Sports
Blue Jackets resume playoff chase vs. Blackhawks
Mar 26, 2024; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets center Boone Jenner (38) celebrates with left wing Johnny Gaudreau (13) after scoring a goal against the Arizona Coyotes in the first period at Mullett Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images With the 4 Nations Face-Off break complete, the Columbus Blue Jackets resume their quest for their first Stanley Cup playoff appearance since 2020.
As the Blue Jackets play host to the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday, they sit one point back of the Detroit Red Wings and two behind the Ottawa Senators — the clubs holding the two Eastern Conference wild-card positions.
Reaching that spot while navigating Johnny Gaudreau’s tragic death on the eve of the season as well as a slew of injuries is no small feat, but the Blue Jackets are well aware how every team’s level of play will elevate after the break.
“We’ve been trying to get to the playoffs since I’ve been here,” forward Justin Danforth told the Columbus Dispatch. “It hasn’t been a lack of effort. It’s just that things haven’t played out the way we wanted them to play out yet. This is fun. It’s just different, but it’s something I’ve missed. We’ll be excited for the stretch run.”
The Blue Jackets are winless in their last four games (0-3-1), but they’re regaining some prime firepower for the stretch run. Captain Boone Jenner, who had shoulder surgery in October, could make his season debut Saturday. The Blue Jackets announced Friday that he has been activated off injured reserve. The same goes for Kirill Marchenko, who paces Columbus with 21 goals.
Forward Yegor Chinakhov and defenseman Dante Fabbro also are near to returning, while defenseman Erik Gudbranson and center Sean Monahan are likely to be in action in mid-March.
“They’re pretty tight. So, we expect them to come back ready to make a push at the end of this break,” coach Dean Evason said.
The Blackhawks, who sit 31st in the league, ahead of only the San Jose Sharks, return to the ice having only one victory in five games. They capped their pre-break action with a 6-5 shootout loss to the St. Louis Blues on Feb. 8.
The Blackhawks held a lead with less than five minutes remaining in regulation time but failed to hold it, the latest such lesson for the young squad.
The Blackhawks may be a bottom-feeder team, but they have managed a 3-3-5 mark in their last 11 games. That’s the sign of a club that competes but does not have the horses to win.
“If you look at the way we’ve been playing of late, it’s been a pretty exciting brand of hockey, honestly,” captain Nick Foligno said. “It’s disappointing we didn’t get that win in St. Louis, but we’ve had some really strong games where we played hard, we played excitable and emotional hockey. And I think that’s what we need. We need to have that to bring consistency in every game.”
Chicago, which is likely destined to claim a top-three draft pick for the third consecutive year, will spend the remaining two months of the season trying to build a culture that brings better days in the rebuild.
With that goal in mind, interim coach Anders Sorensen continues to hammer home the positives and push for improvement.
“We’ll try to cut down on our D-zone time a little bit,” he said. “And then overall individually for guys to keep taking strides here, if it’s young guys or even some of the older guys to keep progressing here.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
PK save in final minutes helps Galaxy earn tie vs. Earthquakes
Jul 25, 2026; Stanford, CA, USA; San Jose Earthquakes midfield Nick Fernandez (20) and LA Galaxy midfield Lucas Sanabria (8) battle for the ball during the first half at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images James Marcinkowski saved a penalty shot five minutes into extra time as the visiting Los Angeles Galaxy preserved a 1-1 tie against the San Jose Earthquakes in the latest installment of the California Clasico rivalry at Stanford, Calif.
Marcinkowski, who is in his second season with the Galaxy after five seasons with the Earthquakes, made a dive to his left to stop a shot from the spot by the Earthquakes’ Timo Werner. Marcinkowski finished with five saves.
Joseph Paintsil scored a goal in the first half for Los Angeles (5-7-6, 21 points), who earned a point for the first time in three matches since the World Cup break ended.
Reid Roberts scored a goal in the 62nd minute for the Earthquakes (10-4-3, 33 points), who were unable to convert the go-ahead goal late in the match after Ousseni Bouda earned a penalty on a foul from Marcinkowski.
Angus Gunn, who played for Scotland in the World Cup, made one save in his second match since joining San Jose during the break.
The Galaxy opened the scoring in the 13th minute when 19-year-old Harbor Miller took the ball up the right side and found Marco Reus in the middle of the field. Reus sent Paintsil forward on a breakaway and the forward slid home his fourth goal of the season.
The Earthquakes got even in the 62nd minute after the Galaxy nearly coughed up an own goal on a clearance header that clanked off the crossbar.
The rebound came to the feet of San Jose’s Benji Kikanovich, who fired a shot that was knocked down in the penalty area. Roberts cleaned up a loose ball on the goal line for his second tally of the season.
Paintsil nearly gave Los Angeles the lead in the 83rd minute before Gunn used his right hand to swat away a shot headed toward the upper right corner of the goal.
While the Galaxy were without defenders Jakob Glesnes (yellow-card accumulation) and Emiro Garces (red card on Wednesday), the Earthquakes were without forward Preston Judd (yellow-card accumulation).
–Field Level Media
Sports
Rams QB Ty Simpson becomes last first-round pick to sign
Jun 2, 2026; Woodland Hills, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Ty Simpson (15) throws the ball during organized team activities at Rams Practice Facility. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Quarterback Ty Simpson became the last of the 2026 first-round draft picks to sign on Saturday, coming to terms with the Los Angeles Rams.
The rookie’s contract is fully guaranteed at four years and $25.4 million with a $14.9 signing bonus, NFL Network reported on Saturday.
The Rams, with reigning NFL Most Valuable Player Matthew Stafford at quarterback, made a stunning selection in April by drafting Simpson with the 13th overall pick.
Simpson, projected as a second-rounder, passed for 3,567 yards with 28 touchdowns and five interceptions in 15 games at Alabama last season, his first as a starter. He now is projected to have time to develop as a backup to Stafford, 38.
The only other quarterback to be selected in the first round, Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, went No. 1 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders. The Heisman Trophy winner signed a four-year rookie deal worth a fully guaranteed $57.27 million which includes a fifth-year option.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Another Tiger possibly on trade block, Casey Mize, faces Royals
Jul 19, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Detroit Tigers pitcher Casey Mize (12) pitches during the second inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images The possibility of Tarik Skubal getting traded has loomed over the Tigers all season. But another key Detroit starter and impending free agent, Casey Mize, also could swap out uniforms if the Tigers choose to sell before the Aug. 3 trade deadline.
Mize could be making his last appearance with the club when the Tigers host the Kansas City Royals on Saturday afternoon.
The 29-year-old right-hander has battled groin tightness at various times this season, but when he’s been on the mound, he has delivered quality innings. Mize (4-6, 2.79 ERA) has allowed two or fewer runs in 11 of his 15 starts.
Mize had his latest start, his first after the All-Star break, cut short when a comebacker from Los Angeles Angels’ Jo Adell struck his left wrist. He exited after 3 1/3 innings but didn’t have any lingering effects from the injury.
“I’m good,” Mize said, according to the Detroit News. “I (am) looking forward to Saturday. We’ve been checking all the boxes that we need to and I’m feeling good.”
Mize, who gave up one run and five hits and a walk with five strikeouts in Anaheim, Calif., is not dwelling on the trade speculation.
“Where we are as a team makes that more simple (to deal with),” Mize said. “There are so many unknowns. We’re in a 10-game sprint right now, and it takes tons of focus on what we’re doing here and now, day to day. That’s kind of how I’ve always played, so that makes it pretty easy to focus on that instead of the other stuff. I’m just leaning on that and really caring about what we’re doing right now.”
Mize hasn’t faced the Royals this season, but he has made more career starts against them than any other club. He is 3-2 with a 4.97 ERA in 13 starts vs. Kansas City. Royals catcher Salvador Perez has a .424 average with five extra-base hits against him in 33 at-bats.
Michael Wacha (5-7, 3.66) will start for the Royals. Wacha was sharp in his first start after his All-Star appearance, holding San Francisco to one run and three hits in six innings on Monday.
The 35-year-old right-hander had one of his best outings of the season against the Tigers on May 9, tossing seven scoreless innings. He only allowed two hits and two walks while striking out six.
In 11 career starts against Detroit, he is 3-3 with a 2.95 ERA.
Like Mize, Wacha is a potential trade candidate, as is another veteran Royals starter, Seth Lugo. Wacha is signed through next season with a club option for 2028.
“We’ll be open-minded to anything,” Royals general manager J.J. Picollo said. “But we have to be very, very pointed on what we want to get out of any one of those two. And it’s also, they made a commitment to us, and that’s big. And I think that’s important to the morale of the team.”
The Tigers have won three straight, including the first two games of the current four-game series. Skubal struck out 12 in 7 1/3 innings of one-run ball during the Tigers’ 2-1 victory on Friday.
Kansas City had won three straight prior to visiting Detroit, while the Tigers have won three in a row.
–Field Level Media
PK save in final minutes helps Galaxy earn tie vs. Earthquakes
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