an Page 171 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights
Why the NHL Shouldn’t Expand the Playoffs Despite League Growth
The NHL has expanded to 32 teams—but its playoff format hasn’t. Here’s why that’s a good thing....

Guardians start fresh against Cards after disappointing weekend
The Cleveland Guardians and host St. Louis Cardinals will continue the interleague-heavy start to their respective schedules, opening a three-game series Monday night.,Ten of Cleveland's first 16 games have come against National League teams. The Cardinals have met American League squads in nine of ...

Nick Kurtz, A's trending upward ahead of series vs. Rangers
It took Nick Kurtz until his 14th appearance of the season to hit his first home run, but none of his Athletics' teammates are all that concerned.,That's because it took Kurtz 17 games last season to hit the first homer of his career, and he ended up with 36 long balls and was the unanimous choice f...

Skidding Yankees push to ignite offense vs. Angels
While some late at-bats were better, the New York Yankees still experienced the same disappointing results at the plate during a lost weekend against the Tampa Bay Rays.,The Yankees hope they can put their hitting woes behind them as they attempt to halt a five-game losing streak Monday night in the...

Mercury re-sign Kahleah Copper, DeWanna Bonner, Alyssa Thomas
The Phoenix Mercury, after a run to the WNBA Finals in 2025, announced on Sunday the re-signing of core players Kahleah Copper, Alyssa Thomas, DeWanna Bonner and Sami Whitcomb.,Copper, 31, averaged 15.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.1 steals and 26.9 minutes in 28 regular-season games (all st...

Canucks score in OT, leave Ducks still looking for win, playoff berth
Marco Rossi scored with 10 seconds left in overtime as the last-place Vancouver Canucks played the role of spoiler Sunday with a 4-3 victory over the host Anaheim Ducks, who needed a win to snap a seven-year playoff drought.,Rossi rifled a slapshot past Ducks goalie Lukas Dostal after taking a pass ...

Timberwolves' reserves take spotlight in final game, beating Pelicans
Rookie big man Joan Beringer scored 24 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, and the Minnesota Timberwolves held on for a 132-126 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday night in Minneapolis.,Terrence Shannon Jr. scored 26 points for Minnesota (49-33), which relied on young players and reserves in its...

Braves pound 19 hits, crush Guardians
Dominic Smith homered and Jorge Mateo collected four hits as the Atlanta Braves rolled to a 13-1 win over the visiting Cleveland Guardians on Sunday night.,Atlanta starter Chris Sale (3-1) pitched six solid innings. The left-hander scattered eight hits, gave up one run, walked one and struck out six...

Crew collect first goal at home, play to draw with Orlando
Diego Rossi scored in the 80th minute and the Columbus Crew salvaged a 1-1 draw against visiting Orlando City on Sunday night.,Rossi's third goal of the season was the first at home for Columbus (1-3-3, 6 points), which had scored eight times in four away matches.,Five of those had come through stri...

Avalanche, Oilers persisting through litany of injuries
The Colorado Avalanche clinched the Central Division and the NHL's top overall seed. Now they are having a say in who is the other division winner in the Western Conference.,Colorado (52-16-11, 115 points) completes back-to-back games against Pacific Division contenders when it plays at the Edmonton...

Canadiens ride 3-goal flurry to win, eliminating Isles from playoff race
Nick Suzuki, Ivan Demidov and Alex Newhook scored in a 55-second span late in the second period for the Montreal Canadiens, who eliminated the collapsed New York Islanders from playoff contention with a 4-1 win Sunday night in Elmont, N.Y.,Jacob Fowler made 29 saves while Zachary Bolduc scored with ...

Jacob deGrom brushes off Shohei Ohtani shot, lifts Rangers past Dodgers
Jacob deGrom overcame allowing a leadoff homer to Shohei Ohtani by striking out nine batters, helping the visiting Texas Rangers record a 5-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday.,deGrom (1-0) yielded one run on four hits in six innings before exiting after 93 pitches.,Evan Carter homered ...

Playoff-hungry Flyers 'playing the right way' with Carolina test next
Two of the three teams in Metropolitan Division playoff spots meet on Monday night when the Carolina Hurricanes visit the Philadelphia Flyers.,The Hurricanes (52-22-6, 110 points) have clinched the division title, while the Flyers (41-27-12, 94 points) are in third. With two games to play, they lead...

Padres starter Nick Pivetta leaves game with elbow stiffness
San Diego Padres right-handed pitcher Nick Pivetta left Sunday's game against the visiting Colorado Rockies in the top of the fourth inning with what the team called right elbow stiffness.,Pivetta, who retired the first nine hitters he faced, four by strikeout, pumped in a 92-mph fastball to Edouard...

Reports: Breakout Providence frosh Stefan Vaaks headed to Illinois
Estonian guard Stefan Vaaks will transfer from Providence to Illinois, according to multiple reports Sunday.,Vaaks had a standout freshman season for an otherwise disappointing Friars team that finished 15-18. He averaged 15.8 points, 3.2 assists and 2.5 rebounds per contest across 31 games (22 star...

Padres starter Nick Pivetta leaves game with apparent arm injury
San Diego Padres starting pitcher Nick Pivetta left Sunday's game against the visiting Colorado Rockies in the top of the fourth inning with an apparent arm injury.,Pivetta, who retired the first nine hitters he faced, four by strikeout, pumped in a 92-mph fastball to Edouard Julien for a strike to ...

Rebuilding Rangers, injury-plagued Panthers playing out the string
The New York Rangers were the NHL's best team in the 2023-24 regular season.,The Florida Panthers won the past two Stanley Cup championships.,Yet, when the Rangers visit the Panthers in Sunrise, Fla., on Monday night, it somehow will be a battle between two of the eight worst teams in the league. Bo...

Rockies starter Kyle Freeland scratched (shoulder) against Padres
Colorado Rockies starter Kyle Freeland was scratched from his start Sunday at the San Diego Padres because of left posterior shoulder soreness.,Freeland, who was 1-1 with a 2.30 earned run average in his first three starts this year, was replaced by right-handed reliever Jimmy Herget. It was the sec...

Birthday boy Cade Povich pitches Orioles past Giants
Samuel Basallo hit a two-run home run in the first inning and starter Cade Povich retired the first 12 batters he faced as the Baltimore Orioles defeated the visiting San Francisco Giants 6-2 on Sunday afternoon.,Povich, pitching on his 26th birthday, allowed just five hits and one run while fanning...

Chandler Simpson impactful again as Rays finish sweep of Yankees
Chandler Simpson collected three hits, scored a pair of runs and the Tampa Bay Rays completed a three-game sweep of the New York Yankees by hanging on for a 5-4 victory on Sunday afternoon in St. Petersburg, Fla.,Simpson went 5-for-10 in the series and made his mark on each game. He drove in two run...