標籤: loss

southampton Midfielder Casper Zender wants to leave this summer following their failure to reach the Premier League.

Bild Stuttgart reports that gender St. Mary’s wants to leave this summer as the influence of Spy Gate continues to spread.

southampton effect

The newspaper points out that the consequences of the incident are not just going to harm Southampton.

Casper Zander will have earned Nürnberg almost €1m in bonuses following his €12m move to Southampton last summer. This was linked to promotion to the Premier League.

Now they will not get that and will have to suffer elsewhere also. Had Southampton gone up, Zander would have been valued higher. Nuremberg would receive a share of any transfer.

Any fee he receives from the transfer is now set to be ‘significantly lower’. Zander is looking to move on this summer, but his price tag won’t be anywhere near what it could have been.

Several German clubs are reportedly showing strong interest in In the Southampton midfielder. Southampton are likely to try to take advantage of the need to sell after missing out on promotion.

nuremberg victims

Nuremberg would get a cut of the deal. But it wouldn’t be as good as they could get. For the team sitting in 8^th 2. In the Bundesliga, at least, it is a harsh blow.

Either way, Casper Zander wants to leave Southampton this summer. And he’s unlikely to be the only player seeking an exit amid the current drama.

Reports in England have made it clear that the group are talking to lawyers about the lost bonuses and opportunities that would have come with promotion to the Premier League. Presumably, most people will consider their transfer options.

Southampton will face a difficult few months as the focus continues and their squad will probably face a major overhaul.

The Anaheim Ducks’ season ended with a 5-1 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 6 of the Western Conference Second Round on Thursday night at Honda Center. Vegas won the series 4–2 and advanced to the Western Conference Finals.

Vegas has now reached the conference finals for the fifth time in nine seasons, a reminder of how quickly that organization has racked up playoff weight. For Anaheim, it was the end of its first postseason run since 2018.

There were just 62 seconds left in the game when Mitch Marner scored on a breakaway to give Vegas a 1–0 lead. William Karlsson sent him through with a long pass and Marner beat Lucas Dostal with a superb finish. Fast start. Bad sign.

CBS Sports reported that Marner played a role in all three of Vegas’ goals in the first period, and that the first period push largely shaped the night. Anaheim wasn’t saddled with a single bad rebound. It took three hits before Duck could regain his footing.

Brett Howden scored short-handed at 8:30 of the first period after taking a feed from Marner. This made the score 2-0 and made it doubly sad for Ducks fans because the team was on the power play.

NHL.com said Howden’s goal was his third short-handed goal of the playoffs, breaking the NHL record for most scored in a playoff game.

Shea Theodore made it 3-0 with 2:41 left in the opening period. Tomas Hertl won the offensive zone draw against Theodore and he beat Dostal with a wrist shot from the blue line.

Granlund gives a little life to Anaheim

Mikael Granlund cut the lead to 3-1 with 7:14 left in the second period. This gave some hope to the team and fans.

Carter Hart stopped 31 of 32 shots, showing that the Ducks put enough pucks on net to make the game interesting, but not enough of them turned into real damage.

Any hopes ended in the third period as Pavel Dorofeyev scored twice. His first shot came just under three minutes into the frame after Ivan Barbashev forced a turnover and set him up in the right circle. His second came with 6:28 remaining, making the score 5–1.

A tough ending, but not an empty one

Vegas now travels to Colorado for Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals on Wednesday, May 20. Anaheim is entering the offseason after a playoff run that ended hard, but he still showed growth.

From a Ducks fan’s perspective, it stings because the series had potential. Anaheim won Game 2. This was answered in Game 4. It forced overtime in Game 5. Then came Game 6, and Vegas looked like the older, faster team.

The ducks are here now. They’re closer than ever and being years away from the postseason, it still means something.

A new report suggests that if Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts doesn’t have a big season in 2026, sports officials think it will be his last season in the City of Brotherly Love.

In just six seasons, Hurts has already solidified his place as one of the best signal callers to ever wear an Eagles uniform. After taking over the starting job in his sophomore season (2021), the second-round pick went to the Pro Bowl three times and led the team to two Super Bowl trips, including a win and MVP honors in 2024.

Yet it hasn’t always been easy for Hurts in Philadelphia. He has had to deal with several different offensive coordinators over the course of his career, and has been more resistant to being pushed out of his comfort zone to the point of frustrating teammates and the organization this past season.

However, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Hurts has been “as open as we can” to new methods of offense this off-season, with Sean Mannion preparing to call up players in 2026. Additionally, he has worked extensively with receiver DeVonta Smith and veteran Elijah Moore in recent months.

Jalen Hurts will be on the trade block next year if he doesn’t improve in 2026

Still, that doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot of pressure on the QB after his downfall last season. Hurts has something to prove in 2026, and if he can’t have a bounce-back year, some around the game think this will be his last year with the Eagles.

When an AFC official asked Fowler if Philly could move him next year if the offense struggled, he said, “I feel bad.” “The player is becoming polarized, and as his running ability begins to decline, his value will also decline. And [Eagles general manager Howie Roseman] Will always be active in finding solutions.”

Fowler says Philadelphia would lose $2.9 million in salary cap space if he is traded before June 1, 2027. But if he is dealt after June 1, they will save $21.4 million on the cap for that year. Similar to the situation going on with AJ Brown and expectations that they are waiting until June 1 to trade him.

Philadelphia Eagles QB predicts a big season in 2026

However, a personal evaluator who spoke to Fowler believes Jalen Hurts is destined for a big season. This could give the QB an advantage if he pushes for a contract extension after the season.

“I think he’ll play well,” the NFC personnel evaluator said. “He’s had so many different coordinators over the years that he’ll be able to adjust to the changes, and if the running game comes back into form, he’ll throw it in nicely over the top.”

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

The Minnesota Wild’s final loss of the season was their most painful.

The Wild blew an early three-goal lead over the Colorado Avalanche in Game 5 of the Western Conference Second Round series on Wednesday night at Ball Arena. They were still ahead by two before allowing a pair of goals in the final 3:33 of regulation that forced overtime.

Minnesota failed to convert on two excellent scoring opportunities early in overtime before Avs defenseman Brett Kulak scored at 3:52 of OT to secure a 4–3 win. Colorado advanced to the conference finals against the Anaheim-Vegas series winner. Minnesota is going home with one of the most painful defeats in its history.

Kulak broke through an excellent scoring chance in the defensive zone before running down the ice, taking a pass from Martin Necas and one-timeing it past Jesper Wallstad for the series-winning goal. It was his first goal since January 19, when he was playing with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Before Colorado’s late rally, it looked like the Wild had the game in hand; They led 3-1 with less than four minutes remaining.

But the Avs came within one when Jack Drury deflected Devon Toews’ long wrist pass to Jesper Walstad with 3:33 to play. They tied it with 1:23 remaining when Nathan MacKinnon took a short lead with an accurate shot from the bottom left circle.

By that time, the night had become wild.

Wild season with 4-3 OT loss to Avalanche in Game 5

Marcus Johansson scored 34 seconds into the game to put Minnesota up 1–0. Nick Foligno then scored twice in less than five minutes, giving the Wild a 3–0 lead in less than 16 minutes.

Parker Kelly got a goal back for Colorado midway through the second period, but the Wild remained in command until final goals by Drury and MacKinnon forced overtime.

The crowd of 18,159 came prepared to see the Presidents Trophy winners advance to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since winning the Cup in 2022. But Wilde showed from the initial face-off that he had other plans.

Johansson put Minnesota on the board in the first inning. Matt Boldy circled Colorado’s Brock Nelson behind the net and made his way into the left corner. He delivered a perfect pass to Johansson, who beat Mackenzie Blackwood to make it 1–0.

Foligno made it 2–0 at 11:03 with his first goal of the postseason. He went to the net, got his stick on Nico Sturm’s pass and deflected it to Blackwood.

The Wild thought they had made it 3–0 at 12:26 when Michael McCarron caromed a carom off the post into the net during a delayed penalty. But a video review showed that the Wild center had used his gloved hand to dodge Blackwood, and the goal went off the board.

Minnesota took a three-goal lead at 15:56 of the second minute of the period on Foligno. Blackwood missed Sturm’s long wrist and Sturm beat Avs defenseman Jack Ahkan to the puck. His backhand cross-crease pass found Foligno, who fired it into the open left corner for a 3–0 lead.

The Avs changed goaltenders after Blackwood allowed three goals on 13 shots in the opening 20 minutes. Scott Wedgwood relieved him — and Colorado came out with the kind of energy it lacked in the first period.

According to Natural Stat Trick, the Avalanche had nine of 10 scoring chances in the middle period, along with a 33-8 edge in shot attempts. But the “Wall of St Paul” kept them off the board until the end of the 11th minute, when Kelly lofted Brent Burns’ right-point slapper past Wallstead to make the score 3–1.

Colorado continued to push and earned its first power play when Danila Yurov high-sticked Cale Makar at 16:52. Wallstedt made three saves and MacKinnon hit the post, giving the Wild two goals in 20 minutes of play.

The Wild appeared to be content with playing defense in the third period, rarely entering the offensive zone. The strategy worked well until 16:27, when Drury got its second chance of the postseason in the same game as Kelly’s goal. Toews took a long straight wrister, and Drury deflected it past Volstead to make the score 3–2.

Now with the crowd roaring in full swing, the Avs pulled Wedgwood with two minutes remaining and tied it on MacKinnon’s rip from the bottom left circle, creating a small opening on the short side.

Key takeaways after Wild season ends with loss to Avs in Game 5

paid a heavy price to sit in the back

Minnesota defeated Colorado 13–12 and took a 3–0 lead after a dominant first period. Unfortunately for the Wild, the game was not over.

Colorado controlled the remainder of the game to show why it finished first in the regular season standings. The Avs defeated Minnesota 22–7 after the opening period, including 4–0 in overtime. According to Natural Stat Trick, Colorado had a 22-3 edge in scoring chances at 5-on-5 after the first period and a 9-2 advantage in high-danger opportunities during that time.

Minnesota appeared content to consistently sit back, dump the puck and get the Avs up 200 feet instead of trying to get another goal. It’s a difficult strategy to implement over long periods of time against the NHL’s highest-scoring team. In the end, Wild had to pay the price.

Foligno’s big night is getting ruined

The Wild added Nick Foligno on March 6 with Columbus to play a lower-level role, often alongside younger brother Marcus. The 38-year-old had scored only one goal in 17 regular season games following the trade and did not score in Minnesota’s first 10 playoff games.

That all changed in the first period, when he connected twice in less than five minutes to put the Wild up by three.

It was the second multi-goal playoff game of his career – and the first since Game 6 of the first round with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

What’s next for the Wild?

The way their season ended will sting for some time, but the Wild look like a team on the rise.

The best news was that they won a playoff series for the first time since 2015, ending a streak of eight consecutive opening round/preliminary round losses. They have great players on the left wing (Kirill Kaprizov) and defense (Quinn Hughes), a rising star in forward Matt Boldy and an excellent No. 2 defenseman in Brett Faber.

The absence of center Joel Eriksson and defenseman Jonas Brodin due to injury against Colorado hurt.

Coach John Hynes will have the offseason to decide whether he wants to give Walstead the No. 1 job. He spent most of the season in the 1B role behind goalkeeper Filip Gustavsson. But Gustavsson’s five-year, $34 million contract begins next season – a big deal for a backup/1B goaltender.

But the biggest question is the future of Hughes, who has one year remaining before becoming an unrestricted free agent. GM Bill Guerin gave up a lot for the Vancouver Canucks to get the 26-year-old player in December. He can sign an extension starting on July 1 and will undoubtedly make every effort to make that happen.

stat shots

The Avs won the series at home for the first time in their last 10 tries in 2008. That also came against Wild.

Colorado’s comeback from three goals down was the first by any team in this year’s playoffs. Five teams won after trailing by two goals.

Kulak clinched the series and became the 16th Avalanche player to score a goal during the second round, breaking the NHL record for most goals in a series.

Colorado became the 13th team in NHL history, and the second team joining the Carolina Hurricanes in 2026, to need nine or fewer games through the first two best-of-7 series to make the first round of the Finals.

Jon Krieger covered his first New York Rangers game (against the California Golden Seals) in November 1975 and it… More about Jon Krieger

The Minnesota Wild are one loss away from ending their season. The Colorado Avalanche scored four times in the third period Monday night and left Grand Casino Arena with a 5-2 victory in Game 4 of the Western Conference Second Round series.

Parker Kelly scored with 7:28 remaining to snap a 2-2 tie. Nathan MacKinnon and Brock Nelson added empty-net goals in the final minute to give the Avs a 3–1 lead in the best-of-7 series. They can advance to the Western Conference Finals with a win at Denver on Wednesday night.

Mackenzie Blackwood made his first start of the playoffs and made 19 saves for Colorado. He wasn’t seriously tested, but made some great saves on Nico Sturm early in the third period to keep the game tied at 1-1. Blackwood saw his first action in the series when he relieved Scott Wedgwood in the second half of Minnesota’s 5–1 victory in Game 3.

Nazem Kadri and Russ Colton also scored for Colorado, which has not reached the conference finals since 2022, when the Avs won their second Stanley Cup championship.

Wild couldn’t hold off Avs in third period, losing 5-2 in Game 4

Danila Yurov scored a power-play goal midway through the first period to give the Wild a 1–0 lead. Sturm tied the game at 2-2 at 9:15 of the third after Colton’s goal at 6:56 put Colorado ahead for the first time.

The Wild got a stellar effort from rookie goaltender Jesper Wallstad, who finished with 29 saves. The “Wall of St. Paul” gave his team a chance to win on a night when Minnesota was outshot 34–21, outgained 77–48 in attempts and outshot for most of the game.

“We made a conscious choice tonight not to play the style of play we needed to win the game,” Minnesota coach John Hines said. “So, we’ll revisit that and then we’ll get ready for Game 5.”

Minnesota leads 2–6 all-time after falling behind 3–1 in the series. Both of those comebacks took place in 2003; One came when they lost three of the first four games to the Avs before winning the next three games and the series.

Colorado dominated almost every aspect of the game in the first round – except the scoreboard, which matters.

The Avs had a 10–4 advantage in shots on goal and attempted 22 shots compared to only six for Minnesota. According to Natural Stat Trick, the Avs had all five high-danger attempts at 5-on-5.

But he also gave up the Wild’s only power play in the early period — and paid a price for it.

Avs defenseman Josh Manson, making his first appearance of the series, drew a double minor off Wild center Michael McCarron at 7:07. This happened when both of them were lying on the ice. The original call was five minutes long but was shortened after a lengthy video review. Macron made it clear from time to time that he was not happy.

“Josh is a dirty player,” he told ESPN after the opening period. “He’s always been there. Surprised he only survived four minutes (of penalties). I’m glad he’s still in the game.”

The Wild forced Colorado to pay an unnecessary penalty at 9:46. Faber fired a straight slap shot that Yurov deflected past Blackwood for his first career playoff goal and a 1–0 lead.

The Avalanche dominated the rest of the period, holding Minnesota without a shot on goal for the final 6:51. They kept the pressure on Wallstead, but Wild dominated despite taking a one-goal lead.

They were not so lucky in the second round. Colorado dominated the game for the first 12 minutes and the game was tied 1–1 at 6:08 after Minnesota took an unnecessary penalty.

The Wild eliminated Zach Bogosian’s interference penalty at 2:42. But Colorado tied the game at 6:08 — seven seconds after Yakov Trenin was called for getting his hands off the puck. Trenin gloved an aerial puck and held it for a long period of time.

Martin Necas controlled the puck after the draw and got Kadri into the high slot for a blast that was stopped by Volstad. But the rebound came back to Kadri in the slot; He knocked it into the net to tie the game.

Colorado dominated for the next few minutes. The Avs had a 10–0 lead in shots before Trenin tested Blackwood on the power play with the Wild at 12:21.

Wallstedt made a spectacular stop on close by Gabriel Landeskog with 6:02 left. But that was the Avs’ last shot of the period, as Minnesota took control of the game and had the final seven shots. Blackwood preserved the tie in the final minute by robbing Kirill Kaprizov, who was alone after beating the defence.

Colton scored his first goal of the playoffs on a beautiful backdoor feed from Nicolas Roy to put Colorado ahead for the first time in the game. But great play from Quinn Hughes set up the Sturm for the tying goal. Hughes picked up the puck along the left board, spun back to the high slot and delivered a perfect backhand pass to Sturm. The son of Boston Bruins coach Marco Sturm scored from below the left circle to make the score 2–2.

However, a takeaway from Colorado’s Jack Drury made it the game winner. Drury forced a turnover and found Kelly in high position for a quick release that Walstead had never seen.

Minnesota got only two shots on Blackwood before empty-netters by MacKinnon and Nelson.

COL-MIN Key points after Game 4

ruin wallstead

Minnesota’s rookie goaltender did everything except stand on his head to keep his team in the game, although in the end it wasn’t enough.

He was the only reason the Wild were even tied 1-1 in the third period. Colorado outscored Minnesota 20–4 in the first 32 minutes of the game, but could only score one goal. According to Natural Stat Trick, the Colorado forward robbed Colton shortly before the game was tied and gave them a chance to win despite giving up 39 scoring chances.

There were many reasons for Wild’s loss. Wallstead was not one of them.

Does Quinn Hughes ever get tired?

The Wild gave up a lot to get Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks in December and he’s showing why in this year’s playoffs. His assist on Sturm’s goal was his 14th, tying Kaprizov for second in the league behind Mitch Marner of the Vegas Golden Knights.

He is second in assists with 10 and third in plus-minus with a plus-9.

What is more impressive is that he is playing virtually every other innings. Hughes led all players on both teams in playing time with 34:13 on Wednesday after playing more than 28 minutes in each of the first three games. His average ice time of 30:59 is the most of any player on the eight teams that reached the second round.

Wild still struggle on penalty kill

Minnesota continued a streak that coach John Hynes is not happy with. His team allowed a power-play for the 10th consecutive game. This includes all six against the Dallas Stars in the first round, as well as all four games of this series.

Minnesota ranks last out of eight teams on the penalty kill and heads into the second round at 59.5 percent, allowing 15 goals on 37 opposition power plays. This includes Colorado’s performance of 5 of 12 in the first four games.

stat shots

The Wild were 4-0 when scoring first this spring.

Teams leading 3-1 in best-of-7 series are 328-32 (.911) all-time. Teams that start the series at home are 212–17 (.926).

The Avs are 14-2 when leading the series 3-1, including 10-2 when starting at home. He has won seven consecutive times.

Jon Krieger covered his first New York Rangers game (against the California Golden Seals) in November 1975 and it… More about Jon Krieger

Joel Embiid doesn’t want any blame for the Philadelphia 76ers’ failures in their semifinal series against the New York Knicks. And after their defeat in Game 3, they took the path of conspiracy to escape from it.

Friday was a must-win scenario for Embiid and the 76ers. They entered last night’s Game 3 up 2-0, having lost a lot of confidence after the Game 7 win over the Boston Celtics in the quarterfinals. With the return of the seven-time All-Star after missing Game 2 and some home support, Philly was in a better position to get its first W of the series.

However, after a strong first quarter and an early lead, the Knicks took control of the game in the second quarter and never relinquished it the rest of the night. While there are many who could take the blame for going 3-0, Embiid doesn’t want to take any of it.

After Game 1, he tried to put responsibility on the referees and accused the Knicks of dirty play. Unsurprisingly, he is also blaming the referees for the Game 3 failure. Yet, he has now gone beyond claiming poor performance by officials and is taking the path of conspiracy.

Joel Embiid: ‘I think it’s good when New York wins’

Embiid said when asked about officiating after Game 3, “They shot 32 free throws, we had 16. We’re not a team that shoots a lot of threes. We attack, put the ball on the floor. I don’t know.” “I think it’s good when New York wins, so we’ve got to have a mentality of not fouling. Being smart enough to not put ourselves in a position where they can take advantage of it.”

Of course, it must be the case that the league just wants the Knicks to advance and reach the NBA Finals. It can’t be that he was 3-11 in 14 minutes and .24 when he was on the floor in Game 1. Or that he missed Game 2 because of his lame body. Or that he let Tyrese Maxey take the lead in Game 3 instead of taking 17 shots and being -9 when he clearly wasn’t hot.

Making matters worse is Embiid’s avoidance of blame for the 76ers’ 3-0 series loss, becoming a viral sensation for his flop-a-thon in Game 3 on Saturday. The one-time NBA MVP is already an elite player. Taking responsibility for losses and being a leader makes him one of the least-liked stars in the NBA.

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

Manchester United Midfielder Casemiro has generally responded directly to criticism from Jamie Carragher. And liverpool Ultimately he was also included in the conversation.

Carragher questioned Casemiro’s level early this season, particularly during periods when the midfielder lost his place and looked physically weak. At the time, many people wondered whether Manchester United was taking on a declining player on a huge salary.

A few months later, the mood looks very different.

Casemiro fought his way back into the team, becoming important again, scoring goals and helping United out of difficult moments. so when tnt sports brazil After Carragher’s comments were brought up, the midfielder clearly had some fun with the reply.

Casemiro counter-attacks Carragher

“Everyone on television says anything. I’m not one to engage in them,” Casimiro said.

“But it’s a bit normal, because I won two Champions League titles on his team. Maybe there is some bitterness there after winning two titles against his club.”

The Manchester United midfielder paused. In fact, he credited Carragher with ultimately changing his stance.

“I respect his opinion. I hold no resentment. The important thing is that he recognized he was wrong and changed his opinion. That’s what matters most.”

Still, Casemiro clearly seems tired of the modern football cycle of outrage.

“Nowadays everyone has an opinion, everyone wants to go viral. Everyone thinks they know football, everyone thinks they’re a star, everyone thinks they understand everything. Today if you win, you’re the best and if you lose, you’re the worst. But football isn’t always like that.”

He also explained why he avoids social media completely.

“That’s why I don’t even have social media on my phone. Everyone wants attention now.”

Casemiro says return changed manager’s opinion

The Brazilian also revealed what he considers one of the biggest achievements of his career – changing Ruben Amorim’s mind.

At one point this year, Amorim did not trust him physically. Casemiro admitted that the manager had openly questioned whether he still had the required intensity.

Instead of accepting the situation and quietly moving towards the exit, the midfielder decided to fight back.

“One of the greatest achievements of my career was to come back and change a manager’s opinion,” He said.

“He said I didn’t have intensity. Then later he admitted he changed his opinion because of what he saw in training sessions and matches.”

Casemiro also admitted that many players would have been mentally tired in that situation.

“With all humility, the easiest thing would be to say: ‘The manager doesn’t want me? OK. I’ve already won everything, I’ve achieved enough, let it go.’ But no. I kept working. I kept trying to show the manager that he was wrong about me.

Ultimately that persistence bore fruit.

“I managed to change their opinion. I started playing again and had a great end to the season.”

Strong support for Michael Carrick

Casemiro also used the interview to strongly endorse Carrick’s work at Manchester United.

The Brazilian repeatedly praised the interim manager and made it clear that he believes Carrick should stay long-term.

“He came in as interim manager, but he handled the difficult matches very well,” Casimiro explained. “He knows the club, he understands what Manchester United is. He has class. He has the currency of a Manchester United man.”

“For me, this guy has to stay at the club for more years because he deserves it. He deserves it so much.”

Casemiro even suggested that Carrick’s personality is evident behind the scenes.

“When you work with him every day, you look at him and think: ‘This guy deserves this.'”

Casemiro has already done Confirmed he will leave Manchester United At the end of the season. Yet just before walking away, he managed to craft one final comeback story, silencing some critics and taking a dig at Liverpool while doing so.

The Tampa Bay Lightning did everything but beat the Montreal Canadiens in Game 7 of their Eastern Conference First Round series on Sunday night. Unfortunately for the packed house of 19,092, it was the score that mattered – and the Canadiens got a shaky goal by Alex Newhook with 8:53 remaining in the third period, earning a 2–1 victory and a second-round series against the Buffalo Sabres.

Newhook broke a 1-1 tie when he caromed Lane Huston’s shot off the end board to the right of Andrei Vasilevskiy. The puck was knocked out of the air while still behind the net and went over the Lightning goaltender’s back and into the net. This was his first goal in the series.

It was one of only nine shots on goal by the Canadiens in the game, which were outscored and outplayed. They went nearly 27 minutes without a shot on goal, including a shotless second period. Montreal became the first team since shots on goal became an official statistic in 1959–60 to win a playoff game without reaching double figures.

“They had two, we had one,” defenseman Ryan McDonagh said. “It’s hard to put into words how it ended.”

Montreal’s rookie goaltender Jacob Dobbs maintained the lead with some great stops after Newhook’s goal. He made 28 saves to earn First Star of the Game honors. Dobbs made excellent stops on shots from Oliver Bjorkstrand and Jake Guentzel shortly after Newhook’s goal. He also fell on a low rocket from James with less than five minutes remaining.

The Lightning lost their fourth consecutive first-round series. Their last win came in the 2022 Eastern Conference Finals, when they defeated the New York Rangers in six games. The Canadiens won a series for the first time since defeating the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2021 semi-finals. They lost to Tampa Bay in the finals.

All seven games were decided by one goal and four went to extra time.

“That’s all you can ask of your team, whether it’s an Olympic tournament or a best-of-7 playoff, you get better as you go along,” Lightning coach John Cooper said. And I thought as we progressed, we got better. I thought we played our best game of the series tonight.

Lightning season ends with Game 7 loss to Canadiens

The Lightning outshot the Canadiens 9–4 in the opening period and controlled the game for most of the first 20 minutes. Dobbs made his best save with less than five minutes remaining when he stopped Gage Goncalves on a backhander from the front after the Game 6 hero slipped through the defense.

But it was the Canadiens who got on the board first, thanks to a lucky bounce.

Defenseman Caden Guhle had little to do from the left point, which Suzuki deflected into the slot. It was headed wide but bounced off Lightning defense JJ Moser and past the defenseless Vasilevskiy at 18:39. His first goal in the series gave Montreal a 1–0 lead.

The second period belonged entirely to Tampa Bay. The Lightning defeated the Canadiens 12–0, as Montreal failed to register a shot on goal in the playoff period for the first time in franchise history. Tampa Bay spent most of the period in Montreal territory and the game was eventually tied 1–1 at 13:27.

Neither team scored in the first power play. But the Lightning took advantage of their second opportunity after Guhle was called for holding Jake Guentzel at 12:33. Coach John Cooper went with his second power-play unit and was rewarded when Goncalves set up Charles-Ehouard D’Estes for a slapper from just inside the blue line.

James got his stick on the shot and deflected it past Dobbs, who had no chance.

Montreal got its second power play at 15:22 when the Lightning were called for having too many men, but the Canadiens again failed to generate much pressure. Neither team was credited with a shot on goal in the final six minutes. For the fifth time in seven matches the score remained equal even after 40 minutes.

Dobbs evened the score with a big stop on Goncalves from the slot 5:10 into the third period.

Vasilevskiy finally had to make a save at 5:34 of the third period when he blocked Suzuki’s long snap shot. The Canadiens began to generate more pressure, with the Lightning blocking four shots in a 12-second span near the midpoint of the period.

According to Natural Stat Trick, Newhook’s goal stunned the crowd and the Bolts could not find an answer this time despite a 7–3 advantage in high-danger chances and a 32–12 dominance of all scoring opportunities in the game.

“Sometimes you win the game, not the score,” Cooper said. “But this is Game 7. There’s no moral victory in this.”

Key takeaways after Lightning season ends with 2-1 loss to Canadiens

Chasing but not catching Montreal

The loss of power was not due to lack of effort. But they spent the entire series chasing the Canadiens.

Montreal scored the first goal Sunday, marking the fifth time in seven games the Canadiens got the opening goal; One of the first two chances the Lightning scored was in their 1–0 overtime win in Game 6. Montreal won Games 1, 3, and 5, meaning they never took a lead in a game while trailing in the series.

The Lightning lost three of four home games, one of which they defeated Montreal 29–9.

“You have about 30 shots and you miss nine,” center Brandon Hagel said. “I don’t know if that’s ever been done before in a Game 7 — win the game on nine shots. But that’s not the point. I mean, you lose three home games, it’s going to be tough to win the series.”

The Canadiens defeated the Lightning 16–15 in the series and secured their net after Newhook’s series-winner.

“They got the lead and protected it,” Cooper said. “When they broke down, their goalkeeper was there.”

When the stars struggled the fourth line stepped forward

One reason the Canadiens won was that they shut down the Lightning’s big guns – Nikita Kucherov, Jake Guentzel, Brayden Point and Hagel – when it mattered most.

Kucherov had six points in the first four games but none in the last three. Hegel had only one assist in Games 5–6–7 after scoring six times in the first four. Guentzel’s goal in the second period of Game 5 was the last of his eight points in the series. Point, who was a three-time 40-goal scorer before finishing 18th this season, had only one point – a goal in Game 3.

The line of Goncalves, James and Bjorkstrand gave the Bolts a chance to win the series. James scored his first goal of the series in Game 5, had the primary assist on Goncalves’ OT winner in Game 6 and scored Tampa Bay’s only goal in Game 7. Goncalves assisted on both of James’ goals in addition to his series-extending goal on Friday.

What’s next for Lightning?

This is the most painful of Tampa Bay’s four consecutive first-round losses. The Lightning were largely outplayed in the first three, losing to the Toronto Maple Leafs in six games in 2023 and to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers in five games in 2024 and 2025.

Tampa Bay is not expected to make too many changes to a team that has been one of the NHL’s best teams for nearly a decade. Kucherov struggled in the final three games but still had 44 goals and 130 points (and plus-43) in 76 regular season games. Hegel has scored a career-high 36 goals and has at least 30 goals in three of the last four seasons. Vasilevskiy is a Vezina Trophy finalist and is likely to win the award given to the NHL’s best goaltender for the second time.

James and Goncalves showed they have the ability to play higher in the lineup. Moser has become an excellent defender.

One question is whether GM Julien Brisebois can find a way to retain Moser’s teammate Darren Radish, who made just $975,000 in a career year with 22 goals and 70 points. He’ll definitely get a lot of big dollar interest. According to Pukpedia, the Lightning have less than $14 million in cap room next season. How much they will be willing to spend on Radish will be a big question.

stat shots

It was the 105th Game 7 out of 202 in NHL history to be decided by one goal.

Montreal improved to 16–9 in Game 7. The Canadiens are 8–6 on the road, the most Game 7 wins away from home.

Cooper lost in Game 7, less than three months after coaching Team Canada, in a 2–1 overtime loss to Team USA in the gold medal game at the Winter Olympics. Their teams lost both games despite a combined 71–37 lead in shots on goal. “As soon as the last buzzer went off, I felt like, I’ve seen this movie before,” he said.

Vasilevskiy started his 120th consecutive playoff game. The last time the Lightning started a playoff game with a different goaltender was May 13, 2016, when Ben Bishop was injured in the first period of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Only three goaltenders in NHL history have started more consecutive playoff games than Vasilevskiy: Martin Brodeur (194), Patrick Roy (137), and Henrik Lundqvist (129).

Dobbs is the fifth rookie goaltender in Canadiens history to win a Game 7.

Tampa Bay’s loss means there will not be a Florida-based team in the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 2019. The Lightning (2020-2021-2022) and Panthers (2023-2024-2025) each won twice and lost once in the last six seasons.

Jon Krieger covered his first New York Rangers game (against the California Golden Seals) in November 1975 and it… More about Jon Krieger

On Saturday at UFC Perth, Jack Della Maddalena fell further down the UFC welterweight mountain after a heavy defeat to heavy-hitter Carlos Prates.

The Brazilian used his length and speed to fire powerful, accurate shots through the Australian guards. Outside of a round 1 takedown, Della Maddalena’s grappling was ineffective. Then in round 3, Prates landed some dangerous elbows, before a big leg kick took Della Maddalena down and lost by TKO at 3:17 of the third round.

Although this setback has pushed Dela Maddalena far out of the title picture, she is still a former UFC champion with a strong resume. Therefore, it is certain that he will face a big challenge in his next match. With that in mind, let’s look at four next battle options for JDM.

New UFC welterweight rankings: Carlos Prates defeats JDM in UFC Perth main event

Joaquin Buckley vs. Shawn Brady Winner

Next week, top 10 welterweights Joaquin Buckley and Sean Brady will face off on the main card of UFC 328. Any one of these former titles would be a suitable next fight for the list. A fierce battle between JDM and Buckley has the potential to be Fight of the Year. While a showdown with Brady could show once and for all that the 29-year-old’s victory over elite wrestler Belal Muhammad last year was no fluke.

Kamru Usman

After three consecutive losses, welterweight veteran Kamaru Usman scored an impressive victory against Joaquin Buckley last June. He has been on the sidelines since then as he next looks for a title fight against Islam Makhachev. This does not seem possible.

The future Hall of Famer wants fights that interest him. A fight between the two former champs could certainly bring Usman back into the Octagon in the autumn.

leon edwards

Fellow former 170-pound champion Leon Edwards is in a tough situation. After looking like a future welterweight legend in late 2023, the Englishman has lost three in a row, the last two coming at the hands of Brady and Prates. He desperately needs to win.

Yet his name value will not allow him to keep pace with rivals outside the top 10. This is why the plan could be for both Edwards vs. JDM. Additionally, if the bout was a Fight Night headliner in England, it could be the UFC’s last chance to squeeze any remaining name value out of Edwards.

gabriel bonfim

After a surprise defeat to Nicolas Dalby at the end of 2023, Gabriel Bonfim has caught fire. He has won four in a row, including a victory over division great Stephen Thompson last year. If he can defeat former champion Belal Muhammad in June, he deserves the next top-five caliber opponent, and Jack Della Maddalena could be his huckleberry.

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

Ime Udoka’s comments following the Houston Rockets’ loss in Game 3 of the series against the Los Angeles Lakers fueled recent speculation that the team could trade young star Alpern Sengun this summer.

The Rockets’ 2025-26 campaign is on the verge of a stunning finish. They entered the year with serious NBA Finals expectations after acquiring future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant. But Houston finished fifth in the conference. Still, they were fortunate in a first-round playoff matchup against a Lakers team without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.

However, after a bad loss on Friday night, where they blew a huge lead in the final minute of regulation, the Rockets advanced to Game 4 on Sunday by a 3–0 margin. After the loss, Houston head coach Ime Udoka was asked about their Game 3 collapse, and his opinion was surprising.

“Terrible mistakes. I don’t know whether you want to say young or scared of the moment,” Udoka said in his post-game press conference.

His comments were honest but also very interesting, as they seem to confirm why Alpern Sengun could be on the trade block this summer.

Did Ime Udoka confirm why Alperen Sengun will be traded?

On Friday, The Athletic’s William Guillory explained why the next few games were so important for Sengun’s future in Houston. After being a major part of the team’s rebirth in 2024–25, they had a poor performance late in the regular season and were even worse in the playoffs.

Guillory wrote, “The Rockets were expecting much better than this. More specifically, they were expecting a lot more from Sengun at this point in the season, especially after last year’s playoff run helped solidify the 23-year-old as one of the pillars of the franchise.”

“It’s no exaggeration to say that Sengun has been one of the biggest disappointments in this year’s playoffs – not just in Houston, but among all postseason teams.”

While the two-time All-Star played much better in Game 3, posting 33 points, 16 rebounds, and was +10 when he was on the floor, he couldn’t carry his team across the finish line in a very winnable game at home. It added to his reputation that he couldn’t do it under a bright spotlight for a franchise with championship aspirations.

The team was willing to give up Jalen Green despite notable development in order to trade Durant, with Guillory speculating that Sengun could easily be added to a winning proposal in a trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo or Donovan Mitchell in the offseason.

While Udoka didn’t specifically call out Seungun, he was one of the guys who was scared at the moment, and that doesn’t bode well for his long-term prospects in H-Town.

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

The New York Knicks now face a harsh reality: Decisions made after Game 2 may have directly contributed to their Game 3 heartbreak.

After falling 109-108 to the Atlanta Hawks and down 2-1 in the series, questions are rising over Mike Brown’s rotation options, especially his decision to limit Mitchell Robinson’s role.

Mike Brown, Knicks, and Mitchell Robinson Call

Context matters now more than ever. Mike Brown’s statement regarding the Kat-Mitchell Robinson pairing came before Game 3.

“Combination of [KAT and Mitch] It has not been good, so I am opting not to play them together in this series because of the matchup.

That decision translated directly into the Game 3 rotation. Robinson played only 11 limited minutes and was largely absent in key stretches, especially late in the game, when defensive stops and rebounding were crucial.

Brown defended his team after the game, saying: “I liked the fight our guys showed… We gave ourselves a chance.”

But the stats tell a different story: The Knicks didn’t have a strong enough presence inside the paint when it really counted.

Karl-Anthony Towns vs. Mitchell Robinson Impact

Karl-Anthony ​​​​​​​​​ Towns did his part. He finished the game with 21 points and 17 rebounds, performing consistently on both ends of the floor and gradually helped the Knicks erase the double-digit deficit.

But basketball is not a one-man show. When Mitchell Robinson wasn’t on the floor long enough to lead the defense, the Knicks ran into trouble with second-chance opportunities and rim protection, two things Robinson is very good at.

Atlanta took full advantage of this. Onyeka Okongwu and other players were able to penetrate with greater ease, while guards were also more successful in attacking the paint. The Knicks may technically dominate the paint in terms of numbers, but the Hawks have played better on some very important possessions, especially late rebounds and defensive turnovers.

In such a close game these things can be the difference between victory and defeat.

Under pressure after consecutive defeats

Their anger doesn’t begin and end with losing one game – it’s the entire situation. Two consecutive losses, both in the final minutes, have made the Browns the subject of intense criticism.

Towns clearly acknowledged the issue: “We struggled… but we need to close the game out. We didn’t do that today.”

And this is the main point. The Knicks are fighting, even coming out strong, but their player substitutions and late performance are letting them down.

The decision to limit Robinson may have been a tactical move targeting the match-up, but Game 3 revealed the price.

If being a tough, rebounding, defensive team is part of your identity, not having your best interior player on the field in the final minutes is a big risk.

Currently, this is a risk that is not paying off.

Jayesh Pagar is currently pursuing Sports Journalism from London School of Journalism and has four years of experience… More about Jayesh Pagar

Ryan Garcia has reignited the Ryan Garcia vs. Gervonta Davis rivalry exactly three years after their knockout loss. On April 22, 2026, Garcia called for a rematch with Gervonta Davis, saying he wanted the fight again under different circumstances.

The original Ryan Garcia vs. Gervonta Davis bout took place on April 22, 2023 at T-Mobile Arena. It ended with Davis stopping Garcia with a body shot in the seventh round. Garcia’s latest message immediately gained attention online, receiving thousands of views and replies. The renewed call has brought the Ryan Garcia vs. Gervonta Davis matchup back into the spotlight.

Ryan Garcia vs. Gervonta Davis fight conditions revisited

The first Ryan Garcia vs. Gervonta Davis fight was held at a catchweight of 136 pounds with a strict rehydration regimen. On the morning of the fight both fighters were not allowed to lift more than 146 pounds. These conditions were agreed upon before the bout and were implemented during fight week.

Garcia has not fought at 135 pounds since 2021 and usually weighs higher between fights. After the defeat, he alluded to the impact of the ban, saying he was feeling “a little weak”. His father, Henry Garcia, later said that the conditions left him “really dehydrated”.

Davis entered the fight with a 28–0 record and used his experience to his advantage. He applied pressure early and finished the fight with a body shot in the seventh round. The result moved Davis to 29–0, while Garcia lost to 23–1.

Garcia says, “I pray that one day I get a rematch with Tank. I want that match back on a level playing field. I need it!!!” His message focused on the same issue, suggesting that the original Ryan Garcia vs. Gervonta Davis fight did not take place under balanced circumstances.

Questions facing Ryan Garcia vs. Gervonta Davis rematch

Ryan Garcia vs. Gervonta Davis rematch call draws strong reactions online. Many users pointed to Garcia’s failed drug test for Ostarine after his 2024 fight with Devin Haney. That result led to a one-year suspension, a $10,000 fine and the fight being declared a no-contest. Garcia was reinstated in April 2025.

Some replies also mentioned his 2024 loss to Rolando Romero, with fans urging him to focus on other opponents. Garcia did not respond publicly to the criticism following his post.

Davis has not made any statements regarding a potential Ryan Garcia vs. Gervonta Davis rematch. Since 2023, he has participated in limited fights as well as dealing with legal matters outside the ring.

A second fight would require new negotiations, including weight terms and financial details. The original Ryan Garcia vs. Gervonta Davis bout was one of the most-watched boxing events of 2023, and a rematch would likely draw similar attention.

Garcia now competes at 140 pounds and has stated his intention to take bigger fights in the division. His latest message has renewed focus on the rivalry, but no official talks have been confirmed.

Dogley Wilberforce is a boxing writer for SportsNaught, covering fight news, fighter reactions and major bouts in the sport… More about Dogley Wilberforce

The Montreal Canadiens faced the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday night, looking to establish a commanding 2-0 lead in the first round series.

The Habs were never able to take the lead, with the Lightning ultimately emerging with a 3–2 overtime victory.

Let’s look at the highlights!

always so smooth

It’s legitimately impressive how sticky the power is at every shift. Not only do they initiate most of the ugly things, but they also behave as if punishing them for their obvious stupidity was some kind of cardinal sin.

Corey Perry epitomizes this lizard-like approach to logic. He constantly seeks out younger opponents, and when they inform him that they have no interest in sharing his oysters, which are almost certainly a mixture of old chili and Mister Beast-branded snacks, he becomes very, very upset.

Perry was in the box as the Canadiens tied the game in the first period, a good reminder that the best way to make the Lightning pay is to score whenever the shenanigans unfold.

It was a player named Len Hutson, whom Perry had attempted to tackle in a recent game, who scored the game-tying goal.

This is what you want to see, especially since power starts making ugly messes at every single change. Make them pay for their stupidity.

#GoHabsGo Tie the game via a Len Hutson powerplay goal. pic.twitter.com/dXTZC5FOKA

– Montreal Hockey Now (@MTLhockeynow) 21 April 2026

adapt and overcome

If you watched the first half of the game on ESPN, you may have got the impression that the Lightning were the dominant team, but that’s far from the truth when it comes to the aspects of the game that really matter.

While the Lightning focused on the ugly, the Canadiens controlled the shots and high-danger scoring opportunities at 5v5.

It’s not a great way to play hockey for Tampa Bay, but it’s a clear path to success for the Canadians as long as they continue to focus on hockey rather than extracurricular activities.

For example, when Juraj Slafkowski fought Brandon Hagel he inspired the Lightning and delivered a powerful punch to his opponent midway through the second period. This was far from an ideal situation and the Hubs should avoid moving forward.

SportLogic had the Canadiens winning 88 per cent of puck battles in the first period.

– Eric Engels (@EricEngels) 22 April 2026

missed opportunity

With the game heating up in the physical department, the Canadiens had a perfect chance to establish their first lead, but veteran center Philippe Danault failed to take advantage of a wide-open net. It should also be noted that Jake Evans has been quietly having a solid series considering his limited usage.

Philippe Danault missed the wide open net. #GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/2sWHrr9AlE

– Montreal Hockey Now (@MTLhockeynow) 22 April 2026

trailer park lube

At the risk of being labeled a complainer, which wouldn’t be a bad name given the tone of this article, the Lightning’s sleekness was impossible to ignore.

It’s not just that they constantly take dirty shots after the whistle, but also that they behave like surprised Pikachu when the referee gives a clear penalty.

Then there is diving.

Kucherov flies out, Guhle leaves for hooking. pic.twitter.com/uyqw2aLrQK

– Montreal Hockey Now (@MTLhockeynow) 22 April 2026

And if that doesn’t lead to a goal on the power play, someone like Taylor Raddish will obviously dive in, and the officials will be upset if they don’t catch it. This is ugly, cowardly and confusing hockey at its best.

On the other side of the coin, you could argue that this has led to plenty of success in the past, but you’d be hard-pressed to suggest that there was any legitimate reason to add an extra dose of showboating to the mix on Tuesday.

laugh out loud

Raddish looks at the referee as he falls after feeling contact.

And then he got upset that no call came. pic.twitter.com/kvNfVSSAWz

– Montreal Hockey Now (@MTLhockeynow) 22 April 2026

Most importantly, while the Lightning focused on roughhousing after the whistle, the Canadiens focused on creating quality scoring chances.

They had an 11–4 advantage in high-danger scoring chances during 40 minutes of play, including Josh Anderson’s second goal of the series, which gave the Canadiens a very fragile one-goal lead.

josh anderson gives #GoHabsGo 2-1 lead! pic.twitter.com/1CJ7VvARC8

– Montreal Hockey Now (@MTLhockeynow) 22 April 2026

The weakness was confirmed in the third period, when Kucherov scored his first playoff goal in three years to tie the game.

Slafkowski’s no-look pass through the middle of the ice was the catalyst for the scoring play.

JJ Moser is a hero in Tampa pic.twitter.com/LxCIv9NkWo

– Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) 22 April 2026

target setting

As was the case in Game One, the score was tied after the end of regulation, much to everyone’s delight, necessitating another chance at playoff overtime hockey.

The Lightning were several times better than the Habs to start the extra frame.

Yes, the Canadiens were pretty erratic, but we’d be taking a lot of deserved credit away from Tampa Bay by simply suggesting that it was Montreal that struggled to find its rhythm.

Luckily for the Canadians, Jacob Dobbs had big leads on a few occasions, but it was not enough to stop the momentum, as the Bolts ultimately emerged with a 3–2 overtime victory.

Big Savings!

Jacob Dobbs saved the day in overtime. pic.twitter.com/BOgpVG0b8M

– Montreal Hockey Now (@MTLhockeynow) 22 April 2026

The Montreal Canadiens are back in action on Friday as they face the Lightning at the Bell Centre. Puck drop is scheduled for 7pm ET.

All Montreal Canadiens stats are 5v5, via Natural Stat Trick, unless otherwise noted.

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

CM Punk’s WrestleMania 42 weekend didn’t end cleanly in the ring, and what happened in the early hours after the show made the night even more difficult.

According to footage obtained by TMZ, just hours after losing to Roman Reigns in the main event of Night Two at Allegiant Stadium, Punk clashed with a fan at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino just after midnight.

The incident started when a fan was filming Bailey while she was hugging someone in the hotel lobby. Punk proceeded to drop the fan’s phone. Ace Steel was also present and attempted to prevent the situation from escalating further as security arrived to separate everyone involved. The fan, who appeared visibly upset in the immediate aftermath, immediately backed away and apologized several times before leaving the area.

The confrontation did not escalate into a fight, but the tension was clear in the footage. Punk was seen backstage at Allegiant Stadium exhausted after his earlier loss to Reigns, openly admitting that the loss had affected him greatly. The hotel incident added another difficult chapter to an already disappointing night for the world heavyweight championship challenger.

It has not been publicly mentioned whether or not Punk will face any consequences from WWE over this incident. The footage is now circulating widely after being published by TMZ. WWE has not yet confirmed Punk’s status for tonight’s episode of Raw.

Seeing as this is the fallout version of the show for WrestleMania, Punk would be expected to be on the show. Here, WWE fans will find out where Punk will move forward without the World Heavyweight Championship.

Punk could go in two different directions – going after Reigns and the World Title for a rematch or going to a new program before Backlash next month.

The Vancouver Canucks ended their season with a 6-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place on Thursday night.

Matt Savoie scored a first-period hat trick, Connor McDavid had four assists, and the Oilers clinched second place in the Pacific Division with a game that was originally decided before the opening period ended.

Ty Mueller scored the only goal for Vancouver, the first of his NHL career.

According to NHL.com, Edmonton’s victory also secured home advantage for the first-round playoff series against the Anaheim Ducks.

ESPN reported that McDavid finished the regular season with 138 points to win the NHL scoring race, while Savoie’s three-goal first period was the first hat trick of his NHL career.

On the Vancouver side, the loss snapped a three-game winning streak and capped another difficult year.

Edmonton had too much pace, too much skill and too much space to work with. Mueller’s goal gave Vancouver a nice moment, and Kevin Lankinen struggled all night, but the big size of the game never really changed after the initial rush.

game flow

At 1:58 of the first period, Josh Samanski opened the scoring after Colton Dach’s centering pass was deflected off the skates. Savoie doubled the lead at 6:48 with a wrist shot from the left circle, then Vancouver finally responded at 12:10 when Muller took a pass from Curtis Douglas, hesitated, and scored his first NHL goal. Lankinen also recorded a secondary assist in the game.

For a moment, it looked like the Canucks had something to build on. He didn’t. Savoie hit a power play at 14:35, then completed the hat trick at 19:02 when McDavid and Evan Bouchard moved the puck cleanly through the zone.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins added a power-play goal at 16:46 of the second game when Jack Hyman, returning from a five-game absence, found the side of the net.

Colton Dach fired a wrist shot over Lankinen’s glove to make it 6-1 in the third, and from there it was close to the final horn.

Connor Ingram needed just 11 saves for the win, which tells you how little sustained pressure Vancouver provided. Edmonton got six goals on 35 shots. Lankinen stopped 29 shots, which showed how bad the score could have been.

This wasn’t a bad bounce or a hot scorer. It was a loose, messy night against a team that knew what was on the line.

Mueller had at least a small hope of getting his first goal. But for Canucks fans, the bigger feeling was probably general, relief that the year is over and hope that the next version of this team looks more settled than the one that ended here.

Edmonton is headed into the playoffs with momentum. Vancouver is entering the offseason with a lot to answer for.

Lorenzo Lucca is struggling nottingham forest Since his arrival in January. Now, Napoli is already making plans about his future.

The Italian scored on his debut against Leeds United earlier this season. Since then, he has played only two games in the Premier League and has not been in the team for five consecutive matches.

sports witness The Italian press has covered the reaction to this. Question marks are being raised on his attitude tutomercatoweb Also noting some details of the ankle injury.

This suggests that his absence from action is due to a fitness issue. Despite this, it seems that his future at Nottingham Forest is already sealed and his valuation has dropped significantly.

Napoli wants around €18 million for sale

arianapoli Note that the obligation of Napoli to buy Lucca from Udinese was €35m. He never really broke through in Naples and that is why he transferred to Nottingham Forest.

The Partenopei are watching things closely and are aware that he will return to the club in the summer. Antonio Conte’s side are now keen to make a move for him in the summer and are happy to accept a loss on the deal.

As a result, they value him at between €18m and €20m, with Nottingham Forest not interested in any permanent deal.

Napoli intend to sell the striker permanently in order to recover as much as possible before his price drops further.

Things seem tough for Lucca

It feels like the Italian’s injury problems are being largely ignored, even though it has been widely covered in the press. This is probably why he has not played in the Premier League for several weeks.

Furthermore, he has not always been used enough to prove himself. Within weeks of his arrival, Nottingham Forest changed managers and that probably didn’t help either.

That’s why the current spell says little about the 25-year-old’s abilities. He proved himself well at Udinese and also earned a place in the national team. The striker once again needs consistency to really make a mark next season.

If anything, Napoli should be blamed for poor management of their resources.

An unlucky day in Newark got even worse when the New Jersey Devils were officially eliminated from the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs by the Philadelphia Flyers following the firing of general manager Tom Fitzgerald.

Philly had a ton on the line coming into the Prudential Center on Tuesday as a win would raise their hopes for the Stanley Cup Playoffs to 70.3%, while a loss would cut their hopes in half to 36.6%.

Well, the Devils have officially been eliminated from the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

New Jersey got off to a bad start Tuesday night, allowing the Flyers to take control of the pace of the game early.

As a result, the Devils’ defensive zone coverage was caught sleeping, and Travis Sanheim found Trevor Zegras on an open backdoor pass to Jacob Markstrom to give Philly an early 1–0 lead.

About 30 seconds later, Jack Hughes was whistled for tripping Owen Power, giving the Flyers their first power play of the game.

One minute into the Flyers man advantage, Porter Martone fed a streaking Zegras at the top of Markstrom’s crease while handling the puck along the far wall, redirecting the puck to Markstrom to give the Flyers an instant 2–0 lead.

The Devils began to swing the ice back their way in the latter half of the opening frame. Hughes and company finally pressured Flyers goaltender Dan Vlader with several chances.

Cody Glass eventually cut the Flyers’ lead in half to 2–1 when Jonas Seigenthaler found open ice, fired a shot on net that went past the Devils and past Vladar.

The Devils scored on a power play early in the second period after the Flyers were caught with too many men on the ice.

As the penalty ended, Tyson Foerster gained control of the puck at the Philly blueline, headed a 2-on-1 opportunity toward the Devils’ zone, and opted to shoot past Markstrom to extend the Flyers’ lead to 3–1.

Jesper Bratt had a chance to make a comeback against the Flyers when he found himself alone on a breakaway against Vladar. Still, his backhand chance went over the net, starting the Flyers odd-man rush to the other side.

In a tic-tac-toe game, Foerster scored his second goal of the night on a feed from Zegras, increasing the Flyers’ lead to 4–1.

An uneventful third period made no difference for the Devils.

Nick Seiler scored an empty net goal, a dagger on the game and the 2025–26 season, sealing a 5–1 defeat, the Devils’ 35th defeat of the season.

Markstrom made 13 saves on 17 shots, leading to his 19th loss of the season.

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

The New York Knicks battled the Oklahoma City Thunder for three quarters, but walked away with another disappointing loss, 111-100, with a long list of what-ifs. It wasn’t about the effort. Jalen Brunson again played brilliantly and the defense competed for long periods of time.

But when you look at the numbers and the key moments, there are two things most responsible for this loss, and both can be completely fixed if the Knicks are serious about making noise in the playoffs.

CT disparity and Knicks’ ill-discipline

The first thing to start with is free throws, because that’s where this game was really lost. The Thunder hit 38 free throw shots. The Knicks made 17 shots. That’s a 21‑try difference and an 18‑point difference on the line in an 11‑point loss.

New York already ranks near the bottom of the league in free throw attempts per game, and it showed again. Instead of attacking the rim and forcing OKC to commit fouls, the Knicks resorted to jumpers while getting to the other end and getting pucks.

Mike Brown also acknowledged this: “It was a hard-fought ball game, but the thing I was most disappointed with was the energy we used on the officials. They shot 38 FTs. Were all of them legal? IDK. Some of them were because we overreached,” according to James L. Edwards of The Athletic.

This is where disappointment is justified. The Thunder are smart and experienced at making contact, but the Knicks played right into their hands. Karl-Anthony Towns’ flagged-1 on Chet Holmgren early in the third was the perfect example.

You can’t give free points and extra possessions to a good team and then complain about the whistle. Until the Knicks get mentally stronger, play defense without drawing fouls, and put more pressure on the rim themselves, games like this will continue to get out of hand.

The Knicks bench was a complete ghost

If CT was the first problem, the bench was the second. New York did not get a single bench point until Jose Alvarado’s three-pointer with 6:45 left in the second quarter. This is embarrassing for a team with playoff hopes. While OKC’s second unit brought the energy, pressure and scoring, the Knicks’ bench gave them almost nothing except missed shots, careless fouls and turnovers.

This is where criticism should be brutal. The starters did enough to give the Knicks a chance. Brunson, Hart, Bridges and Towns continued to pull the team back into the game. But every time the bench came on, the energy was gone and the scoreboard was against New York.

If this team is to be taken seriously, the bench needs to stop being a problem that starters are asked to fix and start becoming a real advantage. Right now, it’s the opposite, and that’s a big reason the Knicks came out of this with another avoidable loss.

RELATED: NY Knicks Legend Tells the Brutal Truth About Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade

Jayesh Pagar is currently pursuing Sports Journalism from London School of Journalism and has four years of experience… More about Jayesh Pagar

The Las Vegas Raiders were already dealing with a difficult offseason when they suffered another blow. On Friday morning, the Las Vegas Raiders shared heartbreaking news on Twitter, announcing the passing of Barrett Robbins – a player whose story went far beyond the field.

Born on August 26, 1973, in Houston, Texas, Robbins was selected in the second round by TCU in the 1995 NFL Draft out of Sharpstown High School. In eight seasons with the Raiders, he anchored the offensive line with consistency and patience, appearing in 121 games and starting 105. During his tenure, the Raiders led the league in scoring in 2000 and total offense in 2002.

Robbins wasn’t just a reliable presence in the trenches – he was one of the league’s elite at his position. By 2002, he was in the midst of a Pro Bowl and First-Team All-Pro campaign, and snapped the ball for one of the NFL’s most explosive offenses.

Before Super Bowl XXXVII, Robbins went missing just one day before kickoff. When he resurfaced, he was confused, unable to recognize where he was or who he was with. What initially seemed incomprehensible was later understood in a more serious light.

Robbins was misdiagnosed with depression during his college years, when he was actually struggling with bipolar disorder. In the crucial week before the Super Bowl, he did not take his prescribed medication. He was ultimately suspended for the game by head coach Bill Callahan.

He returned briefly in 2003 to reclaim his starting role, but his NFL career ended abruptly after a suspension for performance-enhancing substances. He never played another match in the league.

In the years that followed, Robins’ struggles continued off the field. Battles with mental health and substance abuse led to multiple arrests, stints in jail, and spending time in rehabilitation facilities. His life after football became a difficult cycle, highlighting how little support systems once existed for players facing these challenges.

The passing of Barrett Robbins is undeniably tragic. But more than that, it serves as a sobering reminder: behind the helmets and highlight reels, there are real people fighting real battles. His story highlights the vital importance of mental health awareness in professional sports. Because taking care of the mind is as important as taking care of the body, on and off the field.

The New York Knicks had a chance to make a real statement in their game against the Charlotte Hornets. Instead, they went home with a 114-103 loss, and Mitchell Robinson made sure no one forgot how bad it was.

Knicks Fan TV posted a video that caught everyone’s attention. The caption reads: “Coach Mitch giving Huckporty some pointers before the game.”

In the clip, Robinson can be heard rebounding for the young big man. He told Hookporty, “How to rebound… You know I had injuries back in the day… So I sat down and watched our team shoot… So like OG, prime example: OG shoots right above the front rim, so [misses] I’ll go back to that every time.”

After the game, Robinson did not mix anything. He commented on the same post and wrote: “It doesn’t matter unless we change our perspective, we’re not doing much, including me.”

The Knicks had no answers all night.

On the court, the Knicks couldn’t find any rhythm. The Hornets took a 38-36 lead early on after the first quarter and steadily increased it. The score was 65-55 at half time. Things got even worse in the third quarter, with Kon Knueppel and LaMelo Ball combining to significantly extend the lead, resulting in a 94–76 lead before the fourth.

The Knicks showed some fight late, with Josh Hart leading the way and Jalen Brunson finishing with 26 points and 13 assists. This was an important game. A win could have given New York the second seed in the East. Instead, they allowed a short-handed Hornets team to dominate them.

New York faces the Thunder on March 29 and it won’t be easy. OKC will come hungry after losing to the Celtics. Since Boston is still the second seed, the Knicks will have to find a way to get this win.

Furthermore, the Knicks will face even more difficult opponents going forward, and if Robinson’s statement is to be believed, they need to solve this immediately.

Jayesh Pagar is currently pursuing Sports Journalism from London School of Journalism and has four years of experience… More about Jayesh Pagar

The Detroit Pistons suffered a tough 130-129 loss to the Atlanta Hawks in overtime at Little Caesars Arena on Wednesday, ending their four-game winning streak.

The Pistons had two chances to win on the final possession, but Tobias Harris missed a jumper with 2.9 seconds remaining, while Jalen Duren, who had grabbed the offensive rebound, buried a gimme as time expired.

Courtesy of Harris’ jumper, Detroit overcame a 21-point deficit to send the game into extension. However, the team still ultimately fell short.

Pistons coach JB Bickerstaff praised his return, but also said he couldn’t celebrate the loss, as shown in video posted by Coty Davis of the Detroit News.

“We didn’t like the way we dug into a hole in the first half. But to be able to negotiate at halftime and then come out and play like we played in the third and fourth quarters, credit to those guys,” Bickerstaff said.

“Obviously, we fell a bucket behind. But most teams wouldn’t even get themselves in that position. Most teams don’t have the strength to dig deep, collect themselves, pick themselves up off the mat, and do what our guys did. No moral victory, but I’m proud of our guys’ effort.”

“We didn’t like the way we dug a hole in the first half…no moral victory.”

speak on bickerstaff #piston They are battling a 21-point deficit after the loss to the Hawks. pic.twitter.com/cIbhluHyM5

– Coty M. Davis (@CotyDavis_24) 26 March 2026

The Pistons lost for the first time since Cade Cunningham was diagnosed with lung failure.

They have played well even without the two-time All-Star with Duren, Harris, Duncan Robinson, Dennis Jenkins and Aussie Thompson. They all scored in double figures against the Hawks, led by Duren with 26 points.

The Pistons, who fell 52-20, including 28-9 at home, will look to bounce back against the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday.

The Houston Rockets set a new record against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center on Wednesday. However, they would like it to be erased as soon as possible.

The Rockets lost to the Timberwolves 110–108 in overtime, blowing a 13-point lead in extensions. According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, citing ESPN, this was the largest lead in overtime in NBA history.

Siegel at the

Julius Randle was the hero for Minnesota, sinking the game-winning jumper with 8.8 seconds remaining. Due to frustration with the officiating, particularly regarding Naz Reed’s ejection in overtime, Randle made an offhand comment following their win.

The Timberwolves improved to 45-28, while the Rockets, who are 2-4 in their last six games, fell to 43-29.

Kevin Durant led Houston with 30 points, three rebounds, eight assists and two steals. He had a chance to steal the win for the Rockets when Randle was fouled on a shot attempt with 3.3 seconds remaining. However, Durant missed the first freebie. He was 23 of 23 from the line before him.

He intentionally missed the second, but Houston never got the chance, allowing the Timberwolves to escape with an improbable victory.

Siegel said, “This is going to be the nail in the coffin for the Rockets this season. What a disaster.”

This is no time for a recession for the Rockets, as they chase homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

They will visit the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday.

The Sacramento Kings fielded such a depleted roster on Tuesday night, and against an up-and-coming Charlotte Hornets team that is exceptionally impressive in wins, it was simply a one-way ticket to demolition. Although they kept it a little closer in the first quarter of the game, the Kings lost the final 36 minutes of play as they fell behind by 25 points en route to a 134–90 loss to the Hornets.

While the Kings have no incentive to win these days considering they’re prioritizing getting better lottery odds, a 44-point loss in the NBA is never something to swallow easily. And it appears the team’s social media manager is almost completely satisfied with the Kings’ loss.

It got to the point where he didn’t even bother to include the final score on his tweet signaling the end of their Tuesday night contest against the Hornets, instead urging fans to check the box score on the NBA’s official website.

“FINAL: Check out NBA.com,” the Kings’ tweet read.

Tanking kings get devastated by injuries

At this point, the Kings aren’t even tanking intentionally. For starters, the injury bug hasn’t been kind to him at all. They are missing key players like Domantas Sabonis, Keegan Murray and Zach LaVine, while players like Russell Westbrook and Nick Clifford were also out on Tuesday. Even Killian Hayes, who had been a recent starter, was absent against the Hornets.

The Kings certainly lucked out in a promising lottery position, as they had no intention of tanking before the start of the season. But the chips have fallen into place for them this way, and they’re making the most of it. Only time will tell if this painful loss will be worthwhile for the Kings.

The Orlando Magic are in a free fall right now, as their losing streak is now six games after a 136-131 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night. From being in contention for the fifth or sixth seed, they have now dropped to eighth in the Eastern Conference standings, as they could not find a way to end their bleeding against the Cavs.

It’s not that the Magic are playing terribly. Sure, two of their last six losses came by double digits, 12 losses to the Atlanta Hawks and 19 losses to the Charlotte Hornets. But his other losses have been close; They lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder by just five after their bench struggled, they lost a Luke Kennard game-winner, and they suffered consecutive losses to the Indiana Pacers and Cavs by a total of seven points.

Still, the Magic are showing worrisome signs on the hardwood, and fans, as a result, are not very confident about head coach Jamahl Mosley and his ability to lead the team to where they want to be at the end of the season.

Magic fans vote of no confidence in head coach Jamahl Mosley

The loss to the Pacers has already left many Magic fans mentally disturbed, and another loss doesn’t help matters, causing more panic on social media.

“Why is Mosley still employed?” X user @Lblax31 wrote.

@MoGMD01 said, “Mosley is arguably the worst coach in the NBA.”

@finnfromny added, “Loved it, but Mosley should be on a commercial flight out of Cleveland.”

@TheChadIsGreat3 wrote, “Please fire Moseley! We know DeVos lives by the Bible; tell him firing a terrible head coach is the 11th commandment.”

“F**k you Jamal Mosley,” @LosMagicARG emphatically expressed.

As even the most optimistic and happy people in the world can attest, all good things come to an end. On Monday night, the Los Angeles Lakers’ nine-game winning streak came to an end as they couldn’t overcome the dangerous Detroit Pistons 113-110 on the road despite the absence of Cade Cunningham. It was Dennis Jenkins who delivered the decisive blow, drilling a go-ahead liner from midrange to give Detroit a lead they would not relinquish.

Although the Lakers won’t be resting on their heels, this loss will at least give them time to think about what went wrong for them on the night and what they can do to make sure it doesn’t happen again. But for head coach JJ Redick, it was clear What LA lost on the night was that they were without two key players, Marcus Smart and Rui Hachimura, to compete against the Eastern Conference leader.

“We’re a good basketball team. I believe we’re a good basketball team. Not being smart killed us tonight. It’s important for us to be healthy,” Redick said in his postgame presser, via LakersMuse on Ax (formerly Twitter).

JJ Redick says one bad game can’t undo what the Lakers have done recently:

“We’re a good basketball team. I believe we’re a good basketball team. Not being smart killed us tonight. It’s important for us to be able to get healthy.”

pic.twitter.com/ioAiMEDhEw

– LakersMuse (@LALMuse) 24 March 2026

That will be the number one goal for the Lakers moving forward: going into the playoffs with a full strength. Smart’s absence on Monday doesn’t appear to be a long-term thing, so at least this is a win for LA despite their losing streak on Monday.

Lakers outclassed by Pistons in clutch

The Lakers and Pistons both entered the night with 24 wins each by single digits, as they are two of the best clutch teams in the NBA. But even without Cunningham, the Pistons had plenty of time in crunch time, with Jenkins making it happen.

The Lakers have one more game left on their current road trip, which is a game against the weak Indiana Pacers, so this is at least a golden opportunity for them to start another winning streak.

The Toronto Raptors have fallen in the Eastern Conference standings, as they have failed to keep up with the top four teams in the conference. A loss like the 120-98 defeat to the Phoenix Suns on Sunday night won’t do much to further their cause. In fact, it’s a big concern for the Raptors that they failed to perform against a team that was dominant for the second night in a row, never mind that the game was held at the Mortgage Matchup Center.

The entire team wasn’t very good on Sunday, the main culprit being Brandon Ingram. Ingram scored only six points on 3-10 shooting from the field, while Immanuel Quickley (11 points on 4-9 shooting) and RJ Barrett (13 points on 5-8 shooting) weren’t very good either. But for backup point guard Jamal Sheed, another bad game is a continuation of what is already becoming a worrisome trend.

Sheed has struggled throughout the calendar month of March; The Raptors guard is averaging just 3.3 points on 27.3 percent shooting from the field. Anyway, Scotty Barnes has the support of his peers completely.

“[I would tell him to] Just stay aggressive. Our team, we believe in him. He comes down the slope and creates a lot for us. We know he’ll be able to do that every night. He’s going to come in to play defense. I think that’s what we’re focused on,” Barnes said in his postgame presser, via Omar Osman of Raptors Updates.

“He’ll find it. Gotta trust him.”

Scotty Barnes on Jamal Sheed’s recent offensive struggles, and what he would tell Jamal:

“Just stay aggressive. Our team, we believe in that.”

“He’ll find it. Gotta trust him.” pic.twitter.com/Ak5c2ujb1a

– Omer Osman (@OmerOsman200) 23 March 2026

Sheed has been a huge part of what the Raptors are doing this season, and it would be foolish to suddenly lose confidence in him during a difficult stretch. But with Toronto dangerously close to falling into the play-in tournament picture, Shead and the rest of the team will have to figure it out quickly.

As the Miami Heat prepare to take on the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night, the team is trying to bounce back from a heartbreaking 123-122 loss to the Houston Rockets on Saturday. As the Heat go through a tough four-game stretch, head coach Erik Spoelstra explains what the team is going through.

Miami’s loss to Houston saw the team blow a 12-point lead, but then surrendered what turned out to be a close game throughout the season, led by an impeccable night from Bam Adebayo, who recorded 32 points and 21 rebounds. Still, it came down to the final possession, in which Amen Thompson’s put-back basket won the game, adding to the “pain” the Heat were going through, as Spoelstra said.

“When you say you have to develop some patience, you have to go through it,” said Spoelstra, formerly of Axe, via Heat Central on Twitter. “When you feel like every possession matters, and part of the grit is that you have to go through some pain. So we’re going to go through some pain right now, and it’s going to steal us. It’s going to make us better, and we’ll focus on getting ready for a tough opponent on Monday.”

Coach Spo with more about finding his ‘grit’

“When you say you have to develop some patience you have to go through it. There are consequences. When you feel these types of emotions and realize that every asset matters. Part of the patience is that you have to go through some pain.… https://t.co/6EZBv3SFWq pic.twitter.com/pdsRdiGf4y

– Heat Central (@HeatCulture13) 22 March 2026

Heat’s Erik Spoelstra on recovering from recent tough loss

As the Heat prepare for the playoffs, with the team struggling to get out of the play-in tournament, the goal now is to not let these tough losses get the roster down. However, a final game like the one against the Rockets would be a pity, as Adebayo made a great save on Kevin Durant, with Thompson running after the team for the put-back.

“Just stick with it,” Spoelstra said. “We’re talking about having collective composure, and we thought we showed that composure during the game… You just think about the karma of the game, we’ll find a way to get out of here with a win. Missed a block-out at the end. And Thompson had a great game.”

Who was at fault in the last match for Heat Nation to win??? pic.twitter.com/hawFEmz0wl

– Heat Central (@HeatCulture13) 22 March 2026

At any rate, Miami will be trying to snap its losing streak against a strong opponent on Monday in the Spurs.

PHOENIX – Jalen Green wondered why he couldn’t take advantage in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game between the Phoenix Suns and the Milwaukee Bucks.

Milwaukee consistently doubled Devin Booker throughout the game, and clear advantages did not emerge.

Normally, the ball will continue to swing and into the hands of the open shooter. However, it felt like the offense was a step slower than normal.

The Suns scored 23 points in the quarter and hit only three of their ten triples. In the process, Booker doubled up and didn’t have much of a chance to score, which left Green wondering why he didn’t take advantage of it.

“I just think (when) our main guy is doubling, I think we should be able to hit them,” Green said in the locker room postgame after the 108–105 loss. “Whenever a double (team) gets sent in, we have to be able to beat them and get what we want.”

Jalen Green told @DuaneRankin His ideas about the fourth quarter of the Sun.

“I just think (when) our main player is getting doubled, I think we should be able to hit them. Anytime a double (team) is sent in, we should be able to hit them and get whatever we want.” pic.twitter.com/i59xZOlM17

– Hayden Cilley (@HaydenCilley) 22 March 2026

Jalen Green wants Suns to take advantage of mismatches

In his response, Green referenced what the team has done all season: take advantage of mismatches. This has happened countless times where Booker will be doubled, or someone like Dillon Brooks, and the ball will continue to turn over.

This happened quickly during Saturday’s loss but was not as sustained as in previous games.

When asked what specifically the problem was, Green was unsure.

“I need to watch film, but I think whenever I see a double take with our team, the guys out there, we should be able to hit them,” Green explained. “We got shooters spaced out on the floor. I don’t really know specifically what it was. They’re trying to take our best player out in the fourth and the other 4 players on the court won’t allow it, won’t allow it, so we have to help.”

During the team’s dry spell, the Suns have suffered a string of injuries, with six players reporting before Saturday’s game. Green doesn’t see this as an excuse in any way.

He understands what his team needs to do, and he needs to make a small change to ‘beat’ more teams if they want to do what Milwaukee tried to do.

The Minnesota Timberwolves lost to the Portland Trail Blazers 108-104 on Friday night. After the loss, head coach Chris Finch criticized Julius Randle for his effort, or lack thereof, on the glass.

According to Timberwolves reporter Dan Moore, speaking to media members on Saturday morning, Finch name-dropped Randle when he criticized his team for struggling to rebound the ball in recent games. Finch is clearly not impressed with the 31-year-old’s stellar efforts.

“We just have to get the rebound, and we can’t,” Finch said. “From the time the shot goes up, it takes a while… It’s been like that for a while. It’s not good enough… Julius has three defensive rebounds, which is not good enough. Just not good enough.”

Chris Finch on the Wolves’ recent rebounding issues and Julius Randle’s efforts on the glass being “not good enough.”

“We just have to get a rebound, and we can’t. There’s like a lag from the time the shot goes up… It’s been like that for a while. It’s not like that at all… pic.twitter.com/6CiWWjZjCM

– Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) 21 March 2026

Julius Randle finished Friday’s contest with 19 points (team high), five rebounds, four assists and one steal. He shot only 37.5% from the floor and failed to record a single three-point shot. Rudy Gobert (15 boards) and Ayo Dosunmu (10 boards) led the Timberwolves in rebounding against the Blazers.

Chris Finch, who is 56, might be right to call out the 12-year veteran for his bruising struggles. Randle is averaging a career-low 6.8 rebounds per contest this season. In fact, his rebounding numbers have decreased in every season since the 2022-23 campaign.

In 71 games played this year, Julius Randle is averaging 21.2 points, 5.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game. He is shooting 48.4% from the field and 31.4% from beyond the three-point line. Randle will have another chance to return as a rebounder on Sunday when the Timberwolves take on the Boston Celtics.

The Vancouver Canucks lost 6-2 to the Tampa Bay Lightning at Rogers Arena on Thursday night, and the game got away from them long before the final horn.

Nikita Kucherov and Anthony Cirelli each finished with a goal and two assists, while Andrei Vasilevskiy made 19 saves as Tampa Bay took control for most of the night.

The Lightning looked to be sharper after a rough outing and quickly hit the nail on the head. Tampa Bay began a four-game road trip by winning its second consecutive game, and its top line of Brandon Hagel, Cirelli and Kucherov combined to finish plus-11 for eight points.

When a team is on the rise, that kind of lead is very difficult to handle. It was too much for the Canucks, who were trying to win consecutive home games for the first time this season.

You can tell when a game is going away from a team, and it has become increasingly slippery for the Canucks. The team only trailed 1-0 after the first period, but there wasn’t much room to breathe and once Tampa Bay hit the gas in the second, it became a very long night.

At 17:37 of the first, Jake Guentzel opened the scoring with a deflection into the slot of a Charles-Edouard d’Astous point shot. Then the flood came. Darren Reddish made it 2–0 just 49 seconds into the second minute, Yanni Gourde added the second goal at 4:16, and Kucherov made it 4–0 at 5:31 when his shot bounced off Filip Hronek near the crease.

a push that couldn’t last

Liam Ohgren gave the Canucks a little life with a quick goal from the middle of the circle at 12:06 of the second. Linus Karlsson added another by batting a rebound out of the air at 7:04 of the third minute after a strong chance by Marco Rossi.

For a moment, despite trailing 4-2, it seemed like maybe the Canucks had finally reassembled the building. Faith that could barely last for a moment.

Just 32 seconds later, Cirelli restored the three-goal lead at 7:36 when a pass from Brandon Hagel bounced off his skate at the top of the crease. Hagel then scored at 10:35 to close the score at 6-2.

Those last two goals destroyed whatever suspense was left and leveled it.

Difficult lesson, familiar feeling

Marco Rossi did his part with two assists, and Kevin Lankinen stopped 24 shots, but it was one of those nights when the gaps were visible.

NHL.com reports that after going 4-18-4 in their last 26 games, the Canucks are now 3-3-1 in their last seven games, which tells you this team has settled down a bit recently, but there’s still a long way to go.

Even the most die-hard Canucks fan will admit that Tampa Bay was cleaner, faster and more direct.

First of all, things are looking absolutely bleak for the Chicago Bulls when they play against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday. Even though Josh Giddy was tallying historic assist totals, the Bulls found themselves trailing by 29 points.

However, Chicago made a remarkable performance in the fourth quarter. At one point they went on a 20-4 run, bringing them within one point. But some critical mistakes by James Harden and Evan Mobley robbed Chicago of its chance for the greatest comeback in history.

The result was that they had to face defeat 105-100.

There’s no doubt that Billy Donovan is thinking about the future of the franchise. That sentiment was expressed in how he viewed the game afterward. Of all the measures, they need to work on their mindset to overcome the difficulty.

“My issue is with him for tonight,” Donovan said. “They really care; they really want to do well individually and collectively, but we get frustrated a lot, and we have to be more tough when things aren’t going our way.

Despite missed opportunities, a select few put in notable performances in Chicago. Josh Giddy surpassed his personal best in assists (17) with 19 assists and scored nine points. Meanwhile, Leonard Miller came off the bench and added 10 points in the fourth quarter, and shot 4 of 9 from the field.

Also, Guerschon Yabusele scored 10 points of his own in the fourth quarter, including hitting two 3-pointers to close the gap in the waning minutes. Additionally, Nick Richard finished with 16 points and eight rebounds.

Trey Jones led the way with 20 points with four rebounds. Rob Dillingham scored 17 points and grabbed four boards. Chicago is now 28-42 and has lost 7 of its last 10 games.

If you’re feeling very frustrated with your job, just be thankful you’re not coach Doc Rivers of the Milwaukee Bucks.

Rivers may have lost his voice again after the Bucks suffered an embarrassing 128-96 loss to the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center on Thursday. At one point, Milwaukee was down by 37 points.

The Bucks got off to a sluggish start, with the Jazz outscoring them 30–19 in the first quarter. It was all downhill from there, as they fell to 28–41 in a deer in headlights season.

As Eric Nehm of The Athletic reported, Rivers was brutally honest about his performance after the game.

“We played very badly. Didn’t play with any competitive spirit tonight.”

The Bucks shot only 41% from the floor and were outrebounded 47-35. They reduced their turnovers by 28 points.

When you can’t beat a team that’s already staring at defeat, something is very wrong.

“I thought the first group set the tone. I thought the first group arrived, and everybody in that group was trying to score. It’s so fun, we had a great shootaround today where the ball was moving around. Everything was second act,” Rivers said.

“The first six times, the guy who was supposed to go (in the second act) kept it intact. But at the end of the day, the onus is on me to play them the right way.”

Giannis Antetokounmpo missed the game due to injury management. It was recently reported that the Bucks wanted to lock up Antetokounmpo for the remainder of the season, but the two-time MVP refused.

Ryan Rollins led Milwaukee with 15 points, three rebounds and five assists, while Cam Thomas had 14 points, two rebounds and four assists off the bench.

The Denver Nuggets lost to the Memphis Grizzlies 125-118 in a shocking upset on Wednesday. According to insider Adam Mars, after the Nuggets’ terrible loss to the Grizzlies, there was a feeling that the Nuggets were not an NBA title contender.

“This is the game that impressed me. I don’t think this Nuggets team is going to be what I thought they would be. Bad discipline, leadership, toughness. Has every potential to be special, but when your season is on the line if you can’t win against a team that’s trying to lose, there’s something wrong,” Mares wrote on X.

Mars indicated that the team did not have it, because they could not handle a bad team that was not trying to win. Things started out well enough, as the Nuggets were tied 60-60 with the Grizzlies at halftime. But a bad third quarter put them in a hole and they could not recover from it. The Grizzlies took advantage of Denver’s mistakes and secured the upset.

Nikola Jokic finished with 29 points and 14 rebounds on 11 of 19 shooting. Similarly, Christian Braun added 26 points on 11-of-19 shooting. Turnovers were to blame for this, as the Nuggets turned the rock over 19 times. A few weeks ago, the Nuggets were in third place in the Western Conference. Currently, they are in sixth place with a 42–28 record.

The Nuggets have a chance to win some of the games they have lost over the past few weeks. But a three-point loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder and a two-point loss to the Los Angeles Lakers displayed some hidden issues within the team. The Nuggets will have a chance to redeem themselves on Friday when they host the Toronto Raptors.

The impact of Tottenham Hotspur’s difficult season is now beginning to extend beyond north London, with Richarlison’s status for Brazil becoming a topic of discussion ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

The striker has long been a reliable option for Carlo Ancelotti. Their relationship dates back to their time together at Everton, when the Italian became increasingly dependent on Richarlison as a key attacking figure.

This relationship carried over to the Brazil setup, where the Tottenham forward continued to receive opportunities even during an inconsistent period at club level.

Richarlison featured in Ancelotti’s first four call-ups. Despite not scoring he appeared in six matches, including two starts.

Even as his minutes fluctuated at Tottenham, the Brazilian coach continued to value his profile – physical presence, aerial ability and work rate – as something different within the team.

Tottenham struggling to lose weight

Tottenham’s season has been nothing short of turbulent. The club is suffering a poor run of results, struggling for consistency and getting uncomfortably close to the relegation zone.

The situation in Europe has not been very good. Spurs suffered a heavy 5–2 defeat to Atlético Madrid, effectively ending their Champions League hopes despite the formalities of the second leg still pending.

In that environment, Richardson is trying to rebuild momentum after another injury setback. The Brazilian missed several weeks between January and February due to a thigh problem.

Since returning under Igor Tudor, he has appeared in five matches. During that spell, he scored twice – including a decisive goal against Liverpool – and also added an assist. Although he has not changed Tottenham’s collective form, He has at least shown signs of personal acuity.

There is also increasing clarity regarding the future of his club. As we recently coveredTottenham and Richarlison have already agreed that he will leave at the end of the season.

The decision is said to have been taken after internal talks, with both sides considering June 2026 as the right time to move forward. There is no pressure involved, but rather a shared understanding about what will happen next in their careers.

Tottenham have also scheduled an assessment ahead of the summer window. The club are expected to demand around £21.5m (€25m) for the striker, with this figure likely to guide negotiations.

Ancelotti and Richardson: trust built over time

Richarlison’s importance to Brazil is not based on numbers alone. He was the team’s key striker at the 2022 World Cup, scoring three goals and establishing himself as a reference point in attack.

Since then, despite injuries and irregular club form, he has largely maintained Ancelotti’s support. The Italian has often shown a willingness to prioritize familiarity and tactical fit over pure club performance, particularly in transitional periods.

This context helps explain why their absence from the list of Brazil’s final international friendlies before the 2026 World Cup has been highlighted this week.

Brazil’s decision confirmed

As highlighted in this news bolavip In Brazil, for the first time under Ancelotti, Richarlison has been left out of the squad despite being fit and available.

The report suggests that his absence says more about the current situation at Tottenham than the player himself. With Spurs struggling badly, it appears the wider context has influenced the decision.

This marks a clear change. Prior to this, Richarlison had remained a part of the team even without strong club momentum. Now, with competition for the No. 9 role increasing and the World Cup approaching, the margin for error has become less.

what happens next

Richardson is now entering the decisive phase. With the World Cup around the corner, every performance takes on extra importance.

Tottenham’s clash may complicate his case, but the Brazilian is at least beginning to show signs of life after returning from injury. If he continues to contribute goals and assists, he may yet be forced back into Ancelotti’s plans.

However, for the first time, there is a clear indication that trust in the past alone may no longer be enough.

🇦🇷 Christian Romero | respect and affection for tottenham

🤍 Defender questioned over transfer – changes angle
💬 Explains the feelings for Spurs, but doesn’t rule out the summer being gone… 👇https://t.co/HvSTngEh6z #thfc #Happiness

– Sports Witness (@Sport_Witness) 19 March 2026

BOSTON — Steve Kerr finally said his quiet voice out loud after the Golden State Warriors’ 120-99 loss to the Boston Celtics, their sixth loss in seven games.

“We’ll be in the play-in,” Kerr said. “We know this, one way or another.”

It’s a reality the Warriors have understood for some time, Kerr said, but the fact he vocalized it to the press is significant. As Golden State drops to 10th in the West after a 120-99 loss to the Boston Celtics, its play-in destiny is a stark observation.

But also important is how he cited his “game plan mistakes”, i.e., allowing the Celtics to back cut and box out, things the team overcame in their morning shootaround. It is significant how the words Kerr used repeatedly during his disappointing press conference were “process,” “habits” and “emotion” to emphasize his lack of success.

“Going through the same actions this morning, we gave up early, like three back cuts,” Kerr said. “And we totally messed up [those] Coverage three times in the first quarter. Can’t do this. Cannot be done. Do you want to win playoff games? You better lock in. So get locked in.”

What does closure look like in Steve Kerr’s eyes?

For Kerr, being locked up means many things. It starts with eliminating mental mistakes and implementing your preparation. It also means being ready for Stephen Curry and the rest of the crew to return from injury. But it’s also about what Kerr describes as “the spiritual part.”

“The lock-in part of it is not just the mental part of it, but it’s the spiritual part. It’s the emotion. How prepared are you, how confident are you? How united are you? And like I said, it’s easy when you’re beaten down. It’s easy to hang your head. We can’t hang our heads. We’ve got to keep that at bay.”

Keep is the keyword because they are plug-in. Warriors are not losing for lack of effort. They have worked hard, they have struggled and struggled. Even brought down many players. Even with two-way players and guys on 10-day contracts. And they’re certainly not tanking, Kerr has made that clear on several occasions.

But Kerr reaching his boiling point after defeat signals a very specific kind of smoke. A very specific type of messaging may take effort, but it’s nothing without the process. Without habits it is nothing. And that’s what the Warriors are trying to establish so they can take the field when the big guns arrive.

“I’m telling people, we have to build our habits and be prepared for when we get people healthy again,” Kerr said. “Because then we can have that firepower that can be complemented by a foundation of good habits, good fundamentals. As I said, I think there are a lot of things we can improve on. But at the base of all of that is your spirit, energy, confidence. We have to work on that as well.”

reality of warriors now

Gui Santos summed up the Warriors situation as it stands right now.

“We know it doesn’t matter whether we win 13 games or lose 13 games, we’re going to keep playing [in the play-in]Santos said.

Therefore, as attested, the players understand the realities of the situation. They know they have to be in good shape when Curry eventually returns. Based on the latest updates, with Curry ramping up his individual work this week, he’s getting closer. And in the words of Pat Spencer, the Warriors need an identity to be proud of, given how different the team is now with Jimmy Butler out and Kristaps Porzingis out.

“It’s about creating an identity,” Spencer said. “When we get number 30 and a few other guys back we’ll really have something solid and something we can rely on.”

Kerr’s belief in this team is as strong as ever. Hence his vocal frustration.

“If we’re ready when they come back, we can do some damage,” Kerr said. “We can go rushing. But we can’t make mistakes in the game plan. We’ve got to develop better habits. Like boxing out, taking care of the ball in transition, being more efficient in transition, things like that.”

This is a handicap for 33-36 warriors. With injuries and limited time in the season, whether they can clean it up remains a challenge.

The Denver Nuggets probably entered FedExForum on Wednesday thinking they were going to get an easy win against the Memphis Grizzlies. However, the opposite happened, as the Grizzlies defeated the Nuggets 125-118.

The Nuggets suffered their fourth loss in seven games, losing 42–28. Although they still have plenty of chances to find their footing, losing to the Grizzlies, who had only 24 wins before their head-to-head, was unforgivable.

In a video posted by Altitude TV after the game, Denver coach David Edelman expressed regret over his inadequate effort and allowing Memphis to blame no one but himself. control Of the game.

“Really a bad loss for us. I give them (the Grizzlies) credit, they played very fast, they played the way they play. There’s no excuse for it. I knew we’d be tired and sloppy to some degree, but it’s a long game, a lot of time to get ourselves into the game, and I thought we just waited too long,” Edelman said.

After falling behind 39-31 in the third period, the Nuggets tried to rally in the fourth quarter. But the Grizzlies managed to stop them. Edelman explained that playing backwards “is not a good place to be in the NBA.”

“The way we played early gave them a lot of confidence, even though it was tied at the half, I don’t think we played well,” Edelman said.

“A bad loss for us”

Hear more from head coach David Edelman at https://t.co/FkAXlCYDGb 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/MdTrJpHK0P

– AltitudeTV (@AlteachTV) 19 March 2026

The Grizzlies played 80% of the game and scored 27 points off the Nuggets’ 19 turnovers.

Nikola Jokic had 24 points, 14 rebounds, nine assists and 10 errors. Jamal Murray added 26 points, seven rebounds, five assists and four steals.

They’ll look to bounce back on Friday against the Toronto Raptors.

The Sacramento Kings suffered another tough loss when Doug Christie and his team fell to the San Antonio Spurs 132-104, in a game that quickly got out of hand. The Kings continue to be on the rise this season, and the presence of Victor Wembanyama has made the difference even more pronounced. During the game, cameras caught Christie raking smelling salts on the bench and waving them at associate coach Mike Woodson. That moment felt desperate. It also symbolizes the team that is searching for answers that have not yet come.

Doug Christie and Mike Woodson on the Kings Bench 😭😭

Tanking is really affecting teams

(h/t @Brewin07) pic.twitter.com/SXRPIAYKCW

– FullCourtPass (@FullCourtPass) 18 March 2026

The Kings never stood still. Spurs controlled the momentum early and never looked back. Vembanyama decided everything. He scored with confidence, varied shots and made the game look simple. On the contrary, the king looked trapped. His crime stopped. His defenses were broken. Each Spurs run felt heavier than the last. The energy never transferred.

At 18-52, the numbers tell part of the story. A 5-5 record in the last 10 games provides some comfort. Because when the lights get brighter, the same issues come back. Same pattern repeats. And the struggles of the Kings’ season are far from over.

Despair grows as King searches for direction

Doug Christie’s smelling salty moment quickly became the talk of the town online. Fans reacted quickly. Some laughed. Others saw a coach going to great lengths to breathe life into his team. Somehow, it captured the mood surrounding this group.

On the court, the stats told the same story. Nearly every Kings player finished with a negative plus-minus, a clear indication of how one-sided the game had become. Only one player managed to stay positive. That difference reflects overall performance. Defensive lapses piled up. The aggressive rhythm disappeared under pressure. Against a Spurs team brimming with confidence, those flaws were exposed again. Victor Vembanyama took control, and the Kings had no response.

Time is still on the clock. But the urgency keeps increasing. Change is needed in this team. It needs recognition. This requires faith. Otherwise, moments like this will continue to define everything. So the question now is, how much longer will it take for the Kings to finally make some changes this season?

On Tuesday night, the Orlando Magic had a golden opportunity to test themselves against the toughest imaginable opponent in today’s NBA – the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder. Paolo Banchero played his heart out, scoring 32 points on 12-21 shooting from the field, and the rest of the Magic’s starters did their part – Wendell Carter Jr. recorded a game-high plus-19 on the night.

However, Carter did not play 48 minutes. Unfortunately, the Magic had to play their bench that night, which did not perform well at all against the Thunder. Somehow, in just 13 minutes of play, Carter’s backup Mo Wagner was minus 28 in a five-point loss to the Thunder, 113-108.

To put it mildly, the Magic bench did not play well at all and a large portion of the blame for his team losing the game during his minutes should fall on his shoulders. And after the game, head coach Jamahl Mosley was not at all happy with his bench team, as evidenced by his answer when asked how tough their night was.

“You see it,” Mosley said, according to Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel.

The advantage is that come playoff time, the bench doesn’t have to play as much. But Mosley losing confidence in some of his bench players is not promising for the team’s progress for the remainder of the season.

Magical confidence in Franz Wagner’s eventual return from injury

Young Wagner’s eventual return from an ankle injury will help the Magic. Additionally, the team is missing Anthony Black, forcing Tristan da Silva to start – further thinning the team’s bench core.

There is only less than a month until the playoffs start, so the Magic should have time to better configure their rotation after their bench hampered them in their loss to the Thunder.

The Indiana Pacers may have just etched their name in the franchise record books, but it’s certainly not a reason anyone in Indianapolis wants to celebrate. On Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden, the New York Knicks handed the Pacers a 136–110 loss, Indiana’s 14th consecutive loss. This disappointing stretch officially sets a new franchise record for the longest losing streak in Pacers history, surpassing the mark held since the late 1980s.

It has been a tough journey for head coach Rick Carlisle and his team, who remain the only team in the NBA without a win since the All-Star break. The absence of superstar guard Tyrese Haliburton, who is out for the season with a torn Achilles, has left a huge void that the roster can’t easily fill. Without their primary playmaker, the Pacers’ offense looked disjointed and tired, a trend that continued against a surging Knicks team.

Even with the Knicks missing star point guard Jalen Brunson due to an ankle injury, the home team’s depth was too much to handle. Karl-Anthony Towns dominated the interior, while Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby provided consistent pressure on the wings. New York jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, taking advantage of an Indiana defense that has struggled to make stops during this historic slide.

Jarace Walker tried to keep things competitive for the Pacers, but the lack of veteran support, coupled with Pascal Siakam’s knee problem, made it an uphill battle from the starting point. As the final buzzer sounded in New York, the reality of the 15-54 record began to set in. While the team is clearly in evaluation mode, falling into such a historic rut is a tough pill to swallow for fans. Indiana will head home the next day, looking for any way to stop the bleeding before this record grows even longer.

BOSTON – After the Boston Celtics won Game 3 of the 2024 NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks, it seemed as if they were on the verge of basketball immortality. But, according to ex-Celtic and current San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla did not behave as if this was the case.

Instead, he played down the big win in the locker room and told his players via “The White Noise Podcast” that they weren’t done.

“We won that game in Dallas and went 3-0, which is a really big moment,” Kornett recalled on a podcast run by former teammate and Celtics guard Derrick White. “So, we’re back in the locker room and everybody’s so excited and excited, and Joe came in and said something like, ‘Why are we celebrating? We haven’t really accomplished anything.'”

Kornet, White and the rest of the Celtics were soon reminded of this fact, as the Mavericks beat them in Game 4 during a 122–94 loss in Dallas.

After this disappointing defeat, which Kornet described as the Celtics’ “defeat by a billion”, Mazzulla approached his players with humility.

“At some point after that game, he apologized, acknowledging that he completely dampened the emotion in the room after Game 3 and that going up 3-0 is a very important part of trying to accomplish what we wanted to accomplish,” Cornette said.

The Celtics were excited after going 3–0 in the Finals, but Joe Mazzulla said they had accomplished nothing.

When Boston lost Game 4, he apologized to the team:

“It means a lot to me in terms of being able to recognize that you made a mistake,” Luke Cornett said. pic.twitter.com/ZaT2cXnK20

– Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) 16 March 2026

While Cornette could regale White with many funny, larger-than-life stories about Mazzulla, he said this memory with his former captain was one of his favorite memories.

Cornette said of Mazzulla’s apology, “I think it means a lot to me, in terms of being able to recognize that you made a mistake.” “I think what’s great about Joe is he’s willing to trust the process and the timing of things and the players.”

Mazzulla’s words likely resonated with the rest of the Celtics, too, as they suppressed the Mavericks in Game 5 at TD Garden en route to their first championship in 15 years.

That title established Cornette and White as true winners, and it certainly helped the former ink a four-year, $40.7 million contract with the Spurs last summer.

When asked what he missed most about his reliable, 7-foot center in January, Mazzulla didn’t mention anything basketball-related.

“The biggest thing that stands out about Luke is that I miss going to Mass with him,” Mazzulla said before the Celtics’ 100-95 loss at home to the Spurs. “We used to go to church across the street.”

Joe Mazzulla on Luke Cornette and what he brings to Boston:

“I miss going to prayer meetings with him.” pic.twitter.com/nolWkFsHqx

– Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) 10 January 2026

Although Mazzulla’s bizarre (and often hilarious) quotes make headlines, it is his strong relationships with his players that truly define him. He also explains why he’s in the running for Coach of the Year and explains how the 2025-26 Celtics, who were expected to stumble, are 44-23 heading into Tuesday night’s showdown with the Phoenix Suns.

“It’s funny when people say [Mazzulla’s] “Crazy, and I think he’s the smartest guy I’ve ever met,” Cornette said, laughing.

On Sunday evening, the Golden State Warriors’ losing streak continued with a narrow road loss at the hands of the New York Knicks. The Warriors put in an admirable effort in this game, sidelining Stephen Curry and several other key players, but ultimately, they gave up a 21-point lead and suffered a tough loss.

At one point in the second quarter, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr yelled at rookie Will Richard after he was unable to block an overthrow pass from Brandin Podzimski on a fast break, leading to a turnover.

After the game, Kerr explained what he was thinking during that moment, and also expressed regret for his anger.

“It was a bad pass from BP. BP should have made a nice pass and Will should have dunked. Turned into a 5-point swing. I was angry at Will because I thought he could have turned the ball over and not made the throw. I thought he was trying to make a round-the-back pass for a score. I’m not sure, I could be wrong,” Kerr said, according to @jinttherty on Twitter. Said.

He said, “…I regret losing my composure there a bit because it’s my job to keep players forward, especially without so many players. That’s a big part of winning games like this. Making good decisions, understanding how valuable the ball is.”

It was indeed a bizarre scene, considering that the turnover originated from Podziemski’s pass, and there was nothing wrong done on Richard’s part.

Overall, the Warriors are currently 32-35 on the season, and have moved into a situation where they must win two elimination games to make the playoffs when the postseason begins today.

The Warriors next play against the Washington Wizards on Monday evening.

New York – It’s been one battle after another for the Golden State Warriors right now.

The understaffed Warriors, missing more than $190 million in salary due to eight players out due to injury, lost 110-107 to the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. The loss marked their fifth consecutive loss, their longest of the season, dropping them to 32–35 on the season.

But despite the loss, coach Steve Kerr was proud of his players for the way they defeated players including Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Kristaps Porzingis.

“Couldn’t ask for anything more,” Kerr said. “It’s so much fun to coach these guys. They’re playing so hard together. I just want them to be rewarded for their efforts. And we’ve lost some of them, but we’ll keep fighting [and] Keep
To get better.”

Leading by 21 points at one point, the Warriors took the lead against the Knicks early in the game with Brandin Podziemski and Quinton Post leading the way. Podziemski finished with a team-high 25 points with six assists, while Post collected 22 points on 9 of 16 from the field.

But once New York gave up its complacency, it began imposing its will on the Warriors. They forced the Warriors into nine turnovers in the second quarter, reducing the lead to nine at halftime. And in the third quarter, they bullied the Dubs on the boards, outscoring them 15-to-1 in that period.

Still, Golden State held on until the final minutes, thanks to Gui Santos scoring 11 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter. But with a chance to take the lead with 23.7 seconds remaining, Podziemski hit a 26-foot triple over Jalen Brunson that went in and the Warriors could not recover from there.

Steve Kerr supports Brandin Podziemski’s shot

Podziemski’s missed 3-pointer in transition will be remembered as a big ‘what if’ turning point for the Warriors in crunch time. But whether it was an ill-advised shot or not, in Kerr’s mind, he thought it was a good one to take.

“Felt great,” Kerr said after the game. “I didn’t want to call timeout. I wanted to play in the flow. He had Brunson. He looked like he was going to attack. Brunson backed off. I like that. Take the three, go for the throat.”

Despite this, the Warriors find themselves at their lowest point of the season. Five consecutive losses, barely hanging on to the ninth seed, slipping even further behind the eighth-place Los Angeles Clippers, Curry still a long way from a comeback – it feels like it’s do-or-die time for Golden State right now.

But Kerr said that although he is being “beaten” right now, he could not be more proud of the effort he has shown recently.

“I’m just overwhelmed by these people,” Kerr said. “Just their effort, their intensity, their engagement. It’s really beautiful to see. And like I said, we’ll be rewarded for it. We’ll stick with it and keep getting better, and we’ll start winning some of these and getting some guys healthy.”

If the warriors have made any contribution in these defeats, it is their efforts. Effort, hustle, patience and fight. There’s a level of buy-in to this team that you don’t see on most losing teams. So the schedule remains the same for Golden State.

“We have to keep batting,” Santos said after the game. “We just have to keep trying to win games when we don’t have other players, because we know when they come back, we’ll be good.”

The Montreal Canadiens host the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday night, looking to get back to their winning ways after last night’s disappointing loss.

Brendan Gallagher returned to the lineup as a healthy scratch after watching Saturday’s game, with Zachary Bolduc taking his place in the press box. Arbor Zekaj replaced Jaden Struble on the blueline and rookie netminder Jacob Fowler was given his 12th start of the season.

There was also some misfortune on the injury front, as Kirby Dach was forced to leave the game after an injury to Jeffrey Viel in the first period.

It was a tight contest between two talented clubs, but in the end the Ducks emerged with a 4–3 win.

Let’s look at the highlights!

speed demon

With the Ducks leading 2–0, the Canadiens found their rhythm, starting with a great shot from Alex Newhook that was perfectly set up by phenom Lane Hutson.

It was Newhook’s 9th goal of the year, and it must be said that he has done a fantastic job since returning from an ankle injury that caused him to miss a significant portion of the season. For Hutson, it was his 56th assist of the year, which tells you everything you need to know about his impact on a nightly basis.

Hutson is a rising tide that lifts all boats.

Newhook gets a dime back for Hubs!

What a rocket of a shot. 🚀 pic.twitter.com/inLzSE7YLn

– TSN (@TSN_Sports) 16 March 2026

the usual suspects

The Canadiens kept the momentum going with another goal just over a minute later, as Cole Caufield scored for his 39th time of the season.

Once again, excellent play from a defender led to the goal, with Noah Dobson offering a perfect outlet pass that covered nearly 100 feet of ice. Dobson may not provide the offensive impact that Hutson does, few do, but there is no doubt that he has provided a game-changing presence for the Canadiens.

What a snipe from Caufield and the game is tied at two! pic.twitter.com/80wFr2nSPQ

– TSN (@TSN_Sports) 16 March 2026

puck protection

The Canadiens took the lead when Nick Suzuki scored his 23rd goal of the year, thanks to a great effort by Juraj Slafkowski to maintain control of the puck through the neutral zone. It’s the type of play Slafkowski would never have attempted a few years ago, but now that he’s found his rhythm in the NHL, he’s becoming a steady source of controlled exits and entries.

The Habs have scored three consecutive goals and now have a 3-2 lead over the Ducks! pic.twitter.com/GCmdUumyFX

– TSN (@TSN_Sports) 16 March 2026

late fall

Even though they struggled in the second period, the Ducks never relented, which ultimately led to Cutter Gauthier’s 34th goal of the year to give Anaheim a 4–3 lead with just a few minutes left in the third period.

To Fowler’s credit, he saved the day on several occasions before the goal. The Canadiens were frustrated by their poor defensive coverage, which has been a recurring theme this season.

What is nearby?

What is the goal?

Gauthier hit his 34th of the season to lead the Ducks to 4-3. pic.twitter.com/du8GnufvGK

– TSN (@TSN_Sports) 16 March 2026

The Montreal Canadiens will be back in action on Tuesday facing the Boston Bruins at the Bell Centre. Puck drop is scheduled for 7pm ET.

All Montreal Canadiens stats are 5v5, via Natural Stat Trick, unless otherwise noted.

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

Anthony Edwards was critical of himself after the Minnesota Timberwolves struggled in their 116-103 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday afternoon.

In 37 minutes of action, Edwards finished with a stat line of 19 points, six rebounds, five assists, one steal and one block. However, he committed six turnovers while shooting 6 of 17 from the field, including 2 of 5 from beyond the arc and 5 of 10 from the free-throw line.

Edwards reflected on the loss with reporters in the locker room after the game. He blamed himself for the mistakes he made against the Oklahoma City defense, including turnovers and a lack of shooting efficiency.

Edwards said, “I had a lot of turnovers myself. I didn’t make enough shots. I don’t think it had anything to do with my team. Especially myself. I had a lot of turnovers and didn’t make enough shots. It’s just that simple. Like I said it’s an AAU defense… it’s on me. I know what they’re going to do defensively, so it’s on me to turn the ball over.”

Anthony Edwards takes accountability after Thunder loss and says OKC plays ‘AAU’ defense:

“I had too many turnovers myself. I didn’t make enough shots. I don’t think it had anything to do with my team. More to do with me. I had too many turnovers and didn’t make enough shots. It’s… pic.twitter.com/yyDN6I0HuA

– NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) 15 March 2026

Anthony Edwards, how the Timberwolves played against the Thunder

Anthony Edwards is generally prominent as one of the top stars in the NBA. However, his troubles against an elite Thunder team will be a lesson for him and the Timberwolves moving forward.

Four players scored in double figures for Minnesota during the loss, including Edwards. Julius Randle led the team with a stat line of 32 points, seven rebounds, six assists and one block. He made 11 of 18 shots overall, including 3 of 5 from downtown and 7 of 8 from the charity stripe. Ayo Dosunmu was next with 18 points and four rebounds, while Donte DiVincenzo provided 16 points and nine rebounds.

Minnesota fell to a 41–27 record on the season, finishing sixth in the Western Conference standings. They are above the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Clippers while trailing the Denver Nuggets and Houston Rockets.

The Timberwolves will look to bounce back in their next game at home. They will host the Suns as tip-off takes place on March 17 at 8pm ET.

On Sunday afternoon, the Minnesota Timberwolves suffered their fourth consecutive loss with a road loss at the hands of the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder. Although the Timberwolves led at halftime and controlled things well in the third quarter, things quickly fell apart from there, as Anthony Edwards struggled during a relatively quiet scoring night.

It was a particularly brutal game for Timberwolves big man Rudy Gobert, who scored just two points and grabbed seven rebounds, finishing the night with a -23 in the box score.

Needless to say, fans on X, formerly Twitter, were having a blast at the much-maligned big man’s expense.

“gobert The most hilarious player on offense, straight up idol,” one fan wrote.

“Rudy gobert Not good offensively, he’s all over the place,” added another.

However, other users came to Gobert’s defense amid the harsh performance.

“I find it ridiculous how much Wolves fans hate gobert And want to kick him out of their team but that’s why they struggle every year. Without him they have zero security,” one fan said.

In fact, Gobert is a double-edged sword for Minnesota at times, as he is the obvious anchor of their defensive unit and consistently makes up for other players’ shortcomings on that end of the field, but generally offers nothing from an offensive skills perspective.

Some of Gobert’s notable mistakes over the years, as well as his frequent bullying from former players like Shaquille O’Neal, have made him an easy target for internet trolls looking to increase social media engagement.

However, there is certainly some validity to the notion that Gobert’s lack of offensive skills could present a major challenge for the Timberwolves, especially against elite teams like Oklahoma City.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch had some words for the officials after Sunday’s 116-103 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. After Timberwolves All-Star Anthony Edwards was cleared to play in a matinee on the road, Minnesota trailed in the final frame, where the Thunder outscored their opponent 36–27.

In the second half, the Thunder took a two-point lead amid a tough contest. Then, Edwards fouled Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on a 3-point play, turning Oklahoma City’s 13-point lead into a 16-point lead. According to Thunder Wire’s Clemente Almanza, he said, Finch did not back down from his complaint with the officials related to Edwards’ serious foul on Gilgeous-Alexander.

“The first one was probably a foul. What was unfortunate was they called a little grab on the inbounds play. It’s going on all over the place,” Finch said. “I still maintain that he doesn’t get as much respect defensively as he should. If you watch his guys play defense, they get caught a lot, which is OK. That’s part of the game. Then, you call him out – take him straight out of the game – that was tough for us.”

A reporter’s follow-up question focused on Isaiah Hartenstein, who returned to the Thunder’s lineup from a calf injury, and the starting center’s impact from the top of the key, where he did his damage passing and setting screens.

“We fell behind them a little bit,” Finch said. “Back then, we weren’t in a position to make emergency assists, you know. Had to struggle through those screens. We know he’s a playmaker. That’s what he does. Thought some of them were highly questionable whether they were legal or not, it didn’t matter. Got to struggle and you had to miss them.”

Edwards, who spent time in front of Gilgeous-Alexander all day, finished with 19 points on 6-for-17 shooting, including 2 of 5 from deep, six rebounds, five assists, a block and a steal against the Thunder.

Julius Randle, Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves fall short

While the final score between the Thunder and Timberwolves showed a 13-point difference, this Western Conference Finals matchup was much more competitive than the scores indicated. Anthony Edwards had a valiant all-around effort on both ends of the floor in the 127-117 win after his 40-point game. Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch just wants his team not to fall behind.

However, the Thunder showed their depth around All-Stars Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (20 points) and Chet Holmgren (21 points), who combined to score 41 points, while Isaiah Joe scored 20 of the Thunder’s 61 points off the bench. Alex Caruso added 17 points, and Jared McCain connected on five 3-pointers.

The Denver Nuggets lost a tough game against the Los Angeles Lakers in overtime, but it feels like some things should have been different at the end of regulation. Austin Reaves went to the free-throw line a few times with a few seconds remaining in the game, but the first time he went, Spencer Jones drew the foul.

The next day, the last-two-minute report said Reeves was not to get to the free-throw line.

ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, formerly of the

This would have changed a lot for the Nuggets and could have given them a chance to increase their lead. Instead, Reeves sank both free throws, and went to the line again after being fouled. That miss allowed him to get the ball back and shoot the floater, tying the game and sending it into overtime.

The Nuggets lost the game with a Luka Doncic game-winner, and now they do not have a tiebreaker against the Lakers. This makes a lot of sense at the position, especially since everyone in the Western Conference is tight.

The Nuggets still have plenty of time to make up some ground, but they need to start piling up wins before other teams overtake them.

Plus, no matter where the Nuggets finish, they will be a tough matchup for anyone because of Nikola Jokic’s strength and his dominance.

Cooper Flagg broke Kobe Bryant’s NBA record after his performance in the Dallas Mavericks’ 138-105 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night.

Flagg is spending the first season of his career with the Mavericks. After a slow start, he has made serious progress as he continues to live up to expectations as one of the best rookies in the draft.

In the running for the Rookie of the Year award this season, Flagg has continued to put in incredible performances that promise Dallas’ long-term potential. After the team’s latest game against Cleveland, the young forward achieved another record in NBA history.

In 29 minutes of action, Flagg finished with a stat line of 25 points, five assists and four rebounds. He made 8 of 16 shots from the field, including 1 of 3 from beyond the arc and 8 of 8 from the free-throw line.

Flagg recorded a 20-point game for the 25th time this season, having already achieved the record at the age of 19. He surpassed Bryant for most 20-point games by a teenager in NBA history.

Mavs rookie Cooper Flagg has passed Kobe Bryant for most 20+ point games by a teenager in NBA history.

🔸Cooper Flag: 25 20+ point games
🔸Kobe Bryant: 24 20+ point games

Every night he takes the court, he shows why he is one of the brightest young stars in the world… pic.twitter.com/tqkwYovZCt

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 14 March 2026

Cooper Flagg, how the Mavericks played against the Cavaliers

Cooper Flagg’s historic efforts were not enough as the Cavaliers’ offense was too much for the Mavericks in a blowout loss at home.

Five players, including Flagg, scored in double figures for Dallas in the loss. Najee Marshall came in next with a solid performance of 17 points, seven rebounds, three assists and one steal. He made 7 of 12 shots overall, including 2 of 4 from downtown and 1 of 4 from the charity stripe. Max Christie had 12 points, Brandon Williams added 12 points and three assists, while Dwight Powell provided 11 points and 11 rebounds.

Dallas fell to a 22–45 record on the season and finished 12th in the Western Conference standings. They are above the New Orleans Pelicans and Utah Jazz while trailing the Memphis Grizzlies and Portland Trail Blazers.

The Mavericks will look to bounce back in their next match at home. They will host the Cavaliers in a rematch as tip-off will take place on March 15 at 3:30 PM ET.

The 2025-26 season has not been great for Phoenix Suns guard Jalen Green on the injury front. After missing a total of 21 games over the first four seasons of his career (including a total of zero for the last two campaigns), Green has missed 48 games this season due to hamstring problems. But it looks like Green is putting those injury troubles in the rearview mirror.

On Friday night, despite the Suns’ 122-115 loss to the Toronto Raptors in which he lost offensive fire in the clutch, Green made himself a peach of a ballgame. The fifth-year guard recorded a team-high 34 points on 13-25 shooting from the field (8-16 from beyond the arc) with five rebounds, four assists and one steal, and in doing so, he scored 30 points in two consecutive games for the first time this season.

Green scored 36 points in the win over the Indiana Pacers last night, and he’s looking healthy to the extent that he’s doing so despite being down two sets in a row to the Suns. This suggests that the team is not too concerned about the long-term stability of his hamstring.

His latest effort may end in defeat, but gaining a foothold late in the season helps Green at least cover for the absence of Dillon Brooks, who has been an offensive cornerstone for the Suns all season.

Suns are in the running for a spot in the Western Conference

As things stand, the Suns will be faced with the incredible task of becoming one of the best teams in the West by making it through the play-in tournament. Currently their record is 39-28, but that puts them in seventh place in the standings.

There will be no rest for these tired Suns, as their next three games will be against extremely tough opposition. On Monday, they face the Boston Celtics, followed by games against the Minnesota Timberwolves and San Antonio Spurs.

The Boston Celtics were in a primetime matchup with another top team in the Western Conference after losing to the San Antonio Spurs a few nights earlier. This time, they had the Oklahoma City Thunder, but they could not win this one either and lost 104–102.

Jaylen Brown played until the end in this game after being ejected against the Spurs for arguing with the referees about a foul call. After this game, he shared that he was mostly satisfied with how the game was called as he went to the free-throw line 14 times, but he felt he could have gone more in the fourth quarter after some hard drives.

Brown then said that maybe he should have flopped to get those calls, and although he didn’t mention Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s name, some believe he might be calling the Thunder star.

Brown said, “We applaud the players for playing the game the right way, but we give an advantage to people who try to manipulate the game for their own advantage. I don’t think that’s basketball. All the false allegations… it’s anything to me.”

Brown wouldn’t be the first to say something about Gilgeous-Alexander’s ability to get to the free-throw line over the past two weeks. When the Thunder played the New York Knicks recently, Mike Brown had some things to say after the game about how it was handled.

“SGA, that’s a tough cover,” the coach said. “He does a very good job of convincing the refs, probably better than anyone in the league, that he’s getting hit.”

At this point, everything people are saying about Gilgeous-Alexander and dirty talk is not working. The referees are seeing something completely different, and it’s causing them to consistently go to the free-throw line.

Thursday’s 108-97 loss to the Atlanta Hawks felt like a turning point for the Brooklyn Nets’ tanking efforts. With Igor Demin and Deron Sharp recently shut down for the season, the Nets ruled out Michael Porter Jr. (right ankle sprain), Nolan Traore (rest) and Ziaire Williams (illness) for the matchup.

When that wasn’t enough, he took matters into his own hands during the game.

Despite taking an 83–82 lead early in the fourth quarter, the Nets did not play their top two available players, Nick Claxton or Noah Clowney, for the entire final period. They even benched Josh Minot, who scored a season-high 24 points. Brooklyn’s closing lineup included two rookies and three two-way players: Tyson Etienne, Ben Saraf, Drake Powell, EJ Liddell and Cheney Johnson.

As the game progressed, it became clear that the Nets would not allow themselves to win. They’ll have to take measures like these if they hope to come out on top in a historic tank race.

Nets increase readiness for tanking during tough loss to Hawks

Brooklyn’s aggressive tank maneuvers on Thursday were followed by consecutive wins over the Detroit Pistons and Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday and Monday. Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez rode a veteran-heavy rotation to a 23-point comeback in Detroit, playing Michael Porter Jr. 39 minutes and benching rookies Ben Saraf and Traore. Despite the Grizzlies’ eight highest-paid players being sidelined on Monday, Brooklyn played most of its rotation and won 126–115.

However, Thursday’s loss signaled a philosophical shift in line with other tanking teams. For much of this season, the Washington Wizards, Indiana Pacers, Utah Jazz and others have made extreme efforts to maximize their draft lottery odds, and for good reason.

The 2026 draft is one of the most talented in the last several decades, with three franchise-altering prospects – Darin Peterson, AJ DiBunsta and Cam Boozer – at the top.

These are the types of players the Nets had their eye on when they paid a hefty price to re-acquire 2025 and 2026 first-round picks from the Houston Rockets during the 2024 offseason. However, Brooklyn went soft last season, finishing with the NBA’s sixth-worst record and falling to the eighth pick in the draft, a mistake a rebuilding team cannot afford to make twice.

Nets owner Joe Tsai acknowledged this long before the season.

“We have a selection in 2026, and we hope to get a good selection. So you can guess what kind of strategy we will use for this season,” Tsai said.

The Nets still have an opportunity to put themselves in the optimal position to clinch the top spot. They have only one more win than the Wizards and Sacramento Kings, who are second and third, respectively, in the lottery standings, and two more than the Pacers, who are in the top spot. Brooklyn’s remaining schedule includes a matchup with Sacramento and meetings with Indiana and Washington.

Rotations like Thursday’s should become common for the Nets in the final month of the season. The potential gains this summer are worth it.

The 2025-26 season is long lost for the Milwaukee Bucks, but Giannis Antetokounmpo isn’t going down without a fight. Despite all the trade rumors surrounding him, he has proven to be as committed a star as can be to the Bucks franchise, but on Thursday, after a 112-105 loss to the Miami Heat, they fell to 27-38 on the season – six games back of 10th place in the Eastern Conference.

There was a key moment in the fourth that put the game out of reach for the Bucks. With less than a minute remaining, Antetokounmpo decided to go for the home run play and go for a three-point attempt, which he missed. On the other end, the Heat got a hot hand in Pelle Larsson, who swished a triple to extend the Heat’s lead to six with less than 30 seconds left in the ballgame.

After the game, the Bucks star admitted to being disappointed with himself, saying he wished he had taken more threes to get himself into a better rhythm when it came time for him to make the game-tying triple.

“I’m a little upset with myself because I didn’t shoot — like if I had maybe made one or two shots at the beginning of the first half when I was open and I kept passing it to my teammates to get better shots and I wasn’t confident in myself,” Antetokounmpo said, via Eric Nehm of The Athletic.

“Maybe, if I had shot them both, maybe I would have felt a little better and maybe that bullet would have gone in.”

Still, Antetokounmpo felt he made the right play, and he will never regret being aggressive in hunting his shot.

“Most of the time I do the right things, take good shots, so … I haven’t been able to do that,” Antetokounmpo said. “But still, I’m being aggressive. I don’t regret being aggressive. I regret when I’m being passive…the ball didn’t go in.”

也许雅各布·马克斯特罗姆不应该为新泽西魔鬼队连续第六次首发（32-31-2）。

排名第 31 位的卡尔加里火焰队刚刚在 2026 年 NHL 交易截止日期前出售了纳泽姆·卡德里和拉斯穆斯·安德森等主要资产。这应该意味着魔鬼队至少能保持接近。

然而，他们却以5比4输给了重建中的火焰队，尴尬地跌入了积分榜。

魔鬼队控制了前五分钟，直到约翰·比彻在攻防转换中占据了魔鬼队的优势。

首节比赛进行到 5 分 04 秒时，比彻以 2 对 1 的方式冲向魔鬼队禁区，他折断了雅各布·马克斯特罗姆 (Jacob Markstrom) 的手腕，使火焰队以 1-0 领先。

从那时起，直到比赛接下来的九分钟，一切都是火焰。当前魔鬼队后卫凯文·巴尔的控球被马克斯特罗姆改道后，卡尔加里将领先优势扩大一倍，火焰队以 2-0 领先。

然而，火焰队的多球领先优势是短暂的，马克西姆·齐普拉科夫(Maxim Tsyplakov)打进了他作为魔鬼队的第一个进球，也是本赛季的第二个进球，当时尼克·布尤格斯塔德(Nick Bjugstad)迫使对手失误，并为俄罗斯前锋提供了一次机会。

17点37分，乔尔·汉利（Joel Hanley）用高棍抓住了杰克·休斯（Jack Hughes），并被评定为双未成年人。

火焰队以 1 分 37 秒的成绩逃脱了第一节比赛，并在第二节开始时继续占据魔鬼队的人员优势。

尽管取得了优势，比彻还是在人手不足的情况下将冰球从马克斯特罗姆的护垫底下偷偷地从球门线下方射入网中，将卡尔加里的领先优势扩大到 3-1。

在卢克·休斯(Luke Hughes)突破达斯汀·沃尔夫(Dustin Wolf)后，西蒙·内梅克(Simon Nemec)迅速将魔鬼队的差距缩小到一球，并在折痕顶部轻松补射留下篮板球机会，将比分改写为3-2。

然而，火焰队重新夺回了多球领先优势。叶戈尔·沙拉戈维奇率领一支队伍冲向魔鬼队的冰面尽头。这位前魔鬼队前锋与瑞安·斯特罗姆一起完成了一次传球机会，帮助卡尔加里队在第二次中场休息时以4-2领先。

第三节从第二节结束的地方开始。米凯尔·贝克兰德（Mikael Backlund）冲过魔鬼队的位置，导致冰球缠住，火焰队长用手腕将马克斯特罗姆（Markstrom）一击，将卡尔加里队的领先优势扩大到 5-2。

然而，在杰斯帕·布拉特 (Jesper Bratt) 获得进攻区后，杰克 (Jack) 将魔鬼队扳回两分，为休斯 (Hughes) 传球，他的狙击击败沃尔夫 (Wolf)，将比分追至 5-3。

马克斯罗姆拉开后，卢克·休斯得分，魔鬼队将比分追至5-4。

然而，为时已晚，比赛还剩 3.7 秒，魔鬼队遭遇了本赛季第 31 场失利。

马克斯特罗姆 28 次射门，23 次扑救，仅丢一球，这也是他本赛季第 16 场失利。

詹姆斯是一位完全合格的新泽西魔鬼队击败记者，为新泽西冰球现在在 Sportsnaut 和 … 更多关于詹姆斯·尼科尔斯

也許雅各布·馬克斯特羅姆不應該為新澤西魔鬼隊連續第六次首發（32-31-2）。

排名第 31 位的卡加利火焰隊剛剛在 2026 年 NHL 交易截止日期前出售了納澤姆·卡德里和拉斯穆斯·安德森等主要資產。這應該意味著魔鬼隊至少能保持接近。

然而，他們卻以5比4輸給了重建中的火焰隊，尷尬地跌入了積分榜。

魔鬼隊控制了前五分鐘，直到約翰·比徹在攻防轉換中佔據了魔鬼隊的優勢。

首節比賽進行到 5 分 04 秒時，比徹以 2 對 1 的方式衝向魔鬼隊禁區，他折斷了雅各布·馬克斯特羅姆 (Jacob Markstrom) 的手腕，使火焰隊以 1-0 領先。

從那時起，直到比賽接下來的九分鐘，一切都是火焰。當前魔鬼隊後衛凱文巴爾的控球被馬克斯特羅姆改道後，卡加利將領先優勢擴大一倍，火焰隊以 2-0 領先。

然而，火焰隊的多球領先優勢是短暫的，馬克西姆·齊普拉科夫(Maxim Tsyplakov)打進了他作為魔鬼隊的第一個進球，也是本賽季的第二個進球，當時尼克·布尤格斯塔德(Nick Bjugstad)迫使對手失誤，並為俄羅斯前鋒提供了一次機會。

17點37分，喬爾·漢利（Joel Hanley）用高棍抓住了傑克·休斯（Jack Hughes），並被評定為雙未成年人。

火焰隊以 1 分 37 秒的成績逃脫了第一節比賽，並在第二節開始時繼續佔據魔鬼隊的人員優勢。

儘管取得了優勢，比徹還是在人手不足的情況下將冰球從馬克斯特羅姆的護墊底下偷偷地從球門線下方射入網中，將卡加利的領先優勢擴大到 3-1。

在盧克休斯(Luke Hughes)突破達斯汀沃爾夫(Dustin Wolf)後，西蒙內梅克(Simon Nemec)迅速將魔鬼隊的差距縮小到一球，並在摺痕頂部輕鬆補射留下籃板球機會，將比分改寫為3-2。

然而，火焰隊重新奪回了多球領先優勢。葉戈爾·沙拉戈維奇率領一支隊伍衝向魔鬼隊的冰面盡頭。這位前魔鬼隊前鋒與瑞安·斯特羅姆一起完成了一次傳球機會，幫助卡加利隊在第二次中場休息時以4-2領先。

第三節從第二節結束的地方開始。米凱爾貝克蘭德（Mikael Backlund）衝過魔鬼隊的位置，導致冰球纏住，火焰隊長用手腕將馬克斯特羅姆（Markstrom）一擊，將卡加利隊的領先優勢擴大到 5-2。

然而，在傑斯帕·布拉特 (Jesper Bratt) 獲得進攻區後，傑克 (Jack) 將魔鬼隊扳回兩分，為休斯 (Hughes) 傳球，他的狙擊擊敗沃爾夫 (Wolf)，將比分追至 5-3。

馬克斯羅姆拉開後，盧克·休斯得分，魔鬼隊將比分追至5-4。

然而，為時已晚，比賽還剩 3.7 秒，魔鬼隊遭遇了本賽季第 31 場失利。

馬克斯特羅姆 28 次射門，23 次撲救，僅丟一球，這也是他本賽季第 16 場失利。

詹姆斯是一位完全合格的新澤西魔鬼隊擊敗記者，為新澤西冰球現在在 Sportsnaut 和 … 更多關於詹姆斯·尼科爾斯

The Washington Capitals (32-27-7) scoring problems continued on Wednesday night. They were not able to generate much offense as they lost 4–1 to the Philadelphia Flyers (30–23–11).

The Capitals got things going, at least in the first period. Ryan Leonard took an early 1–0 lead with a power-play goal.

However, things turned sour after that. The Capitals made things more complicated and let Philadelphia take over the rest of the way.

Travis Konecny ​​and Trevor Zegras each scored to give the Flyers a 2–1 lead in the middle frame. As far as this rivalry is concerned, players from both the teams also got involved in it.

The Capitals tried to swing the momentum back in their favor but failed. Jamie Drysdale and Owen Tippett added two more points in the third for Philadelphia.

Next, the Capitals continue their road set of back-to-backs by heading to Buffalo on Thursday.

capitals analysis

The Capitals started the power play early in the game, but Tom Wilson was tired from his previous innings. Luckily, that’s when Leonard came into the top PP unit.

Leonard drove into the slot and hit a quick shot past Samuel Ersson about 10 minutes into the opening period. The 21-year-old now has 13 goals this season and extended his point streak to four games. Additionally, Leonard has 34 points, fourth-most among rookies in the NHL this season.

The Capitals went 1-for-3 on the man advantage on Wednesday night as they now have goals in three of their last four games.

Unfortunately, the second period is where things fell apart for the Capitals. A number of mistakes resulted in Philadelphia taking advantage.

First, a wide open Konecny ​​shot a pass from Logan Thompson in the right circle to tie the score at 1-1. Then, Zegras and Tippett went 2-on-0, as Zegras scored to make it 2–1 Philadelphia.

Things got extra playful as usual with these two arch rivals. Brandon Duhaime got into it with Nikita Grebenkin, while Wilson traded blows with Konecny. Afterwards, a frustrated Rasmus Sandin threw Tippett onto the ice.

Spencer Carberry once again changed the lines in hopes of better chemistry. However, as much as the Capitals tried to rally, they relied too heavily on passing rather than shooting the puck.

Down 3-1, the Capitals added an extra attacker in hopes of a miracle comeback. However, Tippett sealed it with an empty-net.

capitals report card

Team: C-

The first period was strong for the Capitals, but that was it. The team once again struggled to find the net and relied heavily on passing the puck.

Ryan Leonard: A

Leonard came on the power play in the first period. The rookie now has 13 goals and 34 points on the season.

Timothy Liljegren: B

Liljegren was solid in his Capitals debut after being acquired from San Jose. The Swedish blueliner showed off his two-way game and helped keep Philadelphia’s forwards out of the crease. He finished the night with a team-leading three blocks.

Jacob Chykrun 😀

It was one of the weaker nights for the Capitals’ best blueliner this season. Chykrun finished with a plus/minus of minus-4 and received a bounty.

Harry Lichtman is an award-winning journalist who covers the Washington Capitals for SportsNut. He also contributes to the sites… More about Harry Lichtman