preview Page 25 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Sabres get 2nd shot to end record postseason drought vs. Capitals
After missing out on their first opportunity to clinch a spot in the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Buffalo Sabres hope to be officially locked in by the end of Saturday night when they visit the Washington Capitals.,The Sabres (46-22-8, 100 points) had a chance to end their NHL-record 14-year postseason...

Red-hot Canadiens pushing for division title entering Devils clash
The time is now for the up-and-coming Montreal Canadiens.,The NHL's hottest team rides into Saturday's clash with the New Jersey Devils in Newark, N.J. holding a league-best seven-game win streak, while sniper Cole Caufield will be looking to etch his name in the history books with his 50th goal of ...

Kings can't afford slow start in playoff chase game vs. Maple Leafs
The Los Angeles Kings are in a desperate tussle for a playoff spot and need to avoid another slow start Saturday night against the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs.,The Kings (30-26-19, 79 points) fell behind the visiting Nashville Predators 3-0 Thursday before tying the game at 4 in the third period.,T...

Charlotte FC vow 'no complacency' vs. 0-5-0 Union
Charlotte FC coach Dean Smith has a theme for his team going into Saturday night's match against the visiting Philadelphia Union.,"No complacency," he said.,It's easy to see why that might be an issue. While Charlotte (2-1-2, 8 points) enters fourth in the East table after setting a franchise record...

Crew 'focus on the process' in search of first win at Atlanta
The struggling Columbus Crew will try to pick up their first win of the season when they visit Atlanta United on Saturday evening.,After opening their season with a 3-2 loss to the Portland Timbers and drawing their next two, the Crew (0-3-2, 2 points) enter play on a two-match losing streak. Only f...

Panthers could be spoilers as they open back-to-back set at Penguins
The Florida Panthers start a five-game road trip Saturday in Pittsburgh on the verge of making history. Only this time, it's for a dubious distinction.,The Panthers (37-35-3, 77 points) are on the cusp of playoff elimination. Should that happen, they would become the sixth Stanley Cup champion to mi...

Real Salt Lake aim to continue hot streak vs. lowly Sporting KC
Looking to extend their unbeaten streak to five, Real Salt Lake face a struggling Sporting Kansas City club in a Western Conference tilt on Saturday in Sandy, Utah.,Salt Lake (3-1-1, 10 points) hasn't dropped a match since its 1-0 season-opening loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps on Feb. 21. For head c...

No. 1s Michigan, Arizona anticipate real tournament test
INDIANAPOLIS -- On the weekend the Fab Five is reunited and Michigan celebrates the anniversary of its only men's basketball national title in 1989, Dusty May can't help but feel momentum moving the Wolverines closer to tipoff in the Final Four.,The former Indiana University manager for Bob Knight h...

NHL leaders conclude season series as Avalanche battle Stars
The Colorado Avalanche were treated to a dose of reality this week in advance of their fourth and final meeting with the Central Division rival Dallas Stars on Saturday.,Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar can only hope his team will heed the wake-up call as it goes on the road to face the Stars.,Colo...

Flyers, Islanders in 'must-win' mode amid playoff chase
The Philadelphia Flyers will look to inch closer to a playoff spot when they visit the New York Islanders on Friday in Elmont, N.Y.,The Flyers (37-26-12, 86 points) fell 4-2 to the visiting Detroit Red Wings on Thursday, keeping them two points back of the second wild card in the Eastern Conference ...

Rays, Twins out to shake off subpar starts to season
The start of the season has been far from perfect for the Minnesota Twins.,But manager Derek Shelton sees reason for optimism ahead of Friday's home opener against the Tampa Bay Rays.,"The one thing we're learning about this club," Shelton said, "is they fight.",After playing their first six games o...

Blues, running out of time to make playoff move, visit Ducks
In dire need of reversing their fortunes during their road swing, the St. Louis Blues will take their flickering playoff hopes to Anaheim to face the Ducks on Friday.,After a torrid stretch following the Olympic break, the Blues (31-31-12, 74 points) are winless in the first two outings of a four-ga...

In Final Four rematch, UCLA out to solve Texas' tough defense
PHOENIX -- Texas is the only team to beat UCLA this season.,At this point of the season, the rematch is all that matters.,UCLA (35-1) and Texas (35-3) will meet in the NCAA Women's Final Four in the second of two games matching No. 1 seeds on Friday, with the winner advancing to the national champio...

Mariners hope stars' bats will warm up vs. Angels
Perhaps a trip to sunny Southern California is exactly what the Seattle Mariners need.,Because their bats have yet to warm up as they head into a three-game series with the Los Angeles Angels that begins Friday in Anaheim, Calif., ,The Mariners' Nos. 2-4 hitters -- Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodriguez and J...

Celtics rolling as they close road trip vs. injury-hampered Bucks
The red-hot Boston Celtics will put a bow on a four-game road trip on Friday night when they take on the Bucks in Milwaukee.,Boston has won four of its last five contests and eight of its last 10 overall, including a 147-129 drubbing of the Heat in Miami on Wednesday night.,The Celtics were dominant...

Rockets showing progress on ball control with Jazz up next
Down the stretch on Wednesday, when it became obvious that the short-handed Milwaukee Bucks refused to roll over, the Houston Rockets faced a defensive tactic that'd previously given them fits.,The Bucks aggressively double-teamed Kevin Durant in the fourth quarter, testing the Rockets to see if the...

Up-and-down Knicks look to get well vs. Bulls
The New York Knicks have five games in 10 days to figure it out.,It starts on Friday, when New York hosts the Chicago Bulls, who seemingly have already packed up for the summer.,Coach Mike Brown and his Knicks need to prove something over the next week and a half.,Are they the team that has twice po...

Hawks hope to keep soaring against youthful Nets
The last time the Atlanta Hawks visited the Brooklyn Nets, Trae Young injured his right knee and rarely played for them again before being traded to the Washington Wizards.,A little over five months later, the Hawks are firmly above the play-in teams in the Eastern Conference and hope to move up eve...

Young Nationals' first home series comes against champion Dodgers
The Washington Nationals will welcome the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers to the nation's capital Friday afternoon for their home opener.,Washington comes home having lost two straight to Philadelphia, including a 6-5 defeat in 10 innings Wednesday. The Nationals were a ...

Women's hoops powers UConn, South Carolina meet again in Final Four
PHOENIX -- For South Carolina, familiarity breeds respect.,"UConn has been the standard in women's basketball for a very long time," South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said Thursday, on the eve of another faceoff.,"When you have some traditionally rich program like that, it helps us all grow. It helps...