Nottingham Forest visit Brighton while Preston can see Wembley within reach as they host Aston Villa
FA Cup (statistics from all competitions)
Continue reading...Nottingham Forest visit Brighton while Preston can see Wembley within reach as they host Aston Villa
FA Cup (statistics from all competitions)
Continue reading...The Utah Hockey Club has announced that they have recalled goalie Matt Villalta from the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners. In a corresponding move, they have sent down Jaxson Stauber to the Roadrunners.
Villalta, 25, has played in 41 games for Tucson, posting a record of 17-21-3. Along with that record, he has a .906 save percentage (SV%) and a 3.01 goals-against average (GAA).
He will now join the Utah Hockey Club and back up Karel Vejmelka, potentially even appearing in an NHL game. Although that wouldn’t be his first NHL game, it would be his first with Utah.
As for Stauber, the 25-year-old has had a bit of a rough go in the NHL this season. After getting off to an early start, he has struggled. In six games played, he has a record of 2-1-1 along with a .892 SV% and a 3.26 GAA. Unfortunately, he will report to the AHL but could be called up again before the end of the season.
With Connor Ingram out of the lineup due to personal reasons, the backup goalie position for Utah has a glaring hole. Vejmelka has been good this season but is likely a bit fatigued and needs a game or two off. Unfortunately, with no true backup goalie and Utah still mathematically in a playoff spot, it makes it hard for the coaching staff to not point to Vejmelka as the starter.
Week 22 is "Championship Week" for Yahoo! public leagues and leagues that use the default settings. And with most of the NBA's teams playing four games, there won't be a lack of options amongst teams competing for playoff seeding or looking to improve their draft lottery odds. Here are some low-rostered players (below 50 percent in Yahoo! leagues) who should be on your radar heading into Week 22.
Priority Adds
1. Justin Edwards
2. Toumani Camara
3. Kyle Filipowski
4. Scotty Pippen Jr.
5. Guerschon Yabusele
6. Matas Buzelis
7. Gary Trent Jr.
8. Davion Mitchell
9. Keldon Johnson
10. Anthony Black
SG/SF/PF Toumani Camara (49%), Portland Trail Blazers
Camara remains rostered in less than 50 percent of Yahoo! leagues. Even though the Trail Blazers have fallen off the pace in the race for the final play-in spot, the second-year wing may be safe from a late-season shutdown. Camara has been among the best defenders in the NBA this season and has made strides offensively. Since the All-Star break, he has averaged 13.6 points per game on 47.8 percent shooting from the field, one reason why Camara has been a top-50 player in nine-cat formats. Portland plays four games during Week 22, with two against teams that will also be in the draft lottery (Toronto and San Antonio).
PG/SG Scotty Pippen Jr. (37%), Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies have been without Ja Morant since March 14, with the starting point guard missing six games with a hamstring injury. While Luke Kennard was the replacement in the starting lineup for the first three contests, Pippen took over that role in the last three and has provided top-10 value in eight-cat formats over the past week. If Morant is available for the beginning of Week 22, there won't be a need to roster Pippen in most leagues. However, with Memphis beginning the week with a Monday/Tuesday back-to-back, there's the opportunity to get at least one start out of Pippen for injury management reasons.
SF Justin Edwards (36%), Philadelphia 76ers
The 76ers' intentions are well-known by now, as the front office looks to strengthen its chances of holding onto its top-6 protected first-round pick. Due to those ambitions and injuries to key players, Edwards has played plenty, averaging 30.2 minutes per game since the All-Star break. And over the past two weeks, the rookie small forward has offered fifth-round value in eight-cat formats. Philadelphia only plays three games during Week 22, but Edwards's status as a fixture in the starting lineup makes him worth the risk.
SG/SF/PF Keldon Johnson (37%), San Antonio Spurs
Over the past two weeks, Johnson has been a top 100 player in nine-cat formats while sitting just outside that threshold in eight-cat. He's hit double figures in three of his last four games, including a 17-point, 10-rebound effort in a March 27 loss to the Cavaliers. As long as Johnson averages 25 minutes per game, his fantasy value should hold steady. The Spurs play four games during Week 22, starting with the Magic on Tuesday as part of a back-to-back (at Denver on Wednesday).
PF/C Kyle Filipowski (29%), Utah Jazz
While the Jazz announced on March 14 that John Collins (ankle) will be re-evaluated in two weeks, there's little reason to believe he will take on a full workload again this season. And the same can probably be said about Lauri Markkanen, who has missed Utah's last five games. Filipowski, who has started the previous three, may not provide much defensive value, but the rookie can be helpful for managers seeking points, rebounds and three-pointers. However, the rookie did finish Utah's March 27 loss to the Rockets with 16 points, seven rebounds, four assists, two steals, two blocks and one three-pointer in 33 minutes. His fantasy ceiling will be raised if Filipowski can approach 30 minutes per game during Utah's four-game Week 22.
PF/C Guerschon Yabusele (29%), Philadelphia 76ers
Yabusele may only be a 10th-round player in nine-cat formats over the past two weeks, but he's still logging just over 29 minutes per game on a team down multiple frontcourt contributors. Maybe there will come a point when the 76ers decide to prioritize rookie Adem Bona, but we aren't there yet. Yabusele offers a safe floor and has reached double figures in six straight games, providing eighth-round value in eight- and nine-cat formats. Bona (nine percent rostered) has been more productive in the steals and blocks categories, which has boosted his value in recent weeks.
PG/SG/SF Gary Trent Jr. (27%), Milwaukee Bucks
Damian Lillard is out indefinitely due to a deep vein thrombosis in his calf, and Trent may be the Bucks player best equipped to pick up the slack. Over the past two weeks, he has provided sixth-round value in nine-cat formats, averaging 14.9 points, 1.3 steals and 3.4 three-pointers per game. Trent does not offer much value in the other fantasy-relevant categories. Still, he remains the superior choice to Ryan Rollins or Kevin Porter Jr. Milwaukee, which is fighting for positioning in the Eastern Conference standings, plays four games during Week 22.
SF/PF Matas Buzelis (16%), Chicago Bulls
While Buzelis's playing time has decreased recently, the schedule works in his favor for Week 22. The Bulls will play four games, including a Monday/Tuesday back-to-back, which makes the rookie worth the risk in deeper leagues. Buzelis has offered 11th-round value over the past two weeks, including a 31-point effort in Chicago's March 22 blowout of the Lakers.
PG/SG Anthony Black (14%), Orlando Magic
The Magic have been without Cole Anthony (toe) for the last five games, resulting in Cory Joseph (zero percent) entering the starting lineup. However, Black has been the superior fantasy option, averaging 25.3 minutes per game to Joseph's 22.6 over the past two weeks. However, Orlando does not have the best Week 22 schedule, as it begins with a Monday/Tuesday back-to-back and ends with a third game on Thursday. However, that may work in Black's favor, especially for managers who conserve their transactions and can drop him after Thuesday's action.
PG/SG Davion Mitchell (13%), Miami Heat
Mitchell may not rank among the best point guards regarding fantasy value, but the playing time has been there in Miami. Over the past two weeks, "Off Night" has logged 32.4 minutes per game while ranking just outside the top 100 in eight-cat formats. Mitchell has shot 52.3 percent from the field during this stretch, nearly six percentage points higher than his mark for the season (46.7). Since arriving in Miami, he has shot 51.6 percent from the field and 48.4 percent from three, averaging 1.4 three-pointers per game. Add in the assists and steals, and there's value to be had, especially with the Heat playing four games during Week 22.
C Tristan Vukcevic (13%), Washington Wizards
Alexandre Sarr is firmly entrenched as the Wizards' starting center and has been a much-improved player since the All-Star break. However, deep-league managers needing a center should not overlook Vukcevic, who has provided 10th-round value in eight-cat formats over the past two weeks. During this run, he's averaged 12.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.1 blocks and 1.4 three-pointers per game while shooting 50.8 percent from the field and 76.5 percent from the foul line. And with Washington having four games on its Week 22 schedule, that's even more reason to roll the dice on Vukcevic.
SF/PF Julian Champagnie (8%), San Antonio Spurs
Champagnie has been a slightly better option in nine-cat formats than eight-cat, but he's worth a look across the board with the Spurs playing four games during Week 22. He's hit double figures in two of his last three games, including a 20-point effort and a complete stat line in a March 23 win over the Raptors. Champagnie doesn't need starters' minutes to offer value, and San Antonio's upcoming schedule makes him worth the risk in deep leagues.
Things haven’t quite gone as planned for the Rangers this season, but they still somehow find themselves square in the mix for a playoff spot.
The Eastern Conference Wild Card race is truly a toss-up as things stand right now, and if New York were to heat back up down the stretch, they just might be able to scratch their way into a third straight postseason berth.
Here’s how things shape up with 10 games to play…
While the race for the top spot appeared to be very close not too long ago, Ottawa has created some separation of late -- they now lead by seven points after taking home victories in seven of their last 10 games.
The Senators sit closer to the struggling New Jersey Devils for third place in the Metropolitan Division (three points) than any team behind them is to catching them for that top Eastern Conference Wild Card spot.
They picked up a huge regulation win over the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday night.
Montreal is looking to get back to the playoffs for the first time since losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Stanley Cup Final during the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season. They enter Friday occupying the second Wild Card spot.
Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis has his young and hungry club playing some great hockey this season, but they’ve fallen off a bit of late, dropping four in a row and seven of their last 10 games.
One of the most resilient clubs this year is looking to hold onto a slim one-point advantage.
Even after selling off some of their key pieces ahead of the trade deadline, the Islanders have found their way back into the Wild Card mix.
New York sits just one point behind Montreal for that final playoff spot, but they’ve also been struggling of late. They're entering the weekend on a three-gane losing skid with losses in six of their last 10 games.
The Islanders play mainly playoff contenders down the stretch, starting with a meeting with the high-scoring Lightning on Saturday afternoon.
The Rangers have been receiving tremendous goaltending from Igor Shesterkin of late, but they haven’t been able to find the back of the net consistency enough, and it’s led to some tough luck losses.
That’s been the case for this club all season long.
They finish up a West Coast road trip by taking on the Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks over the next two days -- before closing out the season with seven of their eight games against playoff contenders.
Columbus held that top spot just a couple of weeks ago, but then they hit one of their toughest stretch of the season, and went on a brutal six-game losing streak.
They were finally able to snap that with a massive shootout win over the Islanders on the road on Monday night, but they still remain two points out with three teams to jump and just 12 games to play.
That last part is a big key -- they have two games at hand on the Rangers and one on the rest of the field -- they also play the Senators twice and then finish the season against the Islanders on April 17.
Detroit squandered a huge opportunity to make up some ground on Thursday, as they were defeated by the Senators 4-3, handing them their 11th regulation loss in their last 14 games.
They now have 10 games left and four teams to jump for the second WC spot.
It was better than the year before, but it wasn't actually good.
That was NBA Commissioner Adam Silver's assessment of this year's new All-Star format of a mini-tournament of four teams, which echoes the conventional wisdom coming out of the weekend in San Francisco. Add in some extended breaks during the broadcast — including during the championship game of the new tournament — and it didn't work, which is why that format will be one-and-done.
"I thought this was a little better, but it was a miss," Silver said Thursday during a press conference announcing the NBA’s working toward a European league. "We're not there in terms of creating an All-Star experience that we can be proud of and that our players can be proud of."
What would work? The NBA is thinking about an international competition.
Next year, NBC takes over the broadcast of the All-Star Game, set for Feb. 15, 2026, which happens to fall right in the middle of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, which will run Feb. 6 to 22. That sets up nicely for an international-themed competition, something the NHL had great success with this year, running a Four Nations Face-Off in place of its All-Star festivities.
"We're going to fall right in the middle of the Winter Olympics, that they will be both the lead-in into the All-Star Game and the lead-out will be out on the West Coast..." Silver said, noting the Clippers will host the game in Inglewood/Los Angeles. "Which, given the Olympic competition, sort of is creating new thoughts around how we can bring national competition to bear. Of course, we took note of the great success the NHL had with their national team competition as their All-Star festivities...
"People have floated USA-World. I'm not sure that makes sense with the level of development, if that's fair to lump all the other countries together these days. Maybe that we can single out, there are some different national teams that can compete."
One of the knocks of the USA vs. World format was the depth of the international All-Star roster. While it would have some of the league's biggest names at the top — Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Victor Wembanyama, Luka Doncic — the back-end of a 12-man roster might not have the All-Star level of talent that the USA would have. This means that some international players would get to be All-Stars over their more deserving American counterparts, something Silver and the NBA seem acutely aware of.
However, what the NBA (and now NBC) most want out of the All-Star experience is player buy-in and real competition — games played with pride. A USA vs. World format might deliver that.
"I would love that. Oh, I would love that," Antetokounmpo said during this year's All-Star weekend. "I think that would be the most interesting and most exciting format. I would love that. For sure, I'd take pride in that. I always compete, but I think that will give me a little bit more extra juice to compete."
"I would love to. My opinion is that it's more purposeful," Wembanyama added. "There's more pride in it. More stakes."
Whatever format it ultimately takes, expect an international-themed All-Star Game in 2026.
And no more of the four-team tournament. Fortunately.
Its Friday, March 28 and the Pittsburgh Pirates (0-1) are in South Beach to take on the Miami Marlins (1-0) in Game 2 of this series.
Mitch Keller is slated to take the mound for Pittsburgh against Connor Gillispie for Miami.
The Marlins scored two in the eighth and one in the ninth to rally and defeat the Bucs on Thursday, 5-4. Paul Skenes threw 5.1 innings for Pittsburgh giving up two runs on three hits and with a 2-1 lead, but the Pirates' bullpen could not close it out. Sandy Alcantara made his first start in over a year and gave up two runs in 4.2 innings for Miami.
Lets dive into tonight's matchup and find a sweat or two.
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Steph officially active for critical Warriors-Pelicans matchup originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Steph Curry is back.
After missing the Warriors’ last two games with a pelvic contusion, Curry officially is active for Golden State’s matchup with the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night at Smoothie Center, the team announced.
Steph is active for tonight’s game at New Orleans. pic.twitter.com/BEnrNvSbxI
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) March 28, 2025
Curry exited the Warriors’ 117-114 win over the Toronto Raptors last week after taking a hard fall on his backside in the third quarter.
An MRI the following day revealed Curry didn’t suffer any structural damage, which was good news considering the nature of the fall that forced the superstar point guard to exit Golden State’s win over Toronto.
The Warriors missed Curry dearly over their last two games, lopsided road losses to the Atlanta Hawks and Miami Heat that dropped Golden State out of the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference playoff picture.
Now the Warriors can take the court in New Orleans with added confidence knowing the two-time MVP will be available to help snap their two-game skid.
By no means was goaltending the reason the Detroit Red Wings lost 4–3 to the Ottawa Senators Thursday night, but it certainly didn't help. Starter Alex Lyon conceded on two of the the first three shots he faced. When asked whether the defense in front of Lyon or Lyon's own struggles were the cause of the early deficit, a visibly frustrated Todd McLellan said only, "Both. Both."
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For the month of March, Detroit's team save percentage is just .867, while the Red Wings have conceded 3.46 goals a game. That's not an easy recipe with which to win games, and, well, Detroit has won many: just three wins from 13 games and all 10 losses in regulation. However, despite the Red Wings' struggles in net, it does not appear the team has any appetite for giving top goaltending prospect Sebastian Cossa (a 2021 first round draft pick) a look in the NHL crease. Not yet anyway.
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The first indicator that Detroit might be feeling something less than optimistic about Cossa's (immediate) future came in the form of the trade deadline acquisition of Petr Mrazek from Chicago. That the Red Wings would bring in goaltending help for the stretch run needn't indicate doubt over Cossa's future, but the fact that Mrazek is signed through the 2025-26 season starts to evoke that uncertainty. In explaining the move, general manager Steve Yzerman said that in acquiring Mrazek, he was solidifying his '25-26 tandem: Mrazek and Cam Talbot. Sure, Cossa could play his way into that rotation, but the unsubtle suggestion was that Cossa didn't factor into Yzerman's plans in net for the coming season.
Cossa was an emergency call-up for the final game of Detroit's recent road trip, but when it ended and Talbot returned to health, Cossa went right back to Grand Rapids. In explaining that process after Thursday morning's skate, McLellan suggested Cossa wouldn't get an NHL look to close out the season unless injury necessitated it, saying, "The emergency conditions will see to exist once Cam [gets healthy], so the simple answer to that question is no, unless we get into an emergency situation again," said McLellan, when asked whether there was a chance to see Cossa start for Detroit down the stretch. "That's just the way it goes now with roster moves."
None of this should be taken to mean that Cossa's NHL career is doomed before it even really begins. However, as the Red Wings limp toward the end of the regular season, the organization's actions and words have made clear that it doesn't perceive Cossa as a solution to its struggles in net. Not yet anyway.
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Montreal Canadiens’ prospect Ivan Demidov and his KHL team, SKA St. Petersburg, were kicking off their chase for the Gagarin Cup yesterday, and to say it was a disappointing start would be an understatement.
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As reported, Demidov started the game as SKA’s thirteenth forward, and while Roman Roterberg had said he would play, he rode the pine for the entirety of the first frame. After 20 minutes, SKA was losing 2-1 to Dynamo Moscow.
The right winger then saw 3:30 of action in the second frame and a further 4:16 in the final one, including a two-minute shift at six on five when St. Petersburg was desperate to find a goal, losing 3-1. It was too little too late, however, and the score remained the same.
Demidov ended his work night with 7:46 ice time, two shots on goal, two hits, and a blocked shot. Will Rotenberg decide to change the lineup after that less-than-ideal result? We’ll see when the two teams face off again on Saturday.
Two former Canadiens are skating for the Dynamo in that series. One is Jordan Weal, who spent three seasons in the Habs’ organization, registering 25 points in 65 games in the NHL and 24 in 34 games with the Laval Rocket in the AHL. The center got a pair of helpers in the 3-1 win, while the other, Cedric Paquette, also grabbed an assist.
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The Pittsburgh Penguins announced on Friday morning that their 2024 second-round pick, Harrison Brunicke, would be assigned to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
The 18-year-old right-handed defenseman finished his third season with the Kamloops Blazers, who did not qualify for the playoffs with a 24-39-4-1 record and finished 10th in the WHL Western Conference.
Despite the team's place in the standings, Brunicke wrapped up his third WHL season by finishing sixth in team scoring with a career-high 30 points thanks to five goals and 25 assists.
Although Brunicke has never played in the AHL, he played some NHL pre-season games this year. Meanwhile, the WBS Penguins are one of the top teams in the AHL, giving the rookie defender a chance to play competitive hockey leading up to the Calder Cup playoffs.
In a recent episode of the Yahoo Fantasy Forecast, Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports discussed the potential impact of the Dallas Cowboys drafting Arizona Wildcats WR Tetairoa McMillan. As he explained, the Cowboys struggled last season to utilize fantasy football star CeeDee Lamb effectively due to a lack of a true X receiver. With Lamb forced to spend nearly half of his snaps on the outside, his role as a slot receiver — a position where he truly excels — was diminished.
McMillan, with his impressive build and skill set, is well-suited to take on the X receiver role. Standing at 6'4", he offers the size and presence needed on the outside, allowing Lamb to return to the slot. This shift not only plays to Lamb's strengths but also adds a new dimension to the Cowboys' offense. As Trapasso noted, McMillan's ability to win in contested catch situations and his proficiency in the intermediate passing game make him a perfect fit.
What's more, Lamb's versatility means he can still take snaps at the X position, adding an element of unpredictability to the offensive scheme. The synergy between Lamb and McMillan could create nightmares for opposing defenses, forcing them to account for multiple threats across the field.
This strategic draft decision goes beyond optimizing personnel — it's about unleashing an explosive potential that lies within the Cowboys' offense. Pairing Lamb's dynamic playmaking ability with McMillan’s strong, consistent presence on the outside could indeed make for a formidable duo.
[It's not too late — join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Baseball league for the 2025 MLB season]
For a Cowboys team looking to bolster its arsenal and contend in a competitive league, drafting Tetairoa McMillan could be the key to unlocking new levels of offensive success and truly unleashing the potential of CeeDee Lamb.
Incorporating TMAC into the Cowboys’ roster could turn an already potent offense into one of the most feared in the NFL — something fans are eager to see.