MONTREAL (AP) — Zachary Bolduc scored the winner with his first goal since Dec. 23, and the Montreal Canadiens edged the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-1 on Thursday night.
Jayden Struble — with his first of the season — also scored, and Jakub Dobes made 25 saves as Montreal won its third consecutive game.
Damon Severson scored for Columbus, and Jet Greaves stopped 18 shots.
The Blue Jackets fell to 19-4-4 since Rick Bowness replaced Dean Evason as head coach Jan. 12. They climbed from 28th overall to second in the Metropolitan Division ahead of Thursday’s games.
The Canadiens, meanwhile, sit third in the Atlantic Division with 11 games remaining.
Bolduc ripped a shot into the top-left corner 4:36 into the third period to snap a 31-game goalless skid and give the Canadiens a 2-1 lead.
Struble ended a drought of his own when he opened the scoring at 9:54 in the first period. He snuck a wrist shot past Greaves short side for his first goal since Nov. 26, 2024.
Two minutes later, Severson got Columbus on the board by beating Dobes blocker-side on a 2-on-1 after Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson was caught up ice.
With an assist on Struble’s goal, Hutson became the fourth defenseman in Canadiens history to register 70 points in a season — and the first since Chris Chelios in 1988-89. Larry Robinson and Guy Lapointe also reached the mark.
Up next
Blue Jackets: Host the San Jose Sharks on Saturday.
Canadiens: Visit the Nashville Predators on Saturday.
Kon Knueppel (L.) drives to the rim during the Hornets-Knicks game on March 26, 2026.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Knicks faced their toughest test, by far, in two weeks.
And they ran out of the gym.
Their defense, ranked No. 1 in the NBA since Jan. 21, turned into a porous mess for much of an ugly 114-103 defeat to the Hornets. The Knicks allowed a younger and faster opponent to run rampant, and their seven straight wins entering Thursday felt like a paper streak when it ended Thursday with a thud.
Kon Knueppel, a real threat to snatch Rookie of the Year from Cooper Flagg, scored 25 points in 37 minutes for the Hornets, knocking down 6 of 10 3-pointers. Four of his teammates had at least 17 points as the Hornets shot 53 percent overall and 39 percent on treys.
But the Knicks’ biggest problems were threefold:
They were killed by Charlotte’s pace, which started from the opening tip and never relented.
They were killed by Charlotte’s pick-and-rolls.
They were killed on rebounds.
“They just kicked our behinds on the glass,” coach Mike Brown said. “We need more production on the glass than what we got from a handful of guys. If you’re going to go on the road and let a team outrebound you 43-24, it’s not even close because we didn’t put bodies on bodies. We didn’t hit first.”
The Knicks, meanwhile, got little offensively outside of Jalen Brunson, who had a spectacular first quarter but otherwise fizzled while finishing with 26 points and 13 assists. Karl-Anthony Towns logged just 22 minutes with eight shot attempts, scoring 13 points. The All-Star center wasn’t part of the closing lineup for a second consecutive game.
The Knicks trailed for the final three quarters and by as many as 21. It was worse than the final score.
Kon Knueppel drives on Mikal Bridges during the Knicks’ 114-103 loss to the Hornets on March 26, 2026 in Charlotte, N.C. AP
“They played very well. They were physical,” Josh Hart said. “I just felt like we were a step slow. When another team is playing at that pace and with that physicality, it’s not going to be good day.”
Hart added the Hornets played as if “shot out of a cannon.”
It’s totally different than what the Knicks witnessed in their previous matchup against the Hornets, way back in December.
“Yeah, 100 percent,” Brunson said. “From the outside looking in, it looks like they all bought in to playing a certain style and bought in to playing together. And they looked great.”
Jalen Brunson shoots a fadeaway jumper during the Knicks’ loss to the Hornets. NBAE via Getty Images
By the time the Knicks turned up the intensity late in the fourth quarter, it was too late. LaMelo Ball iced the game with two free throws to put the Hornets up by 12 with two minutes left, and Miles Bridges’ tomahawk jam in the final seconds was the final insult.
It was a discouraging start to a four-game road slate for the Knicks, with tougher games coming at Oklahoma City and Houston.
Before this, the Knicks feasted on lesser opponents — including a slew of tankers — having toppled seven straight teams currently with losing records.
The Hornets are trending in the opposite direction of tanking. They’re sharpshooting and surging, riding Knueppel and a revived Ball to a legitimate hope for the playoffs.
In fact, Thursday was the first time since 2001 that the Knicks and Hornets faced off this late in a season with both teams sporting above-.500 records. It’s also a potential first-round playoff matchup, depending on how the jumbled conference standings shake out over the final two-plus weeks.
The Knicks (48-26), who could’ve clinched a playoff spot with a win, now sit third in the East. The Hornets (39-34), winners of five straight, are tied with the Heat for eighth.
Charlotte certainly looked like the better team Thursday.
“Our pick-and-roll defense wasn’t good,” Brown said. “And part of the reason why it wasn’t good is because they set great physical screens. And we didn’t do a good job protecting one another in the pick-and-roll.”
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 26: Josh Hart #3 of the New York Knicks grabs the ball while guarded by Moussa Diabate #14 of the Charlotte Hornets in the first half during their game at Spectrum Center on March 26, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Before tonight, the Knicks (48*-26) had won seven consecutive games. Admittedly, some of those foes were lightweight competition. The Hornets (39-34) had won four straight and compiled a 22-6 record since late January. Charlotte had the fourth-best offensive rating, New York had the third. We were salivating for a shootout at the Spectrum Center. Truth be told, these teams shot with almost equal efficiency—CHO hit 53% and 39%, NYK made 51% and 38%. Although the visitors actually took four more field goal attempts, they were clobbered on the boards 43-24, attempted only 29 longballs, and their bench was outscored 26-17. Final score, 114-103.
Believe it or not, the same Hornets that laid sneaker prints all over the Knicks in the first quarter are ranked 25th in the league for pace. Over the first six minutes, Charlotte scored 24 points, outrebounded New York 4:1, and made 9-of-14 from the field. The nucleus of their top-tier offense, Lamelo Ball (22 PTS), Brandon Miller (21 PTS), and Kon Knueppel (26 PTS), had combined for four made three-pointers and 24 points.
After trailing by 10, the Knicks realized the game was underway. They held the home team to two points over the next four minutes, thanks to inspired play by Mitchell Robinson (4 PTS, 6 RBS, +10) and Jalen Brunson (26 PTS, 13 AST, 0-of-6 3PT), and mounted a 15-5 rally. In the final two minutes, with the Knicks behind by one, Knueppel and Miller hit triples, but Mohamed Diawara (5 PTS) scored on a layup and three, and Brunson drilled free throws. By the buzzer, the Knicks trailed by two. Of their 36 points, Brunson had 17. The Hornets were shooting 70% from the field, while the Knicks had hit 64%.
Which team would cool off first? Both, actually, but not by much. Through the half, Charlotte shot 58% and 40%, and New York went 54% and 46%. After a sloppy start to Q2 that allowed the Hornets to take another eight-point lead, OG Anunoby (17 PTS), Brunson, and Robinson restored order. Jalen set up a pair of alley-oops for Mitch and dished kickouts for OG, who knocked down three triples. Nevertheless, Charlotte stayed in the driver’s seat, led by Coby White (17 PTS) off the bench, and they were ahead by 10 again at halftime, 65-55.
Brunson was scoreless in the second quarter, but Anunoby picked up the slack. He had 14 points on 4-of-6 three-point shooting. The other starters didn’t show up, combining for nine points, and the visitors had been outrebounded 20-12. Across the court, four of Charlotte’s starters were in double-digits, combining for 49 points. Plus, White had 12 off the bench. The Knicks’ offense would have to be more multi-dimensional to mount a comeback in the second half.
Kemba Walker holds Charlotte’s record for three-pointers made in a season with 260. Knueppel, who took the NBA record for most triples by a rookie, added six more to his total (253) tonight. He is sure to overtake Kemba sometime before the Hornets come to Madison Square Garden for the final game of the regular season. For a few minutes, it looked like he might break the record tonight. In the third quarter, the rookie phenom and Ball went on a shooting spree and took advantage of New York’s accommodating defense to stretch their lead to 15.
NBA: Charlotte Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel just became the first player age 22 or younger to make 250 three-pointers in an NBA season.pic.twitter.com/7uTcU75JbB
Karl-Anthony Towns (13 PTS, 3 RBS) posted seven points (he scored just two before halftime) and Brunson added a few more, but they couldn’t stop Knueppel and the pace-pushing hosts. Nor could they get rebounds, being out-boarded 11-4 in the third period. Our heroes started the quarter poorly and ended it the same way, allowing that goober Grant Williams of all people to hit a three-pointer with seven seconds left. At the break, the score was 94-76.
Of note, coach Mike Brown sent Diawara back into the game in the third quarter, and he subbed Tyler Kolek instead of Jose Alvarado, who was a dud in five first-half minutes. Mike was looking for a spark from somewhere. He didn’t find it. In the fourth quarter, Anunoby drilled another longball, and KAT had a nice bucket off the glass, but the guests still fell behind by 21.
In the quarter, the Hornets committed six turnovers (of their total 17), which allowed the heavy-footed Knickerbockers to think about a comeback. But their shooting turned frigid at the worst possible time. All those golden opportunities were squandered by one-and-done misses. Almost by accident, they were within 12 with three minutes remaining. Robinson grabbed an O-Board (finally!) and kicked the rock to Hart, who had hit a long two to cap a 15-4 run at 2:20.
Down 12 with 1:17 left, Josh Hart hit a three-pointer. Ball missed at the other end, but New York watched as Sion James chased down the loose ball, which became a Miles Bridges dunk that broke their backs.
Up Next
Chef Miranda is presently applying the frosting to your recap. Meanwhile, the road trip continues as our City Slickers take on the Okies this Sunday. Safe travels, Knickerbockers.
The New York Knicks saw their seven-game winning streak snapped in Charlotte, falling to the Hornets, 114-103.
They were in range for most of the evening, but their upstart Eastern Conference rivals were too deadly from deep, going 16-for-41 from three.
Jalen Brunson fought valiantly to try and carry his team, scoring 26 points and dishing out 13 assists on 10-for-23 shooting. OG Anunoby added 17 on 5-for-9 shooting from three-point range.
Charlotte rookie Kon Knueppel put up 26 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists on 9-for-14 shooting from the field. Brandon Miller added 21 points and LaMelo Ball had 22, each contributing with four threes.
Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart had 14 and 16 points, respectively, while Miles Bridges and Coby White chipped in 17 apiece for their squad.
Here are the takeaways...
-- The buzzing Hornets got off to an incendiary start, going 4-for-8 from deep in the first six minutes to jump ahead by double digits early. Ball led the charge early with a couple of difficult floaters and a deep, contested three.
Brunson wouldn’t allow the Knicks to stay in a hole, hitting tough shots and drawing fouls en route to a 17-point, 4-assist opening period. A 15-5 New York run knotted the game back up, but Charlotte held a 38-36 lead going into the second.
-- The Hornets built on their lead behind solid reserve play, going back up by as much as eight.
-- It was Brunson who led the turnaround again once he returned midway through the second quarter. He found Mitchell Robinson for a couple of lobs, then Anunoby stepped up for some timely jumpers to tighten the game up, finishing the half with 14 points.
The Hornets would end the half on a flurry, getting energy off the bench from White (12 points in nine minutes), and more shooting from Knueppel, who went 3-4 from deep in the first half. Charlotte led 65-55 at the break, ending the second on a 15-6 run.
-- The second half opened much like the first, with the Hornets raining threes. Ball dribbled into two, and Knueppel added another in rapid succession to put his team up 15 quickly.
New York kept a solid pace offensively, but Charlotte was too voluminous from three. Brunson tried to keep the Knicks in it with more tough bucket-getting.
-- Tyler Kolek supplanted Jose Alvarado as the backup point guard in the second half rotation. The shakeup did little to contain the Hornets' onslaught, as they went up 94-76 after three.
-- New York got off to a strong start in the fourth, but Charlotte matched them score for score. Ball leaked open for a wing three, panicking the Knicks defense, which opened up a Grant Williams touch feed to Moussa Diabaté for a dagger slam.
The Hornets continued their beatdown, getting another three from White and a tomahawk slam from Miller in the open court, building their lead beyond 20. The Knick starters returned to try and make a push, getting the lead down to 10 behind an 18-6 run late, but to no avail.
The No. 2 seed Boilermakers avoided the upset from 11th-seeded Texas with a last-second put-back shot by Trey Kaufman-Renn in the Sweet 16 to continue their March Madness run into the Elite Eight with a 79-77 win.
It was a back-and-forth game the entire way, and in the winding moments, the Longhorns were down by three points. Texas' Dailyn Swain got a bucket and foul with 11 seconds left to tie the score at 77.
The Boilermakers had the final possession and guard Braden Smith drove into the lane for the game-winner, but missed. Luckily for Purdue, Renn was right there to clean it up, getting the putback to take the lead with 0.7 seconds left. Texas was unable to get the full-court heave to pull off the shocker.
Renn's winning bucket capped off a big night for him, finishing with a team-high 20 points in the victory. Purdue now awaits the winner of No. 1 Arizona and No. 4 Arkansas in the Elite Eight, with a trip to the Final Four on the line on Saturday, March 28.
USA TODAY Sports will have much more coverage of this game.
The Islanders seemed to run the gamut Thursday, playing one of those games that showed all the reasons they could be a dangerous playoff team and all the reasons they might not make the tournament — all at once.
At the end of it, they had a 2-1 win over the Stars that did indeed inch them above the playoff cutline at the close of business, and yet another point of evidence in Ilya Sorokin’s Vezina Trophy campaign.
There have been games, plenty of them, in which Sorokin was leaned upon more heavily than he was Thursday and in which Sorokin’s teammates did far less for him than they did Thursday.
Islanders players celebrate after a goal by center Cal Ritchie during the third period of their 2-1 win over the Stars at UBS Arena on March 26, 2026. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post
After the Islanders prevented anything from going on goal after Matt Duchene got Dallas within 2-1 with 2:59 to go, blocking four shots in the final 53 seconds, Sorokin joked that he owed his teammates dinner.
Really, though, this night, like so many others, came down to the goaltender, whose 26 saves and total command of his crease were decisive in a game his team needed.
“At this point, we’re not really surprised,” Simon Holmstrom said. “He’s proven night in and night out that he’s by far the best goalie in the league.”
This was a low-event match in which the Islanders were pushed repeatedly and stood up to the test. They were far from perfect — the power play still frustrating, the breakouts still a challenge for stretches — but the way they held a lead for 55 minutes while rarely allowing Dallas to build momentum shift over shift counted as something to build on. So too did their work in killing off two penalties against the league’s second-ranked power play.
“Sometimes it might not be pretty the whole time,” Ryan Pulock said after skating 20:53 in his return from a lower-body injury. “You just gotta work through it. I thought tonight we did a lot of that. Important blocks, important times of getting the puck out, getting the puck in. I thought the forecheck at times was really good, created a lot for us.”
Ilya Sorokin makes a save in front of traffic during the second period. Heather Khalifa for New York Post
Bo Horvat’s 30th goal of the season, his second time in three seasons hitting that mark with the Islanders, was the difference heading into the third, with Sorokin’s heroics having kept the Stars from tying it on the power play midway through the second.
The Islanders, though, were not going to win this game by sitting on a 1-0 lead for 55 minutes, and of course it was the kids who have defined this season who made sure they would not.
Matthew Schaefer made a brilliant heads up play 2:19 into the third, throwing the puck into traffic in front of the net, where it banked off Cal Ritchie’s skate and past Jake Oettinger to make it 2-0.
Bo Horvat (right) scores a first-period goal during the Islanders’ home win over the Stars. Heather Khalifa for New York Post
It was a second straight match in which Ritchie has scored using his body in front of the net, and a second straight match in which Schaefer has missed out on tying the rookie record for goals by a defenseman due to an assist on a puck redirected in front. The 18-year-old, needless to say, will happily take it.
Sorokin was 2:59 away from a franchise record-setting eighth shutout this season when Duchene beat him at six-on-five to pull the Stars within one for the lone blemish on his night. Otherwise, there was no beating him.
There was the backdoor stop on Duchene, the Miro Heiskanen shot he got high in his crease to defend, the two Dallas power plays where he was the Islanders’ best penalty killer.
“Everyone understood it’s a big moment in the season,” Sorokin said. “Everybody knows what we should do. Every game is like the last game. But in the end, we should enjoy the game. If we enjoy the game, we show our best game.”
The Islanders enter a crucial — is it redundant to use that word when it applies to every game? — stretch of three games in four days, beginning Saturday against Florida, that includes a massive Monday night home match against the Penguins. Their superpower this season is the way they have avoided any kind of spiral, with their longest losing streak being three games and back-to-back losses a rarity.
It was on display Thursday, two days after a dispiriting loss to the Blackhawks.
“It was hard to sleep, I will admit,” coach Patrick Roy said. “It was pretty quiet in my car going home that night. But after that, you put it behind [you].”
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 26: Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Miguel Rojas (72) and first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) hold onto the 2024 and 2025 World Series Commissioner's trophies as they drive along the outfield warning track before the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium on Thursday, March 26, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES — Part of winning the World Series, let alone two in a row, is that you get two days’ worth of pregame ceremonies to open the season. It’s not exactly the routine baseball players are used to, but this might be a nearly literal case of what Dodgers manager Dave Roberts likes to call champagne problems.
Opening day ceremonies included introducing the entire team, with the players entering on a blue carpet from center field. Two members of the starting lineup — Freddie Freeman and Miguel Rojas — were conspicuously absent when their names were called, but they were part of a planned skit with actor Will Ferrell.
A overly long video played on the scoreboards at Dodger Stadium with Ferrell taking a stadium tour, with the lone saving grace team historian Mark Langill doing yeomen’s work as a tour guide in the piece. The video ends with Ferrell finding the championship trophies from 2024 and 2025, with Freeman and Rojas finding him.
After the video, Ferrell drove a blue convertible onto the field at Dodger Stadium, with Freeman and Rojas each holding a trophy to complete the production.
In all, the festivities, which included raising the championship banner and 2025 World Series emblem at the stadium, took 45 minutes before starting on time at 5:30 p.m. PT. The Dodgers will have another ceremony on Friday to deliver all the championship rings. That will start at 6:20 p.m., 50 minutes before first pitch.
“Hopefully the clubhouse is staying present, and just trying to win a game that night. It’s out there, but you’ve kind of got to try and block it out and focus on playing,” manager Dave Roberts said before Thursday’s game. “But understandably so, we put ourselves in a good spot that people want to talk about it, and that’s a good thing.”
Roberts was asked about the video before the game.
“The organization did that? Alright, well they said that we’re the bad guys. That’s self-proclaimed, so I guess I’m going to embrace it,” he said with a smile. “I don’t know. I guess people like a villain.”
DETROIT, MI - MARCH 26: Kevin Huerter #27 of the Detroit Pistons shoots the ball during the game against the New Orleans Pelicans on March 26, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
With Cade Cunningham and Isaiah Stewart already on the injury report, the Detroit Pistons were even more shorthanded tonight with Duncan Robinson ruled out. Kevin Huerter started at SG in place of Robinson and he’d give Detroit an early 14-11 lead after a corner three thanks to a behind-the-back assist from Jalen Duren. New Orleans would outscore Detroit the rest of the way and a Zion Williamson layup at the buzzer gave the Pelicans a 33-31 lead after the first quarter.
Daniss Jenkins again filled in for Cunningham in the starting lineup and had back-to-back threes early in the second quarter to help recapture the Detroit lead. The Pistons would extend their lead to double digits due to hot shooting beyond the arc, including a nice step back three from Huerter. Jalen Duren finished a strong first half with an off-the-dribble midrange jumper for his 17th point.
Detroit would take a 65-56 lead going into halftime. JD’s 17 points led the way for Detroit, but their first-time backcourt of Jenkins and Huerter were making an impact as well – they combined for 21 points and five made threes. Zion Williamson (13), former Piston Saddiq Bey (12), and Dejounte Murray were the halftime leaders for the Pelicans.
Duren kicked off the second half with a deep touchdown pass to Ausar Thompson for an easy bucket in transition after throwing a lob to Tobias Harrison on the previous possession. Huerter would add another three-pointer on the night to give Detroit an 88-75 lead with three minutes left in the third. Yet, the Pelicans would close the quarter on an 11-2 run to bring it back within six.
With a 92-86 lead heading into the final frame, Detroit needed to push the New Orleans deficit back to double digits and send the Pelicans home. After a quick Pels bucket, Huerter hit a movement three to put the Pistons up seven early in the fourth. Duren would then find Javonte Green for a corner three to give them their double digit lead again. A Jenkins three from a Ron Holland assist would force James Borrego to call a timeout and gave Detroit a 15-2 run to start the quarter.
A Duren right-handed hammer was another poster for him on his way to his 30th point and Detroit would push the lead to 20 with a couple minutes left. JB Bickerstaff would be able to empty the bench early in this one on the second game of a back-to-back, and Chaz Lanier, Bobi Klintman, and Tolu Smith were able to get in on the fun. Detroit would go on to win 129-108.
Jalen Duren approached triple-double territory with 30 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists. He shot the same from the field as he did from the free throw line: 10-for-12. He has been the focal point of the offense since the Cunningham injury and he’s thriving. Could he be the 20+ PPG scorer next to Cade that we’ve been looking for?
Elite starting backcourt Daniss Jenkins and Kevin Huerter were fantastic. Jenkins had 19 points and nine assists while Huerter added 22 points. They combined to shoot 9-for-14 from beyond the arc – no other Piston had more than two made threes. The two would play the most minutes of anyone else on the team with Huerter leading the way at 34.
We have now reached single digits in regards to games left on the schedule. Detroit will travel to Minnesota to take on Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves on Saturday night.
Freddy Peralta avoided walks and had the Pirates swinging and missing, but two homers allowed ultimately turned what could have been a special Mets debut into something ordinary.
“I don’t see the first one as a mistake, but it’s part of the game,” Peralta said of the curveball that Lowe lofted just beyond Carson Benge’s outstretched glove above the right field fence. “The other one, yeah, it was a mistake.”
Peralta allowed four earned runs on six hits with seven strikeouts over five innings. He didn’t walk a batter in the 80-pitch performance.
Freddy Peralta reacts during the Mets-Pirates game on March 26, 2026. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
The ace right-hander, who arrived in a January trade with the Brewers, appeared loose heading into his start, according to Carlos Mendoza.
“It’s still the same smile when he came from the bullpen, right before he took the field,” Mendoza said. “That’s what impressed me the most. You see his personality and it’s Opening Day, he’s about to take the field and he’s got a smile on his face, so he’s used to it.”
Peralta was thankful the Mets lineup responded, scoring five runs in the first inning against Paul Skenes, who was removed after 37 pitches in the frame. Lowe’s initial homer had sunk the Mets in a 2-0 hole.
Freddy Peralta pitches during the Mets-Pirates game on March 26, 2026. Robert Sabo for NY Post
“I [told] them before the game today, I said, ‘I need some runs from you guys,’ ” Peralta said. “It wasn’t [Skenes’] day today.”
Mike Tauchman, after undergoing surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee, is facing a return-to-play time of about six weeks.
The veteran outfielder was in position to claim a spot on the Mets’ Opening Day roster before leaving Saturday’s spring training game with discomfort in the knee.
The Mets selected Jared Young to the roster in that reserve outfield spot.
The five runs the Mets scored in the first inning represented the most in franchise history in a season opener.
Their 10 plate appearances in the inning were their most in a frame on Opening Day since the fifth inning in 2018 against the Cardinals.
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. (AP) — Boston College hired UConn assistant Luke Murray on Thursday as coach of a slumping men's basketball program that has gone 17 years without an appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
Murray, the son of actor Bill Murray, will be a first-time head coach. He replaces Earl Grant, who was fired earlier this month after the Eagles had a losing record in four of his five seasons. Grant went 72-92 overall and 30-67 in Atlantic Coast Conference games.
In five years with UConn under coach Dan Hurley, Murray has been a part of two national championship teams, with Bill Murray often in attendance at games. The Huskies play Michigan State on Friday in the Sweet 16.
“In Luke Murray, we have found a leader who does not just understand the modern landscape of college basketball, he has helped define it,” Boston College athletic director Blake James said. “His role in building a national championship caliber program, his sophisticated offensive vision, and his relentless pursuit of excellence make him the perfect fit.”
Prior to UConn, Murray spent three years each as an assistant at Louisville and Xavier. He also had stints on staffs at Towson, Wagner, Arizona, Post and Quinnipiac. The 2007 graduate of Fairfield will be the 14th head coach in Boston College program history.
The Eagles have been buried in the supersized ACC for more than a decade, with a 10th-place finish in 2022-23 their highest since the league expanded from 12 to 15 teams in the 2013-14 season. They were second-to-last in the newly expanded 18-team conference in each of the last two years.
Following the Mets' 11-7 Opening Day win over the Pirates, manager Carlos Mendoza and the players spoke about the game...
Paul Skenes' tough day at CitiField
What was supposed to be a pitcher's duel between Freddy Peralta and Skenes was not to be.
While Peralta gritted his way through five innings, the Mets lineup did not let Skenes get through one.
Although the Mets offense was aided by some defensive mishaps, the lineup did its thing against the reigning NL CY Young winner. Skenes allowed five earned runs on four hits, two walks and a hit batter while picking up just two outs.
After the game, Skenes could only applaud the Mets for how they handled him on Thursday.
"They did a really good job," Skenes said. "In the moment, maybe a little frustrating, just gotta execute earlier. They did a good job."
Skenes threw just 37 pitches before manager Don Kelly pulled his ace. The Pirates skipper told Skenes that it's too early in the season to push it although the right-hander believed he could have gotten out of the inning, but understood his manager's logic.
So, what exactly went wrong for Skenes?
"I walked the leadoff guy," Skenes said matter-of-factly. "Didn’t execute with two strikes when I needed a punchout or a double play there. Yea, a few things."
Skenes said he'll just flush the loss moving forward and pointed out how there was a lot of soft contact by Mets hitters in the first inning that ultimately led to runs.
"You've gotta look at it for what it is, there wasn't a ton of hard contact," Skenes said. "Leadoff walk is not great. Some balls landed, the Polanco groundball. You know, stuff like that. The batting average on balls in play thing was super high today, that'll go down as the season goes on."
He's not wrong.
Two of the four hits had exit velocities lower than 89 mph, while the other two hits were a result of Oneil Cruz's defensive misplays. But still, the Mets lineup made Skenes work with long at-bats, working walks and putting the ball in play, causing the worst start in the youngster's MLB career.
"Just competitive," Bichette said of the at-bats in the first inning. "The goal of our team is to be the most competitive at-bats you see every day. And we did that for sure."
Paul Skenes does not get out of the first inning on Opening Day against the Mets pic.twitter.com/4qaZs9P3uB
Bo Bichette and Jorge Polanco's new positions were a big storyline this offseason, and their defensive abilities were put to the test for the first time on Thursday.
Bichette, starting at third base, and Polanco at first base, started at their respective positions for the first time in a real game and they did well. There were no errors or misplays by either, and in fact, they made it look routine for the most part.
Mendoza was asked about both players' first games in their new positions after the win.
"I thought both were pretty good," he said. "The few chances that they got, that one-hopper to Bo, the way he reacted, got up, set his feet, made a good throw. The one that he came in…threw it on the run, little off line up the line, but it was good for Polanco to come off the base, apply the tag.
"Routine groundballs for Polanco, couple of hard ones. The whole thing, the positioning, the ability to communicate from pitch-to-pitch was good to see."
The additions of Bichette and Polanco were part of president of baseball operations David Stearns' offseason plan to be better defensively. And while on paper, flipping the positions of two starters counters that philosophy, it worked out at least for one game.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have dealt with a whole lot of injury adversity this season, especially in terms of injuries to their best players.
And, unfortunately, their best player has gone down yet again.
Nearing the end of the first period of a crucial game between Pittsburgh and Ottawa Senators on Thursday, Penguins' captain Sidney Crosby went down the runway after appearing to be injured during the prior play. He came back onto the ice for the second period for one shift before heading down the runway for good, and the Penguins declared him out for the rest of the game.
Penguins' head coach Dan Muse later specified that Crosby sustained a lower-body injury, and a collision along the boards with Nick Cousins appears to be what may have caused the injury.
Mark Scheifele has long been synonymous with the Winnipeg Jets franchise, and on Thursday night he added another milestone to his already historic career.
In a matchup against the Colorado Avalanche, Scheifele skated in his 951st career game with the Jets, surpassing Thomas Steen for the most games played in franchise history.
Drafted seventh overall at the 2011 NHL Draft, Scheifele has been a cornerstone of the Jets lineup ever since. Through 951 games, the Kitchener, Ontario native has recorded 368 goals and 522 assists for a total of 890 points, along with a plus-80 rating that reflects his consistent impact at both ends of the ice.
A two-time NHL All-Star, Scheifele has established himself as one of the league’s most reliable offensive players. He has recorded at least 49 points in all but one of his 13 full NHL seasons and has surpassed the 60-point mark in 11 consecutive years. He has also produced eight seasons with a point-per-game average above 1.00, further solidifying his status as an elite forward.
While not known primarily for physical play, Scheifele has contributed in other areas as well. He ranks 13th in franchise history with 699 hits and sits 11th in blocked shots with 567, demonstrating a willingness to compete beyond the scoresheet.
Scheifele has consistently expressed pride in representing the city of Winnipeg, and with his contract running through 2031, he remains committed to bringing a Stanley Cup to the organization and its fans.
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PORTLAND, OREGON - MARCH 23: Head coach Jordi Fernandez of the Brooklyn Nets looks on during the first half against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center on March 23, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. 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 Soobum Im/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s “must lose” stretch for the Nets. They want to get the best odds in May 10 lottery, maybe even secure that last envelope Mark Tatum, the NBA’s deputy commissioner, opens that night. At the moment, they are so close to success, sitting alone in second, one game behind the Indiana Pacers.
BUT…
Per various draftniks, the Nets have the easiest schedule the rest of the way and many of those games are with competitors in the race to the bottom. Moreover, six of the nine are at home. A win in such a tight race could change the lottery order on a spring night in Chicago.
Starting Friday night with the Lakers, the Nets will have four games with teams likely to be in the post-season: Los Angeles, the Atlanta Hawks, Toronto Raptors and the Charlotte Hornets.
On the flip side of the ledger are five games with teams whose fate is close to theirs: two games with the Milwaukee Bucks (with or without Giannis Antetokounmpo) as well as games with the other three teams Brooklyn is currently competing with: the Indiana Pacers, still ith the best odds; the Washington Wizards; currently with third best, and the Utah Jazz who’ve dropped down to fifth. Making things even more interesting is the fact that the Jazz have the hardest schedule of the rest of the way.
As C.J. Holmes of the Daily News wrote Thursday:
Five of the Nets’ last eight games will come against teams currently living in the same neighborhood of the standings, Sacramento, Washington and Indiana, plus two matchups with the Milwaukee Bucks. Those games matter because they’re direct swings in the race for the bottom.
In a normal season, the phrase “must-win” would hover over a stretch like that. For Brooklyn, it’s the opposite. The Nets have spent the year searching for progress, but the finish line is now defined by draft lottery placement. With the Pacers only a game ahead, the Nets can realistically chase the league’s worst record if they simply stay on their current trajectory.
The Nets at this point are arguably the worst team in the league: They have lost nine straight. They have shut down Egor Demin (plantar fascia), Day’Ron Sharpe (hand), and have functionally done the same with Michael Porter Jr. (hamstring). They won’t re-evaluate MPJ till the last few games of the season. Noah Clowney (wrist) and Danny Wolf (ankle) situation remain uncertain. Even 10-day Grant Nelson (knee) had to sit after his 10-day. They have called up the reserves from Long Island in their three two-ways and a 10-day but no wins have materialized.
As Holmes notes, the Nets have gotten some positives vibes from Ben Saraf, Josh Minott and Ziaire Williams, ages 19, 23 and 24, but they’re not going to carry teams to many wins. Many fans on other record tweeting or saying they don’t want to win another game..
It WILL get hairy at the end. In the last week, the Nets will play five games:
April 5 – Washington Wizards at home;
April 7 – Milwaukee Bucks at home;
April 9 – Indiana Pacers at home;
April 10 – Milwaukee Bucks in Milwaukee;
April 12 – Toronto Raptors in Toronto.
Still note this: while the top three teams all have a 14% chance at the No. 1 and 52% chance at a top four pick, the team with the worst record will have a 48% chance at the fifth pick. Indeed, that’s happened the last three lotteries and remember the team with the worst record hasn’t won the top overall pick in the lottery since rules were changed back in 2019.
The jockeying may not even end with the lottery, either. One NBA decision-maker suggested that the wealth of picks Sean Marks & co. have accumulated could play a role by draft night: moving up if Brooklyn is disappointed in where they landed, as they were when they dropped from No. 6 to No. 8 last May.
“The only reason you bank firsts like that is to be able to strike opportunistically,” he told ND. “Now this draft will cost them (if they try to move up) and they will have to find a dance partner but say they land at the dreaded 5 spot. They have enough draft capital to get the to the third pick.”
He did not suggest possible packages.
Bottom line for him: somehow get one of the top three consensus picks, all of whom he considers franchise-changers. The names remain the same for him: A.J. Dybantsa, Cam Boozer or Darryn Peterson. Beyond that, he said, the Nets will get a good player but nothing that will change their current timeline.
It is all total speculation, of course. So,what’s the best way to handle the anxiety of these last nine games? Maybe one part praying for good luck, another part looking for players like Ziaire Williams and Ben Saraf to keep developing but the biggest part is rooting for the Brooklyn scouting staff to find the best player available no matter where they pick. After all, it isn’t just about the lottery pick. Tankathon thinks they have second best group of picks at Nos. 3, 33 and 43, That has to be comforting.
Mar 16, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Golden State Warriors guard De'anthony Melton (8) advances the ball against the Washington Wizards during the second half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images | Brad Mills-Imagn Images
The Washington Wizards play the Golden State Warriors on Friday night. Let’s get to it.
Game info
When: Friday, Mar. 27 at 10 p.m. ET
Where: Chase Center, San Francisco
How to watch: Monumental Sports Network, League Pass
Injuries: For the Wizards, Leaky Black, Anthony Davis, Kyshawn George, D’Angelo Russell, Cam Whitmore and Trae Young are out. Tristan Vukcevic and Alex Sarr are day-to-day.
For the Warriors, Both Currys, Al Horford, Moses Moody and Jimmy Butler are out. Quinten Post and Malevy Leons are day-to-day.
What to watch for
The Wizards finally ended their long losing streak! Let’s hope they don’t start another long one. The Warriors are on a two game winning streak, most recently against the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday.
