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Blue Jackets bid to stay hot in clash vs. Islanders

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NHL: Seattle Kraken at Columbus Blue JacketsMar 21, 2026; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Elvis Merzlikins (90) and defenseman Ivan Provorov (9) celebrate the win over the Seattle Kraken after the game at Nationwide Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russell LaBounty-Imagn Images

Thanks to the Columbus Blue Jackets, the New York Islanders no longer are the most surprising team in the Metropolitan Division.

And thanks to the Blue Jackets and a spate of surging teams around them, the Islanders no longer are in a playoff spot, either.

New York (39-26-5, 83 points) will attempt to halt an untimely losing streak and climb back into a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference on Sunday vs. Columbus (37-21-11, 85 points) in Elmont, N.Y.

Both teams will complete a back-to-back set.

The Islanders completed a three-game Canadian swing Saturday night when they suffered their second straight loss, 7-3 to the Montreal Canadiens.

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The Blue Jackets remained hot a few hours earlier with a 5-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken for their fourth straight win.

The results gave Columbus sole possession of third place in the Metropolitan Division over New York, although the Blue Jackets have a game in hand.

The Islanders are 5-5-0 this month, but their 10 points are tied with the Red Wings (4-4-2 in March) for the fewest among the eight teams jockeying for the final Eastern Conference playoff spots.

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New York is just two points ahead of the Ottawa Senators (7-2-1 this month) and three points ahead of the Philadelphia Flyers (7-2-1 in March). The Islanders also are three points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins (5-3-3 this month) in the race for second place in the Metropolitan.

The Bruins (6-2-3 in March) and Canadiens (5-4-1 this month) also have more points in March than the Islanders. Montreal, which scored four unanswered goals to end Saturday’s game, is in third place in the Atlantic Division with 86 points.

“Once we gave up that one to give them the lead again in the third, we just kind of broke down after that,” Islanders defenseman Ryan Pulock said of Saturday’s game. “What’s important is a regroup in here. (Sunday is) huge, so that’s where our focus has to be.”

Nobody has been hotter in the East than the Blue Jackets, who are attempting to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2020 bubble. Columbus has gone 8-0-3 (19 points) this month while extending its point streak to 12 games (8-0-4) — a streak that began with a 4-3 overtime loss to the Islanders on Feb. 28.

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Columbus is 18-2-4 since Rick Bowness took over for Dean Evason as coach on Jan. 12. The Blue Jackets were in last place in the East with 45 points, seven points out of the second wild card and 10 points behind the Islanders, who were in second place in the Metropolitan.

The win Saturday was the fifth wire-to-wire victory of the month for the Blue Jackets, who have outscored the opposition 44-29 over the last 11 games.

“We know where we’re at,” said defenseman Damon Severson, who scored the Blue Jackets’ second goal Saturday. “We’ve battled this far to get in the position we’re in, to kind of battle back and put us in a good spot here moving forward.”

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–Field Level Media

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Evander Holyfield sees only one winner in Mike Tyson vs Mayweather: “He won’t get the better of him”

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Evander Holyfield has offered his thoughts on the potential exhibition match between Floyd Mayweather and Mike Tyson, which has not yet been formally announced.

Their non-competitive tussle was originally slated for April 25, before Mayweather’s rematch with Manny Pacquiao was confirmed for the Sphere, Las Vegas, on September 19.

As he prepares for his first professional outing since 2017, though, the 49-year-old is reportedly set to enter back-to-back exhibitions against Tyson and Greek kickboxer Mike Zambidis.

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That much, at least, has been suggested by TMZ Sports executive producer Michael J. Babcock, who said earlier this month that the two events are being planned for May and June, respectively.

According to Babcock, Mayweather is still likely to face Tyson in the Congo, before putting his 50-0 (27 KOs) record on the line against Pacquiao later this year.

Tyson, however, is approaching the age of 60 and has not seen action since trudging through eight, two-minute rounds against Jake Paul in November 2024.

The former ‘Baddest Man on the Planet’ also reported a training injury earlier this month, claiming to have damaged his hand while “punching stuff” in the gym.

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But despite all of this, heavyweight legend Holyfield has told clockednloaded that he sees Tyson, the naturally bigger man, getting the better of Mayweather in their possible exhibition.

“I got Tyson. He a bigger puncher, man. I just think, if they compete, [Tyson] ain’t going to let nobody get the best of him.”

Holyfield pulled off a sizable upset against Tyson in 1996, stopping him in round 11, before winning by disqualification in their immediate rematch.

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St. John's vs. Kansas odds, time, March Madness predictions: 2026 NCAA Tournament picks from proven model

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SportsLine’s model simulated St. John’s Red Storm vs. Kansas Jayhawks and revealed its college basketball picks for this NCAA Tournament 2026 second-round matchup on Sunday

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Premier League: Tottenham Collapse Against Nottingham Forest, Failing Acid Test

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Tottenham suffered a potentially seismic 3-0 defeat to Premier League relegation rivals Nottingham Forest on Sunday, failing to rise to a rallying call from their massed ranks of fans. Thousands lined the streets to cheer the squad before the crunch fixture in north London and there was a crackling atmosphere in the ground as kick-off approached. Spurs bossed the first half but Forest took the lead on the stroke of half-time when Brazilian forward Igor Jesus headed home a Neco Williams corner. Forest doubled their lead just after the hour mark when Morgan Gibbs-White finished under Guglielmo Vicario and substitute Taiwo Awoniyi compounded Tottenham’s misery with a late strike.

The vital win for Vitor Pereira’s men lifts them above Spurs, who are now just one point and one place above the bottom three.

Last year’s Europa League winners are staring at the nightmare prospect of relegation from the top tier of English football for the first time since 1977 unless they can arrest their steep decline.

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As if to underline the club’s current plight, a few miles across London, bitter rivals Arsenal were gunning for their first trophy of a potential quadruple in the League Cup final against Manchester City at Wembley.

Spurs, led by interim boss Igor Tudor, came into Sunday’s game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium without a win in the Premier League since late December.

But they were buoyed by last week’s 1-1 draw at Liverpool and a midweek win against Atletico Madrid, even though they exited the Champions League on aggregate.

Fans rally

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Fan groups set up a initiative ahead of the game called “Show Up, Sing Up, Stay Up”, calling for supporters to rally.

Fireworks were let off and a section of fans chanted the name of former boss Mauricio Pochettino before the team bus was serenaded with chants of “Come on you Spurs” as white and blue smoke filled the air.

A message on the stadium screens from captain Cristian Romero said: “We’ll fight for everything, all together.”

Forest, who started the day just outside the drop zone, looked the more dangerous team in the early minutes but Tottenham settled and started to enjoy the bulk of the possession, with Richarlison heading wide.

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However, the home side struggled to create clear-cut chances and paid the price when Jesus put Forest ahead in the 45th minute, meeting Williams’ corner with a bullet header.

Spurs came within a whisker of levelling at the other end but Forest goalkeeper Matz Selz touched Mathys Tel’s powerful shot onto the crossbar in the dying seconds of the opening period.

As the half wore on the home fans among the crowd of 61,519 became increasingly edgy.

And they were shocked into silence when Gibbs-White, a target for Spurs in last summer’s transfer window, slotted home in the 62nd minute from Callum Hudson-Odoi’s cross.

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Tudor made a number of attacking changes, bringing on Randal Kolo Muani and Xavi Simons, but to no avail.

Awoniyi’s goal in the 87th minute sent home fans scurrying for the exits.

The only chink of light for Spurs on Sunday was a 2-0 defeat for West Ham against Aston Villa, which leaves the Hammers in the bottom three.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Bryson DeChambeau defeats Jon Rahm to claim back-to-back wins

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LIV Golf’s recent sprint across the globe featured stops in Hong Kong, Singapore and South Africa in three successive weeks. This week’s tournament at Midland’s Club at Steyn City marked the league’s first-ever event on the African continent, and the fans turned out in droves.

Those fans got their money’s worth too, with an opportunity to witness a heavyweight battle between LIV’s two biggest names, Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm. On Sunday, Rahm eradicated DeChambeau’s three-shot lead by firing a bogey-free, eight-under round of 65 to reach 26 under par.

DeChambeau fired a final-round 68 to also get to 26 under par, sending the two to a playoff for the individual title. On the first playoff hole, the 651-yard par-5 18th, DeChambeau hit the green in two with a magnificent fairway wood from the wet ground left of the fairway, giving him a makeable look at eagle while Rahm found the greenside bunker.


bryson Dechambeau at LIV south africa

LIV Golf came to South Africa. Then South Africa showed up


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Rahm left his bunker shot outside of DeChambeau’s mark, and when Rahm missed his birdie putt, DeChambeau had two putts to win, making his victory all but assured. DeChambeau hit his eagle putt to tap-in range, securing his birdie and the win, making him LIV’s first back-to-back winner since Talor Gooch won in Adelaide and Singapore in 2023.

DeChambeau was immediately overcome with emotion after holing his putt, tearfully embracing his caddie and later, his Crushers GC teammates, who also secured a team win, edging the home-country favorites, Southern Guards GC, by a single shot.

In his post-round interview, DeChambeau remained coy about the source of his emotion.

“I wish I could tell you,” he said. “A lot has happened in the past week. I’m just so grateful for my team, the Crushers, everybody supporting me. It’s so funny, golf is a fickle game, and you work so hard at it your whole entire life, and you realize that golf is just golf and there’s a lot more to life than just golf.

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“I had some things happen in the off time during this week, and I was just praying all day, praying to give me the perseverance to move forward and keep looking forward,” he continued. “I’ve just got to say I love everybody. Thank you for supporting. South Africa was unbelievable. I mean, got to be the best LIV event we’ve ever had.”

DeChambeau now has five LIV individual titles, and his team, Crushers GC, leads the league with nine team victories.

The South Africa event is LIV Golf’s final tune-up before the Masters. The next stop is Mexico City, which will take place at Club de Golf Chapultepec April 16-19.

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Hubert Davis and UNC Basketball Find Themselves at Complicated Crossroads

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The debate is raging – at least on social media – about the status of North Carolina men’s basketball coach Hubert Davis. It’s a complex situation facing decision makers, who presumably consider the program at a crossroads concerning Davis’ future. 

Thursday night’s unceremonious exit from the NCAA Tournament’s first round with an 82-78 overtime loss to VCU after leading by 19 points in the second half heightened the speculation. North Carolina’s administration – chancellor Lee Roberts, athletics director Bubba Cunningham and AD-in-waiting Steve Newmark – have been put on the spot. 

Cunningham is transitioning to another role, and Newmark will be in charge of the athletics department well before the next tip-off for the Tar Heels. The tide has turned quickly on Davis, who by the end of his first season in the spring of 2022 had gained what might have been considered lifetime privileges. He directed the Tar Heels past Duke in Mike Krzyzrewski’s final game as coach at Cameron Indoor Stadium. 

Four weeks later, he endeared himself again to Carolina fans when his team knocked off Duke in the Final Four, sending Coach K into retirement.

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But there have been far fewer notable highlights since then – and even that 2021-22 team had underachieved and tumbled out of the Top 25 until the March success. The 2023 team didn’t make the NCAA Tournament field. But the following season, an Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season championship – dented with an ACC tournament championship-game loss to what had been a struggling North Carolina State team – and trip to the Sweet 16 restored confidence. 

Troubles brewed last year, when the Tar Heels barely made the tournament – some will say because of Cummingham’s presence as chair of the NCAA selection committee. A First Four victory was followed by exit in the first round with a loss to Ole Miss. So that means in five seasons, the Tar Heels have reached the NCAA Tournament’s second round just twice – first with a team that Williams had largely put together and the other when, according to the seeds, they were bounced prematurely. North Carolina has reached the 20-win level each season under Davis. This season’s 24-9 mark represents his third-largest win total. 

Former players have chimed in regarding the condition of the program, mostly expressing concern without indicting Davis so far. That group has included Tyler Hansbrough, who also had been member of the team’s rotating radio broadcast crew, and Joel Berry, an analyst with the ACC Network. 

The 2026-27 season will come without the Tar Heels’ three most productive players from this season unless freshman sensation Caleb Wilson pulls a surprising move and stays for another season. Henri Veesaar and Seth Trimble have used up eligibility. Wilson’s personality and high-flying talents made him a fan favorite. Trimble played his entire college career for the Tar Heels and was already popular, a status that rose to special heights after his game-winning shot in early February against Duke. Since that night in the Smith Center, North Carolina went 5-5 – probably in part because Wilson played in only part of one game the rest of the way because of a couple of injuries. 

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A winter commitment from heralded recruit Dylan Mingo is reason for encouragement regarding the next roster. If there’s a coaching change, the pressing question becomes who’s next? And from there, it’s complicated if the school goes outside of the Carolina family. Dean Smith passed the torch to longtime assistant coach Bill Guthridge. His retirement led to former Tar Heels player Matt Doherty taking the job. When that didn’t work out, alum and former assistant Roy Williams was summoned back from Kansas. Davis was selected off Williams’ staff to replace the retiring Hall of Famer. 

The other choice – at least in conventional circles – was then-UNC Greensboro coach Wes Miller. 

Since then, Miller took the Cincinnati job and was dismissed when the Bearcats’ season ended this month. So that path might not be reasonably open for Miller, a former player on a Tar Heels national championship team, to assume the position. Cunningham predictably attended Friday’s women’s regional on the Chapel Hill campus, but he could have been huddled with other school officials during other parts of the day. 

With the university’s spring break winding down this weekend, other activities on campus are only diversions to the most pressing question.

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Tasmania’s splashy new design forms trio of remote-golf musts

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Max Verstappen’s mother Sophie Kumpen reacts to the Dutch driver winning the NLS2 at Nurburgring before the unfortunate verdict

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Max Verstappen‘s mother, Sophie Kumpen, congratulated her son on his victory at the NLS2 at the Nurburgring on Instagram. Before the Dutchman was stripped of the win after being disqualified for a tire infringement.

Verstappen took part in the NLS2 as part of his preparations for the 24 Hours of the Nurburgring in May, which he on Saturday will be taking part in. The F1 star won the race on track, driving the #3 Verstappen Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3, operated by Winward Racing. He shared the driving duties with Daniel Juncadella and Jules Gounon for the event.

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After the race, Max Verstappen’s mother and former racing driver herself, Sophie Kumpen, congratulated the driver and his team via her Instagram on Saturday. She reshared a photograph of the three-man team, as she wrote:

“Congrats, simply lovely”

Screen grab of Sophie Kumpen's Instagram story [via Instagram/@sophiekumpen]Screen grab of Sophie Kumpen's Instagram story [via Instagram/@sophiekumpen]
Screen grab of Sophie Kumpen’s Instagram story [via Instagram/@sophiekumpen]

However, after the race, it was announced that the #3 entry, featuring Max Verstappen, had been disqualified from the race due to a technical infringement, meaning they lost the race result. This reason was a tire infringement, as the team used seven sets of tires on race day as opposed to the legal six.

However, the purpose of taking part in the event for Verstappen and his team was always to get familiar with the track and car ahead of the 24-hour event. The same team, car, and driver lineup, with the addition of Lucas Auer, will be taking part in the endurance race in May.

Verstappen also admitted after the race that he could potentially return for one more event at the Nurburgring-Nordschleife in April since the F1 calendar is now vacant in the month of April, due to the cancellations of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix.


Mercedes Motorsport release statement after NLS2 disqualification for Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen at the F1 Chinese Grand Prix - Source: GettyMax Verstappen at the F1 Chinese Grand Prix - Source: Getty
Max Verstappen at the F1 Chinese Grand Prix – Source: Getty

Head of Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing, Stefan Wendl, released a statement after Max Verstappen and Co. were stripped of their NLS2 win on Saturday. Wendl explained that the tire infringement that lead to the disqualification occured during qualifying, rather than the main race.

Explaining the situation, Wendl said that the team had “mixed feelings” after NLS2, as he added:

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“During routine checks by the technical commission, it was found that the team used seven sets of tires instead of the permitted six. The error occurred during qualifying, when multiple driver and tire changes were practiced.”

Wendl also added that everyone involved was disappointed as a internal team mistake cost the #3 outfit the race win in the end. He concluded the statement by saying that everyone involved has begun analyzing how the issue happened, as they begin to prepare for the 24h at the Nurburgring, which is scheduled from May 15 to May 17. For Max Verstappen, the F1 Japanese GP is up next, which is scheduled from March 27 to March 29.