Sports
Wary Bruins keep one eye on Hurricanes, other on trade deadline
Mar 4, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Nashville Predators center Tommy Novak (82) reacts after scoring a goal during the first period against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images Building the right way is what the Carolina Hurricanes are counting on in an effort to generate sustained momentum. The Boston Bruins are trying to minimize distractions in time to get their season back on track.
The teams meet Thursday night in Raleigh, N.C., with Friday’s trade deadline looming.
“You can’t let that affect you on the ice,” Boston forward David Pastrnak said. “We have to go out there the last 19 games and definitely perform better and try to win some hockey games.”
The Bruins are already coping with the impact of a deal this week. Physical forward Trent Frederic was traded to the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday.
“You do the best to block those things out,” Bruins center Morgan Geekie said. “It’s a business kind of thing. I think a lot of people forget we’re human, too. It’s tough to see one of your good friends go.”
Despite a season that hasn’t gone by design, Boston remains in contention for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. That’s something the players don’t want to overlook even as more roster adjustments could be in the works.
“The way our season has gone up and down like this, there is no surprise,” Boston center Charlie Coyle said. “We just have to go out and do our job. You can’t stress on that stuff.”
The Hurricanes have won back-to-back games for the first time since late January. The 2-1 victory Tuesday night at Detroit came with numerous positives in coach Rod Brind’Amour’s opinion.
“I thought all three periods there was no letdown. We just kept at it,” he said. “We didn’t give up a heck of a lot. It was a really good effort, top to bottom.”
Now it’s a matter of sustaining that kind of performance as they begin a four-game homestand.
“Whenever we get rolling, you can see that it’s shift after shift and we had a couple of big stretches in that game where it was just nonstop,” Carolina winger Jordan Martinook said. “When you’re changing in the offensive zone, it’s a lot of fun. … We’ve just got to keep the momentum going.”
The Bruins have been scuffling as they’ve dropped seven of their last eight games, including two in a row. They’re coming off Tuesday night’s 6-3 home loss to the Nashville Predators.
Boston has won one of its last six road games.
“We still have to make sure we’re focused,” Boston coach Joe Sacco said. “We have a job to do.”
The Bruins began the week without captain Brad Marchand. His status is considered week-to-week after suffering an upper-body injury Saturday at Pittsburgh.
For the Hurricanes, it should be Pyotr Kochetkov’s turn in net as he has been rotating with Frederik Andersen. On Sunday, Kochetkov became the second-fastest goalie in Carolina franchise history to reach 60 wins — doing so in 106 games. Only Andersen, who needed 91 games, reached the mark faster.
The Hurricanes have received key boosts in several recent games. On Tuesday, Jesperi Kotkaniemi won seven of his eight faceoffs.
The Hurricanes beat the Bruins 8-2 on Oct. 31 in Boston’s first visit of the season. Carolina had three power-play goals in that game, two from Andrei Svechnikov. Jack Roslovic also had two goals for the Hurricanes.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Sabres' power play tallies twice to topple Canadiens in Game 1
May 6, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram (4) celebrates his goal with teammates during the second period against the Montréal Canadiens in game one of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images Ryan McLeod and defenseman Bowen Byram each converted on the power play to lift the host Buffalo Sabres to a 4-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference second-round series.
Buffalo went 2-for-3 with the man advantage after going 1-for-46 on the power play over its previous 13 games.
By scoring his fourth goal, Byram matched the franchise record for most in a postseason by a defenseman set by Mike Ramsey (1983) and equaled by Jason Woolley (1999) and Alexei Zhitnik (1999).
McLeod and Josh Doan each collected a goal and an assist. Jordan Greenway also tallied and Alex Lyon made 26 saves for the Sabres, who host Game 2 on Friday.
Selke Trophy finalist Nick Suzuki scored a power-play goal, Kirby Dach also tallied and Jakub Dobes turned aside 12 shots for the Canadiens.
Montreal defenseman Lane Hutson hit the post in his bid to open the scoring early in the first period. He then lost his footing and the puck at his own blue line, leading to a 3-on-1 opportunity and Zach Benson feeding Doan on the doorstep for an easy conversion at 4:31 of the period.
McLeod converted from a sharp angle along the goal line to give Buffalo a 2-0 lead with 6:34 remaining in the first period.
Suzuki answered at left post to halve the deficit with 45 seconds to play in the first period, but Greenway regained the two-goal advantage at 3:32 of the second. He unleashed a shot from above the left circle that caromed off Dobes’ glove and into the net. Tyson Kozak drove to the net to provide a bit of a screen on the play.
The Sabres made it 4-1 at 9:01 of the second. McLeod knocked down a Canadiens’ clearing attempt, allowing Byram to collect the puck and use a screen from Doan to wrist a shot past Dobes.
Dach used a second effort to chip the puck from a sharp angle past Lyon to trim Montreal’s deficit to 4-2 with 3:29 remaining in the second period.
The Canadiens outshot the Sabres 11-1 in the third period, but could not get any closer.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: Joe Gibbs Racing lawsuit vs. Spire, Chris Gabehart gets trial date
Oct 25, 2025; Martinsville, Virginia, USA; Joe Gibbs Racing competition director Chris Gabehart before NASCAR Cup Series Xfinity 500 Practice and Qualifying at Martinsville Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Greg Atkins-Imagn Images Joe Gibbs Racing desired an earlier trial date for its lawsuit against Spire Motorsports and Chris Gabehart, while the defendants wanted a later trial date.
Neither side got what it wanted on Wednesday, as the judge presiding over the case split the difference and settled on a January start date, according to motorsport.com.
JGR is pursuing more than $8 million in damages due to allegations of misappropriation and tortuous interference by Gabehart, who left JGR to work for Spire.
JGR had been in pursuit of a November trial start, citing concerns about evidence and a desire to begin discovery as soon as possible. The defendants, in contrast, targeted next May, arguing that depositions could interfere with the current NASCAR season.
United States District Court Judge Susan C. Rodriguez of the Western District of North Carolina directed each party to “meet and confer and submit to the Court within 10 days a joint proposal as to pretrial deadlines as discussed,” indicating all parties are required to adhere to an agreed-upon schedule for all activities leading up to the trial date.
With Spire having a better-than-expected season after hiring Gabehart, JGR had filed an amendment to its original lawsuit earlier this week to address damages sustained through the use of “trade secrets.”
Spire driver Carson Hocevar is sitting in sixth after securing his first career NASCAR victory — and Spire’s first NASCAR win since 2019 — on April 26 at Talladega. Daniel Suarez, a new Spire driver this season, is in 14th in the standings. None of Spire’s three drivers last year finished in the top 20 of the standings.
“This sudden improvement in Spire’s Cup Series performance of course comes on the heels of Gabehart misappropriating JGR’s Confidential Information and Trade Secrets and providing Spire the same or similar services he provided JGR in the last year,” the amended filing says.
The judge in the case has also granted partial expediency on the issue of discovery, providing faster access to certain phone records directly related to the nature of Gabehart’s relationships with JGR and Spire, according to the report.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Cubs LHP Matthew Boyd injures knee playing with his children, put on IL
May 3, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Matthew Boyd (16) pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images Chicago Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd hurt his left meniscus while playing with his children at home on Wednesday morning and was placed on the 15-day injured list.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that Boyd had an MRI that revealed the knee injury and the pitcher will require surgery. The move was retroactive to Monday.
“It’s kind of unexplainable,” Counsell said. “Kind of an innocent, going down to the ground and getting back up.
“He woke up this morning a healthy player,” the manager added. “He’s just trying to process it and get all the information from the doctors to figure out what’s next.”
Counsell said the timetable for Boyd’s return will be determined after the surgery, but the team expects him to play again this season.
Boyd, 35, was on the IL from April 2-21 because of a left biceps strain. He is 2-1 with a 6.00 ERA, six walks and 31 strikeouts in 24 innings over five starts this season.
An All-Star for Chicago in 2025, Boyd is 62-78 with a 4.61 ERA in 218 career appearances (204) starts for the Toronto Blue Jays (2015), Detroit Tigers (2015-21, 2023), Seattle Mariners (2022), Cleveland Guardians (2024) and Cubs.
In a corresponding move, Chicago selected the contract of right-handed reliever Trent Thornton from Triple-A Iowa. They also designated lefty Charlie Barnes for assignment to clear room on the 40-man roster for Thornton. Righty Yacksel Rios was sent outright to Iowa.
Thornton, 32, is 0-0 with a 3.18 ERA in 5 2/3 innings over four games (one start) with Iowa this season. He has a career record of 14-19 with a 4.38 in seven seasons for the Toronto Blue Jays (2019-23) and Seattle Mariners (2023-25).
The Cubs already have starting pitchers Justin Steele (left elbow) and Cade Horton (right elbow) on the injured list.
–Field Level Media
SpaceX may spend up to $119B on ‘Terafab’ chip factory in Texas
Sabres' power play tallies twice to topple Canadiens in Game 1
