Sports
Cam Fowler shines in 1,000th game, Blackhawks and Blues get physical: Winter Classic takeaways
By Scott Powers, Mark Lazerus and Jeremy Rutherford
CHICAGO — The spectacle of an NHL rink wedged between the first- and third-base lines at Wrigley Field did not disappoint at Tuesday’s Winter Classic, a capacity crowd braving chilling rain and biting wind to take in the view, the fireworks and a brief Smashing Pumpkins concert. The Blackhawks arrived on the L train, leaving the Addison stop with their skates slung over their shoulders like kids marching out to the pond. The weather (mostly) cleared just in time, everything proceeded on schedule, and the NHL really couldn’t have asked for much more.
Then the puck dropped.
The environment was pristine, but the game was lopsided and choppy as the Blackhawks and Blues did what the Blackhawks and Blues do in the league’s signature regular-season event. St. Louis scored two early power-play goals and never looked back, cruising to a 6-2 victory. St. Louis is now 3-0 in the Winter Classic and Chicago is 0-5.
Here are some takeaways:
Cam Fowler, who was No. 12 overall pick by the Anaheim Ducks in 2010, played 991 games for the organization before being traded to the St. Louis Blues on Dec. 14.
Fowler’s wife, Jasmine, pointed out that his 1,000th NHL game would be at the Winter Classic in Chicago.
“The whole day is going to be pretty surreal,” Fowler said Monday, on the eve of the outdoor game. “The game itself is going to be an incredible experience, and then when you mix in the personal accomplishments, it’s going to be a special day.”
Fowler didn’t know at the time how special.
On his second shift, the defenseman netted his first goal of the game on the power play for a 1-0 Blues lead.
Someone grabbed the puck and moments later the souvenir was in the possession of Blues athletic trainer Ray Barile.
The first goal of the #WinterClassic belongs to Mr. 1,000 Games himself – Cam Fowler. #stlblues pic.twitter.com/vuthUzIK3Y
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) December 31, 2024
Late in the second period, Fowler had his second of the game, cementing what will certainly be a career memory for a player who grew up about three hours away in Windsor, Ontario.
Petr Mrázek had been the main reason why the Blackhawks were in games for much of the first two months of the season. Game after game, he was keeping them competitive, just as he did last season.
But Mrázek hasn’t been near that goalie for all of December. In Mrázek’s six starts in the month, he allowed four or more goals in five games, and the other he left in the first period due to an injury. With the five goals he gave up Tuesday, he finished the month with 110 saves on 134 shots for an .821 save percentage.
Mrázek missed a few weeks in December due to a groin injury. Tuesday’s start was his third since he returned. The Blackhawks had been riding him in net more than expected due to Laurent Brossoit’s injury issues, but Mrázek didn’t think that workload contributed to his injury. Still, the Blackhawks are well aware Mrázek has a recent history of groin injuries and they probably need to be careful with him going forward. You would think that means more starts for Arvid Söderblom during the second half of the season, or at least until Brossoit is ready to return. Söderblom wasn’t much better in his last start, allowing five goals to the Dallas Stars on Sunday.
In any baseball stadium, the locker room accommodations aren’t perfect for a hockey team coming in for a couple days. But Wrigley Field proved to be extra challenging for the visiting Blues, and one player in particular.
To get from the rink area to the Blues’ locker room, the players walked on their skates through the dugout and up a significant number of stairs. They did this before the game, during intermissions and, of course, after the final horn.
Well, after the first period of Tuesday’s game, TNT cameras caught Blues forward Alexey Toropchenko taking one frightening step at a time as he made his way down the stairs and back to the ice.
Toropchenko’s cautious approach may have generated some chuckles from those who saw the video, but he can say that he safely finished the game without snapping any ankles.
Connor Bedard has been the face of the Winter Classic since it was first announced 11 months ago. He’s been interviewed from inside the famous center field scoreboard, he’s been taking batting practice with ex-Cubs pitcher Ryan Dempster, he’s been shooting tennis balls from the rooftops across the street, he’s been part of countless photo shoots and he was the center of attention during the last two days. And while Bedard doesn’t particularly love the added attention he gets, he certainly appreciated the opportunity the Blackhawks had at Wrigley Field.
“It’s an older building, and I find that stuff really cool, sports history,” he said. “It’s a great spot. I got to tour it a little bit and go around the room and stuff. … It’s fun we get to be here.”
Connor Bedard jerseys were everywhere inside and outside of Wrigley Field. (Scott Powers / The Athletic)
Bedard’s the entire reason the Blackhawks were picked to host this game. He’s already one of the biggest names in the sport and one of the most marketable faces in the league. Following Monday’s practice and family skate, Bedard said the Winter Classic already was “one of the coolest experiences of my life so far, and the game hasn’t even started yet.”
Once it did start, though, the Blackhawks’ 19-year-old wunderkind wasn’t much of a factor. Aside from a sharp-angle rebound chance shortly before Dylan Holloway gave the Blues a 4-1 lead in the second period, Bedard was mostly quiet. He finished with just a secondary assist on a late power-play goal by Tyler Bertuzzi.
The Blues’ Zack Bolduc certainly had the hit of the game as he sent Taylor Hall into the bench.
Zack Bolduc just hit Taylor Hall into next year. #WinterClassic #stlblues pic.twitter.com/qgF7Nu8Byu
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) December 31, 2024
Moments before the Blackhawks officially dropped the puck, the teams’ captains — Nick Foligno and Brayden Schenn — participated in a ceremonial puck drop.
Of course, they were all smiles for that photo, but they were not smiling late in the second period.
After Fowler gave the Blues a 5-1 lead, Foligno and Schenn squared off on the ensuing faceoff.
With the Blues in the driver’s seat, Schenn probably didn’t need to request the fight, and he may have been second-guessing himself after Foligno landed a couple of haymakers, but that’s hockey.
Hockey. #stlblues #blackhawks pic.twitter.com/NIOnLJDgqp
— Jeremy Rutherford (@jprutherford) January 1, 2025
(Top photo: Michael Reaves / Getty Images)
Sports
WWE star suffers giant bump on her head before WrestleMania 42 match
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WWE star Liv Morgan was banged up on “Monday Night Raw” after a segment that involved her getting pushed into stablemate Roxanne Perez and then thrown into a TV by her WrestleMania 42 nemesis Stephanie Vaquer.
The promo happened quickly. Morgan and Perez were backstage as the Women’s World Championship title contender wanted to thank “The Prodigy” for her help fending off Vaquer the week prior. But Vaquer got her revenge.
Liv Morgan makes her entrance during Monday Night RAW at Madison Square Garden in New York, N.Y., on March 30, 2026. (Craig Melvin/WWE)
The champion rushed into the scene pushing Morgan into Perez and then into the television. WWE fans quickly noticed that it appeared Morgan and Perez bumped heads when the shove occurred. Morgan showed the aftermath on social media.
“You’re mine now b—h,” Morgan wrote on X showing off photos of the bump.
RANDY ORTON, RHEA RIPLEY ENTER WRESTLEMANIA 42 TITLE PICTURE WITH ELIMINATION CHAMBER WINS
Liv Morgan smiles during Monday Night RAW at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Feb. 2, 2026. (Mike Marques/WWE)
Perez also posted photos of herself needing to ice her head because of the bump that was left on the top of her forehead. The photos showed the bump and her icing her head.
Vaquer is set to defend the Women’s World Championship against Morgan at WrestleMania 42, and as of now, the match is still on despite the bump.
Wrestling Observer reported Tuesday that both competitors were in concussion protocol after the segment.
Vaquer has been the champion for nearly 200 days after winning the vacated belt at Wrestlepalooza back in September. She defeated Iyo Sky to start her first title reign.
Stephanie Vaquer and Liv Morgan speak in the ring during Monday Night RAW at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, on Feb. 9, 2026. (Cooper Neill/WWE)
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Morgan held the title from May 2024 to January 2025, losing it to Rhea Ripley on “Monday Night Raw’s” Netflix premiere.
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Sports
Lakers’ LeBron James will not play tonight against the Thunder
Already without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, the Lakers ruled out LeBron James out for Tuesday’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
James was questionable as he manages a chronic left foot injury. The Lakers are fighting for playoff seeding with four games left before the postseason, but with two consecutive losses and major injuries mounting, they have slipped to fourth in the West, a half-game behind Denver. The lowest they can fall is into fifth place, ahead of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Doncic is out with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain and Reaves is sidelined with a Grade 2 left oblique strain. The Lakers (50-28) are also without starting guard Marcus Smart, who will miss his eighth consecutive game with because of a right ankle contusion. Now with James out, the Lakers will be down four of their five regular starters.
The 41-year-old James had played in 13 consecutive games with the Lakers going 10-3 during that span. Adjusting to a reduced ball-handling role to let Doncic and Reaves control the offense, James was shooting 54.4% from the field, averaging 17.6 points per game on only 12.3 shot attempts in the first 12 games before Doncic and Reaves were injured.
With both guards out in the Lakers’ last game against Dallas, James shot 12 for 22 from the field, scoring 30 points with 15 assists. It was the most shot attempts for James in a game since Dec. 20, 2025, when Reaves was out because of a calf strain and Doncic suffered a a leg contusion that limited him to just the first half.
The Thunder (62-16) have won five consecutive games. The defending NBA champions are 3-0 against the Lakers this season, including a 43-point drubbing last week. The Lakers finish the regular season at Golden State on Thursday, at home against Phoenix on Friday and against Utah on Sunday. The playoffs begin April 18.
Sports
Michigan holds off UConn to capture first men’s basketball national title since 1989
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The Michigan Wolverines are finally national champions once more in men’s basketball, taking down the UConn Huskies, 69-63, to finish a thrilling NCAA Tournament in style at Lucas Oil Stadium on Monday night.
This is the first time Michigan has won since 1989, and just the second time in program history they’ve called themselves champions.
Meanwhile, the Huskies were looking to win their third title in the last four tournaments, but their shooting failed them in the end.
Elliot Cadeau celebrates during the first half of the 2026 NCAA men’s basketball national championship game against UConn at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, on April 6, 2026. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
While both teams’ offenses came into this game working like a machine, it was a low-scoring affair to kick off this game. Michigan only owned a 33-29 first-half lead by the buzzer, but it wasn’t Yaxel Lendeborg leading the way in the points department for the Wolverines.
The Michigan star, who is playing on a sprained left MCL and left ankle, which came during the win over Arizona in the Final Four, was just 1-of-5 shooting for four points in the first half. It was Morez Johnson Jr. (10 points) and Elliot Cadeau (seven points) finding some rhythm for the Wolverines.
UCONN’S DAN HURLEY HEARS BOOS AFTER FINAL FOUR WIN OVER ILLINOIS
But it didn’t help that Michigan was scoreless from beyond the arc and shooting just 37% from the field. Meanwhile, UConn wasn’t doing themselves any favors either.
The Huskies shot just 33% in the first half, with Alex Karaban hitting two of his five three-point attempts. Solo Ball, who was spotted in a walking boot entering the game with “some type of foot sprain,” according to head coach Dan Hurley, had eight points on 3-of-4 from the field.
While they were down, UConn was certainly playing the type of game they wanted against Michigan – a rugged battle, especially on the glass. Michigan has shown its prowess of taking momentum and sprinting with it offensively, dominating opponents all year long, including this NCAA Tournament.
Yaxel Lendeborg of the Michigan Wolverines dribbles during the first half against the UConn Huskies in the National Championship of the 2026 NCAA men’s basketball tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, on April 6, 2026. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
However, the Huskies know their scratching and clawing abilities for 40 minutes allow them to never let an opponent feel comfortable. Just ask the Duke Blue Devils what happened in the Final Four.
The Huskies had that same demeanor in the second half, though it didn’t help they took a page out of the Wolverines’ first-half playbook – they couldn’t find the stroke from range. UConn was desperate to hit a three-pointer, but despite open looks, they couldn’t get one to fall as the Michigan lead eventually got to 11 points after Cadeau finally broke the seal for his squad on the opposite end, burying a three-pointer to get to a double-digit lead.
But Hurley was firing up the crowd as the Huskies never quit, cutting the lead to five with less than nine minutes to play in the game. Lendeborg, though, after shaking his head on the bench as he wasn’t having the game he hoped for in the national championship, stepped up when he checked back in.
Lendeborg saw a sweet pass from Cadeau in transition and got the lead back to 11 with a tough layup, making it 56-45 with less than six minutes to play. He would also come in the clutch with another two points following a Braylon Mullins three-pointer.
Once again, the Huskies wouldn’t quit, as Mullins finally found his shot beyond the arc, knocking that Michigan lead back to single digits with a follow-up three-pointer again to Lendeborg’s layups. But, just as gritty as the Huskies played, the Wolverines seemed to always have the answer in this hard-fought contest.
Head coach Dan Hurley of the UConn Huskies reacts during the first half of the NCAA men’s basketball national championship game against the Michigan Wolverines at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, on April 6, 2026. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
A key example of that was, after Karaban buried a three-pointer to cut the Michigan lead to six, Trey McKenney stepped back and drilled a 26-footer with 1:49 left in the game to get the lead back to nine points. The Wolverines faithful in the crowd went ballistic, knowing how much that basket meant considering what UConn has been able to do in this tournament.
With 37 seconds left in the game, Ball got some help from the backboard, making a three-pointer to cut the lead to 67-63 for the Wolverines. Roddy Gayle Jr. made things more interesting in this game, as he couldn’t knock down his two free throw attempts for Michigan. But Karaban didn’t have another clutch three-pointer in him, coming up short with 13 seconds left.
That was it for UConn’s desperation attempt, and Michigan celebrated their win.
In the box score, Cadeau led all scorers with 19 points on 5-of-11 shooting and 8-of-9 from the free throw line. Lendeborg was just 4-of-13, though he still had 13 points. Johnson had a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Wolverines as well.
Cadeau was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four.
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Michigan was just 2-of-15 from the three-point line, and head coach Dusty May even noted after the game getting dominated on the glass, as they were out-rebounded by UConn, 46-39.
The Huskies, though, couldn’t find it offensively. Karaban finished with 17 points and 11 rebounds, but shot just 4-of-14 and 3-of-10 from three-point territory. Tarris Reed Jr. had a double-double as well with 13 points and 14 rebounds, while Mullins, the hero against Duke with his half-court shot, was only 4-of-17 for 11 points.
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