From Kalen DeBoer to Eli Drinkwitz, odds are high one of four SEC coaches would leave for Michigan.
How to watch Marquette vs No. 6 Purdue: Live stream info, preview for Saturday’s game
Live coverage begins at 1:30 p.m. ET on Peacock.
Latest On Islanders Depth Defenseman Ethan Bear
On Sept. 26, New York Islanders defenseman Ethan Bear blocked a shot in the club's second-to-last preseason game, which came against the New Jersey Devils at UBS Arena.
He left the game with an apparent upper-body injury and did not return. Since then, it's been radio silence.
While Bear, who signed a one-year, two-way deal worth $775,000 on July 1, wasn't a shoo-in to make the Islanders roster, the expectation was that he'd provide some depth and leadership to a young Bridgeport Islanders blue line.
The Relationship Between Islanders Mathew Barzal & Newcomer Ethan Bear When the <a href="http://thn.com/isles">New York Islanders</a> signed defenseman <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/latest-news/islanders-sign-goaltender-david-rittich-defenseman-ethan-bear-on-day-one-of-nhl-free-agency">Ethan Bear</a> to a one-year, two-way deal, it didn't seem like anything more than a depth signing.
Bear served as the alternate captain of the Hershey Bears, the Washington Capitals' American Hockey League affiliate, recording 46 points (10 goals, 36 assists) in 62 games last season.
He was placed on Season-Opening Injured Reserve (SOIR). That meant that he didn't count against the Islanders' 23-man active roster or salary cap.
However, with Alexander Romanov out for the rest of the season and the Islanders using a few rookies in Travis Mitchell and Marshall Warren, along with veteran Adam Boqvist, could Bear be a factor at some point in the season?
The Hockey News has been told that Bear sustained what is believed to have been a wrist injury when he blocked that shot.
Bear has been rehabbing in Bridgeport and is expected to be back in a few weeks.
Defenseman Isaiah George, who played 33 games for the Islanders last season, has been sidelined in Brideport since Nov. 14. He is expected to return this weekend.
‘I messaged Sia on Instagram. She didn’t get back to me’: cult darts hero Stephen Bunting on his viral walk-on
The world No 4’s entrance to the song Titanium has become an iconic moment in darts, but while he loves the attention what he really wants is the world title
“There’s a lot of people playing darts who haven’t got no character,” Stephen Bunting says in a matter-of-fact tone, his voice still a little croaky from the cold that has been laying waste to him for the last week. “They’re boring to watch. And that’s probably why they’ll never be in the Premier League. You need to have a personality as well as being at the top of your game. You need to balance both.”
And frankly, has anyone in the sport made a better fist of it than Bunting himself? A few years ago, the man they call The Bullet was little more than a capable journeyman on the fringes of the elite, as well-known for his resemblance to Peter Griffin from Family Guy as for his darts. Now he is the world No 4 and a multiple tournament winner, with a loyal and passionate following that – in its most spine-tingling moments – seems to transcend sport itself.
Continue reading...Bucks have ‘done due diligence' on Kings star guard Zach LaVine, per report
Bucks have ‘done due diligence' on Kings star guard Zach LaVine, per report originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The Kings are headed toward a full-on rebuild, which might include parting ways with several of their big-name stars.
One of the players includes sharpshooting guard Zach LaVine, who is in his first full season with Sacramento since being shipped to California’s capital from the Chicago Bulls at last year’s trade deadline.
Now, LaVine could be bracing to pack his bags once again.
The Milwaukee Bucks, who have shown interest in LaVine in the past, have done “recent due diligence” on the 30-year-old guard, The Athletic’s Sam Amick reported in a column Friday, citing sources.
LaVine currently is sidelined with an injury, missing Thursday’s game with a thumb injury. HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto first reported back in November that the Bucks had “conducted background due diligence on LaVine.”
LaVine has a $47.5 million cap hit this season, with a player option worth just under $49 million for 2026-27, which makes it “nearly impossible to move him” without attaching draft assets in return, Amick noted.
In 22 games with the Kings this season, LaVine is averaging 20.6 points on 48.6-percent shooting from the field and 38.9 percent from 3-point range, with 3.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists.
Records, revenge and rollercoasters: three tales from Adelaide Oval’s rich history
Ahead of the third Ashes Test, Geoff Lemon looks back at some of the surprising stories born of the iconic South Australian cricket ground
As England’s team approach the third Ashes Test, it’s tempting to link their tour so far with the Adelaide rollercoaster launched in 1888. Then you realise it’s not accurate because a rollercoaster has to offer some ups as well as downs. Still, perhaps the players can find inspiration in some of the stories of the past that took place at this very ground.
Continue reading...How to watch No. 23 Nebraska vs No. 13 Illinois: Live stream info, preview for Saturday’s game
Tip-off is at 4:00 PM ET on Peacock.
The irony of Steph Curry's Warriors return in first game vs T-wolves this season
The irony of Steph Curry's Warriors return in first game vs T-wolves this season originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
One more game, one more day. That’s the thinking that consumed Steph Curry’s mind as he looked to return from a strained left hamstring against the Minnesota Timberwolves last season in the second round of the NBA playoffs. His wishful hope fell short.
Without him, the Warriors lost four straight games after holding the Timberwolves off in Game 1 after Curry left in the second quarter. No extra days together, no more games. No more Curry, no more season.
“Everything was kind of aligned for Game 6,” Curry said at his exit interview press conference when the Warriors returned home.
A wrinkle in the schedule with the Golden State Valkyries’ own playoff run would have given Curry just enough time to recover to try and keep the Warriors’ season alive. The Warriors would have gone three days without playing between Game 5 and Game 6, but that never became reality.
Now, as the Warriors and Timberwolves are set for their first game against each other this season on Friday night at Chase Center since that second-round playoff matchup, another schedule twist gave Curry ample recovery to return from a quad contusion against the team he so badly wanted to keep competing against seven months ago. Since the Warriors didn’t make it to the next round of this season’s NBA Cup, they finally were given a stretch without any games after a previous jam-packed stretch.
The Warriors last played Sunday, giving them a four-day stretch without games. Friday quickly became circled as a return date for Curry, and the Warriors kept him home from their recent three-game road trip so he could stay back and rehab at their facilities. They took Monday and Tuesday off before Curry returned to practice Wednesday and Thursday.
“I’m feeling great, had a good rehab week,” Curry said Thursday.
Watching from the bench for two games and back at home for three, Curry saw how the Warriors went 3-2 without him. He took note of the good and bad. Curry couldn’t ignore the emergence of new Bay Area cult hero Pat Spencer, as well as some major shifts to coach Steve Kerr’s rotations.
How the Warriors responded to Curry’s absence put them one game over .500 with a 13-12 record. The hardest part of their schedule where the start of the season was full of road games and back-to-backs is over. A new test is here, beginning Friday night, where the Warriors have nine more games in 2025 to enter the new year consistently establishing the identity they want to lean on.
“Nobody’s happy with our record. Nobody’s feeling like we’re a day away from being the best team in the league,” Curry said. “But we also know the journey ahead is right there for us.”
Curry will be back on the court, but another who would love revenge from last season’s playoff exit will not. Draymond Green missed the Warriors’ last two practices because of an excused personal reason and won’t play against the Timberwolves. The defensive ace was honest and critical at the end of last season with how Timberwolves forward Julius Randle played against him, averaging 25.2 points, 6.6 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game in the five-game series.
Signing veteran center Al Horford also was supposed to be a resolution to the Timberwolves’ size advantage on the Warriors, but he too won’t be playing against them Friday night. Horford, 39, continues to be hampered by right sciatic nerve irritation and has played in only two of the last nine games.
Outside of Spencer’s shining star, the Warriors added more reinforcements in the two weeks they were without Curry. The Warriors believe they would have been a different team last season if De’Anthony Melton had stayed healthy instead of playing only six games due to requiring ACL surgery. He made his return last Thursday, one year to the date of his surgery.
Curry’s brother, Seth, was signed shortly after Steph’s injury. A handful of other role players contributed to the Warriors’ successful road trip without their superstar. But one with star aspirations who opened eyes against the Timberwolves in last season’s playoffs now appears out of the rotation.
Jonathan Kuminga was a healthy DNP-CD (Did Not Play, Coach’s Decision) against the Chicago Bulls in the Warriors’ blowout win to end the road trip. Kerr said he and Kuminga talked before Wednesday’s practice and the coach is happy with how he responded.
“He had a great practice today. We had a talk before practice and he did the things that I asked him to do and I was thrilled about that,” Kerr said.
Kuminga received two DNPs in the first round against the Houston Rockets, didn’t dress for another game and was also inactive for one after becoming an afterthought in the last month of the regular season. But in the final four games against the Timberwolves, Kuminga averaged 24.3 points on 55.4 percent shooting with a 38.9 3-point percentage.
Warriors owner Joe Lacob, sources say, referred back to Kuminga’s performances against the Timberwolves on multiple occasions throughout the offseason when discussing the former No. 7 overall pick’s future with the franchise and holding onto him, for the time being.
As always, though, everything starts and ends with the health of No. 30.
“At the end of practice today he hit me with like a triple combo and made a rainbow three, if that tells you anything,” Trayce Jackson-Davis said Thursday.
These two teams are on a path of avoiding the play-in tournament already, even with four months remaining in the regular season. A clear top five in the Western Conference of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets, San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Lakers has already come to light. The Timberwolves enter Friday as the No. 6 seed, two and a half games ahead of the No. 8 seed Warriors.
So much has changed and so much remains the same since the Warriors’ disappointing end to last season against the Timberwolves. Between Curry’s return, the unknown of Kuminga and all the other moving parts of this roster, the irony of the first Warriors-Timberwolves game this season is hard to miss.
'Inconsistent Rangers not at Europa League level'
Scott Allan on Radio Scotland Breakfast
If you look at Rangers' season as a whole it's been inconsistent. The domestic results have been a lot better but I just don't feel this Rangers squad is at the level to compete in the higher positions of the league phase.
Rangers were undone by basic defending errors against Ferencvaros and we've seen that time and time again this year.
Rory Loy on Scottish Football Podcast
I thought they did okay to a point, they'll be massively disappointed that is their European campaign over at this point.
Two games left, dead rubbers, and it's now a case of focusing domestically, although that might turn out to be a silver lining.
James McFadden on BBC Sportsound
Rangers make changes and it disrupts the team, although I think Findlay Curtis came on and did very well. I expected more from Rangers in the second half, and we didn't get it.
Billy Dodds on TNT Sports
The Rangers defence, that was as bad as I've seen it this season.
From Frustration To Fortress: Home Ice Finally Favoring Islanders
ELMONT, NY -- When the New York Islanders returned to UBS Arena for a seven-game homestand on Nov. 22 following a dominant 6-1-0 road trip, the hope was that they could continue their strong play.
Despite playing well enough to do just that, Patrick Roy's squad struggled to score, going 1-3-1 while being outscored 13-7.
And things certainly weren't going to get any easier once the calendar flipped to December. The final two games of the homestand were against the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Colorado Avalanche, before hitting the road for a Florida back-to-back against Tampa, again, and the Florida Panthers.
After that?
The Islanders would then return home to face the Vegas Golden Knights, Anaheim Ducks, and Tampa Bay.
Sheesh.
They'd need home ice to turn into an advantage pretty quickly.
Credit to the Islanders for not changing how they were playing at all, and finally, the results came.
The Islanders held on to defeat Tampa 2-1. They exploded against Colorado, beating them 6-3 before shutting out Tampa 2-0 in Florida. They struggled against the Panthers, falling 4-1, but they didn't let that take the wind out of their sails.
In a back-and-forth game, they overcame a late blown lead, defeating Vegas 5-4 in a shootout in their home return, before dominating the Ducks on Thursday night, en route to a 5-2 victory.
With their latest win, the Islanders have now won four straight home games for the first time since a six-game win streak before the Four Nations break last season, and they sit a point back of first place in the Metropolitan Division and the Eastern Conference.
They've outscored their opponents 18-10 over their last four home games and now sit at 9-6-2 on home ice, to go along with an 8-4-1 record.
To fully appreciate what the Islanders just did in Elmont. Tampa leads the Atlantic Division. Colorado leads the Central Division. Vegas leads the Pacific Division, with the Ducks tied in points with Vegas.
Can the Islanders keep the home win-streak going when they host the Lightning for a Saturday matinee on Saturday, the day when Pat LaFontaine heads into the Islanders' Hall of Fame?
The Islanders are now 18-11-3, a season-high seven games over NHL .500. If the Islanders beat Tampa on Saturday to sweep the season series, their potential 41 points would lead the Eastern Conference.
NCAA volleyball Sweet 16 bracket: Friday’s scores, highlights
No. 1 seed Texas will kick off the day with a matchup against No. 4 Indiana. No. 1 overall seed Nebraska will end the night against No. 4 Kansas.
Tim Tebow discusses the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy legacy
During his conversation with @EdEastonJr, retired NFL quarterback Tim Tebow discussed the Wuerffel Trophy legacy
Even Coach Bednar Can’t Keep Up with MacKinnon’s Historic Pace
DENVER — Whether you’re a casual observer or a devoted hockey aficionado, keeping pace with Nathan MacKinnon’s ever-expanding list of milestones can feel like a daunting task. But take heart — even Coach Jared Bednar admits he finds it difficult to track them all.
The Avalanche scored a 6-2 victory over the reigning back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. MacKinnon pushed the Avalanche ahead 4–1 at 7:18 of the second period, ripping a wrist shot through a quartet of bodies for his 25th goal of the season. The tally — the 392nd of his career — lifted him past Joe Sakic for the most goals in franchise history since the team’s move to Colorado in 1995–96.
Bednar Unaware of Milestone
The Hockey News asked Bednar for his thoughts on MacKinnon’s historic night — assuming he was aware of the record — and invited him to reflect on what it has meant to watch MacKinnon evolve into one of the NHL’s premier players.
His reaction said it all.
“It’s awesome. I mean whenever you have a guy with that type of determination and leadership style, you want him to have success, and you want him to be firing on all cylinders,” Bednar said of MacKinnon. “And he was a horse on the puck tonight.
“I can’t keep track of his milestones because it seems like he’s getting one every game, so I don’t even know which one you’re talking about, but he was really good tonight, highly competitive at the point of the puck and patient with the puck and still making plays, making dangerous plays and difficult plays all night.”
Milestone City
Bednar isn’t wrong. Since early November, MacKinnon has been amassing milestones at a remarkable pace. On November 10, he surpassed franchise icon Peter Stastny with his 381st career goal, moving into sole possession of third place on the Avalanche’s all-time list.
Just 10 days later, a goal against the New York Rangers propelled him past Stastny once more — this time for second place in franchise history in points. And on Thursday, MacKinnon reached yet another pinnacle: first place on the Avalanche’s all-time goals list since the franchise relocated to Colorado.
Of course, this should not be conflated with combined Nordiques–Avalanche history. Joe Sakic still maintains a commanding lead in that broader category, having scored 625 goals over his illustrious career. Yet, considering the Avalanche have existed in Colorado for just over 25 years and MacKinnon has been in the league for only 12, the fact that he now stands alone atop any franchise leaderboard is a testament to his extraordinary talent and sustained excellence.
And perhaps, by season’s end, MacKinnon will continue to raise the standard even higher. His 25 goals and 53 points currently lead the NHL, while his 28 assists place him tied for fifth, just behind three players who sit at 29. Edmonton’s Connor McDavid holds the league lead with 32 assists.
The significance of this cannot be overstated: it has been nearly three decades since a player led the NHL in goals, assists, and points at the conclusion of a season. Mario Lemieux was the last to accomplish the feat, back in 1996. In an era where elite talent is separated by the narrowest of margins, Nathan MacKinnon may well be the player capable of achieving such a rare and extraordinary milestone.
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Pastrnak hits Bruins milestone as win streak reaches four games
Pastrnak hits Bruins milestone as win streak reaches four games originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Bruins entered Friday tied for first place in the Atlantic Division, and the return of David Pastrnak is a huge reason why.
The superstar right wing recently missed five games with an injury. Since returning to the lineup against the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday, Pastrnak has completely dominated offensively with seven points and 10 shots in two games.
He picked up three assists in a 5-2 win over the Blues, and then he scored twice with two more assists in a 6-3 victory over the Jets in Winnipeg on Thursday night.
“I’m feeling good. I feel like with every shift I’m a little better,” Pastrnak told NESN postgame. “It’s not easy coming back from injury. Sometimes it can be more mental than the physical (aspect). It’s been good.
“I came into the (team) winning and the boys were playing unbelievable hockey before I came back, so I’m just trying to jump in and join. It’s always easy when the team is winning.”
His performance against the Jets was particularly impressive. Pastrnak got the Bruins on the board in the first period with a power-play goal.
It was the 403rd goal of his Bruins career (he scored an empty-net goal in the third period, too), moving him past Rick Middleton for sole possession of fifth place on the team’s all-time leaderboard.
- Johnny Bucyk: 545 goals
- Phil Esposito: 459
- Patrice Bergeron: 427
- Brad Marchand: 422
- David Pastrnak: 404
Pastrnak has a great chance to reach No. 1 in a couple years, and he could get as high as No. 3 before the end of the season. What did Pastrnak think of hitting this impressive milestone?
“I’m honored,” Pastrnak told NESN postgame. “I’m very aware of where I play, and the organization and the amount of history the Boston Bruins organization has. I’m very honored and humble. Just trying my best and keep working harder. There’s only one thing missing for me, and that’s what I’ll be chasing.”
Pastrnak also showed off his elite playmaking skill. He’s one of the best goal scorers in the league, but his passing remains underrated. Pastrnak has tallied 63 assists in each of the last two seasons, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him reach that level again in 2025-26.
He does a tremendous job setting up his teammates with Grade A scoring chances. His pass to Elias Lindholm to set up a goal that gave the B’s a 5-3 lead with 5:17 left in the third period was a good example.
Pastrnak’s four points Thursday gave him a team-leading 36 points (13 goals, 26 assists) in 27 games.
It could be tough for anyone to overtake Colorado Avalanche superstar Nathan MacKinnon in the Hart Trophy race. Not only is MacKinnon leading the league in scoring, the Avalanche have a league-best 22-2-7 record.
But if the Bruins make the playoffs and Pastrnak hits the 100-point mark for the fourth straight season, it’s possible that he could be a finalist for the award. Few players are more valuable to their team than Pastrnak.
The Bruins have overachieved to this point. A lot of experts picked them to miss the playoffs for a second consecutive year. And while there’s still a lot of hockey left to be played, the ability for this Bruins team to overcome adversity of all kinds has been impressive.
“The whole year we’ve been put in different situations and we’ve been able to win different kinds of games,” Pastrnak told NESN. “That gives the team confidence. Same thing with injuries. Some top players came out and the guys who stepped in played amazing hockey and helped the team win and be productive.
“That’s the identity — next man up and we stick together as one team.”
William Nylander Produces In Third Line, But Costly Late-Game Blunders Sink Maple Leafs in Overtime vs. Sharks
William Nylander picked up a pair of assists in the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 3-2 overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks.
“It was the best game I've seen him play in a while,” Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said of Nylander. “He was engaged. When I see him skating and handling the puck and keeping the puck and doing things he did tonight with the puck, I know he was ready to go.”
Nylander’s line was Toronto’s best at 5-on-5, with Dakota Joshua scoring Toronto’s only even-strength goal of the game. The unit had an expected goals share of 85 percent in the 11:15 of ice time they logged together, according to NaturalStatTrick.com.
“I thought they played great. But we had a lot of chances tonight. So it's a positive thing,” Nylander said. “I mean, if we would have scored a couple more, we would have won. But, yeah, I thought we played a good game.”
Nylander slid into the role while Bobby McMann served a one-game suspension for high-sticking Tampa Bay Lightning forward Oliver Bjorkstrand. With McMann set to return, does it make sense for Nylander to move back up, or should he remain on the third line?
It’s a question the Leafs will have to mull over before taking on Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday.
While Nylander lamented not scoring enough, Berube chose to focus on the Leafs' inability to hold the lead in the third period—particularly during a late 6-on-5 sequence where Nylander was one of several players unable to clear the puck from harm's way.
“I still think we're not where we need to be. We could be better. And it's the third period for me showing that,” Berube said. “Goalie out, we have an opportunity to get the puck out a couple times. We don't do it. It's things like that that cost us tonight in the game.”
John Klingberg ties it late pic.twitter.com/h6aypB9Fkc
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) December 12, 2025
The difference in emphasis between Berube and Nylander speaks to how differently they view things at times. Nylander leads the Leafs in points with 34, four more than the next player (John Tavares with 30).
It is difficult for the head coach to be too critical, especially when Nylander provided all the offense. However, the mistakes Berube highlighted didn’t occur while Nylander was skating with his third-line unit.
That success builds a case to keep him there, but it creates a roster puzzle regarding McMann. The solution might be as simple as scratching Nick Robertson, but Berube has a decision to make.
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