NFL
Josh Allen threw two touchdown passes and ran for another, and the Buffalo Bills hung on to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24-18 last night. After a week of questions about his “low-energy” approach and Buffalo’s slow-starting offense, Allen came through for the Bills. He had been listed on the Bills’ report with a right shoulder injury and was checked in the blue medical tent in the second quarter, but remained in the game. Gabriel Davis had a career-best nine catches for 87 yards and a touchdown. Baker Mayfield tried to rally the Buccaneers late, but the game ended on a Hail Mary attempt. Tampa Bay has lost three straight.
The best team in the NFC already added an All-Pro to the secondary. More moves are coming around the NFL. Teams looking to bolster their rosters for the second half have until Tuesday’s trade deadline at 4 p.m. EDT. Several established veterans could end up switching uniforms. There were a slew of trades at this time last season. The Philadelphia Eagles couldn’t wait to upgrade at safety, acquiring two-time All-Pro Kevin Byard from the Tennessee Titans earlier this week. Byard is a significant addition at a position that was depleted by injury and the departure of C.J. Gardner-Johnson in free agency.
NBA
Damian Lillard scored 39 points in his first game with his new team and the Milwaukee Bucks regrouped after blowing a 19-point lead to open their season by beating the Philadelphia 76ers 118-117 on Thursday. The former Portland Trail Blazers star set a record for the most points by a player in his Bucks debut. Terry Cummings scored 34 points in his first game for the Bucks in 1984. Giannis Antetokounmpo added 23 points and 13 rebounds while shooting 10 of 22 from the floor to become the franchise’s career leader in baskets.
The Philadelphia 76ers went to Milwaukee without James Harden and the NBA wants to know why. The league, which strengthened its rules about resting healthy players this summer, is investigating the reasons behind Harden’s absence from the 76ers’ nationally televised season opener against the Bucks. Harden wants to be traded and was away from the Sixers recently until returning this week. Coach Nick Nurse said Wednesday that the point guard wouldn’t travel with the team so he could work on rebuilding his conditioning with team staff members at the 76ers’ training facility. The player participation policy requires teams to demonstrate an approved reason for a star player to miss national TV games.
NHL
Bo Horvat and Noah Dobson each had a goal and an assist, and the New York Islanders held on for a 3-2 win over the Ottawa Senators, who lost defenseman Erik Brannstrom to a scary injury. Brannstrom was stretchered off the ice after a check along the boards from Cal Clutterbuck at 8:43 of the middle period. The team announced that Brannstrom was alert, had use of his extremities and was taken to a hospital for further evaluation. Clutterbuck also scored for New York. Ilya Sorokin made 46 saves, including one in the final seconds, as the Islanders snapped a three-game skid. Claude Giroux and Jacob Chychrun scored for Ottawa, which lost its third straight.
Adam Fox and Braden Schneider each had a goal and an assist, Jonathan Quick made 29 saves and the New York Rangers beat the Edmonton Oilers 3-0. Alexis Lafreniere also scored for the Rangers, who have won three games in a row. Quick earned his 59th career shutout. The Rangers broke a scoreless deadlock on the power play 3:32 into the second period as Fox took a feed from Vincent Trochek and sent a slapshot that eluded Stuart Skinner, who finished with 29 saves. The Oilers have lost four straight games.
Mason McTavish scored on a 2-on-1 break with 2:52 remaining in overtime to give the Anaheim Ducks a 4-3 victory over the Boston Bruins. David Pastrnak had a goal and an assist, while Charlie McAvoy added three assists, but Boston surrendered a 3-1 lead in the third period and lost for the first time this season. Charlie Coyle and Matt Grzelcyk also scored Thursday for the Bruins, now 6-1 on the franchise’s centennial season. Anaheim forced overtime on Troy Terry’s goal with 14.7 seconds left in regulation. Boston’s Linus Ullmark made 28 saves while John Gibson stopped 30 shots for the Ducks.
Bobby Brink scored his first two NHL goals, Sean Couturier, Owen Tippett, Travis Konecny and Travis Sanheim each added one and the Philadelphia Flyers beat the Minnesota Wild 6-2. Carter Hart made 26 saves while Cam Atkinson had three assists for Philadelphia. Dakota Mermis and Marcus Foligno scored for Minnesota while Filip Gustavsson had 29 saves on the first stop of the Wild’s four-day, three-city trip to the East Coast. Philadelphia entered the game with a 1 for 20 mark on the power play — the worst in the NHL — but went 2 for 3 against the Wild.
Reilly Smith scored twice, Tristan Jarry stopped 31 shots and the Pittsburgh Penguins ended Colorado’s NHL-record road winning streak with a decisive 4-0 victory. The Avalanche had won 15 straight away from Ball Arena in the regular season dating back to March. Their run came to an end as Jarry picked up his 15th career shutout. Lars Eller and Sidney Crosby also scored for the Penguins, who put together their best performance of the young season behind Jarry's steady play.
MLB
Former President George W. Bush, the former Rangers owner, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch before Texas plays the Arizona Diamondbacks in the World Series opener at 8:03 tonight at Globe Life Field in Arlington. Nathan Eovaldi will start Game 1 of the World Series for the Rangers against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Texas manager Bruce Bochy made the announcement Wednesday. It will be the first career World Series start for Eovaldi, a Texas native who signed with the Rangers last offseason. The veteran right-hander made three relief appearances for the Boston Red Sox in the 2018 World Series. Eovaldi is 4-0 with a 2.42 ERA in his four starts this postseason. He won the AL Wild Card Series and AL Division Series clinchers for Texas, and the must-win Game 6 in the ALCS against Houston on Sunday night. The Diamondbacks had Wednesday off, a day after clinching the NL pennant. They will start 17-game winner Zac Gallen in Game 1.This will be Bush’s fourth World Series ceremonial first pitch but his first before an opener. Bush, 77. headed the group that bought the Rangers from Eddie Chiles in 1989 and was general partner through November 1994, when he stepped down as he prepared to become Texas governor.
As Dusty Baker officially ended one notable chapter in his illustrious career, he said Thursday he feels an obligation to do more around the game with his next one. Baker, 74, is retiring after his fourth season managing the Houston Astros, who came one win shy of reaching the World Series for a third straight year with a loss to the Texas Rangers on Monday night in Game 7 of the AL Championship Series. The toothpick-chewer and epic storyteller finished his career ranked ninth all-time with 2,183 victories in 4,046 regular-season games. He was the 12th manager in major league history to reach 2,000 wins and the first Black man to do it.
NCAA
Defending champion UConn comes into this season having lost the three biggest stars from last year's NCAA title team to the NBA. Adama Sanogo, Jordan Hawkins and Andre Jackson are gone. The Huskies return a solid core built around 7-foot-2 sophomore Donovan Clingan and returning starters Alex Karaban and Tristen Newton. UConn also boasts one of the top incoming classes in the nation, led by guard Stephon Castle. The Huskies are No. 6 in the AP Top 25 preseason poll, but are picked to finish third in the Big East behind Marquette and Creighton.
SOCCER
Alex Morgan missed a penalty at the end of the first half and the United States settled for a scoreless draw against Colombia in an exhibition game on Thursday night. Morgan’s attempt in the 44th minute bounced back off the post and Morgan tried to score off the rebound but the ball sailed over the goal. The game, played in chilly temperatures in the mid-30s, was the first of two matches against Colombia. The second is set for Sunday in San Diego.
WORLD CUP
Mikaela Shiffrin's busy offseason has included concerts, building dedications and picking up awards. Now it's time to get back to work for the all-time winningest World Cup ski racer. Shiffrin starts the season this weekend in Soelden, Austria, with a new coach and a new relaxed attitude. The five-time World Cup overall winner has come to realize it’s OK to build throughout a season and that she doesn’t need to be at her elite best at the start of the season. She still wouldn't mind starting on the right note in the giant slalom.
MINOR LEAGUE HOCKEY
The Adirondack Thunder say their game against the Maine Mariners scheduled for Friday has been postponed following the mass shootings in Lewiston Wednesday night. The Mariners – of the ECHL – play their homes games in Portland – about 35 miles from Lewiston. Schools and government buildings in Maine are closed as authorities search for a suspect considered armed and dangerous. The Thunder – based in Glens Falls – say the game will be rescheduled. Flags are being flown at half-staff in the wake of the fatal shooting.
SARATOGA SPRINGS SCHOOL SPORTS
The Saratoga Springs Board of Education will investigate allegations of an abusive athletics culture dating back decades. In a 77-page lawsuit, a group of former student athletes, parents, and a former Board of Education member allege a culture of abuse within Saratoga Springs’ athletics program.
Jennifer Heart spoke Tuesday at a School Board meeting in support of the district’s sports program:
“To say my experience as a parent of two children on the cross— team is a positive one is an understatement.”
Other community members have come forward in support of accusers. Former elementary school nurse Marie Gusevich spoke at an earlier board meeting"
“Shame on all of them and all of you. You knew what was happening and you tuned a blind eye because they were winners.”
Superintendent Dr. Michael Patton says the district is taking the allegations seriously.
HISA
The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority has introduced racing’s first-ever national concussion protocol for jockeys. HISA says it would mandate all racetracks under the authority’s jurisdiction implement concussion policies for jockeys. The new protocol, pending approval from the Federal Trade Commission, would incorporate the digital concussion management platform HEADCHECK into its reporting process to document medical evaluations, possible concussion symptoms, and written releases permitting jockeys to return to riding after being medically cleared. HEADCHECK’s implementation would also ensure that concussion-related medical records follow riders from track-to-track across the country for continuity of care. The new federal oversight body has spent the last several months working to implement HEADCHECK across the country. The authority established by Congress began its oversight of racing, including an anti-doping regime, in 2022.
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