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NHL Preview: Columbus Blue Jackets (24-44-8) at Toronto Maple Leafs (45-21-10)

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NHL Preview: Columbus Blue Jackets (24-44-8) at Toronto Maple Leafs (45-21-10)

COLUMBUS BLUE JAKCETS NOTES:

Apr. 4, 2023 Game No. 77 (24-44-8, 56 pts.)
at Toronto Maple Leafs (45-21-10, 100 pts.), Scotiabank Arena Home Game No. 39 (9-23-6, 24 pts.) The Blue Jackets Press Box website, which includes game notes, stats, releases and video/audio clips as well as the 2022-23 Media Guide can be accessed at bluejackets.com/pressbox. Follow @BlueJacketsPR on Twitter for comprehensive information and updates on the team.

THE LAST GAME: APR. 2, 2023 – CBJ 4 vs. OTT 3 (OT)
CBJ Goal Scorers: PP – Johnson (16), Robinson (11), Jenner (26), OT – Marchenko (21)
OTT Goal Scorers: Gambrell (3), Kastelic (6), DeBrincat (26)
Goalies: CBJ – Gillies (24/27; 60:16); OTT – Talbot (18/22; 60:16)
CBJ PP: 1/2; PK: 2/2 | Shots: CBJ: 22 / OTT: 27
3 Stars: 1. Jenner, CBJ; 2. Marchenko, CBJ; 3. Gillies, CBJ
Noteworthy: CBJ snapped their 4-game losing streak (0-3-1)… CBJ trailed 3-2 heading into the 3rd period, but scored 14:11 into the 3rd to tie the game at 3 and again 16 seconds into OT to win… Marchenko registered his 6th multi-point effort of the season (1-1-2), tallying his 1st career GWG and setting a new franchise record for the most goals by a rookie in a single season… Gaudreau notched his team-leading 20th multi-point/14th multi-assist effort of the campaign (0-2-2), becoming the 2nd player to register at least 70 points in his first season with CBJ (19-52-71 in 74 GP)… Sweezey tallied his 1st career NHL point (assist)… Richards recorded his 1st point as a Blue Jacket (assist)… Gillies made his CBJ debut, becoming the 6th netminder to win his team debut in club history.

OhioHEALTH INJURY REPORT
Danforth (torn labrum); Placed on Injured Reserve (Oct. 25); approximately 6 months (70 games)
Werenski (torn labrum); Placed on Injured Reserve (retro to Nov. 10); rest of regular season (63 games)
Bean (shoulder); Placed on IR (retro to Nov. 15); out indefinitely (61 games)
Laine (triceps strain); approximately two-four weeks (6 games)
Gudbranson (separated shoulder); approximately six weeks (5 games)
Olivier (lower leg bone bruise); approximately two-four weeks (5 games)
Blankenburg (ankle); week-to-week (4 games)
Merzlikins (lower body); day-to-day (4 games)
Boqvist (illness); day-to-day (3 games)
Roslovic (upper body); day-to-day (2 games)
Pederson (upper body); day-to-day (2 games)
TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 503

RECENT TRANSACTIONS
Apr. 3 Added Greaves to roster on emergency recall from Cleveland (AHL), assigned Gillies and Richards to Cleveland (AHL)
Apr. 1 Added Bjork, Luoto and Richards to the roster on emergency recall from Cleveland (AHL) and assigned Fix-Wolansky to Cleveland (AHL)
Mar. 31 Added Dunne to the roster on emergency recall from Cleveland (AHL)
Mar. 31 Assigned Bjork to Cleveland (AHL)

TONIGHT’S GAME BROADCAST INFO
7pm ET | Bally Sports Ohio | 97.1 The Fan

AGAINST THE MAPLE LEAFS
2022-23 Series: 1-1-0 (1-0-0 at TOR)
2021-22 Series: 1-2-0 (0-1-0 at TOR)

All-Time Series: 17-17-1-0 (10-7-1-0 at TOR)
Last 10 (Overall | Road): 4-6-0 | 6-4-0
All-Time GF/GA: 102/110
All-Time SF/SA: 1,106/1,081
All-Time PP: 20-of-112
All-Time PK: 82-of-102

THE LAST GAME VS. TOR: FEB. 11, 2023 – CBJ 4 at TOR 3
CBJ Goal Scorers: Jenner (15), Marchenko (14), Kuraly (10), Johnson (11)
TOR Goal Scorers: Nylander (29), Bunting (16), PP – Rielly (2)
Goalies: CBJ – Merzlikins (26/29; 60:00); TOR – Woll (36/40; 56:56)
CBJ PP: 0/4; PK: 0/1 | Shots: CBJ: 40 / TOR: 29
Columbus Blue Jackets: Media Notes
3 Stars: 1. Jenner, CBJ; 2. Johnson, CBJ; 3. Marchenko, CBJ
Noteworthy: CBJ trailed 2-0 after the 1st period, but scored 3 goals in the 2nd period and 1 goal in the 3rd to win… Jenner recorded his 6th multi-point effort of the season (1-1-2)… Johnson registered his 5th multi-point outing of the campaign (1-1-2)… Marchenko tallied his 3rd multi-point game of the season (1-1-2), picking up his 1st career NHL assist… Peeke recorded 8 hits and 8 blocked shots, tying his career high in both categories (second time for both).

SEASON SERIES LEFT: Series is complete.

NOTED (Team Highlights vs. TOR)
CBJ have earned wins in 11 of the last 20 games in the series since 4/8/15 (11-9-0)… Winning team has scored 4+ goals in 14 of last 17 games, including 10 of the last 11 meetings… CBJ have scored PPG in 5 of the last 7 games in the series since 10/4/19 (5-of-24; 20.8 pct.)… The teams met in the 2020 Stanley Cup Qualifying Round with the Blue Jackets winning the series 3-2… CBJ own 2 of the 3 shutouts in the all-time series, but TOR has the most recent with Friday night’s 3-0 win at NWA (Samsonov)… Most goals scored at TOR: 6 (11/25/13)… Most goals allowed at TOR: 6 (2/14/18).

NOTED (Player Highlights vs. TOR)
Bemstrom made his NHL debut on 10/4/19 vs. TOR… Foudy scored his 1st career NHL goal on 8/9/20 at TOR (Game 5 of Stanley Cup Qualifying Series)… Gaudreau skated in his 200th career NHL game on 1/23/17 at TOR… Laine notched his 1st career NHL hat trick on 10/19/16 vs. TOR.

PLAYER NOTABLES vs. TOR
• Gaudreau – 6-10-16 in 23 career GP, including assists in 4 of his last 5 games (1-4-5) and assists in each of his last 3 games at Toronto (1-3-4)
• Jenner – 5-8-13 in 23 career GP, including 1-3-4 in the last 5 games against Toronto after picking up 1-1-2 on Feb. 11
• Kuraly – 4-3-7 in 15 career GP, including 3-2-5 in his last 5 road contests

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS NOTES:

LAST GAME
Score: Toronto 2 vs. Detroit 5
Date: Sunday, April 2, 2023
TOR Goals: Järnkrok (PP), Tavares (PP)
DET Goals: Maatta, Berggren, Larkin (3x)
TOR Goaltender: Murray, 5/7, .714 SV% – Samsonov, 14/16, .875 SV%
DET Goaltender: Nedeljkovic, 43/45, .956 SV%
TOR Power Play: 2-for-3
TOR Penalty Kill: 1-for-1
Player Notes: – Calle Järnkrok scored on a Toronto power play opportunity at 7:33 of the first period. Järnkrok posted his 19th goal of the season, adding to his career-high goal total.

  • John Tavares scored on a Maple Leafs power play opportunity at 6:00 of the third period. Tavares posted his 33rd goal of the season and leads the Maple Leafs with 16 power play goals scored during the 2022-23 campaign. Per NHL Stats, “Tavares recorded his 36th power-play point of the season – the highest such total by a Maple Leafs skater since 2005-06 when Tomas Kaberle (51), Bryan McCabe (45), Mats Sundin (42), Jason Allison (39) and Darcy Tucker (36) each had as many.” Tavares won 20 of 28 face-off attempts during Sunday’s game, tying an NHL career second-best which he has marked on one other occasion (Feb. 24, 2012 at NYR). His single-game NHL career-high stands at 21 face-off wins (set on Jan. 13, 2017 at FLA).
  • Nick Abruzzese posted the primary assist on Järnkrok’s goal. Abruzzese registered the first assist of his NHL career. Abruzzese skated in his season debut with the Maple Leafs during Sunday’s game.
  • At 7:56 of the first period, David Kämpf was awarded the first penalty shot of his NHL career. His attempt was unsuccessful.
  • Matt Murray started the game for the Maple Leafs and stopped 5 of 7 shots he faced in 16:16 of ice time. In relief, Ilya Samsonov stopped 14 of 16 shots he faced in Sunday’s loss.

Team Notes – The Maple Leafs registered 45 shots on Sunday, the club’s highest shot total of the 2022-23 season.
TONIGHT’S GAME
2022-23 Matchups vs. Columbus: Third of Three
2021-22 Record vs. Columbus: 2-0-1
Toronto Season Record: 45-21-10
Toronto Home Record: 25-8-6

TONIGHT’S STORYLINES
The Maple Leafs are set to face-off against the Columbus Blue Jackets tonight in the third of three matchups between the clubs this season.
Toronto has posted a 1-1-0 record against Columbus during the 2022-23 campaign. The Maple Leafs have earned at least one point in eight
of their last 10 games against the Blue Jackets (6-2-2). The team has posted a 25-8-6 record on home ice this season, currently the third best
home record in the league. Tonight the club concludes a two-game homestand and will travel to Boston for a Thursday night meeting with the
Bruins at TD Garden.
With the Ottawa Senators 5-2 win against the Florida Panthers on Monday, March 27th, the Maple Leafs clinched a playoff spot for the
seventh-straight season. Earning a playoff spot in seven-consecutive seasons is the fourth-longest streak in franchise history. Toronto earned
their spot in the playoffs for the 72nd time in franchise history. The Maple Leafs were the fourth team to clinch a playoff spot for the 2023
Stanley Cup Playoffs following Boston, Carolina and New Jersey.
Toronto Maple Leafs: Media Notes

BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV: TSN4 RADIO: TSN 1050

NEXT GAME
Date: Thursday, April 6, 2023
Opponent: at Boston Bruins
Time: 7:00 pm ET
Broadcast Information: Sportsnet Ontario (TV), TSN 1050 (Radio)

RECENT TRANSACTIONS
April 4, 2023 The Maple Leafs recalled goaltender Joseph Woll from the Toronto Marlies (AHL) on an emergency basis. Forward Radim Zohorna has been loaned to the Marlies.
April 2, 2023 The Maple Leafs recalled forward Nick Abruzzese from the Toronto Marlies (AHL) on an emergency basis.
March 31, 2023 The Maple Leafs recalled forward Radim Zohorna from the Toronto Marlies (AHL) on an emergency basis.
March 28, 2023 The Maple Leafs loaned goaltender Joseph Woll to the Toronto Marlies (AHL).

INJURY REPORT
Noel Acciari Neck
Bobby McMann Knee (IR)
Victor Mete Lower Body (LTIR)
Jake Muzzin Neck (LTIR)
Ryan O’Reilly Broken Finger (LTIR)
Nick Robertson Shoulder (LTIR)

ALL-TIME VS. COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS:
First Matchup between Clubs: February 14, 2001 (Toronto 2 vs. Columbus 2 – OT)
All-Time Record: 17-12-1-5 (35 Games)
All-Time Record at Home: 7-7-1-3 (18 Games)
All-Time Record on the Road: 10-5-0-2 (17 Games)
Last Home Win vs. Opponent: December 7, 2021 (Toronto 5 vs. Columbus 4)

ACTIVE LEADERS VS. COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS:
Games Played: Wayne Simmonds (43), Mark Giordano (34), John Tavares (32)
Goals: John Tavares (17), Wayne Simmonds (10), Calle Järnkrok (8)
Assists: John Tavares (20), Mark Giordano (17), Morgan Rielly (14)
Points: John Tavares (37), Mark Giordano (20), Mitch Marner (19)
Penalty Minutes: Wayne Simmonds (40), Mark Giordano (39), Luke Schenn (27)

2022-23 AVERAGES
Points% GF/Game GA/Game PP% PK% SF/G SA/G FO%
Toronto .658 3.38 2.75 25.7 80.5 32.0 29.2 53.3
Columbus .368 2.66 3.97 18.8 75.8 29.5 35.3 48.7

THE MAN ADVANTAGE IN 2022-23
Power Play: 25.7%
Power Play Goal Leader: 16 – Tavares
Power Play Point Leader: 36 – Tavares (16G, 20A)
2021-22 Power Play: 63/231 (27.3%)

ON THE PK IN 2022-23
Penalty Kill: 80.5%
Shorthanded Goal Leader: 4 – Marner
Shorthanded Point Leader: 5 – Marner (4G, 1A)
2021-22 Penalty Kill: 192/234 (82.1%)

FAST FACTS
Tuesday games 12th of 13 (6 home, 7 road)
Back-to-Backs played 13 of 14
Record in first game of back-to-back 8-5-0
Record in second game of back-to-back 8-4-1
April games 3rd of 8 (3 home, 5 road)

NHL Preview: Buffalo Sabres (37-31-7) at Florida Panthers (39-31-7)

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NHL Preview: Buffalo Sabres (37-31-7) at Florida Panthers (39-31-7)

BUFFALO SABRES NOTES:

LAST GAME
Saturday, April 1
Buffalo 6 at Philadelphia 3
Goals: Tuch (3), Okposo, Greenway, Skinner
Goalie: Luukkonen (39 saves/42 shots)
PP: 0/3; PK: 2/2; Shots: Philadelphia 42 – Buffalo 29

CURRENT INJURIES – (Man Games Lost: 142)
Player (injury, first game missed) – total games missed
Tage Thompson (upper body, March 27) – 3 games
Craig Anderson (upper body, March 31) – 2 games

TRANSACTIONS IN PAST SEVEN DAYS
3/27: Recalled F Lukas Rousek from Rochester (AHL)
3/28: Loaned F Lukas Rousek to Rochester (AHL)

UPCOMING GAMES
Thursday, April 6: Buffalo at Detroit, 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 8: Carolina at Buffalo, 12:30 p.m.
Monday, April 10: Buffalo at NY Rangers, 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, April 11: Buffalo at New Jersey, 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, April 13: Ottawa at Buffalo, 7:00 p.m.

TODAY’S GAME
SABRES AT PANTHERS
• This is the fourth and final meeting between the Sabres and Panthers this season.
• Last meeting: Buffalo defeated Florida 3-1 in Florida on Feb. 24.
• The Sabres are 4-6-0 in their last 10 games against Florida; 2-6-2 on the road.
• This is the 111th game all-time between Buffalo and Florida; Buffalo has a 53-48-9 series record.
• The Sabres are 23-25-5 on the road against the Panthers all-time.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
• The Sabres have notched at least one point in each of their last five games and a point in tonight’s game would mark the third time this season that they have earned a point in six or more consecutive games.
• Alex Tuch has recorded 17 points (11+6) in his last 15 games, including seven points (5+2) in his last five games.
• Tage Thompson has recorded 39 points (18+21) in his last 39 games, including 20 points (9+11) in his last 20 games.
• With one point in tonight’s game, Thompson would become the 10th skater in Sabres history to record 90 or more points in a single season.
 Daniel Briere’s 95 points (32+63) in 2006-07 is the last instance of a Buffalo skater reaching 90 points.
• With a goal in tonight’s game, Thompson would become the first Sabres skater to score 45 or more goals in a single season since Alexander Mogilny (76) and Pat LaFontaine (53) did so in 1992-93.
• A point in tonight’s game would give Casey Mittelstadt a five-game point streak, which would match the longest point streak of his career.
• During his current four-game point streak, Mittelstadt has notched seven points (0+7).
• With an assist in tonight’s game, Mittelstadt would join Thompson (two times) and Rasmus Dahlin as the only Sabres skaters to record an assist streak of five or more games in 2022-23.
• Owen Power has earned one point in three consecutive games and would earn his second point streak of four or more games this season with a point in tonight’s game.
• An assist in tonight’s game would give Power his first assist streak of four or more games in his career.
• With a goal in tonight’s game, Jordan Greenway would earn a three-game goal streak for the first time in his career.
• Rasmus Dahlin needs one point in tonight’s game to earn his ninth point streak of three or more games this season.
• Jack Quinn has two points (0+2) in his last two games and needs one point in tonight’s game to earn the third point streak of three or more games in his career.
• Jeff Skinner has registered one goal in each of his last two games and has recorded three points in that span (2+1).
• Skinner has totaled six points (4+2) in his last six games.
• JJ Peterka has registered 10 points (3+7) in his last 11 games.
• In Buffalo’s last 12 games, Peterka is tied for the team lead in points (10)

FLORIDA PANTHERS NOTES:

BAPTIST HEALTH INJURY REPORT

  • F Patric Hornqvist | Games Missed: 52
  • F Sam Bennett | Games Missed: 7
  • G Sergei Bobrovsky | Games Missed: 3
    Total Man Games Lost Due to Injury: 227

LAST GAME
Panthers 7, Blue Jackets 0 – April 1 – Nationwide Arena
FLA Goals: Reinhart (29-PPG), Verhaeghe (37, 38, 39), Cousins (8), Verhaeghe (40), E. Staal (14)
CBJ Goals: –
FLA Goalie: Lyon (W) – 21 Saves
CBJ Goalie: Hutchinson (L) – 42 Saves
FLA Shots: 49
CBJ Shots: 21
Notes: Carter Verhaeghe matched the club single-game record with a career-high four goals…All four of Verhaeghe’s goals were scored at even strength, the most EVGs in one game in franchise history…Verhaeghe became the first Panthers skater since Pavel Bure in 2000-01 to reach 40 goals in a season…Alex Lyon recorded his first NHL shutout and extended his win streak to three games…Anthony Duclair and Aleksander Barkov each notched three assists…Sam Reinhart matched his season high with three points (1-2-3), including his team-leading 15th power-play goal…Reinhart’s performance marked his third consecutive multi-point game…Aaron Ekblad notched an assist for the fourth consecutive game (0-4-4)…Eric Staal recorded two points (1-1-2)…FLA PP: 1-3, FLA PK: 4-4

RECENT TRANSACTIONS:

  • April 3: F Ryan McAllister agreed to terms on a 3-year, entry-level contract beginning in 2023-24
  • March 29: G Mack Guzda recalled from Charlotte (AHL)

PANTHERS vs. SABRES
ALL-TIME vs. BUF: 53-45-4-8
ALL-TIME HOME vs. BUF: 29-20-1-3
2022-23 vs. BUF: 2-1-0

CATS STATS

  • The Panthers own the fifth-best power play since March 4, converting on 27.1% [13/48] of their power plays.
  • Since the 2021-22 season, Sam Reinhart leads Florida in power-play goals (31) while ranking second in goals (62) and points (144).
  • Florida’s 7-0 win at CBJ on April 1 represented matched the 2nd-largest margin of victory in a shutout in club history (8-0 at TOR on
    Feb. 5, 2008).

HOME SWEET HOME
Tonight, the Panthers return home to FLA Live Arena where they have earned at least one point in six of their past eight games (5-2-1) since March 4. Florida has averaged 3.76 goals per game on home ice this season, a mark that ranks third among NHL teams and currently stands as the second-best goals-per-game average at home in franchise history. Matthew Tkachuk’s 56 points (19-37-56) at home rank fourth among NHL skaters while his 38 even-strength points at home are behind only Brayden Point (39) for the league lead. The Cats lead all teams with 39.1 shots on goal per game average at home and will play four of their final five games of the regular season at FLA Live Arena.

SEASON OF SCORING
The Panthers 270 goals scored this season are the club’s second-most in one season in franchise history, in addition to a goals per game average of 3.51 that also sits second in the franchise rankings. The Cats’ 22.5% power-play is the third-best mark in club history and their 36.8 shots on goal per game average rank second.

CATS AND SABRES
Florida faces off against Buffalo for the fourth and final time in 2022-23, with the Panthers having taken two of the three matchups this season. Both of Florida’s wins came at KeyBank Center. Prior to Florida’s loss to Buffalo at home on Feb. 24, the Cats had won six consecutive matchups against the Sabres. Matthew Tkachuk leads Florida with five points (1-4-5) over Florida’s three outings against Buffalo this season, while Carter Verhaeghe (2-1-3) and Brandon Montour (2-0-2) have each scored two goals against the Sabres in 2022-23. Aleksander Barkov has amassed 30 points (9-21-30) over 26 career games against Buffalo, while Matthew Tkachuk has tallied eight goals (8-9-17) over 13 matchups against Buffalo.

NHL Morning Skate – April 4, 2023

NHL Editor
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NHL Morning Skate – April 4, 2023

* The Stars and Wild became the first two Central Division clubs to clinch a berth in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

* Seattle increased its chances of reaching the postseason for the first time in franchise history by erupting for eight goals against Arizona.


* The playoff race in each conference could get even more interesting during Tuesday’s 11-game slate, which features an ESPN doubleheader and six teams in action who either occupy or are within five points of a Wild Card spot.
 


STARS SECURE PLAYOFF BERTH AS ROBO COPS 1-3—4 TO ECLIPSE 100-POINT MARK

Jason Robertson (43-58—101 in 77 GP) recorded four points to help Dallas (42-21-14, 98 points) clinch a berth in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs and become the fourth different player in Stars/North Stars franchise history with a triple-digit total in a season. He joined Dino Ciccarelli (106 in 1981-82 & 103 in 1986-87), Bobby Smith (114 in 1981-82) and Neal Broten (105 in 1985-86), who all achieved the feat when the club was based in Minnesota.
 


* Robertson (Arcadia, Calif.), who took a unique path to reach the NHL, can become the third California-born Stanley Cup winner in League history – he would join Brooks Orpik (2009 PIT & 2018 WSH) and Scott Parker (2001 COL). Click here to read more playoff #NHLStats about Dallas.
 


WILD ALSO CLINCH POSTSEASON BERTH AFTER EARNING POINT VERSUS VEGAS

Minnesota (44-23-10, 98 points) suffered a shootout loss after Western Conference-leading Vegas tied the game with 34.2 seconds remaining in regulation but were able to clinch a berth in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs by virtue of its point and Dallas’ victory Monday.

* Matt Boldy (30-30—60 in 77 GP), who beat Golden Knights goaltender Laurent Brossoit to reach 30 goals on the season, is set to make his second Stanley Cup Playoffs appearance after recording 1-0—1 in six games against the Blues during the 2022 First Round. Click here to read more playoff #NHLStats about Minnesota.
 

SEATTLE’S SUCCESS IN SOPHOMORE SEASON FEATURED IN #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES
Monday’s edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates featured more notes from the three-game slate, including Seattle scoring eight goals versus Arizona to improve to 42-26-8 (92 points) this season and strengthen its grip on the first Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. The Kraken’s 42 victories represent a 15-win increase when compared to their total from 2021-22 (27-49-6, 60 points).
 


QUICK CLICKS

* Andrei Vasilevskiy, Leon Draisaitl, David Pastrnak named NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week
* Tage Thompson looks to spark Sabres in crucial game against Panthers
* Women in Hockey: Namita Nandakumar
* Color of Hockey: Larry Kwong gaining support for Hall of Fame induction
* Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award announces 2023 finalists

TUESDAY FEATURES ESPN TWO-PACK, OTHER PIVOTAL GAMES IN WILD CARD RACES

Tuesday’s 11-game slate is highlighted by an ESPN doubleheader featuring Los Angeles (45-22-10, 100 points) hosting Edmonton (45-23-9, 99 points) and Vegas (48-22-7, 103 points) visiting Nashville (38-30-8, 84 points), with the Predators being one of six teams in action who either occupy or are within five points of a Wild Card spot. The others are Seattle (42-26-8, 92 points) and Calgary (36-26-15, 87 points) in the Western Conference as well as Pittsburgh (38-29-10, 86 points), Florida (39-31-7, 85 points) and Buffalo (37-31-7, 81 points) in the Eastern Conference, with the Panthers and Sabres squaring off in a pivotal showdown at FLA Live Arena.
 

NBA Preview: San Antonio Spurs (20-58) at Phoenix Suns (43-35)

NBA Editor
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NBA Preview: San Antonio Spurs (20-58) at Phoenix Suns (43-35)

In preparation for their matchup with the Spurs, the Phoenix Suns will be looking to make it six wins in a row when they take on the suddenly dangerous San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night.

As the regular season enters its final stretch and Phoenix’s roster is nearly complete, the team (43-35) is putting together a cohesive unit. The Suns utilized their extensive muscle on Sunday in a 128-118 win out and about in Oklahoma City, with Kevin Durant scoring 35 focuses, 13 of those in the final quarter, in Phoenix’s fifth sequential triumph, its longest series of wins since November.

The Suns’ Devin Booker had 22 points and 10 assists, while Chris Paul had 16 points and 8 assists, while Deandre Ayton had 19 points and 11 rebounds.

Phoenix shot 56.8 percent from the floor in Sunday’s dominate to game its season high. The Suns are three games ahead of the Lakers and New Orleans in the race to secure the conference’s guaranteed playoff spots without having to participate in the play-in tournament, keeping them in fourth place in the West.

The Suns are 6-0 with Durant in the arrangement. Phoenix is developing into the team that Durant brought to the Valley of the Sun was expected to be.

Phoenix has defeated San Antonio eight times in a row, dating back to May 2021, and has won the Spurs’ first two games this season.

After snapping a six-game losing streak with a rousing 142-134 overtime victory in Sacramento on Sunday, the Spurs (20-58) travel to Phoenix. San Antonio got a consolidated 56 focuses from holds Doug McDermott (season-best 30 focuses) and Julian Champagnie (vocation high 26 focuses).

McDermott scored nine points in overtime, when the Spurs never trailed, and Champagnie scored 22 points before the halftime break.

Tre Jones had a triple-double for San Antonio in the victory (17 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds), Dominick Barlow had a double-double (12 points, 10 rebounds), Zach Collins scored 16 points, Malaki Branham scored 15, and Keita Bates-Diop scored 13.

Due to injuries, San Antonio was without Keldon Johnson, Jeremy Sochan, and Devin Vassell.

NBA Preview: Oklahoma City Thunder (38-41) at Golden State Warriors (41-38)

NBA Editor
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NBA Preview: Oklahoma City Thunder (38-41) at Golden State Warriors (41-38)

Drawing support from Andrew Wiggins once more, Heroes have Thunder

The Brilliant State Heroes and the Oklahoma City Thunder both have a lot to play for entering the last seven day stretch of the ordinary season.

On Tuesday, the teams will meet in San Francisco, with the Warriors attempting to avoid the play-in tournament.

while the Thunder attempt to participate in that play-in tournament.

Despite losing 112-110 to Denver on Sunday, Golden State enters Tuesday having won five of its last seven games.

Sixth in the Western Conference, half a game ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans, the Warriors (41-38) are in sixth place.

Tenth-place Oklahoma City (38-41) is one game ahead of Dallas and one and a half games ahead of Utah for the play-in championship.

For ninth place, the Thunder are one game behind Minnesota.

Stephen Curry, a star player for Golden State, said that playing well in the final three games of the regular season is important, regardless of how it affects the standings.

Curry shot 2-for-14 from three-point range in Sunday’s loss, which was his worst performance of the season.

Tuesday could be a big boost for the Warriors.

According to a report from The Athletic, Golden State’s Andrew Wiggins, who hasn’t played since February 13, is expected to attend Tuesday’s game.

As indicated by the report, Wiggins had been missing from the group to be with his dad, who has been managing a serious ailment.

Wiggins is scoring 17.1 points per game on an average and shooting a career-high 39.6% from long range.

The Warriors will play their final home game on Tuesday.

The Warriors are among the best in the NBA when they play at home, where they are 32-8, despite their road record of 9-30.

In their last 12 home games, the Warriors have prevailed 11 times.

The Thunder have lost five of their last seven games, including a 128-118 home defeat to Phoenix on Sunday.

Mark Daigneault, the coach of Oklahoma City, said that the loss to the Suns made him feel better than the recent defeats to Charlotte and Indiana.

The Fighters are 2-1 against the Thunder this season, including a 141-114 triumph Feb. 6 in San Francisco.

On March 7, Oklahoma City prevailed 137-128 at home in the most recent meeting.

NBA Preview: Los Angeles Lakers (40-38) at Utah Jazz (36-42)

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NBA Preview: Los Angeles Lakers (40-38) at Utah Jazz (36-42)

With big playoff hopes, Lakers visit Jazz

Though they haven’t yet clinched a postseason berth in the Western Conference with four games remaining, including a Tuesday game in Salt Lake City versus the Utah Jazz, the Los Angeles Lakers still have their sights set high.

They’re not just trying to get into the playoffs by finishing in the top six in the West. They are still planning a parade and thinking about playing well into June.

The Los Angeles Lakers (40-38) are one half-game behind the Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors (both 41-38) for the final two guaranteed playoff spots with one week left in the regular season. They’re attached with the New Orleans Pelicans in the seventh spot in the meeting and need one win to secure essentially a play-in a potential open door.

The Lakers have won three straight and six of their last seven. In Sunday’s 134-109 victory over Houston, Anthony Davis had 40 points, and James had 18 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds for a triple-double.

Despite losing six of their last seven games, including a 111-110 defeat in Brooklyn on Sunday after rallying from 23 down, the Jazz (36-42) still have a chance to make the play-in tournament despite the fact that not many people expected them to be in a position to consider the playoffs during a rebuilding season.

To qualify for the postseason, Utah must work hard. The Jazz are 1 1/2 games behind tenth spot Oklahoma City (38-41) and a half-game back of Dallas (37-42).

As the teams compete for playoff positioning, the Jazz and Lakers play twice this week. Their regular-season finale will take place in Los Angeles on Sunday.

Talen Horton-Tucker, a former Lakers guard who spent the previous three seasons in Los Angeles, is on a tear. In his last three games, he has scored 101 points, including 41 in a recent victory over San Antonio. In the fourth quarter, he scored 15 of his 32 points to lead the Jazz’s comeback effort on Sunday.

NBA Preview: Sacramento Kings (47-31) at New Orleans Pelicans (40-38)

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NBA Preview: Sacramento Kings (47-31) at New Orleans Pelicans (40-38)

The No. 1 seed is tightly held by the Sacramento Kings. at the end of the regular season, the Western Conference’s No. 3 seed.

With four games remaining, beginning with Tuesday’s home game against the Kings, the eighth-place New Orleans Pelicans have a lot of room to move up or down.

After winning seven of their last eight games, the Pelicans’ (40-38) serious threat of missing out on one of the 10 spots in the postseason has diminished.

The Pelicans can secure essentially a spot in the play-in competition with a triumph against the Kings. They will start Tuesday’s game half a game behind the Los Angeles Clippers, who are fifth, and the Golden State Warriors, who are sixth, and against whom they would currently win a head-to-head tiebreaker.

Brandon Ingram, the forward for the Pelicans, has led the team’s surge, scoring at least 25 points in nine games in a row. He has averaged 30.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, and the first two triple-doubles of his career over that nine-game stretch; Ingram has made 52.4 percent of his shots from the floor, 48.0% of his 3-pointers, and 92.4% of his free throws.

After a 16-year absence, the Kings (47-31) have already secured their first playoff berth, but head coach Mike Brown is concerned about his team’s focus as the postseason nears.

With four games remaining, Sacramento is two games behind Memphis, which is in second place, and four games ahead of Phoenix, which is in fourth place.

San Antonio, which has the second-worst record in the West and was playing without multiple rotation players, defeated the Kings 142-134 in overtime at home on Sunday.

The defeat temporarily prevented Sacramento from winning its first division title in 20 years.

This season, the Pelicans and Kings have played twice, with both teams winning at home. The Kings defeated New Orleans 123-108 on March 6 and 136-104 on February 5.

If the Kings win the championship, The Pelicans are one of a few teams that have a chance of winning the No. They will be up against the sixth seed in the playoffs’ first round.

NBA Preview: Portland Trail Blazers (33-45) at Memphis Grizzlies (49-29)

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NBA Preview: Portland Trail Blazers (33-45) at Memphis Grizzlies (49-29)

In the final days of the regular season, the Memphis Grizzlies can put aside any hopes of passing the Denver Nuggets, who are currently in first place.

The Grizzlies’ greatest challenge is wrapping up the No. They can get closer to being the Western Conference’s No. 2 seed when they play the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night.

With four games remaining, Memphis (49-29) leads the Sacramento Kings, who are in third place, by two games. When the Grizzlies lost to the host Chicago Bulls on Sunday, 128-107, they fell three games behind the Nuggets.

Memphis had a 23-point lead at one point, but the Bulls increased their intensity of play in the second half and defeated them 75-39.

The Grizzlies were 13-of-25 from 3-point range and serious two turnovers in the prevailing first half. Memphis was 6-of-18 from long range in the second half and committed 16 turnovers.

After winning 10 of their previous 11, the Grizzlies suffered their second defeat in three games.

In the game against Chicago, Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 31 points and hit five 3-pointers, a season high. In his last eight games, he had scored 30 points three times.

Desmond Bane recorded his sixth 20-point performance in a row by scoring 21 points. Ja Morant contributed 17 focuses, 10 bounce back and 10 helps for his seventh triple-twofold of the mission.

The challenge with Portland is the last home round of the customary season for Memphis. The groups split two matchups recently with the street group winning each time.

Despite a disappointing season, the Trail Blazers (33-45) did manage a solid road victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday, winning 107-105.

Given that Portland continues to play without four starters, including star Damian Lillard, and has signed three players in less than a week to add some reinforcements, the victory was impressive.

One of the new pickups, monitor Skylar Mays, contributed 13 focuses and nine aids his second game with the group.

With fellow guards Damian Lillard (calf) and Anfernee Simons (foot) out, rookie Shaedon Sharpe continues to show that he is a big scorer.

Sharpe topped 20 for the sixth time in the last seven games with 27 points. During this stretch, he is scoring 24.7 points on average.

Sharpe also had six assists and six rebounds in a strong performance on the whole.

Forward Jerami Grant (quadriceps) and center Jusuf Nurkic (knee) are the other Portland starters who are out with injuries. Keon Johnson, a guard, and Cam Reddish, a forward, are both out for the Trail Blazers with injuries to their fingers.

NBA Preview: Denver Nuggets (52-26) at Houston Rockets (19-60)

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NBA Preview: Denver Nuggets (52-26) at Houston Rockets (19-60)

The Denver Pieces are nearly a genuinely new thing for the establishment, and it tends to be achieved when Tuesday.

Denver (52-26) is one victory away from securing the top seed in the Western Conference, a position it has never held since joining the NBA in 1976, provided Memphis does not lose. That might occur when it goes to Houston on Tuesday night to play the Rockets.

After a convincing victory over the Golden State Warriors on Sunday, the Nuggets reached this point. Peyton Watson was introduced to the rest of the basketball world in this, their third consecutive game without their star Nikola Jokic, who has been suffering from calf tightness since last week.

Watson, a UCLA rookie, has played a lot of garbage time this season, but he got a chance to play real minutes in Phoenix on Friday. He played well enough to get more minutes on Sunday night, and he played in the final minute of a 112-110 victory over Golden State.

Before Friday, Watson had played 52 total minutes and has now played 47 in the past two games. He could see even more playing time in the final three games if Denver can beat Houston to win the West.

In addition to that, it might give the Nuggets a chance to rest Jokic and the other starters ahead of a difficult playoff run.

After Sunday, the Rockets’ (19-60) long offseason will begin, and the lottery results will determine where they finish this spring. Houston has the NBA’s second-worst record after Detroit, which is 16-62, and could win the highly desired No. 1 pick assuming the lottery balls fall its direction.

However, the players are unconcerned about that; They are concentrating on making a name for themselves in the NBA. One model is the point at which they confronted Detroit on Friday night and energized in the final quarter to beat the Cylinders.

Houston was a contender just three years ago and was one win away from the NBA Finals two years earlier, but things have changed quickly. The Rockets exchanged their stars and began a revamp, and it could get a lift in the event that they truly do get the top pick and the opportunity to choose French phenom Victor Wembanyama.

Jokic is a superstar for Denver, but the team is excited about a title run because of the other players around him. After the recent performances of rookies Christian Braun and Watson, the Nuggets may be a little deeper.

NBA Preview: Atlanta Hawks (39-39) at Chicago Bulls (38-40)

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NBA Preview: Atlanta Hawks (39-39) at Chicago Bulls (38-40)

As the Chicago Bulls take on the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday, a frantic competition for position in the Eastern Conference play-in race continues.

Atlanta (39-39) is eighth in the East with four regular-season games remaining, one game behind 10th-place Chicago.

The Bulls (38-40) are four games clear of their closest follower for the last spot in the play-in, however not yet authoritatively part of the field. Whether Orlando Magic wins or loses, Chicago can join the crowd.

Because the Bulls would tie Atlanta in the season-series tiebreaker, a victory over the Hawks would be especially significant.

Subsequent to retaining a 123-122 extra time misfortune at Atlanta on Dec. 11, the Bulls have won the beyond two gatherings between the groups however haven’t confronted the Birds of prey since a 111-100 home win on Jan. 23.

DeMar DeRozan, the Bulls’ leading scorer, has led the team’s offense in the three games, scoring an average of 29.3 points per game. Chicago’s Zach LaVine, on the other hand, has scored at least 20 points in nine of his previous nine games against the Hawks.

The pair led Chicago to a second-half surge of 75-39 on Sunday, helping the Bulls defeat the Memphis Grizzlies by a score of 128-107. The Bulls won for the fourth time in six games thanks to 36 points from LaVine and 31 from DeRozan.

Chicago matched a franchise record with just three turnovers. In contrast, the team has scored 144 points in five games by turning the ball over.

After beating Dallas, who were visiting, 132-130 in overtime on Sunday, Atlanta is aiming to win consecutive games for the first time since March 8 and 10.

With 1.8 seconds remaining, Trae Young made two free throws and exhaled when Luka Doncic of the Mavericks missed a potential game-winning three-pointer.

The Hawks’ Young had 24 points, one more than Dejounte Murray’s team high. For Atlanta, John Collins and Bogdan Bogdanovic each hit four 3-pointers. Young has a non-COVID illness that makes him questionable for Tuesday, and De’Andre Hunter has been ruled out with a knee injury.

Collins has shot 39.4% from long range in his last eight games after struggling from deep throughout the season.

De’Andre Tracker has missed the beyond two games for Atlanta with a bone injury and muscle strain in his left knee.

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