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Penguins/Canucks Recap: Kindel’s big homecoming lifts Pens to win

Pregame

Kris Letang gets back into the lineup for the Penguins.

The hosting Vancouver Canucks greet the Pens with this lineup.

First period

The Penguins strike first only to see it get called back on a Vancouver challenge. Egor Chinakhov sneaks a puck in from right in front but he was offside and a step ahead of the play at the blueline so it made for an easy reversal.

Jack St. Ivany leaves the bench in the middle of the period, dropping Pittsburgh down to five defenders.

It becomes the Canucks turn to have a disallowed goal. Conor Garland blasts a slapshot from outside that gets by Stuart Skinner, though the ref immediately washes it out because Teddy Blueger backed all the way into the blue paint of the crease and contacted Skinner with his backside.

Matching no goals makes it a 0-0 score after one. Vancouver is up 9-8 on shots, Skinner made a few nice saves along the way.

Second period

Vancouver gets the first power play of the game when Anthony Mantha smacks a guy in the face. The Pens PK takes care of business, no small thanks to a bunch of saves from Skinner.

The Pittsburgh second line comes through for a goal again, this time it counts. Chinakhov picks the puck off this time, Novak again with the setup to a streaking Evgeni Malkin to lift it home. 1-0 Pens.

Next up, the Ben Kindel show. The 18-year old gets his first goal in 19 games by redirecting a puck from in tight, to the delight of 180 family and friends in attendance.

Kindel turns that goal-drought into a goal-streak with another goal to extend the lead to 3-0. Should get a bonus point for absolutely shattering the camera within the net.

Big time period for the visitors to blow the game open with three goals.

Third period

It takes almost six minutes for Vancouver to get their first shots of the third period, they make them count. Jake DeBrusk follows up a shot and is able to put the puck into the net. 3-1

Say what you will about the Canucks, they didn’t go away quietly. Filip Hronek takes a big slapshot that has enough energy on it to bounce around a few times and go off Teddy Blueger and into the net. 3-2 game with just 6:00 to go.

Goalie Kevin Lankinen is pulled with about 2 minutes left, it’s crunch time for the 6v5 magic that Vancouver looks for. They get a great look that Skinner stymies with a diving save that brings back memories of Marc-Andre Fleury in Detroit.

The Canucks keep throwing everything they can at the net between bodies, sticks, pucks, yet they can’t crack Skinner again before the final buzzer goes off to save the Pens.

Some thoughts

  • Novak’s play in the neutral zone has been great lately. Whether it’s skating the puck and gaining the zone or blocking breakout attempts he’s been everywhere. It’s been paying off in big ways like the setup for the Malkin goal, it’s also all over the place to be on the puck constantly.
  • Two goals for Kindel! He’s still been playing well all over the ice without the puck despite the lack of goals lately, popping in two for the homecoming of the Vancouver native in his first game there was a special moment for him to create.
  • Between the team’s rookie party and seeing his family in a luxury box, how expensive was the weekend for Kindel? The old joke about playing for free might have some level of truth to it, he’d probably take it for the two goals, including the GWG.
  • The Bob Grove stat of the day: today was game 1,000 (including playoffs) of the Big 3 all in the lineup together.
  • St. Ivany only took three shifts (playing 2:54) before leaving with what was announced as an upper body injury. That meant the Pens basically went the distance with only five defenders for the balance of the game tonight.
  • They still found a way to ease Letang back into the lineup, though you wouldn’t tell it from his overall ice time (16:50 through two periods, overall for the game). Letang wasn’t used on the PK. He hasn’t been a huge PK guy this season (averaging 1:27 per game), but that still ranked fourth among Pittsburgh defenders for a somewhat regular shift or turn in the rotation.
  • Another quality start in the books for Skinner, as has become his norm as of late. There were times he didn’t have a lot of action, though at the start of the game and the Canuck power play early in the second he had to be good, as was. Moneypuck had Vancouver with over 2 expected goals at the halfway point of the game. Thanks to Skinner it was 0 actual at that point. Could it have been another OT/SO loss and three-goal third period lead blown for the Pens? It was trending that way until Skinner’s late game heroics.
  • Maybe when the Penguins come back East they will find some power plays back at home. Pittsburgh only had six total power plays over the four-game western swing, including zip, zero tonight.
  • Can’t complain with the results though, four games on the trip end up as four wins. Big time results there.

The Penguins gotta be looking around seeing if the NHL has any more teams for them to play out in the northwest. Sadly, they do not, the team will return home and look to bottle up the momentum for their next game on Thursday against Buffalo.

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Gardiner, Daniel and Karvinen score goals, Goldeneyes beat Torrent 3-1

DENVER (AP) — Jenn Gardiner, Izzy Daniel and Michelle Karvinen each scored a goal on Sunday to help the Vancouver Goldeneyes beat the Seattle Torrent 3-1 at Ball Arena as part of the PWHL’s Takeover Tour.

Emerance Maschmeyer had 33 saves for the Goldeneyes.

Jessie Eldridge scored a goal for Seattle (4-1-2-6), which beat Toronto 6-4 on Tuesday, has lost three of four. Hannah Murphy had 28 saves.

After Murphy stopped a one-timer by Gardiner, Hannah Miller passed it to Daniel for a tap-in goal that gave the Goldeneyes the lead for good with 13:37 left in the game.

Karvinen capped the scoring with 6:18 to play.

Vancouver (5-1-2-7) beat the Torrent 4-3 in overtime in the season opener for both teams.

Gardiner's goal with five seconds left in the first period gave Vancouver a 1-0 lead. From the left side, Gardiner slipped a low wrister inside the back post.

Eldridge beat the defense to a puck pushed ahead by Julia Gosling and beat Maschmeyer stick side with 6:20 left in the second period to make it 1-1.

Up next

Seattle: The Torrent visits Ottawa on Wednesday.

Vancouver: The Goldeneyes play Wednesday at Minnesota.

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AP women’s hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey

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Final Score: Warriors win 111-85 in makeup game over Timberwolves

The Golden State Warriors got a big win in Minneapolis with a 111-85 victory over the Timberwolves in Sundays’ makeup game from Saturday, and somehow, that 26-point margin feels like it coulda been even wider. The Warriors took care of business in a game they had to have to get their mojo back after the Jimmy Butler ACL injury and Jonathan Kuminga tweaking his own knee. The Dubs blew this game open with a big 38-17 third quarter and never looked back.

Steph Curry did Steph Curry things, dropping 26 points on 7-of-18 shooting while handing out seven dimes while collecting four steals. Meanwhile, Anthony Edwards activated video game mode for Minnesota with 32 points on 13-of-20 shooting, and it still wasn’t enough. When your best player cooks like that and you lose by 26, that’s a tough pill to swallow. It’s enough to make you wanna fight!

Golden State’s defense actually showed up. Holding Minnesota to 38% shooting and forcing 26 turnovers is the kind of effort that used to be standard around here. The Warriors turned those giveaways into 25 points while keeping the Wolves out of rhythm all night. When you’re getting 20 steals and limiting a team with Edwards and Julius Randle to 85 points, you’re doing something right. Golden State’s defense actually showed up. Holding Minnesota to 38 percent shooting and forcing 26 turnovers is the kind of effort that used to be standard around here. The Warriors turned those giveaways into 25 points while keeping the Wolves out of rhythm. When you’re getting 20 steals and limiting a team with Edwards and Julius Randle to 85 points, you’re doing something right.

Moses Moody quietly put together another solid performance with 19 points on 7-of-15 shooting, including five triples. Moody nailed 5-of-9 from deep and added 8 rebounds, another example of when he’s on he’s a guy who gives the Dubs a big lift. Brandin Podziemski snagged four steals of his own, added six dimes, grabbed five rebounds, and tallied 12 points in a spirited effort.

The win pushes Golden State’s record to 26-21, but with Butler done for the season and Kuminga’s future still murky, every victory feels like borrowed time. They defended well, shot well enough, and got contributions up and down the roster. That’s the blueprint. Whether they can replicate it tomorrow night in their second straight game in Minnesota? That’s the question that remains to be answered, in the meantime the Dubs can get some relief from a well earned victory.

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Penguins Defender Exits Canucks Matchup With Injury

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Jack St. Ivany exited the team's Jan. 25 contest against the Vancouver Canucks after suffering an upper-body injury. 

St. Ivany was limited to only three shifts during the Penguins' matchup against the Canucks, where he recorded one block in 2:54 of ice time. 

Before suffering this injury, St. Ivany was in the middle of a nice hot streak for the Penguins. The right-shot defenseman had back-to-back two-assist games for the Penguins on Jan. 21 against the Calgary Flames and then on Jan. 22 against the Edmonton Oilers. With this, the timing of this injury is certainly tough for St. Ivany. 

In 17 games so far this season with the Penguins, St. Ivany has recorded zero goals, seven assists, and a plus-7 rating. 

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Miles McBride, Landry Shamet proving to be crucial defensive assets for Knicks

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Philadelphia 76ers' Tyrese Maxey, left, drives to the basket with New York Knicks' Landry Shamet, center, defending during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, Image 2 shows Miles McBride #2 of the New York Knicks defends VJ Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the Saturday game

For both Miles McBride and Landry Shamet, 3-point shooting is what most associate them with.

They are shooting 43.7 percent and 43.5 percent from deep, after all. Their ability on the other end of the floor often gets lost in the discourse.

But their defending is crucial, and something the Knicks can hardly replicate.

“Shots fall, sometimes don’t. It’s not as much of a controllable as your effort,” Shamet told The Post after the Knicks’ 112-109 win over the 76ers on Saturday in Philadelphia. “On the defensive end, you gotta find ways to — coaches and good coaches say it all the time — you gotta find ways to win games when the ball’s not going in. I think you just take pride in our principles and just try to guard. It’s a pride thing, a personal thing.”

Miles McBride #2 of the New York Knicks defends VJ Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the Saturday game. NBAE via Getty Images

Coach Mike Brown has long praised and identified McBride and Shamet as the Knicks’ two best point-of-attack defenders — particularly when they were injured and the Knicks defense was shredded without them. It is the biggest weakness on their roster — Mikal Bridges has struggled in the role, allowing ball-handlers to break down their defense, get into the lane and hurt them.

Notably, it was McBride and Shamet — not Bridges — who were on the floor at the end of the game. Yes, Bridges was struggling badly with his shot, going 3-for-16 from the field. But it also became clear that McBride and Shamet were better equipped at guarding Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.

Maxey and Edgecombe torched the Knicks in the first two matchups between the two teams this season — both 76ers wins at Madison Square Garden. McBride missed the first matchup, and Shamet missed both of the first two.

It’s not a coincidence Saturday’s results were much better, with both healthy and in the lineup.

“They’re huge,” Brown said. “Again, you don’t stop those types of guys [Maxey and Edgecombe], but to have a guy like Deuce coming off the bench, have a guy like Landry — both those guys are physical at the point of attack, whether those guys are trying to get over pick-and-rolls or trying to get over [dribble handoffs] or even pindowns. And to have that type of relentless pursuit with athleticism and strength and toughness and the mindset is phenomenal. And obviously, we need those guys.”

Bridges has been miscast in that role since the Knicks traded five first-rounders to acquire him last year. He has good straight-line speed, but is not as quick laterally. McBride and Shamet are both stronger as well, helping them keep ball-handlers in front of them.

It would not be surprising if McBride and Shamet continue to see more late-game minutes at Bridges’ expense.

Philadelphia 76ers’ Tyrese Maxey, left, drives to the basket with New York Knicks’ Landry Shamet, center, defending during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026. AP

“They were huge,” Josh Hart said. “I think Sham got two offensive fouls drawn from blowing up handoffs or stuff like that. So he was huge. Dude was great all game. Obviously that’s a tough match over there with Tyrese. So give those guys a lot of credit. He did really well and we need that.”

With better pressure at the point of attack, it better masks Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns’ defensive deficiencies. Without constant penetration into the lane, OG Anunoby can operate where he’s best — acting like a free safety in football where he can be disruptive in passing lanes and create turnovers.

It can be contagious as well.

“I think it’s just coming in — if you’re coming off the bench you’ve got fresh legs,” Shamet said. “You’ve been observing and watching what’s been going on in the game. ‘How can I integrate myself as quickly as possible to what’s going on without any drop-off’ or ‘how can I elevate what’s going on?’ Sometimes it’s just as simple as ball pressure and picking up full court one or two times. Like I said, if you can start the domino the trickle down effect is real.”

Brown had begun to sound a bit like a broken record when he constantly mentioned missing McBride and Shamet in that role. But clearly there was a reason for it.

It can be a game-changer for the Knicks. 

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LIVE DISCUSSION: Brooklyn Nets at Los Angeles Clippers, 9:00 PM ET

Late night Nets! NFL Conference Championship games are clearing up in LA nonetheless, which means folks are gearing up for Nets-Clippers. The Nets will be shorthanded yet again in the first of five on the road.

🏀 Nets (12-31) @ Clippers (20-24)

⏰ 9:00 PM ET
📍 Intuit Dome (Inglewood, CA)
📺 YES Network

“As the Nets PR staff noted to ND, the trip west was eventful thanks to the weather in the Northeast… but they are now safely ensconced in L.A. where it’s 62 degrees and partly sunny. Nic Claxton and Day’ron Sharpe are going to be in for a fight on the inside tonight. Ivica Zubac is tied for fifth in the NBA in rebounding at a shade over 11 boards per game. He’s especially tough to deal with on the offensive glass as he captures almost four o-boards a night. To make things more challenging for the Brooklyn duo, Zu is tremendous at the rim.”- Brian

⚠️ INJURY REPORT

Nets

  • Cam Thomas
  • Nolan Traore
  • Noah Clowney
  • Haywood Highsmith
  • Chaney Johnson
  • Tyson Etienne

Clippers

  • Bradley Beal — OUT (hip fracture)
  • Bogdan Bogdanovic — OUT (hamstring)
  • Derrick Jones Jr. — OUT (knee)
  • Kawhi Leonard — QUESTIONABLE (knee)

💬 DISCUSSION

Share thoughts and react, but please be respectful. NetsDaily prides itself on being a safe space for Nets and basketball fans alike to have healthy conversation. Reach out to Anthony Puccio or Net Income with any issues.

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Sharks Have Big Decision To Make With Important Defender

The San Jose Sharks are going to be a very interesting team to watch at the 2026 NHL trade deadline. They have already shown that they are not afraid to be buyers, as they brought in forward Kiefer Sherwood from the Vancouver Canucks earlier this month. Yet, with the team also focused on the future, several of their pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs) have also come up in the rumor mill.

The most notable Sharks pending UFA who has been creating chatter as a trade candidate is defenseman Mario Ferraro. With Ferraro being a steady top-four defenseman who plays a heavy game, there is no question that he has the potential to generate a ton of interest from contenders. But should the Sharks really consider trading him? 

With the Sharks being in the Western Conference playoff race, trading a defenseman like Ferraro would come with some clear risk. He is one of the Sharks' best blueliners, and there is no question that moving on from him would create a major hole on their defense. 

Given how important a player Ferraro is to the Sharks' roster, it would make a lot of sense for them to try to extend him before potentially dealing him. At 27 years old, he is right in his prime and could continue to be a great fit on a Sharks club that is on the rise if extended.

However, if Ferraro still does not have an extension once we get closer to the deadline, that is where things could get interesting. He may be too valuable an asset for the Sharks to potentially lose for nothing this off-season through free agency.

Nevertheless, it is going to be intriguing to see what happens between the Sharks and Ferraro this season from here. 

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Halliday, Cozens each score twice in Senators' 7-1 romp over road-weary Golden Knights

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Stephen Halliday had two goals and an assist, Dylan Cozens also scored twice and the Ottawa Senators routed the road-weary Vegas Golden Knights 7-1 on Sunday night.

Senators goalie Linus Ullmark returned to to the active roster from a personal leave, backing up Mads Sogaard. Ullmark was the 2022-23 Vezina Trophy winner.

Halliday scored his second and third career goals, and added the assist for a three-point game in his first season in the NHL.

Fabian Zetterlund, Jordan Spence and Nick Jensen also scored, and Brady Tkachuk had three assists. Sogaard stopped 19 shots.

Rasmus Andersson scored in third period for Vegas, making it 7-1. It was the defenseman'sfirst goal in two games with the Golden Knights following a trade with Calgary.

Vegas played for the third time in four nights. The Knights lost 4-3 at Boston on Thursday night to open a four-game trip, then topped Toronto 6-3 on Friday night.

Up next

Golden Knights: At Montreal on Tuesday night.

Senators: Host Colorado on Wednesday night.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

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Sunday Surprise: Ottawa Senators Pound Vegas Golden Knights 7-1

It will surely go down as one of the more shocking results of the NHL season.

Playing their second game in less than 24 hours, the Ottawa Senators called up minor-league goaltender Mads Søgaard to start against the rested Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday evening.

Somehow, the Sens took down the Knights 7–1 at Canadian Tire Centre (17,025).

Sogaard was named the game's first star, making 19 saves, and had a chance to address the crowd afterward in a live post game interview with TSN. The Great Dane, who's dealt with so many injuries, spoke about how appreciative he was to play again for the fans in Ottawa.

"It's been a really long road back here and a lot of hard work a lot of really hard days," Sogaard told the media after the game. "But I have an amazing support system and they're the ones who helped me to get here. So I'm very thankful to get the opportunity and then super thankful for the guys to play as hard as they did."

Rookie Stephen Halliday led the way offensively with two goals and an assist, though he unfortunately left the game in the third period after being hit into the stanchion near the players’ bench. Halliday's head struck the stanchion and he fell hard to the ice, requiring some help to get up and head for the locker room.

Brady Tkachuk chipped in with three assists, Dylan Cozens scored twice, and Søgaard, appearing in just his second NHL game of the season, lost his shutout bid with less than five minutes left in the third period on a goal by newcomer Rasmus Andersson.

With the Senators playing the second game of a back-to-back, 37-year-old James Reimer was given the night off, while Linus Ullmark returned to Ottawa’s lineup after missing most of the past month while dealing with mental health issues. He served as Søgaard’s backup.

The Senators are back at it on Tuesday, hosting the Colorado Avalanche.

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Luka Dončić turned into a defensive stopper against Mavs

Everything had to go right for the Lakers down the stretch to beat the Mavericks. With Dallas going on a 6-0 run to start the fourth, LA was down by 14 with just under 10 minutes left.

The comeback that followed as the Lakers beat Dallas 116-110 was improbable given the flow of the game. But they didn’t do it by being offensively overwhelming the Mavericks. Instead, they grinded out the win.

Marcus Smart was hustling hard, doing everything he could to help the Lakers, including popping his dislocated finger back in place. Rui Hachimura was hitting clutch baskets to get the scoring going, and Luka Dončić was relying on his defense, not his offense, to help turn the tables on his former team.

After the victory, Lakers head coach JJ Redick talked about how Luka’s defensive commitment was a factor in the game.

“I thought he did a great job containing the basketball, being physical with his first bump outside the bump,” Redick said. “That was part of it and then the back side with our shifts and our low man and our gang rebound mentality down the stretch allowed us to get stops.”

It’s no secret that Luka is considered a poor defender. And with the Lakers being a switch-heavy defense, teams can easily target him and look to exploit his flaws.

In the fourth quarter, the Mavs tried to do just that, but Luka more than held his own. Here is a breakdown of the defensive battles he won in that quarter.

  • 11:07 — Caleb Martin misses a 3-pointer after Luka close out
  • 6:55 — Dončić blocks a Brandon Williams
  • 6:26 — Max Christie misses a runner, contested by Luka
  • 6:01 — Williams attacks the paint, but Luka holds his ground. LeBron James comes in for the steal.
  • 4:44 — Luka forces Cooper Flagg to take a long two, which he misses
  • 1:20 — Flagg tries to penetrate, but Luka denies him
  • 0:41 — Luka sacrifices his body, drawing a charge on Naji Marshall.

Luka might never be an elite defender, but he just needs to use his size and instinct to disrupt and discourage teams from attacking him. In Saturday’s game, he demonstrated that he can do this.

Steph Curry has already proven it can be done. As his career progressed, he took pride in getting stops late. While Curry would still get picked on from time to time, it became less of a concern as he improved his defense.

There’s still a long way to go for Luka to get to the point where teams no longer wish to target him relentlessly in close games. But hopefully, a game like this gives Luka the confidence and desire to reach this level more consistently.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

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Suns All-Star guard Devin Booker to miss at least a week with sprained ankle

PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix Suns All-Star guard Devin Booker will miss at least a week with a sprained right ankle.

Booker will be re-evaluated in a week, the Suns said before Sunday night's game against Miami.

He and guard Jalen Green both went down with injuries in Phoenix's 110-103 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night.

Booker, a four-time All-Star, went down with five seconds remaining in the third quarter after stepping on the foot of the Hawks’ Onyeka Okongwu. Booker leads the Suns with 25.4 points and 6.2 assists per game.

Green re-injured his right hamstring against the Hawks in his second game since missing 33 games. He was walking without a limp after the game and the Suns hope it won't be a long-term injury.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

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Lakers takeoff from Dallas amid snowstorm, game postponements

UPDATE: The Lakers did, in fact, make it out of Dallas, getting through half the battle, at least. The team took off from Dallas-Fort Worth instead of Love Field, allowing them to get out of Dallas when the Mavericks could not.

This doesn’t mean the Lakers-Bulls go is definitely on for Monday, but it does improve the chances.

Original story follows.

For now, the Lakers appear set on attempting to fly out of Dallas for Monday’s game against the Bulls in Chicago. However, don’t hold your breath.

As a snowstorm rips across much of the south and Midwest, NBA games are being postponed left and right. As of Sunday afternoon, the Lakers’ game was still on with the team set to attempt to fly out of Dallas on later in the day.

For obvious reasons, it’s unlikely to expect the Lakers to be able to fly out if Dallas could not while both teams are in the same city. The city they’re landing in could also factor into this but the Midwest is getting hammered with snow as things stand, so it seems unlikely Chicago would be a viable landing spot.

The NBA has spent Sunday postponing a number of games, including the Mavs-Bucks contest. The Nuggets and Grizzlies game, slated for Sunday, was also postponed. Meanwhile, the Pacers game in Atlanta and the Sixers-Hornets game in Charlotte were both moved to afternoon tips on Monday due to weather as well.

The Lakers are currently scheduled to play the Bulls at 5 p.m. PT. There’s a possibility of them moving the game back, but it seems more likely that the game is postponed. The Lakers play on Wednesday in Cleveland after Monday’s game, so perhaps the game is postponed to Tuesday.

What seems least likeliest right now, though, is the Lakers playing on Monday.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

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Lucas Raymond Reaches Red Wings Mark Untouched Since Henrik Zetterberg

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The sky is the limit for Detroit Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond, who has not only emerged as one of the club's best players but has also proven to be a blessing in disguise after they inexplicably fell to fourth place in the 2020 Draft Lottery. 

Raymond, whom the Red Wings selected with the fourth overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, has reached an offensive mark that hasn't been seen since their most recent Conn Smythe Trophy winner in Henrik Zetterberg. 

With his assist against the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday night, Raymond reached 40 assists on the season, becoming the first Red Wings skater since Henrik Zetterberg to record three consecutive seasons with at least 40 assists.

Zetterberg reached the 40+ assist mark in five consecutive seasons from their Stanley Cup-winning campaign of 2007-08 to 2011-12, which was the final season in the career of Hall of Fame defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom. 

Not only did Raymond pick up an assist against the Jets, but he also tallied his 18th goal of the season and extended his point-streak to five games. 

If Raymond continues on his current trajectory, he's on pace to easily establish what would be a new career-high in points. 

Following his two-goal performance in Detroit's previous game, a 4-3 overtime setback against the Minnesota Wild, Raymond attested to how seriously he takes his work and constantly strives to improve. 

“Every year and offseason, you try to take steps towards being a better player,” he explained. “And for me, it’s no different. It’s about being curious and wanting to work on your craft to hopefully see your results.

I’m just trying to play my game and keep developing.”

J.T. Compher Scores Twice As Red Wings Ground Jets With 5-1 Victory J.T. Compher Scores Twice As Red Wings Ground Jets With 5-1 Victory The Detroit Red Wings ultimately earned five of a possible six points on their three-game road trip with Saturday evening's 5-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets.

The Red Wings, who moved back into first place in the Atlantic Division, continue to reap the benefits of what has proven to be an absolute steal of a selection by GM Steve Yzerman in the 2020 NHL Draft. 

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features.  

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Cavs receive much-needed good news in latest injury report

The Cleveland Cavaliers could be seeing the return of one of their key bench players. Sam Merrill, who has missed the team’s last five games with a right-hand sprain, is listed as questionable for Monday’s game against the Orlando Magic.

Merrill has been dealing with a hand sprain for much of the season. He injured it originally in a November win against the Milwaukee Bucks. This resulted in him missing just over a month of games. When he did return to the lineup, he wasn’t pain-free, as head coach Kenny Atkinson said at the time that he couldn’t even shake Merrill’s hand after games due to the pain he was in.

Merrill injured his hand again in the team’s Jan. 14 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. That’s the same game in which Darius Garland injured his other toe.

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We don’t have any further updates on Garland’s injury beyond what the team released last Sunday. The Cavs said that Garland would be reevaluated in seven to 10 days after suffering a Grade 1 right great toe sprain. That initial timeframe would put the reevaluation happening anytime between now and Wednesday.

Even though the Cavs won’t be fully healthy for their game against the Magic, it would be beneficial to possibly get Merrill back in the lineup. Merrill has the third-best on/off differential on the team this season (+4.7 points per 100 possessions, 75th percentile). They’re 16-8 in the games he’s played.

On the season, Merrill is averaging 13.8 points on .470/.455/.882 shooting splits.

The Magic will once again be without their leading scorer, Franz Wagner (ankle), in Monday’s rematch.