Sports
Avalanche chase payback vs. Penguins after 7-2 blowout
Mar 16, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin (71) reacts after his goal in the first period against the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images The Colorado Avalanche look to avenge a rare lopsided loss when they visit the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday.
On March 16, the Penguins handed the Avalanche a 7-2 blowout in Denver. It was only the Avalanche’s sixth regulation loss at home this season and their largest margin of defeat.
Gabriel Landeskog missed that game as part of a seven-game absence due to a lower-body injury. In his return to action Sunday, the Avalanche captain scored Colorado’s first goal in a 3-2 overtime victory over the Washington Capitals.
“You need a big goal in a situation, and (Landeskog) just has a knack for making a play when you need it, whether it’s on the offensive side or the defensive side,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said.
Colorado is 37-4-7 with Landeskog in the lineup and just 9-9-3 without him.
The Avalanche (46-13-10, 102 points) lead the NHL in points and have clinched a playoff berth, though the club is only five points ahead of the Dallas Stars for the Central Division lead.
Pittsburgh (35-19-16, 86 points) has a much more fragile hold on a playoff spot. The Penguins are second in the Metropolitan Division but just one point ahead of both the Columbus Blue Jackets and the New York Islanders, and two points from falling out of a wild-card position in the Eastern Conference.
With the playoff race so tight, the Penguins picked a bad time for a letdown in Sunday’s 5-1 home loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. Pittsburgh never led, and its normally elite penalty-kill unit allowed goals on three of five Hurricanes power plays.
“I don’t think we had the best legs today … We were playing the game a bit slowish, (which) caused us to turn the puck over a lot,” forward Bryan Rust said. “Anytime you do that, especially against a team like that, it’s going to be a recipe for an unhappy night.”
Despite the breakdown, the Penguins still rank second in the NHL with an 83.2% penalty-kill rate. The Avalanche are right behind at 82.8, but Colorado’s weakness is a struggling power play with a 16.5% conversion rate that ranks near the bottom of the league.
Sidney Crosby leads the Penguins in goals (28) and points (63).
Rust has 11 points (five goals, six assists) during a seven-game point streak.
Because Stuart Skinner started against Carolina, Arturs Silovs should be back in Pittsburgh’s net Tuesday. Silovs is 16-9-8 with an .894 save percentage and a 2.92 goals against average this season, and he stopped 25 of 27 Avalanche shots on March 16.
Mackenzie Blackwood has gotten wins in each of Colorado’s last two games, though Scott Wedgewood could be due for another start Tuesday given the team’s usual goalie rotation.
Nathan MacKinnon tops the NHL with 45 goals and leads Colorado in assists (69) and points (114).
Since the Olympic break, MacKinnon hasn’t even been the brightest star on his own team. Martin Necas is second in the NHL with 24 points since the league’s hiatus, and MacKinnon is third with 21.
Penguins defenseman Ryan Shea is day-to-day after missing Sunday’s game with an upper-body injury. The same type of injury has kept forward Ross Colton out of the Avalanche’s last six games, and he is questionable for Tuesday.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino meets with AC Milan
Nov 18, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino looks on before an international friendly against Uruguay at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images It has been a busy time for U.S. men’s national team head coach Mauricio Pochettino, who is not only preparing his side for a World Cup on home soil but also meeting with Italy’s AC Milan about their vacant coaching position, ESPN reported Thursday.
Pochettino has been front and center this week after the USMNT named its 26-man World Cup roster at a ceremony in New York on Tuesday.
The squad is set to play in friendlies against Senegal at Charlotte on Sunday and against Germany at Chicago on June 6 in advance of its World Cup opener June 12 against Paraguay in the Los Angeles area.
Pochettino, 54, is under contract with the USMNT through the end of the team’s World Cup run.
Pochettino has been a head coach at some top clubs around the world, including Espanyol in Spain, Tottenham, Southampton and Chelsea in England, and Pairs Saint-Germain in France. He became USMNT head coach in September of 2024.
Pochettino has reportedly declined multiple overtures since moving to the United States, including interest from Brentford and a potential return to Tottenham.
A move to AC Milan potentially would keep Pochettino with USMNT star forward Christian Pulisic, who has been with the club since 2023 and has scored 31 goals in 100 appearances. Pulisic is under contract there through June of 2027, although AC Milan is currently undergoing massive changes after firing head coach Massimiliano Allegri, sporting director Igli Tare and CEO Giorgio Furlani.
Pochettino, a native of Argentina, played in his home country and Europe from 1989-2006, with Newell’s Old Boys (Argentina), Espanyol (Spain), Paris Saint-Germain and Bordeaux (France). A center-back, he played in 20 games with Argentina’s national team from 1999-2002.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Surging Nationals to test MLB's top offense against Padres
May 22, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Washington Nationals designated hitter James Wood (29) scores a run against the Atlanta Braves in the tenth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images The surprising Washington Nationals return home on Friday night to open a three-game series against the slumping San Diego Padres.
The Nationals moved above .500 for the first time since the opening week of the season during a 4-2 road trip when they earned series wins against the Atlanta Braves and Cleveland Guardians. They are 10-6 since May 12.
After improving their road record to 19-12, the Nats now look to continue that success at home where they are 10-16.
The Padres have dropped four consecutive games after getting swept at home by the Philadelphia Phillies. After this three-game set in D.C., San Diego will seek some revenge when it plays three next week at Philadelphia.
Washington has been consistent offensively, led by James Wood. At the start of MLB play Thursday, the Nationals led the majors in runs (306) and doubles (110) while ranking among the top six in home runs (72), slugging percentage (.420), and OPS (.743).
“These guys just keep believing; they’re starting to figure out we have some good guys on the team,” Nationals manager Blake Butera said. “When you can go out and play the way we’ve played … you have to feel good about it.”
Wood shared second in the National League in home runs (15) and led the way in runs (50), walks (47), on-base percentage (.414) and OPS (.967).
Washington’s pitching has been part of the team’s surge as well. The Nationals had a 5.67 ERA through April 23. Since then, their ERA is 3.82 over the past 31 games, according to NatsJournal.com.
Offense has been hard to come by of late for the Padres, who have scored seven runs over their past five games while suffering a pair of 3-0 losses to the Phillies.
The Padres managed seven hits against Philadelphia pitching Wednesday and went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position.
“Just not taking advantage of some of the opportunities we did have,” Padres manager Craig Stammen said. “There’s a little credit to their pitching, but also we’ve got to figure out a way to be better in those situations, runners in scoring position.”
Friday will be a homecoming of sorts for Stammen, who was drafted by the Nationals in 2005 and spent seven seasons pitching for the team.
Another former Nationals pitcher starts for the Padres as right-hander Lucas Giolito (2-0, 2.70 ERA) opposes Washington left-hander Andrew Alvarez.
Signed as a free agent on April 22, the 31-year-old Giolito has won both of his starts. He tossed five shutout innings against the A’s on Saturday on four hits and five walks with two strikeouts.
“I signed here to help the rotation and help this team win games, and I know how to win,” Giolito said. “No matter how I’m feeling, I know how to grind through an outing.”
Giolito was Washington’s first-round draft pick in 2012 and pitched a handful of games for the team before being traded to the Chicago White Sox. He has faced the Nationals once, earning a win over 7 2/3 innings last season while pitching for the Boston Red Sox.
Alvarez, who has been pitching in long relief, takes the rotation spot left vacant when Jake Irvin (shoulder) went on the Injured list. Alvarez has a 2.84 ERA over his four relief appearances.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Sun waive G Hailey Van Lith, activate G Leila Lacan
May 27, 2026; Portland, Oregon, USA; Connecticut Sun guard Hailey Van Lith (2) scores a basket during the first half against Portland Fire guard Sarah Ashlee Barker (3) at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images The Connecticut Sun activated Leila Lacan and waived fellow guard Hailey Van Lith on Thursday.
Lacan, who turns 22 next week, had been on a contract suspension due to her overseas obligations. She recently led her French club Basket Landes to a league championship and was named Finals MVP.
The Sun’s first-round pick (10th overall) in 2024, Lacan averaged 10.4 points, 3.7 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 2.2 steals in 25 games (15 starts) in her first season with Connecticut in 2024.
Van Lith, 24, averaged 8.1 points and 2.2 assists and shot 47.1% from 3-point range in nine games (three starts) with Connecticut (1-8).
A first-round pick by Chicago (11th overall) in 2025, Van Lith was waived by the Sky on May 4 and signed with the Sun two days later. She averaged 3.5 points and 12.4 minutes in 29 games off the Chicago bench last season.
–Field Level Media
Report: USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino meets with AC Milan
Surging Nationals to test MLB's top offense against Padres
