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Takeaways: Goaltending, Goalie Interference Call Differences in Penguins' 6-2 Loss To Colorado Avalanche

Last week, the Pittsburgh Penguins put a 7-2 stomping on the best team in the league in the Colorado Avalanche.

Unfortunately, a week later - after some goaltending and defensive meltdowns as well as another goaltender interference ruling gone wrong - the result was reversed.  

The Avalanche ousted the Penguins, 6-2, taking advantage of some defensive miscues by the Penguins as well as subpar goaltending. Arturs Silovs stopped just 24 of 29 shots for the Penguins, and the Penguins were credited with 15 giveaways. 

The most prominent one came courtesy of defenseman Parker Wotherspoon, who coughed up the puck at the offensive blue line to Nathan MacKinnon early in the first period, and MacKinnon brought it down on a breakaway opportunity and capitalized to put the Avs up, 1-0. 

Not even four minutes later, Egor Chinakhov - who now has four goals and 12 points in his last 10 games - one-timed a puck from the right point and behind Scott Wedgewood to even the score at 1-1. However, Colorado got three unanswered first-period goals from Sam Malinski, Martin Necas, and Parker Kelly to cushion themselves with a 4-1 lead heading into first intermission.

The Penguins came out flying in the second period, and they appeared to cut the deficit to two with 12 and a half to go in the middle frame when Justin Brazeau picked up the loose change in front on a diving play. However - as things have gone for the Penguins all season long - the Avs challenged for goalie interference and won, reversing the call on the ice and keeping the score 4-1. 

The Penguins failed to convert on a double-minor by Nazem Kadri for high-sticking after that, and Necas registered his second of the game in the final minutes of the period to make it 5-1. Just past the midway point of the third, Rickard Rakell cut into the deficit and gave the Penguins some life, but Ross Colton’s empty-net goal a little less than five minutes later sealed the 6-2 win for the Colorado.

Here are some thoughts and takeaways from this one:

- I don't know how many more times this needs screamed from the rooftops, but it's malpractice not to have Chinakhov on the first power play unit.

This unit is struggling right now. It started out well in the first three games out of the Olympic break, going 4-for-10. Since then? It has goals in just seven of the last 46 opportunities, and three of those have been five-on-three goals. That’s good for just a 15.2 percent conversion rate, which, stretched over the whole season, would be the second-worst conversion rate in the league.

Chinkahov is a shoot-first player and has one of the best shots in the National Hockey League. He also has excellent vision and can use his skating to his advantage to maintain movement on the unit. He's a "trigger man", if there ever was one. 

He should absolutely be with elite playmakers Crosby and Karlsson on that unit, whoever else they’d have to take off. My choice would be Rust (assuming Malkin is healthy and in for Anthony Mantha), but with Malkin out, he should definitely be on it in Mantha’s place. 

- It’s not a secret that the Penguins are bleeding goals-against right now.

I wrote a piece on the defensive corps beyond the first pairing being an issue right now, which definitely holds true. But goaltending hasn’t been much help, either.

Silovs has a sub-.860 save percentage in five of his last six starts after a hot run prior to the Olympic break. Stuart Skinner has a sub-.900 save percentage in four out of his last five starts.

That isn’t good enough. 

I know a ton of people are clamoring for prospect Sergei Murashov to get some starts down the stretch run of the season here. I’m not sure I agree. I’m still of the belief that it’s never a good idea to thrust your best goaltending prospect into a must-win, high-pressure, high-stakes situation during the stretch run of an NHL season where your team is trying to make the playoffs.

If, on the off-chance, it works out spectacularly, then great. But, if it doesn’t, you risk it permanently stunting the growth of your most prized prospect - and that’s a risk that isn’t worth taking, in my opinion. Especially since Murashov’s last five games in the AHL have not been overly confidence-inducing, either.

- Yes, the members of the Penguins’ top line are producing just fine. Crosby has a goal and five points in his four games since returning from injury. Rakell has four goals and 11 points in his last 10 games. Rust has seven goals and 14 points in his last 10.

That said, I’m not sure I wouldn’t try switching things around.

This has less to do with the top line and more to do with the rest of the lineup. Yes, Chinakhov is producing, as he has four goals and 12 points in his last 10. Yes, Evgeni Malkin is producing when he’s in the lineup with two goals and five points in the four games since his suspension. Yes, Anthony Mantha has mostly been producing despite a goose egg in the last three games.

But it doesn’t look as awesome for others. Brazeau has one goal three points in his last 12 games and none in his last five. Ben Kindel has two points in his last 10. Tommy Novak has one point in his last eight. Connor Dewar has one goal and four points in his last 18 games.

The depth scoring on this roster with Crosby in the lineup needs revived. Give Kindel some 2C minutes instead of Novak. Have Novak center Elmer Soderblom or Ville Koivunen and Brazeau and Kindel center Chinakhov and Rakell. Maybe plug Mantha up with Crosby and Rust. Or, keep Mantha on the second line with Kindel and plug Rakell there, switching him with Chinakhov.

Malkin Day-To-Day With Upper-Body InjuryMalkin Day-To-Day With Upper-Body InjuryThe Pittsburgh Penguins will be without Evgeni Malkin on Tuesday.

Not having Malkin and Blake Lizotte in the lineup is hurting this team’s bottom-six, but I think they can better-construct these lines in the meantime. If I’m the Penguins, I give this a shot:

Chinakhov-Crosby-Rust
Rakell-Kindel-Mantha
Soderblom/Koivunen-Novak-Brazeau
Soderblom/Koivunen-Dewar-Acciari

- Speaking of switching things around, I’m not really sure how to address these defensive pairings.

You can’t split up Parker Wotherspoon and Erik Karlsson. Messing up the one thing that has worked with consistency is certainly a risk this late in the season, and it’s probably not worth the small chance that the second pairing will improve drastically enough to offset the first pairing being messed with.

I’m not sure Sam Girard and Letang can stay together much longer. You can stick Ryan Shea with Letang, but in all honesty, the results haven’t been much different.

I think the Penguins will be forced to ride this out and hope their backend plays better. They have to start playing better if they want to make the playoffs.

Is There Immediate Solution For Struggles Of Penguins' Defensive Corps?Is There Immediate Solution For Struggles Of Penguins' Defensive Corps?In their push for the playoffs, the Pittsburgh Penguins are running into some trouble on the blue line - and, in particular, on their second pairing.

- This goaltender interference thing is truly something else. I’ve never seen anything like it. 

Not only are the Penguins 0-for-8 in their own goaltender interference challenges this season, the opposition is also 4-for-5 against them. So, that’s a combined 1-for-13 for the Penguins on goaltender interference this season.

This is absurd. I will say that Tuesday’s had a bit more gray area than others, as Brazeau’s skate did touch Wedgewood’s in the blue paint, even if barely. I don’t think Brazeau’s contact with Wedgewood had much of anything to do with his ability to make the save or not, as I think Devon Toews’s stick was the bigger culprit. But, technically, Brazeau did contact him in the blue paint, so I could see why they might overturn.

However, given the much more blatant goaltender interference on Saturday against the Winnipeg Jets that didn’t go the Penguins’ way? The one in the Blue Jackets-Islanders game on Sunday? The one in the Toronto-Boston game Tuesday?

This is becoming a pattern, and it’s a questionable one, at best. These kinds of numbers stacked against one team simply do not happen. And the goal reversal very well may have affected the outcome of the game because, if that goal stands, the score is 4-2 with 12 and a half minutes still to play in the second period, and the Penguins had all of the momentum on their side.

The league needs to figure out this problem. No, a 35 percent success rate on coach’s challenges this season overall does not mean this is entirely a “Penguins problem.” But it is disproportionately affecting the Penguins, and if things continue the way they’ve been going, it could affect the outcome of their season. 

That simply cannot happen.

- The Penguins got lucky on the out-of-town scoreboard on Tuesday. Even though the Blue Jackets leapfrogged them for second place with a regulation win over the Philadelphia Flyers, the Islanders, Red Wings, and Bruins all lost in regulation. 

Pittsburgh has the Ottawa Senators on Thursday, a team they've won just two of their last 10 games against. Even though this is the Penguins' hardest week of the regular season schedule-wise - and the Blue Jackets and Islanders have harder remaining schedules than the Penguins, who close out the season with six straight games against current non-playoff teams - it's certainly in their best interest to get two clean points on Thursday. Especially since the Sens currently occupy the second wild card spot just one point behind the Pens.

If the Penguins can survive the rest of this week, a very important contest on Mar. 30 looms with the Islanders. That feels like the one to circle on your calendar, folks.

Crunching The Numbers: Are The Penguins Contenders?Crunching The Numbers: Are The Penguins Contenders?The Pittsburgh Penguins are fighting tooth and nail to make the playoffs for the first time in four years. But are their team numbers indicative of a team good enough to be a contender?

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

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Jalen Brunson's fourth-quarter takeover exactly what Knicks needed vs. Pelicans: 'That’s a position he wants to be in'

Jalen Brunson provided exactly what the Knicks needed Tuesday night to escape MSG with a win over the Pelicans.

Although New Orleans came in with a 25-47 record, they were up to try and take down the Knicks at home, and they nearly did. The Knicks were only up 109-107 with 4:28 to go in the game. And only up four points with 1:41 remaining. 

In addition to some careless play by the Knicks, the Pelicans' young shooters got hot and New York needed all 121 points to come away with the victory. But without Brunson's fourth-quarter performance, it may have been a very different story. 

The Knicks All-Star guard scored 15 of his 32 points in the final frame on 4 of 5 shooting, including 7-for-7 from the free-throw line. With seven minutes remaining and the Knicks only up five, Brunson scored 10 straight points and five of the team's final seven points down the stretch to salt the game away. 

"That’s what great players do," coach Mike Brown said after the game. "Great players, when it matters the most, when the pressure’s the highest, sometimes that means drawing two and kicking it out to OG [Anunoby] for a wide-open three or someone else. He was great at that tonight. 

"For who he is and for me as a coach, I never put a cap on those guys. You don’t put a cap on Steph Curry in Golden State. Jalen Brunson here, and Jaylen Brown in Boston. You let those guys be who they are."

Heading into the fourth quarter, Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns were having better offensive nights. Anunoby entered with 21 points while Towns had an efficient 16 to go with his eight rebounds. 

But when the offense became stagnant and turnovers started to stack, Brunson took the game over, as he's done so much during his New York tenure. 

Last season's Clutch Player of the Year showed his superstar status in the final four minutes of Tuesday's win. Brunson scored nine points, including knocking down five free throws to ice the game away.

"That’s a position he wants to be in," Josh Hart said of Brunson's takeover. "We want him in that position. You learn when you watch his game and play this game that the last 3-4 minutes of a game are winning time. That’s where your superstars show why they are at that level. That’s what he did."

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Jokic hits the go-ahead jumper as the Nuggets edge the Suns 125-123

PHOENIX (AP) — Nikola Jokic had 23 points, 17 rebounds and tied a season high with 17 assists to lead the Denver Nuggets over the Phoenix Suns 125-123 on Tuesday night.

Jokic made the go-ahead basket, knocking down a 12-foot jumper with 11.5 seconds left. Phoenix’s Devin Booker got a good look at a potential winning 3-pointer, but it bounced off the rim.

The Suns trailed 117-109 with 3:19 left, but methodically worked their way back. Booker made a tough jumper in the lane to tie the game at 123 with 30.2 seconds remaining. He had 22 points and eight assists.

Jokic had his NBA-leading 29th triple-double of the season by early in the third quarter. The three-time MVP shot 9 of 16 from the field and delivered several pinpoint passes, including one that went the full length of the court for a layup by Christian Braun.

The Nuggets have fought injuries for most of the season, but are now close to full strength. Jamal Murray had 21 points and Tim Hardaway Jr. added 18 off the bench.

Denver had a 10-point lead at halftime, but Jordan Goodwin and Grayson Allen made back-to-back 3s late in the third to help Phoenix cut the deficit to 97-95 heading into the fourth. Allen and Jalen Green both had 21 points.

KNICKS 121, PELICANS 116

NEW YORK (AP) — Jalen Brunson scored 32 points, including 15 in the fourth quarter, and New York beat New Orleans for its seventh straight victory.

Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby each added 21 points for the Knicks (48-25), who pulled within percentage points of the Boston Celtics (47-24) for second place in the Eastern Conference. Towns also grabbed 14 rebounds.

But it was Brunson who made the difference for the Knicks in a game that was close throughout the second half. He scored 10 straight points for New York midway through the fourth quarter, including back-to-back baskets after the Pelicans had cut it to 109-107 with 4 1/2 minutes remaining.

Zion Williamson scored 22 points and Jeremiah Fears had 21 for the Pelicans, who have lost two in a row after a three-game winning streak.

HORNETS 134, KNGS 90

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Coby White made six of Charlotte’s franchise-tying 26 3-pointers and finished with 27 points as it routed Sacramento for its fourth straight win.

LaMelo Ball had 20 points on six 3s and Moussa Diabate added 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Hornets (38-34), who pulled within two games of the Atlanta Hawks for sixth place in the Eastern Conference.

Daeqwon Plowden had 22 points and ex-Hornet Malik Monk had a career-high 14 assists for the Kings (19-54).

Kon Knueppel added four 3s for the Hornets as the rookie from Duke moved into second place in franchise history for 3s made in a season with 247. He needs 14 to pass Kemba Walker, now a player enhancement coach with the Hornets.

The 26 3-pointers matched the franchise record set on March 14, 2025, at San Antonio.

Charlotte raced to a 72-47 lead at halftime, shooting 13 of 29 from beyond the arc with Ball and White leading the way with four each at the midway point.

Charlotte pushed its lead to 46 early in the fourth quarter.

CAVALIERS 136, MAGIC 131

CLEVELAND (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 42 points, James Harden added 26 and Cleveland beat Orlando to extend its winning streak to four games.

It is Mitchell’s sixth game with at least 40 points this season, tied for fourth-most in the league.

The All-Star guard also continued his mastery of the Magic. It was his third 40-point game in 23 regular-season meetings against Orlando. He is averaging 27.2 against the Magic, the sixth-highest scoring average of any player in NBA history against Orlando.

Harden, who was scoreless in the first half of Saturday’s game at New Orleans, had 22 points and three 3-pointers in the first half as the Cavaliers had a 72-68 lead at halftime. It was his most points in the first two quarters since being acquired by the Cavaliers.

Evan Mobley had 19 points for Cleveland, making all eight of his shots from the field, along with nine rebounds and six assists.

Paolo Banchero had 36 points for Orlando (38-34), which has dropped six straight and dropped into a three-way tie with Charlotte and Miami for eighth place in the Eastern Conference.

Tristan da Silva had 18 points, while Desmond Bane and Jamal Cain scored 17 apiece for the Magic.

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Referee’s ‘mistake’ that led to crucial goal sinks Islanders

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Ilya Sorokin reacts dejectedly after giving up the team's fourth goal to Frank Nazar after a referee's 'mistake' call during the Islanders' 4-3 loss to the Blackhawks on March 24, 2026 at UBS Arena, Image 2 shows Chicago Blackhawks center Frank Nazar (91) scores a goal during the second period when the New York Islanders played the Chicago Blackhawks Tuesday, March 24, 2026 at UBS Arena in Elmont, NY
Islanders

The Islanders were unhappy with the goaltender interference call that went against them Sunday, but could at least add afterward that it didn’t end up mattering in the 1-0 win over the Blue Jackets.

As for the missed icing call Tuesday night that led to the Blackhawks’ fourth goal in an eventual 4-3 win, well, there was no such solace.

After Wyatt Kaiser sent the puck up the ice, with Tyler Bertuzzi diving and missing in an attempt to get a stick on it before it crossed over the blue line, the Islanders were so sure that it would be whistled down that Adam Pelech and Scott Mayfield both temporarily seemed to slow up.

Instead, there was no call and Nick Lardis stripped the puck from Mayfield behind the net, setting up a streaking Frank Nazar, who made it 4-1 Chicago at 6:02 of the second.

“The referee said he made a mistake to us,” coach Patrick Roy said. “It was over. That’s all it was. That’s all. It was bad timing for us. It’s unfortunate, but that’s part of the game, I guess.”

Part of the game, maybe, and the Islanders bear some blame for not playing to the whistle, but this was a brutal time for such a missed call with the Islanders fighting for their playoff lives every night. The explanation on the ice, apparently, was that the puck hit Cal Ritchie.

“I don’t even know what that was about,” Ritchie said. “They said I touched the puck or something on that play. I wasn’t even near the play. Yeah, it’s a little frustrating.”

Ilya Sorokin reacts dejectedly after giving up the team’s fourth goal to Frank Nazar after a referee’s “mistake” call during the Islanders’ 4-3 loss to the Blackhawks on March 24, 2026 at UBS Arena. Robert Sabo for New York Post

Indeed, the video confirms Ritchie’s description to be correct.

For the rest of the night, the UBS Arena crowd mock-cheered on every icing call.

At the time of the goal, it did at least appear that the missed call would be inconsequential, with the Islanders down 4-1 and looking sluggish at best.

After they recovered their game in the third period to get within 4-3 at the final buzzer, though, it looms large. Even a point from getting as far as overtime could make a big difference in a race that appears ready to go down to the wire.

Chicago Blackhawks center Frank Nazar (91) scores a goal during the second period when the New York Islanders played the Chicago Blackhawks Tuesday, March 24, 2026 at UBS Arena in Elmont, NY. Robert Sabo for NY Post

“We had an icing,” captain Anders Lee said. “We had an icing. They said that it hit Cal Ritchie. So I don’t have the time, really, to go back and look. We had a game to play, so I’ll let you guys take care of that, but Cal said it didn’t hit him.”

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Hall of Famer Frank Thomas files lawsuit seeking damages against White Sox, Fanatics, Nike

CHICAGO (AP) — Hall of Fame slugger Frank Thomas has filed a lawsuit against the Chicago White Sox and accuses the organization with which he played the bulk of his career of unauthorized use of his likeness on uniforms.

The lawsuit was filed March 19 in Cook County, Illinois, and also named Nike and Fanatics as defendants.

Thomas seeks payment in excess of $50,000 and demands a jury trial.

Thomas said the defendants profited from selling items using his identity without his permission, notably the sale of City Connect 2.0 jerseys that bear his name without his consent.

Thomas claims he has received no compensation or other consideration from Nike, Fanatics and the White Sox for the use of his name and likeness

“The complaint we filed alleges violations of the Illinois Right to Publicity Act," wrote William T. Gibbs of Corboy & Demetrio, the law firm representing Thomas, in a statement. "Companies may not profit from anyone’s identity without their permission. We believe our filing speaks for itself.”

Thomas, a two-time MVP with the White Sox who hit 521 homers in a career that spanned from 1990 to 2008, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014.

The White Sox did not immediately return a request for comment Tuesday night.

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

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Ja Morant injury update: Grizzlies star shut down for rest of season

Memphis Grizzlies All-Star guard Ja Morant has been officially shut down for the remainder of the season, the team announced Tuesday night.

Morant, 26, has been sidelined since Jan. 21 with a UCL sprain in his left elbow that he has since been rehabilitating.

However, a recent consultation advised the team to shut Morant down for the remainder of the season after lingering pain. So, the Grizzlies did just that.

"Following a recent consultation to advise on lingering discomfort, it was recommended that Morant receive a PR (platelet-rich plasma) injection to further optimize ligament healing," the team said. "Morant will begin offloading the elbow following the injection and will miss the remainder of the 2025-26 season."

The Grizzlies star is expected to make a full recovery ahead of the 2026-27 season.

Memphis has a 24-47 record and remains in the 11th spot in the Western Conference. There are 11 games left. Although it's not yet mathematically impossible, it's highly unlikely the Grizzlies make the postseason, let alone the NBA Play-In.

Morant has averaged 19.5 points, the lowest since his second season in the league. He's added 3.3 rebounds and tied a career-high with 8.1 assists per game. He shot 41% from the field. Morant appeared in 20 games during the 2025-26 season for Memphis.

He's appeared in 79 games in the previous three seasons with the Grizzlies, who selected Morant with the second overall pick in the first round of the 2019 NBA Draft out of Murray State. Morant won the NBA Rookie of the Year award and is a two-time All-Star and led Memphis to four playoff appearances since joining the league in 2019.

Additionally, the team announced Brandon Clarke is out for the season with a right calf strain.

"Recent imaging indicated that additional healing is required prior to clearance for high-intensity court work. Clarke will continue his rehabilitation program and will miss the remainder of the 2025-26 season," the team said in a news release.

Clarke is also expected to make a full recovery ahead of the 2026-27 season.

Grizzlies center Zach Edey underwent a procedure to address lingering discomfort in his left elbow. The team said he is expected to make a full recovery and be ready for the 2026-27 season, with Clarke and Morant.

NBA injury news: Moses Moody injury update: Warriors guard out for the season

Ja Morant highlights: 2025-26 season

Morant scored a season-high 40 points in a wild ending against the Philadelphia 76ers on Dec. 30, 2025.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ja Morant injury update as Grizzlies say his season is over

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2026 South Side Sox Top Prospect No. 2: Caleb Bonemer

PHOENIX, AZ - MARCH 21: Caleb Bonemer #21 of the Chicago White Sox bats during the game between the Chicago White Sox and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Camelback Ranch on Saturday, March 21, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona.
Pro tip: When Caleb Bonemer is sizing you up, pitchers, get real scared. | (Photo by Julia Jacome/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Caleb Bonemer
6´1´´
195 pounds
Age: 20
2025 South Side Sox Top 100 Prospect ranking 17
2025 High Level Winston-Salem (High-A)
Age relative to high level -3.1
SSS rank among all shortstops in the system 1
Overall 2025 stats (Low-A/High-A) 107 G ⚾️ 12 HR ⚾️ 64 RBI ⚾️ .281/.401/.473 ⚾️ 29-of-37 (78.4%) SB ⚾️ 75 BB ⚾️ 101 K ⚾️ .938 FLD% ⚾️ 4.3 WAR

The White Sox drafted Caleb Bonemer in the second round in 2024. Drafted out of high school in Okemos, Mich., his selection might have been predestined: Not only was Bonemer an Area Code affiliate of the White Sox, but on the day Bonemer was born fellow infielder Tadahito Iguchi launched a three-run homer to help defeat Boston, 5-4, in Game 2 of the 2005 ALDS.

In both his junior and senior seasons, Bonemer earned the Gatorade Michigan Player of the Year award. Bonemer signed with the White Sox for $2,997,500 rather than attending the University of Virginia.

Bonemer made his pro debut in 2025, with a somewhat surprising/aggressive assignment to Kannapolis. The shortstop immediately laid to rest any concerns about rushing him, as he utterly destroyed Low-A pitching. After untold highlights and numerous citations from South Side Sox as minors Player of the Week, Bonemer packed his bags and headed up to Winston-Salem, where he would play more than three years young for the level. All Bonemer did then was up his slugging to an outrageous (.611) degree, mashing seven extra-base hits in 11 games.

Heading into 2026, Bonemer is a consensus No. 1 overall prospect in the eyes of most prognosticators, and reaching as high as No. 26 among MLB prospects according to Baseball Prospectus, No. 27 at Baseball America.

Expect Bonemer to start in Double-A Birmingham this season, and if you doubt his ability to club his way to Charlotte before season’s end, you just weren’t paying attention in 2025.

Full 2026 South Side Sox Top 100 White Sox ProspectsStorystream

2026 Top 100 Prospects no longer in the system
15. Peyton Pallette, RHRP (lost to Cleveland in the Rule 5 draft)
31. Gage Ziehl, RHSP (traded to Boston on Feb. 1, 2026)
43. Ronny Hernandez, C (traded to Boston on Nov. 18, 2025)
51. Drew Dalquist, RHRP (declared free agency, signed Triple-A deal with San Diego Padres)
66. Andre Lipcius, 1B (declared free agency)
84. Caleb Freeman, RHRP (declared free agency, signed Triple-A deal with Toronto Blue Jays)
90. DJ Gladney, RF (declared free agency, signed Double-A deal with New York Yankees)
98. Luis Pineda, C (declared free agency)

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Scheifele sparks Jets with a goal, 2 assists and a rare fight in a 4-1 win over Golden Knights

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Mark Scheifele had a goal and two assists — and a rare fighting major in the second period — to lead the Winnipeg Jets to a 4-1 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday night.

Kyle Connor, Alex Iafallo and Cole Perfetti also scored for Winnipeg, which snapped a five-game home skid against Vegas.

Connor Hellebuyck made 26 saves to snap his six-game winless streak against the Golden Knights.

Colton Sissons scored the lone goal on the power play for Vegas. Adin Hill stopped 17 shots.

Scheifele dropped the gloves with Brett Howden late in the second period in just his 10th career fight in his 15th NHL season. Scheifele capped the scoring for the Jets with his 32nd goal, an empty-netter with 1:18 left.

Early in the second period, Iafallo and Perfetti scored just 118 seconds apart, giving the Jets a commanding 3-0 lead.

Sissons made it 3-1 in the second when he scored on the power play, the third straight game in which Vegas converted with the man-advantage.

Connor’s first-period goal gave him a point in 30 home games, extending his NHL-leading mark for the most home games with at least one point this season.

Up next

Golden Knights: Start a four-game homestand against Edmonton on Thursday.

Jets: Host Colorado on Thursday.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

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Player Grades: Cavs vs. Magic – Donovan Mitchell and James Harden lead potent offense in win

CLEVELAND, OH - MARCH 24: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers enters the court before the game against the Orlando Magic on March 24, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers didn’t have their best defensive effort, but their offense more than made up for it as they defeated the Orlando Magic 136-131.

All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents that player performing to our expectations for them.

James Harden

26 points, 7 assists, 3 rebounds

Harden and Paolo Banchero spent much of this game attacking each other in isolation. Harden didn’t fare well defensively in that matchup, but he made up for it by getting clean looks at the other end.

This game was a great example of how Harden can completely change a game with his ability to manage an offense. He made sure that they got the right shot every time down the court.

He also made this absurd pass, which counts for something.

The Cavs came into this game with the third-best offense in the league since Harden’s debut. Performances like this show why.

That said, the defense was bad. Some of that blame falls on Harden’s shoulders. That’s going to knock his grade some.

Grade: B-

Donovan Mitchell

42 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds

Mitchell has struggled to find his rhythm since injuring his eye before last Tuesday’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks. Even though his eye still doesn’t look 100%, his game looks a lot closer to what we’ve come to expect, as he was once again playing at an All-NBA level.

The Magic weren’t able to keep Mitchell from getting to the paint. This created space for him to get his outside shot off. And once he does that, it’s impossible to contain him, including down the stretch as he put the Magic away late with a runner going to the basket for his 40th point.

This all resulted in an efficient 42-point performance on 14-22 shooting.

As with Harden, Mitchell’s defense wasn’t great. That’s going to knock down what was a spectacular offensive performance.

Grade: B+

Evan Mobley

19 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 block

This wasn’t the most impressive statistical performance from Mobley by just looking at his point total, but the process was good offensively. He hunted out mismatches and then took advantage by either getting the easy basket or setting up his teammates around him. This led to him being a perfect 8-8 from the floor.

Mobley wasn’t bad on defense, but you would hope that having the Defensive Player of the Year would help keep a bad Magic offense from scoring 131 points. That is going to drop his grade down some as well.

Grade: B-

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Max Strus

11 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal

Struss did a lot of things well on the court, including running the pick-and-roll as a secondary initiator.

More importantly, he hit three of his eight triples, which were much needed. He came into this game going 3-15 from deep in his last three contests.

Grade: B

Keon Ellis

2 points, 3 rebounds, 0 assists, 1 block, 1 steal

Ellis did some good things on the defensive end once again, but he needs to provide something more offensively if he’s going to be a meaningful part of the playoff rotation.

Head coach Kenny Atkinson ripped the team’s defensive effort. But on a night that the Cavs desperately needed what Ellis can provide on that end, the offense was too inconsistent for him to be out there to close the game.

Grade: D+

Dennis Schroder

6 points, 2 assists, 1 rebound

Schroder has seemed out of place the last few weeks. That continued again. He wasn’t able to make a noticeable impact outside of a few baskets in the fourth quarter. That’s disappointing from someone who provided so much in the first few weeks after the trade.

Grade: D+

Dean Wade

2 points, 1 assist, 1 rebound

Wade wasn’t able to get his shot to go, which limited his effectiveness offensively. And while he provided good defense, he wasn’t anything special on that end, on a night Banchero got whatever he wanted offensively.

Grade: D-

Thomas Bryant

9 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals

Bryant continues to be a star in his role, even if that role is mostly a minor one in the grand scheme of things. He’s done a good job of anchoring lineups where he’s the only big and he’s done a great job of spacing the floor when he’s out there with Mobley.

Tonight, Bryant was perfect from the floor (4-4) and finished tied with Strus for the best plus/minus on the team at +13. You really can’t ask for more from your third center that was forced into duty with Jarrett Allen out of the lineup.

Grade: A

Sam Merrill

19 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals

Merrill continues to fit extremely well with Harden. The two have developed a great chemistry with Merrills off-ball movement. That was on display once again as Harden continually found Merrill for easy baskets, including an easy layup on a baseline out-of-bounds that felt like two free points.

But to credit all of Merrill’s success to Harden would be a mistake. He’s more than made the most of his opportunity in the starting lineup. That was on display again as he was an impactful all-around scorer, as he went 2-6 from deep and finished four of his five shots in the paint.

Merrill is going to make it a real conversation as to whether he should be left in the starting lineup once Allen returns.

Grade: A

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Jack Hughes scores two goals as Devils hold on for 6-4 win over Stars

DALLAS (AP) — Jack Hughes scored twice in New Jersey’s four-goal first period, and the Devils handed Dallas consecutive losses in regulation for the first time in two months, beating the Stars 6-4 on Tuesday night.

Jesper Bratt and Connor Brown also had goals as the Devils put four of their first five shots past Jake Oettinger to end the Dallas goalie’s career-best point streak at 14 games. Oettinger was pulled after the first period.

Wyatt Johnston had two goals to reach 40 for the first time in his career, and Jason Robertson scored his 39th for Dallas, which hadn’t lost two in a row in regulation since dropping three straight from Jan. 13-18.

Johnston’s second goal was his NHL-leading 24th on the power play, extending his franchise record set two nights earlier in a 3-2 loss to Vegas.

Playing for the first time since clinching a Western Conference playoff spot, the Stars lost to an East also-ran and fell seven points behind NHL-leading Colorado, their Central Division rival.

Hughes beat Oettinger one-on-one for both his goals, the latter when Luke Hughes connected with him on a two-line pass for a breakaway and a 4-1 lead 17:19 into the first.
Hughes has eight goals in eight games after going without one in his first five games following the gold medal-winning goal for Team USA against Canada in the Milan Cortina Olympics.

Johnston tied his career high with his 38th assist when Robertson got Dallas within a goal midway through the second period.

New Jersey’s Timo Meier and Mavrik Bourque of Dallas traded third-period goals before an empty-netter from Dougie Hamilton.

Casey DeSmith replaced Oettinger and gave the Stars a chance late by stopping the first 12 shots he faced. Jake Allen had 23 saves for the Devils.

Up next

Devils: At Nashville on Thursday on the fourth game of a five-game trip.

Stars: At the Islanders on Thursday to start a four-game trip.

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3 notes before the Mavericks face the Denver Nuggets

DALLAS, TEXAS - JANUARY 14: Bruce Brown #11 of the Denver Nuggets is defended by Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks during a game at American Airlines Center on January 14, 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 Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images

What, really, is there to be gained for the Dallas Mavericks (23-49) as they prepare to face the Denver Nuggets (44-28) on Wednesday at Ball Arena?

A draft lottery ball or two? A feint glimmer of sunshine in an otherwise dreary season and amidst a stretch of just four wins in the team’s last 27 games? Surely not a rogue win against a quality opponent. Surely not that, right?

Not so fast, my friend.

Just because the Mavericks are actively avoiding the win column these days doesn’t mean a winning result is out of the question on Wednesday. Tipoff is scheduled for 9 p.m. CDT.

Middling in Denver

The Nuggets have gone just 13-13 over the last two months. Dallas has already beaten Denver twice this year. Sure, those two wins came before February’s trade deadline, with a completely different Mavericks roster, but the Nuggets will also be playing on the second night of a back-to-back set on Wednesday, while the Mavs will roll into town after a day off.

Denver had just started Tuesday night’s game at the Phoenix Suns at the time of this writing.

Wednesday’s game will mark one week since the Nuggets blew a 125-118 loss at the Memphis Grizzlies, whose tactics toward avoiding wins has been even more creative than the Mavericks’ have lately. Ty Jerome nearly completed his first-career triple-double in that loss, coming up just one rebound and one assist shy to go along with 21 points for the Grizzlies in the win that snapped Memphis’ eight-game skid.

Despite the mediocre stretch, Denver still sits in fourth in a crowded Western Conference playoff race and still has plenty to play for. The Nuggets just haven’t been firing on all cylinders lately.

Fly the Flagg

Cooper Flagg went off against the Nuggets for 33 points, nine rebounds and nine assists, leading the Mavericks in all three categories, in a 131-130 win over the Nuggets on Dec. 23. He had 32 points and nine assists again in Monday’s 137-131 overtime loss to the Golden State Warriors.

The NBA Rookie of the Year race is far from a foregone conclusion, with Monday’s NBA broadcast crew going so far as advocating for giving the award to both Flagg and Charlotte Hornets forward Kon Kneuppel, who averages 19.1 points on 43.4% 3-point shooting and five rebounds per game as Charlotte makes a push in the Eastern Conference playoff race. The last time the NBA had co-Rookies of the Year was 1999-2000, when Steve Francis and Elton Brand shared the honors. Dallas head coach Jason Kidd shared the award for the 1994-95 season with Grant Hill of the Detroit Pistons.

It will be interesting to see whether Flagg or Knueppel can separate himself from his former roommate as the race goes down to the wire.

Support staff

Which members of the current Mavericks roster should stick around as Flagg’s running mates? Good showings against quality opponents surely hold some weight in the conversation, as does the individual value each player holds in the offseason trade market.

P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford have both rebounded in recent games after underwhelming stretches of play earlier in the season, but is either of them the right fit for the future? Marvin Bagley III worked himself into irrelevance in recent years after being selected second overall in the 2018 NBA Draft but has raised eyebrows at times since being traded to the Mavericks in a deadline day deal six weeks ago.

Klay Thompson’s shooting stroke seems to have returned recently as well, not that any of this has led to more wins for the Mavericks. With the team’s most glaring need at the guard position and a stout draft class awaiting those with their eyes set on the top of the class, it’s easy to see a future where all four of those role players return for the Mavericks next season. Not many teams may be willing to part with decent draft capital for any of them.

We may as well sit back and evaluate their fit as the Cooper Flagg Era takes shape.

How to watch

The Mavericks and the Nuggets tip off at 9 p.m. CDT on Wednesday from Ball Arena in Denver. The game will be televised locally on KFAA Channel 29 and streamed on MavsTV and NBA League Pass where available.

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Canadiens 5, Hurricanes 2

MONTREAL, CANADA - MARCH 24: Jakub Dobes #75 of the Montréal Canadiens celebrates an empty-net goal by teammate Jake Evans #71 (not pictured) during the third period against the Carolina Hurricanes at the Bell Centre on March 24, 2026 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Montréal Canadiens defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 5-2. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Carolina Hurricanes jumped out to a 2-0 lead early in the game but they were unable to hold the lead or light the lamp again as the Montreal Canadiens defeated them, 5-2 on Tuesday night at the Bell Centre.

The Hurricanes played well enough, they outshot the home team 42-19, but they could not finish nor could they solve goalie Jakub Dobes, who picked up the win.

Nikolaj Ehlers got the scoring started just two minutes and change into the game when he rocketed a shot on goal that deflected in off a Montreal player to make it 1-0. It was a powerplay goal, giving Carolina four powerplay goals in the last two games.

Jordan Staal found himself all alone in front of the opposing net and made no mistake to make the score 2-0 and the Canes were cooking. It was Staal’s 18th of the season.

The Hurricanes did an outstanding job limiting Montreal’s shots though the home team scored on a deflected goal as they were outshot, 16-4 in that opening period.

The Habs picked up their play in the second as they scored twice to make it 3-2 at the second intermission.

While the Canes had some chances, including a couple of breakaways, they could not score again.

Montreal put the game away later in the third when the puck got past K’Andre Miller and Ivan Demidov scored on his breakaway attempt to make it 4-2.

The Canadiens later scored an empty-netter to close out the scoring.

Alexander Nikishin played over 20 minutes in this affair for the first time in awhile, (20:49). He led the team with four blocked shots.

The game did not help Fred Andersen’s save percentage as he allowed four goals on the 18 shots he faced.

It was reported that Charles Alexis Legault was recalled for the game in case a defenseman could not go. (Someone was not feeling well). He was returned to Chicago when he was not needed.

The Canes returned home and will take a day or two off as they prepare to face the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.

Game Summary – https://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20252026/GS021121.HTM

Event Summary – https://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20252026/ES021121.HTM

Interviews – https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/05wvrgg8gbn0tiv6w28ep/AG818xVqb1PfRF1aN_gv_rs?rlkey=k73i5zdzwnypdgj0idhxkxojm&e=1&st=92fdo9f2&dl=0

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Here’s a Breakdown of the St. Louis Cardinals Opening Day Schedule

Mar 27, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; The Budweiser Clydesdales runs around the warning track before the opening day game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Minnesota Twins at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals have shared a detailed schedule of what Opening Day will look like on Thursday. It will start with a pep rally starting late morning and won’t conclude until the Cardinals and Tampa Bay Rays kick off the 2026 season in the afternoon.

Here’s the Opening Day schedule for the St. Louis Cardinals:

10:30am – 1pm – Pep Rally at the Busch II Infield at Ballpark Village

12 noon – Gates open at Busch Stadium

12 noon – 12:55pm – Cardinals batting practice

12:55pm – 1:50pm – Rays batting practice

2:30pm – Pregame ceremonies including the Budweiser Clydesdales

2:37pm – St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Famers motorcade

2:49pm – St. Louis Cardinals 2026 team motorcade featuring players, manager and coaches

3:05pm – National Anthem

3:10pm – Ceremonial First Pitch by 2006 World Series MVP David Eckstein, 2006 World Series Champion Gary Bennett, and 1996 National League Central Champions Brian Jordan & Tom Pagnozzi

3:15pm – First pitch of the 2026 season

Here are some other important things to note. The St. Louis Cardinals said that the following Hall of Fame players are expected to participate on Thursday includes Tony La Russa, Scott Rolen, Ted Simmons, Ozzie Smith,Vince Coleman, Al Hrabosky, Jason Isringhausen, Ray Lankford, Willie McGee, Mark McGwire, Édgar Renteria, & John Tudor. In total, the Cardinals expect 40 alumni to be a part of Opening Day.

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Marian (Ind.) women win 1st NAIA title since 2017 by topping 2-time defending champion Dordt (Iowa)

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Madisyn Bailey scored a career-high 23 points, Abbey McNally had 17 points and 15 rebounds and Marian (Ind.) used a big run in the third quarter to help beat two-time defending champion Dordt (Iowa) 73-61 on Tuesday night for its first NAIA championship since 2017.

Marian (35-2) claimed the third NAIA title in program history and denied Dordt (34-3) a three-peat. The Defenders were in the championship game for the fourth time in the last five years.

After scoring just nine points in the second quarter, Marian took the lead for good during a 20-6 run in the third. Dordt was just 5 of 15 from the field in the frame.

Senior Kenna Kirby added 14 points and Kiley McNally, twin sister of Abbey, had eight points and 12 rebounds for the Knights, who dominated the glass 49-35. Abbey McNally was named the tournament MVP.

Macy Sievers and Gracie Schoonhoven each scored 15 points for the Defenders. Aubrey Burkhart added 14 points.

Dordt led 32-28 after Olivia Harazin beat the halftime buzzer with their fourth 3-pointer of the game. The Defenders finished 6 of 15 from behind the arc.

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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

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Cernak scores on crazy carom late in 3rd period as the Wild beat the Lightning 6-3

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Erik Cernak scored a tiebreaking goal with 2:53 left in the third period when Minnesota goaltender Filip Gustavsson misplayed a carom off the end boards and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Wild 6-3 on Tuesday night.

Cernak scored his second of the season after Charle-EdouardD’Astous' pass traveled the length of the ice and bounced off the end boards toward Gustavsson, who failed to control the puck with his glove. The puck went between Gustavsson's legs into the crease and Cernak pounced, sending it into the open net.

Tampa Bay rallied from a two-goal deficit, scoring three goals in the second period and five unanswered overall over the second and the third to win for the fourth time in five games and fifth time in seven.

Darren Raddysh had a goal and two assists, Brayden Point and Jake Guentzel also scored, while Brandon Hagel and Pontus Holmberg added an empty-netter goals in the final minutes. Andrei Vasilevskiy had an assist and made 20 saves to win his fourth straight start. Guentzel's goal was his 32nd of the season and the 300th for his career.

Vladimir Tarasenko had a goal and an assist, and Mats Zuccarello and Brock Faber also scored for the Wild, who have lost five of their last seven games. Gustavsson stopped 19 of the 23 shots that he faced.

Minnesota jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first and a 3-1 lead in the second before Tampa Bay bounced back. Raddysh and Guentzel scored in approximately a three-minute span of the second to tie the game at 3. Cernak, Hagel and Holmberg completed the scoring in the third for Tampa Bay.

The Wild had a potential go-ahead goal disallowed with 1:18 left in the second period after Tampa Bay challenged. After a review, it was decided that Raddysh was knocked to the ice and into the crease, prohibiting Vasilevskiy from a possible save.

For Minnesota, Joel Eriksson Ek was back in the lineup after missing three games with lower-body injury and Kirill Kaprizov returned after missing two games, also with a lower-body injury.

Up next

Wild: At the Florida Panthers on Thursday.

Lightning: Host the Seattle Kraken on Thursday.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl