標籤: rest

The New Jersey Devils announced Friday that they are sidelining goaltender Jacob Markstrom for the remainder of the season due to a serious injury.

Markstrom last played Tuesday in the Devils’ 5-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, stopping just 15 of 19 shots. That loss eliminated New Jersey from contention for the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Markstrom is 23-19-1 with an .883 save% and 3.07 goals-against average and one shutout in 44 games for the Devils this season. He became the second Devils player to be ruled out, as defenseman Luke Hughes was also placed on injured reserve on Thursday.

The Devils have three games remaining. They will play against the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena on Saturday, then play their final home game of the season on Sunday against the Ottawa Senators, before closing out the year on Tuesday against the Boston Bruins.

The Devils are closing in on Jacob Markstrom

Markstrom and Jake Allen have teamed up for the No. 1/1A goalie duo this year. For the most part, Allen has been the better option, as he is 16-17-2 despite better numbers with a .903 save% and 2.73 GAA.

But Markstrom’s struggles, especially recently, may be injury related. Coach Sheldon Keefe said Markstrom was being shut down with multiple nagging injuries.

Those injuries didn’t stop Markstrom from fighting Igor Shesterkin against the New York Rangers last week.

Markstrom, who signed a two-year contract extension on Halloween, was the primary starter for the Devils and Sweden at both the Milan/Cortina Olympics. Sweden had the better defense in front of him, as he went 2-0-1 with a .933 save%.

But in New Jersey, Markstrom was one of the NHL’s worst statistical goaltenders this season. He had a minus-13.71 goals-against average in all situations and a .892 save percentage at 5-on-5 this season.

Nevertheless, Markstrom was shut out with his only shutout of the season in just two starts. He stopped 18 of 18 shots in a 3-0 win against the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday. But it was their only appearance to allow fewer than four goals in their final four appearances in 2025–26.

Nico Dodge will start Sunday against the Senators

Allen is expected to start Saturday night in Detroit, but the Devils’ goaltender’s move was to call up Nico Dawes from Utica of the American Hockey League.

Dodge made his only start this season on October 22 against the Minnesota Wild. He made 30 saves on 31 shots in New Jersey’s 4–1 win at the Prudential Center.

Dodge has been the primary starter for the Comets this season and went 15-16-8 with an .891 save% and 2.84 GAA in 42 games. Dodge’s numbers are far better in the NHL, as he is 23-23-1 with a save% of .899 in 53 games with the Devils.

Look for the Dodgers to open Sunday at home against Ottawa on fan-appreciation night at the Rock.

Pat Pickens is an award-winning sports writer and author who has covered the NHL since 2013. He reveals more about Pat Pickens.

AS Saint-Étienne are hoping watford To sign Pierre Acqua permanently in the summer.

The Ligue 2 side, following a poor run of results, allowed the midfielder to move on loan to Watford in the winter market.

In August 2024, he joined Saint-Étienne from Sunderland with an option to buy initially set at €7m. At the time, they were in Ligue 1, and had performed regularly in the previous season.

The French club dropped out of the top division but moved up nonetheless and made their stay permanent using the stream.

This clearly did not please the 24-year-old, who refused to train with Saint-Étienne. Last September, Sports Witness broadcast news He is considering terminating his contract unilaterally.

However, he did not make the move, allowing his parent club to loan him to the Championship team in February.

He waited several weeks to make his debut for the Hornets.

Two months ago, Sports Witness Covered claims from France It will take time for him to get minutes. Before moving to Vicarage Road, he last made a competitive appearance in May 2025.

The situation is improving in Watford

Pierre Acqua made his debut for the English club in a 2–0 league defeat to Ipswich Town in February. Since then, Edward Still has given him minutes and the player has begun to gain prominence in recent weeks.

His championship statistics are as follows:

• Appearances: 7
• Start: 3
• Total minutes: 280
• Minutes per game: 40

As a player continues to start more games toward the end of the season his average minutes will improve.

green peopleA website that dedicates its coverage to the French club has a report on a possible exit for the next window.

The former Sunderland man’s recent improvement at Watford has pleased Saint-Étienne. He is hoping to make his stay permanent by using Still’s €7m buyout clause.

If this happens, it would provide the ‘significant financial benefit’ that the French club is looking for.

Our Opinion: Hornets can request transfer waiver

As of now, it is unclear whether Watford want to retain Pierre Acqua and if they do, whether they are willing to pay €7m.

If the decision is made to retain the midfielder, the Hornets can certainly try to reduce the price.

It is known that he has no future at Saint-Étienne, and the Championship club could take advantage of this to bring down the final price. This will happen only if Watford decides to buy him.

Leeds United defender Jaka Bijol has insisted he is not saving himself for a Premier League appearance during this international break.

Team Report on the Leeds defender’s comments today. There will be no let-up when Slovenia face Hungary and Montenegro this international break.

They held their final training session in Brdo on Friday morning before flying to Budapest for the game.

Manager asks for rest

Given that both games are friendlies, managers will be expecting limited minutes for all players. This will certainly be the case for Daniel Farke, who needs Bijol to be fit and sacked for the relegation battle.

In fact, this issue has already caused a fight on the Hungarian side. His manager is embroiled in a war of words with Liverpool manager Arne Slott over Dominik Szoboszlai.

However, Bijoll insists that no such discussion took place regarding his minutes.

“We have nothing to discuss about it; it is within the coach’s jurisdiction. He takes decisions about it. We all came with the intention of playing. Nobody came to rest,” He said.

The circumstances have not helped Farke and there is no desire to rest the defender. bijol has been named captain of Slovenia For this international break, his chances of featuring in both the games have increased.

international break sadness

This international break will be somewhat sad for the Leeds defender and his Slovenia teammates after missing out on the World Cup and playoffs.

Like everyone else, he will be watching it too and the 27-year-old admits it is a bit disappointing.

“Yes, it is a bit sad to see all this, but on the other hand you are also happy for them.

“We all know at least a few representatives from Bosnia and Herzegovina and they deserve that. We all work for our goals; we strive to make our dreams come true.”

leeds united priorities

With the World Cup over, Jaka Bijol will probably turn his attention to keeping Leeds in the Premier League.

Recently he has found himself back in the picture after a slow start to life at Elland Road. and currently have 15 with Leeds^th And just four points from the bottom three, they need the best performance from everyone.

However, Bijol is not slowing down during this international break. Despite there being nothing serious on the line, he clearly intends to give it his all.

🇵🇹 Hidemasa Morita | Leeds United named as ‘possible destination’

❌ Whites refuse to pay €10m to Sporting
🆓 Now can use free agent status
The player wants to go to England https://t.co/EbbHrGxjGD #lufc

– Sports Witness (@Sport_Witness) 21 March 2026

The Portland Trail Blazers host the Charlotte Hornets at Moda Center on Wednesday, coming off a win against the Indiana Pacers. Meanwhile, the Hornets have lost two games due to the bounce and will be looking for a change of pace.

Portland’s Deni Avdija made a long-awaited return from injury in the win over Indiana, having been suffering from a lower back strain for nearly two months. Avdija has missed six consecutive games since his last appearance against the Phoenix Suns on February 23 and has been sidelined several times this season.

However, in a big boost for the Trail Blazers, Avdija is not part of the official injury report for the matchup against Charlotte. Instead, Shaddon Sharp is confirmed to be the only absence other than Damian Lillard due to injury. For Charlotte, the absence of Cobie White, Tidjane Salaun and Liam McNeeley is certain.

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Deni Avdija Injury Status vs. Hornets

Deni Avdija’s latest performance suggests the Blazers may finally see their All-Star forward return to full strength at the most important point of the season. After missing six games due to a lower back strain, Avdija returned to action against the Indiana Pacers and made an immediate impact, finishing with 18 points, eight assists, five rebounds and three blocks in 25 minutes during Portland’s 131–111 victory.

The 6 feet 9 inches forward looked close to his best and can be expected to find a place in the starting lineup once again. This season, Avdija has averaged 26.1 points, 7.1 rebounds and 7.0 assists, while also leading the NBA in playing 1,414 minutes. At one point, he was one of the top five players in the league in both total points and assists and he will be looking to find his rhythm soon.

The injury dates back to January 11, when Avdija suffered a back injury following a loss to the New York Knicks. Since then, he has missed 16 of the last 24 games. A comeback attempt against Phoenix on February 22 lasted only 59 seconds before he aggravated the problem again.

Blazers injury report

Damian Lillard – Out (left Achilles tendon injury management)

Shaddon Sharp – Out (left fibula strain injury)

Jason Kent – ​​Questionable (G League Two-Way)

Caleb Love – Questionable (G League Two-Way)

Chris Youngblood – Questionable (G League Two-Way)

hornet injury report

PJ Hall – Out (G League Two-Way)

Liam McNeely – Out (sprained left ankle)

Antonio Reeves – Out (G League Two-Way)

Tidjane Salaun – Out (left calf stretch)

Coby White – Out (left calf injury management)

Progress is a word that Victor Wembanyama hasn’t been shy about applying since joining the San Antonio Spurs. Over the course of his first two-plus seasons with the franchise, the generational talent has used the term in aspirational contexts. Following the loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, Wembey has now noted his team’s progress twice in the past week.

“It definitely shows progress. Shows we’re on a mission.”

Short and to the point…

“It definitely shows progress. It shows we’re on a mission”⬇️

-Victor Wembanyama What did it show about #spurs Note that he ended the rodeo trip while taking care of business in Philly

Coverage offered by Superior Tax Service https://t.co/1G1OdKyw22 pic.twitter.com/9PaKPnuiwv

– Hector Ledesma (@HectorLedesmaTV) 4 March 2026

Spurs suffered their most lopsided defeat of the season with their biggest landslide. In a 114–89 loss to the New York Knicks, San Antonio lost an early lead by the end of the first quarter and never recovered. Two days later in Philly, they held a seven-point advantage after the first quarter, taking a 131–91 lead.

Asked about controlling the entire game, Wembanyama replied, “Yeah, it was good.”

Victor Wembanyama details Spurs’ progress

The 40-point win in the City of Brotherly Love statistically proved to be a pedestrian game for Wembley. Averaging 23.4 points per game this season, he took only five shots and scored only 10. Devin Vassell and Dylan Harper led the team with 22 points, with eight Spurs scoring in double figures.

“Definitely. My role is to make sure they continue to get these benefits,” Wembanyama said. “It means keep rolling, keep hitting the screen until the opponent decides to do something, which they didn’t do. So, please let them enjoy.”

“The key in scoring was making quick passes,” the 2023 top overall NBA draft pick continued. “I think early in the game, we made it a little tough on ourselves by dribbling too much once or twice while penetrating. I think once we made the early passes, we got our shooters open. They (the 76ers) were falling a lot, so we were able to hit some shots.”

Although Philadelphia is sixth in the Eastern Conference standings, they were missing superstars Joel Embiid and Paul George.

Wembley declared, “No game is perfect and the spots on offense are never as good as we see in victory; never as bad as we see in defeat. But it was a great reaction.”

The Spurs finished their annual Rodeo road trip with a 6-1 mark, 8-1 if you include the two “home” games in Austin. It’s a stretch the French phenom alluded to recently as he demonstrated the consistency the team hasn’t shown at the beginning of the year. An 11-game winning streak that began with their first game in February and ended with their last contest of the month has carried the Silver and Black to such an extent that they have won 13 out of 15 games.

When asked how the team found the energy to pull off such an emphatic win at the end of a long journey, Wembanyama found his answer.

“I don’t know. I was feeling very good for the game. I was feeling very confident about us. I don’t know where it came from.”

However, it seems Wembley has an idea of ​​where Spurs could go.

Golden State Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. said it would be surprising if star guard Stephen Curry was forced to miss the remainder of the season due to a knee injury.

The Warriors’ season continued with a 114–101 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night, giving Golden State a 31–30 loss and its second consecutive loss. Curry has not played since January 30 with what the team calls “runner’s knee”, creating uncertainty over the timeline of his return.

In a report published Wednesday by Tim Kawakami of The San Francisco Standard, Dunleavy addressed the possibility of Curry being sidelined for the remainder of the season.

Dunleavy said, “It would be very surprising to me; very, very surprising.” “But I’m not ruling anything out. I’m not a doctor and things can happen a certain way. I don’t want the headline to be, ‘Steph could be done for the year’ because I’m not ruling it out. But just because he’s not playing right now, I just have to accept that yes, definitely, there’s a chance. But we don’t expect it.”

Stephen Curry continues rehab as Warriors monitor timeline of knee injury

Curry last appeared on January 30 in the Warriors’ 131–124 loss to the Detroit Pistons. The 37-year-old finished that game with 23 points, two assists, one rebound and one block in 25 minutes. He shot 7 of 16 from the field, 4 of 10 from 3-point range, and 5 of 5 from the free-throw line.

Despite missing time, Curry remains one of the league’s most productive scorers this season. Through 39 games, he has averaged 27.2 points, 4.8 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game, while shooting 46.8% from the field, 39.1% from beyond the arc, and 93.1% from the free-throw line. He has logged 31.3 minutes per contest.

The Warriors provided a medical update on Sunday that indicated Curry was continuing to progress.

“The re-evaluation concluded that Curry is making continued progress. He will be re-evaluated in 10 days,” the team said.

Additional reporting suggests the Warriors remain cautious about their franchise cornerstone as the regular season enters its final stretch.

ClutchPoints NBA insider Brett Siegel reported Tuesday:

“While the expectation was that Curry would return to the court after the All-Star break, the reality of his situation is that he was still dealing with right knee issues, which led to him taking more rest and the Warriors doing more imaging on his knee, which came back clean. Although he’s been doing little behind the scenes, Steph still has to go through full, comprehensive workouts on the court.”

Curry aims to return before playoffs amid Warriors’ cautious approach

Seagal continued:

It will be important for Steph to be available for the play-in tournament, as this will ensure he is 100 percent healthy for whoever they face in the first round playoff series.

That’s why there’s no rush to get him back, and that’s why sources say he’ll be back as soon as possible, but he’s unlikely to return until after this date, the beginning of the Warriors’ six-game road trip against the New York Knicks on Sunday, March 15.

To be completely honest, it might be in the Warriors and Curry’s best interest to put things off indefinitely until after this road trip, as seven of the Dubs’ final 10 games of the season will be in San Francisco. The Warriors have time on their hands as they aren’t moving anywhere in the play-in standings, which is why Steph’s return doesn’t really make sense right now.

As of right now, there have been no conversations about the Warriors ruling Curry out for the remainder of the season, and sources said, he specifically wants to return before the playoffs to try to build some momentum for this team.

For now, Golden State will attempt to stop its decline in the Western Conference standings without its star guard. The Warriors are currently in eighth place in the conference as they begin a three-game road trip starting Thursday against the Houston Rockets at 4:30 p.m. PT on Prime Video.

Newcastle United moved one step closer to the Champions League knockout rounds this week, and Joelinton made sure his return did not go unnoticed.

The Brazilian midfielder scored in Tuesday’s 3-2 win over Qarabag in the play-off, a result that sealed Newcastle’s place in the last 16. This was a timely contribution. Joelinton missed six matches due to an adductor injury and recently returned to action.

Talking to Brazilian outlets globo esporteHe explained how important the goal felt after being sidelined for weeks.

“This is a very important goal for me, a goal that gives me even more confidence in my return after injury,” He said. “I was out for a while and that’s bad for any player, so it was a complicated moment. I had to work on my mentality and focus on getting back to the best level.”

How confidence is returning at a crucial juncture

Joelinton’s statistics this season underline his importance to Eddie Howe’s team. He has made 32 appearances in all competitions and scored six goals – two in the Premier League, two in the League Cup and two in the Champions League.

However, a recent injury disrupted his form at a crucial point in the campaign. Newcastle United are fighting on multiple fronts, and his physical presence in midfield is central to their balance.

Therefore the timing of his return matters. Newcastle are now waiting to know whether they will face Chelsea or Barcelona in the last 16 of the Champions League. The draw will take place on Friday.

world cup inspiration in the background

There is also a personal motive driving him in the final months of the season.

Joelinton’s last Brazil call-up came in October 2025, when Carlo Ancelotti selected him for friendlies against South Korea and Japan. Since then, he has not featured for the national team.

He admitted that he was aware that the chances were diminishing ahead of the World Cup.

“I know we are in the final stages of call-ups for the World Cup and I have a dream to be there, to wear the Brazil shirt and represent my country. So I know everything I do at the club can reflect that. To maintain a high level of performance, I focus on giving my best every day in training and in matches.” He concluded.

That new focus is good news for Newcastle United. Fully fit and motivated, Joelinton raises the level of the team, and of course he wants to deliver. If he can maintain this form throughout the tournament, it will not only boost his European ambitions but also strengthen his case for a return to the Brazil team.

The Portland Trail Blazers have played their last six games without the services of guard Shayden Sharp, and it looks like he’ll be missing more games — possibly even the rest of the 2025-26 NBA season — due to a lower-body injury.

The Blazers provided an update on the former 22-year-old Sharp via a social media post on Twitter on Tuesday.

“Trail Blazers guard Shadden Sharp continues to be treated for a left calf strain. Follow-up imaging revealed a stress reaction of the left fibula. Sharp will be reevaluated in approximately four to six weeks to allow adequate healing before beginning a progressive return to full basketball activity,” the update said.

Considering the timeline, there’s a real possibility that Sharp won’t suit up for another game for Portland this season. The Trail Blazers will have played 15 games in four weeks by the latest injury update on Sharp and seven more games in the sixth week of the timeline. Simply put, the outlook on Sharp is not great this season, as the Trail Blazers look to continue to contend for a spot in the NBA playoffs.

Sharpe last played against the Memphis Grizzlies at the Moda Center in Portland on February 6, where he suffered an injury. He left that contest in the second quarter and did not return.

The injury is a major blow for the Trail Blazers, as Sharp is one of the team’s most important players. He is second on the team in scoring so far this season, averaging 21.4 points per game, along with 4.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists per contest, while shooting 45.6 percent from the floor and 34.0 percent from behind the arc.

The update on Sharp, who was selected seventh in the first round of the 2022 NBA Draft by the Trail Blazers, further adds to Portland’s headache on the injury front, as it is also without NBA All-Star Danny Avdija at the moment due to a back injury.

That means the Trail Blazers will be without their top two scorers when they face the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night.