Sports
D.C. United's Tai Baribo (thigh) questionable for Philly return
Apr 4, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; D.C. United forward Tai Baribo (9) races past FC Dallas defender Osaze Urhoghide (3) during the first half at Audi Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images Striker Tai Baribo’s return to Philadelphia may be delayed beyond D.C. United’s scheduled visit to the Union on Saturday night.
The Israeli international led Philadelphia with 16 MLS goals in 2025. After joining D.C. (2-4-1, 7 points) from Philadelphia (1-6-0, 3 points) in a $4 million cash trade during the offseason, Baribo owns three of the four league goals scored by D.C. this season.
That includes the only tally in D.C.’s 1-0 home win against the Union to open the season.
But a thigh injury has kept Baribo out of the Black-and-Red’s last two matches — a 1-0 league loss last weekend at the New England Revolution and a defeat on penalties to One Knoxville following a 3-3 draw in the U.S. Open Cup Round of 32 on Wednesday night.
D.C. manager Rene Weiler said Baribo is questionable for Saturday.
“He trained for himself, so we have to check it tomorrow,” Weiler said Thursday. “I hope he will be with the team. And it would push the team, of course. I’m not sure if he (will be) ready for the game on Saturday, but we will check it out (Friday).”
With Baribo and a few other regulars who departed in the offseason, Philadelphia earned the 2025 Supporters’ Shield awarded to the best regular-season finisher.
Without him, the Union have endured a miserable start to 2026. They finally earned their first league win last Saturday with a 2-1 decision over a Montreal side that also only has one MLS victory on the year.
Philadelphia awaits its first multi-goal scorer of the season after Japhet Sery Larsen and Jesus Bueno each contributed their first goals to lead its second-half rally in Canada.
Meanwhile, manager Bradley Carnell admitted the uncertainty over arguably D.C.’s most important player have made preparations a bit more difficult.
“We always want to face the best opponents, and a D.C. United with Tai Baribo is certainly a force to be reckoned with,” Carnell said Thursday. “We are preparing and planning accordingly, but we cannot control what we cannot control. Whether he’s in the building, traveling or not, that’s a narrative we cannot drive and control, so we’re only focused on us and the team that we think will play.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
NHL roundup: Flyers win Game 1 of in-state playoff series vs. Penguins
Apr 18, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim (6) celebrates his goal with the Flyers bench against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the third period in game one of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Porter Martone scored a timely goal late for the Philadelphia Flyers, who skated away with a 3-2 road victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins to take a 1-0 lead in their best-of-seven, first-round playoff series on Saturday night.
Martone, a 19-year-old playing in his 10th NHL game, scored an insurance goal to make it 3-1 with 2:37 left in the Battle of Pennsylvania rivalry series. That proved crucial when the Penguins’ Bryan Rust found the net with 1:01 left.
Travis Sanheim and Jamie Drysdale also scored for Philadelphia in the franchise’s first playoff game in six years. The Flyers got 15 saves from Dan Vladar in his playoff debut, including one on a point-blank shot from Anthony Mantha in the closing seconds.
Evgeni Malkin scored his 68th postseason goal for the Penguins and assisted on Rust’s goal. Stuart Skinner made 17 saves. Game 2 is Monday in Pittsburgh.
Wild 6, Stars 1
Matt Boldy had two goals and an assist for visiting Minnesota in a win against Dallas in Game 1 of their Western Conference first-round series.
Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and two assists, Joel Eriksson Ek scored twice, Ryan Hartman had a goal and an assist and Mats Zuccarello had three assists for the Wild, who are trying to win their first playoff series since 2015 after getting eliminated in the opening round eight times since then. Rookie Jesper Wallstedt got the start and made 27 saves.
Jason Robertson scored and Jake Oettinger made 23 saves for Dallas, which lost Game 1 of its first-round series 5-1 against the Colorado Avalanche last season before rebounding and eventually reaching the Western Conference finals. Game 2 is Monday in Dallas.
Hurricanes 2, Senators 0
Frederik Andersen made 22 saves and Logan Stankoven had a goal and an assist as Carolina overcame a slow start to defeat Ottawa in the opener of the first-round series in Raleigh, N.C.
Andersen recorded his sixth career playoff shutout after not having any in 35 regular-season starts this season. Taylor Hall also scored and Jackson Blake had two assists for the Hurricanes.
Linus Ullmark made 27 saves for the Senators, who saw 13 of their 22 shots on goal come in the third period but were unable to get on the board, even with a late power-play opportunity. Game 2 is Monday in Raleigh.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Padres halt Angels' scorching offense, even series
Apr 18, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; San Diego Padres right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) runs after hitting a RBI single during the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images Fernando Tatis Jr. had two hits and two RBIs and Mason Miller struck out two en route to his seventh save to lead the San Diego Padres to a 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday night in Anaheim.
Ramon Laureano also drove in two runs, Jake Cronenworth scored a run and reached base four times with a single, two walks and a hit by a pitch and Freddy Fermin scored twice for San Diego, which won for the 12th time in its last 14 games.
Adrian Morejon (2-0) delivered 1 1/3 innings of hitless relief while Miller pitched around a leadoff single by Yoan Moncada and a walk to Vaughn Grissom in the ninth to extend his scoreless streak to 31 2/3 innings dating back to Aug. 6, 2025.
Zach Neto and Mike Trout each doubled and Nolan Schanuel had an RBI single for Los Angeles, which finished with just six hits. Ryan Zeferjahn (1-1) allowed two runs on three hits and two walks in one inning immediately after Yusei Kikuchi wrapped his scoreless six-inning start for Los Angeles.
Kikuchi allowed four hits, a walk and a hit-by-pitch, striking out eight.
The Angels, who entered the contest having hit 16 home runs while scoring 49 runs in their previous six games, managed just two hits over 5 2/3 innings against San Diego starter German Marquez.
However, they nearly took a 1-0 lead in the second. Moncada led off the inning with a deep drive to right-center that Padres center fielder Jackson Merrill made a highlight-reel grab on, reaching above the fence to deny Moncada of a home run. It was the third time this season that Merrill robbed a batter of a home run.
The Padres took a 2-0 lead in the eighth inning against Zeferjahn, who walked Fermin and Cronenworth on eight straight balls to open the inning. Laureano then grounded a single to center to drive in Fermin, and Tatis followed with a slow roller into shallow right to drive in Cronenworth.
Los Angeles cut the lead to 2-1 in the eighth on Schanuel’s single, driving in Logan O’Hoppe who had singled and advanced to second on a single by Adam Frazier.
San Diego then added a pair of insurance runs in the ninth on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly by Laureano followed by an RBI single from Tatis.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Braylon Mullins passes on NBA draft, staying at UConn
Apr 6, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; UConn Huskies guard Braylon Mullins (24) controls the ball against Michigan Wolverines guard Roddy Gayle Jr. (11) during the second half in the national championship of the Final Four of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament between the and the Michigan Wolverines at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images UConn’s sharp-shooting wing Braylon Mullins announced Saturday on social media that he is passing on entering the NBA draft and returning to the Huskies for his sophomore season.
Mullins, regarded as a first-round and possible lottery pick in the 2026 draft in June, made the announcement on Instagram on his 20th birthday.
The slender 6-foot-6 Mullins, a five-star recruit and McDonald’s All-American out of Greenfield, Ind., was a unanimous pick for the Big East All-Freshman Team after averaging 12.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 33 games after missing the first six with an ankle injury. He started 29 of UConn’s final 30 games.
His 72 3-pointers were second most for a freshman in UConn history. He shot 33.5% (72 of 215), with his most famous the shot of the NCAA Tournament.
Mullins’ 35-footer with 0.3 seconds left beat Duke 73-72 in the Elite Eight, sending UConn to the Final Four. The Huskies (34-6) later lost 69-63 to No. 1 Michigan in the national championship game.
Earlier on Saturday, rising sophomore Nikolas Khamenia announced he was transferring from Duke. The 6-foot-8 wing joins a squad returning Mullins and point guard Silas Demary Jr., wing Jayden Ross, transfer Najai Hines (Seton Hall) and incoming freshmen Colben Landrew and Junior County.
UConn is waiting on guard Solo Ball to announce his plans and has lost forward Jaylin Stewart and center Eric Reibe to the transfer portal.
–Field Level Media
