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Blackhawks Fall 4-1 To Islanders Despite Playing A Solid Road Game

After Patrick Kane's return to Chicago on Tuesday night, the vibes were high. The team finally won their first of the season, and it was a restart of sorts. After one at home, they had to hit the road, which was a spot for a letdown.

People are going to look at the box score and see that the Chicago Blackhawks lost 4-1 to the New York Islanders and think it was just another ugly loss. However, that doesn't tell the whole story. 

The Blackhawks have had some ugly road losses so far this season, but this wasn't one of them. They actually played the Islanders well, especially being away from the United Center. 

Chicago led in shots on goal, including at even strength, and was simply beaten by Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin. The all-star goalie is off to a tremendous start, and he had another stellar performance on Thursday night against the Blackhawks. 

It would have been a shutout for Sorokin, but Frank Nazar beat him once late in the third period after Patrick Kane found him with a great pass. Normally, if you play the way the Blackhawks did in this one, you win. 

Before Nazar scored the goal to get the Blackhawks on the board, it was a 3-0 lead for the Islanders. Bo Horvat scored with a minute left in the first period, and two goals in roughly three minutes early in the second period put the Blackhawks in a hole they were unable to dig out of. Horvat's second goal of the game was an empty-netter to seal it. 

Arvid Soderblom was in net for Chicago. He would tell you that he needs to be better, but it's hard to place it completely on him. The goalie on the other side was a wall, and that changed the outcome of the game. The Islanders' skaters, in turn, capitalized on their chances when they were there. 

Watch Every Chicago Goal

Frank Nazar Penalty

Not only did Frank Nazar score a goal, but he found himself at the center of controversy at the end of the game. He earned a five-minute major and a 10-minute misconduct for his hit on Bo Horvat at 18:27 in the third. Only time will tell if he gets a call from the league. 

What’s Next For The Blackhawks?

The Chicago Blackhawks are headed back home after this one-off in New York. They will face the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes at the United Center on Saturday night. 

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Sharks Give St. Louis the Blues; Spoil Home Opener With 3-2 OT Win

The San Jose Sharks were on national broadcast for the first time this season on Thursday as they visited the St. Louis Blues. Much to the chagrin of the Sharks, and likely ESPN, Macklin Celebrini was unavailable for the second straight game as he continues to recover from a lower-body injury.

The Blues got out to an early lead as Connor McMichael continued his hot start to the season, scoring his second goal of the season for his fourth point in his four games. St. Louis continued applying considerable pressure on Alex Nedeljkovic following the goal. 

Michael Kesselring took the first penalty of the night at 7:28 in the first period when he cross-checked Blues forward Jimmy Snuggerud. The Sharks penalty kill held strong, holding the Blues without a shot during their first power play opportunity. 

The Sharks got their first chance on the power play at 10:30 in the period, as Adam Jiricek tripped up Collin Graf. The Blues killed off the penalty.

Cam Fowler nearly doubled the Blues' lead with a wrist shot from the point, but his shot was just off-target as it hit the post after a Dylan Holloway deflection.

The game would remain 1-0 heading into the first intermission, but the Sharks were being outshot 11-3 which showed how one-sided the first 20 minutes were. 

The Sharks got another man advantage at 6:39 in the second period, when Blues netminder Joel Hofer took down Michael Misa along the side of the Blues net. The penalty was served by Snuggerud.

Shortly after the penalty expired, Tyler Toffoli scored his second of the season, while being cross-checked by Colton Parayko, to make it 1-1 right before the halfway point in the game.

Joel Hofer denied Luca Cagnoni on what seemed like a sure-fire goal 14 minutes into the period, keeping things deadlocked. Moments after that, Alexander Wennberg drew a slashing penalty that caused Fowler to go to the penalty box as the Sharks got another opportunity on the power play. 

The Blues nearly scored a short-handed goal late in the power play, but Dillon Dube wasn't able to control the puck. The Sharks' man advantage ended early as Ivar Stenberg was called for a slashing penalty of his own with seven seconds remaining. The Sharks were once again able to kill off the Blues' shortened power play.

Former Anaheim Duck Mason McTavish nearly restored the Blues' lead late in the period, but his one-handed shot attempt was denied by Michael Kesselring. Seconds later, the Blues were awarded a delay of game penalty, as Brandon Carlo shot the puck out of play.

Dube got his short-handed goal in the third period, giving the Blues their second lead of the night while Carlo sat in the penalty box. 

Collin Graf's first goal of the season tied things up once again, off of a nice feed by a pinching Sam Dickinson. 

Kiefer Sherwood kept the game tied by deflecting the puck over the net with just over a minute remaining in regulation, denying a clear-cut goal. 60 seconds later, the game went into overtime. 

Ivar Stenberg found Darnell Nurse in quite a bit of space just over a minute into overtime and the veteran defenseman scored his first goal in teal to secure a 3-2 win.

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Islanders’ injury-necessitated defense shuffle is no problem in win over Blackhawks

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Logan Stanley of the New York Islanders defends Roman Kantserov of the Chicago Blackhawks on the ice, Image 2 shows Matthew Schaefer #48 of the New York Islanders skates with the puck against the Chicago Blackhawks

The regular-season marathon that extends this year to 84 games calls for a whole lot of otherwise forgettable nights when anything less than consistently taking care of business can get teams in trouble come crunch time. 

Thursday at UBS Arena was one of them, and so credit the Islanders for a straightforward and businesslike 4-1 win over the Connor Bedard-less Blackhawks in which Alexander Romanov’s absence was blunted by a clean defensive effort. 

The revamped pairs, with Logan Stanley to Matthew Schaefer’s left, Scott Mayfield inserted into the lineup on Tony DeAngelo’s right and the Adam Pelech-Ryan Pulock duo reunited for the first time since last November, put in a good night of work against a Chicago side that is now 1-4-0 as its long rebuild trudges on. It wasn’t the most entertaining 60 minutes, but in lieu of high-event hockey it was the second win of two for Ilya Sorokin in which the netminder could credit his defense without it feeling forced. 

“I liked how we defended,” coach Pete DeBoer said. “Maysy came in, gave us some solid minutes. I thought it was Tony DeAngelo’s best game he played [so far] this year. I thought it was Pulock’s best game so far. I thought Stan was excellent. Schaefer and Pelly are consistently excellent every night.” 

Logan Stanley (8) of the New York Islanders defends Roman Kantserov (80) of the Chicago Blackhawks during the third period at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. NHLI via Getty Images

At this early stage of the year, the Islanders look like a team whose ability to prevent goals or not will be its defining factor on most nights. There have been stretches of every game so far when the breakouts aren’t going and two or more forward lines have looked disconnected. When the Islanders can make those minutes just as frustrating for the opposition as for themselves, they’re in good shape. 

That’s what they did to the Blackhawks for much of Thursday. 

“With this team, obviously a younger team but very hungry, young legs,” Anthony Duclair said, “gotta make sure we take away time and space, especially in the neutral zone. We clogged up the neutral zone pretty good.” 

Bo Horvat put the Islanders on the board with a power-play goal in the last minute of the first, but it was Pelech, turning over Oliver Moore at the defensive blue line, who started the game’s decisive sequence. 

Matthew Schaefer of the New York Islanders skates with the puck against the Chicago Blackhawks during the second period at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, Thursday, October 8, 2026. NHLI via Getty Images

Emil Heineman, the trailer on the Islanders’ ensuing rush, buried one past Arvid Soderblom to double the lead. Another quick breakout sequence in the form of Schaefer’s chip off the wall to Duclair led to their third less than three minutes later after Stanley’s no-look pass found Duclair below the right circle. 

Just 22 seconds before the night’s halfway mark, that made it 3-0, and while the Blackhawks might have stopped the rest of it from becoming academic — 3-0 with 30 minutes to go hardly spells game over — that was not within the visitor’s remit. By the time Frank Nazar’s blast broke Sorokin’s shutout at six-on-five, there was just 2:32 to go, rendering it too little and too late. 

The closest thing to a snag came from Nazar a minute later on a play that ended in Bo Horvat’s empty-net goal, as the winger drove his shoulder into Horvat’s head as the puck was released, prompting a scrum that ended in major penalties on both sides. 

Horvat was still being evaluated, most likely for a concussion, after the game, DeBoer said. Heineman went as far as to call the hit “a cheap shot.” 

“You don’t like that hit,” DeBoer said. “Especially at that time of the game and who it’s on.” 

Still, this wasn’t much harder than it needed to be, and you would have to stretch back to before the current building was open to find an Islanders team that didn’t trend towards the opposite. 

“I told the group after, we’re getting a little bit better every night out,” DeBoer said. “That’s the goal.”

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Player Grades: Cavs vs Celtics – Jaylon Tyson shows flashes in loss

CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 8: Jaylon Tyson #20 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives to the basket during the game against the Boston Celtics on October 8, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Lauren Leigh Bacho/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers opened their first of three preseason games with a loss to the Boston Celtics.

We’re trying a new format for player grades this year. The goal is to separate players into categories and trim some fat from each game. We’ll be focusing more on the standouts (for better or worse) instead of grading every individual player.

Let us know in the comments if this template is enjoyable.

As always, grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.

Player of the game

Jaylon Tyson

14 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists

No one played enough minutes tonight to really earn this title. And it’s hard for me to give it to a player who didn’t even play in the second half. But Tyson looked like he was taking the next step in his natural progression, scoring 14 points in 16 minutes by being everywhere offensively.

Tyson hit a three-pointer, cut to the basket for a handful of layups, and ran the two-man game with Evan Mobley with efficiency. He has the tools to be a fantastic role player off the bench, and this was a sign that Tyson is ready for that leap.

Grade: B+

Gold Stars

Craig Porter Jr.

5 points, 10 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals

Porter has been challenged to be more of a leader off the bench. Dishing out 10 assists feels like a good start. The fourth-year guard navigated the floor and ran the offense like someone who has experience under his belt. That could be the difference-maker in his race to be Cleveland’s backup point guard this season.

Grade: B+

Meleek Thomas

11 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals

After a quiet first half, Thomas opened the second with a string of successful plays. A drive to the basket, followed by a catch-and-shoot triple, capped off by a steal and coast-to-coast finish. Moments later, he’d add to the run with another steal and an outlet pass to Craig Porter Jr. for an assist.

In the fourth quarter, Thomas was given the opportunity to dribble the ball more frequently. This led to some slippery moments where he broke down his defender and got into the middle of the floor for a bucket. His shifty handle will be an X-factor in his development.

Grade: B

Passed the Class

Peyton Watson

7 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists

Cavs fans got their first look at Watson in a Cleveland jersey tonight. It was brief, but it was mostly sweet. Watson dished out 4 assists as he pushed the ball in transition and fit in nicely with the rest of the starters. He also buried a corner three-pointer, though he shot just 1-of-4 from downtown.

Watson also defended Mike Conley to start the game. A sign that Cleveland plans on using Watson to shore up their point-of-attack defense. We won’t know how impactful this can be until the real games start. But Watson’s mobility on the perimeter looked strong, even if the defensive effort around him was lacking tonight.

Grade: B-

Donovan Mitchell

There isn’t much for Mitchell to accomplish in preseason other than get his feet under him. He did so tonight, spinning his way around the court for 11 points and doing just enough before bowing out at halftime.

Grade: B-

Sam Merrill

8 points, 0 rebounds, 0 assists

We know what Merrill does on a basketball court. He didn’t record a single stat other than scoring, but seeing him drill a 30-foot bomb is always going to get me excited.

Merrill shot 3-for-4 from the floor and scored 8 points before resting the remainder of the game.

Grade: B–

Evan Mobley

8 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist

I thought Mobley would have had more assists tonight given the way he was moving the ball. His handle and vision looked as strong as ever, with Mobley walking the ball up the court and plowing into the lane for his most impressive bucket of the night.

He wasn’t much of a factor on defense, however. We know it’s preseason, but someone still has to grab a rebound.

Grade: C+

Missed the mark

Merio Hezonja

5 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists

Hezonja just played his first NBA (preseason) game in roughly six years. So, we won’t judge him too harshly for having cold feet.

That said, Hezonja looked clumsy in his first few minutes. An ugly turnover and a very hectic sequence dribbling the ball had us all wondering if his return to the league would be more choppy than we thought. He shot 2-for-7 from the field and has much to prove moving forward.

His presence on the glass and multiple assists could be something he hangs his hat on in the future. He’ll just need to get more comfortable on the floor before all of that clicks into place.

Grade: D+

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Bo Horvat scores twice as Islanders beat Blackhawks, 4-1

NEW YORK (AP) — Bo Horvat scored twice and the New York Islanders beat the Chicago Blackhawks, 4-1, on Thursday night.

Ilya Sorokin made 22 saves as the Islanders won for the second time in three games. Emil Heineman and Anthony Duclair also scored for New York, and defenseman Logan Stanley had two assists.

Frank Nazar scored for Chicago, which lost for the fourth time in five games to begin the season. Arvid Soderblom finished with 15 saves.

Horvat opened the scoring with a power-play goal in the final minute of the first period. Matthew Schaefer fired a slap shot from the point and the Islanders captain buried the rebound.

Heineman wired a wrist shot past Soderblom 6:44 into the second to double the lead.

Stanley found Duclair alone near the back post at 9:38 for his first goal of the season, making it 3-0.

Nazar spoiled Sorokin’s shutout bid with 2:32 remaining in the third.

Horvat added his second goal of the game into an empty net with 1:33 left to complete the scoring.

Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov, who left Tuesday night's 5-2 loss to the New York Rangers, will miss the rest of the regular season with a torn ACL in his right knee.

Up next

Blackhawks: Host the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday.

Islanders: Host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday.

Highlights

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Ryan O'Reilly scores go-ahead goal as Predators rally for 5-2 win over Canadiens

MONTREAL (AP) — Ryan O’Reilly scored the go-ahead goal with 3:16 remaining, and the Nashville Predators rallied from a 2-0 deficit to beat the Montreal Canadiens 5-2 on Thursday night.

The veteran redirected a point shot from Roman Josi on the power play, 59 seconds after Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson tripped Steven Stamkos in the neutral zone.

Adam Edstrom added a pair of empty-net goals for Nashville, which was outshot 34-18.

Alexander Kerfoot and Matthew Wood also scored for the Predators, while Juuse Saros made 32 saves. Stamkos had two assists.

Nick Suzuki and Alex Newhook scored for Montreal, which extended its winless streak to three games. Jacob Fowler stopped 15 shots in his first start of the season.

Montreal ended a streak of five straight wins against Nashville dating to March 5, 2024.

After a scoreless first period, Suzuki opened the scoring for Montreal 3:12 into the second during four-on-four play. He collected a loose puck amid a scramble in front of the net and slid a backhander between Saros’ legs for his third goal of the season.

Newhook doubled Montreal’s lead at 8:50, finishing off Josh Anderson’s feed after minutes of sustained pressure in Nashville’s zone.

Kerfoot scored with 4:54 remaining in the period, redirecting Adam Wilsby’s point shot past Fowler on the glove side.

Wood tied the game on the power play with 32 seconds left in the period.

Up next

Predators: At Ottawa on Saturday.

Canadiens: Host Detroit on Saturday.

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See AP’s full NHL coverage here

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Yakemchuk breaks late tie in the Senators' 2-1 victory over the Flyers

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Carter Yakemchuk broke a tie on a power play with 6:59 left and the Ottawa Senators held on to beat the winless Philadelphia Flyers 2-1 on Thursday night.

Nick Cousins opened the scoring for Ottawa at midway through the first period. Matvei Michkov tied it in a power play at 7:46 of the second.

Linus Ullmark made 29 saves to help the Senators improve to 3-1-0.

Joseph Woll stopped 24 shots for Philadelphia. The Flyers are 0-3-2.

Michael Bunting made his Flyers debut after signing with the team Tuesday and Ottawa defenseman Hoyt Stanley made his NHL debut.

Up next

Flyers: At Boston on Saturday.

Senators: Host Nashville on Saturday night.

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See AP’s full NHL coverage here

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José Ramírez hits go-ahead home run for Guardians in ALDS Game 4

The Cleveland Guardians are storming.

The team hit two home runs in the fifth inning in Game 4 of the American League Division Series against the Chicago White Sox on Thursday, Oct. 8 at Rate Field.

José Ramírez hit a go-ahead two-run home run to put the Guardians up 3-2. With the count 0-1, the third baseman was tossed a fastball by White Sox pitcher Jordan Hicks just above the strike zone. He smacked it hard and watched it sail into the bullpen in right field. Steven Kwan also scored after hitting a single.

Ramírez was the first batter Hicks faced after coming in for Erick Fedde.

Earlier that inning, Patrick Bailey hit a solo home run to put the Guardians on the board.

Cleveland had not hit a home run in the first three games of the series.

With a victory, the White Sox win the series. Whoever wins the series will face the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League Championship Series.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: José Ramírez hits go-ahead home run for Guardians in ALDS Game 4

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Pastrnak scores 2 goals, adds 2 assists in the Bruins' 6-1 rout of the Mammoth

BOSTON (AP) — David Pastrnak scored his first two goals of the season and added two assists as the Boston Bruins routed the Utah Mammoth 6-1 in Thursday night.

Matthew Poitras, Casey Mittelstadt, Mason Lohrei and Morgan Geekie also scored for the Bruins, who led 3-0 after one period and 6-0 after two. Jeremy Swayman made 36 saves.

Pastrnak scored his first goal with 5:38 left in the first period on a power-play wrist shot, assisted by Frederic Brunet and Geekie. He tacked on a power-play slap shot 4:40 into the second period, assisted by Geekie and Hampus Lindholm.

Jack McBain scored for the Mammoth midway through the third period to spoil Swayman's shutout bid.

Karel Vejmelka stopped 11 of 14 shots he faced before he was replaced by Sebastian Cossa, who made five saves for the Mammoth.

The Bruins scored three power-play goals, while the Mammoth went scoreless on the power play. The Bruins blocked 23 shots in the win.

Up next

Utah: Visits the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night.

Boston: Hosts the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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See AP’s full NHL coverage here

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Knicks offense falls short again in preseason action, struck down by Wizards

In their return to the Garden for the first time since Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night, the Knicks struggled to keep up with a young Washington Wizards core, losing by just two points, 111-109, for their second loss of the preseason.

Here are some takeaways...

-- Just as in Monday's 120-97 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, the Knicks' starting lineup comprised the five stars that powered the team to its NBA Finals win in June: Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby, and Karl-Anthony Towns. For the Wizards, the game marked their first of the preseason, as well as their first chance to see how newly-acquired vets Trae Young and Anthony Davis — as well as 2026 first-overall pick AJ Dybantsa — fit into Washington's rebuild. 

-- The Knicks' offense got off to a slow start, turning the ball over thrice in the first three minutes of the game. After the Wizards went up 1-0 on a free throw from Dybantsa, Brunson landed a three to kickstart a back-and-forth offensive effort that would extend through the end of the first half.

Miles McBride and Andre Drummond were the first two Knicks to come off the bench, shortly followed by Landry Shamet and Jose Alvarado. McBride, who enters the season as the longest-tenured Knick, made a convincing argument for the contract extension he's pursuing, quickly dumping in a three before drawing a foul and adding a fourth point on the free throw.

They finished the first quarter down one point, 29-30.

-- New York's bench saw more action in the early portion of the second, with Mohamed Diawara and Jordan Clarkson taking the court for the first time. Just as in Philadelphia on Monday, New York's offense continued to ebb and flow but found a groove at the end, taking a six-point lead (63-57) into the half. Hart led the team in both minutes (16) and points (13) through the first 24 minutes of play.

-- The game's pace quickened in the third, but the Knicks' offense remained steady, increasing its lead thanks to Shamet. The shooting guard landed three straight three-point attempts for nine of the team's 21points scored in the frame. New York was up by as many as 10 points, but Washington narrowed the gap to just three by the end of the quarter.

-- The Wizards began to run away with the game in the middle of the final frame, gaining a seven-point lead until Pacome Dadiet sank a 26-foot three-pointer to put the Knicks back in the fight. The Knicks closed the deficit to just two in a chaotic final minute of play, but their effort was to no avail. 

-- Overall, the Knicks shot just 42 percent from the field and 29 percent from three (11-for-38). New York's starters played much more than in the preseason opener in Philly, each crossing the 19-minute mark. Hart led the star five with 21 minutes, tying with Brunson for 13 points. Leading the bench, Shamet also had 13 points. 

-- Dybantsa, 19, scored 11 points in his debut and led the Wizards in minutes (23) and steals (4). He went zero-for-three from three.

Game MVP: Anthony Davis

The 33-year-old power forward scored almost as many points (16) as he played minutes (17), landed two of his three three-point attempts, and went two-for-two from the free-throw line in his first game with Washington.

Highlights

What's next

The Knicks are set to host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday, Oct. 12 at 7:30 p.m. in their third preseason contest. 

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Avalanche Shake Off Sluggish Start, Erupt for Three Goals in Second Period Against Flames

The Colorado Avalanche stumbled out of the gate, but once they found their footing, the Calgary Flames had no answer.

After a sloppy opening period filled with defensive-zone turnovers and timely saves from Scott Wedgewood, the Avalanche erupted for three unanswered goals in the second period to turn a 1-1 deadlock into a commanding 4-1 lead. Devon Toews led the charge with his second goal of the night, while Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon joined the scoring frenzy as Colorado seized control heading into the final 20 minutes.

First Period

Colorado got off to a shaky start after a defensive-zone turnover led to a dangerous rush chance for Calgary, but Scott Wedgewood was up to the task, denying Mikael Backlund on back-to-back opportunities.

The Flames handed the Avalanche their first power play at 6:23 after being caught with too many men on the ice. Aydar Suniev, appearing in just his eighth career NHL game, served the bench minor.

However, Colorado's power play got off to a rocky start when another costly turnover sent Joel Farabee in alone on a shorthanded breakaway. Wedgewood came up big once again, flashing the glove to rob Farabee and keep Calgary off the board.

At the midway point of the period, the Avalanche looked flat. Calgary held a 5-2 edge in shots, and Colorado struggled to establish any sustained offensive pressure. It's hard to build momentum when you're constantly coughing up the puck in your own zone.

Despite those early struggles, the Avalanche broke through with 5:06 remaining in the period. Cale Makar found Devon Toews all alone in the soft ice of the low slot, where he redirected the puck past Flames netminder Devin Cooley, who had left the left side of the net wide open.

It was Toews' first goal of the season, coming just four games into the campaign. By comparison, he didn't find the back of the net until Colorado's 25th game last season.

Calgary didn't take long to respond.

With 2:30 remaining, Adam Klapka pulled off a slick toe drag around Josh Manson before unleashing a blistering wrist shot that rang off the left post and into the net, tying the game at 1-1.

Toews was sent to the penalty box with less than a minute remaining after tripping Yegor Sharangovich, giving Calgary a power play that carried into the second period.

Both teams headed to the dressing room deadlocked at one after an opening period in which Wedgewood's timely saves helped the Avalanche overcome an otherwise sloppy start.

Second Period

After a sluggish opening 20 minutes, the Avalanche flipped the script in the second period, finding their offensive rhythm and wasting little time taking control of the game.

After needing 25 games to score his first goal last season, Devon Toews already has two in just four games this time around. He netted his second of the night after taking a pass from Noah Juulsen and firing a shot from just inside the blue line that sailed through a screen set by Zach L'Heureux and past Cooley, giving Colorado a 2-1 lead.

Less than three minutes later, Nathan MacKinnon sprung a streaking Cale Makar, who blew past the Calgary defense with a burst of speed as he crossed the blue line. Closing in on Cooley, Makar unleashed a blistering wrist shot that beat the Flames netminder to double Colorado's lead.

The onslaught continued just over two minutes later when MacKinnon hammered home a one-timer off a slick feed from L'Heureux, extending Colorado's lead to 4-1. It was MacKinnon's third goal in four games, while L'Heureux picked up his second point of the night.

What had been a frustrating opening period quickly turned into a showcase of Colorado's offensive firepower, with the Avalanche capitalizing on their opportunities and putting Calgary firmly on its heels.

Parker Kelly was penalized for interference with 22 seconds left in the frame. 

Colorado entered the third period with a commanding 4-1 lead, just 20 minutes away from bouncing back from Wednesday's tough 3-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets.

Third Period

Cale Makar has made a habit of unleashing highlight-reel slap shots this season, and 5:35 into the third period was no exception. After Nazem Kadri's pass deflected off Nathan MacKinnon's stick, Makar pounced on the loose puck and hammered it home to extend Colorado's lead to 5-1.

Less than a minute later, Jaden Schwartz scored for the second straight game to make it 6-1. After attempting to redirect a point shot from Brett Kulak, T.J. Hughes reacted quickly to the loose puck and slipped a pass to Schwartz in the slot, where he blasted it past Cooley.

Calgary answered shortly afterward when Mikael Backlund redirected a shot past Wedgewood off the rush, cutting Colorado's lead to 6-2.

The Flames continued to chip away at Colorado's lead just 1:11 later when Yegor Sharangovich threaded a cross-ice pass to Kevin Bahl, who ripped a shot past Wedgewood and into the top corner to cut the deficit to 6-3.

Colorado apparently took exception to Calgary's quick scoring burst and wasted little time responding. Just 1:13 later, offseason acquisition Jaden Schwartz struck again, netting his second goal of the night and third in the last 24 hours after also finding the back of the net in Wednesday's loss to Winnipeg.

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How did LeBron James do in Sixers debut? Stats from 76ers vs. Nets preseason game

LeBron James made his debut for the Philadelphia 76ers. Sort of.

The NBA's all-time leading scorer suited up for the team's preseason game against the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday, Oct. 8 at Barclays Center and was in the starting lineup.

The crowd cheered enthusiastically as James did his pregame ritual, tossing chalk in the air, for the first time in the blue No. 23 jersey.

James' first field goal came in the second quarter via a reverse layup with an assist from Tyrese Maxey. The future Hall of Famer credited the rising star as a major factor in choosing to join the 76ers this offseason. The bucket put Philadelphia up 40-39.

He got his first points in the first quarter when he was fouled by Keon Ellis and made both free throws.

James got his first assist as a member of Philadelphia in the first quarter when he dished the ball to VJ Edgecombe for a layup.

The four-time NBA champion was substituted out of the game at halftime with the score 58-56 in favor of Philadelphia. He had 10 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 turnovers and a steal in 18 minutes of play.

James became a member of the 76ers this offseason as a free agent after leaving the Los Angeles Lakers. He joins former MVP Joel Embiid and former NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown, who joined the team in a blockbuster trade with the Boston Celtics.

What were LeBron James' stats in 76ers preseason debut?

James had 10 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 turnovers and a steal. He played 18 minutes in the first half.

More: LeBron James, 76ers' loaded starting 5 play preseason game: Did we learn anything?

Here's his full stats rundown:

  • Minutes: 18
  • Points: 10
  • FG: 1-for-1
  • Free Throws: 8-for-8
  • Rebounds: 4
  • Assists: 5
  • Steals: 1
  • Blocks: 0
  • Turnovers: 2
  • Fouls: 1

76ers highlights vs. Nets

When will LeBron James make his 76ers debut in regular season?

James will make his first official start for the Philadelphia 76ers during the NBA's opening night on Tuesday, Oct. 20. He will play against the defending champion New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How did LeBron James do in Sixers debut? Stats from 76ers vs. Nets preseason game

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Jake Oettinger has second straight shutout in the Stars' 4-0 victory over the Sabres

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Jake Oettinger made 26 saves for his second straight shutout, Mikko Rantanen had a goal and three assists and the Dallas Stars beat the Buffalo Sabres 4-0 on Thursday night.

Oettinger has 18 career shutouts. He stopped 13 shots Monday night in a 5-0 home victory over San Jose.

Jason Robertson, Sam Steel and Roope Hintz also scored to help Dallas win its second in a row after two opening losses. Wyatt Johnston had three assists.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 14 shots for Buffalo. The Sabres had won the first two games of a five-game homestand.

Robertson scored at 9:03 of the first period and the Stars added three more in the second. Sam Steel connected on a snap shot at 9:36, Rantanen scored on a backhander with 6:03 left and Roope put in a snapper on a power play with 4:26 remaining.

Up next

Stars: At Pittsburgh on Saturday night.

Sabres: Host Utah on Saturday night.

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See AP’s full NHL coverage here

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Final Score: Cavs lose first preseason game 124-113 to Celtics

CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 8: Meleek Thomas #15 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives to the basket during the game against the Boston Celtics on October 8, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Lauren Leigh Bacho/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers took their first loss of the preseason in a 124-113 defeat to the Boston Celtics.

Donovan Mitchell, Jaylon Tyson, Peyton Watson, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen started the game for Cleveland. James Harden was ruled out with ankle soreness.

Boston was without Jayson Tatum, Derrick White, Peyton Pritchard, Mitchell Robinson, and Paul George.

This was Cleveland’s first chance to see what Watson could look like next to their other star players. He opened the game by defending Mike Conley, taking on the challenge of protecting the point-of-attack. Watson’s perimeter defense will be key to his role in the starting five.

The Cavs trailed 32-29 after the first quarter as Boston nailed 6-of-17 three-point attempts.

Tyson led the Cavs in scoring during the first half. He scored 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting, making his way to the basket for a handful of easy buckets — including a hail-mary touchdown from Craig Porter Jr. in transition.

Kenny Atkinson said before the game that Cleveland’s starters would rest for the entire second half. He stuck to his word, starting Mario Hezonja, Tyrese Proctor, Meleek Thomas, Craig Porter, and Thomas Bryant in the third quarter.

This game had all the makings of preseason. Weird lineups. Half-hearted effort and a ton of three-point attempts.

But it also had some of that preseason strangeness that leads to fun as well.

Bryant stormed the floor for a deep seal in the paint within his first 10 seconds of being on the court. That’s what we’re all here for, right?

The second half was more enjoyable in terms of watching stuff that might actually matter. The rookie, Meleek Thomas, had a few standout moments that serve as brief flashes of what he could one day become. His on-ball creation is raw but entertaining. His defensive intensity could put him in the rotation ahead of schedule.

We also saw Hezonja thaw himself out in the third quarter after a frigid start to his NBA return. He felt slow in the opening minutes, losing the ball and missing the mark. It wasn’t until a quick stretch that included a three-pointer and a downhill dime that the picture of what Hezonja can be in Cleveland came into focus.

Still, Cleveland was downed by Boston’s sporadic three-point shooting. The Celtics finished with 17 three-pointers and handed the Cavs the loss.