Sports
Blue Jackets regroup as streaking Flyers give chase for playoff spot
Mar 22, 2026; Elmont, New York, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Jet Greaves (73) tends net against the New York Islanders during the second period at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images After losing in regulation for the first time in nearly a month, the Columbus Blue Jackets look to begin a new point streak Tuesday when they visit the Philadelphia Flyers.
Columbus (37-22-11, 85 points) surged up the standings with their recent 8-0-4 stretch before falling 1-0 to the New York Islanders on Sunday. After scoring 16 goals in their previous three games, the Blue Jackets were blanked by Ilya Sorokin to suffer their first regulation loss since Feb. 26.
“You’ve got to capitalize on your chances when you get them,” defenseman Damon Severson said.
Still, the Blue Jackets players and coaches were generally positive about the team’s performance in the opener of a three-game road trip that continues in Philadelphia and then wraps up in Montreal.
“I liked our game,” forward Mathieu Olivier said. “We play like that, we’re going to win most games. Take this one (and move on) to the next one.”
In net, Columbus received another strong effort from Jet Greaves, who saved 21 of 22 shots. He has yielded six total goals in his last four games.
“It’s not going to be perfect,” said Greaves, who turns 25 next week. “We’d love for it to be only wins, but that’s obviously not how it goes. The biggest thing is just the response from our group. … The game in Philly — that’s the biggest game now, so just one day at a time.”
The Blue Jackets sit in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 12 games remaining. A collection of teams is breathing down their necks in the wild-card race, including the Flyers (34-23-12, 80 points).
Philadelphia is 5-0-1 in its last six games with the only loss in that stretch coming at home against Columbus on March 14. Kirill Marchenko scored the Blue Jackets’ only goal in regulation that day and later netted the lone tally of the shootout in a 2-1 triumph.
After absorbing that loss, the Flyers went to California and swept three games against the Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks. In the trip-ending 4-1 win over the Sharks, Christian Dvorak scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period and Dan Vladar made 24 saves for Philadelphia.
“I think these guys are trying to build an identity. There’s some good stuff here, and they are doing a good job,” Flyers coach Rick Tocchet said. “We’re blocking out the outside noise, and we’re being positive in here. It’s showing on the ice.”
Owen Tippett also scored for Philadelphia, giving him five goals in the last eight games. He is four goals shy of his career high (28), set two seasons ago.
“I like where my game is at right now. Consistent all the way through, contributing,” Tippett said. “It is easy to do when everyone is doing it around you, too.”
The Flyers prevailed in three tight games on their recent road trip. They topped the Ducks 3-2 in overtime and edged the Kings 4-3 in a shootout before scoring two late empty-netters to prevail 4-1 over the Sharks.
“I think it’s just a belief and a will,” Tippett said. “This was a really good road trip for us.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Alabama coach Kristy Curry leaves for South Florida post
Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kristy Curry encourages her team during a first-round game between the Rhode Island Rams and Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at the KFC Yum Center, March 21, 2026, in Louisville, Ky. After 13 seasons in charge at Alabama, women’s basketball head coach Kristy Curry is leaving for the same job at South Florida.
Both schools announced the move Tuesday, with South Florida CEO of Athletics Rob Higgins calling Curry “a proven winner at the highest levels.”
“She has guided her teams to the NCAA championship game and built an exceptional resume that includes 16 20-win seasons and 21 postseason appearances over 27 years as a head coach,” Higgins said in a statement. “I’m incredibly excited about the future of South Florida women’s basketball under her leadership.”
Curry, 59, has spent her entire head-coaching career at high-major schools — Purdue (1999-2006), Texas Tech (2006-13) and Alabama — so the choice to move to the American Conference program is surprising.
However, Jose Fernandez built the Bulls into a frequent NCAA Tournament team in his 25-year career there before he took over the WNBA’s Dallas Wings in 2025. Michele Woods-Baxter served as the temporary head coach in 2025-26; the Bulls went 20-12 (13-5 American) but missed the tournament.
“I would like to thank Rob Higgins for the tremendous opportunity to lead a proud South Florida women’s basketball program,” Curry said in a statement. “A strong foundation is in place, and I look forward to building on it as we pursue conference championships and NCAA Tournament success. Rob and the University’s commitment to competing at the highest level–along with the clear vision and alignment at USF–are truly exceptional. I can’t wait to meet Bulls Nation and experience a rocking Yuengling Center.”
Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne thanked Curry for doing “a commendable job” in a statement Tuesday.
“We appreciated her contributions and wish her and her family well moving forward,” Byrne said. “As we begin a national search for our next head coach, Alabama athletics remains committed to the continued growth and investment in women’s basketball.”
The Crimson Tide qualified for each of the last four NCAA Tournaments and advanced to the second round in three straight years. As a sixth seed, the team’s season ended Monday with a narrow 69-68 loss to third-seeded Louisville in the Round of 32.
Alabama (24-11, 7-9 SEC) also received a ranking in the AP Top 25 poll for the second straight year, coming in as high as No. 21. Before Curry, the program had not done so since 1998-99.
Curry is 554-322 as a head coach all-time. She took Purdue to the Final Four in 2001 and beat Missouri State before falling 68-66 to Notre Dame in the title game.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: Warriors G Moses Moody (knee) out rest of season
Mar 23, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Moses Moody (4) waves to fans while leaving the court on a stretcher during overtime against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images Golden State Warriors guard Moses Moody’s season is over after he tore the patellar tendon in his left knee on a noncontact play against the Dallas Mavericks, ESPN reported on Tuesday.
Moody, 23, was injured while attempting a dunk in the Warriors’ 137-131 road victory on Monday night.
Golden State led 136-131 when Moody stole the ball from Cooper Flagg and headed for a clinching dunk with 1:09 to go in overtime. However, Moody had his left knee crumble beneath him as he attempted to elevate for the hoop, with the shot not reaching the rim. Moody had to be stretchered off the floor after the team’s medical staff attended to his left knee.
The Warriors said afterward that Moody, who had missed the previous 10 games with a sprained right wrist, would have an MRI on Tuesday. He finished with 23 points, three rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks in 34 minutes.
Moody this season averaged career bests of 12.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.6 blocks and 25.7 minutes in 60 games (49 starts).
The Warriors (34-38) have 10 games remaining in the regular season. Through Monday, they are 10th in the Western Conference and have the final berth in the play-in tournament.
Golden State selected Moody in the first round (14th overall) in the 2021 NBA Draft.
For his career, Moody averages 8.0 points, 2.4 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 18.3 minutes in 315 regular-season games (106 starts) for the Warriors since 2021. He also has started two of 37 postseason games, including playing 13 games as a rookie in a reserve role in Golden State’s run to the 2022 NBA championship.
He signed a three-year, $39 million contract extension before the start of this season.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Stars align as healthier Thunder, Celtics match up
Mar 23, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) passes the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers during the third quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images The Oklahoma City Thunder will be seeking their 13th consecutive victory when they visit the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night.
Oklahoma City, the defending NBA champion, had a franchise-record 16-game winning streak earlier this season and currently has the best record in the league (57-15).
“We don’t really focus on the winning streak, we focus on the possessions,” Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault said following Monday night’s 123-103 road victory over Philadelphia.
“We don’t even focus on the game, we focus on the possessions and trying to build the right habits and win the little battles that exist inside a possession and let them stack up throughout a game,” the coach continued. “Sometimes you look up and you win the game, sometimes you look up and you’re up 20 and sometimes you look up and you have a winning streak.
“We try to stay very present and just continue to sharpen our blade, improve our stuff and compete. Wherever that lands us, it lands us.”
The Celtics-Thunder matchup will feature two of the NBA’s top scorers. Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.5 points per contest, which ranks second in the league. He has scored at least 20 points in 64 straight road games after he broke Wilt Chamberlain’s NBA record of 58 from 1961-63.
Boston’s Jaylen Brown is averaging 28.5 points per game, which is fifth in NBA scoring.
The Celtics (47-24) had their four-game winning streak end with Sunday night’s 102-92 home loss to Minnesota. Boston’s Jayson Tatum had 16 points and 11 rebounds in the setback but shot 6 of 16 from the field.
Tatum is shooting 38.8% from the field, including 29.3% from 3-point territory, in eight games since he returned from surgery to repair a ruptured right Achilles tendon in May.
“I wouldn’t say normal slump, because it’s the first time I went through something like this,” Tatum said. “I mean, it’s just been a long time. It was a long time before I could shoot a basketball, before I could walk. So just trying to knock the rust off game by game. I find great spurts and moments from game to game and, you know, just trying to put more of them together.”
Tatum, a six-time All-Star and first-team All-NBA the past four seasons, is averaging 19.1 points and 8.9 rebounds this abbreviated season.
“Just taking it day by day,” Tatum said. “I have probably the worst injury you can have. Came back in 10 months and getting better. Better feel each game. I wanted to be perfect and first-team All-NBA Jayson, but it’s going to take time. I didn’t rush the rehab process, so I can’t rush this. It’s all gonna work out.”
Guard Jalen Williams returned to the Oklahoma City lineup for Monday’s game against Philadelphia and scored 18 points with six assists and four rebounds in 20 minutes in the win. A right hamstring strain had kept him out of game action since Feb. 11, a span of 16 games.
The hamstring strain plus offseason wrist surgery has limited Williams to 27 games this season.
“I think if I was on a different team I’d be more frustrated, but I’m around good energy,” Williams said. “So I think that’s been one of the things that keeps me going.”
Wednesday’s game will be the second meeting between the teams this season. Oklahoma City came away with a 104-102 home victory on March 12 when Chet Holmgren made two free throws with 0.9 seconds to play. In that game, Gilgeous-Alexander scored 35 points to break Chamberlain’s record with his 127th consecutive game overall with at least 20 points. The streak is now up to 132 games.
–Field Level Media
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