p Page 7 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Hurricanes brace for stern challenge vs. surging Senators
The Carolina Hurricanes worked all season to secure the top seed in the Eastern Conference, and now they turn their attention to the next phase of the season on Saturday afternoon.,They'll welcome the Ottawa Senators for the opener of the first-round series in Raleigh, N.C.,"We've been eager for thi...

FIFA president defends World Cup prices in 'very special' U.S. market
FIFA president Gianni Infantino defended high ticket prices for this year's World Cup in North America by saying on Friday that the event, which captivates the globe, is the organization's only source of income every four years.,Speaking at Semafor's annual world economy summit in New York, Infantin...

Cards' Jacoby Brissett not at offseason program, wants extension
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett is seeking a contract extension that will pay him as a starter.,NFL Network reported on Friday that Brissett is not attending the team's voluntary workout program as a means to address that situation.,Brissett, who has only $1.5 million guaranteed on the...
Why the NBA Must Fix Its Draft System to Stop Tanking
Tanking has become a major issue in the NBA, raising concerns about integrity and fan experience. Here’s how the league could fix it....

Iranian soccer players in Australia thankful for 'safe haven'
Two members of the Iranian women's soccer team who were granted asylum in Australia last month, released a joint statement Friday thanking the Australian government for assistance with "the process of rebuilding our lives.",Fatemeh Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramezanisadeh were the only two of seven membe...

ATP roundup: Semifinals set at Barcelona and Munich
Unseeded Slovakian qualifier Alex Molcan continued his strong run in Munich on Friday and joined three top seeds in the semifinals at the BMW Open.,Molcan defeated Canadian Denis Shapovalov 6-4, 6-4 in 78 minutes in the quarterfinals of the ATP 500 clay-court tournament. Up next is No. 2 seed Ben Sh...

Report: Mats Sundin discussing role with Maple Leafs
Mats Sundin, the all-time leading scorer for the Toronto Maple Leafs, is interviewing with the club for a job in the front office, The Athletic reported Friday.,Per the report, Sundin was in Toronto on Friday to talk with team owners "about a potential role in the new setup," with no specific job be...

Notre Dame, Villanova to open basketball season in Rome
Villanova and Notre Dame will open their 2026-27 basketball seasons on Nov. 1 in Rome.,The men's and women's teams from both schools will play a doubleheader in the Italian capital that day in what has been named the Eternal City Tip-Off.,It is no shock that these two schools were chosen to take par...

Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic withdraw from Madrid Open
World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz and No. 4 Novak Djokovic both withdrew Friday from next week's Madrid Open because of injuries.,Alcaraz is dealing with a right wrist injury that forced the 22-year-old Spaniard to pull out of the Barcelona Open on Wednesday before his second-round match.,Djokovic is bothe...

Carlos Alcaraz (wrist) withdraws from Madrid Open
World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz announced Friday that his wrist injury will keep him out of next week's Madrid Open.,Following tests on his right wrist, the 22-year-old Spaniard pulled out of the Barcelona Open on Wednesday prior to his second-round match.,Alcaraz, who could have regained the No. 1 ranki...

Minjee Lee WDs before 2nd round at LA Championship
World No. 6 Minjee Lee withdrew from the LA Championship prior to the start of the second round on Friday. No reason was provided by the LPGA Tour.,The 29-year-old Australian star was tied for 40th after she posted a 3-under 69 in the first round at the El Caballero Country Club in Tarzana, Calif.,L...
Three College Football Teams Poised for Breakout Seasons in 2026
A look at three college football teams poised for major turnarounds in 2026, including Virginia Tech, Oklahoma State, and Florida....
NBA Play-In Picks: Best Player Props for Hornets vs Magic, Warriors vs Suns
Get the best NBA play-in betting picks, including player props for Stephen Curry, Devin Booker, and LaMelo Ball....
Friday April 17th Expert MLB Betting Picks, Predictions
Get today’s MLB picks, including Angels F5 and Giants vs Nationals over, with full pitching and betting analysis....

Ranger Suarez, Red Sox aim to halt Tigers' win streak
It is not about how you start, right?,The Boston Red Sox are hoping that is the case for the first month of the long and winding Major League Baseball season.,Following Wednesday's series-closing win at the Minnesota Twins, Boston kicks off a challenging seven-game homestand against the surging Detr...

Giants turn to ace Logan Webb to tame improving Nats
The Washington Nationals return home from a strong road trip and open a three-game series against the struggling San Francisco Giants on Friday night.,Washington went 5-2 against the Milwaukee Brewers and the Pittsburgh Pirates and enters the weekend tied for second in the National League East.,The ...

Facing uneven Brewers, Marlins out to continue home success
Off to an unusual start, the Milwaukee Brewers are set to visit the Miami Marlins for a three-game series that starts on Friday.,Milwaukee is coming off a brutal stretch. The Brewers started 8-2 then lost six straight -- their longest skid since June 2023 -- until winning a pair of 2-1 contests over...

Oddsmakers favor Presidents' Trophy-winning Avs to win Stanley Cup
The Colorado Avalanche, out to end the miserable postseason history for Presidents' Trophy winners, are the unanimous favorite to lift the Stanley Cup with the playoffs about to start.,The regular season concluded Thursday night, and the final two first-round playoff matchups were confirmed.,The Edm...

Avalanche blank Kraken, set franchise record for points
Scott Wedgewood made 22 saves for his fourth shutout of the season, Parker Kelly and Nick Blankenburg each scored a goal and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Seattle Kraken 2-0 in Denver on Thursday night.,Valeri Nichushkin had two assists for Colorado (55-16-11, 121 points), which set the franchise ...

NHL roundup: Oilers clobber Canucks, claim 2nd in Pacific
Matt Savoie finished the regular season with his first NHL hat trick, helping host Edmonton steam to a 6-1 win over Vancouver Canucks on Thursday, giving the Oilers home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs.,With the victory in the regular-season finale, Edmonton clinched second place in...