Sports
Nikita Kucherov scores twice to carry Lightning past Oilers
Mar 21, 2026; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Tampa Bay Lightning defensemen Charle-Edouard D’Astous (51) looks to clear the puck in front of Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (93) during the first period at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images Nikita Kucherov scored twice in a four-point performance to lead the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning to a 5-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday.
Anthony Cirelli scored twice, Jake Guentzel added a single and Brandon Hagel collected a pair of assists for the Lightning (43-21-4, 90 points), who have won three straight to maintain a hold on the second spot in the Atlantic Division.
Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy made 25 saves.
Kucherov, who recorded his fifth consecutive road game with three or more points, has collected six goals and six assists in the past three outings. He moved to the top of the NHL’s scoring race with 118 points.
Tampa Bay has won 12 of 14 games this season against Pacific Division clubs.
Connor McDavid and Josh Samanski replied for the Oilers (34-28-9, 77 points), who remain in second place in the Pacific Division despite losing two straight.
Goalie Connor Ingram stopped 22 shots for Edmonton, which opened the scoring but was done in by a trio of second-period goals by the Lightning.
Cirelli evened the score 97 seconds into the middle frame, burying a loose puck during a scramble.
Guentzel’s power-play goal put the Lightning ahead. Upon gaining the puck at the side of the net, he went to the front and sent a shot inside the far post at 12:13.
Right after the Oilers came within a whisker of tying the clash during a 5-on-3 power play, Kucherov made it a 3-1 game by converting a short-handed breakaway upon leaving the penalty box. It is his first career short-handed marker.
Samanski was credited with his first career goal on a crazy play to make it a one-goal game at 7:16 of the third period. During a scrum at the side boards, Tampa Bay’s Oliver Bjordstrand chipped the puck toward his own net. It ricocheted off the stick of Lightning defenseman Emil Lilleberg and eluded Vasilevskiy.
However, Kucherov quashed those comeback hopes with his second of the game, a quick one-timer from the bottom of the right circle set up by Hagel with 4:28 remaining in regulation.
Cirelli’s empty-net goal sealed the game.
McDavid opened the scoring with 23 seconds remaining in the first period by deflecting Evan Bouchard’s point shot.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Amen Thompson's tip-in at buzzer lifts Rockets over Heat
Mar 21, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) catches a pass against Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) in the first quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images Amen Thompson tipped in a Kevin Durant missed jumper at the buzzer, and the Houston Rockets escaped with a wild 123-122 victory over the visiting Miami Heat on Saturday night.
Durant had passed Michael Jordan’s career 32,292 points for fifth on the scoring list with a corner 3-pointer at the 3:35 mark of the fourth quarter. The Heat (38-33) moved ahead on a goaltending call against Jabari Smith Jr. when he attempted to block Simone Fontecchio’s layup after the Rockets committed a turnover on an inbounds pass by Tari Eason.
Thompson saved the Rockets (43-27) with his career-best 18th rebound, redirecting the Durant miss just before the buzzer sounded. Thompson finished with 24 points and was one of three Rockets to record double-doubles along with Reed Sheppard (23 points, 14 assists) and Alperen Sengun (19 points, 12 rebounds). Durant finished with 27 points to lead the Rockets and has 32,294 for his career.
Bam Adebayo paired 32 points with a career-high-tying 21 rebounds to pace the Heat. Tyler Herro scored 25 points but shot 0-for-5 in the fourth quarter. Fontecchio had 21 points and five 3-pointers. Pelle Larsson tallied 19 points, while Davion Mitchell had 15 points and nine assists.
Fontecchio drilled a 3 that gave the Heat an 83-80 lead at the 7:11 mark of the third quarter, the seventh lead change by that point in the period. Miami extended that margin, boosted by two Myron Gardner 3s late in the third, and the Heat extended to an 11-point cushion in the fourth.
But Smith nailed back-to-back 3s to spark the Houston comeback in the final period, and when Thompson scored on a transition dunk, the Rockets led 103-102. Sheppard made a floater with 12.7 seconds left for a 121-118 lead, only for Miami to reclaim the lead before Thompson won it.
The Heat answered the Rockets’ 8-0 start to the game with a 23-3 run that yielded a 12-point cushion. Houston responded quickly, boosted by three Sheppard 3-pointers, and when Smith made two free throws with 45 seconds left in the first quarter, Houston reclaimed a 30-29 lead.
The Rockets led 55-48 late in the second quarter before Mitchell nailed two 3s that helped Miami shave the deficit to 64-63 at the half.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Bruins surge in third, down Red Wings in race for playoff berth
Mar 21, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Boston Bruins left wing Viktor Arvidsson (71) handles the puck against Detroit Red Wings defenseman Albert Johansson (20) during the first period at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bradshaw Sevald-Imagn Images The visiting Boston Bruins scored twice in a 3:20 span in the third period to turn around a one-goal deficit en route to a 4-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings in a crucial matchup between Atlantic Division rivals on Saturday night.
Nikita Zadorov scored the eventual game-winner with 10:18 remaining to lift Boston (39-23-8, 86 points), which improved to 3-0-2 in its last five.
David Pastrnak and Elias Lindholm each registered a goal and an assist, Marat Khusnutdinov also scored, Morgan Geekie had three assists and Charlie McAvoy two.
Jeremy Swayman backstopped the victory, making 41 saves.
Lucas Raymond and Alex DeBrincat lit the lamp and John Gibson made 23 saves for Detroit (38-24-8, 84 points), which had been on a 2-0-1 run.
The teams entered Saturday’s game in a tie for the two Eastern Conference wild-card playoff positions, while the Montreal Canadiens held the No. 3 slot in the division by virtue of a better points percentage.
Lindholm netted the game-tying goal for 2-2 at 6:22 of the third period. After Mason Lohrei kept the puck in at the blue line, Geekie fired a cross-ice pass to Lindholm to slot home five-hole on Gibson from the bottom of the left circle.
Aided by another Geekie pass, Zadorov’s winner followed on an off-angle wrister coming down the left wing.
Gibson kick-saved Lukas Reichel’s penalty shot with 6:08 left in regulation to give Detroit some life, but Swayman stood tall in the final minutes and Khusnutdinov scored an empty-netter with 1:52 to go to preserve the win.
Detroit was held without a shot for more than 12 minutes to begin the game, but finished at 10-10 advantage following a scoreless first period. J.T. Compher narrowly missed making it a 1-0 lead before intermission, as his rebound bid slid past Swayman just after the final tenth of a second expired off the clock before intermission.
The hosts officially drew first blood 3:35 into the middle frame. Raymond cashed in on another man-up sequence, burying a one-time goal from the bottom of the left circle off Andrew Copp’s cross-ice feed.
Pastrnak responded with a game-tying, power-play goal at 5:07. The star winger blasted a one-timer from the left side after receiving McAvoy’s feed from the top of the formation.
DeBrincat put the Wings back in front at 4:06 of the second, slipping down to the top of the left circle to slot a high wrister past Swayman.
–Field Level Media
Sports
FC Dallas outlast Houston with late winner in Texas tussle
Mar 21, 2026; Frisco, Texas, USA; Houston Dynamo forward Ezequiel Ponce (10) attempts a bicycle kick as FC Dallas midfielder Ramiro (17) defends during the first half at Toyota Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images Logan Farrington scored twice in the opening 14 minutes, Petar Musa scored a late winner in the 86th minute in a rare appearance off the bench, and FC Dallas earned a 4-3 victory over the 10-man Houston Dynamo on Saturday night in Frisco, Texas.
Musa also helped create the second-half equalizer — an own goal off Houston’s Duane Holmes — after his halftime entrance for Dallas (2-1-2, 8 points), which earned its first win since its season opener on Feb. 21.
Guilherme scored his fourth goal and assisted tallies from Erik Sviatchenko and Lawrence Ennali for Houston (2-2-0, 6 points) in its first road match of the season.
But Sviatchenko was dismissed in the 68th minute for his second booking, becoming the fourth Dynamo player to receive his marching orders this season.
After scoring five times in Dallas’ first four matches, Musa was not listed on the league’s availability report for the weekend yet began the night unexpectedly outside the starting lineup.
And while it worked out well early, by halftime Dallas manager Eric Quill found his side trailing 3-2 and summoned his Croatian striker.
He immediately provided an impact, helping Dallas pull level in the 54th minute.
Herman Johansson took down a bouncing ball on the right flank, then played the ball up the side for Musa to run onto. Musa dribbled into the box and then tried to drag a cross toward the penalty spot, one that caromed off Holmes and over the line.
The goal was originally ruled offside, but was overturned following a video review.
Just under a half-hour later, Musa showed up again on the same right side, this time to finish off Joaquine Valiente’s tantalizing inswinging service at the back post with a one-touch volley after outmuscling his defender.
Guilherme helped turn Houston’s two-goal deficit into a one-goal advantage in the space of four minutes.
In the 29th minute, he intercepted Dallas goalkeeper Michael Collodi’s wayward pass and turned it into a simple finish before the goalkeeper could recover.
In the 31st, his outswinging corner found Sviatchenko at the back post for a clear header Collodi had little chance of saving.
He capped off the remarkable individual stretch in the 33rd when he found Ennali running in behind around the edge of the Dallas back line with a perfect throughball.
–Field Level Media
