Lenny Haminaho showed the New Jersey Devils some moxie amid their comeback in the 2025-26 season, and he’s taking that momentum to the IIHF World Championship for Finland.

Haminaho put in a strong performance for Finland in their 6-2 win over the United States on Monday in Zurich.

The 21-year-old Devils forward finished with two goals and an assist as Finland went 3-0 unbeaten in Group A.

Haminaho opened the scoring at 6:06 of the first period. He stripped the puck from Ryan Leonard in the neutral zone, took it into the American zone on the left wing, and wristed it high to the glove side of Josef Woll, setting the stage for a dominant finish performance.

It was the same type of responsibility that Haminaho has displayed outside the offensive zone for the Devils this season that translated into offense for Finland.

Patrick Puistola made the score 2–1 in the first game by taking a short pass from Haminaho and beating Vol High. Aatu Raati scored a shorthanded goal before the period ended, giving Finland a 3–1 lead on just eight shots. Matt Coronato briefly tied it for the US at 7:44.

In the second period, Haminaho scored again on the power play at 1:26, once again on Finland’s first shot of the frame to make the score 4–1. Saku Manelaanen found the Vols net 31 seconds later. Devin Cooley came as a relief for the Americans.

Ryan Leonard scored for the US on a 5-on-3 power play early in the third to cut the deficit to 5–2. Anton Lundell responded on the man advantage to close out the scoring a few minutes later. Justus Anunen stopped 30 of 32 shots for Finland.

Haminaho, who had two goals and six assists in 33 NHL games with the Devils last season, played on a line with Anton Lundell and Patrick Puistola. Finland outshot the United States despite the Americans having a 32–28 edge in shots.

The win keeps Finland undefeated while the US remains at 1-2.

It was certainly an encouraging game from Haminaho who had a great performance against a USA team loaded with NHLers.

More performances like this from the Devils forward could certainly propel him to training camp over the summer and to help him get off to a big start in 2026-27.

James is the fully certified New Jersey Devils beat reporter for New Jersey Hockey Now on SportsNote and … More about James Nicholls

The unexpected feud between Cody Rhodes and popular podcaster Pat McAfee took another wild turn just days away from WrestleMania 42.

To begin Wednesday’s edition of Pat McAfee ShowThe former Indianapolis Colts star, ESPN personality and occasional WWE analyst/performer revealed that the show’s set, aka the ThunderDome, had an unexpected guest the night before.

While a member of the cleaning staff was doing his nightly chores, there was a bang on the door, and it was the WWE Undisputed Champion. The worker let him in because he has been a frequent guest of the show and presumably hasn’t been following recent episodes of SmackDown.

Rhodes stormed in and caused some damage to McAfee’s desk with a nearby bat, then took back his title. On Friday’s episode of SmackDown, Rhodes was attacked by McAfee and new friend Randy Orton. Both men then left San Jose with their titles.

Orton is set to challenge Rhodes for his championship at WrestleMania 42 on Saturday night. The former WWE announcer was added to the ongoing storyline between the two stars a few weeks ago. His inclusion in the two-night event has been condemned by WWE fans and the idea was reportedly pushed by TKO CEO Ari Emanuel to help increase interest in the event.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

The Los Angeles Lakers continued their momentum and defeated the Houston Rockets 124-116, as Luka Doncic once again took control of the night. In the process, he delivered a near triple-double with 40 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists. This wasn’t just another strong night. Instead, it felt as if something rare was unfolding in real time.

Doncic controlled the pace from the beginning. He attacked mismatches, created space and punished every defensive lapse that Houston showed. At times the Rockets remained within reach and continued to apply pressure. He increased the speed and tested Los Angeles. However, the Lakers responded every time. Calm. accurate. Under control. As a result, Doncic made sure the momentum never slipped.

According to OptaSTATS, the race has now reached historic territory. Notably, Doncic is the first player in NBA history to record at least 250 points, 50 rebounds, 50 assists and 25 threes in a seven-game span while going undefeated. The numbers are clear. However, sustainability stands out even more. Night after night, the production continues. In turn, the impact never diminishes.

Lakers looking for identity behind Luka Doncic

This latest Lakers-Rockets clash showed the full picture. From the start, Doncic shot 12 of 25 from the field and 7 of 17 from deep. As a result, he remained efficient when needed and explosive when needed. Furthermore, he read and adjusted every coverage without hesitation. Houston tried several looks. However, none lasted long.

More importantly, the Lakers are evolving. For one, the vacancy is more intense. Besides, the ball moves faster. As a result, confidence appears on every asset. It is no longer just about speed. Instead, this structure is taking shape.

And now, the big question arises. If Luka Doncic is already making history on this field, what happens when the stakes rise and the lights get even brighter?

Highlighted by Bam Adebaya’s 83-point loss on the Washington Wizards the night before and Max Crosby’s trade from the Las Vegas Raiders to the Baltimore Ravens, the Philadelphia 76ers had a very exciting turn of events with none other than the recently added Cam Payne leading the team to a 139-129 win over the Minnesota Grizzlies.

Now granted, the Grizzlies are a 23-win team and didn’t play their only remaining Big 3 star, Ja Morant, against Nick Nurse’s team, but in this day and age, any 76ers win is tough to come by, especially in a game without Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey.

Fortunately, VJ Edgecombe was able to return from the injury suffered against Spurs earlier this month and he started the game alongside Quentin Grimes, Kelly Oubre, Adem Bona and Dominic Barlow and played 35 minutes in their victorious return.

After seeing the 76ers struggle to get much production from their non-star starters for most of the season, four of Philadelphia’s starters scored in double figures, with Barlow leading all starters with 11, Edgecombe with 21, Grimes with 23 and Oubre with 30 points. However, Oubre didn’t lead all 76ers in points, as in an absolute heater of a performance, Payne went on a nuclear attack off the bench, scoring 32 points in 30 minutes, while making all eight of his 3 pointers, all six of his free throws, and nine of his 10 shots from the field on his way to 30 apiece.

And the best part? Payne was not only slinging the ball, but sharing the love with his teammates, spending 10 dimes to record a double-double at +/= of +22.

Have the 76ers finally found a more team-friendly offensive approach where everyone eats? Does Maxi really bounce the ball that much, as many of his haters have claimed? After all, Payne isn’t going to do it shoot 8-8 from beyond the arc Every game, so it’s hard to say, but in this game, he certainly looked impressive, and was the kind of microwave bench scorer who can give the 76ers buckets with Jabari Walker in reserve.

Cam Payne can’t be stopped😤

8 out of 8 32 points on 3pts!

pic.twitter.com/IlStSGF3G1

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 11 March 2026

On Friday at Albert Park, home of this week’s Australian Grand Prix, we got our first real look at what F1 2026 is really all about. It didn’t look like that on the test track in Bahrain in the heat of February, but under the pressure of a race weekend, on a road circuit drivers were pushing and teams were making real decisions. After two practice sessions, this is what we know.

Ferrari’s influence continues

The Ferrari came out swinging. Charles Leclerc topped FP1, his red car fast and clean around a track that rewards precision over raw power. Lewis Hamilton finished right behind him in second place. This is the Ferrari 1-2 the Scuderia faithful have been dreaming about for three years.

Hamilton seemed like a man reborn – spontaneous, aggressive, clearly at home in the SF-26 in a way that was difficult to imagine before Melbourne. Even his initial dominance was not a mere glimpse. When FP2 rolled around, both Ferraris were still in the mix, with Hamilton fifth, Leclerc sixth. The speed is real.

Mercedes and George Russell look good despite setbacks

Mercedes had a bit of a messy day but don’t panic. His FP1 was relatively quiet, with the Silver Arrows hiding rather than pushing forward. Then FP2 happened. Kimi Antonelli – yes, the 19-year-old second-year driver – became the first driver to break the 1:19 second barrier and finished second overall. George Russell finished third. alert? Russell spun off and went through the gravel at Turn 3, and has two stewards checks hanging over him after some pit lane contact with Racing Bulls’ Arvid Lindblad. Clean weekend, this ain’t. But the pace is absolutely there.

Max Verstappen is, well, Max Verstappen

Then there’s Verstappen. He stopped the car in the pit lane before the start of FP2. He lost a large portion of the session’s time. Then, with 10 minutes remaining, he hit the wall at turn 10 at high speed, went through the gravel, and damaged his floorboards. He still finished sixth. That’s Max. There are real question marks over the reliability of the car, as Honda reportedly only has two working batteries left, and is still looking for a way to get into the conversation. Don’t ignore it because RB-22 is still complicated. Complex has never stopped him before.

Saturday’s final practice and qualifying will tell us much more. But it’s hard to argue with Friday’s headlines: Ferrari look like a real threat, Mercedes look like the team they can beat if they get things together, and Verstappen remains exactly the kind of problem that doesn’t go away just because you want it to.

Scott Gulbransen, a quintessential expert in the field of sports journalism, serves as an editor, nfl , mlb , Formula 1 … More about Scott Gulbransen

Here are the Montreal Canadiens news items, stories and content you may have missed on Friday.

montreal canadiens news

Team Slovakia lost to the United States in the Olympic semifinals, but not before Habs forward Juraj Slafkowski found the net for the fourth time of the tournament. With four goals and four assists, Slafkowski is fourth in Olympic scoring behind Connor McDavid, Maclin Celebrini and Lucas Raymond.

Hockey 🏒 Slafkovsky scores! It is now 5-1 for the United States.@LNH_FR #MilanoCortina2026 #rcsports #olympic games #Hockey pic.twitter.com/ClMrNR0Qyo

– Radio-Canada Sports (@RC_Sports) 20 February 2026

Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki and Team Canada waited until the last minute to seal their ticket to the final game. The Finnish team held a two-goal lead midway through the game, but they were not able to play 30 minutes of defensive play without allowing Canada to generate scoring chances. [Suzuki Will Play For Gold]

With the semi-finals in the books, we now know which three Habs players will be in the running for medals, with Suzuki guaranteed to bring home a silver medal. Team Canada will face the United States in the gold medal game on Sunday, while Oliver Kapanen and Finland will face Slafkovsky and Slovakia in the bronze medal game on Saturday afternoon. [Three Canadiens Players In Olympic Medal Contention]

Suzuki is receiving praise from some of the best NHLers in league history.

“[Nick Suzuki] Possibly the most underrated two-way player in the league…” – HOF Mark Messier @CBCOlympics after @TeamCanada Victory over Czechia. @CanadiensMTL

full interview @cbcsports ➡️ https://t.co/bkwc7SDpSo #MilanoCortina2026 pic.twitter.com/MjpdQeNRMU

– Julie Stewart-Binks (@JSB_TV) 20 February 2026

Alex Carrier is going to be a father!

Alexandre Carriere will join the growing list of Canadian players who are fathers #hubs pic.twitter.com/xAePsR7XKS

– Stu Cowan (@StuCowan1) 21 February 2026

The Habs went outdoors on Friday and practiced at Notre-Dame-de-Grâce in front of a very excited group of locals.

like time

good old hockey game#GoHabsGo | @CHCFoundation pic.twitter.com/ThkAVFMs0U

– Montreal Canadiens (@CanadiensMTL) 20 February 2026

Sportsknot Network

Team USA is playing for the gold on Sunday. New Jersey Devils superstar Jack Hughes was a major factor in reaching the championship round. The USA faced Simon Nemec and Team Slovakia on Friday after Canada had already eliminated Finland to advance to the championship round. [New Jersey Devils]

Washington Capitals stars Tom Wilson and Logan Thompson will get a chance at Olympic gold. It came after Team Canada once again rallied to defeat Finland 3-2 in the semi-finals on Friday. [Washington Capitals]

The Boston Bruins are looking to strengthen the blue line with a right-shot defenseman; Do they commit premium assets to the move? [Boston Bruins]

Mark has been covering the Habs for over a decade. He previously worked for the Journal Metro, The Athletic, The… More about Mark Dumont

It’s fair to say that Leeds United fans probably don’t have a lot of good things to say about Victor Orta. And his career after Elland Road is unlikely to change those views.

Marca covered the 47-year-old today And how, things are not looking too good at Real Valladolid either. It’s all to do with his debt to firing and hiring managers.

Orta joined the La Liga 2 team as their sporting director last summer on a deal running until 2028. It was his second job after leaving Leeds in 2023, following a two-year stint as sporting director at Sevilla.

leeds’ magic ends badly

Of course, he had previously spent six years at Leeds. The high-profile appointment of Marcelo Bielsa and his return to the Premier League defined his tenure there.

But he left Elland Road in 2023 amid fan protests and the club eventually being relegated back to the Championship. That last year was a disaster. After the sacking of Bielsa in 2022, he moved on to Jesse Marsh, Javi Gracia and then Sam Allardyce. And it seems this was a trend.

Marca points out that Orta has now reached his fourth consecutive season in which he has appointed at least two coaches.

Leeds had three, then Sevilla in 2023/24 with Jose Luis Mendilibar, Diego Alonso and Quique Sanchez Flores.

Leeds’ troubles continue

The following year, the Spanish club had Javier García Pimienta and Joaquín Caparros in the dugout. Now the latest dismissal is coming to Real Valladolid.

He joined last summer but could not fully settle in there either. Two coaches have again been replaced during his tenure as sporting director. The most recent fall is that of Luis García Tevenet. He lasted only seven games with the club in the relegation zone.

His appointment and dismissal are a ‘stain’ on Orta’s ‘already tarnished record’. He is amassing a growing list of failed coaches. Now Valladolid wait to see what he does next. They, like Leeds and Sevilla, are starting to ask questions.