European football: Estupiñán’s derby strike for Milan cuts Inter’s Serie A lead

  • Full-back scores only goal of derby at San Siro

  • Wolfsburg sack head coach Daniel Bauer

Milan cut Inter’s lead at the top of Serie A to seven points after a 1-0 victory in the derby at San Siro. Pervis Estupiñán’s first-half strike helped Milan complete a Serie A double over their fierce rivals for the first time since 2011.

Inter had gone 15 league matches undefeated since their 1-0 loss to Milan in November but it was the full-back Estupiñán who found the only goal in the 35th minute.

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Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves carry LeBron-less Lakers to win over Knicks

Los Angeles, CA, Sunday, March 8, 2026 - Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves.
Lakers guard Austin Reaves is fouled by New York's Mikal Bridges, right, while driving to the basket in front of Karl Anthony-Towns, left, in the first half of the Lakers' 110-97 win over the Knicks on Sunday at Crypto.com Arena. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

The Lakers have struggled against the NBA's elite teams this season, something that's been a source of consternation for the team.

The opportunity to start shaping another narrative was presented Sunday against one of the league’s top teams in the New York Knicks.

And the Lakers found some redemption, with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves leading them to a 110-97 win at Crypto.com Arena.

Doncic had 35 points and eight rebounds. Though he was 11 for 25 from the field and five for 16 from three-point range, his three with 1:05 left sealed the win for the Lakers (39-25).

Read more:Luka Doncic joins elite Lakers company with 44-point effort in win over Pacers

Reaves had 25 points, five assists and four rebounds. He was eight for 16 from the field and three for six from three-point range.

Rui Hachimura (13 points, seven rebounds) and Luke Kennard (12 points) helped make sure the Lakers didn’t blow a 23-point lead against a New York team that is third in the Eastern Conference.

Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 25 points and 16 rebounds, and Jalen Brunson had 24 points, seven assists and six rebounds for the Knicks (41-24).

The Lakers entered the game with a 4-12 record against teams with a winning percentage over .600. Many of their losses to top teams have been by double digits, which has become a significant reason for concern with the playoffs fast approaching.

Lakers center Jaxson Hayes, left, dives for a loose ball in front of New York Knicks forward Og Anunoby.
Lakers center Jaxson Hayes, left, dives for a loose ball in front of New York Knicks forward Og Anunoby during the first half Sunday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

It wasn’t going to be easy against a Knicks team that’s one of the NBA's best on the defensive end. They entered Sunday ranked fifth in points allowed (110.6) and seventh in both field-goal percentage (45.7) and defensive rating (111.7).

When the Lakers extended their lead to 21 points in the third quarter, they did so, in part, by playing stingy defense. They held the Knicks to 24 points in the third, with 35% shooting from the field and 18% shooting from three-point range.

The Lakers also scored 34 points in the quarter, shot 55% from the field and 50% (five for 10) from three-point range.

The Lakers played without LeBron James, who missed his second straight game because of a left elbow contusion and left foot arthritis. James sustained his elbow injury after falling to the court in the fourth quarter of a loss to the Denver Nuggets on Thursday.

But Lakers center Deandre Ayton, who missed Friday's win over Pacers with left knee soreness, returned.

It has been an up-and-down season for Ayton, but Lakers coach JJ Redick said he is confident the 7-foot center can be more consistent moving forward.

Ayton showed flashes of his talent against the Knicks by being more engaged. He was active on defense from the start, blocking a shot in the first quarter. He set a hard screen to get Doncic open and then rolled to the basket and took a lob pass from Doncic for a two-handed dunk in the first quarter.

Read more:Luka Doncic is one technical foul away from an automatic suspension

Ayton finished with six points and eight rebounds.

“Ultimately, the player has to be consistent," Redick said. "And that's not to say that's a knock on DA. That's just the NBA. We've been very consistent with how we've coached him. And we recognized early that was, maybe not a change, but that was something we had to be adaptable with. And I think we're hopeful and optimistic that we're gonna get a consistent version down the stretch of the season."

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

"What It's All About": Back With Red Wings, David Perron Ready For Playoff Push

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Veteran forward David Perron was back in the Detroit Red Wings dressing room as if he'd never left.

Perron, who was re-acquired by the Red Wings on Thursday evening from the Ottawa Senators on the eve of the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline, returns to a club still looking to claim their first postseason berth in a full decade. 

A Stanley Cup champion with the St. Louis Blues in 2019, Perron's veteran presence and voice in the dressing room proved to be pivital for the Red Wings and was missed last season, during which he helped the rival Senators to the playoffs for the first time since 2017. 

He's not quite ready to make his second debut with Detroit on the ice, as he's still recovering from undergoing sports hernia surgery in January; GM Steve Yzerman anticipated Perron being able to play in approximately two weeks. 

During an interview with the NHL Network on Friday, Perron said that he felt the Senators weren't a perfect fit for him.

"I’m not sure the fit was ever all that perfect for me on this team (Ottawa), but at the same time, they provided me with a great chance to come in and do my thing," Perron said on Friday. 

However, following his first practice back in Detroit on Saturday, Perron clarified that while the situation wasn’t the right fit, he still enjoyed his experience in Ottawa.

“I don't want it to sound the way it came off, just different things that went on, you just kind of feel it," Perron said. "I really enjoyed my time there, and I enjoyed the group of guys there. I think they have a good thing going.

Sometimes that's just how it goes, but there's no negative (aspect) about it," he continued. "I went there and worked as hard as I could every day and tried to put my best foot forward, but sometimes things just don't click there the right way. It didn't always feel there, but getting to know their core group there... it was fun to play there.”

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Perron scored twice for the Senators during their opening-round playoff series last spring against the Toronto Maple Leafs, helping spark a brief comeback by winning two straight games after Toronto had taken a three-games-to-none series lead.

Although the Senators ultimately fell to the Maple Leafs in six games, Perron said he is looking forward to the challenge of helping bring playoff hockey back to Detroit.

“I think this team and this city, it's what we push for," he said. "At the end of the day, that's what you want to play for: those meaningful games and a playoff-type atmosphere, it's where you really grow as a player." 

"It probably took me four or five runs before I started feeling comfortable, truly in a playoff atmosphere," he continued. "You have to help everyone around you as much as you can, and help them take steps. It's what it's all about."

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Rhode Island women beat George Mason 53-51 for first Atlantic 10 Championship title

GLEN ALLEN, Va. (AP) — Brooklyn Gray scored 16 points and Rhode Island beat George Mason 53-51 on Sunday for the Rams' first Atlantic 10 Championship Tournament title.

Top-seeded Rhode Island (28-4) will make just its second trip to the NCAA Tournament and the first since 1996. No. 2 seed George Mason (23-9) won the tournament last season.

Rhode Island led by as many as seven points in the fourth quarter, but Jada Brown hit a 3-pointer with 15.4 seconds left to pull George Mason to 51-48.

Gray added a pair of free throws with 8.9 seconds left before Mary Amoateng hit a 3 at the buzzer.

Gray made two 3-pointers and shot 8 of 8 from the free-throw line. She made six free throws and scored eight in the fourth quarter.

Rhode Island used a 15-9 third quarter to take a 39-34 lead into the fourth. Kennedy Harris hit a 3 to pull George Mason to 42-39, but the teams then went scoreless for nearly a four-minute stretch before layups from Gray and Sophia Vital stretched the Rhode Island lead to 46-39 with 1:06 left.

Albina Syla grabbed 10 rebounds to go with nine points for the Rams.

Harris scored 15 points to lead George Mason. Amoateng finished with 13 points and Zahirah Walton added 10.

The Rams made it to the final in 1984, 2003, and 2024. There hasn't been back-to-back champions in the A-10 tourney since George Washington in 2015-16.

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Tarik Skubal rethinks World Baseball Classic plan after an emotional US start

HOUSTON (AP) — Tarik Skubal is thinking about pitching again for the United States in the World Baseball Classic after the Detroit Tigers ace had previously planned to make just one start.

His mindset changed after he started for the U.S. in a 9-1 win over Britain on Saturday night.

“I didn’t expect these types of emotions to run through my brain or my thoughts to differ,” Skubal told reporters. “I was pretty committed to making a start and getting back to camp. Things have changed, obviously. That’s why I’m going to have some conversations and try to figure out a plan for me. But yeah, I don’t know either way.”

Skubal, who has won the last two AL Cy Young Awards, said he was talking to his agent, Scott Boras, and the Tigers about the situation. But the left-hander, who can become a free agent after this season and is expected to command a huge contract next winter, added he was “not in the right headspace to make a decision right now.”

Last month, Skubal said he would make only one WBC start regardless of how far Team USA advances because he wanted to remain on a regular spring training regimen and ramp up for opening day mostly with the Tigers.

Detroit manager A.J. Hinch said Sunday in Florida that he talked with Skubal briefly on Saturday night.

“I don’t think anything’s been determined,” Hinch said, according to MLB.com. “I think he’s incredibly emotional about the experience. It’s a difficult time that weighs heavily on players because they want to do it all.”

Hinch said they planned to have more conversations about it soon.

“We agreed to talk again as things settled down a little bit and he got a good night’s sleep,” Hinch said. “He’ll wake up and get a good work day in today.”

Skubal added the situation has created “one of the tougher decisions I’ve made in my career so far.”

He also expressed appreciation for the U.S. team supporting whatever he chooses to do.

“They’ve been extremely supportive of everything,” Skubal said. “They totally get what’s going on with my situation — it’s unique. I’ve had these discussions with people, and most of it is, they’re extremely supportive of me being here in the first place. And I’ve got a ton of respect for that. But it’s just hard. When you get in these environments, and you get this team, it’s hard to walk away from that.”

Skubal gave up a home run to Nate Eaton on his first pitch Saturday night but allowed just one single after that while striking out five in three innings. The U.S. improved to 2-0 with the win and faces Mexico on Monday night with reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes on the mound.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

George Kirby has a new toy, and hitters should be scared

Feb 24, 2026; Peoria, Arizona, USA; Seattle Mariners pitcher George Kirby (68) looks in for the sign during the first inning against Chicago White Sox in Peoria, Arizona. Mandatory Credit: Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images | Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images

While the line from George Kirby’s start against Milwaukee won’t jump off the page, Kirby himself was delighted in it – and not just because of how he pitched, effortlessly mixing his pitches so much that Statcast couldn’t keep up (those splitters? Changeups, actually. And the fastball clocking in at 94? A cutter.).

But it’s not a new pitch that’s got Kirby smiling. Rather, it’s a small device clipped to his belt that allows him to call his own pitches.

“[Knizner] called a good game. I got this thing on my belt now, though, so I can kind of call pitches when I want to,” he grinned.

Once again, while Cal Raleigh is away at the WBC, his pitchers are taking some time to try something new out. For Kirby, though, it cuts deeper. Calling his own pitches is an idea that Kirby has toyed with before and dismissed, but came back to this off-season, talking it over with pitching coach Pete Woodworth. Kirby is obsessed with throwing his pitches with “conviction”, something he’s been honing in on since last year, and being able to have ownership at times over his pitch calling is something he feels will help him in that pursuit.

“It’s just a way for me to have more conviction in some of my pitches. Something that I really want to throw instead of shaking 20 times to get to the one, you press it and go from there.”

It’s not every pitch – Kirby said he only did it 8-10 times during his outing on Sunday and that he’s “still learning where the buttons are” – so it’s not like Kirby is putting his catchers out of a job. But it’s something that allows him to feel even more invested in his outings. He feels like it will encourage him to lock in even more and read hitters’ swings so he can be more attuned to which pitches are performing especially well on a certain day.

“I think it’s a way for me to settle in my game a little better. I feel like there’s always a pitch or two where like, oh, I wish I didn’t throw that. And that’s kind of the worst thing to do mentally. I feel like, when I’ve got this thing [said with a loving pat to the transmitter], if I have something in my head, I’m going to call it right there. I don’t want to play the mental game of, oh, I should have thrown the curveball there, or the slider there, or whatever it may be.”

For Kirby, who emphasizes the mental side of the game so much, it’s an exciting way to tap into the mind-body connection.

“I just think having it locks me in even more, and then I’m more in control and therefore more convicted and confident.”

That sounds very good for George Kirby – and very scary for the hitters who will face him this season.

Sixers All-Star Tyrese Maxey out at least 2 games with finger injury

Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey has been ruled out for at least the next two games with a right fifth finger strain, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. He will undergo further testing and "consultation on the next steps" before he makes a return.

The Sixers All-Star collided with Adem Bona while diving for a loose ball in the final seconds of their 125-116 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday, March 7. Maxey stayed down for a few moments longer as he grabbed at his right hand before getting up and heading to the locker room while wrapping his hand in the bottom of his jersey.

It's a tough blow for Maxey, who is averaging career-highs across the board with 29.0 points, 6.7 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game on 46% shooting. During a season in which the Sixers (34-29) have at times looked like bona fide contenders at their best, Maxey has been their most consistent presence.

But th 76ers have been marred by injuries and other issues all season.

Joel Embiid has missed the team's last four games with a right oblique strain and won't be re-evaluated until March 14, so he'll be out at least three more games. Paul George hasn't lived up to the max contract he signed with the 76ers in 2024 and is currently serving a 25-game suspension for violating the league's anti-drug policy. Even Rookie of the Year candidateVJ Edgecombe has been out the last three games with a lumbar contusion.

The injury bug comes at a crucial point in the season for Philadelphia as they're currently locked in a heated race for playoff positioning in the Eastern Conference. Entering Sunday, they sit half a game behind the Orlando Magic for the sixth seed, but also just a game and a half ahead of the ninth-seeded Hawks, who now own the tiebreaker after the March 7 contest.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tyrese Maxey injury update: 76ers star out 2 games with finger strain

Yankees Social Media Spotlight: The WBC Begins

Mar 6, 2026; Houston, TX, United States; United States right fielder Aaron Judge (99) celebrates with designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12) after hitting a home run during the first inning against Brazil at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

It’s Sunday once more, and you know what that means — it’s time for our weekly social media roundup! We finally got some real, meaningful baseball this week, as the 2026 World Baseball Classic is finally underway. A whopping 13 Yankees have suited up for this year’s tourney, led of course by Yankees and Team USA Captain Aaron Judge. Regardless of whether they’re with their national teams or stuck in Tampa at the spring training complex, what have the Bombers been up to this week? Let’s find out!

World Baseball Classic

Our lead story is, of course, the World Baseball Classic. While a small army of Yankees are involved, one certainly stands above the rest — both literally and figuratively.

Welcome, Grichuk

New Yankee outfielder Randal Grichuk, signed recently to a minor league deal with the Yankees, posted on Instagram to mark his 13th season.

CC Fires Back

After the Yankees announced that CC Sabathia’s No. 52 will be retired this season, a certain old sportswriter who yells at clouds and writes for the New York Post penned a column criticizing the decision. Not one to take an insult lying down, Sabathia took to his social media accounts to say, “Ah damn Phil sorry you feel that way…see you 9/26/26 😂😂😂😂.”

Aces for Jazz

On his last day off before the WBC, Jazz Chisholm Jr. decided to hit the green and play some golf…where he proceeded to hit a hole-in-one that was so impressive that the PGA Tour official Instagram posted about it. Apparently, nobody has done it on this particular hole in 25 years. Nice work, Jazz — but maybe save your impressive athletic feats for the diamond.

There’s Waldo!

Yankees fan favorite Oswaldo Cabrera made his spring debut on Friday night, the culmination of a long recovery from last spring’s broken ankle. Good to see you back in pinstripes, Cabrera!

More Media Day Photos

Both the Yankees and the players have been slowly posting photos from this year’s media day, so we have a few more this week.

Question of the Day

This week’s Question of the Day was one that the pitchers took very, very seriously: if the pitchers had a Home Run Derby, who would win? This isn’t as easy a question as it used to be, back when pitchers actually came to the plate on a frequent basis for NL teams and semi-regularly for AL squads, but that made their answers all the more interesting.

Rangers claim Blanco from Royals

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MAY 23: Dairon Blanco #44 of the Kansas City Royals poses for a photo during batting practice prior to the game between the Kansas City Royals and the Minnesota Twins at Target Field on Friday, May 23, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Matt Krohn/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

The Texas Rangers have claimed outfielder Dairon Blanco on waivers from the Kansas City Royals, the team announced today. To make room on the 40 man roster, the Rangers have placed pitcher Jordan Montgomery on the 60 day injured list.

Blanco is a righthanded hitting outfielder who turns 33 in April. Originally from Cuba, Blanco played in the Cuban National Series until defecting in 2016. Blanco signed with Oakland, and was traded to the Kansas City Royals at the 2019 trade deadline in a deal that sent Jake Diekman to the A’s.

Blanco made his major league debut in 2022, and spent most of 2023 and 2024 in the majors before getting just 8 plate appearances in the bigs in 2025, with the bulk of his time spent at AAA. Blanco is very fast but not a real good defender, with the bulk of his playing time coming in left field in the majors. Blanco has a career .257/.312/.416 slash line in 284 plate appearances, though with 59 steals in 73 attempts. he slashed .253/.332/.405 for Omaha in AAA last year.

Blanco has two options remaining per Fangraphs, so if he doesn’t lose his 40 man spot in the interim, the Rangers will be able to send him to the minors at the beginning of the season.

Montgomery going to the 60 day injured list was an inevitability, as he will miss the first couple of months of the season as he recovers from Tommy John surgery.

Ricky Castillo wins the Puerto Rico Open as 18-year-old Blades Brown falls back with one bad hole

RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico (AP) — Ricky Castillo made back-to-back birdies right after 18-year-old Blades Brown came undone with one bad hole, closing with a 5-under 67 to win the Puerto Rico Open for his first PGA Tour title.

Brown, trying to become the youngest PGA Tour winner in 95 years, had a one-shot lead with six holes to play when he went from a bunker to the water and made triple bogey.

Castillo, playing in the final group behind Brown, holed a 12-foot birdie putt on the 13th, and then hit a beautiful pitch over the mounds to 5 feet for birdie on the par-4 14th.

Castillo narrowly missed out — by 11 points in the FedEx Cup standings — on getting into the $20 million signature event at Bay Hill this week. He headed to Puerto Rico, played bogey-free in the final round at Grand Reserve and earned his way into his first major championship as a pro.

The victory gets him into the PGA Championship. He already was eligible for The Players Championship next week at the TPC Sawgrass.

“It's really cool to put into words to be able to win my first event,” Castillo said. “I felt like I wanted to be in Bay Hill and I decided to just come out here and play this and ended up winning, so it all works out in the end. Yeah, surreal week.”

He finished at 17-under 271, one shot ahead of Chandler Blanchet, who birdied the final hole for 67.

Brown, who turned pro last year and didn't graduate high school until January, birdied his last hole for a 69 to finish alone in third, his first top 10 on the PGA Tour.

But it was one hole — the 455-yard 13th — that did him in. It was similar to The American Express in January, when Brown played in the final group with Scottie Scheffler. He put a tee shot into the water on the fifth hole and made double bogey and was quickly out of reach of golf's best player.

This time, he drove into a fairway bunker and his approach to a green with water all the way down the right side drifted well to the right. He took his drop, then got too aggressive with a wedge and the ball trickled over the green. He chipped to 7 feet and missed the putt, taking triple bogey.

Brown had a one-shot lead going to the 13th and was four shots behind when he finished the 14th.

John Daly II, the 22-year-old son of two-time major champion John Daly, started three shots behind and shot 34 on the front nine. But he fell back quickly with five bogeys in seven holes to start the back nine and shot 74.

“I learned that you’ve got to put four rounds together and it’s not easy out here,” Daly said. “But very happy, not mad at all. Just a great day, great week.”

He heads back to Arkansas with eyes on trying to win an NCAA title.

Brown earned his spot in the Valspar Championship at Innisbrook with his first top 10. He already had a sponsor exemption into the event.

___

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Rangers claim OF Dairon Blanco off waivers from Royals, place Jordan Montgomery on 60-day IL

ARLINGTON, Texas — The Texas Rangers claimed outfielder Dairon Blanco off waivers from the Kansas City Royals on Sunday and placed left-hander Jordan Montgomery on the 60-day injured list to make room for the 32-year-old Cuban on the roster.

Blanco, who was designated for assignment by Kansas City last week, batted .257 with seven home runs and 34 RBIs in 171 career major league games over four seasons. He has stolen 59 bases in 73 tries, and his 64 appearances as a pinch-runner since 2022 is the most in the majors.

Blanco batted .253 and stole 32 bases in Triple-A Omaha last season.

The Rangers signed Montgomery to a one-year deal last month while he recovers from a second elbow reconstruction surgery. A member of the Rangers’ only World Series championship in 2023, the lefty went 4-2 with a 2.79 ERA in 11 regular-season games for the Rangers after he was acquired at the trade deadline.

He won two games in the AL Championship Series, including the Game 7 clincher at Houston. He then left in free agency and signed with the Diamondbacks, going 8-7 with a 6.23 ERA in 2024 before missing all of last season.

Over eight big league seasons with the New York Yankees, St. Louis, Texas and Arizona, Montgomery is 46-41 with a 4.03 ERA in 166 games.

Troy Murray, former Blackhawks player and broadcaster, dies at 63

Chicago Blackhawks v Minnesota Wild - 2016 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series Alumni Game

Minneapolis, MN - FEBRUARY 20: Troy Murray #19 of the Chicago Blackhawks waits for play to resume against the Minnesota North Stars/Wild during the Coors Light NHL Stadium Series Alumni game on February 20, 2016 at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images)

NHLI via Getty Images

CHICAGO (AP) — Troy Murray, who played 12 seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks and transitioned into becoming the team’s long-time broadcasting analyst, has died. He was 63.

The Blackhawks announced on Saturday that Murray died earlier in the day, without specifying where.

Nicknamed “Muzz,” Murray revealed in August 2021 he had been diagnosed with cancer and undergoing chemotherapy treatments. He did not specify the type of cancer he had or provide any other details about his condition. Murray continued working on Blackhawks broadcasts, though at a diminished workload, before stepping away entirely this season.

Blackhawks chairman and CEO Danny Wirtz said the organization was “deeply heartbroken.”

“Troy was the epitome of a Blackhawk so far beyond his incredible playing career, with his presence felt in every corner of our organization over the last 45 years,” Wirtz said.

“During his long and hard battle with cancer, it was often said that Troy didn’t have any ‘give up’ in him,” Wirtz added. “While our front office won’t be the same without him, we will carry that spirit forward every day in his honor. We’ll miss you, Troy.”

Murray was best known as one of the Blackhawks most respected leaders during a 15-year NHL career that ended with him winning a Stanley Cup in his lone season with the Colorado Avalanche in 1996.

After spending the following season with the International Hockey League Chicago Wolves, Murray stayed in the city to begin his broadcasting career in 1998. Murray also became president of the Blackhawks alumni association.

“Troy Murray is remembered for not only his contributions on the ice, but for his professionalism and humility and dedication to the city of Chicago,” the team said in a release. “He leaves behind a lasting legacy within the Blackhawks family and the broader hockey world.”

Selected by Chicago in the third round of the 1980 draft, the center broke in with the Blackhawks by playing one game as a 19-year-old during the 1981-82 season.

From Calgary, Alberta, Murray topped 20 goals five times, including a career-best 45 goals and 99 points in 1985-86, while also known for his defensive play. That same season, he became the Blackhawks’ first player to win the NHL’s Frank J. Selke Trophy as the league’s top defensive forward.

Murray finished with 197 goals and 488 points in 688 games over two stints with the Blackhawks, and also played for Winnipeg, where he served as the Jets captain, Ottawa and Pittsburgh. Overall, he had 230 goals and 584 points in 915 career games.

Murray played collegiately at North Dakota, and earned WCHA rookie of the year honors as a freshman in 1981, and the following year helped the school win its fourth NCAA championship. In 1982, he also was captain of the Canada’s world junior championships gold medal-winning team.

Funeral arrangements have not been announced.

Huerter scores 19, Andersen 18 to lead No. 25 Fairfield women to 65-48 win and into MAAC title game

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — Jillian Huerter scored 19 points and Meghan Andersen added 18 points and nine rebounds as No. 25 Fairfield advanced to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference final with a 65-48 win over Merrimack on Sunday.

The second-seeded Stags (27-4) will take on top-seeded Quinnipiac in Monday's championship game. Quinnipiac was a 63-62 overtime winner over fourth-seeded Iona on Sunday.

Huerter was 7-of-13 shooting, including 5 of 8 from the arc. Andersen missed all eight of her 3-point tries but was 7 of 9 otherwise. Janelle Brown added 10 points as the trio came through with conference player of the year Kaety L’Amoreaux (18.6 ppg) held to no points on just three shots in 26 minutes.

Se'Lah Reddick scored 17 points and Paloma Garcia 10 for the Warriors (19-12).

Fairfield led the entire second half but was only up by two in the third quarter before finishing the period on a 7-2 run. Brown's four-point play to open the fourth quarter made it a double-digit lead where it would stay.

Huerter hit a pair of 3-pointers in the final minute of the first quarter for a 14-10 lead. Merrimack came back to tie the game early in the second period, but Huerter hit her second 3 of the quarter to restore the advantage and the Stags led 28-24 at halftime.

Up next

Fairfield advances to its 14th MAAC title game. The Stags defeated fellow finalist Quinnipiac 84-65 in December.

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Report: RHP Zack Littell agrees to one-year contract with Washington Nationals

Zack Littell has a new home after agreeing to a one-year contract with the Washington Nationals, according to a person familiar with the deal.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement was pending a physical.

The contract for the veteran right-hander includes a mutual option for the 2027 season.

The 30-year-old Littell played for Tampa Bay and Cincinnati last year, going 10-8 with a 3.81 ERA. He was traded from the Rays to the Reds on July 30.

Littell set career highs with 32 starts and 186 2/3 innings in 2025. He also pitched his first career complete game in the Rays’ 16-3 victory at Houston on May 31.

Washington is rebuilding under Paul Toboni, who was hired as the team’s president of baseball operations after the Nationals went 66-96 last year. The organization hasn’t posted a winning season since it won the 2019 World Series.

Littell slots into a rotation that also includes Cade Cavalli and Miles Mikolas, who agreed to a one-year, $2.25 million contract last month. MacKenzie Gore was traded to Texas in January for five prospects.

Littell, an 11th-round pick in the 2013 amateur draft, made his big league debut with Minnesota in 2018. He is 34-29 with a 3.88 ERA in 155 relief appearances and 79 starts, also playing for San Francisco and Boston.

He did it again. Jeremy Fears Jr. kicks another opponent in the groin

Jeremy Fears Jr. did it again.

This season, the Michigan State star guard has been at the center of a number of plays that border the line of dirty.

Early in Sunday's game against Michigan, Fears once again lifted his leg after a foul call and kicked Michigan's Elliot Cadeau in the groin.

"We'd like a basketball game to break out at some point," Michigan's Dusty May told CBS' Tracy Wolfson during a first-half timeout.

After the officials reviewed the play, Fears was assessed a dead-ball technical foul.

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo did not hold back with his opinions of Fears' technical foul when asked about it by Wolfson during the CBS broadcast.

"It's all because of what happened earlier and now the microscope's on him. And I don't like that," Izzo said.

Some other notable examples of similar plays include him kicking Minnesota’s Langston Reynolds in the groin, for which he received a technical foul for in a 76-73 loss, and being called out by Michigan coach Dusty May for "dangerous" plays in the first meeting between the two Big Ten rivals.

"I go out every game and I play hard. I don't intentionally try to hurt anyone,” Fears said after Michigan State's game at Minnesota back in February, according to the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network. "I go out and play every game like it's my last, because at one point it was my last. So I don't take a game for granted. I don't take a moment for granted. So I'm going to go out there and play as hard as I can every possession, every game.

"Like at one point, I had basketball taken away from me, so something I love to do, I couldn't do it for a whole year. So most people wouldn't understand that. And that's on them, I guess. At the end of the day, it doesn’t change who I am or what I do. I'm just go out there and play 150(%) no matter what."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MSU guard Jeremy Fears Jr kicks Michigan's Eliot Cadeau in groin