Sports
Duhatschek: Carson Soucy's cross-check to Connor McDavid's face was reckless. What will the NHL do?
So, for most of Sunday night’s game between the Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers, there were two parallel narratives — one on the ice, one on social media.
On the ice: How Vancouver was badly winning the goalie battle, rookie Arturs Silovs, playing exceptionally well (and much better than his Oilers counterpart Stuart Skinner). Silovs stopped 41 of 44 shots. He was the absolute difference maker in a 4-3 Vancouver win, which gave the Canucks a 2-1 series lead in the NHL’s Western Conference semifinal.
On social media: How referee bias was working against the Oilers, who were not getting their fair share of the calls, from the refereeing tandem of Chris Rooney and Graham Skilliter.
But in the end, the dirtiest play of the night came once the final whistle had blown; and Silovs had made one final stop to win the game in regulation.
Connor McDavid was behind the net, jousting with Carson Soucy. Soucy cross-checked McDavid, and McDavid slashed him back on the pants. It wasn’t much — or until Soucy’s defence partner, Nikita Zadorov joined the fray. As Zadorov cross-checked McDavid from behind, causing his knees to buckle, Soucy cross-checked him in the throat.
Carson Soucy catches McDavid with a cross-check after the final buzzer 😳 pic.twitter.com/Gf03SqgE0l
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) May 13, 2024
That hit definitely crossed the line.
Yes, playoff hockey is intense. Yes, teams generally can’t leave well enough alone once the final whistle blows because these are best-of-seven series, and once Game 3 is over, the posturing for Game 4 begins.
The Canucks will be lucky, however, if they get to Game 4, with Soucy in the lineup.
A cross-check to the face, like the one he delivered, took punishment to another level. In the end, Soucy did get a minor penalty assessed at the buzzer, which is completely inconsequential if the NHL doesn’t follow up with supplementary discipline.
NHL playoff hockey is of course a different animal than the regular season. Some players are just built for it — Zadorov is a case in point. Zadorov — acquired from the Calgary Flames in a trade earlier this season — was added because of his size and willingness to play a physical game. At times, his regular-season play was erratic. But in the playoffs, and especially in this series against the Oilers, he’s been a powerful, intimidating force.
At one point in Sunday’s game, he finished a check on Evander Kane, which knocked Kane into the Edmonton player bench. Not content with simply driving Kane right off the ice surface, Zadorov followed up with two more pushes to ensure he stayed there. That earned him a roughing penalty. Still, it didn’t end up costing the Canucks a thing because the Oilers were themselves dinged for a bench minor, for retaliating from the bench.
The Canucks acquired Zadorov just for these playoff moments — he understands that in playoff hockey, someone needs to play the role of the villain for Vancouver, because if no one does, then the McDavids and Leon Draisaitls will eventually make you pay.
Zadorov can also be crafty about it. Presumably, he understood his blindside postgame cross-check to McDavid was just borderline enough to escape further NHL justice. So thinking strategically.
Soucy, on the other hand, got carried away with the last response. You just can’t cross-check someone across the throat, at any moment in time. The NHL’s player safety department has been eerily quiet thus far in these playoffs, even as officiating controversies rage from game to game and series to series.
The fact that it was McDavid on the receiving end of that double-barreled cross-check adds further fuel to the fire. Remember, less than three years ago, a popular narrative was how McDavid couldn’t get a break from the NHL referees — that statistically, he drew very few penalties, considering his skill level, his ice time and his production.
The controversy came to a head in November of 2021, at a time when McDavid was second in the league in scoring but only 57th when it came to drawing penalties. And this after he’d gone an entire playoff the year before without drawing a penalty call — unimaginable really, considering the way he plays.
When McDavid commented on that finally, he was called out by none other than John Tortorella, who was then between coaching jobs, working as a broadcaster for ESPN. Tortorella advised him to “honestly, just shut up. Stop talking about it.”
It almost seemed as if McDavid, because he had an overdrive that mere mortals couldn’t match, took more punishment than warranted because he was so good.
In time, the moment passed, and the controversy faded.
There is sometimes a perception that the NHL goes out of its way not to protect elite players, because it might show favoritism. This of course is nonsense. Players only ever want one thing from the referees — consistency, as much as possible, from shift to shift and period to period and game to game.
In other words, the same treatment for journeyman players as for the stars of the game. But consistency has to cut both ways too. You can’t ignore what happened here, just because this was McDavid, getting manhandled. What Soucy did was reckless and dangerous. A suspension almost certainly has to be coming. If not, what is already a rowdy Oilers-Canucks series has a real chance of descending into real mayhem.
(Photo: Paul Swanson / NHLI via Getty Images)
Sports
Terrion Arnold, Lions’ 2024 first-round pick, charged with kidnapping and armed robbery in Florida
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Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold was arrested in connection with an alleged kidnapping and robbery that investigators say occurred in February, the Tampa Police Department announced on Wednesday night.
Police previously arrested six other individuals accused of participating in what authorities described as a “targeted armed robbery” on Feb. 4.
Arnold turned himself in and was taken into custody at Orient Road Jail in Hillsborough County on Wednesday night. He is charged with four counts of kidnapping and four counts of armed robbery.
Terrion Arnold of the Detroit Lions looks on during the second half of an NFL game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis., on Sept. 7, 2025. (Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images)
“We are aware of the matter and have been in contact with the club. We have no further comment at this time,” an NFL spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
The Lions have not immediately responded to a request for comment by Fox News Digital.
According to investigators, Arnold rented an Airbnb in Largo, Florida, where he periodically stayed with several co-defendants: Arianna Del Valle, 19; Jasmine Randazzo, 19; Lyndell Hudson II, 26; Christion Williams, 24; Boakai Hilton Jr., 23; and Freddie Hughes, 27. Authorities said other individuals also stayed at the property.
LIONS’ JAMESON WILLIAMS WON’T BE DISCIPLINED BY NFL AFTER FACING ARREST IN GUN-RELATED INCIDENT: REPORT
Investigators said three male victims, all in their late teens, suffered visible injuries after they were allegedly battered, held at gunpoint and pistol-whipped before being robbed and ordered to leave a residence in the 14000 block of North 46th Street in Tampa.
According to investigators, multiple personal items belonging to Arnold and others were stolen from the Airbnb on Feb. 1. Authorities said Arnold suspected two of the three victims were responsible, though Tampa police later determined they were not involved in the theft.
On Feb. 3, Arnold, Hilton, Hughes and another individual reported more than $250,000 in stolen property to the Largo Police Department.
Investigators allege that later that day Arnold and Hilton coordinated with Del Valle and Randazzo to contact one of the victims and lure him to an apartment.
Terrion Arnold of the Detroit Lions lines up before a play during an NFL game against the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field in Detroit, Mich., on Nov. 27, 2025. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
Police said the three victims arrived at the apartment on Feb. 4 to meet the women, where Williams and Hudson were allegedly hiding inside a bedroom closet. According to investigators, Williams and Hudson grabbed the victims, held them at gunpoint and assaulted them.
Authorities said Del Valle streamed the incident to Arnold, Hilton and Hughes as they traveled to the apartment. Investigators also said they recovered a group chat involving the defendants in which Arnold and Hilton allegedly gave directions to Del Valle, Williams and Hudson during the assault.
According to investigators, Arnold, Hilton, Hughes and another individual arrived at the apartment around 1 a.m. Police allege Arnold directed the group inside, and that Hughes, Hudson and Williams stole the victims’ personal property while the assault was ongoing.
Authorities said the victims were escorted from the apartment about 40 minutes later, forced into their vehicle and left the scene. They later reported the incident to Tampa police and identified the suspects.
Investigators said they believe Arnold was the primary organizer of the alleged scheme based on evidence gathered during the investigation.
Terrion Arnold of the Detroit Lions runs onto the field before an NFL game against the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan, on Nov. 27, 2025. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
Arnold, an Alabama product, was selected by Detroit with the No. 24 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
The 23-year-old recorded his first career interception this past season in Week 9 against the Minnesota Vikings, though he was only able to play eight games due to a shoulder injury that required season-ending surgery.
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Arnold played 16 games during his rookie season in 2024, tallying 10 passes defended and 60 combined tackles.
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Sports
Mexico celebrates magical World Cup win over Czechia at rowdy Azteca Stadium
MEXICO CITY — Mexico’s national team overcame a lackluster first half to beat Czechia thanks to a dream second half that allowed it to finish the group stage undefeated on a night that will be remembered as one of the greatest in Mexican World Cup history.
The celebration of Mexico’s 3-0 win Wednesday at Azteca Stadium turned into a tribute to legendary goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, who entered the game in the final minutes to receive a standing ovation unlike any other for a Mexican player in the history of the tournament.
Czechia was eliminated after failing to earn more than one point in the tournament. In the other group match, South Africa defeated South Korea 1-0 in Monterrey and advanced in second place. South Korea will have to wait to find out whether it advances as one of the eight best third-place teams.
Czechia put up a strong performance during the first 45 minutes, while Mexico showed little offensive clarity, mainly because of a lack of control in midfield.
Everything changed in a matter of six minutes during the second half, when El Tri figured out Czechia and secured its best victory in the group stage.
Mateo Chávez opened the scoring in the 55th minute with the help of Mexico’s lethal counterattack. Luis Romo set up the goal by shaking off three Czechia players at midfield and pushing forward, passing to Chávez, who beat Czechia’s Michal Sadilek and buried a shot to the left side of goal.
Forward Julián Quiñones extended the lead in the 61st minute, exploiting Czechia’s defensive confusion in the penalty area.
Álvaro Fidalgo, who was a second-half substitute, capped the win with a stoppage-time goal. The run on the final goal was set up by a booming Ochoa kick and triggered a raucous celebration by the goalkeeper and his teammates.
The match encapsulated both the present and the future of the Mexican team.
Gilberto Mora, a 17-year-old midfielder from Tijuana and the team’s youngest player at the World Cup, was instrumental in the second half, setting up several of the plays that decided the outcome. With a 2-0 lead, one of the greatest moments for a goalkeeper in World Cup history unfolded. Ochoa replaced starter Raúl Rangel and was greeted with a standing ovation from a large portion of the 80,824 fans at Azteca Stadium.
Mexico’s Julian Quinones celebrates scoring his side’s second goal against Czechia during a World Cup match in Mexico City on Wednesday.
(Silvia Izquierdo / Associated Press)
The fans chanted Ochoa’s name every time the goalkeeper touched the ball, honoring a player who has competed in six World Cups for Mexico.
Coach Javier Aguirre said that finishing first in the group was a “primary objective” for Mexico, which already qualified for the next round. The team achieved a first by securing three consecutive wins without conceding a goal in the group stage. Mexico defeated South Africa 2-0 in the opening match and South Korea 1-0 in the second game.
Mexico, which is co-hosting the tournament alongside Canada and the United States, will face its next opponent — one of the best third-place finishers — on Tuesday at Azteca Stadium.
The only sour note for Mexico came in the scoreless first half when the restless crowd unleashed a popular homophobic chant at least twice. FIFA previously sanctioned the Mexican soccer federation in an effort to stop the chant.
Sports
2026 World Cup Third-Place Standings: Who’s In, Who’s On The Bubble
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For the first time at a FIFA World Cup, finishing third in your group does not necessarily mean going home.
With 48 teams competing in 2026, FIFA expanded the field to include the eight best third-place finishers across all 12 groups. The top two teams in each group advance automatically, and the remaining eight spots in the 32-team knockout bracket go to the highest-ranked third-place teams, determined by points, goal difference, goals scored and other tiebreakers.
That means 12 teams will be competing for eight spots, and the race to stay in the top eight is one of the most compelling subplots of the final days of the group stage.
Here’s where the third-place standings sit heading into the final round of group stage matches on June 24.
Third-Place World Cup Standings
| Rank | GP | Points | Goal Diff. | |
| 1 | Bosnia & Herz. | 3 | 4 | -1 |
| 2 | Sweden | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 3 | Scotland | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 4 | Croatia | 2 | 3 | -1 |
| 5 | Algeria | 2 | 3 | -2 |
| 6 | Paraguay | 2 | 3 | -2 |
| 7 | Cape Verde | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 8 | Belgium | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Cutline | ||||
| 9 | Czechia | 2 | 1 | -1 |
| 10 | DR Congo | 2 | 1 | -1 |
| 11 | Ecuador | 2 | 1 | -1 |
| 12 | Senegal | 2 | 0 | -3 |
The third-place standings will shift considerably over the next two days as the final round of group stage matches is played. Follow the live standings at FOXSports.com and watch every match on FOX and FS1, streaming live on FOX One.
Standings as of the end of Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Qatar and Canada vs. Switzerland on Wednesday.
2026 FIFA World Cup Standings Rules
How Do Points Work? How Do Tiebreakers Work?
In a group, a team will earn three points for a win, one point for a draw, and no points for a loss. That could mean some teams are equal on points at the end of the three-game group stage. That leads us to tiebreakers.
If two or more teams finish equal on group-stage points, here is the order of who finishes on top:
1. Most points obtained in the head-to-head matches played between the tied teams;
2. Superior goal difference in the head-to-head matches played between the tied teams;
3. Most goals scored in the head-to-head matches played between the tied teams;
There are even more tiebreakers if any teams remained locked after all that. From there, ties are broken by these rules:
4. Superior goal difference in all group matches
5. Most goals scored in all group matches
6. Highest team conduct score in all group matches (taking into account yellow cards and red cards)
7. FIFA World Ranking
Which Third-Place Teams Will Advance?
To fill out the World Cup knockout bracket, the best eight third-place teams out of the possible 12 in the tournament will advance. The criteria for those teams are based on:
1. Points
2. Goal difference
3. Goals scored
4. Highest team conduct score in all group matches (taking into account yellow cards and red cards)
5. FIFA World Ranking
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