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Deadspin | Behind Matt Savoie’s hat trick, Oilers wrap up 2nd in Pacific Apr 7, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris knoblauch watches play against the Utah Mammoth during the first period at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images Matt Savoie finished the regular season with his first NHL hat trick, helping host Edmonton steam to a 6-1 win over Vancouver Canucks on Thursday, giving the Oilers home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs. With the victory in the regular-season finale, Edmonton (41-30-11, 93 points) clinched second place in the Pacific Division. The Oilers will host the third-place Anaheim Ducks in Game 1 of a best-of-seven Western Conference playoff series on Monday. Savoie, a rookie forward paired with Connor McDavid for the past month due to Leon Draisaitl’s lower-body injury, got all three of his goals in the first period. Colton Dach added a goal and an assist, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins reached the 20-goal plateau for the seventh time in his career, and rookie Josh Samanski also scored. McDavid had four assists while Evan Bouchard finished with three. Connor Ingram needed to stop just 11 shots for the win. Rookie Ty Mueller got his first NHL goal for the Canucks (25-49-8, 58 points), who saw a three-game winning streak end. Vancouver finished with the worst record in the league. Kevin Lankinen made 29 saves and assisted on Mueller’s goal. Needing just a point to secure second place in the Pacific, the Oilers came out blazing as Samanski scored just 1:58 into the game, with an off-target shot that ricocheted in off Canucks defenseman Kirill Kudryavtsev. From there, the period belonged to Savoie, 22. He became the second Oilers skater to get his first hat trick off three first-period goals, joining Dave Hannan, who did it on Jan. 25, 1988. All three of Savoie’s goals came from almost the same spot, near the bottom of the faceoff circle to Lankinen’s right. His first came at 13:12, but Mueller cut the Edmonton lead to 2-1 on a breakaway at 7:50. Savoie got a power-play goal with 5:25 to go in the period and finished the hat trick when he scored with 58 seconds left in the first. McDavid assisted on all of Savoie’s goals and added his fourth on Nugent-Hopkins’ power-play goal with 3:14 left in the second. He recorded his second 90-assist season and secured his sixth Art Ross Trophy by leading the NHL with 138 points. Vancouver’s 12 shots on goal were the fewest Edmonton allowed in a game this season. The Canucks posted their second-lowest total, after the April 7 game against the Vegas Golden Knights in which they had 11 in a 2-1 loss. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Matt #Savoies #hat #trick #Oilers #wrap #2nd #Pacific

Deadspin | Behind Matt Savoie’s hat trick, Oilers wrap up 2nd in Pacific
Deadspin | Behind Matt Savoie’s hat trick, Oilers wrap up 2nd in Pacific Apr 7, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris knoblauch watches play against the Utah Mammoth during the first period at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images Matt Savoie finished the regular season with his first NHL hat trick, helping host Edmonton steam to a 6-1 win over Vancouver Canucks on Thursday, giving the Oilers home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs. With the victory in the regular-season finale, Edmonton (41-30-11, 93 points) clinched second place in the Pacific Division. The Oilers will host the third-place Anaheim Ducks in Game 1 of a best-of-seven Western Conference playoff series on Monday. Savoie, a rookie forward paired with Connor McDavid for the past month due to Leon Draisaitl’s lower-body injury, got all three of his goals in the first period. Colton Dach added a goal and an assist, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins reached the 20-goal plateau for the seventh time in his career, and rookie Josh Samanski also scored. McDavid had four assists while Evan Bouchard finished with three. Connor Ingram needed to stop just 11 shots for the win. Rookie Ty Mueller got his first NHL goal for the Canucks (25-49-8, 58 points), who saw a three-game winning streak end. Vancouver finished with the worst record in the league. Kevin Lankinen made 29 saves and assisted on Mueller’s goal. Needing just a point to secure second place in the Pacific, the Oilers came out blazing as Samanski scored just 1:58 into the game, with an off-target shot that ricocheted in off Canucks defenseman Kirill Kudryavtsev. From there, the period belonged to Savoie, 22. He became the second Oilers skater to get his first hat trick off three first-period goals, joining Dave Hannan, who did it on Jan. 25, 1988. All three of Savoie’s goals came from almost the same spot, near the bottom of the faceoff circle to Lankinen’s right. His first came at 13:12, but Mueller cut the Edmonton lead to 2-1 on a breakaway at 7:50. Savoie got a power-play goal with 5:25 to go in the period and finished the hat trick when he scored with 58 seconds left in the first. McDavid assisted on all of Savoie’s goals and added his fourth on Nugent-Hopkins’ power-play goal with 3:14 left in the second. He recorded his second 90-assist season and secured his sixth Art Ross Trophy by leading the NHL with 138 points. Vancouver’s 12 shots on goal were the fewest Edmonton allowed in a game this season. The Canucks posted their second-lowest total, after the April 7 game against the Vegas Golden Knights in which they had 11 in a 2-1 loss. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Matt #Savoies #hat #trick #Oilers #wrap #2nd #PacificApr 7, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris knoblauch watches play against the Utah Mammoth during the first period at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Matt Savoie finished the regular season with his first NHL hat trick, helping host Edmonton steam to a 6-1 win over Vancouver Canucks on Thursday, giving the Oilers home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

With the victory in the regular-season finale, Edmonton (41-30-11, 93 points) clinched second place in the Pacific Division. The Oilers will host the third-place Anaheim Ducks in Game 1 of a best-of-seven Western Conference playoff series on Monday.

Savoie, a rookie forward paired with Connor McDavid for the past month due to Leon Draisaitl’s lower-body injury, got all three of his goals in the first period. Colton Dach added a goal and an assist, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins reached the 20-goal plateau for the seventh time in his career, and rookie Josh Samanski also scored.

McDavid had four assists while Evan Bouchard finished with three. Connor Ingram needed to stop just 11 shots for the win.

Rookie Ty Mueller got his first NHL goal for the Canucks (25-49-8, 58 points), who saw a three-game winning streak end. Vancouver finished with the worst record in the league.

Kevin Lankinen made 29 saves and assisted on Mueller’s goal.


Needing just a point to secure second place in the Pacific, the Oilers came out blazing as Samanski scored just 1:58 into the game, with an off-target shot that ricocheted in off Canucks defenseman Kirill Kudryavtsev.

From there, the period belonged to Savoie, 22. He became the second Oilers skater to get his first hat trick off three first-period goals, joining Dave Hannan, who did it on Jan. 25, 1988.

All three of Savoie’s goals came from almost the same spot, near the bottom of the faceoff circle to Lankinen’s right. His first came at 13:12, but Mueller cut the Edmonton lead to 2-1 on a breakaway at 7:50.

Savoie got a power-play goal with 5:25 to go in the period and finished the hat trick when he scored with 58 seconds left in the first.

McDavid assisted on all of Savoie’s goals and added his fourth on Nugent-Hopkins’ power-play goal with 3:14 left in the second. He recorded his second 90-assist season and secured his sixth Art Ross Trophy by leading the NHL with 138 points.

Vancouver’s 12 shots on goal were the fewest Edmonton allowed in a game this season. The Canucks posted their second-lowest total, after the April 7 game against the Vegas Golden Knights in which they had 11 in a 2-1 loss.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Matt #Savoies #hat #trick #Oilers #wrap #2nd #Pacific

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Apr 7, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris knoblauch watches play against the Utah Mammoth during the first period at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Matt Savoie finished the regular season with his first NHL hat trick, helping host Edmonton steam to a 6-1 win over Vancouver Canucks on Thursday, giving the Oilers home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

With the victory in the regular-season finale, Edmonton (41-30-11, 93 points) clinched second place in the Pacific Division. The Oilers will host the third-place Anaheim Ducks in Game 1 of a best-of-seven Western Conference playoff series on Monday.

Savoie, a rookie forward paired with Connor McDavid for the past month due to Leon Draisaitl’s lower-body injury, got all three of his goals in the first period. Colton Dach added a goal and an assist, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins reached the 20-goal plateau for the seventh time in his career, and rookie Josh Samanski also scored.

McDavid had four assists while Evan Bouchard finished with three. Connor Ingram needed to stop just 11 shots for the win.

Rookie Ty Mueller got his first NHL goal for the Canucks (25-49-8, 58 points), who saw a three-game winning streak end. Vancouver finished with the worst record in the league.

Kevin Lankinen made 29 saves and assisted on Mueller’s goal.

Needing just a point to secure second place in the Pacific, the Oilers came out blazing as Samanski scored just 1:58 into the game, with an off-target shot that ricocheted in off Canucks defenseman Kirill Kudryavtsev.

From there, the period belonged to Savoie, 22. He became the second Oilers skater to get his first hat trick off three first-period goals, joining Dave Hannan, who did it on Jan. 25, 1988.

All three of Savoie’s goals came from almost the same spot, near the bottom of the faceoff circle to Lankinen’s right. His first came at 13:12, but Mueller cut the Edmonton lead to 2-1 on a breakaway at 7:50.

Savoie got a power-play goal with 5:25 to go in the period and finished the hat trick when he scored with 58 seconds left in the first.

McDavid assisted on all of Savoie’s goals and added his fourth on Nugent-Hopkins’ power-play goal with 3:14 left in the second. He recorded his second 90-assist season and secured his sixth Art Ross Trophy by leading the NHL with 138 points.

Vancouver’s 12 shots on goal were the fewest Edmonton allowed in a game this season. The Canucks posted their second-lowest total, after the April 7 game against the Vegas Golden Knights in which they had 11 in a 2-1 loss.

–Field Level Media

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Explainer: Why English County Cricket’s new Replacement Rule is stirring debate <div id="content-body-70872418" itemprop="articleBody"><p>The 2026 English domestic season has introduced one of the most radical shifts in cricket’s playing conditions. For the first time, teams can replace players mid-match not just for injuries, but also for illness and even significant life events.</p><p>The move, trialled by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), is already sparking debate. Not because of the idea itself, but because of how it is being used.</p><p><b>What exactly is the new rule?</b></p><p>Traditionally, cricket has resisted full mid-match substitutions. Teams could only bring in substitute fielders, except in rare cases like concussion replacements.</p><p>That changes in 2026.</p><p>Teams can now bring in a fully participating replacement</p><p>Applies to:</p><ul class="article-body article-bullet-list"><li> Injury </li><li> Illness </li><li> Significant life events (birth of a child, family illness, bereavement) </li></ul><p>The replacement can bat, bowl, and field.</p><p><b>How is it different from earlier trials?</b></p><p>Other countries have experimented with substitutes, but England has gone further.</p><ul class="article-body article-bullet-list"><li> No restriction on when a replacement can enter the match </li><li> Includes life events, not just injury or illness </li><li> Allows a full role replacement, not a limited substitute </li></ul><p>Compare that to Australia:</p><ul class="article-body article-bullet-list"><li> Only one substitute allowed </li><li> Must be made before end of Day 2 </li><li> Longer stand-down period </li></ul><p><b>What safeguards are in place?</b></p><p>To prevent misuse:</p><ul class="article-body article-bullet-list"><li> Medical clearance required for injury/illness replacements </li><li> Mutual agreement between county CEOs for life-event replacements </li><li> 8-day stand-down period for injured/ill players </li></ul><p>But there are gaps:</p><ul class="article-body article-bullet-list"><li> No stand-down period for life events </li><li> No restriction on timing of substitution </li><li> No hard cap on competitive advantage scenarios </li></ul><p><b>What has happened so far?</b></p><ul class="article-body article-bullet-list"><li> Replacements used in 5 of 18 matches </li><li> Total of 9 substitutions (including concussion) </li><li> ECB expected usage in ~25% of matches </li></ul><p><b>Why are teams concerned?</b></p><p><b>1. Late-entry advantage</b></p><p>A fresh player entering deep into a four-day game can tilt the balance.</p><p><b>2. Grey areas in injury assessment</b></p><p>What counts as “unfit enough” to justify replacement?</p><p><b>3. Potential for tactical misuse</b></p><p>Even without explicit tactical substitutions, teams could exploit loopholes.</p><p><b>What happens next?</b></p><ul class="article-body article-bullet-list"><li> Trial runs through the entire 2026 season </li><li> No mid-season rollback </li><li> Review expected after initial Championship block </li></ul><p class="publish-time" id="end-of-article">Published on Apr 17, 2026</p></div> #Explainer #English #County #Crickets #Replacement #Rule #stirring #debate

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Arshdeep Singh returned to basics and executed brilliantly, says PBKS’ spin bowling coach Bahutule <div id="content-body-70872489" itemprop="articleBody"><p>India and Punjab Kings pacer Arshdeep Singh did not have the brightest of starts in the Indian Premier League (IPL) this year, but a back-to-basics approach, including a lot of “target bowling” in the nets, has helped him regain his form, says his franchise coach Sairaj Bahutule.</p><p>For the first time in three matches at the Wankhede Stadium, where batters have ruled the roost, Arshdeep turned up with a terrific opening spell, accounting for Ryan Rickelton (2) and Suryakumar Yadav (0). He later dismissed Sherfane Rutherford (1) to return 4-0-22-3 on Thursday night.</p><p>Apart from striking in different spells, Arshdeep got the new ball to swing and move off the surface precariously while nailing most of his yorkers correctly at the death.</p><p>“He started off with his first two games really well and then because of the (nature of) pitches, there are lots of demands in terms of variations and sometimes, what happens is (that) you forget to bowl your stock ball,” Bahutule, who is PBKS’ spin bowling coach, told reporters after the match.</p><p>“But he is a very self-aware (bowler) and understands the nuances of the game. He went back to his basics in the last couple of days, did a lot of spot and target bowling, and he really came back with the understanding that he has to just focus on what he does best. He was very clear in his mindset…understand what works for you, what your strengths are and precisely that is what he did,” the former India player added.</p><p>Bahutule said Arshdeep’s action and the pace with which he bowls were together responsible for his performance.</p><p>“I think it is a mixture of both. He is a leading bowler in T20 cricket, in terms of wickets also, as well as the one who has the ability to swing,” he said about Arshdeep, who became the first bowler to complete 100 wickets for Punjab Kings in the IPL.</p><p>Bahutule credited head coach Ricky Ponting’s presence for the change in Prabhsimran Singh’s approach, who smacked a match-winning 80 not out off 39 balls.</p><p>“(It has) a lot to do with Ricky also being in the changing room. He himself being so positive, he rubs it across to all the batters in terms of approaching innings, and Prabh has responded really well to that,” Bahutule said.</p><p>Bahutule said PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer also has a better understanding of what a bowler would attack him with. Iyer struck 66 from 35 balls with five fours and four sixes while forging a rapid 139-run stand with Prabhsimran.</p><p>“Over a period of time, he’s really understood his game. He really works hard in knowing what is working for him and what is not working for him. Everybody has their understanding of bowling that short ball to him. But he’s become so smart at it that he understands when he is going to bowl that and he is very much ready for it,” Bahutule pointed out.</p><p>“Not only his smartness, but his execution has also become very optimal, and with a lot of clarity and understanding the situation of the game,” he added.</p><p class="publish-time" id="end-of-article">Published on Apr 17, 2026</p></div> #Arshdeep #Singh #returned #basics #executed #brilliantly #PBKS #spin #bowling #coach #Bahutule

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Deadspin | Report: Netflix close to landing NFL Honors for 2027 Feb 5, 2026; San Francisco, CA, USA; A NFL shield logo at the NFL Honors Red Carpet before Super Bowl LX at Palace of Fine Arts. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Netflix is finalizing a deal to stream the NFL Honors ceremony in 2027, Front Office Sports reported. The league’s annual awards event takes place during Super Bowl week and traditionally has aired on NFL Network as well as each year’s Super Bowl rights partner. Netflix is reportedly “likely” become the ceremony’s exclusive broadcast partner following a ratings report estimate of 3.7 million viewers for the February 2026 primetime broadcast on NBC. Spokespersons for Netflix and the NFL did not comment on the report. Netflix continues to expand its relationship with the league. After airing Christmas Day doubleheaders in each of the past two seasons, multiple reports have said the streaming giant has acquired three additional NFL games during the 2026 season. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Report #Netflix #close #landing #NFL #HonorsFeb 5, 2026; San Francisco, CA, USA; A NFL shield logo at the NFL Honors Red Carpet before Super Bowl LX at Palace of Fine Arts. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Netflix is finalizing a deal to stream the NFL Honors ceremony in 2027, Front Office Sports reported.

The league’s annual awards event takes place during Super Bowl week and traditionally has aired on NFL Network as well as each year’s Super Bowl rights partner.


Netflix is reportedly “likely” become the ceremony’s exclusive broadcast partner following a ratings report estimate of 3.7 million viewers for the February 2026 primetime broadcast on NBC.

Spokespersons for Netflix and the NFL did not comment on the report.

Netflix continues to expand its relationship with the league. After airing Christmas Day doubleheaders in each of the past two seasons, multiple reports have said the streaming giant has acquired three additional NFL games during the 2026 season.


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Report #Netflix #close #landing #NFL #Honors">Deadspin | Report: Netflix close to landing NFL Honors for 2027 Feb 5, 2026; San Francisco, CA, USA; A NFL shield logo at the NFL Honors Red Carpet before Super Bowl LX at Palace of Fine Arts. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Netflix is finalizing a deal to stream the NFL Honors ceremony in 2027, Front Office Sports reported. The league’s annual awards event takes place during Super Bowl week and traditionally has aired on NFL Network as well as each year’s Super Bowl rights partner. Netflix is reportedly “likely” become the ceremony’s exclusive broadcast partner following a ratings report estimate of 3.7 million viewers for the February 2026 primetime broadcast on NBC. Spokespersons for Netflix and the NFL did not comment on the report. Netflix continues to expand its relationship with the league. After airing Christmas Day doubleheaders in each of the past two seasons, multiple reports have said the streaming giant has acquired three additional NFL games during the 2026 season. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Report #Netflix #close #landing #NFL #Honors

The Portland Fire’s roster doesn’t include many big-name WNBA players.

One of two expansion teams to join the league this season, their roster is headlined by strong role players like Bridget Carleton, Carle Leite, and Emily Engslter, players who have never been primary options in the WNBA, and fought tooth and nail to make it.

But on Tuesday night in Portland, as streamers inundated the stands, the roster’s relative name recognition didn’t matter.

Thanks to a Sarah Ashlee-Barker game-winning putback layup, the Fire defeated the New York Liberty 98-96, toppling a veteran squad that boasts stars like Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones.

Important disclaimer: the Liberty have not been healthy to begin the season; two of their most important players — Sabrina Ionescu and Satou Sabally — are both sidelined. Still, few would have predicted that the Fire, who fell to the Chicago Sky on opening night, would come away with their first win of the season on Tuesday against.

Bridget Carleton did everything she could to ensure it would happen. The 28-year-old was selected No. 1 overall in the expansion draft, and subsequently signed a 3-year, $3.75 million maximum contract.

Some scoffed at the size of that deal — she’d never before averaged double-figures, and while she was a strong role player for the Minnesota Lynx, she appeared to be just that: a role player.

But, in Tuesday’s win, the Fire’s Carleton vision came to fruition. The Canadian sharpshooter tallied a career-high 26 points on 9-16 shooting, hitting 5 of 11 three-point attempts, while also racking up 4 steals. In her 33 minutes on the floor, the Fire outscored the Liberty by 12 points.

But the victory was far more than just Carleton’s doing.

The 22-year-old Carla Leite appears to be a rising star of her own. Leite showed flashes of potential in her rookie season on the Golden State Valkyries, but is already seeing more opportunities in Portland. She led the way with 21 points in the season opener, and followed that up with another 21-point performance on Tuesday, hitting 8 of 14 field goal attempts alongside 6 assists.

Leite’s most pivotal play came with just 27 seconds to spare, when she blew past Jonquel Jones for a clutch-time layup to tie up the ball game.

Then, it was Sarah Ashlee-Barker who quickly became a franchise hero; the second-year forward corralled Carleton’s missed three-point attempt, and beat the buzzer with the putback.

Immediately, Ashlee-Barker’s teammates piled on top of her in celebration, while the fans at Moda Center went berserk.

A Fire team that didn’t even have players just a few months ago had toppled one of the most talented squads in the WNBA.

And, the fire they played with on Tuesday night suggested it just might be the first of many big-time victories in their inaugural season.

#Portland #Fire #won #game #perfect">The Portland Fire just won their first game, and it was perfect The Portland Fire’s roster doesn’t include many big-name WNBA players.One of two expansion teams to join the league this season, their roster is headlined by strong role players like Bridget Carleton, Carle Leite, and Emily Engslter, players who have never been primary options in the WNBA, and fought tooth and nail to make it.But on Tuesday night in Portland, as streamers inundated the stands, the roster’s relative name recognition didn’t matter.Thanks to a Sarah Ashlee-Barker game-winning putback layup, the Fire defeated the New York Liberty 98-96, toppling a veteran squad that boasts stars like Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones.Important disclaimer: the Liberty have not been healthy to begin the season; two of their most important players — Sabrina Ionescu and Satou Sabally — are both sidelined. Still, few would have predicted that the Fire, who fell to the Chicago Sky on opening night, would come away with their first win of the season on Tuesday against.Bridget Carleton did everything she could to ensure it would happen. The 28-year-old was selected No. 1 overall in the expansion draft, and subsequently signed a 3-year, .75 million maximum contract.Some scoffed at the size of that deal — she’d never before averaged double-figures, and while she was a strong role player for the Minnesota Lynx, she appeared to be just that: a role player.But, in Tuesday’s win, the Fire’s Carleton vision came to fruition. The Canadian sharpshooter tallied a career-high 26 points on 9-16 shooting, hitting 5 of 11 three-point attempts, while also racking up 4 steals. In her 33 minutes on the floor, the Fire outscored the Liberty by 12 points.But the victory was far more than just Carleton’s doing.The 22-year-old Carla Leite appears to be a rising star of her own. Leite showed flashes of potential in her rookie season on the Golden State Valkyries, but is already seeing more opportunities in Portland. She led the way with 21 points in the season opener, and followed that up with another 21-point performance on Tuesday, hitting 8 of 14 field goal attempts alongside 6 assists.Leite’s most pivotal play came with just 27 seconds to spare, when she blew past Jonquel Jones for a clutch-time layup to tie up the ball game.Then, it was Sarah Ashlee-Barker who quickly became a franchise hero; the second-year forward corralled Carleton’s missed three-point attempt, and beat the buzzer with the putback.Immediately, Ashlee-Barker’s teammates piled on top of her in celebration, while the fans at Moda Center went berserk.A Fire team that didn’t even have players just a few months ago had toppled one of the most talented squads in the WNBA.And, the fire they played with on Tuesday night suggested it just might be the first of many big-time victories in their inaugural season. #Portland #Fire #won #game #perfect

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