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 (26) of the Buffalo Sabres pose on the red carpet at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on 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.” 

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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 (26) of the Buffalo Sabres prepares for a faceoff during an NHL game against the New York Rangers at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York, on Oct. 9, 2025. (Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images)

Matovac remained on life support for weeks before receiving the transplant in France.

JACOB WINTERTON, FORMER OHL PLAYER AND BROTHER OF NHL’S RYAN WINTERTON, DEAD AT 25 AFTER CANCER BATTLE

In January, Matovac revealed that 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 (26) 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 as 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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Lindsey Vonn was aiming for Olympic gold last month in Italy, but a crash led to five surgeries that saved her leg from being amputated.

In one of her first runs at the Milan Cortina Olympics, fresh off a ruptured ACL she suffered a week before the Games, Vonn fell, resulting in a compound fracture of her leg.

Vonn also needed a blood transfusion due to the amount of blood lost during the surgeries, including one that required “a lot of plates and screws” and took nearly six hours.

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Lindsey Vonn speeds down the course during alpine skiing women’s downhill training at the Winter Olympics in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, on Feb. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

But in an interview with Vanity Fair, Vonn left the door open to getting back onto the mountain.

“I don’t like to close the door on anything, because you just never know what’s going to happen,” Vonn said. “It’s hard to tell with this injury. It’s so f—ed up.”

Vonn initially retired in 2019 but announced nearly six years later that she was making a comeback. She made her way onto the Olympic team and found herself back in regular form.

Lindsey Vonn crashes during the women’s downhill at the Winter Olympics on Feb. 8, 2026, in Italy. (IOC via Getty Images)

FORMER OLYMPIC STAR’S SON DIES AFTER GETTING CAUGHT UP IN AVALANCHE

That’s why she’s not ready to officially call it quits.

“I really feel like that was a horrible last run to end my career on. I only made it 13 seconds. But they were a really good 13 seconds,” she added.

Vonn’s skis failed to pop off during her crash, likely making the injury worse than it needed to be. Vanity Fair noted that Vonn “spends nearly all of her time in rehab,” including two hours of physical therapy and another two hours in a hyperbaric chamber, all before she even gets an official workout in.

Lindsey Vonn is airlifted away after a crash during an alpine ski women’s downhill race, at the Winter Olympics, in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

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If Vonn decides to call it, she will still go down as one of the most decorated skiers of all time, winning an Olympic gold in 2010 and two World Championships while also owning 84 World Cup victories.

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New York Yankees shortstop José Caballero made MLB history Wednesday: He became the first player to use the Automated Ball-Strike System (ABS).

During the fourth inning of the Yankees’ 7-0 Opening Day win over the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park, Caballero challenged home plate umpire Bill Miller’s strike call after Giants starting pitcher Logan Webb threw a sinker at the top of the zone.

Caballero, 29, tapped his head to initiate the challenge and appeal the strike call, but lost the challenge. The 12 Hawk-Eye cameras of the Automated Ball-Strike System displayed that Webb’s 90.7 mph sinker was in the zone.

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José Caballero (72) of the New York Yankees runs to first after hitting a one-run double in the second inning during the game between the New York Yankees and the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park in San Francisco, California, on March 25, 2026. (Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Despite losing the challenge, he had conviction in his decision.

“Nope, I wanted to go for it,” Caballero said.

Caballero thought it was a little higher than what was shown, but he is a fan of the ABS system despite his unsuccessful appeal.

“I think it’s really good, keep everyone accountable,” he added. “It gives us a chance to really see how good (we are) with the zone or not. I wish it was the other way around, I’m trying to get the overturn call but this time I didn’t.”

BASEBALL HALL OF FAME PITCHER GOES IN DEPTH HOW ABS SYSTEM WILL IMPROVE OFFENSE, HOW ARMS HAVE TO ADJUST

Jazz Chisholm Jr., left, and José Caballero, right, of the New York Yankees are congratulated by Austin Wells (28) after both scored on Ryan McMahon’s two-run single against the San Francisco Giants during the second inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, California, on March 25, 2026. (Jeff Chiu/AP Photo)

Caballero’s challenge was the lone one of the game. The Yankees were up 5-0 at the time of the challenge.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said he has tried to be direct with the feedback he has given to players regarding their challenges.

“We’ve had a lot of dialogue at it. It’s something that we’ve poured a lot into, I’ve certainly,” Boone said. “It’s become one of the things I’ve kind of tried to lead the charge on a little bit. Another kind of end-of-spring meeting with all the position players and catchers at the end just kind of running through different ones that came up and give my feedback on it. I’ve been very direct with them during spring as far as after the fact if I thought one was really good or conversely if one was terrible.”

“I’ve tried to be real direct with them and why,” he said. “I feel like we’re going to be good at it, that’s the expectation. I’m sure we’ll continue to evolve with it.”

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New York Yankees shortstop José Caballero (72) throws the ball to first to record an out against the San Francisco Giants in the ninth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, California, on March 25, 2026. (Cary Edmondson/Imagn Images)

Teams are given two challenges a game, but if they successfully challenge a call, they retain it. But if the challenge is unsuccessful, you lose it. So, the Yankees were down to one challenge for the rest of game after Caballero’s unsuccessful attempt in the fourth inning.

Caballero, who went 1 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored, drove in the first run of the 2026 MLB season with a single that scored Giancarlo Stanton in the second inning.

The Yankees (1-0) will look to continue their hot start when they take on the Giants (0-1) on Friday at 4:35 p.m. ET.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Golf influencer Paige Spiranac is hoping to help women with big breasts up their golf game without hurting themselves.

Spiranac, who has millions of followers on social media, posted a video to help those women with their swing. She captioned the video, “How to swing with some great cans.”

“I’m here to help you,” she said to start the short clip. “Step one, move farther away (from the ball) to give you some space. Next, you want to tuck your right arm and lay your left arm on top of your (breast).”

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Paige Spiranac plays the 17th green during the Creator Classic at Philly Cricket Club, prior to the Truist Championship at The Philadelphia Cricket Club (Wissahickon Course) on May 7, 2025, in Flourtown, Philadelphia. (Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images)

“Bombs away?!” she added after swinging from the tee box.

The clip garnered more than 2.6 million views in just under 24 hours since it was posted.

Spiranac has been easing back into social media over the last few weeks after taking a hiatus from her platforms. Last week, she offered some praise to at least one commenter who continues to offer a lewd remark that she suggested continues to lift her spirits.

“There is this guy who comments ‘great cans’ on everything I post,” she wrote. “In a world full of hate and despair I know he will always be there for me to lift my spirits.

Paige Spiranac attends the 2025 US Open with Maestro Dobel Tequila, the “Official Tequila” of the US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Aug. 28, 2025 in New York City. (Anna Webber/Getty Images for Maestro Dobel Tequila)

PAIGE SPIRANAC OPENS UP ON SOCIAL MEDIA HIATUS: ‘JUST OVERTHINKING EVERYTHING’

“He’s never missed a post for years.”

Spiranac said in February she had been trying to get out of her “funk.”

“… And its not like a one or two day thing,” Spiranac wrote on her Instagram Stories in February, via the New York Post. “This has been going on for a little bit. I feel like I’ve just been so in my head about everything and I’m just trying to work through it. I think that’s why I haven’t been posting as much because I am just overthinking everything and I just feel like my anxiety has taken control.

“I’m trying to push myself outside of that and post more and get back to what I was doing before. I feel like I haven’t been active because I’ve just been in my own head, in this kind of funky rut and we’re working through it.”

Paige Spiranac attends Netflix’s “Happy Gilmore 2” New York Premiere at Jazz at Lincoln Center on July 21, 2025 in New York City. (Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)

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Spiranac lamented how her audience and others haven’t seen her correctly and said she believed she was “actually really misunderstood.”

While she admitted that her “rut” caused her to stay away from golf for a bit, she said she hoped to create more of a fun-focused golf series in the near future.

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TORONTO – J.T. Miller and the New York Rangers expected big things when they broke training camp back in the fall.

Coming off a playoff-less spring that resulted in forward Chris Kreider and defenceman K’Andre Miller getting shipped out of town, the club believed its remaining core — led by star goaltender Igor Shesterkin — along with the addition of decorated head coach Mike Sullivan and blueliner Vladislav Gavrikov would get the club back into the NHL’s spring dance.

The Original Six franchise is instead headed toward another long summer of big questions.

The Rangers (28-35-9) became the second team officially eliminated from post-season contention Wednesday when they fell 4-3 in Toronto.

New York, which tied a franchise record with just 10 shots on goal in Monday’s ugly 2-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators, directed 43 pucks on target against Maple Leafs netminder Joseph Woll, but were unable to avoid the axe finally falling.

“I don’t think anybody thought we’d be where we are,” said Miller, the team’s captain. “It sucks … it’s the worst. We don’t want that. But right now we’re just worried about playing good hockey games during the season and feeling good going into summer — feeling good about our game, at least, and trying to move in the right direction.

“We failed to reach our goal.”

The Rangers made the Eastern Conference final in both 2022 and 2024 to go along with a first-round exit in 2023.

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“Nobody’s thrilled with where we’re at,” said Sullivan, who won the Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016 and 2017 before leading the United States to gold at the Milan Cortina Olympics. “We’re doing everything we can to try to instil a certain standard here that we can build on moving forward.”

General manager Chris Drury could be in line for some tough conversations once the Rangers, a group with plenty of veterans on big-money deals, play out the string and turn to 2026-27.

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“This is not what we wanted,” said centre Mika Zibanejad, who scored twice Wednesday to give him 32 goals on the campaign. “It’s tough, but it hasn’t come as a surprise in terms of (elimination) happening. It was just a matter of time if you look at the standings. You can do quick math, but it still hurts.”

“We get to evaluate more of it when we play all the rest of the games.”

Sullivan said if the Rangers put in more efforts like Wednesday’s down the meaningless stretch, they will be in better shape moving forward.

“If we play like that, with those intentions, that type of intensity, we’re gonna win games,” he said. “We deserved a better fate (in Toronto) … it didn’t happen, but I thought we played a pretty good game.”

GETTING CHIRPED

Maple Leafs defenceman Jake McCabe said his kids were giving him a hard time before puck drop for not scoring since Nov. 18.

The gritty blueliner, who leads the NHL with 173 shot blocks, promptly went out and buried the game’s first goal — and his fourth overall — with a nice finish off a scramble after pinching down from the point.

“They said, ‘Dad, you never score goals. When are you going to score a goal?’” McCabe recounted with a smile of the conversation back at home. “It’s nice to get one, especially in the first period when I know they’re still up watching. Looking forward to seeing them in the morning.”

GOOD VIBES

Toronto, which is on course to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2016, picked up a 4-2 triumph in Boston against the Bruins on Tuesday before bagging Wednesday’s result to sweep the team’s mentors trip.

The annual event sees players bring important people from their lives into the Maple Leafs’ circle.

“A fun couple games,” McCabe said. “It’s been tough sledding around here, so it’s nice to collect some points.”

BOYS OF SUMMER

Members of the Toronto Blue Jays, including George Springer, Ernie Clement and Davis Schneider, attended Wednesday’s game — and were in Maple Leafs’ locker room before and after the victory.

“A little different type of preparation, but cool having them,” said Toronto centre John Tavares, who scored the game-winning goal against New York. “Regardless of circumstances for us, I think it’s great, the support for each other, and certainly what they did for this city last year, and what they’re hoping to do this year.”

The reigning American League champions, who lost Game 7 of the World Series at home to the Los Angeles Dodgers, open the 2026 season Friday at Rogers Centre against the Athletics.

“It was unreal taking in their run,” Tavares continued of the Blue Jays. “I know the excitement and probably the determination for them to go back out, and do it again and finish the job.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 25, 2026.

&copy 2026 The Canadian Press

TORONTO – Joseph Woll made 40 saves and John Tavares scored the winner as the Toronto Maple Leafs topped the New York Rangers 4-3 on Wednesday night.

Jake McCabe, Nick Robertson and Dakota Joshua had the other goals for Toronto (31-29-13).

Matias Maccelli added two assists. Woll picked up the second assist on Joshua’s goal for his first NHL point.

Mika Zibanejad, with two goals, and Alexis Lafrenière, with a goal and two assists, replied for New York (29-35-9), which was eliminated from playoff contention with the loss. Igor Shesterkin stopped 14 shots. Adam Fox chipped in two assists.

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The disappointing Maple Leafs picked up just their second victory (2-7-3) at Scotiabank Arena since mid-January.

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New York, which will finish below the post-season cutline for a second straight spring, sits second-last in the overall standings. Toronto ranks 21st and is on the way to missing the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

TAKEAWAYS

Rangers: Adam Sykora made his NHL debut after being called up from the Hartford Wolf Pack. The 21-year-old winger, selected 63rd overall at the 2022 draft, put up 12 goals and 17 assists for 29 points across 62 games in the American Hockey League in 2025-26.

Maple Leafs: William Nylander is one point away from passing his father, Michael, for family bragging rights. The winger has 679 points in 741 regular-season games. The elder Nylander registered 679 points in 920 contests.

KEY MOMENT

Tavares scored his 26th goal of the season at 11:57 of the third period to make it 4-2 when he ripped a shot past Shesterkin after Toronto had built a 3-0 lead in the second.

KEY STAT

New York, which tied a dubious franchise record with just 10 shots in Monday’s 2-1 home loss to the Ottawa Senators, directed 14 attempts on target in Wednesday’s opening period. The visitors also pumped 17 more pucks on Woll in the second.

UP NEXT

Rangers: Host the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday

Maple Leafs: Visit the St. Louis Blues on Saturday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 25, 2026.

&copy 2026 The Canadian Press

SAN FRANCISCO — Baseball’s new reality has arrived.

Blink, and you’d miss it.

The Giants came out on the winning side of the first Automated Balls and Strikes (ABS) challenged pitch in MLB history.

Giants starter Logan Webb dotted the upper outside corner to the first Yankee to bat in the top of the fourth inning Wednesday night, and home plate umpire Bill Miller ruled the pitch a strike.

The batter, Jose Caballero, tapped the top of his helmet. He wanted to challenge the call that put him down 0-2 in the count.

The process was over in a matter of seconds. Call confirmed.

The result was about the only thing that went in the Giants favor early on in the opening game of the MLB season. Caballero doubled home a pair of runs as the Yankees opened a 5-0 lead in the second inning.

In his second trip to the plate, Caballero was a part of history.

New to MLB this season, each team has the ability to challenge at least two ball-strike calls per game. While umpires continue to make the majority of the calls, the Automated Ball-Strike system can be used to confirm or overturn those rulings when initiated by the batter, pitcher or catcher.

Teams combined for an average of 4.3 challenges per game during spring training. The Giants were among the best in the majors, thanks to Patrick Bailey’s ability behind the plate.

Even with Bailey’s prowess, the Giants weren’t aggressive in deploying their challenges.

In his first at-bat, Bailey was called out on a pitch that was off the plate inside. He opted to walk back to the dugout rather than risk a challenge.

While teams start with two challenges, they only lose them when they are unsuccessful. Catchers were more likely to issue challenges than hitters or pitchers in spring.

It’s a series 55 years in the making — the Saskatoon Blades are taking on the Edmonton Oil Kings, a series the WHL hasn’t seen since 1971.

The Oil Kings, third in the conference, stand above the Blades, but the challenge doesn’t deter Blades defenceman Brayden Klimpke.

“People might see us as the underdog, but I don’t think we mind that. Like I said, we have a lot of confidence in that room, and we believe in this group, so I don’t think it really fazes us,” said Klimpke.

With a strong offence, the Oil Kings pose a serious threat to the Blades, scoring an average of nearly one more goal per game than the Blades through the regular season. Having gone up and down through that season, head coach Dan DaSilva stresses the team needs to work on their consistency.

“We need to be an extremely hard-working team, we do. We need to have everybody pulling the rope, we have to have contributions from everyone,” said DaSilva.

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“When we have good games and win hockey games and beat good teams, it’s when we have everybody going.”

The strong Oil Kings offensive line puts pressure on star goaltender Evan Gardener, who says it’ll be a serious test of their game.

“Yeah, they’re going to be a really good team. We saw it through the regular season: they’re really hard, defensively, and they got some good offensive talent,” said Gardener of the upcoming round.

“Yeah, I mean it’s going to be a real fun series, and a real test for us.”

The Blades this year are one of the youngest teams in the league, with eight rookies on the roster. For team veterans, the pressure is on to build up the young player base and prepare them for the playoff run — a task team captain Tyler Parr takes to heart.

“That’s something I take huge pride in, being good to the young guys, making sure they’re comfortable, making sure they know how we do things here. It’s not an easy league to play in, but it’s a lot of fun,” said Parr.

The Blades soon hit the road, heading to Edmonton for the first two games of the series on March 27 and 28, before the series returns to Saskatoon on March 31.

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