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Brad Marchand could be in lineup as Panthers host Utah

NHL: Calgary Flames at Florida PanthersMar 1, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice looks on from the bench against the Calgary Flames during the second period at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Brad Marchand could make his debut for the Florida Panthers on Friday night when his new team hosts the Utah Hockey Club in Sunrise, Fla.

Marchand, acquired from the Boston Bruins on March 7 for a conditional second-round draft pick in 2027, has not been able to play for Florida because of an upper-body injury.

He skated on the Panthers’ second line in practice for the second day in a row on Thursday. Sam Bennett, who did not practice on Wednesday, was at center, and Mackie Samoskevich was at left wing.

“We’ll see how everyone comes back to the rink (on Friday), and then (after) the morning skate, we’ll make the decision whether Brad is in or not,” Florida coach Paul Maurice said.

Marchand, 36, had played his entire 16-season career with the Bruins, recording 422 goals and 976 points in 1,090 games. He has 21 goals and 26 assists to go with a minus-8 rating in 61 games this season. He had been Boston’s captain since the beginning of the 2023-24 campaign.

Marchand has acclimated himself to his new surroundings since the trade.

“He’s part of the group, and he’s had the opportunity to get all the social parts out of the way,” Maurice said. “He’s dying to get into the game and play the game with the guys out there.”

Florida (43-25-3, 89 points) has been idle since posting a 4-3 shootout victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday.

The Panthers are tied with the Tampa Bay Lightning for second place in the Atlantic Division, one point behind the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Lightning breezed to an 8-0 win Thursday over the Utah Hockey Club (32-29-11, 75 points), who have lost two games in a row.

Starting goalie Karel Vejmelka surrendered four goals on 11 shots Thursday before being pulled midway into the second period. Jaxson Stauber gave up four goals on 10 shots in relief.

“It was really disappointing the way we came out, didn’t win enough battles, didn’t get on the inside,” Utah coach Andre Tourigny said. “Everybody’s in the same boat — coaches, players. … We all have to look ourselves in the mirror. The good thing is we’re playing tomorrow.”

The Utah Hockey Club fell behind 2-0 just 4:20 into the game and then allowed four goals in the second period.

“That was terrible, from the start to the finish, we didn’t play nearly the style of game that we wanted to play, and it showed,” Utah defenseman Mikhail Sergachev said. “We have to make a decision if we want to be in the playoffs or not. This is kind of a punch in the face.”

Sergachev played his first game in Tampa since being traded during the offseason. He was with the Lightning from 2017 to 2024 and helped them win Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021. He was honored with a video tribute during the first period.

“It’s tough to talk about it right now, honestly, after a game like that,” Sergachev said. “But I said in between periods that I really appreciated it. It was great. … Thanks for the warm reception. The fans are great, everybody’s great. It was supposed to be a special night.”

–Field Level Media

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Aiden Hezarkhani, Ariath Piol score to lead Real Salt Lake past Sounders

MLS: Seattle Sounders FC at Real Salt LakeFeb 28, 2026; Sandy, Utah, USA; Real Salt Lake forward Aiden Hezarkhani (39) controls the ball in the first half against the Seattle Sounders at America First Field. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Baker-Imagn Images

Young players Aiden Hezarkhani and Ariath Piol scored and veteran goalkeeper Rafael Cabral made eight saves, as Real Salt Lake won its home opener 2-1 over the Seattle Sounders on Saturday night in Sandy, Utah.

Cabral’s last save was perhaps his biggest, as he stopped Snyder Brunell’s volley from about 8 yards out in the ninth of ten minutes of second-half stoppage time.

Real Salt Lake improved to 14-1-4 all-time at home against Seattle, with the lone loss coming in 2011.

Cristian Roldan scored for the Sounders (1-1-0, 3 points) in the opener of a five-game trip.

After a couple of close misses by the Sounders in the opening minutes, RSL (1-1-0, 3 points) opened the scoring in the 23rd.

Zavier Gozo dribbled between three Seattle defenders then attempted a pass to the top of the 18-yard box. That was knocked away by Hassani Dotson, but the ball fell to Luca Moisa, who sent a pass toward the top left of the penalty area to Juan Manuel Sanabria, making his MLS debut. Sanabria sent a cross back across to Hezarkhani on the right wing and his left-footed half-volley rocketed into the near upper corner of the net, leaving leaping goalkeeper Andrew Thomas no chance.

RSL doubled its advantage in the 47th minute as Philip Quinton sent a long ball down the right wing for Gozo. He dribbled into the penalty area before sending a low pass to Piol for a tap-in from 5 yards out.

The Sounders pulled within 2-1 in the 62nd minute as Rusnak’s corner kick from the left wing was sent to the near post, where Roldan put a glancing header into the far side of the net.

It appeared Seattle tied the score in the 77th minute when substitute Danny Musovski volleyed home a cross from Paul Rothrock, but it was ruled Rothrock was offside when he accepted a pass.

Cabral made a leaping save to punch a header from Yeimar Gomez Andrade off the goal line in the 8th minute following a Seattle free kick from the left wing.

In the 14th, Cabral leaped to tip a 35-yard free kick by Rusnak slotted for the upper left corner of the net out of bounds. Cabral crashed into the post and needed medical attention but was able to continue.

And in the 20th, Cabral came off his line to get a hand on a Rusnak header on a broken play after a deflected cross.

Cabral again thwarted Rusnak, a former RSL standout, in the 61st minute, tipping a free kick over the crossbar.

–Field Level Media

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Anton Forsberg records shutout as Kings defeat Flames

NHL: Calgary Flames at Los Angeles KingsFeb 28, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Kings center Alex Turcotte (15) shoots the puck during the second period against the Calgary Flames at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Griffin Hooper-Imagn Images

Anton Forsberg made 29 saves for the Los Angeles Kings in a 2-0 win against the visiting Calgary Flames on Saturday afternoon.

Forsberg, who had allowed 16 goals while losing his previous four starts, posted his second shutout of the season and 10th in his 11-year NHL career.

Alex Laferriere and Adrian Kempe scored for the Kings, who had lost five in a row, most recently an 8-1 drubbing against the visiting Edmonton Oilers on Thursday.

Dustin Wolf made 35 saves for the Flames, who had won two in a row and three of four.

The Kings took a 1-0 lead at 15:36 of the second period.

Brandt Clarke started the play by making a diagonal pass from the neutral zone to Trevor Moore at the Calgary blue line. He skated in on Wolf before taking a wrist shot from the left circle that hit the near post.

Moore re-collected the puck in the corner, passed it to Quinton Byfield behind the net and he passed it out front to Laferriere. His initial shot from just below the right hash marks was saved, but Moore pulled the puck away from Wolf before he could cover it and Laferriere slapped in the puck from the side of the net for his 14th goal of the season.

The Flames went nearly 12 minutes without a shot on goal in the third period, helping the Kings maintain the one-goal advantage until Kempe scored into an empty net with 38 seconds left to make it 2-0.

Kempe has nine goals in his past 12 games against the Flames.

The Kings played without defenseman Drew Doughty (lower body) and forward Joel Armia (upper body), who were injured in the loss to Edmonton.

The Kings also announced on Saturday that winger Andrei Kuzmenko had surgery on a torn meniscus and is week-to-week.

–Field Level Media

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Senators extend Maple Leafs' skid with resounding win

NHL: Ottawa Senators at Toronto Maple LeafsFeb 28, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Ottawa Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot (72) celebrates with team mates at the bench after scoring a goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

Dylan Cozens had two goals and an assist, Drake Batherson scored twice and the visiting Ottawa Senators defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-2 Saturday night.

Thomas Chabot added a goal and an assist for the Senators, who are 1-0-1 since the Olympic break. Linus Ullmark stopped 21 shots.

Morgan Rielly and William Nylander scored for the Maple Leafs, who are 0-3-0 since the break.

Joseph Woll allowed five goals on 28 shots before Anthony Stolarz replaced him late in the second period and made 12 saves.

The teams have split two games this season, with two more to come in the final month of the regular season.

Rielly scored from the left circle from Auston Matthews’ cross-ice pass from the right circle at 2:52 of the first period. It came two seconds after Cozens finished serving a roughing penalty.

Chabot leveled the game when he scored as the trailer from the high slot on Brady Tkachuk’s pass at 10:59 of the first.

The teams were tied after 20 minutes despite Ottawa holding a 16-2 advantage in shots on goal.

Cozens pounced on a loose puck to score from the edge of the crease at 3:03 of the second period. It came after Chabot’s shot from the left point was blocked in front of the net by Toronto’s Troy Stecher.

Batherson scored at 13:05 of the second on Ottawa’s third attempt during an onslaught on the Toronto net. Nylander answered 51 seconds later when he poked in his own rebound in the goalmouth.

Batherson came back to score on a 28-foot wrist shot at 15:15 of the second. Cozens added a power-play goal at 16:06. The Maple Leafs were serving a delay of game penalty after their unsuccessful challenge of Batherson’s goal.

A skirmish broke out early in the third period after a jam around the Toronto goal, resulting in two fighting majors and four minors.

Batherson had a chance at a hat trick but was foiled on a breakaway at 10:02 of the third period.

Toronto went on an ineffective power play at 10:27 that ended hopes of a possible rally.

Ottawa’s Shane Pinto rang the crossbar with a laser at 13:27.

–Field Level Media

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