PRINCETON, N.J. (AP) — Ashley Chea scored 16 points, Fadima Tall added 15 and Skye Belker chipped in with 14, and No. 22 Princeton jumped out early to cruise past Dartmouth 69-41 on Saturday for the Tigers’ 13th straight win.
Chea shot 5 of 13 from the floor that included a pair of 3-pointers. Tall and Belker combined for 12-of-25 shooting. Emily Eadie grabbed 10 rebounds to go with six points, three assists and two blocks for Princeton (15-1, 3-0 Ivy League).
The Tigers shot 40% (27 of 68) from the floor and held Dartmouth to 27% (14 of 51) shooting while forcing 18 turnovers.
Reserves Nina Minicozzi and Debra Hill lead Dartmouth (9-7, 0-3) with 12 and 10 points, respectively. Olivia Austin grabbed 10 rebounds but missed her only field-goal attempt. The Big Green has lost five of their last six games.
Chea scored six points in the first quarter as the Tigers jumped out to a 13-5 advantage heading into the second quarter. Grace O’Sullivan hit a 3-pointer late in the half and the Tigers led 36-16 at the break.
Princeton entered with its highest ranking in the AP Top 25 since March 2, 2020, when the Tigers were No. 21. That team finished 26-1 and ranked No. 22.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — Bennett Stirtz scored 27 points, Tavion Banks added a career-high 26, and Iowa defeated Indiana 74-57 on Saturday, snapping a three-game losing streak.
The Hawkeyes (13-5, 3-4 Big Ten) never trailed and a 14-5 run gave them their first double-digit lead, 24-13. Neither team missed a shot in one stretch from 9:45 to 5:30 in the first half, leaving Iowa with a 30-23 lead. Indiana was held to five points over the final 4 1/2 minutes and Iowa led 38-28 at the break.
Indiana closed to within 49-45 in the second half, but soon thereafter Stirtz dropped a couple of 3s and Banks had a three-point play followed by a midrange jumper to put Iowa in command 62-48 with seven minutes remaining. The Hawkeyes' next six points came at the free-throw line and Banks followed with a layup for a 70-50 lead with four minutes remaining.
The Hawkeyes made 21 of 23 free throws, with Banks going 9 for 9 and Stirtz making 10 of 11.
Tayton Conerway scored 16 and Sam Alexis 13 for Indiana (12-6, 3-4). The Hoosiers' Lamar Wilkerson, who was leading the Big Ten with 26.0 points per game in conference play, was held to nine points on 3-for-10 shooting.
The Hawkeyes have won six of the last seven meetings between the longtime Big Ten rivals.
On Wednesday, Banks pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct in a deal with prosecutors that included a dismissal of his public intoxication charge related to a bar fight last October.
The matchup featured the previous two coaches at Drake — Iowa's Ben McCollum and Indiana's Darian DeVries.
Up next
Iowa: The Hawkeyes return home to play Rutgers on Tuesday.
Indiana: The Hoosiers play at Michigan on Tuesday.
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. (AP) — Fred Payne scored 26 points, and Donald Hand Jr. hit a game-tying 3-pointer in the final seconds of regulation as Boston College outscored Syracuse 17-9 in overtime to win 81-73 and earn its first Atlantic Coast Conference win of the season on Saturday.
Payne added six assists and three steals for the Eagles (8-10, 1-4 ACC), who erased a late seven-point deficit in the final three minutes and snapped a four-game conference losing streak. Hand finished with 12 points, with his 24-foot jumper with seven seconds left forcing overtime.
Syracuse (12-6, 3-2) held Boston College to 29% shooting in the first 10 minutes, jumping out to a 17-11 lead. The Orange led 33-28 at halftime despite committing eight turnovers.
The Orange pushed ahead 64-60 on Nate Kingz’s driving layup with 1:21 remaining in regulation. Donnie Freeman then missed the front end of a one-and-one with 18 seconds left and, after a defensive stop, Hand buried the tying 3 to send the game to overtime.
Boston College took command immediately in the extra period. Aidan Shaw opened with a dunk, Chase Forte added a driving layup, and Jayden Hastings capped a 6-2 run with an alley-oop dunk that made it 70-66 with 2:43 left. The Eagles sealed it by going 7 of 8 from the free-throw line in the final minute.
Kingz scored a career-high 27 points for Syracuse, while Freeman added 19 points and 14 rebounds. The Orange committed 18 turnovers.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Nick Boyd scored 32 points and had nine assists as Wisconsin beat Rutgers 96-87 on Saturday for its fourth straight win.
Boyd was 8-of-16 from the floor and 14 of 15 at the line to finish four points shy of his career high set against Providence in November. John Blackwell added 19 points and Nolan Winter had 18 for the Badgers (13-5, 5-2 Big Ten), whose win streak includes a 91-88 win at then-No. 2 Michigan and a last-second 78-75 road victory over Minnesota in their last game.
Harun Zrno scored 21 points, including five 3-pointers, Jamichael Davis added 14 and Tariq Francis had 12 for the Scarlet Knights (9-9, 2-5).
Consecutive 3s by Braeden Carrington, Winter and Jack Janicki gave Wisconsin its largest lead of 26 with under 14 minutes remaining. Francis led Rutgers back with nine unanswered points, and a few minutes later Zrno and Buchanan connected for consecutive 3s to start a 15-4 run that got the Knights within seven with five minutes to go.
Boyd converted a three-point play and added two free throws in a 7-0 run to put the Badgers back up by 14 with three minutes remaining and the lead remained in double figures.
Boyd scored 15 points and Winter added 11 in the first half, as Wisconsin shot 53% and made 8 of 15 3-point attempts to take a 51-29 lead.
Both teams shot 48% and both made 12 of 30 3-point attempts. Wisconsin took 10 more free throws and made 26 of 29 and outscored the Knights 19-4 off turnovers.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Terrence Brown scored a game-high 26 points, Keanu Dawes had a 10-point, 14-rebound double-double, and Utah took down TCU 82-79 on Saturday.
The Runnin' Utes (9-9, 1-4 Big 12) snapped a four-game skid and picked up their first win of conference play. Don McHenry added 11 points and Seydou Traore scored 10.
Utah opened the game on a 14-0 run, and TCU did not make a basket for the first six minutes. The Horned Frogs cut the deficit to eight points at the half, 38-30.
TCU tied the game with 15:21 remaining after a 9-1 run, but never took the lead. McHenry made four free throws down the stretch to secure the win, and Brown made three of his own.
Brown was 9-of-15 from the field and 4-for-5 from beyond the arc. The Utes shot 51% as a team, and 38% from deep.
David Punch scored 22 points on 10-for-16 shooting to pace the Horned Frogs (11-7, 2-3). Micah Robinson had 10 points, five assists, and four rebounds.
Utah leads the series 18-6 and is 12-2 against TCU in conference play across the Big 12, Mountain West, and Western Athletic conferences.
LIMA, Peru (AP) — Segundo Oliva Pinto made five birdies in an eight-hole stretch around the turn Saturday on his way to a 6-under 64, giving him a one-shot lead in the Latin American Amateur and setting up a sprint to see who gets a spot in three majors this year.
Pinto made seven birdies in his round that took the Argentine from seven shots back to a 54-hole lead in the championship that awards the winner a spot in the Masters, the U.S. Open and the British Open this year.
He was at 5-under 205, one shot ahead of Eduardo Matarazzo of Brazil (66) and Andy Schonbaum, the 34-year-old Argentine who has played in all but one of the 11 editions of this event. Schonbaum, the 36-hole leader, had two double bogeys on the back nine for a 72.
Virgilio Paz Valdes of Venezuela also had a 64, matching the low score this week at Lima Golf Club. He was two shots behind, along with Eduardo Derbez of Mexico (66), Mateo Pulcini of Argentina (70) and Erich Fortlage of Paraguay (70).
Seven players were separated by two shots going into the final round.
The Los Angeles Kings were represented by two of their youngest players on Corey Pronman's latest U-23 rankings. Defenseman Brandt Clarke and prospect winger Liam Greentree both fell into the bottom-tier 7 projection, reserved for players who have incredible potential but have a lot of room to climb up in the rankings.
Today, we will analyze why Clarke and Greentree rank at the bottom of this list, their stats for this season, future projections, and why they sit very far behind names like Dalibor Dvorsky and Conor Geekie, who sit at the top of tier 7.
Brandt Clarke Ranked 89th, Tier 7: Middle of the Lineup Player
Brandt Clarke, drafted 8th overall in the 2021 NHL draft, has already found his role on this team, playing the most minutes of his career this season for the Kings. The 22-year-old defenseman has been a key part of the Kings' blue line this season, already having the most goals he's had in his career, and is on pace to end the year with his best numbers.
This season, we've seen Clarke step up in big moments for the Kings when games have come close. Clarke, right now, is averaging 17 assists, 23 points with six goals on 18 minutes of ice played for the Kings, in which, if he stays healthy, he will end the season with his best play.
However, despite Clarke's improvement this season and bright future, Pronmam's evolution reflects the same concerns that scouts have long had. The biggest concern is Clarke's skating, which is rated poor and is well below average, limiting his ceiling despite his above-average puck skills, shot, and hockey sense.
Right now, we know Clarke is a solid offensive defenseman who can get his own shot up and score when called upon, but what is lacking is the other side of the ice, being a true two-way player. While Clarke has definitely shown some great defensive reads this season with more playing time, he will do so with the right development. It's still too soon to put him ahead of other players who have more opportunities right now.
Motitz Seider is in the TOP
TOP Defensemen by Defense Contribution | 5v5 | Jan 1
Liam Greentree Ranked 134th, Tier 7: Middle of the Lineup Player
Liam Greentree, selected 26th overall in 2024, remains firmly in the prospect phase but continues to trend upward in the Ontario Hockey League. The 20-year-old winger has yet to play for the Kings, but has posted a great start playing for the Windsor Spitfires.
His game leans heavily on above-average puck skills and his shot, making him a legitimate scoring threat at the next level. This season, Greentree is averaging 17 goals, 17 assists, and 34 points in 27 games. Those are great numbers that will continue to go up when the season ends if he continues to play well and stays healthy.
But, as with Clarke, the skating is the issue; sitting below average suggests a longer development curve for Greentree. The Canadian right-winger profiles as a power winger with offensive upside, but is not yet a complete NHL-ready player, placing him squarely at the very bottom ranking of tier 7.
My Top 5 Prospects in the LA Kings system: ⁰1️⃣ Liam Greentree⁰2️⃣ Carter George⁰3️⃣ Henry Brzustewicz⁰4️⃣ Hampton Slukynsky⁰5️⃣ Erik Portillo
How Clarke and Greentree Compare to Other Tier 7 Players
Dalibor Dvorsky and Conor Geekie remain at the top of tier 7, with Dvorsky sitting at 64 and Geekie at 65, respectively. Both Dvorsky and Geekie remain below average at skating, similar to Greentree and Clarke, but have stronger projections due to their offensive ceiling and longer tenure in the NHL.
Geekie, despite a bad start to this season with zero goals and just one assist and point, has a similar development arc to Greentree but is a bigger body forward with above-average puck skills, a shot, and average hockey sense.
Dvorsky, meanwhile, is off to a great start after playing just two games last season. The 20-year-old already has seven goals, 10 points, and 3 assists in 38 games. His profile is built on a high-end shot and above-average puck skills and is already making his way as a top-six NHL scorer.
Final Note
• Clarke offers the most immediate impact in the NHL due to his current role with the Kings.
• Dvorsky carries the bigger offensive load and upside.
• Geekie brings size and scoring tools, but remains limited by skating.
• Greentree is the longest-term project but has similar skillsets to Clarke and Dvorsky, particularly as a scorer.
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The Chicago Blackhawks are set to take on the Boston Bruins on Saturday night. This Original Six matchup is a special one for the Blackhawks, as they will honor “The Banner Years” to close out the third chapter of their centennial celebration.
There will be over 20 Blackhawks alumni in attendance, all of whom won the Cup with Chicago in 2010, 2013, and/or 2015. A pregame ceremony hosted by Pat Foley will take place after warmups.
Scouting Boston
The Boston Bruins came into 2025-26 with mixed expectations. As an organization, the playoffs are a goal every single year, no matter what. However, a tough 2024-25 had many thinking it might be a couple of years before they returned to the postseason. So far, they’ve been a surprise.
The Bruins currently hold the final Wild Card spot in a crowded Eastern Conference with a record of 27-19-2 (56 points). They come into this matchup with Chicago on a five-game winning streak.
Khusnutdinov-Lindholm-Pastrnak
Mittelstadt-Zacha-Arvidsson
Steeves-Minten-Geekie
Jeannot-Kuraly-Kastelic
Aspirot-McAvoy
Zadorov-Jokiharju
Lohrei-Peeke
Korpisalo
Everything on this Bruins team runs through David Pastrnak. He is one of the three best wingers in the NHL, and he drives offense like a center. His line with Elias Lindholm and Murat Khusnutdinov has been on fire in recent weeks.
Morgan Geekie has a lot of goals this season, but Khusnutdinov took his spot on the top line. Still, that’s a sniper playing a depth position to keep an eye on if you're the Blackhawks in a pre-scout meeting.
On defense, forecheckers must avoid former Blackhawk Nikita Zadorov, as he is known to hit them hard. Their number one defenseman, and Team USA star, Charlie McAvoy, is the one who can burn in all three zones.
Jeremy Swayman, Boston’s number one goalie, will be with McAvoy on Team USA in Milan. He is a big reason the Bruins are having a bounce-back season. Joonas Korpisalo, his backup, will get the start, though. Korpisalo is a competent goalie as well, meaning the Blackhawks must be on their game if they want to break out of their offensive slump.
This isn’t the Bruins team loaded with Hall of Famers as the Blackhawks faced in the 2013 Stanley Cup Final, but it’s a feisty bunch led by a handful of superstars at each position.
Projected Lines, Defense Pairs, & Goalie For Chicago
The Chicago Blackhawks are coming off two tough losses at home to the Alberta teams, but they are still 5-4-1 in their last 10. A win over the Bruins would be a strong bounce-back victory, based on how well Boston has played in recent weeks.
Greene-Bedard-Burakovsky
Bertuzzi-Dickinson-Mikheyev
Donato-Moore-Lardis
Dach-Foligno-Slaggert
Vlasic-Crevier
Kaiser-Levshunov
Grzelcyk-Murphy
Soderblom
Teuvo Teravainen’s injury is starting to linger. He will not play against the Bruins and is still day-to-day. Jason Dickinson left practice with an injury, but Jeff Blashill said that he will play.
These lines are well-balanced based on the tools that they have. Each line has a shooter, a playmaker, and a player capable of playing hard in all three zones.
Arvid Soderblom will get the start in goal. Spencer Knight has been playing incredibly lately, but he gets the night off. He will likely start on Monday night against the Winnipeg Jets.
How To Watch
The game can be heard locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. To view this game, it can be found locally on CHSN. The puck will drop shortly after 7:00 PM CT.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
The Golden State Warriors look to keep their momentum rolling Saturday night when they host the Charlotte Hornets. The game will tip off at 5:30 PM PT in San Francisco and can be watched on NBC Sports Bay Area.
Golden State enters the matchup riding a two-game winning streak after Thursday night’s 126–113 comeback win over the New York Knicks. The Warriors erased an early 14-point first-quarter deficit behind a dominant performance from Jimmy Butler, who scored 32 points on 14-of-22 shooting — his second 30-point outing in the last three games.
Stephen Curry followed with 27 points, while Moses Moody knocked down seven three-pointers on his way to 21 points. The victory pushed Golden State to four games above .500 for the first time this season.
“His ability to just stay composed and see the floor while, you know, he's making his presence felt, it's tough to guard for anybody.”
Steph Curry on why he and Jimmy Butler were so effective in the pick and roll against the Knicks. pic.twitter.com/kBZw8blIxU
The Warriors are 4–1 during this eight-game homestand and now turn their attention to a Charlotte team they’ve beaten six straight times dating back to the 2022–23 season. Golden State will once again look to take advantage of the Hornets’ defense, which ranks 23rd in the league with a 116.6 defensive rating.
Although Charlotte has struggled on that end, it remains dangerous offensively. They own the NBA’s ninth-best offensive rating while featuring four players averaging 19 points or more, led by All-Star point guard LaMelo Ball’s 20.4 points per game. That combination sets the stage for another high-scoring night, especially with the Warriors posting a league-best 125.4 offensive rating over the past five games of this homestand.
Steph Curry: “I like where we are at. I like the vibes. I like how we are playing. pic.twitter.com/1IYTwTsADa
Boston Celtics (25-15) at Atlanta Hawks (20-23) Saturday, January 17, 2026 7:30 PM ET Regular Season Game #41 Road Game #22 TV: NBCSB, FDSNSE, NBA-LP 98.5 Sports Hub, 92.9 The Game, Sirius XM State Farm Arena
The Celtics continue their road trip after a loss to the Pacers and a win over the Heat. After this game at Atlanta, they will finish the trip in Detroit on Monday. This is the 1st of 4 games between these two teams this season. They will meet again in Atlanta on March 30 and will play twice in Boston on January 28 and March 27. The Hawks won the series 2-1 last season with the Celtics winning one in Atlanta and the Hawks winning twice in Boston. The Celtics are 245-151 overall all time and they are 113-95 in games played in Atlanta.
The Hawks saw a lot of change in the off season. They were part of a 3 team trade That sent Georges Niang to Boston and Terance Mann to Brooklyn and brought back Kristaps Porzingis from Boston. They were also part of a 7 team trade involving Kevin Durant where they sent Clint Capela to Houston in return for David Roddy, who they cut. They got Nickeil Alexander-Walker in a sign and trade with Minnesota.
They traded Kobe Bufkin to Brooklyn for cash. Caris LeVert and Larry Nance, Jr both left in free agency and they cut Charles Bassey. They signed N’Faly Dante and Luke Kennard as free agents. They drafted Asa Newell with the 23rd pick in thee draft. Just last week, they made the first big trade of the silly season when they sent Trae Young to Washington for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert.
The Celtics are 2nd in the East, 4.5 games behind 1st place Detroit. They are half a game ahead of 2nd place New York. They are 1 game ahead of 4th place Toronto, 2.5 games ahead of 5th place Philadelphia and 6th place Orlando. The Celtics are 18-9 against Eastern Conference opponents. They are 13-8 on the road and 6-4 in their last 10 games. They are coming off a win in their last game.
The Hawks are 10th in the East, 11 games behind first place Detroit, 5.5 games behind 2nd place Boston, 4 games behind 6th place Orlando, 3.5 games behind 7th place Cleveland, 2 games behind 8th place Miami, and half a game behind 9th place Chicago. They are 2 games ahead of 11th place Milwaukee. They are 10-15 against Eastern Conference opponents. They are 7-11 at home and 5-5 in their last 10 games. They have lost their last 2 games.
The Celtics are playing in the 3rd game of a 4 game road trip. They lost the first game in Indiana and won in Miami. They will play Detroit on Monday to complete the trip. They will then play one game at home against Indiana before playing Brooklyn and Chicago on the road. They will then have another 4 game home stand against Portland, Atlanta, Sacramento and Milwaukee. Then, they are on the road at Dallas and Houston before playing Miami, New York, and Chicago at home, taking them into the All Star Break.
The Hawks are playing in the first of 2 consecutive home games. and will host Milwaukee on Monday. They will then play at Memphis and then host Phoenix and Indiana. Then they play at Boston, home vs Houston and on the road against indiana and Miami. Next up are 2 home games against Utah and Charlotte before playing at Minnesota and at Charlotte that brings them to the All Star game.
For the Celtics, Jayson Tatum remains out as he continues to rehab from the Achilles tear he suffered in last year’s playoffs. Josh Minott will miss his sixth straight game due to an ankle sprain. Payton Pritchard is in danger of missing his first game of the season as he is listed as doubtful due to ankle soreness. I’m guessing that Sam Hauser will continue to start at power forward and taking a very wild guess that Anfernee Simons will get the start at shooting guard after his big game against the Heat. Joe will likely start the person I least expect to start, however, and may start Jordan, Hugo or Baylor.
For the Hawks, Dyson Daniels is questionable due to a right ankle sprain that he has been managing. I’m thinking he will play, but if not, we may see new Hawk CJ McCollum get the start. Former Celtics Kristaps Porzingis will sit out his 5th consecutive game due to left Achilles tendinitis. Zaccharie Risacher will miss his 5th consecutive game due to a left knee injury. N’Faly Dante is out for the season with a knee injury.
Probable Starting Matchups PG: Derrick White vs Nickeil Alexander-Walker
SG: Anfernee Simons vs Dyson Daniels
SF: Jaylen Brown vs Vit Krejci
PF: Sam Hauser vs Jalen Johnson
Sam Hauser
C: Neemias Queta vs Onyeka Okongwu
Celtics Reserves Baylor Scheierman Xavier Tillman Hugo Gonzalez Luka Garza Chris Boucher Jordan Walsh
2-Way Players Ron Harper, Jr Max Shulga Amari Williams Injuries/Out Jayson Tatum (Achilles) out Josh Minott (ankle) out Payton Pritchard (ankle) doubtful
Head Coach Joe Mazzulla
Hawks Reserves Nikola Durisic Mouhamed Gueye Luke Kennard Corey Kispert CJ McCollum Asa Newell Keaton Wallace
2 way Players Rayj Dennis Caleb Houston Injuries/Out N’Faly Dante (knee) out Kristaps Porzingis (Achilles) out Zaccharie Risacher (knee) out Dyson Daniels (ankle) questionable
Head Coach Quin Snyder
Key Matchups Sam Hauser vs Jalen Johnson Johnson is averaging 23.1 points, 10.1 rebounds, 8.1 assists and 1.3 steals. He is shooting 51.9% from the field and 35.4% from beyond the arc. Sam needs to hit his 3’s to spread the floor and keep Johnson out of the paint and off the boards.
Derrick White vs Nickeil Alexander-Walker Alexander-Walker is averaging 20.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 44.8% from the field and 37.8% from beyond the arc. Derrick White struggled against the Heat and so hopefully he will bounce back with a big game in this one.
Honorable Mention Neemias Queta vs Onyeka Okongwu Okongwu is averaging 16.3 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.2 steals and 1 block per game. He is shooting 48.2% from the field and 36.3% from beyond the arc. The Celtics need tu guard Okongwu both inside the paint and on the perimeter because he shoots well from both.
Keys to the Game Defense – Defense is always a key to winning games. The Celtics have an offensive rating of 121.5 (3nd) while the Hawks have an offensive rating of 113.8, which is 19th. The Celtics have a defensive rating of 114.4 which is 15th while the Hawks have a defensive rating of 114.7, which is 16th. The Celtics have been hot and cold on defense this season. Sometimes they can shut down the other team and sometimes they allow them to score at will. the Celtics need to defend the perimeter because the Hawks are 6th, shooting 37% pm threes. They also have to defend the paint as the Hawks are 10th with 52 points in the paint per game. The Celtics must make defense a priority in this game and they have to play that tough defense for 48 minutes and not let up.
Rebound – Next to defense, rebounding is the key to winning. When the Celtics put out the extra effort on the boards, it usually carries through to the rest of their game. The Hawks are averaging 41.7 rebounds per game (25th) while the Celtics are averaging 44.7 rebounds per game (12th). The Celtics need to aggressively go after every rebound. They can’t afford to give the Hawks extra possessions and 2nd chance points by allowing them to beat them to rebounds. Effort and Focus for 48 Minutes– The Celtics have to play with extra effort overall for all 4 quarters. In most of their losses and even in their wins, they have allowed their opponents to play with more energy than them for periods of time during the game. They play well for stretches but let up and allow their opponents to surge ahead, especially down the stretch. They have to stay focused for all 48 minutes and be ready for their opponents to play harder in the second half and they need to match that effort. They also have to come out with more effort and energy to start the game and not get into a hole as they did against the Heat. Move the Ball Carefully – When the Celtics move the ball and find the open man, they are tough to beat. When they hold the ball and try to play hero ball, they become predictable and struggle. When the Celtics have more assists than their opponents they are 11-0 and when their opponents have more assists than the Celtics, they are just 12-14. The Celtics need to move the ball, but they have to make careful passes because the Hawks are 5th in the league with 20.3 points off turnovers per game.
X-Factors Road Game – The Celtics are playing in their 3rd straight game on the road and will have the distractions of travel and a hotel stay and playing in front of hostile fans in an unfamiliar arena. Both teams are also playing short handed and so fatigue due to the missing players and also fatigue from travel can be a factor down the stretch
Officiating – Officiating is always an x-factor in every game. Every crew officiates differently. Some call it tight, others let them play. The Celtics need to adjust to how the refs are calling the game and not allow bad calls or no calls to take away their focus from playing the game. We have recently seen how much of an x-factor officiating can be. The Celtics have to play so well all game that the officiating, no matter how bad, can’t influence the outcome.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Mika Zibanejad became the Rangers’ all-time leader in power-play goals and his three-goal performance tied the team record for most career hat tricks in New York’s 6-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday.
The 32-year-old Swede scored with a man advantage at 5:38 of the second period, giving him 117 power-play goals and moving him past Camille Henry and Chris Kreider, who each had 116 for New York.
Zibanejad’s first-period goal at 7:26 put the Rangers ahead to stay at 2-1 and he completed his scoring at 8:25 of the second, matching Bill Cook with nine career hat tricks with the Rangers.
Artemi Panarin added two goals and an assist, and Brennan Othmann also scored for the Rangers, who snapped a five-game skid. The Rangers, whose last victory came January 2 against Florida, had lost eight of their last nine games. J.T. Miller, Alexis Lafreniere and Vincent Trocheck each had two assists. Spencer Martin made 25 saves and earned his first win of the season.
Rangers coach Mike Sullivan earned his 500th coaching win. Sullivan was a two-time Stanley Cup winner in his 10-year tenure with the Penguins. He parted ways with Pittsburgh after missing the playoffs for a third straight season and was hired by New York in May, after Peter Laviolette was fired.
Travis Konecny, Travis Sanheim and Trevor Zegras each had a goal and an assist for the Flyers, who lost their sixth straight game. Samuel Ersson made 22 stops.
Flyers center Rodrigo Abols left the game in the first period with a lower-body injury and did not return. Abols appeared to catch his right foot in an odd position while battling along the boards and struggled to put weight on his right leg as he was helped off the ice
The Flyers were without Dan Vladar, Tyson Foerster (arm injury), Bobby Brink (upper-body injury) and Rasmus Ristolainen (upper-body injury for the game.
Up next
Rangers: At Anaheim on Monday for the second game of a four-game trip.
Flyers: At Vegas on Monday in the opener of a three-game trip.
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Four players scored in double figures as the Kansas State women used a dominant team rebounding performance to beat previously undefeated No. 17 Texas Tech 65-59 on Saturday.
Tess Heal led the Wildcats (10-9, 3-3 Big 12) with 12 points, four rebounds and three steals. Gina Garcia, Jordan Speiser and Taryn Sides all scored 11 points. Speiser led with seven rebounds and added two steals.
The Wildcats dominated the Lady Raiders (19-1, 6-1) by a margin of 46-20 on the glass, leading to a 28-14 advantage on points in the paint, and a 14-3 advantage on second-chance points. That rebounding negated the Lady Raiders' 18-10 advantage on turnovers, leading to a 18-5 advantage on points off turnovers.
Bailey Maupin had 18 points and two steals for the Lady Raiders. Jada Malone added 15, going 5 of 8 and 5 of 5 at the free-throw line. Snudda Collins had 12 to go with two blocks.
The Wildcats used a 14-3 run to build a 30-25 lead at the half. The Lady Raiders responded to take the lead with an 11-0 run, using seven points from Malone and a four-point play by Collins to lead by six with 8:17 remaining.
That lead evaporated in the waning minutes. After a 3-pointer from Collins with 2:24 remaining, the Lady Raiders' only point came from a Sidney Love free throw with six seconds left, while the Wildcats closed with an 8-1 run.
The loss removes the Lady Raiders from the list of remaining undefeated teams in the country (No. 1 UConn, No. 5 Vanderbilt), after the best start to a season in program history.
Brennan Othmann #78 of the New York Rangers celebrates his goal with Noah Laba #42 and Will Borgen #17 during the first period against the Philadelphia Flyers at Xfinity Mobile Arena on January 17, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
PHILADELPHIA — The Rangers finally found their response.
Both clubs rode a season-high five-game losing streak into the contest, but the Rangers’ desperation — which had seemingly gone dormant — was evident from puck drop and fueled a much-needed victory.
“The last couple of days have been pretty emotional for the whole group, and to respond with an effort like they did tonight, for me, is just I think evidence that these guys are quality people and they care a lot about each other and about the Rangers,” head coach Mike Sullivan said after the win, the 500th of his career.
Key skaters, including a few who are on the trade block, shouldered the weight of this one.
Mika Zibanejad recorded his second hat trick of the month, extending his point streak to eight straight games in a dominant performance.
Fresh from learning the Rangers would not give him a contract extension, Artemi Panarin registered two goals and one assist.
New York Rangers defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov (44) battles for the puck against Philadelphia Flyers left wing Noah Cates (27) in the second period at Xfinity Mobile Arena. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Captain J.T. Miller, Vincent Trocheck and Alexis Lafrenière all posted two-assist efforts.
“It felt great,” the 23-year-old said. “It was a long time coming.”
It was a total outpouring from the Rangers amid a precarious time in the organization.
The Flyers may have struck first, but the rest of the first period belonged to the Rangers
After Travis Konecny opened the scoring, the Rangers netted the next three goals to go into the first intermission with a two-goal lead.
Brennan Othmann #78 of the New York Rangers celebrates his goal with Noah Laba #42 and Will Borgen #17 during the first period against the Philadelphia Flyers at Xfinity Mobile Arena on January 17, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Getty Images
The response was almost immediate, with Panarin capitalizing on an aggressive passing sequence with his linemates, Lafrenière and Trocheck.
Just 21 seconds later, Zibanejad scored the first of his three goals to give the Rangers their first lead of the day.
A tough season for the Rangers has been particularly challenging for Othmann, who competed in his ninth NHL game of the season on Saturday.
From getting cut from training camp early, hearing the Rangers are willing to move on from him and getting lit up by Washington’s Tom Wilson, the 23-year-old Othmann was overdue for a feel-good performance.
Scoring his first goal in the 34th game of his NHL career, Othmann made it a 3-1 game off a snipe on a 3-on-1 rush.
The Flyers were held to one goal on seven shots in the middle frame, in which the Rangers were able to build a 6-2 lead going into the second intermission.
Scoring a power-play goal, Zibanejad became the all-time leader for the franchise.
And after burying a give-and-go with Miller, Zibanejad now leads the NHL in goals (9) and points (16) since Jan. 2.
“He’s really committed to trying to play the game the right way, the way that we’re trying to play,” Sullivan said. “I think he has personified that most of the year. We’ve challenged him to use his size and his physicality, both offensively and defensively, and I think he’s really embraced that challenge. He’s played extremely well for us.”
If your jaw hit the floor when you learned that the Los Angeles Dodgers had signed free agent Kyle Tucker to a borderline offensive contract this week, you were not alone. Now that we know that the Dodgers payroll will top $400 million dollars for the upcoming season, it’s more important than ever that Chaim Bloom and his team get this rebuild of the St. Louis Cardinals done right for us to contend again soon.
Just for reference, here is the payroll for the Los Angeles Dodgers dating back a decade:
The projected payroll for the Dodgers for the 2026 season is a remarkable $413.6 million dollars. Now, let’s all exhale and try to find our happy place because this outrageous Dodgers spending shouldn’t be intimidating. It should be inspiring because I believe we have the management team now that is capable of taking down giants (and I’m not talking about the San Francisco kind). I can’t remember which one of my favorite Cardinals writers said this, but I think it’s Bernie Miklasz. It’s not the amount of your payroll, but it’s what you do with it that matters. Yes, the Los Angeles Dodgers have used their money to grab nearly every all-star within reach, but the choices they made have been smart and roster management by Dave Roberts has been masterful.
My point to this is the St. Louis Cardinals used to be great at developing great young players and then adding the appropriate pieces during the offseason and at the trade deadline to fill needs and improve strengths. Our beloved team lost that vision over the past half decade. It doesn’t matter if you want to blame ownership or the previous president of baseball operations, the bottom line is our farm system did not progress the way it needed to for us to be real contenders against big market teams like Los Angeles. After seeing the moves made by Chaim Bloom this offseason, I’m a believer again. He has accomplished nearly everything he said he wanted to do and that should be applauded.
There is history to prove that if the St. Louis Cardinals get this rebuild done right, a big payroll will not stop us from ascending back into a place where we’re consistently contending for pennants again. Remember the lowly 2003 Florida Marlins who won the championship with the league’s smallest payroll? The 2007 Tampa Bay Rays (then Devil Rays) ended up in the World Series with a team that may have included some buy one, get one free coupons. The Kansas City Royals 2015 World Series title was accomplished with a payroll of just over $112 million. Even the recent 2023 Arizona Diamondbacks made a deep playoff run with only a $116 to $119 million dollars roster. Having a world championship caliber team with a non-stratospheric payroll has been done in the past and it will be done in the future. Let’s hope that there are birds on the bat uniforms that make that happen. We’re coming for you, Dodgers. It’s only a matter of time before you have to explain to your Hollywood fans how a small market team took you down. Ask Clayton Kershaw how that feels. He remembers it well.
