Sports
Kraken suffer damaging loss to spoiler Blackhawks
Apr 4, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Chicago Blackhawks left wing Tyler Bertuzzi (59) plays thep puck during the first period against the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images Sacha Boisvert scored his first NHL goal as the Chicago Blackhawks defeated host Seattle 4-2 Saturday night, further damaging the Kraken’s dwindling playoff hopes.
Ilya Mikheyev had a goal and an assist, Teuvo Teravainen and Tyler Bertuzzi also tallied and Wyatt Kaiser had two assists for the Blackhawks (28-35-14, 70 points), reduced to the role of spoiler after being eliminated from postseason contention with a 3-1 loss Thursday at Edmonton. Goaltender Arvid Soderblom made 25 saves.
Jaden Schwartz had a goal and an assist and Kaapo Kakko also scored for the Kraken (32-32-11, 75 points), who lost their fourth in a row and for the eighth time in their past nine games to drop into seventh place in the Western Conference’s wild-card playoff race, six points out of the second and final spot. Philipp Grubauer stopped 27 of 30 shots.
Schwartz pulled the Kraken within 2-1 at 10:48 of the third period on a counterattack. Eeli Tolvanen drove down the left wing and sent a pass to the top of the crease, where Schwartz outmuscled Kaiser to get his stick on the puck and redirect it over Soderblom’s blocker.
Boisvert, the 18th overall pick in the 2024 draft who was playing in just his fifth NHL game, took a pass from Kevin Korchinski in the high slot and beat Grubauer with a one-timer at 13:08 to restore Chicago’s two-goal lead.
Kakko scored off a rebound at 14:18 to pull the Kraken within 3-2, but Mikheyev put the puck into an empty net at 18:48 to clinch the victory.
Chicago outshot Seattle 10-4 in a scoreless first period, with all of the Kraken’s attempts coming from their defensive corps.
Teravainen opened the scoring on the power play at 9:15 of the second period. He received a pass from Connor Bedard in the left-wing corner and with no defenders facing him, decided to skate the puck to the net. Teravainen jammed the puck between Grubauer’s pads and it trickled just over the goal line.
The Blackhawks doubled their advantage at 19:37 of the second on a 3-on-2 rush. Bertuzzi sent a pass to Mikheyev deep on the left wing and headed toward the net. With his back toward the net, Mikheyev sent a backhanded pass into the slot that went off the skate of Seattle’s Schwartz and came to a stop just outside the crease. Bertuzzi pounced on the loose puck and lifted it over Grubauer’s catching glove and into the upper right corner of the net.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Nets sign C Moritz Wagner to multi-year contract
May 3, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Orlando Magic forward Moritz Wagner (21) celebrates a three point basket in the first half against the Detroit Pistons during game seven of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images The Brooklyn Nets signed veteran center Moritz Wagner to a multi-year contract on Friday.
Terms were not released, but ESPN reported the deal was for two years and $19 million.
Wagner, 29, spent the past five-plus seasons with the Orlando Magic. The Nets are his fifth NBA team.
The 6-foot-11 Germany native averaged 6.9 points and 3.2 rebounds in 36 games off the Magic bench in 2025-26.
Wagner has career averages of 9.0 points, 3.9 rebounds and 16.2 minutes in 399 games (57 starts) with the Los Angeles Lakers (2018-19), Washington Wizards (2019-21), Boston Celtics (2021) and Magic (2021-26).
He has shot 51.8% from the field and 80.8% from the free-throw line since being drafted by the Lakers in the first round (25th overall) out of Michigan in 2018.
Younger brother Franz Wagner has been with the Magic since they selected him with the No. 8 overall draft pick in 2021.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Sam Leavitt Faces Massive Expectations at LSU
Last season was a disaster in Baton Rouge. LSU took a risk by poaching Brian Kelly from Notre Dame in 2021, but he was unable to replicate the success Ed Orgeron had achieved as head coach. It wasn’t all low lights for Kelly, as he did have multiple 10-win seasons and Bowl wins over his Tigers’ career.
Unfortunately, 10 win seasons and bowl game victories don’t do much for the LSU faithful. The Tigers went big game hunting and landed the most coveted coach in the cycle, Lane Kiffin. Whether you love or hate Kiffin, he’s firmly established himself as one of the better coaches and recruiters in the sport — and he was going to need to overhaul what was a very flawed LSU roster.
Kiffin’s biggest move this offseason was bringing in Sam Leavitt, a redshirt junior transfer from Arizona State. Leavitt was the number-one player in the portal this offseason and reportedly signed a $6 million deal to move to Louisiana.
Injuries derailed portions of Leavitt’s 2025 season, and that may have led to some regression last season, but I’m not entirely sure he’s going to be worth the massive deal he signed this offseason.
Leavitt was dealing with foot issues even when he was on the field last year, but I never came away super impressed with him. During his surprise playoff run during the 2024-25 season, it always felt like Cam Skatteboo’s team, not his. When given full control of the Sun Devil’s offense, he struggled at points, like his 10/22, 82-yard, two-interception performance against 5-7 Mississippi State.
The SEC will be a massive step up in talent for Leavitt, but also a massive step up in responsibility. Kiffin’s offenses will heavily rely on Leavitt to be the engineer on offense, and I’m just not sure that’s in his wheelhouse.
I personally see Leavitt as more of a game manager and not a game changer, and I don’t even think a QB whisperer as great as Kiffin can fix that. Most importantly, how healthy is Leavitt going to be heading into the season?
He missed all of the winter and spring recovering from his Lisfranc fracture and is only now getting up to speed. I don’t love my starting quarterback missing that much time, especially when he has to learn a new offense and build chemistry with a brand-new group of receivers.
The SEC doesn’t have the same level of depth as in previous years, but there’s still enough talent at the top to cause issues in year one under Kiffin. I would be shocked to see LSU as a playoff contender right away. I think it’s far more likely that Kiffin’s ex at Ole Miss will be playing in January.
Sports
Pens sign F Tommy Novak to 3-year, $13.95M extension
Mar 8, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Tommy Novak (18) reacts after scoring the game winning goal in overtime against Boston Bruins at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images The Pittsburgh Penguins signed forward Tommy Novak to a three-year, $13.95 million contract extension on Friday.
Novak, 29, posted 42 points (16 goals, 26 assists) in 82 games in his first full season with the Penguins in 2025-26.
Acquired in a trade with Nashville in March 2025, Novak has 159 points (65 goals, 94 assists) in 285 career games.
The Predators drafted the St. Paul, Minn., native in the third round in 2015 and he made his NHL debut in 2021.
Novak, who would have been a free agent after the 2026-27 season, will earn an average annual salary of $4.65 million. The extension will run through the 2029-30 season.
–Field Level Media
Nets sign C Moritz Wagner to multi-year contract
Sam Leavitt Faces Massive Expectations at LSU
