Lincoln Riley shuts down possible rumors of leaving USC football: 'I’m where I need to be'
Game No. 15 Preview: Flyers vs. Senators
After a productive two-game swing through Montreal and Nashville, the Philadelphia Flyers return to Xfinity Mobile Arena with four points and a little bit of tension released from their shoulders.
They didn’t just collect a road sweep; they rediscovered some rhythm. A shootout win in Montreal showed their persistence, and a 3–1 victory in Nashville demonstrated a more grounded, mature team effort. Now, as they prepare to face the Ottawa Senators, the Flyers will look to translate that steadiness into a consistent home-ice identity.
A Team Settling Into Its Adjustments
What’s been most notable about the Flyers over the past week isn’t any individual performance but how well they’ve adapted to change. Tyson Foerster’s lower-body injury forced head coach Rick Tocchet to shuffle his forward lines, and what began as a necessity has evolved into something that’s genuinely working.
Siobhan Nolan (@SGNolan) on XTocchet had an interesting response about switching up the Flyers’ lines b/c of Tyson Foerster’s injury. Left things up in the air in terms of returning back to the lines they started the year with, even leaving things open on whether the Foerster-Cates-Brink line would return.Bobby Brink has meshed surprisingly well alongside Matvei Michkov, adding energy and pace that complements Michkov’s creativity. Christian Dvorak’s line with Trevor Zegras and Owen Tippett "has been good for us," in the words of head coach Rick Tocchet — a mix of puck possession and defensive responsibility that’s given Tocchet dependable middle-six minutes.
It’s an encouraging sign for a coach who values structure but isn’t afraid to let his players breathe within it. The Flyers aren’t playing “safe” hockey right now — they’re playing informed hockey, where their system dictates their decisions rather than their nerves.
Ersson’s Return Eases the Workload
Between the pipes, there’s more good news. Sam Ersson, who missed a brief stretch with a lower-body injury, is once again available for selection, and will get the start against Ottawa.
Dan Vladar has held his own — and then some — in Ersson’s absence. His performance in Nashville, particularly during a second period where the Predators swarmed the crease with heavy traffic, was calm and composed. He read plays cleanly, held his positioning, and managed rebounds effectively.
Still, asking any goaltender to carry consecutive games on short rest can wear thin over time. Ersson’s availability doesn’t just offer rest; it restores flexibility. Tocchet now has the freedom to manage both goalies based on matchup and rhythm rather than necessity.
Ottawa’s Offensive Push and What the Flyers Must Counter
Ottawa arrives in Philadelphia as a team that can still score in bunches, even if consistency remains an issue.
Cam York’s recent form, in particular, has been a bright spot. Against Nashville, he looked confident and efficient, breaking up rushes early and managing the puck with poise. If the Flyers can maintain that kind of control in their exits, they can neutralize Ottawa’s quick-strike tendencies.
Discipline will also be key. The Flyers have had their share of testy games, but they can’t afford to give them extended opportunities to find rhythm. Tocchet’s group has leaned on its penalty kill as a foundation all season, but the goal will be to spend less time relying on it.
Continuity, Not Complacency
One of Tocchet’s subtler victories in recent weeks has been instilling patience in how this team approaches progress. The back-to-back wins weren’t always flashy, but they were composed — the kind of hockey that holds up over time.
The Flyers are still a team learning to manage momentum instead of chasing it. Their depth scoring is coming alive again, and their defensive structure looks tighter, but Tocchet has made it clear that the standard doesn’t change based on results.
That’s what will make the Ottawa game a useful barometer. Can the Flyers take the maturity they’ve shown on the road and bring it home? Can they avoid the lulls that sometimes creep in when the adrenaline of travel fades?
Those questions will define whether this recent stretch is a temporary upswing or the start of something more stable.
Projected Lines
Philadelphia Flyers:
Forwards:
Owen Tippett - Christian Dvorak - Trevor Zegras
Matvei Michkov - Sean Couturier - Bobby Brink
Nikita Grebenkin - Noah Cates - Travis Konecny
Carl Grundstrom - Rodrigo Abols - Garnet Hathaway
Defense:
Cam York - Travis Sanheim
Nick Seeler - Jamie Drysdale
Emil Andrae - Noah Juulsen
Goalies:
Sam Ersson
Dan Vladar
Ottawa Senators
Forwards:
Nick Cousins - Tim Stutzle - Drake Batherson
Ridly Greig - Dylan Cozens - David Perron
Michael Amadio - Shane Pinto - Claude Giroux
Kurtis MacDermid - Lars Eller - Fabian Zetterlund
Defense:
Jake Sanderson - Artem Zub
Thomas Chabot - Nick Jensen
Tyler Kleven - Nikolas Matinpalo
Goalies:
Linus Ullmark
Leevi Merilainen
Steve Kerr reveals Warriors' ‘adapt-or-die' mentality in ever-changing NBA
Steve Kerr reveals Warriors' ‘adapt-or-die' mentality in ever-changing NBA originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
At 5-5 on the 2025-26 NBA season following a 4-1 start, the .500 Warriors have some work to do if they want to contend in the Western Conference.
But despite the steep road ahead, coach Steve Kerr explained why there’s no point in feeling a sense of urgency at the beginning of a long campaign — especially in a league that now is so fast-paced, focusing on the little things is more important than ever.
“We’ve given a couple games away for sure, and there’s absolutely a focus on that,” Kerr told 95.7 The Game’s “Willard & Dibs” on Thursday, one day before Golden State’s blowout NBA Cup loss to the Denver Nuggets. “But you can’t just say, you know, ‘Hey, we got to get urgent here.’ There has to be a process that leads to the execution, that leads to the wins. And so right now, the focus is on the process. Take care of the damn ball, and we can help you with that as coaches with spacing and our offensive scheming, what we’re doing, that’s a collaboration.
“But ultimately, you know — adapt or die. I mean, the league has changed, and everyone’s playing with pace and 3-point shooting. I would say, seven or eight years ago, we could turn it over 18 times, and it didn’t matter, because we were going to shoot threes and play fast and out-talent people. Now you can play one of the worst teams in the league, and they will beat you by shooting, making 20 threes and playing really fast if you turn it over.”
The Warriors haven’t done a great job at taking care of the ball so far this season — they rank No. 20 in the league in turnovers per game with 16.0 and No. 22 in turnovers per possession (15.5 percent). In consecutive losses to the Sacramento Kings and Nuggets this week, Golden State allowed 28 points off 31 turnovers and has turned the ball over 15 or more times in seven of their 10 total games.
If the Warriors can limit their turnovers, Kerr believes the sky is the limit. But as he said, it’s truly do or die in an NBA that isn’t slowing down any time soon.
“And so our entire team needs to understand this message,” Kerr continued. “And obviously, I’ve given them that message. I’m not sharing it with you guys without sharing it with them, but I want them to hear this too on the radio like, you know, we have to adapt to what the league is doing right now, and that means take care of the ball, handle transition at both ends.
“And if we do that, I love our team. I think we’re going to go places.”
Nets' Jordi Fernandez: Noah Clowney continues taking 'positive steps,' but must improve defensively
With Cam Thomas sidelined due to a hamstring strain for the next three to four weeks, the Nets will need other young players to step up and fill the scoring void.
Insert third-year forward Noah Clowney, who came through with 19 points in Friday's 125-107 loss to the Detroit Pistons. It was Clowney's third straight 15-plus point game, as the 21-year-old has started the past three contests for head coach Jordi Fernandez.
After the game, Fernandez spoke highly of Clowney's recent stretch, while acknowledging there is still room for improvement, especially on the defensive end of the floor.
"Noah always takes positive steps. I need him to be better defensively and he knows it," Fernandez said. "His voice needs to grow, embracing the contact, they're playing with the two bigs. Whether you're the low man, whether your communication is on or off the ball, all those things.
"He's really smart, he's about the right things, he knows it. Like everybody else, need to grow into that fast. I know he will. I like his aggressiveness, how he shot the ball. Got to keep taking, like I said, positive steps."
Clowney went 5 of 13 shooting on Friday night, including 4 of 8 from three-point range with all four makes coming in the first quarter. Across his three recent starts (31 minutes per game), the Alabama product is averaging 17.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.0 steals per game on 44.4 percent shooting from the field, 40 percent from three, and 75 percent from the foul line.
The scoring is a big jump from what he was doing off the bench across the Nets' first six games. Clowney had scored just a total of 26 points (4.3 points per game) over 20 minutes per night prior to starting the past three games.
His hot stretch has also been helpful for rookie guard Egor Demin, who assisted on three of Clowney's four triples. The No. 8 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft believes Clowney can continue being a reliable option with his strong shooting.
"I love him. I think it's really important for me, personally, and for the team, to make sure that he has this confidence to keep shooting, and everybody knows that he can shoot the ball extremely well, as he did today," Demin said.
The Nets will need Clowney to continue scoring at the rate he has as they search for their second win of the season. Brooklyn will take on the crosstown rival Knicks on Sunday evening at MSG in the first of four matchups between the Atlantic Division two teams.
Scotland 17-25 New Zealand: Autumn Nations Series rugby union – as it happened
The All Blacks resisted a ferocious second-half fightback to maintain their unbeaten record against Scotland
2 mins. A very solid receive, recycle and boot drill from Scotland, featuring 0% nonsense, despatches the ball to touch. NZ warm some of their carriers’ hands with the possession won from the lineout, but it comes to nothing before the ball is spilled forward.
Barrett puts his foot through the ball to get the test match underway
Continue reading...Pittsburgh Penguins At New Jersey Devils: Lineup Changes, Where To Watch
The Pittsburgh Penguins will face one of the best teams in the NHL to start the season on Saturday.
They'll be in Newark to take on the New Jersey Devils, who have won 10 of their first 14 games and are tied with them for first in the Metropolitan Division. Devils forward Jack Hughes has been lighting the league on fire, compiling 10 goals and 18 points in 14 games. He's a strong contender for the Hart Trophy after the first month of the season.
Jesper Bratt has also been great, racking up five goals and 15 points in 14 games. Dawson Mercer is second on the team in goals with eight and third on the team in points with 14.
The Devils are coming off a 4-3 overtime win over the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday. Bratt scored the overtime winner for the Devils.
The Penguins are coming off a 5-3 win over the Washington Capitals on Thursday and are now 9-4-2 to start the season. They blew a three-goal lead for a second-straight game, but were able to rally in the third period thanks to a game-winning goal from Bryan Rust.
Arturs Silovs will start in goal for a second-straight game after he was steady on Thursday. The Penguins are taking it easy with prospect Sergei Murashov and potentially saving his NHL debut for Sunday's home game against the Los Angeles Kings.
Kevin Hayes, who has missed the first 15 games of the season due to an injury he suffered at the beginning of training camp, will make his season debut for the Penguins. He will slot in for Philip Tomasino, who continues to struggle.
Here were the lines at practice on Friday:
Forwards
Rust-Crosby-Kindel
Novak-Malkin-Mantha
Koppanen-Hayes-Koivunen
Dewar-Lizotte-Heinen
Defense
Wotherspoon-Karlsson
Shea-Letang
Graves-Clifton
Dumba-Brunicke
Puck drop for this contest will be at 12:30 p.m. ET on SportsNet Pittsburgh. You can also listen to the game on 105.9 'The X.'
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Game Day: Everything You Need To Know Ahead Of Predators' Saturday Matchup Against Dallas Stars
Nov 6, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Noah Juulsen (47) and Nashville Predators center Ryan O'Reilly (90) battle for the puck during the third period at Bridgestone Arena. Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
Game Day
Who: Dallas Stars (7-4-3) at Nashville Predators (5-7-4)
Where: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tenn.
When: 2:30 Pm CST
TV: FanDuel Sports Network South
Radio: 102.5 The Game
Betting line (via BetMGM):
Stars
-1.5 (+150)
O 6 (+100)
-160
Predators
+1.5 (-185)
U 6 (-120)
+135
Injury Report
Cole Smith (upper-body injury) is currently on injured reserve and is expected to miss 3-6 weeks.
Adam Wilsby (lower-body injury) is listed as week-to-week.
Captain Roman Josi (upper-body) is on injured reserve.
Preds Fall To Flyers, O’Reilly Expresses Frustration
The Nashville Predators carry a three-game losing streak into Saturday afternoon’s matchup against the Dallas Stars at Bridgestone Arena.
It’s been a particularly tough week for the Preds, losing two consecutive overtime games and managing only one goal in their last outing, a 3-1 home loss to the Philadelphia Flyers.
Preds forward Ryan O’Reilly expressed frustration after the Flyers’ game, not only for his team’s difficult stretch but his own play.
"I know for myself, (I'm) the No. 1 center and I'm turning over the puck," O'Reilly said following the game. "I can't make a 60-foot pass to save my life. You're not going to have much success if I'm playing pathetic like that.”
Forsberg Bobblehead Day
As the Preds play their final home game before heading to Stockholm, Sweden for the 2025 NHL Global Series presented by Fastenal, Saturday’s game is a Swedish send-off of sorts for Filip Forsberg.
The first 10,000 fans inside Bridgestone Arena will receive a Filip Forsberg bobblehead to commemorate the Preds forward and the trip to his home country that starts on Nov. 14.
The Preds will face off against the Pittsburgh Penguins in a two-game series in Stockholm. Forsberg was born in Leksand, so this series will be a dream come true for him.
Team Leaders
Speaking of Forsberg, he currently leads the team in scoring with six goals and 12 points. O’Reilly has tallied six goals and 10 points. Michael Bunting is right behind (4g-5a) with nine points, while Erik Haula (3g-5a) and Luke Evangelista (1g-7a) are tied with eight points apiece.
Juuse Saros, who was on the receiving end of the tough loss against Philadelphia on Thursday, comes into Saturday with a 5-5-3 record, 2.88 goals-against average and .902 save percentage. Justus Annunen is 0-2-1, 3.70, .872.
The Preds’ power play comes into Saturday’s matchup 7-of-49 (14.3%), 28th in the NHL. On the penalty kill, the Preds rank 14th at 82.0% (9-for-50).
Milestone Watch
The next goal Michael Bunting scores will be the 100th of his NHL career.
Scouting The Stars
The Preds have already faced Dallas once this season, falling 3-2 in an Oct. 26 meeting at Bridgestone Arena.
Jonathan Marchessault and Spencer Stastney tallied goals for the Preds, who were playing the second night of a back-to-back.
After falling behind 2-0, the Stars clawed back to score three unanswered goals for the comeback win. Saturday will be the second of three matchups between the two clubs this season.
Dallas is in a bit of a slump themselves. They’ve dropped three of their last four outings, the latest being a 7-5 loss to the Anaheim Ducks Thursday night.
Mikko Rantanen paces the team with 20 points (8g-12a), followed by Wyatt Johnston (9g-8a) with 17 points and Jason Robertson (3g-10a) with 13 points.
Jake Oettinger is 5-3-2 in goal for the Stars with a 2.89 goals-against average and .899 save percentage. Casey DeSmith is 2-1-1 with a 3.15 GAA and .876 SP.
The Stars’ power play is third in the NHL (17-of-50, 34.0%). The penalty kill is 28th at 70.5% (13-of-44).
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FREE GIFT ISSUE + 12 ISSUES + FREE DIGITAL ARCHIVE + FREE SHIPPING*** Canada Post Strike update - as of October 15, 2025 - Please be aware that Canada Post is now in a rolling strike. While they are accepting mail, delivery times could be longer than expected. US orders are not impacted. WHAT'S INCLUDED IN YOUR PRINT & DIGITAL ARCHIVE SUBSCRIPTION > FREE GIFT ISSUE* of your Columbus Blue Jackets (14 pts) vs. Vancouver Canucks (14 pts) Game Preview
The Columbus Blue Jackets are on the road to face the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena tonight.
The Vancouver Canucks come into this game 6th in the Pacific Division, 12th in the West, and 28th in the league. They've gone 4-6-0 in the last 10 and have lost 2 of their last 3 games.
But much like every team in the league, just because they've lost a few games doesn't make them any less dangerous. Couple that with the fact that Rogers Arena is a factory of sadness for the Blue Jackets, and tonight might be a long night for the CBJ. Columbus is 11-17-0-6, all-time in Vancouver.
Columbus has lost two straight games since their four-game winning streak and will be looking to pick up two points. Expect lineup changes for tonight, as Denton Mateychuk should return from missing the game against Calgary.
Blue Jackets Stats
- Power Play - 16.1% - 25th in NHL
- Penalty Kill - 68.4% - 30th in NHL
- Goals For - 40 - 25th in NHL
- Goals Against - 41 - 13th in NHL
Canucks Stats
- Power Play - 19.2% - 19th in NHL
- Penalty Kill - 68.0% - 31st in NHL
- Goals For - 40 - 23rd in NHL
- Goals Against - 50 - 26th in NHL
Series History vs. Canucks
- Columbus is 26-32-2-9 all-time, and 11-17-0-6 on the road vs. Vancouver.
- The Jackets are 7-3-1 in the last 11 games against the Canucks.
- The CBJ went 1-1 vs. the Canucks last season.
Who To Watch For The Canucks
- Columbus native Kiefer Sherwood leads the Canucks with 9 goals.
- Conor Garland leads Vancouver with 8 assists and 11 points.
- Thatcher Demko is 5-4-0 with a .912 SV%. He last played on November 3rd against Nashville and won.
- Kevin Lankinen is 2-4-0 with a SV% of .880. He last played on November 5th, a loss against Chicago.
CBJ Player Notes vs. Canucks
- Zach Werenski has 8 points in 14 games against the Canucks.
- Sean Monahan has 29 points in 48 games.
- Kirill Marchenko has 6 points in 5 games vs. Vancouver.
- Elvis Merzlikins is 5-2-1 with an .892 SV% against Vancouver.
Injuries - Gudbranson on IR
- Erik Gudbranson - Upper Body - Missed 4 games - IR
- Denton Mateychuk - Undisclosed - Missed 1 game
TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 15
How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on FanDuel Sports Network. Steve Mears will be on the play-by-play. The radio broadcast will be on 97.1 The Fan, with Bob McElligott behind the mic doing the play-by-play.
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Game Day At Philadelphia: Three Ottawa Senators Need To Step It Up As They Begin Their New Contracts
OTTAWA SENATORS (6-5-3) at PHILADELPHIA FLYERS (8-5-1)
Faceoff: 1 pm, TSN5, RDS2
The Senators go another round with the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday afternoon. The two clubs met in Ottawa back on October 23rd with the Senators winning a defensive struggle, 2-1. Former Flyer Olle Lycksell scored the winner early in the second period before the two clubs completely shut each other down the rest of the way.
The State of Sens Nation
That win over the Flyers was the start of better things for the Senators. With the inclusion of that victory, the Sens have only lost once in regulation (4-1-2) since, though they have dropped their last two in overtime, falling 3-2 to the Boston Bruins on Thursday night and 4-3 to the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday.
Much of the dialogue in Sens Nation has centred on goaltending. With Linus Ullmark just 12 games into his four-year, $33 million contract, he hasn't come close to living up to the expectations that come with being the Senators' second-highest paid player. Ullmark stats so far are among the worst in the NHL, with an .863 save percentage and a 3.36 goals against.
While official lineups aren't out until closer to game time, backup Leevi Merilainen will get a look either Saturday or Sunday. He's only started in two games so far this season.
It's been a slow start for three Senators who are all just starting their new contracts. Along with Ullmark, Ridly Greig (4 years at $3.25 million per) and Fabian Zetterlund (3 years at $4.275 million per) are scuffling. In 14 games, Greig has 1 goal and 3 assists, while Zetterlund has 1 goal and 2 assists.
The Senators are on their Dad's trip so they made a father-son visit to Lincoln Financial Field to tour the Eagles' facility, dressing room, and even got to pose with the two Vince Lombardi Trophies the Eagles have won. Sens fans would love to see some of that championship aura rub off on the fellas.
They also whipped across the street to Citizens Bank Park to tour the Phillies' building and even take some swings in their batting cages. That was a special treat for centre Shane Pinto, who's apparently a big Philies fan.
This will end a stretch of three road games before the Sens open a four-game homestand on Sunday night versus the Utah Mammoth.
The Opponent
In their preseason NHL forecasts, not many of the experts saw the Philadelphia Flyers logo pop up in their playoff crystal balls, but the Flyers currently hold down a wild card with a record of 8-5-1 so far this season. That said, the Eastern Conference parity borders on the bizarre. Only six points separate first from 16th, and everyone in the conference is above .500 (points percentage).
The Flyers have gone 5-2-0 over their last seven games, and they've been relatively stingy, allowing just 2.6 goals per game. But when it comes to these routine-destroying 1 pm starts, a lot of trends tend to go out the window.
This may be the year that Trevor Zegras' point production catches up with his sublime skill level. Zegras leads all Flyers in scoring with 15 points in 14 games, so the change of address this season after five years in Anaheim appears to have served him well.
Former Ottawa 67's captain Travis Konecny is on a six-game point streak after a goal and an assist in the Flyers' 3-1 victory in Nashville on Thursday.
Senators projected lineup (subject to change)
Nick Cousins -- Tim Stutzle -- Drake Batherson
Ridly Greig -- Dylan Cozens -- David Perron
Michael Amadio -- Shane Pinto -- Claude Giroux
Kurtis MacDermid -- Lars Eller -- Fabian Zetterlund
Jake Sanderson -- Artem Zub
Thomas Chabot -- Nick Jensen
Tyler Kleven -- Nikolas Matinpalo
Linus Ullmark
Leevi Merilainen
Flyers projected lineup (subject to change)
Owen Tippett -- Christian Dvorak -- Trevor Zegras
Matvei Michkov -- Sean Couturier -- Bobby Brink
Nikita Grebenkin -- Noah Cates -- Travis Konecny
Nicolas Deslauriers -- Rodrigo Abols -- Garnet Hathaway
Cam York -- Travis Sanheim
Nick Seeler -- Jamie Drysdale
Emil Andrae -- Noah Juulsen
Samuel Ersson
Dan Vladar
Steve Warne
This article was originally published at The Hockey News/Ottawa
Related: Analytics: Can Linus Ullmark Replace Another Slow Start With Another November Heater?
Analytics: Can Senators Goalie Linus Ullmark Replace Another Slow Start With Another November Heater?An analyst recently questioned Ullmark's intensity, and Ullmark questioned some aspects of his own offseason prep. Between that and his current numbers, there are goaltending concerns again in Ottawa. Flyers' rally comes up empty in overtime loss to Senators
Flyers' rally comes up empty in overtime loss to Senators originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
The Flyers saw a comeback bid fall short Saturday afternoon as they suffered a 3-2 overtime loss to the Senators at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Matvei Michkov and Jamie Drysdale provided the Flyers’ goals. Michkov trimmed Ottawa’s lead to 2-1 in the second period before Drysdale tied the game a little over halfway through the third period.
But the Senators recovered as Tim Stutzle scored the OT winner with his second goal of the day. Trevor Zegras was a step behind in coverage after skating toward the bench for an attempted change.
“He wanted to come off, but you’ve got to be decisive,” Rick Tocchet said. “It was a tough play, but you’ve either got to come hard or you’ve got to stay on.”
The Flyers (8-5-2) have lost their last three home games, scoring just 1.67 goals per game.
They’ve played a lot of close games this season, with nine being decided by one goal. They’re 4-3-2 in those games.
Tocchet’s club is 0-1-1 against the Senators (7-5-3) with one more matchup to go Feb. 5 back here in Philadelphia.
• Samuel Ersson made his first start since Oct. 28 after being activated off injured reserve before Thursday’s game.
The 26-year-old converted 10 saves on 13 shots. The Flyers were able to shore things up after a rocky start and allowed just one shot in the third period.
But it wasn’t enough and an early hole didn’t help.
“I’ve got to do a better job getting the team ready,” Tocchet said.
Ottawa jumped out to a 2-0 lead not even six and a half minutes into the game. The goals came in the span of one minute and five seconds.
On the first goal, Bobby Brink was unable to play the puck up the boards, which allowed the Senators to find a wide-open Stutzle for a blast from the circle.
The Flyers were poor in coverage again on the second goal when Michael Amadio made a move in close off a nice pass by Claude Giroux.
Two days ago, the Flyers gave up a goal just 1:44 minutes into the game, but they went on to beat the Predators, 3-1.
“Obviously I’ve got to look at myself,” Tocchet said. … “We’re a little bit slow starting the game, we just seem a little bit off. That falls on me.”
Senators netminder Linus Ullmark stopped 20 of the Flyers’ 22 shots.
“That’s two games now that the other team comes out stronger than us and out-battles us,” Sean Couturier said. “It makes it hard on us to come back. But as much as it could have been a frustrating day, we didn’t give them a whole lot after the first [period].”
• Michkov has scored a goal in back-to-back games, a really good sign for the Flyers.
“Every game, I feel better and better,” Michkov said through translator Slava Kuznetsov, a Flyers consultant.
The 20-year-old winger fended off Ottawa defenseman Jake Sanderson before making a move toward the net and ripping home a shot. He screamed to the crowd in celebration.
“Our staff, since we’ve been here, has been stressing body position before the puck,” Tocchet said. “That was classic, what he just did. A lot of times, guys will go to the puck and they get stripped. We’re a team that still has to get better at that. What Mich did is something that we’re preaching all of the time, and that was textbook.”
In the first period, the Flyers had a failed power play. Michkov and Travis Konecny had some words on the bench. It didn’t look like they saw eye to eye on what they were trying to execute.
But after Konecny recorded an assist on Michkov’s goal in the middle stanza, he gave the youngster a fist-pound and patted him on the head. Two competitive guys working through things.
• Giroux has enjoyed seeing his old team.
His first-period helper gave him 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) in 11 career games against the Flyers.
• Carl Grundstrom, who was acquired in the Ryan Ellis trade, made his Flyers debut after being called up Friday from AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley.
The 27-year-old winger came to the Flyers with 292 games and 43 goals on his NHL résumé. He wore No. 91 and opened the game on a line with Konecny and Noah Cates.
• The Flyers have three days before their next game Wednesday when they host Connor McDavid and the Oilers (7:30 p.m. ET/NBCSP).
Three 2025 NHL Free-Agent Signings That Are Complete Steals
The NHL saw several players find new homes in free agency this season. Among the most notable were Mitch Marner (Vegas Golden Knights), Nikolaj Ehlers (Carolina Hurricanes), Mikael Granlund (Anaheim Ducks), and Vladislav Gavrikov (New York Rangers).
Yet, there were also some under-the-radar signings this off-season that are already looking like home runs early on. Due to this, let's take a look at three players who have been big surprises with their new clubs early on this season.
Justin Brazeau, RW, Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins signed Justin Brazeau to a two-year, $3-million contract in free agency this summer. When this move was made, it was expected that the 27-year-old winger would simply provide the Penguins with more forward depth for their bottom six.
Yet, Brazeau has been far more than that early on for the Penguins.
Brazeau had a spectacular start to the season with the Penguins, posting six goals and 12 points in 12 games. He also cemented himself a spot in Pittsburgh's top six, playing on a line with Evgeni Malkin and Anthony Mantha.
However, the Penguins announced earlier this week that Brazeau will be out for at least four weeks due to an upper-body injury, which is such tough news for the red-hot forward.
Victor Olofsson, RW, Colorado Avalanche
Victor Olofsson signed a one-year, $1.575 million contract with the Colorado Avalanche in late August. This was another move that did not get a ton of attention, but it has been paying off tremendously for Colorado early on.
Olofsson is thriving with the Avalanche, as he has recorded five goals and 12 points in 14 games. This included him putting together a three-goal, five-point performance against the New Jersey Devils on Oct. 26.
The Avalanche's primary reason for acquiring Olofsson was to bolster their secondary scoring. So far, the 5-foot-11 winger is providing far more than just that.
Corey Perry, RW, Los Angeles Kings
Corey Perry, 40, is turning back the clock with the Los Angeles Kings.
After signing a one-year, $2-million contract with the Kings this summer, which also includes $2 million of potential performance bonuses, Perry has been fantastic for Los Angeles.
In nine games this season with the Kings, Perry has recorded six goals, nine points, and a plus-4 rating. He is also continuing to stay hot, as he has four goals and six points in his last five games.
When noting that his cap hit is only $2 million for this season, the Kings are getting fantastic value from the 21-year NHL veteran.
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EXCLUSIVE: Calum Ritchie Ready For First Islanders–Rangers Game With Brother In Attendance For First Time
It's been a whirlwind over the last week or so for New York Islanders rookie Calum Ritchie. After the whole Raleigh fiasco, he's been able to settle in a bit more.
Ritchie To Play Alongside Barzal In Islanders' Debut vs. CapitalsCalum Ritchie will skate with Mathew Barzal and Kyle Palmieri for his Islanders debut against the Capitals.While we are still waiting for offense, with no points in his first four games of the season, Ritchie's defense is what's allowed him to remain as the second-line center -- for the most part.
In Friday's 5-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild, in which no one played well, head coach Patrick Roy altered his lines, demoting the 20-year-old to the fourth line before the end of the second period.
Why Ritchie At 2C & Barzal With Horvat Is The Islanders’ Best FormulaThe <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders">New York Islanders</a> snapped their three-game skid last night, beating the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/washington-capitals">Washington Capitals</a> 3-1.
Ritchie has averaged 13:56 minutes per game, with his time on ice dropping in each game that he's played. Now, he and the team will try to redeem themselves when they battle the New York Rangers on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden.
"That'll be pretty cool," Ritchie told The Hockey News on battling his new cross-town rival. "Obviously, I played there in preseason, so I kind of got a taste of what Madison Square Garden is, and the rivalry between the two teams. But, yeah, that'd be pretty cool."
But for Ritchie, this isn't just his first Rangers-Islanders game. It will be a special moment for him and his brother
"I have some family coming down. My brother's coming down. It'll be his first time watching me play in the show. So that's pretty cool," Ritchie said.
Ethan Ritchie, 23, is a left-side defenseman who played three games for the Providence Bruins (2023-24), playing in the ECHL with the Maine Mariners (63 games in 2023-24). He played three games for the ECHL's Fort Wayne Comets in 2024-25.
"H's at school now in Halifax, SMU," Ritchie said. "So, he talked to his coach and asked him if he could fly down for a game. They had a game canceled this weekend, so he got the go-ahead."
Ritchie said his parents will be in attendance as well.
Puck drop is coming at 7 PM ET on MSGSN. We will talk to Roy at 5:45 PM ET.
De Ligt snatches last-gasp draw for Manchester United in chaotic finale at Spurs
A wild ride took everyone back where they had started. The one certainty arising from an affair of low quality and, from nowhere, scarcely credible drama was that only a fool would hang their hat on Tottenham or Manchester United right now. The ignominies of last season may be at some remove but it remains anyone’s guess what either of these scratchy, neurotic sides will produce on a given occasion.
It briefly seemed they had conspired to hand Spurs a first league win on home turf since the opening day. That would have been a head-scratcher of its own given they were going nowhere until Mathys Tel, who had only been on the pitch for five minutes, offered a moment of incision they had barely signposted. When Richarlison glanced in Wilson Odobert’s shot early in added time it felt like a potential lift-off: Thomas Frank, so embattled in defeat to Chelsea last week, must have sensed as much as a largely sullen venue erupted around him.
Continue reading...Gabba downpour hands India T20i series victory over Australia
5th T20i: India, 52-0 (4.5), wash out. India win series 2-1
Storm scuppers final match to ruin Australia hopes
India have won the T20 international series against Australia 2-1 after the fifth and final match was washed out at the Gabba. The sold-out crowd will receive a full refund as the fixture did not reach the stipulated cut-off of six overs.
Lightning in the vicinity of the ground initially forced the players off after India made the most of shocking fielding by Australia to race to 0-52 in the opening 4.5 overs. A storm then rolled in, accompanied by steady rain, to ensure there was no further play.
Continue reading...Middlesbrough give Rob Edwards permission to hold talks over Wolves job
Boro coach was stood down from Birmingham match
Edwards poised for Molineux move after Pereira sacking
Middlesbrough have agreed to let Rob Edwards hold talks with Wolves over their managerial vacancy, with a deal for the Boro head coach expected to be completed within the next 48 hours.
Edwards had earlier been stood down from taking charge of Saturday’s match at home to Birmingham, with the 42-year-old now set for a return to Molineux.
Continue reading...