There were three days of play during an ice hockey test event at the Santagiulia Arena [Getty Images]
The NHL says it will "continue to monitor" the unfinished Winter Olympic hockey venue in Milan but said it was "pleased" with a test event held at the Santagiulia Arena.
Delays in construction and doubts about the quality of the ice had raised concerns about players from North America's National Hockey League, the biggest in the world, taking part in next month's Winter Games for the first time since 2014.
"We expect that the work necessary to address all remaining issues will continue around the clock," said a statement from the NHL and NHL Players' Association after seven games were played in the arena over three days.
"The NHL and NHLPA will continue to monitor the situation, standing ready to consult and advise on the work being done to ensure that the local organising committee, the IOC (International Olympic Committee), and the IIHF (International Ice Hockey Federation) deliver a tournament and playing conditions befitting the world's best players.
"We were pleased that this weekend's event was a good trial run and provided important insight into the current status."
The Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics will take place from 6-22 February, with ice hockey matches split between the new Santagiulia Arena and the existing Milano Rho Arena.
The rink in Milan, approved by the IIHF, is shorter than the minimum requirement in the NHL, leading to suggestions there could be an increase in high-speed collisions.
During the test event, there was a short delay while a small hole in the ice had to be repaired on Friday before the other matches took place without incident.
IIHF president Luc Tardif said "the puck was sliding and not bumping" and believes "there is no reason that the NHL will not come".
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman told reporters: "There are still challenges because the building is still under construction and the ice is new.
"We've been assured that, or we expect, that everything that needs to be done on a timely basis will get done.
"But, as you know, it's not our event. We're invited guests. We've offered to help and consult and advise as they feel they need and would be appropriate because we do have a little bit of expertise in that area."
Biopic charting Naseem Hamed’s rise has reopened old wounds but is also a reminder of what was and what might have been
The first time I watched Prince Naseem Hamed train, my jaw couldn’t have dropped any faster if he had hit me with one of his lassoing uppercuts. I had followed all his fights on TV, of course. But to see him in the flesh in September 1994, a year before he became world champion, was an altogether more visceral and mesmeric experience.
Hamed’s punches sounded like firecrackers welcoming in the new year as they smashed into the pads. He was almost impossible to hit. And, most staggering of all, despite standing 5ft 4in tall and weighing only nine stone, he would bully far bigger men in sparring – including fighters such as John Keeton, who went on to become the British cruiserweight champion – until my great uncle, Brendan Ingle, called time.
The Colorado Avalanche saw their 17-game home winning streak — one shy of tying a franchise record — come to an end Tuesday night at Ball Arena.
How It Unfolded
In overtime, William Nylander stripped Nathan MacKinnon of the puck and, moments later, outraced the Avalanche superstar up ice before finishing the play himself to secure a 4–3 win for the Toronto Maple Leafs. It marked Colorado’s first home loss in more than two months, though a late goal from Martin Nečas ensured the Avalanche still salvaged a point — something they’ve now done in all 22 home games this season.
With Mackenzie Blackwood still sidelined on injured reserve and Scott Wedgewood dealing with a minor issue, Colorado once again turned to Trent Miner. The 24-year-old, fresh off his first NHL victory, delivered another steady performance, but ultimately couldn’t come up with one more save than Joseph Woll at the other end.
It didn’t help that one puck found the Avalanche net off a teammate.
After Woll denied several early looks from Brock Nelson, Toronto opened the scoring when Easton Cowan sent a puck toward the crease and Brent Burns inadvertently redirected it past Miner with his skate. Colorado answered quickly. Five minutes later, Cale Makar tied the game following some excellent work by Nečas along the boards. Nearly two minutes later, the Avalanche took the lead when Nelson scored five seconds into Colorado’s first power play of the night.
From there, the game began to tilt away from the Avalanche.
Colorado went nearly 13 minutes of the second period without registering a shot on goal. Before they could snap the drought, Toronto tied the game by capitalizing on a breakdown between Victor Olofsson and his defensemen. Olofsson attempted a drop pass, but Bobby McMann jumped it, then beat Sam Girard and Ilya Solovyov up the ice to score on a breakaway and even the game.
That space expanded further when Nečas and Laughton went to the box — Laughton for high-sticking and Nečas for holding — setting the stage for four-on-four hockey. Auston Matthews took full advantage, using Josh Manson as a screen before executing a toe drag and ripping a wrist shot top shelf over Miner’s glove, leaving the goaltender no chance.
As they’ve done all season, the Avalanche didn’t fold. Less than three minutes later, Nečas struck again, finishing a perfect feed from MacKinnon to tie the game. Colorado had a late opportunity to take the lead with Matthews in the box, but struggled to gain the zone with possession and failed to generate a look.
Overtime nearly ended in Colorado’s favor when Nečas set up MacKinnon for a one-timer off the rush, but the shot rang off the crossbar and kept the game alive. The miss proved costly. With just over a minute remaining, Nylander stripped MacKinnon once more and finished the play moments later, sealing the win for Toronto.
Despite the loss, the Avalanche moved to 19-0-3 on home ice and maintained their 12-point cushion atop the Central Division.
Next Game
The Avalanche (33-4-8) square off against the Nashville Predators (21-20-4) on Friday. Coverage will begin at 9 p.m. local time in what is certainly a very late start.
LOS ANGELES — James Harden has passed Shaquille O’Neal for ninth place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.
The Los Angeles Clippers guard made a 3-pointer early in the third quarter on Monday night against the Charlotte Hornets, pushing his career total to 28,598 points in his 1,187th regular season game. O’Neal had 28,596 points in 1,207 games over 19 years.
Harden, who began the night 14 points behind O’Neal, finished with 32 points in the Clippers’ 117-109 win against the Hornets. He had 13 points in the first half — including 11 in the first quarter — and scored 11 in the third and eight in the fourth to increase his scoring total to 28, 614.
Harden entered the night averaging 25.6 points per game, his highest average since the 2019-20 season (34.3 points per game) when he won the last of three straight league scoring titles.
Harden, who began the game with 28,582 career points in his 17th season, faces a steep climb to the next spot. Wilt Chamberlain is eighth with 31,419 points, in just 1,045 games over 14 years. LeBron James is the all-time leader with 42,601 points entering his game with the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday. Following him are Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Dirk Nowitzki and Kevin Durant.
Harden recently moved up to 12th on the all-time assists list. The 11-time All-Star also ranks second all-time in 3-pointers made, behind Stephen Curry.
The Los Angeles Kings (19-16-10) went scoreless for the first 40 minutes of the match, but showed a strong response after the early setback, only to fail to clutch up and win the game Monday night. Despite playing great defense with their no offense being cold early on, the Kings still came up short when it mattered most, falling 3-1 at Crypto.com Arena to the Dallas Stars.
Dallas closed the game out in the clutch when the game was tied 1-1 in the third period, while Los Angeles struggled to convert its chances against Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger, who finished with 24 saves on the night, consistently denying the Kings shots on ice.
The games opening goal came off a early Kings turnover. Just three minutes into the first period, Wyatt Johnson beat Darcy Kuemper on a rush chance alone after turnover, giving Dallas the early lead.
From there, the Kings leaned into physical play with their offense being stagnant. The fourth line of Andre Lee, Samuel Helenius, and Taylor Ward brough that Ontario energy to the Kings tonight. It was a great defensive affair from that line, keeping the Kings very much alive for the first two periods of the game, despite their offense not finding any room to score.
Kings Tilt the Ice
Los Angeles had a solid second period, bringing a lot of offensive-zone pressure, but was still unable to score a goal. The Kings couldn't find the net with Oettinger under the crease, swatting rebounds and forcing Los Angeles to reset on multiple promising sequences.
The breakthrough finally came in the third period on the power play. Brandt Clarke kept the puck on the blue line and moved it quickly to Corey Perry, who fed Quinton Byfield for a one-timer that tied the game 1-1.
The assist from Perry marked his 500th career NHL assist, making him the first player in league history reach that milestone at age 40 or older. It was a deserved award for a power play unit that's been struggling this season to see that kind of achievement happen during the night for Perry.
Per @NHLPR, Corey Perry is the first player in @NHL history to collect his 500th career assist at age 40 or older. He is also the 29th active skater to reach such mark. pic.twitter.com/nNW1Y2Z4on
Momentum swung to Dallas with under four minutes remaining when Jason Robertson scored the go-ahead goal that went past Kuemper, giving the Stars a huge momentum swing. The Kings pushed late, generating several looks in the final minutes, but couldn't beat Oettinger again.
Matt Duchene sealed the game in regulation with an empty-net goal in the final seconds, sending the Kings to their latest loss in a game that followed a similar script. The Kings finished the night with more shots and one power play goal, despite the Stars going blank on the power play. Los Angeles' inability to close out games came back to haunt them, despite winning in the statsheet.
Give credit to Oettinger who proved to be the difference, repeteadly turning aside Los Angeles chances during its strongest pushes, while the Stars capitalized on their oppourtnites at the other end.
While the Kings' fight showed improvement from their young guys, especially being shorthanded, still without Anze Kopitar or Joel Armia, the results once again showed that the Kings are unable to win games that come down to the clutch.
Next up, the Kings will host their final two game home stand on Wednesday, January 14 at 7:00 p.m. against the Las Vegas Golden Knights.
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Lakers star Luka Doncic, right, drives on Sacramento Kings guard DeMar DeRozan during the first half of the Lakers' 124-112 loss on Monday night. (Justine Willard / Associated Press)
Luka Doncic scored 40 points through three quarters for the Lakers against the Sacramento Kings on Monday night, going 15 for 21 from the field. He had seven assists and six rebounds and had played more than 30 minutes.
But then he got his left thigh wrapped.
After that, Doncic only made one of four shots, missing both of his three-point attempts in the Lakers' 124-112 loss to the hot-shooting Kings.
Doncic didn't provide much clarity on what he might be dealing with, saying his ailment was "somewhere" in the inner thigh or groin area.
“Yeah, I was really uncertain. Before the game ... I felt something,” said Doncic, who was unsure if he would play before the game. “But tomorrow, we'll see how I wake up.”
Doncic finished with 42 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. He was two for nine from three-point range. He didn't let the injury be an excuse for his fourth-quarter struggles.
“If I'm out there, I'll try to go," Doncic said. "So that's never an excuse. I'm good.”
The Lakers were down by 20 points in the third quarter and were forced to play catch-up the rest of the way. They got to within seven points in the fourth quarter before the Kings pulled away.
Lakers star LeBron James, right, drives against Sacramento Kings forward Precious Achiuwa during the first half Monday. James finished with 22 points. (Justine Willard / Associated Press)
They shot decently from the field, shooting 49%. But they were horrible from three-point range, making just 22% (eight for 36).
The Kings shot 59% from the field and 65% from three-point range.
“Defensively, I mean, I think we played solid defense,” LeBron James said. “I mean, they made a bunch of threes. We didn't make many, but I thought we played. We had our game plan. We executed our game plan. Tonight was just one of those cases where you didn't make shots.”
DeMar DeRozan torched the Lakers inside, scoring 32 points on 14-for-19 shooting.
Malik Monk came off the bench and scored 26 points, going seven for nine from three-point range. Even Russell Westbrook torched the Lakers, scoring 22 points in making four of his eight three-pointers.
When the Lakers got to within 112-104, the Kings put the game away with a DeRozan jumper and three-pointers from Monk and Precious Achiuwa.
Redick pulled his starters with 1:53 left.
“We faced a hot-shooting team tonight,” Redick said.
Rui Hachimura was in uniform but didn't play after missing the previous six games with right calf soreness. There's a good chance he will see playing time against the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena.
LeBron loves his 'super cool' patch
LeBron James wears a special patch on his jersey commemorating his unprecedented 23rd NBA season. (Justine Willard / Associated Press)
James, who scored 22 points, wore a patch on his jersey commemorating his unprecedented 23rd NBA season in the city where he played his first NBA game. It features a silhouette of his pregame chalk toss and three colored stripes that represents the three franchises he has played on — the Lakers, Cavaliers and Heat.
He will wear the patch for the remainder of the season. After each game, the patch will be removed from his jersey for that game, dated and shipped to a Topps’ production facility to be authenticated and inserted into a pack of trading cards.
“Super cool. Super surreal. Super humbled, blessed,” James said. “I walked in here and saw it for the first time. It was like an emotional moment as well. Just think about the journey thus far and have an opportunity to be here where it kind of all started obviously, but in this city.
"And it's been a heck of a journey and people have followed my career and my fans have followed my career to get an opportunity to be a part of it."
Lakers fans might not get the chance to see James and his patch up close on Tuesday night. There's a good chance he will not play in the second game of a back-to-back.
“We’ll see how he feels in the morning,” Redick said.
DALLAS (AP) — Cooper Flagg scored 27 points and matched a season high with three steals, and Naji Marshall had three straight baskets down the stretch and finished with 22 points as the depleted Dallas Mavericks beat the Brooklyn Nets 113-105 on Monday night.
The Mavericks (15-25) snapped a two-game skid. Klay Thompson scored 18 off the bench and matched a season high with six three-pointers.
Michael Porter Jr. scored 28 points and Day’Ron Sharpe had 14 points and 12 rebounds off the bench for the Nets (11-26), who have lost four consecutive games. They were swept in a road back-to-back, losing 103-98 at Memphis on Sunday.
Brooklyn cut a 14-point second-half deficit to 99-95 with five minutes left, but couldn’t get any closer.
Flagg rebounded after shooting 4 for 13 and scoring 11 points in Dallas’ 125-17 loss at Chicago on Saturday.
Dallas’ Jaden Hardy, making his second start of the season, scored 11 of his 14 points in the first five minutes, including three of his four 3-pointers.
The Mavericks used three players on two-way contracts while missing four injured starters, including Anthony Davis (out indefinitely with ligament damage in his left hand suffered on Thursday) and P.J. Washington Jr. (missing his third straight game with an ankle injury).
Porter returned after sitting out Sunday’s game, while Brooklyn’s Cam Thomas and Egor Dёmin were held out Monday after playing Sunday.
When the Mavericks beat the Nets 119-111 in Dallas on Dec. 12, there were 23 lead changes and 16 ties. On Monday night, there was one lead change and one tie.
CHICAGO- Ahead of Monday night's matchup between the Chicago Blackhawks and Edmonton Oilers, news came out that Connor Bedard would not be playing. This has nothing to do with an injury. He came down with the "stomach bug" that the whole team has been dealing with over the last week.
Colton Dach, who was initially scheduled to be a healthy scratch, ended up drawing into the lineup in Bedard's spot. While Connor Bedard was out with his shoulder trouble, the team started to learn how to play as a team without him. His absence was never going to be an excuse in this matchup.
In the first period, Connor McDavid ended his career-high point streak to 19 games on a goal that put Edmonton up 1-0. He sent a pass to Evan Bouchard, who centered the puck into the net off of Zach Hyman. That 1-0 score would hold to the end of the first.
16 seconds into the second period, Evan Bouchard slid one behind Spencer Knight to make it 2-0. Connor McDavid also collected an assist on this goal. That would be the end of scoring in the middle frame.
In the final frame, it looked like the Oilers were on their way to skating out of Chicago with a shutout victory. However, Tyler Bertuzzi brought some life back into the United Center by scoring his 24th of the season off a Wyatt Kaiser rebound.
The Blackhawks were unable to do anything with this momentum. Eventually, Bouchard scored his second of the game into the empty net to make it 3-1. That wasn't enough for Edmonton, however, as Leon Draisaitl took advantage of a Wyatt Kaiser turnover in front of the net and made it 4-1 twelve seconds after the empty netter.
It is difficult enough to beat the Oilers when they have forwards like McDavid and Draisaitl leading the way, but you can't give them easy chances like that and expect good results.
The score was not indicative of how close the Blackhawks made it in the end, but they don't feel like they played well either. A lot of passes made their way through seams without sticks being properly placed by defenders.
There were also long stretches of time during which Edmonton controlled play and kept Chicago from getting any zone time. Their neutral zone work was a big key to their win.
Both goaltenders were magnificent in this one. Connor Ingram made 29 saves on 30 shots, while Spencer Knight made 33 saves on 36 shots.
One positive note about the Blackhawks is their penalty kill. For one, they only gave the Oilers two power plays. Secondly, they didn't give up a goal to the power play that is atop the NHL by a lot. Chicago's penalty kill remains in the top three.
Teuvo Teravainen left the game after the first period and didn't return. It was thought that he may have gotten the illness as well, but Jeff Blashill confirmed it was an upper-body injury. He did not say he will miss any time beyond this game and that he'll know more on Wednesday.
With everyone who was sick last week back to start this week at morning skate, it looked like they were going to have a healthy group for this match against the Oilers. Then, Connor Bedard fell ill to throw a wrench in that. Only time will tell if anyone else gets hit before their next practice, which will be on Wednesday instead of Tuesday.
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The 28-year-old from Lindstrom, Minn. has been a key part of the Penguins' lineup this season, registering five goals and 10 points in 35 games while being a key part of their penalty kill unit as well as a steady defensive presence. The Penguins went 1-8 without Lizotte in the lineup due to an injury during the month of December, and they are 6-2 since his return.
In general, the Penguins are in a much better spot than most thought they would be in at this point in time. They're just one point out of a playoff spot with at least a game in hand on all but two of the teams above them in the standings, they're 7-3 in their last 10 games, and they have more forward depth this season than they've had in recent memory.
And Lizotte's signing, even if small on the surface, is the latest in a line of moves that suggest the Penguins may already be in the process of changing gears.
A few weeks ago - and just after an eight-game losing streak threatened to bury their season before the holiday break - the Penguins made a move to acquire winger Egor Chinkahov from the Columbus Blue Jackets. It was the first time the Penguins really went out and "bought" a player since the Jake Guentzel trade back in the spring of 2024, spending a 2026 second-round pick as well as a 2027 third - plus forward Danton Heinen - to get the deal across the finish line.
Now, about two weeks later, the Penguins re-sign Lizotte, someone who very easily could have fetched a decent return for them at the trade deadline. Every contending team could use a player like Lizotte in their bottom-six, as he is fast, tenacious, elite defensively, and good on the forecheck.
Going into the 2025-26 season, the Penguins - by many measures - were supposed to be near the bottom of the standings. With so many pending-UFAs and RFAs - and several more such as Anthony Mantha, Justin Brazeau, and Arturs Silovs added to the roster in some capacity - it became somewhat apparent that the team was probably hoping to flip some of these players for more assets and draft capital at the trade deadline.
Well, at least that's what was assumed. Because, even GM and POHO Kyle Dubas said at conclusion of the 2024-25 season that the Penguins making the playoffs in 2025-26 would be "an accomplishment." But, intentionally or not, those very acquisitions, plus a few others, have all helped steer the Penguins toward contention instead of merely performing well while the team is bottoming out.
So, perhaps the focus and the narrative has shifted a bit. 18-year-old rookie center Ben Kindel - drafted 11th overall in 2025 - has been a revelation at the NHL level this season and has certainly made an impact far sooner than anyone could have expected. 19-year-old defenseman Harrison Brunicke - although recently optioned back to his junior team - also began the season with the NHL club and showed flashes of potential. Rutger McGroarty, Filip Hallander, and Ville Koivunen have also seen a chunk of NHL ice this season between injuries and recalls. And there is more youth on the way.
The Penguins have managed to combine their youth and development movement, their long-tenured veterans, and those offseason acquisitions to foster a competitive team. Or, at least, a more competitive team than folks thought they would be.
What the Lizotte signing - and the Chinakhov trade - signals is that the Penguins are prioritizing winning hockey games. Of course, signing an effective bottom-six forward for a relatively low cap hit, especially with the cap going up, doesn't seem like a big move on the surface. But the fact that the Penguins, once again, "bought" on a player - one they easily could have sold instead for future capital - says a lot about what their aims are for the rest of the season.
This is a better team with Lizotte on it. He helps them win hockey games, and Dubas and the Penguins know this. If asset collection was still the primary focus of this organization, they would not have bought on Chinakhov or extended Lizotte. That doesn't mean that they won't sell off any assets by the trade deadline - depending on where the team is at standings-wise - it just means that they won't sell players for the purpose of selling and collecting as much draft capital as possible.
Pittsburgh already has 15 picks within the first three rounds accumulated for the next three NHL drafts. If they want to, they can recoup more. But, as things stand now, they are clearly focused on winning this season because the team willed it so. And Dubas has rewarded his team's performance with the Chinakhov and Lizotte moves.
Now, we just have to wait and see how the Penguins respond and perform prior to Mar. 6.
On a night all about honoring Sergei Fedorov, the Detroit Red Wings made sure to end the evening with a flair for the dramatic.
Andrew Copp scored in overtime for the Red Wings, converting on a centering pass from teammate Alex DeBrincat to give his team a 4-3 overtime victory over the Carolina Hurricanes at Little Caesars Arena.
The Red Wings, who had built up a 3-0 lead through 40 minutes of play, allowed their lead to slip away thanks to a trio of Hurricanes goals in the third period. However, it was Copp who ensured that Detroit kept pace with Carolina for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.
Before the game, Fedorov's iconic No. 91 jersey number was raised to the rafters in a special ceremony that included several of his former teammates, as well as the Stanley Cup, the Hart Trophy, and the Frank J. Selke Trophy.
Fedorov's rousing speech in which he thanked Red Wings fans earned multiple standing ovations from the sellout crowd, who continued to bring that energy after the opening puck drop.
James van Riemsdyk continued to be a force for Detroit in front of the net, scoring his 12th goal of the season after burying a rebound past goaltender Frederik Andersen.
Goals from Alex DeBrincat and Albert Johansson gave the Red Wings a 3-0 lead which they took into the third period, only to watch Carolina fight their way back into the contest.
They got back to within one goal after tallies from Jackson Blake and Seth Jarvis, and while on a late 5-on-3 power-play chance, former Red Wings defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere knotted the score at 3-3 with a wrist shot past goaltender John Gibson's blocker.
Ultimately, it would be the Red Wings who earned the extra point thanks to Copp, and they are now tied with them for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.
Gibson improved to 13-2 in his last 15 total games, making 31 saves. Andersen countered with 14 saves.
The Red Wings will be back on the ice in less than 24 hours, as they travel to Boston for a tilt against the Bruins.
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After two consecutive blowout losses, one thing is clear: the Philadelphia Flyers still have a long way to go before thinking themselves part of the NHL's top playoff pack.
The Flyers are, at the time of this writing, still sitting comfortably at 11th in the NHL with their 22-14-8 record and 52 points, but three games--6 points--separate them from as low as 25th in the league.
If the special teams continue to misfire and stall out, as they did against the Tampa Bay Lightning, once again, on Monday night, that free fall becomes a distinct possibility.
The Lightning, on the strength of Brayden Point (knee) and Brandon Hagel, scored on two of their four power play attempts, while the Flyers stumbled to 0-for-2 on the night.
And, not only did the Flyers not score, but they failed to do so at the most inopportune times, considering the context of the game and trailing for all but the first 1:10 of the contest.
It should be noted, too, that the Flyers actually out-hit the Lightning 32-10 on Monday night, which is just proof that you cannot put wrestlers up against sprinters in a race and hope to win.
Speaking of wrestling, it was encouraging that players like Rodrigo Abols and Nikita Grebenkin threw their weight around all night and then backed it up in their respective fights.
Grebenkin, 22, could have easily backed down as the young, inexperienced player, but instead tussled with the larger, older Max Crozier, took him down, landed some uppercuts, and taunted him after, much to the appreciation of Xfinity Mobile Arena's Pride Night crowd.
Generally, though, the Flyers' frustration with two losses in a row to Tampa Bay--which come at a combined score of 12-3--manifested in more ways than just physically.
Trevor Zegras slammed his stick on the ice and on the bench door multiple times, Travis Konecny was ejected for abuse of the officials, and even Dan Vladar ended up chasing Yanni Gourde around his net at some point.
For the second game in a row, the Lightning were too fast and too good for the Flyers, and the Flyers had no answers for it.
As for someone like Matvei Michkov, who should be a go-to difference-maker in games where the Flyers trail early and often, head coach Rick Tocchet says the 21-year-old is "easily checked" and "looks like he just got stuck in mud sometimes."
The difference between Tocchet and John Tortorella when it comes to handling Michkov is staggering, and it has reflected on the ice and statistically.
When a franchise-changing talent like Michkov is virtually invisible and made to play in ways that run counter to his skillset, how much of a chance do the Flyers really have in the long run?
A coin flip, according to MoneyPuck, who had the Flyers' playoff chances drop from 57.8% to 51.8% following the regulation loss to Tampa Bay.
Veterans like Sean Couturier and Nick Seeler, who witnessed firsthand the collapse of the 2023-24 season, chalked this one up to consistency and generally not playing well enough, but that cannot be the case in every loss to a good team for the rest of the season.
If it is, well, we have new knowledge about the Flyers and where they are in this rebuild thing.
It's not all doom and gloom yet, but consecutive thrashings at the hands of the Lightning will assuredly teach the Flyers just what it's like to go head-to-head with a top-tier playoff team several games in a row like they would in a series.
These last two games were a gut check for the Flyers and have now established the standard of performance going forward.
It may be flying under the radar with casual fans, but Rudy Gobert is having another Defensive Player of the Year-level season, anchoring the Timberwolves' top-10 defense.
However, the Timberwolves will have to get by without him on Tuesday night against the Bucks because Gobert will be serving a one-game suspension for racking up six flagrant foul points this season, the league announced Monday.
Gobert picked up a flagrant foul on Sunday when contesting a Victor Wembanyama and not giving him room to land — this was a clear flagrant, it's not up for debate — and he picked up a technical on the play for bumping the referee.
Rudy Gobert picks up a flagrant foul penalty one for not giving Wemby a landing space here.
It's his fifth flagrant this season, so he will be suspended for Tuesday's game in Milwaukee. Meanwhile, Wemby drills four free throws to put the Spurs back up 10.
This gave Gobert five flagrant fouls on the season, and because one of them was a flagrant two, he had six points and earned the suspension. He will have to serve a game suspension for every future flagrant foul this season as well (Gobert reached that limit in 40 games, there is half a season to go).
The Florida Panthers were looking to build some momentum after a strong win in Ottawa over the weekend.
Florida went into the barn of the hottest team in the NHL, the Buffalo Sabres, and picked up a gutty 4-2 victory.
The Panthers got things started early, thanks to an interference penalty on Josh Doan that was drawn by rookie Sandis Vilmanis.
Carrying the puck along the Sabres blue line, Uvis Balinskis sent a flat wrist shot toward the net that was deflected by Sam Reinhart on its way past Colten Ellis just 2:35 into the game.
Buffalo tied the score about midway through the period on a long shot by Jacob Bryson that got past a screened Sergei Bobrovsky, give some life to the fans inside KeyBank Center.
The excitement didn’t last long though thanks to A.J. Greer.
On a rush that started in Florida’s zone, Greer and Sam Bennett played the give-and-go game while going up the ice, with Greer eventually firing a long wrister from the top of the right circle that got past Ellis’ glove to send Florida into the first intermission with a 2-1 lead.
The advantage held for Florida until late in the second period.
Tage Thompson sent a hard shot on Bobrovsky from a sharp angle that was stopped by the goaltender, but Zach Benson was able to outwrestle Aaron Ekbald to the loose puck in the crease and slide it over the goal line with 2:03 left in the middle frame.
Florida earned their third lead of the game just past the midway point of the third period.
Anton Lundell fired a backhand shot that Ellis stopped, but he couldn’t control the rebound and Eetu Luostarinen was able to push the puck back to Lundell at the side of the net.
He swept the puck into the net, giving the Panthers a 3-2 lead with 8:53 to go.
An empty-net goal by Greer, his second of the game and ninth of the season, cemented the victory for Florida, their second straight, despite a goal by Buffalo with 12.1 to go.
Photo caption: Jan 12, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; Florida Panthers left wing A.J. Greer (10) celebrates his goal with teammates during the first period against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center. (Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images)
The San Jose Sharks suffered an ugly 7-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Jan. 11. Former Sharks forward Tomas Hertl was a major reason for the Golden Knights' blowout win.
Hertl put together a monster game for the Golden Knights against the Sharks, as he recorded two goals, three assists, and five points during the contest. With this, there is no question that Hertl was on fire against his former club.
Yet, this was only the latest big performance by Hertl, as he has been on a major hot streak as of late. Due to this, he was recently rewarded for it by the NHL.
The NHL has announced that Hertl is the league's First Star of the Week from Jan. 5 to Jan. 11. When looking at how well the former Sharks star performed, it is very easy to understand why.
Hertl simply dominated during this past week for the Golden Knights, as he recorded three goals, six assists, and nine points in just four games. With numbers like these, it is clear that the former Shark is playing some fantastic hockey right now.
With his ongoing hot streak, Hertl now has 18 goals, 21 assists, and 39 points in 44 games so far this season with the Golden Knights.
NEW YORK — The NHL and NHL Players’ Association said in a joint statement Monday they are pleased that test events at the new hockey arena for the Milan Cortina Olympics were “a good trial run and provided important insight into the current status” of construction.
League and union officials were present at Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena over the weekend, as organizers put on games to test the ice surface while the process of finishing locker rooms and other facilities continues. Play is set to begin on the women’s side Feb. 5 and the men’s side Feb. 11.
“While challenges are inherent with new ice and a still-under-construction venue, we expect that the work necessary to address all remaining issues will continue around the clock,” they said in a statement said. “The NHL and NHLPA will continue to monitor the situation, standing ready to consult and advise on the work being done to ensure that the local organizing committee, the IOC, and the IIHF deliver a tournament and playing conditions befitting the world’s best players.”
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said the the test events went OK, from the reports he received, while acknowledging there is still more to be finished.
“There are still challenges because the building is still under construction and the ice is new,” Bettman said in Buffalo, New York, where he was to announce the Sabres are hosting the draft there in June. “We’ve been assured that, or we expect, that everything that needs to be done on a timely basis will get done. But, as you know, it’s not our event. We’re invited guests. But we’ve offered to help and consult and advise as they feel they need and would be appropriate because we do have a little bit of expertise in that area.”
Bettman believes he’ll have a better idea of where things stand in Milan once he arrives.
“It’s always been important for our players to play best on best at the Olympics,” Bettman said. “That’s why we agreed to take the break and have them go. In the final analysis, that question has to get answered by the IOC and the IIHF.”
