Posts

Posted on

Dylan Holloway scores with 3 seconds left in OT as the Blues beat the Sharks 2-1

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Dylan Holloway scored with 3 seconds left in overtime to lift the St. Louis Blues to a 2-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night.

Dalibor Dvorsky also scored for the Blues, who won their third straight. Joel Hofer made 24 saves.

Alexander Wennberg had the lone goal for the Sharks, who have dropped six in a row (0-5-1). Yaroslav Askarov made 11 saves before leaving with an injury and was replaced by Alex Nedeljkovic.

With the game tied at 1, the Sharks tried to win it when Macklin Celebrini passed to Dmitry Orlov, whose wrist shot went wide. Phillip Broberg got the rebound and sent a long pass down the left side to a streaking Holloway, who caught up with the puck, skated in front of the net and put a backhander past Nedeljkovic for the win.

Dvorsky gave the Blues a 1-0 lead in the second period off assists from Holloway and Jimmy Snuggerud.

Wennberg tied it for the Sharks with a wrister 5:04 into the third.

Up next

Sharks: Play at Columbus on Saturday night.

Blues: Host Toronto on Saturday night.

—

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

Posted on

Dodgers offense too much to contain in opening win over Diamondbacks

Mar 26, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Andy Pages (44) celebrates with outfielder Teoscar Hernandez (37) and infielder Max Muncy (13) at home plate after hitting a three run home run against Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zac Gallen (not pictured) during the fifth inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers offense proved too much to handle, putting up a pair of four-run innings to overwhelm the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-2 on Thursday night at Dodger Stadium.

The Dodgers have won 16 times in their last 19 opening days, including the last five in a row.

Arizona starter Zac Gallen was cruising along nicely enough, allowing just a single and walk through four innings, and no Dodger reached scoring position. But the first five batters of the fifth inning reached against him, ending Gallen’s night.

In last year’s home opener, the Dodgers trailed by two runs in the fifth inning when Teoscar Hernández gave them the lead with a three-run home run. This year, Hernández reached on an infield single and was one of two who got a free ride home thanks to another outfielder — Andy Pages’ three-run shot brought home the Dodgers’ first three runs of the season, and gave them their first lead.

Will Smith reached on a cue shot just behind first base, just out of the reach of Carlos Santana, to extend the fifth and bring home a fourth run charged to Gallen’s ledger.

Smith also hit a two-run home run in the seventh inning, another four-run frame that also saw Kyle Tucker’s first hit as a Dodger, a ringing double that brought home Shohei Ohtani.

First time through the batting order, the Dodgers only had a single and a walk. The rest of the way, 14 of 31 batters reached base, including three extra-base hits. On the night, eight of nine Dodgers batters had a hit and scored a run. Only Freddie Freeman, who walked and was 0-for-4, was left wanting.

“When you face a lineup like ours, it certainly has to be taxing when you’re facing our guys, when you feel like you have to keep executing and executing,” manager Dave Roberts said. “It’s tough mentally, and as long as we can stay tough mentally like we were tonight, we should have opportunities to put up big numbers.”

On the mound

For the third Dodgers game in a row Yoshinobu Yamamoto earned the win, this time with another quality start. His only runs allowed came in the fourth inning when Geraldo Perdomo blasted an 0-2 middle-middle fastball into the right field pavilion for a two-run home run to open the scoring.

Yamamoto settled down after that, retiring his next nine batters, including four by strikeout, to finish six innings, just as he did in 22 of his 35 starts last season.

On the night, Yamamoto struck out six and walked none. He threw his splitter the most often, and got eight swinging strikes on the pitch, of his 16 total whiffs in the game.

Yamamoto left with a 4-2 lead, and Blake Treinen worked around a single to pitch a scoreless seventh inning in what was still a close game. Will Klein, after making his first opening day roster, pitched a perfect eighth before Tanner Scott got the ninth to finish off the win.

Opening day particulars

Home runs: Andy Pages (1), Will Smith (1); Geraldo Perdomo (1)

WP — Yoshinobu Yamamoto (1-0): 6 IP, 5 hits, 2 runs, 6 strikeouts

LP — Zac Gallen (0-1): 4+ IP, 5 hits, 4 runs, 2 walks, 2 strikeouts

Up next

Another day, another pregame ceremony for the Dodgers, who get their 2025 championship rings on Friday night before the middle game against the Diamondbacks (7:10 p.m.; SportsNet LA, MLB Network). Emmet Sheehan starts on the mound, with Ryne Nelson pitching for Arizona. The ring ceremony begins at 6:20 p.m. and will be televised by SportsNet LA.

Posted on

Nico Hischier's two goals lifts Devils to 4-2 win over Predators

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Nico Hischier scored two goals to lead the New Jersey Devils to a 4-2 victory over the Nashville Predators on Thursday night.

Jesper Bratt scored a goal and added two assists, Timo Meier scored an empty-net goal, and Jacob Markstrom made 16 saves for the Devils, winners of five of six. Jack Hughes and Jonas Siegenthaler had two assists apiece.

Reid Schaefer and Steven Stamkos scored and Justus Annunen made 26 saves for the Predators, who had their five-game winning streak snapped.

Nashville entered Thursday three points ahead of the Los Angeles Kings for the Western Conference’s second wild card berth.

With time winding down in the third and the Devils on a power play, Hughes’ shot from the left side tipped off Hischier and past Annunen at 14:07.

Bratt scored the game’s first goal with 1:58 remaining in the opening period.

Siegenthaler faked a shot from the high slot and slid a pass to Jack Hughes in the right circle, where his one-timer deflected off Bratt.

Hughes has a seven-game point-scoring streak.

Bratt has scored in a career-high five straight and has 19 goals on the season.

Hischier made it 2-0 at 9:13 of the second when Bratt’s wrist shot from the left side tipped off Hischier and snuck past Annunen on the near post.

Schaefer halved New Jersey’s lead less than two minutes later on a breakaway, slipping a wrist shot between Markstrom’s pads.

Stamkos made it 2-2 with 7 remaining in the second on a backhand from just outside the crease, his 36th goals of the season.

Nashville’s Matthew Wood hit the left post with 1:45 left in a bid to tie the game.

Up next

Devils visit the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday.

Predators host the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday.

Posted on

March Madness finds a Cinderella. Iowa basketball, the slipper is yours

Cinderella wears a 9-seed’s uniform. Specifically, it’s a black jersey trimmed in gold.

Iowa, the slipper is yours. You wear it well.

You say a Big Ten team can’t be Cinderella, I say we might need to broaden our horizons a smidge when Iowa advances into the Elite Eight for the first time in 39 years.

By beating No. 4 Nebraska, the Hawkeyes became just the ninth 9-seed ever to reach the Elite Eight.

Sweet 16 scores: Live updates, highlights, March Madness predictions

“Cinderella, whatever they want to call us,” Iowa coach Ben McCollum said. “We’re in the Elite Eight — that’s what they need to call us.”

And, so, Iowa becomes the highest seed left standing.

This isn’t akin to Saint Peter’s slaying giants or Kent State to the Elite Eight or George Mason’s Final Four run, but inside this chalky tournament, Iowa swiftly became the tournament’s top underdog tale, thanks to two guys who were tucked away at Division II Northwest Missouri State as of two years ago.

Luther Vandross will be singing about Bennett Stirtz and McCollum in two weeks.

“That’s my guy,” Stirtz said.

He was talking about McCollum, not Vandross.

Stirtz is McCollum's guy, too. Stirtz followed his coach from Northwest Missouri State to Drake to Iowa to the Elite Eight.

Stirtz swiftly became Iowa’s guy, its heartbeat, its big-bucket maker, and he went for 20 points and four assists in this 77-71 takedown of Nebraska.

Ben McCollum, Bennett Stirtz are masters of March Madness

Stirtz and McCollum are masters of March. A year ago while both were at Drake, they introduced themselves to the national stage with a first-round upset of Missouri. After Drake exited the tournament, McCollum hit the coaches’ transfer portal, and Stirtz was at his heels — off to Iowa.

Too bad for Indiana. The blue-blooded Hoosiers needed to snap up McCollum when IU was hiring last year. Instead, Iowa got him. A lifelong Midwesterner born in Iowa City, McCollum perfectly suits the Hawkeyes.

Fran McCaffery, go ahead and enjoy the. Ivy league. McCollum and Stirtz got this covered.

The Hawkeyes never led in this game until Stirtz drilled a 3-pointer with just more two minutes remaining. The next time down the court, teammate Tate Sage drilled a triple.

Nebraska extinguished.

Iowa writes underdog story at Nebraska's expense

Like the Cinderellas that came before them, the Hawkeyes made their hay from a land where the buckets are worth three points, not two.

Thirteen 3s, Iowa drilled, against one of the nation’s best defensive teams.

Out in Lincoln, you can bet your cornstalk they had the pyrotechnics ready, too. Earlier in this tournament, Huskers fans blasted fireworks in celebration of a program that hadn’t had much to celebrate in its entire history, before a slick-shooting barrage carried Nebraska into the Sweet 16.

The Huskers got hot against Troy, stayed hot against Vanderbilt, and kept cooking in the first half against Iowa.

And what did Nebraska do when its first five attempts from 3-point range after halftime missed the mark? It fired two more. Pryce Sandfort, then Braden Frager, bang, bang. Huskers back in front, for a spell.

Nebraska made 36 3-pointers in three tournament games, and Vandross will sing of Sandfort, too, and his “One Shining Moment,” right after he’s through with Stirtz.

Three years ago, Sandfort was Mr. Basketball in Iowa. He previously played for the Hawkeyes. Then, Sandfort transferred and became Mr. Husker. He scored 25 points against Iowa. Sandfort just needed more help from his teammates, just as Stirtz got 38 points from Iowa’s bench.

If you think the Hawkeyes are done here, well, ask Florida for a second opinion. Iowa sent the defending national champions packing just last week, part of an improbable uprising from a Hawkeyes squad that had stalled for a month heading into this tournament. Evidently, McCollum and Stirtz were saving their heroics.

Together, they gave an upset-starved tournament its first hint of a Cinderella story.

Or, as McCollum put it, maybe the committee “should have seeded us better.”

Oh, my! A cheeky one.

“Nah, I'm just kidding,” McCollum said. “They seeded us right where we should."

Indeed, the committee did. An underdog’s seed suited Iowa.

Blake Toppmeyer is a columnist for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ben McCollum, Bennett Stirtz make Iowa a March Madness underdog tale

Posted on

Inside the game-winning play that advanced Purdue to Elite 8

SAN JOSE, CA — The past four years of Trey Kaufman-Renn’s all led to Thursday, March 26. 

Since he arrived on Purdue’s campus in 2022, coach Matt Painter has tried to tell his forward sometimes, it’s not the first shot that’s the most important, it’s the second. 

He found out it’s indeed true in the Sweet 16. 

Renn came up clutch for No. 2 seed Purdue, getting the game-winning tip-in shot against No. 11 seed Texas to get the Boilermakers in the Elite Eight.

It was the heroics Purdue needed to avoid another March Madness loss to a double-digit seed, and for a moment, it seemed possible. Texas’ Dailyn Swain got a bucket and the foul to tie the score with 11 seconds to go, setting up Purdue for the final shot.

After a timeout, guard Braden Smith brought the ball down and drove to his right for a floater. The play was fully designed for him, meant for him to drive down and get the shot. The only thing was to make sure he didn’t get blocked.

The moment the ball left his hand, he thought that would seal it.

“Honestly, it left the hand, I thought it was in,” Smith said. “I was hopping kind of excitedly.”

But the ball bounced off the rim, suddenly changing his thoughts.

“It took a weird bounce, and it was off,” he added.

It completely altered the mindset of Renn too. The forward thought it was the look his teammate wanted, and figured that would be it. Once he saw the shot go off the rim, then it was time to prepare for the lesson his coach had been trying to tell him.

“I just tried to get myself in position to get a rebound or a post if his defender cut him off,” Renn said.

The ball bounced perfectly for him to get the putback, and at that point, all he thought was he just needed to get his hand on it.

“It's not like it's a shot you practice every single day, although I do practice some crazy shots every day,” he said. “I just tried to get a hand on the ball and give us another chance.”

The last chance Purdue needed. The second-chance bucket sent the Boilermakers crowd of the SAP Center in the arena into a frenzy, elated to see the team advance to the Elite Eight for the second time in three seasons. 

Pretty much everyone in black and gold was excited, except for Renn – yet.

“I was kind of nervous,” Renn said. “I was like ‘Man, I got to go back on defense now.’”

Fortunately, Texas’ Jordan Pope was unable to hit the long heave for the miracle win, and as the shot clanked off the timebox, the Boilermakers hounded the game’s savior. It was only at that moment Renn finally felt excited, understanding the lesson his coach had been preaching came to life.

“It's kind of cool to actually experience that,” Renn said.

Purdue’s game-winner highlighted something that helped Purdue stave off Texas in the second chance opportunities, outsourcing the Longhorns 22-12 in the category. 

“We're always, like if that clock is low, don't get back on defense. Make sure everybody gets to the glass,” said Painter. 

It was going to be a battle on the boards, as both teams entered the night top 20 in the country in rebound margin.

The final result? Texas 31 rebounds, Purdue 32 – with the last one being the difference in surviving and advancing.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Inside Purdue's game-winning play to advance to Elite 8

Posted on

Lakers vs. Nets Preview: Home sweet home

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - MARCH 23: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena on March 23, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. 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 Nic Antaya/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Los Angeles (47-26) is back home, where they will play their next three games, starting with the Brooklyn Nets (17-55) on Friday.

The Lakers looks to win their second straight game and sweep the season series against Brooklyn.

Start time and TV schedule

Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Brooklyn Nets

When: 7:30 p.m. PT, Mar 27

Where: Crypto.com Arena

Watch: Spectrum Sportsnet

The Lakers just concluded their best road trip of the season, given the stakes involved. Not only did they win five out of six games, but they defeated the Rockets — who were lurking below them in the Western Conference standings — twice, and their only loss came down to one possession against the Pistons.

The purple and gold’s performance has been commendable, and that’s why they’re sitting nicely as the third seed in the Western Conference. Now, they’re home with the opportunity to build another winning streak.

It’ll also help that the Lakers have two days of rest after Friday’s matchup against the Nets.

And speaking of the Nets, they come into Crypto.com Arena as losers of their last nine games. They’re statistically the second-worst team in the league, and only the Pacers, who the Lakers just defeated, are worse than them.

Brooklyn has shut down its best player, Michael Porter Jr., so they’re pretty much in tank mode right now. That’s why there’s really no excuse for the Lakers to lose this one.

The Lakers can win their second straight game if they simply keep up what they’ve been doing. It’ll obviously be nice to see Luka Dončić play, but he is currently listed as questionable.

The last time the Lakers played against the Nets, they dominated on the road. That was one of those rare games where none of the big three played more than 30 minutes.

Despite Brooklyn struggling, Los Angeles should still take note of Ziaire Williams, Nic Claxton and Jalen Wilson, who are leading the offense now. The Lakers should capitalize on the Nets’ lack of firepower and their inability to score.

As long as the Lakers approach this one the right way and play their usual game, then it should be a win for them.

Notes and Updates

  • For the Lakers’ injury report, Luka Doncic (left hamstring soreness) and Rui Hachimura (right calf injury) are questionable.
  • Marcus Smart (right ankle contusion) and Adou Thiero (left knee soreness) are out.
  • As for the Nets, Egor Demin (plantar fascia), Michael Porter Jr., (hamstring strain), Day’Ron Sharpe (thumb surgery) and Danny Wolf (ankle sprain) are all out. Meanwhile, Noah Clowney (wrist sprain) is noted as probable.

You can follow Nicole on Twitter at @nicoleganglani.

Posted on

How reigning AL Cy Young winner and 21-year-old rookie spoiled Padres’ Opening Day

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows A Detroit Tigers baseball player in a gray uniform with orange lettering running on the field, with a baseball bat lying on the ground beside him, Image 2 shows A baseball pitcher in a gray uniform and black hat throws a pitch from the mound

SAN DIEGO — Opening Day here is supposed to feel like hope and possibility. 

Beneath a beautiful Southern California sun reflecting off the brick Western Metal Supply Co. building at Petco Park, there was plenty of promise for the Padres. The first of 162 games, a chance to hit the reset button after back-to-back early playoff exits. 

But that’s not what happened. Instead, what showed up in brown and yellow on Thursday wasn’t a World Series contender shaking off October scars, it was a team that looked eerily similar to the one that walked off Wrigley Field last fall.

Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal delivers against the host Padres on Thursday. AP

Padres ace Nick Pivetta lost the opener of that NL wild-card series against the Cubs as well, and his Opening Day start this season went even worse. 

Pivetta, the supposed anchor of this rotation after a breakout season, unraveled almost immediately. Three walks in the first inning. Four runs before the Padres could even exhale. When he was pulled in the third without recording an out, the game — and maybe the tone of the early season — had already been decided.

“I was disconnected and out of rhythm,” Pivetta said. “I didn’t make pitches when I needed to, and it snowballed on me.”

Snowballed is a polite way to put it.

This was an avalanche, and it came from the Captain and the Kid. A veteran pitcher with two Cy Young Awards to his name, and a 21-year-old rookie making his MLB debut. 

Tarik Skubal and Kevin McGonigle.

And if baseball handed out captain’s patches the way hockey does, Skubal wouldn’t just wear the “C” —he’d define it.

That’s what this was. A masterclass in control paired with a coming-of-age moment that felt almost unfair to witness from the opposing dugout.

Skubal didn’t just pitch. He carved up the Padres like a surgeon on the operating table.

Six innings. Three hits. No walks. Six strikeouts. One unearned run that barely registers as a blemish. He moved through the Padres’ lineup like a man flipping through pages he’s already memorized. Every pitch had intention. Every sequence had consequence. There was no panic, no wasted motion, no doubt about what the eventual outcome would be.

This is what dominance looks like when it’s fully realized.

“He’s the best in the game, and he’s coming aggressive,” said Ramon Laureano, who hit a solo home run. “They have a really good team with good pitching. It’s not going to be easy.”

That might be the most honest sentence spoken inside that clubhouse all day.

Tigers rookie Kevin McGonigle had an MLB debut to remember Thursday. AP

Because on the other side of the Captain was the Kid, something far more chaotic yet somehow just as dangerous.

McGonigle is 21 years old. Barely old enough to legally toast his own debut. And yet, on the first pitch of his MLB career, he didn’t blink. He didn’t ease in. He didn’t “get his feet wet.”

He detonated.

A two-run double down the right field line off Pivetta. It cracked the game open before most fans had settled into their seats. It wasn’t just a hit — it was a declaration.

Welcome to the show? No.

This was a takeover.

McGonigle finished 4 for 5 with two RBI and two runs, looking less like a kid and more like a problem that’s about to linger in the American League for a long time. There’s a certain audacity to greatness when it arrives early, when it skips the awkward phase entirely and walks straight into relevance. He played like he’d already been here for years.

And the Padres? They looked like they hadn’t.

Because while Detroit arrived with clarity — an ace who knows exactly who he is and a rookie fearless enough to swing like it — the Padres arrived with more questions than answers. The same ones that haunted them through back-to-back postseason disappointments. The same ones that lingered after falling to the Dodgers in 2024 and getting bounced by the Cubs in 2025.

Because the Padres didn’t just lose 8-2. They were exposed.

Exposed as a team still searching for its edge. Exposed as a lineup that can be carved up by elite pitching. Exposed as a roster that, despite its talent, still hasn’t figured out how to respond when the moment tightens instead of loosens.

Opening Day is supposed to be about hope. About rewriting the narrative from the year prior.

Instead, San Diego got a reminder that narratives don’t change just because the calendar does.

They change when you force them to change.

And on Thursday, it wasn’t the Padres doing the forcing. It was Skubal, calmly dictating terms like a veteran captain steering through open water. It was McGonigle, swinging like the future doesn’t wait its turn.

The Captain and the Kid didn’t just spoil Opening Day.

They revealed exactly how far the Padres still have to go.

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters

California Post News: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, WhatsApp, LinkedIn
California Post SportsFacebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X
California Post Opinion
California Post Newsletters: Sign up here!
California Post App: Download here!
Home delivery: Sign up here!Page Six Hollywood: Sign up here!

Posted on

Jordan Pope played 33 minutes on broken foot in Sweet 16: 'I had nothing to lose'

Texas guard Jordan Pope was willing to do whatever the Longhorns needed in its last-second loss to Purdue in the Sweet 16, including playing through a serious injury.

The senior guard revealed he played 33 minutes with a broken foot against the Boilermakers on Thursday, March 26, after suffering the injury against Gonzaga in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The severity of his injury, which resulted in him being a game-time decision against Purdue, wasn't previously known.

REQUIRED READING: Trey Kaufman-Renn last-second putback sends Purdue past Texas, into Elite 8

It was definitely up in the air," Pope told reporters after Texas' season-ending 79-77 loss. "... Now five minutes left against Gonzaga. I broke my foot, a complete break. So, it was definitely tough. I'm not sure a lot of guys would have went out there and played, but credit to my training staff."

Pope scored 12 points on 4-of-10 shooting in the loss, with all his points coming on 3-pointers. The 6-1 guard was remarkably available in his career, starting 129 of his 134 career games at Oregon State and Texas.

Texas coach Sean Miller said Pope's decision to play ultimately came down to he and his family's decision after making sure they had all the information they needed from team doctors.

"Just watching him out there tonight is really remarkable," the first-year Texas coach said. "Really was what he did, how he played under those conditions and now he'll go and get healthy for the long term."

Jordan Pope injury update

Pope ended his college career playing on a broken foot after suffering the injury in Texas' upset win over Gonzaga in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. He said it was a clean break, and in order to play he needed to reduce the swelling to make the pain tolerable against Purdue.

"After conversations with the doctor, I couldn't break it anymore," he said after the game. "So there wasn't much high risk in terms of the actual injury. Obviously, I heard other things, but I had nothing to lose. It was a Sweet 16 back home in front of my family. I'm playing for my teammates, my coaches. Never had this opportunity again. I couldn't let that pass."

Pope said he underwent a lot of therapy in order to be available for the game.

"A lot of icing, a lot of bone therapy," Pope said. "The thing is, just to keep the swelling down, because it was gonna hurt. It was a break, was no fixing that, but just being able to get the swelling down, which helped ease the pain a bit and just make it tolerable."

Jordan Pope stats

Here are Pope's year-by-year per-game averages in college:

  • 2022-23 (Oregon State): 12.6 points with 2.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists
  • 2023-24 (Oregon State): 17.6 points with 2.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists
  • 2024-25 (Texas): 11 points with 2 rebounds and 1.7 assists
  • 2025-26 (Texas): 13.1 points with 2.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jordan Pope injury: Texas G played with broken foot vs Purdue in Sweet 16

Posted on

Federal judge denies NCAA's restraining order request to make DraftKings stop using 'March Madness'

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A federal judge on Thursday denied the NCAA's motion for a temporary restraining order to stop DraftKings from using registered trademarks associated with its men’s and women’s basketball tournaments.

The complaint for trademark infringement, filed in the Southern District of Indiana last week, requested that DraftKings stop using “March Madness,” “Final Four,” “Elite Eight” and “Sweet Sixteen” and variations of those terms to promote its business.

Judge Tanya Walton Pratt ruled the NCAA did not show how the online sports wagering platform's use of the terms would cause irreparable harm.

“With further discovery the NCAA may be able to show they are entitled to a preliminary or permanent injunction, and those claims remain pending,” Pratt wrote.

DraftKings has been using “March Madness” and other familiar terms to refer to the NCAA Tournament for more than five years and has the legal right to do so, the sportsbook said in a court filing Wednesday in response to a complaint filed by the NCAA last week.

The NCAA has said it actively avoids any appearance of affiliation with gambling and said in the complaint that DraftKings’ use of the terms confuses customers by making it appear the NCAA is on board.

___

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

Posted on

Panthers' Forward Evan Rodrigues Suffers Broken Finger During Loss To Minnesota

The Florida Panthers have lost another key player to injury.

During the second shift of the game, Panthers forward Evan Rodrigues suffered an injury to his right hand.

He left the game after a 49 second shift and did not return.

The Panthers officially ruled him out of the game during the early stages of the second period, saying he had an upper-body injury.

After the game, which Florida lost 3-2 on a last-second goal, Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice gave his latest injury update, and like many that came before it, this was another that did not have a positive outlook.

“Yeah, he broke his finger,” Maurice said. “We’ll find out Monday whether he needs surgery on it or not.”

Maurice said the recovery time would be around four-to-six weeks, depending on whether Rodrigues needs surgery.

Either way, with Florida’s season over in less than three weeks, that would mean we’ve seen the last of Rodrigues.

He joins an injured list that includes Sasha Barkov, Sam Reinhart, Brad Marchand, Anton Lundell, Niko Mikkola, Uvis Balinskis, Jonah Gadjovich, Cole Schwindt and Mackie Samoskevich.

“It’s awesome,” a frustrated Maurice said sarcastically. “The most dangerous job in sports right now is to play for the Florida Panthers.”

Florida has just 11 games remaining on its schedule, four of which will be on home ice.

The Panthers kick off a quick back-to-back in New York this weekend with a matchup on Long Island on Saturday afternoon followed by a visit to Madison Square Garden for a nice Sunday matinee.

LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA

Tarasov Stands Tall, Panthers Fall 3-2 To Minnesota On Last-Second Goal

Cole Schwindt Resumes Skating; Mackie Samoskevich Out Of Panthers Lineup Against Wild

Panthers Wrap Up Latest Quick Homestand With Matchup Against Playoff-Bound Minnesota

Panthers' Anton Lundell To Miss Several Weeks With Rib Injury

Mackie Samoskevich A 'Possibilty' For Panthers Against Wild

Photo caption: Dec 4, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Evan Rodrigues (17) moves the puck against the Nashville Predators during the second period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

Posted on

Mariners Opening Day Game Thread 1

SEATTLE, WA - MARCH 26: Logan Gilbert #36 of the Seattle Mariners pitches during the game between the Cleveland Guardians and the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on Thursday, March 26, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Rod Mar/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Good job, everyone. We technically got to 615 comments on the first thread before the first pitch was thrown in inning number two. Take that, Pinstripe Alley.

Now on with more Opening Day!

Posted on

Ilya Sorokin makes 26 saves to lead Islanders past Stars

NEW YORK (AP) — Ilya Sorokin gave the New York Islanders the type of elite goaltending they needed facing one of the NHL’s top teams while in the thick of a playoff chase, making 26 saves to beat the Dallas Stars 2-1 on Thursday night.

Sorokin was locked in from the drop of the puck, denying Colin Blackwell on a shorthanded breakaway 10 minutes in and making a handful of other 10-bell saves on quality scoring chances in the first period alone. He was perfect on a pair of penalty kills, one each in the second and third periods, and allowed only one goal on a 6-on-5 with three minutes left to Matt Duchene.

Bo Horvat scored his 30th goal of the season five minutes in and Calum Ritchie later picked up the 11th of his rookie year to provide enough offensive support. Matthew Schaefer, the face of the franchise at 18 years old, assisted on each to reach 54 points and tie Hall of Famer Denis Potvin for the second most by a rookie defenseman in Islanders history.

CANADIENS 2, BLUE JACKETS 1

MONTREAL (AP) — Zachary Bolduc scored the winner with his first goal since Dec. 23, and Montreal edged Columbus.

Jayden Struble — with his first of the season — also scored, and Jakub Dobes made 25 saves as Montreal won its third consecutive game.

Damon Severson scored for Columbus, and Jet Greaves stopped 18 shots.

The Blue Jackets fell to 19-4-4 since Rick Bowness replaced Dean Evason as head coach Jan. 12. They climbed from 28th overall to second in the Metropolitan Division ahead of Thursday’s games.

The Canadiens, meanwhile, sit third in the Atlantic Division with 11 games remaining.

PENGUINS 4, OTTAWA 3, SO

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Ben Kindel scored the shootout winner to lead Pittsburgh to a win over Ottawa.

Rickard Rakell scored twice and had an assist, and Erik Karlsson also scored for the Penguins, who moved into second in the Metropolitan Division.

Drake Batherson scored twice and Nick Cousins also scored for the Senators. Tim Stutzle added two assists.

Both Linus Ullmark and Stuart Skinner made huge saves in overtime to force the shootout.

KRAKEN 4, LIGHTNING 3, OT

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Brandon Montour scored his second goal of the game 2:47 into overtime to give Seattle a victory against Tampa Bay.

Bobby McMann and Kaapo Kakko each had a goal and an assist. Philipp Grubauer stopped 30 shots for Seattle, which snapped a four-game losing streak.

Jake Guentzel had a goal and an assist, Anthony Cirelli and Corey Perry both scored, and Charle-Edouard D’Astous had two assists. Andrei Vasilevskiy finished with 15 saves. Tampa Bay improved to 4-0-2 in the last six games.

Montour picked up the puck from Shane Wright and beat Vasilevskiy to keep Seattle in the playoff race in the Western Conference.

WILD 3, PANTHERS 2

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Joel Eriksson Ek scored the winning goal with 4.4 seconds left to lift Minnesota past Florida.

Marcus Foligno and Ryan Hartman also had goals for the Wild and Jesper Wallstedt made 18 saves.

Minnesota, which is 3-4-1 in its last eight, entered Thursday’s game five points behind second-place Dallas and 12 points ahead of fourth-place Utah in the Central Division. The Panthers entered Thursday 12 points behind the Ottawa Senators for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference.

Aaron Ekblad hammered a shot inside the left post to tie it for Florida with 1:13 left. But Eriksson Ek answered with the winner in the closing seconds of the third period.

FLYERS 5, BLACKHAWKS 1

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Alex Bump and Sean Couturier scored in the first three minutes of the game and Philadelphia used the fast start to cruise to a win over Chicago.

Bump, Noah Cates and Christian Dvorak had a goal and an assist each for the Flyers, who have won six of their last eight games to stay in the chase for a wild-card playoff spot. Denver Barkey also had a goal for Philadelphia and Samuel Ersson made 25 saves.

Connor Bedard scored his 30th goal of the season for Chicago to become the third Blackhawks player with a 30-goal season at age 20 or younger, joining Jonathan Toews (34 in 2008-09) and Eric Daze (30 in 1995-96).

Spencer Knight had 37 saves for Chicago.

BLUES 2, SHARKS 1, OT

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Dylan Holloway scored with 3 seconds left in overtime to lift St. Louis to a victory over San Jose.

Dalibor Dvorsky also scored for the Blues, who won their third straight. Joel Hofer made 24 saves.

Alexander Wennberg had the lone goal for the Sharks, who have dropped six in a row (0-5-1). Yaroslav Askarov made 11 saves before leaving with an injury and was replaced by Alex Nedeljkovic.

With the game tied at 1, the Sharks tried to win it when Macklin Celebrini passed to Dmitry Orlov, whose wrist shot went wide. Phillip Broberg got the rebound and sent a long pass down the left side to a streaking Holloway, who caught up with the puck, skated in front of the net and put a backhander past Nedeljkovic for the win.

DEVILS 4, PREDATORS 2

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Nico Hischier scored two goals to lead New Jersey to a victory over Nashville.

Jesper Bratt scored a goal and added two assists, Timo Meier scored an empty-net goal, and Jacob Markstrom made 16 saves for the Devils, winners of five of six. Jack Hughes and Jonas Siegenthaler had two assists apiece.

Reid Schaefer and Steven Stamkos scored and Justus Annunen made 26 saves for the Predators, who had their five-game winning streak snapped.

Nashville entered Thursday three points ahead of the Los Angeles Kings for the Western Conference’s second wild card berth.

AVALANCHE 3, JETS 2

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Nathan MacKinnon scored his 47th and 48th goals of the season to propel Colorado to a victory over Winnipeg.

Jack Drury scored his career-high ninth goal of the season for the NHL-leading Avalanche, who ended a four-game road trip with a 4-0-0 record. Artturi Lehkonen added an assist in his return after missing 11 games with an upper-body injury.

Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 22 shots for Colorado.

Mark Scheifele scored twice and leads the Jets with 34 goals.

Connor Hellebuyck made 32 saves.

CAPITALS 7, MAMMOTH 4

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Alex Ovechkin had his 34th career hat trick, Ivan Miroshnichenko scored twice, and Washington beat Utah to snap a two-game losing streak.

Anthony Beauvillier and Rasmus Sandin also scored for the Capitals, while Logan Thompson made 35 stops for Washington, which scored four unanswered goals after falling behind 3-1.

Dylan Guenther scored twice for Utah. Logan Cooley and MacKenzie Weegar added a goal apiece and Vitek Vanecek made 17 saves for the Mammoth, who have dropped six of their last seven games at home.

DUCKS 3, FLAMES 2, OT

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Mikael Granlund capped off his hat trick scoring on the power play with 1 second remaining in overtime to give Anaheim a victory over Calgary.

Granlund has seven goals during a four-game goal streak that has him up to 19 on the season as Anaheim extended its winning streak to four games.

The Pacific Division-leading Ducks opened the night with a five-point cushion on the Edmonton Oilers and a six-point lead on the Vegas Golden Knights.

Rookie Matvei Gridin and Blake Coleman scored for Calgary, which extended its point streak to five games (4-0-1). Gridin stretched his point streak to four games (one goal, three assists).

OILERS 4, GOLDEN KNIGHTS 3, OT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Evan Bouchard scored at 3:10 of overtime, shortly after Edmonton killed off a Vegas penalty, and the Oilers defeated the Golden Knights in a game with playoff implications.

The Oilers extended their lead for second place in the Pacific Division to two points over the Golden Knights. They are five points behind first-place Anaheim.

Edmonton captain Connor McDavid scored a goal and picked up two assists. His first assist gave him 800, the third-fastest player to reach that milestone. He got there in 785 games, behind only Wayne Gretzky (527 games) and Mario Lemieux (661).

McDavid, who has 121 points this season, has scored four goals in three games. Matt Savoie, a 22-year-old rookie, scored a goal for his fourth point (three goals, one assist) over six games since joining the top line. Zach Hyman also scored and Connor Ingram made 26 saves.

KINGS 4, CANUCKS 0

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Darcy Kuemper made 19 saves for his third shutout of the season and 39th of his career to lead Los Angeles to a victory over Vancouver.

Trevor Moore had a goal and an assist for the Kings, and Scott Laughton, Artemi Panarin and Quinton Byfield also scored. Mikey Anderson had a pair of assists.

The victory moved the Kings within one point of the Nashville Predators, who hold the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference playoff race.

One of the best stops by Kuemper, whose last shutout was on Dec. 6 against Chicago, came at the 10:43 mark of the first period when Teddy Blueger launched a blast from the slot and the goalie kicked out his right leg to send the puck soaring with the toe of his skate.

Kevin Lankinen made 34 saves for the Canucks, who lost their fourth straight game. Vancouver has been shut out five times this season, with four coming at home.

Posted on

Friday's Time Schedule

All Times EDT

Friday, March 27

MLB

N.Y. Yankees at San Francisco, 4:35 p.m.

Athletics at Toronto, 7:07 p.m.

Colorado at Miami, 7:10 p.m.

Kansas City at Atlanta, 7:15 p.m.

L.A. Angels at Houston, 8:10 p.m.

Cleveland at Seattle, 9:40 p.m.

Detroit at San Diego, 9:40 p.m.

Arizona at L.A. Dodgers, 10:10 p.m.

NBA

L.A. Clippers at Indiana, 7 p.m.

Atlanta at Boston, 7:30 p.m.

Miami at Cleveland, 7:30 p.m.

Chicago at Oklahoma City, 8 p.m.

Houston at Memphis, 8 p.m.

New Orleans at Toronto, 8:30 p.m.

Utah at Denver, 9 p.m.

Dallas at Portland, 10 p.m.

Washington at Golden State, 10 p.m.

Brooklyn at L.A. Lakers, 10:30 p.m.

NHL

Chicago at N.Y. Rangers, 7 p.m.

Detroit at Buffalo, 7 p.m.

MEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

NCAA Tournament - Sweet Sixteen

East Region

No. 5 St. John's vs. No. 1 Duke at Washington, 7:10 p.m.

No. 3 Michigan St. vs. No. 2 UConn at Washington, 9:45 p.m.

Midwest Region

No. 4 Alabama vs. No. 1 Michigan at Chicago, 7:35 p.m.

No. 6 Tennessee vs. No. 2 Iowa St. at Chicago, 10:10 p.m.

WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

NCAA Tournament - Sweet Sixteen

Fort Worth 1 Regional

No. 6 Notre Dame vs. No. 2 Vanderbilt at Fort Worth, Texas, 2:30 p.m.

No. 4 North Carolina vs. No. 1 UConn at Fort Worth, Texas, 5 p.m.

Sacramento 2 Regional

No. 4 Minnesota vs. No. 1 UCLA at Sacramento, Calif., 7:30 p.m.

No. 3 Duke vs. No. 2 LSU at Sacramento, Calif., 10 p.m.

NWSL

Houston at Angel City, 10 p.m.

PWHL

Boston at Toronto, 7 p.m.

_____

Posted on

Blackhawks Lose 5-1: Connor Bedard Hits 30-Goal Plateau, Louis Crevier Is Okay

The Chicago Blackhawks were routed by the Philadelphia Flyers by a final score of 5-1. It was a bad game from the start. They were losing 2-0 before the game was three minutes old, and never recovered from there. 

This game began with some excitement. Sacha Boisvert made his NHL debut with the Blackhawks after a week of waiting for his work visa to clear with the United States government. 

That makes it two top Chicago prospects to debut in 48 hours. Now, the Blackhawks have the youngest roster in the NHL. 

From the early stages of the game, the Blackhawks didn't have the jump that they needed to keep up with the Flyers. Only so much of it can be blamed on their youth, especially since Frondell and Boisvert were not the problem.

That is especially true for Frondell, who was one of the best forwards in the Blackhawks lineup. 

In the second period, Frondell made a backhand pass through the slot to find Connor Bedard, who scored his 30th goal of the season. This is the first time that Bedard has reached 30 goals in his NHL career. 

Bedard became just the third player in Blackhawks history to reach the 30-goal plateau before turning 21 years old. Jonathan Toews did it in 2008-29, and Eric Daze did it in 1995-96. 

The silver linings from the game pretty much end there. Based on effort and execution, it was one of the worst performances that the Blackhawks put on display all season. This is one to throw away and move on from after a film session. 

A scary moment took place late in the game as Louis Crevier took a skate blade to the facial area. Whenever a blade comes that close to someone's face or neck, it is a cause for concern. Crevier left and didn't return. 

In the post-game press scrums, Connor Bedard said that Crevier was in the locker room and was talking. Jeff Blashill confirmed this report: "Louis is going to be just fine". 

In addition to the potential seriousness of an injury like that, Crevier is also someone that the Blackhawks rely heavily on from a hockey point of view. His offense comes and goes, but he is a big body who defends well in all situations. 

In Boisvert's debut, he finished with 9:03 of ice time (15 shifts), one shot, one hit, and one penalty taken while playing on the fourth line with Teuvo Teravainen and Landon Slaggert. It won't be long before he is one of the team's top physical presences. 

Moving forward, this group will focus on acclimating their newly added young players while finishing strong as a team. 10 games remain before heading into an important off-season.

Watch Every Chicago Goal

What’s Next For The Blackhawks?

The Chicago Blackhawks will be back in action again on Friday night when they visit Madison Square Garden to take on the New York Rangers. This will be the third of four games on their current East Coast road trip. 

Image

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

Posted on

Crosby leaves the Penguins' game early in the second period with a lower-body injury

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby left Thursday night's game at Ottawa early in the second period with a lower-body injury, barely a week after he returned from a lower-body injury sustained at the Olympics with Team Canada.

Crosby took a 38-second opening shift in the second period, before heading through the tunnel toward the locker room. The Penguins later announced he would not return to the game, and coach Dan Muse said afterward he had no update on Crosby's condition.

Crosby had also headed through the tunnel following his last shift of the first period after appearing to get his left leg tangled up in a collision. He finished with one shot on goal in nine shifts in Pittsburgh's 4-3 shootout win over the Senators.

The 38-year-old center missed 11 games for the Penguins after he was injured in an Olympic quarterfinal game on Feb. 18. Crosby returned to action at Carolina on March 18 with a goal and an assist, and he had an assist in each of Pittsburgh's last three games. He leads the team with 28 goals and 64 points in 61 games.

___

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