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Observations From Blues' 3-2 Shootout Win Vs. Lightning

ST. LOUIS – The St. Louis Blues looked forward to the opportunity to slay the dragon on Friday night, the hottest team in the NHL going in the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Lightning had bolted their way through 11 straight opponents with a hot knife, and the Blues were next on the agenda and with another win, the Lightning would establish a franchise record.

The Blues would have none of that, and it took every ounce of energy and they did it in a fashion they had trouble with all season: doing it in overtime and/or a shootout.

But when Jordan Kyrou scored in the second round of the shootout and Joel Hofer was 3-for-3 in saves, including the final one on Nikita Kucherov in the third round, the Blues put an end to the Lightning’s winning streak at 11 with a 3-2 win at Enterprise Center on Friday.

“It feels great,” Kyrou said. “Obviously we haven’t done that all year. It feels good to get that one.”

Jake Neighbours and Nick Bjugstad scored, and Hofer made 34 saves as the Blues (19-21-8) completed a mini two-game homestand winning both against two of the Eastern Conference’s best.

“We knew it would be a good test, a quick little homestand before a road trip,” Neighbours said. “It was a big point of emphasis for us. Carolina was coming off a back to back, so that game was important and Tampa was on an 11-game win streak coming into tonight. Two big games and guys rose up for the challenge, played a stingy, hard defensive game. Don’t think we had our best tonight by any means, but guys dug in and got it done.”

Let’s look at Friday’s game observations:

* Quick strike first period after not much happening – The ice was tilted for much of the first period toward’s Hofer’s end of the ice.

The Lightning had much of the territorial edge in the first period, and for the Blues, there was a lot of one-and-done. The few times they’d get pucks in and try to attack offensively on the forecheck, it was coming right back out.

But when Neighbours and Bjugstad struck 30 seconds apart to turn a 0-0 game into a 2-0 lead, it allowed them to dictate things for a stretch of the game.

When Neighbours made it 1-0 at 17:03, it was a fortuitous bounce when Kyrou’s shot from the high slot deflected to Neighbours at the bottom of the right circle, but the Blues were finally able to get to the middle of the ice when Cam Fowler dropped it to Kyrou for the shot and Neighbours finish:

And when the Bjugstad line with Pavel Buchnevich and Jonatan Berggren put a puck in deep and had an effective forecheck, effectively turning it over from Charlie-Edouard D’Astous behind the net and Buchnevich feeding Bjugstad for a high-slot wrister that made it 2-0 at 17:33:

“Part of the way our defense and our systems are built is if teams are keeping the puck that we can keep them to the outside and not allow a lot of high-danger chances,” Neighbours said. “I thought we did a pretty good job of that, especially early in the first period, kind of allowed us to get our legs under us a little bit. Obviously getting a couple goals at the end of the first was big for confidence and mojo going into the second.”

* Blues were managing game well ... until penalties struck, including one bad one – The Blues had gotten close to the midway point of the game holding a two-goal lead against a potent and balanced offense, but when Alexey Toropchenko and Nathan Walker each took a tripping minor, that’s asking for trouble.

Especially Walker, whose careless trip could have been prevented, especially when the Blues were doing an excellent job at killing off the initial minor. Walker had the puck along the wall near the Blues bench, and with the final seconds ticking down on Toropchenko’s penalty, all Walker had to do was dump the puck down below the goal line and the Lightning almost surely would not have had time to score. But instead, he tried to pull the puck around Oliver Bjorkstrand and ended up tripping him, giving the Lightning, which was sixth in the league at 28.6 percent during its 11-game win streak, the chance to get right back in the game.

It wasn’t much time, but the Lightning had 12 seconds of a two-man advantage and needed only eight ticks when Kucherov one-timed a Brandon Hagel no-look pass by Hofer at 9:59 to make it 2-1.

Not only did it put the Lightning back in the game, but it gave Tampa Bay 1:52 of another full man advantage and the Lightning took advantage when Bjorkstrand tied the game 2-2 at 11:01, so feeling like they had firm control of the game, the Blues lost their grip.

All due to one mishap that could have been avoided.

“Nathan Walker’s an incredible team-first guy who would do anything to win a game,” Montgomery said. “I know he knows that. We don’t have to talk to him about that. He was trying to do a positive thing and it wasn’t the right game management at the time in the second period.”

The Blues didn’t feel like it was time to panic.

“After they tied it, it’s just … that’s Kucherov,” Neighbours said. “That’s that power play. It’s hard to stop even when you know what’s coming. That’s what elite players do, that’s what good power plays do. We knew 5-on-5, we didn’t mind our game. We thought we had a chance and if we could get it back to that and stay with that, we had a good chance.”

Walker led all skaters with six hits in the game, and he does play with a big heart, but that miscue could have cost the Blues two points. Consider it a lesson learned.

* Hofer being Hofer – Right now, the Blues goalie is playing with a lot of confidence in his game.

The Lightning, like the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday, were throwing a lot of rubber at Hofer, and getting bodies to the net.

He made two really good saves on Jake Guentzel in the first period and was able to snap a shot from the point by Max Crozier looking one way and catching it in another with Anthony Cirelli right in his grill.

“I saw the release,” Hofer said. “It definitely makes it easier.

“I feel good. Just trying to keep building. Even during the good games, trying to take a thing or two and keep working on them and keep building my game. It’s been going good.”

Since Nov. 29, Hofer is 9-4-0 with a league-best 2.06 goals-against average and .929 save percentage.

“He’s playing big in the nets,” Montgomery said. “He’s making tough saves look easy. That gives you a lot of confidence on the bench, especially the players in front of him.”

* More directness in OT – There was a reason why the Blues were 0-6 (0-8 if you count shootouts) in overtime this season. There was no direct play towards the oppositions goal.

Whether it be passing up shots, not playing north-south, not attacking the net with a purpose, you name it, the Blues were all over it.

They did outshoot Tampa Bay 4-2 in the extra session and had a couple different chances to win it but came up just a little short before Kyrou would strike in the shootout to preserve the win.

“I thought we were more direct offensively, yes,” Montgomery said. ‘I still think we were passing up too many shots, too many turnovers going east-west. When you’re playing these elite teams, they cover the middle of the ice really well, and that led to not as much O-zone time as we would have liked.”

The Blues practiced both 3-on-3 and shootout attempts Thursday in practice and it seemed to pay off, despite the futility amongst themselves on the pracrice ice.

“Yesterday we worked on it and I thought today, we were attacking,” Kyrou said, who had two terrific chances, one blocked by JJ Moser and missing the net in the final second off a face-off win. “We were not staying back. We were being aggressive shooting the puck more. I thought we looked a lot better in overtime.”

* Making the shootout count for a change – This was only the Blues’ third shootout of the season, and they were 0-for-6 combined in shootout attempts in losses to the Philadelphia Flyers and Vancouver Canucks.

But Kyrou changed all that in the second round when he scored just his fifth career shootout goal (on 22 attempts) in his career, when he stickhandled to Vasilevskiy and flipped a backhand home for his fourth game-winner:

“He’s a big goalie, hard to score on,” Kyrou said of Vasilevskiy. “I just tried to move him as much as I can and raise the puck.”

Kyrou, who hasn’t scored in 12 games (including 10 since returning from a lower-body injury but does have four assists), finished tied with Jimmy Snuggerud and Justin Faulk with four shots on goal.

“I think this has been four consecutive games where Jordan Kyrou has played his four best consecutive games in a row,” Montgomery said. “His shot-first mentality and the assist on the (No.) 63 goal. He’s trying to shoot pucks, he’s being very aggressive offensively, and I like the way he’s tracking and stripping people from behind right now.”

* Bjugstad’s draws – When Montgomery sent Bjugstad over the boards to start the overtime and take the opening draw, there was a purpose.

The big center won 13 of 19 from the dot (68 percent for the night), at one point being 10 of 12. But Montgomery didn’t care that he lost a few down the stretch.

The Blues were wanting the puck to begin OT, and they got it off Bjugstad’s face-off win and possession to do what they’d like.

“Based off be was 10-3 after two periods on face-offs,” Montgomery said. “Some nights, you just win all the draws. It’s just the timing’s on. He had one of those nights and he came up with three big wins in overtime.”

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LA Kings Fall To Ducks In Shootout After Late Collapse

The Los Angeles Kings  (19-16-12) earned a point tonight against the Anaheim Ducks (23-21-3) at home, but missed another chance of closing out the game when it got tight, falling 3-2 to Anaheim after leading 2-0 late in the second period. 

Despite Los Angeles controlling large stretches of the game and the numbers on the stat sheet looking similar, the Kings once again proved they can't be trusted when the game gets close, as Mason McTavish sealed the win in the shootout. 

Byfield and Armia Power the Kings to an Early 2-0 Lead

Los Angeles opened the scoring just over a minute into the first period when Quinton Byfield buried a wrist shot for his eighth goal of the season. Joel Armia, who returned from injury tonight after missing the last five games, quickly made his presence felt on the ice for the Kings, burying his 10th goal of the season in the second period, keeping the Kings in firm control of the game. 

At this point, it looked like the Kings had a firm grip on the game, generating great looks and consistent pressure off the rush and in the offensive zone. But, it wouldn't be a Kings game if it didn't go down to the wire. 

Late-Second Period Collapse Continues Troubling Trend

The game turned quickly late in the second period, a period that continues to haunt the Kings all season. 

Ryan Strome and Tim Washe (who scored his first NHL goal) found the net against Darcy Kuemper, tying the game 2-2 just like that, putting the pressure on Los Angeles after having a commanding 2-0 lead. 

Los Angeles has now surrendered 50 goals in the second period this season and owns a minus -10 goal differential in the frame, an awful stat to resurface at such a critical moment. 

Kings Again Struggle When Games Are Tied After 40

The collapse after building a two-goal lead carried into another frustrating reality. The Kings have now lost 12 of 17 games that are tied after two periods, a big issue that keeps recurring when games are close and momentum swings to the opposition. 

After 40 minutes, the game was tied 2-2. Despite Los Angeles controlling large stretches of possession and generating more quality looks, the game was tied. 

Scoreless Third Leads to OT

Neither team scored in the third period or overtime, despite Kevin Fiala having a breakaway fast-break opportunity, but he lost control of the puck under the Ducks' defensive pressure. 

LA and Anaheim had good luck in overtime, but give credit to both goaltenders for saving the game and sending it to a shootout. 

Anaheim ultimately would prevail when McTavish beat Kuemper to secure a 3-2 Ducks win. 

Both the Kings and Ducks finished with identical numbers at the end of the game: 28 shots and 50% on faceoffs, but neither team scored a power-play goal tonight. 

Despite strong efforts from Fiala and Armia, the Kings once again walked away with just one point after failing to close out a winnable game. This loss becomes very concerning for the Kings because it's the same away Los Angeles keeps losing, strong starts are no longer enough if they can't execute late-game situations.

 

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Rockets 110, Timberwolves 105: Randle and Durant Duel in Houston

That was a fun one, just wish it had started a little bit earlier.

Late Friday night, the Minnesota Timberwolves took on the Houston Rockets. It was the second straight game for the Wolves without Anthony Edwards as he recovers from an infection in his toe. Timberwolves Head Coach Chris Finch said he is still day-to-day with the injury.

Without their best player, it was always going to be an uphill climb for the Wolves, but they came out of the gates strong, taking a double-digit lead early in the second quarter. The defense was limiting Houston’s quality shots, the ball movement on offense was great, and they did a good job getting out in transition, scoring 16 fast break points in the first half.

The Rockets eventually whittled the Wolves’ lead down to two going into the halftime break. The slim margin would hold until the early parts of the fourth quarter when Houston scored seven straight points to give them an eight-point lead, their largest lead of the game to that point.

Without their best player on the floor, the Wolves could not find enough effective offense down the stretch of the game, turning the ball over eight times in the fourth quarter while making only a single 3-pointer on just three fourth-quarter attempts. Minnesota fell by a final score of 110-105.

Julius Randle and Kevin Durant were each the offensive engines for their team, each scoring 39 points. Randle’s scoring is now up to 27.7 points per game in the ten games Edwards has missed this season. Durant, like he always does, shot the ball incredibly well, going 11-18 from the field, 6-8 from beyond the arc, and 11-14 from the free-throw line.

Naz Reid was the other standout for the Timberwolves in the game, scoring 25 points as he made 8 of his 11 shots, including 5 makes from deep. After getting his first taste of rotation minutes on Tuesday against the Milwaukee Bucks, Joan Beringer kept his spot in the rotation, playing a total of six minutes as the Wolves experimented with a three-big lineup with Beringer, Randle, and Reid sharing the court together.

The centers for each team struggled mightily from the free-throw line as Rudy Gobert went 2-10 and Alperen Şengün shot 3-9. The two teams combined to go 40-69 from the free-throw line, both leaving a good number of points available that could have swung the balance of the game.

While any close loss is a missed opportunity for a team like the Wolves with lofty goals, this game will not come with a ton of baggage for the Wolves. Not having Edwards available made getting a win tough against a solid and potentially desperate Houston team, which had just gotten shellacked by the Oklahoma City Thunder a night ago.

It’s also easy to wonder how the game may have gone differently if Edwards had been able to suit up. Not having him available made it tough offensively for the Wolves against Houston’s ninth-rated defense.

Some losses make it feel like the sky is falling. Other losses, like tonight, you can shrug your shoulders and just try to get the next one.

Up Next

The Timberwolves don’t get much time to rest, as they have less than 20 hours to prepare for their next game, a matchup against the San Antonio Spurs at 7:00 PM CT. It is a quick turnaround between games, as you will see in the NBA, making it a real test as Minnesota takes on the team with the second-best record in the West. Fans can watch tomorrow’s game on FanDuel Sports Network.

Highlights

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“Cloud Nine” – Hurricanes 9, Panthers 1

The Carolina Hurricanes played one of their most entertaining games of the season as they thoroughly dominated the Stanley Cup Champion, Florida Panthers, 9-1 on Friday night at the Lenovo Center.

Nikolaj Ehlers had a hattrick, goaltender Brandon Bussi picked up another win, (17-3-1) and every Carolina forward had at least one point in the shellacking.

The Panthers were missing some key players due to injuries but this win has to help the Hurricanes get over the mental block which they seemed to have when they played this team.

The home team dominated the first period but skated into the dressing room with a slim 1-0 lead.

Ehlers scored the first goal off an absolutely beautiful no-look pass by Jordan Staal.

The Panthers tied the score early in the second period off an odd play but that would be it for the visitors.

Later in the period, Mark Jankowski knocked in a rebound off of a blast by Alexander Nikishin to make it 2-1.

A couple minutes later, Nikishin rocketed another shot during a powerplay that got by Bobrovsky to make it 3-1 and the Canes never looked back. The shot was clocked at 92 MPH.

Speaking of the powerplay, the team officially went 4 of 5 for the night and the penalty kill was perfect, 0-5.

In the previous two meetings against the Panthers, the Canes gave up multi-goal leads in the third period and ended up losing, but that was not happening on this night.

Andrei Svechnikov sniped another PP goal to start things off in the third. A bit later, Ehlers scored another powerplay tally, his second of the night.

Just 21 seconds later, Taylor Hall scored yet another powerplay goal to make it 6-1, but the Canes were not done yet.

Next up, Ehlers scored his third and the hats rained down upon the Lenovo Center ice.

Hall then scored again and 10 seconds later, Eric Robinson made it 9-1 and the celebrations started.

There were several heroes in this game and the team was physical throughout.

The Canes outshot the Panthers, 33-16. They outhit them 30-19 and were dominant in the faceoff circle winning 66% for the game.

Jordan Staal was finishing his checks from start to finish and was awarded six hits. Sean Walker was very physical in this one as well and also had a team high six hits.

Panther, Donovan Sebrango took exception to one heavy hit and went after Walker. The defenseman answered the bell as the two dropped the gloves until Walker took him down. According Cory Lavalette, it was Walker’s first career NHL fight.

It was the first game that Ehlers played on the same line with Staal and Martinook. After the game when asked about it, he said he was looking forward to it.

“The way they play, the way they battle and get pucks out, I knew I would get more space out there. And that is something I was looking for.”

Nikishin had one of his best games in the NHL with a goal and an assist.

I could on and on about this game but there is another one coming up soon enough as the Hurricanes traveled after this game to New Jersey, where they will play yet another back-to-back scenario.

Highlights –

Game Summary – https://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20252026/GS020750.HTM

Event Summary – https://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20252026/ES020750.HTM

Interviews – https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/r35274bouvc0q27f31mj5/AKobUUxYC-vDTaBijkYSa6c?rlkey=fcw0dlqydmy9j1s7meiynccw7&e=1&st=zwc2w0jn&dl=0

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How many points did Kevin Durant score? Timberwolves vs Rockets stats

Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets outplayed the Minnesota Timberwolves to secure a 110-105 victory on Friday night.

Durant, who is in his first season with Houston, powered the Rockets with a season-high scoring effort.

He finished the first half of play with 18 points after making 7-of-11 shots from the field and helped the Rockets close the gap only trailing Minnesota by two points after a 3-pointer with just a second remaining in the second quarter.

For the game, Durant made six of his eight shots from long range.

Here’s Durant’s full stat line from Friday night:

Kevin Durant stats vs. Timberwolves

  • Points: 39
  • FG: 11-for-18
  • 3PT: 6-for-8
  • Free Throws: 11-for-14
  • Rebounds: 4
  • Assists: 7
  • Steals: 2
  • Blocks: 1
  • Turnovers: 5
  • Fouls: 3
  • Minutes: 40

Kevin Durant, Rockets vs. Timberwolves highlights

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kevin Durant stats, points tonight, Timberwolves vs Rockets highlights

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Sabonis returns to help Kings beat Wizards 128-115 for 4th straight win

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Domantas Sabonis scored 13 points in his return from a knee injury, Russell Westbrook had 26 and the Sacramento Kings beat the Washington Wizards 128-115 on Friday night for their fourth straight victory.

Sabonis returned after missing 27 games because of a partially torn meniscus in his left knee. The three-time All-Star forward/center came off the bench, entering with 5:11 left in the first quarter.

Sabonis also had seven rebounds and five assists in a little over 21 minutes. He was 5 of 6 from field, with the miss coming from 3 -point range.

Dennis Schroder also was back for the Kings after serving a three-game suspension for confronting Lakers star Luka Doncic after a game in Los Angeles. Schroder had 15 points and five assists.

Westbrook was 9 of 14 from the field, hitting 6 of 9 3-pointers, and had six assists. DeMar DeRozan scored 17 points, and Precious Achiuwa and Zach LaVine each had 16.

The Kings have won the first three games of a seven-game homestand to improve to 12-30. They opened the run against Houston, then beat the Lakers and New York.

Alex Sarr led Washington with 19 points, and Tre Johnson had 18. The Wizards dropped to 10-30 with their fifth straight loss.

Washington newcomer Trae Young — acquired from Atlanta in a deal that sent CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert to the Hawks — is sidelined by knee and quadriceps injuries. He will be re-evaluated in mid-February.

Sacramento led 67-61 at the half after scoring 41 points in the first quarter and giving up 39 in the second. The Kings had a 34-23 edge in the third.

Up next

Wizards: At Denver on Saturday night.

Kings: Host Portland on Sunday night.

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

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Bednar Rips Avalanche Effort After 7–3 Home Loss to Predators

DENVER — After winning 17 consecutive games at Ball Arena, the Colorado Avalanche have now dropped back-to-back contests on home ice.

Colorado suffered a 7–3 loss to the Nashville Predators on Friday night, marking the second time this season the Predators have defeated the Avalanche—more than any other NHL opponent.

Ryan O’Reilly led Nashville with a hat trick and four-point performance. Filip Forsberg added a goal and two assists, Roman Josi recorded three helpers, and Michael Bunting also found the back of the net. Juuse Saros was sharp throughout, stopping 39 shots.

For Colorado, Brock Nelson scored twice, while Martin Nečas tallied his 22nd goal of the season. Mackenzie Blackwood made 23 saves in his return from injured reserve.

Ryan O'Reilly made a statement off the bat.

Bednar Displeased with Effort

Head coach Jared Bednar typically finds something to build on following a loss. Friday night was not one of those occasions.

“There were no positives about this game,” Bednar said with a subtle chuckle. “I hated that game from start to finish, pretty much.

“We got slightly better in the second period and okay at the start of the third, but it wasn’t enough to win the hockey game, so there’s nothing I liked.”

Given the trade rumors surrounding O'Reilly, The Hockey News put Bednar on the spot and asked him if he or anyone else has put any thought into acquiring him. Bednar was succinct in his response.

"I have no idea," he said flatly. "That's not my department. If they keep playing like that, they won't be trading anybody."

First Period

O’Reilly opened the scoring just 30 seconds into the game, winning a faceoff against Nathan MacKinnon before taking a feed from Forsberg and beating Blackwood with a quick backhand.

Nearly a minute later, Nelson answered for Colorado, tying the game at 1–1 after hammering home a rebound off a Brent Burns point shot. The goal was his team-leading seventh of the month and 23rd of the season.

At the 7:32 mark, O’Reilly struck again. His sharp-angle attempt from the side of the net deflected off Sam Girard’s stick and past Blackwood, restoring Nashville’s one-goal advantage.

Colorado responded just over four minutes later when Nelson buried his second of the night, redirecting Josh Manson’s wrist shot from the point past Saros to even the score at 2–2.

Despite the deadlock after 20 minutes, the Avalanche dictated much of the play, outshooting Nashville 17–10 in the opening frame.

Second Period

Jack Drury nearly gave Colorado the lead midway through the period, setting up Victor Olofsson for a blistering one-timer from the right circle, but Saros came up with a timely save.

Just over a minute later, the Avalanche came within inches again as Burns fired a point shot that kicked off Saros and trickled toward the goal line. Neither Nelson nor Ross Colton could reach the loose puck before Saros sprawled to cover, aided by a collapsing defense.

With under seven minutes remaining, O’Reilly completed the hat trick against his former club, deftly deflecting a Luke Evangelista shot past Blackwood to give Nashville a 3–2 lead.

Moments later, a costly offensive-zone turnover by Valeri Nichushkin sprung a Nashville 2-on-1 rush. Bunting capitalized, snapping a top-shelf wrist shot to extend the Predators’ advantage to 4–2.

Colorado entered the third period trailing by two despite holding a commanding 32–21 edge in shots on goal.

Third Period

The Avalanche wasted little time pushing back. Just 65 seconds into the period, MacKinnon found Nečas in the slot, and the Czech winger ripped a wrist shot that Saros couldn’t track, pulling Colorado within one.

Colorado unraveled late in the period. Zakhar Bardakov was whistled for interference on a questionable call, and Nashville capitalized on the ensuing power play when Forsberg snapped a top-shelf shot from the right circle off a feed from O’Reilly to make it 5–3.

Steven Stamkos added an empty-net goal moments later to extend the lead. After Cole Smith was called for slashing Bardakov, Colorado went back to the power play and elected to pull the goaltender again.

That decision backfired. Cale Makar turned the puck over at the blue line, allowing Michael McCarron to break free and score a rare shorthanded empty-net goal, sealing a 7–3 Nashville victory.

Next Game

The Avalanche (33-5-8) have now lost four of their last six games and will look to rebound Monday against Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals (24-18-6). Coverage begins at 2 p.m. local time.

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Padres sign 3 of the top 100 international prospects

Joniel Hernandez

The San Diego Padres have a long history of signing top international prospects. Catcher Ethan Salas signed in 2023, and shortstop Leo De Vries signed in 2024. Top reliever Adrian Morejon was a 2016 signee, part of the biggest and most expensive Padres amateur class.

The 2026 signing window opened Jan. 15 and closes on Dec. 15. The Padres have $5.94 million available to them for signing players. The total amount spent so far is not currently publicly known but their two biggest bonuses, $1.4 million to Cuban shortstop Joniel Hernandez and $1 million to Mexican LHP Diego Serna, was a good start.

Both players are ranked in the top 100, per Baseball America, and were joined by Curacao shortstop Timothy Mogen, who signed for $600,00. All three had prior agreements with the organization and the announcements came soon after the opening of the official window.

#31 Hernandez, 16, is a plus-runner with a plus-arm and athleticism. He has good bat speed and could develop above average power. If he doesn’t stick at shortstop, he has the skills to also profile in center field.

#45 Serna, 16, could be the best lefty pitcher in the class. He has a starter profile and is already 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds. He throws a mid-90s fastball, a plus-slider and a changeup with an advanced development due to his extensive experience in Mexico.

#76 Mogen, 17, is a shortstop from Aruba with plus-speed and a plus-arm and could develop power as he fills out his 6-foot-4, 170-pound frame. He has good contact skills and a high baseball IQ.

The other players signed in the first 24 hours include:

RHP Joel Duarte, 17, ($150,000) from Venezuela was training as a shortstop but converted to pitching recently with a plus-arm. At 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds, started with a mid-90s fastball and has topped at 98 mph.

Catcher Jhoneiker Leon is from Venezuela with a strong arm and plus-power as a hitter.

RHP Jordan Perez ($300,000) is a Cuban that has starter tools. He currently shows a low-90s fastball and a good curveball.

LHP Joel Gonzalez is out of Panama and shortstop Osmy Osorio is from Venezuela. There are no current scouting reports for either of these players.

Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune reported the above signings as well, but they are not confirmed by the team.

Expect more players to sign over the next year. All international players must be 16 before they sign and turn 17 by Sept. 1 of the following year. They must all be registered with MLB before signing. All players signed before summer will be part of a group who will start their professional careers as part of the Padres international group that lives and trains at their complex in the Dominican Republic.

The Dominican Summer League is home to several of the Padres top prospects and last year featured No. 9 prospect Deivid Coronil, an infielder who spent his rookie season as part of the DSL Padres Gold team, and No. 17 prospect Jhoan De La Cruz. Cruz, a shortstop and second baseman, spent his rookie season playing alongside Coronil in the Gold team infield.

Some DSL players play more than just their rookie season in the Dominican, but the more advanced players transfer stateside to begin their US careers with Lake Elsinore.

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Recap: Ryan O’Reilly hat trick upends Avalanche in a 7-3 defeat

After a long winter’s nap the Colorado Avalanche hosted the Nashville Predators in their ongoing seven-game home stand. It was the fourth and final meeting between these teams this season and by far the ugliest as Colorado dropped their first regulation game at home in a 7-3 defeat.

A Ryan O’Reilly hat trick punctuated the loss. Brock Nelson scored two goals and Martin Nečas added one for Colorado. Mackenzie Blackwood made 28 saves in defeat.

The Game

It took all of 30 seconds for the game’s first score, unfortunately it was from the visitors. Ryan O’Reilly got free in front of the net and swiftly put a backhand past Mackenzie Blackwood in his return to the crease. That lead didn’t last long as Nashville immediately gave it back a minute later when Brock Nelson deposited his own puck at the net front past Juuse Saros.

Action calmed down a bit after the early scoring barrage but déjà vu struck as Nashville got on the board again from O’Reilly as he was awarded a goal after Samuel Girard placed a perfect tip on the puck right through Blackwood’s five-hole. The Avalanche responded back with another Nelson goal as he deflected a Josh Manson shot. And that’s how the first period would end, a 2-2 tie.

To start the second period the Avalanche had their chances but after a failed Avalanche power play, O’Reilly completed the hat trick with his own tipped shot to give Nashville the lead again. Your move, Brock Nelson. But the equalizer never came as Nashville scored their fourth goal on a rush from Michael Bunting to end the period 4-2 in Nashville’s favor.

There were quick signs of life to start the third period as Martin Nečas received a slap pass from Nathan MacKinnon in the slot to bring Colorado within one just a minute into the frame.

It would be Nashville who scored the next goal, though, as the Colorado comeback attempt was thwarted. Zakhar Bardakov was assessed a questionable interference penalty which was reviewed and the Predators converted on the subsequent power play. Filip Forsberg got a shot past Blackwood in traffic to restore the two-goal lead with five minutes to go.

From there it was desperation mode for the Avalanche as they pulled the goalie and gave up two shorthanded goals to Steven Stamkos and Michael McCarron for a 7-3 Nashville final. An ugly loss for Colorado’s first regulation defeat at Ball Arena this season.

Takeaways

This was Mackenzie Blackwood’s first start this month and it’s fair to wonder if he was shaking off the rust but giving up five goals on 28 shots really isn’t a great performance. With Scott Wedgewood allegedly healthy now too it will be interesting to see how Jared Bednar chooses to split starts as the schedule picks up moving forward.

Quietly the Avalanche are in a 2-3-1 stretch which coincides with the loss of Gabe Landeskog and Devon Toews. This step back is understandable with the key players missing but assuming full health down the stretch and in the playoffs is faulty especially as it’s a war of attrition to go deep into the summer. The squad can’t just dominate with a full roster.

Upcoming

A weekend off and then the Washington Capitals come to town for a Monday matinee at 2 p.m. MT on the Martin Luther King holiday.

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Philly sports hosts lose their minds in real time as they find out about Bo Bichette’s Mets deal

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows A man with a beard, wearing a black cap and cream-colored hoodie, sits in an armchair with a laptop on his lap, speaking into a microphone with an

These Phillies podcasters were flabbergasted as they found out Bo Bichette agreed to a deal with the Mets on Friday.

Jamie Lynch and Tyler Zulli of PHLY Sports were filming their podcast — and analyzing Bichette’s potential suitors in free agency — when one of their staffers interrupted them with the news of the infielder’s three-year, $126 million contract with the Mets, leaving the two in absolute shock.

After some screaming followed by a brief silence, Lynch then asked where Bichette would play in the Mets’ infield.

“Why, they have [Marcus] Semien, [Francisco] Lindor, and [Mark] Vientos,” Lynch said, referring to the Mets’ rather full infield for next year.

Lynch and Zulli then broke some more silence by simultaneously yelling out, “what” into the cameras.

Zulli then speculated on where the Mets could place Bichette come next season, saying that he could play “a little bit of everywhere.”

“He’s not going to DH,” Zulli said. “I imagine he will play a little bit of everywhere?”

Toronto Blue Jays’ Bo Bichette celebrates his three run home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the third inning in Game 7 of baseball’s World Series, Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, in Toronto. AP

According to The Post’s Jon Heyman, Bichette, 27, is expected to play third base in Queens — despite never playing the position in professional baseball.

The PHLY Sports podcasters were also likely shellshocked by the deal, as the Phillies were initially one of the favorites to land Bichette in free agency.

Heyman reported earlier in January that it “feels like there’s strong mutual interest” between the two parties after they met to discuss a potential contract.

Additionally, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported that the “Phillies are the overwhelming favorites to sign” the two-time All-Star, while also mentioning that the “Yankees and Mets will now be in a bidding war for outfielder Cody Bellinger.”

Philadelphia quickly pivoted after striking out on Bichette, however, re-signing three-time All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto to a three-year, $45 million deal on Friday.

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Braves News: Austin Riley 2026 predictions, hot stove, and more

Though a quiet day for the Atlanta Braves, it was a pretty active day for other clubs in the NL East. The Braves may not have made any blockbuster moves on Friday, but the slow day did give us a chance to look at Austin Riley’s 2025 season and gear up for a (hopefully) successful 2026. 

MLB News:

The New York Mets and infielder Bo Bichette have agreed to a three-year, $126M deal. The contract does not contain any deferred money. The Philadelphia Phillies reportedly made a seven-year offer to Bichette.

Catcher J.T. Realmuto is off the board after the Philadelphia Phillies re-signed him to a three-year contract worth $45M. 

The Miami Marlins claimed right-hander Osvaldo Bido off waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays. The New York Mets also claimed a player off waivers from Tampa in infielder Tsung-Che Cheng.

The Minnesota Twins agreed to a two-year, $14M deal with catcher Victor Caratini. Minnesota’s 40-man roster is full, so a corresponding move is required.

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Yankees news: Another Yankees-Mets showdown brewing?

CBS Sports | Dayn Perry: Thursday night’s bombshell that Kyle Tucker would be heading to Los Angeles seemed to set up another potential Yankees vs. Mets showdown for a free agent outfielder. The Mets were heavily involved in the Tucker bidding, which would lead one to believe that they could turn their atention to Cody Bellinger. But now, the Mets have made their own major move, grabbing Bo Bichette on a three-year, $126-million deal with two opt outs. Have the Mets removed themselves from the Bellinger sweepstakes? Or will they challenge the Yankees once again?

New York Post | Jon Heyman: We’ve gotten a lot of detail about the Yankees’ reported offer to Bellinger lately, as it’s widely assumed that New York has something like five years and $155 million on the table for the outfielder. Heyman reports further, suggesting that the Yankees are also comfortable offering not one but two opt-outs in the deal. That would be a pretty favorable contract from the player’s perspective, and it’s worth wondering whether Bellinger can expect to extract much more favorable terms than what’s already out there.

MLB.com | David Adler: Ryan Weathers, breakout candidate? The Yankees sure hope so, and there is reason to believe. Weathers’ arsenal last year comps well to Jesús Luzardo, Tarik Skubal, and Garrett Crochet, per Statcast, a pretty tantalizing group to be associated with. There’s clear potential for huge strikeout stuff, but the whiffs haven’t all the way come yet for Weathers, his 8.5 K/9 rate with the Marlins solid but far from elite, and staying on the field has always been a problem for the lefty. The Yankees have a promising project on their hands, but a project nonetheless.

FanGraphs | Jay Jaffe: If you’re in the mood, here’s more analysis of the fateful Tucker deal. Jaffe writes that it sets a new standard for short-term, high-AAV deals, with Tucker’s $57 million annual luxury tax hit (after accounting for deferrals), making him the highest-paid player on an annual basis in MLB history, outstripping Juan Soto’s $51 million number and Shohei Ohtani’s $46 million figure. If you’re coming away from this feeling like this is all a bit much for a player of Tucker’s caliber (read: very, very good, but perhaps not great), then you’d probably be justified, with FanGraphs’ ZiPS projections suggesting about $150 million as an appropriate median offer for Tucker over a four-year term.

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Larkin scores go-ahead goal as Red Wings beat Sharks 4-2

DETROIT (AP) — Dylan Larkin scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period and the surging Detroit Red Wings beat the San Jose Sharks 4-2 on Friday night.

Marco Kasper scored his first goal in 37 games and added an assist to help Detroit win for the fifth time in six games. Alex DeBrincat scored his team-high 25th goal and J.T. Compher had the other goal for the Red Wings.

Lucas Raymond had three assists and James van Riemsdyk added two. John Gibson made 20 saves.

Will Smith scored for San Jose in his return from an upper-body injury that cost him 13 games. Collin Graf had the other Sharks goal and Macklin Celebrini, the NHL’s third-leading scorer with 72 points, added an assist. Celebrini has 32 points in his last 18 games.

Yaroslav Askarov stopped 21 shots for the Sharks, who had won seven of nine.

Detroit converted on its first power play when Raymond set up DeBrincat, who ripped a one-timer from the left circle into the net.

Smith tied it midway through the first period after Celebrini’s shot from the high slot tumbled over Gibson and rolled toward the goal line. Smith tucked the puck into the net.

Graf tipped in a pass from Nick Leddy at 1:58 of the second to give the Sharks the lead. Kasper’s pass through the legs of a defender set up Compher’s goal five minutes later, tying it 2-all.

Larkin jammed the puck between the post and Askarov’s pad at 4:41 of the third to give the Red Wings a 3-2 advantage. Kasper ended his scoring drought on an empty-netter with 1:32 remaining.

HURRICANES 9, PANTHERS 1

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Nikolaj Ehlers had three goals for his sixth career hat trick and first with Carolina, and the Hurricanes scored six times in the third period to cruise past Florida.

Ehlers, who signed with Carolina in the offseason after playing 10 years with Winnipeg, also had an assist. Taylor Hall had two goals and Mark Jankowski had a goal and two assists. Alexander Nikishin and Andrei Svechnikov had a goal and an assist and Eric Robinson also scored.

Brandon Bussi made 16 saves for the Hurricanes, who had four power-play goals and improved to 5-1-1 in their last seven games.

Uvis Balinskis had the lone goal for the Panthers, who gave up eight unanswered goals and had their two-game winning streak stopped. Sergei Bobrovsky allowed all nine of Carolina’s goals while stopping just 26 shots.

Ehlers gave the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead with 1:25 left in the first period. Balinskis tied it at 1:19 of the second — but it was all Carolina after that.

Jankowski put the Hurricanes up 2-1 at 13:10 of the second and Nikishin made it 3-1 with a power-play goal three minutes later.

Svechnikov, Ehlers and Hall also scored power-play goals in the third as Carolina pulled away.

BLUES 3, LIGHTNING 2

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jordan Kyrou scored the only goal in a shootout and St. Louis beat Tampa Bay to snap its franchise record-tying 11-game winning streak.

Kyrou’s backhand shot beat Andrei Vasilevskiy.

Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov had a chance to extend the shootout but was stopped by Joel Hofer, who made 34 saves in regulation and overtime before delivering three more in the tiebreaker.

It was the Blues’ first win in overtime or a shootout this season. They had been 0-8.

The Blues took 2-0 lead late in the first period with goals just 30 seconds apart.

Jake Neighbors got the first with 2:57 to play in the period and Nick Bjugstad scored when he was left alone in the slot with 2:27 left.

Tampa Bay tied it with a pair of power-play goals 62 seconds apart in the second.

Kucherov scored at 9:59 when the Lightning had a two-man advantage. He then assisted on Oliver Bjorkstrand’s goal 1:02 later. Darren Raddysh assisted on both goals.

Vasilevskiy made 19 saves.

PREDATORS 7, AVALANCHE 3

DENVER (AP) — Ryan O’Reilly scored three goals for his seventh career hat trick and added an assist as Nashville beat Colorado, handing the Avalanche their first home loss in regulation this season.

Filip Forsberg had a goal and two assists for Nashville. Juuse Saros made 39 saves.

It was O’Reilly’s first hat trick since Jan. 4, 2025, versus Calgary, and second against his former team. O’Reilly spent his first six seasons with the Avalanche before being traded to Buffalo before the 2015-16 campaign.

Brock Nelson had two goals, Martin Necas also scored and Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 23 shots in his return to the lineup for Colorado. Blackwood had not played since Dec. 31 due to a lower-body injury.

He couldn’t prevent the Avalanche (33-5-8) from losing a second consecutive game at home, where they are 19-1-3.

O’Reilly scored his first goal 30 seconds into the game and got his second when he sent the puck from the goal line to the front of the net, where it deflected in off the stick of Colorado defenseman Sam Girard at 7:32.

Nelson answered those goals with two of his own, one when he cleaned up a rebound 54 seconds after O’Reilly’s first and later in the first period when he deflected Josh Manson’s shot.

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Jaylon Tyson's career-high 39 points lead Cavaliers to thrilling win over 76ers

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jaylon Tyson scored a career-high 39 points, Evan Mobley’s dunk with 4.8 seconds left was the winner and the short-handed Cleveland Cavaliers completed a two-game sweep of the 76ers in Philadelphia with a 117-115 victory on Friday night.

Donovan Mitchell added 13 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds for Cleveland, which rallied from an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter. The Cavaliers defeated the 76ers 133-107 on Wednesday.

Joel Embiid scored 33 points and Tyrese Maxey had 22 points, nine assists and five steals for the 76ers.

Cleveland was without Darius Garland (right big toe soreness) and Sam Merrill (right hand sprain), who were both injured on Wednesday. Coach Kenny Atkinson said both will be reevaluated when the team returns to Cleveland this weekend.

The 76ers looked in control when Paul George hit a jumper with 8:47 remaining for an 11-point lead. But the Cavaliers used a 13-2 run, capped by De’Andre Hunter’s 3-pointer with 5:53 left, to tie it at 102. Philadelphia moved ahead by seven points after turnovers by the Cavs on three straight possessions, but Cleveland hung around.

Hunter’s layup with just over a minute left put the Cavs up a point. After Mobley made one of two free throws with 22.7 seconds remaining, Maxey tied it on a runner with 8.1 seconds left. After a timeout, Tyson set up Mobley near the basket for an easy dunk to put Cleveland in front by two. Maxey’s shot from just beyond half court that could have won the game went long.

PACERS 127, PELICANS 119

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Center Jay Huff had a career-best 29 points and nine rebounds and led five players in double figures as Indiana beat New Orleans.

The 7-foot-1 Huff, who entered Friday averaging 8.4 points, shot 13 for 17 from the field and 3 for 6 from 3-point distance. The center’s previous high was 22 points, achieved last year while with the Memphis Grizzlies in a win over the Dallas Mavericks. Huff was acquired by Indiana in a trade with Memphis during the offseason.

Pascal Siakam scored 20 of his 27 points in the first half, and Andrew Nembhard added 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Pacers, who won for the fourth time in five games. Aaron Nesmith and Quenton Jackson scored 12 points apiece as Indiana closed out a 3-1 homestand and improved to 8-16 at home.

Zion Williamson led New Orleans with 27 points on 10-for-12 shooting from the field and 7-for-10 shooting from the line. Williamson was 8 for 8 from the field in the first half, when he scored 21 points.

Trey Murphy III scored 22 points, Saddiq Bey added 20, Jeremiah Fears finished with 16, Derik Queen had 14 and Jordan Poole 11 for the Pelicans, who are 3-16 in road games. Queen also had 12 rebounds.

NETS 112, BULLS 109

NEW YORK (AP) — Michael Porter Jr. made a go-ahead layup with 5.4 seconds remaining after Brooklyn had blown a 20-point lead in the fourth quarter, and the Nets beat Chicago.

Porter scored 26 points and Noah Clowney had 23 points and 11 rebounds for the Nets, who snapped a five-game losing streak. Day’Ron Sharpe scored 14 points and rookie Danny Wolf had 13.

Nikola Vucevic scored 19 points and Ayo Dosunmu had 18 for the Bulls in the opener of a home-and-home series.

Coach Jordi Fernandez thought the Nets could’ve won all three games on their just-completed road trip, but it appeared they wouldn’t need to worry about another close finish after a 15-0 run in the second quarter helped them take a 17-point halftime lead, their second-largest of the season.

Cam Thomas’ 3-pointer to open the fourth quarter made it 92-72 before the Bulls scored the next 11 points. Thomas hit another 3 to stop that surge, and the Nets still led by six with under a minute remaining.

The Bulls then scored seven straight points to go ahead 109-108 on Tre Jones’ layup with 11.4 seconds remaining. The Nets ran a play to get Porter the ball near the basket, and he put the Nets back on top. Rookie Drake Powell then stole Chicago’s pass in from the sideline and Clowney’s two free throws made it 112-109 before Vucevic missed a rushed 3-pointer.

CLIPPERS 121, RAPTORS 117, OT

TORONTO (AP) — James Harden had 31 points and 10 assists, Jordan Miller scored 19 points and Los Angeles extended its winning streak to five games by beating Toronto.

Ivica Zubac had 16 points and 14 rebounds, Cam Christie scored 16 points and Kris Dunn had 15 as the Clippers won for the 12th time in 14 games since starting the season 6-21.

Toronto’s Scottie Barnes scored 24 points and Brandon Ingram had 19.

The Clippers are 7-14 on the road. They’ve won four of their past five away from home.

Kawhi Leonard missed his team’s lone regular-season visit to Toronto because of a sprained right ankle. Leonard won the 2019 NBA championship with the Raptors.

The Raptors lost for the second time in 21 games when leading after three quarters.

Toronto led 109-101 with 3:35 remaining in regulation, but missed six straight shots as Harden forced overtime with a personal 8-0 run. Harden made four straight free throws to begin OT.

Harden shot 10 for 27 and finished 2 for 15 from 3-point range. He went 9 for 10 at the free throw line.

KINGS 128, WIZARDS 115

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Domantas Sabonis scored 13 points in his return from a knee injury, Russell Westbrook had 26 and Sacramento beat Washington for its fourth straight victory.

Sabonis returned after missing 27 games because of a partially torn meniscus in his left knee. The three-time All-Star forward/center came off the bench, entering with 5:11 left in the first quarter.

Sabonis also had seven rebounds and five assists in a little over 21 minutes. He was 5 of 6 from field, with the miss coming from 3 -point range.

Dennis Schroder also was back for the Kings after serving a three-game suspension for confronting Lakers star Luka Doncic after a game in Los Angeles. Schroder had 15 points and five assists.

Westbrook was 9 of 14 from the field, hitting 6 of 9 3-pointers, and had six assists. DeMar DeRozan scored 17 points, and Precious Achiuwa and Zach LaVine each had 16.

The Kings have won the first three games of a seven-game homestand to improve to 12-30. They opened the run against Houston, then beat the Lakers and New York.

Alex Sarr led Washington with 19 points, and Tre Johnson had 18. The Wizards dropped to 10-30 with their fifth straight loss.

ROCKETS 110, TIMBERWOLVES 105

HOUSTON (AP) — Kevin Durant scored 39 points and made a season-best six 3-pointers to lead Houston to a win over Minnesota.

Alperen Sengun added 25 points with 14 rebounds to help the Rockets bounce back after a blowout loss to Oklahoma City Thursday night.

A 6-2 run by the Timberwolves, with four points from Julius Randle, got them within 105-102 with about 90 seconds to go. Sengun fouled out soon after that and Jaden McDaniels made one of two free throws to get Minnesota within two points.

Durant made two free throws with under a minute left before Randle turned the ball over and Durant was fouled again. He made two more free throws with 22.1 seconds left to seal the victory.

Durant’s big shooting night came after he was 0 for 5 on 3-pointers against the Thunder.

Randle had season-high 39 points for the Timberwolves on a night when Anthony Edwards missed a second straight game with a foot issue.

The Timberwolves trailed by six points after a basket by Bones Hyland before Rudy Gobert missed a chance to close the gap by missing three of his next four free throws. Houston remained up by 5 later in the fourth, but a dunk by Sengun extended the lead to 103-96 with 3½ minutes left.

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The Penguins Need This Version Of Kris Letang For The Playoff Push

It's no secret that Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang has struggled quite a bit at times this season. 

There have been games when he looks completely lost, and others when he shows everyone that Father Time hasn't caught up yet. 

The latter games have been more prevalent as of late, especially on Thursday against the Philadelphia Flyers, a game the Penguins won 6-3. He was methodical with his decisions, including one on the power play where he had an outrageous keep at the blue line. 

It looked like the Flyers were about to clear the puck when Letang jumped up with his hand to knock the puck down and settled it. The puck stayed in the offensive zone, eventually leading to Sidney Crosby's goal that made it 5-1. The Flyers left Crosby wide open at the side of the net, which was obviously a major mistake. This was Crosby's 60th career goal against the Flyers, a team he loves to torment. 

The athleticism was on full display, and the power play hasn't missed a beat since he replaced Erik Karlsson on the top unit earlier this week. Speaking of that, Karlsson will be out for at least the next two weeks, which is tough because of how great he's been this year, especially offensively. 

Before going down, Karlsson was on the top pair with Parker Wotherspoon, while Letang was on the second pair with Brett Kulak. Letang's pair is now the top pair, and he led all Penguins' defensemen in ice-time on Thursday with 23:25 at all situations. 

Kulak and Letang have been paired for 15 games this season and have gotten more comfortable together in each one. Kulak isn't flashy, but he's steady in his own zone, which Letang needs.

The two have played 215:10 at 5v5 this season, and the underlyings have continued to improve. Are they perfect? No, but as a pair, they've been on the ice for 50.4% of the expected goals, 50% of the high danger chances, 49% of the scoring chances, and 48.4% of the shot attempts. With more minutes, I think you'll see the scoring chances and shot attempts rates get above 50%. 

They've also been on the ice for only five goals against this season, which speaks to how well they're playing together in their own zone. 

 Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang (58) skates with the puck against the Philadelphia Flyers during the third period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
 Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang (58) skates with the puck against the Philadelphia Flyers during the third period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Letang was also tremendous against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday, despite the Penguins falling 2-1 in a shootout. He was a major reason why the Penguins tied the game late in the third period when he helped win a battle along the boards against former Penguin Jake Guentzel before Malkin fired a perfect shot past Andrei Vasilevskiy. Letang got the primary assist on the goal.

Letang played 16:19 at 5v5 during that game and was on the ice for 51.5% of the shot attempts, 56.6% of the expected goals, and 58.8% of the scoring chances.

Back on Jan. 1, Letang scored the game-winning goal in overtime against the Detroit Red Wingswith an absolute rocket of a shot. It was a goal he really needed, and it also gave the Penguins their third-straight win at the time. The goal also came in his 1,200th game, and Letang now has the second-most overtime goals by a defenseman in NHL history (13). 

He played 18:22 at 5v5 in that game and was on the ice for 67.6% of the shot attempts, 91.7% of the expected goals, 81.8% of the scoring chances, and 100% of the high danger chances. He was an absolute menace in all three zones in that game.

Takeaways: Penguins Take Down Cross-State Rival Flyers In Commanding 6-3 WinTakeaways: Penguins Take Down Cross-State Rival Flyers In Commanding 6-3 WinThe Pittsburgh Penguins snapped their three-game losing skid with a big win over their rival Philadelphia Flyers to catapult themselves to third in the Metropolitan Division standings

The Penguins come into Saturday's game against the Columbus Blue Jackets in third place in the Metro with 54 points. They're in the thick of the playoff race and are trying to end their three-season playoff drought since they haven't made the postseason since the 2021-22 season, when they lost to the New York Rangers in seven games.

In order to do that, they'll need Kris Letang to keep playing the way he has been for the last few weeks. 

(Data via Natural Stat Trick and MoneyPuck). 

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