Former Chicago Blackhawks forward Kirby Dach had a rough start to the 2025-26 season with the Montreal Canadiens. The 6-foot-4 forward posted just one goal and one assist in his first seven games of the campaign with the Canadiens.
However, Dach has not only broken his cold streak with the Canadiens but is also playing some excellent hockey right now.
Dach is heating up in a big way offensively for the Canadiens, as he is on a three-game goal streak. Over that span, the former Blackhawk has scored four goals, so there is no question that he is finding his scoring touch again.
Now, with his hot streak, Dach has five goals, seven points, and a plus-2 rating in 12 games. With this, the 24-year-old is starting to show signs of having a bounce-back season, which is good news for the Canadiens.
Dach was selected by the Blackhawks with the third-overall pick of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. In 152 games over three seasons with the Blackhawks from 2019-20 to 2021-22, he posted 19 goals, 40 assists, 59 points, 89 hits, and a minus-22 rating.
The Los Angeles Kings opened their six-game road trip in Pittsburgh with a hard-fought, gritty 3-2 win over the Penguins on early Sunday afternoon. The win also gives the Kings their first victory over an Eastern Conference team this season, who are now 1-2-2.
This win was not only a significant road victory against a tough team, but it made it an even more memorable day because Forward Kevin Fiala became just the second Swiss-born player in the NHL to reach 500 career points, joining Nashville Predators Roman Josi.
The Kings entered the game needing a big win after their embarrassing home loss to the Florida Panthers on Thursday night. They delivered one of their more balanced performances of the season, weathering Pittsburgh's offense and getting great contributions from Corey Perry, who’s been hot lately, providing a big goal to even up the score in the third period.
Fiala Reaches Milestone
Fiala’s milestone came late in the third period when the score was tied 2-2, and he scored the late goal to give the Kings their first lead of the game.
Jim Hiller asked about Kevin Fiala after the game:
"Him and I talked before the game and both of us understood that he would have to have a good game for us to win, so it's great to see. When you say, 'get me out there and I'll deliver' and you get out there and you deliver.....what a game."
Fiala, 29 years old, is showing the Wild that they made a big mistake trading him away so early in his career, when he’s just entering the prime of his profession. The Swiss native now stands alone with his 500th point beside Josi as the only Swiss-born player to reach that mark in points.
Final
The game was fast-paced early on, with both teams exchanging early chances. The Penguins struck early when Anthony Mantha buried a goal midway through the first period, but the Kings responded with Anze Kopitar banking it in from the center to tie it 1-1.
Los Angeles found their way down 2-1 after the second period came to an end, but the Kings were looking like the better team, but just couldn’t execute their goals early on. However, late in the second, Alex Turcotte went down hard after a heavy collision with Connor Clifton near the boards. The 24-year-old was helped off and didn’t return to the game after the second. No update has been announced by the Kings yet on his injury or the timetable for his return.
In the third period, the Kings looked like a completely different team, tightening their defense and scoring in pivotal moments, including Corey Perry tying the game midway through. It’s now Perry’s 7th goal in just 10 games; he’s been the most underrated pickup so far this offseason.
A few minutes later, the historic moment came upon us when Fiala scored the goal with under 8 minutes left to give Los Angeles the lead, and the Kings' defense stepped up on the other end to close the game with a victory.
Kings Find Their Footing
This victory carries extra weight as the Kings continue their six-game road trip against the Canadiens on Tuesday and will let us know whether Los Angeles gained some momentum from today's win.
It’s a sign that the Kings have enough depth to make a deep run in the postseason. With Perry now playing at a high level and other guys stepping up, there’s no excuse for the Kings not to make the playoffs and advance further.
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The Sixers will host the Celtics on Tuesday night. Here are observations on their loss to Detroit:
Drummond’s 1st start
The Sixers used a starting frontcourt of Trendon Watford and Andre Drummond.
The day after his first NBA triple-double, Watford turned 25 years old. He posted seven points, three rebounds and two assists.Drummond started his first game of the season.
The veteran center remained a very willing jump shooter. He sunk a corner three-pointer in his first stint and another in the third quarter. Drummond now sits at 4 for 10 beyond the arc on the season.
Duren is one of a few players in the NBA with physical strength anywhere near Drummond’s. He made a couple of early driving layups and tallied eight points in the first quarter. Drummond did the same.
The Pistons went up 37-32 on a Caris LeVert three with 0.7 seconds left in the first quarter. Remarkably, Cunningham had none of those 37 points. He played through two early fouls but opened 1 for 9 from the floor. Meanwhile, Maxey started 2 for 9.
Walker steps up, finds his shot
The Sixers’ bench was quite impactful in the first half.
Head coach Nick Nurse’s rotation was not what anyone would’ve predicted. Eric Gordon got his first playing time since Oct. 28. Jabari Walker received backup center minutes over Adem Bona, although Bona entered late in the first quarter and Walker then slid down to power forward.
Walker canned a three to give the Sixers a 42-39 edge. He was certainly due for some long-range success. Until that shot, he’d been 0 for 7 as a Sixer from three-point territory.
The 23-year-old continued to crash hard for offensive rebounds and helped the Sixers hold their own on the glass with a tough, physical Pistons team. Walker scored a put-back layup and then nailed a heat-check three on the Sixers’ next possession.
Before Sunday, his season scoring high was eight points. He had a dozen by the midpoint of the second quarter.
Nurse brought Jared McCain in with 8:29 to go in the second and the second-year guard heard loud cheers from the home fans. Injury misfortune had kept him out 11 months.
McCain contributed to a highlight soon after coming in, picking up a steal and then passing ahead to Maxey for a fast-break triple. With just two games under his belt, he’s obviously still rusty and growing accustomed to playing with a brace on his left knee. In nine minutes, McCain had zero points on 0-for-3 shooting.
Cunningham and Maxey duel in the clutch
Kelly Oubre Jr. built the Sixers’ lead to 62-51 with a three late in the second quarter. Oubre gave a strong, resolute defensive effort against Cunningham, staying tight to his body and making him work for everything off the dribble.
However, Cunningham snapped into a higher gear in the second half.
He led a Pistons charge late in the third quarter and hit a free throw that put Detroit up 82-81. The Sixers again had a hard time with Maxey on the bench and trailed by three points after three quarters. A Paul Reed reverse dunk was the final basket of the third period.
Cunningham expertly orchestrated Detroit’s offense early in the fourth quarter and looked plenty confident in his ability to steer the Pistons to victory. The Sixers eventually blitzed Cunningham and tried to force the ball from his hands in the closing minutes.
After two Sixers offensive rebounds, Maxey drained a three to lift the Sixers to a 101-100 lead. He and Cunningham traded huge plays in the clutch.
Cunningham’s monstrous and-one slam put Detroit up 109-104. Maxey then scored the next four points, jamming in a fierce dunk of his own and hitting two free throws.
Ultimately, Cunningham had the last word. He navigated into the paint and made a difficult fadeaway jumper to give the Pistons a three-point lead with 16.9 seconds to play.
The Sixers couldn’t generate a good look on their final possession and ended up having to hope that Maxey’s tightly contested shot would send the game to overtime. He couldn’t force five extra minutes.
Two Major League Baseball pitchers were indicted on charges that they took part in a scheme to rig their pitches during games to benefit sports bettors.
Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase, 27, and Luis Ortiz, 26, were indicted Sunday. Both players had been on paid leave since July as the MLB investigated unusually high betting activity that took place when both men were pitching.
Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn say the pitchers would intentionally toss balls instead of strikes or throw at specific speeds to ensure successful bets. The scheme began in May 2023 with Clase, and later included Ortiz, ESPN reported.
The pitchers were indicted on charges including wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy and conspiracy to influence a sporting event by bribery, according to a 23-page indictment filed in the Eastern District of New York.
Ortiz, one of the team’s starting pitchers, was arrested Sunday at Boston Logan International Airport and is expected to appear in federal court in Boston on Monday. Clase, a relief pitcher, has not yet been taken into custody, according to the report.
The pitchers “betrayed America’s pastime,” U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said in announcing the charges. “Integrity, honesty and fair play are part of the DNA of professional sports. When corruption infiltrates the sport, it brings disgrace not only to the participants but damages the public trust in an institution that is vital and dear to all of us.”
Emmanuel Clase of the Cleveland Guardians was one of two MLB stars indicted on Sunday. Clase and another pitcher for the Guardians, Luis Ortiz, were accused of a scheme to rig their pitches to benefit bettors. (Getty Images)
Starting in May 2023, Clase would agree to throw balls, instead of strikes, or slower “slider” pitches, and cue bettors in on his plans. The bettors would then use this information to place over a hundred fraudulent bets on Clase’s pitches on betting platforms.
Prosecutors say that after coordinating with Clase, bettors on May 19, 2023 waged that a pitch thrown by Clase would be faster than 94.95 mph, and won approximately $27,000.
The stunt continued for several years, with Clase later looping in Ortiz to join on the scheme.
This past May, Clase agreed to throw a slow ball during a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, but the batter swung, resulting in a strike and costing the bettors $4,000. After the game, Clase sent a text to one of the bettors with the image of a man hanging himself with toilet paper and a sad puppy dog face, the indictment said.
Prosecutors also said in the filing that Ortiz was paid $5,000 for throwing an intentional ball on June 15 and Clase was given $5,000 for facilitating the play.
The two pitchers did it again on June 27 and were each paid $7,000, according to the indictment. It was not immediately clear how many instances of fraud occurred.
Bettors involved in the scheme won at least $450,000 on pitches thrown by Clase and Ortiz, according to the indictment.
In a statement, MLB said: “MLB contacted federal law enforcement at the outset of its investigation and has fully cooperated throughout the process. We are aware of the indictment and today’s arrest and our investigation is ongoing.”
Ortiz of the Cleveland Guardians was also charged. Both men face counts of wire fraud conspiracy, honest services wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy and conspiracy to influence a sporting event by bribery (Getty Images)
Their team, the Guardians, also noted in a statement, “We are aware of the recent law enforcement action. We will continue to fully cooperate with both law enforcement and Major League Baseball as their investigation continues.”
Ortiz’s lawyer, Chris Georgalis, said that his client was innocent and “has never, and would never, improperly influence a game -- not for anyone and not for anything.” Clase’s attorney did not return a request for comment.
The pitchers could each could face up to 20 years in prison for wire fraud conspiracy, 20 years for honest services wire fraud conspiracy, 20 years for money laundering conspiracy and five years for conspiracy to influence a sporting events by bribery.
Clase has made over $12 million over his MLB career and was scheduled to earn $6.4 million in 2026. Ortiz’s salary in 2025 was $782,600.
The charges are the latest as federal officials crackdown on betting in professional sports. Last month, more than 30 people, including prominent basketball figures like Portland Trail Blazers head coach and Basketball Hall of Fame star Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier were arrested in relation to a gambling scheme.
The MLB said it is monitoring sports betting scandals more closely since a May 2018 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down a federal ban on sports betting in most states and opened the doors for online sportsbooks to take up a prominent space in the sports ecosystem.
Betting scandals have long plagued the MLB and professional sports as a whole. In 1920, eight members of the Chicago White Sox, including “Shoeless” Joe Jackson, were indicted on charges of fixing the 1919 World Series.
While the players were found not guilty, they were banned from baseball until May 2025.
The MLB suffered from another sports betting scandal in 1989, when Pete Rose was found to have placed numerous bets on the Cincinnati Reds to win from 1985 to 1987 while playing for and managing the team.
Rose, baseball’s all-time leader with 4,256 hits, died in 2024 still ineligible for induction into Cooperstown. However, the MLB's eligibility rules were updated in May of 2025, clearing the path for Rose to get Hall consideration.
Lewis Hamilton has branded his first season at Ferrari as a “nightmare” after he endured another trying weekend, forced to retire from the São Paulo Grand Prix in a year when he has been frustrated and disappointed as he attempts to adapt to his new team.
“It’s a nightmare,” Hamilton said. “I’ve been living it for a while. The flip between the dream of driving for this amazing team and then the nightmare of the results that we’ve had. We are just really having to fight through those hardships at the moment.
Following their disappointing 4-1 loss to the New York Rangers on Friday evening, the Detroit Red Wings discussed the importance of improving their special teams play.
Instead, it was their inability to convert on both the power-play and the penalty kill on Sunday afternoon that ultimately served as their undoing.
The Blackhawks scored on all three of their power-play chances while killing off all five opportunities the Red Wings had en route to a 5-1 victory at Little Caesars Arena.
With the loss, the Red Wings have now dropped three straight games in regulation, and have scored a combined two goals during that stretch.
The Red Wings fired 45 shots at Blackhawks goaltender Arvid Soderblom, the brother of Detroit forward Elmer Soderblom, but he was easily the game's first star.
The Blackhawks struck less than a minute after the opening face-off, as Connor Bedard whistled a shot past the glove of Red Wings goaltender John Gibson after Dylan Larkin had been whistled for a minor penalty.
It would be Larkin who knotted the score at 1-1 later in the first period, as he buried a loose puck from a Lucas Raymond shot past Soderblom.
Chicago made the Red Wings pay in the second period, as Teuvo Teravainen scored his third goal of the season; his tally eventually stood up as the game-winner.
The Red Wings had a golden opportunity late in the second period, as former Red Wings forward Tyler Bertuzzi was whistled for a minor penalty and then assessed another penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct for refusing to stop barking at referee Carter Sandlak.
They failed to win the face-off in the Chicago defensive zone, and barely had any sustained zone pressure. The entire four minute power-play, which stretched early into the third period, went for naught.
To add insult to injury, Bertuzzi would score a power-play goal to increase Chicago's lead to 3-1 just seconds into Simon Edvinsson's slashing penalty.
Chicago added two more goals in the third period, as Andre Burakovsky hit the open net with John Gibson on the bench, followed by rookie Oliver Moore scoring his first NHL goal with just 16 seconds left.
Soderblom finished with 44 savese in one of the best performances of his young career, while Gibson conceded four goals on the 19 shots he faced.
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MARYLAND
HEIGHTS, Mo. -- In a sense, Tyler Tucker knows what Logan Mailloux is
dealing with right now.
In
his attempt to secure a spot on the St. Louis Blues blue line, Tucker had a
pipeline between St. Louis and Springfield, Mass; he would have been
well-served to have his own private jet at his
disposal.
“I
think he knows what he’s got to do obviously,” Tucker
said of Mailloux, who had 80 points the past two seasons in 135 regular-season games with Laval of the AHL.
“He’s played a couple years now down there. He knows how good he
can be down there. I think he’s just got to go down there, get his
confidence back, play the way he knows he can play, and they know he
can play and things will trend in the right direction for him
obviously. As a young guy, that’s really not what you want to hear
getting sent down, but I think there’s two ways to go about it, and
that’s go down there and work hard or go down there and pout. I
spoke with him last night after the game and he’s in the right
mindset. I think he’ll do a good job.”
Mailloux,
acquired in a July 1 trade with the Montreal Canadiens for Zack
Bolduc, played in nine games this season with no points and tied for
a team-worst minus-12. His promising preseason has
turned into a tough start to his Blues career. But
what the Blues want everyone to remember: they said this was a
long-term project, not a quick fix/insertion. They were hoping to
catch lightning in a bottle and have Mailloux fill in seamlessly at
this level, but it’s obvious that they want to get him a ton of
minutes, work on both special teams sides and playing in all
situations.
“A
player that has all the tools,” Blues
coach Jim Montgomery said.
“Right
now, he’s lost his confidence a little bit. This is an opportunity
for him to go down, play a lot of minutes, get his game in order,
come back up here and help us.”
Blues
general manager Doug Armstrong said that this isn’t a demotion or
something that would last the entire season, but it’s apparent that
there’s a need to recapture some confidence.
“I
think for him especially, he comes in with high expectations, I feel
like,” Tucker
said.
“Obviously he feels that. But I think for him, the biggest thing
(for) himself is being able to trust himself, knowing how good he can
be. I think going down there I think will help him. He’ll play in
all situations, power play, penalty kill. They’re obviously
struggling down there (1-8-1-1),
so hopefully he can go in there and help them out a bit and turn it
around.”
Mailloux
has played a grand total of 17 games at the NHL level, including
eight games with the Canadiens, but when he was given the keys to run
with a job here, Armstrong at the time said, “It’s his job to
lose,” perhaps he felt some pressure there and need to perhaps be
too perfect.
“Maybe.
I’m not too sure to be honest,” Tucker
said.
“I know I speak with him almost every day. He lives two doors down
from me. I spend a lot of time with him. He’s a good kid. I’m
sure he’ll be back here soon. He does a lot of the right things and
he tries to be the best guy he can be. He’ll be just fine. I expect
to see him back soon.
“I
think he’s a really good puck mover. He’s able to make really
nice plays, but he’s also able to keep it simple. Just move pucks,
get them out of his hands. He’s got a little bit of everything.
I’ve seen him be really skilled, I’ve seen him play on the first
power play unit. I’ve played against him where he’s probably
scored on us. I know he can make plays, I think everyone knows he can
make plays. Just putting it all together in this league, I think
going down there will help him because he’ll be able to do that
down there, put everything together and come back a better player I
think.”
This
isn’t the Blues’ first rodeo with sending a player down to the
minors to spruce and polish up his game before feeling said player is
ready for full-time NHL duty. One of these was just recently last
year, and a familiar name.
“Bolduc’s
a great example of last year, right,” Montgomery
said.
“He was struggling right before the 4 Nations break. Went down,
played four games. I don’t think he lit the world on fire when he
went down there, but he came back with just a new appreciation and I
think gratitude for
how hard it is to be an everyday player in the NHL.
“It’s
hard to replicate it here, right? There’s four guys ahead of him
that are going to log the most important minutes and he’s got to be
able to take the minutes he gets there and bring that confidence and
assimilate it into the role that he’s going to have here.”
And
in the meantime, Tucker said the lines of communication are open for
whenever Mailloux needs it.
“Of
course. Obviously I feel like we’ve got a lot of young guys here,”
Tucker
said.
“I think we all do a really good job by keeping in touch and just
checking in with each other. I have no doubt in my mind that I’ll
be talking to him here shortly.”
As
for Hunter Skinner, who was recalled to fill the role of seventh
defenseman, Montgomery goes back to a player’s strong training camp
and willingness to push for a job out of camp.
“His
energy’s really good,” Montgomery
said.
“He has that enthusiasm that permeates into the dressing room
because of how much he loves being at the rink. He seems like a rink
rat. I don’t know him well enough to know if he’s a rink rat, but
I know he loves being on the ice. He loves being around the locker
room and he’s got a smile on his face.”
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The Chicago Blackhawks have a ton of great young players. With that comes a ton of first career goals to celebrate. There was one on Sunday afternoon against the Detroit Red Wings.
Oliver Moore, one of Chicago's first round picks during the 2023 NHL Draft, finally scored his. It hasn't been for a lack of chances, but he finally has his first in his 13th career game.
This is a moment that Oliver Moore won't soon forget. Now that he has his first out of the way, he will focus on being the best player he can be, which will lead to a ton more goals.
Moore is now sitting with a goal and an assist in four games played since being called up with Chicago. At this point, he is looking like an incredibly productive player in Chicago's middle six. There is plenty more where that came from.
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Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase throws a pitch to a San Francisco Giants batter June 18, 2025, in San Francisco. (Godofredo A. Vasquez / Associated Press)
Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase and starter Luis Ortiz face federal charges of fraud, bribery and conspiracy for allegedly intentionally throwing pitches outside the strike zone so bettors could wager correctly on whether pitches would be balls or strikes.
The 23-page indictment filed in the Eastern District of New York and unsealed Sunday outlines several incidents, including one this season that involved the Dodgers.
During a game at Cleveland on May 28, the indictment states that Clase threw a pitch that was meant to be a ball, but Dodgers outfielder Andy Pages swung and missed, resulting in a strike. Clase retired the side in order for his 11th save of the season in Cleveland's 7-4 victory.
About 20 minutes later, the indictment states that "Bettor-1" sent a message to Clase of a GIF of a man hanging himself with toilet paper. Clase allegedly responded to "Bettor-1" with a GIF of a sad puppy dog face.
The indictment states that from 2023 to 2025, bettors "won at least $400,000 from the Betting Platforms on pitches thrown by" Clase.
Ortiz joined the scheme in 2025, according to the indictment: "Ortiz agreed to throw balls (instead of strikes) on certain pitches in exchange for bribes or kickbacks." Clase allegedly served as middle man between the bettors and Ortiz.
The indictment states the alleged scheme started as early as May 2023 with Clase, who purposely threw pitches outside the strike zone so bettors could win proposition bets.
In announcing the indictment, U.S. Atty. Joseph Nocella Jr. said professional athletes hold a position of trust — with their teammates, leagues and fans.
“As alleged, the defendants sold that trust to gamblers by fixing pitches, " Nocella said. "In doing so, the defendants deprived the Cleveland Guardians and Major League Baseball of their honest services. They defrauded the online betting platforms where the bets were placed. And they betrayed America’s pastime."
When Clase hurled a pitch in the dirt when facing Bobby Witt Jr. of the Kansas City Royals during a game in April, prosecutors allege Clase was thinking about something besides getting Witt out. He was thinking about "repairs for the country house," according to the indictment.
"The defendants agreed in advance with their co-conspirators to throw specific types and speeds of pitches, and their co-conspirators used that inside information to place wagers on those pitches," wrote Assistant U.S. Atty. David Pitluck in the indictment. "In some instances, the defendants received bribes and kickback payments — funneled through third parties — in exchange for rigging pitches."
Clase, 27, is one of the top closers in baseball. The right-hander from the Dominican Republic led the American League in saves in 2022, 2023 and 2024 and has a career earned-run average of 1.88 to go with 182 saves.
Clase signed a five-year, $20-million contract in April 2022 that included a $2-million signing bonus. The deal also includes $10-million club options for 2027 and 2028.
Ortiz, also from the Dominican Republic, was traded to the Guardians before the 2025 season after spending three seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates. ESPN reported that the betting-integrity firm IC360 sent alerts to sportsbook operators regarding two pitches thrown by Ortiz in June.
The first came when Ortiz spiked a slider in the dirt to open the second inning against the Seattle Mariners. The second came when Ortiz opened the third inning against the St. Louis Cardinals with a slider that flew to the backstop.
Both pitchers were placed on non-disciplinary paid leave in July when MLB launched an investigation and were moved to the restricted list when the regular season ended. The Ohio Casino Control Commission also started an investigation.
If convicted on all charges, the pitchers face up to 65 years in prison. Ortiz was arrested in Boston on Sunday morning. Clase has not yet been arrested.
MLB has a rule that prohibits players from betting on any game they participate in. Breaking the rule makes a player "permanently ineligible" to play professional baseball.
The MLB inquiry is ongoing. The league said Sunday it contacted federal investigators at the outset of its investigation and was aware of the indictment, which was replete with descriptions of specific schemes between the two pitchers and bettors.
Clase often texted a bettor after games to confirm wagers had been placed, the indictment alleges. After the game against the Royals in April, Clase asked the bettor to send the money they won to the Dominican Republic, telling the bettor it was "for repairs to the country house."
The indictment also alleges that Clase used his cellphone during games — which violates MLB rules — to communicate about the scheme. During a game against the Cincinnati Reds on May 17, Clase texted Bettor-1 asking if he was "ready," prosecutors said.
Bettor-1 responded, "Of course."
Ten minutes later, according to the indictment, numerous bettors won approximately $10,000 placing bets that a pitch thrown by Clase would be a ball or would hit the batter, and that it would be slower than 97.95 mph.
Wagers on a specific event or individual performance within a game that does not necessarily depend on the final score have become increasingly popular. Called proposition bets, they allow bettors to focus on often arcane statistical achievements or odd occurrences.
But prop bets are creating new challenges for authorities investigating illegal betting. According to a federal indictment unsealed in October, NBA player Terry Rozier provided a friend with inside information about his planned early exit from a March 2023 game. The friend placed bets on Rozier underperforming statistically.
The information was sold for approximately $100,000 to bettors, who placed more than $200,000 in wagers. Rozier was arrested in a sweeping indictment.
SAN FRANCISCO – Boring can be beautiful. That sure wasn’t the scene Sunday night at Chase Center.
The Indiana Pacers’ injury report was longer than a receipt from CVS. Their only win of the 2025-26 NBA season was a short-handed victory against a Warriors team looking for revenge. Plus, the Pacers were on the second night of a back-to-back after playing the Nuggets in Denver the previous night.
The Warriors’ response was sleepwalking in front of their home fans until the end of the third quarter and start of the fourth.
While the final score was a 114-83 Warriors win, the results weren’t pretty. The Warriors outscored a run-down Pacers squad 39-18 in the fourth quarter.
Jimmy Butler was the Warriors’ offense, and he nearly put together a triple-double. Butler was a plus-19 in 30 minutes, scoring 21 points with nine rebounds and seven assists.
Al Horford had his best game with the Warriors. The 39-year-old center hadn’t made a three in the first week-plus of November, going 0 of 7 in his last game and 0 of 2 in the Warriors’ loss to the Pacers to open the month. Sunday night against the same team, Horford finally found a rhythm.
He missed his first attempt but made his final four of five, scoring 12 points – all threes – in 18 minutes off the bench. Horford also had four rebounds and blocked three shots.
Steph Curry missed his third straight game due to an illness. He went through a workout on the Warriors’ practice court and will have another Monday morning before the team’s flight to Oklahoma City in hopes of playing the Thunder on Tuesday night to start off a tough six-game road trip.
Here are three takeaways from the Warriors’ win to snap a two-game losing streak.
Where’s The Offense?
Sitting on the bench in street clothes.
It was a good sign to see Curry back around his teammates after not traveling to Sacramento or Denver. But it was a bad sign to once again see the Warriors look lost without him. The first quarter was a hard watch, and it didn’t get much better as the game went on.
The Warriors opened the game on a 13-4 run, but once coach Steve Kerr called on his bench, the tides began to turn in the Pacers’ favor. From the 7:34 mark of the first quarter when Brandin Podziemski made a 3-foot floater, the Warriors didn’t make another shot until an Horford three with a minute and a half left. The only other points they made in that span were two free throws from Jonathan Kuminga.
There were signs of life when the Warriors went on an 11-0 run at the end of the second quarter before the Pacers closed it with the final five points of the first half. For the most part, that was largely because of Butler getting the ball in his hands and taking over for spurts.
A scrappy Pacers team that never lacks fight took the lead from the Warriors in the third quarter, and Golden State didn’t get it back until two Buddy Hield free throws with under three minutes left sparked a 10-0 run. The Warriors never trailed again.
Give The Ball To Jimmy
Speaking of offense, the Warriors’ best game plan was simple and straight to the point. Give the ball to Butler and get out of the way.
There were far too many possessions where he wasn’t involved in multiple trips down the court. Especially in another game without Curry. The system doesn’t have to drastically change. Understanding what’s needed from said game does.
This was a game where it needed to be Butler and Co., and mostly just him. Butler in the first half was the only player to score in double digits (10 points). He then dropped seven points with five rebounds in the third, and had four points and three assists in the first three and a half minutes of the fourth to put the Warriors ahead by 14 points.
Butler’s 21 points came on 10-of-15 shooting, dominating around the rim at his own pace. The longest shot Butler took was a 19-foot turnaround in the final second of the second quarter that got blocked. Everything else was a layup, floater or short jumper in the paint.
His seven assists also led to 19 points for the Warriors.
Podz, JK Struggle Again
At least Moody brought the required effort and energy needed for a get-right game ahead of the impending road trip. Moody’s outstretched arms on defense disrupted the Pacers, and he scored some highly important points in the third quarter.
Coming out of halftime, Moody only had two points off the bench as a minus-4 in nine minutes. He then was a plus-9 with eight points and two steals in the third quarter, highlighted by a wild four-point play. He also made a three earlier in the quarter with four minutes remaining that put the Warriors back ahead by two points.
Moody’s plus-22 with 13 points had a much different feel than Podziemski being a plus-22 with 14 points, even though they each were 4 of 11 from the field.
Through three quarters, Podziemski was a plus-5 with seven points on 2-of-8 shooting and was 0 of 4 from 3-point range with one assist and two turnovers. He then scored seven points in eight minutes in the fourth quarter. Kuminga, however, was the lone Warriors player who didn’t see any action in the fourth.
It wasn’t his night, again. Kuminga did grab eight rebounds, a continued improvement for him. But he scored just five points on 1-of-9 shooting and missed all five 3-point shots. In the past two games, Kuminga has scored 11 points on 4 of 19 from the field, and has missed all seven of his shots from deep.
The Vegas Golden Knights Foundation hosted its annual “A Golden Knight” gala on Sunday, November 2, raising an impressive $1 million to benefit local nonprofits and community initiatives across Southern Nevada. Held at the luxurious LIV Beach and LIV Las Vegas inside Fontainebleau Las Vegas, the event brought together players, coaches, front office staff, and fans.
The gala featured a vibrant atmosphere with live music, food, and specialty drinks. Attendees had the opportunity to bid on exclusive items and experiences during live and silent auctions. Highlights included a full set of team-signed jerseys and a rare behind-the-bench practice day with head coach Bruce Cassidy and his staff.
“It’s always been a great event,” head coach Bruce Cassidy told KTNV. “We always have a lot of fun, meet some interesting people. The guys enjoy it — they get their wives dressed up, get out and have a night on the town, and they’re doing it for a good cause.”
The funds raised will directly support local nonprofits that focus on education and youth sports, military and first responders, and health and wellness. These initiatives aim to uplift underserved communities and provide critical resources to those in need throughout the Las Vegas Valley.
VGK Foundation President Kim Frank expressed his appreciation."We are filled with gratitude for the generosity from our fans and their shared support of the community and the initiatives of the Vegas Golden Knights Foundation. Sunday’s event was full of smiles from our players, staff, and guests, and the funds raised will go towards our continued philanthropic efforts in the Las Vegas community”.
The evening also featured appearances by David Perrico’s Pop String Orchestra, a mentalist, and a contortionist, adding a unique flair to the festivities. Fontainebleau Las Vegas, which hosted the gala for the second consecutive year, provided a dazzling backdrop for the black-tie affair.
As Las Vegas’ first major professional sports team, the Golden Knights continue to embrace their role as community leaders.
Before the puck dropped, the two Swedish brothers shared a lighthearted moment, posing together for a photo that quickly made the rounds on social media. But it was an in-game exchange that truly captured attention. Late in the first period, Detroit winger Elmer Soderblom found himself on a two-on-one rush, the kind of backyard hockey scenario the brothers likely played out countless times growing up.
When Elmer cut to the net, his brother Arvid Soderblom, manning the crease for Chicago, stood tall and turned aside the chance, preserving a 1-1 tie heading into the intermission.
Arvid, making his fifth start of the season, entered the game with a 1-2-1 record, having allowed 12 goals and posting a .885 save percentage through his previous four starts. Elmer, meanwhile, continues to work his way into a regular role in Detroit’s lineup, appearing in 10 games so far this season with one goal and averaging about 10 minutes of ice time per night.
While Danielson’s debut drew plenty of buzz, it was the Soderblom brothers’ family faceoff and that memorable first-period duel, that gave hockey fans a heartwarming subplot to talk about.
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