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Premier League: 10 talking points from the weekend’s football

Arsenal feel effects of defensive injuries, Liverpool rue Konaté’s mistakes and Brentford struggle on the road

When the team sheets landed at Villa Park, Arsenal’s matchday squad again appeared imperious. Their bench included a £64m striker in Viktor Gyökeres, a trio of tricky wingers in Leandro Trossard, Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli and arguably England’s most exciting teenagers in Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri. But Arsenal arrived top-heavy, the only centre-back among the substitutes the 16-year-old Marli Salmon. By the time Emiliano Buendía clinched victory for Aston Villa with almost the final kick, it was clear Arsenal lacked the defensive solidity behind their pace-setting start; this defeat was only the fourth time since the start of 2022-23 that Mikel Arteta’s side began a league game without Gabriel Magalhães or William Saliba – and it showed. Cristhian Mosquera, potentially sidelined until the new year, was also absent. The good news for all parties – which probably extends to second-placed Manchester City – is that Arsenal and Villa will duke it out again on 30 December in the reverse fixture. Ben Fisher

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Mike Sullivan Is ‘Disappointed For The Players’ After Rangers' Overtime Loss To Golden Knights

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

It was another overtime heartbreaker for the New York Rangers on Sunday night in their 3-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. 

Going into this matchup, the Rangers were coming off a 3-2 overtime loss to the Colorado Avalanche, where they were happy with how they played and competed against the NHL’s best team. 

That same effort level and momentum did not translate into the first period against Vegas, as the Blueshirts came out lackadaisical, giving up a goal less than one minute into the contest, while being bombarded with pressure from the Golden Knights. 

“We clearly didn't have our legs or energy in the first,” Mike Sullivan said. 

The Rangers flipped the script in the second period. The offensive charge was led by the line of Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, and Alexis Lafrenière. 

While J.T. Miller, Vincent Trocheck, and Conor Sheary have taken the shutdown-defensive role, it has been Panarin, Zibanejad, and Lafrenière who have transformed into the Rangers’ most dangerous offensive trio. 

Goals from Zibanejad and Lafrenière in the middle frame gave the Rangers a 2-1 lead and newfound momentum. 

Lafrenière had two points on the night and his play caught the eye of Sullivan. 

“I thought it was one of his better games that he had all season for us, and that is what he’s capable of,” Sullivan said of Lafrenière. “I thought he was strong on pucks. He was hanging on pucks in the offensive zone. The goal he got was a goal scorer's goal. It was more than just that. 

“I thought he was around the net. He was winning puck battles. He was in the battle areas. He was challenging people by hanging on pucks, and that's what he's capable of. He's a real good 1-on-1 player, and we've been trying to encourage him to challenge people  down under the hash marks, and force people to have to take the puck away from him, because he's big and strong, and he's got a lot of really good puck skills. I thought tonight was one of his better nights.” 

The Rangers did a good job of maintaining their narrow lead up until disaster struck in the third period when offsetting roughing penalties to Will Borgen and Brett Howden gave the Golden Knights a 5-on-4 advantage once they pulled their goalie, ultimately leading a Tmomas Hertl goal with 51.3 seconds remaining. 

“There's a big difference between a 6-on-5 and 5-on-4 and trying to defend it. It had a huge implication,” Sullivan emphasized. “We got to do a better job, obviously, in that situation, and kill it off.”

Vegas scored another last-second goal in overtime with about eight seconds remaining from Jack Eichel, as the Rangers came away with just one point instead of two. 

“I'm disappointed for the players, for the guys because I thought we competed hard,” Sullivan said. “I thought we've had a pretty hard week against some of the best teams in the league, and these guys are competing. They're competing extremely hard. I think we put a game on the ice that I think the guys should be proud of. I'm disappointed for them.”

Rangers Remain Upbeat After Encouraging Performance Against Avalanche In Losing Effort Rangers Remain Upbeat After Encouraging Performance Against Avalanche In Losing Effort While the New York <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers">Rangers</a> didn’t come away with two points in their 3-2 overtime loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday afternoon, there’s a lot to be encouraged about from a Blueshirts perspective.

Sullivan is right, the Rangers have had a tough stretch of games this week, playing the Dallas Stars, Ottawa Senators, Avalanche, and Golden Knights.

In that stretch, the Blueshirts came away with 6 out of 8 points, which Sullivan believes is a sign of the growth this team has continued to show. 

"We're moving towards the identity that we're trying to build and the game that we're trying to play,” Sullivan said. “We've just got to continue to stay hungry and continue to work at it. I think, once again, when you play some of the better teams in the league like we have most recently and the guys perform the way they have, I think it provides a lot of evidence, and I think that reinforces belief in what we're doing and how we're going about it, so I think that should help us moving forward.”

The Rangers will be back in action on Wednesday night against the Chicago Blackhawks.

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Former Dodgers, Giants slugger and noted curmudgeon Jeff Kent voted into the Hall of Fame

LOS ANGELES - JULY 1: Jeff Kent #12 of the Los Angeles Dodgers bats during the game.
Jeff Kent of the Dodgers bats against the Arizona Diamondbacks on July 1, 2005, at Dodger Stadium. Kent was voted into the Hall of Fame on Sunday. (Stephen Dunn / Getty Images)

The National Baseball Hall of Fame is peppered with players who finished long, distinguished careers by donning a Dodgers uniform, their performance dwindling as their age increased. Greg Maddux, Rickey Henderson, Juan Marichal and Eddie Murray are among those who leap to mind.

An exception was Jeff Kent, who Sunday received 14 of 16 possible votes by the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee, the only player among eight on the ballot with enough for induction into Cooperstown.

With unmatched power as a second baseman and an unrelenting approach to his craft, Kent was a Dodger for the last four seasons of his 17-year career, solidifying his Hall of Fame credentials statistically while also serving as a curmudgeonly leader on a roster crowded with young stars such as Matt Kemp, Russell Martin, Andre Ethier and James Loney.

"It's a moment of satisfaction of the things I did right in my career, the things I consistently stuck to," he told MLB Network. "The hard work, the gratification of playing the game the right way. I love the game."

The son of a motorcycle police officer and a product of Huntington Beach Edison High, Kent became emotional during a news conference at the 2005 MLB Winter Meetings when it was announced that he'd signed a two-year, $17 million contract with the Dodgers.

"This is the third time I’ve tried to get with the Dodgers,” he said at the time. “I want to be on a team with the potential to win because I’m running out of time. This team has that mentality."

Read more:Fernando Valenzuela falls short of induction into National Baseball Hall of Fame

The Dodgers never won a World Series during Kent's tenure, but he quickly fell into the role of a veteran leader, making himself available to the media after tough losses to shield younger players from the glare.

He said what was on his mind, sometimes to a fault, once suggesting that legendary Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully "talks too much."

Maybe that's why Kent getting the Hall of Fame nod from a list of candidates that included all-time home run leader Barry Bonds, 354-game winner Roger Clemens, 509-home run slugger Gary Sheffield, 1980s stars Don Mattingly and Dale Murphy, and Dodgers icon Fernando Valenzuela was unexpected.

Even Kent was surprised.

"The emotions are overwhelming — unbelievable,” Kent said. “I didn’t even expect it. For me, there were so many quality guys that the committee had to argue through and vote for. I’m grateful that they considered me and gave it a shot at putting me in.”

Read more:Plaschke: Thanks for the ride! 13 moments that defined the Dodgers' 2025 World Series title run

Valenzuela, Bonds, Clemens and Sheffield each had fewer than five votes, meaning they will not be eligible the next time their era is considered in 2031. They can be nominated once more at that time, but will not be eligible for consideration if they again fall short of five votes.

All of the candidates already had been spurned by the Baseball Writers Assn. of America. Seventy-five percent of the votes are necessary for induction, and Kent never received even 50% during his 10 years on the BBWAA ballot that ended in 2023.

"The time had gone by, and you just leave it alone, and I left it alone," Kent said. "I loved the game, and everything I gave to the game I left there on the field. This moment today, over the last few days, I was absolutely unprepared. Emotionally unstable."

Kent was named National League most valuable player in 2000 with the San Francisco Giants, the team with which his career is most associated. He batted a career-best .334 with 33 homers and 125 runs batted in that season and drove in more than 100 runs in each of his six seasons batting behind Bonds.

He said he plans to enter the Hall of Fame wearing a Giants cap.

Read more:How much did they fetch? Dodgers historic homers by Shohei Ohtani, Will Smith and Miguel Rojas sell at auction

"The turning point in my career was with Dusty Baker, the manager I got with in San Francisco," said Kent, who played in college at California. "He motivated me to get the peak performance out of me."

Kent finished with 377 career homers, 351 as a second baseman, the most ever for the position. He also is the only second baseman to collect more than 100 RBIs in eight seasons.

As a Dodger, he hit 75 homers and batted .290 in more than 2,000 plate appearances. His last manager with the Dodgers was Joe Torre, who described Kent's impact on the franchise.

“He’s one of those players whose actions are supposed to make you understand what he thinks,” Torre said. “It’s the old pro thing.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Takeaways: Despite Strong Effort, Penguins Fall To Dallas Stars In Shootout

Heading into their matchup against the Dallas Stars on Sunday, the Pittsburgh Penguins had won five of their last six games and were riding the high of getting two regular players back into their lineup. 

Well, even if forwards Justin Brazeau and Noel Acciari rejoined the mix, the Penguins were down another, as Evgeni Malkin missed the tilt due to a day-to-day upper-body injury. But, despite that, the Penguins put out a respectable effort and deserved the two points. 

And it ultimately wasn't enough. 

The Penguins surrendered a game-tying goal during six-on-five play with less than two minutes remaining in regulation, and they lost to the Stars in the shootout, 3-2. Penguins' goaltender Tristan Jarry stood on his head during the overtime period and against a few high-danger opportunities by the Stars in the first 60 minutes, but unfortunately, the Penguins simply haven't found a way to exercise their demons in the shootout. 

So far this season, the Penguins have yet to win a game in the shootout and have five shootout losses. While those squandered points continue to be a problem - and may or may not catch up to them by season's end - it's hard not to feel good about the Penguins getting five out of six points on this road trip.

That, however, isn't good enough for head coach Dan Muse and the Penguins, who have set high expectations for themselves. 

"I thought with the overall game we played, you want to come out with two points," Muse said. 

Penguins Activate Brazeau & Acciari Off Injured Reserve, Re-Assign Imama To WBSPenguins Activate Brazeau & Acciari Off Injured Reserve, Re-Assign Imama To WBSThe Pittsburgh Penguins made a bunch of roster moves on Sunday.

The first period saw a lot of back-and-forth action with chances at both ends, and the Penguins' fourth line finally broke through within the last two minutes. Acciari made a play to get the puck to Blake Lizotte at the left offensive blue line, and Lizotte fed it to Connor Dewar, who was breaking into the slot. Dewar put it past Jake Oettinger to give the Penguins a 1-0 lead. 

Dallas's Jamie Benn tied it at 1-1 within the first two minutes of the second period, but, from then on, the Penguins - even if they gave up the occasional high-danger chance - were largely the better team. Tommy Novak - who played to the left of Sidney Crosby on the top line - tipped a Kris Letang one-timer from the point in the back half of the middle frame to put the Penguins back up, 2-1, with his sixth point in five games. 

That score held until Dallas decided to pull Oettinger with more than three minutes remaining in regulation - and after an icing call that left a tired Penguins' fourth line on the ice. With just 1:49 remaining, Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen took advantage of that tired unit for his sixth of the season to force overtime. 

And Jarry really shined in the extra frame. He made several ten-bell saves in the overtime period - including one on Jason Robertson during a Dallas two-on-one - and he also stopped the first two shooters in overtime. 

However, Bryan Rust, Crosby, and Kris Letang failed to score in the shootout, and Mikko Rantanen gave the Stars the win on their third shot. 

Here are a few takeaways from this one:

- Let's talk about some of the positives first because there were actually quite a lot from this game. 

I want to start with Novak. He has been playing some really good hockey for a few weeks now, and his lineup versatility makes him valuable to this team. He was effective on the third line with Ben Kindel and Ville Koivunen before playing a few games alongside Malkin and Anthony Mantha - not missing a beat there - and in this one with Crosby and Rust. 

He's going to the danger areas a lot more. He's playing with some energy and helping generate a fair amount of offense on the forecheck. And he's also defensively responsible. 

I was a bit down on him for the first month and a half of the season. I talked to Novak a few weeks ago regarding how he felt about his season so far, and he hesitated to say he was happy with it.

But it's safe to say that he's been one of their best players for the last six games. He's put in the work, and it's paying off.

Penguins Have Answered The Bell After Dan Muse’s First Big ChallengePenguins Have Answered The Bell After Dan Muse’s First Big ChallengeEver since Dan Muse called out his team, the Penguins have responded in a big way.

- They didn't register a point again, but I really like the makeup of this kid third line. They had some good shifts in the offensive zone and were generally successful at bailing themselves out of trouble in the defensive zone. 

I do think Rutger McGroarty still does have some rust to shake off. But Ben Kindel continues to exceed expectations in a full-time third-line center role regarding faceoffs, generating offense, and handling defensive responsbilities. And Ville Koivunen played another solid game and was very, very close to putting the Penguins up 3-1 on a whiffed chance in the third period. 

But I want to see them keep building on their chemistry. And, with Kindel apparently not headed to the World Junior Classic after all, they should have some runway to do just that. 

- I can't say enough about how spectacular Jarry was again Sunday. Although the Penguins played a good game, they still gave up a few good looks, and Jarry shut all but two of them down. 

He's certainly been a revelation during this stretch, and he has played in six of the last seven games. He has a .913 save percentage on the season. 

I know Arturs Silovs has only played in one of the last seven - with the last being Nov. 29, when he was pulled after surrendering four goals on 16 shots against the Toronto Maple Leafs - but it feels like Jarry should get the net again on Tuesday against a good Anaheim Ducks team. Besides, the Penguins have a back-to-back coming up next weekend, and Silovs is probably guaranteed one of those starts. 

Jarry has been that good recently. He's winning the Penguins hockey games, or - at the very least - securing points for them.

- Although everyone on the team played generally well, I didn't think this was one of Sidney Crosby's better games. He seemed a bit off all night with his passing and his reads, and he had a terrible line change in overtime that resulted in the two-on-one with Robertson and Roope Hintz.

Even the best of the best have occasional - very occasional - off-nights. And this was one of them for 87.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Earns Big Win Over Lehigh Valley On FridayWilkes-Barre/Scranton Earns Big Win Over Lehigh Valley On FridayWilkes-Barre/Scranton got a big win over Lehigh Valley on Friday night.

- Shootouts are a very real problem for the Penguins.

Again, five of six on this tough road trip is commendable. But it really felt like they should have come away with six of six. 

Yes, blown leads have been a problem for the Penguins since the onset of November. But this one was almost a bit more understandable given the circumstances of Dallas pulling their goaltender advantageously against a tired line.

At some point, they need to win a shootout. They're 0-4 this season. They've lost their last eight.

And I'm looking right at the shootout lineup. 

Has goaltending been a problem, too? Absolutely. Arturs Silovs has lost three of the shootouts this season, and he's only stopped one shot in them. But goaltending is almost a moot point when your shooters can't score, either.

Crosby is one out of three, which isn't bad. But he dealt with shootout woes last season and converted on just 16.7 percent of attempts. Letang is three for his last 24. Rust is one of four. 

They have to try something - rather, someone - else. Even if you don't take Crosby out of the mix, that's fine. Slow roll it by having Rust, Crosby, and a young player like Koivunen, who is known for his craftiness in shootouts. And if that still doesn't work, you tweak it again. 

The Penguins have practiced shootouts this season. Kindel has won a few. Kevin Hayes is pretty decent. McGroarty - like Koivunen - has also shown a tendency to be nasty in the shootout at the AHL level as well.

If it were me - with Malkin out - I'd roll Rust, Koivunen, and Crosby as the first three and Kindel, McGroarty, and Brazeau as the next. Give the kids a chance. And just keep tweaking it until you find a hot hand. 

At the end of the day, the Penguins can't be married to underperforming veterans in these situations. It could be costing them precious points, so it's something they need to address the very next time a shootout is in the cards.

Evgeni Malkin Out Day-To-DayEvgeni Malkin Out Day-To-DayEven though the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> got a few players back in their lineup for Sunday's game against the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/dallas-stars/">Dallas Stars</a>, they lost a pretty prominent one.

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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Red Wings' Erik Gustafsson Sits Sunday, Rangers Trade Rumors Intensify

The New York Rangers were dealt a significant setback this week as top defenseman Adam Fox was placed on long-term injured reserve with an upper-body injury. The loss leaves a major hole in the lineup, and the team is now exploring ways to reinforce its blue line, particularly on the power play.

Former Ranger Erik Gustafsson has emerged as a leading candidate with multiple reports having the Red Wings defender linked to New York, and Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman noted that the Rangers are searching for a power play quarterback who can step in while Fox recovers. Gustafsson fits the description as a cheap, short-term option who already knows the Rangers system.

Gustafsson played 76 games for New York during the 2023-24 season, finishing with six goals and 25 assists for 31 points. This year, he has been with the Detroit Red Wings AHL affiliate in the Grand Rapids Griffins and has produced 12 assists in 13 games. His absence from the Griffins game on Sunday against the Toronto Marlies has fueled speculation that a trade could be close. The night before, he was the best player on the ice for Grand Rapids and recorded assists on all three of the team’s goals in a 3-2 victory.

The veteran defenseman has 516 NHL games on his résumé across ten seasons. His most productive year came with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2018 to 19 when he posted 60 points and established himself as one of the league’s more dynamic offensive defensemen. His recent play suggests he still has the tools to contribute at the NHL level.

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

It is not yet clear what the cost would be to acquire him, although a mid-round draft pick is viewed as a reasonable expectation. For the Rangers, who suddenly find themselves without their top defenseman, Gustafsson could provide a timely and familiar solution as the Rangers try to maintain momentum while the Red Wings can finally get some assets for a player losing his value the longer he sits in the minors.

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Mark Few earns milestone 750th win as No. 11 Gonzaga routs North Florida 109-58

Braden Huff scored 24 points and No. 11 Gonzaga gave coach Mark Few his 750th career victory, routing North Florida 109-58 on Sunday night. Few is in his 27th season as Gonzaga’s coach and has never missed an NCAA Tournament. Tyon Grant-Foster added 19 points and Davis Fogle had 15 points for Gonzaga (9-1), which showed no sign of a letdown following a dominant win over No. 18 Kentucky on Friday.

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Observations From Blues' 4-3 Win Vs. Canadiens

Another set of back-to-backs for the St. Louis Blues, and another set of wins.

The road trip started with a thud Thursday against the Boston Bruins, but the Blues followed up a Joel Hofer masterpiece 2-1 win against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday with another tough one on Sunday.

And it was Brayden Schenn and Dylan Holloway that hoisted the team on their shoulders, each collecting three points, with Schenn scoring twice with an assist – including the game-winner in the third period – and Holloway adding a goal and two assists as the Blues took down the Montreal Canadiens, 4-3, at Bell Centre in Montreal.

Pavel Buchnevich also scored, and Jordan Binnington made 23 saves for the Blues (11-12–7), who now play five of the next six on home ice after taking four of six points on this three-game road trip through the Eastern Conference and scoring more than two goals for just the second time the past 12 games.

It's the second straight weekend that the Blues have taken both ends of back-to-back games, winning 4-3 against the Ottawa Senators on Nov. 28 and 1-0 against the Utah Mammoth on Nov. 29.

Let’s get to the game observations:

* Schenn, Holloway delivered with major components out of lineup – The Blues have already been down three players (Jimmy Snuggerud, wrist; Alexey Toropchenko, leg burns; and Nathan Walker, upper-body) and and they’ll have to do without Jordan Kyrou, who departed early in the first period Saturday with a lower-body injury.

Who was going to step up for a team already challenged on the offensive side of the puck?

Each was instrumental and worked well as a unit with Mathieu Joseph on their line, combining for seven points.

Schenn opened the scoring with a power-play goal when old friend Zack Bolduc was in the box for slashing at 7:59, and Schenn made it count when he was in the right spot inside the right circle when Holloway worked the puck off the lefthand boards to the point, and Cam Fowler’s wrister caromed off Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson right to Schenn, who made no mistake beating Jakub Dobes at 8:57:

And the winner by Schenn was crucial, because with the Blues holding a 3-2 lead in the third period, and they were maintaining it well through the first half of the period, his insurance goal at the time made it 4-2 with all three linemates having a hand in it.

With a puck in the neutral zone, Joseph’s hustle play disrupted Canadiens forward Joe Veleno from getting to the puck, allowing Holloway to race in, scoop it up and essentially turn it into a mini 2-on-1, feeding Schenn for a one-timer to the near post past Dobes:

It was critical because the Canadiens would pull to within one late on Noah Dobson’s goal at 16:15 but the Blues were able to thwart any chance by the Canadiens to tie, although Cole Caufield had a chance at the buzzer that was denied by Binnington:

But with Kyrou down, Schenn and Holloway stepped up big time for an offense that has obviously been scuffling.

The entire line worked well together and was a threat on multiple occasions for the few scoring chances the Blues created, finishing with only 18 shots on goal.

Schenn, who has 31 points (12 goals, 19 assists) in 32 career games against Montreal, had his first three-point game since also scoring twice and adding an assist Nov. 30, 2023 against the Buffalo Sabres in a 6-4 win.

But that trio led the way.

Not only did Holloway have a three-point night, but he also helped save a goal in the second period when Binnington was without a stick, on another old friend, Alexandre Texier:

* Quick strike second – The Blues had to be feeling down a bit after surrendering the lead late in the first on Caufield’s quick strike with 57 seconds remaining in the period, the sixth time the Blues have allowed a goal this season in the final minute of a period to fall behind 2-1:

It's the sixth time this season the Blues have allowed a goal in the final minute of a period, even getting the attention of Blues great Chris Pronger:

But they didn’t allow it to affect them, scoring twice in 39 seconds to take the lead for good.

Holloway and Schenn combined on the tying goal at 2-2 on a heads-up play by Colton Parayko springing the two forwards loose with a pass through the neutral zone after Jayden Struble got caught pinching high, leaving Lane Hutson to fend the 2-on-1. Schenn fed Holloway, who pulled it to his backhand and lift it over Dobes 26 seconds into the period. Holloway got behind Texier on the play.

And Buchnevich made it 3-2 at 1:05 when the Blues had a good forecheck and cycle of the puck along the righthand side and wall, with Justin Faulk getting the puck to Robert Thomas below the goal line and he found Buchnevich at the top of the crease for the finish:

The Blues (minus-16) and Canadiens (minus-13) each came into the game with two of the worst goal differentials in the second period but winning it 2-0 on those two quick strikes served St. Louis well and enabled them to take the lead into the third period.

* Binnington follows Hofer’s exceptional outing with a strong one of his own – He didn’t nearly see as much rubber as Hofer did on Saturday (42 shots), but Binnington was looking to build off what the Blues have for the most part been getting from their goaltending position.

Not only did he have to be on the spot to deny a Caufield chance at the horn, but Binnington’s best save was when he kicked out the left pad to deny Canadiens Russian phenom Ivan Demidov, not once but twice:

Should the Blues be able to get their goaltending back in a groove, and it’s been trending in that direction, they will undoubtedly win more hockey games.

* Mailloux, Bolduc meet for first time – Since the 1-for-1 trade on July 1, Blues defenseman Logan Mailloux and Canadiens forward Zack Bolduc had been waiting for this game from the moment the deal was made.

Mailloux was on the ice when Hutson got behind him for the tying goal at 12:20 of the first when it tied the game 1-1, and Bolduc was in the box when Schenn’s goal initially gave the Blues the lead:

But Mailloux finished the game an even on the plus-minus, playing 15:35 with two hits and two blocked shots, and Bolduc had an assist on Huston’s goal and was a plus-1 in 13:21.

Neither 22-year-old hurt their teams on this night, and each had a decent game. Now, can we put the trade comparisons in the rear view mirror once and for all?

* Things got a little hairy late – The Blues were doing a good job protecting that two-goal lead until the final 3:45 got dicey when Dobson’s shot from distance made it 4-3.

You could see Binnington wasn’t thrilled when Faulk skated right through his line of vision and he lost sight of the shot off the left hand wall. I don’t get why D-men do that to their goalies in those situations unless you’re 100 percent certain you’re blocking the shot. Otherwise, you’re taking away the line of vision of the goalie, like Faulk did there:

But the Blues only surrendered three shots and blocked two (Faulk and Broberg) down the stretch to finish the job.

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Rangers fall to Golden Knights, 3-2, in second straight home OT loss

NEW YORK (AP) — Jack Eichel scored at 4:52 of overtime and the Vegas Golden Knights beat the New York Rangers 3-2 on Sunday night for their fourth straight win.

Brett Howden and Tomas Hertl also scored, and Mark Stone had two assists for the Golden Knights, who improved to 6-2-2 in their last 10 games. Carter Hart finished with 21 saves.

Mika Zibanejad and Alexis Lafreniere scored for the Rangers, who lost in overtime at home for the second straight day to fall to 3-8-3 at Madison Square Garden. Jonathan Quick had 26 saves.

After Hart denied Zibanejad to force a whistle in the Vegas end late in overtime, Eichel raced the other way following the ensuing faceoff and beat Quick for his 12th goal and the win.

Hertl forced overtime with a tying goal with 52 seconds remaining in regulation.

Lafreniere gave New York a 2-1 lead at 13:01 of the second, firing a shot past Hart for his seventh goal.

Howden, a former Ranger, scored his fifth goal just 36 seconds into the game.

Zibanejad tied it at 9:08 of the second, tapping a loose puck past Hart for his team-leading 11th. Zibanejad has 261 goals as a Ranger, one behind Vic Hadfield for sixth place on the franchise list.

Stone has 20 points in 12 games this season.

Hart was playing his second game since returning to the NHL. The 27-year-old goalie was one of five 2018 Canada world junior hockey players acquitted of sexual assault in July. He made his first appearance for Vegas last Tuesday at home, a 4-3 shootout win over Chicago.

Up next

Golden Knights: Visit the New York Islanders on Tuesday night.

Rangers: Visit Chicago on Wednesday night.

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Brian Cashman explains Yankees' Cody Bellinger pursuit, Tatsuya Imai interest at 2025 MLB Winter Meetings

Brian Cashman appeared Sunday on YES Network for an interview from the 2025 MLB Winter Meetings in Orlando, Fla. Here is the latest from the Yankees' general manager on New York's pursuit of Cody Bellinger and Tatsuya Imai, plus where things stand at key spots after Trent Grisham's qualifying-offer acceptance and Ben Rice's breakout season.

Bellinger 'still in play'

Bellinger opted out of his contract with the Yankees and became a free agent last month, but he is "still in play," Cashman said.

"I talked to (agent) Scott Boras (Saturday)," Cashman said. " ... We're going to continue to have dialogue. He's got a number of players in the marketplace. He's got a very deep roster. Cody Bellinger also is one of 'em. Again, my job is to stay fluid, make sure I have all the intel that's coming in -- as much as I can share with ownership -- and, at some point, something might materialize."

Imai and 'big swings'

The Yankees are reportedly among the most interested clubs for Imai, the Japanese right-hander who is among the prizes of this offseason.

"Very talented player coming over from Japan, and we've certainly taken our big swings for trying to add some more talented players -- whether they're local or overseas, as far as Japan," Cashman said. "So, Scott Boras represents him. So, he's got a long list of talented players on his roster. So, I'm talking to a lot of different agents. But he's obviously one of 'em as well."

Grisham's 'reassurance'

After Cashman explained Grisham's return last month, where does the move leave the Yankees' outfield?

"It gave us some reassurance because, ultimately, we entered the winter down two highly productive, impactful players that led us to be tied with the best record in the American League in the toughest division -- and some of those reasons were Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham," Cashman said. "So, when Trent accepted the qualifying offer, it gave us -- now we've got our center-field situation locked down for the next year.

"We believe the changes he made with his swing were real. And so, we were very happy with that. So, now it's a little bit less pressure to -- now, instead of being down two, we're down one and it gives us a little bit more flexibility. Go with the kids, see what the price tags are in free agency, whatever challenge trades come your way and make a decision when they come your way. And so, the Grisham qualifying-offer acceptance is a good thing for us."

Rice 'manning first base'

Cashman does not feel like he needs "outside help" beyond Rice, who enters 2026 "manning first base for" the Yankees.

"No, Rice at first is fine," Cashman said. "He can catch, he can play first and first base was a secondary position for him -- one he was learning on the run -- and he got better and better as the year went on, so we're really proud of what Rice is and what he brings to the table. And as far as I'm concerned, he's manning first base for us with (Austin) Wells catching. But the one thing, as I touch base on all that stuff, is we're obviously too left-handed.

"So, we need to find a way to balance out. I thought we had a good trade deadline last year 'cause we were able to bring in few right-handed bats. We already had (Paul) Goldschmidt, you had (Giancarlo) Stanton. We had (Amed) Rosario coming in on the trade deadline with (Austin) Slater. ... At the end of the day, it gave Booney some more choices, balanced us out. The deadline we also just had, that we came off of, was fruitful in the fact that it gave us some more controllable inventory.

"A lot of the players we brought in are collapsing right into our winter. They weren't here for three months and gone. They protected us in many ways. So, for instance, if we try to rebuild the bullpen, we have (Camilo) Doval and (David) Bednar now as we move into the 2026 season, but we've lost Devin (Williams) and (Luke) Weaver. So, thankfully, a lot of the things we did at the deadline -- we still have to show, and it gives us some protection, but we need to add to it."

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LeBron James crowns himself King after sparking Lakers' late surge in win over 76ers

Lakers star Lebron James controls the ball in front of Philadelphia's Dominick Barlow.
Lakers star Lebron James controls the ball in front of Philadelphia's Dominick Barlow during the first half of the Lakers' 112-108 win Sunday. (Emilee Chinn / Getty Images)

LeBron James needed to send this message.

He still sits on his throne.

The Lakers superstar scored 10 consecutive points late in the fourth quarter to seal a 112-108 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday, helping the Lakers (17-6) nab two wins out of their difficult three-game road trip.

Lakers star LeBron James dunks in front of Philadelphia's Joel Embiid, left, during the first half Sunday.
Lakers star LeBron James dunks in front of Philadelphia's Joel Embiid, left, during the first half Sunday. (Chris Szagola / Associated Press)

After knocking down a 20-foot fadeaway over Quentin Grimes, James held both hands low to the ground, signaling “too small,” before placing an imaginary crown on his head and punctuating it with his signature silencer celebration. James, who sat out of the Lakers’ last game in Boston because of sciatica and left-foot joint arthritis, finished with 29 points, seven rebounds and six assists, including 12 points in the fourth quarter to hold off the 76ers. Philadelphia (16-7) came back from a 10-point deficit in the third quarter and tied the score with 1:28 remaining on a shot by Joel Embiid.

Luka Doncic returned from a two-game absence to record a 31-point, 15-rebound, 11-assist triple-double. Now a father of two daughters, Doncic rejoined the team in Philadelphia on Saturday after he and his fiancee welcomed their second child, Olivia.

Despite traveling from Slovenia, Doncic didn’t miss a beat Sunday. He scored five of the Lakers’ first seven points and took the most shot attempts of anyone on the Lakers. With 10 points, five rebounds and four assists in the first quarter, Doncic was already flirting with a triple-double after 12 minutes.

The Lakers erased a 10-point deficit in the first quarter only to find themselves down by 10 again in the second. After Austin Reaves hit a corner three — just his second basket after he missed his first eight attempts from the field — to bring the Lakers to within two points, the 76ers answered with a 10-2 run that pushed their lead back to 10 with 38.9 seconds remaining in the half.

Reaves, who was averaging 41 points a game without Doncic, had just 11 points. Deandre Ayton had 14 points and 12 rebounds.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Sabres Ex-Files – Atlantic Division

There are a number of former Buffalo Sabres players scattered throughout the NHL, having a varied level of success this season. Periodically, we will check in to see how their players are faring. Today, we look at ex-Sabres playing for the seven other teams in the Atlantic Division. The Montreal Canadiens do not have any former Buffalo players currently on their roster, but here are those on the other six clubs.

Boston 

Casey Mittelstadt - F, Henri Jokiharju, Nikita Zadorov - D: The Bruins have surprised many by bouncing back from a horrible season to tie for the division lead with 34 points. Mittelstadt, acquired in the deal that sent Charlie Coyle to Colorado, has 12 points (6 goals, 6 assists) in 20 games. Jokiharju was dealt by the Sabres for a draft pick and re-signed with Boston instead of testing free agency. He has six assists in 25 games. Zadorov continues to be a physically punishing blueliner and has nine points, and leads the Bruins with 25 penalty minutes. 

Detroit 

Jacob Bernard-Docker - D: Bernard-Docker was acquired from Ottawa in the Dylan Cozens / Josh Norris deal and was not given a qualifying offer by the Sabres last summer. Signed to a one-year deal by Detroit, he has played part-time and has one assist in 16 games. 

Florida

Sam Reinhart, Evan Rodrigues - F, Dmitri Kulikov - D: Reinhart continues to thrive in Florida and is second only to Brad Marchand in scoring with 15 goals in 28 games. Rodrigues has been elevated in the lineup due to the injuries to Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk, and has 14 points (8 goals, 6 assists) in 28 games. Kulikov suffered a torn labrum in the second game of the season and is expected to be out until after the Olympics. 

Other Sabres Stories

Six Former Sabres Who Signed Elsewhere

Guerin Gathering Info On Possible Olympic Options 

 

Ottawa

Dylan Cozens - F, Dennis Gilbert - D: Cozens has settled into a third-line center role behind Tim Stutzle and Shane Pinto and has 17 points (9 goals, 8 assists) in 28 games, but his glaring -12 plus/minus is worst on the club. Gilbert signed with Philadelphia in the summer and was dealt back to the Sens last month for Maxence Guenette. Since the deal, the Buffalo native has played one game. 

Tampa Bay

Zemgus Girgensons - F, Jonas Johansson - G: The long-time Sabre has settled into a fourth-line role with the Lightning, and has five goals in 21 games. The workload being the backup to Andrei Vasilevskiy is usually light, but this season, the former Vezina winner struggled with back issues early on and forced Jon Cooper to use Johansson more than normal. In nine starts, he is 5-4-0, with a 2.85 GAA and .896 save percentage. 

Toronto

Jake McCabe - D: McCabe has settled into being a minutes-eating matchup defenseman who averages close to 22 minutes a night for the Leafs. In 28 games, he has 11 points (3 goals, 8 assists) and leads the club with a +13 plus/minus. 

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Former Mets infielder Jeff Kent inducted into Baseball Hall of Fame by Era Commitee

Jeff Kent will finally have a permanent home in Cooperstown.

The longtime infielder, who spent five seasons with the Mets during the mid-1990s, earned induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday via the Contemporary Baseball Era committee ballot.

The magic number for enshrinement was 12 votes from the 16-person group -- a mark of 75 percent that's also required for candidates on the annual BBWAA ballot -- and of the eight players under consideration, only Kent earned enough support (14 votes).

Kent's election was long overdue in the eyes of many voters and fans. He hit 351 of his 377 home runs as a second baseman, making him baseball's all-time leader at the position. He also collected 2,461 hits across 17 seasons, and 510 of them came in a Mets uniform.

In his 10th and final year on the BBWAA ballot (2023), Kent earned a personal-best 46.5 percent of the vote.

Among the Contemporary Era candidates who fell short was Don Mattingly, and his hopes of receiving a plaque in the Hall of Fame will once again linger for a few more years.

The former Yankees capatin was denied entry for a 19th time on Sunday, as he fell six votes shy on the ballot.

Mattingly's next crack at the Hall of Fame will come in 2028, when the Contemporary Era committee votes again. But the latest results reaffirm the chances of him achieving the feat are rather slim. 

In spite of collecting 2,153 hits, nine Gold Gloves, and one AL MVP award across 14 seasons (1982-95), Mattingly never came remotely close to crossing the 75-percent threshold in 15 years on the BBWAA ballot. He topped out at 28.2 percent in 2001, his first year as a candidate.

Interestingly enough, Mattingly received less 2025 support than another former New York first baseman in contention. Carlos Delgado, who slugged his way through four 2000s seasons with the Mets, finished with a second-best nine votes on the Contemporary Era ballot.

Delgado received an insufficent 3.8 percent of the 2015 BBWAA vote -- his first year in the running -- which disqualified him from future ballots. Nevertheless, he was one of baseball's most feared sluggers during the Steroid Era, as he smacked 473 homers and 483 doubles (2,035 totals hits) in 17 seasons.

Baseball icons Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Dale Murphy, Gary Sheffield, and Fernando Valenzuela were the other six players denied Hall of Fame honors on Sunday.