Sports
NHL stars arrive in Milan for first Olympics since 2014
Flagbearer Nino Niederreiter of Switzerland leads their contingent in the athletes parade during the opening ceremony on Friday in Milan. MILAN, Italy — The NHL’s biggest stars began their long-awaited return to the Olympic stage on Friday, as players battled exhaustion to join their national teams at the Milan Cortina Games five days before their competition begins.
The National Hockey League began its Olympic break on Friday, freeing up dozens of players to fly into Milan as it allows its athletes to compete at the Games for the first time in 12 years.
“Of course, I’m jet lagged,” said Czech goalie Lukas Dostal, who was the first NHL player to practice at Santagiulia Arena after arriving in Milan on Thursday night.
“I didn’t have much time to see around because I got here last night so I just went to my room, got some dinner, slept, and just got here,” said the Anaheim Ducks goaltender, who got a head-start after his team played its final game on Tuesday night.
A representative for the Swiss team said six of its players were arriving on Friday, including three from the New Jersey Devils who played on Thursday night.
Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak (Czech Republic), Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl (Germany) and Winnipeg Jets winger Nino Niederreiter (Switzerland) each served as flag-bearers for their respective countries during Friday’s opening ceremony.
Dostal said he had planned to skip the opening ceremony in favor of rest but had a change of heart.
“I woke up and I’m like, ‘Hey, it’s one-of-a-kind experience’,” he told reporters.
‘DIFFERENT LEVEL’
Other players will have more of a buffer between the bruising NHL schedule and their Olympic campaign. The United States team, which is comprised entirely of NHL players, will wait to host its first practice in Milan on Sunday.
Canada, meanwhile, have already felt the wear-and-tear of the NHL season, having replaced two injured players in their roster this week.
The roughly 150 NHL players expected to compete in Milan will bring a megawatt spotlight to their sport and promise a true “best-on-best” tournament, after two Olympic cycles with players from outside the top-flight North American league.
“It’s good that I know how it is to play against them,” said Czech winger Dominik Kubalik, an NHL alum who competed in 2018 and plays in the Swiss National League. “It’s going to be a different level.”
One glaring omission from the world’s best is the NHL’s top Russian stars, such as all-time goal-scoring leader Alex Ovechkin, who are banned from competing at Milano Cortina as part of sanctions imposed following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
–Reuters, special to Field Level Media
Sports
Timo Baumgartl scores in 61st minute as St. Louis City tie FC Dallas
Apr 11, 2026; Frisco, Texas, USA; St. Louis CITY SC forward Simon Becher (11) dribbles the ball as FC Dallas defender Osaze Urhoghide (3) defends during the first half at Toyota Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images Timo Baumgartl’s 61st-minute goal negated Louicius Deedson’s opener as visiting St. Louis City SC earned a 1-1 draw against FC Dallas.
The equalizer was the first goal in four matches at Toyota Stadium for St. Louis (1-3-3, 6 points), which has gone 1-0-2 in its last three matches after getting shut out in three straight.
Dallas (3-1-3, 12 points) is now unbeaten (2-0-2) in its last four matches and has outscored St. Louis, 8-1, in those four home matches.
The teams played to a scoreless draw in the opening 45 minutes, despite chances from both sides. St. Louis’ Marcel Hartel had two chances himself early on.
He took the ball down to the end line in the third minute and sent it across the goal mouth, but there was nobody home to tap it in. Then, in the 21st minute, Hartel took the ball down the left side into the box and tried to beat Michael Collodi to the near post, but Dallas’ goalkeeper turned it aside.
In the 30th minute, Conrad Wallem just missed connecting with Sergio Cordova, which would have left the St. Louis attacker alone in the middle.
Dallas’ Kaick, who came on for his injured Brazilian countryman Ramiro in the 36th minute, was high on a header three minutes later off a cross into the box from Deedson.
Petar Musa, who came into the match tied for the MLS lead with seven goals, was quiet for most of the first half, but he came alive late.
He was called offside on an attempt that hit the post in the third minute of extra time, and then, one minute later, he took a pass from Logan Farrington into the box and forced a save from St. Louis goalkeeper Roman Burki, who had two saves.
Musa played a role in Dallas’ goal three minutes into the second half. He intercepted a St. Louis pass and freed up Deedson on the left side, and the Haitian International finished for his first goal of the season.
The assist was Musa’s first of the season, and the goal stood up for 20 minutes. St. Louis’ Daniel Edelman sent a ball to the far post, where two teammates ran onto it. Baumgartl got in first and finished Edelman’s cross with a right-footed shot from close range.
Burki and Collodi, who had four saves, denied late winners off attempts from both attacking sides to preserve the draw.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Team Liquid 1st team to 2-0 at LCS Spring
YMCA member Austin Manengu works the keyboard as he plays a game of Fortnite during the unveiling of the new gaming lab at the Maplewood Family YMCA in Rochester Thursday, June 20, 2024. YMCA of Greater Rochester in partnership with Metro Sports & Entertainment Group will open two gaming labs for youth and teens this year. Team Liquid moved to the top of the standings with a win over Shopify Rebellion as Week 2 of the regular season of the LCS Spring event began Saturday.
Team Liquid won 2-0 in a battle of 1-0 teams, while LYON beat Dignitas 2-1 in the other match of the day.
Eight teams will compete in best-of-three matches in the round-robin regular season before advancing to the playoffs of the League of Legends event, which will be contested in best-of-five matches in a double-elimination format. The top two teams will qualify for the Mid-Season Invitational.
Liquid completed its sweep with a pair of wins on blue in 25 and 38 minutes. Brandon “Josedeodo” Villegas of Argentina and Ru-han “Morgan” Park of South Korea took home MVP honors in the triumph.
Dignitas won the opener of its match in 33 minutes before LYON roared back with a 36-minute victory on red followed by a 30-minute clincher on blue. American/Indian competitor Niship “Dhokla” Doshi and Jonah “Isles” Rosario of Australia were MVPs for the two LYON victories, and American Lawrence “Exyu” Xu was MVP of Dignitas’ opening victory.
Week 2 concludes Sunday with FlyQuest facing Disguised and Sentinels taking on Cloud9.
Regular season standings (Win-loss total, map differential)
1. Team Liquid, 2-0, 4-1
T2 Cloud9, 1-0, 2-1
T2. Disguised, 1-0, 2-1
T4. Shopify Rebellion, 1-1, 2-2
T4. Lyon, 1-1, 3-3
T6. FlyQuest, 0-1, 1-2
T6. Sentinels, 0-1, 1-2
8. Dignitas, 0-2, 1-4
–Field Level Media
Sports
Rose Lavelle records goal, assist in USWNT's victory over Japan
Apr 11, 2026; San Jose, California, USA; United States midfielder Rose Lavelle (16) reacts after scoring a goal against Japan during the first half at PayPal Park. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images Rose Lavelle celebrated her 100th start with a goal and an assist to help the U.S. women’s national team to a 2-1 win in San Jose, Calif., on Saturday to open a three-match series against Japan.
Lavelle, in her 119th match, scored in the 9th minute off a set piece then set up Lindsey Heaps in the 48th for the 2-0 lead.
Riko Ueki stunned the Americans in the 61st minute to cut the deficit in half on their first goal allowed in nine matches.
The friendlies continue Tuesday in Seattle and Friday in Commerce City, Colo.
The Americans got the early advantage after Sophia Wilson drew a foul. She played her first USWNT match since Oct. 27, 2024, and made her first start since the gold medal match in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Wilson gave birth to a daughter in September 2025.
On the ensuing restart, Trinity Rodman was to the left of the goal when she sent a flighted ball to the middle of the box. Lavelle used her left foot to flick it past goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita for her 28th goal with the national team.
The U.S. failed to double the lead 14 minutes later when an unmarked Alyssa Thompson at the left post couldn’t convert a cross from Wilson.
Alyssa and Gisele Thompson broke the USWNT record for sisters starting in the same match with four. Samantha and Kristie Mewis started in the same match three times.
It didn’t take long after the break to gain some breathing room thanks to the high pressure from Gisele Thompson which created a turnover. She sent Lavelle down the left channel but Lavelle’s service to the box was blocked.
Fortunately for the U.S., the ball deflected to Lavelle and she found Heaps on the run for a left-footed shot and her 40th goal.
The USWNT’s scoreless streak ended at 865 minutes as Ueki, who entered at the start of the second half, took a headed pass from Honoka Hayashi to score with a header from the center of the box.
Ueki almost tied it in the 78th minute with an 8-yard shot that forced a reactionary save by Claudia Dickey, who made four saves; Yamashita had one.
–Field Level Media
Timo Baumgartl scores in 61st minute as St. Louis City tie FC Dallas
Team Liquid 1st team to 2-0 at LCS Spring
