Japan fans tidied up after themselves after their team's opening World Cup game against the Netherlands in Texas (Charlotte Wilson)Japan fans left the stands spotless after their World Cup opener against the Netherlands in Texas on Sunday, saying it was "Japanese culture" to tidy up after themselves.Spectators stayed behind after the 2-2 draw to make sure they left the stadium as they found it, meticulously picking up litter and stuffing it into blue plastic bags.It is a habit first learned at primary school and Japan fan Eita Tanaka told AFP that "we have to think about everyone"."Japanese people think that when we use a certain place, we were told that you have to make that place look tidier when you leave than it was when you arrived," said the 20-year-old, clasping a beer and a couple of cups, and wearing Japan's blue shirt."For example, at school in our classrooms we tidy it up after ourselves without our teacher telling us."Japan are appearing at their eighth straight World Cup and their fans' cleanliness has become their international calling card.NFL quarterback Jameis Winston could even be seen joining in the clean-up after Sunday's game, wearing a blue Japan shirt with his name on the back.Japan fan Futo Hagiwara said he was proud that the behaviour of his countrymen had been recognised in a positive light."This is our culture, that means everywhere we go we need to clean it after ourselves, it's our spiritual way, our attitude," he said.Sociologist and philosopher Masachi Ohsawa believes a mix of social responsibility and peer pressure is behind the fans' behaviour."While Japanese people tend not to take much interest in justice on a large scale -- issues like global inequality, conflict or climate change -- they are extremely sensitive to moral considerations on a smaller scale," he said."When it comes to people who they share the same space with or have direct personal contact with, they feel a strong desire not to cause them any trouble or make them feel uncomfortable."- School of life -Cleaning chores are a part of Japanese education from an early age, and children can be seen scrubbing floors and tables at schools every day.Public waste bins are scarce in the country, and people are expected to take their rubbish home with them.Getting rid of household waste can be a labyrinthine task that involves separating rubbish into different categories.Scott North, emeritus professor of sociology at the University of Osaka, said he and his neighbours get together twice a year to pull out weeds and rake up cuttings.He said such groups are organised into leaders and followers, and operate in a similar way to Japanese football supporters."Since everyone comes together, there's an expectation that they'll act as a group," said North, an American who has lived in Japan for about 40 years."And when the leaders break out the bags and say here you go, nobody is going to say no."Sociologist Ohsawa said such behaviour could be explained by what Japanese people refer to as "reading the air"."In Japan, even if one person starts picking up litter, those around them feel they simply cannot help but join in," he said."That's because if they don't, the people they are with will think they are a bad person."He said peer pressure was a powerful social force."In this case, the primary motivation isn't so much a desire to keep the stadium clean or to avoid causing trouble for the people who have to clean the stadium afterwards," he said."It's more a desire not to be seen as a nuisance in one's own group."Whatever the reasons, Japan's fans will keep tidying up for as long as they stay in the tournament.Their next game is against Tunisia in Mexico on Saturday, and fan Hagiwara is happy to keep leading by example."We usually don't tell children they should do it," he said."We just show our actions and behaviour, and other people follow."amk/dh

Pirates' Paul Skenes problem has returned originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The Pittsburgh Pirates have been here before, but they likely hoped that they were leaving it in the past.Turns out, an old Paul Skenes problem has returned.To be clear, this isn't really Skenes' fault, but it's a reality he is facing again.The Pirates have lost each of Skenes' last six starts, including Sunday against the Miami Marlins.That seems impossible, because he's one of the best pitchers on the planet. But each of the last six times Skenes has taken the mound to start a game, the Pirates have lost by the end of the game.It's hard to figure out how that happens. Sometimes, pitchers seem to have bad luck in a given season, but it doesn't necessarily carry over year to year.MORE: Guardians' Jose Ramirez situation is one that could change everythingThe Pirates have a much-improved offense this season, which should remove the likelihood of this happening quite as often.Yet at least lately, Pittsburgh is seeing Skenes struggle to get them wins.He's still his dominant self in many ways. On Sunday, he led MLB in swings-and-misses caused by a pitcher, with an impressive 23.But when the Pirates' game came to an end against Miami, the offense hadn't given Skenes enough support to win.Whether it's a problem that can be solved or not is hard to know. But what's clear is that Pittsburgh needs to stop wasting Skenes' starts.More MLB news:White Sox are on an astounding stretch at homeA 'gentlemanly' baserunning move confused the umpires, and everyone elseOneil Cruz is Pirates' big trade deadline questionOutfielder retires from baseball to go play college footballDodgers have a very simple reason to trade for Tarik Skubal

Rekik pulls goal back for Tunisia before break but Sweden leadIsak scored Sweden's second after Ayari opener from outside boxPotter is one of two English managers at tournamentListen to BBC Radio 5 Live commentary at the top of the pageElsewhere in Group, Netherlands and Japan drew 2-2 on SundayHow to watch the World Cup on BBC | Catch up on World Cup without spoilers | Pundit predictions Tunisia pull goal back before break but Sweden still lead in World Cup

Apr 08, 2026; San Jose, CA, USA; during San Jose Sharks vs Edmonton Oilers at SAP Center. Photo: Sport Shots / Dean TaitHere’s how I voted for the 2025-26 NHL Awards.For the first time since Erik Karlsson and 2022-23, it was a truly interesting year for the San Jose Sharks and the year-end awards, with Macklin Celebrini putting together an MVP-caliber campaign.Here’s how I voted this year with some explanations — you can see how the rest of the PHWA voted here.I’m proud to say that I’ve voted for the last nine straight years, see all my past votes here.HART TROPHYWinner: Nikita KucherovMy Vote:1) Connor McDavid – Edmonton Oilers 2) Macklin Celebrini – San Jose Sharks 3) Nikita Kucherov – Tampa Bay Lightning 4) Nathan MacKinnon – Colorado Avalanche 5) Zach Werenski – Columbus Blue JacketsThe margins were thin between these deserving MVP winners, especially the top-four.When the margins are thin, you must have differentiators, or how else can you decide a winner?Three of McDavid’s differentiators over Celebrini for me?McDavid has an NHL-leading 138 points, 23 more than Celebrini. McDavid had a goal or an assist in 48.9 percent of the Oilers’ offense, which also led the league in offensive involvement, only ahead of Celebrini’s 46.2.And yes, McDavid dragged Edmonton into the playoffs, while Celebrini just missed doing so.In my mind, all this trumped Celebrini’s differentiators: Celebrini was on a far weaker team, for sure, but the Oilers had their share of major injuries and wouldn’t have made the post-season without McDavid.Final Vote:NORRIS TROPHYWinner: Zach WerenskiMy Vote:1) Zach Werenski – Columbus Blue Jackets 2) Evan Bouchard – Edmonton Oilers 3) Rasmus Dahlin – Buffalo Sabres 4) Miro Heiskanen – Dallas Stars 5) Cale Makar – Colorado AvalancheSpeaking of differentiators…When I selected Erik Karlsson for the Norris Trophy in 2022-23, it was on the strength of a major differentiator like Karlsson being the first defenseman since Brian Leetch in 1991-92 to eclipse 100 points.So just like Celebrini just missing the playoffs was a differentiator, the same could be said about Bouchard being five points short of 100. It’s just a few points, but…Werenski is a better all-around defender, and once again, if you have a handful of closely-qualified candidates, you do have to find small reasons to separate them. You have no choice but to do so.Final Vote:CALDER TROPHYWinner: Matthew SchaeferMy Vote:1) Matthew Schaefer – New York Islanders 2) Jakub Dobes – Montreal Canadiens 3) Ivan Demidov – Montreal Canadiens 4) Beckett Sennecke – Anaheim Ducks 5) Jimmy Snuggerud – St. Louis BluesFinal Vote:LADY BYNG TROPHYWinner: Cole CaulfieldMy Vote:1) Jake Sanderson – Ottawa Senators 2) Mark Stone – Vegas Golden Knights 3) Travis Sanheim – Philadelphia Flyers 4) Zach Werenski – Columbus Blue Jackets 5) Esa Lindell – Dallas StarsThe Lady Byng, in my opinion, should be an award given to a gentlemanly player who plays at a high level and has his sportsmanship tested by challenging minutes. It’s easier to avoid taking penalties when you don’t play hard defensive minutes, so I never vote for those offense-first types.Final Vote:SELKE TROPHYWinner: Nick SuzukiMy Vote:1) Shane Pinto – Ottawa Senators 2) Ryan O’Reilly – Nashville Predators 3) Jordan Staal – Carolina Hurricanes 4) Nico Hischier – New Jersey Devils 5) Alex Wennberg – San Jose SharksSuzuki is a terrific two-way center, but I think my top-five had a combination of harder defensive match-ups, more PK time, and/or more a greater percentage of 5-on-5 defensive zone faceoffs.For what it’s worth, I filtered my Selke and Norris votes, my most challenging votes every year, through multiple NHL scouts.Final Vote:Masterton TrophyWinner: Gabriel LandeskogMy Vote:1) Gabriel Landeskog – Colorado Avalanche 2) Rasmus Dahlin – Buffalo Sabres 3) Ozzy Wiesblatt – Nashville PredatorsAll-Star TeamWinners:My Vote:CENTER — Three selections.1) Connor McDavid – Edmonton Oilers 2) Macklin Celebrini – San Jose Sharks 3) Nathan MacKinnon – Colorado AvalancheRIGHT WING — Three selections.1) Nikita Kucherov – Tampa Bay Lightning 2) David Pastrnak – Boston Bruins 3) Matt Boldy – Minnesota WildLEFT WING — Three selections.1) Jason Robertson – Dallas Stars 2) Cole Caulfield – Montreal Canadiens 3) Kirill Kaprizov – Minnesota WildDEFENSE — SIX selections.1) Zach Werenski – Columbus Blue Jackets 2) Evan Bouchard – Edmonton Oilers 3) Rasmus Dahlin – Buffalo Sabres 4) Miro Heiskanen – Dallas Stars 5) Cale Makar – Colorado Avalanche 6) Moritz Seider – Detroit Red WingsGOALTENDER — Three selections.1) Andrei Vasilevskiy – Tampa Bay Lightning 2) Logan Thompson – Washington Capitals 3) Karel Vejmelka – Utah MammothFinal Vote:NHL All-Rookie TeamWinners:My Vote:FORWARD —Ivan Demidov – Montreal Canadiens Beckett Sennecke – Anaheim Ducks Jimmy Snuggerud – St. Louis BluesDEFENSE —Matthew Schaefer – New York Islanders Alexander Nikishin – Carolina HurricanesGOALTENDER —Jakub Dobes – Montreal CanadiensFinal Vote:The post My 2025-26 NHL Awards Ballot: Why I Chose McDavid Over Celebrini for MVP? Wennberg Selke Vote appeared first on San Jose Hockey Now.

Galo face challenge of winning back the Massa after the Cup breakOne of Atlético Mineiro’s missions after the World Cup break will be to fully win back the confidence of the Massa.A survey by ge indicates that the current average attendance at Arena MRV is the lowest since Galo began playing at its new home.The survey took into account the 17 home matches played this season, the first 17 in 2024 and 2025, and all nine played in 2023.The best mark came in 2024, a season that ended with Galo competing in the Libertadores and Copa do Brasil finals.Check the averages below:2023 - 32,937 - 9 matches played2024 - 33,817 - first 17 matches2025 - 37,355 - first 17 matches2026 - 23,669 - first 17 matches Galo will return to action precisely in front of the Massa. They will face Bahia in a match expected to be played on July 22, in round 19 of the Brasileirão. This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

Yan Diomande impressed on his World Cup debut as Ivory Coast beat Ecuador with a late Amad Diallo goal (CHARLY TRIBALLEAU)Ivory Coast winger Yan Diomande said his team haven't come to the World Cup simply to make up the numbers after they struck late to beat Ecuador 1-0 in their opening match on Sunday.Diomande was a lively presence in attack for Ivory Coast in Philadelphia, where Manchester United's Amad Diallo scored a 90th-minute winner after coming off the bench."It's always great to start with a win to help with the confidence," said Diomande, who has attracted interest from a number of Europe's top clubs after an excellent season with RB Leipzig."We know Ecuador is a big team. We had to be patient and wait for our opportunity and we got the goal."The West Africans are appearing at their fourth World Cup but the first since 2014. They have never made it past the group stage but are well placed to do so with games still to come against Germany and Curacao."We haven't come here just to be part of it all. We want to make history," said Diomande.He will face some familiar faces when the Ivorians take on four-time World Cup winners Germany, packed with Bundesliga stars, in Toronto on June 20. Germany thrashed Curacao 7-1 to open their account on Sunday."We'll do everything we can to win the next match," said Diomande. "We know that playing against Germany is a tough game and they are one of the biggest teams in the world. We're waiting for them, but the most important thing is to stay calm and be humble."Ivory Coast coach Emerse Fae credited his side for the way in which they overcame their World Cup nerves as they rode their luck in the first half when Ecuador twice hit the bar."The players were a bit on edge. It was a first World Cup for everyone, so there was a bit of tension. They were afraid to take risks," said Fae, who guided the Elephants to an Africa Cup of Nations title on home soil two years ago."We managed to hold on and dig in," he added."In the second half we were a lot more focused... and we have attacking players who can make the difference at any moment."The loss snapped a 19-match unbeaten run for Ecuador dating back to September."It's difficult to start with a loss," admitted captain Enner Valencia."This squad has a history of coming through difficult situations. This will be just another one. I'm sure we'll pull through."mw/gj

The image of Rod Brind’Amour screaming triumphantly while raising the Stanley Cup as the Carolina Hurricanes’ captain had been the franchise’s defining image for the past two decades.Now there will be another: Brind'Amour raising the Cup again, this time as the Hurricanes’ coach who has made the sun-soaked Southern market his longtime home.The Hurricanes won their second championship by beating the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0 on Sunday night to close out a six-game Stanley Cup Final, adding a remarkable chapter to Brind'Amour's enduring presence with the franchise. In a region generally best known for rabid college sports rivalries, he is the embodiment of Hurricanes hockey.He was the 35-year-old two-way center as the heart and soul of that 2006 title run, known for grinding on-ice work and weight-room training. The owner of the retired No. 17 jersey in the Lenovo Center rafters.The guy who proclaimed “I bleed Hurricane red” when becoming head coach of a franchise lost in a nine-year wilderness without a playoff bid.Now he’s the coach who built a perennial contender that has finally reached its zenith. He joins Toe Blake with Montreal, Hap Day with Toronto and Cooney Weiland with Boston as the only other people in NHL history to both captain and coach the same organization to a Stanley Cup. Doing it more than a quarter-century after arriving as a player shocked to be traded to Carolina makes it only sweeter.“I don’t just wear this (Hurricanes) hat, take it off and wear someone else’s the next day," Brind'Amour said in May during his eighth playoff appearance in as many seasons. "That’s just not what it is. It means a little more to me because I’ve been here for so long. We have the roots and the history, so I’m very lucky in that way.”Brind'Amour's arrival triggered a title climbBrind’Amour — born in the Canadian capital of Ottawa and raised in Campbell River, British Columbia — arrived in a January 2000 trade from Philadelphia. That jarring charge had an inauspicious start; he reached Raleigh amid a heavy snowstorm that had paralyzed the area.Just two years later, Brind’Amour helped Carolina make an unexpected run to the Stanley Cup Final. Then, in the NHL’s 2005 return from a season-cancelling lockout, Brind'Amour became captain as the Hurricanes beat Edmonton in seven games for his unforgettable Cup-hoisting moment.Brind’Amour was part of another East final run in 2009 before retiring in 2010. He held a front-office role before spending seven seasons as an assistant coach and then taking over the bench in 2018.The challenge was daunting. There was the on-ice frustration from the long playoff drought. There was also flagging fan interest. The Hurricanes had gone from averaging 16,573 fans for regular-season home games in the 2008-09 season to as low as 11,776 by the 2016-17 season. That stood at just 12,412 the year before Brind'Amour's promotion.How Brind'Amour revitalized the HurricanesBrind'Amour quickly went about building a team capable of sustained success, one with an approach in befitting his personality. Use an aggressive forecheck to win puck battles. Maintain possession and generate scoring chances to keep the pressure on in the offensive zone.The mantra was simple: keep working, it's the only way to give yourself a chance to win.“It’s just the eight years we’ve been doing this Roddy,” captain Jordan Staal said before Game 6 against Vegas. “It’s the game we’ve built and it doesn’t ever change.”Brind’Amour acknowledges the value of having been a player — “I have sat in their seat,” he said this month — in understanding the challenges they face and how to motivate them. He also talks about leading a team that fans can be proud of with its performance and effort.And Brind'Amour continued a set-the-example leadership style, even in his own workout habits as he pushed into his 50s. It left an impression on offseason trade acquisition K'Andre Miller; the defenseman recalled coming in early to work out and finding Brind'Amour deep into bench squats.“I'm like, ‘Who is this guy?’” Miller chuckled last month.“It doesn’t hurt that your coach is in shape like that,” forward Taylor Hall said before the final. “That’s just the kind of guy he is. He’s a role model for us, and we kind of follow his lead.”Building for sustained success led to a second Cup titleIt's all added up to the Hurricanes making the playoffs every year of Brind'Amour's tenure. They reached the East final in 2019, 2023 and 2025 before pushing past Montreal this year. Average regular-season home attendance is roughly 18,800 for the past two seasons combined. And in 2023, the team packed nearly 57,000 fans into Carter-Finley Stadium — home to N.C. State's football team across the street from the Lenovo Center — for a Stadium Series outdoor game.Overall, Brind’Amour has been a player or coach for 102 of the franchise’s 104 playoff victories since the former Hartford Whalers relocated to North Carolina in 1997.That now includes Brind’Amour having his name etched on the Stanley Cup for a second time.___AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

The coach is the same. The system is the same. The core is the same.That is nothing against Rod Brind'Amour, considered one of the best behind the bench in the NHL, or Jordan Staal, Jaccob Slavin, Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis, who have been the centerpiece of the Carolina Hurricanes making the playoffs year after year.But the difference this year came from all the new talent general manager Eric Tulsky added over the past 17 months to get over the hump. It added up to the franchise winning the Stanley Cup for the second time and first since 2006.Tulsky took a big swing by acquiring elite winger Mikko Rantanen from Colorado in January 2025 and also got veteran Taylor Hall from Chicago as part of the three-team blockbuster. When Rantanen didn't want to be part of Carolina's long-term future, Tulsky traded him to Dallas and received center Logan Stankoven and two first-round picks, one of which became part of getting defenseman K'Andre Miller on July 1.Two days later, the Hurricanes won the bidding competition to sign top free agent Nikolaj Ehlers, the speedy winger who gave them just what they needed after seven consecutive postseason appearances without a trip to the final. Falling one goal short so many times in key situations, Ehlers, Stankoven, Hall and Miller put an end to the rite of spring of wondering where that would come from. All of them fit in with Brind'Amour, who requires his players to commit to a demanding brand of hockey that isn't for everyone. “We’ve really focused on finding people who fit the way we want to play,” Tulsky said. “We ask players to play a very distinctive style, and our scouts have done a great job finding players who can come in and look their best playing the way Rod needs them to play.”The Hurricanes' run started with a missTrading for Rantanen was a huge risk. It involved sending talented forwards Martin Necas and Jack Drury to the Avalanche in a gamble that the big Finnish winger was the missing piece.Rantanen had six points in 13 games with Carolina, and it became clear it was not a good fit. Discussions with Toronto involving Mitch Marner did not lead to him waiving his no-trade clause, and he instead wound up in Las Vegas and was key to the Golden Knights' run to the final.Rather than letting the situation play out with the likelihood he would depart in free agency, Tulsky flipped Rantanen to Dallas for Stankoven and a pair of first-round picks. One went to the New York Rangers for Miller, whose presence shored up depth on the blue line.“We never want to get worried about the what ifs,” Tulsky said. “That being said, sometimes it doesn’t go the way you hoped, and you’ve got to be ready to figure out how you’re going to move forward from there.”Stankoven led the team with 11 goals during this dominant run of 16 victories in 19 games.Hurricanes make all the right moves afterIt was the same old story every time. The Hurricanes weren't just a great regular-season team that failed in the playoffs. They won at least one series in six of Brind'Amour's first seven years as coach, including three trips to the East final. Tulsky, a former scientist who got into the sport by blogging about it as a fan and was promoted to succeed Don Waddell two years ago, didn't blow it up. But he didn't stand pat, either.The changes — including claiming goaltender Brandon Bussi off waivers from back-to-back champion Florida just before opening night in October — worked out swimmingly. Playing in the NHL for the first time at 27, Bussi won 31 of 39 starts during the season, then stepped in during the final in place of Frederik Andersen and backstopped them the rest of the way, including a shutout in the Game 6 clincher Sunday night.“We have the confidence in Bus,” Brind'Amour said. “He makes a ton of big saves. Even when there’s breakdowns, we trust him back there, gives us tons of confidence to play our game and just be aggressive all night.”Aggressive is the Golden Knights' way, going after every big-name free agent or trade candidate, and it led to the Stanley Cup in 2023 and three runs to the final in their first nine years of existence. But Carolina has also become that team.“Fundamentally, we want to be aggressive,” Tulsky said. “Rod has the team playing very aggressive on the ice. We want to be aggressive off the ice, too. And when you have a chance to add a really high-end player, we never want to miss out on it.”Carolina did not miss on Ehlers, who turned out to be key and scored the empty-netter that sealed the title. Getting him, Stankoven, Hall, Miller and others also made longtime holdovers like Staal and grinding forward Jordan Martinook believe they could get the job done.“When your team is trying to get better all the time, it’s something that you can get behind,” Martinook said. "Obviously, we took a run of Mikko, it didn’t work out, but look what we got from it. Stanks and Key, those are two of the pieces that we got from it. Hallsy was part of that, too. Those are three incredibly important pieces to our team. It just shows that they’re ready to take chances all the time."___AP Sports Writer Aaron Beard in Raleigh, North Carolina, contributed to this report.___AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Intuitive + unpredictable = WBA interim flyweight champion.In Grand Rapids, Michigan, Albuquerque’s Abraham Perez, facing down the toughest opponent of his career on Sunday in front of an international audience on DAZN, defeated former world champion Jonathan Gonzalez by split decision.After 12 physical yet tactical rounds, one judge scored the bout for Gonzalez 115-113. Two judges, however, saw it 115-113 for Perez — awarding Perez, the challenger, the interim title belt.The Journal, scoring off the DAZN streaming, had it 116-112 for Perez.Perez improved his still-spotless record to 15-0 with seven knockouts. Gonzalez, of Caguas, Puerto Rico, is 29-5-1.A relatively subdued Perez was his harshest critic during a brief post-fight interview in the ring.Asked if he felt he’d done enough to win, Perez said, “Yes, but I still don’t feel like that was my best.”Asked what he felt he could do better, he said, “Just stay a little bit more on my feet, stay more sharp with my punches.“Shoot, I’m a flyweight (112 pounds). I should throw more (punches) than that.”During the fight, the DAZN crew praised Perez’s ability to adjust on the fly — “intuitive,” was the word used — and his unpredictability, giving Gonzalez different looks.“You never know what he’s going to do next,” one of the broadcasters said.Gonzalez, a 35-year-old veteran of 15 years in the pro ranks, won the WBO light flyweight (108-pound) title in 2021 and successfully defended three times before moving up in weight. The shorter fighter, he had his best moments Sunday when pressing the fight inside and imposing his physicality.It was Perez, though, who landed the cleaner shots throughout — using movement, maintaining distance and landing creative combinations, mostly to the head, while not ignoring the body.There were no knockdowns, and neither fighter appeared hurt or dazed at any point.In boxing, an interim title suggests the holder of that belt might be next in line for a shot at the “regular” champion. But Gonzalez, who defeated Yankiel Rivera for the WBA interim belt in January, was required to defend against Perez instead.Perez, asked if he’d like to challenge WBA flyweight champion Ricardo Sandoval, said, “If he’s willing, then yessir, I would like it.”Sandoval (27-2, 18 KOs) last fought in July 2025 and, according to boxrec.com, does not have a fight scheduled.More likely for Perez, perhaps, is a defense of the title he won on Sunday. As is customary, Salita Promotions, which staged Sunday’s card, has options it can exercise.“One of the great boxing towns in the United States is Albuquerque, New Mexico,” promoter Dmitriy Salita said in the ring. “Now we have a world (interim) champion, and maybe the first defense is there.”

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Hours before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, Rod Brind'Amour praised Brandon Bussi while also expressing some measure of relief that the Carolina Hurricanes did not need to turn to their backup goaltender during this playoff run.“Haven’t had to use him, (and) to be honest, I hope we don’t because something’s gone wrong,” Brind'Amour said.Turns out the late-blooming goaltender came out of the bullpen after all and backstopped the Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup.After Frederik Andersen was in net for every minute of the first three rounds and the start of the final, Bussi came in during Game 3 and finished out the series. He stopped 81 of the 87 shots he faced against Vegas as Andersen’s status was shrouded in mystery; the veteran from Denmark did not dress from Game 4 on.Bussi, a 27-year-old from Long Island, was not an unknown quantity for the Hurricanes because he played in nearly half their games this season, winning 31 of his 39 starts to help Carolina earn the top seed in the Eastern Conference. He got a three-year extension at a bargain-basement $5.7 million price in February.Before the past several months, he was on track for the career of a journeyman.Going undrafted, he spend several years in the Boston Bruins' farm system with the Maine Mariners of the ECHL and Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League. Liking what they saw, the astute back-to-back champion Florida Panthers signed him last summer to be their third goalie behind Sergei Bobrovsky and Daniil Tarasov.Trying to get him to the AHL in Charlotte, the Panthers lost Bussi when Carolina claimed him off waivers. Injuries to Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov thrust him into an important role for a top contender.Bussi was even more needed in the final. He entered at the second intermission in Game 3 with the Hurricanes down 4-0. He stopped all 18 shots to allow a stirring comeback, and the only goal he allowed was the Golden Knights' winner in double overtime when the puck took a bad bounce off the end boards behind him and Bussi inadvertently kicked it in.In the Game 6 clincher, Bussi denied playoff-leading goal-scorer Brett Howden, who got in all alone in the first period. He stopped Tomas Hertl on a 2-on-1 rush in the second, much to the joy of family members watching from the stands. Then Bussi robbed Hertl and Mark Stone on quality scoring chances in the final few minutes of regulation.Hurricanes fans in Las Vegas chanted “Buss-i! Buss-i!” on the way to his third career shutout. A journeyman no more, Bussi is now a Stanley Cup champion.___Whyno contributed from New York.___AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

The Carolina Hurricanes are the 2026 Stanley Cup Champions, defeating the Vegas Golden Knights in six games with a 3-0 victory on Sunday night. With the win, it marks the first time former Spartan Rod Brind'Amour's first Stanley Cup as an NHL head coach.Brind'Amour, a star at MSU in the 1988-89 season, before going on to have a 22 year NHL career as a player. As a player, he won a Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006. 20 years later, he is holding the Stanley Cup as the head coach of the team he led to hockey's greatest accomplishment as the captain. He becomes the 7th person in NHL history to win a Stanley Cup championship for the same organization as both a player and head coach.Taking over the Hurricanes as the head coach in 2018-19, his first NHL head coaching gig, he has made the Hurricanes into one of the NHL's best teams, but a trip to the Stanley Cup final eluded him until this year. In his first chance at the cup as a head coach, he took advantage, and is bringing the cup back to Carolina. This Stanley Cup victory marks the end of a remarkable run from Carolina, going 16-3 in the playoffs en route to the championship. Congratulations to the former Spartan on reaching hockey's mountaintop once again.Congratulations to Michigan State hockey alum Rod Brind’Amour and the Carolina Hurricanes on winning the 2026 Stanley Cup!Brind’Amour becomes the 7th person in NHL history to win a Stanley Cup championship for the same organization as both a player and head coach.He captained… pic.twitter.com/vhYLePHk9C— Michigan State Hockey (@MSU_Hockey) June 15, 2026Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Cory Linsner on X @Rex_LinzyThis article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: Former Spartan leads Carolina Hurricanes to Stanley Cup Championship

Nature, Published online: 15 June 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-01833-wThe female individual’s brain was removed after her death, but her remains were carefully reassembled for her interment.

For 40 years, a museum in Norway has showcased art by children from around the world, even toddlers. Now it has lost the state support it depended on.

World Cup fans from across the region and around the world gathered at Lemon Hill in Fairmount Park on Sunday night to watch Ivory Coast defeat Ecuador, turning the FIFA Fan Festival into a lively, crowded celebration.The Ecuador fan base appeared larger, but it was Ivory Coast supporters who erupted after the final whistle. A moment of pure joy swept through the crowd as fans in orange cheered, danced and waved flags."I feel so excited to see Africa representing us on the bigger stage," said Peter Massaquoi of Hammonton.RELATED | World Cup updates: Ivory Coast defeats Ecuador in South Philly"I've been here 32 years in Philly, so far this is the best day of my life seeing my own team," said Mohamed Koita of Southwest Philadelphia.Fans traveled from different states and countries to watch the match on the festival's big screens."We came from Quito, Ecuador," said Sebastian Gamboa."I love it. I'm so happy they gave us this opportunity. We couldn't afford to get the tickets, but if we can support them from here, it's almost the same thing as the stadium," said Diane Cedeno of Allentown.Ivory Coast supporters, though outnumbered, made their presence known."It's Ivory Coast. It's elephants. We are the best country in the world," said Ahui Assi of Silver City, Maryland."Everything in our way gets destroyed - that's what it means to be an elephant. We crush everything in our way," said Herman Kouadio, also from Silver City.The festival offered more than just the match. Visitors played pickup games, sampled food and drinks, browsed the FIFA store and danced to music throughout the night."It's very, very nice. There is a lot going on. I like the FIFA official store, the food," said Blas Jaramillo of White Plains, New York.Many said the best part is the power of the sport."Soccer unites people all over the world. So, I'm glad to see everybody is here. Everybody is having fun," said Simon Musinguzi of Quakertown.The festival will reopen on Monday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. for three more matches. Entry is free, but attendees must register online before arriving.

With NBA free agency set to officially start in a couple of weeks, the biggest domino to fall for the Los Angeles Lakers will be what LeBron James decides to do. It seems as if the Lakers are the team he's most likely to play for next season, but the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors continue to be discussed as potential destinations for him.But if James really feels like he needs to win another championship, could he possibly join a team that is already on the cusp of winning it all? That is what CBS Sports writer Sam Quinn suggested in a recent article.In that article, Quinn went over what the San Antonio Spurs could do this offseason after losing in the NBA Finals to the New York Knicks in gut-wrenching fashion. He mentioned how they need a power forward to help out Victor Wembanyama and how they need a true ball-handler and facilitator. The Spurs are also a very young team that could use some veteran leadership.Therefore, Quinn proposed that James should perhaps head to San Antonio, especially if San Antonio trades guard De'Aaron Fox, who played poorly versus New York and has a bloated contract."If he's as serious about wanting to win as he says, there's no better suitor out there," Quinn wrote. "The Spurs can make the money work. The mid-level probably tops every suitor but the Lakers, and if the Spurs need to move [Keldon] Johnson to create cap space, they could get James into the low-20-million-dollar range. The basketball fit works because it always works with LeBron. He can do anything. He's power forward-sized, a need we've covered. He's no sharpshooter, but come on, nobody is ignoring LeBron James off the ball. He might be ball-handling overkill, but if they move Fox, James could step in as the veteran stabilizing creator. Maybe officially passing the 'face of the league' baton to Wembanyama would appeal to him. It's not likely, but it's worth an internal discussion on San Antonio's part."The one problem with this suggestion is that if James were to actually do this, it could hurt his legacy. Many of his critics have already gotten on him for joining stacked, ready-made teams, and heading to a squad that just lost the world title would only strengthen that criticism and narrative. Wembanyama is already one of the two or three best players in the world, and guards Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper are in the process of becoming legitimate stars.It also remains to be seen if the Spurs will even want to make a major move like bringing in James. It could be argued that they simply need a couple of minor or even moderate moves, and many are already picking them to win next season's championship.This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Writer suggests surprise LeBron James destination

Taylor Hall was a No. 1 pick in the draft in 2010. He was the NHL's MVP in 2018.Now, he is a Stanley Cup champion.No longer in the prime of his career, Hall was one of the biggest reasons the Carolina Hurricanes won 16 of 19 games during this playoff run. “He’s fast, he’s physical (and) he makes great plays with the puck,” defenseman Jaccob Slavin said. “He’s selling out to block shots. And so you need that. He’s really just been a complete player this whole playoffs.”Hall at 34 took on a workmanlike role on a line alongside 23-year-old Logan Stankoven and 22-year-old Jackson Blake. That trio led the way through the first three rounds of the playoffs and in the final against Vegas. Hall was a force in every way — generating offense, hammering opponents and sacrificing himself on defense.“Every line on our team has a physical aspect, and I think it falls on me to play like that,” Hall said. “Florida last year, there wasn’t a guy on their team that didn’t hit and didn’t make it really, really hard to be on the ice against them and you watch and learn.”Hall fit in quickly with CarolinaWith Chicago, Hall played Carolina on Jan. 20, 2025, and liked what he saw in a hard-fought overtime loss.“I got a first-hand glimpse of the intensity in which we play,” Hall said.His agent had approached him about the Hurricanes' interest in him and a few days later he joined them as part of the same three-team trade that got them Mikko Rantanen. Initially, Hall was not in shape to play coach Rod Brind'Amour's brand of hockey.But general manager Eric Tulsky liked what he saw in Hall.“He brings a blend of speed, skill and heaviness that really fits for us,” Tulsy said. “He has the ability to get pucks into the zone, win pucks along the way and he has the vision and creativity and skill to get pucks to the middle and create scoring chances off it. We spend a lot of time in the offensive zone, and we need players like him who can not just win the battle along the wall but get it to premium ice and create those top-tier chances and he’s been able to do that for us.”Hall settled in the Raleigh area, and before the end of April signed a three-year extension worth just over $3 million annually. A lot went into it, including a bad experience as a free agent during the pandemic and being able to drive his dog to his offseason home.“I was happy here, and I love the way we play and ultimately I saw this as a place that I think we could be here,” Hall said. “That’s what I envisioned, and everything else seemed like it made a lot of sense.”No MVP egoBrind'Amour as a player was a grinder, a defense-first center who made a living out of stopping players like Hall. As a coach, he knew all about Hall's skill as a winger, his 93-point season in 2017-18 with New Jersey that got him the Hart Trophy and the kind of offensive talent the Hurricanes were getting.The player who arrived was nothing like that.“He didn’t bring any of that, ‘I’m an MVP’ and I’m going to do it this way.' It was, ‘What do I have to do?’” Brind'Amour said. “When he first got with us, he was playing like 12 minutes a night. It didn’t matter. It was whatever he has to do to win. That’s refreshing, and that’s good on him.”Hall helped Carolina reach the 2025 Eastern Conference Final, then he and the team faltered against the defending-champion Panthers. That turned out to be an important lesson for a guy in his 30s thirsty for a title.“I didn’t play well in that conference final at all, and I think just the way that Florida played and the way that I played, it was a learning experience for me even at 33,” Hall said. “It was just different way to play in the playoffs. There’s a way to play, and there’s a way that the really good teams do it. I took it over the summer and tried to just get better and better.”Putting that into practice allowed Hall to set a record. His 18 seasons between getting drafted by Edmonton are the most before hoisting the Stanley Cup in league history for a No. 1 pick. All because Hall made a conscious decision to fit exactly what the Hurricanes needed.“It’s great for the role that we need him to play,” Slavin said. “I think he still has all the talent in the world, and you witness it night in and night out. He’s been great. And, yeah, has he adapted a little bit to how we play here? I think so. But that just speaks to the player that he is.”___AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Rod Brind'Amour knows a thing or two about how Jordan Staal is feeling. Now the Carolina Hurricanes' coach, Brind'Amour was their captain when they won the Stanley Cup two decades ago, and now Staal wears the “C.”Before the final against Vegas started, Brind'Amour was clear about one thing.“We’re not here today without Jordan Staal,” he said. “I can promise you that. We’re very lucky. And as a coach, you’re super fortunate to have a guy like that be your leader.”Staal led the Hurricanes to the second championship in franchise history by being the two-way shutdown center and faceoff ace he has been his entire NHL career. By elevating his game and leading them in goals with six in the final against the Golden Knights in addition to all those things, he won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.At 37, Staal is the oldest player to win the honor.“He’s always really good, but yeah, he’s stepped it up at such a pivotal time,” teammate Seth Jarvis said. “It’s incredible to watch, and it’s so much fun playing with him and being around him.”Staal is the longest-tenured player in the organization. He joined in 2012 in a trade from Pittsburgh on his wedding day, and after winning the Cup with the Penguins in '09, his first half-dozen years with the Hurricanes passed without a postseason appearance.“I don’t want to say that the losing that he had to do for four, five years when he got here might have fueled him even more, but I think it did,” fellow veteran Jordan Martinook said. “The fact that he’s seen some pretty dark days here and then to be on the other side of it ... he stuck through it the whole time.”The past seven seasons, Staal and the Hurricanes made the playoffs but failed to reach the final. He became captain in the middle of that stretch in 2020, taking on a role once filled by Brind'Amour from 2005-10 and older brother Eric from 2010-16.Staal took on the weight of those premature exits.“Each scar, each moment just drives a hunger even deeper into you,” Staal said. “Being a part of this core and all the scars that we’ve gone through just brings that care factor for each other that we want it for each other that much more.”Staal has never gotten the Selke Trophy as the league's best defensive forward, but he has been a finalist and this run shows why. He won more than 56% of his faceoffs and is so valuable on draws that he begins power plays just to get the Hurricanes the puck.Told of Brind'Amour's comment that the team would not have gotten this far without him, Staal praised his coach and downplayed changing anything in his game. The two shared a long hug on the ice in the moments after the Game 6 win.“I’m just being me,” Staal said. “I’m not really anyone different. But just my day-to-day presence is showing up and working. That’s all I’ve done since I got here in Carolina, and being consistent with that must have been enough.”The offensive outburst against Vegas put Staal over the top for the Conn Smythe after it looked like Logan Stankoven and Taylor Hall were Carolina's front-runners. He never scored 30 goals in a season, but his six in the final put him in the record books with the likes of Hall of Famers Mario Lemieux and Mike Bossy.“I’m not really surprised,” Brind'Amour said. “You take the goals away, it’d be the same impact. It’s just added that extra element.”___AP Sports Writer Aaron Beard in Raleigh, North Carolina, contributed to this report.___AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Who won the Conn Smythe? Hurricanes' Jordan Staal wins NHL's playoff MVP originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The Carolina Hurricanes are Stanley Cup champions for the first time in 20 years, when goalie Cam Ward earned Conn Smythe honors and Rod Brind'Amour captained the team to immortality.With Brind'Amour on the bench as head coach and another inexperienced goalie in net, the Hurricanes closed out the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 6 to put the franchise's past playoff disappointments out of mind.Brandon Bussi perhaps saved the Hurricanes' season after replacing Frederik Andersen, but he wasn't the one who skated away with the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the playoffs.Here's a look at which player earned the honor after Game 6.MORE:How Rod Brind'Amour is responsible for nearly every playoff win in Hurricanes historyWho won the 2026 Conn Smythe?Jordan Staal has been with the Hurricanes for 14 years, so it's only fitting he was the player celebrated with the Conn Smythe Trophy after the Hurricanes finished off their title run.CAPTAIN CLUTCH‼️JORDAN STAAL IS THE WINNER OF THE CONN SMYTHE TROPHY AS THE MVP OF THE #STANLEYCUP PLAYOFFS! pic.twitter.com/qBs1qrMtFB— NHL (@NHL) June 15, 2026Jordan Staal accepts the Conn Smythe Trophy as the OLDEST player to ever win it 🤯🔥 pic.twitter.com/KuVACoGzyA— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) June 15, 2026The award was earned regardless of Staal's experience level, as the 37-year-old put together a magnificent playoff run with 12 points on eight goals and four assists in 17 games. Staal averaged 0.71 points per game after averaging 0.48 points per game in the regular season, and he was unstoppable in the Stanley Cup Final with six goals in six games.Staal scored in each of the first five games of the Stanley Cup Final for Carolina, and that performance on the NHL's biggest stage earned him an award that will etch his name among some hockey greats.He was chosen over other Carolina forwards such as Long Stankoven and Taylor Hall. Full list of Conn Smythe winnersCam Ward won the Conn Smythe Trophy the last time the Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup Final.Here's a full list of all the Conn Smythe winners in NHL history.YearPlayerTeamPosition2026Jordan StaalCarolina HurricanesC2025Sam BennettFlorida PanthersC2024Connor McDavidEdmonton OilersC2023Jonathan MarchessaultVegas Golden KnightsRW2022Cale MakarColorado AvalancheD2021Andrei VasilevskiyTampa Bay LightningG2020Victor HedmanTampa Bay LightningD2019Ryan O'ReillySt. Louis BluesC2018Alex OvechkinWashington CapitalsLW2017Sidney CrosbyPittsburgh PenguinsC2016Sidney CrosbyPittsburgh PenguinsC2015Duncan KeithChicago BlackhawksD2014Justin WilliamsLos Angeles KingsRW2013Patrick KaneChicago BlackhawksRW2012Jonathan QuickLos Angeles KingsG2011Tim ThomasBoston BruinsG2010Jonathan ToewsChicago BlackhawksC2009Evgeni MalkinPittsburgh PenguinsC2008Henrik ZetterbergDetroit Red WingsC2007Scott NiedermayerAnaheim DucksD2006Cam WardCarolina HurricanesG2005N/A*N/A*N/A2004Brad RichardsTampa Bay LightningC2003Jean-Sebastien GiguereMighty Ducks of AnaheimG2002Nicklas LidstromDetroit Red WingsD2001Patrick RoyColorado AvalancheG2000Scott StevensNew Jersey DevilsD1999Joe NieuwendykDallas StarsC1998Steve YzermanDetroit Red WingsC1997Mike VernonDetroit Red WingsG1996Joe SakicColorado AvalancheC1995Claude LemieuxNew Jersey DevilsRW1994Brian LeetchNew York RangersD1993Patrick RoyMontreal CanadiensG1992Mario LemieuxPittsburgh PenguinsC1991Mario LemieuxPittsburgh PenguinsC1990Bill RanfordEdmonton OilersG1989Al MacInnisCalgary FlamesD1988Wayne GretzkyEdmonton OilersC1987Ron HextallPhiladelphia FlyersG1986Patrick RoyMontreal CanadiensG1985Wayne GretzkyEdmonton OilersC1984Mark MessierEdmonton OilersC1983Billy SmithNew York IslandersG1982Mike BossyNew York IslandersRW1981Butch GoringNew York IslandersC1980Bryan TrottierNew York IslandersC1979Bob GaineyMontreal CanadiensLW1978Larry RobinsonMontreal CanadiensD1977Guy LafleurMontreal CanadiensRW1976Reggie LeachPhiladelphia FlyersRW1975Bernie ParentPhiladelphia FlyersG1974Bernie ParentPhiladelphia FlyersG1973Yvan CournoyerMontreal CanadiensRW1972Bobby OrrBoston BruinsD1971Ken DrydenMontreal CanadiensG1970Bobby OrrBoston BruinsD1969Serge SavardMontreal CanadiensD1968Glenn HallSt. Louis BluesG1967Dave KeonToronto Maple LeafsC1966Roger CrozierDetroit Red WingsG1965Jean BeliveauMontreal CanadiensC

Josh Hokit makes strange Michelle Obama callout during post-win interview at UFC White House card originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The UFC Freedom 250 event is undoubtedly one of the most highly anticipated cards ever put together by Dana White — with the White House spectacle and a huge budget to build an outdoor cage on the lawn, a ton of eyes were on some notable fighters on Sunday night.One of those fighters, Josh Hokit, took advantage of the stage he found himself on, first by taking down Derrick Lewis. But it was the moments after his win that Hokit drew more attention online.In his post-fight interview, Hokit didn't just give a chain directly to President Donald Trump — he then walked off the octagon after calling Michelle Obama "a man."Here's a look at Hokit's callout of Michelle Obama and strange post-fight interview on Sunday.MORE: Full results, highlights from UFC Freedom 250Josh Hokit post-fight interviewHokit won via TKO against Lewis, then joined Joe Rogan for his post-fight interview with some interesting quotes expected, knowing his personality.He first called out Alex Pereira, asking for a fight against the new heavyweight contender:He wants to what?@Josh_HokitUFC outlines what is next for him following his win at #UFCWhiteHouse!LIVE NOW on @ParamountPlus![ UFC Freedom 250 Presented by @Cryptocom & @RamTrucks ] pic.twitter.com/5mA23LF6jH— UFC (@ufc) June 15, 2026Hokit was also seen gifting a chain to Trump prior to his interview:🚨 Josh Hokit gifts President Trump his chain 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/8pH9rubERq— Polymarket Sports (@PolymarketSport) June 15, 2026However, it was what Hokit said before leaving the stage that drew the most attention.What did Josh Hokit say about Michelle Obama?As his final statement before walking away from the interview, Hokit, out of the blue, said: "Michelle Obama is a man. Am I right America?"Josh Hokit just called Michelle Obama a man in front of Donald Trump at the White House pic.twitter.com/NiOqsxp2Fm— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) June 15, 2026MORE:Fact-checking the Daniel Cormier-Eric Trump viral exchangeJosh Hokit controversy Sunday was certainly not the first time Hokit drew attention for his unique personality and interviews.With the nickname "The Incredible Hoke," Hoki — who spent two seasons on the 49ers' practice squad in the NFL as a fullback after playing football at Fresno State — has built a character in the MMA world. Recently, his weigh-in for the Freedom 250 card went viral, as he appeared to throw up on himself and said "So what, maybe I was drinking last night."Josh Hokit showed up to the weigh-ins "drunk" and threw up on himself 😭"So what, maybe I was drinking last night. Who wouldn't be. I have a giant black man that wants to knock me out." pic.twitter.com/YP02EnjmSS— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) June 13, 2026Hokit has continually had some interesting press conferences, especially surrounding UFC Freedom 250.Here's what Josh Hokit said to Derrick Lewis during their face off:🗣️ "Don't f*cking give up. Don't take my glory away from me. Or I'll find you in the parking lot after." 😳 #UFCWhiteHousehttps://t.co/U8072WYp2Mpic.twitter.com/b6cOw3ShKf— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) June 14, 2026Josh Hokit tried to grab the mic from Joe Rogan againJoe refused to let it happen this time 😭 #UFCWhiteHousepic.twitter.com/eTFeLllkLp— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) June 14, 2026

Ex-Maple Leafs star Mitch Marner draws hate for Golden Knights ending originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The narrative throughout almost all of the NHL postseason was that Mitch Marner was rewriting the script.He may have been underwhelming in his Toronto Maple Leafs playoff career, but with the Vegas Golden Knights this season, Marner was leading the entire league in points in the playoffs.The Golden Knights lost the Stanley Cup Final to the Carolina Hurricanes in six games, though, and some hockey fans have pounced to criticize Marner.Why? Because he didn't do anything in the final two losses.After leading the playoffs in points, he was point-less in Games 5 or 6, the two losses that gave Carolina the Cup.Marner points in games five and six: 0Guess we’ll have to wait to hear about the dark times— JD Bunkis (@JDBunkis) June 15, 2026MORE: Dylan Larkin's trade request points out a major NHL flawIt's a small sample size, and Marner's overall playoff output will remain highly encouraging for Vegas.He can't be expected to be the only player who leads the way for Vegas, but it was unfortunate timing for the Golden Knights and for Marner that he went quiet in these final two games of the season.Vegas brought Marner aboard in the big offseason sign-and-trade from the Maple Leafs because they knew his superstar all-around game could make a difference. The last month-plus, that's exactly what happened.Marner just managed to disappear with everything on the line. That doesn't have to tell any kind of story, but some fans will certainly take it to suggest Marner doesn't have the clutch gene.And at least on this occasion, that appears somewhat true.Marner will have to wait nearly a year to get the chance to rewrite his story again.More NHL news:Canadiens had a trade agreed to, but they missed by 1 minuteHenrik Sedin's son is excelling in a different sportElias Petersson trade plans may be missing a key pointWould the Maple Leafs trade Easton Cowan?Alex Ovechkin's mom is playing a role in his retirement decision

WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 14: Sean O'Malley reacts to his win over Aiemann Zahabi of Canada in a bantamweight fight during the UFC Freedom 250 event on the South Lawn at the White House on June 14, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC) Sean O’Malley promised he would finish Aiemann Zahabi and he came through with a picture perfect walkoff knockout at UFC White House on Sunday.It was a vintage performance from O’Malley as he chipped away at the Canadian throughout the opening round before he came forward with a straight right hand that dropped Zahabi momentarily. Back on his feet, Zahabi then ate a crushing right hand from O’Malley that sent him back to the canvas again and that was enough for referee Jason Herzog to stop the fight at 4:02 in the second round.SUGA SEAN GETS A MASSIVE TKO IN ROUND 2! [ #UFCWhiteHouse | LIVE NOW ON @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/HfPZEJVP8q— UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount) June 15, 2026As soon as he landed the right hand, O’Malley turned to the troops in the stand and gave a salute to celebrate his highlight reel knockout.“It’s hard to put into words,” O’Malley said about his performance. “Manifestation is a real thing. I’ve seen this before. That was the plan. I said it, it’s out there. That was sexy. Petr Yan! It should have been here tonight. That’s what I want next. I want Petr next.”O’Malley was aggressive from the start, marching forward and keeping Zahabi on his back foot. Using his reach advantage, O’Malley was throwing a long jab but then attacking with a big right hand to keep Zahabi guessing.Zahabi did a good job circling away and trying to chop away at O’Malley with a slick inside leg kick. When Zahabi did try moving forward, O’Malley was playing counter fighter and he was repeatedly connecting with stiff punches.At the start of the second round, O’Malley clipped Zahabi with a good double jab and then a hard right hand that also landed clean. Zahabi could only answer back with more inside leg kicks but he wasn’t doing much else to produce any offense.Late in the round, O’Malley finally found the opening he wanted after he blasted Zahabi with a straight left hand that rattled him and put him down on the canvas. O’Malley followed that with a right hand that sent Zahabi crashing down again and that was the end of the fight.With a win over current UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan in the past, O’Malley remains a top contender in the division and he might just find himself in another title fight if the Russian can beat Merab Dvalishvili again with that rematch expected to happen later this year.

June 14 (UPI) -- Jaccob Slavin and the Carolina Hurricanes vaporized Vegas Golden Knights offensive threats in a Game 6 shutout Sunday to seal the franchise's first Stanley Cup in 20 years.Slavin provided an assist, but made most of his impact as a spoiler of the Golden Knights' hopes of extending the series, foiling countless chances in Carolina's 3-0 triumph in Las Vegas."What a feeling," Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal, the Stanley Cup playoffs MVP, said on the ABC broadcast. "What a battle. The boys were grinding today. So many individual efforts to keep the puck out of the net. It was an amazing ride."Hurricanes goalie Brandon Bussi, who took over for benched starter Frederik Andersen in Game 3, made 22 saves in Game 6 to become the first rookie to record a shutout in a Stanley Cup clincher since 1936. The Hurricanes are the first team since the 1984 Edmonton Oilers to win a Stanley Cup while using two starting goalies."It's special," Bussi said. "It's been a special year. It's been an honor to do it with this group. Everybody deserves it so much."Staal, who totaled 12 points in the playoffs, became the oldest player (37) to win the Conn Smythe Trophy. Jackson Blake led the Hurricanes with 20 points in the playoffs. He logged his seventh goal and 13th assist in Game 6. Taylor Hall totaled 19 postseason points, including a Game 6 goal.Fellow forward Nikolaj Ehlers, who scored the final goal of Game 6, totaled 18 postseason points.With the victory, the Hurricanes captured their first Stanley Cup since 2005-06, when they earned their first title in franchise history. The 2025-26 Hurricanes finished the postseason with a 16-3 record, including their 4-2 mark in the title series.The Golden Knights, who scored at least three goals in each of the first four games of the series, totaled two in Game 5 before their season-ending shutout loss. Sunday's struggle included a stretch of nearly 19 minutes -- spanning from the second period and into the third -- without a single shot on net.Meanwhile, the Hurricanes jumped ahead early on and spent the remainder of the night protecting a two-goal edge. They leaned on superior speed and puck movement to overwhelm the Golden Knights, who played without star forward William Karlsson, who was injured in Game 5.Slavin and Blake assisted Hall for first blood 3:47 into Game 6. Blake corralled the puck from a Golden Knights turnover during that sequence. Slavin spotted Hall beyond the opposite blue line and rocketed a pass along the left boards. Hall hauled in the feed and finished the play with a wrist shot between goalie Carter Hart's leg pad and glove.Blake doubled the lead with 6:29 remaining in the second period when he scored off an assist from fellow forward Logan Stankoven. That score was triggered by a frenzy in front of the Vegas net. Several Golden Knights players failed to clear the puck, which ended up with Stankoven. The defenseman slid through the right circle and spotted Blake for a pass into the crease.Carolina's No. 53 finished the play with a one-timer, which deflected off Golden Knights forward Mitch Marner's stick and beating Hart on his glove side for a second time. Ehlers slid in an empty netter with 68 seconds remaining for the final goal of the series, sealing Carolina's Stanley Cup.The Hurricanes held a 23-22 shooting advantage. They allowed 11 chances over the final two periods, including just three in the second period. They also totaled 10 takeaways against 16 giveaways, compared to the Golden Knights' two takeaways and 19 giveaways.

The Oklahoma Sooners picked up a pair of commitments on Sunday in the 2027 recruiting class. First, it was wide receiver Malahn Green out of St. Louis. The Sooners then added offensive lineman Jaxon Lawler out of Amarillo, Texas. Lawler is a three-star offensive lineman in the class, choosing the Sooners over offers from Oklahoma State, Wake Forest, North Texas, Air Force, and UTEP, among others. He'd also been in contact with SMU, Texas Tech, TCU, and Columbia. The Sooners added a physical offensive lineman who looks to punish opponents. He moves well and will be a force in the running game. Lawler plays both ways, starring along the defensive line for his high school team. He's got a good first step and is physical at the point of attack. He drives his feet and plays with a relentless motor. Lawler is the sixth offensive lineman the Sooners added to the class, joining Cooper Hackett, Kaeden Penny, Luke Wilson, Tyson Ross, and Isaac Coughran. Oklahoma 2027 Recruiting ClassNamePositionGabriel Osborne Jr.CBKaeden PennyOTSeneca DriverTECooper WittenLBCooper HackettOTTaven EppsATHMikhail McCrearyCBKeldrid BenRBJaylen ScottSKrew JonesEDGEElija HarmonDLJamison RobertsQBDeven RobertsonDLIsaac CoughranIOLMikyal DavisCBSione FelilaDLSamuel NelsonEDGEGreydon HowellWRLuke WilsonOTTyson RossIOLJakoby DixonRBMalahn GreenWRJaxon LawlerIOLNoah SmithQBContact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X (formerly known as Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions.You can also follow John on X @john9williams.This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: Oklahoma Sooners earn commitment from 3-star OL Jaxon Lawler.