Sports
Rangers come back to beat Penguins in shootout
Feb 28, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov (44) and Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Bryan Rust (17) chase the puck in the first period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images Vincent Trocheck scored in the first round of the shootout Saturday afternoon as the New York Rangers snapped a five-game losing streak by rallying for a 3-2 victory over the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Rangers chipped away at a 2-0 deficit after allowing goals to Anthony Mantha and Ryan Shea in the opening three minutes of each of the opening two periods.
Trocheck scored the only goal of the shootout when he cut from the lower edge of the left circle, and his shot beat goalie Stuart Skinner to the glove side.
Mika Zibanejad started the comeback with a power-play goal with ten minutes remaining in the second period and Taylor Raddysh tied it 2:57 into the third.
Igor Shesterkin made five of his 32 saves in overtime and stopped Evgeni Malkin twice in the final half of the third and twice in the extra period. He also denied rookie Egor Chinakov in the second round of the shootout, and the Rangers clinched it when Thomas Novak’s attempt in the third round sailed wide.
Mantha scored a power-play goal 2:08 into the first period and Shea scored 1:59 into the second but the Penguins fell to 9-1-3 in its past 13 contests and were unable to earn their third win over the Rangers this season.
Trocheck’s game-winner improved the Rangers to 3-11-2 in their past 16 games and 2-6-1 in their past nine home games.
Skinner stopped 23 shots before getting beaten by Trocheck.
The Penguins appeared poised to cruise to a rout in the opening minutes of the contest and took a 1-0 lead when Mantha tipped Erik Karlsson’s shot from the right point by Shesterkin.
The Penguins appeared to take a 2-0 lead 52 seconds later, but Bryan Rust’s goal was disallowed when the Rangers successfully challenged that Mantha’s skate clipped Shesterkin in the crease, resulting in goaltender interference.
Pittsburgh took a 2-0 lead when Shea’s shot from the top of the slot fluttered through traffic and eluded Shesterkin.
Zibanejad halved the deficit with 10 minutes left in the second by sending a one-timer by Skinner after getting a pass from Trocheck, and Raddysh’s re-directed pass from Vladislav Gavrikov got by Skinner’s pads for a 2-2 deadlock.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Reports: Lionel Messi, Inter Miami to visit White House
Dec 6, 2025; Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA; Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) lifts the Philip F. Anschutz trophy after winning the 2025 MLS Cup against the Vancouver Whitecaps FC at Chase Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Inter Miami received an invitation to the White House to commemorate the team’s MLS Cup championship in 2025, The Athletic reported.
The Miami Herald confirmed that the Herons will visit the White House on Thursday, two days before they play D.C. United in Washington, D.C. The newspaper also reported that every player — including superstar Lionel Messi — is expected to attend the ceremony with President Donald Trump.
Inter Miami captured the franchise’s first MLS Cup trophy by posting a 3-1 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps on Dec. 6 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Herons co-owner David Beckham previously attended a White House ceremony while with the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2012. The Galaxy won the title in 2011.
–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
Reports: Lionel Messi, Inter Miami to visit White House
Report: Giants planning to release LB Bobby Okereke
