Another goal from a corner, another three points for the Premier League leaders
The teams emerge from the Cottage. Fulham in white, Arsenal in second-choice blue. A heady atmosphere down by the river. It won’t be too long now.
Marco Silva talks to Sky. “[To have Raúl Jiménez back] is crucial … we have two strikers who have been scoring more than 20 goals a season together … we miss Rodrigo [Muniz] … it is crucial to have at least one of them.”
Continue reading...The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Anaheim Ducks 4-1 Thursday night at Honda Center to remain the last undefeated team in the NHL.
Frederik Andersen made 23 saves in the win, Seth Jarvis and Shayne Gostisbehere each had three points and Alexander Nikishin scored his first NHL goal.
After the game, Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour, along with Andersen and Nikishin spoke with the media in Anaheim. Here's what they had to say:
On the win: I thought our penalty kill was great tonight and when we had little breakdowns, Freddie was really good. It might have been one of the better games he's played for us, because we needed it. There were a couple really good grade-As that they had and he was able to shut the door and allow us to cruise through it. Special teams though was probably the difference in the game.
On the power play cashing in: It was weird. [The power play] was spotty, but it was a huge goal for us at the time, and [Jarvis] with a rocket shot. It was all just talent there. Blake made a nice play too. It's slowly coming. We need that group to be a little more dynamic, but overall, we'll take the two points, for sure.
On Alexander Nikishin's growth: Well you definitely know the talent is there. We talk about it all the time. It's the NHL. It's a really tough league to just get thrown into and with learning the language, but I really think he's just scratching the surface. There's a lot of raw ability there and that was a big goal to kind of put the game away.
On the team already looking 'tremendous': Well, I appreciate that. I don't know if I would totally agree with you, but especially with Jaccob Slavin out, our best defender... he's a huge part of what we're doing. There's a lot of good, but there's a lot of room to get better for our group.
On starting the road trip off with two wins: You're hitting teams that everybody predicts to be right there at the end, so we had to get a couple wins in here, which is huge, but they all count the same. This time of year, all 82 games, you have to get off to a good start, which we have, so it's nice to get those points in the bank.
On the game: I definitely thought special teams was good. The D was great today and it was fun to see Niki get his first goal too. That was awesome. But yeah, I thought we were just continuing to build on what we had going on in San Jose and how we ended that game. Good team win.
On playing in Anaheim: I don't know what it is, but I'm obviously pretty familiar with the rink. That always helps, but I just try to focus in on getting on a little bit of a roll and settling in better. Felt good today.
On the keys to the team's 4-0 start: I think we're still building. We know we can better in certain areas, but I think we're looking at it in a positive way and continuing to move forward, I think we know there's going to be some ups and downs, so it's nice to bank some points early, especially on this long road trip. It's a good start.
On the keys to the team's hot start: [Nikishin] I think every day, work, block shot, forecheck and shots on goal.
On scoring his first NHL goal: [translated by Andrei Svechnikov] He said, 'The goal was amazing.' Obviously a special moment for him.
On how the team has welcomed him in: [translated by Andrei Svechnikov] He said he's very happy when the boys help him out like that and when they're getting excited. He's pretty happy, yeah.
Alexander Nikishin Scores First Career NHL GoalRookie defenseman Alexander Nikishin nets his first NHL goal, a thrilling moment in his young career.Hurricanes Potentially Without Two Big Pieces As They Head Out On Six-Game Road Trip
Miller Time: K'Andre Miller Dazzles In Carolina Hurricanes Debut
'It's Just A Matter Of Time': Top Line Confident Despite Slow Start
Hurricanes' Depth Shining As Eight Players Have Found Scoresheet In Every Game To Start Season
Olympic Aspirations, New Teammates and Rising Stardom: A Q&A With Seth Jarvis
Carolina Goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov Out At Least A Week With Lower-Body Injury
'He's Ready To Make That Jump': Brandon Bussi To Make First NHL Start In San Jose
Stay updated with the most interesting Carolina Hurricanes stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.
Doctor details Moses Moody's calf injury rehab, return timeline for Warriors originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
With Warriors guard Moses Moody doubtful for Golden State’s 2025-26 NBA season opener due to a calf strain, when could the fifth-year pro make his debut?
Stanford Medicine orthopedic surgeon Dr. Geoffrey Abrams, MD, provided some expert analysis on what Dub Nation can expect from Moody’s injury — which Warriors coach Steve Kerr said the team isn’t “too concerned” about — as he works his way back to the court.
“If the team is describing it as a minor muscle strain, it’s probably … some microscopic tearing and minor partial tearing,” Abrams told NBC Sports Bay Area on Friday. “The good news about that, obviously, it’s on the lesser severe end of the spectrum, and typical return-to-play timelines are a couple weeks or so for these more minor muscle grade strains.”
Kerr said this past Tuesday, Oct. 14, that Moody would be reevaluated in a week, with the Warriors set to open their new season against the Los Angeles Lakers this Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena. A return timeline of a couple weeks, as noted by Abrams, hopefully would put Moody back in Kerr’s rotation by Golden State’s Oct. 28 game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Chase Center, their fifth contest of the season.
There are several hurdles Moody will have to clear before that happens, Abrams explained.
“Obviously, the Warriors are a great professional organization and they’ve got top notch medical personnel, so they’re going to run him through the professional protocol and things like that,” Abrams said. “In terms of returning to play, he basically has to be able to participate in full practices 100 percent, and before he even gets to that, he has to demonstrate he’s got strength, range of motion, flexibility of the muscle and be able to do the things that are required for an NBA athlete, of course, before they even throw him into full practices.
“And then, once he’s comfortable with full practices and jumping and running up and down the court, that’s when you start to think about getting back into games. Sometimes … there’s situations where they may limit minutes initially before throwing him back into full pre-injury participation. But that just depends on a variety of different circumstances.”
After entering the Warriors’ starting lineup late last season en route to the NBA playoffs, Moody missed Golden State’s final three preseason contests this month with his calf issue.
As long as the Warriors don’t rush Moody back, Abrams noted, there’s little chance that the calf strain impacts Moody’s play moving forward, and the chance of an Achilles tear, as has been seen in countless NBA stars recently, is minimal.
“Certainly re-injury is also sometimes a possibility, but that’s why you go through the protocol is really to reduce that risk and not put him out there before he’s ready, which I’m sure the staff will do,” Abrams said.
Moody has proven himself as a valuable member of the Warriors’ lineup, and Kerr certainly hopes to have the 23-year-old back sooner rather than later.
Evan Link injury news after he was carted off during first half of Michigan football game vs Washington. Rod Moore and Justice Haynes injury updates.
While many prefer more traditional formats when playing fantasy basketball, others are more willing to try new formats. With that in mind, Yahoo! Sports has introduced its new High Score fantasy basketball game. There are some differences between this league and the head-to-head and roto setups we've grown accustomed to over the years. Let's look at how High Score is played, beginning with the rosters.
- Each team has ten players, but only six will be active.
Lineups are set at the beginning of the week, with six active players and four on the bench. There are two guard slots for players with the point guard and/or shooting guard designation, three frontcourt slots (small forward, power forward and center) and one utility spot that can be occupied by any player regardless of position. The other four players will be on your bench, and you can slot them in at any point in the week.
However, there is a key factor that you'll need to take into consideration when moving a bench player into the lineup for that week. The points accrued by the player you've decided to bench come off the board and can't be recouped. Returning a benched player to the active lineup later in the week doesn't do the trick; only the points earned in games from that point onward will be eligible. Each player's high score from any game played during that week will count toward your team's score, so targeting players capable of an explosive performance is the best way to approach your draft.
- How does scoring work?
There are only five scoring categories for default High Score leagues, which are weighted.
Points: 1 point each
Rebounds: 1 point each
Assists: 2 points each
Steals: 3 points each
Blocks: 3 points each
For those who have played DFS, those point values will look somewhat similar, although rebounds and assists tend to count for 1.2 per rebound or assist. There are no decimals to deal with in High Score, only whole numbers. For those used to worrying about percentages or turnovers, those won't matter in High Score. That boosts the values of players such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Trae Young and Zion Williamson, to name a few.
The game also limits some of the risk of drafting injury-prone players in other fantasy formats. Will you still use a first-round pick on Joel Embiid or Ja Morant, to name two players with prior injury issues? Probably not, but managers will be better positioned to compensate for a player missing time in High Score.
While the High Score format will take some getting used to, it's a relatively simple deal from a scoring standpoint. The substitution situation and what that can do to weekly scoring may take many managers the most time to get used to, possibly losing a matchup or two. With these rules in mind, I recently entered a draft, hoping to craft a team that could do some damage in the High Score format.
I picked from the second slot in a 10-round snake draft, kicking things off with San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama. Below is how the draft played out.
| Round 1 | Position(s) | Player | Team |
| 1 | F,C | Nikola Jokić | Denver Nuggets |
| 2 | F,C | Victor Wembanyama | San Antonio Spurs |
| 3 | G | Luka Dončić | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 4 | G | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| 5 | F,C | Giannis Antetokounmpo | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 6 | G | Cade Cunningham | Detroit Pistons |
| 7 | G | Anthony Edwards | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| 8 | G | Devin Booker | Phoenix Suns |
| 9 | F,C | Anthony Davis | Dallas Mavericks |
| 10 | G | Trae Young | Atlanta Hawks |
| Round 2 | Position(s) | Player | Team |
| 1 | G | James Harden | LA Clippers |
| 2 | G | Stephen Curry | Golden State Warriors |
| 3 | F,C | Kevin Durant | Houston Rockets |
| 4 | F,C | Karl-Anthony Towns | New York Knicks |
| 5 | G | Tyrese Maxey | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 6 | G | Donovan Mitchell | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 7 | G,F,C | Amen Thompson | Houston Rockets |
| 8 | F,C | Jalen Johnson | Atlanta Hawks |
| 9 | F,C | Alperen Şengün | Houston Rockets |
| 10 | F,C | Evan Mobley | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| Round 3 | Position(s) | Player | Team |
| 1 | G | LaMelo Ball | Charlotte Hornets |
| 2 | G | Jalen Brunson | New York Knicks |
| 3 | F,C | Domantas Sabonis | Sacramento Kings |
| 4 | G,F,C | Scottie Barnes | Toronto Raptors |
| 5 | G | Josh Giddey | Chicago Bulls |
| 6 | F,C | Chet Holmgren | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| 7 | F,C | Jaylen Brown | Boston Celtics |
| 8 | F,C | Jalen Williams | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| 9 | F,C | Pascal Siakam | Indiana Pacers |
| 10 | G | Jamal Murray | Denver Nuggets |
| Round 4 | Position(s) | Player | Team |
| 1 | F,C | Jaren Jackson Jr. | Memphis Grizzlies |
| 2 | F,C | LeBron James | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 3 | F,C | Bam Adebayo | Miami Heat |
| 4 | G | Derrick White | Boston Celtics |
| 5 | F,C | Paolo Banchero | Orlando Magic |
| 6 | F,C | Franz Wagner | Orlando Magic |
| 7 | F,C | Trey Murphy | New Orleans Pelicans |
| 8 | G | Austin Reaves | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 9 | G,F,C | Dyson Daniels | Atlanta Hawks |
| 10 | G | De’Aaron Fox | San Antonio Spurs |
| Round 5 | Position(s) | Player | Team |
| 1 | F,C | Zion Williamson | New Orleans Pelicans |
| 2 | F,C | Joel Embiid | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 3 | F,C | Jimmy Butler | Golden State Warriors |
| 4 | F,C | Ivica Zubac | LA Clippers |
| 5 | G,F,C | Desmond Bane | Orlando Magic |
| 6 | F,C | Brandon Miller | Charlotte Hornets |
| 7 | F,C | Kawhi Leonard | LA Clippers |
| 8 | F,C | Deni Avdija | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 9 | F,C | Kristaps Porziņģis | Atlanta Hawks |
| 10 | F,C | Cooper Flagg | Dallas Mavericks |
| Round 6 | Position(s) | Player | Team |
| 1 | F,C | Myles Turner | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 2 | G | Ja Morant | Memphis Grizzlies |
| 3 | G,F,C | Brandon Ingram | Toronto Raptors |
| 4 | F,C | Miles Bridges | Charlotte Hornets |
| 5 | F,C | Walker Kessler | Utah Jazz |
| 6 | F,C | Nikola Vučević | Chicago Bulls |
| 7 | G | Darius Garland | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 8 | F,C | DeMar DeRozan | Sacramento Kings |
| 9 | F,C | OG Anunoby | New York Knicks |
| 10 | F,C | Lauri Markkanen | Utah Jazz |
| Round 7 | Position(s) | Player | Team |
| 1 | F,C | Jalen Duren | Detroit Pistons |
| 2 | G,F,C | Cam Thomas | Brooklyn Nets |
| 3 | G | Zach LaVine | Sacramento Kings |
| 4 | F,C | Deandre Ayton | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 5 | G | Coby White | Chicago Bulls |
| 6 | F,C | Jarrett Allen | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 7 | G | Immanuel Quickley | Toronto Raptors |
| 8 | G | Tyler Herro | Miami Heat |
| 9 | G | Jordan Poole | New Orleans Pelicans |
| 10 | G | Payton Pritchard | Boston Celtics |
| Round 8 | Position(s) | Player | Team |
| 1 | G | Andrew Nembhard | Indiana Pacers |
| 2 | F,C | Julius Randle | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| 3 | F,C | Isaiah Hartenstein | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| 4 | F,C | Rudy Gobert | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| 5 | F,C | Jakob Poeltl | Toronto Raptors |
| 6 | F,C | Mark Williams | Phoenix Suns |
| 7 | F,C | Matas Buzelis | Chicago Bulls |
| 8 | G,F,C | Paul George | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 9 | G,F,C | Shaedon Sharpe | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 10 | F,C | Michael Porter Jr. | Brooklyn Nets |
| Round 9 | Position(s) | Player | Team |
| 1 | G,F,C | Bennedict Mathurin | Indiana Pacers |
| 2 | F,C | Ausar Thompson | Detroit Pistons |
| 3 | F,C | Donovan Clingan | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 4 | F,C | Mikal Bridges | New York Knicks |
| 5 | G,F,C | Christian Braun | Denver Nuggets |
| 6 | G | Jalen Green | Phoenix Suns |
| 7 | G,F,C | Norman Powell | Miami Heat |
| 8 | G | Anfernee Simons | Boston Celtics |
| 9 | G,F,C | Bradley Beal | LA Clippers |
| 10 | G,F,C | Devin Vassell | San Antonio Spurs |
| Round 10 | Position(s) | Player | Team |
| 1 | F,C | Cameron Johnson | Denver Nuggets |
| 2 | F,C | John Collins | LA Clippers |
| 3 | F,C | Draymond Green | Golden State Warriors |
| 4 | F,C | Alex Sarr | Washington Wizards |
| 5 | F,C | Kel’el Ware | Miami Heat |
| 6 | F,C | Dereck Lively II | Dallas Mavericks |
| 7 | G | Kevin Porter Jr. | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 8 | F,C | Onyeka Okongwu | Atlanta Hawks |
| 9 | F,C | RJ Barrett | Toronto Raptors |
| 10 | F,C | Naz Reid | Minnesota Timberwolves |
Final team:
F,C Victor Wembanyama
F,C Alperen Şengün
G Jalen Brunson
G,F,C Dyson Daniels
F,C Joel Embiid
F,C OG Anunoby
G,F,C Cam Thomas
G,F,C Shaedon Sharpe
F,C Ausar Thompson
F,C RJ Barrett
Drafting a player of Wembanyama's caliber who can offer elite value in all five scoring categories opens things up regarding crafting your High Score team. I leaned toward offense with Şengün and Brunson, but Daniels was a must-have for me in the fourth round. Even with the second pick of the fifth round, I was unwilling to risk losing out on a defender of his caliber, especially after he racked up 229 steals and 55 blocked shots in 2024-25.
The back half of my draft focused primarily on players capable of putting in an explosive offensive performance, especially Thomas and Sharpe. The former is entering a contract year on a rebuilding team, while the latter is under similar pressure in Portland. Thompson hasn't been an explosive offensive option in Detroit, but I believe in what he brings to the table defensively. And with Jaden Ivey out to begin the regular season, there may be more room for Thompson to spread his wings as a slasher within the Pistons' offense.
Steph Curry outlines Warriors' ‘mission' before NBA season opener vs. Lakers originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Steph Curry and the Warriors have some unfinished business to take care of as their 2025-26 NBA season tips off Tuesday in Los Angeles.
After Golden State’s preseason finale on Friday night at Chase Center, the team’s star point guard outlined how Opening Night against Luka Dončić and the Los Angeles Lakers can set the tone as the Warriors seek a return to the NBA playoffs.
“It’s the same mission every year,” Curry told reporters after the Warriors’ 106-103 preseason loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. “Last year we accomplished it, and the wheels fell [off] a little bit. But no matter [what], you don’t really want to fast forward too much or panic if it doesn’t go well to begin with, but you want to have intentionality on how you’re trying to start out both ends of the floor, understanding, again, we’re a team that is building on a foundation we had last year, so want to win the first game.”
Curry and Co. will play their first game of the new campaign against a Lakers team without LeBron James, who is out with sciatica to start the season, at Crypto.com Arena. But after Los Angeles added Dončić in February of this year, Curry knows a steep challenge awaits the Warriors as they enter their first full season with their own recent trade-deadline acquisition in Jimmy Butler.
“It’s exciting knowing we’re starting on the road against a team that — wish LeBron was playing — but is lethal with Luka, so a good test to start out, and hopefully we can hit the ground running.”
The Warriors jumped out to a 12-3 record in their first 15 games last season and certainly hope to do so again this year — but instead, keep that momentum going this time as the season progresses. They hit a wall after their hot start in 2024-25, and Butler’s arrival in February rejuvenated the team and helped Golden State reach the postseason before a second-round exit.
Now, Curry, Butler and the rest of the Warriors will look to begin the new season on a high note in just a few days.
The Nashville Predators are looking to cap off a four-game road trip with a high note, taking on the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday at 6 p.m. at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg.
The Predators have a 1-1-1 record on this road trip so far, defeating Ottawa, losing to Toronto in regulation and most recently falling to Montreal in overtime on Thursday.
Against the Canadiens, the Predators gave up the game-tying goal with 20 seconds left in the game and the game-winning goal with three seconds left in overtime.
Here is everything you need to know ahead of the Predators' final game of the road trip against the Jets.
Who: Nashville Predators (2-1-2) vs. Winnipeg Jets (3-1-0)
When: 6 p.m. CST at Canada Life Centre, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
TV: FanDuel Sports Network South
Radio: 102.5 The Game
Line (via BET MGM): Nashville +1.5 Winnipeg -1.5. Over/Under: 5.5 (-120/+100).
Starters: Nashville - TBD, Winnipeg - TBD
Ahead of Thursday's game, the Predators sent another player down to Milwaukee.
Joakim Kemell, who has only played in two of the Predators' first four games of the season, was assigned to the Admirals. He logged 12:22 minutes of ice time in the season opener against the Columbus Blue Jackets and 9:46 minutes of ice time against the Senators on Oct. 13.
There are two more players who could be reassigned in the near future: Brady Martin and Nick Blankenburg.
Martin has not played since the Predators' game against the Utah Mammoth on Oct. 11, which the Predators say is a part of Martin's development plan. He gets nine games before the Predators decide if he should be reassigned to juniors.
Blankenburg was scratched in the Predators game against the Canadiens for Statsney. He has yet to play a game this season, but has been practicing and traveling with the team.
Nashville Predators assign Joakim Kemell to Milwaukee Admirals After playing in two of the Nashville Predators' first four regular-season games, forward Joakim Kemell has been assigned to the Milwaukee Admirals.The Predators could very easily be sitting at 4-1-0 heading into this divisional matchup against the Jets.
Two of their losses this season have been in winnable games, and an argument could even be made that the 7-4 loss to Toronto was a winnable game as well.
Against the Utah Mammoth, the Predators lay back in the third period, allowing the Mammoth to tie the game. In overtime, the Mammoth dominated possession and found an easy way to win.
The loss to Montreal saw the Predators give up a late goal in a situation where Jonathan Marchessault had an empty-net opportunity blocked. Nashville was also seconds away from moving the game into a shootout before Cole Caufield scored the game-winner.
As for the Toronto game, the Predators were within striking distance late in the third period, but gave up two empty-net goals to inflate the final result.
Momentary lapses costing Nashville Predators from playing complete gamesThe Nashville Predators could be looking at a 4-1-0 record through five games, but have given up key moments, most recently falling to Montreal in overtime on Thursday.The Jets are off to a strong start, winning three straight games and holding a 3-1-0 record to start the season. Their only loss was to Dallas, 5-4, on Oct. 9.
Mark Scheifele leads the Jets with eight points in four games, which is tied for seventh in the league. Kyle Connor also has seven points in four games, scoring a hat trick in the Jets' loss to the Stars.
Reigning Vezna Trophy and Hart Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck is off to a slower start with a 3.02 goals against average and .895 save percentage in three games played.
Red-Hot Jets Return Home Seeking Fourth Straight Win Against Slumping PredatorsJets chase fourth straight win behind potent offense, while Predators seek spark against surging Winnipeg.Nashville: Nicolas Hague (upper body)
Winnipeg: Adam Lowry (hip), Cole Perfetti (ankle), Dylan Samberg (wrist)
The Vancouver Canucks are five games into the 2025–26 season and have collected a total of six points. With their shootout win against the Chicago Blackhawks last night, Vancouver is officially back in a playoff spot. Here’s how they’re performing compared to the rest of the NHL five games into the season.
As mentioned, the Canucks are back in a playoff spot after last night’s win against Chicago. With their three wins and two losses, they are currently tied with 12 other teams for seventh in the NHL. They are tied for 13th in the NHL with the Florida Panthers and Minnesota Wild in goals-for with 15 on the season, while their goals-against of 14 sits at the same position alongside the Montréal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres. Their least-favourable stat is their faceoff winning percentage, (44.6%), which sits 29th in the league.
Vancouver’s most notable individual skater stats are in blocks, TOI, and hits. Tyler Myers is the only player to crack the top-five in the NHL in the listed stat categories, as he is tied for fifth in the league in shots blocked with 14. Quinn Hughes leads the team in minutes played so far this season with 133:06, which puts him at sixth in the NHL. Last year’s hit king, Kiefer Sherwood, currently places sixth in the league in said stat with 24 on the season.
Thatcher Demko leads Vancouver’s goaltending department in individual stats, which is unsurprising given that he has started more games than Kevin Lankinen. While the eye test indicates that both goaltenders have been stellar to start the season, stats-wise, Demko’s stats are more towards the middle. His SV% of .929 is 16th in the NHL, while his 2.03 GAA is 19th. Where Demko stands out the most is in high-danger saves, making 27 to tie him for sixth in the league. For reference, he has faced 29 high-danger shots (T-12th in the NHL).
It’s still very early on in the season, so fans shouldn’t take too much stock into where the Canucks’ stats place them within the NHL. However, as the team plays more and more games, these stats will be a good indicator as to how Vancouver stacks up against the rest of the league.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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For most of this breathless encounter, Bournemouth supporters were relishing the prospect of going top of the Premier League, albeit perhaps for only a few hours, and inflicting Crystal Palace’s second home defeat of 2025. Andoni Iraola’s impressive side had led through two goals from the teenager Eli Junior Kroupi before being pegged back by Jean-Philippe Mateta and thought they had won it when the substitute Ryan Christie scored with two minutes of normal time remaining.
Mateta, who scored on his first start for France in midweek, had other ideas as he converted an injury-time penalty to complete his hat-trick, although he missed a golden opportunity to win it at the death.
Continue reading...Erling Haaland’s double seized the points, took him to 23 goals in 13 games for club and country this season, and kept Tottenham as the only foes the uber-striker has failed to score against this season.
The 25-year-old’s goals – on 58 and 63 minutes – shredded the visitors in two high-quality moments that decorated a generally middling affair.
Continue reading...There were some question marks surrounding Egor Demin's shooting ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft, and rightfully so.
Demin shot just 27.3 percent from three during his lone season of college basketball at BYU, causing many scouts to be hesitant about how his shot would translate to the NBA. But that didn't scare the Nets away, as they saw the potential star upside in his game and selected him with the No. 8 overall pick in June.
While it's still very early in his professional career, Demin demonstrated his skill set Friday night in his preseason debut against the Toronto Raptors. The 19-year-old, who missed the team's first three preseason games due to a plantar fascia tear, scored 14 points with five rebounds and an assist in 19 minutes off the bench.
The performance earned him praise from teammates Michael Porter Jr. (34 points) and Cam Thomas (seven points), who believe the 6-foot-9 rookie can make a real impact in the NBA.
"Oh, yeah, he’s solid. He’s going to be really good," Porter Jr. told the New York Post. "Positionally, for his size, if he can translate all those point guard skills over to the pros, he’s going to be a problem.
"He makes the right reads and the right plays. So I know it may take time to deal with the physicality of the point guard position in the NBA, but once he gets the hang of it, he’s going to be really, really good."
the rook pullin' up with confidence! 🎯@whoisegor3 | #NetsWorldpic.twitter.com/6GJIxez3Bt
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) October 18, 2025
Demin's 14 points came on 3 of 5 shooting, including 2 of 3 from three-point range, and 6 of 7 on free throws. 11 of his 14 points came in the first half, including all of the foul shots. He also recorded a block and committed two turnovers in the 119-114 loss.
"He was great. He was great. Obviously, it’s preseason, but he was good for his first game," Thomas said. "We’ll see what happens in Charlotte, but it was a great start for him, for sure."
While Demin is still working his way back to full strength from the foot injury, as he only started playing five-on-five while the team was in China, head coach Jordi Fernandez was pleased with what he saw from the guard Friday night.
"He was excellent," Fernandez said. "There’s going to be things he’s going to keep working on. We’ve got to keep building him up physically to be able to sustain more minutes. … But I’m very happy with his presence, how composed he was, how he talked to his teammates, all those things. And made it look easy.
"He shot the ball every time he was open or halfway open, got to the free-throw line and rebounded. He got five rebounds, made nice plays at the rim. It was good."
Demin added that his first bit of NBA action was a great learning experience, and he'll take those lessons with him into the regular season.
"Yeah, 100 percent. I’ve been told a lot about the Raptors as one of the most physical and longest teams from the standpoint of pressure almost the whole game, and how pesky they are," Demin said. "I don’t want to say I was scared, but I was super aware of what to expect. But I also couldn’t understand what to expect in my first game … so I’m just happy we went through this and had this experience. It’s a huge lesson for all of us, and I can’t wait for the start of the season."
The Calgary Flames (1-4-0) will travel to Sin City to take on the Vegas Golden Knights (3-0-2) for a Saturday night NHL tilt.
The Flames earlier did battle with the Knights on Tuesday, Oct. 14 at home where Calgary jumped up 2-0 in the first period only to give up four unanswered goals in the final two periods to lose the contest.
That has kind of been the theme for the Flames in the past three games: they get an early lead by the end of the first period, but fail to hold on to it by the final whistle. In ALL of their games, their collapse began in the third period except for their last game against Utah where the downfall started in period number two.
The good news is that in their last outing against Vegas, the Flames tied with their season-high shots on goal with 29, which they had established the game before against the Blues.
However, they also gave up the most total shots against the Golden Knights with 69 (20 blocked shots, 19 missed shots, 30 shots on goal).
There is a big contrast between how many times both teams have been shorthanded. While Calgary does rank higher than Vegas on the penalty-kill, the Flames have been undermanned on the ice 20 times (third-highest in the league), while the Golden Knights have been forced on the PK only 12 times (tied for fourth-lowest).
Speaking of special teams, Vegas' Pavel Dorofeyev is tied with the most power play goals with four, and individual goals in the league with six.
Vegas are getting their money's worth with the recent Jack Eichel contract extension as the four-time All-Star is currently leading the league with 11 points in five games.
Mark Stone is right behind with nine points, but with all of them beings assists, he is currently topping the league in that department.
Defensively, it's not going to be easy either. Both the pairings of Jeremy Lauzon-Kaeden Korczak and Brayden McNabb-Shea Theodore are ranked in the top four in the league for giving up the least Expected Goals Against (xGA) for pairings that have logged in at least 60 minutes of ice-time.
Perhaps the only weakness for the Flames to take advantage of would be of Vegas goalie Adin Hill, who is expected to be in net, and his poor start to the season. He carries an 0-0-2 record with a save percentage of 0.845. In their last game, the Flames scored two goals on him in 10 shots in the first period before Akira Schmidt stepped in for the last two periods and shut out Calgary.
Also, Jonathan Huberdeau makes his return for the Flames, so Calgary will be hoping his presence will be a difference-maker this time around.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: You need to finish out the game, even if it means you have to win ugly.
But with going into Vegas' turf this time? Easier said than done.
The Detroit Red Wings won their fourth straight game on Friday in large part due to the play of backstop John Gibson, who made 31 saves in a thrilling 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in overtime.
A 31-save night for Gibby 👊
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) October 18, 2025
That's our @xfinity game-changing moment(s)! pic.twitter.com/r6aGIcwGos
The win was a memorable one as rookie defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka scored his first NHL goal earlier in the game. It was an all-around solid team performance out of the Red Wings with many wondering who would start next for their Sunday matinee versus the back-to-back Western Conference Champion Edmonton Oilers.
Veteran goaltender Cam Talbot would be the obvious answer as the 37-year-old has yet to produce a bad performance with three straight wins, including a 38-save effort against the Toronto Maple Leafs this past Monday. Now the decision falls onto Detroit bench boss Todd McLellan as Gibson has now re-entered the picture thanks to his stunning effort on Friday with a coach never wanting to bench the hottest hand.
2 words to describe today's @xfinity game-changing moment(s):
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) October 14, 2025
CAM. TALBOT. pic.twitter.com/WQxZMmEkAJ
It would also make sense to give Gibson another start on Sunday, allowing both goaltenders to have three games under their belts before deciding who gets the nod for Detroit’s upcoming road matchup against the Buffalo Sabres next Wednesday. Gibson was brought in by Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman with the expectation of becoming the team’s top goaltender. The Pittsburgh native had been splitting time in Anaheim with young netminder Lukas Dostal and was looking for a larger role with Detroit hoping to oblige.
Talbot's play as of late has thrown a snag into those plans as McLellan wants to play the hottest hand and give his team the best chance to succeed but you also don't want to upset the player that the team just finished trading for and made a commitment to.
"Team Effort": Red Wings' John Gibson Credits Teammates After Stellar Performance Red Wings goaltender John Gibson rebounded from a subpar first game of the season, making 31 saves and helping Detroit pick up their fourth win of the young season, a 2-1 overtime triumph over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features.
The most likely outcome in the situation is we see a regression from Talbot. The journeyman has put together similar hot stretches in the past, only to cool off with a string of average or subpar performances that brought his numbers back down to earth. Still, Talbot has proven capable of strong play over a full season before, most notably during his 2016–17 campaign with the Oilers, when he posted a 42-22-8 record and a 2.39 goals-against average across 73 starts.
However, the wheels usually fall off at some point as Talbot routinely finishes with a goals against average closer to three when receiving more starts but when serving as a backup, he can produce very solid numbers. As he's gotten older, the numbers have slowed down. There's no doubt we are seeing vintage Talbot as of late but the Caledonia native has finished with a goals against average of 2.93 twice in the last three seasons and Gibson should be able to produce better numbers.
Gibson has played for some bad Ducks teams in recent years with the defense in front of him not helping. While Talbot was bouncing around to several teams around the league, they were all better than Gibson's basement team in the NHL. The Ducks since last making the playoffs in 2018 have the fourth-worst defense in the league yet Gibson still produced numbers like a 2.98 goals against average and a .903 save percentage during the 2020-21 season when the Ducks' poor play led to him finishing with a brutal 9-19-7 record.
On a stronger team, fans have long wondered just how good the 2015–16 Jennings Trophy winner could be, given that he was a three-time All-Star back when the Ducks were regular playoff contenders. If the Red Wings can carry their season-opening momentum into a legitimate playoff push, Gibson will likely emerge as the steadier, more dependable option in net.
McLellan might begin the season with a 1A/1B goalie rotation, giving Talbot the chance to ride out his hot streak. But don’t be surprised if that momentum fades and Gibson ends up taking on a heavier workload. Either way, this is a good problem for the Red Wings. Recent Stanley Cup contenders have leaned on having two dependable goaltenders rather than just one standout, and early signs suggest Detroit could have one of the top tandems in the NHL.
Rookie Defenseman Shocks NHL as Early Calder Trophy Front-RunnerAn 18-year-old defenseman is shattering expectations, logging elite minutes and dominating the early Calder Trophy race against a loaded rookie class.Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!
This news is not a surprise. In fact, Trae Young was resigned to this outcome months ago.
Young and the Atlanta Hawks will not reach terms on a contract extension before the start of the season, something confirmed by Joe Varden and Fred Katz at The Athletic. Young will make $46 million this season and has a player option for $48.9 million next season — he could, in theory, leave the team for nothing as a free agent next summer.
Young's extension can be agreed to and signed at any point during this season, and Young has hinted on social media that he wants to sign one. However, Hawks management has built the best team around Young he has ever had, and new GM Onsi Saleh wants to see how all of this looks before extending anyone. On paper, the Hawks appear to be a top-four team in the East, with the potential to be a playoff threat to the Cavaliers and Knicks at the top of the conference. But what will they look like on the court?
Atlanta was aggressive in building out this roster. The Hawks traded for Kristaps Porzingis, who brings much-needed shot blocking on defense as well as a pick-and-pop partner for Young. Atlanta sign-and-traded for Nickeil Alexander-Walker to add shooting and defense on the wing. Speaking of shooting, the Hawks went out and got Luke Kennard.
Then there are the players in house expected to take a step forward. Jalen Johnson is healthy again after what looked to be a breakout season a year ago. Zaccharie Risacher seems poised to make a leap in his second season. Dyson Daniels was the league's Most Improved Player a season ago, while this is a big year for big man Onyeka Okongwu.
That's a lot of talent, but it puts pressure on Young to show he can be the leader of this team, not just a scorer or offensive force but a floor general when the team needs it. If Young can put all the puzzle pieces together, he will get his extension (his max would be four years, $229 million, but the number likely comes in a little below that).
It's just not happening before the season.
Raphielle Johnson