LAS VEGAS — Goalie Carter Hart, one of five 2018 Canada World Junior hockey players acquitted of sexual assault in July, will make his first NHL appearance in nearly two years when he starts in goal Tuesday night for the Vegas Golden Knights, who host Chicago.
The former Flyers goaltender was the first of those five players to agree to an NHL contract. The league ruled those players were eligible to sign deals beginning Oct. 15 and to play beginning Dec. 1. Hart signed a two-year, $4 million contract and has been working with the club’s American Hockey League affiliate in Henderson, Nev.
After he agreed to sign, Hart read a statement to reporters that, in part, said he wanted “to show the community my true character and who I am and what I’m about.”
Hart was asked Monday what steps he has taken to fulfill that pledge.
“There’s been a few things we’ve talked about,” Hart said. “We did a thing there in Henderson helping out the homeless. There’s some things we’ve talked about throughout the season. Whatever I can do to help, I’m happy to help.”
Giving Hart his first start at home could help ease him into what could be a rocky reception around the league. How welcoming Golden Knights fans will be remains to be seen, but after facing the Blackhawks, Vegas goes on a five-game road trip against Eastern Conference teams, including a Dec. 11 visit to the Flyers.
He worked in Henderson on getting back into NHL game shape. Hart appeared in three games and went 1-2.
“I’ve worked by [butt] off to get back to this point,” Hart said. “For me, the key is preparation and I’ve done everything I can to be prepared.”
The 27-year-old last played in an NHL game on Jan. 20, 2024, for the Flyers. Hart played six seasons for the team, going 96-93-29 with a .906 save percentage and 2.94 goals-against average.
“The purpose of Henderson was to get him back into live reps,” Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy said. “He can practice with us with NHL shooters, but traffic around the net, screens, all that stuff is sometimes hard to replicate, especially when you haven’t played that often. We’re less worried about the results, more getting reps, getting used to that stuff.”
The Golden Knights could use the help in net, especially with starting goalie Adin Hill on injured reserve with a lower-body injury and his return possibly weeks away. Akira Schmid has received the majority of the work with Hill out and is 9-2-4 with a .896 save percentage and 2.51 GAA.
Cassidy said the upcoming schedule works in the Golden Knights’ favor in terms of not overloading the goalies.
“Akira’s played well, too, so we have to keep mindful he has to stay sharp,” Cassidy said. “So I’m sure you’ll see a lot of both goalies, but Carter’s waited a long time to play, so he’s definitely going to get his share of starts.”
NEW YORK — The U.S. men’s soccer team has played some strong opponents in its preparation for the World Cup so far. But for its last four games before the tournament, the team will face some of the biggest teams of all.
After weeks of speculation, official word came Tuesday that the U.S. will play Belgium and Portugal in March in Atlanta, then Germany in Chicago in June for its World Cup send-off game.
There also will be a game at the end of May in Charlotte, N.C., against a team to be announced. It might be revealed after the World Cup draw on Friday, since the U.S. won’t want to play against a team it will face again a few weeks later. The U.S. can’t be drawn against Belgium, Portugal, or Germany, as they’re in the same pot in the draw.
“I think before starting the World Cup, it starts to [feel] like a World Cup, and I think it’s important for the team,” U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino said at a gathering of the governing body’s sponsors and donors. “What we need is to challenge teams that are in the top list, and I think that is going to be an important experience for us. Great experience, and then after [that] to attack the World Cup in a very good condition.”
Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium will host eight games in next year’s World Cup, including a semifinal.
All four games will be at the respective cities’ NFL stadiums, with Atlanta getting two since the area is the new home of U.S. Soccer’s headquarters. The governing body will open a $200-plus-million, 200-acre training center in the southern suburb of Fayetteville, Ga., this spring, in time for the men’s team to hold its pre-World Cup camp there.
“That is a massive thing that is going to inspire, is going to give an unbelievable power to soccer here in the USA,” Pochettino said, knowing that some of the funders of the facility were in attendance Tuesday. “Maybe today, people don’t realize it because we are focused on the World Cup, [so] it’s about [how] to win the games. But that is the real impact that is going to be a massive change for soccer here in the USA.”
Portugal’s visit won’t just bring all-time superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, who hasn’t played a game on American soil since 2014. The No. 6 team in FIFA’s global rankings has a fleet of the sport’s best players: Bruno Fernandes of England’s Manchester United, Rafael Leão of Italy’s AC Milan, and João Neves and Vitinha of reigning European champion Paris Saint-Germain.
Belgium is led by midfield playmaker Kevin De Bruyne, a longtime player for England’s Manchester City and now with Italy’s Napoli, and winger Leandro Trossard of England’s Arsenal. The Red Devils are ranked No. 8, and, like Portugal won their group in European World Cup qualifying. Had they finished second, they’d have gone into the playoffs for the last World Cup spots that also are set for March.
Kevin De Bruyne (right) is one of Belgium’s stars.
Some famous histories
Both nations stir memories for U.S. fans. The American men earned one of their most famous World Cup wins against Portugal in 2002, then nearly pulled off another upset win in 2014 before Ronaldo assisted a last-minute equalizer.
When the teams last met in a friendly in 2017, the Americans earned a 1-1 tie in Portugal in the first senior national team appearance for Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams, and Cameron Carter-Vickers. (McKennie scored the goal, assisted by then-Union striker C.J. Sapong, and Ronaldo was absent.)
Nine days later, the U.S. took Belgium to extra time with goalkeeper Tim Howard’s 16 saves, then fell, 2-1. Howard’s heroics set a World Cup record for saves in a game that still stands. The teams have not met since.
Germany is a frequent and longtime U.S. opponent. This will be their 13th meeting, with the most recent a 3-1 Mannschaft win in Connecticut in October 2023. The first, in 1993, was a 4-3 U.S. loss that nonetheless announced the program on its way to hosting the 1994 World Cup. (Coincidentally, that game also was at Soldier Field.)
Gio Reyna (left) on the ball in front of Florian Wirtz during the last U.S.-Germany game in 2023.
The current German squad, ranked No. 9, is led by playmakers Florian Wirtz of England’s Liverpool and Jamal Musiala of Germany’s Bayern Munich. There also are some big-time rising stars aiming to make the World Cup squad, including striker Nick Woltemade of England’s Newcastle United and 17-year-old Lennart Karl of Bayern.
“It’s true that when we arrived here one year ago, it was a rushed time,” Pochettino said. “We need to go there, we need to perform, we need to get results, we need to push quickly the process, we need to go at a really fast speed. And I said, ‘No, calma [Spanish for calm down] … You cannot sometimes go faster [than] what the process demands.’ I think we are in a very good moment now, right on time.”
Pochettino’s insight on why he took the U.S. job
The manager’s remarks came in a wide-ranging conversation on stage with his top assistant Jesús Pérez and Fox Sports reporter Jenny Taft. Some of the topics were ones Pochettino has covered often, but one he hasn’t so much is why he took the U.S. job in the first place.
Mauricio Pochettino (center) with Jenny Taft (left) and Jesús Pérez (right) on stage at Tuesday’s event.
“I think one of the motivations was to go out of our comfort zone after more than 15 years coaching clubs,” he said. “We felt very special when the first call [came] from Matt [Crocker, U.S. Soccer’s sporting director]. I called Jesús and said, ‘Why not?’”
That didn’t mean he thought it would be easy.
“Was it going to be a massive challenge? Of course,” Pochettino said. “We didn’t know what we were going to find there. It was a country that we only traveled to, to come here for preseason with Tottenham or Chelsea or Paris Saint-Germain.”
Those were the three big European clubs he managed before taking the U.S. job.
“I said, ‘Oh, that is going to be a big test for us as a coaching staff,’” he said. “It was also a moment to reveal and to challenge ourselves … I think it was the right moment for us in our lifetimes, in a personal way but also in a professional way. Both sides were perfect timing.”
Mauricio Pochettino (right) and Jesús Pérez (left) watching a U.S. practice in Octover.
Pérez, who has been at Pochettino’s side throughout the manager’s career, went into more detail on that.
“To manage the last two clubs we were working with, and the personalities there, it took a lot of energy from him [Pochettino], especially — and you pay for that,” Pérez said. “It was a challenge for us to come where people know the name, but we had to prove that we can coach here and we can perform.”
He also spoke about the differences between club management, where coaches can spend every day with players, and national teams, where time together is limited.
“What we miss is training sessions,” Pérez said. “It’s where you can feel the player, you can improve the player, you can challenge the player. … It took us to a point that we have to change our way of work in order to have less training sessions, more precise, more clear, sometimes more simple. But with just basics, you can make people perform.”
PITTSBURGH — Adam Thielen didn’t stay out of work long.
The Pittsburgh Steelers signed the veteran wide receiver to their practice squad on Tuesday, a day after the 35-year-old was released by the Minnesota Vikings so he could pursue more playing time elsewhere.
Thielen had just eight catches for 69 yards in his return to Minnesota, where he starred from 2014-22 before a two-year stint with Carolina.
It might not take Thielen long to find his way onto the field in Pittsburgh. The Steelers (6-6) have struggled to do much in the pass game of late with neither Roman Wilson nor Calvin Austin III becoming consistent contributors alongside DK Metcalf.
Thielen is the second experienced wideout to join Pittsburgh’s practice squad in recent weeks. The Steelers signed Marquez Valdes-Scantling last month, though he has yet to find his way onto the 53-man roster on gamedays.
Pittsburgh also promoted Asante Samuel Jr. from the practice squad and released six-time Pro Bowler Darius Slay, who had been a healthy scratch in recent weeks.
Samuel made his first appearance with the Steelers in Sunday’s loss to Buffalo, finishing with three tackles in his return to action after undergoing neck surgery last spring. Tomlin saw enough of Slay to sign him to the active roster rather than risk someone poaching Slay from the practice squad late in the season.
“We certainly wanted to have an opportunity to see him in stadium before we maybe had to make a decision on him, before someone else forced our hand regarding decisions,” Tomlin said, later adding, “we liked some of the things we saw.”
Slay, signed to a one-year deal in March, had essentially been benched by Tomlin in favor of less experienced players, including James Pierre.
There are days when Brett Gordon is driving down Route 309 toward La Salle College High School and he’ll think about his late father Drew, the Hall of Fame coach who died on Sept. 4, 2023, at the age of 73. Memories of his dad, Brett admits, have become more vivid, especially these last couple of weeks.
The Explorers are on a special journey this season. So is their second-year coach Brett Gordon, who learned everything about football — and life — from his dad.
The only time La Salle won a PIAA state football championship was 2009, when the Explorers won the Class 4A title with Drew as their head coach and Brett as their offensive coordinator.
Drew and Brett are on the brink of doing something no father-son duo has ever done in the 36-year history of the PIAA football state playoffs — win state championships as head coaches. But first, one game stands in the way of accomplishing that. La Salle (12-1) will face Central Catholic High School (13-1) of Pittsburgh in the PIAA Class 6A final on Saturday at 7 p.m. at Cumberland Valley High School.
“I know how much my father would have loved to be a part of this,” Brett said. “I think about him all the time. If my father was with us and he was in good health, he would have been around here coaching in some capacity. I wouldn’t have a choice. The thing I admired the most about my father was that it never was about him. He grew up in a generation of serving. He never cared about any recognition. He was direct. He was there to coach. He cared about the kids. That was all that mattered. That was how he operated.”
Brett Gordon was an assistant coach on the staff of his late father, Drew Gordon, at La Salle in 2006.
After La Salle beat St. Joseph’s Prep for the first time in 10 years for the Catholic League 6A crown on Nov. 1, Brett, 46, a 1998 La Salle and 2002 Villanova graduate, received a long, congratulatory text from former St. Joe’s Prep coach Gabe Infante, currently Duke’s assistant head coach, special teams coordinator, and defensive tackles coach. When Infante was first hired by The Prep in 2010, he was not exactly embraced by the area football community after taking over for the popular Gil Brooks.
One of the first welcomes Infante received came from Drew in a letter sent to Paramus Catholic in North Jersey, where Infante was leaving to take the Prep job.
“I know people will not want to hear this, but Drew and I were very close, even after he stopped coaching [in 2014],” Infante said. “Drew welcomed me, and that showed me who Drew was. He was a true competitor. He showed tremendous class. I was definitely an outsider who was not welcomed when I originally went down to Philadelphia. I would not be where I am today without Drew Gordon and what he built at La Salle. He raised my level, and I would like to think Prep’s success raised La Salle’s level again.
“I was in Brett’s shoes. I could appreciate what Brett is doing there. I am a fan of people who are committed to sacrifice like Brett is. True competition brings out the best in people. When Drew got sick, I reached out to him. We had a really good relationship, and it all started with a very kind, simple letter welcoming me to the Philadelphia Catholic League and Philadelphia area.”
The notes fill a shoebox in a bedroom drawer. They came in the form of either a Hallmark card, yellow legal paper, or a simple scrap of printer paper or from a looseleaf notebook. They sometimes would be sitting in an envelope on the kitchen table, tucked under a door or stuffed in a mailbox. Brett still has most of them — letters from Drew.
Father and son share a lot in common. They always took a cerebral approach to football. They always were focused and intense about the steps in the process of preparing. Brett, a two-time Catholic League champ and league MVP at La Salle, says he tends to wear his emotions on his sleeve, probably more than his father, who was far calmer on the sideline and emotionally indifferent.
It’s why he communicated with his son and two daughters through letters.
Drew was a baby boomer born in 1950, the oldest of six. He was 12 when his parents separated, moving with his mother, Dorothy, and five younger siblings from Ohio to Glenside, Montgomery County. He was “the man of the house” who worked a paper route in Abington to help his mother pay the bills.
Brett Gordon and his late father, Drew, talking on the sideline.
He was steeped in Midwestern stoicism and self-reliance.
“That was my dad,” Brett said. “He came from that generation when men did not show emotion. Verbal communication was not my dad’s strong suit. He had a very regimented way he did things. He built Gordon Truck Leasing from the ground up. We are similar in certain ways, and we are also very different. My dad was always about the process. I still use a lot of his old-school principles. But he came up in a different, authoritative generation. I’ll ask the players for their feedback, like what uniforms they want to wear. He would never have done that.
“The compliments he gave me came in letters. I still have a lot of them. He came from a different generation. He would put things down on paper.”
When Brett was inducted into the Hall of Fame at Villanova and La Salle, Drew left his son a letter stating how proud he was of him.
Sometimes letters were better.
After Brett threw for a Villanova single-game passing record of 460 yards (which still stands) and three touchdowns in guiding the Wildcats to a last-second 38-34 victory over rival Delaware in November 2002, he was greeted by Drew and his mother, Bernadette, outside the Villanova locker room. The first thing Drew said to Brett was, “Your footwork was horrendous today.”
“In a weird way, that was his way of complimenting me,” Brett said, laughing. “It was very hard for him to hand out compliments. I’m sure he told his buddies about the game I had. I always knew he was proud of me. I wouldn’t be where I am without him. Yeah, you could say it was the good, tough love. It is that constant reminder that there is always room to be better. That is my coaching philosophy today.”
This season is as much a homage to his dad as it is giving a group of dedicated seniors a year to remember.
An ‘emotional’ run
When John Steinmetz resigned after the 2023 season following nine years as Explorers’ head coach succeeding Drew, there was a groundswell of support from the La Salle community for Brett to take over. Brett, who was his father’s offensive coordinator from 2006 to 2014, dabbled in coaching after his father left La Salle in 2014. He joined Albie Crosby’s Imhotep Class 3A state championship staff in 2015 and helped occasionally at his alma mater.
Numerous current players were looking to transfer out of La Salle after their sophomore year. The Explorers had been competitive, though not exactly in the class of Catholic League foe St. Joe’s Prep. The Hawks had turned what once was a rivalry into a lopsided series. There is a standard at La Salle, a touchstone of success the football program had not felt since Drew left.
La Salle coach Brett Gordon talks to his team at practice on Nov. 10.
“It was not 100% that we were all leaving, but a lot of guys were talking,” said Gavin Sidwar, the Missouri-bound quarterback who has broken all his coach’s passing records at La Salle. “When we found out Coach Brett would be the head coach, it’s something a lot of us were happy to hear. Personally, I can’t say enough about what Coach Brett has done for me. He’s brought out a growth in me, and I am willing to put in 100% for him.
“He gave up his job for this. We know that. This run is going to be emotional for a lot of us. I know for me, being here for four years with some adversity, winning a state championship means everything. Knowing now the tradition his father has here and being the first father-son combination to ever win a state championship, it means more for all of us. We play our butts off for Coach Brett and the whole coaching staff. To get Coach Brett a state title, we are even more motivated.”
Brett received his business degree from Villanova and worked in the corporate world for 15 years, building a national reputation in the software industry. It gave him financial flexibility, he said, to do what he is doing now. He had to first check with Tanya, his wife, son, Luke, who is a sophomore quarterback for La Salle, and teenaged daughter, Grace, who follows her father everywhere.
“Tanya puts up with a lot, especially at certain times of the year like now,” he said. “In order to take on the role as coach at La Salle, I needed full support from not only Tanya, but Luke and Grace. This job impacts our entire family, so it was very important for me to have both Tanya and Grace involved so they feel a part of what we are building here.
“Tanya has gotten to know most of our players and has our son in the program, so it can be difficult being the head coach’s wife and being a parent in the program. She has done an amazing job balancing it all. Tanya and Grace often remind Luke and I at home when it is time to talk about something other than La Salle football.”
La Salle coach Brett Gordon with quarterback Gavin Sidwar at practice.
In 2009, father and son were robbed of their time in the sun, or in the Gordons’ case, that late-December Saturday, the snow. When the Explorers played State College in the 2009 Class 4A championship, the game was postponed for a day because of a raging blizzard. Luke had been born a few weeks earlier with a collapsed lung. His medical situation put the family on edge. Brett woke up at 7 a.m. on a snowy Saturday, Dec. 19 morning and had the roads to Hershey to himself. La Salle handily beat State College, 24-7, to become the first Catholic League team to win a state football championship.
The problem was Brett had no time to celebrate. He had to trek back home to be with Tanya and Luke.
Around 9 p.m. that night, Brett got a knock on the door. It was his dad, who drove through a snowstorm to get there, tossing aside the state championship celebration himself to see his grandson. He stayed in the guest room that night.
Drew never missed anything Luke or Grace did. To this day, Luke wears a silver chain his grandfather gave him.
There were more than 1,000 people who attended Drew’s funeral services, Brett recalled. It stretched over two days in September 2023.
“I saw my dad cry once, after my last high school game on Thanksgiving against St. Joe’s Prep in 1997,” Brett said. “We lost, and I remember when I saw him after the game, I told him I was sorry. He just burst open and hugged me. I remember his younger brother, my godfather, telling me years later he never saw anything like that with my dad. … It won’t be easy on or off the field. I wish I could bounce ideas off him, but I also know how much he would love being a part of this. If we are able to pull this off, he’ll be the first one I think of.”
The Eagles’ NFC championship game rematch against the Washington Commanders in Week 16 has an official kickoff time.
The first of two matchups against Washington (3-9) over the season’s final three weeks is set for Dec. 20 at 5 p.m. and will air on Fox29 locally, the Eagles announced Tuesday.
The Commanders are on a seven-game losing streak since opening the season at 3-2, and have been playing without quarterback Jayden Daniels after he suffered a left elbow dislocation against the Seattle Seahawks on Nov. 2. Daniels attended practice last week, but coach Dan Quinn said Monday that the second-year quarterback is not yet cleared for practice.
The Eagles (8-4) and Commanders split the regular-season series last year, with each team winning at home. They met again in January’s NFC title game, when the Eagles dominated Washington, 55-23, en route to the franchise’s second Super Bowl title.
The second meeting between the NFC East foes in Week 18 still does not have a time and will be played on either Jan. 3 or 4.
The Eagles gave up 281 rushing yards to the Bears on Friday, the ninth-highest total they’ve allowed in team history. The defense also allowed Chicago to make history of its own: DeAndre Swift and Kyle Monangai became the first pair of Bears running backs to each rush for 100 yards in a game since 1985.
The Eagles’ ground offense didn’t enjoy nearly as much success. Saquon Barkley gained a modest 56 yards on 13 carries and extended his touchdown drought to four games. No other Eagles running back received carries.
The Birds (8-4) have a chance to rebound on Monday night against the Los Angeles Chargers, although their consecutive losses have resulted in a significant drop across power rankings. Here’s where the Eagles stand heading into Week 14 …
The Ringer: Fifth
Despite giving the Eagles the highest ranking of any list, Diante Lee, who dropped Philly one spot, believes that the team’s conservative philosophy has hindered its ability to win games and develop young players.
“Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni seems to have convinced himself that he’s solved the game of football. He’s got a formula for his team: Avoid turnovers, keep the game simple on offense, and let the defense carry the team home in the second half,” Lee wrote.
“But that formula has caused the entire franchise to stagnate. Outside of young star cornerback Quinyon Mitchell, is there a single player who looks better now than he did a year ago? Outside of a drive or two per game, have we seen anything that looks cohesive from this offense? And most concerning, is there any reason to trust that this team will even have an extra gear come playoff time?”
The loss to the Bears dropped the Eagles four spots in ESPN’s rankings. Tim McManus’ primary concern was the effectiveness of their rushing attack.
“The reigning Offensive Player of the Year has had a difficult time getting going in 2025. He is on pace for 1,048 rushing yards, just about half of his production from his record-breaking 2024 season (2,005),” McManus wrote. “He has faced more stacked boxes and is running behind an offensive line that hasn’t been as buttoned up as last season’s group. The ground game is vital to Philadelphia’s operation. The Eagles need to figure out how to unlock Barkley if they have designs on making another run.”
Barkley is averaging just 3.7 yards per carry this season, a dramatic decline from the 5.8 yards the Penn State alum averaged last season.
Jeff Stoutland’s offensive line has been hit with several injuries this season.
CBS Sports: Seventh
CBS Sports dropped the Eagles just two spots, but pointed out the decline of the team’s offensive and defensive lines.
“They won a Super Bowl being dominant on both lines. This year, it isn’t close to being that good,” Pete Prisco wrote. “What happened to the defense against the Bears?”
The Eagles finished behind the No. 4 Seattle Seahawks, No. 5 Green Bay Packers, and No. 6 Bears, who all won their Week 13 matchups.
The outlet criticized Sirianni and offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo’s utilization of their offensive skill position players and expressed doubt that the situation could improve.
“It’s hard to remember a team getting less out of its offensive talent than the 2025 Eagles. They returned four Pro Bowlers, the Super Bowl MVP, and one of the NFL’s best receiver duos in A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith from last year’s offense,” Frank Schwab wrote. “That group is 19th in points scored, 24th in yards gained and 22nd in success rate. Just about every player is performing well below their career standards. And three months into the season, it’s unlikely to fix itself and it’s getting harder to trust the Eagles going deep in the playoffs.”
In Thanksgiving fashion, Chad Graff and Josh Kendall shared the most positive takeaway from every team’s game this past week. But they struggled to find one for the Eagles, and the Birds tumbled six spots from No. 3.
“The Bears defense is just OK, yet the Eagles managed only 317 yards of offense and 15 points at home on Black Friday,” Graff and Kendall wrote. “But we’re looking for positives today, and if this offense can get sorted out — which admittedly feels like a big ask 13 weeks into the season — Philadelphia should be fine.”
Jalen Hurts and the Eagles have already lost four games this season, more than they lost all of last year.
Sports Illustrated: 10th
The biggest drop of the week took place at Sports Illustrated, where Conor Orr moved the Eagles from third to 10th, although it seems like at least some of the blame lies with Birds fans. There wasn’t any analysis about the team, just a mention of the “uniquely pathetic” vandals who egged Patullo’s house.
Eric Edholm mentioned a litany of issues concerning the Eagles’ play and suggested that the NFC East title was back in play.
“Even the tush push doesn’t feel like a team strength now. There are multiple issues with this offense, but the bottom line is that Jalen Hurts must play better. The presumption is that the Eagles have the defense to make a deep playoff run, but the way they defended the run vs. Chicago suggested this unit isn’t nearly as impregnable as its reputation suggests,” Edholm wrote.
“We haven’t seen a repeat divisional champ in the NFC East since the Eagles won their fourth straight crown in 2004, and this year’s Philly team is doing everything it can to extend the drama as long as possible.”
As a result, the Eagles dropped four spots in NFL.com’s rankings and were leapfrogged by the Packers, Bears, Indianapolis Colts, San Francisco 49ers, and Buffalo Bills.
USA Today’s ranking represented the Eagles’ lowest placement across the board. The outlet dropped the Birds five spots and pointed out the negative correlation between A.J. Brown’s success and the team’s success.
“WR A.J. Brown is averaging 7.3 catches and 91.3 receiving yards (with three TDs) in Philly’s four losses,” Nate Davis wrote. “In his seven other games, all wins, he’s averaging 47.7 yards and 3.9 receptions (with three TDs). So, tell us again how important it is that you get the ball, A.J.?”
On Friday, the Mississippi native had his best game of the season, achieving season highs in receptions (10) and yards (132). Brown also caught both Eagles touchdowns in the loss.
The Flyers entered Monday’s matchup with the Pittsburgh Penguins with the league’s fourth-best penalty kill. When the night was done, the Flyers were handed a 5-1 loss to snap a three-game winning streak, and their penalty kill slipped to ninth.
In some ways, it made sense. The Penguins started the day with the NHL’s No. 2 power play and an impressive 30.2% effectiveness. Even with that, no one expected them to score three times in four opportunities.
The Penguins now have the NHL’s No. 1 power play at 33.3% — which is ridiculous when you think about it. But maybe not.
“Well, they’ve got a championship pedigree, right?” Flyers coach Rick Tocchet said. “They’re well-coached. They stuck to their game plan. They went north on us. First period, actually, we had some chances, [but] not much velocity on the shots. I don’t know, we weren’t assertive enough. And then obviously the PK, which has been good all year, struggled tonight.”
Tocchet knows the Penguins. He was an assistant coach on former Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan’s staff and won two Stanley Cups. And he ran the power play.
Yes, the Penguins’ power play boasts Sidney Crosby, who is 23rd in NHL history with 191 power-play goals and scored one on Monday night. And, yes, there’s Evgeni Malkin, who is four spots below Crosby and has 185.
Sidney Crosby scored one of the Penguins’ three power-play goals on Monday night.
But the Flyers coach also hasn’t liked his group’s penalty kill the last five games, noting the structure. It was exposed to the utmost degree at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
“We’ve been running around lately,” he said. “We’re an aggressive diamond … and if you look at the goals, after the shot, two guys ran out of position, opens up the middle. Twice. Those are killers.”
The diamond pattern is just that, a diamond shape. It allows there to be a defender, usually a defenseman, in front of the goalie with the other defenseman as one of the points on the side of the diamond picking up someone in the circle, aka on the flank. There is one forward opposite that defenseman and another at the top of the diamond shape.
The aggressiveness comes with the unit moving together as one of the penalty killers puts pressure on the opposition’s power play. Does it leave open the middle of the ice and the person in the bumper? Sometimes, but an active stick and closing lanes are critical to this type of penalty kill.
“If you give them the flanker shots, you can live with it,” Tocchet said. “I think the [Bryan] Rust flanker, [Travis Sanheim’s] got to get out there. That’s his flex. He was backed in too much.
“He flexes out; his job is to take the weak side away so [Dan Vladař] can see it. Things like that. But that’s just, maybe that’s guys being tired, mentally tired. I don’t know.”
When the pass is made, Travis Sanheim (No. 6 in front of the net) is a little too low to take away the weakside shooter, Bryan Rust (bottom of the screen).Because Sanheim (front of the net, closest to the bottom) is too low and stagnant, it allows Rust (bottom) ample time and space to carry the puck into the left face-off circle and score.
The Flyers’ penalty kill has been a strong suit for a while. Over the first 24 games, the Flyers had killed off 100% of the penalties they faced in 14 games, had allowed just one power-play goal in nine other games, and, before Monday night, had allowed two goals on the man advantage just once all season, against the Montreal Canadiens in a wild 5-4 shootout win in early November.
“All year, PK has been great for us,” captain Sean Couturier said. “Tonight we didn’t have it. They picked us apart. It happens. We’ve got to fix it and get back on track next game.”
The structure has fallen by the wayside a bit. The New York Islanders had the second-worst power play entering Friday’s game, and Anders Lee could stand in front of the net and deflect a point shot in. Against the New Jersey Devils, Timo Meier was allowed to crash the net down the middle and clean up a loose puck.
On Monday night, Crosby buried the puck from just above the slot “because we cheated on one of them,” Tocchet said. Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson carried the puck from the left to the right and down the boards, causing the Flyers to overcommit. It opened the ice for Rust, who sent a backhand pass to Crosby coming down the middle — and Crosby isn’t going to miss from there.
Bryan Rust (No. 17 and bottom of the screen) has plenty of room to either shoot or pass the puck, choosing the latter as the Flyers overcommitted.Sidney Crosby (No. 87 and middle of the screen) received the pass from Bryan Rust in the high slot and was able to score as the Flyers collapsed around the net.
The Penguins added a third power-play tally after Malkin put a shot on goal, Kris Letang retrieved the rebound along the boards, and set up Tommy Novak for the shot past Vladař. The Flyers were out of their structure.
Initially, when Malkin shot the puck from the point, they collapsed into an I formation, meaning everyone straight down the middle. When the puck went to the boards, Owen Tippett went to him, which is fine, but Noah Juulsen and Nick Seeler were too low to step into Novak or play a possible pass to Ville Koivunen, who was sitting wide-open across the crease.
“They snap it around, and they get a lot of shots from the middle, and that’s what we’re trying to get our guys to do,” Tocchet said. “It’s actually a good learning lesson … get that shot in the middle.”
Editor’s note: The headline in this story was updated to reflect that international ticketholders will have priority access to apply for a visa, not receive one.
Ticket holders for the 2026 FIFA World Cup who plan to travel internationally into the U.S. next summer will have priority access to interview appointments for travel visas.
On Monday, FIFA and the U.S. Department of State announced that international fans who bought tickets to any of the 78 matches hosted in 11 U.S. cities, including Philadelphia, will be eligible for the FIFA Priority Appointment Scheduling System, or FIFA PASS, which allows each ticket holder to obtain a prioritized visa interview for a B-2 visa.
Here’s what it is, how it works, and why the State Department is looking to make World Cup travel to America a priority.
President Donald Trump holds the FIFA World Cup trophy alongside FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Monday.
What is FIFA PASS?
The U.S. is co-hosting the world’s largest soccer tournament alongside Canada and Mexico, with the final scheduled to take place at MetLife Stadium on July 19.
The FIFA PASS is expected to expedite visa processing for international travelers seeking to enter the U.S. for the international tournament next summer.
Typically, wait times for an interview at U.S. embassies in countries where a B-2 tourist visa is required range from less than a month to 16½ months.
How many matches will be in Philadelphia?
Philadelphia will host six matches at Lincoln Financial Field in June and July, including a Round of 16 match on July 4.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 Volunteer Center at the Fashion District is said to have over 3,000 Philadelphia-based volunteers.
How do people apply?
Many of the nations already qualified for next summer’s World Cup are listed under the U.S. Visa Waiver Program, including Japan, Australia, France, South Korea, England, and Germany, among others.
However, many qualified nations are not included on the list of waiver countries. All six CONMEBOL qualifiers from the South American federation are excluded from the list, as are the nine qualifying countries from the Confederation of African Football. Fans from these nations will need to obtain a visa to cheer on their teams in the U.S.
Travelers from countries included in the Visa Waiver Program can travel to the U.S. as tourists or on business for 90 days or less without obtaining a visa. Travelers from nations included in the waiver program must have a valid Electronic System for Travel Authorization approval before departing their home countries.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney (right) is presented with a novelty World Cup ticket by FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Oct. 10.
What officials are saying
Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA, regaled the news in a press release, saying that “we have always said that this will be the greatest and most inclusive FIFA World Cup in history — and the FIFA PASS service is a very concrete example of that.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio added that “the kickoff is coming up” for the World Cup in the next eight months and that “the United States is offering prioritized appointments so FIFA World Cup fans can complete their visa interviews and show they qualify.”
The State Department encourages those who are in countries where interview appointments are available to apply for one immediately. FIFA’s release said that further information about the FIFA PASS process will be distributed directly to ticket holders “in early 2026.”
As of Tuesday, 34 countries have qualified for the tournament, leaving 14 spots to be filled in the 48-team field. The 2026 World Cup will be the first to feature 48 teams, expanding from the traditional 32-team format. The World Cup draw, which will determine groups for the tournament, will take place in Washington at noon on Dec. 5.
Over 1 million tickets have already been sold worldwide for matches in the United States, Mexico and Canada next year.
How many people are expected?
FIFA said it had sold 1 million tickets for the event in October, less than a month after making match tickets available to the public. More than 6 million tickets are available for 104 tournament matches in 16 host cities in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Are there any concerns?
The announcement comes in the midst of logistical uncertainty for next summer’s World Cup. President Donald Trump threatened to relocate World Cup matches from a few cities, including Boston, in October over his safety concerns because of civil unrest. On Monday, he mentioned those relocation threats again while speaking alongside Infantino in the Oval Office.
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms will add another highly touted B-named prospect to their ranks this week, as Oliver Bonk will join the team after missing the first 20 games of the season because of an upper-body injury. The Flyers activated the defenseman from injured reserve on Tuesday before assigning him directly to their American Hockey League club.
The news is a long time coming for the 20-year-old Bonk, who suffered the injury early in rookie camp and later missed all of training camp. The 2023 first-round pick is considered the Flyers’ top defensive prospect and has a chance to make his professional hockey debut this weekend for the Phantoms.
Bonk has been rehabbing with the Flyers and has been skating with the team for the last couple of weeks. On Oct. 27, general manager Danny Brière provided an update on Bonk and said that things were “going well now” in terms of his rehab.
“We’re just hoping that there’s no setbacks,” Brière said. “We’re trying to give him the time and proper space between skates for him to feel good enough to come back and play. It’s a little tougher on a timeline with him. We’re kind of waiting on the progression and making sure there’s no setback on him.”
The Flyers have high hopes for Bonk, whom they selected with the 22nd pick in the same year they drafted Matvei Michkov at No. 7, and believe he can be a top-four NHL defenseman. A two-way blueliner with a game predicated on smarts and his ability to kill plays defensively through angles and good positioning, Bonk came in at No. 5 in The Inquirer’s annual Flyers prospect rankings.
Defenseman Oliver Bonk had designs on making the Flyers before suffering an upper-body injury in September.
Bonk was a key cog, alongside close friend Denver Barkey, with London over the last few years, leading the Knights to back-to-back Ontario Hockey League titles and the Memorial Cup crown last season. He was a first-team OHL All-Star in 2023-24 after scoring 24 goals and tallying 67 points in 60 games. Last season he was a second-team selection after posting 11 goals and 40 points in 52 games.
Carson Bjarnason and Alex Bonk are two more prospects on the Phantoms roster.
The next steps for Bonk, a steady Eddie who isn’t flashy but defends at a high level and largely keeps things simple, will be to continue to get stronger and learn to play with more pace and urgency.
“I think Bonk is going to adjust to the pace of the game in the American League,” Riley Armstrong, the Flyers’ director of player development, said in August. “I think he [and Barkey] played on a very good team in London, where you’re able to go back and break a puck out with ease, and play 30 minutes a night, and, you know, maybe not even break a sweat.
“I think that’s going to be a change for him, heading into this year where the pace is going to pick up. … Guys are going to forecheck a lot quicker and harder, finish checks on him. But I do think his brain is high-end … and I think he’s going to be able to adjust pretty quickly once you get him in that environment.”
That first pro test likely will come this weekend with Lehigh Valley.
NEW YORK — Free agent reliever Devin Williams has agreed to a contract with the New York Mets, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Monday night.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal was pending a physical and had not been announced.
Multiple media reports indicated the sides agreed to a three-year contract.
Williams spent last season across town with the New York Yankees, going 4-6 with a career-worst 4.79 ERA and 18 saves in 22 chances. He lost the closer’s job, regained it and then lost it again before finishing the year with four scoreless outings during the American League playoffs.
The 31-year-old right-hander is a two-time All-Star who twice won the Trevor Hoffman NL Reliever of the Year Award with the Milwaukee Brewers while Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns was running that team. Williams also was voted the 2020 NL Rookie of the Year.
Milwaukee traded Williams to the Yankees for pitcher Nestor Cortes and infielder Caleb Durbin last December.
With the Mets, Williams could replace free agent closer Edwin Díaz or complement him in a rebuilt bullpen.
Williams was pitching for the Brewers when he gave up a go-ahead homer to Mets slugger Pete Alonso in the deciding Game 3 of their 2024 NL wild-card series. The three-run shot put New York ahead in the ninth inning, and the Mets won the series.
Known for a changeup so deceptive it’s called The Airbender, Williams struck out 90 batters and walked 25 in 62 innings over 67 appearances during his lone season in pinstripes. He made $8.6 million in 2025.
“At first it was a challenge, but I’ve grown to love being here,” the reliever said in October following a 5-2 loss to Toronto in Game 4 of their AL Division Series. “I love this city. I love taking the train to the field every day. Yeah, I really enjoyed my experience here.”
