The Calgary Flames extended their season-best run to four straight wins on Tuesday night, edging the Los Angeles Kings 3-2 in a shootout at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
Dustin Wolf turned aside 23 shots and came up with the key stops late, while Zayne Parekh and Olli Maatta each scored their first goals of the season to help Calgary claw back twice in the game.
Los Angeles struck early, opening the scoring just 2:35 into the first period. Joel Armia found Quinton Byfield at the blue line with a slick feed, and the Kings forward broke in alone before finishing on the backhand through the wickets of Wolf. Drew Doughty picked up the secondary assist as the Kings carried a 1-0 lead through the opening frame.
The second period didn’t offer much in terms of chances, but Calgary found a goal late. At 14:50, Olli Maatta got just enough of a one-timer, off a pass from Victor Olofsson, and beat Darcy Kuemper to even the score. It marked Maatta’s first goal as a Flame. Ryan Strome also drew an assist on the play.
Wolf made sure the game stayed tied heading into the third, turning aside a pair of quality chances with two big pad saves in the final minutes of the period.
The Kings wasted no time restoring their lead in the third period. Just 17 seconds in, a puck chipped out of the zone landed on Byfield’s stick, sending him in alone again. This time, he beat Wolf clean with a blocker-side shot to make it 2-1, with Trevor Moore and Alex Laferriere adding assists.
Calgary responded on a two-man advantage (13:02). Zayne Parekh found space in the high slot and snapped a wrist shot past Kuemper to tie the game, 2-2. Matt Coronato and Matvei Gridin picked up assists on the power-play marker.
Overtime settled nothing despite a wide-open extra frame. Olofsson generated a pair of strong looks, and Morgan Frost rang a shot off the post on a 2-on-0, but the game remained deadlocked. In the shootout, Yegor Sharangovich scored the winner, despite losing the puck as he deked to the backhand, it slowly slid forward and slipped through Kuemper’s legs to seal the win.
Blake Coleman was noticeable from the opening shift. He pressured pucks, set the tone on the forecheck, and logged strong minutes on the penalty kill. His effort level hasn’t dipped, even this late in the season.
2. Flames finding momentum
Calgary is in the middle of its longest winning streak of the year, now four straight victories during this six-game homestand. It’s a stretch that’s brought some life back into the group.
3. Parekh rewarded
Zayne Parekh continues to trend upward. Both of his NHL goals have come against the Kings, and this one, scored on the power play, felt like a long time coming given how he’s been playing.
Miles McBride is in the final stages of his rehab from sports hernia surgery.
McBride has been scrimmaging with some of the Knicks’ younger players and coaches recently. Before Tuesday’s game, McBride was seen on the court doing his traditional pre-game warm-up routine.
All of these signs point to McBride returning to the court in the coming days.
The Knicks have nine regular season games left in the season. Their next game is in Charlotte on Thursday, the first of a four-game trip that concludes in Memphis next Wednesday.
McBride joined the team on its recent West Coast trip. I’d assume he is with them on this upcoming trip.
Whether he returns during the road trip or shortly thereafter, you should see McBride back on the court very soon.
He has been out since Jan. 28. At the time, he was sidelined with an ankle injury. McBride then underwent surgery to repair a sports hernia shortly after the Feb. 6 trade deadline.
For the most part, the Knicks have played well in McBride’s absence. They are 20-7 since Jan. 28. Landry Shamet, Mohamed Diawara and Jordan Clarkson are among a group of players who have filled the void with McBride out.
But there is no doubt that they are a better team when he’s healthy. Before he got hurt, McBride was averaging 13 points, 2.8 assists, 2.6 rebounds and one steal per game while hitting 42 percent of his threes.
KAT CALL
At the suggestion of assistant coach Rick Brunson, Brown went with a smaller lineup in the fourth quarter against New Orleans. Thanks to Jalen Brunson’s brilliance and that smaller alignment, the Knicks overpowered the Pelicans in the fourth on Tuesday. Karl-Anthony Towns played five minutes in the quarter and did most of his damage earlier in the game. He finished with 21 points and 14 rebounds. It was his 51st double-double this season. That is the most in the NBA. If Towns has looked more comfortable on offense lately, there’s a reason for that.
Brown has made some adjustments to his offense to help Towns on that end of the floor.
“I had to adjust to him…and that’s what a season’s about,” Brown said after Tuesday’s game. “We’re not playing the same way offensively as we did to start the year. So I had to make some adjustments to try to figure out how I can get him involved a little bit better, get him to feel a little more comfortable and it’s showing a little bit. He’s obviously put in the work but ... it’s a two-way street and it’s good to see him playing at the level he’s playing at right now.”
When asked about the adjustments, Brown shared some specific details.
“When he is at the four spot, we’ve really simplified it so that he doesn’t have to think as much. And when he doesn’t have to think as much, he can just react,” Brown said.
He added that some of the offensive tweaks were implemented to put Towns in his preferred spots on the floor.
“He loves being at the top of the floor; he’s not always there, but we’ve added a couple more things that put him there with appropriate space,” Brown said. “And then we found a post-up and an iso situation for him that is pretty good from a spacing standpoint in how he likes to operate. Those things, we didn’t have at the beginning of the year for him. So again, he's made adjustments, he’s kept working, he continues to work, but as the head coach, I have to make adjustments, too. Especially with him being one of our two best players.”
CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Yegor Sharangovich scored in the fourth round of the shootout to lead the Calgary Flames to a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday night.
Olli Maatta and Zayne Parekh, each with their first goals of the season, scored in regulation time for the Flames, who have won four games in a row for the first time this season. Dustin Wolf stopped 23 shots.
Quinton Byfield scored both goals and Darcy Kuemper made 21 saves for Los Angeles, which has points in seven of their last nine but just three victories. They have dropped four straight.
With the loss the Kings fall three points behind the Nashville Predators for the final wild-card berth in the Western Conference.
Calgary tied the game 1-1 at 14:50 of the second period when Ryan Strome and Victor Olofsson combined to set up Maatta as the three veterans the Flames added at the trade deadline combined to get Calgary on the scoreboard.
Olofsson was part of the Nazem Kadri deal with Colorado. Maatta came over from Utah in the MacKenzie Weegar trade. Strome was picked up from Anaheim for a seventh-round pick to replace Kadri at center.
Maatta has one goal and five assists in 10 games with Calgary after recording just a single assist in 22 games with the Mammoth.
Byfield’s second of the night 17 seconds into the third period restored the Kings’ lead, but Parekh tied it with a power-play goal at 13:02.
After Morgan Frost and Artemi Panarin exchanged goals in the first three rounds of the shootout, Sharangovich’s winner came when he mishandled the puck but it slipped through Kuemper’s pads.
His offensive prowess easily stood out on the box score. But what was more impressive to the crowd at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night was OG Anunoby’s late-game defense.
The ninth-year forward had the hard job of locking down a healthy and active Zion Williamson.
He shared the load with Karl-Anthony Towns, but Anunoby was the one who delivered in crunch time as the Knicks beat the Pelicans 121-116 for their seventh straight victory.
OG Anunoby blocks a shot by Zion Williamson during the fourth quarter of the Knicks’ 121-116 win over the Pelicans on March 24, 2026 at the Garden. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST
In the fourth quarter, as the Knicks led 100-94 with nine minutes to play, Williamson, the 2019 No. 1 overall pick, backed Anunoby into the paint and attempted to spin and shoot over him.
The Knicks’ star defender denied him, jumping up and swatting the ball to the baseline.
Williamson clapped his hands twice at the missed opportunity as Knicks fans roared for the rejection.
It all came down to “anticipating,” Anunoby said after the win.
Before that, the 28-year-old also grabbed a steal off the Pelicans star as he lost control of the ball. On the other end, former Pelican Jose Alvarado found Mohamed Diawara to convert a jump shot.
Anunoby finished the night with three steals and one block.
“Our defensive player of the game was OG,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said. “He guarded a lot of different players throughout the game, but to close the game the way he did against Zion, he’s a monster. He’s a handful for anybody but for OG to be able to do the job that he did on him down the stretch was huge.”
The last time the Knicks faced Williamson, he had his way with them with 32 points on Dec. 29.
Mitchell Robinson (left) and OG Anunoby double team Zion Williamson during the second quarter of the Knicks’ win over the Pelicans. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST
On Tuesday, the Knicks held him to 22 points on 8-of-10 from the field, but it wasn’t the same dominant feeling as before.
“I was just trying to make it difficult for him,” Anunoby said. “Trying to make the catches difficult, push them out further and then just play one-on-one defense. I have great teammates who help me out, communicating what’s behind me. Just executing.”
Anunoby also didn’t miss a beat offensively, scoring 21 points and helping the Knicks get one step closer to the East’s No. 2 playoff slot. He shot 7-for-16 from the field and tallied four rebounds and four assists.
He also owned a plus-17 rating.
“We have great defensive pieces all over the floor, so we’ve just been executing, communicating better and it’s been showing on the court,” Anunoby said.
The Knicks coach went out of his way to praise the surging Jordan Clarkson, who is playing his way back into the rotation.
“Jordan has been playing well on both ends of the floor,” Brown said after the Knicks’ 121-116 win over the Pelicans on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden. “He’s giving it to us defensively and he’s giving it to us offensively. I tell ya, his ability to read the defense and make timely cuts and finish in that painted area is a lot of fun to watch. It just adds another dimension to what we’re trying to do.”
Jordan Clarkson, who had 10 points and five assists, drives past Herbert Jones during the second quarter of the Knicks’ 121-116 win over the Pelicans on March 24, 2026 at the Garden. Getty Images
Clarkson, who was expected to be a key addition to the bench unit when the Knicks signed him this offseason, started the year playing meaningful minutes but appeared buried on the bench for most of the middle of the year.
During this seven-game winning streak, though, he has regained an important role. He finished with 10 points and five assists Tuesday.
Most importantly, he is showing off different parts of his game, particularly his defending.
He’s always been known as a shot-happy microwave scorer, but it’s been his effort — and focus — on the defensive end that is earning him minutes again.
“You can see the level of awareness and sense of urgency that he plays with now, especially on that end of the floor,” Brown said. “What I like more than anything else is his physicality on the ball. You feel him. He’s relentless with it.”
New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson puts up a shot as New Orleans Pelicans forward Karlo Matkovic jumps to defend during the third quarter. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST
Miles McBride has progressed to scrimmaging in his rehab from surgery to repair a sports hernia.
He had already been taking contact in practice. McBride has not played since Jan 27.
McBride went through a normal workout on the court prior to Tuesday’s game.
It’s not the first time that he has worked out prior to a game, but it continues to be a positive development in his rehab.
Mohamed Diawara’s jersey from his rookie debut — in which he only played 34 seconds and did not register a stat — sold at a Sotheby’s auction for $5,376 on Monday.
The Knicks sent Ariel Hukporti to the G-League to play with the Westchester Knicks rather than have him available against the Pelicans.
Hukporti recorded 32 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and four blocks with Westchester.
Karl-Anthony Towns was named the NBA’s Community Assist Award winner for February.
He was recognized for “leading a digital coat drive to support local families in need, investing in youth development initiatives in the Dominican Republic and serving as a consistent advocate for social justice and underserved communities.”
Towns was presented with a plaque by president Leon Rose and executive vice president William Wesley prior to Tuesday’s game.
The NBA and NBPA Foundation will donate $20,000 to the Dominican Women’s Development Center in honor of Towns’ efforts.
When Andrew Welsh took over as Essendon president last September, he won rave reviews. He brought warring factions to heel. He interviewed potential recruits at the draft combine. He said things like “we’ve lost our mongrel” and “I want to get the swagger back”. He refused to acquiesce on the Zach Merrett trade.
Welsh is one of the most successful property developers in Australia. He’s said to be worth close to half a billion dollars. Even as a builder, however, he’s been reluctant to utter footy’s most dreaded word. For many clubs, and for Essendon in particular, the concept of a rebuild is a protean one. From month to month, it’s either a rethink, a re-stump, a re-wiring or a total re-do. Welsh himself opted for reset. “We now have a high-talent young core in place, the heavy lifting of the reset is done, and we are ready to climb,” he said. “We will not stop working until we restore this club to its rightful place.”
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MARCH 24: Head coach Kenny Atkinson of the Cleveland Cavaliers talks with Donovan Mitchell #45 during the first half against the Orlando Magic at Rocket Arena on March 24, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
You would not have believed that the Cleveland Cavaliers had just won a basketball game based on head coach Kenny Atkinson’s first comments in the press room after their 136-131 win over the Orlando Magic. In fact, you likely would have thought the Cavs were blown out.
“I just told the team, if we’re going to play defense like this, we’re going to have a short playoff stint,” Atkinson said in response to a question about Donovan Mitchell and James Harden lighting it up on offense. “Right now we have a mentality that we are just going to outscore people, and we all know come playoff time it’s not going to be that easy.”
Atkinson is referring to the Cavs allowing a mediocre Magic team to put up 131 points on the road – and on the second half of a back-to-back no less. The Cavs appeared to have put the clamps down some in the third quarter, but the Magic were never kept down long enough to stop the bleeding.
When asked what the biggest issue with the defense was, Atkinson again did not mince words. “The compete level, and then along with the compete level there’s an IQ level,” he said. “So if your compete level is not there defensively, you’re missing close outs, not understanding personnel, and that is the IQ part.”
Atkinson went on to outline that he’s most frustrated because he knows they’re capable of being better. “Our leaders got to take ownership, it really starts there. We have to switch our mentality right now.”
The Cavs are also working to determine who will make the playoff rotation and who won’t, and there may be an emphasis on favoring players who will compete on the defensive end. “We’re going to find the guys that’ll defend,” Atkinson said. “When the playoffs come, we lean on that, who can guard their position, who is going to be a high-level defensive player. That’s what gets you into the rotation.”
The Cavs are missing starting center Jarrett Allen, but that isn’t good enough of an excuse for Atkinson, and the same goes for our of the best defensive players in the league in Evan Mobley.
“He (Allen) is a big piece of what we do, but he’s not playing right now,” Mobley said. “So the next man up has to step up.”
“I don’t want to hear that,” Atkinson said with regard to Allen’s absence being the reason the defense has slipped. “We’ve got the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, we got the personnel.”
Mitchell echoed that sentiment, saying that the Cavs do not to rely on flipping a switch and upping the defensive intensity. “We have to better,” Mitchell said after the game. “I think we can take a step (defensively). It’s there, we got six straight stops a few nights ago against New Orleans. It’s there.”
On the flip side, the Cavs have been one of the best offensive teams in the league over the last month plus. But it clearly is not something they want to rest their laurels on heading into a tough postseason that will force them to face some physical teams like the Detroit Pistons, Boston Celtics, and/or the New York Knicks. Getting Allen back will certainly help, but without a collective mindset to be more defensive-focused, it might not matter too much.
The Los Angeles Kings (28-25-18) lost another tough game Tuesday night, this time coming up short in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Calgary Flames (30-34-7).
Despite coming out with a point, the Kings still lose, fail to hold on to their lead, and are now three games back in the race for the final playoff spot.
A game that Los Angeles needed desperately because the teams they're competing with keep winning, the Kings struggle to hold a third-period lead.
The Kings' loss on the road against the Flames today continues their losing streak, now seven consecutive road games. Los Angeles is now 0-7 in the last seven matchups on the road against Calgary,
Los Angeles was aggressive on defense from the get-go, holding the Flames to six shots in the first and second periods. But both teams were very sluggish offensively, struggling to get shots up.
However, Los Angeles scored the first goal in the opening period, two minutes into the opening frame. Quinton Byfield capitalized on the nice breakaway, showcasing his speed to bury the goal and give Los Angeles the early lead.
LAK Goal - Q!
Byfield picks up right where he left off in Utah, opens the scoring with a nice breakaway goal. 1-0 Kings.
The rest of the period would end slowly, with neither team being able to get a shot up. Even though the Flames had six shots, they had a lot of chances to tie the game, but Darcy Kuemper did a good job saving the puck in tight situations.
That would change for Calgary, though, in the second period, where they finally got a shot up through the net, tying the game 1-1.
Defenseman Olli Maatta converted on the quick wrist shot, scoring his first goal since being acquired by the Flames, giving life to Calgary.
Los Angeles was unable to capitalize on the quick goal they got in the first period, coming up short on the power play and leaving the door open for a goal that would put the Flames right back in it.
The Kings once again outshot the Flames 9-6 in the second period, but went scoreless in the period.
Off the gate, Quinton Byfield once again scored a brekaway goal 17 seconds in the final frame to give Los Angeles back the lead.
LAK Goal - QuinTWOn Byfield!
Great speed to get in alone, buries his shot inside the far post 17 seconds into the third period. 2-1 Kings.
It was an excellent way for Byfield to use his speed and outrun the Flames to get a clean look at the net, giving the momentum back to Los Angeles.
The lead didn't last, though, for the Kings, once again leaving the door open for the home team to tie it up.
The Flames scored on their first power play of the night to once again tie the game 2-2. The Kings didn't play a good third period; despite scoring a goal, they were held to seven shots and got outshot 10-7.
The game went to extra periods, and it was certainly a very sloppy one for both teams. Los Angeles had several key turnovers, but the Flames couldn't capitalize on them to score. Calgary had a very good look at a 2-on-1 fastbreak possession, but couldn't hit the puck inside the net, forcing the game to go to a shootout.
Both teams would convert one goal in three rounds of the shootout, with Artemi Panarin scoring an incredible lob shot to force a fourth round. In the fourth round, Los Angeles would miss, and the Flames would get it to go to come away with the comeback victory at home.
Very heartbreaking loss for the Kings, especially at this point in time, where they could've pulled themselves closer to a playoff spot; they're now three games back of the Nashville Predators for the final spot.
The four-game skid for the Kings is making it much tougher every day to keep up with the teams in the Western Conference, and soon it will be very difficult to move closer to the playoff picture.
Quinton Byfield scored the only two goals on the night to keep Los Angeles in it, but still couldn't find a way to win the game. Darcy Kuemper looked much better tonight, coming up clutch in overtime and the shootout rounds, but couldn't get the timely stop in the fourth round.
Los Angeles will end its three-game road trip on Thursday against the Vancouver Canucks at 7:00 PM PT.
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MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — The Memphis Grizzlies ruled out Ja Morant for the season because of a UCL sprain in his left elbow.
The Grizzlies said Tuesday night that Morant would need a platelet-rich plasma injection to aid with the healing. The Grizzlies expected Morant to make a full recovery in time for next season.
Morant, the 6-foot-2 guard in his seventh season out of Murray State, played in only 20 games this season for the Grizzlies. He averaged 19.5 points, the lowest since his second season in the league. The early end to the 26-year-old's season continues a trend for the oft-injured guard. He has played in only 79 games the last three seasons.
Morant sprained his elbow in late January after he had just missed two weeks because of calf soreness.
Taken second in the 2019 draft behind Zion Williamson, Morant was a nightly highlight film early in his career with the Grizzlies.
Morant challenged some of the NBA’s tallest centers with dunks at the rim and avoided defenders with whirling gyrations. His passes found cracks in defenses, and he regularly chased down blocks where he pinned the ball at the top of the square on the backboard.
Off-court troubles and growing behavior issues started surfacing in 2023 and diminished his impact on the court for the Grizzlies. Video in March 2023 of Morant flashing a gun at a Denver-area nightclub led to an eight-game suspension by the NBA even though no criminal charges were filed.
Months later, Morant was seen on a livestream flashing a gun, this time from the passenger seat of a car. After the league investigation, Silver announced that Morant would start the 2023-24 season with a 25-game suspension.
Jan 16, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) and Houston Rockets forward Dorian Finney-Smith (2) reach for a loose ball in the second half at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
Well, now it’s the most important game of the season. And Houston has lost all of their “This is the most important game of the season” games before now.
The game is on ESPN, and the Rockets have had some stinkers on national television this season. I could look at the record, but ir’s gotta be like 3-15.
Plus, the Minnesota Timberwolves are without Anthony Edwards, and this Rockets team has historically decided not to try against teams without their stars (see: Warriors, Golden State).
It all adds up to a crushing loss to an undermanned team on national television tonight. It’s the death knell for this iteration of the Houston Rockets.
Apr 4, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone (17) greets right fielder Aaron Judge (right) during player introductions against the Pittsburgh Pirates n the 2025 Opening Day game at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
New York Daily News | Gary Phillips: By all accounts, the AL East is going to be a dogfight yet again. The Yankees bring a lot of talent to that fight, with two-time defending MVP Aaron Judge and a top of the pitching rotation that rivals anyone in baseball. There are still real questions with the roster though, starting with presumptive leadoff hitter Trent Grisham and whether he can replicate his contract year last season. The back end of the rotation is also eyebrow-raising, especially until we know more about Gerrit Cole’s return.
MLB.com | Patrick Brown: Speaking of Cole, he made his second spring start in the Yankees’ final exhibition game yesterday. He was touched up by Alex Bregman for a solo home run, but struck out the other three hitters he faced in the first, and got two outs in the second inning for a total of 26 pitches. It’s unclear when exactly in the first half of the season Cole comes back, but we can at least be optimistic based on what we saw from him in camp.
New York Post | Andrew Crane ($): The Yankees are in a pretty good run of developing starting pitching, with Luis Gil winning Rookie of the Year two years ago, Cam Schlittler breaking out in 2025, and even Will Warren being seen as a competent part of the MLB rotation while tying for the AL lead in starts. There may be even more to come, with Elmer Rodríguez and Carlos Lagrange both impressing in their own way while in spring training. There will certainly be opportunities in both the rotation and bullpen over the course of the long upcoming season, and continuing their strong starts to the year while at Triple-A Scranton will have them on the big-league roster sooner or later.
NJ.com | Randy Miller: As the dust settled on an 8-3 win over Chicago yesterday, the Yankees made a small trade with the Washington Nationals, sending non-roster invitee Zack Short to the Nats for cash considerations, joining fellow infielder Jorbit Vivas, who himself was just dealt to DC two days ago. Best of luck to Zack with his new org, if nothing else there should be plenty of opportunities for MLB playing time, as I think the Nationals are going to s t r u g g l e.
Also, another end-of-spring-training move saw reliever Osvaldo Bido claimed off waivers by Atlanta after pitching with the Yankees in camp. The news had already broke that he would not be in the 2026 bullpen (Cade Winquest, Jake Bird, and Brent Headrick got the final spots with Luis Gil headed to Triple-A), but it sounds like he’ll have a better chance at bullpen time elsewhere.
MLB New York Yankees pitcher Osvaldo Bido | New York Yankees via Imagn Images
The Atlanta Braves reunited with right-hander Osvaldo Bido after claiming him off waivers from the New York Yankees. Though he has yet to formally suit up for Atlanta, 30-year-old Bido was previously claimed by the club in December and designated for assignment 10 days later.
The #Braves today claimed RHP Osvaldo Bido off waivers from the New York Yankees, and placed LHP Joey Wentz on the 60-day injured list with a right knee ACL tear.
This spring, he’s appeared in seven games, recorded one win, and posted a 1.29 ERA. With the Braves’ pitching staff dealing with multiple injuries, he could see action sooner rather than later.
In addition to this move, the Braves also placed southpaw Joey Wentz on the 60-day injured list with a torn ACL.
More Braves News:
The Braves wrapped up spring training with a 3-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays, closing the door on a 21-7-2 record.
Brian Snitker will be inducted into the Braves Hall of Fame on April 25.
Unfortunately, a week later - after some goaltending and defensive meltdowns as well as another goaltender interference ruling gone wrong - the result was reversed.
The Avalanche ousted the Penguins, 6-2, taking advantage of some defensive miscues by the Penguins as well as subpar goaltending. Arturs Silovs stopped just 24 of 29 shots for the Penguins, and the Penguins were credited with 15 giveaways.
The most prominent one came courtesy of defenseman Parker Wotherspoon, who coughed up the puck at the offensive blue line to Nathan MacKinnon early in the first period, and MacKinnon brought it down on a breakaway opportunity and capitalized to put the Avs up, 1-0.
Not even four minutes later, Egor Chinakhov - who now has four goals and 12 points in his last 10 games - one-timed a puck from the right point and behind Scott Wedgewood to even the score at 1-1. However, Colorado got three unanswered first-period goals from Sam Malinski, Martin Necas, and Parker Kelly to cushion themselves with a 4-1 lead heading into first intermission.
The Penguins came out flying in the second period, and they appeared to cut the deficit to two with 12 and a half to go in the middle frame when Justin Brazeau picked up the loose change in front on a diving play. However - as things have gone for the Penguins all season long - the Avs challenged for goalie interference and won, reversing the call on the ice and keeping the score 4-1.
The Penguins failed to convert on a double-minor by Nazem Kadri for high-sticking after that, and Necas registered his second of the game in the final minutes of the period to make it 5-1. Just past the midway point of the third, Rickard Rakell cut into the deficit and gave the Penguins some life, but Ross Colton’s empty-net goal a little less than five minutes later sealed the 6-2 win for the Colorado.
Here are some thoughts and takeaways from this one:
- I don't know how many more times this needs screamed from the rooftops, but it's malpractice not to have Chinakhov on the first power play unit.
This unit is struggling right now. It started out well in the first three games out of the Olympic break, going 4-for-10. Since then? It has goals in just seven of the last 46 opportunities, and three of those have been five-on-three goals. That’s good for just a 15.2 percent conversion rate, which, stretched over the whole season, would be the second-worst conversion rate in the league.
Chinkahov is a shoot-first player and has one of the best shots in the National Hockey League. He also has excellent vision and can use his skating to his advantage to maintain movement on the unit. He's a "trigger man", if there ever was one.
He should absolutely be with elite playmakers Crosby and Karlsson on that unit, whoever else they’d have to take off. My choice would be Rust (assuming Malkin is healthy and in for Anthony Mantha), but with Malkin out, he should definitely be on it in Mantha’s place.
- It’s not a secret that the Penguins are bleeding goals-against right now.
I wrote a piece on the defensive corps beyond the first pairing being an issue right now, which definitely holds true. But goaltending hasn’t been much help, either.
Silovs has a sub-.860 save percentage in five of his last six starts after a hot run prior to the Olympic break. Stuart Skinner has a sub-.900 save percentage in four out of his last five starts.
That isn’t good enough.
I know a ton of people are clamoring for prospect Sergei Murashov to get some starts down the stretch run of the season here. I’m not sure I agree. I’m still of the belief that it’s never a good idea to thrust your best goaltending prospect into a must-win, high-pressure, high-stakes situation during the stretch run of an NHL season where your team is trying to make the playoffs.
If, on the off-chance, it works out spectacularly, then great. But, if it doesn’t, you risk it permanently stunting the growth of your most prized prospect - and that’s a risk that isn’t worth taking, in my opinion. Especially since Murashov’s last five games in the AHL have not been overly confidence-inducing, either.
- Yes, the members of the Penguins’ top line are producing just fine. Crosby has a goal and five points in his four games since returning from injury. Rakell has four goals and 11 points in his last 10 games. Rust has seven goals and 14 points in his last 10.
That said, I’m not sure I wouldn’t try switching things around.
This has less to do with the top line and more to do with the rest of the lineup. Yes, Chinakhov is producing, as he has four goals and 12 points in his last 10. Yes, Evgeni Malkin is producing when he’s in the lineup with two goals and five points in the four games since his suspension. Yes, Anthony Mantha has mostly been producing despite a goose egg in the last three games.
But it doesn’t look as awesome for others. Brazeau has one goal three points in his last 12 games and none in his last five. Ben Kindel has two points in his last 10. Tommy Novak has one point in his last eight. Connor Dewar has one goal and four points in his last 18 games.
The depth scoring on this roster with Crosby in the lineup needs revived. Give Kindel some 2C minutes instead of Novak. Have Novak center Elmer Soderblom or Ville Koivunen and Brazeau and Kindel center Chinakhov and Rakell. Maybe plug Mantha up with Crosby and Rust. Or, keep Mantha on the second line with Kindel and plug Rakell there, switching him with Chinakhov.
Not having Malkin and Blake Lizotte in the lineup is hurting this team’s bottom-six, but I think they can better-construct these lines in the meantime. If I’m the Penguins, I give this a shot:
- Speaking of switching things around, I’m not really sure how to address these defensive pairings.
You can’t split up Parker Wotherspoon and Erik Karlsson. Messing up the one thing that has worked with consistency is certainly a risk this late in the season, and it’s probably not worth the small chance that the second pairing will improve drastically enough to offset the first pairing being messed with.
I’m not sure Sam Girard and Letang can stay together much longer. You can stick Ryan Shea with Letang, but in all honesty, the results haven’t been much different.
- This goaltender interference thing is truly something else. I’ve never seen anything like it.
Not only are the Penguins 0-for-8 in their own goaltender interference challenges this season, the opposition is also 4-for-5 against them. So, that’s a combined 1-for-13 for the Penguins on goaltender interference this season.
This is absurd. I will say that Tuesday’s had a bit more gray area than others, as Brazeau’s skate did touch Wedgewood’s in the blue paint, even if barely. I don’t think Brazeau’s contact with Wedgewood had much of anything to do with his ability to make the save or not, as I think Devon Toews’s stick was the bigger culprit. But, technically, Brazeau did contact him in the blue paint, so I could see why they might overturn.
However, given the much more blatant goaltender interference on Saturday against the Winnipeg Jets that didn’t go the Penguins’ way? The one in the Blue Jackets-Islanders game on Sunday? The one in the Toronto-Boston game Tuesday?
This is becoming a pattern, and it’s a questionable one, at best. These kinds of numbers stacked against one team simply do not happen. And the goal reversal very well may have affected the outcome of the game because, if that goal stands, the score is 4-2 with 12 and a half minutes still to play in the second period, and the Penguins had all of the momentum on their side.
The league needs to figure out this problem. No, a 35 percent success rate on coach’s challenges this season overall does not mean this is entirely a “Penguins problem.” But it is disproportionately affecting the Penguins, and if things continue the way they’ve been going, it could affect the outcome of their season.
That simply cannot happen.
- The Penguins got lucky on the out-of-town scoreboard on Tuesday. Even though the Blue Jackets leapfrogged them for second place with a regulation win over the Philadelphia Flyers, the Islanders, Red Wings, and Bruins all lost in regulation.
Pittsburgh has the Ottawa Senators on Thursday, a team they've won just two of their last 10 games against. Even though this is the Penguins' hardest week of the regular season schedule-wise - and the Blue Jackets and Islanders have harder remaining schedules than the Penguins, who close out the season with six straight games against current non-playoff teams - it's certainly in their best interest to get two clean points on Thursday. Especially since the Sens currently occupy the second wild card spot just one point behind the Pens.
If the Penguins can survive the rest of this week, a very important contest on Mar. 30 looms with the Islanders. That feels like the one to circle on your calendar, folks.
Jalen Brunson provided exactly what the Knicks needed Tuesday night to escape MSG with a win over the Pelicans.
Although New Orleans came in with a 25-47 record, they were up to try and take down the Knicks at home, and they nearly did. The Knicks were only up 109-107 with 4:28 to go in the game. And only up four points with 1:41 remaining.
In addition to some careless play by the Knicks, the Pelicans' young shooters got hot and New York needed all 121 points to come away with the victory. But without Brunson's fourth-quarter performance, it may have been a very different story.
The Knicks All-Star guard scored 15 of his 32 points in the final frame on 4 of 5 shooting, including 7-for-7 from the free-throw line. With seven minutes remaining and the Knicks only up five, Brunson scored 10 straight points and five of the team's final seven points down the stretch to salt the game away.
"That’s what great players do," coach Mike Brown said after the game. "Great players, when it matters the most, when the pressure’s the highest, sometimes that means drawing two and kicking it out to OG [Anunoby] for a wide-open three or someone else. He was great at that tonight.
"For who he is and for me as a coach, I never put a cap on those guys. You don’t put a cap on Steph Curry in Golden State. Jalen Brunson here, and Jaylen Brown in Boston. You let those guys be who they are."
Heading into the fourth quarter, Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns were having better offensive nights. Anunoby entered with 21 points while Towns had an efficient 16 to go with his eight rebounds.
But when the offense became stagnant and turnovers started to stack, Brunson took the game over, as he's done so much during his New York tenure.
Last season's Clutch Player of the Year showed his superstar status in the final four minutes of Tuesday's win. Brunson scored nine points, including knocking down five free throws to ice the game away.
"That’s a position he wants to be in," Josh Hart said of Brunson's takeover. "We want him in that position. You learn when you watch his game and play this game that the last 3-4 minutes of a game are winning time. That’s where your superstars show why they are at that level. That’s what he did."
PHOENIX (AP) — Nikola Jokic had 23 points, 17 rebounds and tied a season high with 17 assists to lead the Denver Nuggets over the Phoenix Suns 125-123 on Tuesday night.
Jokic made the go-ahead basket, knocking down a 12-foot jumper with 11.5 seconds left. Phoenix’s Devin Booker got a good look at a potential winning 3-pointer, but it bounced off the rim.
The Suns trailed 117-109 with 3:19 left, but methodically worked their way back. Booker made a tough jumper in the lane to tie the game at 123 with 30.2 seconds remaining. He had 22 points and eight assists.
Jokic had his NBA-leading 29th triple-double of the season by early in the third quarter. The three-time MVP shot 9 of 16 from the field and delivered several pinpoint passes, including one that went the full length of the court for a layup by Christian Braun.
The Nuggets have fought injuries for most of the season, but are now close to full strength. Jamal Murray had 21 points and Tim Hardaway Jr. added 18 off the bench.
Denver had a 10-point lead at halftime, but Jordan Goodwin and Grayson Allen made back-to-back 3s late in the third to help Phoenix cut the deficit to 97-95 heading into the fourth. Allen and Jalen Green both had 21 points.
KNICKS 121, PELICANS 116
NEW YORK (AP) — Jalen Brunson scored 32 points, including 15 in the fourth quarter, and New York beat New Orleans for its seventh straight victory.
Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby each added 21 points for the Knicks (48-25), who pulled within percentage points of the Boston Celtics (47-24) for second place in the Eastern Conference. Towns also grabbed 14 rebounds.
But it was Brunson who made the difference for the Knicks in a game that was close throughout the second half. He scored 10 straight points for New York midway through the fourth quarter, including back-to-back baskets after the Pelicans had cut it to 109-107 with 4 1/2 minutes remaining.
Zion Williamson scored 22 points and Jeremiah Fears had 21 for the Pelicans, who have lost two in a row after a three-game winning streak.
HORNETS 134, KNGS 90
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Coby White made six of Charlotte’s franchise-tying 26 3-pointers and finished with 27 points as it routed Sacramento for its fourth straight win.
LaMelo Ball had 20 points on six 3s and Moussa Diabate added 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Hornets (38-34), who pulled within two games of the Atlanta Hawks for sixth place in the Eastern Conference.
Daeqwon Plowden had 22 points and ex-Hornet Malik Monk had a career-high 14 assists for the Kings (19-54).
Kon Knueppel added four 3s for the Hornets as the rookie from Duke moved into second place in franchise history for 3s made in a season with 247. He needs 14 to pass Kemba Walker, now a player enhancement coach with the Hornets.
The 26 3-pointers matched the franchise record set on March 14, 2025, at San Antonio.
Charlotte raced to a 72-47 lead at halftime, shooting 13 of 29 from beyond the arc with Ball and White leading the way with four each at the midway point.
Charlotte pushed its lead to 46 early in the fourth quarter.
CAVALIERS 136, MAGIC 131
CLEVELAND (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 42 points, James Harden added 26 and Cleveland beat Orlando to extend its winning streak to four games.
It is Mitchell’s sixth game with at least 40 points this season, tied for fourth-most in the league.
The All-Star guard also continued his mastery of the Magic. It was his third 40-point game in 23 regular-season meetings against Orlando. He is averaging 27.2 against the Magic, the sixth-highest scoring average of any player in NBA history against Orlando.
Harden, who was scoreless in the first half of Saturday’s game at New Orleans, had 22 points and three 3-pointers in the first half as the Cavaliers had a 72-68 lead at halftime. It was his most points in the first two quarters since being acquired by the Cavaliers.
Evan Mobley had 19 points for Cleveland, making all eight of his shots from the field, along with nine rebounds and six assists.
Paolo Banchero had 36 points for Orlando (38-34), which has dropped six straight and dropped into a three-way tie with Charlotte and Miami for eighth place in the Eastern Conference.
Tristan da Silva had 18 points, while Desmond Bane and Jamal Cain scored 17 apiece for the Magic.
