GUWAHATI, India (AP) — Opener Abhishek Sharma hit a whirlwind 68 not out off 20 balls as India beat New Zealand with ease, winning the third Twenty20 match by eight wickets on Sunday with 10 overs to spare.
India took an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.
Sharma reached his 50 off only 14 deliveries, including four sixes, and put on 102 off 40 balls with skipper Suryakumar Yadav (57 not out off 26) as India reached 155-2 in 10 overs in reply to New Zealand's 153-9 in 20 overs.
“This is what my team wants from me – I want to execute it all the time,” Sharma said. “It is not easy to do it, but I keep trying.”
Jasprit Bumrah returned for India and took 3-17 in four overs as New Zealand was restricted to a sub-par score.
Glenn Phillips top-scored for the Black Caps with 48 off 40 and Mark Chapman was out for 32.
India won the first T20 in Nagpur by 48 runs, and the second T20 in Raipur by seven wickets.
The fourth T20 is at Visakhapatnam on Wednesday.
India's chase
Chasing 154, India started badly by losing Sanju Samson for a golden duck to Matt Henry.
But Sharma hit five sixes and seven fours overall to put New Zealand’s bowling to the sword.
Ishan Kishan hit 28 off 13 deliveries as the pair added 53 off only 19 balls for the second wicket. Kishan then holed out off Ish Sodhi, yet it didn’t end New Zealand’s misery.
India set a hectic pace scoring 100 in only 6.3 overs. Yadav got his second consecutive half-century – off 25 balls. He finished with three sixes and six fours overall.
New Zealand struggles
New Zealand was put into bat but failed to make a good start. Bumrah bowled Tim Seifert for 12 after Harshit Rana dismissed Devon Conway for one.
Hardik Pandya (2-23) made it 34-3 in 5.1 overs with Rachin Ravindra's dismissal for four.
New Zealand never really recovered from those early blows despite a 52-run partnership between Phillips and Chapman, who both fell to wrist spinner Ravi Bishnoi (2-18).
Bumrah then returned for another spell and got two more wickets.
Alright, I have settled down. The initial shock has passed. The wave hit, it knocked me over, and now I am back on my feet, looking around and taking inventory.
Jalen Green goes down. Devin Booker follows. In real time, that kind of night does not invite patience or perspective. It invites panic. It invites spirals. It invites every scar this fan base carries to start itching again. And yes, I reacted as it was happening. Loudly. Honestly. Without a filter. Thank you for letting me do that in real time.
But here is the pivot.
Once the noise fades, once the adrenaline drains out, you are left with the same choice you always are. You can stay in doom mode, or you can look ahead. I am choosing the latter, not because it is easy, but because it is necessary. “Get busy living or get busy dying. That’s goddamn right.”
Injuries have a way of dragging Suns fans straight to the worst possible conclusion. History does that to you. Experience does that to you. This is a fan base conditioned to brace for impact. So if my first reaction leaned dark, understand where it came from.
I am a Suns fan. Of course it did.
Looking forward starts tonight against the Miami Heat, and at least now we know what the injury report says. Devin Booker is out with an ankle injury. Jalen Green is listed as questionable with the hamstring. All things considered, that is actually encouraging.
Personally, I do not think either one plays.
This feels like the organization shifting into protection mode. Less short-term urgency, more long view. Protect the bodies. Preserve the runway. This is about health, not pride. That is where they are right now.
We are at the halfway point of the season. There are still 37 games left on the schedule. 17 days from now, the All-Star break arrives. Between now and then, the Suns play 10 games. Nine of them are at home.
If you want to map out an ideal window for two players carrying a combined $88.7 million cap hit to miss time, this is about as clean as it gets. They can stay around the team. They can rehab without constant travel. They effectively get an extra eight days folded into the recovery process because of the break.
None of this will be easy. The competition is real. The combined winning percentage of the upcoming opponents sits at .539. That is the stretch. That is the test.
The Suns have 10 games remaining before the All-Star break. Their opponents’ combined winning percentage sits at .539.
We will wait for more reporting to come out, but the hope is that Jalen Green is not nearly as injured as the fear suggests. That is the optimism baked into the questionable tag.
He pulled up lame because he felt something tweak, not because something exploded. It did not look violent. It did not look aggressive. It was nothing like November against the Clippers, when he was clutching his hamstring in obvious pain. This looked different. This looked like awareness. He felt something was off, recognized it immediately, and removed himself from the situation.
Now, full disclosure. This is speculation. I am not a doctor. I am not in the locker room. I do not have access to imaging or medical notes. I am reacting to what my eyes tell me, same as everyone reading this, same as the folks who will weigh in below. That context matters.
If this turns into only a couple of missed games, it could actually work in the Suns’ favor.
Because in a strange way, this becomes a handoff moment. Almost like Devin Booker tapped Jalen Green on the shoulder and said, “Your turn”. This is Green’s chance to live inside these lineups, to feel the speed of the game with this group, to learn how these possessions breathe without Booker on the floor. It is reps. It is information. It is clarity.
For the coaching staff, it becomes a live experiment. You get to see how Green operates with teammates not named Devin Booker. You get to see how the spacing holds. How the actions flow. How well everyone meshes. How cleanly the schemes execute when the hierarchy shifts.
Those answers carry weight. Not only now, but later. Down the road. In the postseason, when options matter and familiarity becomes currency.
On the Booker side of things, that one looked rough. No medical degree here, but it immediately registered as something that could linger. All of his weight came down on it, and in real time it looked like a high ankle sprain at minimum.
nasty looking ankle injury for Devin Booker, who had been on fire for the Suns with 31 points in the first 3 quarters 😬 pic.twitter.com/VXpgErMBN3
Context matters too. He had already tweaked that ankle earlier in the road trip against the Heat, which turns this into an insult on top of injury situation. Stack enough stress on the same joint, and eventually it gives you a reminder. That is what this felt like.
It would not be surprising if we do not see Devin Booker again until after the All-Star break. We still need the medical report. We still need clarity on the severity.
As frustrating as it is, this is also one of those injuries that forces rest in the middle of the year. It creates space to heal. It creates time to get right. And with the break looming, the timing is not catastrophic. If there was ever a window to absorb something like this and still keep the bigger picture intact, this is it.
Both of those injuries were brutally unfortunate, no question. But if you zoom out and look at the reality of how the NBA operates right now, this is the landscape. Every team is dealing with it. Night after night. The Suns are not some isolated case.
Jalen Green has missed 41 games this season. That means this team has been fully intact for two games out of 45. Two. That is the context we are living in.
According to Spotrac, the Suns have lost 100 combined games to injury so far, translating to $23.1 million in cash value tied up in missed time. 100 games sounds massive until you stack it against the rest of the league. That number is tied for the sixth-fewest in the NBA. Portland leads the league at 259 games lost.
This is not unique to Phoenix. You see it every night. Ja Morant hits the injury report. Giannis Antetokounmpo hits the injury report. Anthony Davis is out for an extended stretch. At this point, I honestly do not know how the league will hand out end-of-season awards when the threshold is 65 games played. Nobody gets there anymore. The pace is relentless. The wear accumulates. Bodies break down.
The Suns are dealing with injuries. So is everyone else. This is the modern NBA. And while it never feels good when it hits your team, it is not happening in a vacuum.
As it applies to the Suns, this is the same stretch every team eventually has to survive. This is the part of the season where theory turns into proof. Where availability thins out and the ideas either hold or they do not.
This becomes the real test for Jordan Ott. Not when everything is clean and the roster is whole, but when talent is stripped away and the structure has to carry the weight. The question is simple: How replicable are his schemes when the names change?
If this team has shown anything, it is that the identity does not live in star power. It lives in effort. In competitiveness. In connectivity. In communication. Those things travel. Those things do not get ruled out on an injury report. This group has that in spades.
Now it is time to show the rest of the league that even without Devin Booker, or without Jalen Green, this is still a problem on any given night.
And for the love of basketball sanity, let us not turn that into 23 shot attempts from Dillon Brooks every game. We need him doing what he does best. Setting the tone. Being the enforcer. Making life miserable for the other team. Not trying to moonlight as the primary shot creator.
Looking forward begins now, not because this is comfortable or clean, but because this team has built an identity sturdy enough to stand upright when the ground starts shaking.
After three days of rest, playing against the ST. Louis Blues, who were playing a back-to-back tonight, the Los Angeles Kings refused to let this game slip away.
Across the first period and early second, the Kings jumped out to a 2-0 lead; they looked dominant, fast, and on point defensively against the ST. Louis Blues.
But the struggle started quickly, as it has happened time and time again, especially when the Kings have gotten off to fast starts. Los Angeles gave up three goals alone in the second period, finishing the first 40 minutes of regulation tied 3-3.
LA was outplayed in the second, losing the period 3-1, and we're not entirely sure how they still ended up winning tonight, given the Kings are one of the worst clutch teams in the league.
So, let's dive into how the Kings won. We will grade the top players' performances on the Kings tonight, helping them escape the St. Louis Blues.
After leaving Tuesday's game against the New York Rangers in the first period due to a lower-body injury, Darcy Kuemper returned tonight and did what he always does. Finishing with 25 saves on 29 shots and made multiple clutch stops late in regulation and Overtime.
This game doesn't go the Kings' way without Kuemper; he bailed the Kings out multiple times in OT and slammed the door when it mattered most.
Grade: A
Trevor Moore
19:43 TOI, 1 goal, 5 shots, +1, and shootout winner.
Trevor Moore, who hadn't played since Dec. 29, looked like he hadn't missed a step tonight. Moore scored the go-ahead goal in the third to give the Kings a 4-3 lead after it looked like the momentum had shifted to the Blues, and then finished the game in the shootout.
Moore was aggressive all night and clutch when the Kings needed him most, and also notched his 100th career NHL goal.
Since the NHL introduced the shootout back in the 2005-06 season, 301 players have at least 20 attempts.
Only 11 of those players have converted at least 50 percent of their attempts. Trevor Moore is one of those players. Consistently money in the shootout.
Alex Laferriere was one of the Kings' dangerous forwards tonight, along with Moore. Scoring the game-tying goal in the second after the Kings gave up three goals, Laferriere kept the game in reach.
Brian Dumoulin was one of the key contributors to help the Kings get off to a fast start in the first period, giving Los Angeles a 2-0 lead and scoring his first goal of the season.
Grade: B
Taylor Ward
9:48 TOI, 1 goal, 1 shot, +1
Once again in his limited minutes, Taylor Ward contributed for the Kings, starting them off to a fast start in regulation. It's now the second consecutive game that Ward has scored a goal, and the Kings have picked up wins in both matches. Again, playing limited minutes, but all the Kings ask of him right now is high energy and consistent play.
Jim Hiller almost blew another game where his team had an early lead. But the Kings were able to squeak out a win on the road, especially with Hiller using his depth again, with Ward and Samuel Helennius giving them solid minutes, so credit to Hiller for believing in his guys.
But it wasn't a pretty second period for him, and the game could've gotten out of reach if not for his players stepping up in the clutch.
Grade: C
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The Anaheim Ducks will head north of the 49th parallel to take on the Calgary Flames at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Sunday, January 25. This marks the first meeting between these two Pacific Division teams this season.
My Ducks vs. Flames predictions and NHL picks suggest that while Calgary may continue its offensive struggles, some key players may be primed to rise to the occasion in this exciting divisional bout.
Ducks vs Flames prediction
Ducks vs Flames best bet: Yegor Sharangovich Over 2.5 shots on goal (+136)
On a team that has scored the second-fewest goals in the league, Calgary Flames forward Yegor Sharangovich has been somewhat of a bright spot.
The one-time 30-goal scorer is mired in a subpar offensive season (as is most of his team), but has been firing on all cylinders recently.
He has 14 shots in his last four games, hitting the Over in each. For good measure, he has the same number of shots as Nathan MacKinnon and David Pastrnak during that span.
He faces an Anaheim Ducks team that ranks 21st in shots allowed. Look for the Belarusian to fire a few pucks towards Lukas Dostal tonight.
Ducks vs Flames same-game parlay
Recent trade acquisition Zach Whitecloud has stepped right in to fill the void left by Rasmus Andersson. The former Vegas Golden Knight has seen a significant uptick in ice time in his three games as a Flame thus far, culminating in 25:16 of ice time on Friday night.
He's blocked six shots in three games since being traded to Calgary and just shattered his season-high ice time mark a game ago — a fantastic scenario to block a few shots from a confident Ducks team on a six-game winning streak.
Despite Anaheim's recent hot stretch, I like the Under here, as Calgary has scored just five goals in its last four games while being held to just one in three straight.
Ducks vs Flames SGP
Yegor Sharangovich Over 2.5 shots on goal
Zach Whitecloud Over 1.5 blocked shots
Under 6.5
Ducks vs Flames odds
Moneyline: Ducks -105 | Flames -115
Puck Line: Ducks +1.5 (-250) | Flames -1.5 (+205)
Over/Under: Over 6.5 (+100) | Under 6.5 (-120)
Ducks vs Flames trend
Calgary has won four of the last five meetings and seven of the last 10. The Under has hit in three of the last four Find more NHL betting trends for Ducks vs. Flames.
How to watch Ducks vs Flames
Location
Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, AB
Date
Sunday, January 25, 2026
Puck drop
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
Victory+, Sportsnet
Ducks vs Flames latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
Veteran NBA coach J.B. Bickerstaff will coach his first NBA All-Star Game next month.
Boston's loss to Chicago on Saturday ensured Detroit will have the No. 1 seed in the East on Feb. 1 (the cut-off date for deciding the coaches). This will be Bickerstaff's first time as an All-Star Game head coach, and he will coach one of the three teams — two USA, one world team — in this year's All-Star Game format (more on that below).
J.B. Bickerstaff will be the Pistons’ first All-Star head coach since Flip Saunders in 2005-06. pic.twitter.com/kAiOIl81mg
The Pistons have been the clear No. 1 seed in the East and looked every bit the title contender this season, with a 32-11 record that leads the East and is second in the league (to the Thunder). This is the second year of the turnaround Bickerstaff has led in Detroit, he took over a 14-win team two seasons ago and led it to the playoffs last season. Bickerstaff finished second in Coach of the Year voting last season and is considered the frontrunner to win the award this season.
Another coach will come from the West. Because Oklahoma City's Mark Daigneault coached the All-Star Game last year, he is ineligible to coach this year, which leaves either Mitch Johnson from No. 2 seed San Antonio or David Adelman from No. 3 seed Denver as the most likely coach from the West (just half a game separates their teams in the standings).
All-Star Game format
This year, the NBA All-Star Game returns to NBC and debuts on Peacock — and it falls right in the middle of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. That was a perfect setup for the first-of-its-kind All-Star Game format, a USA vs. World showdown that fans and players have been asking for.
The 24 All-Star players — 12 from each Conference, the 10 starters have been named — will be divided into three teams, two USA teams and one world team. Those three teams will compete in a round-robin tournament of four 12-minute games. Each of the three teams will have a minimum of eight players (if the USA or World teams are short on players, the league office will select one or more players to reach the required number).
At the end of the round-robin, the two top teams will play a championship game (the fourth 12-minute game of the day) for the title.
The 75th NBA All-Star Game will take place on Sunday, Feb. 15, at 5 p.m. Eastern, an earlier time than in previous years, leading into more coverage of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
At the 2025 deadline, the Islanders sent Nelson to the Avalanche in a deal involving top prospect Calum Ritchie, a 2027 first-round pick, and a conditional 2027 third-round pick, along with defenseman Oliver Kylington, who was quickly flipped to the Anaheim Ducks for future considerations.
Panarin, 34, is a pending free agent and has been told by Rangers management that he will not be brought back this pending offseason as the two sides work towards a trade.
Potential trade suitors include the Avalanche, Washington Capitals, Minnesota Wild, Carolina Hurricanes, Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings, and Florida Panthers.
Panarin, a winger, sits at 19 goals and 37 assists for 56 points in 51 games this season for the Rangers.
He is in the final season of a seven-year, $81,499,999 contract ($11,642,857 AAV) with the Rangers.
Villa win at Newcastle, Chelsea take the points at struggling Palace, and Forest record a crucial victory at Brentford
Oh, but here’s Rosenior, explaining that Cole Palmer isn’t fit to play today, but has a chance of making Wednesday’s trip to Naples.
He notes that the league is close and physical, but he has good players and is excited to see where the project goes – the club “demands winning in this moment”. There aren’t many days on the training pitch, but he hopes the work they’re doing with the team and with individuals are working.
If this was a taste of what life on the road under Liam Rosenior might be like for Chelsea fans, then anyone who doubted his appointment may have to think again.
A brilliant performance from Estêvão, who scored the first after a mistake from his fellow teenager Jaydee Canvot before setting up João Pedro for the second, inspired Chelsea to end a run of five Premier League games without an away win at their new head coach’s first attempt, as they piled on the misery for Crystal Palace, who also had Adam Wharton sent off.
In Saturday night’s defeat against the Boston Bruins, the Montreal Canadiens gave up three power-play goals, which ultimately led to their demise. Of course, that could have been avoided had the Habs played a more disciplined game. Still, hockey being a physical sport, it’s almost impossible to avoid penalties altogether, which is why it’s crucial to have a reasonable penalty kill.
Last season, the Canadiens ranked ninth in the league with an 80.9% penalty kill success rate, but this year they are 26th with a 76.5% efficiency rate. In 52 games, they’ve already given up 40 power-play goals and are on pace to surrender 63 man-advantage lamplighters. Last season, they had only given up 49 in 82 games.
What has changed? Well, the Habs lost three of the eight players who were mainstays on their penalty kill. David Savard retired, Joel Armia walked as a free agent and signed with the Los Angeles Kings, while Christian Dvorak did the same with the Philadelphia Flyers. Armia currently plays on the Kings’ first penalty kill, but they are 25th overall in the league in that department, just ahead of the Canadiens at 77.3%. As for Dvorak, he’s not used on the penalty kill by the Flyers.
You don’t become a penalty killing specialist overnight. This season, the Canadiens have been relying on rookies Oliver Kapanen and Joe Veleno to play significant roles when down a man. Kapanen has done it overseas, but he understandably needs some time to adapt to the NHL's power play. As for Veleno, he’s spending 27.4% of his time on ice on the penalty kill, which is almost double the amount of shorthanded time he had on the ice last season with the Detroit Red Wings and the Chicago Blackhawks.
At the start of the season, Martin St-Louis also made it clear that he wanted Alex Newhook to become a PK specialist. In his 17 games this season, Newhook spent 33.4% of his time on ice down a man. His injury has no doubt been a big blow to the penalty killing unit.
With Alexandre Texier coming back in the lineup for the game against the Bruins, the coach decided to scratch Veleno, who has not only been a regular on his penalty kill but also one of the centermen who can take the shorthanded draws. This season, he has won 51.2% of his draws, which is more than Nick Suzuki and Kapanen.
As things stand, Stephane Robidas is the assistant coach who’s responsible for the penalty kill. Is it time to perhaps explore another avenue? Earlier this week, the Ottawa Senators, who are currently 31st in the league when down a man, gave Mike Yeo the helm of the penalty kill unit instead of Nolan Baumgartner; the latter wasn’t fired, but the team felt the PK needed a new voice.
Perhaps it would also help to let Nick Suzuki back on the PK. Of course, you don’t want to overuse the captain, but with the second line making more of an offensive impact and having more ice time, it could be an idea.
Better goaltending would also help. While you generally won’t blame the goaltender for power-play goals, the best player on a successful penalty-killing unit is often the masked man. This season, that’s not happening for the Canadiens. Whichever way you look at it, good goaltending is a must in all aspects of the game.
There’s no magical solution, but clearly something has to be done if the Canadiens don't want to be fighting for a playoff spot until the very end, as last season. Special teams are a must for a successful team, and in an ideal world, nobody wants to wait for the last game of the season to know if they’ll be part of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Departure was ‘difficult decision’, says Foxes’ owner
Andy King will take interim charge for Charlton match
Leicester City have sacked Martí Cifuentes after dropping to 14th in the Championship. Leicester held crunch boardroom talks on Sunday before deciding to relieve the manager from his position.
Patience was preached at the start of the season while the power play worked through its growing pains. Nearly four months later, January has arrived, and the unit still looks stuck in the same place.
Although the Avalanche remain atop the NHL at 34-6-9 through 49 games, they are just 4-4-2 over their past 10—a stretch that hints at a slight dip in form. Injuries have played a significant role. Captain Gabriel Landeskog has been sidelined since Jan. 4 after suffering broken ribs against the Florida Panthers, while Devon Toews has missed much of the month with an upper-body injury.
Given the circumstances, some patience is warranted when evaluating recent results. The power play, however, falls into a different category. It has been a persistent issue for much of the season. While Colorado continues to control play at five-on-five, its man advantage has consistently lagged behind.
CREDIT: GUERILLA SPORTS. Bednar's comments following the game against the Washington Capitals.
Has The Power Play Improved at All Since Meeting?
Colorado is currently tied for 21st in the NHL, converting on just 16.1 percent of its power play opportunities. Prior to the Jan. 8 home game against the Ottawa Senators, head coach Jared Bednar confirmed the team held a significant meeting focused on the man advantage, aimed at aligning strategies and ensuring a unified approach to addressing what has been a season-long issue. Bednar also encouraged open dialogue during the meeting, emphasizing the importance of player input and collective problem-solving.
Have those efforts translated into tangible progress? Not exactly. Entering Colorado’s 8–2 win over Ottawa, the power play conversion rate remained unchanged at 16.1 percent. On the surface, the numbers suggest stagnation—but a deeper look, game by game, provides additional context worth examining.
Brock Nelson and Martin Nečas each scored power play goals against the Senators, reaching the 20-goal mark on the season. Colorado finished the night 2-for-6 with the man advantage, a rare bright spot in an otherwise inconsistent stretch for the unit.
Colorado goal!
Scored by Valeri Nichushkin with 13:52 remaining in the 1st period.
On Jan. 10, Trent Miner recorded the first shutout and first win of his NHL career in a 4–0 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets. While the result was a positive, the power play failed to contribute, finishing 0-for-2.
Two days later, Colorado’s 17-game home winning streak came to an end in a 4–3 overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Avalanche went 1-for-3 on the power play, with Nelson once again providing the lone goal on the man advantage—his 22nd of the season.
After three days of rest, Colorado struggled in a 7–3 loss to the Nashville Predators, where the power play again came up empty, finishing 0-for-2. The Avalanche responded with a 5–2 win days later against Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals. While the power play remained far from sharp, it did produce a goal, going 1-for-6, with Nathan MacKinnon scoring his 37th of the season.
Colorado now enters its latest stretch coming off back-to-back losses—a 2–1 shootout defeat to the Anaheim Ducks followed by a 7–3 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers. Across those two games, the power play went a combined 0-for-6.
Math Shows...
Since the power play meeting, the Avalanche have had 25 opportunities with the man advantage and scored just four goals, a conversion rate of 16 percent—slightly below their season average. On paper, the unit has technically declined, though in reality it has largely remained the same.
That stagnation is beginning to wear on the fan base, with some suggesting that if the issue isn’t resolved before the postseason, the consequences could be significant when the margin for error shrinks. In a conversation with The Hockey News, Bednar addressed the power play, outlining where he believes the unit is struggling most and identifying the areas that need improvement.
"We want to be as dangerous as possible," Bednar said on January 19. "We've had some power plays in that stretch that haven't looked great, and we've had some that have looked fantastic, but it's definitely getting more consistent and guys are continuing to work on it and share ideas and get on the same page and then just work on the execution part of it. I still think it's going to (improve) yet again."
Next Game
The Avalanche are on the road to take on the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday morning. Coverage begins at 11:30 local time.
Some wins are a little bit lucky and others downright fluky or simply ground out, but this Aston Villa victory belonged to a different category.
It was the sort of triumph that can be filed under “thoroughly deserved”. Indeed, much of Villa’s attacking play was so fluid, fluent and gloriously improvisational that, by comparison, Newcastle looked as if they were engaged in a footballing equivalent of painting by numbers.
Brock Boeser is heating up. His shot volume has increased noticeably over the past 10 games, and he has hit the scoresheet in back-to-back outings.
My Penguins vs. Canucks predictions expect Boeser to have another quality offensive showing with Filip Chytil back by his side.
Let’s dive into my NHL picks for Sunday, January 25.
Penguins vs Canucks prediction
Penguins vs Canucks best bet: Brock Boeser Over 0.5 points (-120)
Filip Chytil returned from injury last time out and regained a slot in the Top-6 centering Brock Boeser. That proved to be very beneficial for Boeser.
He put forth a productive offensive performance, scoring a goal while finishing tied for the team lead with six shot attempts. That matched his highest attempt output on home soil all season long.
That Boeser had such a strong showing with Chytil was no coincidence. He has now played three games with Chytil as his center this season, and Boeser scored in two of them while averaging five shot attempts.
The Vancouver Canucks have out-played their opponents with that duo on the ice, winning the shot attempt battle 46-39 and controlling nearly 61% of the expected goals at 5-on-5.
They are the line best equipped to make noise in that game state, which is important as the Pittsburgh Penguins are one of the least penalized teams in the league.
Penguins vs Canucks same-game parlay
Zeev Buium is another Canucks weapon coming off a whale of a game. Buium had a goal, three shots, six attempts, and logged nearly 24 minutes of ice time while also playing on the top power play.
He is a dynamic blueliner getting a lot of opportunities to put his skillset to use.
Marcus Pettersson has blocked multiple shots in seven of the past nine games. He’s one of the team’s more reliable defenders and is not shy about putting his body on the line.
Penguins vs Canucks SGP
Brock Boeser Over 0.5 points
Zeev Buium Over 0.5 points
Marcus Pettersson Over 1.5 blocked shots
Penguins vs Canucks odds
Moneyline: Pittsburgh -145 | Vancouver +125
Puck line: Pittsburgh -1.5 (+160) | Vancouver +1.5 (-190)
Over/Under: Over 6.5 (+110) | Under 6.5 (-130)
Penguins vs Canucks trend
Brock Boeser has six points over his last five games against Vancouver. Find more NHL betting trends for Penguins vs. Canucks.
How to watch Penguins vs Canucks
Location
Rogers Arena, Vancouver, BC
Date
Sunday, January 25, 2026
Puck drop
6:00 p.m. ET
TV
SportsNet Pittsburgh, Sportsnet
Penguins vs Canucks latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Padres fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
The Friar Faithful have been waiting for news of a signing to breathe some life to this offseason that has been crawling to an end, but what they got Saturday was a report from Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune that pitcher Yu Darvish was ready to retire and walk away from the three years and $43 million remaining on his contract. Since that report, Darvish himself has denied on X that anything is finalized and that he is not announcing his retirement.
You may have seen an article, and although I am leaning towards voiding the contract, there’s still a lot that has to be talked over with the Padres so the finer details are yet to be decided. Also I will not be announcing my retirement yet. Right now I am fully focused on my…
If the Acee report did come to pass at some point this offseason, it might create some of the financial flexibility the San Diego Padres and president of baseball operations and general manager A.J. Preller have been looking for. The money saved from a Darvish retirement even with a potential buyout could allow Preller to chase bigger free agents.
As it stands, the Padres are a team that have reportedly been in a financial crunch over the past two offseasons and that appears to be the case based on the limited number of major league contracts signed and the bevy of minor league contracts that have been doled out this offseason. Many of those contracts come with invites to Spring Training and based on the success of Gavin Sheets from a season ago, it appears Preller is looking for another player to have a strong spring to make the MLB roster.
The money the Padres do have to spend would be best spent addressing their rotation needs and that sentiment is shared throughout much of the MLB and fan communities. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported earlier this week that the financial constraints of the Padres have them looking at more mid- to lower-tiered arms. He listed Lucas Giolito, Nick Martinez and Justin Verlander as potential free agent targets for San Diego. Gaslamp Ball asked readers to decide which of the three pitchers they would want in the Padres’ rotation in 2026.
It was not a shock to see the overwhelming majority of those who took part in the poll wanted the Padres to bring in Giolito. He is the youngest of the group at 31 years old and spent last year with the Boston Red Sox, after missing the 2024 season recovering and rehabbing from elbow surgery, which probably has some fans thinking Giolito could be a Nick Pivetta 2.0. Pivetta pitched in Boston prior to coming to San Diego and he was the best pitcher in the starting rotation for the Padres in 2026. Could Giolito have similar success under the tutelage of San Diego pitching coach Ruben Niebla? The Friar Faithful seem to be willing to give it a chance.
Martinez has been in San Diego, he is well-known to Padres fans, and he seemed to be well-liked in the clubhouse. Preller does not often bring players back to San Diego who have left and gone on to play in another city, but that does not mean he is out on Martinez. It just seems that his return is highly unlikely, and the fans seem to want that to be the case as well.
Verlander is going to be in the National Baseball Hall of Fame when he is eligible for induction, and you would be hard-pressed to find anyone who would dispute that. San Diego fans seem to think his best years are behind him and that the Padres could or should do better if they are going to spend on a free agent pitcher. Verlander had a good season, statistically speaking, in San Francisco last year with the Giants, but his win/loss record left a lot to be desired, and he is a 42-year-old with a lot of wear-and-tear on his arm.
There are some fans who did not like any of the options suggested by Rosenthal and used in this poll and that is to be expected. You always want your team to find and sign the best players because it gives your team the best opportunity to compete and win. No one wants to shop in the proverbial bargain bin, but sometimes we have to get the best of what is available and for the Padres and their fans, that appears to be Giolito.
This is a really good view of a bygone era at Wrigley Field, also sent to me by BCB reader Joe Coney.
I had to enhance the colors a bit; the original photo as sent to me was a bit washed out. This also made it easier to read the matchups on the scoreboard, and I had a hunch about this game even before that.
It’s clearly pre-Tribune Co. era, because there’s no message board. Going back a few more years, with no soccer clock under the scoreboard this has to be from before 1978.
The Braves are the visiting team, as you can see from the pitcher’s jersey. The Braves began wearing these road jerseys in 1976.
So now we’re down to 1976 or 1977. The Cubs pitcher is wearing No. 39 and, to this point in the game, is still pitching.
That has to be Mike Krukow, who debuted with the Cubs in September 1976. But he didn’t face the Braves that year.
Thus, this is one of the two starts Krukow made against the Braves in 1977. The first one was in early May, and the ivy is too full for that time of year.
Thus, this is the other Krukow start against the Braves that year. It was played Saturday, July 23, 1977. Everything on the board matches what happened that day.
The Cubs are leading 1-0 and it’s the bottom of the seventh inning. The runner on second is Jerry Morales and Steve Ontiveros (16 on the board) is at bat. There’s one out. Atlanta’s pitcher is Steve Hargan, who gave up a single to Ontiveros, with Morales taking third. After that the Braves replaced Hargan with Rick Camp, who gave up RBI singles to Manny Trillo and George Mitterwald, and the Cubs led 3-0 going into the eighth.
But Krukow faltered and gave up a couple of hits. Willie Hernandez relieved him and allowed RBI hits to Gary Matthews (who’d be a Cub seven years later!) and Willie Montanez, and the Braves took a 4-3 lead.
Ontiveros hit an RBI single in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game 4-4, and Paul Reuschel threw the ninth, serving up a leadoff homer to Rod Gilbreath. The Cubs went out 1-2-3 in the bottom of the ninth and lost the game 5-4.
Despite the loss the Cubs were 56-36 after this game and still led the NL East by 2.5 games, in the year many of us thought they’d finally make up for 1969. Well, you know what happened.
