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Deadspin | Magic eager to continue winning ways in encounter vs. Bulls    Apr 8, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (22) dunks during the second half against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images   The Orlando Magic have climbed the Eastern Conference standings and have a chance to avoid the play-in tournament thanks to a late-season surge.  Orlando enters Friday night’s visit to the Chicago Bulls on a four-game winning streak, its second-longest run of the season.  Magic coach Jamahl Mosley used a starting lineup of Jalen Suggs, Desmond Bane, Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero and Wendell Carter Jr. for the first time since Dec. 7 during Wednesday’s 132-120 home victory against Minnesota.  Wherever Orlando (44-36) finishes in the standings, players like how the team has rallied ahead of the postseason.  “Nobody wants to see us in a seven-game series,” center Goga Bitadze said. “That’s how we feel. We’ve got to prove it, but we’ve got to take care of business and wherever we end up, go from there.”  With two games remaining, the Magic have clinched a postseason berth and hold a one-game edge on Philadelphia and Charlotte in the race for the No. 7 seed and are one game behind Atlanta for No. 6.   The Nos. 7-10 seeds in each conference will take part in the play-in tournament.  Chicago (31-49), meanwhile, is coming off a two-game road sweep of the NBA-worst Washington Wizards, giving the beleaguered Bulls consecutive victories for the first time since a four-game winning streak from Jan. 18-24.  Tre Jones scored 31 points to key Thursday’s 119-108 victory against the Wizards, including a 12-for-12 effort from the free-throw line.   “We knew they were going to come out and try to get us back from the other night, you know. They answered the bell early, but in the second half, we came out ready to play, hit them in the mouth again and then finished down the stretch,” Jones said.  He has scored at least 20 points in three successive games for the first time in his career.   The Bulls hope to maintain their scoring balance against the Magic. Collin Sexton chipped in 27 points against Washington while Leonard Miller scored a career-best 26 points to go with 11 rebounds.  Chicago this week fired president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley. The team’s top two scorers, Josh Giddey (strained left hamstring) and Matas Buzelis (lllness), missed Thursday’s game, in which the Bulls dressed just nine players.  Jett Howard (sprained left ankle) and Jonathan Isaac (sprained left knee) will miss Friday’s game for the Magic. Wagner wasn’t listed on the injury report; he injured his left leg in the third quarter against Minnesota but returned to the floor.  “Pretty quickly, though, it all felt normal and we checked everything,” Wagner said. “I think it’s important to be out there and get some confidence and play a couple minutes more.”  Orlando is 7-3 in the past 10 meetings with Chicago, but the Bulls can clinch the season series with a victory. Chicago took a 2-1 edge with a 121-114 home win on Jan. 2 and is trying for consecutive wins against Orlando for the first time since the 2021-22 season.  Sexton is shooting 50% from the floor, including 59.1% from long range, in his past five games vs. the Magic.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Magic #eager #continue #winning #ways #encounter #Bulls

Deadspin | Magic eager to continue winning ways in encounter vs. Bulls
Deadspin | Magic eager to continue winning ways in encounter vs. Bulls    Apr 8, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (22) dunks during the second half against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images   The Orlando Magic have climbed the Eastern Conference standings and have a chance to avoid the play-in tournament thanks to a late-season surge.  Orlando enters Friday night’s visit to the Chicago Bulls on a four-game winning streak, its second-longest run of the season.  Magic coach Jamahl Mosley used a starting lineup of Jalen Suggs, Desmond Bane, Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero and Wendell Carter Jr. for the first time since Dec. 7 during Wednesday’s 132-120 home victory against Minnesota.  Wherever Orlando (44-36) finishes in the standings, players like how the team has rallied ahead of the postseason.  “Nobody wants to see us in a seven-game series,” center Goga Bitadze said. “That’s how we feel. We’ve got to prove it, but we’ve got to take care of business and wherever we end up, go from there.”  With two games remaining, the Magic have clinched a postseason berth and hold a one-game edge on Philadelphia and Charlotte in the race for the No. 7 seed and are one game behind Atlanta for No. 6.   The Nos. 7-10 seeds in each conference will take part in the play-in tournament.  Chicago (31-49), meanwhile, is coming off a two-game road sweep of the NBA-worst Washington Wizards, giving the beleaguered Bulls consecutive victories for the first time since a four-game winning streak from Jan. 18-24.  Tre Jones scored 31 points to key Thursday’s 119-108 victory against the Wizards, including a 12-for-12 effort from the free-throw line.   “We knew they were going to come out and try to get us back from the other night, you know. They answered the bell early, but in the second half, we came out ready to play, hit them in the mouth again and then finished down the stretch,” Jones said.  He has scored at least 20 points in three successive games for the first time in his career.   The Bulls hope to maintain their scoring balance against the Magic. Collin Sexton chipped in 27 points against Washington while Leonard Miller scored a career-best 26 points to go with 11 rebounds.  Chicago this week fired president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley. The team’s top two scorers, Josh Giddey (strained left hamstring) and Matas Buzelis (lllness), missed Thursday’s game, in which the Bulls dressed just nine players.  Jett Howard (sprained left ankle) and Jonathan Isaac (sprained left knee) will miss Friday’s game for the Magic. Wagner wasn’t listed on the injury report; he injured his left leg in the third quarter against Minnesota but returned to the floor.  “Pretty quickly, though, it all felt normal and we checked everything,” Wagner said. “I think it’s important to be out there and get some confidence and play a couple minutes more.”  Orlando is 7-3 in the past 10 meetings with Chicago, but the Bulls can clinch the season series with a victory. Chicago took a 2-1 edge with a 121-114 home win on Jan. 2 and is trying for consecutive wins against Orlando for the first time since the 2021-22 season.  Sexton is shooting 50% from the floor, including 59.1% from long range, in his past five games vs. the Magic.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Magic #eager #continue #winning #ways #encounter #BullsApr 8, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (22) dunks during the second half against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images

The Orlando Magic have climbed the Eastern Conference standings and have a chance to avoid the play-in tournament thanks to a late-season surge.

Orlando enters Friday night’s visit to the Chicago Bulls on a four-game winning streak, its second-longest run of the season.

Magic coach Jamahl Mosley used a starting lineup of Jalen Suggs, Desmond Bane, Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero and Wendell Carter Jr. for the first time since Dec. 7 during Wednesday’s 132-120 home victory against Minnesota.

Wherever Orlando (44-36) finishes in the standings, players like how the team has rallied ahead of the postseason.

“Nobody wants to see us in a seven-game series,” center Goga Bitadze said. “That’s how we feel. We’ve got to prove it, but we’ve got to take care of business and wherever we end up, go from there.”

With two games remaining, the Magic have clinched a postseason berth and hold a one-game edge on Philadelphia and Charlotte in the race for the No. 7 seed and are one game behind Atlanta for No. 6.

The Nos. 7-10 seeds in each conference will take part in the play-in tournament.

Chicago (31-49), meanwhile, is coming off a two-game road sweep of the NBA-worst Washington Wizards, giving the beleaguered Bulls consecutive victories for the first time since a four-game winning streak from Jan. 18-24.


Tre Jones scored 31 points to key Thursday’s 119-108 victory against the Wizards, including a 12-for-12 effort from the free-throw line.

“We knew they were going to come out and try to get us back from the other night, you know. They answered the bell early, but in the second half, we came out ready to play, hit them in the mouth again and then finished down the stretch,” Jones said.

He has scored at least 20 points in three successive games for the first time in his career.

The Bulls hope to maintain their scoring balance against the Magic. Collin Sexton chipped in 27 points against Washington while Leonard Miller scored a career-best 26 points to go with 11 rebounds.

Chicago this week fired president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley. The team’s top two scorers, Josh Giddey (strained left hamstring) and Matas Buzelis (lllness), missed Thursday’s game, in which the Bulls dressed just nine players.

Jett Howard (sprained left ankle) and Jonathan Isaac (sprained left knee) will miss Friday’s game for the Magic. Wagner wasn’t listed on the injury report; he injured his left leg in the third quarter against Minnesota but returned to the floor.

“Pretty quickly, though, it all felt normal and we checked everything,” Wagner said. “I think it’s important to be out there and get some confidence and play a couple minutes more.”

Orlando is 7-3 in the past 10 meetings with Chicago, but the Bulls can clinch the season series with a victory. Chicago took a 2-1 edge with a 121-114 home win on Jan. 2 and is trying for consecutive wins against Orlando for the first time since the 2021-22 season.

Sexton is shooting 50% from the floor, including 59.1% from long range, in his past five games vs. the Magic.


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Magic #eager #continue #winning #ways #encounter #Bulls

Apr 8, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (22) dunks during the second half against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images

The Orlando Magic have climbed the Eastern Conference standings and have a chance to avoid the play-in tournament thanks to a late-season surge.

Orlando enters Friday night’s visit to the Chicago Bulls on a four-game winning streak, its second-longest run of the season.

Magic coach Jamahl Mosley used a starting lineup of Jalen Suggs, Desmond Bane, Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero and Wendell Carter Jr. for the first time since Dec. 7 during Wednesday’s 132-120 home victory against Minnesota.

Wherever Orlando (44-36) finishes in the standings, players like how the team has rallied ahead of the postseason.

“Nobody wants to see us in a seven-game series,” center Goga Bitadze said. “That’s how we feel. We’ve got to prove it, but we’ve got to take care of business and wherever we end up, go from there.”

With two games remaining, the Magic have clinched a postseason berth and hold a one-game edge on Philadelphia and Charlotte in the race for the No. 7 seed and are one game behind Atlanta for No. 6.

The Nos. 7-10 seeds in each conference will take part in the play-in tournament.

Chicago (31-49), meanwhile, is coming off a two-game road sweep of the NBA-worst Washington Wizards, giving the beleaguered Bulls consecutive victories for the first time since a four-game winning streak from Jan. 18-24.

Tre Jones scored 31 points to key Thursday’s 119-108 victory against the Wizards, including a 12-for-12 effort from the free-throw line.

“We knew they were going to come out and try to get us back from the other night, you know. They answered the bell early, but in the second half, we came out ready to play, hit them in the mouth again and then finished down the stretch,” Jones said.

He has scored at least 20 points in three successive games for the first time in his career.

The Bulls hope to maintain their scoring balance against the Magic. Collin Sexton chipped in 27 points against Washington while Leonard Miller scored a career-best 26 points to go with 11 rebounds.

Chicago this week fired president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley. The team’s top two scorers, Josh Giddey (strained left hamstring) and Matas Buzelis (lllness), missed Thursday’s game, in which the Bulls dressed just nine players.

Jett Howard (sprained left ankle) and Jonathan Isaac (sprained left knee) will miss Friday’s game for the Magic. Wagner wasn’t listed on the injury report; he injured his left leg in the third quarter against Minnesota but returned to the floor.

“Pretty quickly, though, it all felt normal and we checked everything,” Wagner said. “I think it’s important to be out there and get some confidence and play a couple minutes more.”

Orlando is 7-3 in the past 10 meetings with Chicago, but the Bulls can clinch the season series with a victory. Chicago took a 2-1 edge with a 121-114 home win on Jan. 2 and is trying for consecutive wins against Orlando for the first time since the 2021-22 season.

Sexton is shooting 50% from the floor, including 59.1% from long range, in his past five games vs. the Magic.

–Field Level Media

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ISL 2025-26: Joseph Sunny’s brace powers Sporting Club Delhi to victory against NorthEast United FC <div id="content-body-70848251" itemprop="articleBody"><p>A clinical second-half display led by Joseph Sunny helped Sporting Club Delhi secure a commanding 3-0 victory over NorthEast United FC in their Indian Super League (ISL) 2025-26 clash at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati on Friday.</p><p>The win marks SCD’s second consecutive victory of the season, lifting it to eighth in the standings with eight points, while NEUFC slips to tenth with six points.</p><p>The contest began at a brisk pace, with NEUFC creating early pressure. Jithin MS tested Nora Fernandes inside the opening minute, while Bekey Oram’s curling cross nearly caught the goalkeeper off guard, forcing a sharp intervention. Its opponent responded with attempts of its own, as Mohammed Aimen and Devendra Murgaokar both tried their luck from distance.</p><p>Despite promising build-up play from both sides, neither team was able to find the cutting edge in the final third, and the teams went into the break locked at 0-0.</p><p>The tempo picked up after the restart, with both sides showing greater attacking intent. Jairo Samperio, introduced at half time, tested Fernandes from distance, while Aimen came close at the other end after a surging run into the box.</p><p><b>ALSO READ | <a href="https://sportstar.thehindu.com/football/indian-football/east-bengal-vs-chennaiyin-isl-2026-oscar-bruzon-away-win-clifford-miranda-preview-news/article70846953.ece" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">ISL 2025-26: East Bengal, Bruzon face Chennaiyin with hopes of a similar turn of fortunes as last time</a></b></p><p>The breakthrough arrived in the 65th minute through a well-crafted move. Aimen’s vision unlocked the host’s defence with a perfectly timed through ball to Joseph Sunny. The winger kept his composure to guide a precise finish into the far corner, giving the visitor a 1-0 lead.</p><p>SCD doubled its advantage just four minutes later with a moment of individual brilliance. Midfielder Abdul-Halik Hudu initiated the move with a lofted pass from deep, and Sunny timed his run to perfection, controlling the ball past his marker Dinesh before lifting a composed finish over the advancing Gurmeet Singh to make it 2-0.</p><p>It continued to dominate, and nearly added a third in the 73rd minute when Sunny turned provider, setting up Sourav K, whose powerful strike was denied by Gurmeet.</p><p>The third goal arrived in the 80th minute following a flowing team move. Ousmane Fane drove forward from midfield before combining with Sunny, who squared the ball to Aimen. The forward showed great composure, weaving past defenders before unleashing a powerful right-footed strike into the top corner to seal the result.</p><p>NEUFC continued to push for a response in the closing stages, with Lalrinzuala Hauhnar forcing a save from Fernandes, but the host was unable to find a breakthrough.</p><p class="publish-time" id="end-of-article">Published on Apr 10, 2026</p></div> #ISL #Joseph #Sunnys #brace #powers #Sporting #Club #Delhi #victory #NorthEast #United

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FIDE Candidates 2026, Indians in action: Where do Vaishali, Divya, Praggnanandhaa stand before Round 11? <div id="content-body-70846830" itemprop="articleBody"><p>The Indian contingent has had a mixed bag of results in the Round 10 of the FIDE Candidates 2026 tournament, happening in Cyprus.</p><p>Vaishali (Black) secured a draw with Ukraine’s Anna Muzychuk, taking her tally to six points and consolidating her position at the top of the table in the women’s category. Meanwhile, Divya (White) lost to Russia’s Aleksandra Goryachkina to drop to second-last in the standings.</p><p>In the open category, Praggnanandhaa (Black) lost to the table-topper Javokhir Sindarov from Uzbekistan, remaining in seventh place in the points table with four points.</p><p>Here are the remaining fixtures for the Indian players in the FIDE Candidates 2026.</p><div class="fact-box"><h5 class="main-title"> Remaining FIDE Candidates 2026 fixtures for Indian players </h5><p><b>Round 11 (April 11)</b></p><p> R. Praggnanandhaa (White) vs. Matthias Bluebaum </p><p> R. Vaishali (Black) vs. Aleksandra Goryachkina </p><p> Divya Deshmukh (Black) vs. Zhu Jiner </p><p><b>Round 12 (April 12)</b></p><p> R. Praggnanandhaa (Black) vs. Andrey Esipenko </p><p> R. Vaishali (White) vs. Zhu Jiner </p><p> Divya Deshmukh (White) vs. Tan Zhongyi </p><p><b>Round 13 (April 14)</b></p><p> R. Praggnanandhaa (Black) vs. Fabiano Caruana </p><p> Divya Deshmukh (Black) vs. Kateryna Lagno </p><p> R. Vaishali (Black) vs. Tan Zhongyi </p><p><b>Round 14 (April 15)</b></p><p> R. Praggnanandhaa (White) vs. Hikaru Nakamura </p><p> R. Vaishali (White) vs. Kateryna Lagno </p><p> Divya Deshmukh (White) vs. Bibisara Assaubayeva </p></div><div class="fact-box"><h5 class="main-title"> Where to watch the FIDE Candidates 2026? </h5><p> You can catch the Indian players live in action at the FIDE Candidates 2026 on the FIDE  <i>YouTube</i> channel. </p></div><p class="publish-time" id="end-of-article">Published on Apr 10, 2026</p></div> #FIDE #Candidates #Indians #action #Vaishali #Divya #Praggnanandhaa #stand

Deadspin | It’s sink-or-swim time for Islanders against Senators  Apr 9, 2026; Elmont, New York, USA;  New York Islanders center Brayden Schenn (10) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal in the first period against the Toronto Maple Leafs at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images   For the New York Islanders, the equation is simple: If they don’t win an unofficial playoff game against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday, they almost certainly won’t participate in a true playoff game next week.  Both clubs will continue their pursuit of a postseason berth when New York hosts Ottawa in a pivotal Eastern Conference matinee in Elmont, N.Y.  Both teams were off Friday after earning victories at home Thursday. The Islanders won Peter DeBoer’s debut as head coach by beating the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-3, while the Senators routed the Florida Panthers 5-1.  The win by the Senators (42-27-10, 94 points) didn’t help the Islanders (43-31-5, 91 points) as they try to scramble back into the postseason picture after spending most of the season entrenched in a playoff spot.  While the Islanders remained three points behind the Senators in the race for the second and final wild-card spot, they inched within one point of Philadelphia (40-27-12, 92 points) for third place in the Metropolitan Division after the Flyers fell 6-3 Thursday to the Detroit Red Wings.  The Islanders and Red Wings (41-29-9, 91 points) are one point ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets (39-28-12, 90 points) and two points ahead of the Washington Capitals (40-30-9, 89 points).  All six teams have three games left and are in action Saturday.  The win Thursday snapped a season-high four-game losing streak for the Islanders, who fired Patrick Roy as head coach Sunday morning, hours after a 4-3 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.   New York never trailed Thursday, when Brayden Schenn and Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored within the first five minutes. Steven Lorentz and Easton Cowan scored within a span of a little more than seven minutes bridging the first two periods before Matthew Schaeffer collected the go-ahead goal at 9:39 of the second for the Islanders, who outshot the Maple Leafs 44-16.  “There was just a lot of really good stuff,” DeBoer said. “We’ve been talking all week about playoff habits. You have to have them this time of year to give yourself a chance to get in the playoffs.”  The Senators’ third straight win continued a strong second-half surge for Ottawa, which is trying to reach the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2012-13.  The Senators have gone 19-6-3 since Jan. 25, a span in which they’ve authored four winning streaks of at least three games. Ottawa has dropped consecutive games just once in that stretch.  Ottawa, which began its current winning streak by beating the playoff-bound Hurricanes and Tampa Bay Lightning, took control quickly Thursday against the Panthers, who won the last two Stanley Cups but have been eliminated from playoff contention.  Drake Batherson, Fabian Zetterlund and Artem Zub scored within the first 23:03 for the Senators, who haven’t trailed since the first period of Sunday’s 5-3 win over the Hurricanes.  “Nice to win, but also playing the way we want to play,” said Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson, who had a pair of assists Thursday. “Obviously want to get points, but going down the stretch, we want to do it the right way.”  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #sinkorswim #time #Islanders #SenatorsApr 9, 2026; Elmont, New York, USA; New York Islanders center Brayden Schenn (10) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal in the first period against the Toronto Maple Leafs at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

For the New York Islanders, the equation is simple: If they don’t win an unofficial playoff game against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday, they almost certainly won’t participate in a true playoff game next week.

Both clubs will continue their pursuit of a postseason berth when New York hosts Ottawa in a pivotal Eastern Conference matinee in Elmont, N.Y.

Both teams were off Friday after earning victories at home Thursday. The Islanders won Peter DeBoer’s debut as head coach by beating the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-3, while the Senators routed the Florida Panthers 5-1.

The win by the Senators (42-27-10, 94 points) didn’t help the Islanders (43-31-5, 91 points) as they try to scramble back into the postseason picture after spending most of the season entrenched in a playoff spot.

While the Islanders remained three points behind the Senators in the race for the second and final wild-card spot, they inched within one point of Philadelphia (40-27-12, 92 points) for third place in the Metropolitan Division after the Flyers fell 6-3 Thursday to the Detroit Red Wings.

The Islanders and Red Wings (41-29-9, 91 points) are one point ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets (39-28-12, 90 points) and two points ahead of the Washington Capitals (40-30-9, 89 points).

All six teams have three games left and are in action Saturday.


The win Thursday snapped a season-high four-game losing streak for the Islanders, who fired Patrick Roy as head coach Sunday morning, hours after a 4-3 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.

New York never trailed Thursday, when Brayden Schenn and Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored within the first five minutes. Steven Lorentz and Easton Cowan scored within a span of a little more than seven minutes bridging the first two periods before Matthew Schaeffer collected the go-ahead goal at 9:39 of the second for the Islanders, who outshot the Maple Leafs 44-16.

“There was just a lot of really good stuff,” DeBoer said. “We’ve been talking all week about playoff habits. You have to have them this time of year to give yourself a chance to get in the playoffs.”

The Senators’ third straight win continued a strong second-half surge for Ottawa, which is trying to reach the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2012-13.

The Senators have gone 19-6-3 since Jan. 25, a span in which they’ve authored four winning streaks of at least three games. Ottawa has dropped consecutive games just once in that stretch.

Ottawa, which began its current winning streak by beating the playoff-bound Hurricanes and Tampa Bay Lightning, took control quickly Thursday against the Panthers, who won the last two Stanley Cups but have been eliminated from playoff contention.

Drake Batherson, Fabian Zetterlund and Artem Zub scored within the first 23:03 for the Senators, who haven’t trailed since the first period of Sunday’s 5-3 win over the Hurricanes.

“Nice to win, but also playing the way we want to play,” said Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson, who had a pair of assists Thursday. “Obviously want to get points, but going down the stretch, we want to do it the right way.”


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #sinkorswim #time #Islanders #Senators">Deadspin | It’s sink-or-swim time for Islanders against Senators  Apr 9, 2026; Elmont, New York, USA;  New York Islanders center Brayden Schenn (10) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal in the first period against the Toronto Maple Leafs at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images   For the New York Islanders, the equation is simple: If they don’t win an unofficial playoff game against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday, they almost certainly won’t participate in a true playoff game next week.  Both clubs will continue their pursuit of a postseason berth when New York hosts Ottawa in a pivotal Eastern Conference matinee in Elmont, N.Y.  Both teams were off Friday after earning victories at home Thursday. The Islanders won Peter DeBoer’s debut as head coach by beating the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-3, while the Senators routed the Florida Panthers 5-1.  The win by the Senators (42-27-10, 94 points) didn’t help the Islanders (43-31-5, 91 points) as they try to scramble back into the postseason picture after spending most of the season entrenched in a playoff spot.  While the Islanders remained three points behind the Senators in the race for the second and final wild-card spot, they inched within one point of Philadelphia (40-27-12, 92 points) for third place in the Metropolitan Division after the Flyers fell 6-3 Thursday to the Detroit Red Wings.  The Islanders and Red Wings (41-29-9, 91 points) are one point ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets (39-28-12, 90 points) and two points ahead of the Washington Capitals (40-30-9, 89 points).  All six teams have three games left and are in action Saturday.  The win Thursday snapped a season-high four-game losing streak for the Islanders, who fired Patrick Roy as head coach Sunday morning, hours after a 4-3 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.   New York never trailed Thursday, when Brayden Schenn and Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored within the first five minutes. Steven Lorentz and Easton Cowan scored within a span of a little more than seven minutes bridging the first two periods before Matthew Schaeffer collected the go-ahead goal at 9:39 of the second for the Islanders, who outshot the Maple Leafs 44-16.  “There was just a lot of really good stuff,” DeBoer said. “We’ve been talking all week about playoff habits. You have to have them this time of year to give yourself a chance to get in the playoffs.”  The Senators’ third straight win continued a strong second-half surge for Ottawa, which is trying to reach the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2012-13.  The Senators have gone 19-6-3 since Jan. 25, a span in which they’ve authored four winning streaks of at least three games. Ottawa has dropped consecutive games just once in that stretch.  Ottawa, which began its current winning streak by beating the playoff-bound Hurricanes and Tampa Bay Lightning, took control quickly Thursday against the Panthers, who won the last two Stanley Cups but have been eliminated from playoff contention.  Drake Batherson, Fabian Zetterlund and Artem Zub scored within the first 23:03 for the Senators, who haven’t trailed since the first period of Sunday’s 5-3 win over the Hurricanes.  “Nice to win, but also playing the way we want to play,” said Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson, who had a pair of assists Thursday. “Obviously want to get points, but going down the stretch, we want to do it the right way.”  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #sinkorswim #time #Islanders #Senators

As the core player for the Tempo, Mabrey was eligible for $1.4 million this year, but likely negotiated a 2-year contract at the regular max of $1.19 million in year one with a slight bump up in 2027. The Tempo chose her from the Connecticut Sun in the expansion draft with the intention to core her.

Sykes comes to Toronto by way of Seattle, where she was traded midseason in 2025. She’s a strong two-way shooting guard, a WNBA All-Star, and a 4x WNBA All-Defense selection. Her veteran presence was significant on the Washington Mystics at the beginning of last season, which is likely a big reason Toronto had sought her out.

Grade for Sykes, Mabrey signings: B+

For a team that started from zero on a compact timeline, the Tempo have been taking big swings. The idea of coming out competitively in year one is an intriguing experiment for an expansion franchise, something Golden State did well in 2o25. Right now, the Tempo have the 11th-best title odds in the WNBA in 2026, at +150,000, according to our friends at FanDuel, but they were always unlikely to win a championship in year one. These signings are about setting a standard of professionalism for a new franchise, and growing a culture to build upon.

Bringing in Sykes as a veteran leader is definitely a good move to build culture on a new team, and pairing her with an instant fan-fav like Mabrey is just fun.

Right now, the Tempo’s roster is still very small and very guard-heavy. The idea of spending a max contract on Sykes when you possibly could have spent that money on a solid frontcourt player raises eyebrows and creates a little bit of risk, but it’s still early in free agency. There is still a good chunk of money and lots of good players left on the market for Toronto to get the depth they need. Overall, the Sykes move is very fun for the new Toronto team, and both of these players should quickly become fan favorites in the new WNBA city.

#WNBA #Free #Agency #Grading #Mabrey #Sykes #signing #Toronto">WNBA Free Agency: Grading Mabrey and Sykes signing in Toronto  The Toronto Tempo are coming out swinging in their very first WNBA free agency, signing the WNBA’s first million-dollar backcourt. Per ESPN, the Tempo are signing Marina Mabrey (who they cored this week) as well as Brittney Sykes to 2-year, max contracts.As the core player for the Tempo, Mabrey was eligible for .4 million this year, but likely negotiated a 2-year contract at the regular max of .19 million in year one with a slight bump up in 2027. The Tempo chose her from the Connecticut Sun in the expansion draft with the intention to core her.Sykes comes to Toronto by way of Seattle, where she was traded midseason in 2025. She’s a strong two-way shooting guard, a WNBA All-Star, and a 4x WNBA All-Defense selection. Her veteran presence was significant on the Washington Mystics at the beginning of last season, which is likely a big reason Toronto had sought her out.Grade for Sykes, Mabrey signings: B+For a team that started from zero on a compact timeline, the Tempo have been taking big swings. The idea of coming out competitively in year one is an intriguing experiment for an expansion franchise, something Golden State did well in 2o25. Right now, the Tempo have the 11th-best title odds in the WNBA in 2026, at +150,000, according to our friends at FanDuel, but they were always unlikely to win a championship in year one. These signings are about setting a standard of professionalism for a new franchise, and growing a culture to build upon.Bringing in Sykes as a veteran leader is definitely a good move to build culture on a new team, and pairing her with an instant fan-fav like Mabrey is just fun.Right now, the Tempo’s roster is still very small and very guard-heavy. The idea of spending a max contract on Sykes when you possibly could have spent that money on a solid frontcourt player raises eyebrows and creates a little bit of risk, but it’s still early in free agency. There is still a good chunk of money and lots of good players left on the market for Toronto to get the depth they need. Overall, the Sykes move is very fun for the new Toronto team, and both of these players should quickly become fan favorites in the new WNBA city.  #WNBA #Free #Agency #Grading #Mabrey #Sykes #signing #Toronto

11th-best title odds in the WNBA in 2026, at +150,000, according to our friends at FanDuel, but they were always unlikely to win a championship in year one. These signings are about setting a standard of professionalism for a new franchise, and growing a culture to build upon.

Bringing in Sykes as a veteran leader is definitely a good move to build culture on a new team, and pairing her with an instant fan-fav like Mabrey is just fun.

Right now, the Tempo’s roster is still very small and very guard-heavy. The idea of spending a max contract on Sykes when you possibly could have spent that money on a solid frontcourt player raises eyebrows and creates a little bit of risk, but it’s still early in free agency. There is still a good chunk of money and lots of good players left on the market for Toronto to get the depth they need. Overall, the Sykes move is very fun for the new Toronto team, and both of these players should quickly become fan favorites in the new WNBA city.

#WNBA #Free #Agency #Grading #Mabrey #Sykes #signing #Toronto">WNBA Free Agency: Grading Mabrey and Sykes signing in Toronto

The Toronto Tempo are coming out swinging in their very first WNBA free agency, signing the WNBA’s first million-dollar backcourt. Per ESPN, the Tempo are signing Marina Mabrey (who they cored this week) as well as Brittney Sykes to 2-year, max contracts.

As the core player for the Tempo, Mabrey was eligible for $1.4 million this year, but likely negotiated a 2-year contract at the regular max of $1.19 million in year one with a slight bump up in 2027. The Tempo chose her from the Connecticut Sun in the expansion draft with the intention to core her.

Sykes comes to Toronto by way of Seattle, where she was traded midseason in 2025. She’s a strong two-way shooting guard, a WNBA All-Star, and a 4x WNBA All-Defense selection. Her veteran presence was significant on the Washington Mystics at the beginning of last season, which is likely a big reason Toronto had sought her out.

Grade for Sykes, Mabrey signings: B+

For a team that started from zero on a compact timeline, the Tempo have been taking big swings. The idea of coming out competitively in year one is an intriguing experiment for an expansion franchise, something Golden State did well in 2o25. Right now, the Tempo have the 11th-best title odds in the WNBA in 2026, at +150,000, according to our friends at FanDuel, but they were always unlikely to win a championship in year one. These signings are about setting a standard of professionalism for a new franchise, and growing a culture to build upon.

Bringing in Sykes as a veteran leader is definitely a good move to build culture on a new team, and pairing her with an instant fan-fav like Mabrey is just fun.

Right now, the Tempo’s roster is still very small and very guard-heavy. The idea of spending a max contract on Sykes when you possibly could have spent that money on a solid frontcourt player raises eyebrows and creates a little bit of risk, but it’s still early in free agency. There is still a good chunk of money and lots of good players left on the market for Toronto to get the depth they need. Overall, the Sykes move is very fun for the new Toronto team, and both of these players should quickly become fan favorites in the new WNBA city.

#WNBA #Free #Agency #Grading #Mabrey #Sykes #signing #Toronto

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