from Sportsnet.ca
via i9bet
Tuesday, 31 March 2026
Monday, 30 March 2026
PWHL suspends Sceptres’ Clara Van Wieren one game for boarding
Clara Van Wieren will be watching the Toronto Sceptres’ next game from the press box.
The forward was suspended one game for boarding, the PWHL announced on Sunday.
The ban stems from an incident that occurred in Friday’s 4-0 loss to the Boston Fleet. During the third period, Van Wieren received a boarding major against Fleet forward Sophie Shirley, which led to an altercation between the teams.
Van Wieren raised her stick with both hands on the play, “sending (Shirley) dangerously into the boards with sufficient force to warrant supplemental discipline,” the PWHL said.
The 24-year-old will miss the Sceptres’ Sunday afternoon contest against the Vancouver Goldeneyes. She has two assists and 17 penalty minutes in 23 games on the season.
Toronto sits in the fourth and final playoff spot entering Sunday’s action.
Meanwhile, Fleet defender Rylind MacKinnon was fined $500 for her response to the play, delivering a high cross-check to Van Wieren.
MacKinnon wasn’t penalized on the play.
The money from the fine goes toward supporting girls’ hockey initiatives, the league said.
from Sportsnet.ca
via i9bet
Sunday, 29 March 2026
Sabalenka beats Gauff in Miami Open final to complete ‘Sunshine Double’
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Aryna Sabalenka beat Coco Gauff in the Miami Open women’s singles final 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 on Saturday.
The world No. 1 overpowered fourth-ranked Gauff in the first and third sets with sizzling groundstroke winners and became the first player to accomplish the “Sunshine Double” — winning Indian Wells followed by Miami in the same season — since Iga Swiatek in 2022.
It was Sabalenka’s second straight title at the Miami Open, Gauff’s hometown tournament, and put her ahead of Gauff in their head-to-head record, 7-6.
“You’ve pushed me to be a better player,’’ Sabalenka said during the ceremony, before adding about the crowd, “You always bring a full stadium.’’
The match lasted 2 hours, 11 minutes and ended on Gauff getting broken for the fourth time with a wide backhand.
Gauff fought back to force the third set, but couldn’t maintain the momentum she appeared to get from the deafening crowd supporting her.
“It sucks not to come out with a better result but I had a lot of joy this week,’’ Gauff said to the crowd. “You guys brought energy every day this week.’’
Gauff’s off-and-on serve created seven double faults while Sabalenka registered none.
Sabalenka broke Gauff in the first game of the third set, helped by a Gauff double fault and an unforced error. On break point, Sabalenka crunched a backhand winner.
“I was disappointed about that first game of the third set up 30-0 with momentum,’’ Gauff said. “It was an important game to win in that moment.’’
The match was attended by Kai Trump, President Donald Trump’s granddaughter and a golfer at the University of Miami. She posted a photo with Sabalenka at the tournament on social media on Friday.
Sabalenka, who got her 24th pro title, said before the match she was happy Gauff had found her best tennis in her home tournament, at which she had never gotten past the fourth round.
from Sportsnet.ca
via i9bet
Canadians Caissie, Lopez, Hicks lift Marlins over Rockies
MIAMI — Owen Caissie had three hits, including a go-ahead RBI single in the eighth inning and the Miami Marlins beat the Colorado Rockies 4-3 on Saturday.
Liam Hicks homered and drove in three runs, while Agustin Ramirez singled twice and walked for the Marlins.
Otto Lopez, who was hitless in first seven at-bats of the season, singled against Rockies reliever Jaden Hill (0-1) to start the eighth. López stole second and raced home when Caissie hit a line drive to centerfield.
Calvin Faucher (1-0) pitched a scoreless eighth and Pete Fairbanks closed with a perfect ninth for his second save.
Hicks hit a two-run homer in the fifth that chased Colorado starter Michael Lorenzen and tied it at 3-all.
Pitching for his sixth club in 12 seasons, Lorenzen allowed seven hits, struck out four and hit two batters over 4 1/3 innings. The 34-year-old Lorenzen signed a free-agent deal with Colorado in the offseason.
Marlins starter Eury Pérez struck out eight in seven innings of three-run ball. Pérez gave up five hits and walked one.
Ezequiel Tovar’s two-run homer in the fourth put the Rockies ahead 3-1.
TJ Rumfield gave Colorado an early lead with a solo blast in the second.
The Marlins tied it on Hicks’ sacrifice fly in the third. Xavier Edwards hit a one-out single and advanced to third on Ramirez’s single. Hicks then drove in Edwards with a fly ball to deep right.
Miami loaded the bases against Lorenzen with two out in the second before he retired Graham Pauley on a groundout.
Saturday’s attendance of 10,160 at loanDepot park was a significant drop from the 32,459 that attended the opener.
Up next
José Quintana will start the series finale for the Rockies on Sunday against Max Meyer in the season debut for both starters.
from Sportsnet.ca
via i9bet
Mayweather says Pacquiao rematch is an exhibition, with venue still undecided
LAS VEGAS — Turns out the Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Manny Pacquiao fight on Sept. 19 in Las Vegas won’t count after all.
And it might not even be at the Sphere, the immersive arena near the Strip that has attracted people from all over the world because of its massive high-resolution video backdrop.
“As of right now, we don’t know exactly where the fight is going to be at,” Mayweather said Saturday in a video captured by Vegas Sports Today in an interview session with select media. “The Sphere is one of the places that they’ve talked about, so we don’t know if it’s 100% going to be there.”
Wherever the location, this fight comes 11 years after their first meeting, which didn’t live up to the enormous hype between the two most notable boxers of that time. Both were past their prime when Mayweather beat Pacquiao by decision in what promoters said was the most profitable fight in history and set pay-per-view records.
The 49-year-old Mayweather downplayed the significance of his rematch with the 47-year-old Pacquiao being an exhibition and not a bout that will count on the two boxers’ record. Mayweather pointed out he also has an exhibition with former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson coming up and one in Greece against kickboxer Mike Zambidis.
“If I’m just sitting at home and I’m working out every day and spending time with my grandson and spending time with my children, I said why not go out and have little fun and entertain the public with some exhibitions?” Mayweather said.
from Sportsnet.ca
via i9bet
Saturday, 28 March 2026
Kazuma Okamoto bats cleanup in Blue Jays lineup behind Dylan Cease
Kazuma Okamoto made a good first impression.
So good, that the Toronto Blue Jays third baseman was bumped to the cleanup spot in the batting order for his second career game on Saturday against the Athletics (Sportsnet, Sportsnet+, 3 p.m. ET / noon PT).
Okamoto, who signed a four-year, $60-million contract with the reigning AL champions in the off-season, went 2-for-3 with a walk in his MLB debut on Friday while also scoring the winning run.
Now, he’ll bat behind franchise first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Meanwhile, left fielder Davis Schneider is set for his season debut as he slots in the two-hole behind George Springer against Athletics left-hander Jeffrey Springs.
Right fielder Myles Straw, who entered Friday as a defensive replacement, should get his first plate appearance of the season in the No. 8 spot.
Starter Dylan Cease will make his Blue Jays debut after signing a seven-year, $210-million deal as a free agent — the largest in franchise history.
Cease, the 30-year-old right-hander, allowed just one run over 9.2 spring-training innings while striking out 12. He had a 4.55 ERA over 32 starts for the San Diego Padres last season.
Opposing him on the mound is Springs, who recorded a 4.65 ERA and 138 strikeouts over 171 innings last season.
The Blue Jays torched Springs for six runs in just two innings in a May game last season, though he rebounded with a quality start against Toronto in July.
from Sportsnet.ca
via i9bet
Canada’s Howden, Schmidt reach podium at final ski cross World Cup
Reece Howden won the men’s silver medal and fellow Canadian Hannah Schmidt took the women’s bronze Saturday in the penultimate ski cross races of the World Cup season.
Howden, from Chilliwack, B.C., posted a time of 57.36 seconds, just behind winner David Mobaerg of Sweden.
Kilian Himmelsbach of Germany was third in 58.26.
Howden entered the event having already wrapped up his fourth career Crystal Globe as overall World Cup leader.
Schmidt, from Ottawa, was third in the women’s final in one minute 0.1 seconds.
Sandra Naeslund, who clinched the women’s Crystal Globe earlier Saturday by winning her quarterfinal, completed a Swedish sweep of Saturday’s finals with a time of 59.33 seconds, followed by Germany’s Daniela Maier in 59.42.
The final ski cross races of the World Cup season are Sunday in Gällivare.
from Sportsnet.ca
via i9bet
Panthers’ Sam Bennett won’t play vs. Islanders
The Florida Panthers will be without Sam Bennett for Saturday’s game against the New York Islanders, head coach Paul Maurice told reporters.
Bennet’s absence is for an undisclosed reason but it’s not a major concern, according to Maurice.
The 29-year-old has 25 goals and 54 points in 70 games this season.
Florida recalled Jack Studnicka from the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers.
Saturday’s game is a critical one for the Islanders who hold a one-point lead for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
from Sportsnet.ca
via i9bet
Friday, 27 March 2026
Maple Leafs sign college defenceman Hayes Hundley to entry-level contract
The Toronto Maple Leafs continue to build up their blue line.
NCAA defenceman Hayes Hundley agreed to a three-year entry-level contract with the team, it announced Friday.
Hundley, 21, will join the AHL’s Toronto Marlies on a professional tryout before the deal kicks in next season.
He played 38 games with St. Thomas University this season, recording six goals and six assists. The Upper Arlington, Ohio, native spent last season with the USHL’s Fargo Force, where he posted four goals and 12 assists.
At six-foot-three and 210 pounds, the right-shooting Hundley joins fellow defenceman Vincent Borgesi and forward Brandon Buhr among the Maple Leafs’ current NCAA signing class.
from Sportsnet.ca
via i9bet
Longtime MLBer, World Series champion Jason Heyward retires
Jason Heyward is hanging up his cleats.
The 16-year MLB veteran announced his retirement from baseball Friday on MLB Central.
“I’m glad and happy to be stepping to the other side of the game,” Heyward said.
“I look forward to being a potential mentor to any of the young players coming up, anybody that’s in the game right now. I feel like the game’s in good hands in that sense, and I look forward to being a fan and seeing what other ways I could give back.”
Heyward, 36, first entered MLB as a member of the Atlanta Braves in 2010. He spent five years with the NL East club, only topped by his seven seasons with the Chicago Cubs after a one-year pit stop with the St. Louis Cardinals. He also played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Houston Astros and San Diego Padres.
The one-time all-star and five-time Gold Glove winner in the outfield finishes his career with a .255 batting average to go with 186 home runs, 730 RBIs.
He was part of the 2016 Cubs team that broke through to win the World Series, appearing in 16 games during that run.
from Sportsnet.ca
via i9bet
Thursday, 26 March 2026
Men’s March Madness Sweet 16 Preview: Final Four or bust for Michigan
While the first weekend of the 2026 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament lived up to its “March Madness” billing — with plenty of buzzer-beaters, exciting finishes and near-upsets — the second batch of games, while less chaotic, usually offers a higher degree of quality.
Yes, that seems obvious as you’ll see higher-seeded teams square off against each other, but the stakes of the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight add additional layers of drama and pressure to the backdrop of everything.
Making a Final Four is a pretty big deal, after all.
Heading into the Sweet 16, beginning with Thursday’s slate, there are a number of teams that have stood out and impressed in their first two games, but if there was one team that might have the best-looking path to the Final Four, it would be Michigan.
Thanks to its supersized frontcourt, led by six-foot-nine small forward Big Ten Player of the Year Yaxel Lendeborg, the Wolverines finished as the No. 3-ranked team in the country and have looked every bit that powerhouse during the NCAA Tournament, winning their first two games by an average margin of 22 points.
Beyond how well its played against inferior competition — no offence to Howard and Saint Louis — Michigan also the advantage of a potentially easier road to the Final Four. It sees Alabama in its Sweet 16 game Friday, a very potent offensive team but ultimately not as dangerous as the clubs that were led by Mark Sears in the past. Then it sees either Tennessee, another good-but-not-great squad, or an Iowa State team that could be without All-American Joshua Jefferson — or a Jefferson who would likely not be playing at 100 per cent — after he suffered an ankle injury just minutes into the Cyclones’ first-round matchup with Tennessee State.
The door is open for Dusty May to make his first Final Four with Michigan in just his second season at the helm in Ann Arbour. This isn’t to say it’s a guarantee — nothing ever is in this tournament — but it would be disappointing if the Wolverines weren’t in the Final Four this year.
Here’s a look at a few more storylines to watch heading into the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight of the 2026 tournament.
West Region UofA’s for the taking?
On the topic of Final-Four-or-major-disappointment, Arizona’s road to Indianapolis also looks quite clear.
The Wildcats have lived up to their No. 2-ranked billing so far, crushing Long Island University in the first round and then pulling away from Utah State in the second round.
They’re led by the super freshmen duo of Koa Peat and Brayden Burries, both of whom play with a poise and maturity that’s not often seen in freshmen.
While not quite as easy looking as Michigan’s, Arizona’s road to the Final Four should be very doable.
In the Wildcats way first will be Arkansas, led by a super frosh of their own in Darius Acuff Jr. — a potential top-five pick in this year’s NBA Draft — followed by either No. 11-seeded Texas or No. 2 Purdue.
Acuff is the kind of dynamic guard with the potential to take over a game and win it, essentially, by himself. However, so is Burries for Arizona, so while that promises to be a fun, exciting game, the Wildcats should have the edge there.
As for the possible Elite Eight matchup, should the Longhorns pull off the upset, it’s hard to see them doing it yet again against Arizona. Should it be the Boilermakers, while they are quite good and Braden Smith is great and experienced, it’s hard to pick against a team as good as Arizona has been all season long.
Beasts in the East
It was promised when the brackets were first revealed and now we have it.
The East Region’s semifinal bracket is a list of college basketball royalty with Duke taking on St. John’s in one of the Sweet 16 matchups Friday and Connecticut facing off against Michigan State in the other.
So, that’s Jon Scheyer vs. Rick Pitino and Dan Hurley vs. Tom Izzo in matchups with two of the brightest young coaching stars in college basketball taking on two of the absolute legends of the game.
All four teams are, obviously, well coached, they also all feature great top-end talent — in particular Duke’s Cameron Boozer, a potential first-overall draft pick — and they all have the potential to win the national championship if given the chance.
Buckle up for what should be three incredible basketball games.
South Region is the most unpredictable
After Alvaro Folgueiras hit one of the signature shots of the tournament thus far to knock out Florida, the South Region looks absolutely wide open.
Conventional wisdom would suggest the Kalvin Sampson’s Houston team and its suffocating defence now has the clear path back to the Final Four, but to underestimate six-foot-six freshman guard Keaton Wagler and Illinois would be foolhardy, to say nothing of the big-game experience that both Iowa and Nebraska, a team that also won a game in the dying seconds, now have.
The Cougars’ defence remains as stout as ever, and they feature an explosive guard of their own in Kingston Flemings, providing good reason to be confident in them with Florida out of the picture. But while Sampson’s team will almost certainly be able to drag games into the mud, if it comes down to a final shot, the other three remaining teams also have players that can take and make big shots down the stretch.
Does Cinderella no longer have a shot?
Looking at the 16 teams remaining, one thing stands above the rest: There are no Cinderellas.
The fun George Mason or Florida Atlantic stories are nowhere to be found this year, and might just be gone for good.
Yes, Texas is a No. 11 seed, but the fact remains that all of the teams left are from power conferences, and that’s not a coincidence.
The advent of NIL and the transfer portal has given an even greater advantage to the big-money schools to offer both recruits and players looking to transfer better deals than the mid-majors will ever be able to.
This doesn’t necessarily mean the tournament is bad because of this — all those exciting moments that you tune into it for still happen — but it likely means that those great underdog stories from the tournament are going by the wayside.
Two Canadians still dancing
The NCAA Tournament started with a record 36 Canadians competing in the event, and that’s now down to two.
Houston guard Emmanual Sharp and Alabama’s Aden Holloway are all that are left of the Canadian contingent.
Thankfully, both Canadians are key starters for their teams, so you’ll be able to watch plenty of them when their teams play.
from Sportsnet.ca
via i9bet
Scout’s Analysis: Exciting NHL prospects competing in NCAA tournament
The NCAA men’s hockey tournament is set to begin Thursday with regional match-ups being hosted across four cities in the USA. The defending champion Western Michigan Broncos return to the tournament as a top seed in their bracket based out of Loveland, Colorado. It’s a tough bracket for the Broncos, who could end up having to go through the University of Denver Pioneers in the second-round to get to the Frozen Four in Las Vegas.
Here’s a look at some of the top prospects I’m monitoring closely at the tournament. Notably, these players have either already been drafted by an NHL team, or are on their way to being a free agent. We’ll take a team-by-team look, but I wanted to start with one player in particular who I think could have the largest long-term (and potentially short-term) impact for a Canadian NHL team:
Future Montreal Canadiens Second Line Centre
The Canadiens have an embarrassment of riches scattered throughout their prospect pool. The organization has, so far, held off trading for a second-line centre and it might have something to do with the fact Michigan Wolverines forward Michael Hage is a player who could end up filling the void in the near future.
Hage is a play-driving centre who leans distributor more than pure shooter, but still projects as a prospect who could score 20 or more goals at the NHL level. He’s especially dangerous on the Wolverines’ power play. Hage has high-end vision with the puck on his stick and he’s highly competitive. He gets between 16-19 minutes per game for the Wolverines, depending on special teams. Almost all of his shifts have come at even strength and on the power play this season.
Michigan plays Bentley on Friday and, if they move on, would face the winner of Minnesota-Duluth and Penn State on Sunday. If the Wolverines are eliminated some time this weekend in the regionals, I’m anticipating Hage to sign with the Canadiens after wrapping up his sophomore season.
What will be interesting to see whenever Hage does sign is how the Canadiens handle it. James Hagens signing an ATO (amateur tryout) contract with the AHL’s Providence Bruins allows him to get some pro experience before the Bruins sign him to his entry-level contract. That may set a precedent for how Montreal proceeds with Hage since they are in the thick of a playoff race as well and have a tough lineup to crack. By going that route, Montreal could sign him to his ELC at any time, either to use him in the lineup at the end of the regular season or in the playoffs, depending on their scenario.
Now on to the NCAA teams and the players I’m watching closely for their potential NHL impact.
Michigan State Spartans
The Spartans enter the tournament as the top seed in the Worcester region with a record of 25-8-2. They have several players on their roster who look poised to sign entry-level contracts at the conclusion of their season.
Charlie Stramel, 6-foot-3, 222 pounds, senior forward
Stramel is property of the Minnesota Wild, who drafted the power forward in the first-round (21st overall) in 2023. Stramel took some time to evolve at the college level, but found his footing after transferring from Wisconsin after his sophomore season. He produced 19G-25A this year at MSU. He averaged nearly 20 minutes per game of ice time while being deployed in all situations. There was a time when I was concerned about Stramel’s ability to track up and down the ice, but he’s evolved over his college career and eliminated my concern in the process.
Wild GM Bill Guerin values players like Stramel. It would surprise me if Minnesota decided not to sign Stramel at the end of his season.
Trey Augustine, 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, junior goaltender
The Detroit Red Wings selected Augustine in the second-round (41st overall) in 2023. He’s a finalist for the Mike Richter award (top NCAA goalie) after a season that resulted in Augustine leading the Big Ten in save percentage, goals-against average and shutouts. He isn’t the tallest goaltending prospect, but Augustine has wide shoulders and takes up his share of the net. He squares up to shooters on time, has excellent crease composure and he’s plenty athletic enough to make second and third saves when required. Here’s a look at Augustine’s statistics his first three years at Michigan State. He’s a proven winner.
|
SEASON |
GP |
RECORD |
GAA |
SV% |
|
2023-24 |
35 |
23-9-2 |
2.96 |
.915 |
|
2024-25 |
30 |
19-7-4 |
2.08 |
.924 |
|
2025-26 |
32 |
23-8-1 |
2.09 |
.929 |
Porter Martone, 6-foot-3, 204 pounds, freshman winger
The Philadelphia Flyers selected Martone sixth overall last June. The freshman winger is the Spartans’ leading scorer (24G-23A) and appears ready to sign his entry-level contract.
Martone averages around 18 minutes of ice time. His combination of power and goal scoring upside are an attractive element. Pucks are on and off Martone’s stick in a hurry. He leans goal scorer but, with his size and length, extends plays for linemates in the trenches that eventually lead to assists.
Quinnipiac Bobcats
Ethan Wyttenbach, 5-foot-10, 181 pounds, freshman winger
The Calgary Flames have to be ecstatic with the step Wytennbach took with his game this year at Quinnipiac. Calgary selected him in the fifth-round (144th overall) just last June out of the USHL and he led the entire NCAA in scoring with 24G-34A this season. Wyttenbach has great puck touch and the ability to escape pressure in small areas. He’s quick off the rush and creative overall. All of his ice time comes at even strength and on the power play. He generally gets between 18 and 22 minutes per game depending on special teams.
It will be interesting to see what the Flames decide to do with Wyttenbach at the end of the year. The 19-year-old has time on his side to continue to develop at the college level and keep rounding out his overall game. Wyttenbach is a top 10 finalist for the Hobey Baker award.
Michigan Wolverines
TJ Hughes, 6-foot, 185 pounds, senior forward
After mentioning Hage at the outset of my analysis, I’d be remised if I didn’t promote the leading scorer for the Wolverines.
Hughes is the second-leading scorer in the NCAA (20G-33A). He averages just shy of 19 minutes per game of ice time with almost all of his shifts coming at even strength and the power play. Hughes leads by example with his relentless approach. He’s active up ice as F1 on the forecheck creating turnovers, strong on the puck and possesses a deceptive release. Hughes has pro ready habits overall. Although he doesn’t kill penalties, he’s generally trustworthy defensively in addition to the impact he provides offensively.
Penn State Nittany Lions
Matt DiMarsico, 6-foot, 180 pounds, junior forward
Gavin McKenna has garnered most of the attention at Penn State this year, but DiMarsico has stood out for me as well.
DiMarsico is the second-leading scorer at Penn State (18G-24A) behind McKenna (15G-36A). I appreciate DiMarsico’s competitiveness and consistency. He’s deployed in all situations and has averaged 18 minutes per game of ice time. DiMarsico might project as more of a bottom-six energy forward at the pro level, but he’s proven he has, at least, secondary scoring upside. His speed and commitment to detail in all three zones are attractive elements.
Dimarsico is 22 years old and undrafted, but it feels to me like there are several NHL teams that have interest in him. He could end up foregoing his senior season to turn pro.
Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs
Max Plante, 5-foot-11, 180 pounds, sophomore forward
Plante was selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the second round (47th overall) in 2024. He is also a highly competitive forward who doesn’t shy away from engaging in the hard areas of the ice. He’s quick and fast on straight lines, reads how plays are developing and is exceptionally dangerous from the bumper position on the power play. Plante is the leading scoring at Duluth and fifth in the nation overall (24G-25A). He has the ability and commitment to be used in a variety of roles, including penalty-killing.
Western Michigan Broncos
Grant Slukynsky, 6-foot-1, 200 pounds, junior centre
Defending NCAA champion Western Michigan plays a hard, buttoned up, style of game as a team and Slukynsky is a massive contributor to their overall team success. He’s deployed in a variety of roles, one of the top face-off centres in the entire NCAA and the leading scorer for the Broncos (10G-30A). NHL teams will value his overall detail and “lead by example” approach to the game. I’m projecting Skukynsky as a potential bottom-six/two-way forward at the NHL level.
Cornell Big Red
Jonathan Castagna, 6-foot-2, 195 pounds, junior centre
The Calgary Flames acquired Castagna’s rights in the trade that sent defenceman MacKenzie Weegar to the Utah Mammoth at the trade deadline. Castagna is the leading scorer for the Big Red and a forward who has a real chance at someday maturing into a bottom-six contributor for the Flames. Castagna plays fast and uses his size and length as an advantage. He’s not a really high volume shooter, but when he has a clean look at the net he definitely knows how to deposit the puck in the back of it. Castagna averages around 19 minutes of ice time per game. I view him as an emerging two-way forward with secondary scoring upside, size, and commitment to be used in a variety of roles.
Denver Pioneers
Boston Buckberger, 5-foot-11, 181 pounds, junior defenceman
Buckberger is a 22-year-old undrafted free agent who has developed nicely at the college level. Sometimes prospects need more time to work on their game. Buckberger is a perfect example. His skating, for his size, needed to improve for me to gain more trust in his trajectory. Now that he has proven his pace isn’t an issue the rest of his game has come into focus. Buckberger averages over 24 minutes per game of ice time. He’s in the top 10 for points by a defenceman in the entire NCAA (10G-18A) and top five in the plus/minus category (plus-29).
Buckberger might end up returning to Denver for his senior season, but I’m confident in saying teams are circling him as well. I’m pulling for this player. He’s worked hard to get to the stage he’s at and, honestly, how can’t you pull for a player with such a great name. What a handle.
Rieger Lorenz, 6-foot-3, 210 pounds, senior forward
Lorenz was selected by the Minnesota Wild in the second-round (56th overall) in 2022. The senior forward has blossomed into a reliable three-zone contributor at Denver. After a down year offensively last year as a junior (6G-14A) Lorenz has improved to 15G-18A this season. He’s being deployed in all situations and is committed defensively. He has a chance to potentially provide the Wild with some bottom-six minutes at the NHL level in time.
Why senior players are in control of their destiny
Something to keep a close eye on at this time of the year, in relation to seniors whose rights are already owned by an NHL team that drafted them, is the timeline to get graduating player signed to contracts.
If a graduating player, like Lorenz for example, isn’t signed by August 15 this summer he becomes an unrestricted free agent free to sign with any NHL organization. Seniors are in ultimate control of their destiny. They can choose to sign with the team that drafted them or wait it out until August 15. When a team is informed that the graduating player isn’t interested in signing with them, they will usually attempt to trade his rights to another NHL organization in return for a later round draft pick.
from Sportsnet.ca
via i9bet
Canada’s Stephen Gogolev fifth after men’s short program at figure skating worlds
Canada’s Stephen Gogolev continued his breakout season Thursday, finishing fifth in the men’s singles short program at the world figure skating championships.
Competing at his first worlds, Gogolev delivered a personal-best 94.38 points with a clean skate to “Mugzy’s Move” by American swing band Royal Crown Revue.
“I felt like I was really able to put out the performance that I really wanted to and give energy throughout the program,” Gogolev said.
Two-time world champion Ilia Malinin of the United States led the field with 111.29 points, bouncing back after he unravelled with an error-filled free skate and fell from first to eighth at last month’s Milan Cortina Winter Games. France’s Adam Siao Him Fa sat second (101.85) and Estonia’s Aleksandr Selevko was third (96.49).
Gogolev is coming off a fifth-place finish in Milan, landing just 1.12 points off the podium in his Olympic debut.
Once a child prodigy, the 21-year-old from Toronto is making a name for himself on the senior international stage after years of back injuries kept him off the ice.
“It was definitely a hard few years in the previous seasons, but I’m very happy, and I think it creates for quite a good story,” Gogolev said. “Now I’m back at the highest level that I’ve ever been.
“(The Olympics) definitely increased my confidence quite a bit in that I’m able to compete at a much higher level than I expected to be at the beginning of the season. I’m not really sure if I feel any difference in expectations, I would say, because I think the goal for every competition is to just to do the best I can.”
The men’s free program is scheduled for Saturday. Gogolev could secure a second entry for Canada at next year’s world championships with a top-10 placement.
Competition continues Thursday with the pairs free skate. Canadian champions Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud sit in third after scoring a personal-best 75.52 in Wednesday’s short program.
from Sportsnet.ca
via i9bet
Flyers’ Nikita Grebenkin out about a week with upper-body injury
As the Philadelphia Flyers continue their push for a wild-card spot, they’ll have to do so without one of their young wingers.
Forward Nikita Grebenkin is set to miss the next seven to 10 days after suffering an upper-body injury, the team announced Thursday.
It’s unclear how Grebenkin suffered the injury, but he missed the Flyers’ 3-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday.
Grebenkin arrived in Philadelphia as part of the trade that sent Scott Laughton to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
In 55 games for the Flyers, the 22-year-old winger has four goals and 10 assists while playing an average of 11:17 ice time a night.
The Serov, Russia, native was selected by the Leafs 135th overall in the fifth round of the 2022 NHL Draft. He failed to tally a point in seven games with Toronto before being traded at last year’s deadline.
from Sportsnet.ca
via i9bet
Wednesday, 25 March 2026
Tuesday, 24 March 2026
Canada’s Mboko advances, Auger-Aliassime ousted at Miami Open
Canada’s Victoria Mboko earned a 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-0 fourth-round win over Russia’s Mirra Andreeva on Monday at the Miami Open tennis tournament.
Mboko, the tournament’s 10th seed, had six aces to seven double faults and converted on just one of her six break-point chances.
However, the 19-year-old won 77.8 per cent of first-serve points in the two-hour, 17-minute women’s singles match.
The 18-year-old Andreeva, the eighth seed, had six aces to two double faults and broke once in four chances. She won 66.7 per cent of first-serve points.
In men’s singles action, Montreal’s Félix Auger-Aliassime was ousted in the third round by France’s Terence Atmane 6-3, 1-6, 6-3.
The seventh-seeded Auger-Aliassime had 11 aces to four double faults and had 26 winners to Atmane’s 12. However, the Frenchman won three straight games to break a 2-2 tie in the final set before sealing the deal two games later.
from Sportsnet.ca
via i9bet
Monday, 23 March 2026
No. 2 Iowa State turns up defence, shuts down No. 7 Kentucky to reach Sweet 16
ST. LOUIS — Tamin Lipsey knew he had to step up for Iowa State with All-America forward Joshua Jefferson sitting on the bench, his sprained left ankle still encased in a boot, as the Cyclones played Kentucky on Sunday for a spot in the Sweet 16.
Lipsey, who grew up in the shadows of the Iowa State campus in Ames, answered with the finest game of his four-year career.
The senior guard poured in a career-high 26 points, tied a career high with 10 assists, and led a suffocating defence that shut down the Wildcats in the second half, allowing the second-seeded Cyclones to pull away for an 82-63 victory in the NCAA Tournament.
“All the guys knew we had to step up in different ways,” Lipsey said, “however that presented to us.”
Lipsey didn’t do it alone, of course — he needed someone scoring to pile up all those assists. Milan Momcilovic scored 20 points and Nate Heise, getting the start in Jefferson’s place, added 12 to help the Cyclones (29-7) advance to a Midwest Region semifinal against either third-seeded Virginia or No. 6 seed Tennessee on Friday night in Chicago.
It will be the eighth Sweet 16 trip for the Cyclones and the third under T.J. Otzelberger, though the question now is whether they will be whole for it. Jefferson, their second-leading scorer and top rebounder, is scheduled to have an MRI exam on Monday.
“We’ll see how that goes and take it from there,” Otzelberger said.
Kentucky (22-14) jumped to a 20-9 lead in the opening minutes Sunday before Iowa State fought back to take a 31-30 halftime lead.
The Wildcats were still within 46-40 with 13 minutes to play when the Cyclones forced three of the Wildcats’ 20 turnovers in quick succession. They converted all three into baskets at the other end, part of a decisive 13-1 run, which not only allowed Iowa State to seize control but also seemed to finally deflate Kentucky.
The Wildcats had been buzzing after a buzzer-beater from Otega Oweh forced overtime in a first-round victory over Santa Clara.
“We had a tough time finding baskets and more importantly we had a real tough time getting a stop,” Kentucky coach Mark Pope said. “They shot 50 per cent in the second half from three, and they played really well. You’re not going to win games when you give up 51 in the second half, and there’s a lot of reasons that happened.”
Oweh followed up his 35-point performance against the Broncos with 18 against the Cyclones, playing most of the second half in foul trouble. Denzel Aberdeen led the Wildcats with 20 points, though the pair of guards didn’t get a whole lot more help.
“We didn’t play fully hard for the full 40 minutes,” Aberdeen said, “and we had to do a better job.”
For two teams that can score in bunches, there was little elegance for much of their first matchup since the 2012 NCAA tourney, when the Wildcats beat Iowa State in the second round on their way to winning the national championship.
The Cyclones missed their first 11 tries from beyond the three-point arc. Kentucky had 12 turnovers in the first half.
“We got a little disoriented,” Pope said, “and that’s what Iowa State does. They increased their pressure and we turned it over 12 times in the first half, and kind of contributed to our own demise.”
Iowa State eventually began driving to the basket and picking up fouls, and generated offense from the free-throw line until its shots started to fall. That began just before the break, and Heise’s buzzer-beating three gave the Cyclones a 31-30 advantage.
They went on to outscore Kentucky 51-33 after halftime to coast into the semifinals of the Midwest Region.
“We knew we had to be at our best. I’m proud of our guys,” Otzelberger said. “Felt like the game didn’t start the way we’d like but on defence, our pressure as the game wore on paid dividends for us. We generated turnovers and scored off our defense.”
Up next
Iowa State and Virginia have split four previous meetings, though the Cavaliers won the most recent matchup and the only one in the NCAA Tournament. The Cavaliers cruised 84-71 in the Sweet 16 on March 25, 2016, before losing to Syracuse in the Elite Eight.
The Cyclones beat Tennessee during the 1969 season but they’ve lost the last two to the Volunteers, the first during a tournament in December 1977 and the most recent on January 27, 2018, during the Big 12-SEC Challenge.
from Sportsnet.ca
via i9bet
Late rally sinks CF Montreal in loss to FC Cincinnati
CINCINNATI — Tom Barlow scored short-handed for the equalizer in the 80th minute and Kévin Denkey followed with the winner in the fourth minute of stoppage time, rallying FC Cincinnati to a 4-3 victory over CF Montreal on Sunday.
Barlow tied it 3-3 when he scored three minutes after subbing in to the match. It was his first MLS goal with his new team. Denkey scored for the second time this season — also unassisted — after notching 15 goals in 29 appearances last season — his first in the league.
Cincinnati (2-3-0) was forced to play a man down after Miles Robinson’s red card in the 60th minute.
Newcomer Wiki Carmona used assists from Prince Owusu and Bode Hidalgo in the 6th minute to score for the third time in three matches and give Montreal a 1-0 lead.
Ender Echenique tied it in the 40th minute for Cincinnati with his first goal this season. The 21-year-old scored once in eight appearances last season. Defender Alvas Powell and Matt Miazga had assists. Powell picked up his first assist of the campaign and became the fifth player to make 150 appearances for the club.
Montreal took a 2-1 lead into halftime when Owusu scored in the 45th minute. Carmona and Iván Jaime had assists. It was the third goal this season for Owusu and his 25th in 79 career appearances.
Cincinnati knotted the score again in the 52nd minute on Ayoub Jabbari’s first career goal in his 10th appearance. Echenique had his first assist and second overall, while Pavel Bucha notched his first — and 13th in 70 appearances.
Evan Louro totalled four saves in his first start this season for Cincinnati and his sixth career start since 2024.
Thomas Gillier, 21, finished with four saves for Montreal (1-4-0) in his 13th career start.
Cincinnati improves to 8-4-2 all-time versus Montreal and its eight victories in the series is its most against any club.
Up next
Montreal: Visits the New England Revolution on April 4.
Cincinnati: Visits the New York Red Bulls on April 4.
from Sportsnet.ca
via i9bet
Sunday, 22 March 2026
Saturday, 21 March 2026
Blue Jays’ Max Scherzer looks and feels good in key start before season
FORT MYERS, Fla. – Starting a Grapefruit League game offers competitive elements that more convenient minor-league outings cannot, so Max Scherzer made the 2½-hour trek from Dunedin to Fort Myers for an important tune-up versus the Minnesota Twins.
The 41-year-old right-hander made the most of a long Friday during his third game of the spring with five shutout innings, allowing two hits and two walks with three strikeouts in a 2-1 Blue Jays win. More importantly, he pushed up to 72 pitches, sat at 93.4 m.p.h. with a fastball that topped out at 95.8, executed his slider and changeup and “did everything I need to do to get ready for the season.”
“There’s just an extra-level gear when you’re in a big-league spring training game versus minor leagues,” said Scherzer, who will look to throw roughly six innings and 90 pitches in a minor-league game next before his first outing of the regular season. “The minor leaguers, they’re going to be up there swinging at every first pitch and it’s just a different game. It’s one thing to do it one time, it’s another thing to do it twice before the regular season. I just know I needed to face big-leaguers.”
Returning to the Lee Health Sports Complex 363 days after also making his final spring start here last season offered an interesting contrast in then-versus-now for Scherzer.
A year ago, that outing versus the Twins – he threw 62 pitches, 47 strikes, topping out at 94.7 m.p.h. with a fastball that sat 93.3 during four shutout innings – was a crucial test for his troublesome right thumb.
That was enough for Scherzer to break with the Blue Jays at the end of camp, but he lasted only three innings in his first start of the season before hitting the injured list and didn’t return until the end of June, when a new regimen alleviated his thumb issues.
This spring, the thumb isn’t an issue – “He hasn’t talked about it in a long time,” said manager John Schneider – and it’s been all systems go since he signed a $3-million, one-year deal with up to $10 million in performance bonuses in late February, taking the mound with a piece of mind he hasn’t had since the spring of 2023.
“Oh yeah,” Scherzer said. “Your right arm’s everything, especially your right hand. So to not be dealing with anything on my arm is obviously music to my ears. Now we can worry about all the other little knickknacks that are happening across my body and getting that ready to go and even worry about other things, not my thumb or shoulder.”
Those other things centred around the finer points of pitching Friday, when he kept the Twins under control. He got six groundball outs along with three flyouts and suppressed hard contact while holding his fastball velocity through all five innings, which he insisted isn’t as important as how he used the heater.
“It’s execution,” he said. “Everybody looks at velo but it’s more than that. It’s hitting your spot, hit the glove. That’s what I take pride in, is when the catcher puts the glove in a spot, I need to hit that glove. And so I was doing a pretty good job of that today.”
Scherzer is lined up to make his first regular-season start March 31 against the Colorado Rockies, with Kevin Gausman, Dylan Cease, Eric Lauer and Cody Ponce seemingly set up in front of him. That lines up him, Gausman and Cease to start when the Los Angeles Dodgers visit April 6-8 in a clash of the World Series finalists.
What happens once Trey Yesavage, Jose Berrios and Shane Bieber are ready is an issue for down the line and a fair question is what’s a reasonable expectation for how much Scherzer can contribute. As long as he’s in form and unbothered by the thumb issues that nearly blew up his 2025 season, the Blue Jays can count on him pushing the envelope.
“Talking to him, reasonable is like 250 innings and 32 starts,” Schneider said with a grin. “I don’t know if that’s going to be the case. We’re going to mindful and when we get some guys back in the rotation, too, there’s going to some manoeuvring, if you will. I’m not saying it’s going be with Max, but if we can have the playoff version of Max as consistent as we can, that’s a really good outcome for us and for him.
“If he’s pitching well, he’s earned the right to go continue to do that until he shows otherwise.”
Bullpen battle
Two spring-training games remain and the Blue Jays are legitimately unsettled about what to do with their final available bullpen spot, which is why Schneider said “every inning is important for a handful of guys right now” with a final decision not coming down until “probably Sunday.”
Chase Lee, who allowed a hit in 1.2 innings Friday, is in consideration along with Connor Seabold, Lazaro Estrada, Adam Macko, Yariel Rodriguez and the two Rule 5 picks, Spencer Miles and Angel Bastardo.
Each is capable of protecting the bullpen in case of a short outing by a starter, a priority for the Blue Jays, which is why they sought to extend Lee in this one.
“What I really liked was the strike-throwing,” said Schneider. “I liked the four-seamer at the top of the zone for the broken bat after it was sinker, sinker, sweeper. That’s something he’s been working on. It’s a pretty deliberate approach against him. So I think knowing when to do that was what we were looking for today and he’s not going to beat himself, he’s going to throw his pitch.”
Among the considerations is how to best manage the assets.
Lee, Estrada and Macko are are all on the 40-man roster with options, so they can move up and down as needed. Rodriguez is not on the 40, but with $11 million in guarantees the next two seasons, the Blue Jays can outright him as needed without fear of him being claimed. Seabold is not on the 40-man roster so if the Blue Jays need to make a move with him in a few days, they’d risk losing him, while the Rule-5 picks must remain on the roster all season long or be offered back to their original clubs.
Kasevich impresses
Josh Kasevich added to a strong showing this spring that positioned him to be among the first call-ups if there’s an infield need with a pair of doubles — one that knocked in a run — and more nice defensive work, this time at third base. After the game, he was assigned to minor-league camp along with catcher CJ Stubb and outfielders Yohendrick Pinango and RJ Schreck.
Where has Schneider seen Kasevich progress?
“This is going to be a funny answer, just playing a little bit more freely and not being so methodical, you know people joke about him being kind of robotic at times,” he said. “I think it’s planned. He understands when to take some shots at the plate and really be clocked defensively anywhere we put him. He came in ready which is good, we want to see that, definitely made a good impression, kind of exactly what we hoped for. …
“So cool to see a guy come in, articulate what he wanted to do, and then go do it. I’m pretty pumped about the way he’s swinging.”
from Sportsnet.ca
via i9bet
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
-
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are keeping one of the top free agents off the open market, agreeing to a three-year deal with receiver Chris Godwi...
-
Canadian swimmer Aurelie Rivard has won a silver medal at the Paralympic Games in Paris. The 28-year-old from Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que...
-
The Ottawa Senators and National Capital Commission will host a joint news conference on Friday to provide an update on the status of the Me...
