Category: Sport

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Seth Jones had waited most of his life to get a Stanley Cup ring. After which, he needed to wait even longer earlier than he might see it.

The Florida Panthers handed out the rings from their second consecutive title Monday, and Jones was the primary particular person on the lengthy record of gamers, coaches and employees who acquired the prized items of bijou through the ceremony.

However the Panthers have a rule: No person opens the field till all people can open the field collectively. So, Jones — who joined the staff halfway via final season — needed to wait … and wait … and wait … earlier than he and everybody else acquired to see the brand new shiny bauble.

“Superior,” Jones mentioned. “It’s a set piece for the remainder of my life.”

Among the many highlights of the ring: a play on the speeches that Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett gave on the Stanley Cup parade, the place they gleefully identified that they apologize to nobody for the Panthers being the Panthers. That phrasing is etched on the within of the ring, which has greater than 250 diamonds and rubies and is created out of white and yellow gold.

On the edges of the gamers’ rings: their title and quantity on one aspect, together with the staff emblem and “again to again champions” on the opposite.

The Panthers did the ceremony in non-public, with the gamers all in darkish fits and pink ties. The celebration for followers comes Tuesday, when the staff will elevate the banner earlier than its opener at residence in opposition to the Chicago Blackhawks.

The possession group — Vincent and Teresa Viola and their households — offered their rings to at least one one other, after which the phrase lastly got here to open the bins.

“I by no means believed that proudly owning a sports activities staff could possibly be as invigorating, as heart-touching, that you simply’d care concerning the gamers once they get damage,” mentioned Teresa Viola, the spouse of staff proprietor Vincent Viola. “You wish to run down there like a mother and simply go, ‘My goodness, are you OK?’ This staff has proven me the spirit of togetherness, household, the whole lot that I hoped it might be.”

All of the trophies from final season had been on a desk close to the stage. There have been the 2 gained by captain Aleksander Barkov — the Selke Trophy because the NHL’s greatest defensive ahead and the King Clancy in recognition of his management and humanitarian work on and off the ice. There was the Conn Smythe Trophy, the one Bennett acquired as MVP of the playoffs. There was the Prince of Wales Trophy, which the Panthers have gained in every of the previous three seasons as Japanese Convention champions.

And, after all, there was the Stanley Cup. The Panthers have taken it in all places for the higher a part of the previous 3½ months — hospitals, fireplace homes, fishing journeys, even eaten meatballs out of the factor — and now begin the search towards attempting to win it once more.

The rings have been handed out. The banner goes up Tuesday. There will probably be reminders alongside the best way, akin to taking a hoop to the Hockey Corridor of Fame, the Stanley Cup Ultimate rematches with Edmonton and rematches of playoff matchups. However the Panthers realize it’s time to show the web page to what awaits.

“Coping with that and never dwelling previously is essential,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice mentioned. “But in addition, we wish to make it possible for we’re not mandating that. It’s OK to get pleasure from tonight. And it’s OK when we have now to do different issues that convey us again. We’re simply not having a reunion every single day that we come to the rink.”

Blake Snell was good. The Dodgers’ bats awakened in time. And the beleaguered Los Angeles bullpen survived because the Dodgers secured a 4-3 win over the Phillies in Sport 2 and took a 2-0 lead within the NLDS on Monday.

With the Dodgers’ victory, the Phillies are on the point of elimination within the best-of-five sequence.

For six innings, Monday’s sport was locked in a pitchers’ duel, as Snell and Phillies starter Jesús Luzardo traded blows from the mound. Snell didn’t enable a success till one out remained within the fifth inning. Luzardo retired 17 consecutive Dodgers batters to enter the highest of the seventh knotted in a scoreless tie.

[Get more Los Angeles news: Dodgers team feed]

However then Luzardo cracked first. Teoscar Hernández led off with a single. Freddie Freeman adopted with a double to place runners on second and third with no outs. With that, the Philly starter’s evening was executed.

With reliever Orion Kerkering on the mound, Kiké Hernández delivered once more within the postseason, like he has so many occasions earlier than. He despatched Teoscar Hernández house on a fielder’s selection and made it safely to first because the play on the plate failed.

The Dodgers then loaded and cleared the bases with a two-run single by Will Smith and an RBI knock from Shohei Ohtani, giving the Dodgers a 4-0 lead along with his first hit of the sequence.

However no lead is really protected with the Dodgers’ bullpen, and issues acquired tense late following Snell’s exit within the seventh inning.

The Phillies plated a run within the eighth, then two extra off Blake Treinen within the ninth, as Nick Castellanos reached second with no outs by way of a two-run double that lower the Dodgers result in 4-3. Then Alex Vesia and Roki Sasaki mixed to place out the hearth and safe the final three outs of the sport with out additional injury.

Sasaki recorded the dramatic final out of the sport as Freddie Freeman saved a low throw to first base from Tommy Edman on a two-out floor ball from Trea Turner.

Snell allowed one hit and issued 4 walks whereas hanging out 9 in six shutout innings because the successful pitcher. Luzardo picked up the loss after leaving two runners on within the seventh, each of whom got here round to attain.

The sequence now shifts to Los Angeles, the place the Dodgers may have two possibilities to shut out the best-of-five sequence at house. Sport 3 is scheduled for Wednesday (9:08 p.m. ET/TBS, TruTV).

Week 5 opened with the season’s second time beyond regulation recreation Thursday, then delivered 5 double-digit rallies on a Sunday full of tight divisional tilts and even a rookie quarterback making his first begin abroad.

Irrespective of the field rating, a number of gamers throughout the league stood out.

However just one participant will be “him.”

Forward of this week’s “Monday Evening Soccer” showdown between the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs and Jacksonville Jaguars, it was time to determine who earned the glory on Sunday.

Listed here are the fan-voted outcomes for ESPN’s NFL Week 4 “Himmy” Award:

Right here’s how every “Himmy” nominee made his case in Week 5.

ESPN Analysis contributed to this story.

Stats to know: 10 receptions, 146 yards

Diggs placed on a well-recognized present in his first return to Orchard Park since leaving Buffalo in 2024, torching his former staff because the Patriots edged the Buffalo Payments 23-20.

Diggs did most of his injury after halftime, stacking 119 yards within the second half. His yards after the catch popped too, with 61 on the night time after simply 70 over his first 4 video games mixed. His 146 receiving yards are the fourth most by any Patriots participant in a recreation in opposition to the Payments, trailing solely Wes Welker, Stanley Morgan and Rob Gronkowski. With the win, New England tightened the AFC East race and knocked the NFL’s final unbeaten staff from the ranks.

Stats to know: 7 receptions, 163 yards, 1 TD

The Buccaneer stacked 150 receiving yards — Tampa Bay’s third rookie to ever hit that mark — and have become solely the sixth participant in NFL historical past to submit over 400 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns in his first 5 video games, becoming a member of the likes of Randy Moss and Ja’Marr Chase.

Egbuka’s 5 scores additionally tie Mike Evans (2024) for the third most by a Buc by means of the staff’s first 5 video games. In a 38-35 win over the Seahawks that featured seven straight landing drives and each quarterbacks finishing greater than 80% on 30-plus makes an attempt, Egbuka saved delivering.

Tampa Bay’s late-game magic continued too, because the Bucs notched one other go-ahead rating within the ultimate minute — their fourth such win in 5 video games.

Stats to know: 14 carries, 111 yards, 2 TDs

The No. 245 choice within the 2025 NFL draft turned the primary Commanders rookie since Alfred Morris (2012) to submit 150 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns, catching each of his targets for 39 yards to spherical out a breakout day. His surge helped flip the script for Washington after the Commanders trailed 10-0 within the second quarter, sparking 27 unanswered factors. The outcome was the franchise’s third-largest win when down double digits getting into the second body.

Thrust up the depth chart after Austin Ekeler’s season-ending Achilles damage in Week 2, Croskey-Merritt has made the many of the alternative after which some.

Stats to know: 23 carries, 206 yards, 1 TD

In his first begin for Carolina instead of the injured Chuba Hubbard, the free agent pickup ripped off 206 speeding yards — second most in Panthers historical past and simply 5 shy of DeAngelo Williams’ document.

Dowdle gashed Miami with second-half bursts of 53 and 43 yards, and Carolina dominated the bottom recreation regardless of three injured starters up entrance, posting 237 speeding yards to the Dolphins’ 19. Dowdle added a 1-yard fourth-quarter landing because the Panthers tied a franchise mark with a 17-point comeback and stayed unbeaten at dwelling.

He amassed 100 yards after contact, a profession finest and essentially the most by a Panther since Jonathan Stewart’s 114 in 2009. Dowdle additionally turned Carolina’s first participant with over 200 scrimmage yards in a recreation since Christian McCaffrey in 2019.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Miami Dolphins proprietor Stephen Ross was pissed off after the group’s 27-24 loss Sunday to the Carolina Panthers.

Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel mentioned that he met with Ross afterward — as he does after each sport — and that each males voiced their frustration with one another.

“He was actually pissed off, similar to I used to be,” McDaniel mentioned Monday. “We talked in regards to the problem forward to prepare for the Chargers, and that was actually the extent of it.”

The Dolphins led 17-0 early within the second quarter earlier than permitting Carolina to shut the sport with a 27-7 run. Since McDaniel was employed in 2022, the Dolphins had been 10-0 in video games they led by three scores at any level.

Miami’s 1-4 begin is its worst since 2019. Although the group’s earlier two coaches, Brian Flores and Adam Gase, have been fired on the finish of their third seasons, Ross dismissed Joe Philbin after a 1-3 begin in his fourth season, 2015, and Tony Sparano after a 4-9 begin in his fourth yr, 2011.

McDaniel has insisted that worrying about his job safety would take his focus away from doing his precise job, which he isn’t prepared to do.

With the losses piling up, McDaniel mentioned he’s bored with speaking about enhancing however acknowledges that the conversations will proceed till the on-field outcomes change.

“It’s irritating as a result of there’s quite a lot of speaking, and we have to main in doing,” he mentioned. “I don’t suppose anyone desires to listen to me discuss it as a lot as I don’t really feel like saying it, however it doesn’t change the steadfast actuality that’s: You need to get higher at issues otherwise you’ll proceed having the identical outcomes.”

Memphis Grizzlies star guard Ja Morant is taken into account week to week because of a sprained left ankle he suffered throughout Sunday’s observe, in line with a crew spokesperson.

The Grizzlies now have three starters recovering from accidents that might sideline them for the beginning of the common season.

Middle Zach Edey underwent surgical procedure to deal with laxity in his left ankle in June. He’s not anticipated to return to play till mid-to-late November.

Energy ahead Jaren Jackson Jr. underwent surgical procedure to restore a turf toe damage in July. The crew introduced a return-to-play timetable of 4 to 6 weeks for Jackson earlier than the beginning of coaching camp, which makes his availability unsure for the Grizzlies’ Oct. 22 opener in opposition to the New Orleans Pelicans.

Morant, a two-time All-Star, has performed a complete of solely 59 video games over the previous two seasons. He suffered a season-ending torn labrum in January 2024 after enjoying in solely 9 video games following a 25-game suspension to start the season. Morant handled quite a lot of accidents final season, when he averaged 23.2 factors and seven.3 assists per sport.

After saying earlier in the summertime that the season would open on Dec. 28, the TGL has unveiled the remainder of its 2025-26 season schedule.

The opening match shall be broadcast by ABC at 3 p.m. ET and can characteristic the 2 groups that met within the championship of the primary season — the Atlanta Drive GC and the New York GC. (Atlanta was the primary champion.)

Earlier within the yr, the league introduced that the Motor Metropolis Golf Membership, representing Detroit, shall be its first enlargement franchise in 2027.

Right here’s the schedule for the second TGL season:

Dec. 28: Atlanta Drive GC vs. New York GC, 3 p.m. ET (ABC)

Jan. 2: Los Angeles Golf Membership vs. Boston Frequent Golf, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN2)

Jan. 6: Atlanta Drive GC vs. The Bay Golf Membership, 5 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Jan. 13: New York GC vs. Jupiter Hyperlinks GC, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Jan. 20: Los Angeles Golf Membership vs. Jupiter Hyperlinks GC, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Jan. 26: The Bay Golf Membership vs. Boston Frequent Golf, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN2)

Feb. 2: Jupiter Hyperlinks GC vs. Atlanta Drive GC, 5 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Feb. 9: Los Angeles Golf Membership vs. The Bay Golf Membership, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN2)

Feb. 23: Boston Frequent Golf vs. Atlanta Drive GC, 5 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Feb. 23: Atlanta Drive GC vs. Los Angeles Golf Membership, 9 p.m. ET (ESPN2)

Feb. 24: The Bay Golf Membership vs. New York GC, 5 ET (ESPN)

Feb. 24: New York GC vs. Boston Frequent Golf, 9 p.m. ET (ESPN)

March 1: Jupiter Hyperlinks GC vs. Boston Frequent Golf, 9 p.m. ET (ESPN)

March 2: New York GC vs. Los Angeles Golf Membership, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN2)

March 3: Jupiter Hyperlinks GC vs. The Bay Golf Membership, 9 p.m. ET (ESPN)

March 17: Semifinal match No. 1, 6:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

March 17: Semifinal match No. 2, 9 p.m. ET (ESPN)

March 23: Finals match No. 1, 9 p.m. ET (ESPN2)

March 24: Finals match No. 2, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN)

March 24: Finals match No. 3 (if vital), 9 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Arsenal vice-captain Leah Williamson is anticipated to return to motion earlier than Christmas after a knee harm that has dominated her out of the beginning of 2025-26 season, head coach Renee Slegers has mentioned.

Williamson, 28, picked up the harm to the identical knee during which she beforehand injured her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) throughout Englands profitable European Championship marketing campaign this summer time. The centre-back had reported again to Arsenal for pre-season with swelling to the knee, unrelated to the ACL harm, and underwent a surgical process to wash it, which was profitable.

Every little thing goes ahead as anticipated, Slegers mentioned when requested about Williamson in her pre-match press convention on Monday. We count on her to be and hope to have her again earlier than the winter break (which begins on December 22).

We count on someplace in November, December that she is likely to be again in full coaching. Its a day-to-day, week-to-week factor.

Williamson spent just below ten months out after injuring her ACL in her proper knee in April 2023. Since her return in January 2024, she has made 46 appearances for the north London membership and completed seventh in final months Ballon dOr rankings for the 2024-25 season.

Steph Catley, Lotte Wubben-Moy and 19-year-old Katie Reid have been filling the centre-back positions whereas Williamson has been out. Arsenal have solely received two of their first 5 matches, sitting them at fifth behind Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester Metropolis and reigning champions Chelsea.

This text initially appeared in The Athletic.

Arsenal, Girls’s Soccer

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