Sports
Canucks, Stars overcoming adversity during 3-game win streaks
Dec 23, 2024; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward J.T. Miller (9) and forward Elias Pettersson (40) talk during a stop in play against the San Jose Sharks in the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images Amid all of the soap opera-caliber chaos of a rift between standout forwards J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson, the Vancouver Canucks are riding a three-game winning streak into a Friday night road clash against the Dallas Stars.
With the run capped by a 3-1 win over the Nashville Predators on Wednesday, Vancouver’s first three-game win streak since the start of November has vaulted the squad into a Western Conference wild-card position.
“I think we’ve done a really good job of playing connected, playing as five,” goaltender Thatcher Demko said. “It goes zone to zone, the quicker we can get back for the breakout and help each other, the better, and that goes for the neutral zone and the offensive zone, too. We just need to continue that stuff.”
The Canucks — entering the final contest of a three-game road trip — have made more noise off the ice than on it in recent weeks. President of hockey operations Jim Rutherford admitted the two star players are butting heads, creating turmoil and fueling trade rumors.
A winning streak can help quiet the noise, and the Canucks know it.
“We had some internal meetings about it being that time of year where we’ve got to string some games together here, and getting the last three is huge for us,” Demko said. “A big test the last leg of the trip here in Dallas and, hopefully, (we can) make it four.”
Coach Rich Tocchet put the focus into a succinct perspective.
“Got to keep moving along, keep grinding away,” Tocchet said.
The Stars, currently in a neck-and-neck battle with the Minnesota Wild for second place in the Central Division, are riding a three-game winning streak of their own.
Dallas is coming off an impressive comeback in a 4-3 overtime win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday. The Stars trailed 3-1 five minutes into the second period before Wyatt Johnston rallied them with a short-handed goal before completing his second career hat trick with the winning tally.
“Wyatt Johnston has been going to another level for probably a month now, so great to see him rewarded for that,” coach Pete DeBoer said.
The Stars, winners of four of five games, have few flaws, but the Vegas win was the first time they won a game when trailing after two periods, snapping a 13-game skid in that situation.
“It’s huge. It always seems like the games with (Vegas), whoever scores first ends up winning,” Johnston said. “So, it’s great to get that comeback win.”
Adding to the accomplishment was how the team rallied after star defenseman Miro Heiskanen left the game before the middle of the third period due to a knee injury.
“That’s sticking with it through adversity,” DeBoer said. “We’ve had a lot thrown at us this year at different points. I like our resiliency.”
The Stars will need to show more mettle going forward. Heiskanen leads the club’s defensemen in scoring and the team in ice time, averaging more than 25 minutes per game. He is not expected to return quickly.
The club has listed Heiskanen as being out on a week-to-week basis, and DeBoer said they will know more after he sees a specialist on Thursday.
–Field Level Media
Sports
WTA roundup: Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek both upset at Stuttgart
Elena Rybakina hits a shot against Aryna Sabalenka during the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., March 15, 2026. Top-seeded Elena Rybakina escaped in a third-set tiebreaker while No. 2 Coco Gauff and No. 3 Iga Swiatek were upset victims to Karolina Muchova and Mirra Andreeva, respectively, in Friday’s quarterfinals of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Germany.
No. 7 Muchova saved 12 of 15 break points during a 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 victory that marked her first win over Gauff in seven career meetings. The Czech will next face No. 4 Elina Svitolina after the Ukrainian delivered a 7-6 (2), 7-5 win over Czech Linda Noskova.
No. 6 Andreeva of Russia rallied for a 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 win to defeat Swiatek of Poland for the third consecutive time. Andreeva saved 9 of 14 break points while winning in two hours, 36 minutes.
Andreeva next faces Rybakina, who staved off a second match point against Canada’s Leylah Fernandez as part of winning the final three points to score a 6-7 (5), 6-4, 7-6 (6) victory. Rybakina had a 7-6 edge in aces and hit 51 winners while winning in three hours, two minutes.
Rouen Metropolitan Open
Teenage qualifier Veronika Podrez of Ukraine reached the semifinals in her first main-draw tournament by rolling to a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Brit Katie Boulter in Rouen, France.
Podrez, 19, had 28 winners against 11 unforced errors while finishing off Boulter in 78 minutes. Podrez’s semifinal opponent will be second-seeded Sorana Cirstea after the Romanian registered a 7-6 (2), 6-2 victory over Anna Bondar of Hungary.
Top-seeded Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine and Tatjana Maria of Germany will meet in the other quarterfinals. Kostyuk ousted Ann Li 6-0, 6-7 (4), 6-3, while Maria beat Belarus’ Iryna Shymanovich 7-6 (5), 6-2.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Illinois G Andrej Stojakovic announces return for 2026-27 season
Apr 4, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Andrej Stojakovic (2) shoots against Connecticut Huskies guard Silas Demary Jr. (2) in the second half during a semifinal of the Final Four of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images Illinois standout guard Andrej Stojakovic said Friday he is returning to the Fighting Illini for the 2026-27 season.
Stojakovic posted the news on his Instagram account, asking, “Did I make you nervous?” In an attached video, he lowers a newspaper then lowers his sunglasses and says, “I’m back.”
His return is a crucial one for an Illini squad that reached the Final Four before losing to UConn. Illinois went 28-9 this season and figures to be among the top five ranked teams in next season’s preseason poll, depending how the transfer portal and NBA declarations shake out nationally in upcoming weeks.
The 6-foot-7 Stojakovic averaged 13.5 points and 4.5 rebounds in 34 games despite missing some time with an ankle injury.
It was his first season at Illinois after one-season stints with Stanford (2023-24) and Cal (2024-25). Stojakovic averaged 17.9 points in his one season with the Golden Bears before transferring again.
Stojakovic has career averages of 12.9 points and 4.2 rebounds in 95 games (59 starts). He has made 95 3-pointers to go with 53 blocked shots and 49 steals.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Rockets-Lakers series 'much deeper' than LeBron James-Kevin Durant tilt
Mar 16, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) dribbles the ball as Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) defends during the first quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images A pair of NBA legends will square off once more when the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets face off in a first-round series starting Saturday in Los Angeles.
Kevin Durant led the Rockets to the No. 5 seed in his first season with the team, while LeBron James has helped guide the Lakers to the No. 4 seed. But Los Angeles will be without significant firepower.
Guards Luka Doncic (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique) could end up missing the series entirely after both were injured in a 139-96 blowout loss at Oklahoma City on April 2.
The situation will thrust James back to the forefront at age 41, while in his record 23rd NBA season. Even while starting the season with a sciatica injury, it did not appear as if James lost a step, with averages of 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists in 60 games.
“He had not a good season, not a great (one), he had a remarkable season,” Lakers head coach JJ Redick said. “All things considered, you take away the fact that he’s in his 23rd year and he’s 41 years old, he had a remarkable season.”
After three consecutive losses when Doncic and Reaves went down, the Lakers rebounded to win their final three games of the regular season to clinch the fourth seed. It was James who pulled the group together in a team meeting to make the late push.
“He’s very vocal,” the Lakers’ Rui Hachimura said. “… It’s big time for him.”
At age 37 and in his 18th season, Durant averaged 26.0 points with 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists. Perhaps most impressive of all was his 78 regular-season games played, his most since 2018-19.
“Of course, from the outside looking in, casual folks who are not in the life with us every day, yeah, the (playoff) matchup is definitely fun,” Durant said, according to The Sporting News. “Two great players who have been in the league for a long time, but everybody who’s involved in this series knows it’s much deeper than that.”
The rebounding total was Durant’s lowest since he was a rookie with the Seattle SuperSonics in 2007-08, but staying out of the fray inside likely helped to keep him fresh. The Rockets had plenty of rebounding, leading the NBA at 48.1 per game and 15.0 on the offensive end.
“It’s the best rebounding team in the last 25 years,” James said, anticipating the challenge ahead.
And it might have been even better had Steven Adams not gone down with an ankle injury in January.
While scoring can be a challenge for the Rockets at times, the focus on extending possession with offensive rebounds has served them well. While the Lakers led the NBA at 50.2% shooting from the floor, the Rockets were 10th at 47.9% and 18th at 115.2 points per game.
Alperen Sengun was as much of an all-around threat as Durant with 20.4 points, to go along with team bests in rebounding (8.9) and assists (6.2). Sengun’s passing ability helped to make up for the loss of Fred VanVleet, who tore his ACL in the preseason.
Amen Thompson added 18.3 points with 7.8 rebounds and Jabari Smith Jr. had 15.8 points with 6.9 rebounds.
Houston closed out the regular season by winning nine of its last 10 games, but it lost twice to the Minnesota Timberwolves since March 25 and dropped consecutive games to the Lakers in March at home.
–Field Level Media
WTA roundup: Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek both upset at Stuttgart
Illinois G Andrej Stojakovic announces return for 2026-27 season
