against UIC, the Tigers figured things out on the mound and in the box, run-ruling UIC during the final two games of the series and rolling to their 11th and 12th consecutive wins in style.

Across the last three games, Mizzou has scored 29 unanswered runs and held opponents scoreless for 22 straight innings.

Lefty Brady Kehlenbrink enjoyed a career day on the hill, working six scoreless innings while only allowing three Flames to reach base. The Ballwin, Mo., native punched out a career-high 11 batters while improving to 3-0 on the season (4.29 ERA).

Look, no one is pretending the Tigers are out here downing the 2025 LA Dodgers, but they’re winning games (and lots of them) which is something they haven’t been able to do under Kerrick Jackson much during his time in Columbia. Winning is habitual, and the best thing Missouri can do right now is teach themselves how to win before the more intense competition heats up.

Yesterday at Rock M and Rock M+

Mizzou’s margins have been thinner than we want all season, but the butter is made. There’s nothing left to churn. They are who they are. The improvement they can make will come in April and May, not now. Now you’re just hoping to extend what you have as long as you can.

At least the Tigers have seemingly done enough to secure a spot in the Tournament, regardless of what they’ll do in the SEC Tournament… though an extra win or two would be nice!

Mizzou Baseball didn’t just finish a sweep on Sunday. It finished a statement. Behind six scoreless innings from left‑hander Brady Kehlenbrink and a four‑homer afternoon from the lineup, Missouri rolled past UIC 10–0 in seven innings at Taylor Stadium, closing out a four‑game sweep and extending its winning streak to 12 games.

Mizzou is off to easily it’s best start under Kerrick Jackson, and they’ll look to keep the momentum rolling in the mid-week against Southern Indiana.

The poetry was the final hit that allowed star outfielder Taylor Shumaker to reach home plate for the game-winning run in the bottom of the 11th. The game-winning hit came from Mizzou’s home run leader from just a year ago: Madison Walker.

That’s the kind of thing that hurts a lot worse when you look at Mizzou’s lineup and think, “God, we could’ve used her this season.”

(** RockMNation has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though RockMNation may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links.**)

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England handed tough Six Nations 2027 opener with Friday night trip to Dublin

  • Evening start will be first time for 12 years for England

  • Ireland also host ‘Super Saturday’ finale against France

England will begin their Six Nations campaign on a Friday for the first time in 12 years in 2027 after they were handed an opening night trip to Dublin to face Ireland by tournament organisers.

Ireland will also host the final match of next year’s “Super Saturday” with organisers pitching Andy Farrell’s side against France in the 8.10pm kick-off. Ireland and France have won the last four editions of the Six Nations between them and both are in the hunt, along with Scotland, for the title this year with one round remaining.

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Stars take on the Golden Knights following overtime victory

Vegas Golden Knights (29-21-14, in the Pacific Division) vs. Dallas Stars (39-14-10, in the Central Division)

Dallas; Tuesday, 8 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: The Dallas Stars host the Vegas Golden Knights after the Stars knocked off the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 in overtime.

Dallas has a 39-14-10 record overall and a 19-7-4 record on its home ice. The Stars have a +47 scoring differential, with 216 total goals scored and 169 allowed.

Vegas has a 15-11-7 record in road games and a 29-21-14 record overall. The Golden Knights have given up 199 goals while scoring 208 for a +9 scoring differential.

The matchup Tuesday is the second time these teams meet this season. The Stars won 5-4 in a shootout in the last matchup. Mavrik Bourque led the Stars with two goals.

TOP PERFORMERS: Jason Robertson has scored 34 goals with 40 assists for the Stars. Matt Duchene has five goals and 10 assists over the last 10 games.

Pavel Dorofeyev has 30 goals and 21 assists for the Golden Knights. Ivan Barbashev has scored five goals with two assists over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Stars: 9-0-1, averaging 4.3 goals, 7.6 assists, 3.4 penalties and 7.4 penalty minutes while giving up 2.5 goals per game.

Golden Knights: 4-6-0, averaging three goals, 5.4 assists, 3.4 penalties and 8.3 penalty minutes while giving up 3.1 goals per game.

INJURIES: Stars: None listed.

Golden Knights: None listed.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Sabres host the Sharks after Tuch's 2-goal performance

San Jose Sharks (30-25-6, in the Pacific Division) vs. Buffalo Sabres (39-19-6, in the Atlantic Division)

Buffalo, New York; Tuesday, 7 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: The Buffalo Sabres host the San Jose Sharks after Alex Tuch's two-goal game against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Sabres' 8-7 win.

Buffalo is 39-19-6 overall and 20-8-3 in home games. The Sabres rank eighth in the league serving 9.5 penalty minutes per game.

San Jose has a 13-15-1 record in road games and a 30-25-6 record overall. The Sharks are 27-7-3 in games they score at least three goals.

The matchup Tuesday is the first meeting of the season between the two clubs.

TOP PERFORMERS: Tage Thompson has scored 34 goals with 36 assists for the Sabres. Rasmus Dahlin has two goals and 11 assists over the past 10 games.

Tyler Toffoli has 16 goals and 23 assists for the Sharks. Macklin Celebrini has five goals and six assists over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Sabres: 8-1-1, averaging four goals, 6.6 assists, 4.5 penalties and 11.9 penalty minutes while giving up 2.8 goals per game.

Sharks: 3-4-3, averaging 2.8 goals, 4.4 assists, 4.1 penalties and 9.6 penalty minutes while giving up 3.4 goals per game.

INJURIES: Sabres: None listed.

Sharks: None listed.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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England running through quicksand of misery with Borthwick fighting for job in Paris

Defeat in Italy confirmed this is a fast-developing crisis with supporters watching a team stuck on the boulevard of broken dreams

Even before the final weekend unfolds the 2026 Six Nations can be adjudged already as a vintage one. Three teams mathematically remain in the title race and all of them are still full of running. Whether it is France, Ireland or Scotland who ultimately pull clear, an eventful championship this year will be remembered fondly by almost everybody.

For every beaming winner, though, there inevitably has to be a frustrated, bruised loser. And to put it mildly things have not unfolded in the way England were hoping just a few short weeks ago. “On 14 March in Paris we want to be in a position entering that game where we can achieve what we’re all aiming to achieve,” Steve Borthwick said on 23 January. “We want England fans flooding across the Channel to watch the team in a massive encounter in the final round with the opportunity to achieve what we want.”

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Observations From Blues' 4-0 Win Vs. Ducks

It's happening again. The St. Louis Blues -- finally -- are heating up. Unfortunately, it's at the wrong time, and their fan base doesn't know how to feel about it.

There's those that are die-hard fans that want to see them win no matter their standing in the league, and then there are those that don't want them to ruin a potential high draft status.

The way the Blues are playing once the calendar turned to March indicates that dreams of perhaps drafting the likes of Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg are becoming a pipe dream.

That's because they put together another solid road outing. Yes, road outing, with Joel Hofer gaining his fifth shutout of the season, and newcomers Jonathan Drouin (goal) and Justin Holl (assist) each picking up a point in his Blues debut, a 4-0 win against the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. on Sunday.

Jimmy Snuggerud picked up a goal and an assist, Jordan Kyrou and Pius Suter each scored, and Robert Thomas extended his point streak to six games (five goals, five assists) with an assist as the Blues (25-29-9) swept a road trip of four or more games for just the third time in their history:

It's crazy to think where this team has been for much of the season, and after jettisoning off their captain (Brayden Schenn) to the New York Islanders and defenseman Justin Faulk to the Detroit Red Wings on Friday at the NHL Trade Deadline.

But here they are, and have climbed ahead of the Chicago Blackhawks and Calgary Flames in the overall standings, with the Vancouver Canucks and New York Rangers also behind them, climbing to 28th overall in points with 59 and officially eight points behind the Seattle Kraken for -- dare I say it -- the second wild card in the Western Conference.

How about tonight's game observations?:

* Blues were the better team, period -- Even though the first period was 0-0, it was evident which team was better.

The Blues were skating harder, they were skating quicker, they were winning more puck battles, getting to areas of the ice necessary to have success, and the Ducks, who started the night in first place in the Pacific Division, relied heavily on former Blues goalie Ville Husso, who was sharp in the opening 20 minutes to keep the game scoreless.

The Blues actually hit consecutive posts (Jake Neighbours on a redirection, then Kyrou on a follow-up chance from that redirection), Dylan Holloway was robbed on a one-time doorstep save by Husso, and Pavel Buchnevich also hit the bar on a power move to the net late in the period while shorthanded.

That's about the only negative from a very sound first period for the Blues, who put themselves in danger with three penalties (although the interference call on Matthew Kessel was pretty weak at 13:08), but even the Blues' PK unit was winning to loose pucks and getting clears, and it was winning face-offs and getting clears.

It set up for a strong push moving forward, which the Blues most certainly did.

* The dam broke in the second -- We all know the Blues' woes in the second period, one of the league's worst at minus-28, and the Ducks came in with a plus-4.

You had to think they missed the mark by not grabbing the lead in a very solid opening period.

That certainly wasn't the case when the Blues took control outscoring the Ducks 3-0 and really put the game on ice.

It was a continuation of the first period and the Blues were not letting up in any shape or form, and Kyrou finally broke through on Husso to make it 1-0 at 4:22, getting out in transition and heading up the right side using his speed after getting a pass from Neighbours and whipping a wrister off the fat post and past Husso above the right pad and under the arm:

And then we get to Drouin, who also scored a beauty to make it 2-0 with a power-play goal at 10:07 rifling a one-timer from the right circle top shelf off a point feed from Philip Broberg, who followed up his career-high 32:51 ice time on Friday with another 27:17 in this game:

It did come with some resentment by the Ducks and rightfully so when Ross Johnston was called for high-sticking Tyler Tucker, but the replay showed Johnston, who would later fight Tucker (more on that), lifted Tucker's own stick into his face, but remember last Sunday against the Minnesota Wild when Jack Finley was called for a high sticking penalty and it was friendly fire by the Wild? I guess what comes around goes around.

The goal was Drouin's first since Nov. 14, 2025 with the Islanders against the Utah Mammoth and first in 39 games, which sounds crazy to think he was that snake bit in New York, or the puck just simply wasn't going in, or the opportunities just weren't there.

And an emphatic period came to a conclusion when Snuggerud laced a one-timer of his own from the right circle at 12:11 to make it 3-0, and as you can see, the Ducks were just too nonchalant moving the puck and getting to areas needed, and Thomas wins it in the corner and finds Snuggerud, who let it go so quick, Husso had no time to react:

* Tucker gets the spotlight now -- With Schenn off to the Islanders, the Blues are down one of their more emotional, and physical leaders on the ice. So when Holl, who assisted on Pius Suter's empty-net goal at 15:58 of the third period to make it 4-0 and put the game to bed, was boarded from behind by Johnston at 16:55 of the second period, Tucker will have to take more opportunities to be that guy to stick up for his teammates, and I'm sure that one will resonate well with a new teammate playing his first game, no matter the outcome:

* Hofer is in a zone -- This wasn't one of those games where coach Jim Montgomery came out in his postgame press conference to say the goalie had to steal them a game.

The team in front of the netminder was outstanding, but there were a handful of stops, including one on Leo Carlsson in tight in the second period of Hofer's 22 saves on the night that showed how locked in he's been since the break and is now one behind Ilya Sorokin (six) for the league lead in shutouts.

Hofer's numbers since the Olympic break look rather pristine at the moment:

* Drouin, Holl make solid contributions -- They're the new guys coming in for veterans who were a staple with the Blues, but Drouin and Holl each came in and were part of the team concept.

Drouin finished with 13:15 of ice time skating with Suter and Buchnevich with a pair of shots on goal and one hit, while Holl, who played with Tucker in his first NHL game this season after spending the bulk of it with Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League, was a plus-2 with an assist on Suter's goal and played 15:44 (three shot attempts).

Image

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Graves sparks Santa Clara to 76-68 victory over Pacific in a WCC Tournament quarterfinal

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Allen Graves came off the bench to score 19 points and Santa Clara beat Pacific 76-68 on Sunday night in a West Coast Conference Tournament quarterfinal.

No. 3 seed Santa Clara (25-7) will play No. 2 seed Saint Mary's in a Monday semifinal. No. 4 seed Oregon State will play top-seeded Gonzaga in the other semifinal.

Graves made 7 of 10 shots with three 3-pointers and both of his free throws for the Broncos. Christian Hammond had 14 points and Elijah Mahi posted a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Reserve Sash Gavalyugov totaled 11 points and six assists.

Elias Ralph sank five 3-pointers and scored 25 to lead the sixth-seeded Tigers (18-15). Jaden Clayton pitched in with 12 points and nine assists.

Graves buried all five of his first-half shots, including two 3-pointers, to guide Santa Clara to a 45-38 advantage at halftime.

Graves hit another 3 to finish off a 12-0 run and the Broncos took a 62-48 lead with 14 minutes left. Pacific got no closer than eight from there.

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Golden Knights Fall To Edmonton, 4-2, Lose For Fifth Time In Six Games

The Golden Knights missed an opportunity to take over the top spot in the Pacific Division as they dropped a 3-1 decision to the third-place Edmonton Oilers on Sunday in front of a nationally televised audience.

The division-leading Anaheim Ducks lost at home to the St. Louis Blues 4-0 earlier in the night, and remain one point in front of Vegas, 73-72, while the Oilers inched closer with 70.

The Golden Knights still have just six wins against teams that would be in the playoffs right now, the fewest in the league.

US Olympic gold medalists Noah Hanifin and Jack Eichel scored for the Knights, while goaltender Adin Hill made 15 saves.

Trent Frederic, Vasily Podkolzin, Leon Draisaitl and Kasperi Kapanen scored for Edmonton.

After Frederic gave Edmonton an early second-period goal, Hanifin tied the game later in the stanza as he traced the blue line looking for clearance and blasted a shot through traffic to make it 1-1.

Podkolzin and Draisaitl scored in the third period to push Edmonton's lead to 3-1 before Eichel's short-handed strike brought the deficit back to one.

Kapanen's empty net goal with 1:57 left provided the final margin.

Edmonton netminder Connor Ingram made 24 stops.

KEY MOMENT

While Hanifin eventually tied the game in the second period, the Golden Knights had a goal taken away a little more than six minutes earlier. Keegan Kolesar's snipe from the right circle snuck by Ingram, but a coach's challenge for an offside call overturned the goal. It seemed to deflate the Knights momentarily, rather than building momentum sooner in the period.

KEY STAT

37 ... Frederic's goal marked the 37th time in 63 games a Vegas foe scored first. The Golden Knights are now 11-18-8 when their opponents scored first.

WHAT A KNIGHT

Aside from his goal, Hanifin played an exceptional game for the Knights with two additional shots, four more blocked and a fifth off target. He also registered four blocked shots and finished +1.

"It's all about just being assertive and moving my feet," said Hanifin, who was plus for just the second time in six games. "I think that's just what I got to do if I'm going to help this team. Tonight, I was getting up in the play a little bit. I think offensively, we're using the points a lot tonight, getting a lot of motion going, and I think that helps our D-corps in general."

UP NEXT: The Golden Knights play a one-off road game in Dallas on Tuesday.

PHOTO CAPTION: Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Noah Hanifin (15) celebrates after scoring a goal against the Edmonton Oilers during the second period at T-Mobile Arena.

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Jaylen Brown scores 23 points as Celtics beat Cavaliers 109-98

CLEVELAND (AP) — Jaylen Brown scored 23 points and Jayson Tatum had 20 in his second game back from a torn right Achilles, lifting Boston to a win over Cleveland in a battle of Eastern Conference contenders.

Brown also had nine rebounds and eight assists as the Celtics built an 81-55 lead in the third quarter, sweeping their three-game season series with Cleveland. Tatum scored six points in the fourth, finishing 6 of 16 from the field in 27 minutes.

Payton Pritchard added 18 points and Baylor Scheierman had 16 points and 10 rebounds as Boston moved within three games of East-leading Detroit. Neemias Queta grabbed 11 boards.

Donovan Mitchell scored 30 points and Evan Mobley had 24 points and eight rebounds for the fourth-place Cavaliers, who had won a season-high seven straight at home. James Harden had 19 points and 10 assists.

Cleveland, which is 22-9 since Dec. 29, pulled within 94-86 midway through the fourth on Jaylon Tyson’s 3-pointer. Pritchard answered with a 3-pointer and tacked on back-to-back hoops to restore the Celtics’ double-digit lead.

LAKERS 110, KNICKS 97

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Luka Doncic had 35 points and eight rebounds, Austin Reaves added 25 points and Los Angeles overcame LeBron James’ injury absence to grind out a 110-97 victory over New York.

Rui Hachimura scored 13 points for the Lakers, who never trailed the surging Knicks in their fourth consecutive victory even while James missed his second straight game with a bruised left elbow and a left foot injury.

The Lakers slumped in the fourth quarter, managing just one basket in a 6 1/2-minute span down the stretch while New York cut its 23-point deficit to 10. But the Knicks couldn’t hit enough shots to capitalize and committed eight turnovers in the fourth.

Luke Kennard made a 3-pointer with 1:37 left before Doncic iced it on his fifth 3-pointer with 1:05 left.

Karl-Anthony Towns had 25 points and 16 rebounds for the Knicks, who lost for just the second time in six games.

HEAT 121, PISTONS 110

MIAMI (AP) — Tyler Herro scored 25 points, Bam Adebayo had 24 to go over the 10,000-point mark for his career, and Miami beat Detroit to extend the Pistons’ season-worst losing streak to four games.

Jaime Jaquez Jr. had 19 points and seven assists for Miami (36-29), which has won five straight and matched a season best by moving seven games over .500. The Heat are still without Norman Powell (groin) and Nikola Jovic (back), and Andrew Wiggins (toe) was also sidelined.

Adebayo — who added nine rebounds and six assists — entered the night 23 points away from the scoring milestone. He and Dwyane Wade are the only players with 10,000 points in a Heat uniform.

Cade Cunningham finished with 26 points and 10 assists and Jalen Duren scored 24 for the Pistons, whose lead in the Eastern Conference is down to 2 1/2 games over Boston.

RAPTORS 122, MAVERICKS 92

TORONTO (AP) — RJ Barrett scored a season–high 31 points, Scottie Barnes added 17 and Toronto beat struggling Dallas.

Jakob Poeltl had 16 points and 10 rebounds and Sandro Mamukelashvili scored 13 points as the Raptors snapped a four-game losing streak against Dallas.

Daniel Gafford had a season-high 21 points and 11 rebounds, Cooper Flagg scored 17 points and Brandon Williams added 16 but the slumping Mavericks lost their seventh straight and 17th of 19.

Brandon Ingram and Ja’Kobe Walter each scored 11 points, and Immanuel Quickley and Gradey Dick both had 10 as Toronto won for the first time in five home games.

PELICANS 138, WIZARDS 118

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Trey Murphy III scored 24 points, Saddiq Bey added 23 against his former team and New Orleans defeated the reeling Wizards to extend Washington’s losing streak to eight games.

Zion Williamson had 20 points and Dejounte Murray provided 19 for the Pelicans, who outscored Washington 72-44 in the paint.

Trae Young, playing his second game for the Wizards since being traded by Atlanta, had 17 points and eight assists in 18 minutes on the court. It was his 12th game all season.

Wizards rookie Tre Johnson scored 20 points — his fourth time reaching that total. Will Riley added 19.

MAGIC 130, BUCKS 91

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Paolo Banchero scored 33 points and Orlando cruised to a win over Milwaukee, who rested Giannis Antetokounmpo in the second game of a back-to-back.

Jalen Suggs added 20 points and Desmond Bane had 18 for the Magic, who won their fourth straight to remain sixth in the Eastern Conference, one game behind fifth-place Toronto and percentage points ahead of Miami.

Orlando never trailed and led 67-55 at halftime. Early in the fourth quarter, Suggs hit a 3-pointer to start a 12-0 run that extended the Magic’s lead to 26 points. Banchero headed to the bench for good late in the third with Orlando ahead by 31.

Bobby Portis had 18 points and 10 rebounds and Cam Thomas scored 17 for the Bucks, who beat Utah on Saturday night but have lost five of six.

SPURS 145, ROCKETS 120

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Victor Wembanyama had 29 points, De’Aaron Fox had 20 points and 10 assists and San Antonio won their fourth straight, rolling to a victory over Houston.

Stephon Castle added 23 points for San Antonio, which has won 15 of 16.

Kevin Durant and Amen Thompson had 23 points each for Houston, which allowed a season high in points.

The Spurs (47-17) won the season series against the Rockets 3-1 and strengthened their hold on the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference.

Houston (39-24) dropped into fourth in the West, a half-game behind Minnesota (40-24) and seven games behind San Antonio in the loss column.

The Rockets, who have alternated wins and losses over their past six games, allowed a season-most 56 points in the paint.

TRAIL BLAZERS 131, INDIANA 111

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Scoot Henderson scored a season-high 28 points on 10-of-15 shooting and Portland beat skidding Indiana.

Jerami Grant and Jrue Holiday added 21 points apiece for the Blazers, who handed Indiana its ninth straight defeat. Henderson also had six assists with no turnovers.

Deni Avdija, who leads Portland in scoring (24.4 points per game) and assists (6.6), returned from a six-game absence caused by a lower back injury. He finished with 18 points and eight assists.

Indiana has dropped its past six games by an average of 20 points. This marks the team’s third losing streak of at least eight games this season.

Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 22 points and Jay Huff had 16 points and five blocks. Andrew Nembhard added 14 points and nine assists, and Jarace Walker also scored 14.

KINGS 126, BULLS 110

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Russell Westbrook had 23 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds for his NBA-record 208th career triple-double, and Sacramento beat Chicago.

Westbrook shot 7 of 17 with three 3-pointers in 35 minutes. It’s the fourth triple-double of the season for the 37-year-old, who moved within one assist of passing Mark Jackson for sixth on the NBA’s all-time list.

Westbrook’s triple-doubles are an ongoing record for the nine-time All-Star and came six days after he ripped into the Sacramento media for the narrative around the Kings this season.

Denver center and three-time MVP Nikola Jokic has the second-most triple-doubles in the NBA with 181.

SUNS 111, HORNETS 99

PHOENIX (AP) — Devin Booker had 30 points and 10 assists as Phoenix stopped Charlotte's road winning streak at 10 games with a victory.

Booker was 1 for 6 from 3-point range but made all 15 of his free throws.

Collin Gillespie and Jalen Green each scored 24 points for the Suns, who have won four of five. Rasheer Fleming added 16 off the bench, including four 3-pointers.

LaMelo Ball led the Hornets with 22 points. Their road winning streak was the NBA’s longest since the Los Angeles Lakers won 11 straight away from home in 2019-20. Charlotte hadn’t lost on the road since Jan. 17 at Golden State.

The longest road winning streak in NBA history is 16 games, by the 1971-72 Lakers during their league-record 33-game run overall.

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Johnson, Brickner help Idaho upset No. 2 seed Montana State 78-74 in Big Sky Tournament quarterfinal

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Biko Johnson had 19 points and Isaiah Brickner scored 15 — all in the second half — to propel Idaho to a 78-74 victory over No. 2 seed Montana State on Sunday night in a Big Sky Conference Tournament quarterfinal.

No. 7 seed Idaho (19-14) moves on to Tuesday's semifinals where it will play the winner of a Monday quarterfinal between No. 3 seed Eastern Washington and sixth-seeded Weber State.

Johnson made 7 of 12 shots with a 3-pointer for the Vandals, adding five rebounds and four assists. Brickner missed all three of his first-half shots before sinking 6 of 8 after the break. He had seven rebounds and blocked a shot. Jack Rasmussen scored 11.

Jeremiah Davis hit four 3-pointers and scored 22 to lead the Bobcats (18-14), who split two games with Idaho during the regular season. Christian King connected three times from distance and scored 21. Jed Miller added 18 points.

Davis and King both scored 12 points in the first half and Miller added 10 as Montana State took a 40-34 lead into the break. Brickner scored in the paint to give Idaho a 63-61 lead and the Vandals never trailed over the final five minutes.

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Yankees’ Jasson Dominguez shows defensive progress in left field during ‘busy afternoon’

Jasson Domínguez smiling on the field in a Yankees cap and long-sleeve shirt, holding a baseball in one hand and a blue glove in the other.
Jasson Dominguez

PORT ST. LUCIE — The Jasson Domínguez left field experiment has had decidedly mixed results, which is among the reasons he’s likely headed to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to start the season. 

But there has been some growth, as he displayed Sunday in a 10-4 loss to the Mets at Clover Park. 

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For a second straight game, Domínguez made a nice running catch, this time on a sinking liner by A.J. Ewing in the bottom of the fifth, and Domínguez followed it up with a strong throw home, where he threw out Vidal Bruján. 

“It was a busy afternoon out there,” said Domínguez, who also had a ball hit by Tyrone Taylor get by him in the gap, but neither he nor Aaron Boone thought he could have gotten to it. “It was good to throw the guy out at home.” 

It came after Boone said Domínguez, who has struggled for the most part since shifting from center to left, made some poor decisions with his throws last week. 

“He’s made excellent throws the last two days,” the manager said of the plays he made Sunday against the Mets and Saturday versus Miami. “He’s playing a lot. He’s worked a lot. One of the best parts about this trip [to the east coast of Florida, with most regulars staying back or in the World Baseball Classic] is that we saw his athleticism.” 

The Jasson Domínguez left field experiment has had decidedly mixed results. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

When he was coming through the Yankees system, Domínguez was said to have an elite arm, but that has not been on display much. 

“I’ve always had a pretty good arm, it just hasn’t shown as much,’’ Domínguez said. “My arm wasn’t the problem. Maybe I’m more aggressive now getting to the ball and am in better position to make throws. Compared to last year, I’m a lot more comfortable [in left].” 

Boone said the team hasn’t “even really begun discussions” on the final roster spots. 

“We’ll continue to let that play out and let guys get their reps,” the manager said Sunday. 

They’ve got decisions to make regarding the last arms in the bullpen, as well as deciding between perhaps a backup shortstop or third catcher. 

Ben Rice hasn’t caught in a game, but Boone noted that he caught Carlos Rodón’s bullpen session Saturday. 

With Anthony Volpe sidelined and José Caballero expected to start at shortstop, Boone said the backup shortstop situation is “up in the air.” 

Boone didn’t rule out Ryan McMahon playing there in the future or going with a “super-utility” player for the final roster spot. 

And with Randal Grichuk expected to make his Grapefruit League debut Monday in Tampa, the Yankees will get a better read on what the veteran outfielder can potentially contribute after signing with the team on a minor league deal. 

“That’s what the next two-plus weeks will be about,” Boone said of the decision-making process. 

One standout during a live batting practice at Steinbrenner Field: Ocean Gabonia.

The righty reliever from Hawaii completed two “ups,” allowed no hard contact and struck out Giancarlo Stanton and Cody Bellinger consecutively.

The 24-year-old, who pitched to a 3.27 ERA in 31 games with High-A Hudson Valley last year, received fist bumps from Stanton and Bellinger walking off the field. 

Cade Winquest gave up a run on a walk and a hit as he tries to make the team as a Rule 5 pick. 

“There’s definitely some pressure,” said the right-hander, who will be sent back to the Cardinals if he doesn’t make the Opening Day roster and stay there the entire season. “They drafted me for a reason and I can just do what I do.” 

He allowed a run on a walk and a hit in two-thirds of an inning Sunday. 

— Additional reporting by Mark W. Sanchez in Tampa 

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Carson Benge, A.J. Ewing start together in outfield for glimpse into Mets future

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows New York Mets’ Carson Benge running to third during Spring Training, Image 2 shows A.J. Ewing of the New York Mets walks towards the dugout after the fifth inning

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PORT ST. LUCIE — The idea of Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing together in the same outfield is an intriguing proposition to Mets officials. 

On Sunday, for the second time in three days, the team got that look.

Benge started in center field with Ewing in left against the Yankees.

Both contributed to the Mets’ 10-4 exhibition victory at Clover Park. 

Benge, a top prospect competing for the starting right field job, finished 2-for-3.

Carson Benge is competing for the starting right field job. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
A.J. Ewing rates among the organization’s top prospects. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST

Ewing, who also rates among the organization’s top prospects, delivered a two-run single against lefty Ryan Weathers. 

“They have the ability to impact the game in so many different ways,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “It wasn’t an easy matchup there with left-on-left with Weathers and the way he was throwing the ball. A couple of two-strike approaches when they put the ball in play and just make things happen. The way they run the bases, the way they play defense, it’s just good baseball from them so far.” 

Benge started in center just to receive a taste of the position in camp, according to Mendoza, with Luis Robert Jr. scheduled for his first Grapefruit League game in a Mets uniform on Thursday. 

“I felt like I was on time with everything,” Benge said of his plate appearances against Weathers. “I saw him well, he had really good stuff, but I felt like I stuck to my plan and did my job.” 

Robert Stock will undergo surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome.

The right-hander, who had discomfort after pitching three scoreless innings for Team Israel against the Marlins in a WBC scrimmage, said he could be back pitching before the season concludes. 

Brandon Waddell was scratched from his scheduled Monday start because of shoulder fatigue, according to Mendoza, and will now pitch later in the week.

Zach Thornton will be summoned from minor league camp to start against the Marlins at Clover Park. 

Mendoza is keeping tabs on his WBC pitchers from afar.

A day after Clay Holmes pitched three scoreless innings for Team USA against Great Britain, the Mets manager watched video of Holmes’ outing. 

“He was pretty dominant,” Mendoza said.

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Yankees news: Injury updates, the WBC and Opening Day projections

Feb 16, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Yankees infielder Anthony Volpe (11) warms up during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

New York Post | Mark W. Sanchez: As he recovers from offseason surgery to repair a torn labrum, shortstop Anthony Volpe addressed reporters this week. At the moment, the former top prospect, who may have suffered the injury last May, has progressed in his rehab from simply fielding grounders to diving, has yet to face live pitching, and has no current timeline for his return to game action. When he does, he will face competition for the starting job for the first time since he won the position battle with fellow prospect Oswald Peraza in 2023, as the Yankees — not to mention their fans — are high on José Caballero.

SNY | John Flanigan: Ever since watching the 2017 World Baseball Classic ahead of his rookie season, Aaron Judge has been eager to join Team USA for the international tournament. When asked about the experience, this year’s Captain America stressed the “lack of egos” in the group, noting that the roster is filled out with ace pitchers, closers, and star hitters willing to play supplemental roles. So far, this collection of All-Stars have worked out, as Team USA won their first two games and are currently all-but-guaranteed to advance to the knockout stage of the tournament.

MLB.com: We’re still a few weeks out from Opening Day, but that doesn’t mean it’s not time to think about the Opening Day lineups are going to look like. As is usual, the MLB.com projections are fairly cookie cutter — the Yankees’ projected lineup and rotation have absolutely no surprises — but the collection of all 30 teams in one place does provide a nice way to get up to speed on news throughout the league all in one spot.