Worldwide Sports News

March 3, 2026

Best NBA Player Props Today for March 3: Guess Who's Back

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There are a whopping 10 games on tonight’s NBA schedule, so the player prop markets are packed with options.

My top plays include Ty Jerome, the Memphis Grizzlies’ best (and arguably only) scoring option, and locking in Dejounte Murray’s point totals before sportsbooks fully catch on to his form.

Read more in my NBA picks for Tuesday, March 3.

Best NBA player props today

Player	Pick
Wendell Carter Jr.	Over 8.5 rebounds	+100
Ty Jerome	Over 17.5 points	-112
Dejounte Murray	Over 13.5 points	-120

MORE NBA FREE PICKS

Prop #1: Wendell Carter Jr. Over 8.5 rebounds

+100 at bet365

Wendell Carter Jr. has been dominating the glass lately, and the Orlando Magic big man will have a great opportunity to continue that against the Washington Wizards.

Carter is averaging 9.2 rebounds over his last 10 games and has pulled down nine or more boards in five of his last seven outings.

Meanwhile, the Wizards struggle on the glass, ranking dead last in both rebounding rate and opponent rebounds per game.

Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Monumental, FanDuel Sports Network Florida

Prop #2: Ty Jerome Over 17.5 points

-112 at bet365

The Memphis Grizzlies are short on scorers right now, and Ty Jerome has stepped up as the last man standing.

Since returning from injury at the end of January, the Grizzlies shooting guard has played eight games, averaging 19.6 points while hitting 41.2% of his shots from beyond the arc.

Tonight, he faces the Minnesota Timberwolves, who rank 16th in opponent 3-point percentage and might ease off in a game with a 14.5-point spread.

As long as sportsbooks offer reasonable lines on Jerome, betting the Over remains a solid play.

Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: FanDuel Sports Network Southeast-Memphis, FanDuel Sports Network North

Prop #3: Dejounte Murray Over 13.5 points

-120 at bet365

I wouldn’t blame you if you forgot that Dejounte Murray now plays for the New Orleans Pelicans, having spent over a year sidelined recovering from an Achilles injury.

But in his three games back, Murray's already starting to look like the player we remember, putting up 15.6 points per game with a .545 effective field goal percentage. It won’t be long before sportsbooks fully adjust to his form.

His point total against the Los Angeles Lakers is set at 13.5. The Lakers rank 22nd in defensive rating and 27th in opponent eFG%.

Time: 10:30 p.m. ET
Where to watch: GCSEN, SPECSN

These props are available now at bet365, one of our best betting sites.

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March 3, 2026

Victor Wembanyama pleads for help after friend disappears at Chicago airport

An image collage containing 1 images, Image 1 shows Collage of Victor Wembanyama in a San Antonio Spurs uniform and a man with a curly afro and goatee

Victor Wembanyama needs all hands on deck.

The two-time NBA All-Star is calling for help in locating a friend, 23-year-old Elijah Hoard, who was reported missing over the weekend in Chicago after his family stated he did not board a flight back to France.

“Our friend Elijah has been missing from Chicago O’Hare since February 27. If you have any information please reach out to local authorities,” Wembanayama wrote Monday on an Instagram Story, where he tagged notable Bulls stars such as Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah, as well as the Blackhawks’ Connor Bedard.

Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs looks on during the game against the New York Knicks on March 1, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. NBAE via Getty Images

Hoard was last seen on Friday at O’Hare Airport, according to a missing person bulletin shared Sunday by Chicago police, which added he was dressed in a “brown hooded sweatshirt, black sweatpants, and cream colored shoes.” Authorities stated Hoard “may be in need of medical attention.”

Hoard’s father, Antwon, spoke about his son’s 10-day trip with a local outlet and how things shifted as the stay came to a close.

“Everything seemed pretty normal the first eight days, but the last two days his whole mood had swung, and he was really adamant about not going back home, and he didn’t want to go home,” Antwon said.

Hoard never checked in for his flight, according to his father, who theorized, “He could possibly be floating around the airport or something.”

Wembanyama will not return to Chicago this season with the Spurs.

Victor Wembanyama’s friend Elijah Hoard, who went missing. Chicago Police Department

The FAA air traffic control tower at O’Hare International Airport (ORD) in Chicago, Illinois, US, on Friday Oct. 10, 2025 Bloomberg via Getty Images

The team’s 11-game hot streak was ended by the Knicks Sunday with a 114-89 loss.

The Spurs’ first chance to get back on track comes Tuesday in Philadelphia against the Sixers.

San Antonio is second in the Western Conference at 43-17.

March 3, 2026

Grizzlies vs Timberwolves Prediction, Picks & Odds for Tonight’s NBA Game

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This Minnesota Timberwolves era started with a frustrating first-round loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, hinting at a budding rivalry.

Instead, Memphis has reshaped its roster, leaving Minnesota as a two-touchdown favorite tonight.

My Grizzlies vs. Timberwolves predictions expect Minnesota to excel at the rim, a conscious roster-building decision sparked by that playoff loss four years ago.

Find out more in my NBA picks for Tuesday, March 3.

Grizzlies vs Timberwolves prediction

Grizzlies vs Timberwolves best bet: Rudy Gobert Over 11.5 points (-112)

Rudy Gobert continues to thrive on the boards for the Minnesota Timberwolves, averaging 15.7 rebounds in his last three games.

And more often than not, Gobert's rebounding leads to putback opportunities.

Against an undermanned and undersized Memphis Grizzlies’ lineup, the Timberwolves should feed Gobert early and often.

Grizzlies vs Timberwolves same-game parlay

Gobert has grabbed at least 13 rebounds in each of his last four games, and against such a depleted Grizzlies’ front line, more of the same should be anticipated.

Meanwhile, not much should be expected from the 7-foot Santi Aldama in his first game since Feb. 4.

Grizzlies vs Timberwolves SGP

Rudy Gobert Over 11.5 points
Rudy Gobert Over 12.5 rebounds
Santi Aldama Under 5.5 rebounds

Our "from downtown" SGP: Shooting Into Consistency

Jaden McDaniels’s shooting from deep has yo-yo’ed a bit lately, but he has still shot 44.3% from beyond the arc this season.

A looming blowout should be an opportunity for him to put up four or five 3-pointers to regain his rhythm.

Grizzlies vs Timberwolves SGP

Rudy Gobert Over 11.5 points
Rudy Gobert Over 12.5 rebounds
Santi Aldama Under 5.5 rebounds
Jaden McDaniels Over 1.5 threes

Grizzlies vs Timberwolves odds

Spread: Grizzlies +14 (-110) | Timberwolves -14 (-110)
Moneyline: Grizzlies +575 | Timberwolves -850
Over/Under: Over 237.5 (-110) | Under 237.5 (-110)

Grizzlies vs Timberwolves betting trend to know

Minnesota is 20-11 SU at home this season. Find more NBA betting trends for Grizzlies vs. Timberwolves.

How to watch Grizzlies vs Timberwolves

Location	Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
Date	Tuesday, March 3, 2026
Tip-off	8:00 p.m. ET
TV	FDSN SE-Memphis, FDSN North

Grizzlies vs Timberwolves latest injuries

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This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

March 3, 2026

Dodgers Post podcast: Is it time to worry about pitching injuries?

On this episode of The Dodgers Post, Jack Harris and Dylan Hernández get you caught up on the latest from Dodgers camp.

They start by evaluating the Dodgers’ pitching injuries this spring –– including to Gavin Stone and Blake Snell –– and debate how much of a concern it should be.

They break down what they’ve seen from Roki Sasaki so far, and why improving his fastball command remains his biggest priority.

Dylan discusses his visit to Team USA camp ahead of the World Baseball Classic, and why Clayton Kershaw seems perfectly content with his life post-retirement.

And, they talk about Mookie Betts’ new mindset, and whether they are buying into his hope of having a bounce-back season.

March 3, 2026

How The Vancouver Canucks Stack Up To The Rest Of The NHL: 60 Games In

The Vancouver Canucks are 60 games into their 2025–26 NHL season and sit comfortably at dead-last in the entire league. They have yet to win a game since their January 29 shutout against the Anaheim Ducks. With one game remaining before the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline, here’s how the Canucks stack up to the rest of the NHL at the 60-game mark.

Team Stats

Unsurprisingly, the Canucks rank dead-last in nearly all of their team stat categories including goals-against (222) and penalty kill (70.6%). Shockingly, they aren’t last in goals-for (149), faceoff winning rate (48.3%), or power play (17.7%). Those honours belong to the Calgary Flames for goals-for (146), the Buffalo Sabres for faceoff winning percentages (44.6%), and the Colorado Avalanche for power play efficiency (15.3%). Intriguingly, along with the Avalanche, Vancouver ranks ahead of two other teams currently in a playoff spot when it comes to power play success rate — the Utah Mammoth (15.9%) and New York Islanders (15.8%).

Individual Skater Stats

Vancouver’s current leading points-getter, Elias Pettersson, is tied with nine other players for 136th in the NHL including former Canuck defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Their new goal-scoring leader, Drew O’Connor, is tied with 17 other players in the NHL for the 121st-most goals this season with 14. Alongside him with 14 are former Canuck J.T. Miller, Edmonton Oilers centre Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Boston Bruins rookie Fraser Minten. Filip Hronek remains within the top-10 in the NHL in overall TOI with 1466:48; in the lead is Moritz Seider of the Detroit Red Wings with 1562:55, followed by former Canucks captain Quinn Hughes with 1528:20.

Goaltending Stats

With Thatcher Demko sidelined for the remainder of the season and Kevin Lankinen coming off a bronze-medal win at the Olympics, Nikita Tolopilo has officially taken the lead for the highest SV% by a Canucks goaltender who has played in 10 or more games through the 2025–26 season. Ironically enough, compared to the rest of the NHL, he’s tied with Artūrs Šilovs in this stat with a .901 SV%. Impressively, the other category that Tolopilo leads his team in is high-danger SV% (.870%), which ranks third of all NHL goaltender who have played 10 or more games. Only Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin (.878%) and Calgary Flames goaltender Devin Cooley (.877%) have registered higher.

Vancouver’s final game before the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline is on Wednesday against the Carolina Hurricanes. After that, they’ll spend two games on the road against the Chicago Blackhawks and the Winnipeg Jets before returning home for an eight-game home stand.

Mar 2, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Zeev Buium (24) and Dallas Stars forward Wyatt Johnston (53) watch as goalie Nikita Tolopilo (60) makes a save in the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

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March 3, 2026

A Red Sox love story turned tragedy, featuring Triston Casas

Fort Myers, FL - February 18: Boston Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas runs. The Red Sox held Day 9 of Spring Training at JetBlue Park on February 18, 2026. (Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images

When you think about the Red Sox as a team, as a collection players, as a drama, you have to think about Triston Casas. In the story of Tristan and Iseult, the knight, Tristan, is on a quest to bring the princess, Iseult, from Ireland to England to marry the king of Cornwall, his uncle. The tale, dating back centuries, is set even further in the past: Arthurian times. They eventually fall in love but, crucially, never marry and the two die apart. So too, in a way, have Triston Casas and the Red Sox.

In 2023, Casas, who made his MLB debut the prior season, was something of a revelation at first base. Over 132 games Casas hit .263/.367/.490 with 24 home runs. That’s an .856 OPS and 2.2 bWAR and earned him a 3rd place finish in the AL Rookie of the Year race. When you look at FanGraphs’ 2026 home run projections for Boston, that 24 seems mighty nice to think about. Of course, part of the reason he only hit 24 was that he ended the season on September 14th due to injury.

Casas took a bit of a step back in 2024. In his sophomore season, the first baseman slashed .241/.337/.462 With 13 homers. His season lasted just 63 games after another injury. I don’t know whether it’s proper to use “fluke” for this type of injury (tearing rib cartilage), but swinging so hard your body tears itself apart isn’t great. Hopefully with the swing mechanics team and training regimens this isn’t something that happens again.

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In 2025 there wasn’t much to write home about at all. In just 32 games Casas hit (if you can call it that) .182/.277/.303 with 3 home runs. It was an absolutely dreadful start before another season-ending injury, thsi time rupturing his patella. What’s worse is that he was starting to have a better run: in his last 9 games of the season he was hitting .222/.364/.444 with 2 home runs, 5 walks, and 7 strikeouts. There might have been a turnaround in May that we were robbed from experiencing.

Over three seasons Casas went from 132, to 63, to 32 games played. He went from a home run every 5.5 games, to every 4.8 games, to every 10.6 games (that one barely means anything with only 1 homer in his first 23 games).

After the season, Craig Breslow wouldn’t commit to Casas as his first baseman. He spoke of acquiring multiple bats to upgrade the offense and the biggest, most notable bat acquired was Willson Contreras who plays first base. Casas is in his age-26 season, he’s played under a hundred games in two years, and he was coming off a devastating injury as Spring Training kicked off. In addition to having to battle for playing time he’s battling his own body.

His most notable moment since 2023 is the legendary interview in which he turned the tables on ESPN with a mid-game filibuster on Father’s Day 2025.

He’s just weird sometimes.

Alex Speier reported that Casas was taking some ground balls at third base in camp to help Isiah Kiner-Falefa get in some time at first.

Obviously the Sox aren’t carrying Casas as a backup first baseman (that’s IKF, Romy, etc.). Which sends him, most likely, to the minors. Until and unless Masataka Yoshida can’t hit well enough as the DH or something happens to Contreras. Or he’s traded.

But either way, the Red Sox Triston, like the Tristan of old, wants to be with the team he loves. And it just hasn’t worked out.

March 3, 2026

This New York Yankee Made a Hole-in-One on a Par 4—With a Range Ball

There's no way you can frame a range ball, right?

As a proud New Englander, it’s hard for me to write anything positive about New York, let alone the Yankees. But this is pretty cool.

On Monday, Yanks second baseman Jazz Chisholm posted a video to social to show off his improbable hole-in-one on a 328-yard par 4. The best part—well, maybe the worst part—is that he did it with a range ball.

Not a bad day off during spring training. Chisholm’s going to have some serious bragging rights in the dugout. The PGA TOUR even reposted the video noting that Chisholm's feat hasn't even happened on TOUR in 25 years. We'll have to do some extra digging to see if there is any data on how many baseball players in the MLB 30-30 club, like Chisholm, also have aced a Par-4—or use range balls in play.

But there’s only one way I’m going to end this: Go Sox!

March 3, 2026

Pittsburgh Penguins At Boston Bruins Preview: Lineup Changes, Where To Watch

The Pittsburgh Penguins' daunting March schedule continues with a matchup against the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night.

This will be the second meeting between the two teams this year after the Bruins won the first matchup 1-0 back on Jan. 11. The Penguins couldn't generate much of anything in that game and lost on a game-winning goal from Viktor Arvidsson.

Since that game, the Penguins are 10-1-4 and are in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 75 points. The Bruins are in the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with 71 points and are coming off a 3-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday.

This is a very top-heavy Bruins team led by David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie. Pastrnak is one of the best players on the planet, compiling 22 goals and 72 points in 54 games. Geekie is having another outstanding season, racking up 33 goals and 55 points in 58 games.

Outside of those two, Charlie McAvoy does it all on the backend, and the Bruins have gotten some depth scoring from other players in their lineup, including Elias Lindholm, Arvidsson, and Pavel Zacha.

Jeremy Swayman will start in goal for the Bruins. He's having a better season this year compared to last year with 22 wins, a 2.89 goals-against average, and a .903 save percentage. He's also fourth among all goaltenders in goals saved above expected with 16.9.

The Penguins will feature some new line combinations and pairings for this game. Blake Lizotte has been ruled out for this game with a lower-body injury, meaning Avery Hayes will center the fourth line. Ben Kindel will also center the top line after Rickard Rakell was in that spot for the last three games.

Here's a look at the projected lineup:

Forwards

Rakell-Kindel-Rust

Malkin-Novak-Chinakhov

Mantha-K. Hayes-Brazeau

Dewar-A. Hayes-Acciari

Defensive pairs

Wotherspoon-Karlsson

Shea-Letang

Girard-Clifton

Stuart Skinner will start in goal for the Penguins.

Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET on SportsNet Pittsburgh. Fans can also listen to the game on 105.9 'The X.'

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!

March 3, 2026

Cubs vs. Italy at Mesa preview, Tuesday 3/3, 2:05 CT

MESA, Arizona — Tuesday notes…

FORMER CUBS ON THE ITALY ROSTER: Jon Berti and Miles Mastrobuoni. Alex Maestri, a former Cubs prospect who was actually born in Italy, is one of two pitching coaches for the team (Dave Righetti is the other).
CUBS 40-MAN PLAYERS ON WBC ROSTERS: Alex Bregman, Matthew Boyd, Pete Crow-Armstrong (USA); Javier Assad (Mexico); Miguel Amaya (Panama); Daniel Palencia (Venezuela); Seiya Suzuki (Japan); Jameson Taillon (Canada).
OTHER WBC EXHIBITIONS: There are 14 other exhibition games today between WBC teams and MLB squads. Here’s the complete schedule.

Here are today’s particulars.

Cubs lineup:

Taking on Team Italy at @SloanParkMesa. pic.twitter.com/5c7L3K1WjD
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) March 3, 2026

The Italy lineup:amd starting pitcher were not available at posting time. Please check BCB social media for the Italy information.

Cade Horton will start for the Cubs. Other Cubs pitchers scheduled today: Jeff Brigham, Gavin Hollowell, Jack Neely, Ethan Roberts and Jacob Webb.

No TV or radio today.

MLB.com Gameday

Here is the complete MLB.com live streaming page for today.

Here’s the complete Italy roster, and here’s a link to all the WBC team rosters.

As we have done in the past, we’ll have a first pitch thread at five minutes to game time and one overflow thread, 90 minutes after game time. For today, that will be 2 p.m. CT and 3:30 p.m. CT.

These threads will not post individually onto the front page; instead, you can find links to them in the box marked ”Chicago Cubs Game Threads” at the bottom of the front page. There will also be a StoryStream on the front page with all the game thread links, as well as the recap after the game is over. The pitcher photos and regular-season stats will return on Opening Day.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

March 3, 2026

How Former St. Louis Cardinals are Performing for their New Teams

SCOTTSDALE, AZ - FEBRUARY 20: Arizona Diamondbacks infielder, Nolan Arenado steps up to the plate during the first 2026 spring training game at Salt River Field at Talking Stick in Scottsdale, Arizona on February 20, 2026. The Arizona Diamondbacks went onto beat the Colorado Rockies 3-2. (Photo by RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images) | Denver Post via Getty Images

It’s no secret that the St. Louis Cardinals were one of the most active teams during the offseason unloading multiple veterans and their contracts, but have you checked in on how these former Cardinals players are performing for their new teams? Let’s catch up with how they’re doing in their new uniforms.

Let’s be clear that I’m not trying to draw some premature conclusions about how these players will perform over the long haul. The sample size of limited appearances during Spring Training isn’t meant to be a deep dive, but I do find it interesting that at least 3 of the former Cardinals seem to be benefiting from their change of scenery.

Nolan Arenado – Arizona Diamondbacks

It’s a small sample size since he’s only seen limited action so far, but Nolan Arenado is off to a good start with the Arizona Diamondbacks. As of this writing, Nolan has a .375 average with a couple of doubles and a home run in his first 8 at-bats with the Diamondbacks.

Brendan Donovan – Seattle Mariners

Brendan Donovan is off to a fast start with the Seattle Mariners as he’s batting .625 over his 3 games played with 5 hits and 1 RBI.

Sonny Gray – Boston Red Sox

Sonny Gray has only pitched 1.1 innings so far during the Red Sox spring training schedule, but he got rocked a bit giving up 2 runs and 3 hits in that short start against the Toronto Blue Jays. After the game, Sonny said he’s not historically very good in Spring Training.

Willson Contreras – Boston Red Sox

Willson Contreras is off to a scorching start for Boston as he’s had plenty of game time so far batting .462 in 13 at-bats with a couple of Spring Training home runs already.

It won’t be long before the St. Louis Cardinals see Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras as they will host the Red Sox at Busch Stadium the weekend of April 10-12. Brendan Donovan and the Mariners will be in Busch Stadium the weekend of April 24-26. Finally, Nolan Arenado and the Diamondbacks will roll into St. Louis on June 22-24.

March 3, 2026

The “Last Man In” free agent tournament winner!

CLEARWATER, FL - MARCH 02: Phillies Managing Partner John Middleton shakes hands with Bryce Harper as Vice President & General Manager Matt Klentak in middle looks on during the press conference to introduce Bryce Harper to the media and the fans of the Philadelphia Phillies on March 02, 2019 at the Spectrum Field in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

And the winner is…Bryce Harper!

Last month, with the free agency period winding down, I looked at the Phillies’ free agent signings from years past to see if they had brought in any impact players later in the offseason. From there, the idea of a user-judged tournament began.

While I had some hope that Ricardo Pinto might make a Cinderella run, Harper was always the odds-on favorite to win. Since signing with the Phillies, Harper has taken on the mantle of franchise player during one of the best periods in franchise history. He’s largely performed at an All-Star level, including an MVP performance in 2021. And he also delivered one of the most iconic moments in franchise history.

10-23-2022- Bryce Harper & Bedlam at the bank OTD 3 years ago pic.twitter.com/K8CQCIbi5g
— Phillies and Eagles throwbacks (@Philsbirdsthrow) October 23, 2025

Now that we’re in the back half of his contract, we’ll see how the signing holds up. You may not have heard this, but there has been some talk that he is no longer elite! Regardless of how the next few seasons go, I don’t think the Phillies have any regrets in signing him.

Thanks to everyone who voted!

March 3, 2026

AP women's basketball player of the week is No. 5 Vanderbilt's Mikayla Blakes

The Associated Press national player of the week in women’s basketball for Week 17 of the season:

Mikayla Blakes, Iowa

The sophomore guard led No. 5 Vanderbilt to wins over Alabama and Tennessee last week, averaging 34.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists. She is the first SEC player in the past 26 years to have scored 30 or more points in a dozen games. She had 34 points against Tennessee and 35 against Alabama.

Runner-up

Olivia Olson, No. 8 Michigan. She led the Wolverines to wins over then-No. 13 Ohio State and 14th-ranked Maryland. Olson, a sophomore, had a career-high 31 points, including the game-winning layup in overtime, in the victory over the Buckeyes. She also had nine rebounds and four assists in that win. She followed that up with a 28-point effort against the Terrapins.

Honorable mention

Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame; Marta Suarez, No. 10 TCU; Riley Weiss, Columbia.

Keep an eye on

Marquette junior guard Skylar Forbes averaged 21.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in wins over Providence and Xavier. She had 24 in a road win over Providence, two off her career high. She scored 12 of her 19 points in the first half of a win over Xavier.

___

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March 3, 2026

Senators-Oilers Preview: Equal In Team Points, But Worlds Apart In Playoff Standings

Ottawa Senators (29-22-8) at Edmonton Oilers (29-24-8)

Date: March 3, 2026
Time: 9:00 PM EST
Location: Rogers Place
TV/Radio: SNW, TSN5, RDS2/TSN 1200

Alberta-Bound

The Senators begin a four game western road swing on Tuesday night with a matchup against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place. Ottawa will then head down to Calgary to face the Flames on Thursday.

Friday will bring the annual NHL trade deadline at 3 pm so the Senators' Alberta performances will probably have at least some influence on whether Steve Staios pulls the trigger on something or not.

Where Things Stand

The Senators are 18th in the NHL standings while the Oilers are 20th. But the two teams are tied with 66 points, and that total buys you a lot more in the Western Conference than it does in the East.

While the Sens are five points and four teams out of the final Eastern wild card spot, the Oilers own the final Western wild card spot with a four point lead to go with it. With two fewer losses, the Senators actually have a better points percentage (.559) than the Oilers, the two-time Western Champs (.549).

Senators fans are now in full scoreboard-watching mode, and will primarily keep a close eye on the 7 pm Tuesday matchup between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the team they're trying to catch, the Boston Bruins.

What Have You Done For Me Lately?

Since the Olympic break ended, the Senators have secured three of a possible four points with a 2-1 overtime loss to Detroit on Thursday and then a one-sided 5-2 demolition of Toronto on Saturday.

The Oilers have scored 17 goals in 3 games since the break, but somehow have only two points to show for it. They lost 6-5 to Anaheim, beat the LA Kings 8-1, and lost 5-4 to San Jose, one of the teams that's right on their tail for the final wild card. Overall, the Oilers have lost five of their last six games.

Blue Line Renos

The Oilers got started on the deadline early, bolstering their blue line. They acquired right-shot defenceman Connor Murphy from the Blackhawks on Monday in exchange for a second-round selection in the 2028 NHL Draft. Chicago will retain 50% of Murphy's $4.4 million salary. That's a fairly light price tag for Murphy, who was often mentioned in sports talk circles as a potential target for the Senators who may still be eyeballing the addition of a right D this week.

How We First Met

In the Senators' first meeting with the Oilers back in October, they overcame a 2-0 deficit before falling 3-2 in overtime. Jake Walman's slapshot from the point beat Linus Ullmark, who appeared to duck his head as the puck whistled past his ear. Walman, meanwhile, celebrated by trading in his usual griddy celebration for a weird little bobblehead dance.

JAKE WALMAN ON HIS RETURN

WINS IT IN OVERTIME!#LetsGoOilers

📹: Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/J5Y4KcoGI7
— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) October 22, 2025

Coach/player media availabilities and game day skate line combinations will be available soon.

Steve Warne
The Hockey News

This article was first published by The Hockey News. More headlines here:

Ex-Ottawa Senator D.J. Smith Returns To NHL Head Coaching Ranks
Auston Matthews Describes Sens' Beatdown Of Leafs As 'Fairly Embarrassing
After Clearing Waivers, Former Ottawa Senator Mathieu Joseph Sent To AHL

March 3, 2026

Scherzer calls daughter's letter to Blue Jays 'the cutest thing you can possibly imagine'

DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) — Max Scherzer says the note his daughter composed asking the Toronto Blue Jays to re-sign the three-time Cy Young Award winner arose as his kids were writing letters to Santa Claus in December.

After Scherzer agreed last week to a $3 million, one-year contract to return to the Blue Jays, his wife posted on Instagram the handwritten note from their 8-year-old daughter, Brooke.

“It’s the cutest thing you can possibly imagine when you read that, how much it meant to her to be in Toronto,” Scherzer told reporters Tuesday after his deal was finalized.

Scherzer said his kids were writing letters expressing what they wanted from Santa when Brooke approached him and his wife, Erica May-Scherzer. The 8-year-old asked for a stamp and then put it on a sealed envelope that she handed to her parents.

After Brooke went to bed, her parents opened the letter to see what she had written.

“Dear Blue Jays,” the note began, “I am so sorry that you didn’t win the World Series. I hope that you win next time. I hope my dad is back on the team. My whole family loves spending time in Toronto with our dad. We loved the aquarium, the (CN) Tower and of course the stadium. I am looking forward to come back next season. Love, Max Scherzer daughter."

Scherzer noted he and his wife didn’t send the letter to the Blue Jays.

“That’s a bad negotiating tactic,” Scherzer said with a laugh.

Scherzer, 41, wanted to return to Toronto after the Blue Jays came so close to winning the World Series last season. The Blue Jays led in the ninth inning of Game 7 before falling 5-4 to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 11th.

“Obviously we came as close as you possibly can to winning the whole thing - something you can never get over, forget or anything of that nature,” said Scherzer, who won World Series rings with Washington in 2019 and Texas in 2023. “That was a huge reason why I wanted to come back. This team can win. I wanted to be a part of it.”

Scherzer said he’s right on schedule for the start of the season after dealing with a thumb injury for much of last year.

“I feel healthy,” Scherzer said.

Scherzer went 5-5 with a 5.19 ERA in 17 regular-season starts last year. He also was the winning pitcher in Game 4 of the AL Championship Series with Seattle and made two starts in the World Series.

He wanted to return to Toronto but understood the uncertainty that comes with being a free agent. His deal with the Jays includes $10 million in available performance bonuses for innings,

“Free agency is a weird animal,” Scherzer said. “I’ve been through it many times. You think it’s going to go one way and it goes another way. I kind of knew not to get my hopes up, but like I said, I was going to be picky about where I went. I wasn’t just going to sign with anybody. There was only a couple of teams I’d sign with at this point in time, and obviously Toronto was one of them.”

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

March 3, 2026

Preview: Avs look to go perfect on back-to-back against Anaheim

DENVER, COLORADO - JANUARY 21: Martin Necas #88 of the Colorado Avalanche skates against Pavel Mintyukov #98 of the Anaheim Ducks at Ball Arena on January 21, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images

After winning 4-2 against the Los Angeles Kings yesterday, courtesy of a late third-period go-ahead goal from Devon Toews, the Colorado Avalanche are back at it again tonight as they take on the Anaheim Ducks on the second leg of a back-to-back. This will be the third and final regular-season game between these two teams.

Colorado Avalanche (40-10-9)

The Opponent: Anaheim Ducks (33-23-3)

Time: 8:00 p.m. MT

Watch: Altitude, Altitude+, ESPN+

Listen: Altitude Sports Radio, 92.5 FM

Colorado Avalanche

Colorado kicked off their second back-to-back in seven nights against the Kings yesterday. The visitors managed to build a two-goal lead early in the first period, but LA was able to come back and ultimately tie the game at 2-2. Devon Toews would be the one to give the Avs the lead back late in the third period, off a beautiful pass from Nathan MacKinnon to set him up. The Avalanche won 4-2 and in doing so was the first team in the NHL to reach the 40 win milestone.

The other big piece of news during the game last night was, of course, Artturi Lehkonen going out during the game. He won’t be playing tonight in Anaheim and is going to miss some time. If Joel Kiviranta, who is still dealing with his own upper-body injury, can’t play they are going to need the services of an extra forward, which is Jason Polin who was called up from the Colorado Eagles this morning.

Projected Lineup

Gabriel Landeskog – Nathan MacKinnon – Martin Necas
Parker Kelly – Brock Nelson – Valeri Nichushkin
Ross Colton – Jack Drury – Victor Olofsson
Jason Polin – Zakhar Bardakov – Gavin Brindley

Devon Toews – Cale Makar
Josh Manson – Brent Burns
Brett Kulak – Sam Malinski

Scott Wedgewood
Mackenzie Blackwood

Anaheim Ducks

The Ducks come into this game off a 3-2 shootout win over the Calgary Flames on Sunday, and are currently locked in a battle for the top spot in the Pacific Division, sitting just one point behind the Vegas Golden Knights for that spot. The Ducks are an incredibly fun and talented team, with a phenomenal goaltender in Lukas Dostal. They’ve shown that they can certainly be competitive, as they’re competing for the top spot in the Pacific, and every point matters to this team at this point. Colorado is perfectly capable of beating this team, but it’ll certainly be easier said than done.

Projected Lineup

Chris Kreider – Leo Carlsson – Cutter Gauthier
Jeffrey Viel – Mason McTavish – Beckett Sennecke
Alex Killorn – Ryan Poehling – Jansen Harkins
Ross Johnston – Tim Washe – Ian Moore

Jackson LaCombe – Jacob Trouba
Olen Zellweger – Radko Gudas
Pavel Mintyukov – Drew Helleson

Lukas Dostal
Ville Husso