Sports
Pierre-Luc Dubois scores in return as Capitals power past Predators
Feb 5, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Pierre-Luc Dubois (80) celebrates after scoring a goal against the Nashville Predators during the first period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images Jakob Chychrun scored twice in a three-point performance and Pierre-Luc Dubois netted one goal and one assist in his first game in more than three months to lead the host Washington Capitals to a 4-2 victory over the Nashville Predators on Thursday.
Tom Wilson also scored for the Capitals, who have won four of five games, while Dylan Strome netted two assists.
Goaltender Logan Thompson made 27 saves in his first game back from missing four games due to injury, and in a final tuneup before going to the Olympics with Team Canada.
Jonathan Marchessault and Michael McCarron replied for the Predators, who were defeated in two games on successive nights.
Goalie Justus Annunen stopped 26 shots and Adam Wilsby collected a pair of assists.
Wilson, who is also off to Italy to play for Canada, opened the scoring when the puck came to him in the high slot and he buried a shot through the screen at the 4:15 mark and snapped a nine-game goal drought.
Dubois, who last played on Halloween, doubled the lead with his first goal of the season eight minutes later. He picked up the puck in the left circle and wired home a blocker-side shot.
Chychrun, surprisingly not named to Canada’s club, hit the 20-goal mark on the season when he made it a 3-0 game just before the midway point of the second period. The slick-skating blueliner eluded a check in the neutral zone, worked to the slot and unloaded a wrist shot off the bar and in the net.
He is the second defenseman in franchise history to record consecutive 20-goal seasons, joining Larry Murphy.
Marchessault gave the Predators a jolt by putting them on the board with 2:20 remaining in the second period when a deflected puck that ricocheted off his skate and into the net.
McCarron made it a one-goal game 77 seconds into the third period, and just after the Capitals had a potential goal overturned by a successful coach’s challenge for offside. During a scramble, McCarron converted his second rebound attempt.
However, Chychrun salted away the victory with 6:49 remaining in the third period by firing a top-corner shot from the slot for a power-play tally. His 21st goal marked a career high.
The win came at a cost for Washington, as defenseman John Carlson left the game late in the first period due to a lower-body injury.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Reports: Nets waive G Cam Thomas after trade deadline
Jan 30, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas (24) dribbles against the Utah Jazz during the first half at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images The Brooklyn Nets ended their sometimes sour relationship with guard Cam Thomas on Thursday by releasing him to allow him to be a free agent, according to multiple reports.
Thomas signed a $5.9 million qualifying offer last summer after he and the Nets could not agree to contract terms. Brooklyn reportedly tried to shop him before Thursday’s trade deadline.
Now he is in an unrestricted free agent instead of being restricted, which would have given the Nets the right to match any offer sheet.
“Super excited, ready to actually help and contribute to another team,” Thomas, 24, told ESPN. “My next team is getting elite scoring, good playmaking and a good combo guard.”
Thomas ranked second on the team with a 15.6 scoring average and averaged 3.1 assists and 2.0 turnovers per game in 24 contests (eight starts) this season after missing 20 games because of a strained left hamstring.
He was Brooklyn’s leading scorer in the 2023-24 regular season (22.5) and averaged a team-best 24.0 scoring average in only 25 games in 2024-25 before he was limited by hamstring issues.
For his career, Thomas averages 15.2 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 23.3 minutes in 239 regular-season games (88 starts).
Brooklyn selected Thomas with the 27th overall pick of the 2021 NBA Draft.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Cowboys to play in NFL’s first game in Rio de Janeiro
Nov 23, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; A general view of a Dallas Cowboys helmet before the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images The Dallas Cowboys will participate in the NFL’s first game in Rio de Janeiro in 2026, the league announced Thursday.
The 78,000-seat Maracana Stadium, which has hosted World Cup matches and the 2016 Olympic opening and closing ceremonies, will host the game. The league previously announced Rio as one of its new international markets; at least three regular-season games will be played there in the next five years.
The Cowboys’ opponent and the game date will be announced at a later date, but it’s likely to be early in the season. The NFL came to Brazil for the first time in 2024, and its Sao Paulo games in 2025 and 2026 were played on Friday of Week 1.
The Philadelphia Eagles beat the Green Bay Packers in Sao Paulo in 2024 and the Los Angeles Chargers beat the Kansas City Chiefs there this past year.
The NFL is adding International Series games in Melbourne, Paris and Rio for the first time in 2026 while continuing series in London, Madrid, Mexico City and Munich. Earlier Thursday, the NFL announced the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers would contest the Melbourne game, the league’s first in Australia.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: Emmanuel Clase's pitch-rigging more frequent than believed
Jul 26, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Cleveland Guardians relief pitcher Emmanuel Clase (48) celebrates with catcher Austin Hedges (27) after the win over the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images Thanks to a document filed by an attorney representing Cleveland Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz, there’s new suspicion that Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase participated in pitch-fixing far more frequently than previously believed.
According to an ESPN report, Ortiz’s attorney submitted a document Thursday stating that Clase has been accused of throwing rigged pitches in 48 games over a 26-month period.
When Clase was indicted for fraud, conspiracy and bribery in November, federal prosecutors cited nine games’ worth of evidence against Clase beginning in May 2023.
Ortiz was indicted on similar charges, but he allegedly began pitch-fixing in June 2025 and only was accused of doing it in two games.
Reportedly, the rationale for Ortiz’s attorney mentioning the 48 games is to draw a sharper contrast between Clase’s behavior and that of his client. Clase also reportedly handled all correspondence with Dominican Republic-based bettors who benefited from the rigged pitches.
Ortiz was placed on non-disciplinary paid leave by Major League Baseball on July 3 and Clase joined him on July 28. Neither has pitched since, though both pleaded not guilty to all charges in November.
They are scheduled to go to trial May 4.
Clase, 27, generally was regarded as MLB’s best closer. Over six seasons spent primarily in Cleveland, the three-time All-Star posted a 1.88 ERA with 182 saves in 366 appearances. He averaged 8.7 strikeouts and 1.8 walks per nine innings.
Ortiz, 27, who was traded to Cleveland prior to the 2025 season after spending three years with the Pittsburgh Pirates, has amassed a 16-22 record and a 4.05 ERA in 75 games (50 starts).
–Field Level Media
Reports: Nets waive G Cam Thomas after trade deadline
Cowboys to play in NFL’s first game in Rio de Janeiro
