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NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Paul Cotter and Jesper Bratt scored in the shootout, Connor Brown forced overtime with a tying goal with 2:21 left in the third period and the New Jersey Devils beat Toronto 4-3 on Wednesday night, sending the Maple Leafs to their fifth straight loss.

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Timo Meier and and Arseny Gritsyuk also scored in regulation for the Devils, who have won three in a row and improved to 25-8-1 when scoring at least three goals. Jacob Markstrom made 24 saves.

William Nylander, Matias Maccelli and Matthew Knies had goals for the Maple Leafs, who haven't won since beating the Edmonton Oilers 5-2 on Feb. 3 — their last game before the Olympic break. Anthony Stolarz made 44 saves.

Cotter put a backhander past Stolarz to start the shootout for the Devils. After Nylander's wrister was stopped, Bratt also scored on a backhander to put New Jersey up 2-0 in the shootout. Auston Matthews' wrist shot was then stopped by Markstrom, giving the Devils the victory.

With the game tied at 2 in the third period, Knies batted in the rebound of John Tavares' shot past Markstrom to put Toronto ahead with 6:10 left.

Brown took a pass from Gritsyuk on a rush toward the net and roofed a quick shot in tight past Stolarz to tie it at 3 with 2:21 remaining.

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The Devils outshot the Maple Leafs 47 to 27 in regulation.

New Jersey was without defenseman Brett Pesce, who suffered a lower-body injury against Florida on Tuesday night.

Up next

Maple Leafs: Play at New York Rangers on Thursday night.

Devils: Host the Rangers on Saturday.

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

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Jrue Holiday had 35 points and 11 assists, and Jerami Grant added 30 points as the Portland Trail Blazers snapped a two-game skid with a 122-114 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night.

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Portland (30-33), making a push to qualify for the postseason, used a 24-19 scoring edge over the final nine minutes to seal the win. The Trail Blazers had lost three of their last four and four of their last six games entering Wednesday.

Robert Williams III had 20 points and 11 rebounds for Portland. Matisse Thybulle contributed three rebounds, an assist and a steal on his 29th birthday.

The Grizzlies got double-figure scoring from seven players, but it wasn't enough against Portland as they lost their second straight and for the ninth time in 12 games. Memphis was playing the second game of a back to back after falling toMinnesota 117-110on Tuesday.

Jaylen Wells led the way with 24 points, and GG Jackson added 20 for Memphis. Forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper, who earlier in the day signed a multi-year contract, had 17 points and nine rebounds in his eighth start for the Grizzlies. Jahmai Mashack came off the bench to score 13 points, Cam Spencer scored all 12 of his points in the first half and added seven rebounds and seven assists, while Walter Clayton Jr. added 12 points and Javon Small 11.

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Ja Morant missed his 18th straight game for Memphis due to a left elbow injury, and Zach Edey is out for the rest of the year after having surgery on his left ankle earlier in the week.

Up next

Trail Blazers: At the Houston Rockets on Friday.

Grizzlies: Host the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday.

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

TheLos Angeles Ramsand Kansas City Chiefs have swung the first major trade of the NFL offseason.

The Chiefsare trading cornerback Trent McDuffieto the Rams in exchange for the No. 29 overall pick in April's NFL Draft, along with fifth- and sixth-round picks this year and a third-round pick in 2027, a person with knowledge of the deal told USA TODAY Sports' Tyler Dragon. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the trade could not become official until the start of the new league year on March 11.

The deal significantly changes the landscape for two teams desperate to claw back to the front of the pack in their respective conferences. For Los Angeles, it serves as the latest marquee veteran addition – at perhaps the most pressing area of need – for a team seeking to capitalize onNFL MVP Matthew Stafford's return. The Chiefs, meanwhile, receive more ammunition for resetting a roster that still has several needs and is undergoing some salary cap-related shifts.

But who came out ahead in the deal? Here are grades for each team:

Rams trade grade: B

Turns out Rams general manager Les Snead wasn't kidding about trying to maximize Stafford's competitive window.

After the 38-year-old quarterback announced after taking home the league's top individual award that he would be returning for the 2026 season, Snead later suggested that the team was intent on catering its offseason to "make the most of the time we have" with the passer. On Tuesday, Snead seemed to tease the possibility of using one of his two first-round picks to swing a splashy deal.

"Is there an All-Pro that you could add?" Snead told reporters. "That would be nice."

Less than 24 hours later, he has one in the former Chiefs standout.

McDuffie's arrival shores up the back end of a Rams defense that unraveled down the stretch, culminating with Sam Darnold torching the group for 346 yards and three touchdowns in Los Angeles' NFC championship game defeat. Coverage performance can be volatile, but the four-year veteran has reliably clamped down on opposing receivers. And parting with the latter of the Rams' two first-rounders and holding onto their payoff from the Atlanta Falcons' ill-conceived gamble last year was a nice touch from Snead.

Still, this is a fairly considerable compensation package – including the a likely extension that should be costly – for a player not in an elite tier at his position group. And there are at least a couple areas of concern.

At 5-11 and 193, McDuffie doesn't solve Los Angeles' lingering problem of matching up with bulkier receivers. Those size limitations led Kansas City to place the 2022 first-round pick in the slot early in his career, and the result was an All-Pro campaign in 2023. Staying there full-time with the Rams might be a non-starter given how much the team gave up to land him, but moving him inside at least occasionally should be a consideration.

McDuffie also struggled last season with the Chiefs tilting more toward zone coverages, allowing a career-worst catch rate of 67.9% and a passer rating of 96.3 when targeted, according to Next Gen Stats. That might seem like a bad fit for defensive coordinator Chris Shula's scheme, which tends to live in zone looks. Maybe the move indicates the team wants to deploy more man coverage to better combat the likes of Jaxon Smith-Njigba and other top-flight targets capable of burning the secondary.

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There's plenty to like about the configuration the Rams have to make this work, including the presence of Jimmy Lake, McDuffie's college coach at Washington, as the newly appointed defensive backs coach and pass game coordinator. And perhaps this was merely an overdue investment for Snead, who had largely scoured the bargain bin at cornerback since parting with Jalen Ramsey in 2023.

Still, as Snead somewhat returns to his "(expletive) them picks" roots, it seems clear that the Rams paid a premium to address their most glaring deficiency with a proven entity rather than one of the draft's top cover men. Whether that apparent overpay will be justified in the end won't become clear until at least next January.

MORE:Latest NFL free agency news, rumors, trade buzz and more

Chiefs trade grade: A-

The knee-jerk reaction for many in Kansas City might be best summed up by Patrick Mahomes.

"Damn," the Chiefs quarterback wrote after news broke of McDuffie being sent packing.

Some disappointment is only natural for an organization attempting to reclaim its status as the AFC's alpha after falling to 6-11 last season, the franchise's worst mark in a decade-plus. Viewed through the proper lens, however, this deal might actually help fast-track a resurgence.

That general manager Brett Veach bailed on paying yet another standout cornerback should come as no surprise. Veach previously walked away from both L'Jarius Sneed and Charvarius Ward rather than pay them top-of-market contracts.

If McDuffie wasn't in Kansas City's long-term plans, offloading him before he reaches free agency might simply have been good business. Not only do the Chiefs not have to worry about fitting him into a cap-crunched roster this year and beyond, they can now focus on re-signing fellow cornerback Jaylen Watson, whoranked 13th on Nate Davis' top 100 free agent rankingsand likely would not have been able to return without the secondary's sea change.

But the big boon here is the draft picks. As Kansas City gets set to make its earliest selection (No. 9) since 2013, the breadth of the team's needs at premium positions is rather imposing. Yes, a wide receiver to assist Mahomes would be of massive value. Then again, a massively disruptive defensive end or defensive tackle could also be required. And don't forget about the lackluster outlook at running back, safety and potentially tight end if Travis Kelce retires.

With a second Day 1 selection and additional draft resources in hand, Veach now is well-positioned to build something formidable for the latter half of Mahomes' career rather than merely cling on to the vestiges of a bygone era. And going this route was necessary given what Kansas City faced with its salary cap.

Pressure on Veach, however, ramps up considerably in April. Describing the general manager's draft track record as uneven would be charitable, and his various missteps in evaluating young talent have played a central role in Kansas City's roster becoming so lopsided.

But Veach has also displayed a shrewd sense for when to sell high on his existing veterans, and he might have timed the market correctly again here.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Trent McDuffie trade grades: How Rams, Chiefs fared in huge NFL deal

BANGKOK (AP) — Global energy trade is in turmoil aswar around the Persian Gulfchokes off oil and natural gas shipments, causing prices to soar.

Indonesia US Israel Iran

Asia is the most exposed since it relies heavily on imported fuel, much of it shipped through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow passageway that carriesa fifth of global tradein crude oil and liquified natural gas, or LNG.

About 13 million barrels of oil per day moved through the corridor in 2025, according to energy consultancy Kpler. That's about a third of all seaborne crude, the unrefined petroleum that is processed into fuels such as gasoline and diesel.

Roughly a fifth of the world's LNG, natural gas cooled into liquid form for easier storage and transport, also flows through the straits. More than 80% of the LNG shipped through the strait in 2024 went to Asia, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Since theIran warbegan, the price of Brent crude, the international standard, has jumped 15% to about $84 per barrel, the highest level since July 2024.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday the U.S. will offer risk insurance to shippers and may deploy its navy to protect vessels if needed. But the disruptions are cascading beyond the region. When supply tightens, richer nations outbid poorer ones for scarce cargoes, leaving more vulnerable economies short of fuel. This was seen during past energy shocks caused byRussia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

"The crisis, with the closure of the Hormuz Strait as the latest development, would not only raise oil and gas prices but also grind global economic activity to a halt," said Zulfikar Yurnaidi, with theAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations' Centre for Energy.

China and India potentially face big risks

For Asia's two most populous countries, their huge scale magnifies the risks.

China is the world's largest crude oil importer and India comes in third. Sustained spikes in oil prices would ripple through their broader economies, straining transport, industry and households.

China is the biggest buyer of Iranian oil, but Beijing has prioritized energy security and has alternatives, including majoruse of renewables. It imported about 1.4 million barrels per day from Iran last year, roughly 13% of its total seaborne crude imports, according to Kpler.

Most of those shipments are already at sea and will cover another four to five months of demand, Kpler estimates. China also has substantial strategic petroleum reserves, though the exact amount is a state secret.

It can buy more from Russia: China's independent refiners – also known in the industry as 'teapots' – have been the key buyers for Iranian, Russian and Venezuelan oil, often at big discounts due to risks associated with Western sanctions. Despite war-related disruptions, global supplies are sufficient overall.

"It is therefore unlikely that China would struggle to source enough crude to power its economy or meet domestic demand," said Muyu Xu, a senior crude oil analyst at Kpler. "The real question is at what price."

India might resume purchases of Russian crude oil,despite pressure from Trump not to.

It has enough crude reserves to last less than a month. The next two weeks will be critical and the situation could could deteriorate quickly, driving up fuel costs and broader inflation if the conflict drags on, according to energy analyst Vibhuti Garg with the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, or IEEFA, in Delhi.

"It is a very, very volatile situation," Garg said.

The main risk is higher prices for perishable foods vulnerable to supply shocks. At the same time, a weaker rupee and higher borrowing costs could slow the economy, she said.

Japan, South Korea and Taiwan are most exposed

Few regions are as exposed to Middle East energy flow disruptions as East Asia.

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Japan imported 2.34 million barrels of crude per day in January, about 95% of its total imports that month, according to its Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. Japan is often ranked as the world's second-largest LNG importer.

South Korea relies nearly entirely on energy imports. The Korea International Trade Association says it gets around 70% of its crude oil and 20% of its LNG from the Middle East.

Taiwan also imports nearly all of its LNG. It has been trying to reduce its reliance on the Middle East but still sources about one-third from Qatar,which halted LNG productionafter attacks on its facilities.

Japan and South Korea have large energy supply stockpiles. While Taiwan announced that it has enough supplies for March and contingency plans for the future.

But analysts say reserves are temporary buffers and energy-intensive industries, likeTaiwan's semiconductor industry, remain vulnerable.

Governments are in "hope for the best, prepare for the worst" mode, said Grant Hauber, with IEEFA, warning some may regret not diversifying sooner into renewables, a "natural hedge" against disruption.

Fossil fuels dominate the energy mix in all three East Asian economies. Renewables provide under 10% of power in South Korea and Taiwan and about 22% in Japan, according to the International Energy Agency.

Southeast Asia

braces for energy issues

Developing, energy-hungry countries in Southeast Asia face the risk of being outbid by richer nations as supplies tighten.

In Singapore, officials have warned businesses and households to brace for higher energy bills.

In Manila, authorities banned non-essential travel and personal use of government cars to cut fuel use.

In Thailand, officials have urged the public to save energy, as motorists lined up at filling stations as prices climbed.

Full-time delivery riders and drivers — essential to keeping goods and people moving through Thailand's congested urban centers — depend on fuel to earn a living. In the northern city of Chiang Rai, 64-year-old taxi driver Sommit Sutar said he can't see how to conserve fuel and still work.

"Gasoline was already expensive. This war will make the problem even worse," Sutar said.

The government has suspended petroleum exports to shore up domestic reserves, which it says can last up to 61 days while ramping up natural gas production from the Gulf of Thailand and Myanmar.

Thailand relies heavily on spot-market LNG, leaving it "highly exposed to price and geopolitical volatility," said Amy Kong, with the Brussels-registered research group Zero Carbon Analytics. That makes it vulnerable to bidding wars with wealthier nations.

Ghosal reported from Hanoi, Vietnam. Associated Press business writerChan Ho-himin Hong Kong contributed to this report.

The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP'sstandardsfor working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas atAP.org.

FLORENCE, Ariz. (AP) — A Haitian man confined at an Arizona immigration detention center for months died at a hospital Monday after a tooth infection was left untreated, the man's brother said Wednesday.

Emmanuel Damas, 56, told medical personnel at the Florence Correctional Center that he had a toothache in mid-February, but he was not sent to a dentist, said Damas' brother, Presly Nelson.

Nelson believes the staff at the facility did not take his brother's complaints seriously even though it was a treatable condition. Nelson said he would expect such a death in countries with less access to health care, but not the United States.

"As a country — I'm an American now — I think we can do better than that," Nelson said.

Damas is among least nine people who have died in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody this year.

The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment. ICE had said it hoped to issue a news release Wednesday.

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Earlier Wednesday, ICE officials announced the death of Mexican national Alberto Gutierrez-Reyes, who had been in a California ICE detention center and died in the hospital Feb. 27 after reporting chest pain and shortness of breath.

Chandler City Council member Christine Ellis, a Haitian American who is a registered nurse, said she was contacted by Damas' family after his death.

"As a medical person, I am absolutely appalled that there were medical-licensed people that were working there and allowed those things to happen," Ellis said. "It does not make sense to me."

A report from the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's Office listed Damas' cause of death as "pending" as of Wednesday.

Damas was taken into ICE custody in September and was soon transferred to the medium-security Florence Correctional Center, where he was held for several months, including after his asylum application was denied, Ellis said.

CoreCivic, a for-profit corrections company that runs the Florence facility, did not respond to emails seeking comment.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A federal judge temporarily blocked the enforcement on Wednesday of an executive order issued last year by Florida Gov. RonDeSantisthat designates two Muslim groups asforeign terrorist organizations.

U.S. District Judge Mark E. Walker wrote in his preliminary injunction that the First Amendment bars the governor from continuing the troubling trend of using an executive office to make a political statement at the expense of others' constitutional rights.

The governor's order targeted the Council on American-Islamic Relations and the Muslim Brotherhood. His office didn't immediately respond Wednesday evening to an email seeking comment about the judge's order.

CAIR and other civil rights groupssuedDeSantis in December, shortly after the executive order was issued. The group has more than 20 chapters across the United States, and its work involves legal actions, advocacy and education outreach. The lawsuit claims the executive order is unlawful and unconstitutional, specifically that DeSantis has usurped the exclusive authority of the federal government to identify and designate terrorist organizations.

The injunction will halt the executive order's enforcement while the lawsuit moves forward.

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"The question before this Court is whether the Governor can, in a non-emergency situation, unilaterally designate one of the largest Muslim civil rights groups in America as a 'terrorist organization' and withhold government benefits from anyone providing material support or resources to the group," Walker wrote.

Anti-Muslim bias has persisted indifferent formssince Sept. 11, 2001, and there has been a rise inIslamophobiaduring more than two years of war in Gaza.

CAIR said in the Florida lawsuit that it has always condemned terrorism and violence. The lawsuit alleges DeSantis targeted the group for defending the free speech rights of people in cases where state officials and officials elsewhere tried to punish or silence those who expressed support for Palestinian human rights.

The executive order also gives the same "foreign terrorist" label to theMuslim Brotherhood, a pan-Arab Islamist political movement. President Donald Trumpin Januaryissued an executive order that designates three Middle Eastern branches of the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist organizations.

The governor's order instructs Florida agencies to prevent the two groups and those who have provided them material support from receiving contracts, employment and funds from a state executive or cabinet agency.

Florida has an estimated 500,000 Muslim residents, according to CAIR.

The U.S. women's national team jumped to the top of the 2026 SheBelieves Cup standings with a 1-0 win over Canada in Columbus, Ohio on Wednesday, March 4.

Emma Hayes selected a nearly full-strength lineup with some of her top stars featuring heavily. It was another tough battle between these two bitter rivals, but in the end it would be the Americans coming out on top.

Canada proved to be tough in the first half as they opened the match on the front foot. The U.S. turned the momentum in their favor after 20 minutes and started piling on shot attempts at the opposing goal, but failed to break through before the break.

It was much of the same story coming out of halftime as the visitors looked inspired. But once the Americans gained control of the match, they finally found the back of the net through Ally Sentnor in the 55th minute. After taking the lead Hayes' side never looked back, controlling the play and seeing out the result.

Let's take a look back at how the USWNT players fared in a shutout win over Canada in the SheBelieves Cup.

GK: Phallon Tullis-Joyce - 6.5

Despite Canada looking threatening for several spells throughout the night, there wasn't much for her to do. However, on the few occasions where questions were asked, she had the answer.

RB: Emily Fox - 7

Other than a few questionable turnovers in dangerous spots against the Canadian press, she did extremely well quelling several attacks against her goal while also providing some much-needed width.

CB: Naomi Girma - 7

While the stats won't give her credit for how good of a performance this was, she just offers a dominant presence in the back that often seems to force teams to avoid her side of the box. In addition to being a menacing defender, she just oozes confidence on the ball in the build-up.

CB: Emily Sonnett - 7.5

The more active of the two center backs, she was credited with seven defensive contributions, including five clearances. When Canada did threaten the American goal, she was usually there to deny them easy access.

LB: Gisele Thompson - 7

The Thompson sisters were a dynamic duo on the left-hand side, causing issues for Canada all night. Gisele played her role to perfection, adding attacking width with her pace, while also providing some much needed cover defensively, breaking up several counter-attacks.

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CM: Claire Hutton - 6.5

A measured and steady performance in midfield. Nothing spectacular to point out, but nothing detrimental either.

CM: Sam Coffey - 7

One big thing that stood out from Coffey's performance is just how dynamic she is making runs off the ball. It seemed like she was popping up everywhere on the field as an option either going forward towards goal or to be a reliable option in possession. While nothing tangible like a goal or an assist came from her efforts, they easily could have.

RM: Trinity Rodman - 5

It was a tough night for the highest paid woman in soccer. After coming off with an injury at the weekend, she did not look her usual explosive self on the wing. Often looking frustrated, she failed to make much of an impact and had one of her most disappointing showings in a while. Perhaps the knock she picked up against Argentina played a role.

CAM: Rose Lavelle - 7

As the main creative force, she had several chances to find a goal, but couldn't threaten the Canada goal despite several attempts. In addition to six key passes on the day, she delivered the corner kick that found Sentnor for the opening goal. It wasn't an earth-shattering performance, but it got the job done.

LM: Alyssa Thompson - 7.5

Alyssa was an absolute pest against the Canadian back line, which had no answer for her pace and directness. At times she was a one-woman counter-attack, flying past defenders and threatening the opposing goal with shots. If not for some good saves, she easily finds the back of the net and is the talk of the match.

ST: Ally Sentnor - 8

After missing a big chance in the first half, she enjoyed some sweet redemption by burying the only goal of the match about 10 minutes after halftime. Getting on the end of a corner kick, she had time and space to smash a finish into the corner of the net.

Outside of the goal, she proved to be a valuable focal point in the attack as the striker. While not a prototypical target player or a speed demon, she offers some very good hold-up play, while constantly finding dangerous pockets of space to always be an option for her teammates.

Sub: Emma Sears - 6

Seemed to get involved more on the right flank than Rodman did, but didn't have many impactful moments.

Sub: Lindsey Heaps - 6

Came in and held down the midfield, as you'd expect her to do. Saw out the result without any spectacular moments.

Sub: Jaedyn Shaw - NR

Stoppage-time sub.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:USWNT vs. Canada player ratings: Ally Sentnor goal wins SheBelieves Cup game