Sports
Bo Horvat comes to rescue, Islanders sweep series with Devils
Feb 3, 2026; Elmont, New York, USA; New York Islanders center Bo Horvat (14) celebrates his game winning overtime goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins with center Mathew Barzal (13) and defenseman Matthew Schaefer (48) at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images Bo Horvat scored the go-ahead goal with 3:27 left to play to lead the New York Islanders to a 3-1 win over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday in Newark, N.J.
Casey Cizikas and Mathew Barzal each added a goal for the Islanders, while Horvat assisted on Barzal’s empty-netter for a two-point night. Ilya Sorokin saved 23 of the 24 shots he faced.
New York won all four games against New Jersey this season.
Nico Hischier scored the Devils’ lone goal and he was assisted by Jesper Bratt and goaltender Jake Allen. New Jersey will go into the Olympic break on a three-game losing streak.
Horvat’s team-high 24th goal of the season came off a faceoff win in the Devils’ zone. After the puck stayed loose for a few seconds, the Islanders’ captain slid a backhand shot past Allen to give the Islanders a 2-1 lead.
Barzal added the finishing touches for New York with an empty-net goal with 24 seconds remaining.
The Islanders opened up the scoring in the second period when Cizikas beat Allen by tipping in a rebound. It was Cizikas’ seventh goal of the season and his first since Jan. 10.
After having a pair of high-danger chances of their own, including a kick save from defenseman Adam Pelech to deny Lenni Hameenaho on a wide-open shot attempt, the Devils finally broke through with 1:34 left in the second.
Hischier tied the game at 1 with his 19th goal of the season after beating Sorokin with a slap shot that snuck over his left shoulder and into the top corner. It was the Devils’ first goal in more than 140 minutes.
The first period saw a scoreless draw, but there were plenty of opportunities on both sides. Both teams hit the crossbar at different points, including New Jersey’s Dawson Mercer on a breakaway chance against Sorokin.
The Islanders only recorded two shots on goal, but missed the net on a pair of high-danger chances. New Jersey had six shots on goal in the first period. In total, the Devils outshot the Islanders 24-14.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Seahawks slide to bigger favorites ahead of Super Bowl LV
Feb 4, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots helmets at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images SAN FRANCISCO — The Seattle Seahawks have been hit with the big injury concern days ahead of Super Bowl LX, but that didn’t stop the NFC champions from cushioning their favorite status.
The consensus line moved to the Seahawks favored by 5.0 points to beat the New England Patriots across major sportsbooks on Thursday afternoon, according to MetaBet. That includes at BetMGM, where the line had been at 4.5 points for several days after opening at 4.0 points when the Super Bowl matchup was finalized.
The book reported earlier in the day that 61% of the spread-line money and 55% of the total bets have backed Seattle. The Seahawks’ -235 moneyline to win the game outright has held steady, drawing 67% of the money, while the Patriots at +195 has been backed by 66% of the total ML bets.
Thursday’s bump in favor of the Seahawks came despite standout rookie safety Nick Emmanwori leaving Wednesday’s practice late with an ankle injury. However, coach Mike Macdonald said Thursday morning that he’s “fully expected to play.”
The line has remained at 4.5 at several other sportsbooks, including DraftKings, FanDuel and Caesars.
The total points line is 45.5 at DraftKings and BetMGM. It opened at 46 at the latter, but has inched down slightly with the Over backed by 52% of both the total bets and money wagered.
The Patriots were the NFL’s second-highest scoring team at 28.8 points per game, with the Seahawks right behind at 28.4. Seattle had the stingiest defense in the league in 2025, allowing 17.2 points per game. The Patriots were fourth at 18.8.
The book reported that the most popular correct score prop bet has been the Seahawks to win 24-17 at +10000, while the most-bet winning margin has been Seattle by 7-12 points at +340.
According to teamrankings.com, the Seahawks and Patriots are the best teams against the spread (record when factoring in the point spread) this season, including playoffs.
Seattle is 14-5-0 against the spread (ATS), while New England is 13-6-1.
This will be the second Super Bowl meeting between the Seahawks and the Patriots. New England beat defending champion Seattle in Super Bowl XLIX (49) on Feb. 1, 2015 when Patriots defensive back Malcolm Butler intercepted Russell Wilson at the goal line with 20 seconds left in the game to seal the 28-24 win in Glendale, Ariz.
–Derek Harper, Field Level Media
Sports
Report: Celtics' Xavier Tillman traded to Hornets in buzzer-beater
Oct 24, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Boston Celtics forward Xavier Tillman (26) warms up before the game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images The Boston Celtics traded forward Xavier Tillman Sr. and cash considerations to the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday, ESPN reported, moments before the NBA trade deadline passed for good.
The Hornets acquired Tillman and $3.5 million in cash considerations, pulling Boston away from the luxury tax, similar to the deal that brought guard Tyus Jones in and out of Charlotte from Orlando on Wednesday.
Tillman had been seeing declining minutes since his championship-winning stint with the Celtics in 2024, seeing more than 15 minutes on the floor just five times. Through the 2025-26 season, Tillman averaged 2.2 points and 1.8 rebounds per game in 14 appearances.
Tillman was drafted by the Sacramento Kings in the second round of the 2020 NBA Draft, but was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies on draft day. Tillman played three full seasons in Memphis, along with one full season in Boston.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: Penn State's Gavin McKenna broke man's jaw
Penn State’s Gavin McKenna, center, arrives with the team for a Big Ten hockey game against Michigan State at Beaver Stadium on January 31, 2026, in State College. When highly regarded NHL prospect Gavin McKenna was charged with felony assault Wednesday, it was reportedly for breaking a man’s jaw and knocking out his tooth with a pair of punches.
According to The Athletic, which reviewed police reports and court documents, the 18-year-old Penn State freshman was involved in an altercation Saturday night shortly after leaving Doggie’s Pub — a College Avenue bar across the street from Penn State’s campus.
McKenna and his group encountered the alleged victim and his group at a nearby parking garage. After an “exchange of words,” McKenna punched the man twice in the face. The man was taken to Mount Nittany Medical Center, where a local policeman spoke to the man and his friends.
In addition to being charged with felony aggravated assault, which can lead to as much as a 20-year prison sentence and a $25,000 fine, McKenna has been cited for a misdemeanor assault charge along with summary charges of harassment and disorderly conduct.
McKenna, who hails from the Canadian town of Whitehorse, Yukon, was regarded as the No. 1 prospect in the upcoming NHL draft when he made the decision to leave the Western Hockey League’s Medicine Hat Tigers and enroll at Penn State last fall.
The 6-foot, 170-pound wing has amassed 11 goals, 21 assists and 34 penalty minutes in 24 games for the Nittany Lions, who rank as the nation’s No. 6 team per USCHO.com. McKenna paces the squad in assists and shares the team lead in points.
–Field Level Media
Seahawks slide to bigger favorites ahead of Super Bowl LV
Report: Celtics' Xavier Tillman traded to Hornets in buzzer-beater
