Sports
Skidding Knights attempt to get well against lowly Canucks
Apr 6, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vegas Golden Knights forward Jack Eichel (9) during a stop in play against the Vegas Golden Knights in the third period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images The Vegas Golden Knights will try to snap the longest active losing streak in the NHL when they host the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday night in Las Vegas.
Vegas, which is challenging for first place in the Pacific Division, has lost five in a row and dropped seven of its past eight games (1-5-2). For the season, the Golden Knights have more losses (30, 14 in extra time) than wins (25).
Vegas comes in off a 4-3 road loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday. That contest followed what has become a familiar script for coach Bruce Cassidy’s squad, falling behind early and then rallying in the third period to make things interesting at the end.
Anaheim led 3-0 midway through the second period, but the Golden Knights cut the deficit to one on goals by Mitch Marner and Ivan Barbashev. Ryan Poehling sealed the win for the Ducks by finding the empty net with 1:07 left. Tomas Hertl scored a 6-on-5 goal with 6 seconds remaining for Vegas, which couldn’t get another shot off after that.
The Golden Knights have allowed the first goal in seven consecutive home games and eight of 10 games overall. Cassidy became so frustrated after his team fell behind 4-1 after two periods in an eventual 5-4 shootout loss to the visiting Dallas Stars on Thursday that he held a video session between periods to try to get his team on track.
“I don’t know if I’ve done that in 10 years,” Cassidy, who also called his team’s turnover problems in their own zone “baffling.”
He added, “It’s strange in the NHL that you’d be doing that midgame, but if that’s what it takes to get their attention and get it right, then that’s what we’ll have to do. We’re going to do whatever it takes to win, or play better.”
Vegas followed that up with a 3-2 home loss to the Seattle Kraken on Saturday before losing in Anaheim on Sunday. Cassidy said he saw signs in the contests that his team, which plays at Los Angeles on Thursday in the second game of a back-to-back before heading into the Olympic break, is showing signs toward making a turnaround.
“Both our last games, our expected goals were very low,” Cassidy said following practice on Tuesday. “We’re defending better. … I don’t think we gave up much. Very few odd-man rushes. So I like that part of our game, and have for most of the year.”
If there is a “get well” game on the schedule for Vegas, it would figure to be the Wednesday contest against the Canucks.
Vancouver is at the bottom of the league with 42 points and has lost 16 of its last 18 games (2-13-3). It will be the final game before the Olympic break for the Canucks, who haven’t won on the road in 2026. Vancouver’s last road victory came on Dec. 29 at Seattle, 3-2 in a shootout.
The Canucks come in off a 6-2 loss to the Utah Mammoth on Monday in Salt Lake City. Forwards Conor Garland (illness) and Filip Chytil (migraine headaches) both missed the team’s practice on Tuesday in Las Vegas. Garland is expected to play, but coach Adam Foote said “it doesn’t look promising” for Chytil to participate.
Canucks defenseman Marcus Pettersson said the team is focused on heading into the three-week hiatus on a positive note.
“Just (give it) everything you got,” Pettersson said. “We’ve got a big break coming up. Try to feel good coming into it. You never want to go into a break on a losing skid. One game. Give it everything you got. Play harder.”
The Wednesday matchup is the first of the teams’ three regular-season meetings. Vegas is 18-4-3 all-time against the Canucks, having won the past four.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Stephon Castle posts triple-double, Spurs cruise past Bucks
Mar 28, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) shoots during the first quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images Stephon Castle amassed his fourth triple-double of the season and was among seven teammates in double-figure scoring, as the visiting San Antonio Spurs cruised to their eighth straight win via a 127-95 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday afternoon.
The Spurs (56-18) were victorious for the 13th time in their past 14 games and remain hot on the heels of Oklahoma City for both the top seed in the West and the best record in the league. San Antonio is two games back of the defending champion Thunder with eight contests left to play.
San Antonio ran off to a 28-point lead late in the second quarter, led by 22 at halftime and by 23 heading into the fourth period after repelling a tepid rally from the Bucks. The Spurs swept a three-game road trip to Miami, Memphis, and Milwaukee by at least 25 points in each victory.
Castle finished with 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. Victor Wembanyama led the Spurs with 23 points and 15 rebounds. Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson added 16 points each. Dylan Harper scored 14, De’Aaron Fox hit for 12, and Julian Champagnie had 11 in the win.
Gary Trent Jr. scored 18 points to lead the Bucks, who played without Giannis Antetokounmpo (left knee) for the sixth straight game. Myles Turner had 15, Ryan Rollins and Ousmane Dang hit for 12 each, Andre Jackson Jr. tallied 11, and Jericho Sims racked up 10 points and 10 rebounds for Milwaukee (29-44).
The Spurs sprinted away from an 11-9 lead with a 10-2 run capped by Champagnie’s 3-pointer at the 5:32 mark that granted San Antonio a 13-point advantage. A Sims layup with two seconds left in the first quarter allowed the Bucks to stay within 37-24.
San Antonio pushed the lead to 28 points after Wembanyama’s layup with 1:57 left in the second period before the Bucks got a basket by AJ Green and then a 3-pointer from Trent to trim their deficit to 67-45 at the break.
Castle’s tremendous first half (15 points, six rebounds, and six assists) paced the Spurs while Harper and Vassell added 10 points each before halftime. Trent had 11 points in the first half to lead the Bucks.
Milwaukee came out with purpose after halftime, drawing to within 71-58 when Pete Nance canned a 3-pointer three minutes into the third quarter. But the rally was short-lived as San Antonio swung back, building the margin back to 25 points after Harrison Barnes’ jumper from beyond the arc with 2:32 to play in the period.
–Field Level Media
Sports
U.S. routed by Belgium in World Cup prep
Mar 28, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; USA’s Weston McKennie (8) controls the ball against Belgium’s Brandon Mechele (4) during the first half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images With the 2026 World Cup just around the corner, the U.S. men’s national team’s debut this year began on a sour note after being routed 5-2 by Belgium in Atlanta on Saturday.
The U.S. had a 4-0-1 record in its final five matches last year and looked to be in form Saturday when Weston McKennie gave the Americans the lead in the 39th minute.
Then, everything unraveled quickly on goals by Zeno Debast in the 45th, Amadou Onana in the 53rd and a penalty from Charles De Ketelaere in the 59th before Dodi Lukebakio increased the advantage in the 68th and 82nd minutes.
Patrick Agyemang made it 5-2 in the 87th after a Ricardo Pepi takeaway in front of the Belgium goal.
The U.S. opens World Cup play on June 12 vs. Paraguay, but coach Mauricio Pochettino is more concerned with the match against Portugal on Tuesday, also in Atlanta, which will be his final chance for evaluation within the U.S. structure.
After that, the U.S. will not take the field again before the roster is announced May 26. Three days later, the Americans play Senegal in Charlotte, with the final tune-up June 6 in Chicago versus Germany.
McKennie claimed the lead off a corner kick by Antonee Robinson when he sliced between two defenders, leapt, then redirected the ball with the inside of his right foot for his 12th international but first in three years.
Robinson, who did not play for the U.S. in 2025 because of injuries, made his first appearance since Nov. 18, 2024, and was active from the start.
He drilled a shot from distance that forced a save by Senne Lammens in the ninth minute. The Manchester United keeper also denied a close-range shot by McKennie in the 17th.
Debast scored his first goal with a low knuckler from 25 yards to the lower left corner after the initial save by Matt Turner on Jeremy Doku traveled outside the box, where he immediately sent it back.
Onana scored from the top of the box for the lead, and De Ketelaere converted from the spot after Tim Ream’s handball. The defense was in disarray for the final two goals with Belgium roaming freely in the box.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Trail Blazers hosting Wizards as they hunt down No. 8 seed
Mar 22, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Portland Trail Blazers interim head coach Tiago Splitter reacts in the second quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images Fresh off a painful slip-up, the Portland Trail Blazers continue their pursuit of the No. 8 spot in the Western Conference when they host the Washington Wizards on Sunday.
The Trail Blazers had won five of six games, the previous two by 35 and 31 points, before dropping a 100-93 home decision against the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night.
The setback leaves Portland (37-38) 1.5 games behind the Los Angeles Clippers for the No. 8 berth — a play-in spot in which one win gets you into the main draw — with seven games remaining.
It was a missed opportunity for the Trail Blazers, and interim coach Tiago Splitter said the defeat was a blow for the team’s mood as well.
“Not great,” Splitter said of the team’s mood. “I think we all felt that we were in a growing moment, and this one hits hard.”
The Trail Blazers were sloppy with 25 turnovers, their fourth time with at least 25 this season and one off their season worst, which they accomplished twice.
Jrue Holiday scored 23 points, Deni Avdija added 20 and Jerami Grant had 19, but the trio of Toumani Camara (3 of 9), Donovan Clingan (2 of 9) and backup Scoot Henderson (3 of 11) were a combined 8-for-29 shooting for 23 points.
Portland scored just 17 points on 6-for-18 shooting to go with seven turnovers in the fourth quarter.
“Offensively, we were very poor,” Splitter said. “We didn’t make shots, turned over the ball all over. … We didn’t have it offensively.”
Grant exited the contest in the third quarter when he injured his right calf. He was slated to undergo testing Saturday.
“I’m always hopeful,” Grant said afterward. “Like I said, I can put some pressure on it, so it shouldn’t be too crazy.”
Washington (17-56) has dropped 17 of its last 18 games after losing 131-126 to the host Golden State Warriors on Friday night.
The Wizards lost 16 in a row before routing the Utah Jazz 133-110 on Wednesday in the second contest of a four-game road trip. But they returned to their losing ways after allowing 72 first-half points to the Warriors.
Rookie Will Riley had 22 points, five rebounds and five assists for Washington. The 20-year-old has topped 20 points four times this month and missed by one point on two other occasions.
Bilal Coulibaly had 21 points but was limited to 19 minutes by coach Brian Keefe for the second straight game. Bub Carrington had 16 points and played just 26 minutes, while Alex Sarr had eight points and nine boards while getting just 23 minutes of action.
“Our health of our players is our No. 1 thing,” Washington coach Brian Keefe said, explaining each of those players had a minutes limit. “We want to keep the rotation … similar rotations that they’re used to playing together. And when they hit (the minutes limit), that’s kind of it.”
Backup Anthony Gill scored 14 points on 7-for-9 shooting against Golden State and is averaging 13.3 points on 25-for-33 shooting (75.8%) over the past four games.
Sarr had 29 points and 12 rebounds when Washington notched a 115-111 home victory over the Trail Blazers on Jan. 27. Clingan collected 20 rebounds to go with 14 points for Portland.
–Field Level Media
Stephon Castle posts triple-double, Spurs cruise past Bucks
Star Trek Fans Vote Overwhelmingly To Batgirl Starfleet Academy
