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3 Takeaways: Mistakes, Special Teams Continue To Plague Penguins In 4-1 Loss To Senators

After a relatively successful 2-1 Western road trip, the Pittsburgh Penguins were hoping to build off some of the momentum they gained as they went home to face the Ottawa Senators Saturday.

Unfortunately, the inconsistency that has plagued them all season long came roaring back to bite them.

The Senators defeated the Penguins, 4-1, in a game that was - for most of it - much closer than the scoresheet indicated. They held an early 1-0 lead and controlled play for most of the first half, then special teams and mistakes sunk the ship midway through the second. They were never really able to recover from that, and as a result, were outshot, 34-17, when all was said and done.

The Penguins are now 2-6-3 with a minus-18 goal differential in their last 11 games against the Senators.

"I think consistency has been an issue. I mean, I think tonight's another example of that," head coach Dan Muse said. "I thought there were stretches of the game where that was there. If you go through the game, I thought the first period... I walked out of that first pretty happy with things. Not just the goal at the end of the period, but the period as a whole. I think that's kind of the way you need to play against a team like this.

"And then, I thought the beginning of the second, it was there, and I thought we got away from it in the back half of the second. I think we got stubborn with it. Some of the things that were working in the first period, we didn't stay with it long enough.”

As indicated by their head coach, the Penguins got off to a pretty solid start in the first period. Even if the teams were trading some chances, Pittsburgh had the majority of possession and better of the play throughout the opening frame. They had a Tommy Novak goal called off for offside midway through.

But he made up for it before the horn sounded to end the first. In the final seconds, Ben Kindel sprung Egor Chinakhov and Novak on a two-on-one. Chinakhov served a perfect pass on a silver platter to Novak on the left side, and he redirected it in for his team-leading eighth goal of the season to put the Penguins up 1-0 with 6.3 seconds on the clock.

Pittsbugh started off the second period strong, too, outshooting Ottawa 5-0 for the first eight and a half minutes of it and controlling play. But, shortly after Ottawa killed off a slashing penalty by Claude Giroux, Connor Dewar made an ill-advised pass in the defensive zone that was picked off by Senators' forward Michael Amado, and he buried it for his seventh of the season to tie the game at 1-1. 

From there, Ottawa seized much of the momentum in the middle frame. With a little under four minutes to go in the period, Claude Giroux took advantage of another errant Penguins' pass - this time, by Ben Kindel in the neutral zone - and carried it all the way in to beat Murashov and give the Senators the 2-1 lead. 

And, in the third period, the Senators really shut it down. Tim Stutzle earned a weird goal from a bad angle on one knee late in the third, then Thomas Chabot put the game away with the empty-netter at the end. The Penguins mustered just six shots on goal in the final 34 minutes and 57 seconds of regulation, which just isn't going to get the job done most nights. 

"I think we felt pretty good about the way we played for a good chunk of that road trip," Sidney Crosby said. "But, this was a different team that we played in comparison to those three games on that trip. It was a little bit more wide-open. I think this was a tighter game, a little more physical, and we have to be able to produce chances in that type of game.

"They just played better, you know? That's basically what it comes down to."

Here are three takeaways from this loss:

- I know we're beating the already long-dead horse here, but the power play is a legitimate problem. 

Maybe it's personnel. Maybe it's coaching. Maybe it's mental. Maybe it's 'get a few, and they'll start going in.' Maybe the guys running it just aren't processing the game fast enough anymore. 

Whatever it is, they need to figure it out fast if they're going to have any kind of shot at digging themselves out of the hole they're in. The Penguins had two power plays in this game before Senators had one, and they weren't able to build on the 1-0 lead they established early on back up by some really solid five-on-five play. They also had a power play directly following the Senators' man advantage that the Penguins killed off.

Then, as it often does, one bad mistake burned them shortly after the Sens killed the third penalty. The Penguins were not able to handle those momentum swings brought on by special teams, and the mistakes came back to burn them again. 

Penguins' Prospect Headed To Spengler CupPenguins' Prospect Headed To Spengler CupOne of Pittsburgh's defensive prospects is heading off to NCAA Hockey's most prestigious international tournament.

- To follow up on those mistakes, the Penguins were their own worst enemy in this one. They were controlling the game for the entirety of its first half.

In reference to that post-power play mistake, Dewar had the puck along the left wall and, for some reason, threw the puck right into the middle of the ice in the defensive zone in an attempt to spring Erik Karlsson on the breakout. There's no reason to make that pass there as opposed to simply getting it ahead and out of the zone. 

Ottawa's second goal was a huge mistake, too. The Penguins' second line was attempting to enter the offensive zone, and the puck carrier was Kindel. Instead of simply just getting the puck deep, he elected to put a backhand pass under pressure in the direction of Egor Chinakhov down the middle.

It hit the skate of Ridly Greig and went right to Giroux's stick, and he didn't miss, either.

All season long, the Penguins have actually been a relatively solid five-on-five team. But they make way too many glaring mistakes like this that end up in the back of their net. Going into this one, the Penguins were right in the middle of the league (15th) in giveaways with 276 and - actually - owned the second-least number of defensive zone giveaways (107) in the NHL, but it sure doesn't feel like it.

And that's probably because half the giveaways happen at the worst times and turn into the most high-danger of high-danger chances. They need to be better than that for their goaltenders, especially with two young netminders.

Penguins' Defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk Returns To Team PracticePenguins' Defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk Returns To Team PracticeOne of Pittsburgh's veteran blueliners appears close to a return to action.

But, according to the captain, mistakes are part of the game and always have been. And the team just needs to figure out a way to have a better response.

"Yeah, I mean, that's the game, though. It's been like that for a long time, and it's not going to change," Crosby said. "It's just one of those things where, some nights, you pay for them. Other nights, you find ways to make up for it or score a little bit more. So, that's the game. and we have to find a way to be better. And that's really what it comes down to."

One major difference between this team and the one from 2024-25, Mike Sullivan's final season as head coach, is that, as frustrating as the losses were, they were finding and inventing different ways to lose every time. 

This season? It's the same thing nearly every night: Mistakes suck the life out of them, and they cannot recover or take back momentum enough to deliver a positive result. If it's fixable - which, honestly, it kind of feels like it is - they need to fix it fast. Because they're falling fast. 

- Aside from the Stutzle goal, Murashov was good in net again. Of course, he would want the Stutzle goal back. But, it was a bit of an awkward play in general, as Murashov was still getting reset and Stutzle just threw it back at the net, and he still put together a 30-save effort.

Regardless of that goal, just as he was in his wins over the Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks on the Penguins' preceding California road trip, he was oozing confidence and challenging shooters. He made several huge saves, including one with his right pad on Tim Stutzle late in the second period. And he made them look easy with his quickness and athleticism. 

Those were two words that Penguins' Hall of Fame-elect Marc-Andre Fleury used to describe Murashov prior to the game. Fleury was the Penguins' franchise goaltender for over a decade. Murashov has a chance to be the franchise goaltender of the future.

If these past three games are any indication of his ceiling and his ability, he's going to have an NHL career. He's playing pretty well at the moment, and he only figures to continue getting better as he progresses in his development. 

The Penguins don't play again until Thursday, when they host the St. Louis Blues. I semi-expect Arturs Silovs to get the net for that one only because he won't have played for more than a week and a half at that point. 

But, don't be surprised if Murashov gets the nod, either. The Penguins play a back-to-back over the weekend on the road against the Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars, and if they're riding the hot hand, they might want Murashov to get two of those three games.  

Penguins Young Goalie Is Showing Big Signs Of Breaking OutPenguins Young Goalie Is Showing Big Signs Of Breaking OutThis is promising to see.

BONUS TAKEAWAY: The Penguins don't play again until Thursday.

It wouldn't come as much of a surprise if something happens between now and then. It's not exactly a secret that this team is struggling to find any manner of consistency, and they're running out of time to figure things out. They're 7-11-2, two points out of the East's basement, and 10 points out of the final wild card spot.

There may not be an early move that's seismic, so to speak. But think Lars Eller getting traded in November during the 2024-25 season: Maybe it's a bottom-six guy to free up some valuable roster space for a younger player, to shake up the room a bit, and to get some early value while teams are looking to plug some holes well in advance of the trade deadline. 

Of course, the Erik Karlssons, Rickard Rakells, and Bryan Rusts are the big talking points. But don't rule out the Blake Lizottes, Sam Girards, Connor Dewars, or even the Tommy Novaks, either.

Penguins Reassign Defenseman To AHL With Another Blueliner Close To ReturnPenguins Reassign Defenseman To AHL With Another Blueliner Close To ReturnThe Penguins sent big defenseman Ilya Solovyov back to WBS Saturday to give him some much-needed playing time.

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!    

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Report: Senators and Andre Burakovsky May Be Looking To Part Ways After Just Eight Games

After just eight games, the Andre Burakovsky experiment in Ottawa may already be coming to an end.

According to Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman, the Senators are exploring the possibility of moving the veteran winger, with both sides apparently interested in a fresh start. Friedman reported the news during Saturday night's broadcast of the Senators' 4-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

"I believe the Senators are out there, looking to see if they can find a fresh start for him," Friedman said. "Right now, Burakovsky's name is out there. Just, unfortunately, the marriage hasn't worked."

Back in training camp, Andre Burakovsky addressed his struggles in Chicago last season (Senators YouTube).

It's a surprisingly quick development considering Burakovsky has suited up for just eight games for the Senators since being acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks over the summer in exchange for a sixth-round draft pick.

That said, those eight games haven't gone well at all.

The 31-year-old has yet to record a point with his new club, has struggled to adjust to the Sens systems, and has already had two separate stints on the injured list.

After Brady Tkachuk was traded, the Senators had hoped Burakovsky and William Eklund might pick up some of the offensive slack. But both players have spent more time on the injured list than on the ice.

The warning signs were there.

Burakovsky managed just four points during the second half of last season with Chicago, while playing frequently on a line with Connor Bedard. That's a pretty rough stretch for a player making $5.5 million a year, especially when he's getting regular shifts with one of the NHL's brightest young stars.

GM Steve Staios hoped he'd bought low on a bounce back candidate, and it just hasn't panned out.

But no one would have thought it would go like this. 

Based on Burakovsky's comments a few weeks ago, it's pretty clear that the Senators' style of play has been a major adjustment for him.

"I think it's been a little bit harder than I expected, to adjust to the way we want to play," Burakovsky said. "I think as of now, I'm trying to focus so much on doing the right thing in our system that my instincts are maybe slipping a little bit.

"But I'm trying to find a way to contribute both ways, do the things I'm good at, and then also do what we're supposed to system-wise: forechecking, hunting, and making good plays."

It's one thing to want to explore a trade, but it's fair to wonder what kind of market exists for a $5.5 million player who's injury-prone and hasn't contributed much on either side of the puck.

Oh, and he has a 10-team no-trade clause.

Unless the Senators retain salary, provide some other kind of sweetener, or go the waivers route, executing this reported plan for a fresh start won't be easy, not if they're hoping to get something in return.

Friedman also said he believes Staios will be looking to add at some point this season.

The Senators have certainly given themselves reason to think about upgrading. Saturday's victory in Pittsburgh gave them nine of a possible ten points over their past five games and moved them into a share of the Atlantic Division lead with 28 points.

With the team playing some of its best hockey of the season, they may have decided there's little reason to wait for Burakovsky to figure things out.

The problem now is finding another NHL team that believes he's still capable of doing that.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News Ottawa

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Lakers vs. Suns Preview: Adjusting without Austin Reaves

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 10: Jake LaRavia #12 of the Los Angeles Lakers splits the defense of Dillon Brooks #3 and Jamaree Bouyea #17 of the Phoenix Suns during the second half of a game at Crypto.com Arena on April 10, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Lakers (11-2) conclude their road trip in Phoenix where they will take on the Suns (5-6) on Sunday. It’s the first head-to-head matchup of the season between Pacific Division foes.

Start time and TV schedule

Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Phoenix Suns

When: 1 p.m. PT, Nov. 15

Where: Mortgage Matchup Center

Watch: Spectrum Sportsnet

The first matchup between the Lakers and Suns will feature two teams coming in with lots of momentum. Los Angeles has won seven straight games while Phoenix caught fire last week by nabbing four of their last five.

The Suns also have their superstar firepower in Devin Booker, who is playing very well as of late and is averaging 25.5. points, 2.5 rebounds and five assists per game this season. His matchup against long-time rival Luka Dončić — who is obviously playing out of this world right now — will take center stage.

Unfortunately, Austin Reaves will not be able to join Dončić since he’s recovering from a heel bruise. This then presents another challenge for the Lakers in how to navigate without their second-best player for the time being.

For the Lakers to come away with a win, they’ll need to do a few things to keep the Suns in check.

Let Dončić cook Booker

There’s no doubt that Luka is the best player on either team in this matchup but the pressure on him increases with Austin out of the lineup. While Dončić will shoulder much of the offensive load, the Lakers’ defense will need to step up in containing Booker. That’s where Matisse Thybulle, Quentin Grimes and even Colin Sexton come in. The goal is to make sure Booker doesn’t get into rhythm the way he has over the last few games.

Expose the Suns’ flaws

You’d think that there is no worse rebounding team than the Lakers, but the Suns rank dead last in the league in the category. One reason Phoenix struggles on the boards is its lack of frontcourt size, and that’s an area Walker Kessler needs to exploit. The Suns counter by attempting to win the 50-50 balls and forcing turnovers, which the Lakers need to do a better job of.

Note that Phoenix also has the 26th-best defense in the league, so it’ll be ideal for the Lakers’ offense to overwhelm the Suns right off the bat. Hopefully the Lakers’ supporting cast and bench can outplay the likes of Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Luke Kennard, among others.

Don’t let the Suns get hot

Given their defensive shortcomings, the Suns’ best path to winning games is often to simply outshoot their opponents. While it’s difficult to account for an unusually hot shooting game, the Lakers’ defense must make sure the Suns don’t get comfortable and find their rhythm. The Lakers’ defense can’t be nonexistent in this one.

Hopefully, much like their victory over the Hawks without Reaves, the Lakers can control the pace and dictate the momentum throughout this game. It won’t be a walk in the park but the Lakers have shown that they’re a team that can overcome obstacles. Let’s see if they can do that and extend their winning streak to eight on Sunday.

Notes and Updates

  • For the Lakers’ injury report, Reaves (left heel bruise) and Cameron Carr (illness) are out.
  • Bronny James (illness), Adou Thiero (left ankle sprain) and Colin Sexton (right orbital laceration) is questionable.
  • As for the Suns, Mark Williams (left shoulder surgery) is out.

You can follow Nicole on Twitter at @nicoleganglani.

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Oettinger makes 22 saves as the Stars beat the Sabres 2-0

DALLAS (AP) — Jake Oettinger made 22 saves to lead the Dallas Stars to a 2-0 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night, just two days after being pulled after allowing a season-high six goals.

It’s Oettinger’s fourth shutout this season and first since Oct. 17. Oettinger posted shutouts in three of Dallas’ first six games — including a 4-0 win against Buffalo on Oct. 8 — but had allowed 14 goals in his past three starts, including six in an 8-3 loss to Winnipeg on Thursday.

Stars captain Jamie Benn snapped a scoreless game late in the second period with a goal for the 1,000th point of his 18-year career to give Dallas a 1-0 lead.

Wyatt Johnston took an assist from Mikko Rantanen and Roope Hintz and scored on a power play with 40 seconds remaining for the final score.

Oettinger and the Stars’ defense held off the Sabres during a furious five-on-four power play midway through the third period. Moments later, Oettinger splayed his right leg out to stop a breakaway shot from point-blank range by Jack Quinn. Seconds later, Quinn had another chance to pull Buffalo even, but Oettinger was there for the save.

The Stars had three penalty kills in the first period, but still held a 10 to 6 shots-on-goal advantage in the opening frame. The Sabres killed two Stars power plays in the period. Dallas had five penalty kills in the game and outshot Buffalo 30-22.

Up next

The Stars host the Florida Panthers on Sunday.

The Sabres play the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night.

___

See AP’s full NHL coverage here

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Stats Rundown: 4 numbers to know from the Mavericks’ 127-117 loss at the Cleveland Cavaliers’ JV

CLEVELAND, OHIO - NOVEMBER 14: P.J. Washington #25 of the Dallas Mavericks shoots against Tyrese Proctor #24 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first half at Rocket Arena on November 14, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Dallas Mavericks (7-6) turned in a second straight pitiful performance on Saturday, dropping a 127-117 decision to the Cleveland Cavaliers (7-7) at Rocket Arena.Kyrie Irving led all scorers with 34 points on seven made 3-pointers, but no one rode shotgun with him as the Mavericks gave away a winnable game with a putrid second quarter.

Four of the five Cavaliers’ regular starters sat with injuries on the second night of a back-to-back set, after travel difficulties related to the temporary ground stop at all U.S. airports beset the team coming back home from its game at the Miami Heat on Thursday. Various injuries were listed on the Cavs’ injury report, but the travel difficulties were what really tipped the scales of availability.

Saturday’s matchup appeared to offer Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving a get-right opportunity after an off night in Thursday’s 133-94 loss at the Minnesota Timberwolves. But that’s not what happened, of course. Let’s see what the numbers tell us.

9: Caleb Martin first-quarter points

An unlikely early scoring leader emerged for the Mavericks against the Cavs on Saturday. Caleb Martin paced Dallas with nine points through the first quarter on 4-of-4 shooting, including his only 3-point attempt of the opening frame.

Martin got into the passing lane on a bad pass from Thomas Bryant with 2:25 left in the first, and ran ahead for a dunk to put the Mavs in front, 22-20. He scored his first seven points in the first 4:35 of the game.

But as you may suspect, Martin’s emergence as the team’s leading scorer early on was not necessarily a harbinger of good things to come for Dallas. After battling to a 33-33 tie at the end of one with an injury-riddled version of the Cavaliers, Dallas started to wobble even more in the second.

38-20: Cleveland’s second-quarter ass kicking

The Dallas defense was nonexistent in the second quarter, and things weren’t going much better on the offensive end either. The Mavericks surrendered 38 points to a beleaguered Cavaliers team featuring big performances from the likes of Bryant (14 points, six rebounds in first half), rookie second-rounder Meleek Thomas (13 first-half points, 3-of-6 from 3-point range) and Tyrese Proctor (13 and six).

Meanwhile, Flagg and Irving combined to shoot 4-of-18 in the first half, scoring just 14 points between them. That continued a disturbing trend from Thursday’s lopsided loss at the Minnesota Timberwolves, when the duo scored just 22 points between them.

The Cavs turned a 33-33 tie after one quarter into a rout by shooting better than 56% from the field in the first half and took a gaudy 71-53 lead into the halftime break.

4: Third-quarter 3-pointers from Kyrie Irving

The Mavericks needed someone to step up in the worst way if they were going to trim the Cleveland lead to somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 points going into the fourth quarter. Enter Irving, finally.

He made 7-of-10 from the field, including 4-of-8 from 3-point land out of halftime as the Mavericks made two separate runs at the Cavs’ lead in the third. His third of the third pulled the Mavs to within 95-83 with 2:46 left in the frame. He hit a 28-footer less than a minute later to make it 97-88, giving Irving 17 points in the quarter, but the no-name Cavs had an answer every time.

Mario Hezonja, apparently playing the role of Croatian Kobe Bryant, scored 12 of his own in the third on a pair of made 3-pointers for Cleveland. After the dust settled in a back-and-forth third quarter, the Mavs were still down by 14, 105-91 as the fourth quarter loomed.

What made the frame frustrating is how little the Mavericks’ role players did to help Irving out as he single-handedly tried to bring Dallas back. Martin, PJ Washington, Morez Johnson Jr., Zaccharie Risacher and Santi Aldama all combined to score four points on a combined 2-of-7 from the field in the third. Irving scored 20 of his team-high XX in the third before the Mavericks faded into the Cleveland night down the stretch.

11-of-31: Cooper Flagg shooting in last two losses

Flagg was nonexistent on both ends of the floor against the Cavs, as he made just six field goals on offense, and got burned time and time again on defense while trying to stay in front of someone named Tyrese Proctor off ball screens. Flagg made just 5-of-12 from the field in limited action on Thursday in the blowout loss at Minnesota.

Proctor has, for most of the early part of the year, been a 20-minute-off-the-bench kind of guy. Against the Mavs on Saturday, he set career-high marks in points, rebounds, and assists on his way to the first triple-double of his career. Proctor burned everyone the Mavs sent at him on Saturday, finishing with 24 points on 10-of-19 shooting, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in the unlikely Cleveland win.

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Sabres Are In A Familar Freefall – But They Likely Don't Have A Late-Season Comeback Under Their Sleeves

(Chris Jones, Imagn Images)
(Chris Jones, Imagn Images)

After their 2-0 loss against the Dallas Stars Saturday night in Dallas, the Buffalo Sabres find themselves on a four-game losing streak after that includes a 3-2 loss to the lowly Chicago Blackhawks, and an 8-3 blowout defeat at the hands of the Tampa Bay Lightning. And Buffalo’s record after Saturday’s loss is a thoroughly-unimpressive 8-8-4.

The string of losses is putting the Sabres in the same troublingly-familiar position as the one they were in last season: By November 13 last year, Buffalo was in the midst of a five-game losing skid, and they had a record of 5-8-4. And it took the Sabres to get to the first week of December – when they had a record of 11-14-4 – before they suddenly changed their competitive trajectory and stunningly went 39-9-5 the rest of the way.

You never know what can happen with any team, but it doesn’t feel like this particular Sabres team has it in them to flip the script. And one of the reasons this writer feels that way is because Buffalo is getting sub-par performances from their goaltenders.

To be sure, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has a 5-4-3 record, an .867 save percentage (worst of any Sabres goalie this year), and a 3.51 goals-against average. Meanwhile, ostensible backup Colten Ellis has a 3-3-0 record, an .873 SP and a 3.39 GAA. And veteran Alex Lyon – who had missed the entire season thus far before he started against the Blackhawks – put up a 2.87 GAA and an .880 SP in his first game back. And Sabres management gave Lyon a second straight start against the Stars, but he allowed two goals on 30 Dallas shots – a solid performance, but the Sabres still lost after they couldn't produce a single goal.

Obviously, this can’t continue if Buffalo intends on being a Stanley Cup playoff team, let alone a true Cup frontrunner. 

The Hawks loss in particular has to be a huge red flag for Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen. Although Buffalo sits sixth in the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference standings, there’s plenty of cause for concern in Western New York. And that’s in part because the NHL schedule-maker has put many solid squads in front of them in approximately the next two weeks.

For instance, after their next game a tilt Tuesday against the brutal Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday, but after that, the Sabres’ next opponent will be the Washington Capitals (who have already beaten Buffalo once this year), followed by the Florida Panthers, Lightning, and the surprisingly-solid New York Rangers. And on Dec. 1, they get a road game against the high-octane Edmonton Oilers. So it’s no exaggeration to say that the Sabres’ record by December could be exactly where it was last season. 

Kekalainen can’t let that happen. He’s not likely to fire coach Lindy Ruff, but it says here that he should be doing whatever is necessary to improve his team’s chances of getting into the post-season and do some serious damage once they get there. 

The Sabres have $3-million in salary cap space to work with right now, and that number balloons to $11 million by this year’s NHL trade deadline, which comes on March 1. But Kekalainen has all three of his first-round draft picks in the next three drafts, as well as two second-rounders and five third-rounders. Buffalo is long past the point where they have to keep all their first-rounders, and given how valuable first-rounders are these days, Kekalainen should be demanding a difference-making forward or goaltender if he’s going to give an opposing team one of his first-rounders.

Thus, you can see why Sabres fans are antsy to change up the chemistry with this Buffalo squad. Their goals-for average ranks 22nd thus far this season, and their goals-against average ranks 27th. If either of those rankings were on the right track, you could forgive the Sabres and put some stock in them turning things around. 

However, this current stretch of the schedule is being squandered by Buffalo. Sure, there were tough opponents in the Vegas Golden Knights and Lightning, but they lost those games by a combined score of 12-4 – and in their current four-game losing skid, they’ve been outscored by a combined total of 16-6. That’s a very bad harbinger of what’s to come, and it’s now on Kekalainen to shake the trees in the GM community and find a player or players to provide the jolt this Sabres team Obviously needs.

If he can’t do that, Kekalainen is going to find himself on the hot seat, trying to justify his existence. And in the end, he may fail in that regard as well.

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Former Canadiens Defenseman Placed On Waivers By Hurricanes

Former Montreal Canadiens defenseman Mike Reilly has been placed on waivers by the Carolina Hurricanes, as reported by Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

Reilly was the subject of several healthy scratches before being placed on waivers by the Hurricanes on Saturday. This is because his most recent appearance for Carolina was on Oct. 18. Thus, with this and Jordan Staal returning for the Hurricanes, it is understandable that the former Canadiens blueliner has been waived by Carolina. 

Teams looking for more experienced blueline depth could consider claiming Reilly off waivers from the Hurricanes. If he passes through waivers unclaimed, the Hurricanes would then be able to assign him to their AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves. 

Reilly has played in eight games this season with the Hurricanes, where he has recorded two assists, 15 hits, and a plus-4 rating. 

Reilly played three seasons with the Canadiens from 2017-18 to 2019-20. In 90 games as a member of the Canadiens, the left-shot defenseman recorded three goals, 20 assists, 23 points, 77 hits, and 85 blocks. 

Reilly's time with the Canadiens ended when he was traded to the Ottawa Seantors in January of the 2019-20 campaign. 

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Recap: Shorthanded Avs find 4-1 triumph in Montreal

MONTREAL, CANADA- NOVEMBER 14: Brock Nelson #11 of the Colorado Avalanche celebrates after scoring a goal during the first period of the NHL regular season game between the Montreal Canadiens and the Colorado Avalanche at the Bell Centre on November 14, 2026 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Arianne Bergeron/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images

To finish out their eastern Canadian swing, the Colorado Avalanche visited the Montreal Canadiens in what is always a spirited affair. News broke earlier in the day that they’d have to tackle this game shorthanded with both Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon out with injury. It was a classic win by committee through adversity as the Avalanche found themselves with a 4-1 victory.

The Game

Life sans superstars started off on a positive note as Fedor Svechkov got the scoring started and gave the Avalanche an early lead on a puck that was chipped over Montreal netminder Jakub Dobes. Brock Nelson doubled the score on a slick feed from Artturi Lehkonen. Montreal found the 10-5 shot advantage but Colorado had the 2-0 lead on the scoreboard.

In the second period the two teams traded a pair of power plays each but neither team could convert. Montreal did get on the board with a goal from Nick Suzuki after he took advantage of some very lax Avalanche defense. The score at the second intermission was 2-1 Colorado.

With the benefit of another power play to open the third period, Colorado added to their lead with Artturi Lehkonen’s 15th goal of the season doing what he does best cleaning up the garbage at the net front. At one point it seemed Montreal would make it a game again when Alex Newhook tipped a puck past Mackenzie Blackwood but after a lengthy review it was determined he touched the puck with a high stick and the goal was wiped out. Montreal pulled the goalie with several minutes left and in the dying seconds Nic Roy found the back of the net to give Colorado a 4-1-victory.

Takeaways

If Colorado is going to survive the era with MacKinnon and Makar on the shelf they are really going to need to accept help from the non-veteran players in their lineup. It was disappointing to see Fedor Svechkov score on the opening minutes of the game and yet finished with the team-low 10 minutes of ice time with a 82% share of the expected goals while he was on the ice. He will be wasted on the fourth line in a healthy lineup and with one aching for useful depth guys like Svechkov will be key to keeping this team afloat.

Rookie defenseman Alex Gagne made his NHL debut and played nearly 12 minutes. He did well enough in a third pair role with Brent Burns. It remains to be seen if Gagne gets the opportunity throughout Makar’s full absence or if there will be trading out players especially as Colorado has a very light schedule over the next couple of weeks.

Upcoming

A couple days rest and then a big Central division matchup at the Utah Mammoth to begin yet another back-to-back on Wednesday, November 18th at 8 p.m. MT.

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Avalanche beat Canadiens 4-1 without injured stars MacKinnon, Makar

MONTREAL (AP) — Artturi Lehkonen had a goal and an assist and the short-handed Colorado Avalanche beat the Montreal Canadiens 4-1 on Saturday night without injured stars Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar.

MacKinnon and Makar both sustained lower-body injuries Thursday night in a 4-3 overtime loss in Ottawa. Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said MacKinnon will be out at least a month, while Makar is expected to miss two weeks.

Fedor Svechkov, Brock Nelson and Nicolas Roy also scored for Colorado (12-6-3). Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 25 shots.

Nick Suzuki replied with a highlight-reel goal for Montreal (12-4-4), which had gone 12 consecutive games without losing in regulation (9-0-3).

Jakub Dobes made 22 saves in his first start in nine days.

Colorado defenseman Brent Burns became the 14th player in NHL history — and only active player — to play in 1,600 games. The 41-year-old defender has suited up in 1,028 consecutive contests dating to Nov. 21, 2013. Phil Kessel holds the NHL’s “Ironman” record at 1,064 straight games, a number Burns could pass Feb. 15.

Up next

Avalanche: At Utah on Wednesday night.

Canadiens: Host the New York Rangers on Monday night.

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See AP’s full NHL coverage here

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Nets were thrown into travel chaos during the FAA ground stop: ‘Something we couldn’t control’

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Brooklyn Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez stands on the sideline during a game, Image 2 shows JetBlue and American Airlines planes parked at gates at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport after the ground stop lifted

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The name of the game in the NBA is adjustments. 

It’s usually about adjusting to other teams. But for the Nets — and a host of others around the league over the past two days — it was adjusting their travel. 

The Nets — who were en route to play the Grizzlies, an eventual 129-110 loss — got thrown into travel chaos Friday night and Saturday morning, just like the rest of the country. The Federal Aviation Administration’s decision to ground every flight nationwide for hours Friday left travelers scrambling, and the Nets were among them. 

“Yeah, I mean, obviously it was something that we couldn’t control,” Nets coach Jordi Fernández said. “And to be honest with you, it was not that bad. We had good rest and got here [Saturday] morning and did our walkthrough, and probably [would have] gone to the gym, but we were not able to. And I think we feel good and ready to go.” 

Brooklyn Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez looks on during the second half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026. AP Photo/Tyler Kaufman

The ground stop lasted over four hours before the FAA finally let airplanes take off Friday night. The Nets were one of five NBA teams that had been slated to fly that day for games Saturday. 

Brooklyn had been coming off a dominant 142-111 victory over the Pelicans on Wednesday night at Smoothie King Arena. They had stayed in New Orleans and practiced in the city Friday morning before heading to the airport to charter to Memphis. 

The Nets had just boarded their team plane in New Orleans, but had their flight halted in place. They eventually had to deboard the plane, scramble and find a hotel and stay overnight in New Orleans. 

Eventually, the Nets flew out at about 9 a.m. Saturday and arrived around 11 a.m., though the times blurred to Fernández. 

“Every day feels the same day and I just know the team that I play against in the city that I’m in,” Fernández laughed. “I don’t know about time, sorry.” 

The Nets had initially planned to have a morning shootaround in Memphis. But arriving that morning instead of the afternoon prior, their plans got changed. 

They faced the Grizzlies later that night at FedExForum. 

“Yeah, I mean, some of the guys we would have done some sort of shooting in the morning. It’s been the routine that they’ve had so far, whether it’s in a team setting or shooting times and walk-through and stuff like that. But we were not able to do it because of the time that we got here,” Fernández said. “So, like I said, it’s not ideal. We got here, everybody’s safe. It’s the most important thing.” 

Nets play-by-play voice Chris Carrino and color analyst Tim Capstraw — Brooklyn’s radio announcers for WFAN — were flying commercial and also got caught by the travel chaos. With direct transit from New Orleans to Memphis already all but impossible, the duo had flown to Houston and planned to catch a connecting flight but got stranded in Texas. They stayed in the airport and flew into Memphis on a 7:20 a.m. flight. 

Ironically, the Grizzlies had also been in New Orleans, and beat the Pelicans on Friday night. 

JetBlue and American Airlines planes sit at gates at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport after the FAA lifted a ground stop in Washington, Nov. 14, 2026. REUTERS

Memphis had to fly home Saturday morning as well. 

“Before the New Orleans game you could see a lot of chatter courtside and in the locker room about what was going to happen,” Grizzlies coach Tuomas Iisalo said. 

“We departed at maybe 11:30 when our original time was about 10 o’clock … instead of doing a morning shootaround on back-to-backs, a lot of times what teams do is a jog through here at the area, so you don’t come back twice.” 

The ground stop played havoc with travel. 

The Detroit Pistons had already flown to Miami, with the Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers and Memphis Grizzlies all having played Friday night and been expected to fly afterward, according to ESPN. 

Friday saw a total of 9,132 cancellations and 7,030 delays. Saturday saw thousands more, with the numbers still growing. 

Officials cited “extraordinary circumstances” caused by communications issues at regional air traffic control centers for the stoppage. 

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy pointed to “old switches, old routers.” 

The Nets had a jumbo lineup again Saturday, but not their leading scorer. 

Michael Porter Jr. was out Saturday after being a late scratch due to personal reasons. But the backcourt was healthy, with Nolan Traore and Mikel Brown Jr. both returning after having missed the win in New Orleans. 

The Nets went with Egor Dëmin, Danny Wolf, Noah Clowney, Julius Randle and Day’Ron Sharpe, every starter at least 6-foot-9, as they had been against the Pelicans. The Nets are the first team to do so since the Lakers on April 21, 1990.

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Mavericks vs. Cavaliers Recap: Dallas struggles on the road, falls 127-117 to star-less Cavaliers

Nov 14, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Cooper Flagg (32) looks to pass beside Cleveland Cavaliers forward Mario Hezonja (33) in the first quarter at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Dallas Mavericks (7-6) fell to the Cleveland Cavaliers (7-7), 127-117 in a Saturday night matchup on the road. The matchup followed Dallas’ 133-94 beatdown loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night. The Mavericks needed a bounce-back performance after Thursday night’s blunder, and failed to take advantage of a second-string Cavaliers team.

Max Christie, Sergio de Larrea, Dereck Lively, and Tarik Biberovic were out for the Mavericks. Cleveland was without Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Peyton Watson, Evan Mobley, Jarret Allen, and Sam Merrill. The Cavaliers sat all their top players after being unable to leave Miami until 9 a.m. due to a nationwide FAA grounding, following their 133-121 loss to the Heat. The nationwide grounding led to a call from Mitchell to cancel the game.

Kyrie Irving led the Mavericks with 34 points, six rebounds, and five assists, with 28 of those points coming in the second half. Tyrese Proctor contributed 24 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists, his first career triple-double, for the shorthanded Cavaliers.

The Mavericks struggled to defend the three early on, allowing Cleveland to make six threes in the first quarter, taking 58% of their shots from behind the arc. The Cavaliers, though shorthanded, had a hot hand early, allowing them to compete with the Mavericks in the first period. Caleb Martin was a bright spot for the Mavericks in this period, contributing nine first-quarter points as he continues to string together solid contributions in Dallas. Though the Mavericks couldn’t stop Meleek Thomas’s three-point shot early in the game, they walked into the second period at a 33-33 stalemate.

The Mavericks struggled offensively in the second period, letting their offensive mishaps affect how they defended the Cavaliers on the other end. The Cavaliers’ early hot hand from behind the arc faded away in the second quarter, but they were able to go inside, as the Mavericks continued to struggle to defend them. The Mavericks needed more from Cooper Flagg in this quarter, who went 1-of-6 from the field as the Cavaliers’ lead grew behind their 28-9 run in the quarter. Dallas walked into the intermission after giving up 38 points in the period, down 71-53, with a desperate need to punch back in the second half.

Dallas entered the second half uninspired to turn around its double-digit deficit, letting the lead swell to over twenty points. Dallas attempted to make a run midway through the third period, cutting the lead to 14, but continued to be unable to defend Cleveland to close the lead in any meaningful way. After a string of defensive stops, the Mavericks closed the gap with the Cavaliers, cutting the lead to 10. Irving provided a necessary 20 points in the third quarter when the Mavericks couldn’t find a bucket. Even then, the Mavericks entered the fourth quarter with a 14-point deficit to dig themselves out of. The Mavericks’ struggles seeped into the fourth quarter, despite everything Irving tried to do for Dallas. The Mavericks were unable to string together enough stops to fight back, falling 127-117.

Here are three takeaways from Saturday night’s loss.

Offensive woes on the road

The Mavericks’ offensive struggles continued on the road, shooting 39-of-94 from the field in the loss to Cleveland. Dallas needed someone to step up alongside Irving, but failed to take advantage of a less-talented group. This team needs more from guys like PJ Washington and Naji Marshall, who both shot poorly from the field in the loss to the Cavaliers. Off-nights from Flagg mean that someone else needs to answer the call, and the Mavericks failed to find someone to do so against Cleveland.

Cooper Flagg’s struggles

Cooper Flagg struggled in Saturday night’s matchup with the Cavaliers, finishing with 18 points on 6-of-19 from the field. He was unable to find his shot tonight, and it felt like he was trying to force himself out of his slump by trying to draw whistles that he didn’t get. He shot 0-of-6 from behind the arc tonight, though the Mavericks shot poorly from three as a whole. The Mavericks need more from Flagg, especially when facing a team missing its best players, because Irving can’t be left to do it on his own. Flagg’s youth showed tonight, and the Mavericks will need him to return to his All-Star-caliber self.

Kyrie Irving’s third quarter

Kyrie Irving’s 20-point third quarter gave the Mavericks a glimmer of temporary hope, with the Mavericks closing the Cavaliers’ lead to 10. He was able to find his shot in this quarter, giving the Mavericks the push they needed to try to close the gap on the Cavaliers. Irving finished with 34 points, with the Mavericks needing every last one. Irving has played like an All-Star since returning from his ACL tear, and tonight was another impressive showing, coming when Dallas needed it the most. The Mavericks were unable to find anyone to step up to the plate alongside Irving and play with some shame against the Cleveland B-team.

Up next

The Mavericks are back in action Sunday, as they travel to Boston to face the Celtics at the TD Garden. Catch the tail end of the Mavericks back-to-back at 5 p.m. CT on KFAA-TV and MavsTV.

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McDavid extends season-opening points streak to 21 games, Oilers beat Maple Leafs 1-0

TORONTO (AP) — Connor McDavid extended his season-opening points streak to 21 games with an assist, Devon Levi made 19 saves for his first NHL shutout and the Edmonton Oilers beat Toronto 1-0 on Saturday night to hand the Maple Leafs their sixth straight home loss.

Defenseman Evan Bouchard scored his 12th goal of the season for Edmonton (15-3-3). The Oilers are 7-1-1 in their last nine games.

McDavid picked up an assist to give him 50 points (11 goals, 39 assists) and add to his NHL lead.

Oilers coach Mike Babcock faced his former team in Toronto for the first time since being fired in November 2019.

Anthony Stolarz stopped 22 shots for Toronto (8-12-2), which suffered its sixth consecutive regulation loss to complete a disastrous six-game stretch at Scotiabank Arena.

The goaltender started consecutive games for the first time this season with Sergei Bobrovsky struggling to find traction after signing with the Maple Leafs in free agency on July 1.

Toronto dropped to 1-8-0 over its last nine.

Up next

Oilers: At Philadelphia on Sunday.

Maple Leafs: At Chicago on Tuesday night.

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See AP’s full NHL coverage here

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Senators Beat Penguins 4-1, Move Into Tie For First In Atlantic Division

Michael Amadio had a goal and an assist to lead the Senators to a 4-1 win in Pittsburgh on Saturday night. The Senators have taken 9 of a possible 10 points in the past five games and now share the Atlantic lead with 28.

Linus Ullmark made 16 saves for the Sens, who outshot the Penguins 34-17 and got goals from Claude Giroux, Tim Stutzle and Thomas Chabot.

The Penguins appeared to open the scoring at 7:01 of the first period when Tommy Novak was credited with a bizarre goal that featured a couple of strange bounces. However, video review determined that Pittsburgh's Egor Chinakhov was offside before the goal, wiping it off the board.

The Penguins did get on the board with just six seconds remaining in the first, thanks to a defensive breakdown by Thomas Chabot and Carter Yakemchuk, who put on a clinic in how not to defend a two-on-two.

Chinakhov lifted Chabot's stick as the Senators defenceman pinched and attempted to intercept a pass. As Chinakhov glided past Chabot, Yakemchuk veered toward him, and the Penguins forward slid the puck over to Novak, who had about two-thirds of the net to shoot at. He made no mistake, giving Pittsburgh a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes.

The Senators tied the game at 8:04 of the second period following a terrible Penguins giveaway, reminiscent of Shane Pinto's overtime winner against Colorado on Thursday night. Michael Amadio made a good read to intercept a careless pass to the middle and beat the goaltender with a wrist shot.

With four minutes remaining in the second, Claude Giroux put the Sens ahead with his fourth goal of the season.

With the Penguins in the middle of a line change, Pittsburgh forward Ben Kindel committed the ultimate sin, failing to get the puck deep while his teammates were heading to the bench. Kindel tried to dump it in, but instead fired the puck off Yakemchuk's skate.

The puck caromed out to centre ice, where Giroux found himself on a breakaway. The veteran did a fantastic job of outwaiting Penguins goaltender Sergei Murashov before tucking a backhand upstairs to give the Senators a 2-1 lead after 40 minutes.

In the third, with just over five minutes to play, Tim Stutzle put the game out of reach with a quick wrist shot from his knees that Murashov didn't seem ready for.

Chabot put it away with an empty-netter.

The win leaves the Senators with a record of 13-6-2, and with losses by Tampa and Montreal, the three clubs are suddenly tied for first place in the Atlantic with 28 points, one up on Boston, which also lost on Saturday. It should be noted that the Habs and Lightning do have a game in hand.

The Sens are back at it on Tuesday night in Winnipeg against the Jets, who've won six in a row.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News Ottawa

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The Knicks are struggling to finish games to start the season

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 10: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks prepares before the start of the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Madison Square Garden on November 10, 2026 in New York City. 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 Dustin Satloff/Getty Images) | Getty Images

It was just a few months ago that you could’ve turned a Knicks game off and celebrated within the last five minutes if it was a one-possession game: that’s how automatic they were in the clutch.

Led by the former Clutch Player of the Year and an impeccable supporting cast, it seemed like every time they found themselves in a late and close situation, it was automatic after those two CJ McCollum games. Even going back further than that, this team’s ability to dig deep when they need it most has been the defining characteristic of the Jalen Brunson era.

With an identical roster back in 2026-27, you’d expect it’d be the same… except it’s not.

In the Knicks’ 6-6 start, they’ve played seven clutch games. They’ve lost six of them.

Not all clutch games are created equal, but all of these games were winnable. Even last night’s loss against Indiana, which I was saying felt like a “fake clutch game,” as the Knicks got a few buckets late to make it look close, they somehow managed to have the ball with a chance to send it to overtime at the buzzer.

One way or another, the Knicks have failed to win these games. The lone win, the high-scoring thriller in Chicago, was the only game where it’s felt like last season’s Knicks that found a way.

Overall, in their 1-6 record in clutch games, the Knicks have a minus-17.4 net rating, ranking 22nd in the NBA. They don’t do anything truly bad in these games, but they do nothing well.

Their turnover rate is league average, as is their assist rate. Their rebounding goes from dominant to so-so, but the real culprit is the putrid 50.7 TS%, which ranks 23rd. That’s the catalyst behind an offense that hasn’t worked in these situations.

If you exclude the Chicago game, they have a minus-40 net rating with an 82.9 offensive rating and an even rougher 44.4 TS%. All six of those games have come against the type of teams they’ve excelled against in postseason settings, but it just hasn’t happened so far.

Going game-by-game, it’s just a mess of missed opportunities.

In the season opener against Philly, the Knicks trailed by two with under three minutes to go. After giving up a dunk to VJ Edgecombe, OG Anunoby committed a back-breaking turnover in the open court that allowed Tyrese Maxey to score an easy layup. The Knicks never got closer.

The Boston game that followed it felt like a fake comeback at times, but the team got within one with 1:41 to go. While the Celtics never pulled away from there, Jayson Tatum never gave them a chance to come back with tough shot after tough shot.

The inability to get a stop, coupled with a bad moving screen by Karl-Anthony Towns in a crucial spot down three with 1:11 left doomed them to an 0-2 start.

Against Orlando, the game was tied at 91 at the five-minute mark, but the Knicks played so poorly over the next four minutes that they gave themselves no chance. On their next eight possessions, the Knicks went 0-for-3 from the field, 2-for-6 from the line, and had three turnovers.

In the NBA Cup game in Philadelphia, a stepback three from Brunson gave them a 90-89 lead with 1:32 left, but things would unravel after that. A clutch LeBron fadeaway and a triple from Edgecombe on the next two possessions hurt, but so did allowing a brutal offensive rebound after getting a stop with 12 seconds left.

Their biggest strength, rebounding, failed them.

Against Cleveland on Wednesday, it was tied entering clutch time and a one-point game with 3:26 left, but a peculiar decision to continue to blitz Donovan Mitchell at halfcourt allowed the Cavs to score on essentially every trip down.

One sequence that defined this one? Deuce McBride had a fastbreak layup down by five with 35 seconds to go, got stuffed, and Peyton Watson hit Jarrett Allen on an outlet for an and-1 to ice the game.

Then, last night in Indiana, the undermanned Pacers did everything they could to throw the game away, giving the Knicks the ball down by two with 2.8 to go. They drew up a post touch for Towns, but it didn’t go.

I don’t hate the idea, but I really wish they used Towns’ newfound playmaking ability to their advantage by trying to free up a shooter on the right wing. If I have any criticism of this team’s late-game offense for years now, it’s too much isolation. There was enough time for a pass to at least be an option.

The team is shooting 38.9% in the clutch, a continuation of what’s been annoyingly persistent struggles with efficiency. They haven’t shot enough free throws to make conclusions there, but the regression we’ve seen from Towns and Brunson at the line has killed them in games where every point counts.

All told, this is something you expect to eventually reverse itself, but we’re getting to the point in the season where samples are getting bigger and bigger.

At some point, they have to start executing in general and consistently play as a cohesive unit for all 48 minutes.

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Cavs beat Mavericks 127-117 behind Tyrese Proctor’s triple double

CLEVELAND, OHIO - NOVEMBER 14: Caleb Martin #16 of the Dallas Mavericks goes to the basket against Tyrese Proctor #24 and Craig Porter Jr. #9 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first half at Rocket Arena on November 14, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Dallas Mavericks 127-117 behind an inspiring effort from their reserves.

The Cavs played on a skeleton crew tonight, with most of their usual rotation sidelined after last night’s delay kept them in Miami longer than expected. Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Peyton Watson, and Jarrett Allen all sat out while Evan Mobley, Sam Merrill, and Nae’Qwan Tomlin were out with respective injuries.

The starting lineup tonight was Tyrese Proctor, Meleek Thomas, Jaylon Tyson, Mario Hezonja, and Thomas Bryant.

The trio of Proctor, Thomas, and Tyson, who have labeled themselves as ‘the pitbulls’, set the tone early by being hyper-aggressive and active on both ends of the floor. They combined for 41 points in the first half, doing a little bit of everything to help build an 18-point lead going into the locker room.

Proctor finished the game with 24 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. It was the strongest game of his career and proof of concept that Proctor is a foundational piece of this team’s future.

Rocket Arena, which began the night feeling scorned by the stars who sat out, gave a hefty round of applause for the young group that showed up tonight.

Bryant and Hezonja deserve credit as well for serving as the veteran leaders of a younger, more inexperienced lineup. Hezonja scored 22 points on 9-of-12 shooting while Bryant added 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting.

Kyrie Irving scored 34 points and was given a warm reception both when he was announced in the Mavericks’ starting lineup and after the Cavs played a video of his iconic Game 7 shot over the Warriors. It was nice to see Irving play basketball back in Cleveland.

The Cavs also saw support from two-way prospect Norchad Omier, who added 13 points and 8 rebounds by hustling around the court all night. It’s performances like this that made a double-digit victory possible despite being short-handed.

Overall, the Cavs’ youth showed that you can accomplish a lot by simply playing hard. The cohesion that was shown by this group tonight should be kept in mind moving forward.

Cleveland is back home on Monday against the Chicago Bulls.