Dallas Stars left wing Mason Marchment (27) shoots during an NHL hockey game against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Dallas, Thursday, March 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)
DALLAS (AP) — Gage Goncalves scored Tampa Bay’s third goal in the fourth round of the shootout and the Lightning beat the Dallas Stars 3-2 on Thursday night.
Brandon Hagel and Anthony Cirelli had a goal and an assist each for the Lightning, who have won three consecutive games. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 22 saves through overtime and two in the shootout.
Oskar Back and Mason Marchment scored for the Stars, whose eight-game home winning streak was snapped. Casey DeSmith tied a season high with 36 saves through overtime but his career-long six-game winning streak came to an end.
Goncalves scored his first shootout goal this season after Vasilevskiy made a glove save on Mikko Rantanen.
Cirelli followed Hagel’s first-period goal scoring on a rebound at 7:20 of the second period to give the Lightning a 2-0 lead. Back’s deflection 38 seconds later started Dallas’ comeback. Marchment tied the score about six minutes later with a jab over the goal line with one second left on a power play.
Takeaways
Lightning: They began with 11 forwards and seven defensemen, then lost forward Zemgus Girgensons to a hard hit early in the third period and defenseman Ryan McDonagh in the closing seconds of regulation when he took a puck to the right ear.
Stars: Wyatt Johnston’s 15-game home point streak was snapped one game short of matching the Dallas record held by Mike Modano.
Key moment
Vasilevskiy made a save on a point-blank chance by Johnston with 20 seconds left in regulation.
Key stat
Vasilevskiy is 15-4-3 against Dallas in regular-season play and was in net when the Lightning beat the Stars 4-2 in the 2020 Stanley Cup Final.
Up next
The Lightning will visit Utah on Saturday, when the Stars will host Philadelphia.
The International Olympic Committee has a new president. Kirsty Coventry and she is the first woman and first African to lead the IOC in its 130-year history. She beat out six others in the IOC delegate’s election and will replace Thomas Bach in the position. Winning the election was the easy part for Coventry. Running the organization is going to be difficult. When the International Olympic Committee awarded Los Angeles the 2028 Olympics in 2017, very few countries bothered to submit a bid because local citizens recoiled at spending billions upon billions of dollars or euros on a big sports party that left locals paying for the sports gala for years and sometimes decades. That has changed as countries are planning bids for the 2036 Summer Games. Salt Lake City got the 2034 winter event in much the same manner as Los Angeles, few countries wanted to host the sports party.
There are other issues facing Coventry. The role of transgender athletes in the Olympic movement. The ongoing Russia-Ukrainian war which was started during the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics which violated some International Olympic Committee rule that wars should not start during the Olympics. Russia invaded Ukraine and the Russian national team was kicked out of the Olympic movement along with Belarus. Athletes from Russia and Belarus can compete in the Olympics as neutrals. Climate change is another IOC issue. But the biggest problem is America and the sudden tariff wars with various countries and the American threats of invading sovereign territories such as Panama and Greenland. Los Angeles and Salt Lake City probably should be solid Olympic hosts but geopolitics over the past two months have made life difficult for the outgoing president, Bach, and Coventry is assuming the office with countries looking for new alliances. That will spread over into the IOC and Coventry will be looking to recreate sports alliances as job one.
Jackson State head coach Deion Sanders glares at his players as they exit the field during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Southern University in Jackson, Miss., Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022. Jackson State won 35-0. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — In a time when programs are rethinking their annual spring football game, Deion Sanders has his own suggestion — bring in another team.
Just like the NFL sometimes does before exhibition games.
The Colorado coach figures with just about everything else changing in college football — transfer portal, name image likeness deals, roster limitations — it’s about time to find a way to make what’s usually an intra-squad scrimmage better for fans and teams alike. Such a change would require the NCAA to alter its rules on spring ball.
“To have it competitive, playing against your own guys kind of gets monotonous,” Sanders said Monday in his first news conference since last season. “You really can’t tell the level of your guys because, it’s the same old, same old — everybody kind of knows each other.”
His concept would be similar to a preseason game in the NFL, where a team comes in for a few days of joint practices before their exhibition game.
“I think the public will be satisfied with that tremendously,” Sanders said. “I think it’s a tremendous idea. I’ve told those personnel who should understand that’s a tremendous idea.”
Nebraska recently announced it is replacing its spring football game with skills competitions and 7-on-7 games at Memorial Stadium on April 26. This comes on the heels of Cornhuskers coach Matt Rhule expressing concerns about other teams scouting players in the scrimmage and possibly poaching them through the transfer portal.
While the spring game remains a big draw, some schools in recent years have started to move away from traditional scrimmages because of smaller rosters and the risk of player injuries. Nebraska, Texas, Ohio State and Southern California are among programs ending the tradition this spring.
Colorado will hold its spring game this season on April 19 at Folsom Field. It will be broadcast on ESPN2.
“We’ve got to sell this thing out and pack this thing because the way the trend is going, you never know if this is going to be the last spring game,” Sanders said. “I don’t believe in that. I don’t really want to condone that. I would like to play the spring game. Actually, I like to play against another team in the spring.”
All in the family
Plenty of mock NFL drafts have QB Shedeur Sanders slipping down in the first round next month after he chose not to throw at the scouting combine and his brother, DB Shilo Sanders, not hearing his phone ring for any of the 257 picks.
Deion Sanders wonders what his own draft experience — he was selected fifth overall by the Atlanta Falcons in 1989 — would have been like in today’s world.
“They receive a lot more ignorance than I did,” Sanders said of his sons. “I received some, but we didn’t have the social media channels and all the different things that’s privy today … I mean, you’ve got to understand, I was a two-sport guy at the time, so you could imagine what it would have been like with all the hate and the naysayers.”
Sanders said he knows his sons can handle any and all flack coming their way as the NFL draft approaches.
“You’ve got to take a shot at somebody and you might as well take a shot at a Sanders,” he said. “We’re built for this.”
Contract extension
Sanders downplayed talk about his contract extension, saying “there may be” discussions. “I don’t know.”
What he’s lobbying for is raises for his staff.
“Let’s get everybody else straight first, then I’m good,” he said,
Sanders signed a five-year, $29.5 million deal before the 2023 season. The Buffaloes went 4-8 that year and 9-4 last season.
Pro days
Deion Sanders plans to attend the Big 12 Pro Day this week in Frisco, Texas. Shedeur and Shilo Sanders, and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter are among the Buffaloes who are expected to attend. Sanders said some of his players may not participate and wait for Colorado’s pro day — which the Buffs are now calling a “skills showcase” — on April 4.
Livingston’s deal
A top priority for the Buffaloes was retaining defensive coordinator Robert Livingston. They rewarded the architect behind the defensive unit’s turnaround with a new two-year deal that makes him the highest-paid assistant in program history. Livingston will earn $1.5 million next season and $1.6 million in 2026.
“Rob was on everybody’s list to try to secure his services, and he deserves everything he got coming and then some,” Sanders said. “When you win, you expect your staff to be ravaged. You expect that.”
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AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Stapleton contributed to this report.
Women’s college basketball continues to thrive following Caitlin Clark‘s departure to the WNBA.
Numerous players have stepped into the spotlight and are set to showcase their talents on the sport’s biggest stage.
Here are 10 names to watch when the women’s NCAA Tournament begins Friday.
JuJu Watkins, USC
Watkins will be the face of the sport beyond this season. The Trojans phenom has tallied more points than Clark did through her first two campaigns and is just four 30-point games away from tying Cheryl Miller’s program record of 25. Watkins is a nightmare in transition with her size, speed, and strength. She can pull up on a dime from anywhere on the floor and makes the right pass when defenses swarm her in the paint. The Los Angeles native is also a semifinalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award, showing great help instincts and often getting a hand in passing lanes.
Paige Bueckers, UConn
Bueckers is the presumptive No. 1 pick in this year’s WNBA draft. The Huskies star was the first freshman to sweep the National Player of the Year awards and has recaptured that form after missing the entire 2022-23 campaign with a torn ACL. Bueckers is an efficient three-level scorer with near 50/40/90 shooting splits this season. She’s an unselfish player who’s always looking to create high-percentage looks for her teammates. Her 3.9 assist-to-turnover ratio leads all players. Bueckers’ defense has steadily improved as she uses her length to contest shots and create turnovers.
Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame
Hidalgo may be small in stature, but the 5-foot-6 sophomore guard is Notre Dame’s spark plug on both ends of the floor. She ignites the Fighting Irish’s transition attack with her speed, plays relentless defense, and isn’t afraid to take big shots. Hidalgo ranks fourth in the nation in both scoring (24.2 points per contest) and steals (3.7). She’s shooting the ball significantly better from downtown too, making 40.7% of her 3-point attempts.
Lauren Betts, UCLA
Betts was the driving force for a UCLA squad that spent most of the campaign atop the AP Poll. The 6-foot-7 center is an imposing figure in the paint as both a shot-blocker and low-post scorer. She’s registered the fifth-most swats (85) and is converting 65.6% of her attempts at the rim, per Hoop Explorer. Betts’ newfound playmaking adds another wrinkle to her game. She does a good job passing out of double-teams in the post and has been a weapon in dribble handoffs.
Aneesah Morrow, LSU
Morrow’s strong senior year is building her draft stock. The 6-foot-1 forward is among 15 players on the national ballot for the Wooden Award and is a semifinalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award. Morrow’s a handful to cover on the glass with her never-ending motor. She’s leading all players in rebounds for the second time in four campaigns and trails only Courtney Paris on the Division I all-time list in career double-doubles after picking up 27 this season.
Madison Booker, Texas
Booker followed up a standout freshman campaign with SEC Player of the Year honors. The versatile second-year wing paces Texas in scoring (16.2) and ranks second on the team in rebounds (6.6), assists (2.8), and steals (1.6). She’s knocking down 13% more threes this season and boasts an elite mid-range game. Booker was the Longhorns’ de facto floor general last season in Rori Harmon’s absence and continues to facilitate the offense at times.
Ta’Niya Latson, Florida State
This list wouldn’t be complete without the country’s leading scorer. Latson is the focal point on the NCAA’s second-highest scoring unit, averaging 24.9 points on 45.1% shooting. The Miami native blows by defenders off the bounce, has the body control to convert difficult finishes at the rim, and frequently draws fouls with her forceful drives. She’s raised her game on the defensive end as well, placing fifth in the ACC with 2.2 steals per contest. Florida State failed to win an NCAA Tournament game in each of Latson’s first two seasons, but it’s only a matter of time until the program breaks through.
Olivia Miles, Notre Dame
Miles is the other half of Notre Dame’s dynamic backcourt. The 22-year-old has been stellar after missing the previous campaign with a torn ACL, tallying a career-high 16.2 points per game and a 2.15 assist-to-turnover ratio. She leads the ACC in assists (5.8) for the third time in four seasons. Miles has also improved arguably her biggest weakness, connecting on 40.9% of her attempts from deep after entering the year as a 24.6% career 3-point shooter. Miles’ return allows Hidalgo to play off the ball and has solidified the Fighting Irish as national contenders.
Sarah Strong, UConn
Strong has looked like anything but a freshman. The top-ranked recruit in last year’s class has immediately provided UConn with a bona fide No. 2 option alongside Bueckers. Strong can carry the ball coast to coast like a guard, pick-and-pop for three, and uses her quick hands to steal the ball from opponents. The Huskies have maximized her passing ability as well, using the 6-foot-2 forward as a playmaking hub in the high post. It’s been nearly a decade since the school captured its last national championship, but Strong might be the missing piece to the puzzle.
Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt
Blakes is another player making headlines in her debut season. The high-scoring Vanderbilt guard already has a pair of 50-point games on her resume. Blakes’ 55-point outburst against Auburn last February broke Elena Delle Donne’s Division I women’s freshman record of 54 set in 2010. Blakes led a highly competitive SEC in scoring during conference play, posting 26.9 points on 46.9% shooting, including a 39.8% clip from deep. Her quick shot release, pull-up jumper, movement shooting, and ability to attack downhill have made the Commodores star one of the country’s most lethal scorers.
Honorable mentions: Georgia Amoore (Kentucky), Flau’Jae Johnson (LSU), Hailey Van Lith (TCU), Chloe Kitts (South Carolina)
