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Devils outshoot Panthers but fall, 1-0, for second straight loss

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 30 shots, Sam Reinhart scored in the opening period and the Florida Panthers beat the New Jersey Devils 1-0 on Thursday night.

It was Florida’s first 1-0 regulation win in the regular season since Dec. 23, 2017, against Ottawa. The Panthers had a 1-0 overtime win at Columbus last season.

Bobrovsky has 51 shutouts, tied for 28th in NHL history. The Devils were blanked for the first time this season, wasting a 23-save effort from Jake Allen.

Reinhart collected the puck around the blue line, got around New Jersey’s Luke Hughes before beating Allen over the shoulder. It was Reinhart’s 11th goal of the season, and Bobrovsky made it stand up — staving off a flurry in the final minute to seal the win.

It marked the second time this season New Jersey failed to get a standings point in back-to-back games. The Devils lost at Tampa Bay on Tuesday; they also had consecutive regulation losses in Colorado and San Jose on Oct. 28 and 30.

The Panthers celebrated defenseman Jeff Petry’s 1,000th game — a milestone reached earlier this week — in a pregame ceremony.

Petry’s four children wore the sweaters of his four previous teams, Edmonton, Montreal, Pittsburgh and Detroit, and the family was presented with a number of gifts from both the Panthers and the NHL. Every player on the Panthers warmed up for the game wearing a sweater bearing Petry’s No. 2 on the back instead of their own; those will be auctioned for charity.

The game was the NHL debut for Panthers rookie Jack Devine, a two-time national champion at Denver, who was called up with Florida now missing seven would-be regulars in the lineup because of injuries.

Up next

Devils: At Philadelphia on Saturday night.

Panthers: Host Edmonton on Saturday night in a rematch of the last two Stanley Cup Finals.

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Bobrovsky, Panthers shut down Devils to earn gritty 1-0 victory

The Florida Panthers welcomed the high-flying New Jersey Devils to Sunrise on Thursday night.

What turned out to be a battle of two strong goaltenders went the Panthers way, as they squeaked by the Devils 1-0.

Despite being outshot 9-2 over the game’s first 12 minutes, it was the Panthers that scored the game’s opening goal.

It started with Sam Reinhart picking up the puck and flying down the right side boards into the Devils zone, with Luke Hughes covering him close.

Reinhart made a quick backhand-forehand move through Hughes’ stick and snapped a shot over the shoulder of Jake Allen to put the Cats up 1-0 with 7:02 to go in the first period.

That’s how the score would remain for much of the game, as Sergei Bobrovsky for Florida and Allen for the Devils continued to come up with big save after big save.

Credit to New Jersey for putting on a valiant attempt to tie the game down the stretch, but they failed to get one past the Cats’ tendie.

Bobrovsky finished with 31 saves, including all nine of the high danger shots sent his way by New Jersey, to earn his second shutout of the season.

On to the Oilers.

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Photo caption: Nov 20, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) makes a save against New Jersey Devils center Juho Lammikko (83) during the first period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

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Bryce Hopkins scores 20 as No. 14 St. John’s routs Bucknell 97-49

Bryce Hopkins scored 20 points in 17 minutes for his highest-scoring game in nearly two years, and No. 14 St. John’s routed Bucknell 97-49 on Thursday night. Hopkins who tore his ACL in January of 2024 and played only three games for Providence last season due to continued knee trouble, made 7 of 9 shots and has scored in double figures in each game this season. Hopkins scored 13 points in the first half and hit two 3s in the final 11 1/2 minutes of the period, when coach Rick Pitino's Red Storm (3-1) began asserting themselves after missing 11 of their first 14 shots.

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Yankees' Brian Cashman confident Trent Grisham can replicate 2025 results after accepting qualifying offer

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman recently said the return of Trent Grisham via the qualifying offer wouldn't prevent the club from pursuing a reunion with Cody Bellinger. But his sentiment on the matter then hasn't relaxed any fans bothered by the business decision now.

The speculation on Grisham's future ended Tuesday, when the veteran outfielder accepted the one-year, $22 million contract that guaranteed him a third season in pinstripes. And just two days after the falling of what could be a heavy domino, Cashman had to restate his offseason plan to those criticizing the move.

"Our first order of business, we got Grisham in the fold. One of our big hitters and defenders is back, so that solves one area of our needs," Cashman said Thursday, bundling up for his annual sleep on a Manhattan sidewalk for charity. "But we have two big important free agents who left us -- Grisham was one, Bellinger was another. We'd love to have Bellinger back."

Grisham's choice raised eyebrows across the league. Not only was he one of just four players who took the qualifying offer (nine declined), but he was also positioned to land a multi-year deal in free agency and capitalize on a breakout 2025 campaign.

Of course, the Yankees were comfortable with Grisham potentially returning -- after all, they extended him the contract two weeks ago. But the odds of the 29-year-old accepting it never seemed high, and therefore, Cashman is receiving outside flak for misreading the market value.

Cashman views the situation differently. He believes Grisham gives the Yankees "a little more comfort" and "a lot more certainty" as they search for players -- via free agency or trade -- to fill voids on their roster. He also wasn't surprised by Grishman's selection.

"I kind of thought 50-50 going into it when we made the offer," Cashman said. "We wouldn't have been surprised if he turned it down because it's a very weak outfield market... It was a close call. We made the offer because we thought if he takes it, we'd be fine if he took it and excited he's coming back because we believe he's capable of replicating what he did last year."

No matter how the winter plays out for the Yankees, they're banking on Grisham providing the same 30-homer, short-porch power he produced during a career season. But the back of Grisham's baseball card suggests his 2025 numbers were merely an aberration, as he's a career .218 hitter.

No surprise, Cashman disagrees. The Yankees anticipate an upward trajectory for Grisham, even though the baseline metrics and eye test indicate otherwise. 

"All the support information backs up the changes he made are real and should continue," Cashman said. "He did it all [in New York] and he was doing home and road too. It wasn't just the Yankee Stadium effect. It came unexpected. Thankful it did."

The Yankees' sights remain on Bellinger, and if they aren't confident in Jasson Dominguez or Spencer Jones properly developing in the outfield alongside Grisham and captain Aaron Judge, there's added urgency to make a big splash before negotiations intensify.

Bellinger is one of the top free-agent outfielders, and the Yankees should label him as a proven commodity. The former NL MVP smacked 29 homers with 98 RBI and an .813 OPS in his first season in the Bronx, while playing all three outfield positions and first base as a versatile defender.

It won't be easy for the Yankees to retain Bellinger, who should have many suitors entering his age-30 season. The lefty slugger produced the second-highest WAR (5.1) of his career in 2025, and also registered a career-low strikeout percentage (13.7) in 152 games.

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Brian Cashman: Yankees have been in touch with Kyle Tucker, Cody Bellinger camps

The Yankees and Brian Cashman have a long offseason ahead of them.

After several key agents left in free agency, Cashman will look to retool his outfield and bullpen -- and perhaps add another starter -- before the start of the 2026 season. One chip that has fallen the Yankees' way is the return of Trent Grisham.

The veteran outfielder accepted his qualifying offer and gives Cashman another outfielder alongside Aaron Judge. However, Cashman isn't necessarily content with just bringing in Grisham. He's been in contact with agents for the top two outfielders in the free agent market: Cody Bellinger and Kyle Tucker.

"We’d love to have Bellinger come back," Cashman told the media Thursday night at his annual Covenant House Sleep Out in NYC. "Talked to [agent Scott] Boras yesterday about Belli and other free agents of his. Talked to Casey Close about his free agents; he’s got Kyle Tucker, amongst others. That’s the nature of the beast in the winter. Had several conversations with teams today, try to find a way to make a trade or add a free agent and keep going and going and going."

Close also represents Paul Goldschmidt, Michael King and Kyle Schwarber.

Bellinger was the team's second-best hitter behind Judge this past season. The versatile outfielder hit 29 home runs to go along with .272 batting average and 98 RBI, all while playing a Gold Glove-level left field. 

The 30-year-old opted out of his contract this offseason and will likely look to get a big payday after doing so well in the Bronx. The Yankees aren't the only team vying for Bellinger's services, as the Blue Jays, Mets and even Bellinger's old team, the Dodgers, have shown interest. 

And then there's Tucker. Arguably the best free agent hitter on the market, regardless of position, Tucker will enter free agency for the first time after being traded from the Astros to the Cubs last offseason. 

The 28-year-old had a solid year, blasting 22 home runs and driving in 73 runs while hitting .266 on the North Side. He made his fourth All-Star team in 2025 and won his second Silver Slugger this offseason. 

Whether Cashman can pull off that signing is yet to be known, but the veteran GM is doing his due diligence to try and get the Yankees their first World Series win since 2009. And Cashman knows he needs to make his team better, and he hopes to do that this winter.

"The team that we had last year, which was really good on paper, but fell short of our ultimate goal, is now depleted because of free agency," Cashman said. "We have to at least get back to where we were, but the ultimate goal is to make it better. Got a lot more work to do and the whole winter to do it."

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Report: Canadiens Tried To Sign New Canucks Center

David Kämpf (© David Kirouac-Imagn Images)

The Montreal Canadiens are dealing with plenty of injury trouble right now. This is certainly the case at the center position, as both Alex Newhook and Kirby Dach are currently sidelined. 

With the Canadiens being bitten by the injury bug, they reportedly tried to sign a recent free agent.

According to The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun, the Canadiens were one of the teams that pursued center David Kämpf before he signed his one-year, $1.1 million contract with the Vancouver Canucks. 

"They tried on David Kämpf, but the veteran free-agent center chose Vancouver last weekend," LeBrun wrote about the Canadiens.

The Canadiens pursuing Kämpf is understandable, as it is clear that they could use more depth down the middle. However, now that he has joined the Canucks, the Canadiens will need to explore their options elsewhere.

Kämpf became an unrestricted free agent (UFA) last week after mutually terminating his previous contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. This was after he appeared in four games this season with their AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies, where he recorded one assist. He then quickly signed his new deal with the Canucks after hitting the market. 

Had the Canadiens successfully signed Kämpf, he would have had the potential to be a nice addition to their bottom six and penalty kill due to his solid defensive play. He has also had a 50.9 faceoff winning percentage or better in seven out of his previous eight NHL seasons, so he would have helped the Habs in that area. 

In 537 career NHL games, Kämpf has recorded 48 goals, 95 assists, 143 points, and 243 takeaways. 

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Penguins Have Found Their Ideal Fourth-Liner In Connor Dewar

It's been a little over eight months since Pittsburgh Penguins general manager/president Kyle Dubas acquired forward Connor Dewar from the Toronto Maple Leafs just before last season's trade deadline.

Dewar came over with defenseman Conor Timmins for a fifth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft on Mar. 7. Dubas was familiar with both players and wanted to give them a shot to earn another contract once the 2024-25 season ended. 

At the time, Dewar had only compiled three points (all assists) in 31 games. He was a different player for the final 17 games of the year, totaling four goals and seven points. He was one of their best forecheckers below the goal line and was also feisty around the net and along the boards. 

Dewar was a great fit for the bottom six, leading Dubas to sign him to a one-year deal for the 2025-26 season. Timmins had the opportunity to earn himself a similar deal, but Dubas opted to trade him to the Buffalo Sabres during the 2025 NHL Draft. 

Fast forward to this season, and Dewar has been one of the best players in the bottom six. He has played in only 19 games but has already matched his total goal output from last year (four) and has six points. Outside of that, he has been doing a great job of being one of their best forecheckers and bringing some extra snarl on the fourth line. He's the straw that stirs the drink on that line and has helped give the Penguins momentum when they have needed it.

Oct 18, 2025; San Jose, California, USA; San Jose Sharks defenseman Vincent Iorio (22) and Pittsburgh Penguins center Connor Dewar (19) battle for position in front of the net during the first period at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images

He's also a big part of the Penguins' penalty kill, which ranks fourth in the NHL. The PK has killed off 24 of the last 25 penalties, and Dewar is super impressed with the work assistant coach Mike Stothers has put into that unit. 

"He's a great communicator," Dewar said after Wednesday's practice. "He's very detailed. He gives us a lot of trust and belief in ourselves. He's been great."

This year's PK under Stothers is much more aggressive than it was in the last couple of seasons under former assistant coach Mike Vellucci. The penalty killers, especially Dewar, aren't giving up easy zone entries and are doing a great job taking away the high-danger areas. Great goaltending obviously helps matters, but the penalty killers are making life really easy for the goalies, especially over the last several games. 

For Pittsburgh Penguins' Olympic Goaltender Artūrs Šilovs, No Stage Is Too BigFor Pittsburgh Penguins' Olympic Goaltender Artūrs Šilovs, No Stage Is Too BigPittsburgh Penguins goaltender Arturs Silovs - acquired from the Vancouver Canucks over the summer - has proven he can perform when the stakes are highest and will get another chance with Team Latvia at the 2026 Olympic Games.

Due to injuries, Dewar has been forced to take on a top-line role next to Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust, and the early returns haven't been bad. Per Natural Stat Trick, Dewar and Crosby have played 21:13 at 5v5 this year and have been on the ice for 51.7% of the expected goals and 70% of the scoring chances. It's only temporary since the Penguins are down multiple top six forwards, but Dewar hasn't missed a beat since being elevated.

Once he likely goes back down to the fourth line, he will be reunited with Blake Lizotte, and the two of them have been quite the duo to start the season. They're both wrecking balls and feed off one another in each game, including when they're cycling in the offensive zone.

Dewar has been a great find by Dubas and there's a good chance he will earn himself a new deal with the Penguins if he continues to have a good season.

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

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Report that LaMelo Ball would be open to trade, but he clowns rumor on social media

LaMelo Ball has put up counting stats this season when on the court, averaging 21.6 points, 9.6 assists and 6.9 rebounds a game in the nine games he has played. That said, he is shooting just 38.5% from the floor — 29.8% from 3-point range. He has helped make the Hornets competitive in games, but still they have stumbled to a 4-11 start to the season.

Which is why there is some logic to the idea that Ball would be open to a trade, maybe around the February deadline, and Kelly Iko of Yahoo Sports reported that he is.

Star guard LaMelo Ball has grown increasingly frustrated with the organization and is open to a trade away from the franchise, multiple league sources told Yahoo Sports ... League sources say the front office is increasingly hesitant about cementing Ball as a long-term foundational piece, has become disillusioned with the 24-year-old and is open to moving him.

LaMelo responded to that on X, shooting the idea down.

If that response doesn't make it clear, Ball has not asked for a trade. What's more, the Hornets front office is not looking to move Ball right now, reports Jake Fischer at Bleacher Report. Understandably, Charlotte wants to get Brandon Miller back from his shoulder issue and see what this team looks like when fully healthy (they may be 4-11, but they have played more competitively than their record suggests).

That said, there are playoff teams in need of point guard play — Orlando, maybe Houston and others — who are monitoring the situation. There would be a market for Ball, although because of his injury history and defensive issues, that trade would not bring back as much as the Hornets may imagine.

It's not just Ball's situation that teams are monitoring. The same is true of Ja Morant in Memphis and Trae Young in Atlanta, both of them are currently out injured.

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NHL Rumors: Should Canadiens Target Blues Forward?

Alexandre Texier (© Jeff Curry-Imagn Images)© Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

In his most recent 32 Thoughts column, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman questioned if the Montreal Canadiens could make sense as a landing spot for St. Louis Blues forward Alexandre Texier. This was after he reported that rumors are out there that Texier is considering terminating his contract with the Blues.

Following Friedman's column, the Blues placed Texier on regular waivers on Nov. 20. However, Friedman also noted that the Blues and Texier could still mutually terminate his contract if he goes through regular waivers unclaimed. 

With Texier being available on regular waivers, should the Canadiens consider claiming him before his current contract potentially gets terminated? The 26-year-old center currently has a $2.1 million cap hit until the end of this season, which is not necessarily cheap for his role. He has also not played much this season, posting one assist in eight games so far. This is after he had six goals and 11 points in 31 games with St. Louis this past season. 

Texier has shown in the past that he can produce decent offense, as he posted career highs with 12 goals, 18 assists, and 30 points in 78 games with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2023-24. This was after he had 11 goals and 20 points in just 36 games with Columbus during the 2021-22 season. 

Overall, while Texier could be a decent depth pickup for the Canadiens, his current $2.1 million cap hit could very well make the Canadiens stay away. However, if he clears regular waivers and then gets his current contract terminated by the Blues, he could be a low-risk target for the Canadiens to bring in at a lower price through free agency. 

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NHL Trade Rumors: Penguins Have 2 New Targets To Consider

Brad Lambert (© Brett Holmes-Imagn Images)

The Pittsburgh Penguins have had a nice start to the season, as they have a 10-5-4 record and are third in the Metropolitan Division. When noting that they had low expectations heading into the season, there is no question that fans should be happy with how they have played out of the gate. 

With the Penguins starting the year off so well, they should be open to the idea of adding to their roster. However, with Pittsburgh retooling, they should specifically pursue young players who would help them beyond this season.

Two interesting young players recently entered the rumor mill who would have the potential to be a strong addition to the Penguins' roster. Let's discuss both of them now. 

Brad Lambert, F, Winnipeg Jets 

NHL insider Frank Seravalli reported that the Jets have granted Brad Lambert permission to seek a trade. When noting that Lambert is a former first-round pick and just 21 years old, he stands out as a potential fit for the Penguins. 

Lambert has had trouble cementing himself as a full-time NHL player with the Jets, but he certainly could change that on a team like the Penguins. The young forward has good potential and could become a nice part of Pittsburgh's roster if he takes that next step. 

Pavel Mintyukov, D, Anaheim Ducks 

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman recently reported that Mintyukov would like a trade from the Ducks if he continues to be scratched. If Mintyukov does become available, the Penguins should make a major push for the young blueliner. 

The Penguins should be looking to improve the left side of their defense. A player like Mintyukov could very well grab their attention, as he is also a former first-round pick who is only 21 years old. He has also already shown promise at the NHL level, as he recorded four goals and 28 points in 63 games during his rookie year in 2023-24. 

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Kings Vs Sharks Game Preview: Kings Looking to Win a Divisional Game

The LA Kings are in San Jose to take on the Sharks in a key divisional matchup. 

The Kings are coming off a 2-1 loss against the Washington Capitals as they look to try to leap ahead of Vegas for second in the Pacific. The Sharks are coming off a 3-2 overtime win over the Utah Mammoth, which saw Macklin Celebrini score a hat-trick. 

Projected Kings Lines

Here are the projected lines for the Kings:

Andrei Kuzmenko - Anze Kopitar - Trevor Moore

Kevin Fiala - Quinton Byfield - Adrian Kempe

Warren Foegele - Phillip Danault - Alex Laferriere

Joel Armia - Alex Turcotte - Corey Perry

Mikey Anderson - Brian Dumoulin

Joel Edmundson - Brandt Clarke

Jacob Moverare - Cody Ceci

Anton Forsberg

Phoenix Copley

Projected Sharks Lines

Here are the projected lines for the Sharks: 

Philipp Kurashev - Macklin Celebrini - Will Smith

William Eklund - Alexander Wennberg - Tyler Toffoli

Adam Gaudette - Ty Dellandrea - Collin Graf

Barclay Goodrow - Zack Ostapchuk - Ryan Reaves

Dmitry Orlov - Timothy Liljegren

Mario Ferraro - John Klingberg

Sam Dickinson - Vincent Desharnais

Yaroslav Askarov

Alex Nedeljkovic

Lines and Injuries 

The Kings will be without Darcy Kuemper tonight as he is scratched, so Phoenix Copley will back up Anton Forsberg. Andrei Kuzmenko returns to the lineup after being scratched in the last couple of games, and he will be on the first line alongside Kopitar and Moore. The second line for the Kings has also been altered, with Fiala, Byfield, and Kempe now on it, which could prove deadly for the Kings. The Kings also placed Drew Doughty on injured reserve. The Sharks are missing both Michael Misa and Jeff Skinner due to lower-body injuries. 

Key Factors

The Kings have to be aware of the young guys on this Sharks team. Macklin Celebrini has been one of the best players in the NHL this season, and his connection with Will Smith is something the Kings will have to pay attention to. The Kings, on the other hand, have switched up their entire lineup, and their second line on paper is seemingly their best line heading into tonight's game, so that line will be relied upon. 

The Kings will have to attack the Sharks' defence, as per NHL Edge, which ranks last in the NHL in defensive zone play. If the Kings can be in the offensive zone and generate chances while building momentum, they will score goals and succeed. 

If the Kings can get going offensively tonight, they can push the Sharks and walk away with a win. My prediction for tonight's game is a 4-1 Kings win.