When JuJu Watkins decided to play for Southern California, part of the appeal was bringing glory back to her hometown. The banners from USC’s 1983 and 1984 championships have stood together for decades … without much expectation of adding a third one. 

For as talented as she is – setting numerous freshman records in 2023-24 and guiding the Trojans to their first Elite Eight in 30 years – Watkins could only shoulder so much of the burden. While she commanded the backcourt and had a solidified post presence in Rayah Marshall, another star could have really elevated the team.

Luckily, Watkins has made USC the place to be, and another star joined the fold when Kiki Iriafen returned to her roots. She’s helped make the Trojans one of the championship favorites. 

Born in the Tarzana neighborhood of Los Angeles, Iriafen became a star at Harvard-Westlake School, setting the school record for points and rebounds. She started her college career at Stanford in 2021, and her minutes and production continued to rise as the years went on. She started every game for Stanford in 2023-24.

Playing alongside future WNBA first-round pick Cameron Brink, forming one of the best frontcourts in the country, Iriafen had a career year with 19.4 points and 11.0 rebounds per game. Iriafen was named the Pac-12 Most Improved Player of the Year and 2024 Katrina McClain Award winner for the best power forward in the country.

But Iriafen wanted to come home. She wanted her family around for her final season of college ball.

She knew the perfect place to go: USC.

“I truly love being here,” Iriafen said. “Every night feels like senior night because I get to have my family and the people that have helped raise me and get me to where I am come watch my games.”

What makes Kiki Iriafen so special?

No player likes missing shots, but if you’re wearing a USC jersey, you probably don’t mind it. That’s because there’s a good chance Iriafen grabbed the rebound and is ready to dish it right back to you.

It’s already a challenge defending Iriafen, but it’s probably just as difficult to keep her from the offensive boards. She averages 8.4 rebounds per game, but half of them come off the offensive glass, the 11th-best mark in the country. In USC’s most recent outing against Ohio State, six of her 13 rebounds came on the offensive end, helping pace the Trojans to 19 offensive rebounds and overall domination of the boards, 62-30.

In addition to being a game-wrecker defensively, she knows how to score. On a team that has several scoring options, she’s the second-leading scorer with 18 points per game, only behind Watkins.

She may not be the top scoring option, but she’s risen to the occasion with Watkins in a slump. The star guard has started slow in the past four games while shooting just 31% from the field. USC is 3-1 during that stretch, but Iriafen has stepped up by shooting 53%, proving Watkins doesn’t need to have lights-out performances in order for USC to succeed.

“(Watkins) doesn’t have to expect herself to come in every single night and try to carry a team,” Iriafen said. “I wanted it to be like: we want you to dominate and you’re going to dominate, but if you need somebody, I’m right here.”

Iriafen’s all-around game continues to impress coach Lindsay Gottlieb. When Gottlieb brought Iriafen to play for Southern California, she believed Iriafen’s experience winning and with leadership would be a key. It’s proving to be true late in the season, and Iriafen feels extremely confident in herself to be a top contributor as the games start to mean more.

USC felt like the perfect place for Iriafen to prepare herself to play professionally. There’s no doubt she will be in the WNBA later this year; she is heavily projected to be a first-round pick in April’s draft. 

But before Iriafen goes off to the pros, she has her eyes set on a national championship. Like Watkins, she wants to bring the glory back to her hometown.

“I’m trying to just leave everything out on the floor,” she said.

Chase Briscoe will start on the pole for the 67th annual Daytona 500.

Briscoe posted the fastest time of 49.249 in Daytona 500 pole qualifying Wednesday night at Daytona International Speedway to claim the coveted pole position for NASCAR’s most famous race. Austin Cindric qualified second with a time of 49.325 and will also start on the front row for Sunday’s race.

The full lineup for the 2025 Daytona 500 will be set Thursday night following two Daytona Duel races.

The starting order for the duels is based on Wednesday night’s qualifying results, with the pole winner starting first in Duel 1, and the runner-up starting first in Duel 2. Ryan Preece, who took third in pole qualifying, will start on the front row of Duel 1, while Joey Logano, who finished fourth, will start on the front row of Duel 2.

Daytona 500 pole qualifying also marked the NASCAR debut of four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves, who finished 39th Wednesday night. The legendary open-wheel racer, who is driving for Trackhouse Racing this week, is seeking to add a Daytona 500 victory to his wins in the Indy 500, the Rolex 24 at Daytona and his 31 wins across more than 25 years of IndyCar racing.

Two semi-retired NASCAR champions also participated in Wednesday’s pole qualifying. Seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, who twice won the Daytona 500, qualified 29th driving for Legacy Motor Club, the team he co-owns. Martin Truex Jr., the 2017 Cup champion, qualified 22nd in a one-off deal with Tricon Garage as he tries to win his first Daytona 500.

Here are the results of Wednesday’s pole qualifying followed by details on how to watch Sunday’s Daytona 500:

Daytona 500 pole qualifying results

Top two finishers from Round 2 will start on the front row for Sunday’s Daytona 500:

∎ ROUND 2

(19) Chase Briscoe, Toyota, 49.249
(2) Austin Cindric, Ford, 49.325
(60) Ryan Preece, Ford, 49.335
(22) Joey Logano, Ford, 49.358
(21) Josh Berry, Ford, 49.376
(11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 49.413
(3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 49.444
(20) Christopher Bell, Toyota, 49.465
(10) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 49.466
(5) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 49.522

∎ ROUND 1

(The top 10 finishers from this round advanced to Round 2)

(19) Chase Briscoe, Toyota, 49.218
(60) Ryan Preece, Ford, 49.356
(2) Austin Cindric, Ford, 49.37
(22) Joey Logano, Ford, 49.401
(10) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 49.46
(21) Josh Berry, Ford, 49.484
(3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 49.487
(20) Christopher Bell, Toyota, 49.492
(11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 49.496
(5) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 49.504
(38) Zane Smith, Ford, 49.505
(48) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 49.506
(8) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet, 49.507
(34) Todd Gilliland, Ford, 49.535
(9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 49.538
(6) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 49.545
(71) Michael McDowell, Chevrolet, 49.571
(17) Chris Buescher, Ford, 49.573
(16) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 49.616
(12) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 49.63
(24) William Byron, Chevrolet, 49.636
(56)  Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 49.641
(4) Noah Gragson, Ford, 49.66
(54) Ty Gibbs, Toyota, 49.695
(99) Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet, 49.742
(45) Tyler Reddick, Toyota, 49.744
(35) Riley Herbst, Toyota, 49.77
(23) Bubba Wallace, Toyota, 49.783
(84) Jimmie Johnson, Toyota, 49.783
(88) Shane Van Gisbergen, Chevrolet, 49.789
(7) Justin Haley, Chevrolet, 49.825
(41) Cole Custer, Ford, 49.83
(40) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 49.863
(77) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet, 49.865
(01) Corey LaJoie, Ford, 49.879
(43) Erik Jones, Toyota, 49.912
(1) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 49.997
(42) John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota, 50.025
(91) Helio Castroneves, Chevrolet, 50.069
(62) Anthony Alfredo, Chevrolet, 50.09
(47) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet, 50.148
(66) Chandler Smith, Ford, 50.351
(78) BJ McLeod, Chevrolet, 50.626
(44) JJ Yeley, Chevrolet, 51.055
(51) Cody Ware, Ford, 51.835

How to watch and stream 2025 Daytona 500

Date: Sunday, Feb. 16
Time: 2:30 p.m. ET
TV: Fox
Stream: Fubo, FoxSports.com and the Fox Sports app
Where: Daytona International Speedway (Daytona Beach, Florida)

Watch NASCAR action with a Fubo subscription

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NEW ORLEANS – “You cannot be great without the greatness of others.” It’s a theme Eagles coach Nick Sirianni harped on constantly in the lead-up to Philadelphia’s dominant victory over the Chiefs in Super Bowl 59 – and what greatness these new champions have in spades. A stifling defense. A multi-faceted steamroller of an offense. Superstars, role players and rookies who played like veterans. And Sirianni and his staff were phenomenal.

These Eagles decisively separated themselves from the field in 2024 to land squarely atop the final power rankings of the season. But let’s go ahead and slot the other 31 clubs in what’s something of a postmortem, yet also a quasi-preview for the 2025 campaign (previous rank, before Week 18, in parentheses):

1. Philadelphia Eagles (5): Not only are they newly crowned champions, they ascended to the throne by throttling an organization that seemed on the cusp of becoming elite among other NFL dynasties. Instead, these Eagles have emerged as arguably one of the best single-season teams of the 21st century in light of their spectacular playoff run, which included an aggregate score of 95-45 in the NFC championship game and Super Bowl. Sirianni and QB Jalen Hurts, whose relationship was scrutinized before the season while both dealt with questions individually regarding their performances, are now certified champions who should move forward in tandem with much less noise on the periphery. Sure, Philly could lose key pieces in the offseason – OLB Josh Sweat, LB Zack Baun, DT Milton Williams and G Mekhi Becton all have expiring contracts – but no one’s done a better job of drafting and reloading in recent years than EVP/GM Howie Roseman, who should have enough cap flexibility to keep at least one of his pending free agents.

2. Kansas City Chiefs (2): Should they be derided as the least impressive 15-win team of all time? Or applauded for constantly landing in the win column despite their issues while becoming the first club to reach a Super Bowl after winning the two previous ones? We’re thinking more the latter despite their spectacular Super Sunday swan dive, the worst performance ever by a ruling dynasty. Moving forward? They still have Patrick Mahomes, which should be sufficient to win the AFC West in 2025. Beyond that, let’s see what HC Andy Reid and GM Brett Veach have up their sleeves given the apparent issues and limited cap flexibility they’re facing.

3. Buffalo Bills (1): QB Josh Allen got his MVP award, but the franchise couldn’t quite get over the Arrowhead hump as it continues to pursue its first Lombardi Trophy. The question now is whether the perennial AFC East champs can have a more productive offseason than last year’s, though the cap suggests that could again be a challenge.

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5. Washington Commanders (10): Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels guided them to their best season in more than three decades … and all signs indicate this team should only get better moving forward.

6. Detroit Lions (3): Their depleted defense combined with Daniels proved a disastrous playoff formula for a team that once seemed like it was finally poised to break its Super Bowl hex. Since the NFC’s No. 1 playoff seed went down, Detroit has lost both of its coordinators to HC jobs and will have to endure, at minimum, something of an internal reset in 2025.

10. Los Angeles Rams (8): No team posed a bigger challenge to the Eagles this postseason – and in decidedly non-California conditions. But, since then, the Rams have signaled their intention to move on from WR Cooper Kupp while, in the meantime, QB Matthew Stafford’s future is also in some question. A year after losing DL Aaron Donald, could be another seismic offseason for a team that has otherwise beautifully stockpiled young talent.

13. Denver Broncos (15): The AFC’s final wild-card entry was surprisingly competitive in the regular season and unsurprisingly non-competitive in the playoffs. Regardless, quite a leap for a team that was essentially in salary cap jail after releasing QB Russell Wilson a year ago but won’t be in 2025.

14. Minnesota Vikings (4): They shockingly won 14 games with QB Sam Darnold, the most ever by a wild-card team. But significant uncertainty moving forward with Darnold, CB Byron Murphy Jr., RB Aaron Jones and S Camryn Bynum among the Vikes’ free agents, and unproven QB J.J. McCarthy, last year’s first-round pick, recovering from his knee injury in the bullpen.

15. Seattle Seahawks (14): Weird that a team that allegedly wants to run the ball and control the clock had to fire an offensive coordinator who likes to spread things out. Little doubt that the Seahawks overachieved in 2024, so let’s see how they do in 2025 if they’re more philosophically aligned with HC Mike Macdonald.

17. San Francisco 49ers (20): They have a history of quick rebounds following disappointing seasons under HC Kyle Shanahan. Having a healthy Christian McCaffrey in 2025 would solve a lot, but the Niners may be forced to shed more than WR Deebo Samuel in order to accommodate QB Brock Purdy’s long-awaited contract extension.

18. New England Patriots (25): They signed a premium head coach by bringing Mike Vrabel back to the family. With the most cap space in the league – nearly $120 million, per Over The Cap – they’ll have the ability to sign premium free agents. With the fourth pick of the draft, they can target a premium player without having to fret about the quarterback position. Plenty to suggest this team gets right at last for the first time post-Brady.

20. Dallas Cowboys (21): Will rookie HC Brian Schottenheimer balance this offense? Can he overcome his family’s legacy of postseason infamy? Who’s left to spend on assuming LB Micah Parsons finally lands his extension? QB Dak Prescott said this week, ‘It’s our turn.’ But to do what?

21. Chicago Bears (23): They’ve got the hotshot quarterback and have now signed the hotshot coach with the exotic offensive playbook that was clearly missing here last season. Might be a bit much to expect an immediate turnaround as QB Caleb Williams and HC Ben Johnson get acquainted – especially as Johnson learns all the other aspects of his new job and in the league’s toughest division – but it seems like basically all the key components are in place.

27. New York Jets (27): Hello, Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey. Goodbye, Aaron Rodgers and (almost certainly) Davante Adams. Next? How does the new regime’s greenprint for success dovetail with the copious talent already in house … though it doesn’t include, once again, an obvious answer behind center.

28. Las Vegas Raiders (26): They’ve got a new (read: old) head coach in Pete Carroll, 73, yet no guarantee that they won’t lose the annual game of quarterback musical chairs once again … and at a time when there’s a huge gulf between the Silver and Black and the rest of the AFC West.

29. Tennessee Titans (32): They’ve got the first pick in the draft, but do they take the best (‘generational?’) player or best quarterback?

30. Cleveland Browns (31): They’ve got the second pick in the draft, but do they take a replacement for QB Deshaun Watson or for DE Myles Garrett?

32. New Orleans Saints (30): They have the worst cap situation in the league. Again. With the ninth pick of the draft, they’re in something of a no man’s land. And as the last organization to hire its head coach (Kellen Moore) for 2025, they’re already behind the offseason power curve. At least the Superdome played host to the Lombardi … briefly.

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Luka Dončić’s Los Angeles Lakers debut earlier this week went according to script.

The 25-year-old star received loud ovations from a delighted home crowd wearing No. 77 jersey shirts in his honor. He made an uneventful return from a calf injury that had sidelined him since Christmas. And then, the Lakers won in a blowout.

Wednesday brought one more encore before the NBA All-Star break.

The Lakers played the Utah Jazz for the second time in as many games Wednesday night, but this time the matchup was at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City. It was Dončić’s first road game playing for the Lakers since the blockbuster trade that sent him to Los Angeles from the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Anthony Davis. Dončić had 14 points, five rebounds and four assists over 24 minutes of action during Monday’s game in Los Angeles.

Here’s how Dončić performed in his second Lakers game ‒ and final game before the NBA All-Star break ‒ Wednesday night at the Utah Jazz:

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Luka Dončić stats Wednesday vs. Jazz

Points: 16
FG: 6-for-13
3PT: 3-for-8
FT: 1-for-5
Rebounds: 4
Assists: 4
Steals: 1
Blocks: 1
Turnovers: 5
Fouls: 5
Minutes played: 23

Lakers’ next game

This was the Lakers’ final game before the NBA All-Star break. They are next scheduled to play on Wednesday, Feb. 19 against the Charlotte Hornets at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Tip-off is slated for 10 p.m. ET.

Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby answered the question about whether a pre-tournament injury would affect him at the 4 Nations Face-Off.

The captain had three assists, including on Mitch Marner’s game-winner, as Canada overcame a blown two-goal lead to beat Sweden 4-3 in overtime on Wednesday.

Crosby, 37, has been a staple for Canada at international tournaments, scoring the golden goal in overtime at the 2010 Olympics and also winning at the 2014 Olympics and 2016 World Cup of Hockey. He had missed two games before the tournament with an apparent arm injury.

But he got the go-ahead to play, and Canada benefitted. Crosby made a sharp backhand pass to Nathan MacKinnon to open the scoring and fed Mark Stone with another nice assist to make it 3-1.

Sweden, taking advantage of a tournament-ending injury to Canada’s Shea Theodore, rallied to tie the game in the third period on goals by Adrian Kempe and Joel Eriksson Ek.

Marner won it at 6:06 of overtime. Canada gets two points in the standings and Sweden gets one. Canada will face the USA and Sweden will face Finland in rivalry Saturday. The USA and Finland play Thursday night in Montreal.

4 NATIONS FACE-OFF: 12 players to watch

POWER RANKINGS: Which team will win the tournament?

Watch 4 Nations Face-Off on Sling

Shea Theodore out of tournament with injury

Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore will miss the rest of the tournament with an injury, Canada coach Jon Cooper told reporters. Theodore was injured early in the second period when he was checked into the boards by Adrian Kempe. He was holding his wrist after the hit. Travis Sanheim will get the call after not playing in the opening game.

Canada vs. Sweden highlights

Canada-Sweden score: Mitch Marner wins it in overtime

After big saves from Jordan Binnington, Sidney Crosby brings the puck up ice and feeds back to Mitch Marner before going off on a line change. Marner enters the zone with speed and rips a wrist shot past Filip Gustavsson. That’s three assists for Crosby. Canada 4, Sweden 3 (OT).

Canada dominating in OT

Canada is playing Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar together. Shots 7-1 Canada.

Big save by Jordan Binnington

The Canada goalie makes a stick save on Mika Zibanejad.

Overtime underway

Each team has a point and will try for a second point.

Overtime rules

They’ll play 10 minutes of sudden death 3-on-3 hockey. If no one scores, it goes to a shootout.

End of third period: Canada 3, Sweden 3

Sweden’s play has been slowly building since the end of a disappointing first period. They tie it up on goals by Adrian Kempe and Joel Eriksson Ek.

Two minutes left in third period

Canada cycles in the Sweden zone, but Sam Reinhart is stopped by Filip Gustavsson. Still 3-3.

Sweden goes on power play

Josh Morrissey is called for high-sticking Joel Eriksson Ek. Canada kills it off.

Big save by Filip Gustavsson

Connor McDavid feeds Devon Toews, but Sweden goalie Filip Gustavsson gets over and robs Toews.

Canada-Sweden score: Joel Eriksson Ek ties it up

Lucas Raymond picks up his second assist of the game with a nice pass to Jesper Bratt. Bratt feeds Joel Eriksson Ek near the crease, and he scores at 8:59.

Canada-Sweden score: Sweden’s Adrian Kempe cuts into lead

Sweden’s Adrian Kempe takes a feed from Erik Karlsson, gains the zone and beats Canadian goalie Jordan Binnington clean from between the faceoff circles at 1:54 of the third. Canada 3, Sweden 2

Third period underway

Canada leads 3-1.

Shea Theodore update: Defenseman ruled out

Canada defenseman Shea Theodore, injured early in the second period, won’t return to the game, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported. Canada will play with five defensemen the rest of the game.

End of second period: Canada 3, Sweden 1

Sweden, stymied in the first period, outshoots Canada 9-7 in the second period. The Swedes were helped by Canada being short on defense after an injury to Shea Theodore. Jonas Brodin connected for Sweden’s first goal of the tournament. But Sidney Crosby, as he often does for Team Canada, comes up big. He picked up his second assist of the game with a great set-up for Mark Stone, who restored Canada’s two-goal lead.

Canada-Sweden score: Sidney Crosby sets up Mark Stone

Sidney Crosby enters the zone with speed, spins and feeds a charging Mark Stone at 17:28. That’s two nice assists in the game by Crosby, who wasn’t even certain last week he’d be able to play in the tournament. Canada 3, Sweden 1.

Shea Theodore update

Canada’s Shea Theodore had X-rays, according to TNT’s Jackie Redmond. He appeared to be favoring his wrist after a hit from Adrian Kempe.

Canada-Sweden score: Jonas Brodin gets one back

Sweden hasn’t had much sustained pressure in the Canadian zone. They finally do and get a goal. Lucas Raymond gets the puck off Canada’s Drew Doughty, feeds the point and Victor Hedman finds Jonas Brodin. He beats Jordan Binnington through a screen at 9:33. Canada 2, Sweden 1.

Shea Theodore leaves the game

Sweden’s Adrian Kempe hits Canada’s Shea Theodore into the boards and the Golden Knights defenseman looks to be in pain. He heads to the dressing room.

Second period underway

Canada leads 2-0.

End of first period: Canada 2, Sweden 0

Canada controls the first period. In addition to striking early with the power play, Canada held Sweden to three shots. Sweden didn’t get a shot on goal until late in the period.

Canada-Sweden score: Brad Marchand scores for Canada

Canada gets a 2-on-1 break and Brayden Point feeds Brad Marchand for a 2-0 lead at 13:15 of the first period. The Boston Bruins captain, usually booed inside Montreal’s Bell Centre, gets cheers instead. Canada 2, Sweden 0.

Canada-Sweden score: Nathan MacKinnon scores on power play

The Canadian power play has Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, Sam Reinhart and Cale Makar. The first three needed just 12 seconds of power play time to connect for a MacKinnon goal at 56 seconds of the first period. Great backhand pass by Crosby. Canada 1, Sweden 0.

When is 4 Nations Face-Off Canada vs. Sweden?

Canada and Sweden will play at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday at Montreal’s Bell Centre.

How to watch 4 Nations Face-Off Canada vs. Sweden

The Canada-Sweden game will be broadcast on TNT.

How to stream 4 Nations Face-Off Canada vs. Sweden

World Cup of Hockey returning in 2028

The World Cup of Hockey will return in February 2028, and the NHL and players association envision a continuing cycle of alternating Olympics and World Cups every two years.

Details are still to be worked out, but NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said it would involve ‘at least’ eight countries. Cities, including those in Europe, can start bidding in the coming months. Bettman said he didn’t foresee any melded teams, as happened in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey with smaller European countries forming one team and the North American ‘Young Guns’ forming another.

It’s up in the air whether Russian players can take part because of Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. The International Ice Hockey Federation recently voted to ban Russian players from its championships for another year, through the 2025-26 season.

4 Nations Face-Off schedule, TV

(Times p.m. ET)

Wednesday, Feb. 12:  Canada 4, Sweden 3 (OT)
Thursday, Feb. 13: USA vs. Finland at Montreal, 8, ESPN
Saturday, Feb. 15: Finland vs. Sweden at Montreal, 1, ABC
Saturday, Feb. 15: USA vs. Canada at Montreal, 8, ABC
Monday, Feb. 17: Canada vs. Finland at Boston, 1, TNT
Monday, Feb. 17:  Sweden vs. USA at Boston, 8, TNT
Thursday, Feb. 20: Championship game at Boston, 8, ESPN

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Five weeks ago, the United States beat Finland to win a second consecutive gold medal at the world junior hockey championship.

Thursday night, those countries’ NHL players will meet in their opening game of the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Though it’s early in the tournament, every game is critical. Each team plays three games and the top teams advance to the championship game. Canada has two points and Sweden has one after Canada’s 4-3 overtime win in their opener. The USA-Finland winner would get three points if it’s a regulation win.

‘These games, to me and my team, is as big as it gets for us,’ USA forward Matthew Tkachuk told reporters. ‘We’re talking four Game 7s.’

Both teams had injuries on defense before the tournament, with the USA losing Quinn Hughes and Finland having to replace Miro Heiskanen, Rasmus Ristolainen and Jani Hakanpaa.

Here’s what you need to know about the USA vs. Finland game and the full schedule at the 4 Nations Face-Off:

When is 4 Nations Face-Off USA vs. Finland?

The United States and Finland will play at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday at Montreal’s Bell Centre.

How to watch 4 Nations Face-Off USA vs. Finland

The USA-Finland game will be broadcast on ESPN.

How to stream 4 Nations Face-Off USA vs. Finland

Sling, Fubo and ESPN+ carry ESPN and ABC games.

USA vs. Finland goaltending matchup

The USA will go with two-time Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck in net while Finland will use Juuse Saros.

4 Nations Face-Off schedule, TV

(Times p.m. ET)

Wednesday, Feb. 12:  Canada 4, Sweden 3 (OT)
Thursday, Feb. 13: USA vs. Finland at Montreal, 8, ESPN
Saturday, Feb. 15: Finland vs. Sweden at Montreal, 1, ABC
Saturday, Feb. 15: USA vs. Canada at Montreal, 8, ABC
Monday, Feb. 17: Canada vs. Finland at Boston, 1, TNT
Monday, Feb. 17:  Sweden vs. USA at Boston, 8, TNT
Thursday, Feb. 20: Championship game at Boston, 8, ESPN

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PHOENIX — It was like a Paris Fashion Runway show on Wednesday, but instead of featuring the most beautiful models, the Los Angeles Dodgers showcased the most talented pitchers in the world.

There they were, one by one, with 23-year-old Japanese sensation Roki Sasaki pitching his first official bullpen session with the Dodgers in front of virtually the entire Dodgers organization.

Then it was two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell’s turn to take the mound alongside him, and despite his impressive credentials and five-year, $182 million contract, likely won’t even pitch the first two regular-season games in Japan.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed Wednesday that Japanese stars Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Sasaki will likely be their starting pitchers in their two-game season-opening series in Tokyo against the Chicago Cubs.

“That tells you how many starters we have in here,’’ Snell said. “It’s crazy how good we’re going to be. I can’t wait to see what we really have.

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“I thought when I was I was in San Diego in ’22 that was the best team I’ve played on, but not like this.’’

And just wait until three-time MVP Shohei Ohtani and three-time Cy Young winner and MVP Clayton Kershaw take the mound.

Ohtani, who said that his left shoulder still is not fully recovered from surgery, is expected to be limited to DH duties until at least May. Ohtani, who underwent surgery on his right elbow in September of 2023, is expected to throw his first bullpen session this weekend.

“I do feel like there’s some discomfort that I still have to overcome,’’ Ohtani said, after dislocating his left shoulder on a stolen base attempt in the World Series. “It’s not really debilitating … but there’s a limited range of motion. I’ve gone through it with the elbow before, but with the shoulder, it’s a little more complicated….

“But I do feel confident that I’ll be able to make it when our season opens.’’

Ohtani, who hit 54 homers and stole 59 bases last season, is anxious to start pitching again. He hasn’t pitched in a game since Aug. 23, 2023. He could ramp up and be ready in April if he was actually needed, one official said, but why rush him when they can save him and make sure he’s fully rested and healthy for October?

This is why there are no plans for Ohtani to pitch in any Cactus League games this spring, or steal any bases. He’ll continue to DH in games, and once he’s ready to pitch and be a two-way player again, Roberts said, Ohtani will get a few more days off than in the past after missing just three games last season.

“I want to let the team dictate that,’’ Ohtani said. “I do want to play as much as possible, but if the team feels like I should get a break, I’ll follow that.’’

Kershaw has been working out with the Dodgers, but his one-year contract isn’t expected to become official until Thursday. He plans to address the media and disclose whether this could be the 18th and final season of his future Hall of Fame career.

“We went all-out this winter,’’ said Dodgers starter Tyler Glasnow, who signed a five-year, $136.5 million contract last season. “This is incredible. It’s insane. We’ve got everything you could possibly want.

“The goal is to win multiple World Series.’’

In the words of Dodgers veteran Kiké Hernández: “This roster is more full than a Bad Bunny concert.”

The latest new attraction is Sasaki, considered to be the most talented 23-year-old pitcher on the planet, with a 102-mph four-seam fastball, a splitter that might be the best in the game and the potential to become one of the game’s biggest stars.

“Oh my gosh,’’ Dodgers veteran catcher Austin Barnes said after catching his bullpen session. “The fastball is a big fastball, it has a lot of carry and ride to it. The ball jumps at you.

“And the split-finger is different. I’ve never seen a pitch like that before. It’s hard to catch sometimes, it tumbles a lot, it moves all over the place. It goes in different directions.

“A crazy talent. It’s exciting to see what he’s going to do.’’

The Dodgers, who out-recruited the other 29 teams who all wanted Sasaki, signing him to a minor-league contract with a $6.5 million signing bonus, certainly believe enough in his talent to start him in the Tokyo Series.

“Everything’s on the table, but I think it’s fair to say it would be to pitch in the second game of the season,’’ Roberts said. ‘But if it doesn’t line up, then it doesn’t line up. … We want to make sure he’s in a good position and feels good when he pitches. I don’t want to put him in a box right now.’’

It’s fair to say that the entire country of Japan will be clamoring to see one of their greatest young pitching stars making his MLB debut in his home country, with the added bonus that Japanese pitcher Shota Imanaga will start one of the two games for the Cubs.

“The opportunity to open a major-league season in Japan is really special,’’ Sasaki said, “and being able to do that as a rookie is even more special. So right now, I’m just focused and prepared for that.’’

While getting acclimated from Japan to the United States can be quite difficult culturally, let alone adapting to the major leagues, a huge benefit to Sasaki is that Ohtani and Yamamoto can help the transition, making sure that he never feels isolated or confused.

They couldn’t help Sasaki’s first-day nerves, which caused a few pitches to be thrown over the head and wide of Barnes, but they can be calming forces throughout the season.

“This being my first day there’s a lot that I didn’t know,’’ Sasaki said, “so being able to talk to them beforehand, check how things would go, and then sort of being able to check with them as things go along was really helpful.’’

Sasaki, who was 10-5 with a 2.35 ERA in 18 games last year for the Pacific League’s Chiba Lotte Mariners, striking out 129 batters in 111 innings, doesn’t pretend to be a finished product. Not even close. He has two dominant pitches but hopes to add at least a slider, which could quickly make him one of the game’s elite pitchers.

“My fastball and splitter are sort of the faces of my arsenal,’’ he said, “and they weren’t initially as their best last year. So, I want to focus on just getting those back to their best and then mixing in the slider that will expand my repertoire as I go.’’

There’s not a baseball executive or scout who watched Sasaki pitch in Japan or in the World Baseball Classic who doesn’t forecast greatness. They say he might still be raw, but as far as pure talent, it’s as good as anyone they’ve witnessed, whether it was Dwight Gooden or Stephen Strasburg.

“Until I throw in the majors, it’s difficult to know how I will do and what’s needed for success in the major leagues,’’ Sasaki said. “So right now I’m just prepared on focusing on the things that I can improve on, the skills I need to work on. Then, once I’m able to actually pitch in games, I think I’ll find out.’’

So will the rest of the world, with his own teammates predicting greatness.

“I do feel confident that as long as he’s healthy,’’ Ohtani said, “that he’ll be able to perform well again. The important thing for him is to be acclimated to the environment that he’s in.’’

Well, it’s going to feel like home if he indeed makes his scheduled start March 19 at the Tokyo Dome, and then we’ll see where this unworldly talent will take him.

“I don’t think anybody knows the body of work that’s going to come this year,’’ Roberts said, “but I do feel that when he pitches, he’s going to be very good. He’s very talented.

“But I’m just as curious as everyone else is.’’