Sports
Daniel Vladar, Flyers confident against East-best Canes as second round begins
Apr 29, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Flyers goalie Dan Vladar (80) reacts against the Pittsburgh Penguins in overtime in game six of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images The Philadelphia Flyers pulled off their first postseason upset since 2012 when they knocked the Pittsburgh Penguins out of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Wednesday.
The Flyers begin their quest for another upset when they visit the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday in Raleigh, N.C., to kick off their Eastern Conference semifinal showdown. Philadelphia, which used six games to take out its in-state rival, finished 15 points back of the Hurricanes in the regular season.
Despite the odds against them, the Flyers begin the series with confidence. That starts with their last line of defense, goaltender Dan Vladar, who was a huge key to the first-round victory.
“I think I can speak for the whole locker room. There was never a doubt,” said Vladar, who posted a 1.61 goals-against average with a .937 save percentage and two shutouts in six games against Pittsburgh. “If somebody had a doubt, it’s their problem. That’s not us.”
Certainly, beating the Hurricanes would be a huge feat for the Flyers. Carolina finished atop the Eastern Conference and second overall in the league. Plus, Carolina won three of four meetings during the regular season and has claimed 16 of their last 18 encounters with the Flyers.
However, all four clashes between the clubs this season went to overtime.
“They’re a really good team, play with a lot of pace,” Philadelphia defenseman Travis Sanheim said. “We had really good games with them all year. … Really excited about the challenge.”
As good as the Flyers have been at defending, especially after the Olympic break, their abilities will be put to the test. Carolina has a lethal attack that was on full display during a first-round sweep of the Ottawa Senators.
“We’ve got to possess the puck more. That’s the next level,” Philadelphia coach Rick Tocchet said. “We have to be better at controlling the puck, but that’s controlling the ice.”
Carolina, the only team from last year’s final four to reach the second round of this year’s playoffs, was surgical in dismissing the Senators.
The Hurricanes never trailed in any of the games, propelled by goaltender Frederik Andersen’s shutout in the opener. While Andersen was stellar between the pipes while posting a 1.10 goals-against average and .955 save percentage, the Hurricanes showed off their ability to stifle opponents.
“The way we played, I thought, was really consistent, from start to finish of every game,” said Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour. “It was just the same, and everybody was dialed in. You’re not always going to win those games, but it gives you a chance to win every night.”
If there is one cause for concern for the Hurricanes — beyond the fact that 31-goal, 70-point forward Andrei Svechnikov was held without a point in the first round — it is their time off since finishing the Ottawa series on April 25. Carolina has gone one week between games.
“It’s a gift and a curse,” defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, a former Flyer, told reporters. “If we play (well), people will be like, ‘It’s the rest.’ If we play bad, they’ll be like, ‘It was the rest.'”
To this point, the break has been a gift because it provided much-needed recovery time. Defenseman Alexander Nikishin and forward Nikolaj Ehlers practiced fully on Friday. Nikishin suffered a concussion in the clinching game, while Ehlers is poised to be back in the lineup after missing Game 4 against Ottawa due to a lower-body injury.
“We hope everyone will be ready to go, and it certainly looks like that,” Brind’Amour said.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: Hornets acquire Dorian Finney-Smith, 3 picks from Rockets
Jan 31, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Dorian Finney-Smith (2) warms up before the game against the Dallas Mavericks at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images The Charlotte Hornets are acquiring forward Dorian Finney-Smith and three second-round picks from the Houston Rockets, ESPN reported on Friday.
The Hornets are receiving the Memphis Grizzlies’ 2027 second-rounder as well as the Rockets’ 2028 and 2033 second-round selections.
The move gives Houston some roster flexibility and creates a $13 million trade exception, while Charlotte now has stockpiled 20 second-round picks over the next seven years, per ESPN.
Signed in June 2025 to a four-year, $53 million deal, Finney-Smith was largely ineffective during his lone season with the Rockets. He averaged 3.3 points and 2.5 rebounds in 37 games (one start) in 2025-26.
Finney-Smith, 33, has averaged 8.0 points and 4.4 rebounds in 628 career games (445 starts) for the Dallas Mavericks, Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Lakers and Rockets.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: Wizards acquire C Deandre Ayton from Lakers
Oct 26, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers center Deandre Ayton (5) reacts to a call during the fourth quarter of the game against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images The Los Angeles Lakers are trading center Deandre Ayton to the Washington Wizards in exchange for guard Jaden Hardy and two second-round draft picks, ESPN reported Friday.
The picks are in 2031 and 2032, per the report.
Ayton, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, averaged 12.5 points and 8.0 rebounds in 72 games (all starts) in his lone season with the Lakers in 2025-26.
Ayton, who turns 28 on July 23, has averaged 15.8 points and 10.1 rebounds in 470 career games (463 starts) with the Phoenix Suns (2018-23), Portland Trail Blazers (2023-25) and Lakers.
Hardy, who turns 24 on Sunday, split the 2025-26 season with the Dallas Mavericks and Wizards and averaged 9.2 points in 57 games (four starts).
A second-round pick in 2022, Hardy has averaged 8.4 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 235 games (19 starts) with the Mavericks (2022-26) and Wizards. He has canned 38.6% of his career 3-point attempts (324 of 839).
–Field Level Media
Sports
Dream looking to halt slide vs. streaking Valkyries
Jun 26, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese (5) vies for a rebound against Golden State Valkyries center Kiah Stokes (41) during the fourth quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images Trending in opposite directions, the Atlanta Dream meet the Golden State Valkyries for the third time in 11 days on Saturday afternoon in College Park, Ga.
Atlanta (12-8) dropped all four games on a road trip that began with defeats on June 24 and 26 at Golden State. It marks the longest skid for the Dream since a four-game stretch in August 2024.
“I think we’re playing hard,” Atlanta coach Karl Smesko said after Thursday’s 81-76 loss to the Washington Mystics. “But we have to make some shots. We’ve got to find a way to win even when we don’t shoot it well and the other team does.”
The Dream have averaged 76.8 points during the losing streak, which pales in comparison to their 90.4 points per game during their first 16 contests.
Rhyne Howard leads Atlanta with 18.9 points per game, followed by Allisha Gray at 18.3. Newcomer Angel Reese has amassed 14.8 points and 11.7 rebounds per contest.
None of the three, however, were named Thursday as All-Star Game starters for the July 25 contest. Reese was offended on behalf of her teammates.
“I think they work so hard and they put a lot of work in, and the way that they’re guarded every game and they have to adjust. The reason why we’re where we are is because of those two,” Reese said. “For us not to have anyone (in the starting lineup) was just a slap in the face, but they’re not going to say anything. I am.”
Golden State (13-7), meanwhile, has won three straight games and saw leading scorer Gabby Williams (15.8 ppg) named as a starter for the All-Star contest in Chicago.
Williams has helped push the Valkyries to the No. 3 spot in the Western Conference standings heading into the start of a five-game road swing.
“What’s most important is our next game and that’s it,” Golden State coach Natalie Nakase said. “We don’t look too far ahead. I think that’s what keeps our players really level-headed and focused on each team.”
Janelle Salaun adds 12.5 points per game for the Valkyries and Veronica Burton chips in 12.2 points with 5.4 assists.
–Field Level Media
Report: Hornets acquire Dorian Finney-Smith, 3 picks from Rockets
Report: Wizards acquire C Deandre Ayton from Lakers
