Sports
Sabres seek sixth straight victory as Canadiens come to town
Jan 29, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; Buffalo Sabres right wing Alex Tuch (89)celebrates his third goal of the game with teammates during the third period against the Los Angeles Kings at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images Two of the NHL’s best stories so far this season will highlight a busy Saturday slate as the Montreal Canadiens head south of the border to face the division-rival Buffalo Sabres.
The Sabres come into the clash as the league’s hottest team, carrying a five-game win streak, while the high-flying Canadiens enter as winners of their past two, including a 7-3 thrashing of the NHL-leading Colorado Avalanche on Thursday.
Captain Nick Suzuki tallied two goals and an assist, while Juraj Slafkovsky and Kirby Dach each finished with a goal and an assist in the blowout victory.
“Yeah, it feels great,” Suzuki remarked to the media when asked about the Canadiens back-to-back wins over formidable opponents in the Vegas Golden Knights and Avalanche. “Our division and the conference is super tight and every point is going to matter coming down to the stretch.”
Lane Hutson, Ivan Demidov, Oliver Kapanen and Zack Bolduc also chipped in with a pair of assists each in the victory.
Despite conquering the league’s top team, Slafkovsky kept his eyes set on their upcoming divisional clash in the postgame presser.
“We had a good start from the first shift, we were making plays,” Slafkovsky said when asked about the victory. “… It’s a big win for us for sure, but now we have to focus on Saturday.”
Montreal has plenty of reason to give its upcoming contest extra attention, seeing as Buffalo has already taken down the Canadiens twice this month, with a 5-3 home victory on Jan. 15, followed up by a 4-2 road win on Jan. 22.
A date with the Sabres is no longer the walk in the park that it had been for so many years.
With their last playoff appearance dating back to 2011, the Sabres were year after year one of the league’s punching bags. Thanks to a 17-6-3 home record and a tie in points with the Canadiens for the third spot in the Atlantic division, the tide finally seems to be turning in Western New York.
After wins on the road against the Nashville Predators, Montreal, the New York Islanders and the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Sabres returned home and secured a 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday.
Alex Tuch had a hat trick and Alex Lyon set a franchise record with his 10th consecutive victory between the pipes for Buffalo.
“So, for me. I’m just happy for the team,” Lyon humbly said when speaking to the media about his record-setting accomplishment. “My goal coming into the season was to help win games and try to fight for that ultimate goal, and that’s what’s most important to me.”
Jack Quinn tallied a trio of assists and Ryan McLeod picked up a pair as well to help the Sabres notch their 20th win over their past 24 games (20-3-1).
“We’re coming in with a lot of confidence,” Tuch said to the media. “Everybody’s coming in trying to prove themselves, and we’re trying to prove as a team that we’re legit. We’re not just gonna go for the playoffs, we’re gonna go for the (Stanley) Cup, and that’s our goal: get better each and every day.”
A franchise that has yet to etch its name on the side of Lord Stanley’s silver since their inception in 1970, their first playoff appearance in 15 years would seemingly be a huge step toward turning dreams into reality for Sabres fans.
–Field Level Media
Sports
ATP roundup: Ben Shelton shows love of clay, wins BMW title
Ben Shelton connects with the ball during his second-round match at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., Friday, March 6, 2026. Ben Shelton rolled to his second title of the year, winning the BMW Open with a 6-2, 7-5 victory over Italy’s Flavio Cobolli at Munich, Germany.
Shelton won 85% of his first-serve points on the clay surface and saved all six break points he faced to win his fifth career title and first since Dallas earlier this year. Shelton showed his form early when he broke Cobolli’s serve twice in the first three games of the match.
With the second set tied 5-5, Shelton broke Cobolli again and won on serve on his first match point. Shelton became the first American man since 2009 to win three ATP 500 titles.
“I have big ambitions for the clay courts,” Shelton said in his post-match interview. “It is a surface I want to get better on each year. It is slowly becoming one of my favorite surfaces to play on.”
Barcelona Open
Arthur Fils of France held off a late charge from Russia’s Andrey Rublev to record a 6-2, 7-6 (2) victory in the final of the tournament.
Fils won his first title since returning in February after missing eight months because of a back injury.
Fils was well on his way to victory after cruising in the first set and leading 5-2 in the second before Rublev dug in his heels. Rublev broke Fils’ serve to pull within 5-4 in the second set, then staved off one match point to make it 5-5.
Rublev broke serve again to lead 6-5 in the second set before Fils finally regained control and finished off the match in a tiebreak.
“The end of the second set was just about the mental (pressure),” Fils said. “The whole match was a bit tough because I was a bit tight. I played well for a set and a half, but when I had to close, I started to think a little. But I’m very happy with the way I played the tiebreak.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
WTA roundup: Elena Rybakina wins at Stuttgart for second time
Aug 31, 2025; Flushing, NY, USA; Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan in action against Marketa Vondrousova of Czech Republic in the fourth round of the women’s singles at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images Second-seeded Elena Rybakina won 25 of her 32 first-serve points (78.1%) and needed just 78 minutes on Sunday to post a 7-5, 6-1 victory over Karolina Muchova to win the championship match of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Germany.
Rybakina, of Kazakhstan, had three aces while winning her 13th career title and second in Stuttgart. She also won the event in 2024. This victory marks the first time she has won multiple titles at a tournament.
The Czech Republic’s Muchova, the No. 7 seed, was much less efficient on her first serves, winning just 52.3% (23 of 44). She saved four of eight break points.
Muchova trailed 5-2 in the first set before winning three straight games to knot the match. But Rybakina won the final two games and then sailed through the second set to win her fifth clay court title.
Rouen Metropolitan Open
Top-seeded Marta Kostyuk hit 34 winners against 23 unforced errors while claiming a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Veronika Podrez in the first all-Ukrainian WTA final at Rouen, France.
Kostyuk converted 6 of 9 break points against the 19-year-old Podrez to win her second singles title. Podrez, a qualifier, was playing in her first final.
“This match today was not just a match,” Kostyuk said during the trophy presentation. “It was a historical moment for Ukrainian tennis. First time two Ukrainians playing in the final. I know how much work, sacrifice, tears and sweat goes into this sport and to be able to be on this stage. So I’m incredibly proud of Ukrainian tennis right now.”
Podrez had just one ace while committing seven double faults.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Former Georgia WR Zachariah Branch arrested
Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch (1) takes questions from the press during the Sugar Bowl and College Football Playoff quarterfinals Media Day at Sheraton New Orleans Hotel in New Orleans, La., on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. Players and coaches from Ole Miss and Georgia took questions from the press. Wide receiver Zachariah Branch, a Georgia standout who was expected to be selected in the NFL Draft later this week, was arrested early Sunday in Athens, Ga., according to Athens-Clarke County jail records.
Branch, 22, was charged with obstructing public sidewalks/streets and obstruction of a law enforcement officer, both misdemeanors. He was booked at 1:26 a.m. and released on bond at 3:44 a.m.
Widely projected as a Day 2 NFL draft pick, estimates show Branch going as high as the second round on Friday.
In his first season at Georgia, following a transfer from Southern California, Branch led the Bulldogs with 81 receptions for 811 yards and six touchdowns last season. Georgia went 12-2 and lost 39-34 to Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl.
In three college seasons, the first two at USC, Branch had 159 receptions for 1,634 yards and nine touchdowns in 37 games.
–Field Level Media
ATP roundup: Ben Shelton shows love of clay, wins BMW title
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