Keaton Wagler scored 19 points, Andrej Stojakovic and Kylan Boswell each had 17 and No. 16 Illinois continued to win on the road in the Big Ten Conference, holding off No. 19 Iowa 75-69 on Sunday. The Illini (13-3, 4-1) won their fifth consecutive game and stayed tied for third place in the conference. Three of Illinois’ wins in conference play have come on the road — the Illini also won at Ohio State and Penn State.
Alex Bregman signs with Cubs for five years, $175 million: Contract details, fantasy fallout
One of the biggest remaining dominoes of MLB free agency fell on Saturday night when third baseman Alex Bregman agreed to a five-year, $175 million contract with the Chicago Cubs. The soon-to-be-32-year-old gets a full no-trade clause and a contract with no opt-outs. Although, the deferred money, about $70 million, according to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, makes the contract a little more palatable for the Cubs.
Exact net present-day value is not known, but expected to be in range of $30M-$31M per season, source says.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 11, 2026
What does this mean for the Cubs?
The Cubs love players with a strong sense of the strike zone and good contact ability. They could have an entire infield of players like that with Dansby Swanson and Nico Hoerner.
Bregman has a career strikeout rate of 13.4% and had a 91.5% zone contact rate last season, another elite rate. In his only season with the Red Sox, Bregman hit .273/.360/.462 with 18 home runs, 64 runs scored, and 62 RBI in 114 games as he battled a quad injury. That's strong production for the Cubs in the middle of their lineup, and Bregman's contact ability (along with Swanson and Hoerner) will help to offset some of the swing and miss from guys like Michael Busch and Seiya Suzuki.
Bregman also played solid defense again at third base, posting an Outs Above Average of 3 and an OAA of 8 in 2024 with the Astros. Him on the left side of the infield next to Swanson is a huge boost for the Cubs' pitching staff and the team as a whole.
There are some injury concerns here with Bregman. He has not played over 145 games in either of the last two seasons and has been under that mark in three of his last five. He will be 32 years old when the contract begins, and since there are no opt-outs and a full no-trade clause, Bregman will be the Cubs' third baseman until he's 37 years old. That's a bit of a gamble.
The other domino that will fall from this is what the Cubs do with Matt Shaw. The 24-year-old was one of the top 20 prospects in all of baseball heading into last season, but struggled to a .226/.295/.394 slash line with 13 home runs and 17 steals in 126 games. Shaw is still young and can slide over to second base, so the Cubs could opt to move him there and trade away Nico Hoerner, who hit .297/.345/.394 with seven home runs and 29 steals in 156 games last season.
Hoerner is the better defender and makes far more contact, but he is also signed to a three-year, $35 million contract and doesn't quite have the upside that Shaw does if everything breaks right for the young Cubs infielder. The team will have to decide whether to roll the dice on the upside and settle for the safe floor in 2026.
Lastly, while this is a great signing for the Cubs, remember that Kyle Tucker remains a free agent. If the Cubs don't re-sign Tucker, they will essentially be swapping Tucker for Bregman, which is a clear offensive downgrade for this lineup. As a team last season, the Cubs were 5th in runs scored, 6th in strikeout rate, 6th in wRC+, and 7th in OPS. Even without Tucker, they would likely remain a top ten offense thanks to the Bregman signing, but we'd expect a small step backwards.
What does this mean for the Red Sox?
Many people assumed that Bregman would return to the Red Sox, where he was lauded for his leadership and relationship to young stars like Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer. In fact, MLB Network's Jon Heyman reported that the Red Sox offered up to $160 million for Bregman but were simply outbid by the Cubs.
With Bregman off the market, the Red Sox will likely pivot to Bo Bichette, who they would slot in at second base and then keep Marcelo Mayer at third base. In many ways, that would be just as good a move for the Red Sox. Alex Bregman, Bichette is a plus contact hitter with pull-side power and would likely be an above-average defender at second base. Bichette hit .311 last season with 18 home runs and would likely put up 20+ home runs in Fenway Park.
The issue is that many people assume Bichette is destined to land in Philadelphia with his old bench coach, Don Mattingly.
If that were to happen, the Red Sox would need to turn their attention to Eugenio Suarez or trade for Isaac Paredes, who they have been linked to all offseason. They could also perhaps take a shot and trade for Matt Shaw to pair with other young players like Anthony, Mayer, and Kristian Campbell.
Fantasy fallout
On one hand, Alex Bregman is moving from one solid lineup to another. He should be in another good spot for RBI production and runs scored, assuming he hits near the top of this Cubs' order. On the other hand, this is a clear park downgrade for him. Last season, Bregman posted a 47.4% pull rate while playing his home games at Fenway Park with the Green Monster. He's now moving to Wrigley Field, which is 40 feet deeper down the left field line than Fenway Park. Over his last three seasons, Bregman has only eight home runs that were NOT on pulled fly balls.
Once you add in the winds that tend to rear their ugly heads at Wrigley, you could see a power decline from Bregman next season. You would be looking at a guy who hits 20-22 home runs while hitting .265-.270 in a good lineup. That's obviously a solid fantasy asset, but maybe not a game-breaking one.
The other fallout here will be from Matt Shaw or Nico Hoerner, whomever loses their starting position. Right now, it's too early to make a call on that position battle, but it's certainly something to watch as the season unfolds.
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3 min Moments later, Dalot blooters over the bar from the edge of the area.
Cunha wanders infield and curls a marvellous long pass to put Dalot through on goal. He scampers into the area and is denied by the outrushing Steele. Dalot needed to lift it but his first touch was slightly heavy and that allowed Steele to close the gap.
Continue reading...The Hockey News Sunday Recap: Columbus Blue Jackets
NEWS & NOTES
Cannon City Quotables: Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Buffalo SabresBlue Jackets silenced the Sabres' win streak with a dominant 5-1 victory. Hear directly from the players who made it happen.Zach Werenski
- Credited the team’s success on the penalty kill to everyone being “on the same page,” which has cleared up earlier miscommunications.
- Noted that the PK unit is no longer “compounding mistakes,” allowing them to be more patient and effective.
- Felt that the penalty kill was a major reason the team was able to secure such a decisive 5-1 victory.
- Observed that the team has moved from reacting to opponents to being more aggressive and “dictating the pace” themselves.
- Highlighted the team’s depth, mentioning that having veteran players in bottom-six roles makes the group significantly stronger than last year.
- Expressed how “incredible” it was and what an “honor” it is to officially get the call to represent Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Energy Was The Theme for Last Night's Loss, But Energy Can't Be TaughtThe Blue Jackets lost to the Penguins last night 5-4 in overtime. Zach Werenski said of energy, "I feel like energy can come from guys playing with confidence, making plays. It's contagious. I don't want to say get reckless with it, but we have a lot of guys who can make plays here, and sometimes when we get a lead, we just resort to almost playing too simple and just giving the puck to the other team, and obviously, good teams make you pay."
Former Columbus Blue Jackets Defenseman Jack Johnson Has A New JobJohnson played 1,228 NHL games. Former Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Jack Johnson has officially retired from professional hockey and has been hired by the Vancouver Canucks to be a pro scout, the Canucks announced today.
Cannon City Quotables: Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Pittsburgh PenguinsAfter a dominant win, the Blue Jackets battled the Penguins in a tense overtime loss. Hear players' reactions to this critical Metro Division showdown.Dean Evason – Head Coach
- Felt the team lost their grip on the game starting with the second goal they allowed.
- Pointed out that turning the puck over three times led directly to a goal in their net.
- Regretted giving the opposing team "life" with only three minutes left in the second period.
- Attributed the shift in momentum to "very unintelligent decisions" made by his players.
- Noted that once the other team had momentum, their "special players made special plays".
- Described the start of the game as being as bad as the team has played all season.
- Nearly called a timeout early on but held off because the players were saying the right things on the bench.
- Clarified that the team's drop in energy in the third period was mental rather than physical.
- Mentioned the team is in "fantastic shape," but the mental grind of the game caught up to them.
- Felt the team "frustrated themselves" by not sticking to the disciplined, "boring" game plan that worked previously.
Columbus Blue Jackets Announce New VP of Hockey OperationsThe Columbus Blue Jackets have announced that Laurence Gilman has been named the new Vice President of Hockey Operations. He will help Don Waddell in all aspects of the club’s hockey operations per a team statement.
The Columbus Blue Jackets have announced that Laurence Gilman has been named the new Vice President of Hockey Operations. He will help Don Waddell in all aspects of the club’s hockey operations per a team statement.
Blue Jackets Sign Russian Defenseman Egor ZamulaPer Elliotte Friedman, the Blue Jackets have signed defenseman Egor Zamula after he cleared waivers recently.
The undrafted Zamula has played 168 NHL games and has 41 points for the Philadelphia Flyers.
“Egor is a mobile defenseman with good size who sees the ice well and can move the puck very efficiently. We are excited to have him join our hockey club,” said Don Waddell in a press release.
He will sign a one-year deal, per his Agent, Dan Milstein. It will be a prorated 1-million-dollar deal.
Columbus Blue Jackets Mid-Season Stats Check InDive into the Blue Jackets' season halfway point. Unpack key team and player stats, and see if they can rally for a playoff push.Points
- Zach Werenski - 47 - 2nd among all NHL Defensemen
- Kirill Marchenko - 33- 11 Power Play Points
- Dmitri Voronkov - 21
Blue Jackets Place Mason Marchment On IRMarchment has 7 points in 7 games since being acquired by the Blue Jackets The Columbus Blue Jackets have placed Mason Marchment on IR with an undisclosed upper-body injury, per the club. Assuming they make it retroactive to the 4th, he'll miss all of their current four game road trip.
Marchment was apparently injured in the game last weekend against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Yes, The Blue Jackets Should Keep Pulling Their GoalieIt's all the rage amongst Columbus Blue Jackets fans to argue against pulling their goalie late in the game in an attempt to score. Some say it's pointless. Some say it Evason does it too early. Some say he does it too late. Is there a right answer? Yes there is.
It's all the rage amongst Columbus Blue Jackets fans to argue against pulling their goalie late in the game in an attempt to score. Some say it's pointless. Some say it Evason does it too early. Some say he does it too late. Is there a right answer? Yes, there is.
From THN's Archive: Nash's Sidekick Is On The WayLong existing gaps in Columbus lineup ready to be filled by young talent
Blue Jackets' Brendan Smith Undergoes Surgery On KneeDefenseman Brendan Smith's season ends early with successful knee surgery. A three-to-four-month recovery is expected following the procedure.Defenseman Brendan Smith's season ends early with successful knee surgery. A three-to-four-month recovery is expected following the procedure.
Former Blue Jacket Forward Nets First Career Hat Trick Over Old Friend Sergei BobrovskyFormer <a href="http://thn.com/columbus">Columbus Blue Jackets</a> forward and current <a href="http://thn.com/montreal">Montreal Canadien</a> Alex Texier, had himself a night last night in a 6-2 win over the <a href="http://thn.com/florida">Florida Panthers</a>.
Texier was able to net his first career hat trick in his 262nd NHL game, scoring his third goal with just 50 seconds left in the game to power the Canadiens past the visiting Panthers.
Cannon City Quotables: Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Vegas Golden Knights Blue Jackets squandered a two-goal lead, falling 5-3 to Vegas. Now, a daunting road trip continues against league-leading Colorado.GAME PREVIEWS & RECAPS
Blue Jackets Blow Three Goal Lead, Fall To Pittsburgh In OTThe Blue Jackets' record now stands at 18-17-6 with 43 points. Dmitri Voronkov(15), Mason Marchment(9), Kirill Marchenko(15), and Zach Werenski(15) scored the goals for the CBJ, while Jet Greaves could only stop 38 of the Pens' 43 shots in a 5-4 overtime loss.
This was embarrassing. There's really no other way to put it.
Having a 4-1 lead with 39 minutes to play should be almost an automatic win. But if you've watched the Blue Jackets play this season, you know that anything other than having a lead when the final buzzer sounds, isn't automatic.
Columbus Blue Jackets (43 pts) vs. San Jose Sharks (43 pts) Game PreviewColumbus is 29-34-0-6 all-time, and 10-21-0-3 on the road in San Jose. Series History vs. The Sharks
- Columbus is 29-34-0-6 all-time, and 10-21-0-3 on the road in San Jose.
- The Jackets are 9-3-1 in the last 13 games, and 5-0-1 in the last 6.
- The Blue Jackets are 6-3-1 in their last 10 games at SAP Center.
Macklin Celebrini & The Sharks Beat Frustrated Blue Jackets The Blue Jackets record now stands at 18-17-7 with 43 points. Zach Werenski(16) and Sean Monahan(6) scored the only goals for Columbus, and Jet Greaves stopped 31 of 34 Sharks shots, including 10 of 11 of the Sharks five power plays, as the Blue Jackets would lose to San Jose 5-2.
Columbus Blue Jackets (43 pts) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (48 pts) Game PreviewColumbus is 7-7-1 all-time, and 3-4-0 on the road in Vegas.
Blue Jackets Start Hot, But Can't Stop The Vegas Train In 5-3 LossThe Blue Jackets record now stands at 18-18-7 with 43 points.
Columbus Blue Jackets (43 pts) vs. Colorado Avalanche (71 pts) Game PreviewThe<a href="http://thn.com/columbus" target="_blank"> Columbus Blue Jackets</a> are on the road to take on the <a href="http://thn.com/colorado">Colorado Avalanche</a> today at 4 PM Eastern.
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Draisaitl’s Big Night, McDavid’s Streak Spoiled by Waved-Off OT Winner
In the late hours of an entertaining Saturday night rivalry, it looked like the Edmonton Oilers had finally pushed through and secured their third straight win. Connor McDavid appeared to end it in overtime, crashing the net and nudging the puck past Los Angeles Kings goaltender Anton Forsberg as Rogers Place erupted.
Not so fast. Instead of it being a huge goal to top off a celebratory evening, many Oilers fans were left wondering what the officials saw that led them to rule the goal not count.
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As McDavid took the puck to the net, he was pushed by Drew Doughty, and everyone went crashing into Forsberg. The officials immediately waved the goal off and, after a lengthy review, ruled it no goal due to goaltender interference.
The call stood, the cheers turned to boos, and thanks to a goal by Adrian Kempe -- who wasn't even credited with a shot on net all night -- Edmonton eventually fell 4–3 in a shootout to the Los Angeles Kings.
The Oilers have been searching for a third straight win this season since the puck dropped on the 2025-26 campaign. Good teams need to go on runs, and the Oilers have yet to do so. Another close loss was weighing on a frustrated McDavid as he spoke with the media after the game but kept things short.
“I feel like I have the puck and I’m taking it to the net. I’m getting pushed in. I feel like I also kinda maybe tapped it in on the other side." McDavid noted. "The refs and situation room have to make a call, and they felt differently. That’s the way it goes."
McDavid had already tied the game earlier on a five-on-three power play, extending his career-long point streak to 18 games and totaling 42 points during the run. His good friend, Leon Draisaitl, was also honored pregame for reaching 1,000 NHL points. Wives, parents, friends, and even pets were in the building. The Oilers are about to go on their dads' trip.
Personally, there were plenty of reasons for McDavid to be happy.
But, because wins are all that matters and the Oilers failed to get one, eveyone was frustrated.
Like McDavid and thousands of Oilers fans, head coach Kris Knoblauch thought the goal should have counted too. Knowing that criticizing officials is a no-no, he walked a fine line between not saying too much and explaining what he saw. That was McDavid simply driving the puck around the pad. McDavid was pushed into the crease. The debate became whether the minimal contact with Forsberg happened before McDavid was pushed or afterward.
It doesn't matter now. The Oilers need to start again and try to win three straight, first by getting win over Chicago on Monday, Nashville on Tuesday, and back home against the New York Islanders on Thursday.
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European football: Milan keep unbeaten run going but lose ground in title race
Nkunku grabs 90th-minute equaliser at Fiorentina
Milan two points behind leaders
Christopher Nkunku scored in the 90th minute to earn Milan a 1-1 draw at Fiorentina on Sunday but, despite extending their unbeaten league run, the visitors continue to lose ground in the Serie A title race with their second stalemate in four days.
Milan remain second on 40 points, two behind Inter, who could increase their lead when they host Napoli later on Sunday, while Fiorentina are third bottom on 14 points.
Continue reading...Scottish Premiership: Will Rangers beat Aberdeen to cut Hearts' lead to three?
- Listen to Sportsound commentary from Pittodrie
- Karlsson returns for hosts; Aasgaard replaces Barron for visitors
- Win would take Rangers back within three of leaders Hearts
- Incredible Gordon save helps 10-man Hearts beat Dundee
Scottish Premiership: Will Rangers beat Aberdeen to cut Hearts' lead to three?
Humiliating FA Cup loss leaves Crystal Palace and Oliver Glasner at crossroads
After Macclesfield defeat, club must invest wisely to bolster a weak squad and convince their manager to stay
Oliver Glasner’s face told the story. The Crystal Palace manager watched in exasperation as the FA Cup holders headed towards ignominy on Macclesfield’s artificial surface and was still in shock when he conducted his post-match interview. “Honestly, I have no explanation for what I have seen today,” said Glasner.
A mere 238 days since the greatest day in Palace’s history, when he and the club stalwart Joel Ward paraded their first major trophy at Wembley, Marc Guéhi’s first thought after the final whistle at the weekend was to face the music from the diehards who had made the trip to Cheshire from south London. Accompanied by the assistant manager, Paddy McCarthy, the Palace captain held intense discussions with several supporters as Macclesfield’s celebrated their historic victory with a pitch invasion.
Continue reading...Columbus Blue Jackets (43 pts) vs. Utah Mammoth 47 pts) Game Preview
The Columbus Blue Jackets are on the road to take on the Utah Mammoth today at 7 PM.
Utah Mammoth - 22-20-3 - 47 Points - 6-4-0 in the last 10 - 4th in the Central
Columbus Blue Jackets - 18-19-7 - 43 Points - 4-5-1 in the last 10 - 8th in the Metro
Blue Jackets Stats
- Power Play - 17.4% - 22nd in the NHL
- Penalty Kill - 76.0% - 29th in the NHL
- Goals For - 128 - 21st in the NHL
- Goals Against - 150 - 28th in the NHL
Mammoth Stats
- Power Play - 15.9% - 27th in the NHL
- Penalty Kill - 81.8% - 8th in the NHL
- Goals For - 137 - 17th in the NHL
- Goals Against - 127 - 10th in the NHL
Series History vs. TheMammoth
- Columbus is 1-1-0 all-time, and 1-0-1 on the road in Utah.
- The Blue Jackets and Mammoth have only played twice in Utah's history.
- The CBJ went 1-1-0 vs Utah last season.
Who To Watch For TheMammoth
- Clayton Keller leads the team with 28 assists and 41 points.
- Dylan Guenther has a team high 21 goals.
- Goalie Karel Vejmelka is 20-11-2 with a SV% of .900.
- Vitek Vanecek is 2-9-1 with a SV% of .879. His last start was on December 29th.
CBJ Player Notes vs.Mammoth
- Zach Werenski has 3 points in 3 games against Utah.
- Kirill Marchenko has 2 points.
- Sean Monahan has 5 points in 2 games vs. the Mammoth
Injuries
- Erik Gudbranson - Upper Body - Missed 36 Games - IR - Expected to practice with the team when the current road trip concludes. But there is no timeline for a return to the lineup.
- Isac Lundeström - Lower Body - Missed 8 Games - IR
- Brendan Smith - Lower Body - Missed 6 Game IR - Out 3-4 months after having knee surgery.
- Miles Wood - Lower Body - Missed 5 Games - IR - Week-to-week.
- Mason Marchment - Upper Body - Missed 3 Games - Week to week.
TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 110
How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on FANDUEL SPORTS NETWORK. Steve Mears will be on the play-by-play. The radio broadcast will be on 97.1 The Fan, with Bob McElligott behind the mic doing the play-by-play.
Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!
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3 Knicks' defensive concerns that must be addressed
The Knicks' defensive inconsistencies were on full display in a 112-107 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Friday night. New York’s defense came alive in the fourth quarter, holding Phoenix to 18 points, but in the previous two quarters, the club gave up 66 points.
The performance was a microcosm of the Knicks’ defense all season, which has been inconsistent. Currently tied for second place in the East with a 24-14 record, it’s been the year of experimentation for New York. We’ve seen more zone defense, switches, as well as the occasional trap.
Despite these new wrinkles, the defense has produced underwhelming results. The Knicks defense is ranked 19th in the NBA after 38 games, and is 27th in the month of January. As we near the halfway mark of the season, let’s look at three major concerns with the Knicks' defense.
Point-of-attack
New York’s most glaring weakness on the defensive end is guarding the point-of-attack. Mikal Bridges has often been New York’s prime defender, and has struggled for the most part in a season and a half of chasing ballhandlers.
Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Josh Hart are all quality wing defenders, but they have all looked better in help roles where they can disrupt passing lanes and cut off drives rather than defend speedy guards capable of getting into the paint.
Miles McBride has been effective at times in the role. He has a near 6-foot-9 wingspan. But he’s also a 6-foot-2 guard, so there’s some matchups where that won’t be ideal. Landry Shamet is another capable point-of-attack defender. Shamet should return soon from a shoulder injury.
The Knicks could make a move externally. Names like Jose Alvarado,Ochai Agbaji, and Keon Ellis have been floated as potential trade targets to improve the defense. But realistically, those players wouldn’t be focal points of New York’s rotation.
Brown has employed a zone at times to combat New York’s defensive issues and it’s been hit or miss. Most likely, the Knicks will have to improve from within to elevate the defense.
Defending behind the arc
New York’s lack of an elite point-of-attack option has bled into another part of the defense, the three-point line. The Knicks are overhelping in the paint to contain drives and shots on the interior.
That strategy is working to a degree. New York is keeping teams subdued on the inside. The Knicks allow 46.2 points in the paint per 100 possessions per NBA Stats, the sixth best mark in the league. But the focus on the paint has exposed the perimeter. The Knicks are giving up the third most three-point attempts in the NBA. Opponents are also shooting 37.3 percent from three, a figure that is tied for 27th in the NBA.
New York struggled to contain the three on Friday, giving up 15 three-pointers in the first three quarters, before holding the Suns to just one trifecta in the final quarter. One reason for the improved defense was a switching strategy on the pick-and-roll. Switching could be something the Knicks defense goes to more as the season wears on.
Star liabilities
New York’s Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns are the two weakest defenders among the team’s top seven rotation players. But as the two top scorers on the team, they’re also crucial to New York’s offense. It’s a delicate balance that the Knicks have to constantly manage.
The opposition will try to bring Brunson and Towns into offensive actions to attack the two stars and create chaos. In the Eastern Conference Finals last year, that combination was exposed repeatedly by the Indiana Pacers. This year’s playoffs will be a major test on defense for Brunson and Towns.
The Knicks have not defended well with Brunson on the floor, giving up 119.4 points per 100 possessions in his 1,235 minutes. When the star point guard sits, New York is allowing 106.3 points per 100 possessions, a number that would rank second in the NBA. It’s not to say that Brunson is the sole reason for New York’s defensive issues, but it’s a number to monitor for the rest of the season.
Three takeaways: Special teams, Bobrovsky shine during win in Ottawa while Vilmanis earns high marks for strong NHL debut
Picking up a big road win isn’t as easy these days as it has been in recent seasons.
On Saturday, the Florida Panthers had to dig deep to pick up two points against the Ottawa Senators and begin making up some essential ground in the Eastern Conference playoff standings.
As it stands, Florida is currently three points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins, with a game in hand, for the second Wild Card spot in the East, but the Cats are still seven points back of the Canadiens for third place in the Atlantic Division, also with a game in hand, and nine points behind first-place Detroit with two games in hand, for what it’s worth.
The Panthers are expected to get healthier in the coming days, with both Brad Marchand and Matthew Tkachuk expected to join the team’s forward ranks at some point on their current road trip, which continues on Monday in Buffalo before ending with a back-to-back on Friday and Saturday against Carolina and Washington.
Let’s get to Saturday’s takeaways:
BIG GAME FROM BOBROVSKY
Sergei Bobrovsky gave up two goals on 19 shot against the Senators, which on the surface is nothing to write home about.
His first goal was a shot from the corner that appeared to deflect off his extended blocker and back behind him, and the second goal was a great deflection by Drake Batherson from the doorstep that Bob had no chance on.
In between the tallies, Bobrovsky was downright brilliant.
He made several eye-popping stops to keep the Cats in the game as they erased their early deficit and ultimately scored three straight goals to take control of the contest.
It’s quite impressive how he can keep each goal and each save, every play he makes, completely individual of one another. Nothing that happened during the first period is going to impact him the rest of the game. It’s a testament to his incredibly strong mental fortitude.
“We played really, really hard, and if it didn't go our way, it didn't end our night,” said Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice. “Like the first goal, Sergei is not going to like that one, but you’ve just seen him do that so many times, if he if a bad one goes in on him early, he just somehow raises his level.”
SPECIAL TEAMS WAS SPECIAL
It makes sense that for Florida to earn a crucial two points on Saturday, they had to come up with an exceptional effort on special teams.
That’s exactly what they did, going a perfect 5-for-5 on the penalty kill and popping in a pair of power play goals on four opportunities.
The goals were certainly timely, taking the Cats from down by one to up by one, and the penalty kills were critical, coming at key points of the game that allowed Florida to build the momentum that ultimately carried them to victory.
“Probably over the last three years, the best part of our game has been our penalty kill,” Maurice said. “And it does start with those three big defensemen we have back there (Gus Forsling, Aaron Ekblad and Niko Mikkola), they were just outstanding. (Anton) Lundell, (Sam) Reinhart and (Eetu) Luostarinen are just natural penalty killers that are also elite offensive players, so we live and die by it, but they were great.
“A good night and a fast night,” Maurice continued, this time talking about the power play. “I thought we didn't look like a bunch of guys that had played together, and they were fast, so credit to (assistant coach) Jamie Kompon with those guys, because it can get frustrating. We’ve got four of the five guys that would be on our power play aren't our lineup, so you got a whole bunch of new guys, and there's not a lot of time spent together, because we don't practice with our schedule, but good on them. They were fast tonight and won us the game.”
STRONG DEBUT FOR VILMANIS
Saturday was a big night for 21-year-old Sandis Vilmanis.
Florida’s fifth round selection from the 2022 NHL Draft played his first National League game, and he showed out quite well from a coaching standpoint.
While he didn’t register on the scoresheet, Vilmanis still played 14 solid shifts, racking up 11:48 of ice time, all at even strength, logging a shot attempt and a takeaway in his NHL debut.
“I thought for his first game in the National Hockey League, Sandis Vilmanis held on to some pucks and showed some poise,” said Maurice. “He earned some fans in the coach's room because I thought he played hard, but he didn't play not to make a mistake, he just played the game. So really happy for him.”
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Photo caption: Jan 10, 2026; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Florida Panthers left wing Sandis Vilmanis (95) chases the puck in the first period against the Ottawa Senators at the Canadian Tire Centre. (Marc DesRosiers-IMAGN Images)
Islanders Are Only NHL Team Unbeaten In Overtime — And It’s No Longer A Fluke
When Simon Holmstrom scored the overtime winner against the Minnesota Wild on Saturday night, the New York Islanders improved to 5-0-0 in the five-minute sudden-death frame this season.
Nov. 10: 3-2 OTW vs. NJ via Mathew Barzal
Nov. 13: 4-3 OTW vs. VGK via Jean-Gabriel Pageau shorthanded
Nov. 14: 3-2 OTW vs. UTA via Matthew Schaefer's first career OT goal
Jan. 3: 4-3 OTW vs. TOR via Schaefer's second career OT goal
Jan. 11: 4-3 OTW vs. MIN via Simon Holmstrom's first career OT goal
As you can see, it's been different characters playing the lead role on these overtime winners.
Through 14 overtime periods played this season, they have yet to allow a goal, the only NHL team that can say that.
Last season, the Islanders went 5-9 in overtimes.
What's changed?
Outside of getting tremendous goaltending for essentially the entire season, the Islanders have been able to possess the puck much more than they did a year ago. They have more talent for sure, and there's been a keen understanding of what they are trying to accomplish in the overtime period -- it's not just chaos.
And, most importantly, they have garnered shots on goal, outshooting their opponents 35-19 in the overtime period.
There was a lot of indecisiveness last season, a lot of questionable shooting or non-shooting decisions, which ultimately gave the opponent more chances to end the game.
Three of the five OT winners came before the 3-minute mark, the latter of those three coming at 2:05 of the extra frame. The other two came at 3:02 and 4:11 of overtime.
What's been more impressive has been getting posession back. The Islanders have only won the opening overtime face-off twice in their five overtime frames, but have found ways to win puck battles, jump on rebounds, or just force turnovers to get the puck back on their stick.
They've been bold.
There's a level of confidence in overtime periods this season that we haven't seen. This group is resilient for sure, but they have just been able to execute. Getting two points rather than a loser point in what's an incredibly tight Metropolitan Division and Eastern Conference is going to be the difference between Patrick Roy's squad making the playoffs this season after missing a season ago.
Celtics' Jaylen Brown calls out officials after loss to Spurs, including NSFW social media post
Jaylen Brown looked like an MVP candidate with 27 points and eight assists in the Celtics' 100-95 loss to San Antonio, an outing which included a couple of ridiculous 3-pointers over Victor Wembanyama.
Out of this world pic.twitter.com/12RocovMV3
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) January 11, 2026
However, a frustrated Brown didn't get to the free throw line once in the game. In fact, Boston as a team got to the line just four times all game long, compared to 20 for the Spurs. After the game, Brown went off on the officiating.
"I hope somebody can pull up the clips," Brown said, via the Associated Press. "It's the same s*** every time we play a good team. It's like they refuse to make the calls and they call touch calls on the other end. That's just extremely frustrating...
"Somebody please pull it up. Every time we play a good team, the inconsistency is crazy. ... I'm irate at how they officiated the game today."
Brown took his NSFW rant to social media.
Fine me I’m sick of this shit
— Jaylen Brown (@FCHWPO) January 11, 2026
Brown can count on a fine from the league, but he'd gladly pay it to get what he sees as a fair whistle.
The Spurs allow the lowest percentage of free throws to shot attempts in the league, and the second lowest number of allowed free throws a game at 21.3 — call it the Victor Wembanyama effect. With the best rim protector in the league in the paint (and a solid defender in Luke Kornett there when he's not), teams tend to pull up more and shoot further out. Brown was no exception, he had four shots inside four feet (make that six feet and he was 3-of-6 shooting) while he took nine shots between four and 14 feet.
That said, no free throws for Brown and just four for the Celtics as a whole was hard to get your head around. Brown made his point postgame and will get the fine he asked for because he did.
Canadiens: Suzuki Reaches Significant Milestone
Saturday night’s game at the Bell Center wasn’t just another duel between the Montreal Canadiens and the Detroit Red Wings; it was also game number 500 for captain Nick Suzuki. While playing 500 games in the NHL is already impressive, it’s even more so when you realize that there were 500 consecutive games.
The center has never missed a game since he joined the Canadiens. It’s not that he’s never had any injury; he played through bumps and bruises and was never rested for a game. His game streak is the second-longest in the NHL, Colorado Avalanche defenseman Brent Burns holding the longest amongst active players at 969 games. The record belongs to Phil Kessel, who played 1064 consecutive games, but it’s worth noting that he didn’t play as intensely as Burns or Suzuki, often staying away from the dangerous areas.
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In his first 500 games, Suzuki has put up 152 goals and 271 assists for a total of 423 points. Over his seven seasons, he has scored 19 game-winning goals (including seven in overtime), nine of which came in the 2024-25 season.
While he has a cumulative minus-41 rating, it’s primarily because of the team’s struggles in his early years and, as the rebuild progressed, so did his differential. Last season, he finished with a more than respectable plus-19, and he’s currently at plus-16; his excellence on the defensive side of the puck is starting to be recognized across the league as he earns votes for the Frank J. Selke Trophy every year.
Homme de fer et de savoir-faire. Félicitations à notre capitaine!
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) January 11, 2026
The truth is... He is Iron Man. Congrats, Nick!#GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/V0B8XA70pS
The captain may not be the type to make a big deal of reaching game number 500, but his entourage didn’t miss the opportunity to celebrate the feat. During last night’s game, his father, Rob, tweeted, “Congratulations Nick Suzuki on completing the first third of your NHL career.” Given how young the captain was when he started playing in the league, the 1,500-game mark isn’t out of the realm of possibilities, but only 24 players have achieved it in league history. Patrick Marleau has the record with 1,779, followed by the late great Gordie Howe with 1,767 and Mark Messier with 1,756. Mike Modano stopped just short of the milestone with 1,499, but Los Angeles Kings’ captain Anze Kopitar should join the club before retiring at the end of the season, since he currently has 1,491 games to his name.
As for Mrs. Suzuki, she had giant balloons waiting at home for the captain on his return last night. He might not have been as happy as he would have been had the Canadiens won the game, but it was a delicate attention, nonetheless.
Mrs Suzuki had a surprise for the captain when he got back home last night after playing the 500th game of his career #GoHabsGo photo credit: Caitlinn Suzuki Instagram pic.twitter.com/KSeGKj8E8A
— Karine Hains (@KarineHains) January 11, 2026
Despite everything he has accomplished so far in his career, there’s still a lot ahead for Suzuki. He currently has 48 points in 45 games, and he’ll likely improve on his most productive season, which came last year with 89 points. The 90-point mark looks pretty attainable for the skilled forward. The Canadiens have not had a 90-point or more scorer since both Vincent Damphousse and Pierre Turgeon achieved the feat in 1995-96. Next month, Suzuki will also get to compete in his first Olympic Games, and while he may not play as important a role for the national side as he does for the Habs, just cracking Team Canada’s roster is already an impressive feat.
Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.
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Portsmouth 1-4 Arsenal: FA Cup third round – live
A hat-trick from Gabriel Martinelli helped Arsenal come from behind to beat Portsmouth with plenty to spare
At Pride Park, Leeds have come from behind to lead Derby. They’re playing with so much confidence now they’re setting up in a 3-5-2.
Bad news for Liverpool:
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