Sports
Canadiens return home to raucous arena with chance to eliminate Sabres
May 14, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin (26) watches as Montréal Canadiens center Joe Veleno (90) takes a shot on goal during the first period in game five of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images The task facing the Buffalo Sabres is not easy, but it is straightforward.
The Sabres must drum up a win when they visit the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday or their season is over.
The Canadiens lead the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series 3-2 with a chance to close it out in front of their frenzied home faithful. The Sabres head to Montreal with a chance to spoil that party and then have the same opportunity in their arena on Monday.
“What is there, five teams left? To be sitting here talking to you guys, I think that it’s a wonderful place to be, and I’ll tell the team the same thing,” coach Lindy Ruff said on Friday. “We get to go to Montreal in Game 6 in the middle of May to move on to a Game 7.”
The series winner will face the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference final. Carolina swept its opponents in each of the first two rounds of the Stanley Cup playoffs and has been off since Sunday.
To prolong their series, the Sabres must regroup from a deflating 6-3 home loss on Thursday. Buffalo held a 3-2 lead after the first period, but surrendered four unanswered goals.
This would be a perfect time for a couple of struggling first-liners to find their form. Alex Tuch and Peyton Krebs have failed to net a single point in the first five games of this series. Tuch netted four goals and three assists while Krebs had six points (two goals, four assists) in the six-game series victory over the Boston Bruins to open the playoffs.
“I can’t play the way I’m playing right now,” Tuch said. “Just going to be will and determination, but I’ve got to move past it, I’ve got to move on to the next game, and I’ve got to be better for the guys in this room.”
The Canadiens return home to a city and arena that will be filled with excitement.
The young squad had high hopes for the season and going into the playoffs. Reaching the third round may have exceeded anybody’s expectation back in October, but now is a reality they can all envision.
“Saturday night at the Bell Centre, I don’t think you can write it any better to close out a series,” forward Joe Veleno said on Friday. “I think the boys know that, and we’re all ready for it.”
It’s the same situation they had in their opening-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Montreal failed to beat the Lightning in that Game 6 on the road, although it was as much due to a great goaltending performance by Tampa’s Andrei Vasilevskiy as anything else.
Still, there was a lesson learned about the difficulty of closing out a series.
“I think it’s the hardest game,” defenseman Alexandre Carrier said. “Any time a team’s got its back against the wall, that’s when they’re desperate, that’s when they play their best most of the time. We’ve just got to stick to our game plan and really do what we do best.”
Though there will be a euphoric atmosphere in Montreal, the Canadiens’ track record this postseason has shown they will likely not be overwhelmed.
“I think we’re just focused on each and every day,” coach Martin St. Louis said. “We’re not worried about the day before. We’re not worried about what’s ahead. Let’s just take care of today. I think when you just take care of today, usually you don’t get anxious or too ecited. I feel like you just stay present where your feet are.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Luca Langoni, Revolution edge Minnesota United
May 2, 2026; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Revolution forward Luca Langoni (41) looks on in the first half against Charlotte FC at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Edward Finan-Imagn Images Luca Langoni scored early in the second half and the New England Revolution held on to defeat visiting Minnesota United 2-1 on Saturday night at Foxborough, Mass.
Carles Gil posted a penalty kick for New England (8-4-1, 25 points), which improved to 7-1-0 in home games. Three of goalkeeper Matt Turner’s six saves for the Revolution came in the final 10 minutes and they all were off Minnesota headers.
Langoni, who did not play in a 3-0 home shutout loss to Nashville SC on Wednesday, has scored in consecutive matches and picked up his third goal of the season. New England has won a club-record six consecutive games at Gillette Stadium before Wednesday’s setback.
Minnesota (6-5-3, 21 points) received its goal on Kelvin Yeboah’s penalty kick. Drake Callender stopped three shots.
Langoni’s goal in the 49th minute came at the end of a transition opportunity off an assist from Dor Turgeman, who made a slight pass to Langoni. As he entered the box, Langoni unleashed a shot from the right side.
The teams traded penalty kicks in the first 30 minutes in the first meeting between the teams since 2023.
Gil converted on his chance five minutes into the game. Yeboah’s equalizer came in the 26th minute.
New England’s opportunity came because of a foul in the penalty area by Minnesota’s Michael Boxall just a couple of minutes into the game. Then a foul on New England’s Brooklyn Raines provided Yeboah’s opportunity.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Atlanta scores late to pull even in draw vs. Orlando
May 16, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Atlanta United FC forward Emmanuel Latte Lath (9) moves up field in the second half against the Orlando City SC at Inter&Co Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Russell Lansford-Imagn Images Jay Fortune’s 86th-minute goal cancelled out Griffin Dorsey’s first-half opener as visiting Atlanta United played Orlando City to a 1-1 draw on Saturday night.
Fortune’s goal, his second in as many matches, secured a point for Atlanta (3-8-2, 11 points) and snapped its two-match losing streak at home.
With just minutes to go in normal time, Atlanta — who appeared destined for a second straight loss — pulled level. Matt Edwards used some brilliant footwork on the right side of the Orlando scoring area before passing it into the box to Fortune. Fortune’s first-time effort sailed over Orlando goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau to make it 1-1.
Atlanta had a chance to take all three points from Orlando in the sixth minute of second-half stoppage time, but Crepeau dove to parry away Matias Galarza’s attempt from just beyond the box.
That provided some consolation for Orlando (4-8-2, 14 points), who opened the scoring in the 18th minute.
Martin Ojeda’s pass between the legs of Atlanta centerback Enea Mihaj found Ivan Angulo charging into the scoring area. Despite Tomas Jacob’s attempts to defend, Angulo passed the ball in front of the goal to Dorsey, who tapped it in to give Orlando a 1-0 lead. It was Dorsey’s second goal of the season.
Orlando City had several opportunities to extend its lead but failed to capitalize, ultimately settling for a point after conceding Fortune’s late goal. They were also forced to take Robin Jansson out at halftime after the Orlando centerback and captain appeared to suffer a knee injury.
Angulo was credited with an assist on Dorsey’s goal, which was his team-high seventh of the season. Edwards’ assist on Fortune’s goal was his first of the year.
Orlando and Atlanta will play each other again on Tuesday in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Dodgers LHP Blake Snell scratched from start vs. Angels
May 9, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell (7) throws to the plate during the second inning against the Atlanta Braves at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell was scratched from his Friday start hours before the opener of the Freeway Series against the Angels in Anaheim.
The Dodgers didn’t immediately provide a reason for why the 33-year-old Snell was scratched. Manager Dave Roberts will meet with reporters prior to Friday’s game.
The Dodgers are now listing right-hander Will Klein (1-2, 2.76 ERA) to be the first pitcher in what will be a bullpen game.
The contest was slated to be Snell’s second appearance of the season. His season got off to a late start due to shoulder issues and he made his season debut last Saturday against the Atlanta Braves.
Snell struggled against the Braves as he allowed five runs (four earned) and six hits while throwing 77 pitches in just three innings. He struck out five and walked two while taking the loss.
The two-time Cy Young Award winner was limited to 11 starts last season due to a shoulder injury and went 5-4 with a 2.35 ERA in his first season with the Dodgers. In the postseason, he went 3-2 with a 3.18 ERA in six appearances (five starts) to help the Dodgers win the World Series.
Snell is 81-63 with a 3.17 ERA in 223 career starts over 11 major league seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays (2016-20), San Diego Padres (2021-23), San Francisco Giants (2024) and Dodgers.
Snell won the American League Cy Young with the Rays in 2018 and took National League honors in 2023 for the Padres.
–Field Level Media
Luca Langoni, Revolution edge Minnesota United
Infamous Director’s Extremely R-Rated Action Comedy Succeeds In Offending Absolutely Everybody
