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Alex Ovechkin looking for hot finish, Penguins resume play vs. Capitals

NHL: Utah at Washington CapitalsFeb 9, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) looks on during a stoppage in play in the third period against the Utah Hockey Club at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals resume their season with a rivalry game against the host Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday.

Washington, which earned points in six straight games (3-0-3) before the 4-Nations Face-off break, leads the Carolina Hurricanes by 10 points for first place in the Metropolitan Division, and is nine points ahead of the Florida Panthers for first in the Eastern Conference. The Capitals trail the Winnipeg Jets by one point for first in the NHL standings.

Despite their place in the standings, Washington did not have a player competing in the 4-Nations event, giving the entire team a lengthy rest.

“But it’s still 20-something games left,” Ovechkin said. “We can’t look forward too far. We’re just going to take it game by game and it’s nice to be back and fresh.”

Ovechkin has 879 goals during his 20 NHL seasons, including 26 goals in 39 games this season, leaving him 16 from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s league record of 894. The Capitals have 27 games remaining.

“I think this is going to be his best hockey of the year, these last 27 games,” coach Spencer Carbery said Friday. “I think you’re going to see a guy that is highly, highly motivated and just has the pedal to the metal for this last little stretch.”

Ovechkin said earlier this week his focus is on staying healthy and getting ready for the playoffs.

The Washington captain has had plenty of offensive help. Dylan Strome leads the team in assists (38) and points (54). Tom Wilson (24) and Aliaksei Protas (22) are 20-goal scorers and Connor McMichael has 19. Logan Thompson has starred in goal, posting a 24-2-5 record with a 2.23 goals-against average and .921 save percentage.

Meanwhile, Pittsburgh is trying to remain in the playoff hunt. It lost two of three before the break and sits in eighth place in the Eastern Conference wild-card race, though only six points behind the second-place Detroit Red Wings. The Penguins open with five of their first six games at home including the back-to-back this weekend against Washington and the New York Rangers.

The Penguins will get a boost Saturday with the return of forward Evgeni Malkin, who is set to play against Washington after missing six straight contests with a lower-body injury going into the break.

“Ready to play, for sure,” Malkin said. “I mean, I expected to play in the last game against the Rangers, but it’s a little bit dangerous and I know we have 10 days of a break. It helped to recover 100 percent. Yeah, Saturday, for sure. We have what, 25 games left? A big push for us, and I’m excited to be back.”

Malkin, 38, has nine goals and 25 points in 47 games.

“Of course, I (do) not feel great about my season and (the team’s season). But still, it’s not over,” he said. “Everything can change quick.”

Sidney Crosby returns to the Penguins from the 4 Nations Face-Off after winning yet another championship to go along with two Olympic Gold Medals and three Stanley Cups among others. The 37-year-old had a goal and four assists while playing with an apparent injury to his left arm or wrist.

Forward Bryan Rust, who missed the last game before the break with a lower-body injury, also expects to play on Saturday.

–Field Level Media

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Alan Roden provides only runs in Twins' low-scoring defeat of A's

Jul 25, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Kendry Rojas (60) throws to the Athletics in the first inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn ImagesJul 25, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Kendry Rojas (60) throws to the Athletics in the first inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

Alan Roden delivered a two-run single in the sixth inning, and that was all the Minnesota Twins needed for a 2-0 win over the Athletics on Saturday evening in Minneapolis.

Ryan Kreidler doubled and stole a base for Minnesota, which evened the series at one win apiece. The rubber match is scheduled for Sunday afternoon.

Jeff McNeil accounted for two of the Athletics’ three hits with a pair of doubles.

Twins left-hander Taylor Rogers (6-3) earned the victory with two scoreless innings of relief. Rogers followed starter Kendrys Rojas, who allowed one hit in four scoreless innings.

Athletics right-hander Mason Barnett (1-1) allowed two runs on four hits in 3 1/3 innings.

Twins right-hander Yoendrys Gomez fired a scoreless ninth to pick up his 13th save.

After five scoreless innings, Minnesota had runners on second and third with one out in the sixth when Barnett got Victor Caratini to pop out to shallow left field for the second out of the inning.

Roden stepped to the plate and delivered a two-out, two-run single to right field. He pumped his fist as his line-drive hit found an opening between first and second base and allowed Josh Bell and Royce Lewis to score standing up.

The Athletics tried to mount a comeback in the top of the eighth.

Twins reliever Andrew Morris walked the leadoff hitter, Lawrence Butler. Morris snared a one-hop comebacker by Jacob Wilson in the next at-bat and wheeled toward second base to try to start a double play, but his throw sailed wide into right-center field.

Morris’ throwing error put runners at second and third with nobody out. He settled down after a visit from Twins pitching coach Pete Maki and retired the next three batters by striking out Nick Kurtz and Tyler Soderstrom and getting Jonah Heim to ground out to short.

That proved to be the Athletics’ last chance to tie or take the lead as they went down 1-2-3 in the ninth, finishing 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and stranding seven on base.

-Field Level Media

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Hunter Brown in control, Astros down White Sox for 5th straight

Jul 25, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Houston Astros pitcher Hunter Brown (58) throws the ball against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn ImagesJul 25, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Houston Astros pitcher Hunter Brown (58) throws the ball against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Hunter Brown allowed two hits over seven shutout innings and Isaac Paredes drove in three runs to lead the Houston Astros to a 4-1 win over the host Chicago White Sox on Saturday night.

Jeremy Pena was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and Paredes 2-for 4 for the Astros, who have won five straight, including the first two of the three-game weekend series.

The White Sox, who managed five hits, have lost three of their last four.

They threatened in the eighth with runners on second and third and two out, but reliever Bennett Sousa replaced Bryan Abreu and got pinch hitter Randall Grichuk on a pop up to first.

After Colson Montgomery’s RBI single in the ninth, Josh Hader came in to get the last two outs for his 12th save.

Brown (2-1) finished strong, setting down 12 consecutive batters from the fourth through seventh innings. The right-hander did not walk a batter and struck out seven as he fired 60 strikes in 90 pitches.

Chicago starter Sean Burke (7-5) surrendered three runs (two earned) on four hits in six innings with a walk and 10 strikeouts.

It was a 0-0 pitcher’s duel through five with Burke also retiring 12 in a row, from the second through the fifth, but heading for trouble.

The streak was broken when Burke hit Cam Smith leading off the sixth. Pena’s single and a walk to Yordan Alvarez loaded the bases. Paredes then grounded a single to right that got past right fielder Braden Montgomery for an error that also allowed Alvarez to score, for a 3-0 Houston lead, and Paredes to reach third.

Burke then limited the damage by getting Jose Altuve on a groundout and striking out LaMonte Wade Jr. and Christian Walker.

Paredes added an RBI single in the eighth to make it 4-0.

White Sox left fielder Sam Antonnaci robbed Paredes, who was leading off the fourth, of a likely home run with a leaping catch of Paredes’ long drive by pulling the ball in just above the fence.

–Field Level Media

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Robert Gasser holds Rockies in check as Brewers win

Jul 25, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Robert Gasser (54) delivers a pitch against the Colorado Rockies in the fourth inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn ImagesJul 25, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Robert Gasser (54) delivers a pitch against the Colorado Rockies in the fourth inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

Cooper Pratt homered and drove in three runs, Robert Gasser tossed six solid innings, and the host Milwaukee Brewers beat the Colorado Rockies 8-5 on Saturday night.

Luis Lara had two hits and also drove in three runs, Jake Bauers contributed two hits and scored three times and Brice Turang added two hits for Milwaukee.

The Brewers have won four of five games from Colorado this season, with the teams wrapping up the 2026 schedule Sunday.

Gasser (3-4), in his first career start against the Rockies, allowed two runs on five hits, struck out four and didn’t walk a batter.

Jake McCarthy extended his on-base streak to 19 games with a single and Kyle Karros had two hits for Colorado.

The Brewers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Bauers led off with a walk, stole second and went to third on a groundout. Lara drove him in with a sacrifice fly and Pratt hit a solo home run, his second of the season.

Colorado rallied to tie it in the fourth.

Karros led off with a single, Cole Carrigg doubled and Hunter Goodman followed with a two-run single.

Milwaukee went back in front in the bottom of the inning when Pratt drove in Bauers with a single, and then broke it open in the sixth inning.

William Contreras and Bauers started the rally with singles, chasing starter Ryan Feltner (3-5), who allowed five runs on nine hits in five-plus innings. Juan Mejia walked Garrett Mitchell to load the bases and Lara drove in two with a double to left.

Pratt’s sacrifice fly made it 6-2 and Rockies catcher Braxton Fulford’s throwing error on a pickoff attempt at third allowed Lara to come home. The Brewers tacked on a run in the eighth on Christian Yelich’s sacrifice fly.

But Colorado mounted a rally in the ninth. The Rockies loaded the bases on two walks and a fielder’s choice, and McCarthy drove in two with a single. Trevor Megill gave up an RBI single to Karros before striking out Carrigg to earn his 17th save.

–Field Level Media

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