USC's punter looked like a quarterback when he executed a fake punt. However, it was a quarterback that just wore the same number as the punter.
Nets unable to keep up in second half of 125-107 loss to Pistons
NEW YORK (AP) — Cade Cunningham had 34 points and 10 assists, Jalen Duren added 30 points and 11 rebounds and the Detroit Pistons beat the Brooklyn Nets 125-107 on Friday night in an NBA Cup group opener.
Cunningham was 13 for 18 from the field and made all six of his free throws to help lead Detroit to its fifth straight victory and a 7-2 record. The All-Star point guard has averaged 29.8 points and 11.2 assists while shooting 54 percent from the field during the streak.
Ausar Thompson had 14 points, and Caris Levert added 10 for the Pistons. They have won their last four meetings against Brooklyn.
Michael Porter Jr. scored 28 points for Brooklyn, and Noah Clowney added 19 as the Nets fell to 1-8. They were without Cam Thomas because of a strained left hamstring. He will be reevaluated in three to four weeks.
Detroit fell behind by 10 points in the first quarter and led by five at halftime before Cunningham took over in the third with 14 points as the Pistons had a 34-19 edge in the period.
Cunningham led a 7-0 run with five points to extend the lead to 72-57 with 9:05 left in the period as the Nets called a timeout. He then ignited another 7-0 run with a basket and a free throw before Duren’s dunk capped the spurt to make it 82-65 with 4:04 remaining in the quarter.
Up next
Pistons: At Philadelphia on Sunday night.
Nets: At New York on Sunday night.
Islanders look disjointed in sloppy 5-2 loss to Wild
NEW YORK (AP) — Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and an assist, and the Minnesota Wild beat the New York Islanders 5-2 on Friday night.
Vinnie Hinostraza, Danila Yurov, Brock Faber and Marco Rossi also scored for Minnesota in its third win in four games. Jesper Wallstedt finished with 25 saves.
Emil Heineman and Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored for the Islanders and David Rittich had 21 saves as New York lost its second straight and snapped a three-game point streak (2-0-1).
Kaprizov scored on a give-and-go with Mats Zuccarello to push the Wild’s lead to 5-2 at 8:33 of the third period. It was Kaprizov’s ninth goal of the season.
Trailing 2-0 after 20 minutes, the Islanders got on the board at 4:38 of the second as Heineman got a pass from Bo Horvat in the right circle and beat Wallstedt for his sixth.
Faber restored the Wild’s two-goal lead 1:18 later as he got the puck in the high slot after Matt Boldy’s wraparound try and put it past Rittich.
Rossi pushed the lead to 4-1 as he skated in on Rittich and beat him into the top right corner at 9:05.
Pageau pulled New York back within two, skating in on Wallstedt and tucking it past the goalie on the right side with 1:09 left in the second.
Hinostraza gave the Wild a 1-0 lead at 7:24 of the first, deflecting a pass from Jonas Brodin past Rittich from the right doorstep.
Yurov doubled the lead with 7:28 remaining in the opening period as he took several whacks at a loose puck in front.
Up next
Wild: Host Calgary on Sunday to open a five-game homestand.
Islanders: At New York Rangers on Saturday to open a seven-game trip.
Matt Allan, Bryce Montes de Oca headline Mets minor leaguers to elect free agency
The Mets had several minor leaguers elect to hit free agency on Friday, and the most notable are right-handers Matt Allan and Bryce Montes de Oca.
Allan was once viewed as one of the next big things in the organization.
The youngster battled numerous injuries over the years, though, and he wasn’t able to return until this past season.
He threw 20.0 innings between Brooklyn and St. Lucie before being shut back down.
Montes de Oca was an up-and-coming bullpen arm who shone during his time in big-league camp and then made his debut during the 2022 season.
He throws extremely hard and possesses big-time swing-and-miss stuff, but struggles at times with his command.
The 28-year-old underwent Tommy John surgery in 2023, and after making just 13 rehab appearances, he had an additional procedure in August of 2024.
Others to elect free agency include José Azocar, Joey Meneses, Ty Adcock, Joe La Sorsa, Luke Ritter, Omar de los Santos, Jace Beck, and Luis Moreno.
Moreno’s double-double powers No. 9 Kentucky to 107-59 rout of Valparaiso
Malachi Moreno scored 18 points and had 10 rebounds to lead No. 9 Kentucky to a 107-59 win over Valparaiso on Friday night. The freshman forward led six Wildcats in double figures as Otega Oweh had 15 and Mouhamed Dioubate and Collin Chandler had 14 points each. Brandon Garrison and Denzel Aberdeen scored 12 points each for Kentucky.
Wilson, Veesaar, Trimble power No. 25 North Carolina’s 2nd-half push to beat No. 19 Kansas 87-74
Freshman Caleb Wilson had 24 points, big man Henri Veesaar added 20 and No. 25 North Carolina dominated the second half to pull away from No. 19 Kansas 87-74 in Friday night's battle of college basketball bluebloods. Senior Seth Trimble added 13 of his 17 after halftime, proving to be a catalyst for the Tar Heels (2-0) in taking control of the second-half tempo as UNC roared out of the break.
Mini Reunion: Gritsyuk and Demidov Reconnect Ahead of Devils–Canadiens Matchup
The New Jersey Devils defeated the Montreal Canadiens 4–3 in a shootout last night, but for one player, it was more than just another game - it was a mini-reunion and a taste of home.
Devils rookie Arseny Gritsyuk was reunited with his friend Ivan Demidov before the matchup. The two played together last season with SKA St. Petersburg in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), before Demidov made the jump to the NHL to join the Canadiens.
Gritsyuk told NHL.com that when he traveled from Russia to New Jersey this offseason, he stopped in Montreal to visit his old teammate.
“He told me you need to always be stronger — like always, always be ready for the hit,” Gritsyuk said of the advice Demidov shared with him to NHL.com.
The two have stayed in touch as Demidov adjusted to his first NHL season and Gritsyuk prepared for his own North American debut.
“I talked to him after Montreal lost in the playoffs,” Gritsyuk said to NHL.com. “I called him for a lot of details. He said it’s always a challenging game — every game. There’s always pressure, not much time. And the micro-battles are so important. When you go back for the puck — body check, body check, body check.”
Ahead of the game, Gritsyuk posted on his Telegram channel, Grit’s Diary, that he had invited Demidov over for dinner.
He shared a photo of the two with the caption:
Gritsyuk’s Telegram – @arsenigritsyuk81
“It was my turn to receive guests — for example, today Vanya Demidov stopped by 🤝 We had a delicious meal, chatted, and just had a great time. 😇 See you on the ice, brother 🤙”
Gritsyuk has mentioned having dinners with several familiar Russian faces during his first 14 NHL games and was happy to return the favor by hosting Demidov ahead of their matchup in Newark.
In the game, Demidov logged 10:27 of ice time, finishing with no points and two penalty minutes, while Gritsyuk played 15:29 and recorded two shots on goal.
As Gritsyuk navigates his rookie season and Demidov continues his sophomore campaign, the two continue to lean on each other for advice, familiarity, and friendship, both on and off the ice.
Latest Flyers Roster Move Creates Even More Lineup Questions
The Philadelphia Flyers have generally rolled with the same lineup over the last few games, but their latest transaction indicates that may not be the case for long.
On Friday, the Flyers announced that they had recalled forward Carl Grundstrom, acquired in the Ryan Ellis trade, and sent Aleksei Kolosov back to the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
That move comes on the heels of a separate switch that saw goalie Sam Ersson come off injured reserve and center Jacob Gaucher head back to the Phantoms.
The key here, though, is that Gaucher had originally been called up by the Flyers because the team needed a right-shot center.
Grundstrom, 27, is neither a right-shot forward nor a center, and he gives the Flyers 13 forwards on their active roster with Tyson Foerster still on injured reserve.
NHL Insider 'Can See' Flyers, Trevor Zegras Contract Extension Talks StartingNHL insider Elliotte Friedman is beginning to "wonder" about contract extension talks between the Flyers and Trevor Zegras.The Flyers also, however, have eight defensemen, which is not a particularly common denomination around the NHL.
Grundstrom's sudden addition to the NHL roster, and replacing Gaucher, especially, has created some questions that will be solved sooner or later.
For instance, eccentric rookie forward Nikita Grebenkin has played fewer than 10 minutes in three of his last five games, and veteran tough guy Nick Deslauriers just played a season-high 10:01 in his sixth appearance of the season in Thursday night's 3-1 win over the Nashville Predators.
One of Deslauriers or Grebenkin could come out of the lineup for Grundstrom if the Swede is to draw in at some point, especially given that Rodrigo Abols appears to have the fourth-line center role on lock.
And, if and when Foerster does return, the Flyers will need to send another player down to the AHL.
Unheralded Flyers Defenseman Quietly Playing Like One of NHL's BestPhiladelphia Flyers defenseman Cam York has been more dominant this season than anyone had imagined.Would Grundstrom head back to the Phantoms so soon, sticking around for just a cup of coffee? Or will the Flyers decide they've had enough of the eight-defenseman rotation on the blueline?
Adam Ginning has played just one game since Oct. 16, and Emil Andrae appears to have usurped Egor Zamula's place in the lineup with his transitional skills outweighing his lack of size.
No matter the outcome, the Flyers are almost inevitably heading towards some kind of further change to the lineup and roster, which could some as soon as the end of the weekend.
NHL Hockey News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games 2025-11-08 05:25:09
2026 NFL Draft: Players Minnesota Vikings fans should watch in CFB Week 11
Week 11 of college football has a decent amount of players for Vikings fans to follow.
Lakers continue to rely on team building, strong bond during fast start
JJ Redick was already preaching one type of Japanese philosophy, harping to his team about the concept of “kaizen” to improve each day. Off the court, the head coach found inspiration in another Japanese phrase.
Lakers players and coaches have used PechaKucha presentations to facilitate team bonding this season. The slideshows, which come from the Japanese word for chitchat, could be a secret to the team’s hot start as the Lakers (7-2) have won five consecutive games entering a five-game road that starts Saturday in Atlanta at 5 p.m. PST against the Hawks.
The Lakers have pieced together one of the NBA’s most efficient offenses despite injuries keeping LeBron James, Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic in and out of the lineup, relying on a strong team bond that’s developed quickly through an even faster form of communication.
PechaKucha presentations are traditionally 20 slides, each with a photo. The speaker has 20 seconds to explain each slide for a total presentation time of 6 minutes and 40 seconds.
The Lakers' version consists of five slides: where you’re from; favorite basketball memory; person, event or thing that has impacted your life; your non-basketball happy place; and dealer’s choice.
“A lot of times most of the interactions you'll have with your teammates is on the basketball court,” forward Jake LaRavia said. “So it's good to just kind of either learn some stuff about them outside of basketball, like hobbies and stuff like that, where they come from. And that just helps you kind of understand who the person is a little bit better."
Read more:Lakers takeaways: Luka Doncic's defense (yes, defense) helps hold off Spurs
Assistant coach Scott Brooks started his presentation with a photo of a walnut, symbolizing the walnut farm he worked on during the weekends to help his family make ends meet. LaRavia showed a photo of his driveway as the origin of his basketball journey. Doncic spoke about how his daughter Gabriela changed his life.
One coach and one player present, and then they each nominate the next coach or player to go. With about half of the players and coaches left, Redick said he’s already noticing the holdouts actively planning their presentations before their nominations.
“We're just constantly encouraging and empowering our guys to get connected,” Redick said. “I believe if you're connected off the floor, you're connected on the floor. You need buy-in to that. I'm not trying to take credit for my staff here. It's the guys on the team, they're bought into that.”
Doncic, for one, isn’t sold. He deadpanned that he doesn’t think the exercise helps.
Just the fact that Doncic made the joke meant it’s working.
Settled after last season’s jarring trade, the 26-year-old’s personality has started to emerge among his teammates. He is a sarcastic jokester who expresses love for his teammates by threading passes to them through pinhole-sized gaps in the defense and then trash talking them right soon after.
Doncic’s smiling antics, whether he’s trying to sit on Austin Reaves’ lap on the sideline or swishing halfcourt shots in a contest with Reaves, Maxi Kleber and staff members, show just how connected the superstar feels to the team.
“Honestly, the feeling is I'm enjoying, very much, playing with these guys,” Doncic said. “AR [Reaves] can’t play. We're still missing LeBron. So this team has a big potential. But everybody who steps on court, gives maximum, man, everybody. So it's very enjoyable to play.”
Reaves is present on the road trip but will miss a third consecutive game Saturday. The Lakers ruled him out after practice Friday as his right groin injury progressed to a strain after previously being categorized simply as soreness.
James did not make the trip to Atlanta. He progressed to on-court basketball activities this week after missing four weeks because of a sciatica on his right side. He was playing one-on-one with coaches, Redick said. A stint with the South Bay Lakers is on the table, but no decision has been made.
The NBA’s all-time leading scorer hasn’t played a single minute for the Lakers yet. Reaves, averaging 31.1 points and 9.3 assists, has missed the last two wins, and Doncic has played in only half of the games. But the Lakers are still fifth in the NBA in offensive rating.
“It shows how professional we are,” guard Marcus Smart said of the team’s chemistry despite constantly changing personnel. “I think a lot of people, especially who aren't in the brotherhood, they forget that you build a relationship with guys, and then one guy or a couple guys, you get traded and you got to rebuild another one. You don’t understand how tough that is, how much of a toll that takes.”
Just as Smart spoke, Doncic appeared behind the group of reporters, clapping loudly. Then Doncic made sure to put on the record that he would beat Smart at a team-building competition that night. Both smiled as they walked away.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
How The Vancouver Canucks Stack Up To The Rest Of The NHL: 15 Games In
The Vancouver Canucks are 15 games into the 2025–26 season. While they most recently went 2–1–0 on their Central Division road trip, they suffered a difficult 5–2 defeat at the hands of the Chicago Blackhawks last night, giving them a losing record yet again. Here’s how they’re performing compared to the rest of the NHL.
Team Stats
Vancouver’s recent stretch of play has skidded them into the bottom-half of the NHL in all of their team stats. Their lone stat still near the middle of the pack is their power play (19.2%). Their two lowest are their work in the faceoff dot (45.5%) and their infamous penalty kill (68%), which has allowed a goal against in each of the past four games.
Individual Skaters
Despite some difficult numbers on offence, the Canucks nearly lead the NHL in two categories thanks to efforts from two individual players. Filip Hronek is currently third in the NHL in TOI with 370:19 minutes played since the start of the season (partially in-part due to filling in for an injured Quinn Hughes). On the other hand, Kiefer Sherwood is second in the NHL in hits with 67. This is not the only stat that Sherwood leads his team in, as he is also the Canucks’ leading scorer right now with nine goals (tied for eighth in the NHL).
Goaltenders
Again, due to the amount of games played over Kevin Lankinen, Thatcher Demko leads the Canucks in all stat categories for goaltenders. Of all goalies who have played a minimum of three games this season, Demko’s SV% (.911) and GAA (2.57) are towards the middle of the league. He has faced the 10th-most high-danger shots and has a SV% of .857 in these circumstances. Demko is currently taking time to rest, resulting in the team calling up goaltender Jiří Patera from Abbotsford in the event he is unable to play this weekend.
The Canucks continue their current homestand with a back-to-back this weekend against the Columbus Blue Jackets and Colorado Avalanche. They take on the Winnipeg Jets next Tuesday before heading back on the road for an Eastern Conference road trip kicked off with a stop in Carolina to face the Carolina Hurricanes.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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"Want To Chase This Feeling": Marco Kasper Seeks To Elevate Offensive Attack For Red Wings
There have been some collective weights lifted off the shoulders of a pair of key Detroit Red Wings players in the last several games.
Late last month on Oct. 25, forward Alex DeBrincat sniped home his first goal of the season, ending a goalless streak that included several Grade-A chances that he was robbed of by opposition goaltenders along with more than a few hit posts.
He's since scored three more goals, increasing his total to four.
Forward Marco Kasper, who traditionally plays alongside DeBrincat, got the monkey off his back by scoring twice as part of the Red Wings' 4-3 shootout victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Oct. 30.
For Kasper, it was the first time that he'd lit the lamp since scoring against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Oct. 11.
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The
Naturally, that goal scoring feeling came rushing back to Kasper after he tipped Axel Sandin-Pellikka's shot past Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper.
Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) on XMARCO PPG!"It feels good to score," Kasper said on Friday. "It's always a relief to score again, and you just always want to chase this feeling."
"It all starts with playing good, sound game overall and competing hard," he continued.
Kasper would cap a beautiful three-way passing play between Alex DeBrincat, Mason Appleton, and himself in the third period against the Kings for his second tally of the night:
Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) on XBINGO BANGO WHAT A PLAY
93 → 22 → 92The second half of last season was a true breakout for Kasper, who earned a call up to the Red Wings in late October and never looked back. While he got off to a bit of a slower beginning to his NHL journey, he began to thrive once Todd McLellan was hired in late December.
From January 10 through the end of the season, Kasper led all NHL rookies with 17 goals. In that span, he also ranked fifth overall in total rookie scoring.
“I think Marco’s playing harder,” McLellan said following the win over the Kings. “The second goal, he’s going to the net, he’s stopping in the paint. So he’s a competitive individual that has put some pressure on himself. Maybe this will really get him going, but we’re counting on him, and we forget he’s like 20, 21 years old. You’d think he was 27 the way he played last year.”
The Red Wings are also set to welcome Patrick Kane back into the lineup after he missed the previous nine games with an upper-body injury.
"It's huge to get him back, just his experience and his skills on the power play," Kasper said. "It'll be fun to have him back out there."
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Brooklyn's Cam Thomas out at least 3-4 weeks with hamstring strain
As if things were not rough enough to start the season in Brooklyn...
Cam Thomas, the Nets' second leading scorer at 21.4 points per game, is out with a left hamstring strain and will be re-evaluated in 3-4 weeks, the team announced.
Brooklyn Nets Medical Update:
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) November 7, 2025
Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas has been diagnosed with a left hamstring strain. The injury occurred during the first quarter of Wednesday’s game at Indiana. Thomas will be reevaluated in approximately three to four weeks.
This has been an ongoing issue for Thomas: This is his fourth left hamstring strain since the start of last season (he only played 25 games last season because of it).
The big question for Thomas is whether this impacts his free agency next summer. Thomas is playing on a $6 million qualifying offer with Brooklyn this season, which will make him an unrestricted free agent next July 1. Thomas bet on himself, and was putting up 21.4 points a night and shooting 35.6% from beyond the arc this season (although his true shooting percentage of 54.6 is a little below the league average). There are certainly teams that could use his scoring, but his injury history could (will?) give teams pause, and that might cost Thomas money. It depends on how he plays when he returns, but teams will remember.
Brooklyn already had the 25th-ranked offense in the NBA and just lost one of its two most reliable shot creators for a month. With Thomas out, Brooklyn will be looking for more shot creation next to Michael Porter Jr. Look for Terance Mann, Tyrese Martin and Egor Demin to get more run and get their chance.
Kansas State RB Dylan Edwards to enter transfer portal following redshirt in 2025
Kansas State running back Dylan Edwards is planning to enter the transfer portal, per multiple reports.