Avalanche vs. Bruins Game Preview: Colorado Looks to Extend Hot Streak
After opening their first road trip of the season with back-to-back wins, the Colorado Avalanche (4–0–1) return home for a one-off at Ball Arena on Saturday to face the Boston Bruins (3–2).
Bruins Coming in Cold
Meanwhile, Boston is coming off a 6–5 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights—a game defined by wild momentum swings, including a three-goal second period for Vegas, as both teams seemed allergic to playing defense. Bruins netminder Jeremy Swayman surrendered six goals and will get the night off against Colorado. Instead, Joonas Korpisalo will get the start; he owns a 5–3 career record against the Avalanche.
The Bruins opened the season with three straight wins, but their recent defensive lapses have been glaring—allowing 11 goals over their last two outings. Their structure has looked increasingly disjointed, particularly in transition, where turnovers and blown coverages have led to extended shifts in their own zone. If they hope to avoid a fourth consecutive defeat, they’ll have to tighten up defensively.
Avalanche On Fire
Scott Wedgewood has started every game in Mackenzie Blackwood’s absence and currently owns a career-best 1.58 goals-against average. As of publication, Trent Miner—who has served as the backup while Blackwood has been sidelined but has yet to appear in a game this season—has not been formally reassigned to the Colorado Eagles. This raises a few intriguing possibilities: Colorado could give Miner a start before sending him down, or they might lean on Wedgewood again despite it being his sixth straight appearance, which seems less than ideal. Of course, there’s also the chance Blackwood makes an earlier-than-expected return to the crease, which would give the Avalanche a timely boost in net. According to The Hockey News, Blackwood's conditioning stint with the Eagles, the Avs' AHL affiliate, ended on Friday.
On Thursday, Valeri Nichushkin scored twice for his first multi-goal game of the season, and Wedgewood stopped 22 of 23 shots to lead the Avalanche to a 4–1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Cale Makar found the back of the net in his 400th NHL game, becoming the first player to score in their 400th professional game since Jared Spurgeon accomplished the feat for the Minnesota Wild on December 22, 2016, in a 4–2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens.
Nathan MacKinnon was held off the scoresheet for the first time this season, but he’s remained the driving force behind Colorado’s attack alongside Martin Nečas. The MacKinnon–Nečas duo has been the most dynamic one-two punch in the league through the early stretch, combining for seven goals and 10 assists for 17 points over five games. The third Avalanche player maintaining a point-per-game pace is Makar, who has recorded two goals and five assists over the same five-game stretch. Martin Nečas is currently in a five-way tie for second in league scoring with nine points, while Nathan MacKinnon sits in a two-way tie for third with eight points.
Bruins Top Players
David Pastrňák leads the Bruins with six points, ranking tied for first in both goals (2) and assists (4).
Elias Lindholm is tied for the team lead in goals (2), ranks second in points (5), and is third in assists (3).
Pavel Zacha shares the team lead in assists (4), sits second in points (5), and is tied for seventh in goals (1).
If the Avalanche hope to navigate this game successfully, they must stay composed, particularly when moving the puck up ice. Recent contests have shown that in high-pressure moments, leaders like Pastrňák are unafraid to put everything on the line—illustrated by the massive hit he delivered on Tampa Bay Lightning star Nikita Kucherov late in Monday’s 4–3 loss. Hockey remains an inherently dangerous sport, and the last thing Colorado needs is another injury that sidelines one of its key stars.
Goaltender Stats
In Korpisalo’s most recent start against the Avalanche last season, he stopped 25 shots to back the Bruins to a 5–3 victory. Colorado’s goals came from Ross Colton, Makar, and Rantanen, who has since moved on from the team.
Wedgewood’s last outing against Boston, in January, saw him make 14 saves in a 3–1 loss—a game that also marked the Avalanche debuts of Nečas and Jack Drury following Rantanen’s trade to the Carolina Hurricanes.
Blackwood has not faced the Bruins since November 30, 2023, when he was with the San Jose Sharks. Despite turning aside 37 shots, he was tagged with a 3–0 loss.
Miner has only two NHL starts to his name, neither of which came against Boston.
The Game
Who will emerge victorious? We’ll find out at 7 p.m. local time when the Bruins face off against the Avalanche at Ball Arena. You can catch the game on Altitude or KTVD (My20).
Senators Face Rookie Sensation Matthew Schaefer As Islanders Visit Ottawa Saturday
The Ottawa Senators and New York Islanders meet on Saturday afternoon (3 pm, TSN 5, RDS) at Canadian Tire Centre, with both clubs feeling a little lighter after shaking off three-game losing skids on Thursday night.
Linus Ullmark’s excellent 30-save performance helped the Senators (2-3) beat the Seattle Kraken 4–3 in a shootout. The Islanders (1-3) earned their first win of the season, a 4–2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers, led by a hat trick from Bo Horvat.
The Sens went 1-2 against the Islanders last season, and Saturday’s starting goalie, Ilya Sorokin, has had their number. He’s 4-0-1 lifetime against the Senators with a 1.97 GAA and a .942 save percentage. That said, he's off to a slow start this season with an 0-3-0 mark, a 4.18 GAA, and an .854 save percentage. David Rittich got the Isles win on Thursday. Ullmark is a good bet to go again for Ottawa.
Schaefer’s Strong Start
After the Islanders finished with 82 points last season, and ahead of nine other teams, the NHL bestowed the number one overall pick on them, thanks to the league’s silly draft lottery rules.
They used that pick to draft defenseman Matthew Schaefer first overall in June, and his early reviews have been excellent. Schaefer has four points in four games, and considering that he just turned 18 last month, his early poise has been incredible, and his average ice time of 21:53 leads all Islander defensemen.
This will be Schaefer’s first game back in Ottawa since the World Juniors, when he broke his collarbone in a game against Latvia, ending his season on December 27.
Notables
The game also marks a homecoming for J.G. Pageau, an Ottawa native and fan favourite during his time with the Senators. It's hard to believe he's already in the final year of that six-year, 30-million-dollar deal has signed after the Sens traded him to the Islanders. He was mentioned in trade rumours over the summer and, depending on how the Islanders are doing, could be a trade chip at the deadline. Former Senator Anthony Duclair also returns for the Isles.
For the Sens, one of the season’s best storylines so far has been the quick start of Shane Pinto. The 24-year-old centre is in a contract year and has picked the perfect time to break out, scoring six goals in his first five games — good for a share of the NHL goal-scoring lead.
Sens fans have long known about Pinto’s potential, but he’s never scored more than 21 goals in a season before. As the Sens continue to juggle in the absence of Brady Tkachuk, it's getting harder and harder to identify Pinto as the club's third-line centre. Based on ice time, he's been their clear number two behind Tim Stutzle.
Senators Remain Loyal To Struggling Penalty Kill FormationWith the second-worst PK in the league, is it time for the Senators to switch away from their diamond formation?Projected Lineups
From NHL.com — subject to change
Ottawa Senators
Forwards
Ridly Greig – Tim Stützle – Claude Giroux
Michael Amadio – Shane Pinto – Fabian Zetterlund
David Perron – Dylan Cozens – Drake Batherson
Nick Cousins – Lars Eller – Arthur Kaliyev
Defense
Jake Sanderson – Artem Zub
Thomas Chabot – Nick Jensen
Tyler Kleven – Jordan Spence
Goaltenders
Linus Ullmark
Leevi Meriläinen
Scratched: Kurtis MacDermid, Nikolas Matinpalo
New York Islanders
Forwards
Anthony Duclair – Mathew Barzal – Kyle Palmieri
Jonathan Drouin – Bo Horvat – Emil Heineman
Anders Lee – Jean-Gabriel Pageau – Maxim Shabanov
Simon Holmstrom – Casey Cizikas – Kyle MacLean
Defense
Matthew Schaefer – Scott Mayfield
Adam Pelech – Ryan Pulock
Alexander Romanov – Tony DeAngelo
Goaltenders
Ilya Sorokin
David Rittich
Scratched: Marc Gatcomb, Adam Boqvist, Maxim Tsyplakov Injured: Pierre Engvall (hip surgery), Semyon Varlamov (knee surgery), Ethan Bear (upper body)
Romanov missed Friday’s practice and may be replaced by Boqvist.
Face off is 3 pm, TSN 5, RDS.
Prior to the game, the Sens are running with an Oktoberfest theme for fans starting at noon. Calendars, hand-drawn by Claude Giroux's son, Gavin, will be on sale in support of CHEO.
My guy🥹🥰 I’ve been adoring his annual calendars for three years now! I’m so excited to share this one with all of you! Even happier to be giving back in such a fun and special way. Gavy bear, don’t ever change 🫶🏼 @28CGirouxhttps://t.co/Pf4dUCS8Te
— Ryanne Giroux (@ryannegiroux) October 17, 2025
More Sens headlines at the Hockey News Ottawa:
Senators Send Swedish Winger Down To The Minors on Friday
Tkachuk Has Successful Thumb Surgery And Will Miss 6-8 Weeks
Sens Call Up Kaliyev As Tkachuk Goes On IR
Senators Suffer Discouraging 8-4 Loss At Buffalo
Senators Lose Sebrango, Claimed Off Waivers By Florida
An Early Glance At The Senators' Goaltending Pipeline
Scouts and execs on complications in Mets' potential trade for Tigers' Tarik Skubal
It’s complicated.
That’s one of two consensus opinions I found in speaking with six scouts/executives from different teams about the Tarik Skubaltrade speculation that has become the talk of the baseball industry over the last 48 hours.
At least it was the talk before Shohei Ohtani’s sublime performance late Friday night, but in a way, the stories are connected, especially for a team like the Mets, who need someone like Skubal to have a chance at competing with the Los Angeles Dodgers for baseball supremacy in 2026 and beyond.
More on that to come. For now, the larger point, as the scout/execs point out, is that the Detroit Tigers are in a very difficult position. They would be risking the wrath of their championship-starved fan base if they trade Skubal, arguably the best pitcher in baseball, after reaching the postseason the last two years, yet they’d almost certainly lose him to free agency a year from now if they choose not to trade him.
“That’s why it’s hard to predict which way this thing will go,” said an executive from a mid-market NL team. “In a vacuum, it’s a no-brainer, unfortunately, considering Skubal is a (Scott) Boras guy and all that. You make the best trade you can and move on. But in the real world, that’s a tough sell when you haven’t won in 40 years.”
It’s 41 years, actually, since the Tigers won the World Series in 1984. And there is another layer to their conundrum.
For years, the late Mike Ilitch, the Tigers’ owner, operated with one of the higher payrolls in baseball while trying to win another title, spending big in free agency and once locking up Justin Verlander to a seven-year, $180 million extension that at the time was the highest in the game. But Ilitch died in 2017 and his son, Christopher, has run a more budget-conscious operation since taking over.
“It’s kind of like Hal (Steinbrenner) taking over after George died,” said one midwest-based scout. “The fans there long for the days when they felt like Mike Ilitch would spend whatever it took to try to win. The son is not very popular as it is. Trading Skubal would make him persona non grata in Detroit.”
In short, this isn’t Garrett Crochet, who was traded for prospects last winter by the rebuilding Chicago White Sox, or even Corbin Burnes, traded by the small-market Milwaukee Brewers from a team that had enough pitching depth to continue winning.
Skubal is far more essential than that to the Tigers and the city of Detroit.
Still, the same scouts and execs don’t rule out a trade. For it to happen, however, it would take a more attractive package than either Crochet or Burnes brought back.
Which leads to the second consensus opinion that emerged from my various conversations: That is, no team is more motivated or well-positioned than the Mets to make such a trade happen.
“I’d make them the favorite to get Skubal, no question, if the Tigers decide to trade him,” said an NL scout. “They have the pieces to get it done and they obviously have the need. Steve Cohen apologized to the fans for missing the postseason -- what does that tell you? He’s going to want to make big-splash moves to change the narrative.”
To that point, SNY’s Andy Martino reported Friday the Mets are expected to be “involved” if Skubal is made available, and willing to “shake up their current position-player group” if it means acquiring a top pitcher.
So the question on the Mets’ end would be just how far they’re willing to go for a player they could lose to free agency after one season.
“Steve Cohen changes that equation,” said one team exec. “His money takes significant risk out of losing the player. And when you look at the Mets, as badly as they played down the stretch, they’re still talented enough that a pitcher like Skubal could be the difference-maker that gives them a chance to compete with the Dodgers and win it all next year.
“But I’d still expect them to draw a line somewhere as to how much they’d be willing to give up, knowing they could sign Skubal in a year without giving up assets.”
So what would it take? The scouts/execs all made the point that this has to be more than trading prospects, as the Tigers, even without Skubal, would go into next season trying to win, with the core of a team that had the best record in baseball until a September collapse.
“They would want players who could help them win next season, plus prospects too,” said a team exec. “They’re going to ask for (Nolan) McLean. He’s a guy you can sell to your fans as a rising star who can be another Skubal. You get him with some other pieces and maybe your fans can live with it.
“But if I’m the Mets, McLean is the one untouchable. The ceiling is too high and you have him under control for six years. Other than that, it’s finding the right combination of players on your major league roster and top prospects.”
Scouts identified catcher Francisco Alvarez, third baseman Brett Baty, and lefty starter David Peterson as possibilities the Tigers would want off the major league roster.
One suggested Clay Holmes as well.
The prospects in demand, other than McLean, figure to be pitchers Brandon Sproat and Jonah Tong, infielder Jett Williams, first baseman Ryan Clifford, and outfielder Carson Benge.
“It has to be some combination of those players,” said a scout.
Two players sparked much debate among the scouts/execs: Alvarez and Benge.
“Other than pitching, Alvarez could be the key,” one exec said. “It depends how the Tigers’ scouts evaluate him. He showed some growth after the Mets sent him to Triple-A, but is he still a 30-home run guy as he was projected to be when he came up? As a catcher, that would make him a difference-maker and something to help justify the trade from a PR standpoint.
“If you’re the Mets, you have to make the same evaluation. Is it worth giving up a catcher who’s still young (Alvarez turns 24 in November)? I’d have a hard time doing that, on top of what else you’d have to put in the deal.”
Then there is Benge, the minor leaguer who could be the long-term answer to filling the Mets’ hole in center field. Scouts love him for his athleticism and advanced approach at the plate.
“He has a chance to be a .300 hitter with power who can play center field,” one scout said. “How many of those guys are there in the game these days? If I’m the Mets, I’m doing everything I can to keep him.
“You know you’re going to have to give up pitching, probably either Tong or Sproat, plus Peterson. And you can live with giving up Jett Williams. But Benge could be special offensively and he fills a big need for the Mets.”
The bottom line is the scouts/execs believe the two teams could find enough common ground on a trade package to make it work if the Tigers become committed to making a deal. But only two of the six people I spoke to think the chances of it happening are more than 50-50.
The other four think it’s far more likely the Tigers will listen but ultimately decide that Skubal is worth more, even for one more season, than what the Mets or anyone else is offering.
“I just don’t think they’d want to deal with the uproar it would cause among their fans,” one exec said. “That’s a very real factor, especially when you haven’t won a championship in so long and the public perception is that Skubal gives them a chance next year.
“But I’ll say this: if the Mets are willing to go the extra mile, in terms of what they’d give up, they could make it awfully tempting for the Tigers to ignore all the outside noise and decide, let’s do it.”
Red-Hot Jets Return Home Seeking Fourth Straight Win Against Slumping Predators
The Winnipeg Jets return home after a quick two-game road stint in which they won both games against the Flyers and Islanders with their matchup against the Nashville Predators on Saturday setting them up for their first four-game winning streak of the season.
Since dropping their season opener against the Stars, the Jets have outscored their next three opponents 13 to six with consecutive five-goal performances heading into their matchup with Nashville. They will do their best to hold off a Predators team that is desperately looking for a win after dropping two straight with ten goals allowed.
The Jets will look to respond with their deadly top line duo of Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor, who have a combined eight goals through four games. The Predators will look to respond with their own top line duo of snipers in Steven Stamkos and Filip Forsberg, who are both searching for their second goal of the season.
Scheifele Ties Franchise Points Record as Jets Power Past Flyers 5–2Scheifele etched his name in history, netting two goals to match the franchise points record and spearhead the Jets' decisive 5-2 win over the Flyers.Lineup Storylines
The ace up the sleeve of the Jets as of late has been fourth line center Morgan Barron, who's having the best start to a season of his career with goals in all but one of Winnipeg's four games. Barron's also added a pair of assists to bring his season point total to five through four games, ranking him ahead of any Predators players and in line with superstars like Adrian Kempe, Sidney Crosby and Patrick Kane among others as of today. Morgan will play against his brother in the contest as Justin Barron is on Nashville's third defense pairing.
They would like the same level of production out of their big ticket free agent signing with Jonathan Toews, who has just one assist that came on the power play, a -1 rating and six penalty minutes with over 17 minutes of average ice-time per game. The team would like to see more out of the three-time Stanley Cup champion and he'll face a tough matchup against one of the league's best goaltenders in Nashville's Juuse Saros.
For the Predators, their youth movement has been flying under everyone's radar. While hockey fans like to talk about the Montreal Canadiens or the Detroit Red Wings, Nashville has one of the youngest teams in the NHL. Their forward group features several players aged 24 or younger, including second-line forwards Fedor Svechkov and Luke Evangelista, as well as fourth-line winger Ozzy Wiesblatt while on defense, Adam Wilsby joins star blueliner Roman Josi on the top pairing.
This young core doesn’t even account for injured prospect Matthew Wood or 18-year-old Brady Martin, the fifth overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, who has already logged NHL minutes just months after being selected. The kids will have something to prove and Winnipeg will need to stay on their toes for a very different looking Nashville team.
Moose Head East for First Road Trip of the Season to Face Griffins in Three-Game SetMoose embark on their inaugural road trip facing the Griffins. Key prospects and a strong team dynamic aim for a winning start against a formidable opponent.Player & Betting Trends (Presented By BetMGM)
WPG ML (-182) | NSH ML (+150)
WPG -1.5 (+135) | NSH +1.5 (-161)
O/U 5.5 Goals
These two clubs have split their last eight matchups with four wins a piece but the outlier trend in the series of games was the amount that were low-scoring and this goes back further into the history of their rivalry. In 12 of their last 19 matchups, they've totaled five or fewer goals and this is largely because of the outstanding netminders and defense cores both teams have. Winnipeg has the back-to-back Vezina trophy winner and reigning league MVP in net with Connor Hellebuyck but Nashville also has one of the most elite goaltenders in the league with Juuse Saros.
Not to mention both sides top defense with the Jets rolling out notable names like Josh Morrissey and Neal Pionk while the Predators respond with Roman Josi and Brady Skjei. Because of this, it's very difficult to find almost any one on either team that excels in this matchup with the only answer being Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele.
Winnipeg's dynamic duo have been boom or bust in this matchup with Connor and Scheifele recording 27 and 26 points respectively over their last 25 games versus Nashville but this has come in large chunks. Connor for example, has gone without a point in 11 of those 25 games with his numbers being pushed up thanks to eight multi-point performances. If the duo find the scoresheet, it'll likely be more than once if at all.
Goalie Matchup
Winnipeg: Connor Hellebuyck Expected (VS NSH: 17-9-2 record, 2.42 GAA, .927 SV% in 29 Games)
Nashville: Juuse Saros Expected (VS WPG: 8-8-4 record, 2.50 GAA, .921 SV% in 20 Games)
CONFIRMED: Oliver Kylington Signs With Swedish Club
Swedish defenseman Oliver Kylington, 28, has signed a one-year contract with Djurgården IF, the Stockholm-based SHL team announced on Saturday.
Born and raised in Stockholm, Kylington returns to Djurgården after a 13-year absense and 10 seasons in the NHL.
“I’m looking forward to playing in front of the fans here at Hovet - it’s something I've thought about for a long time,” Kylington said, referring to Djurgården’s long-time home rink. “I’ve only seen it from the stands, so now it’ll be fun to get a feel for it and be able to give back.”
“Oliver is a Stockholm guy who has played ten seasons in North America and who is coming back home to Stockholm to play where he belongs,” said Djurgården sports director Niklas Wikegård. “He is a fundamentally skilled, experienced and very talented player with great international credentials.”
After a 31-point season in 2021-22, Kylington was rewarded with a new contract but missed then missed the entire 2022-23 season despite no apparent physical ailments. In August 2023, he finally spoke out about his mental health troubles.
Oliver Kylington on mental health and signing with Colorado: “I don’t need any more distractions in my life”After nine seasons of highs and lows in the organization of the Calgary Flames – the team that drafted him – Swedish defenseman Oliver Kylington, an unrestricted free agent, signed a one-year contract with the Colorado Avalanche on Monday. In <a href="https://hockeynews.se/nyheter/har-brutit-med-sin-familj-ingen-relation">a recent interview with Swedish media outlet HockeyNews.se</a>, he spoke about his decision, his history of struggles with mental health and his family, and where he is now.
An unrestricted free agent in 2024, Kylington signed a one-year contract with the Colorado Avalanche. After being limited to just 13 games due to injuries, he was traded in March 2025 to the Anaheim Ducks, where he finished the season.
All told, Kylington recorded 60 points and 60 penalty minutes in 220 NHL regular-season games. He also recorded three points in 12 games for Calgary in the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs.
Kylington went to the Carolina Hurricanes training camp on a PTO this year, but was cut near the end of the preseason. He then returned to Stockholm, where he was reportedly skating with Djurgården’s junior team, while rumors swirled of his imminent signing with the SHL team.
Blackhawks’ Anton Frondell Reflects on Red-Hot Start<a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/chicago-blackhawks">Chicago Blackhawks</a> prospect Anton Frondell is off to an impressive start in the SHL. He has taken the league by storm with his blend of skill and imposing size. In his first 10 games, he has recorded six goals and eight points. Frondell spoke with Swedish outlet TV4 about his strong start ahead of last weekend’s matchup with Leksand.
“He will contribute and be an important piece for us,” Wikegård continued. “Then, just like with all other players who come from North American hockey, it’s about patience. Even though Oliver is Swedish, it will be an adjustment for him. But he is a very exciting player that we welcome here to Djurgården as part of our common journey.”
Kylington joins a Djurgården team that has seven wins and five losses in its first 12 SHL games of the season, good for 21 points and fifth place in the 14-team circuit.
The team’s roster includes goaltender Magnus Hellberg, defenseman Gustav Lindström, and forwards Marcus Krüger, Jacob Josefson, Charles Hudon, Jesse Ylönen and Joe Snively. It also includes top NHL prospects Anton Frondell and Victor Eklund – first-round draft picks of the Chicago Blackhawks and New York Islanders, respectively – top 2025 draft prospects Viggo Björk and Marcus Nordmark, and former prospect Emilio Pettersen.
Charles Hudon Signs In Sweden, Joins Frondell & EklundCanadian
forward
Charles Hudon, 31, has signed a two-year contract with
Djurgården IF, the Stockholm-based SHL club announced on Wednesday.
Domantas Sabonis to miss Kings' season opener with Grade 1 hamstring injury
Domantas Sabonis to miss Kings' season opener with Grade 1 hamstring injury originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The Kings will begin the 2025-26 NBA season without their star center.
Domantas Sabonis suffered a Grade 1 hamstring strain and will miss at least the first two games of the season. The Kings say he will be re-evaluated in one week.
Sabonis exited Wednesday’s preseason game against the Los Angeles Clippers and later was ruled out with the hamstring issue. An MRI confirmed a Grade 1 strain.
Sacramento now will be without two starters to begin the new season, as forward Keegan Murray had surgery to repair a UCL tear in his left thumb and will be out for at least three to six weeks.
Sabonis has been instrumental to the Kings over the past couple of seasons, with their offense running through the 6-foot-10 big man.
In Friday’s preseason finale against the Los Angeles Lakers, the Kings started newly acquired Drew Eubanks with Sabonis out. Isaac Jones, Dario Saric, Dylan Cardwell and Maxime Raynaud are options, too.
Through 246 games in just over three seasons with Sacramento, Sabonis has averaged 19.2 points, 13.2 rebounds and 7.1 assists in 34.9 minutes.
Championship roundup: Coventry back on top while Thomas sends Stoke third
Thomas-Asante and Torp strike for Coventry
Stoke beat Wrexham; West Brom back into top six
Coventry reclaimed their spot at the top of the Championship with a 2-0 victory over Blackburn. They had slipped to second after Middlesbrough’s victory over Ipswich on Friday night, but goals from Victor Torp and Brandon Thomas-Asante took them back to the summit. Liam Kitching should have made it three near the end but he headed over from inside the six-yard box.
Frank Lampard, the Coventry manager, thought the game was a “good test for all of us”, saying: “All credit to Blackburn in the first half. They came here with an aggressive organisation about them and were happy to be man-for-man pretty much all over the pitch.
Continue reading...Bad Streak Continues, Blackhawks Lose To Canucks 3-2 In Shootout
The Chicago Blackhawks came into Friday night’s game against the Vancouver Canucks on a bad streak against them. Chicago hasn’t beaten Vancouver since November 2021. They also haven’t beaten them at the United Center since November of 2019.
That streak will live on for the Blackhawks. They were defeated in a shootout 3-2. Vancouver’s Brock Boeser scored the winner in the fourth frame, as all seven shooters before him missed.
Spencer Knight, once again, was the star in this one. He made 30 saves on 32 shots in regulation and saved three out of four shots in the shootout. It’s not like the offense was terrible; Kevin Lankinen was good in Vancouver’s net as well, but they weren’t able to get Knight just one more goal.
Although the Blackhawks have clearly been a better team so far this season, things would feel a lot more bleak without Spencer Knight. He made some marvelous saves on Friday night.
Chicago allowed Vancouver to erase a 2-0 lead that they had built up with goals scored by Ryan Donato and Tyler Bertuzzi. The 2-2 tie went all the way through the second intermission.
This game was not without controversy. With 5:12 remaining in the third period, Tyler Bertuzzi appeared to score again, but the goal was waved off due to goalie interference. It is hard to pinpoint what was seen on that review because it didn’t appear that the goaltender was kept from making a save. Going on to drop the game is a shootout is a tough result after this unlucky break.
"I won't comment because I'll probably get fined," Tyler Bertuzzi said on the call after the game. "I think it was not that great of a call."
Although it seemed to stick with them for the rest of the game, Jeff Blashill must get his guys to move on from the bad call. They were unable to beat Vancouver, but there will be more opportunities.
At 2-2-2, the Blackhawks are having a respectable start. The right skaters are playing well, the defense is taking steps forward, and they have a star in the net right now.
Another home game awaits. Joel Quenneville and the Ahaneim Ducks will return to the United Center on Sunday for some evening hockey to end the weekend. Both teams could see this as a measuring stick.
Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.
2025 NCAA college football Week 8: How to watch USC vs. Notre Dame tonight
Notre Dame hosts USC this weekend for Week 8 of the NCAA football season, here's how you can tune in to the game this Saturday.
Stay or Go: Should Yankees re-sign Trent Grisham?
When the Yankees made the Juan Soto deal a couple of offseasons ago, Trent Grisham was seen as a throw-in.
His first season in pinstripes saw Grisham appear in just 76 games and was used primarily as a late-game defensive replacement. Fast forward to 2025 and Grisham became a revelation for the Yankees.
The 28-year-old had a career season and helped stabilize the Yankees outfield, playing center alongside Cody Bellinger and Aaron Judge. But with the unceremonious end to the Yankees' season, Grisham will be testing the market as a free agent.
With Bellinger testing free agency, and Judge being the only constant, the Yankees' outfield could be in flux, but should they take a chance and bring back Grisham?
Why Yankees should re-sign Trent Grisham
As presently constituted, the Yankees will have Judge play right field and potentially a bunch of kids manning the outfield. Jasson Dominguez will likely get another crack at becoming an everyday player, but what about the third outfield spot? The Yankees need stability as a win-now team, and they can't possibly trot out two kids every game, and New York could do worse than bringing back Grisham.
Again, Grisham had his best offensive season in 2025. His 34 homers are twice as many as his previous career high (2022 with the Padres) and his 74 RBI are 12 more than his previous high in 2021. It wasn't just his homers and RBI. Grisham set career marks in slugging (.464), hits (116), walks (82) and OPS (.811).
Grisham was also extremely clutch for the Yankees. According to FanGraphs, he hit .308 with seven home runs and 1.259 OPS in high-leverage situations, including five blasts with two outs and runners in scoring position.
And the former two-time Gold Glover is still very good in CF, despite his seemingly lackadaisical approach.
Grisham will also be a more affordable option than Bellinger or other free agent outfielders like Kyle Tucker, so there is a spot for Grisham if the Yankees are in need of a veteran outfielder.
Why Yankees should not re-sign Trent Grisham
Let's face it. Do you expect Grisham to come close to his offensive production moving forward?
It's very likely that 2025 Grisham is an outlier. His offensive numbers, especially his power, were way higher than in previous seasons. Here's a breakdown of his numbers in his last five seasons:
- 2021: .242/.327/.413, .740 OPS, 15 HR (132 games)
- 2022: .184/.284/.341, .626 OPS, 17 HR (152 games)
- 2023: .198/.315/.352, .666 OPS, 13 HR (153 games)
- 2024: .190/.290/.385, .675 OPS, 9 HR (76 games)
- 2025: .235/.348/.464, .811 OPS, 34 HR (143 games)
Ok, if you want to roll the dice on Grisham, he picked a great time to have a career year. There could be a team out there that will believe the 2025 production and pay Grisham close to what he wants. What that number looks like is not clear, but at just 28 years old, Grisham could be looking for a long deal, or at least one with multiple options in it.
The Yankees can extend the qualifying offer to Grisham, which would cost the team $22.02 million in 2026 and could make other teams balk at offering him a nice contract if they don't want to give up a draft pick to sign him. Could Grisham get a deal worth more than that qualifying offer? Perhaps, but the real question is, should the Yankees even extend that offer?
The Yankees could use that money toward bringing back Bellinger or even swinging for Tucker.
Verdict
The one reason the Yankees should re-sign Grisham is if they believe the offensive production he delivered in 2025 is legit. But I have a hard time believing it is, and I don't think they do either.
Now, should they extend the qualifying offer? Probably not. If Grisham can get a lucrative deal elsewhere, God bless him, but if the Yankees want to try and bring him back, make him a solid offer, but not one that would exceed what his QO would have been, and only after other options are off the table.
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Continue reading...Canadiens: Taking On The Blueshirts
Martin St-Louis and the Montreal Canadiens will be aiming for a fifth win in a row when they host the struggling New York Rangers at the Bell Centre on Saturday night. The Blueshirts have had a tough time this season; they’ve got a 2-3-1 record, and they were shut out in their first three home games. They’re coming to town with a four-game losing streak and will be hoping that, just like last season, the Habs can be just what the doctor ordered.
Last November, they were on a five-game losing streak when the Canadiens visited Madison Square Garden, and they were able to bounce back with a 5-4 win, scoring the game-winning goal with less than 30 seconds left on the clock. The Tricolore really struggled against the Rangers last season. In October, it was them who made them hit rock bottom when they lost 7-2 at the Bell Centre, in front of the 1970s team that was being honoured that night, which would have been Ken Dryden’s last appearance in a Canadiens’ ceremony.
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The Habs’ sole win over the Rags last season came in January when they beat them 5-4 in an overtime thriller. Given the Canadiens’ flair for the spectacular this season, that kind of outcome is not out of the realm of possibilities.
The starters have yet to be confirmed for the game, but it would be a shock if Samuel Montembeault weren’t back in net for the home team. The number one is not having a great start to the season and currently has a 0.870 save percentage and a 2.98 goals-against average, but it’s Saturday night, and logic dictates that the coach will give his number one a chance to bounce back. The Becancour native has faced them eight times in his career and has a 4-3-1 record with a 4.04 GAA and a .880 SV. As for Dobes, he only faced them once, in that 5-4 overtime win last season, which gives him a 3.79 GAA and a .857 SV.
As for the Rangers, their ace, Igor Shesterkin, has faced Montreal six times and has a 5-1-0 record, with a 1.99 GAA and a .931 SV%. As for backup Jonathan Quick, he has a 9-4-2 record against Montreal with a 2.51 GAA and a .914 SV. It’s fair to say that whoever’s in net for New York will present an interesting challenge.
The visitors made some moves this offseason, which included the trade of a player that has been hated in Montreal since that collision with Carey Price in 2014, Chris Kreider. Promising young defenseman K’Andre Miller was also sent packing for two draft picks and Scott Morrow. Coach Mike Sullivan was hired, Vladislav Gavrikov was signed to a seven-year, $49 million contract, and J.T. Miller was named captain. Artemi Panarin is still with the team, but he’s entering the last year of his contract, and it’s far from certain he’ll want to extend. The 32-year-old is playing the seventh year of the $81.5 million contract he was signed to by Jeff Gorton, back in his Rangers days.
Considering they have Matt Rempe in the lineup, it will be interesting to see what St. St-Louis decides to put Arber Xhekaj back in the lineup. From one standpoint, it would make sense, but on the other hand, Jayden Struble had a great game on Thursday night and doesn’t deserve to be taken out of the lineup. If Kaiden Guhle is unable to play, the bench boss may not have to make such a tough choice.
In the last 10 duels between the two teams, the Canadiens have been able to grab four wins, but they’ve only won one of the previous five. The Habs will need to keep a close eye on Panarin, who has seven goals and 22 assists for 29 points in 23 career games when skating against Montreal. As for newly minted captain Miller, he has 28 points in 36 duels, while blueliner Adam Fox has 17 points in 14 games. Mika Zibanejad has also always been a threat against the Habs with 28 points in 38 games.
As for the Canadiens, Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield lead the team in scoring this season with seven points each, and they’ve always been productive against the Blueshirts. The Former has 11 points in 15 duels, while the latter has nine points in 10 meetings. Noah Dobson, who has faced the Rangers 23 times, has 13 assists against them but has never been able to find the back of the net. As for veteran Brendan Gallagher, he has 15 points in 29 games.
The Habs will be holding a morning skate at 10:30 which is when we'll get an indication of what the lineup will look like and if Guhle will be able to play, he left the last game and looked like he was in real pain on the bench. Edit: The decisions were made for St-Louis, Guhle is out (4 to 6 weeks lower bidy) allowing Xhekaj to come back in and both Patrik Laine and Kirby Dach are out (evaluated daily) and will be replaced by Joe Veleno and Owen Beck.
Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 PM, and this will be the Canadiens' second-to-last home game before heading out west for a four-game road trip. Before hitting the road, they’ll take on the Buffalo Sabres on Monday night.
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