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Alex Tuch excited to join Capitals after losing to team in ’18 Stanley Cup Final

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It was Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final in 2018. Tuch, then a member of the Vegas Golden Knights, swept the puck toward an open net — only for Capitals goalie Braden Holtby to make a stupendous save with a desperate reach of his stick and blocker. Washington held on to win 3-2, knotting the series on the way to a five-game triumph.

“I talked to Holtby in the line afterward and he said it was the luckiest save of his life,” Tuch said Friday. “So that made me feel a little bit better — but not really at the same time, because he was shaking my hand after winning the Cup.”

Tuch was in his first full season that year. Now he’s a three-time 30-goal scorer the Capitals acquired in a trade this week with Buffalo. He spent four seasons with Vegas and then five with the Sabres.

His arrival in Washington brings plenty of hope for Capitals fans, plus some great memories that aren’t quite as fond to Tuch. When asked about Holtby’s save, he responded by thanking the questioner “for asking the question I’ve been trying to avoid for a long time.”

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“That was an incredible save, but at the same time it was an incredible experience for me,” Tuch said. “I hated that I came up short. It bothers me to this day that we didn’t win that Stanley Cup, but I was just so grateful. I was grateful that entire year to just be in the NHL.”

Tuch won’t be playing with many of the guys who beat him in 2018, but Tom Wilson is still with the Capitals. Alex Ovechkin’s status remains unclear for next season.

“If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em I guess,” Tuch said.

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FIFA World Cup 2026 LIVE SCORE UPDATES, Final leap for R32: Uruguay 0-1 Spain in 2nd half | FIFA World Cup 2026

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Spain went into the break with a deserved 1-0 lead over Uruguay after controlling large spells of the first half in their final Group H encounter at Guadalajara.

 


Luis de la Fuente’s side dominated possession from the opening whistle, pinning Uruguay back with sustained pressure and winning a string of early corners inside the opening 10 minutes. Their crisp passing through midfield, led by Rodri and Pedri, allowed Spain to dictate the tempo, although clear-cut opportunities remained at a premium.

 

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Uruguay’s first real opening arrived in the 13th minute after a rare misplaced pass from Spain, but the European champions recovered quickly to snuff out the danger. Marcelo Bielsa’s men gradually settled into the contest and came close midway through the half when Darwin Núñez failed to apply the finishing touch to a dangerous cross from the right. Minutes later, Uruguay enjoyed their best spell of the game, forcing Unai Simón into an awkward save from a set-piece after the goalkeeper spilled the ball under pressure, but Spain’s defence reacted swiftly to clear the danger.

 


Despite Uruguay’s growing confidence, Spain continued to look the more composed side in possession. Lamine Yamal and Mikel Merino combined well before the hydration break, with Merino narrowly missing contact on a teasing delivery that could have opened the scoring.

 

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The breakthrough finally arrived in the 42nd minute. Alex Baena collected possession on the edge of the area before driving a low effort towards goal that slipped beyond Fernando Muslera and crept into the bottom corner to hand Spain a deserved lead.

 


Uruguay responded immediately by introducing Nicolás De La Cruz in place of Manuel Ugarte before eight minutes of stoppage time. Núñez nearly equalised in the dying moments of the half, but Simón produced a sharp save to preserve Spain’s slender advantage heading into the interval.

 

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Can Uruguay produce an upset?

 


Uruguay has struggled to find rhythm during the tournament, producing underwhelming displays in both of its group games. Concerns over consistency and squad depth have raised questions about whether Bielsa’s men can rise to the occasion against one of Europe’s strongest teams.

 

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Spain, by contrast, appears to be gathering momentum. The return of teenage sensation Lamine Yamal has added another dimension to an already dangerous attack, while Luis de la Fuente’s side enters the match unbeaten in its last 12 outings and without a defeat in regulation time over the past two years.

 


With confidence growing inside the Spanish camp and qualification within touching distance, La Roja will be aiming to finish the group stage on a high, while Uruguay faces a must-deliver evening in its bid to keep its World Cup campaign alive.

 

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FIFA World Cup 2026 Uruguay vs Spain: Starting 11

 


Uruguay XI: Fernando Muslera; Guillermo Varela, Sebastián Cáceres, Mathías Olivera, Juan Manuel Sanabria; Federico Valverde, Manuel Ugarte, Rodrigo Bentancur; Agustín Canobbio, Darwin Núñez, Maximiliano Araújo.  Spain XI: Unai Simón; Marcos Llorente, Pau Cubarsí, Aymeric Laporte, Marc Cucurella; Rodri, Mikel Merino, Pedri; Lamine Yamal, Mikel Oyarzabal, Alex Baena.

 

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FIFA World Cup 2026 Uruguay vs Spain live telecast: The live telecast of the FIFA World Cup 2026 match between Uruguay and Spain will be available on the Unite8 Sports Network.

 


FIFA World Cup 2026 Uruguay vs Spain live streaming: The live streaming of the FIFA World Cup 2026 match between Uruguay and Spain will be available on the ZEE5 app and website.

 

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Check all the live updates of the June 27 matches in FIFA World Cup 2026 here.

 

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Local fans in Miami give Colombia advantage in Group K showdown with Portugal

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June 23, 2026; Guadalajara, Mexico; Colombia fans celebrate with flares in the stands after the match.  Mandatory Credit: Eloisa Sanchez-Reuters via Imagn Images June 23, 2026; Guadalajara, Mexico; Colombia fans celebrate with flares in the stands after the match. Mandatory Credit: Eloisa Sanchez-Reuters via Imagn Images

There are hundreds of thousands of Colombian Americans living in the Miami metropolitan area, according to U.S. Census estimates.

So it’s little wonder why Colombia’s match against Portugal on Saturday in Miami Gardens, Fla., was the most sought-after World Cup ticket of the 72 group-stage fixtures, according to a report by The Athletic.

Asked Friday what it means to be facing Colombia in such an environment, Portugal coach Robert Martinez quipped, “Well, it means I had to buy tickets for my family in November. That’s what it means. Because I knew it was going to be difficult to get tickets.”

Everyone on hand Saturday can expect a fireworks show because the match will decide Group K.

Colombia (2-0-0, 6 points) only need one point to secure top spot in the group, having swept past Uzbekistan and DR Congo. Portugal (1-0-1, 4 points) would overtake Colombia with a win.

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Portugal endured a rough start to the tournament with a 1-1 draw against DR Congo. They responded to some heavy criticism with a 5-0 rout of Uzbekistan in which Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice, becoming the first player to score a goal at six World Cups.

Martinez expects a difficult test.

“(Colombia) have players like James Rodriguez, Luis Suarez and Luis Diaz. … They transition well and they are very fast,” he said. “They work as a team, they have tactical clarity. There is quality in the players and they love being part of the national team.”

They also have Daniel Munoz, who has scored in both matches including the decider in a 1-0 win over DR Congo.

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So Colombia coach Nestor Lorenzo has no shortage of attacking options, but he is also managing three players carrying yellow cards: midfielder Jefferson Lerma and defenders Jhon Lucumi and Johan Mojica.

“The yellow cards are a concern, and I think the Italian referee was heavy-handed with them,” Lorenzo said in Spanish. “I don’t want to let those yellow cards affect my mindset for a match like this.”

Colombia also won’t sacrifice a structurally sound defense to throw everything at Ronaldo.

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“We have to be careful with Cristiano and with everyone else,” Lorenzo said. “We cannot neglect the other players just because of one individual, as it is a very well-rounded team. Vitinha is crucial to controlling the game, while Cristiano is key to finishing plays.”

–Group L: England vs. Panama in East Rutherford, N.J.: A scoreless draw with Ghana dampened the optimistic outlook for England, but Harry Kane and the Three Lions are certain to win the group if they collect three points. They get to face the weakest opponent in the group, Panama, who have yet to score a goal and cannot advance.

–Group L: Croatia vs. Ghana in Philadelphia: If England stumble, both these teams can overtake the group favorites and steal first place in Group L with a win. Ghana are one of four teams as of Friday that haven’t allowed a goal, despite goalkeeper Lawrence Ati Zigi missing the England match with a groin injury.

–Group K: DR Congo vs. Uzbekistan in Atlanta: Uzbekistan cannot finish top two in the group and DR Congo would need a lopsided win plus a Portugal loss. Instead, the winner here is likely to snag one of eight knockout berths for third-place finishers.

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–Group J: Argentina vs. Jordan in Arlington, Texas: Expect Argentina to rotate their squad against already-eliminated Jordan as the defending champions have already clinched top spot in the group. The big question: Will Lionel Messi rest or chase more goals to add to his World Cup record of 18?

–Group J: Algeria vs. Austria in Kansas City, Mo.: These teams are tied on three points and either would clinch second place in the group with a win. Austria would be guaranteed to advance with a draw thanks to superior goal differential.

–Field Level Media

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World Cup 2026: Thomas Tuchel defends full-back selection after Reece James injury

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England manager Thomas Tuchel has defended his full-back selection policy after confirming Reece James will miss Saturday’s World Cup match against Panama.

As revealed by BBC Sport this week, James was assessed by England medics following Tuesday’s goalless draw against Ghana after complaining of a hamstring issue.

Tuchel has since confirmed that the Chelsea right-back has not travelled to New Jersey from their Kansas City base for their final Group L game against Panama on Saturday (22:00 BST). But he insists James has a chance of playing in England’s possible last-32 match next week.

However, BBC Sport understands that James is a significant doubt for the start of the knockout stages, should England qualify.

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James’ injury – and the calf issue that caused Tino Livramento to return home from the United States – has thrown into question Tuchel’s decision to bring just three recognised full-backs to the World Cup.

Djed Spence, James and Livramento were the only genuine full-backs selected.

Nico O’Reilly, who played at left-back for Manchester City last season, is also in the squad – but he came through the ranks at Etihad Stadium as a midfielder. Dan Burn has also played at left-back but is recognised as a centre-back.

Spence and central defenders Jarell Quansah and Ezri Konsa are Tuchel’s alternative options at right-back.

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Nevertheless, Tuchel said: “Yes, I am [happy with my options at right-back]. I selected the team, so I’m very happy with everything with the characteristic of the players and strengths that they give us.

“We would love to have every single key player, we would love to have them available, it’s not available – we find solutions, it’s what we do. It’s a tournament, we move on.”

James and Livramento, in particular, have a chequered injury history and Tuchel’s decision to take both to the World Cup is likely to be called into question.

Tuchel, though, is confident James will play again in the World Cup should England progress.

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“It’s a minor hamstring issue, he’s not been able to train the last two days,” confirmed Tuchel.

“He’s now on an accelerated rehabilitation program and we take it game by game, but we strongly believe that he will be available [during the tournament].”

There was better news with regards to the availability of Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson, who Tuchel said would all be available to face Panama.

Rice (calf) and Anderson (glute) missed training on Thursday – but returned on Friday.

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Tuchel confirmed Saka is ready to start after coming off the bench in the opening two matches because of a long-term Achilles tendinitis complaint.

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Dylan Gibbons’ career still in its infancy as he targets Tattersall’s Tiara in 2026

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Jockey in blue-and-white silks on a brown horse leading a race on a sunlit turf track with a white railing nearby, another horse close behind in yellow.

Jockey Dylan Gibbons has made consistency his watchword this season and intends to maintain that focus into the upcoming racing period.

Achieving Group 1 victories represents the ultimate goal for any jockey, and a triumph aboard Infancy in the Tattersall’s Tiara (1400m), the final major race of the 2025-26 racing term, would provide a perfect flourish to his successful year.

Gibbons, a talented apprentice, was once considered part of the next wave of young riders coming through the ranks, alongside notable names like Zac Lloyd and Tyler Schiller. However, a shoulder injury sustained in late 2024 disrupted his momentum.

Returning to the saddle last year, he worked assiduously to secure a solid position in Sydney’s fiercely competitive racing landscape. While this required time and considerable perseverance, the rewards began to materialise.

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With 38 metropolitan wins in Sydney this term, Gibbons is currently positioned eighth on the jockeys’ premiership table. His season highlights include Group 3 victories on Southend in The Baillieu and Piggyback in the Parramatta Cup.

“If you go back a season, things dropped off a bit compared to how they were going when I had the claim, so I had to rebuild, so to speak,” Gibbons stated.

“I wanted to re-establish myself, be a consistent city rider, and keep chipping away at the winners.
“I’ve had a good provincial season, and those horses can eventually turn into city winners. Fortunately enough, I’m also getting near the forty (metropolitan winners) mark which has been good.”

Gibbons has already celebrated two Group 1 successes: guiding Explosive Jack to victory in the 2023 Sydney Cup (3200m) and Kalapour in the 2024 Tancred Stakes (2400m).

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He is hopeful of adding to that tally when he partners Infancy in the Tattersall’s Tiara, expressing confidence in the $51 outsider’s potential to surprise.

Infancy produced a strong showing when finishing second in the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes (1200m) in April. She subsequently raced in midfield during the Luskin Star Stakes (1300m) at Scone, and again in the Bob Charley Stakes (1200m), which was dominated by the front-runner Wanaruah.

Although the filly will need some luck from an awkward draw and a solid pace, Gibbons believes she will be in contention if these elements align.

“She has over-achieved her whole career and done a remarkable job,” he commented.

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“The 1400 metres is getting near her maximum distance, but when she was in that brutally run 1300 (Luskin Star Stakes) with Whinchat and Phearson leading, they ran it like a mile race and she was there to the fifty metres and got chopped out.
“If she can get the right run, she has got a wicked turn of foot.”

Gibbons also has the ride on the tough sprinter Brudenell for Lees in the W J Healy Stakes (1200m) and would relish seeing the dual Listed winner secure an overdue Group success.

“He is one of my favourite horses. I’ve won four or five races on him now,” Gibbons said.

“He is honest as the day is long, and he’s only gotten better with age. If things go his way, you know he’s going to give one hundred and ten per cent, and it would be nice to see him get a Group win.”

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Gibbons has a strong book of eight rides at Eagle Farm, with Geemes ($5.50) rated by bookmakers as his best prospect for victory in the Listed Tattersall’s Gold Crown (2100m).

Infancy is a $51 chance in the Tattersall’s Tiara, but Gibbons believes she is capable of an upset. Check out the latest betting markets for the race at sports betting platforms.

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ESPN sees 24% rise in MCWS viewership, third most on record

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Jun 22, 2026; Omaha, NE, USA; The Oklahoma Sooners celebrate after defeating the North Carolina Tar Heels to win the 2026 NCAA Men’s College World Series Championship at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn ImagesJun 22, 2026; Omaha, NE, USA; The Oklahoma Sooners celebrate after defeating the North Carolina Tar Heels to win the 2026 NCAA Men’s College World Series Championship at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

ESPN’s coverage of the 2026 College World Series earned the third-highest viewership in CWS annals, the network announced Thursday.

Oklahoma’s 13-2 Game 3 win over North Carolina on Monday night to claim the championship averaged 2.5 million viewers and peaked at 3 million. It was the most-watched college baseball game of the season. Game 2 drew 2.3 million viewers on average.

Overall, 2026 NCAA baseball tournament games averaged 1.5 million viewers, an increase of 24% over the 2025 event.

Last year, an average of 2.5 million viewers tuned in to watch the championship series that saw LSU defeat Coastal Carolina in two games.

Prior to the finals, the CWS drew 1.4 million average viewers for a 34% year-over-year increase. The most-viewed contest was North Carolina’s June 14 victory over West Virginia, with 2 million viewers in prime time. It was the only game before the championship series to reach 2 million viewers.

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Other notable average viewership marks:

Georgia’s win over Texas on June 16: 1.8 million

Oklahoma’s win over Georgia on June 17 that clinched a spot in the finals: 1.7 million

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Oklahoma’s win vs. Georgia on June 15: 1.64 million

North Carolina’s win over Ole Miss on June 12: 1.45 million

Troy’s win over Ole Miss on June 14: 1. 4 million

The Regional round saw a 38% increase in viewership year over year, while the Super Regionals grew 31% year over year to mark their highest viewership since 2009.

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–Field Level Media

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Uruguay vs Spain LIVE: Latest World Cup score and updates as Group H reaches thrilling climax

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Uruguay 0-0 Spain

18 mins: That’s a nice move from Spain. They work it quickly across the pitch after a throw in on the right.

It comes to Baena who slips a first time pass into the box for Oyarzabal.

Oyarzabal’s run is well timed but he’s forced wide and the ball is poked out for a corner.

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Mike Jones27 June 2026 01:21

Uruguay 0-0 Spain

15 mins: Yamal twists his way down the right side of the pitch and wins a corner.

Baena swings it into the penalty area and onto the head of Rodri but he can’t guide the ball towards goal.

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Mike Jones27 June 2026 01:17

Uruguay 0-0 Spain

12 mins: Oh wow! Baena makes a poor pass after Spain recover the ball inside their own half.

He gives it away to Valverde who looks for a one-two with Nunez to get himself into the area but the return pass is intercepted and Spain clear.

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This is better from Uruguay.

Mike Jones27 June 2026 01:15

Uruguay 0-0 Spain

9 mins: Uruguay haven’t quite gotten themselves into the contest yet and are finding it tricky to play through Spain, especially in midfield.

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Spain are enjoying plenty of the ball but the South American side are employing a decent press.

Mike Jones27 June 2026 01:11

Uruguay 0-0 Spain

6 mins: Uruguay win a free kick over on the left side of the pitch and swing in a cross.

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The ball is headed straight up from the initial delivery and Unai Simon comes to claim it.

Instead, he drops and fumbles it causing the ball to come loose inside the six yard box.

Luckily for Spain the nearest player is a defender who hooks it clear before any damage is done.

Mike Jones27 June 2026 01:08

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Uruguay 0-0 Spain

3 mins: A poor pass back from Bentancur feeds the ball into the path of Lamine Yamal. He skips out of a tackle and slides the ball over to Oyarzabal.

The attacker shoots from the left side of the box and wins the first corner of the game.

Mike Jones27 June 2026 01:04

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Kick off! Uruguay 0-0 Spain

Spain get the ball rolling in Mexico and send it back to Unai Simon.

He’s put under pressure by a pressing Darwin Nunez and hooks the ball out of play on the right side of the pitch.

Mike Jones27 June 2026 01:02

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Uruguay v Spain

The players make their way out onto the pitch at the Estadio Guadalajara.

Spain still have some work to do and must ensure they win tonight in order to top Group H.

Uruguay will be out if they don’t at least draw with Spain.

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In the other game of Group H, Cape Verde are attempting to reach the knockout rounds when they face Saudi Arabia.

How will it all play out? We’re about to find out…

Mike Jones27 June 2026 00:54

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Why imperfect perfectionist Marcelo Bielsa and Uruguay were doomed to fail at World Cup

It has not been a model World Cup for him, either: draws with Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde leave Uruguay requiring at least a point against Spain to avert an ignominiously early exit, and with it the end of Bielsa’s reign.

Richard Jolly27 June 2026 00:48

Will Spain top the group?

Spain won their final group stage match at every World Cup between 1986 and 2014.

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However, La Roja failed to do so in each of the last two editions, drawing 2-2 with Morocco in 2018 before losing 2-1 to Japan in 2022.

Which way will tonight’s match go?

Mike Jones27 June 2026 00:36

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NHL Draft 2026 picks, order, results and tracker: Maple Leafs take Gavin McKenna at No. 1

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The Toronto Maple Leafs have selected Gavin McKenna with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. One of the most dynamic playmakers in this draft class, McKenna should give the Maple Leafs an offensive boost immediately.

McKenna just wrapped up his freshman season at Penn State, and the transition from junior hockey to the collegiate level wasn’t a smooth one initially. However, after a slow start, McKenna found his groove and finished the season with 15 goals and 36 assists 35 games. His 51 points ranked third in the Big Ten, and McKenna led the Nittany Lions to the NCAA Tournament, where they lost to Minnesota-Duluth in the first round.

Prior to his career at Penn State, McKenna posted gaudy numbers with the Medicine Hat Tigers in the WHL. In 2024-25, McKenna tallied 41 goals and 88 points in 56 games while helping the Tigers capture a WHL title. McKenna and Medicine Hat fell just shy of a Memorial Cup title, losing to the London Knights in the championship game.

It might be a bit much to ask McKenna to ride shotgun alongside Auston Matthews right out of the gate, but he has the skill to make an instant impact. Can McKenna land among the best No. 1 picks of this century? If he can, that would be a huge boost to a Toronto offense that finished in the middle of the league last year.

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With the No. 2 overall pick, the San Jose Sharks took Swedish winger Ivar Stenberg, who pushed McKenna to be the top selection in this draft. San Jose adds yet another elite offensive weapon to its arsenal with Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith already there. Stenberg will help replace William Eklund, who was recent traded to the Ottawa Senators.

After trading defenseman Bowen Byram to the Chicago Blackhawks for the No. 4 overall pick, the hometown Buffalo Sabres replaced Byram with Daxon Rudolph, one of the best playmaking defensemen in this class. Those moves will be analyzed for years to come.

Stay tuned here with CBS Sports as the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft continues. We’ll have the full results and analysis once the opening round concludes.

Round 1

1. Toronto Maple Leafs — Gavin McKenna (LW, Penn Sate, NCAA)
2. San Jose Sharks — Ivar Stenberg (RW, Frölunda, SweHL)
3. Vancouver Canucks — Caleb Malholtra (C, Brantford, OHL)
4. Buffalo Sabres — Daxon Rudolph (D, Prince Albert, WHL)
5. New York Rangers — Alberts Šmits (D, Jukurit, Liiga)
6. Calgary Flames
7. Seattle Kraken
8. Winnipeg Jets
9. San Jose Sharks (via Florida, Ottawa)
10. Nashville Predators
11. St. Louis Blues
12. New Jersey Devils
13. New York Islanders
14. Columbus Blue Jackets
15. St. Louis Blues (via Detroit)
16. St. Louis Blues (via Washington)
17. Los Angeles Kings
18. Washington Capitals (via Anaheim)
19. Utah Mammoth
20. Buffalo Sabres (via Edmonton, San Jose)
21. Philadelphia Flyers
22. Pittsburgh Penguins
23. Utah Mammoth (via Boston)
24. Vancouver Canucks (via Minnesota)
25. Ottawa Senators (via Tampa Bay, Seattle, Florida)
26. Vegas Golden Knights (via Dallas, Carolina, New York Rangers)
27. San Jose Sharks (via Buffalo)
28. Montreal Canadiens
29. St. Louis Blues (via Colorado, New York Islanders)
30. Calgary Flames (via Vegas)
31. Carolina Hurricanes
32. Ottawa Senators

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Argentina make major Lionel Messi call for group stage finale against Jordan

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Lionel Messi will start on the bench for Argentina football against Jordan to complete their World Cup 2026 group stage.

The Albiceleste are defending their title and have started in magnificent form behind Messi’s prolific run of five goals from two games in victories over Algeria and Austria.

Messi is the leading contender to win this year’s golden boot, one clear of France forwards Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele.

Messi (18) is also two clear of Mbappe (16) as the tournament’s all-time record goalscorer, but that record could be threatened with Lionel Scaloni opting to hold the 39-year-old back for the Group J finale.

Argentina's Lionel Messi during training on Friday
Argentina’s Lionel Messi during training on Friday (Reuters)

“Leo Messi will be on the bench against Jordan. He will have minutes in the second half,” said Scaloni.

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2026 Travelers Championship leaderboard: Scottie Scheffler flirts with history in Round 2

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Scottie Scheffler has spent much of the 2026 season looking just a bit off, admitting as much ahead of last week’s U.S. Open when he described his game as being a little “dull” and lacking the same sharpness we’ve grown to expect from the World No. 1. 

While that sharpness didn’t arrive in time to capture the career grand slam, Scheffler seems to have found something at TPC River Highlands, where he’s off to a red-hot start to grab the 36-hole lead at 16 under thanks to a 10-under 60 on Friday. Overnight rain delayed the start of the second round by 30 minutes, which softened the course and gave players the green light to attack. No one took that opportunity better than Scheffler, who has positioned himself at the top of the leaderboard entering the weekend in pursuit of his second win of the season. 

Scheffler began his day birdie-bogey-birdie, but ripped off four straight birdies late in his front nine to go out in 30. He’d add another stretch with four consecutive birdies in the middle of his back nine to get to 10 under on his round and arrived at the 17th hole needing one birdie in the last two holes to break 60 for the second time in his career. 

After hitting 15-of-16 greens in regulation coming into the 17th, Scheffler had a rare miss from the fairway from 162 yards, tugging his approach — with Scheffler saying he got gusted — off the left side of the green. After a poor chip from the fairway cut, he made a tough 8-footer for par to keep the 59 dream alive going to the 18th. There, he missed his first fairway of the day, finding the left bunker, but drew a good lie and was able to put an approach 20 feet below the hole to give himself a run. 

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Scheffler said after his round it was a tricky read, with the ball moving right on him early and ending up too far outside before taking the sharp break late, leaving a tap-in par to post a 10-under 60. Had Scheffler managed to make that putt, he could’ve joined Jim Furyk as the only players to break 60 twice on the PGA Tour. That record remains with Furyk, who Scheffler joked in his press conference somewhat ruined shooting a 59 at TPC River Highlands. 

“It was kind of funny. It was like, yeah, it would be cool to shoot 59, but somebody has already shot 58 here, so it’s not even the course record,” Scheffler remarked. “So it’s not like…you know, Jim kind of takes away a little bit of the special 59 when you are losing still.”

TPC River Highlands is always a course where players can go out and attack, and that’s especially the case on a day like Friday when the wind is negligible and the course is softened by rain. However, the difference between Scheffler’s first round 64 and his 60 in the second round came down, largely, to more putts falling. 

“Yeah, I’d say in golf the line is always pretty fine. I’m sure if you looked at today’s round versus yesterday’s round, it’s probably pretty similar from a ball-striking perspective,” Scheffler explained. “It’s a matter of holing a few putts. Some days they’re kind of hanging on the edge and not quite going in, and then other days they’re finding the bottom of the cup. Today was a day definitely which most of them were finding the bottom of the cup.” 

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The stats back that statement up, as Scheffler holed just over 145 feet of putts on Friday after holing 95 feet in his still excellent opening round 64. While he would’ve loved to see one more putt of length drop on the 18th hole, he’s most concerned with snapping out of his winless drought that’s currently sitting at 17 weeks. 

Scheffler opened his season with a bang, winning the American Express in his first start of 2026. Since then, he’s been unable to put together four complete rounds, with slow starts becoming a frustrating trend in the middle of his season. Numerous furious comebacks on the weekend to finish just off the lead prove he still has that top gear, but finding those levels for 72 holes has been a challenge. 

Through 36 holes at the Travelers, he’s got that sorted out and looks like the player who has dominated the PGA Tour for the last four years. He’ll have to keep that up on the weekend, as TPC River Highlands always leaves the door open for players to go low and try to chase down the leader. If he can convert his 36-hole lead into his 21st PGA Tour victory, he’ll change the question from why can’t he win right now to why can’t go on a winning streak through the summer. 

Weekend contenders 

2. Viktor Hovland (-14)
T3. Akshay Bhatia, Eric Cole (-13)
T5. Matt Fitzpatrick, Bud Cauley, Ben Griffin (-10)
T8. Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose, J.J. Spaun, Patrick Cantlay, Maverick McNealy, Brian Campbell (-9)
T14. Wyndham Clark, Sam Burns, Keegan Bradley and five others (-8)

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It’s not often you shoot 65-61 in the first two rounds of a tournament and don’t have the lead going into the weekend, but Viktor Hovland has done just that. His best start to a week this season has been overshadowed by Scheffler’s return to dominant form. Hovland showed some strong form two weeks ago in Canada before a missed cut at the U.S. Open, but back on a golf course where you must attack, he’s once again looking like a threat and keeping Scheffler from running away from the field. 

Bhatia hasn’t notched a top 10 since his win at the Arnold Palmer, but he got the putter warmed up again on Friday to shoot a 62 that jumped him into a tie for third. He proved earlier this year what he’s capable of when he gets hot on the greens and TPC River Highlands is a course known for having friendly greens. He’s tied with Eric Cole, who continues his blistering pace of late as he’s primed for another weekend in contention in pursuit of his first PGA Tour title. 

Matt Fitzpatrick had it rolling again in the middle of his back nine but cooled off a touch late and dropped a shot on the 18th to slide back into a tie for fifth. Even so, he finds himself on the first page of the leaderboard once again heading into a weekend and is arguably the biggest threat to Scheffler, even six off the pace. Cauley, who picked up his first win two weeks ago in Canada, is still riding that high and playing extremely well once again this week. The same can be said for Ben Griffin who has returned to quality form after a slow start in 2026. 

Given who is in the lead, it’s hard to imagine Scheffler helping out the rest of the field this weekend, which means those not yet at double-figures under par have serious work to do on the weekend. That’s certainly possible at a course like TPC River Highlands, but Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose, Sam Burns, defending champ Keegan Bradley and U.S. Open winner Wyndham Clark will all be feeling like they need to post scores of 64 or better on Saturday and Sunday to have a chance at winning. 

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Cameron Young’s dip in form continues 

After winning The Players, contending at the Masters and winning again at the Cadillac Championship, Young was the hottest player on the PGA Tour and was seemingly making up ground on the Scheffler-Rory McIlroy tandem in the Tour’s top tier. However, Young hasn’t been nearly as sharp over the past month-plus dating back to the PGA Championship and that slip in form has been extremely evident to start this week as he’s one of just five players who have yet to break par in the first two rounds. 

Young’s hot streak was buoyed by some phenomenal putting on top of his excellent ball striking, but he has cooled off on the greens of late. Young is 70th out of 72 players in the field this week in strokes gained putting, losing more than five shots on the greens so far. Maintaining an elite level of play is the hardest thing in golf and Young’s proving just how challenging it is. His talent is undeniable, but his recent dip underscores just how remarkable a run like Scheffler’s is when we’re concerned about his form when he’s only posting top 10s most weeks and not winning. 

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Artur Beterbiev says world champion is ‘ducking’ him: “You can see he doesn’t want to fight”

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Former undisputed light-heavyweight world champion Artur Beterbiev is keen to return to action as soon as possible, but he believes that one of the current world champions is ‘ducking him’.

Beterbiev knocked out Enrico Koelling to capture the IBF light-heavyweight title back in 2017 and, after defending the belt against Callum Johnson and Radivoje ‘Hot Rod’ Kalajdzic, the Canadian-Russian unified the titles by halting WBC champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk.

Once again, two defences followed, as Beterbiev continued his 100% knockout streak with wins against Adam Deines and Marcus Browne inside of the distance, before adding the WBO strap to his collection by knocking out Joe Smith.

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Then, for a third time, Beterbiev made two further title defences before colliding with Dmitry Bivol in a legendary undisputed showdown in October 2024, where his knockout streak came to an end in the crowning moment of his career – going the distance for the first time but claiming a majority-decision win.

Just four months later, Bivol reversed the result in their rematch with a majority decision triumph of his own, but there has been no rubber match since that meeting 16 months ago, much to the disappointment of 41-year-old Beterbiev,

Speaking with The Ring, Beterbiev declared that Bivol is ‘ducking’ a third fight, despite the ‘loose agreement’ which is understood to be in place. 

“There is a very short time after the first fight and third fight, even with that I accepted this fight, expecting to have the third fight within five/six months. You can see that he doesn’t want to fight, he is ducking me, I thinks so.”

To add to Beterbiev’s concerns, Bivol will be made to face mandatory challenger Callum Smith in the near future, unless he is willing to relinquish the WBO world title.

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