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How William Nylander Stole The Show In Maple Leafs' Win Against The Flames

The Toronto Maple Leafs have won back-to-back games for the first time in almost a month.

It wasn't always pretty, especially as the Calgary Flames cut Toronto's lead to one in the second period. But the Maple Leafs held on to beat the Flames 4-2, winning both games against Calgary this season.

Monday’s win was also the Maple Leafs’ first regulation win since Jan. 10.

William Nylander stole the show. Joseph Woll came up massive when they needed him most. And the defense, which was missing Morgan Rielly — who's out until after the Olympic break with an upper-body injury — held up.

With a win on Monday, the Maple Leafs move seven points behind the Boston Bruins for the final wild-card spot. They'll play their final game before the break on Tuesday against the Edmonton Oilers.

But first, let's discuss the game that was, between the Maple Leafs and Flames:

The William Nylander show

There wasn't a better play on the ice than Nylander.

It was the forward's second game back in the Maple Leafs' lineup after reaggravating a groin injury that forced him to miss seven games. He returned on Saturday night against the Vancouver Canucks and, while he didn't register a point, you could notice glimpses of the Swede returning to full form.

Nylander was in his final form against the Flames. As he always appears to be.

Entering Monday night's game, Nylander had an 11-game point streak against Calgary, the city where he was born. And it didn't take him long to find the 12th straight game with a point.

After John Tavares cut off a pass at Toronto's blue line, he sprang Nylander on a breakaway, with the forward making no mistake. He put it under Dustin Wolf's glove for his 18th goal of the year.

Back at it again was Nylander in the middle frame.

Just over seven minutes in, a loose puck was up for grabs behind Calgary's net. Morgan Frost appeared to have a handle on it before Nylander snuck up from behind, stripping Frost, and finding Matias Maccelli in front for a goal.

It was Nylander's second point of the game and Maccelli's eighth goal (and surprisingly, his first on the road) to put Toronto up 2-0.

And no, Nylander wasn't done there.

After some slick passing from Nylander, Auston Matthews, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, which concluded with a scoring chance for Matthews, the puck popped back out to Nylander. He found Troy Stecher with a great pass, and the defenseman slotted it into the pretty-much wide-open net.

In the third, he hit a post, set up a few scoring chances and, as he was for the entire first and second period, all over the place. Nylander finished with

Joseph Woll is getting a much-needed break

If there's anyone on the Maple Leafs who needs rest, it's Woll — especially after that third period against the Flames alone.

(And sure, the rest of Toronto's players, too.)

But Woll has started in 17 of the Maple Leafs' last 25 games. Zoom in a little further: Woll has been the starting goalie in 13 of the previous 17 games. Only two goaltenders have started in more games than Woll since Dec. 16: the Nashville Predators' Juuse Saros (18) and the Winnipeg Jets' Connor Hellebuyck (19).

On Monday, there wasn't much the 27-year-old could do on Nazem Kadri's goal, Calgary's first of the game. The former Maple Leafs forward went upstairs on Woll's short side.

Later in the period, after Woll couldn't control a rebound, the Flames' continued offensive pressure created another goal. Kadri, again, was involved; this time, finding Joel Farabee heading to the net.

Kadri's pass went off Farabee's skate and in, making it 3-2 for Toronto.

In the third period, Woll made a few incredible stops. None better than the one later in the game, after the puck took a weird bounce off the glass and went towards the net.

Woll, out of his crease, quickly got on his horse to get back and take a swipe at the puck as it approached the net. Luckily, Woll got his stick on it before Adam Klapka, whose swipe of the puck put it over the net.

Woll finished the game, stopping 28 of 30 shots and picking up his 13th win of the season.

Other takeaways

- Bobby McMann's empty-netter was his 18th goal of the year. He's now two goals shy of his career high in goals and three shy of his career high in points. If Toronto decides to move him before the trade deadline, it could bring them some good assets.

- Troy Stecher came up big for the Maple Leafs. He scored a goal and finished with 20:08 of ice time, the third-most among Toronto's players against the Flames. The defenseman continues to come up big for the club since being picked up on waivers in November.

- Easton Cowan should get into Tuesday's game against the Oilers. Not only is it the second half of a back-to-back, but he's got to play eventually, and what better test than against two of the league's best players? Cowan in for Calle Jarnkrok? Who says no?

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Sam Bennett Suffers Upper-Body Injury, Joins List Of Injured Panthers As Playoff Hopes Continue Slipping Away

When it rains, it pours.

That’s been the feeling around the Florida Panthers this season as the injury issues continue to pile up.

Already missing key forwards Brad Marchand and Anton Lundell, the Panthers saw another one of their vital pieces come out of a game with an injury.

Center Sam Bennett left Monday’s 5-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres after the first period and did not return.

“It seems like somebody is getting injured every night,” said Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk. “I feel for him, that’s not ideal going out with an injury that early (in the game).”

He played seven shifts during the first period, logging 5:11 of ice time and going 2-for-4 in the faceoff circle.

Afterwards, Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice did not have much of an update on Bennett’s injury.

“We’ll just leave it as upper-body,” Maurice said. “We’ll get a better handle on it tomorrow.”

If that sounds familiar, it’s because Maurice has given similar evaluations for many of Florida’s injured players this season.

The good news is that the NHL is about to take a league-wide pause during the 2026 Winter Olympics, giving players who aren’t participating a few weeks to rest and heal for the late-season push toward the playoffs.

The bad news is that Florida picked a horrible time to go on a losing streak and have all but fallen out of contention for a playoff spot.

Following Monday’s loss to Buffalo, the Panthers are now nine points behind Boston for the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, and they’re 11 points back of Montreal for third place in the Atlantic Division, with one game in hand on both.

Florida has played 55 games, meaning they have only 27 remaining to make up all those points.

The next two outings for the Panthers, Wednesday against Boston and Thursday at Tampa Bay, are the only chances the Cats have to make up any ground before the Olympic break.

Adding Bennett to a Florida injured list that doesn’t seem to want to get any smaller is just the latest setback for the league’s back-to-back Stanley Cup Champs.

Without Bennett, the Panthers are now down all of their starting centers: Sasha Barkov, Bennett, Lundell and Tomas Nosek. 

Surviving without key injured players is one challenge, but removing all of the center icemen on a team that plays a five-man defensive system like Florida is like trying to skate to the bench after your blade pops off the holder. 

We'll see how things play out in the coming days and weeks, but the Panthers need to start piling up the points before its too late. 

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Photo caption: Nov 22, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett (9) moves the puck against the Edmonton Oilers during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

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Canadiens Escape Minnesota With A Point

The Montreal Canadiens were taking on the Minnesota Wild on Monday night in what promised to be a tough task. Both teams were 6-3-1 in their last 10 games and had won their previous three matches. Montreal was seventh in the league while Minnesota was fourth prior to puck drop, but the Wild had been the Canadiens’ pet peeve for a long time, before the Habs finally managed to beat them less than two weeks ago in Montreal.

For a fourth game in a row, Martin St-Louis gave the net to Jakub Dobes, who had won his last six games and was undefeated in regulation in his last nine games. The Czech netminder had played a massive role in the Canadiens’ last three wins, being named the second star of the game in each one.

Former Canadiens First-Rounder Is Heating Up
Goalie Fight A Rare Feat In Montreal Canadiens History
How The Canadiens Chose Their Game Prize

Good Old Gallagher

While some are eager to point out that Brendan Gallagher doesn’t produce as much as he once did and that he gets hunched over on his stick much faster than he did in the past, there’s one thing that has never changed throughout the right wing’s career: his level of effort and dedication. On Monday night, the Alberta native was playing in the 890th game of his career with the Habs, and he decided to celebrate in style.

After the Wild had taken a 2-0 lead in the first frame, Gallagher found himself with the puck high up in the Wild’s zone, and John Hynes’ men didn’t try to close him down. The veteran took the space he was given and used it to beat both Quinn Hughes and Jonas Gustavsson, scoring a beautiful backhand goal, much like Jake Evans’ game-winning goal against the Vegas Golden Knights.

If you don’t respect Gallagher, he will hurt you. That goal gave the Canadiens a much-needed spark and was the first of three unanswered goals by the Habs. The 33-year-old doesn’t panic when his team is down; he keeps on working, grinding away. His combativity is second to none, and that’s the main reason why the coaching staff will hesitate to scratch him. He might have been a fifth-round pick, but his work ethic, effort, and dedication have always been first-class. The goal was point number 480 for Gallagher, who now trails Bobby Smith by two points for the 26th highest scorer in franchise history.

Timely Goals

The Canadiens’ first two goals were scored with less than a minute to go in the first two frames, the kind of goals that are an absolute gut-punch to the opposition. Too often this season, the Habs have given up an early goal that has taken their legs right from under them, and when the Wild scored 38 seconds in, some wondered if the early goal would send them down to the mat, but they got back up.

Better yet, after the Wild dominated the second frame, Montreal scored another late-period goal through Ivan Demidov on an exquisite Lane Hutson cross-zone pass and then followed it up with its own early goal to take its first lead of the game. It took Kirby Dach 12 seconds from the start of the period to get the puck past Gustavsson.

In the end, though, it was the Wild who scored the ultimate timely goal, with the overtime game-winner. While the Canadiens would have liked to see a penalty called on the play, Joel Eriksson-Ek was just standing his ground, and Nick Suzuki collided with him because he didn’t see him, so that wasn’t interference.

With this 4-3 overtime defeat, the Canadiens leave Minnesota with one point and remain in third place in the Atlantic division, one point ahead of the Buffalo Sabres, who beat the Florida Panthers on Monday night to keep the pressure on the Habs. It also means that the Panthers are now nine points out of a playoff spot, just like the Toronto Maple Leafs. As for the Ottawa Senators, they are now trailing the Boston Bruins by seven points, but they have a game in hand. Montreal now has roughly an 80% chance of making the spring dance and finds itself in a much more comfortable position than it was last season when the league entered the 4 Nations Face-Off break.

Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.  

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Join the discussion by signing up to the Canadiens' roundtable on The Hockey News.

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Orioles news: One week until pitchers and catchers report

Feb 13, 2025; Sarasota, FL, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Cade Povich (37) and teammates pitch as they practice during spring training workouts at Ed Smith Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Good morning, Camden Chatters.

You wouldn’t know it from the current weather on the East Coast, but baseball season is fast approaching. In just one week, all Orioles pitchers and catchers will have reported to Sarasota for the start of spring training. The first workout is in eight days. Soon we’ll be inundated with reports of how every Oriole is in the best shape of his life and that it’s a great group of guys and the team is destined for glory. It’s the time of year that optimism abounds and there’s no evidence to the contrary (yet).

Even with the start of camp so close, it doesn’t feel like the Orioles are done tinkering with their roster, nor should they be. The bullpen, in particular, is one unit that doesn’t currently inspire confidence. The O’s did jump early this offseason to fill their closer spot, signing former All-Star Ryan Helsley, and reacquired Andrew Kittredge after dealing him last July. But ever since the Helsley signing, which was more than two months ago, the Birds have yet to add any other notable relievers.

The O’s, at the moment, seem set to rely on many of the journeymen and unproven arms who comprised their bullpen after the trade deadline last season. And that’s a major risk. Can the Orioles rely on the well-traveled Dietrich Enns and Rico Garcia to be as effective this season as they were in a two-month sample size last year? Will a guy like Kade Strowd take a step forward or be overexposed in regular duty? What happens if Helsley gets hurt or pitches like he did with the Mets (7.20 ERA)? Who would replace him as the closer? If Kittredge is injured or ineffective, who takes over the eighth-inning role? The Orioles might not be prepared for every contingency, but bringing in another reliable arm or two would go a long way to strengthening the whole bullpen.

The Orioles’ offseason got off to a fast start but has slowed to a halt as spring approaches. There’s still a little bit of time for Mike Elias and his staff to acquire a reliable reliever or starting pitcher. But if they want a new pitcher to be able to have a full spring training of preparation, they’d better act sooner rather than later.

Links

Putting together the Orioles’ 2026 bullpen – BaltimoreBaseball.com

Rich Dubroff maps out a potential Opening Day bullpen, and it reinforces the point I was just making. If Yennier Cano is penciled in for a spot, then I’m sorry, but that’s not a particularly good bullpen.

Orioles position preview: Rutschman, Basallo form high-upside catching duo – The Baltimore Sun

The key word here is “upside.” If either or both of them play like they’re capable of, the O’s could have the best catching situation in the division. But their 2025 performances for the Orioles don’t exactly inspire confidence.

As the Framber Valdez saga drags on, these are alternatives for the Orioles – The Baltimore Banner

Update: Framber Valdez still is not an Oriole. Will the O’s pivot for someone like Zac Gallen, Chris Bassitt, or Lucas Giolito, or will they roll the dice with the pitchers they’ve already got?

Orioles spring camp is near! Here’s what to know – MLB.com

Are you planning to attend O’s spring training but don’t know where or when the Orioles play or who’s on the team? That’s…a little weird, frankly, but this article will answer your questions.

Orioles birthdays and history

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Seven former Orioles were born on Feb. 3, including second baseman and vibes guy Rougned Odor (32); right-handers Brooks Kriske (also 32) and Don Welchel (69); outfielder Fred Lynn (74); and the late righties Scott Klingenbeck (b. 1971, d. 2025) and Harry Byrd (b. 1925, d. 1985) and outfielder Jim Dyck (b. 1922, d. 1999).

On this date in 1994, the Orioles re-signed reliever Mark Williamson. The righty had spent his first seven years with the Orioles as a workhorse in the bullpen, throwing more than 80 relief innings in six of those seasons, including 100+ each from 1987-89. His career lasted just one more year, with 28 appearances in 1994.

And on this day in 2021, the O’s signed Mariners legend Félix Hernández as a minor league free agent. The former Cy Young winner, who hadn’t played since 2019, was a favorite to break camp in the Orioles’ rotation, but he got injured in his final spring training start and never pitched again. He became Hall of Fame eligible in 2025 and received 20.6% of the vote in his first year followed by 46.1% in his second, so he seems to be making progress toward induction.

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Introducing our newest Brew Crew Ball staff member

Dave Gasper, Contributor

Hey everyone, my name is Dave Gasper and I’m incredibly excited to be joining the staff at Brew Crew Ball ahead of the 2026 season. Prior to this, I spent seven years as the Editor-in-Chief over at Reviewing the Brew, covering the team from the 2018 run to Game 7 of the NLCS through so many more moments that this team has made over the years. I’ve always strived to be a trusted voice on the Milwaukee Brewers, bringing in-depth analysis from my knowledge of the game and passion for this organization.

You may also know me from my work on what was formerly 97.3 FM The Game here in Milwaukee and state-wide on The Game Radio Network of stations. There I was the producer of No BS with Billy and Armen and then co-host and producer of D.N.D. in the mid-days.

Growing up, going to Brewers games with my dad, my Brewers fandom started in the lean years of the early 2000s, watching Richie Sexson and Geoff Jenkins be the best players on some really bad teams, losing 100 games a year. That’s made this run of success the team has had over the last several years that much more enjoyable not only to watch but to be able to cover as a member of the media.

I’m excited to bring you content going inside the Brewers clubhouse as well as diving into the farm system and providing my prospect rankings.

I’ve covered this team and been in the clubhouse through a couple of champagne celebrations already the last few years and hopefully there are a couple more champagne celebrations this year.

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Game Preview: Pittsburgh Penguins @ New York Islanders 2/3/2026

Who: Pittsburgh Penguins (28-15-11, 67 points, 2nd place Metropolitan Division) @ New York Islanders (30-21-5, 65 points, 3rd place Metropolitan Division)

When: 7:30 p.m. ET

How to Watch: National broadcast on TNT, streaming on HBO Max

Pens’ Path Ahead: The Penguins have just one game left after tonight, a Thursday road matchup against the Buffalo Sabres, before the Olympic break. The team will hope to give everyone, especially Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang, some time to rest up before NHL play resumes on Feb. 26 with a home game against the New Jersey Devils.

Opponent Track: Like the Penguins, the Isles are coming into this game on the second part of a back-to-back. While the Penguins were losing to the Ottawa Senators, the Islanders were also looking flat in a Monday night 4-1 loss to the Washington Capitals.

Season Series: The Penguins won the season opener thanks to a third-period goal from Justin Brazeau back during the second game of the season in Pittsburgh on October. 9. The Pens will meet up with the Isles one more time in Elmont on March 30.

Getting to know the Islanders

Projected lines

FORWARDS

Ondrej Palat – Bo Horvat – Mathew Barzal

Emil Heineman – Jonathan Drouin – Simon Holmstrom

Anders Lee – Jean-Gabriel Pageau – Anthony Duclair

Kyle MacLean – Casey Cizikas – Marc Gatcomb

DEFENSEMEN

Mathew Schaefer / Ryan Pulock

Adam Pelech / Tony DeAngelo

Carson Soucy / Scott Mayfield

Goalies: Ilya Sorokin (starter), David Rittich

Potential scratches: Adam Boqvist, Max Shabanov, Calum Ritchie

Injured Reserve: Kyle Palmieri

  • Jonathan Drouin has spent most of his career as a winger, although the Islanders are currently running him as a center. He has just three goals in 49 games since he signed with the Islanders last summer, and he’s been struggling on the face-off dot as of late (he had a 36.4 percent success rate on the draw last night against the Washington Capitals).
  • The Islanders suffered a second-period collapse last night against the Capitals, blowing a 1-0 lead by allowing two goals in 32 seconds and never recovering.
  • David Rittich started last night (he made 20 saves on 23 shots in the 4-1 loss), putting Ilya Sorokin on track to start against the Pens.

Season stats
via hockeydb

  • The Islanders’ power play is running at 16 percent this season, ranking them down at for 26th in the NHL.
  • Rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer has been a driving force behind the Isles’ climb back into the playoff picture this season. He has 37 points (15 goals, 22 assists) in 56 games of his first NHL season, the third-most points among rookies and sixth-most goals among all defensemen.

And now for the Pens

Projected lines 

FORWARDS

Rickard Rakell – Sidney Crosby – Bryan Rust

Egor Chinakhov – Tommy Novak – Evgeni Malkin

Anthony Mantha – Ben Kindel – Justin Brazeau

Connor Dewar – Blake Lizotte – Noel Acciari

DEFENSEMEN

Parker Wotherspoon / Erik Karlsson

Brett Kulak / Ryan Shea

Ilya Solovyov / Connor Clifton

Goalies: Arturs Silovs and Stuart Skinner

Potential Scratches: Kevin Hayes, Rutger McGroarty

IR: Kris Letang (broken foot, out at least four weeks), Ryan Graves, Filip Hallander, Caleb Jones, Jack St. Ivany

  • Bryan Rust should be back in the lineup tonight after serving out the final game of his three-game suspension on Monday. That could bump Rutger McGroarty back out of the lineup.
  • The Pens are looking to bounce back from a flat loss to the Senators on Monday night. Head coach Dan Muse called the Penguins’ performance last night “far off the mark” from where the team has been lately:
  • Especially notable last night was continued struggles by Evgeni Malkin, who is seemingly playing hurt and who committed three official giveaways, and the Penguins’ top line. The Justin Brazeau/Sidney Crosby/Rickard Rakell trio earned the fewest expected goals for of any line the Penguins iced last night, per MoneyPuck. The Pens will hope the return of Bryan Rust can spark something there by re-shuffling the lines.
  • Arturs Silovs played in the defeat, so Stuart Skinner will likely be expected to get the nod against the Isles.
  • Last night was the first time the Pens have finished a game without a point since a Jan. 11 shutout loss to the Boston Bruins.
  • The Penguins currently have two points and two games in hand on the Islanders for second place in the Metropolitan Division, so a win tonight could be key down the stretch of the playoff race.
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St. Louis Cardinals Reader Mailbag – February 2026

As the offseason winds down and early-arriving players begin ramping up for the 2026 season, it’s your turn, once again, to ask us at VEB your most pressing questions as we head into spring training. The Cardinals were able to move all of their no-trade-clause-wielding players on the roster and added a couple of veteran pitchers with high-octane stuff, and there were many other small moves in between. What position battles are you most intrigued to watch unfold in spring camp? Who is going to hit lead off for the Cardinals in 2026? Which Cardinals have the most to prove in 2026? We’re eager to hear from you, and we haven’t completed a reader mailbag episode since the end of October, when Cardinals assistant GM and head of player performance Rob Cerfolio joined us to answer your most pressing offseason questions.

Leave your questions in the comments section, and we will be sure to answer them on the next episode of the Viva El Birdos Podcast! This post will also act as an open thread for the day.

-Thanks for participating…?!

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Which player do you defend no matter what the numbers say?

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - AUGUST 28: Randy Arozarena #56 of the Seattle Mariners celebrates with teammates after hitting a solo home run during the eighth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at T-Mobile Park on August 28, 2024 in Seattle, Washington. The Seattle Mariners won 6-2. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images) | Getty Images

DRaysBay works best as a place for community and conversation. Accordingly, in the lead up to the new season, we are posting “Daily Questions” in the month of February. I look forward to seeing you in the comment section!

Which player has your unwavering belief? Forget the performance on the field yesterday, you have your eyes set on tomorrow, knowing they can deliver if given the chance.

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Phillies news: Justin Crawford, bullpen, Brendan Donovan

CLEARWATER, FLORIDA - MARCH 2: Justin Crawford #80 of the Philadelphia Phillies participates in live batting practice prior to a spring training game against the Baltimore Orioles at BayCare Ballpark on March 2, 2025 in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images

You want links? You can’t handle the links!

Phillies News:

MLB News:

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Today in White Sox History: February 3

PORTLAND, ME April 5: Sea Dogs pitcher Theo Denlinger throws during practice Wednesday, April 5, 2023.
On this day three years ago, White Sox farmhand Theo Denlinger packed his hammer and anvil and set off for Boston. | (Photo by Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images)

1988
Helping to spur an upset in the 1988 Caribbean Series, José DeLeón started the Series-opening win for his Escogido Leones. Just six days later, the White Sox traded the right-handed workhorse to St. Louis for Lance Johnson, Ricky Horton and cash.

1996
To help fortify a comically-thin rotation (of the four core starters in 1995, just Wilson Alvarez and Alex Fernandez would remain with the team/stay healthy through 1996) the White Sox signed righthander Kevin Tapani to a one-year, $1.5 million deal.

After seven years in Minnesota compiling 19.1 WAR, Tapani was dealt to the Dodgers to help a playoff run. However, Tapani was horrible in the stretch for L.A., culminating in an NLDS that saw him appear in two games with just one-third of an inning pitched, scarred by three earned runs and four walks.

With Tapani’s value at low ebb, the White Sox struck with an extreme value signing — and it paid off wonderfully, as the righty put up a 13-10 record and a 3.2 WAR (tied for second-best of his career) in spite of some sloppy peripherals (4.59 ERA, 4.85 FIP, 1.385 WHIP).

Tapani’s relative success as a White Sox reclamation made the path forward even more curious. Despite not missing a start (he had 34, while No. 1 and 2 starters Fernandez and Alvarez finished with 35) and once pitching on three days’ rest, Tapani was accused of faking a hand injury by GM Ron Schueler, assuring the starter would not return.

Driving away Tapani and even the higher-profile hit of losing Fernandez to the Florida Marlins in free agency forced what would become the worst free agent pitcher signing in White Sox history: Jaime Navarro for four years and $20 million.

Tapani ended up signing a five-year, $23.5 million deal with the Cubs and put up a modest 7.2 WAR over the contract. Navarro would last just three years with the White Sox, compiling a catastrophic -3.7 WAR.

2011
The White Sox announced the signing of Alexei Ramírez to a four-year, $32.5 million contract extension covering 2012-15, with a team option for 2016.

Ramírez was coming off of what would stand up as his greatest MLB season in 2010, with 5.6 WAR and his first career Silver Slugger. His defense comprised almost half of his WAR value; Derek Jeter winning the Gold Glove at shortstop that season further cemented the need for a change in the determination process there.

The Cuban Missile would go on to have four very productive seasons of the five his extension covered, making this a rare “perfect” meld, where performance largely matched compensation.

2023
In a trade that stuck a blow against the Chicago trades, the White Sox sent reliever Theo Denlinger to Boston for reliever Franklin German. German had thrown in five games for the 2022 Red Sox, getting blown up for an 18.00 ERA. The 25-year-old nudged that ERA down a smidge in Charlotte for nine early appearances (7.15 ERA) but was waived on May 8; though catching on with the Reds and then again the Red Sox later that year, 2023 would be German’s last season of pro ball.

Denlinger, a blacksmith, struggled in Double- and Triple-A for the Red Sox and was released during the 2024 season. He surfaced for the Tecolotes de Los Dos Laredos of the Mexican League in 2025, putting up a 6.46 ERA there.

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SB Nation Reacts results: Is this the year the Pirates get back over .500?

CINCINNATI, OHIO - SEPTEMBER 24: Paul Skenes #30 of the Pittsburgh Pirates celebrates with teammates prior to a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on September 24, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Jeff Dean/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Pirates fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

Last week’s question asked about the record for the Buccos. The last time the Pirates were .500 or better was 2018. However, the Bucs have one the league’s best pitching staffs, and after finally adding some offense, the Bucs seem poised to actually score some runs this season as well. Will all of that add up to finally getting over the .500 hump? Here’s what you had to say:

A full two-thirds of voters are taking the over .500 for the Bucs. Add in the 10 percent of you who think the team finishes right at .500, and that’s 77 percent of voters who think the Bucs will be .500 or better this year. That’s more optimism than we’ve had in a long time. Let’s hope the Bucs can meet our expectations.

Thanks for voting. We’ll be back soon with more Reacts.

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Australian freestyle skier Laura Peel hurts knee in Winter Olympics training camp

AIROLO, Switzerland (AP) — Australian freestyle skier Laura Peel hurt her knee in a training camp ahead of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, raising doubts about her participation in a fourth Games.

The 36-year-old Peel is a two-time world champion and one of the favorites to win the women's aerials.

She sustained the injury in Switzerland on Monday, the Australian team said in a statement, and had a scan at a sports specialist clinic.

“She has returned to the training camp in Airolo, Switzerland where she’ll be treated by the team physio to determine next steps,” the team said Tuesday.

The women’s aerials qualification starts on Feb. 17.

Peel has never won an Olympic medal. She was one of the favorites in aerials in Beijing in 2022 but finished in fifth place, and was also at Pyeongchang in 2018 and Sochi in 2014.

___

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

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USC vs Indiana men's basketball: Stream, time, and how to watch

The Indiana Hoosiers (15-7, 6-5 Big Ten) close out their two-game West Coast road trip with a visit to Galen Center to take on the USC Trojans (16-6, 5-6) on Tuesday night.

The Trojans have struggled in conference play, but are coming off a 78-75 win over Rutgers on Saturday. While the Hoosiers outlasted the UCLA Bruins in a 98-97 double overtime thriller for a much-needed win to stay on the bubble for March Madness.

The two teams are just one game apart in the Big Ten standings; Indiana currently sits in ninth place while USC is just outside the top ten at 11th place.

Here is everything you need to know about how to watch Tuesday night's matchup between the Trojans and Hoosiers:

How to watch USC vs. Indiana: TV channel, live stream

The USC Trojans will host the Indiana Hoosiers on Tuesday, Feb. 2 at 7 p.m. local time (10 p.m. ET) on Peacock. The game will be played at the Galen Center in Los Angeles, California.

  • Start time: 7 p.m. PT (10 p.m. ET)
  • Location: Galen Center (Los Angeles, California)
  • TV Channel: Not available
  • Radio: ESPN 710LA, The Varsity Network
  • Live Stream: Peacock

USC Trojans 2025-26 season stats leaders

Here are the USC statistical leaders through Feb. 2.

  • Points: Rodney Rice, 20.3
  • Rebounds: Jacob Cofie, 7.4
  • Assists: Chad Baker-Mazara, 3.0
  • Field Goal Percentage: Gabe Dynes, 83.7%
  • Blocks: Jacob Cofie, 1.7
  • Steals: Kam Woods, 1.7

Indiana Hoosiers 2025-26 season stats leaders

Here are the Indiana Hoosiers statistical leaders through Feb. 2.

  • Points: Lamar Wilkerson, 19.6
  • Rebounds: Tucker DeVries, 5.5
  • Assists: Conor Enright, 4.4
  • Field Goal Percentage: Sam Alexis, 65.2%
  • Blocks: Sam Alexis, 1.1
  • Steals: Tayton Conerway, 1.4

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: USC Trojans host Indiana Hoosiers preview, how to watch, tv, stream

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Rockets down Pacers 118-114 with KD out

Feb 2, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) holds the ball while Indiana Pacers forward Isaiah Jackson (22) defends in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The Houston Rockets played Monday night’s game without Kevin Durant. Add in the already missing Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams, and you have practically half of your rotation in street clothes. While Durant sat with an ankle sprain, it allowed NBA All-Star snub Alperen Sengun to state his case, as he went off for 39 points, 16 rebounds and 5 assists to lead the Rockets to a 118-114 road win over the Indiana Pacers.

Sengun also shot 13-for-25 from the field and helped the Rockets on a late 12-2 run in the fourth quarter that helped put the game away for Houston.

In addition, the Rockets also got 19 points and 4 rebounds from Jabari Smith Jr. He also added a steal and a block and shot 3-for-6 from beyond the arc. Amen Thompson finished with 16 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks on 6-for-15 shooting from the field, and Reed Sheppard, who drew the start with KD out and played 25 minutes, had 11 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and a block, but he only shot 1-for-7 from deep.

As for the Pacers, they were led by Pascal Siakam, who finished with 27 points, and Benedict Mathurin, who finished with 25 points.

The Rockets move to 31-17 with the victory and move to an over .500 record (14-13) on the road. They still sit in fourth-place in the NBA’s Western Conference, one game behind the third-place Denver Nuggets, and 1.5 games ahead of the fifth-place Minnesota Timberwolves. The second-place San Antonio Spurs are just 1.5 games in front of the Rockets.

The Rockets are currently on a 52-win pace, which would give them the exact same record that they had last year. And while that looks like a successful season on paper, I don’t think anyone was hoping trading for KD would just be a linear move. Injuries have really depleted this team, including Tari Eason missing a bunch of games as well, but the Rockets seem to have also lost some of their identity from last year, and I think that’s probably the biggest issue with this year’s team. Last year, they were young, fast, and high-effort defenders. What is Houston’s strength this season? They still have a high defensive rating and good offensive one as well, but their strengths seem a little more nebulous this year. Tell us in the comments what you think is the Rockets identity in 2025-2026.

The Rockets will be back in action on Wednesday versus the Boston Celtics.