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Sharks strive to shake off collapse against lowly Flames

NHL: San Jose Sharks at Edmonton OilersJan 29, 2026; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; San Jose Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini (71) and Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid (97) battle for a loose puck during the second period at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images

San Jose’s playoff push hit a snag in Edmonton on Thursday, but the Sharks get another shot in Alberta when they visit the Calgary Flames on Saturday afternoon.

The Sharks sit on the cusp of the second Western Conference wild-card spot. They trail the Utah Mammoth by two points and the Anaheim Ducks by one point and hold two games in hand over both sides.

San Jose is one point behind the Seattle Kraken in the Pacific Division standings with a game in hand. Had the Sharks clung to their lead against the Oilers, they would have hurdled Seattle for third in the division.

After getting tallies from Collin Graf, Adam Gaudette and Michael Misa in the opening 11:40, San Jose allowed a trio of third-period goals — two in the final 3:05 with Edmonton’s net empty — before falling in overtime.

Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said they needed to be better with a chance to put away an elite offensive foe but had problems containing superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

“Our 6-on-5 was obviously not good enough,” Warsofsky said. “I mean, they’re the best offensive team in the world, (and) you’ve got to defend the two best players in the world.”

Star center Macklin Celebrini assisted Graf’s goal to move his point total to 79, fourth in the league.

William Eklund’s helper on Gaudette’s goal gave him 33 points (11 goals, 22 assists), though the 23-year-old left wing is last on the club with a minus-23 rating.

The Flames are lodged in their second-worst slump of the season. It sits at five games (0-3-2) as they prepare to open a three-game homestand that also features the Toronto Maple Leafs and provincial nemesis Edmonton.

Following a season-opening 4-3 shootout win over the Oilers on Oct. 8, Calgary proceeded to fall into an 0-7-1 skid that set a terrible tone.

Only the Vancouver Canucks’ abysmal 41-point showing has kept the 48-point Flames out of last place in the NHL standings.

Calgary’s 4-1 loss at the Minnesota Wild on Thursday was more of the same, results-wise, for the team and coach Ryan Huska.

Matters were made worse when Huska announced that 34-year-old winger Blake Coleman would be out through the Olympic break with an upper-body injury, hamstringing Calgary’s leadership.

Mentioned in numerous trade talks, Coleman is second on the team with 13 goals, has 21 points and owns a plus-10 rating.

“I think what he brings on the ice is invaluable for our team,” Huska said, “but if you can find another word to describe what he brings off the ice, I’d use that word. He’s an important piece of our team, for sure.”

Off an assist from Jonathan Huberdeau, Morgan Frost scored his 11th goal in the setback in St. Paul, tying him for fourth on the team with Yegor Sharangovich.

Matt Coronato paces Calgary with 14 goals, and Mikael Backlund’s 12 is right behind Coleman’s number.

Goaltender Dustin Wolf’s first of two shutouts came Nov. 13 when the Flames beat San Jose 2-0 at home.

The blanking was the second ever by a California-born netminder against a California club. Vancouver’s Thatcher Demko shut out the Los Angeles Kings on Dec. 6, 2021.

–Field Level Media

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Tempo without suspended coach Sandy Brondello vs. rested Aces

Jun 25, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Tempo head coach Sandy Brondello greets guard Marina Mabrey (3) as she comes off the floor during a time out against the Los Angeles Sparks in the first half at Coca-Cola Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn ImagesJun 25, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Tempo head coach Sandy Brondello greets guard Marina Mabrey (3) as she comes off the floor during a time out against the Los Angeles Sparks in the first half at Coca-Cola Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

The Toronto Tempo will be without their head coach as they try to snap out of a funk Monday at home against the Las Vegas Aces.

Sandy Brondello will serve a one-game suspension without pay for what the league deemed was an inappropriate comment she made about Atlanta star Angel Reese during Friday’s game. Associate head coach Olaf Lange will handle head-coaching duties against the Aces.

Brondello apologized on social media and Reese accepted the apology for the incident, which stemmed from Brondello calling Reese a “protected species” after a foul call. Brondello admitted the remark had an unintended racial connotation, which differs from how the term is used in her native Australia.

Toronto (10-15) has had trouble on the court as well, losing six of the last seven games and falling 2 1/2 games behind the playoff hunt. On Friday, the Tempo fell 111-92 at home to Atlanta after trailing by just a point at halftime.

“I think we were still in the locker room at the start of the third (quarter),” Brondello said. “We were just not very locked in and very intentional.

“They got some easy baskets, and then we lose our focus a little bit, so that’s the disappointing part.”

Marina Mabrey scored 26 points, including a trio of 3-pointers, while reserve Nyara Sabally added 16 points. Sabally sustained a minor rib injury in the process and was limited to just 21 minutes. She was ruled out Sunday for Monday’s contest.

Meanwhile, the Aces (17-7) have had plenty of time to dwell on their polarizing last two performances.

After beating Phoenix 106-58 on July 11, the Aces experienced an 82-point swing, losing 109-75 to Indiana the following day. They shot 50.6% and tallied five players in double-figure scoring against the Mercury, only to tumble to 39.1% and just two double-digit scorers at home against the Fever.

Las Vegas was paced by A’ja Wilson’s 20 points and 12 rebounds in the loss to Indiana. Fellow All-Star Jackie Young added 15 points, but that was about all of the good news for the Aces, now two games off the pace for the WNBA lead behind Minnesota and second-place Golden State. The Aces have dropped two of their last four games and are 5-3 since their 12-4 start.

“I thought we were lousy from the jump,” said Aces coach Becky Hammon after the loss. “A lot of it is effort and maybe we just didn’t have the juice today.”

The Aces had played three games in four days, and Hammon conceded, “Every team has a rough patch in the schedule where it’s just difficult.” A seven-day stretch with no games could help make that challenge a bit easier for the Aces.

–Field Level Media

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President Trump aids Gianni Infantino at World Cup trophy ceremony

July 19, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, U.S.; U.S. President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino during the trophy presentation after the match.  Mandatory Credit: Mark J Rebilas-Imagn Images July 19, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, U.S.; U.S. President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino during the trophy presentation after the match. Mandatory Credit: Mark J Rebilas-Imagn Images

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — U.S. President Donald Trump helped FIFA President Gianni Infantino hand out awards following Spain’s 1-0 victory over Argentina at the World Cup final Sunday.

But this time, Infantino successfully kept Trump just outside the mob of La Roja players as they lifted the FIFA World Cup Trophy in celebration of their nation’s second title.

About 25 minutes after the match, Infantino, Trump and other officials emerged from the tunnel in the southeast corner of New York New Jersey Stadium and climbed the on-field stage constructed for the occasion.

Trump, who had watched the match in a luxury box with Infantino and other officials, was met with boos from the stands, but those ceased when the medal ceremony began.

Standing directly next to Infantino, Trump assisted in handing medals first to the second-place Argentine side and then to the Spanish winners.

As Spain’s squad then prepared to hoist the trophy, Trump remained on stage, but Infantino eventually jogged in his direction and beckoned him toward the stairs on the right side of the platform.

It was in contrast to last year’s final at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, when Trump remained in a mob of celebrating Chelsea players following their 3-0 triumph over Paris Saint-Germain.

The final was the only World Cup match attended by Trump, who had been more visible last fall in the buildup to the tournament, including when he was awarded the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize by Infantino at the World Cup draw last December.

That was in stark contrast to Infantino, who attended multiple matches per day during the early stages of the 104-game tournament contested by a 48-team field.

Spain won the tournament after Ferran Torres scored in the 106th minute to ensure his team’s dominant performance was rewarded. It was a similar triumph to their first in a World Cup final, a 1-0 win in extra time against the Netherlands in 2010 decided by Andres Iniesta’s 116th-minute winner.

–Ian Nicholas Quillen, Field Level Media

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Reports: Packers DT Devonte Wyatt agrees to 3-year, $57M extension

Nov 27, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt (95) is carted off the field after an injury against the Detroit Lions during the third quarter at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn ImagesNov 27, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt (95) is carted off the field after an injury against the Detroit Lions during the third quarter at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

The Green Bay Packers and defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt agreed to a three-year, $57 million extension on Monday, according to multiple reports.

The extension begins with the 2027 season. Wyatt will make $12.94 million this season in the fifth and final season of his rookie contract.

Wyatt, 28, played in just 10 games last season due to sustaining a broken fibula and torn ankle ligaments during a Thanksgiving Day contest against the Detroit Lions. He had 27 tackles, four sacks and six stops for losses.

Wyatt has played 57 games (15 starts) for Green Bay over four seasons and has 101 tackles, 16 sacks and three fumble recoveries. He also had 21 tackles for losses.

Wyatt is expected to be ready for the start training camp after missing Green Bay’s offseason program. He was a first-round pick (28th overall) by the Packers in 2022.

–Field Level Media

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