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NHL Preview: Ottawa Senators (21-23-3) at Toronto Maple Leafs ( 30-11-8)

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NHL Preview: Ottawa Senators (21-23-3) at Toronto Maple Leafs ( 30-11-8)

OTTAWA SENATORS NOTES:

LAST GAME: Jan. 25, 2-1 win vs. N.Y. Islanders: Giroux scored his third game-winning goal of the season at 3:28 of the second period to help Ottawa to a 2-1 victory at Canadian Tire Centre. The game marked the debut of Greig who joined Stützle and Sanderson as members of the 2020 draft class to skate for the club on the evening and mark the first time in franchise history three of the Senators’ own first-round picks from the same draft all appeared in one contest. He added an assist on Giroux’s marker for his first NHL point while also directing eight shots on goal to equal the NHL record for shots in an NHL debut. Pinto opened the scoring for the home side with his first career goal against the team with which the Nassau County, N.Y. native grew up rooting for. Islanders All-Star representative Nelson had the lone goal for New York. Talbot earned the win for Ottawa in making 14 saves in 28:05 of action before leaving due to injury. Forsberg stopped 21 of 22 shots he faced in relief. Varlamov took the loss for the Islanders with 36 saves.
Scratch: Kastelic; Injuries: Motte, Norris, Zub; Shots: OTT – 38, NYI – 36; PP: OTT – 1-3, NYI – 0-3.

BROADCAST INFORMATION: This evening’s game against Toronto will be broadcast nationally on Sportsnet, CBC and RDS. On the radio, the game will be available locally via TSN 1200 (English) and 94,5 Unique-FM (French).

WHAT’S NEXT: Ottawa returns home to face Montreal tomorrow at 7 p.m. The contest will mark the second of four regular-season meetings and the second of two matchups at Canadian Tire Centre.

INJURY REPORT: LW Motte, C Norris and D Zub are on IR and will not oppose the Maple Leafs this evening. Total man-games lost: 167.

RECENT TRANSACTIONS: Recalled G Mandolese from Belleville (AHL) on Jan. 26.

OTTAWA vs. TORONTO – History:
2022-23 (0-1-0): Oct. 15 @ Toronto (3-2 loss), Jan. 27 @ Toronto, March 18 @ Ottawa, April 1 @ Ottawa
2021-22 (1-2-1): 10/14/21 @ Ottawa (3-2 win), 10/16/21 @ Toronto (3-1 loss), 1/1/22 @ Toronto (6-0 loss), 4/16/22 @ Ottawa (5-4 OT loss)
Series record: Overall: 69-53-3-12; Home: 39-21-1-7; Away: 30-32-2-5
Last Ottawa win: @ Ottawa: 10/14/21 (3-2); @ Toronto: 2/15/21 (6-5 OT)
Last Toronto win: @ Ottawa: 4/16/22 (5-4 OT); @ Toronto: Oct. 15 (3-2)
Last OT result: 4/16/22 (5-4 OT loss) @ Ottawa
Last shootout: 1/21/17 (3-2 SO win) @ Toronto
Most goals, game: Scored: 8, (3x, Last: 4/3/08, 8-2 win); Allowed: 7, (2/18/21, 7-3 loss); Both teams: 11, (3x, Last: 4/10/21, 6-5 loss)
Last Game: Oct. 15, 3-2 loss @ Toronto; OTT Goals: Pinto, Giroux; TOR Goals: Kampf, Nylander, Holl; OTT Scratches: Brassard, Gambrell, Holden; OTT Injuries: Talbot; OTT Goalie: Forsberg; TOR Goalie: Samsonov; OTT PP: 1-2; TOR PP: 1-2; Shots: 28-32.
Career vs. Toronto: Giroux leads all players in career games played (42), in goals (16), in assists (27) and in points (43); Hamonic leads in penalty minutes (24) against Toronto.

ROAD SCHOLARS: The Senators have a record of 8-12-2 on the road this season … Brady Tkachuk leads with eight goals on the road this season while also ranking first with 14 assists while the Senators serve as visitors … Through 22 road games this season, Tkachuk maintains the club lead with 22 points … The Senators registered an 18-20-3 record over 41 road contests in 2021-22.

ON THE POWER PLAY: The Senators are 47 for 178 (26.4%) on the power-play in 2022-23 … Drake Batherson leads with 11 powerplay goals while also maintaining the club lead with 21 points while the team enjoys a man advantage … Ottawa has recorded multiple power-play goals 12 times in an individual contest in 2022-23 after having done so 11 times in 2021-22.

ON THE PENALTY KILL: Ottawa has overcome 133 of the 164 occasions the team has been shorthanded in 2022-23 to maintain an efficiency of 81.1% through 47 regular-season games … The team has registered four (Joseph, Motte, Watson x2) shorthanded markers this season after recording nine such goals in 2021-22.

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS NOTES:

LAST GAME
Score: Toronto 3 vs. New York Rangers 2 – OTW
Date: Wednesday, January 25, 2023
TOR Goals: Holmberg, Liljegren, Marner (OTW)
NYR Goals: Chytil (2x)
TOR Goaltender: Samsonov, 27/29, .931 SV%
NYR Goaltender: Shesterkin, 32/35, .914 SV%
TOR Power Play: 0-for-3
TOR Penalty Kill: 2-for-2

Player Notes: – Mitch Marner scored the game-winning goal for Toronto 19 seconds into overtime. Per NHL Stats, “He is one of seven players in franchise history to score within the opening 20 seconds of overtime. Teammate William Nylander (0:06 on Jan. 24, 2018) and Mats Sundin (0:06 on Dec. 30, 1995) share the fastest.” Marner posted his fourth gamewinning goal of the season. Marner is tied for the team lead in game-winning goals (4) and overtime goals (2) this season. – Timothy Liljegren scored for Toronto at 15:49 of the third period and posted the primary assist on Marner’s overtime winner. Liljegren tied a single-game NHL career-high with two points, which he has marked on four occasions during his NHL career. Liljegren posted his second multi-point game of the season. – Joey Anderson posted the primary assist on Pontus Holmberg’s goal. Anderson registered his first assist as a Maple Leaf. – William Nylander recorded the secondary assist on Liljegren’s goal. With the assist, Nylander registered his 400th career NHL point. Nylander has extended his assist and point streak to five games where he has registered 10 points (4G, 6A). – Ilya Samsonov stopped 27 of 29 shots in Wednesday’s win. Samsonov is 14-0-1 on home ice this season alongside a 1.66 goalsagainst average and a .938 save percentage. He is tied for the league-lead in wins on home ice this season while ranking first in GAA and second in save percentage at home among goaltenders with 10 or more games. Per NHL Stats, Samsonov “became the fourth goaltender in Maple Leafs history to record a 15-game home point streak (at any point in a season), joining Harry Lumley (18 GP in 1953-54), George Hainsworth (18 GP in 1933-34) and Jacques Plante (15 GP in 1970-71.”

Team Notes: – The Maple Leafs are 5-8 in overtime this season. Mitch Marner and William Nylander are tied for the team lead in overtime goals during the 2022-23 campaign with two.

TONIGHT’S GAME
2022-23 Matchups vs. Ottawa: Second of Four
2021-22 Record vs. Ottawa: 3-1-0
Toronto Season Record: 30-11-8
Toronto Home Record: 19-3-4

TONIGHT’S STORYLINES
The Maple Leafs are facing-off against the Ottawa Senators tonight in the second of four matchups between the clubs this season. Toronto has recorded four-consecutive wins against the Senators and earned at least one point through eight of their last 10 matchups (7-2-1). The Maple Leafs are playing in their third game of a five-game home stand where the team has gone 2-0-0 while earning at least one point in five-consecutive games (4-0-1). Toronto has posted a 6-1-1 record on home ice through the month of January and a 19-3-4 record on home ice this season, currently the second-best home record in the league. The NHL announced on Thursday that, through the NHL Fan Vote, Auston Matthews will be joining Mitch Marner at 2023 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend in South Florida. This marks the sixth-consecutive occasion (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023) that Matthews has been selected to compete in the NHL All-Star Game. Matthews has posted 53 points (25G, 28A) through 47 games this season. Marner is appearing in the second All-Star Game (2020, 2023) of his NHL career. Marner has posted 57 points (18G, 39A) through 49 games this season. He is currently tied for eighth in the league with 39 assists.

BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV: Sportsnet RADIO: Sportsnet 590

NEXT GAME
Date: Sunday, January 29, 2023
Opponent: vs. Washington Capitals
Time: 5:00 pm ET
Broadcast Information: TSN4 (TV), Sportsnet 590 (Radio)

RECENT TRANSACTIONS
January 24, 2023 The Maple Leafs have recalled forward Joey Anderson from the Toronto Marlies (AHL).
January 23, 2023 The Maple Leafs have loaned forward Dryden Hunt to the Toronto Marlies (AHL).
January 23, 2023 The Maple Leafs have recalled forward Pontus Holmberg from the Toronto Marlies (AHL).

INJURY REPORT
TJ Brodie Rib (IR)
Carl Dahlström Shoulder (LTIR)
Victor Mete Lower Body (LTIR)
Jake Muzzin Neck (LTIR)
Nick Robertson Shoulder (LTIR)

ALL-TIME VS. OTTAWA SENATORS:
First Matchup between Clubs: October 20, 1992 (Toronto 5 vs. Ottawa 3)
All-Time Record: 65-56-3-13 (137 Games)
All-Time Record at Home: 37-22-2-8 (69 Games)
All-Time Record on the Road: 28-34-1-5 (68 Games)
Last Home Win vs. Opponent: October 15, 2022 (Toronto 3 vs. Ottawa 2)

ACTIVE LEADERS VS. OTTAWA SENATORS:
Games Played: John Tavares (48), Morgan Rielly (37), Wayne Simmonds (36)
Goals: Auston Matthews (23), Mitch Marner (11), John Tavares (11), Wayne Simmonds (11)
Assists: Mitch Marner (22), John Tavares (21), Auston Matthews (18)
Points: Auston Matthews (41), Mitch Marner (33), John Tavares (32)
Penalty Minutes: Wayne Simmonds (38), John Tavares (28), Mark Giordano (24)

2022-23 AVERAGES AND RANKINGS
Points % GF/Game GA/Game PP% PK% SF/G SA/G FO%
Toronto .694 3.39 2.61 24.2 79.3 31.9 28.7 52.9
Ottawa .479 2.85 3.26 26.4 81.1 33.7 31.8 52.0

THE MAN ADVANTAGE IN 2022-23
Power Play: 24.2%
Power Play Goal Leader: 10 – Matthews
Power Play Point Leader: 22 – Marner (5G, 17A), Tavares (9G, 13A)
2021-22 Power Play: 63/231 (27.3%)

ON THE PK IN 2022-23
Penalty Kill: 79.3%
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 3rd of 6 (4 home, 2 road)
Back-to-Backs played 7 of 14
Record in first game of back-to-back 4-3-0
Record in second game of back-to-back 5-1-1
January games 13th of 14 (10 home, 4 road)

NHL Preview: Los Angeles Kings (27-17-6) at Florida Panthers (23-21-6)

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NHL Preview: Los Angeles Kings (27-17-6) at Florida Panthers (23-21-6)

LOS ANGELES KINGS NOTES:

JAN. 27 vs. Florida Panthers – 7:00 PM ET (4:00 PM PT) // Venue: FLA Live Arena // TV: Bally Sports West // Radio: iHeartRadio

  • The LA Kings visit the Florida Panthers for the second, and final, meeting between these two clubs this season (5-4 W on Nov. 5).
  • The Kings aim to sweep the season series for the second consecutive season.
  • Tonight’s game marks the fourth stop of a six-game road trip prior to the NHL All-Star Break (5-3 L on Jan. 21 at NSH; 2-1 W on Jan. 22 at CHI; 4-3 OTW on Jan. 24 at PHI; Jan. 28 at TBL; Jan. 31 at CAR).

WARM-UPS
1) Tonight is the first game of the Kings’ seventh set of back-to-backs this season. Prior to this weekend, the team is 6-3-3 in back-to-backs (4-2-0 in the first game, 2-1-3 in the second).

2) Anze Kopitar has 10 points (3-7=10) in his last six games against the Panthers, dating back to March 16, 2019.

3) Forward Rasmus Kupari skates into FLA Live Arena two games shy of 100 in his career. With two more games, Kupari would become the 24th skater from the 2018 NHL Draft class to reach such mark.

4) Samuel Fagemo tallied his second career goal Wednesday night in Philadelphia. He now has three points (2-1=3) in seven games this season.

5) Drew Doughty (29) needs one game-winning goal to surpass Rob Blake for sole possession of seventh place on the Kings’ all-time list.

vs. FLORIDA ALL-TIME:
All-Time Record: 24-14-3-0
Home: 16-6-0-0
Away: 8-8-3-0
OT: 2-0 (3 ties)
Shootout: 2-0
2021-22: 2-0-0
2022-23: 1-0-0

FRANCHISE LEADERS vs. FLORIDA:
Anze Kopitar* – 23 GP, 23 PTS (6-177=23)
Dustin Brown – 23 GP, 19 PTS (9-10=19)
Jeff Carter – 11 GP, 13 PTS (5-8=13)
Drew Doughty – 20 GP, 13 PTS (3-10=13)
Luc Robitaille – 11 GP, 10 PTS (3-7=10)
*-denotes active roster player

LAST MEETING vs. FLORIDA: Nov. 5, 2022 – LAK 5 vs. FLA 4
Venue: Crypto.com Arena
LAK Goals: Kupari (1), Moore (2), Arvidsson (3), Lizotte (4), Vilardi (9)
FLA Goals: Lomberg (2), Verhaeghe (6, 7), Luostarinen (4)
Goalies: LAK: Quick (W, 34 saves, 38 shots) FLA: Bobrovsky (L, 34 saves, 39 shots)
LAK PP: 1-for-6
LAK PK: 2-for-2

THE NEXT THREE:
Sat., Jan. 28 | at Tampa Bay Lightning | 7:00 p.m. ET (4:00 p.m. PT) | Bally Sports West | LA Kings iHeart Radio Audio Network
The LA Kings look for the season series sweep versus the Lightning (4-2 W on Oct. 25, 2022).

Tues., Jan. 31 | at Carolina Hurricanes | 7:00 p.m. ET (4:00 p.m. PT) | Bally Sports West | LA Kings iHeart Radio Audio Network
Blake Lizotte is riding a three-game point streak (2-1=3) vs. the Hurricanes.

Sat., Feb. 11 | vs. Pittsburgh Penguins | 7:30 p.m. PT | Bally Sports West | LA Kings iHeart Radio Audio Network
The Kings will honor former captain Dustin Brown with the retirement of his No. 23 to the Crypto.com Arena rafters.

INJURY & MGL REPORT
Player, Games Missed, Date(s), Status
F Alex Iafallo, 23 games, Oct. 18 – Dec. 3 (lower-body)
F Brendan Lemieux, 18 games, Nov. 14 – Dec. 20 (lower-body)
F Arthur Kaliyev, 15 games, Dec. 22 – Pres. (lower-body)
F Trevor Moore, 13 games, Dec. 27 – Pres. (upper-body)
F Quinton Byfield, 6 games, Oct. 27 – Nov. 5 (illness)
F Gabriel Vilardi, 5 games, Nov. 27 (lower-body); Jan. 19 – Pres. (undisclosed)
F Carl Grundstrom, 4 games, Jan. 19 – Pres. (lower-body)
F Viktor Arvidsson, 3 games, Oct. 13 (illness); Oct. 25 (illness); Jan. 11 (illness)
D Sean Durzi, 2 games, Nov. 19 – Nov. 22. (lower-body)
D Drew Doughty, 1 game, Dec. 11 (lower-body)
2022-23 Total Regular-Season Man-Games Lost: 90

RECENT TRANSACTIONS (as of 1/26/23)
Jan. 15 – Rasmus Kupari (F) loaned to Ontario (AHL).
Jan. 17 – Rasmus Kupari (F) recalled from Ontario (AHL).
Jan. 19 – Tobias Bjornfot (D), Samuel Fagemo (F) and Alex Turcotte (F) recalled from Ontario (AHL).
Jan. 19 – Carl Grundstrom (F) placed on injured reserve.

LA KINGS TEAM NOTES:
BATTLE OF THE SPECIAL TEAMS
The top two power-play units in the league since the New Year face off against one another tonight. The Kings’ power-play has been active on the scoring sheet since the flip to the new calendar year, scoring nine power-play goals in 31 man-advantage opportunities for a power-play percentage (PP%) of 29.0%. LA’s 29.0 PP% ranks second in the league behind the Florida Panthers (41.5%), who have scored 17 on the man-advantage in 41 opportunities since Jan. 1:

Best PP% since Jan. 1, 2023
Team GP PP%
Florida Panthers 13 41.5% (17-for-41)
LA Kings 10 29.0% (9-for-31)
Edmonton Oilers 11 28.6% (10-for-35)
Minnesota Wild 11 27.3% (9-for-33)
New Jersey Devils 12 26.7% (8-for-30)
The Kings have scored power-play goals in five of their last six games against the Panthers (6 PPG). LA’s penalty killing units have also been consistent as of late, allowing just four power-play goals in 28 shorthanded situations since Jan. 1 for a penalty kill percentage (PK%) of 85.7%, tied for the fifth-best in the league. The Kings down a man on the road has proven to have a higher succession rate, allowing only one goal in nine shorthanded situations (88.9 PK%) for the fifth-highest road PK% in that time:

Best road PK% since Jan. 1, 2023
Team GP PK%
Calgary Flames 6 93.3% (14-for-15)
Chicago Blackhawks 4 92.9% (13-for-14)
Boston Bruins 7 90.9% (20-for-22)
San Jose Sharks 7 90.5% (19-for-21)
LA Kings 4 88.9% (8-for-9)

TAMING THE CATS
The Kings enter tonight with four consecutive wins over the Florida Panthers, the longest active winning streak against the Panthers among any team in the league. The team can extend their winning streak vs. Florida into a fifth game with a victory tonight. The last Western Conference team to establish a winning streak of five or more games against the Panthers was the Chicago Blackhawks set from March 23, 2011 to Dec. 8, 2013.

FLORIDA PANTHERS NOTES:

BAPTIST HEALTH INJURY REPORT

  • F Anthony Duclair | Games Missed: 49
  • F Patric Hornqvist | Games Missed: 24
  • F Eric Staal | Games Missed: 3
  • G Sergei Bobrovsky | Games Missed: 3
  • F Sam Bennett | Games Missed: 1
    Total Man Games Lost Due to Injury: 153
    LAST GAME
    Panthers 6, Penguins 7 [OT] – Jan. 24 – PPG Paints Arena
    FLA Goals: Reinhart (16), Tkachuk (25-PPG), Verhaeghe (24), Ekblad (8-SHG), White (6), Verhaeghe (25)
    PIT Goals: Rakell (18), Heinen (4), Letang (3), Crosby (23-PPG), O’Connor (3), Malkin (17-PPG), Letang (4-PP/OT)
    FLA Goalie: Lyon (OTL) – 42 Saves
    PIT Goalie: DeSmith (W) – 33 Saves
    FLA Shots: 39
    PIT Shots: 49
    Notes: Carter Verhaeghe scored two goals, extending his goal streak to three games and his point streak to a career-long six games (6-2-8)…Verhaeghe’s 25 goals are a new single-season career high…Aaron Ekblad matched his season high with three points (1-2-3)…Aleksander Barkov notched two assists, extending his point streak to nine games (4-9-13) which ties his career long…Brandon Montour logged an assist for the fifth consecutive game, extending his point streak to a career-long seven games (1-6-7)…Matthew Tkachuk produced two points (1-1-2), extending his point streak to four games (3-3-6)…Sam Reinhart posted two points (1-1-2)…Alex Lyon’s 42 saves were the most by a Panthers goaltender this season…Florida blocked 28 shots, their most in a game this season and tied for fourth-most in franchise history…FLA PP: 1-3, FLA PK: 3-5

RECENT TRANSACTIONS:

  • Jan 23: G Spencer Knight recalled from Charlotte (AHL) | G Mack Guzda loaned to Charlotte (AHL)

PANTHERS vs. KINGS
ALL-TIME vs. LAK: 14-22-3-2
ALL-TIME HOME vs. LAK: 8-7-3-1
2022-23 vs. LAK: 0-1-0

COUNTDOWN TO ALL-STAR WEEKEND IN SOUTH FLORIDA
The Panthers and FLA Live Arena will host the 2023 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend from Feb. 3-4, the second time in franchise history the Cats have hosted the all-star festivities (2003). Matthew Tkachuk, who leads the Panthers in goals, assists, and points, will represent the Cats at All-Star Weekend.

CATS AND KINGS
The Panthers face off against the Kings for the second and final time in 2022-23. In their prior matchup Nov. 5 at Crypto.com Arena, Carter Verhaeghe scored two goals, but the Cats fell to the Kings, 5-4. Over their careers against Los Angeles, Aleksander Barkov has recorded 15 points (7-8-15) in 13 games and Matthew Tkachuk has logged 12 points (5-7-12) in 19 contests.

POWER UP
The Panthers have scored a power-play goal in each of their past five games and in 11 of their past 13 games since the turn of the calendar. Since Jan. 3, the Panthers have converted on 16 of their 37 power-play opportunities for a league-leading 43.2% success rate. Florida’s 17 power-play goals in January are seven more than the next-closest teams over that span (EDM & OTT, 10 each), from Jan. 1-Jan. 25.

NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS
Since Jan. 3, 2023, the Panthers own a 7-3-2 record and their 16 points over that span rank tied for fourth most through games played Jan. 25. Their 47 goals scored over that span rank second among NHL teams. Matthew Tkachuk’s 19 points (8-11-19) tied for the league lead over that span with David Pastrnak (12-7-19).

NHL Preview: Detroit Red Wings (21-18-8) at New York Islanders (23-22-5)

NHL Editor
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NHL Preview: Detroit Red Wings (21-18-8) at New York Islanders (23-22-5)

DETROIT RED WINGS NOTES:

LAST GAME
RED WINGS 4 at MONTREAL 3 OT (1/26/23)
1ST PERIOD: DET Rasmussen (unassisted) 3:54-EV; MTL Pezzetta (Harvey-Pinard, Belzile) 5:54-EV
2ND PERIOD: DET Berggren (Larkin, Seider) 3:56-PP; MTL Harvey-Pinard (Dach, Savard) 6:57-SH; DET Sundqvist (Kubalík, Seider) 13:30-EV; MTL Harvey-Pinard (Pezzetta, Belzile) 18:39-EV
3RD PERIOD: No scoring
OT: DET Fabbri (Rasmussen, Seider) 2:36-EV
SHOTS: DET 42 (10-17-11-4) / MTL 23 (5-10-6-2)
GOALIES: DET Husso (W, 20-23) / MTL Allen (OTL, 38-42)
PP: DET 1-2 / MTL 0-2

MAN GAMES LOST (games missed / out since)
Filip Zadina – lower body (36 / Nov. 5)
Total Man Games Lost: 222
Individual Man Games Lost: Robby Fabbri (35), Jakub Vrána (33), Matt Luff (32), Tyler Bertuzzi (31), Robert Hägg (15), Elmer Söderblom (13), Gustav Lindström (11), Oskar Sundqvist (7), Olli Määttä (4), Ville Husso (2), Michael Rasmussen (2), Dylan Larkin (1)

RECENT TRANSACTIONS
1/24 – Activated forward Matt Luff from injured reserve and assigned him to Grand Rapids
1/18 – Acquired forward Jasper Weatherby from San Jose in exchange for forward Kyle Criscuolo
1/16 – Assigned goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic to Grand Rapids … Activated defenseman Robert Hägg from injured reserve

TONIGHT’S GAME
RED WINGS at ISLANDERS / 7:00 P.M. EST / UBS Arena / TV: ESPN / RADIO: WXYT 97.1 FM
TONIGHT: 123rd all-time meeting, 62nd at New York … Second of three games this season, first of two at New York
ALL-TIME vs. NYI: 57-54-6-5 / AWAY: 24-30-4-3 / LAST 10: 4-5-1 / IN 2021-22: 2-1-0 / THIS SEASON: 1-0-0
DET top scorers vs. NYI: Dylan Larkin (4-12-16 in 19 GP), David Perron (5-5-10 in 19 GP), Tyler Bertuzzi (0-5-5 in 10 GP), Dominik Kubalík (2-1-3 in 4 GP), Pius Suter (2-1-3 in 4 GP), Moritz Seider (1-2-3 in 4 GP), Lucas Raymond (1-1-2 in 4 GP) NYI top scorers vs. DET: Zach Parise (12-13-25 in 25 GP), Josh Bailey (9-13-22 in 28 GP), Anders Lee (9-11-20 in 22 GP), Brock Nelson (12-8-20 in 24 GP), Mathew Barzal (1-18-19 in 12 GP), Kyle Palmieri (8-8-16 in 25 GP), Ryan Pulock (3-6-9 in 11 GP), Noah Dobson (1-2-3 in 5 GP), Ross Johnston (0-1-1 in 2 GP)

DET/NYI CONNECTIONS: The Red Wings are 3-1-0 in their last four games against the Islanders since Dec. 4, 2021 … Detroit
forward Oskar Sundqvist scored his first career NHL goal with Pittsburgh on April 2, 2016 against the New York Islanders

UPCOMING GAMES (ALL TIMES EST)
Tuesday, Feb. 7: RED WINGS vs. OILERS / 7:30 p.m. / LITTLE CAESARS ARENA / TV: ESPN+, Hulu / RADIO: WXYT 97.1 FM
Thursday, Feb. 9: RED WINGS vs. FLAMES / 7:00 p.m. / LITTLE CAESARS ARENA / TV: BSD / RADIO: WXYT 97.1 FM
Saturday, Feb. 11: RED WINGS vs. CANUCKS / 12:00 p.m. / LITTLE CAESARS ARENA / TV: BSD / RADIO: WXYT 97.1 FM
LAST TIME OUT
Jan. 26 at Montreal – 4-3 W
Detroit earned a 4-3 overtime win at Montreal to improve to 21-18-8 overall and 9-8-5 on the road … Detroit is 3-1-1 over its last five
games, with each of those contests decided by a single goal … In total, the Red Wings are 7-5-8 in one-goal games this season, and
22-6-18 since the beginning of the 2021-22 campaign … The Red Wings won back-to-back games in overtime for the first time since
Nov. 17, 2018 at New Jersey and Nov. 21, 2018 vs. Boston … Detroit is 2-0-1 against Montreal this season, outshooting the Canadiens
by a 125-85 margin … The Red Wings are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games against the Canadiens dating back to Oct. 10, 2019 … The
result also marked Detroit’s first win at Bell Centre since Dec. 14, 2019 … Detroit has scored three-or-more goals in eight of its last nine
contests … Robby Fabbri scored his first career overtime goal with 2:24 left in the extra session … Fabbri tied Lucas Raymond for
the team lead with his third game-winning goal of the season … Fabbri also netted the GWG in consecutive games on Jan. 10 vs.
Winnipeg and Jan. 12 vs. Toronto … Fabbri has five points (4-1-5), a plus-three rating and a 22.2 shooting percentage in 11 games
since returning from injury … Moritz Seider recorded three assists for his fifth multi-point game of the season … Seider became the
first defenseman in Red Wings history with a trio of three-assist games at age 21 or younger … Additionally, Seider is one of seven
active defensemen with three-or-more three-assist games at age 21 or younger, joining Quinn Hughes (6 GP), Erik Karlsson (5 GP),
Drew Doughty (4 GP), Rasmus Ristolainen (3 GP), Tyler Myers (3 GP) and Erik Johnson (3 GP) … Seider notched his 13th career
multi-point game, tying Chiasson for the second-most by a Red Wings defenseman at age 21 or younger and one shy of Nicklas
Lidström (14 GP) for the franchise record … Seider has totaled 11 points (1-10-11) in his last nine games since Jan. 10 vs. Winnipeg
… Michael Rasmussen finished with a goal and an assist for his second-straight multi-point game and third in his last six appearances
… Rasmussen has five multi-point games this season … Rasmussen has scored in back-to-back games for the first time this season,
and also tallied the primary assist on each of Detroit’s last two overtime goals … In all, Rasmussen has seven points (2-5-7) in six
games since Jan. 16 at Colorado … Jonatan Berggren scored on the power play for his eighth goal of the season … Berggren tied
Filip Hronek and David Perron for fourth place among Detroit skaters with his third power play goal of the campaign … Oskar
Sundqvist gave Detroit a 3-2 lead with his seventh goal of the season … Skating in his 550th career NHL game, Dylan Larkin
registered the primary assist on Berggren’s power play goal … Larkin has 10 points (2-8-10) in nine games since Jan. 10 vs.
Winnipeg … Larkin continues to pace the Red Wings in assists (28), points (43) and shots (144) in 46 games … Dominik Kubalík
recorded his 150th career NHL point with the primary assist on Sundqvist’s goal … Kubalík ranks second among Detroit skaters with
34 points (14-20-34) through 47 games … The Red Wings have potted the opening goal in three-straight road games … Detroit is 13-5-
7 this season when scoring first, and 5-1-5 when doing so on the road … The Red Wings are 12-7-4 this season when outshooting its
opponent, and 5-1-2 when doing so on the road … Detroit is 19-3-5 this season when leading or tied after two periods, and 8-0-5 when
doing so on the road … Detroit is a perfect 6-for-6 on the penalty kill over its last five contests.

NEW YORK ISLANDERS NOTES:

LAST GAME
DATE NYI RESULT SCORE NYI SCORERS IN GOAL
Wednesday, Jan. 26 Loss OTT 2 vs. NYI 1 Nelson Varlamov (36/38)
Brock Nelson brought the Islanders within a goal of the Ottawa Senators after Shane Pinto and Claude Giroux each
scored, but the New York Islanders fell to the Senators 2-1 on Wednesday night at Canadian Tire Centre. Semyon
Varlamov turned aside 36 of 38 shots for the Islanders, while Kyle Palmieri and Sebastian Aho each tallied assists for the
second straight game, but they fell to 1-1-0 in their three-game season series against the Senators.

RECENT TRANSACTIONS
DATE LOCATION RESULT/TIME
Nov. 5, 2022 Little Caesars Arena L (3-0)
Jan. 27, 2023 UBS Arena 7:00pm
Mar. 4, 2023 UBS Arena 12:30pm
Jan. 23 Cal Clutterbuck has been placed on IR (upper body). Samuel Bolduc has been recalled from loan (Bridgeport). Hudson Fasching has been placed on IR (lower body). Dennis Cholowski has been returned on loan to Bridgeport. Kyle Palmieri and Adam Pelech have been activated off the team’s IR.
Jan. 21 Cal Clutterbuck is out indefinitely with an upper body injury. Aatu Raty has been recalled from loan (Bridgeport).
Jan. 19 William Dufour has been returned on loan to Bridgeport. Hudson Fasching is day to day with a lower body injury

INJURIES GAMES MISSED

3 Adam Pelech Dec. 9 – Jan. 21

10 Simon Holmstrom Dec. 23 – Jan. 6

12 Josh Bailey Nov. 29

13 Mathew Barzal Jan. 6

15 Cal Clutterbuck Oct. 13, Nov. 8, Dec. 2- Dec. 6, Dec. 17 – Jan. 3, Jan. 21 –

18 Anthony Beauvillier Dec. 10 – Dec. 13

20 Hudson Fasching Jan. 19 –

21 Kyle Palmieri Nov. 23 – Dec. 13, Dec. 17 – Jan. 21

25 Sebastian Aho Oct. 13 – Oct. 20

26 Oliver Wahlstrom Oct. 13, Dec. 29 –

40 Semyon Varlamov Dec. 19 – Jan. 1

Man Games Lost: 105

RECENT RESULTS
Wednesday, Jan. 26 at Ottawa L (2-1)
Monday, Jan. 23 at Toronto L (5-2)
Saturday, Jan. 21 vs. Carolina L (5-2)
Thursday, Jan. 19 at Buffalo L/OT (3-2)
Wednesday, Jan. 18 vs. Boston L (4-1)

SEASON SERIES
DATE LOCATION RESULT/TIME
Nov. 5, 2022 Little Caesars Arena L (3-0)
Jan. 27, 2023 UBS Arena 7:00pm
Mar. 4, 2023 UBS Arena 12:30pm

UPCOMING GAMES
Jan. 28 vs. Vegas UBS Arena (Belmont Park, NY) 7:30pm
Feb. 6 at Philadelphia Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia, PA) 7:00pm
Feb. 7 vs. Seattle UBS Arena (Belmont Park, NY) 7:30pm
Feb. 9 vs. Vancouver UBS Arena (Belmont Park, NY) 7:30pm
Feb. 11 at Montreal Bell Centre (Montreal, QC) 12:30pm

LAST FIVE MEETINGS VS. DETROIT:
Nov. 5, 2022 Little Caesars Arena (Detroit, MI) Loss (3-0)
March 24, 2022 UBS Arena (Belmont Park, NY) Win (5-2)
Dec. 14, 2021 Little Caesars Arena (Detroit, MI) Loss (2-1)
Dec. 4, 2021 Little Caesars Arena (Detroit, MI) OT Loss (4-3)
Feb. 21, 2020 Nassau Coliseum (Uniondale, NY) Win (4-1)

vs. THE RED WINGS:
2022-23 0-1-0
Last five games: 2-2-1
Franchise History 59-53-6-4
NYI Home 33-21-4-3
NYI Away 26-32-2-1

TONIGHT’S MATCHUP
Tonight, the New York Islanders host the Detroit Red Wings in the second of three matchups between the two clubs this season. The last time these teams met was November 5, 2022, in Detroit, when the Islanders registered 24 shots on goal but were blanked by the Red Wings in a 3-0 decision. The Red Wings last visited the Islanders on March 24, 2022, when four Islanders recorded multi-point contests in a 5-2 Islander victory. Tonight’s matchup is the eighth consecutive Eastern Conference opponent the Islanders have played since January 14 against Montreal. The Islanders will look to snap a six-game winless streak, and enter tonight’s matchup with a 13-12-3 record against Eastern Conference opponents and a 4-3-2 record against Atlantic Division foes since November 14. The Islanders have won each of their last four home matchups against the Red Wings, and they have collected points in six of their last seven home matchups against Detroit, dating back to the 2016-17 season. Tonight, the Islanders begin their tenth of 15 back-to-back series they will play this season, as they host the Vegas Golden Knights tomorrow night at 7:30pm. It is the only time this season that the Islanders will play both ends of a back-to-back on home ice. They enter tonight’s matchup 4-5-0 on the front end of back-to-back games.

PENALTY KILL
The Islanders have killed 26 of their last 27 home-ice penalties. The Islanders enter tonight’s matchup 90.3% on the penalty kill at home, leading the NHL. Since December 4, they are 96.3% on the penalty kill at UBS Arena, allowing just one power play goal in their last 11 home games. Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield leads the Islanders and is fifth in the NHL in shorthanded time on ice this season. He has skated 153:33 on the penalty kill in 50 games this season.

NBA Preview: Cleveland Cavaliers (30-20) at Oklahoma City Thunder (23-25)

NBA Editor
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NBA Preview: Cleveland Cavaliers (30-20) at Oklahoma City Thunder (23-25)

Jalen Williams came off the bench for the Oklahoma City Thunder the last time they faced off with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

In the Thunder’s next game two days later, the rookie from Santa Clara moved into the starting lineup and hasn’t moved since.

Friday night, Williams figures to be in the starting lineup for the 23rd consecutive game when the Thunder take on the Cavs in Oklahoma City.

Williams’ offensive contributions are all over the place. He’s coming off a 24-point performance in Wednesday’s loss to Atlanta after scoring just four the game before, a win in Denver.

But he has become a fixture in a Thunder rotation that offers little other certainty outside of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey.

Against the Hawks, not only did Williams have his second-highest scoring total of his rookie season, on 11-of-16 shooting, but he also had five rebounds and four steals.

The Thunder have dropped two of their last three, attempting 51 fewer free throws than their opponents in that span (94-43).

Daigneault said some of the difference can be attributed to playing from behind and needing to foul late in two of those games.

Cleveland has won two of its last three, including a 113-95 victory in Houston on Thursday.

Friday’s game is the rubber game of a three-game road trip for the Cavs. Cleveland won the first meeting of the season against the Thunder, 110-102 at home Dec. 10, and has won four straight against Oklahoma City.

The Cavs were without Donovan Mitchell in that earlier meeting this season, as he sat out with a sore leg. Mitchell could miss Friday’s game as well, after aggravating the groin injury that kept him out the three previous games in Tuesday’s loss to the Knicks.

On Thursday, Mitchell was named an All-Star starter for the first time before missing Cleveland’s game against the Rockets. After the win, Mitchell crashed the postgame television interview with Darius Garland to lobby for Garland’s inclusion on the All-Star roster after Garland had 26 points on 9-of-16 shooting with nine assists.

Kevin Love also missed Thursday’s game due to lower back spasms.

NBA Preview: Memphis Grizzlies (31-17) at Minnesota Timberwolves (25-25)

NBA Editor
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NBA Preview: Memphis Grizzlies (31-17) at Minnesota Timberwolves (25-25)

The Memphis Grizzlies will look to apply the brakes on a four-game skid Friday night when they play the finale of a season-high five-game road trip against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Minneapolis.

Memphis entered the lengthy trek on a high, winning a franchise high-tying 11 straight games before its fortunes took a decided a turn for the worse.

The Grizzlies dropped a pair of narrow decisions to begin the road trip, lost a lopsided battle in Sacramento and saw a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter go by the boards in a 122-120 setback to the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night.

Ja Morant collected 29 points and 12 assists on Wednesday in his return from a one-game absence due to soreness in his left ankle. He had 28 and eight, respectively, in the Grizzlies’ 114-103 win over the Timberwolves on Nov. 11 and 24 points in a 109-101 setback in Minneapolis on Nov. 30.

Brandon Clarke contributed 19 points and eight rebounds on Wednesday after being inserted into the starting lineup in place of Steven Adams, who is sidelined for three to five weeks with a sprained right knee ligament.

The Timberwolves have found their groove by winning nine of their last 13 games to reach .500 on the season.

Anthony Edwards erupted for 37 points in Minnesota’s 111-102 win at the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night. The former top overall draft pick’s ability to push the tempo and make the most of his options in transition was well received by Minnesota coach Chris Finch.

Edwards has averaged 37.3 points over his last three games. He scored 28 and 29 points, respectively, in the two meetings against Memphis this season.

Rudy Gobert collected 17 points and 12 rebounds on Wednesday for the Timberwolves, who begin a six-game homestand against the Grizzlies.

Minnesota has won seven of its last eight home games to improve to 16-10 at Target Center this season.

Memphis, which has produced stellar results at home in its own right, is just 11-14 on the road.

Boxing Preview: Otto Wallin (24-1, 14 KO’s) vs Helaman Olguin (9-4-1, 4 KO’s)

Fight Editor
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Boxing Preview: Otto Wallin (24-1, 14 KO’s) vs Helaman Olguin (9-4-1, 4 KO’s)

Top heavyweight contender Otto Wallin will return to action for his first fight of 2023, as he takes on Mexico’s Helaman Olguin in an eight-round fight this Friday, January 27 from Castleton Banquet & Conference Center in Windham, New Hampshire. Wallin, who is promoted by Salita Promotions and who owns the WBO No. 3 and WBC No. 9 rankings, will look to stay sharp as he seeks a marquee matchup this year.

“I feel great heading into this fight,” said Wallin. “My training has been going great and I’ve done a lot of good sparring leading up to this fight. I’m excited to be fighting in New Hampshire and can’t wait to step into the ring. I can’t overlook Olguin, who is a good fighter, but I don’t think he’s on my level. I know that I can compete and win against any heavyweight in the world, and I’ll make sure that I show why on Friday night.”

“Otto trains his tail off twice a day, six days a week, virtually year-round,” said Zach Levin, Wallin’s manager. “He cannot wait to prove himself against the very best in the world. While he waits for that opportunity to present itself, he is preparing for Olguin like the consummate professional that he is. He is grinding and not looking past Olguin. On January 27, Otto’s world class skills will be on full display and the fans in attendance will know they have been treated to something different.”

Wallin (24-1, 14 KOs) added two wins to his ledger in 2022, following up a unanimous decision in February over Kamil Sokolowski with a dominant decision over the always tough Rydell Booker in May. Since then Wallin has stayed ready in the gym, and after moving on from negotiations to face former two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, will step back into the ring looking to show again why he’s a top 10 heavyweight in the world.

“Otto Wallin is the most avoided and feared fighter in the heavyweight division,” said Dmitriy Salita, President of Salita Promotions. “He is staying active, sharp and improving with every fight. Fights like this show how much of a committed fighter Otto really is. Instead of waiting around for a big fight, he is honing his craft. We are looking forward to an impressive performance and a big 2023 ahead.”

Blue Bombers re-sign linebacker Shayne Gauthier

CFL Editor
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Blue Bombers re-sign linebacker Shayne Gauthier

WINNIPEG, MB., – The Winnipeg Blue Bombers today announce the club has agreed to terms on a one-year contract extension with Canadian linebacker Shayne Gauthier. He was scheduled to become a free agent next month.

Gauthier (5-10, 223; Laval University; born: February 20, 1992, in Dolbeau-Mistassini, QC) returns for a seventh season with the club in 2023. A fourth-round selection, 28th overall, by the Blue Bombers in the 2016 CFL Draft, Gauthier has suited up for 81 games with the club over six years and has not missed a contest in the last three seasons.

He posted career-high numbers in defensive tackles in 2021 and 2022, recording 28 tackles last season and registering the first two quarterback sacks in his six years with the Blue Bombers while also adding five more tackles on special teams.

Gauthier totalled 130 tackles during his four years at Laval and was also a two-time RSEQ All-Star while earning CIS Second-Team All-Canadian honours as a senior.

NHL Morning Skate – Jan. 27, 2023

NHL Editor
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NHL Morning Skate – Jan. 27, 2023

* Nikita Kucherov had three points to help the Lightning earn their 11th straight victory on home ice as Tampa Bay snapped Boston’s seven-game winning streak as the visitor in the process.
 

* A pair of young defensemen shone Thursday as 20-year-old Owen Power extended his goal streak to three games while 21-year-old Moritz Seider collected his third career three-assist performance.

* Thursday marked the third straight day to feature at least three games requiring overtime. The longest stretch of days with three or games being decided past regulation is five (March 5-9, 2011).


KUCHEROV, VASILEVSKIY HELP LIGHTNING BEST BRUINS
The Bruins entered the contest with seven straight road victories, but the duo of Nikita Kucherov (0-3—3) and Andrei Vasilevskiy (37 saves) ensured the Lightning (31-15-1, 63 points) would withstand Boston’s two game-tying goals to match a franchise record with their 11th straight victory at AMALIE Arena (also 11 GP in 2019-20).

* Tampa Bay, whose 89 home victories since 2019-20 are the most among all teams and one more than the next closest (BOS: 88-25-17), picked up a crucial regulation victory against NHL-leading Boston (38-6-4, 80 points) to move within five points of idle Toronto (30-11-8, 68 points) for second place in the Atlantic Division. The Lightning hold two games in hand.

* Kucherov (19-52—71 in 47 GP) became the first player to reach the 50-assist mark in 2022-23 and now sits third in overall scoring this season. Thursday marked his ninth three-point game of the campaign, tied with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Tage Thompson for the second most among all players behind Connor McDavid (11 GP).

* Vasilevskiy improved to 22-12-1 (2.52 GAA, .918 SV%) this season and outdueled the NHL’s wins leader, Linus Ullmark (25-3-1, 1.86 GAA, .937 SV%, 2 SO), in his 400th career game. The Lightning goaltender has made 35 or more saves in 53 of his 251 wins.



20-YEAR-OLD DEFENSEMAN POWERS SABRES TO VICTORY. . .
The Sabres-Jets contest included two of the top three highest-scoring defensemen in Rasmus Dahlin (14-41—55 in 47 GP) and Josh Morrissey (8-43—51 in 50 GP), along with 20-year-old Owen Power (3-16—19 in 45 GP) who scored to move into sole possession of second in points among rookie blueliners this season.

* Power became the first rookie defenseman in Sabres history to record a goal streak of three or more contests and now sits two games shy of the franchise rookie record for any skater. Among all Buffalo defensemen, only two have had a goal streak of four or more games: Dahlin (5 GP in 2022-23) and Phil Housley (4 GP in 1988-89).

* At 20 years, 65 days, Power is among the top 10 youngest rookie defensemen in League history to record a goal streak of three or more games. A goal in Buffalo’s next contest (Saturday at MIN) would make Power the youngest blueliner in NHL history to record a goal streak of at least four games. Only three rookie defensemen, of any age, have extended their goal streak beyond three games: Barry Beck (6 GP in 1977-78), Brian Benning (4 GP in 1986-87) and Stan Brown (4 GP in 1926-27).

* Power also became the third-youngest defenseman (rookie or veteran) to record a goal streak of three or more games over the past 35 years, helping the Sabres (26-19-3, 55 points) move within two points of the Penguins (24-15-9, 57 points) for the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.


. . . WHILE 21-YEAR-OLD SEIDER SHINES IN OVERTIME VICTORY FOR RED WINGS
Montreal tied the game three times but 21-year-old Moritz Seider (0-3—3), with his dad in attendance, collected his third assist of the game on Robby Fabbri’s goal in overtime to help the Red Wings (21-18-8, 50 points) gain ground on the Penguins (24-15-9, 57 points) for the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.

* Thursday marked Seider’s third career outing with three or more assists, with each coming in 2022-23 (also 0-4—4 on Jan. 10 & 0-3—3 on Nov. 19, 2022). He became the first defenseman in Red Wings history to post three three-assist games at age 21 or younger, with Steve Chiasson (Nov. 12, 1988 & Dec. 1, 1988) being the only other Detroit blueliner to record multiple such performances.




AROUND THE RINKS

* Nick Schmaltz (3-1—4) scored his first NHL hat trick – with all three goals coming in consecutive fashion – as the Coyotes skated to a 5-0 win, the club’s highest-scoring shutout victory in over three years (5-0 W vs. NYR on Jan 6, 2019). Schmaltz became the first Coyotes skater to score a natural hat trick since Phil Kessel on March 27, 2021 and recorded his third career four-point performance with Arizona – the most among all active players.

* The defending Stanley Cup-champion Avalanche entered the contest with six consecutive wins and built a 3-1 lead through the first 36:09 of play, but Frank Vatrano (3-0—3) completed the first hat trick by a Ducks player this season to guide Anaheim to victory. The Ducks secured their fourth multi-goal, third-period comeback win of the season – the most among all teams, with the Kings, Blues and Islanders close behind (all w/ 3).

* Patrick Kane (0-1—1) factored on one of five Chicago goals and rookie Jaxson Stauber made 34 saves to lead the Blackhawks to victory. Stauber became the third goaltender in Blackhawks history to win each of their first two NHL appearances, joining Gilles Meloche (2 GP from March 16-19, 1971) and Hugh Lehman (2 GP from Nov. 17-20, 1926).

QUICK CLICKS

* Wednesday edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates
* Stanley Cup visits Toronto mosque to help celebrate Industry Growth Fund

* NHL All-Star Game chance for ESPN to tell players’ stories

* NHL Mascot Showdown coming to 2023 NHL All-Star Game

* NHL, adidas unveil Capitals/Hurricanes Stadium Series jerseys



FORMER FASTEST SKATER WINNERS FACE OFF ON ESPN
With the 2023 NHL All-Star Skills presented by DraftKings Sportsbook just a week away (Friday, Feb. 3 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN, ESPN+, Sportsnet, TVA Sports), two former winners of the Fastest Skater competition will be featured on ESPN tonight when Dylan Larkin and the Red Wings visit Mathew Barzal and the Islanders at UBS Arena.



* Larkin leads all Detroit skaters with 15-28—43 this season (46 GP) and recently became the fifth-youngest player in Red Wings history to reach the 400-point milestone. The Detroit captain, who is set to make his third career All-Star appearance, won the Fastest Skater event in 2016.

* Barzal (11-31—42 in 49 GP), who leads Islanders skaters in assists and ranks second on the team in points behind Brock Nelson (who will represent the club alongside Ilya Sorokin next week in South Florida), won the Fastest Skater event in 2020 while edging out three-time defending champion Connor McDavid in the process. Since Barzal’s debut season in 2016-17, he has more assists (251) and points (353) than any Islanders skater.   

NBA Preview: Toronto Raptors (22-27) at Golden State Warriors (24-24)

NBA Editor
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NBA Preview: Toronto Raptors (22-27) at Golden State Warriors (24-24)

Two teams coming off satisfying wins and hoping to turn the corner to consistency square off Friday night in San Francisco when the Golden State Warriors host the Toronto Raptors.

It also brings together the teams that dueled in the memorable 2019 NBA Finals.

The Raptors opened a seven-game road trip in impressive fashion Wednesday, limiting the Sacramento Kings to a season-low output in a 113-95 romp.

Pascal Siakam led the way for Toronto with 26 points and 11 rebounds, but 19 Sacramento turnovers were as critical as anything for the Raptors’ success. Fred VanVleet snatched four of his team’s 12 steals.

The win was Toronto’s second in succession as the NBA champs of four seasons ago fight an uphill battle to make the playoffs this season. Friday the

Raptors will be trying for their third consecutive victory, which would match their longest winning streak of the season.

The Raptors had four good days when they denied Golden State a third straight NBA championship in 2019. Defense was the key there as well, with Toronto limiting the high-scoring Warriors to no more than 110 points in any of the six NBA Finals games.

Siakam and VanVleet are the headliners among the Raptors still with the club four years later. Kawhi Leonard and Kyle Lowry are among those no longer around.

Golden State doesn’t have Kevin Durant now, but then again, it only had him for 12 minutes in that NBA Finals series before he ruptured his Achilles.

The Warriors also lost Klay Thompson to a torn ACL in the series. He has faced the Raptors just once since then.

Thompson was one of the heroes Wednesday in Golden State’s emotional 122-120 home triumph over the Memphis Grizzlies. His 3-pointer with 14.1 seconds remaining gave the Warriors a two-point lead they eventually lost on a Brandon Clarke dunk … but they regained the edge on a game-winning layup by Jordan Poole.

The difference-making hoop off an inbounds play was celebrated by the Warriors on the court as they ended a four-game home losing streak and got back to the .500 mark. But Stephen Curry, the game’s leading scorer with 34 points, had a different vantage point.

Curry was ejected with 1:14 remaining for throwing his mouthpiece in anger after Poole, instead of exhausting some clock after a Warriors offensive rebound with a two-point lead, fired up an ill-advised 30-footer that missed the mark.

The Warriors have won just four of their past 10 and will be trying to win a second consecutive game for the first time since Jan. 2.

The Raptors and Warriors have alternated wins and losses in their six meetings since the 2019 Finals, with Golden State having won 126-110 at Toronto in December despite Curry’s absence with a dislocated left shoulder. Poole had a season-high 43 points in that win.

NBA Preview: Orlando Magic (19-29) at Miami Heat (27-22)

NBA Editor
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NBA Preview: Orlando Magic (19-29) at Miami Heat (27-22)

The visiting Orlando Magic and host Miami Heat arrive for their in-state matchup Friday night both winners in three of their last four contests.

For Orlando, homecourt victories over NBA-leading Boston on Monday and Indiana on Wednesday mark the Magic’s first consecutive victories since Dec. 21 and 23.

Still 10 games under .500, they head to Miami seeking a third straight win for the first time since they had a six-game winning streak last month.

All five Orlando starters scored in double-figures in the 126-120 win over the Pacers led by rookie standout Paolo Banchero’s 23 points. Gary Harris knocked down all six of his 3-point attempts en route to a season-high 22 points, and Wendell Carter Jr. posted a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds.

The double-double marked Carter’s second straight and sixth since the calendar turned to 2023. The Magic are 5-1 in those contests.

While every Magic starter notched at least 13 points Wednesday – with Markelle Fultz and Franz Wagner both hitting that mark – Orlando’s bench provided an additional 37 points.

Orlando aims to continue its efficient offensive play against Miami, one of the NBA’s best defensive teams. The Heat are holding opponents to 108.2 points per game (second in the league), offsetting their league-low 108.4 scoring average.

Miami averages 8.5 steals a game and has held teams to 36.9% shooting from beyond the 3-point arc.

In each of their last four wins, the Heat have held the competition to 98 or fewer points, including last time out — a 98-95 grinder over Boston on Tuesday.

Miami was without Jimmy Butler against the Celtics. Butler has missed 15 of 49 games this season, but Tuesday’s late scratch because of a back issue was his first time out of the lineup since Dec. 31.

Bam Adebayo, whose 21.6 points per game match Butler to lead Miami, picked up the slack with 30 points against the Celtics.

Adebayo is averaging 10.2 rebounds a game and his 1.1 steals game continue to contribute to the Heat’s defensive dominance.

Tuesday marked Adebayo’s fourth 30-plus-point game since Dec. 31, and his eighth double-double since Jan. 2.

Tyler Herro, Miami’s third-leading scorer (20.5) has been in something of a cold spell. He finished with nine points against the Celtics and is 6-of-34 (17.6%) from beyond the arc since Jan. 16.

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