DALLAS, TEXAS - MARCH 13: Brandon Williams #10 of the Dallas Mavericks is defended by Nae'qwan Tomlin #35 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first half at American Airlines Center on March 13, 2026 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the GettyImages License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks got shelled on Friday night, losing their first home game since March 1st, 138-105. But if you want to know more about what happened from a sequential point of view, click this recap here. Otherwise, scroll on down and see the numbers by which the Dallas Mavericks died.
61.5%: Cleveland’s field goal and free throw %
Oh brother, Dallas, are you going to stop anyone? The Cavs went nuts both inside and outside the arc, which has me wondering what the defensive point of emphasis was in this game. The Mavericks aren’t a great defensive team but they aren’t this bad either. The Cavs shooting nearly 50% from outside the arc was obnoxious to watch and what I thought was the main reason Dallas lost this game.
At least until I got to the next stat.
72: Points surrendered in the paint by Dallas
At some point these last 10 games, the Mavericks have gone from being a team that scores in the paint and rules there, to being a team that invites their opponent to score there instead. The Cavs shot 75% inside the paint! Just no paint or rim protection to speak of anymore for this team. Since these two teams play again Sunday, we have to hope they find some pride otherwise that game is going to be a beatdown as well!
4: Dallas Mavericks steals
I mainly want to talk about this stat so I can tell you the Cavs had 12 in comparison. Live ball turnovers killed the Mavericks tonight and the sloppy defense from Dallas didn’t force any. It’s hard to say what kind of defense Dallas is running lately because it sucks, but you can see this by the other datapoints I mentioned. Dallas needs better on ball defense, better help coverage, and way better three point defense.
GOODYEAR, ARIZONA - MARCH 7: Michael King #34 of the San Diego Padres gets set to throw a pitch during a Spring Training game against the Cleveland Guardians at Goodyear Ballpark on March 7, 2026 in Goodyear, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Michael King and the San Diego Padres were cruising through the first three innings of their Cactus League matchup against the Athletics at Hohokam Stadium in Mesa, Ariz. on Friday, but then the fourth inning happened. King, who had not allowed a hit through three innings, allowed five runs and was replaced on the mound by Fernando Sanchez after allowing a single to Shea Langaliers. Sanchez allowed a home run to the first batter he faced, which allowed Langaliers to score and King was charged with six runs in the inning. The Padres entered the inning with a 6-0 lead, but when the bottom of the fourth was complete the Athletics held a 7-6 lead. King came back out for the bottom of the fifth inning and allowed a double before striking out Henry Bolte for the first out of the inning, ending his day. King’s final line was four innings with six runs allowed on seven hits with one walk and five strikeouts. He also hit a batter. The most surprising stat of the day from King was that he allowed three home runs and they were back-to-back-to-back. San Diego came back to beat the Athletics thanks to a five-run eighth inning and secured a 13-9 win in a back-and-forth battle. The Padres head to Surprise, Ariz. to take on the Texas Rangers at Surprise Stadium today at 1:05 p.m.
Padres News:
Xander Bogaerts has returned to the Peoria Sports Complex and rejoined the Padres after his time with Team Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic. Bogaerts told Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune that he feels good and hopes to be good for San Diego all season.
Four potential buyers of the Padres visited the Spring Training complex this week according to Acee. The identities of the potential buyers have not been confirmed, but the report from Acee states the team could sell for more than $3 billion and the sale could take place before April. The Athletic is reporting the final bids are expected in April, but also reported there are four groups still in the running to purchase the franchise.
Triston McKenzie has improved his velocity, but his control has been an issue this spring. He did enough Friday to help the Padres get past the Athletics, but he is a long shot to secure the fifth spot in the rotation with the club out of camp. Jackson Wolf is pushing to join the San Diego bullpen and could take advantage of the loss of Bryan Hoeing, who is having season-ending elbow surgery.
The US and Dominican Republic teams won their quarterfinal games against Canada and Korea respectively and will face each other in the semi-finals with the winner advancing to play for the WBC title. Paul Skenes will return for the US to face the D.R. in the decisive game.
Puerto Rico and Italy and Japan and Venezuela play their quarterfinal matchups today and the winners will faceoff to determine who will play the winner of US and D.R.
Police have captured a man who they say killed two people on Friday night about a mile from TPC Sawgrass. The incident led the Players Championship to delay opening the gates to the public for the third round by a couple of hours.
The St Johns County sheriff, Rob Hardwick, said the suspect, whom he identified as Christian Barrios, shot two people multiple times about 10:30pm on Friday in the parking lot of Walgreens in a domestic violence situation. The store is located about a mile away from the course.
Washington Capitals defenseman Jakob Chychrun is having the best offensive season of his career, already setting a new high in points with plenty of games to go.
He's feasted on lesser defensive teams all season, and my Bruins vs. Capitals predictions expect that to be the case again this afternoon.
Let’s break down my NHL picks for Saturday, March 14.
Bruins vs Capitals prediction
Bruins vs Capitals best bet: Jakob Chychrun Over 0.5 points (-135)
Jakob Chychrun has hit the scoresheet in 19 of 26 games (73%) against Bottom 12 teams in points allowed to defensemen, including both matchups with the Boston Bruins.
His numbers are even better on home soil, with points in 12 of 14 such matchups — averaging a remarkable 1.4 points per game.
The 27-year-old also stands to benefit from John Carlson's departure. He's served as the clear No. 1 offensive defenseman without Carlson, generating shots at a higher clip while picking up points in eight of 12 games.
Chychrun has registered a point in five of six home dates without the Washington Capitals legend.
Bruins vs Capitals same-game parlay
Connor McMichael has averaged 2.6 shots on goal per game and generated at least two shots in 14 of 17 home dates against Bottom 16 shot-suppression teams. He recorded three shots on eight attempts when facing the Boston Bruins on home soil back in October.
Charlie McAvoy is averaging 2.2 blocks on the road while recording at least two in 65% of his games. The Capitals are Top 10 in shot attempts per game at home, so there should be plenty of opportunities to jump in front of pucks.
Jakob Chychrun has points in eight of his last 10 home dates. Find more NHL betting trends for Bruins vs. Capitals.
How to watch Bruins vs Capitals
Location
Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C.
Date
Saturday, March 14, 2026
Puck drop
3:00 p.m. ET
TV
ABC
Bruins vs Capitals latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Calgary Flames will try to build rare momentum Saturday night when they close out their season series with the New York Islanders in Elmont, N.Y.
Calgary arrives on Long Island riding a surge of confidence after a high-scoring 5-4 win over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday, a game that showcased the resilience the Flames have tried to rediscover during a difficult season. The victory came midway through an Eastern Conference road swing and offered a glimpse of the aggressive, competitive identity Calgary hopes to carry through the final stretch of the schedule.
Veteran center Mikael Backlund delivered a milestone moment in the win, scoring the eventual game-winning goal early in the third period while collecting the 600th point of his NHL career. For a Flames team that has spent much of the season battling adversity, the milestone was both a personal achievement and a symbolic spark.
"We want to play the right way every game and come out and play Flames style," Calgary center Mikael Backlund told reporters. "That's competing hard playing the right way. That's our main focus every night."
Even with the victory, the Flames remain buried near the bottom of the standings. Calgary entered the weekend with 59 points, 31st in the NHL and ahead of only the Vancouver Canucks. A disastrous opening stretch — 11 losses in their first 13 games (2-9-2) — left the club chasing the pack for most of the year.
Flames Searching For Rare Consistency
Now the math is daunting.
Calgary sits 10 points behind the Los Angeles Kings for the final Western Conference wild-card position, leaving the Flames with little margin for error as the regular season winds down. Consecutive victories have also been hard to come by — the Flames have managed back-to-back wins just twice since Jan. 1, posting an 8-14-3 record during that span.
Saturday offers an opportunity to change that narrative.
Islanders Feeling The Pressure
The Islanders, meanwhile, enter the matchup trying to shake off a frustrating loss and stabilize their own playoff positioning.
New York opened a weekend back-to-back against Pacific Division opponents Friday night and fell 3-2 to the Kings after digging themselves into an early hole. Los Angeles scored three times in the opening period before the Islanders mounted another late push.
Forward Emil Heineman fueled the comeback attempt with a pair of redirect goals across the final two periods, cutting the deficit to one early in the third. New York pressed hard down the stretch, outshooting the Kings 9-4 after Heineman’s second goal, but a last-second chance from rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer was blocked by veteran blueliner Joel Edmundson with just two seconds remaining.
The defeat halted what had been a strong stretch for the Islanders since the Olympic break. New York had won five of its previous seven games and rallied from multi-goal deficits in four of those victories.
Still, constantly playing catch-up has begun to take a toll.
"It wears on you having to come back all the time," Islanders center Bo Horvat, who had the secondary assist on both of Heineman's goals. "We have to find ways to get leads and hold leads. Going down the stretch here like that's tough -- not only physically but mentally to keep having to come back in games like that."
Despite the loss, the Islanders remain firmly in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race. New York entered the weekend tied with the Pittsburgh Penguins with 79 points — two ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final guaranteed Metropolitan Division playoff spots.
They also sit level with the Detroit Red Wings for the conference’s top wild-card position and just one point ahead of the Boston Bruins.
For Calgary, the stakes are simpler.
The Flames are playing for pride, identity, and perhaps a foundation for next season — and another victory Saturday would mark one of their most consistent stretches in months.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - OCTOBER 28: Joe Mazzulla of the Boston Celtics argues with referee JB DeRosa #22 during the second half at the TD Garden on October 28, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The NBA, whether they wish to admit it or not, has an officiating problem. The problem is deep, it’s structural, and the NBA is either oblivious to it, or worse, they consider it to be a feature instead of a bug.
It’s a problem that Jaylen Brown has been highlighting for quite some time now, and it’s worth a deeper dive.
To start with, officiating in the NBA is incredibly difficult. This is a fast-paced game with a lot of close contact, all of which has to be judged as incidental or illegal in, literally, a split second of time.
There are fouls that are blindingly obvious, ones which we can see from a thousand miles away through bird’s eye views of the court on our television screens, and then there are fouls that literally occur in only a few tenths of a second, real time, and officials have to identify those fouls without the benefit of slow-motion replay.
That this is a difficult task that is done well by many officials is a positive reflection on those officials who approach their job with a professional disposition and a deep-seated desire to get things right.
Unfortunately for them, it’s probably harder to get things right in the NBA than in any other major professional sport here in the states.
The fastest paced game among the top four professional leagues has the fewest number of officials, both in absolute terms and as a ratio to participating players.
I believe this is directly, although not entirely, responsible for the plague of flopping. Players learn at a very early age that they need to exaggerate the effect of contact to catch the attention of officials who are trying to monitor the actions of multiple players. From there it’s a short step to outright faking contact. Mind you, the NBA does have a flopping penalty, but they’ve apparently put it in a box out in the garage and have forgotten about it. Jaylen Brown called it foul baiting after Thurdsay’s game against the Thunder during a postgame press conference that might net him another $35,000 hit to his wallet.
Lack of an extra official, I believe, is also responsible for wildly inconsistent treatment of off-ball fouls like illegal screens. Performing an illegal screen becomes very much about making sure that you’re in an official’s blind spot before you step into a defender or move sideways to keep him out of the way. In Thursday night’s game against the Thunder, there were a pair of illegal screens called that were done out in wide open space and were so obviously illegal that it was impossible for them not to be called, unless you happen to watch the game more closely and see screens like that being set in traffic all the time. An extra official means more eyes on the court, and closer attention to off-ball action.
Then there’s the star system.
Rasheed Wallace tells a story about an NBA official who approached him after a game and asked him for autographs for his kids.
In CONCACAF, the federation that administers soccer in the Americas, requesting autographs is a violation of policy and will land you a suspension. Think about that… As corrupt as CONCACAF has been, they still recognize that officials seeking autographs is a problem.
But here you have an official requesting autographs for his kids, who showed up to a Lakers game wearing Kobe jerseys.
Of course, nobody is saying that officials’ kids can’t have favorite teams and favorite players, but it’s a really bad look when you bring your kids to the game wearing jerseys for one of the teams that’s playing in it—or at least it’s a bad look when you subsequently take those kids out to meet the players.
NBA officials have a job to do out there on the court, and in order to do it fairly, they need to avoid giving even the appearance of being star-struck.
Yes, great players are great, in part, because they are harder to stop by legal means, and this undoubtedly leads to more fouls being called on their defenders, but this should only happen when these are calls that would be made regardless of who’s holding the ball.
This is another thing that Jaylen Brown has an issue with, and it’s hard to argue with him.
There is a double standard in what my dad called ‘ticky-tack’ fouls, and I think that it’s reflective of a measure of unprofessionalism within the NBA officiating body as a whole.
Essentially, I think that star players tend to draw more attention from officials than non-star players.
I don’t think it’s intentional. These guys are stars. When they touch the ball, the whole dang arena pays attention.
Officials, unless trained otherwise, can hardly be immune to the electricity that comes onto the court when a special player starts to do special things. They can hardly avoid being caught up in the moment—unless they’re trained to focus on the job at hand. And I don’t think they are adequately prepared for that responsibility.
Finally, you’ve got the NBA’s ‘celebrity’ refs. Guys whose reputation precedes them, and who are, if we’re being honest with ourselves, a definite problem because they deviate from accepted officiating standards.
The best officials are the officials that are invisible. You should never have cause to remember the name of a game official. They should be competent, professional, and anonymous.
But that’s not how the NBA does it. In the NBA, you have guys who are known to call things tight, who are known to ‘let players play’ and so on and so forth. Refs are known to have feuds with certain players and coaches, and the NBA is apparently fine with all of this.
They’re also fine with star system officiating and inconsistent application of rules.
How do we know this?
Because every minute of every game is subject to review by the NBA’s officiating staff, and officials are graded based on their performance. Do your job well and you’ll get playoff assignments and maybe even a chance to appear on the big stage—yet the playoffs are often filled with celebrity refs and questionable officiating.
The only possible conclusion is that the NBA is fine with a game that is understaffed by officials who are evidently star-struck at times. They’re fine with celebrity refs who are know for their deviations from standard officiating practices, and they’re fine with inconsistent rule enforcement.
Much as I admire Jaylen Brown for being willing to take it on the chin—or in the wallet—and consistently make noise about bad officiating, I’m afraid he’s going to be waiting a long time for real change to occur.
And he might want to choose better methods for expressing his disappointment in the officiating during games.
But he’s right. There is a problem with officiating in the NBA.
Didier Fuentes announced his presence with authority yesterday. It’s only Spring Training, but a 5/0 K/BB ratio will get you noticed. Watch this 98.7 MPH fastball yesterday.
Didier Fuentes struck out two in a perfect first. He ended the frame by getting Bellinger to swing through this 98.7 mph heater pic.twitter.com/hKeQa4C8oR
Now pair that with this sweeper. Didier definitely showed off the goods yesterday against the Yankees road lineup. It’s definitely enough to get him involved in the Braves’ rotation conversation. But he’s not the only prospect knocking on the door. JR Ritchie has also looked good this spring.
Imagine Atlanta Braves producing Rookie of the Year winners Back-to-Back and securing draft compensation picks for two consecutive season! 😳
Ritchie offers a fastball, sinker, sweeper, curveball, changeup, and cutter. He’s not tinkering; He’s administering, as JR appears to get results with all of them.
So who gets the most 2026 innings: JR Ritchie or Didier Fuentes? If I had to guess, JR Ritchie has a path to the Opening Day rotation, and failing that might debut in Atlanta before Fuentes returns. They’l send Didier Fuentes to AAA save a nighmare scenario. He has less than 50 innings in the upper minors. I’m not sure the Braves can quit Bryce Elder to start the year. Martin Perez is hanging around as well. But you know the prospects will get their chance. If I had to lean one way or another, I’d say JR Ritchie. Though after watching yesterday, Didier Fuentes make become undeniable.
ATLANTA, GA - JULY 13: Major League Baseball Robert D. Manfred announces Michael Oliveto as the thirty-fourth overall pick by the Detroit Tigers during the 2025 MLB Draft presented by Nike at Coca-Cola Roxy on Sunday, July 13, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Drafting prep position players with their top picks has been the core of the Detroit Tigers’ draft strategy since Scott Harris took over the club from Al Avila. It’s gone very, very well. Despite fears about the longer timelines involved, Kevin McGonigle, Max Clark, and Bryce Rainer are all ranked in the top half of national top 100 prospect lists already, with McGonigle set to debut as soon as Opening Day. That’s a pretty spectacular win rate through two drafts, and this year we’ll see the debut of first round prep shortstop Jordan Yost, and prep catcher Michael Oliveto, their top two picks in the front office’s third draft class last summer. Perhaps in a year’s time the Tigers will have hit big on another pair of prep prospects at the top of the draft.
Oliveto was the Tigers selection in the competitive balance pick A round between the first and second rounds last summer. Selected 34th overall out of Hauppauge HS on New York’s Long Island, the Tigers paid him $2,447,500, about $400K underslot, to pry him from his commitment to Yale. As is the case with all catchers, especially if you ask them, Oliveto is a bright young man who posted a 1460 SAT score with the outstanding grades you’d expect.
The recently turned 19-year-old didn’t necessarily get the notice that a top young prep hitter would garner coming from baseball hotbeds in the south and out west, but he was comfortably the top prep hitter in the northeast. Between his junior and senior seasons, Oliveto broke into national consciousness in a big way with his monster performance in the Perfect Game WWBA World Championship in Jupiter, Florida where he mashed a pair of home runs and three other extra base hits in just 13 at-bats. While there are questions about his ability to stick as a catcher, this was one of the most exciting prep bats in the whole draft class.
Oliveto is a left-handed hitter, standing 6’3” and weighing in at 185 pounds on draft day. There is plenty of projection for him to get stronger, and a good chance that he develops plus power as he gets stronger. He has the athleticism to project as an outfielder as well as a catcher, but that athleticism gives him a good chance to develop into a top shelf backstop as well. The main defensive question is whether his current average arm strength will improve over time, and whether his bat may outpace his defense to a degree where the Tigers decide moving him to an easier position is the better option to get his bat into the lineup.
Those decisions are still years away, but the Tigers coach catchers very well in the minor leagues. Oliveto was the top prep hitter in his region as a catcher, while posting perfect grades and getting into Yale, so we can at least say that the intelligence, motivation, and overall work ethic are in place for Oliveto to develop his talent as far as it will take him. Whether his arm strength will tick up to make him more viable as a starting major league catcher is a question that won’t be answered for a few years.
The key selling point is Oliveto’s advanced plate discipline, eye for the zone, and power potential. He’s got the relaxed, confident approach you want to see in the batter’s box, and a smooth powerful left-handed stroke with present pull power. Whether he’ll develop the pitch recognition and batspeed to handle MLB caliber pitching can only be answered much further down the road. There’s always some skepticism for players in the northeast and Midwest who don’t face elite high school pitching that often, but Oliveto has shown everything you could ask against the competition he did face. You’ll recall some similar questions about Kevin McGonigle as a Philly area prep star, and we can only hope it goes that well.
The Tigers have already brought Oliveto over to major league camp for two games to get him a plate appearance or two in front of the bigger crowds. He’s put the ball in play twice. The fact that the Tigers figured he deserved those appearances as a treat bodes well for how he’s looked on the backfields this spring. A few clips from reporters on hand have shown him hitting some tanks in BP, but he’s already shown average raw power and a little more at times despite his youth, so no surprise there. We haven’t seen Jordan Yost in Grapefruit League action yet, for whatever that’s worth, but both are scheduled to be on the squad for next week’s Spring Breakout game, when the Tigers’ prospects will take on baseball’s top prospect, Konnor Griffin, and the Pirates’ farm on March 20th. Expect both to get at least one at-bat, as Bryce Rainer did last year in making his public pro debut.
My sense is that Oliveto is advanced enough at the plate that the Tigers will send him to play for the Single-A Lakeland Flying Tigers right away in April. If they’re comfortable with his catching enough to work behind the plate at that level, there isn’t much point to him spending a lot of time in Complex League ball. Long-term, Oliveto runs well enough to play corner outfield, and if his bat develops quickly, playing him there and at first base may be the move. For now, a good season at the plate with the Flying Tigers will end any lingering concerns about him facing weaker high school level pitching than prep hitters elsewhere in the country. That alone would send him up national rankings pretty quickly, especially if his work since draft day and throughout this season shows him refining his catching game.
Mar 7, 2026; Jupiter, Florida, USA; New York Mets pitcher Kodai Senga (34) walks off the mound in the second inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
Meet the Mets
The Mets played two last night, with the away squad defeating the Nationals 8-3 and the home team falling to the Marlins 1-0.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MARCH 04: Dyson Daniels #5 of the Atlanta Hawks defends Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks during the second quarter at Fiserv Forum on March 04, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Milwaukee Bucks front up today against the Atlanta Hawks in what will likely be their final chance to beat a side right above them in the standings (and thus gain a full game on that opponent). Analysts like Zach Lowe have wondered whether Giannis will get shut down soon if they don’t stack wins over the next week or so. But let’s be honest: if they aren’t dead already, a loss today will all but ensure it. The series currently stands at one game apiece (with this game being the series decider).
Where We’re At
Well, the Bucks have lost seven of their last eight games, and the vibe around the team is… not great. Most recently, they’ve lost to the Magic, Suns, and Heat. Giannis’ return has not resulted in improved performance; they are 1-4 with him in the lineup. That said, it’s not like Doc isn’t trying things; he went to a Porter-Dieng-Kuzma-Antetokounmpo-Turner starting lineup against Miami. But ultimately, none of the changes have been all that fruitful.
The Hawks, on the other hand, are flying, winning eight straight (though most of those games have come against tanking and/or injured teams). But hey, all you can do is play who’s in front of you, and the Hawks own the NBA’s top net rating of 17.4 during that span (the second-highest is 13.5). In particular, they are leaning on defence, ranking at the top of the league in that time.
Injury Report
For the Bucks, Giannis (calf injury management) is questionable, though it seems likely that this designation is because they intend to play him in the second half of the back-to-back against Indy; I’m going to assume he plays today for the sake of this preview. Also questionable are Ousmane Dieng (illness) and Kevin Porter Jr. (knee).
For the Hawks, Jonathan Kuminga (knee) is out.
Player to Watch
Nickeil Alexander-Walker had 23 points on 9/14 shooting in the last game, including 5/9 from three. No longer is he the three-and-D player he once was; this is a primary option who can really go. The Bucks need to be ready.
How To Watch
FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin at 2:00 p.m. CDT.
DENVER, COLORADO - DECEMBER 19: Martin Necas #88 of the Colorado Avalanche fights for control of the puck against Jonathan Toews #19 of the Winnipeg Jets in the first period at Ball Arena on December 19, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Colorado Avalanche have been soaring to incredible heights all season.
Today, the highest-flying team in the NHL will fly into Canadian airspace at Canada Life Center against Connor Hellebuyck and the Winnipeg Jets to finish off their two game road swing.
Colorado Avalanche (44-11-9)
The Opponent: Winnipeg Jets (26-28-10)
Time: 2:00 P.M. MDT/4:00 P.M. EDT
Watch: ALT, ALT+ (Avalanche Local Broadcast Area), TSN3 (Winnipeg Local Broadcast Area), ESPN+, NHL Center Ice (Outside Regional Broadcast Areas – US), SN+, NHL Centre Ice (Canadian Broadcast Areas)
Listen: Altitude Sports Radio KKSE-FM 92.5 FM
Colorado Avalanche
The Avalanche come into today’s game fresh off a 5-1 victory over the reeling Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena on Tuesday night. The Avs would regain the services of Nathan MacKinnon, who returned to the lineup after being served a major penalty (courtesy of on-ice officials Kelly Sutherland and Brandon Schrader) and a corresponding game misconduct (which was rescinded by the NHL on Thursday) upon colliding with Edmonton Oilers goaltender Connor Ingram (courtesy of Edmonton defenseman Darnell Nurse) in the 4-3 loss on Tuesday night. If MacKinnon was harboring any resentment after the events of Tuesday night, he channeled all of it towards Seattle’s Joey Daccord and Philipp Grubauer, resulting in a four point effort (1G/3A/4PTS), which included the game-winning tally, in the win. Martin Nečas scored his 30th goal of the season for the first time in his career, and Nazem Kadri scored his first regular season goal in a Colorado sweater since April 29, 2022, en route to the victory. Scott Wedgewood stopped 28 of 29 shots for his 25th win of the season, extending his career high.
With this victory, the Avalanche maintained a five point lead over the Dallas Stars—who defeated Edmonton by a score of 7-2 Thursday evening—and still hold a critical game in hand over their second place rivals. They remain the undisputed leader across the Central Division, Western Conference, and League standings. Coach Jared Bednar said after Thursday’s game, “Every win matters this time of the year. We’re trying to hang on to first place. Teams around us are winning, and to get a start like that [tonight], and have those guys feel good about their game is real important this time of year.”
Today’s game marks the first of two visits to Winnipeg in a two week span for the Avs. Both teams previously met on December 19 back at Ball Arena, a 3-2 Avalanche victory. Parker Kelly scored what proved to be the game winner in that contest. Look for Mackenzie Blackwood to get the start in Winnipeg today, as he looks to rebound from a performance on Tuesday night where he gave his teammates plenty of time to take control of the contest, but ultimately was unable to provide key saves when his defenders weren’t at their best.
Coach Bednar deployed eleven skaters at the forward positions on Thursday, along with seven defensemen. This saw the debut of Nick Blankenburg, acquired from Nashville just before the trade deadline, in an Avalanche sweater. Blankenburg, fared decently in his first outing with his new team, but as the seventh defenseman, had a team low 9:31 among the blue line corps. At the time of this writing, the Avalanche haven’t called anyone up from Loveland (which would be a curious decision given that there can be only four call-ups to use between now and the end of the regular season), and Ross Colton’s status is still unknown, so it’s possible that Bednar considers using this same lineup against Winnipeg and allow Blankenburg another opportunity to showcase his abilities.
Even with his four point performance on Thursday, Nathan MacKinnon trails Edmonton’s Connor McDavid in the overall points lead (MacKinnon has 108 points; McDavid leads the League with 111). His 44 goals on the season still lead all NHL skaters. Nečas is now tied for second in team goal scoring with Brock Nelson (30). Cale Makar remains one goal away from a fourth consecutive 20 goal season.
Projected Lineup
Forwards: Nazem Kadri – Nathan MacKinnon – Martin Nečas Joel Kiviranta – Brock Nelson – Valeri Nichushkin Parker Kelly – Nicolas Roy – Gavin Brindley Zakhar Bardakov – Jack Drury
Defense: Devon Toews – Cale Makar Josh Manson – Brent Burns Brett Kulak – Sam Malinski Nick Blankenburg
Between the Pipes: Mackenzie Blackwood Scott Wedgewood
Winnipeg Jets
After capturing the Presidents Trophy as the League’s best team in the regular season with 56 wins last year, an encore performance seemed all but certain. Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck was awarded his second straight Vezina Trophy as the League’s best goaltender, and secured the Hart Trophy for the first time. However, their dominant run saw an early exit in the second round of the postseason at the hands of the Dallas Stars. GM Kevin Cheveldayoff got to work through the next several months, locking up several key figures to long-term, lucrative contracts: defenseman Neal Pionk (six years, $42 million dollars), center Gabe Vilardi (six years, $45 million dollars), left wing Kyle Connor (eight years, $96 million dollars) and captain Adam Lowry (five years, $25 million dollars). Cheveldayoff also signed former Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews, who hadn’t seen NHL action since the end of the 2022-2023 season, to a one-year contract. Management made their commitment to the roster, and the future was looking bright.
Winnipeg didn’t have as dominant of a start to the 2025 – 2026 season began, as they went 12-8 in the first twenty games. However, Hellebuyck underwent knee surgery on November 22nd, causing him to miss three weeks of action. The Jets lost eight of their next ten games without Hellebuyck, and eleven of twelve games after his return on December 13. With Colorado, Dallas, and Minnesota all but untouchable at the top of the Central Division standings, and Utah making a strong case for wild card consideration, Winnipeg was fighting an uphill battle, as they fought to prevent sinking to the Central Division basement. Currently, a stretch of .500 hockey coming out of the Olympic break sees Winnipeg seven points out of the second wild card spot in the Western Conference. However, just one point separates them from cellar-dwelling Chicago.
With their hopes for playoff contention fading, Winnipeg traded defensemen Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for right wing Isak Rosen, defenseman Jacob Bryson, a conditional 2026 4th round pick, and a 2027 2nd-round pick prior to the trade deadline. They would later trade left wing Tanner Pearson to Buffalo for a 2026 7th round pick on trade deadline day. It would take a lot to close the gap on the teams ahead of them in the wild card race, but a successful weekend at home could help turn the tide in their favor.
Winnipeg currently in the midst of an eight game homestand, and today’s game against Colorado serves as the first half of a back to back set of weekend games, with the St. Louis Blues paying a visit to Canada Life Center on Sunday afternoon. Winnipeg has lost its previous two games, a 4-1 defeat at the hands (wings?) of the Anaheim Ducks, and a 6-3 loss courtesy of the New York Rangers. Hellebuyck has started the previous seven of Winnipeg’s eight games since the return from winning Olympic gold with the United States (and teammate Kyle Connor) in Italy, and is likely to start again today. While Hellebuyck has been a formidable opponent against Colorado, he will face them with a depleted blue line, as both Pionk and Colin Miller remain out of the lineup due to injury. Other notable absences include former Avalanche center Vladislav Namestnikov and right wing Nino Niedereitter.
Center Mark Scheifele currently leads all Winnipeg skaters in goals (30), assists (49), and points (79). Connor is second in all three categories (29G/43A/72PTS). Defenseman Josh Morrissey, who earned a silver medal with Team Canada in Italy, leads all Winnipeg defensemen in all three categories (11G/33A/44PTS).
Projected Lineup
Forwards: Kyle Connor – Mark Scheifele – Alex Iafallo Cole Perfetti – Adam Lowry – Gabe Vilardi Gustav Nyquist – Jonathan Toews – Isak Rosén Cole Koepke – Morgan Barron – Brad Lambert
Defense: Josh Morrissey – Dylan DeMelo Dylan Samberg – Elias Salomonsson Haydn Fleury – Jacob Bryson
PEORIA, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 24, 2026: Cal Raleigh #29 of the Seattle Mariners throws to second base during the fourth inning of a spring training game against the Chicago White Sox at Peoria Stadium on February 24, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by David Durochik/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
As the Red Sox approach Opening Day, it’s time to start taking at look at the other American League playoff contenders. First up, a team that finished with one more win than the Sox in 2025.
What’s This Team’s Deal?
After a heartbreaking loss to the Blue Jays in Game 7 of the ALCS kept the Mariners from their very first World Series, they are looking to maintain that momentum and do one better in 2026.
They are hungry for more, and it’s not just the players; the front office has gotten in on the act too. President of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto’s infamous 2023 quote, where he professed to aiming to win only 54% of the time, typifies the past approach. Not this season. The Mariners believe their time is now, and they have made offseason moves to take charge of their own destiny. They locked down Josh Naylor at first base. They signed Brendan Donovan to stabilize third base; both of these players improve the offense as well.
Their starting rotation, which has remained nearly unchanged for the past three seasons, barring fluctuations for injuries, remains upper echelon, though unfortunately Bryce Miller will likely start the season on the IL.
How Good Are They?
Many are already predicting they will represent the American League in the World Series. At this point, Jon Morosi thinks they have the most balanced, talented distribution of players of all the teams in the AL.
Recent Mariners rosters have leaned into streaky players, and some like Julio Rodriguez, who take time to warm up. This has led them to rely too much on Cal Raleigh for offense. In 2026, that weight should be distributed more evenly with a full year of Naylor and the addition of Donovan. They are reliable bats, not just defensive upgrades. Second-year player Cole Young, who will likely start at second base, had some impressive moments in the summer, including whaling the longest Mariners home run of the season. An extended and ugly slump cost him the starting job, but spring training reports suggest he used his winter productively, returning as an improved hitter and defender. If he can be part of the infield turnaround, as well as provide flashy pop from time to time, the Mariners will have finally put the pieces together.
Typically, as with most teams, there is some uncertainty around the bullpen. Morosi and others note that Mariners relievers pitched a lot of innings in the postseason, and several (notably Andres Muñoz, Gabe Speier, and Eduard Bazardo) also played in the World Baseball Classic. Did they have enough time to reset over their shortened offseason? Time will tell. There are a number of new relievers, like old friend Alex Hoppe, who are getting some serious looks in spring training. For others, it may be more like the front office kicking the tires. Expect the Mariners to bolster the bullpen at the trade deadline no matter what, at least as a line of defense against injury.
Most Likable Player
The Mariners are full of likable players but for our purposes, it comes down to two:
Cal Raleigh is the backbone of this team. His historic 2025 season included doing just about everything: supporting the pitching staff, winning the Home Run Derby, hitting 60 HRs, captaining the team deeper into the postseason than they have ever been before, and being the most serious MVP runner-up in years. With his New England family ties, grinder mentality, and Red Sox Nation’s potboiling anger over Aaron Judge beating him out for said MVP, he’s the guy.
Rob Refsnyder. I was sorry to see him leave Boston, but if he had to go, I’m glad I can still watch him with the Mariners.
Least Likable Player
The whole team is genuinely likable, but Randy Arozarena raised eyebrows during the WBC by beefing with Raleigh. (Not his parents though! Notably not his parents.) If this tension doesn’t get resolved or blow over once Arozarena and Raleigh are teammates once again, Arozarena will be the bad guy.
Old Friends
Although the teams have resisted repeated calls for high-profile trades with each other, there are a number of old friends to keep an eye on this year:
Rob Refsnyder (sniffle)
Cooper Criswell, who is off to a good start in the Mariners organization
Alex Hoppe, former Sox prospect who may see the bigs this season as right-handed relief, but will likely be up and down between Triple-A and Seattle
Eduard Bazardo, who pitched very well in the 2025 postseason
Gabe Speier, who began his career with the Red Sox minor league system, but was traded away years ago in the package for Rick Porcello
Honorable Mention
Dominic Canzone, Brewster Whitecaps alum.
Schedule vs. Red Sox
The Sox and Mariners will face each other in the regular season for two three-game series. The Sox visit T-Mobile Park June 19-21, while the Mariners head to Boston August 31-September 2.
Season Prediction
It would be extremely unlikely for Raleigh to repeat with another individually historic year, but he will channel that competitiveness and drive toward the greater good of the team. The AL West is the Mariners’ to lose. Last year, they were 90-72 and won the AL West by three games. With their strong pitching and improved overall roster, they’ll gain five wins and finish the regular season 95-67, sitting pretty for a deep run in October. They’ll likely make the Series against the Dodgers, barring some catastrophe on either side. And if that happens, given how well-matched the Blue Jays (who barely escaped the Mariners’ clutches) and Dodgers were in 2025, it will be a fair fight.
The Chicago Blackhawks and Vegas Golden Knights will be together for Saturday Night Hockey in Viva Las Vegas. This will be the third and final meeting of the season between these two clubs, with the season series at 1-0-1. Each team picked up a post-regulation win at home earlier in the year.
The Blackhawks are coming off consecutive overtime wins over the Utah Mammoth, one in Chicago and one in Salt Lake City. The Golden Knight hosted the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday night and defeated them 6-2. Each team has 4 wins in their last 10.
Scouting Vegas
The Vegas Golden Knights are a good team. They enter Saturday at 30-22-14. They’ve collected a lot of points by getting games to overtime, but then in turn left a lot on the table by not getting that extra point.
Although they are second in their division, they feel that there is room for improvement. Whenever you lose a player like Alex Pietrangelo to a likely career-ending injury, it’s never a good thing. He’ll be in the Hall of Fame.
They also haven’t had William Karlsson for most of the season, which weakens them down the middle. On the wing, they are strong, but they could really use Karlsson right about now. Jack Eichel and Tomas Hertl are the 1-2 center punch.
In addition to having Mitch Marner in the fold this season, other impactful players like Pavel Dorofeyev, Ivan Barbashev, and Mark Stone skate on the wing. Stone just returned from injury on Thursday, and he has resumed what’s been an incredible year for him personally.
Barbashev–Eichel–Stone
Dorofeyev–Herl–Marner
Howden–Sissons–Bowman
C. Smith–Dowd–Kolesar
McNabb–Theodore
Hanifin–Andersson
Lauzon–Korczak
Hill
Schmid
Whether it’s Adin Hill or Akira Schmid in the net, the Golden Knights need them to be at their best. Without Pietrangelo, they have a good defense, but they definitely miss their former number one.
Still, Shea Theodore, Noah Hanifin, and Rasmus Anderson were all Olympians in Milan, and they are all capable of changing the game. Chicago needs to be on their toes against them. If this group gets moderately good goaltending, they can defend against anyone.
Projected Lines, Defense Pairs, & Goalie For Chicago
The Blackhawks miss having Oliver Moore’s speed, but Ryan Donato has filled in nicely as the third-line center. With Andrew Mangiapane gaining some chemistry with him and Ilya Mikheyev, they form a pretty good third line.
Since moving back to the center, Frank Nazar has begun to produce like the third-line center that Chicago needs him to be. With both him and Connor Bedard dominating offensively, they have proven that they can beat whoever stands in their way.
Greene-Bedard-Burakovsky
Bertuzzi-Nazar-Teravainen
Mangiapane-Donato-Mikheyev
Lardis-Lafferty-Slaggert
Vlasic-Crevier
Grzelcyk-Levshunov
Del Mastro-Rinzel
Knight
Soderblom
Spencer Knight made a somewhat surprising start on Thursday against the Mammoth. He had missed the three prior games due to illness and was projected to be the backup upon his return, as he wasn’t at the morning skate. He was excellent, despite this.
This is not a back-to-back situation for the Blackhawks, and they don’t play again until Wednesday. Their decision in net could go either way.
Wyatt Kaiser was hurt late in the game on Thursday and never returned for overtime. After, Jeff Blashill would not confirm or deny his availability for Saturday’s game. If he doesn’t play, Ethan Del Mastro will draw in.
This game against the Knights is in the middle of a two-week stretch where the Blackhawks are going against some of the best teams in the conference. If they come out of this stretch with a positive record, it will be a great end-of-season storyline for their confidence.
How To Watch
The game can be heard locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. To view this game, it can be found on CHSN locally. Nationally, it is available to stream on ESPN+. The puck will drop shortly after 9:00 PM CT.
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The Calgary Flames look to make it back-to-back wins when they visit the New York Islanders on Saturday afternoon.
My Flames vs. Islanders predictions have Calgary's recent dominance in this head-to-head continuing, and will snatch a third straight 2-game regular-season series sweep.
The Calgary Flames are coming off a 5-4 win over the Devils. It's just the fourth time in 17 games they've scored four or more goals, but each time they've been victorious.
That trend works with the New York Islanders, as they've tallied at least four goals in seven of the last nine meetings, going 6-0-1 in those games.
After a season-best five-game win streak, New York has lost three of five and is clinging to third in the Metropolitan Division.
The Flames aren't the team they want to meet: Calgary has won four straight against the Islanders and eight of the last 10.
Flames vs Islanders same-game parlay
Yegor Sharangovich scored a goal in his last game against Jersey, and he's now got two goals in his last three games. He also scored a goal the last time the Flames faced the Isles.
And Matthew Barzal was kept off the scoresheet in New York's loss to LA, but that's just the second time in 12 games that's happened.
The Flames have won each of their last four games as underdogs against the Islanders. Find more NHL betting trends for Flames vs. Islanders.
How to watch Flames vs Islanders
Location
UBS Arena, Elmont, NY
Date
Saturday, March 14, 2026
Puck drop
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
MSGSN2, SNW
Flames vs Islanders latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 1: Jack Hughes #86 of the New Jersey Devils and Cody Ceci #5 of the Los Angeles Kings skate for the puck during the first period at Crypto.com Arena on November 1, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Matchup: The New Jersey Devils (32-31-2) versus the Los Angeles Kings (27-23-15).
The Time: 7:00 PM EDT
The Broadcast: TV — MSGSN, Radio — Devils Hockey Network
Back to a Losing Record
The Devils might still be “NHL .500,” but there is a key issue with their team this season: they have lost more games than they won. For a little while, they got back above with their four-game winning streak, but two brutal losses to the Detroit Red Wings and Calgary Flames have sank them once more. Thanks to their lack of overtime losses this season, which have kept the objectively bad Los Angeles Kings in a playoff spot, the New Jersey Devils can only afford to lose one or two more games in regulation this season. But that’s just what happens when you play in a league that rewards being a loser in 65 minutes rather than 60 and most of the team’s losses are by more than one goal. Whose fault is that? Well, it might come down to…
Once a turnover happens, their system requires forwards to track back into coverage as opposed to pressuring to get the puck back. This is why you see so many “one-and-done” offensive chances. This is one of my biggest gripes with Keefe’s systems, is we were told we would be “pressuring the puck all over the ice” but instead the first instinct is to fall into a defensive posture.
This then brings us to the neutral zone, where once again we play prevent, as opposed to applying pressure.
After a few games of playing the right way during their four-game winning streak: that is, playing quickly on the rush, forechecking, and pressuring the puck with three or four skaters at or below the dots in the offensive zone, the Devils regressed right back to the ultra-conservative offensive system they had been flailing with all season. Tim also recapped the recent loss to the Flames, which I only saw the third period of. What I saw there was Keefe continuing to refuse to pull the goaltender, which should have been done after the third goal against. Without the softie allowed by Markstrom at the start of the period, the Devils might have actually taken that game to overtime. But even after Jack pulled the team to within two, Keefe would not pull Markstrom for the extra attacker until there was only a bit over three minutes to play. Down multiple goals, it generally behooves coaches to pull their goalies with five or more minutes left in the game: especially for a team as starved for goal-scoring as the Devils. But hey, at least Keefe had some shots for the guy who made it a game again.
Sheldon Keefe on Jack and Jack's line tonight for #NJDevils against the Flames:
“Just a lot of very sloppy play, until Jack shot the puck in the net, I don’t know if he handled one puck clean, it just wasn’t clean.”
I would suggest that the coach whose team’s victories and losses are always determined by the 40-minute mark take a look in the mirror for once in his coaching career. Meanwhile, Lindy Ruff is seeing his team pull off 8-7 back-and-forth victories and saying “that’s my kind of hockey.” I know what I’d rather watch, especially for a team full of talented rush players. Keefe can’t even get a forward to cover for a pinching defenseman.
Kings With Something to Play For
With Kings Captain Anze Kopitar in his final NHL season, the Los Angeles Kings are going to be playing their hearts out for the rest of the season while they try to cling onto eighth place in the Western Conference. Kopitar may have chosen retirement at the right time, as it seems time has caught up to him. He is still a very good defensive player, but his scoring has largely dried up, and this season is the first time Kopitar has ever produced below a 56-point per 82-game pace (46).
The Kings are obviously missing Kevin Fiala, who was hurt in a collision with Tom Wilson during the Olympics. Their replacement in that part of the lineup is pretty good though, as Artemi Panarin has nine points in nine games for the silver and black. Also around the Kings, former Devil Brian Dumoulin has massively turned his season around, going from some rather poor early numbers to now doing better than break-even at five-on-five with great penalty killing. The young Kings have had mixed seasons. Quinton Byfield’s development has turned to offensive regression. Alex Turcotte has not broken past fourth-line production. Alex Laferriere has seen no growth from last season. Only defenseman Brandt Clarke has had a particularly good season among the Kings’ under-25 players. Maybe that could be something to circle back on in a couple of months.
For the time being, though, the Kings are in a playoff spot despite having just three more points in the standings than the Devils. They need every win they can get with the Sharks on their tail. Tonight will not be an easy game for the Devils, if the powers that be even want them to win at this point.
Your Thoughts
What do you think of tonight’s game? Will the Kings win? If so, by how much? Leave your thoughts in the comments below, and thanks for reading.
