OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — U.S. hockey player Brady Tkachuk says a White House TikTok video falsely paints him as insulting Canadians. Tkachuk calls the clip clearly fake. He says the audio and lip movement do not match. The video uses fabricated audio that includes a bleeped slur about Canadians. Tkachuk says he would never use that language. He also denies shouting “close the northern border” during Team USA’s phone call with President Donald Trump after Sunday’s Olympic gold medal win over Canada. The team has returned from Italy and is resuming the NHL season.
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Jack Hughes is still riding the emotional wave from his overtime goal that won Olympic gold for the United States. The New Jersey Devils forward received a long and loud roar of approval from fans in Pittsburgh ahead of a road game against the Penguins. Hughes said he thought he might be recognized in some way, but was caught off guard by the length of ovation. The 24-year-old said he's welcoming the routine of returning to the grind of an NHL season even with the Devils slumping as the stretch run nears.
The United States women’s hockey team has a date with Flavor Flav in Las Vegas in July to celebrate its gold medal victory from the Milan Cortina Olympics. The rapper posted a note on his X account announcing he’s hosting a “She Got Game” event from July 16-19. The post says the event was being held to honor the women’s hockey team and other female athletes. A publicist for Flavor Flav confirmed the event. The women’s players accepted the invitation without input from USA Hockey, a person familiar with discussions told The Associated Press.
Eight members of Cuba’s delegation were denied visas to the United States for the World Baseball Classic, the Cuban Baseball and Softball Federation said. Cuba is set to play against Puerto Rico, Colombia, Panama and Canada in San Juan, Puerto Rico, during pool play of the WBC, which is scheduled from March 5-17. Among the Cubans that were denied visas are FCBS president Juan Reinaldo Pérez Pardo and general secretary Carlos del Pino Muñoz. Pitching coach Pedro Luis Lazo was also denied.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indianapolis Colts have given quarterback Anthony Richardson permission to find a trade partner, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press on Thursday. The person requested anonymity because no formal announcement is expected. Indy believed Richardson could become its long-time franchise quarterback when it drafted him with the No. 4 overall selection in 2023, but nothing has gone according to plan for the Colts — or the injury-plagued former Florida star. The news came two days after Colts general manager Chris Ballard told local reporters he still believed Richardson could succeed in Indianapolis.
A person familiar with the deal tells The Associated Press that the New York Jets have agreed to trade pass rusher Jermaine Johnson to the Tennessee Titans for defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the trade cannot become official until the NFL’s new league year starts on March 11. ESPN and NFL Network first reported the deal Thursday. Johnson joins Titans coach Robert Saleh again. Saleh was the Jets coach when New York drafted Johnson in 2022. Tennessee drafted Sweat in the second round in 2024.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Charlotte’s Kon Knueppel has reached yet another milestone in a remarkable rookie season for the No. 4 overall pick from Duke. The Hornets swingman broke Keegan Murray’s NBA rookie record for 3-pointers, making his 207th Thursday night against the Indiana Pacers. Knueppel connected on five 3s in the first half and then broke the record in the third quarter. He finished with eight 3s on 12 attempts to get to 209 for the season as the Hornets beat the Pacers 133-109. It took Murray 80 games in 2022-23 to establish the record. Knueppel needed just 59 to surpass it.
NEW YORK (AP) — Leaders of the WNBA players’ union had a meeting with players this week and will send out a survey to their members to get feedback on the league’s latest contract proposal. That's according to a person familiar with the negotiations who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. In a letter to union executive director Terri Carmichael Jackson that was obtained by the AP, 10 prominent WNBA player agents offered to help the union with the survey. The league and the players have been unable to reach a new collective bargaining agreement since the union opted out of the previous deal, which expired last year.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The NCAA football oversight committee is recommending emergency legislation to protect the transfer portal window by issuing penalties for schools and coaches who circumvent the rules. The committee on Wednesday proposed the legislation to penalize schools who add players who did not make public their interest in transferring during the January transfer portal window. The proposed legislation would become effective immediately if approved at the Division I cabinet meeting in April. The head coach who accepts a transfer who did not properly enter the January portal would be prohibited from all recruiting, on-field coaching and team meetings for six games.
SOLDEU, Andorra (AP) — Former Olympic and world downhill champion Corinne Suter has won the first World Cup race since the Milan Cortina Games. The Swiss racer's victory in Soldeu, Andorra came as the chase for Lindsey Vonn’s lead in the discipline standings started. Vonn badly injured her left leg in a frightening crash in the Olympic downhill and won’t add points to her seasonal tally. But the American standout still leads the way by 94 points with three races left. Suter beat Nina Ortlieb of Austria by 0.11 seconds for her first downhill victory in four years. Italian standout Sofia Goggia was 0.24 behind in third.
Finals
MLB SPRING TRAINING
INTERLEAGUE
Final N.Y. Mets 5 Houston 0
Final St. Louis 9 Houston 4
Final N.Y. Yankees 7 Atlanta 3
Final Pittsburgh 6 Minnesota 4
Final Miami 8 Toronto 7
Final L.A. Dodgers 7 Chicago White Sox 6
Final L.A. Angels 5 Chicago Cubs 4
Final Milwaukee 5 Texas 1
Final Arizona 13 Kansas City 10
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Final Baltimore 6 Detroit 5
Final Boston 7 Tampa Bay 5
Final Athletics 7 Texas 3
Final Seattle 8 Cleveland 7
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Final Philadelphia 7 Washington 3
Final Colorado 11 San Francisco 3
Final Cincinnati 11 San Diego 10
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final Florida 5 Toronto 1
Final Pittsburgh 4 New Jersey 1
Final Carolina 5 Tampa Bay 4
Final Boston 4 Columbus 2
Final OT Detroit 2 Ottawa 1
Final OT N-Y Islanders 4 Montreal 3
Final St. Louis 5 Seattle 1
Final Nashville 4 Chicago 2
Final OT Philadelphia 3 N-Y Rangers 2
Final Minnesota 5 Colorado 2
Final Calgary 4 San Jose 1
Final Edmonton 8 Los Angeles 1
TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Final (13)Michigan State 76 (8)Purdue 74