Sports
NHL roundup: Devils defeat Rangers behind Jack Hughes' hat trick
Mar 7, 2026; Newark, New Jersey, USA; New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes (86) celebrates his goal against the New York Rangers during the third period at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Salus-Imagn Images Olympic hero Jack Hughes recorded his fourth career hat trick and second this season, lifting the New Jersey Devils to a 6-3 victory over the New York Rangers on Saturday in Newark, N.J.
Hughes, who also had an assist, scored one of the Devils’ three power-play goals before converting on a breakaway with 3:04 to play in the third period. He completed the hat trick by scoring into an empty net with 32 seconds left. New Jersey’s Jesper Bratt collected a goal and two assists, and captain Nico Hischier and Dawson Mercer also tallied.
Jacob Markstrom made 17 saves for the Devils, who rode a 3-for-3 performance on the power play to their fourth straight win.
New York’s Will Cuylle scored his third goal in two games, defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov tallied in his third consecutive contest and fellow blueliner Will Borgen also found the net. Jonathan Quick turned aside 29 shots for the Eastern Conference cellar-dwelling Rangers, who have lost 15 of their last 19 games (4-12-3).
Bruins 3, Capitals 1
Viktor Arvidsson scored the game-winning goal at 4:28 of the third period, leading Boston past visiting Washington for the Bruins’ 12th straight home win.
Pavel Zacha and Elias Lindholm also scored, David Pastrnak dished out two assists, and Jeremy Swayman made 22 saves for Boston, which has won three of five since the Olympic break. Elias Lindholm clinched the victory on an empty-net goal with 23.2 seconds left.
Aliaksei Protas scored the lone goal and Logan Thompson stopped 27 shots for Washington, which lost its third straight after having veterans Nicolas Roy and John Carlson traded in recent days.
Jets 3, Canucks 2 (OT)
Josh Morrissey scored in overtime and added an assist in his first game back from an upper-body injury as host Winnipeg rallied past Vancouver.
Mark Scheifele had a goal and two assists and Gabriel Vilardi also scored for the Jets, who got 21 saves from Connor Hellebuyck. Morrissey scored the winner from high in the zone, with the puck deflecting off the skate of the Canucks’ Filip Hronek and into the net at 1:49 of the extra frame.
For Vancouver, Linus Karlsson had a goal and an assist and Liam Ohgren also scored. Teddy Blueger added two assists and Kevin Lankinen made 32 saves
Penguins 4, Flyers 3 (SO)
Trevor Zegras scored the game-winner in the shootout and Dan Vladar made 20 saves and stopped all three shootout attempts to lead Philadelphia to a victory over host Pittsburgh.
Alex Bump, who helped lead Western Michigan to its first NCAA hockey title in 2025, scored a goal in his NHL debut for the Flyers. Owen Tippett and Denver Barkey also scored for Philadelphia. Head coach Rick Tocchet secured a win in his 700th game as an NHL coach.
Rickard Rakell collected a goal and an assist, Egor Chinakhov had two assists and Erik Karlsson and Tommy Novak also scored goals for Pittsburgh. Stuart Skinner stopped 12 of 15 shots for the Penguins, who lost their third straight game and fell to 1-9 in shootouts.
Mammoth 5, Blue Jackets 4 (OT)
Utah’s Logan Cooley scored a pair of goals, including the game-winner in overtime against host Columbus.
Alexander Kerfoot and Michael Carcone each tallied a goal and an assist for the Mammoth, who improved to 3-0-0 on their five-game road trip. Dylan Guenther also scored, while Clayton Keller tacked on a pair of assists and Karel Vejmelka made 27 saves.
Adam Fantilli, Mason Marchment, Damon Severson and Mathieu Olivier all finished with a goal and an assist for the Blue Jackets, who saw their three-game winning streak halted. Elvis Merzlikins tallied 18 stops.
Islanders 2, Sharks 1 (OT)
Bo Horvat scored the winner at 4:20 of the extra period as New York edged host San Jose.
Horvat, on a partial break, put a backhand between the legs of Yaroslav Askarov for his 27th tally of the season. Tony DeAngelo scored in regulation for the Islanders, who avoided a third straight loss and improved to 9-0 in overtime this season.
Ilya Sorokin made 30 saves to improve to 5-0-3 in eight career appearances against the Sharks. Macklin Celebrini scored in regulation and Askarov stopped 32 shots for San Jose, which has dropped back-to-back games in overtime.
Lightning 5, Maple Leafs 2
Jake Guentzel and Brandon Hagel each had a goal and an assist and visiting Tampa Bay defeated Toronto.
Nikita Kucherov added four assists to give him 100 points (32 goals, 68 assists) for the season. Ryan McDonagh, Corey Perry and Oliver Bjorkstrand also scored for the Lightning, who snapped a four-game losing streak. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 27 shots.
Matias Maccelli and Nicholas Robertson scored for the Maple Leafs, who have lost seven in a row (0-5-2) since the Olympic break. Anthony Stolarz made 28 saves for Toronto.
Sabres 3, Predators 2
Tage Thompson extended his career-high point streak to 10 games with a goal as host Buffalo held on to beat Nashville for its sixth straight win.
Thompson has six goals and five assists during the streak. Jason Ducker and Josh Doan also scored for the Sabres, who were opening a five-game homestand as they look to keep pace atop the Atlantic Division with the Tampa Bay Lightning, whom they host on Sunday. Alex Lyon made 23 saves.
Zachary L’Heureux scored his first goal of the season for the Predators, who have lost four of five and were kicking off a five-game road swing. Matthew Wood also scored, and Juuse Saros made 21 saves.
Canadiens 4, Kings 3
Juraj Slafkovsky had two goals and an assist for Montreal in a comeback win against host Los Angeles.
Nick Suzuki notched a goal and two assists, Jake Evans also scored and Jakub Dobes made 36 saves for the Canadiens, who were coming off a 6-5 shootout loss at the Anaheim Ducks on Friday night.
Scott Laughton scored in his first game with the Kings, who are 2-4-0 since the Olympic break. Los Angeles acquired Laughton from the Toronto Maple Leafs at Friday’s trade deadline. Anze Kopitar and Alex Laferriere also scored, Brandt Clarke had two assists and Darcy Kuemper made 19 saves for Los Angeles.
Flames 5, Hurricanes 4
Joel Farabee scored two goals and added an assist and Ryan Strome scored once and added an assist in his team debut as host Calgary rode a three-goal second period to upset Eastern Conference-leading Carolina.
Morgan Frost netted one goal and two assists while Blake Coleman also collected one goal and one assist for the Flames, who snapped a four-game skid (0-3-1) after dealing away key veterans MacKenzie Weegar and Nazem Kadri this week. Goaltender Dustin Wolf made 25 saves.
Seth Jarvis netted one goal and two assists, Andrei Svechnikov posted one goal and one assist and Sean Walker and Alexander Nikishin each tallied once for Carolina. Sebastian Aho collected three assists and goalie Brandon Bussi stopped 20 shots as his personal nine-game winning streak ended.
Senators 7, Kraken 4
Shane Pinto had a goal and two assists as Ottawa defeated host Seattle.
Michael Amadio added a goal and an assist, and Tyler Kleven, Dylan Cozens, Warren Foegele, Tim Stutzle and Brady Tkachuk also scored. Nick Cousins and Thomas Chabot had two assists for the Senators, who extended their point streak to six (4-0-2) and improved to 3-0-1 on their five-game trip. Linus Ullmark made 17 saves.
Jacob Melanson, Eeli Tolvanen, Matty Beniers and Brandon Montour scored and Jordan Eberle had two assists for short-handed Seattle, which dropped to 2-2-0 on its six-game homestand. Joey Daccord stopped 29 of 36 shots.
–Field Level Media
Sports
NBA roundup: After Victor Wembanyama's exit, Blazers level series
Apr 21, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) talks with guard Stephon Castle (5) after falling to the ground during the first half of game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Portland Trail Blazers at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images Scoot Henderson poured in a season-best 31 points as the visiting Portland Trail Blazers came back from 14 points down in the fourth quarter to outlast the short-handed San Antonio Spurs 106-103 on Tuesday and even their first-round Western Conference playoff series at one win each.
The teams will play Game 3 on Friday in Portland, and it’s unclear if the Spurs will have Victor Wembanyama available. The NBA Defensive Player of the Year hit his face on the floor in the second quarter and was diagnosed with a concussion. He is scheduled for further testing on Wednesday.
The Spurs, led by Stephon Castle’s team-high 18 points, carried a one-point lead into the fourth quarter but reeled off the first 13 points of the final period to build their advantage to 93-79. The Trail Blazers roared back to take the lead via a 7-0 run capped by a Jrue Holiday layup with 2:02 left and held on from there.
Holiday produced 16 points and nine assists, and Deni Avdija added 14 points for the Trail Blazers. The Spurs got 17 points from De’Aaron Fox plus 16 points and 12 rebounds from Devin Vassell.
Lakers 101, Rockets 94
LeBron James compiled 28 points, eight rebounds and seven assists to lead Los Angeles to a victory over visiting Houston, giving the Lakers a 2-0 lead in their first-round Western Conference playoff series.
With leading scorers Luka Doncic (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique) watching from the bench, Los Angeles’ Marcus Smart added 25 points, shooting 5 of 7 from 3-point range, and Game 1 hero Luke Kennard contributed 23 points, going 3 of 6 from deep.
Kevin Durant, who missed the opening game with a right knee contusion, scored 23 points for the Rockets, but he had nine turnovers and was held to three points after halftime. Alperen Sengun paired 20 points with 11 rebounds.
76ers 111, Celtics 97
VJ Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey combined to make 11 3-pointers and score 59 total points as Philadelphia bounced back to even its Eastern Conference playoff series with host Boston.
Seventh-seeded Philadelphia shook off a dismal Game 1 performance, which included making just four 3-pointers in a 123-91 loss, with a complete reversal on the offensive end. The Sixers, who got 19 points from Paul George, shot a torrid 19 of 39 (48.7%) from beyond the arc in Game 2.
Jaylen Brown went for a game-high 36 points and Jayson Tatum finished with 19 points to go with his game-high 14 rebounds for the Celtics. No other Boston player reached double figures in scoring, a stark contrast from Game 1, when the Celtics’ entire starting five notched at least 10 points.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Randy Vasquez, Padres hand Rockies rare 1-0 home defeat
Apr 21, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher Randy Vasquez (98) delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images Randy Vasquez pitched seven shutout innings and allowed just three hits for the San Diego Padres, who squeaked out a rare 1-0 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday in Denver.
It marked just the fourth time in Rockies history they lost a 1-0 game at Coors Field. The other three instances happened in 2006, with the Milwaukee Brewers last beating Colorado by that score on Aug. 1, 2006.
Vasquez (2-0) struck out five without issuing a walk in San Diego’s third straight win. The right-hander outdueled Chase Dollander (2-2), who threw six strong innings but had a lapse of wildness in the sixth that sent the Rockies their second straight defeat.
Dollander, who came in the second after Rockies opener Jimmy Herget struck out the side in the first, allowed a one-out double to Jake Cronenworth. After Ramon Laureano struck out, Fernando Tatis hit a ground-ball single that hit off Rockies third baseman Kyle Karros to put runners at the corners.
Dollander then hit Jackson Merrill with a pitch to load the bases and walked Manny Machado to force home Cronenworth.
The Rockies right-hander allowed just three hits and a walk while plunking two Padres. He struck out nine, tying a career high he set last Thursday in Houston.
Tatis finished 2-for-4 and was the only hitter for either team with multiple hits. The squads combined for just nine hits.
Hunter Goodman singled off Vasquez to lead off the Rockies’ fourth, but he was the last baserunner the Padres starter allowed. Vasquez retired the last 12 batters he faced. Jason Adam pitched a perfect eighth in relief with a strikeout.
Closer Mason Miller, who pitched in three of the Padres’ previous four games, stayed in the bullpen Tuesday as Adrian Morejon pitched the ninth. Morejon struck out Edouard Julien and Mickey Moniak to start the inning before Goodman flied out to center, giving the left-hander his first save of the season.
Colorado lost despite striking out 15 Padres. The last time San Diego won despite striking out that many times took place on July 23, 2022, when the Padres won 2-1 on the road against the New York Mets.
–Field Level Media
Sports
NHL roundup: Lightning rally, beat Canadiens in OT to even series
Apr 21, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman J.J. Moser (90) and defenseman Darren Raddysh (43) react after beating the Montreal Canadiens in overtime during game two of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Benchmark International Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images J.J. Moser scored 12:48 into overtime, giving the host Tampa Bay Lightning a 3-2 comeback victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday and evening their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series at one win each.
Tampa Bay fully controlled the game in the extra period and was rewarded when Moser found the net. He gained the puck off a faceoff win in the offensive zone, worked his way to a shooting position at the top of the right circle and wired a top-corner shot for his first career playoff tally.
Montreal, which won Game 1 in overtime, was outshot 9-0 in overtime of Game 2. The series shifts to Montreal for Game 3 on Friday.
Tampa Bay’s Brandon Hagel collected a goal and an assist. Nikita Kucherov tallied once, Anthony Cirelli collected two assists and goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy made 25 saves for Tampa Bay, which snapped a collection of playoff swoons.
Avalanche 2, Kings 1 (OT)
Nicolas Roy scored at 7:44 of overtime to lift Colorado to a win against Los Angeles in Denver, giving the Avalanche a 2-0 lead in a Western Conference first-round playoff series.
Gabriel Landeskog scored the tying goal late in regulation and Scott Wedgewood made 24 saves for the Avalanche. During the regular season, Wedgewood led the NHL in goals-against average (2.02) and save percentage (.921).
Anton Forsberg made 34 saves for the Kings in his second career postseason start, both in the current series. He has allowed two goals or fewer in eight of his past nine starts.
Bruins 4, Sabres 2
Visiting Boston scored three second-period goals and held off a late Buffalo rally to even the teams’ Eastern Conference quarterfinal playoff series at one victory apiece.
Viktor Arvidsson scored in the last two periods, giving the Bruins 1-0 and 4-0 leads. Morgan Geekie and Pavel Zacha also lit the lamp for Boston, which heads home for Game 3 of the best-of-seven series on Thursday. Jeremy Swayman made 34 saves.
Bowen Byram and Peyton Krebs scored as Buffalo climbed within 4-2 in the closing minutes. Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen allowed four goals on 19 shots before Alex Lyon entered in relief following Arvidsson’s second marker, which came just 16 seconds into the third period.
Mammoth 3, Golden Knights 2
Logan Cooley scored the go-ahead goal on a rebound with six minutes remaining to give Utah its first playoff win in franchise history over Vegas in Game 2 of their best-of-seven Western Conference first-round series in Las Vegas.
Cooley buried a rebound of a Dylan Guenther shot, evening the best-of-seven series at one victory apiece. Guenther had a goal and an assist, Kailer Yamamoto had two assists and MacKenzie Weegar also scored. Karel Vejmelka made 19 saves, including a close-in shot by Mark Stone from the left side of the net with five seconds left to seal the win.
Stone and Ivan Barbashev each scored a goal and Jack Eichel had two assists for Vegas, which lost for the first time in regulation in 10 games (8-1-1) under coach John Tortorella. Carter Hart finished with 27 saves. Game 3 is Friday in Salt Lake City.
–Field Level Media
NBA roundup: After Victor Wembanyama's exit, Blazers level series
Randy Vasquez, Padres hand Rockies rare 1-0 home defeat
