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NHL Preview: Minnesota Wild (31-21-5) at Toronto Maple Leafs (35-15-8)

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NHL Preview: Minnesota Wild (31-21-5) at Toronto Maple Leafs (35-15-8)

MINNESOTA WILD NOTES:

SERIES NOTES
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
All-Time Wild Record: 13-14-0 (8-5-0 at Xcel Energy Center, 5-9-0 at Toronto)

2022-23: Minnesota fell 4-3 in the series-opening game at Xcel Energy Center (11/25)…The Wild received two-point performances from D Alex Goligoski (0-2=2), LW Kirill Kaprizov (1-1=2) and RW Mats Zuccarello (1-1=2)…G Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 24-of-28 shots faced for the Wild…C John Tavares led the Maple Leafs with two points (0-2=2))…Toronto received goals from C Zach AstonReese (1-0=1), C Calle Jarnkrok (1-0=1), RW Mitchell Marner (1- 0=1) and RW William Nylander (1-0=1)…G Matt Murray saved 25- of-28 shots faced for the Maple Leafs.

WILD LEADERS: Zuccarello leads the Wild with 25 points (12- 13=25) in 22 contests against Toronto…Goligoski has 13 assists in 26 matches…LW Marcus Foligno owns 12 points (4-8=12) in 31 contests…D Jon Merrill owns eight points (2-6=8) in 19 games.

WILD GOALIES: G Marc-Andre Fleury is 19-13-4 with a 3.01 GAA, a .897 SV% and one shutout in 38 career games (35 starts) vs. the Maple Leafs…G Filip Gustavsson is 1-0-0 with a 3.00 GAA and a .909 SV% in one career start (5/12/21).

MAPLE LEAFS LEADERS: C Ryan O’Reilly leads Toronto with 33 points (16-17=33) in 53 contests against the Wild … D Mark Giordano has 25 points (9-16=25) in 51 games…Tavares has 20 points (8-12=20) in 20 matches…D Morgan Rielly has 13 assists in 16 contests.

MAPLE LEAFS GOALIES: Murray is 3-1-0 with a 2.51 GAA and a .914 SV% in four career starts against the Wild…G Ilya Samsonov has not faced Minnesota.

FAST FACTS: Minnesota is 10-6-0 in its last 16 games against Toronto, including a seven-game win streak (11/13/13-12/7/16)… The Wild has scored one goal or less in nine of its 14 all-time losses to the Maple Leafs…In its 13 wins, Minnesota has outscored Toronto, 42-20.

ON THE POWER PLAY
• The Wild has converted 28.4 percent (27 of 95) of power-play opportunities at home this season, fifth-best in the NHL.

• Since Jan. 19, Minnesota ranks second in the NHL with 12 power-play goals. Minnesota is 12-for-47 (25.6%) with the man advantage during that span, scoring a power-play goal in 11 of 15 contests.

PENALTY KILLERS
• The Wild has killed 22 consecutive shorthanded situations and has not allowed a power-play goal in a season-high nine consecutive games dating back to Feb. 8 at DAL.

• For the season, the Wild is tied for seventh in the NHL with a 81.9 penalty-kill percentage (154 for 188).

• Since Nov. 8, Minnesota is third in the NHL with a 83.8 penalty-kill percentage (129 for 154).

• Minnesota is tied for sixth in the NHL with a 82.3 penalty-kill percentage (79 of 96) on the road this season.

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS NOTES:

LAST GAME
Score: Toronto 6 at Buffalo 3
Date: Tuesday, February 21, 2023
TOR Goals: O’Reilly, O’Reilly, Tavares, Bunting, Nylander (PP), O’Reilly (EN)
BUF Goals: Quinn, Tuch, Skinner
TOR Goaltender: Samsonov, 29/30, .906 SV%
BUF Goaltender: Luukkonen, 6/10, .600 SV% – Anderson, 17/18, .944 SV%
TOR Power Play: 1-for-2
TOR Penalty Kill: 1-for-1

Player Notes:

  • Ryan O’Reilly posted the fourth hat trick of his NHL career and the 21st multi-goal game of his NHL career. Per NHL Stats, “O’Reilly (3 GP) became the ninth player in Maple Leafs history to score a hat trick within his first three games with the club, a feat also achieved by teammates Auston Matthews (1 GP; Oct. 12, 2016) and John Tavares (3 GP; Oct. 7, 2018).” O’Reilly also recorded the primary assist on Tavares’ goal. O’Reilly tied a single-game NHL career-high four points, which he has marked on seven occasions during his NHL career.
  • John Tavares scored for the Maple Leafs at 7:14 of the first period and added three assists in Toronto’s win. Tavares recorded his second four-point game of the season and 14th game of his NHL career with four or more points. Tavares has scored in back-to-back games.
  • William Nylander scored on a Maple Leafs power play opportunity at 14:36 of the second period and recorded the secondary assist on Bunting’s goal. Nylander extended his current point streak to five games where he has posted nine points (4G, 5A). With his goal, Nylander posted the 50th power play goal of his NHL career and, per NHL Stats, “a mark only two other active players have achieved with the club: Auston Matthews (73) and Phil Kessel (52).”
  • Mitch Marner recorded the primary assist on all three of O’Reilly’s goals, the secondary assist on Tavares’ goal and the secondary assist on Nylander’s power play goal. With five assists, Marner set a new single-game NHL career-high. Per NHL Stats, “Marner (0-5—5) tied Pep Kelly (March 14, 1940 at MTL), Babe Pratt (Dec. 17, 1942 at MTL) and Borje Salming (Dec. 16, 1977 at MNS) for the most assists in a road game in franchise history.” Marner has posted 51 assists this season, the fourth time in his NHL career to surpass the 50-assist mark.
  • Morgan Rielly recorded the primary assist on Bunting’s goal. Rielly has recorded three assists through his last two games. With the assist, Rielly recorded the 331st assist of his NHL career, claiming sole possession of ninth place on the franchise leader board for most assists surpassing Ted Kennedy.
  • Ilya Samsonov stopped 29 of 32 shots he faced in Tuesday’s win. Samsonov earned his 20th win of the season improving to 20-7-2 record through 29 games. Per NHL Stats, “Samsonov required the second-fewest games to reach 20 career wins with the franchise behind Jack Campbell (27 GP from 2019-20 – 2020-21).”

TONIGHT’S GAME
2022-23 Matchups vs. Minnesota: Second of Two
2021-22 Record vs. Minnesota: 1-0-1
Toronto Season Record: 35-15-8
Toronto Home Record: 22-6-4

TONIGHT’S STORYLINES
The Maple Leafs are scheduled to face-off against the Minnesota Wild tonight in the second of two matchups between the clubs this season. Toronto won their first meeting of the 2022-23 campaign against the Wild 4-3 on November 25th at Xcel Energy Center. John Tavares led the team in points during Toronto’s win with two assists. The Maple Leafs have earned at least one point in five-consecutive games against Minnesota (4-0-1). Toronto has posted a 22-6-4 record on home ice this season, currently the second-best home record in the league. Following tonight’s home appearance, the Maple Leafs begin a five-game road trip on Sunday against the Seattle Kraken. Mark Giordano has registered 2,041 blocks during his NHL career, currently three blocks away from tying Kris Russell for the all-time NHL record for most blocked shots. Giordano leads the Maple Leafs with 110 blocks this season. With five assists recorded on Tuesday night against Buffalo, Mitch Marner set a new single-game NHL career-high in assists. Marner leads the Maple Leafs in assists this season with 51, which ranks him fifth in league among assist leaders.

BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV: TSN4 RADIO: Sportsnet 590

NEXT GAME
Date: Sunday, February 26, 2023
Opponent: at Seattle Kraken
Time: 7:00 pm ET
Broadcast Information: Sportsnet Ontario (TV), TSN 1050 (Radio)

RECENT TRANSACTIONS
February 18, 2023 The Maple Leafs have recalled goaltender Erik Källgren from the Toronto Marlies (AHL) on an emergency basis. Forward Pontus Holmberg has been loaned to the Marlies.

February 17, 2023 The Maple Leafs acquired Ryan O’Reilly and Noel Acciari in a three-team trade with St. Louis and Minnesota. St. Louis receives Mikhail Abramov and Adam Gaudette, Toronto’s 1st round pick in ’23, Ottawa’s 3rd round pick in ’23 and Toronto’s 2nd round pick in ’24. Minnesota receives Toronto’s 4th round pick in ’25. St. Louis will retain 50% and Minnesota will retain 25% of O’Reilly’s salary as part of the trade. Toronto also received Josh Pillar from the Minnesota Wild as part of the transaction.

February 15, 2023 The Maple Leafs have loaned forward Alex Steeves to the Toronto Marlies (AHL).

February 14, 2023 The Maple Leafs have recalled forward Pontus Holmberg, forward Alex Steeves and goaltender Joseph Woll from the Toronto Marlies (AHL).

INJURY REPORT
Carl Dahlström Shoulder (LTIR)
Victor Mete Lower Body (LTIR)
Matt Murray Ankle (LTIR)
Jake Muzzin Neck (LTIR)
Nick Robertson Shoulder (LTIR)

ALL-TIME VS. MINNESOTA WILD:
First Matchup between Clubs: October 25, 2000 (Toronto 6 vs. Minnesota 1)
All-Time Record: 14-11-0-2 (27 Games)
All-Time Record at Home: 9-5-0-0 (14 Games)
All-Time Record on the Road: 5-6-0-2 (13 Games)
Last Home Win vs. Opponent: February 24, 2022 (Toronto 3 vs. Minnesota 1)

ACTIVE LEADERS VS. MINNESOTA WILD:
Games Played: Ryan O’Reilly (53), Mark Giordano (51), TJ Brodie (31)
Goals: Ryan O’Reilly (16), Mark Giordano (9), John Tavares (8)
Assists: Ryan O’Reilly (17), Mark Giordano (16), Morgan Rielly (13)
Points: Ryan O’Reilly (33), Mark Giordano (25), John Tavares (20)
Penalty Minutes: Mark Giordano (47), TJ Brodie (16), Alexander Kerfoot (12)

2022-23 AVERAGES
Points % GF/Game GA/Game PP% PK% SF/G SA/G FO%
Toronto .672 3.45 2.67 25.7 81.1 32.3 29.0 52.6
Minnesota .595 2.85 2.74 23.5 81.9 31.1 30.2 47.6

THE MAN ADVANTAGE IN 2022-23
Power Play: 25.7%
Power Play Goal Leader: 11 – Tavares
Power Play Point Leader: 28 – Marner (6G, 22A)
2021-22 Power Play: 63/231 (27.3%)

ON THE PK IN 2022-23
Penalty Kill: 81.1%
Shorthanded Goal Leader: 2 – Marner
Shorthanded Point Leader: 3 – Järnkrok (1G, 2A), Marner (2G, 1A)
2021-22 Penalty Kill: 192/234 (82.1%)

FAST FACTS
Friday games 5th of 6 (4 home, 2 road)
Back-to-Backs played 9 of 14
Record in first game of back-to-back 6-3-0
Record in second game of back-to-back 5-3-1
February games 8th of 9 (5 home, 4 road)

NHL Preview: Buffalo Sabres (29-23-4) at Florida Panthers (29-25-6)

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NHL Preview: Buffalo Sabres (29-23-4) at Florida Panthers (29-25-6)

BUFFALO SABRES NOTES:

LAST GAME
Thursday, Feb. 23
Buffalo 6 at Tampa Bay 5 (OT)
Goals: Thompson (3), Girgensons, Quinn, Lyubushkin
Goalies: Comrie (36 saves/41 shots)
PP: 1/2; PK: 2/3; Shots: Tampa Bay 41 – Buffalo 23

CURRENT INJURIES – (Man Games Lost: 103)
Player (injury, first game missed) – total games missed
N/A

TRANSACTIONS IN PAST SEVEN DAYS
N/A

UPCOMING GAMES
Sunday, Feb. 26: Washington at Buffalo, 1:00 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 28: Columbus at Buffalo, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, March 2: Buffalo at Boston, 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, March 4: Tampa Bay at Buffalo, 12:30 p.m.
Monday, March 6: Edmonton at Buffalo, 7:30 p.m.

TODAY’S GAME
SABRES AT PANTHERS
• This is the third of four meetings between the Sabres and Panthers this season.
• Last meeting: Florida defeated Buffalo 4-1 in Buffalo on Jan. 16.
• Next meeting: Saturday, April 4 in Florida
• The Sabres are 3-7-0 in their last 10 games against the Panthers; 2-6-2 on the road.
• This is the 110th game all-time between Buffalo and Florida; Buffalo has a 52-48-9 series record.
• The Sabres are 22-25-5 on the road against the Panthers all-time.

FLORIDA PANTHERS NOTES:

BAPTIST HEALTH INJURY REPORT

  • F Anthony Duclair | Games Missed: 60
  • F Patric Hornqvist | Games Missed: 35
  • F Sam Bennett | Games Missed: 3
    Total Man Games Lost Due to Injury: 182

LAST GAME
Panthers 4, Ducks 3 [OT] – Feb. 20 – FLA Live Arena
FLA Goals: E. Staal (11), M. Staal (2), Lomberg (8), Verhaeghe (30-OT)
ANA Goals: McTavish (13), Vatrano (15-PPG), Kulikov (3)
FLA Goalie: Bobrovsky (W) – 29 Saves
ANA Goalie: Gibson (L [OT]) – 51 Saves
FLA Shots: 55
ANA Shots: 32
Notes: Carter Verhaeghe tallied his 2nd career regular-season OT goal…Matthew Tkachuk (0-2-2) extended his point streak to two games (1-2-3)…Nick Cousins posted an assist for his second point in as many games (1-1-2)…Eetu Luostarinen posted two assists…Eric and Marc Staal’s goals represented the 2nd instance of two brothers scoring in the same game for the Panthers…Florida’s 55 shots on goal tied for the 2nd-most in a game in club history…FLA PP: 0-2, FLA PK: 1-2

RECENT TRANSACTIONS:

  • Feb. 23: F Chris Tierney claimed off waivers by MTL
  • Feb. 22: G Alex Lyon recalled from Charlotte (AHL) | G Spencer Knight and F Grigori Denisenko loaned to Charlotte (AHL)

PANTHERS vs. SABRES
ALL-TIME vs. BUF: 53-44-4-8
ALL-TIME HOME vs. BUF: 29-19-1-3
2022-23 vs. BUF: 2-0-0

CATS STATS

  • Matthew Tkachuk’s 52 even-strength points lead all NHL forwards this season.
  • Aleksander Barkov has recorded 30 points (9-21-30) over 26 career games against Buffalo.
  • Matthew Tkachuk has amassed 17 points (8-9-17) over 12 career games vs. the Sabres.

HOME SWEET HOME
The Panthers are 7-2-0 over their past nine games at FLA Live Arena, outscoring their opponents 39-26. Overall at home this season, Florida owns a 16-8-3 record and will play eight of their next nine games on home ice. Their only road trip over that span being to Tampa Bay on Feb. 28, the Panthers next nine games will all take place in the state of Florida. Of Florida’s 22 remaining games in the 2022-23 regular season, 14 will be on home ice. The Cats have scored 105 goals at FLA Live Arena this season (5th-most) for a 3.89 goals for per game average at home that ranks second behind TBL. Matthew Tkachuk leads the Cats with 42 points (14-28-42) over 25 home games in 2022-23; his 1.68 points per game on home ice ranks fourth among League skaters.

CATS AND SABRES
Florida will face off against Buffalo for the third time this season, and the first of two matchups at FLA Live Arena (also April 4). The Cats earned the win in each of their prior two visits to KeyBank Center this season, tallying four goals in each contest. Matthew Tkachuk leads Florida with five points (1-4-5) against the Sabres this season, while Brandon Montour (2-0-2) has scored a goal in both games against his former team in 2022-23. The Panthers have won each of their prior six games against Buffalo since Dec. 2, 2021, posting an 8-1-0 record against the Sabres at FLA Live Arena since Dec. 20, 2016.

POUR IT ON
Following games played Feb. 22, the Panthers ranked third among NHL teams with 207 goals scored, and their 137 even-strength goals ranked second behind SEA. The Cats lead all NHL clubs averaging 36.4 shots on goal per game.

Minnesota Wild Acquires Fifth-Round Pick in 2023 NHL Draft

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Minnesota Wild Acquires Fifth-Round Pick in 2023 NHL Draft

SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota Wild General Manager Bill Guerin today announced the National Hockey League (NHL) club has acquired a fifth-round selection in the 2023 NHL Draft in a three-team trade with the Washington Capitals and the Boston Bruins. The Wild acquired defenseman Dmitry Orlov from Washington in exchange for forward Andrei Svetlakov. Washington retained half of Orlov’s salary. Minnesota then traded Orlov to Boston in exchange for a fifth-round selection in the 2023 NHL Draft. Minnesota retained 25% of Orlov’s remaining salary.

Minnesota has also reassigned forward Adam Beckman to the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Minnesota now has seven picks in the 2023 NHL Draft.

MBB-FBS: Nevada Wolfpack (21-7) at Fresno State Bulldogs (10-17)

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MBB-FBS: Nevada Wolfpack (21-7) at Fresno State Bulldogs (10-17)

After earning their 21st victory of the season this past Tuesday, a 66-51 victory over San José State in which they put on an exceptional display on the defensive end of the court, the Nevada Men’s Basketball Team will hit the road for a two-game stretch away from home beginning with a contest against Fresno State Friday evening.

Nevada owns an impressive overall record of 21-7 this year entering Friday night’s contest, including a mark of 11-4 in Mountain West play and a perfect record of 14-0 at home.

The Pack took on Fresno State at the Lawlor Events Center two weeks ago, earning a 77-66 victory over the Bulldogs.

Nevada had four different players reach double-figures in scoring in the first matchup with Fresno State, led by 19-point outings from Kenan Blackshear and Will Baker.

Blackshear had an outstanding all-around performance in the game, reaching 19 points on an efficient 8-13 shooting from the field and 3-4 at the free throw line, while also dishing out a game-high seven assists and pulling down three rebounds. The senior point guard finished the contest with a game-high plus/minus of +17 in 35 minutes of action.

Baker dropped 19 points on 5-7 shooting from the field and 8-9 at the free throw line, in addition to pulling down five rebounds throughout the game.

Freshman Darrion Williams was phenomenal in the first contest against Fresno State, scoring a career-high 16 points on 4-5 shooting from the field, 2-2 from behind the arc, and 6-7 at the free throw line. Williams also pulled down a team-high eight rebounds, dished out five assists, and tallied one steal.

Jarod Lucas was the fourth Pack player to reach double figures in scoring, putting up 13 points while hitting 1-2 shots from behind the arc and draining all six of his free throw attempts in the game.

Nevada had one of their most efficient offensive performances of the season in the victory over Fresno State, as they finished the contest with shooting clips of 54.5 percent from the field (24-44), 50 percent from behind the arc (6-12), and 88.5 percent at the free throw line (23-26).

The Pack recorded 16 assists on 24 made field goals, and they outrebounded the Bulldogs 32-26.

Nevada also had a solid outing on the defensive end of the court in the first contest against Fresno State, limiting the Bulldogs to just 41.4 percent shooting from the field (24-58) and 31.3 percent from behind the arc (10-32).

Last Time Out

Nevada will enter Friday night’s matchup coming off of an impressive 66-51 victory over San José State in which they held the Spartans to an abysmal 36.4 percent shooting from the field (20-55) and 30.3 percent from behind the arc (10-33).

Individually, Baker led all scorers in the contest with a game-high 18 points on 6-10 shooting from the field and a perfect 6-6 at the free throw line, while also grabbing five boards.

Baker has continued to improve his numbers throughout the year; and, after dropping 18 points against SJSU he currently ranks 13th in the Mountain West in points per game (14.2 PPG), second in field goal percentage (56.5%), and fifth in free throw percentage (84.8%).

Williams had another sensational outing for the Pack, scoring 14 points, all of which came in the second half. He also pulled down five rebounds, dished out two assists, and tallied two steals. Williams was nothing short of exceptional in the second period, scoring 14 points on a perfect 5-5 shooting from the field, 2-2 from behind the arc, and 2-2 at the free throw line.

Williams continues to rank towards the top of the conference in rebounding this season, as the freshman currently ranks fourth in the Mountain West in rebounds per game, pulling down 7.2 per contest. Williams also ranks eighth in the conference in steals per game, as he is averaging an impressive 1.5 steals per contest.

Kenan Blackshear had an exceptional all-around performance for the Pack in the win over San José State, scoring 12 points on 5-7 shooting from the field, while also pulling down a team-high seven rebounds, dishing out three assists, and recording one block.

Blackshear has now reached double figures in scoring in 19 straight games, and in 25 of 28 contests this season. He has also dished out at least three assists in 26 of 28 games this season for the Pack.

As he has done all season, Blackshear continues to rank in the top-15 of the Mountain West in a plethora of individual statistical categories. Entering Friday night’s game, Blackshear ranks third in the conference in assists per game (4.7 APG), sixth in steals per game (1.5 SPG), seventh in field goal percentage (46.2%), 10th in points per game (14.7 PPG), 11th in minutes per game (32.6 MPG), and 13th in free throw percentage (77.6%).

Jarod Lucas was limited to just one 3-point field goal against San José State; but, the senior guard found other ways to make a strong impact on the game, grabbing three rebounds and dishing out two assists, while finishing the contest with a game-high plus/minus of +17 in 28 minutes of action.

Lucas has scored in double figures in 25 of 28 games for Nevada this season, and he has knocked down multiple 3-pointers in 21 contests this year, including making three or more in 14 games.

Lucas continues to rank towards the top of the Mountain West in a multitude of individual statistical categories. Lucas is currently second in the conference in made 3-pointers (72), second in 3-point field goal percentage (39.6%), fourth in free throw percentage (85.9%), fourth in minutes per game (33.9 MPG), and fifth in points per game (16.8 PPG).

Junior forward Tré Coleman had another sensational defensive performance for Nevada, limiting the Spartans leading scorer and one of the premier players in the Mountain West, Omari Moore, to just 13 points on 5-15 shooting from the field and 2-8 from behind the arc as the primary defender.

Coleman also had a solid outing on the offensive end of the court, scoring seven points on 3-7 shooting from the field, while dishing out three assists and pulling down four rebounds.

Coleman enters Friday’s game against Fresno State ranked eighth in the league in blocked shots (26) and 14th in steals per game (1.0 SPG).

Nevada received solid production from their bench in the win over San José State.

Redshirt-freshman Nick Davidson scored six points, grabbed two rebounds, and recorded one block in 15 minutes of action, while fellow freshman Trey Pettigrew scored four points in just 3 minutes off the bench.

Senior guard Hunter McIntosh made his first appearance of the season against the Spartans, coming off the bench to record two assists in 11 minutes of playing time.

Nevada will face another difficult road challenge Friday evening against an extremely athletic Fresno State team who has fared much better at home than on the road this year.

Scouting Fresno State

The Bulldogs hold an overall record of 10-17 and a mark of 6-10 in conference play this season.

Fresno State boasts one of the top defenses in the conference this year, as they currently rank second in the Mountain West in opponent points per game, limiting their opponents to just 64.6 points per contest this season.

The Bulldogs have been particularly solid at protecting the paint, as they rank sixth in the conference in blocks per game, averaging 3.2 per contest.

Fresno State’s backcourt has been solid throughout the season, as the duo of Isaiah Hill and Jemarl Baker are combining to average 23.7 points per and 6.2 assists per game this year.

Hill is putting up 12.3 points per game on 39.2 percent shooting from the field, while also dishing out 3.7 assists per contest.

Baker is averaging 11.4 points per game on 36.7 percent shooting from the field, in addition to dishing out 2.5 assists per game.

Isaih Moore has provided a strong presence in the paint for the Bulldogs this season, as the 6-10 senior forward is averaging 11.5 points per game on 53.6 percent shooting from the field and 33.3 percent from behind the arc, as well as grabbing a team-high 7.3 boards per contest.

Nevada will need to limit production from Fresno State’s trio of Hill, Baker, and Moore, and dominate the glass, while having another efficient offensive outing in order to earn their 22nd victory of the season and start the two-game road trip on a strong note.

Series History

Nevada and Fresno State have faced off on the court 58 times throughout history, with the Pack holding a 36-22 advantage over the Bulldogs in the all-time series.

NBA Preview: Charlotte Hornets (17-43) at Minnesota Timberwolves (31-30)

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NBA Preview: Charlotte Hornets (17-43) at Minnesota Timberwolves (31-30)

The Minnesota Timberwolves and Charlotte Hornets will meet in Minneapolis on Friday to resume regular-season competition after the All-Star break.

Before beginning their crucial four-game road trip on Sunday, the host Timberwolves will have a chance to play at home in Friday’s matchup. During the trip, Minnesota will play each NBA team from California, three of which are currently in position to qualify for the postseason.

The Timberwolves are well-positioned to advance to the play-in round after the break. They are eighth in the Western Conference, one half game behind sixth, but only one and a half games ahead of Utah, the Western Conference’s last team out of the play-in picture.

After moving D’Angelo Russell to the Los Angeles Lakers ahead of the deadline in a deal that brought veteran Mike Conley from the Jazz to the Timberwolves, Minnesota is prepared for this stretch while still adjusting to lineup changes.

Conley had nine points and 12 points in his first two games with Minnesota. In the second game, which was a win over Dallas, he also had nine assists. Conley, on the other hand, shot just 0-for-6 from the field in the Timberwolves’ final game before the break, and he didn’t score for over 33 minutes against Washington.

More roster changes are expected for Minnesota in the final six weeks of the regular season, including the possibility of Karl-Anthony Towns returning to the lineup. The Athletic reported on February 17 that Towns could return for the final 10 to 15 games of the season, despite being out since Nov. 30 with a calf injury.

In the interim, Minnesota’s main attraction is still All-Star Anthony Edwards. Edwards has participated in all 61 games this season and scores a team-best 24.9 points per game.

Edwards, a star in his third season, had scored 31 or more in three of his last four games, including 34 against Washington the day before.

Edwards scored 25 points in the Hornets’ previous meeting with Charlotte on Nov. 25, when the Hornets were without LaMelo Ball, a sensational player from the same 2020 draft class.

Ball won the Rookie of the Year award in 2020-21 over Edwards. He is currently leading Charlotte in points and assists per game with 23.3 and 8.4 respectively. He scored 30 points, had 15 assists, and grabbed six rebounds in a victory over the Atlanta Hawks and 28 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists in victories over the San Antonio Spurs for the Hornets before the break.

Coming out of the break, the Hornets have the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference and are 11 1/2 games out of the final play-in spot. However, Charlotte’s three-game winning streak will be extended with a victory in Minnesota, a milestone the Hornets have yet to reach this season.

For Charlotte, this is their fourth two-game winning streak of the season.

NBA Preview: Cleveland Cavaliers (38-24) at Atlanta Hawks (29-30)

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NBA Preview: Cleveland Cavaliers (38-24) at Atlanta Hawks (29-30)

When the Atlanta Hawks play the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday, returning from the All-Star break, they will have new bench leadership.

The Hawks fired coach Nate McMillan during the break and hired Joe Prunty as his interim replacement.

Prunty began his coaching career in 2000 as an assistant with the San Antonio Spurs under coach Gregg Popovich. Since then, he has worked as an assistant with Cleveland, the Dallas Mavericks, the Portland Trail Blazers, the Brooklyn Nets, the Phoenix Suns, and Milwaukee Bucks.

Prunty was a staff member in Milwaukee from 2014 to 2018 and served as interim head coach there, achieving a record of 21-16. Since 2021, Prunty has been the lead assistant in Atlanta.

When McMillan took over for Lloyd Pierce in March 2021 and led Atlanta to the Eastern Conference final that season, he was regarded as a hero. However, McMillan had multiple headbutts with Trae Young, a high-scoring guard, and the team entered the break eighth in the East with a disappointing 29-30 record.

Before the break, the Hawks had lost their last two games and have lost eight of their last 13 games. The main problem has been defense: In the final two games before the break, Atlanta let the Charlotte Hornets score 144 points and the New York Knicks score 122 points in games that were never close.

Young leads the Hawks with an average of 26.7 points and 10.3 rebounds, followed by Dejounte Murray with an average of 20.7 points and 6.1 rebounds.

On Thursday, Cleveland played a home game against the Denver Nuggets, who lead the Western Conference, 115-109. After winning seven consecutive games, the Cavaliers have lost two in a row.

Evan Mobley scored 31 points and grabbed nine rebounds for the Cavaliers against the Nuggets, and Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland each scored 22 points. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff claims that after deviating from the game plan, Cleveland lost its way and was outscored 14-4 the remainder of the game, despite having a four-point lead with 5:48 left.

Mobley, who controlled the game for three quarters, only made two shots in the fourth quarter and did not score a point.

Before the Denver matchup, Mitchell had scored 29 or more points in four consecutive games. He scores 27.2 points on average.

This season, the Hawks and Cavaliers will play each other three times, the second of those times coming on Friday. On Nov. 21, Mitchell scored 29 points and had nine assists, helping Cleveland to a 114-102 victory at home. Young had 10 rebounds and 25 points. The series will end on March 28 in Atlanta between the teams.

After missing the game on Thursday due to load management, Cleveland’s Ricky Rubio is likely to play again on Friday. Since returning from knee surgery that caused him to miss the first 42 games of the season, Rubio has not played in consecutive games.

Boxing Card Preview: Subriel Matias (18-1-0, 18 KO’s) at Jeremias Ponce (30-0-0, 20 KO’s)

Fight Editor
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Boxing Card Preview: Subriel Matias (18-1-0, 18 KO’s) at Jeremias Ponce (30-0-0, 20 KO’s)

Popular knockout artist Subriel Matias will face undefeated Argentine Jeremias Ponce for the vacant IBF 140-pound World Championship on Saturday, February 25 live on SHOWTIME from The Armory in Minneapolis, headline a Premier Boxing Champions event. The fight will decide one of the kingpins of the red-hot super lightweight division.

The 10-round welterweight co-main event featuring the return of Minneapolis-native Jamal “Shango” James and the 2016 Argentine Olympian Alberto Palmetta will air on the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. Elvis Rodriguez, an exciting super lightweight contender, faces Joseph “Blessed Hands” Adorno in a 10-round fight to start the show.

TIMES ARE MATIAS VS. PONCE? Date: Saturday, February 25 Most important card: Main event ringwalks (approximately): 9 p.m. ET/2 a.m. GMT The fight will take place at The Armory in Minneapolis, and viewers in the United States can watch it on Showtime at 11 p.m. Eastern Time / 4 a.m. GMT. The main event ringwalks are scheduled for 11 p.m. ET/4 a.m. GMT, and the main card is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. ET/2 a.m. GMT.

Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions, stated, “The 140-pound division is one of the hottest in boxing, and a new champion will be crowned at the weight when Subriel Matias and Jeremias Ponce meet in an anticipated clash on Saturday, February 25.” To stop the unbeaten and highly motivated Ponce, Matias, one of the sport’s most powerful punchers, will need to be at his best. In addition to a second 140-pound match between Elvis Rodriguez and Joseph Adorno, The Armory’s fan favorite Jamal James will return to the ring to face Alberto Palmetta and attempt to begin a second title defense. Fans in Minneapolis or watching on SHOWTIME will want to make sure they catch this packed lineup from beginning to end.

Matias, who is 30 years old and is 18-1 with 18 knockouts, fights in a seek-and-destroy style that is difficult for his opponents to see. With all 18 of his victories coming via stoppage, including his last six in the fifth round or later, he possesses early and late KO power. In 2020, he lost only once in his career, losing to Petros Ananyan via 10-round unanimous decision, which he later avenged. After the defeat, Matias, who is from Farjado, Puerto Rico, defeated Malik Hawkins and Batyrzhan Jukembayev via stoppage. In the rematch, he stopped Ananyan by TKO in the ninth round, carefully exhausting and wearing down his opponent before dropping him and ending the fight.

Matias stated, “I’m very thankful that there is now a date for this fight so that I can finally realize my dream and become world champion.” I’ve been in Mexico for ten months, away from my family, getting ready for when the time came to enter the ring. There is nothing that will prevent me from seeing it now that I have it in my sight.

When Ponce (30-0, 20 KOs) fights Matias, it looks like a fight between an immovable force and an unstoppable object. Ponce will be making his debut in boxing in the United States. Ponce, 26, of Buenos Aires, Argentina, aspires to join the long line of legendary Argentine boxers who came before him. By beating Lewis Ritson by TKO in the tenth round in June 2021, he put himself in position to fight for the IBF title. In preparation for the title fight, he has been busy. In November 2021, he stopped Michel Marcano by knockout in the second round, and in April of that same year, he beat Achiko Odikadze by TKO.

According to Ponce, “I promise that I am coming into this fight prepared to do whatever it takes to reach my dream and become a world champion.” This is my fight in my head, and I already have the title. I’ll show everyone who stands in my way why I’m undefeated and why I’ve earned this position.

James (27-2, 12 KOs) of Minneapolis will fight for the first time since losing to Radzhab Butaev in a slugfest in 2021, snapping his seven-fight winning streak. The 34-year-old is fighting at The Armory for the fifth time in his career. Between April 2018 and July 2019, he won four of his previous five fights there. James won victories over rival Abel Ramos and former Champion Antonio DeMarco during that run. James has also won fights against seasoned competitors like Javier Molina and Wale Omotoso. His only loss was against Yordenis Ugas, a former world champion.

James stated, “Training is going well, and I’m working hard as usual.” After such a long absence, I’m very excited to compete again, especially since it will be in my hometown. Palmetta will try his best, but I doubt it will be enough. I’m determined to win and demonstrate that I belong among the top five welterweights of this era.

Palmetta, who was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, is now a professional boxer. Prior to turning pro in November 2016, he was 18-1 with 13 knockouts. Since 2017, the 32-year-old has won 11 of his last 12 fights, 11 of which were stopped by decision. In addition to an impressive run that included victories over the previously undefeated Erik Ortiz, veteran challengers Tre’Sean Wiggins, and Saul Corral, Palmetta also defeated Yeis Solano via decision in October 2021 and defeated Thomas Mendez in three rounds in November of that year.

Palmetta stated, “This is a great opportunity for me, and I’m training hard in Las Vegas to take full advantage of everything that’s in front of me.” I’ve competed for my nation in the ring for a number of years, including at the Olympics, and I’m entering on February 25 to make Argentina proud. I know I’m going to James’ hometown, but that will only make it more difficult for me to raise my hand.

After dropping his first fight of his career, a majority decision defeat to Kenneth Sims Jr., Rodrguez (13-1-1, 12 knockouts) has defeated his last two opponents. His most recent fight took place in March 2022 on SHOWTIME at The Armory, where he defeated Juan Jose Velasco in the seventh round. The 27-year-old exploded onto the scene in his first 11 fights, winning by knockout. In 2020, he won an impressive five fights. Rodriguez, who currently resides and trains in Los Angeles, California, is originally from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. “I can’t wait for February 25,” Rodriguez stated. I’ve been waiting and getting ready in camp for this chance to show off my skills. Although Adorno is a formidable fighter, he stands in my way. Simply stated. I need to make a big statement in this fight if I want to get a shot at the title this year.

Adorno (17-1-2, 14 KOs) enters this fight having won three of his previous fights, the most recent of which was a unanimous decision victory over Hugo Alberto Roldan in the main event of SHOBOX: The Current Generation® Following a draw with Jamaine Ortiz in April 2021 and a loss in March 2022 on SHOWTIME to then-unbeaten Michel Rivera, his current winning streak began. The well-known coach Raul “Chino” Rivas trains the 23-year-old, who was born in Union City, New Jersey, and now resides in Allentown, Pennsylvania. After a stellar amateur career in which he amassed a record of 178-22 and twice defeated Shakur Stevenson, Adorno turned professional in 2016 at the age of 17. In his first ten professional fights, he has won by knockout in nine of them.

Adorno stated, “I’m training hard and putting in the work to make this my crossover fight.” I have more experience, rank higher, and am the real A-side fighter. I intend to emulate my stablemate Kenny Sims’ dominance over Rodriguez. They chose the wrong battle. He is entitled to the side billing. Check out my qualifications. I am the stronger, more skilled, and talented fighter.

NHL Morning Skate – Feb. 24, 2023

NHL Editor
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NHL Morning Skate – Feb. 24, 2023

* Connor McDavid, David Pastrnak and Tage Thompson combined for six goals Thursday as the Oilers, Bruins and Sabres prevailed in high-scoring games.

* For the first time since entering games on Dec. 9, the Red Wings are in a playoff position! Detroit dealt New York its first regulation road loss in nearly two months to leapfrog Pittsburgh and Florida for the Eastern Conference’s final Wild Card spot.


* Friday’s six-game slate features a pair of national broadcasts in Canada as the Sabres square off with the Panthers and the Jets face the Avalanche.
 


McDAVID, THOMPSON SET NEW CAREER HIGHS FOR GOALS AS “ROCKET” RACE TIGHTENS
Oilers captain Connor McDavid (46-63—109 in 59 GP) and Sabres forward Tage Thompson (39-36—75 in 56 GP) scored two and three goals, respectively, to establish new single-season career highs and help their teams earn wins Thursday. Thompson moved within seven goals of League leader McDavid in the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy race, with Buffalo holding three games in hand on Edmonton – David Pastrnak (42-37—79 in 57 GP), who tallied once in the Bruins’ back-and-forth victory versus the Kraken, ranks second with 42.

* McDavid (2-2—4) recorded his ninth four-point outing of 2022-23 and scored his second career penalty-shot goal as the Oilers (32-19-8, 72 points), who occupied the Western Conference’s first Wild Card spot entering play, moved past the Kraken (32-20-6, 70 points) and Kings (32-19-8, 72 points) for second place in the Central Division. McDavid’s nine four-point performances are the most by a player in a single season since 1995-96, when Mario Lemieux (16), Jaromir Jagr (9) and Peter Forsberg (9) all had as many.
 


* Thompson tallied his League-leading fourth hat trick of the season (also Jan. 3, Dec. 7 & Oct. 31) and Ilya Lyubushkin scored a shorthanded goal in overtime as the Sabres (29-23-4, 62 points) moved within two points of the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. The former needs one tally to become the 13th different 40-goal scorer in franchise history and first since Jeff Skinner (40 in 2018-19), who had the primary assist on two of Thompson’s three markers Thursday.
 


RED WINGS CLAIM EAST’S FINAL WILD CARD SPOT; MINNESOTA ALSO CLIMBS STANDINGS

* Andrew Copp (1-2—3) collected three points against his former club as the Red Wings (28-21-8, 64 points) snapped the Rangers’ 10-game road point streak to leapfrog the Penguins (27-21-9, 63 points) and Panthers (29-25-6, 64 points) for the Eastern Conference’s final Wild Card spot. Copp was acquired by New York on March 21, 2022 and had 8-10—18 in 16 games with the Rangers, which marked the most points through the remainder of the season among all players moved on deadline day.

* Marc-Andre Fleury (30 saves), who was acquired by Minnesota at the 2021-22 NHL Trade Deadline, blanked the Blue Jackets for the first time in his NHL career as the Wild (32-21-5, 69 points) surpassed the idle Avalanche (31-19-5, 67 points) for third place in the Central Division. Fleury became the first goaltender in League history to record a shutout against 29 different franchises – the next-closest netminders are Ed Belfour, Martin Brodeur, Dominik Hasek and Tomas Vokoun (all w/ 27).

* More notes can be found in the #NHLStats Pack for the 2022-23 NHL Trade Deadline presented by OFX, with exactly one week to go before this season’s deadline (3 p.m. ET on March 3).
 


COMEBACK NOTES APLENTY IN THURSDAY’S #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES
Thursday’s edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates featured more notes from all 10 games, which included multi-goal comeback wins by the Devils, Golden Knights and Canucks as well as Vancouver forward Andrei Kuzmenko achieving a notable NHL feat:
 

* Kuzmenko scored the game-tying goal with 29 seconds remaining in regulation to help Vancouver erase a multi-goal, third-period deficit to force overtime and set the stage for Elias Pettersson’s coast-to-coast winner. The Canucks rallied from a multi-goal deficit to win for the seventh time in 2022-23, tied for the second-most in franchise history behind only 2009-10 (8). For Kuzmenko, it was the second consecutive game in which he evened the score in the final minute of regulation (also 59:44 in 5-4 SO L at NSH on Feb. 21).
 

  
QUICK CLICKS

* ‘NHL Mash-Up’ set to debut on YouTube with hosts Kathryn Tappen, Dominic Moore
* Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand both factor on same shorthanded goal for 32nd time
* Dmitry Orlov, Garnet Hathaway go to Bruins in three-team trade with Capitals, Wild
* NHL Trade Buzz: Jakob Chychrun ‘professional’ while awaiting move from Coyotes
*Nazem Kadri‘s philanthropy work continues to better his communities

FRIDAY FEATURES PAIR OF PIVOTAL CLASHES ON SPORTSNET, TVA SPORTS

Friday’s six-game slate is highlighted by the Sabres (29-23-4, 62 points) squaring off with the Panthers (29-25-6, 64 points) on Sportsnet and the Jets (35-22-1, 71 points) facing the Avalanche (31-19-5, 67 points) on TVA Sports. Buffalo or Florida could move into the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, while Winnipeg and Colorado can claim first and third place, respectively, in the Central Division.
 

NBA Preview: Brooklyn Nets (34-24) at Chicago Bulls (26-33)

NBA Editor
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NBA Preview: Brooklyn Nets (34-24) at Chicago Bulls (26-33)

The Brooklyn Nets begin the season after the All-Star break in a very different frame of mind than when play began in October.

The Chicago Bulls are the same.

In 2022-23, both teams had big hopes, but as the Bulls play the Nets on Friday, preseason expectations and midseason reality don’t exactly match.

In recent weeks, Brooklyn traded superstars Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, while Chicago lost six straight games before the break to lose its chance of qualifying for the Eastern Conference play-in tournament.

The Nets are still fifth in the East, but they are aware that playing without their best players will be difficult. Brooklyn’s remaining leading scorer and rebounder is Nic Claxton, who averages 12.8 points per game.

Brooklyn’s best path to success, according to coach Jacque Vaughn, whose contract was extended on Tuesday, is through defense.

Therefore, the goal on offense is for the Nets to accelerate.

Chicago is looking for its first victory since beating San Antonio by 24 points at home on February 6 to extend its winning streak to three games.

The Bulls’ fourth three-game winning streak of the season came during this surge, but inconsistency and injuries have prevented them from going on an extended run.

During the All-Star break, the Bulls signed veteran point guard Patrick Beverley, a native of Chicago, with the intention of boosting the team’s energy and strengthening the position in time for a run at the playoffs. After Orlando reached a buyout agreement following a February 9 trade with the Los Angeles Lakers, Beverley was waived.

Chicago is trying to win the season series against Brooklyn for the second year in a row after winning two of the first three meetings. On Feb. 9, the Nets defeated the Warriors 116-105 at home thanks to 25 points from Spencer Dinwiddie.

DeMar DeRozan, the Bulls’ leading scorer, said on Thursday that his hip is feeling better after participating in a non-contact practice on Wednesday.

This season, LaVine is scoring an average of 26.7 points against the Nets.

NBA Preview: Miami Heat (32-27) at Milwaukee Bucks (41-17)

NBA Editor
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NBA Preview: Miami Heat (32-27) at Milwaukee Bucks (41-17)

The Milwaukee Bucks will host the visiting Miami Heat on Friday night as both teams resume play following the All-Star break.

Before the break, the Bucks defeated the Bulls 112-100 in Chicago on Thursday, despite Giannis Antetokounmpo missing nine minutes with a right wrist injury.

Brook Lopez led the way with 33 points, followed by 22 points from Jevon Carter, 15 from Jrue Holiday, and 15 points from AJ Green, who came off the bench and shot 5-for-7 from beyond the arc.

In the All-Star Game, Antetokounmpo played just enough to dunk on the first play and then leave. He has since had his wrist examined in New York, and it was determined that he had a sprained ligament, but he did not sustain any other serious injuries. ESPN reports that he will undergo treatment and should be able to return “once the pain subsides.”

On Feb. 15, Miami lost to the Nets 116-105 in its final game before the break in Brooklyn. New Nets star Mikal Bridges, who had 45 points, eight rebounds, and five assists, was no match for Miami.

Miami was led by Bam Adebayo, who scored 24 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. Max Strus had 18 points, and Gabe Vincent had 21.

Against the Nets, Miami was without Kyle Lowry, Tyler Herro, Victor Oladipo, and Nikola Jovic. Oladipo is experiencing problems with his ankle, Herro sustained a concussion to his left knee, and Lowry hopes to return from his knee injury by the end of February. Their whereabouts for the game on Friday are unknown.

Budenholzer told reporters that Milwaukee has a lot of injury news, most notably that Bobby Portis and Jae Crowder are likely to play on Friday. Portis has been out since January 23 with a knee injury, and Crowder hasn’t played this season because he was traded to Milwaukee after waiting in Phoenix.

Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton (knee), Pat Connaughton (calf), and Antetokounmpo were all able to practice in some capacity; however, their status for Friday has not been disclosed; however, it is anticipated that Antetokounmpo will not participate in the game.

This season, Antetokounmpo leads the Bucks with 31.8 points and 12.2 rebounds per game. With 19.4, Jrue Holiday is second on the team and leads with 7.1 assists and 1.3 steals. With 14.5 points and 2.4 blocks per game, Brook Lopez leads the pack.

Eight players have scored in double figures in Miami’s previous games, with Butler leading the way with 21.7 points and Adebayo with 21.6. In addition, Butler has two steals per game, and Lowry leads the team with 5.3 assists.

As the Bucks attempt to split the series, this will be their fourth and final meeting this season in the Eastern Conference. Miami won both of its games at home, while Milwaukee’s Bucks defeated Miami 123-115 on Feb. 4 in Milwaukee.

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