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Count On Ovechkin, Crosby Turning Back Clock in Penguins-Capitals Showdown

Thursday’s NHL schedule features nine games filled with high-stakes matchups, promising fast-paced action, dramatic finishes, and plenty of highlight-reel moments. One of the night’s most compelling showdowns pits Sidney Crosby and the Penguins against his longtime rival Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals.

Pittsburgh started strong at 8-2-2 but has dropped four of its last six. The team now looks to rebound at home against a Washington squad coming off a dominant 6-1 win over St. Louis and facing a quick turnaround.

This matchup offers plenty of intrigue for fans and bettors alike, with the potential for explosive scoring and standout individual performances. We’re aiming to build on early-season momentum after a perfect 3-0 Tuesday on Stars-Oilers picks, plus a win in Wednesday’s Pad Stack Challenge. That challenge now holds a 5-1 record over the past six days.

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Expect Offensive Fireworks As Lightning Take On Golden Knights in VegasExpect Offensive Fireworks As Lightning Take On Golden Knights in VegasWitness a high-octane showdown as the offensively potent Lightning aim to exploit the Golden Knights' recent struggles on home ice.

Pittsburgh Penguins vs Washington Capitals Best Bets

Penguins ML (-105)

Alex Ovechkin Over 0.5 Points (-154)

Ben Kindel Over 0.5 Points (+115)

Bryan Rust Anytime Goal (+175) Longshot Pick

Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin are set to face off again on Thursday, continuing one of the NHL’s most storied rivalries. The Penguins will look to build on their rest from Monday’s game, while the Capitals aim to regroup after a dominant win on Wednesday that ended a four-game losing streak.

Both teams have split their last eight matchups, making this an evenly matched contest. Pittsburgh should be able to hold onto the upper hand of rest as Washington will have the fatigue of playing the night before as well as travelling. The Capitals also used a good amount of their offense Wednesday when blowing out the Blues 6-1 and could fail to follow up the performance. 

History suggests this could be another tight battle as Crosby and Ovechkin have squared off 99 times, with 73 regular-season games and 25 playoff matchups. Over those matchups, Crosby has racked up 125 points, with Ovechkin recorded 101 points. The Penguins hold the edge in this clash between two hockey legends with a 55-39-4 record, although recent games have often been closely contested.

Ovechkin, fresh off his 900th career goal on Wednesday versus the St. Louis Blues, remains a reliable offensive threat, having scored in his last game against the Penguins in April. Crosby continues to drive Pittsburgh’s attack, while his linemate in 18-year-old Ben Kindel has been an impactful rookie after being drafted 11th overall this past draft and looks poised to make his mark with his first career NHL assist.

Crosby or his longtime winger Bryan Rust, who scored 31 goals last season, should be able to get Kindel his milestone with Rust entering Thursday with seven goals in his last 11 games against Washington as well as four goals over his last six games.

Offensively, both teams have shown flashes of explosiveness, including two consecutive matchups with seven or more combined goals. However, the overall trend of their head-to-head history suggests that high-scoring games are not guaranteed, with only 14 of the last 25 meetings exceeding seven goals.

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Sens Game Day: Senators Prepare To Face Another Team Out For Revenge On Thursday Night

After four days without a game, the Ottawa Senators return to action on Thursday night with a road game against the Boston Bruins. On the one hand, after six games in 10 days, the respite from a busy schedule was welcome. On the other hand, they've been playing some good hockey, going 4-1-1 in that six-game stretch, and might have preferred not to interrupt the positive momentum.

But one would imagine there's a heavy preference for the former mindset. With a condensed schedule in an Olympic year that now sees them play six games in 10 days once again, teams are happy to embrace any rest and recovery time that the schedule allows.

As the Montreal Canadiens were on Saturday night, the Bruins will be in foul humour on Thursday, looking to get even. In Montreal's case, they wanted physical revenge for Nick Cousins' slash on star rookie Ivan Demidov. For Boston, they'd like to push back after getting whalloped by the Senators in Ottawa 7-2 on Oct. 27.

The Bruins seem to have used the sting and venom from that loss as fuel. They've ripped off four straight victories since then, beating the New York Islanders twice, and also posting wins over the Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes.

Overall, Boston has been a streaky lot in the first month. They won their first 3 games, lost their next six in regulation, and now they've won five of their last six.

The Bruins will welcome back their former star goalie, Linus Ullmark, who won the 2023 Vezina Trophy with the club. That performance has created sky-high expectations in Ottawa that Ullmark has yet to live up to.

Analytics: Can Senators Goalie Linus Ullmark Replace Another Slow Start With Another November Heater?Analytics: Can Senators Goalie Linus Ullmark Replace Another Slow Start With Another November Heater?An analyst recently questioned Ullmark's intensity, and Ullmark questioned some aspects of his own offseason prep. Between that and his current numbers, there are goaltending concerns again in Ottawa.

In 130 games over three seasons with the Bruins, Ullmark had an 88-26-10 record, a .924 save percentage, and a 2.28 goals-against average. Sens fans no longer need him to get back to that level.

They're more than ready to settle for something that falls just halfway between his Boston numbers and what he's done for the Sens so far this season, which is allowing 3.41 goals against per game with an .861 save percentage.

Leevi Merilainen guarded the Sens' cage in the recent beatdown of the Bruins, but Ullmark is expected to get the call on Thursday. The veteran won both starts against his old mates last season, making 14 saves in November's 3-2 overtime win, and 22 saves in a 6-3 victory in March.

The Sens lineup remains mostly the same, with newcomer Jordan Spence expected to be a healthy scratch for the ninth time in 14 games.

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Face off is 7 pm.

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Steve Kerr sends stern warning to Warriors after Will Richard's career game

Steve Kerr sends stern warning to Warriors after Will Richard's career game originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Will Richard’s career performance in the Warriors’ loss Wednesday night not only put the league on notice, but it also sent a message within Golden State’s very own walls.

In his first NBA start against the Sacramento Kings, the rookie guard dropped 30 points on 66.7-percent shooting from the field and 62.5 percent from 3-point range, with seven rebounds, three assists and one steal in 35 minutes.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr explained how Richard’s big night — and convincing start to his NBA career — could impact the organization’s plans for the former second-round draft pick.

“Will fits in perfectly with everything I’m discussing right now,” Kerr said Thurday on 95.7 The Game’s “Willard & Dibs.” “The turnovers, the decision-making, the spacing, the ability to dribble, pass and shoot — those four things lead to good decision-making as a team, as a group. I can draw a play out of a timeout and put Will in any one of the five positions. So when you get guys like this that provide really solid play and stability, this is what has made our team go around Steph [Curry] and Draymond [Green].

“I’ve said this to you guys a million times. Who are those stabilizers in our run over the last decade? It’s Andre Iguodala. It’s Shaun Livingston. It’s David West. You need them at different positions because Steph and Dray need stability around them to get them organized and to help them navigate the game and to get Steph the ball.

“So Will Richard checks all those boxes. The whole team, the whole organization, recognizes this — which means everybody’s on notice. Take care of the ball, because we’ve got people who will do that. And they’re ready to step in.”

Sounds like a message to others on the team to step up, or others, such as Richard, will.

Golden State acquired the draft rights to the Florida guard, who was selected No. 56 overall by the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Richard averaged 13.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game for the 2025 National Champions, and finished with a game-high 18 points on 4-of-7 shooting from 3-point range in the Gators’ championship win over Houston.

He looked like a steal early in camp for the Warriors, and that remains to be the case to Kerr.

“You don’t really expect to see this from the [56th] pick,” Kerr said. “But what we’ve seen since the start of camp. What a steal. What an incredible pick by Mike Dunleavy and the scouting department.”

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LeBron James cleared for contact, will be re-evaluated in 1-2 weeks

LeBron James is getting closer to a return to the court for the Lakers, but it is still at least a week or two away.

LeBron, who has been dealing with sciatica on his right side since before the start of training camp, has been cleared for contact and will be re-evaluated in 1-2 weeks, the Lakers announced on Thursday. He will not travel with the team on its upcoming five-game road trip, which starts in Atlanta on Saturday (he could practice with the South Bay Lakers G-League team during that time). The Lakers' next home game is on Nov. 18 against the Utah Jazz. All of this fits with the long-planned return for LeBron in mid-November.

Sciatica is pain, often accompanied by weakness or numbness, along one side of the body due to pressure on the sciatic nerve (which runs from the lower back through the hips and down the leg to the feet). That pressure on the nerve is often caused by a herniated disc in the lower back, but other things (such as a bone spur) can cause the pressure as well. Recovery usually involves rest, specific stretches and exercises, and should not be rushed for fear of re-injury.

The Lakers don't need to rush as they have started fast without LeBron, going 7-2 with a top-10 offense in the league. That start is due to a historic opening of the season from Luka Doncic (who is averaging 40 points a game through five games), as well as strong play from Austin Reaves and role players such as Deandre Ayton.

LeBron, 40, will make history when he steps on the court, becoming the first player to take part in 23 NBA seasons. The NBA's all-time leading scorer continues to contribute at a high level — he was a second-team All-NBA player for the Lakers last season, averaging 24.4 points, 8.2 assists, and 7.8 rebounds a game.

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Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra returns from a game in Denver to find his home on fire

A Florida home owned by Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra was destroyed by fire early Thursday morning.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue received a call around 4:30 a.m. about a fire at a residence in Coral Gables. More than 20 units were dispatched and "found fire that was as tall as the trees," according to MDFR battalion chief Victoria Byrd.

“On arrival, units found a fully engulfed house on fire, including a partial collapse of the roof," Byrd said in a video released by the fire department. "Units were able to quickly extinguish the fire; however, the fire took over control [of] most of the house. There were no reported injuries, no fatalities, and the fire is under investigation.”

Read more:Luka Doncic scores 35 points as Lakers win foul-filled game over Spurs

Byrd told reporters on the scene that no other structures in the area were affected by the fire.

According to the fire department, no one was home during the fire. Spoelstra had coached the Heat in Denver on Wednesday night. The team's charter flight to Miami landed at 5:11 a.m. Thursday and Spoelstra arrived at the home soon after.

Video footage shows Spoelstra walking around outside the property, at times holding his head in his hands in disbelief, as firefighters worked to contain the flames. Heat assistant coach Chris Quinn is said to have arrived on the scene at some point as well.

Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra walks away after greeting Denver Nuggets coach David Adelman
Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra heads to the locker room after a 122-112 loss to the Nuggets on Wednesday night in Denver. (David Zalubowski / Associated Press)

Spoelstra bought the five-bedroom home in December 2023, according to property records, and later did extensive work on the property. WPLG-TV in Miami reported that a neighbor said the home had been under renovation for more than a year and that Spoelstra had recently hosted a large party in the backyard.

"We used multiple aerial apparatuses, fire engines and rescues to help combat this incident," Byrd said. "Due to the privacy wall and a lot of the tree cover, it was very difficult to access, with only one point of entry. The men and women from Miami-Dade Fire Rescue were able to extinguish this fire and do the best job that they could."

Spoelstra, 55, has coached the Heat since 2008, taking the team to the NBA Finals five times and winning championships in 2012 and 2013, both times with the superstar trio of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Spoelstra signed an eight-year, $120-million contract extension with the Heat last year and recently was named as coach of the U.S. men's basketball team for the 2027 World Cup in Qatar and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Fans, Media React To Binnington Hiding Ovechkin's 900th Goal Puck: 'His Ebay Account Would've Been Popping Off'

St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington was a hot topic on Wednesday night, but not because of a highlight-reel save or an outstanding performance against the Washington Capitals. 

Instead, fans and media personalities pointed at the Canadian goaltender because Alex Ovechkin became the first NHL player ever to score 900 regular-season goals, and Binnington appeared to put the puck in his pants before returning to his crease.

Linesman Michel Cormier noticed and stayed with Binnington until he handed over the puck. And of course, the NHL on TNT broadcast caught it all.

“His eBay account would’ve been popping off after this game,” Colby Armstrong said.  

Reactions poured in on social media about Binnington, who allowed four goals on 15 shots and was eventually replaced by Joel Hofer.

“At least he can say he saved a puck tonight,” @VIKERRonX posted on X.

Jordan Binnington Tried To Steal Alex Ovechkin's 900-Goal Puck And Hide It In His PantsJordan Binnington Tried To Steal Alex Ovechkin's 900-Goal Puck And Hide It In His PantsThe Blues netminder wasn't happy any of the festivities after Ovechkin scored career goal No. 900.

For some fans, they were not surprised to see Binnington try to pull off a stunt like this one. He's been in the middle of scrums around his crease on more than one occasion, including when he went after Ryan Hartman for bumping into him as he scored.

He even threw a water bottle at Nazem Kadri following a loss to the Colorado Avalanche during the 2022 playoffs.

“A very Binnington thing to do,” @TheMagelk posted.

“Binner doing this checks out,” said @chi2phi.

With Wednesday's 6-1 loss to Washington, Binnington now has a 3-5-2 record this season with a 3.34 goals-against average and .859 save percentage.

Hockey writer Brady Trettenero contrasted Binnington’s reaction to Ilya Sorokin, who gave Ovechkin his stick and posed for a photo together when he broke the all-time regular-season goal record against the New York Islanders last season.

Barstool Sports referenced the famous Louvre heist that took place on Oct. 19.

“Jordan Binnington tried to pull off the greatest heist since the Louvre got robbed,” it said on X.

After the game, The Hockey News’ beat reporter for the Capitals, Sammi Silber, asked Ovechkin post-game about Binnington trying to steal his milestone puck.

Washington’s captain laughed.

“I’m not going to comment.”

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Ryan Winterton Scores First NHL Goal As Sharks Lay A Beatdown On The Kraken

Sometimes it's just not your night, and Wednesday, Nov. 5, was not the Seattle Kraken's night.

Matching up with a San Jose Sharks team that has struggled to keep the puck out of their net and kill penalties, the Kraken managed just one goal and went 0-for-6 on the power play. The one goal the Kraken did score was off the stick of Ryan Winterton.

It was his first career NHL goal, scoring it in his 34th NHL game. 

With the Kraken trailing 1-0 after Macklin Celebrini opened the scoring, Winterton had what could likely be considered his best NHL shift. He flew into the zone with the puck and was turned away on a Grade A rush chance by Yaroslav Askarov. He then got himself open for a one-time opportunity in the slot, but the play was broken up. He remained engaged in the play and was first to a loose puck. Once he corralled the puck, he fired it into the top corner. 

Unfortunately for the Kraken, that's the only production they would get. They threw 30 shots at Askarov, but the Sharks' 23-year-old netminder turned away 29 of them. 

While the offensive aspect of the Kraken's game was fairly muted, the defensive structure was wayward. They only gave up 23 shots, but many were top-notch chances. 

The Sharks' final two goals of the game were breakaway markers, and to make matters worse, they came within 30 seconds of each other. 

A performance like last night's happens occasionally, although coach Lane Lambert would like to limit the frequency of such occurrences. The Kraken are back in action on Saturday against a St. Louis Blues team that is in a major slump. 

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Penguins Recall Another Forward From AHL As Injury Woes Worsen

Unfortunately, the injury woes have continued for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

On Thursday, the Penguins were forced to recall yet another player from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) - their AHL affiliate - because of an injury to yet another player. Forward Joona Koppanen was the one who got the call, and the team also announced that forward Filip Hallander is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. 

Koppanen, 27, played in 11 NHL games for the Penguins last season and registered a goal. The 6-foot-5, 210-pound forward re-signed with the Penguins for one year this past offseason, and he was waived at the conclusion of training camp and re-assigned to WBS after going unclaimed.

He has a goal and two points in six AHL games for WBS this season, and Penguins' head coach Dan Muse confirmed that Koppanen will be in the lineup Thursday against the Washington Capitals. 

Hallander, 25, made the NHL team out of training camp and has a goal and four points in 13 games on the season so far. His injury adds to a rapidly growing list of ailments for the Penguins, as they just placed forwards Justin Brazeau and Noel Acciari - as well as goaltender Tristan Jarry - on injured reserve Tuesday. 

Forward Rickard Rakell and defenseman Caleb Jones were already on injured reserve for the Penguins, and they joined a list that already included forwards Rutger McGroarty and Kevin Hayes, goaltender Joel Blomqvist, and defenseman Jack St. Ivany, among others.

Hayes, 33, skated with the team in a full capacity on Wednesday and appears close to a return.

Penguins' Forward Appears Close To ReturnPenguins' Forward Appears Close To ReturnMore than likely, the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> won't have to wait much longer for one of their forwards to return to the lineup.&nbsp;

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Fire destroys home of Heat coach Erik Spoelstra; nobody was home or injured

The Coral Gables home of Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra was destroyed by fire early Thursday morning while Spoelstra was flying back from Denver with the team.

Nobody was injured in the home, which was unoccupied at the time, and the fire did not spread to other nearby homes, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Victoria Byrd said in a televised press conference. The 911 call about the house came in at 4:46 a.m. and, upon arrival, firefighters found "two structures on the property fully involved" in the fire, adding that the flames were "as tall as the trees."

"Due to the privacy wall and a lot of the tree cover, it was very difficult to access, with only one point of entry," Byrd said.

Video footage from NBC South Florida affiliate’s Chopper 6 showed that much of the home was destroyed.

Spoelstra and the Heat players were flying back from Denver, where they had lost earlier in the evening, and didn't land in Miami until after 5 a.m. Spoelstra raced home and was seen "walking around the outside of the property as the fire continued, sometimes stopping and holding his head in disbelief," reports the Associated Press.

Property records show Spoelstra purchased the home in December 2023 and had extensive work done to upgrade the property.

Spoelstra is in his 18th season as head coach of the Miami Heat, having led the franchise to six NBA Finals appearances, winning two in 2012 and 2013. He was recently named the next head coach of USA Basketball for the upcoming FIBA World Cup and Los Angeles Olympics cycle. The Heat do not play on Thursday and are home Friday night against the Charlotte Hornets.