SAN JOSE, CA - OCTOBER 1: Macklin Celebrini #71 of the San Jose Sharks takes the ice through the Shark Head before the game against the Florida Panthers at SAP Center on October 1, 2026 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Kavin Mistry/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
good morning everyone!
October has begun and you know what that means: It’s the beginning of the NHL season!
And I can say that, after seven or so years, the San Jose Sharks might be near the end of a dark, dark tunnel.
The Sharks haven’t made the playoffs since 2019, when they gambled it all only to come up short.
Joe Thornton, Brent Burns, Joe Pavelski, Logan Couture, Erik Karlsson, Timo Meier and Logan Couture: They’re all gone.
The Sharks spent the last few years in the bottom of the league. But now we’ve got a new-look team fronted by Hart Trophy contender Macklin Celebrini, and Will Smith is another exciting player.
I think the big question for the Sharks is how Yaroslav Askarov will do in the goal. He’s a young goalie and was entrusted with the position last year.
Also, can we please take a moment to remember how great the Shark Tank is?
The San Jose Sharks have the greatest entrance in professional hockey – and much better than the Medieval Knights rip-off they feature in Las Vegas. These are ice hockey players entering the Shark Tank through a shark!
And what’s that? A bunch of sharks swimming underneath the tank? That’s one intimidating environment. This is a playoff hockey arena.
I really believe this is the year the Sharks make it back to the playoffs. I’ve waited a very long time to see them play meaningful hockey again. I can’t wait.
COYS(harks)!
Fitzie’s track of the day: BLACKOUT, by TURNSTILE
And now for your links:
Alasdair Gold: “Tottenham’s NFL boost – How much transfer cash they get and injury curse strikes again”
BBC: “England’s greatest international? Kane is now a serious contender”
SACRAMENTO, CA ― Darius Acuff Jr. wasn't too worried about his offense in his first ever preseason game. The Sacramento Kings rookie looked comfortable as if he's already entering his seventh NBA season.
He scored 19 points in 27 minutes in his first NBA action, albeit in just a preseason game, despite his team coming short in a 127-103 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday, Oct. 6 at Golden 1 Center in downtown Sacramento.
"It felt good. I haven't played a game in a while, like a real game," Acuff told USA TODAY Sports. "It felt good, just get out there and play against somebody else. Not the outcome we wanted but it was good to play against somebody else."
Acuff, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, didn't have anything to say about his offensive performance. He added four assists, a block and steal to his stat line. His main gripe came on the defensive end as the Lakers shot 50% from the field, including 45% from 3-point territory on 20 made 3-point field goals.
"I don't think offense is the problem," he said. "I think, with defensively, we just wasn't racking up stops as a team, as much as we needed to. I think that's kind of what separated the game. But I think offensively, we'll be fine."
And they will. Acuff did not seem phased by a Lakers defense that picked him up full court, 94 feet throughout the duration of the game whenever he logged minutes.
The Kings rookie said it's better practice for him. He welcomes the challenge. He wants the pressure.
"It was the same," Acuff said. "It was better for me, picking me up full court. I feel like I like to play against that, so I think that's an advantage for me.
"Yeah, for sure. It prepares me for sure," he added. "I say, it takes watching film, just being smart, and, you know, not trying to dribble the air out the ball back there, just trying to get one move and go. But (it) definitely prepares me for the better defenders I'm gonna face, and, you know, I just gotta take the challenge, and, you know, go out there and be me."
Kings head coach Doug Christie echoed the same sentiment as his star rookie point guard that their defense has to be better.
"You know, helping when you're not supposed to help, like all the principles of shell defense, help defense, being in a gap, being in to be out, closing out, more middle," Christie told USA TODAY. "I'm sure the film's going to show all of that. But this is what we do. We learn, we go back to the film, we show them, we drill it, we get after it."
There's no panic in Christie, Acuff or the rest of the Kings. It's the first preseason game. But there is room for improvement and lots of it.
Kings forward-guard Daeqwon Plowden said preseason games are supposed to be evaluated differently.
"It's the first one outside of us playing each other, so we're setting the standard. The way we're evaluated is going to be much higher than what it was," Plowden told USA TODAY. "I think it's a lot that we can take away from this and build on."
Christie proclaimed the team will "be better."
"You know, they got hit in the mouth," he said. "And how do we respond?"
SACRAMENTO, CA - OCTOBER 5: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers warms up before the game against the Sacramento Kings during a 2026 NBA Preseason game on October 5, 2026 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
After a dominant performance in the preseason opener in Sacramento, the Lakers head to San Francisco for the second night of a back-to-back against the Warriors on Tuesday.
This will also be the second game of three in four nights.
A dominant stretch in the second quarter highlighted a comprehensive first-half beatdown before a much more relaxed second half. Still, it was a very encouraging game from the Lakers after a summer that created a lot of intrigue and excitement.
Two of the most intriguing takeaways were the team’s 3-point shooting and the turnovers forced.
Offensively, they hit 20 3-pointers, surpassing their high in makes (19) from last year’s regular season. Granted, they won’t shoot 45.5% with any sort of regularity during the season, but head coach JJ Redick’s penchant for spacing and shooting means the attempts will likely increase this season.
On the other side of the ball, the team forced a staggering 27 turnovers that they turned into 32 points. Again, this was certainly an outlier performance exacerbated by the Kings being a truly awful basketball team. Still, the activity level defensively was noticeable.
Both Ziaire Williams and Matise Thybulle were jumping into passing lanes and deflecting passes. And once the team gets into transition, they have a lot more athletes this season to really punish teams on the break.
The rest of the preseason will determine if either of these is merely an aberration or a new identity for the Lakers.
Lastly, let’s take an extra moment to laugh at the Kings.
Injury updates and notes
On top of it being a back-to-back, teams aren’t required to list injury reports in the preseason.
Austin Reaves, Walker Kessler, Collin Sexton and Arthur Kaluma all did not play in the team’s win over the Kings. We’ll see if any of them return on Tuesday.
On the flip side, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Luka sit on Tuesday after playing the first half on Monday’s game.
The Warriors will be without Jimmy Butler, Moses Moody and Kristpas Porzingis.
We have an exciting new feature in our app this season. It’s easier than ever to chat in our game threads. Each game, this post will become a live chat and will be easy to find at the top of the Lakers community page, so be sure to download the app and give it a try this preseason!
After suffering yet another loss, a 4-1 decision at the hands of the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday night, the Philadelphia Flyers are officially having a historically bad start to their 2026-27 season.
The Lightning out-shot the Flyers 36-14 in their dominant win, putting the Flyers in some, well, pretty bad company through their first four games of the season.
According to NBC Sports Philadelphia's broadcast team, only the 1970-71 Buffalo Sabres (-104) have had a worse shot on goal differential than the Flyers (-82) through the first four games of a season in NHL history.
The next two teams behind the Flyers were the 1991-92 Edmonton Oilers at -81, and the 2010-11 Anaheim Ducks at -80. In other words, it's been 16 years since the NHL has seen one of its teams outclassed by its opponents so badly to start a season.
Much like the games against Carolina and New Jersey, the Flyers looked like they might have had just enough juice to steal a point (or two), as a wonky deflection goal credited to Tyson Foerster pulled the Flyers within a goal, trailing 2-1 just under halfway through the second period.
That second period was the Flyers' best of the game, as they were outshot 10-3 and 15-4 in the first and third periods, respectively. Playing a few minutes of cohesive hockey isn't going to take any team, let alone the Flyers, very far.
Brayden Point opened the scoring for the Lightning on a deflection after beating Trevor Zegras on a faceoff in Zegras's defensive zone, and Pontus Holmberg gave the Lightning a 2-0 lead just 17 seconds into the second period with Cam York slipping up in the neutral zone.
The Flyers went 0-for-3 on the power play, though Travis Konecny and Trevor Zegras believed it was fine after the Carolina game because they generated "looks" and just didn't execute.
In a game where a Nikita Kucherov-led power play also went 0-for-3, special teams could have made the difference, but the Flyers had no spark or killer instinct to make it happen.
Some of that falls on coaching, yes, but pro athletes have to be natural competitors. Very few have looked the part four games into the season, giving away cheap standings points to Eastern Conference teams looking to make the playoffs.
The Lightning ended the game with exactly three minutes left, as David Jiricek made an ill-advised pass under pressure to turn the puck over, then got overzealous trying to defend Holmberg when Cam York was behind him in support.
Ilya Mikheyev scored the eventual wraparound after an awkward scramble, even with Travis Konecny and Sean Couturier in strong position to erase Jiricek's pair of mistakes defending Vladar's crease.
No matter, though, because even if the Flyers survived and were able to pull the extra attacker to go 6-on-5 down 2-1, they probably wouldn't have scored anyway. Their power play and poise with the puck have given us no reason to believe otherwise.
Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet dropped a rather damning quote on his team in his postgame media availability, claiming, "This team is way too comfortable and they did not compete tonight."
It's the fourth game of the year, and we're questioning compete level, team mentality, and readiness to play.
If this downward spiral continues, it will be interesting to see where things go from here.
SACRAMENTO, CA ― Sacramento Kings longtime radio broadcaster Gary "G-Man" Gerould was honored with one of the most respectable gestures from a basketball organization.
The Kings announced that they renamed their media and press dining room to the "Gary 'G-Man' Gerould Media Center."
Gerould is entering his 42nd season as the radio play-by-play announcer for the Kings, a position he's held since the Kings relocated to Sacramento in 1985. There's not any particular secret to Gerould's longevity. If there was one, he couldn't pinpoint it.
"I think back to, you know, when I started out, how naive I was as a young, aspiring NBA broadcaster," Gerould told USA TODAY Sports in an interview. "I never even thought about way down the road. I had no idea how long this adventure might continue. And the fact that we're now starting the 42nd year, I guess that means I'm officially old."
Gerould, 86, walks around the Kings facility with a gravitating presence, whether on game day or practice he can't go anywhere without being recognized and stopped for a brief conversation.
Gerould remains one of the longest-tenured broadcasters in the NBA, having called more than 3,000 Kings games. He's seen everything Kings basketball, the good, the bad and ugly. Yet, he still shows up every day just as passionate to broadcast Kings basketball.
“For more than 40 years, G-Man has been the defining voice of the Sacramento Kings, bringing every moment to life on the radio with unmatched precision, passion, and storytelling,” Sacramento Kings chairman and owner Vivek Ranadivé said in a team statement. “His impact extends beyond the game, and we’re proud to honor someone who has been such a meaningful part of our franchise.”
From the early days at ARCO Arena to the modern era at Golden 1 Center, Gerould's voice has been the soundtrack every memorable moment in franchise history. He's earned deep respect from peers and fans alike.
"I have so much appreciation for (the Kings), I've been through four ownership groups for the Sacramento Kings, more than 20 different head coaches, all the assistant coaches, all the players over the years," Gerould said. "But there's a sense of family and I'm so appreciative of that, and it's fostered by Scott Perry and head coach Doug Christie in the current organization of the Kings. It's something that I don't think you find in every professional sports franchise. And that makes Year 42 special going in."
There's no doubt in all of his 42 years, the most exciting years were during the Rick Adelman era from 1999 to 2006. Gerould said that he envied other broadcasters, many of whom he befriended, simply because the teams they covered were good and Sacramento wasn't.
Then the Kings slowly put together what would become their best era in team history in the late '90s and early 2000s. The team headlined by Chris Webber, Peja Stojakovic, Vlade Divac, Doug Christie, Jason Williams, and then Mike Bibby.
"Suddenly, we became good, and I mean, very good. And we became very entertaining. And we had tremendous following around the country," Gerould said. "So that was a very magical time, and I thought for the first time in my career with the Kings, I'm legitimately seeing a team that when they take the floor, you feel like you've got a legitimate shot to win the ball game. And that's a great, great feeling.
"I think that's what we all desire. We want to see back," he added. "We took a couple of giant steps forward a couple of years ago, and then we ran into the side of the mountain the last couple of years. Last year, we missed almost 300 man games because of injury. Late in the season, I remember saying nights, we're missing 110 points on average that was not in uniform or on the bench. And yet, trying to find a way to be competitive with the young guys and so forth."
Sacramento is far removed from its glory days and Gerould knows that, but he's still optimistically hopeful.
"But now, as you start the preseason, it's the first step in trying to answer all the questions that have been generated," he said. "And trying to determine whether or not the optimism that we all feel as you start a new season is valid. And so tonight, first step in that journey."
Gerould's career isn't limited to just the Kings. He's nearly recognized as much nationally as he is locally. His career includes more than 1,800 televised events, including NFL play-by-play, Olympic coverage and 37 years in motorsports with ESPN, ABC and NBC.
Gerould began his broadcasting career in high school and went on to work in Chico and Sacramento, including 12 years at KCRA-TV (Sacramento). He remains a respected and enduring figure in Sacramento sports media while bringing Kings basketball to fans across the region.
His name should be mentioned in the same breathe of radio voices like legendary Los Angeles Lakers voice Chick Hearn and longtime Phoenix Suns voice Al McCoy.
"It's hard for me still to wrap my mind around it. I look at the legendary Chick Hearn, and I look at Al McCoy and Phoenix, there's two sterling examples of not only being great broadcasters, but great individuals," Gerould said. "And they paved the way in that sense. And the fact that, you know, I joined kind of that select group is hard for me to really, you know, wrap my arms around, but at the same time, it's pretty darn cool. And I'm terribly proud of that. I'm humbled by it, but let me tell you, I'd be the first to say, I'm blessed to be able to be starting a 42nd year as a broadcaster in this Kings organization."
Gerould has seen a lot of hoops and yet still, he is still taken away by the talent of all the athletes he watches.
"There'll be some nights when suddenly, it'll take your breath away. And the challenge of trying to find a way on radio to be able to describe that, so that whoever may be listening can appreciate the electricity of the moment, the special stamp that elicits, you know, the reaction from the Kings fans," he said. "Those are magical moments, and you, as a broadcaster, you want to be able to rise to the occasion. You want to be able to be there and consistent in the way you create or paint the picture. So, you hope that all of those good things come together."
MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 5: LaMelo Ball #1 of the Minnesota Timberwolves moves the ball against the Milwaukee Bucks during a preseason game on October 5, 2026 at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Folks, you know the movie The Polar Express? The silver bells are ringing, and even though I doubted the summer would ever end, I can hear the sleigh arriving.
The good news? Basketball is back. The bad news? Tonight can barely be considered basketball. Both the Minnesota Timberwolves and Milwaukee Bucks were, at best, rusty. The teams shot a combined 70/178 from the field and 25/82 from deep. That’s 39% and 30%, respectively.
Still, there was so much to keep track of in the first game of the season.
While it may not be a game that will matter or even count toward stats, but it does count towards vibes. The team is back, the season is on, and there are so many clips worth staring at. Before we get to that, before we get to the numbers and box scores, let’s take a deep breath and really embrace this moment.
From now until the start of summer, we will have basketball. As bad as the days get, as hard as work or school or life may be, there will be time to watch a game.
Personally, I will be spending this season trying to get my partner to enjoy an introduction to the MWNBA, and I will be sharing some of those stories here.
This is a season of new beginnings, but also one of fresh air. Welcome to the ride, welcome to opportunity and optimism.
Welcome to the 2026-27 season.
The LaMelo Ball Show gets going
Fans have been champing at the bit to see what LaMelo could do ever since the Minnesota Timberwolves traded Naz Reid and a first-round pick (along with a handful of fake assets) to bring in the enigmatic point guard. They got their taste of it today.
Take a look at this pass. When was the last time the Wolves had someone do this?
LaMelo Ball incredible no-look drive-and-kick pass to create a wide-open 3 for Ayo Dosunmu pic.twitter.com/zFvUnx7Xdw
Well, if tonight was any indication, the ball will be moving with this Minnesota squad. It wasn’t just drive and kicks, which was what we were told was the focus of head coach Chris Finch’s offense; it was toss aheads and returns, loops and loops of running around each other.
The main bit of film study that was highlighted in the trade was the guard to guard pick and rolls that Ball used to run with Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel. That popped off the screen in just the two quarters that Ball and Anthony Edwards played together.
Funny enough, it was Edwards who made the biggest changes. He has improved his screen setting and was willing to really make contact and then roll to the rim, even when LaMelo was already making his way to another read.
There was also clearly a prioritization of pick-and-rolls in general. Both Rudy Gobert and Joan Beringer figure to be a big part of the rotation as the current and future cornerstones of the team’s frontcourt, and the Wolves got them easy shots early.
But that brings us to our next topic.
Joan Beringer is a foal
Did someone say Joan?
The second year Wolves big man is still just as raw as he is intriguing, but there are continued signs of growth and creation to be found.
Beringer was seemingly the only player to avoid the same rust that everyone on both teams was playing with, scoring 12 points on 5/8 shooting with seven rebounds in just 15 minutes. He looked far less sea-legged than he did eight months ago, instead moving with intentionality both on offense and on defense.
He does still have a penchant for fouling a lot, but that is a problem for most young centers that they grow out of. While that still needs work, Joan’s on-ball game is already rapidly reaching some level of DEFCON for Project Giannis in Minnesota (do not take this seriously).
Beringer will ultimately be the deciding factor in whether the Wolves can transition to a full retool as Rudy Gobert ages out of being a useful player. If Joan can become the starter and can anchor the defense as a Clint Capela type, the Wolves would have four of their five starters locked in going forward, all under the age of 27.
That still leaves the ever present power forward question, but there’s something we all need to take a closer look at in regards to that.
Who wants to talk about Jonathan Kuminga?
Do you, dear reader, want to know how Jonathan Kuminga played? Are you excited to learn about the biggest question mark the Timberwolves have had since they took Derrick Williams in the draft and shrugged their shoulders at his development? How much do you like variance in seasonal outcomes as decided by one player?
Well, I’m sorry, but those are questions that need to wait for the regular season. The Wolves had fun tonight. They played fast and loose. They gave up 14 offensive rebounds and turned the ball over 11 times.
They also looked like a team that loved how they were playing. Kuminga scored just eight points tonight, but his most thunderous basket was the one that embodied the way Minnesota was playing.
It was just plain enjoyable. And for a player like Kuminga, who has had his career defined by how little he is allowed to enjoy himself, that may be worth its weight in gold.
Good night, Wolves fans. Enjoy this dunk and enjoy this moment.
Please remember that we all asked for this, and that we should enjoy this season as much as we can, no matter what happens.
The Wolves take a rare trip to Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. Why? They’ll get the return of Tyrese Haliburton at his old college barn, the home of the Iowa State Cyclones. The game against the Indiana Pacers tips Wednesday 10/7 at 6:00pm CT. You can catch the game on DAZN-MIN.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 05: Cameron Carr #43 of the Los Angeles Lakers goes in for a slam dunk against the Sacramento Kings in the first half of the preseason game at Golden 1 Center on October 05, 2026 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Lakers began their preseason with a 127-103 win over the Kings on Monday night. They led by as much as 33 points and shot 50% from the field and 45.5% from behind the arc. Los Angeles also dished 29 dimes as a team.
Quentin Grimes got the offense going with the first four points. Luka Dončić missed his first two field-goal attempts, while Matisse Thybulle drained a triple for Los Angeles. Darius Acuff Jr. and Zach LaVine combined for eight for Sacramento.
At the 6:50 mark, the Kings were up by one.
Luka started heating up, draining back-to-back triples. It started a 10-2 run for Los Angeles that included a barrage of threes. The Lakers led by six with Luka now in double figures with 13 points.
An assist from Sandro Mamukelashvili led to a wonderfully nasty dunk from Grimes, who now had eight points. The purple and gold led by eight at the end of the first.
Jake LaRavia started the second period scoring four in a row for LA. Acuff Jr. scored on a jumper for the Kings. Los Angeles was cooking from behind the arc, shooting 61%. LaRavia and Grimes knocked down back-to-back triples, forcing Sacramento to call a timeout.
Thybulle added to the onslaught from behind the arc, his second of the half. The Lakers had three players in double figures: Luka with 13, LaRavia with 12 and Grimes with 11. Thybulle was close behind with six.
Luka then proceeded to drain another triple. Cameron Carr scored four points, two of which came on a fast-break dunk. Los Angeles was on an insane 31-5 scoring run.
The Lakers have 19 points off 15 Kings turnovers and it's not even halftime
The Kings put together a cute little 9-0 run, but it didn’t matter because the Lakers led by 26 at halftime.
Ziaire Williams started the third period with his third 3-pointer of the game for LA. The energy dropped significantly as both teams missed many shots. Los Angeles still had all the momentum, though, leading by 24 at the 6:35 mark.
Carr was having a solid showing, shooting 57% from the field for nine points. Jaden Hardy saw some playing time and knocked down a triple for the Lakers. Sacramento’s rookie Acuff Jr. led the team in scoring through three quarters with 19 points.
At the end of the third, the purple and gold were up by 22.
The final frame was cardio, with the deepest depths of the Lakers bench getting all the playing time. Jaden Hardy, Chris Mañon and Carr were the standouts of the final frame.
Key Player Stats:
Luka ended with 21 points, two rebounds, three assists and two steals. Grimes finished with 16 points, shooting 5-7 from the field. LaRavia had 12 points with three rebounds, two assists and two steals.
Rookie Cameron Carr had a stellar showing, scoring 19 points with three rebounds, two assists and two steals. Williams logged 13 points. He was a perfect 3-3 from behind the arc.
Thybulle pitched in with six points and two steals. Mamu scored eight points with five assists and two steals. Bronny James scored four points with five rebounds and two assists.
Adou Thiero ended with three points, four rebounds and four assists. Jaden Hardy had eight points off the bench.
The Lakers’ next preseason matchup will be against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday at 7:00 PM PT.
Lakers star Luka Doncic, right, shoots over Sacramento Kings guard Emanuel Sharp during the first half of the Lakers' preseason win Monday night. (Sara Nevis / Associated Press)
The Lakers pressed, switched and swarmed from the opening whistle. After the Sacramento Kings were caught for a shot-clock violation on the first possession of Monday’s preseason game, Luka Doncic raised his fists toward the Lakers bench with a triumphant grin to symbolize the successful start.
But Doncic’s smile toward his teammates had a hint of sarcasm; this is still just an exhibition.
The Lakers teased their new defensive identity in a 127-103 preseason win against the Sacramento Kings on Monday at Golden 1 Center, rolling out their deep group of wings to overcome a short-handed bench.
Playing without star center Walker Kessler, who missed the game with a finger injury, and guard Austin Reaves (ankle), Doncic led the Lakers with 21 points. He took a hard knee to the side of his quad midway through the second quarter, but stayed in the game. With the Lakers up 26 points at halftime, Doncic didn’t need to return.
“We all had fun out there,” said Doncic, who relished the chance to play in his first competitive basketball game in six months, one of the longest breaks of his career. “Especially with Matisse [Thybulle] and Ziaire [Williams], just that beginning of the game, the start, that’s contagious for everybody, and how they start the game, it was inspirational.”
The star guard actually was bringing down the team’s shooting average. While he was three-for-nine from three-point range in the first half, his teammates combined to make nine of their first 13 three-pointers. Williams led with perfect three-for-three shooting from distance with 13 points and one steal while serving as the Lakers’ top on-ball defender. Thybulle, another key defensive offseason addition, had two steals and made two threes.
At halftime, coaches showed players a clip of Williams, a 6-foot-9 forward who signed on a minimum contract, guarding the ball full court. The highlight then showed how Doncic’s energy picked up. Thybulle followed suit.
“You don’t wanna be the only guy out there that’s not being physical, not picking up full, not being a pest,” Williams said. “Coming in, I knew that I saw that the team could use that, someone who could pick up full and could guard the main ball handler and really set the tone on that end. I try to just focus on that every possession.”
Coach JJ Redick, in his third season with the Lakers, said it was the first time in his tenure that he felt the team had multiple players who were capable of handling that defensive responsibility. The Lakers call it their “line of confrontation.” Williams, Thybulle, second-year forward Adou Thiero and guard Quentin Grimes were among the players who guarded the ball full court. The Lakers forced four steals in the first quarter and 15 for the game. They averaged 8.5 per game last season.
The product Monday is far from what the Lakers hope to show in their regular-season opener Oct. 21 against the Golden State Warriors.
Kessler was wearing a splint on his left pinky finger after he jammed it on the backboard during practice last week. Redick doesn’t expect any of the injuries that kept Reaves, guard Collin Sexton (lower body) and two-way forward Arthur Kaluma (lower body) to be long-term.
Reaves, who tweaked his ankle in practice, still went through his pregame warmup routine Monday.
Even without two of their three top players, the Lakers overwhelmed the Kings, who are expected to be among the worst teams in the Western Conference again. Rookie point guard Darius Acuff, the No. 7 pick in last April’s draft, had 19 points with four assists and five turnovers.
The Ottawa Senators are 2-0 to start the new season, but for the second straight game, the good news came with an asterisk.
Tim Stützle scored twice and added an assist as the Senators turned in a highly efficient road performance Monday night, defeating the Boston Bruins 4-1 at TD Garden.
Michael Amadio had a goal and an assist, while Drake Batherson scored his first of the season as the Sens followed up Saturday’s 3-2 victory in Toronto with another road win. The Senators finished with 24 shots on goal and allowed just 19.
But once again, an injury took some of the shine off the result.
After losing top defenceman Jake Sanderson during the season opener, the Senators lost starting goaltender Linus Ullmark against his former team. Ullmark made 10 saves through two periods but was removed to start the third, having "tweaked something" as a result of a collision.
The Senators described the decision to pull him as precautionary, with Samuel Ersson taking over in goal.
For a team already dealing with the loss of its best defenceman, the status of its No. 1 goaltender will now be the next major storyline as the Sens play the second half of a back-to-back Tuesday in Detroit. That was a game that Ersson was likely to start in anyway.
Stützle opened the scoring at 7:39 of the first period, finishing a a great setup from Amadio to give the Sens their first shorthanded goal of the season and an early 1-0 lead.
Less than two minutes later, he struck again, this time using Amadio as a decoy. It didn't officially count as a shorthanded goal, but for all intents and purposes, it was.
That quickly put the Bruins in a 2-0 hole and gave the Senators control that they never relinquished.
Batherson extended the lead to 3-0 just 1:06 into the second period, with Stützle picking up the assist for his third point of the night. After a neutral zone turnover, Stützle picked up the puck and hit his linemate with a stretch pass for a breakaway. Batherson finished with a gorgeous backhand tuck behind Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman.
Amadio then made it 4-0 at 5:19, converting a nice setup from Shane Pinto. Pinto's original shot was disrupted, so he whipped a blind backhand pass to the front of the net and Amadio swatted it home. That gave Amadio his second point of the game and second goal in as many games.
Amadio has been one of the Sens top players so far and it should be noted that, while he's not talked about as much, he's an important player who's in his contract year.
That was more than enough offence to get the W.
Boston finally broke through at 3:30 of the third period when James Hagens scored his second goal of the season. It was a fluky goal after Ersson tried to play the puck and whiffed on his pass attempt behind the Sens net.
But for the second straight game, the Sens played a highly structured third period and thwarted any comeback ideas.
The Senators won't have much time to enjoy the victory or assess the bumps and bruises. They'll travel to Detroit to face the Red Wings Tuesday night, looking to make it three straight wins to open the season.
The Utah Jazz held their annual open practice for fans. It’s an awesome annual event that introduces fans to old and new players. This year, Jazz fans who went got in for free and had free J Dawgs!
It’s also worth checking the comments to see all the Jazz players commenting. Utah invited Hudson, and his family and Keyonte George welcomed him to the floor.
Perhaps some rookie duties here, but I can confidently say that Darryn Peterson is much, much, much, much better at basketball than singing. pic.twitter.com/NljlNKKJp5
CLEVELAND, OHIO - JUNE 01: Cleveland Guardians mascot Onion wins the hot dog derby during the sixth inning of the game between the Los Angeles Angels and the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on June 01, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I went to game two of the ALDS today by myself.
I am a Guardians Season Ticket Holder, but in my 10-12 games a year, I always take 1-2 of our kids (ages 7, 6, almost 4, and 2). So, today was different. I got a scorecard because keeping score controls my emotions and competitive anxiety. I sat down and started talking to the older gentleman on my left who tolerated my various insights into the game very kindly.
On my right, I allowed a White Sox fan to sit in my assigned seat so he could sit next to his friends. White Sox fan person (a “boss” of some sort) was not profane or abusive. But, he very clearly had only started paying attention the past two weeks, at most. Yet, there he was, standing and screaming in joy as the team I live and die with daily failed to secure a crucial victory. His joy did not appear to be any less than mine would have been despite my significantly superior emotional investment. So… why am I bothering?
At some level, it has to be that I get joy from this. Seeing Anthony Kay spike a throw and allow two runs was joyous. 11 strikeouts from Gavin Williams was a thrill of hope for a weary world to rejoice in. Jo Adell gave me an electric moment where I thought he had deposited one in the bleachers. I do truly revel in the feelings these events produce.
But, at another level, it’s a longing to be part of something bigger and to succeed. Is Cleveland going to be a good place for me and my family to live? That’s a group project. Are we going to survive the threats of A.I., climate change, resurgent fascism, persistent totalitarianism, biological warfare and the billionaire oligarchs that profit from it all as a society? That’s a group project. I’m rooting for us. Watching my baseball team win gives me just a little glimmer of hope that winning the actual important games is possible. It makes me a believe a collection of wildly diverse people with their own special talents and roles can do impossible things when the Guardians beat the Angels on a Wednesday night.
But, the Guardians did not win tonight. The baseball Sabrowski threw to a hitter with a 19 wRC+ vs LHP caught an inch too much of the plate and landed just 36 inches fair. The ball Kwan hit to left field was almost misplayed by Antonacci and landed just inches within his glove. The ball that seemingly hit Jose was just half an inch from being obviously a hit and resulting in two runs when Adell hit his smash… glorious victory just inches away… leaving me with crushing defeat.
When I got home, our three-year old, Zalee, asked me if the Guardians won. I said, “No, but Onion won the hot dog race!” And she squealed in delight. Her primary interest in the game is if Onion wins the hot dog race. When we go to games, she is as disappointed if Onion loses as I am if the Guardians Lose.
In the big scheme of things, is my joy really that much more significant than hers? Is my disappointment more crushing? If I had to guess, I’d assume the opposite is true. Seeing her felt-covered hero of condiment fame triumph is a more significant epochal milestone for her than a World Series title would be in my 43 years on this globe.
But, I suppose I will be successful in teaching her to love this wonderful, awful, joyous, soul-crushing sport like I do (if the aformentioned billionaires let us watch it again next season, of course). Someday, Zalee will cheer, cry, thrill, deflate, and scream like I do. And, the reason that’s ok is that it will be something that reminds her and me that we are in this thing together. That we don’t win without the other feeling joy and pride, and we don’t lose without the other feeling pain and humiliation. And, that’s life. And that’s humanity.
The Guardians didn’t win today. But, Onion did. She swung her purse at the last second and broke the finish line by inches before Ketchup. So, rejoice, Zalee. It’s a good night, after all.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 05: Junior Caminero #13 of the Tampa Bay Rays celebrates after hitting a double against the New York Yankees during the fifth inning in game two of the American League Division Series at Tropicana Field on October 05, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I hate Tropicana Field. I know many of you do too. If you are not a Yankees fan and are doing what I am also guilty of doing—reading the reactions of salty fans after playoff losses—grab your popcorn. This is the good stuff you’re probably looking for.
It blows my mind that baseball games in 2026 are played at places like this. It honestly blows my mind even more that this place was destroyed by an act of God two years ago, was rebuilt despite plans to replace it in the near future, and is being used for big playoff games. The roof is baseball-colored; there is statistical proof that teams other than the Rays struggle defensively here due to a lack of experience; the turf leads to weird hops that cause more errors to be committed against the Rays than any other team in baseball. It’s the strangest home-field advantage in baseball, and one that the Rays ran roughshod over to take advantage of a Yankees team that was just not focused from the jump tonight—and one that, to be clear, absolutely deserved this atrocious loss, even if it was played in the baseball version of Elysian Fields.
Alright, enough of my anger-filled soapbox. The Yankees set the tone for this one with three brutal first-inning errors, played shoddy defense the rest of the night, and just got Rays’d. Any opportunity they had to use their speed or slap hitting, they used it. The Yankees were not prepared. Aside from two home runs from Ben Rice and an oh-so-close deep flyout from Cody Bellinger with the bases juiced, the offense was dead again in a 5-2 loss that puts the season on the brink.
When you get no-hit for nearly eight innings the game before, you desperately want to get the monkey off your back early the next night. The quality of contact was good in that first inning against Freddy Peralta, with a Ben Rice warning-track flyout and a scorched lineout from Cody Bellinger, but the Yankees went quietly in the first before the utter chaos of the bottom half.
On just Cam Schlittler’s second pitch of the game, Yandy Diaz hit a soft Trop chopper to Ryan McMahon, which he promptly booted after misreading the hop. Jonathan Aranda then lined a single up the middle for the one real hit in the inning. Needing a double play, Schlittler got Junior Caminero to spike a ball into the turf that was snared by George Lombard Jr. for a brilliant flip for a forceout. Unfortunately, Jazz Chisholm Jr. decided to throw the ball into the dugout with no chance to turn two, giving the Rays the early lead.
The defensive inning from hell continued when a three-pitch strikeout from Liam Hicks was overturned into a catcher’s interference. Awarding a batter a base for a check-swing catcher’s interference is dumb, and I will forever believe that. The speedy Chandler Simpson ripped a ball to second for what looked like a tailor-made double play, but an awful throw from Chisholm pulled Lombard off the bag. The rookie shortstop somehow managed to tap the bag after to avoid a fourth error in the inning, and Cam survived the inning from hell with only one run allowed.
We got more Trop shenanigans when Spencer Jones hit a ball a mile high off the C-ring in center field, which was caught by Victor Mesa Jr. Objectively, almost every other team drops that ball because of their lack of experience reading fly balls here, but the Rays caught it, naturally. Two more quick outs had Peralta rolling through two.
Jonny DeLuca golfed an 0-2 curveball in the dirt for a leadoff double in the second, but was stranded on a trio of groundouts surrounding a two-out walk. The bottom of the order went down quietly as well, giving Peralta a perfect game through three innings just one night after Rasmussen’s brilliance. At this point, I’m not sure the vibes could get much worse.
Schlittler continued to grind through the third, allowing singles to Caminero and Simpson, but got out of a jam after a 108.5 mph scorched grounder from DeLuca was fielded cleanly by Lombard to end the threat. Just one batter later, with the Yankees entering their 13th inning of the series with just one hit, Rice allowed everyone on the team and in the fanbase to breathe for a second, smashing a leadoff home run in the fourth to tie the game at one.
Bellinger followed with a single, but was stranded by the next three hitters. Schlittler responded to the desperate gasp for a shutdown inning, retiring the Rays in order with help from a surprisingly solid play by Trent Grisham in center field. Peralta seemed to be cruising again after retiring the first two in the fifth, but things got interesting after a bullet double by Austin Wells and a gritty walk by Ryan McMahon. The ever-aggressive Kevin Cash pulled him for Cam Booser, betting on his lefty specialist to neutralize the best hitters on the team.
He walked Rice on five pitches to bring up Bellinger with the bases loaded. This was the moment. This was where the Yankees could show who they were. For a brief second, it seemed like they would. The All-Star left fielder absolutely pummeled a bad 0-2 fastball to deep center field. 102.9 mph, 405 feet. In 12 ballparks, it’s a grand slam. In some others, it’s off the wall. Unfortunately, as has happened all too many times in the postseason in the Judge era, the big hit fell just a few inches short, landing harmlessly in the glove of DeLuca.
It’s the type of gut punch that takes the air out of a fan, and maybe it took the air out of the team. It’s not how baseball works, but maybe it is. Schlittler allowed a bullet single (that Jones maybe should’ve caught?) and a bullet double from Caminero to set up second and third with nobody out. Usually, a team’s cleanup and five-hole hitters wouldn’t be conducive to 55 and 65 mph choppers that bounce two feet in front of home plate in RBI opportunities, but these are the Rays. Both runs scored on back-to-back Baltimore chops that the Yankees had no chance of getting an out at the plate on, even if Lombard had defended the latter cleanly. That gave the Rays a 3-1 lead.
The frustration didn’t end there. After Brent Headrick entered and struck out Mesa, we got another Trop chop grounder to Lombard. Due to the bounce the ball took and the speed of DeLuca, he had to rush the throw, which forced a long stretch from Luis García Jr. If the play was made cleanly, DeLuca would’ve been out by an eyelash, which tells you how perfect they had to be, but García couldn’t squeeze the throw, and everyone was safe. Another error. One batter later, Richie Palacios hit a two-run single to effectively ice this one, making it 5-1 Rays.
We then hit a weird point in the game. Ian Seymour came in for the Rays as a lefty bulk reliever, but Aaron Boone elected to keep his righties in the dugout. As a fan who was resigned to the outcome after the Palacios single, it seems like nothing, but damn, that’s pretty rough of your manager to be so apathetic in this spot. The lineup had no pulse against him in some rough matchups.
Playing out the string, John Schreiber tossed a scoreless sixth, Ryan Weathers and Paul Blackburn combined for the seventh, and Blackburn and David Bednar combined for the ninth. For the offense, all they had left was another home run for Rice, who continues to have a postseason to remember while his teammates give him no help, like 2018 LeBron.
Bryan Baker got the save in the ninth, 1-2-3, to solidify Game 2 for the Rays. If the Yankees want to win this series and get to the ALCS, they must win three straight against a team they’ve struggled against all year and win a game at Tropicana Field on Saturday after going 2-7 there to start this season, Bleak, I know.
There will be baseball played on Wednesday. After that, it’s up to the Yankees to decide. Game 3 will be at Yankee Stadium at 8 pm EDT. It’s Max Fried (pending the birth of his child) against a pitcher to be determined, but it will likely be Nick Martinez.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Richie Palacios hit a two-run single in a four-run fifth inning and the Tampa Bay Rays took advantage of New York’s sloppy defense, beating Cam Schlittler and the Yankees 5-2 on Monday night to take a 2-0 lead in their AL Division Series.
The Rays are one victory from reaching the American League Championship Series. Game 3 in the best-of-five playoff is Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium.
Ben Rice hit a pair of homers for the Yankees, who are on the verge of elimination — which would extend their World Series drought to 17 seasons. They were dominated by Drew Rasmussen in the series opener and have scored just two runs in two games with three-time AL MVP Aaron Judge out of the lineup due to a calf injury.
The small-ball Rays chased Schlittler, the likely AL Cy Young Award winner, in the fifth aided by New York’s defensive miscues.
Jonathan Aranda lined a single to start the inning and Junior Caminero ripped a double to right-center. With the infield drawn-in except second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr., who was standing several feet further back on the dirt, Liam Hicks hit a bouncer to second that scored Aranda for a 2-1 lead. Chisholm’s only play was at first because he wasn’t all the way in like the rest of the infielders.
Chandler Simpson then hit a grounder that shortstop George Lombard Jr. booted, scoring Caminero to make it 3-1. It was initially ruled a hit and then changed to an error and eventually a fielder’s choice. Brent Headrick replaced Schlittler and struck out Victor Mesa Jr. After Simpson stole second, Jonny DeLuca reached on a grounder when Lombard’s throw to first was wide for New York’s fourth error.
Palacios followed with a hard single to center that increased Tampa Bay’s lead to 5-1.
That was plenty of support for one of the best bullpens in the majors.
Freddy Peralta allowed one run and three hits in 4 2/3 innings, Cam Booser pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth and Ian Seymour gave up one run on Rice’s solo shot in three innings. Bryan Baker finished with a perfect ninth for his second save in two games.
Schlittler, who was 14-6 with a 1.95 ERA and dominated Boston in the opener of the wild-card round, lasted 4 1/3 innings. He allowed four runs — two earned — and six hits. Schlittler only fanned two.
Rice sent a 2-2 changeup into the right-field seats to tie it at 1 in the fourth, ending New York’s scoreless drought in the ALDS. Rice hit 41 homers in the regular season. His drive awakened Yankees fans in the ballpark, who were drowned out by Rays fans until that point.
But a sellout crowd of 40,226 was mostly full of cowbell-ringing Rays fans who reveled in New York’s misery.
Peralta retired the first two batters in the fifth before Austin Wells ripped a double and Ryan McMahon walked. Booser replaced Peralta and walked Rice to load the bases but the lefty escaped trouble when Cody Bellinger flied out to the warning track in center.
The Yankees made three errors in the first inning but Schlittler limited the Rays to one run. New York became the first team to commit three errors in the first inning of a postseason game since the Oakland Athletics in Game 1 of the 1975 AL Championship Series against Boston, according to Sportsnet Stats.
Off the catwalk
Yankees rookie Spencer Jones hit a towering flyball off a catwalk at the quirky Trop that was caught by Rays right fielder Mesa for an out in the second inning. Jones kept running around the bases as the ball rattled around and fell to Mesa, who ran over to make the catch in center. DeLuca thought he was camped under it in center field but started pointing upward when the ball hit one of the two rings high above the field and below the roof. Mesa caught it several feet in front of DeLuca. Umpires conferred and confirmed the out, per the stadium’s ground rules.
Up next
Yankees LHP Max Fried (5-5, 2.80 ERA) and Rays RHP Nick Martinez (15-6, 3.10) are the projected starters for Game 3.
In 1983, an American rock band called Styx released the lead single from an upcoming rock opera album titled Kilroy Was Here. The lead single–Mr. Roboto– enjoyed months of success on the Billboard Hot 100 despite contributing to the album’s concepts about fascism and the dangerous rise of technology.
The bridge of Mr. Roboto is where the payoff really comes in. The English lines begin:
“Thank you very much, Mr. Roboto, for doing the jobs that nobody wants to.”
When I think of Marc Gatcomb, the newest fourth liner for the Vegas Golden Knights, I think of those lyrics.
By nature, being a fourth liner in the NHL is all about doing thankless jobs. They sacrifice their bodies every night, finishing every check and eating pucks like rubber is part of the food pyramid. They make their living in the corners and around the net, often called the “dirty areas.” And they do all this for as low a salary cap hit as possible.
Through three games for the Golden Knights, Gatcomb, who previously played for the New York Islanders, is going above and beyond to do what is asked of him. He leads the team with 14 hits and has drawn a penalty.
In Saturday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks, Gatcomb demonstrated he can contribute offensively, too. After conceding the tying goal, Golden Knights head coach Ryan Craig sent the fourth line over the boards to provide a spark. And they did just that: they made their presence felt with a heavy forecheck, which immediately led to a Canucks turnover.
Just 34 seconds later, Gatcomb got to the front of the net and finished off a pass from Braeden Bowman to record his first goal in a Golden Knights sweater.
Marc Gatcomb buries the rebound to put Vegas back on top ⚔️
“You want to try to tilt the ice back in your favor for sure, and do anything you can,” said Gatcomb following the team’s 3-2 win. “A goal’s always great, but that’s not always going to happen. But I think you just gotta try to get the momentum back in your hands, and that’s what we did tonight.”
Gatcomb was thrilled to contribute offensively, but he was most proud of the identity the new-look fourth line is beginning to establish.
“As a 4th line, you like to have an identity and a role as to how you want to play each night, and try not to get away from it,” Gatcomb said. “Ultimately, the goal is to win hockey games and to do anything you can to contribute, and that’s not always going to be a [goal], but anytime you can chip in on the score sheet, it's great. We’re trying to build an identity here. And as we continue playing, and playing how we want, I think the chances are going to come in our favor.”
The fourth-liner’s role is the most selfless position in hockey. The job description requires doing the jobs no one really wants to do, while expecting nothing in return. And who better exemplifies that thankless job than Gatcomb, the Golden Knights’ very own Mr. Roboto?
After a roaring 2-0 start to the season that featured 13 goals scored, the Pittsburgh Penguins were probably due for a bit of a regression.
And that happened in the third game of the young season on Monday.
The Winnipeg Jets defeated the Penguins, 3-2, in what was a flat, sluggish effort for the home team in black and gold. Ben Kindel and Declan Carlile each recorded their second goals of the season, but it wasn't enough to stop a third-period push by Winnipeg or enough to overcome their sloppy play in all three zones.
Rookie Sergei Murashov was in goal for the first time this season, and he was largely outstanding and kept the game close, stopping 30 of 33 Jets' shots.
"I thought he played well," head coach Dan Muse said. "You look at that first period, especially in the last five to seven minutes, some of the saves that he made. I thought that we were not on point, and he made some huge saves to kind of weather some storms there.
"So, that’s [all] you can ask for."
A no-score stalemate carried into the second period, as both teams had a hard time generating anything and getting any sort of sustained pressure. Finally, Kindel broke through midway through the middle frame when he deflected a high shot by Carlile into the back of the net. It was ruled no-goal on the ice due to a high stick but was overturned on an official review afterward.
Then, the third period happened - as did several defensive breakdowns. Erik Karlsson lost possession of the puck at the net-front, and it trickled right to a completely uncovered Alex Iafallo on Murashov's left, who buried it to tie the game. A few minutes later, Adam Lowry capitalized after beating Sam Girard to a loose puck in the crease to give the Jets the lead.
Carlile tied the game back up shortly after. Ville Koivunen - back in the lineup after being a healthy scratch Saturday - worked hard to win a puck battle and keep possession in the offensive zone, and he fed Kindel below the goal line, who already knew he was going to throw the puck to Carlile in the slot immediately.
But that lead didn't last long at all. Nine seconds later, Cole Perfetti one-timed a perfect pass by Josh Morrissey off the rush, and the Jets came away with the 3-2 win.
It was ugly. It was sloppy. But it was also only game three.
As philosopher - er, netminder - Murashov says:
"You can think a lot, but there is a saying in Russian: 'Morning is wiser than evening.' So, just take a good sleep, rest, and calmly think about that tomorrow, so we can get better from this game. There is always something good, and there is always something to improve."
Here are a few takeaways from this one:
- To be clear, Murashov is not going to be a perfect goaltender this season, as wise as he is for a 22-year-old. He's a rookie, and there are games where he's going to be off the mark. That's going to happen to any goaltender in the league, young or old, on occasion.
But, man, the talent is so clear.
The Penguins had a 10-4 shot advantage midway through the first period, and the Jets really turned it on in the back half, ending the opening frame with 12 shots to Pittsburgh's 11. Murashov had to make several grade-A stops in that timeframe, with his most impressive, perhaps, being one that came as a result of his own mishap.
Murashov loves to play the puck. Sometimes, to a fault. He went to play the puck in the low slot with a lot of bodies coming into the attacking zone and in the vicinity, and he gave the puck away to a Jet at the blue line. Somehow, he scooted back and went full butterfly for an stop to his left on a one-timer, and he made it look effortless.
That's not a save most goaltenders make. I have no clue how he was able to stay graceful enough to scramble back that smoothly or how he was quick enough to get back and make that save.
Maybe he could have saved Perfetti's goal. But, at the end of the day, the Penguins were in this game because of the rookie, who is still adjusting to NHL speed after a phenomenal AHL playoff run.
Well, maybe not, actually.
"Puck's the same size, net's the same size, and we're playing five-on-five," Murashov said. "So, [it's] basically same thing I got to do. But we have great coaches who help a lot with adjustment. It all starts from preparation, from summer, from training camp. When you're practicing on this speed or even higher speed, and even in harder situations, you embrace it, and then you just go and play.
Another phrase which our psychologist gave to me is, "Train hard, fight easy." So that's the approach to be ready for the NHL."
This kid is special. Expect some growing pains, but there's something there.
- This was a really sluggish, flat start for the Penguins. They may have reached a double-digit shot total in the first period, but it didn't feel like it. They had a hard time getting sustained zone time, many chances were one-off, and none were particularly dangerous looks.
They also had far too many turnovers - a few by Erik Karlsson and one egregious one by Connor Dewar - and made Murashov work way too hard.
It took them a while to get find their footing in the middle frame, too, but they were at least able to start generating more offense. Still too many good looks for Winnipeg, but a much better job as the game went on.
Once again, though, it's going to take some time for everyone to mesh. There are plenty of new faces on this team, and it's not going to be smooth-sailing every night, especially in the earlygoing.
- This sentiment has been making some rounds, and I felt this game was an appropriate time to chime in on the Dewar discourse.
To be honest, I was a bit surprised when he was extended this summer. It's not as if he's a bad player. Dewar, 27, had a really solid season for the Penguins in 2025-26 - recording 14 goals and 30 points in 78 games to go along with an impressive plus-16 last season, the last number being rare for a fourth-liner - and he and Lizotte have good chemistry on that fourth line. He kills penalties, and he's a key energy guy.
But for those who are worried about the Bryan Rusts, the Rickard Rakells, and the Evgeni Malkins blocking younger players from the lineup, the guys like Dewar are the central culprits. Dewar played well enough to earn a contract this summer, but at the end of the day, he's a replaceable bottom-six player.
I have a feeling that we're going to see a large rotation of sorts in the bottom-six to begin the season, with many different players - Dewar included - in and out of the lineup. But, if we're going based on training camp and the three-game sample size up to this point, I think all of Filip Hallander, Ville Koivunen, and Elmer Soderblom have been better.
We'll see how things shake out. But I think both Hallander and Koivunen deserve to remain in the lineup right now. In any case, this "rotation" is probably serving as a tryout of sorts to see who separates himself and earns full-time minutes over the others.
- As I said after the last game, I think all the new Penguins' defensemen have done some good things through three games. Trevor van Riemsdyk is good in front of his own net and makes some high-level stick plays. Kaedan Korczak has been good in his own zone, by and large, and is a shot-blocking machine.
However, I have been most impressed by Carlile. He blocked three shots against the Jets. He scored his second goal of the season to seal career-highs in goals (2) and points (4). He is good in the neutral zone and is more fleet of foot than I thought.
Karlsson was a bit of a mess tonight, but Carlile - his partner - managed to hold it together. This could be a Parker Wotherspoon situation again, although Carlile appears to have more offensive upside.
- Speaking of Karlsson, his "bad games" are fewer and farther between these days.
But, when they're bad, they're bad.
This was the worst game I've seen him play in a while, and Sidney Crosby was the same way. Crosby had four giveaways, and his passing was a bit off. Karlsson straight-up passed the puck to Jets on a few occasions and also misplayed the puck on Iafallo's goal.
When Crosby is off, the Penguins can typically find ways around that. When Karlsson is off, though, the whole team seems to be off.
This might be what folks call a "hot take," but right now, Karlsson is the single-most important player on this team. The game goes as he goes, the team plays as he does, and the season is most dependent on his performance and health.
Hopefully, he has a short memory with this one.
- Wednesday, the Penguins will face the Washington Capitals for the first time this season. Alex Ovechkin announced Monday that this will be his final season in the NHL.
