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Observations From Blues' 5-3 Loss Vs. Blue Jackets

ST. LOUIS – A chance to take five of a possible eight points on a four-game homestand with the Olympic break on the horizon was on the table for the St. Louis Blues.

A team that has no margin for error was, in the words of coach Jim Montgomery, “we wanted it to come easy,” in the first two periods, and it proved costly.

The Columbus Blue Jackets won their season-high fifth straight and seventh in eight games since Rick Bowness took over as coach on Jan. 13, winning on the second of back-to-back games, 5-3 against the Blues at Enterprise Center on Saturday.

The Blues (20-26-9), who were coming off an entertaining 5-4 win over the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers on Thursday, fell into some bad habits in a game that closed out a four-game homestand seeing them go 1-2-1.

Jimmy Snuggerud had a goal and an assist to extend his point streak to four games, Jonatan Berggren also had a goal and an assist and Brayden Schenn had two assists. Jordan Binnington fell to 2-11-1 in his past 14 starts after making 18 saves.

“I think in the first two periods, we wanted it to come easy,” Montgomery said. “We were not skating, working, hitting like we have the last handful of games. And then in the third, we did. We pushed and it ended up being too little, too late.”

Here are the game observations:

* Fourth straight loss facing opponent playing second of back-to-back – The Blues have had the good fortune, or so it should wind up being that way, of facing a team that should be lower on energy.

The Blue Jackets played on Friday against the Chicago Blackhawks, a 7:38 p.m. puck drop mind you. They didn’t land in St. Louis until shortly before 1:30 a.m. on Saturday, probably didn’t get into their hotel until around 2 a.m., then turn around to play less than 24 hours later in a 6:08 p.m. puck drop.

The Blues got the start they wanted, grabbing the early lead when Snuggerud scored in his second straight game, working a nice give-and-go with Schenn before beating Jet Greaves in alone at 7:11 for a 1-0 lead:

But then their play slipped. It lagged. Why?

“I just think we're hoping for things to go right and when they don't, we wait for a push and the reality in this league, that's not good enough,” Schenn said. “We have to find ways to dig in for one another. Realistically, you can't come back every third period. If you actually play the right way for the first 20-30 minutes of the game when you've got a team on a back-to-back, you will eventually tilt the ice and hem them in, like we did (in the third), but we're always chasing games. We just don't have enough drive to come out and push teams out early on.”

They held the lead for a whole 37 seconds before Isac Lundestrom tied it 1-1 off a fortuitous bounce initially that led to a blown coverage after a good stick lift by Boone Jenner on Pavel Buchnevich.

Columbus led 2-1 after the first and outshot the Blues 10-7 after initially being outshot 6-2.

* Blues didn’t protect the front of the net – It’s an area that had seen some improvement of late, but the net front coverage and allowance of ice between the hash marks was off the mark, if you will.

All three of the remaining Columbus goals either came off missed plays that ultimately led to goals with net front traffic.

Denton Mateychuk gave Columbus their first lead 2-1 at 12:54 of the first when the Blue Jackets cycled the puck cleanup up high, then the defenseman’s shot from the top of the left circle made it through with Dmitri Voronkov providing the net front coverage in front of Binnington and getting through the Blues goalie when Colton Parayko tipped the puck through:

Kent Johnson’s goal at 8:30 of the second period made it 3-2 when Ivan Provorov’s clean wrister from the left point found its way towards Binnington and Johnson was there without any resistance to tip it home:

And what turned out to be the game-winner, Damon Severson’s high slot blast that made it 4-3 at 16:01 of the second came off a Dalibor Dvorsky giveaway just inside the O-zone blue line, and when Parayko tried pushing the puck up the lefthand boards, it was picked off by Zach Werenski, who fed his partner, and Severson’s shot came with traffic in front again:

“That Columbus team, by good friend Rick Bowness is doing a really good job, they’re really big and they play a heavy game; they go to the net front,” Montgomery said. “We’ve played them twice and they’ve scored three goals in both games, rebound tips, just mucking it up. Something that we’ve been trying to preach to do a little more of ourselves, and I think we’ve gotten slightly better at it but not at their level.”

* Berggren finding his niche – Yes, Berggren went through a nine-game stretch without putting up a point, but he now has three in two games, including goals in back-to-back games, and it’s not for a lack of creating.

he Swede, claimed off waivers from the Detroit Red Wings on Dec. 16, tied the game 2-2 with a power-play goal at 3:15 of the second, a nice shot from the inner portion of the right circle:

Berggren is being given top-six minutes, but in the past two games has played on the third line, so he’s a regular in the top nine. He’s been creating plenty of opportunities, and there’s been a lack of finish by his teammates by his creativity, but there’s something about this kid I like.

“The guys have done an easy job for me to come in and play my game,” Berggren said. “I feel like even if I haven’t produced these couple games, I’ve created a lot, and that’s all I can do. Lucky now, the puck goes in. Hopefully it keeps going like that.”

* Blues didn’t build on momentum of scoring – All three times the Blues scored on Saturday, they had the opportunity to build and add to the fatigue of an opponent that played the night before.

But each time that the Blues scored, Columbus found an answer.

They tied it 37 seconds after Snuggerud gave them the lead; Johnson’s goal came 4:45 after Berggren tied it in the second, and when Tyler Tucker’s goal tied the game 3-3 at 13:35 of the second, Severson put Columbus ahead 2:26 later.

“I feel like this is a game we probably should have won,” Berggren said. “… We lacked execution. We didn’t move our feet and stuff like that. I think the last 10 games, we’ve done a really good job doing.”

* Blues had a good push in the third period, needed more close-in range attempts – Down a goal, the Blues were going to have to get on the hunt, and they did. The shot clock read 15-4, and at one point it was 14-1, but it seemed that many of the chances that were heading towards Jet Greaves, the Columbus goalie was seeing well or shots dented the logo in the middle.

“Good comeback in the third and we probably should have scored,” Berggren said.

“There were some good looks,” Montgomery said. “I would like them to be closer to the net. I didn’t like, especially on the power play, they were shooting from the top of the circles instead of the hash marks. We’re not attacking the goal line, having someone on the back door trying to bang it home, or we’re not executing the play when it’s there. I thought we had good looks, but I would have liked them to be a little more dangerous.”

* Schenn, Snuggerud with Dvorsky line has been humming well – The trio combined for a nice first goal, and the trip has combined for 16 points the past five games.

It’s a situation with the older vet and the two young pups linking up well.

“Just enjoying playing with them,” Schenn said. “For me personally, I remember in a situation, I had Danny Briere on my line and guys like Wayne Simmonds and Vinny Lecavalier (with the Philadelphia Flyers). If I asked them questions, they were always giving me an answer, be hard on me sometimes, and that’s how you learn. They’re both playing really well right now, they both have a bright future, they’re both very receptive to getting better and that’s what you want.

“Lots of chatter on the bench and what we can do better rather than I’m not the yeller and screamer at my linemates, never have been. I think it’s more dialogue of finding ways to be better as a three-man group whoever you’re playing with that night. Both of – I don’t want to call them kids – but both young guys are playing well right now.”

Robert Thomas Undergoes Leg Procedure, Expected To Return After OlympicsRobert Thomas Undergoes Leg Procedure, Expected To Return After OlympicsBlues top center has missed nine games, last played Jan. 10 at Vegas
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Takeaways: Penguins Survive Late Push By Rangers To Earn Sixth Straight Win On 2016 Cup Anniversary Celebration

For the Pittsburgh Penguins, Saturday was a special night for a plethora of reasons. 

Prior to their late afternoon tilt against the New York Rangers, the Penguins honored the members of their 2016 Stanley Cup champion team, as this year marks its 10th anniversary. Many of the players on that team returned, too, including Pascal Dupuis, Carl Hagelin, Patric Hornqvist, Ben Lovejoy, and others. Even the Rangers brought two returnees in forward Conor Sheary and former Penguins' head coach Mike Sullivan, now bench boss of the Rangers.

The ceremony was special enough to make captain Sidney Crosby shed tears. But, to top it all off, the Penguins came away with yet another victory at the end of it. 

Despite a late push by the Rangers, the Penguins emerged victorious by a score of 6-5 to earn their league-best sixth consecutive win. Once again, Pittsburgh got contributions from up and down their lineup, with Anthony Mantha and Noel Acciari reach registering two goals en route to the win. 

Mantha kicked off the scoring two and a half minutes into the game when he tipped a shot by linemate Rutger McGroarty from near the left point. Acciari one-timed his first on a feed from Blake Lizotte less than four minutes later after a hard-working shift by the fourth line, as Lizotte forced a turnover and made a nice play to keep the puck in the zone, Connor Dewar made a diving play to get the puck deep, and Connor Clifton had another zone keep prior to the goal. 

The Penguins controlled most of play in the second period as well. At the very end of a power play, Rickard Rakell failed to put the puck in the net on a shot from the low slot, but he pounced on his own rebound and fed a perfect, behind-the-back backhand pass to a waiting Mantha at the net-front, who put it in right after the man advantage expired to give the Penguins a 3-0 lead. 

However, the Penguins took a late penalty for too many men near the end of the second, and Alexis Lafreniere made them pay with his 11th of the season to cut the Penguins' lead to 3-1. 

But the Penguins responded early in the third on a power play of their own, as Rakell put one in at the net-front to give Pittsburgh back the three-goal lead, with Erik Karlsson registering his 700th assist on the play. Acciari scored his second of the game and sixth of the season - surpassing his goal total from last seaosn - just 20 seconds later to make it 5-1. 

Things got a bit hairy after that, though. Approaching the midway point of the period, the Penguins got another power play, but Vincent Trocheck capitalized on a shorthanded breakaway opportunity to bring the score to 5-2. Then, with less than five minutes to go, Vladislav Gavrikov scored to cut the Rangers' deficit to only two.

With goaltender Jonathan Quick pulled, Ben Kindel did put the puck into the empty net to make it 6-3 with two and a half minutes remaining, scoring his fourth goal in the last three games. But with more than a minute remaining, Lafreniere scored another one, and then Will Cuylle scored with 10 seconds left to bring the game to within one. 

The Penguins iced the puck after the center draw with a little more than three seconds left on the clock, but Acciari won the defensive zone draw to give the Penguins the narrow 6-5 victory.

Playoffs May Change Sentiment Around Penguins' 2026 First-Round PickPlayoffs May Change Sentiment Around Penguins' 2026 First-Round PickIf the Pittsburgh Penguins continue to win hockey games and worsen their first-round draft positioning, the team could possibly look to move their 2026 first-rounder for an impact player

Here are some thoughts and takeaways from this one:

- Let's start with the 2016 ceremony because this was a really cool moment. 

Sullivan got a nice ovation from the crowd. So did Hornqvist and Hagelin. But, of course, none other than Marc-Andre Fleury got the biggest ovation, as he usually does when he steps foot in the city of Pittsburgh these days. 

But the tribute video itself was moving and emotional, so much so that it brought Crosby to tears. And Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and Fleury. And others. Even Penguins' head coach Dan Muse admitted he got chills during the video.

The Penguins always do these things right, and in front of a sellout crowd, boy, they got it right. The 2016 squad joined the team in the locker room after the game and went to dinner afterward. Just a really nice evening that was made better with a win.

- Now, about the game. 

Even if the Penguins came away with the win, it wasn’t a perfect game. A few defensive lapses led to goals against late in this one, and their first power play unit was, once again, largely struggling. 

Most things have been going right for this team in the month of January. But they're still surrendering a lot of third-period goals, and their power play is a bit dysfunctional right now, as it only has one goal in its last 15 opportunities. 

Those are both things they need to clean up if they expect to keep winning hockey games in the stretch run of the season - especially during their gauntlet in the month of March.

Erik Karlsson Hits Career Milestone On SaturdayErik Karlsson Hits Career Milestone On SaturdayErik Karlsson notched his 700th assist during Saturday's game.

- Mantha is on quite the tear right now. And, coincidentally, so is Kindel. 

Mantha has five goals and eight points in his last four games and 10 points in his last six. Kindel has four goals and five points in his last three games. That third line has been the Penguins' best for the past three games, and it's largely because these two have developed some legitimate chemistry - even if they didn't directly connect on a goal Saturday. 

With 19 goals and 40 points, Mantha is well on his way to a career-best season, and Kindel is on his way to more production in what has already been a wildly impressive rookie season. These guys give them so much depth in their lineup, and the Penguins need them to continue putting up numbers for them.

- Let's not forget the third guy on that line right now, either.

McGroarty has had himself two really nice games since being recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS). He's been good defensively, he's been forcing turnovers, hanging around the net front, and - quite simply - working his behind off. 

He looks like a much different player than he was a few weeks ago. I asked McGroarty if he'd be going back to WBS over the break, and he confirmed he would be to get more games in because he's missed so much time to injury this season. This will definitely benefit him.

But it really is a shame that there is not room for McGroarty in the NHL lineup when Bryan Rust returns from his suspension. This is a guy that probably belongs in the NHL, but there is no one that can be pried from their current lineup.

Without a doubt, he'll be the first player they call on when they need a player. But he's earning himself a bigger look with his play right now. 

'Prove-It' Mindset Big Part Of Penguins' Success, Identity'Prove-It' Mindset Big Part Of Penguins' Success, IdentityThe Pittsburgh Penguins - individually and collectively - are forging an identity, in part, because of a "prove-it" mindset that has contributed to their success this season

- As great as Stuart Skinner has been for the Penguins lately, this was not his best outing. 

He surrendered five goals on 20 shots, and he was very shaky late in this one, even if the Penguins' defense wasn't doing him any favors. He did look good early on, when the Rangers pressed early in the game, and he made a few nice saves. But he also didn't really get much of a workload until the end of the game, either. 

Skinner himself admitted that he didn't like his warm-up, and he wasn't happy with what transpired late in the game. However, if there was a game for Skinner to be off his game, it was this one, as the Penguins' offense gave him that cushion.

- Acciari deserves flowers for his play this season. Not only has he shown some legitimate offensive prowess akin to his 20-goal campaign with the Florida Panthers in 2019-20, he has continued to be a key part of that fourth line's ability to both drive play and be reliable on defense. 

It's not an exaggeration to say this fourth line is hockey's best. As good as Lizotte and Dewar have been, Acciari has been equally as good. And he deserves credit for that. 

- The Penguins will play the Ottawa Senators at home Monday before facing the New York Islanders Tuesday and the Buffalo Sabres Thursday to close out their pre-Olympic schedule. 

These are important games, particularly the one against the Isles. The Penguins would be wise to take at least two out of three here in order to give themselves some cushion, once again, for their gauntlet in March.

Penguins Forward Sets Career High In Goals On Thursday Penguins Forward Sets Career High In Goals On Thursday Pittsburgh Penguins forward Connor Dewar set a new career high in goals on Thursday.

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!      

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Cavs send De’Andre Hunter to Sacramento for two players

CLEVELAND, OH - JANUARY 23: De'Andre Hunter #12 of the Cleveland Cavaliers boxes out during the game against the Sacramento Kings on January 23, 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 David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

After a few days of speculation, the Cleveland Cavaliers have traded away De’Andre Hunter to the Sacremento Kings in a three-team deal. They’ll be receiving Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis from the Kings. Dario Saric, a 2029 second-round pick from the Kings, and the Denver Nuggets’ 2027 second-round pick — which the Cavs previously owned — are being sent to the Chicago Bulls.

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The Cavs acquired Hunter at the deadline last season, but it simply didn’t work out long-term. Hunter was good for the remainder of last regular season. That didn’t carry over to the second round series against the Indiana Pacers. He missed Game 2 with a thumb injury and wasn’t himself when he returned to the lineup. Hunter averaged just 9 points and 4.5 rebounds on 36.7% shooting from the floor that series.

That carried over to this season. Hunter was given a chance to prove that he could fit with the starting lineup, but struggled to find his role. As a starter, Hunter averaged 15.4 points on .429/.303/.843 shooting splits. The inefficient shooting and lack of effort on defense resulted in him being moved back to the bench.

Switching to a reserve role didn’t do much to help him regain his shot. Overall, Hunter averaged 14 points and 4.2 rebounds on .423/.308/.869 shooting splits in 43 games with the Cavs.

Perimeter defense has been an issue for Cleveland after trading away Isaac Okoro this summer. Ellis should help. He’s known as one of the better defenders for his position, and should help an area of need.

Ellis is only 6’4”, which puts his natural position at shooting guard. That’s a spot on the depth chart that is already clogged with that being Donovan Mitchell, Sam Merrill, and Max Strus’s best position.

On the season, Ellis is averaging 5.6 points and 1.3 rebounds on .397/.368/.625 shooting splits.

Schroder should help shore up the backup point guard position with Lonzo Ball seemingly on his way out. The journeman guard is averaging 12.8 points and 5.3 assists per game on .408/.343/.820 shooting splits.

The move will also save Cleveland $50 million in luxury tax payments this season. How much it helps them financially in the longrun remains to be seen. Schroder is owed $14.8 million next season and $15.5 million (with just $4.3 million guaranteed) in 2026-27. Ellis will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason if his contract isn’t extended with the Cavs.

The Cavaliers are still over the second apron by $13.9 million after the completion of the deal. We’ll see if additional moves are made before the trade deadline on Feb. 5.

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Penguins win 6th straight, edge Rangers 6-5

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Anthony Mantha and Noel Acciari scored two goals apiece, and the surging Pittsburgh Penguins held off the New York Rangers 6-5 on Saturday for their sixth straight victory.

Mantha and Acciari beat Jonathan Quick twice in a span of just over three minutes early in the first period to give the Penguins an early cushion. Mantha made it 3-0 with an easy tap-in in the second period. Acciari and Rickard Rakell scored 20 seconds apart early in the third to push Pittsburgh’s advantage to 5-1 on a night the franchise celebrated the 10th anniversary of the 2016 club that won the Stanley Cup.

Erik Karlsson became the 12th defenseman in NHL history to reach 700 career assists when he picked up the secondary helper on Rakell’s 10th goal of the season 1:20 into the final period. The other 11 defensemen to reach the 700-assist plateau are in the Hall of Fame.

Stuart Skinner improved to 8-1 in his last nine starts but nearly let a four-goal third period get away.

Alex Lafreniere scored twice for the Rangers. Vincent Trocheck, Vladislav Gavrikov and Will Cuylle all scored during a late rally, but it wasn’t enough for the Rangers to fall to 2-10 since goaltender Igor Shesterkin was lost indefinitely with a lower-body injury.

AVALANCHE 5, RED WINGS 0

DETROIT (AP) — Nathan MacKinnon scored twice to become the league’s first 40-goal scorer this season and the Colorado Avalanche continued their dominance of Detroit with a victory.

MacKinnon also had an assist, giving him 699 for his career. He failed to score in the previous five games, his longest drought of the season. MacKinnon increased his season point total to 91, trailing only Edmonton’s Connor McDavid.

Mackenzie Blackwood secured his third shutout this season by making 28 saves. Colorado is 14-0-1 in its last 15 meetings with Detroit.

Brent Burns, Ross Colton and Parker Kelly also scored for the Avalanche, while Artturi Lehkonen added two assists.

KINGS 3, FLYERS 2, OT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Adrian Kempe scored twice in regulation and assisted on a goal by Quinton Byfield in overtime to help the Los Angeles Kings beat the Philadelphia Flyers.

Kempe scored twice in a span of 3:38 in the first period to give the Kings a 2-0 lead. After a Philadelphia rally, Kempe fed Byfield for his 10th goal of the season, a snap shot from the right circle that beat Flyers goalie Dan Vladar over his right shoulder.

Andrei Kuzmenko, who the Kings acquired from the Flyers at last season’s trade deadline, appeared to score a goal that would have extended the Los Angeles lead to 3-0 in the first period, but the Flyers challenged that the play was offside, and after review the goal came off the board.

Philadelphia rallied behind goals from Trevor Zegras and Travis Konecny to force overtime.

Konecny has scored in three straight games for Philadelphia, and has registered at least one point in seven of his last eight.

JETS 2, PANTHERS 1

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Mark Scheifele scored the go-ahead goal with 4:14 remaining, lifting Winnipeg to a win over sliding and short-handed Florida.

Winnipeg was 1-18-2 in games where it trailed entering the third period going into the game, and was down 1-0 with 20 minutes left against the Panthers. But the Jets scored twice in a span of just over seven minutes to take command.

Cole Perfetti scored with 11:26 left to tie the game, then Scheifele got his 27th of the season for what became the game-winner.

Eric Comrie stopped 27 shots for the Jets, including one with 37.1 seconds left on a shot by Matthew Tkachuk. Sam Reinhart and Sam Bennett got shots to the net after that as well for the Panthers, but neither got by Comrie and the Jets prevailed for just the third time in their last nine games.

Eetu Luostarinen got the goal for Florida, which has dropped three straight and ended the game eight points back of the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. The Panthers — who have been without Aleksander Barkov all season — played Saturday without Brad Marchand, who is day to day, along with Anton Lundell and Seth Jones, among others.

FLAMES 3, SHARKS 2

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Joel Farabee’s short-handed goal at 6:53 of the third period broke a tie and sent Calgary to a victory over San Jose.

Morgan Frost and Matvei Gridin each scored his 12th goal of the season for the Flames (22-26-6), who overcame a pair of one-goal deficits and snapped a five-game losing streak.

Will Smith and Adam Gaudette scored for the Sharks (27-22-4), who have lost two in a row and four of seven.

Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 39 shots for the Sharks, while Dustin Wolf made 23 saves for the Flames.

Wolf’s best stop came against Macklin Celebrini with 21 seconds remaining when he stuck out a pad to deny the star forward after he was set up all by himself in front of the net.

CAPITALS 4, HURRICANES, 3, OT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Justin Sourdif scored off a rebound at 1:42 of overtime and Washington overcame a three-goal deficit to beat Carolina.

Down 3-0 early in second period, the Capitals tied it on defenseman Jakob Chychrun’s goal with 6:42 left in regulation — his 19th of the season.

Hendrix Lapierre and Dylan Strome scored in the second period to start the rally and help give Clay Stevenson his first NHL victory. Stevenson won in his second career start and first of the season, stopping 19 shots.

Washington has won two in a row. It beat beat Detroit 4-3 in a shootout Thursday night to end a six-game trip.

Mark Jankowski, Sebastian Aho and Shayne Gostisbehere scored for Carolina, and Frederik Andersen made 38 saves. The Hurricanes had won two in a row and five of six.

BLUE JACKETS 5, BLUES 3

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Kent Johnson had a goal and assist and Columbus beat St. Louis for its season-best fifth straight victory.

The Blue Jackets have won nine of 10, outscoring opponents 38-27 since Jan. 11.

Damon Severson, Isac Lundestrom, Denton Mateychuk and Mason Marchment also scored for Columbus. Jet Greaves made 28 saves.

Tyler Tucker, Jonatan Berggren and Jimmy Snuggerud scored for St. Louis.

Jordan Binnington stopped 18 shots. He has lost has lost six consecutive starts and 10 of the last 11.

Severson broke a 3-3 tie on a power play with 3:59 left in the second period with his fourth goal of the season.

PREDATORS 4, ISLANDERS 3

NEW YORK (AP) — Roman Josi scored with 1:14 remaining in the game to lift Nashville past New York.

Filip Forsberg scored twice for Nashville, while Matthew Wood added a goal and an assist as the Predators snapped a three-game losing streak. Juuse Saros finished with 27 saves including a point-blank stop on Emil Heineman in the closing seconds.

On his winner, Josi skated into the Islanders zone, circled back and fired a shot over the glove of Ilya Sorokin that made him the first defenseman in franchise history with 200 career NHL goals.

Mathew Barzal finished with a goal and an assist for the Islanders. Matthew Schaefer and Jean-Gabriel Pageau also scored but the Islanders’ three-game winning streak came to an end. Sorokin made 38 saves.

CANADIENS 4, SABRES 2

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Cole Caufield scored twice to help give Montreal a win over Buffalo at KeyBank Center.

Caufield scored his 31st and 32nd goals of the season in the third period to help Montreal overcome a 2-1 deficit for their third straight win.

Juraj Slafkovsky and Oliver Kapanen also scored for the Canadiens and Jakub Dobes made 36 saves.

Owen Power and Noah Ostlund scored for the Sabres who had a five-game win streak snapped. Alex Lyon made 27 saves.

MAPLE LEAFS 3, CANUCKS 2, SO

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Auston Matthews and William Nylander scored in a shootout and Toronto beat Vancouver to end a six-game losing streak.

Matthews had a chance to win it in overtime when he was awarded a penalty shot after Conor Garland was called for hooking, but goaltender Nikita Tolopilo made the save.

Nicolas Roy and Max Domi scored for Toronto, and Joseph Woll made 28 saves.

Jonathan Lekkerimaki and Tom Willander scored for Vancouver. The Canucks have two wins in their last 17 games.

Domi tied it early in the third with a shot that hit Tolopilo’s shoulder then rolled over his back into the net.

Tolopilo stopped 39 shots.

SENATORS 4, DEVILS 1

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Linus Ullmark made 26 saves in his first start for Ottawa since taking a leave of absence Dec. 28, Brady Tkachuk had a goal and two assists and the Senators beat New Jersey.

Tim Stutzle had a goal and an assist, and Dylan Cozens scored his 100th NHL goal for Ottawa. The Senators have won three in a row.

Timo Meier scored, and Jake Allen made 30 saves for New Jersey. The Devils have lost three of four.

The Devils were without Jack Hughes. He’s out day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

_____

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NBA trade grades for 3-team deal with Cavs landing Dennis Schröder, Keon Ellis

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JANUARY 30: Dennis Schroder #17 of the Sacramento Kings controls the ball against the Boston Celtics during the first half at the TD Garden on January 30, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) | Getty Images

NBA trade deadline week is here, and the deals got started on late Saturday night when the Cleveland Cavaliers, Sacramento Kings, and Chicago Bulls agreed to a three-team swap. Here’s the details, via ESPN insider Shams Charania:

Cavs get: Dennis Schröder, Keon Ellis

Kings get: De’Andre Hunter

Bulls get: Dario Saric, two second-round picks

The deal saves Cleveland $50 million in payroll, according to Charania. Hunter makes $23.9 million this season and $24.9 million next season as he arrives in Sacramento. Meanwhile, Schröder makes $14 million this season, $14.8 million next season, and then has a partially guaranteed third season as he heads to Cleveland. Ellis is slated to be a free agent this summer.

This deal bolsters the Cavs’ rotation heading into the playoffs, while the Kings ditch Schröder and get to try out another wing in Hunter. The Bulls swoop in and land two second-round picks just for eating some salary. Let’s grade this move for every side.

Cavs trade grade Dennis Schröder, Keon Ellis acquisitions

I like this for Cleveland. The Cavs haven’t been the same this year coming off a 64-win season in part because of injuries, in part because they’re just not as deep as they were last season. This trade at least helps fix the second part of the problem. Cleveland needed another ball handler with Darius Garland’s lingering big toe injury, and they also have missed Ty Jerome, who departed over the summer in free agency to the Memphis Grizzlies. Schröder gives them some insurance on Garland as the playoffs approach, and he can also easily slide into a bench role where he can lead second units as a shot-creator.

I’ve always liked Ellis as a tough defender with low-volume three-point shooting ability, so that’s a nice addition for Cleveland’s stretch run, too. I have no idea why a hopeless Kings team wouldn’t play him much this season, but it was clear they weren’t going to resign him, so now the Cavs get an extended look at him before he hits free agency. Cleveland won’t miss Hunter: the Cavs have a -0.5 net-rating with Hunter on the floor this season, and a +9.5 net-rating with him off. He just couldn’t hit a shot this season, and his defense has never been that impactful. I like every bit of this deal for Cleveland.

Cavs grade: A

Kings trade grade for De’Andre Hunter deal

Hunter has a reputation as a 3-and-D wing, but he hasn’t been good in either area this year. He’s only making 30.8 percent of his threes this season on 5.5 attempts per game, and his 55.3 percent true shooting so far is below league-average. Defensively, the Cavs posted a 117.2 defensive rating with Hunter on the floor this year, and a 110.6 defensive rating with him off the floor.

Hunter was shooting 40.5 percent from three for the Atlanta Hawks when they traded him to the Cavs at last year’s deadline, so maybe he can get his shooting stroke back. The Kings needed another wing to fill out lineups, and Hunter can at least do that. Sacramento takes on Hunter’s inflated salary next year so they don’t have to deal with Schröder’s partial guarantee in 2027-28.

Kings grade: C

Bulls trade grade for Dario Saric, second-round pick

This is a nice margin move for the Bulls. Saric has barely played the last two years, and has been terrible when he has been on the court, but whatever. This is about adding two second round picks just for the cost of eating his money.

These aren’t great second-round picks, but it’s still nice to get them for just a little bit of money. The Bulls reportedly waived Jevon Carter in a corresponding move.

Bulls grade: A

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Cavaliers trade De'Andre Hunter for Kings' Dennis Schroder, Keon Ellis: Details

The Cleveland Cavaliers have acquired guards Keon Ellis and Dennis Schroder in a deal that sends De'Andre Hunter to the Sacramento Kings and also involves the Chicago Bulls, according to a report from ESPN's Shams Charania.

The Kings received Hunter, a small forward, and are also sending Dario Saric and two future second-round picks to the Bulls.

Ellis and Schroder join a Cleveland roster that already includes Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland, adding more depth to the Cavs' backcourt as they look to make a deep playoff push. Ellis and Schroder can help stretch the floor and also hurt defenses with penetration. Both players are active defenders that give ballhandlers headaches.

The Cavaliers currently sit fifth in the Eastern Conference standings at 29-21.

Keon Ellis 2025-26 regular-season stats

Here are Ellis' average statistics so far though the 2025-26 regular season:

  • Games played: 43
  • Minutes: 17.6
  • Points: 5.6
  • Rebounds: 1.3
  • Assists: 0.6
  • Steals: 1.1
  • Blocks: 0.5
  • Field goal: 39.7%
  • 3-point field goal: 36.8%
  • Free throw: 62.5%

Keon Ellis career stats

Here are Ellis' average statistics so far though his four-year NBA career:

  • Games played: 196
  • Minutes: 19.2
  • Points: 6.3
  • Rebounds: 2.0
  • Assists: 1.2
  • Steals: 1.1
  • Blocks: 0.6
  • Field goal: 46%
  • 3-point field goal: 41.6%
  • Free throw: 76.9%

Dennis Schroder 2025-26 regular-season stats

Here are Schroder's average statistics so far though the 2025-26 regular-season.

  • Games played: 40
  • Minutes: 19.2
  • Points: 12.8
  • Rebounds: 3.1
  • Assists: 5.3
  • Steals: 0.8
  • Blocks: 0.2
  • Field goal: 40.8%
  • 3-point field goal: 34.3%
  • Free throw: 82%

Dennis Schroder career stats

Here are Schroder's career average statistics so far though his 12-year NBA career:

  • Games played: 882
  • Minutes: 27.3
  • Points: 13.9
  • Rebounds: 2.9
  • Assists: 4.9
  • Steals: 0.8
  • Blocks: 0.1
  • Field goal: 43.1%
  • 3-point field goal: 34.2%
  • Free throw: 83.5%

De'Andre Hunter 2025-26 regular-season stats

Here are Hunter's average statistics so far though the 2025-26 regular-season.

  • Games played: 43
  • Minutes: 26.2
  • Points: 14.0
  • Rebounds: 4.2
  • Assists: 2.1
  • Steals: 0.7
  • Blocks: 0.1
  • Field goal: 42.3%
  • 3-point field goal: 30.8%
  • Free throw: 86.9%

De'Andre Hunter career stats

Here are Hunter's career average statistics so far though his seven-year NBA tenure.

  • Games played: 370
  • Minutes: 29.6
  • Points: 14.7
  • Rebounds: 4.1
  • Assists: 1.6
  • Steals: 0.7
  • Blocks: 0.3
  • Field goal: 44.8%
  • 3-point field goal: 36.5%
  • Free throw: 82.5%

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cavaliers-Kings trade details, what we know about De'Andre Hunter deal

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Hornets extend win streak to 6 games, hold off Spurs 111-106

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Brandon Miller scored 26 points, Collin Sexton made all five 3-point attempts off the bench and finished with 21 points and the Charlotte Hornets held on to beat the San Antonio Spurs 111-106 on Saturday to extend their winning streak to six games.

LaMelo Ball 16 points, eight rebounds and eight assists to help give the Hornets their longest win streak in nearly a decade. Charlotte won seven straight games in March 2016.

Dylan Harper scored 20 points to lead the Spurs. Victor Wembanyama was held in check for most of the game, finishing with 16 points on 6-of-15 shooting and eight rebounds.

Charlotte’s 17-point lead in the third quarter disintegrated after Harrison Barnes hit back-to-back 3s and the Spurs turned a Sexton turnover into a De’Aaron Fox layup to cut the lead to two with less than five minutes to play.

But the Spurs could never regain the lead.

With 36 seconds left and Charlotte leading by three, officials initially whistled Fox for a foul on a Miller 3-point attempt. But after reviewing the call, it was overturned and resulted in a jump ball, which the 7-foot-4 Wembanyama easily won.

Wembanyama launched a hurried a 3-point shot moments later and the Hornets snagged the rebound. Down 3, the Spurs inexplicably allowed 15 seconds to elapse before fouling Miller, who made both free throws with 10.6 seconds left to seal the game.

PACERS 129, HAWKS 124

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Andrew Nembhard scored 26 points, Pascal Siakam added 25 and Indiana held off Atlanta.

Indiana nursed a single-digit lead for much of the third quarter and led 103-100 entering the fourth. It was tight the rest of the way before Siakam hit a crucial 12-foot jumper with 18.6 seconds remaining to push the Pacers ahead 127-123.

Aaron Nesmith added 23 points, Nembhard had 10 assists and Siakam shot 11 of 15 from the field. The Pacers won despite 23 turnovers.

Atlanta dropped its second straight game despite Jalen Johnson’s eighth triple-double of the season. The forward finished with 33 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 21 points.

The Pacers have won seven of their past 12 games, enjoying a solid stretch of basketball after starting the season with a 6-31 record. Indiana has played all year without star guard Tyrese Haliburton, who tore his right Achilles tendon in Game 7 of the NBA Finals last season.

Indiana jumped to an 80-73 lead by halftime, spurred by a 45-point second quarter. Johnson led the Hawks with 21 points before the break while Nembhard also had 21 for the Pacers.

76ERS 124, PELICANS 114

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid had 40 points and 11 rebounds to help Philadelphia win hours after Paul George was suspended 25 games for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy, beating New Orleans.

The NBA did not disclose the nature of the violation or the substance that was involved, and George released a statement to ESPN saying he took something that was “improper.”

Without George, the 76ers couldn’t shake the 13-win Pelicans until the final minutes.

Tyrese Maxey scored 18 points and hit one of his four 3-pointers that gave the Sixers a 117-111 lead and Embiid and VJ Edgecombe followed with consecutive 3s for the 123-113 lead.

Embiid heard “M-V-P! M-V-P!” chants as he stepped to the free-throw line with 11.3 seconds left. He sank his first one to hit the 40-point mark.

Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 19 points and the 76ers hit 17 3-pointers to end the night on a high note after they learned they would have to make a playoff push largely without George.

Saddiq Bey led the Pelicans with 34 points and Zion Williamson had 11.

TIMBERWOLVES 131, GRIZZLIES 114

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Anthony Edwards scored 33 points, Julius Randle added 27 points and seven assists, and Minnesota won its fourth straight, beating Memphis.

Minnesota’s winning streak was punctuated by a wire-to-wire victory over the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night. All four wins have been by double-digits.

Naz Reid and Jaden McDaniels had 20 points apiece for the Timberwolves, Reid adding nine rebounds. Rudy Gobert grabbed 16 boards and added a pair of blocks.

Ty Jerome, playing in his first game of the season after recovering from a right calf strain, led Memphis with 20 points and six assists but could not prevent the Grizzlies from losing their sixth straight.

GG Jackson added 19 points and Jaylen Wells had 15.

BULLS 125, HEAT 118

MIAMI (AP) — Ayo Dosunmu scored a season-high 29 points and short-handed Chicago topped Miami.

Dosunmu added nine assists and eight rebounds. Matas Buzelis scored 21 points and Isaac Okoro added 20 for the Bulls, who hit 20 3-pointers.

Pelle Larsson scored 22 and Bam Adebayo had 15 of his 21 in the fourth quarter for Miami, which tied the game four times in the final 3:37 but didn’t reclaim the lead in any of those instances. Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 20 for Miami.

The teams play again in Miami on Sunday. It’ll be the first time since Baltimore and Houston in 1972 that two NBA teams play three consecutive games in the same regular season against one another; the Heat won at Chicago in a rescheduled game on Thursday night.

ROCKETS 111, MAVERICKS 107

HOUSTON (AP) — Amen Thompson had 21 points, nine assists and eight rebounds to lead Houston to a victory over Dallas.

An alley-oop dunk by Thompson put Houston up four with under two minutes left before the Mavericks scored the next four points, with baskets from rookie Cooper Flagg and Naji Marshall, to tie it about a minute later.

Alperen Sengun’s layup put Houston on top with 28.6 seconds left before Flagg missed a shot in the lane on the other end. The Rockets grabbed the rebound and a dunk by Tari Eason made it 111-107 with 14.4 seconds remaining.

A 3-point attempt by Flagg bounced off the rim after that to end it.

Flagg led the Mavericks with 34 points and 12 rebounds a game after the 19-year-old set the NBA record for points by a teenager with 49 in a loss to Charlotte on Thursday night. Saturday was the fifth game this season with at least 30 points for the No. 1 pick in last year’s draft.

Jabari Smith Jr. added 19 points for the Rockets and Sengun had 14 points and 14 rebounds.

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No. 14 Kansas beats No. 13 BYU 90-82 in 1,000th game at Allen Fieldhouse

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Darryn Peterson scored 18 points in 20 minutes and No. 14 Kansas beat No. 13 BYU 90-82 on Saturday in the 1,000th game played at historic Allen Fieldhouse.

Bryson Tiller had career-high 21 points and seven rebounds for Kansas (16-5, 6-2 Big 12).

Although the Jayhawks led by as many as 21 points, BYU stayed within striking distance in the second half, cutting the lead to six as the clock ticked under two minutes to go. Kansas outscored the Cougars 8-4 in the final minute to withstand the late rally.

Richie Saunders scored a career-high 33 for BYU (17-4, 5-3). His six three-pointers tied a career-high.

Kansas carried a 20-point lead into halftime, shooting 64.3% from the field. That included 18 points from Peterson and the Jayhawks made 9 of 12 from beyond the arc.

BYU freshman AJ Dybantsa, who entered the game averaging a nation-leading 23.6 points, went without a shot until the 11:24 mark in the first half. Dybantsa scored his first basket with 7:22 left in the period, ending a 13-0 run by the Jayhawks with a 3-pointer. He finished with 17 points.

NO. 1 ARIZONA 87, ARIZONA ST. 74

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Koa Peat scored 21 points, fellow freshman Brayden Burries added 17 and Arizona beat rival Arizona State, setting a school record with 22 straight wins to start the season.

Arizona (22-0, 9-0 Big 12) is one of just two unbeaten teams in the nation, along with Miami (Ohio). The Wildcats’ winning streak also tied the Big 12 record to start a season, originally set by Kansas in 1996-97.

The Wildcats — who shot 60% in the second half — scored the first six points after the break to take a 44-38 lead and never trailed again. Burries found Peat on a pinpoint full-court pass that led to a dunk for a 56-47 lead with 13:10 left.

The gritty Sun Devils cut into the deficit several times, but could never quite generate enough offense to keep pace. Noah Meeusen scored 16 points while Maurice Odum added 15.

Arizona State (11-11, 2-7) has dropped nine of its last 11 games.

NO. 2 UCONN 85, CREIGHTON 58

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Braylon Mullins scored 16 points and Alex Karaban and Silas Demary Jr. had 15 apiece to lead UConn in a rout of Creighton.

The Huskies (21-1, 11-0 Big East) won their 17th straight game and posted their biggest winning margin in a conference road game in two years.

Creighton (12-10, 6-5) has dropped two straight games by a total of 51 points. The 27-point loss to the Huskies matched the most lopsided at home in coach Greg McDermott’s 16 seasons at Creighton, according to Sportradar.

The Huskies had won five of their previous six games by six points or less, but this turned into a blowout after Creighton went into an offensive lull late in the first half and never recovered. The Huskies shot 54.1% from the field, their best mark in a Big East game this season, and turned 13 offensive rebounds into 23 points. They were 16 of 31 from 3-point range (52%).

NO. 4 DUKE 72, VIRGINIA TECH 58

BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) — Cameron Boozer scored 24 points to lead Duke to a victory over for its ninth straight win.

Boozer, coming off a 19-point effort in the Blue Devils’ 83-52 victory over No. 20 Louisville on Monday, connected on 9 of 12 from the floor, grabbed eight rebounds and had five assists for Duke (20-1, 9-0 Atlantic Coast Conference), which moved to 7-0 in true road games this season.

Duke has won 31 of its past 32 games against ACC opponents.

Amani Hansberry paced Virginia Tech (16-7, 5-5) with 20 points.

Duke never trailed and led by as many as 13 in the second half before the Hokies rallied. Desperately seeking a Quad 1 victory in hopes of bolstering its NCAA Tournament hopes — the Hokies have just one all season — Virginia Tech cut the Duke lead to 62-56 on a jumper by Jailen Bedford with 6:10 remaining.

NO. 6 GONZAGA 73, SAINT MARY'S 65

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Graham Ike scored 30 points in his first game back from injury and Gonzaga beat rival Saint Mary’s in their final West Coast Conference meeting at McCarthey Athletic Center.

Jalen Warley had 10 points and seven rebounds as the Bulldogs (22-1, 10-0) won their 15th straight game and improved to 11-0 at home. Emmanuel Innocenti also scored 10, all during a three-minute stretch in the second half.

Joshua Dent led the Gaels (19-4, 8-2) with 16 points. Paulius Murauskas scored 15 and Dillan Shaw added 13 for Saint Mary’s, which led by four at halftime.

Ike picked up where he left off after missing three games with right ankle soreness. The fifth-year forward scored Gonzaga’s first basket on a left-handed push shot before knocking down a 3-pointer from the top of the key to give the Bulldogs a 9-2 lead.

NO. 10 HOUSTON 76, CINCINNATI 54

HOUSTON (AP) — Milos Uzan had 16 points and Houston won its 38th straight game over an unranked opponent with a victory against Cincinnati.

Emanuel Sharp, Chris Cenac Jr. and Isiah Harwell each scored 13 for the Cougars (19-2, 7-1 Big 12).

Cenac scored all of his points in the first half on 5-of-7 shooting as the Cougars built a 32-20 lead at the half.

Houston won its 16th straight home game and its 14th straight over the Bearcats (11-11, 3-6).

Houston shot 46% and 9 of 26 on 3-pointers. It forced 19 turnovers and converted them into 26 points.

UCF 88, NO. 11 TEXAS TECH 80

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Themus Fulks scored 21 points, including a jumper with a minute to play to key a late run that led UCF to a win over Texas Tech.

The win marked UCF’s third straight conference win, the first time they have done that since joining the Big 12 three years ago.

The Knights led for all but 1:20 of the game, but were clinging to a two-point advantage with 1:30 to play after Fulks turned the ball over. But Jaylen Petty fumbled the outlet pass after the steal, and UCF (17-4, 6-3 Big 12) recovered to set up Fulks’ jumper to go up by two possessions.

The Red Raiders (16-5, 6-2) missed many opportunities to close the gap as the Knights outworked them in the paint throughout the game.

J.T. Toppin scored 27 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, his 13th double-double this season and his 10th in the last 12 games, to lead Texas Tech.

But the Knights dominated the interior, outrebounding the Red Raiders 35-23. UCF outscored Texas Tech 21-4 on second-chance points.

KENTUCKY 85, NO. 15 ARKANSAS 77

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Otega Oweh led four Kentucky players in double figures with 24 points to help the Wildcats to a win over Arkansas in a game that featured six technical fouls.

Oweh, who picked up the first technical foul in the first half, scored 11 points in the final 10 minutes to put Arkansas away as Kentucky closed the game on a 26-18 run. Collin Chandler added 13 for the Wildcats while Malachi Moreno scored 11 and and Denzel Aberdeen added 10.

It was 63-all with 8:07 left when Arkansas’ Malique Ewin was whistled for a technical foul following a personal foul. Kentucky made 5 of 6 from the free-throw line before Moreno threw down a dunk 43 seconds later and the Wildcats led the rest of the way.

Kentucky (15-7, 6-3 SEC) committed four technical fouls before that, including three in a span of 38 seconds early in the the second half. Arkansas, which trailed by seven at halftime, took its first lead of the game following the last technical when Billy Richmond’s dunk made the score 52-51.

Darius Acuff Jr. led Arkansas (16-6, 6-3) with 22 points, 17 in the second half, and was one of five Razorbacks players in double figures. But Arkansas shot just 3 of 14 from 3-point range and 16 of 26 from the free-throw line.

NO. 16 NORTH CAROLINA 91, GEORGIA TECH 75

ATLANTA (AP) — Caleb Wilson dominated in the return to his hometown, scoring 22 points as North Carolina cruised past Georgia Tech for a victory.

The 6-foot-10 Atlanta native set a school record by scoring 20 points for the 15th time as a freshman. He had been tied with Tyler Hansbrough, who had 14 games with 20 points for the Tar Heels in 2005-06.

Wilson set another school record by reaching double-figure points in the first 21 games of his college career. He broke a tie with Rashad McCants, who had at least 10 points in his first 20 games in 2002-03.

With a light snow falling outside McCamish Pavilion, Henri Veesaar gave North Carolina (17-4, 5-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) a devastating 1-2 punch on the inside with 20 points and 12 rebounds.

The Tar Heels won their third in a row, with Wilson adding three more dunks to what was already his nation-leading total of 62.

NO. 17 VIRGINIA TECH 73, BOSTON COLLEGE 66

BOSTON (AP) — Thijs De Ridder scored 17 points, Malik Thomas had 14 and 17 Virginia held off Boston College.

Chance Mallory added 11 points for the Cavaliers (18-3, 7-2 Atlantic Coast Conference).

Donald Hand Jr., son of former Cavaliers’ star Donald Hand (1998-01), led the Eagles (9-12, 2-6) with 20 points. Fred Payne added 17 points for the Eagles.

Getting to the basket relatively easily most of the game, Virginia took its first lead of the game, 41-38, on Sam Lewis’ three-point play 4½ minutes into the second half.

The Cavaliers pushed their advantage to seven a few minutes later on Thomas’ twisting layup when he was in a stretch of scoring eight of their 11 points.

NO. 18 VANDERBILT 71, MISSISSIPPI 68

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tyler Tanner scored 24 points and Vanderbilt survived a late scare to beat Mississippi at Memorial Gymnasium.

The game was originally scheduled to be played in Oxford, Mississippi, but due to severe winter weather this week, the university has closed its campus until Feb. 8. Ole Miss and Vanderbilt switched home games, with the Commodores now traveling to Oxford on March 4.

Vanderbilt (19-3, 6-3 Southeastern) was still without its second-leading scorer, Duke Miles, but once again got a massive lift by Tanner, who is averaging 17.5 points a game this season.

AK Okereke broke into double figures with 17 points, making 11 of 13 free throws.

Malik Dia and AJ Storr each had 16 points for Ole Miss (11-10, 3-5).

NO. 20 LOUISVILLE 88, SMU 74

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Mikel Brown Jr. scored 20 points off the bench, Isaac McKneely added 14 and Louisville used a 10-0 second-half run to rally past SMU 88-74.

The Cardinals (15-6, 5-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) overcame a cold start and 47-44 halftime deficit to take their first lead at 55-53 on Kobe Rodgers’ transition layup with 14:37 remaining. SMU eventually went ahead 62-61, but Aly Khalifa (eight points) scored five during their pivotal spurt and Louisville steadily stretched the lead to bounce back from Monday night’s 83-52 rout at No. 4 Duke.

Mustangs guard Boopie Miller, the ACC’s No. 4 scorer, had 20 points for his 28th consecutive double-digit scoring game. SMU (15-6, 4-4) entered the game with the league’s top offense (87.3 points per game) and had won its past two.

Louisville entered averaging 86 points and reached that mark behind 52% shooting after halftime and 49% overall. The Cardinals’ bench provided the biggest boost, dominating the Mustangs 47-5 while holding them to 37% shooting in the second half.

NO. 22 CLEMSON 63, PITTSBURGH 52

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Carter Welling and Nick Davidson scored 12 points each and Clemson used a big first-half run to take control on the way to its 15th straight win over Pittsburgh.

Welling and Davidson combined for 17 second-half points for the Tigers (18-4, 8-1 Atlantic Coast Conference), who opened a 17-point lead at halftime and gave Clemson coach Brad Brownell his 200th home win over 16 seasons.

The Panthers (9-13, 2-7) used a 14-4 run at the start of the second half to get the lead into single digits. But RJ Godfrey had two inside baskets and Welling scored six straight points to restore Clemson’s large lead.

Pitt has struggled during ACC play. It had hoped to carry momentum from an overtime win against Wake Forest earlier this week into Clemson.

But the Tigers’ defense kicked in midway through the opening half as they went on a 26-9 run over a 13-minute span to take control. Efrem “Butta” Johnson had two of Clemson’s five threes during that surge while the Panthers shot just shot 21% and were 2-of-18 from behind the arc the first 20 minutes.

NO. 24 MIAMI (OHIO) 85, NORTHERN ILLINOIS 61

OXFORD, Ohio (AP) — Brant Byers scored 21 points and Miami (Ohio) set a Mid-American Conference record with its 22nd straight win, pulling away in the second half for a victory over Northern Illinois.

The RedHawks (22-0, 10-0) surpassed the 2001-02 Kent State squad for the longest winning streak in conference history.

Miami and Arizona remain the lone unbeaten teams in Division I.

Miami has also won 28 straight games at Millett Hall for Division I’s longest home winning streak.

Peter Suder added 19 points and Antwone Woolfolk had 14 points and 12 rebounds for his second double-double of the season.

Gianni Cobb and Taj Walters paced Northern Illinois (7-14, 3-7) with 17 points apiece. The Huskies have dropped three of their last four.

The RedHawks came into the game leading the nation in field-goal percentage (53.7%) and third in 3-point percentage (40.9%), but had an off night shooting. They were 31 of 64 from the field and only 7 of 28 from beyond the arc.

Where Miami was able to win the game was on defense. It forced 17 turnovers, which led to 22 points.

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Purple Row After Dark: Was trading Angel Chivilli the right move?

DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER 2: Colorado Rockies pitcher Angel Chivilli (57) pitches in the sixth inning during a game between the San Francisco Giants and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on September 2, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Last week, the Colorado Rockies traded RHP Angel Chivilli to the New York Yankees for first base prospect T.J. Rumsfeld.

Later that day, president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta said of the move,

I wouldn’t say we necessarily wanted to [trade Chivilli], because he obviously has a terrific arm, he’s still very young, he did miss a lot of bats. I think there are a lot of things about Angel that are really attractive. We weren’t anxious to move him, but we did feel like our bullpen is a real area of depth, and there have been clubs asking about a number of our bullpen arms throughout the course of the last couple months. And ultimately, this was a deal that seemed to fit and seemed to come together for us. It wasn’t a situation where we were looking to move him by any stretch, there was just enough interest, and I found a deal that ultimately made sense. But we were dealing from an area of strength where we could then bolster our position player club going forward.

Alexander Wilson of Empire Sports media wrote positively about the potential of the move, referring to Chivilli’s arm as “a high-risk stick of dynamite,” concluding, “I’ll take the dynamite.”

So, Purple Row night owls, here’s the evening’s question: Was trading Chivilli the right move, or should the Rockies have kept him as a reclamation project and moved a different reliever?

Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!

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Canucks Wrap Up Homestand With 3-2 Shootout Loss To The Maple Leafs

The Vancouver Canucks wrapped up their eight-game homestand on Saturday with a 3-2 shootout loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Both goals were scored by rookies as Jonathan Lekkerimäki and Tom Willander found the back of the net. As for Nikita Tolopilo, he had a strong game in net, stopping 39 of the 41 shots he faced. 

In the end, Vancouver was lucky that this game made it to overtime and eventually a shootout. The Canucks were outshot 18-5 in the third, with Tolopilo being the main reason the game finished regulation 2-2. Post-game, Head Coach Adam Foote was asked about what happened in the third period and why his club was unable to generate shots on goal. 

"Well, we played against a desperate team," said Foote. "They're going for it. They were pinching on us. It seemed like a few board battles, we didn't get pucks out that we should have gotten out. That's what happens when you play a team as desperate as they are."

As for Tolopilo, he was the story of the night. He came up clutch for the team in regulation and even stopped Auston Matthews in overtime on a penalty shot. Post-game, center Elias Pettersson said, "Yeah, he's really good for us. Keeping us in the game, all game long.

Another storyline from this game was the ice time of Lekkerimäki. Despite scoring, the 21-year-old did not play the final nine minutes of regulation or overtime. Post-game, Foote explained why the coaching staff decided to sit Lekkerimäki with the game tied late. 

"It's more of the defensive side," said Foote. "He's getting there for sure. The more time he's with us, the more he will know certain things, and the trust will be there. It's just slight movements defensively. It's just being young. It's not even a mistake. The longer he is here. He's a smart guy. He'll get that pretty quick. 

Lastly, one skater who had a strong game overall was Willander. He scored his sixth of the season and played 16 minutes. Post-game, Willander spoke about the performance and what has changed over the past few games. 

"I think actually over the last two games, starting last game, our defensive play has been a lot more solid," said Willander. "And I think we're finding our system a little bit better. We kind of talked through that a lot, and we're starting to find exactly what we're supposed to do in different situations. And I feel like we go better together defending as a five instead of more of man-to-man, so I think it's going the right way."

Jan 31, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tom Willander (5) and forward Elias Pettersson (40) battle with Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander (88) and goalie Joseph Woll (60) in the third period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Jan 31, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tom Willander (5) and forward Elias Pettersson (40) battle with Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander (88) and goalie Joseph Woll (60) in the third period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images

Ultimately, this was not a great performance, but thanks to Tolopilo, it resulted in Vancouver picking up a point. As for the atmosphere, it was great as Canucks and Maple Leafs fans launched duelling chants throughout the game. In the end, though, this homestand can be considered a success from a tank perspective as the team only picked up five of a possible 16 points. 

Stats and Facts:

- Elias Pettersson records his 80th blocked shot of the season

- Vancouver ends its eight-game homestand with a record of 2-5-1

- David Kämpf went 15 for 21 in the faceoff dot

- Nikita Tolopilo is the sixth rookie in franchise history to stop a penalty shot

Scoring Summary:

1st Period:

No Scoring

2nd Period:

1:55- VAN: Jonathan Lekkerimäki (2) from Liam Öhgren and Pierre-Olivier Joseph
13:34- TOR: Nicolas Roy (5) from Nicholas Robertson and Oliver Ekman-Larsson
14:45- VAN: Tom Willander (4) from Evander Kane and Elias Pettersson

3rd Period:

2:26- TOR: Max Domi (9) from Auston Matthews

Overtime:

No Scoring

Shootout:

TOR: William Nylander

Up Next:

The Canucks hit the road for two straight, starting on Monday against the Utah Mammoth. Vancouver has already faced Utah once this season, which resulted in a 4-1 loss to the Mammoth. Game time is set for 6:30 pm PT. 

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Ullmark wins in return from leave of absence, Senators beat Devils 4-1

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Linus Ullmark made 26 saves in his first start for Ottawa since taking a leave of absence Dec. 28, Brady Tkachuk had a goal and two assists and the Senators beat the New Jersey Devils 4-1 on Saturday night.

Tim Stutzle had a goal and an assist, and Dylan Cozens scored his 100th NHL goal for Ottawa. The Senators have won three in a row.

Timo Meier scored, and Jake Allen made 30 saves for New Jersey. The Devils have lost three of four.

The Devils were without Jack Hughes. He's out day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Up next

Devils: Host Columbus on Tuesday night.

Senators: At Pittsburgh on Monday night

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

Retired NFL quarterback Eli Manning was at the Senators game and presented a fan a gift certificate for best quarterback celebration as part of an in-game promotion.

KEY STAT

Cozens’ power-play goal was his 100th career goal.

UP NEXT

Devils: Host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday.

Senators: Visit the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 31, 2026.

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Cavaliers coach receives hefty fine for interaction with NBA official

Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson has been fined for an aggressive interaction with an official during a game against the Phoenix Suns on Jan. 30. 

James Jones, who serves as the NBA’s Executive Vice President/Head of Basketball Operations, announced that Atkinson was fined $50,000 for "aggressively pursuing, berating and making inadvertent contact" with a referee.

Atkinson was assessed his second technical foul of the game and was ejected with 10:59 left in the fourth quarter of Friday night's contest. The Suns went on to beat the Cavaliers 126-113, the loss snapping Cleveland's five-game winning streak.

Atkinson was upset about a no-call on Suns guard Collin Gillespie, who was aggressively defended by Cavaliers guard Sam Merrill.

When do Cavaliers play next?

The Cleveland Cavaliers will play the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday, Feb. 1, at 9 p.m. ET.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson fined for interaction with NBA official

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Florida Can't Hold Late Lead In 2-1 Loss To Winnipeg On Home Ice

The Florida Panthers came up short on Saturday in the first of a three-game homestand.

Playing just their third game in Sunrise over the past several weeks, Florida took a lead into the third period only to lose 2-1 to the Winnipeg Jets at Amerant Bank Arena.

Despite skating without key forwards Brad Marchand (undisclosed) and Anton Lundell (upper-body), Florida played a strong game during the opening periods and took an earned lead into the late stages of the contest.

That lead was off a snipe by young forward Eetu Luostarien that came moments after Florida came off the power play.

As Jets’ defenseman Logan Stanley was sprinting out of the penalty box after serving a two-minute minor for cross-checking Florida forward Mackie Samoskevich, Evan Rodrigues corralled the puck at the blue line and fed an open Eetu in the right circle.

It didn’t take long for Luostarinen to wind up and fire a laser of a wrist shot past a screened Jets’ goalie Eric Comrie’s glove and into the net at the 14:40 mark of the first period.

Florida held onto that lead into the third period, and it wasn’t until nearly the halfway point of that final frame that Winnipeg finally was able to light the lamp.

After Gabe Vilardi made a couple nice moves to get to the Cats’ net, a streaking Cole Perfetti found a rebound and beat Sergei Borbovsky to knot the score at one at the 8:34 mark of the third period.

That’s how the score would remain until there was just 4:14 on the clock.

On what appeared to be a harmless zone entry, Winnipeg made a couple quick passes to completely bewilder the Panthers and take a 2-1 lead in the game’s final minutes.

It was a great passing sequence, with Gus Nyquist finding Kyle Connor entering the zone and then Connor going to the back of the crease where Mark Scheifele was waiting to slam home what proved to be the game-winning goal.

On to the Sabres.

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Photo caption: Jan 31, 2026; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Winnipeg Jets center Cole Perfetti (91) scores against Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

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Maple Leafs beat Canucks 3-2 in shootout to end 6-game losing streak

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Auston Matthews and William Nylander scored in a shootout and the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 on Saturday night to end a six-game losing streak.

Matthews had a chance to win it in overtime when he was awarded a penalty shot after Conor Garland was called for hooking, but goaltender Nikita Tolopilo made the save.

Nicolas Roy and Max Domi scored for Toronto, and Joseph Woll made 28 saves.

Jonathan Lekkerimaki and Tom Willander scored for Vancouver. The Canucks have two wins in their last 17 games.

Domi tied it early in the third with a shot that hit Tolopilo’s shoulder then rolled over his back into the net.

Tolopilo stopped 39 shots.

Up next

Maple Leafs: At Calgary on Monday night.

Canucks: At Utah on Monday night.

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Predators 4, Islanders 3: Nothing gained

Give the man some help. | Getty Images

The Islanders lost a frustrating game in regulation to the Nashville Predators, one they didn’t really deserve anything from, though the circumstances were still frustrating.

They blew an early 2-0 lead after looking pretty good in the first 10 minutes of the game, then were completely discombobulated the rest of the way, relying on Ilya Sorokin to keep them in it. Even with that, they also lost a 3-2 lead, had a goal overturned (and their coach’s challenge denied) for goalie interference on Anthony Duclair outside the crease, and gave up the game winner with just 1:14 left to play while the teams were at 4-on-4 following another head-scratching official’s ruling.

All that said, they’d have been lucky to get one point from this game and the 4-3 loss was warranted. You could argue they should’ve lost by much more — the Predators had a UBS record 22 shots in the second period alone — if only to make crystal clear they can’t get away with playing like this against non-Rangers-level foes.

[NHL Gamecenter | Game Summary | Event Summary | Natural Stat Trick]

To think, it all started out like it might be a fun night. Mathew Barzal and Anthony Duclair were buzzing on their first shift and got the Isles on the board at 1:29 as Barzal batted a bouncing puck in at the back door.

Matthew Schaefer double the lead four minutes later when Ryan Pulock handled a difficult pass from Barzal but stumbled with it just long enough to draw the opposite side winger toward him. That left Schaefer wide open for a feed, and the 18-year-0ld drove down the left wing faceoff circle and picked his spot on Juuse Saros for his 15th(!) goal.

But the lead didn’t last, and once again the Isles special teams could not reverse the tide. Nashville got on the board at the midway point just six seconds after Adam Pelech went into the box for tripping, and the Preds added a tying goal three minutes later. As the Predators continued to push, the Isles looked lucky to escape the period tied.

Even moreso in the second, when J-G Pageau got them a brief lead scoring against the flow of play. He drove the slot and made a pass attempt for Anders Lee, who had fed him first. The pass was blocked, but it still sent all of the Predators, including Saros, the wrong way while Pageau picked up the rebound and slid it in.

Filip Forsberg tied it at 3-3 seven minutes later, and miraculously that was how things would stay until Roman Josi’s late dagger.

The Goalie Interference(?)

Patrick Roy, the veteran of 19 NHL sesons and 1,029 games, clearly doesn’t understand what counts a goalie interference in this league…and neither does anyone else. The officials aggressively called this one off rather than waiting for a Nashville challenge (Saros’ dramatic glove toss may have helped), so it was left for the Isles to challenge and note some things that we have heard are important: 1) Duclair wasn’t in the crease, 2) Saros initiated contact, with his teammate helping keep Duclair there, 3) Not even sure if that contact was what prevented Saros — who seemed more intent in coming out to push Duclair — from making a play on a shot from the other side.

But whatever. I’m kind of glad it happened in a game the Isles seemed intent to lose anyway. You can argue from the scoreboard that it cost them the game, but they still killed the ensuing penalty off and they were sabotaging themselves throughout, they would’ve still found a way to lose.

This and That

  • With the Isles under a barrage and unable to connect passes, Roy had his line blender out and was trying all kinds of combos. Nothing seemed to right the ship.
  • Casey Cizikas did return to the lineup but Max Shabanov stayed in, replacing Jonathan Drouin who was officially listed as sick.
  • Is there any more pure joy on Bossy’s green earth than 18-year-old Matthew Schaefer celebrating a goal?

Up Next

Can’t help thinking this one was a costly loss. Nashville is beatable, while the Penguins, Capitals, Blue Jackets and Canadiens all won tonight.

The Isles’ remaining schedule includes the back-to-back of Monday night in Washington and Tuesday back home vs. the Penguins, before they finish the pre-Olympic stretch Thursday in New Jersey.