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NHL Preview: Buffalo Sabres (23-19-3) at Dallas Stars (28-13-7)

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NHL Preview: Buffalo Sabres (23-19-3) at Dallas Stars (28-13-7)

BUFFALO SABRES NOTES:

LAST GAME
Saturday, Jan. 21
Anaheim 3 at Buffalo 6
Goals: Krebs (2), Olofsson (2), Cozens, Skinner
Goalie: Luukkonen (34 saves/37 shots)
PP: 1/2; PK: 1/1; Shots: Buffalo 39 – Anaheim 37

CURRENT INJURIES – (Man Games Lost: 99)
Player (injury, first game missed) – total games missed
N/A

TRANSACTIONS IN PAST SEVEN DAYS
1/17: Recalled F Peyton Krebs from Rochester (AHL); Loaned G Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to Rochester
1/18: Placed F Vinnie Hinostroza on waivers
1/19: Recalled G Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen from Rochester (AHL); Loaned F JJ Peterka to Rochester; Recalled F JJ Peterka from Rochester (AHL); Assigned F Vinnie Hinostroza to Rochester

UPCOMING GAMES
Tuesday, Jan. 24: Buffalo at St. Louis, 8:00 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 26: Buffalo at Winnipeg, 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 28: Buffalo at Minnesota, 9:00 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 1: Carolina at Buffalo, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 11: Calgary at Buffalo, 12:30 p.m.

TODAY’S GAME
SABRES AT STARS
• This is the first of two meetings between the Sabres and Stars this season.

• Last meeting: Dallas defeated Buffalo 4-2 in Dallas on Feb. 27, 2022.

• Next meeting: Thursday, March 9 in Buffalo

• The Sabres are 3-7-0 in their last 10 games against the Stars; 2-8-0 on the road.

• This is the 129th game all-time between Buffalo and Dallas; Buffalo has a 58-53-17 series record.

• The Sabres are 24-35-6 on the road against the Stars all-time.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
• The Sabres have recorded four or more goals in three of their last four games against the Stars.

• Victor Olofsson has nine points (8+1) in his last nine games.

• A goal in tonight’s game would give Olofsson the first goal streak of four or more games in his career.

• Rasmus Dahlin has recorded 35 points (6+29) in his last 30 games.

• Alex Tuch has notched 39 points (15+24) in his last 30 games.

• A point in tonight’s game would give Tuch a point streak of five or more games for the fifth time in his career and the second time as a member of the Sabres.

• Tage Thompson has recorded 10 points (5+5) in his last 10 games.

• Dylan Cozens has tallied 34 points (12+22) in his last 32 games, including at least one goal in each of his last two games.

• With a goal in tonight’s game, Cozens would earn a goal streak of three or more games for the third time in his career and the second time in 2022-23.

• In his last 24 games, Jeff Skinner has notched 31 points (14+17).

• Skinner is riding a three-game point streak and a point in tonight’s game would mark his third point streak of four or more games this season.

• Tyson Jost has registered at least one point in each of his last three games and a point in tonight’s game would give him the second point streak of four or more games in his career.

• Ilya Lyubushkin has tallied four points (0+4) in his last five games.

WRITTEN IN THE STARS
• Since the Stars moved to Dallas prior to the 1993-94 season, 36 of the 39 matchups between these teams have been decided in regulation, including each of the last 16. One of the three overtime games between these clubs ended in a tie (Nov. 15, 2000), and the other two both ended with Buffalo shootout victories (Jan. 15, 2009 and Feb. 10, 2012).

• Rasmus Dahlin has five points in his last four games against Dallas (2+3).

• Dating back to the 2015-16 season, Craig Anderson has a 6-2-0 record in his last eight games against Dallas with a .922 save percentage and a 2.84 goals-against average.

• Henri Jokiharju has four assists in four career games against the Stars.

• Victor Olofsson has three points (1+2) in three career games against the Stars.

DALLAS STARS NOTES:

LAST DALLAS STARS GAME
Jan. 21, 2023 – STARS 4 vs. COYOTES 0
With their third 4-0 victory in the past four games, the Stars maintained their lead atop the Western Conference with a win over the Arizona Coyotes in front of a sellout crowd of 18,532 at American Airlines Center on Saturday. Goaltender Jake Oettinger recorded his fourth shutout of the season and his second shutout in his past three starts with a 33-save effort. Forward Radek Faksa (2-0—2) potted his fifth and sixth goals of the season in the first period, his two tallies marking his fourth career multi-goal game while also giving him goals in two of his past three games (3-0—3). Captain Jamie Benn (1-0—1) registered his team-leading ninth power-play goal of the season, rookie forward Wyatt Johnston (1-0—1) lit the lamp for the 12th time in 2022-23 and defenseman Miro Heiskanen extended his point streak to a season-high five consecutive games (0-8—8) with a two-point night (0-2—2). Forward Jason Robertson recorded his team-leading 33rd assist, rookie Fredrik Olofsson (0-1—1) picked up his fourth career point while defensemen Jani Hakanpää (0-1—1) and Colin Miller (0-1—1) tacked on helpers.
PP: 1-4 | PK: 3-3 | SF: 39 | SA: 33 | DAL TOI: Miller (21:15) | Attendance: 18,532 (sellout)
Three Stars: 1. DAL – R. Faksa 2. DAL – J. Oettinger 3. DAL – J. Benn

UPCOMING GAME SCHEDULE
Date Opponent Time (CT) Location TV/Radio
Mon., Jan. 23, 2023 Buffalo Sabres 7:30 p.m. American Airlines Center BSSW/KTCK
Wed., Jan. 25, 2023 Carolina Hurricanes 7:30 p.m. American Airlines Center BSSW/KTCK
Fri., Jan. 27, 2023 New Jersey Devils 7:30 p.m. American Airlines Center BSSW/KTCK
Mon., Feb. 6, 2023 Anaheim Ducks 7:30 p.m. American Airlines Center BSSWX/KTCK
Wed., Feb. 8, 2023 Minnesota Wild 7:30 p.m. American Airlines Center TNT/KTCK

RECENT TRANSACTIONS
Dec. 23 – Loaned forward Riley Tufte to Texas (AHL)
Dec. 27 – Recalled forward Fredrik Olofsson from Texas (AHL)
Jan. 1 – Loaned forward Fredrik Olofsson to Texas (AHL)
Jan. 1 – Signed forward Joe Pavelski to a one-year contract extension through the 2023-24 season
Jan. 2 – Recalled forward Fredrik Olofsson from Texas (AHL)
Jan. 16 – Loaned forward Nick Caamano to Texas (AHL)

INJURIES
Man-games lost, 2022-23: 21
NAME INJURY # OF GAMES DATES
D Miro Heiskanen Upper body 3 Oct. 25-29
G Jake Oettinger Lower body 4 Nov. 1-8
F Denis Gurianov Upper body 6 Nov. 11-21
F Roope Hintz Lower body 1 Nov. 19
F Roope Hintz Upper body 7 Jan. 10-pres.

DALLAS STARS NOTES
TONIGHT’S GAME: The Stars’ homestand continues tonight against the Buffalo Sabres at American Airlines Center. (7:30 p.m. CT, TV: Bally Sports Southwest, Radio: The Ticket 96.7-FM/1310-AM). This is the second game of a four-game homestand leading into the Stars’ bye week (Jan. 28-Feb. 5) which overlaps with a pause from Feb. 2-5 for the 2023 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend. Following the break, the Stars will play four in a row at American Airlines Center before hitting the road for a game in Minnesota on Feb. 17. The Stars and Sabres will meet once more on March 9 at KeyBank Center.

I PUT ON MY OVERCOAT AND WALKED INTO WINTER

  • The Stars went 2-0-0 against the Sabres last season, winning 5-4 at KeyBank Center on Jan. 20, 2022 and 4-2 at American Airlines Center on Feb. 27, 2022.
  • The Stars enter Monday’s tilt having logged wins in seven of the past nine (7-2-0) and 10 of the past 13 (10-3-0) games against Buffalo.
  • Dallas has also earned points in 14 of the past 18 games against the Sabres, posting a 13-4-1 record dating back to the start of the 2010-11 season.
  • Additionally, the Stars have notched points in nine of the past 10 games (8-1-1) against Buffalo at home and have points in 12 of the past 14 (11-2-1) against them at AAC.
  • Dallas is 53-56-19 all-time vs. Buffalo, including a 35-23-7 at home.
  • Forward Tyler Seguin enters tonight’s game with nine points (2-7—9) in his past eight home games against the Sabres. Seguin leads active Stars in goals (13), assists (16) and points (29) in a team-high 31 career games vs. Buffalo. He also leads the clubs in powerplay goals (5) vs. the Sabres.
  • Captain Jamie Benn has 10 goals and 18 points (10-8—18) in 19 career games against Buffalo, including two game-winning markers. Benn has registered 11 points (7-4—11) in nine career home games vs. the Sabres.
  • Forward Joe Pavelski has registered 15 points (9-6—15) in 22 games vs. Buffalo, including four tallies on the power play.
  • Forward Jason Robertson has two goals and three points (2-1—3) in two career games against the Sabres (both games in 2021-22).
  • Forward Luke Glendening enters tonight’s matchup with seven points (3-4—7) in 27 career games vs. Buffalo.
  • Defenseman Ryan Suter ranks second among active Stars in assists (14) and has 16 points (2-14—16) in 20 career contests against the Sabres.
  • Goaltender Jake Oettinger is 1-0-0 with a 2.01 goals-against average and .950 save percentage in one career appearance vs. Buffalo.
  • Netminder Scott Wedgewood is 0-1-1 with a 3.37 GAA and .854 SV% in two career appearances against the Sabres.

2022-23 REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE
Jan. 23 vs. Buffalo
March 9 at Buffalo

NHL Preview: New York Islanders (23-20-5) at Toronto Maple Leafs (28-11-8)

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NHL Preview: New York Islanders (23-20-5) at Toronto Maple Leafs (28-11-8)

NEW YORK ISLANDERS NOTES:

LAST GAME
DATE NYI RESULT SCORE NYI SCORERS IN GOAL
Saturday, Jan. 21 Loss CAR 5 at NYI 2 Holmstrom, Nelson Sorokin (21/25)
After the Carolina Hurricanes scored twice in the first four minutes, Simon Holmstrom responded with his second career goal and Brock Nelson scored his 16th goal of the season to tie the game, but the New York Islanders fell to the Hurricanes, 5-2, Saturday night at UBS Arena. Anders Lee recorded an assist wile netminder Ilya Sorokin made 21 saves on 25 shots, as the Islanders fell to 1-2-0 in their four-game season series against Carolina.

RECENT TRANSACTIONS
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.
Jan. 18 Dennis Cholowski and William Dufour have been recalled from loan (Bridgeport).
Jan. 11 Aatu Raty and Robin Salo have been loaned to Bridgeport (AHL).
Jan. 10 Simon Holmstrom has been activated off the team’s IR list.

INJURIES GAMES MISSED

3 Adam Pelech Dec. 9 –

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 –

25 Sebastian Aho Oct. 13 – Oct. 20

26 Oliver Wahlstrom Oct. 13, Dec. 29 –

40 Semyon Varlamov Dec. 19 – Jan. 1

Man Games Lost: 97

RECENT RESULTS
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)
Monday, Jan. 16 vs. Washington L/OT (4-3)
Saturday, Jan. 14 vs. Montreal W (2-1)

SEASON SERIES
DATE LOCATION RESULT/TIME
Nov. 21, 2022 Scotiabank Arena W/OT, 3-2
Jan. 23, 2023 Scotiabank Arena 7:00pm
Mar. 21, 2023 UBS Arena 7:30pm

UPCOMING GAMES
Jan. 25 at Ottawa Canadian Tire Centre (Ottawa, ON) 7:00pm
Jan. 27 vs. Detroit UBS Arena (Belmont Park, NY) 7:00pm
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

LAST FIVE MEETINGS VS. TORONTO:
Nov. 21, 2022 Scotiabank Arena (Toronto, ON) OT Win (3-2)
Apr. 17, 2022 Scotiabank Arena (Toronto, ON) Loss (4-2)
Jan. 22, 2022 UBS Arena (Belmont Park, NY) Loss (3-1)
Nov. 21, 2021 UBS Arena (Belmont Park, NY) Loss (3-0)
Jan. 4, 2020 Scotiabank Arena (Toronto, ON) Loss (3-0)

vs. THE MAPLE LEAFS:
2022-23 1-0-0
Last five games: 1-4-0
Franchise History 79-69-7-8
NYI Home 44-29-3-4
NYI Away 35-40-4-4

TONIGHT’S MATCHUP
Tonight, the New York Islanders visit the Toronto Maple Leafs in the second of three meetings between the two clubs this season. The last time these teams met, Noah Dobson scored and Josh Bailey tied the game with less than three minutes remaining, then Anthony Beauvillier recorded the game-winner in overtime to help the Islanders capture a 3-2 victory in Toronto. The Islanders have collected points in six of their last seven matchups against an Atlantic Division opponent (4-1-2). Tonight, they will look to earn their 11th road win of the season and capture their first win in four games. Tonight’s matchup is the fifth of eight consecutive Eastern Conference opponents the Islanders will face before
January 28. The Islanders enter tonight’s matchup with a 13-10-3 record against Eastern Conference teams.

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS NOTES:

LAST GAME
Score: Toronto 2 at Montréal 3 – OTL
Date: Saturday, January 21, 2023
TOR Goals: Giordano, Järnkrok
MTL Goals: Anderson, Harvey-Pinard, Pitlick (OTW)
TOR Goaltender: Samsonov, 28/31, .903 SV%
MTL Goaltender: Montembeault, 36/38, .947 SV%
TOR Power Play: 0-for-2
TOR Penalty Kill: 4-for-4

Player Notes: – Mark Giordano opened the scoring for the Maple Leafs 53 seconds into the first period. Per NHL Stats, “He joined Morgan Rielly (0:49 on March 27, 2022 & 0:58 on April 4, 2021) as only the second Maple Leafs defenseman in the past 25 years to score an opening-minute goal.” Giordano has scored in back-to-back games and is currently on a three-game point streak (2G, 1A).

  • William Nylander posted the primary assist on Giordano’s goal. Nylander is currently on a three-game assist and point streak where he has posted five points (2G, 3A).
  • Auston Matthews registered the secondary assist on Giordano’s goal. Matthews is currently on a four-game point streak where he has posted five points (4G, 1A) and has recorded 12 points (7G, 5A) through his last nine games played.
  • Mitch Marner recorded the secondary assist on Calle Järnkrok’s goal. Marner is currently on a four-game point streak where he has posted six points (1G, 5A).

TONIGHT’S GAME
2022-23 Matchups vs. New York: Second of Three
2021-22 Record vs. New York: 3-0-0
Toronto Season Record: 28-11-8
Toronto Home Record: 17-3-4

TONIGHT’S STORYLINES
The Maple Leafs are facing the New York Islanders tonight in the second of three matchups between the clubs this season. Toronto lost their first meeting of the 2022-23 campaign against the New York Islanders in a 3-2 overtime decision on November 21 at Scotiabank Arena. Their third and final meeting of the season will be played at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York on March 21st. Toronto has earned at least one point through their last five games against New York (4-0-1). The Maple Leafs have posted a 17-3-4 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 52 points (24G, 28A) through 45 games this season. Marner is appearing in the second All-Star Game (2020, 2023) of his NHL career. Marner has posted 56 points (17G, 39A) through 47 games this season. He is currently tied for sixth in the league with 39 assists.

BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV: Sportsnet RADIO: Sportsnet 590

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. NEW YORK ISLANDERS:
First Matchup between Clubs: January 10, 1973 (Toronto 4 vs. New York Islanders 2)
All-Time Record: 77-68-7-11 (163 Games)
All-Time Record at Home: 44-30-4-5 (83 Games)
All-Time Record on the Road: 33-38-3-6 (80 Games)
Last Home Win vs. Opponent: April 17, 2022 (Toronto 4 vs. New York Islanders 2)

ACTIVE LEADERS VS. NEW YORK ISLANDERS:
Games Played: Wayne Simmonds (40), Morgan Rielly (23), Mark Giordano (18)
Goals: Wayne Simmonds (10), Mitch Marner (8), Auston Matthews (8)
Assists: Wayne Simmonds (13), Mitch Marner (7), William Nylander (7), Calle Järnkrok (6), Morgan Rielly (6), Mark Giordano (6)
Points: Wayne Simmonds (23), Mitch Marner (15), Auston Matthews (12), William Nylander (12)
Penalty Minutes: Wayne Simmonds (52), Mark Giordano (14), Auston Matthews (8)

2022-23 AVERAGES AND RANKINGS
Points % GF/Game GA/Game PP% PK% SF/G SA/G FO%
Toronto .681 3.36 2.64 24.3 78.8 31.7 28.6 53.1
New York .531 2.94 2.77 16.7 83.1 30.4 31.3 50.0

THE MAN ADVANTAGE IN 2022-23
Power Play: 24.3%
Power Play Goal Leader: 10 – Matthews
Power Play Point Leader: 22 – Marner (5G, 17A)
2021-22 Power Play: 63/231 (27.3%)

NEXT GAME
Date: Wednesday, January 25, 2023
Opponent: vs. New York Rangers
Time: 7:00 pm ET
Broadcast Information: Sportsnet (TV), TSN 1050 (Radio)

ON THE PK IN 2022-23
Penalty Kill: 78.8%
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
Monday games 5th of 7 (4 home, 3 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 11th of 14 (10 home, 4 road)

NHL Preview: Florida Panthers (23-20-5) at New York Rangers (25-14-7)

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NHL Preview: Florida Panthers (23-20-5) at New York Rangers (25-14-7)

FLORIDA PANTHERS NOTES:

BAPTIST HEALTH INJURY REPORT

  • F Anthony Duclair | Games Missed: 47
  • F Patric Hornqvist | Games Missed: 22
  • F Eric Staal | Games Missed: 1
  • G Sergei Bobrovsky | Games Missed: 1
    Total Man Games Lost Due to Injury: 144

LAST GAME
Panthers 5, Wild 3 – Jan. 21 – FLA Live Arena
FLA Goals: Lundell (7), Luostarinen (10), Verhaeghe (22-PPG), Forsling (7), Reinhart (15)
MIN Goals: Boldy (14-PPG), Eriksson Ek (16-PPG), Spurgeon (8)
FLA Goalie: Lyon (W) – 29 Saves
MIN Goalie: Gustavsson (L) – 22 Saves
FLA Shots: 27
MIN Shots: 32
Notes: Alex Lyon won his second consecutive game…Sam Reinhart (1-1-2) and Aleksander Barkov (0-1-1) each extended their point streaks to seven games (3-7-10 each)…Anton Lundell (1-1-2) extended his point streak to four games (3-2-5)…Brandon Montour (0-1-1) extended his point streak to five games (1-4-5)…Carter Verhaeghe (1-0-1) extended his point streak to four games (3-2-5)…Matthew Tkachuk (0-1-1) extended his point streak to two games (2-1-3)…Gustav Forsling (0-1-1) extended his point streak to two games (1-1-2)…Nick Cousins notched an assist for the second consecutive game…FLA PP: 1-2, FLA PK: 0-2

RECENT TRANSACTIONS:

  • Jan. 20: G Spencer Knight loaned to Charlotte (AHL) | G Mack Guzda recalled from Charlotte (AHL)
  • Jan. 16: F Grigori Denisenko recalled from Charlotte (AHL)

PANTHERS vs. RANGERS
ALL-TIME vs. NYR: 40-48-6-10
ALL-TIME ROAD vs. NYR: 18-29-4-1
2022-23 vs. NYR: 0-1-0

CATS STATS

  • The Panthers’ current five-game point streak (4-0-1) is their longest of the season. From Jan. 14 – Jan. 21, the Cats led the league in goals (23), power-play goals (8) and PP% (42.1).

CATS AND RANGERS
The Panthers face off against the Rangers for the second time this season. New York took their first matchup at FLA Live Arena, 5-3, on New Years’ Day. Florida owns a 3-3-0 record against the Rangers over their past six matchups. Panthers forward Sam Reinhart has amassed 22 points (10-12-22) over 25 career games against NYR. Rangers forward Vincent Trocheck was selected by Florida in the third round (64th overall) of the 2011 NHL Draft, playing seven seasons (2013-14 to 2019-20) with Florida, where he recorded 282 points (111-171-282) over 420 games with the Cats.

POWER UP
From Jan. 3 – Jan. 21, the Panthers converted on 14 of their 32 power-play opportunities for a league-leading 43.8% success rate.

From Dec. 29 – Jan. 21, the top three NHL skaters in power-play points were all members of the Panthers: 1) Matthew Tkachuk (6-5-11), 2) Aleksander Barkov (3-7-10) and 3) Sam Reinhart (2-7-9). Florida became the first team to score four power-play goals in the same period this season Jan. 19 at MTL. The Cats have scored five power-play goals over their past two road contests. Tkachuk and Reinhart each pace Florida with eight-powerplay markers in 2022-23.

NEW YORK RANGERS NOTES:

LAST GAME
Boston Bruins 3, New York Rangers 1 – January 19, 2023 – Madison Square Garden
NYR Goals: B. Harpur (1)
BOS Goals: P. Zacha (8), P. Bergeron (17), C. Clifton (4)
NYR Goalie: I. Shesterkin (L – 24/27)
BOS Goalie: J. Swayman (W – 31/32)
NYR Shots: 32
BOS Shots: 27
NYR PP: 0/3
NYR PK: 4/4

RECAP/NOTES: The Rangers fell to the Bruins, 3-1, last Thursday at MSG. Ben Harpur scored his first goal with the Rangers and his second goal of his career (Dec. 1, 2018 against San Jose). Harpur was the 21st different Ranger to score a goal this season. In the defeat, Jonny Brodzinski played in his 100th career game (NYR – 42, LAK – 54, SJS – 3).

RANGERS RUNDOWN

  • The New York Rangers play their penultimate home game before the All-Star break when the Florida Panthers come to Madison Square Garden (7:00 PM ET – TV: MSG Network – Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM). The Rangers will play two of their next three games at home before the All-Star Break and five of their next six contests at MSG.
  • The Blueshirts have won three of their last five, six of their last nine games and have earned points in eight of their last 10 games (6-2-2). Dating back to November 30, Rangers have points in 18 of their last 23 contests (15-5-3). At home, New York has won seven of its last 10 games dating back to December 5.
  • On Thursday night, the NHL announced that Adam Fox and Artemi Panarin have been added to the 2023 NHL All-Star Game in South Florida as part of the All- Star Fan Vote, joining goaltender Igor Shesterkin.
  • Adam Fox and Mika Zibanejad are two of the four NHL players who are averaging at least 4:00 of power play ice time and 2:00 of shorthanded ice time per game this season. Others: Barkov (FLA) and Makar (COL).
  • New York has earned at least one point in eight out of its last 10 matchups (6-2-2) and 13 of its last 16 games (9-3-4) with Florida. In those 16 games, the Blueshirts are averaging 4.00 goals per game against the Panthers.
  • At home against the Panthers, the Blueshirts have earned points in five-straight contests (4-0-1) and 12 of their last 13 home contests against them (9-1-3).
  • Chris Kreider has points (9G-9A) in nine of his last 11 games and is a plus-11 against the Panthers dating back to November 28, 2017. Kreider has three 3-point games and five multi-point games in his career against Florida. With 26 points, Kreider has the second most points all-time for a Ranger against the Panthers.
  • Artemi Panarin is currently riding a 11-game point streak (5G-16A) against the Panthers.
  • Mika Zibanejad has points in eight-straight games (8G-7A) and 11 of his past 13 games against Florida. Zibanejad has multi-point games in four-straight games against Florida.
  • The Blueshirts have recorded the seventh most shots per game (32.9) and have allowed the eighth fewest shots per game (29.1) in the NHL.
  • The Rangers defensemen group has collected 114 points, the fourth most in the NHL and 89 assists, also the fourth most. 29.0 percent of all Rangers points this season have been contributed to a defenseman.

DATE/TIME OPPONENT/LOCATION TV RADIO
Jan. 25/7:00 PM Toronto/Scotiabank Arena TNT ESPN 98.7 FM
Jan. 27/7:00 PM Vegas/MSG MSG Network ESPN 98.7 FM
Feb. 6/7:30 PM Calgary/MSG MSG Network TBD
Feb. 8/8:00 PM Vancouver/MSG MSG Network TBD
Feb. 10/7:00 PM Seattle/MSG MSGSN TBD

LAST FIVE GAMES
DATE OPPONENT RESULT
Jan. 19 Boston L, 3-1
Jan. 16 at Columbus W, 3-1
Jan. 15 Montreal L, 2-1
Jan. 12 Dallas OTW, 2-1
Jan. 10 Minnesota SOW, 4-3

INJURIES (31 MGL)
PLAYER INJURY DATES MISSED CONS. GAMES MISSED
Julien Gauthier Upper Body Jan. 15-19 3

RECENT TRANSACTIONS
January 22 – Jonny Brodzinski re-assigned to Hartford. Julien Gauthier activated off IR.
January 17 – Ryan Carpenter re-assigned to Hartford.
January 15 – Ryan Carpenter recalled from Hartford. Julien Gauthier placed on IR.
January 11 – Jake Leschyshyn claimed off waivers
January 6 – Gustav Rydahl re-assigned to Hartford
January 5 – Gustav Rydahl recalled from Hartford
January 4 – Jimmy Vesey re-signed to two-year contract extension

ALL-TIME RECORD 58-32-6-8 (128 PTS)
2022-23 1-0-0
2021-22 2-1-0
NYR HOME 30-15-4-3 (67 PTS)
NYR AWAY 28-17-2-5 (63 PTS)
LAST FIVE MEETINGS 3-2-0
LEADING SCORER(S) – CURRENT RANGERS IN CAREER G: Kreider (12) – A: Panarin (17) – Pts: Kreider (26)
LEADING SCORER(S) – ALL-TIME IN GAMES W/NYR G: Messier (14) – A: Leetch (27) – Pts: Leetch (35)

NHL Morning Skate – Jan. 23, 2023

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NHL Morning Skate – Jan. 23, 2023

* Jack Hughes became the first Florida-born player in NHL history to score 30 goals in a season while skating opposite of fellow 2023 NHL All-Star Sidney Crosby, who also found the back of the net Sunday.
 

* Linus Ullmark earned his 25th win and joined a pair of fellow Bruins goaltenders atop an NHL list while teammate Charlie McAvoy netted a highlight-reel goal against the Sharks.

* Blue Jackets forward Johnny Gaudreau is set to make his return to Calgary in a contest that will air exclusively on ESPN+ and HULU in the U.S. and finish a TVAS doubleheader in Canada. Sportsnet One will also carry the contest to close out a schedule that includes a national Sportsnet telecast from Toronto.

2023 NHL ALL-STARS HUGHES, CROSBY TRADE GOALS IN DEVILS WIN

With the NHL All-Star Game headed to Florida in less than two weeks, soon-to-be Metropolitan Division teammates Jack Hughes and Sidney Crosby each scored during their head-to-head matchup Sunday.

* Hughes (Orlando, Fla.) became the first Florida-born player in League history to score 30 goals in a season. He will soon become the first player born in the state to skate in more than one NHL All-Star Game (also 2022).

* Hughes (21 years, 253 days) followed Brendan Shanahan as the second player in Devils team history to reach the 30-goal mark in a season before his 22nd birthday. Shanahan netted his 30th goal of the 1989-90 campaign on March 29, 1990, at age 21 years, 65 days.

* Crosby, who was 18 when he hit the 30-goal mark for the first time during his rookie season (2005-06), netted his 539th career goal to overtake Keith Tkachuk (538) for sole possession of 33rd place in NHL history. Crosby – set to play in his fifth NHL All-Star Game – is one of two All-Star MVPs among the group headed to South Florida next month (also David Pastrnak).



ULLMARK EARNS 25TH WIN AS BRUINS BLANK SHARKS
Linus Ullmark stopped all 17 shots he faced while defensemen Charlie McAvoy (1-1—2) and Hampus Lindholm (1-1—2) chipped in offensively to help the Bruins (37-5-4, 78 points) earn their fifth straight win and bolster their lead atop the NHL standings.

* Ullmark improved to 25-2-1 and ranks as the NHL leader in wins, save percentage (.938) and goals against average (1.82) among all goaltenders (min. 5 GP). The Bruins netminder, who made his League debut with the Sabres in 2015-16, is set to appear in his first NHL All-Star Game.



* The Bruins have received goals from their blueline in five straight games dating to Jan. 14. The last time Boston had a streak of as many contests in the regular season was from March 8-15, 2014 (5 GP).

KELLER’S HAT TRICK AT MULLETT ARENA FEATURED IN #NHLSTATS: LIVE UPDATES

The Sunday edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates featured a number of noteworthy performances from players on Western Conference clubs, including the Coyotes’ Clayton Keller who posted a hat trick in his team’s win against the Golden Knights at Mullett Arena.

* Keller, who became the first Coyotes player to record multiple hat tricks in a single season since Mikkel Boedker (2x) in 2015-16, reached the 40-point mark in a campaign for the fifth time in his career (18-23—41 in 47 GP). Since the franchise relocated to Arizona, only Shane Doan (14x) and Radim Vrbata (6x) have posted more 40-point seasons with the club.


QUICK CLICKS

* Bruce Boudreau fired as Canucks coach, replaced by Rick Tocchet

* NHL Buzz: Alex Ovechkin day to day with lower-body injury for Capitals

* Johnny Gaudreau return with Blue Jackets has Flames ready for emotional night

* Zizing ‘Em Up: John Tavares closes in on 1,000 NHL games inspired by friends

* Ukrainian hockey team stages own miracle on ice in North America

EASTERN CONFERENCE PLAYOFF RACE, TOP GOAL SCORERS OPEN MONDAY’S SLATE…

Three of four clubs in action during the first half of Monday’s schedule are among a group of five teams that are separated by only six points in the middle of the Eastern Conference standings.


* The TVAS doubleheader begins at Madison Square Garden where the Rangers (25-14-7, 57 points) will look to pad their lead on the No. 3 spot in the Metropolitan Division – a position they have held since Jan. 10. New York will be hosting the reigning Presidents’ Trophy-winning Panthers (23-20-5, 51 points), who own an active five-game point streak (4-0-1) and have won seven of their past 10 games, including two straight. Florida’s stretch since Jan. 3 has helped them narrow the gap between them and a playoff spot from eight to three points as they aim to move into a Wild Card spot for the first time since Dec. 3.

* The Islanders share an identical record with the Panthers as they visit their former captain John Tavares and the Maple Leafs (28-11-8, 64 points), who have held the No. 2 seed in the Atlantic Division since Nov. 12. Toronto’s Mitchell Marner (8-21—29 in 20 home GP dating to Nov. 2) will look to continue his franchise-record home point streak, which includes nine multi-point showings and stands as the longest by any player since 2000-01 (Joe Sakic: 23 home GP w/ COL).

* The third game of the night is expected to include two of the top five goal scorers in the NHL in Sabres forward Tage Thompson (Phoenix, Ariz.) and Stars forward Jason Robertson (Arcadia, Calif.). Last season was the eighth campaign in League history to include multiple U.S.-born players among the top five goal scorers in the NHL.

GAUDREAU PRIMED FOR RETURN TO CALGARY ON ESPN+

An ESPN+ and HULU exclusive in the U.S. will see Johnny Gaudreau on the ice in Calgary as a visitor for the first time as he returns to the city where he collected 609 points with the Flames crest on his chest from 2013-14 to 2021-22.

* Gaudreau’s final campaign in Calgary saw him post a career-high 115 points, the second-highest single-season total in franchise history, and lead the Flames to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the fifth time during his tenure. In addition to ranking among the top five on franchise lists for career regular-season assists (5th) and points (5th), Gaudreau collected 33 playoff points in a Flames sweater to top all Calgary skaters during his time with the club.

* While a lot has changed for Gaudreau in recent months – now a father, after he and wife Meredith welcomed daughter Noa in October – he continues to shine on the ice as he paces the Blue Jackets in goals (tied), assists and points this season (13-31—44 in 46 GP). The 29-year-old told NHL.com that he is expecting some jeers when he hits the ice Monday but overall is looking forward to the experience.


* The “Legend of Johnny Hockey” extends beyond his on-ice performance during nearly a decade in the Canadian Rockies. Gaudreau, who was on the ice for the first time when he was just a few days old, battled adversity throughout his hockey journey – often because of his size – to reach the NHL where he made a point to give back to the Calgary community by regularly hosting kids at games. An “NHL Skates Off” feature from October 2018 profiled “Johnny Hockey,” who learned to skate by chasing Skittles around the ice.

NBA Preview: Memphis Grizzlies (31-15) at Sacramento Kings (26-19)

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NBA Preview: Memphis Grizzlies (31-15) at Sacramento Kings (26-19)

The Memphis Grizzlies have the unenviable task of following up a draining loss with a matchup at the Pacific Division-leading Sacramento Kings when they take the court for the second half of a back-to-back Monday night in the California capital.

Down 62-37 at halftime and seemingly content to coast into a more winnable game on the second night of its consecutive contests, the Grizzlies thoroughly outplayed the host Phoenix Suns in the second half Sunday night, only to fall two points short, 112-110.

Ja Morant had 27 points in a team-high 37 minutes for the Grizzlies, who also have endured a one-point home win over the Cleveland Cavaliers and a one-point road loss to the Los Angeles Lakers over the past five days.

To add insult to injury, a five-game trip continues Wednesday night against the Grizzlies’ chief rival, the Golden State Warriors, in San Francisco.

The club’s two-game losing streak isn’t sitting well with coach Taylor Jenkins, who watched his team sail up the Western standings with 11 straight wins before the narrow defeat in Los Angeles on Friday.

Despite the consecutive losses, the Grizzlies still bring the Western Conference’s second-best record into their matchup with the Kings, who have solidified their No. 3 spot in the West with six wins in their last seven games.

The clubs will be wrapping up their four-game, regular-season series, with the Grizzlies having prevailed in two of the first three meetings, including a 125-110 romp at Sacramento in the second week of the season.

A Grizzlies-Kings matchup means a duel between the Kings’ Domantas Sabonis, one of the league’s top offensive forces, and the Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr., a candidate for NBA Defensive Player of the Year.

Jackson missed his team’s win at Sacramento in October, and he’s battled Sabonis on rather even terms in the two most recent matchups, averaging 18.0 points and 4.0 blocks. Sabonis has averaged 13.5 points, 13.5 rebounds and 6.0 assists in those games, which included a Kings win at Memphis in November.

The point guard battle between the Grizzlies’ Ja Morant and the Kings’ De’Aaron Fox has been a doozy all three games, with Morant going for 22, 34 and 35 points, while Fox countered with 27, 32 and 19.

The Kings saw a six-game winning streak come to an end in their most recent action, a 129-127 home loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday. Sabonis had 16 points and 10 assists, missing a triple-double by one rebound, while Fox led the way with 31 points.

NBA Preview: San Antonio Spurs (14-32) at Portland Trail Blazers (21-25)

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NBA Preview: San Antonio Spurs (14-32) at Portland Trail Blazers (21-25)

Teams at bottom of West clash as Blazers host Spurs

Two teams near the bottom of the Western Conference standings will be trying to dig out of losing stretches when the Portland Trail Blazers host the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night.

The Trail Blazers have dropped 12 of their past 16 games to fall to 13th place in the 15-team conference.

San Antonio resides in 14th place after losing nine of its past 11 games.

Portland seemed to have a good chance at a victory on Sunday night when it led the visiting Los Angeles Lakers by 25 points at halftime. But the Trail Blazers were outscored 75-41 in the second half while being saddled with another setback.

Portland has lost the first two contests of a six-game homestand and is just 2-5 during a stretch of favorable scheduling in which 10 of 11 games are at home.

It is frustrating to Lillard, who is expecting the Trail Blazers to be a playoff team this season.

Lillard had 24 points and 10 assists but was just 5 of 17 from the field. Lillard is just 11 of 38 from the field — including 6 of 26 from 3-point range — over the past two games.

Anfernee Simons made seven 3-pointers while scoring 31 points against the Lakers for his ninth 30-point outing of the season.

Defense has been a problem for the Spurs, who gave up 33 or more points in three different quarters on Friday while falling 131-126 to the visiting Los Angeles Clippers.

The Clippers shot a scorching 63 percent from the field and were 15 of 28 from 3-point range.

Keldon Johnson recorded 23 points for San Antonio and has scored 20 or more points in 15 of his last 19 appearances. He is averaging 22 points in eight games this month.

Josh Richardson and Zach Collins each scored 17 points. Collins’ output was his second best of the season and he made 7 of 9 shots.

Collins played three seasons with the Trail Blazers (2017-20) earlier in his career.

Spurs rookie Jeremy Sochan had 16 points against the Clippers for his third straight outing of 15 or more points. He is shooting 60 percent from the field (18 of 30) during the span.

The contest is the first of a three-game road trip for San Antonio, which is just 5-15 away from home this season.

The Trail Blazers are 2-0 against the Spurs this season. Lillard averaged 29.5 points in the two wins.

NBA Preview: Charlotte Hornets (13-34) at Utah Jazz (24-25)

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NBA Preview: Charlotte Hornets (13-34) at Utah Jazz (24-25)

For only the fourth time since he opted to leave Utah to play for the Boston Celtics, Gordon Hayward is expected to face his former team in Salt Lake City on Monday night when his Charlotte Hornets take on the Jazz.

Hayward returned to the Hornets’ lineup Saturday after missing eight games with left hamstring soreness. He scored nine points in Charlotte’s 122-118 victory at Atlanta.

The Hornets have now won two straight, both on the road, after a five-game losing streak.

One thing that went really well against the Hawks: Terry Rozier.

Rozier ignited a second-half comeback for the Hornets, scoring 28 of his 34 points in the final 24 minutes of action. His three free throws sealed the win with 1.1 seconds remaining.

That helped Charlotte overcome a 19-point deficit in the third quarter, leading to consecutive wins for only the second time this season. A win at Utah would give the Hornets their first three-game winning streak of the 2022-23 campaign.

Because of injuries and playing in the Eastern Conference, Hayward has had a limited number of appearances in Utah after his move to the Celtics. He has averaged 15.3 points, 3.7 assists and 3.0 rebounds in the three games he’s played in the Beehive State, where he spent the first seven years of his NBA career and reached All-Star status.

The Jazz squandered an opportunity to pick up a third straight win Friday night when they were outplayed in the fourth quarter of a 117-106 home loss to the Brooklyn Nets.

Brooklyn’s Kyrie Irving scored 48 points, including 21 in the pivotal fourth quarter.

That prevented Utah from notching its first winning streak of at least three games since early November. The Jazz had won four of five after going through a slump.

To prevent that from happening again, the Jazz will need to play with a more physical style that Hardy believed they lacked against Brooklyn.

NBA Preview: Minnesota Timberwolves (24-24) at Houston Rockets (10-36)

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NBA Preview: Minnesota Timberwolves (24-24) at Houston Rockets (10-36)

With Rudy Gobert unavailable and unable to patrol the paint defensively, the Minnesota Timberwolves still proved quite able at protecting their rim and scoring down low against the Houston Rockets on Saturday.

In need of a boost, Timberwolves coach Chris Finch turned to third-year center Nathan Knight who, in concert with a brilliant performance from Anthony Edwards, helped shift momentum.

Knight scored 17 of his season-high 19 points in the second half while Edwards delivered a tour de force effort with a season-high 44 points to steer Minnesota to a 113-104 comeback victory in the first of back-to-back games against the Rockets. Houston will host Minnesota on Monday.

Gobert is listed as questionable for Monday due to right groin soreness, an injury that has sidelined him for three straight games.

The 6-foot-10 Knight helped plug a significant gap in the middle for the Timberwolves, who were without both Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns (calf). Knight added four rebounds and three steals during his impactful 25-minute stretch off the bench.

The Rockets led for a chunk of the first half and extended to a 12-point advantage in the third quarter before the Timberwolves rallied behind Edwards and Knight. Edwards kept Minnesota in range throughout with his marksmanship, and he stuffed the stat sheet beyond his 8-for-16 3-point shooting, adding six rebounds, four assists, three steals and three blocked shots.

Minnesota improved to 7-1 at home in January and won for the eighth time in 11 games. Edwards was the linchpin offensively and defensively.

The Rockets, meanwhile, suffered their 13th consecutive loss. Even with Edwards rampaging their defense, their wounds were largely self-inflicted. Houston missed 14 free throws and committed 21 turnovers that Minnesota converted into 30 points.

Houston finished with 54 points in the paint but that interior effectiveness stalled late. Center Alperen Sengun started 7 of 7 from the floor but scored just one of his team-high 19 points in the fourth quarter as the Rockets collapsed against the Timberwolves’ defensive pressure.

NBA Preview: Atlanta Hawks (24-23) at Chicago Bulls (21-24)

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NBA Preview: Atlanta Hawks (24-23) at Chicago Bulls (21-24)

Thursday’s victory against Detroit in the NBA Paris Game supplied Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan with a sense of optisme prudente.

That would be “cautious optimism” en anglais.

At any rate, Chicago totes a two-game winning streak into Monday’s visit from the Atlanta Hawks. The Bulls will aim to keep the run going in their first action since returning stateside.

After starting the season with strong hopes, the Bulls have been uneven at best through the first 45 games, and they came into the week sitting 10th in the Eastern Conference, good for the final spot in the play-in tournament.

Monday starts a stretch in which the Bulls will play consecutive games against teams directly ahead of them in the standings — Atlanta and Indiana — before visiting struggling Charlotte and Orlando to close a three-game road trip.

Atlanta, which hasn’t ventured east of Toronto in the past month, will be playing for the third time in four nights.

On Saturday, the team squandered a 19-point third-quarter lead to visiting Charlotte, as the Hawks’ five-game winning streak ended with a 122-118 loss to the Hornets.

Young scored 25 points despite closing on a 1-for-12 slump from the floor. That was one point off the team lead by Dejounte Murray. De’Andre Hunter finished tied with Young, marking a season high.

A hot start sparked Hunter, who scored 13 points in the second quarter to reach 18 by the half.

Hunter credited good ball movement for the surge.

The Bulls and Hawks have split their past 10 meetings, including the first two this season, with both matchups coming in Atlanta.

DeRozan is averaging 31 points against the Hawks this season, including 28 in a 110-108 victory on Dec. 21 that saw the Bulls avenge an overtime loss earlier in the month on AJ Griffin’s buzzer-beater.

The teams are set to meet at the United Center April 4.

NBA Preview: Boston Celtics (35-12) at Orlando Magic (17-29)

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NBA Preview: Boston Celtics (35-12) at Orlando Magic (17-29)

The Boston Celtics could be missing some key pieces when they travel to face the Orlando Magic on Monday night.

Injuries prevented guard Marcus Smart and center Robert Williams from playing in the second half of Boston’s 106-104 victory at Toronto on Saturday.

Smart injured his right ankle in the final minute of the second quarter and was helped to the locker room. Williams suffered a left knee injury when he collided with teammate Jaylen Brown in the first quarter. He remained in the game, but didn’t see any action after halftime.

Williams had surgery on his left knee last March.

The Celtics also played the entire game without leading scorer Jayson Tatum, who sat out the contest to rest his sore left wrist after he played 48 minutes in an overtime victory against Golden State on Thursday. Tatum is averaging 31.2 points and 8.5 rebounds per game this season.

Despite being short-handed, the Celtics extended their winning streak to nine games.

Orlando never led during its 138-118 loss at Washington on Saturday night. Markelle Fultz led the Magic with 23 points. Franz Wagner added 20, and Paolo Banchero finished with 15.

The 138 points are the most Orlando has allowed this season. The Wizards made 18 of their 34 3-point attempts (52.9 percent).

Saturday’s game will be the fourth and final regular-season meeting between Boston and Orlando this season, and the road team has prevailed in each of the previous three matchups. Tatum scored 40 points to propel the Celtics to a 126-120 victory in Orlando before the Magic posted 117-109 and 95-92 victories in back-to-back games played at Boston in December.

Moritz Wagner scored 25 points in Orlando’s first victory over Boston, and Banchero had 31 points in the second win. Tatum did not play in Boston’s 95-92 loss.

Banchero (20.7) and Franz Wagner (20.5) — Moe’s brother — enter Monday’s matchup as Orlando’s leading scorers.

Brown, who is averaging 26.9 points per game, led Boston with 27 points during Saturday’s win against Toronto. Grant Williams stepped up and added a season-high 25 points.

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