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Capitals, Golden Knights streak into post-Olympics battle

NHL: Philadelphia Flyers at Washington CapitalsFeb 25, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk (57) celebrates with center Aliaksei Protas (21) and left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) after scoring a goal against the Philadelphia Flyers during the third period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Hannah Foslien-Imagn Images

The Washington Capitals will put a four-game home winning streak on the line Friday night when they host the Pacific Division-leading Vegas Golden Knights.

The Capitals returned from the three-week Olympic break with a key 3-1 victory over the visiting Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday to move within two points of the third-place New York Islanders in the Metropolitan Division.

Washington is also within two points of the Boston Bruins for the final wild-card spot in the congested Eastern Conference playoff race.

Defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk broke a late 1-1 deadlock with his first game-winning goal since 2018 and goaltender Logan Thompson celebrated his 29th birthday by stopping 23 shots. Thompson, the backup for Canada’s silver medal-winning Olympic team, allowed no more than one goal for the 14th time this season.

“We know where we are in the standings,” van Riemsdyk said. “We had three weeks to look at that and kind of crunch the numbers and know that we can’t afford many more losses. When you’re in a game like this where you’re playing well and in a good spot to get two points, you’ve got to find a way.”

The win was even more impressive considering it came without top defenseman John Carlson (lower-body injury) and forward Tom Wilson (illness), who played for Canada in the Olympics and returned to practice on Thursday.

The Golden Knights, winners of three straight, opened a five-game road trip with a 6-4 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday.

Pavel Dorofeyev scored twice to increase his team-leading goal total to 28, netting what proved to be the game-winner on the power play during Vegas’ five-goal third period. It was his 15th power play goal of the season, a franchise single-season record.

The Golden Knights extended their division lead to five points despite playing without five Olympians — center Jack Eichel and defenseman Noah Hanifin of the goal medal-winning U.S. team, and captain Mark Stone, forward Mitch Marner and defenseman Shea Theodore of Canada. All five are expected to play Friday.

Eichel and Hanifin visited the White House on Tuesday and stayed in D.C. and appeared in studio on Scott Van Pelt’s ESPN “SportsCenter” show on Wednesday night.

Considering how short-handed his team was, Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy was asked if he expected his players to score six goals against the Kings, a strong defensive opponent.

“No, I did not,” Cassidy said. “Good for the guys. A few guys got an opportunity to play a little more and they took advantage of it.”

“That’s what good teams do,” added Dorofeyev, who missed an empty-net chance at a hat trick. “They pick up each other no matter what. Maybe we looked a little different on paper tonight, but we’re still the Golden Knights, and that’s how we play.”

This is the first of two meetings between the Capitals and Golden Knights. Vegas holds a 9-5-0 edge in the all-time series but has just three wins in seven tries as the road team.

–Field Level Media

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Liberty come from 12 down to beat Wings in OT

Jul 20, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA;  New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart (30) drives to the basket against Dallas Wings center Li Yueru (28) during the first half at College Park Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn ImagesJul 20, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart (30) drives to the basket against Dallas Wings center Li Yueru (28) during the first half at College Park Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images

Breanna Stewart scored 33 points and helped key a fourth-quarter comeback as the New York Liberty defeated the short-handed Dallas Wings 99-98 on Monday in Arlington, Texas, in a game of wild momentum swings.

Stewart also tallied 13 rebounds and eight assists for the Liberty (14-12) while Sabrina Ionescu finished with 21 points, Jonquel Jones racked up 14 points and 10 rebounds and Marine Fauthoux amassed 10 points and 10 rebounds.

The game was rescheduled from last Thursday because of travel difficulties for the Liberty, creating a home back-to-back for Dallas.

The Wings (17-9) built a 12-point third-quarter lead despite playing without star guard Paige Bueckers, who was held out of the game after suffering a head injury late in the Wings’ win over Los Angeles on Sunday.

Dallas led by nine points after a rousing third quarter in which they held New York to 3-of-18 shooting from the floor. But New York fought back with a big fourth, and Jones’ layup with 29 seconds remaining brought the Liberty to within a point. Stewart converted two free throws with 13 seconds to play to put New York on top by one.

Rebecca Allen added a free throw for the Liberty with six seconds remaining in regulation, but she missed the second shot. Dallas’ Arike Ogunbowale grabbed the rebound, was fouled and made both free throws to tie the game at 83 with 3.5 seconds left. Allen then missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer, sending the game into an extra period.

The teams traded the lead six times in overtime, with Ionescu’s 3-pointer with 1:49 to play putting the Liberty ahead for good at 95-93. Stewart followed with a layup to stoke the margin to four points before Dallas drew to within a point on Ogunbowale’s 3-pointer with 27.5 seconds left.

The Wings then forced a shot-clock turnover and called a timeout with 3.5 seconds to play to set the table for a final shot. That shot was a running layup at the buzzer by Ogunbowale that rimmed out, allowing New York to escape with the win and snap a four-game losing streak.

Ogunbowale had 29 points to lead the Wings, who had a six-game winning streak snapped. Azzi Fudd added 15 points. Jessica Shepard produced 13 points and 16 rebounds, Maddy Siegrist hit for 13 points and Awak Kuier tallied 10.

New York led 25-22 at the end of the first period and owned a 50-47 advantage at the break. Stewart led all players with 15 points before halftime while Dallas got 11 from Ogunbowale and 10 from Fudd and Siegrist over the first two quarters.

–Field Level Media

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Trea Turner knocks two out as Phillies control Dodgers

Jul 20, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner (7) hits a two run home run during the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn ImagesJul 20, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner (7) hits a two run home run during the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Trea Turner had two homers, a double and five RBIs to fuel the Philadelphia Phillies to a 10-7 victory over the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday.

Brandon Marsh, Bryce Harper and Derek Hill also homered for Philadelphia, which provided Cristopher Sanchez (12-4) with plenty of offensive support. After struggling in his first All-Star start last week, the left-hander allowed three runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings in this one, striking out seven without a walk.

Mookie Betts homered twice as part of a 4-for-5 night for the Dodgers, while Andy Pages chipped in with two hits and an RBI. Los Angeles starter Emmet Sheehan (4-7) absorbed the loss after allowing six runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Sanchez worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the first inning before Sheehan pitched around a leadoff double in the bottom half.

Sanchez logged a 1-2-3 second inning, setting the stage for his teammates to plate three runs in the bottom of the frame.

Gabriel Rincones Jr.’s RBI double opened the scoring before Justin Crawford’s sacrifice fly made it 2-0. Turner followed with a blast into the left-field seats to extend the advantage to 4-0.

Betts singled and came around to score in the fourth to get Los Angeles on the board. The Dodgers then added two more runs in the sixth against Sanchez and reliever Orion Kerkering.

However, Philadelphia quickly regained the momentum as Marsh homered off Sheehan to begin the sixth. Later in the frame, lefty Alex Vesia surrendered a three-run blast to Turner — his 200th career home run.

Harper reached a milestone of his own in the seventh, launching his 200th homer as a member of the Phillies against reliever Landon Knack. Derek Hill’s solo shot in the eighth made it 10-4.

The Dodgers plated three runs in the ninth against Chase Shugart, highlighted by Betts’ two-run homer. The rally featured a misplay by Turner, who had a rough night at shortstop with an error and multiple other miscues.

Jhoan Duran came on for the Phillies and recorded the final out of the game.

–Field Level Media

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Yordan Alvarez homers twice, Ronel Blanco returns as Astros top Marlins

Jul 20, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros pitcher Ronel Blanco (56) reacts after retiring the side against the Miami Marlins during the fourth inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn ImagesJul 20, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros pitcher Ronel Blanco (56) reacts after retiring the side against the Miami Marlins during the fourth inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images

Yordan Alvarez produced his fifth multi-homer game of the season to help the Houston Astros snap a four-game skid with an 8-5 win over the visiting Miami Marlins on Monday.

Alvarez finished 3-for-4 with a pair of solo home runs. He posted his 12th three-hit game of the season and his 27th career multi-homer game to send the Marlins to their seventh straight loss.

The Marlins seized a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning against Astros right-hander Ronel Blanco, who was reinstated from the 60-day injured list to make his first start since May 17, 2025. Blanco missed 15 months due to Tommy John surgery.

His season debut was uneven. Blanco recorded eight strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings and allowed only two hits. However, Blanco issued three walks, and the two hits were two-run home runs from Joe Mack and Liam Hicks.

Mack followed a two-out walk issued to Jakob Marsee with a 409-foot blast to right field in the second. Blanco opened that frame with strikeouts of Hicks and Griffin Conine, but Mack followed Marsee by drilling a 3-2 fastball for his eighth homer of the season.

The Astros fashioned an immediate response against Marlins right-hander Janson Junk (4-6). Taylor Trammell ignited a six-run second inning with an RBI single that bounced into right and scored LaMonte Wade Jr. Two batters later, Lucas Spence walked to load the bases with one out for Jeremy Pena, who rallied from an 0-2 hole by delivering his second career grand slam.

Pena went the opposite way to right for his seventh homer of the season. Alvarez followed with a titanic shot into the upper deck in right-center field, his 32nd home run covering 428 feet.

Hicks shaved that 6-2 deficit in half in the fourth when he followed a leadoff walk from Xavier Edwards with his 14th home run, a 393-foot shot to right. Blanco rallied and retired the ensuing five batters, but a two-out walk to Kyle Stowers in the fifth spelled the end of his 86-pitch outing.

Alvarez greeted Marlins reliever Lake Bachar with a 419-foot laser to right-center leading off the fifth. Junk allowed six runs on five hits and three walks with three strikeouts over four innings.

Jose Altuve added Houston’s eighth run with a two-out single in the seventh following Isaac Paredes’ triple. Astros closer Josh Hader gave up three hits in the ninth, including Heriberto Hernandez’s run-scoring single, before locking down the win.

–Field Level Media

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