MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The Australian Open's first formal opening ceremony became the Roger Federer show on the eve of the season-opening major.
There was Crowded House, the band, playing a set of four hits. There was a full house — a capacity crowd in the 15,000-seat stadium.
Rod Laver, the great Australian player of Grand Slam fame, was in the house. The 87-year-old Aussie was sitting courtside in Rod Laver Arena, the center court at Melbourne Park named in his honor.
Federer, the six-time Australian Open winner and 20-time Grand Slam champion, partnered past champions Andre Agassi and then Ash Barty in an exhibition doubles match against Pat Rafter and Lleyton Hewitt as the main feature of the program.
It went to script, with Federer winning the first point despite framing a forehand and then emphatically finishing off the victory with a leaping overhead winner.
Novak Djokovic, who has won 10 Australian titles among his record 24 major championships, was there to watch.
Australian Open organizers turned the 2026 edition into a three-week festival of tennis, with 217,999 fans attending across six days to watch exhibitions, qualifying and the 1 Point Slam before the main draw started.
Federer was back in Australia for the first time since 2021, making the trip now because he retired from competitive tennis before he could do a farewell season tour.
“It really truly means so much to me when people like Rocket (Laver) show up,” Federer said. “It’s super important to be grateful” to earlier generations of stars.
The San Francisco Giants legend will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, on July 26. However, his ceremonious affairs won't stop there.
The Giants plan to have a Hall of Fame celebration for Kent on Aug. 29 at Oracle Park when they play the Arizona Diamondbacks. To honor Kent, San Francisco will also retire his No. 21 jersey before the game.
Kent, who spent six seasons in San Francisco, became a member of the Giants Wall of Fame in 2009. His bronze plaque is located along King Street.
The Giants Wall of Fame pays tribute to the organization’s greatest players who have, either, played a minimum of nine seasons for the Giants or played five seasons with at least one All-Star appearance or championship win in San Francisco, according to MLB.com.
Kent had the best years of his 17-year MLB career with the Giants. He was a five-time All-Star, three of his nods coming as a member of the Giants from 1999 to 2001. He was named the 2000 NL MVP.
Kent was a four-time Silver Slugger Award-winner, having won the hitting title with the Giants from 2000 to 2002.
Kent becomes the 14th player to have his number retired by the organization. He joins Christy Mathewson, John McGraw, Bill Terry (3), Mel Ott (4), Carl Hubbell (11), Monte Irvin (20), Will Clark (22), Willie Mays (24), Barry Bonds (25), Juan Marichal (27), Orlando Cepeda (30), Gaylord Perry (36) and Willie McCovey (44).
San Francisco, along with every MLB team, retired the No. 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson on April 15, 1997.
It was a heck of a hot stove week, with two pairs of transactions seemingly moving in unison. The Cubs swiped Alex Bregman from the Red Sox, which prompted Boston to pivot to a five-year deal with Ranger Suarez. A couple nights later, the Dodgers did what they do and signed Kyle Tucker, which appeared to spur the Mets into inking their own opt-out-laden deal with Bo Bichette. Will the dominoes keep falling? This flurry of activity leaves Cody Bellinger as the last big bat on the market, and the Yankees, for now, still seem to have the best offer on the table. Will the saga, finally, come to a conclusion? Perhaps we’ll know this weekend. On the site today, it’ll be a quieter one, with Jeff profiling Chili Davis as part of our Yankees Birthday series.
Questions/Prompts:
1. Do you expect the Mets’ signing of Bo Bichette to take them out of the running in the Cody Bellinger sweepstakes? Or will they still compete with the Yankees for the outfielder’s services?
2. Who will emerge from this weekend of the NFL playoffs as the Super Bowl favorite?
The Washington Wizards lost to the Sacramento Kings 128-115 on Friday in a battle between bottom feeders at Golden 1 Center.
The Wizards had to fight their way out of a huge hole they dug themselves in during the opening period. A three-pointer from Bub Carrington gave the Wizards a 7-6 advantage at the 9:33 mark of the first quarter. Washington held that lead for all of 17 seconds before Sacramento took it back for good. The Kings went on a 19-0 run to close out the first quarter, as the Wizards went scoreless for nearly five minutes.
Washington battled back in the second quarter. Alex Sarr led the way with his 18 points on 8-of-10 shooting in the first half. One of his buckets came off a sweet dime from Tre Johnson.
Jamir Watkins also flashed more of his defensive potential on a strip and slam off DeMar DeRozan. He helped the Wizards trim the halftime deficit to 67-61.
The Wizards got the game to within three in the opening minutes of the second half. But the Kings once again closed the quarter strong, thanks to our old friend Russell Westbrook. The lead ballooned to 17 heading into the final period.
A Carrington triple and a pair of Tre Johnson treys to open the fourth quarter helped get the Wizards within single digits. The Kings managed to stifle any moment for a run, holding on for a 13-point win.
Johnson finished with 18 points and 4 assists, while Sarr’s quiet second half left him at 19 points. Justin Champagnie and Kyshawn George each tacked on 15.
While Washington lost the battle, it won the tank war as the Kings went a full game ahead of the Wizards in the standings. The Wizards close out their road trip against the Nuggets in Denver.
Former Australia batter given a ‘50/50 chance of surviving’
Spent eight days in induced coma
Damien Martyn has said he is back after overcoming a meningitis scare, which he said took his life out of his hands.
In a heartfelt post on his social media accounts, the former Australia batter said he was given a 50% chance to live after battling the disease, which causes an infection and swelling of fluid and membranes around the brain and spinal cord. The 54-year-old was put into an induced coma on 27 December and was fighting for his life in a Gold Coast intensive care unit until he woke eight days later.
BOTTOM LINE: The Vegas Golden Knights host the Nashville Predators after Pavel Dorofeyev's two-goal game against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Golden Knights' 6-5 overtime win.
Vegas has an 11-6-6 record at home and a 23-11-12 record overall. The Golden Knights have allowed 138 goals while scoring 152 for a +14 scoring differential.
Nashville has a 10-10-2 record in road games and a 23-20-4 record overall. The Predators are 11-3-4 in games decided by one goal.
The matchup Saturday is the second time these teams meet this season. The Predators won 4-2 in the last meeting.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jack Eichel has 17 goals and 38 assists for the Golden Knights. Mark Stone has nine goals and eight assists over the last 10 games.
Steven Stamkos has 21 goals and 12 assists for the Predators. Ryan O'Reilly has five goals and six assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Golden Knights: 6-3-1, averaging 3.8 goals, 6.5 assists, 2.5 penalties and 7.5 penalty minutes while giving up 3.3 goals per game.
Predators: 7-3-0, averaging three goals, five assists, 3.8 penalties and 9.3 penalty minutes while giving up 2.8 goals per game.
INJURIES: Golden Knights: None listed.
Predators: None listed.
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: The Washington Capitals and the Florida Panthers hit the ice in Eastern Conference play.
Washington has gone 14-9-3 in home games and 24-18-6 overall. The Capitals have a 10-11-6 record in games their opponents serve fewer penalty minutes.
Florida has gone 10-10-0 in road games and 24-19-3 overall. The Panthers have a -15 scoring differential, with 138 total goals scored and 153 given up.
The teams play Saturday for the third time this season. The Panthers won the last meeting 5-3. Sam Reinhart scored two goals in the win.
TOP PERFORMERS: Dylan Strome has 11 goals and 25 assists for the Capitals. Justin Sourdif has six goals and four assists over the last 10 games.
Reinhart has 24 goals and 21 assists for the Panthers. Sam Bennett has three goals and six assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Capitals: 4-5-1, averaging 3.4 goals, 6.1 assists, 4.5 penalties and 11.6 penalty minutes while giving up 2.9 goals per game.
Panthers: 4-5-1, averaging 2.3 goals, 3.5 assists, 6.3 penalties and 16.6 penalty minutes while giving up 3.6 goals per game.
INJURIES: Capitals: None listed.
Panthers: None listed.
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Sometimes it just takes one statement victory to get things back on track. The San Antonio Spurs burst out of a rough 10-game stretch after Christmas with a blowout victory against the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday night. All of a sudden, it feels like the team can once again conquer the Western Conference. But one game overreactions are a fool’s errand. Saturday night’s contest is a chance to prove the team is back on track against a team that is biting at their heels in the standings.
The Spurs will host the Minnesota Timberwolves after losing a heartbreaker to them in Minneapolis last Sunday. San Antonio will have the rest advantage, as the Wolves are coming off a late-night 110-105 loss to the Houston Rockets on Friday night. Minnesota has been without its superstar, Anthony Edwards, for two straight games due to a foot injury, but his status for Saturday’s game is unknown.
The Wolves present a tough matchup for the Spurs, with their size, strength, athleticism, and shooting ability. San Antonio has collapsed late in both losses to Minnesota this season. A strong performance on both the offensive and defensive ends, as they had against Milwaukee, would help them earn their first win against the Wolves this season and create some separation in the standings.
Spurs Injuries: Stephon Castle – Questionable (illness), Harrison Ingram – Out (G League), Stanley Umude – Out (G League), David Jones-Garcia – Out (G League), Devin Vassell – Out (adductor)
Timberwolves Injuries: Not posted until 1 pm CT
What to watch for:
Julius Randle on Victor Wembanyama
Wembanyama experienced offensive success against a fellow Frenchman, Rudy Gobert, in San Antonio’s last game against the Wolves. That success stopped when Randle became his primary defender. Randle was able to play physical and get underneath Wembanyama, forcing him off of his spot and making it nearly impossible for him to make a move toward the rim. If the Wolves decide to give Randle the Wemby assignment again, and they probably should, San Antonio will have to find a way to get Wembanyama open for good looks. Watch for the Spurs to use flex screens or even fade screens on the perimeter to open up some space for Wembanyama against a physical defense.
Three-point defense
The Spurs found out the Wolves can get hot in a hurry in both of their losses to Minnesota this year. The Wolves do a great job of spreading the ball out with their bigs, as Randle and Naz Reid are both threats from deep. Donte DiVincenzo is a flamethrower, and if role players like Bones Hyland and Jaden McDaniels get hot, the game can get out of hand quickly. San Antonio will need to close out to shooters and force tough shots to keep the Wolves down and out of the game.
Guard play
San Antonio’s guards looked great against the Bucks on Thursday. Stephon Castle was efficient, De’Aaron Fox looked comfortable with the ball in his hands, and Dylan Harper provided a spark off the bench. The Spurs have a ball-handling advantage if the trio plays up to its usual standards. Minnesota has long, tough perimeter defenders capable of making their lives difficult. San Antonio will need the most from their guard trio to secure a victory on Saturday.
BOTTOM LINE: Jaren Jackson Jr. and the Memphis Grizzlies host Desmond Bane and the Orlando Magic in out-of-conference play.
The Grizzlies are 9-11 in home games. Memphis gives up 116.2 points and has been outscored by 1.4 points per game.
The Magic have gone 9-11 away from home. Orlando is 11-11 against opponents with a winning record.
The Grizzlies are shooting 45.3% from the field this season, 2.2 percentage points lower than the 47.5% the Magic allow to opponents. The Magic are shooting 46.7% from the field, 0.4% higher than the 46.3% the Grizzlies' opponents have shot this season.
The teams square off for the second time this season. The Magic won 118-111 in the last matchup on Jan. 15. Paolo Banchero led the Magic with 26 points, and Jackson led the Grizzlies with 30 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: Cedric Coward is scoring 14.0 points per game and averaging 6.6 rebounds for the Grizzlies. Jackson is averaging 21.6 points and 6.1 rebounds over the last 10 games.
Bane is averaging 19 points and 4.5 assists for the Magic. Anthony Black is averaging 2.5 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Grizzlies: 3-7, averaging 114.2 points, 46.8 rebounds, 28.4 assists, 7.5 steals and 5.8 blocks per game while shooting 45.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.2 points per game.
Magic: 6-4, averaging 114.7 points, 44.6 rebounds, 27.9 assists, 8.2 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 46.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.6 points.
INJURIES: Grizzlies: Ja Morant: day to day (calf), Scotty Pippen Jr.: out (toe), Zach Edey: out (ankle), Ty Jerome: out (calf), Brandon Clarke: out (calf).
Magic: Jalen Suggs: day to day (knee), Jett Howard: day to day (illness), Colin Castleton: out (thumb).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Brooklyn Nets (12-27, 13th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Chicago Bulls (19-22, 10th in the Eastern Conference)
Chicago; Sunday, 7 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Brooklyn hits the road against Chicago looking to break its four-game road slide.
The Bulls have gone 13-15 against Eastern Conference teams. Chicago ranks second in the league with 35.0 defensive rebounds per game led by Josh Giddey averaging 7.8.
The Nets are 9-16 against Eastern Conference opponents. Brooklyn is 8-19 in games decided by 10 or more points.
The Bulls score 117.3 points per game, 3.5 more points than the 113.8 the Nets allow. The Nets' 44.6% shooting percentage from the field this season is 2.8 percentage points lower than the Bulls have given up to their opponents (47.4%).
The two teams play for the third time this season. The Nets defeated the Bulls 112-109 in their last matchup on Jan. 17. Michael Porter Jr. led the Nets with 26 points, and Nikola Vucevic led the Bulls with 19 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: Matas Buzelis is averaging 14.8 points and 5.2 rebounds for the Bulls. Vucevic is averaging 20.3 points over the last 10 games.
Noah Clowney is shooting 38.9% and averaging 13.3 points for the Nets. Egor Demin is averaging 3.0 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Bulls: 4-6, averaging 112.4 points, 44.7 rebounds, 29.2 assists, 6.5 steals and 6.1 blocks per game while shooting 46.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.7 points per game.
Nets: 2-8, averaging 106.5 points, 39.7 rebounds, 24.0 assists, 9.2 steals and 5.5 blocks per game while shooting 43.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.0 points.
INJURIES: Bulls: Noa Essengue: out for season (shoulder), Josh Giddey: day to day (hamstring), Zach Collins: out (toe), Patrick Williams: day to day (ankle).
Nets: Haywood Highsmith: out (knee), Ziaire Williams: day to day (illness).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: San Antonio hosts Minnesota in a matchup of Western Conference teams.
The Spurs are 15-11 in conference games. San Antonio ranks eighth in the Western Conference with 49.9 points per game in the paint led by Victor Wembanyama averaging 10.4.
The Timberwolves are 14-11 against conference opponents. Minnesota ranks second in the Western Conference shooting 37.3% from 3-point range.
The Spurs score 117.6 points per game, 3.1 more points than the 114.5 the Timberwolves give up. The Timberwolves average 14.1 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.7 more makes per game than the Spurs give up.
The teams square off for the third time this season. The Timberwolves won 104-103 in the last meeting on Jan. 12. Anthony Edwards led the Timberwolves with 23 points, and Wembanyama led the Spurs with 29 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: Wembanyama is shooting 51.6% and averaging 23.9 points for the Spurs. Julian Champagnie is averaging 3.5 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Julius Randle is averaging 22.6 points, seven rebounds and 5.6 assists for the Timberwolves. Naz Reid is averaging 18.6 points and 6.5 rebounds over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Spurs: 5-5, averaging 110.0 points, 49.1 rebounds, 23.6 assists, 7.1 steals and 3.3 blocks per game while shooting 43.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.9 points per game.
Timberwolves: 7-3, averaging 123.9 points, 47.0 rebounds, 28.1 assists, 8.5 steals and 5.9 blocks per game while shooting 51.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 113.8 points.
INJURIES: Spurs: Stephon Castle: day to day (illness), Devin Vassell: out (thigh).
Timberwolves: Terrence Shannon Jr.: out (foot), Anthony Edwards: out (foot).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
New Orleans Pelicans (10-34, 15th in the Western Conference) vs. Houston Rockets (24-15, fifth in the Western Conference)
Houston; Sunday, 7 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Trey Murphy III and the New Orleans Pelicans visit Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets in Western Conference play.
The Rockets have gone 2-4 against division opponents. Houston leads the league with 49.2 rebounds per game led by Alperen Sengun averaging 9.2.
The Pelicans have gone 4-24 against Western Conference opponents. New Orleans is seventh in the NBA with 12.4 offensive rebounds per game led by Yves Missi averaging 2.9.
The Rockets are shooting 47.8% from the field this season, 0.8 percentage points lower than the 48.6% the Pelicans allow to opponents. The Pelicans are shooting 46.5% from the field, 0.3% higher than the 46.2% the Rockets' opponents have shot this season.
The teams meet for the second time this season. The Pelicans won 133-128 in overtime in the last matchup on Dec. 19.
TOP PERFORMERS: Durant is scoring 26.3 points per game with 5.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists for the Rockets. Amen Thompson is averaging 20.9 points and 8.6 rebounds while shooting 51.4% over the last 10 games.
Murphy is averaging 22.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.6 steals for the Pelicans. Zion Williamson is averaging 23.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Rockets: 5-5, averaging 107.5 points, 50.6 rebounds, 21.7 assists, 7.5 steals and 5.5 blocks per game while shooting 44.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.6 points per game.
Pelicans: 2-8, averaging 113.3 points, 43.7 rebounds, 25.3 assists, 7.7 steals and 6.6 blocks per game while shooting 47.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 120.6 points.
INJURIES: Rockets: Fred VanVleet: out for season (acl), Tari Eason: out (ankle).
Pelicans: Jose Alvarado: out (oblique), Dejounte Murray: out (leg), Herbert Jones: day to day (ankle).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
ST.
LOUIS – The
St. Louis Blues looked forward to the opportunity to slay the dragon
on Friday night, the hottest team in the NHL going in the Tampa Bay
Lightning.
The
Lightning had bolted their way through 11 straight opponents with a
hot knife, and the Blues were next on the agenda and with another
win, the Lightning would establish a franchise record.
The
Blues would have none of that, and it took every ounce of energy and
they did it in a fashion they had trouble with all season: doing it
in overtime and/or a shootout.
But
when Jordan Kyrou scored in the second round of the shootout and Joel
Hofer was 3-for-3 in saves, including the final one on Nikita
Kucherov in the third round, the Blues put an end to the Lightning’s
winning streak at 11 with a 3-2 win at Enterprise Center on Friday.
“It
feels great,” Kyrou
said.
“Obviously we haven’t done that all year. It feels good to get
that one.”
Jake
Neighbours and Nick Bjugstad scored, and Hofer made 34 saves as the
Blues (19-21-8) completed a mini two-game homestand winning both
against two of the Eastern Conference’s best.
“We
knew it would be a good test, a quick little homestand before a road
trip,” Neighbours
said.
“It was a big point of emphasis for us. Carolina was coming off a
back to back, so that game was important and Tampa was on an 11-game
win streak coming into tonight. Two big games and guys rose up for
the challenge, played a stingy, hard defensive game. Don’t think we
had our best tonight by any means, but guys dug in and got it done.”
Let’s
look at Friday’s game observations:
*
Quick strike first period after not much happening – The ice was
tilted for much of the first period toward’s Hofer’s end of the
ice.
The
Lightning had much of the territorial edge in the first period, and
for the Blues, there was a lot of one-and-done. The few times they’d
get pucks in and try to attack offensively on the forecheck, it was
coming right back out.
But
when Neighbours and Bjugstad struck 30 seconds apart to turn a 0-0
game into a 2-0 lead, it allowed them to dictate things for a stretch
of the game.
When
Neighbours made it 1-0 at 17:03, it was a fortuitous bounce when
Kyrou’s shot from the high slot deflected to Neighbours at the
bottom of the right circle, but the Blues were finally able to get
to the middle of the ice when Cam Fowler dropped it to Kyrou for the
shot and Neighbours finish:
And
when the Bjugstad line with Pavel Buchnevich and Jonatan Berggren put
a puck in deep and had an effective forecheck, effectively turning it
over from Charlie-Edouard D’Astous behind the net and Buchnevich
feeding Bjugstad for a high-slot wrister that made it 2-0 at 17:33:
We didn't even get the highlight from the last goal done before this happened. pic.twitter.com/T1CtKZcfg8
“Part
of the way our defense and our systems are built is if teams are
keeping the puck that we can keep them to the outside and not allow a
lot of high-danger chances,” Neighbours said. “I thought we did a
pretty good job of that, especially early in the first period, kind
of allowed us to get our legs under us a little bit. Obviously
getting a couple goals at the end of the first was big for confidence
and mojo going into the second.”
*
Blues
were managing game well ... until penalties struck, including one bad
one – The Blues had gotten close to the midway point of the game
holding a two-goal lead against a potent and balanced offense, but
when Alexey Toropchenko and Nathan Walker each took a tripping minor,
that’s asking for trouble.
Especially
Walker, whose careless trip could have been prevented, especially
when the Blues were doing an excellent job at killing off the initial
minor. Walker had the puck along the wall near the Blues bench, and
with the final seconds ticking down on Toropchenko’s penalty, all
Walker had to do was dump the puck down below the goal line and the
Lightning almost surely would not have had time to score. But
instead, he tried to pull the puck around Oliver Bjorkstrand and
ended up tripping him, giving the Lightning, which was sixth in the
league at 28.6 percent during its 11-game win streak, the chance to
get right back in the game.
It
wasn’t much time, but the Lightning had 12 seconds of a two-man
advantage and needed only eight ticks when Kucherov one-timed a
Brandon Hagel no-look pass by Hofer at 9:59 to make it 2-1.
Not
only did it put the Lightning back in the game, but it gave Tampa Bay
1:52 of another full man advantage and the Lightning took advantage
when Bjorkstrand tied the game 2-2 at 11:01, so feeling like they had
firm control of the game, the Blues lost their grip.
All
due to one mishap that could have been avoided.
“Nathan
Walker’s an incredible team-first guy who would do anything to win
a game,” Montgomery
said.
“I know he knows that. We don’t have to talk to him about that.
He was trying to do a positive thing and it wasn’t the right game
management at the time in the second period.”
The
Blues didn’t feel like it was time to panic.
“After
they tied it, it’s just … that’s Kucherov,” Neighbours said.
“That’s that power play. It’s hard to stop even when you know
what’s coming. That’s what elite players do, that’s what good
power plays do. We knew 5-on-5, we didn’t mind our game. We thought
we had a chance and if we could get it back to that and stay with
that, we had a good chance.”
Walker
led all skaters with six hits in the game, and he does play with a
big heart, but that miscue could have cost the Blues two points.
Consider it a lesson learned.
*
Hofer being Hofer – Right now, the Blues goalie is playing with a
lot of confidence in his game.
The
Lightning, like the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday, were throwing a
lot of rubber at Hofer, and getting bodies to the net.
He
made two really good saves on Jake Guentzel in the first period and
was able to snap a shot from the point by Max Crozier looking one way
and catching it in another with Anthony Cirelli right in his grill.
“I
saw the release,” Hofer said. “It definitely makes it easier.
“I
feel good. Just trying to keep building. Even during the good games,
trying to take a thing or two and keep working on them and keep
building my game. It’s been going good.”
Since
Nov. 29, Hofer is 9-4-0 with a league-best 2.06 goals-against average
and .929 save percentage.
“He’s
playing big in the nets,” Montgomery said. “He’s making tough
saves look easy. That gives you a lot of confidence on the bench,
especially the players in front of him.”
*
More directness in OT – There was a reason why the Blues were 0-6
(0-8 if you count shootouts) in overtime this season. There was no
direct play towards the oppositions goal.
Whether
it be passing up shots, not playing north-south, not attacking the
net with a purpose, you name it, the Blues were all over it.
They
did outshoot Tampa Bay 4-2 in the extra session and had a couple
different chances to win it but came up just a little short before
Kyrou would strike in the shootout to preserve the win.
“I
thought we were more direct offensively, yes,” Montgomery said. ‘I
still think we were passing up too many shots, too many turnovers
going east-west. When you’re playing these elite teams, they cover
the middle of the ice really well, and that led to not as much O-zone
time as we would have liked.”
The
Blues practiced both 3-on-3 and shootout attempts Thursday in
practice and it seemed to pay off, despite the futility amongst
themselves on the pracrice ice.
“Yesterday
we worked on it and I thought today, we were attacking,” Kyrou
said, who had two terrific chances, one blocked by JJ Moser and
missing the net in the final second off a face-off win.
“We were not staying back. We were being aggressive shooting the
puck more. I thought we looked a lot better in overtime.”
*
Making the shootout count for a change – This was only the Blues’
third shootout of the season, and they were 0-for-6 combined in shootout attempts in losses to the Philadelphia Flyers and Vancouver Canucks.
But
Kyrou changed all that in the second round when he scored just his
fifth career shootout goal (on 22 attempts) in his career, when he
stickhandled to Vasilevskiy and flipped a backhand home for his
fourth game-winner:
“He’s
a big goalie, hard to score on,” Kyrou
said of Vasilevskiy.
“I just tried to move him as much as I can and raise the puck.”
Kyrou,
who hasn’t scored in 12 games (including 10 since returning from a
lower-body injury but does have four assists), finished tied with
Jimmy Snuggerud and Justin Faulk with four shots on goal.
“I
think this has been four consecutive games where Jordan Kyrou has
played his four best consecutive games in a row,” Montgomery said.
“His shot-first mentality and the assist on the (No.) 63 goal. He’s
trying to shoot pucks, he’s being very aggressive offensively, and
I like the way he’s tracking and stripping people from behind right
now.”
*
Bjugstad’s draws – When Montgomery sent Bjugstad over the boards
to start the overtime and take the opening draw, there was a purpose.
The
big center won 13 of 19 from the dot (68 percent for the night), at
one point being 10 of 12. But Montgomery didn’t care that he lost a
few down the stretch.
The
Blues were wanting the puck to begin OT, and they got it off
Bjugstad’s face-off win and possession to do what they’d like.
“Based
off be was 10-3 after two periods on face-offs,” Montgomery said.
“Some nights, you just win all the draws. It’s just the timing’s
on. He had one of those nights and he came up with three big wins in
overtime.”
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The Los Angeles Kings (19-16-12) earned a point tonight against the Anaheim Ducks (23-21-3) at home, but missed another chance of closing out the game when it got tight, falling 3-2 to Anaheim after leading 2-0 late in the second period.
Despite Los Angeles controlling large stretches of the game and the numbers on the stat sheet looking similar, the Kings once again proved they can't be trusted when the game gets close, as Mason McTavish sealed the win in the shootout.
Byfield and Armia Power the Kings to an Early 2-0 Lead
Los Angeles opened the scoring just over a minute into the first period when Quinton Byfield buried a wrist shot for his eighth goal of the season. Joel Armia, who returned from injury tonight after missing the last five games, quickly made his presence felt on the ice for the Kings, burying his 10th goal of the season in the second period, keeping the Kings in firm control of the game.
At this point, it looked like the Kings had a firm grip on the game, generating great looks and consistent pressure off the rush and in the offensive zone. But, it wouldn't be a Kings game if it didn't go down to the wire.
Late-Second Period Collapse Continues Troubling Trend
The game turned quickly late in the second period, a period that continues to haunt the Kings all season.
Ryan Strome and Tim Washe (who scored his first NHL goal) found the net against Darcy Kuemper, tying the game 2-2 just like that, putting the pressure on Los Angeles after having a commanding 2-0 lead.
Los Angeles has now surrendered 50 goals in the second period this season and owns a minus -10 goal differential in the frame, an awful stat to resurface at such a critical moment.
Not the best couple of minutes in late 2nd for Darcy Kuemper, Strome and Washe (1st NHL goal) on low danger chances. 2 in 2:44 for Anaheim in a frame that Kings have been subpar all season (50 GA -10 goal differential). LA have lost 11 of 16 when tied after 2. 2 2 after 40
The collapse after building a two-goal lead carried into another frustrating reality. The Kings have now lost 12 of 17 games that are tied after two periods, a big issue that keeps recurring when games are close and momentum swings to the opposition.
After 40 minutes, the game was tied 2-2. Despite Los Angeles controlling large stretches of possession and generating more quality looks, the game was tied.
Scoreless Third Leads to OT
Neither team scored in the third period or overtime, despite Kevin Fiala having a breakaway fast-break opportunity, but he lost control of the puck under the Ducks' defensive pressure.
LA and Anaheim had good luck in overtime, but give credit to both goaltenders for saving the game and sending it to a shootout.
Anaheim ultimately would prevail when McTavish beat Kuemper to secure a 3-2 Ducks win.
Both the Kings and Ducks finished with identical numbers at the end of the game: 28 shots and 50% on faceoffs, but neither team scored a power-play goal tonight.
Despite strong efforts from Fiala and Armia, the Kings once again walked away with just one point after failing to close out a winnable game. This loss becomes very concerning for the Kings because it's the same away Los Angeles keeps losing, strong starts are no longer enough if they can't execute late-game situations.
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That was a fun one, just wish it had started a little bit earlier.
Late Friday night, the Minnesota Timberwolves took on the Houston Rockets. It was the second straight game for the Wolves without Anthony Edwards as he recovers from an infection in his toe. Timberwolves Head Coach Chris Finch said he is still day-to-day with the injury.
Without their best player, it was always going to be an uphill climb for the Wolves, but they came out of the gates strong, taking a double-digit lead early in the second quarter. The defense was limiting Houston’s quality shots, the ball movement on offense was great, and they did a good job getting out in transition, scoring 16 fast break points in the first half.
The Rockets eventually whittled the Wolves’ lead down to two going into the halftime break. The slim margin would hold until the early parts of the fourth quarter when Houston scored seven straight points to give them an eight-point lead, their largest lead of the game to that point.
Without their best player on the floor, the Wolves could not find enough effective offense down the stretch of the game, turning the ball over eight times in the fourth quarter while making only a single 3-pointer on just three fourth-quarter attempts. Minnesota fell by a final score of 110-105.
Julius Randle and Kevin Durant were each the offensive engines for their team, each scoring 39 points. Randle’s scoring is now up to 27.7 points per game in the ten games Edwards has missed this season. Durant, like he always does, shot the ball incredibly well, going 11-18 from the field, 6-8 from beyond the arc, and 11-14 from the free-throw line.
Naz Reid was the other standout for the Timberwolves in the game, scoring 25 points as he made 8 of his 11 shots, including 5 makes from deep. After getting his first taste of rotation minutes on Tuesday against the Milwaukee Bucks, Joan Beringer kept his spot in the rotation, playing a total of six minutes as the Wolves experimented with a three-big lineup with Beringer, Randle, and Reid sharing the court together.
The centers for each team struggled mightily from the free-throw line as Rudy Gobert went 2-10 and Alperen Şengün shot 3-9. The two teams combined to go 40-69 from the free-throw line, both leaving a good number of points available that could have swung the balance of the game.
While any close loss is a missed opportunity for a team like the Wolves with lofty goals, this game will not come with a ton of baggage for the Wolves. Not having Edwards available made getting a win tough against a solid and potentially desperate Houston team, which had just gotten shellacked by the Oklahoma City Thunder a night ago.
It’s also easy to wonder how the game may have gone differently if Edwards had been able to suit up. Not having him available made it tough offensively for the Wolves against Houston’s ninth-rated defense.
Some losses make it feel like the sky is falling. Other losses, like tonight, you can shrug your shoulders and just try to get the next one.
Up Next
The Timberwolves don’t get much time to rest, as they have less than 20 hours to prepare for their next game, a matchup against the San Antonio Spurs at 7:00 PM CT. It is a quick turnaround between games, as you will see in the NBA, making it a real test as Minnesota takes on the team with the second-best record in the West. Fans can watch tomorrow’s game on FanDuel Sports Network.
