Browsing: penalty

VANCOUVER — In the final 2 ½ months of last season, when the Vancouver Canucks had the best penalty killing in the National Hockey League, the team yielded nine power-play goals over 31 games.

With three of their penalty-killing forwards from last season either gone or injured, the Canucks†shorthanded units have been lit up for nine power-play goals in the last seven games.

Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens, the Canucks were the better team at five-on-five, building a 15-3 landslide advantage in high-danger scoring chances. But Vancouver lost a two-goal lead on special teams and lost the game 4-3 at Rogers Arena.

Sure, there were fortuitous puck bounces for the Canadiens on both of their power-play goals, including Juraj Slafkovskyâ€s 2-2 equalizer at 1:50 of the third period when Lane Hutsonâ€s point shot hit Ivan Demidov and fell perfectly for the dangerous rookie to set up his teammate.

But in the last two weeks, opposition power plays have ventilated the Canucks by going 9-for-25 or 36 per cent. And thatâ€s not just bad luck for Vancouver.

Whether failing to make clears or finding loose pucks, leaving lanes open or simply losing most of the faceoffs, the Canucks have not had the sharp, disciplined, cohesive and effective penalty killing that kept them in the playoff race last season.

And with five skaters injured, including key penalty-killers Teddy Blueger and Derek Forbort, the Canucks donâ€t have the luxury of losing the special-teams battle while still expecting to win games.

“Yeah, we’re leaking a little bit,†Canucks defenceman Marcus Pettersson said of the PK unit. “And it’s tough, you know, they get a couple of bounces. But weâ€ve got to dig down a little bit because it has lost a couple games for us. It’s frustrating, but we can’t get frustrated with it. I mean, good players are going to make plays sometimes (against you). Theyâ€re going to get a couple of bounces. But weâ€ve got to find ways to bear down. That’s all it is.â€

With Pius Suter gone in free agency and Dakota Joshua traded for cap space, new head coach Adam Foote has been exploring shorthanded options. Conor Garland, a complementary PK piece a year ago, is now the first forward out shorthanded and averaging a hefty 3:22 of penalty-kill time per game.

Top centre Elias Pettersson is killing more, as are Kiefer Sherwood and Drew Oâ€Connor. And top-six wingers Jake DeBrusk and Brock Boeser have been auditioned shorthanded after seeing almost no PK duty last season.

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Oct 25, 2025, 02:25 PM ET

Kevin De Bruyne’s goal could prove costly for Napoli despite it setting the defending champions on the way to a 3-1 win over Inter Milan and back to the top of Serie A on Saturday.

De Bruyne appeared to pull a muscle as he converted a first-half penalty, immediately clutching the back of his right thigh. The former Manchester City player looked distraught and had to be helped off the field by two medical staff.

Scott McTominay and Frank Anguissa also scored for Napoli after the break, either side of an Inter penalty converted by Hakan Çalhanoğlu.

The result got Napoli back to winning ways — after last weekend’s loss at Torino and Tuesday’s chastening 6-2 defeat at PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League — and lifted them a point above second-placed AC Milan, who drew against Pisa on Friday.

“I live the game with my players, for better or for worse,” said Napoli coach Antonio Conte, who also steered Inter to the title in 2021. “We won despite the difficulties, we have important players absent and now De Bruyne has also been injured. Let’s say it’s not a very lucky year, maybe someone has cursed us.”

Kevin De Bruyne suffered an injury after scoring a penalty in Napoli’s win over Inter Milan. Giuseppe Maffia/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Inter, who had been on a seven-match winning run, were left in fourth.

“Inter had come to kill us, they were coming off a great moment, while we were in difficulty,” Conte added. “But we have no intention of dying and we played a tough and vigorous match, putting in an excellent performance despite the difficulties.”

Napoli were already struggling with injuries and their problems got worse when De Bruyne was forced off after firing his spot-kick powerfully into the bottom corner.

The penalty had been awarded after Inter midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan was adjudged to have fouled Giovanni Di Lorenzo. Mkhitaryan also went off injured.

Inter came close to levelling the match in the dying seconds of the first half as Alessandro Bastoni hit the crossbar and Denzel Dumfries clipped the post.

The visitors continued to pour forward after the break but McTominay doubled Napoli’s lead in the 54th minute following a rapid counterattack. He sprung the offside trap to run onto Leonardo Spinazzola’s fine pass and drive it into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.

It was McTominay’s third goal this week after his brace against PSV.

Çalhanoğlu reduced the deficit five minutes later with a penalty after Napoli defender Alessandro Buongiorno charged down a Lautaro Martínez header with his arm.

However, Anguissa restored Napoli’s two-goal advantage in the 67th when he finished off another clinical counterattack.

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The New York Islanders got an early contender for win of the year on Saturday, defeating the Ottawa Senators late in a matinee contest. New York came from behind three times in the victory, with Anders Lee scoring the game-winner with just over a minute to play in regulation.

However, not to be lost in the effort was a timely performance by Ilya Sorokin. While he wasn’t at his sharpest, allowing four goals on 33 Ottawa shots, he made several big saves late, including a penalty shot save on Shane Pinto, to give his team a chance to rally late.

Sorokin stops Pinto’s penalty shot pic.twitter.com/bFmf3deV37

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) October 18, 2025

His stop on Pinto continued his success on penalty shots in his career. Per MSG Network’s Eric Hornick, Sorokin is a perfect four-for-four on such opportunities. His stops came against Michael Bunting and the Toronto Maple Leafs in Jan. 2023, Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins April 2024, Jason Zucker and the Buffalo Sabres in Nov. 2024. Two of those three stops have led to Islanders wins.

While both sides can be heard of Sorokin’s struggles to open the campaign and the Islanders’ struggles structurally, the goaltender made the big saves when needed to give them a chance to pull off the comeback.

The Islanders return to action against the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday at UBS Arena, puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.

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The Rules of Golf are tricky! Thankfully, we’ve got the guru. Our Rules Guy knows the book front to back. Got a question? He’s got all the answers.

Last week in our league a player hit the wrong ball. The penalty, I know, is two strokes or loss of hole. The problem: We were playing medal play and match play. For some reason, the director of golf declined to assess either penalty (which cost our team the match and first place), but assuming there is a penalty to be handed out, does match play take precedence over stroke play, vice versa, or do both get given? —Denny Diderich, via email

Denny, there is a reason why the USGA discourages combining stroke play and match play — namely, they’re not the same. (See Committee Procedures Section 6C(11); as an aside, the world would be a happier place with more people named Denny.)

That said, the USGA does provide guidance on this: “the Committee should apply the Rules of Golf as they would apply to each of match play and stroke play, where possible.” In your case, if there are two concurrent competitions going on — one match play, one stroke play — that would mean the player who hit the wrong ball should have gotten the loss of hole penalty for the match, but for the stroke play portion the two penalty strokes and correct the mistake.

As it pertains to other Rules situations when the formats are combined, generally stroke play Rules would have to take precedence, e.g., concessions should not be allowed.

For more wrong-ball guidance from our guru, read on …

Rules Guy: What happens when teammates hit the wrong ball in a four-ball match?

By:

Rules Guy

In a four-ball match, my partner stiffs it to two feet, and my ball rolls off the back of the green. Due to an obstructed view, however, we walk to the wrong balls. Our opponents concede the two-footer for birdie, so I pocket what is, in fact, my partner’s ball. For practice, my partner decides to chip onto the green, only to realize that he played the wrong ball when picking it up. Meanwhile, our opponents make par. Did we win the hole or lose it for playing a wrong ball? —Randy Feldner, McLean, Va.

Interesting question, Randy. While the knee-jerk reaction is that your partner played a wrong ball, he really just made a practice stroke.

While your side may have been confused about who was who, you had completed the hole, since your/ his birdie was conceded and the other player chose not to complete the hole (see Rule 23.3).

Therefore, such practice was allowed under Rule 5.5b. You won the hole … well, he did …  actually, you both did.

Want to find the right gear for your bag in 2025?Find a club-fitting location near you at True Spec Golf.

Oct 10, 2025, 01:04 PM ET

Bruno Fernandes has conceded that he needs to work on his penalties after struggling from the spot this season, but the Manchester United captain insists he loves the pressure that comes with playing for the club.

The usually reliable Portugal midfielder has missed crucial penalties in United’s 1-1 draw at Fulham and the 3-1 defeat to Brentford that have contributed to the team’s difficult start to their Premier League campaign.

“This season, out of three [penalties], I ended up missing two,” Fernandes told a news conference on Friday. “I don’t want to miss any of them. It’s something I need to study better. I’ll always do it with full conviction because there’s a coach who trusts me.”

Fernandes was foiled by Brentford goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher during United’s defeat in west London on Sept. 27.

When asked about the prospect of lining up against Kelleher when Portugal take on the Republic of Ireland on Saturday, Fernandes said: “Every day is a good day to settle scores.

“He was stronger. He did very well, and I didn’t. But it’s not something that affects my head. In a football team, there’s something bigger than individuality. Winning is much more important than settling scores with the Irish goalkeeper.”

Bruno Fernandes saw his penalty saved by Brentford goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher last weekend. Richard Pelham/Getty Images

United beat Sunderland 2-0 at Old Trafford last weekend to climb to 10th in the table and ease the pressure on coach Ruben Amorim.

United finished 15th in the Premier League last season — their worst position since being relegated in 1974 — while also losing the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur.

Fernandes, 31, said he does not consider joining Portugal on international duty as an escape from noise that comes with playing for United.

“They’re different things,” he said. “Here, it’s being at home, it’s speaking Portuguese, it’s eating Portuguese food. It makes me feel good. But I feel good in Manchester, I love the pressure. It means the goal is bigger, and I’m a person who enjoys challenges.

“I love representing the national team, it’s a source of pride. The pressure is the same whether I play for Portugal or for my club. The goal is the same: to win.”

Fernandes, who is in his sixth full season at United, turned down a move to Al Hilal in the summer to remain at Old Trafford.

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Amorim’s decision to deploy Fernandes in a deeper position in midfield instead of his familiar No. 10 has been the subject of much debate, but Fernandes said he sees benefits to playing in both positions.

“I like playing football, regardless of the position, I’ll do my best,” he said. “Everyone has favorite positions. In a space with a lot of quality, you have to adapt. I played these positions with [coach] Jorge Jesus at Sporting. When you see from the front, you can find more space, the risk is lower.

“When I play as a No. 10, the goal is to create plays, to finish. I adapt to the team game. The most important thing is to win, I want to play my best.”

Portugal have won their opening two World Cup qualifiers and lead Group F.

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Christian Pulisic had been making all the right moves for AC Milan this season.

Until Sunday.

A missed penalty kick by the American standout proved costly as Milan was held to a 0-0 draw at Juventus in Serie A to end a five-match winning streak for the revamped Rossoneri.

The United States men’s national team captain leads Milan with six goals scored this season – plus two assists – but his attempt from the spot early in the second half soared high over the bar.

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“Pulisic missed the penalty but he had an extraordinary game,” Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri said. “He has always been the penalty kick taker. You don’t change it for a mistake.”

It was only the second time in Pulisic’s professional career that he failed to convert a penalty, after Torino goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic blocked his effort last season. His record is now 13 converted and two missed for club and country.

Milan dropped from first to third place, two points behind defending champion Napoli and Roma – which each won earlier.

Napoli came back from a goal down to beat Genoa 2-1 and Roma also rallied for a 2-1 victory at winless Fiorentina.

Juventus was left a point further back in fifth entering the international break.

Pulisic’s United States teammate Weston McKennie wasted a few chances early on for Juventus.

Otherwise there were few other opportunities for both sides as Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri returned to face the club he coached in two different spells and led to five Italian league titles.

USMNT star Christian Pulisic missed a crucial penalty as AC Milan were held 0-0 by Juventus in Turin. Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP

Allegri was fired by Juventus for an ugly outburst directed at the referees during the 2024 Italian Cup final.

“We’ll always be proud of you, thanks for everything Max Allegri,” read a banner held aloft by Juventus fans.

The penalty was awarded when Santiago Gimenez was tugged down from behind by Lloyd Kelly as he attempted to meet a vertical pass from Luka Modric.

Milan nearly won it in the 90th with a through ball from Modric to Rafael Leão but the Portugal winger’s shot was stopped by Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio.

Earlier, Leão attempted a shot from near midfield when he saw Di Gregorio venture away from his goal but that effort missed the target.

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At this week’s 2025 Sanderson Farms Championship, amateur Michael La Sasso is hoping to make the next big move in his golf career. But the reigning NCAA champ’s dream start was derailed when he was hit with a rare two-stroke penalty in the first round.

Here’s what you need to know.

NCAA champ Michael La Sasso’s burgeoning PGA Tour career

So far in his college golf career, La Sasso has put together a future pro golf pedigree. The 21-year-old Ole Miss Rebel won the 2025 NCAA individual national championship in May.

That win and his stellar college record as a whole have him in second on the PGA Tour University ranking. The player who finishes first earns his PGA Tour card.

While he missed the cut in his first four pro starts this year, including the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont, La Sasso successfully made the cut in his last start at the 3M Open in July. He eventually finished T44.

But this week is extra special for La Sasso in that it’s being held so close to his school, Ole Miss.

Michael La Sasso sinks 13-foot birdie putt on No. 17 at Sanderson Farms

In the first round of the 2025 Sanderson Farms, Michael La Sasso’s drive on the 440-yard, par-4 17th travels 286 yards, finding the right fairway and leaving 131 yards to the hole, his 136-yard approach shot from the fairway lands on the left side of the green, leaving a 12-foot 9-inch putt, and he sank a 12-foot-9-inch birdie putt to reach 4-under par for the round.

As a result, he has a lot support following him around the Country Club of Jackson, as he explained in his pre-tournament press conference on Wednesday.

“This place has been great. I’ve had a lot of people come up and talk to me about this before the week even started so there’s been a lot of support,” La Sasso said. “It’s nice playing in the hometown. There’s a lot of people wearing Ole Miss gear, which is definitely nice to see familiar faces. It’s been great so far.”

And while La Sasso’s many supporters were treated to a fine display of golf from La Sasso on Thursday, it wasn’t all positive news for their favorite player in Round 1.

Michael La Sasso gets PGA Tour penalty for improving lie

At first when La Sasso finished his opening round at the Sanderson Farms Championship, he couldn’t have been more pleased. He initially recorded a six-under 66 that would have put him in solo second place behind a quartet of leaders at seven under.

But then two strokes were added to his score. Not all the details of the penalty are clear at the time of this writing, but here’s what we know happened.

On the par-4 6th hole, La Sasso’s 15th hole of the day, he hit his tee shot into the right rough, knocked his approach on the green and two-putted for par.

Slow-play penalty threatens pro’s PGA Tour card hopes

By:

Kevin Cunningham

But according to several reports citing the Associated Press, La Sasso earned a penalty on the 6th for violating Rule 8.1a which governs improving lies. According to PGATour.com, the offense occurred before his second shot.

Rule 8.1a “restricts what you may do to improve any of the ‘conditions affecting your stroke.’ Except in the limited ways allowed in Rules 8.1b, c and d, you must not take any of these actions if they improve the conditions affecting your stroke: move, bend or break any growing or attached natural object, or immovable obstruction, integral object or boundary object, or tee-marker for the teeing area when playing a ball from that teeing area; move a loose impediment or movable obstruction into position (such as to build a stance); alter the surface of the ground. Remove or press down sand or loose soil. Remove dew, frost or water.”

We don’t know which of these specific violations La Sasso committed. But we do know that he was assessed a two-stroke penalty in accordance with the rules. La Sasso declined to speak to the media after his round to shed light on the incident.

But that’s where the bad news ends for La Sasso. Even with the penalty, he finished the round T13 at four under, just three shots off the lead.

The two Atlantic Division rivals combined for 150 penalty minutes in a fight-filled 5-0 victory for the Canadiens.

At the centre of the melee were the Xhekaj brothers, Arber and Florian, who both fought twice in the game. Florian fought Jan Jenik in the first period, and Arber and Jenik traded blows in the second. Then, in the third, both brothers fought on the same shift when Arber took on Zack MacEwen and Florian battled with Carter Yakemchuk near the Canadiens’ bench.

The two Xhekaj brothers combined for 31 penalty minutes on their own, and both were removed from the game, along with MacEwen, after those third-period fights.

Also in the third period, Senators forward Nick Cousins was penalized for slashing prized Canadiens rookie Ivan Demidov and was later given a misconduct. Demidov left the game and did not return.

Oliver Kapanen, Patrik Laine, Alexandre Carrier, Lane Hutson and Kirby Dach scored for the Canadiens, with three of the goals coming on the power play.

These two teams won’t have much time to simmer down before they see each other again, as the Canadiens host the Senators at the Bell Centre on Saturday to close out the pre-season. The first regular-season meeting between the two rivals won’t come until Nov. 1.

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The Rules of Golf are tricky! Thankfully, we’ve got the guru. Our Rules Guy knows the book front to back. Got a question? He’s got all the answers.

Our club is a 50-plus community and many players struggle to retrieve their ball from the cup. We installed that ball-lifting contraption attached to the pin. Improper usage can raise the surrounding ground, creating a volcano cup that repels slower putts. I repair this damage by tamping down around the cup with my putter, making sure not to create a funnel hole. Yet some say this is illegal or that I must declare that I see damage before tamping. —Fred Reininger, Tucson, Ariz.

The “volcano hole” question generally makes Rules Guy erupt.

In our not-so-humble opinion, too many who ask are trying to procure permission to tamp impermissibly. Your inquiry seems legitimate, however, and per Rule 13.1c(2), if the hole is clearly damaged and that damage was created by a person or outside influence (such as by someone using the ball-retrieval device) then the damage may be repaired.

If, instead, the player goes beyond reasonable actions to restore the green to its original conditions, then Rule 8.1 applies.

For more repair guidance from our guru, read on …

Rules Guy: Can a caddie help you repair marks on the green?

By:

Rules Guy

During a tournament match, my partner slammed his driver in frustration after a big slice, shattering the shaft just above the hosel adapter. Luckily, the manufacturer of his driver was onsite doing a demo day, and we were about to make the turn; my partner was able to switch in a new shaft on the spot. I know he can repair a club damaged during a round, but does getting a new shaft to plug into the original clubhead constitute a repair or a replacement? —Robert Black, Johns Creek, Ga.

Your angry partner’s lucky streak has snapped, too.

In the latest Rules update, you can keep using, or repair without unreasonable delay, a damaged club under Rule 4.1a(2)—no matter how the damage occurred. So far, so good … except “repairing” a club is limited to its original components, so switching in a new shaft would go beyond what’s allowed in repairing the club.

The new Model Local Rule G-9 excludes replacing a club damaged by an act of anger or abuse. In these circumstances, any stroke made with a replaced club would result in disqualification (although there’s no penalty for carrying the incorrectly repaired club and then not using it for the rest of the round). Rules Guy shudders to think how angry that DQ would make him.

Want to find the right gear for your bag in 2025?Find a club-fitting location near you at True Spec Golf.

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