Category: Sport

PITTSBURGH — Returning to Pittsburgh for one ultimate farewell simply felt proper for Marc-Andre Fleury.

Fleury stopped all eight photographs he confronted through the third interval of his ultimate recreation with the Pittsburgh Penguins, a 4-1 preseason win in opposition to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday evening.

“It was a bit surreal, a bit loopy, but in addition snug,” Fleury stated. “After I performed right here with different groups, I all the time felt a bit bizarre, however this felt regular … prefer it used to.”

Fleury formally retired from the NHL as a member of the Minnesota Wild on the finish of final season. However the beloved 40-year-old goaltender signed a ceremonial skilled tryout contract earlier this month to see outdated teammates and buddies, come full circle and full a 21-season NHL profession that started in Pittsburgh.

“I really feel unhealthy as a result of I’ve completed so many laps and goodbyes, and I hold coming again,” Fleury stated. “I’m grateful I acquired the chance to return again for another go-around.”

Fleury, a former Vezina Trophy winner who additionally performed with Vegas and Chicago, is second in NHL historical past solely to Martin Brodeur with 575 wins and 1,051 regular-season video games performed, and his 76 NHL shutouts are tied for tenth in league historical past.

However this evening was meant to have fun Fleury, who’s most well-known for his time in Pittsburgh, the place he received three Stanley Cups and holds almost each main goaltending file in Penguins historical past, together with video games performed (691), wins (375), goals-against common (2.58), shutouts (44), playoff video games (115), playoff wins (62) and playoff shutouts (10).

Fleury, who practiced with the Penguins on Friday, wore his acquainted vibrant, yellow pads and a specifically made masks to commemorate the particular weekend. Fleury was provided a selection as to when he might play Saturday, and he opted for the third interval to attempt to win another recreation with the Penguins.

The sellout crowd gave Fleury a standing ovation as he led the Penguins from the tunnel to start the third interval. Loud chants of “Fle-ury” “Fle-ury” and “One Extra 12 months” crammed the sector minutes after the puck dropped to start the interval. Followers erupted with thunderous applause every time Fleury made a save or touched the puck, together with stops on Hudson Fasching, Cole Sillinger and Erik Gudbranson.

Within the ultimate two minutes, with the victory in hand, the gang showered Fleury with chants of “Thank You, Fleury.” When the ultimate horn sounded, fellow franchise cornerstones Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang embraced Fleury another time within the crease.

“Each time he touched the puck, the reception was unreal,” Crosby stated. “It felt like a playoff recreation. It was good to get him the win.”

Fleury spent the primary 13 seasons of his profession with the Penguins. He helped Crosby, Malkin and Letang win the Stanley Cup in 2009, 2016 and 2017 earlier than Vegas chosen Fleury within the 2017 growth draft.

Pittsburgh traded as much as draft an 18-year-old Fleury No. 1 in 2003 throughout a tumultuous interval during which the franchise almost moved. Greater than twenty years later, Pittsburgh is now not a playoff fixture, however Fleury helped stabilize the franchise and switch the Penguins into one of many NHL’s marquee groups.

His signature second with Pittsburgh got here June 12, 2009, in Recreation 7 of the Stanley Cup Last in opposition to Detroit. Fleury made a last-second desperation, post-to-post diving save on Detroit’s Nicklas Lidstrom to seal a 2-1 win and ship Pittsburgh its third Stanley Cup.

The followers remembered Saturday.

Earlier than the sport, crowds gathered a number of rows deep behind the Penguins’ objective, hoping to catch a glimpse of Fleury throughout his ultimate pregame warmup with the staff. Many took photographs and video to commemorate the second, wore acquainted No. 29 jerseys and held do-it-yourself indicators expressing their love for Fleury, who lobbed pucks over the glass in between going through photographs.

“It was surreal to be again with the Penguins and seeing the fellows in entrance of me,” Fleury stated. “It was superb. It was identical to outdated occasions.”

MIAMI — With the New York Mets dealing with potential elimination from postseason rivalry Saturday, supervisor Carlos Mendoza was ready to exhaust each out there pitcher to maintain their October hopes afloat going into Sunday’s Recreation 162.

Clay Holmes ensured that was not essential.

The veteran right-hander delivered the perfect begin of his profession to finish his first full common season as a starter, holding the Miami Marlins to at least one hit over six scoreless innings within the Mets’ 5-0 victory.

“That’s the precise outing that we would have liked immediately,” mentioned Mets first baseman Pete Alonso, who went 2-for-4 with a house run, a double and two RBIs. “And he actually stepped up. That was a big-time outing for him. Simply unbelievable. Image-perfect outing for him.”

The Mets departed LoanDepot Park a half-game forward of the Cincinnati Reds for the third and ultimate Nationwide League wild-card spot, with the Reds scheduled to play towards the Milwaukee Brewers later Saturday. In consequence, the Mets’ postseason fortunes will come right down to the final day of the common season.

“It’s a recreation we needed to win immediately, and I simply went on the market and gave it my all,” Holmes mentioned. “However I feel as soon as we end the job, get within the playoffs, I’ll be a bit of bit extra happy.”

Holmes had not began a recreation in 11 days as he sputtered down the stretch and the free-falling Mets sought alternate options. His earlier two outings had been in reduction; he logged 3 innings final Sunday and was used as a standard one-inning reliever Wednesday.

Pitching for the third time in every week Saturday, Holmes wanted simply 78 pitches to safe his 18 outs. He wiggled out of jams within the third and fifth innings. He retired the Marlins so as in his different 4 frames. It was the primary time Holmes had accomplished a minimum of six innings since Aug. 23 and simply his second time since June 7.

The Mets signed Holmes to a three-year, $38 million contract over the offseason as a starter regardless of him not beginning a recreation since 2018. He had, within the interim, turn out to be a two-time All-Star reliever with the New York Yankees. It was a danger the Mets decided worthwhile given his 6-foot-5 body and high-powered arsenal. By the tip of Saturday, the chance had paid dividends: With the efficiency, Holmes completed the season 12-8 with a 3.53 ERA over a career-high 165 innings and prevented the injured listing.

“Superb, unbelievable,” Mendoza mentioned. “On a day the place we’re in all probability taking a look at 70 pitches from him, at most, going into that recreation.”

Holmes shined Saturday, using a current wrinkle: persistently switching from one aspect of the mound to the opposite to provide hitters totally different seems to be. He mentioned it was the fourth time he various his place on the rubber — he debuted the technique in a recreation with the bases loaded in a begin towards the Philadelphia Phillies on Sept. 10 — and felt snug sufficient to proceed with it.

“It’s only a totally different window that hitters have to have a look at and attempt to see the place my stuff is popping out of,” Holmes mentioned. “Particularly a man that will depend on east-west motion, transferring much more aspect to aspect and simply attempting to benefit from that a bit of bit.”

It was not the primary time a Mets pitcher dominated the Marlins in Recreation 161 to keep away from a collapse. In 2007, John Maine restricted the Marlins to at least one hit over eight scoreless innings. A 12 months later, Johan Santana, pitching with a torn meniscus in his left knee, tossed a three-hit shutout. Each instances, the Mets misplaced the subsequent day and failed to succeed in the postseason. The Mets hope the 2025 finale, with some assist from Milwaukee, produces a unique outcome.

“All I can say is, for immediately a minimum of,” Alonso mentioned, “‘Go, Brewers.'”

It’s an early begin in Australia’s west because the UFC rolls into city. A 12 combat Battle Evening card to your viewing pleasure beginning at 7am native (7pm ET), and headlined by an enormous Gentle Heavyweight match up between New Zealand’s third ranked Carlos Ulberg and seventh ranked Dominick Reyes. UFC Perth is out there on ESPN and in Australia and New Zealand on ESPN on Disney+.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Baltimore Ravens positioned Nnamdi Madubuike on injured reserve on Saturday, which creates extra uncertainty in regards to the Professional Bowl defensive deal with’s neck damage.

Madubuike will now miss at the least the subsequent 4 video games, however the Ravens have been imprecise about when he might return. Earlier this week, coach John Harbaugh acknowledged that he’s “involved” that this may very well be a long-term damage however wasn’t allowed to remark any additional.

Harbaugh mentioned Friday that he didn’t have any extra data on Madubuike aside from he would miss Sunday’s recreation at Kansas Metropolis, including, “That’s so far as I can state with certainty at this level.”

The lack of Madubuike is a big one for Baltimore, which ranks final within the NFL in protection for the primary time since 2021. The Ravens additionally rank thirtieth in run protection and thirty first in opposition to the move.

With Madubuike sidelined in Monday evening’s 38-30 loss to the Detroit Lions, the Ravens allowed 207 yards dashing between the tackles, which is probably the most they’ve allowed in a recreation since ESPN started monitoring the stat in 2006. Baltimore additionally didn’t report a sack in a recreation for the primary time in 4 years. Madubuike’s 21.5 sacks because the begin of the 2023 season are probably the most by an NFL defensive deal with over that span.

Madubuike, 27, had performed in 55 straight video games earlier than injuring his neck in a 41-17 win over the Cleveland Browns on Sept. 14, though the Ravens are nonetheless uncertain when he obtained harm. He developed signs after the sport and underwent additional testing.

A Professional Bowl participant the previous two seasons, Madubuike is within the second 12 months of a four-year, $98 million contract that features $75.5 million assured.

Along with Madubuike, Baltimore additionally positioned defensive finish Broderick Washington (ankle) on injured reserve, which suggests the Ravens might be with out two beginning defensive linemen for a stretch that features video games on the Chiefs and residential in opposition to the Houston Texans, Los Angeles Rams and Chicago Bears.

Baltimore signed defensive finish Brent City and tight finish Zaire Mitchell-Paden to the 53-man roster and elevated defensive deal with C.J. Okoye and nostril deal with Josh Tupou from the observe squad.

The Ravens wish to keep away from their first 1-3 begin in 10 years once they face the Chiefs on Sunday.

MADRID — On the touchline, Diego Simeone was crying. Julián Álvarez had simply put Atletico Madrid 4-2 up towards Actual Madrid, curling a free kick previous Thibaut Courtois to decisively shift the derby in Atletico’s favor and maybe kickstart their season.

For Simeone, it was all an excessive amount of. He rubbed his face, nearly sinking to his knees, earlier than smiling, rubbing his eyes once more, and masking his face along with his palms. He did his greatest, however there was no hiding it: these had been tears, an outpouring of aid and pleasure, of stress launched.

Instantly, on the most important stage, towards their greatest rivals, Atletico’s tough, demoralizing begin to the season had been swept away. On the Metropolitano, they had been delivering an electrical, historic efficiency, and something appeared doable.

It ended 5-2, and if his response didn’t say sufficient, right here’s a stat: In all of Simeone’s 14 years in cost, he had by no means seen his group rating 5 objectives towards Actual Madrid in a aggressive sport.

“There’s plenty of emotion,” Simeone admitted afterwards, talking to DAZN, when requested about these tears. “It’s a season that began with plenty of problem. There’s plenty of effort, from lots of people behind the scenes. Their work is incredible.”

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There was emotion, too, for Xabi Alonso. His first Madrid derby as coach ended not simply in defeat, however in a painful lesson. “This defeat hurts,” he mentioned afterwards. “We had been missing a gear.”

Till Saturday, Actual’s begin to the season beneath Alonso had been close to flawless, successful each sport, the group steadily rising in stature and confidence, led by Kylian Mbappé, who scored one other, very good objective right here, his eighth in LaLiga this season. However now, Alonso admitted: “now we have to attract conclusions from what occurred.”

This type of loss is just not acceptable at Actual Madrid, even for a brand new coach with plenty of credit score, like Alonso. “We didn’t discover our stage,” he mentioned.

One participant who has unquestionably discovered his stage is the derby’s MVP, Julian Alvarez, and his efficiency additionally proved that so much can change in every week.

Final Sunday, Alvarez was sat, despondent, on the Atletico bench, hauled off early by Simeone within the group’s newest disappointing efficiency, a 1-1 draw at Actual Mallorca. There have been strategies, later disputed by Alvarez, that he had muttered “all the time me” in response to being withdrawn by Simeone. He insisted he’d merely been annoyed with himself.

5 objectives in 4 days later — the newest two on this derby’s second-half, a cooly transformed penalty and the free kick that made Simeone cry — and Julián can’t cease smiling.

“It’s very particular,” he mentioned afterwards. “We knew how vital it was. It’s a derby, and we would have liked the three factors… Earlier within the season, we weren’t getting the outcomes, however we had been taking part in properly. We’ve been creating extra possibilities than another group. In the present day we had been extra environment friendly.”

Simeone has steadily referred to as Alvarez “the perfect participant now we have.” “He’s very, superb,” the coach mentioned on Saturday. “He works onerous, he’s dedicated. We now have to take care of him.”

When requested to make clear what “take care of him” meant, Simeone was specific: “now we have to provide him the instruments to attain objectives.” Atletico’s collective play must be on the stage of the group’s star.

Going into the derby, that hadn’t been the case, with 9 factors separating these two groups pre-match after simply six LaLiga matchdays. Actual had been main the best way with six wins out of six. Atletico, with three attracts and a loss on their file, had been already mid-table. A Actual Madrid win on the Metropolitano would have felt like a knockout punch. As an alternative, it’s Atletico whose season has been revived.

In all of Simeone’s 28 LaLiga derbies, there haven’t been many as entertaining as this. Heck, the earlier three within the league had all completed 1-1. In final season’s Champions League final 16, a penalty shootout was wanted to separate them. That individual evening was outlined by Alvarez’s slip within the shootout, a two-touch penalty, which unluckily value Atletico the tie. It was a second that derailed — and ended up defining — Atletico’s season, which subsequently drifted away into disappointment.

This week, Julián has had the other impact. On Wednesday, the group had been 2-1 all the way down to Rayo Vallecano earlier than Alvarez scored twice in eight second-half minutes. That evening ended with Simeone and Alvarez sharing a bear hug on the pitch, conscious of the importance of the second.

Then, on Saturday, Alvarez delivered once more.

And what of Alonso’s Actual Madrid? They’ve improved since final season, trying higher organized, with Mbappé in career-best kind, and thrilling indicators from Arda Güler and Franco Mastantuono. Güler shone once more on Saturday, contributing one other objective and help.

There will likely be extra to come back from Jude Bellingham, too, who appeared to have been rushed into the group right here — for his first begin of the season — having performed simply 20 minutes beforehand. However this was affirmation that Madrid are removed from the completed article.

“We’re in a building part,” Alonso mentioned on Saturday. “It is a course of.” However the scale of the defeat was gorgeous.

There have been some, muted complaints in regards to the referee — similar to the choice to not give Alexander Sorloth a second yellow card for celebrating with followers within the stands after his first-half equalizer — however there was additionally no hiding from the truth that this loss was, as Alonso admitted, totally deserved.

Madrid weren’t fast sufficient to shut down Atletico, who had been repeatedly afforded alternatives to ship balls within the field, the place Madrid’s defenders appeared equally ill-equipped to cope with the aerial risk of Sorloth, or the short ft of Alvarez. Alonso referred to as it “constructive injury,” a chance to study, develop and enhance. However it’s injury, nonetheless.

“There are powerful days, that’s sport, that’s soccer,” Alonso mentioned Saturday. “What’s vital is how we react.”

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — The winless New York Jets could have their beginning quarterback within the lineup Monday night time towards the Miami Dolphins.

Justin Fields, who missed a sport attributable to a Week 2 concussion, was cleared late Friday by docs and can return to the lineup.

“Justin is taking part in,” coach Aaron Glenn mentioned Saturday.

Fields, who spent greater than every week within the NFL’s concussion protocol, practiced absolutely for 3 consecutive days and was faraway from the protocol after being examined by an unbiased neurologist.

“He’s a dynamic runner. He’s a sensible participant,” Glenn mentioned of his expectations for Fields. “I believe within the passing sport he confirmed precisely what he can do in that first sport and we wish to proceed to broaden on that and proceed to get higher.”

Fields was injured within the crew’s Week 2 loss to the Buffalo Payments when his head slammed to the turf on a fourth-quarter hit by defensive finish Joey Bosa.

The offense sputtered for 3 quarters final week with Tyrod Taylor, who rallied the Jets with two fourth-quarter landing passes in an eventual 29-27 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Jets, making an attempt to keep away from their first 0-4 begin since 2020, are hoping that Fields’ presence can unlock their working sport. Prior to now two video games, Breece Corridor was held to 50 yards on 19 carries.

Their offense regarded dynamic in Week 1, as Fields rushed for 2 touchdowns and handed for an additional because the Jets racked up 394 complete yards in a 34-32 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. They’ve been making an attempt to get again to that formulation.

“We’ve to run the ball higher,” Glenn mentioned earlier within the week. “Hear, I do know we have been going towards three actually good groups the previous groups that we’ve performed, however that doesn’t matter to me. I’ve an expectation of this crew on how we function, and I’m not going to face down from that and our guys received’t stand down from that.”

The Dolphins (0-3) are ranked thirty second in scoring protection, however they haven’t misplaced to the Jets in Miami since 2014.

Each sport is necessary for Fields, who got here to the Jets as a free agent on a two-year, $40 million contract, together with $30 million assured. In a way, he’s on a one-year audition because the Jets attempt to decide if he might be their long-term reply at quarterback.

Fields, on his third crew in three years, performed top-of-the-line video games of his profession within the opener, finishing 16 of twenty-two passes for 218 yards. In Week 2, although, he regressed. Earlier than the concussion, he was 3-for-11 for 27 yards — a career-low 1.0 Whole QBR.