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With eyes on ending drought, Ducks begin stretch run vs. Oilers

NHL: Seattle Kraken at Anaheim DucksFeb 3, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks defenseman Jackson LaCombe (2) speaks with goaltender Lukas Dostal (1) during the third period at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Anaheim Ducks return to action after the Olympic break ready to push for an end of their playoff drought.

As the Ducks prepare to play host to the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday, they sit in the Western Conference’s second wild-card spot, tied with Seattle for third spot in the Pacific Division but edged out having fewer regulation wins.

Anaheim last made the Stanley Cup playoffs in the 2017-18 campaign, the third-longest drought in the league, but have made a huge turnaround this season.

“Our team is doing a great job of buying into what we want to do,” said defenseman Jackson LaCombe, who returns to the club after being part of Team USA’s gold-medal winning squad at the Olympic Winter Games.

“Everyone is committing to playing better defense, that’s shown over our last stretch. … I think we’re really happy with where we’re at,” he added.

The Ducks entered the break after a 4-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken on Feb. 3. They have won two straight and nine of 11 games after suffering through a nine-game skid.

They have 26 games remaining.

One of those two losses during their 9-2-0 run came at the hands of the Oilers, a 7-4 affair in Edmonton on Jan. 26.

While the Ducks have a team goal to reach over the next seven-plus weeks before the regular season ends, they have a more immediate quest.

Coach Joel Quenneville needs one more victory to become only the second bench boss in league history to reach the 1,000-win mark during the regular season. Scotty Bowman holds the record with 1,244 victories.

The Oilers arrive in Anaheim sitting second in the Pacific Division, one point ahead of the Ducks (and Kraken).

Edmonton, which has 24 games remaining, will be trying to find that winning formula having lost three straight games, the last one a 4-3 defeat at the hands of the Calgary Flames on Feb. 4.

“We’ve got to win games,” forward Leon Draisaitl said. “We’ve got to bank points and secure a spot in the playoff race. They’re a good team and have had a great year and taken big steps.”

Whether captain Connor McDavid suits up for the clash is a mystery. McDavid, who was to join the team in Anaheim after making his way back from winning silver with Team Canada at the Olympics, but coach Kris Knoblauch was not certain if their star would suit up.

“A lot of it has to do how he’s feeling, injury-wise, health-wise, energy-wise,” Knoblauch said. “There’s a lot up in the air and nothing’s been ruled out.”

Edmonton’s schedule may play a part in whether McDavid suits up. The Oilers will face the Ducks and Los Angeles Kings on consecutive nights and finish a California trip against the San Jose Sharks on Saturday afternoon.

Regardless of whether McDavid plays, the Oilers are aware they are skating a thin line, even while sitting in a playoff spot. This is a team that reached the Stanley Cup Final in each of the last two seasons.

“We’ve got to change some things,” Draisaitl stated. “We’re in a race. We can’t be cruising around like years past. We have to get going.”

The Oilers made news during the break by hiring Paul Coffey as an assistant coach. Coffey, one of the most prolific defensemen in league history, returns to the club to help its defensive game. Edmonton has surrendered 16 goals in its current three-game streak.

–Field Level Media

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VJ Edgecombe, Tyrese Maxey propel Sixers past Celtics to even series

NBA: Playoffs-Philadelphia 76ers at Boston CelticsApr 21, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Vj Edgecombe (77) attempts a three-point basket against the Boston Celtics in the first half of a game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

VJ Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey combined to make 11 3-pointers and score 59 total points as the Philadelphia 76ers bounced back to even their Eastern Conference playoff series with the host Boston Celtics in a 111-97 decision on Tuesday.

Seventh-seeded Philadelphia (1-1) shook off a dismal Game 1 performance, which included making just four 3-pointers in Sunday’s 123-91 loss, with a complete reversal on the offensive end.

The Sixers shot a torrid 19-of-39 from beyond the arc in Game 2, with Quentin Grimes, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Paul George each adding a pair of made triples to supplement Edgecombe and Maxey.

Edgecombe and Maxey were the catalysts, however. The rookie Edgecombe finished 12-of-20 from the floor, including his 6-of-10 from beyond the arc, and grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds.

“This is who we are. Game 1 isn’t who we are,” Edgecombe said in his postgame interview with Peacock. “We let our offense dictate our defense (on Sunday), and we didn’t do that tonight.”

Philadelphia’s flipping of the script on the offensive end on Tuesday did indeed carry over defensively. The Sixers limited the Celtics (1-1) to 35-of-89 shooting from the floor, locking down each scoring option beyond the primary two of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.

Brown went for a game-high 36 points, and Tatum finished with 19 points to go with his game-high 14 rebounds. No other Celtic reached double-figures scoring, however, a stark contrast from Game 1 when the entire Boston starting five notched at least 10 points.

And while Brown shot 5-of-12 from long distance, Boston’s other shooters combined to go just 8-for-38.

Philadelphia, meanwhile, got 19 points from George and 12 from Oubre. After foul trouble limited him in Game 1, Andre Drummond came off the bench to provide the Sixers quality minutes on the interior with 10 points and eight rebounds.

–Field Level Media

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Luis Garcia Jr.'s 4-hit effort powers Nationals past Braves

MLB: Atlanta Braves at Washington NationalsApr 21, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Nationals left fielder James Wood (29) hits a solo home run against the Atlanta Braves during the second inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Luis Garcia Jr. had four hits and drove in three runs, Curtis Mead socked a three-run homer and the host Washington Nationals ended the Atlanta Braves’ six-game winning streak with an 11-4 win on Tuesday.

James Wood hit his eighth homer of the season, walked four times and scored three runs for Washington, which leveled the four-game series at one victory apiece.

Nationals starter Foster Griffin (3-0) allowed three runs on five hits over six solid innings. He walked one and struck out three.

Drake Baldwin and Eli White homered for the Braves, and Mauricio Dubon had two hits.

Atlanta starter Reynaldo Lopez (1-1) allowed four runs in one-plus inning and gave up five hits and three walks while fanning one. Braves pitchers issued 12 walks.

Ronald Acuna Jr. was in the Atlanta lineup and went 1-for-5 one day after being hit by pitch twice, including once on the left hand.

The first six Nationals reached base in a three-run first. Wood walked and Garcia singled him to third, then stole second. Jacob Young lined a single to center, scoring Wood. CJ Abrams and Daylen Lile walked, with Lile getting an RBI. Nasim Nunez singled to score Young with the third run.

Back-to-back two-out doubles by Dubon and Michael Harris II got the Braves within 3-1 in the second.

Wood homered leading off the bottom half, and Lopez was done for the night after Garcia singled.

Baldwin’s solo homer in the third pulled the Braves within 4-2.

White homered in the fifth to make it 4-3, but the Nationals answered in the bottom half when Brady House singled, stole second and scored on a two-out single by Garcia to make it 5-3.

In the seventh, the Nationals loaded the bases with two walks and a single. Garcia followed with a two-run double, and another runner came home on a groundout by Young.

Austin Riley’s RBI groundout pulled the Braves within 8-4 in the eighth, but a pair of walks and Mead’s three-run homer put things out of reach in the bottom half.

The Braves placed closer Raisel Iglesias on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation, and they promoted Dylan Dodd from Triple-A Gwinnett to fill the roster spot.

–Field Level Media

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Luke Keaschall powers late rally as Twins dump Mets

MLB: Minnesota Twins at New York MetsApr 21, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; Minnesota Twins second baseman Luke Keaschall (15) hits a RBI single in the seventh inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Luke Keaschall’s second RBI single of the game snapped a ninth-inning tie Tuesday night and helped the visiting Minnesota Twins rally past the slumping New York Mets 5-3.

In losing its 12th straight game, New York coughed up a 3-0 lead as closer Devin Williams melted down during the top of the ninth. Williams (0-1) didn’t retire any of the five hitters he faced, walking three.

That included Matt Wallner, whose free pass with the sacks filled forced Ryan Jeffers home with an insurance run, inspiring angry boos from the listed crowd of 32,798 as Mets manager Carlos Mendoza hooked Williams.

Minnesota’s bullpen retired all 12 hitters it faced. Cole Sands (1-1) pitched the last two innings to earn the win, fanning Tyrone Taylor for the last out.

Needing something good to happen early in the opener of its nine-game homestand, New York got it in the bottom of the third. Mark Vientos led off with a single and was forced at second on Carson Benge’s grounder.

Benge swiped second and Marcus Semien walked. After working a full count, Lindor crushed a 3-2 offering an estimated 410 feet into the second deck in right field. It was his second homer and quadrupled his RBI total from one to four.

Nolan McLean mowed down the first 15 hitters he faced before finding trouble in the sixth. Wallner broke up his perfect game with a leadoff single and trotted home with two outs when Byron Buxton lofted a two-run homer, his fourth of the year, just over the leaping Benge and over the left field wall.

Minnesota equalized an inning later when Kody Clemens lined a double to right and scored on Keaschall’s line-drive single to center. One out later, McLean was gone after fanning 10 in 6 2/3 innings while permitting five hits and three runs.

Keaschall’s hit got Twins starter Simeon Woods Richardson off the hook after he pitched five innings, yielding four hits and three runs with three walks and two strikeouts.

–Field Level Media

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