Sports
Maple Leafs host Islanders in home-and-home set
Dec 21, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Islanders forward Bo Horvat (14) tries to control the puck against Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Jake McCabe (22) during the second period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images The New York Islanders will have something to prove to their coach when they visit the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday afternoon.
Islanders coach Patrick Roy criticized his team’s effort in a 3-2 road loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday following a 6-3 home win over the Penguins the day before.
Roy emphasized the difference in the two games.
“I didn’t think we competed the way we are capable of,” Roy said. “(Saturday) we were quick on those loose pucks. We were sharp. We executed much better than we did (Sunday). And we were more at the net, as well. If you want to score on your shot, you better be a good shooter. If not, you’re going to have to drive the net.”
Roy did not like the way his team responded when Pittsburgh took a 2-0 lead early in the second period.
“I just felt like after we gave up that second goal, we were not mentally strong enough,” Roy said. “It’s just a goal. We were down two — two goals is nothing in this league. We proved it.”
Pittsburgh led 3-0 in the third period before Anders Lee and Bo Horvat scored for New York to make the score look respectable.
“With seven minutes (remaining), we pull the goalie, we score one, five minutes, we score another,” Roy said. “You could come back in those games. And sometimes, I feel we don’t believe enough in that.”
The Islanders already have a win in Toronto this season, 6-3 on Dec. 21. Each team has dropped two of three since.
Toronto lost 5-2 at home on Saturday to the Washington Capitals. The Maple Leafs were playing their fourth straight game without Auston Matthews (upper-body injury).
Matthews did participate in most of Monday’s practice but left early and coach Craig Berube said that he will not play on Tuesday.
“He did a good job in practice today, I thought, and I think he feels pretty good,” Berube said. “So, we’ll go from there.”
Defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson (illness) did not practice.
After the loss on Saturday, Berube said: “Probably three mistakes in the game that we made and it went in our net. We played a pretty hard game, lot of opportunities, we didn’t finish.”
Washington scored on its only power play while Toronto was 0-for-2 with the man advantage.
“We certainly had chances, had looks,” said John Tavares, who scored once for Toronto. “We were on the wrong side of it on special teams today. It’s just small margins, execution at times. We have to execute defensively and when we create offense, we have to find ways to break them down and beat their goaltender.”
Washington goaltender Logan Thompson made two big saves on William Nylander in the first period.
“I had some great scoring chances and didn’t capitalize so that’s probably one of the reasons why, (we lost),” Nylander said.
Horvat, who had a goal and two assists in the win at Toronto, stressed the need for consistency from the Islanders.
“Right now, this win one, lose one thing is not going to do us any favors here going forward,” he said. “If we’re going to continue to do this, we’re not going to move up the standings. It’s on us in here to get the ball rolling.”
The teams will play again Thursday when the Maple Leafs will be the visitors.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: Giants planning to release LB Bobby Okereke
Nov 9, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; New York Giants linebacker Bobby Okereke (58) leaves the field after losing to the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images The New York Giants are planning to cut inside linebacker Bobby Okereke in a cost-saving move, The Athletic reported Saturday.
Releasing the seven-year NFL veteran, who turns 30 in July, will save the Giants $9 million against the 2026 salary cap.
Okereke has led New York in tackles in two of his three seasons with the team, including 143 stops in 2025 and 149 in 2023.
Okereke added one sack, two interceptions and one fumble recovery in 17 games (all starts) for the Giants in 2025.
He has recorded 805 tackles, 7.5 sacks, seven interceptions and 11 forced fumbles in 110 career games (95 starts) with the Colts (2019-22) and Giants. Indianapolis drafted him in the third round in 2019.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Tyler Reddick starts bid for 3rd straight NASCAR Cup win with pole run
Feb 22, 2026; Hampton, Georgia, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Tyler Reddick rounds the track at EchoPark Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mady Mertens-Imagn Images AUSTIN, Texas — One of the few things that wasn’t startling about Saturday’s NASCAR Cup Series qualifying session at Circuit of the Americas was Tyler Reddick’s run for the pole position.
Negotiating the 2.4-mile road course in 97.760 seconds (88.380 mph) in the second qualifying group, Reddick claimed his third Busch Light Pole Award in six attempts at the track. He will lead the field to green in Sunday’s DuraMAX Grand Prix Powered by Reladyne (3:30 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Of course, there’s more at stake for Reddick than simply a victory at COTA. In winning at EchoPark Speedway near Atlanta last Sunday, the driver of the No. 45 Toyota became the sixth Cup competitor to start a season with two consecutive wins. No driver has ever won three straight to open a season.
The 23XI Racing driver acknowledged that the pole position, the 12th of his career, is a positive first step toward that goal.
“It helps the chances, certainly,” said Reddick, whose series-best average finish of 4.6 at COTA includes a victory in 2023. “I think starting up front is huge.”
Michael McDowell led the first qualifying group of 19 drivers with a lap at 88.031 mph but fell to sixth soon after the second group took to the track. Ultimately, Ross Chastain posted the second-fastest lap at 88.256 mph (97.897 seconds) and will start on the front row beside Reddick.
The shocker was not that Chastain, the 2022 COTA winner, fashioned an excellent lap. What was surprising was that his two Trackhouse Racing teammates, Shane van Gisbergen and Connor Zilisch — both vaunted road course racers — failed to crack the top 10 in qualifying.
Van Gisbergen was 13th fastest on his third lap. Zilisch could do no better than 25th. Van Gisbergen is seeking his sixth straight road course victory in the Cup Series, a mark that would tie NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon for most consecutive road course wins.
Chase Briscoe (88.242 mph) will start third, followed by Ryan Blaney (88.179 mph) and Chase Elliott (88.161 mph). Elliott leads active drivers with seven road course victories.
Behind McDowell in sixth, AJ Allmendinger qualified seventh, followed by defending race winner Christopher Bell, Ty Gibbs and William Byron.
“We’ll see how it gets going,” Reddick said. “Certainly, Ross, Shane, Ryan Blaney-there’s a number of good drivers who were really strong in practice today. We’ll try to understand what that all looks like and make our best decisions on the car and everything.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Warriors F Gui Santos signs multi-year extension
Feb 25, 2026; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Gui Santos (15) passes the ball as Memphis Grizzlies guard Javon Small (10) defends during the third quarter at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images Golden State Warriors forward Gui Santos signed a multi-year contract extension on Saturday.
Specific terms were not disclosed by the Warriors. However, ESPN reported it was a three-year, $15 million contract extension with a player option in 2028-29. Santos was in line to become a restricted free agent prior to this extension.
Santos, 23, is posting career-best averages in points (6.6), rebounds (3.2) and assists (1.7) in 48 games (13 starts) this season.
He is contributing 4.9 points, 3.0 boards and 1.4 assists in 127 career games (15 starts) since being selected by the Warriors in the second round of the 2022 NBA Draft.
–Field Level Media
Report: Giants planning to release LB Bobby Okereke
Tyler Reddick starts bid for 3rd straight NASCAR Cup win with pole run
