For the better part of three years, Australian cricket has appeared headed for a cliff.
Open the Floodgates: 3 Observations as Golden Knights’ Offense Breaks Through Against Predators
As a team, the Vegas Golden Knights feel they can come back from any deficit. However, they’d rather not, because they’re one of the best teams in the league at defending a lead. On Tuesday, they entered the third period up 3-2 over the Nashville Predators, and they made the most of it.
When teams have the lead, they tend to sit back and focus on defending their net. Tonight, the Golden Knights did none of that. Instead, they attacked in waves and continuously looked to extend their lead.
“Real good third period, obviously,” said defenseman Noah Hanifin following the 5-2 win. “Hiller made some huge saves for us that gave us some momentum. And the penalty came up big in a few different areas of the game.”
“I think the best part was coming out of the 3rd, not taking our foot off the gas, and bringing our game to another level,” said Brett Howden. “It’s tough on a back-to-back sometimes, but I thought we put the pedal down and did a good job of finishing it off the right way.”
1. Bandaid
It’s still early in the season, but thus far, there have been stretches where the Golden Knights have struggled to stop the bleeding. Last night, the Golden Knights took a penalty two minutes and 45 seconds after allowing the first goal of the game. Their penalty kill, which had previously been so strong, crumbled under pressure. The two-goal deficit quickly turned into three, and that hole proved to be too deep.
Tonight, they found themselves in a very similar situation when Brett Howden took a penalty just 41 seconds after the Golden Knights conceded the first goal of the game.
This time, the Golden Knights’ penalty kill came through. Following a strong kill, Raphael Lavoie took it the other way and fed Tomáš Hertl for the equalizer.
“That’s something we talked about this morning,” said Rasmus Andersson following the win. “We can’t let it snowball, right? If we let in one, then we can’t let in the second or third right after. Tommy comes up with a huge 1-1 goal there, and gives us a little bit of momentum.”
2. Momentum Killer
The penalty kill wasn’t just crucial in stopping the bleeding; it also swung momentum in the first period. Funnily enough, the Golden Knights generated quite a bit of offense from their penalty kill, including their second goal of the night.
“We scored right after two penalty kills,” said head coach Ryan Craig. “When you do the job on the kill and then get that response, it can be deflating to a team.”
Coming into Tuesday’s game, the Predators boasted the league’s fourth-ranked power play. But tonight, the Golden Knights won the special-teams battle, going 3-for-3 on the penalty kill.
“The penalty kill was huge,” said Noah Hanifin. “And they’ve got a good power play over there. But we stuck with it and got a couple goals shortly after the kill. Building momentum, that’s what it’s all about. When you’re on the penalty kill, you’re making sure you’re giving your team some momentum. I thought the group did that tonight, and it paid off for us.”
3. Offense From Defense
With the likes of Jack Eichel, Mitch Marner, and Mark Stone, the Golden Knights have a pretty lethal forward group. But when they’re really humming, the defense is chipping in offensively. That happened tonight, and the defense combined for five points.
Rasmus Andersson led the way with two assists, one coming on William Karlsson’s game-winning goal. Brayden McNabb and Noah Hanifin each recorded a primary assist, and Dylan Coghlan provided an assist as well.
The defensemen didn’t just contribute offensively— they did so at key moments in the game. Just as Ivan Barbashev’s holding penalty expired, Jack Eichel found Brayden McNabb in transition. McNabb carried the puck up ice and fed Eichel as the center drove the net. Eichel redirected it past Juuse Saros, and the Golden Knights took their first lead of the night.
Noah Hanifin’s contribution, too, came when the Golden Knights needed it most. They led 3-2, but the Predators were pushing for the equalizer early in the third period. The Golden Knights responded with a good shift in the offensive zone, and Hanifin capped it off by finding Trevor Connelly all alone for a one-timer.
“You know, sometimes, when you’re in those tight games, you tend to [take your foot off the gas],“ said Noah Hanifin following the 5-2 win. “I thought we did a good job staying on our toes, getting after them, playing in the offensive zone and generating some good looks. It was a really good third period for us.”
Walker Kessler debuts, but Luka Doncic sits during Lakers' preseason loss to Warriors
The plan for the Lakers had been to turn their fourth preseason game into a dress rehearsal for the upcoming season.
But that was not the case.
The Lakers did get the preseason debut of center Walker Kessler on Tuesday night, a good sign for them to see their biggest acquisition of the summer play.
But on the flip side, Luka Doncic didn’t play in the Lakers’ 101-89 loss to the Golden State Warriors at T-Mobile Arena because he was resting.
“He’s not injured, just getting the night off,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said.
So, it was left up to Kessler, Austin Reaves and the rest of the available Lakers to sort things out. And Reaves and Kessler were on point.
In just his second preseason game, Reaves was doing his thing, scoring 28 points on 10-for-18 shooting, including four for seven on three-pointers, with seven assists and four rebounds. But forced to handle the ball more with Doncic out, Reaves also had seven turnovers.
Read more:Why Lakers' Jake LaRavia isn't counting his made shots during preseason resurgence
Kessler started and had 11 points, nine rebounds, one blocked shot and one steal in 16 minutes.
For the Lakers, it was good to see Kessler on the court. They gave up a lot to get him from the Utah Jazz — two unprotected first-round picks and two pick swaps and then signing him to a four-year, $130-million contract.
Kessler played in just five games last season with the Jazz recovering from a torn labrum in his left shoulder.
He missed the first three Lakers preseason games with a left pinky injury.
Kessler yearned to play again.
“Yeah, I mean it was a lot of fun being out there again,” he said. “It’s been so long. Before the game I was actually pretty nervous, to be honest. But, getting out there and just playing with the guys, it was a blast. I can’t really, you know speak to…I think I have a certain presence on the floor, but I think my teammates around me did a great job of playing defense on the perimeter. I think we shared the ball really well tonight. Just how it was, especially in the first half. It was a lot of fun.”
He began his night with a defensive rebound, which allowed the Lakers to set up their offense early in the first quarter.
Kessler then cut to the basket, took a pass from Reaves and scored on a layup, his first points of the preseason.
His second basket was a left-handed layup early in the second quarter. Shortly after, Kessler blocked a shot by Warriors center Charles Bassey from behind, a display of his defensive presence.
Another good sign, less than a minute later, was when Kessler got an offensive rebound and bounded back up for a dunk.
When the Warriors went to their small-ball lineup in the first quarter, it meant the 7-foot-2 Kessler would be tested on defense, because his man was 6-2 Gary Payton II. It meant Kessler was forced to play defense on the perimeter and not down low where the Lakers prefer him.
Still, Kessler held his own.
While he was out and unable to play, Kessler learned a few things about himself.
“Yeah, I think what I missed most was competing,” Kessler said. “Quite frankly, competing to win, and I think as far as making me a better basketball player, I just think it has made me long to go try to win every game and win every night. So returning, I think it makes me a little better basketball player.”
The Lakers lost to the Warriors for the second time this preseason. Their other two games were victories over the Sacramento Kings. They play one more preseason game, Friday night against the Denver Nuggets at Crypto.com Arena, and then open the season against the Warriors at home on Oct. 21.
Before the game, Redick said the plan was for the Lakers to “continue to work on us.”
“We have kind of circled this game, not as a full dress rehearsal, just in terms of our scout presentation, but we gave the guys a sample of that this morning and at shootaround,” Redick said. “Not as much game-planning necessarily, but just kind of the sequencing of how we present prior to a game. We’ll do the same thing pregame with a brief personnel tape. We just want to get better. I mean, that’s the biggest thing. We want to get healthy, we want to get better, we want to continue to build our fitness and cardio level and find a rhythm. And it’s been a little disjointed with having some guys out.”
Redick said rookie Cameron Carr, guard Collin Sexton (lower leg) and forwards Ziaire Williams (right foot contusion) and Adou Thiero (undisclosed) “are still day to day” with their injuries.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Calgary Flames Earn First Win of the Season With 4-2 Victory Over Ducks
The Calgary Flames finally have a win to their name.
After opening the season with five straight losses, the Flames picked up their first victory of the season with a 4-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center on Tuesday night.
It was a much-needed response from Calgary, which showed a noticeable improvement in its overall game. The Flames generated consistent offensive pressure, outshot Anaheim and did a better job limiting the Ducks’ chances at five-on-five.
Adam Klapka opened the scoring in the first period, Aydar Suniev continued his strong start since being recalled from the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers, and Martin Pospisil scored the late go-ahead goal to secure the win.
The Flames also had to overcome a difficult stretch in the opening period after Anaheim capitalized on its opportunities to take the lead.
Calgary got off to a strong start, opening the scoring at 8:32 of the first period. After establishing a forecheck and creating pressure in the offensive zone, Klapka collected the puck in the high slot and beat Lukas Dostal with a hard wrist shot for his second goal of the season.
The Ducks responded at 12:09 during a four-on-four sequence. Beckett Sennecke picked off Simon Nemec at the Anaheim blue line and broke in alone on Dustin Wolf. Using his speed, Sennecke moved from backhand to forehand before beating Wolf to tie the game 1-1.
Anaheim took the lead less than two minutes later on the power play. Leo Carlsson received a pass from Mikael Granlund, skated into the hash marks and picked the top corner over Wolf at 14:05. The goal was Carlsson’s second of the season and gave the Ducks a 2-1 advantage.
Despite surrendering two goals in the opening period, Calgary responded with a much stronger second frame.
The Flames generated several quality chances during a five-on-three power play but couldn’t find the equalizer. However, they capitalized shortly after Anaheim returned to full strength.
At 8:02, Ryan Strome found Suniev in front of the net, where the rookie forward one-timed the pass past Dostal to even the score at 2-2.
Calgary continued to dictate the pace, outshooting Anaheim 21-8 at that point in the game. The physicality also picked up midway through the period, with Klapka and Jeff Malott dropping the gloves.
The teams remained tied heading into the third period, setting the stage for a late breakthrough from the visitors.
Pospisil provided the decisive moment at 15:37. The forward carried the puck into the offensive zone with speed, drove wide and sent a low shot through Dostal’s five-hole to give Calgary a 3-2 lead.
Suniev and Yan Kuznetsov picked up the assists on Pospisil’s go-ahead goal.
Yegor Sharangovich added an empty net goal as the Flames held on, closing out the victory and putting an end to their winless start.
Three Takeaways
1. Penalties nearly cost the Flames early
Calgary’s opening goal gave the team an early boost, but three first-period penalties disrupted its momentum and allowed Anaheim to take control of the scoreboard.
The Ducks made the Flames pay, tying the game during a four-on-four sequence before taking the lead on the power play.
Special teams remain an important area for Calgary to clean up. The improved effort at five-on-five was encouraging, but the Flames cannot afford to give opponents repeated opportunities to swing games in their favour.
The difference on Tuesday was that Calgary responded instead of letting the early deficit dictate the rest of the night.
2. Aydar Suniev is making his case to stay
Suniev continues to make the most of his opportunity with the Flames.
The young forward scored his second career NHL goal, finishing a pass from Strome with a quick one-timer to bring Calgary level in the second period.
Since being recalled from the Wranglers, Suniev has recorded two goals and an assist in three games. He has shown an ability to get his shot off quickly and put himself in dangerous scoring areas, giving Calgary another option offensively.
The early production is encouraging, particularly for a team searching for more consistent offence. Suniev is making a strong case for an extended look with the big club.
3. Adam Klapka brings plenty of bite to the lineup
Klapka made his presence felt throughout the night.
The forward opened the scoring with a strong shot from the high slot and added another physical element by dropping the gloves with Malott in the second period.
Entering the game among the league leaders in penalty minutes, Klapka continues to bring a combination of size, physicality and offensive ability to Calgary’s lineup.
His willingness to get involved physically gives the Flames an edge, but his opening goal was another reminder that he can contribute beyond his imposing presence.
For a Calgary team looking to establish its identity after a difficult start, Klapka is bringing plenty of energy to the lineup.
Golden Knights Pull Away From Predators With Dominant Third Period In 5-2 Win
The Vegas Golden Knights turned a tightly contested game into a convincing victory Tuesday night, scoring three unanswered goals over the final two periods to defeat the Nashville Predators 5-2 at Bridgestone Arena.
Playing their second road game in as many nights, the Golden Knights rebounded from Monday's loss at Minnesota with goals from five different players and a third-period performance that impressed coach Ryan Craig.
"I thought everybody to a man was ready to play, especially our goaltender early with the early penalty kills and the penalty-shot save," Craig said. "But I think our best period for me was the third period. I thought we came up with the right intensity to try to finish off a game, and we did."
William Karlsson broke a 2-2 tie with 2:16 remaining in the second period before Trevor Connelly and Brett Howden scored 95 seconds apart early in the third to put the game away.
Welllllll they did play Dancing Queen before this…. 🤗 pic.twitter.com/jMFMbbzqKN
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) October 14, 2026
Ryan O'Reilly opened the scoring for Nashville at 3:55 of the first period before Tomas Hertl answered at 6:46 and Jack Eichel gave Vegas a 2-1 lead at 12:48.
Adam Edstrom tied the game with a shorthanded goal at 8:45 of the second period, but Karlsson restored the Golden Knights' advantage at 17:44.
Vegas seized control in the third, with Connelly scoring at 4:49 and Howden following at 6:24.
Trevor Connelly is on FIRE 🔥 pic.twitter.com/IfkjE2k4JC
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) October 14, 2026
"I think the best part was coming out in the third and not taking our foot off the gas and kind of bringing our game to another level," Howden said. "I thought we put the pedal down and did a good job of finishing it off the right way."
We got a Rich Flex in Nashville 🤑 pic.twitter.com/V5RQxrH5dq
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) October 14, 2026
Adin Hill made 25 saves, including a first-period penalty-shot stop, while Vegas demonstrated the offensive balance Craig believes will be critical throughout the season.
"Depth. That's what it is," Craig said. "We were able to play four lines. The game dictated that quite a bit, which is good for a hockey club, especially on a back-to-back early in the year."
Sheeeeeeesh Jack 🫨 pic.twitter.com/UEHnwNKWlS
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) October 14, 2026
KEY MOMENT: Tiebreaker Bill
Karlsson's goal at 17:44 of the second period broke a 2-2 tie after Nashville had gained momentum with a shorthanded equalizer. His second goal in as many games restored Vegas' lead and set the stage for its decisive third-period performance.
KEY STAT: Five of 'em
Five different Golden Knights scored, and 12 players registered at least one point. Vegas also received 25 saves from Hill, including a first-period penalty-shot stop that helped prevent Nashville from building an early advantage.
That's not a mountain. That's A. HILL ⛰️ https://t.co/BEGUltb1Dwpic.twitter.com/WC366tl5U5
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) October 14, 2026
WHAT A KNIGHT: William Karlsson
Karlsson delivered the game-winning goal for his second tally in consecutive games, continuing an encouraging offensive stretch.
"Two good shots," Craig said. "He had the breakaway last night, too, so he's starting to shoot the puck, which we like to see."
UP NEXT
The Golden Knights return home Thursday to face the Calgary Flames at T-Mobile Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. Pacific.
PHOTO CAPTION
Vegas Golden Knights center William Karlsson (71) skates with the puck against the Nashville Predators during the second period at Bridgestone Arena.
WATCH: Ivar Stenberg Scores First Career NHL Goal
It took a bit longer than he likely wanted, but San Jose Sharks rookie Ivar Stenberg has scored a goal in the National Hockey League.
On Tuesday night, as Nikita Zadorov of the Boston Bruins sat in the penalty box, Macklin Celebrini had a perfectly placed pass into the crease. Stenberg then tipped it past Jeremy Swayman. Immediately, you could see the weight lifted off of Stenberg's shoulders as he looked to the sky in celebration.
MACK FINDS STENBERG FOR HIS FIRST CAREER NHL GOAL 🚨🤯 pic.twitter.com/pvqpEHA5hL
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) October 14, 2026
Not only is this a very important milestone for Stenberg, his first goal came at an important time. It tied the game between the Sharks and Bruins at 2-2.
The second overall selection in this summer's 2026 NHL Draft, Stenberg is the second player in his draft class to score a goal. Gavin McKenna of the Toronto Maple Leafs was the first to do so and currently has two goals in his rookie season.
Stenberg now has three points in six games to start his NHL career, but with the sixth game still in progress at the time of writing, he has time to add to that total.
Instant Analysis: Blues Bludgeon Senators 7-2 With More Solid PK Work, Two Goals Each From Suter, McTavish, Neighbours
Want to watch the perfect road game, or as near a perfect road game as an NHL team can play, look no further than the St. Louis Blues and their 7-2 beatdown over the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre In Kanata, Ontario on Tuesday, ending Ottawa’s three-game winning streak.
Forget that they scored a season-high seven goals for the game; it was the way they did it.
So lets get into how they did it and what proved to be pivotal.
* Penalty kill continues to flourish – OK, I had this as the top reason why the Blues (3-2-1) won in the fashion in which they did despite allowing that Fabian Zetterburg meaningless power-play goal with 1:27 to play in what was a 7-1 blowout.
I know that unit on the ice (Pius Suter, Jonatan Berggren, Colton Parayko and Justin Barron) won’t like it, but that’s alright. The Sens, who were 5-1-0 on the season, crafted that one well.
But that unit was so good again early on in killing three penalties to get to 17-for-18 to start the season (they’re 17-for-19 now) and it’s the aggressive nature in which those skaters are doing it.
Assistant coach Greg Cronin has -- particularly the forwards -- on the ice, whether it’s Suter, Robert Thomas, Pavel Buchnevich, Berggren, Jake Neighbours or whoever it may be with sticks in lanes taking away the open areas of the ice when teams are in the zone, but the Blues are taking away time and space so much, they’re doing to teams what teams have done to their power play: get on top of the puck handlers and forcing quick decisions, and it’s working.
Oh, and on this night, Suter set the tone after what I felt like was a bad call on Cam Fowler with a shorthanded goal at 14:28 of the first period to make it 1-0:
Short-handed goal for St. Louis!
— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) October 14, 2026
Scored by Pius Suter with 05:32 left in the 1st. Assisted by Colton Parayko and Pavel Buchnevich.
OTT: 0 | STL: 1#STLvsOTT#GoSensGo#StlBluespic.twitter.com/1dUIIxq70i
At the time, it gave the penalty kill a 2-1 advantage on goals over the Blues’ power play.
* Huge response after an Ottawa goal – This to me was the goal of the game for the Blues because the Senators, who won 4-1 at the New Jersey Devils on Monday, started to find some footing.
Claude Giroux scored at 17:52 of the second to cut the Blues’ lead to 2-1 and make this an interesting third period of what they thought would be at least a one-shot deficit. And it was a goal that I thought Blues defenseman Brandon Carlo played well; it was just some bad luck that after taking the red-hot Tim Stutzle with him behind the net, the puck hit the side of the goal and Stutzle was alert in getting to his feet and finding a seam to Giroux coming down the interior of the right circle and beating Joel Hofer with a really good shot.
But Mason McTavish and the second line had a response 33 seconds later to restore the lead to 3-1 at 18:25 that broke out into a 3-on-2 where all three on that line (with Connor McMichael and Berggren) all touched the puck, and how about Berggren being able to control this McTavish pass with his skate and being able to get it to his stick and finding McTavish in the crease for the contested finish:
St. Louis goal!
— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) October 14, 2026
Scored by Mason McTavish with 01:35 left in the 2nd. Assisted by Jonatan Berggren and Connor McMichael.
OTT: 1 | STL: 3#STLvsOTT#GoSensGo#StlBluespic.twitter.com/V2oIGs9sbs
* Dylan Peterson fit in, in his first NHL game – Welcome to the big show, and it was a successful game for the third-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft.
Peterson, who was recalled from Springfield of the American Hockey League on Sunday, played just 8:57, which doesn’t sound like a lot, but he had four of the team’s 18 hits, played physical throughout, started the process of Suter’s second goal of the game on the forecheck by separating the puck in the right hand corner that made it 4-1 at 7:54 of the third period:
St. Louis goal!
— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) October 14, 2026
Scored by Pius Suter with 12:06 left in the 3rd. Assisted by Ross Johnston and Brandon Carlo.
OTT: 1 | STL: 4#STLvsOTT#GoSensGo#StlBluespic.twitter.com/ZCEGuxJuYC
And to top it off, he had his first NHL fight and it was a doozy with fellow Senators rookie Jorian Donovan at 14:52 of the third with his parents and three sisters among a plethora of family and friends in attendance:
"THAT'S MY BOY!!!" - Mom pic.twitter.com/ZWhPs14e8t
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) October 14, 2026
There was good chemistry on that line with Suter and Ross Johnston, who picked up his first point with the Blues on Suter’s third-period goal.
* Doesn’t Colton Parayko look good? -- It’s been a terrific start to the season for ‘Colt55,’ and when you’re seeing him skate with the puck like that, with such confidence, you know things are going good.
Parayko got the assist on Suter’s shorthanded goal with the aggressiveness of checking the puck off two Senators skaters, then starting the breakout and saucing a puck to Suter to finish, then he started the breakout that led to the 3-on-2 for McTavish’s goal late in the second period.
Parayko, who played 19:33 in the game, has skated well playing with Justin Barron the past couple games, then locked it down with Philip Broberg in the third period.
He’s a big reason why the Blues’ defensive numbers through six games look so good right now. Some of the metrics don’t read it, but the eye test does, and No. 55 is passing them in the early going so far.
* McTavish looks like the real deal (so far), so does McMichael; that line with Berggren looks really good – McTavish and McMichael were off-season acquisitions to help balance out the top six and alleviate some of the pressure out on the Dylan Holloway-Robert Thomas-Jimmy Snuggerud top line.
The line combined for six points (two goals, four assists) in the game and since Jim Montgomery moved Berggren up there, that line has been on fire.
Sure it’s early, but McTavish, who has four goals and three assists in six games, is on pace for 98 points (56 goals, 42 assists) in an 84-game season, and McMichael, who had two assists in the game and has two goals and four assists in six games, is on pace for 84 points (28 goals, 56 assists) over the course of an 84-game season.
As a Blues fan, you’ll take this return – or anything close to it – when these respective trades were made this past summer.
McTavish finished this dart of a one-timer on the power play at 15:33 of the third period for a 6-1 lead as part of three goals in a span of 1:44:
Power play goal for St. Louis!
— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) October 14, 2026
Scored by Mason McTavish with 04:27 left in the 3rd. Assisted by Connor McMichael and Pavel Buchnevich.
OTT: 1 | STL: 6#STLvsOTT#GoSensGo#StlBluespic.twitter.com/MOCFGGiyI1
* Pius Suter is so valuable in all facets – This guy may be the most trusted, reliable player the Blues have, and that’s no exaggeration.
The coaching staff is so comfortable putting the 30-year-old on the ice in all facets, whether it’s on the PK, in 5-on-5 situations late in games protecting leads, and this season, he’s centering the fourth line, and the guy probably deserves to be higher up in the lineup.
Suter had two goals and an assist, was a plus-3 and won eight of his 11 face-offs in 15:21 of ice time and did such a good job of helping set the tone with two tough guys as his linemates in the game.
To be honest with you, I thought that Suter, who is in the final year of his two-year, $8.25 million contract, could be prime trade bait at some point this season, and he still could, but if the Blues are anywhere in the playoff chase or in a playoff position as the season progresses, I’m finding a way to keep him if I’m GM Alex Steen.
Where can you find such a multi-faceted skater like this that can be utilized in so many different situations? They’re hard to find, and unless Suter would out-price himself to remain in St. Louis, I think you have to find a way to keep this guy.
He’s a huge reason why your penalty kill is currently tied for sixth in the league, and when you have such a trustworthy player like this, you find ways to keep them.
His game tonight arguably was the the best all-around game by any of the Blues.
* Jiricek finally finds paydirt – It was coming. If you watched this game, it had all the earmarks that somehow, the 2024 first-round pick would find his way onto the scoresheet, whether scoring or assisting.
Jiricek had himself another solid game, making good, smart decisions on the ice, proper reads, effective pinches and he read the play well when he scored his first NHL goal at 16:32 of the third to make it a 7-1 game to finish as a plus-2 in 15:04 of ice time with five shot attempts (three on goal) and a blocked shot:
St. Louis goal!
— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) October 14, 2026
Scored by Adam Jiricek with 03:28 left in the 3rd. Assisted by Pius Suter and Mason McTavish.
OTT: 1 | STL: 7#STLvsOTT#GoSensGo#StlBluespic.twitter.com/dITL37gPFm
He also made a nice recovery after initially getting beat down the lefthand side that turned the puck back and got the Blues going the other way before Neighbours scored his first of the game in the second period.
First of many 👏 Congrats Jiri!#stlbluespic.twitter.com/L7Di1eKjIX
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) October 14, 2026
* Is Jake Neighbours finding his scoring touch – That’s three goals the past two games for the 2020 first-round pick.
His goal at 13:20 of the second period made it a 2-0 game on a shot from the high slot:
St. Louis goal!
— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) October 14, 2026
Scored by Jake Neighbours with 06:40 left in the 2nd. Assisted by Robert Thomas and Dylan Holloway.
OTT: 0 | STL: 2#STLvsOTT#GoSensGo#StlBluespic.twitter.com/KNVECRT2b5
And then he finished off an off-man rush with Pavel Buchnevich at 14:46 of the third to make it a 5-1 game:
St. Louis goal!
— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) October 14, 2026
Scored by Jake Neighbours with 05:14 left in the 3rd. Assisted by Pavel Buchnevich and Cam Fowler.
OTT: 1 | STL: 5#STLvsOTT#GoSensGo#StlBluespic.twitter.com/ppfi7iuhRw
But Neighbours set the tone with his solid check on Stutzle behind the net in the second period, and when he’s that engaging, it leads to other areas of his game, and his dad Ed apparently approved too:
that guy might need a lawyer after getting hit that hard.@cantorinjurylawpic.twitter.com/xC7DBGjmmQ
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) October 14, 2026
proud dad pic.twitter.com/vp5NmkEgWa
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) October 14, 2026
Neighbours was a plus-2 in 16:05 of ice time with three shots on goal, two hits and three blocked shots.
* Pavel Buchnevich looks sharp, and it’s one side of the puck that’s leading to it – Buchnevich had three assists in the game giving him four points the past two games, and I’ve always felt like if his defensive game – like it was on Tuesday again – is noticeable and on par, it fuels his offense.
He’s part of that PK group that was engaging at the start and it helped kickstart his playmaking abilities in this game.
* Blues again took advantage of a team on second of back-to-back games – When teams are traveling, like the Senators did after playing in New Jersey on Monday, you want to get them to retrieve pucks and go the length of the ice.
The Blues did a good job of keeping pucks alive in the offensive zone and forcing the Senators to defend, hence only allowing 17 shots on goal, and not getting hemmed in themselves.
They chipped pucks and used the forecheck to win the possession battle and not give the Senators any time and space.
They did the same thing to the Columbus Blue Jackets -- finally -- in the final two periods on Saturday in a 5-3 win.
All in all, a truly solid performance by plenty of skaters, including Barron, who played 18:28 and was a plus-2 with two hits and three of the Blues’ 18 blocked shots.
“It’s fun hockey.”
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) October 14, 2026
Pius Suter, Dylan Peterson and Jim Montgomery speak to the media following a 7-2 win in Ottawa. #stlbluespic.twitter.com/TfLEEsiSuG
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Celtics Reacts Survey: who’s coming in second?
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Celtics fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Before the inaugural Three-Point Shootout at the 1986 All-Star Game, Larry Bird famously walked into the locker room and casually asked, “who’s coming in second?” Two hours later with a raised finger before the winning triple even went down, he backed up the trash talk and won three shootouts in a row.
The modest Jayson Tatum probably wouldn’t even joke about who might come in second in scoring this season for the Celtics — before you say ask, yes, Tatum is leading the team in points — but let’s speculate before the year kicks off on Tuesday in Detroit.
The obvious candidate might be the newly anointed $44 Million Man Payton Pritchard, who signed a two-year extension yesterday. Whether he’s coming off the bench as a former Sixth Man of the Year or starting with Tatum, Pritchard is going to be key offensive weapon after averaging a career-high 17 points per game in 2025-2026.
There’s also Derrick White and Paul George who head coach Joe Mazzulla has said will definitely be part of the opening five on Opening Night. White had a down shooting year last season, but with a little more scoring punch around him, he might settle into a more complementary role with a higher efficiency. After playing just 78 games for the 76ers over two seasons, George looks primed for a comeback year in green. He’s vowed to be JT’s #2 and 20.5 points per game career average would be a welcome sign in Year 17.
However, the most obvious answer to the poll question is that it doesn’t matter. On any given night, any of those players could pop off for 30+ points with everybody else slotting in at #2, #3, and #4 in random order. If the first two preseason games are any indication, Boston will play a very democratic style of Mazzulla Ball with everybody getting their touches and looks. Everybody will eat and the vibes are good.
Takeaways: Defense, Goaltending Falter In Penguins' 5-3 Loss To Blackhawks
It's early in the season, but after three tough losses, the Pittsburgh Penguins put together their most complete effort of the young campaign Saturday in a 2-1 shootout win over the Dallas Stars, one of hockey's best teams.
It seemed like a natural starting point to build for the Penguins, who had struggled to find consistency in the early going.
But they reverted right back to square one in their follow-up performance Tuesday.
The Penguins visited the Chicago Blackhawks and walked away with a 5-3 loss despite coming back from a 3-1 deficit in the third period. A late goal allowed by Sergei Murashov - one that he would certainly want back - forced a six-on-five situation for the Penguins at the end, where Tyleer Bertuzzi scored an empty-net goal to seal the win.
The Penguins were up to no good in the opening minute of the game yet again, which is becoming an unfortunate recurring theme for them. Defenseman Declan Carlile turned the puck over from below his own goal line, feeding a puck directly to the Hawks that resulted in a Teuvo Teravainen goal just 28 seconds into regulation.
Pittsburgh responded six minutes later, though, when captain Sidney Crosby and Rickard Rakell found themselves on a two-on-one. Crosby rifled the puck past Chicago goaltender Spencer Knight for his long-awaited first of the season to tie the game at 1-1.
However, Roman Kantserov scored a power play goal near the end of the first period to restore the Blackhawks' lead, and he scored another goal midway through the second period to put Chicago up by two.
When all seemed to be going downhill for Pittsburgh, the fourth line of Blake Lizotte, Connor Dewar, and Nick Robertson created a chance off the rush in the offensive zone. Robertson finished the job to score his team-leading fourth goal for the Penguins at the end of the middle frame to bring the Penguins to within one.
Midway through the third, the captain answered the bell again when he picked up some loose change at the net front to tie the score at 3-3. But, unfortunately, with a little more than four minutes left in regulation, Teravainen had the puck along the left wall just above the goal line in the offensive zone, and he threw it toward the net.
The puck unexpectedly trickled past Murashov, giving the Blackhawks the late lead and deflating the Penguins of any kind of life they had.
Takeaways: Penguins Deliver Complete Effort In 2-1 Shootout Win Over Dallas Stars To Snap Three-Game SkidThe Pittsburgh Penguins brought their A-game against one of the league's best teams Saturday to get back in the win column.Here are some takeaways from this one:
- Special teams killed the Penguins in this game.
It's hard to fault the penalty kill too much, as the Penguins allowed just their second power play goal of the season against the Hawks. But Pittsburgh's power play was 0-for-4, and minus the third opportunity, it looked like it was 0-for-4, which occurred against one of the worst penalty kills in the league.
Special teams was a huge reason the Penguins made the playoffs last season. The PK is keeping up, but the power play looks lost. Zone entries and faceoffs have been an issue, but so has personnel.
They need to switch things up, and I think it starts with moving Malkin back to the second unit, when the power play was more effective. It's hard to keep Egor Chinakhov off that first unit, and Rickard Rakell is struggling enough that he can afford to be bumped down, too.
They need more guys willing to just rip the puck - other than Erik Karlsson, that is, as he took about five consecutive one-timers on the third power play and missed the net about seven times. He showed up, at least
Penguins Complete Trade With Sabres To Acquire Former First-Round PickThe Pittsburgh Penguins addressed their defensive logjam at the minor league level with a blue line swap involving the Buffalo Sabres Monday- If it seems like I'm bringing up Robertson in a whole lot of recaps, it's because I am. He's been really, really good for the Penguins up to this point, and it's not often you see a team's leading goal-scorer on the fourth line.
While the goal total speaks to Robertson's work ethic and the season he's had so far, it's not ideal for, again, your team's leading goal-scorer, to be on the fourth line. Maybe this is less of an issue with a team like the Penguins, who roll four lines.
But the top-six has two guys with three goals, two guys with two (both of Crosby's came in this one), two guys with one, and a guy with zero. At the end of the day, that's not encouraging, especially when the two guys with three goals, Tommy Novak and Evgeni Malkin, have one goal between them in the last three games.
Simply put, the top-six needs to produce more, and in particular, the first line. There were some encouraging signs from Crosby in this game, but neither Rust or Rakell are meshing with Crosby like they usually do.
As a whole, the top-six needs to get going. I know the fourth line has been spectacular, but it's a combination Dan Muse could always put back together down the line. Right now, Robertson needs to be playing in the top-six.
The Early Returns On Nick Robertson Are EncouragingPittsburgh Penguins forward Nick Robertson is off to a good start this season.- Another player who needs to get going is Egor Chinakhov. This is something that was brought up in a recent recap, but it feels like he is so close to scoring yet so far at the same time.
He had a one-timer hit above 96 mph on the radar gun that he missed the net on in this one. He had a breakaway opportunity that he just missed as well. He has had some chances, but he is missing the net with frustrating frequency right now.
In addition, the chemistry that was so evident with Novak and Malkin last season isn't really there to start this season.
If I'm the coaching staff, I consider bumping both Chinakhov and Rickard Rakell - two goal-scorers struggling to score - to the third line with Ben Kindel for a bit. Elevate Robertson and Andrei Kuzmenko. Give Elmer Soderblom another look:
Robertson-Crosby-Rust
Kuzmenko-Novak-Malkin
Chinakhov-Kindel-Rakell
Dewar-Lizotte-Soderblom
Chinakhov and Rakell have combined for just one singular goal in eight games this season, and the one goal was scored by Chinakhov in game one. The Penguins need more from them, and they need more from them sooner rather than later.
Could be a wild suggestion, but?:
— Kelsey Surmacz (@kelsey_surmacz4) October 14, 2026
Robertson-Crosby-Rust
Kuzmenko-Novak-Malkin
Chinakhov-Kindel-Rakell
Dewar-Lizotte-Soderblom
Idk, they've gotta get Rakell and Chinakhov going.
- Murashov's fourth goal was not a good one. It's a play that he would want back, and it's a save he should have had.
That said, I think some folks need to pump the brakes on expectations for the 22-year-old netminder with eight games of NHL experience.
Young goaltenders are going to give up bad goals. Elite goaltenders are going to give up bad goals. And, sometimes, those bad goals will come at bad times. There is a difference between wanting or needing a save in a particular situation and it being unnacceptable that a save isn't made in that situation.
Murashov should not have allowed that goal. But he should be allowed to surrender a bad goal or have a bad game as a young goaltender finding his NHL footing and as a guy whose team has not played well in front of him once this season.
Expecting perfection - or, even, expecting that goaltenders won't allow any goals they should have - is a perfect way to set a young netminder up for failure.
His team needed a save there, but he also needed his team to be better the rest of the night. Neither happened. That goal is an easier pill to swallow if the stakes weren't that high to begin with due to poor play from the rest of the team preceding it.
a beauty 🤌 pic.twitter.com/l0ZMxHrRRG
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) October 14, 2026
- Carlile has endured a rough couple of games. He coughed up the puck in a bad turnover on Chicago's first goal, and oftentimes, he finds himself playing like a forward.
This is not a slight to Carlile, but there is a difference between Erik Karlsson jumping up on a play and Carlile doing so. I think Carlile commits a bit too much offensively for the relative level of offensive talent he has, and it gets him in trouble sometimes.
On a pairing with Karlsson, being too active can hurt more than help. He just needs to learn when to pick his spots better. And he also needs to have more awareness below the goal line in his own zone.
He blocks a ton of shots, is mobile, and is physical. He's at his best when playing to his strengths and not trying to force plays.
'I Feel Pretty Good Right Now': Penguins' Koivunen Building Confidence In Season's EarlygoingPittsburgh Penguins' forward Ville Koivunen signed an unexpected eight-year, $32 million contract this summer and has looked good early this season.- A small yet relatively significant bright spot in this game was Crosby.
He needed those two goals. It was only a matter of time before the captain broke through, and he finally did, which should, hopefully, get him going a bit.
I thought his line was a bit better tonight, but it could still use more speed, which is why I'd like to see Robertson reunited with Crosby. If Sid has finally found his legs, and Robertson and Rust can provide some speed on his wings, it could make for a lethal combination.
- The Penguins next have the Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights back-to-back Friday and Saturday. Needless to say, they are not the Chicago Blackhawks.
The Penguins tend to find a way to elevate against better competition, so hopefully, they can find another level like they did against the Stars Saturday. But they need to start beating some of the teams they should be beating, like the Hawks.
Half the points on this tough Western road swing would be a good aim for the Penguins. Winning at least one of these games feels important.
Breaking: Cale Makar to Miss Tonight’s Game as Wife Tracy Nears ChildbirthColorado Avalanche star Cale Makar will miss tonight’s game as he and his wife, Tracy, await the arrival of their first child, team spokesman confirms.Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!
Recap: Blackwood and Necas propel Colorado’s 3-2 victory in Dallas
It was the first meeting of the Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars of the 2026-27 season, and the fierce rivalry and tension did not disappoint!
The Dallas Stars made things interesting in the third period, but an explosive second period from Martin Necas and a solid outing from Mackenzie Blackwood made the difference.
First Period
The game started with both the Stars and Avalanche gauging each other, but halfway through the frame, Artturi Lehkonen got the scoring started. A point shot caught traffic in front, and Lehky worked hard in the slot, backhanding one through Jake Oettinger at 11:32.
Things got a bit chippy toward the end of the opening frame when Noah Juulsen took a hit from Radek Faksa. Fedor Svechkov took exception and quickly challenged Faksa to a fight. In a controversial call, the refs issued Svechkov an instigating penalty, giving the Stars a power play.
The Stars capitalized and got a bit of luck when Tyler Seguin’s centering attempt went in off an Avalanche skate. That brought things to a late first-period tie, one goal apiece.
Second Period
The second frame got even rowdier, but the Avalanche cashed in on the chaos and started a Marty Party in the middle frame.
First, Necas slammed home a one-timer on a feed from Nathan MacKinnon to make it 2-1 Avalanche at 3:05 in the second period.
We then saw Nathan MacKinnon in his second fight of the first six games of the season, but this time he was caught on the button and left the ice bleeding. He still ended the fight sprawling on top of Roope Hintz. I’m speculating, but I’d bet that tussle stems from MacKinnon and Hintz’ past. MacKinnon returned for his next shift without question.
Later in the frame, the Avalanche would earn a 5-on-3 after Malinski was cross-checked and MacKinnon was tripped. Once again, Martin Necas scored when Landeskog collected a net-front rebound and backhanded a pass to Marty, who had nothing but net to aim at. Just like that, the Avalanche led 3-1 at 16:14 in the second frame.
Third Period
It wouldn’t be a game against the Dallas Stars without a little anxiety, so the Stars brought it to a one-goal game just 3:17 into the third period. This time, Roope Hintz let his game do the talking, scoring a timely goal with help from Tyler Seguin and Miro Heiskanen.
That set up a contentious, heart-rate-spiking rest of the third period as the Avalanche were tested more than once as time wound down. Fortunately for Avalanche fans, Colorado’s players sold out left and right to block the puck and protect their one-goal lead, and their efforts secured a 3-2 win.
Takeaways
This was a big game for the Colorado Avalanche and an even bigger game for goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood. He passed the test tonight, getting the stops Bednar called for after their loss to Toronto. This is the type of performance that could propel Blackwood’s season and confidence. The team in front of him wasn’t perfect, so Blackwood had to step up, and he did.
Martin Necas was on a mission tonight, and his two goals dictated the outcome. MacKinnon and Lehkonen were going too. All in all, aside from a few breakdowns, the Avalanche played a solid game, with a competitive level we haven’t seen too often so far. Stealing one in Dallas without Cale Makar is impressive.
I guess Nathan MacKinnon is a goon now, with a fight in Colorado’s two biggest games so far.
I, for one, love seeing Nate chuck ’em but naturally worry about him sustaining an injury in the process. He was bloodied tonight, but it’s kinda weird if Nate’s nose isn’t bleeding by the end of the game.
Up Next
The Avalanche will take a quick flight back to Denver and prepare for their second back-to-back with Dallas tomorrow night on home ice at Ball Arena!
Let us know what you thought of the game in the comments!
Mistakes Cost Guards: Rays Even ALCS at One a Piece
After a stunning, come from behind, full team effort that lead to a huge Win in last night’s Game 1, the Guardians were back in action tonight at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida for Game 2 of the ALCS. On the mound for the Rays would be former Brewer/Met and 2026 Trade Deadline acquisition Freddy Peralta, who really turned his season around once joining Tampa Bay. Opposing him for Cleveland would be the Guardian All Star Parker Messick, who would be looking to rebound from a shaky 1st postseason start last week in Chicago. It was well documented that Parker is a local kid, from Plant City, Florida, and would have a lot of family in the crowd tonight. But as good as his career stats are vs the Rays, the Playoffs are a different Beast…
Right from the jump it was clear that Cleveland’s game-plan was to attack Peralta early. Kwan singled on the 2nd pitch of the game, and Jose, Chase & Adell ALL swung at the first pitch (Jose and Adell popped up while Chase had a 3 pitch swinging K). 7 pitches and 5 were swung at, so clearly they want to get after him early (of course, Lowe would strike out on 8 pitch at bat to start the 2nd), which makes sense considering he doesn’t typically go deep into starts and Cash is likely to go all hands on deck, desperate for a Win to avoid going down 0-2 and hitting the road (only so many teams can be as comfortable as Cleveland is in that scenario). Bazzana would follow Lowe’s K with a single to CF and take 2nd on a Wild pitch. But all Cleveland could muster up was a Hedges HBP as Halpin and Rocchio struck out to continue our early game woes. The third wasn’t much better, as Kwan and Jose went down pretty quickly (Jose 2 quick pop ups, just 3 pitches seen) before Chase started a new K-less streak by drawing an 8 pitch walk before Jo Adell would fly out. The more you watch, the more you understand the approach to attacking Peralta early, as he was really starting to get comfortable out there through 3 relatively clean innings, just 2 singles, a walk and 4 K’s.
For as much fun as nearly every Guardian is having at the plate the last few days, Brayan Rocchio is probably not one of them. Since Rocctember ended, he’s hitting just .111, going 2-17 with just 2 singles. You can see him chasing a lot and swinging harder than usual, suggesting that he’s pressing at the plate compared to how calm and relaxed he’s looked recently when the pressure has turned up. A few people were suggesting a Genao start tonight- I wasn’t one of them but I wouldn’t have blamed Vogter if he went that way, looking to shake things up.
Meanwhile Parker Messick was continuing where he left off in Chicago- getting the job done but looking a tad shaky doing it. In the 1st inning he gave up a 2 out double down the line to Junior Caminero before striking out Mesa to end the threat. His 2nd inning started with an infield single, that was immediately doubled up on a slow groundball from the fastest man in the sport. Yes you read that correctly- usually a GIDP isn’t possible with Chandler Simpson running, but Rocchio ripped a seed to 1st to complete the 4-6-3 DP. Messick would lose a 2 out, 6 pitch battle to Ben Williamson, but immediately turned and picked him off at 1st to retire the side. Watching that half inning, I was hoping that the defensive magic would help Parker get a little comfortable out there and carry it into the 3rd.
Well, it wasn’t comfortable but it wasn’t harmful either.
Back to back singles from the 8-9 duo to start the inning and we were in trouble with the top of the order coming up. A 3-1 count to Yandy Diaz is not what you want, but sitting here I turn to my Dog (animal, not pal, although she is my pal too) and say “why not a groundball here?” as Yandy grounds into a tailor made 4-6-3 double play! Aranda would shortly follow with a groundball out of his own to Trav and just like that, Magic Man Parker Messick does it again!
0-0 through 3.
To the 4th inning we go and yeah, THIS is the Freddy Peralta I remember. Not the guy who suited up in Orange and Blue this year in Queens. For whatever reason, that marriage did not work at all, and Peralta was dealt after just 3+ months as a Met. But he looks very comfortable now, just pumping heat through the middle of our order, striking out Lowe and getting weak pop ups from Trav and Hedgie. It SHOULD be noted that Greedy Petey Halpin did hammer a single into RF in this inning, proving that he probably deserves more time in the starting lineup.
In the bottom half of the inning, Caminero would work a walk (after Hedges missed a pretty obvious strike 3 challenge!), which would be the 3rd straight leadoff man to reach for Tampa. A bad trend that Parker and the Guardians are eventually going to regret. Especially with a huge review in the next batter- another grounder to Bazzana…. would it be an another 4-6-3 double play? Was Rocchio off the bag? Was Lowe? A lot hanging in the balance that turned out just be a regular 4-6 put out. After a big K to Johnny DeLuca, Chandler Simpson does the ONE thing he does, hits a high chopper to Short and Rocchio just can’t get it over in time, and Mesa smartly takes 3rd with all eyes on Simpson. Messick, in hot water for the first time, answered by getting a 2 out groundball to his 3rd basemen, who couldn’t play it off the lip, letting the ball thru and the first run to score. Next up was Liam Hicks who knocked in 2 more and it was 3-0 Rays in the blink of an eye.
To me, this inning summed up the Rays and Guardians pretty well this season. In that inning alone we saw a leadoff walk, hustle to beat out a GIDP, hustle to beat out an infield single, a concentration error from someone who lets them happen more often than he should (usually resulting in runs), a mental error from TWO guys who should know better, and not being able to limit the damage. Yeah. The 2026 Guardians are a team that plays with fire all too much, eventually always getting burnt. Meanwhile the Rays do all the little things right, hustle their tails off and make you make plays to beat them. Sound familiar? More on that later.
To the 5th inning and you can just feel a bad aura from Jose, who knows this should still be a tie game if he either charges that grounder or gets his whole body in front of it (or if a number of things before that happen to not breathe in so much extra life!). That bad aura can’t last long though if the Guardians want to take this series, because you can just tell that the reason this team ran off 4 straight games in 6 days was because of how loose they’ve been playing, and the energy they’ve been feeding off of has come directly from #11. Jose would single and steal, and Chase would work a long walk as well- but Jo Adell hit a 2 out line drive right to the Centerfielder and the Guardians would move to 0-3 with RISP on the night (tho it feels way worse).
Side note- and I know this is gonna make me sound like a classic old man baseball fan- this Rays team loves to show off. I know that’s kinda how sports are now, even in baseball where I once counted 11 types of celebrations on ONE homerun (Ronald Acuña I will never forgive you), but man this team REALLY wants to let you know it when they do something. It started yesterday with Caminero playing almost even with the pitcher’s mound. That wasn’t in the gameplan, it’s not like the Guardians are a good bunting team, he wants to play up that close to show you he’s not afraid. So when he caught a liner from Rocchio there, he just HAD to do the Dikembe Finger waive to let you know. And I know I’m not just imagining it, this is the guy who set the record for the longest homerun Trot in the history of the game. For reference, Colby Mayo has an inside the park homerun where he would’ve scored 3 times in the time it took for Caminero to circle the bases…
I KNOW, make baseball fun, and all that. But there’s a difference between being fun and taking every opportunity to soak up the spotlight. And no, I am NOT suggesting he faked the injury last night (even if that was the longest injury delay I have ever seen for a guy that stayed in the game who also had a delayed reaction to said collision). He was definitely shaken up on that. But, ya know… no no no not gonna suggest that, let’s just keep it clean here.
Back to the game and frankly, with the way Peralta was pitching, it was hard to imagine that the Guardians were ever gonna score tonight, making that calamity of mistakes in the 4th slightly more forgivable than if this were a night where we could score 2-3 runs and make a run at a 2-0 series lead. Peralta would go 6 innings scattering 4 hits (all singles) and 2 walks while striking out 6. His night came to and end with one tiny whimper of a firework when Bazzana took him to the deepest part of the ballpark, flying out 400 feet with nothing to show for it.
While Freddy was the Sum of All Fears for the Guards; Parker was living all night in Clear and present Danger. He would go 5 innings giving up 6 hits and 2 walks while only striking out 3. The 3 runs he gave up were all unearned, tho, he’d be the first to tell you that they’d have zero had he pitched better. Back to back nights an All Star and Cy Young Finalist hopeful gave up just a little too much and the team paid dearly for it. Shawn Armstrong would give up an infield single (how many throws to First can the Rays beat out in one game? Seriously they are going for a record!) but otherwise pitched a clean 6th as we headed to the final act.
Thru 6, 3-0 Rays.
Onto the 7th and the Guardians looked thrilled to face anyone but Freddy Peralta. On in relief was former Clevelander Kevin Kelly, who would work himself into trouble by way of walking pinch hitter Patrick Bailey and giving up a single to Steven Kwan. With 1 out and 2 on for our Hero Jose Ramirez, the Guardians were looking for a big hit. Jose wouldn’t provide it, and it was up to Chase DeLauter
DeLauter would come up big with our first hit with RISP on the night! A double down the line that unfortunately only scored 1 (I gotta see a better replay to see if Kwan should’ve went), but put the tying run at 2nd for Jo Adell. Could we see more late heroics from the middle of the order again?
Thank you, Jonathan Frakes. No. Not this time… But the Guards DID finally get on the board, showing the resiliency and never-quit attitude we’ve grown to love over the last month and change. And with a quick 1-2-3 inning from the Armstrong/Herrin combo, the Guards would return to the plate with 6 outs left, their backs against the wall, a spot that they’ve excelled in time and time again.
Sadly, this would not be one of them. Tonight was not our night at the plate, and honestly a day off for travel might do everyone some good. The Guardians would lose to the Rays 3-1, evening the series at 1 game a piece. On the positive, we came to Tampa, split the series and shifted home field advantage our way. On the negative, we had the 1 seed on the ropes and gave them 3 runs in a game we lost by 2. It’s fair to be frustrated but also need to keep in mind; a lot has gone our way recently and there is a lot of baseball left.
Finally, I wanted to point out the familiarity when watching these two teams. The Rays play a very similar brand of baseball to the one we’ve gotten used to over the last few years. While Cleveland has been better at it over the course of 3 seasons, the Rays were much better at it over the last 162 games. But hey/ that doesn’t mean Cleveland can’t be better over a 7 game series! Just gotta bounce back and limit the mental errors, and avoid giving Tampa extra chances/at bats. They WILL capitalize, as we saw tonight.
Game 3 will be Thursday evening when Gavin Williams takes the mound once again facing (I believe?) Nick Martinez. Should be a fantastic pitching matchup between one guy coming off a record setting Game 5 vs one who completely owns the Cleveland Guardians. Time to see what we’re made of, again.
William Karlsson has go-ahead goal and Golden Knights beat Predators 5-2 for 3-1 road record
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — William Karlsson scored for the second straight game to put Vegas ahead, and the Golden Knights beat the Nashville Predators 5-2 on Tuesday night.
Playing a night after losing 4-2 at Minnesota to stop a four-game skid, the Golden Knights (6-2) improved to 3-1 on the road this season.
Jack Eichel, Tomas Hertl, Trevor Connelly and Brett Howden also scored for Vegas, and Adin Hill made 25 saves.
Hill stopped a penalty shot from Jack Drury in the first period after Nic Dowd was penalized for holding on a breakaway.
Adam Edstrom had his first career short-handed goal and Ryan O’Reilly also scored for the Predators, who lost in regulation for the first time since their season opener against the Wild. Juuse Saros stopped 20 shots.
At 8:45 of the second, Edstrom had a breakaway with Nashville a man down but initially couldn't get a shot off with Eichel in pursuit. But he maintained control of the puck behind the net and guided it past Hill to tie the game at 2-all.
Karlsson restored the Golden Knights' lead at 17:44 of the second with a snap shot to the top corner of the net, and goals by Connelly and Howden about 1 1/2 minutes apart in the third gave Vegas a three-goal advantage.
Up next
Golden Knights: Host Calgary on Thursday.
Predators: Host San Jose on Thursday.
___
Martin Necas has 2 goals to lead the short-handed Avs past the Stars, 3-2
DALLAS (AP) — Martin Necas scored two goals, including a 5-on-3 score, and the short-handed Colorado Avalanche beat the Dallas Stars 3-2 on Tuesday night in the opener of a home-and-home series.
Artturi Lehkonen also scored for the Avalanche, while Mackenzie Blackwood made 24 saves after allowing five goals on Saturday against Toronto. Nathan MacKinnon had two assists, giving him 12 points.
The Avalanche opened with 11 forwards and six defensemen when forward Zachary L’Heureux was a late scratch with an upper-body injury. Colorado then played almost 17 minutes with 10 forwards when Fedor Svechkov drew a two-minute instigator penalty, five minutes for fighting and 10 more for misconduct. MacKinnon was also off the bench for more than seven minutes in the second after he fought Roope Hintz — who had his first NHL fight — and went to the locker room for facial repairs.
Tyler Seguin had a goal and an assist, and Hintz also scored for the Stars. Jake Oettinger stopped 22 shots after allowing three goals in his previous four games, and Miro Heiskanen had two assists.
Colorado came in leading the NHL with 5.2 goals per game, while Dallas had a league-best 1.38 goals-against average.
Necas gave the Avs a 2-1 lead early in the second period and then doubled the lead with four seconds left in the 29-second, two-man advantage.
Seguin’s goal, tying the score late in the first period, was Dallas’ first home power-play goal in eight tries.
Cale Makar, the Avalanche’s two-time Norris Trophy-winning defenseman, didn’t make the trip with his wife expecting twins.
Stars forward Wyatt Johnston sat out with an illness after playing in all 395 games, regular season and playoffs, since he made the team in 2022. The Stars played with 11 forwards and seven defensemen.
Up next
The teams will meet again on Wednesday in Denver, where the Stars swept two meetings last season in shootouts.
___
Blackhawks Hang On And Win 5-3 In Connor Bedard's Return To Lineup
The Chicago Blackhawks were a part of the NHL’s Frozen Frenzy on Tuesday night. All 32 teams played in 16 games with staggered starts from 5 PM until the early hours of the morning.
Chicago welcomed the Pittsburgh Penguins in the third United Center game of the young 2026-27 season. In addition to being a special night because of the Frozen Frenzy, it had extra-special meaning for the Blackhawks as well.
This game was the season debut of Connor Bedard, who skated in his first game as captain. It was also his first game with Patrick Kane. With this, there was extra buzz in the building.
Once the game started, it didn’t take the Blackhawks long to get on the board. Just 28 seconds into the game, Teuvo Teravainen made it 1-0. Tyler Bertuzzi and Anton Frondell were hard on the forecheck, and Frondell found Teravainen for a point-blank chance that he didn’t miss.
For a while, the Penguins started to take over the game. Eventually, Sidney Crosby scored with a snipe on the rush. His first of the season tied the game at 1.
Late in the first period, with Chicago on the power play, Roman Kantserov gave the Blackhawks their lead back. He put home a goal after receiving a one-touch pass from Connor Bedard, who collected his first point of the season there. Bowen Byram also earned an assist, as he found Bedard for the setup.
Whether it’s Kantserov, Bowen Byram, or Patrick Kane, who passed it to Byram, Bedard makes everyone on that unit better. That 2-1 lead stuck with Chicago through the first intermission.
At 10:32 in the middle frame, Kantserov added his second goal of the game. He tapped home a nifty centering feed from Artyom Levshunov, who has been really good in the offensive zone in the season's early stages.
Kane collected the secondary assist on this one, and that tied him with Phil Housley for the most assists by an American-born NHL player (894). This new-look top line with Bedard back in the mix is clicking, and it’s only been one game.
Before the second ended, Pittsburgh added another to get back within one. Nick Robertson scored a strange one as he put it in the net, but it came out the back of the bottom, causing some confusion. After a review, it was clearly a goal. This 3-2 Chicago lead held through the second intermission.
In the 3rd period, the expected push from the Pittsburgh Penguins came. Sidney Crosby’s second of the game tied it up at 9:17. At that point, the game could have gone in any direction.
However, Teuvo Teravainen had a bit of puck luck that saved the day for the Blackhawks. He threw an innocent floater on net, and it somehow went in through the paraphernalia of goaltender Sergei Murashov.
After Tyler Bertuzzi tapped a great spin-o-rama pass from Anton Frondell into the empty net, Chicago took a 5-3 lead, and that held as the final score.
Winning Bedard's first game back was big for the group, as they now improve to 2-5-0 through their first 7 games. It hasn't been a pretty start, but they are 2-1 at home and 1-0 with Bedard back in the lineup.
It's clear that Bedard changes the entire outlook of their game. He played a key role in making the power play look better; his line was strong at even strength, and everyone below his trio in the lineup had an extra step because they were slotted into positions where they were better suited.
Watch Every Chicago Goal
hyvää iltaa Hawks fans 👋 pic.twitter.com/VttD8NMsfn
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) October 14, 2026
98 ➡️ 80 ‼️ pic.twitter.com/HdXRQz4tLE
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) October 14, 2026
light 🎇 it 🎇 up https://t.co/1wTXopAarApic.twitter.com/BWBlJEBAxl
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) October 14, 2026
a beauty 🤌 pic.twitter.com/l0ZMxHrRRG
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) October 14, 2026
let's not forget about that Bertuzzi goal 🙂↕️ pic.twitter.com/WyNsJEq8Yw
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) October 14, 2026
What’s Next For The Blackhawks?
The Chicago Blackhawks will play at home again on Thursday. It's another divisional battle as the Winnipeg Jets are coming to town. This is another good test for Chicago against a team that came in with low expectations but is off to a grand start (4-1-1).
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'Football 301' diagnoses fatal flaws of 6 NFL contenders: What could derail Bills, Chiefs, Seahawks and more?
In this week's episode of Yahoo Sports' "Football 301" podcast, host Nate Tice and guest Derrik Klassen of The Athletic took a microscope to the NFL's contending teams and identified the fatal flaws that could keep each from grasping the Lombardi Trophy.
Here's a thorough breakdown of what could trip up each contender.
Buffalo Bills
Fatal flaw: Defensive secondary
Despite a surging pass rush and another dynamic year from QB Josh Allen, the soft underbelly of this Bills roster is the coverage unit. Klassen pointed out that the corners and safeties aren't making the grade, notably with players like C.J. Gardner-Johnson — a red flag signing for a would-be contender. There's hope in the front four, but as Tice drilled home, the AFC playoffs will force you to beat elite QBs three weeks running.
With Buffalo's defense currently 28th in success rate and 30th in EPA, the risk of getting torched is painfully real. Unless the pass rush can dominate, expect shootouts and potential heartbreak in January.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Fatal flaw: Offensive line depth and durability
With talent at the skill positions and creative, adaptable coaching, the Jags look dangerous. But their hopes may rest on a precarious offensive line. Klassen highlighted the myriad dominoes that had to fall into place to make this line work, and the recent injury to their best lineman, left tackle Anton Harrison, puts them on red alert. The run game has survived on scheming and quarterback talent, not domination in the trenches, and stats like being 28th in QB hits allowed and 30th in yards before contact on run plays underscore the imminent danger.
Kansas City Chiefs
Fatal flaw: Lack of downfield speed and explosiveness in passing game
With Tyquan Thornton out for an extended period with an ankle injury, the Chiefs' passing attack risks becoming horizontal and cramped. That's dangerous for a team built around stretching defenses, as Klassen argued.
While the run game has thrived, and Patrick Mahomes can still make magic, Thornton was KC's only real downfield threat. Even the highly touted Xavier Worthy hasn't shown that same top-end juice. Stats confirm it: with almost no plays breaking 20 mph among receivers outside Thornton, the Chiefs could be reduced to a "dink-and-dunk" unit.
Cincinnati Bengals
Fatal flaw: Inflexible, predictable offense with a capped run game
Tice and Klassen discussed how the Bengals have reverted to their old spread, shotgun-only offense, with little diversity in look or concept. When forced to run, they rely on RPOs, which trade blocking for flexibility and cap explosive play potential. As defenses catch up and scheme specifically for the Bengals' flavor of spread, the games inevitably become tight, with the deep ball to Ja'Marr Chase the only real bailout. As Tice put it: "It's tough to make 10 good decisions in a row against a great defense."
Seattle Seahawks
Fatal flaw: Sam Darnold regression and no offensive "Plan B"
Per Klassen, the Seahawks managed to win last year with Darnold threading the needle — burning defenses on big explosives. This year, Darnold's turnover rate has ballooned, his sack rate is up, and his average depth of target has cratered. The run game has suffered from injuries, and auxiliary pass-catchers outside of Jaxon Smith-Njigba haven't stepped up. Without explosives, Darnold isn't the kind of QB to nickel and dime down the field. The formula worked in 2025, but with the supporting cast banged up and his confidence flagging, this offense could struggle hanging with the best again.
Minnesota Vikings
Fatal flaw: Undefined offensive identity and inconsistency
With the defense playing at an elite level, all eyes land on whether the Vikings' offense can find a steady footing. The run game is a work in progress, the o-line is banged up and QB Kyler Murray's style introduces volatility. There are flashes — especially when weapons like Justin Jefferson are healthy — but overall the offense feels "grab bag," per Klassen, and is prone to stalls and third-and-longs, leaving it too dependent on Murray heroics or play extension.
For more NFL insight, tune into "Football 301" on Apple, Spotify or YouTube.