After Nelson injured his left knee in the SEC tournament, Alabama couldn't afford to rest him on Friday.
McNeese State’s win, Kansas’ loss lead MM stories
Dan Patrick recaps day one of the NCAA men's tournament, including McNeese State's upset victory over Clemson, Kansas' loss to Arkansas and the upcoming Rick Pitino vs. John Calipari coaching matchup.
"Friday Knight hiLights": William Karlsson's Long-Awaited Reunion With Reilly Smith Met With Victory For Golden Knights
LAS VEGAS -- Golden Knights center William Karlsson skated down the right side of the ice and without hesitation, with defenders around, fired a ridiculous backhanded pass to hard-charging Reilly Smith as he approached the net.
It was the type of play that reminiscent of what Golden Knights fans were used to seeing during the team's first six years of existence. If only Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman wasn't there to stonewall Smith, a raucous crowd of 18,225 would have lost it to see two of their favorite original misfits connect for a goal after skating together for the first time since Smith's return.
After the Knights won the Stanley Cup in 2023, Smith was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Last offseason he was traded to the New York Rangers.
Smith was reacquired by the Golden Knights earlier this month, just before the deadline, and Karlsson returned to the lineup for Thursday night's 5-1 win over the Bruins.
"Yeah, one thing I did well there on that shift, especially that pass to Reilly," said Karlsson, who had an assist and played 20 shifts for a total of 15:57 on the ice. "I had a lot of speed on my boots. Too bad it wasn't meant to be."
Vegas goal!
— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) March 21, 2025
Scored by Brett Howden with 14:13 remaining in the 3rd period.
Assisted by William Karlsson.
Vegas: 3
Boston: 0#BOSvsVGK#VegasBorn#NHLBruinspic.twitter.com/d9FVuEB5ea
Karlsson said he'd like to work on his sharpness, but was otherwise pleased with his speed and ability to see the ice and play in all facets of the game.
"Pretty good, pretty good," Karlsson said. "Good to be back out there with the fellas and the body felt pretty good, so can't complain. I think I adjusted pretty quick. I didn't feel like it was super fast out there, and it felt like it usually is."
Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy agreed.
"I figured his pace would be there," Cassidy said. "That's why he missed time, to correct some of that. And I think he's feeling really good, his body and his legs and that part of it. It's the rust of playing with people around you. It's hard to get that, especially this time of year, we're not practicing that much. So I liked his game a lot, thought he did some good things ... grabbing pucks down low in our end, playing good defense and being in the right spot. I think he made a couple plays to Smitty, good on the kill, power play."
One area Cassidy said Karlsson will benefit over the others is the excitement of wanting to be back on the ice, while others may be feeling normal end-of-the-season fatigue.
"(He) does have a little bit of catching up to do, but you know, sometimes that's not a bad thing," Cassidy added. "He's excited to play, where other guys have played a lot and ... it's the mental grind. He doesn't at least have to go through that. It's the excitement of being back in the lineup. So you know, there's always a positive to it."
AROUND THE BEAT
From The Hockey News' Julian Gaudio: Golden Knights' Pavel Dorofeyev Records A Hat Trick As He Hits The 30-Goal Mark
From Sin Bin Vegas' Ken Boehlke: Karlsson’s Return Offers First Look At Post-Deadline Healthy Forward Lines
From The Athletic's Jesse Granger: Alex Ovechkin 7 goals from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record after scoring vs. Flyers
From Las Vegas Review-Journal's Danny Webster: Golden Knights’ consistent star continues chase for 100-point season
From Las Vegas Sun's Jack Williams: Golden Knights always believed in Dorofeyev's offensive potential
FORMER KNIGHTS
Logan Thompson appears to have regained his winning touch for the Capitals, after a brief lull. Thompson is 5-0-0 since March 3, with a 2.36 goals-against average and .907 save percentage. The undefeated streak follows a 2-2-2 showing from Feb. 1 through March 1.
Jonathan Marchessault goes into the final several weeks of the season looking for a spark, as he's got just one goal and three assists over his last 13 games for the Predators. The Golden Knights visit Nashville on March 29.
Erik Haula had a goal for the Devils in Thursday's 5-3 home loss to the Flames. It was just his seventh goal of the season. Haula had 16 goals last season, and 14 the year before, his first in New Jersey.
Draymond reveals KAT's blunt trash talk during heated matchup
Draymond reveals KAT's blunt trash talk during heated matchup originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Typically Draymond Green is the one delivering trash talk on the court, but the Warriors star revealed Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns provided plenty of commentary during their matchup last weekend.
The fued between Green and Towns took center stage during Golden State’s gritty 97-94 win, but the Knicks star made sure that the four-time NBA champion wasn’t the only one chirping.
On a recent episode of “The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis,” Green revealed what Towns told him during their intense matchup.
“I think this was a big moment for Towns in my opinion, and I’m going to go more into why I think it was a big moment, but I’m going to tell you what he said,” Green explained. “He said I called him, ‘soft.’ I said he’s soft. He said, ‘You a hoe.’ I said, ‘oh.’ He said, ‘hoe, hoe, hoe.’ I said get him out of here, go sit him down. Go sit him on the bench, ‘Hey [Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau], get him out of here. He said, ‘You a hoe!’ “
Green explained that he believes Towns is an exceptional talent but could benefit from the kind of motivation the Warriors star’s trash talk appeares to provide.
“So listen, I’m loving that … If Karl-Anthony Towns is my teammate, that’s what I’m looking to get out of him every single night.,” Green said. “I need you on this type of time, and here’s why. I need to get that from him because there’s guys like Karl-Anthony Towns that are that talented that sometimes they need somebody to put the battery pack in their back. And Karl-Anthony Towns in my opinion is one of those guys. Because he’s got the size, he’s strong as hell and he obviously has the skill.
So, if I can get you to play with that level of physicality more often than not, We’re going to win way more games than we lose and I’m going to get you to be a better player than you knew or thought you were. So he would 100 percent be better off if he always played that physical, and by the way, if he played that physical all the time he’d be a lot more respected around the NBA than he is.”
Towns finished with a game-high 29 points and 12 rebounds in the loss, giving the Warriors all they could handle right down to the final minute of the hard-fought game.
Green shared that if Towns plays with that chip on his shoulder in every game, it will provide an incredibly difficult challenge for the opponents tasked with slowing him down.
If KAT comes out and plays with the type of dog that he played with against me the other night, man good luck guarding Karl-Anthony Towns. The way he shoot the ball like a guard and he got that type of dog, you’re not stopping him.
While the Warriors wont see the Knicks again during the 2024-25 NBA regular season, there is a chance Golden State and New York could meet in the Finals, which would provide the ultimate stage for a Green-Towns showdown that would be sure to deliver fireworks.
Sent to Coventry: how Bach’s power helped Zimbabwean’s shock IOC win
Poll result defied candidates’ calculations and illustrated outgoing president’s influence but change may yet come
It might sound beyond ridiculous, given the scale of Kirsty Coventry’s seismic victory in the International Olympic Committee presidential election. But as the various royals, sporting dignitaries, politicians and billionaires left the Costa Navarino resort on Friday, some really believed the result could have turned out very differently.
Yes, the 41-year-old Zimbabwean ex-swimmer had won in the first round with 49 votes to become the first woman to lead the IOC. And yes, Juan Antonio Samaranch and Sebastian Coe, the other members of the “Big Three”, had come away with just 28 and eight votes respectively. But in the postmortem there were several stories about how the IOC machine had powered Thomas Bach’s chosen successor over the line.
Continue reading...March Madness: Baylor survives Mississippi State rally, late game-tying 3-point attempt to advance to 2nd round
Mississippi State had a look at a game-tying 3-point attempt that missed the mark with four seconds remaining.
March Madness 2025: How to watch the Ole Miss vs. North Carolina NCAA tournament game today
It's North Carolina vs. Ole Miss in the NCAA Tournament First Round — we've got the channel, streaming info and tip-off time.
Dominic Smith opting out of contract with Yankees
Veteran 1B/OF Dominic Smith is opting out of his contract with the Yankees and will become a free agent, according to multiple reports.
SNY MLB Insider Andy Martino reported earlier Friday that if the Yankees did not add Smith to the 40-man roster by the end of the day, he would have 24 hours to opt out of the deal.
Smith, 29, has had a solid spring training with New York, hitting .297 with three home runs and 12 RBI over 37 at-bats. He was a non-roster invitee.
“He came in and has done everything he has needed to do," manager Aaron Boone told the media including MLB.com's Bryan Hoch on Friday. "Clearly, he’s a big league player. He’s been great in the room. He’s performed. I feel like he’s in really good shape. So we’ll see what happens.”
The Yankees still have 24 hours to add Smith to the roster, but with so many left-handed bats expected to break camp, there may not be room for the veteran.
Smith played 93 games in the big leagues during the 2024 season, spending most of his time with the Boston Red Sox (84 games) before joining the Cincinnati Reds (nine games). Smith owned a .233/.313/.378 slash line in 2024 with six home runs, 22 doubles, and 34 RBI.
Smith was drafted with the No. 11 pick in the 2013 MLB Draft out of high school by the Mets and spent the first six seasons of his career in Queens from 2017 through 2022, hitting 46 homers over 446 games. He then played 153 games for the Washington Nationals in 2023.
With Smith opting out, it appears that former top prospect INF Oswald Perazawill make the Opening Day roster as he had no options left.
3 Takeaways: Golden Knights Opens 3-Game Homestand With 5-1 Win Over Boston Bruins
LAS VEGAS - The Golden Knights returned home from what turned into a disappointing road trip and was fueled by Pavel Dorofeyev's three-goal game to defeat the Boston Bruins, 5-1.
Brett Howden and Ivan Barbashev added goals for Vegas, while goaltender Adin Hill made 18 saves.
The Pacific Division-leading Golden Knights moved three points in front of the Edmonton Oilers, who lost in overtime to the Winnipeg Jets earlier in the night.
Hill was on the brink of his fifth shutout this season until Morgan Geekie scored for Boston with 2:11 left in the game.
Here are three takeaways from the game:
WILD BILL IS BACK: After missing two months with a lower-body injury, center William Karlsson returned to the lineup and was reunited with fellow original misfit Reilly Smith. It was the first time they've skated together since Smith was reacquired just before the deadline.
"I think I adjusted pretty quick," said Karlsson, who had an assist and played 20 shifts for a total of 15:57 on the ice. "I didn't feel like it was super fast out there, and it felt like it usually is."
DOROFEYEV'S HATTIE: Dorofeyev's hat trick was his second this season, as he also had one in a 5-3 loss at Nashville on Jan. 14. The 24-year-old, who was drafted 79th overall by the Knights in 2019, leads the team with 30 goals. He now has six goals in the team's last five games.
"We always knew that he had the goal-scoring in him," Karlsson said. "I think he's just playing a solid 200-foot game, and then he adds all his scoring on top of that. And just mature, mature guy. He's grown a lot this year."
INJURY UPDATE: Late in the second period Jack Eichel stood tall to block a shot, but immediately limped to the bench and down the tunnel. Eichel would later return to the bench and played in the third period, but he was seen in the locker room after the game limping badly. Asked if he was okay, Eichel promptly replied: "Yep!" The team is off Friday, will hold a morning skate on Saturday and then plays back-to-back games against the Detroit Red Wings and Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday. Eichel will be someone to watch, in the event he may need to sit one of the two games, if not both.
The Hockey News Big Show: Which NHL Team Could Pull Off A Cinderella Run?
Welcome to The Hockey News Big Show, where we explore some of the biggest NHL and hockey topics
Which NHL Team Could Pull Off A Cinderella Run? by The Big ShowundefinedHere’s what Katie Gaus, Ryan Kennedy and Michael Traikos discussed in this episode:
0:54: Michael revisits his top eight Stanley Cup contenders list from last week and explains his new Nos. 5 to 8 teams this week.
2:59: Ryan also goes over the changes in his list from last week.
6:14: Ryan has the Washington Capitals in his top four, while Michael has them in his bottom four. What's the argument for both of your reasoning?
10:51: Who should be the starting goalie for Game 1 of the playoffs for the Toronto Maple Leafs?
14:58: How does the addition of a healthy Evander Kane and Trent Frederic change the complexion of this Oilers team in the playoffs?
18:03: How does Miro Heiskanen potentially missing the first round affect your opinion on the Dallas Stars beating the Colorado Avalanche?
21:20: The New York Islanders are 6-3-1 in their last 10 games and are very much in the mix again for the second wild-card spot. Do we buy them as a real threat to earn that spot?
23:54: Who is your front-runner for the Calder Trophy race?
26:35: The Top 10 Hobey Baker nominees were recently released. Who are your picks for the top three finalists for the NCAA’s men’s hockey player of the year?
31:09: March Madness is officially underway. Which NHL team would be the best "Cinderella story" to shock the world and make a run, even if they don’t win the Cup?
33:05: Gary Bettman said the playoff format is not changing. Are you GLAD because you like the current format or SAD because you want the 1 vs. 8 format?
35:19: The New York Rangers released their Centennial logo for next season, and people online aren't super impressed. Yay or nay to the logo?
37:17: Josh Morrissey becomes the top scorer among defensemen in Jets 2.0 history, passing Dustin Byfuglien. Has he been a better blueliner for Winnipeg than Byfuglien?
39:23: Alex Ovechkin is now seven goals away from breaking Gretzky's 894 all-time goals record with 13 games left. Will it take him all 13 games, or will he do it with games to spare?
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Stephen Curry suffered pelvic contusion from fall, no structural damage, he is out Saturday vs. Hawks
Stephen Curry suffered a pelvic contusion, but an MRI showed no structural damage from a nasty fall Thursday night against the Raptors, the Golden State Warriors announced Friday. Curry is not traveling with the team to Atlanta for a game against the Hawks on Saturday, and he will be re-evaluated on Monday.
Stephen Curry, who exited last night’s game against the Raptors with 3:24 remaining in the third quarter after falling to the floor, underwent an MRI last night.
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) March 21, 2025
The MRI indicated that Curry suffered a pelvic contusion, but no structural damage. He will not travel with the team… pic.twitter.com/BdPYFwkhPH
The Warriors are on the road for their next six games and after Atlanta will face Miami on Tuesday — it's difficult to imagine Curry being cleared Monday and making a cross-country flight to play Tuesday — then the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday.
The injury occurred in the third quarter against Toronto when Curry drove the lane and was hit as he made a pass from under the basket, causing the All-NBA guard to land flat on his back.
The Warriors can't afford to be without Curry for long. Golden State sits sixth in the West — currently avoiding the play-in — but two hot teams in the Timberwolves and Clippers are tied just 1.5 games back with a dozen games to play.
Curry is averaging 24.2 points and 6 assists a game this season — up to 28.1 points and a game for the 18 games prior to Thursday. On the season, the Warriors are outscoring opponents by 1 point per 100 possessions (almost even) when Curry is on the court, and if he misses time it will put more pressure on Jimmy Butler and Jonathan Kuminga (just back from injury himself) to carry the offensive load.
Jayson Tatum reacts to Bill Chisholm purchasing Celtics
Jayson Tatum reacts to Bill Chisholm purchasing Celtics originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum is optimistic about the franchise’s future under new majority owner Bill Chisholm.
Chisholm, a Massachusetts native and Dartmouth College graduate, purchased a majority stake in the team at a $6.1-billion valuation. The lifelong Celtics fan is the managing director and co-founder of private equity firm Symphony Technology Group.
On Friday, Tatum explained why he believes Chisholm could be the right fit for the organization.
“I mean, just everything you all heard,” Tatum said. “Grew up around the area, big Boston fan, is proud of what we’ve accomplished and understands what the Celtics mean to the city and to the NBA. Wanted to be a part of that and help take it forward any way he can.”
Tatum and fellow Celtics star Jaylen Brown weren’t caught off guard by the ownership change. Longtime team owner Wyc Grousbeck kept them informed throughout the sale process and assured them it would be a smooth transition.
When asked how much he had thought about the team sale during the season, Tatum responded, “Not much. I talked to Wyc a few times. He’s still going to be around, and he kept me updated, saying whoever takes over will be great for the organization. I told Wyc I trust him, and I have no doubt things will continue to run smoothly.”
Grousbeck revealed after the sale that Chisholm asked him to stay on as CEO and governor for the next three seasons, and he is “glad to do so.”
Chisholm takes over a Celtics team with its sights set on its second consecutive NBA championship. Boston entered Friday with a 50-19 record that puts it on track for the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Watch NBC Sports Boston’s exclusive interview with Chisholm and Grousbeck below or on YouTube:
Capitals are 1st NHL team to clinch a playoff spot this season after being last to get in last year
WASHINGTON — Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals became the first NHL team to clinch a playoff spot this season, doing so after winning in their 69th game and getting the help they needed elsewhere around the league.
They are the only team since the playoffs expanded to 16 teams in 1979-80 to be the first to clinch after being the last to get in the previous season.
“Our goal was to make the playoffs this year,” Ovechkin said after scoring his 888th career goal to help beat Philadelphia 3-2. “It’s hard. Every game, it’s hard, especially at the end because every team is fighting. That’s why in the beginning of the year and the middle of the year it’s very important to (be) collecting the points and feel comfortable at the end. Last year it took us 82 games to clinch it and since 20 games left last year, it was playoffs for us already. We take it and move on.”
Ovechkin, Tom Wilson, John Carlson and the core of the roster is still intact. Offseason acquisitions of center Pierre-Luc Dubois, wingers Andrew Mangiapane, Taylor Raddysh and Brandon Duhaime, defensemen Jakob Chychrun and Matt Roy and goaltender Logan Thompson all have worked as well as could be expected.
The Capitals are atop the NHL with 100 points, leading the Eastern Conference by 13 and cruising toward the playoffs.
“It’s been great,” Mangiapane said. “Obviously I think we have a really deep team: All four lines are great hockey players, the D pairings, all of them all make plays and our two goalies in net have been awesome. It’s a really deep team, and that’s why I think we’ve been consistent throughout the whole year. Any given day any player could step up and make great plays to help us win games.”
Mets signing outfielder Billy McKinney to minor league deal: report
The Mets are making a depth signing, adding outfielder Billy McKinney on a minor league deal, reports Will Sammon of The Athletic.
McKinney, 30, had some success with the Mets in 2021, posting a .776 OPS and 109 OPS+ in 39 games, but it's been mostly a struggle for him since.
Over the last three seasons during stints with the Athletics, Yankees, and Pirates, McKinney has slashed just .190/.276/.327 in 232 plate appearances over 81 big league games.
McKinney, who figures to report to Triple-A Syracuse, will give the Mets another option who would likely only be turned to in the majors if the team suffered multiple injuries in the outfield.
Marlins pitcher Ryan Weathers sidelined with forearm strain
JUPITER, Fla. — Miami Marlins pitcher Ryan Weathers will begin the season on the injured list with a left forearm strain, another setback for the team’s starting rotation.
Weathers reported discomfort after his most recent outing in spring training, and won’t throw for at least a week or two. He is expected to miss four to six weeks, the Miami Herald and MLB.com reported.
New manager Clayton McCullough said Weathers has a mild flexor strain but his ulnar collateral ligament is intact, according to a report.
Weathers went 5-6 with a 3.63 ERA in 16 starts for Miami last season. The 25-year-old left-hander was projected as the club’s No. 2 starter this year behind 2022 NL Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara, who is returning to the mound after missing 2024 while recovering from Tommy John surgery.
Another starter, Marlins right-hander Edward Cabrera, also will begin the season on the injured list because of a blister on his right middle finger.
Weathers has allowed one earned run and three hits over 11 1/3 innings in four starts this spring, striking out 11 and walking eight. He pitched four solid innings against the New York Mets.
Weathers, the son of former major league pitcher David Weathers, was selected seventh overall by San Diego in the 2018 amateur draft and is 10-21 with a 5.08 ERA in four big league seasons with the Padres and Marlins.
The rebuilding Marlins are also expected to be minus outfielder Jesus Sanchez for at least the first couple weeks of the season after he strained his left oblique during spring training.