Sports
Stijn Spierings lifts RSL with late goal in debut
Mar 14, 2026; Sandy, Utah, USA; Real Salt Lake forward Morgan Guilavogui (9) reacts to a missed shot on goal during the first half against the Austin FC at America First Field. Mandatory Credit: Peter Creveling-Imagn Images Stijn Spierings scored on a swerving, long-range effort in the 88th minute — just six minutes after entering his MLS debut — and Real Salt Lake rallied to a 2-1 victory over visiting Austin FC on Saturday night in Sandy, Utah.
The 30-year-old Dutchman, signed in late January from Denmark’s Brondby IF, is the first player above age 23 to score for Salt Lake (3-1-0, 9 points) this season and the only one in Saturday’s victory, RSL’s third straight.
The Claret-and-Cobalt’s earlier tally was an own goal, created by pressure from Noel Caliskan down the left flank about midway through the first half.
Jon Bell scored early for Austin (1-2-1, 4 points), which lost its third straight match in Salt Lake and fifth out of six since the Verde joined MLS in 2021.
Brad Stuver made seven saves in an exceptional performance, but could not keep Spierings’ effort from knuckling into the bottom-left corner.
Diego Luna, RSL’s 2025 leading scorer and an American World Cup hopeful, made his season debut off the bench in the 70th minute after missing the first three games with a knee injury.
Luna nearly broke the tie in the 87th minute on a strong RSL attack down the left, his effort blocked off the line by defender Brendan Hines-Ike.
But Spierings sprung to life a minute later, taking a throughball from center back Justen Glad in stride, turning his hips and immediately firing toward the target from beyond the penalty area before sighting the goal.
Bell put Austin in front at 18 minutes from a set piece. Facundo Torres provided the in-swinging ball on a free kick from the left flank about 12 yards beyond the penalty area.
Bell rose above Sergi Solans near the far post and powered a header back across the goal, bouncing off the turf before it nestled inside the left post.
The advantage lasted only six minutes before Caliskan’s pressure resulted in an equalizer.
After playing a give-and-go with Juan Manuel Sanabria down the left, Caliskan drove in a menacing left-footed cross.
Defender Oleksandr Svatok tried to volley it clear of the area while retreating toward his line. Instead, he hammered it past Stuver into his own net from close range.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Victorious Devils spoil career milestone for Kings' Anze Kopitar
Mar 14, 2026; Newark, New Jersey, USA; Los Angeles Kings goaltender Anton Forsberg (31) makes a save against the New Jersey Devils during the second period at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images Anze Kopitar scored twice to become the all-time points leader in Los Angeles Kings history, but Jack Hughes scored the go-ahead goal late in the third period that sparked the host New Jersey Devils to a wild 6-4 victory on Saturday in Newark, N.J.
Nico Hischier scored twice in a four-point performance, Arseny Gritsyuk and Timo Meier both collected one goal and one assist, and Cody Glass added a single for the Devils, who snapped a two-game losing skid.
New Jersey goaltender Jake Allen made 27 saves.
Kopitar, who announced this will be his final NHL season — all 20 with Los Angeles — netted his 1,308th career point to move ahead of Marcel Dionne’s total for the Kings.
Artemi Panarin scored once in a three-point game, Taylor Ward tallied once and Brandt Clarke collected three assists for the Kings, who are battling for the Western Conference’s final wild-card spot.
Goalie Anton Forsberg stopped 22 shots.
With overtime looming, Hughes potted the difference-maker on the power play by converting a one-timer from the right circle with 2:29 remaining in regulation time.
Meier’s empty-net goal sealed the victory in the back-and-forth clash.
The Devils, who are all but mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, staked a 2-0 lead. Glass opened the scoring with a wobbly shot from the slot at 7:58 of the first frame, and Hischier doubled the lead three minutes later by burying the rebound off his own deflected chance.
The Kings regrouped at the intermission and took the lead in the second period.
Kopitar kicked off the comeback on the power play by redirecting Clarke’s cross-ice pass to the doorstep at 4:15 of the frame.
Panarin tied the clash less than two minutes later with a top-shelf shot from the high slot.
Ward gave the Kings the lead with a one-timer from the point at 11:43 of the period.
Then it was New Jersey’s turn to cue a comeback with a four-goal final period. Gritsyuk evened the affair 25 seconds into the third period by batting home a Lenni Hameenaho pass during a 2-on-1 rush.
Hischier’s second of the game, a power-play marker from pouncing on a loose puck, put the Devils ahead again at 12:42 of the period.
Kopitar tied the clash 4-4 with another power-play goal, a fluttering one-timer from the right circle 60 seconds later, but the Kings could not find another go-ahead goal.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Hurricanes never trail in marquee showdown with Lightning
Mar 14, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; Carolina Hurricanes forward Jordan Staal (11) defends Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh (43) in the first period at Benchmark International Arena. Mandatory Credit: Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images Jordan Martinook scored the tiebreaking goal in the third period, and the Eastern Conference-leading Carolina Hurricanes won 4-2 over the host Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday night.
A minute after Carolina defenseman Sean Walker made an amazing kick save on Brandon Hagel’s shot headed for an open net with goaltender Frederik Andersen (17 saves) angled away from the cage, Martinook whipped in a sharp-angled shot at 9:18 for a 3-2 lead.
With Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy finally pulled for an extra skater inside of two minutes after a dominant offensive-zone shift by the Hurricanes, Andersen stuffed Nikita Kucherov’s game-tying attempt while charging through the low slot.
Logan Stankoven’s empty-net goal with 91 seconds remaining gave Carolina a 9-3-0 record in the past 12 games.
Andrei Svechnikov and Sebastian Aho had a goal and an assist apiece. Rod Brind’Amour coached his 600th NHL game behind the Carolina bench and won for the 367th time.
Tampa Bay’s Yanni Gourde and Charle-Edouard D’Astous tallied, while Vasilevskiy made 31 saves as the Lightning fell to 2-7-0 over nine games.
After Svechnikov was fouled by Victor Hedman driving across the goal in the first minute, he looped around on the delayed penalty, took a feed from Aho and broke a tie in goals with the Finnish center with his 24th.
The top-line duo was at it again on the match’s second tally after K’Andre Miller sprung Aho on a breakaway, which Vasilevskiy turned away. Trailing the play, Svechnikov found the rebound and fed Aho at the far post for an easy marker at 17:28 to create another tie in goals with his linemate.
In the second period, Vasilevskiy’s stop on Svechnikov’s shot from the slot was swept out by Hedman to Gourde. The gritty forward then beat Andersen from the right circle at 14:10 to halve the lead.
Just 81 seconds later, Brayden Point led a rush and saucered a pass over to D’Astous, who won a race with Miller and chipped in the tying tally.
In the first two minutes of the third, defense excelled as Vasilevskiy made a sprawling save on Taylor Hall’s shot from point-blank range.
Then Carolina defenseman Jaccob Slavin foiled Jake Guentzel’s pass that would have been an easy tap-in for Point at the post and put the home side up by a goal.
Carolina outshot Tampa Bay, 11-2, over the final 20 minutes.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Nicolas Fernandez's brace boosts NYCFC over Rapids
Mar 14, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York City midfielder Keaton Parks (55) plays the ball against Colorado Rapids forward Darren Yapi (77) during the first half at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Nicolas Fernandez scored a first-half brace to lead New York City FC to a 3-1 win over the visiting Colorado Rapids on Saturday.
Talles Magno tacked on a late insurance goal for NYCF (3-0-1, 10 points) off a Maxi Moralez assist.
Darren Yapi scored a goal off a Rafael Navarro assist for Colorado (2-2-0, 6 points). The Rapids played their second straight match without starting goalkeeper Zack Steffen, who has been sidelined with a shoulder injury.
A determined effort led to Fernandez’s first goal. Colorado couldn’t clear NYCFC’s attack and Fernandez fired off a shot that resulted in a punch save from Colorado goalie Nico Hansen. But Fernandez gathered the rebound and chipped it in for a 1-0 lead in the 22nd minute.
In the 45th minute, Fernandez struck again when he made the most of a deep restart as he slammed home a goal from an acute angle to give NYCFC a 2-0 lead.
Colorado stayed in the match with a Yappi goal in first-half stoppage time. Navarro’s pass wide of NYCFC defenders connected with Yappi who tucked a right-footed, side-winding shot inside the bottom corner to pull the Rapids within 2-1 at halftime.
As the NYCFC attack built, Hansen turned away a Hannes Wolf shot from inside the 6-yard box. Moments later, Fernandez lefty strike off a restart was secured by Hansen. The backup Colorado goalie had five saves, while New York City FC keeper Matthew Freese notched just one.
The Rapids threatened in the 83rd minute when Dante Sealy set up Paxten Aaronson with a shot that was blocked by the NYCFC backline. But Magno sealed the win for NYCFC with his tally off a through ball from Moralez that slipped past the Colorado back line.
A physical first half featured four yellow cards, two on each side. For the match, the Rapids were whistled for 25 fouls and NYCFC 13. While Colorado held 58.1% of the possession, it was New York City FC that managed a 12-9 edge in shots. NYCFC also held an 8-2 advantage in shots on goal.
–Field Level Media
