Sports
What we’re hearing about John Tortorella’s final days with the Flyers
An incident between John Tortorella and Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Cam York this week contributed to a deteriorating relationship between coach and team that led to Tortorella’s firing on Thursday morning, a team source said.
The source said that after Tortorella benched York for the final 50 minutes of the Flyers’ game on Tuesday at Toronto, a confrontation took place between the two that did not turn physical but that “they probably both crossed the line.”
As a result, York was functionally scratched on Thursday in a victory over the Montreal Canadiens, although he sat on the bench for the entire game because the Flyers had no healthy extra players. Interim coach Brad Shaw called it a “disciplinary issue,” and the team source said the decision to sit York was made by general manager Daniel Briere, who felt the team needed to make a point with York — who is expected to return to the lineup on Saturday.
But he won’t be playing under Tortorella, who has not responded to multiple interview requests from The Athletic since his firing.
The disagreement with York, and subsequent comments that Tortorella made after the game, contributed to the coach’s firing on Thursday morning. But those two events were not isolated. Something began to shift around the trade deadline on March 7, according to the team source.
Up until then, Tortorella seemed to be on board with the moves that Briere made, as the Flyers traded respected leaders Scott Laughton and Erik Johnson, further reducing a roster that had lost top-nine forwards Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee about a month earlier. But there was a heaviness around the team stemming from some of Tortorella’s reactions in the days and weeks that followed.
A disconnect started to grow between Tortorella, the team and Flyers management, culminating on Tuesday in Toronto, where the coach’s postgame comments didn’t help his cause, either, according to the team source.
As colleague Pierre LeBrun reported on Friday morning, the timing of Tortorella’s dismissal “was surprising. The indication from the Flyers earlier this week was that they wanted to sit down after the season with the 66-year-old coach, who had another year on his deal, to see where he was at, mentally and physically.”
Shaw said on Friday that Tortorella “left a note in our (coaches) room and in the players’ room when he came and got his stuff. That’s the type of guy he is.”
There had seemingly been tension bubbling between Tortorella and York for the past few weeks. York was made a healthy scratch for a game on March 8, and later bemoaned the lack of communication from the coach.
“We haven’t talked much, so I’m not sure,” he told reporters two days later, when asked why he thought he was scratched.
He also added: “I mean, I’m not playing to prove him anything. I’m playing for the guys in this locker room and the logo on my chest. I’m not playing for him, necessarily, if that makes sense.”
On Friday, speaking for the first time since being benched and then punished, York said: “I’m not going to get into the details of it. I will say this, I take full responsibility for my actions. It’s been addressed here in the locker room. It’s something that I’m going to put behind me and move on from. We’ve got eight games left here and that’s my focus right now. We’ll leave it at that.”
Still, he admitted frustration with watching the team get shellacked 7-2 by the Maple Leafs, as they had only five defensemen playing for the majority of the game at the end of a 10-day road trip.
“Obviously, sitting on the bench there in that type of game is never fun,” he said. “Five (defensemen) is a tough thing to do and you never want to put your teammates in that type of situation.”
Shaw was asked whether he would do something like bench a player for 50 minutes, as Tortorella did on Tuesday.
“I’m not going to get into that,” he said. “I don’t want to answer a question that can be used against Torts. I don’t think it’s anybody’s best interests, so I’d rather not answer that.”
In 58 games this season, York has four goals and 11 assists for 15 points. The 24-year-old is a pending restricted free agent. There were discussions about a contract extension earlier in the season, but not much progress made.
York reiterated his desire to be a part of the Flyers’ future on Friday.
“This is where I want to be,” York said. “I’ve stated that. I love what’s going on here and I love what we’re building. It hasn’t been our (best) year, but it’s here. This is where I want to be, and I’m looking forward to the future.”
Regarding Tortorella, York said: “I have nothing bad to say. He taught me a lot of really good things and was a really good coach for me. I’m going to use a lot of the things that he taught me down the road in my career. He’s a really good coach, and I wish him the best of luck down the road.”
(Photo: Robert Edwards / Imagn Images)
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In just his second season at the helm, Curt Cignetti led Indiana to its first national championship.
During the Hoosiers’ title run, Cignetti became known for his demanding coaching style. Indiana opened spring practice Thursday, and incoming transfer wide receiver Nick Marsh got a crash course in what it means to play for Cignetti.
Marsh, who transferred from Michigan State, arrived at practice in gold cleats. After noting Marsh’s productive two-year stint in East Lansing, Cignetti pivoted to the wideout’s footwear.
Nick Marsh (6) of the Michigan State Spartans runs the ball up the field during the first quarter of a game against the Maryland Terrapins at Ford Field Nov. 29, 2025, in Detroit. (Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)
“I didn’t love those gold shoes he came out in today,” Cignetti said. “He learned what getting your a– ripped is all about. I don’t know if that happened to him very often at Michigan State. That was before practice started.”
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Marsh totaled 1,311 receiving yards and nine touchdowns at Michigan State. TCU quarterback Josh Hoover also headlines Indiana’s transfer additions.
An Indiana Hoosiers helmet during a game against the Ball State Cardinals at Lucas Oil Stadium Aug. 31, 2019, in Indianapolis. (Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
Cignetti added that the coaching staff has “more work to do with this group than the first two teams,” noting the group is still learning more about players the team will likely rely on next season.
Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti during the second quarter against the Miami Hurricanes in the 2026 College Football Playoff national championship at Hard Rock Stadium Jan. 19, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
Indiana went 16-0 en route to a thrilling win over Miami in the College Football Playoff national championship in January.
Cignetti framed his callout of Marsh’s cleats as an early message about expectations.
“That was a wake-up call,” Cignetti said of the receiver’s pre-practice cleats. “But he’s really worked hard, done a great job for us.”
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Redondo Union didn’t care that Mira Costa’s volleyball team was ranked No. 1 in California. This was their South Bay rival coming to their gym Thursday night, and anything can happen when a team digs deep and doesn’t fear losing.
The Sea Hawks (14-2) were aggressive from the outset and came away with a 27-25, 21-25, 25-22, 21-25, 15-13 victory.
“Chemistry,” setter Tommy Spalding said about the Sea Hawks’ triumph. He’s one of three players headed to MIT, and all three had big matches.
At one point on back-to-back plays, Carter Mirabal had a block and Vaughan Flaherty followed with a kill off an assist from Spalding. Chemistry.
JR Boice, a Long Beach State commit, was delivering kills, and Cash Essert’s serving and all-around play kept Mira Costa’s Mateo Fuerbringer looking frustrated. The Sea Hawks’ focus was on Fuerbringer, who came alive in the fifth set with six kills, but Redondo was able to come back from an 11-9 deficit.
It was only Mira Costa’s second loss in 25 matches. Redondo Union took over first place in the Bay League.
Baseball
Orange Lutheran 3, Jacksonville (Fla.) Trinity Christian 2: The Lancers advanced to the semifinals of the National High School Invitational in Cary, N.C., behind a walk-off single in the eighth inning by Andrew Felizzari. Brady Murrietta had tied the score with a squeeze bunt in the bottom of the seventh. CJ Weinstein had two doubles for the Lancers.
Venice (Fla.) 12, Harvard-Westlake 0: The Wolverines were limited to three hits at the National High School Invitational in Cary, N.C.
Casteel (Queen Creek, Ariz.) 3, St. John Bosco 2: The Braves suffered their first defeat in North Carolina. Jack Champlin threw five innings and also had two RBIs.
Chatsworth 6, Taft 3: Tony Del Rio Nava threw six innings and had two RBIs in the West Valley League win.
Granada Hills 4, El Camino Real 3: A two-run single by Nicholas Penaranda in the seventh inning keyed a three-run inning for the Highlanders in their West Valley League upset. JJ Saffie had three hits for ECR.
Cleveland 4, Birmingham 3: The Cavaliers pushed across a run in the top of the 10th inning to break a 3-3 tie in the West Valley League win. Joshua Pearlstein finished with three hits, including a home run.
Sun Valley Poly 4, San Fernando 2: Fabian Bravo gave up four hits in 6 2/3 innings for the Parrots, who are tied with Sylmar for first place in the Valley Mission League. Ray Pelayo struck out eight for San Fernando.
Verdugo Hills 15, Kennedy 1: Cutlor Fannon had two doubles and four RBIs in the five-inning win. Anthony Velasquez added two singles and four RBIs.
Westlake 9, Agoura 4: Jaxson Neckien hit a three-run home run to power the Warriors.
Thousand Oaks 7, Calabasas 5: Gavin Berigan, Jeff Adams and Cru Hopkins each had two hits for the Lancers.
Oaks Christian 11, Newbury Park 2: Dane Disney contributed three hits in the Marmonte League win. Carson Sheffer had two doubles and three RBIs.
Santa Monica 12, Simi Valley 4: Ryan Breslo and Johnny Recendez had two RBIs and a triple for Santa Monica. Ravi Chernack had three RBIs.
Dana Hills 7, Corona Santiago 0: Gavin Giese finished with eight strikeouts over six innings and gave up one hit for Dana Hills.
Softball
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 10, Sierra Canyon 0: Kelsey Luderer contributed three hits and two RBIs while freshman Ainsley Jenkins threw five scoreless innings.
Chaminade 15, Louisville 2: Norah Pettersen had two hits and four RBIs.
Carson 10, San Pedro 0: Atiana Rodriguez finished with three hits, including a double and triple, and three RBIs.
Huntington Beach 6, El Modena 2: Willow Kellen had three hits for the Oilers.
Murrieta Mesa 15, Chaparral 0: It’s a 16-0 start for the Rams. Tatum Wolff hit two home runs.
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The fiancée of Buffalo Sabres star Rasmus Dahlin received a roaring welcome home in her first appearance of the season Wednesday night, months after undergoing a lifesaving transplant after she suffered heart failure during a vacation in France.
Carolina Matovac, 25, was shown on the jumbotron during Wednesday’s game against the Boston Bruins. Fans cheered as she waved, and Dahlin, who was also shown on the screen in a split, cracked a smile at the crowd’s reaction.
Carolina Matovac and Rasmus Dahlin of the Buffalo Sabres pose on the red carpet at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Feb. 1, 2024. (Nicole Osborne/NHLI via Getty Images)
“Welcome home to Carolina Matovac, the fiancée of our captain Rasmus Dahlin,” the arena announcer said. “She is back with us, attending her first game of the season. The Sabrehood loves you, Carolina.”
In an open letter to fans in September, Dahlin shared that Matovac had been feeling ill for several days during their trip, which led to her experiencing “major heart failure.”
“Fortunately, she received CPR on multiple occasions, and up to a couple of hours at a time to keep her alive, which ultimately saved her life. Without her receiving lifesaving CPR, the result would have been unimaginable. It is hard to even think about the worst-case scenario,” he wrote at the time.
Rasmus Dahlin (of the Buffalo Sabres prepares for a faceoff during a game against the New York Rangers at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, N.Y., Oct. 9, 2025. (Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images)
Matovac remained on life support for weeks before receiving the transplant in France.
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In January, Matovac revealed she was pregnant when her heart failed, adding that her unborn child was the reason she went to the hospital initially.
“You will always hold a special place in our hearts as our first baby, even though we never had the chance to meet. Our love for you is endless,” she wrote in a post on Instagram on what was supposed to be her due date.
“Though you didn’t get to experience this world, you played a vital role in ensuring that I could continue to be a part of it.”
Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin follows the puck in the first period against the Ottawa Senators at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on April 1, 2025. (Marc DesRosiers/Imagn Images)
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Despite taking some time to be with Matovac as she recovered in their native Sweden, Dahlin is second on the team with 65 points, and the Sabres are on the cusp of ending an NHL-record 14-season playoff drought.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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