Posts

Posted on

Knicks capture 2025 NBA Cup title with dramatic 124-113 win over Spurs

While celebrations for an NBA Cup title stick in the craw of basketball purists, the Knicks need to dust off their trophy case and find room for a new piece of hardware.

The Knicks were crowned champions of the league's in-season tournament on Tuesday night, as they outlasted the Spurs, 124-113, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

By winning the finals matchup, Knicks players earned a cash prize of $530,933 each. Fans can also count on a banner being raised to the Madison Square Garden rafters -- head coach Mike Brown said as much before the game.

Here are the takeaways...

-- The incentive to compete was clear from the jump, as both teams played up-tempo and produced runs in a closely contested first quarter. After making three of the game's first four buckets, the Knicks allowed the Spurs to score nine unanswered points, and the heat-check also occurred without superstar Victor Wembanyama -- hecame off the bench midway through the opening period, under a minutes restriction. But the Knicks regrouped with help from OG Anunoby, who added 10 points on two-made threes. After one, the Spurs led by two, 30-28.

-- There was no change of pace in the second quarter. The Spurs kept their foot on the gas, extending their lead to seven at the halfway mark by forcing turnovers and spreading the floor in transition. They also saw De'Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle work as catalysts, contributing 15 combined assists. But the Knicks stayed in striking distance, cutting their deficit to one with 2:28 left in the half and knotting the score at 59-59 in the final minute. While the Spurs entered the break ahead by two, Anunoby flexed his muscles by adding another 10 points (20 total).

-- It took just two minutes of third-quarter action to notice an energy shift. The Spurs returned from the locker room with tenacity, orchestrating a quick 9-2 run that forced the Knicks to call timeout. By the halfway point, the Knicks' deficit reached double-digits, and to add injury to insult, Karl-Anthony Towns hurt his left leg after driving to the hoop on a contested layup. While the Knicks' star received treatment on the bench, Wembanyama took advantage of his limited time with the rock, finishing the quarter with 13 points (16 total). Still, the Knicks kept things tight, finishing the quarter on an 8-2 run to trim their deficit to 94-89.

-- The fourth quarter opened with a complete role reversal. Behind a pair of threes from Jordan Clarkson off the bench, the Knicks caught fire with eight unanswered points in 93 seconds that extended their run to 16-2, placed them ahead by three, and forced the Spurs to use a timeout. After the break, the Knicks stretched their lead to 104-97 on a three from Anunoby and a pair of jumpers from Jalen Brunson, who delivered a relatively quiet 23 points up until that point. With 4:49 remaining, Towns surprisingly checked back in after spending more than 10 minutes on the bench. The broadcast crew reported moments earlier that Towns had reaggravated a lingering calf issue.

-- Josh Hart gave the Knicks their largest lead of the night with 2:58 left, draining a three with a noticeable limp from the left wing to push the score to 115-107. Then, after a three from Harper that cut the Spurs' deficit to five, Anunoby took charge again with a corner three that widened the margin back to eight. The momentum swing placed the Spurs in a closing-minutes hole they simply couldn't climb out of, and when the final buzzer sounded, the Knicks were crowned winners of the third NBA Cup.

-- From start to finish, the pace was intense. Both teams combined for 204 shots, and the Knicks made just one more three (15) than the Spurs (14). The difference was seen on the boards, as the Knicks out-rebounded the Spurs, 59-42, and scored 12 more points in the paint. The Knicks' leader on the glass was Mitchell Robinson, who racked up 15 boards in 18 minutes. Towns wound up playing 30 minutes, adding 16 points. The early fourth-quarter swing gave the Knicks a jolt -- they outscored the Spurs, 35-19, during the 12-minute stretch.

Game MVP: OG Anunoby

Anunoby found a groove early and never gave it up. He finished with a game-high 28 points on 10-of-17 shooting with eight rebounds and three assists. It was Brunson who earned NBA Cup MVP honors, however -- he scored 25 on 11-of-27 shooting with eight assists and four boards.

Highlights

Up next

The Knicks (18-7) will resume regular-season play on Thursday night, with a road matchup against the Indiana Pacers (7 p.m. tip-off).

Posted on

Knicks' Jalen Brunson named 2025 NBA Cup MVP

Jalen Brunson has been everything for the Knicks over the past few seasons. 

On Tuesday, the captain was officially named the 2025 NBA Cup MVP. 

Brunson was spectacular for New York throughout the tournament to help them secure the title. 

He led all scorers averaging 33.5 points and 6.5 assists on a stellar 55 percent shooting from the field. 

While Brunson took home the award, he credited his teammates for stepping up during Tuesday's win over the Spurs.

"OG Anunoby, Tyler Kolek, Jordan Clarkson, Mitchell Robinson, they played their a-- off tonight," he said. "Without them, we don't win this, they played their a-- off tonight."

Posted on

Sharks Veteran Forward Hits Big New Milestone

San Jose Sharks forward Jeff Skinner has hit a new career milestone.

During the Sharks' Dec. 16 contest against the Calgary Flames, Skinner officially played in the 1,100th game of his NHL career. 

It is undoubtedly a big accomplishment for an NHL player to reach 1,100 career games, and Skinner is now the latest player to do so. This new milestone shows just how strong of a career the Sharks sniper has had. What also makes it even more impressive is that he is still just 33 years old. 

Skinner became an NHL regular immediately after being selected by the Carolina Hurricanes with the seventh-overall pick of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, as he put up a 63-point season as a rookie in 2010-11. Now, Skinner is in his 16th NHL season.

Skinner joined the Sharks this off-season when he signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the club in free agency. In 21 games so far this season with the Sharks, he has recorded four goals and seven points. 

In 1,100 career NHL games split between the Hurricanes, Buffalo Sabres, Edmonton Oilers, and Sharks, Skinner has posted 377 goals, 329 assists, and 706 points.

Posted on

Ducks lose to Blue Jackets in overtime

Columbus Blue Jackets' Yegor Chinakhov, left, interferes with Anaheim Ducks' Ville Husso during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025, in Columbus, Ohio. Chinakhov was penalized on the play. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
Yegor Chinakhov of the Blue Jackets flies past Ducks goalie Ville Husso in the third period. (Jay LaPrete / Associated Press)

Adam Fantilli scored with 1:28 left in overtime to lift the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 4–3 win over the Ducks on Tuesday night, breaking a five-game losing streak.

Zach Werenski scored twice and added an assist in his 600th NHL game, Boone Jenner had a goal and an assist, and Kent Johnson added two assists. Jet Greaves stopped 24 shots for his first win since Nov. 20.

Mikael Granlund had a goal and an assist, Ryan Strome and Jackson LaCombe also scored goals, and Ryan Poehling recorded two assists for the Ducks. Ville Husso made 24 saves as the Ducks dropped three games on their five-city trip.

Werenski gave Columbus an early lead at 8:21 of the first period, burying a feed from Jenner to extend his home point streak to 11 games.

Strome pulled the Ducks even with a wrister from the crease at 3:35 of the second period, but Columbus responded with two goals in a 43-second span. Werenski put the Blue Jackets back on top before Jenner backhanded in the rebound of an Ivan Provorov shot just 19 seconds later to make it 3–1.

After Granlund pulled the Ducks within a goal at 5:29, LaCombe tied the score with 3:16 left in the third. Fantilli then ended it in overtime with a wrister from the right circle.

The win was Columbus' first over the Ducks in Nationwide Arena since Dec. 1, 2017.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Posted on

Alex DeBrincat Stays Hot, Powers Red Wings to 3-2 Win Over Islanders With Two-Goal Performance

Follow Michael Whitaker On X

There aren't many players in the National Hockey League hotter than Detroit Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat right now, who has points in seven of his last eight games and came through once again in the clutch on Tuesday evening against the New York Islanders. 

With newborn son Leighton in attendance, DeBrincat scored a pair of power-play goals in the third period, including the game-winner with 2:17 left in regulation, as part of Detroit's 3-2 win.

DeBrincat gathered the rebound of his initial shot that deflected off Islanders defenseman Ryan Pulock and fired a shot past goaltender Ilya Sorokin for the winning tally: 

Playing the role of hero, DeBrincat would become the first Red Wings player this season to reach the 20-goal mark with his winner late in regulation. He's also on pace to become the first Red Wings player since Marian Hossa in 2008-09 to reach 40 goals scored. 

It was Detroit's first victory in three tries over the Islanders this season, who had taken both previous contests from the Red Wings by a combined 12-2 score. 

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

With the victory, the Red Wings have now won five of their last seven and improved their record to 19-12-3 through the first 34 games of their centennial campaign.

Image

The Islanders struck first when Emil Heineman one-timed a shot past goaltender John Gibson at the 4:27 mark of the opening period, and it remained the game’s only goal until early in the third.

The Red Wings generated multiple chances against Ilya Sorokin through the first 40 minutes, including a breakaway by John Leonard, who was making his Detroit debut after being called up from the Grand Rapids Griffins to replace the injured Patrick Kane.

Rookie defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka ended Sorokin’s bid for a second straight shutout in Detroit by roofing a shot over his shoulder early in the third period to tie the game at 1-1. DeBrincat then scored on Detroit’s first power-play opportunity of the night not even two minutes later to give the Red Wings a 2-1 lead.

However, the Islanders quickly answered when defenseman Scott Mayfield snuck in from the point, took a pass, and beat Gibson from the slot for his first goal of the season.

That set the stage for DeBrincat, who collected his team-leading ninth power-play tally of the season that ultimately stood up as the game-winner. 

Gibson won his fifth straight game for the Red Wings, making 16 saves on the 18 shots he faced, while Sorokin countered with 18 saves of his own on 21 shots against. 

The Red Wings won't have much time to celebrate their win, as they're back at it on Wednesday evening against the visiting Utah Mammoth. 

Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

Posted on

Blackhawks Allow 3 Unanswered, Lose 3-2 To Maple Leafs

The Chicago Blackhawks played a poised, fast, and strong game for the first 55 minutes of their Tuesday night matchup against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Then, the Blackhawks lost everything they worked incredibly hard for in the final few minutes of the game. 

Entering the 3rd period, the Blackhawks were feeling great with their 2-0 lead that they had built up in the first period. Wyatt Kaiser and Jason Dickinson had the two goals for Chicago. 

At 9:59 of the final period, however, Oliver Ekman-Larsson threw a puck on net after the Leafs won a face-off back to him, and it found its way in. This seeing-eye shot was the beginning of the disaster coming. 

With under five minutes remaining in the period, the Leafs snatched victory from the hands of defeat by scoring two goals in eight seconds. Auston Matthews scored to tie the game on the power play. Then, Spencer Knight allowed a rare rebound that Dakota Joshua beat Louis Crevier to and made it 3-2. 

When trying to tie it back up themselves, the Blackhawks were unable to set up in the offensive zone with the goalie pulled, allowing the Leafs to make the 3-2 score final. This is going to be a tough loss for the players and coaches to swallow. They played so well for 95 percent of the game, only to blow it in the final five minutes. 

It happened so fast. Two quick and somewhat random plays put the Blackhawks down after they were just a couple of minutes away from winning a solid road game. 

There have been a handful of blowout losses, and those are tough. However, they knew early that they were going to lose those games. This is a game that they played well and have no standings points to show for it. That can be more deflating than a blowout. 

One player who deserves some credit is Spencer Knight. He allowed that bad rebound on the Dakota Joshua goal, but he had a shutout going through the first 50 minutes of the game. Bad penalties, a few defensive mistakes, and a couple of nice plays by Toronto's top players handed Knight a tough loss. 

After the game, Jeff Blashill was not as hard on the team in his media availability as expected. He knows that they played well and things didn't go their way late. It happens sometimes, but this is a learning lesson for a young team. 

Watch Every Blackhawks Goal

Next Up For Chicago

Next Up For Chicago is the Montreal Canadiens as their eastern Canada road trip continues. This will be their chance to forget about what happened on Tuesday night in Toronto. 

Image

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

Posted on

Four Mock Trades That Could Spark Winnipeg's Offense

The Winnipeg Jets suffered a 3-2 loss at the hands of the Ottawa Senators Monday that saw the team's depth scoring issues continue to persist as the team saw none of their forwards find the back of the net with defensemen Logan Stanley and Neal Pionk scoring the Jets two goals. 

It's been a concern for the Jets for a large portion of this season with the team seeing a massive boost with star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck coming back as the Jets rallied around the moment and secured a shocking 5-1 win Saturday but Monday's loss again saw the problems return. Winnipeg will need to find solutions sooner than later before the season starts to slip away and with the team's tight cap situation, it creates a tricky spot for Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff. 

That is exactly why we've done the work for him and have up with three potential trade offers the Jets could make that should work with their current cap situation at $6.4 million as well as strengthen the team's offense. 

Big Swing: Penguins Winger Rickard Rakell For Prospect Brad Lambert

Rakell is an impact player coming off a career-best 70-point season with the Penguins and has either recorded or been on pace for 55 or more points in three of the past four seasons. The 32-year-old Swedish winger has three years remaining on his contract with a $5 million cap hit, a figure that fits within the Penguins’ current cap structure. He has been frequently mentioned in recent trade rumors, though a combination of Pittsburgh’s recent success and his eight-team no-trade list has complicated any potential move.

From the Jets’ perspective, the first concern would be ensuring they are not included on Rakell’s no-trade list. The next question is whether Pittsburgh would be willing to move the veteran winger while locked in a tight playoff race. If a deal were possible, it would benefit Winnipeg by adding a long-term piece capable of replacing much of the scoring lost with Nikolaj Ehlers’ departure. Rakell’s cap hit would also become more manageable over time as the league’s salary cap continues to rise.

The trade could also provide Lambert with the fresh start he has been seeking, allowing him to step into an immediate impact role with a Penguins team that is transitioning toward a rebuild. Ultimately, the feasibility of this deal depends on how Pittsburgh’s season unfolds, specifically whether they remain in the playoff hunt or decide to pivot and offload assets ahead of the trade deadline. If the latter occurs, the Jets should strongly pursue this deal or a similar move centered around acquiring a player like Rakell.

Realistic Move: Flames Veteran Winger Blake Coleman For Future Middle Round Pick

The Calgary Flames are looking to offload some of their assets in troubling season with their veterans being listed as the first to go. One of the names involved in several trade rumors is two-time Stanley Cup champion Blake Coleman, who has a ton of playoff experience with 65 games played and has produced some clutch moments with 31 points. Coleman has two years left on his current deal with a similar cap hit to Rakell at $4.9 million per season and could work in as a middle-six winger. 

The 34-year-old Texas native is a bit older and has a significant cap hit that would weigh down the asking price for him but he's still producing fairly decent numbers as he's still on pace for 35 points this season on a Calgary team that is one of the worst in the league. In a good spot of the Jets lineup, Coleman could tap into that 50-point upside we saw just two seasons ago when he recorded 54 points during the 2023-24 season. 

Big Swing: Leafs Winger Nick Robertson For Logan Stanley, 2028 Second-Round Pick

The Toronto Maple Leafs are experiencing one of their worst seasons in recent memory and are likely looking to reset their roster through several structural lineup changes. One player who has surfaced repeatedly in trade discussions is Robertson. The 24-year-old California native is having a solid season with 12 points in 29 games, putting him on pace for a career-high 34 points.

Toronto has struggled with injuries throughout the season and has reportedly been searching for defensive help. The Jets could provide that in Stanley, who is enjoying a career-best year and is on pace for 30 points, more than double his previous career high of 14 set last season. Still just 27 years old, Stanley has shown steady improvement year over year. His six-foot-seven frame also fits the physical style favored by Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube, who prefers a hard-nosed brand of hockey similar to the one that led the St. Louis Blues to a Stanley Cup in 2019.

This potential deal would address key needs for both teams. The Maple Leafs have indicated they are willing to move depth forwards like Robertson to create room for others to receive consistent ice time. In return, they would acquire an impactful defenseman in Stanley along with future draft capital. Meanwhile, the Jets would add a young winger they could pair with Cole Perfetti, allowing the two to develop together for years to come.

Realistic Move: Canucks Winger Kiefer Sherwood For 2027 Third-Round Pick

The Canucks may not be finished making moves after trading captain Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild in a blockbuster deal. Vancouver is reportedly still active on the market and could look to move high-impact winger Kiefer Sherwood. The 30-year-old is coming off a 40-point season in which he led the league with 462 hits. 

He is currently on pace for 43 points this year while playing a depth role with the Canucks and could provide similar production for the Jets. Sherwood brings underrated physicality, high energy, and valuable secondary scoring, all areas where Winnipeg could use reinforcement. His skill set makes him a natural fit in a middle-six role.

If Vancouver commits to a youth movement, Winnipeg could take advantage by acquiring Sherwood and his very affordable $1.5 million cap hit in exchange for a future draft pick. Since this is the final year of his current contract, the Jets would also have the option to bring Sherwood back on a long-term deal if the fit proves successful.

Image

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

Posted on

Islanders allow three third-period goals in 3-2 loss to Red Wings

DETROIT (AP) — Alex DeBrincat scored two power-play goals in the third period as the Detroit Red Wings beat the New York Islanders 3-2 on Tuesday night.

DeBrincat has eight goals and 13 points in his last eight games for the Red Wings, who have won five of six. John Gibson made 16 saves to win his sixth straight start.

Ilya Sorokin stopped 18 shots for the Islanders, who had won three in a row and seven of eight. New York was going for a season sweep, having outscored Detroit 12-2 in the first two meetings.

New York took an early lead on Emil Heineman’s 11th goal at 4:27 of the first, as he put in Mathew Barzal’s pass across the slot. Barzal missed the morning skate and wasn’t penciled into the lineup until pregame warmups, but extended his point streak to five games with the assist.

Detroit dominated offensive-zone time in the first two periods, but struggled to turn it into scoring chances. When the Red Wings did, Sorokin came up with key saves.

Axel Sandin-Pellikka, though, tied the game at 2:03 of the third period, cutting along the goal line and putting a wrist shot over Sorokin’s shoulder.

DeBrincat gave the Red Wings a 2-1 lead at 3:55, ripping a wrist shot over Sorokin’s glove hand. Scott Mayfield made it 2-all at 11:26.

Sorokin stopped Dylan Larkin at point-blank range with 4:35 to play, but DeBrincat put Detroit back in front at 17:43 with his 20th goal of the season.

Red Wings rookie Nate Danielson escaped injury when he was hit in the head by DeBrincat’s shot in the second. He went back to the locker room with athletic trainers, but returned within five minutes. Linesman Shandor Alphonso also needed attention from trainers after being hit by a deflected shot late in the game.

Up next

Islanders: Host the Vancouver Canucks on Friday.

Red Wings: Host the Utah Mammoth on Wednesday.

Posted on

Rangers blanked by league-worst Canucks, as offense fails to deliver on home ice again

KNEW YORK (AP) — Evander Kane and Liam Ohgren scored and Thatcher Demko made 23 saves as the league-worst Vancouver Canucks defeated the New York Rangers 3-0 on Tuesday night.

Conor Garland added an empty-net goal as Vancouver, which had won only three of its previous 12 games, smothered the Rangers from start to finish. New York is 4-10-3 at home.

Kane scored his sixth goal 1:46 into the contest, when he beat Rangers netminder Jonathan Quick after defenseman Matthew Robertson’s path was briefly blocked by a linesman.

Ohgren, acquired Friday from Minnesota in the Quinn Hughes trade, made it 2-0 at 3:24 of the second. It was Ohgren’s first goal with Vancouver. The 21-year-old Swedish forward also played 18 games without a point for the Wild this season.

Demko stopped Artemi Panarin with 4:16 left in the second to preserve the shutout, his first this season and the 10th of his career.

Garland scored shorthanded into an empty net with the Rangers with 3:08 remaining in the third.

Vancouver has only 29 points in 33 games.

The Rangers’ power play, which has struggled since defenseman Adam Fox was injured against Tampa Bay on Nov. 29, failed to convert on four chances.

The Rangers have been blanked six times and scored one goal four times in their 10 regulations loses at the Garden.

Quick made 14 saves.

New York will play seven of their next eight games on the road, including the Jan. 2 Winter Classic against the Florida Panthers in Miami.

The Rangers were coming off a 4-1 home loss to Anaheim on Monday in the return game for former Rangers Chris Kreider and Jacob Trouba.

Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad returned after he was scratched against Anaheim for missing a team meeting.

The Canucks were without leading scorer Elias Pettersson (upper body) for the fifth-straight game. He was placed on injured reserve Sunday.

Up next

Canucks: Visiting New York Islanders on Friday.

Rangers: Visiting St. Louis Blues on Thursday.