Sports
Tage Thompson, Peyton Krebs lead Sabres past Devils
Feb 25, 2026; Newark, New Jersey, USA; Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson (72) celebrates his goal against the New Jersey Devils during the second period at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images Tage Thompson and Peyton Krebs each had a goal and an assist for the Buffalo Sabres in a 2-1 win against the host New Jersey Devils on Wednesday.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 27 saves for the Sabres in his return after missing five games with a lower-body injury.
Timo Meier scored and Jake Allen made 28 saves for the Devils, who have lost four straight and six of seven.
Thompson gave Buffalo a 1-0 lead at 8:10 of the second period. Krebs collected a chip pass from Bowen Byram in the neutral zone to create a 2-on-1, carrying it to the top of the left circle before sending it under Brett Pesce’s stick over to Thompson. The center received it inside the right circle, dragged it to the slot and fired a wrist shot past Allen blocker side.
After a slow start to the period for the Sabres, Thompson’s goal gave them a jump in their step as they pressed to extend their lead on the following shift.
The Devils had their opportunities to equalize. Luukkonen got over to deny Dawson Mercer from the right circle on a 2-on-1 midway through the frame. Nick Bjugstad was alone in front, but the center’s shot deflected off Luukkonen’s mask and over the net. Nico Hischier missed wide on a short-handed breakaway with two and a half minutes left in the period.
Krebs made it 2-0 at 10:36 of the third period. Jack Hughes lost control of the puck inside his own blue line, and Thompson, his Team USA teammate at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, poked it away to take it himself. Thompson sent a short feed to Krebs, who settled the bouncing puck and roofed it over Allen’s right shoulder and under the bar.
With Allen pulled for the extra attacker, Meier cut the deficit in half at 17:30. After Hughes intercepted a clearing attempt at the right point, New Jersey kept the play going in the zone. Hughes put a shot on goal from down low, and Meier jammed it in from in front.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Diamondbacks RHP Merrill Kelly to miss opener with nerve issue
Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Merrill Kelly (29) during spring training workouts on Feb. 10, 2026, at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale. Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly will miss his scheduled Opening Day start because of an intercostal nerve irritation, the team said on Wednesday.
Kelly was scheduled for additional testing Wednesday, including a CT scan, after he was scratched from a throwing session against hitters last week because of mid-back tightness.
Kelly, 37, was scheduled to start for the Diamondbacks in the regular-season opener against the host Los Angeles Dodgers on March 26.
“We’ve done pretty much every test under the sun that we can think of and everything’s coming back clear, which is a positive,” Kelly said on Wednesday. “Structurally wise, we’ve looked at the spine, we’ve looked at the ribs, we’ve looked at the muscles, we’ve looked at the tendons, we’ve looked at everything back there, and that’s all coming back good, which is a positive, obviously. But there’s still something going on back there. Still feel something. So we’re just trying to turn over every rock and kind of look wherever we can to see what we can figure out about it.”
Manager Torey Lovullo has not named a replacement starter for Opening Day, nor has he placed a timeline on Kelly’s return to action.
“I saw it as kind of my one shot to throw Opening Day,” Kelly said. “And obviously that’s disappointing, but injuries are part of it, and all I really care about at this point is being able to throw again and then be ready for the team whenever, whether it’s Opening Day or the last game of the rotation, doesn’t really matter at this point as long as I’m back for it.”
Kelly was a combined 12-9 with a 3.52 ERA in 32 starts for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers last season. He was moved to the Rangers at the trade deadline before he re-signed with the Diamondbacks in the offseason on a two-year, $40 million contract.
In seven major league seasons, the majority of which have been in Arizona, Kelly is 65-53 with a 3.77 ERA in 172 regular-season appearances (all starts).
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: USMNT M Weston McKennie to re-sign with Juventus
Jun 22, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Juventus FC midfielder Weston Mckennie (16) practices before the match against Wydad AC for a group stage match of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Caean Couto-Imagn Images Weston McKennie’s busy year continues to take flight with ESPN reporting Wednesday that the United States men’s national team midfielder is close to a contract extension with his club Juventus.
With Juventus since 2021, including a short loan to Leeds United in 2023, McKennie’s contract was set to expire at the end of the current season in Italy’s Serie A. His new deal reportedly will go 2030.
McKennie has scored 15 goals in 161 appearances since 2021 for Juventus. In 62 games with the national team, since 2017, he has 11 goals.
Born in Washington, McKennie grew up in Texas but also spent time in Germany as his father was as an officer for the United States Air Force. McKennie came up in the FC Dallas system before a transfer to FC Schalke 04 in Germany.
McKennie is expected to play a pivotal role for the USNMT during the World Cup this summer, with all U.S. games set to be played on home soil.
–Field Level Media
Sports
NCAA proposes strict penalties for adding transfers out of portal window
University logos cover a wall in the lobby of NCAA headquarters Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021, in Indianapolis.
Ncaa National Collegiate Athletics Association Office Headquarters In Indianapolis Feb 25 2021
The NCAA wants football teams to stick to the window.
That’s the message delivered by the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision Oversight Committee on Wednesday, with the organization proposing stiff penalties for schools not observing the rules surrounding the transfer portal window in early January.
Such penalties would include the head coach being prohibited from engaging in any football activities for a period of six weeks/games, the school being nailed for a fine equal to 20% of its football budget and the program losing five roster spots for the following season.
“We felt this was appropriate to place an emphasis on this rule with where we are in Division I football,” said Mark Alnutt, chair of the oversight committee and athletic director at Buffalo. “We have a window for student-athletes to notify their school when they would like to enter the Transfer Portal. If there is movement without going through the process as it is legislated, the committee felt there needed to be significant penalties.”
Multiple incidents sparked speculation that changes could be in the offing, including a notable circumstance earlier this year in which Ole Miss was able to add Clemson transfer Luke Ferrelli outside the window, much to the frustration of Clemson coach Dabo Swinney.
The oversight was introduced via emergency legislation, set to be voted on at the Division I cabinet meeting in April. If approved, the legislation would become effective immediately.
“Attempts to circumvent the transfer window process is an issue for the sport,” Georgia athletic director Josh Brooks added. “We want to let everyone know that this is not going to be allowed, and the committee wants to protect the transfer window that has been established.”
Also on the docket is a proposal to remove limitations on the number of official visits, which would disadvantage schools with smaller budgets but bring football in line with other NCAA sports. A current waiver already allows schools an unlimited amount of visits — a vote would make the change more permanent.
–Field Level Media
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Diamondbacks RHP Merrill Kelly to miss opener with nerve issue
