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Jimmy Butler exits Warriors vs. Thunder game at halftime due to knee injury

Jimmy Butler exits Warriors vs. Thunder game at halftime due to knee injury originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

After a trip to the Warriors’ locker room in the second quarter, Jimmy Butler was not on the floor to begin the second half of Golden State’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night at Chase Center.

The Warriors star ultimately was ruled out of the game with a sore left knee near the end of the third quarter.

Butler originally was listed as questionable for the game with a glute contusion after a hard fall in Saturday’s win over the New Orleans Pelicans, but was cleared to play shortly before Tuesday’s tip-off. He appeared to be in discomfort following a play — which included losing his shoe — with 6:36 to go in the first half before heading to the Warriors’ locker room, and he then returned to the bench shortly after.

Butler didn’t come out of the locker room following the halftime break, however, and Gary Payton II started the second half in Butler’s place as Golden State trailed 63-44 against the defending NBA champions.

Up until his exit, Butler had scored six points on 2-of-7 shooting with three rebounds and one assist in 15 minutes of play. The Warriors already are without Steph Curry in Tuesday’s game, who is missing time with a quad contusion.

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Jimmy Butler exits Warriors vs. Thunder game at halftime after awkward play

Jimmy Butler exits Warriors vs. Thunder game at halftime after awkward play originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

After a trip to the Warriors’ locker room in the second quarter, Jimmy Butler was not on the floor to begin the second half of Golden State’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night at Chase Center.

Butler originally was listed as questionable for the game with a glute contusion after a hard fall in Saturday’s win over the New Orleans Pelicans, but was cleared to play shortly before Tuesday’s tip-off. He appeared to be in discomfort following a play — which included losing his shoe — with 6:36 to go in the first half before heading to the Warriors’ locker room, and he then returned to the bench shortly after.

Butler didn’t come out of the locker room following the halftime break, however, and Gary Payton II started the second half in Butler’s place as Golden State trailed 63-44 against the defending NBA champions.

Up until his exit, Butler had scored six points on 2-of-7 shooting with three rebounds and one assist in 15 minutes of play. The Warriors already are without Steph Curry in Tuesday’s game, who is missing time with a quad contusion.

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Observations after Sixers smoke Wizards, Maxey scores 35 in 29 minutes

Observations after Sixers smoke Wizards, Maxey scores 35 in 29 minutes  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

After suffering a double-overtime loss Sunday vs. the Hawks, the Sixers cruised to a low-stress win Tuesday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

They notched a 121-102 victory over the Wizards and moved to 11-9 on the season. 

Tyrese Maxey posted 35 points, six assists, four steals and four rebounds.

The Sixers were down Joel Embiid (right knee injury recovery), Quentin Grimes (right calf soreness), Kelly Oubre Jr. (left knee LCL sprain) and Trendon Watford (left adductor strain).

The 3-17 Wizards were shorthanded on the second night of a back-to-back.

The Sixers will host the Warriors on Thursday night. Here are observations on their win over Washington:

Strong second unit

The Sixers ran plenty of first-quarter plays for Paul George and he was aggressive as a jump shooter. George sunk two catch-and-shoot three-pointers in the first.

Sixers head coach Nick Nurse turned to his bench relatively early. Justin Edwards, Jared McCain and Adem Bona were all on the floor after a little over five minutes.

Bona committed a foul on his first defensive possession, biting on a Marvin Bagley III pump fake. The Wizards took the game’s first six free throws and went up 18-12 on a CJ McCollum mid-range jumper.

The Sixers’ bench then started to cook. 

McCain swished a three off of a baseline out-of-bounds play and made two driving layups in his first stint. Edwards also knocked down a pair of threes in the first quarter, breaking through a recent slump. He’d gone 4 for 24 beyond the arc over his past seven games. Bona had several possession-earning hustle plays that didn’t show up on the stat sheet, including a forced backcourt violation. 

Maxey in his comfort zone

Jabari Walker and Eric Gordon joined the mix in the second quarter. Walker drilled two straight corner threes and a Maxey jumper gave the Sixers a 54-40 lead. 

Maxey looked extremely comfortable leading the Sixers’ offense.

He followed up a season-high six turnovers Sunday with zero giveaways and seemed to get wherever he wanted to go.

Seconds after Maxey sat late in the second quarter, he had the pleasure of watching an explosive, audacious Edgecombe slam. 

Regulars rest in the fourth

The Sixers led by a dozen at halftime, but the Wizards scored the first seven points of the third quarter. George and Drummond missed jumpers late in the shot clock. Drummond picked up his fourth foul with 9:16 left in the third.

Edgecombe’s effort and athleticism helped the Sixers snap out of their funk and avoid another poor third quarter. He grabbed gritty offensive rebounds on consecutive possessions. The first board led to a George three, the second a Dominick Barlow and-one layup. 

The Sixers blew the game open late in the third quarter. McCain drained a transition three. Maxey found a groove and rapidly piled up points. After burying a step-back three, he snagged a steal and coasted the other way for a fast-break dunk that put the Sixers up 99-73.

Maxey subbed out to start the fourth quarter and it was soon abundantly clear he (and all the Sixers’ regulars) would be able to stay on the sidelines the rest of the night.

Drummond threw down a put-back dunk and splashed a corner three. The Sixers led by as many as 36 points, rookies Johni Broome and Hunter Sallis checked in, and Maxey finally finished a game with under 30 minutes. The NBA’s minutes leader logged a season-low 29.

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Fearless Robin Smith and his square cuts gave hope to England in grim era | Tanya Aldred

Smith stood up to West Indies bowling and scored centuries against Australia in the most demanding of circumstances

A Robin Smith square cut was more than a whip‑crack snap of the bat. For English cricket fans of the late 80s and early 90s, it was a nudge in the ribs that, underneath the pastings, the dismal collapses and Rentaghost selections, the national team would fight another day.

Smith’s cut, alongside a David Gower cover drive, gave hope where there was little left in the bucket. Those famous forearms – half oak, half baobab – the white shirt unbuttoned past the clavicle, the chain glinting through his chest hair, smelt enticingly like bravery, and old spice and one last throw of the dice.

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Blackhawks Vs Golden Knights: Projected Lineup, How To Watch, & More Ahead Of Game 26

The Chicago Blackhawks have hit the road for a hand full of games after a long stretch at home. Despite just recently snapping a five game losing streak, they are still right there on the playoff bubble at 11-9-5.

The first game of this road trip is against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena. This is the first time that the two clubs are matching up this season.  

Connor Bedard Is The "Third Star of the Month" For November

On Tuesday, the National Hockey League announced that Connor Bedard was the NHL's "Third Star of the Month" for November. 

Blackhawks Superstar Connor Bedard Named Third Star Of NovemberBlackhawks Superstar Connor Bedard Named Third Star Of NovemberChicago Blackhawks superstar Connor Bedard was named the Third Star of the Month for November.

Scouting Vegas 

The Vegas Golden Knights have one of the best rosters in the NHL. They have superstars everywhere. Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, Pavel Dorofeyev, Tomas Hertl, and newly signed Mitch Marner lead the way offensively for them. On defense, Noah Hanifin and Shea Theodore lead a strong group on the back end. 

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Despite having this loaded group, they are 11-6-8. Having most of their losses in overtime has kept them afloat in the Western Conference playoff chase but they are not playing like the dominant team that most expected coming into the year. 

Their goaltending has been lackluster and Marner is a guy still trying to get comfortable in his new situation. They are also missing William Karlsson due to injury, which is a big loss because of what he provides in all three zones. 

Projected Lines, Defense Pairs, & Goalie For Chicago

The Chicago Blackhawks snapped a five game losing streak in their game against the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday. After going down 3-0, they came all the way back to win 5-3. 

Blackhawks Score 5 Unanswered, End Losing Streak With Comeback WInBlackhawks Score 5 Unanswered, End Losing Streak With Comeback WInThe Chicago Blackhawks scored five unanswered goals to beat the Anaheim Ducks 5-3 to end the losing streak.

Although Vegas hasn't been overly impressive based on their expectations coming into the season, they still have an elite roster that is sure to be a Stanley Cup contender once the playoffs roll around. The Blackhawks must be ready for an opponent on that level in this one. 

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With their 11/7 strategy, Landon Slaggert and Sam Lafferty are the likely scratches. Spencer Knight is going to be Chicago's starting goalie for the second game in a row. 

Knight enters the game with a 2.51 goals against average and a .918 save percentage. He gives them a chance to win every start. After allowing two goals in the first minute against the Ducks, Knight locked in and eventually won the game. 

Bedard's November that earned him a "Third Star of the Month" brought him to a total of 37 points, which is third in the NHL. Playing with Ryan Greene and Andre Burakovsky gives that top line a little bit of everything. 

There is more offensive depth and speed in the middle six, and a spot on the fourth line for double shifting top players on the team.

With the 11/7 lineup, all of their defensemen are given opportunities to play more when they are on top of their game. It has been beneficial for everyone. 

How To Watch

The game can be heard locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. For viewing, it will be streamed nationally on ESPN+ or Hulu. The puck will drop shortly after 9 PM CT. 

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Oilers Meet A Different Wild Squad and an Even Hotter Wallstedt

Leon Draisaitl spoke ahead of the optional skate for the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday and noted that the league is different and that every year is a new story. One of the more interesting stories in the NHL in 2025-26 is the one being written in Minnesota. 

Over the past 10 games, an 8-0-2 Wild has proven their a force in the NHL. Meanwhile, the club is coming to Edmonton to battle an Oilers group that is still searching for its game. Goaltender Jesper Wallstedt is red hot, and the Wild have a solid team with offensive stars and players who can play a 200-foot game. Their blue line is healthy, and almost everyone is firing. 

The same can't be said for the Oilers, who while they played a much better game against the Seattle Kraken an earned a 4-0 shutout win, know that one game doesn't flip a season and point the club in the right direction. 

The Wild will be a test for the Oilers. So far this season, tests tend to wind up with a failing grade. 

Time For the Oilers To Find The Game They Want to Play

"Let's go out and, you know, keep it simple," said Draisaitl. "It's the cliche, but just get your game, you know, just make it feel like playing the game that we want to play, and have that intensity, and then we'll be fine."

When asked about what seems like a tradition of the Oilers starting slowly and then turning it on in December and January, Draisaitl said there's good and bad about that somewhat troubling habit.

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"I don't know. I try not to read too much into... every year writes its own story. You know, constantly falling behind, and in these situations, that's not ideal; it's not the way that you want to go into a year. "With that being said, we do know the situation that we're in we have been here before. We have been in worse situations than what we're in right now, so that should give you a little bit of confidence. But, at the end of the day, this is a new year, this is a new league with new teams, and  they're both different and better teams, so which, yeah, we got to get going, we got to get on the road a little bit."

"They've got a very good team, very explosive," said head coach Kris Knoblauch. He noted that their defense likes to jump up and the goaltending their getting when the Wild make a mistake is bailing them out and making it an option for them to keep gambling and capitalizing on opportunties. 

When asked about the test that is the Wild, "Minnesota is one of the best teams in the league right now," and said he certainly hopes they (the Oilers) are ready to play. 

Wallstedt Is The Talk Of A Much Better Wild Team

Wallstedt has been named the NHL’s Rookie of the Month for November after a dominant 6-0-0 run with a league-best 1.14 goals-against average, .967 save percentage, and three shutouts. He's the "it guy" in the NHL these days -- not ideal for Oilers fans, considering this was a player the team could have drafted.

Jesper Wallstedt has been on fire for the Minnesota Wild. Photo by © Matt Krohn Imagn Images

The 20th-overall pick from 2021 allowed two or fewer goals in five of six starts, highlighted by shutouts against Calgary, Anaheim, and Winnipeg. He also set a Wild rookie record with a 175:12 shutout streak, the longest by an NHL rookie goalie since 2016. 

The 23-year-old is now 7-0-2 with a .938 save percentage and joins elite company as one of only six rookie goalies to open a season with a nine-game point streak.

Wild head coach John Hynes said of Wallstedt's game, "He had a good offeseason. He made some real commitments to show that he wants to be able to get the best out of him. We know he has NHL talent. Now he's learning the other parts of, whether it's the game, or being the starting goalie, how important some of the things around the game are, your nutrition, rest recovery, practice.." 

If he keeps playing well, he'll keep getting opportunities. Wallsted didn't handle disappointment well last season, but he's gone through that adversity and "he took the action steps and learning lessons" said the coach. 

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Patrick Kane Says His Play Has Been “A Little Inconsistent” Despite Quality Looks

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Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane sustained an upper-body injury during his club's 2-1 overtime victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Oct. 17, and missed Detroit's subsequent nine games.

Since his return from the injury, he's skated in 12 games and scored once while adding eight assists. However, he's had multiple top-notch scoring opportunities that were unsuccessful, including two separate instances in which he had a gaping net to shoot at with the puck nearly on the goal line. 

Those are the kinds of chances that Kane would normally have buried with extreme ease during his Hall of Fame career, but he admitted that he continues to battle some inconsistency since coming back.

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"I think it's kind of been up and down, a little inconsistent," Kane said of his overall play since returning to the Detroit lineup. "Some games I feel like I'm creating a lot, but overall - I think I've been back for 11 or 12 games since my injury and I could easily be sitting here with a handful more goals, right? But whether it's bearing down and just making sure when you get those chances that puck goes in, that's kind of on me."

The good news for Kane is that he's had multiple quality looks, and the more it happens, the more he's likely to begin capitalizing on them. 

"But you have to be happy with getting those looks and chances, and try to keep doing the same thing to get those because the more you get, eventually something will break," he said. 

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Kane had a beautiful assist during Detroit's 3-2 shootout setback against the Boston Bruins on Nov. 29, dishing a nifty backhand feed to Michael Rasmussen at the side of the net late in regulation, helping the Red Wings knot the score at 2-2 and secure a point in the standings. 

Head coach Todd McLellan isn't sweating Kane's goalless drought, noting that even the most successful players sometimes experience scoring slumps and pointing to the offensive opportunities Kane still manages to create. 

"If I was a betting man, I'd certainly bet on him finishing some of those, but for some reason, they haven't gone in," McLellan said of Kane's recent scoring chances. "Players can go through that, and even Patrick Kane can go through that at times. The simple fact that he's still creating chances, and when the power-play is going well, it's usually going through him." 

"The offense is what he's here for. He gets a little leeway defensively, but he's still providing that." 

While Kane said he felt his timing was a bit off during his initial return to play, it's simply a matter of regaining the kind of mental fortitude that's made him one of the game's best players throughout his time in the NHL. 

"Mentally, just kind of getting out of your own head a little bit and just play the game like you've done your whole career," he said of what he needs to do. 

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Warriors' Steve Kerr marvels at ‘remarkable' Thunder's historic start to season

Warriors' Steve Kerr marvels at ‘remarkable' Thunder's historic start to season originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO — Steve Kerr knows better than anyone in NBA history what it takes to break the single-season wins record.

He has done it twice.

First, as a player on the iconic 1995-96 Chicago Bulls team that went 72-10 in the regular season before securing its fourth of six NBA championships in eight years.

Then, as the coach of the 2015-16 Warriors, who went 73-9 in the regular season before losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals.

Fast-forward to this season, and Kerr and the Warriors are preparing to face off against the defending-champion Oklahoma City Thunder, who enter Tuesday’s game at Chase Center with an NBA-best record of 20-1.

Not only are the Thunder off to a blistering-hot start, to put it mildly, but OKC currently is on pace to go 78-4 this season, which would shatter the records set by both of Kerr’s iconic teams.

While there is a long, long, long way to go before we officially are on Record Watch, this is the first team since the Warriors broke the record nine years ago that actually feels like they have a very real — if not likely — shot of doing the previously unthinkable.

So what will it take? Nobody knows better than Kerr.

“Overall team mindset of zero agendas, just win every night,” Kerr said pregame Tuesday when asked about the formula to win 70-plus games. “Obviously great talent, but I think high-IQ players [that those teams] had really high IQs individually and as a team, and that’s what I see with OKC. Really, really smart players, good coach, really connected. They’re on pace to shatter the record, it’s pretty remarkable what they’re doing.”

Oklahoma City went 68-14 in the regular season last year before notching 16 more victories in the playoffs, which gave the Thunder 84 total wins on the season, the third-most in NBA history.

Care to guess which two teams had more?

Not only have the Thunder picked up right where they left off in June, but they’re arguably more well-rounded as a team and playing better this season than they did throughout all of last year.

“They have a deeper level of confidence now that they’ve won it all, and then the continuity is so powerful,” Kerr explained. “All their actions that they’re running, they’re so comfortable with. They’ve expanded their offense a little bit, they have a little more motion than they did a year ago. And so these are all things that, in my experience, happen after the championship. After the first one. You’ve got a little different swagger, a little different belief. Next year is the harder one.”

We’re only 21 games into the regular season, and months away from Oklahoma City potentially needing to have some difficult conversations about how to approach the stretch run and how to put its stars in the best position to hoist another Larry O’Brien Trophy this summer.

However, if the Thunder’s potential record chase is anything like Kerr and the Warriors’, there might not be many conversations to be had.

And if there are, the message should be simple.

“We had a game late in the year in Memphis, maybe four or five games remaining, and I was really intent on playing a lot of people and not wearing our guys out,” Kerr recalled when asked if there was a moment where the Warriors decided they were going for the record. “At halftime, Draymond [Green] pulled me aside. He said ‘We really want this thing, let’s not mess around in the second half.’ That was the only discussion I really remember around the record.”

At some point, Oklahoma City will suffer its second loss. Will that be on Tuesday night against a Golden State team, or pieces of one, that once reached the mountaintop that the Thunder currently are climbing?

It seems unlikely, as the Warriors on Tuesday will be without superstar Steph Curry (quad contusion), who led his team to 73 wins nine years ago, but even the mightiest of teams can fall on any given night.

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NHL's Top 10 Plays Of November: Quick, McDavid And More Amaze

November was an eventful month in the NHL, filled with major storylines.

The Colorado Avalanche are the second team in 45 years to have one regulation loss or fewer entering American Thanksgiving. Youngsters Macklin Celebrini and Connor Bedard are emerging as superstars. The Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers' struggles became a frequent talking point.

However, November was also full of great plays on both ends of the ice. The Avalanche, Leafs and Oilers had some dazzling moments during the month, even though only one of those squads had a November to remember.

Here are the NHL's top 10 plays of the month.

10. Clean Pace And Puck Control Lead To Cale Makar Goal

With the Avalanche trailing 2-1 against the New York Rangers on Nov. 20, Cale Makar stepped up and delivered one of the best goals of the month to tie the game up late in the second period. 

The play started with a 3-on-2 in the Rangers' zone. Nathan MacKinnon dropped a pass over to Martin Necas, who made a cross-ice pass to Makar. Makar sped behind the net and wrapped it behind a lunging Igor Shesterkin, who couldn't get his pad out in time.

9. Sam Reinhart, What A Goal

With just over seven minutes left in the first period of their Nov. 20 game against the New Jersey Devils, Florida Panthers right winger Sam Reinhart delivered a beautiful goal, in what would be the only one of the game.

Reinhart picked the puck up at center ice and went off into Devils territory while Luke Hughes defended him. As he neared the hashmarks, Hughes tried to swipe the puck away. Reinhart slid the puck underneath Hughes' stick and followed up with a snap shot that beat goalie Jake Allen stick-side.

8. Leo Carlsson Goes Backhand Top Corner

On Nov. 8 against the Vegas Golden Knights, Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson extended the team's lead to 2-1 on one of his best goals yet.

Following a brief battle for the puck along the boards in the offensive zone, Ducks left winger Troy Terry emerged with it and fed Carlsson.

Carlsson made a quick backhand move, lifting the puck past defenseman Noah Hanifin and goalie Akira Schmid.

Carlsson has stepped his game up this year, but the quick move and accuracy on this goal were on a whole different level.

7. Beck Malenstyn Dekes Around Sebastian Aho

Buffalo Sabres left winger Beck Malenstyn is not known for piling up the points, but he surprised everybody against the Carolina Hurricanes on Nov. 23. 

With just over a minute remaining in the second period, Malenstyn caught a pass from Tyler Kozak, sending him into Hurricanes territory with Sebastian Aho to beat. When Aho caught up, Malenstyn pulled off a windmill deke, leaving the Hurricanes center lost. Malenstyn emerged on a mini breakaway and beat goalie Frederik Andersen glove-side for what was likely the best goal of his career.

6. William Nylander Fakes Out Jordan Binnington

In a game where the Maple Leafs needed a win badly, John Tavares, William Nylander and Morgan Rielly combined for arguably the team's best goal of the year so far.

With just under a minute left in overtime against the St. Louis Blues on Nov. 18, a battle for the puck ensued along the boards in offensive territory. Tavares emerged with the puck and made a back-heeled pass to Rielly, who sent it over to Nylander. Moving in, Nylander slid the puck past Dylan Holloway before deking out goalie Jordan Binnington on a backhand move that allowed him to tap it in.

5. Tyler Bertuzzi, Sam Rinzel And Connor Bedard Combine For A Beauty

The Chicago Blackhawks have been in a long rebuild, so it's fair to say their fans were pretty surprised when forwards Connor Bedard, Tyler Bertuzzi and Sam Rinzel combined for one of the nicest goals the team has scored in years.

The play began with Bedard skating in the offensive zone and leaving the puck for an incoming Bertuzzi, who sent it across the ice to Rinzel. Rinzel made a quick pass over to Bedard, who cut in front of the net and tipped it in over lunging Minnesota Wild goalie Filip Gustavsson.

4. Mikko Rantanen Pulls Off Spinning Backhand Goal

There are plenty of reasons Mikko Rantanen signed an eight-year, $96-million contract with the Dallas Stars last year. His ability to find the back of the net no matter the situation, as he did against the Vancouver Canucks, is definitely one of them.

With just over a minute left in the third period of their Nov. 21 game against the Canucks, Rantanen moved into the offensive zone in a 1-on-1 against Brock Boeser. As he neared the hashmarks, Rantanen spun and sent a no-look backhand shot on goal that beat goalie Kevin Lankinen over his left shoulder.

3. Andrei Vasilevskiy Makes An Incredible Game-Saving Stop

Anybody who said Andrei Vasilevskiy isn't the same goalie he used to be is dead wrong, and this game-saving play against the  Oilers couldn't be better proof.

With just over three minutes remaining in overtime, the Oilers emerged on a 3-on-2 in Lightning territory, with defenseman Darnell Nurse in control of the puck. Vasilevskiy stopped Nurse's shot, but the puck redirected right in front of the net for Oilers right winger Jack Roslovic, who appeared to have an easy scoring chance.

As Roslovic went to raise the puck over Vasilevskiy, the goalie lifted his pad and stopped the shot.

With Oilers defenders struggling to get back, the Tampa Bay Lightning charged down the ice and scored the game-winning goal.

2. Connor McDavid Also Scored A Spinning Backhand Goal

If you thought Mikko Rantanen's spinning goal was incredible, just brace yourself for what Oilers superstar Connor McDavid did just a week-and-a-half earlier.

Just under a minute into the third period of the team's Nov. 10 game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, McDavid entered the offensive zone, trying to make something happen.

Coming down the left boards, he skated across the ice, spun at the top of the right faceoff circle and delivered a no-look backhand shot that beat goalie Jet Greaves' glove side.

McDavid also sent Blue Jackets defenseman Denton Mateychuk flying to the ground during his spinning shot, making the play even more impressive.

1. Jonathan Quick Robs Patrick Kane Of Wide-Open Net Goal

Yes, there's one play that beats McDavid's thrilling goal, and that's a defensive play by Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick.

With just under 11 minutes remaining in the second period of the Rangers' Nov. 7 game against the Detroit Red Wings, Quick came out of his net to play the puck.

However, it deflected off the stick of Patrick Kane, who had an open net.

Just before it looked like Quick's blunder would be one of the biggest misplays of the month, he dove in the direction of Kane. Quick took his stick and pulled Kane's twig away from the puck.

The Rangers, who were up 2-1 at the time, ended up adding two more for the win. Quick's save wasn't only incredible but also prevented a momentum shift, leaving it as the best play of the month.

Michael Hapanovich is an intern with The Hockey News.

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