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Game Preview: San Antonio Spurs at Utah Jazz

PHOENIX, AZ - NOVEMBER 9: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs looks on during the game against the Phoenix Suns on November 9, 2026 at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Utah Jazz have responded to the hype they got in the off season by winning one of their first 13 games. Injuries to their two best players have a lot to do with that, but they’ve been playing predictably and are struggling to make outside shots. Being small with four perimeter players and a big with no offensive bag has made it harder to bend opposing defenses, as a result, ensuring that they stay in a transition game more than they like. 

Still, it would be unwise to think they will roll over quickly. Flawed as they are, they can creep back in through the door if the San Antonio Spurs are playing with their food. Even if a team has a basement record, sometimes they show up stronger than the numbers because they are desperate to get back in the win column. 

The Spurs will head into Delta Center on an 11-game win streak, tied for their sixth-longest in franchise history. The streak is long enough that every team in the NBA is well aware, adding a higher level of intrigue to the game. This will be the third matchup between these teams this season. 

San Antonio Spurs (11-2) vs Utah Jazz (1-2)

Nov. 15, 2026: 4PM CT

Watch: DAZN: Listen WOAI (1200 AM)

Spurs Injuries: Tobias Harris — out (left calf strain); Jayden Quaintance — out (right knee surgery); Maliq Brown — out (G League); Ja’Kobi Gillespie — out (G League)

Jazz Injuries: Lauri Markkanen — out (right hand fracture); Jaren Jackson Jr. — out (right knee); Jaxson Hayes — out (left knee strain); Jusuf Nurkić — out (right foot); Trey Alexander — out (G League); Kobe Bufkin — out (G League); Harrison Ingram — out (G League).

What to watch for

  • Darryn Peterson is a rookie, and he has the goods. He’s elusive on the dribble, mostly getting to work through screen rolls, with his preferred spots being the paint non-restricted area and at mid-range. He and Keyonte George should carry the bulk of the scoring load, so the Spurs will have to stay on their hips, and try to force them to attack going left, which is the off-hand of both players. 
  • The Spurs starting lineup ties for the fifth-most used in the NBA, and it has been the most-efficient high-usage rotation, logging an impressive 84.6 defensive rating. It shouldn’t be a surprise if this lineup is the one creating the most separation on the scoreboard since it has the most down-hill attackers who can quickly turn a miss into transition. 
  • Even if the Spurs’ transition numbers (55.2 percentile) aren’t the best, they get out in open court so much that it wears out the opponents. 
  • Victor Wembanyama is averaging 24 points, 12.5 rebounds and five assists in two games versus the Jazz this season, while making 78.6 of his shots within 10 feet. He may be in for a 40-point night since he will have some energy saved up from not having to go hard guarding his man, which could be Mo Bamba and some smaller players.
  • Julian Champagnie’s role has changed a bit as a reserve this season, but his impact has been greater, being a top-notch release valve logging career high in efficiency by a significant margin (66.0 EFG percentage). He is averaging 42.2 percent from 3-point range for the year, and 44.4 percent against the Jazz. Notably, Champagnie is a feature in the third-most used Spurs’ lineup, which is him with the starters in Devin Vassell’s place. Expect Jazz defenders to lock-and-trail well when he changes spots in the half-court, but the schemes will be programmed to take away the on-ball threats. Champagnie will have the chance to feast because of that. 
  • Since the level of competition is lower level, perhaps this is a game in which Carter Bryant will shine. His career high was 17 points last year, and even with his struggles this season, that number is beatable since the Jazz can’t guard a parked car. 
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It's Panic Time for the Kings

LOS ANGELES — The Kings came out ice-cold and lost to the Flames, 3-2. Los Angeles has lost four straight games and are tied for the second-worst record in the NHL.

Nearly a quarter into the NHL season and the Kings have found themselves near the bottom of the standings. This loss to Calgary only added more concern to the troubles that Los Angeles is facing.

A sluggish first forty minutes were evident tonight, as Los Angeles trailed 1-0 after two periods. The Kings were in a deficit before the third period in every single loss during this four-game skid.

“The playing from behind is not where we want to be, you want to get the first one, you want to build on it from there, and we're not getting that done, Coach Laviolette said. “We found ourselves behind, you know, most of this home stand and then were chasing the game, trying to push from there.”

In those four losses, the Kings have been outscored 10-4 in the first two periods. The Kings, averaging one goal through the first forty minutes, did not keep pace with their opponents.

Falling behind in every game has come from the lack of offense for the Kings. Los Angeles has not scored more than two goals in any of the games through these four losses.

Lack of inside shots has been a major factor as to why the Kings have not been able to score. When Los Angeles is taking shots mostly from the perimeter, it’s easier for the opposing goaltenders to stop.

Hence, every goaltender has recorded higher than a .920 save percentage against the Kings through these four games. Goaltenders have less to worry about since the Kings aren’t taking shots in front of the net.

“We’ve had looks, we got to capitalize and next thing you know, five minutes later, then five minutes later, we keep saying it's coming, be positive, and it hadn’t really came, said Brandt Clarke. “It's not from a lack of effort, it's not from a lack of positivity, it's not from a lack of wanting each other to succeed, its just not going in the net and its unfortunate”.

Offensive struggles have been the main culprit for the four consecutive losses, but that has to change. The offense must find its rhythm during this five-game road trip to turn this season around.

“I think it's a great group of guys, we're all super close as well, but just being able to get on the road, kind of get a little closer, be with each other a lot more. You know, translate that over to the ice,” said Quinton Byfield. “I think the road trip is good and much needed right now, and we got to get back on track.”

The last road trip for the Kings was semi-successful. Los Angeles recorded six points during a five-game stand in October. However, the Kings will need to be even better on this road trip if they want to make up ground.

Very little room for error is left for the Kings, and they must string together some goals on this road trip. If the Kings continue their losing ways, then the playoffs will start to look unlikely for this team.

The panic button has been hit after this loss to the Flames. The question is if the Kings can respond on the road now.

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Nets can’t overcome slow start in 129-110 loss to Grizzlies

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 04: Head coach Jordi Fernandez of the Brooklyn Nets looks on during the second half against the Charlotte Hornets at Barclays Center on November 04, 2026 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. The Nets won 114-104. 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. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) | Getty Images

“They played harder than us.”

Those are words you never want to hear from the head coach of a rebuilding team. Especially not in Year 3.

The Brooklyn Nets had a chance to build on their blowout win over New Orleans. Mikel Brown Jr. was back after missing the last two games. There was a small window to finally pick up some momentum.  Instead, they followed it up with another frustrating loss, 129-110, in the finale of a four-game road-trip.

Brooklyn fell behind early and trailed 38-23 after the first quarter. You’d never think Memphis played a game just the night before.

The Nets struggled to contain Memphis from the perimeter and committed 16 turnovers that led to 30 Grizzlies points. They made a push in the third quarter and cut a 23-point deficit to eight, but couldn’t get the stops necessary to make it a game. 

“I think we cut it to seven at some point and you should have been in the game, but we are not mature enough… we played against a team that played in a second of a back-to-back with the same travel that we had, and they played the right way, played really hard and we’re not there yet. So, you know, go back and work and find ways to get better, because when you’re not consistent and you don’t find those ways, it’s just like that’s not what we want to do here,” Fernandez said after the game.

The Nets briefly led 7-5, but Memphis responded with a 9-0 run and never let up control. Cedric Coward, Cam Spencer and Jaylen Wells got hot early, and a Wells’ three-pointer forced a Brooklyn timeout with 7:55 remaining in the first quarter, with the Grizzlies flipping the score to 16-9 in their own favor.

The shooting didn’t slow down. Memphis made nine three-pointers in the opening quarter and carried a 38-23 lead into the second. Brooklyn faced a 19-point deficit in the first half before making a small dent in it. The Grizzlies still led 71-54 at halftime.

“Right now the two practices we’ve had, we’ve practiced very well. So we practice better than we play, which is not a terrible sign. It’s a frustrating sign because you believe you’re better, but all we can do is go back to work.”

Julius Randle said Brooklyn didn’t match Memphis’ urgency from the opening tip. The three-time All-Star pointed to the team’s overall start as a bigger issue.

“We didn’t punch first. We didn’t come out with a sense of urgency, and they took advantage of that,” he said.

What’s the issue?

“Just organization. I think maybe just trying too hard, playing a little unorganized, stuff like that,” Randle said. “And then just attention to detail, you know, just think we got a lapse of focus sometimes.”

Sparked by scoring from Noah Clowney, Day’Ron Sharpe, and Julius Randle, Brooklyn put together a strong third-quarter surge to cut the deficit to 85-77 with 5:12 remaining. Memphis took a 103-84 lead into the fourth quarter and eventually stretched the margin beyond 20.

It was Brooklyn’s fifth loss by double figures.

“They got to grow fast,” Fernandez said about the young group. “You know, like being 20 is not an excuse.…. I’m frustrated or I get mad because I know they’re very good and they’re better than this. And when I just don’t see a connected group is, it hurts…”

Michael Porter Jr.’s Absence

Michael Porter Jr. attended Saturday’s game after missing time for personal reasons. Fernández was asked about Porter’s absence and whether he knew when the forward might return, but the coach declined.

“No, we want to give him his privacy. Everything, it’s fine. So, we’re happy that he was here,” Fernández said.

Keeping up with Mr. Brown

Mikel Brown Jr. returned after missing the last two games. It’s been a bit of a strange start and the guard missed the last two games for two different reasons — one for injury management and the other for an illness. The rookie finished with six points and two assists on 2-of-5 shooting in 20 minutes. 

After the game, his father pointed out the importance of the floor general. Take it for whatever it’s worth.

Travel Chaos

Brooklyn’s trip to Memphis didn’t go according to plan. The Nets were caught in Friday night’s FAA ground stop after boarding their charter flight out of New Orleans, forcing the team to stay overnight before finally flying out Saturday morning.

The team arrived in Memphis around 11 a.m., just hours before its game against the Grizzlies. The unexpected delay also forced Brooklyn to scrap its planned morning shootaround.

“Yeah, I mean, obviously it was something that we couldn’t control,” head coach Jordi Fernández said. “And to be honest with you, it was not that bad. We had good rest and got here [Saturday] morning and did our walkthrough, and probably [would have] gone to the gym, but we were not able to. And I think we feel good and ready to go.”

Fernández acknowledged that the altered schedule wasn’t ideal, particularly for players who had grown accustomed to the team’s usual pregame routine.

“Everybody’s safe. It’s the most important thing,” he said.

Next Up: Philadelphia 76ers

The Nets are back home against the 76ers on Monday, November 16.

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Michael Porter Jr. sits for personal reasons — but he should be back soon

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Brooklyn Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez gestures from the sideline during a game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Image 2 shows Michael Porter Jr. of the Brooklyn Nets shoots against the Atlanta Hawks

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Nets had to play without their leading scorer Saturday, as Michael Porter Jr. sat on the bench in street clothes. 

He watched his team take a 129-110 beating in Memphis at FedExForum. 

Porter wasn’t injured but was a healthy scratch for personal reasons. 

Michael Porter Jr. (17) of the Brooklyn Nets shoots against the Atlanta Hawks during a game at State Farm Arena in Atlanta on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images

Two sources — one a team source and another close to the player — said the issue was believed to be resolved and Porter shouldn’t miss extended time. 

When asked if he had a timeline for Porter’s return, Nets coach Jordi Fernández said, “No. We want to give him his privacy. Everything is fine, so we’re happy that he was here.” 

Initially listed as questionable, Porter was ruled out an hour before tipoff. 

“A personal situation came up as we were coming to the arena. So that’s why it was announced late,” Fernández said. 

Porter is averaging a team-high 21.5 points on 45.6 percent shooting and 37.5 percent from deep. An Eastern Conference scout who spoke with The Post pointed out how easy the Nets are to defend without his unblockable shot. Julius Randle — Brooklyn’s other proven veteran scorer — said others simply have to pick up the slack. 

“Everybody has to step in and chip in. It’s not just one person,” Randle said. “So we’ve all got to step up and chip in and do it collectively as a unit.” 

Day’Ron Sharpe (16 points, 11 rebounds, five assists) had his third double-double of the season already. His career high is six in 2023-24. 

Brooklyn Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez gestures from the sideline in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Memphis Grizzlies in Memphis, Tenn. AP Photo/Brandon Dill

Fernández handed Noah Clowney the start at small forward for Porter. With Randle, Sharpe, Egor Dëmin and Danny Wolf, every Nets starter was at least 6-foot-9 or taller, just as they had been in the blowout win in New Orleans three nights earlier. 

This was the first time any NBA team had started a lineup of players all 6-foot-9 or taller since the Los Angeles Lakers had done so April 21, 1990. 

Mikel Brown Jr. and Nolan Traore both returned after having missed the blowout win in New Orleans three nights earlier. It marked just the third game that the Nets have had Dëmin, Brown and Traore together. 

Fernández said Brown is still on his minutes limit. With Wolf still starting at two-guard, Brown and Traore logged just 19 minutes each. 

The Nets got thrown into travel chaos Friday by the Federal Aviation Administration’s decision to ground every flight nationwide for four hours. They were already set to board their flight but had to stay overnight in New Orleans and fly to Memphis at 9 a.m. 

“Yeah, obviously it was something that we couldn’t control,” Fernández said. “And to be honest with you, it was not that bad. We had good rest and got here [Saturday] morning and did our walk-through, and probably [would have] gone to the gym, but we were not able to. And I think we feel good and ready to go.”

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Islanders easing Mathew Barzal up to speed with limited time, lowered expectations

New York Islanders Mathew Barzal (13) shoots past Anaheim Ducks defenseman Tristan Luneau (67) during an NHL hockey game.
New York Islanders Mathew Barzal (13) shoots past Anaheim Ducks defenseman Tristan Luneau (67) during an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif.

ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Islanders had Mathew Barzal back for Saturday’s match against the Ducks but operated with caution regarding immediate expectations for him. 

“Obviously he’s gotta transition back into full speed,” coach Pete DeBoer said before the 6-2 win. “We’re gonna work him into that, but it’s great that he’s available to play.” 

What that means on a practical level is the Islanders will manage Barzal’s ice time closely — including 16:21 on Saturday. He’ll also start on the second power-play unit as opposed to the top group. 

Mathew Barzal (13) shoots past Ducks Tristan Luneau in his return as the Islanders manage his ice time after a long injury lay-off. AP Photo/Kyusung Gong

Jean-Gabriel Pageau missed a second straight game with a lower-body injury, and Calum Ritchie remains out with a lower-body injury, so there’s still some suspense over what the lineup will look like when fully healthy. Saturday, though, Barzal skated in Pageau’s usual spot on the third line between Ondrej Palat and Anthony Duclair, with no changes to the Islanders top six. 

Matthew Kessel, who played as the seventh defenseman against the Kings two nights prior, was the healthy scratch, with the Islanders going back to a 12-forward, six-defenseman configuration. 

“I’m not sure [what to expect], honestly, it’s been a while,” Barzal said. “So obviously I’m just excited. I know how I am. I know that when I get out there, I’m gonna want to play. I’m gonna want to be going over the boards a ton. We gotta be controlled, and the team’s been playing well. Just trying to hop in, bring what I bring. I know as soon as I hit that ice, I’m gonna want to go.” 

DeBoer declined to commit to a number for Barzal’s minutes when asked, but it did seem clear that the 20:39 he averaged a year ago wasn’t going to be in the cards right away. 

“He’s getting back in, he’s playing his first game in six or seven months,” DeBoer said. “We’re gonna manage his ice time, and we know there’s gonna be some runway here where he’s gotta work himself back into game shape and game timing. But it’s gonna be a great first step.” 

Kyle MacLean was put on non-roster waivers to make room for Barzal. If he clears, he’ll likely be sent down to AHL Hamilton. 

Mathew Barzal (13) shoots past Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal on Nov. 14 in Anaheim, Calif., during his first game in several months. AP Photo/Kyusung Gong

“That’s a tough conversation. Great pro, great kid, great man,” DeBoer said. “… He’s been a great, great Islander here. Been a lot of heavy lifting and work for a long time, so those are always tough.” 

Ritchie (lower body) has started to skate on his own back in New York. 

Logan Stanley left the game with a lower-body injury early in the second period and did not return. DeBoer said he would be evaluated Sunday upon the team’s return to New York.

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Player Grades: Cavs vs Mavericks – Tyrese Proctor goes off

CLEVELAND, OH - NOVEMBER 14: Tyrese Proctor #24 of the Cleveland Cavaliers shoots the ball during the game against the Dallas Mavericks on November 14, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 Lauren Leigh Bacho/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Dallas Mavericks behind an awesome game from their young guards.

Grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.

Player of the game

Tyrese Proctor

24 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists

Proctor is in full swing of a sophomore breakout right now. He’s put together a strong week of games, culminating in this prime opportunity to prove that he can scale his usage up into a larger role.

He impacted every facet of the game, lifting Cleveland’s offense with his shot creation and providing support on defense at the point of attack.

The Cavs have found something here. Proctor’s development isn’t something they can overlook.

Grade: A+++

Grades

Meleek Thomas

20 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists

Thomas has been the winner of the young Cavs’ season. He’s stood out in almost every game he’s appeared in, and he did not disappoint tonight in his largest role to date. His shot-making, which includes an unstoppable-looking floater, was on full display as he helped energize the Cavs to a big win.

Grade: A-

Mario Hezonja

22 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists

Hezonja hasn’t been able to earn many minutes in previous games but was given the green light tonight out of necessity. I’d say he made the most of that opportunity, complementing every lineup he was in and providing a sense of stability. He can still be a bit dicey when defending off-ball actions, but Hezonja would be getting more minutes if it were up to me.

Mario shot 9-of-12 from the floor and hit all of the key momentum shots for Cleveland.

Grade: A+

Jaylon Tyson

18 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists

Tyson was given all the room he needed to get comfortable tonight. He didn’t have to worry about filling a role as he normally would. Instead, being granted the freedom to create for himself and serve as a dynamic offensive threat. That helped him turn in his best offensive game of the season.

Grade: A-

Thomas Bryant

19 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists

Bryant, a veteran leader on this team, suited up in the starting lineup despite playing 16 minutes the night before in Miami. There was no rest for TB as he worked harder than anyone else on the court to make sure this team had a big man anchoring the paint on both ends of the floor.

Well done, Bryant.

Grade: A

Norchad Omier

13 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists

Omier was the definition of heart and hustle tonight as he used his bulky frame to bang in the paint and grab rebounds. I don’t know what the ceiling is for a player like Omier, but he’s certainly helpful in setting a tone on a night like tonight.

Grade: A-

Craig Porter Jr.

9 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 turnovers

Porter threw some highly questionable passes in this game and turned it over more than you’d like. Other than that, he had some impressive finishes around the rim and was mostly a positive.

Grade: B

Riley Minix

2 points (1-6 shooting)

Minix is back to not fitting in with this Cavs team. He simply hasn’t been able to shoot the ball efficiently, and he’s not a good enough defender to make up for it.

Grade: D

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Takeaways from the Ducks 6-2 Loss to the Islanders

Drew Helleson from practice (11-11-26)

For the penultimate game of their four-game homestand, the Anaheim Ducks hosted the New York Islanders on Saturday night at Honda Center. 

This game was the first leg of a weekend back-to-back, and the Ducks will host the Calgary Flames on Sunday. They are coming off a 4-2 loss to the Nashville Predators on Wednesday, which snapped their five-game winning streak. 

Game #20: Ducks vs. Islanders Gameday Preview (11/14/26)

Troy Terry, Returning from Hip Surgery, 'Likely' to make Season Debut Wednesday

This game was the finale of the Islanders’ California road trip, and they halted a four-game winless streak on Thursday by defeating the Los Angeles Kings 5-2. 

Anaheim saw the return of Troy Terry to their lineup on Wednesday vs. Nashville. After some lineup adjustments, he found himself on the top line with Leo Carlsson and Judd Caulfield. Tyson Hinds found his way back into the lineup on a pair with Tristan Luneau. 

Every forward line and d-pair was altered with the exception of the top d-pair and the second forward line. Here’s how the Ducks lined up to start this game:

Caulfield-Carlsson-Terry

Gauthier-Granlund-Sennecke

Malott-Washe-Killorn

Nesterenko-McQueen-Colangelo

LaCombe-Helleson

Mintyukov-Warren

Hinds-Luneau

Lukas Dostal got the start for the Ducks in this game for just the second time in their last seven games and stopped just 19 of 25 shots. He was opposed by Semyon Varlamov, who saved 26 of 28.

 “Defensively, that’s going to be a work in progress,” Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville said after the game. “It’s part of the game. We got to make plays, better plays, in front of the net. We got to make sure our readings of situations off the rush, where we make mistakes in coverage, that can’t happen. That’s on me.”

Game Notes

This was the second time in two games that the Ducks ran up against a defensively well-coached team who eliminated their primary means of chance generation and capitalized on substantial mistakes on the defensive side of the puck. The Islanders further built on what the Preds accomplished and eliminated opportunities before they materialized. 

Lukas Dostal: Dostal has had a difficult season thus far, and this game was no different. He can, has been, and needs to be better than he was. However, even with an excellent performance from him, they would still have lost this game decisively. 

Dostal made a handful of difficult saves, notably a low slot shot on a 2v1 against Matthew Barzal and a few screened point shots where he didn’t allow dangerous rebounds. Four of the goals he allowed were ones he had little to no chance of saving: two cross-ice 2v1s, a point shot that tipped off of two consecutive Ducks defensive sticks, and one where he was entangled with a sliding Leo Carlsson. 

The two Dostal stood greater chances of saving were a one-timer from the slot off the stick of Bo Horvat in the bumper on a power play and a broken rush that found its way to Simon Holmstrom’s stick in the mid-slot with ample time and space. An above-average NHL goaltender likely stops one of those, and an elite goaltender might stop both.

Exits/Entries: The Islanders controlled the bluelines, and thus, controlled the hockey game. The majority of the Ducks’ 5v5 offense is generated off the rush, and New York elected for a relatively passive offensive zone forecheck, focusing more on eliminating outlets across the Ducks’ blueline and sealing their own. An adjustment from the Ducks skaters and coaching staff to either prioritize outs by means of high flips, dump-ins to establish a forecheck, and/or more efficient off-puck movement to create new lanes was needed to thwart the Islanders’ defensive structure. 

Rush Defense: Decision-making, whether with possession or not, in the neutral zone or above the tops of the offensive circles, continues to lead to odd-man opportunities against Anaheim. Beckett Sennecke was guilty of shoddy high F3 work on the Isles’ fifth goal.

Backchecking and sorting communication on the weak side or trailing the play exposed the Ducks as well. Roger McQueen and/or Nikita Nesterenko were guilty of it on the Isles’ third goal, and Jackson LaCombe and Drew Helleson pursued the same attacker on the sixth. 

The “Big Three”: As mentioned, New York eliminated the Ducks’ “Plan A” for offensive generation: the rush. Neither Sennecke, Carlsson, nor Cutter Gauthier (Anaheim’s most talented and relied upon offensive drivers) were able to build speed through the middle third of the ice with possession or dish cleanly to a teammate filling a lane with speed. Each responded differently but were equally unsuccessful. 

Sennecke attempted to individually create chances. That strategy had been successful to an extent in the past, as even many of the creative plays he attempts end up in dangerous chances by default. In this game, however, he lost several pucks high in the offensive zone, and he couldn’t snake his way to the interior. 

Gauthier attempted to become a forechecking presence, but New York’s diligent breakouts rendered those pressures ineffective, and Carlsson attempted to collapse the opposing rush defensive structure so he could dish to a teammate on the wing, but each pass was slightly off, and the opportunities stalled.

The Ducks will have a chance for a quick reset and a different result, as they’ll host the Calgary Flames on Sunday at 5 pm PST. 

Takeaways from the Ducks 5-2 Win over the Penguins

Ducks Boast NHL's Top Power Play, Analyzing the Top Unit's Success

Takeaways from the Ducks 5-4 Win over the Canucks

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The case for a Domantas Sabonis trade for Utah

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 24: Domantas Sabonis #11 of the Sacramento Kings reacts after making a basket against the Utah Jazz at Golden 1 Center on October 24, 2025 in Sacramento, California. 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. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Utah Jazz are in the midst of the worst start in decades. It’s an even worse start than the former tanking seasons. Before the season started, the Jazz said they would have a competitive season. And even though the Jazz are close in a lot of these games, they are 1-12 and on an 11-game losing streak. With the Walker Kessler trade behind them, the Jazz are left with a lopsided team in desperate need of starting center play that could support their three young stars: Darryn Peterson, Ace Bailey, and Keyonte George.

That group this season has been elite, hiding behind subpar play from their center and bench. From CraftedNBA.com, here are the Jazz’s best players sorted by net rating and showing their best On-Off players.

Utah’s trio of Bailey, Peterson, and George is playing winning basketball, and it’s an incredible sign for Utah. But outside of those three, it’s not looking good. Losing Jaren Jackson Jr. at the beginning of the season has been brutal because his two-way play would have been a huge part of helping Utah get some wins.

Probably the biggest disappointment, though, is Lauri Markkanen’s play this season. His off-ball offensive game is high-level as usual, the problem is everything else. He’s not producing on the ball, and he has not been a good defender. That’s why Utah should consider a potential move for Domantas Sabonis, who wants out of Sacramento. The trade is an easy, player-for-player trade with Lauri Markkanen.

Lauri Markkanen for Domantas Sabonis

I’ve thought about this a lot this season, and the more I think about it, the more I like it. Yes, Sabonis has some flaws just like Markkanen does. He’s undersized at his position and not a good rim protector. He also struggles in space and on the perimeter defensively, just like Markkanen.

But Sabonis’ pros would be huge for this Jazz team and their young COR3, and could provide a skill set that would take them to another level. Yes, Markkanen provides catch-and-shoot threes and cuts to the basket. Utah is getting enough shooting, scoring, and cutting from that young trio. What Utah lacks right now is a starting center. Sabonis would bring what they’ve been dying for all season, including elite rebounding, screening, passing, and inside scoring. Adding Sabonis would solidify the position in a way that they haven’t had all season. Yes, the Jazz can simply wait for Jusuf Nurkic to come back, but with Nurkic’s size and his foot injury, it’s not a given that he’ll stay healthy this season. Also, having Nurkic come back and play 20-25 minutes a night off the bench is best anyway.

Sabonis is also a perfect fit with what Will Hardy does on offense. He can get the ball and run a dribble handoff from the three-point line, then dive, or run simple pick-and-rolls as the screener. With Sabonis setting screens and scoring inside, you can see how Utah’s offense could get to an elite level. It’s also interesting to think about how well Ace Bailey would fit playing off of him. Sabonis is no Jokic, but he’s the next best thing at center, hitting cutters and passing out of the short roll to open shooters. And finally, Sabonis can score inside on a mismatch. If Utah has a mismatch down low, Sabonis can easily take advantage. And when Jaren Jackson Jr. comes back, Sabonis is the perfect fit next to him, with their strengths offsetting each other. Jackson can be the weak-side defender while Sabonis cleans up their rebounding issues.

There’s also an elephant in the room for the Jazz right now that needs to be recognized. Lauri Markkanen has simply not lived up to his superstar-level contract. With a move like this, Utah can get off his contract before it becomes untradable. Sabonis’ contract is for this season and next, so if we’re simply looking at contract relief, it’s another bonus for Utah. If Markkanen is also a consistent injury risk and not an elite on-ball scorer over the next three seasons, his contract becomes an albatross with two years after this season and the final year coming in at $53M. Utah can get off that contract sooner rather than later by making this happen. Sabonis’ contract runs through this season and next, and then Utah can either extend him or look for another option that fits the timeline of Keyonte George, Darryn Peterson, and Ace Bailey.

For Sacramento, Lauri Markkanen is the perfect fit for Darius Acuff Jr. Acuff can be the hub of everything they do, and Markkanen can do what he does best next to him: take catch-and-shoot threes and score off the ball. Markkanen also provides more spacing for Acuff, which can help him take his game to another level.

Honestly, this one makes a ton of sense for both sides. Most likely, no picks trade sides in this, and Utah can then use their picks from the Kessler trade in other ways, or just simply draft a center prospect for the post-Sabonis era.

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Diving deeper into Cavs 127-117 win over Mavs: Tyrese Proctor leads bench crew to unexpected victory

Nov 14, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Tyrese Proctor (24) reacts in the third quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers all but punted this game after not getting back from Miami until late this morning. They rested four of the five starters from last night’s game (Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Jarrett Allen, Peyton Watson) rather than risk injury on the second night of a back-to-back. Yet sometimes, the receiving team muffs the punt.

The Dallas Mavericks — who weren’t resting their starters — took their eye off the ball. Cleveland took advantage, led by a triple-double from Tyrese Proctor to ruin Kyrie Irving’s homecoming and defeat Dallas127-117.

Three stars of the game

First star: Tyrese Proctor

24 points on 10-of-19 shooting, 11 rebounds, 10 assists, 1 turnover

Proctor has been a revelation over the last week. He backed up an impressive performance in Miami — albeit in a supporting role — with a dominant on-ball showing against the Mavericks.

This was a different outing than what we’ve seen from Proctor in the past. Instead of being mostly an off-ball shooter, he thrived at creating his own shots. Only one of his 10 field goals was assisted. This included going 5-for-8 on off-the-dribble jumpers.

Scoring wasn’t the only thing Proctor provided. He was the primary initiator of the offense, as evidenced by his 10 assists. Some of these led to direct baskets at the rim for Thomas Bryant (19 points and 11 rebounds) out of the pick-and-roll. Overall, six of his assists went to baskets at the rim. He also sprayed the ball to outside shooters and swung the ball on the perimeter, leading to three assists on triples.

Proctor also helped as a defender and rebounder. Kenny Atkinson often talks about how the guards need to be adequate rebounders as well. Proctor was that in a complete all-around performance.

This season, Proctor has been asked to fit into a very specific role. He’s done that well, but nights like this show that he’s capable of more.

Second star: Kyrie Irving

34 points on 11-of-25 shooting, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals

Irving’s 20 second-quarter points got the Mavs back into this game. He still can be a one-man offense for extended stretches and completely take over games. This was another impressive scoring performance from someone who’s had more than his fair share in this building.

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Third star: Mario Hezonja

22 points on 9-of-12 shooting, 7 rebounds, 4 assists

Hezonja made a strong argument for why he deserves more minutes than he’s been getting in recent games. He forced mismatches offensively, and then read how the defense was going to react and consistently made the right play out of it. Hozonja processes the game at such a high level. This elevates the basketball IQ for units he’s on the court with.

Duds of the game

Cleveland’s resting starters

0 minutes, 0 points, 0 assists, 0 rebounds, 0 steals

Back-to-backs are difficult, especially when travel plans are thrown off as drastically as they were around the country yesterday. It makes sense to err on the side of caution in a situation like this. What’s the point of risking an injury for a game that will matter very little in the spring? At the same time, saying that the game should be canceled because of an inconvenience like this is a bad look.

On top of that, the Cavs played some of their most inspiring basketball of the early season on Saturday night without six of the top eight players in their rotation. That is good for the guys who played, but a clear indictment on those who didn’t.

Atkinson was asked about rebounding before the game since it’s been a consistent issue with the starting group. He gave a long-winded answer that could’ve been summed up by saying there’s only so much coaching can do. “I always tell the coaches, it’s 50% on us. It’s got to transfer — the message has to get through.”

This message, and many others about how they want to play basketball on both ends, is getting through — just not to the guys who will ultimately determine wins and losses in the spring.

Cavalier who deserves a shoutout

Norchad Omier

13 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal

Omier made the most of his first real rotation minutes for the Cavs. He was impactful offensively with his ability to finish inside and hit a corner three as well. Defensively, he used his wide frame to play backup five when Bryant wasn’t out there.

The Cavs won the minutes Omier played by 11. Getting quality play like this from a two-way big went a long way toward stealing the victory.

Play of the game

Irving received a loud ovation when he was introduced as a starter, and an even louder one when they played a video tribute for his contribution to the 2016 championship team.

Quote of the day

“You know, 52 years is a long, long period of time waiting for a championship, and we did it. And I think that’s one of the hardest championships — I think. I’m not gonna say it is, I said I think personally it’s one of the hardest championships ever in NBA history that we got to accomplish.”

– Kyrie Irving on the 2016 championship

Stat of the game

The Cavs grabbed 57% of available rebounds (92nd percentile).

The Cavaliers who were available on Saturday showed that they’re capable of hearing the message from the coaching staff and applying it on the court.

Main takeaway from this game: The Cavs have some encouraging young players

I wrote about this in yesterday’s deep dive from the Miami Heat loss: The Cavs have quietly turned over their supporting cast. Their younger bench players are far more versatile than the specialists we’ve seen in previous seasons.

The trio of Tyrese Proctor, Meleek Thomas, and Jaylon Tyson have very defined roles when the starters are out there. They’ve mostly performed well in those situations and have shown glimpses of being able to do more. On Saturday, they proved that they can scale their games up when called upon.

Cleveland needed that trio to be the offensive initiators given who was out, and they did that. The ball was moving quickly around the perimeter, with each being able to attack off the dribble when needed. This resulted in the trio all scoring 18 points or more against a Mavs team actually playing their starters.

This performance on its own doesn’t necessarily mean much. It’s not uncommon to see NBA teams let up and lose when their opponent is missing half of their rotation. However, this game didn’t just come out of the blue; it was a continuation of what we’ve been seeing pretty consistently for the last week or so — specifically from Proctor and Thomas.

The Cavs are at a weird crossroads. How they’ve been playing with their star players has led to inconsistent results. We’ve seen some high highs, but some even lower lows. Something needs to change if they’re going to reach the heights they have the potential to.

Surrendering the reins to the young players isn’t the answer to their problems. But turning to the style of play that this group has embraced — and the one that all the Cavs did during the 2024-25 season — could be a solution. Just not one we’ve seen the veterans truly get on board with yet. Maybe this win changes some minds.

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Goaltending Struggles Continue for Mammoth, Drop Fifth Straight Game With Shootout Loss to Sharks

Another day, another game, another 65 minutes, another shootout, another loss. Rinse, wash, repeat for the Utah Mammoth on Saturday in a 6-5 shootout loss to the San Jose Sharks. Yet this game couldn’t be any more different than Thursday’s shootout loss to the St. Louis Blues.

This game had all the offense you could want. This game was also one the Mammoth should’ve statistically won.

The biggest story of Saturday’s game was Zac Jones scoring two goals. The first goal came off a great pass from Kailer Yamamoto, the defenseman’s first goal since Nov. 17, 2024. The second, a blast from the middle of the Sharks’ zone, made the game his first-ever multi-goal game in the NHL.

Jones now has seven points in his past five pro games. Three of those points are goals. He’s been a very impressive and sneaky-good pickup for the Mammoth. No matter if he’s in the American Hockey League or in the NHL, he has found ways to make a big impact, and he’s been a big favorite in both locker rooms.

“I feel good,” Jones said. “Not just the offensive part of the game. I felt like I controlled the puck well, defended well, and now I'm just going to take it and learn from it, and then hopefully take it in the next game.” 

Ben McCartney also had a very respectable game. He had three hits and played more than seven minutes during Saturday’s game, including a shift during overtime, a nearly three-minute uptick from his prior game. Both Jones and McCartney had good games, showing the depth the Mammoth have despite the massive number of injuries they’re dealing with. It’s a testament to how good the Tucson Roadrunners have been at developing and recruiting talent.

“The margins are tight, and it's likely going to come down to one point at the end of the year,” Roadrunners head coach Steve Potvin said. “It's critical that our guys are able to first compete here, understand what's expected, and then go up and be able to execute when they're there. You've got to love hearing that Benny get an opportunity to play in overtime. If he's playing in overtime, you know that he's earned a little trust there.”

Three of the five goals scored by the Mammoth on Saturday were scored by defensemen, one of which was scored by Mikhail Sergachev. They are at the top of the league in goals scored by a defenseman. That’s a big pro and con. It’s impressive from the blueline, but when the defense is contributing more offense than your 12 forwards, that’s not a great stat line.

Once again, a lot of the forwards on the Mammoth didn’t contribute and remain on long goal droughts. It was good to see Barrett Hayton score his second goal in the past five games. Jack McBain now has four points in the past five games. They can’t be the only ones contributing.

We’ve talked about how the goaltenders need to stay consistent and keep performing well in multiple games in a row. That did not happen on Saturday. Karel Vejmelka was a liability on the ice and allowed five goals on 21 shots. He finished with a .762 save percentage, which somehow isn’t the worst save percentage from him this season.

The Mammoth cannot outscore to win games. That’s just not how they’re built. They are running out of games to really keep trusting Vejmelka. That is on the mind of the team as well. For the first time this season, head coach André Tourigny criticized his goaltender in his postgame availability.

“Vej has to be better,” Tourigny said. “I don't want to say that about any of our players, but that's just the way it is. So it is what it is.” 

It’s clear Vejmelka’s runway is getting shorter every game. The Mammoth can’t afford to have a goaltender struggling the way he is. They’re a team not afraid to make a move. All of the goodwill he built up over the past two seasons that culminated in an extension back in 2025 has reached the bottom of the barrel. We have gotten to the point where his final chances are coming up.

“He's in a tough situation,” Tourigny said. “I feel bad for him, but that's on the personal side. On the business side, he has a job to do, and he needs to do it now more than ever." 

The Mammoth outshot the Sharks 32-21. That is a game you should win. Going four for six on the penalty kill is ok and so is going two for five on the power play. The Mammoth are badly injured. They played decently during the game. It all comes back to keeping the puck out of their own net and finding ways to finish putting pucks in their opponent’s net.

“Our guys worked really hard,” Tourigny said. “We achieved, we showed character, and we came back. Jonesy had a great night. Scored two big goals for us, which was a key moment. When they had a push in the second period, I thought we regrouped well and scored a big goal. It's frustrating. We have nothing to show for it. It's not a league of moral victory. I think we generated a lot of offense; we almost doubled them in scoring chances.”

The Mammoth do get a point out of this one, bouncing them back into the second wild card spot in the Western Conference. However, they’ve now dropped five straight games. They can’t afford to continue just getting one or fewer points out of games if they want to keep in the race.

In every recent recap article, there’s been a final sentence about the Mammoth really needing to turn this ship around. After allowing five goals and nearly losing in regulation to a team that has really struggled over the past few weeks, that statement couldn’t be truer or said louder.

“It's frustrating right now,” Hayton said. “Having a good start, getting a lead. I think we just have to manage the game better. I know we've talked about that a lot, but just little instances make a difference. You never know when they are, but ultimately, there's gonna be games like that where it's a fine margin of error, and yeah, it's just not good enough.” 

The Mammoth will play the Vancouver Canucks on Monday. The Canucks are 3-17-1 this season, making them the worst team in the NHL as of Sunday. They’re coming off a 5-1 loss to the New York Rangers and will play the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday before playing the Mammoth.

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Antetokounmpo scores 34, Heat block 14 shots and roll past Pistons 137-117 for 4th straight win

MIAMI — Giannis Antetokounmpo had 34 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists, some of the spectacular variety, and the Miami Heat beat the Detroit Pistons 137-117 on Saturday night for their fourth straight win.

Klay Thompson scored 26 points in his return from a sprained ankle and Bam Adebayo added 20 for the Heat. Davion Mitchell had 15 points and nine rebounds for Miami.

Cade Cunningham had 33 points and eight assists for Detroit, which got 20 points and seven assists from Kevin Huerter.

Miami had nine players record at least one block and finished with 14 as a team — one shy of the franchise record.

The NBA record for players on the same team having at least one block in a game is 10, done twice — both by Golden State, first in 1991 and then again in 2016. The Heat team record for players with at least one block was eight, done on five occasions.

Antetokounmpo finished a weekend where he scored 71 points in a two-day span, after finishing with 37 in Miami’s win over Cleveland on Friday night. He also had a through-the-legs assist to Thompson for a 3-pointer in the opening quarter.

It was one of six 3s on the night for Thompson, who is now 26 away from tying former Heat guard Ray Allen (2,973) for the third-most 3-pointers in NBA history.

Miami won for the seventh time in its last nine games and became the fourth team in the last 25 seasons to start 0-4 but rally to a winning record at the 13-game mark. Sacramento (7-6) did it in 2022-23, Oklahoma City (8-5) did it in 2018-19 and Dallas (9-4) did it in 2006-07.

It also matched the best nine-game stretch for the Heat since an 8-1 burst in November 2023.

Up next

Pistons: Visit San Antonio on Tuesday night.

Heat: Host Houston on Monday night.

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Flyers Earn First Divisional Win on Shoulders of Matvei Michkov, Denver Barkey

Over the years, the Flyers have made a clear bad habit of starting their games slowly, dating back to former head coach John Tortorella's reign with the team.

An early two-goal deficit proved surmountable, though, as the Flyers dedicated their 4-3 comeback win to longtime Flyers physician Dr. Gary Dorshimer, who passed away on Saturday.

A wildly sluggish start to the contest saw the Flyers spot the Blue Jackets two early goals, with Dmitri Voronkov and Matthew Knies scoring exactly one minute apart to take a commanding 2-0 lead less than five minutes into the first period.

After the goal from Knies, though, the Flyers began to wake up and find their legs in the last game of this road trip, and after winning a board battle on the left wing wall, Tyson Foerster wired a no-look pass across the ice to Trevor Zegras, who blasted the puck past Jet Greaves to bring the Flyers within a goal at 2-1.

With wind in their sails heading into the middle stanza, the Flyers were primed to stage a comeback, and they did so with aplomb.

Just 1:19 into the second period, Matvei Michkov, amid all the trade controversy, made an amazing defensive play, sneaking up on Adam Fantilli, stick-lifting the Blue Jackets forward at the blue line, and racing down the other way for a breakaway goal on Greaves.

"I mean, that's a high-level, unreal play. He's played really well, like every game. I thought Vancouver, he had a really good game. Obviously, Edmonton, he played a ton. Those are big goals," Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet said of Michkov after the win.

"If you look at it, Columbus right away, 2-0. We needed some kind of a spark, and obviously Mich gave us a spark with that goal."

Flyers' Matvei Michkov Draws Intriguing Comparison to NHL SuperstarFlyers' Matvei Michkov Draws Intriguing Comparison to NHL SuperstarIf the Flyers are correct in their assessment of Matvei Michkov, they will reap big rewards in the future.

With his breakaway goal, Michkov improved his Flyers-leading tally to 11 goals on the year.

Just over a minute later, with the Flyers on a power play, fellow youngster Denver Barkey joined in on the scoring, receiving a pass from Porter Martone, pivoting, and firing past Greaves to give the Flyers their first lead of the contest at 3-2.

Unfortunately, the lead was short-lived, as an unlucky bounce fell to Fantilli right between Flyers defensemen Cam York and Jamie Drysdale, allowing the Blue Jackets forward to beat goalie Joseph Woll from distance to even the score.

Over halfway through the third period, Barkey struck again, illustrating exactly what the Flyers want out of their youth movement.

A strong offensive zone steal from Noel Acciari led to an impromptu 2-on-1 rush attempt, and Barkey buried his shot accordingly to provide the eventual dagger, giving the Flyers a 4-3 lead.

After a slow start to the season coming back from an injury that hindered his training camp and preseason preparation, Barkey has four goals, four assists, and eight points in his last 12 games for the Flyers.

With his goal, Zegras has his first point in five games, and first goal since Oct. 27, which ironically came in the dreadful 4-3 overtime loss to the Blue Jackets.

Flyers Push Back on Matvei Michkov Trade RumorsFlyers Push Back on Matvei Michkov Trade RumorsFlyers general manager Danny Briere came forward to refute the wild Matvei Michkov trade rumors in a surprise press conference.

The most underrated aspect of Saturday's 4-3 win against the Blue Jackets is the fact that the Flyers have earned their first win against a divisional opponent this season.

Now, they've improved to 1-4-3 this season against Metropolitan Division rivals with lots of hockey left to play, though the hole they've dug for themselves is still considerable, to say the least.

This grind isn't ending for the Flyers anytime soon, either, as they will have to face Connor McDavid and the Oilers once again on Sunday night in what will be the second leg of a back-to-back.

After also hosting the Sabres on Tuesday, the Flyers will be back on the road again, just like that. That's why stealing an away game against a divisional opponent like they did against the Blue Jackets on Saturday was so crucial.

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Islanders Lose Logan Stanley In Dominant 6-2 Victory Over Ducks

The New York Islanders defeated the Anaheim Ducks 6-2 on Saturday night to cap a 2-0-1 road trip to California.

Simon Holmstrom recorded his first career hat trick, Matthew Schaefer notched three assists, and Victor Eklund extended his point streak to four games. 

Mathew Barzal returned to the lineup, recording an assist in 16:21 minutes, while leading the team with four shots on goal. 

However, despite getting Barzal back in the lineup for the first time this season, the Islanders lost defenseman Logan Stanley to a lower-body injury. 

He did not play the final 3:24 of the first period and tried to get back in on a few early shifts in the second period, but could not continue. 

The Islanders have Matt Kessel and Scott Mayfield on their bench and could also potentially place a waiver claim on former Islanders blueliner Mike Reilly, whom the Carolina Hurricanes placed on waivers Saturday afternoon.

Center Jean-Gabriel Pagaeu missed his second straight game with a lower-body injury.

UP NEXT: The Islanders host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tusday night at 7 PM ET.  

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Postgame report: Pens fall to Senators

PITTSBURGH, PA - NOVEMBER 14: Rickard Rakell #67 of the Pittsburgh Penguins moves the puck in front of Jordan Spence #10 of the Ottawa Senators at PPG PAINTS Arena on November 14, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images

The Penguins dropped a 4-1 game to the Ottawa Senators.

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Sharks Break Franchise History, Complete Multiple Comebacks to Outlast Mammoth

The San Jose Sharks had to make multiple comebacks, break a franchise record, and have another young defenseman score his first career goal, then survive overtime and a lengthy shootout in order to secure a victory against a depleted Utah Mammoth lineup.

While it wasn't a pretty performance, and there was certainly a lot to not be happy about early in the game, the Sharks did what they had to in order to pick up two points in Salt Lake City in one of the wildest games of the season.

Mammoth defenseman Zac Jones scored his first goal as a member of the Mammoth, and just the fifth of his career, off of a feed by Kailer Yamamoto on the rush. Once again, the Sharks faced an early deficit, giving up the goal just 2:15 into the game.

After Will Smith took the Sharks' second penalty in the opening nine minutes, defenseman Mikhail Sergachev fired a shot from the slot on the ensuing power play. The shot flew past Yaroslav Askarov into the back of the net, doubling the Sharks' lead. 

The Sharks' power play come through in a very big way as Tyler Toffoli cut the Mammoth's lead in half with a power-play goal just past the midway point in the opening frame. 

The Sharks' momentum was short-lived as the Mammoth restored their lead in confusing fashion. Zac Jones scored for the second time in the period, getting the first multigoal game of his NHL career. It also marked just the second time in his career that he had more than one goal in a season. The referee prematurely blew the whistle though, thinking that Askarov had covered it, when reality it was sliding toward the goal line, leading to the goal being waved off initially. After a review, the referees decided it was a goal due to continuous motion, making it a 3-1 game in favor of Utah.

Will Smith thought he had brought the Sharks back within a goal early in the second period, but the goal was overturned by the officials after a short review as the play was offside. 

The Sharks wouldn't be denied for long, as Adam Gaudette scored on the power play at 3:07 in the second period and six seconds later, Zack Ostapchuk scored his second of the season to set a new franchise record for the fastest back-to-back goals in history.

The prior record jointly belonged to the 1992-93 Sharks and the 2021-22 team, both of whom scored goals seven seconds apart. 

Darnell Nurse had a bad giveaway in the defensive zone that resulted in Jack McBain restoring the Mammoth's lead less than halfway through the game.

Liam O'Brien then deflected the puck past Askarov, but the goal was initially waved off for goaltender interference. After Utah opted to challenge the decision, the officials confirmed their decision, giving the Mammoth a minor penalty for delay of game. 

Eric Pohlkamp scored his first career goal at 5:23 of the third period with a shot from distance to tie the game at 4-4.

Dmitri Orlov scored a knuckling shot from the point that tricked Karel Vejmelka and found its way into the net, giving the Sharks their first lead of the night with just under six minutes remaining in regulation.

Ivar Stenberg took a late slashing penalty, giving the Mammoth's high-powered power play a chance to tie it up and they did just that. Barrett Hayton scored his third goal of the season fairly quickly to make it a 5-5 hockey game.

Neither regulation nor overtime would decide a winner, so the game went into a shootout to decide the victor. It took until the fifth round for Mason Marchment to score the winning goal, securing a 6-5 victory over the Mammoth. The Sharks now need to travel back to the Shark Tank, as they'll host the Nashville Predators tomorrow night.