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LIVE UPDATES: Stars vs. Avalanche

First Period

Zakhar Bardakov went to the box for tripping Nils Lundkvist 2:06 into the game. As a result, Dallas went on an early power play. Dallas had a few chances, but Colorado played great defensively and made several clears to kill off the penalty.

Cale Makar initiated the breakout about 6:30 into the period and with time and space, sent Valeri Nichushkin on a breakaway, but Oettinger made the save.

At the halfway point of the period, only one shot was record on net. You heard that right. Just one. That shot belonged to the Avalanche.

Dallas got their first shot on net with 3:55 left in the period when Jason Robertson fired a one-timer, but Wedgewood made the stop. On the next sequence, Mavrik Bourque snapped a wrister from top of the right circle, but that was also gloved by Wedgewood. 

Jamie Benn took a penalty late in the first after bear hugging and throwing Brock Nelson down to the ice for no apparent reason. Colorado followed up with a power play goal when Necas fed Makar a one-timer that clanged off the left side post and in to make it 1-0 Colorado.

Second Period

Wedgewood made an excellent stop to start the period as both teams turned up the pressure, a far contrast from the opening period that saw just eight shots on goal combined. Within the first few minutes, there were a combined five shots, with Colorado contributing three of them.

About four minutes into the period, a shot that bounced off Oettinger nearly ended up in his own net, but Stars defenseman Esa Lindell ended up catching the puck with his glove and put it back in play in a brilliant move to keep the game at 1-0.

At 6:18, Robertson tied the game at one when he batted in a rebound from top of the left circle to make it a 1-1 game. Wedgewood tried everything in his power and lunged with his stick in an attempt to snag it, but was too late.

Just over a minute later, Jack Drury got his hands on the puck and let a wrister go, but Oettinger gloved it. Frustrated, Drury slammed his stick to the ice in response.

As we approached two minutes to go in the period, the Avs poured the pressure on Dallas, but they just couldn't get the puck in the net. Makar fired a shot from the point and the puck got away from Oettinger and Brock Nelson tipped the puck, but it went by the net.

Oettinger made a scintillating save on MacKinnon with 1:08 left in the period when Sam Malinski set up a pass from behind the net, but Oettinger slid across the crease and made a low glove save and MacKinnon just stared in disbelief.

Near the end of the period, both Makar and Stars forward Michael Bunting were penalized: Makar for interference and Bunting for embellishment, although the latter appeared to be the wrong call. Bunting was furious and slammed his stick against the glass after the call was made. As a result, the third period began with 1:42 of 4-on-4.

Third Period

9:00 into the third period, Stars defenseman Tyler Myers went to the box for hooking Parker Kelly, and the Avalanche earned a critical opportunity on the power play.

The first shot from Makar went wide, but the second shot from the two-time Norris Trophy winner was deflected by Brock Nelson, but it ended up right in Oettinger's lap.

Dallas defenseman Lian Bichsel fired a shot from the point off the boards that bounced towards the crease, but Wedgewood was ready for it and made the stop.

Moments later, for the second time in as many games, Colorado was penalized for having too many men on the ice, which gave the Stars, who own one of the best power plays in the NHL, an opportunity to potentially take the lead in this game.

Following several crucial saves from Wedgewood and great defensive play, the Avalanche killed the penalty.

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Jack Hughes and Connor Brown lead the Devils past the Rangers, 6-3

NEW YORK (AP) — Jack Hughes and Connor Brown each had goal and two assists to help the New Jersey Devils beat the New York Rangers 6-3 on Wednesday night for their third straight victory.

The Devils are 10 points behind Boston and Detroit for the two Eastern Conference wild-card spots. They opened a five-game trip after going 5-2 on a homestand.

Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt each had a goal an assist for New Jersey, and Arseny Gritsyuk and Timo Meier also scored. Jacob Markstrom made 14 saves.

Vladislav Gavrikov, Mika Zibanejad and Conor Sheary scored for New York. Jonathan Quick stopped 33 shots.

Last in the East, the Rangers have lost two straight after winning four in a row.

Brown gave New Jersey a 3-2 lead on a power play with 8:24 left in the second period, beating Quick with a quick shot from the slot off a pass from Hughes.

Meier made it 4-2 at 6:29 of the third with his 19th of the season, and Sheary countered for New York at 9:41.

Hughes restored the two-goal margin with 6:55 left, firing in a wrist shot for the U.S. Olympic star's 18th of the season. Bratt capped the scoring with 3:38 to go, with Hughes picking up his 36th assist on the play.

Zibanejad tied it at 2 at 19 seconds of the second period with his 28th goal. He beat Markstrom from the high slot on the Rangers' third shot of the game.

New Jersey led 2-1 after outshooting New York 17-2 in the first. Gavrikov scored for the Devils with 4:40 left, Hischier batted in his 24th on a power play with 3:46 to go, and Gritsyuk gave New Jersey the lead with 44 seconds remaining.

Up next

Devils: At Washington on Friday night.

Rangers: At Columbus on Thursday night.

___

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

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Jaylen Brown and Jason Tatum lead Celtics to blowout over shorthanded Warriors

Jaylen Brown dribbling while defended by Brandin Podziemski.
BOSTON, MA - MARCH 18: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics dribbles the ball during the game against the Golden State Warriors on March 18, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Golden State Warriors had their work cut out for them on Wednesday night. They headed to New England for their third consecutive road game. They were facing a Boston Celtics squad that was one of the best in the NBA even before recently welcoming Jayson Tatum back into the fold. And, despite being a little healthier than in recent games, they were still at a distinct health disadvantage.

All of which left them at a distinct talent disadvantage. And while the Dubs put up a fight, that gap in available talent showed itself on the scoreboard, where the Warriors lost 120-99.

It started out with some electricity. On the very first defensive possession of the game, Kristaps Porziņģis had two emphatic blocks back-to-back, and followed it up by getting fouled on the other end. It looked like he might be set for a high-impact revenge game, as the Warriors were facing one of his former teams for the third straight game.

That didn’t happen. Porziņģis missed both free throws, and had a fairly nondescript game overall, and the Celtics quickly took control of the contest. It was a wild and hectic pace for the first six or so minutes, with the teams flying up and down the court and exchanging fun offensive possessions. But soon Boston’s stars — Tatum and Jaylen Brown — started to take over. And as their offense became automatic, Golden State’s faltered. Boston turned it into a double-digit game in the blink of an eye, and Brown capped a nearly perfect quarter — he had 19 points on 8-for-9 shooting — by sinking a tough shot with just 0.3 seconds remaining. The Celtics lead 36-23 after one.

They responded well to start the second quarter, forcing turnovers and converting them into points in the opening possessions. They were finally playing good defense, and they were scoring, too … for a while, at least. They stayed aggressive, and got into the bonus early, but the offense completely fell apart, and just couldn’t do anything. Meanwhile, Tatum started finding his groove in what was one of his best games since returning earlier this month from an Achilles tear.

The Warriors quickly lost contact with the Celtics, and were suddenly down 20 points. But late in the quarter the Dubs showed life, and started to figure out their offense. They cut into the deficit a little bit, and trailed 63-50 at the break.

For a brief moment in the third, it seemed like the Warriors might make things interesting. They came out of halftime firing, scoring the first six points while playing excellent defense. But they were never able to fully close the gap. They were sticking with the Celtics, but the deficit remained in the 10-point range. Boston wasn’t running away with it, but Golden State wasn’t getting particularly close.

Yet again, the Celtics found their rhythm late in the quarter. One moment you thought the Dubs might make a game of it; the next, they were down 21.

They had one final run in them, and no one can accuse the Warriors of not playing hard. Between the end of the third and the start of the fourth, the Warriors went on a 9-0 run to start to steal the momentum. That cut the lead to nine points, but what followed effectively ended the game for the Dubs. They immediately got sloppy, while the Celtics heated up from beyond the arc. Boston quickly answered with eight unanswered points, and from there, it was never competitive again, as the two teams coasted to the finish line in opposite directions.

Gary Payton II and Pat Spencer came off the bench to lead the Warriors with 14 points apiece, with GPII adding six rebounds, four assists, and four steals. Draymond Green and Gui Santos each had 13 points and five rebounds, with Green adding five assists as well. Porziņģis (11 points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals, and two blocks) and Brandin Podziemski (10 points, six rebounds, five assists, and one steal) each had decent lines, though both players shot very poorly (Porziņģis was 4-for-13 from the field and 1-for-4 from the free throw line, while Podziemski was 1-for-8 from the field and 7-for-10 from the charity stripe).

It was a very different story for the Celtics, where the star power was on full display. Brown continued his superstar season, finishing with 32 points, six rebounds, five assists, and two steals. Tatum notched a double-double, with 24 points and 10 boards. As a whole, the Celtics shot much better than the Warriors, especially from deep: they made 35.9% of their triples (14-for-39), while the Dubs shot just 23.3% (10-for-43).

With the loss, the Warriors fell to 33-36. They’ll look to get back in the win column on Friday, when they visit the Detroit Pistons at 4:30 p.m. PT in the fourth stop on their six-city road trip.

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Egor Dëmin speaks for first time since season-ending injury

Brian Fluharty/Getty Images

Before the Brooklyn Nets’ contest against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night, rookie Egor Dëmin spoke to the media. It marked his first public comment since being ruled out for the remainder of the season with plantar fasciitis, a decision the Nets announced on March 9.

Dëmin had played in two back-to-backs in the weeks leading up to the announcement, which seemed like a major step in his recovery, considering that he had been battling this left-foot injury since the spring of 2025. Alas, Brooklyn put the kibosh on his rookie season after 52 appearances citing “increased plantar fasciitis in his left foot.”

That same day, Jordi Fernández revealed that Dëmin would be undergoing a “non-surgical procedure” to begin the recovery process. On Wednesday, both Fernández and Dëmin declined to reveal the exact procedure. Likely options include a stem-cell injection, a PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injection, or potentially a cortisone injection, though the latter is generally regarded as a more short-term-focused solution.

Dëmin did say that the procedure was successful, and that everything “went well,” while awkwardly skirting right around the details: “I don’t think it’s something that we’re trying to focus on right now. And, you know, the details isn’t the important part. I think the important part is what’s following that, right? And how we get my recovery the best way possible.”

In Brooklyn’s March 9 announcement, they said Dëmin was “expected to return to basketball activity early in the offseason and be a full participant in the summer development program,” though when asked about potentially playing in Las Vegas Summer League, the teenager wasn’t ready to give a firm answer: “I think it’s a little too far, yet, to really talk about it.”

Dëmin did, however, open up about his now-complete rookie season. He started 45 of his 52 games, and most importantly, shot 38.5% from three on high volume after shooting 27.3% from deep in his lone season at BYU. Not just that, but he made big ones too, shooting 8-of-17 in clutch situations. No doubt it’s a small sample, but try to tell any Nets fan/player/coach that Dëmin isn’t a real shooter…

The numbers, though, aren’t what Dëmin is taking away from his first NBA go-round: “Being a rookie who has an opportunity to start as a starting point guard, right, which is even probably more responsibility than later on, when Nolan would get on the court and I started playing more of a wing. I think that’s something that gave me a lot, just from a standpoint of learning and growing as a player, as a vocal … trying to be a leader and all that.”

Now, Dëmin’s summer of reflection, and yes, weight-lifting, begins early. This is a stark departure from the previous few summers for the young Russian, hopping from Real Madrid to BYU to the NBA. Dëmin’s situation is now stable, or “safe,” as he put it. The whirlwind of his prep-to-pro journey has slowed all the way down to the monotonous grind of rehab.

“It’s pretty interesting, because it makes me think about these past years,” said Dëmin. “And then, I didn’t really have that much of a complete summer for all this time, basically, only probably one before I went to BYU … I think, you know, it feels safe, I would say. I just, I know exactly where I’m going to be. I know exactly what I’m going to be doing, and I know exactly what type of timing throughout the summer I’m going to have, right? So it kind of gives me confidence in my development, and that’s why I think this summer is probably one of the most important summers in my life.”

Unsurprisingly, it hasn’t been easy for Dëmin to sit idly by and watch from the sidelines: “I just really want to play basketball. Sometimes, I feel like for athletes, when you know that you can run, it’s enough for you to just go and play. I don’t want to — I don’t want to say that people would let me go and play with injury, like, that’s not what I’m saying — It’s just about, you know, me trying to recover as best as I can, right? In the season, it’s pretty hard for me being a rookie, as I said before, by just being in the process of that many games for the first time.

Plantar fasciitis is (clearly) no joke, particularly during the interminable 82-game schedule. Nets fans may recall the one time Joe Johnson was profoundly unclutch, as he averaged under 15 points per game on 48.6% true shooting in the 2013 playoff loss to the Chicago Bulls while dealing with the injury — but at least, this way, Dëmin does get a head start on his summer.

Like his player, Fernández wouldn’t commit to a summer league appearance (in four-and-a-half months) for the #8 overall pick, but reading between the tea leaves, it seems that that’s the initial expectation. Fernández even let this slip, speaking about Dëmin: “You got all this time to work and better and go into summer league.”

Egor Dëmin may need to hit the weight room this summer. But for a guy whose selection at #8 overall drew wrath from fans and analysts alike, he gave Nets fans plenty to cheer for in his rookie season. Maybe because it’s a fanbase starved for rookie talent, maybe because Dëmin is a great, honest quote, or that there’s little more exciting in basketball that tough shot-making…

In any case, Egor Dëmin’s season is over. Now we all look to the future.

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NHL 26 Predicts Stars vs. Avalanche

DENVER — The Colorado Avalanche earned a virtual victory Wednesday night, rallying from a two-goal deficit to defeat the Dallas Stars 4–2 in NHL 26 simulation action.

Colorado got goals from Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, and Parker Kelly, while Scott Wedgewood turned aside 27 shots to backstop the comeback effort.

First Period

MacKinnon and Martin Necas looked to generate early offense off the rush, but their connection was disrupted by Esa Lindell.

Moments later, Thomas Harley was sent to the box for holding Nicolas Roy, giving Colorado an early power-play opportunity. Despite quality chances from Valeri Nichushkin and Makar, the Avalanche couldn’t capitalize.

Dallas came inches away from opening the scoring midway through the period. Miro Heiskanen intercepted a pass at center ice and led the rush before sliding it over to Jamie Benn, who set up Matt Duchene for a one-timer that rang off the post. Seconds later, Mavrik Bourque fired from the point, and Duchene’s deflection hit iron again—tough luck for Dallas.

Wedgewood kept things scoreless with a highlight-reel diving blocker save to rob Oskar Back.

The Stars earned their first power play with six minutes remaining after Sam Malinski was called for cross-checking Nathan Bastian, but Colorado’s penalty kill stood tall.

The period ended 0–0, though Dallas carried over a man advantage after Ivan Ivan—recently called up from the Colorado Eagles—was whistled for cross-checking late.

Second Period

Colorado successfully killed off the remaining penalty, but Dallas struck shortly after. Heiskanen unleashed a 98.4 mph slap shot through traffic to give the Stars a 1–0 lead.

At 8:44, Back doubled the advantage. Taking a pass from Nils Lundkvist, he faked low and snapped a shot over Wedgewood’s blocker to make it 2–0.

The Avalanche responded quickly.

Less than two minutes later, Necas forced a turnover in the offensive zone and found MacKinnon streaking into the slot. MacKinnon wired a wrister past Jake Oettinger to cut the deficit in half.

With just 1:11 remaining in the period, Zakhar Bardakov fed Ivan in the slot, and he buried a wrister to tie the game 2–2.

After two periods, the game was even, with Dallas holding an 18–12 edge in shots.

Third Period

The parade to the penalty box continued early in the third when Gavin Brindley was called for cross-checking Jason Robertson at 3:22.

Dallas generated a couple of looks on the power play, including a one-timer from Justin Hryckowian set up by Adam Erne, but Wedgewood held firm.

Colorado took the lead for good at 10:17. Kelly buried a one-timer from the top of the right circle off a feed from Joel Kiviranta to make it 3–2.

Makar sealed it late, hammering home a one-timer from Devon Toews with 1:23 remaining to push the lead to 4–2.

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Jaylen Brown carries Celtics to 120-99 victory at TD Garden over Warriors

Jaylen Brown throws down a dunk against the Warriors on Wednesday. | David Butler II-Imagn Images

In the first quarter Wednesday night, Celtics superstar Jaylen Brown looked like he was playing at the park, rather than in an NBA arena.

Brown got to his spot with ease over and over again, racking up 19 points to help Boston jump out to an early lead against the Warriors. He kept it rolling from there, finishing with 32 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists, moving into 10th place on the franchise’s all-time scoring list in the process.

Jayson Tatum added 24 points and 10 boards for the Celtics, who coasted to a 120-99 victory at TD Garden. The win is Boston’s third in a row and eighth in its last 11 games, with a matchup at Memphis on the horizon Friday night.

The Celtics (46-23) bolted out to a 36-23 edge through one quarter, leaning on a steady diet of Tatum and Brown to pull ahead. Tatum swished a 3 and found Sam Hauser in the corner for a triple of his own, and Brown shot 8 of 9 in the quarter without much difficulty. Together, Tatum and Brown scored or assisted on all 36 of Boston’s points.

Old friend Kristaps Porzingis (11 points, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks) kept the Warriors (33-36) afloat, swatting a shot on one end and draining a 3 on the other. He then peered up at the Jumbotron as the Celtics gave him a well-deserved tribute video between quarters.

The second quarter was even, as Gui Santos and Pat Spencer did their part for Golden State. Luka Garza (15 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals), Payton Pritchard (19 points, 7 assists) and Derrick White (11 points, 6 rebounds) all did their part as the Celtics took a 63-50 edge into halftime.

Boston held Golden State to 39 percent from the floor and 25 percent from 3 before the break, rotating and recovering well to prevent the Warriors from generating easy looks.

The Warriors sliced it to 63-56 early in the third, then Brown hit a jumper and Tatum swerved into the lane for two to push it back to 13. Pritchard and Garza worked in tandem to create some separation again, with Pritchard hunting mismatches and hitting his signature fallaways.

Boston extended the margin to 89-73 through three, despite Porzingis’ best efforts to keep Golden State afloat. Baylor Scheierman swished a transition 3 and White added an and-one early in the fourth, then Brown provided the exclamation point with an and-one in the final minutes to elicit another M-V-P chant.

On a night with Robert Parish in the house, the Celtics played stellar defense, holding the Warriors to 23-percent shooting from distance. They didn’t let an inferior opponent hang around and pulled away multiple times to leave no doubt.

The Warriors did all they could, but with Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler and other old friend Al Horford sidelined, the Celtics simply had too much firepower. It never got out of hand, but it also never felt like the Warriors would break through.

Tatum and Brown are back doing their thing, and the Celtics are playing like a team capable of making a deep playoff run.

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Prince scores 22, Nebraska women beat Richmond 75-56 at NCAA First Four

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Britt Prince scored 22 points on 10-of-14 shooting, Nebraska opened the third quarter with a 17-0 run, and the Cornhuskers beat Richmond 75-56 on Wednesday night at the NCAA First Four.

No. 11 seed Nebraska (19-12) plays sixth-seeded Baylor on Friday in the Round of 64. Coach Amy Williams, in her ninth season with the program, has led the Cornhuskers to five of their 18 NCAA Tournament appearances and two of their 10 wins, which includes a 61-59 first-round win over Texas A&M in 2024.

Prince came around a screen, was fouled on a pull-up jumper from the free-throw line and converted the three-point play to open the second half. Her 3-pointer with 4:42 left in the third quarter capped a 17-0 run that made it 51-32.

Seventh-year coach Aaron Roussell has led Richmond (26-8) to 26-plus wins and an NCAA Tournament appearance in each of the past three seasons. The Spiders made their sixth tournament appearance and earned their second consecutive at-large bid.

Maggie Doogan — who was named Atlantic 10 player of the year for the second consecutive season — was 8-of-13 shooting and had 24 points and 10 rebounds for the Spiders. The 6-foot-2 senior averaged 28.5 points in two tournament games last season, which includes a 30-point, 15-rebound performance that helped Richmond beat Georgia Tech 74-49 in the Round of 64 — the program’s first win in the NCAA Tournament.

Richmond shot 40% overall and made just 4 of 23 (17%) from behind the arc. The Spiders went into the game ranked No. 2 nationally in 3-pointers per game (10.5), No. 9 in 3-point percentage (.370) and No. 24 in field-goal percentage (.458).

Up next

The Cornhuskers seek the program's 11th NCAA Tournament win Friday against Baylor.

___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball

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Cavaliers win 2 relays on first day of women's NCAA swimming and diving championships

ATLANTA (AP) — Virginia won the first two relays at the women’s swimming and diving championships Wednesday night to begin its quest for a sixth straight NCAA title.

The Cavaliers won two of the three events to take the team lead with 100 points. Texas is second with 89, and Louisville and Stanford are tied at 59.

Virginia won the 200-yard medley relay for the fifth consecutive championships — with Sara Curtis, Emma Weber and Bryn Greenwaldt getting their first career NCAA titles. The Cavaliers finished in a time of 1:31.67 as the program now owns the 10 fastest times in the event.

Virginia also took the 800-freestyle relay in a time of 6:45.21 to set a NCAA championship meet record.

Texas sophomore Jillian Cox defended her title in the 1650 freestyle with a pool-record time of 15:32.26 after chasing down California freshman Claire Weinstein, who came in at 15:36.52. Virginia sophomore Katie Grimes took bronze at 15:42.65.

There are five swimming finals and a diving final on Thursday at the McAuley Aquatic Center.

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AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

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Austin Barnes hoping to keep career going a little longer — and be part of something special with Mets

An image collage containing 1 images, Image 1 shows Veteran catcher Austin Barnes, hitting a single earlier in spring training, is hoping to land a spot with the Mets

PORT ST. LUCIE — Austin Barnes has 11 years in the majors and a pair of World Series rings from his days with the Dodgers.

So what is he doing at spring training with the Mets, who have Francisco Alvarez behind the plate and Luis Torrens as a solid backup?

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“I just want to play baseball,” Barnes said. “I’m gonna go out there and see what happens. I think I still have some ball left in me, so I just want to keep going.”

The 36-year-old’s time with the Dodgers ended last May, when he was released.

A month later, Barnes signed with the Giants and spent about a month with Triple-A Sacramento before being released again.

Now, he’s giving it another shot with the Mets, who signed Barnes to a minor league deal in January.

He’s unsure how much longer he wants to keep playing, or whether he’d be willing to play in the minors again, but with a week left until Opening Day, Barnes insisted he’s not done yet and hopes to get a shot in Queens.

“This is a really good group,” Barnes said recently. “They’ve got a chance to do something special.”

Barnes has a unique perspective, having been a key part of the Dodgers’ title in 2020 and then serving in a backup role in 2024, when Los Angeles knocked off the Yankees in five games.

“You never know how a team is gonna come together, but the talent is here,” Barnes said. “This roster is as talented as any team in the major leagues. It just has to come together organically.”

Veteran catcher Austin Barnes, hitting a single earlier in spring training, is hoping to land a spot with the Mets. Corey Sipkin for New York Post

And Barnes hopes he’s a part of it.

“I’m thankful for the opportunities I’ve had and I’m trying to make the most of them,” he said. “I came here because I like winning. I don’t like not being competitive, and they have aspirations of winning here.”

Whether that will include Barnes remains to be seen, and he’s not sure how much longer he’ll play.

“I have kids now and I always thought I’d play till they ripped the jersey off,” Barnes said. “But that decision gets a little harder now than when you’re young.”

His attitude, though, still hasn’t changed.

“I feel I can go do it, so why not?” Barnes said. “I love baseball. It hasn’t always been easy. I feel this is something I owe to myself to go out there. And I’d like my son to see me play more, too. He’s 5 now and been around, but he’s starting to understand more. So yeah, I’ll probably play till they rip the jersey off.”

But even if Barnes doesn’t get back to the majors with the Mets, the veteran backstop has had an impact this spring by working with the team’s other catchers.

“He’s very intelligent with knowing pitchers and running a team, really,” Hayden Senger said. “He’s been doing it so long. He knows how to approach at-bats [as a catcher] and that you have to know a pitcher’s strength for a Plan A, but that you always have to have a Plan B and C to navigate big league hitters. It’s great having him around.”

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Spring Training Game Thread: Kansas City Royals at Texas Rangers

SURPRISE, ARIZONA - MARCH 14: Brandon Nimmo #24 of the Texas Rangers warms up on deck during the third inning of the spring training game against the San Diego Padres at Surprise Stadium on March 14, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Tonight the Texas Rangers are the home team in Surprise against the Kansas City Royals as the complex-mates square off under the lights.

RHP Kumar Rocker continues his quest to earn a spot in the rotation for Texas while veteran righty Michael Wacha will pitch for KC.

Today’s Lineups

ROYALSRANGERS
Isaac Collins – DHBrandon Nimmo – RF
Abraham Toro – 1BWyatt Langford – CF
Carter Jensen – CCorey Seager – SS
Drew Waters – RFJake Burger – 1B
Kyle Isbel – CFJosh Jung – 3B
Tyler Tolbert – 2BKyle Higashioka – C
Connor Kaiser – 3BSam Haggerty – LF
Peyton Wilson – LFAndrew McCutchen – DH
Daniel Vazquez – SSJosh Smith – 2B
Michael Wacha – RHPKumar Rocker – RHP

You can catch a telecast via CW33, listen to the game via 105.3 The Fan, or follow along on Gameday. First pitch from Surprise Stadium is scheduled for 8:05 pm CT.

Go Rangers!

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Mizzou Baseball Falls to School to West in 10-0 Upset

 In the 355th all-time face-off between the Missouri Tigers and Kansas Jayhawks, a rivalry that stands as Mizzou’s most played matchup, the Tigers could not find their footing. Kansas came out swinging early and never let up, cruising to a 10-0 run-rule victory.

It was a tough outing for Missouri, as Kansas jumped out on top and did not look back, securing a 9–0 score through six innings.

Kansas did all its damage in the first three innings, as it put up three runs in the first inning and broke things open with a five-run third inning. That early surge gave them a commanding lead they comfortably maintained.

Missouri’s offense struggled to get anything going, although they managed to get three hits across 19 at-bats in the first six innings. A few players, Cameron Benson, Pierre Seals, and Jase Woita, each had hits that anticipated Tiger fans, but none of them were timely enough to bring those runners home.

On the mound, Missouri’s freshman starter Luke Sullivan allowed eight runs, three of them earned on eight hits over 2.2 innings, including two home runs. Their defensive issues did not offer much help, with two errors from Sullivan and Keegan Knutson, which contributed to those big inning let downs.

The bullpen for the Tigers settled things down nicely, as Isaiah Salas, Eli Skidmore and Jackson Sobel combined for 2.2 scoreless innings and allowed just one hit which kept Kansas off the board after the third, until the sixth inning, when a run was scored through a one-out run after a sacrifice groundout.

Slight Hope for Missouri

Starting off the seventh inning strong for Mizzou, Kam Durnin smacked a double out to right field. Tyler Macon took a walk, which brought the Tigers to the corners of the diamond. Kansas brought out their fifth arm of the day, Carter Fink. However, the Jayhawks made a shocking double play to end the inning for the Tigers.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Tigers brought in Luke Fricker to the mound, although another run came home to end the game in a walk-off victory for the Jayhawks.

Game Statistics: https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=632493&vislive=miss

What’s Next

The Tigers will head to the University of Tennessee for a three-game SEC showdown beginning at 5:30 p.m., on Friday, March 20, in Knoxville, Tenn. This will be a quick turnaround, but it will also give Mizzou a chance to respond after their rivalry loss against the Tony Vitello-less Vols.

Tennessee currently holds the same 15-6 record as Mizzou, so it will be interesting to see which team will break that record with a victory.

To follow along with Missouri Baseball, follow @Rock MNation, @SophBleedsLa and @Henry_Chappell on twitter/X.

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Mason McTavish Healthy Scratch for Second Straight Game

The Hockey News-Patrick Present

Following a four-game road trip to face the NHL’s eastern-most Canadian teams, the Anaheim Ducks will briefly return to Orange County for a matchup against the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday.

The Ducks’ trip wasn’t short on storylines. Their 6-4 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday was the epicenter of controversy, as Ducks captain Radko Gudas received a five-game suspension for delivering a knee-on-knee hit to Leafs captain Auston Matthews, a knee that caused a grade-three MCL tear and a quad contusion, which will force the Leafs superstar out for the remainder of the 2025-26 season.

Game #68: Ducks vs. Flyers Gameday Preview (03/18/26)

Takeaways from the Ducks 4-3 Win over the Canadiens

To end the trip, the Ducks won a high-octane matchup with the Montreal Canadiens 4-3, which saw the return of star forward Troy Terry and the debut of newly-acquired veteran defenseman John Carlson.

That game also saw the Ducks’ coaching staff healthy scratch fourth-year center Mason McTavish (23), whose struggles this season, and especially recently, have been understated due to the team’s relative success, as they make their final push toward their first playoff appearance in eight years.

"Sometimes you got to make hard decisions, and sometimes change might be healthy for the player individually,” Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville told the media following Sunday’s game. “You try different things along the way to give them an opportunity to go.

Hey, let's fight our way back into the lineup and push to get in there and be back to where you're expected to be. That's what we're looking for.”

After producing .54, .66, and .68 points per game in his first three seasons in the NHL, McTavish has only accounted for 32 points (13-19=32) through his first 61 games in 2025-26, a .52 points/game pace.

His struggles had reached a new low heading into Sunday’s scratch, as he’d only found the scoresheet for two assists in his last 12 games, including one in his last nine and having gone without a point in his last five games.

McTavish has always been a streaky player, but even when going through relative dry spells, he’s been able to impact games on forechecks and winning small-area puck battles along the walls. In the past, he’d done well to remain involved in plays, game-to-game, period-to-period, and shift-to-shift. Through this latest stretch, even those aspects have been neutralized, and pinpointing one specific area can prove a fruitless act.

“I think nothing seems to be connected right now. Not getting the puck with speed, not getting the puck much, not skating as much,” McTavish said after practice on Tuesday. “Just thinking a lot out there, I would say, is the biggest thing. I'm very confident, I'll be right, be right back with the guys, and playing a lot in a big role with this team. I have no doubt about that, and just a bump in the road.”

McTavish missed roughly half of Anaheim’s training camp this season due to contract negotiations. It’s possible that could have been a contributing factor. It’s also possible that head coach Joel Quenneville and his coaching staff have implemented a high-octane, puck possession-based system that hasn’t been easy for McTavish to adjust to or that isn’t particularly conducive to his play style.

“Yeah, I mean, who knows, right?” McTavish said when asked if missing part of camp had any effect on his play. “Obviously, we want to be at camp every time, but it’s just the way things worked out. Nobody really knows. Obviously, it’s a little trend, but it’s hard to put your finger on it, I guess.”

Lastly, it’s perceivable that this is a stall in McTavish’s development. He’s yet to round out his 200-foot game, as he’s been one of the NHL’s most negatively-impacful players on the defensive side of the puck this season.

His skating, in terms of foot speed, four-way mobility, and balance, isn’t optimal for top-six centers in the NHL. With his substandard skating, he will be forced to adapt and adjust his game to playing down the middle against the best players in the world. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a considerable weakness if a player can make up for it in other areas of their game.

“It's tough news for the player, and I think that he handled it well,” Quenneville said after Wednesday’s morning skate of McTavish’s reaction to being a healthy scratch. “We see him playing, so it's just a matter of time that we'll get him back in there and he'll be doing his thing.”

McTavish will serve his second straight game as a healthy scratch on Wednesday, as the Ducks host the Philadelphia Flyers. The Ducks remain in first place in the Pacific Division standings and will need McTavish to turn his performance around if he’s to assume an impact role for their upcoming (projected) playoff run.

The young center is in his first year of a newly signed six-year contract carrying an AAV of $7 million. The contract extension and his selection with the third-overall pick in the 2021 NHL draft represent considerable assets spent by the Ducks on McTavish, and as recently as October (if they don’t still), they considered him a significant part of their present and future.

In any regard, these healthy scratches have likely deflated a sizable percentage of any potential trade value. For the Ducks’ and McTavish’s sakes alike, the hope is that this stretch is simply a speed bump and not a sign of things to come moving forward.

Takeaways from the Ducks 2-0 Loss to the Senators

Ducks’ Gudas Suspended 5 Games For Hit On Auston Matthews

Takeaways from the Ducks 6-4 Loss to the Maple Leafs

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Royals vs Rangers spring training thread

This evening in Surprise, the Royals will face the Texas Rangers.

Michael Wacha takes the mound in front of a lineup that still looks a bit bareboned as Royals trickle back to the team after participating in the World Baseball Classic. None of those involved in that tournament’s semi-finals are in the lineup. Instead, Isaac Collins leads off while Rookie of the Year hopeful Carter Jensen starts behind the plate and bats third.

The Rangers, winners of six of their last eight, will start on the mound Kumar Rocker, who went 4-5 in 2025 with an ugly ERA near 6. The lineup features plenty of regulars, such as Corey Seager and Josh Jung, please one intriguing new name—Andrew McCutchen, the longtime Pittsburgh Pirate outfielder who signed a minor-league deal just about two weeks ago.

Starting lineups for March 18, 2026

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Giants don’t play well, don’t look good, don’t beat LA

Profile view of Landen Roupp throwing a pitch.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 18: Landen Roupp #65 of the San Francisco Giants throws a pitch in the third inning during a Spring Training game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Camelback Ranch on March 18, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The San Francisco Giants played the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday, in the hot, hot Arizona heat, and it didn’t go particularly well. It was a game with minimal moments of note for the Giants, who played the evil villains of the baseball universe for the final time before their first regular season matchup in late April.

All the Spring Training caveats apply. It was just one game. It was just one meaningless preseason game. It was just one meaningless preseason game where the stats have been proven time and time again to not really mean anything. It was just one meaningless preseason game where the stats have been proven time and time again to not really mean anything that didn’t even go nine innings anyway, as the teams decided together to limit exposure to the triple-digit heat, and cut off the game after eight innings, after which the Dodgers led 5-1.

So while I’d stop well short of calling it a concerning game with concerning performances, it was certainly a game devoid of reasons for optimism in the places where we’re looking for some optimism.

Let’s start with the pitching. Landen Roupp made his final Cactus League start, though I would assume that he’ll pitch one of the team’s exhibitions at Oracle Park on Monday and Tuesday. Facing a potent Dodgers offense playing a handful of regulars, Roupp was not at his sharpest.

He got into trouble immediately, ceding singles to the first three batters of the game, Miguel Rojas, Freddie Freeman, and Mookie Betts. After performing his civic duty by striking out Max Muncy, Roupp then gave up a fourth single to Teoscar Hernández. A double play ball followed, mercifully ending the inning before it became ugly, but still, LA had scored two runs, a total that the Giants wouldn’t match all day.

In Roupp’s defense, two of those singles were fairly soft contact: Rojas’ inning-opener was a mild-mannered 63.7-mph ground ball, while Hernández’s RBI was a looping 73.1-mph line drive. So it’s not like he was getting battered out there.

The second inning went much better, a featured a pair of strikeouts. The third inning did not go better, as the second pitch he threw blistered into the bleachers grass by Freeman. In all, Roupp went four innings and gave up five hits, three walks, and three runs. He did strike out five batters, but just 46 of his 81 pitches were strikes. He wasn’t sharp, but he wasn’t awful, either.

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Later in the game, someone attempting to follow Roupp’s career path entered the game: Trevor McDonald. It’s been a great spring for McDonald, who looks to have pole position on earning a spot in what is suddenly a fairly crowded bullpen and, whether or not he accomplishes that particular goal, does seem to be first in line for a starting assignment when someone in the rotation invariably gets injured.

The Giants do seem to be prepping him for a bullpen role though, as he entered in the seventh inning of this game. Facing the replacement hitters, McDonald was done in by a pair of non-roster invitees: Ryan Fitzgerald, who drilled a one-out double (which put him on second base, where he got to mingle with Tyler Fitzgerald [no relation]), and Nick Senzel, who smoked a 108.4-mph dinger.

Despite that, McDonald needed just 16 pitches to get through the inning. Sometimes you just get got, and on this day, he — and Roupp — got got.

Offensively, it was mostly a mediocre day all around, but it was particularly mediocre for the players who are on the periphery of the roster, trying to earn Opening Day assignments. Jerar Encarnación started at first base, and hit 0-2; Bryce Eldridge replaced him, and went 0-1. Will Brennan started in center field and had an 0-2 game with a strikeout; Grant McCray replaced him and drew a walk, then promptly got caught in a rundown. Luis Matos went 0-1 as the designated hitter, though he was hit by a pitch and his out was a 105-mph liner. Tyler Fitzgerald meekly flew out in his lone at-bat as the backup second baseman.

Not really a good day for anyone in need of a good day to have a good day.

There were two hitters who shined, though. Heliot Ramos made his return following a run with Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic, and in his first at-bat, facing off against Shohei Ohtani, Ramos smoked a double into the corner, one-hopping the wall. Ramos would end the day 1-3, and he’s now 8-14 in Spring Training, with five extra-base hits … and all five home come against right-handed pitchers (and some extremely good right-handed pitchers, at that). He certainly doesn’t need a good spring to make the team — all he needs is to be halfway healthy on March 25 — but his performance is certainly inspiring optimism that another All-Star level performance could be around the corner. T

As for the other great day in the box? Well, it belonged to the breakout star of camp, Victor Bericoto.

Bericoto is, notably, still in camp as a non-roster invitee, even though the Giants have now made five rounds of cuts, including optioning a position player, Jesús Rodríguez. And his lone at-bat, subbing in for Jung Hoo Lee in right field, showed why.

Facing a former All-Star closer in Tanner Scott — who is putting his disastrous 2025 behind him with a sensational spring — Bericoto took on dead center and won easily.

Bericoto smashed a 1-1 pitch at 112.6 mph, and god knows how far. Statcast says the home run traveled 406 feet, but given that it easily cleared the tall batter’s eye in center field — and that center field is 410 feet at Camelback Ranch — I am deeply suspicious. The math, as the youths say, ain’t mathing.

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Either way, it was majestic, and it gave Bericoto his team-leading third home run of the spring. He’s 16-37 with five extra-base hits, and while this is the part in the exercise where I normally remind you of all the great springs of the past — remember Ismael Munguia just two years ago? — I’m not going to do that. I’m just going to say that the Giants do not have a clear fourth outfielder, let alone fifth outfielder, and while Bericoto is still an exceedingly long shot to earn either of those roles this month, he won’t have to hit like this in Sacramento for long before the opportunity is given to him.

A few other highlights from a lowlight of a game:

  • Righty Keaton Winn, and southpaws Joey Lucchesi and Erik Miller each pitched scoreless frames. For Miller, whose inning was perfect, it marked his second appearance after a delayed start to Spring Training. It’s looking like he might be healthy enough to make the Opening Day roster after all, and that’s great. The Giants very much wanted to get a look at Miller, so much so that after the teams agreed to end the game after eight innings, they played the bottom of the eighth so that Miller could get some time, despite the Giants losing 5-1.
  • Patrick Bailey once again won an ABS challenge. He is very good at this, it seems.
  • The five hardest-hit balls of the day for the Giants: Bericoto’s home run (112.6 mph); a Brennan groundout (106.8); Matos’ lineout (105.0); a Ramos flyout (101.2); and an Encarnación lineout (96.9).
  • The Giants play two games tomorrow! Their prospects host the Cincinnati Reds’ prospects in the Spring Breakout game at 6:05 p.m. PT, on MLB Network. Five minutes later, their Cactus League squad hits the road to take on the Colorado Rockies. That game is radio only.