The Toronto Maple Leafs were dealt a heavy blow when captain Auston Matthews had to leave the game against the Detroit Red Wings on Dec. 28 after blocking a shot. It got even worse when the news was out that he would miss the following game two days later. But thankfully, the nightmare is over and Matthews is going to be back in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Winnipeg Jets.
Tottenham have had a great start to the season and are still unbeaten in the Champions League. Most of their players are internationals. They're a strong side. The Super Cup? That was the first game of the season; Wednesday's game will be different. It's a good memory because it ended well, but a bad memory if I think back to the first 60 minutes when we were struggling. We're more ready to be a dominant team and to win the match.
There were a lot of positives for Bayern to take from the game against Freiburg. From a squad depth point of view, the biggest was the return of Hiroki Ito. After being out of action for close to eight months, the Japanese defender made his return in the second half. Ito marked this return to action with an assist for Michael Olise's second goal at the end of the game.
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson is fit to return for the champions as the Premier League returns this weekend. The Brazilian, 33. has not featured since injuring his hamstring in September but is an option to start against Nottingham Forest at Anfield on Saturday. Manager Arne Slot said: "Alisson trained last week and this week so he will be able to play tomorrow if things work out well today. "If he's ready to play, he will start."
Adebayo, 28, is averaging 19.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists on 45.2 percent shooting, including 34.0 percent from 3-point range and 86.1 percent from the free-throw line. In his last fully healthy game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Nov. 3, he scored 25 points with 10 boards, four dimes and two steals on 10-of-18 shooting. Adebayo has made a 3-pointer in 19 straight games that he's completed the game.
The talented Russian forward fully practiced with the team on Tuesday, skating on a line with Ilya Protas and Bogdan Trineyev. Protas leads the team in points early in the season with 10 (5g, 5a) while Trineyev (4g, 5a) is in a three-way tie for second with 9. The Bears, who have won four in a row, were on the ice at Giant Center for nearly 90 minutes, working through a variety of game-situation drills.
Hemp scored a brilliant third goal for Andree Jeglertz's team in first-half stoppage time, firing home from range after Rebecca Knaak and Khadija Shaw had got on the scoresheet. The England international was back in City's starting lineup after missing around a month and a half with an ankle injury, and she laid on three chances for her team-mates. Only Viviane Miedema (four) created more, with the Netherlands international also the only player to contest more duels than Hemp's 11, with 13.
But he was at his best on a 16-yard pass to receiver Jalen Nailor on third down to seal the victory. "We saw a lot of things that he's capable of doing," coach Kevin O'Connell said. "And we saw some things that as he continues his ascension and his growth, he'll only get better and better at."
But his encouraging signs ran deeper than simply the box score, as he produced his two fastest bat speeds since pre-injury on a pair of 72-m.p.h. swings. The first of which came on a third-inning groundout, while the second was a product of Bichette's RBI single in the seventh - a swing that also generated his highest exit velocity (109.6 m.p.h.) of the World Series.
You are very focused on the Ballon d'Or, Ousmane Dembele is the same person, the same player. He is different from others. We are delighted to have him back in the squad and also Marquinhos and Désiré Doué, who came back last week. So it is important for the team and the players to have players back, it gives us options. It doesn't change anything because it is about how the players feel today and we will see how it goes tomorrow.
"I thought they were good," Carbery said postgame. "They accomplished what they needed to accomplish. They needed to get through a game and get some game reps. Ovi did that. Marty did that."
Even though he missed over 40 games this season, Abreu is still second on the Red Sox in home runs this season (22). He is batting .253 in 2025 with an OPS of .811 and 69 RBIs heading into the final seven games of the regular season.
Nolan Arenado is back in the Cardinals' lineup after a six-week shoulder injury. He has started at third base each of the past two nights. He'll probably be in the lineup for most or all of the final 10 games of the season, but the real source of intrigue will turn up again in the offseason. Arenado is under contract for two more seasons. He's slated for a $27MM salary next year.
The Yankees are adding another veteran bat to the mix ahead of their crucial weekend set with the Blue Jays. Austin Slater has officially been reinstated from the injured list. Slater has been sidelined since suffering a hamstring strain on August 4 against the Texas Rangers. His initial timeline called for a 4-to-6 week recovery. The 32-year-old was able to work his way into five minor league rehab games over the past week, and now he's officially been deemed ready to make his return.
