Posts

Posted on

Beach volleyball in Morecambe Bay? An Olympics of the north sounds like a winner | Emma John

Our sport-loving PM is willing to risk a bitter north v south furore, all for the sake of table tennis in Teesside

As someone who barely understands their own finances, let alone the country’s, I will admit that budget day doesn’t always register with me. Perhaps if there were outre outfits or horse-drawn carriages involved, like there are at the state opening of parliament, I’d get into it, but the only accessory of note is a briefcase and it doesn’t even glow mysteriously when you open it.

This week, however, the chancellor of the exchequer did manage to catch my attention. Somewhere amid the household energy payments and defence spending, he slipped in a cheeky £7m to assess a possible Olympic bid for the north of England. That’s only a preliminary step and a fraction of the cost of any actual bid – Tokyo and Paris spent more than £50m on theirs. Still, it’s enough to put thoughts in people’s heads of beach volleyball in Morecambe Bay or a British eight rowing to victory along the Tyne.

Continue reading...
Posted on

Les Kiss backs Beale to ‘compete’ for Wallabies’ World Cup spot: ‘He’s in there to perform’

  • Australia coach says recalled 37-year-old adds depth to tour squad

  • Tom Hooper overcomes injury to be available for Nations Championship

Coach Les Kiss says veteran playmaker Kurtley Beale is in consideration for Australia’s Rugby World Cup squad after his shock recall for the Wallabies’ spring tour of the UK.

Beale answered Kiss’s SOS call for next month’s three Tests against England, Scotland and Wales, before the inaugural Nations Championship finals from November 21-23.

Continue reading...
Posted on

Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg is off to a historic start. Think Shaq-like.

The Golden State Warriors seem to have landed a gem with the No. 11 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Yaxel Lendeborg has put his name among some of the greatest rookies of all-time with his first-week performance.

After an 0-3 start, the Warriors have won back-to-back games and Lendeborg has filled his role tremendously.

Yes, he's playing alongside a guy named Stephen Curry, who's been unstoppable the past two games − his 44-point night following a perfect shooting night. Still, Curry can't do it alone and with injuries to Jimmy Butler III and Moses Moody, Golden State needs players to step up. Lendeborg has so far.

The 24-year-old rookie has averaged 22.6 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 4.0 assists over his first five games.

Lendeborg is the first player since Shaquille O'Neal to average at least 20 points and nine rebounds in his first five career games.

His performances include 31 points in the Warriors' first win of the season, which came on the road against the Denver Nuggets. He added 12 rebounds and six assists. He shot 9-of-19.

He's continued to adapt to the NBA game, staying aggressive and getting easy opportunities at the free throw line. The rookie finished 12-of-13 from the charity stripe against Denver.

Lendeborg joined Hall of Famers Patrick Ewing, David Robinson and O'Neal as the only players in the draft lottery era (since 1985) to put up at least 85 points and 35 rebounds in their first four career games.

He scored 87 points in his first four career games, which is second-most for a player in Warriors history behind Wilt Chamberlain. Lendeborg is ahead of Joe Fulks (78 points in 1946-47); Paul Arizin (73 points in 1950-51); Rick Barry (71 points in 1965-66); and Chris Webber (68 points in 1993-94).

Lendeborg is still a rookie and he gets nervous out there, especially playing with Curry and Draymond Green, who have won four NBA championships together and understand what winning looks like.

Curry shot a perfect 8-for-8, scoring 24 points in their win against the Nuggets, but it was Lendeborg who led the team in scoring that night. Lendeborg is continually gaining confidence because the team leaders are encouraging it from him.

"Steph and Draymond's confidence for me," Lendeborg said after their win against the Nuggets. "After the game in Hawaii, where I think I had, like, three points, and only took three shots, I asked them just for some guidance, some advice, and they told me to just, you know, try to be confident, be aggressive, and play through mistakes. I'm gonna be in that position to do that."

The advice worked.

"Just hearing that from those two guys, I was coming into the game timid, like, I don't want to mess up what they got going on," Lendeborg said. "They pretty much just gave me free roam. So they helped me out, and from then, I just vowed to be a little more aggressive in each night."

In their 119-114 victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Oct. 28, Curry scored a season-high 44 points. Lendeborg was the team's secondary option with 26 points and nine rebounds. He had seven turnovers but that's a part of the opportunity for growth that Curry and Green told him about.

His next is in a rematch with the Los Angeles Lakers and their star Luka Dončić after the NBA season opener when Lendeborg had words for the Lakers guard about his play.

"I was telling (Luka) he sucks. He can’t score on me,” Lendeborg said after the game. “You talk and you can’t score on me. I said it the whole game."

Lendeborg said he "lost all respect" for Dončić after the game because the Lakers superstar was complaining to the officials for calls. Dončić scored 28 points on 7-for-18 shooting from the field and added eight rebounds and seven assists.

"It's about him complaining the entire game. And then you get foul call. Congratulations, bro," Lendeborg said.
"And then you talk to me, like you did something great, bro. Come on, now. It kind of threw me off for a little while, 'cause, you know, like I said, I had so much respect for him. Gone."

Lendeborg gets his next opportunity Friday, as the Warriors look to win their third consecutive game and get back .500 on the season as they host the Lakers at the Chase Center in San Francisco. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg is off to a historic start. Think Shaq-like.

Posted on

Cameron Boozer Just Did Something Not Many Rookies Do, And Certainly Not This Soon

PORTLAND, OR - OCTOBER 29: Cameron Boozer #27 of the Memphis Grizzlies handles the ball during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers on October 29, 2026 at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. 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 Cameron Browne/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Getting a triple-double is not a common thing for any NBA player, and less so for rookies. Getting one this early in the season is even rarer.

The last rookie to get a triple-double by his fifth game was Lonzo Ball, who turned the trick for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2017-18.

Well, Cameron Boozer pulled it off against Portland Thursday night. The former Duke star finished with 18 points, 11 rebounds, and 12 assists against the Trail Blazers.

It’s still early, but at this point, it’s hard to argue that Boozer isn’t the leading candidate for Rookie of the Year.

More importantly, the Memphis Grizzlies are now 5-0.

Go to the DBR Boards to find Blue Healer Auctions || Drop us a line

Posted on

Design the 2027 Guardians With a Fun Roster Tool

View of a 'Jack of Spades' from a deck of playing cards (printed in Frankfurt, Germany), circa 1875. (Photo by Transcendental Graphics/Getty Images) | Getty Images

It’s the offseason so it’s time to check the latest roster-building websites out.

Everyone, please check out www.dealinthecards.com/gm

Here, I have made an opening salvo at what would be an aggressive, yet realistic, offseason for the Guardians.

-They trade for Alec Burleson from the Cardinals (trading Welbyn Francisca, Ryan Cesarini and Slade Cecconi) and Gabriel Hughes (trading Kyle Manzardo, Franco Aleman and Braylon Doughty) from the Rockies.

-They sign Alex Vesia in free agency at 2 years/$16M.

-They add Justin Campbell, Franklin Gomez, Jacob Zibin, Jaison Chourio and Tommy Hawke to the 40-man.

-They keep David Fry for depth (he still has 2 options).

-They let Matt Festa, Blake Perkins and Shawn Armstrong go.

-The starting lineup is very left-hander heavy, but the bench features guy who can all swing it from the right side. I see Genao getting starts at short, second and third, and maybe getting reps in center. Adell and Burleson platoon, essentially, and Burleson can play first. Angel platoons with Ingle in left, and Ingle can continue to get some reps at catcher, also.

Payroll is a very sustainable $110M.

Try your hand, save the image and post it in the comments below!

Posted on

Lightning beat Jets 6-4 to stay unbeaten at home; Holmberg posts 4 points

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Pontus Holmberg set a career high with four points on a goal and three assists, Brandon Hagel and Anthony Cirelli each had a goal and two assists, and the Tampa Bay Lightning remain unbeaten at home with a 6-4 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday night.

Brayden Point, John Carlson and Conor Geekie all scored for Tampa Bay. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 17 shots.

The Lightning improved to 6-0 at home to tie a franchise record to start a season.

Neil Pionk, playing his 600th game, scored twice. Kyle Connor and Dylan Samberg also scored for the Jets and Mark Scheilffele had three assists.

Stuart Skinner allowed five goals on 21 shots before being replaced by Nico Daws to start the third period. Daws finished with nine saves in his Winnipeg debut.

Winnipeg is winless (0-5-2) in the past seven games, including three consecutive regulation losses since trading goaltender Connor Hellebuyck to New Jersey.

The Jets’ last victory came on Oct. 13.

HURRICANES 3, BLUE JACKETS 2

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Mark Jankowski scored in the third period for a three-goal lead, Pyotr Kochetkov made 24 saves and Carolina beat Columbus.

Kochetkov improved to 9-0-0 and set the franchise record for longest season-opening winning streak. Jordan Martinook and Logan Stankoven also scored and Seth Jarvis added two assists as the defending Stanley Cup champion Hurricanes won for the fourth time in five games.

Jet Greaves stopped 24 shots for Columbus. Denton Mateychuk and Kent Johnson scored in the third period.

Jankowski’s goal, 16 seconds into the third period, felt like added insurance, but turned out to be the difference in the game.

Martinook beat Greaves from the left circle to give the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead with 4:09 left in the first period.

Stankoven made it 2-0 with his team-leading ninth goal of the season, 7:47 into the second period. Stankoven has five goals in six home games this season.

MAMMOTH 4, PENGUINS 3, OT

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Logan Cooley completed a hat trick against his hometown team with a second left, Mikhail Sergachev scored at 3:27 of overtime and Utah stunned Pittsburgh.

After Ben Kindel put Pittsburgh ahead 3-2 with 25 seconds left, Cooley — playing his third NHL game in Pittsburgh — batted the puck in from the left side of the net for sixth goal in four games and seventh of the season.

Cooley became the third Pittsburgh native with a hat trick against the Penguins, joining Brandon Saad and R.J. Umberger. At age 5, Cooley took part in Sidney Crosby’s first Little Penguins Learn to Play Hockey program.

Cooley scored for the first time in seven games against Pittsburgh. He had two first-period goals to give the Mammoth an early 2-0 lead, and scored in the third for his third career hat trick.

In overtime, Sergachev beat Arturs Silovs off a rebound in front.

Sebastian Cossa stopped 31 shots for the Mammoth, who have won three of their last five games overall. Utah is 5-0-0 after a loss and 8-0-0 when leading after two periods.

Rickard Rakell had a short-handed goal, and Erik Karlsson also scored for Pittsburgh. Silovs made 30 saves.

RED WINGS 4, BLACKHAWKS 1

DETROIT (AP) — Viktor Arvidsson scored his sixth career hat trick and added an assist as Detroit Red overcame the suspension of former captain Dylan Larkin with a victory over Chicago.

The third four-point game of Arvidsson’s career gave Detroit a 5-1-1 record over its last seven games. Lucas Raymond added a power-play goal and Alex DeBrincat had two assists. John Gibson made 18 saves, including one on Frank Nazar’s second-period penalty shot.

Connor Bedard scored for the Blackhawks, who are 0-5 on the road this season. Spencer Knight stopped 25 shots.

The Red Wings suspended Larkin without pay prior to the game. Larkin, who requested a trade during the offseason, through his agent said would no longer play for the organization. Larkin has two goals and six assists in 10 games this season, including the tying goal during a shootout victory at Edmonton on Monday.

CANADIENS 5, STARS 2

DALLAS (AP) — Cole Caufield and Alex Newhook scored two goals each as Montreal beat Dallas.

Jakub Dobes made 17 saves in his first win since opening night as the Canadiens won their fourth consecutive game, all in Central Division rinks. Phillip Danault had an empty-net goal and an assist.

Wyatt Johnston had a goal and an assist and Jamie Benn also scored for the Stars, who had won five straight before Tuesday’s 5-1 home loss to New Jersey. Jake Oettinger, who went into play third in the NHL with a 1.43 goals-against average, allowed a season-most four goals on 20 shots.

Caufield opened the scoring with a one-timer 7:24 in. Only 27 seconds after Newhook broke a 1-1 tie late in the first period, Caufield stuffed in a puck that crossed behind Oettinger to give Montreal the lead for good.

Newhook made it 4-1 early in the second period six seconds after Dallas’ top-ranked penalty kill notched the 25th of 27 consecutive kills scoring on a ricochet off the boards behind the net that Oettinger never saw.

The Canadiens are 4-0 without captain Nick Suzuki, who was lost for two-to-four weeks on Oct. 20 with an upper-body injury.

BLUES 4, BRUINS 1

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Robert Thomas and Philip Broberg each had a goal and two assists to lead St. Louis to a win over Boston.

Before the win, the Blues were 0-3-3 in their last six games against Bruins at home since Game 4 of Stanley Cup Final on June 3, 2019.

Jimmy Snuggerud and Jake Neighbours scored a power-play goal for St. Louis and Joel Hofer recorded 31 saves.

James Hagens scored for the Bruins and Jeremy Swayman stopped 14 shots.

St. Louis went ahead 2-1 on a wrist shot from the top of the slot by Broberg at 5:17 of the second period. Connor McMichael passed from behind the net to an open Broberg, whose shot went just inside the right post.

The Blues extended the lead to 3-1 on a goal by Thomas at 12:08. He took the puck from Justin Barron at the blue line, skated to the high slot and fired a wrist shot high to beat Swayman.

ISLANDERS 4, WILD 3, OT

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Matthew Schaefer scored his second goal of the game on a wrist shot at 33 seconds of overtime to give New York a victory over Minnesota.

Schaefer beat goalie Jesper Wallstedt from the right circle on a break.

Schaefer also had an assist, Bo Horvat scored a power-play goal and Adam Pelech also connected for for New York. Ilya Sorokin made 22 saves.

Joel Eriksson Ek, Quinn Hughes and Matt Boldy scored for Central Division-leading Minnesota, with Boldy tying it at 3 with 3:53 left in regulation.

Wallstedt stopped 22 shots.

The Islanders won their second straight to improve to 7-4-2. The Wild dropped to 9-4-2. They had won three in a row.

CAPITALS 4, PREDATORS 3

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Cole Hutson scored twice to lead Washington to a victory over Nashville.

Boone Jenner and Alex Tuch also scored and Charlie Lindgren made 25 saves for Washington, winners of three straight and five of six. Aliaksei Protas and Jack St. Ivany each had two assists.

Filip Forsberg scored twice, Ross Colton also scored and Juuse Saros made 25 saves for Nashville, losers of four of five. Roman Josi had three assists.

Forsberg opened the scoring with 7:12 left in the first period.

With the Predators on a 5-on-3, Ryan O’Reilly sent a pass from the high slot to Forsberg at the top of the left circle, where he beat Lindgren with a one-timer.

Forsberg has scored a power-play goal in three-straight games. O’Reilly extended his points streak to four games. He has three goals and four assists over that span.

Posted on

Islanders 4, Wild 3 (OT): The Schaefer Show goes to Minnesota

They made us sweat about it more than necessary, but the New York Islanders came through with a big two points against one of the league’s heavyweights in the Minnesota Wild.

Matthew Schaefer tied and then surpassed Bobby Orr’s teenage scoring record on the leaderboard, with two goals and an assist tonight. Bo Horvat scored on the power play, and Adam Pelech picked up his first of the season to round out the scoring.

It wasn’t the cleanest win for the Islanders, who at times struggled to keep up with Minnesota’s pace, but they definitely grew into the game, and closed out a tough road trip with a win.

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

Joel Eriksson-Ek opened the scoring less than 30 seconds in on a shot that Ilya Sorokin probably wanted back, coming down the center of the ice with no traffic in the way. It was a little more back and forth after that, with the Islanders getting a few good chances.

Kyle Palmieri was called for hooking Danila Yurov, but the Islanders killed the penalty.

Ryan Pulock left the game sometime around then, and wouldn’t return, due to an upper body injury.

Then, Emil Heineman took a shot that Wallstedt saved, but Matthew Schaefer found the rebound with perfect timing and put it away to tie the game.

View Link

The Islanders went to the power play early in the second, with Olli Maatta tripping Palmieri, and Simon Holmstrom set up a Bo Horvat tip to give the Islanders a 2-1 lead.

View Link

JG Pageau went to the box for tripping, and the Islanders killed that. That kill turned into a mega shift for the Islanders in the Minnesota zone, which unfortunately didn’t end in a goal despite significant offensive zone time.

And even more unfortunately, just after that, Quinn Hughes tied the game at 2-2 on a backhand pass that went through Sorokin’s legs and in, another goal he would really want back, especially in a tight game like this.

Adam Pelech was called for a weak trip in the third period, and the Islanders killed the penalty, with Scott Mayfield and Logan Stanley on for the full two minutes.

A few minutes later, Pelech got on the scoresheet in a positive way, picking up his first goal of the season to make it 3-2. It’s listed as unassisted, but hard work along the boards by Heineman and Victor Eklund helped set it up.

View Link

Ondrej Palat drew a tripping call, sending Eriksson-Ek to the box, but the Islanders couldn’t convert.

And later, Matt Boldy took advantage of a turnover and rare all-around bad play by Schaefer to make it 3-3.

Sorokin made a huge save on Olli Maatta alone in front late, and Pelech rang a shot off the crossbar, and so we went to overtime.

The Wild had a great chance in OT, but Kirill Kaprizov shot the puck high, and the Islanders were able to turn it around, setting up Schaefer and Holmstrom on a 2 on 1. Schaefer elected not to pass, and shot the puck past Wallstedt for his second of the night and the game winner.

View Link

Up Next

Next, the Islanders head home to UBS Arena to take on the Edmonton Oilers at 2pm on Halloween. Here’s hoping the spookiness stays off the ice, especially with Connor McDavid on a tear.

Posted on

Viktor Arvidsson's Hat Trick Powers Red Wings To 4-1 Win Over Patrick Kane, Blackhawks

Follow Michael Whitaker On X

With multiple storylines surrounding Thursday’s matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings forward Viktor Arvidsson gave everyone another one to talk about.

Arvidsson scored his sixth career hat trick to lead the Red Wings to a 4-1 victory at Little Caesars Arena, capping a day dominated by major news surrounding former captain Dylan Larkin’s suspension.

The contest also featured the return of former Red Wings forward Patrick Kane for the first time since he decided to rejoin the Blackhawks over the summer, accepting a two-year, $16 million contract after having played in Detroit since December 2023. 

Earlier in the day, Larkin's agent, Pat Brisson, said through NHL insider Pierre LeBrun that his client had "had enough" of the ongoing trade stalemate. The Red Wings later announced that Larkin had been suspended without pay.

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

Image

Despite the ongoing drama, the Red Wings had a game to play, and it wasn't long before they found themselves trailing by a 1-0 score thanks to Chicago captain Connor Bedard beating goaltender John Gibson with a backhand shot off a rebound at 5:59 of the first period. 

However, the Red Wings tied the game at the 7:31 mark of the second period on the first of Arvidsson’s three goals. He deflected a shot from defenseman William Wallinder past goaltender Spencer Knight for his sixth goal of the season.

"As Long As Is Necessary": Shawn Horcoff Not Rushing To Trade Suspended Dylan Larkin"As Long As Is Necessary": Shawn Horcoff Not Rushing To Trade Suspended Dylan LarkinDetroit Red Wings interim general manager Shawn Horcoff said that he's not rushing to trade Dylan Larkin, who was suspended from the team without pay on Thursday after informing the club he no longer wanted to be part of it.

Detroit took the lead for good early in the third period thanks to a wicked wrist shot from Lucas Raymond on the power play, as Kane was in the box for high sticking. 

Arvidsson added to the lead at the 15:26 mark of the third period, crashing the net and burying a rebound of an Alex DeBrincat shot past Knight. He then completed the hat trick late in the frame, hitting the open net. 

Having played last season with the divisional rival Boston Bruins, Arvidsson signed a two-year, $10 million contract to join the Red Wings during the summer; the move reunited him with head coach Todd McLellan, under whom he played while with the Los Angeles Kings. 

Gibson picked up the victory for Detroit, making 18 saves on the 19 shots he faced. Meanwhile, Knight stopped 25 shots for Chicago. 

The Red Wings will next host the St. Louis Blues for a Saturday afternoon Halloween matchup. 

Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!

Image

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

Posted on

Schaefer scores his 2nd goal of the game in OT to lift Islanders past Wild, 4-3

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Matthew Schaefer scored his second goal of the game on a wrist shot at 33 seconds of overtime to give the New York Islanders a 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night.

Schaefer beat goalie Jesper Wallstedt from the right circle on a break.

Schaefer also had an assist, Bo Horvat scored a power-play goal and Adam Pelech also connected for for New York. Ilya Sorokin made 22 saves.

Joel Eriksson Ek, Quinn Hughes and Matt Boldy scored for Central Division-leading Minnesota, with Boldy tying it at 3 with 3:53 left in regulation.

Wallstedt stopped 22 shots.

The Islanders won their second straight to improve to 7-4-2. The Wild dropped to 9-4-2. They had won three in a row.

Up next

Islanders: Host Edmonton on Saturday.

Wild: At Washington on Sunday.

___

See AP’s full NHL coverage here

Posted on

Caufield, Newhook each score twice in Canadiens' 5-2 win over Stars

DALLAS (AP) — Cole Caufield and Alex Newhook scored two goals each as the Montreal Canadiens beat the Dallas Stars 5-2 on Thursday night.

Jakub Dobes made 17 saves in his first win since opening night as the Canadiens won their fourth consecutive game, all in Central Division rinks. Phillip Danault had an empty-net goal and an assist.

Wyatt Johnston had a goal and an assist and Jamie Benn also scored for the Stars, who had won five straight before Tuesday’s 5-1 home loss to New Jersey. Jake Oettinger, who went into play third in the NHL with a 1.43 goals-against average, allowed a season-most four goals on 20 shots.

Caufield opened the scoring with a one-timer 7:24 in. Only 27 seconds after Newhook broke a 1-1 tie late in the first period, Caufield stuffed in a puck that crossed behind Oettinger to give Montreal the lead for good.

Newhook made it 4-1 early in the second period six seconds after Dallas’ top-ranked penalty kill notched the 25th of 27 consecutive kills scoring on a ricochet off the boards behind the net that Oettinger never saw.

The Canadiens are 4-0 without captain Nick Suzuki, who was lost for two-to-four weeks on Oct. 20 with an upper-body injury.

Dobes played instead of standout rookie Jacob Fowler, who has won his last six starts including Montreal’ three previous games. Dobes had allowed 20 goals in his four previous outings, going 0-2-2. In his previous start against Dallas early last season, Dobes was pulled after allowing five goals on 13 shots in a 7-0 loss.

Montreal’s Noah Dobson and Dallas’ Mikko Rantanen (who turned 30 on Thursday) had two assists.

Dallas is 3-2-0 with one game left in a season-long six-game homestand.

Up next

Canadiens: Host Pittsburgh on Saturday.

Stars: Host Columbus on Saturday.

___

See AP’s full NHL coverage here

Posted on

Schaefer Snipes In Overtime, Shorthanded Islanders With Monumental 4-3 Win In Minnesota

The New York Islanders (7-4-2) concluded their three-game road trip (2-0-1) with a monumental 3-2 win against the Minnesota Wild (9-2-4) in St. Paul on Thursday night. 

Matthew Schaefer scored his second of the game in overtime, with a blocker side snipe off a 2-on-1 rush with Simon Holmstrom at the 33-second mark of the extra frame:

Ilya Sorokin, who likely wants the two goals he allowed back, turned aside 22 of 25 shots he faced in the win. 

Here's how the game unfolded:

Just 27 seconds into the game, Joel Eriksson Ek sniped Sorokin glove side from the high slot to give Minnesota an early 1-0 lead:

Matthew Schaefer tied his career high by extending his point streak to six games (three goals, three assists) after adding a goal and an assist in the win.

His goal at 16:36 tied the game at 1-1 after he buried an Emil Heineman rebound, short-hopping the puck:

Schaefer recorded his 13th (three goals, 10 assists) in 13 games this season. 

Horvat scored his seventh goal of the season at 1:41 of the second period to give the Islanders a 2-1 lead, bringing his total to 14 points (seven goals, seven assists) in his 13th game:

However, at 17:21 of the second period, Quinn Hughes snuck a backhander through the legs of Sorokin to tie the game at 2-2:

Adam Pelech scored his first of the season at 7:14 of the third period to give the Islanders a 3-2 lead: 

But, for the second time, the Wild ansnwered. After Schaefer got caught, Matt Boldy beat Sorokin through the legs off the rush at 16:07 of the third to tie the game at 3-3:

UP NEXT: The Islanders host the Edmonton Oilers at 2 PM ET on Saturday

Posted on

Hawks end skid with close 114-111 win against the Cavs

ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 29: Onyeka Okongwu #17 of the Atlanta Hawks handles the ball during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on October 29, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Atlanta Hawks were back in action on Thursday evening to face the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Hawks are coming off a loss to the Miami Heat last night, where not much went right for them on either side of the ball. The one bright spot was Kingston Flemings, who had his breakout game, finishing with 23 points.

As for the Cavaliers, they’re also coming off a back-to-back, as they defeated the Washington Wizards 121-111.

The Hawks struggled against the Heat due to the likes of their frontcourt, and the Cavaliers pose similar problems with Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen down low.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker got things started for the Hawks with a 3-pointer.

It was another slow offensive outing for the team in the first quarter, as they couldn’t get much to go at the rim. The 3-point numbers weren’t bad, but they didn’t take that many to make a big difference.

That led the Cavaliers to grab a double-digit lead toward the middle of the quarter, and the Hawks found themselves fighting back. Going into the second, the Hawks trailed the Cavaliers 28-16.

It was a slow start to the second for the Hawks, but the bench was able to find a little bit of a rhythm to cut down their deficit. It was Aaron Wiggins who brought the Hawks life as the quarter continued, knocking down a few 3-pointers to bring them within striking distance.

The starters fed off that energy, and they were able to get stops on defense that led to their offense. Onyeka Okongwu made a layup to tie the game at 37.

The Hawks were able to take the lead a few possessions later, and even extend it a little further. Okongwu was able to get a few 3-pointers to go in after struggling with his shot to start the season.

The Hawks led 46-44 going into halftime.

It was a strong start to the third for the Hawks, and Okongwu continued his hot shooting from the 3-point line. They were able to maintain their lead throughout the quarter, and Okongwu brought his scoring inside the paint.

Wiggins and Jalen Johnson were able to knock down 3-pointers.

Even when the Cavaliers made their run, the Hawks always had a response. To end the quarter, Flemings found Alexander-Walker on the break for a 3-pointer to give the Hawks an 89-82 lead going into the fourth.

The Hawks continued to stay afloat in the fourth, hitting timely shots and getting stops on defense. Wiggins was there when they needed him, and Johnson was also able to get some shots to go, including this dunk in transition.

The Cavaliers had one final run in them, and they made it close with less than a minute remaining. With 20.6 seconds left, the Hawks led by one point, and that’s when the free-throw game came in. Alexander-Walker was able to knock down both to give the Hawks a 3-point lead. From there, all the Hawks needed was a stop on the other end, and they got multiple stops to seal the game in the end.

Okongwu finished with 29 points and 12 rebounds, Alexander-Walker finished with 25 points, and Wiggins finished with 20 points and seven rebounds.

The Hawks will be back in action on Saturday to face the New Orleans Pelicans.

Posted on

Blackhawks Lose To Red Wings 4-1 As Road Woes Continue

The Chicago Blackhawks paid a visit to Little Caesars Arena for a game against the Detroit Red Wings. Despite Chicago's tough start to the season on the ice, it pales in comparison to the messy times that Detroit is currently going through. 

During the morning, the news broke that Dylan Larkin would not be suiting up for the Red Wings. Then it came out that he has officially played his last game for the Red Wings and won't return to game action until it is for another team. Not long after that, the Wings announced that he has been suspended without pay. 

This is all while they are in a contract stalemate with young defenseman Simon Edvinsson. Two pieces of their core are just missing, yet the players who are there have to suit up and try to win once the whistle blows. This is the type of fragile team that the Blackhawks felt they should take advantage of to try to start a winning streak. 

It looked like the Blackhawks were going to go down that route early. Connor Bedard made it 1-0 for the Blackhawks at 5:59 of the first period. Wyatt Kaiser continued his stretch of good play, and Connor Bedard put home a great play that Kaiser set up. 

On the goal, Roman Kantserov earned his first career assist. He is known for being a great goal scorer, but his ability to contribute as a playmaker is there, and he was finally awarded an assist. 

From there, the Detroit Red Wings scored four unanswered goals and won the game 4-1. Lucas Raymond scored one of Detroit's goals, and Victor Arvidson had a hat trick.

Spencer Knight made his 8th straight start for Chicago, and his 11th out of 13 games. The Blackhawks left him out to dry, as they were outshot 29-18. Knight made 25 saves in the loss. 

With this loss, the Blackhawks fall to 0-5-0 away from the United Center. Most teams are better at home, but they have to start finding ways to win on the road if they want to get back into the standings. 

These are the types of losses that have the ability to force change. After Connor Bedard made it 1-0, this Red Wings team went to work on dominating the Blackhawks. Nobody can say that the Blackhawks don't have the talent to compete with a team like the Red Wings, but you wouldn't know it by the way they played in this game. 

Patrick Kane Welcomed Back

One positive from the game, besides the Bedard goal, was the fact that the Detroit Red Wings honored Patrick Kane on his first return. He played for them for three seasons and was a great player for them. Since returning to Chicago, he has had nothing but nice things to say about his time in Detroit. They enjoyed having him, too. 

Watch Every Chicago Goal

What’s Next For The Blackhawks?

The Chicago Blackhawks will pay a visit to TD Garden on Halloween for a Saturday matinee against the Boston Bruins. This will be their second of two games on the road, before returning home for one against the Colorado Avalanche. 

Image

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive, and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.