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
NYCFC, Red Bulls play to draw in Hudson River Deby
Jun 27, 2021; Harrison, New Jersey, USA; New York City FC forward Thiago Andrade (8) plays the ball against D.C. United defender Donovan Pines (23) before scoring his goal during the second half of a game between D.C. United and NYCFC at Red Bull Arena. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images In a hotly contested Hudson River Derby, host New York Red Bulls and New York City FC battled to a 1-1 draw on Saturday.
Jorge Ruvalcaba scored for the Red Bulls (5-5-4, 19 points), and Andres Perea scored on a header off a free kick by Nicolas Fernandez for New York City (5-5-4, 19 points).
In the 44th minute, Ronald Donkor played a pass wide to Davi Alexandre, whose cross drew three defenders to Julian Hall. The pass was deflected to Ruvalcaba, who cleaned up the loose ball for a 1-0 lead.
New York City leveled the match in the 52nd minute on a set piece when Perea headed Fernandez’s free kick inside the back post.
The rivalry match heated up in the 22nd minute when twin yellow cards were issued. Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty and Agustin Ojeda collided while both tracking a soaring pass.
When Marshall-Rutty stood, he hovered over Ojeda, who sprang up and was shoved by the Red Bulls defender. Players from both clubs quickly gathered, and yellow cards were issued to Marshall-Rutty and Raul Gustavo after he joined the fray.
Second-half substitute Malachi Jones quickly made his presence felt, slicing a shot from the penalty area over the crossbar in the 47th minute.
Jones pressed again in the 59th minute, blasting a right-footed shot that forced Ethan Horvath into a diving save. Moments later, a long pass sent Jones into a 1-on-1 with Horvath, who punched away a sizzling shot.
Nicolas Fernandez’s free kick sailed through traffic in the 72nd minute. Horvath jumped into the mixer and was knocked down as the ball struck the post before being cleared.
The Red Bulls threatened in the 78th minute as Adri Mehmeti’s chip shot clipped the crossbar. Matt Freese handled Hall’s close-range shot in the 89th minute.
Horvath had five saves for the Red Bulls, while Freese was credited with three for NYCFC.
NYCFC veteran midfielder Maxi Moralez exited the match on a stretcher in the 35th minute with an apparent knee injury.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Padres go up early, improve to 5-0 this season against Mariners
May 16, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; San Diego Padres first baseman Gavin Sheets (30) runs to the bases after hitting a home run in the second inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Richard Dizon-Imagn Images Gavin Sheets, Nick Castellanos and rookie Rodolfo Duran homered as the San Diego Padres defeated the host Seattle Mariners 7-4 on Saturday.
The Padres improved to 5-0 against Seattle this season.
Right-hander Walker Buehler (3-2) went five innings for the victory. He allowed two runs on five hits, with two walks and six strikeouts.
Padres reliever Jeremiah Estrada worked the ninth for his first save of the season.
J.P. Crawford homered for the Mariners.
The Padres opened the scoring in the top of the second as Sheets led off with a homer to right field.
With one out in the fourth, Manny Machado and Sheets drew back-to-back walks off Mariners starter Logan Gilbert, and Xander Bogaerts lined a single to left to load the bases. Miguel Andujar grounded into a forceout to third base, with Machado scoring on the play. Castellanos hit the next pitch over the wall in left-center field to make it 5-0.
The Mariners got on the board in the bottom of the inning as Josh Naylor led off with a single to right and Randy Arozarena walked. With one out, Cole Young lined a run-scoring single to right.
Crawford went deep to right with one out in the fifth, his solo shot pulling Seattle within 5-2. Despite his pitch count reaching 101, Buehler was able to get through the inning to qualify for the victory.
With two outs in the seventh, Ramon Laureano doubled to right-center and Duran followed his his first major league hit in his fourth game — a two-run shot to left — to extend San Diego’s lead to 7-2 and end Gilbert’s night.
Gilbert (2-4) allowed seven runs on five hits over 6 2/3 innings. The right-hander walked two and fanned five.
The Mariners pulled within 7-4 in the eighth. Julio Rodriguez led off with a single and stole second. Naylor walked, and a double steal put runners on second and third. Rodriguez scored on Arozarena’s infield single and Naylor came home on a groundout by Young.
Rodriguez robbed Duran of a second two-run homer with a leaping catch at the wall in right-center to end the top of the ninth.
Seattle manager Dan Wilson was ejected by first-base umpire Chad Fairchild in the fourth inning for arguing a check-swing call.
Mariners third baseman Brendan Donovan and catcher Mitch Garver were both late scratches from the starting lineup. No immediate word was available for their absences.
–Field Level Media
Sports
NYCFC, Red Bulls play to draw in Hudson River Derby
Jun 27, 2021; Harrison, New Jersey, USA; New York City FC forward Thiago Andrade (8) plays the ball against D.C. United defender Donovan Pines (23) before scoring his goal during the second half of a game between D.C. United and NYCFC at Red Bull Arena. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images In a hotly contested Hudson River Derby, host New York Red Bulls and New York City FC battled to a 1-1 draw on Saturday.
Jorge Ruvalcaba scored for the Red Bulls (5-5-4, 19 points), and Andres Perea scored on a header off a free kick by Nicolas Fernandez for New York City (5-5-4, 19 points).
In the 44th minute, Ronald Donkor played a pass wide to Davi Alexandre, whose cross drew three defenders to Julian Hall. The pass was deflected to Ruvalcaba, who cleaned up the loose ball for a 1-0 lead.
New York City leveled the match in the 52nd minute on a set piece when Perea headed Fernandez’s free kick inside the back post.
The rivalry match heated up in the 22nd minute when twin yellow cards were issued. Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty and Agustin Ojeda collided while both tracking a soaring pass.
When Marshall-Rutty stood, he hovered over Ojeda, who sprang up and was shoved by the Red Bulls defender. Players from both clubs quickly gathered, and yellow cards were issued to Marshall-Rutty and Raul Gustavo after he joined the fray.
Second-half substitute Malachi Jones quickly made his presence felt, slicing a shot from the penalty area over the crossbar in the 47th minute.
Jones pressed again in the 59th minute, blasting a right-footed shot that forced Ethan Horvath into a diving save. Moments later, a long pass sent Jones into a 1-on-1 with Horvath, who punched away a sizzling shot.
Nicolas Fernandez’s free kick sailed through traffic in the 72nd minute. Horvath jumped into the mixer and was knocked down as the ball struck the post before being cleared.
The Red Bulls threatened in the 78th minute as Adri Mehmeti’s chip shot clipped the crossbar. Matt Freese handled Hall’s close-range shot in the 89th minute.
Horvath had five saves for the Red Bulls, while Freese was credited with three for NYCFC.
NYCFC veteran midfielder Maxi Moralez exited the match on a stretcher in the 35th minute with an apparent knee injury.
–Field Level Media
NYCFC, Red Bulls play to draw in Hudson River Deby
Padres go up early, improve to 5-0 this season against Mariners
