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Lightning, Red Wings each licking wounds entering clash

NHL: Detroit Red Wings at New Jersey DevilsMar 8, 2026; Newark, New Jersey, USA; Detroit Red Wings left wing Lucas Raymond (23) looks to pass the puck against the New Jersey Devils during the third period at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Salus-Imagn Images

The Detroit Red Wings and host Tampa Bay Lightning limp into their third matchup this season coming off bad losses on Tuesday night in Florida.

Holding the top wild-card spot, the Red Wings had another terrible-looking injury to a forward, this time Andrew Copp, in a 4-3 setback against the Florida Panthers.

Coach Todd McLellan’s team, which leads the Boston Bruins by just one point in the wild-card standings and is three points clear of the bubble, appeared to be headed to a significant victory, leading 3-2 with 1:30 left.

Panthers forward Carter Verhaeghe, however, leveled the game with 90 seconds left.

Tied 3-3, Detroit could have headed to overtime with at least one point in the bank, but the club took off greedily on a three-on-two rush with 25 seconds to go.

A turnover spun the play back toward the Red Wings’ defensive end, and Florida’s Sam Bennett and Matthew Tkachuk worked the puck over for Verhaeghe’s go-ahead goal at the 15-second mark on a shot that clipped the stick of new Wings defenseman Justin Faulk, acquired from the St. Louis Blues on Friday.

It was a devastating defeat for a club needing every point in the Eastern Conference’s tight playoff race.

“We have a job to do, and the first thing we have to do is recover from this loss,” stated McLellan, whose group is 4-6-2 in the past dozen matches. “Then we have to figure out how to plug some holes. … It’s another (game) where, at the least, we should be leaving with a point. But we’re not. It’s a tough one to swallow.”

Copp’s injury comes on the heels of the one sustained by fellow forward Dylan Larkin last Friday, also against Florida. The captain (28 goals, 55 points) has missed the last two games.

Another listless showing in Tuesday’s 5-2 home loss to Columbus dropped the Lightning to 1-6-0 in the past seven matches. They played without two defensemen in Darren Raddysh (personal) and Erik Cernak, who was injured in a fight with Michael Kesselring in the Buffalo Sabres’ wild 8-7 win Sunday night.

Compounded with Max Crozier’s long-term injury and Emil Lilleberg’s facial fracture, their rear guard has taken a major hit.

Cooper admitted after Tuesday’s loss that his team was “in a rut.”

The Atlantic Division’s second-place team has excelled offensively and defensively this season, but it generated just 18 shots against Columbus and has been outscored 35-22 over the last seven games.

Cooper said his squad is failing to get out on its patented fastbreak.

“Tonight was abnormally bad,” he said. ” … This little rut we’re in has lasted a lot longer than I anticipated. There’s probably a little frustration that sets in. … Our rhythm’s not there, obviously our execution is clearly not there. I think our emotions have been a little bit of a roller coaster.

“When something goes poorly in the game, we kind of compound it. … Our heads are down, a little bit of kicking the can. We’ve just got to make sure there’s no pity party here.”

J.J. Moser scored for the seventh time in the Columbus loss, tying his career high for goals set in 2022-23.

The two teams have not met since November and split a pair of early season contests, each winning on home ice.

–Field Level Media

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Galaxy extend D Jakob Glesnes through 2028-29

MLS: Preseason-Coachella Valley InvitationalFeb 8, 2026; Indio, California, USA; LA Galaxy defender Jakob Glesnes (5) poses for a photo after the MLS preseason match against Chicago Fire FC at Empire Polo Club. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

The LA Galaxy signed star defender Jakob Glesnes to a contract extension through the 2028-29 season.

The team acquired Glesnes the 31-year-old Norwegian center back from the Philadelphia Union in December.

Glesnes, the 2022 MLS Defender of the Year, is a two-time MLS Best XI selection and a three-time MLS All-Star.

“Jakob has been an exemplary addition to the Galaxy, and we are excited to announce that he is extending his time with the club,” Galaxy general manager Will Kuntz said in a news release Tuesday.

“His impact in the dressing room and in all phases of the game on the field have provided a huge boost to our group from the first day of preseason. We are thrilled that Jakob will be a key part of our future and look forward to what we’ll accomplish together.”

Glesnes has recorded nine goals and 10 assists in 184 MLS regular-season matches (181 starts) with Philadelphia (2020-25) and the Galaxy.

–Field Level Media

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Report: Chargers re-signing All-Pro special teamer Del'Shawn Phillips

NFL: Pittsburgh Steelers at Los Angeles ChargersNov 9, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Del’Shawn Phillips (53) celebrates after a muffed punt recovery against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the fourth quarter of the game at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Chargers are re-signing special teams standout Del’Shawn Phillips to a two-year, $7.5 million contract worth up to $10.5 million in incentives, the NFL Network reported on Wednesday.

Phillips, 29, was selected second-team All-Pro for special teams in his first season with the Chargers in 2025. Phillips played in 17 regular-season games (one start) and had 37 tackles, one sack and one fumble recovery.

He participated on 80% of special teams plays (352).

Phillips has 113 tackles, two sacks, one forced fumble and three fumble recoveries in 86 career games (three starts) for the Buffalo Bills (2020), New York Jets (2021), Baltimore Ravens (2022-23), Houston Texans (2024) and Chargers.

–Field Level Media

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PGA Tour targets marquee courses, big markets and meritocracy

Syndication: Florida Times-UnionPGA Tour CEO Brian Rolopp addresses a the media, tournament sponsors and Tour employees during a news conference on March 11 at the PGA Tour Global Home in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – While no final decisions have been made, plans are being laid out to “build the best version of the PGA Tour” possible with an emphasis on meritocracy, a 26-event season and the possible introduction of matchplay at the end of the year, says CEO Brian Rolapp.

During a massively attended press conference Wednesday at the PGA Tour’s ‘Global Home,’ Rolapp outlined six pivotal themes shaping the Tour’s future.

“This remains a work in progress, and it is by no means a baked cake,” said Rolapp, who was speaking ahead of the Players Championship. “These are simply areas where we are starting to see a meaningful consensus….this is a complex process with many constituencies impacted. We will continue to move with urgency, but we are focused on getting it right.

“We went into this project with a very clear objective: to build the best version of the PGA Tour, one that better serves our fans, players, and partners. Throughout the process we are keeping today’s fans and the fans of tomorrow at the center of our work, making sure that everything we do and every decision we consider is evaluated through that lens.”

Rolapp continues to work closely with Tiger Woods and the Future Competitions Committee with their collective focus placed on a competitive model built on meritocracy.

“This is not a closed shop,” Rolapp said. “We are aiming to create a more cohesive schedule with a simpler point system, one where the best players compete against one another more frequently.

“Fans know who the best players are. They are the players who perform best on the course. Our competitive model will be built around elevating those who prove themselves to be the top performers inside the ropes.”

Rolapp unveiled plans to double the number of signature events to 16, add in the four existing majors and the Players Championship and then designate a secondary wave of Tier II events.

“As we look at the calendar, there is an emphasis on playing our season from late January to early September … we are looking at roughly 21 to 26 tournaments on a first track of elevated events with the best players competing for higher purses,” he said. “We will then have a second track of PGA Tour tournaments which will ladder up to those elevated events.”

As a second theme, Rolapp said that more consistent fields would be established, with a move away from small fields and no-cut events.

“Ideally, we are targeting something closer to 120-player fields with a cut,” he added. “That consistently matters. It helps fans know who they will see and showcases who they want to see, the most competitive players. It helps partners know what they’re investing in, and it helps players better understand the competitive landscape in their schedules, all while embracing meritocracy.”

Opening the season with a marquee event at an iconic venue on the West Coast was another piece of the expanded vision for the PGA Tour, according to Rolapp.

“That will then allow us to finish on network television in primetime on the East Coast,” he said.

A fourth theme would focus on where the PGA Tour played its tournaments, and plans were afoot to include bigger markets such as New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Washington DC and Boston.

“Today the PGA Tour competes in only four of the top 10 largest U.S. media markets,” said Rolapp. “That is an opportunity. We are evaluating other markets … places where there is a strong fan demand for our sport, and a chance to reach new fans.”

Rolapp dispelled any idea that his definition of “scarcity” in scheduling meant a reduction in the number of events each year.

“Ultimately, scarcity is not about the number of events we have, but rather scarcity is about making every event we have matter,” he explained. “This is why we are evaluating the role of promotion and relegation between these two tracks within our competitive model… what we envision is a merit-based system that leans into what makes professional golf so compelling, players earning their way to the top, with every event having greater meaning.”

The sixth and final theme hinged on adding more drama to the PGA Tour schedule, including the possible addition of match play.

“We are exploring ways to enhance the post-season,” said Rolapp. “We have heard from our fans and our partners, they want more drama. We are considering the potential integration of match play, either at the Tour Championship or across the post-season as a whole, bringing win-or-go-home moments to the conclusion of our season.”

While everything outlined by Rolapp on Wednesday remains a work in progress with nothing yet decided, he planned to have further updates in late June.

“Nothing has been finalized,” he said. “We are still doing our work and gathering input from our players, our partners, and other key stakeholders. No recommendations have gone to our player-led boards. Looking ahead, we expect to make more meaningful progress by this

summer, and following our June 22nd board meeting, I plan to host another press conference at the Travelers Championship.”

-Mark Lamport-Stokes, Field Level Media

-Mark Lamport-Stokes, Field Level Media

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