Sports
After 4-2 trip, surging Canadiens face unsteady Canucks
Jan 4, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes (75) makes a save in the second period against the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images Playing their best hockey of the season, the red-hot Montreal Canadiens look to keep rolling when they host the Vancouver Canucks on Monday.
The Habs are 7-2-0 in their last nine games and return home after a 4-2-0 road trip. The most recent victory was perhaps the most impressive as they toughed out a 2-1 shootout victory on Saturday to end the Colorado Avalanche’s six-game winning streak.
“First two (periods), I thought we kind of survived and we gave ourselves a chance going into the third. … We’re in every game right now and I think probably that’s the best part,” forward Cole Caufield said.
Caufield extended his goal streak to three games by scoring the equalizer at 13:25 of the third period. Caufield leads Montreal with 21 goals.
Nick Suzuki has an assist in each of his last three games and leads the Canadiens in both assists (27) and points (38).
Jakob Dobes stopped 22 of 23 Avalanche shots to continue the dream start to his NHL career. Dobes is the first goaltender in Canadiens history to allow just a single goal over his first two NHL starts, between his strong outing against Colorado and his 34-save shutout over the Florida Panthers on Dec. 28.
Both of Dobes’ games were on the road, so the Habs could opt to give the rookie his first home start on Monday. Regular starter Samuel Montembeault has also been playing well, with a 5-2-0 record and 2.61 goals-against average in his last seven starts.
While the Canadiens have been hitting their stride, Vancouver has won only four (4-5-4) of its last 13 games. The Canucks have scored just 32 times in those 13 outings, and Friday’s 3-0 setback to the Nashville Predators was Vancouver’s second shutout loss this season.
“Our goalies are giving us a chance every night. They’re doing more than they’re asked for, and it’s on us to kind of get it going,” forward Kiefer Sherwood said. “Obviously, we’re dealing with a little bit of adversity right now, but I do believe that it’ll make us tougher and a better team in the long term.”
Montreal is the first stop on a five-game road trip for the Canucks, which might help get the team on track. Vancouver is 11-4-2 in away games and only 7-8-6 at home.
Kevin Lankinen has an 11-2-1 road record and is the only goalie in NHL history to go 10-0-0 in his first 10 away games in a season. Lankinen might get another start on Monday since Thatcher Demko missed Friday’s game due to back spasms.
Demko isn’t the only star struggling to stay healthy, as Quinn Hughes (upper-body injury) and Elias Pettersson (undisclosed) have each missed Vancouver’s last four games. Demko, Hughes and Pettersson are all joining the Canucks on the road trip, though it isn’t known if any of those stars will play Monday. Both Hughes and Pettersson practiced on Sunday for the first time in almost two weeks.
“I would say it’s day-to-day, possibility (Monday), but we’ll see,” coach Rick Tocchet told reporters in Montreal on Sunday when asked if Hughes is closer to returning. “We want to make the right decision, too, so we’ll take our time on this. But we’ve still got 24 hours before we make a decision.”
Despite the recent absence, Hughes still leads the Canucks in points (42) and assists (34). Jake DeBrusk leads Vancouver with 16 goals.
Vancouver is 6-1-1 in its last eight games against Montreal.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Cherie DeVaux Makes History with Kentucky Derby Win at Churchill Downs
Cherie DeVaux made history on Saturday by becoming the first female trainer to win the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. However, with a horde of media surrounding her at her backside stable Sunday morning, she was quick to give the credit to jockey Jose Ortiz.
“It’s almost as if he could script it,” she said.
With an entry that’s known for being a closer, DeVaux said she did not mind Golden Tempo drawing an outside post. He got the 19th gate in the draw, but after scratches, he moved into the 16th. While a ways away from the rail, it helped the colt avoid much of the bumping between horses at the start as they work to get inside position.
DeVaux said she’s not one to give her riders many instructions before a race. She kept it simple: “Don’t overthink it. If you can get out, just get a clear path and make a run.”
Mission accomplished, even if the horse doesn’t quite live up to his name.
“Golden Tempo doesn’t really give Jose any help by just falling back so far,” she added.
While the early front-runners posted blazing quarter times, Golden Tempo ran last in the field for the first three-quarters of a mile. However, as the speed faded, Ortiz had an easy route to the outside, and down the final stretch, he chased down Renegade, the bettors’ second choice, to win by a neck.
Another issue that may have been in Golden Tempo’s favor was not having to load into the gate a second time. That’s something several horses had to do after racing officials scratched Great White at the last minute for dumping jockey Alex Achard and falling over backward while being led to the gate.
“It was a rough trip, everybody was all over the place,” said Luis Saez, who rode seventh-place finisher Commandment. “He ran pretty well and made a nice move, but it was just a tough race.”
Commandment, one of two Derby horses trained by Brad Cox, was the co-second choice in the morning line. At post time, he ended up being the fourth choice at 6-1. Cox’s other horse, Further Ado, ended up the slight favorite over Renegade, with both breaking at 5-1.
Renegade was the morning-line favorite, despite drawing the inside post – a position that had not produced a winner in 40 years. However, the Todd Pletcher-trained colt and Irad Ortiz Jr., Jose’s brother, did everything they could to make some history of their own.
“He got a little roughed and got pushed out of his position,” Pletcher said. “But he kept on going and made his run. He just didn’t get there today.”
With the Kentucky Derby having the largest field of any U.S. thoroughbred race, longshots often find their way to the winner’s circle. Since 2019, the lowest payout for a $2 win ticket was Sovereignty last year, and his bettors still won $17.96.
One of the other big surprises Saturday was the bettors’ interest in So Happy. While he and jockey Mike Smith won the Santa Anita Derby, the colt was given morning line odds of 15-1. That was due primarily to his being sired by Runhappy, who was an excellent sprinter.
Bettors made him the third choice at 5-1.
So Happy stayed among the front pack for the first mile but faded down the stretch to finish ninth.
“He just did too much early on, and we went too fast,” Smith said.
Sports
Wild D Jonas Brodin out for Game 1, F Joel Eriksson Ek also ailing
Apr 7, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Blackhawks center Tyler Johnson (90) moves the puck away from Minnesota Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin (25) and center Joel Eriksson Ek (14) during the second period at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images Minnesota Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin didn’t travel with the team to Denver and will miss Sunday night’s playoff series opener against the Colorado Avalanche.
Forward Joel Eriksson Ek is listed as questionable to play in Game 1 of the Western Conference second-round series.
Brodin, 32, sustained a lower-body injury during Game 5 of Minnesota’s first-round series against the Dallas Stars. He was hurt while blocking a shot by Dallas’ Mikko Rantanen during the second period.
Brodin missed the clinching Game 6 victory on Thursday. He had one assist in the series.
In the regular season, Brodin had four goals and 18 points in 62 games.
Eriksson Ek was hurt in Game 6 when his right leg smacked into the wall. He didn’t practice on Saturday.
Minnesota coach John Hynes was debating what to do about Ek’s spot with his status unclear.
“I’m kind of going through that a little bit right now,” Hynes said. “So, now you kind of go down that decision-making process of what would we do if he’s not ready.”
Ek, 29, had three goals and five points in the Dallas series. In the regular season, he had 19 goals and 51 points in 70 games.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Cameron Young holds six-shot lead after three rounds in Miami
May 2, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Cameron Young makes his par putt on the 18th hole during the third round of the Cadillac Championship golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Romance-Imagn Images Cameron Young shot 2-under-par 70 on Saturday to remain in control through three rounds of Cadillac Championship at Miami.
Young is up six strokes on a group of three golfers, including world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, at windy Trump National Doral’s Blue Monster Course.
Young, who’s at 15-under 201, will be looking for his second victory of the season and the third of his career on the PGA Tour during Sunday’s final round.
Scheffler shot 69 to move to second place by the time he finished the round. He’s joined in that position by South Korea’s Si Woo Kim (69) and Norway’s Kristoffer Reitan (69).
Young began the round with a bogey on the par-5 first hole but played the next 11 in 3 under.
Scheffler’s round was defined by birdies on three of the four par-5 layouts.
Matt McCarty (69), Ben Griffin (68) and Canada’s Nick Taylor (72) are at 8 under and tied for fifth place. Taylor bogeyed the final hole.
Jordan Spieth took a significant dive, shooting 75 and falling to a tie for 12th at 5 under. He was hurt by two double-bogeys — first on the par-3 fourth hole when he didn’t get into putting position until his fourth stroke and then on the 18th when his approach shot went into the water and he was forced to take a penalty.
Australia’s Adam Scott had the day’s best score with a bogey-free 6-under 66, leaving him at 3 under.
–Field Level Media
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