ALEX MAG

Schmaltz had his third career NHL hat trick to push his season goals total to 22, one shy of his career high set with Arizona in 2021-22.

JJ Peterka scored his 20th of the season, John Marino had a goal and two assists and Mikhail Sergachev also scored to help Utah end a two-game losing streak. Karel Vejmelka made 21 saves.

Schmaltz scored twice in the first as Utah took a 2-1 lead. In the second, Sergachev connected on a power play and Marino and Peterka pushed the advantage to 5-1. Schmaltz completed the hat trick with 7:38 left in the third, scoring off a feed from Clayton Keller on a break.

Liam Ohgren and Teddy Blueger scored for Vancouver. Kevin Lankinen stopped 14 shots.

Vancouver has only two victories in its last 18 games — both on an eight-game homestand that ended Saturday night with a 3-2 shootout loss to Toronto.

Canucks: At Vegas on Wednesday night in their final game before the Olympic break.

Mammoth: Host Detroit on Wednesday night in their final game before the Olympic break.

AP NHL:https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

The game featured two big names who weren't selected as All-Star reserves: Joel Embiid of the Sixers and Kawhi Leonard of the Clippers.

Embiid had 24 points as he continues to gain full strength after a right ankle injury. The Sixers improved to 11-10 withoutPaul George, who is serving a 25-game suspensionfor violating the NBA's anti-drug program.

Leonard led the Clippers with 29 points and Jordan Miller had 21 points off the bench.

Los Angeles was without James Harden, who missed his second straight game due to personal reasons. Coach Tyronn Lue said before the game that Harden was at home in Phoenix.

Leonard had two dunks and a 3-pointer in the fourth, but the Clippers couldn't put together a sustained run and he finished the game on the bench.

Maxey, Barlow and Embiid combined to score 22 points in the third when the Sixers were outscored 34-28, but still led 100-87.

The Sixers led the entire game, going up by 23 points before settling for a 72-53 halftime advantage.

The Clippers are 8-3 over their last 11 games as they try to stay within range of at least making the play-in tournament.

76ers: Visit the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night to finish a back-to-back.

Clippers: Host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night. ___

AP NBA:https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Southern Alberta Mustangs Junior Hockey/Facebook (3)

NEED TO KNOW

• Three teen hockey players die in a car crash while on their way to practice

• JJ Wright, Cameron Casorso and Caden Fine were identified as the victims

• The athletes were between 17 and 18 years old

Three teen hockey players died following a car crash on their way to practice in Canada.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith confirmed the deaths of JJ Wright, Cameron Casorso and Caden Fine in asocial mediapost on Monday, Feb. 2.

"Alberta is heartbroken at the loss of three young hockey players," she wrote, adding that the three "tragically lost their lives while travelling to practice with the Southern Alberta Mustangs junior hockey club."

Her Instagram post included a photo of the victims' three hockey jerseys and hockey sticks.

The incident happened at an intersection with Highway 2 in Stavely, which is approximately an hour's drive south of Calgary,the Associated Pressreported, citing the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Two of the victims were 18-year-olds from Kamloops, British Columbia, and a 17-year-old from Alabama, the RCMP said.

PEOPLE reached out to the RCMP for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.

According to police, the crash involved a northbound semi truck and an eastbound passenger vehicle. The truck driver, a 40-year-old man from Stavely, sustained minor injuries, the RCMP said, per the AP.

"My deepest condolences are with their families, teammates, coaches, billet families and the entire community of Stavely and surrounding area as they grieve this unimaginable loss. The whole Alberta hockey family is standing with you in sorrow and in prayer," Smith wrote on Instagram.

"Thank you as well to the first responders and medical teams who rushed to help. In the days ahead, I know Albertans will wrap these families and this team in love and support as they navigate a pain no one should ever have to bear," her post concluded.

AGoFundMe, which used the same photo of their jerseys as Smith's post, was created "to help lift the financial burden of travel, funeral costs, and day to day expenses of the players families from Canada and the United States."

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE'sfree daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

As of Monday evening, nearly $8,000 had been donated to the fundraiser, which has a goal of $28,000.

TheKamloops Minor Hockey Associationcalled the deaths of Wright, Casorso and Fine "heartbreaking," noting that Wright and Casorso "grew up in our association."

"Although their journeys began here in Kamloops, they found a second hockey family and a new bond with the Southern Alberta Mustangs. We stand in solidarity with the Mustangs organization as they navigate this devastating tragedy," a statement read.

"​Our thoughts are with the Casorso, Wright, and Fine families. These three young men were teammates and friends to many. We are grieving together, as one hockey family forever changed by the loss of these young men," the statement concluded.

Read the original article onPeople

That goes for his throwing arm, too.

The New England Patriots' second-year quarterback said his tender right shoulder feels fine and there's no reason for worry entering the Sunday clash with the Seattle Seahawks in Santa Clara, Calif.

"I threw a good bit (today)," Maye said Monday during the Super Bowl Opening Night festivities. "I threw as much as I would in a practice, and it felt great."

In other words, no worries.

"I feel good. I'll be just fine," Maye said.

Maye missed practice on Friday, but not due to the shoulder. Coach Mike Vrabel said Maye was out with an illness.

Vrabel said Monday he's not concerned about Maye's shoulder.

"We'll work through these things through the week, just like everybody else does," Vrabel said. "But we're confident that the preparation that's required for each position on our football team will be there by the end of the week, and everybody will be available."

Sunday will mark the second time Maye has been inside Levi's Stadium for a Super Bowl.

His dad took him to Super Bowl 50 when Maye's favorite boyhood team, the Carolina Panthers, lost to the Denver Broncos.

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And, yes, there's a little bit of pinching involved to believe it's truly his turn.

"It's a full-circle moment, that's the biggest thing," the 23-year-old Maye said. "So thankful my dad was able to take me to a Super Bowl, I don't take it for granted. I was watching my favorite team at the time and got a chance to watch Peyton Manning's last game (for the Broncos).

"Now to be here and playing in one myself, I know how special it is."

The No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft out of North Carolina, Maye completed an NFL-best 72% of his passes this season. He ranked third with 31 passing touchdowns and fourth with 4,394 passing yards.

Most important, he guided the Patriots to a 14-3 record that tied the Seahawks and Denver Broncos for most regular-season wins.

"There's so many things that he does at an accelerated rate based on his age," Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels said Monday. "He's 23 years old, but he's wise beyond his years. He knows how to prepare well, he's smart, he's a great leader and he's very authentic with his teammates.

"And certainly all the physical attributes that we've seen all year long: He loves the game, he wants to be good at every aspect of it and that's a great trait to have as a young player. Playing quarterback in the NFL, there's really no shortcuts in being good at that position."

Maye is ready to hone in on his preparation for the week. He understands the Super Bowl hype and the possibility of distractions.

But he said he won't be paying attention to anything that isn't related to the game itself.

For example, Maye is considered a co-favorite with Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford for the NFL's Most Valuable Player award that will be announced Thursday.

"Anything else outside is nothing I need to worry about," Maye said. "That's the biggest thing for me. Just go out there and give our guys a chance to make plays, get them the football. I've done that and they've made me look good."

--Field Level Media

Canadiens Wild Hockey

Minnesota got the power play when Phillip Danault hooked Kaprizov in front of the goal. Kaprizov took a feed from Quinn Hughes and fired a shot past Jakub Dobes from the high slot for his 32nd goal of the season.

Joel Eriksson Ek and Brock Faber also scored, and Hughes had three assists to reach 50 for the season. Filip Gustavsson made 17 saves.

Faber tied it at 3 at 7:05 of the third, racing onto the puck down the right side for a quick shot. Quinn assisted on the goal.

Hughes assisted on Kaprizov's first goal to tie the Russian's team-record assists streak at nine and push his franchise-record points streak for defenseman to nine. Kaprizov had assists in nine straight games in 2022-23.

Minnesota won its fourth straight, ending Montreal winning streak at three.

Brendan Gallagher, Ivan Demidov and Kirby Dach scored to give Montreal the lead after the Wild raced to a 2-0 advantage.

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Dach put Montreal ahead 12 seconds into the third, knocking in Nick Suzuki's feed. Gallagher started the comeback with 52 seconds left in the first, and Demidov tied it with 17 seconds to go in the second,

Eriksson Ek opened the scoring at 38 seconds of the first, firing a wrist shot from right circle. Kaprizov made it 2-0 with 4:12 left in the first, tipping in Quinn's feed.

Wild defenseman Daemon Hunt didn't return after taking a puck to the throat in the first period.

Canadiens: At Winnipeg on Wednesday night in their final game before the Olympic break.

Wild: At Nashville on Wednesday night in their final game before the Olympic break.

AP NHL:https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

"Absolutely we will look at all the facts," Commissioner Roger Goodell said Monday. "We'll look at the context of those and try to understand that. We'll look at how that falls under the (league personal conduct) policy. I think we'll take one step at a time. Let's get the facts first."

Tisch said last week he knew Epstein and that they "exchanged emails about adult women" and "discussed movies, philanthropy and investments." But Tisch, 76, denied going to Epstein's island and was never charged in the investigation.

Epsteinkilled himself in a New York jail cellin August 2019, a month after being indicted on federal sex trafficking charges.

The documents were disclosed underthe Epstein Files Transparency Act, the law enacted aftermonths of public and political pressurethat requires the government toopen its fileson the late financier and his confidant and onetime girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell.

AP NFL:https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

The two sides talked face-to-face in New York City at the NBA's offices, the first such meeting in weeks. The league arrived to the meeting with no response to the WNBPA's last proposal, a person with knowledge of what transpired told USA Today Sports.

"They volunteered that they did not have a proposal prepared at the top of the meeting," Nneka Ogwumike toldFront Office Sports. "That kind of set the tone for the conversation because we were hoping to hear otherwise."

The sides instead spent time hammering out sentiments and philosophies around their last proposals, the person with knowledge of the meeting said. The WNBPA's position, according to the same person, is that the league is not moving with a sense of urgency and have not shown up with a willingness to compromise.WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert attended Monday's meeting along with members of the labor relations committee andNew York and Liberty owners Clara Wu and Joe Tsai. From the player side, union vice president Alysha Clark, treasurer Brianna Turner and player representative Stefanie Dolson, player rep for the Washington Mystics, were in attendance as well.

Vice presidents andUnrivaled co-founders Napheesa Collier(travel issues) andBreanna Stewartdid not attend in person and participated virtually.Los Angeles Sparks guard and vice president Kelsey Plum, who was traveling with Collier, also attended via video call. Secretary Elizabeth Williams was also on the call from Turkey, where she is playing this offseason.

Close to 40 players joined the meeting via zoom including the executive committee members.

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1. A'ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces Las Vegas Aces star A'ja Wilson had one of the best seasons in WNBA history and earned the top spot on our list. Wilson led the Aces to their third title in four years after sweeping nearly every major award in the calendar year. She earned her second WNBA scoring title, third Defensive Player of the Year award, an unprecedented fourth MVP and her second Finals MVP, becoming the first player in WNBA or NBA history to accomplish it all in a single season. Becky Hammon said it best: Wilson is "Everest. There is no one else around." Wilson isn't ready to be in the GOAT conversation just yet. "I still got a little bit more winning to do before you put me in that conversation. When you're compared to greats, when you're compared to legends, that means you're doing something right and I'm so grateful," she said after sweeping the Phoenix Mercury in the 2025 WNBA Finals.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 2. Mikaela Shiffrin, Olympic alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin is in a league of her own. The two-time Olympic gold medalist owns the most World Cup wins of any alpine skier and is the only skier, male or female, to surpass the 100-victory milestone after reaching triple-digit World Cup victories in February. She's been on a tear ever since. Shiffrin has won five consecutive slalom races, including her win at the World Cup finals in Sun Valley, Idaho, in March and four wins to start the 2025-26 season. She's up to 105 World Cup wins, extending her own record, and is in great form ahead of the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, where she's a heavy favorite to medal.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 3. Paige Bueckers, Dallas Wings Bueckers' prolific resume at UConn included everything but a national championship. That changed in April, when Bueckers led the Huskies to the program's 12th title. The win kicked off a whirlwind year for Bueckers. She was drafted No. 1 overall by the Dallas Wings and was a bright spot in the franchise's otherwise dismal 10-34 season. She was named the 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year and earned an All-WNBA second-team nod, the only rookie selected to an All-WNBA Team. Bueckers told USA TODAY Sports she recently had the opportunity to catch her breath and process her achievements and what's ahead: "On my birthday (on Oc. 20), I reflected on the year 23 itself and how much of a journey it was. I stayed the most present and it ended up being one of the most fun, joyful, just peaceful years of my life. Just embracing everything that kind of came my way."

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 4. Aryna Sabalenka, tennis Sabalenka spent the entire year at the top of the WTA rankings. Although the year got off to a rough start with back-to-back losses to Madison Keys and Coco Gauff in the Australian Open final and French Open final, respectively, Sabalenka rebounded to win the U.S. Open and clinch the fourth major title of her career. She finished the year with the most finals appearances (nine), most titles (four), most match wins (63) and set a single-season prize money record by taking home $15,008,519. She was named the WTA Player of the Year for the second consecutive year, the seventh player in WTA history to repeat and third in the past 25 years.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 5. Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx Collier joined Elena Delle Donne in the exclusive 50-40-90 club, finishing the regular season with a 53.1% field goal percentage, 40.3% 3-point percentage and 90.6% free throw percentage. She led the Minnesota Lynx to the league-best 34-10 record, but Collier's accolades stretched far beyond the court. She's a vocal leader in the players' push for higher compensation in ongoing CBA negotiations with the WNBA and used her exit interview to publicly criticize league commissioner Cathy Engelbert. Collier also co-founded Unrivaled, a 3-on-3 basketball league that's drawn praise for prioritizing player amenities and paying competitive salaries. Unrivaled has provided an alternate avenue to earn money outside of the WNBA, which will be paramount as players are prepared to strike if CBA negotiations with the league remain at a standstill.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 6. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, track All Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone does is win. The four-time Olympic gold medalist won two gold medals at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in September. McLaughlin-Levrone won gold in the 400m flat with a time of 47.78 seconds, which broke the 42-year-old North American record with the second-fastest time by a woman in the distance. With the win, McLaughlin-Levrone became the first athlete to win world titles in both the 400m flat and 400m hurdles, an event for which she owns the world record (50.37 seconds). The 26-year-old has been so dominant she hasn't lost in a 400m or 400m hurdles race in two years. "I knew there were a lot of people doubting me with making the switch from 400m hurdles to the flat 400m, but ultimately, I had faith in my training," McLaughlin-Levrone said after winning World Athletics WomenÕs World Athlete of the Year. "For me, 2025 was a year of stepping outside of the comfort zone and pushing the bounds of what was mentally and physically possible. I want to continue pushing boundaries in 2026."

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 7. Catarina Macario, USWNT Catarina Macario has been on fire. Macario led the U.S. women's national soccer team with eight goals this season, including a brace in Team USA's 3-0 win over Italy in late November. Macario is the first U.S. player to score in three straight games since Mallory Swanson scored six in a row from November 2022 to February 2023. Macario now has 16 total goals and five assists in 29 national team appearances. Macario's brilliance extended past the USWNT. The Chelsea FC midfielder is up to two assists in nine league matches so far and scored two goals in Chelsea's 6-0 UEFA WomenÕs Champions League win over St. Polten last month.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 8. Hilary Knight, hockey Hilary Knight is synonymous with Team USA hockey. She led the Americans to the top of the podium at the 2025 Women's World Championships to claim her 10th gold medal, the most of any hockey player. She also holds world championship records for the most goals, assists and points. Knight led Team USA to the first sweep of Canada in the 2025 Rivalry Series with five goals and two assists across four games. Knight also had a PWHL-leading 29 points (15 goals, 14 assists) in 30 games for the Boston Fleet. She's set to appear in her fifth Olympics next year, which will mark the most for a U.S. hockey player, male or female.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 9. NiJaree Canady, softball Texas Tech may have lost to Texas in the 2025 Women's College World Series, but pitcher NiJaree Canaday emerged as the face of college softball. The reigning national player of the year transferred from Stanford to Texas Tech and earned a seven-figure payday from the school's collective, marking the largest NIL deal for a college softball player. It was well deserved. Canady finished the season with a 1.11 ERA (second-best in the nation) and a team-high 11 home runs. She led Texas Tech to a school-record 54 wins, a Big 12 regular-season and tournament title and the program's first WCWS appearances. Even Texas Tech alum Patrick Mahomes came to see what all the hype was about and attended Game 2 of the WCWs.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 10. Kyndal Stowers, Texas A&M volleyball Just last year, Kyndal Stowers was medically retired after suffering four concussions in a matter of months. She didn't know if she would ever play volleyball again. By December 2025, Stowers was named the most outstanding player in the 2025 NCAA women's volleyball tournament after leading Texas A&M to their first national championship in program history with a sweep of SEC rival Kentucky. Stowers finished with 10 kills on .304 hitting, plus six digs, two service aces and one block. The Aggies shocked the world by defeating No. 1 overall seed Nebraska in five-sets, before sweeping No. 1 Pitt and No. 1 Kentucky in the Final Four.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

Ranking the top 10 women athletes of 2025

1. A'ja Wilson, Las Vegas AcesLas Vegas Aces star A'ja Wilson had one of the best seasons in WNBA history and earned the top spot on our list. Wilson led the Aces to their third title in four years after sweeping nearly every major award in the calendar year. She earned her second WNBA scoring title, third Defensive Player of the Year award, an unprecedented fourth MVP and her second Finals MVP, becoming the first player in WNBA or NBA history to accomplish it all in a single season. Becky Hammon said it best: Wilson is "Everest. There is no one else around." Wilson isn't ready to be in the GOAT conversation just yet. "I still got a little bit more winning to do before you put me in that conversation. When you're compared to greats, when you're compared to legends, that means you're doing something right and I'm so grateful," she said after sweeping the Phoenix Mercury in the 2025 WNBA Finals.

The WNBA and players' union have been at an impasse, extending the negotiation deadline twice beforeentering a "status quo" period on Jan. 9.

Under "status quo," the working conditions established in the current CBA remain as is, allowing both sides to continue negotiating. The current agreement also prevents either side from engaging in a work stoppage without giving notice.

The main source of contention between the WNBA and the WNBPA continues to be revenue sharing. The players are reportedly prioritizing increased revenue sharing and salary structures. However, the sides differ on whether revenue sharing should be net or gross income, the percentage of the share and the salary cap.

In the league's latest offer, the WNBA reportedly proposed a system where players would receive in excess of 70% of net revenue, a person with direct knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY Sports. The WNBA's offer also includes a maximum $1 million base salary, with a projected revenue-sharing component that raises players' max total earnings to more than $1.3 million in 2026. The maximum salary would grow to nearly $2 million over the life of the agreement. The proposal raises the minimum salary to more than $250K and the average salary to more than $530K, growing to more than $780,000 over the life of the deal.

Pending a CBA agreement by the WNBA and WNBPA, the2026 WNBA seasonis scheduled to begin May 8. It will be the league's 30th season.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Players' union frustrated with WNBA's lack of urgency in CBA talks