Sports
Sabres visit Devils seeking to restart momentum from before break
Feb 2, 2026; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson (72) celebrates after scoring against the Florida Panthers during the first period at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Refreshed after the NHL’s break for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, the Buffalo Sabres hope to pick up where they left off and continue their push for the playoffs when they visit the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday in Newark, N.J.
The Sabres were one of the hottest teams in the league before the hiatus, going 21-5-2 over a nearly two-month stretch that propelled them up the standings into a playoff spot. They sit in the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with a five-point cushion on the first team out, the Columbus Blue Jackets, and just two points out of second place in the Atlantic Division.
“We’ve had some time to reflect on it, to appreciate what we’ve done, especially the last couple months, but not to rest on that and our accomplishments so far because we haven’t accomplished anything,” forward Alex Tuch said. “A couple of good months. We’re in the playoff race and we’ve got to bring it home.”
Buffalo captain Rasmus Dahlin is ready to lead that push after representing Sweden at the Olympics, a journey that ended in disappointment with a loss to Team USA — and Sabres teammate Tage Thompson — in the quarterfinals.
“Losing that game kind of switched my focus right away to Buffalo,” he said. “I’m so excited to get this thing going. We have a really good thing going on, and now we know the fun begins. Now all the most important games start.”
Dahlin has 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in a seven-game point streak, and 20 points (seven goals, 13 assists) over his past 16 games.
The Sabres could be without Thompson against the Devils. Coach Lindy Ruff said Monday the team wasn’t sure if the center, who had three goals and an assist en route to a gold medal, would play with the aftermath of Team USA’s travel schedule. Team USA traveled from Milan to Florida on Monday, and Thompson was one of many on the team to accept the invitation to the White House on Tuesday. After New Jersey, the Sabres head to Florida to face the Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday and Saturday, respectively.
Buffalo centers Josh Norris (12 games) and Josh Dunne (13 games) and goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (five games) are each expected to be available to return from injury.
The Devils, meanwhile, need to snap out of a funk in order to climb back into the playoff race. At 1-5-0 over its past six games, New Jersey sits second to last in the Eastern Conference, 11 points behind the second wild card.
“It’s a playoff game, every game,” said winger Jesper Bratt, who also represented Sweden in Milan. “I think the consistency is something that we didn’t have for a big part of the season and it’s going to be key now. If we don’t find that consistency, it’s going to be hard to go where we want to go.”
It’s unknown if center Jack Hughes, who scored Team USA’s golden goal in overtime against Canada, will be available. The team was working on his travel plans from Washington to get him back for Wednesday.
Forward Timo Meier and defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler, who each represented Switzerland, are expected be at the morning skate Wednesday after travel delays impacted their returns to New Jersey.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Hilary Knight calls President Trump's comment 'distasteful joke'
Feb 19, 2026; Milan, Italy; Hilary Knight (21) of the United States high fives the bench after scoring a goal against Canada in the women’s ice hockey gold medal game during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images Hilary Knight, captain of the gold-medal-winning U.S. women’s Olympic hockey team, took exception to a comment President Donald Trump made in the wake of the U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team winning its championship game.
Trump invited the men’s Olympic team to attend the State of the Union speech, adding, “I must tell you, we’re going to have to bring the women’s team, you do know that.”
He then said if he didn’t welcome the women’s team, too, “I do believe I probably would be impeached.”
Knight reacted while appearing Wednesday on ESPN: “I thought it was sort of a distasteful joke, and, unfortunately, that is overshadowing a lot of the success, the success of just women at the Olympics carrying for Team USA and having amazing gold-medal feats.
“We’re just focusing on celebrating the women in our room, the extraordinary efforts, and continue to celebrate three gold medals in program history, as well as the double gold for both men’s and women’s at the same time. And really not detract from that with a distasteful joke.”
While some members of the men’s team laughed at Trump’s comment, Knight wasn’t overly upset with them.
“I think there’s a genuine level of support there and respect,” she said regarding the men’s and women’s Olympic teams. “I think that’s being overshadowed by a quick lapse. I think the guys were in a tough spot, so I think it’s a shame this storyline and narrative has kind of blown up and overshadowing that connection and genuine interest in one another and cheering each other on.”
The majority of the men’s Olympic team players visited the White House on Tuesday and then went to the Capitol for the State of the Union. The players received bipartisan cheers when they entered the House of Representatives chamber after being introduced by Trump.
The U.S. women’s hockey team declined Trump’s invitation Monday, issuing a statement that read in part, “Due to the timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments following the Games, the athletes are unable to participate. They were honored to be included and are grateful for the acknowledgment.”
Knight, 36, collected her U.S. Olympic-record 15th goal at 17:56 of the third period in the gold-medal game against Canada, leveling the score at 1-1. Megan Keller’s goal 4:07 into overtime was the winner.
Knight emerged with her second gold medal in her fifth Olympics. The Seattle Torrent forward owns a record 10 golds from the IIHF World Women’s Championship.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Wyatt Johnston tallies twice, Stars beat Kraken to run streak to 7
Feb 25, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Stars center Wyatt Johnston (53) skates against the Seattle Kraken during the second period at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Wyatt Johnston scored twice and Thomas Harley added two assists as the Dallas Stars topped the visiting Seattle Kraken 4-1 on Wednesday night.
Matt Duchene and Sam Steel also scored, with Duchene adding an assist, as the Stars extended their winning streak to seven and won for the eighth time in nine games.
Casey DeSmith made 18 saves to improve to 3-0-0 against Seattle this season.
With the win, Dallas swept the three-game season series against the Kraken and improved to 13-1-1 all-time against Seattle.
Ryker Evans responded for the Kraken, who lost for just the third time in nine games. Joey Daccord stopped 28 shots.
The Stars outshot the Kraken 10-3 and led 1-0 after 20 minutes.
Dallas opened the scoring with 1:19 remaining in the first as Johnston tipped an Esa Lindell point shot past Daccord for his 30th goal of the season.
Duchene made it 2-0 at 1:43 of the middle period, redirecting a Harley shot from the blue line past Daccord for his 11th. With the goal, Duchene extended his point streak to seven games (seven goals, three assists).
Dallas scored twice in a 39-second span to double its lead.
The Stars took a 3-0 lead as Steel poked home the rebound off Mavrik Bourque’s shot at 5:35. Seattle unsuccessfully tried to challenge for goaltender interference on the play.
Johnston added his second of the game on a power play as Miro Heiskanen’s shot deflected off the Stars forward and in at 6:14.
Evans got Seattle on the board at 6:46 of the third, putting a slapshot past DeSmith for his sixth of the season.
Kraken defenseman Ryan Lindgren left the game in the first period with an undisclosed injury, following a collision with Stars forward Colin Blackwell, and did not return.
–Field Level Media
Sports
No. 9 Gonzaga avenges loss to Portland, grabs share of WCC title
Feb 25, 2026; Spokane, Washington, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Noah Haaland (35) shoots the ball against Portland Pilots center Jermaine Ballisager Webb (1) in the first half at McCarthey Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images Graham Ike scored 19 points, grabbed eight rebounds and snagged a career-high seven steals as No. 9 Gonzaga clinched the top seed in the West Coast Conference tournament as well as at least a share of the regular-season title with an 89-48 victory against Portland on Wednesday in Spokane, Wash.
Braeden Smith added 15 points on 6-for-6 shooting for the Bulldogs (28-2, 16-1 WCC), who also avenged their lone conference loss of the season. Tyon Grant-Foster and Mario Saint-Supery scored 12 apiece as Gonzaga won its sixth game in a row.
Joel Foxwell led the Pilots (12-18, 5-12) with 12 points. Portland has lost four consecutive games.
The Bulldogs were dominant on defense, forcing 22 turnovers while allowing just 17 field goals.
Gonzaga shot 52.4% from the field (33 of 63) while limiting the Pilots to 34.7% (17 of 49).
Ike scored 12 points in the first half as the Bulldogs took a 36-21 lead. He also had six steals by the intermission as Gonzaga forced 15 turnovers in the opening 20 minutes.
Foxwell, who scored 27 in the Pilots’ 87-80 upset of Gonzaga on Feb. 4, had eight points, including a pair of 3-pointers, in the opening six minutes as Portland took a 15-12 lead.
The Bulldogs responded with a 16-0 run, sparked by an Ike 3-pointer and fastbreak layup off a steal, to take the lead for good. Smith also had five points during the run, also on a trey and a layup, and capped it with a steal and an alley-oop pass to Grant-Foster for a thunderous dunk.
The Pilots were scoreless for a stretch of 7:22 and held without a field goal for 8:59. They went 0-for-6 from the field with eight turnovers during that stretch.
A putback by James O’Donnell with 5:56 remaining and a jumper by Foxwell with 3:29 to go were the Pilots’ only field goals in the final 14 minutes of the half.
The Bulldogs closed the half with another alley-oop dunk by Grant-Foster with three seconds left off a feed from Saint-Supery.
–Field Level Media
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Hilary Knight calls President Trump's comment 'distasteful joke'
