LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shane Wright scored twice to lead the Seattle Kraken to a 4-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday night.
Vince Dunn and Adam Larsson also scored and Chandler Stephenson and Frederick Gaudreau each had two assists for the Kraken, who have won five of their last six games. Joey Daccord made 25 saves.
Andrei Kuzmenko scored both of Los Angeles' goals and Darcy Kuemper made 19 saves.
The Kings took a 1-0 lead at 7:42 of the first period when Kuzmenko scored on the power play.
Wright tied it at 1 at 9:16 on a backhander for his first goal of the game and Larsson put Seattle up 2-1 at 10:14 on a one-timer. Dunn made it 3-1 on the power play at 15:21.
Kuzmenko cut it to 3-2 on the power play at 10:27 of the second period, but Wright gave the Kraken a two-goal lead again with a power-play score at 5:50 of the third.
SEATTLE (AP) — Bennett Stirtz hit four 3-pointers and finished with 22 points, Alvaro Folgueiras scored 16 points, and Iowa beat Washington 84-74 on Wednesday night for its fifth consecutive win.
Tavion Banks had 11 points and Cooper Koch also scored 11, all in the second half, for Iowa (16-5, 6-4 Big Ten). Banks missed a free throw with 29 seconds left in the first half to break his streak of 30 consecutive made free throws — four shy of the program record set by Chris Street (1993) and Jordan Bohannon (2018).
Hannes Steinbach had 20 points and 12 rebounds for Washington (12-11, 4.-8) and his 15 double-doubles this season are the most by a freshman in program history. Isaiah Stewart had 14 double-doubles for the Huskies in 2019-20.
Zoom Diallo had 16 points, a career-high 12 assists and six rebounds and Wesley Yates III scored 15 points for Washington.
Franck Kepnang threw down a dunk that gave the Huskies a seven-point lead with 18:41 left in the game but they went without a field goal for the next seven-plus minutes. Washington was 0 for 6 from the field and committed two turnovers during an 18-4 Iowa run that made it 63-56 with 12:59 to play and the Hawkeyes led the rest of the way.
Washington shot 76.9% (20 of 26) in the first half — the third-best shooting half in the Big Ten since the 2018-19 season — but made just 9 of 25 (36%) from the field after halftime.
With New York up 119-117 and only 15 seconds left on the clock in overtime, Denver inbounded and put the ball in the hands of their hottest scorer, Jamal Murray. The Knicks defense forced the All-Star guard to chuck up a three-point attempt with two seconds remaining. The attempt hit the front of the rim and bounced a few feet away from the basket with Christian Braun hustling for the rebound and Mikal Bridges trying to box him out. As the seconds ticked off, an official blew his whistle just as the clock expired.
Confusion swept over MSG as the officials gathered. They reviewed the play and confirmed that a loose-ball foul on Bridges was assessed with just 0.3 seconds remaining.
Braun hit both his free throws and sent the game into double overtime.
“I didn’t see it, so it’s a little tough for me to comment on it," head coach Mike Brown said after the game. "But I think Mikal was boxing out and they went back and reviewed it, so I just gotta roll with it.”
"Just trying to box out," Bridges said of the play. "Leaving it up to the officials to make the call. Just not trying to give him a rebound."
The Knicks were so close to capturing their eighth straight win against a team that also has championship aspirations. Instead, they had to play five more minutes on the second of a back-to-back.
But that didn't deter the Knicks or Bridges.
In double overtime, the Knicks took over, getting out to an 8-0 run -- led by the heroics of Jalen Brunson-- to give New York a cushion. And Bridges wasn't just a bystander -- he contributed to what would ultimately be one of the more impressive victories of the season.
With the Knicks up four and 1:38 left on the clock, Landry Shamet fed Bridges for a massive three. It was Bridges' first three-point shot made, and just the second shot he made all game. After one of his best games, Bridges had one of his worst on Wednesday. He scored just five points on 2 of 8 shooting, four rebounds, and four assists. He finished as a minus-2 but was a minus-9 when double overtime started.
Despite his struggles, Bridges credited his teammates for getting him back into the game in the final period.
"Felt like it wasn’t going my way on both ends, and just got teammates to encourage me to try and stay with it and do whatever it takes to win," Bridges said.
Free agent pitcher Framber Valdez and the Detroit Tigers have agreed to a $115 million, three-year contract, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Wednesday night.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced.
Valdez became one of baseball’s most durable starters with the Houston Astros. Now, the left-hander is set to join a Tigers rotation anchored by two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal.
Skubal went to a record-setting salary arbitration hearing Wednesday, with the left-hander asking for $32 million and the Tigers offering $19 million.
Valdez is a two-time All-Star and 2022 World Series champion. He was Houston’s ace last season with a 13-11 record and 3.66 ERA, and became a free agent for the first time.
He struck out 187 and walked 68 in 192 innings, and had a major league-high 12 wild pitches while making $18 million on a deal reached last offseason that avoided salary arbitration. He started Houston’s last four season openers.
Since making his major league debut in 2018 with the Astros, he is 81-52 with a 3.36 ERA. The 32-year-old Dominican averaged more than 191 innings the past four seasons, joining Giants right-hander Logan Webb as the only two pitchers to throw at least 175 innings each of those years.
Valdez was 15-7 with a 2.91 ERA over 28 games in 2024 and threw a no-hitter in 2023, when he was an All-Star for a second straight season. He is 8-4 with a 4.34 ERA in 17 postseason games, including 16 starts.
Valdez pitched in two World Series for the Astros, and was the winning pitcher in the clinching Game 6 that secured their 2022 championship against Philadelphia.
In the 2022 Series, he was 2-0 in two starts while allowing two runs over 12 1/3 innings (1.46 ERA) with 18 strikeouts. A year earlier, he gave up 10 runs and 12 hits over 4 2/3 innings (19.29 ERA) in two starts against Atlanta.
Valdez rejected a $22,025,000 qualifying offer from the Astros in November, so they would receive a compensatory pick after the fourth round of the 2026 amateur draft if he completes his deal with Detroit, which would forfeit its third-highest selection.
Valdez pitched a no-hitter against Cleveland on Aug. 1, 2023. He came close to another one just more than a year later against Texas, but that bid was broken up when Corey Seager homered with two outs in the ninth inning.
Two pitches after Trent Grisham’s slam in the Yankees’ 7-1 victory on Sept. 2, Valdez crossed up catcher César Salazar by throwing a 92.8 mph sinker to Anthony Volpe. Salazar moved his glove downward as the pitch approached the plate, an indication he was expecting a pitch with less velocity and more break. The ball hit him in his chest protector.
Just before the pitch Grisham sent over the fence, Salazar had motioned for Valdez to step off the mound. Valdez and Salazar both said after the game the pitch that hit the catcher wasn’t on purpose.
Astros manager Joe Espada insisted a day later the situation was “100%” resolved in his mind, and he wanted to “get past this and get back to baseball,” and he met with both players.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Jack Eichel had a goal and an assist and the Vegas Golden Knights snapped a five-game losing streak with a 5-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday night.
Ivan Barbashev scored a goal for the fourth straight game, and Cole Reinhardt, Pavel Dorofayev and Alexander Holtz also had goals for the Knights. Mark Stone had a pair of assists.
Akira Schmid made 21 saves, including a spectacular stop on Vancouver's Pierre-Olivier Joseph midway through the second period when he dove across the crease to snag the puck with his glove and preserve a 3-1 lead.
Elias N. Pettersson and Joseph had goals for the Canucks, who have now lost three in a row and six of their last seven games and remain in last place in the NHL. Teddy Blueger had a pair of assists and Kevin Lankinen made 26 saves.
After a scoreless first period, things heated up in the second when the teams combined to score on four straight shots, with all four goals coming in a span of 2:30 and Vegas taking a 3-1 lead.
With two third-period goals, the Golden Knights now have 75 third-period goals this season, the most in the NHL. Eichel has 21 multipoint games this season.
Up next
Canucks: At home against Winnipeg on Feb. 25.
Golden Knights: Host Los Angeles on Thursday night.
The Vancouver Canucks will officially enter the 2026 Winter Olympic break after a 5–2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. Two defencemen found the scoresheet for Vancouver, with Elias Pettersson and Pierre-Olivier Joseph scoring the Canucks’ lone two goals of the game. Kevin Lankinen made his second consecutive start, stopping 26 of 31 shots faced and will now head to Italy to represent Finland at the Olympics.
Despite not being the most eventful, the start of this game didn’t go poorly for the Canucks. They managed to limit Vegas to seven shots on goal while also killing a penalty. While Lankinen did end up having to make a couple of big stops, for the most part, Vancouver did their due diligence to keep high-danger chances away from their goaltender.
Vancouver’s power play has been a talking point as of late as well, as prior to tonight, they’d only scored once in their last nine games. As a change-up, the Canucks switched their first-unit up by subbing Garland in for Jonathan Lekkerimäki. They were unable to convert on their lone power play awarded in the first period, generating only two scoring chances.
Tonight was a big game for defenceman Elias Pettersson, who faced his fair share of challenges in the first period after being crunched into the boards by Vegas forward Keegan Kolesar. In the second period, it was the young Pettersson who gave the Canucks a bit of life by joining the rush and scoring after Vancouver quickly allowed two goals.
Last game, the line of Liam Öhgren, Teddy Blueger, and Conor Garland played well for the Canucks. This trio repeated their efforts tonight, generating some jump early on in a scoreless first period while also generating a fair amount of chances for the Canucks. Vancouver’s first goal of the game came as a direct result of this line’s drive into the O-zone, with Blueger’s retrieval along the boards factoring into Öhgren’s rush feed to Pettersson. This line’s efforts didn’t stop there, however, as more O-zone pressure from the trio gave Joseph the space to shoot the puck on Akira Schmid, giving the defenceman his first goal as a Canuck after being denied earlier in the game.
Despite being able to cut their deficit to one, Vancouver suffered a brief collapse at the start of the third period that allowed Vegas to widen the gap to three within the span of a minute. Pavel Dorofeyev was left all alone at Lankinen’s back-door on the Golden Knights’ first goal of the third period, while Alexander Holtz capitalized on an open opportunity in the slot to make it 5–2 for Vegas. From there, the Canucks were unable to generate enough quality chances to cut the lead, putting only four shots on goal during the final period.
"You've gotta experience it," Canucks Head Coach Adam Foote said post-game of what can be worked on regarding not letting quick goals-against impact the team. "We're a young team [...] we're going to see blips of it here and there. We need everyone on board and when we're playing our best hockey, everyone is, we had blips of it today, but we just have a tiny breakdown there, a couple mistakes on a couple of goals, leave the slot open just on bad reads, and that'll continue to be worked on, and it is what it is. It's a young group. This level of a team, that experience, they're going to take advantage of that in these situations."
The Canucks will officially enter the 2026 Olympic break with a record of 18–33–6, cementing themselves safely in 32nd in the NHL throughout the bulk of February. When they return, they could end up regaining quite a few bodies in the lineup, as Marco Rossi, Brock Boeser, Filip Chytil, Nils Höglander, and Zeev Buium are all currently out.
Feb 4, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Vegas Golden Knights right wing Pavel Dorofeyev (16) skates against Vancouver Canucks left wing Liam Ohgren (92) during the first period at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Stats and Facts:
Canucks enter the 2026 Olympic break with a record of 18–33–6
Vancouver has scored only power play goal in their last 10 games
Teddy Blueger is now up to four goals and three assists in eight games since returning from injury
Scoring Summary:
1st Period:
No Scoring.
2nd Period:
5:09 - VGK: Jack Eichel (20) from Rasmus Andersson and Mark Stone
6:34 - VGK: Cole Reinhardt (3) from Braeden Bowman and Shea Theodore
7:11 - VAN: Elias Pettersson (D) (2) from Liam Öhgren and Teddy Blueger
7:39 - VGK: Ivan Barbashev (16) from Mark Stone and Jack Eichel
19:51 - VAN: Pierre-Olivier Joseph (1) from Conor Garland and Teddy Blueger
3rd Period:
2:33 - VGK: Pavel Dorofeyev (25) from Mitch Marner and Reilly Smith
3:31 - VGK: Alexander Holtz (3) from Keegan Kolesar and Jeremy Lauzon
Up Next:
With tonight’s loss, the Canucks are now on break as the 2026 Winter Olympics begin. Elias Pettersson (Sweden), Kevin Lankinen (Finland), Teddy Blueger (Latvia), Anri Ravinskis (Latvia), Filip Hronek (Czechia), David Kämpf (Czechia), and Lukas Reichel (Germany) will now head to Italy to represent their respective countries. Vancouver’s next game isn’t until February 25, when they take on the Winnipeg Jets at Rogers Arena at 7:00 pm PT.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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Jan 18, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Dalen Terry (7) drives against Brooklyn Nets during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images
After a forgettable run in Chicago, Dalen Terry will have an opportunity for a career reset in the Big Apple.
The Chicago Bulls have traded the former Arizona Wildcats guard to the New York Knicks, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Wednesday night. The Bulls received Guerschon Yabusele in return.
The New York Knicks are trading Guerschon Yabusele to the Chicago Bulls for Dalen Terry, sources tell ESPN.
Terry has appeared in 34 games this season, averaging 3.5 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists. He is in the last year of his rookie contract.
Terry is shooting a career-best 41.3 percent from 3-point range on 46 attempts. Overall he’s shooting 44.1% from the field.
The 23-year-old joins a contending Knicks team that is tied for second place in the Eastern Conference.
Terry was drafted 18th overall in 2022 after two seasons at Arizona. He played supporting minutes in his first season with the Bulls, and has averaged about 12 minutes per game over the last two-and-a-half seasons.
Terry’s playing time was starting to increase over the past few games. He played 29 and 28 minutes in back-to-back games against the Miami Heat over the weekend.
Terry figures to add more depth to the Knicks backcourt, with New York currently dealing with injuries to shooting guards Josh Hart and Miles McBride.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Cam Spencer hit three key baskets late in the fourth quarter and finished with 20 points, and Ty Jerome added 28 as the Memphis Grizzlies beat Sacramento 129-125 on Wednesday night, sending the Kings to their season-worst 10th straight loss.
Spencer hit a 3-pointer with 2:08 remaining in the fourth to give Memphis a 122-118 lead. After GG Jackson hit a jumper, Spencer added a 16-foot jumper with 43 seconds left to keep the margin at four points. After the Kings pulled within a point on DeMar DeRozan's 3, Spencer hit a 3-pointer with 18 seconds left to restore the four-point lead and help seal the win.
Jaylen Wells scored 18 points, Jackson added 16 and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope 15 as Memphis won its second straight. Santi Aldama, back in the lineup after missing four game with a right knee injury, had 12 points and six rebounds.
The Grizzlies were playing their first game since trading Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz on Tuesday in an eight-player, three-draft-pick deal. Memphis has also been engaged in talks about moving star guard Ja Morant. The trade deadline is Thursday afternoon.
Domantas Sabonis scored 20 of his 24 points in the first half and added 15 rebounds for the Kings, whose last victory came on Jan. 16 against Washington, the final game of a four-game win streak.
DeRozan scored 20 points, Nique Clifford added 14, and Russell Westbrook and Malik Monk had 13 points apiece. Zach LaVine scored 11 and Devin Carter 10 for Sacramento, which also had losing streaks of seven and eight games earlier this season.
Westbrook moved into 14th place on the NBA’s career scoring list with a 3-pointer at the 10:06 mark of the first quarter. He moved past Hakeem Olajuwon (26,946) and has 26,597 career points. Elvin Hayes ranks 13th with 27,313.
De’Andre Hunter, who was acquired by the Kings in a trade with Cleveland on Saturday, started in his Sacramento debut. He hit his first attempt, a 3-pointer, and finished with nine points.
Up next
Grizzlies: At Portland on Friday and Saturday night.
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 04: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers scores against the Los Angeles Clippers in the first half at Intuit Dome on February 04, 2026 in Inglewood, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Wally Skalij/Getty Images) | Getty Images
All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player. A “B” represents an average game for that player.
Donovan Mitchell
29 points, 9 assists, 5 rebounds, 4 steals
Mitchell brings energy nearly every night, but some games, he plays like he’s been shot out of a cannon. This was one of those outings.
That effort was coupled with just a good all-around game. Mitchell got to the basket at will, set up his teammates well, took care of the ball, and was active defensively. It was the perfect game from someone who looked reenergized by the team’s recent additions.
Allen didn’t dominate the scoring column like he did against the Portland Trail Blazers, but he had a noticeable impact on this game. He controlled the paint defensively and played with force on offense.
The Cavs don’t need Allen to lead them in points every night. They do, however, need him to play with energy and focus. He did so again this evening.
Grade: B+
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Tyson has continually made the most of the touches he gets offensively. That happened again in Los Angeles as he went 7-10 from the floor, 3-3 from three, all while playing good defense.
Head coach Kenny Atkinson has called Tyson the “ultimate role player” at various points the last two seasons. Tyson has continually proven Atkinson correct, but performances like this make you wonder how good he can be if you continue to scale up his usage.
Grade: A
Sam Merrill
11 points, 0 assists, 1 rebound
Merrill was an active off-ball mover and hit some threes. It was the exact performance you want from him, even if he didn’t make a large impact elsewhere.
Bryant came in, got offensive rebounds (three), blocked some shots (two), and made the most of his chances to score. He even got rewarded for a deep seal in transition, which you absolutely love to see. You’d sign up for performances like this from your third big every night.
Tomlin was the one Cavalier who didn’t have an efficient scoring night. He went 1-7 from the field, but was still helpful due to his energy and effort. This was reflected in his plus/minus of +16
Grade: B–
Dennis Schröder
11 points, 6 assists, 2 rebounds, 3 steals
Schroder showed you the energy and straight-line attacking that he can provide. Both are things the second unit has desperately needed. Also, contributing three steals is helpful.
This was a solid debut, even if it wasn’t an efficient shooting game. He went 5-14 from the field and 1-5 from deep.
Grade: B+
Craig Porter Jr.
7 points, 2 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 steals
Porter being able to shift to a more off-ball role worked tonight. He played well alongside Schroder. He’ll need to keep doing that if he’s going to continue to get steady minutes once James Harden joins the team on Friday.
Grade: B+
Keon Ellis
6 points, 0 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 steal
Ellis was disruptive defensively. He showed what he can do on that end in the limited minutes that he played. I’m interested to see how he performs when he gets a longer runway and gets more acclimated with the team’s system.
The Calgary Flames closed out the pre-Olympic break schedule with bragging rights, knocking off the Edmonton Oilers 4–3 in a spirited Battle of Alberta on Wednesday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
Calgary struck first and wasted no time doing it. On their opening shot of the game, Mackenzie Weegar slid the puck to Jonathan Huberdeau at the top of the circle, and he snapped a far-side wrist shot past Tristan Jarry for a power-play goal just minutes in. The tally marked Huberdeau’s 10th of the season and set the tone for a special-teams-heavy opening frame.
The second period delivered the physical edge expected in a rivalry game. Joel Hanley and Ty Emberson dropped the gloves in a spirited bout that energized the building, and Calgary fed off that momentum. After hemming Edmonton in their zone, Zach Whitecloud sent a point shot toward the net that deflected off Connor Zary and in, extending the Flames’ lead to 3–1.
Edmonton pushed back once again on the power play before the break. Connor McDavid worked the puck to Evan Bouchard, who found Draisaitl at the side of the net for his second power-play goal of the night, trimming the deficit to 3–2. The assist marked Bouchard’s 300th career NHL point.
The Oilers finally pulled even early in the third when Kasperi Kapanen threw a puck on net that slipped through Cooley, with Bouchard collecting his third assist of the game. But the tie was short-lived.
Moments later, a broken-play scramble saw the puck bounce to Ryan Lomberg, who jammed it home after Jarry couldn’t control the rebound. That goal stood as the winner, sealing a 4–3 Flames victory in a game that had the intensity of playoff hockey.
Cooley finished the night with 36 saves to earn his seventh win of the season, helping Calgary head into the Olympic break on a high note.
Three Takeaways
1. Special teams stole the spotlight
Both teams leaned heavily on the power play, combining for four man-advantage goals. Calgary capitalized twice, while Edmonton’s top-ranked unit answered right back, keeping the game tight from start to finish.
2. Devin Cooley continues to deliver
Under constant pressure, Cooley stood tall with 36 saves and made several key stops to preserve the lead. Adding his first NHL assist was the cherry on top of another confident performance.
3. Matvei Gridin keeps making his case
Gridin recorded a goal and an assist and looked comfortable in a high-tempo rivalry game. Even with a likely return to the AHL during the break, his play made it clear he’s knocking on the door for a longer NHL stay.
Feb 4, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Dennis Schroder (9) is defended by Los Angeles Clippers guard Kris Dunn (8) as he drives to the basket in the first half at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers toppled the LA Clippers in a 33-point victory on the road. This game could have been an emotional letdown. But on the heels of a massive blockbuster trade, the Cavs stuck to business as usual.
These last few days have been a whirlwind. Trading Darius Garland for James Harden is one of the biggest swings this franchise has ever made. And while neither Garland nor Harden was on the floor tonight, it still felt like their presence could have loomed over the outcome.
It didn’t.
The Cavs looked unbothered by the seismic changes that happened to them overnight. This team was locked and loaded, playing the same brand of basketball they had in January. Cleveland has been in a groove recently, and this was another giant step in the right direction.
Newcomers Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis made an immediate impact. Schroder began the game by dicing into the lane for a scoop layup and then stealing the ball from Kawhi Leonard moments later. And that was only the first time he stole it from Leonard in the first half.
Ellis, while not as flashy, also showed his skills as a disruptive defender and fit seamlessly into Cleveland’s efforts on both ends of the floor.
Make no mistake, this was a team effort. Jaylon Tyson, Jarrett Allen, Sam Merrill, and Schroder all scored in double digits.
The crisp ball movement that has come to define the Cavs when they are at their best was present tonight. Everyone was involved, and the Clippers’ defense was in constant pursuit. The amount of on-ball creators this team has now that Tyson has emerged and Schroder has given them a boost is something to be excited about. Especially when considering James Harden is days away from his debut.
Cleveland is now 31-21 this season continues to trend upwards. They stand in fourth place in the Eastern Conference and could legitimately make a run at being a top-two seed after the All-Star break.
DENVER — Artturi Lehkonen scored twice, Josh Manson netted the go-ahead goal at 12:44 of the third period, and Nathan MacKinnon notched his 700th career assist in a two-assist performance as the Colorado Avalanche overcame a two-goal deficit to defeat the San Jose Sharks 4–2 at Ball Arena on Wednesday.
Valeri Nichushkin set up three of Colorado’s goals, while Brock Nelson also scored, and Mackenzie Blackwood made 23 saves to secure the victory for the Avalanche (37–9–9), who are 3–3–0 in their past six contests. The win also ended a three-game home losing streak, as the team had not triumphed at Ball Arena since a 5–2 victory over the Washington Capitals on January 19.
MacKinnon on reaching 700 career assists: “I think everyone gets a little better as they get older. I’ve played for 13 years, so it’s not that impressive… I think this could end at any moment. I’m not thinking about any milestone; I’m truly not.”
Nathan MacKinnon post-game media availability.
Phillip Kurashev and Timothy Liljegren scored for the Sharks and Yaroslav Askarov made 38 saves in a valiant effort between the pipes.
First Period
Nelson came close to opening the scoring early, threading a crisp cross-ice pass to Victor Olofsson, whose one-timer was expertly denied by Askarov’s blocker.
Just under four minutes in, Parker Kelly was whistled for slashing John Klingberg, giving Colorado its first power-play opportunity. The Sharks’ penalty kill, however, held firm, allowing only a single shot on goal.
Later, Nelson was sent to the box for hooking Kurashev, but San Jose’s man advantage was brief. Alex Wennberg was assessed a hooking minor of his own, creating 41 seconds of 4-on-4 action before the Avalanche returned to the power play for just over a minute.
Colorado generated several dangerous chances, including a prime rebound opportunity for Lehkonen, who swung at a loose puck only to be denied by an impressive pad save from Askarov. Moments later, Jack Drury was struck by a MacKinnon shot and went down in pain. The play was immediately halted, though Drury later returned. Despite the pressure, the Avalanche’s power play remained scoreless.
Shots on goal are 21-6 for the Avalanche, which was ironically Randy Johnson's record during the D-Backs 2001 World Series winning season.#goavsgo#avs@TheHockeyNews
The team earned another man-advantage opportunity with 2:22 left in the period after Kiefer Sherwood—making his Sharks debut following a trade from Vancouver—was penalized for holding Brent Burns.
Second Period
Colorado broke through just 1:05 into the second frame. A loose puck in the crease triggered a chaotic scramble, with players tumbling into the blue paint as Askarov sprawled along the goal line. Lehkonen emerged victorious, jamming the puck home to give the Avalanche a 1–0 lead.
MacKinnon to Lehkonen.
Lehkonen has scored both goals for the Avalanche tonight. And that's his 19th of the season.#goavsgo#avs@TheHockeyNews
Later, Kurashev was called for high-sticking Cale Makar, giving Colorado its third power play of the night, but the team was once again unable to convert.
Lehkonen struck again with a blistering one-timer from the right circle off a MacKinnon feed, doubling the lead to 2–0. The assist marked a milestone for MacKinnon, the 700th of his career.
The period ended with Colorado holding a commanding 2–0 lead and an overwhelming advantage in shots, 32–13.
Third Period
San Jose responded quickly, scoring twice within the first four minutes. Liljegren opened the period with a point shot that beat Blackwood, followed shortly by Kurashev, who capitalized on a turnover at center ice for a breakaway to tie the game.
Colorado regained the lead with 7:16 remaining when Manson received a pass from Nichushkin and unleashed a slap shot over Askarov’s glove during 4-on-4 play, as Macklin Celebrini and Brent Burns were serving separate penalties.
Nelson sealed the victory with an empty-net goal with 1:17 left, sending the Avalanche home with a 4–2 win.
Brock Nelson gets the empty-net goal to make it 4-2.
Brent Burns goes off for slashing… and then it’s overturned after officials determined his stick was broken prior.
With the three-week Olympic break underway, the Avalanche will return to action on February 25 on the road against the Utah Mammoth. Coverage begins at 7 p.m. local time.
Dec 29, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards forward Marvin Bagley III (35) matches up against Phoenix Suns center Nick Richards (2) during the first quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images | Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images
Welcome to Trade Deadline Day. The deals are about to start flying, some impacting the Phoenix Suns directly, others in more subtle ways. Our team will break down every trade in detail, but this thread will serve as your running tracker, with the latest updates at the top. Keep checking back with Bright Side for a quick look at what the Suns have done and how each move affects the roster before the deadline at 1 pm Arizona time.
Any big trades will get the full deep dive soon enough, but until then, consider this your one-stop shop for all things Suns at the deadline!
We will continue to provide updates throughout the week as trades that affect the Suns occur or rumored players that they’ve been connected to come off the board.
Refresh. Often.
Wednesday, 10:22PM: Yabu Traded
Update by John Voita
I know it’s no big deal, but Guershon Yabusele is off the board.
The New York Knicks are trading Guerschon Yabusele to the Chicago Bulls for Dalen Terry, sources tell ESPN.
Why does it matter? Our own Pano wrote a great piece making the case for him, and if the Suns were to do a one-for-one trade, I wouldn’t have minded having him in Phoenix. Oh well. C’est ainsi.
Wednesday, 9:35PM: Yabu Traded
Update by John Voita
It is not Suns news, but it is Suns adjacent. Jonathan Kuminga is headed to Atlanta. All I can really say is good riddance.
BREAKING: The Golden State Warriors are trading Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to the Atlanta Hawks for Kristaps Porzingis, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/eqNWwCupEZ
We have had an interesting relationship with Kuminga since the summer. Mostly me, typing far too many words explaining why the Suns should not go down that road. So in that sense, there is some closure here. He is gone. The debate is over.
Then there is Golden State. Kristaps Porzingis to the Warriors is the kind of move that makes you squint. I do not really see how it helps them. Availability has always been the issue. He has played 17 games this season and has not been on the floor in nearly a month. Talent without reliability is a tricky bet.
This actually helps the Suns. They see the Warriors tomorrow night, and Golden State is going to be shorthanded. Buddy Hield is out the door in that deal. As I am typing this, Trayce Jackson-Davis is gone too.
So while none of this directly involves Phoenix, the ripple effects matter. Familiar faces are moving. Opponents scrambling. The board keeps shifting, and sometimes the best move is the one you did not make, while others are busy rearranging the furniture.
In recent seasons, something about playing against the Arizona Coyotes/Utah Hockey Club/Utah Mammoth just does not agree with the Detroit Red Wings.
The Red Wings fell 4–1 on Wednesday evening in just their second-ever visit to the Delta Center in Salt Lake City since the franchise relocated from the Phoenix metropolitan area.
Final from Utah.
We'll be back in action on February 26th in Ottawa following the Olympic break. pic.twitter.com/4K9b4F0YGV
Dating back to March 2019, the franchise has gone through three official names, but has managed to accumulate a 10-1-1 record against the Red Wings.
For Detroit, it's not how they wanted to enter the three-week Olympic break, especially after delivering such a strong performance 48 hours prior in their 2-0 triumph over the Colorado Avalanche.
They now sit at 33-19-6. Their regulation loss, combined with the Montreal Canadiens' victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday, has them both knotted at 72 points apiece.
Just as the Red Wings did to the Avalanche on Monday, the Mammoth struck early on Wednesday, finding the back of the net on their first attempt on goaltender John Gibson at the 58-second mark of the opening frame.
Following Sean Durzi's early goal, the Mammoth doubled its lead on the man advantage thanks to Nick Schmaltz, who scored his 23rd goal of the season.
Following a goalless second period, the Red Wings had the chance to cut into Utah's lead with an early power-play chance in the third period, but went for naught. Not long afterward, Utah essentially salted the game away with a goal from Dylan Guenther, his 25th, at 4:40.
While Dylan Larkin managed to spoil Utah goaltender Karel Vejmelka's shutout attempt with his 26th goal of the season at 15:52, the Mammoth ensured victory with an empty-net goal from Clayton Keller late in regulation.
Vejmelka improved to 4-1-1 lifetime against the Red Wings, stopping 29 of 30 shots. Meanwhile, Gibson made 21 saves on the 24 shots he faced.
Aside from their three Olympians, the Red Wings are now officially off until Feb. 26 when they face the Ottawa Senators on the road.
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Feb 4, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Carter Bryant (11) shoots during the first half against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
The Thunder held two-thirds of their team out of the game tonight, and their skeleton crew of Jaylin Williams and four bench players, along with three two-way players made the Spurs work for a win. Maybe it’s excusable to let your focus slip a little when you’re not facing the other team’s best players, but it was frustrating to watch as the Spurs just tried to coast to a win and gave the Thunder skeleton crew hope kept them in the game late. The lackadaisical play of the Silver and Black let the end of the Thunder bench play like contenders.
Instead of playing team ball, there was way too much one on one offense, and slow rotations on defense. The Spurs got a great effort from Keldon Johnson tonight, but most of the rest of the team was embarrassed by the Thunder reserves. De’Aaron Fox made some key plays down the stretch as the Spurs outlasted the Thunder 116-106. The strategy of sitting almost the entire Thunder team felt like a psyop on the Spurs, and given how hard the Spurs had to play to eke out a win, it seems like it worked.
Despite this win being a little on the disappointing side, it was a good thing for them as they solidified their second spot in the west as they head to Dallas for a game tom0rrow against the Mavericks. They also secured their 34th win of the year, which is the same number of wins the team scored in the entire 2024-2025 season, with 32 games left in the season.
Observations
The Thunder sat 10 players for tonight’s game. Three of those players have had long term injuries and Caruso has been dealing with an adductor strain for some time. Unfortunately, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander suffered an abdominal strain in last night’s game against the Magic, and could be out for a couple of weeks at least. The other six players—I’m not sure if they would be sitting out a playoff game—but I am not a doctor. It feels like a scheduled loss for the Thunder, who have already lost the season series where the Spurs lead 3-1. Mind games? Maybe, but the Spurs are going to need to play with intensity to win tonight, because every player on the Thunder roster is a solid NBA player.
Just before the game it came out that Dylan Harper would be out, and Castle would be playing. Harper has been very good the last couple of weeks as he burst through the rookie wall that he seemed to hit around the season’s midpoint and once again began to score at will in the paint. Hopefully he’ll be back for tomorrow night’s game against the Mavs.
The lead-in game of Knicks/Nuggets went into double overtime, and ended in a 134-127 New York win. That’s good news for the Spurs as they solidified their hold on second place in the Western Conference, with the Nuggets two games behind the Spurs in the loss column.
The Thunder kind of hung around for much of the first quarter, but when Keldon Johnson came in, they didn’t have the beef, and the Spurs led 39-26 after one quarter.
Wiggins caught fire from beyond the arc in the second quarter as the Thunder cut a 20 point Spurs lead to 10 with 5 minutes left in the half. Carter Bryant found his shot as the Spurs finished the quarter strong and led 73-58 at the half. It should have been more, but a sloppy effort at rebounding gave the Thunder the last basket of the half cutting their deficit to 15 and giving them a little bit of confidence.
The Spurs came out of the locker room in the third quarter not ready to play hard, and the Thunder quickly cut the deficit to single digits. Once again, Keldon took over the game and scored 13 straight for the Spur to right the ship.
You just can’t fault the effort from the Thunder. Most of the players that were out on the court tonight don’t get a lot of playing time, and they just played HARD tonight. These Spurs were trying to cruise through the game and the Thunder skeleton crew made them pay for the lackadaisical effort by getting open shots and sinking them. The Spurs led 95-85 after three quarters with the Thunder skeleton crew outscoring the Spurs 27-22 in the quarter.
The Thunder won two coach’s challenges, although the second overturn was a bit fishy in my opinion. The Spurs finally exercised a challenge late in the third as the Fox stole the ball that should have led to a fast break dunk, but it was negated because of the incorrect foul call. Even though the call was reversed, the Spurs were still robbed of a fast break bucket. It seems that the replay review should at least award the team a transition take foul in that situation.
The Thunder defense got energized in the fourth quarter and made things difficult for the home team, cutting the lead to 4 points with under 4 minutes left. They broke up a few alley oops for Wemby late, and even turned them into baskets on the other end, which really made thing hard for the home team.
Steph Castle picked up his fifth foul early in the fourth quarter, but played most of the quarter and made key plays down the stretch as he was one of key factors in the Spurs clutch run.
Tonight is the first game of a back-to-back for the Silver and Black as they travel to Dallas for a matchup against the Mavericks, and their super rookie Cooper Flagg in the first game of a home and home series, which will wrap up on Friday in San Antonio.
