I Dig Sports
GAINESVILLE, Fla. Throughout last years season-ending NHRA Mission Drag Racing Series event at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip, Greg Anderson had the car to beat.
From snagging the No. 1 qualifier to ousting every driver in his way to the final, Anderson willed his KB Titan Racing team to another Pro Stock championship after knocking out teammate Dallas Glenn in the last pass of the year.
Flash-forward nearly four months and the same story was writing itself at Gainesville Raceway during the 56th annual Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals.
Anderson had reached new heights with a record-breaking 6.443 ET on Friday, the fastest in class history.
Once again entering Sundays eliminations, Anderson was disposing his opponents all the way to the finals.
Then Glenn pulled up beside Anderson for the coveted Gatornationals crown, where he was chomping at the bit.
We got back to the pit, I did my normal turnaround and then the NHRA guys said, Hey, were kinda fighting some weather coming in, how quick can you get up there?
I said, Ill be ready as soon as Greg is, Glenn smiled.
I was definitely eager to get up there. I think I had my jacket and my earplugs in before I even left the pit. I was ready for him.
Glenn truly was ready as he ran away with ease after Anderson endured issues at the green light.
While a win in the Gatornationals is a drag racers dream, Glenn felt the final round had even more potential out of his race car, which ran a 6.549 ET at 211.13 mph.
To go up there in the finals, we wanted to go up there and try to throw one down, Glenn said. Gregs got a little bit more aggressive than mine did. Shook a little bit there in low gear. It definitely had more in it than the 54.
From a team perspective, KB Titan topped arch rivals Elite Motorsports with ease on Sunday. Elite was only able to get one of its cars in the semifinals (Jeg Coughlin Jr.).
Anderson took care of Coughlin while Glenn topped teammate Cory Reed in the final four. It was a stellar performance from KB Titan as Glenn credited the teams engine department.
We come out here to Gainesville, we qualify KB Titan cars one through four, Glenn said. We almost had all of them in the semis by less than two thousandths.
As far as KB Titan goes, all that hard work that the engine guys did over the offseason paid off.
AVONDALE, Ariz. Josh Berry turned in his best finish in four races since joining Wood Brothers Racing during the offseason Sunday afternoon at Phoenix Raceway.
Berry brought the No. 21 Ford home fourth despite overcoming a mistake on pitlane that forced the team to battle from behind.
I hate that we had that mistake on pit road with the left rear that kind of knocked us back but we were able to fight back up there and had some really good restarts, Berry said. I felt like myself again. It is amazing what you can do when the car is handling like that. It was really solid and staying underneath me. I am super proud of these guys.
Berry was thrilled to finish in the top five at the one-mile track.
Yeah, I am just honestly so excited, the second year Cup Series driver said. This race track was pretty tough for me last year and these guys have great cars, without a doubt here. That was proven again today and we executed pretty solidly and was able to get a good finish which is really good.
Kyle Busch had a consistent day in his Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet and finished eighth for his second consecutive top-10 finish and third in four races.
We were probably a 15th-place car on yellows and probably an eighth-place car on reds (tires), Busch said. We never really got to see our reds play out; get a long run on them. So its hard to say with that, but we were able to make up some really good spots on restarts with them. That saved our day.
Busch was encouraged with the result.
I would say that the step that we made from last year to this year was a really good step, he explained. Another major step like that, we can be a contender for racing for the win. There was a big change in how our car drove and felt and the grip that it gave, but not enough of what I needed.
Chris Buescher brought his RFK Racing Ford home in fifth for his first top-five finish of the season.
I am really proud of this team to take this Ford Mustang and get a top five out of it, Buescher said. It was a fight today. I felt like we were there on the yellows and kept getting run all over by reds and I was just sitting there waiting our turn. We finally put them on and ended up in a place where it was kind of the same time as everybody else. We didnt see the big movement, but we had them on at the end when a lot of others ran out. It made it interesting. I am still a proponent of a single tire when we come to a weekend, but Goodyear did a great job. That red tire was a lot of fun.
Bubba Wallace ran in the top 10 for most of the day at Phoenix, but a late-race mechanical issue saw him fail to finish. He was credited with 29th in his 23XI Racing Toyota.
Brakes blew out. Unfortunate, Wallace reported. Didnt have any sign leading up to that last restart there. Just noticed on lap three or four that the pedal just traveled further than it had just by a little bit. Turned on my fans, came back and that was it. Its a bummer. We didnt have the best of a start or mid-race for our Leidos No. 23 Camry XSE team. But, felt like we finally got our big break and cracked the top-10 and make something of it. Trying to survive and just got ripped out from underneath us.
Ryan Blaney had an engine expire late in the race on his Team Penske Ford. He was credited with 28th place.
It just blew up. It started with about 100 to go and I thought it was going to make it to the end but it didnt, Blaney explained. It was a hard-fought day. We could never get going on restarts. Long runs I felt okay but just kind of lacked a little bit and then we were just having trouble with the engine before it completely grenaded. We were going to get a decent finish out of it, but obviously not.
Chase Briscoe and Spire Motorsports teammates Carson Hocevar and Justin Haley were involved in a rare multi-car accident that collected five drivers on lap 98. Briscoe explained the incident.
Thats about the biggest you can crash at Phoenix. It was a big one, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver said. On that restart, we were three, four-wide and I just climbed over the No. 7 (Justin Haley)s right front. Yeah, unfortunate. We were able to go from the tail (of the field) up to 12th or 13th and felt good about our No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota. Yeah, got myself in a bad spot. Was probably trying to fade a little more left with the No. 77 (Carson Hocevar) on my right rear and yeah, just went over the No. 7s right front. Yeah, unfortunate but try to learn from it and not do it again and go onto (Las) Vegas.
Christopher Bell may have won three of the four races, but Daytona 500 winner William Byron, who finished sixth, at Phoenix continues to lead the standings. Byron battled back from a lap down.
Yeah, unfortunately that caution just came out right when we were on pit road. Here at Phoenix (Raceway), you cant get away with losing a lap, he said. It was just an unfortunate situation there. It was an aggressive call, and I thought that it was going to set us up for a shot. It was just crazy there at the end. We restarted 21st and got up into the top-10 pretty quickly. I feel like we probably used up a lot of tire on the reds to get the last few spots, so it was hard to get much more.
Katherine Legge, a sports car race winner and former Indianapolis 500 starter, finished 30th on the 37-car grid in her NASCAR Cup Series debut, driving the No. 78 Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet. The British driver became only the eighth woman in NASCARs modern era (1972-present) to compete in the sports highest level, and the first since Danica Patrick raced in the 2018 Daytona 500.
SALT LAKE CITY -- Juuso Valimaki is expected to be out eight to nine months after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ACL, Utah Hockey Club general manager Bill Armstrong said Monday.
The 26-year-old defenseman from Finland recently cleared waivers and was assigned to the Tucson Roadrunners of the American Hockey League. He played one game for them on Feb. 28.
Valimaki's extended absence means he will miss training camp and at least the first month of the 2025-26 NHL season. He has one more year left on his contract at a salary of $2 million.
A first-round pick by Calgary in 2017, Valimaki played 84 regular-season and playoff games for the Flames before getting claimed off waivers by the Arizona Coyotes in October 2022. He re-signed with Utah in June after the club moved from the Phoenix area to Salt Lake City and averaged 16 minutes over 43 games this season before being sent to the minors.
Brad Marchand wore something with his new team's logo on it for the first time Sunday night.
He was FaceTiming his kids. There was a Florida Panthers hat on the table in front of him.
"We were about to hang up ... and I was like, 'Before you go, look at this,'" Marchand said. "And I put it on. It was a weird feeling."
Marchand still felt a little strange fully dressed in Panthers gear Monday morning: a red jacket with the logo emblazoned on the front and a matching navy blue Florida hat on his head.
But it's a feeling he's starting to get used to just three days after being traded to Florida from the Boston Bruins, where hed spent his entire 16-season NHL career.
"It has been a whirlwind here the last few days," Marchand said at his introductory news conference on Monday.
The former Bruins captain reflected on a successful career in Boston that included a 2011 Stanley Cup championship, 422 goals, 554 assists and 4 All-Star nods. He held back tears as he thanked Boston general manager Don Sweeney, the Bruins organization and fans for "great memories." He fired off witty jokes about joining a team that has known him as more of a pest than pal.
"It's extremely exciting to be a part of such an incredible group," Marchand said. "And when I walked into the room the other day, I literally had flashbacks to the year that (the Bruins) won. When you walk in here and you see the way the guys interact and the relationships that they have ... it shows why they've been a pillar in the league the last few years."
Marchand had been in talks with the Bruins on a contract extension before this past Friday's NHL trade deadline, but Boston ultimately decided to deal Marchand as the two sides couldn't agree to terms, shipping off its longest-tenured player and only remaining member of its 2011 championship team.
Marchand said he was disappointed when the trade initially happened. He would have loved to stay in Boston. He took out a full-page ad in the Boston Globe to thank the Bruins for helping him "achieve my dream of playing in the National Hockey League."
As reality has set in, Marchand said he's thrilled to be joining a team that looks primed for a championship run. He adds more skill and experience for the defending Stanley Cup champs, who already have plenty of star veterans.
The Panthers are 40-21-3 and in first place in the Atlantic division -- four points ahead of second-place Toronto. Florida has won its past six games, has outscored its opponents 20-5 during that stretch and has given up just one goal in its past four games.
Sam Reinhart leads the bunch with 32 goals, seventh-most in the NHL. Captain Aleksander Barkov has a team-leading 43 assists. Two-time Vezina Trophy-winning starter Sergei Bobrovsky's .907 save percentage is the fifth-best in the league.
Things were much different in Boston, where the Bruins, sitting at seventh in the Atlantic, initiated a rebuild one season after another early playoff exit.
"Ultimately we chase the Stanley Cup," Marchand said. "And you want a chance at playing for that every single year. You never know how long you have in this league. You never know when your last day is going to be and you want to make the most of it.
"I feel rejuvenated coming here."
Marchand is a known leader with a sometimes brash personality. He said he's not looking to come in and take over a team that already has good chemistry and plenty of leadership, but he also won't change who he is.
"I just have kind of an outgoing personality," Marchand said. "When I get in a room and games on ice, my competitiveness kind of takes over. I get a little bit vocal and emotional at times. The great thing about when you're part of a really good group, especially in the hockey culture, is guys don't take things personally."
He's already getting acquainted with some of his new teammates.
He and Sam Bennett already have a history after he took a controversial shot to the head from Bennett during a second-round playoff series between Florida and Boston this past year.
Bennett and Marchand also played together for Canada during this past month's 4 Nations Face-Off tournament.
"Yeah, still a scumbag," Marchand quipped. "No, Benny is great. We get along really, really well. I wasn't surprised that we would get along. As much as you don't want things like that to happen to you, I've been on the other side of that. And I know things like that happen because you're competing. I loved being his teammate. ... I'm sure my jaw is really looking forward to playing with him."
The Panthers begin a six-game road trip at Boston on Tuesday. Marchand will travel with the team but remains out with an upper-body injury sustained in a March 1 game against Pittsburgh.
Coach Paul Maurice expects it to be emotional. He wants to give Marchand the space to take it all in.
"It's not just your average trade," Maurice said. "This is a player that was the fabric of the team and a storied franchise that has had very few captains over the years. This is a big, big deal. And it needs to be respected."
Florida Panthers top defenseman Aaron Ekblad was suspended 20 games for violating the terms of the NHL/NHLPA performance enhancing substances program.
The league's announcement Monday included that, per the collective bargaining agreement, the suspension came with a mandatory referral to the NHL/NHLPA program for substance abuse and behavioral health, where Ekblad will undergo evaluation and possible treatment.
Ekblad released a statement via the NHL Players' Association shortly after the suspension was made public.
"The news that I had failed a random drug test was a shock," Ekblad said. "Ultimately, I made a mistake by taking something to help me recover from recent injuries without first checking with proper medical and team personnel. I have let my teammates, the Panthers organization and our great fans down. For that, I am truly sorry. I have accepted responsibility for my mistake and will be fully prepared to return to my team when my suspension is over. I have learned a hard lesson and cannot wait to be back with my teammates."
The Panthers have only 18 regular-season games remaining. Ekblad's first career suspension will now keep him out until early in a potential first-round playoff series. Florida is in first place in the Atlantic Division.
Ekblad, 29, has anchored the Panthers' top pairing this season alongside Gustav Forsling, producing three goals and 33 points in 56 games. He has spent his 11-year career in Florida, helping the Panthers reach a Stanley Cup Final in 2023 and win a championship in 2024. Ekblad is set to be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
This is the league's first PED-related suspension since Nate Schmidt -- then with the Vegas Golden Knights -- received a 20-game ban.
Trade season grades for all 32 NHL teams: Seven A's, three D's
The final week of the 2024-25 NHL trade season included a number of blockbusters, including Mikko Rantanen to the Dallas Stars, Brock Nelson to the Colorado Avalanche and Brad Marchand to the Florida Panthers. Meanwhile, a flurry of first-round picks were moved, aiding rebuilding (or retooling) teams as they look to the future.
NHL playoff watch: The Oilers' path to a Pacific title
On multiple occasions in recent NHL history, the team that loses the Stanley Cup Final has a worse hangover the next season than the team that won. That hasn't been the case for the Edmonton Oilers in 2024-25, at least based on the first 63 games of the campaign.
Edmonton sits second in the Pacific Division, with 78 points and 27 regulation wins to the Vegas Golden Knights' 82 and 35. Is there a path for Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl & Co. to take over that top spot?
Either way, the Oilers' march to the playoffs continues tonight against the Buffalo Sabres (7 p.m. ET, ESPN+/Hulu/Disney+). Following the contest in Western New York, Oilers visit the three NYC metro teams (Devils on Thursday, Islanders on Friday, Rangers on Sunday) before heading home.
All told, their final 19 games include just seven against teams currently in playoff position. One of those games -- on Tuesday, April 1 -- pits them against the Golden Knights in a "four-point game" that could define their quest to win the regular-season title.
In the end, it may not matter much which playoff seed they earn -- after all, they've won at least one round the past three postseasons from the No. 2 spot, and made the Cup Final back in 2006 as the West's eighth seed.
There is a lot of runway left until the final day of the season on April 17, and we'll help you keep track of it all here on the NHL playoff watch. As we traverse the final stretch, we'll provide detail on all the playoff races -- along with the teams jockeying for position in the 2025 NHL draft lottery.
Note: Playoff chances are via Stathletes.
Jump ahead:
Current playoff matchups
Today's schedule
Yesterday's scores
Expanded standings
Race for No. 1 pick
Current playoff matchups
Eastern Conference
A1 Florida Panthers vs. WC1 Columbus Blue Jackets
A2 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. A3 Tampa Bay Lightning
M1 Washington Capitals vs. WC2 Ottawa Senators
M2 Carolina Hurricanes vs. M3 New Jersey Devils
Western Conference
C1 Winnipeg Jets vs. WC2 Calgary Flames
C2 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Colorado Avalanche
P1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. WC1 Minnesota Wild
P2 Edmonton Oilers vs. P3 Los Angeles Kings
Monday's games
Note: All times ET. All games not on TNT or NHL Network are available to stream on ESPN+ (local blackout restrictions apply).
Edmonton Oilers at Buffalo Sabres, 7 p.m. (ESPN+/Hulu/Disney+)
Detroit Red Wings at Ottawa Senators, 7:30 p.m.
Chicago Blackhawks at Colorado Avalanche, 9 p.m.
Toronto Maple Leafs at Utah Hockey Club, 10 p.m.
Sunday's scoreboard
New Jersey Devils 3, Philadelphia Flyers 1
Washington Capitals 4, Seattle Kraken 2
Pittsburgh Penguins 3, Minnesota Wild 1
Carolina Hurricanes 4, Winnipeg Jets 2
Columbus Blue Jackets 7, New York Rangers 3
Los Angeles Kings 6, Vegas Golden Knights 5
Dallas Stars 4, Vancouver Canucks 1
Anaheim Ducks 4, New York Islanders 1
Expanded standings
Atlantic Division
Florida Panthers
Points: 83
Regulation wins: 34
Playoff position: A1
Games left: 18
Points pace: 106.3
Next game: @ BOS (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A
Toronto Maple Leafs
Points: 79
Regulation wins: 31
Playoff position: A2
Games left: 19
Points pace: 102.8
Next game: @ UTA (Monday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A
Tampa Bay Lightning
Points: 78
Regulation wins: 32
Playoff position: A3
Games left: 19
Points pace: 101.5
Next game: @ CAR (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A
Ottawa Senators
Points: 69
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 20
Points pace: 91.3
Next game: vs. DET (Monday)
Playoff chances: 91.1%
Tragic number: N/A
Detroit Red Wings
Points: 66
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 85.9
Next game: @ OTT (Monday)
Playoff chances: 8.5%
Tragic number: 36
Montreal Canadiens
Points: 66
Regulation wins: 21
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 85.9
Next game: @ VAN (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 7.9%
Tragic number: 36
Boston Bruins
Points: 66
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 17
Points pace: 83.3
Next game: vs. FLA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 5.5%
Tragic number: 32
Buffalo Sabres
Points: 54
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 20
Points pace: 71.4
Next game: vs. EDM (Monday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 26
Metro Division
Washington Capitals
Points: 92
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: M1
Games left: 18
Points pace: 117.9
Next game: @ ANA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A
Carolina Hurricanes
Points: 80
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: M2
Games left: 18
Points pace: 102.5
Next game: vs. TB (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A
New Jersey Devils
Points: 74
Regulation wins: 30
Playoff position: M3
Games left: 17
Points pace: 93.4
Next game: vs. CBJ (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 85.4%
Tragic number: N/A
Columbus Blue Jackets
Points: 70
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 19
Points pace: 91.1
Next game: @ NJ (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 27.4%
Tragic number: N/A
New York Rangers
Points: 68
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 18
Points pace: 87.1
Next game: @ WPG (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 37.6%
Tragic number: 36
New York Islanders
Points: 65
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 20
Points pace: 86.0
Next game: @ LA (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 31.3%
Tragic number: 37
Philadelphia Flyers
Points: 62
Regulation wins: 17
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 17
Points pace: 78.2
Next game: vs. OTT (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 5.2%
Tragic number: 28
Pittsburgh Penguins
Points: 60
Regulation wins: 17
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 16
Points pace: 74.6
Next game: vs. VGK (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0.2%
Tragic number: 24
Central Division
Winnipeg Jets
Points: 92
Regulation wins: 36
Playoff position: C1
Games left: 17
Points pace: 116.1
Next game: @ PIT (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A
Dallas Stars
Points: 86
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: C2
Games left: 18
Points pace: 110.2
Next game: @ WPG (Friday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A
Colorado Avalanche
Points: 78
Regulation wins: 33
Playoff position: C3
Games left: 18
Points pace: 99.9
Next game: vs. CHI (Monday)
Playoff chances: 99.8%
Tragic number: N/A
Minnesota Wild
Points: 76
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: WC1
Games left: 18
Points pace: 97.4
Next game: s. COL (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 93.7%
Tragic number: N/A
St. Louis Blues
Points: 69
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 17
Points pace: 87.1
Next game: @ PIT (Thursday)
Playoff chances: 28.2%
Tragic number: 34
Utah Hockey Club
Points: 66
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 85.9
Next game: vs. TOR (Monday)
Playoff chances: 25.6%
Tragic number: 35
Nashville Predators
Points: 55
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 71.6
Next game: @ SJ (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 24
Chicago Blackhawks
Points: 49
Regulation wins: 17
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 18
Points pace: 62.8
Next game: @ COL (Monday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 16
Pacific Division
Vegas Golden Knights
Points: 82
Regulation wins: 35
Playoff position: P1
Games left: 19
Points pace: 106.7
Next game: @ PIT (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 99.9%
Tragic number: N/A
Edmonton Oilers
Points: 78
Regulation wins: 27
Playoff position: P2
Games left: 19
Points pace: 101.5
Next game: @ BUF (Monday)
Playoff chances: 99.7%
Tragic number: N/A
Los Angeles Kings
Points: 75
Regulation wins: 29
Playoff position: P3
Games left: 20
Points pace: 99.2
Next game: vs. NYI (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 92%
Tragic number: N/A
Calgary Flames
Points: 70
Regulation wins: 24
Playoff position: WC2
Games left: 19
Points pace: 91.1
Next game: vs. VAN (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: 34.7%
Tragic number: N/A
Vancouver Canucks
Points: 69
Regulation wins: 23
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 89.8
Next game: vs. MTL (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 26.3%
Tragic number: 38
Anaheim Ducks
Points: 63
Regulation wins: 20
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 19
Points pace: 82.0
Next game: vs. WSH (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: 0.1%
Tragic number: 32
Seattle Kraken
Points: 58
Regulation wins: 22
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 17
Points pace: 73.2
Next game: vs. MTL (Wednesday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 23
San Jose Sharks
Points: 43
Regulation wins: 12
Playoff position: N/A
Games left: 17
Points pace: 54.2
Next game: vs. NSH (Tuesday)
Playoff chances: ~0%
Tragic number: 8
Race for the No. 1 pick
The NHL uses a draft lottery to determine the order of the first round, so the team that finishes in last place is not guaranteed the No. 1 selection. As of 2021, a team can move up a maximum of 10 spots if it wins the lottery, so only 11 teams are eligible for the draw for the No. 1 pick. Full details on the process can be found here. Sitting No. 1 on the draft board for this summer is Matthew Schaefer, a defenseman for the OHL's Erie Otters.
1. San Jose Sharks
Points: 43
Regulation wins: 12
2. Chicago Blackhawks
Points: 49
Regulation wins: 17
3. Buffalo Sabres
Points: 54
Regulation wins: 20
4. Nashville Predators
Points: 55
Regulation wins: 20
5. Seattle Kraken
Points: 58
Regulation wins: 22
6. Pittsburgh Penguins
Points: 60
Regulation wins: 17
7. Philadelphia Flyers
Points: 62
Regulation wins: 17
8. Anaheim Ducks
Points: 63
Regulation wins: 20
9. New York Islanders
Points: 65
Regulation wins: 23
10. Utah Hockey Club
Points: 66
Regulation wins: 20
11. Montreal Canadiens
Points: 66
Regulation wins: 21
12. Boston Bruins
Points: 66
Regulation wins: 22
13. Detroit Red Wings
Points: 66
Regulation wins: 22
14. New York Rangers
Points: 68
Regulation wins: 29
15. St. Louis Blues
Points: 69
Regulation wins: 22
16. Vancouver Canucks
Points: 69
Regulation wins: 23
Al Nassr's Jhon Durán scored twice and Cristiano Ronaldo netted a penalty as the Saudi Pro League side booked a place in the Asian Champions League Elite last eight on Monday with a 3-0 win over Iran's Esteghlal while Qatar's Al Sadd beat Al Wasl.
Akram Afif was instrumental in Al-Sadd's 3-1 victory in Doha and got on the scoresheet as he led Felix Sanchez's side to a 4-2 aggregate win over the side from the United Arab Emirates.
Al Nassr's win in Riyadh came after a 0-0 draw in the first leg in Tehran last week and takes Stefano Pioli's team into the quarterfinals, which will be played in Jeddah as part of a centralised tournament from April 25 to May 3.
Duran put Al Nassr in front after nine minutes, with the Colombian lifting the ball over Seyed Hossein Hosseini after the Esteghlal goalkeeper gifted possession to the striker 25 metres from goal.
The Saudis doubled their lead from the penalty spot, Ronaldo stepping up in the 27th minute to convert with typical confidence following Mohammad Niknafs' mistimed challenge on Sadio Mané.
Getty Images
Esteghlal's task was made almost impossible when Mehran Ahmadi was sent off for a second bookable offence late in the first half as he caught Mohammed Al Fatil in the face with a flailing arm.
Duran claimed his second goal of the game six minutes from time when he whipped a low strike into the bottom corner having earlier hit the post as Al Nassr eased through.
"I think we played well," said Mané. "We created many chances and we scored three goals. I think we got our reward.
"We pressed well together, we pushed them and they made mistakes and from that we scored three goals. We have a clean sheet and we cannot expect more than this."
Al Sadd progressed as a result of an 11-minute spell in the first half against Al Wasl that saw the Qataris score three times to overturn Fábio Lima's early opener.
The Brazil-born forward gave his side the lead in the 10th minute, sweeping a first-time shot home after Alexis Perez's centre had arced over the Al Sadd back line.
But Afif unlocked the Al Wasl defence to haul Al Sadd level 16 minutes later, driving towards the byline before pulling the ball back into the path of Mostafa Meshaal who he slotted into the bottom corner.
Youcef Atal's strike saw Al Sadd take the lead on the half-hour as he cut inside towards goal before his shot from the tightest of angles deflected past Khaled Al-Senaani via the boot of Al Wasl defender Jung Seung-hyun.
Asian Player of the Year Afif showed his quality with the third in the 37th minute, playing a short free kick to Claudinho and then bending the return into the top corner from 20 metres.
United States men's national team star Antonee Robinson has told ESPN he is ignoring speculation over his future and wants to play in European competitions with Fulham.
Robinson, 27, has had a remarkable season with Fulham and has helped the team reach the FA Cup quarterfinals and rise to ninth in the Premier League table. He was also named the 2024 U.S Soccer male player of the year in January.
His form has caught the eye of other teams, with reports linking Liverpool with a summer move for the left-back.
There was interest from clubs in January, but a source has told ESPN that Fulham had no desire or intention to let the left-back leave the club. That stance remains the same heading into the summer window, and Robinson is treating all reports of outside interest with a grain of salt.
"I've been in the game long enough now to kind of know you have to block out the outside noise and things like that because I've been on the end of it when I've not been playing well," Robinson told ESPN. "I saw criticism when I was younger, seeing people doubting me and things. So I know that there's two sides to the coin.
"You just have to take everything with a grain of salt. You have to believe in yourself and when things are going bad, focus on yourself, and when things are going good, focus on keeping going.
"So, transfer rumors and stuff like that, I try not to look at. Especially like with the Liverpool one, all my friends and family are from Liverpool, so it's more of them messaging me than me seeing newspaper stuff. And I have to say, look, it's just, just a story in the paper and anyone who's doing well is going to get linked to a team."
Talking to ESPN's Herculez Gomez on Fútbol Americas, Robinson said he has European aspirations and he hopes to realize them at Fulham. "I'm truly focused on just reaching the level I feel I can, which takes a lot of work off the pitch as well, trying to make sure I keep my body right, doing all the extras and training, things like that to make sure I'm on my best level.
"Eventually I want to perform at the highest level that I can. Whether that's playing Champions League, playing European competitions with Fulham, however I get there, I want to make sure I get there."
Robinson took Fulham's fourth penalty in the team's FA Cup fifth round penalty shootout win over Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Robinson said the win felt "personal" after recent history between the two teams. They met in the FA Cup quarterfinal in May 2023 and lost 3-1, after having and Willian and Aleksander Mitrovic both sent off in the 72nd minute along with manager Marco Silva, but Fulham made amends for that at the weekend as they drew 1-1 before winning 4-2 on penalties.
"I mean it was a big moment of relief," Robinson said of their penalty shootout triumph. "I think just in general, the amount of times we played Manchester United and they've beat us like in the last minute when we've outplayed them. So it like felt really personal because it's stung a lot. And then obviously we had the quarter final incident where we had three sent off and lost out to them. So I think it just felt a bit of relief to not necessarily get revenge, but to just finally, you know, deservedly beat them and advance through to the next round.
"You know that in a game like that, even though, you know, we're higher than Manchester United in the league this season, they still would've been the favorites for the game. And we felt as a team the pressure was pretty much all on them. The only pressure we put on ourselves is to kind of play the best we can. And if we give everything, then on the day we can try and beat anyone. So when it got to penalties, even though the atmosphere, was very loud, very noisy, I just got the sense they're the ones under pressure here not us."
Manchester City Women have sacked head coach Gareth Taylor just five days before their League Cup final match against Chelsea, the club confirmed on Monday.
City managing director Charlotte O'Neill thanked Taylor for his service to the club, but said results had not been good enough, with the side fourth in the Women's Super League (WSL), 12 points behind leaders Chelsea.
"Manchester City prides itself on competing at the top of the WSL and on its outstanding record of qualifying for European competition," O'Neill said in a statement.
"Unfortunately, results this season have so far not reached this high standard.
"With six games of the WSL campaign remaining, we believe that a change of management will breathe fresh life into our bid to ensure qualification for the 2025-26 UEFA Women's Champions League.
"We would like to place on record our thanks to Gareth for all of his efforts during his many years at City. Our FA Cup and League Cup triumphs will remain special moments in the history of this football club.
"We wish him all the best for the future."
Nick Cushing will take over the side for the rest of the season.
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