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NHL Preview: Carolina Hurricanes (44-14-8) at Toronto Maple Leafs (40-18-9)

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NHL Preview: Carolina Hurricanes (44-14-8) at Toronto Maple Leafs (40-18-9)

CAROLINA HURRICANES NOTES:

LAST GAME
The Hurricanes earned a 5-3 win over the Winnipeg Jets at PNC Arena on Tuesday, breaking a two-game scoring drought. Jesperi Kotkaniemi (1g, 2a), Brady Skjei (1g, 1a), Jaccob Slavin (1g) and Jack Drury (1g) each scored for Carolina, with Drury’s goal marking the first game winner of his NHL/Hurricanes career. Stefan Noesen also registered his second fighting major of the season and tallied an assist to set a new career high in scoring, while Frederik Andersen made 21 saves in net to improve to 17-7-0 in 2022-23.

INJURY REPORT
Jalen Chatfield, upper-body, missed four games (3/9-3/14)
Jake Gardiner, upper-body, missed 66 games (10/12-3/14)
Ondrej Kase, concussion, missed 65 games (10/14-3/14)
Max Pacioretty, torn Achilles, missed 21 games (1/21-3/14)
Antti Raanta, lower-body, missed four games (3/9-3/14)
Andrei Svechnikov, knee, missed two games (3/12-3/14)
2022-23 Man-Games Lost Due to Injury: 258

RECENT TRANSACTIONS
March 15 Placed Andrei Svechnikov on injured reserve
March 13 Recalled Jack Drury from Chicago (AHL)
March 10 Acquired Jack Dugan from New Jersey in exchange for Zack Hayes and reassigned Dugan to Chicago (AHL)
March 8 Recalled Pyotr Kochetkov from Chicago (AHL) on an emergency basis

UPCOMING GAMES
DATE OPPONENT TIME TV RADIO
March 17 at Toronto 7 p.m. BSSO/NHLN HRN
March 18 at Philadelphia 5 p.m. ESPN+/Hulu HRN
March 21 at NY Rangers 7 p.m. BSSO HRN
March 23 NY Rangers 7 p.m. BSSO HRN
March 25 Toronto 7 p.m. BSSO HRN

  • All times are Eastern | BSSO = Bally Sports South | HRN = Hurricanes Radio Network

UPCOMING PRACTICE SCHEDULE
DATE DAY LOCATION TIME
March 17 Friday No morning skate
March 18 Saturday No morning skate
March 19 Sunday No practice
March 20 Monday Invisalign Arena 11 a.m.
March 21 Tuesday Madison Square Garden 11:30 a.m.

  • All times are local. Times and locations are subject to change.

Carolina Hurricanes: Media Notes
HURRICANES vs. MAPLE LEAFS SERIES NOTES
— Carolina is facing Toronto in the first of three meetings between the teams during the 2022-23 season. The Maple Leafs will travel to PNC Arena on 3/25.
— The Hurricanes and Maple Leafs are meeting for the 129th time in their regular-season histories. Carolina holds a 67-44-11-6 overall record, including a 34-23-5-3 road record and a 40-30-4-6 record since relocation.
— The Maple Leafs lead the season series 1-0-0 in 2022-23 (Hurricanes: 0-1-0).
— Carolina suffered a 3-1 loss against Toronto at PNC Arena on 11/6. Stefan Noesen scored the Hurricanes’ only goal on the power play, while Frederik Andersen made 18 saves in net.
— Martin Necas has earned seven points (3g, 4a) in six career games against Toronto.
— Jordan Staal has posted 32 points (15g, 17a) in 44 career games against the Maple Leafs.
— Teuvo Teravainen has tallied 12 points (4g, 8a) in 16 career games against Toronto.
— Frederik Andersen appeared in 268 games with Toronto from 2016-21, earning a 149-74-36 record, 2.79 goals-against average, .914 save percentage and 13 shutouts.
— Stefan Noesen spent part of the 2020-21 season with Toronto, skating in one game with the Maple Leafs and tallying three points (1g, 2a) in four AHL games with the Marlies.
— Hurricanes Assistant Coach Tim Gleason posted five points (1g, 4a) in 39 games with Toronto in 2013-14.
— William Nylander’s father, Michael, was drafted by the Whalers in the third round (59th overall) of the 1991 NHL Draft and tallied 77 points (22g, 55a) in 117 games with Hartford from 1992-94.
— Maple Leafs President Brendan Shanahan skated in 76 games for the Whalers from 1995-96, recording 79 points (45g, 3, 4a). He was acquired from STL in exchange for Chris Pronger on 7/27/95, and Hartford traded Shanahan to DET along with Brian Glynn in exchange for Paul Coffey, Keith Primeau and a first-round pick in the 1997 NHL Draft (Nikos Tselios) on 10/9/96.
— Maple Leafs Assistant Coach Dean Chynoweth served as an assistant coach for the Hurricanes from 2018-21.
— Maple Leafs Assistant Coach Manny Malhotra tallied 13 points (7g, 6a) in 69 games with Carolina in 2013-14.

PUCK OF THE IRISH
The Hurricanes are set to face the Maple Leafs on St. Patrick’s Day for the second consecutive season, after suffering a 3-2 loss in Toronto on 3/17/22. Jaccob Slavin assisted on both of Carolina’s goals, scored by Ethan Bear and Vincent Trocheck, and Frederik Andersen made 18 saves in defeat. Friday’s contest will mark the 14th St. Patrick’s Day game in franchise history, and Hartford/ Carolina is currently 4-8-0-1 on the holiday (3-4-0-1 since relocation). The Hurricanes’ last March 17 win came in 2012, as they earned a 5-3 win at MIN. Paul Stastny (3-3—6 in 9 GP), Slavin (1-3—4 in 3 GP) and Jordan Staal (2-2—4 in 7 GP) lead the team in career St. Patrick’s Day points.

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS NOTES:

LAST GAME
Score: Toronto 1 vs. Colorado 2 – SOL
Date: Wednesday, March 15, 2023
TOR Goals: Rielly
COL Goals: Rantanen (PP), MacKinnon (SOW)
TOR Goaltender: Samsonov, 28/29, .966 SV%
COL Goaltender: Georgiev, 17/18, .944 SV%
TOR Power Play: 0-for-3
TOR Penalty Kill: 4-for-5
Player Notes: – Morgan Rielly opened the scoring for Toronto at 3:41 of the first period. Rielly recorded his third goal of the season. With his goal, Rielly posted the 72nd goal of his NHL career, surpassing Harry Cameron (71) for sole possession of ninth on Toronto’s all-time list for most goals scored among Maple Leafs defencemen.

  • Mitch Marner posted the primary assist on Rielly’s goal. Marner extended his point streak to four games where he has recorded nine points (2G, 7A). Marner finished the game with 29:10 in time on ice, setting a new single-game NHL career-high.
  • Calle Järnkrok registered the secondary assist on Rielly’s goal. Järnkrok has posted a point in back-to-back games (1G, 1A).
  • Ilya Samsonov stopped 28 of 29 shots in Toronto’s shootout loss. Samsonov has posted a 17-2-2 record on home ice this season.
    Team Notes: – The Maple Leafs have posted a 6-9 record in overtime this season.

TONIGHT’S GAME
2022-23 Matchups vs. Carolina: Second of Three
2021-22 Record vs. Carolina: 2-1-0
Toronto Season Record: 40-18-9
Toronto Home Record: 24-7-5

TONIGHT’S STORYLINES
The Maple Leafs are scheduled to face-off against the Carolina Hurricanes tonight in the second of three matchups between the clubs this season. Toronto won their first meeting of the 2022-23 campaign 3-1 against the Hurricanes on November 6, 2022 at PNC Arena. The Maple Leafs have won three-consecutive games against Carolina. The Maple Leafs are skating in their fourth matchup of a four-game homestand where they have posted a 1-1-1 record so far. The Maple Leafs have posted a 24-7-5 record on home ice this season, currently tied for the second-best home record in the league. Toronto is playing in their first game of a back-to-back, the team has posted a 6-4-0 record in such games this season.

BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV: TSN4 RADIO: TSN 1050
Toronto Maple Leafs: Media Notes

NEXT GAME
Date: Saturday, March 18, 2023
Opponent: at Ottawa Senators
Time: 7:00 pm ET
Broadcast Information: Sportsnet (TV), Sportsnet 590 (Radio)

RECENT TRANSACTIONS
March 12, 2023 The Maple Leafs recalled forward Alex Steeves from the Toronto Marlies (AHL).
March 3, 2023 The Maple Leafs acquired forward Radim Zohorna from the Calgary Flames in exchange for
forward Dryden Hunt.

INJURY REPORT
Carl Dahlström Shoulder (LTIR)
Victor Mete Lower Body (LTIR)
Jake Muzzin Neck (LTIR)
Ryan O’Reilly Broken Finger (LTIR)
Nick Robertson Shoulder (LTIR)

ALL-TIME VS. CAROLINA HURRICANES:
First Matchup between Clubs: October 31, 1979 (Toronto 2 vs. Hartford 4)
All-Time Record: 50-60-11-7 (128 Games)
All-Time Record at Home: 26-32-5-2 (65 Games)
All-Time Record on the Road: 24-28-6-5 (63 Games)
Last Home Win vs. Opponent: March 17, 2022 (Toronto 3 vs. Carolina 2)

ACTIVE LEADERS VS. CAROLINA HURRICANES:
Games Played: John Tavares (43), Luke Schenn (40), Wayne Simmonds (35)
Goals: John Tavares (28), Wayne Simmonds (13), Mitch Marner (7)
Assists: John Tavares (24), Wayne Simmonds (14), Mitch Marner (9)
Points: John Tavares (52), Wayne Simmonds (27), Mitch Marner (16)
Penalty Minutes: Wayne Simmonds (50), Mark Giordano (27), John Tavares (26)

2022-23 AVERAGES
Points% GF/Game GA/Game PP% PK% SF/G SA/G FO%
Toronto .664 3.39 2.67 25.3 80.7 31.9 28.9 53.6
Carolina .727 3.30 2.52 21.2 84.0 34.9 25.7 53.2

THE MAN ADVANTAGE IN 2022-23
Power Play: 25.3%
Power Play Goal Leader: 13 – Tavares
Power Play Point Leader: 32 – Marner (7G, 25A)
2021-22 Power Play: 63/231 (27.3%)

ON THE PK IN 2022-23
Penalty Kill: 80.7%
Shorthanded Goal Leader: 3 – Marner
Shorthanded Point Leader: 4 – Marner (3G, 1A)
2021-22 Penalty Kill: 192/234 (82.1%)

FAST FACTS
Friday games 6th of 6 (4 home, 2 road)
Back-to-Backs played 10 of 14
Record in first game of back-to-back 6-4-0
Record in second game of back-to-back 6-3-1
March games 8th of 14 (5 home, 9 road)

NHL Preview: Buffalo Sabres (33-28-6) at Philadelphia Flyers (24-32-11)

NHL Editor
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NHL Preview: Buffalo Sabres (33-28-6) at Philadelphia Flyers (24-32-11)

BUFFALO SABRES NOTES:

LAST GAME
Wednesday, March 15
Buffalo 4 at Washington 5 (SO)
Goals: Lyubushkin, Peterka, Jost, Girgensons
Goalies: Luukkonen (35 saves/39 shots)
PP: 0/2; PK: 1/3; Shots: Buffalo 27 – Washington 39

CURRENT INJURIES – (Man Games Lost: 122)
Player (injury, first game missed) – total games missed
Eric Comrie (lower body) – 2 games
Mattias Samuelsson (upper body) – 2 games

TRANSACTIONS IN PAST SEVEN DAYS
3/13: Activated F Alex Tuch from injured reserve

UPCOMING GAMES
Sunday, March 19: Boston at Buffalo, 1:00 p.m.
Tuesday, March 21: Nashville at Buffalo, 7:00 p.m.
Friday, March 24: New Jersey at Buffalo, 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, March 25: Buffalo at NY Islanders, 5:00 p.m.
Monday, March 27: Montreal at Buffalo, 7:00 p.m.

TODAY’S GAME
SABRES AT FLYERS
• This is the second of three meetings between the Sabres and Flyers this season.
• Last meeting: Philadelphia defeated Buffalo 4-0 in Buffalo on Jan. 9.
• The Sabres are 5-3-2 in their last 10 games against the Flyers; 3-6-1 on the road.
• This is the 194th game all-time between Buffalo and Philadelphia; Buffalo has a 75-92-26 series record.
• The Sabres are 28-55-15 on the road against the Flyers all-time.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
• Buffalo has earned a win in five of their last six games against Philadelphia dating back to March 31, 2021.
• A win today would also give Buffalo 34 wins on the season, two more than they earned in 82 games in 2021-22.
• The Sabres last earned 34 or more wins in a season in 2015-16 (35).
• Alex Tuch has recorded six goals in his last seven games dating back to Feb. 15 at Anaheim.
• Tuch has tallied nine points (6+3) in that span.
• Rasmus Dahlin is one assist away from becoming the first Sabres defenseman since Phil Housley in 1989-90 (60) to record 50 or more assists in a single season.
• With an assist, he would join Housley and John Van Boxmeer as the only defensemen in franchise history to reach 50 assists in a single season.
• In his last 10 games, Dylan Cozens has collected nine points (6+3).
• Tage Thompson has recorded 37 points (16+21) in his last 34 games, including 18 points (7+11) in his last 15 games.
• Thompson needs one goal in tonight’s game to become the first Sabres skater to record 43 or more goals in a season since Thomas Vanek (43) in 2006-07.
• Jeff Skinner has notched 17 points (9+8) in his last 15 games.
• JJ Peterka has notched seven points (2+5) in his last eight games, including three points (1+2) in his last two games.
• A point in tonight’s game would give Peterka his fourth point streak of three or more games in 2022-23.

PHILADELPHIA FLYERS NOTES:

TONIGHT’S GAME
Philadelphia Flyers vs. Buffalo Sabres
Wells Fargo Center
TV: NBCSP | Radio: 93.3 WMMR

UPCOMING GAMES
DATE OPPONENT LOCATION TIME (ET) BROADCAST INFO.
Sat., March 18 Carolina Hurricanes Wells Fargo Center 5 p.m. ESPN+, Hulu/93.3 WMMR
Tue., March 21 Florida Panthers Wells Fargo Center 7 p.m. NBCSP/97.5 The Fanatic
Thur., March 23 Minnesota Wild Wells Fargo Center 6:30 p.m. ESPN/97.5 The Fanatic

CURRENT INJURIES
PLAYER INJURY DATES GAMES MISSED
Wade Allison undisclosed, day-to-day 3/9-present 3
Cam Atkinson IR-upper body 9/25-present 67
Sean Couturier IR-back 9/19-present 67
Ryan Ellis LTIR-groin/hip/back 10/11-present 67
Travis Konecny IR-upper body 2/21-present 9
2022-23 TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 356

FLYERS VS. SABRES: HEAD-TO-HEAD
FLYERS SABRES
98-68-27 ALL-TIME RECORD 75-92-26
58-23-17 HOME 47-37-11
40-45-10 ROAD 28-55-15
1-4-0 LAST 5 MEETINGS 4-1-0
5-5-0 LAST 10 MEETINGS 5-3-2
615 GOALS SCORED 561
21.7% POWER PLAY 23.1%
76.9% PENALTY KILL 78.3%
van Riemsdyk: 28 pts (19-9=28) in 48 GP
Hayes: 17 pts (5-12=17) in 26 GP
Provorov: 13 pts (5-8=13) in 23 GP
TEAM SCORING LEADERS Skinner: 34 pts (17-17=34) in 47 GP
Okposo: 31 pts (10-21=31) in 56 GP
Dahlin: 10 pts (1-9=10) in 17 GP
Hart: 3-2-0, 2.73 GAA, .906 SV%, 1 SO in 7 GP
Sandstrom: 0-1-0, 4.11 GAA, .897 SV% in 1 GP
TEAM GOALTENDERS Anderson: 14-10-3, 2.96 GAA, .912 SV%, 1 SO in 29 GP
Comrie: 1-0-0, 0.00 GAA, 1.000 SV%, 1 SO in 1 GP

2022-23 SEASON SERIES (ALL TIMES EASTERN)
January 9 KeyBank Center PHI (4), BUF (0)
March 17 Wells Fargo Center 7 p.m.

RECENT TRANSACTIONS
3/15 – Loaned G Samuel Ersson to Lehigh Valley (AHL)
3/14 – Recalled F Tyson Foerster and G Samuel Ersson from Lehigh Valley (AHL) on an emergency basis
3/12 – Loaned F Elliot Desnoyers and F Tyson Foerster to Lehigh Valley (AHL)
3/10 – Relieved President of Hockey Operations & General Manger, Chuck Fletcher, of his duties; Named Daniel Briere Interim GM

TEAM NOTES
LUCK OF THE IRISH

  • Philadelphia takes on the Buffalo Sabres for a St. Patrick’s Day showdown, one of four NHL games played Friday.
  • The Flyers are 12-10-3 all-time on St. Patrick’s Day games, including a 2-1-1 record in the last four contests.
  • This is the second time in team history that Philadelphia plays Buffalo on St. Patrick’s Day, last, a 5-3 victory in 1978-79.

QUICK HITS

  • The Flyers tallied 40 hits Feb. 11 vs. NSH for their sixth game of 40-plus hits this season. The six games of 40-plus hits are the most in a single season since recording 13 games during the 2014-15 season.
  • Philadelphia recorded a franchise-best 59 hits Nov. 12 vs. OTT. The 59 hits are tied for the ninth-most in a regular season game in NHL history.
  • Philadelphia registered 30 blocked shots Feb. 12 at CGY for its fifth game of the season with 30-plus blocked shots
    – the most 30-plus blocked shot games in a Flyers season since 2005-06. The Flyers tallied a season-high 32 blocked shots Oct. 27 vs. FLA.
  • The Flyers rank third in the NHL with 1,173 blocked shots and 1,865 hits.

BACK-TO-BACKS

  • Friday’s and Saturday’s games mark the Flyers’ 13th back-to-back set of 15 this season.
  • This set marks the final home back-to-backs this season:
  1. Nov. 12 vs. OTT (4-1 L); Nov. 13 vs. DAL (5-1 L)
  2. Feb. 11 vs. NSH (2-1 OTL); Feb. 12 vs. SEA (4-3 L)
  3. March 17 vs. BUF; March 18 vs. CAR

HOME COOKIN’

  • Philadelphia continues its season-high seven-game homestand Friday (March 14-28) and plays nine of its 13 games in March at home.
  • The Flyers have played in four extra session games in the last eight home contests, posting a 1-0-3 record in those games. Flyers are 1-0-4 in extra play games at home this season.
  • Philadelphia is 6-7-3 in its last 16 home games and 12-16-4 in 32 home games this season.
  • The Flyers have scored three-plus goals in 11 of its last 19 home games. The Flyers are 11-4-2 at home this season when scoring three-plus goals.
  • The Flyers are 4-6-2 in the first game of a back-to-back this season and 2-10-0 in the second.

NHL Morning Skate – March 17, 2023

NHL Editor
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NHL Morning Skate – March 17, 2023

* A high-scoring affair between the Canadiens and Panthers began with seven goals through the first 10 minutes of the contest and saw the first period conclude with Florida becoming the fourth different team in NHL history with a seven-goal opening frame.
 

* Storylines were aplenty in the Pacific Division on Thursday, including Connor McDavid’s 131st point of 2022-23 and the Kraken boosting their season-to-season improvement to 23 points. 

* Sidney Crosby recorded his 82nd and 83rd point of 2022-23 to clinch his 18th career point-per-game season – one shy of the Great One for the most in NHL history.


THE COUNTDOWN IS ON: ONE MONTH UNTIL 2023 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS
After an 11-game Thursday that included 21 teams entering play either in a playoff spot or within six points of one, and saw nine of those teams gain points in the standings, we enter Friday one month away from the start of the postseason. The 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs are set to begin on Monday, April 17th.  


* There is a tight race for the top seeds in three divisions entering the final month, with five points separating the top three clubs in the Central Division, two points separating the top two teams in the Metropolitan Division and one point separating the top two teams in the Pacific Division.

* Eight points separate the Wild Card clubs in the Eastern Conference and the next four teams outside the bracket. Meanwhile, 11 points is the difference between first and eighth place in the Western Conference – the smallest margin between Nos. 1-8 in a conference at the end of any season is 10 points.

* Since Jan. 1, the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference has changed 12 times, including four times between Vegas and Dallas since March 1.

* Since Feb. 1, Vegas, Dallas and Boston have all had six different First Round matchups. 


PANTHERS POT NINE GOALS IN HIGH-SCORING CONTEST AT FLA LIVE ARENA
In a high-scoring contest that featured 14 combined goals and 12 different goal scorers, Matthew Tkachuk (1-3—4) helped the Panthers come out victorious with nine tallies – seven of which came in the first period alone to establish a franchise record. It marked the fourth time in franchise history Florida has scored as many goals in a game.

* The Panthers became the fourth different team in NHL history with seven or more goals in the first period of a game. The others: the Canadiens (8 on March 8, 1922; 7 on Jan. 10, 1920; & 7 on March 10, 1951), Maroons (7 on Jan. 11, 1938) and Whalers (7 on Oct. 19, 1985).




* Overall, the Panthers and Canadiens combined for 10 goals in the first period. The only other games in NHL history with as many tallies in the opening frame occurred on Oct. 26, 1982 (BUF at MTL: 10 in P1) and Jan. 16, 1987 (CGY at VAN: 10 in P1).

* Nine different players found the back of the net in the opening frame, marking just the fifth game in NHL history to feature at least that many different goal scorers in the first period. The others: Oct. 26, 1982 (BUF at MTL: 10 in P1), Nov. 18, 2010 (TBL at PHI: 9 in P1), Dec. 17, 1992 (MTL at QUE: 9 in P1) and Jan. 16, 1987 (CGY at VAN: 9 in P1).

* Tkachuk, who became the third different player in Panthers history to record 60 assists in a single season (31-60—91 in 65 GP), also became the second active U.S.-born player to record consecutive 90-point seasons, joining Blake Wheeler (2017-18 to 2018-19).



PACIFIC CLUBS ALL EARN CRUCIAL VICTORIES IN TIGHTLY-CONTESTED DIVISION
The second-seeded Kings (40-20-9, 89 points), third-seeded Oilers (37-23-8, 82 points) and fourth-seeded Kraken (38-23-7, 83 points) all maintained their positioning in the Western Conference playoff race with victories as the top four spots in the Pacific Division are separated by seven points.


* The Kings scored all four of their goals in the middle frame – one shy of their most in any period this season – as Los Angeles moved within one point of Vegas (42-21-6, 90 points) for top spot in the Pacific Division. The Kings extended their home point streak to nine games dating to Feb. 11 (8-0-1), marking the club’s longest such run in nearly two decades (9 GP in 2003-04).

* Connor McDavid (1-1—2) posted a multi-point performance and Stuart Skinner recorded his 28th career victory – tying Grant Fuhr (28) for the most by a rookie goaltender in Oilers history (spanning seasons or otherwise) – as Edmonton kept pace with Los Angeles. McDavid’s tally marked his 296th career goal, equaling Ryan Smyth for sixth place on the Oilers’ all-time list.



* Vince Dunn (1-0—1) extended the NHL’s longest active point streak to 11 games (4-12—16 since Feb. 23) by scoring the third overtime goal by a Seattle defenseman. The Kraken now boast a 23-point improvement on their inaugural campaign – the fourth-highest total by a franchise from their first to second season behind the Islanders (26; 30 in 1972-73 & 56 in 1973-74), Bruins (26; 12 in 1924-25 & 38 in 1925-26) and Maroons (25; 20 in 1924-25 & 45 in 1925-26).

STAR PLAYERS SHINE AS THE RUSH TO THE PLAYOFFS CONTINUE
Nathan MacKinnon (0-3—3), Mika Zibanejad (1-1—2) and Nikita Kucherov (0-1—1) each posted notable performances to propel their respective clubs to victories as the Rush to the Playoffs intensifies for the final month of the regular season.


* Cale Makar (1-1—2) also registered a multi-point performance as Colorado (39-22-6, 84 points) swept its Eastern Canada road trip for just the second time in team history (also W vs. OTT, MTL, TOR from Oct. 13-17, 2011) and moved within three points of Dallas (37-19-13, 87 points) for first in the Central Division with two games in hand.

* The Avalanche trailed first place in the Central Division by as many as 14 points earlier this season. The last time the team claimed top spot in a division after overcoming a deficit of at least 10 points was in 2013-14.



* Mika Zibanejad opened the scoring with his 200th goal in a Rangers uniform to help New York (39-19-10, 88 points) move within seven points of New Jersey (44-17-7, 95 points) for second place in the Metropolitan Division. Zibanejad, who hit the milestone in his 472nd game with the Rangers, became the second-fastest skater to 200 goals with the club behind only Bill Cook (363 GP).

* The Lightning (41-22-6, 88 points) withstood three game-tying goals before skating to a shootout win and moving within one point of the idle Maple Leafs (40-18-9, 89 points) for second place in the Atlantic Division; Toronto owns two games in hand. Nikita Kucherov collected an assist to boost his 2022-23 totals to 27-70—97 (69 GP) and register his second career 70-assist campaign (87 in 2018-19), joining Connor McDavid (5x) and Sidney Crosby (2x) as just the third active player with multiple such seasons.


CROSBY CLAIMS ANOTHER POINT-PER-GAME SEASON IN #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES
The Thursday edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates shone a light on Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (0-2—2), who recorded his 232nd career multi-assist game and tied Joe Sakic for 11th most in NHL history. In doing so, Crosby also improved his 2022-23 totals to 29-54—83 (68 GP), clinching his 18th NHL season averaging at least one point per game.

NHL BIG CITY GREENS CLASSIC VIEWERSHIP
Per ESPN PR, Tuesday’s inaugural NHL Big City Greens classic generated impressive viewership across The Walt Disney Company platforms. In additions to the ratings in the graphic below, on both Disney Channel and Disney XD, the NHL Big City Greens Classic delivered a younger and more female audience than what is typical for either network. Click here for a full thread from @ESPNPR with more details.


 

QUICK CLICKS

* Jordan Binnington suspended two games for actions in Blues game

* Knicks’ Jalen Brunson follows through on promise of attending Rangers game

* Winnipeg Jets tweet that quarterback Aaron Rodgers is joining them

* Metropolitan race, Bruins, Connor McDavid among questions before playoffs begin

* Women in Hockey: Christine Dziedzic



FOUR-GAME FRIDAY INCLUDES BIG EAST MATCHUP ON NHL NETWORK
With a total of 24 games on tap over the next three days, Friday’s four-game slate includes a matchup between two of the top four teams in the Eastern Conference when the Hurricanes (44-14-8, 96 points), who rank second in the East, visit the Maple Leafs (40-18-9, 89 points), who sit fourth, on NHL Network, TVA Sports, TSN4 and BSSO.

FIRST-EVER HOCKEY DAY IN FINLAND SET FOR TAMPERE FRIDAY-SATURDAY
The first-ever Hockey Day in Finland will feature two full days of free events open to the public at Sorsapuisto Park in Tampere from March 17-18 in collaboration with the Viaplay Group, Finnish Ice Hockey Association, NHL and various local community organizations. The festivities aimed at celebrating the country’s ties to the sport culminate with a viewing party of the NHL Saturday presented by SAP game between the Avalanche (39-22-6, 84 points) and Red Wings (30-28-9, 69 points).

* Click here for #NHLStats ahead of the first-ever Hockey Day in Finland event.

NBA Preview: Dallas Mavericks (35-35) at Los Angeles Lakers (34-36)

NBA Editor
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NBA Preview: Dallas Mavericks (35-35) at Los Angeles Lakers (34-36)

The Los Angeles Lakers will get a second look on Friday, this time at home, after facing the Dallas Mavericks with Kyrie Irving and their new look.

The exact number of stars who play for each team remains to be determined.

In a Feb. 26 matchup at Dallas, the Lakers pulled off a 111-108 triumph over the Protesters that was close to the beginning of their resurgence. The Lakers had won three games in a row, winning eight of their last 12 games.

LeBron James was on hand for the Lakers in that game, scoring 26 points and grabbing eight rebounds. James, on the other hand, suffered an injury in the third quarter and remained in the game, but he hasn’t played since due to a tendon injury in his right foot.

In the nine games James has missed, the Lakers have gone 5-4 as they drift toward the lower part of season finisher qualified groups in the Western Gathering. The Lakers were ninth in the conference with a 34-36 record at the start of NBA play on Thursday.

Los Angeles lost 114-110 to the Houston Rockets, who were in last place, in the second game of a back-to-back on Wednesday while Los Angeles was without star Anthony Davis.

Austin Reaves, who came off the bench for the Lakers and scored 24 points, and D’Angelo Russell, who came back to the team in a deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves at the trade deadline last month, scored 18 points. Another new addition, Jarred Vanderbilt, scored 13 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.

The Mavericks are in the same mood, and they have little to no sympathy for the problems the Lakers are having. In Dallas’ 137-128 overtime victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday, Luka Doncic (thigh), Irving (foot), and Tim Hardaway Jr. (calf) were all out with injuries.

Doncic and Irving attended Thursday’s practice.

The Mavericks’ Christian Wood scored 28 points and grabbed 13 rebounds off the bench, and Jaden Hardy and Dwight Powell each scored 22 points. Reggie Bullock had 20 points and 13 rebounds, and Josh Green added 21.

On Thursday, at 35-35, Dallas was one game ahead of the Lakers in the West standings.

The teams’ season series will end with Friday’s game. The first two meetings were won by the Mavericks, 124-115 in Dallas on Christmas Day and 119-115 in a double-overtime thriller in Los Angeles on January 12. In the game on January 12, Doncic had 35 points, 14 rebounds, and 13 assists.

NBA Preview: Boston Celtics (48-22) at Portland Trail Blazers (31-38)

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NBA Preview: Boston Celtics (48-22) at Portland Trail Blazers (31-38)

While the Boston Celtics are battling for the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, the Portland Trail Blazers are watching their Western Conference play-in berth hopes gradually evaporate.

When the Portland Trail Blazers take on the Boston Celtics on Friday, they will be trying to get out of a slump in which they have lost nine of their last 12 games and four games in a row.

The second game in a series in which Portland (31-38) hosts eight of nine games is at home. The Trail Blazers suffered another setback when they lost 123-107 to the visiting New York Knicks despite having led by as many as 16 points on Tuesday night.

The defeat left Portland two and a half games behind the Los Angeles Lakers in the race for the last play-in berth. With just 13 games remaining, the Trail Blazers are in 13th place and trail the Utah Jazz and New Orleans Pelicans by two games.

Damian Lillard, an All-Star guard, is dissatisfied with Portland’s play at a crucial time.

Six games against teams in playoff position as the top six in the West are on the Portland opponent list, including the defending East champion Celtics, two games against the Los Angeles Clippers and Sacramento Kings, and one game each against the Memphis Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors. In addition, the Trail Blazers face the Utah Jazz, Oklahoma City Thunder, and New Orleans Pelicans in the play-in battle.

Portland was outscored 74-52 in the second half against the Knicks after failing to maintain a significant lead.

On a six-game road trip, Boston (48-22) is 2-1, including a stunning 111-109 defeat to the worst-in-the-West Houston Rockets.

On Wednesday, the Celtics came back to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 104-102. Boston was able to escape thanks to 35 points from Jaylen Brown, who also made five 3-pointers.

In the race for the second seed, Boston is one game ahead of the Philadelphia 76ers and two and a half games behind the Milwaukee Bucks, who lead the East.

Jayson Tatum, the winner of the All-Star Game, scored just 22 points for the second straight game and missed all eight of his attempts at a 3-pointer against the Timberwolves, going 4 of 16 overall. After making 17 of 41 attempts in the previous three games, he has made just 2 of 18 attempts from 3-point range over the past two games.

Tatum had four 30-point trips – – two of at least 40 – – in a five-game stretch before the rut.

It is likely that Boston forward Robert Williams III will miss his seventh consecutive game due to a hamstring injury.

Jerami Grant, a forward for the Trail Blazers, may miss his second game in a row due to quadriceps.

On March 8, the Celtics defeated Portland at home by a score of 115-93, led by Tatum, who made six 3-pointers and scored 30 points. The Trail Blazers were led by 27 points from Lillard.

NBA Preview: Memphis Grizzlies (41-27) at San Antonio Spurs (18-51)

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NBA Preview: Memphis Grizzlies (41-27) at San Antonio Spurs (18-51)

When the Memphis Grizzlies travel to San Antonio on Friday to play, they will want to get back on the winning track and keep fighting for second place in the Western Conference.

After losing 138-119 to Miami on Wednesday, the Grizzlies (41-27) ended their three-game winning streak.

Memphis was led by Jaren Jackson Jr., who scored 25 points, Luke Kennard, who scored 14, Ziaire Williams, who scored 12, and Tyus Jones and Desmond Bane, who scored 11 points each. Midway through the third quarter, Bane was called for a Flagrant 2 foul.

Memphis played without Ja Morant, who was suspended, Steven Adams, who had a knee injury, and Brandon Clarke, who had a torn Achilles. Through the first six games of Morant’s eight-game suspension, the Grizzlies are 3-3.

At the half, the Grizzlies were down 12 points, and in the third, they gave up 42 points. After they pulled their starters, they never came close the rest of the way. Memphis has won only two of its beyond 14 street games and is 13-22 away from home.

Although the tiebreaker belongs to Sacramento, Memphis and Sacramento are tied for second place in the West, 4 1/2 games behind Denver.

On Wednesday, the undermanned Spurs (18-51) let one go, falling to Dallas 137-128 in overtime at home after leading for much of the fourth quarter. Keldon Johnson missed two free tosses with 1.7 seconds staying in guideline. He made up for that mistake by scoring an alley-oop dunk on an inbounds pass from Malaki Branham just before the timer ran out to send the game into overtime.

In overtime, San Antonio scored the first bucket, but then gave up the next 11 points. San Antonio was defeated by a Dallas team without injured players Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and Tim Hardaway Jr. for the second time in three games. Johnson scored 27 points to lead San Antonio. Branham added 20, Romeo Langford scored 17, Devonte’ Graham and Tre Jones hit for 13 every, Blake Wesley counted 11 and Sandro Mamukelashvili contributed 10 focuses in the misfortune.

San Antonio was playing the second round of a home one after the other and was missing Jeremy Sochan (right knee injury the executives), Zach Collins (left lower leg injury the board), Keita Bates-Diop (left Achilles irritation) and Devin Vassell (left knee injury the executives).

For the game on Friday, all four of those players should be available.

This season, Memphis has prevailed in all three meetings with the Spurs.

NBA Preview: New Orleans Pelicans (33-36) at Houston Rockets (17-52)

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NBA Preview: New Orleans Pelicans (33-36) at Houston Rockets (17-52)

The Houston Rockets hope to extend what would be their longest winning streak of the season—three games—against the visiting New Orleans Pelicans on Friday. The Rockets have found some effective offense recently.

In their 114-110 victory over the visiting Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday, at least seven Rockets scored in double figures for the second time in three games and the fourth time in their last seven games. Houston was led by Kevin Porter Jr., who scored 27 points to become the fourth Rockets player to lead in scoring in seven games since March 4, when they ended an 11-game losing streak.

Houston is 4-3 since finishing that pallet and will be searching for a third successive triumph – – something the Rockets haven’t accomplished since December of 2021.

In a stretch that has revealed a team that is more self-assured, rookies Tari Eason and Jabari Smith Jr. have joined Jalen Green and Porter as the Rockets’ scoring leaders.

Despite remaining in last place in the Western Conference, the Houston Rockets are now just one game behind the San Antonio Spurs.

The teams will play again on Sunday night in Houston, with the Pelicans, who are fighting for a play-in spot, staying in Houston for two games.

While the Rockets ranked 28th among NBA teams in offensive rating as of Wednesday, their offensive rating over the previous seven games ranks them 10th (116.3 points per 100 possessions).

The Pelicans, in contrast to Houston, have been unable to gain momentum for the final stretch. Since its three-game winning streak ended on Feb. 10, New Orleans is just 4-9. The last time it won consecutive games was five weeks ago.

Wounds have subverted the Pelicans the greater part of this season, and they stay without Elite player forward Zion Williamson (hamstring) and save monitor Jose Alvarado (tibia). In any case, given the condition of the Western Meeting season finisher picture, the Pelicans can’t stand to trust that ideal wellbeing will consistent their boat.

To come to the postseason, the Pelicans should take a more confident position against their difficulty and make the best of what stays what is going on and only 13 games left on the timetable.

NBA Preview: Minnesota Timberwolves (35-35) at Chicago Bulls (31-37)

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NBA Preview: Minnesota Timberwolves (35-35) at Chicago Bulls (31-37)

When the Minnesota Timberwolves and Chicago Bulls meet on Friday in Chicago, they are both coming off close losses and are getting ready to deal with their individual frustrations.

Minnesota (35-35) will try to find a way forward in a tight Western Conference playoff picture, while Chicago (31-37) will try to stay in the running for an Eastern Conference play-in tournament spot.

The Timberwolves reduced their deficit to two points with 4:03 remaining after trailing Boston, who was in town, by 14 points in the third quarter. However, they were unable to get any closer. The Timberwolves won the game by a score of 104-102 thanks to Mike Conley’s last-second 3-pointer.

During the game, the referees gave Minnesota four technical fouls, including two against Anthony Edwards and Kyle Anderson in the final minutes after a questionable jump ball.

Edwards contributed 28 points and 10 rebounds to keep Minnesota in the game.

Following a three-game winning streak, Minnesota has lost three of its last four games, losing each one at home. The Timberwolves were in seventh place in the Western Conference going into NBA play on Thursday, one game behind the Golden State Warriors.

The Timberwolves begin a three-game road trip on Friday and will play six of their next seven games away from the Twin Cities. This season, Minnesota is 15-18 on the road, but it enters play with a four-game winning streak on the road. Monday’s 136-115 rout of East playoff hopeful Atlanta marked the most recent away victory.

With their 117-114 defeat of the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday, the Bulls fell one half game behind Washington in the race for the final East play-in tournament spot. With 0.7 seconds remaining, the Kings’ De’Aaron Fox hit a 3-pointer to hand Chicago its third defeat in five games.

The Bulls, who were without Alex Caruso due to a non-COVID illness, were led by Zach LaVine, who scored 25 points, and Nikola Vucevic, who scored 20.

LaVine missed his initial six shots of the game to complete 7-for-22 from the floor. LaVine’s field goal percentage was below 50% for the second time in nine games since the All-Star break.

Minnesota is the opponent of Chicago’s three-game home winning streak. The Timberwolves have won six of the last ten games in the series, including a rout at home on December 18 by a score of 150-126. DeRozan led Chicago with 29 points, while Edwards had 37 points and 11 assists.

NBA Preview: Washington Wizards (32-37) at Cleveland Cavaliers (44-28)

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NBA Preview: Washington Wizards (32-37) at Cleveland Cavaliers (44-28)

Bradley Beal, a star player for the Washington Wizards, says he stays focused on what he can control rather than watching the scoreboard in the final weeks of the regular season.

With a game against the Cavaliers on Friday night in Cleveland, Washington (32-37) continues to fight for the final play-in spot in the Eastern Conference.

For the tenth and final playoff spot, the Washington Wizards have a half-game advantage over the Chicago Bulls.

Beal scored 36 focuses Tuesday to assist Washington with snapping a three-game long string of failures with a 117-97 triumph over the Detroit Cylinders. Beal had seven assists and six rebounds while making 13 of 15 field goal attempts.

The Wizards played without forward Kyle Kuzma, who is recorded as everyday with right knee touchiness. Corey Kispert began instead of Kuzma against Detroit and got done with 16 focuses.

Washington also got a boost from rookie guard Johnny Davis, who scored a career-high 11 points off the bench and argued for more playing time. Davis had played 14 games and averaged 1.1 points per game in 4.9 minutes before this one.

After winning 117-107 in overtime on Oct. 23 and 114-91 on Feb. 6, Washington wants to sweep the Cavaliers this season.

Cleveland (44-28), which lost to the Philadelphia 76ers 118-109 on Wednesday, is fourth in the Eastern Conference and wants to get back on track.

A contentious sequence occurred with 4:12 remaining in that game, when Sixers center Joel Embiid appeared to be done for the night after receiving his sixth foul. The foul was reversed after Philadelphia challenged the call, allowing Embiid to remain in the game.

The Cavaliers were led by Caris LeVert, who scored 24 points, while Donovan Mitchell added 21. Cleveland, which was outscored 34-26 in the fourth quarter, was led by 15 points from Darius Garland and 15 points from Cedi Osman.

In the defeat, Cavaliers center Evan Mobley posted his 21st double-double of the season. Jarrett Allen, Cleveland’s center, did not play because of a bruised right eye and could miss his fourth consecutive game.

The Cavaliers, who have ten games remaining, five of which are on the road, were led by Lamar Stevens, who started in Allen’s place and scored six points in 12 minutes.

NBA Preview: Golden State Warriors (36-34) at Atlanta Hawks (34-35)

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NBA Preview: Golden State Warriors (36-34) at Atlanta Hawks (34-35)

Two of the best offensive players in the league, Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors and Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks, will face off on Friday when the teams finish their season series in Atlanta.

Curry, who scored 50 points in Wednesday’s 134-126 road loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, is averaging 30.1 points. Young is averaging 25.3 points and scored 41 in Monday’s 136-115 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

In the game against the Clippers, Curry made 20 of 28 field goals and 8 of 14 3-pointers. Curry had the 12th regular-season 50-point game of his career and tied his season high with 21 points in the third quarter. Since December 1, 2018, when he played at Detroit, he has made a 3-pointer in 233 consecutive regular-season games, a NBA record.

Draymond Green, a player for the Warriors, received his 16th technical foul of the season during the loss. Unless the NBA decides otherwise, he will not be able to play on Friday.

Klay Thompson had a bad night, scoring just 15 points, but he is currently averaging 22.3 points and scored 38 points on Monday against Phoenix. On Jan. 2, when the Warriors defeated Atlanta 143-141 in double overtime, he scored 54 points against them.

Young was the bright spot in the Timberwolves’ narrow defeat. The Hawks fell behind quickly, led 76-51 at halftime, and never recovered their deficit.

Young defeated the Warriors in January with 30 points and 14 assists. Brilliant State played without Curry that evening. In Atlanta, the Hawks have defeated the Warriors three times in a row.

This season, Young has 33 double-doubles, 23 games with at least 30 points, and three games with at least 40 points.

In his eight games against Golden State, Young has scored 21.6 points on average. In his 19 games against Atlanta, Curry is averaging 23.4 points.

The last two games have been difficult for Atlanta’s defense. In four of their last five games, the Hawks have given up at least 120 points, including a combined 270 points.

There is a lot of playoff drama in the game. No is the Warriors. 6 in the Western Conference, one game ahead of the Minnesota Timberwolves and one game behind the Clippers. The Hawks lose. 8 in the East, three games behind the Miami Intensity and just a single game in front of Toronto.

The Warriors are currently in their second of five road games. On the road, Golden State has been a different team, going 7-27 with a winning percentage of.206. At home, the Warriors are 29-7, with a winning percentage of.806. That disparity is the seventh-largest in league history and the largest since the Denver Nuggets of 1988–89.

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