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One of Sharks' winning formulas on display in bounce-back win vs. Hurricanes

One of Sharks' winning formulas on display in bounce-back win vs. Hurricanes originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Collin Graf called it.

Not his game-opening goal for the Sharks on Sunday, 33 seconds in, leading the way to a 4-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh, which Macklin Celebrini, who was incredible in all three zones in a three-point night, had a lot to do with.

“Honestly, I didn’t really see it at first. I was going to the net, and it hit me on the tape,” Graf said of his centerman’s pass. “Pretty impressive.”

Instead, it was something that the mature-beyond-his-years winger said after the Sharks’ 4-1 loss to the Dallas Stars on Friday, when asked what San Jose did right in the middle part of that tilt, to hang tough with Cup-contending Dallas.

Read the full article at San Jose Hockey Now

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Jimmy Butler sets record straight on his lengthy history of NBA bridge-burning

Jimmy Butler sets record straight on his lengthy history of NBA bridge-burning originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – Considered by some the NBA’s most notorious burner of bridges, Jimmy Butler III says he is delighted to be in a region known for its bridges. And not because he has so many targets to set ablaze.

It’s because Butler senses the Golden State Warriors possess an unrelenting quest for victory that matches his own.

Though Butler did not say his previous stops within the league – Chicago Bulls, Minnesota Timberwolves, Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat – were comfortable with losing, the insinuation is that non-basketball issues and less dedicated circumstances have rubbed him the wrong way.

“I’m always about winning, winning at all costs,” Butler tells NBC Sports Bay Area on the latest episode of the “Dubs Talk” podcast, which debuted Monday. “So, when it doesn’t stay about winning, it can become about many different things. If it ain’t about winning, I’m telling y’all right now, I’m not here for it.

“It’s got to be about winning. Everything we do, it’s got to be about winning.”

Consider that a warning. If things start getting political or subjective within the Warriors, or if they tolerate unseriousness on the roster, Butler might reach for his lighter and start scouting the Golden Gate.

Butler need not worry. All evidence seen and heard during the 15 years that Joe Lacob and Peter Guber have owned the Golden State franchise is that winning is both everything and the only thing. Consider, for example, their early moves, notably bringing in Jerry West and Rick Welts. And their wonderfully executed recruitment of Kevin Durant. And their investment in the cash cow that is Chase Center.

Consider, too, the expensive acquisition of Butler in February.

“We had to get better on the basketball court,” general manager Mike Dunleavy told NBC Sports Bay Area in March. “But we needed to get better, emotionally. We’d lost our way. And to be able to accomplish those two things, there’s not many players out there that can do that. And I felt like Jimmy was one of those guys. It’s tough in this league to make trades because there’s very few really good players that are available. And in this case, Jimmy was.”

Butler was available because, turned off by criticism of Heat shot-caller Pat Riley and the lack of a contract extension, he had burned his bridge in Miami. Butler twice led the Heat to the NBA Finals during his five-plus seasons in Miami. The epilogue to his fourth NBA team was a fourth bridge torching.

“If it’s about winning, if it’s about winning it – the championship – I’m all for it,” Butler says. “If it’s not, and there are any other agendas, y’all won’t like it. Because I don’t care. I’m literally just here to win. That’s it. I don’t care about anything else.”

The Warriors, with a disappointing xx-xx record (PLEASE UPDATE), are not meeting their standard. They also are not meeting Butler’s standard and goal. As it stands, he’s a six-time NBA All-Star and very probable Hall of Famer. What he is not is an NBA champion.

That is, as he says, why he is a Warrior. And, yes, he believes it is possible.

“(It’s) the practice,” Butler says. “The work that everybody’s putting in afterwards, and how they care about doing right. It doesn’t always go our way, and we make mistakes, but that’s just the game. That’s just human nature. Nobody’s perfect.

“But the intent is what really matters. If you’re trying to do right, you’re trying everything that you have to win, it’s going to work out more days than not. And I see that amongst our group. I see that in the coaches. They work relentlessly at trying to figure it out. And then we’ve got to go out there and we got to actually do it. But they’re putting us in all the correct situations.”

If there is anything Butler has more faith in than those in the locker room, it is those in the executive suites upstairs. It’s Dunleavy, Butler’s teammate for three seasons in Chicago, who has shown a willingness to make big moves. And it’s Lacob, whose ambition always operates at the speed of light.

Butler has bought into the ways of the Warriors, starting with those at the top. Andrew Wiggins, who went to Miami in the swap that brought Butler to the Bay, never wanted to leave, partly because he won a championship with Golden State and partly because he marveled at the “top-notch” management of the franchise.

Butler, in his 10th month as a Warrior, is in full agreement.

“They would do anything and everything for you to just make sure that you can compete at a high level – whatever it is,” he says. “When your kids are here, your kids are going to be well taken care of. My daughter got every allergy known to humankind, probably, and just to make sure that when she’s around, all her allergy needs or like taken care of goes a long way for me, goes a long way for anybody.

“. . . They have the most incredible people throughout this organization and it’s just always a good place to come into work. You want to be here. You’re smiling. You’re having fun. And then whenever you leave, you’re like, ‘OK, it’s a good day today at work. Can’t wait to go back tomorrow.’ That’s when I knew. I was like, ‘Yo, this place is legit.’ It’s special.”

A joyful Jimmy means the Bay Area bridges are safe, at least for now. But that winning thing, well, it has a lot of work ahead to start fulfilling the promise in which Butler believes.

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James and Doncic inspire Lakers victory

LeBron James in action against the Philadelphia 76ers
LeBron James will turn 41 on 30 December [Reuters]

LeBron James and Luka Doncic scored 60 points between them to fire the Los Angeles Lakers to a 112-108 win against the Philadelphia 76ers.

James scored 29 points, along with seven rebounds and six assists, and 12 of his tally came in the fourth quarter.

The 76ers had levelled the match at 105 apiece with one minute and 29 seconds remaining before James scored five consecutive points as the Lakers went on to seal the victory.

Doncic had returned to the Lakers line-up having missed the previous two games in a run of three on the road following the birth of his child.

He registered a triple-double of 31 points - which was a game high - 15 rebounds and 11 assists.

"The end of a road trip, there can be a lot of tired legs," said James, who missed his side's previous game.

"I felt great. I had the opportunity with some pretty good legs to try to assert myself a little offensively."

Tyrese Maxey top scored for the 76ers with 28 points as team-mate Joel Embiid, who made just four of 21 shots, added 16 points.

The Lakers are second in the Western Conference, while the Philadelphia 76ers are seventh in the Eastern Conference.

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Premier League: 10 talking points from the weekend’s football

Arsenal feel effects of defensive injuries, Liverpool rue Konaté’s mistakes and Brentford struggle on the road

When the team sheets landed at Villa Park, Arsenal’s matchday squad again appeared imperious. Their bench included a £64m striker in Viktor Gyökeres, a trio of tricky wingers in Leandro Trossard, Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli and arguably England’s most exciting teenagers in Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri. But Arsenal arrived top-heavy, the only centre-back among the substitutes the 16-year-old Marli Salmon. By the time Emiliano Buendía clinched victory for Aston Villa with almost the final kick, it was clear Arsenal lacked the defensive solidity behind their pace-setting start; this defeat was only the fourth time since the start of 2022-23 that Mikel Arteta’s side began a league game without Gabriel Magalhães or William Saliba – and it showed. Cristhian Mosquera, potentially sidelined until the new year, was also absent. The good news for all parties – which probably extends to second-placed Manchester City – is that Arsenal and Villa will duke it out again on 30 December in the reverse fixture. Ben Fisher

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Warriors molding identity, building momentum after eye-opening road trip

Warriors molding identity, building momentum after eye-opening road trip originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Returning from a six-game road trip where they dropped two straight games before coming back to San Francisco, the Warriors laid an egg and wasted 38 points from Steph Curry to open a five-game homestand with a loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Nov. 21. 

Those five games where it felt like the Warriors needed to win four, ended with more losses (three) than wins (two). But there were plenty of signs of life in the finale, which wound up being a 12-point loss to the nearly unbeatable Oklahoma City Thunder. The Warriors found a new gear and scored 44 points in the third quarter against the Thunder. They even took the lead three and a half minutes into the fourth quarter. 

The opening scenes to the Pat Spencer movie that is playing in front of our eyes began rolling in the second half of that loss to the Thunder when he scored 15 of his then new career-high 17 points. There was a bigger story to that loss, too. 

Jimmy Butler did not play the entire second half, making the Warriors’ comeback attempt that much more impressive. An injured Butler also is a bigger deal than two positive quarters playing the best team in basketball. The Warriors already didn’t have Curry, who sustained a quad contusion two games prior in a bad loss to the Kevin Durant-less Houston Rockets. 

Then it was Draymond Green’s turn to limp down the tunnel and back to the Warriors’ locker room in Philadelphia when his right foot/ankle was rolled on in the second quarter against the 76ers. Doomsday looked right around the corner for a team that went on the road with an 11-11 record and could have come home three games under .500 if a depleted Warriors squad dropped three straight.

That isn’t the story as the Warriors now have four days between their next game. The Warriors again responded to adversity by picking themselves up and fighting even harder, winning two of their three games on the road, and losing the other by one point in the final second.

“You can feel the energy,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Sunday night in Chicago. “We’re playing with a different level of energy the last few nights.” 

Golden State’s battery pack has been on the back of the Wayne Gretzky of college lacrosse. 

Spencer followed his huge game against the Thunder by scoring 16 points – 12 in the fourth quarter – with four rebounds and four assists in a 99-98 loss against the 76ers while letting the whole world know he is that motherf–ker. Kerr rewarded Spencer by giving him his first career start and he was even better, finishing with a new career-high 19 points – and another 12 in the fourth quarter – in a huge upset win against the Cleveland Cavaliers where the Warriors were without Curry, Butler and Green, and only had 10 healthy players. 

That kind of performance brought Kerr and Gui Santos into the Pat “That Motherf–ker” Spencer lore at the postgame podium. Spencer started again Sunday in the Warriors’ 123-91 win against the Chicago Bulls where they never trailed and was a plus-30 in 27 minutes. 

Everything about Spencer is what Kerr wants from his team regardless of status as a star, as a former top draft pick or as someone who has earned it all like his 29-year-old point guard on a two-way contract: Tough, fearless and ready to attack the moment. 

The Warriors averaged 340 passes per game during their three-game road trip, increasing the number each game. Their goal always is at least 300. Spencer led the Warriors with total passes in all three games, averaging 58. Those kinds of numbers indicate the kind of offensive flow Kerr dreams of. 

Same with the defensive stats the Warriors strung together in that span. 

Defensively, the Warriors held their opponent to under 100 points in all three games on the road and have done so in four of their past five games in total. The 76ers, Cavs and Bulls averaged 94.7 points per game. Playing on a string, the Warriors’ defense held them 38.4-percent shooting and 25.8 percent from 3-point range. 

“All in all, I think we’re finally starting to figure out who we are,” Butler said Sunday night. “It’s never too early to do that. It’s never too late either. So we just need to keep stringing these things together.” 

Just like that, the Warriors have the third-best defensive rating in the NBA (110.7) after producing a 99.0 defensive rating on their 2-1 road trip. 

They’re becoming healthier at the right time, and a handful of secondary players have newfound life. Butler returned Sunday from knee soreness after missing the last two games and was as good as always. He was a plus-29 in 29 minutes with 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists, taking over and putting the game out of reach in the fourth quarter.

Resting Green and Horford on Sunday was considered precautionary. Both are expected to play Friday against the Minnesota Timberwolves. So is Curry. De’Anthony Melton made his season debut from ACL surgery on Thursday in Philadelphia and needed two more hands to wipe the smile off his face after playing 21 minutes off the bench and scoring 14 points. 

The Warriors are taking Monday and Tuesday off. They will then practice Wednesday and Thursday ahead of Friday’s game, and play six games over the next 20 days, as well as nine the rest of the calendar year. 

Instead of dropping below .500, the Warriors now are one game above. At 13-12, the Warriors are the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference, making them four games back of the No. 4 seed and three back of the No. 6 seed.

Going on the road could have turned to catastrophe for the Warriors. The outcome was an identity being molded and momentum mounting with the hardest part of their schedule behind them. 

“We’re starting to feel like the team we’re supposed to be,” Kerr said. “But we have to back that up and follow the momentum we have right now with a good stretch.”

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Mike Sullivan Is ‘Disappointed For The Players’ After Rangers' Overtime Loss To Golden Knights

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

It was another overtime heartbreaker for the New York Rangers on Sunday night in their 3-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. 

Going into this matchup, the Rangers were coming off a 3-2 overtime loss to the Colorado Avalanche, where they were happy with how they played and competed against the NHL’s best team. 

That same effort level and momentum did not translate into the first period against Vegas, as the Blueshirts came out lackadaisical, giving up a goal less than one minute into the contest, while being bombarded with pressure from the Golden Knights. 

“We clearly didn't have our legs or energy in the first,” Mike Sullivan said. 

The Rangers flipped the script in the second period. The offensive charge was led by the line of Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, and Alexis Lafrenière. 

While J.T. Miller, Vincent Trocheck, and Conor Sheary have taken the shutdown-defensive role, it has been Panarin, Zibanejad, and Lafrenière who have transformed into the Rangers’ most dangerous offensive trio. 

Goals from Zibanejad and Lafrenière in the middle frame gave the Rangers a 2-1 lead and newfound momentum. 

Lafrenière had two points on the night and his play caught the eye of Sullivan. 

“I thought it was one of his better games that he had all season for us, and that is what he’s capable of,” Sullivan said of Lafrenière. “I thought he was strong on pucks. He was hanging on pucks in the offensive zone. The goal he got was a goal scorer's goal. It was more than just that. 

“I thought he was around the net. He was winning puck battles. He was in the battle areas. He was challenging people by hanging on pucks, and that's what he's capable of. He's a real good 1-on-1 player, and we've been trying to encourage him to challenge people  down under the hash marks, and force people to have to take the puck away from him, because he's big and strong, and he's got a lot of really good puck skills. I thought tonight was one of his better nights.” 

The Rangers did a good job of maintaining their narrow lead up until disaster struck in the third period when offsetting roughing penalties to Will Borgen and Brett Howden gave the Golden Knights a 5-on-4 advantage once they pulled their goalie, ultimately leading a Tmomas Hertl goal with 51.3 seconds remaining. 

“There's a big difference between a 6-on-5 and 5-on-4 and trying to defend it. It had a huge implication,” Sullivan emphasized. “We got to do a better job, obviously, in that situation, and kill it off.”

Vegas scored another last-second goal in overtime with about eight seconds remaining from Jack Eichel, as the Rangers came away with just one point instead of two. 

“I'm disappointed for the players, for the guys because I thought we competed hard,” Sullivan said. “I thought we've had a pretty hard week against some of the best teams in the league, and these guys are competing. They're competing extremely hard. I think we put a game on the ice that I think the guys should be proud of. I'm disappointed for them.”

Rangers Remain Upbeat After Encouraging Performance Against Avalanche In Losing Effort Rangers Remain Upbeat After Encouraging Performance Against Avalanche In Losing Effort While the New York <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers">Rangers</a> didn’t come away with two points in their 3-2 overtime loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday afternoon, there’s a lot to be encouraged about from a Blueshirts perspective.

Sullivan is right, the Rangers have had a tough stretch of games this week, playing the Dallas Stars, Ottawa Senators, Avalanche, and Golden Knights.

In that stretch, the Blueshirts came away with 6 out of 8 points, which Sullivan believes is a sign of the growth this team has continued to show. 

"We're moving towards the identity that we're trying to build and the game that we're trying to play,” Sullivan said. “We've just got to continue to stay hungry and continue to work at it. I think, once again, when you play some of the better teams in the league like we have most recently and the guys perform the way they have, I think it provides a lot of evidence, and I think that reinforces belief in what we're doing and how we're going about it, so I think that should help us moving forward.”

The Rangers will be back in action on Wednesday night against the Chicago Blackhawks.

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Former Dodgers, Giants slugger and noted curmudgeon Jeff Kent voted into the Hall of Fame

LOS ANGELES - JULY 1: Jeff Kent #12 of the Los Angeles Dodgers bats during the game.
Jeff Kent of the Dodgers bats against the Arizona Diamondbacks on July 1, 2005, at Dodger Stadium. Kent was voted into the Hall of Fame on Sunday. (Stephen Dunn / Getty Images)

The National Baseball Hall of Fame is peppered with players who finished long, distinguished careers by donning a Dodgers uniform, their performance dwindling as their age increased. Greg Maddux, Rickey Henderson, Juan Marichal and Eddie Murray are among those who leap to mind.

An exception was Jeff Kent, who Sunday received 14 of 16 possible votes by the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee, the only player among eight on the ballot with enough for induction into Cooperstown.

With unmatched power as a second baseman and an unrelenting approach to his craft, Kent was a Dodger for the last four seasons of his 17-year career, solidifying his Hall of Fame credentials statistically while also serving as a curmudgeonly leader on a roster crowded with young stars such as Matt Kemp, Russell Martin, Andre Ethier and James Loney.

"It's a moment of satisfaction of the things I did right in my career, the things I consistently stuck to," he told MLB Network. "The hard work, the gratification of playing the game the right way. I love the game."

The son of a motorcycle police officer and a product of Huntington Beach Edison High, Kent became emotional during a news conference at the 2005 MLB Winter Meetings when it was announced that he'd signed a two-year, $17 million contract with the Dodgers.

"This is the third time I’ve tried to get with the Dodgers,” he said at the time. “I want to be on a team with the potential to win because I’m running out of time. This team has that mentality."

Read more:Fernando Valenzuela falls short of induction into National Baseball Hall of Fame

The Dodgers never won a World Series during Kent's tenure, but he quickly fell into the role of a veteran leader, making himself available to the media after tough losses to shield younger players from the glare.

He said what was on his mind, sometimes to a fault, once suggesting that legendary Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully "talks too much."

Maybe that's why Kent getting the Hall of Fame nod from a list of candidates that included all-time home run leader Barry Bonds, 354-game winner Roger Clemens, 509-home run slugger Gary Sheffield, 1980s stars Don Mattingly and Dale Murphy, and Dodgers icon Fernando Valenzuela was unexpected.

Even Kent was surprised.

"The emotions are overwhelming — unbelievable,” Kent said. “I didn’t even expect it. For me, there were so many quality guys that the committee had to argue through and vote for. I’m grateful that they considered me and gave it a shot at putting me in.”

Read more:Plaschke: Thanks for the ride! 13 moments that defined the Dodgers' 2025 World Series title run

Valenzuela, Bonds, Clemens and Sheffield each had fewer than five votes, meaning they will not be eligible the next time their era is considered in 2031. They can be nominated once more at that time, but will not be eligible for consideration if they again fall short of five votes.

All of the candidates already had been spurned by the Baseball Writers Assn. of America. Seventy-five percent of the votes are necessary for induction, and Kent never received even 50% during his 10 years on the BBWAA ballot that ended in 2023.

"The time had gone by, and you just leave it alone, and I left it alone," Kent said. "I loved the game, and everything I gave to the game I left there on the field. This moment today, over the last few days, I was absolutely unprepared. Emotionally unstable."

Kent was named National League most valuable player in 2000 with the San Francisco Giants, the team with which his career is most associated. He batted a career-best .334 with 33 homers and 125 runs batted in that season and drove in more than 100 runs in each of his six seasons batting behind Bonds.

He said he plans to enter the Hall of Fame wearing a Giants cap.

Read more:How much did they fetch? Dodgers historic homers by Shohei Ohtani, Will Smith and Miguel Rojas sell at auction

"The turning point in my career was with Dusty Baker, the manager I got with in San Francisco," said Kent, who played in college at California. "He motivated me to get the peak performance out of me."

Kent finished with 377 career homers, 351 as a second baseman, the most ever for the position. He also is the only second baseman to collect more than 100 RBIs in eight seasons.

As a Dodger, he hit 75 homers and batted .290 in more than 2,000 plate appearances. His last manager with the Dodgers was Joe Torre, who described Kent's impact on the franchise.

“He’s one of those players whose actions are supposed to make you understand what he thinks,” Torre said. “It’s the old pro thing.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Takeaways: Despite Strong Effort, Penguins Fall To Dallas Stars In Shootout

Heading into their matchup against the Dallas Stars on Sunday, the Pittsburgh Penguins had won five of their last six games and were riding the high of getting two regular players back into their lineup. 

Well, even if forwards Justin Brazeau and Noel Acciari rejoined the mix, the Penguins were down another, as Evgeni Malkin missed the tilt due to a day-to-day upper-body injury. But, despite that, the Penguins put out a respectable effort and deserved the two points. 

And it ultimately wasn't enough. 

The Penguins surrendered a game-tying goal during six-on-five play with less than two minutes remaining in regulation, and they lost to the Stars in the shootout, 3-2. Penguins' goaltender Tristan Jarry stood on his head during the overtime period and against a few high-danger opportunities by the Stars in the first 60 minutes, but unfortunately, the Penguins simply haven't found a way to exercise their demons in the shootout. 

So far this season, the Penguins have yet to win a game in the shootout and have five shootout losses. While those squandered points continue to be a problem - and may or may not catch up to them by season's end - it's hard not to feel good about the Penguins getting five out of six points on this road trip.

That, however, isn't good enough for head coach Dan Muse and the Penguins, who have set high expectations for themselves. 

"I thought with the overall game we played, you want to come out with two points," Muse said. 

Penguins Activate Brazeau & Acciari Off Injured Reserve, Re-Assign Imama To WBSPenguins Activate Brazeau & Acciari Off Injured Reserve, Re-Assign Imama To WBSThe Pittsburgh Penguins made a bunch of roster moves on Sunday.

The first period saw a lot of back-and-forth action with chances at both ends, and the Penguins' fourth line finally broke through within the last two minutes. Acciari made a play to get the puck to Blake Lizotte at the left offensive blue line, and Lizotte fed it to Connor Dewar, who was breaking into the slot. Dewar put it past Jake Oettinger to give the Penguins a 1-0 lead. 

Dallas's Jamie Benn tied it at 1-1 within the first two minutes of the second period, but, from then on, the Penguins - even if they gave up the occasional high-danger chance - were largely the better team. Tommy Novak - who played to the left of Sidney Crosby on the top line - tipped a Kris Letang one-timer from the point in the back half of the middle frame to put the Penguins back up, 2-1, with his sixth point in five games. 

That score held until Dallas decided to pull Oettinger with more than three minutes remaining in regulation - and after an icing call that left a tired Penguins' fourth line on the ice. With just 1:49 remaining, Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen took advantage of that tired unit for his sixth of the season to force overtime. 

And Jarry really shined in the extra frame. He made several ten-bell saves in the overtime period - including one on Jason Robertson during a Dallas two-on-one - and he also stopped the first two shooters in overtime. 

However, Bryan Rust, Crosby, and Kris Letang failed to score in the shootout, and Mikko Rantanen gave the Stars the win on their third shot. 

Here are a few takeaways from this one:

- Let's talk about some of the positives first because there were actually quite a lot from this game. 

I want to start with Novak. He has been playing some really good hockey for a few weeks now, and his lineup versatility makes him valuable to this team. He was effective on the third line with Ben Kindel and Ville Koivunen before playing a few games alongside Malkin and Anthony Mantha - not missing a beat there - and in this one with Crosby and Rust. 

He's going to the danger areas a lot more. He's playing with some energy and helping generate a fair amount of offense on the forecheck. And he's also defensively responsible. 

I was a bit down on him for the first month and a half of the season. I talked to Novak a few weeks ago regarding how he felt about his season so far, and he hesitated to say he was happy with it.

But it's safe to say that he's been one of their best players for the last six games. He's put in the work, and it's paying off.

Penguins Have Answered The Bell After Dan Muse’s First Big ChallengePenguins Have Answered The Bell After Dan Muse’s First Big ChallengeEver since Dan Muse called out his team, the Penguins have responded in a big way.

- They didn't register a point again, but I really like the makeup of this kid third line. They had some good shifts in the offensive zone and were generally successful at bailing themselves out of trouble in the defensive zone. 

I do think Rutger McGroarty still does have some rust to shake off. But Ben Kindel continues to exceed expectations in a full-time third-line center role regarding faceoffs, generating offense, and handling defensive responsbilities. And Ville Koivunen played another solid game and was very, very close to putting the Penguins up 3-1 on a whiffed chance in the third period. 

But I want to see them keep building on their chemistry. And, with Kindel apparently not headed to the World Junior Classic after all, they should have some runway to do just that. 

- I can't say enough about how spectacular Jarry was again Sunday. Although the Penguins played a good game, they still gave up a few good looks, and Jarry shut all but two of them down. 

He's certainly been a revelation during this stretch, and he has played in six of the last seven games. He has a .913 save percentage on the season. 

I know Arturs Silovs has only played in one of the last seven - with the last being Nov. 29, when he was pulled after surrendering four goals on 16 shots against the Toronto Maple Leafs - but it feels like Jarry should get the net again on Tuesday against a good Anaheim Ducks team. Besides, the Penguins have a back-to-back coming up next weekend, and Silovs is probably guaranteed one of those starts. 

Jarry has been that good recently. He's winning the Penguins hockey games, or - at the very least - securing points for them.

- Although everyone on the team played generally well, I didn't think this was one of Sidney Crosby's better games. He seemed a bit off all night with his passing and his reads, and he had a terrible line change in overtime that resulted in the two-on-one with Robertson and Roope Hintz.

Even the best of the best have occasional - very occasional - off-nights. And this was one of them for 87.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Earns Big Win Over Lehigh Valley On FridayWilkes-Barre/Scranton Earns Big Win Over Lehigh Valley On FridayWilkes-Barre/Scranton got a big win over Lehigh Valley on Friday night.

- Shootouts are a very real problem for the Penguins.

Again, five of six on this tough road trip is commendable. But it really felt like they should have come away with six of six. 

Yes, blown leads have been a problem for the Penguins since the onset of November. But this one was almost a bit more understandable given the circumstances of Dallas pulling their goaltender advantageously against a tired line.

At some point, they need to win a shootout. They're 0-4 this season. They've lost their last eight.

And I'm looking right at the shootout lineup. 

Has goaltending been a problem, too? Absolutely. Arturs Silovs has lost three of the shootouts this season, and he's only stopped one shot in them. But goaltending is almost a moot point when your shooters can't score, either.

Crosby is one out of three, which isn't bad. But he dealt with shootout woes last season and converted on just 16.7 percent of attempts. Letang is three for his last 24. Rust is one of four. 

They have to try something - rather, someone - else. Even if you don't take Crosby out of the mix, that's fine. Slow roll it by having Rust, Crosby, and a young player like Koivunen, who is known for his craftiness in shootouts. And if that still doesn't work, you tweak it again. 

The Penguins have practiced shootouts this season. Kindel has won a few. Kevin Hayes is pretty decent. McGroarty - like Koivunen - has also shown a tendency to be nasty in the shootout at the AHL level as well.

If it were me - with Malkin out - I'd roll Rust, Koivunen, and Crosby as the first three and Kindel, McGroarty, and Brazeau as the next. Give the kids a chance. And just keep tweaking it until you find a hot hand. 

At the end of the day, the Penguins can't be married to underperforming veterans in these situations. It could be costing them precious points, so it's something they need to address the very next time a shootout is in the cards.

Evgeni Malkin Out Day-To-DayEvgeni Malkin Out Day-To-DayEven though the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> got a few players back in their lineup for Sunday's game against the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/dallas-stars/">Dallas Stars</a>, they lost a pretty prominent one.

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Red Wings' Erik Gustafsson Sits Sunday, Rangers Trade Rumors Intensify

The New York Rangers were dealt a significant setback this week as top defenseman Adam Fox was placed on long-term injured reserve with an upper-body injury. The loss leaves a major hole in the lineup, and the team is now exploring ways to reinforce its blue line, particularly on the power play.

Former Ranger Erik Gustafsson has emerged as a leading candidate with multiple reports having the Red Wings defender linked to New York, and Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman noted that the Rangers are searching for a power play quarterback who can step in while Fox recovers. Gustafsson fits the description as a cheap, short-term option who already knows the Rangers system.

Gustafsson played 76 games for New York during the 2023-24 season, finishing with six goals and 25 assists for 31 points. This year, he has been with the Detroit Red Wings AHL affiliate in the Grand Rapids Griffins and has produced 12 assists in 13 games. His absence from the Griffins game on Sunday against the Toronto Marlies has fueled speculation that a trade could be close. The night before, he was the best player on the ice for Grand Rapids and recorded assists on all three of the team’s goals in a 3-2 victory.

The veteran defenseman has 516 NHL games on his résumé across ten seasons. His most productive year came with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2018 to 19 when he posted 60 points and established himself as one of the league’s more dynamic offensive defensemen. His recent play suggests he still has the tools to contribute at the NHL level.

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It is not yet clear what the cost would be to acquire him, although a mid-round draft pick is viewed as a reasonable expectation. For the Rangers, who suddenly find themselves without their top defenseman, Gustafsson could provide a timely and familiar solution as the Rangers try to maintain momentum while the Red Wings can finally get some assets for a player losing his value the longer he sits in the minors.

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Mark Few earns milestone 750th win as No. 11 Gonzaga routs North Florida 109-58

Braden Huff scored 24 points and No. 11 Gonzaga gave coach Mark Few his 750th career victory, routing North Florida 109-58 on Sunday night. Few is in his 27th season as Gonzaga’s coach and has never missed an NCAA Tournament. Tyon Grant-Foster added 19 points and Davis Fogle had 15 points for Gonzaga (9-1), which showed no sign of a letdown following a dominant win over No. 18 Kentucky on Friday.

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Observations From Blues' 4-3 Win Vs. Canadiens

Another set of back-to-backs for the St. Louis Blues, and another set of wins.

The road trip started with a thud Thursday against the Boston Bruins, but the Blues followed up a Joel Hofer masterpiece 2-1 win against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday with another tough one on Sunday.

And it was Brayden Schenn and Dylan Holloway that hoisted the team on their shoulders, each collecting three points, with Schenn scoring twice with an assist – including the game-winner in the third period – and Holloway adding a goal and two assists as the Blues took down the Montreal Canadiens, 4-3, at Bell Centre in Montreal.

Pavel Buchnevich also scored, and Jordan Binnington made 23 saves for the Blues (11-12–7), who now play five of the next six on home ice after taking four of six points on this three-game road trip through the Eastern Conference and scoring more than two goals for just the second time the past 12 games.

It's the second straight weekend that the Blues have taken both ends of back-to-back games, winning 4-3 against the Ottawa Senators on Nov. 28 and 1-0 against the Utah Mammoth on Nov. 29.

Let’s get to the game observations:

* Schenn, Holloway delivered with major components out of lineup – The Blues have already been down three players (Jimmy Snuggerud, wrist; Alexey Toropchenko, leg burns; and Nathan Walker, upper-body) and and they’ll have to do without Jordan Kyrou, who departed early in the first period Saturday with a lower-body injury.

Who was going to step up for a team already challenged on the offensive side of the puck?

Each was instrumental and worked well as a unit with Mathieu Joseph on their line, combining for seven points.

Schenn opened the scoring with a power-play goal when old friend Zack Bolduc was in the box for slashing at 7:59, and Schenn made it count when he was in the right spot inside the right circle when Holloway worked the puck off the lefthand boards to the point, and Cam Fowler’s wrister caromed off Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson right to Schenn, who made no mistake beating Jakub Dobes at 8:57:

And the winner by Schenn was crucial, because with the Blues holding a 3-2 lead in the third period, and they were maintaining it well through the first half of the period, his insurance goal at the time made it 4-2 with all three linemates having a hand in it.

With a puck in the neutral zone, Joseph’s hustle play disrupted Canadiens forward Joe Veleno from getting to the puck, allowing Holloway to race in, scoop it up and essentially turn it into a mini 2-on-1, feeding Schenn for a one-timer to the near post past Dobes:

It was critical because the Canadiens would pull to within one late on Noah Dobson’s goal at 16:15 but the Blues were able to thwart any chance by the Canadiens to tie, although Cole Caufield had a chance at the buzzer that was denied by Binnington:

But with Kyrou down, Schenn and Holloway stepped up big time for an offense that has obviously been scuffling.

The entire line worked well together and was a threat on multiple occasions for the few scoring chances the Blues created, finishing with only 18 shots on goal.

Schenn, who has 31 points (12 goals, 19 assists) in 32 career games against Montreal, had his first three-point game since also scoring twice and adding an assist Nov. 30, 2023 against the Buffalo Sabres in a 6-4 win.

But that trio led the way.

Not only did Holloway have a three-point night, but he also helped save a goal in the second period when Binnington was without a stick, on another old friend, Alexandre Texier:

* Quick strike second – The Blues had to be feeling down a bit after surrendering the lead late in the first on Caufield’s quick strike with 57 seconds remaining in the period, the sixth time the Blues have allowed a goal this season in the final minute of a period to fall behind 2-1:

It's the sixth time this season the Blues have allowed a goal in the final minute of a period, even getting the attention of Blues great Chris Pronger:

But they didn’t allow it to affect them, scoring twice in 39 seconds to take the lead for good.

Holloway and Schenn combined on the tying goal at 2-2 on a heads-up play by Colton Parayko springing the two forwards loose with a pass through the neutral zone after Jayden Struble got caught pinching high, leaving Lane Hutson to fend the 2-on-1. Schenn fed Holloway, who pulled it to his backhand and lift it over Dobes 26 seconds into the period. Holloway got behind Texier on the play.

And Buchnevich made it 3-2 at 1:05 when the Blues had a good forecheck and cycle of the puck along the righthand side and wall, with Justin Faulk getting the puck to Robert Thomas below the goal line and he found Buchnevich at the top of the crease for the finish:

The Blues (minus-16) and Canadiens (minus-13) each came into the game with two of the worst goal differentials in the second period but winning it 2-0 on those two quick strikes served St. Louis well and enabled them to take the lead into the third period.

* Binnington follows Hofer’s exceptional outing with a strong one of his own – He didn’t nearly see as much rubber as Hofer did on Saturday (42 shots), but Binnington was looking to build off what the Blues have for the most part been getting from their goaltending position.

Not only did he have to be on the spot to deny a Caufield chance at the horn, but Binnington’s best save was when he kicked out the left pad to deny Canadiens Russian phenom Ivan Demidov, not once but twice:

Should the Blues be able to get their goaltending back in a groove, and it’s been trending in that direction, they will undoubtedly win more hockey games.

* Mailloux, Bolduc meet for first time – Since the 1-for-1 trade on July 1, Blues defenseman Logan Mailloux and Canadiens forward Zack Bolduc had been waiting for this game from the moment the deal was made.

Mailloux was on the ice when Hutson got behind him for the tying goal at 12:20 of the first when it tied the game 1-1, and Bolduc was in the box when Schenn’s goal initially gave the Blues the lead:

But Mailloux finished the game an even on the plus-minus, playing 15:35 with two hits and two blocked shots, and Bolduc had an assist on Huston’s goal and was a plus-1 in 13:21.

Neither 22-year-old hurt their teams on this night, and each had a decent game. Now, can we put the trade comparisons in the rear view mirror once and for all?

* Things got a little hairy late – The Blues were doing a good job protecting that two-goal lead until the final 3:45 got dicey when Dobson’s shot from distance made it 4-3.

You could see Binnington wasn’t thrilled when Faulk skated right through his line of vision and he lost sight of the shot off the left hand wall. I don’t get why D-men do that to their goalies in those situations unless you’re 100 percent certain you’re blocking the shot. Otherwise, you’re taking away the line of vision of the goalie, like Faulk did there:

But the Blues only surrendered three shots and blocked two (Faulk and Broberg) down the stretch to finish the job.

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