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Guardians or White Sox will pay for agonizing affair to force Game 5 | Opinion

CHICAGO — The big winner in Game 4 of the ALDS was the Tampa Bay Rays.

Seriously. The Cleveland Guardians and Chicago White Sox burned through their pitching staffs just to get to a Game 5 on Saturday, Oct. 10, when they'll both likely have to do it all over again. Then one of them will have to head straight to Florida for Game 1 of the ALCS on Monday, Oct. 12, the arms of their pitchers hanging by a thread.

The Rays, meanwhile, are chilling, having completed their sweep of the New York Yankees on Wednesday, Oct. 7. They could enjoy Cleveland's 9-5 win that forced Game 5, watching their would-be opponents beat each other up while the Rays pitchers are getting another breather and manager Kevin Cash is lining up his pitching staffs and batting order exactly how he wants them.

No word on whether the Rays are sipping margaritas and mai tais while they wait.

"We'll worry about that Monday if we're fortunate enough to get there," Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said.

"It's always a concern. You're always concerned with workload this time of year," he added. "We ask a lot of these guys, and they step up."

This wasn't how it was supposed to go. The upstart White Sox, the first team to reach the playoffs after consecutive 100-loss seasons, had rolled through the first four games of the postseason, sweeping the Houston Astros in the wild-card round and taking the first two games against the Guardians in Cleveland.

They returned to Rate Field triumphant, having two games to get one win and clinch their first postseason series at home since 1906.

But this is what happens when one team lacks experience and adequate pitching and the other is desperate. Together, Chicago and Cleveland used 15 pitchers who threw a total of almost 370 pitches.

"We punch back," Vogt said of Cleveland refusing to exit the series quietly. "As soon as we went to the bullpen, it felt like it was going to be that type of a back-and-forth game."

Oct 8, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Cleveland Guardians shortstop Brayan Rocchio, left, second baseman Angel Genao, third baseman Jose Ramirez (11) and first baseman Nathaniel Lowe (46) celebrate after the Guardians beat the Chicago White Sox in game four of the ALDS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Chicago starter Hagen Smith was gone before the first inning was over, giving up three walks to the first five batters he saw. The White Sox chased Cleveland starter Parker Messick by the end of the third inning. And while it's little consolation for having to go back to Cleveland, Chicago forced the Guardians to use ace Gavin Williams out of the bullpen.

Williams, who started Game 2, came in in the ninth after Cade Smith gave up a lead-off homer to Miguel Vargas and walked Munetaka Murakami. Williams threw 18 pitches before ending the game.

"Small victories there, I think," White Sox manager Will Venable said.

Oh, the two games in Chicago each lasted longer than 3 hours, too. There aren't enough ice baths and electronic stim machines in the world that's going to erase all those aches and pains. Especially when there's a flight, albeit a short one, involved.

"Obviously fitting that it's going to come down to this. It's how the back and forth has been all year," Venable said.

This was the 17th game the AL Central rivals have played against each other this year, and neither team has any secrets from the other by by now. They know the other's philosophies and tendencies, and they know how to get to every player on the other's roster.

The ease, if you want to call it that, of how the White Sox won the first two games was the outlier. The battles of the last two games is more the norm.

"If we lose, we're gone. Might as well go out there and win," said Patrick Bailey, who had a pinch-hit home run in the fifth and an RBI single as part of Cleveland's six-run sixth inning. "We've still got one more to win at home."

But there's a price for this backyard brawling. Only after Game 5 will the winner be able to turn their attention to the Rays. Instead of being able to rest and regroup before the ALCS, both teams have to spend the next three days grinding.

The Rays were going to be favored in the ALCS, anyway, having finished the regular season as the American League's best team. But the White Sox and Guardians are making Tampa Bay's job a whole lot easier.

Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.

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When is ALDS Game 5? White Sox vs. Guardians needs winner-take-all game

The Cleveland Guardians are still alive.

They forced a Game 5 in the American League Division Series with a 9-5 win over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday, Oct. 8 amid a blackout at Rate Field.

In the fifth inning, José Ramírez hit a go-ahead, two-run home run to put the Guardians up 3-2. With the count 0-1, the third baseman was tossed a fastball by White Sox pitcher Jordan Hicks just above the strike zone. He smacked it hard and watched it sail into the bullpen in right field. Steven Kwan also scored after hitting a single.

Earlier that inning, Patrick Bailey hit a solo home run to put the Guardians on the board. Cleveland had not hit a home run in the first three games of the series.

Chicago answered in the sixth, taking a 4-3 lead. The White Sox scored when Sam Antonacci was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and then Brenton Doyle hit a sacrifice fly.

Cleveland fought back with six runs in the top of the sixth inning to make the score 9-4. Travis Bazzana tied things up with an RBI double, with Bailey, Ramirez, Chase DeLauter and Jo Adell (two) adding RBIs in the inning.

The winner of the series will face the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League Championship Series.

When is Game 5 of the ALDS between the Guardians and White Sox?

  • Time: 8 p.m. ET
  • Date: Saturday, Oct. 10
  • Location: Progressive Field (Cleveland)
  • TV: TBS/truTV

Contributing: Nancy Armour

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: When is ALDS Game 5? White Sox vs. Guardians needs winner-take-all game

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Three Takeaways From the Flames' 7-3 Loss to the Avalanche

The Calgary Flames showed signs of improvement Thursday night but couldn’t keep pace with the Colorado Avalanche, falling 7-3 at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

The game featured a pair of familiar faces returning to Calgary in Nazem Kadri and Cale Makar. Makar grew up in Calgary, while Kadri spent multiple seasons with the Flames before being traded to Colorado.

Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

Calgary also welcomed two new faces to the lineup. Jonathan Costagna made his NHL debut, while Aydar Suniev appeared in his first game of the season after being recalled from the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers. Devin Cooley got the start in net.

Colorado opened the scoring late in the first period when Makar found Devon Toews beside the crease. Toews redirected the puck past Cooley to give the Avalanche a 1-0 lead.

Adam Klapka provided an immediate response for Calgary at 17:30 with an impressive individual effort. The forward carried the puck into Colorado’s zone, toe-dragged around Josh Manson and fired a wrist shot past Scott Wedgewood to tie the game 1-1.

It was Klapka’s first goal of the season, while Costagna picked up his first NHL point with the secondary assist.

Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

The Avalanche took control in the second period, starting with Toews’ second goal of the night at 6:45. His point shot found its way through traffic and past a screened Cooley to restore Colorado’s lead.

Makar extended the advantage moments later, beating Cooley with a quick wrist shot between the goaltender’s glove and body. The Colorado defenceman’s second point of the night made it 3-1.

The Flames continued to struggle defensively as Colorado maintained pressure in the offensive zone. Nathan MacKinnon capitalized at 11:39, blasting a one-timer past Cooley off a feed from Zachary L’Heureux to push the lead to 4-1.

Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

Frustration began to show as Matt Coronato and L’Heureux exchanged words before dropping the gloves for a brief but spirited fight along the boards.

Colorado continued to pull away in the third period. Makar completed his two-goal night with a shot from the high slot that found the top of the net, making it 5-1. MacKinnon and Kadri picked up the assists.

The Avalanche added another when T.J. Hughes found Jaden Schwartz in front of the net. Schwartz finished the play by roofing the puck past Cooley to make it 6-1.

Calgary responded with a pair of goals of its own. Mikael Backlund finished a give-and-go with Ryan Strome at 7:17, cutting the deficit to four.

Kevin Bahl followed at 8:28, putting a shot toward the net that deflected past Wedgewood off a body in front. Suddenly, the Flames had scored twice in just over a minute to make it 6-3.

Any hopes of building further momentum were short-lived. On the next shift, Schwartz sent the puck toward the net, where it deflected off Jake Middleton and past Cooley to restore Colorado’s four-goal advantage.

The Avalanche held on for the 7-3 win, leaving Calgary with another difficult result despite a more competitive start and a late offensive push.

Image

Three Takeaways

1. A better response, but defensive issues remain

The Flames showed more life against a difficult opponent and found ways to generate offence, particularly in the first and third periods. However, Colorado took advantage of defensive breakdowns and sustained offensive-zone pressure to create separation. Calgary’s late push was encouraging, but it came after the game had largely been decided.

2. Adam Klapka makes his presence felt

Klapka was one of Calgary’s most effective players on the night. His first goal of the season was a highlight-reel effort, showcasing his speed, puck control and finishing ability. He also brought a physical presence and remained engaged throughout the game. His performance made a strong case for a larger role as the night progressed.

3. Costagna gets his first NHL point

Costagna’s NHL debut was a milestone in an otherwise difficult night for the Flames. After taking part in his rookie lap during warmups, the rookie forward recorded his first career NHL point by assisting on Klapka’s first-period goal.

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So close, yet so far

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 07: Manny Machado #13 of the San Diego Padres reacts after flying out against the Milwaukee Brewers during the eighth inning in game four of the National League Division Series at Petco Park on October 07, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Whether you’re an optimist, a pessimist, or a realist, the 2026 San Diego Padres season will look different to you. The dramatic swings within the 162-game regular season gave many Padres fans whiplash.

The bullpen’s excellence remained the one constant throughout the season. That part of the roster showed consistency until the very end of the year. Ultimately, the overuse of the relief corps resulted in fatigue and inconsistency during the past month.

Just about every other aspect of the team’s performance was as unpredictable as any season could be. 

The offense and starting pitching weren’t reliable, but the effort was always there. 

The Padres had weaknesses 

There was never a real starting rotation. Michael King was excellent all year, a staff ace. The rest were a patchwork and could not provide reliability.

The offense took almost four months to find its feet. Going from almost the worst in baseball to a top-five offense is a credit to the players and the coaches who put in the work.

The bench was a rotating cast of characters. Injury was a major factor, and without the scouting and coaching within the organization, the Padres would have been floundering by midseason. 

Being led by a rookie manager with several coaches who were also rookies at their jobs has inherent risk. Mistakes were made; there can be no denying that fact. Craig Stammen would be the first to acknowledge it. Those mistakes were not the reason this team faltered in the postseason.

An overworked bullpen

All through the season, the bullpen was used to buoy the starting pitchers. When the starters failed to provide length, the relievers stepped in and propped them up. That strategy will eventually catch up with you. As the regular season wound down and the postseason began, the wear and tear on the trusted arms in the bullpen began to show.

Both Mason Miller and Adrián Morejón exceeded career numbers for innings. Both showed the results of that strain as the season was finishing.

Bradgley Rodriguez, a 22-year-old rookie, lost velocity as the regular season concluded and had to be given rest. He also lost some effectiveness, allowing more hits and runs.

In the postseason, the repeated use of the trusted core of relievers resulted in David Morgan, Randy Vasquez, and Wandy Peralta never seeing the field during any of the six games played.

The postseason offense

What is the answer to why the Padres offense goes missing during the postseason? 

Manny Machado was exceptional, defying logic that would dictate a decline in performance with age. He had a .350 batting average with a 1.080 OPS, hitting a homer with three RBI. Fernando Tatis Jr. had two home runs with three RBI but only hit .167 with six strikeouts in 24 at-bats. Jackson Merrill hit .292 but had no extra-base hits with eight strikeouts in 24 at-bats. 

The lack of execution with runners in scoring position was the death knell for this team. In the divisional series, the Padres were 4-for-23 with 30 left on base over the four games. 

This is the third straight postseason with the Padres’ offense underperforming when the lights are the brightest. Role players made minimal contributions, while Merrill and Tatis didn’t provide what was needed. 

There is an explanation for the failures of the Padres in the postseason. The challenge is for the organization to find the answers.

Looking forward

Both Xander Bogaerts and Machado are still performing, despite their advancing ages. The window of opportunity for this team should remain open as long as they are both contributors on the positive side.

The young core of Tatis, Merrill, Luis Campusano, and the newly arrived Ethan Salas provides talent to build around. 

Re-signing Ty France should be an offseason priority. He wants to be here and has been their most consistent player all season. He should also be named the team MVP.

Starting pitching must be a focus this offseason. Retain Michael King; that comes first. Decide what role Randy Vasquez will be filling. Use the offseason to assess what Joe Musgrove and Nick Pivetta can do going into next season. Move on from Yu Darvish unless he decides he can pitch next year.

Walker Buehler, Casey Mize, and Robby Ray are all free agents. The team needs more stability and length than what those three have provided.

Jhony Brito should be recovered from his Tommy John rehab and needs to be assessed for what he can contribute. It seems clear neither Griffin Canning nor JP Sears can be contributors for this team.

The bench includes Gavin Sheets and Miguel Andujar. The team can retain Samad Taylor and/or Dustin Harris, but a permanent solution for left field is not among those players.

Unfortunately, Jase Bowen has no clue how to hit major league pitching.

Sung-Mun Song is a defensive marvel, but can someone teach him how to hit?

The rules could change

The offseason labor situation will impact everything the Padres need to do for the next season. When that season begins is not even clear at this point.

Padres general manager A.J. Preller and his team have a lot of work to do, but they won’t know the guidelines they have to work within until the labor dispute is settled.

New owners José E. Feliciano and Kwanza Jones got an exciting introduction to owning a Major League Baseball team. Hopefully, that will just whet their appetite for more.

There is potential and excitement for this Padres organization, once the labor situation is decided. 

They are so close to the final step that will take them all the way.

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8 Takeaways from Cavs loss to Celtics: Defense leaves much to be desired in preseason opener

Oct 8, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jordan Walsh (27) goes to the basket against Cleveland Cavaliers guard Peyton Watson (8)during there first half of a preseason game at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers opened up the exhibition slate with a less-than-stellar 124-113 loss to a Boston Celtics team that didn’t bring their starting lineup. Still, there were some positives to take away from this one.

Peyton Watson was the bright spot of this game.

Preseason basketball can be fool’s gold. You don’t have to look further than some of the takes I had about De’Andre Hunter and Lonzo Ball after their first few exhibition games last season as evidence of that. Those disclaimers aside, Watson looked exactly like the player the Cavs have long needed at the wing in this game.

Watson has the toolset to be the most complete small forward the Cavs have had since LeBron James left nearly a decade ago. That well-rounded skill set was on display as he showed his “creative chops,” in the words of Kenny Atkinson, as a secondary creator, spaced the floor as a shooter, and was disruptive defensively.

Previous playoff runs have been derailed due to a lack of multifaceted players — particularly on the wing. One preseason performance doesn’t mean that he’s the solution to this problem, but it’s certainly a step in the right direction.

Speaking of promising wings, Jaylon Tyson looked impressive in his season debut. Nearly everything that I said about Watson could also be applied to Tyson. On this night, he looked like a complete all-around wing.

As good as he played, Tyson’s energy remains the best part of his game. The way he attacks in transition and hustles to rotate out to shooters on the perimeter is infectious — or at least it would be in theory if this were a game where the score mattered.

Atkinson has talked about preseason games being important for finding lineup groupings that work well together. Based on what we saw, the Watson and Tyson duo showed promise.

“I love it,” Atkinson said about that pairing before the game. “They complement each other well. Obviously, the size and then defensive chops, too. So if you pair them with one of Donovan [Mitchell] and James [Harden] or even both, that’s really interesting. Because I think you look at Jaylon and Peyton, they’re really kind of two, three, four. They can play any of those positions. We’ll see, but it seems like it could be a really good match for us.”

The lineup possibilities are a huge advantage for that particular grouping. Both being able to play the two through four means that they can go smaller with them on the court or go with a jumbo lineup featuring two bigs and a guard. Having multiple athletic wings in the same lineup isn’t a luxury the Cavs have had in quite some time.

On top of that, they seem to feed off each other’s energy. We saw that here as they rotated and recovered out to shooters on the perimeter and were dynamic in the open court.

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Sticking with things that went well, Meleek Thomas looked good in his minutes. He played with energy, was disruptive defensively, and showed some solid touch as a passer. In short, the things he did well in Summer League were evident in preseason, which is encouraging considering how much better the talent was here than in Vegas.

Thomas was the eighth man in the rotation, but the backup point guard spot is hardly decided based on Atkinson’s comments postgame. Especially after Craig Porter Jr. had a solid showing with 10 assists.

If Thomas does break into the rotation, it’ll have to be because he improves defensively. He grabbed a couple of steals — which is exactly what you want to see — but there’s still a learning curve for rookie guards on that end of the floor. And, considering some of the defensive issues Cleveland showed here, they may not be able to afford someone who’s still trying to figure out how NBA defenses work.

“Offense is going to come with the team and power that we got, but if I could be a real presence on defense, then I know I could make a huge impact,” Thomas said afterward.

As of now, it’s difficult to see Thomas as a day-one member of the rotation Atkinson would prefer to cap at 10. That’s okay. Most rookie second-round picks aren’t instant impact players.

Still, this was a strong outing for Thomas. The tight handle that allowed him to get where he wanted on the court in Vegas carried over here.

With that out of the way, let’s look at some of the concerning parts of this game, starting with the lackluster defense.

The Cavs spent the lead-up to this game talking about how they want to reestablish their defensive identity. If this performance was any indication of things, there’s still plenty of work to be done on that end.

The Celtics reserves were able to break down Cleveland’s perimeter defense and get to the basket at will. On top of that, neither Mobley nor Allen had an answer for opposing center Luka Garza, who registered 16 points on 6-of-13 shooting and seven rebounds in the first half.

You don’t want to be too critical of defensive effort in a preseason game. But there wasn’t much from this performance that would make you believe that this could once again become a strong point for this team.

Rebounding was also an issue. Atkinson pointed out afterward that this was a “concern coming into the season.” It proved to be in their first game as Boston grabbed 46.9% of their missed shots (98th percentile).

You can’t have an elite defense if you can’t end possessions.

Mario Hezonja also struggled mightily in his debut.

The Cavs have continually gone out of their way to praise what they’ve seen from Hezonja throughout training camp and off-season workouts. The things that he was praised for didn’t carry over to this outing.

It’s foolish to overreact to preseason basketball, both good and bad. Yet, it is concerning when the game looks too fast for a certain player.

Hezonja struggled with the speed of the game. His drives to the basket were walled off by multiple defenders, he didn’t hold up guarding his man on the perimeter, and overall just looked slow. It’s easy to excuse away missed shots. It’s difficult to justify looking this out of place.

Atkinson said Hezonja is still getting “his feet wet” being back in the NBA. “It’s going to be easier when we reduce the rotation and define a role for him a little bit more.”

The Cavs don’t have much financially invested in Hezonja. His contract is unguaranteed, and he’s only making the minimum. That said, the forward depth chart looks pretty thin if Hezonja ends up being unplayable. There really aren’t many ideal options at the four and five outside of Watson, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen.

It’s way too early to write off Hezonja. One preseason game doesn’t mean much in the grand scheme of things. That said, this wasn’t what the Cavs wanted to see. We’ll see if that improves in the final two preseason games.

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Austin Reaves makes Lakers preseason debut against Kings

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Los Angeles Lakers' Austin Reaves warms up before a game against the Sacramento Kings at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026, Image 2 shows Quentin Grimes and Austin Reaves of the Los Angeles Lakers high-five before a game

Lakers star guard Austin Reaves made his preseason debut during Thursday’s matchup against the Kings at Crypto.com Arena. 

Reaves sat out of the Lakers’ first two preseason games earlier in the week after hurting his ankle in practice. 

The star guard, who re-signed with the Lakers on a four-year, $180 million contract, was in the starting lineup alongside Luka Doncic, Quentin Grimes, Adou Thiero and Kevon Looney. 

Los Angeles Lakers’ Austin Reaves warms up before a game against the Sacramento Kings at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images

Walker Kessler, Ziaire Williams, Collin Sexton, Dalton Knecht, Cameron Carr and two-way forward Arthur Kaluma weren’t available against the Kings.

Coach JJ Redick said Williams was experiencing soreness, but it isn’t a concern of the team’s.

Quentin Grimes and Austin Reaves of the Los Angeles Lakers high-five before a game against the Sacramento Kings at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers warms up before a game against the Sacramento Kings on Thursday, October 8, 2026, at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles. NBAE via Getty Images

Kessler, the 7-foot-2 center the Lakers acquired from the Jazz as part of a four-year, $130 million sign-and-trade, hasn’t played in the preseason yet after jamming his finger during a practice.

Redick said the team will examine Kessler’s finger on Friday, before adding that the ailment isn’t concerning and that Kessler will play during the preseason. 

The Lakers have two more preseason games after Thursday: Tuesday vs. the Warriors in Las Vegas and Oct. 16 vs. the Nuggets in Los Angeles.

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Egor Demin showing Nets signs he can handle the job — and give them more options

Brooklyn Nets guard Egor Demin drives to the basket past Philadelphia 76ers forward Jabari Walker during a preseason NBA game.
Brooklyn Nets guard Egor Demin (8) drives to the basket past Philadelphia 76ers forward Jabari Walker (33) during the first half of a preseason NBA game at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026.

Halfway through Egor Dëmin’s rookie season, the Nets slid him off the ball. A year later, with Mikel Brown Jr. out, they’ve moved him back to lead guard. 

So, is Dëmin a point guard? A shooting guard? 

Neither, Dëmin says. He’s a player, and he’s a winner. 

And early preseason returns say the Russian might be right. 

Philadelphia 76ers forward LeBron James (23) defends Brooklyn Nets guard Egor Demin (8) during the first half at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“I think back to last year in summer league — and even before that on the predraft when I was in the workout with Brooklyn — I’ve been saying at all times to Jordi [Fernández] and the other coaches that I’m seeing myself as a very versatile player in the future and that I want to be anywhere I can benefit the team,” Dëmin said. “I’m a winner, so I want to win as much as I can. 

“If that means for me to have 25 assists and five points, or whatever that means for me, I want to win first. Working on certain things helps to be even more versatile, whether I’m off or on the ball. And that’s the goal, for sure, is being everywhere and being able to be everywhere. You look at LeBron [James], he can play from 1-through-5.” 

Dëmin started a second preseason game Thursday at point guard and sparked a second Nets win, this one 114-108 over James’ 76ers at Barclays Center. 

With Brown unavailable, Dëmin had 13 points, a game high-tying five assists and finished a game-high plus-13 in 21:36. It was another auspicious outing. 

Brooklyn Nets guard Egor Demin (8) drives to the basket past Philadelphia 76ers forward Jabari Walker (33) during the first half of a preseason NBA game at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. Heather Khalifa for NY Post

“Very composed, five assists, one turnover, got to the paint multiple times,” Fernández said. “You just can see how much he’s improved already from last year. I probably wanted him to be a little bit more aggressive shooting 3s, but his willingness to get everybody involved is showing. He played the right way, defended. … He was a good leader handling the ball, communicating with everybody. His voice is growing, so it’s very important.” 

Using his voice is vital for the 20-year-old sophomore, who is rapidly growing into a leadership role on this young, rebuilding Nets team. 

“He’s not afraid to lead,” Julius Randle said. “We know what he does on the court, talent-wise how he is, but he’s not afraid to lead and use his voice. And I try to encourage him to do that even more. You’re not too young to be a leader. So, he’s very vocal. 

“You can tell he’s comfortable in his own skin, with who he is as a player, and really understands the game. So he’s never trying to prove anything out there; he’s just playing the game and making the right plays. But he’s not afraid to use his voice. You can tell he has a point guard background. So he knows how to lead a team and get us organized. He has a bright future.” 

Dëmin started last season as a point guard but too often got turned at the point of attack and couldn’t drive. An offseason spent bulking up and working on his downhill game has paid dividends. 

Brooklyn Nets’ Egor Demin, right, drives to the basket against Philadelphia 76ers’ Vj Edgecombe (77) during the first half. AP Photo/Pamela Smith

“Last year, it looked like he touched the paint, he had no plan for it,” Fernández said. “He worked, and he put his mind to it and handling pressure. He’s just like a new player.” 

This new player gives Fernández options if he and Brown can play on or off the ball once the latter returns. 

Dëmin repeatedly touched the paint during the win at Charlotte on Tuesday. On Thursday, he crossed up James and went over Joel Embiid for what likely was the best drive of his life. 

“I’m really trying to be a leader of this group in the most selfless way,” Dëmin said. “I want to win and I want to do whatever it takes to win. I want to make sure that I understand every single person and that’s my way to lead. 

“Obviously, putting as much work as I can to lead as an example of what I’m doing from a development standpoint and being vocal is what Julius talked about is going to be a big part of who I am.”

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Islanders 4 (EN), Blackhawks 1: Horvat, Stanley(?!) stay hot

Let the shenanigans commence. | Getty Images

The Islanders dispatched the Blackhawks, as well they should, to even their record at 2-2 on the young season.

The 4-1 final turned in the second period when the Isles got two goals in quick succession, converting some counterattacks against a loose Blackhawks team defense.

Bo Horvat had two goals, a power play one to open scoring and an empty netter to finish it, while Emil Heineman scored with a rifle aided by a Horvat screen, and Anthony Duclair got on the board after a snuffed partial breakaway led to an amusingly insightful setup from Logan Stanley, who paired with Matthew Schaefer in the wake of Alex Romanov’s season-ending injury.

Stanley has four assists in four games after signing at the conclusion of preseason; things can be weird this early in the year.

[Game center | Game summary | Event summary | Natural Stat Trick]

The run of play wasn’t that lopsided overall, but the Isles’ quick pair in the middle period put things fairly out of reach. Ilya Sorokin was there when needed, and the Blackhawks don’t have many guns to ever make you too nervous that the Isles might blow it.

Shenanigans began on the final goal, when Frank Nazar bizarrely went for a shoulder check to the head of Horvat as the Islanders captain released his empty net shot from the Isles zone. After the dust settled with a match penalty to Nazar — and an enraged J-G Pageau taking on Tyler Bertuzzi — more theater erupted when someone by the ethnically confused name of Wyatt Kaiser took a shot at Emil Heineman, which drew objection from Duclair.

Kaiser and Duclair drew matching roughing penalties, and the rest of the game was a formality.

Horvat was sent to the dressing room for evaluation, but I (not a doctor) thought he looked fine and it was just a spotter precaution.

Up Next

The Islanders host the Lightning on Saturday, a 7:30 EDT start.

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Logan Stankoven scores 3 as Hurricanes beat Canucks 7-2 for their first home win

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Logan Stankoven had a natural hat trick for his first career three-goal game, and the Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes won at home in their third try this season, 7-2 over the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday night.

Stankoven scored twice in the second period and again in the third to extend Carolina’s lead from 4-1 to 7-1. His goals came short-handed, on a power play and at even strength, giving him 100 career points. He secured the hat trick with 8:24 remaining.

Andrei Svechnikov had two first-period goals on power plays and K’Andre Miller and Mark Jankowski also scored for the Hurricanes, who have a three-game winning streak. Walker had four assists, while Shayne Gostisbehere, Jackson Blake and Taylor Hall added two assists apiece. Pyotr Kochetkov made 18 saves.

Jake DeBrusk scored both goals for the Canucks in their first stop of a six-game trip. Elias Pettersson had two assists. Vancouver goalie Kevin Lankinen stopped 12 of 18 shots in two periods before Leevi Merilainen played the third, making 14 saves.

The Hurricanes never led in either of their first two home games last week before posting three goals in the opening 10 minutes Thursday.

STARS 4, SABRES 0

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Jake Oettinger made 26 saves for his second straight shutout, Mikko Rantanen had a goal and three assists and Dallas beat Buffalo.

Oettinger has 18 career shutouts. He stopped 13 shots Monday night in a 5-0 home victory over San Jose.

Jason Robertson, Sam Steel and Roope Hintz also scored to help Dallas win its second in a row after two opening losses. Wyatt Johnston had three assists.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 14 shots for Buffalo. The Sabres had won the first two games of a five-game homestand.

Robertson scored at 9:03 of the first period and the Stars added three more in the second. Sam Steel connected on a snap shot at 9:36, Rantanen scored on a backhander with 6:03 left and Roope put in a snapper on a power play with 4:26 remaining.

LIGHTNING 3, WILD 2

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Defenseman John Carlson scored twice for his 11th career multi-goal game, Nikita Kucherov had two assists and Dennis Hildeby made 34 saves in Tampa Bay's victory over Minnesota.

Anthony Cirelli also scored to help Tampa Bay win its third straight game.

Quinn Hughes scored and assisted on Blake Coleman’s power-play goal for Minnesota. Jesper Wallstedt finished with 32 saves.

Cirelli opened the scoring for the Lightning, getting his stick on Erik Cernak’s shot for a deflection past Wallstedt at 5:26 of the first period. Carlson scored 36 seconds later with a wrist shot from the right point.

Hughes cut the Wild deficit to 2-1 at the 2:32 mark with a wrist shot through traffic. Jared Spurgeon, who picked up an assist on the goal, and Hughes both matched a franchise record for defensemen by scoring a point in four consecutive games to start the season, tying Ryan Suter, who did it twice.

Carlson regained the two-goal lead with a one-timer off a Kucherov pass at 4:55 to snap an 0-for-14 power-play drought to start the season. Coleman answered with a power-play goal off the rush with 5:59 left in second.

BRUINS 6, MAMMOTH 1

BOSTON (AP) — David Pastrnak scored his first two goals of the season and added two assists as Boston routed Utah.

Matthew Poitras, Casey Mittelstadt, Mason Lohrei and Morgan Geekie also scored for the Bruins, who led 3-0 after one period and 6-0 after two. Jeremy Swayman made 36 saves.

Pastrnak scored his first goal with 5:38 left in the first period on a power-play wrist shot, assisted by Frederic Brunet and Geekie. He tacked on a power-play slap shot 4:40 into the second period, assisted by Geekie and Hampus Lindholm.

Jack McBain scored for the Mammoth midway through the third period to spoil Swayman’s shutout bid.

Karel Vejmelka stopped 11 of 14 shots he faced before he was replaced by Sebastian Cossa, who made five saves for the Mammoth.

The Bruins scored three power-play goals, while the Mammoth went scoreless on the power play. The Bruins blocked 23 shots in the win.

SENATORS 2, FLYERS 1

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Carter Yakemchuk broke a tie on a power play with 6:59 left and Ottawa held on to beat winless Philadelphia.

Nick Cousins opened the scoring for Ottawa at midway through the first period. Matvei Michkov tied it in a power play at 7:46 of the second.

Linus Ullmark made 29 saves to help the Senators improve to 3-1-0.

Joseph Woll stopped 24 shots for Philadelphia. The Flyers are 0-3-2.

Michael Bunting made his Flyers debut after signing with the team Tuesday and Ottawa defenseman Hoyt Stanley made his NHL debut.

PREDATORS 5, CANADIENS 2

MONTREAL (AP) — Ryan O’Reilly scored the go-ahead goal with 3:16 remaining, and Nashville rallied from a 2-0 deficit to beat Montreal.

The veteran redirected a point shot from Roman Josi on the power play, 59 seconds after Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson tripped Steven Stamkos in the neutral zone.

Adam Edstrom added a pair of empty-net goals for Nashville, which was outshot 34-18.

Alexander Kerfoot and Matthew Wood also scored for the Predators, while Juuse Saros made 32 saves. Stamkos had two assists.

Nick Suzuki and Alex Newhook scored for Montreal, which extended its winless streak to three games. Jacob Fowler stopped 15 shots in his first start of the season.

Montreal ended a streak of five straight wins against Nashville dating to March 5, 2024.

ISLANDERS 4, BLACKHAWKS 1

NEW YORK (AP) — Bo Horvat scored twice and New York beat Chicago.

Ilya Sorokin made 22 saves as the Islanders won for the second time in three games. Emil Heineman and Anthony Duclair also scored for New York, and defenseman Logan Stanley had two assists.

Frank Nazar scored for Chicago, which lost for the fourth time in five games to begin the season. Arvid Soderblom finished with 15 saves.

Horvat opened the scoring with a power-play goal in the final minute of the first period. Matthew Schaefer fired a slap shot from the point and the Islanders captain buried the rebound.

Heineman wired a wrist shot past Soderblom 6:44 into the second to double the lead.

Stanley found Duclair alone near the back post at 9:38 for his first goal of the season, making it 3-0.

Nazar spoiled Sorokin’s shutout bid with 2:32 remaining in the third.

Horvat added his second goal of the game into an empty net with 1:33 left to complete the scoring.

SHARKS 3, BLUES 2, OT

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Darnell Nurse scored 1:03 into overtime and San Jose beat St. Louis.

Tyler Toffoli and Collin Graf also scored, and Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 24 shots for San Jose (3-1-0), which has secured each of its three wins in overtime.

Sharks captain Macklin Celebrini missed his second straight game with a lower-body injury.

Connor McMichael and Dillon Dubé each scored and Joel Hofer made 24 saves for St. Louis (1-2-1), which has lost three straight.

Nurse, who was acquired from Edmonton on July 1, deposited a feed from Ivar Stenberg between Hofer’s legs for his first goal with the Sharks.

Graf scored on a one-timer 6:05 into the third period to tie the game at 2-2 after Dubé skated down the left wing from his own blue line along to score a short-handed goal 1:39 into the third to put St. Louis ahead.

It was Dubé’s first goal after missing 2 1/2 seasons since scoring on Nov. 16, 2023 for Calgary against Vancouver.

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Spurs start strong but lose first preseason game to the Hawks

SAN ANTONIO, TX - OCTOBER 8: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs celebrates with teammates after a basket against Atlanta Hawks in the first half of the preseason game at Frost Bank Center on October 8, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images

What does the preseason actually determine? Do the wins and losses matter? The answer to the second question is quite literally, no. The answer to the first is general improvements from individual players, and some idea of what the rotations could look like come the regular season.

The San Antonio Spurs saw a little bit of both in their 123-116 loss to the Atlanta Hawks.

Before the game, head coach Mitch Johnson announced that De’Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper, Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell and Victor Wembanyama would start the game. The three-guard lineup that many had speculated about would get plenty of time together, joined by their best movement shooter and last year’s defensive player of the year. But right before tip-off, the Spurs announced that Fox would miss the game with soreness from Thursday morning’s practice, putting Julian Champagnie into the starting five.

San Antonio got off to a great 39-20 first-quarter lead without Fox, led mostly by Harper. The second-year guard had 16 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists in his 16 first-half minutes. Harper looked to be in mid-season form, dominating with his size and strength in the paint. The newer development was Harper’s three-point shooting, particularly off the bounce. Harper knocked down three of his five three-pointers, two of them off the dribble, and another on a catch-and-shoot attempt in the corner.

Harper’s three-point shooting is a development to watch. He will be one of the toughest covers in the NBA if he can combine three-point shooting, particularly off the dribble, with his elite downhill driving ability.

Speaking of downhill driving ability, Carter Bryant looked much more comfortable in his second career preseason. The sophomore was composed (except for a silly turnover in the second quarter when he passed to a teammate who wasn’t looking at him), made quick decisions, and played with more confidence than he showed last season. Bryant finished the game with 11 points, including two three-pointers, and 5 rebounds in 23 minutes.

The rest of the Spurs showed just about what you would expect from them. Wembanyama’s jumper was falling; he was a lob threat in the pick-and-roll, and he created a no-go zone around the rim. Castle was a force getting to the rim and hit his sole catch-and-shoot three-point attempt. Champagnie hit a pair of catch-and-shoot threes and flashed his ability to attack a closeout. Keldon Johnson brought energy off the bench, and Vassell continued to look like one of the best shooters on the team.

Another less positive familiar trend reared its nasty head in San Antonio’s first preseason game. After jumping out to a 23-point lead in the first half, the Spurs let the Hawks chip away at the lead until it was just a 7-point game going into halftime. San Antonio lost the game for good in the second half, albeit with the starters resting and the depth players logging all of the minutes. Preseason losses don’t mean anything, but it’s unfortunate to see the Spurs blow a lead after what just happened in last year’s NBA Finals.

David Jones-Garcia and Ja’Kobi Gillespie led the way for San Antonio in the second half. The guard duo had the ball in their hands frequently and made the most of it. Jones-Garcia had 14 points on 4-for-9 shooting, while Gillespie scored 8 points on 3-for-6 shooting, including a deep three in the fourth quarter. Rookie Tarris Reed Jr. looked like a monster on the glass, grabbing 6 rebounds, 2 of them offensive.

Remember, last preseason the Spurs were playing double-big lineups and players who didn’t make the regular-season rotation. There were hints of what San Antonio will look like come October 20th, but the final product, as they look to make another Finals run, is still a work in progress.

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    Sixers Bell Ringer: Starting five flashes dominance vs. Nets

    BROOKLYN, NY - OCTOBER 8: LeBron James #23 of the Philadelphia 76ers Lebron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers throws chalk in the air before the game against the Brooklyn Nets on October 8, 2026 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

    Preseason Bell Ringer rankings:

    Jaylen Brown – 1

    It was the first game the starting five of LeBron James, Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown, VJ Edgecombe and Joel Embiid all played together, and there is a ton to be excited about.

    Jaylen Brown continued his strong preseason against the Nets, tallying 18 points on 5-of-9 shooting. He made up for a slow start with a full house spreading the basketball around by taking over in the early moments of the second half.

    Considering he earned Bell Ringer honors in the first game, it felt most sensible to showcase the stars we saw for the first time.

    LeBron James:10 points, 18 minutes, 1-of-1 FG, 8-of-8 FT, 5 assists, 4 rebounds, 1 steal

    James looked in control for all of his 18 minutes, finding open Sixers in transition on what seemed like every possession for the first six minutes.

    Although his only field goal came in the form of an early post-up finish over Drake Powell and Mo Wagner, most of James’ points came at the free throw line. He was a perfect 8-for-8 from the charity stripe, converting drives into points.

    His court vision has the chance to really elevate the games of Maxey, Edgecombe and Brown. It will be a focal point if Embiid can look more comfortable before the regular season begins. He finished with eight turnovers.

    Tyrese Maxey: 14 points, 5-of-8 FG, 2-of-4 3PT, 2 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal

    Maxey looks incredibly fast and showcased his speed on a nasty baseline dunk over Egor Demin.

    He made two threes and appeared to be in a rhythm early. First three was off a James assist while the second three was running in transition and receiving the return pass from VJ Edgecombe.

    He was playing very comfortable off-ball, playing a cutoff-man role to help pace out the offense or push the pace in transition.

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    Blackhawks Fall 4-1 To Islanders Despite Playing A Solid Road Game

    After Patrick Kane's return to Chicago on Tuesday night, the vibes were high. The team finally won their first of the season, and it was a restart of sorts. After one at home, they had to hit the road, which was a spot for a letdown.

    People are going to look at the box score and see that the Chicago Blackhawks lost 4-1 to the New York Islanders and think it was just another ugly loss. However, that doesn't tell the whole story. 

    The Blackhawks have had some ugly road losses so far this season, but this wasn't one of them. They actually played the Islanders well, especially being away from the United Center. 

    Chicago led in shots on goal, including at even strength, and was simply beaten by Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin. The all-star goalie is off to a tremendous start, and he had another stellar performance on Thursday night against the Blackhawks. 

    It would have been a shutout for Sorokin, but Frank Nazar beat him once late in the third period after Patrick Kane found him with a great pass. Normally, if you play the way the Blackhawks did in this one, you win. 

    Before Nazar scored the goal to get the Blackhawks on the board, it was a 3-0 lead for the Islanders. Bo Horvat scored with a minute left in the first period, and two goals in roughly three minutes early in the second period put the Blackhawks in a hole they were unable to dig out of. Horvat's second goal of the game was an empty-netter to seal it. 

    Arvid Soderblom was in net for Chicago. He would tell you that he needs to be better, but it's hard to place it completely on him. The goalie on the other side was a wall, and that changed the outcome of the game. The Islanders' skaters, in turn, capitalized on their chances when they were there. 

    Watch Every Chicago Goal

    Frank Nazar Penalty

    Not only did Frank Nazar score a goal, but he found himself at the center of controversy at the end of the game. He earned a five-minute major and a 10-minute misconduct for his hit on Bo Horvat at 18:27 in the third. Only time will tell if he gets a call from the league. 

    What’s Next For The Blackhawks?

    The Chicago Blackhawks are headed back home after this one-off in New York. They will face the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes at the United Center on Saturday night. 

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    How LeBron James did in his first game with the 76ers

    Philadelphia 76ers' LeBron James gestures to teammates on the court.
    Philadelphia 76ers' LeBron James gestures to teammates during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game against the Brooklyn Nets, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026, in New York.

    LeBron James made his first on-court appearance since signing with the 76ers.

    James, 41, made his preseason debut with Philadelphia on Thursday, playing 30 minutes during the 114-108 loss to the Nets on Thursday.

    Scoring was not on the agenda for James, who scored 10 points while going 1-for-1 from the field and 8-for-8 from the free throw line.

    Philadelphia 76ers’ LeBron James gestures to teammates during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game against the Brooklyn Nets on Oct. 8, 2026, in New York. AP Photo/Pamela Smith

    James, who took a playmaking role for the majority of the game, also put up four rebounds, five assists and a steal.

    Thursday’s game was James’ first appearance in a Sixers uniform since signing a two-year, $7.95 million veteran-minimum contract with the franchise in July.

    When speaking to reporters in September, James expressed full confidence in bringing a championship to Philadelphia, saying that he hopes to bring his previous winning experience to the team.

    “I hope that I can, you know, bring that experience, bring that knowledge, bring the blueprint to the guys that’s trying to accomplish some things that they haven’t done in their career,” James said. “I’ve seen everything that this league has to offer on the floor and off the floor, so I hope that every single day with my approach to the game, approach to the work, that it can translate to every single guy.”

    Drama has already started in Philadelphia, however, with reports saying that James let Joel Embiid “hear it” after the Sixers star big man was “a couple of minutes late” to a practice.

    During Monday’s preseason game between Philadelphia and the Knicks, Mike Breen relayed the story that someone told him about the two.

    Tyrese Maxey and LeBron James of the Philadelphia 76ers talk during a game against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York on Oct. 8, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images

    “I had somebody tell me before the game that they were out ready to practice, and Joel Embiid walked out onto the court a couple of minutes late, and LeBron let him hear it,” Breen said on the MSG broadcast.

    James vehemently denied Breen’s comments through a post on his Instagram story.

    “He ain’t been late so stop the lies,” James wrote. 

    Following James’ comeback, Breen apologized for the initial report, saying that the story was taken out of context.

    “I’m so disappointed how the story was interpreted,” Breen told ESPN.

    “The whole intent was praising LeBron for already having an impact on the team’s professionalism and accountability, even something so benign as a player getting on the court for practice a minute or two late.” 

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    Sharks Give St. Louis the Blues; Spoil Home Opener With 3-2 OT Win

    The San Jose Sharks were on national broadcast for the first time this season on Thursday as they visited the St. Louis Blues. Much to the chagrin of the Sharks, and likely ESPN, Macklin Celebrini was unavailable for the second straight game as he continues to recover from a lower-body injury.

    The Blues got out to an early lead as Connor McMichael continued his hot start to the season, scoring his second goal of the season for his fourth point in his four games. St. Louis continued applying considerable pressure on Alex Nedeljkovic following the goal. 

    Michael Kesselring took the first penalty of the night at 7:28 in the first period when he cross-checked Blues forward Jimmy Snuggerud. The Sharks penalty kill held strong, holding the Blues without a shot during their first power play opportunity. 

    The Sharks got their first chance on the power play at 10:30 in the period, as Adam Jiricek tripped up Collin Graf. The Blues killed off the penalty.

    Cam Fowler nearly doubled the Blues' lead with a wrist shot from the point, but his shot was just off-target as it hit the post after a Dylan Holloway deflection.

    The game would remain 1-0 heading into the first intermission, but the Sharks were being outshot 11-3 which showed how one-sided the first 20 minutes were. 

    The Sharks got another man advantage at 6:39 in the second period, when Blues netminder Joel Hofer took down Michael Misa along the side of the Blues net. The penalty was served by Snuggerud.

    Shortly after the penalty expired, Tyler Toffoli scored his second of the season, while being cross-checked by Colton Parayko, to make it 1-1 right before the halfway point in the game.

    Joel Hofer denied Luca Cagnoni on what seemed like a sure-fire goal 14 minutes into the period, keeping things deadlocked. Moments after that, Alexander Wennberg drew a slashing penalty that caused Fowler to go to the penalty box as the Sharks got another opportunity on the power play. 

    The Blues nearly scored a short-handed goal late in the power play, but Dillon Dube wasn't able to control the puck. The Sharks' man advantage ended early as Ivar Stenberg was called for a slashing penalty of his own with seven seconds remaining. The Sharks were once again able to kill off the Blues' shortened power play.

    Former Anaheim Duck Mason McTavish nearly restored the Blues' lead late in the period, but his one-handed shot attempt was denied by Michael Kesselring. Seconds later, the Blues were awarded a delay of game penalty, as Brandon Carlo shot the puck out of play.

    Dube got his short-handed goal in the third period, giving the Blues their second lead of the night while Carlo sat in the penalty box. 

    Collin Graf's first goal of the season tied things up once again, off of a nice feed by a pinching Sam Dickinson. 

    Kiefer Sherwood kept the game tied by deflecting the puck over the net with just over a minute remaining in regulation, denying a clear-cut goal. 60 seconds later, the game went into overtime. 

    Ivar Stenberg found Darnell Nurse in quite a bit of space just over a minute into overtime and the veteran defenseman scored his first goal in teal to secure a 3-2 win.

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    Islanders’ injury-necessitated defense shuffle is no problem in win over Blackhawks

    An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Logan Stanley of the New York Islanders defends Roman Kantserov of the Chicago Blackhawks on the ice, Image 2 shows Matthew Schaefer #48 of the New York Islanders skates with the puck against the Chicago Blackhawks

    The regular-season marathon that extends this year to 84 games calls for a whole lot of otherwise forgettable nights when anything less than consistently taking care of business can get teams in trouble come crunch time. 

    Thursday at UBS Arena was one of them, and so credit the Islanders for a straightforward and businesslike 4-1 win over the Connor Bedard-less Blackhawks in which Alexander Romanov’s absence was blunted by a clean defensive effort. 

    The revamped pairs, with Logan Stanley to Matthew Schaefer’s left, Scott Mayfield inserted into the lineup on Tony DeAngelo’s right and the Adam Pelech-Ryan Pulock duo reunited for the first time since last November, put in a good night of work against a Chicago side that is now 1-4-0 as its long rebuild trudges on. It wasn’t the most entertaining 60 minutes, but in lieu of high-event hockey it was the second win of two for Ilya Sorokin in which the netminder could credit his defense without it feeling forced. 

    “I liked how we defended,” coach Pete DeBoer said. “Maysy came in, gave us some solid minutes. I thought it was Tony DeAngelo’s best game he played [so far] this year. I thought it was Pulock’s best game so far. I thought Stan was excellent. Schaefer and Pelly are consistently excellent every night.” 

    Logan Stanley (8) of the New York Islanders defends Roman Kantserov (80) of the Chicago Blackhawks during the third period at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. NHLI via Getty Images

    At this early stage of the year, the Islanders look like a team whose ability to prevent goals or not will be its defining factor on most nights. There have been stretches of every game so far when the breakouts aren’t going and two or more forward lines have looked disconnected. When the Islanders can make those minutes just as frustrating for the opposition as for themselves, they’re in good shape. 

    That’s what they did to the Blackhawks for much of Thursday. 

    “With this team, obviously a younger team but very hungry, young legs,” Anthony Duclair said, “gotta make sure we take away time and space, especially in the neutral zone. We clogged up the neutral zone pretty good.” 

    Bo Horvat put the Islanders on the board with a power-play goal in the last minute of the first, but it was Pelech, turning over Oliver Moore at the defensive blue line, who started the game’s decisive sequence. 

    Matthew Schaefer of the New York Islanders skates with the puck against the Chicago Blackhawks during the second period at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, Thursday, October 8, 2026. NHLI via Getty Images

    Emil Heineman, the trailer on the Islanders’ ensuing rush, buried one past Arvid Soderblom to double the lead. Another quick breakout sequence in the form of Schaefer’s chip off the wall to Duclair led to their third less than three minutes later after Stanley’s no-look pass found Duclair below the right circle. 

    Just 22 seconds before the night’s halfway mark, that made it 3-0, and while the Blackhawks might have stopped the rest of it from becoming academic — 3-0 with 30 minutes to go hardly spells game over — that was not within the visitor’s remit. By the time Frank Nazar’s blast broke Sorokin’s shutout at six-on-five, there was just 2:32 to go, rendering it too little and too late. 

    The closest thing to a snag came from Nazar a minute later on a play that ended in Bo Horvat’s empty-net goal, as the winger drove his shoulder into Horvat’s head as the puck was released, prompting a scrum that ended in major penalties on both sides. 

    Horvat was still being evaluated, most likely for a concussion, after the game, DeBoer said. Heineman went as far as to call the hit “a cheap shot.” 

    “You don’t like that hit,” DeBoer said. “Especially at that time of the game and who it’s on.” 

    Still, this wasn’t much harder than it needed to be, and you would have to stretch back to before the current building was open to find an Islanders team that didn’t trend towards the opposite. 

    “I told the group after, we’re getting a little bit better every night out,” DeBoer said. “That’s the goal.”