Sports
Jets resume playoff push without No. 1 goalie, face lowly Canucks
Feb 4, 2026; Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN; Winnipeg Jets left wing Kyle Connor (81) celebrates a goal against the Montreal Canadiens in the first period at Canada Life Centre. Mandatory Credit: James Carey Lauder-Imagn Images The Winnipeg Jets restart their season Wednesday night in Vancouver, following a 20-day Olympic break that showcased their gold medal-winning goaltender Connor Hellebuyck on the biggest stage.
Hellebuyck won’t play against Vancouver because he made a side trip to attend President Donald Trump’s State of the Union speech on Tuesday night in Washington, but he is expected to rejoin the team for Friday’s game in Anaheim.
The Jets visit the Canucks just three days after Hellebuyck delivered a 41-save performance to stymie Team Canada and help Team USA snap a 46-year gold medal drought at the Winter Olympics in Milan.
“The biggest thing I was looking for was that he was going to be at his best,” Jets head coach Scott Arniel said at Monday’s practice of the three-time Vezina Trophy winner. “You heard the Canadian players talk about how it was one of the best games they ever played and the goaltender (Hellebuyck) was the difference.
“He was a wall and well deserving of that gold medal.”
Now that the hockey world has seen what Hellebuyck can do with an elite team in front of him, the Jets are hoping some of his Team USA magic will rub off on their late-season playoff push.
Winnipeg is battling for a postseason spot, 11 points away from the final wild-card berth in the Western Conference. The Jets have a compact schedule to do it in with 26 games in just 50 days.
“Points are huge and we got to make a run here,” said Arniel, who won gold with Canada at the 1982 World Junior Championships.
“Our schedule lines up so that we are playing a lot of these teams that are just above us.
“We got to focus on getting two points from Vancouver, then move on to Anaheim. Try to just stay in the moment, not worry about how big the hill is, just take our steps to climb it.”
Eric Comrie is expected to start in goal against the Canucks. Forward Kyle Connor, a member of Team USA, did not go to Washington with Hellebuyck and practiced with the Jets on Tuesday.
Winnipeg will also be without defenseman Josh Morrissey, who will be examined by team doctors after suffering an undisclosed injury in Team Canada’s first game.
The Canucks, who have yet to win back-to-back games at home this season, are in last place in the league and are already looking toward next season.
Vancouver has lost three in a row and 17 of its last 19 (2-14-3) and it doesn’t look promising against the Jets thanks to travel and health woes.
They will be missing Finnish Olympic goaltender Kevin Lankinen and forward Brock Boeser. Lankinen likely won’t be available because of winter storms that caused travel chaos on the East Coast.
Boeser suffered a concussion before the Olympic break but is now dealing with a virus that had him skating with the team Monday but not doing contact drills.
Head coach Adam Foote said the team is officially in a rebuilding mode with younger players who he wants to give more ice time for the rest of the season.
“I am not going to go into what’s happened to us. We all know,” Foote said. “Our young guys are moving forward with a rebuild.
“No. 1, we are going to use this time to win hockey games.
“And No. 2, we want to do it the right way.
“We are working on who we want to be moving forward with our identity, but giving them (ice time) so we have a quicker start next season.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
NJ Benson's red-hot run gives DePaul chance for Creighton sweep
Jan 10, 2026; Hartford, Connecticut, USA; DePaul Blue Demons forward Nj Benson (35) reacts after his basket against the UConn Huskies in the first half at PeoplesBank Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images Senior center NJ Benson aims to continue his strong stretch of play when DePaul bids for a season sweep of Creighton on Wednesday in Omaha, Neb.
Benson began a sizzling three-game run by making 10 of 11 shots from the floor during a 23-point performance — the second-highest of his career — in the Blue Demons’ 72-71 victory over the Bluejays on Feb. 11.
Benson followed that up by making 15 of 18 shots for 40 points over his last two games for DePaul (14-13, 6-10 Big East). If Benson (11.2 ppg, 7.3 rpg) had a few more field goal attempts on his resume, then his 64.0% shooting accuracy would rank second in the Big East and 13th nationally.
He recorded his second double-double in his last three games by collecting 19 points and 10 rebounds in the Blue Demons’ 71-68 setback to Providence on Saturday.
A dismal 12-for-24 performance from the free-throw line and being outrebounded by a 41-31 margin ultimately did in DePaul.
“We’re sixth right now in the league, and it’s an 11-team league,” said Blue Demons head coach Chris Holtmann, per Haystack.tv. “There’s little separation really between fifth and the very last-place team, and any of those are really in play for us right now.
“In order for that to happen, we have to continue to do a better job of rebounding at both ends. We have to make open shots, make free throws and we have to keep our defense really consistent.”
Brandon Maclin, who recorded 14 points and seven rebounds against Providence, made the game-winning layup with seven seconds remaining in the previous encounter with Creighton (14-14, 8-9) to snap DePaul’s 23-game losing streak against the Bluejays.
Creighton guard Blake Harper told reporters that his team is ready for the rematch.
“Focus on the game plan and focus for all 40 minutes,” Harper said. “Certain times at DePaul, we let the ball roll. And now, we don’t have any more room for error.”
The lack of wiggle room for Creighton comes as a result of falling for the sixth time in eight games with an 81-52 drubbing by St. John’s on Saturday. The 29-point setback served as the Bluejays’ largest loss since Jan. 5, 2022, and came on the heels of their upset victory last Wednesday over then-No. 5 UConn.
Austin Swartz, who was held without a point versus St. John’s, led Creighton with 15 points in the previous meeting with DePaul.
Josh Dix leads Creighton’s four double-figure scorers with 12.1 points per game.
–Field Level Media
Sports
P.J. Haggerty, Kansas State try to disrupt Colorado's roll at home
Feb 17, 2026; Manhattan, Kansas, USA; Kansas State Wildcats guard P.J. Haggerty (4) is guarded by Kansas State Wildcats guard David Castillo (10) during the first half at Bramlage Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-Imagn Images Kansas State interim coach Matthew Driscoll will continue to make minor strategic adjustments when the Wildcats head to Colorado for a Big 12 contest on Wednesday in Boulder, Colo.
The Wildcats (11-16, 2-12 Big 12) are 1-1 since former coach Jerome Tang was fired on Feb. 15, following postgame comments after a 91-62 home loss to Cincinnati on Feb. 11. The Wildcats snapped a six-game losing streak in Driscoll’s debut with a 90-74 home victory over Baylor on Feb. 17.
“We’re not going to change,” Driscoll said. “But we will be different.”
Different could be good after the Wildcats were crushed 100-72 on Saturday at No. 13 Texas Tech. Though being different could simply mean P.J. Haggerty getting back to normal.
Driscoll jokingly suggested that Haggerty, the nation’s No. 3 scorer at 23.5 points per game, was mortal after he connected on 7 of 17 field-goal attempts and finished with 17 points against Texas Tech — his second-lowest total in Big 12 play.
“Today you found out that when P.J. Haggerty gets cut, he bleeds, too,” Driscoll said. “He’s a regular human being. He had a very tough day. He’s usually 50 to 52% (from the field), makes a three, knocks down some free throws and he’s between 20 to 25 (points). On a good night, he gets 35. Today, on 17 shots, he got 17 points.”
Colorado (15-12, 5-9) could be playing out the string in conference play, but the Buffaloes have more urgency because they entered Tuesday’s action ranked No. 69 in the national NET rankings and No. 76 in the WAB (Wins Above Bubble). They are 3-3 in February coming off an 83-69 home win over Oklahoma State on Saturday.
Bangot Dak led the Buffaloes with 17 points and Barrington Hargress added 16 to move to 3-0 at home in February and 12-4 on the season.
“We feel the energy at home and love playing in front of our fans,” Hargress said. “We’ll take it, we want to protect home-court advantage. But we are really just focused on playing consistent basketball, whether it’s here or away.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Golf Glance: PGA Tour starts Florida swing; Masters spot at stake in South Africa
Brooks Koepka looks over his putt on the 16th hole during Round 2 at the WM Phoenix Open on Feb. 6, 2026, at TPC Scottsdale. The PGA Tour tees off its Florida swing with Brooks Koepka in the field in Palm Beach Gardens, the LPGA Tour continues its Asia swing and a coveted spot in the Masters is on the line in South Africa.
PGA TOUR
THIS WEEK: Cognizant Classic, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., Feb. 26-March 1
Course: PGA National, Champion Course (Par 71, 7,223 Yards)
Purse: $9.6M (Winner: $1.728M)
Defending Champion: Joe Highsmith
FedEx Cup Leader: Jacob Bridgeman
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Thursday-Friday: 2-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday: 1-3 p.m. (GC), 3-6 p.m. (NBC)
Streaming (ESPN+): Thursday-Friday: 6:45 a.m.-6 p.m. ET; Saturday-Sunday: 7:45 a.m.-6 p.m.
X: @the_cognizant
NOTES: The PGA Tour begins is four-tournament Florida swing with a field that includes eight of the top 50 players in the Official World Golf Ranking. … The course has been lengthened by about 100 yards from last year, and water is in play on 15 of 18 holes. Hole Nos. 15-17 are known as the “Bear Trap.” … This is Brooks Koepka’s third start in his return to the PGA Tour. He followed a T56 at Torrey Pines by missing the cut in Phoenix. Koepka’s inclusion means two additional players got into the field, which will play as threesomes. … Highsmith made the cut on the number last year before going on to win by two strokes and claim his maiden win on tour while setting the PGA National scoring record at 19-under 265. He is seeking to become the first player to successfully defend at the event since Jack Nicklaus in 1977-78. … Billy Horschel will be making his 14th event start, with his best previous finish a T4 in 2017. … This is the final opportunity for players to earn a spot in next week’s signature event via the Aon Swing 5. The top five in the standings entering this week are Michael Thorbjornsen, Nicolai Hojgaard, Haotong Li, Stephan Jaeger and Kevin Roy. … Blades Brown, 18, will be making his second tour start of the season following a T18 at The American Express, where he carded a 60 in the second round and played in the final group with Scottie Scheffler on Sunday. Other sponsor exemptions are Adam Hadwin, Harry Higgs and Camilo Villegas.
BEST BETS: Ryan Gerard (+1850 by DraftKings) is the highest-ranked player in the field at No. 26. He has three top-25 this season and finished fourth here three years ago. … Shane Lowry (+1900) owns three top-five finishes in his past four starts at PGA National. … Nicolai Hojgaard (+2150) has a pair of top-4 finishes worldwide through his first four starts in 2026, including a T3 in Phoenix. … Michael Thorbjornsen (+2450) also finished T3 in Phoenix before a T78 at Pebble Beach. … Aaron Rai (+4200), who in Abu Dhabi late last year, was a factor at the Genesis before closing with a 76. … Nico Echavarria (+5900) is a two-time winner on tour. His lone made cut in five starts this year was a T8 at Pebble Beach. … Garrick Higgo (+6000) offers intriguing odds for another two-time tour winner. He has started 2026 with three missed cuts in four starts and a T60 in the limited field at Pebble Beach.
Last Tournament: The Genesis Invitational (Bridgeman)
Next Tournament: Arnold Palmer Invitational, Orlando, March 5-8
LPGA TOUR
THIS WEEK: HSBC Women’s World Championship, Singapore, Feb. 26-March 1
Course: Sentosa Golf Club, Tajong Course, Old Course (Par 72, 6,793 Yards)
Purse: $3M (Winner: $360,000)
Defending Champion: Lydia Ko
Race to the CME Globe Leader: Jeeno Thitikul
HOW TO WATCH
TV/Streaming: Wednesday-Saturday: 9:30 p.m.-2:30 a.m. ET (Golf Channel/USA Sports App)
X: @HWWWCGolf
NOTES: This is the second leg of the three-event Asia swing that concludes in China, with the tour returning to the United States for the Ford Championship in Arizona March 19-22. … The event dates back to Lorena Ochoa’s 11-shot victory in 2008. … Nelly Korda is skipping the Asia swing for the third consecutive year, but the field does include 21 of the top 25 players in the Rolex Rankings. That includes the top-ranked Thitikul, No. 3 Charley Hill, No. 4 Minjee Lee and No. 5 Miyu Yamashita.
Last Tournament: Honda LPGA Thailand (Thitikul)
Next Tournament: Blue Bay LPGA, Hainan Island, Hainan, China
DP WORLD TOUR
THIS WEEK: South African Open Championship, Stellenbosch, South Africa, Feb. 26-March 1
Course: Stellenbosch GC (Par 70, 7,213 Yards)
Purse: $1.5M (Winner: $250,000)
Defending Champion: Dylan Naidoo
Race to Dubai Leader: Patrick Reed
HOW TO WATCH
TV: Thursday-Friday: 5:30-10:30 a.m. ET; Saturday: 5:30-10 a.m.; Sunday: 4:30-9:30 a.m. (Golf Channel)
X: @DPWorldTour
NOTES: The winner of the South African Open receives an invitation to the Masters for the first time. The top three finishers earn spots in the Open Championship if not otherwise exempt. … This is the sixth of seven events on the tour’s International Swing, with the final three all taking place in Africa. … The winner of the International Swing will earn a $200,000 bonus and a spot in the Scottish Open if not otherwise exempt. … Naidoo is defending his first DP World Tour title, which he earned in a sudden death playoff against Laurie Canter after the final round was cancelled due to heavy rainfall. … The event returns to Stellenbosch for the first time in 27 years.
Last Tournament: Kenya Open (Casey Jarvis)
Next Tournament: Joburg Open, Johannesburg, South Africa, March 5-8
LIV GOLF LEAGUE
THIS WEEK: OFF.
2026 Season Leaders: Individual: Jon Rahm; Team: Ripper GC
Last Event: LIV Golf Adelaide (Individual: Anthony Kim; Team: Ripper GC)
Next Event: LIV Golf Hong Kong, March 5-8
PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS
THIS WEEK: OFF.
Charles Schwab Cup leader: Stewart Cink
Next Tournament: James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational, Boca Raton, Fla., March 6-8
–Field Level Media
NJ Benson's red-hot run gives DePaul chance for Creighton sweep
P.J. Haggerty, Kansas State try to disrupt Colorado's roll at home
