Sports
Penguins, buoyed by return of Sidney Crosby, visit Hurricanes
Mar 16, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin (71) reacts after his goal in the first period against the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images The Pittsburgh Penguins are coming off what might be their most impressive result of the season, and they’ll get captain Sidney Crosby back to boot.
Two nights after beating the team with the best record in the NHL, the Penguins will try to conquer a team tied for the most points in the Eastern Conference.
Pittsburgh opposes the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday night in Raleigh, N.C. — the same spot where the Penguins began a five-game road trip last week.
On Wednesday, the Penguins will see the return of Crosby from an 11-game absence.
Crosby, 38, was expected to be sidelined for at least four weeks after sustaining a lower-body injury during Canada’s 4-3 overtime win against Czechia in the quarterfinals at the 2026 Winter Olympics on Feb. 18. Wednesday marks exactly four weeks from that day.
“Excited to get back in it,” Crosby said after the morning skate on Wednesday. “Just watching these guys and being on the trip, obviously getting closer. … Just happy to finally be back in there.”
The Penguins posted a 5-3-3 record in the absence of Crosby, who leads the team in goals (27) and points (59).
As for the Hurricanes, they matched their most lopsided losses of the season when they fell 5-1 on to the host Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday.
“This was not a game we played well,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “Throw it away and come back (Wednesday).”
Pittsburgh downed the Colorado Avalanche 7-2 on Monday in Denver, matching its highest goal total and largest victory margin of the season.
“I think the guys should take some confidence from it,” Penguins coach Dan Muse said. “Not just in one area, but a lot of different areas.”
The Monday outing marked Evgeni Malkin’s first contest back in the Pittsburgh lineup after a five-game suspension. He scored two goals and added an assist.
“I look forward to the future,” Malkin said. “I just want to play.”
Muse said Malkin’s return gave the Penguins a boost, something they hope to benefit from as the schedule continues.
“It wasn’t a surprise,” Muse said of Malkin’s impact. “He is just somebody who loves the game and is a competitor.”
Malkin didn’t play in last week’s game vs. Carolina, which won 5-4 in a shootout after the Penguins scored twice in the final 2 1/2 minutes of regulation to extend the game.
The Hurricanes are atop the Metropolitan Division, with the Penguins holding second place, seven points back. Pittsburgh is 2-1-1 on the trip.
Carolina’s loss in Columbus leaves the Hurricanes 1-2-0 since the victory over Pittsburgh. It has been 2 1/2 months since the Hurricanes went consecutive games without earning a point, so they will look to keep that trend intact on Wednesday.
The Hurricanes are bound to turn to Frederik Andersen in goal as it’s his turn in the goalie rotation.
There also likely will be at least some lineup adjustment for Carolina after Nicolas Deslauriers made his team debut on Tuesday. His inclusion made Eric Robinson a healthy scratch.
“Somebody has got to come out that we don’t really want to take out,” Brind’Amour said of the lineup. “It’s best for the group to get everybody up to speed as best we can.”
Andrei Svechnikov has a goal in back-to-back games and in three of the past five games for the Hurricanes.
Center Blake Lizotte has been in and out of the Pittsburgh lineup with injuries, missing the Monday game. He will miss at least the next month due to an upper-body ailment, the team announced on Tuesday.
It’s a brief stopover at home for the Hurricanes, who will be back on the road for their next three games.
Also on Wednesday, Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis received a $5,000 fine for high-sticking Blue Jackets forward Conor Garland on Tuesday night.
The incident occurred at the 2:02 mark of the third period with the Hurricanes trailing by three goals in an eventual 5-1 loss in Columbus, Ohio.
The fine announced by the NHL Player Safety department is the maximum allowable under the collective bargaining agreement.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Mikko Rantanen, Stars out to subdue charging Flyers
Mar 28, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Dallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen (4) and center Matt Duchene (middle) congratulate right wing Mikko Rantanen (96) on his goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the second period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images After posting much-needed victories on Saturday, the Dallas Stars and Flyers will be back on the ice Sunday night in Philadelphia.
Dallas (44-18-11, 99 points) is playoff-bound but was mired in a four-game losing streak heading into Saturday’s game with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Fortunately, the Stars received a big lift from the return of Mikko Rantanen, who had a goal and an assist in a 6-3 victory.
Rantanen had not played since Feb. 20, when he sustained a lower-body injury during the Olympics while playing for Team Finland. His most NHL game had been on Feb. 4.
“A little rusty, obviously,” Rantanen said. “It’s a lot different than practicing, you know? You can do a lot of things in practice, but games are a little different. Sometimes you think it’s faster than it is. … But overall, the body felt good.”
Jason Robertson chipped in with a goal and an assist for Dallas, giving him 40 goals for the third time in his career. Mavrik Bourque contributed two empty-net goals and an assist for the Stars.
“Not forcing it was a big thing,” Robertson said. “And, I mean, having a lot of talent out there helps.”
Philadelphia (36-24-12, 84 points) scored the first four goals Saturday against the Detroit Red Wings before holding on for a 5-3 victory. Owen Tippett recorded a hat trick and added an assist on Sean Couturier’s game-clinching, empty-net goal.
“He’s dragging a lot of us in the fight,” Philadelphia coach Rick Tocchet said of Tippett. “When he gets that puck, he’s as good as it gets right now in the league.”
The Flyers improved to 11-3-1 in their last 15 games but will continue to need victories as they trail three teams in the race for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
“It’s a big win for us,” Tocchet said. “I think a couple of teams (Columbus Blue Jackets and Ottawa Senators) lost today. We’ve got a huge game (Sunday).”
The Flyers certainly will need to play better down the stretch Sunday than they did on Saturday. The team led Detroit with under 6 1/2 minutes remaining in the third period before surrendering three quick goals.
“I loved our game for 55 minutes,” Tocchet said.
Of course, it helps to have Dan Vladar in net when it matters most. The Flyers’ goaltender has allowed more than three goals in just one of his last 16 starts, although he likely will watch Sunday while Samuel Ersson gets the nod at goalie.
The Stars, meanwhile, probably will turn to Casey DeSmith after Jake Oettinger started on Saturday.
This will be the second meeting between the teams this season. The Stars cruised to a 5-1 win in Dallas on Nov. 15 as Robertson recorded his sixth career hat trick, one of which has come in the playoffs.
The Stars have won five of the last six matchups vs. Philadelphia, although the Flyers enter Sunday’s game playing about as well as it has all season.
“Dallas is a good hockey team,” Tocchet said. “We’ll be ready.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Duke G Caleb Foster expected to play vs. UConn
Mar 27, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Caleb Foster (1) dribbles the ball against St. John’s Red Storm guard Dylan Darling (0) in the first half during a Sweet Sixteen game of the East Regional of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images Duke point guard Caleb Foster is expected to play again in Sunday’s Elite Eight game of the NCAA Tournament against UConn after he returned from a foot fracture on Friday.
Foster came off the bench and recorded 11 points and two assists in an 80-75 Round of 16 game against St. John’s. That contest was three weeks after his foot injury that occurred in the regular-season finale against North Carolina on March 7.
Foster underwent a surgical procedure on the injury to expedite recovery.
After missing the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament, Foster also missed the first two NCAA Tournament games of the East Regional for the No. 1-seed Blue Devils (35-2).
Foster, who started 30 of his 32 games, is averaging 8.5 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists. He is shooting 39 of 98 (39.8%) from 3-point range.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Teen wolf: Kimi Antonelli captures win at Japanese Grand Prix
Nov 21, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli (12) is introduced before the Las Vegas Grand Prix at Las Vegas Strip Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli overcame a slow start to record his second straight win on Sunday at the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, Japan.
Antonelli dropped to sixth place before steadily working his way into contention and benefiting from a safety car that was deployed due to a crash for Haas’ Ollie Bearman. That safety car allowed the 19-year-old Italian to pit and re-emerge in first place.
Antonelli, who recorded his maiden win two weeks ago in China, became the youngest-ever person to lead the drivers’ standings after finishing the race in 1 hour, 28 minutes and 3.403 seconds.
“It’s been a big step,” said Antonelli, whose 72 points in the driver’s standings are nine more than teammate George Russell.
“Experience does a lot — obviously last year I’ve gone through a lot and it taught me massively more than what I anticipated, and for sure it’s helping so far this year. Of course there’s still a lot of work to do, but I definitely feel much more in control of the situation.”
Antonelli finished 13.722 seconds ahead of second place Oscar Piastri of McLaren and 15.270 seconds in front of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
Russell finished in fourth place, 15.754 seconds behind Antonelli.
Russell trailed then-leader Piastri before the safety car issue, giving the latter the chance to make a pit stop and pushing Mercedes’ hand to make the former use the pit as well. This move effectively handed Antontelli the victory on Lap 22.
“I think obviously we were very lucky with (the) safety car, but on the medium (tire), we were really strong once I got some free air, and then on the hard (tire) the pace was just incredible,” Antonelli said. “I don’t know what would have happened, how the outcome would have been, without the safety car, but yeah, it definitely made my life a lot easier.”
–Field Level Media
Mikko Rantanen, Stars out to subdue charging Flyers
Duke G Caleb Foster expected to play vs. UConn
