Lakers stars Austin Reaves, left, and Luka Doncic stand on the court during a 114-110 preseason win over the Sacramento Kings at Crypto.com Arena on Thursday night. (Luke Hales / Getty Images)
And though it was just a preseason game Thursday night, Doncic and Reaves showed why they form one of the most dynamic offensive backcourts in the NBA.
The Lakers duo linked up on the very first play against the Sacramento Kings, with Reaves passing to Doncic as he cut to the basket before scoring while being fouled.
Both played 25 minutes, with Doncic finishing with 23 points on six-for-16 shooting during the Lakers’ 114-110 win over the Kings at Crypto.com Arena. Reaves had eight points on two-for-seven shooting, eight assists and five rebounds.
Doncic, who picked up a technical foul with six minutes and 48 seconds left in the third quarter, and Reaves, who played in his first exhibition game after missing the first two, gave the fans something to be excited about.
Doncic’s moment came in the second quarter when he drilled a 31-foot, one-legged three-pointer off a pass from Sandro Mamukelashvili (19 points).
Reaves’ moment came late in the second quarter when he had a nice hesitation move that froze Emanuel Sharp, allowing him to waltz along the baseline for a layup.
Lakers coach JJ Redick explained why Doncic and Reaves have been so close in their time playing together.
“I think there’s good chemistry with each other,” Redick said. “I think it’s just the natural way they like each other. They like playing together. I think having them together means there’s automatically two ballhandlers on the court. I think that’s like an underrated part of the NBA now ... having two-to-three ballhandlers on the floor at all times.”
Injury update
Walker Kessler and Collin Sexton both missed their third straight preseason game and Ziaire Williams missed his second straight game. Cameron Carr, Dalton Knecht and Arthur Kaluma also didn’t play.
Kessler, the Lakers’ big acquisition at center from the Utah Jazz, has been nursing a finger injury he sustained after hitting the backboard during practice.
“We’ve got to check in tomorrow. ... It’s not concerning. He’ll play in the preseason,” Redick said.
Redick said Williams had “some soreness, but it’s not anything that we’re concerned about.”
Bruce Brown had a solid season last year in Denver. He averaged eight points, four rebounds, two assists and one steal in 24 minutes per game. He played all 82 games for the Nuggets and was a fixture of their rotation.
He's just 30 years old. Under previous collective bargaining agreements, a player of Brown’s archetype would get guaranteed money and probably a guaranteed spot in someone’s rotation.
But in the second apron era of today’s NBA, players of Brown's ilk aren't getting those opportunities.
That’s why the nine-year vet agreed to a non-guaranteed training camp deal with the Knicks.
“I played every single game last year. I thought I played well enough to have a guaranteed spot on a team. That wasn’t the case, so now it’s time to just fight and get a job,” Brown said after a solid showing in New York’s preseason loss to Washington.
“Hopefully play well in the preseason. Whatever you do on this stage, even if it doesn’t work out, just giving yourself an opportunity to showcase yourself to teams.”
Entering training camp, the Knicks signed a group of veteran centers and veteran wings to compete for roster spots. New York will not go into the second apron this season. So the club only has enough salary for one veteran. The Knicks would need to trade a player on an NBA deal if they wanted to keep both a wing and a center on their roster.
New York doesn’t have a third center on a guaranteed deal. So it makes sense for the Knicks to keep a big man – whether it’s James Wiseman, Drew Eubanks or Tony Bradley.
Brown, though, is putting together a strong case for a roster spot in New York.
“Everything I’ve seen from (Brown from) afar and as a competitor, I’ve seen within these couple weeks here,” Jalen Brunson said after the Washington game. “He brings a lot to the table. Just him being in the league for a long time gives him an advantage mentally. Physically, I think the things that he can do for us can be very helpful.”
At the moment, no NBA team has surpassed the second apron in team salary. It is not a hard cap, so teams are voluntarily staying below the apron. But they lose several roster-building tools if they exceed the second apron. (ESPN’s Bobby Marks explains those restrictions here)
Brown is one of dozens of veterans getting squeezed by the apron rules. According to spotrac.com, the Nuggets are the only team with a salary above the second apron. And they will presumably make some moves to duck below the apron before the end of the NBA calendar year.
“The new CBA is good for certain players, right? Max guys, top free agents and maybe rookie extension guys,” Brown said. “But other than that, like the middle guys, it kind of sucks for us. As you see, there’s not that many people getting that full midlevel (exception) anymore – or even the tax midlevel (exception). It’s tough, but that's just the way it is right now. So each time you're out there, you've just to play your best and hope for the best.”
IT WAS ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS
Hours before tipoff of the Knicks’ Game 5 win in San Antonio, a Jalen Brunson tweet from exactly 11 years prior resurfaced on Twitter.
“One win away”
The Knicks would go on to win Game 5 and the NBA title on June 13, 2026. Eleven years to the day since Brunson’s tweet.
No, Brunson wasn’t predicting an NBA Finals win that night. He said the tweet was a reference to the Chicago Blackhawks, who were one win away from winning the Stanley Cup.
For Knicks fans who saw the tweet on the day of Game 5 in June, it probably felt like fate.
It turned out to be one more remarkable element of the Knicks’ title run.
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 8: Sandro Mamukelashvili #54 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket during the game against the Sacramento Kings on October 8, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
With Austin Reaves back in the lineup, the Lakers picked up their second win over the Kings this preseason, winning 114-110 on Thursday.
LA built up a big lead with the starters and regular rotation members on the floor, then saw it dwindle away in garbage time to make the score look much closer than the game ever was.
What was consistent throughout was how sloppy the game was as the two teams combined for 50 turnovers. LA also struggled on the glass, allowing 20 offensive rebounds. They made up for it by getting to the line 38 times.
Luka opened the game with an and-one on the Lakers’ first possession before Austin found a soaring Adou Thiero for a dunk to open up the game in style for LA.
Sacramento did hold an early 10-7 lead, but an 8-0 run featuring threes from Luka and Jake LaRavia pushed LA ahead.
Still, it was a back-and-forth first quarter that saw neither team leading by more than five. Luka was up to his hot-starting ways with 10 points in the opening frame, but the rest of the team had 11 as the Lakers led 21-20 after one.
After falling behind 22-21 early in the second frame, the Lakers exploded for a 19-3 run to blow the game open.
Nearly all of the scoring in the run was done from beyond the arc with threes coming from LaRavia, Luka, Austin, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Matisse Thybulle.
Mamu was one of the stars of the second period with nine points while Austin really found his groove in the frame, scoring six points while dishing four dimes.
A 15-point Lakers lead was trimmed down to 10 points midway through the period, but LA responded with four points from Reaves and layups from Mamu and Kevon Looney to push it back to 16 points.
At the half, the Lakers led 57-43.
Adou Thiero continued his strong preseason by finishing at the rim off a nice dime from Austin earlier in the third.
Austin with the Euro no look to Adou cutting baseline.
After building up a 16-point lead again, the Lakers conceded an 8-0 run to halve the deficit. Much of LA’s scoring was coming at the line as they had five free throws and four field goals past the midway point in the quarter.
Luka was in midseason form by picking up a technical during a timeout while continuing to voice his displeasure with the officials throughout the third. Following a coming together at midcourt with Emanuel Sharp that had Luka particularly upset, he came out of the game for good.
Things got very sloppy between the two sides, with the Kings coming out on top, cutting the lead to five after consecutive buckets from Precious Achiuwa.
LaRavia and Mamu helped restore some order to push LA’s lead back to double digits following a fastbreak finish from the former. Mamu then buried a step-back 3-pointer before a spot-up 3-pointer off a nice pass from Bronny James to make it an 86-70 lead going into the fourth.
The Lakers went to an uber-small lineup in the fourth featuring Bronny, Adou, Grimes, LaRavia and Thybulle. Eventually, LA cycled in fresh faces, including Chris Mañon and Jarred Vanderbilt.
Things got a little haywire in the closing minutes as the Kings made it a contest, pulling within four points with 2:00 left. William Kyle and Vando each scored to push the lead back to eight before Hardy and Bronny helped close the game at the free throw line.
Key Player Stats
Luka tallied 23 points in 25 minutes to lead the Lakers. Austin finished with eight points but had eight assists and six rebounds.
Mamu finished with 19 points off the bench while LaRavia notched 14 points, three rebounds and two assists. Adou Thiero had six points and Quentin Grimes finished with 12.
The Lakers will be back in action on Tuesday when they play the Warriors in Las Vegas at 7 p.m. PT.
Hagen Smith and Grant Taylor have been all over this American League Division Series for the Chicago White Sox, the rookie Smith starting two games and Taylor saving a pair himself as the papal-powered South Siders pushed their division rivals from Cleveland to the brink of elimination.
Yet like a volatile stock, Smith and Taylor and the White Sox are experiencing the cruel playoff reality of diminishing returns.
And as their stuff flattens out and Guardians hitters get more familiar with their repertoires, a 2-0 ALDS lead evaporated into the black of Rate Field.
Now they’re all in a free fall, with one faint chance to catch themselves.
Odds are, the White Sox’s season ends in a decisive Game 5 Saturday, Oct. 10 at Cleveland’s Progressive Field. It’s been a great run, their climb back from 121- and 102-loss seasons into the playoffs a well-documented, feel-great story.
But minus the horses traditionally associated with playoff teams, the White Sox are trying to head-fake their way through these playoffs with the ever-popular “pitching chaos,” where pretty much everybody pitches at least every other day, both to maximize platoon advantages and camouflage your own deficiencies.
It looked great when the White Sox won their first four postseason games, sweeping Houston in the wild-card series. Now?
They are just the latest club to prove this approach unsustainable – the latest illustration of Major League Baseball’s starting pitching crisis.
Hey, we know it’s not 1968 anymore, nor 2012, or even 2022. The starting pitcher is nearly extinct, in a global sense, a hard reality evidenced by four of the eight wild-card teams opting for bullpen games in Game 1 of their playoff openers.
Grim.
Our current predicament is more than a decade, maybe two, in the making. Teams opted to protect young pitching “assets” in the minor leagues, babying them and putting significant governors on innings.
The max velocity revolution exacerbated all those problems. For every Jacob Misiorowski, there were dozens of other pitchers who either blew out or could not pair power with precision consistently and ended up in a bullpen somewhere.
Which brings us to White Sox-Guardians.
In retrospect, it’s kind of remarkable the White Sox won 84 games, what with just three guys – Anthony Kay, Sean Burke and Davis Martin – making more than 15 starts. In this ALDS, Kay has been reduced to opener or situational guy, Martin virtually invisible and Burke a bulk pitcher.
That’s left Smith, the rookie from Arkansas who debuted in August, to start Game 1 of the wild card series. And Game 1 of the ALDS. And also Game 4 of the ALDS, with a relief appearance sandwiched into Game 3.
Like a boxer who came out a little too spry, his punches have failed to land as the bout dragged on.
He pitched a crisp 2 ⅓ innings in ALDS Game 1, striking out four but walking three. Less sharp in a Game 3 relief appearance, getting two outs while walking two, giving up a hit and a run.
And then Game 4, the black-clad Sox Park crowd roaring for a Cleveland kill shot. And Smith could only record one out, while walking three batters.
By night’s end, he’d faced 21 batters in this series – more than two whole trips through the Guardians lineup. Lots of looks.
He’s got nothing on Taylor, though. Taylor was the hero in Game 1, a stunning and efficient four-inning save in which he threw 42 pitches. After an off day, a four-out save in Game 2.
Yet by Game 4, the wheels came off.
Summoned in the sixth inning of a 4-4 tie, runner on second, Taylor, charitably, had nothing. The Guardians went single-walk-walk-single-single-single off him, 4-4 becoming 9-4 and clubhouse champagne giving way to a Friday flight to the shores of Lake Erie.
Little wonder. By the time Taylor took the ball in Game 4, he’d faced 18 Guardians. There were no more secrets.
Eventually, the discipline improves. The chase decreases. The balls get squared up, and chaos comes back to haunt you.
“They’re making really good swing decisions, making good contact,” White Sox manager Will Venable said after Game 4. “When you walk guys, they make you pay. We were able to get away with it the first couple games.”
Kind of the definition of “unsustainable.”
And consider this: There are two more playoff rounds remaining, both best-of-seven and not these three- and five-game tuneups. Imagine what the White Sox staff might look like at the end of a seven-game ALCS?
These are the sorts of things that get lost when half-serious proposals such as an expansion of the Division Series from five to seven games get tossed out.
Who's pitching Game 5 for White Sox?
Chicago’s pitching looks like it’s been through the Cuisinart already. Adrian Morejon, San Diego’s best reliever not named Mason Miller, lasted just two games in their NLDS before his shoulder barked too hard.
And now the Guardians and White Sox face one more all-hands meeting Saturday. Heck, Cleveland’s not in great shape either, with rookie ace Parker Messick struggling in both his starts and AL strikeout king Gavin Williams forced to get the final three outs of Game 4, simply because manager Stephen Vogt tried to stretch All-Star closer Cade Smith across two innings on consecutive nights.
Not enough pitching.
That’s where all these suboptimal decisions come from, and why it’s no coincidence the three teams safely on to the LCS round – the Dodgers, Rays and Brewers – have a deep well of arms to call upon.
Sure, maybe the Brewers only have two reliable starters in Misiorowski and Logan Henderson, but they truly lean on all their arms in leverage situations and, with off days, should navigate the remainder of the postseason just fine.
The White Sox? Well, in Game 5 they’re starting Burke – an actual starting pitcher, his second start this postseason. He’ll go as long and as hard as he can, and then Venable will have to hope the buttons he pushes don’t make the dashboard smoke.
Hope, they say, is not a plan. Eventually, well-considered chaos isn’t, either. And somehow the White Sox must find nine more innings to keep their dream season alive.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 08: Devin Carter #99 of the Boston Celtics dribbles to the ball around Craig Porter Jr. #9 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the second quarter of the preseason game at Rocket Arena on October 08, 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
CLEVELAND — It’s been an up-and-down couple of months for Celtics guard Devin Carter.
Carter, who drafted to the Sacramento Kings just two summers ago, was traded to the Atlanta Hawks in June in a salary dump. Then, last month, Carter was waived.
Suddenly, a guy who was the 14th overall pick in 2024 found himself on the outskirts of the NBA.
“It was tough,” Carter said. “I got traded I want to say at the end of June, and then I didn’t get waived until right before training camp started. So it was tough, especially trying to find a home that fast.”
Carter signed an Exhibit-10, training camp deal with the Celtics shortly after he was waived, in hopes of ultimately fighting for a two-way contract (the Celtics have Dillon Mitchell and Amari Williams as their two two-ways, but have one two-way open).
“Everything’s top class,” Carter said of his Celtics. “Great players, great guys as off the court. That matters just as much as who they are on the court. But, the coaching staff’s great. Front office great. Everybody wants to work. Everybody shows up with the mindset ready to get better. So I think that’s a a big thing in a winning organization.”
Devin Carter was a standout in the Celtics’ win over the Cleveland Cavaliers
On Thursday night, Carter laced up for his Celtics debut, and finished with 17 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals in the preseason matchup against the Cavaliers.
“I just wanted to go showcase how much I want to play and how much I deserve to be here,” Carter said. “So, I just think that I’m blessed. All glory to God for the opportunity, and I think I went out there and played as hard as I could. That was what my goal was.”
Carter’s impact was felt; the Celtics outscored the Cavaliers by 22 points in his 24 minutes on the floor; they were outscored by 11 in his 24 minutes sidelined. Perhaps most impactful was his ability to get to the line; he went 6-6 from the charity strip, attempting the second-most free throws in the game.
Celtics Devin Carter 17 PTS (5-9 FG, 1-3 3P), 5 REB, 3 AST, 2 STL, +22 vs. Cavs
— Role Player Performances (@BenchHighlights) October 9, 2026
“I thought he did a really good job getting fouled,” said DJ MacLeay, the Celtics assistant coach who was tasked by Joe Mazzulla with coaching the second half of the game. “He got downhill, attacked, scored. I thought he really put pressure on their defense and got us to the free throw line.”
He finds himself in the same position Celtics players like Ron Harper Jr. and Luka Garza were once in; fighting for a two-way contract in training camp. Last fall, Harper Jr. was one of four players on an Exhibit-10 deal competing for a two-way; this fall, he’s on the first of a three-year deal with the Celtics.
Carter can also draw inspiration from Neemias Queta, who was cut by the Kings three years ago and picked up by the Celtics shortly after. Queta initially signed a two-way contract in the fall of 2024, which was later converted to a standard deal. In July, he signed a $54 million contract extension.
“I talked to Neemi a little bit, because we had kind of the same route, I guess you could say,” Carter said. “We went from Sac, to getting waived, to the Celtics.”
Joe Mazzulla said at training camp that Carter’s mindset and competitiveness has stood out.
“The humility to show up and the openness that he has, of where he’s been in the league and where he wants to get to — and how competitive he is,” said Mazzulla. “He’s very open about wanting to make it. So I’ve appreciated just his mindset, his mentality, the chip on the shoulder that he brings to the game.”
Luka Garza, who was once on an Exhibit-10 contract himself, said after the game that he’s been impressed by Carter’s ball pressure and energy.
“He’s another guy that’s relentless — brought a lot of energy to start,” Garza said. “Was super aggressive, pushed the ball in transition, and I think what stood out just from being in camp and pickup, defensively, is the instincts he has, the way he can guard. He understands that that’s what his superpower is, and then the rest of it, he showed offensively tonight how talented he is and the different things he can do.”
No lottery pick wants to be cut in the middle of their rookie contract. But, Carter doesn’t want to live in the past. He wants to focus on a potential future in Boston, a city an hour away from Providence College, where he starred.
The Celtics’ lone open two-way spot is not promised to Carter, though based on Thursday’s game, he seems like a frontrunner to get it.
“Everything happens for a reason, and I’m just thankful to Brad and the Celtics organization for giving the opportunity to me,” Carter said. “It’s just a blessing.”
It was a night to remember for Jonathan Costagna, even if the Calgary Flames would rather forget the final result.
The Flames fell 7-3 to the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome, but the game marked a significant milestone for the 21-year-old forward, who made his NHL debut against a lineup featuring some of the league’s biggest stars, including Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar.
Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
Recently recalled from the Calgary Wranglers, Costagna took his rookie lap during warmups before getting his first taste of NHL action. It was a moment he had been encouraged to appreciate, knowing there would only be one first game.
“Before the game everyone was telling me to soak it in, you can only do it once, and I tried to do that as much as possible,” said Costagna. “When you get into the game it gets pretty intense out there and I can look back on it and say I’m really grateful for it and (I’m) just looking forward to what’s next.”
Seeing the opposition up close for the first time brought its own challenges, but Costagna felt he handled the moment well.
“Warmups is the first time where you look across from you and you see these guys and it could get a little intimidating, but I feel like I did a pretty good job handling that stress, because at the end of the day I want to win, and that’s what I tried to contribute (to) out there tonight.”
Rather than letting the names across from him become a distraction, the rookie focused on competing and trusting his game.
“I was taking it out there against some veterans today,” said Costagna. “You try to go into it with an ‘I’m going to beat you’ mindset and I feel like I did that pretty well all night, considering a lot of the guys I’m playing against were in the league for a long time now.”
The night also brought Costagna his first NHL point, coming on a play that showcased the speed and finishing ability of fellow forward Adam Klapka.
Costagna chipped the puck out of the defensive zone and onto Klapka’s stick. The 6-foot-8 forward took over from there, driving into the offensive zone, toe-dragging around a defenceman and firing a wrist shot past the goaltender.
Watching the play develop, Costagna could barely hide his excitement as Klapka finished the sequence.
“That was crazy,” he chuckled, reminiscing about watching Klapka. “Really happy that he did that, obviously, I didn’t have to do much for it, to get that off my back is really cool, but kudos to him that was unbelievable.”
While the result wasn’t what Calgary wanted, Costagna now has his first NHL game - and point - behind him. The experience should provide something to build on as he looks to establish himself at the highest level.
With his debut out of the way, the next question is what comes next for the young forward. The Flames are back in action Saturday, when we’ll see whether Costagna gets another opportunity to build on his NHL debut.
CALGARY, CANADA - OCTOBER 08: Nathan MacKinnon #29 of the Colorado Avalanche celebrates his second period goal against the Calgary Flames at the Scotiabank Saddledome on October 08, 2026 in Calgary, Alberta. (Photo by Leah Hennel/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Colorado Avalanche didn’t exactly come flying out of the gate Thursday night, but once they found their game, the Calgary Flames had a tough time keeping up.
Coming off a frustrating 3-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday, the Avs responded with a 7-3 win in Calgary, using a big second period to take control and hand the Flames their fourth straight loss to start the season.
Devon Toews, Cale Makar and Jaden Schwartz each scored twice, while Nathan MacKinnon put up three points. Brett Kulak added two assists, and Scott Wedgewood stopped 26 shots to pick up the win despite some shaky defensive play in front of him.
It wasn’t always pretty, but the Avs found their offense when they needed it.
First Period
The first period was a bit of a mess for Colorado.
A couple of turnovers in their own zone gave Calgary some dangerous chances, and Wedgewood had to bail his teammates out more than once. One of his biggest saves came on a shorthanded breakaway by Joel Farabee after Colorado’s power play got off to a rough start.
The Flames were generating more pressure early, outshooting Colorado 5-2 midway through the period. The Avs weren’t doing themselves any favors with the puck, either, struggling to put together much of anything offensively.
Eventually, though, they found a breakthrough.
With just over five minutes left in the period, Cale Makar found Toews in the low slot, and the defenseman redirected the puck past Flames netminder Devin Cooley to give Colorado a 1-0 lead.
That was a nice change of pace for Toews, who didn’t score his first goal last season until Colorado’s 25th game. This time, he got on the board in Game 4.
Calgary answered before the period was over. Adam Klapka made a slick move around Josh Manson before firing a wrist shot off the post and into the net to tie things up at 1-1.
Toews took a penalty late in the period, sending the Avs into the intermission with some penalty-killing work ahead of them and plenty to clean up.
Second Period
Colorado came out looking like a much different team in the second period.
After killing off the carryover penalty, the Avs got right back to work, and Toews struck again. This time, he fired from just inside the blue line, sending the puck through traffic and past Cooley to put Colorado back in front.
Then Makar got in on the fun.
MacKinnon sprung him with a pass, and Makar used his speed to blow past the Calgary defense before beating Cooley with a shot to make it 3-1.
MacKinnon got one of his own shortly afterward, finishing a feed from Zachary L’Heureux to stretch Colorado’s lead to three. The Avs kept the pressure on, turning what had been a tight game into a much more comfortable one.
L’Heureux also brought some extra energy to the night, dropping the gloves with Matt Coronato late in the period. The forward was playing in just his second straight game after missing Colorado’s first two contests with a lower-body injury.
The Avs headed into the third with a 4-1 lead, having found their offensive rhythm and put Calgary on its heels.
Third Period
Any thoughts of a Calgary comeback took a hit pretty quickly in the third.
Makar scored again early in the period, pouncing on a loose puck after a pass from Nazem Kadri deflected off MacKinnon. He made no mistake, burying it to give Colorado a 5-1 advantage.
Schwartz followed less than a minute later, getting to a loose puck in the slot and firing it past Cooley to make it 6-1.
Calgary managed to respond with goals from Mikael Backlund and Kevin Bahl, cutting the deficit to 6-3 and briefly making things a little more interesting.
But the Avs had an answer of their own.
Schwartz scored his second of the night just over a minute after Bahl’s goal, taking a backhand feed from Fedor Svechkov and beating Cooley from a sharp angle. It was Schwartz’s third goal in the span of about 24 hours, following his goal in Wednesday’s loss to Winnipeg.
That pretty much wrapped things up.
Colorado scored six times over the final 40 minutes, turning an uneven start into a convincing 7-3 road win.
A Much-Needed Response
After letting a winnable game slip away against Winnipeg, the Avs got the offensive bounce-back they needed. Toews and Makar each had two-goal nights, MacKinnon continued to produce, and Schwartz made an immediate impact with another pair of goals.
There are still some defensive issues to sort out. The early turnovers and Calgary’s three goals are reminders that Colorado can’t afford to get quite so loose against tougher opponents.
Still, putting seven goals on the board on the road is a pretty good way to respond to a disappointing loss.
Upcoming
The Avalanche will look to carry that momentum home when they face Gavin McKenna and the Toronto Maple Leafs at Ball Arena on Saturday, October 10. Puck drop is scheduled for 5 p.m. local time.
CHICAGO — José Ramírez homered and drove in three runs, and the Cleveland Guardians beat the Chicago White Sox 9-5 on Thursday night to send their AL Division Series to a winner-take-all Game 5.
Patrick Bailey also went deep as the Guardians won for the second consecutive day in Chicago after beginning their postseason with two straight losses at home.
Jo Adell hit a two-run single to cap a six-run sixth inning for the AL Central champions.
Cleveland is looking to become the first major league team to come back from a 2-0 deficit in a best-of-five playoff series since the 2017 Yankees accomplished the feat against, well, Cleveland.
Teams with a 2-0 lead in a best-of-five postseason series have gone on to win 83 of 93 times.
José Ramírez watches his two-run homer leave the yard during the fifth inning of the Guardians’ 9-5 win over the White Sox in Game 4 of their ALDS series on Oct. 8, 2026 in Chicago. Getty Images
Game 5 is back in Cleveland on Saturday night, and the winner will open the American League Championship Series at Tampa Bay next Monday.
“As we’ve battled back and forth with these guys, obviously fitting that it’s going to come down to this,” White Sox manager Will Venable said. “It’s been how the back and forth has been all year.”
Chicago’s bullpen — one of its biggest strengths in a surprising season — is suddenly looking very tired. Grant Taylor was hit hard after pitching 5 1/3 scoreless innings over the first two games of the series, allowing four runs and four hits without retiring any of the six batters he faced during Cleveland’s rally in the sixth.
Miguel Vargas homered late for the White Sox, who flopped in their second straight bid to clinch a postseason series at home for the first time since the 1906 World Series against the Chicago Cubs.
Sam Antonacci drove in two runs.
Game 2 starter Gavin Williams got the last three outs on two days of rest for Cleveland after Vargas began the ninth with his first postseason homer.
It was the first career relief appearance for Williams, who could start Game 5 as well.
The right-hander threw 18 pitches after throwing 98 on Monday. He was the seventh Guardians reliever as the teams combined to use 15 pitchers in a game that took 3 hours, 39 minutes.
Williams went 14-8 this season and led the AL with 248 strikeouts.
Cleveland trailed 2-0 before rallying in the fifth. Bailey led off with a pinch-hit homer, and Steven Kwan chased Erick Fedde with a one-out single.
The MLB playoff bracket.
Jordan Hicks came in and Ramírez drove a 99.9 mph fastball deep to right-center for just his second homer since Sept. 1, a span of 26 games. The seven-time All-Star had surgery after he broke a bone in his left hand on a swing June 13.
It was Ramírez’s first postseason homer since 2024 and No. 5 overall. He also starred in Game 3, finishing with two hits and two RBIs in Cleveland’s 9-3 victory.
Chicago responded with two runs in the bottom half, sending a charge through the crowd of 39,920. Antonacci was hit by a pitch from Tim Herrin with the bases loaded, and Brenton Doyle made it 4-3 with a sacrifice fly.
The White Sox had the bases loaded with two down, but rookie Braden Montgomery struck out swinging against winning pitcher Erik Sabrowski.
José Ramírez celebrates after hitting a two-run homer during the fifth inning of the Guardians’ Game 4 win over the White Sox. Getty Images
Antonacci has been plunked 33 times this year, including a franchise-record 29 in the regular season.
The rookie became the first player in postseason history to be hit by a pitch with the bases loaded multiple times in a career, after he was also plunked in the same situation in Game 3.
Losing pitcher Anthony Kay started the sixth for Chicago, but the left-hander was replaced by Taylor after Travis Bazzana’s RBI double tied it at 4.
Bailey greeted Taylor with a run-scoring single, and Cleveland started to pull away.
Walks by Brayan Rocchio and Kwan loaded the bases for Ramírez, who made it 6-4 with an infield single. Chase DeLauter added another run-scoring single before Adell capped the outburst with a liner to right that drove in Kwan and Ramírez.
“They’re making really good swing decisions. They’re making contact. We talked about how good a job they do of doing that,” Venable said. “When you walk guys, they make you pay. We were able to get away with it a couple times the first couple games. These last two, just weren’t able to.”
Adell hit a three-run triple during Cleveland’s Game 3 victory. He has four hits, three walks and six RBIs in the series.
CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Cale Makar had two goals and an assist, Devon Toews and Jaden Schwartz also each scored twice and the Colorado Avalanche beat the winless Calgary Flames 7-3 on Thursday night.
Nathan MacKinnon scored and had two assists as Colorado (3-1-0) bounced back from a 3-2 loss in Winnipeg on Wednesday night.
Scott Wedgewood, making his season debut, had 26 saves to win in his 200th career NHL game.
Adam Klapka, Mikael Backlund and Kevin Bahl scored for Calgary (0-4-0), the only NHL team yet to record a point this season. The Flames have been outscored 23-6 for a league-worst minus-17 goal differential.
Flames goalie Devin Cooley made 23 stops.
Tied 1-1 after the first period, Colorado scored three times in less than five minutes in the second. The Avalanche tacked on two more goals early in the third period.
The Senators improved to 3-1-0 on the young season thanks to a 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers in their home opener on Thursday night. Carter Yakemchuk's power-play one-timer in the third period stood up as the game-winning goal.
Once again, as has been the case in all three of their wins this season, the victory was bittersweet thanks to another injury.
This time, it was newcomer William Eklund who went down with a lower-body injury in the first period and did not return. Eklund took a clean hit from Flyers defenceman Simon Benoit and had to be helped off the ice, unable to put any weight on his left leg.
Eklund appeared to jam his skate awkwardly into the base of the boards, with the toe of his skate moving upward as if the skate had come off. That makes you think right away that something very bad happened to the ankle or achilles.
William Eklund leaves the game with a lower-body injury after taking a hit from Simon Benoit. pic.twitter.com/i6P9Fj164E
But Travis Green had no update on Eklund after the game.
The Senators also lost key players to injury in their first two wins of the season. Jake Sanderson was hurt in Toronto and still isn't skating with the team, while Linus Ullmark was injured in Boston on Monday.
Fortunately, Ullmark was able to return to action Thursday night against the Flyers, stopping 28 of 29 shots. The one goal he allowed was an absolute stinker, but nobody in Ottawa is going to complain about a .966 save percentage on the night.
The Senators opened the scoring midway through the first period when Nick Cousins tipped home a shot from Tyler Kleven.
That lead held up until early in the second, when Matvei Michkov scored one of the easiest goals he'll ever get.
On a Philadelphia power play, Trevor Zegras fired a shot from the top of the circle that Ullmark appeared to see all the way. Somehow, the puck trickled right through him and sat in the crease, fat and juicy, waiting for Michkov to swat it home.
That set the stage for Yakemchuk, who delivered the biggest goal of the night with under seven minutes remaining in regulation.
Claude Giroux made a pass to the rookie defenceman that was perfectly paced and placed for a one-timer. Yakemchuk absolutely blasted it past Joseph Woll for what proved to be the game-winner. While there are certainly still defensive warts that will improve with time, Yakemchuk's cannon of a shot makes him a nice new weapon on the power play.
The Flyers then had the Senators under siege in the final couple of minutes. But the Sens held them off, surviving the late pressure and hanging on for the win.
“You knew Philly was going to play a hell of a game tonight,” Green said. “I thought they did. It was just a greasy, greasy game that had a lot of intensity to it, and we wanted to win that.”
Hoyt Stanley was just happy to be there, making his NHL debut for the Senators as a last-minute call-up from Belleville. Cam Crotty took the morning skate but was under the weather and did not dress.
The Senators officially went 1-for-5 on the power play, although you could make the argument it was more like 2-for-5. Cousins' first-period goal came just four seconds after Travis Sanheim's tripping penalty expired, before the Flyers defenceman had a chance to get back into the play.
Through five games, the Flyers are now 0-3-2 on the year and have scored a grand total of six goals.
After playing their first three games on the road, the Senators can look forward to a little more home cooking. Including Thursday, they're now in a stretch where they play seven of nine games at Canadian Tire Centre, with their next game coming Saturday night at 7 p.m. against the Nashville Predators.
Nashville will arrive in Ottawa fresh off a 5-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night, despite being badly outshot 34-20.
Going yard: Miguel Vargas went deep in the ninth for the only White Sox homer of Game 4. Vargas reached base safely four times in the loss. | Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
With a second opportunity to seal the series at home, the White Sox (84-78) laid an egg against the Guardians (85-77), who tied the series with a 9-5 victory. The only ongoing Division Series is tied at two, and the only remaining game will happen in Cleveland.
Left-handed pitcher Hagen Smith got the start for the South Siders. Smith issued a six-pitch walk to Steven Kwan to open the game, but he retired José Ramírez with a fly out to medium-deep center. From there, Smith nearly got out of the first inning with a modest 11-pitch workload. The White Sox had a chance to turn a 3-6-1 double play when Chase DeLauter hit a grounder to first. Murakami made a quick throw to second, but on what was turning out to be a close play at first, Smith failed to handle Colson Montgomery’s return throw. As a result, DeLauter was safe at first.
Jo Adell proceeded to work an eight-pitch walk to extend the inning, and Nathaniel Lowe drew yet another eight-pitch walk. That increased Smith’s pitch count to 27, and the bases were suddenly loaded with two outs. In addition, Kyle Teel used a challenge on the 3-2 pitch to Lowe that missed the bottom of the zone by 2.2´´, not a wise challenge. At that point, Erick Fedde entered the game for his first appearance of the series. Fedde’s task was to retire Angel Martínez, and on a 1-2 sweeper, he did just that. Martínez chased the sweeper in the dirt, and the threat was gone. The crowd for this blackout game collectively exhaled and cheered.
Cleveland lefty Parker Messick got off to a strong start against the White Sox, retiring three of four batters he faced in the first. The only White Sox hitter to reach was Miguel Vargas, who drew his sixth walk of the series. Vargas drew that walk with two outs, and Messick struck out Murakami to strand Vargas at first.
Fedde got through the top of the second without drama, and things appeared to be looking up when Tommy Pham drew a leadoff walk in the White Sox half. However, Brenton Doyle looked at a 3-2 fastball that caught plenty of the plate, Teel chased a changeup in the dirt, and Braden Montgomery struck out swinging. Braden got ahead in the count at 2-0, and the third pitch was incorrectly called a strike. The rookie thought of challenging the pitch, but held off due to potentially using up the team’s the second ABS challenge just two innings into the game. Braden struck out two pitches later.
After another strong inning by Fedde in the top of the third, the White Sox offense got down to business in the bottom half. Colson Montgomery hit a soft grounder back to the mound. Messick attempted to field the ball with the glove behind his back, but he could not gather it cleanly. The ball squirted off to the side, and Colson had an infield single. Chase Meidroth followed with a double to the left field corner. Colson advanced to third, and the White Sox had a pair in scoring position with no outs. Randal Grichuk struck out swinging at a fastball above the zone, but Vargas worked an excellent plate appearance to draw a seven-pitch walk and load the bases. In a high-leverage spot, the stage was set for Murakami, who also displayed an excellent batting eye by drawing a six-pitch walk to force in the game’s first run. With the boisterous crowd going wild, Messick was removed from the game with the bases loaded and one out. Right-handed reliever Shawn Armstrong took over to face pinch-hitter Sam Antonacci, who replaced Pham. On Armstrong’s first pitch, Antonacci took advantage of a breaking ball that caught a large part of the plate and lined it toward right-center. DeLauter ran it down, so Antonacci had to settle for a sacrifice fly, but that was enough to double the lead. Armstrong got Doyle to line out, but the damage was done. The White Sox led by a score of 2-0 after three, and Cleveland’s ace was already out of the game.
After a quiet fourth inning, the Guardians offense came to life in the fifth, finally managing to put themselves on the board. Catcher Patrick Bailey entered the game as a pinch-hitter and launched a solo homer against Fedde, who had been cruising up until that point. After a line out by Brayan Rocchio and a single by Kwan, Fedde’s strong outing was over with a runner on first and one out. Jordan Hicks took over on the mound and got a favorable call on the first pitch he threw to Ramírez. However, Ramírez was expecting another high fastball, and this time, he turned on it and drove it over the wall in right-center. Just like that, the Guardians had a 3-2 lead and plenty of momentum.
The White Sox were not behind for long. Meidroth added to his strong performance with a leadoff walk, and although Tristan Peters struck out, Vargas drew yet another free pass. That prompted a pitching change, as Tim Herrin replaced Armstrong on the mound. That move nearly backfired immediately in spectacular fashion, as Herrin’s first pitch to Murakami was a hanging curveball that Murakami crushed. Off the bat, it looked like it could be trouble, but Murakami was barely early on it, and the ball drifted foul down the right field line. Two pitches later, however, Murakami lined a single to left to load the bases. Up to the plate stepped Antonacci, who was hit by yet another pitch. Antonacci seems to be a magician when it comes to HBPs, and this was his fourth one already this postseason. This HBP forced in the tying run, and the White Sox still only had one out. From there, Doyle got the job done with a sacrifice fly to drive in Vargas, and suddenly, the White Sox were back in front, 4-3.
The back-and-forth battle continued in the sixth, when Anthony Kay took over on the mound for the White Sox. After retiring Lowe to open the inning, outs were difficult for Kay and the White Sox to collect. Kay hit Martínez, who proceeded to steal second despite an accurate throw by Teel. With Martínez on second, Bazzana hit a liner to right. Braden Montgomery appeared to have a bead on it, but he could not track it down. Martínez scored, and Bazzana parked at second with a double to tie the game at four. At that point, with the game being in the balance, Grant Taylor took over.
Taylor entered the game as the MVP of the series with +3.42 cWPA (Championship Win Probability Added). Taylor relinquished that spot with this outing, which went as poorly as it could have gone. The first batter against Taylor was Bailey, who poked a grounder through the left side for a go-ahead RBI single. That put the Guardians ahead, 5-4, and they were not done. Taylor issued back-to-back walks to Rocchio and Kwan to load the bases for Ramírez. Taylor got Ramírez to hit a curveball into the ground, and it appeared the White Sox would be able to pick up at least one out. However, Meidroth, who was playing in, did not field it cleanly, and everyone advanced 90 feet safely. From there, the situation got out of hand. DeLauter drove in an insurance run with a single, and Adell continued his attack on White Sox pitching with a two-run single. Incredibly, Adell became the eighth consecutive Guardian to reach base safely, and the score was 9-4. Finally, Taylor’s nightmarish outing was over after failing to retire any of the six batters he faced.
After the dust of that top of the sixth inning settled, the game intensity plummeted given Cleveland’s lead. What was surprising, however, was that after that bizarre sequence, nobody scored again until the bottom of the ninth. Part of that was because Cleveland put Cade Smith in the game to open the bottom of the eighth, even though Cleveland had a five-run lead. Smith shut the White Sox down in the eighth, but the Vargas got the best of Smith in the ninth, launching a solo homer to open the frame.
That cut the deficit to four, but the South Siders were still deep in the woods. Smith proceeded to walk Murakami before being pulled after 31 pitches. Another surprising development occurred when presumed Game 5 starter Gavin Williams took over on the mound in relief of Smith. Antonacci was the first batter to face Williams, and he singled to bring the potential tying run to the on-deck circle. As a result, there was a glimmer of hope for the White Sox, who had runners on first and second with no outs in a 9-5 game. However, Williams got pinch-hitter Andrew Benintendi to chase a couple of breaking balls in the dirt for the first out, and Williams got into a groove from there. Teel worked an intense plate appearance, but on the eighth pitch, Teel grounded into a fielder’s choice at second base out for the second out of the inning. With the potential tying run still in the on-deck circle, Braden Montgomery hit a soft liner to left that appeared to have a chance of falling for a single. However, Kwan, who has won four Gold Gloves, got a good jump on the ball to make a nice catch. As a result, Williams iced the game, though he needed 18 pitches Cleveland surely didn’t want to burn.
The White Sox will be back in action on Saturday in Cleveland at 7 p.m. CT. This time, there will be no wiggle room, as the winner of that game will take the series and face the Rays (98-64) in the ALCS. TBS/HBO Max and TruTV will televise Game 5, and WMVP 1000 AM will have the radio coverage. We will see you then for a crucial matchup.
On Aug. 6, the Pittsburgh Penguins made a move that no one really saw coming.
No, they didn't land a superstar winger who was the subject of rumors all summer long. No, they didn't re-sign their 39-year-old captain and NHL legend. And, no, they didn't make a splash. But they did take a big gamble on a young player with little NHL experience and not a ton to show for that experience up to that point.
And, in the earlygoing of the 2026-27 season, that gamble has begun to show early signs of positivity.
Sure, the average annual value of $4 million isn't seismic - especially with the salary cap going up substantially - but the term was a head-scratcher for some. That said, Koivunen already has a goal and two points in three games this season and has remained in the NHL lineup despite the vast forward depth the Penguins possess, which is a testament to his play up to this point.
"I feel like [I'm making] good plays with the puck and making some plays," Koivunen said. "Maybe last game wasn't too good, but wasn't too bad, either. So, I feel pretty good right now."
It's been well-documented how hard Koivunen worked this summer to add weight and get stronger. The Penguins wanted to see him be tougher to knock off of pucks and better along the walls, which are both areas of his game that have seen some noticeable improvement in the first three games he's played this season.
He's no longer getting rid of pucks to avoid contact or to make plays hastily. He knows he has the ability and the physical attributes to be able to carry and protect the puck with authority.
"I feel like I'm stronger and I can keep the puck, hold onto pucks more," Koivunen said. "So, yeah, it feels like it's translated to the ice.
"I think I feel more confident. I'm more confident on the boards, and I don't have to get rid of the puck if I have it there and I feel the pressure. So, that's a thing where, right now, I feel better on the walls."
The 23-year-old isn't the only one who has a higher degree of belief in his play at the NHL level.
Going into a shortened training camp this season, young players, in particular, got the short end of the stick because they had far less runway to prove themselves and stand out to the coaching staff. Koivunen's play in the pre-season games - as well as some injuries to NHL regulars - earned him a spot on the opening night roster.
What a disgusting goal by Ville Koivunen. Totally deked Vladar out of his jockstrap.
He played in the season opener against the Philadelphia Flyers and scored an impressive breakaway goal in a 7-0 rout that night. He was scratched in the second game of the season but has played in the last two, registering an assist.
Prior to Wednesday's game against the Washington Capitals, a tough roster decision had to be made in order to activate Bryan Rust from injured reserve, as the roster was at full capacity. While many were quick to point out that Koivunen's eight-year term likely makes him waivers-proof, there is always a small risk of an NHL GM taking a gamble as big as the one Kyle Dubas took when he signed Koivunen.
From the vantage point of head coach Dan Muse, who had Koivunen remain in line rushes and on the power play during practice Tuesday when talk was rampant, the young forward has earned a stay in the lineup through performance.
"He's played well," Muse said. "Honestly, I think, for him, coming off of that Philly game, I can't really think of a harder conversation that I've had to have, in recent memory, at least.
"Ville put in the work this summer. I mean, you go back to that last exhibition game, he scores a breakaway goal there in Philly, he has an assist [against Winnipeg], he's making plays, he's stronger, he's done the things that were asked of him, and he's produced on the ice. So, it's a credit to him and the work he's put in. It's good to see."
Koivunen is cognizant of an entirely new set of expectations now that he has already broken through to the NHL level and signed a long-term commitment with the Penguins. At this point, it's not just about making the NHL and simply sticking at this level, it's about how he can be a difference-maker and show that the team's investment in him was worth the gamble.
He knows that he has been given a chance to show what he is capable of and how he can help the NHL team moving forward, and he plans to continue taking advantage of that opportunity.
"Everyone wants to play well, everyone wants to stay up and play here and play your game in the NHL. I think that's what everyone wants to do," Koivunen said. "I do feel like you get chances here for young guys, and that's good.
"I think it's just work hard and play my game. I know my strengths, use them, and that's pretty much what it is. Just work hard and try to be a better version of yourself every day. It makes you go a long way."
Seriously. The Cleveland Guardians and Chicago White Sox burned through their pitching staffs just to get to a Game 5 on Saturday, Oct. 10, when they'll both likely have to do it all over again. Then one of them will have to head straight to Florida for Game 1 of the ALCS on Monday, Oct. 12, the arms of their pitchers hanging by a thread.
The Rays, meanwhile, are chilling, having completed their sweep of the New York Yankees on Wednesday, Oct. 7. They could enjoy Cleveland's 9-5 win that forced Game 5, watching their would-be opponents beat each other up while the Rays pitchers are getting another breather and manager Kevin Cash is lining up his pitching staffs and batting order exactly how he wants them.
No word on whether the Rays are sipping margaritas and mai tais while they wait.
"We'll worry about that Monday if we're fortunate enough to get there," Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said.
"It's always a concern. You're always concerned with workload this time of year," he added. "We ask a lot of these guys, and they step up."
This wasn't how it was supposed to go. The upstart White Sox, the first team to reach the playoffs after consecutive 100-loss seasons, had rolled through the first four games of the postseason, sweeping the Houston Astros in the wild-card round and taking the first two games against the Guardians in Cleveland.
They returned to Rate Field triumphant, having two games to get one win and clinch their first postseason series at home since 1906.
But this is what happens when one team lacks experience and adequate pitching and the other is desperate. Together, Chicago and Cleveland used 15 pitchers who threw a total of almost 370 pitches.
"We punch back," Vogt said of Cleveland refusing to exit the series quietly. "As soon as we went to the bullpen, it felt like it was going to be that type of a back-and-forth game."
Chicago starter Hagen Smith was gone before the first inning was over, giving up three walks to the first five batters he saw. The White Sox chased Cleveland starter Parker Messick by the end of the third inning. And while it's little consolation for having to go back to Cleveland, Chicago forced the Guardians to use ace Gavin Williams out of the bullpen.
Williams, who started Game 2, came in in the ninth after Cade Smith gave up a lead-off homer to Miguel Vargas and walked Munetaka Murakami. Williams threw 18 pitches before ending the game.
"Small victories there, I think," White Sox manager Will Venable said.
Oh, the two games in Chicago each lasted longer than 3 hours, too. There aren't enough ice baths and electronic stim machines in the world that's going to erase all those aches and pains. Especially when there's a flight, albeit a short one, involved.
"Obviously fitting that it's going to come down to this. It's how the back and forth has been all year," Venable said.
This was the 17th game the AL Central rivals have played against each other this year, and neither team has any secrets from the other by by now. They know the other's philosophies and tendencies, and they know how to get to every player on the other's roster.
The ease, if you want to call it that, of how the White Sox won the first two games was the outlier. The battles of the last two games is more the norm.
"If we lose, we're gone. Might as well go out there and win," said Patrick Bailey, who had a pinch-hit home run in the fifth and an RBI single as part of Cleveland's six-run sixth inning. "We've still got one more to win at home."
But there's a price for this backyard brawling. Only after Game 5 will the winner be able to turn their attention to the Rays. Instead of being able to rest and regroup before the ALCS, both teams have to spend the next three days grinding.
The Rays were going to be favored in the ALCS, anyway, having finished the regular season as the American League's best team. But the White Sox and Guardians are making Tampa Bay's job a whole lot easier.
Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.
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They forced a Game 5 in the American League Division Series with a 9-5 win over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday, Oct. 8 amid a blackout at Rate Field.
In the fifth inning, José Ramírez hit a go-ahead, two-run home run to put the Guardians up 3-2. With the count 0-1, the third baseman was tossed a fastball by White Sox pitcher Jordan Hicks just above the strike zone. He smacked it hard and watched it sail into the bullpen in right field. Steven Kwan also scored after hitting a single.
Earlier that inning, Patrick Bailey hit a solo home run to put the Guardians on the board. Cleveland had not hit a home run in the first three games of the series.
Chicago answered in the sixth, taking a 4-3 lead. The White Sox scored when Sam Antonacci was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and then Brenton Doyle hit a sacrifice fly.
Cleveland fought back with six runs in the top of the sixth inning to make the score 9-4. Travis Bazzana tied things up with an RBI double, with Bailey, Ramirez, Chase DeLauter and Jo Adell (two) adding RBIs in the inning.
The Calgary Flames showed signs of improvement Thursday night but couldn’t keep pace with the Colorado Avalanche, falling 7-3 at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
The game featured a pair of familiar faces returning to Calgary in Nazem Kadri and Cale Makar. Makar grew up in Calgary, while Kadri spent multiple seasons with the Flames before being traded to Colorado.
Colorado opened the scoring late in the first period when Makar found Devon Toews beside the crease. Toews redirected the puck past Cooley to give the Avalanche a 1-0 lead.
Adam Klapka provided an immediate response for Calgary at 17:30 with an impressive individual effort. The forward carried the puck into Colorado’s zone, toe-dragged around Josh Manson and fired a wrist shot past Scott Wedgewood to tie the game 1-1.
It was Klapka’s first goal of the season, while Costagna picked up his first NHL point with the secondary assist.
Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
The Avalanche took control in the second period, starting with Toews’ second goal of the night at 6:45. His point shot found its way through traffic and past a screened Cooley to restore Colorado’s lead.
Makar extended the advantage moments later, beating Cooley with a quick wrist shot between the goaltender’s glove and body. The Colorado defenceman’s second point of the night made it 3-1.
The Flames continued to struggle defensively as Colorado maintained pressure in the offensive zone. Nathan MacKinnon capitalized at 11:39, blasting a one-timer past Cooley off a feed from Zachary L’Heureux to push the lead to 4-1.
Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
Frustration began to show as Matt Coronato and L’Heureux exchanged words before dropping the gloves for a brief but spirited fight along the boards.
Colorado continued to pull away in the third period. Makar completed his two-goal night with a shot from the high slot that found the top of the net, making it 5-1. MacKinnon and Kadri picked up the assists.
The Avalanche added another when T.J. Hughes found Jaden Schwartz in front of the net. Schwartz finished the play by roofing the puck past Cooley to make it 6-1.
Kevin Bahl followed at 8:28, putting a shot toward the net that deflected past Wedgewood off a body in front. Suddenly, the Flames had scored twice in just over a minute to make it 6-3.
Any hopes of building further momentum were short-lived. On the next shift, Schwartz sent the puck toward the net, where it deflected off Jake Middleton and past Cooley to restore Colorado’s four-goal advantage.
The Avalanche held on for the 7-3 win, leaving Calgary with another difficult result despite a more competitive start and a late offensive push.
Three Takeaways
1. A better response, but defensive issues remain
The Flames showed more life against a difficult opponent and found ways to generate offence, particularly in the first and third periods. However, Colorado took advantage of defensive breakdowns and sustained offensive-zone pressure to create separation. Calgary’s late push was encouraging, but it came after the game had largely been decided.
2. Adam Klapka makes his presence felt
Klapka was one of Calgary’s most effective players on the night. His first goal of the season was a highlight-reel effort, showcasing his speed, puck control and finishing ability. He also brought a physical presence and remained engaged throughout the game. His performance made a strong case for a larger role as the night progressed.
3. Costagna gets his first NHL point
Costagna’s NHL debut was a milestone in an otherwise difficult night for the Flames. After taking part in his rookie lap during warmups, the rookie forward recorded his first career NHL point by assisting on Klapka’s first-period goal.
