I Dig Sports
What began as an exciting one-off opportunity of a lifetime, turned into a quick exit in the Daytona 500 for Helio Castroneves.
The four-time Indianapolis 500 winner was involved in a crash on lap 71, which was caused by a stack-up on the outside lane when leader Joey Logano endured a throttle body problem.
The issue saw Logano dramatically slow while shifting through gears on a restart. A chain reaction occurred behind the No. 22 Team Penske Ford as drivers bounced into the back of each other before Ross Chastain spun and slammed into the left-rear side of Castroneves No. 91 Chevrolet.
Other drivers involved included Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr., Riley Herbst, Jimmie Johnson, Chase Briscoe, John Hunter Nemechek, Ty Dillon, Cole Custer and Cody Ware.
Castroneves car sustained too much damage to continue as he was towed to the garage.
Truex, Chastain and Castroneves were the only drivers who were unable to continue.
It was an unfortunate end to the 49-year-olds first start in the Great American Race as he showed plenty of adaptation throughout the first stage.
I tried stopping it and Martin Truex Jr. came really hard and hit me, but I dont think that was the issue, Castroneves said. I think the issue was that I guess someone on the bottom hit me from the side and it broke the axle. Disappointed, of course.
I was learning so much. Its incredible when you have more laps in it and how you understand the air flow and what the guys are doing, like saving fuel. There were some sketchy moments, but what a shame. I wish I was still out there because theres still more to understand and more to learn.
Castroneves Daytona Speedweeks action was tumultuous:
- Crashed in his Duel
- Endured multiple accidents during his ARCA Menards Series debut
- Managed to finish fifth in ARCA event
- Wrecked during cooldown lap of ARCA race after A.J. Moyer ran into the back of Castroneves car
While Castroneves was disappointed with the outcome, he expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to compete.
I was starting to get a little more comfortable with the whole process, but it is what it is, Castroneves said.
I just have to thank NASCAR, as well, to be able to put together this type of a show. Now lets go for the Indianapolis 500!
Hell pilot a Meyer Shank Racing Honda for the Indianapolis 500 in May at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
JR Motorsports Earns Top-10 Finish In Cup Series Debut
Despite narrowly making the 41-car field in the Great American Race, JR Motorsports and Justin Allgaier enjoyed a successful NASCAR Cup Series debut.
Aboard the No. 40 JRM Chevrolet, Allgaier survived a last-lap melee in the Daytona 500 to finish ninth, the teams first top-10 finish in its first start.
I think we checked all the boxes, Allgaier said. Really proud of JR Motorsports and everybody on this team. We hit all the markers. We had DVP. We had pit stops. We had craziness in picking lines. A lot of uncertainty on my part, just knowing the guys you are around. But all-in-all, it was a solid night.
It was a long road for Allgaier and the No. 40 team as they were unable to lock into the Daytona 500 during qualifying on Wednesday night. With only one additional open spot available in his Duel the following day, Allgaier was able to race his way in.
While the 500-mile event wasnt a smooth race from start to finish for Allgaier, who endured a pit road penalty and was caught up in a wreck in the latter part of the race, he was able to miss the chaos and solidify a stout finish.
Missing the crash there at the end was cool, Allgaier said. I assumed the caution was out and I didnt know we were racing back to the line. That was cool to race back to the line and get a top 10.
Just want to thank everybody at Travellers Whiskey, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kelly Earnhardt Miller, and everybody that let me be a part of this. Thank you to everybody at Team Chevy and the Hendrick Engine Shop.
This is a big moment for JR Motorsports, and we are excited about what the future holds for our company.
With co-owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. on-site for every milestone moment of the teams foray into the Cup Series, the successful finish was one for the memory bank for Allgaier.
Its unknown what may lie ahead for JRM in the Cup Series. However, its run on Sunday night may be an inclination to compete in more events in the near future.
This is the best part about racing, man, Earnhardt began. The moments of getting the car to the track and unloading it. Going through the processes of putting it out there and racing it. Whether youre driving it or owning it or whatever.
When its all over with, when your hearts in it, you wanna make sure it gets back to the house in one piece so, this is a good experience.
Im enjoying it. Hope to get to do it again. I think we hit it out of the park in terms of our activation with Traveller (Whisky). I Think JR Motorsports did what they always do and thats engagement and marketing better than anybody in the sport or as good as anybody, Earnhardt continued.
Well see if that is exciting for them, if they wanna continue doing this or do it again sometime this year. Or somebody else calls us on Monday that has some other ideas.
Were always ready. Have been for years. So, well see.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. William Byron of Hendrick Motorsports won his second-straight Daytona 500 as cars crashed on the backstretch, including the leader at that time, Denny Hamlin.
NASCAR officials did not throw the caution flag on the final lap until after Byron took the checkered flag in a wild finish.
Byrons No. 24 Chevrolet defeated Tyler Reddicks No. 45 Toyota and Jimmie Johnson finished third in the No. 84 Toyota for Legacy Motor Club.
The 67th Daytona 500 was another wild and memorable day and in the end, team owner Rick Hendrick won the Daytona 500 for the 10th time, breaking a tie with Petty Enterprises.
Byron was ninth with one lap to go, drove through the chaos of the last lap crash and won his second straight Daytona 500.
Obviously some good fortune but just trusted my instincts on the last lap there, Byron explained. I felt like they were getting squirrelly on the bottom, and I was honestly going to go third lane regardless because I was probably sixth coming down the back.
Just fortunate that it worked out in our favor and really proud of this team. Worked super hard all week and had an amazing car. Just had a really hard time with the fuel saving and kind of staying towards the front.
Crazy. I cant honestly believe that. But were here. So proud of it.
Byron is the first drive to win back-to-back Daytona 500s since Denny Hamlin in 2019 and 2020.
Its obviously really special, the winning driver said. Its an amazing race, and obviously a lot of crazy racing out there tonight and just a lot of pushing and shoving.
Im just really proud of our team. I cant stress that enough. Im just super thankful for this group and everything that they do in the off-season to get prepared. We plan on trying to win a lot of races this year, so were not going to stop here.
Were going to continue to push forward and try to get to Phoenix.
Byron joins back-to-back winners Richard Petty (1973-74), Cale Yarborough (1983-84), Sterling Marlin (1994-94) and Hamlin.
Reddick drove a smart race and was able to avoid the mayhem.
With that restart with 15 to go, we kind of checked up in the middle and ended up further back than we wanted to be, Reddick said. We didnt really want to, we ducked out of it hoping for the caution. We got it. But we were still lined up 16th there on the green-white-checkered. When they started to spin on the dogleg, I kind of jumped out of line thinking that was going to be it, and we just kept going.
I knew that me and the 24 had a good run and they were throwing big blocks, and when they started spinning on the inside and I had a run on the 24, I thought, man, if I can just make it through on the 11 and not scrub my speed, I would have had at least an opportunity to do something, Reddick continued.
All in all, I never really finished a race here unless it was 40 laps down, so Ill take second. We wanted to get a good start to the year, and we scored a lot of points today. So Im really happy with everyones effort on this 45 Nasty Beast Toyota Camry.
And seven-time Jimmie Johnson proved hes still got it with a third-place finish in the Daytona 500 in the No. 84 Carvana Toyota. He drove from 15th on the final restart to a third-place finish.
This feels incredible. I have emotions that I didnt expect to have, Johnson said. Ive never been in this position as an owner, and its really opened up a different set of emotions. And the pride that I have in this result and the pride that I have in this company, now that were trying to achieve and the journey were on, I am so satisfied, so happy right now.
Excited that we have two cars in the top five, Johnson continued, referring to his finish and teammate John Hunter Nemecheks fifth-place. I hope Shaq is watching. Thank you, buddy. We got your car in the top three.
A big thanks to Carvana and their continued support, Mobil 1, AdventHealth, Family Dollar, Dollar Tree. Its been an interesting couple of years and to have our cars come out and be this strong, this Toyota was rocketship fast. Im just smiling inside and out.
Polesitter Chase Briscoe finished fourth in the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.
I lined up eighth and the seas just parted my way, Briscoe said. I was going to push Denny Hamlin to the win, but when I hit him, I was able to keep going.
John Hunter Nemechek finished fifth in the No. 42 Toyota for Legacy Motor Club.
I dont really know what happened on the back straightaway there, all I know there was smoke, and Jimmie Johnson blew my doors off, Nemechek said. Jimmie finished third and I finished fifth so a solid day for Legacy Motor Club.
As It Happened
It was a day that began with the arrival of President Donald J. Trump and concluded with Hendrick Motorsports winning its 10th Daytona 500.
In between was red flag that lasted for 3 hours, 9 minutes, 59 second for rain, another red flag for rain for 20 minutes, 29 seconds before green flag racing finally resumed under the lights at Daytona Intl Speedway.
Eleven laps were completed before the first red flag and the next nine laps were run under yellow before a brief rainstorm brought out the second yellow flag.
After four more laps of caution, green flag racing resumed on Lap 23.
A cold front that moved into the Daytona Beach, Florida area dropped the ambient temperature more than 20 degrees, but the cooler temperatures created some hot racing on the track.
Logano, Stenhouse Collide
The key moment of the race came when Team Penskes Joey Logano tried muscle his way to the front. 2023 winner, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., refused to give Logano any room and blocked Loganos Ford. Logano bounced around and hit the back of Stenhouse, whose car ran into Loganos teammate, Ryan Blaney.
That triggered a massive crash on the backstretch with 15 laps to go.
Loganos car was badly damaged and one of the best cars in the race was out.
I tried to get my nose in there, he didnt want to give up the position, and thats what happened, Logano explained.
Kyle Busch was also involved in the crash, and it was another trip to Daytona without a win for one of NASCARs greatest drivers.
Looks like the fastest car got in a hurry to get in a wreck, Busch said of Logano. Team Penske had the fastest cars all race and he had time to get there, and you have to know how wide your car is to know what hole it will fit in, and he obviously doesnt know that.
Corey LaJoie took the lead just before the caution ahead of Cindric. John Hunter Nemechek was third and Denny Hamlin was fourth.
More importantly, Cindric did not have a Team Penske driver or a Ford driver to protect him from an onslaught of Joe Gibbs Racing drivers.
LaJoie was the leader when the green flag waved with nine laps to go before he was quickly dispatched by Cindric and Hamlin and JGR teammate Christopher Bell.
Hamlin passed Cindric for the lead with six laps to go with Bells Toyota alongside Cindrics Ford.
The Big One
What followed was a major crashing involving Bell and Ryan Preece, who for the second time in his career went flipping down the backstretch in Turn 3.
Bells Toyota shot into the backstretch wall and ricocheted in front of Preeces RFK Ford, sending it tumbling with three laps to go. Preeces car nearly landed on Erik Jones Toyota as Preeces Ford tumbled.
Ten cars were involved in the late-race crash and the third red flag of the race ensured the contest would go into overtime.
Preeces teammate Brad Keselowskis Ford also had damage and Daniel Suarezs Chevrolet was damaged.
I dont know if its the diffuser or what that makes these cars like a sheet of plywood on a windy day, Preece said. When the car went airborne, all I could think of was my daughter.
Its frustrating when you end your day like this.
Overtime
The green flag waved to start overtime and Hamlin was ahead of Cindric. The Team Penske driver edged ahead of Hamlin, who had no help on the bottom.
After the field took the white flag, the race was decided with calamity on the backstretch involving Hamlin.
I thought we were in a great spot with 10 laps to go, Hamlin said. I measured up the 2 (Cindric) and we got away from the pack. I chose not to block the 41 (Cole Custer) and I was pushing the 2 (Cindric) as low as I could. He steered left and tried to crowd it.
All of us were going for it, but in those situations, we have to get off Turn 4. But none of us made it.
Cindric loved the opportunity to dominate the race, but said it was a shame at the end.
Im just thankful for fast race cars and very frustrated with the result, Cindric said.
Stage One
Logano won the first stage when he crossed the finish line up under caution on Lap 65. With two laps to go in the first stage, a multi-car crash in Turn 2 that was triggered when Loganos No. 22 Ford lost power, stacking up the cars behind him.
The accordion effect created a traffic jam and further back in Loganos lane, Denny Hamlin, Zane Smith and Josh Berry all made contact and crashed into the wall.
Loganos Ford finished ahead of Brad Keselowski, Ryan Blaney, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., Christopher Bell, Daniel Suarez, Alex Bowman, Tyler Reddick, Erik Jones and William Byron.
Stage Two
Team Penskes Ryan Blaney won Stage Two when he nosed ahead of teammate Cindric at the green-and-white checkered flag. Blaneys Ford Mustang was pushed across the line by the No. 9 Chevrolet driven by Chase Elliott.
It was Blaneys fourth Daytona 500 Stage win.
Prior to that, however, the first lap of the stage took out some accomplished racing names in another big crash in Turn 2. Trackhouse Racing driver Ross Chastain was involved in the crash and took our four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves, his Trackhouse teammate in the PROJECT91 entry the Wendys Chevrolet. Both drivers were out of the race.
Another driver who was involved in that crash that was out was 2017 NASCAR Cup Series Champion Martin Truex, Jr. He retired from full-time action last season.
Its always disappointing when you dont finish no matter what situation especially in a race like this when its probably our only shot this year, Truex said. Thanks to Bass Pro, TRICON and everybody that helped us put this together. It was fun while it lasted, but unfortunately, we were just wrong place, wrong time there.
Truex tried to explain how the crash happened.
Im not sure a big stack up and by the time they got to me, it was really aggressive I guess you would call it. Just no time to react and knocked the nose off of the thing. Just unfortunate for all of our guys. We had a fun week down here, making the race. Thank you to Bass Pro, TRICON Garage, Toyota, TRD everybody that helped us put this together. We were hoping to have a lot more fun than that. We were just biding our time, and just in a bad place on the restart there.
Chastain gave his side of the situation and said some bad decisions by himself on the track put him in a precarious position in the back of the field.
If I would have made some better moves in our No. 1 Busch Light Chevy like 30 laps earlier, I wouldnt have been back there in the first place, Chastain explained. I thought the middle and the top would be a little more dominant and that I could save more fuel in that run and stay upfront.
Slowly over the whole first stage, I worked my way from third all the way to basically the back of the field. I just made some bad decisions there and that put us back there with the accordion coming back.
I didnt see the hit coming to the right-rear, and then of course, I take out my teammate (Helio Castroneves) on my way to the wall. I hate that for Helio and the No. 91 Chevy team. Our Busch Light Chevy drove good. We made some progress on handling here this weekend. Im excited for the future and well move onto Atlanta (Motor Speedway).
As for Castroneves, the four-time Indy 500 winners first Daytona 500 was over after 70 laps.
I tried stopping it and Martin Truex Jr. came really hard and hit me, but I dont think that was the issue, Castroneves said. I think the issue was that I guess someone on the bottom hit me from the side and it broke the axle.
Disappointed, of course. I was learning so much. Its incredible when you have more laps in it and how you understand the air flow and what the guys are doing, like saving fuel. There were some sketchy moments, but what a shame. I wish I was still out there because theres still more to understand and more to learn. I was starting to get a little more comfortable with the whole process, but it is what it is.
I just have to thank NASCAR, as well, to be able to put together this type of a show.
Now lets go for the Indianapolis 500.
Castroneves enjoyed the experience, although he left without experiencing success.
Its such a different show, Castroneves said, comparing it to the Indianapolis 500. This has an incredible feeling and incredible energy. Both events are incredible. Thats why I decided to do this, and thats why I want to do the Indianapolis 500, as well.
After dominating Stage One, Loganos fast Ford encountered a loss of power that put him one lap down. Team Penske changed the Electronic Control Unit (ECU) on the dash, but that did not correct the issue.
That put Logano one lap down and he lost contact with the rest of the field.
His No. 22 was about to get lapped again before another yellow flag for debris on Lap 83 saved Logano, who was driving the first car one lap down. He got his lap back with the Lucky Dog rule.
Back on the lead lap, he brought the car back to pit lane and Team Penske changed the throttle body.
They discovered a pieced of debris had been sucked through the front grille and the vacuum stuffed it into the throttle body.
Logano was able to drive up to fifth place by Lap 124.
The second stage ended on Lap 130 with a side-by-side battle between Team Penskes Cindric and Blaney, with Blaney getting the edge at the flag.
Elliott was third at the end of the stage followed by Elliott, Bowman, Michael McDowell, Chris Buescher, Jones, Logano, Buba Wallace and Kyle Busch.
The final stage would determine the winner of the 67th Daytona 500.
MUNICH, Germany The TGI Lamborghini Team by GRT is taking on the challenge of DTM 2025 with an exciting line-up.
The two Lamborghini factory drivers Luca Engstler (Kempten) and Jordan Pepper from South Africa are attacking for the team from Austria with two Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo2s.
Since entering the DTM in 2022, Gottfried Grassers team has won three races and finished on the podium eight times. In the upcoming season, the team supported by Lamborghini Squadra Corse wants to record further successes.
Engstler is going into his third DTM year with a lot of self-confidence. The 24-year-old rounded off last season with victories at the opening round in Oschersleben and the finale in Hockenheim and recently made the jump to the Lamborghini factory squad.
Im really looking forward to starting another DTM season. To also become a factory driver for such a great brand as Lamborghini makes me incredibly proud and happy. I hope, of course, that we can build on last years victories, says Engstler, whose trademark is vehicle wrapping in the colors of his partner Liqui Moly.
With Pepper, the TGI Lamborghini Team by GRT has gained a real insider tip for its DTM campaign. The Johannesburg native has previously worked for Bentley and Lamborghini around the world, celebrating titles and individual victories in North America and Australia. Pepper made his DTM debut last year at the Sachsenring.
Its a dream come true for me, says the 28-year-old about his DTM cockpit. Last year I was able to get a little taste of it during my guest start and from that moment on I knew that I would pull out all the stops to become a regular driver in the DTM. Now Im very motivated and can hardly wait for the start of the season in Oschersleben.
Team boss Gottfried Grasser is optimistic:
I am immensely pleased that we are starting our fourth year in the DTM. It is the first time that we are competing in the full DTM season with two Lamborghini factory drivers. With our strong overall package, I definitely expect us to regularly finish in the top five and of course more. I think every DTM participant wakes up in the morning and wants to be champion. But we are initially concentrating on the first six races, we want to collect good and consistent points there and then we will see what happens.
The direction of the series also plays an important role for the TGI Lamborghini Team by GRT. With the DTM, we can offer our partners a platform that is constantly evolving and growing. In addition, with the introduction of the innovative, renewable fuel, the DTM is becoming a flagship for the future and is thus showing a much-needed alternative for the automotive industry, says Grasser.
BOSTON -- The hockey world is still buzzing about Saturday night's fight-filled Team USA vs. Canada game and the possibility of a rematch in the 4 Nations Face-Off championship game.
Finland would like nothing more than to prevent that from happening by eliminating Canada on Monday afternoon in Boston.
"We respect Team Canada a lot and their hockey history. So it's going to be a big thing for us if we can win against that team," said Finland coach Antti Pennanen.
While the U.S. has clinched a berth in Thursday's championship game, the tournament's other three teams still have a path to join them. If either Canada or Finland earn a regulation win in Monday's 1 p.m. ET game at TD Garden, it will advance to the final. If either Canada or Finland win in overtime or a shootout, Sweden could make the final with a regulation win over the U.S. on Monday night (8 ET).
If Finland beats Canada in any manner, the tournament favorite is eliminated from the 4 Nations Face-Off.
Pennanen said he anticipates having the Boston fans' support as Finland plays Team USA's archrival. "It's turned around for us now here in Boston. I hope we have the home crowd behind us," he said.
The Finnish players are well aware of the anticipation for a rematch after Team USA's thrilling 3-1 victory over Canada on Saturday night in Montreal, which featured three fights in the first nine seconds of the game. Forward Erik Haula was on a team bus with his family when that game started.
"I had my 1-year-old on my lap and gave the phone to my 4-year-old, asking if he wanted to watch the game. And then there were three fights in nine seconds and I'm like, 'Hey buddy, what's going on over here?'" he recalled with a laugh.
Playing the spoiler is a familiar position for Finland, perennially an underdog in international tournaments.
"They always seem to be the team that probably never gets the respect they deserve until they're in the final and then you're like, 'Whoa, how did Finland get here?'" said Canada coach Jon Cooper, who noted that his team's rematch with the Americans is anything but guaranteed. "Finland has NHL stars just like everybody in this tournament does. The difference between Canada and Finland is that we have massive expectations in front of us. But expectations don't win hockey games. You have to go out there and perform, and I think our team has performed extremely well."
Spoiling USA vs. Canada II would fit that Finnish tradition. But Haula said that's not on his teammate's minds heading into Monday.
"We don't think about it like that. It's just a great opportunity for us to play against them. It's a great challenge for us and we're going to try to meet it head on and play our best game of tournament," he said. "It's where all our focus is."
Finland was thumped by the Americans 6-1 in their tournament opener but defeated archrival Sweden 4-3 in overtime on Saturday to avoid elimination. The Finns will run it back with Vancouver Canucks goalie Kevin Lankinen against Canada, after he stopped 21 of 24 shots against Sweden. Cooper wouldn't say whether Canada would start St. Louis Blues goalie Jordan Binnington for a third straight game or switch to backup goalie Adin Hill of the Vegas Golden Knights.
Pennanen said Finland proved in the first two periods of its game against the U.S. that it can compete with deep, talented teams like Canada.
"I think it's going to be pretty much the same kind of game that we played against USA. We need to follow our system and stick to it. We need to slow them down a little bit," he said.
Canada is waiting to see whether star defenseman Cale Makar is back in its lineup. He missed the loss to the U.S. because of illness and said Monday that he'll make the call on his status for the Finland game on Monday morning. The Colorado Avalanche star said it was an agonizing call not to play against the Americans.
"I've got to do what's unfortunately best for myself and make sure that I'm ready to go for the rest of the season. It's a really hard decision," said Makar.
US, Canada's brutal clash 'great event for hockey'
BOSTON -- Canada coach Jon Cooper hated the result but had to admit that Team USA's thrilling, brutal 3-1 win in the NHL 4 Nations Face-Off on Saturday night was a transcendent moment for hockey.
"The game is in a better place because last night's game existed," he said Sunday.
At its peak, 5.4 million American viewers watched the first "best on best" tournament game between the nations since 2016. Many tuned in to see generations of elite NHL players facing each other for the first time while repping their nations. But the game attracted even more attention after Montreal fans booed the U.S. national anthem -- protesting President Donald Trump's tariffs on Canadian imports and his proposal that Canada become the 51st U.S. state -- before the action started with three fights in record succession.
"I knew it was going to be an electric start, but I maybe didn't expect three fights in the first nine seconds," Sweden's Jesper Bratt said. "The arena was already pretty loud, and the fans were already really emotionally engaged. I guess that kind of took it to the next level."
Team USA players Matthew and Brady Tkachuk and J.T. Miller each had a fight to open the game, which the U.S. won in regulation to clinch a spot in the 4 Nations championship final Thursday night in Boston. Matthew Tkachuk's fight off the opening face-off was the fastest ever in an NHL international game, topping the previous record of 20 seconds in the 1996 World Cup of Hockey for a fight that involved Matthew's father, Keith Tkachuk, and Team USA general manager Bill Guerin.
Matthew Tkachuk sat out the final 12:36 of the third period with a lower-body injury. Team USA coach Mike Sullivan said Tkachuk "is continuing to be evaluated," and he wouldn't reveal the Florida Panthers star's status for Monday's game against Sweden.
Canada forward Travis Konecny said the trio of fights set the game apart Saturday night.
"We're one of the only sports that still has fighting in it. It's a war out there," said Konecny, who plays for the Philadelphia Flyers. "It's funny: You put the flag behind the meaning of something and guys' switches just kind of flip."
Cooper acknowledged that there are some "naysayers" when it comes to fighting in hockey.
"You can say whatever you want about fighting, but that was what ignited the game. Then both teams flexed, and nobody backed down. Then a hockey game broke out and it was a fantastic," Cooper said. "When you get the best players in the world, not only trying to score but actually checking, this is what you get. You're holding your breath every time there's a potential scoring chance, because you don't know if it's going to be the last one."
The game attracted attention for those outside the hockey world, something the players noticed.
"After the game you see things. I saw a lot talking about other leagues and what they do on their All-Star breaks, and then you see the Tkachuks going crazy," Team USA forward Jack Hughes said. "It's been a great event for hockey and, honestly, definitely surpassed my expectations. And I'm sure for a lot of the fans too."
U.S. center Vincent Trocheck, who plays for the New York Rangers, noted that 4 Nations was replacing the NHL's All-Star Game this season.
"Something like this, when you see the intensity and the emotion and how much guys actually care and want to win and represent their countries, you can't really compete with that," he said. "It's not comparable to an all-star game or a Pro Bowl or something like that. This is something that's like playoff hockey. This is like Game 7 every night."
The other teams in the tournament were in awe of the USA-Canada showdown as well. Sweden coach Sam Hallam praised the emotions that were driven by the nations' hockey rivalry, which spans from world juniors to 4 Nations. Finland forward Erik Haula said it was just "a great hockey game between great players."
"It's great for the game and just shows the passion the guys have playing for their country and what it means for everyone," he said.
What the game could mean for U.S. hockey -- and what a rematch with Canada in the championship could elevate even more -- is something Sullivan has been considering in its aftermath.
"I thought it was an unbelievable celebration of hockey," Sullivan said. "It's great for the sport itself. I think it could inspire another generation of young players to want to play the game, like some of the events that impacted my generation, like the Miracle on Ice team in 1980. There's so many events like that that inspire the next generation of players."
Canada takes on Finland on Monday at 1 p.m. ET at TD Garden, facing elimination if the Finns win. The U.S. takes on Sweden at 8 p.m.
Previewing Canada-Finland, USA-Sweden in 4 Nations Face-Off: Top stats, key players, betting picks
The first four games of the NHL 4 Nations Face-Off have been thrilling, including two games that went to overtime, a wild USA-Canada game that included three fights in the first nine seconds, and a level of play that is well beyond what some expected for an event that replaced the All-Star Game.
With two regulation victories, the United States has clinched a spot in the championship Thursday (8 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN+). The other three teams remain alive for the other spot, which will be determined by Monday's games.
Before we dive into the preview, here's an updated look at the round-robin standings:
Who are the key players to watch? What are the most important statistics heading into this contest? Read on for all of that, plus betting intel courtesy of ESPN BET, and picks on the game from Victoria Matiash.
Finland vs.
Canada
Monday, 1 p.m. ET | TNT
TD Garden (Boston)
Betting intel
Money line: Canada -425 | Finland +320
Game spread: Canada -2.5 (+115) | Finland +2.5 (-135)
Total goals: Over 5.5 (-145) | Under 5.5 (+120)
Finland
Game results:
Feb. 13: USA 6, Finland 1
Feb. 15: Finland 4, Sweden 3 (OT)
Leading scorers:
Mikael Granlund (one goal, one assist), Olli Maatta (two assists), Patrik Laine (two assists)
Mikael Granlund nets the winning goal for Finland in an epic overtime matchup vs. Sweden.
Canada
Game results:
Feb. 12: Canada 4, Sweden 3 (OT)
Feb. 15: USA 3, Canada 1
Leading scorers:
Sidney Crosby (three assists), Connor McDavid (one goal, one assist), eight tied with one point
Picks for the game
Sidney Crosby anytime pointscorer (-220): Time and time again, the sport's very best tend to show up in the biggest games. Requiring a regulation win to secure a spot in Thursday's final against the Americans, this is as huge as it gets for Team Canada. After earning three primary assists and being named the first star against Sweden, Crosby not only failed to dent the scoresheet (minus-2) in Saturday's epic tilt with the United States, but also committed the giveaway that led to Dylan Larkin's winner.
"Obviously, it's a game of mistakes, and I turn one over there and it ends up in the back of the net. It's as quick as that. Just little plays here and there," Crosby told reporters after the game.
Whatever the final result in Monday's matinee -- and Canada is considered a substantial -425 favorite -- it feels unlikely that the country's most clutch performer for a generation will fail to contribute at least a single helper against Finland. Up until Saturday, Cosby had won 26 straight games representing his home and native land in international competition while averaging more than a point per game.
Mark Stone to record 3-plus shots (+230): Sticking with the "big players show up in big games" motif, the Vegas captain also fits that bill. Stone fired a trio of shots on net versus Sweden and a team-high three in Saturday's defeat to the Americans. If the Finns surrender another 30 or so shots as they did versus the United States (32), I like Stone to account for a tenth of them, at minimum. Again, even if Canada comes out on the wrong end of this must-win game, the vets are going to go down swinging. -- Victoria Matiash
United States vs.
Sweden
Monday, 8 p.m. ET | TNT
TD Garden (Boston)
Betting intel
Money line: USA -200 | Sweden +170
Game spread: USA -1.5 (+130) | Sweden +1.5 (-155)
Total goals: Over 5.5 (-135) | Under 5.5 (+115)
United States
Game results:
Feb. 13: USA 6, Finland 1
Feb. 15: USA 3, Canada 1
Leading scorers:
Jake Guentzel (three goals, one assist), Zach Werenski (four assists), Matthew Tkachuk (two goals, one assist), Matt Boldy (one goal, two assists), Jack Eichel (three assists)
Sweden
Game results:
Feb. 12: Canada 4, Sweden 3 (OT)
Feb. 15: Finland 4, Sweden 3 (OT)
Leading scorers:
Lucas Raymond (three assists), Erik Karlsson (one goal, one assist), Joel Eriksson Ek (one goal, one assist)
Pick for the game
Chris Kreider anytime goal scorer (+475): In a game that won't mean anything for the United States in terms of getting through to the final -- and could also carry zero weight for Sweden, if Canada wins in regulation -- there's one particular player who should nonetheless feel inspired to make a productive impact. After failing to make the lineup for the first two contests, Kreider projects to sub in for Matthew Tkachuk, who could use the extra rest after getting banged up Saturday. If so, the Boston College alumnus will feel extra jazzed to contribute in front of the pro-American crowd at TD Garden, which stands about 25 miles down the road from where he grew up.
'He's one of the best in the world right now': Is Connor Hellebuyck the best American goalie ever?
Take a look at the list of goalies that have won the Vezina Trophy three or more times. It's a who's who of the greatest of all time: Hall of Famers Martin Brodeur, Ken Dryden, Tony Esposito, Dominik Hasek, Jacques Plante and Patrick Roy.
At 31, Connor Hellebuyck has a chance to join the group as a three-time winner this season. The Winnipeg Jets goalie, who leads the league in goals against average (2.07) and wins (34) and is second in save percentage (.925), could become the first since Brodeur to win the award in consecutive seasons.
"He's one of the best in the world right now," New York Rangers goalie Jonathan Quick said. "One easy way to sum that up was that we played them maybe a month or two ago and we do scouting reports on every goalie we're playing. One of the things that kept coming up is: if he sees it, he's going to stop it."
This has led to Hellebuyck's name being mentioned in the same breath as Tom Barrasso, Ryan Miller, Mike Richter, Tim Thomas, Quick and John Vanbiesbrouck -- the best goalies the United States has produced. An argument could be made that he should be at the top of the list, and strong performances in backstopping the U.S. to two wins in the 4 Nations Face-Off bolster that argument.
The U.S. faces Sweden Monday (8 p.m. ET, TNT), and has clinched a spot in the championship Thursday (8 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN+).
Examining Hellebuyck's figurative stature leads to looking at his literal one -- and why he's become a prototype -- at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds. For context, if Hellebuyck added 10 more pounds, he'd be the exact height and weight as Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow.
In addition to his size, he's durable. While most NHL teams rely on tandems to navigate a full season, finding a goaltender who is capable of starting more than 60 games is rare. Hellebuyck is on pace to finish with more than 60 starts for a fourth consecutive season.
"He is a bit of an anomaly compared to the rest of the league now," said Jimmy Howard, who is ninth all-time in wins by a U.S. goalie. "First and foremost it's his consistency. But it's also his style. He's very quiet in the net. He's really good at controlling rebounds and putting pucks in spots. You don't really see him getting spread out and flying around on the net. He's very efficient in his movement."
Consider:
Since Hellebuyck made his NHL debut during the 2015-16 season, no goalie has played or started more games.
No goalie has played more minutes, faced more shots, made more saves and had more shutouts than Hellebuyck since his rookie season.
He is sixth in save percentage and sixth in overtime wins in that span.
Since the 2022-23 season, his goals saved above expected is 72.51, per Natural Stat Trick, which is the best mark in the NHL in that span, with New York Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin well behind in second, with 51.44.
ESPN asked some of the all-time American greats -- Thomas, Miller, Quick, Richter and Howard -- about Hellebuyck's place in the pecking order.
"It's definitely something I've always strived to be, but it is a little crazy hearing it because I am only 31," Hellebuyck told ESPN. "I'm only halfway through my career. It's exciting that things are trending the way I've always wanted them to be. It's an honor to even be trying to answer a question like this, to be honest with you."
HELLEBUYCK'S 10 SEASONS in the NHL stack well against the other American-born goalies through this stage of their careers.
He's third in career shutouts among American goalies, two away from passing Miller for second place.
He's tied for fourth in career save percentage among U.S. goalies with more than 100 career games (.917).
He's sixth in career wins with 309, 11 wins away from surpassing Craig Anderson for fifth all-time, which could happen this season.
He's tied for seventh in goals-against average among U.S. goalies with more than 100 games, at 2.58.
Hellebuyck passed Howard earlier this season to move into eighth in most games played (548).
"He keeps putting up these 30-win seasons, and now Winnipeg looks like one of the more powerful teams in the league," Richter said. "That's part of the package. That's going to help you get wins, but by no means has this guy been sitting back. He's been playing great hockey, and he's a hard goalie to score against consistently."
Another statistic that speaks to Hellebuyck's place among all-time great American goalies is the historic place he holds in the Vezina conversation. The Vezina is an award that's been dominated by Canadians -- goalies from that country have won 80 times. The U.S. is tied for second-most Vezina wins by a nation with Czechia, as Dominik Hasek won six by himself between 1993 and 2001.
An American-born goalie has won the award 10 times, with Hellebuyck, Thomas and Frank Brimsek each winning the award twice. Hellebuyck could break the tie, becoming the only American to win the award three times.
"The last world championships I played in [in 2014], we had Connor Hellebuyck on our team and I hadn't heard of him before," Thomas said. "He was playing in college and I wasn't paying attention to college when I was in the NHL. ... Watching him over the course of that World Championships, I realized how much potential he had and was super impressed. He was doing great even then."
THE U.S. HAS had high-level goaltenders before, but never someone like Hellebuyck who was seen as a prototypical goalie. That becomes evident when Howard, Miller, Quick and Thomas name their most influential American goalies, and how that's evolved over time.
Thomas, born in 1974, grew up watching the game at a time in which there were not many American goalies. He was 10 when Barrasso won the Vezina and the Calder Trophy in the 1983-84 season. Despite Barrasso's success, nine of the 70 goalies to play in the league that season were American. Seven of them won fewer than 10 games.
Miller, who was born in 1980, saw 11 American goalies in the NHL by the time he was 10. During the 1990-91 season, Barrasso played a key role in the Pittsburgh Penguins winning the Stanley Cup.
Both Thomas and Miller highlighted the importance of seeing American goalies play at the Olympics, which provided them with a platform in a sport largely dominated by Canadians. Thomas said he was influenced by Jim Craig's performances with the 1980 Miracle on Ice team, while he and Miller said they were fans of Ray LeBlanc, who started for Team USA at the 1992 Olympics.
Craig played only 30 NHL games while LeBlanc was a career minor-leaguer who played one NHL game.
"You just kind of look for guys who were doing what you were doing," Miller said. "That's something I try to keep in mind when people talk about how representation matters in certain areas of sports or life or business. Not that I'm in the minority. But when No. 1, you're American and No. 2, you're a goalie? You're looking for some commonalities."
Howard and Quick, born two years apart, are part of a group that started seeing a shift. Howard was 10 when the New York Rangers won the Stanley Cup in 1994 behind Richter. NHL players also participated in the Olympics in 1998.
That's around the same time USA Hockey began the United States National Team Development Program, in 1996. The NTDP would play a foundational role in developing future NHL goalies such as Howard, Jack Campbell, Rick DiPietro, Thatcher Demko and Jake Oettinger.
"I remember going to Colorado Springs as a 14-, 15-year-old and going toe-to-toe with your peers and just learning from different goalie coaches from all different levels throughout the United States," Howard said. "They've really put an emphasis on how being in the U.S., we've always had top forwards and top D, but it was goalies where we lacked. So USA Hockey really took an emphasis on developing more, so goalies aren't just shooter tutors when it comes to practices."
College hockey also began to further establish itself as a more prominent developmental path. Americans including Jon Casey, Damian Rhodes, Chris Terreri and Richter played collegiately in the 1980s and went on to the NHL. Then came goalies such as Jim Carey, Mike Dunham, Garth Snow and Thomas who played throughout the 1990s and would make it to the NHL. It continued into the early 2000's with young Americans like Miller and Al Montoya.
Young hockey players had seen two Olympic cycles with NHL players. The U.S. went from a medal-less finish in 1998 to winning silver in 2002. It was around that time when college hockey saw more young American goalies, such as Howard and Quick, become some of the best in the nation.
Howard left the University of Maine in 2005 and signed with the Detroit Red Wings before becoming a full-time NHL goaltender in the 2009-10 season. Quick left the University of Massachusetts after two years, signed with the Los Angeles Kings organization in 2007 and became a full-time NHL goalie in the 2008-09 season.
The 2009-10 campaign saw 12 American-born goalies play in the NHL. Five of them finished in the top 11 in games played.
Seeing the impact Richter had with the Rangers and how that continued with more Americans such as Miller and Howard was something that resonated with a young hockey fan who grew up in Commerce Township, Michigan.
That fan was Connor Hellebuyck.
"There were a couple guys I grew up loving, but the ones who come to mind are Mike Richter, Ryan Miller and Jimmy Howard," Hellebuyck said. "I know there are others I'm missing, but those three guys are ones I always look forward to talking to and I've gotten to know all three. I know Richter comes from a different era, but he was just the nicest guy ever."
THE ANSWER TO who holds the title of greatest American-born goalie isn't totally clear.
Everyone ESPN spoke to included Quick and Richter on their lists. Those two both acknowledged why it's such a challenging debate.
"It's difficult to compare in my opinion," Quick said. "I just appreciate guys for what they did, what they brought to the league, to their teams and I know people like comparing numbers. I've never been a fan of comparing the numbers. I don't think that ever tells the whole story."
Richter said what makes it a difficult question to answer is the team in front of the goalie will influence the numbers -- and that eras influence them as well. But he said stats are one way to be at least somewhat objective.
He used Barrasso and Quick as examples. Richter said Barrasso was "supremely talented" but was playing in an era that was far more prolific for offense, which is why he finished with a career 3.24 GAA, a number that would rank 70th among active NHL goalies.
Richter also raved about Quick. He said Quick, the nation's all-time leader in several statistics, has had "an exceptional career in every category" while noting he's the only American goalie to win more than 400 games while having a 2.49 GAA, which reflects how he's had consistency and longevity.
Barrasso and Quick each won multiple Stanley Cups.
"When you are looking at who are the best players, it's longevity, it's championships and it's what they meant to their team," Richter said. "It's a team game, and some are called on more than others but that doesn't mean it's always easier."
That's when the conversation shifts to Hellebuyck and whether he needs a Stanley Cup to ascend to the top spot.
Five of the American goalies who are in the top 10 in all-time wins have Stanley Cups. Three of them are in the Hockey Hall of Fame -- and Quick is likely to get there -- with Chico Resch being the lone exclusion. The five who didn't win a Stanley Cup -- Anderson, Hellebuyck, Howard, Miller and Vanbiesbrouck -- are not in the Hall of Fame.
Of those players in the top 10 in wins, five have won the Vezina. The only two to win the Vezina and a Stanley Cup are Barrasso and Frank Brimsek, who played from 1938-39 through 1949-50.
"I really have to emphasize that this is so inexact, because Marcel Dionne was a great player but he never won a Stanley Cup," said Richter. "You can't fault him for that necessarily. He's a Hall of Fame player. Championships are won and lost as a team. I don't think it's fair to determine if you're not mentioned in the breath with the best if you haven't won a championship in a team game."
Quick said: "Goaltending is a very dependent position on the guys in front of you and the coaching staff. It's the work that they put in that goes a long way in the goalie having success or not."
Thomas, who won two Vezinas and a Stanley Cup, said that Hellebuyck just needs to keep doing what he's doing.
"Based on what he's accomplished and what he's headed toward accomplishing, I wouldn't say that he has to win a Stanley Cup to be in that conversation," Thomas said. "But I would say trying to identify one person who is the greatest American goalie of all time is really hard to do because there are different circumstances for everyone."
Miller said Hellebuyck and the Jets have what might be one of his strongest chances to win that elusive title this season. The Jets entered the 4 Nations Face-Off with the most points in the NHL. They were nine points clear of the Dallas Stars, Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights.
But that comes with the context that the Jets might need to win the Cup now, considering they have several players -- including Nikolaj Ehlers, Alex Iafallo, Mason Appleton, Vladislav Namestnikov, Neal Pionk and Haydn Fleury -- who are pending unrestricted free agents.
"All this makes me think of Roberto Luongo. He was in a Game 7 and was one win away from winning a Cup, and he still doesn't have one [as a player]," Hellebuyck said. "But in my eyes, I still view him as one of the greatest of all time. There's a lot of things you can do to still feel like you've achieved a lot.
"That being said, I think most hockey players play the game to win a Cup. ... I don't think it's absolutely necessary on a resume. But it definitely helps."
Pep Guardiola believes Manchester City have a "1%" chance of keeping their Champions League hopes alive by beating Real Madrid in Wednesday's playoff round second-leg clash in Spain.
Madrid, who won the competition for a record 16th time by defeating Borussia Dortmund in last season's final at Wembley, claimed a 3-2 first-leg win at the Etihad last week after scoring twice in the final four minutes to overturn a 2-1 deficit following two earlier Erling Haaland goals for City.
City have won just once at the Bernabéu -- a 2-1 round-of-16 victory in February 2020 -- and must defeat Carlo Ancelotti's team in Madrid to avoid an early exit in this year's competition.
Former Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach Guardiola admits that his City team have a mountain to climb in the Bernabéu, but he says they still have a small chance of reaching the next round.
"The margin to win in Bernabéu in that position [3-2 down], everybody knows that if you ask before the game, the percentage to go through, I don't know, we arrive at 1%, or I don't know what," Guardiola said.
"It will be minimal, but as much as you have a chance, we will try, that's for sure, you know? "The chance is minor because the result was not good -- five minutes ago, with 2-1, it would be different.
"But with 2-3, the chance is less, but as much as you have a chance, we are going to take it, and we'll see what happens."
City have endured their worst season since Guardiola took charge in 2016 during this campaign, losing 12 games in all competitions and surrendering their title hopes by mid-season. And the City coach admits that, while this season has been hugely disappointing, Saturday's 4-0 home win against Newcastle could provide a springboard for a recovery going into final weeks of the campaign.
"Listen, there are many, many games that we didn't play the level we play, and at the end, we lost it," Guardiola said.
"And that was not just the three points, it's how it is affecting our minds for the next game. "It happened a lot of times. This season, the reality is that we have been miles, miles away.
2 hurt after fan falls from stand in Bundesliga game
Two spectators suffered serious injuries after a person fell from a middle tier stand into the lower tier during Sunday's Bundesliga match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Holstein Kiel, hosts Frankfurt said in a statement.
The injured people were treated by paramedics at the stadium before being taken to hospital. Two other spectators sustained minor injuries in the incident.
"We would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a speedy recovery," the club said in a social media post on Sunday.
Third-placed Frankfurt beat bottom side Holstein Kiel 3-1.
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