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A disastrous goal for Ipswich! Chris Walton, the home side’s keeper, tries to take the ball past the onrushing Evanilson, fails, is dispossessed, and the rest is a formality!
A glimpse of goal for Palace, as Mitchell’s driven cross is met by Strand Larsen, but he can’t do much more than get a foot to it, and he deflects it limply wide of goal, from where it’s cleared for a throw-in.
Continue reading...Jacob Fowler has faced plenty of oddities in his young NHL career, but tracking a green apple sailing toward his crease mid-play was a first.
During the second period of Saturday’s Original Six matchup at Scotiabank Arena, a fan launched a small green apple, later confirmed to be fake, from the stands, sending it skidding onto the ice right in front of the Montreal Canadiens goaltender while play was live. Referee T.J. Luxmore collected the object, pocketed it, and later produced it during a stoppage, holding it up near Fowler in a moment that left the broadcast booth and viewers doing double-takes.
“I was pretty dialled in but I saw an apple come on the ice right in front of me. I’m used to tracking a black puck not a green apple,” Fowler told Sportsnet’s Kyle Bukauskas afterward, laughing. “I saw that one and (Luxmore) told me he would have blown the play dead if they had gotten in the zone so thankfully they didn’t get one there.”
The 21-year-old American, who stopped 26 shots in Montreal’s 4-2 victory, confirmed to reporters that a fan had thrown it directly at him.
I hoped this was referee JT Luxmore's own apple from his pocket, but, unfortunately, that's not true.
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) November 8, 2026
Was thrown on the ice https://t.co/p9gjiAESZx
“It’s the first time that’s happened to me. It was thrown right at me,” he told reporters in the visiting locker room.
Fowler, still relatively new to the league’s quirks, handled the moment with the same poise he’s shown throughout a strong start (8-1-1). He joked with the official about the hypothetical.
"It's so surreal. I still feel like a little kid every time I get to put on the gear. It's so special to play in this organization."
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 8, 2026
Jacob Fowler joined @sportsnetkyle after a 26-save performance in the Canadiens' win over the Maple Leafs. pic.twitter.com/JVmDYENkbS
“As a young player, I try to stay in the good graces of the referees. I always ask them how it’s going. He showed me what it was. I asked him if the goal would have counted if they scored. He said, ‘We’ll see!’” Fowler recounted.
The incident occurred amid a game in which the Canadiens extended their point streak to 10 games. Alex Newhook scored twice, Chris Kreider and Zachary Bolduc added goals, and Fowler held firm after Toronto cut a 3-0 deficit to 3-2 early in the third. William Nylander and Gavin McKenna scored for the Maple Leafs, who have dropped four of five.
The incident didn’t help Toronto in any manner as they continue to struggle to find a way to play their game for a full 60 minutes.
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For the second time this season, the Montreal Canadiens visited the Toronto Maple Leafs, but this time the Habs wore their Hometown Remix jersey, and they were without Josh Anderson (out for personal reasons). Owen Beck deservedly moved up in the lineup to replace the alternate captain, and Jacob Fowler returned to net, facing Toronto for the first time in his career. Meanwhile, the Leafs went back to Sergei Bobrovsky, who had three losses in his last three starts.
Beck slotted right along Jake Evans and Chris Kreider, taking over from Anderson while Alex Newhook remained on the fourth line with Kirby Dach and Oliver Kapanen. Toronto was getting John Tavares back after the center had missed nine games with a lower-body injury, and with Kirill Marchenko also injured, his comeback was more than welcome for the hosts.
Former Canadiens Defenseman Had Big Praise For Price
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Newhook might have been demoted to the fourth line on Nick Suzuki’s return, but this fourth line doesn’t play like a fourth line. The Newfoundlander scored two goals in the first frame, allowing the Habs to go back to the room with the lead after 20 minutes, and Montreal never surrendered the lead.
As for Dach, he played with a lot of energy, and in a third-frame scrum, he helped Arber Xhekaj when he was surrounded by three Leafs. On that play, Xhekaj got an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for face-washing Teddy Blueger, who had taken a few shots at a tied-up Dach. The Canadiens’ defenseman was the only player sent to the box on that sequence, which even puzzled Leafs fans. After the game, Martin St-Louis said:
I feel bad for Jacko; I don’t think that was a penalty.
As for Kapanen, he had an assist on the night, but he also won the four faceoffs he took. As Dach rightfully pointed out after the game, all three players on that line have played center over their careers, and it certainly helps them play on the defensive side of the puck.
Absolutely insane that they're only taking Xhekaj out of this. Ridiculous. pic.twitter.com/VbWnIxL7Ye
— Matt Drake (@DrakeMT) November 8, 2026
One of the key moments of the game tonight came in the second period, when the Leafs pinned the Canadiens down in their own zone for over two minutes. Phillip Danault, Zachary Bolduc, Alexandre Texier, Alexandre Carrier and Kaiden Guhle were all on the ice for 2:17 or more on that sequence. Normally, when a shift lasts that long, it ends in one of two ways: with a penalty or with a goal. Full marks to those five players for keeping it clean and not falling in the trap.
They finally got off the ice after Fowler made a save with the butt of his stick, which deflected off the crossbar and out of play. Some may say that was a stroke of luck, but as they say, you’ve got to be lucky to be good and good to be lucky.
If some were worried about Fowler being shaken up after the 5-4 OT loss on Tuesday night, he quickly put their minds at ease. In the first frame, he made a tremendous save on Auston Matthews, who was all alone in front of the net, and he even made it look easy. Once again tonight, the young netminder looked “Pricessque” out there; he’s calm, he’s collected, and he seems to embrace the pressure. He stopped 26 of the 28 shots he faced, and when your netminder plays that well and is that calm, it certainly gives you some confidence.
Jacob Fowler with the great blocker save in the 1st period pic.twitter.com/YkpWPU8T7O
— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) November 8, 2026
In the post-game scrum, it was mentioned to St-Louis that when the Canadiens were up 3-2 in the third, and there was a TV timeout, Fowler was at the bench telling his teammates they were fine and there was no need to worry. That’s a 21-year-old. It’s rare to see such a young player take it upon himself to do that. It says a lot about how confident he is and how much of a leader he is.
The Leafs got a power-play goal to come back into the game off a William Nylander one-timer, and less than a minute later, Gavin McKenna scored a second goal on a rebound. At that point, most people wondered if the Leafs were about to do what the Winnipeg Jets did to the Habs on Tuesday night, but they didn’t. Not only did the Canadiens stop the bleeding, but they also cauterized the wound, scoring a power-play goal five minutes later through Zachary Bolduc and ending the game with a big double-minor penalty kill on a Juraj Slafkovsky high-stick. The Canadiens have eight power-play goals this season, and three of them are Bolduc’s.
BOLDUC BLAST 💥 pic.twitter.com/MmXDscwNMC
— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) November 8, 2026
In that sequence, two of the four penalty killers broke their sticks, including Kaiden Guhle (the new Mike Matheson, broken-stick-wise), but they still came out unscathed. That’s two wins in Toronto so far this season and two big points, which tie them with the Boston Bruins atop the Atlantic Division at 25. The Hometown Remix jerseys are not cursed, and the Habs can protect a lead.
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Hello, friends.
There are 136 days remaining until the next scheduled Orioles game, Opening Day 2027. I cannot stress enough that there is no guarantee at this point of there being a game on that day.
The early days of the baseball offseason have not brought much in the way of big news for any team, and certainly not much in the way of news for the Orioles. With the owner-imposed lockout looming, I am curious when that will change, or if it will change. The month of November is usually not full of big moves.
Circumstances are different this time around, with this month probably being the only month where teams can plan for next year’s roster without having to rush around wildly in what will probably be a hectic short time between when negotiations are concluded and a potentially belated spring training starts up. Maybe this week’s GM meetings, usually a low-key affair that’s more about laying groundwork for later conversations and decisions, will spark more activity than usual. Or maybe not. I don’t know.
One thing I do know is that when Mike Elias has something big brewing, there is rarely a steady stream of rumors about it. The moves almost seem to come out of nowhere. If Elias is making an attempt to re-sign Trevor Rogers, we aren’t going to know about it until that’s what happens. It’s unlikely that we’ll know afterwards how close he came, if he even tried. If it’s not your job to sit around and react to Orioles news, I suggest that you don’t hold your breath waiting for anything.
We are well into the time of year where diligent daily Bird Droppings readers may see repeats. It’s almost certainly not getting better in December.
Could Holliday be an Orioles trade candidate this winter? (Orioles.com)
If you really like Blaze Alexander, really believe in Jordan Westburg’s return, really think Coby Mayo’s second half of the season development is for real, and really feel that Christian Encarnacion-Strand is the next Ryan O’Hearn-type success story by the Orioles… well, Jackson Holliday is the guy who gets left out of that picture, or perhaps should be left out. The question, of course, is what does Mike Elias believe about all of those things?
Posing three questions related to Orioles roster decisions (School of Roch)
Roch is thinking about whether the Orioles have any particular needs for left-handed pitchers or right-handed outfield bats.
Son of Orioles great brings “instant credibility” to Coppin State baseball (The Baltimore Sun)
Steven Bumbry, son of Al, and himself a former Orioles minor leaguer, has joined the Golden Eagles coaching staff.
Today in 1966, Frank Robinson was unanimously named the MVP of the American League, becoming the first player to ever win the award in both the AL and the NL. This was the season where Robinson won the batting Triple Crown, the only Orioles player to ever do so.
In 1991, Cal Ripken Jr. was named as the AL MVP for the second time in his career, winning 15 of 28 first place votes. With 11.5 bWAR that season, Cal completely out-classed the league, with no other player even within 3.5 bWAR of himself.
There are a few former Orioles who were born on this day. They are: 2000 hitter Carlos Casimiro, 1994 outfielder Dwight Smith, and 1955 outfielder Wally Westlake.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: astronomer Edmond Halley (1656), game maker Milton Bradley (1836), Dracula author Bram Stoker (1847), author Kazuo Ishiguro (1954), and actor Matthew Rhys (1974).
In 1602, Oxford’s Bodleian Library opened to the public. The largest library at the university remains open to the public today.
In 1889, Montana was admitted to the United States, becoming the 41st state.
**
And that’s the way it is in Birdland on November 8. Have a safe Sunday.
Is it possible for the Phillies to have someone win a Gold Glove? I talked about Bryson Stott the other day in a question of the day, but what about someone else? Is there really anyone else that could get that kind of hardware? I’m not too sure.
On to the links.
Phillies news:
MLB news:
Reece Walsh scores hat-trick in comfortable win at Allianz Stadium
Kangaroos will play New Zealand next weekend for world title
The NRL’s form referee, Adam Gee, is in charge of tonight’s proceedings.
Conditions: The south east of Australia is experiencing an unseasonal cold snap so tonight’s temperature will be around 15C, but made to feel much colder thanks to a serious southerly. We saw last night how much a strong wind can impact a game so both teams will need to be wise to the conditions and adjust accordingly.
Continue reading...
It would be nice to say that we’re X days away from pitchers and catchers, and X days away from Opening Day 2027. Even if it’s a long time from now, it’s comforting to have a final date in mind! It’s the same idea as when you’re a kid, it’s always X days until Christmas, your birthday, the last day of school, etc. But while there are technically dates in place, the MLB owners’ pending lockout on December 1st hangs over everyone’s head like the Sword of Damocles. Hopefully the worst is that the season just gets delayed like the start of 2022, but … we’ll find out, huh?
We have a couple items ahead on the site today, Jake will celebrate both the 37th birthday and the up-and-down Yankees career of Giancarlo Stanton; it will be interesting to see if they call it with one year remaining on his contract, or if they at least see it out to the beginning on 2027. Later, John will have the weekly Social Media Spotlight.
1. If you were to guess, where do you think Jazz Chisholm Jr. ends up in free agency?
2. Let’s consider another! If you were to guess, where do you think Trent Grisham ends up in free agency?
CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers couldn’t keep up with a New York Knicks team that just has their number. They dropped Saturday’s game 109-97.
31 points, 9 assists, 6 rebounds
Brunson is a certified Cavs killer. He picked up right where he left off last postseason by torching whatever defender Cleveland put in front of him. He got inside the paint and to his midrange floater with ease. And when he didn’t, the outside shot was working as well.
There really isn’t much that you can do when Brunson has it going as he did here. The Cavs sent some doubles at him and tried to shade their defense toward him. When they got too far, he made the easy pass to the open teammate, never forcing anything.
The Cavs’ strategy was fine. The defense also wasn’t necessarily horrible. Cleveland’s guards competed, but that didn’t matter. Brunson is just too good a shot and decision-maker.
37 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block
Mitchell is putting together an impressive season from a process standpoint. He’s doing a better job of looking for his teammates, while also finding avenues to score.
“I think the biggest thing is creating an opportunity,” Mitchell said. “I haven’t shot as many shots as I have in my career, so trying to balance that and figure out trying to make the right basketball play. Sometimes that is shooting. Sometimes that is passing. Sometimes that is running the blitz, and it’s going to help to make me better.”
Mitchell tried to will the Cavs back into this game, scoring 21 in the final quarter alone. But as impressive as he was, a one-man army wasn’t enough to take down a well-oiled machine like the Knicks. Especially when the rest of his co-stars struggled.
Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. You can buy the Spida shirt HERE. You can also shop all of Homage’s Cavs gear HERE.
29 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals
Towns is such a difficult player to defend. His outside shot requires him to be guarded out on the perimeter, which opens up the lane for his teammates. If the defensive center leaves, Towns can make them pay with the outside shot. And, if his defender closes out too hard, Towns is quick enough off the dribble to make them pay inside.
This was on display on Saturday. He drew two quick fouls on Mobley in the first quarter by attacking the rim. This changed the complexion of the game. Without Jarrett Allen, the Cavs were forced to turn to third-string center Thomas Bryant for a longer stretch than they would’ve ideally liked.
Towns’s presence can completely change an offense as dynamic as New York’s. Cleveland found that out again the hard way.
7 points on 2-of-9 shooting, 5 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 blocks
The Cavs offense can look lifeless when Harden isn’t able to get downhill. On Saturday, he was a step slow and couldn’t create any separation off the dribble. That limited his effectiveness.
On the other end, the Knicks continually hunted him in mismatches. To his credit, Harden competed. But it wasn’t enough to keep this from being a winning strategy.
This has been less than an ideal start to the season for Harden.
12 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 turnovers
Mobley’s ability to win the matchup over Joel Embiid was a deciding factor in Cleveland’s runaway win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Likewise, his inability to do so against New York contributed to the loss.
The foul trouble made it difficult for Mobley to establish any kind of offense inside. This left him as mostly a jump shooter at the start of the game. And since the three-ball wasn’t falling (1-for-5 on the evening), there wasn’t much he was capable of offensively to help jumpstart an offense that needed it.
12 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists
Watson was useful in this game. He provided some much-needed offense and was helpful as a defender. That’s what you want to see from Watson in this matchup.
“Not really. In Jauary we went 2-9. I’m not really into measuring stick games). … Let’s say we win by 15. Well, we might get hammered next week by whoever’s in last place by 20. Does that mean we suck? No. You just take it one game at a time and try to get a little bit better.”
– Knicks head coach Mike Brown before the game when asked if this was a measuring stick game
It’s tempting to use this difficult stretch of games as a test for where the Cavs are. And if you were going to use it as one, they wouldn’t necessarily pass.
The more concerning thing is the lack of discernible identity. When they’re playing well, the Cavs can beat anyone, as we saw against Philadelphia. But what does this group hang their hat on? What does better look like for them? And are they taking steps to get there? Those are the questions that matter, and we don’t have clear answers for any of them.
The Knicks outscored the Cavs 26-8 in second-chance points.
New York retrieved 41.8% of their missed shots (94th percentile). And then they made the most of those opportunities by scoring a quarter’s worth of points on that alone.
“We have to rebound better collectively,” head coach Kenny Atkinson said. “There’s no one pointing the finger. The guys got to do it collectively. We just got to be better.”
I don’t necessarily think the Knicks present stylistic problems that the Cavs can’t solve. An offense that hunts out mismatches with their smaller, but electric, scoring guard isn’t something the Cavs should, on paper, be incapable of countering. Yet, the Cavs are consistently ending up on the wrong side of this matchup. The Knicks have their number, and there’s no way around that.
Atkinson and Mitchell were asked what makes this matchup so difficult afterward. Both pointed to the offensive rebounding as an obvious issue, and one that we all can see. They also both mentioned that the Knicks just understand how to play with each other and use that to seize the openings teams give them.
“They really have solutions,” Atkinson said. “I think their continuity…they just have great chemistry. They’re on a string on both ends.”
“They’ve been through stuff together as a group,” Mitchell said. “They do a good job os seizing mistakes.”
Brunson and Towns were tremendous once again tonight. Their shotmaking carried them in this matchup. But they also did a great job of accepting what the Cavs threw at them, and then having a plan of action for that. If you doubled Brunson, he moved the ball to the open teammate and made the Cavs’ defense scramble out.
Conversely, when they threw doubles at Mitchell, the Cavs weren’t quick to respond. Watson admitted afterward that he doesn’t know to help Mitchell in that situation and that there are “some questions” about their strategy that he would like to ask about. That isn’t the sign of a team that’s on a string and understands what they need to do to be the best version of themselves.
Little things like that are why the Knicks have been better. They understand what they need to do, and the pieces fit together perfectly to make that happen. The Cavs don’t have that right now. And until they do, they won’t be able to get through the roadblock the Knicks have become throughout this era of Cavs basketball.
Pierre-Luc Dubois had the finishing touch Washington needed on Saturday night.
The former Los Angeles Kings forward scored the eventual game-winning goal in the third period, helping the Washington Capitals erase an early deficit and defeat the Florida Panthers 4-3 at Capital One Arena.
Dubois, who spent the 2023-24 season with Los Angeles, finished with a goal and an assist as Washington rallied from a 2-1 hole. His goal came at 4:42 of the third period, giving the Capitals some much-needed breathing room at 4-2.
The play featured a little chemistry with teammate Aliaksei Protas. After Protas found him with a pass, Dubois reached around Florida goaltender Akira Schmid and managed to slide the puck across the goal line.
It was a timely contribution from a player who knows what it takes to produce in big moments. Dubois finished his lone season with the Kings in 2023-24 with 16 goals and 24 assists across 82 regular-season games, adding one goal in five playoff appearances.
Washington needed the production, too. The Capitals had dropped their previous two games, both at home, before Saturday's matchup.
The afternoon didn't begin smoothly for them. Jack St. Ivany opened the scoring with his first NHL goal, but Florida's Brady Tkachuk answered with two first-period goals to put the Panthers ahead 2-1. Matthew Tkachuk assisted on both, giving the brothers four combined points in the opening period.
Alex Tuch pulled Washington even in the second period before Protas put the Capitals ahead 3-2 with a goal assisted by Dubois.
Dubois then delivered the decisive blow in the third.
Sam Bennett brought Florida within one with 47 seconds remaining, but Washington held on to secure the 4-3 victory. Logan Thompson finished with 27 saves for the Capitals.
For Dubois, it was a productive night against a Panthers team that had no shortage of offensive firepower. His goal ultimately proved to be the difference, giving Washington a much-needed win and adding another contribution to his first season with the Capitals.
The surprise Saturday morning wasn’t so much that Ben Hutton was making his Islanders debut, with the defenseman’s inclusion in the lineup having been telegraphed since he was signed off his PTO on Thursday.
Rather, it was that Hutton was skating on the left side of Matt Kessel against the Devils and not Scott Mayfield, who was a healthy scratch.
While Mayfield has been fighting what looks more and more like an uphill battle for his spot on the depth chart since training camp, it would be hard to argue he hasn’t outplayed Kessel lately and harder still to argue that his importance to the penalty kill doesn’t justify keeping him in the lineup until Ryan Pulock returns from an upper-body injury.
In the first three games since Pulock’s injury, Mayfield has been the Islanders ice-time leader at 4-on-5, as the penalty kill had gone 10-for-11.
That felt extra prescient as the Islanders skated on the penalty kill four times in a 5-4 overtime defeat, using just three defensemen at 4-on-5 while leaning heavily on Logan Stanley and Adam Pelech — both of whom took penalties themselves.
“He’s a part of [the penalty kill],” coach Pete DeBoer said of Mayfield before the game. “When you make those decisions, guys come out and we’re well aware of some of the strengths of the guys coming out. Also some of the strengths of guys going in. I think if we take five or six penalties tonight we’re in trouble anyway. We gotta stay out of the box.”
Afterward, he praised the job the PK did and said, “All penalty killers get fatigued,” when there are that many opportunities.
Though Mayfield and general manager Mathieu Darche have both dismissed trade rumors surrounding him, this does come against the backdrop of those rumors as well — as well as a looming roster crunch once the Islanders, currently one player short of the roster limit, activate all three of Mathew Barzal, Matias Maccelli and Calum Ritchie.
Barzal and Maccelli were both full participants at Saturday’s optional morning skate and could be back soon, but the Islanders could stave off waiving someone once that happens by moving Ryan Pulock to injured reserve.
Mayfield can’t be traded without his consent, but he could be waived, and the Islanders could wield that weapon to get him to agree to a trade, a move the Rangers controversially employed to get Jacob Trouba to waive his no-trade clause a couple of years ago.
DeBoer did not have an answer following the game on whether Barzal or Maccelli would travel with the team to San Jose on Sunday, saying he needed to meet with the medical staff.
DENVER — Hockey is a game of inches, split-second decisions and details that can be easy to miss if you aren't watching closely. For casual fans, it can sometimes feel like the puck is moving faster than the eye can follow. But every so often, a play offers a glimpse into what separates the best players from everyone else.
Nathan MacKinnon provided one of those moments Saturday night against the Detroit Red Wings. It wasn't a goal or an assist. Instead, it was a brief moment of communication that said plenty about how he sees the game and the standards he holds his teammates to.
The Avalanche were looking to find some offensive rhythm after a sluggish opening period. With Justin Faulk serving a minor for interference and Nazem Kadri and Detroit's Moritz Seider both in the box for roughing, Colorado had another opportunity to get its power play going after coming up empty on its first three attempts.
MacKinnon had possession in the high slot when he noticed something wasn't quite right. He lifted his stick and motioned toward a teammate, signaling that someone needed to adjust their positioning. Initially, it appeared he was directing the message toward Martin Necas. It turned out he wanted Parker Kelly to move higher into the offensive zone.
The sequence ended with T.J. Hughes getting a turnaround shot away on Red Wings goaltender Daniil Tarasov. The rebound bounced off Tarasov and slid through the crease, where Necas was waiting unmarked at the backdoor. He tapped it home for Colorado's first power-play goal of the night.
It was the first of three power-play goals for the Avalanche, who went on to shut out Detroit 4-0.
Martin Nečas opens the scoring in Colorado! 🚨 pic.twitter.com/e8KiYliwOp
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 8, 2026
The play itself might not stand out on a highlight reel, but the details behind it are worth a closer look. MacKinnon recognized where Kelly needed to be and wasn't shy about communicating the adjustment.
Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar offered some insight into what happened during the sequence, explaining why MacKinnon was looking for Kelly in the first place.
"I think (his leadership skills) are great because... he's a super intelligent guy. He notices things; he picks up on stuff throughout the course of a game," he told The Hockey News.
🗣️ "I think the momentum really turned for us when we started managing the puck better."
— Guerilla Sports (@guerillasports) November 8, 2026
HC Jared Bednar on the Avs 4-0 win against the Detriot Red Wings#GoAvsGo | #McRibpic.twitter.com/hjoyCBwwW4
Bednar explained that with Kadri in the penalty box, Colorado needed someone new to fill the bumper position on the power play. Kelly had already generated two quality scoring chances at even strength in the first period, including a shot off the post, so Bednar wanted to give him an opportunity in that spot.
The problem was Kelly had drifted too close to the net instead of occupying the space in the middle of the ice.
"I decided to throw him in that bumper spot, and Kelly was standing too deep, almost at the net front. Mac wanted him in the pocket. He noticed it right away because he was looking for him, and there was a little hole there. Parker was too deep, so he was trying to get him out of there," Bednar explained.
The Avalanche eventually went with a goal-line play, and the puck worked its way toward the net before Kelly came downhill. With Detroit's defenders converging, it ultimately found its way onto Necas' stick.
For Bednar, it was another example of MacKinnon's ability to recognize things others might not immediately catch.
"It's just a little thing that he picked up on. He'll move guys around and bark at you to get you in the right spot, and then do something else and look for you, especially on the power play when you get a little bit of time."
MacKinnon isn't simply pointing out mistakes. He's communicating what he wants from his teammates because he's already anticipating where they need to be for a play to work.
It's part of what makes him such an effective leader, even if he's never been particularly interested in being the most outspoken person in the room.
MacKinnon has built his reputation as one of the NHL's premier players through an unwavering commitment to his craft. His preparation, training, recovery and attention to nutrition are well-known around the league. He expects a tremendous amount from himself, and those expectations extend to his teammates.
He's an intense competitor. Winning is the priority, and he's not always going to sugarcoat his feelings when he believes something needs to change. His competitive nature was even on display during the Winter Olympics in Milan, where not even a stuffed animal was immune to his intensity.
His reserved personality can sometimes lead people to underestimate him away from the ice. MacKinnon isn't particularly interested in lengthy media appearances or elaborate answers. But being quiet and having little to say are two very different things.
Over the past couple of seasons, The Hockey News has seen MacKinnon offer pointers to T.J. Hughes, Artturi Lehkonen and others. There have also been stories about his willingness to hold younger teammates accountable for their habits away from the rink.
Sam Malinski, now in his fourth year with the organization, shared a particularly entertaining example during an appearance on the NHL Unscripted podcast.
When Malinski first joined the Avalanche, he quickly discovered that MacKinnon had some strong opinions about what his teammates should be eating before games.
"I would always eat peanut butter and jelly before the games, just a quick sandwich, and he told me pretty quickly that he didn't like that very much," Malinski said.
MacKinnon apparently wasn't much happier with Malinski's pasta consumption, either.
"He didn't like that I ate pasta. He always does sweet potatoes, and so I switched to that for a little bit," Malinski explained.
There was a funny twist, though. Malinski admitted that when his game started to slip last season, he went back to eating pasta before games and felt his play improved.
"Honestly, I think this is probably a mental thing for me, but last year I started, I wasn't playing very well, and so I went back to my pasta, and then I started playing good again," Malinski said.
It's a funny story, but it also offers a glimpse into what it's like to be a younger player in Colorado's locker room. MacKinnon might not be the teammate constantly cracking jokes or commanding attention with a big personality. That's more captain Gabe Landeskog's territory. But the two share an important quality: They want to get better, and they expect the people around them to do the same.
There are different ways to lead a hockey team. Some players do it with speeches, others with their personalities. MacKinnon has never needed to be the loudest voice in the room to make his presence felt.
Sometimes it's a quick correction during a power play. Other times, it's a conversation about what a teammate is eating before a game. More often than not, it's the example he sets every time he steps onto the ice.
Saturday night was another reminder that MacKinnon isn't just concerned with making the right play himself. He's paying attention to what everyone around him is doing, too. And his teammates are better for it.
An Ash Gardner batting masterclass combined with a youngster’s epic performance in the field set up an emphatic win for the Sixers in the Sydney Smash on Sunday.
SAN FRANCISCO – It wasn't long ago that the Golden State Warriors were being written off, calling the 2026-27 season a throwaway after an 0-3 start.
They've since won seven consecutive games and have slowly become one of the hottest teams in the league. If you were sleeping on Golden State, then it's time to wake up. The boys are balling.
The Warriors kept their win streak intact, battling the Orlando Magic in a 126-119 overtime win on Saturday, Nov. 7 at Chase Center in San Francisco.
The Magic came into the with just two wins and were desperate for a spark. It was an easy situation for the Warriors to overlook. Golden State came out the gates with a 16 point lead but Orlando battled back and made it a game throughout.
"These games always scare me when people are out for the other team (with injury) because the league is filled with hungry, young, athletic players and the way everybody plays now, it's speed, crash the glass, and create extra possessions," Kerr said. "We only got out of there alive because of Steph (Curry) and then some great individual efforts by guys. We got totally outplayed that whole second half. They were amazing. 33 more field-goal attempts. It's almost impossible to win a game, but I'm proud of our guys, because they gutted it out."
Golden State was led by their veteran superstar Stephen Curry, who scored 12 unanswered points himself in the final 2:21 of regulation en route to a 41-point performance. It was his 16th 40-point game since turning 35 years old. He has the most 40-point games in NBA history by a player age 35 or older.
Curry had a vintage performance in which he gets hot in a flash and becomes unstoppable. He went 13-of-19 from the field, 5-of-10 on 3-point shots and a perfect 10-of-10 at the free throw line. He was the engine for the Warriors, as he's been time and time again throughout his career. It doesn't get old to someone like Draymond Green who's played alongside Curry since 2012.
"It never gets old," Green told USA TODAY Sports. "He's so special, like, he always does something to where it can't get old. You know, it's always something different. ... Down the stretch, you kind of get to a space where you just expect him to make those plays. But never try to take it for granted."
Green caught himself in awe of Curry on one particular shot when he was being guarded by Magic forward Jamal Cain as the shot clock was winding down with 6:46 left in the third quarter. Cain was all over Curry and still, Curry found space to hoist up a 3-point try and it found the bottom of the net.
"The guy's the greatest shooter ever played basketball. But I don't know what in your mind would just tell you, oh, this guy's pressuring me, just shoot," Green said. "Right? That's crazy. I can't begin to process those thoughts, you know, where you're like, gosh, right here. I'm gonna just shoot it. Most people, they do that and you look at them like, yo, what are you doing? It goes in. So I would say that was the one tonight that was really like, man, it's crazy. But, you know, I try I make it a point to try to never take it for granted."
Curry is going to get his but the battle was won through their depth. Every player who logged minutes for Golden State score. The Warriors bench outscored Orlando's second unit, 42-31.
After Curry, Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg had the next high with 23 points on 9-of-15 shooting from the field. Brandin Podziemski added 15 points and 7 rebounds.
The Warriors look to continue their hot streak as they host the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday, Nov. 9 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. Tip-off begins at 7 p.m. PT (10 p.m. ET).
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Warriors keep streak alive, win seventh straight behind Steph Curry's 41 points
ATLANTA — Understand that “back” is the worst four-letter word for Nets fans.
They read about back woes, minutes limits and injury management, but Ben Simmons is what they see. And what they fear.
But with Mikel Brown Jr., they don’t have to be afraid.
Despite the kid gloves the Nets have treated their rookie with, Brown’s ankle is fine. And more importantly, so is his back.
While Brown was limited to 21 games for Louisville last season, sources told The Post that his back was structurally fine. That injury had just been a soft tissue one and is long since in the past. His current minutes limit is about the future and building strength for that — for who the Nets see as an eventual All-Star.
“It’s all about getting stronger,” Brown told The Post before scoring 18 points in the Nets’ 124-121 loss to the Hawks on Saturday night. “This is my first year playing against this type of high level of athletes. You’ve got to be at an elite performance level body-wise. But that’s just the everyday process when it comes to that stuff.
“I’m constantly in the weight room every day just strengthening the parts of my body I need to strengthen. But yeah, that’s us going along with the plan. I’m all aboard with it. As long as we’re winning games, that’s all I care about.”
With Brown being the reward for a long tanking season, fans are not only invested in his progress but still scarred from the Simmons experience — trading James Harden for what turned out to be just 90 ineffective games in three seasons.
This isn’t that.
“Nah, man, that was never the case,” said Brown, who will not play Sunday in Dallas because he’s not cleared for back-to-backs. “I’ve just been leaning on my performance staff. My body feels great. Just take it slow. It’s an 82-game season. We want to be in a position to make the playoffs, so every game matters, but they’re just like, ‘the long run, the long run.’ So taking it a game at a time, a day at a time, and attacking it. Everything’s fine. I don’t look at (social) media like that, but yes, everything’s fine. My body’s great, just continuing to build.”
Brown has yet to play both legs of a back to back, with the Nets to play Sunday in Dallas.
He entered Saturday averaging 12 points and four assists. And the game is visibly slowing down for the rookie, mustering 14.5 points in his last four tilts.
“I’m very happy with Mikel. Him in pick-and-roll, how fast he is, how shifty, he can shoot the 3, get to the rim. Very happy with his performance,” coach Jordi Fernández said.
“It’s always about playing hard, but it’s also about playing smarter as well. So, just really having the game slow down,” Brown told The Post. “I watched a lot of film with my coaches, a whole lot of film for myself, just slowing down and letting the game come to me and just letting the game flow.
“And just staying aggressive, living with the consequences if I turn the ball over, miss an assignment on defense, just knowing I have to get it back the next play. Just always having that next-play mentality. That’s the mindset that’s been in my head these past couple games.”
Brown has particularly excelled in the pick-and-roll, capped by an 18 point, four-assist outing in their win over Charlotte. He shot 6 of 11, 3 of 5 from deep and had a highlight no-look pass to Moritz Wagner off a baseline drive.
“Yeah, really the willingness to just be myself and create plays within that pick-and-roll situation, whether that’s hitting the pocket, reading the tag man. Just allowing the game to come to me. It’s nothing I haven’t worked on for freaking years before this. So I adapt and put it on show,” Brown said.
“Great player. Big-time offensive spark,” said Terance Mann. “He’s gonna be good when he gets older, stronger, understands the game, understands the pick-and-roll situations. I could see him being an All-Star easily. He has a great basketball mind. So, it’s fun to play with him.”
The Nets are strengthening Brown’s body, especially his core, searching for that All-Star outcome.
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Leon Draisaitl had two goals and an assist, Connor McDavid added three more assists and the Edmonton Oilers beat the struggling Vancouver Canucks 4-2 on Saturday night.
Mattias Ekholm and Jason Dickinson also scored for the Oilers (12-3-3), who snapped a two-game slide. Edmonton is 10-0-2 when scoring first this season.
Devon Levi returned from an injury to make 20 saves and improve to 7-1-0 in the Edmonton net.
Max Sasson and Brock Boeser scored for the Canucks (3-15-1), who have lost five straight. They are 1-14-1 since a 2-1 start.
Leevi Merilainen stopped 26 shots for Vancouver.
McDavid extended his season-opening assist streak to 18 games. He leads the NHL with 37 assists and 47 points.
The Oilers' captain matched Adam Oates for the second-longest assist streak in league history behind Wayne Gretzky (23 games) in 1990-91. McDavid also became the sixth NHL player with at least one point in the first 18 games of a season.
Dickinson scored the tiebreaking goal early in the third and Edmonton made it 3-1 four minutes into the period when its potent power play struck. McDavid sent the puck across to Draisaitl and he unleashed a one-timer.
Boeser scored at 17:25 but Draisaitl added an empty-netter for his 16th goal with 45 seconds remaining.
Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard had an assist, extending his points streak to six games. He and Draisaitl both have points in 16 of 18 games.
The Canucks came in giving up 4.61 goals per game. Meanwhile, the Oilers entered as the league’s highest-scoring team at 4.12 goals per game.
Canucks: Host the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday night.
Oilers: Host the New York Rangers on Monday night.
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