SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - MARCH 26: Chase DeLauter #24 of the Cleveland Guardians rounds the bases on a home run coming on a 3-2 count in his first Major League at-bat in the first inning at T-Mobile Park on March 26, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Russell Lee Verlinger/Cleveland Guardians/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Tonight was mostly very fun for Guardians fans with one big caveat relating to Tanner Bibee. But, Cleveland beat Seattle 6-4, and here’s how it happened.
The game got started with a very exciting event – a Chase DeLauter home run on his first official major league at-bat:
There is a reason we have been screaming for him to play for Cleveland since last May, folks. Please, please, stay healthy.
DeLauter debuted a new home run celebration for the team:
Chase DeLauter, who homered in the first regular season at bat of his career, was the first to debut our "Knight Helmet" celebration.#GuardsBallpic.twitter.com/DcGFiQe8y7
Unfortunately, Brendan Donovan followed up with a homer off Tanner Bibee to tie the game as the Mariners’ first batter. Bibee gave up three solo homers, one on a fastball, one on a sinker (to Dominic Canzone) and one on a cutter (to Luke Raley). So, that’s not helpful. He only gave up 4 hits and 2 walks and struck out 7… but left in the sixth with what was later reported as right shoulder inflammation. So… that’s bad. Hopefully it’ll be a short IL stint.
Back to more positive news- after a Rhys Hoskins single and a Daniel Schneemann double, Brayan Rocchio put the Guardians up 3-2 with a double:
Shawn Armstrong surrendered another homer to Canzone in the bottom of the frame, but Canzone got a well-placed cutter in the bottom of the zone. The bullpen was spotless outside of that with a scoreless inning from Connor Brogdon in the sixth, and ine and a third DOMINANT innings from Erik Sabrowski, who struck out four and went through the heart of the Mariners’ order like a knife through butter. Cade Smith had a perfect ninth for the save, striking out one.
Oh, did I forget to mention that DeLauter hit ABOTHER HOMER??!!:
If there's one thing for certain about the 2025-26 Pittsburgh Penguins, they've sure dealt with their fair share of adversity throughout the season. They've also managed to follow up some of their worst performances of the season with some of their best.
There wasn't just one player who wore the cape for the Penguins in this one. A few of them did. But, perhaps, none stood taller than goaltender Stuart Skinner, who made ten-bell save after ten-bell save in third-period and overtime onslaughts by the Sens, as he stopped 26 of 29 shots on the evening.
And right behind Skinner in the hero line were a pair of Swedes.
The Senators got off to an early 1-0 lead when Drake Batherson took advantage of a struggling Penguins' penalty kill and netted his 28th of the season on the power play not even five minutes in. The Penguins began to tilt the ice a bit after that, though, getting several chances of their own - many of which were generated by the Penguins' first line at the time of Crosby, Rickard Rakell, and Bryan Rust.
Well, they were finally rewarded later in the first when Erik Karlsson had an excellent zone keep at the right point, and he recognized Rakell winding up for a one-time opportunity in the high slot right away. Karlsson dished it to Rakell, who hammered it home for his 16th of the season to make it 1-1.
But, once again, the Sens responded in the second period. Just like they scored on their first shot in the first period, they also scored on their first shot in the second period less than two minutes into the middle frame when Nick Cousins snuck one past Skinner along the goal line to restore Ottawa's lead - and this was after an apparent collision between Cousins and Crosby along the boards, which appeared to be the play that took Crosby out of the game.
The Penguins didn't wait long to respond to Cousins's tally, though. Less than two minutes later, Ben Kindel briefly took over first-line center duties and joined Rakell and Rust on a good offensive zone shift. Kindel got the puck to Rakell, who played it off himself high in the zone to work his way around a few defenders, eventually resulting in a nice toe-drag move to pass the puck to Karlsson on the right side. Karlsson zeroed in toward the middle, picked his spot, and sniped one past Linus Ullmark to knot the game up at 2-2.
The Penguins dominated the second period, and a late-period penalty by Dylan Cozens for tripping carried over into the third. Just 22 seconds in, Artem Zub cleared the puck over the glass, and the Penguins got a glorious five-on-three opportunity for almost a minute and a half.
For a second, it looked as though they might not take advantage. But, nearing the end of the two-man advantage, Karlsson and Rakell connected yet again when Karlsson fed Rakell for a fading one-time blast from the left circle that beat Ullmark and gave the Penguins their first lead of the game, 3-2.
But, just as Pittsburgh responded quickly in the second, Ottawa did the same in the third, and it was Batherson again. With the score tied at 3-3 - and after yet another failed goaltender interference challenge by the Penguins - the Senators made a strong push in the back half of the third period, forcing Skinner and the Penguins' defense to stand on their heads and be up to the task.
And, it was the same story in overtime. Although there were chances at both ends, the Sens largely controlled possession, but the Penguins and Skinner were able to hold them off to force a shootout - and same with Ullmark, who stopped Tommy Novak on a breakaway opportunity with just 11 seconds to go in the extra frame.
Then came the shootout, where the Senators were 3-0 in stark contrast to the Penguins' abysmal record of 2-10 going in. Batherson was able to get one past Skinner to open things up, and Ullmark stopped Rakell on the first shot. Skinner then stopped Tim Stutzle before Egor Chinakhov - we'll get to him later - went five-hole on Ullmark to tie things in the shootout. And, once again, Skinner was able to stop Shane Pinto, leaving things in the hands of the Penguins' third shooter.
That third shooter happened to be the 18-year-old rookie Kindel, who scored in his last shootout attempt. With the game on his stick, the young center was able to live up to the moment, as he snuck one through Ullmark to give the Penguins a much-needed two points in a building they hadn't won a game in since February 10, 2022 and against a goaltender they had never won against.
Here are some takeaways from this inspiring team win by the Penguins.
- Well, let's get the bad news out of the way.
Muse said after the game that Crosby's injury was lower-body and that he was still being evaluated. And this came after the Penguins were already missing Evgeni Malkin and Blake Lizotte to injury.
If the Penguins want to make any kind of noise down the stretch and into the playoffs, should they get there, they absolutely need to get a bit healthier. The win was inspiring, obviously - as many this season have been when the Penguins were faced with adversity out of their control - but they can only overcompensate for so long without their best players and without true center depth, as Lizotte is also out, likely, for the rest of the regular season.
You've just got to hope that Crosby avoided the worst. They need him.
- Or, in the short-term, at least, maybe they don't. Because those two aforementioned Swedes have stepped up in a massive way.
Rakell now has six goals and 14 points in his last 11 games, and this was his best performance of the season. He was everywhere in all three zones all night long, and it was easy to tell he wanted desperately to be the guy to step up without 87.
He's been very good since the Olympic break for the Penguins, and even though he has quietly racked up points and gone about playing a really solid two-way game since then, it's nice to see him have a very loud game like this one.
As for Karlsson? I mean, what else can you say? He is now up to 12 goals and 57 points in 67 games overall, and he has the second-highest point total (22) in the National Hockey League since Feb. 28.
We're seeing vintage Erik Karlsson, folks 👀
• Six goals over his last six games • Three-straight three-point games on the road • Seven multi-point games over his last 10 outings • Ranks second in the NHL with 22 points since February 28 pic.twitter.com/XEBB9nYCla
He's just been absurd. I have not seen a Penguins' defenseman play at this high a level since the pre-Crosby days. And that's nothing against Kris Letang, who is an all-time great Penguin. Karlsson is this team's MVP this season, and I don't really think it's all that debatable.
- Another guy who was magnificent in this game? Chinakhov.
I'm not kidding when I say he could have had five goals if not for Ullmark and if not for the iron. Right after Karlsson's goal, Chinakhov put a scorching wrist shot off the post, and he had about three or four high-danger scoring chances in the second period alone.
Everyone knows by now that the Penguins got a good player in Chinakhov, as he's undoubtedly been one of their best players since his acquisition. But I actually think the Penguins may have a star winger on their hands in Chinakhov.
It's not like the things he's doing aren't very sustainable. He backchecks hard, he has speed, he uses that speed to create chances, and he isn't reliant on others to create. He has looked good next to Malkin, he's looked good next to Novak, next to Kindel, next to Rakell and Rust...
It doesn't matter where you put this guy. He's a threat nearly every time he takes the ice. And if you take his combined skill set and emphasize the fact that he has a world-class shot, the Penguins certainly have something special here.
- That was some special stuff from Kindel.
He has had an outstanding rookie season with 17 goals and 33 points in 69 games. And he's only going to be more productive as time goes on and has he plays a bigger role in the lineup with better players.
But the fact that he stepped on the ice to take a potential season-altering shootout shot - smiling while doing so - and was able to drown out the noise and bury it at 18 years old speaks volumes about this kid's poise and confidence.
It may not count on the scoresheet, but it was a huge goal from the rookie. I expect him to be a huge part of these final 10 games for the Penguins, especially if Crosby and Malkin are out.
- Not going to spend a lot of time on the goalie interference ruling. I thought the challenge was a bit of a questionable one from Dan Muse only because - even if there was unprovoked contract from Claude Giroux on Skinner - it was minimal, and the risk of having to go on the penalty kill in a tie game during the third period was a big one.
But what I will say is this: If the ruling that called back Justin Brazeau's goal against the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday was setting any kind of bar - even if it's the wrong one - for consistency with the rulings, Batherson's should have been called back as well. They were nearly identical plays, as Giroux's skate and stick made minimal contact inside the blue paint with Skinner, arguably throwing him off enough that he couldn't make the save.
The Penguins are now 0-for-9 in goaltender interference challenges. It's truly remarkable.
- Skinner was lights-out in this game, and he is the biggest reason they were able to come away with the two points. He was making key point-blank save after point-blank save in the first part of the first period, and he was simply outstanding in the third and beyond.
I know the Penguins have done a goaltender rotation all season long that has mostly worked for them. But with just 10 games left and the playoffs on the line, it's time for them to commit to whoever has the hot hand.
As of Thursday, that's Skinner. So, he should start Saturday against the Dallas Stars. And if he plays well against the Stars, he absolutely should get the net in what will be the biggest game of the season against the Islanders on Monday.
Should anything change, going right back to Silovs is fine. But Skinner stepped up when his team needed it most on Thursday, and he needs to be rewarded for that.
- The Penguins cancelled their scheduled practice on Friday, so we are unlikely to get an update on Crosby until at least Saturday.
Stay tuned. But if the Penguins can rally like they did Thursday for the rest of the season, maybe they'll be okay after all.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Darcy Kuemper made 19 saves for his third shutout of the season and 39th of his career to lead the Los Angeles Kings to a 4-0 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday night.
Trevor Moore had a goal and an assist for the Kings, and Scott Laughton, Artemi Panarin and Quinton Byfield also scored. Mikey Anderson had a pair of assists.
The victory moved the Kings within one point of the Nashville Predators, who hold the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference playoff race.
One of the best stops by Kuemper, whose last shutout was on Dec. 6 against Chicago, came at the 10:43 mark of the first period when Teddy Blueger launched a blast from the slot and the goalie kicked out his right leg to send the puck soaring with the toe of his skate.
Kevin Lankinen made 34 saves for the Canucks, who lost their fourth straight game. Vancouver has been shut out five times this season, with four coming at home.
The Kings opened the scoring with Laughton's power-play goal 17:34 into the first period. Stationed at the top of the faceoff circle, Byfield took a shot that hit the skate of Laughton as he jumped in front of the net, deflecting the puck in past Lankinen.
Byfield sealed it with an empty-netter with 2:24 left in the game.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - MARCH 26: Cal Raleigh #29 of the Seattle Mariners strikes out during the fifth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at T-Mobile Park on March 26, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Guardians 6, Mariners 4
Opening Day festivities: Dominic Canzone, .23 WPA
Opening Day fartivities: Gabe Speier, -.31 WPA
Game thread comment of the day:
It was not the most fun Opening Day game, but always remember:
New York Islanders Tony DeAngelo looks to pass during the second period against the Calgary Flames at UBS Arena, Saturday, March 14, 2026.
Tony DeAngelo will miss 1-2 weeks with a lower-body injury, the Islanders announced before their match Thursday against the Stars.
DeAngelo hurt himself while getting back to defend an odd-man rush against the Blackhawks on Tuesday, leaving the eventual 4-3 loss in the first period and not returning.
The Islanders did get a major reprieve to their back end Thursday when Ryan Pulock returned, having missed two games with a lower-body injury of his own.
“Felt like yesterday I made some improvements and then this morning I felt good,” Pulock said after the 2-1 win at UBS Arena in which he skated 20:53. “Just as long as I can help this team, obviously I’m going.”
Minus DeAngelo, the Islanders still operated with slightly jumbled pairs. Carson Soucy, a lefty, took DeAngelo’s usual spot to the right side of Adam Pelech while Scott Mayfield played his off side to the left of Adam Boqvist.
With DeAngelo missing a period that could extend through the second week of April, it’s still more than possible that the Islanders will need George — called up as the seventh defenseman Tuesday — at some point.
New York Islanders Tony DeAngelo looks to pass during the second period against the Calgary Flames at UBS Arena, Saturday, March 14, 2026. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Boqvist, usually the seventh defenseman, is unlikely to stay in the lineup long if he begins to struggle, and was healthy-scratched for a long chunk of this season behind AHL call-ups while the Islanders searched for someone to replace the injured Alexander Romanov.
It was fitting that Romanov rejoined the Islanders in a full-team skate for the first time Thursday morning before their first game against Dallas since Mikko Rantanen injured Romanov’s shoulder with a brazenly illegal hit Nov. 18.
Romanov skated in a noncontact sweater in an encouraging sign in his recovery from surgery that was originally projected to keep him out 5-6 months. Roy said there are still no plans for him to return during the regular season, though the playoffs remain a possibility should the Islanders make it that far.
“I’m sure he’s excited,” Roy said. “First, it’s fun to see him there, see how hard he had to work to get back where he is today. It’s fun for the guys as well, for him and for us, seeing him back. I’m not saying he’s gonna play tonight, but I’m sure he feels good to be with the boys and enjoy the guys.”
Rantanen, notably, did not feature for the Stars, as he’s still dealing with an injury suffered during the Olympics. He is on the road with the Stars, who hope to have him back by the end of their trip.
After four straight losses, the Los Angeles Kings (29-25-18) got a much-needed win on Thursday, cruising past the Vancouver Canucks (21-42-8) 4-0. LA dominated Vancouver wire-to-wire from opening tap, outshooting the home team 32-12 in the first 40 minutes of regulation.
Los Angeles won 72.2% of its faceoffs while Vancouver won just 27.8%. The Kings also scored on a power-play goal tonight, going 1/2, and held the Canucks 0/2.
After opening the first two minutes of the first period with a deflected shot by Scott Laughton that went inside the net, Los Angeles never looked back, outplaying the Canucks on both sides of the floor to bounce back and get closer to the playoff picture.
The game started fast with the Kings aggressive on offense, outshooting the Canucks 15-7 in the first period. Los Angeles would once again score the very early goal in the opening frame to hold onto a 1-0 lead.
LAK Goal - Kings open the scoring on the power play. Byfield shot, Laughton deflection, 1-0. Another important point for 55.
The defense was great early on, despite Vancouver getting solid looks. Darcy Kuemper was great under the crease tonight, stopping all of the Canucks 19 shots that came at him.
In the second period, the Kings jumped out to a 3-0 lead, first scoring a goal two minutes into the period after Trevor Moore recovered Mikey Anderson's shot that was deflected on the way through.
It was another dominant period for Los Angeles, holding Vancouver to another single-digit shot period and outshooting their opponent 17-5, dominating on both offense and defense.
The next 17 minutes would be quiet, until the Kings won the faceoff and Artemi Panarin converted on the power play to give Los Angeles a commanding 3-0 lead on the 2-on-1 rush with 39 seconds left in the period.
LAK Goal - Artem-three Panarin!
2-on-1 rush, backhanded shot, 3-0 Kings. Practice what you preach situation as the Kings go out and build on a lead.
Panarin finished the game with one goal and one point, bouncing back after putting up zeroes in the last game against the Calgary Flames.
It was the 30th time this season that Vancouver allowed multiple goals in the second period.
The final period was pretty much the same; Los Angeles held Vancouver scoreless for the remainder of the final frame, and the Kings scored in the last two minutes on an empty net goal to win the game.
FINAL - Kings 4, Canucks 0!
A necessary two points in Vancouver. Kings now one point out of the final wild card spot in the West, heading back to LA to begin a seven-game homestand.
This was a dominating game for the Kings, but let's not overreact. It was against the Canucks, who are the worst team in the NHL, so Los Angeles won a game that they were supposed to get.
It's a good way, though, to bounce back against a struggling team and get back in the win column. Los Angeles now has 76 points and is one point behind Nashville for the final playoff spot and three points behind Vegas for the third seed in the Pacific Division.
Artemi Panarin was great, even though he finished with just one point and one goal; it's his fourth goal in the last five games and his 18th point in 16 games since being a King.
Quinton Byfield once again had a good game, coming around at the right time of the season, tallying one goal, one assist, and two points. Los Angeles is tough to beat whenever Byfield plays well.
Trevor Moore also had a great game, finishing with one goal, one assist, and two points, his second consecutive game with an assist and a point.
Darcy Kuemper was great tonight, defending the net, saving all 19 of the Canucks shots to earn his third shutout of the season.
The Kings will begin their crucial seven-game home stand Saturday, hosting the Utah Mammoth at 6:00 PM PT.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
The Calgary Flames dropped a 3-2 decision in overtime to the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome. It marked the fourth time in the last five home games Calgary has gone beyond regulation.
The Flames came out flying, with a 3-on-0 rush in the opening minute, but a case of overpassing kept the game scoreless. Calgary thought it had opened the scoring shortly after, when Yegor Sharangovich snapped a shot past Ville Husso, but the goal was overturned following an offside challenge.
Calgary carried the play through much of the opening frame, outshooting Anaheim 11-8, but the game remained scoreless after 20 minutes.
The Flames broke through early in the second. Just 1:06 in, Joel Farabee picked up the puck off a line change and slid a pass to Blake Coleman, who drove the net and tipped it past Husso for his 17th of the season. Olli Maatta also picked up an assist. 1-0 Flames.
Anaheim answered quickly. At 3:07, Mikael Granlund walked into the slot and wired a shot into the top corner to tie the game 1-1 with an unassisted goal.
After a scoreless remainder of the period, the teams entered the third tied.
Calgary regained the lead midway through the third during a sustained offensive push. With a Ducks player down injured and unable to get back into the play, the Flames kept possession in the zone. Olli Maatta found Matvei Gridin, who ripped a shot past Husso for his fifth of the season at 7:46. Matt Coronato added the secondary assist. The helper gave Maatta nine points (1G, 8A) in 11 games since joining Calgary.
The Ducks pulled even again on the power play late in regulation. Granlund buried a rebound off a John Carlson point shot from a sharp angle at 16:27, tying the game 2-2 and setting the stage for overtime.
Calgary ran into trouble in the extra frame, taking its second too-many-men penalty of the night when Zayne Parekh stepped onto the ice early. The Ducks made them pay in the final second (4:59), as Granlund completed the hat trick, finishing a setup from Carlson with a high shot to seal the 3-2 win.
Three Takeaways:
Maatta producing offensively
Olli Maatta continues to make an impact at both ends of the ice, now with nine points (1G, 8A) in 11 games since joining the Flames.
Coronato staying consistent
Matt Coronato extended his point streak to four games (1G, 3A) and now has six points (2G, 4A) over his last six outings.
Sharangovich driving play
Yegor Sharangovich was heavily involved throughout the night. He had a goal overturned, hit a post, and drew a penalty in one of his more noticeable offensive performances despite not recording a point.
HOUSTON — Three minutes into Iowa’s Sweet 16 game against Nebraska on Thursday night, a casualty occurred on the Hawkeyes’ sideline.
Iowa coach Ben McCollum, already red-cheeked and furious at his team’s passive start in a game they trailed by 10 points, snapped a dry erase marker into two pieces in the timeout huddle. Ink went everywhere.
“We called them into the huddle and just said very nicely, ‘I’d like you to play harder, guys,’ and that seemed to work,” McCollum quipped, before looking to his left where Hawkeyes guards Tate Sage and Bennett Stirtz sat trying and failing to contain their smiles.
“Am I right? That how that went?” McCollum asked his players.
“Yes,” Sage and Stirtz replied, nodding dutifully.
McCollum’s fiery disposition and ability to extract winning performances from his players have made Iowa’s first-year coach a fast-rising star in his profession. He was coaching in Division II two seasons ago, and on Thursday at Toyota Center helped the Hawkeyes author a thrilling comeback and advance to the Elite Eight for the first time since 1987.
Iowa trailed Nebraska nearly the entire game until Stirtz, the senior guard who followed McCollum from Division II Northwest Missouri State to Drake and then to Iowa, drained a go-ahead 3-pointer with 2:10 remaining.
“Hasn’t changed one bit,” Stirtz said of McCollum. “He’s been the same coach despite all the national attention and that’s why I respect him so much.”
On Saturday in the Elite Eight, Iowa will play an Illinois team coached by Brad Underwood, who started his career coaching at the junior college level.
The last time Iowa was in the Elite Eight, McCollum was a 6-year-old Hawkeyes fan living in Iowa City. He grew up attending Hawkeyes football and basketball games, but his own playing career began in junior college at North Iowa Area Community College. After two seasons, he transferred to play at Northwest Missouri State, where he began his coaching career. In 15 seasons coaching at his alma mater, McCollum won 83% of his games and led the Bearcats to four NCAA Division II national championships.
After McCollum’s one season at mid-major Drake, where he guided the Bulldogs to a program-record 31 wins, Iowa snatched him up. By comparison, coaching at Iowa feels “bougie,” as McCollum put it earlier this week.
“You gain confidence from being in Division II, because you don’t have noise,” McCollum said. “You’re making decisions, winning games and losing games, and there’s not a lot of noise there. And then also with that, when I get on a charter plane now, I certainly appreciate it, or when all these things are done for me, I appreciate it a little bit more, and that comes from that Division II and junior college background.”
McCollum doesn’t tolerate complacency, and he expects his players to behave the same way.
“I don’t like entitled players,” he said. “They just don’t work for me.”
Hawkeyes players are conditioned to expect the same pregame meal (chicken, pork chops, rice and a vegetable) and multiple fiery outbursts from their head coach during the game. Iowa’s student managers know that no inanimate object is safe in McCollum’s hands when he’s upset. McCollum plays bad cop and lets his assistant coaches play good cops.
McCollum relishes playing in front of opposing fans in a hostile road environment, and Thursday’s Sweet 16 matchup in Houston felt like one. Before tip-off, chants of “Go Big Red!” overwhelmed the arena. A clarinet player in Nebraska’s band held up an iPad displaying a graphic that derided Iowa as “off-brand corn.”
What did McCollum actually tell the Hawkeyes in the huddle when he broke his marker?
“He was just telling us we sucked, and we were soft,” Stirtz revealed.
Stirtz has been by his coach’s side through it all, recruited by McCollum to play at Northwest Missouri State when he had no other college offers. The two of them have a fire-and-ice dynamic; whereas McCollum lets his emotions boil over, Stirtz stays cool and collected on the court.
“I think we’re opposites in a lot of ways, but the main thing that we have (in common) is how competitive we are,” Stirtz said. “That’s what brings us so close. We just want to win. Honestly, we also both think it’s more than just a basketball game, too. So that’s why we’re so close: This game’s never going to satisfy us, and we know that.”
Iowa is only the fifth No. 9 seed to advance to the Elite Eight since the tournament field expanded to 64 teams in 1985. Florida Atlantic was the last to do it in 2023, when the Owls made it to the Final Four.
The Hawkeyes went 10-1 in nonconference play this season but fell out of the Top 25 rankings in mid-January after three consecutive Big Ten Conference losses – including two to ranked Illinois and Purdue teams. But the season was an exercise in stacking habits and building consistency, all leading to where they are now.
McCollum is a big fan of the saying, “Everybody arrives when they’re supposed to,” and Iowa’s Sweet 16 victory exemplified that. Junior forward Alvaro Folgueiras, who made the game-winning basket for the Hawkeyes to take down No. 1 seed Florida in the second round, tied the score with five minutes left and scored five of Iowa’s final 12 points against Nebraska. Sage and redshirt freshman Cooper Koch made clutch 3-pointers down the stretch. Stirtz, a national awards candidate and the Hawkeyes’ leading scorer, never wavered.
Stirtz has played every minute of the NCAA Tournament for Iowa so far. Against Nebraska, he led the Hawkeyes with 20 points on 7-of-15 shooting.
“In 20 years it will be an insane story,” McCollum said. “A guy that goes from D-II with his coach and then goes to Drake and then goes to University of Iowa and actually makes it further in the tournament in Division I than he did in Division II. Yeah, I mean, obviously there's a close relationship there.”
It’s an insane story right now, but McCollum and the Hawkeyes won’t be ready to fully reflect until its conclusion.
“I's been a hell of a ride,” McCollum said, “but it's far from over.”
Oklahoma City's Hyeseong Kim (6) catches a fly ball during the minor league baseball between the Oklahoma City Comets and the Tacoma Rainers a the Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, April, 16, 2025. | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Oklahoma City Comets, the Dodgers’ Triple-A affiliate, unveiled their initial roster on Thursday, with opening day set for Friday night in Oklahoma City against the Albuquerque Isotopes, a Rockies’ farm team.
Among the 43 players on the Dodgers 40-man roster, 10 are on the injured list (three on the 60-day IL, which expands this list to 43), and 26 are active in the majors. Six of the seven remaining 40-man players for the Comets.
River Ryan is the only unaccounted 40-man player not on the preliminary Oklahoma City roster, but he could join them soon. Ryan is slated to pitch this weekend in Arizona, Fabian Ardaya at The Athletic reported Thursday.
“There’s no doubt that Hyeseong at some point is going to come help us out. I think the driver, as far as at the outset, is giving Hyeseong an opportunity to play every day, play all over the diamond,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Sunday.
Kyle Hurt is among the relievers. After an impressive spring training, the Dodgers opted to slow-play the right-hander missed all of last season after Tommy John surgery. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him get called up as a need arises in the majors.
Paul Gervase also impressed in spring, and left-hander Ronan Kopp is in his first year on the 40-man roster. Expect a lot of strikeouts from that pair.
Ryan Ward is also on the 40-man roster for the first time, but he returns to Oklahoma City, where the reigning Pacific Coast League MVP he holds several club records in the Bricktown era, a period since the current ballpark opened in 1998. Michael Siani will patrol the outfield for the Comets, likely flanked by Zach Ehrhard and/or James Tibbs.
Ehrhard and Tibbs, acquired from the Boston Red Sox for Dustin May last July, impressed as non-roster invitees in camp and as the older and more experienced of the plethora of stellar Dodgers outfield prospects are the closest to the majors among the group.
Jack Suwinski was briefly on the Dodgers’ 40-man roster this offseason, as was utility man Ryan Fitzgerald, who will likely play all over the infield and potentially some outfield for the Comets. Defensive whiz Noah Miller will play shortstop for Oklahoma City, whose infield also has Nick Senzel and Ryan Fitgerald, all of whom were non-roster invitees this spring for the Dodgers.
Veteran pitchers Cole Irvin and Keynan Middleton are on the Comets’ staff. Other Oklahoma City pitchers with major league experience are River’s brother Ryder Ryan, Garrett McDaniels, and Carlos Duran (pitched one game for the Athletics last season).
Irvin and Ryder Ryan will start the first two games, followed by Christian Romero on Sunday, per play-by-play broadcaster Alex Freedman.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — As the Knicks were getting pounded on the glass and by Charlotte’s pick-and-rolls, coach Mike Brown again left Karl-Anthony Towns on the bench.
It was the second straight game the All-Star center didn’t close, with Mitchell Robinson getting more minutes in Thursday’s 114-103 loss to the Hornets.
“I just do my best to cheer for my teammates,” Towns, who played just 22 minutes with 13 points on eight shot attempts, said, “and whenever my number is called, be the best version of myself for my team.”
Brown said the rebounding element — the Knicks lost the board battle 43-24 — was “part” of the reason he turned to Robinson.
The other part?
“I just thought when we had Mitch in there with certain guys, we were able to match their physicality,” Brown said. “And we made a run. But we were down 20 at that time. And versus a good team on the road, that’s tough to do.”
Karl-Anthony Towns (R.) was benched in crunch time of the Knicks-Hornets game on March 26, 2026. AP
Towns was subbed out with eight minutes remaining and the Knicks trailing by 21.
They cut the Hornets’ lead to 10 with two minutes left but it was too late.
Robinson finished with 26 minutes and six rebounds.
Mitchell Robinson (R.) fights for a rebound during the Knicks-Hornets game on March 26, 2026. AP
The Knicks outscored the Hornets by eight points when he was on the court.
It was the first time Robinson played more minutes than Towns when they both were available.
Two nights earlier, Towns was benched down the stretch because the Knicks went with a small lineup in a victory over the Pelicans.
As the NBA continues to deal with its load management problem and battles the players union over its 65-game rule for postseason awards eligibility, Towns said it’s a point of pride that he suits up regularly.
“I damn sure haven’t felt my best all year, all day. But I want to play. I love playing,” he said. “I do believe in the philosophy that there may, especially at MSG with how expensive the tickets are, there may be a family or a young kid who has saved up all his money to watch me play that one night, and for me not to be available would be disrespectful to that kid and to that family. As long as I can play, I’m going to be out there playing, hopefully give that kid a show.”
Towns has missed just four games this season and is on pace for his most appearances since at least the 2018-19 campaign.
He’s also surpassed the NBA’s 65-game threshold, which became a point of contention with the players union after Cade Cunningham was deemed ineligible after suffering a season-ending collapsed lung.
“We’ll step back and take a look at it, and we’ll see what we can do to help everyone and make it a compromise where the fans know that we’re trying to play and also the players are taken care of,” said Towns, who is a VP of the players union.
CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Mikael Granlund capped off his hat trick scoring on the power play with 1 second remaining in overtime on Thursday night to give the Anaheim Ducks a 3-2 victory over the Calgary Flames.
Granlund has seven goals during a four-game goal streak that has him up to 19 on the season as Anaheim extended its winning streak to four games.
The Pacific Division-leading Ducks opened the night with a five-point cushion on the Edmonton Oilers and a six-point lead on the Vegas Golden Knights.
Rookie Matvei Gridin and Blake Coleman scored for Calgary, which extended its point streak to five games (4-0-1). Gridin stretched his point streak to four games (one goal, three assists).
Ville Husso, who made 23 saves, improved to 9-7-1.
Devin Cooley, who had 30 stops, fell to 9-10-4.
The game got off to an inauspicious start for the Flames. First, Pavel Mintyukov’s turnover in the opening minute of the game resulted in a 3-on-0 breakaway for Calgary but Gridin, Morgan Frost and Matt Coronato over-passed it and never got a shot on goal.
Three minutes later, it appeared that Yegor Sharangovich had given Calgary the lead, but Anaheim challenged for offside and the goal was overturned. It was the fifth goal the Flames have had waved off by video review during its homestand.
Calgary eventually took the lead on Coleman’s goal 1:06 into the second period when he redirected Joel Farabee’s pass inside the post. But Granlund tied it on an unassisted goal two minutes later.
The Ducks lost two defensemen to injury. Radko Gudas (lower body) left the game late in the second period and Mintyukov got hurt when he took a shot from Olli Maatta high in his chest in the third.
A bird defecating on a person’s head promises good fortune, according to the old superstition.
There is less information established about the dark or promising omens when a bird dies nearby in your major league debut, but maybe Carson Benge will be the test case.
Access the Mets beat like never before
Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets.
On an afternoon that had a bit of everything — a phrase that nearly applies literally in this case — the Mets’ exciting rookie first sunk, then soared, then watched a bird soar and then sink in a scintillating and strange 11-7 Mets Opening Day victory over the Pirates at Citi Field.
How did this measure up to your expectations, Carson?
“Everything and more,” Benge said, accurately, after a Thursday that was mostly wondrous and part bizarre.
Carson Benge hit his first big league homer in the Mets’ 11-7 Opening Day win over the Pirates on March 26, 2026 at Citi Field. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
First, the wondrous: Every at-bat from the club’s No. 2 prospect looked stronger than the previous one. He struck out twice, first against Paul Skenes — “Calm down,” Benge told himself after the three-pitch strikeout. “Deep breath, calm down.” — then Yohan Ramirez, before an impressive fight against lefty Mason Montgomery in the fifth. Benge dug a 1-2 hole before fouling off two pitches and letting three balls go by, earning an eight-pitch walk.
With a bit more familiarity and feeling better about himself, Benge stepped up in the sixth inning, got a first-pitch sweeper from Pittsburgh’s Justin Lawrence and smoked a home run to right field.
A person known as a baseball player and not an entertainer — a throwback who does not show much emotion on the field — made an exception. The 23-year-old watched the ball fly, touched first base and took a leap, his back to home plate, while his arms crept toward his torso and flexed. The moment he had dreamt about as a child had become a reality.
“I just got chills,” said Benge, who was a spring star and only learned Monday that he won an Opening Day job. “This is where I’m supposed to be and just having fun.”
Carson Benge is greeted by his teammates after the Mets’ Opening Day victory. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
He resumed his gait, rounded the bases and arrived at a rocking dugout. Manager Carlos Mendoza “told me it’s fun here,” Benge relayed with a smile. “I was like, ‘You’re right.’ ”
He went through the high-five line, which was punctuated not by a slapping of hands but a big hug from Juan Soto.
From there, Benge heard the sold-out crowd swell louder until he made his way to the top step of the dugout, where he took a curtain call.
“It means the world,” said Benge — whose parents made the trip from Oklahoma, and who had 22 friends and family at the park. “Having all the people that have sacrificed so much for me come up and watch that happen is definitely big.”
Offensively, Benge added a five-pitch walk in the eighth and swiped second base, which was the last normal “first” he could check off. There was the bizarre one — perhaps one proving that Benge can take whatever that is thrown at him in stride.
Late in the game, “I heard a thud,” Benge said. He looked over and a bird had fallen from the sky a few feet away in right field.
“I looked over and it was just down,” Benge said. “Down for the count.”
He did not panic, his eyes trained on the batter. At least on the field, he appeared to be the only one aware of the animal.
Mets starting pitcher Sean Manaea dumps water on right fielder Carson Benge during the Mets’ Opening Day win. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“I just looked around and was like, is anyone going to grab this?” Benge said. “No one was looking at it, so I wasn’t about to stop the game for it.”
Unfortunately for him, the fans noticed, too, and they began chanting for him to pick it up. He declined, and after the frame a stadium worker ran onto the field and removed the bird, ending a surreal first day of Benge’s major league life.
Is this a good or bad sign?
“I’m not superstitious,” Benge said. “It worked out.”
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Andy Pages hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the fifth inning, and the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied past the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-2 on Thursday, opening the season with a victory in pursuit of their third consecutive World Series championship.
Three of the Dodgers’ first four hits in the fifth off Zac Gallen came with two strikes. Max Muncy singled, Teoscar Hernández reached on an infield single to Gallen, Pages’ homer traveled 400 feet and Miguel Rojas singled. Shohei Ohtani drew a walk to chase Gallen, who began the game with four shutout innings and a 2-0 lead.
Juan Morillo came on and got two quick outs. But he walked Freddie Freeman and gave up an infield single to Will Smith. First baseman Carlos Santana dived toward the foul line and stopped the ball before bobbling it, allowing Rojas to score from third and extend the Dodgers’ lead to 4-2.
Pages made a sparkling defensive play in center leading off the seventh. He chased a fly ball from Geraldo Perdomo, diving and landing on his belly to make the catch.
The Dodgers tacked on four more runs in the seventh off reliever Taylor Clarke. Kyle Tucker got his first hit and first RBI in his debut. The $240 million right fielder doubled in Ohtani, who was hit by Clarke, and then scored on Mookie Betts’ single. Smith had a two-run homer, making it 8-2.
Arizona led 2-0 on Perdomo’s two-run homer off World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (1-0) in the fourth. Corbin Carroll singled leading off and Perdomo followed with a two-strike shot.
Yamamoto allowed two runs and five hits in six innings while striking out six.
Gallen (0-1) gave up a leadoff single to Ohtani in the first and a one-out walk to Muncy in the second. The Dodgers didn’t have another runner until the fifth. Gallen allowed four runs and four hits in four innings, struck out two and walked two.
Up Next
D-backs RHP Ryne Nelson (7-3, 3.39 ERA) starts the middle game of the series Friday against Dodgers RHP Emmet Sheehan (6-3, 2.82).
SAN FRANCISCO — Aaron Boone likes to call this the week of overreactions.
Small sample sizes in the opening days of the season can provide dangerous fodder from which to make sweeping conclusions.
But given that this group of Yankees hitters had a substantial run together last season on the way to scoring the most runs in the majors, there was a little more legitimacy behind their reminder Wednesday night of what they are capable of on a daily basis — rolling deep and making life tough for opposing pitchers.
“I think you got a lot of different guys with a lot of different abilities,” said Austin Wells, who chipped in two hits out of the nine-hole in a 7-0 win over the Giants at Oracle Park.
“I think it blends really well and we all feed off each other. Starting with [Trent Grisham] at the top and working its way down, one through nine, that’s how it played out [Wednesday] and it’s been playing out for the last half-year.”
Austin Wells had two hits in the Yankees’ Opening Day win over the Giants on March 25, 2026 in San Francisco. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
On many nights over the course of the season, the Yankees will crush homers or jump on Aaron Judge’s back to rack up wins.
But since this group has been playing together after last year’s trade deadline, it has also shown the ability to have nights like Wednesday, when it racks up 10 hits — nine of them singles, with Grisham’s two-run triple being the only exception — with a well-balanced attack.
“I think we can beat you a lot of different ways,” Boone said.
Boone noted some of the Yankees’ aggressiveness on the bases paying off — such as Giancarlo Stanton scoring from second on José Caballero’s single to left field, Caballero hustling into second on the play when the throw went toward third base, and later Jazz Chisholm Jr. beating out a double play and forcing an errant throw that allowed Ben Rice to score from third.
Even more encouraging was the production from the bottom of the lineup, which fueled the five-run second inning and took the pressure off Judge, who went 0-for-5 with four strikeouts.
“I think guys were just going up there, doing what the game asked them to do, take their knock and we put a bunch of balls in play, found a couple holes and ended up putting up a good number,” Ryan McMahon said. “No easy outs. If we can just [keep] stacking those good at-bats, hopefully good things like that keep happening.”
The Yankees will try to show off more of their lineup depth Friday, when Boone plans to play all of his right-handed hitters against Giants lefty Robbie Ray (the only southpaw scheduled to face the Yankees this trip).
That could mean Paul Goldschmidt leading off and playing first base (for Ben Rice), Amed Rosario manning third (for McMahon) and Randal Grichuk starting in left field (with Cody Bellinger sliding to center and Grisham on the bench).
Mar 13, 2026; North Port, Florida, USA; Atlanta Braves manager Walt Weiss (4) looks on against the New York Yankees at CoolToday Park. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Happy Opening Day, Braves Country! During Thursday’s presser, Atlanta Braves manager Walt Weiss informed the media that Drake Baldwin would be in the Opening Day lineup, but not behind the dish. Instead, Baldwin will be in the DH role while Jonah Heim is behind the plate.
It’s a pretty interesting way to roll things out. The Braves still get Baldwin’s bat but don’t have to throw him straight into catching duties on day one. At the same time, Heim gives them a nice presence behind the plate, which should help the pitching staff settle in early. It feels like a simple way to get the best of both worlds from the jump.
Weiss gave a few other hints at how the lineup would shape up, like Ronald Acuña Jr. and Mike Yastrzemski’s roles. The Braves kick off the 2026 campaign Friday evening with a matchup against the Kansas City Royals.
More Braves News:
The Braves reached a deal with Xfinity that will broadcast BravesVision, beginning today, March 27.
