Sports
Sharks determined to end long trend of losing to Oilers
Jan 27, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; San Jose Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini (71) shoots against the Vancouver Canucks in the third period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images Following years of futility, the San Jose Sharks are once again playoff contenders.
Perhaps they’ll end their recent struggles against the Edmonton Oilers, as well.
Aiming for a third straight victory, the Sharks look to avoid a seventh consecutive loss against the host Oilers on Thursday night.
San Jose hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2019, but its 57 points have already surpassed the total from each of the past two seasons. The Sharks are 10-4-0 since Dec. 27.
Macklin Celebrini had a goal with three assists Tuesday as San Jose overcame an early 1-0 hole to win 5-2 at Vancouver.
“We’re starting to pick up little details, momentum shifts in games,” Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said. “We got to keep pushing forward and get better in areas.”
After totaling two points over a five-game stretch, Celebrini has followed with six points in the last two. However, the second-year superstar managed just two assists as the Sharks lost all four games versus Edmonton in 2024-25.
San Jose last beat Edmonton 3-2 at home on Nov. 9, 2023. The Sharks are 1-10-4 against the Oilers in the last 15 meetings.
In the mix for first place in the Pacific Division, Edmonton totaled 13 goals while winning two straight after losing two in a row.
After being blanked in the Oilers’ back-to-back losses to New Jersey and Pittsburgh last week, superstar Connor McDavid totaled three goals and four assists in the two wins that followed. Defenseman Mattias Ekholm recorded his first career hat trick and Leon Draisaitl notched four assists during Edmonton’s 7-4 home win over Anaheim on Monday.
While McDavid and Draisaitl, who has seven assists in the last two games after also going without a point in the previous two, are the undeniable leaders and offensive superstars in Edmonton, Ekholm represents the depth the team boasts.
The veteran blue-liner has recorded seven of his 26 points in the last five games.
“He’s going to be tough to play against every night,” forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins said about Ekholm. “It makes a huge difference for our team.”
Since joining the Oilers in 2023, Ekholm has three goals and seven points in eight games versus San Jose. Meanwhile, McDavid has 17 goals and 50 points in 33 career games against the Sharks, and Draisaitl has 13 goals and 39 points in 36 matchups.
Edmonton goalie Tristan Jarry made 37 saves against the Ducks. He owns a 3-2-1 record and an .882 save percentage since returning from an 11-game absence with a lower-body injury.
Teammate Connor Ingram has a .909 save percentage in 10 starts for the Oilers, but he was pulled after allowing three goals on 12 shots during Saturday’s 6-5 overtime win against Washington. Meanwhile, the struggling Calvin Pickard (.871 SV%) yielded seven goals in two January starts.
San Jose’s Yaroslav Askarov made 23 saves against the Canucks to snap a three-start losing streak.
However, teammate Alex Nedeljkovic, with a .931 save percentage in his last five starts — all wins — is likely to be back in the Sharks net.
McDavid (92 points), Celebrini (78) and Draisaitl (74) rank among the NHL’s top five scorers.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Cubs eager to continue home dominance in clash vs. D-backs
Apr 27, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Matthew Boyd (16) delivers during the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images The Chicago Cubs will turn to left-hander Matthew Boyd in an attempt to sweep the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday afternoon and bump their home winning streak to 11 games.
Winners of 14 of their last 17 games overall and 13-5 at home this season, the Cubs secured a series win with a 2-0 triumph on Saturday. Behind starter Shota Imanaga’s seven scoreless innings, Ben Brown became Chicago’s seventh reliever to record a save this season.
“You play the game in front of you and play with the guys you have and then you go from there,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said about a series of injuries that have put pitchers into new roles.
“That builds resiliency, if anything.”
Boyd (1-1, 7.00 ERA) will oppose Diamondbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly (1-2, 9.20) in a matchup of rotation stalwarts who have yet to find their footing in a season disrupted by injury.
Boyd, the Cubs’ Opening Day starter, struck out 10 in a 6-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels in his second start of the season on April 1. He reported slight arm discomfort, however, and the Cubs placed him on the injured list with a left biceps strain as a precaution.
He returned to the rotation on April 22 and since has made two starts, although he has not made it through five innings in either one. He notched a no-decision against both Philadelphia and San Diego in which he gave up seven runs on 13 hits in 8 2/3 innings.
Boyd was irked at himself for a failed ABS challenge in the first inning of his latest outing, the Cubs’ 9-7 loss at San Diego on Monday.
He called for a review on the fourth pitch of the first inning — a 2-1 fastball to leadoff hitter Ramon Laureano that was shown to be a ball. The Padres used two walks and three hits to score three runs that inning.
“It’s putting our hitters and our team in a hole when you do something like that in that situation, so early in the game,” Boyd said. “It was not a smart move on my part. I regretted it. I’ll do my best to not make that mistake again.”
The Cubs rallied to take a 5-3 lead into the last of the third inning but could not hold on.
Boyd is 0-2 with a 4.50 ERA in three career starts against the Diamondbacks, the most recent a no-decision in which he gave up four hits over five scoreless innings in a 10-6 loss in Arizona on March 30, 2025. Ketel Marte is 2-for-5 against him.
Kelly opened the season on the injured list with intercostal nerve irritation, which caused mid-back tightness. He has not shown his typical control in three starts since returning in a 4-3 victory at Baltimore on April 14. He has surrendered 13 runs on 16 hits in his two most recent starts while walking eight, ballooning his WHIP to 2.25.
Kelly was asked if command of his four-pitch repertoire might be the last thing to come after the injury-forced layoff.
“I think every comeback is different,” he said after walking five in a 13-2 loss at Milwaukee on Tuesday. “I think everybody’s different. The answer for me right now is ‘yes.’ I have to stop putting myself in bad situations.”
Kelly is 3-1 with a 3.25 ERA in eight career starts against the Cubs, the most recent an 8-1 victory in Arizona on March 28, 2025. Michael Busch is 2-for-6 with a homer against him.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Why Cavaliers Should Cover at Home in Game 7 Against Raptors
In the world of basketball, the saying goes, “a series doesn’t start until someone loses at home”. Well, we’re heading into game seven in Cleveland, and neither the Raptors or Cavaliers have been able to steal one on the road. If the Raptors want to pull off the big-time upset, they’re going to have to end that streak and find a way to pull one out in Rocket Arena.
The Cavs have been heavy favorites each game in this series, and enter Sunday once again as 8.5-point favorites. Cleveland is 2-1 ATS at home this series, and had to go the final two minutes of game five without scoring to not be 3-0 ATS.
That’s been the biggest negative for Cleveland in this series. They’ve struggled to close out games and threw away two road games against the Raptors, and now are battling to avoid a massive collapse here in this one.
However, despite losing game six in dramatic fashion, I think they figured a few things out. Donovan Mitchell finally came alive in the 4th quarter, scoring 11 points, finally figuring out how to get into the teeth of this large, physical Raptors defense.
A big reason Toronto’s defense has looked so great is the play of Scottie Barnes. He’s been the by far best player in the series, shutting down Mitchell and company on defense, and scoring on whoever’s thrown on him from Cleveland.
Shockingly, James Harden has actually done a solid job walling up against Barnes. He and Dean Wade have been the only two players to give Barnes any fits at all. Speaking of Wade, it was shocking to see him out of the Cleveland starting lineup the last few games. He’s been inconsistent offensively, but has still provided spacing and saved Cleveland defensively.
Wade has a +23 net rating for the Cavs in the postseason, easily the best on the entire team. Max Strus, who replaced him in the starting lineup, has been a -8.3. More specifically, the starting lineup with Strus has been a -19.7, while the one with Wade has been a +30.8. Cleveland ran the lineup with Wade as they made their comeback in game six, so if he’s inserted back in the starting lineup, I think they have a great chance to cover in this one.
Lastly, Toronto’s offense fell incredibly stagnant in game five after Brandon Ingram’s injury. If he’s unable to go in game seven, I can’t see a way they’re able to pull off the upset.
I love Cleveland -8.5 and o211.5 as they will move on to face the winner of Detroit and Orlando.
Sports
Braves' Spencer Strider set for season debut in finale vs. Rockies
Feb 20, 2026; North Port FL, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Spencer Strider (99) poses for a photo during media day at CoolToday Park. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images It’s been a long road for Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Spencer Strider since his 20-win All-Star season in 2023.
Strider, 27, will be out to prove he’s not a shadow of his former self on Sunday afternoon when he makes his first start of the season as the Braves bid for a three-game sweep of the Colorado Rockies in Denver.
After becoming the fastest pitcher to record 100 strikeouts (61 innings) in a season in modern MLB history in 2023, Strider made just two starts in 2024 before undergoing season-ending UCL surgery.
Last season, the right-hander went 7-14 with a 4.45 ERA across 23 starts in his return from injury.
Strider began this season on the injured list with an oblique strain but is prepared to rejoin the sizzling Braves. They have won both games of the weekend series to expand on the best record (24-10) in the majors. Atlanta remains the only team in the majors that hasn’t lost a series and holds a 7 1/2-game lead on the second-place Miami Marlins in the National League East.
The bad news for the Braves in their most recent win, 9-1 over the Rockies on Saturday, was the first-inning exit of star right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. due to a lower-body injury. He will undergo an MRI on Sunday.
“It didn’t look great, him coming off the field,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said. “I am hoping it’s just some cramping and that type of thing, but he’s getting an MRI. That’s never good when you have to get an MRI.”
Acuna hit a leadoff single in the first inning to extend his on-base streak to 23 games.
“You never like to be challenged like this,” Weiss said of the potential impact of losing Acuna. “He’s one of your best players and most talented players. If it happens, we’ll be OK. We’ve got lots of moving parts.”
Strider, meanwhile, has dominated the Rockies in three career appearances (two starts), going 2-0 with an 0.50 ERA. He struck out 16 batters and scattered two hits over eight innings in a 3-0 win over Colorado on Sept. 1, 2022, before fanning 13 Rockies in a six-inning win last June 14.
The Rockies, who have lost four of their past five games, will turn to veteran left-hander Kyle Freeland (1-2, 3.48 ERA) in the series finale. He will make his fifth start of the season.
Freeland, 32, will appear in his second outing since being activated from the 15-day IL with left shoulder inflammation. On Tuesday, he surrendered four runs on five hits across five innings in a 7-2 loss to the Cincinnati Reds.
“I thought (Freeland) was really good,” Colorado manager Warren Schaeffer said. “I considered taking him out after the fourth, but had him go back out for one more and he was good. He competed, kept us right in the ballgame.”
Freeland, the all-time leader in franchise history in starts (235), is 1-5 with a 5.93 ERA in 10 career starts against the Braves.
–Field Level Media
Cubs eager to continue home dominance in clash vs. D-backs
Why Cavaliers Should Cover at Home in Game 7 Against Raptors
