Sports
Andrei Vasilevskiy, Lightning look to stay hot vs. Kraken
Feb 1, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) looks on against the New York Islanders in the first period at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images The Tampa Bay Lightning hope to pick up where they left off before the 4 Nations Face-Off break.
Winners of an Eastern Conference-high four straight games, the Lightning will re-start their season on Sunday evening by hosting the Seattle Kraken.
On Dec. 14, Tampa Bay finished a four-game trek at 3-1-0 with a 5-1 pasting of the Kraken, improving the Lightning’s all-time record against the Pacific Division team to 6-0-1.
Basically, Tampa Bay has done to Seattle what it has been doing to the NHL this month, but it was not easy in four games over six days against division opponents before the hiatus.
Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy was victorious for the fourth straight start on Feb. 9, making 32 saves to win both ends of a back-to-back set in Detroit and Montreal and go 5-0-1 before the break.
“We had four games in six nights — not even six nights,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “It’s a grind, this league. We were 3-9 in the division, but we got eight points in four games.”
Nikita Kucherov leads the team in assists (57) and points (82) this season.
The Kraken have two strikes against them in a quest to make the playoffs for the second time in their four seasons in the NHL, as the time frame and schedule breakdown do not work in Seattle’s favor.
The Kraken beat the Florida Panthers 2-1 on Saturday night but has played 58 matches, a Western Conference-high-tying amount equaled only by Colorado.
On the schedule front, the Kraken will have to play four more matches on the road than at home in the remainder. They are better on home ice, notching points in 17 of 31 contests (13-14-4).
In the win over the Stanley Cup champs, Jared McCann potted the game-winner against his former team. Kaapo Kakko also scored, and Shane Wright posted two assists in moving Seattle’s all-time record to 5-2-1 against Florida.
However, the Kraken’s only victory over Tampa Bay was 4-3 in overtime on Oct. 30, 2023.
Captain Jordan Eberle, 34, on Saturday returned after a 40-game absence due to a pelvic injury and logged 14:03 of ice time and put two of Seattle’s 22 shots on goal.
“A lot of other guys, if they were to get hurt like that, I don’t think they would be back as quickly as he is,” McCann said. “He was so motivated. He’s so mentally strong in that he was just like, ‘It’s a bump of the road and I’m going to move forward.’
“He’s awesome to have around, especially for the young guys to see a guy go through a pretty major injury and just be so positive.”
Jaden Schwartz tops Seattle with 18 goals, while McCann has 43 points.
Brandon Montour, who hoisted the Cup with the Panthers last season, leads the defensive corps with 27 points (10 goals, 17 assists).
In his 25 matches since being traded west on Dec. 18 from the New York Rangers, Kakko has 18 points (six goals, 12 assists).
–Field Level Media
Sports
Course management sets up Lucas Herbert for wire-to-wire effort at LIV UK
Jul 17, 2026; Southport, ENG; Lucas Herbert plays a shot on the 18th hole during the second round of The Open Championship golf tournament at Royal Birkdale. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Lucas Herbert maintained his lead through three rounds of LIV Golf United Kingdom on Saturday and will carry a three-shot advantage into the final round as he bids for a wire-to-wire victory at Rocester, England.
Herbert shot a 3-under-par 69 in the third round and is at 20 under for the tournament to maintain an advantage over Bryson DeChambeau, who was at 4 under Saturday and is at 17 under through three rounds.
“Look, I enjoy it; I enjoy being in the lead,” said Herbert, who won in May at LIV Golf Virginia. “It’s been awesome to play with Bryson the last couple days and get to play with him again tomorrow. It’s a great energy out there. Any time when you’re in the lead you get good energy. … I think maybe playing under pressure brings the best out of me.”
England’s Tyrrell Hatton (67) was alone in third place at 15 under, while Australia’s Cameron Smith (66) was alone in fourth place at 14 under. A two-way tie for fifth at 13 under included Harold Varner III (68) and Mexico’s Abraham Ancer (65).
After scorching the JCB Golf and Country Club course with an 11 under in the opening round, Herbert was far more conservative in the third round when he opened with seven consecutive pars. He closed the front nine with consecutive birdies at Nos. 8 and 9.
After a bogey 5 at No. 11, Herbert closed with a pair of birdies over his last seven holes, including a birdie 3 at 18 when he put a 132-yard second shot to inside of 7 feet from the hole.
“I am going to do my best just to stick to what I’m doing, try and make as many putts as I can,” Herbert said. “I wasn’t happy with my (putting) speed out there. I was a little tentative today. That’s not going to happen tomorrow. I am going to make sure I get the ball to the hole and get a lot more chances.”
Herbert acknowledged the challenge of trying to close out the victory against a trio of proven players in DeChambeau, Hatton and Smith.
DeChambeau put himself in line for his third victory of the season, and first since March at South Africa, with five birdies and a bogey in the third round.
DeChambeau’s lone hiccup came at the par-5 10th hole when he sent his third shot just over the green and missed a 13-foot putt for par. He improved his round with a pair of birdies over the final three holes.
“I played some good golf,” said DeChambeau, who gained a stroke on Herbert during the round. “I felt like I could have had a couple things go a couple different ways, but the birdies on 16 and 17 were huge for tomorrow.”
Hatton, a fan favorite for the week while in his home country, made an early charge with three birdies over his first four holes, but the run was interrupted by a bogey 6 at No. 6. He rebounded with a pair of birdies to close his front nine then had another bogey 6 at No. 10. He was 1 over on the day at the four par-5 holes.
With windy conditions expected for the final round, Hatton knows there will be additional challenges ahead.
“It’s quite quirky out there, so it’s easy to get a little bit unlucky with some of the slopes,” Hatton said. “And you don’t really have to do too much wrong to drop shots. We’ll see how it goes. Either way, I think just focusing on my side, just trying to play another good round of golf, whatever the weather.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Lionel Messi (rest) officially ruled out of MLS All-Star Game
May 17, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Inter Miami CF forward Lionel Messi (10) reacts against the Portland Timbers during the second half at Nu Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi was one of four players officially ruled out of Wednesday’s MLS All-Star Game at Charlotte, N.C., as the Argentina star continues to recover from a run to the World Cup Final.
Also on Saturday, Hugo Cuypers, Rodrigo De Paul, Mbekezeli Mbokazi were ruled out of the All-Star Game, which will match the best of MLS against the top players from Mexico’s LIGA MX.
Cuypers earned his All-Star spot with his play for the Chicago Fire, but he was transferred to Mexico’s CF Monterrey on Thursday. De Paul, an Inter Miami midfielder, will follow Messi’s lead and bow out of Wednesday’s festivities after playing for Argentina in the World Cup.
Mbokazi, a defender from the Chicago Fire, was ruled out with a lower body injury. The South Africa native also appeared in this summer’s World Cup.
To replace the foursome, Inter Miami midfielder Yannick Bright, Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Andres Cubas, Houston Dynamo forward Guilherme and Fire forward Philip Zinckernagel all were named All-Stars on Saturday.
Bright has guided Inter Miami to a 9-2-1 record in his 12 starts this season, while Cubas has three assists in 12 matches for the Whitecaps. Guilherme has eight goals and five assists in his first season with the Dynamo, while Zinckernagel has five goals and seven assists for the Fire.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Marlins' Class A pitcher fails drug test, suspended 80 games
Sep 11, 2020; Miami, Florida, USA; A general view of a illuminated Miami Marlins logo in center field after the Miami Marlins and Philadelphia Phillies split a double header at Marlins Park. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images Miami Marlins minor league pitcher Eiver Mosquera has received an 80-game suspension for testing positive for Boldenone, a performance-enhancing substance.
This season with Class-A Jupiter and the rookie-level Florida Complex League Marlins in 12 games (nine starts), the 19-year-old was 3-3 with a 4.50 ERA, 30 strikeouts and 16 walks in 38 innings.
Mosquera joined the organization in 2024 as a $150,000 international signing out of Venezuela.
–Field Level Media
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