Sports
Devils hope to benefit from break with surging Stars ahead
Feb 4, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; New Jersey Devils defensemen Dougie Hamilton (7) and Brenden Dillon (5) and left wing Jesper Bratt (63) and center Jack Hughes (86) talk before face-off against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the second period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images A couple of key roster pieces could await the New Jersey Devils coming out of the break for the 4 Nations Face-Off, while the Dallas Stars want to keep building momentum through the final two months of the regular season.
The Devils might have forward Nico Hischier back in the lineup when they host the Stars on Saturday night in Newark, N.J.
Following the extended down time from the recent break, both New Jersey and Dallas are among the top three teams in their respective divisions, and hope to maintain, or improve, those positions down the stretch.
The Devils are third in the Metropolitan Division and have won five of their last eight games. Hischier, third on the team with 43 points, has been out since Jan. 25 with an oblique injury. He practiced this week ahead of a pending return.
“He knows how his body feels. He didn’t seem to have any discomfort (at practice),” Devils coach Sheldon Keefe said. “I suspect he’ll be ready to go.”
Devils goalie Jacob Markstrom also is close to a return following a sprained MCL on Jan. 22. Markstrom, who has a 2.20 goals-against average and .912 save percentage in 36 starts (21-9-5), also skated this week.
New Jersey’s top two scorers Jack Hughes (United States) and Jesper Bratt (Sweden) each took part in the 4 Nations Face-Off, which finished with Canada’s 3-2 overtime victory against the U.S. on Thursday. Both could be ready for the Devils, who entered the break following a 4-0 road victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Feb. 8.
Hughes and Bratt each scored against the Canadiens, while Jake Allen made 34 saves to record his second shutout in four starts for New Jersey. The Devils hope to improve on their 3-3-1 stretch in home games going back to Jan. 11.
“That break was a great time for us to get away, now regroup, come back recharged and play to our potential,” Devils veteran forward Curtis Lazar said, according to NHL.com.
Dallas is second in the Central Division and 6-1-1 since Jan. 24. The Stars entered the break off an 8-3 win at San Jose, where they trailed 2-0 just 2:46 into the contest. Matt Duchene recorded his second straight game with two goals and an assist, while Mikael Granlund added two assists.
“We’re in a good spot right now,” said Dallas forward Mason Marchment, who also scored against the Sharks.
“So, I think a lot of (these) next two months is building our game for being in the right place going into the playoffs.”
Dallas’ Granlund (Finland), Esa Lindell (Finland), Roope Hintz (Finland), Jake Oettinger (United States) and Thomas Harley (Canada) each competed in 4 Nations. Granlund recorded three goals with an assist in the three-game tournament and has four assists in four contests since Dallas acquired him from San Jose.
Dallas has outscored the Devils 18-6 during a four-game winning streak at New Jersey. Hintz has posted four goals with an assist in the last three at New Jersey, while USA 4 Nations snub Jason Robertson has recorded four assists in the same stretch.
–Field Level Media
Sports
WTA roundup: Anna Bondar goes overtime, reaches Hamburg final
May 25, 2026; Paris, France; Anna Bondar of Hungary reacts during her first round match against Elina Svitolina of Ukraine on day two at Stade Roland Garros. Mandatory Credit: Susan Mullane-Imagn Images No. 4 seed Anna Bondar of Hungary outlasted Elina Avanesyan of Armenia 7-6 (3), 4-6, 7-6 (2) in a three-hour, 29-minute match on Saturday to advance to the final of the MSC Hamburg Ladies Open in Germany.
Bondar will face fifth-seeded Tamara Korpatsch of Germany, who advanced in her semifinal match when Mayar Sherif of Egypt retired in the second set with an injury. Bondar reached the final at Hamburg for the second consecutive year.
Bondar was down 5-3 in the opening set against Avanesyan before rallying then taking the final four points of the tiebreaker for the set. Bondar also lost serve to fall behind 2-0 in the deciding set then won the first five points of the tiebreaker to advance.
Korpatsch dominated the opening set 6-1 then went up 2-0 in the second set before Sherif was forced to bow out. Sherif was coming off her first title in four years at the Iasi Open in Romania.
Prague Open
Lilli Tagger of Austria pulled off an upset of No. 2 seed Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic and earned her way into the final with a 6-7 (5), 6-3, 7-6 (4) semifinal victory.
Both semifinalists from the Czech Republic fell in their home country with No. 5 seed Tereza Valentova losing 7-6 (4), 6-3 to No. 8 seed Daria Snigur of Ukraine.
After losing the opening set, Tagger rallied by breaking Krejcikova’s serve to go up 4-2 in the second set. She broke serve again in the fourth game of the final set then won the final three points in the tiebreaker to win the match.
Snigur and Valentova each broke serve twice in the opening set before Snigur won the final four points of the tiebreaker. Snigur then broke Valentova’s serve twice in the second set, including once to take a 5-3 lead before serving for the match.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Salvador Perez sets KC franchise HR record in win over Tigers
Jul 25, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez (13) celebrates after he hits a home run in the seventh inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images Nick Loftin hit a go-ahead homer in the ninth, Salvador Perez set the franchise home run record, and the visiting Kansas City Royals squeaked by the Detroit Tigers, 3-2, on Saturday.
Perez’s seventh-inning blast was his 318th career homer, surpassing Hall of Famer George Brett on the franchise’s all-time list. It was also Perez’s 31st homer against the Tigers.
Vinnie Pasquantino had three hits and scored a run for Kansas City.
Hao-Yu Lee drove in both Tigers runs with a double and solo homer. The Tigers had a three-game winning streak snapped.
Detroit starter Casey Mize gave up one run and three hits in six innings. Royals starter Michael Wacha lasted seven innings, allowing two runs and six hits.
Loftin gave the Royals the lead with one out in the ninth, pulling an 0-2 pitch from Jacob Waguespack (0-1) over the left field wall.
Riley Greene led off the bottom of the inning with a single off Daniel Lynch IV (4-2). Alex Lange then replaced him and struck out Lee. Zach McKinstry moved Greene to third with a single. Lange then struck out Matt Vierling and induced pinch-hitter Spencer Torkelson to end the game, allowing Lange to notch his 10th save.
The Royals took the lead in the second as Pasquantino led off with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice and reached third on a Mize wild pitch. He scored on Michael Massey’s sacrifice fly.
Detroit tied it in the bottom of the second. Greene banged a double off the left field wall and scored on Lee’s opposite-field double.
With one out in the fourth, Lee took advantage of a hanging changeup and clobbered it over the left field wall to give the Tigers a 2-1 lead.
Perez smashed his historic homer off Kyle Finnegan, pulling a hanging slider over the left field wall for an estimated 401 feet.
Perez couldn’t deliver again in the eighth with runners on the corners and two out as he grounded into a fielder’s choice.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Orlando City SC sign homegrown D Bernardo Rhein
Nov 24, 2024; Orlando, Florida, USA; The Orlando City logo is seen prior to a match against Atlanta United in a 2024 MLS Cup conference semifinal match at Inter&Co Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Orlando City SC signed homegrown defender Bernardo Rhein to a first-team contract through the 2027-28 season.
The deal includes team options for the 2028-29 and 2029-30 campaigns.
“Bernardo has earned this opportunity through his dedication, consistency and the progress he’s shown at every stage of our development pathway,” said Orlando City general manager Ricardo Moreira.
“Having started in futsal, Bernardo brings flair and intensity to our backline. From the Academy to OCB and now the First Team, he has embraced every challenge and continued to grow as a player and as a person. This signing reflects our commitment to developing talent from within, and we’re excited to support Bernardo as he takes the next step in his career with the Club.”
The 18-year-old made his MLS debut on April 22, 2026, against Charlotte FC. He becomes the 19th Orlando City Academy product to advance through the full development pathway.
–Field Level Media
WTA roundup: Anna Bondar goes overtime, reaches Hamburg final
Salvador Perez sets KC franchise HR record in win over Tigers
